Hats and Drinks - A Match Made in Heaven

[Short Balding Guy]

This evening I have opened a Glenrothes Whiskey Makers Cut bottle. It is 90'f and humid. This whiskey sampling will be indoors in an air conditioned environment. A long week has me physically fatigued. This sherry casked whiskey just seemed to fit my mood, physical and mental expectations. I am enjoying this Whiskey tonight. A first world choice for sure as a different change of mental and physical energy might have me seeking a different whiskey.

The packaging is clever. The packaging features a see thru protective carton. This sherry casked whiskey is a non-aged whiskey. I read that they are seasoned casks. To my understanding that means that the casks have been prepared for Glenrothes.

The bottle opening smells sherry. Sherry, rich, creamy and full fruit. It has a spice smell, but the best I can describe is a mild clove. A 48+% ABV has it tasting strong. The bolder alcohol taste comes through right away. It is definitely a sherry influenced scotch whiskey.

Bold, spice, wood or oak comes through on the first tastes. Rich nose. Absolutely strong nose. On the tongue it has a thick or caramel taste. I do like the bitter orange taste and spice finish. I find it mouth watering. No burning or wintergreen (which is usually something I taste with whiskeys with a higher alcohol).

On the first sample I like it. It has a bite. A rich and sherry influenced scotch whiskey that has the alcohol tasting first. I do imagine it to be better tasting as I drink through the bottle. (Note: The local market price is around $80.00) If you afford this whiskey it is worthy of having a bottle on your cart, IMO.

More reflections to come. Thanks for letting me share my first dram of Glenrothes Whiskey Makers Cut.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Snowman]

Celebrating completing my term one classes and continuing my exploration of bourbon whiskeys. A taste comparison with Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace and the recently purchased Knob Creek. I’d always considered bourbons and the like to be the poor cousins of scotch. Truth be told, I still prefer the big Islay and Skye scotches, but I realise now that the American whiskies are not so destitute as I had imagined. Etsuko and I have enjoyed all three immensely. View attachment 350484
The hat is my Bailey paper that I have been wearing to work of late.

Great bourbon choices!

 

[Snowman]

Yard beer and summer Stetson.
View attachment 350553

Nice hat! I have a similar one.

 

[Snowman]

Sipped some Four Roses Single Barrel while reading The New Yorker this evening. I was reminded that I have this whiskey after reflection on my reply earlier that I only have Woodbridge Reserve as representative of American bourbons. Wrong - this Kentucky Bourbon was hiding on my shelf in plain view.

Cheers, Eric -

One of my favorite bourbons. The yellow label is also quite good.

 

[Snowman]

Sipped some Four Roses Single Barrel while reading The New Yorker this evening. I was reminded that I have this whiskey after reflection on my reply earlier that I only have Woodbridge Reserve as representative of American bourbons. Wrong - this Kentucky Bourbon was hiding on my shelf in plain view.

Cheers, Eric -

One of my favorite bourbons. The yellow label is also quite good.

Beer and whisky dominate this thread, but I’m also a wine lover. I love the New Zealand whites and the Bordeaux style reds that are predominant in NZ & Australia. Since coming to Japan, I have learnt to enjoy Spanish, Italian and, more recently, American wines.
Yesterday, we took advantage of an early evening break in the weather to enjoy yakiniku (Japanese style Korean barbecue, if that makes sense) on the electric grill. We opened a bottle of Jorio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, my first time trying this grape. Quite fruit forward, but dry with medium tannins and a bit of oak. Etsuko and I both enjoyed it and may well purchase again
The hat is my Akubra Cattleman. View attachment 355204 View attachment 355205 View attachment 355206
New Zealand lamb is not a staple of yakiniku, but I couldn’t resist! View attachment 355207

 

[Snowman]

Beer and whisky dominate this thread, but I’m also a wine lover. I love the New Zealand whites and the Bordeaux style reds that are predominant in NZ & Australia. Since coming to Japan, I have learnt to enjoy Spanish, Italian and, more recently, American wines.
Yesterday, we took advantage of an early evening break in the weather to enjoy yakiniku (Japanese style Korean barbecue, if that makes sense) on the electric grill. We opened a bottle of Jorio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, my first time trying this grape. Quite fruit forward, but dry with medium tannins and a bit of oak. Etsuko and I both enjoyed it and may well purchase again
The hat is my Akubra Cattleman. View attachment 355204 View attachment 355205 View attachment 355206
New Zealand lamb is not a staple of yakiniku, but I couldn’t resist! View attachment 355207

I think your wine choice is a perfect complement to the barbecue and lamb.

 

[Snowman]

 

[Pellie]

My Oddchap fedora in front of my Kilkerran collection. Nice view i think

 

[The Shoe]

My Oddchap fedora in front of my Kilkerran collection. Nice view i think
View attachment 355723

That’s some collection! I approve of the scenery, too.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

My Oddchap fedora in front of my Kilkerran collection. Nice view i think
View attachment 355723

Nice collection. Good job on avoiding temptation!

