Hakushu 18 - the one that got me started on whisky, and the price hike that forced me to venture further afield into the Scotches, Irish and Taiwanese whiskies. The increase in prices has outstripped the quality of the whisky. My friend managed to get a bottle of this for me before the recent steep hike, so I'm sipping it very, very slowly. And I'm definitely not going to offer my dad this again - he finished a dram in about 5 minutes, after adding ice. The only thing he tasted was the alcohol. Ah well.
Colour: Beautiful
Nose: Lemons and apples. Warm grassiness, promises of spices. Sweet oak, which complements the grassy smell very well. Almost like walking through a fruit orchard with fruits ripe for picking (ok, I'm making this one up. I've never been to apple or lemon fruit orchards before). Which really goes to show how good whisky tasting notes can only be written by people with rich travelling and tasting experiences. Some whisky tasters confidently state that some whiskies taste like earth or soil. Have they tasted soil before? Or, antiseptic, industrial oil, and a bunch of other stuff that I'm not putting anywhere near my mouth. I guess that is due to the close connection between our olfactory senses and our sense of taste. A light peatiness that is hard to distinguish from the grass, but I think I caught it peaking out.
Palate: Ripe apples, and a little spicy. Soft grassy peat, and something that borders on being a little savoury. Plum sauce, perhaps? Hmm. Reminds me of a yuzu-miso paste I once had... Oak seems to be what is holding the whisky together. The spice comes in waves; if you hold it in your mouth a little longer, the spice makes a sharp-ish return. A nice little surprise. On the whole, smooth, as we have come to expect from Japanese whiskies.
Finish: Oak with a little spice, and a whiff of peat at the back. Shiok.
This one is good, and remains one of my favourites. But, money is in short supply, and sales assistants are recommending Auchentoshans, Ben Nevis (which cost about half to a third of the price for similar aged items) as decent substitutes for the Hakushu. Doubt I'll be buying another bottle of Hakush 18 anytime soon. Should properly cherish this one.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Quick impressions on the Miyagikyo 15, Glendronach 18 Allardici, Springbank 10, Laphroaig Triple Wood, Laphroaig 15 (tasted at Auld Alliance)
Went to Auld Alliance with a couple of friends, and these were what we tried on the night. With so many different flavours, I'm sure my tongue was desensitized to some of the flavours, and might have gotten some of them wrong. If you want to try stuff, head to Auld Alliance. It's one of the best whisky bars in Singapore, with a huge collection - the menu is 74 pages. Great collection of Japanese whiskies too, though many of the rare malts command a pretty penny. The managers of the bar love whisky, and are really knowledgeable about the market and the drinks. They're glad to chat if the bar's not too busy.
Miyagikyo 15 - It's been announced that production for aged Miyagikyos will be put on hold, and stock is dwindling around the world. This has driven prices up, up and away, out of reach of most normal consumers. Thus, when I found out that the Auld Alliance was selling it at $30 per glass, I took it as an opportunity to try something I'll probably never buy.
Nose: Some fruit comes up first. Deeper inhalations, and it feels like unripe bananas. Some flowers in there. Lavender? Not certain. A little nutty, sweet malt, some grass, and oak. Nothing that really stands out per se, fairly well balanced on the whole.
Palate: Well-balanced, but again, nothing really stands out. Same things on the palate as on the nose, with the addition of some wood spice. Pleasant.
Finish: Medium-short. Spice, a little bit of the fruit lingers.
Pleasant, but there's no way I'm paying current market price for a bottle of this.
Glendronach 18 - A sherry bomb. Not ranked as highly as the 15 Revival, but reviews still seem pretty good.
Nose: Rich raisins.
Palate: Initial burst of raisins, then it becomes somewhat leathery, rubbery, nutty, and a little bit of spice to keep the flavours interesting. The body isn't as heavy. Pretty smooth. A good whisky, though the sherry fruits are a little shy.
Finish: Some spice, wood, a little rubbery.
Not too bad, but I won't be ditching the Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask for this.
Springbank 10 - I loved it.
Nose - Something a little industrial. A little antiseptic, a little salty, machine oil, suggestions of peat, grass, and sweet.
Palate: Grassy and refreshing. The peat is light, and comes in waves, serving to refresh the palate to find new flavours after each wave of peat. Sweet. Did this spend time in a bourbon cask? A little salty, which weirdly works well with the industrial-like thing.
Finish: Not long, but the peat, sweetness and refreshing grass goes down well. Refreshing. This is getting me excited for my unopened Springbank 12 Cask Strength, batch 11.
