Glasses From Which To Drink Whiskey
Kyle Lerfald
Reserved Pillock
Whisky for Medicinal Purposes
Larry Finch
Danny Thompson
Whiskey | Whisky | Scotch Whisky Definitions and Suggestions
The Original Scotch Suggestions - Kyle Lerfald
A History of Scotch - Kyle
Glenrothes - Kyle
Ted Browne
Chris O'Hearn
A Book and URL - Kyle
Irish Malt - Kyle
Paul Agrees
Gregg Germaine
Astrid Bear
Comments and Definitions - Adam Quinan
Spelling Whisky and Whiskey
Definitions - Randy Hees
Differences and Suggestions - Ragnhild Sandlund, which she is the secretary of the Norwegian Malt Whisky Society
Larry Finch as Will Rogers
Suggestion for What To Do While Drinking Scotch - Bob Saldeen
Faith Ingles Favorite
Mothers-in-law - Ginger Johnson
Scotch and Water - Lawrence Edwards
Gary Brown Agrees
Suggestion - Bruce Trinque
Suggestion - Dick McEachern
Occasions for Scotch - Ragnhild Sandlund
Suggestion - Harvey Greenburg
More from Kyle
...like angels crying on your tongue - John Arthur
Another Suggestion - Andy Stansfield
Irish and Scots Distilleries - John Gosden
A New East Anglian Kid on the Block - John Meyn
Old Sheep Dip - John Gosden
Martin Watts Speaks for Cornwall
Captain Dan's Favorite and Lapsang Tea
Jameson's - Steve Thompson
More from Kyle, the Whisk(e)yophile
John Marmet and a Wedding
On Jameson's and Bushmill's - Otto Schlosser
Black Bush - Ian Watkins
Ted Garvin
Jameson's on a 40-foot Ketch - Theo Gazulis
Black Irish Whiskey - Randal Allred
Canadian Apple
John Marmet's Favorite Summer Refresher
A Quick Julep Break by Robin Garr - Marian Van Til
George Washington's Cinnamon Whisky - Doug Essinger-Hileman
Glasses From Which To Drink Whiskey
Kyle Lerfald
I suddenly realized that I had not answered the question as to what the proper vessel is for drinking scotch or other fine whisky! My apologies.
Reidel does make a glass specifically designed for single malt scotch: a beautiful, delicate thing,of lead-free crystal, shaped like a rose flower before opening, holding just an ounce or two, the perfect amount to examine color, viscosity, and to ever so slightly concentrate the vapor for the nose to catch - clear as clear can be - and astronomically expensive. I don't own a single one.
Rather I have taster's glasses that are shaped as though one shrunk a brandy snifter and elongated the glass for a slight "chimney effect" Many times one finds scotch glasses like them with bottles of single malt as a sort of premium: sure they have the name of a distillery on the side, but who cares: they work! even better if they come with a cover to keep the vapors in the glass until you begin to taste that whisky.
One could also use cordial glasses for tasting: small is a good thing. You should not have room to add an ice-cube. Don't even think about it.
There is one type of glass I absolutely do not recommend: the tumbler. Usually a heavy, wide flat water glass of a thing, it holds too much for comfortable tasting, is too heavy and you lose the sense of smell much faster.
Reserved Pillock
Reidel glasses - an auspicious contribution. They are truly the hand-blown glasses of the world. I own some, for very special guests, and very special bottles. An unforgivable extravagance. But no Reidel Sommellier whisk(e)y glasses. A comparably unforgivable omission.
Here, they are no more expensive than Waterford crystal. They sell a machine-blown version, the Vinum range, which is more affordable.
Whisky for Medicinal Purposes
Larry Finch
The most effective treatment for a cold I have found is single malt Scotch, particularly one with a distinctive character, such as Laphroaig. I don't know if it does anything for the cold, but it does a lot for comfort.
Danny Thompson
At this time of year [the holidays] nothing beats a good simple Hot Whiskey:
A generous juicy slice of LEMON, stuck through with CLOVES. A teaspoon of SUGAR, a good glug of WHISKEY, and some HOT WATER from the kettle.
Leave the teaspoon in the glass as you pour the water, to avoid cracking the glass.
This combines the scorbutic qualities of lemon, the antiseptic dulling of clove, the roborative effect of sugar, the steamy heat of hot water, and the spreading warmth of whiskey.
In these respects it surely qualifies as a medicinal, and to hell with the otherwise respected Dr Maturin's advice of moderation - surely *more* will be better for me.
