Pleasure of Eating

Libation of the Day: The Girvan Patent Still Proof Strength

2015-12-19T22:52:00.001-08:00

Name: The Girvan Patent Still Proof Strength

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Richmond, Surrey, UK

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: Single grain Scotch whisky from the Girvan Patent Still range, presented at 57.1% ABV. Despite its higher strength, this single grain retains its mellow, creamy vanilla and vibrant citrus notes that other expressions from the range exhibited.

Nose: Vanilla, bananas and honey

Palate: Vanilla cream, pepper, citrus peel

Finish: Sweet, peppery, sunshine

Libation of the Day: The Lost Distilleries Blend Batch 7

2015-12-19T20:43:00.002-08:00

Name: The Lost Distilleries Blend Batch 7

Brand: The Blended Whisky Company

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin:

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: Batch 7 is a blend of Port Ellen, Caperdonich, Mosstowie, Glenisla, Glenlochy and Imperial Scotch malt whiskies as well as grain from Port Dundas.

Nose: Sharp apples, vanilla, peat

Palate: Sweet, honey, peat, pears,

Finish: Cereal, raisins, some peppery notes

The Blended Whisky Company has been making blended batches of rare and out-of-production whiskies for a while now. Batch 7 has, you guessed it, seven whiskies. These are small bottlings, so I am lucky to try one. Mostly because the most I have ever paid for a bottle of whisky is $200. This was good. Partly because of the complexity and party because after these bottles are gone, noone will ever taste its like again.

Libation of the Day: Mackmyra Brukswhisky (The Swedish Whisky)

2015-12-19T14:36:00.001-08:00

Name: Mackmyra Brukswhisky (The Swedish Whisky)

Brand: Mackmyra

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Kungsbäck, just outside Gävle, Sweden

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: Mackmyra's core expression is a light Swedish whisky matured primarily in first fill bourbon barrels but also includes whisky aged in Sherry and Swedish oak casks too as well as some smokier malt, which all adds to the complexity.

Nose: Grassy, pine needles, fruity

Palate: Warm custard, berry, spicce

Finish: Smooth and sweet, with a hint of spice

Notes: So, I am back after an almost 2-year hiatus. I bought a Whisky Advent Calendar from Master of Malt's Drinks by the Dram line. I am pretty pedestrian in my single-malt choices (Glenmorangie, Balvenie, Dalwhinnie), so I decided to spend this holiday season trying new whiskies (and new wines, but I will post those after Christmas). The advent calendar was pricey, but definitely cheaper than trying 25 whiskies at my local pub.

I rolled my eyes at the Swedish whiskey, but not the Japanese. I wonder why that is, because this Brukswhisky was very good. There were some wonderful fruity notes, and a "Northern" pine aroma that I haven't encountered in a whiskey before.

Libation of the Day: Balvenie 12 Year Old Doublewood

2015-12-19T12:21:00.001-08:00

Name: Balvenie 12 Year Old Doublewood

Brand: The Balvenie

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Dufftown, Scotland

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: The Balvenie DoubleWood is a 12 year old single malt which gains its distinctive character from being matured in two wood types. Over the period of maturation it is transferred from a traditional oak whisky cask to a first fill European oak sherry cask. Each stage lends different qualities to the resulting single malt ~ the traditional casks soften and add character, whilst the sherry wood brings depth and fullness of flavor.

Nose: Spice and raisins

Palate: Bourbon, vanilla, honey, fruit

Finish: Spices, sweet, honey

Libation of the Day: Fettercairn Fior

2015-12-15T21:57:00.001-08:00

Name: Fettercairn Fior

Brand: Fettercairn Whiskies

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin:

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A peated whiskey aged in Bourbon barrels.

Nose: Smoke, peat, honey

Palate: Cocoa, peat, citrus

Finish: Citrus, nutty, smoke

This whisky was good, with a nice flavor profile, but a bit too smokey, too peaty on the nose and finish.