Laphroaig 15 -
Nose - Ashy, medicinal. A little...oaky? Almond. Smells sweet, though that is obscured somewhat by the ashy peat.
Palate - The peat takes over, ashy and medicinal. Not too strong a body. My friend felt that the Lagavulin 16 is much richer, and it only spent one more year in the wood than this.
Finish: Short. Ashy, a little smoke (like charcoal), a little spice, and no more.
Laphroaig Triple Wood - My friend's favourite out of his Laphroaig vertical, which included the 10 and Quarter cask as well.
Nose - More stuff going on here. Suggestions of fruit. A bourbon-like sweetness. The peat is less ashy and more medicinal, compared to the 15. Oak is present. Not that many new flavours, but this one is layered better, I feel.
Palate - I probably am wrong, but I think my first impression was that of jack fruit. Sweetness and peat finds a nice balance in this one. Medicinal, and a little spicy. A bit of nut and rubber. After tasting this, I guessed that the three woods are Bourbon, sherry, and probably a new cask, which made it sweeter. Checking online revealed that this whisky spent time in Bourbon, the Quarter Cask, and Oloroso. Not bad. It tastes like how it's made.
Finish - Nice balance of peat and spice. Smoke on the finish, which is nice. I tend to like light, smoky finishes that heavier, peaty ones. A bit like tea too. My friend says it's kinda like the drying effect of a good Oolong tea. I don't disagree.
Miyagikyo 15 - It's been announced that production for aged Miyagikyos will be put on hold, and stock is dwindling around the world. This has driven prices up, up and away, out of reach of most normal consumers. Thus, when I found out that the Auld Alliance was selling it at $30 per glass, I took it as an opportunity to try something I'll probably never buy.
Nose: Some fruit comes up first. Deeper inhalations, and it feels like unripe bananas. Some flowers in there. Lavender? Not certain. A little nutty, sweet malt, some grass, and oak. Nothing that really stands out per se, fairly well balanced on the whole.
Palate: Well-balanced, but again, nothing really stands out. Same things on the palate as on the nose, with the addition of some wood spice. Pleasant.
Finish: Medium-short. Spice, a little bit of the fruit lingers.
Pleasant, but there's no way I'm paying current market price for a bottle of this.
Glendronach 18 - A sherry bomb. Not ranked as highly as the 15 Revival, but reviews still seem pretty good.
Nose: Rich raisins.
Palate: Initial burst of raisins, then it becomes somewhat leathery, rubbery, nutty, and a little bit of spice to keep the flavours interesting. The body isn't as heavy. Pretty smooth. A good whisky, though the sherry fruits are a little shy.
Finish: Some spice, wood, a little rubbery.
Not too bad, but I won't be ditching the Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask for this.
Springbank 10 - I loved it.
Nose - Something a little industrial. A little antiseptic, a little salty, machine oil, suggestions of peat, grass, and sweet.
Palate: Grassy and refreshing. The peat is light, and comes in waves, serving to refresh the palate to find new flavours after each wave of peat. Sweet. Did this spend time in a bourbon cask? A little salty, which weirdly works well with the industrial-like thing.
Finish: Not long, but the peat, sweetness and refreshing grass goes down well. Refreshing. This is getting me excited for my unopened Springbank 12 Cask Strength, batch 11.
Laphroaig 15 -
Nose - Ashy, medicinal. A little...oaky? Almond. Smells sweet, though that is obscured somewhat by the ashy peat.
Palate - The peat takes over, ashy and medicinal. Not too strong a body. My friend felt that the Lagavulin 16 is much richer, and it only spent one more year in the wood than this.
Finish: Short. Ashy, a little smoke (like charcoal), a little spice, and no more.
Laphroaig Triple Wood - My friend's favourite out of his Laphroaig vertical, which included the 10 and Quarter cask as well.
Nose - More stuff going on here. Suggestions of fruit. A bourbon-like sweetness. The peat is less ashy and more medicinal, compared to the 15. Oak is present. Not that many new flavours, but this one is layered better, I feel.
Palate - I probably am wrong, but I think my first impression was that of jack fruit. Sweetness and peat finds a nice balance in this one. Medicinal, and a little spicy. A bit of nut and rubber. After tasting this, I guessed that the three woods are Bourbon, sherry, and probably a new cask, which made it sweeter. Checking online revealed that this whisky spent time in Bourbon, the Quarter Cask, and Oloroso. Not bad. It tastes like how it's made.
