The Scotch Reviews 1: Ardbeg 10 Year

In a Shot:  Big, smokey and filled with so much peat that the moss grows out of your mouth and evolves into an elaborate aggressive level of smoke that I would say it's for those seeking experience rather than those just enjoying a daily dram.

Ardbeg:  "The Ultimate Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 10 Years Old, Non-Chill Filtered 46% ABV"

I have been very neglectful to my fans and aim to change things around here.  For those of you who have not been up to part with things, Johnny Cocktail has become Johnny Wine Guy and is day and night wandering the streets of Alexandria looking for new people to try famous wines in the pop culture market and still educating folks about the balance and beauty of excellent service, craftsmanship and a genuine appreciation for all things good, small or large.  I have on back order at least ten blogs and would like to begin producing them for my fans.  I'm not only going to be back but I'm bringing that original rawness found in some of the older posts back for a while to get me quickly back into the game.

The Next Rounds on Me in its title states "A DOSSIER of all things drinks & drinking."  I aim to make that a fact.  From now on, if I happen to taste anything whatsoever, whether brief or expansive, I will now begin posting information and opinions about them.  I told you Scotch tastings were coming and boy oh boy have they come and gone.  I will elaborate on those later but for now, lets start with one I had the privilege of trying this past year, courtesy of my recently returned to the states friend Brad, who gave me this as a gift, knowing I was a lover of all things peat moss related, particular whisky!

Located in the Islay region of Scotland, the small (in size but not in popularity) island just south west of the Isle of Jura, was originally a refuge for Celtic monks escaping the raiding Nordsmen was the home of illicit distillers making their whisky a midst a rugged and rocky cove.  The location was abundant in soft water, fertile soil and of course, precious acres of peat moss.  Back in 1815, according to a small family of tenant farmers named MacDougall, this was a location to begin building a distillery.  Close by the site of the long-abandoned Tallant distillery and just a little farther south, lies Ardbeg, a distillery where by 1853 was the biggest producer on Islay and the center of a 200+ community.

This place was described beautifully by Whisky Aficionado Michael Jackson; "Islay does not seduce you like other islands.  Instead, it invades and takes possession of you.  Its constant wind carries a mix of sweet, salt-laden air, the whiff of the sea, the coconut aroma of hot gorse, a hint of peat smoke and bog myrtle, and the smell of just-spent fire on the beach.  All the notes you pick up in its malts are there, floating in the Atlantic Wind." - Just brilliant!

On a small note about this place, it was huge in the 1850's.  It ended up with a horrible reputation for being the peatiest and almost undrinkable beast for a time and was primarily used as fillings for blends. It ended up closing the year I was born (go figure) and by the early 90's it was only running to make unpeated "Kildalton" malt, Ardbeg eventually became dilapidated.   1997 was the year where Glenmorangie (Yes, light, non-peaty, easy drinking Highland Glenmorangie) resurrected the distillery and has become a bustling location.  Yes, it is still famous for being a "Peat Monster"

Ardbeg has been awarded the best distillery in the world, three times in a row.  It is unique in many ways.  For one, it's declared by many, the peatiest and smokiest Scotch in the world.  Typically most whiskies are chill-filtered and reduced to a strength of 40% ABV.  Ardbeg Ten Years Old, however, is non chill-filtered and has a strength of 46% ABV.


And boy is she is deceiving.  Ardbeg 10 Year Old truly looks light in presence, but has an oiliness from her fresh barley grain, slightly mustard yellow complexion that tells me that there is something darker and far more developed than anybody else her age.  It almost appears virgin olive oily without even allowing it to move.  The nose, reveals an intense level of peat moss, brine and smoke. 

It is best described as a beach fire put out by the sea itself and the smoke that arises from it, is the truest form of this dram.  In the mouth it is heavy and sharp, as the relatively moderate finish arrives, multiple layers of smoke and heat follow.  The heat finishes far quicker than the taste of oil and peat does, it truly feels as if this flavor, if you do not drink or eat anything else, will follow you for the rest of the day. 

