“The whisky got struck in traffic – it will be here soon,” promised Mike Neff, one of the owners of Ward III and the Rum House and leader of our whisky culinary tour. I wasn’t worried. Plenty of whisky was behind the bar at Ward III, which at 1 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon was mellow and quiet as the other tour guests trickled in. The event was part of the Manhattan Cocktails Classic, and it drew a mix of friends, couples, and singles, ready to taste some fine Scotch and wander around Tribeca. “Ah!” said Mike and stopped his pacing to run outside for the goods. How many different whiskies can I drink in 2.5 hours? Answer: A lot, if my evening at Whiskey Live in NY is any indication. Whiskey Live is kind of what I imagine whiskey heaven would be like. At the entrance, someone hands you a glass. You walk into a room filled with whiskey and unlimited pours (nobody seems to use or care about the tickets they hand you). And people everywhere want to talk about whiskey. Throw in some bagpipes and chocolate, and it’s kind of perfect. Having a whiskey blog led to a nice trend this holiday season - whiskey-inspired gifts. I guess in a way, a whiskey blog could be considered a wish list - not only for the whiskey itself, but also for whiskey accessories (yes - they exist!). One couple searched my blog to figure out which bottle of Scotch to give me and decided on a Lagavulin 16-year. Well-played. My mom sent me a pair of tasting glasses from the Washington distillery we visited as a stocking stuffer. Those have already been put to good use with the Lagavulin. I know Lagavulin wants to be tough. The first whiff is like leathery shoes – hello, Pete! He comes on strong, lingers. I know what he’s going for. But – and he would hate me for saying this – he melts quickly. Imagine your favorite hug. Now put that hug inside your throat. There, ahhh. Warm. Happy. Sorry, tough guy, but the act doesn’t last - you just become more friendly and loveable the more I know you. There are certainly other Scotches to be had, but once I have switched to Lag for an evening, I just don’t want anyone else. Lagavulin is a single malt scotch from the Island of Islay. It has the smoky smell of my grandpa - who, ironically, often smelled like Scotch - because it is not afraid of fire. It spends a long time drying over the peat fire in its early stage when it just barley dreaming of being Scotch. Peat (also called Pete in this blog) is a real divider. Some love him. Others can’t stand him. If you can’t stand him, Lag is not for you. Don’t even bother. Leave more for the rest of us. |
Archives
November 2017
|