Usualy, most of the tastings are held at the end of the year. New releases, festivals, everyone wants his share of the attention. This year, however, it looks like the year will kick of with a flying start. An agenda update:

• 11 January: Tasting with some members of the Usquebaugh Society at my place. A blind tasting of bottlings from 2010.
• 16 January: Bottoms Up tasting at the Whiskykoning. A lot of bottles from previous tastings that have been gathering dust in his tasting room.
• 20 January: The 2nd Twitter tasting, this time with Old Pulteny whiskies.
• 4 February: Japanese whiskies at the Whiskykoning.
• 5 February: Leftover tasting at Slijterij Zeewijck in IJmuiden.
• 11 February: Hielander Whisky festival in Alkmaar.
• 20 February: Clan-tasting with a lot of members of our clan from Glen Grant’s Facebook competition.
• 25 February: American Whiskey tasting at the Whiskykoning
• 27 February: Otopoets-tasting in Hilversum, organized by Dick de Jong of the Usquebaugh Society.
• 6 March: A tasting organized by Drinks & Gifts with Whisky Import Netherlands
• 11 March: Longmorn tasting organized by King’s Court Whisky Society
• 15 March: The annual meeting of the Usquebaugh Society for 2011.
• 16 March: Adelphi tasting at Zeewijck in IJmuiden
• 20 March: Lowlands whiskies at the Whiskykoning.
• 3 April: A trip to the Zuidam distillery in The Netherlands, organized by Drinks & Gifts and DH17 Slijterijen.
• 17 April: A rum tasting in Krommenie, organized by Drinks & Gifts.

It looks a bit mad to visit so many tastings, and it actually is. Of course, I am very much looking forward to it, but I would have preferred to go to these tastings a bit more spread out through the year. Also, the location is not always ideal for me with a lot of travel involved in some cases. Of course, no drinking and driving!

Luckily, in mose cases I can crash somewhere, or just be really careful and limit myself to nosing instead of tasting!