Scotch for Beginners

 

 

When i started my scotch journey, one of the many things that confused me was where do i begin from .....so what should be my first dram .....

Unfortunately, a lot of people begin way ahead of line , and are immediately put off by the pungent taste.  Starting with an Islay is like drinking a Guinness if all you ever had was a Kingfisher Light. 

To help beginners out there still discovering the wonders of scotch, just read away. Start off at the bottom rung, and move on to the next step when you feel comfortable with the level you are on now.  This way, it allows your taste buds to develop and adapt, and in the process appreciating, the various flavors of scotch, without them being too overpowering right from the start. 

Your journey starts here.

1. Start with a smooth, light scotch.  Focus is on drinkability.
Recommendations: Cragganmore 12 yr, Glenfiddich 12
Value selection: Cragganmore 12 yr
Premium selection: Glenlivet 18 yr

Cragganmore 12 Yr

2. Next, introduce some complexity and richness. 
Recommendations: Macallan 12 yr, Glenfarclas 17 yr, Longmorn 15 yr
Value selection: Arbelour 12 yr
Premium selection: Dalmore 21

Macallan 12 Yr


3. Ahh... some light smoke. 
Recommendations: Oban 14 yr, Highland Park 15 yr
Value selection: Glen Garioch 10
Premium selection: Royal Lochnagar 12 yr

Oban 14 Yr

4. Activate the smokiness.
Recommendations: Highland Park 18 yr, Bruichladdich 10 yr
Value selection: Highland Park 12 yr
Premium selection: Springbank 15 yr

Highland Park 18 Yr

5. Something peaty huh.
Recommendations: Talisker 10 yr, Bowmore 12 yr, Talisker 18 yr
Value selection: Talisker 10 yr
Premium selection: Ledaig 20 yr

Talisker 10 Yr

6. Pit stop: Islay
Recommendations: Lagavulin 16 yr, Laphroaig 10 yr, Ardbeg 10 yr
Value selection: Caol Ila 12 yr
Premium selection: Lagavulin 12 yr

Lagavulin 16 Yr

As always gentlemen ...ENJOY YOUR DRAM

Scotch based cockatils

OK!!!! so you might be shouting out loud for petes sake that gentlemen dont drink cocktails !!!! whats more !!! ........how the bloody hell could one waste that precious dram of a 12 year balvenie & mix it with say lemon / ice / syrup......BLASPHEMY............................................................................i get the point gentlemen :)

BUT

My attitude toward cocktails based on scotch whisky can be neatly summarized: I like scotch whisky, and I like cocktails, but I (almost) never like scotch whisky-cocktails.....how can one kill the " holy grail " .....

Having said that, lets face it .......today's bartenders and adventurous drinkers are increasingly seeking out assertive and ambitious flavors such as those found in mezcal and Italian amari. More original scotch whisky-based cocktails are creeping into view.

I list below 3 such cocktails which i consider worthy mixing with my single malt

As i always say  ...ENJOY YOUR DRAM ..( albeit this time, a concoction :-)

Elixir No. 23

Ingredients:

• 45ml Ron Zacapa 23 rum
• 40ml balvenie doublewood 12 years
• 10ml Amaro Ramazotti (an Italian liqueur that’s sweet, bitter and spicy – it gives the drink a medicinal feel)
• 4 dashes homemade ‘Muddy Moonshine Stomach Bitters’

Method:

• Combine all ingredients in chilled mixing glass and chill and dilute with large ice cube.
• Drop orange twist into the glass.
• Strain drink into frozen miniature labeled bottles (after all, who doesn’t have these on hand?)
• No garnish needed.

It’s a strong, no-holds barred drink that kicks like a mule. I like it but, at the time I drank it at a friends place , I couldn’t imagine myself wanting to drink it again because it is so potent. Now that I’m writing about it, however, I’d die to have another one. It might be addictive.

The Royal March Flip

Ingredients:

• Half a fresh fig (or tbsp of homemade fig conserve if unavailable)
• 10ml lemon juice
• 40ml Talisker 10-year-old single malt Scotch whisky
• 30ml Ron Zacapa 23 rum mixed with honey
• 1 whole fresh quail’s egg

Method:

• Add ingredients, dry shake, then shake with ice. Serve up and garnish by spraying with an atomizer filled with ‘Ron Zacapa 23 rum Cinna-man Eau de parfum’. If you’re wondering what the hell this is, it’s basically the bastard child of cinnamon sticks macerated in rum that’s been put into an atomizer)

The result is a smooth drink that has a whisky backbone and a cinnamon aroma.

Foppish Flip

Ingredients:

• 40ml Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve Scotch whisky....( aaaah this hurts ...:)
• 20ml Laird’s bonded Apple Jack brandy
• Half a barspoon (2.5ml) of Branca Menta (this is an Italian liqueur with mint flavours (it’s a cousin of Fernet Branca)
• 15ml of maple & champagne reduction (it’s basically a syrup)
• 1 whole quail’s egg

Method:

• Add ingredients, dry shake, then shake with ice. Strain into a refined gentleman’s glass and garnish with a dusting of nutmeg and a spot of fanfare.

To be honest, there’s no way on earth I’m going to make a maple and champagne reduction at home – I’m far too lazy – which is a pity, since this is a great flip. On one hand it’s smooth and easy to drink (I’d be happy to have this as my every day pre-coffee morning drink.....( ask my wife madhuli about me & coffee.....or was it me & my laziness ...) and yet there’s a complexity in its flavour.

So there you go my gentlemen .........3 top scotch based cocktails !!!!!!!!!!