One day these things will finally catch on in English pubs - none of which seem to have bothered to equip themselves with kettles. Let alone cloves.
Whiskey | Whisky | Scotch Whisky Definitions and Suggestions
Whiskey, whisky, scotch, Irish whiskey, bourbon, Canadian whiskey, and all its diminutions have long been a popular subject for elaboration: its adherents and devotees are numerous among the messmates of the Gunroom. The reader is invited to visit the Patrick O'Brian Discussion Archives for further discussion.
The Original Suggestions - Kyle Lerfald
Ahem, well it just so happens I have a few suggestions, all three from the Highland/Speyside group:
1. Glenfarclas 17 year old single malt-puts me in mind of Christmas cake itself; sherry, caramel, and some fruit...Just the thing for sitting in front of a fireplace, replete from a solid dinner, sipping contentedly and dreaming of Christmas past.
2. Aberlour 18, single malt, with a heart of oak and a touch of smoke, butterscotch hiding in the slight warmness, a dessert scotch, something to serve with your fruitcake. A scotch that lends itself to toasts, and is a boon companion at table.
3. Glen Rothes- One of the gentlest scotches I have ever had. Vanilla notes and a delicate peat aroma-just to put you in mind of a distant leaf-fire, the tiniest hint of spice, lighter than the other two I would almost serve this right before the fruitcake, or right after, as a refreshment.
#2, and #3 are the average price, but Glenfarclas 17 is pricey. If I may -- as usual, these are for enjoying, not religion. Use them in good cheer, without unnecessary reverence (all three could hold their own in a brawl, much less a dinner party). Which guzzling wouldn't be bright neither as you lose the flavor. If you do want to guzzle -- well, there's always bourbon!
A History of Scotch - Kyle
My apologies for inaccuracies, misspellings, wishful thinking, crackpot theories, circular logic, the total disregard of the metric system, lack of continuity...
Whisky is an ancient invention. Distilling's origins are lost in the far past. Possibly they enjoyed a type of distilled spirit in the times of Solomon, writer of the Proverbs: "Wine is a mocker, strong Drink is raging"(Prov. 20, v1). Certainly they enjoyed a type of distilled beverage in Ancient Egypt about 3000 BC. The words used are "maaim baaim" which seemingly can be translated as aqua vitae, or "Water of Life." The process of distillation was possibly brought to Europe by the Romans. In Gaelic, the term 'aqua vitae' is uisge beatha.
Nobody seems to be sure if the Irish brought it to Scotland, or the other way around,(correction: 'have conclusive proof'-- each is sure the other got it from them) but in any case, the first known record of a permit to distill spirits in Scotland was written in 1491 -- A Benedictine monk named John Cor was given permission to distill aqua vitae in the town of Fife. The amount of aqua vitae he distilled would be about 100 gallons.
It's certainly caught on since then.
Actually, it's always been popular -- in fact, it seems to have been as much a cottage industry as brewing beer. In 1601 the first Scottish taxes started being applied to whisky (uisge beatha).
But what is whisky made of? Barley, water, yeast, heat and time.
Malted barley, the primary ingredient, is where it starts. Commercially, there are 9 grades of barley, only the top three of which are suitable for whiskey, as these have the ability to geminate and grow. The barley is immersed in water for a day or so, then laid out on a floor to sprout, during which time it's constantly turned and raked to keep the temperature generated by this process even -- too warm and uneven, and the grain decomposes: this is a process of two to three weeks average. The traditional method is labor intensive, and some distilleries have automated this process somewhat.
After the barley has germinated, and is now malt. It's kilned and dried. Peat is used in this process, and this is where the smoke comes in contact with the grain. Simply, more smoke -- more smoke flavor. The barley begins the flavor, the peat enhances the flavor, and dries the grain for the next step: Mashing.
Mashing is the process by which the starches and sugars to become the alcohol are extracted from the malt. First the malt is carefully crushed, and poured into a Mash Tun-picture an enormous vat (often it has a lid, but some are open to the air). Boiling hot water is added and enormous fork paddles to further extract every bit of modified starch turn the mixture. The floor of the tun has hundreds of perforations in it by which the liquid -- called wort or worts-drains into the Underback, a sort of tank that feeds the Wort Cooler -- why cool the worts? Well, too hot, and you kill the yeast, and the malt would moulder. From the cooler, fermentation takes place in the Washback, the fermentation process is identical to beer but with two exceptions: no hops and the vat isn't sterile. Some fresh yeast is pitched in, but much of it is already there from previous batches. This is where many esters and phenols (flavor agents) get their start -- citrus, vanilla, strawberry, if it's a flavor, it's probably an ester or phenol. The length of the fermentation process determines how many esters and phenols are created, and how complex the finished product will be. The hazards: too long, and you have vinegar (break out the fish and chips!), too short and you merely have polluted water.