Libation of the Day: Isle of Jura Superstition

2015-12-15T21:40:00.001-08:00

Name: Isle of Jura Superstition

Brand: Jura Whiskies

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Isle of Jura, Scotland

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: An Islay Scotch whisky

Nose: Smokey, sweet cream

Palate: Cream, honey and pepper

Finish: Honey and Spice

Libation of the Day: The GlenDronach 12 Year Old

2015-12-15T21:21:00.002-08:00

Name: The GlenDronach 12 Year Old

Brand: GlenDronach

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A 12 year old Highland Scotch whisky

Nose: Raisins, apples

Palate: Fruity raisins and smoke

Finish: Smokey caramel

Libation of the Day: Caol Ila 12 year old

2015-12-15T21:09:00.002-08:00

Name: Caol Ila 12 year old

Brand: Caol Ila

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Port Askaig, Isle of Islay

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A 12 year old Islay Scotch whisky

Nose: Peat and oak

Palate: Smoke, sweet oil

Finish: Peat, smoke, spiky and grassy notes

OK, the oily peaty smokey thing isn't doing it for me. I will stick with old vanilla Bowmore.

Libation of the Day: Arran - Batch 4

2015-12-14T21:35:00.000-08:00

Name: Arran - Batch 4

Brand: That Boutique-y Whisky Company

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Isle of Arran, Scotland

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: An unconventional Single Malt

Nose: Spice cake, vanilla, cream

Palate: Citrus, malt

Finish: Orange blossoms

Tasty, complex, creamy and fruity, but the spikey finish didn't do it for me.

Libation of the Day: Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch Whisky

2015-12-14T19:58:00.001-08:00

Name: Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch Whisky

Brand: Monkey Shoulder

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Dufftown, Scotland

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A blend of three Speyside whiskies (Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie)

Nose: Cream, cocoa, vanilla, citrus

Palate: Cream, berry, citrus, caramel

Finish: Smooth, ginger, citrus

These blended whiskies are tasty. Considering the pedigree of this blend, it had to taste wonderful.

Libation of the Day: Tullamore DEW 12 Year Old Special Reserve Blended Whiskey

2015-12-14T19:35:00.004-08:00

Name: Tullamore DEW 12 Year Old Special Reserve Blended Whiskey

Brand: Tullamore DEW

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Tullamore, Ireland

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A Triple-distilled blended Irish whiskey

Nose: Cream with honey

Palate: Smooth, creamy, honey, fruity and smooth

Finish: Creamy smooth, oak, butter, caramel

Again, I don't drink a lot of Blended Whiskeys. I don't drink a lot of Irish whiskeys, either. I focused on Scotch and finding what I liked. What I am discovering is the the blended whiskeys have less bite. And if this is what an Irish whiskey can do, I will definitely be trying more of them.

Libation of Day: Balvenie Single Barrel Sherry Cask 15 Year Old

2015-12-14T19:22:00.004-08:00

Name: Balvenie Single Barrel Sherry Cask 15 Year Old

Brand: The Balvenie

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Dufftown, Scotland

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A Speyside Single-malt aged in one Sherry cask

Nose: Apples, citrus, ginger and oak

Palate: Caramel, rummy, spice cake, ginger

Finish: Plums and chocolate

I love The Balvenie. It was one of my go-to Poker drinks. I have never gotten my mitts on any of their specialty bottlings. This whisky is scrumptious. It's like drinking a plum pudding. Spicy and fruity and warm as summer.

Libation of the Day: Glen Scotia Double Cask

2015-12-07T21:00:00.001-08:00

Name: Glen Scotia Double Cask

Brand: Glen Scotia

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Campbelltown, Scotland

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A Campbelltown Single-malt aged in two sets of Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks

Palate: Sweet and buttery, so smooth

Finish: Smooth smooth smooth with a sherry note at the end

Nose: Apples and oak

I feel bad for drinking this whisky. My Scot buddy is a McDonald and this is a Campbell brew, but it is tasty. Smooth as silk and sweet as candy. This is good stuff.

