Tasting Reviews

2020-05a – Randy D.

by webnoser

Welcome to the COVID-19 version of the Scotch Club. No pandemic shall stand between our Members and a dram or three of Scotch!

We’d had a test run earlier, but this month have created a pretty good format, we believe. Here’s the attack plan:

The host drives around the area with his/her offerings. Each member has placed three glasses marked #1, #2, #3 outside their front door.

The host pours from his HIDDEN bottles (important to keep the bottles hidden, as the Members are “peekers”) into #1, #2, #3, never touching the bottles. A secret knock on the door lets the Member know the Scotch Fairy has arrived and completed their task.

Each member retrieves their offerings, and patiently waits until 7:00pm when we all Zoom together. The host leads the tasting as normal at that point. Some poor sap has to keep the notes. The “reveal” is done at the Host’s discretion – in this case it was after #1 and #2 were tasted AND their Drinkabilty scores recorded.

Round 1: Highland Single Malt Whisky – Rum Cask Finish

Cost: $24 USDRegion: Highland

Fun Facts:

  • No customer data. “We don’t have access to your data at Trader Joe’s because we don’t have any data on you.” In fact, he likens collecting customers’ data to spying on them.

NSC Comments:

  • Oak Casks for the first maturation, then finish in first run rum casks
  • Colour: Dark Sherry colour
  • Nose: Weak on the nose, with a sweetness
  • Palate: Pleasant on the palate
  • Finish: Sweetness on the tongue, lingers a bit, not strong
  • Water mellows it, but it is not necessary
  • Drinkability: 5,5,6,5,6,5,5

Round 2: Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask

Cost: $125 CDNRegion: Speyside

Fun Facts:

  • From Banffshire in the Highlands

NSC Comments:

  • Maturation: Rum casks (deliberately chosen to compare against Round 1)
  • Colour: Sherry Colouring
  • Nose: None!
  • Palate: Here today, gone tomorrow, did not linger on the tongue
  • Finish: A drop of water really improves the finish
  • A very strange Scotch…. Watery initially and then opens up. Water mellows it, but still has a strong Finish. More substance compared to #1…. Creaminess…. The group is split on whether one or two is better… More alcohol in 2 vs 1…
  • Drinkability: 5,5,5,6,6,4,5

Bonus Round: Johnie Walker Green Label 15 Year Old

Cost: $75 CDNRegion: Scotland

Fun Facts:

  • One of the first and best marketing Scotch internationally, and focused on blends very early. Quite a company history.

NSC Comments:

  • Maturation: unknown
  • Colour: Dark, Sherry / Bourbon Colouring
  • Nose: Hospital bandages on the nose
  • Palate: Smokey (and the bandit)
  • Finish: Smooth, no burn, nice finish, flavour lingers longer than the two single malts
  • Drinkability: 6,7,7,7,7,7,5