It is aggressive, assertive, bold and a bruiser of a dram and I highly recommend it for anybody looking for an experience, but not for anybody looking for a casual libation.  It's definitely one of my favorite mass market Scotches.  I must give praise and thanks to Mr. Rainwater for giving me an opportunity to enjoy this specimen, it is a true experience of a spectacular whisky - I hope to explore more like this VERY soon.

We'll talk again soon y'all, this weekend I'm participating in a serious Rum tasting.  It will make quite the blog entry!

Cheers!

The Johnnie Walker: House of Walker Experience

In a Shot:  Took my Father to a Johnnie Walker tasting in DC and though we had a great time and my father learned a lot from it, I left feeling like I didn't drink much and watched a really long commercial.

When I first came into my age of drinking, I had heard different brand names spatted out by the mouths of parents, friends and strangers about what scotch was the absolute best.  During that time, I was young and I always sort of layered quality in three levels.  One was the scotch you bought when you just wanted to drink scotch, then came the scotch you bought because you wanted to enjoy something nice and then you'd shell out the big bucks to get the best of the best.  It was during that time that I would pump out the 230+ dollars to grab a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label.  The youngest scotch in each bottle is allegedly 30 years old!

Now, I sort of see the Blue Label as a status thing.  People who say they only drink Blue Label are the same people who have wives that only drink champagne.  Narrowing your choices to only a few selections and not getting a chance to experience a very large and constantly growing category.

I received another email from Johnnie Walker (When I first turned 21 I joined their Striding Man's Society) asking me to come to their House of Walker Experience.  The big hint to the quality of this experience to begin with is the fact that it's a big and house name brand and the fact that it is FREE.  I brought my Father along who, bless him, loves to experience new things and enjoys a dram of scotch but has a palate and nose of a novice.  I thought he would really get something out of the who event and he really did!

We were to arrive 30 minutes before our scheduled meeting at the Atlantic Video for the Arts in Washington DC.  When we did arrive we were early enough to look behind us and see the massive line of people and were thankful we followed instructions.  While waiting in the line, my father and I were approached by young woman in tiny black cocktail dresses asking us about our favorite scotches and what other drinks we enjoy and how often do we drink and all this.  Dad was more or less honest and I lied through my teeth and told them my all things and everythings were Johnnie Walker.  They asked for MY email, Dad however got a thank you. 

After finishing the questioner part of our adventure we were given a little gold token (both my Father and I wanted to keep as a souvenir) and asked to step into the cocktail lounge for drinks and light hors d'oeuvres.  The room was dark, music was loud and the black lights led me to believe we were more in a night club than a lounge.  The token purchased a free Jonnie Walker based cocktail.  They made "John Collins", a really sweet and fruit salad version of an old fashioned topped with club soda, scotch straight or a rusty nail.  Well, being ignorant and thinking about the Rusty Nails I make at home, I ordered that one which ended up being a premade drink in a pitcher that had to have been nothing but Drambui on the rocks while Dad got a tall glass of Black Label on the rocks the same size as my drink! We were given tiny hamburgers, reubens and meat, cheese and fruit plates.

After a while we were asked to head down to the tasting room where we walked into a seminar room with giant projection screens circling long white seats and tables where we were shuffled into our own spots.  Each spot had a plate with a display for the different colors of the Johnnie stable, missing the last three.  There was a pin and a business card holder, ice, water, water dropper, salt/pepper and strawberries.

Our Whisky Master and Host, Steve showed us videos color based on each scotch and an opening video with Robert Carlyle from Locked Stocked and 2 Smoking Barrels that was done in one shot and was actually a really impressive video.  Check out the Johnnie Walker Opening Video!

