What dram is in your quaich?

[ASinclair]

So I made it by the ABC store the other day, and purchased a magnum (1.75 liter) of House of Stuart Blended Scotch Whisky. "Since 1772, A Blend of Highland and Lowland, Islay and Speyside Whiskies". Now, this was the least expensive Scotch they had, and yet, it has a nice light amber color, and smells wonderful. It tastes, not too bad. Of course, we know there is no such thing as a bad whisky. Some are just better than others.

Slainte!

int:

[DyerStraits]

So I made it by the ABC store the other day, and purchased a magnum (1.75 liter) of House of Stuart Blended Scotch Whisky. "Since 1772, A Blend of Highland and Lowland, Islay and Speyside Whiskies". Now, this was the least expensive Scotch they had, and yet, it has a nice light amber color, and smells wonderful. It tastes, not too bad. Of course, we know there is no such thing as a bad whisky. Some are just better than others.

Slainte!

int:

There was a time, not too terribly long ago, when House Of Stuart was basically the only Scotch I could afford--if I had some extra cash, I would splurge and buy Scoresby, which was Next To The Bottom Shelf. My Cheap Bastard Gene kicked in a week or two ago and I found myself buying the same 1.75 litre bottle of House Of Stuart. And you're right, Allen--like cheap cigars, it tastes better when it's all you've got, but somehow--and this may just be nostalgia--it wasn't as good as I remember, thinner, less complex, and no peat whatsover (whereas it used to have just enough to make you want more). But that's just me. If nothing else, it reminded me of how blessed I am now to be able to afford--and to waste not a drop of--the Good Stuff.

[mookien]

So I made it by the ABC store the other day, and purchased a magnum (1.75 liter) of House of Stuart Blended Scotch Whisky. "Since 1772, A Blend of Highland and Lowland, Islay and Speyside Whiskies". Now, this was the least expensive Scotch they had, and yet, it has a nice light amber color, and smells wonderful. It tastes, not too bad. Of course, we know there is no such thing as a bad whisky. Some are just better than others. ...

I had a glass of blended whisky tonight. I blended it myself. I poured some Ardbeg 1990 over a glass of ice. The bottle emptied before the glass was full, so I grabbed a bottle of Bowmore 18 and topped it off. IMHO the whole was better than the sum of the parts. Nothing like good blended scotch whisky.

[DyerStraits]

I had a glass of blended whisky tonight. I blended it myself. I poured some Ardbeg 1990 over a glass of ice. The bottle emptied before the glass was full, so I grabbed a bottle of Bowmore 18 and topped it off. IMHO the whole was better than the sum of the parts. Nothing like good blended scotch whisky.

I believe that is a custom, one-off version of what used to be called a Vatted Malt, i.e. a blend of aged single malt whiskies, as opposed to a blend of single malts and unaged, neutral grain alcohol as a "filler". A combination of two very mature Islay malts--a noble experiment indeed......

[mookien]

I believe that is a custom, one-off version of what used to be called a Vatted Malt, i.e. a blend of aged single malt whiskies, as opposed to a blend of single malts and unaged, neutral grain alcohol as a "filler". A combination of two very mature Islay malts--a noble experiment indeed......

I believe you are correct. You can still get "vatted malts", but you have to vat them yourself.

My "experiment" was exceedingly ad hoc and fortuitous. It was driven by a simple, primitive desire to drink a full glass of scotch and I didn't want to end up with just a "half-glass" solution. To me it actually tasted better than either bottling. Pure luck.

[DyerStraits]

I believe you are correct. You can still get "vatted malts", but you have to vat them yourself.

My "experiment" was exceedingly ad hoc and fortuitous. It was driven by a simple, primitive desire to drink a full glass of scotch and I didn't want to end up with just a "half-glass" solution. To me it actually tasted better than either bottling. Pure luck.

Well, they say You Make Your Own Luck--in your case, literally. Don't just see the glass as half-full, make it so!

As you probably know, commercial use of the terms Vatted Malt and Pure Malt is now prohibited, and 100% blends of Single Malts are now officially called Blended Malts. They are rather difficult to find here in Chicagoland, although I did try Monkey Shoulder recently and was only mildly impressed. The best blended malt I ever tasted was a Certified Kosher brand distributed by a spirits merchant in England, but I don't recall the name and haven't seen it since. Wicked good stuff-imagine Finlaggan or Ardmore with a healthy dose of Balvenie Double Wood.

[ASinclair]

Tonight, more George Dickel Rye Whisky. int:

Slainte!

[DyerStraits]

Tonight, more George Dickel Rye Whisky. int:

Slainte!

I'm having (Polish) Rye Vodka Martinis (made with White--Not Dry--Italian Vermouth and garnished with Blue Cheese-stuffed Olives) so we are Twin Sons Of Different Mothers.

Here are two randomly selected Rye Whiskey cocktail recipes from my elsewhere-mentioned first edition copy of "The How And When" (Chicago: 1937, Gale, Hyman & Marco, Gerald F., Ed.), quite possibly the best bartender's guide ever published:

Blue Moon Cocktail

1/3 Ounce Benedictine
1/3 Ounce Rye Whiskey
1/3 Ounce Ginger Ale
Shake Well
Strain Into Cocktail Glass

Wisconsin Cocktail
7/8 Jigger Rye Whiskey
1/8 Jigger Apricot Brandy
Shake Well
Strain Into Cocktail Glass
Green Cherry On Top