Notes from a Tasting: Escape to Las Vegas 2015

I've lost track how many times I've been to Las Vegas.  More than 20 times, probably fewer than 25.  Usually my brother is my coconspirator.  He organized my bachelor's party in LV in 2010.  Though we had an awesome ridiculous time there, it was then that I began to learn the time limits to a Vegas getaway.  On subsequent trips, it has become even clearer.  Two nights are perfect.  One night is not enough.  Three nights are wearying, and it's not just one's own gambling and drinking that run its course.  Here's out how it goes:

Night 1 - Woohoo!  You're tired from the flight/drive but by utilizing alcohol and caffeine, you'll just blast through!  Due to exhaustion and sensory overload, you don't really notice much about your surroundings except for the hot people and weird people.

Day/Night 2 - If you didn't lose all of your money on Night 1, you stay sober enough to do some relatively responsible gambling.  Once you or one of your crew have a good night at the tables, you then stay out stupidly late.

Day 3 - You are hungover.  You eat too much at a breakfast buffet, swearing off those feeding troughs for life, again.  You decide to wander The Strip to see the new casinos.  There are no old casinos.  You begin to notice that Americans no longer make up the majority of the tourists here.  But everyone, regardless of nationality, seems to have the same empty look on his and her faces.

Night 3 - Dinner at one of the new, decent, possibly overpriced restaurants.  You're trying not to lose any more money, so maybe you'll just get plastered instead.  But after two beers, it becomes laborious.  So you go back to wandering and people watching.  Gradually the emotional and sensory weight of tens of thousands of people submitting to depression-fueled destruction begins to hollow out your soul.

This March, I stayed in Vegas for four nights.  That was a lot.  Especially with my infant daughter, Mathilda, strapped to me.  My wife had an eleven day (dear god) conference at City Center.  Mathilda and I tagged along for the first third.  We ate well, which is one of the upsides of Vegas.  Dave Chappelle arrived at the hotel just as we did, then I saw him again later at Starbucks.  So that was cool.  My daughter and I walked The Strip a bit.  I ogled the new stuff, mourned the loss of the old stuff, as I'm sure she did as well.

I limited myself to one night of gambling.  After I won a not insignificant amount of money via video poker, I immediately exited the casino (as I always do after winning).  What was I to do with my winnings?  Save it for Japan!  This cash would help make that voyage more comfortable.  But I had to do something now to celebrate.  So, I did what I did the last time I won well there: go to Craftsteak and get some whisky that I couldn't otherwise afford...

Tending bar was Larry, the same friendly chap who was there the last time I'd stopped by to spend my winnings, two years ago.  He handed me a tablet with an interactive menu app.  The first thing I noticed was Craftsteak's selection, while still one of the best in the city, is nowhere near as extensive as it used to be.  They used to have loads of incredible indies and dead distillery malts.  There were tons of "craft" bourbons and plenty of officially bottled scotches on their shelves.  They also still don't have whisky glasses, which is a little weird, so I used a bulbous wine glass instead.  Larry brought over a whole bunch of bottles to the table because I'm a pain in the ass (don't worry, I tipped him well) and also because almost no one else was at the bar.  I almost dropped a mint, a pile, a boatload on a glass of Highland Park 30, but at the last minute I called an audible and spent the same amount of cash on these two instead:

Tomatin 34 year old 1976 Duncan Taylor "The Octave" cask 682039, 46.3%abv

Color - Dark gold, but then again the bar's lighting was dark gold

Nose - Biscotti with Nutella.  Mint chip ice cream.  Milk chocolate.  There was also an herbal + malt note still lingering after all these years.

Palate - Loads of cayenne pepper.  A groovy herbal bitterness.  Seared beef with mango and peaches.  The oak can't cover up that fruitiness.  Maybe some soil.

Finish - Tropical fruit, salt, dried blueberries and currants.