Finish - Nice balance of peat and spice. Smoke on the finish, which is nice. I tend to like light, smoky finishes that heavier, peaty ones. A bit like tea too. My friend says it's kinda like the drying effect of a good Oolong tea. I don't disagree.
Friday, January 22, 2016
Oban 14
This Oban 14 was bought at the Duty Free shop at Changi Airport. It was selling for about $70. Fairly reasonable price for a reasonable drink. I bought this as something like a daily dram - complex and nice enough to drink regularly, and not too expensive that I'll feel like I better savour every single drop.
I first tried it at a bar along Somerset, and found a rather strong oak taste in the Oban 14, which I did not really enjoy, though there were other notes in there that were interesting enough. I am glad that the overt oakiness is much more muted in the bottle I bought than in the glass I had at the bar. Maybe the oak becomes more pronounced with oxidation and time? Anyhows.
Colour: Gold. Somewhat orangey. Between gold and amber. My vocabulary for describing colours is limited.
Nose: Something fruity comes up at first. A melon. Maybe a somewhat raw honey dew, with some sourness still in it, especially just under the skin. Oranges as well. A light sea breeze, bringing with it whiffs of seaweed. Suggestions of smoke, but this is not strong on the nose. The oak comes through as a backdrop, being present but a little muted through all of this other smells.
Palate: Fruit comes to mind once the liquid hits the tongue. The same fruit tastes as in the nosing. A little bit of bitterness, like tea. The palate is sprinkled with a small pinch of sea salt and pepper. Malt, cereal-like flavours, and oak again. This oak is coming up quite regularly, but not strong enough to throw the dram off balance. In general, the mix of flavours go quite well.
Finish: The smoke comes up in the finish, a lingering smoky feel at the back of the throat. Oak is present there, together with the malt/cereal like flavours. Breathing through the mouth brings back hints of pepper (feels like black, unground pepper).
Fairly straight forward dram, this one. Nothing much hiding behind the scenes, no long, complex unfurling of layers of flavours, no explosion, nothing very unexpected. Nose to palate to finish is pretty straightforward.
For me, I often find myself comparing this to the Talisker 10. Similar taste profile, with the things that are present in the Oban 14 present in the Talisker 10 as well. However, the Talisker 10 has a wilder side to it, is less shy on the peat, smoke and pepper, and has a bourbon like sweetness that isn't as present in the Oban 14. I like the pepper explosion in the Talisker 10 better, but that doesn't mean that the Oban 14 is a bad whisky. It is perhaps not as good as the Talisker 10, but for someone who likes that bit of smoke and is just looking for a simple dram to round off the day, the Oban 14 is a good bet.
I first tried it at a bar along Somerset, and found a rather strong oak taste in the Oban 14, which I did not really enjoy, though there were other notes in there that were interesting enough. I am glad that the overt oakiness is much more muted in the bottle I bought than in the glass I had at the bar. Maybe the oak becomes more pronounced with oxidation and time? Anyhows.
Colour: Gold. Somewhat orangey. Between gold and amber. My vocabulary for describing colours is limited.
Nose: Something fruity comes up at first. A melon. Maybe a somewhat raw honey dew, with some sourness still in it, especially just under the skin. Oranges as well. A light sea breeze, bringing with it whiffs of seaweed. Suggestions of smoke, but this is not strong on the nose. The oak comes through as a backdrop, being present but a little muted through all of this other smells.
Palate: Fruit comes to mind once the liquid hits the tongue. The same fruit tastes as in the nosing. A little bit of bitterness, like tea. The palate is sprinkled with a small pinch of sea salt and pepper. Malt, cereal-like flavours, and oak again. This oak is coming up quite regularly, but not strong enough to throw the dram off balance. In general, the mix of flavours go quite well.
Finish: The smoke comes up in the finish, a lingering smoky feel at the back of the throat. Oak is present there, together with the malt/cereal like flavours. Breathing through the mouth brings back hints of pepper (feels like black, unground pepper).
Fairly straight forward dram, this one. Nothing much hiding behind the scenes, no long, complex unfurling of layers of flavours, no explosion, nothing very unexpected. Nose to palate to finish is pretty straightforward.