From the washback the distilling process starts with the wash being pumped into the copper swan necked stills -- where the character of the whisky is further developed by the way the still is shaped. The taller the still, the lighter the spirit will be, as the heavier vapors will recycle back into the wash. The vapors travel through a condenser, then into a second still, called the low wines still, which further refines the spirit. Only about a third is usable from a batch of distillate.
The new-made spirit, called "clearic" is pumped from the still house to the filling store, where it is diluted with water and filled into 2nd use bourbon or sherry casks -- adding yet another aspect to the finished flavor of the spirit. There it will stay for a minimum of three years: the minimum allowed by law for the finished product to be called "Scotch." It is during maturation that 60-70% of the flavor of the finished product develops. The casks are not entirely airtight, so every aspect of the environment of the storage area plays a part in the taste of the scotch. . . sea air, pollen, dust, you name it, it's in there. . . evaporation also takes place -- called the "Angel's Share." The air in the warehouses is filled with the delightful scent of maturing scotch.
Glenrothes - Kyle
The Introductory Whisky is a Highlands/Speyside (Highlands tend to be "gateway malt" and as such, this is a great one to build on):
Glenrothes, 1987.($35+/-) Only recently, within the last 10-15 years or so, has this single-malt been sold as a single malt: but those familiar with blended scotch have had it before-probably. This malt is one of the components of Cutty Sark.
Bottled by Berry Brothers and Rudd, who have been in the business since 1690: and have been mentioned on this list before, by Colin White, as I recall. The single malt itself is (for me)perfect as an end of day, relax in chair scotch,or after dinner looking at an empty plate and contemplating a good long walk.
I'm reinventing the wheel.
Ted Browne
Could I suggest you try Laphroaig (green bottle, white label) a single malt from Islay and a true Prince of the Whiskey tribe. Laphroaig would always get my vote.
Chris O'Hearn
Glenmorangie is a favourite, though if I'm in the mood for it I find Oban has a certain salty appeal.
A Book and URL - Kyle
For a thorough education, allow me to recommend Michael Jackson's Guide to Single Malt, which is probably the best all around reference/review of single malts available. At US$27.50, it's a bit steep, but worth it in the long run. I've attended two tastings and a lecture led by Mr. Jackson, and each time I have come away entertained, educated and with a wider appreciation of the diversity of single malt.
Irish Malt - Kyle
In preparation to picking a single malt, I'll recommend an Irish malt, that is livening up my evening (housecleaning for guests and single malt - not that bad a combo).
Hie yourself to the liquid libation purveyor and go to the shelf, grab the bottle marked Bushmill's Single Malt 16 years old.
The Bushmill's distillery is located in the North, near the Glens of Antrim, and not far from the Giant's Causeway. In this picturesque setting, one of the finest spirits has been made since 1608.
Irish whisky is triple distilled, rather than double, and the peat smoke does not come into contact with the malt. This produces a spirit with less "bite" and some sweet characteristics.
The color is pure gold, with a nose of an almost fruit-like sweetness, oily in mouthfeel, with the flavor of malt and toasted almond english toffee, and a creamy long finish. The whisky is aged in bourbon casks, and finished in port pipes. both hints come through in the nose, color and finish. It is an excellent malt to serve after dinner, with a good fire, perhaps some apple cake, and a good wind rattling the tiles.
Paul Agrees
I will hie myself to the in-house storage facility and decant some of the 10 year-old, and aspire to greater things anon. As per your instructions.
It was the Jameson 1780 12 year-old that had me a bit at sea last night. A happy little tipple, with a lot of all that nosey fruit and swirling gold.
Oró sé do bheatha abhaile!
Gregg Germaine
Interestingly enough, I found out that my favorite pot still, unblended, 12 year old whiskey is back in circulation - it's called: RedBreast and it's exceptional stuff.... really marvelous.
