Winter Scotch Tasting

About 2 weeks ago I was sitting at one of my local sipping joints (The Drafting Room) and the few of us that were there came across an advert for a Scotch tasting. Now, for those that haven't been brought up to speed, or haven't noticed the headline here, I'm starting to get into the enjoyment of some of the finer drinks behind the bar that don't fit into a pitcher. Yes, I know that Jack-and-Cokes fit into a pitcher, and that is the way I like them... but that's not what I'm talking about.

After our vacation to Scotland a few of us have been looking for some good places with good bartenders that know their Scotch's and just don't buy them and put them on the shelves. Well, today we sat down for what I thought was going to be a 5 Scotch, 4 appetizer tasting. Boy, was I wrong. The 4 appetizers were scratched from the menu and a 5 course meal was put in its place.

Let me say that again... 5 single malts... 5 course meal... $33. (w/o grat, as expected).

Let me put it in poker speak... NUTS!!!!!!

First Course: Grilled Buffalo on toasted Foccaccia with Micro greens & Herb Ricotta.

Scotch: Clynelish 14yr.

Talk about starting off impressively. The buffalo was cooked medium-rare with the toasted Foccaccia as a base. This was my first ever venture into buffalo, and I must admit it was tender and very tasty. The light amount of sauce was a perfect addition as I probably would have drowned out the flavor with too much sauce. The Clynelish was a good start to the list. It was neither overwhelming in the nose nor the finish. A smooth drink with a hint of fruit. A solid start, I must say.

Second Course: Duck Confit over a Mache Salad with Seasoned Sunflower Seeds with a Sweet Onion Marmalade.

Scotch: Craggenmore 12yr.

The duck was incredible but the Marmalade made this dish. I sampled the duck first w/o the marmalade as I knew what was going to happen once it was introduced. The duck was soft and pulled apart instantly. As sweet and juicy as the duck/marmalade combo was, the Craggenmore was the polar opposite. Dry and spicy with an abundance of pepper. After my first nose of the scotch, I knew to enjoy it after the dish. Personally, I think because of the weight of this drink, it could have been put later on the list as you should be going from the lightest to heaviest throughout the meal. So be it.

Third Course: Seared Scallops, Green Peppercorn & Tarragon Butter, Peruvian Purple Puree.

Scotch: Talisker 10yr.

Yes. Peruvian - Purple - Puree. It's a purple mashed potato that was as tasty as it was exotic. I could have gone through a whole bowl of it. The scallop was a nice size but with the amount of sauce I would have liked 2 of them to enjoy it all. I ended up just forking the rest of the sauce because it was so good. The Talisker is a well known popular scotch. It didn't fail being paired with this dish. A strong smokey/petey nose that finished with a smooth salt/pepper taste. If you are looking for something strong, head on over to the Talisker.

Main Course: Grilled Lamb Chop, Bacon Braised Beluga Lentils, Scotch Infused Roasted Shallot & Tomato Sauce with Garlic Green Beans.

Scotch: Ardbeg 10yr.

At this point I just wanted to grab the chops and dig in. The plate smelled incredible and I was ready to throw out table manners and scarf it down. Alas, visions of Grandma coming across the table and slapping me kept me in check. I wasn't a big fan of the tomato sauce mixture, but the pile of bacon lentils hiding under the chops were gone before the 8 strips of green beans. The chops were slightly seared on one side as a quick cut showed the half medium side and the half rare side. Both sides were just as enjoyable. The Ardbeg, got bless its imaginary soul, was the one drink I was looking forward to. The Ardbeg, for those that don't know, has become a very rare commodity. The distillary was bought back in 1997 as the were about 10 minutes from being bulldozed. So now, 10 years later, we are getting the first runnings of their new 10yr single malt. The straw colored necture is thick and oily. It doesn't look like your typical golden scotch, but close your eyes and breath and any scotch fan will be getting after this one.

Dessert: Butterscotch Brownie w/ Vanilla Chantilly over a Peanut Butter Cashew Brittle.

Scotch: Caol Ila 12yr

A great finish to the whole experience. The brownie was gone instantly but the brittle took some work. Using my hands would have been key, but instead I chose to shoot a few pieces of broken brittle off the table to never be seen again. I waited for dessert to be finished before I dove into the Caol Ila. Another great scotch and highly recommended for those of you just starting out and who might be looking for something not so common. It is smokey all the way through and would have been great in a full glass to cap off the night.

After some conversation with George, our host, I was able to walk out of there with a handful of Johnnie Walker rocks glasses and one of the Craggenmore tasting glasses.

Total tab was $46 with tax/tip

5 glasses that probably retail for $40 +/-

5 course meal, assume $35 +/-

5 scotch samplings, approx $10

You do the math...

Merry Holidays to all! Mine has started off very filling.

If you got all the way to the bottom... check out one funny video... i'm still in tears.