Libation of the Day: Kilchoman Machir Bay 2014 Bottling

2015-12-07T19:11:00.001-08:00

Name: Kilchoman Machir Bay 2014 Bottling

Brand: Kilchoman

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Rockside Farm, Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay, Scotland

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A 14-year old Islay Single-malt

Palate: Raisins, fruit, citrus, nuttiness

Finish: More peat and smoke

Nose: PEAT! and smoke

My Scottish buddy always steered me away from the Islays. Too peaty! he would say. I myself always enjoyed Bowmore, but who doesn't? I made the mistake of thinking that Bowmore was a peaty Scotch. Then I tried Kilchoman Machir Bay. Holy moley, this is peaty and smoky. The flavor catches you by surprise, it is peaty, to be sure, but there is fruit and nutty flavors that rise up to the surface. Then the peat and smoke smacks you in the face with the finish. It's a nice whisky, to be sure, with a beautiful color and a strong personality. But it's a sometimes single-malt.

Libation of the Day: The Dalmore 15 Year Old

2015-12-05T22:04:00.001-08:00

Name: The Dalmore 15 Year Old

Brand: The Dalmore

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Alness, Scotland

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A 15-year old Highland Single-malt

Palate: Chocolate, Citrus, honey, spice

Finish: Smooth, smokey, warm

Nose: Sherry, Chocolate, Sweet Maple, Citrus, Honey

There is nothing like a Highland Single-Malt and the folks at The Dalmore have crafted a smooth, sweet, sherry-kissed masterpiece with their 15-year. So good.

Libation of the Day: Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon 12 Year Old

2015-12-05T20:43:00.001-08:00

Name: Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon 12 Year Old

Brand: Heaven Hill Distillery

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Bardstown, Kentucky

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A Bourbon Whiskey from the Elijah Craig

Palate: Oak, apples and spices

Finish: Tight, long and warm

Nose: Oak, malty, creamy

Ah, bourbon, my ancient enemy. This is not Wild Turkey, my friend. This is a creamy and sweet treat that will warm you on an Advent Eve. There are a number of Elijah Craig whiskies and I may just try them all.

Libation of the Day: Compass Box Great King Street Artist's Blend

2015-12-03T17:49:00.001-08:00

Name: Compass Box Great King Street Artist's Blend

Brand: Compass Box

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: London

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A blended Scotch Whisky from the Artist's at Compass Box

Flavor: Sweet, rich, apples, raisins

Mouth-feel: Smooth with a hint of spicy/spiky notes

Aroma: Sweet, vanilla, fruity, berries

Notes: So, I am back after an almost 2-year hiatus. I bought a Whisky Advent Calendar from Master of Malt's Drinks by the Dram line. I am pretty pedestrian in my single-malt choices (Glenmorangie, Balvenie, Dalwhinnie), so I decided to spend this holiday season trying new whiskies (and new wines, but I will post those after Christmas). The advent calendar was pricey, but definitely cheaper than trying 25 whiskies at my local pub.

I tend to avoid blended whiskies. I used to drink Dewer's every time I would go out. But, once my friend Scott McDonald introduced me to single malts, I found blends to be akin to cheating. Anyone can make a perfect, blended whisky: smooth, complex and wonderful. But it take a master to make a perfect single malt.

That being said, the Compass Box Great King Street Artist's Blend is a really good blended whisky. It is smooth on the palate and very, complex. Sweet and fruity, with a fabulous finish.

Libation of the Day: Yoichi Single Malt

2015-12-02T18:57:00.000-08:00

Name: Yoichi

Brand: Nikka

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Hokkaido

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat AND room temperature with a dash of water

Description: A non-age Japanese Whisky

Flavor: Sweet, peaty, fruity AND Sweeter, smoky, fruity

Mouth-feel: Clean, sparkling

Aroma: Oak, fresh moss

Libation of the Day: Glenfarclas 25 year old

2015-12-01T15:02:00.000-08:00

Name: Glenfarclas 25 year old

Brand: Glenfarclas

Place of Purchase: Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar

Country/Region of Origin: Scotland

Tasting Conditions: Room temperature, neat

Description: A 25-year old Speyside single malt

Flavor: Sherry, oak

Mouth-feel: Clean, effervescent, sublimate

Aroma: Strong sherry

A break, for now

2014-02-12T09:54:00.001-08:00

While I have enjoyed sharing new fruits, cheese and libations with you all. I fear that I have been running out of steam for this concept.