Astrid Bear
We were at a most amazin' picnic over the weekend, in a beautiful Frank Lloyd Wrightish mansion from the 50s on Lake Washington (5+ acres in Medina, for all love!). There was croquet on the lawn, and volleyball, and something like softball, but what will interest many here was the table of Scotch under the enormous beech tree. Four single malts, of which I had the Islay (maybe 18 years old, deliciously smokey with a bite) and also the Macallan, 30 years old, aged in sherry oak. Floated on the tongue. Smooth ain't innit. Remarkable.
Comments and Definitions - Adam Quinan
Single malt is most usually applied to Scotch whisky, though I believe that there are some Irish whiskeys which are also single malt. They are more idiosyncratic than ordinary whiskies.
Basically it means that the whisky comes from one distillery using one recipe and is not blended with other whiskies from other stills. I suppose an analogy would be to have wine from a single vineyard which develops its own unique style and flavour compared to a table wine which is blended from several different wines to achieve a consistent product.
Spelling Whisky and Whiskey
Outside the US (and maybe Canada?) whiskey refers to Irish whiskey.
Other stuff (including Japanese and Australian) etc., is whisky.
Scotch is the whisky from Scotland.
And yes, you can have single malt Irish Whiskey. Mmmmm - Bushmill's.
Definitions - Randy Hees
Whisky has different meanings, based on the laws of the country you are in, or the producing country.
At its most basic, Whiskey is a distilled spirit.
It is most commonly associated with the distilled spirits of Scotland, Ireland and Canada. The common American Distilled beverage is better known as Bourbon, but it is still a whiskey.
Some countries have more specific and detailed laws to further define distilled beverages... i.e. Bourbon must be the product of specific counties in Kentucky, and can't be filtered... so Jack Daniels is a "Tennessee Sipping Whiskey" rather than bourbon.
Single malt whiskey means the product of a single distillery, but is most commonly associated with Scotch. But by the broad definition, all bourbon is single malt.
There is also a higher standard, single barrel, whiskey from a single barrel, from a single distillery.
Differences and Suggestions - Ragnhild Sandlund, which she is the secretary of the Norwegian Malt Whisky Society
There's nothing to beat Lagavulin (any age). But I wouldn't say nay to a glass of any scotch single malt, except Auchentoshan (which it tastes like soap).
May I recommend a "new" whisky to the enthusiasts on the list? The Arran distillery was built some eight years ago and their first whisky is on the market (I was invited to a tasting recently, no doubt in the hope that I'd be doing just what I am doing, that is, plugging the product). It is only 6 years old the dear thing, but it beats most of the 8s I've tasted and a fair few of the 10s, 12s, 16s and even 20-upwards, too. Very much looking forward to trying their 10, but will have to wait a few years (unless someone can lend me a time machine). Very, very clean taste (perfect aperitif), and probably a good "introduction" whisky (though having started out with Islay's myself I find it hard to tell what the average novice will find acceptable).
An addition to the answer on the original question; what is the difference? Well, I can tell you one major difference: whiskey is also used for drinks (i.e. mixed with other stuff, e.g. coke) - putting anything but water into a scotch single malt would be considered sacrilegious. I would have said the same goes for Irish whiskey, except I saw a Jameson poster recommending Jameson and ginger ale the other week (I nearly fainted).
Larry Finch as Will Rogers
As Will Rogers said, I never met a single malt I didn't like. But they are all distinctly different, noticeable to even a non-Scotch drinker. I certainly like Laphroaig, but I'm also partial to Glenmorangie. Glen Fiddich has gotten too common; I can't believe they can produce as much as they do and still be a single malt. But it will do in a pinch. At the moment I'm working on a bottle of Lagavulin 16 year, which is a bit like Laphroaig in taste, but smoother. And it stands next to a bottle of Macallan.
Suggestion for What To Do While Drinking Scotch - Bob Saldeen
I like Isle of Jura too. Has the added benefit of being one of the cheapest too.
One of my favorite leisure activities is to have a cigar and a scotch and sit in our (outside) hot tub and read. It's like takin' a vacation (holiday) for all love. Reading POB in a Jacuzzi--nothin' like it.
Faith Ingles Favorite
I still love Glenlivet the best and yes, I realize it is mild but oh so smooth.
Mothers-in-law - Ginger Johnson
My mother in law, who likes whiskey, paid us a visit in February. I bought her a quart of Sheep Dip.
Very good, so she said, and so said her son.
Me, I stick to wine.
