Whisky enthusiasts are easy to buy for. Most of us are happy to try a new and unfamiliar Scotch, and will be enthused to drain the bottle even if it doesn’t become a new favorite. Here are my top 10 suggestions for giving whisky gifts in 2011.
…it got me thinking. How does an individual’s drinking habits affect his or her purchase and consumption of good whisky? As I have descended into the murky depths of whisky mania, I (like many) have begun to think about specific bottles of whisky based on their own individual merit, rather than from the perspective of what fits into my own personal enjoyment of the spirit.
I’m published! That’s right, yours truly, the Scotch Noob, enjoys page 14 billing in the Fall 2011 issue of The Whisky Advocate! I figured I’d take this opportunity to expound upon the views that landed me in this month’s issue.
A fictional description of my ideal bar: a place to drink good spirits and eat quality food in an environment that enables the enjoyment of both. Unfortunately, this is (to my knowledge) a fantasy.
Wherein I discuss Laphroaig 18, and the situation that arises when I can’t formulate a full review based on a partial tasting.
…whisky has not always been sold by the distillery which created it. In the hazy, distant past… or really, any time before the last few decades, whisky was distilled by a distillery, barreled, and sold. Today, true independent bottlers remain in the market by providing customers a way to taste obscure, experimental, or now-defunct distilleries, as well as expertly aged and bottled single-cask expressions from familiar distilleries.
I believe that a significant milestone in one’s journey of discovering whisky is to taste a dram of something older than oneself. I’ll call it my “Coming of Age.”
The future is a lot more bleak for Mr. Casual Drinker. I weep to think of the 90% of market share enjoyed by inexpensive blended whiskies, and the large number of those customers who might be so much happier drinking some of the artisanal bourbons, single-malt Scotches, and other fine whiskies of the world. – if only someone would give them a taste.
With a little research, a little organization, and a little dedication, you can avoid paying ridiculous prices for good whisky.
It is also not a deep-dive in any area of whisky appreciation, and thus will not appeal to enthusiasts who already know a good deal about the making and enjoyment of whisky. However, as a coffee-table book or introductory text about Scotch whisky, it is an excellent resource for beginners or casual drinkers, and the photography alone is a good reason to flip through the book a few times.