On November 30th, 2007 Silas Corp. featured the best of the best of Douglas Laing’s The Old Malt Cask Series in an unforgettable tasting event. Extraordinary independent bottlings from the 60ies and 70ies had been selected which are known to delight and hush into awe the connoisseurest of whisky lovers. This tasting presented wonderfully round and facetted malts that changed and oscillated every few minutes, malts to dream and tell the grandchildren about, malts that make a difference in this grey world of ours. The following contains details of the bottles and soon we will serve further data on this unique event.

Another highlight, presented by our host Thomas Schober, was without a doubt the presentation of the new Maduro 5-Line by Cohiba.
All three formats have been rolled in specially selected and fermented wrappers, which have matured at least five years in Tercios (tobacco bales rolled in palm leaves) – thus the name „Maduro 5". The filling of this completely hand made long filler is traditionally the best Cuban tobacco. The names Genios, Mágicos and Secretos have been selected carefully and remind the customers of the geniality of the people working in the cigar industry, of the magic one can feel when enjoying a cigar, which should set a Havana apart from other cigars and of course of the secrets of tobacco planting, which are the basis of all of that.

On a Wednesday every two months the hedonist evening of the Wiener Cigarren-Freunde is held and once again the event attendees were pampered with a sensational programme. Paul Havlicek had brought a few bottles of his favourite Italian vintner Arnaldo Caprai and introduced them to the thirsty group. Thomas Schober (of www.cigars.at - for the few who still do not know) spoiled us once more; this time with the Austria premiere of the new Cohiba Maduro series. Read on for details and tasting notes on wines and cigars (in this order).

Between 1988 and 1990 James MacArthur bottled incredibly good cask strength whisky. On June 8th, 2007 – shortly after our return from the Isle of Islay – we opened a collection of 8 choice bottlings plus a surprise dram 'for the road' from this edition. From our own experience, we already knew the exceptional quality of these bottlings, which are unrivalled in complexity and diversity.

On Wednesday 18th, 2007, history was made in Vienna: ladies and gentlemen partial to the enjoyment of cigars gathered in the 8th district to found the “Club der Wiener Cigarrenfreunde” (Club of Viennese Cigar Aficionados). A staggering 22 people attended to become full members and enter the gates of their passion. Presenter of the evening was, as usual, Thomas Schober, owner of the notorious meeting place of all serious pipe and cigar lovers.

On April 14th and 15th, Silas Corp. had an extremely well visited stand at the 3. Vienna Whisky Fair. From April 20th to 23rd we visited the Whisky Fair in Limburg – the whisky fair with the highest attendance in mainland Europe – and in May/June we will got to the Islay Festival (Feis Ile) on the Isle of Islay in Scotland. Damnation, in which whisky heaven did we just wake up?
The following article gives a few details on our gig at the 3. Vienna Whisky Fair.
Get yourself a dram of your favourite malt and enjoy it with us.

On March 30th 2007, Silas Corp. presented the unique opportunity to compare several cask strength bottlings of malts that are very hard or impossible to come by. Together we unraveled how to drink cask strength whisky without hurting oneself, what glass to chose and if water should be added or not. This evening had something for everyone, from beginner to expert. To keep us going this tasting came along with a finger-licking good buffet catered by our organic farmer friend. Favourite of this evening was a Macallan 100 Proof, followed by Glenfarclas 1994 and Laphroaig 1991 by Old Mald Cask Series (DL).

Yes, we had fun. The Collection N° 1 will soon be opened and tasted again in Sweden and in October 2007 in Belgium. J has already booked his flights and hotels as he feels an experience of this sort should not be just a once in your lifetime event. Both diversity and quality were incredible.

But let’s start at the beginning.

It was exactly how we imagined it would be: sharing rare bottlings and relaxed know-how on a comfortable evening with dedicated and laid-back whisky friends. Just to find out at the end of the evening that was no longer evening or night, but in fact 6 am. As this is clearly our guests’ fault, we would like to thank them for coming and staying. It was them who made this evening and, well, this night and this morning into a shiny orange bonfire in our memories.

In our new series we will feature precious delights that lighten up our day. No matter if whisky, wine, cigars or food, the true connoisseur surprisingly does not limit himself or herself to a single vice or area of enjoyment. We would like to use this opportunity to report on a small and exclusive wine tasting which we held recently at Silas Club. Host of the evening and producer of the wines tasted was none other than Matthias Suttner-Gatterburg, owner of the cellar “Gatterburg’sche Schlosskellerei” in Retz (www.schlosskellerei.at).

Friends of Scottish single malt were invited by Silas Corp. and Premium AG on a little journey through the regions of Scotland. In relaxed atmosphere at the clubroom of the Hotel Imperial Silas Corp.’s J – host of the evening – gave a talk on production and enjoyment of this finest and purest of all distillates. Among the highlights of the evening were without doubt the stories our guest of honour KR. Dr. Mario Prinz had in store about Scotland’s distilleries.

Silas Corp. and Premium AG invited customers and interested parties to a cigar evening extraordinaire at the Viennese Hotel Imperial. Under the motto "a Premium event for every taste" all present could test a well stored selection of hand rolled tobaccos to their hearts’ content. Climax of this Premium event was the Austrian premiere of the limited cigar collection of Rocky Patel’s Vintage 1990. The guests agreed that for this smoke, the leaves must have been selected and cured with extra care. Thomas Schober (www.cigars.at) gently led through the tasting with professional knowledge and created such a pleasant atmosphere that the event which made many aficionados quite happy only ended at around 1 am.