Scotch and Water - Lawrence Edwards
One tip with single malts is to mix with the same quantity of room-temperature water. This also helps you absorb the alcohol (although that's not the reason to do it of course). I'm slowly learning the different tastes, and this is a long-term project which I intent to devote quite some time to now that I reside in Scotland!
So far, apart from some of the single malts which have been mentioned, my favourite is Highland Park. But please don't buy any because it is of limited supply and I wouldn't want them to run out or have to put the price up.
Gary Brown Agrees
Blast - I thought Highland Park was my own secret pleasure! The 1988 is an exceptional tipple - and a surprising one too, for it is as pale as Lawrence's fino, yet packed with peat.
Suggestion - Bruce Trinque
The Macallan gets my vote!
Suggestion - Dick McEachern
I like Macallen and most of the others mentioned. Cardhu is also quite good. A friend of mine introduced me to Ballvenie Double Wood which may "over worked" but I really find it wonderful after a good meal.
Occasions for Scotch - Ragnhild Sandlund
There is, of course, also the "occasion" to consider. Some whiskies are better before dinner, some are best as a nightcap, some can compete with garlic marinated olives (yummy) and some are better on their own.
Had a twenty-something Macallen on Burn's night (before the haggis) - and it was indeed nectar.
Suggestion - Harvey Greenburg
As a single malt nut, I would say I have no one favorite - different tastes at different times - very old Glenmorangie - yum. Glenmorangie and any of the great ones older than 10 years - Macallen and any one that is aged in the right casks.
More from Kyle
Try a (Highland) Glenmorangie 10 to begin with, then perhaps a (Lowlands) Littlemill 8, then you might very well try a (Highlands again) Macallan 12, then an (Islay) Ardbeg 10, then a (Lowlands) Bladnoch "Signatory" bottling... Speyside's Glenfarclas 17 or 25 (like Christmas-cake, Heaven!). Then get daring with a Bowmore, any age, or Laphroaig while you can... There are hundreds...their name is legion, and each an experience in their own right! Single-malt works best when "neat," in small amounts, or with a light touch of spring-water in the glass with it; but do try it however!
...like angels crying on your tongue - John Arthur
A good drop of single malt, is like angels crying on your tongue!
My favourites are Islay, Lochnagar (I think that's how it is spelt) and Laphroaig.
** we are fortunate in the UK that we can easily become members of the Scotch Whisky Society, which will send you unidentified malts straight from the distillery's casks, not diluted, not filtered. You also get clues as to where it came from !! Its strength can vary from 90-105 degrees proof. You must add about half as much water, or even a little more, before you can drink it.
As I remember, there are about one hundred distilleries in Scotland, each different from the other. Generally they vary region from region. You can easily tell a Speyside from an Island malt and so on. Plenty of good books on the subject. Better reading than some of the names you have been putting forward.
For what it's worth I would choose a hundred proof Talisker, it's quite special in more ways than one.
Another Suggestion - Andy Stansfield
One absentee, IMHO, is Talisker. A single malt from the Isle of Skye, it is an acquired taste but well worth the acquisition.
My own personal favourite is in your list - The Macallan. They have, in true modern marketing style, made all sorts of versions of it in the last few years (e.g. 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s "Styles") but you can't beat the standard 12 year old matured in sherry casks which gives it its distinctive taste.
Irish and Scots Distilleries - John Gosden
30 years ago almost every Irish town had its own malt distillery, producing an elixir as good as any Scottish single malt. I remember Reardon's 10-year-old pure pot still - Cork City's own nectar. Now, as more and more of the Scottish distilleries bottle their product as single malts, all the Irish stuff goes into blends. Curious how the two sides of the Irish Sea could have such different patterns of development.
Laphroaig, Lagavullin, Bowmore, Ardbeg.... But sometimes I like a change from the sea and seaweeds of the Islay malts (and they are, perhaps, less suited to this climate [Phuket] than to huddling round a turf fire in a bothy on a rain-soaked windswept western highlands night). So then I turn to Speyside, and have recently discovered Aberlour - a rich and sweet dram, now widely available at duty free shops.
A New East Anglian Kid on the Block - John Meyn
The English Whisky Co.
Old Sheep Dip - John Gosden
There's a Gloucestershire one called, IIRC, Old Sheep Dip - but it's distilled in Scotland: Sheep Dip Pure Malt Scotch Whisky.
Martin Watts Speaks for Cornwall
Cornish whisky on its way: Cornish Take on Scotch. Whether they sampled the product before sending out the press release I don't know but it shows signs of a bit of a rush.
