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Enjoying Scotch Whisky and a few other things

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Glenmorangie Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky – The Original tasting notes

So two reasons why I’ve picked out the ever present Glenmorangie “The Original” to write about today. First, it is in most bars in America that offer a Scotch above JW Black Label and two, the ABC of VA has it on sale this month. The whole line up of Glenmorangie to me is a very pleasant and approachable Scotch whisky line. This may be the whisky you choose to drink and its a great one to try out on your non-scotch drinking buddies.

The Original is ten years old and is a very mature one at that acting much like a twelve. The only thing I think that is truly ten-year about it is its considerable alcohol “burn-off” when nosing it. That being said, I do love the nose, it really jumps up and says here I am, I’m a good whisky. What I also enjoy about it is the mouth-feel. I really love an oily and viscous scotch and this one really delivers. I’d love to pare this one with some seafood…. (damn, I just remembered I have some seafood I need to cook!). Oh well.

The distiller notes/marketing content states that the Original has perfect balance and an alluring complexity. I won’t argue with that. It has an alcohol by volume rate of 43% and like I said earlier, it certainly lets you know on the nose and the first couple of sips. Then it seems more agreeable, and by the way, I do drink scotch neat, meaning without water or ice.

I really like this scotch and will most likely keep a bottle on hand at all times. You can find more info at http://www.glenmorangie.com

Cheers!

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Talisker 10 year scotch is stalking me in #fb! And I drank it in retaliation. A Review?

Tonight I finally made it to the Talisker 10 year scotch. It was the last in a sampler I bought and every time I look at Facebook these days I see an advertisement for Talisker, are they stalking me? Anyhow, tonight I popped open the small (airplane) bottle and poured out half for a taste after my deliciously prepared and eaten pasta with turkey sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes and three cheese red sauce. MMMMMMMMM. I followed it up with some Tiramisu. A good dinner indeed.

I don’t usually spend a lot of time looking at the color or legs of a scotch unless they are really interesting, the Talisker’s presentation is normal so I went directly for the nose. I really love to nose this scotch. I can stick my nose down in the tasting glass and go wild. There isn’t hardly a noticeable alcohol burn off at all but you can smell that something exciting is in this glass. I really enjoyed the nose so I let it have an abnormal amount of time sans tongue.

Michael Jackson’s single malt guide talks about a bursting of taste from this fine liquid and I would totally agree. Such a warm and peppery sensation rushes up the palate but as opposed to just being hot or spicy it is very pleasing. I feel like the Talisker has a buttery sweet and salty expression that does not turn bitter on the palate. The finish is very pleasing and long and I had much of the sensation left that a fruit may leave, like grapefruit. So from nose to finish, I really like the Talisker 10 year! Along with just being very tasty this scotch did a wonderful job as a digestive.

I believe you would love this expression along with some seafood, it would fit right in and compliment any shrimp or crab dish. Since I had eaten, I’m not sure how it would do just as a sipping whisky but I would encourage you, and myself, to try it as such.

As far as with a cigar, I will try it tonight, I’m thinking about pulling out a Cain F which is full of flavor as this Talisker is. They will either compliment or fight. Hopefully they will make good company.

Cheers!

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Jura Origin 10 year whisky notes

Around the world there are small islands and areas where tourists love to go. Most of these areas are simply visited for their beaches or isolation, Jura is most visited for its whisky. In the packaging of the Jura you start to get the picture of a small (200 people) town that is isolated and as a result shrouded in myth and mystery,which of course carries into the whisky. Words like nestled, slumbering, and bewitching attempt to describe the island and the Jura whisky. It’s very well done and paints a picture very strongly, strongly enough that the whisky has a lot to live up to.

I, like a lot of people, think that most whisky is good somewhere around the 12 year mark and gets better with time, so a 10 year offering interested me. In short, it did not disappoint. The nose and the taste are complex and vivid. There is a certain excitement in the whisky which I think may owe to its youth. Whatever it is, it works quite well and is a very solid, well-built whisky. There are lots of interesting tastes and tinges in this whisky, the mouth never gets dulled with it and you will find yourself pouring a few drams of this one. The last whisky I remembering having this sort of mouth feel and warmth was The Glenrothes Select Reserve.

I have paired this with a couple of cigars that are medium to medium-full and it was very complimentary. This is an agreeable whisky that does not have a lot of peat in it that makes smoking a cigar somewhat challenging if it is not a full bodies cigar.

So do give this one a try, It may be the best 10 year whisky you have ever tried.