 

[Pellie]

Nice collection. Good job on avoiding temptation!

I already tasted almost every bottle from that collection

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I already tasted almost every bottle from that collection

I thought those looked unopened.

 

[Pellie]

I thought those looked unopened.

They are ;-) But some bottles i bought twice and some i tasted at whisky festivals or by whiskyfriends.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Cold press coffee hit the spot this early morning. (My brew:1 cup of Caribou Costa Rica coffee (ground medium-fine) and 5 cups of water. Steep for 12 hours, filter and store in frig.) I typically ad some half and half and on occasion dilute with water.

I was finding some inspiration for a dinner on Sunday night by reading the Fine Cooking magazine. A Surley Delicious IPA was a terrific accompaniment.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Snowman]

 

[Hurricane Jack]

They are ;-) But some bottles i bought twice and some i tasted at whisky festivals or by whiskyfriends.

Tastings & Whisky fests are the way to go when looking for something different or new. And I like Eric's "Pour at 2:00" with his neighbors & friends. We used to do something similar where those invited would take a good bottle to share.

Tonight I'm killing off a bottle of Ardbeg Oogie.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I remember a tasting one night held by the Product Rep of an independent bottler. The room was set with tables for four, each setting had a placemat for writing notes with three Glencairn tasting glasses up both sides & across the top. You are obviously going to be sampling nine drams of Single Malt Whisky. Usually the Product Rep will begin by talking a bit about the whisky in glass #1 before he has you sample it. Then you are free to finish the dram if you wish while he continues his presentation before going on to glass #2. This particular independent bottler is known for well aged, high octane bottling's. In the center of each table was a plate of large round cocktail crackers to cleanse the palate between samples, if you so wish.

This particular night there were four well dressed young ladies at a table together. They looked like they were certainly friends with each other, may have worked together & came to the tasting directly from the office. They struck me as perhaps wine drinkers but new to Single Malt Whisky neat. By about sample dram #3-4 I noticed that at least 2-3 of them were finishing each of their drams during the presentation. By about sample dram #5-6-7 theirs was the happiest table in the room. And by about sample dram #8 they were out of crackers & looking pretty relaxed.

After the presentation was complete I placed an order for a couple bottles at a discount & quickly left, not wanting to be present when they tried to get up from their table.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

I remember a tasting one night held by the Product Rep of an independent bottler. The room was set with tables for four, each setting had a placemat for writing notes with three Glencairn tasting glasses up both sides & across the top. You are obviously going to be sampling nine drams of Single Malt Whisky. Usually the Product Rep will begin by talking a bit about the whisky in glass #1 before he has you sample it. Then you are free to finish the dram if you wish while he continues his presentation before going on to glass #2. This particular independent bottler is known for well aged, high octane bottling's. In the center of each table was a plate of large round cocktail crackers to cleanse the palate between samples, if you so wish.

This particular night there were four well dressed young ladies at a table together. They looked like they were certainly friends with each other, may have worked together & came to the tasting directly from the office. They struck me as perhaps wine drinkers but new to Single Malt Whisky neat. By about sample dram #3-4 I noticed that at least 2-3 of them were finishing each of their drams during the presentation. By about sample dram #5-6-7 theirs was the happiest table in the room. And by about sample dram #8 they were out of crackers & looking pretty relaxed.

After the presentation was complete I placed an order for a couple bottles at a discount & quickly left, not wanting to be present when they tried to get up from their table.

You are a wise man Jack. People -sheesh. "The more I learn about people, the more I love my dog." (mark Twain quote).

Jack, I posted about the one whiskey tasting I paid for and went to - arrogant folks in abundance and I left. I posted about here, asked for group advise and have not looked back. That group and distiller ruined my patronage.

Eric -

 

[Short Balding Guy]

This afternoon I sipped a Surley Furious at the neighbors dock. A glorious beer on a equally glorious cool summer afternoon.

Tonight I am sipping some Glen Allachie Cask Strength whiskey. A plate with some pickled herring, sharp cheddder w/horseradish and Finnish rye crackers paired well with a short dram of Glen Allachie.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Hurricane Jack]

You are a wise man Jack. People -sheesh. "The more I learn about people, the more I love my dog." (mark Twain quote).

Jack, I posted about the one whiskey tasting I paid for and went to - arrogant folks in abundance and I left. I posted about here, asked for group advise and have not looked back. That group and distiller ruined my patronage.

Eric -

I remember you going to one but don't remember the details. Around here they are free admission, you just have to make a reservation to attend after getting an email invitation. I don't attend wine tastings, handcrafted cocktail tastings, etc; not my thing. And I always buy a bottle or two from the tasting usually offered at a discount that night. However I do see people who come for the free sample drams & never buy anything.