To cover the temperance market as well we also have the Tregothnan tea plantation: Tregothnan Tea Garden .
As a point of nautical interest Tregothnan has been the home of the Boscawen family since 1335.
"Admiral The Hon. Edward Boscawen's cannons are mounted on the terrace of the house as a tribute to the great Cornish Admiral's victories over the French in the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). The cannons were cast at John Fuller's famous gun foundry at Heathfield in Sussex in the eighteenth century, and his initial 'F' can be seen on a trunnion on each gun. Admiral Boscawen is buried at the nearby church of St. Michael Penkivel which also contains his memorial, designed by Robert Adam."
Captain Dan's Favorite and Lapsang Tea
Laphroaig...
Try this. I am a big fan of Laphroaig but for every day cocktail hour I prefer to drink Jameson's (and it's considerably cheaper...). I also drink Lapsang tea for it's smoky, peaty Laphroaig-like flavor.
A while back I was sipping a mug of Lapsang with a friend of mine from Ireland. We were talking about Laphroaig and came up with the idea of brewing an extra strong pot, then freezing into an ice cube tray. We then put the cubes in a glass of Jameson's.
It tastes just like Ireland...
The same Irish friend is the one who coined the phrase "Catholic whiskey" (Jameson's being from the south) vs. Protestant whiskey (Bushmill's from Northern Ireland).
I too prefer Jameson's over Bushmill's although Bushmill's single malt is pretty good but not worth the price. Tullamore Dew is a good second to Jameson's if that is all your host is serving. It also goes well with Lapsang ice cubes.
Winter is coming. The snow is creeping down the mountains and the fire is burning brightly as we sit around and tell stories that grow better with each telling. What better time to drop some "ice tea" (or is it tea ice?) into your glass, splash some Catholic whiskey over it and settle in for a good jaw.
Jameson's - Steve Thompson
Jameson's for me! I much prefer it to Tullamore Dew or Bushmill's mostly because of its body. Not much of a Scotch drinker at all unless you count Ushers Green Stripe, which it's a blend and not a proper Scotch at all I suppose.
Which my trusty Gaelic Storm flask of topped off with Jameson's at this very moment.
More from Kyle, the Whisk(e)yophile
Jameson's body and sweeter taste seems to come from the larger proportion of gain-to-malt than Bushmill's (incidentally, a friend of mine whose area of expertise is Irish Whiskey would tell you that the dichotomy of a soi-disant "Catholic" or "Protestant" whiskey is -and I'm quoting- "purest bullsh**.") In point of fact, Jameson's and Bushmill's are only two of dozens of Irish whiskies; there's Powers (which I don't care for but my friend swears by)and Clontarf (a stunt whiskey if there ever was one) Paddy's and Redbreast; which is one of my current favorites.
John Marmet and a Wedding
I will never forget the wedding of me sister-in-law and her Irish husband. His parents came to the wedding in Buffalo NY. I bought a bottle of Bushmill's to serve them at my sister-in-law's parent's (i.e. my father and mother-in-law's) home. I poured the father a glass (three fingers) and he said it was quite nice for a Scot's whisky. I protested, then went out to the kitchen to read the bottle, only to discover it had been made in the UK (Northern Ireland). I have drank Jameson's every since, though me sister-in-law's husband prefers Paddy's.
But, of course, Laphroaig tops all.
On Jameson's and Bushmill's - Otto Schlosser
I have drunk both [Jameson's and Bushmill's] and vastly prefer Jameson's, although it should be noted that thousands of miles of travel may have taken their toll on either. Back when my brother and I were regular drinkers, he used to give me a bottle of Jameson's for Christmas and we would break the seal together.
Black Bush - Ian Watkins
Was that 'Black Bush'? Bushmill's Black label whiskey. The locals in Northern Ireland swear by the Black Bush even preferring that over Bushmill's Single malt.
Ian [Whose most favourite tipple is Talisker single malt (followed closely by Laphroaig)]
Ted Garvin
I am probably a trousered barbarian, but I like Tullamore Dew.
Jameson's on a 40-foot Ketch - Theo Gazulis
I had a middle-teen years experience with Jameson's. Anchored out on a 40' ketch, ocean swell (even before drinking), all adult-type persons ashore. Gobsmacked, I was! Remember it to this very day. Perhaps not. But I remember parts of it to this very day. Were I to do it again tonight 'tis highly likely that the day after would be markedly different this time.
