Pascack Valley Single Malt Tasting and Jet Fuel Afterburn Festival
The “(Drink till you go) Blind Tasting”
October 27, 2007
Lads: Uisge Beatha!
A great tasting on Saturday night: thanks to Glenn for hosting, we enjoyed the victuals Cindy laid out for us and the cigars afterward. Next stop: Backyard Ax throwing! Bob, take note...and remember: hands outstretched in front of you, wriggling those fingers like you're tickling..........."
Saturday was our first "blind tasting" brought on by a combination of no one really having the time to do the research and the growing hubris that our palettes were now ripe and mature after tasting 27 malts in previous sessions and we're ready to jump in with noses and tongues ablazing. I bought the 5 bottles and luckily my synapses aren't what they used to be, because after I wrapped them in silver paper, I promptly forgot what I had purchased. Lucky move and even luckier that we remembered to bring them with us. Since we were at Glenn's house in the far of sticks of Northern New Jersey, we wisely rented a towncar to take us up there from Westwood. Our driver Alan later told me, "I'll drive you guys anytime", probably referring to the hooting and insults thrown around the inside of the vehicle during both trips and perhaps Scott renaming the group "The Knuckleheads of Scotch".
After some argument, we decided to unveil each malt after its particular tasting, or if someone had sussed out the brand. The group jumped in on the first bottle as tasting notes flew furiously around the table, "oaky, creamy, honeyed, a Speyside, no peat, smooth finish, definitely a Spey, an older Spey, I'd say this is at least 15 years old, its a Glen something, matured in something other than American oak"; and finally, Tony laid out the coup de gras, "this is a Glenlivet 15yr French Oak" and blew us all away. Impressive start. As Scott later observed, "water must flow through the heather" to which we all rubbed our chins and wished he had brought the Scotch eggs like he always does but didn't this time.
Next up, the short, squat bottle profile, and once again, after a round of "smoky, burnt wood, medicinal, smooth, tawny", Tony nailed it again and exclaimed, "Jura", but I think it was the bottle shape, this guy can't be that good, can he? This one was the Superstition, no age statement, and a definite crowd pleaser, due to its smooth, balanced character and piney, smoky notes. As Scott commented, "aged in caves", to which we all rubbed our earlobes and wondered if he would make us more hats with our names embroidered in them.
The next bottle up was perhaps the biggest surprise, and certainly the most intriguing and complex malt the group has tasted to date. A light gold hue, and the mild, citrus-y, orange peel and apricot nose set expectations that this would be perhaps a lowland or a minor Spey; but the first taste on the tongue swirled Bob's head around like Linda Blair's and caused Glenn to grow hair in his ears. Big, overwhelming, sharp, astringent mouth feel, followed by flowers, violets, wood, pine, spice in the primary and aftertaste, with a robust, slightly peat-y finish. What the hell was this? No one part seemed to follow the other, as if each aspect belonged to a different malt. The answer, Arran Single Cask, no age statement at 59% by volume. Stunning, wonderful, leaving Scott to comment, "I got nuthin'" to which we all rubbed our knees and wondered if this was the best time to take a leak before going on.
Since we were moving in no special order, the next to be picked was the opposite of the Arran, but we'd been fooled before, so we were as cautious as a 7th grader at his first high school dance. The appearance of chardonnay, and a sweet, slightly woody nose with no hard push. Were we in for another surprise like the previous? But no, "smooth, oily, mild" primary and slight astringency in the aftertaste. However, as small as it was in the front, this number was all in the finish, as it came through as sweet grass and flowery. Could it be a lowland, but haven't we done all of the few there are? No one guessed this one, as it was a Rosebank Connoisseurs’ Choice , 15 yr, by Gordon & MacPhail. Only 40% by volume, and terrifically understated, as it made Scott comment, "so subtle I don't get it", to which we all scratched our balls and cleared our palettes with cashews and bread. At the diluted tasting, where we discovered the Rosebank is truly a summer Scotch, Scott exclaimed, "I love you guys", to which we all scratched our QuickPicks and considered making him walk home.
Wine was on the mind as the last bottle gave the appearance of Pinot Grigio, which made us all wonder if we were at the right tasting, and the confusion that was about to rain on our heads was proof that we still have a ways to go. The aroma was distinctly medicinal, peaty, smooth and leathery. The mouth feel swirled like butter on the tongue, with a primary taste of smoke, peat, smooth chocolate and an aftertaste of light smoke and a slightly phenolic finish. Certainly an Islay, but from where? Not a Bruichladdich, for sure, certainly not Caol Ila as there was oak prevelant and a hint of nuttiness. What a shock then to discover BenRiach, 10 yr., the only peated Speyside made. Wonderful discovery, unique character, or as Glenn commented" Islays for the rest of us", to which we all rubbed his head and wished Scott would quit rifling through our coat pockets looking for spare change to tip the driver with.
We ended the night on the deck with cigars, chocolate truffles and more food, convincing Tony that ax throwing should qualify as an Olympic sport. My damaged synapses took more of a pounding on the way home as we had to have Alan turn around and go back to Glenn's to retrieve my forgotten projector that we never used and my tasting glass. 3 take-aways: an attempt at a December meeting; Bob will host the Q1 mid-February, featuring Scotch, bonfires and, hey, ax throwing; and Tony will get us primed for the WhiskeyLive event in NYC in April.