This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

The Wonders of Whisky

The basics of Single Malt Scotch Whisky

"Whisky," in this post, strictly means single malt Scotch Whisky. This warming and intriguing liquor has fascinated tipplers the world over ever since barley, yeast, water, peat, stills and barrels came together to produce such a perplexing range of flavors and aromas.

Single Malt Scotch Whisky is: all malt whisky from a single (Scottish) distillery aged in oak barrel a minimum of three years. How is it that these six simple elements can produce a spirit with a nose and palate that can suggest: spice and smoke in one case, almost sweet oatmeal and honey tastes in another, raisin and cedar flavors in another and even suggestions of wet wool in still another? Why does each distillery have such a distinct style? I don't mean subtle nuances that only a seasoned whisky master can detect, I mean obvious signature aromas and tastes that any reasonably endowed taster will notice immediately. Well that is the mystery of whisky.

Getting to know Whisky: If you don't know already whisky is an aquired taste, and some folks never aquire. Too bad. You'll find out soon enough, you'll either love it or hate it. But to those that want to explore the breadth and depth of the world of whisky the task is daunting with over 125 different distilleries and a large number of bottlings from each. We are considering at least three orders of magnitude of different whiskies! Where do you begin? Start with a local restaurant or bar that has a good selection of single malts and hopefully a knowledgeable bartender. Then try tasting from various regions, but not all in one night! There are vast regional differences in whisky styles. It's truly amazing how tweaking the malting process, the particular still used and of course variations in the  barrel aging process can influence the final product so much. Anyway, your friendly neighborhood eating and drinking establishment will surely have a Highland, or a Speyside whisky, the region with the highest concentration of distilleries. Some brands that come to mind are Balvenie, Glenmorangie, The Macallan, Dahlwhinnie or Glendronach  in the Speyside and Glen Morangie, Glen Ord and Ardmore from the Highlands. Then be sure to try an Isla (pronounced "eye-lah") with its peatier flavors, some brands you may regularly find are Laphroig (too peaty for me) and Lagavulin, one of my all time favorites. These I'd say are the two extremes, then there are also distilleries on various islands like the Orkneys and the Isle of Jura as well as Campbeltown, and Lowlands. Ask questions about the whisky. Pace yourself!

Find out what's happening in Three Villagewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Tasting Whisky: Please order it neat (no ice) with a water back, which is a little water on the side. From there it is a lot like tasting wine. First notice the color which can vary greatly depending on barrel type and number of years aged, the golden amber of fine whisky is beautious to behold. Then slowly swirl the whisky, to coat the glass and note the "legs" or viscosity of the scotch as it clings to the sides of the glass, this also releases the aroma little more for the next step. Next, "nose" the whisky, get your nose in their and take one good whiff then think about it. Describing the aromas of whisky would fill a sizable book, actually it has filled many sizable books. This complex of aromas is called the whisky's "nose."  At this point you might add a few drops of water and nose again. This is personal preference and only trial and error will teach you what is best for you. Some add water, some don't. Finally the moment of truth, take a very small sip and let it coat your tongue and then slowly let it trickle down your throat, at this point you might take in a little air through your slightly open mouth the way you would with wine. This spreads the volatile stuff in the whisky and brings it up into your nasal passages for another go around. Then think about what it tastes like. If all you get is an alcohol burn and no nose or flavors you may need to add a splash of water to the whisky. This serves to further open up the aroma and makes it a bit more palatable as well. Take your time, even though a whisky review looks like a lot of detailed free association you also want to consider the overall impression of the whisky, especially whether you like it or not. Finally, enjoy the lingering and hopefully pleasant aftertaste, a very good sign in either a whisky or a wine. As in winetasting, that after impression is called "the finish."

Learn about whisky on the internet and at scotch tasting events. Mora's Fine Wines & Spirits conducts weekly tasting, usually wine but about twice a year, usually in the winter, we put on some great whisky tastings. We are also hosting our first Single Malt Scotch Dinner at Mosaic in St. James on Monday January 23rd. There are only a couple of seats left so call us asap (631-941-4458) if you want to go. It will be a memorable event. There is much more to single malt Scotch Whisky than this and I refer you to several good sites to learn more about whisky's history, how it's made, specific distilleries and specific whisky's. I will leave you with one more whisky factoid. The word "whisky" is derived from "usquebach" which means "water of life."
Slainte!
Rich Mora

Find out what's happening in Three Villagewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

http://www.whiskyadvocate.com/default.asp  a good source of information, specifice ratings and reviews, articles about whisky, good "Whisky 101" tutorial and a good blog. They also have information on the WhiskyFest NY 2012!

http://www.maltmadness.com/malt-whisky/beginners-guide-01-basics.html  a humorous site with a good tutorial on single malt Scotch

http://www.scotchwhisky.net/retail/retail_thanks.htm commercial site with helpful information

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?