…it got me thinking. How does an individual’s drinking habits affect his or her purchase and consumption of good whisky? As I have descended into the murky depths of whisky mania, I (like many) have begun to think about specific bottles of whisky based on their own individual merit, rather than from the perspective of what fits into my own personal enjoyment of the spirit.
If I were weathering a snowstorm at the South Pole, I’d sure like to have several cases of this stashed under my cabin. Or better yet, under my bed! Eminently Highlander, with loads of honey and sticky-sweet candied fruits, a touch of smoke, a hint of rubber, and lots of flavor.
John Glaser has set himself a mission: To bring good blended scotch whisky back to the masses. This stuff is awesome, and it makes me very optimistic about the future of blends. You could, of course, use this for cocktails – but I like it straight up. It’s that good.
Costco in Almaden Valley (on Blossom Hill Rd near 85) has Lagavulin 16 for $52 plus tax. That’s a full $14 cheaper than the best price I’ve ever seen in the area. Ends early November. That’s an incredible deal. Remember, you don’t need a membership to buy alcohol at Costco, just tell the door-person that …
Ooops! It’s come to my attention that my Contact form has been broken since I moved hosts, so since – err – June? Apologies! If anyone reading this has tried to send me a message via the Contact form, please re-send it via email to nathan@scotchnoob.com until I have a chance to fix it.
Wemyss Malts has a line of romantically-named blended malts in ages 5, 8, and 12 years old. Each includes a ‘key ingredient’ to define its character and justify its name, as well as up to 16 other malts. I tried The Spice King (spices courtesy of a heavy dose of Talisker) at tonight’s K&L Wednesday spirits tasting in Redwood City, CA.
Isle of Skye, despite the name, is a blended scotch containing whisky from several areas of Scotland. Indeed, a proportion of Talisker is represented, as well as a blend of gentler Speyside malts, some Island malt, and some grain whisky. According to the bottler the youngest whisky is 8 years old but the blend contains some “much older” whisky. The blend is aged in an ex-bourbon barrel and bottled at 43% ABV.
Sherry all the way. The fruit here is bright and juicy. Truly a classic dram, which continues to be excellent.
My first whisky festival was a fantastic experience. I tasted around 42 whiskies (plus a few that I didn’t remember to take notes on), managed to not get too drunk to navigate MUNI home, and met some great people in the business. Here are some highlights, as transcribed from my increasingly slurred voice recorder notes.
I have WhiskyFest San Francisco coming up on Friday. Busy week! This will be my first-ever whisky festival, and I can’t wait. Going to WhiskyFest San Francisco? Leave a comment!