Filler up!
Posted on 09/04/2009 4:07:49 PM PDT by JoeProBono
It is the era of designer drinks: bubblegum martinis, vodka essences, caffeinated schnapps. You name it. In spite of all their flair and fun, when you sit down to really enjoy a drink for the craftsmanship and complexity, you really only have a few good choices, and they were usually created over a decade ago.
For years I had been a wine guy (not whinny, mind you). I took the classes, began to dig into certain vintages and the regions and vineyards around the world, and I developed a taste for the European wines, which tended to be drier and have more varied, less fruity flavors. Yet in the midst of all the serious study of the art of wine, it cracked me up when a sommelier remarked that a wine had a "certain pee de chat aroma" (a fancy way of saying it smells like cat pee) with a straight face.
Try reading a review of a good wine as you walk down the isles of your favorite liquor store and you will see flavors like "tar," "tobacco," and "sulfur." Mmmmm.(?) While tasty and amusing, wine didn't quite do it for me.
My father was once told by his physician to have some wine or a beer in the evenings to calm himself down. I took note, having suffered from being unable to control my stress levels at times, and began to search for a nightcap of my own to help me relax in the evenings. Naturally, I started with wine. It didn't quite satisfy, so I moved on to trying different cognacs. Again, not quite what I was looking for.
Then I remembered my 100 year-old grandmother. Her nightcap of choice was an affordable Scotch. So I bought a bottle of Glenmorangie at my local Costco (the cashier remarked that his customers were happily surprised to find it on hand) and thoroughly enjoyed every drop. Now I fully expect to live to be 100. So why is Scotch the perfect drink? It has a complexity similar to what a good wine will have. The vast array of flavors is always surprising. The bite of the alcohol is wonderful. The variety of good Scotches is enough to last a lifetime. The history of the spirit is rich. It does wonders for a good night's sleep. And a flask of good Scotch seems to improve one's poker playing skills, I've found.
With any new endeavor, such as striving to become a connoisseur of Scotch Whisky, questions arise that beg to be answered:
Some of it is simply a matter of taste so sample many in order to help you make up your mind.
IMO if you take it on the rocks or neat you might want to be more selective that if you put soda pop in it.
Bourbon is mostly corn and relies on the barrels. I prefer straight to mash.
Lots to choose from and don’t let price be your guide.
Never really have cared for JD....but that is Tennessee stuff.
Canadian is good....smooth and great flavore....Canadian Mist or Crown are goon choices.
I prefer Irish above all...Jameson, Bushmills, Tullamore Dew.
In the end you’ll probably find that spending an extra buck or two for the better stuff is really worth it, but you don’t have to go above $25/bottle to find whiskey you’ll really enjoy.
Although guests who enjoy a scotch seem to prefer a more peaty flavor - Laphroaig or Laguvulin.
Cheers!
Bourbon was invented by a Baptist preacher, Elijah Craig. Also you CAN’T have Scotch unless it is distilled in Scotland. They have tried but there is something about the air and water of Scotland that can’t be replicated anywhere else.
BTW....God Himself invented whiskey to keep the Irish from ruling the world.
Do you mean they are preferred by Canadian hockey enforcers?
LMAO...typing after 2 Jamesons is something rather tricky on a netbook ‘puter.
Not Johnny Blue!
The ultimate of ultimate!
Filler up!
Shh...the secret is out how they get the plaid for the kilts ............we already learned why the Isle of Islay single malts taste the way they do.
The only act nearly as enjoyable as a having a nice Isla Scotch is unprintable here in a public forum.
The best?: Any of the Isla Single Malts.
The best value?: Probably Famous Grouse, which is a very good Blended.
Of course your taste buds may differ.
Well, I'm the wrong person to ask about the value of Scotch. I don't like it, don't drink it. And I consider it way overpriced.
I drink Bourbon. I'm not equipped to deal with the differences between Bourbon and Scotch (except for the obvious taste difference). But Bourbon is an entirely American developed whiskey. In fact, to be labeled Bourbon, the distillery must follow a precise process in distillation. That's why Jack Daniels and George Dickel are considered Tennessee Whiskey; not because they're distilled in Tennessee, but because they use a separate carbon filtering process that's not part of the Bourbon process.
Being a loyal, patriotic American, I prefer my whiskey to be homemade. And the last few years of sampling various blends of Bourbon have been quite enjoyable. (Well, for the most part...). As far as cost, I've looked at Scotch in the stores and have found it (the generally considered top or 2nd shelf stuff) quite more expensive than Bourbon, although a few Bourbons will demand prices close to Scotch. Elijah Craig (my favorite) is priced the same as Jack Daniels Old No. 7 (Jack Daniels is the very least sour mash I'll consider). Others I enjoy are somewhat higher, say $27 - $37 range. But the little I consume, it's not an overly expensive treat. Scotch, Bourbon, the idea is to enjoy the gifts God has provided without excess. If one prefers the taste of Scotch, I say wonderful. It's all in one's taste.
If you read my post #74, you'll see I'm not a fan of Scotch by any means. However, my nephew gave me a bottle of Glenlivet for Christmas one year. I have to admit it was the most 'tolerable' of the Scotch's I've tasted. But! It's still not my Bourbon. Sorry...
My Scotch-Irish Grandfather was a bitter, teetotaling and humorless old man who coulda used a Scotch now and then.
Laphroaig is the Nectar of the Gods, it is. Lagavulin is its match.
When I was a young lad, I tended bar for a friend over a year or two as a 2nd job. Sunday nights he'd put a roast in the oven, and two 6 oz martinis in the freezer. After closing we'd all sit around having a drink, enjoying dinner and he and I'd enjoy those martini's. We'd 'unfreeze' them by pouring a little room temp. olive juice on top of them. Mmmmmmmmm.
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