Whiskey Tasting
It's funny how things sometimes turn out.
Over the last year I have been spending more time with my neighbors. You see, they have a nice chocolate lab and I have a German Shepherd cross. Both dogs are about two years old and are extremely energetic. So our next-door proximity has made for a great opportunity to allow both dogs to socialize and obtain that extra more-than-a-little bit of exercise to 'take the edge off'. I have put the bit-to-pieces garden hose behind me because Mozart is like a whole new animal.
Indeed, both dogs could easily have been litter mates. But it just so happens that I share more passing interests with my neighbor than just dogs. We also share a keen interest in Scotch Whisky.
Over the last year we have shared more than one dram over the fence as we talk about the state of employment inside the Peace Region. So it was that he invited me along to a Whisky tasting here in Grande Prairie.
This is a bit of a surprise. I have lived here in Northern Alberta for the better part of a decade and not heard of such a thing occurring in town. Edmonton yes. Calgary? Sure. But Grande Prairie? My interest was piqued and the price of a $30 ticket was simply to hard to argue. So it was that I attended the Vintage Wine & Spirits''World of Whisky' tasting event.
A note about the location for this event. The event itself occurred in the conference room of Vintage Wine & Spirits. The room itself floats out over the store's large selection of assorted liquor, and the tinted plate glass front looks out into the show room floor. It is modernly equipped with great amenities like wide screen television. I might have even spied a Polycom teleconference bridge on the table. Seating in the room was for approximately 30 guests though we could have comfortably squeezed more. This lavish setup quite literally speaks volumes about this outlet's dedication to serving a niche market of sophisticated buyers.
Host Kelly Ross and his assistant Manager Scott Carrol have a strong knowledge of Whisky products and they laid on a thoughtful service complete with candied salmon, 85% cocoa fat dark chocolate, fine breads and a cheese assortment that would not be ignored in any circles.
A wide variety of Whisky products were sampled throughout the evening. The intent was to provide testers with a diverse, introductory sampling of the world of whisky. From Canada, White Owl Whisky and (my favorite) Crown Royal Cask 16. In fact, Crown was a wide favorite of many participants that evening. This is not surprising. I think many Albertan Whisky drinkers are literally weened off the tit with Crown Royal so it was not miraculous to hear the preponderance of guest indicate a preference for the home team. The Crown is so smooth that mixing it with anything but your tongue would constitute a cardinal sin.
Next up was Amrut Fusion from India. Frankly speaking, this was not my favorite. It bears the medicinal tang familiar with drinkers of Ardbeg and other Single Malts. The iodine flavor starts strong and lasts throughout. Despite its favorable reviews at International Scotch Tasting festivals this one scored on the bottom of my preference list. But it is exactly that. Taste preference and I prefer the Smokey taste of a nice Bowmore 17 any day of the week. As always, your mileage may vary.
The Irishman Single Malt followed with Feckin Spiced Whisky directly on its tail. The Feckin is a very sweet Whisky. That strong, rich christmas cake of smell and flavor. I'd introduce a fellow to Fekin on the holidays but found it too unbalanced to drik straight for any length of time with a complimentary side food.
From Scotland was Tantallan 10 year Highland Single malt. Again, I found it to have a slighly medicinal taste, though with better balance overall than the Amrut.
Knob Creek 9 year Kentuky Whisky was represented. I found that I was nearly alone in enjoying this offering. But I often find that drinkers of Canadian Rye do not like the stronger acidic burn of Corn based Bourbon. It is a distinctly different drink for a distinctly differnt kind of drinker. Whereas Canadian Rye consumers typically mix their drinks, Bourbon consumers enjoy their products straight. I'm no whisky snob and enjoy many differnt types for what they are. To my friends over at Sigforum.com who have repeatedly recomended both Knob Creek and Makers mark in our discussions on Bourbon, I have no hesitation saying that I have found the same preference many of you have stated for Knob Creek's bottling.
Penderyn Single Malt rounded out the evening from a distillery in Wales. Having never tried Welsh Whisky I was quite pleased to have the chance to do so on this particular occaision where I could compare to so many other varieties. Penderyn would certainly appeal to those who like a distint spice taste to their whisky. I found the aftertaste both adequate and pleasant.
As the evening came to a close I talked with Kelly to thank him for the effort they put into the evening and to discuss blogging the event. I explained to him what my blog represents in terms of my enjoyment for writing about and photographing the things I enjoy most in life. For those of you in Grande Prairie and thinking about your next important liquor purchase that you are going to be sharing with someone important in your life, give Kelly or Scott a call at 780-830-2334. Let them know you read about it hear and are looking for the same lasting impression.
Slainte.