PALS WITH DRAMS

Pre Christmas whisky tasting at home in Perth, Scotland. 19 December 2012.

by Paul Mclean

My friend of many years came round for a chat, grub and drams recently, well, today actually. Now, Adeline is well used to whisky, having worked for a while with Edrington, so I thought it time she tried some other wee gems. Some shopping preceded this session (she is a girl after all!), a visit to the hair dresser (for Ad not me) knowing full well she would be on camera, we also dondered over to Sante, a nice restaurant in Perth for a late lunch. Mussels, pigs cheek, hake, tatties and ribs, plus a wine and a champagne. All wee starters of course! Back home, the whisky made an appearance; being Paul’s hoose, we started with what else? An Irish;

BUSHMILLS 1608 ANNIVERSARY EDITION. Aye it’s a blend, but very little grain in this. We both agreed, ginger snaps, marzipan with some citrus, lovely dram to start us off. Am on my 3^rd bottle of this.

CLERACH JURA VIN CASK. Surprisingly sweet, more like an after dinner frozen grape wine to me (Paul). I had some left over from a tasting the other night with Tim, Liz and friends in a restaurant in Perth, we did cause raised eyebrows when we asked for 6 glasses, “hey, you cannee do that here!” was the comment from the waiter, after a chat with the manager, we were ok, after all, Tim had travelled from Moscow! Here is Michel Couvreur’s description of this fascinating and unique drink: “The barley was distilled on the 09th July 2001 in Scotland and the “clerach” was delivered to our cellar on the 24th July 2001. On the 29th July 2003, day of the “percée” of Vin Jaune, the cask was filled with the Scotch clerach so causing through the oak wood a slow mutual penetration of the grassy lightness of the barley and the VIN JAUNE extraordinary finesse. The original 228 bulk litres at 68,20% alc.vol., decreased at 61,20% alc.vol. two years later, were reduced to 43% alc .vol., because a high alcoholic content would have hidden the elegant lightness unique to Vin Jaune.”

JAPANESE WHITE OAK. Recently been on a tour to the Perthshire Highlands with me, see; http://angelswhiskyclub.com/awc/athollwinter.asp What did Adeline think? Nice, could be Scotch! Paul liked it also.

GLENMORANGIE SIGNET is distilled from malt with a good portion of chocolate malt too. Chocolate malt is heavily roasted malted barley. Chocolate raisins, cocoa, cinnamon, oranges, malt, fruity. Superb! This was the winner by a long stretch, she loved it so much, took a sample in a hip flask home.

Here endeth the tasting, a breather with some smoked salmon followed, just to cleanse the pallet you understand. Like Liz, Ad will soon be away to India – what is it with India? Ad has her own events company here in Perth and meets up with Paul often, many times over a glass of wine. So, we hear you ask, how did she get home? Why a taxi of course!

See all here; http://angelswhiskyclub.com/awc/prexmas.asp

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