But just one Jameson's tonight sounds like a good plan...
Black Irish - Randal Allred
Maybe this is the true origin of the Black Irish:
Ingredients:
3 parts Irish whiskey (Bushmill's Black Bush)
1 part Kahlua
1 Maraschino cherry
Pour Over Ice cubes
Canadian Apple
2 oz Canadian Whisky
1/2 oz Apple Brandy
1 1/2 tsp fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp Sugar Syrup
1 pinch Cinnamon
Combine the whisky, apple brandy, lemon juice, sugar syrup and cinnamon in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, and strain into an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon, and serve.
John Marmet's Favorite Summer Refresher
My favorite summer refresher: one can frozen lemonade, one can frozen limeade, mix according to the label, substituting Scot's Whisky (blended please) for two of the cans of water. On a hot day one can achieve Brigadoon quite rapidly.
A Quick Julep Break by Robin Garr - Marian Van Til
Once in a great while, this column takes a rare detour from wine for a change-of-pace taste of other libations. And there's no better time for such a break than this joyous springtime season when my home town, Louisville, puts on its party clothes to celebrate the Kentucky Derby.
Accordingly, prompted by a tasting-and-media-event in which I served as a judge last week, I hope you'll indulge me in a quick dissertation on the mint julep, a historic drink with a deep Kentucky connection.
Legend has it that Bourbon whiskey was invented in the late 1700s by a Baptist minister named Elijah Craig (whose name is still enshrined in the name of a popular brand); but in fact Craig was only one of many thirsty settlers who brought whiskey recipes with them from the East and produced potent liquor from the region's plentiful corn crop and sweet limestone water, storing it in sturdy barrels made from Kentucky oak trees. (As a matter of historical trivia, Craig didn't even live in Bourbon County, although his home was in the same rolling meadow region called the Bluegrass.)
Modern Bourbon is distilled from a mix of grains that must include at least 51 percent corn (the rest may include rye, wheat and/or barley), and it is stored for at least two years in new, charred oak barrels that add to its distinctive sweet-caramel flavor. Since the barrels may be used only once, many of them are sold after use to distillers in Canada and even Scotland, where the natives make a well-regarded liquor of their own. (And to the dismay of many Kentuckians, who must feel much as do wine makers in Champagne who object to lesser brews bearing the local name, the law does not limit the name "Bourbon" to Kentucky-made liquor.)
So what's a julep? The name goes back through Chaucer's English (where it meant "sugar syrup") and old French and Latin to the ancient Persian word "Gulab," which means "rose water." Variations of the name have been attached to sweetened alcoholic tipples in Britain, France and the U.S., but the modern "mint julep" has become a symbol of the Southern U.S. and specifically Kentucky.
As with any old tradition, you'll find dozens of variations, most claiming to be the original. To make a long story short, the mint julep is a strong drink made with straight Bourbon (and plenty of it) flavored with sugar or sugar syrup and scented with fresh mint, served from a glass (or, most traditionally, a silver cup shaped a bit like a short tumbler) over plenty of cracked ice.
A commercial version is sold at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, in a tall souvenir glass imprinted with the names of all the Derby winners since 1875, an item that is updated annually and has become a collector's item itself.
Louisville television station WHAS-11 recently assembled a small group of purported experts, including your humble scribe, for a mint julep tasting hosted by Brown-Forman Corp., an old Louisville distiller that has grown into an international beverages conglomerate (with, coincidentally, a significant presence in the wine industry).
Chris Morris, Brown-Forman's Bourbon expert, who will assume the company's Master Distiller post next year, put together five samples including such modern affectations as "The Jocuse" (a thoroughly non-traditional mix of Bourbon flavored with a splash of creme de menthe, lime juice and sparkling water) and the appalling "Mintini," a fluorescent green drink featuring Bourbon, green creme de menthe and sugar, shaken, not stirred, with ice and strained into a Martini glass garnished with a mint leaf.
Better, for my tastes anyway, was the recipe created by Henry Watterson, World War I-era publisher of The Louisville Courier-Journal, who advocated carefully assembling the finest mint, sugar, ice and other fixings and then discarding them to enjoy the Bourbon alone. This procedure worked quite well using Woodford Reserve, a Bourbon produced at Brown-Forman's Labrot and Graham Distillery in the aforementioned Versailles.
