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Ladies and gents, there is one drink -- and I mean one drink only -- that can bring people together and drive people apart. It can win hearts and intoxicate minds. It can celebrate a great victory or drown out the pain of defeat.
I'm talking about whiskey! Bourbon, scotch, Irish, I love it all (well, except Canadian, but I have yet to try it)
I set out a couple of years back to get better acquainted with what the Irish call uisce beatha, or the water of life. Now at 26 years of age, it's practically all I drink.
Now, for those of you who've maybe only drank some Jack and Coke in college or maybe had a shot of Jim Beam with your Bud Light -- that's the casual whiskey imbiber -- a short primer in terminology is perhaps in order.
Irish whiskey: By law, this spirit can only be made in Ireland. There's only a few distilleries left in the country, so there's not as many to choose from as there are, say, scotches. Unlike scotch, Irish whiskey is made with unpeated malts, so they don't have the smoky punch of many scotches.
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: This is the true bourbon, and the true American whiskey. It must be made in Kentucky, and it must be at least 51% corn. Bourbon is stored in charred oak barrels to give the spirit its unique bite and character. Jack Daniel's is Tennessee whiskey, and a separate style altogether.
Scotch whisky: Or simply "scotch." Note the different spelling. There's no E in scotch whisky. Within scotch whisky, there are also several distinct regions -- including Highland, Lowland, Islay (my favorite) and Speyside -- each of which produces a different character of scotch. The malts used in scotch are smoked of a fire of peat, giving the spirit the trademark smoky quality so fussed over by snobs like myself.
Canadian whisky: Reaching popularity in the States during Prohibition, Canadian whisky must be mashed, fermented and aged at least 3 years in Canada. This whisky is mostly used for mixing cocktails rather than being sipped straight to be enjoyed on its own merits, but some Canadian rye whiskys are gaining in popularity for their complexity, which some call similar to a good scotch.
Also, most every type of whiskey can be found widely available in either blended or single malt distillations. The blended varieties contain different whiskeys from different years mixed together to obtain a more consistent product. They are less expensive than single malts, which uses 100% malted barley whiskey from one distillery.
Now, enough technical bulldink. Let's get to the actual whiskeys themselves. We'll begin the way I usually do -- with some bourbon!
Maker's Mark: This is one Kentucky Bourbon that breaks the "whiskey" spelling rule if you check the label on the familiar red-wax-dipped bottles. Anyway, this is a nice, inexpensive "starter" whiskey you'll probably find on the middle shelf at your liquor store. It's got a nice nose of caramel, fruit and vanilla, with a dry, clean, drinkable taste that has some real complexity to it for such a popular whiskey.
Basil Hayden's: I can't say enough good things about this whiskey. It's amazingly deep for a whiskey bottled at a relatively gentle proof. The nose is delicate and floral, almost perfumy. But the palate does not disappoint: there's herbs, apple, peach, and caramel. Just wonderful.
Knob Creek: This is a big, treacle-y son-of-a-bitch that is not for beginners. There's a heavy, charred-wood nose to it, with a hint of earth and leather. The entry is spicy and nutty, but quite evenly balanced with both heavy notes and light. The finish is chocolatey and lingering. This is becoming a very popular whiskey, but don't try it until you're ready. It will challenge you.
Woodford Reserve: Ah, sweet, sweet Woodford Reserve. Drinking this heavenly bourbon is an exercise in restraint. It will test you -- because it's so perfect. I'm actually at a loss to describe it. In a word, it's balanced. The nose is like espresso with maybe a hint of a cigar humidor, or the inside of a chocolatier's kitchen. In the middle, you can taste the grains, but there's also some candy-like sweetness and a nice woody finish. It's a dream.
W.L. Weller: This was my first bourbon, and I'd recommend it be yours too. The nose is like baked goods -- cinnamon rolls and fruit cobblers. You could spend a long time just sniffing and thinking. It's buttery with honey notes, almost like a stack of pancakes. But not nearly as heavy. In fact it's perilously drinkable. And it's cheap enough so you won't want to kill a guest for splashing a little Coke into it.
Bulleit: This is my everyday bourbon. It's approachable, but always exciting. The nose has leather and earth with faint citrus notes like orange peel and maybe vanilla. On entry, it's perfumy and dry -- very firm. On the finish, there's honey and a little bit of smokiness. Fuck yeah.
On to the scotches!
Oban (14 years old): This is what I'd describe as a "summery" scotch if there is such a thing. Something about it made me want to sip it poolside. The nose is refreshingly open, even a little airy, but there's also fruit and spice. Opening up, the palate mirrors the nose quite elegantly. Many of the same notes are present, but there's also peachy warmness and some nuttiness before the finish.
Laphroaig (10 years old): Many people never get past the phenolic hit in the nose that Laphroaig offers. Some say it smells like a Band-Aid. I say it smells like standing on a rocky cliffside on some Scottish isle (although I've never done so). You can smell and taste the salt spray, the fresh air, the firey peat and the medicinal, herbal phenol notes. I absolutely love it.
Lagavulin (12 years old): The nose of this Islay malt practically insults you with its depth and complexity. You feel inadequate, like you should have maybe done more with the last 12 years of your life. There's apples and apricots and peaches and flowers on the nose, followed by green grains and a chewy sort of organic flavor that I can't quite describe. Like Laphroiag, I'd definitely say this scotch has a maritime character to it.
Talisker (10 years old): In a league of its own, this Island malt has a spicy, fiery character that you simply won't find elsewhere. At the same time it's winey and full, with a mouthfeel that makes you never want to swallow. There's huge notes of black pepper, like Jamaican pepperpot soup, followed by nice, pleasing mounds of peat. In all, it's admirably well-rounded, yet assertive as all hell.
Irish whiskey next. I've only tried one kind so far, but I have some Powers on order from the lady at my local liquor store. I'll let you know how that goes.
Jameson's: Rich, full, smooth, and ever so goddamn drinkable, Jameson's made me want to see what else Irish whiskeys have to offer. I want to describe it in superlatives -- big, full, huge. But still mostly it's smooth. Be careful. You could drink a lot of this. And for some reason I've always thought this whiskey tasted like the color green. Try some and tell me if I'm crazy.