For me, I often find myself comparing this to the Talisker 10. Similar taste profile, with the things that are present in the Oban 14 present in the Talisker 10 as well. However, the Talisker 10 has a wilder side to it, is less shy on the peat, smoke and pepper, and has a bourbon like sweetness that isn't as present in the Oban 14. I like the pepper explosion in the Talisker 10 better, but that doesn't mean that the Oban 14 is a bad whisky. It is perhaps not as good as the Talisker 10, but for someone who likes that bit of smoke and is just looking for a simple dram to round off the day, the Oban 14 is a good bet.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
A brush with a legend
A couple of days ago, I was having dinner at Westgate, and casually walked into Vom Fass, just to browse at the whisky offerings. The selection at Vom Fass changes pretty quickly as sales seem to be pretty good, and they have many shops worldwide to circulate stock around. Apart from regular bottlings from the distilleries, they also carry some independent bottlings like Douglas Laing's bottles, though these are fewer in number, and availability may vary from time to time. I've found the prices there to be pretty reasonable, given Singapore's ridiculously high alcohol levy. What is most fascinating is the selection of Vom Fass independent bottlings, under their Fasszination series, and other whiskies that they decant at the shop, which can be browsed on the website.
The Fasszination series is a series of whiskies bottled at high strength, some at cask strength, that are different from what's commonly on the market. For example, they have a Bowmore 14, which is not a common year for a Bowmore. They also have on their barrel shaped decanters things like a 19 year old Bunnahabain, 23 year old Bruichladdich, and a couple of Irish whiskies, and so on.
Before this starts to sound like an advertisement, I'll quickly move on to the point of this post.
On the shelf of Fasszinations, I was browsing from left to right. Auchentoshan 12 CS, Bowmore 14, a couple more Bowmores (including one at 26 years), a Glen Garioch, and, at the end of the shelf, with no price tag, sat...
A 30 year old Port Ellen, CS, bottled in 2013. Bottle 21 of 30.
I took it off the shelf immediately.
One out of 30 in the world, from a silent, legendary distillery. Aged for 30 years. What are the odds?
The sales lady smiled, as if she knew that I had picked up the treasure of her shop, and told me that this baby would cost $1840. For one wild moment, I considered buying it.
$1840 is about the price range for any 30 year old whisky that you can find in Singapore. Crazily, the Yamazaki 18 is being sold for about $800, while the 25 goes up to $4000 or even more. And the Yamazakis are still in production. On the other hand, a 30 year old cask strength Port Ellen is going for $1840. Feels like a (very expensive) steal. Demand and supply skewing prices out of proportion, really.
But, fighting that impulse, I put the bottle back on the shelf. And walked out of the shop. I'll start saving a portion of my yearly alcohol budget, and maybe a few years later, I'll come look for this legendary Islay again (though I am painfully aware that, by writing about it here, I'm reducing the odds that it'll still be around when I finally scrap my loose change together. Ah well).
A brush with a legendary malt. What a heady feeling. Drunk, without even drinking a sip.
The Fasszination series is a series of whiskies bottled at high strength, some at cask strength, that are different from what's commonly on the market. For example, they have a Bowmore 14, which is not a common year for a Bowmore. They also have on their barrel shaped decanters things like a 19 year old Bunnahabain, 23 year old Bruichladdich, and a couple of Irish whiskies, and so on.
Before this starts to sound like an advertisement, I'll quickly move on to the point of this post.
On the shelf of Fasszinations, I was browsing from left to right. Auchentoshan 12 CS, Bowmore 14, a couple more Bowmores (including one at 26 years), a Glen Garioch, and, at the end of the shelf, with no price tag, sat...
A 30 year old Port Ellen, CS, bottled in 2013. Bottle 21 of 30.
I took it off the shelf immediately.
One out of 30 in the world, from a silent, legendary distillery. Aged for 30 years. What are the odds?
The sales lady smiled, as if she knew that I had picked up the treasure of her shop, and told me that this baby would cost $1840. For one wild moment, I considered buying it.
$1840 is about the price range for any 30 year old whisky that you can find in Singapore. Crazily, the Yamazaki 18 is being sold for about $800, while the 25 goes up to $4000 or even more. And the Yamazakis are still in production. On the other hand, a 30 year old cask strength Port Ellen is going for $1840. Feels like a (very expensive) steal. Demand and supply skewing prices out of proportion, really.
But, fighting that impulse, I put the bottle back on the shelf. And walked out of the shop. I'll start saving a portion of my yearly alcohol budget, and maybe a few years later, I'll come look for this legendary Islay again (though I am painfully aware that, by writing about it here, I'm reducing the odds that it'll still be around when I finally scrap my loose change together. Ah well).
