Gentlemen, we live in the age of vodka. Yes, vodka:
the spirit that aspires to be like water. No offense to vodka drinkers,
but if you ordered booze that tasted like something, maybe you wouldn’t
need to put cranberry juice in it. Meanwhile, the hooch by which all
hooch should be measured collects dust. For shame.
Yeah, I’m talking about scotch whisky. First, it’s not whiskey with
an "e" (like we Americans spell it), but whisky. Looks old without that
extra vowel, doesn’t it? A holdover from a time of lawless English, when
a guy spelled a word any damn way he pleased. Looks manly, too, doesn’t
it? Yeah, that’s what she’d be thinking if you had balls enough to
order it.
The Scots have been distilling whisky for, oh, a few centuries.
Plenty of time to perfect the recipe. There are four different kinds:
single malt, vatted or pure malt, single grain, and blended. Still with
us? Great! Now we’re getting somewhere.
Single Malt Whisky
This is the original stuff: 100 percent malted barley. “Single malt
whisky is the most complex, most flavorful of all whiskies,” says Bill
Lumsden, a master distiller at Glenmorangie, a scotch maker in northern
Scotland that traces its roots back to 1843. Lumsden compares single
malt whisky to a BMW 7 Series—top-of-the-line luxury. No, he takes that
back. An M6, he says, because it has an edge as well.
Anyhow, to make single malt, a barley mash is pumped into copper
stills. The stills are heated, boiling off the alcohol. The vapor
collects in a condenser, and—voilà!—becomes liquid again. Repeat the
process once more and you’ve got the pure, unaged spirit that the
Highlanders used to sip right off the still. Of course, this newborn
libation must spend at least 3 years in oak before it can be classified
as single malt scotch. Oh yeah: “Single” means the whisky comes from a
single distillery.
Entry-level bottle
The Singleton of Glendullan, Aged 12 Years
A soft, fragrant malt is the perfect introduction to Scotland’s national spirit. The price is right, too. $35,
malts.com
High-end bottle
Glenmorangie Signet
This rich, inviting, creamy-tasting whisky is unforgettable. Unless you
drink too much. French roast coffee beans, dark chocolate. Wow, this is
living. $150-$210,
glenmorangie.com
Vatted Malt Whisky
A vatted malt (or pure or blended malt) is simply a blend of single
malts, usually from different distilleries. A blend of complementary
malts can create a test-tube whisky that’s smoother and rounder than any
of its parents. However, says Lumsden, vatting also eliminates some of
the more distinctive notes found in single malts. It’s a BMW 5 Series,
by his estimation.
Entry-level bottle
Johnnie Walker Green Label
Leave the Blue Label to the stockbrokers and order a round of this
smooth operator. You’ll taste full notes of tobacco, toffee, and
cinnamon. $49-$60,
johnniewalker.com
High-end bottle
Compass Box The Peat Monster Reserve Edition
With hints of smoked and salted caramels, the flavors are as big as the 1.5-liter magnum bottle it comes in. $150,
compassboxwhisky.com
Single Grain Whisky
In single grain distillation, the grain mash (usually wheat) is fed
into column stills and drips down, while steam rises and captures some
of the alcohol. The resulting spirit is much lighter—a BMW 1 Series on
Lumsden’s scotch-to-car conversion table. Roughly 95 percent of the
grain whisky distilled in Scotland goes into blended scotch, which means
that if you land a decent bottle of single grain, you have a rare thing
indeed. The proof is in the pricing.
Entry-level bottle
Scott’s North of Scotland 1964 Single Grain
A wizened grain comes from a defunct distillery that’s been hanging on
to a few last casks. The whisky inside the casks keeps getting better
and better—and delivers a nice flavor and a Gobstopper-long finish once
it’s past the lips. $150,
Scottsselection.nl
High-end bottle
Duncan Taylor’s Invergordon Single Grain, Aged 40 Years
This whisky is packaged exclusively for Park Avenue Liquor Shop in New
York City, making it literally one of a kind. You’ll love the vanilla,
maple, sugar, and spice notes. $225,
DuncanTaylor.com
Blended Whisky
Blended scotches rule the market, and iconic brands crowd this
category. Most blends contain two or three grain whiskies and as many as
40 malts. Blends are generally smoother than single malts. Lumsden
compares them to a 3 Series. Jesus, somebody get this guy a BMW already.
Entry-level bottle
The Famous Grouse
This unpretentious, completely satisfying whisky is everything Dewar’s wishes it could be. $20,
thefamousgrouse.com
High-end bottle
Ballantine’s 17 Years Old
A masterful example of what blended whiskies can achieve. Silky, spicy, and just frickin’ delicious. $85,
ballantines.com
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