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I'll Drink to That! What is your favorite beverage to have with a cigar? Juice? Cola? Beer? Port? Single Malt Scotch? This room is for the discussion of beverages, especially alcoholic beverages that go well with cigars! |
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11-16-2008, 06:01 PM | #1 |
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Benriach & Glenlivet editions
This week, I gave the following two single malts an initial taste test, and came away quite impressed...
Benriach Madeira Wood Finish 15 Year Old – 46% This spirit spends its final period of maturation in Madeira casks sourced from Henriques & Henriques. Not chill-filtered, and with no artificial colouring. Fairly pale lemon-yellow gold hue. A high-toned fragrance with notions of spring blossoms, honeydew melon, sweet oak and acetone. On the palate, a sparkling interplay of sun-ripened citrus, sweet malt and crisp oak that, though lightly textured and silky, offers up just the right degree of simmering white pepper warmth. Dries at the finish in the manner of a fine Cragganmore, with notions of stone-grist barley, lemon zest, leather and even the faint saltiness of a young Brie cheese making guest appearances. A subtle and initially somewhat deceptive malt that rewards subsequent pours. Lovely apéritif whisky. Glenlivet 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve – 40% The utilization of Limousin oak casks introduces additional layers of aroma and taste to the Glenlivet flavour profile. Full shimmering gold colour. Rounded and quite sensual on the nose. Yellow Delicious apples and a few peaches macerating with a spoonful of honey. Lightly toasted oak provides the backdrop. A soft shoe palate entry if ever there was one. Delicate floral and herbal overtones with notions of apples and honey. Then the fun begins! Limousin oak brings on an enlivening cascade of spices, only to have the whisky exert a textural smoothness to calm the proceedings as the finish line approaches. 15-plus years and a touch of the continental forest serve the intrinsic characteristics of the distillate admirably. Finely gauged balancing of the elements. The perfect match for a Por Larrañaga Cuban cigar. Now it's on to that 16-year old Aberlour.
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11-16-2008, 06:15 PM | #2 |
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Thanks for the info, Doug, I knew you were wanting to try the Glenlivet French Oak Reserve. Sounds interesting! I've been wondering (and a little concerned )how using that un-bourboned oak would flavor it. I have not seen the Benriach at a local store, if memory serves.
There was an interesting little side-remark in you description of the Benriach that made me very curious indeed. "...no artificial colouring." Is it a common practice for whiskysmiths to put coloring in there? I sure hope not. I do love the colors of the various single-malts I've been sampling, it would be a shame to think it's not just a factor of the maturing process. Aren't alcohols white as a function of distilling, and get their colors from the casks? I'm really clueless about the process. Looking forward to your remarks on the Aberlour 16, which I found deliciously spicy.
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11-16-2008, 06:46 PM | #3 | ||||
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As a postscript, the single malt Scotch industry trend toward avoiding the addition of E150a seems to have taken firm root. And this may have as much to do with a more broadly educated public (no longer put off by minor colour inconsistencies from one issue of a whisky to another) as with industry personnel.
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My whisky adventure began at the age of nine. Good things DO take time! Last edited by jazznut; 11-16-2008 at 06:49 PM. |
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11-16-2008, 08:28 PM | #4 |
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Thanks for going to all that trouble Doug, very informative and ultimately encouraging, I think. I'm not the expert taster you are, and may never be able to cock my head at a beverage and think, "I SAY, that's E150a!" but I would love to think I'm getting the "real deal" in a whisky for which I paid good money. Maybe that will be the case more and more, as you hopefully suggest. It's actually almost crushing to someone coming from the wine world, to discover that such a fine product may not be exhibiting natural characteristics. I love the color of whisky, it's fully a part of my enjoyment, it would be sad to think it was merely an artifact.
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11-17-2008, 03:56 AM | #5 | |
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We, as single malt whisky enthusiasts, should also know that the independent bottlers of single malt Scotch, such as William Cadenhead, have had much to do with the promotion of nonchill-filtered, naturally hued whiskies, not to mention single malts in general. But more about this in an upcoming A Rich Pour column in the Lifestyles section of the Cigar Weekly Magazine Pages.
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11-17-2008, 04:45 PM | #6 |
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Look forward to it.
During a recent pinch, I opted for a lower-priced scotch, the Johnny Walker Black, and boy can you tell the difference in quality and taste. I did make it through okay, , but I hope not to have to traffic in price range overmuch. Nothing against JW or JW Black enthusiasts, but after enjoying some good single malts, it's tough to go home again. It wouldn't surprise me that lower-level blends would have all kinds of things in them that would make the purist balk, but you do what you have to do at times. JW Black is sure better than nothing.
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11-18-2008, 09:42 AM | #7 |
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Joel... If you can find it, I'd recommend giving Gordon Graham's Black Bottle (from Burn Stewart Distillers) a go - especially seeing as Ardbeg works for you. Here are links to 2 sets of reviews from the pages of Whisky Magazine:
http://www.whiskymag.com/whisky/bran...whisky814.html http://www.whiskymag.com/whisky/bran...hisky2199.html Sound enticing?
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11-18-2008, 04:15 PM | #8 |
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Looks VERY interesting, considering the price and the rave reviews. "Brilliant," says Jim Murray. Thanks for the heads up, I'll keep my eyes peeled.
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11-19-2008, 06:58 AM | #9 |
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I think you might also really dig The Peat Monster from Compass Box.
This one's a melding of aged whiskies from the Ardmore and Caol Ila Distilleries. More expensive? Yep. But it's very tasty!
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