Saturday, April 11, 2009

In which goals are fulfilled, part 2.

It is now after 1am, and I have returned from my Scotch tasting at my friend's house. We lined up several grades of Johnnie Walker Scotch, as well as an Islay single malt called Caol Ila. The center pieces being the Blue label and Caol Ila.
I broke the foil seal and uncorked my bottle. Sniffing the cork and the top of the bottle, I got my first hint of what I'd been coveting for a long time. The smell of peat was immediate, followed by a nice soft oak and an undercurrent of an almost syrupy sweetness, like maple syrup or grenadine. I couldn't get anything more out of the smell other than whisky and soft.
The taste of it, cut and uncut, was delicious. Everything that came through in the smell, everything I always imagined GREAT Scotch would taste like was there, and all in perfect balance. Not too much of anything, or not enough. Wood, smoke, earth, sweetness, apples, nuts, spices, vanilla. It was all there, sitting nice and warm in my mouth.
I'm afraid I lack the professional taste to fully describe the whisky, all I know is that it is was really worth the wait. It may be the smoothest and most well balanced whisky I've ever had.
For now it will stay on my shelf, only to be enjoyed in the best of company.

--PXA

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