Ultimately we were walked through the different colors of Johnnie's rainbow, starting with Black expressing how this label is how it all started.  The red expressed fun and light for mixing and a cheaper price scotch.  The Gold Label was next and was recommended to be kept in our freezer to fully express that creamy texture this older scotch blend has (Showcasing it's potential texture and not it's potential flavor).  The green is their version of the single malt and has all the earthy and salty smoky notes one loves from single malt scotches.  When it was time for the Blue Label to come out, the room was lit a dark blue and the host called out like we were in a concert and the head liner was about to arrive "What did you come here for?" "Blue Label!!!" "Are you ready for the Blue Label???"  "Yeaaaahhhh!!!!".  A little too youthful I think for scotches and tastings but fun none the less.  Served in a tiny brandy snifter, the Blue label is incredibly smooth and complex and without question recommended to taste.  Afterwards my Father and I left the group and asked a series of questions to the master, Dad asking preliminary how do you smell and taste that and this and we both gave the man praises for making a wonderful evening well informing and all of that then we headed back to my place for cigars.

My final say is that the Scotch tasting has such potential to really be a personal and wonderfully engaging experience but is left feeling like a really big Johnnie Walker commercial.  Tasted very little of the scotches and even in DC they did not have a discount priced bulk purchase of the products that they were clearly trying to sell.  They didn't even reopen the bar for further drinks!  They also didn't have any of the Swing from their stable which is the only Johnnie Walker scotch I haven't tasted and was the real reason why I came there!

My Dad and I had such a great time but the actual scotch and final taste in my mouth was a lot like their blends, wanting for it to be more than it is and not entirely impressed.

Cheers!


Check out this guy's version of the story in Boston four years ago

Private Single Malt Scotch Tasting

When conducting private tastings with friends, associates and other scotch lovers it is important to know only one thing.  Scotch is fun!  The versatility of this particular drink varies from distillery, region, product, barely/cask type/strength, process, ect. and even expands further through use of what sort of glass you are using to taste with to adding 1 or 2 ice cubes or a little water (there are others who suggest club soda to bring out different aromas and tastes, but I am not one of those voices personally).

When conducting a scotch tasting however a few things will help you along your deciphering journey.  The most important thing to have is water, both for adding a little to your scotch and for cleansing your palate.  I also suggest small palate cleansing foods like salty meats, mild or smokey cheeses, dry breadscrackers and acidic fruits.  These also make fantastic pairings when tasting your scotches but in all honesty, less is more in the situation of tasting your scotches.

Though there are laws in Scotland prohibiting scotches to reach alcohol levels higher than 94.8 % alcohol by volume, the same laws prohibit them from being less than 40 % abv.  Cask strength is a term used in whisky-making to describe the strength of whisky in the cask during maturation.  So some scotches can get pretty high up there (I have one cask strength with an abv of 61.5%).  With that being said, may I recommend a small tasting between 4 and 8 scotches.  An even number is also highly recommended so you can do a side by side pairing of contrasting or similar region/style of scotch.  It's best to also provide each taster with a piece of paper and pencil to allow note taking if an attendee so desires.  Try a 5-Star rating system with your scotches so that when you look back on your notes you can have a quick glance at which ones you like best so you know what to get when you go out to eat or to purchase.

The next step is to decided what sort of tasting you are going to conduct.  There are several varieties of scotches so picking a brand and doing a portfolio tasting is one way to go about it.  Major house distilleries such as Glenlivet, Glinfiddich, Glenmorangie and Balvenie all have many different types of aged malts, with a wide variety of casks used to make their whisky and different strengths.  The major thing you will miss from doing this however, is identifying the many different styles that each region can bring about so for first time scotch tasters I recommend getting a defining scotch from each region.  There was a marketing launch created in 1988 by United Distillers and Vintners which is now owned by Diageo appropriatly named "The Classic Malts of Scotland".  These are single malt scotches from each major region of Scotland and I highly recommend starting with these well known brands.  To learn more about the classic malts of Scotland, visit their website at http://www.malts.com/en-us/home/home.htm.  The website is full of information about each scotch complete with moving photographs of each distillery, region and bottle, tasting notes product listings and recommendations for other scotches if you like one more than another.  It also lists a recommended dinner and food tasting (even a printable tasting wheel).  A "Favorites" worthy site.