So, for now, I am going on hiatus.

If you still want to hear from me, please check out: Pleasure of Des Moines, my restaurant review guide for Central Iowa.

Libation of the week: Pocuhka

2013-11-07T10:35:00.001-08:00

Name: Pocuhka

Brand: Rosinka

Place of Purchase: European Specialties in Syracuse, NY

Country/Region of Origin: Ukraine

Tasting Conditions: Chilled in a plastic bottle

Price in New York: $1.35 for 500mL

Description: A carbonated citrus soda from the Ukrainian makers of Capri Sonne.

Flavor: Sweet orange and caramel

Mouth-feel: Pleasantly effervescent, not sticky, not cloying

Aroma: Burnt caramel and oranges

Notes: My local Ukrainian grocer has tons of Eastern European and Turkish soft drinks. Every one in a while, I try one. Mostly because I'm thirsty, but also because they are cheap. A buck-thirty-five for a soda is very good.

Rosinka has several citrus sodas. I think this one has caramel color in it, because it is not yellow or clear. The flavor was only mildly citrusy. The flavor and aroma of burnt sugar was definitely in the foreground. I don't want to suggest that it tasted bad. It was very pleasant, and refreshing. The mouth-feel was crisp and clean, not sticky. Considering that this is one of the most popular soft drinks in Eastern Europe, they must be doing something right. I liked it.

Treats of the week: The New Hostess line

2013-09-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

While the push of this blog was to try and enjoy new fruits, cheeses and libations, once in a while I like to kick back and try some processed junk food. When Hostess closed down all of their factories in November of 2012, I was pretty devastated. These gas station regulars were ever-present and always tasty. Sure, between the sugar high and the fat bomb, they would have eventually killed me. But what's better, dying of "old" or dying of enjoying Ho-Hos?

A new corporation, Apollo Global Management, bought the rights to produce Hostess products. Last month they unveiled the new line, which included many of the old favorites. Some products were smaller in size. More products were being sold in multipack boxes, rather than single-serving. The company also created a new recipe with a longer shelf-life, in order to get retailers to jump on board the Hostess train, right away.

How does one increase shelf life anyway? Let's find out...

Cherry Pie: This treat looked smaller than I remember, but the weight on the packaging was the same. Perhaps the old pies were flatter, and these pies are a bit rounder? The taste was pretty bad. The crust was grainy and reminiscent of cardboard (in flavor). The filling was the right texture, but there were very few cherries. This was definitely not a "best foot forward." It's only been since November since I have had the original formula, so I am not romanticizing here.

Twinkies (yes, I had to buy a whole box): These look the same, but in actuality are a bit smaller (38.5g versus 44g). The mouth feel and texture were spot on. There was less filling than I recall, but it tasted and felt right. The initial flavor was perfect, but there was a weird chemical aftertaste. It also left an obvious film in my mouth, that I literally had to rinse out. The aftertaste lasted for at least 5-minutes. Since these cakes have a 45-day shelf life, versus the 26-day shelf life of Twinkies Classic, one could deduce where the chemical aftertaste comes from...

Ho-Ho's: This breaks my heart. The crown jewel of Hostess treats. All other swiss rolls pale in comparison, and I have tried them all. This new cake has a weird salty front-flavor and the same chemical aftertaste as Twinkies. The chocolate coating, cake and filling had the right textures, and the middle flavor was approximately as it should be. But, it isn't the same. It's not as bad as Little Debbies yet, but that preservative flavor really turns me off.