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Edradour Natural Cask Strength, Bourbon Cask, a challenging dram

In coming up with some tasting notes and thoughts on this single malt that was bottled at full strength I found myself struggling. My struggle was two parts, first I paid extra for an unknown whisky to be shipped to me from the UK so I expected it to be interesting. Secondly, I found this whisky to be very challenging to categorize. I like to be able to taste a whisky and say, this is what I would do with this whisky (drink with meat, seafood, and I’d smoke it with this or that cigar or type of cigar). After tasting this single malt that was aged solely in a bourbon cask from Kentucky I’m not sure that what I tasted lived up to what I thought it would taste like.
Having tasted a Bushmills Malt 10 that was aged in some Kentucky bourbon casks I probably had more of that feel in mind and what I actually got from the Edradour was not even close. Nosing the whisky is a bit familiar, soft vanilla notes etc… I did not pick up any Highland notes and thought that most of the nose was coming from Kentucky.
I previously said I ordered this product hoping it would be interesting, well, when I tasted it I got what I paid for, only the interesting led to some confusion. This was not a product my palate found familiar. I was actually at a loss, the best I can say is that it has a lot of heat (alcohol burn) and a bourbon mixed with scotch sort of finish. Not what you’d call stellar notes! Like other whiskies or cigars that have left me confused I thought I’d wait, try it again and see what happens.
Well, tonight I poured myself another generous dram and nosed, sipped, same reaction, then it occurred to me, the ABV(alcohol by volume) is fairly high, I might put some water in it. So I did, and then thought, maybe just a little more (I don’t think I’ve ever done this). Bingo. All of a sudden with the alcohol content knocked down I could really start to see the flavors. It all made sense to me and I found myself pleasantly pleased that I had found a fix for this whisky.
By the way, the whisky is a bit viscous or oily. I think this would be a great whisky with pork. I did rather enjoy this alongside a CAO La Traviata maduro and think that it would mate well with full-bodied cigars at the full strength. To me, and I’m not sure I will ever say this again, but I’d knock down the alcohol content with some fresh water and enjoy it with a variety of foods and even some medium bodied cigars. That is, if you are in the UK. I don’t think you will find this one washing up on American soil any day soon.

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Oban 14 notes

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Fortunately for us, the good people at Oban are not reality show actors, but some fine folks who have developed a fine whisky. The distillery is described by MJ’s guide to single malt scotch as a small town with a small distillery. MJ’s guide makes reference to Oban not being (previously) taken serious in comparison with the other powerful highland signatures. The Oban 14 is aimed at changing that suggestion.

It noses light, but pleasant. There are notes of seaweed and references to the sea in MJ’s book on this product and I really cannot add to it, except to say I haven’t eaten or smelled seaweed lately. I do find the nose delicate and pleasant.

In tasting it, which I do after a generous nosing that on this one made my mouth water, the whisky delivers a quick flash of excitement that quickly goes away clean. Tastes are light, but I do note some citrus, maybe a bit of a grapefruit, there is no complexity or bitters but a very nice and clean whisk of liquid. It is almost like sitting on the beach, watching an energetic burst of tide come and go. Who doesn’t like that?

I was smoking a Gurkha Regent Torpedo with it, not because I thought it was a great pairing, but because I was tired from doing home projects for two days. I did feel that the two worked nicely with each other and would not hesitate to recommend the two together.

This whisky would be great with lighter foods, seafoods, and would be great just enjoyed by itself.

I really liked this whisky, and now that summer is coming I was hoping for some refreshing new tastes from Scotland to enjoy. I think that I have definitely found one.

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The Edinburgh Malt – Glenkinchie 12 yr notes w/Diamond Crown Cigar

Edinburgh, one of those towns in Scotland that is on the must see list and now a must see distillery, Glenkinchie. Of all of the regions of scotch that I have tasted whisky from, the Lowlands, is the one I have the least amount of experience with. The lowlands do not produce the major stars in scotch whisky today, yet produce some lighter, sweeter whisky. In fact, there are only a couple of working distilleries (Auchenotoshan being the other) with some possibilities of a future operation. Rosebank is a collectible but no longer existing distillery of the Lowlands.

Not knowing what to expect of this whisky I approached it with high curiosity. After a few tastes I was intrigued and pleased. I really enjoy the fact that this whisky had a complete different side to it. I also noted some light tobacco coming through the finish which spurred me to go to the humidor and grab the lightest, smoothest cigar I had. I pulled out a Diamond Crown, Connecticuit wrapper. Hardly a cheap cigar. Yet I thought of what I had, it was the best match.

The Glenkinchie is light, grassy and soft, slightly rubbery on the palate. It has a noteable finish, staying on top of the tongue with some pep that is not annoying or heavy. There is no bitterness in it at all. I find a bit of saltiness on the finish after drinking it for awhile.

As far as being paired with the Diamond Crown, I wasn’t as pleased as I thought I would be. The DC did its job, smoked wonderfully and is one of my favorite cigars. It was not an adversarial meeting of the two, but there was no magic. The next day I tasted the Glenkinchie and did not have a cigar. I found this better. I think this makes a good sippin whisky. I would enjoy this whisky with some good dry cheese or fruit. Its a good dram. I might also recommend this with seafood, boiled shrimp especially.

Cheers!

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