Thoughts and things: This was my first Tomatin 1976.  If one believes in whisky vintages then this is considered one of the great ones.  Though I have many doubts about the whole vintage theory (as I've previously stated many times), I still had my expectations high.  So while this was very good whisky, it wasn't tremendous or moan inducing.  I'm wondering if the tiny octave cask had something to do with it.  Anyway the finish, while colorful, was sort of brief.  The nose was nice, but I've found those same notes in younger and cheaper Glenfarclas.  The palate was excellent though, and easily the best part.  If only the other parts could have matched it!  I am thankful for the opportunity to have tried this.  I believe that had I sampled this blindly, I may have had a higher opinion of the overall package.

Grade range:  B/B+

Glenlivet 21 year old Gordon & MacPhail, 43%abv
Color - Medium gold
Nose - Straightforward.  Dusty grains, a little bit of perfume, and lots of apricot.
Palate - Lightly creamy, mostly fruity spirit notes.  Orange, tangerines, peach candy, elderflower syrup.  A moderate amount of vanilla.
Finish - Sweet, but also crisp and tart.  The vanilla, elderflower, and peach remains.

Thoughts and things: There was a motive behind this selection: I've been window-shopping this bottle for over a year.  According to Whiskybase, its average price is $40 cheaper than that of the official (and much more prevalent) 21 year old.  Plus the pour price was reasonable by LA/LV standards.  And......I saved myself $130+ because I don't need to buy a whole bottle now.  The whisky itself is good.  I have no qualms about its quality.  Probably right smack dab in the middle of Grade B Land.  It's simple, easy drinking, without any major flaws.  Exactly what I'd desire in the (shrinking) $40-$60 range.  But it's not in that price range, which is a bummer.  Still, it was a perfectly satisfying one time thing.  And now I can walk away and lust after another pretty thing.
Grade range: B

My indulgences ended here.  A third drink would likely have been wasted on my tired senses, and that money could be better spent in Japan (and it was).  I walked back to the hotel elated and peaceful, for just a moment.  One is allowed so few of those moments as a new parent.

Good things on the horizon

Diving for Pearls will be back after St. Patrick's Day as this writer takes care of some personal business (all good things).

In the meantime:

Q: Why was I doing this???

A: Because this:

Thanks to one hand of Double Double Bonus video poker, there's enough whisky to keep the reports going for some time.  There's also a great whisky anorak out there who helped me out with some additional fuel.  I'll be talking more about that in the coming weeks.

In fact, I have a number of new little projects in the queue.  I hope they're as fun in reality as they are in my mind.  Stay tuned...

Escape From LA, February 2013, recapped

I'm aware that hearing about someone else's Vegas experience holds limited entertainment value for the audience, so I'll try to be brief and entertaining.

Friday -- I drove directly from work to Las Vegas.  Arrived at MGM @ 11:30.  My brother, Jason, and I are so old and tired that we promptly fell asleep.  No gambling.  No drinking.

Saturday -- Gambling.  Drinking.

Oddly, I awoke at 7:20am.  Who wakes up in Vegas at 7:20?  We got out to the lackluster Excalibur buffet by 8:30.  Breakfast done by 9:30.  So early!  What to do?  Gamble, the tables are cheap in the morning.

At the video poker machine, I went from $100 to $5 in 10 minutes, then on what looked to be my final hand, I hit full house, then straight, then full house.  I decided to part from the machine at that point.  Joined Jason at the craps table where we fared well.  We departed up.

We hit the road, putting some distance between us and The Strip.  I fared well, again, at the video poker machines at The Palms.  Jason and I went to The Mob Museum downtown -- their media production was great -- then later headed to Nora's: good Italian food, great whisky prices.

From there we went back to the hotel and opened a bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold Label (more on that some time down the road).  Then we went to Craftsteak, THE BEST whisky selection on The Strip.

Then I stumbled over to a video poker machine and won $250 on a $5 bet.

Okay, I'm not really kissing the machine.  It would be healthier to lick a gas station urinal rim than kiss a Vegas touchscreen.  Anyway, the kiss is close enough.  The machine deserved it.  I was now up $372 on the first day.  Success.

Sunday -- Less drinking.  No gambling.

