Michael Barrett Recently a friend of a friend generously invited me (and my friend) to join for a whisky tasting at his place. We each brought a bottle or two and our host took a stab at arranging our whiskies from sweet to peaty – we began with a couple of bourbons, moved to some Irish whiskies, sampled a few Oregon whiskies in between, and landed firmly into Scotch.
We tasted each whisky first by smell. Whisky is commonly drunk from an old fashioned glass, which is just fine, but if you want to get a nose full of yummy aromas, try a proper whisky glass. The narrower opening concentrates the aromas so you can get a good whiff. Hold the opening of the glass a good 6 inches from your nose. That way you can enjoy the smell, but not inhale alcohol fumes and set your nostrils on fire.
Following the smell we sipped just a tiny bit – enough to wet the tongue – and then inhaled deeply through our nose (mouth shut tight). This has the effect of combining the aromas and the taste at once.
After all this silliness we just drank the shot.
Someone had the bright idea that we should write down some notes as what we thought about each whisky. Someone else had the bright idea that we should share the prices of each bottle so we could remember later what we liked and how much it would cost us to enjoy it again.
And now I have the bright idea to share it all with the internets. Hopefully this will introduce someone to something new and delicious.
- Eagle Rare Bourbon 10 year – $28
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- Sweeter than expected (but not too sweet)
- Smelled and tasted of licorice, cherry, and cinnamon
- Corner Creek Bourbon – $28
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- Nicely sweet, slightly spicy
- Grassy, fresh aroma with fruit
- Bushmills Malt 21 – $116
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This was the most expensive whisky we tried that night – I was pleasantly surprised. My only exposure to Irish Whisky has been cheap stuff at pubs
- Smells and tastes of vanilla and Anise
- Very, dangerously smooth
- Bushmills 1608 400th Anniversary – $70
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- Bright aroma, almost citrus
- Taste of vanilla and cherry
- Also dangerously smooth
- McCarthy’s 2009 – $50
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This was the first Oregon whisky we tried – again I was pleasantly surprised. I had tried some regional whisky once before and thought it was frankly awful. (I won’t name names). The McCarthy’s was quite good and each year varies quite a bit.
- Strong aromas of peat and smoke
- Flavors of grain (like bread) and butter
- Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey – $56
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I had mixed feelings about this whisky – it’s made with the same grains used in Dead Guy Ale. It’s tasty, very drinkable – but I hesitate to call it “good”- it’s more interesting. Like if a beer graduated to whiskey but not with honors.
- Peppery flavor
- Not very aromatic
- Quite smooth and sip-able
- McCarthy’s 2008 – $50 (not that you’ll find any)
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Very distinct from the 2009 – which is very Oregon of them. Wines very from year to year, because the weather changes, the landscape changes, etc. This Oregon whisky is the same.
- Light aroma of peat and smoke, but with the addition of caramel
- Tastes just a little like a crème brûlée
- A’bunadh – $67
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This is a cask strength whisky, meaning it isn’t cut with water before bottling. This means it will be approximately 60% alcohol by volume or 120 proof. It can be drank straight – but really should have a splash of water.
A’bunadh is made in small batches, and each batch (roughly one batch per year) can differ greatly from the year before. Each bottle is numbered with its batch. (I cleverly forgot to write the batch number down – but I think it was 26)
- Aromas of burning wax candles and peat
- Surprisingly sweet – I think in part due to the high alcohol concentration – but with a hint of fruit
- Laphroaig 10 year – $50
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This is the bottle I brought to the event – it’s the scotch I first grew to really enjoy. It’s an Islay scotch which means peaty.
“Peaty” is a hard quality to describe – you definitely know it when you taste it. It’s strong and aromatic. Smokey yet slightly vegetative. It tastes like walking through a wet pine forest on fire.
Peaty scotches are often considered for “advanced” drinkers and it’s definitely an acquired taste. Once you acquire it though you’ll turn your nose up at the various colors of Johnny Walker.