Discretions

It is a most interesting thing to sit in your neighborhood bar and write a post on Scotch. You find that more people around you know and enjoy many different Scotches. They are all very interested in sharing their point of view and which Scotch they prefer over another and for what reasons. Such as one gentleman who prefers the 12year old Dewar’s he enjoys; what he says is the flowery signature of the Scotch when poured over ice and a bit of water is added. He enjoys it so much that he also offered a few notes on the fact that the taste also depends on the water used to produce the Scotch and the fact that the barrels it is aged in also lends to the taste and texture of the Scotch.

So when you stop to think about Scotch what crosses your mind? Is it color, taste, smell, age or another person’s take on Scotch? The question becomes are you among the folks that know and love the taste of Scotch?

If the answer is yes or no here is just a bit to educate those of you who are unfamiliar with Scotch.  There are a myriad of Scotches on the market today so how do you know which one to chose. Is the Scotch chosen by age, color, or scent? The best guess is up to you as the person doing the tasting.

Lets give you some names of popular Scotches starting with Dewar’s, Johnnie Walker, J&B, Cutty Sark, Chivas Regal, Black & White, Famous Grouse, William Grant, Old Smuggler, Cluny and White Horse. The list just would not be the same with out adding the top of the top names Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, and Macallan.

I have a friend who is an avid Scotch drinker and he would know the difference between all those named above and would enjoy sitting and sipping on a nice bit of Scotch and smoking one of his favorite cigars. Scotch is a taste that is acquired and has to be slowly consumed to appreciate its texture and taste.

It is a common misconception that the older the Scotch is the better it is. Sometimes a younger lighter aged malt maybe to your taste rather than older aged malt. Don’t let the fact that it’s an older and more costly malt taint your choice of the malt you prefer. Be adventurous in your Scotch tasting you may find that you like younger Scotches.

When choosing a Scotch as a gift be sure to have had the opportunity to taste a few different Scotches with the person to be gifted. This way you will have some knowledge of the likes and dislikes of that person. I am including a short list of prices etc for those of you looking to purchase a single malt Scotch as a gift (the price is of course just a guideline and not what the price may be in your area).

10 Entry Level Single Scotch Whiskies to Purchase

1. Auchentoshan 10 year old lowlands Single malt 43% abv, $45
2. BenRiach 12 year old Speyside Single malt Whisky 46% abv, $65
3. Bruichladdich 15 year old Islay Single Malt Whisky 46% abv, $85
4. Caol lla 12 year old Islay Single Malt Whisky 43% abv, $48
5. Cragganmore 12 year old Speyside Single Malt Whisky 40% abv, $45
6. Glenfiddich 12 year old Special Reserve Speyside Single Malt Whisky 40% abv, $36
7. Glenmorangle 10 year old Norther Highlands Single Malt Whisky 43% abv, $38
8. Highland Park 15 year old Orkney Islands Single Malt Whisky 43% abv, $60
9. Springbank 10 year old Campbeltonw Single Malt Whisky 46% abv, $70
10. The Dalmore 12 year old Northern Highlands Single Malt Whisky 43% abv, $30

10 Advanced Level Single Malt Scotch Whiskies to Purchase

1. Auchentoshan 18 year old Linited Edition Lowlands Single Malt Whisky Olorsos Sherry Matured 55.8% abv, $1,000
2. BenRiach “Authenticus” 21 year old Heavily Peated Speyside Single Malt Whisky 46% abv, $165
3. Bruichladdich “Infinity” Islay Single Malt Whisky 55.5% abv, $75
4. Caol lla 25 year old Rare Edition Natural Cask Strength Islay  Single Malt Whisky 59.4% abv, $270
5. Cragganmore 10 year old Rare Edition Natural Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Whisky 60.1% abv, $270
6. Glenfiddich 21 year old Gran Reserva Caribbean Rum Cask Speyside Single Malt Whishy 40% abv, $120
7. Glenmorangle Tain L’Hermitage Wood Finish Northern Highlands Single malt Whisky 46% abv, $200
8. Highland Park 30 year old Orkney Islands Single Malt Whisky 48.1% abv, $370
9. Springbank 9 year old Marsala Wood Expression Campbeltown Single Malt Whisky 58% abv, %110
10. The Dalmore 21 year old Northern Highlands Single Malt Whisky 43% abv, $75

Now for those of you who may need to know where to find these fine selections of single malt Scotches here are a few places you can look.

Beltramo’s Wine & Spirit, 1540 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA; 650-325-2806 www.beltramos.com

Binny’s Beverage Depot, 18 outlets in and around Chicago, IL; 888-817-5898 www.binnys.com

Blue Max Liuors, 14640 10^th Avenue South, Burnsville, MN; 952-432-3350

Central Liquors, 917 F Street NW, Washington, D.C.; 202-737-2800 www.centralliquors.com

 Charles Street Liquors, 143 Charles Street Boston, MA; 617-523-5051 www.csliquirs.com

HI-Times Wine Cellars, 250 Ogle Street Costa Mesa, CA; 800-331-3005 www.hitimewine.net

Liquor Mart, 1750 15^th Street, Boulder, CO; 303-449-3374 www.liquormart.com

Park Avenue Liquor Shop, 292 Madison Avenue, New York, NY; 212-685-2442 www.parkaveliquor.com

Pearson’s Wine of Atlanta, 3072 Early Street NW, Atlanta, GA; 404-231-8752 www.pearsonswine.com

Sam’s Wines & Spirits, 3 locations in and around Chicago, IL; 800-777-9137 www.samswine.com

Sigel’s Beverages, 13 locations in and around Dallas, TX; 214-350-1271 www.sigles.com

The Party Source, 95 Riviera Drive, Bellevue, KY; 859-291-4007 www.thepartysource.com

Town Wine & Spirits, 179 Newport Avenue, Rumford, RI; 401-434-4563

Wine & Liquor Depot, 16938 Saticoy Street, Van Nuys CA; 888-622-1414 www.wineandliquordepot.com

And just so you all don’t think I’ve left out the good’ol American single malt I have a few addresses for you as well.

Delilah’s, 2771 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago IL; 773-472-2771 www.delilahschicago.com

Dundee Deli, 5007 Underwood Avenue, Omaha, NE; 402-553-9501 www.dundeedell.com

Keens Steakhouse, 72 West 36^th Street, New York, NY; 212-947-3636 www.keens.com

Piper’s Pub, 1828 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA; 412-381-3977 www.piperspub.com

Seven Grand, 515 W. 7^th Street, 2^nd floor, Los Angeles, CA; 213-614-0737 www.sevenrand.la

For those of you that would like to know where I got my information you can have a look at the Wine Enthusiast magazine October 2007 edition.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 16th, 2007 at 1:12 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.