In the craziness that retailers like to call O.N.D. (October, November, December), I decided to set up two spirits tastings. The first one was a Bourbon tasting the week of Thanksgiving. Since that was a huge success, I wanted to set one up for Scotch the week of Christmas and Chanukah. Most of what I decided to put on the tasting list was Single Malt Scotch. I did have one blended Scotch, MacKinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt Scotch. This is a bottle of whisky that has a little bit of history behind it.
Prior to the doors opening on the night of the tasting, Lee Strader from Whyte & Mackay stopped by unannounced with a couple of gems to taste us on. He had some sample bottles of Dalmore 40 year old ($2800), Dalmore 1974 ($1170) and Dalmore 1981 ($999). These prices are estimated as we don't have any of these in stock at the moment. Those bottles were amazing! The 40 year old was probably the best Scotch I have ever tasted in my entire life. It was an unexpected treat right before our crazy tasting.
As with our Bourbon event, Collyer Catering provided the food to cleanse our guests' palates. Scotch smoked salmon crostini, shrimp with Scotch BBQ sauce, beef skewers with fig and whisky sauce, smokey (using an Islay Scotch) scallop spring rolls Laphroiag 10 year were on the menu for nibbles.
Our friend, Paul, at Paul Lin Media made this little video for us:
Scotch Tasting video
The tasting list:
Dalmore 12 yr
Dalmore 15 yr
Dalmore Cigar Malt
Dalmore King Alexander III
Balvenie Double wood
Balvenie 17 yr Madeira Cask
Balvenie Single Barrel
Balvenie 21 yr Portwood
Glenfiddich 15 yr
Glenfiddich 18yr
Deanston 12 yr
Tobermory 10 yr
Bruichladdich Rocks
Bruichladdich Laddie Classic Edition_01
Bruichladdich The Organic
Bruichladdich 10 yr Laddie 10
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC7
Bruichladdich 12 yr
Ledaig 10 yr
Bunnahabhain 12 yr
BenRiach 15 yr Dark Rum Finish
BenRiach 17 yr Pedro Ximinez Sherry Finish
Glendronach 15 yr Oloroso Cask
Glendronach 12 yr PX & Oloroso Cask
Gordon & MacPhail Mortlach 15 yr
Gordon & MacPhail Bladnoch 16 yr
Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 21 yr
Gordon & MacPhail Glenrothes 30 yr
Benromach Traditional
Benromach Peat Smoke
Benromach 10 yr
Ardbeg 10 yr
MacKinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt (Shackleton's)
Homemade barrel-aged Rusty Nail (cocktail)
Alvear 1927 Solera Pedro Ximinez Sherry
Alvear Asuncion Oloroso Sherry
It was a fun tasting! Since December, I've been asked many times when the next tasting will be. As of right now, our next tasting will be in May for Cinco de Mayo. That's if I don't sneak in a Cordials-Liqueur-Aperitif-Vermouth tasting before then. We'll see.
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