A brush with a legendary malt. What a heady feeling. Drunk, without even drinking a sip.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
A Talisker 18
Talisker 18
ABV: 45.8%
This is the new bottling, with a picture of the Isle of Skye on the box cover, rather than the older bottling from the early-mid 2000s which won the Whisky of the Year Award at the World Whisky Awards. I saw one of this older bottling at Vom Fass, at Ion, Orchard, selling at $210+. I chose not to buy it, as I'm not sure if I want another Talisker at this point in time, given my budget constraints...Maybe I'll get it after I finish my current bottle of the Talisker 18, and the older bottling is still on the shelf...
Colour: A pleasant gold colour. Forms many nice tear drops along the sides of a Glencairn glass.
Nose: Peat and oak drifts up first as the dominant note in the first nosing. A malty, cereal-y sweetness hides behind the initial notes, while a lingering pepperiness fills and tingles the nose. Giving it a little bit of a swirl brings up more pepper, but also a briny character, as a good "island" whisky should have. Suggestions of something citrus-y as well, but I can't quite pin down what it is. Oranges? Letting it sit for a while, and the whisky starts to smell a bit like a light Laphroaig, with medicinal peat becoming more prominent in the nose. The savoury-salty character becomes a bit stronger as well. Reminds me of a smoked ham almost.
Palate: First sip - citrusy notes comes to the fore first, to be quickly replaced by a bit of peat. A slight oak taste that then gives way to a malty sweetness that's almost like a bourbon casked whisky. Pepper. Second sip: Oooooh. The pepper first this time, followed by hints of the briny taste that a good sea breeze leaves on your tongue. Sweet. The sweetness in the Talisker 18 is more forthcoming than in the 10. A friend of mine did not like the Talisker because it was too unpredictable; different sips brought different tastes into focus, without the well-crafted, orderly layers of flavours in some other whiskies. The alcohol is surprisingly present in an 18 year old. Not a terrible burn, but you can feel the 45.8% ABV, and the kick of the Talisker spirit. Complements the pepper well, on the whole. Third sip: sweeeeet. Then pepper. Smoke rises up to the nose. Ahhh. I live in a country that's hot all year round, but this is what I imagine having a fireplace must feel like.
Finish: Smoke on the finish (and I think one can distinguish between peat and smoke. One's more vegetal, while the other is a bit more like...well, smoke.) This one's smoke feels a bit like tobacco, the drying type. And yes, a drying finish. A slight medicinal peat, which seems to go together with the drying finish. Peppery aftertaste lingers long in the mouth to balance out the smoke. A little bit of bitter oak, but that, in my opinion, adds a bit more character to the finish.
Overall: A bit unpredictable, a little wild, but that's what people have come to expect from the Talisker. The usual suspects are all in here, and the Talisker 18 is one of the show-pieces of the distillery to display what Talisker is all about. From reviews online, the present Talisker 18 is perhaps not quite the same as the older, WWA-winning elder sibling, but it is a very good drink in its own right.
Value for money?: In Singapore, the Talisker 18 can be bought at the 1855 Bottle Shop at $200. Not cheap, while the Talisker 10 is $106. The Talisker 18 is a more enjoyable dram, as it unleashes its sweetness more readily, but I'm not sure if the difference in quality is worth the difference in price.
ABV: 45.8%
Picture taken from www.thewhiskyexchange.com
This is the new bottling, with a picture of the Isle of Skye on the box cover, rather than the older bottling from the early-mid 2000s which won the Whisky of the Year Award at the World Whisky Awards. I saw one of this older bottling at Vom Fass, at Ion, Orchard, selling at $210+. I chose not to buy it, as I'm not sure if I want another Talisker at this point in time, given my budget constraints...Maybe I'll get it after I finish my current bottle of the Talisker 18, and the older bottling is still on the shelf...
Colour: A pleasant gold colour. Forms many nice tear drops along the sides of a Glencairn glass.
Nose: Peat and oak drifts up first as the dominant note in the first nosing. A malty, cereal-y sweetness hides behind the initial notes, while a lingering pepperiness fills and tingles the nose. Giving it a little bit of a swirl brings up more pepper, but also a briny character, as a good "island" whisky should have. Suggestions of something citrus-y as well, but I can't quite pin down what it is. Oranges? Letting it sit for a while, and the whisky starts to smell a bit like a light Laphroaig, with medicinal peat becoming more prominent in the nose. The savoury-salty character becomes a bit stronger as well. Reminds me of a smoked ham almost.
