Proselytizing the way of the malt
Need a reason to raise a dram? Well today is National Scotch Day. If that’s not enough reason to pull out the Peat Monster, Highland Park, or Chivas then I don’t know what is.
If you’re in the Atlanta area, Mac McGee’s Pub in Decatur is having scotch related pairing, specials, and activities this evening from 5PM on. Check it out!
Drink wisely my friends,
Richard
As you might guess, I frequent a lot of discussions about whiskey both online and in person. One thing that always struck me as old is people who “bunker” large numbers of the same bottle. What is bunkering you ask? It’s when you buy more than one bottle of a given whiskey and store it instead of drinking it. People do this for many reasons.
I can understand that if you REALLY like this year’s 2000 vintage Evan Williams single barrel that you might buy another bottle because the whiskey is different every year. What I don’t get are people who go into their local store as soon as the truck delivers the year’s Buffalo Trace Antique Collection and buying every bottle they can carry. Again, people do this for many reasons. However, I find none of them acceptable. Let’s look at them in turn:
1. “I bought all six bottles of George T. Stagg that were allocated to my local store because I love it and it’s my favorite.”
Fine, I get that you like it…alot. But what about all the other great whiskeys out there that you may be missing out on while you drink nothing but Stagg for the next year?
2. “I bought all six bottles of George T. Stagg that were allocated to my local store because they are collectible and will increase in value.”
I know some whiskey collectors. Personally, I’m not a fan of the practice because whiskey is intended to DRINK. It’s not intended to store away from the light of day hoping to cash in five to ten years down the road.
3. “I bought all six bottles of George T. Stagg that were allocated to my local store because I plan to trade them for other super spiffy whiskeys.”
Let’s say that in a perfect world such activities would be completely legal where you live (for the sake of argument) then why not save your cash and seek out those other bottles on your own? You could even put the money into some type of income earning vehicle and be better off when you got ready to make the purchase you really wanted.
4. “I bought all the bottles of the old bottling of Eagle Rare or Weller I could find because it isn’t made anymore.”
See my responses to 1, 2, and 3.
I’m sure there are a whole host of other reasons people bunker whiskey that I haven’t mentioned. However, what really steams my jeans about the whole process is that you’re keeping every bottle you can and you’re preventing others from discovering these great whiskeys. And you’re usually proud of it.
We here at Whisk(e)y Apostle are all about proselytizing the way of the malt. It says so at the top of the page. It’s kind of hard to tell somebody about a great whiskey they should try when you’ve bought all the damn bottles in the tri-county area. I think it’s selfish and kind of a dick move to be honest. Maybe I’m too handholdly-kumbaya about the whole thing. Yes, it’s a free market and you can buy whatever you want in whatever quantities you want but I just don’t think it’s right when it comes to whiskey. You don’t have to change your dastardly ways all at once. Go slow. Maybe this fall just buy five of those six bottles of Stagg and leave one for somebody else. You may not feel any different but the next guy who actually gets to try Stagg this year might have a really good week. Think about it.
Drink wisely my friends,
Richard
I like Four Roses Bourbon. I think that Jim Rutledge does some really great things with bourbon. One thing that I find most interesting about Four Roses in the variety of recipes they use in making their bourbon. Four Roses makes 10 different bourbon recipes at their distillery. This gives them great flexibility in what they can releases. It’s very similiar to the way Japanese distillieries make many different recipes (more on that another time) and Four Roses is owned by Japanese drinks conglomerate Kirin Brewery Company Ltd. For comparison, the largest bourbon distiller, Jim Beam, only makes two recipes that all their current bourbon releases come from (however, they are continually experimenting).
If you’ve ever looked at a bottle of Four Roses (except Yellow Label, that’s a mix of all 10) you will notice a four letter code on the back. That code tells you what recipe was used for that bottle…if you know what the code means. I figure that if you’ve repeatedly found your way to Whisk(e)y Apostle then you have more than a passing interest in whiskey. So for those who are interested in such things, I’ve acquired a key to those mysterious four letter codes on the bottles of Four Roses and here it is…
1st Letter: O = This means that it was made at Four Roses in Lawrenceburg, KY, it’s on all the bottles.