With that being said, I recently enjoyed a small three person scotch tasting this week.  Each member of the tasting provided between two or three Scotch Society of America whisky bottles.  Please read my previous blog about scotches to find out further information about these very rare and unbelievable drams.  The predominant character between all of these scotches outside of having some of the most memorable fiery finishes is the depth and complexity of each bottle.  At least three of the bottles had a powerful nose with a stand out characteristic.  One smelled of such powerful fruit it was deemed one of your fruits for the day and another without any argument was unanimously described as having a strong nose of toffee (and was probably my favorite of the group).  Then there was also this 10 yr Islay malt that had a strong presence of pipe tobacco and struck matches that would knock your socks off.

The best part of the scotch tastings is the conversions and the company.  Trying to find the right descriptions and hearing the different opinions of each scotch taster will not only help you figure out your own preferance in the drams but it lets you enjoy the experience of tasting each scotch on a more personal level.

 Again, scotch is a very fun drink to have in your personal bar or to have when going out to the bar or for dinner but the tastings are an experience you won't soon forget.  Set up a tasting club and get friends together to warm up during this cold season with a simple and memorable private scotch tasting in your homes.  I promise you will not be dissapointed!

Cheers!

The Scotch Society of America

I traditionally attempt to have particular drinks during particular seasons. Though all spirits, in time, place or pairing are more than welcoming all year around, I find myself attempting to follow some traditions. I usually go for red wine in most situations as it is my wife and I's preferance, however, will drink whites and rose's mostly during spring and summer months outside on patios. I almost always enjoy a dry vodka martini all year around but will switch to gin and tonics during the heat and still yet switch to Manhattan's during the fall and winter. Cool Limoncello in summer, Grand Marnier and Drambui in the winter. Cognac whenever, but Calvados I try to save for the fall. It's the things you have to wait for that are most exciting in life I believe. That is, unless, we are talking about scotch.

There will be many posts in regards to the many intracacies of scotch. Top ten lists, priciest and cheap greats, specific regions, to blend or not to blend, classics and rare finds, big house verse little house and many more. I decided however to dedicate the first scotch post to a particular breed of scotch. The VIP's in this country provided by The Scotch Society of America, an exclusive membership club where just merely to receive the quarterly catelog to purchase scotches that can range anywhere from $60 to $600 starts with a $200 (prior to shipping and handling) sign up fee, annually to renew thereafter is only $35.

The bottle alone is worth signing up for. Single malt scotches from distilleries so small and so rare (some have gone under and no longer exist) that most casks produce only about 275 bottles and are sold at cask strength with no dilution, chill-filtration or caramel coloring added. After the bottles are shipped, that's the last of it ever sold. The bottle you got, could easily be your very last. To complete this underground level or rarity, each bottle comes in a universal Scotch Society bottle with the cask number being the name of the drink. It comes with a tag line and highly in-depth description (very spot on) listing how many bottles were produced from that cask, the age, the alcohol percentage and what type of barrel it came out of.

I've got two bottles myself. Cask 64.19 is an 8 year that has such a misleading, sweet and nutty nose that is very developed for it's age, but has such an incredibly hot and woody palate more than likely thanks to it's 61.5 alcohol percentage. The 19.44 cask is much more forgiving and far more complex due to 20 years of aging and a much softer 53.4 % ALC/VOL (Though this would be very harsh on a younger whisky, it's much smoother than the percentage would lead one to believe)

Joining the society gives you specials, member's only access to the websites and invitations to private events and discounts to public events. The next public event is in the DC area and will be held on Wednesday, October 28th. They will begin registration at 6:30 pm and for those who are interested first know you will be tasting some of the best scotches you will ever know - The heafty price tag for non members is $130 a head and you may want to check the website for the deal involved but the location of this event is at J.W. Marriott Hotel1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NWWashington, DC 20004. Just know that by going to this event you may very likely never buy another big name scotch ever again, they are that satisfying and are genuinely unique and worth every purchase. I recommend to anyone who enjoys scotch to get a ticket and GO! (No athletic attire allowed and jackets are suggested)

Cheers!

(Interested in The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of North America? Visit there site at http://www.smwsa.com/index.html