Palate: First sip - citrusy notes comes to the fore first, to be quickly replaced by a bit of peat. A slight oak taste that then gives way to a malty sweetness that's almost like a bourbon casked whisky. Pepper. Second sip: Oooooh. The pepper first this time, followed by hints of the briny taste that a good sea breeze leaves on your tongue. Sweet. The sweetness in the Talisker 18 is more forthcoming than in the 10. A friend of mine did not like the Talisker because it was too unpredictable; different sips brought different tastes into focus, without the well-crafted, orderly layers of flavours in some other whiskies. The alcohol is surprisingly present in an 18 year old. Not a terrible burn, but you can feel the 45.8% ABV, and the kick of the Talisker spirit. Complements the pepper well, on the whole. Third sip: sweeeeet. Then pepper. Smoke rises up to the nose. Ahhh. I live in a country that's hot all year round, but this is what I imagine having a fireplace must feel like.
Finish: Smoke on the finish (and I think one can distinguish between peat and smoke. One's more vegetal, while the other is a bit more like...well, smoke.) This one's smoke feels a bit like tobacco, the drying type. And yes, a drying finish. A slight medicinal peat, which seems to go together with the drying finish. Peppery aftertaste lingers long in the mouth to balance out the smoke. A little bit of bitter oak, but that, in my opinion, adds a bit more character to the finish.
Overall: A bit unpredictable, a little wild, but that's what people have come to expect from the Talisker. The usual suspects are all in here, and the Talisker 18 is one of the show-pieces of the distillery to display what Talisker is all about. From reviews online, the present Talisker 18 is perhaps not quite the same as the older, WWA-winning elder sibling, but it is a very good drink in its own right.
Value for money?: In Singapore, the Talisker 18 can be bought at the 1855 Bottle Shop at $200. Not cheap, while the Talisker 10 is $106. The Talisker 18 is a more enjoyable dram, as it unleashes its sweetness more readily, but I'm not sure if the difference in quality is worth the difference in price.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
First post!
This blog was started about a year after I first started drinking whisky. I don't remember the tastes of many of these whiskies enough to pen my own notes for them. Yet, there are some that stick in my mind, as if something about the whisky still lingers on long after the bottle is emptied.
There is always some difficulty in deciding how to inaugurate a blog. What shall we start with? A couple of popular, go-to whiskies? Start with a bang? Start with an award winner?
Maybe I'll start with a story about my first proper exposure to whisky...
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A year ago, I was privileged to be invited to a good friend's house for the Lunar New Year. His father had purchased several bottles of whisky to entertain the guests who'll be coming around. Among the bottles that were on the table, I remember a Glenrothes 30, 25, 20. There was a Ballantine's 30 year, as well as a Hakushu 18. There were probably one or two more, but my memory is hazy. I remember clearly that I loved the Hakushu 18, for how refreshing and mellow it was, with slight grassy, warming peatiness, and the gentle citrus notes...beautiful, balanced flavours. The Ballantine's was smooth, as one would expect from a 30 year old blend. Floral, nutty, but I thought that it wasn't that special, nor quite worth the price, if I were just talking about how it tasted and smelt.
As I was happily sipping a dram of the Hakushu 18, one of the other guests poured herself a glass of the Glenrothes 30 (this one: https://www.whiskybase.com/whisky/820/glenrothes-30-year-old). And by a glass, I mean about 100 ml or slightly more. Of a 30 year old whisky. She took a sip, and declared that it was too strong.
So, she split that glass of whisky into two glasses. She then took up a pack of Pokka's Jasmine Green Tea, less sugar, opened the pack of Green Tea, and poured the whole packet of green tea into the two half-glasses of 30 year-old Glenrothes. Mixing the drinks, she took another sip, and with great satisfaction, said that the drink was now "much better". After all, we have to mix whisky so that we can drink more, she sagely proclaimed.
And thus, a tragedy.
There are many ways to drink whisky, and some of us do like to mix our whiskies into highballs and cocktails. No problem. I'm just not sure if a $1000 bottle was supposed to be drunk in this way...
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Is there a moral to this story? Perhaps not. But this story is firmly part of my initiation to whisky drinking. The heartache I felt for the Glenrothes, and the joy I got from the Hakushu, became the starting point of my whisky journey. Pain and joy are part of life's journey - they nudge us on, step by step, out of the Garden of Eden (or is it the forests on the Japanese Southern Alps??) and into the scary and beautiful world out there...
The next post will have some notes about two whiskies that I like enough to drink them as daily (ok, not quite daily) sips: the Oban 14, and the Talisker 10.
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