2nd Letter: B or E = This identifies the mashbill
B is 60% Corn, 35% Rye, and 5% Malted Barley
E is 75% Corn, 20% Rye, and 5% Malted Barley
3rd Letter: S = This means that it is Straight Whiskey by U.S. Regulatory definition
4th Letter: V, K, O, Q, F = This represents the five various yeast strains used.
V is a delicate fruity flavor
K is a slightly spicy character
O is a robust fruity flavor
Q is more floral
F is lightly herbal
So for example, the new 100th Anniversary bottle is OBSV. That means that is was distilled at Four Roses in Lawrenceburg using a 60% corn/35% rye/5% barley recipe in the Straight Whiskey style with a yeast strain that imparts a delicate fruity flavor.
That’s the code! Now you know. And as G.I. Joe used to say…knowing is…uh, never mind.
Drink wisely my friends,
Richard
Many of you may be asking yourself, “Where’s Matt? He hasn’t posted in a donkey’s age.” Okay, maybe you would not say that exactly, but you might be wondering. The short answer, I was out of town. Where did I go? My wife and I went to Peru.
Before you ask, I did not do the Inca Trail or go to Machu Pichu. I did, however spend some time in Peru’s wine country outside of Ica. I’ll spare you the slide show and daily details, but I would like to talk about Peru’s native spirit, pisco.
The exact origins of pisco are obscured in myth and legend; even the country of origin is cause for debate. Chile also claims pisco as it’s national drink (or the pisco sour at least). The actual history of pisco is probably a very simple. The Spaniards came to conquer. They brought with them the means to make wine and therefore, brandy. Over time, the brandy developed a particular quality that became synonymous with the port city where sailors could purchase such (bourbon drinkers may be familiar with a similar tale). So, this clear spirit made from grapes became known as Pisco. Since Pisco is in Peru, I think that gives them a leg up in the controversy.
Peruvian piscos are governed by fairly strict set of laws and, not surprisingly, Chilean piscos cannot be sold as ‘pisco’ within Peru. There are several differences between the two, but the most obvious is Chilean pisco is aged in oak. Cheaper Chilean piscos are still clear because they are heavily cut with water and aged for only a short time. High-end Chilean piscos are tinted yellow, much like whisky. Peru outlaws any additives, including oak aging. Peruvian pisco must be aged in a vessel that will not affect the taste or aroma of the spirit.
In the wine country, which lies mostly between Ica and Pisco and extends below Ica for 100km or so, there are several large bodegas (the vineyard kind, not the convenience store kind) and more boutique bodegas than you can count. Pretty much anyone with a grape vine in their backyard can make wine and pisco and sell it at the local markets. The classifications of Peruvian pisco are pretty simple Pure (Puro) is comprised of only one grape. Aromatic pisco is made from only one grape varietal, but must be one of a specific range of “aromatic” grapes. Aromatic piscos are sometimes labeled by the variety (Muscat, Italia, Torontel, etc.). The last two classifications are blends: Mosto Verde (distilled before fermentation is complete) and Acholado (a straight up blend of grapes).
Because of the variety of grapes available and the number of wineries making pisco, the quality and flavor can vary greatly. We tried piscos that tasted like grappa, tequila, vodka (that is to say no discernable flavor) and even white dog whisky (I would have loved to taste that one after a few years in oak). Our favorites tasted like nothing else we could name. I guess you could say that our favorites tasted like pisco.
We really enjoyed the wines of Peru (the whites especially). Unfortunately, I have never seen Peruvian wine at my local shop. The good news is that a small variety of piscos are on the shelf. If you are in the market for a new clear spirit, give pisco a try. The puros and the aromatics are my favorites neat and the mosto verde is great for those with a sweet tooth. For a great mixer that still has some character, try a nice acholado. My current favorite brand is not available in the U.S. (Tacama Puro), but Ocucaje is available here and that is one of Peru’s largest vineyards and pisco producers. Work your way down the shelf. It won’t take long and won’t cost a lot. Hopefully, you enjoy pisco as much as my wife and I do.
Salut!
-Matt