Cupcakes: The closest of the bunch in matching flavor and texture. While the cupcakes still have a weird salty flavor in the first bite, after that they are what you would expect from Hostess cupcakes. A nice waxy frosting. Delicious, soapy filling. Moist, chocolate-flavored cake. Yum.

BOTTOM LINE: The new increased preservative content creates a weird foretaste or aftertaste in all of these products. You might not think "quality snacks" when it comes to the Hostess line, but these treats are pretty awful. If you're going to eat something bad for you, it may as well taste decent and not contain so many chemical additives. Head over to your local bakery and get something better.

Cheese of the Week: Quadrello di Bufala

2013-09-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

Name: Quadrello di Bufala

Brand: None listed

Place of Purchase: Wegman's in Clay, NY

Country of Origin: Italy

Price in New York: $11.99/lb.

Milk: pasteurized water buffalo

Processing: Washed rind and cave-aged for about 2 months

Texture: semi-soft

Color: cream white

Rind: Bloom

Aroma: strong dairy; very bloomy

Taste: Mild diary. Salty. Tart. Mushroomy notes in the background. Cream.

Mouth-feel: Buttery and rich.

Notes: I was hoping for something similar to Casatica di Bufalo, which is a much milder, buttery cheese. The Quadrello is pungent, but not overwhelming. This aroma makes it into the flavor of the paste, but it is not the primary flavor. The sweet dairy notes are in the foreground, which some interesting mushroom/woody flavors playing backup. This is a rich cheese, thanks to the buffalo milk. If you're looking for a richer cheese with some depth, this cheese would make a nice solo cheese plate. I would suggest a crisp accompaniment, like fresh grapes or green apples.

Libation of the week: Hawthorn Berry Drink

2013-09-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

Name: Hawthorn Berry Drink

Brand: Asian Taste

Place of Purchase: Asian Supermarket in Syracuse, NY

Country/Region of Origin: China

Tasting Conditions: Chilled in a glass

Price in New York: $1.99 for 500mL

Description: Hawthorn berry drink is pretty much the only English on the can besides the Nutritional information sticker.

Flavor: Slightly smokey, tangy, reminiscent of sweet orange and plum

Mouth-feel: Like a nectar, thick but without pulp

Aroma: Smokey, like barbeque or huitlacoche

Notes: This can sat in my fridge for a while. I wasn't sure what to expect, so I was hesitant. When I finally opened the can and got my first waft of the smokey aroma, I was taken aback. Still, I poured and sipped. The smokey flavor is not as strong as the aroma, but it is still present in the juice. The fruity flavors in the juice are a citrus tang and a warm plum or peach. Overall, it's a nice drink, once you get past the aroma.

Considering that hawthorn berries are considered very heart-healthy and may help to alleviate ulcers, there may be other reasons to seek out this drink beyond the flavor.

Libation of the Week: Mandarin and Seville Orange Jigger

2013-08-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

Name: Mandarin and Seville Orange Jigger

Brand: Fentiman's

Place of Purchase: Wegmans in Syracuse, NY

Country/Region of Origin: Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

Tasting Conditions: Chilled in a glass

Price in New York: $1.99 for 275mL

Description: Botanically brewed fermented orange drink with ginger and herbal extracts

Flavor: Like a mimosa with added ginger

Mouth-feel: Crisp and clean

Aroma: Citrus and effervescence

Notes: I like the Fentiman's products. I sought out their Ginger Beer because it had been banned in the next state. The ginger beer had 0.5% alcohol, hence the ban. The amusing thing is that most soft drinks have some fermentation involved in every batch. So, 0.5% in a sparkling beverage is not really a big deal.

Since then, Fentiman's has added steps to remove any residual alcohol after the fermentation process. This particular drink is refreshing and uniquely flavored. The crisp orange flavor is is the foreground, along with ginger. There are herbal notes and the slight shock of fermented compounds, like a mild kombacha. This isn't a hot summer day soda, however. Be prepared to drink it very chilled, and very slowly. It's the only way to enjoy the bouquet.