For a once-a-year julep treat, though, Morris's traditional recipe won my top rating:
- Put a few fresh mint leaves in the bottom of a glass or julep cup with a teaspoon of confectioner's sugar (not granulated sugar) and just enough water to dissolve the sugar.
- Mash (or "muddle") this brew with a wooden spoon handle, then fill the glass with crushed ice and pour in 2 1/2 ounces of Bourbon.
- Pack in more crushed ice ("just like making a snow cone," Morris joked), garnish with several sprigs of mint, and insert a straw cut short enough that you have to put your nose in the mint to reach it.
- Sip slowly from the bottom, so the straw pulls the Bourbon through the mint-and-sugar mix, and plan to contemplate it for at least an hour
... perhaps the late-afternoon hour on the first Saturday in May when the Derby is on the air.
George Washington's Cinnamon Whisky - Doug Essinger-Hileman
From Vintage Washington, whisky maker:
Mount Vernon (Virginia), June 24, 2003 (Reuters): George Washington made whisky here.
As America's first president and one of its canniest early entrepreneurs, Washington liked a sip of cinnamon whisky - and he distilled his own. More than that, he started a thriving business selling a raw, clear liquor made from rye and corn.
"Two hundred gallons of whisky will be ready this day for your call, and the sooner it is taken the better, as the demand for this article (in these parts) is brisk," Washington wrote in a letter to his nephew in October 1799.
At its peak, the distillery produced 50,010 litres of liquor, which fetched the then-astronomical sum of $7,500. After Washington's death late in 1799, the distillery passed to his nephew Lawrence Lewis, who appeared to have less success with it. By 1815, the building was gone.
Folks around Washington's estate at Mount Vernon always knew there was a distillery on the property when he was alive, and archaeologists uncovered its location in 1932.
Now scholars are digging at the site of the liquor-making operation, hoping to learn enough to rebuild it and start making whisky there again.
About 4.8 km from Washington's elegant, idiosyncratic mansion at Mount Vernon, workers in shorts, T-shirts and thin coatings of mud have been scraping the dirt around the distillery's old foundation stones. "We are connoisseurs of dirt," said Laura Seifert, one of the project's crew chiefs, on a recent sweltering day. Around her, a dozen or so diggers use sharpened trowels to pare away the layers of earth, one bucket at a time, until they get down to the layers that would have been in place around 1799.
Of particular interest are patches where the dirt appears burned or scorched, which could mean they were just beneath a spot where one of five stills sat in Washington's day.
The dirt that is scraped away is sifted for any significant objects - an amber-coloured bottle from the 1930s was a prized find - before being carted to a mound at the side of the site, waiting to be redeposited during reconstruction.
That could be fairly soon, according to Mount Vernon's chief archaeologist, Esther White. Investigation of the site began in 1999 and is expected to conclude this November, with findings expected to be presented to architects so they can work out how to rebuild the place.
Dennis Pogue, Mount Vernon's associate director for preservation, said reconstruction might be completed by 2006. "If you build a stone building and you get five copper pot stills, where are you going to put them?" White asked rhetorically.
"Those are the kinds of details that...the restoration staff need in order to be able to put the building back, and that our interpreters will need to be able to go into the building in costume and start distilling."
The spirits they expect to distil, if the required permits are approved, would not be for sale but serve as part of a living history exhibition. More on the distillery dig is online at http://www.archaeology.org/interactive/mtvernon/index.html.
Still, there is prime liquor ageing in barrels even now at Mount Vernon.
The Distilled Spirits Council, a US liquor industry group that has donated $1.2 million to the distillery project, arranged to have barrels of whisky and rum aged on the premises and bottled. Not for sale to the public, a batch of these liquors brought a total of $107,000 at auction last year, with this amount added to the Mount Vernon distillery effort.
The industry group got involved in part to celebrate George Washington the entrepreneur, according to its president Peter Cressy.
"In the history books, he too often pales beside the lasting legacy of (Thomas) Jefferson, when in terms of all the interesting entrepreneurial things, Jefferson was almost a dilettante compared to Washington," Cressy said.
The location of the modern liquor barrels is secret, but some of these liquors were offered to visitors recently to be savoured on the mansion's piazza overlooking the Potomac River as a ferocious thunderstorm moved into the area.
After ageing in charred barrels, these rums and whiskeys took on a mellow golden colour and a smooth taste despite their high alcoholic content, up to 128 proof in one case.
Which it's the Patrick O'Brian list of the world!