That's right, I left with my winnings intact.  I hit the gym, then walked about 7 miles up and down The Strip.  I was witness to a particularly curious scene, documented here.  Grabbed some good pizza from New York New York.  Hit Mon Ami Gabi at Paris for dinner.  We wandered the Forum shops, but didn't buy anything because I'm cheap.

Monday -- I awoke at 5am and drove directly to work, arriving 10 minutes early.  This is not recommended.  Three days later, the sleep deprivation is still whuppin' me.  I'm surprised I made it this far into the post.  I'm surprised you made it this far into the post.

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Whisky thoughts:
Vegas is a great place for whisky drinkin'.  The prices are rarely cheap, but the selection is grand...

...MGM Grand in fact.  That casino alone has a number of great whisky stops.  There's a random bar (I think it's this one) near the hotel elevators that has the old version of Springbank 21yr.  Wolfgang Puck has a bar there with several shelves of high quality stuff, including some Japanese selections.  Then there's Craftsteak.  The prices can be steep, but the pours are 2oz.  The choices are many many many, including a number of indies.  I had a cask strength Bunnahabhain 17yr 1988 Malt Trust.  It was dark as cherry cola and was VERY SHERRY.  There were plans to return on Sunday night to spend some of my winnings, but bedtime was very early.  I shall return.  If you have a chance to visit Craftsteak, Larry at the bar is a great guy who loves to discuss all things booze.

The Palms has a bourbon bar in the middle of the casino.  They appear to have almost everything.  Like Craftsteak, they have Pappies 15, 20, and 23, if you're Van Winkle hunting.

And, as always, I have to give The Whisky Attic its proper due.  (My 2012 posts about it are here.)  Professor Carmer is brilliant and his whisky selection is terrific!  I shall return there on my next Vegas trip.

Time to start planning my next Vegas trip.  How about it, Jason?

In the can: A Vegas Story

A man stands at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard South and East Flamingo Road, calling out to passers by.
       "Save the Ta-Tas!"
       His graying pile of sandy blonde hair began its climb over his ears years ago.  An aqua blue windbreaker, zipped up to his chin, keeps out the increasingly brisk overcast desert winter afternoon.
       "Save the Ta-Tas!"
       To his right, his wheeled plexiglass-encased cart displays a half dozen identical white plastic signs with black lettering reading:
       "Save the Ta-Tas!"
       Most of the passersby disregard his barking.  Many of them have just maneuvered around the forty to fifty bundled-up short men shoving glossy nude escort card-sized adverts in every direction.  But the huckster has something of additional substance to offer the crowd.
       "Ladies and Gentleman!"
       He holds his arms up, cradling something gingerly in each hand.  He winds his right arm up like a hurler, then flings the unseen object onto his cart's flat transparent tabletop.
       WAP!  It splats down, a flesh colored puddle.
       WAP!  He slams the second one onto the table.
       The puddles begin to move.  Part of the crowd stops to watch.
       Slowly sucking themselves up from the table, the rosy peach blobs rise, each unhurriedly forming a shape.  Gradually they stand up, jiggling, getting rounder, growing...
       ...until there, on top of his cart, stand two golf-ball sized wiggling rubber breasts, complete with red areolas and pointed nipples.
       The man stands beside his cart, proudly gesturing with an open hand, "Want to help save the ta-tas?  Get yourself a pair of these itty-bitty titties."
       Some of the audience remains in place, staring at the tiny wobbling breasts.  But most of the watchers continue on, passing the closed-for-renovation signs for Bill's Gambling Hall & Saloon.
       A voice calls out from the parting crowd, "Excuse me!"
       Digging her way through the crush of bodies, a determined silver-curly-haired woman in a light green jacket rushes towards the cart.
       Approaching the shimmying mams, she asks in a sharp Russian accent:
       "Excuse me, you have the canned puzzi?"
       Hurried gamblers and tipsy shoppers squeeze around her.
       The man replies, "Huh?"
       "You know.  The puzzi.  In the can."
       "Um, n......no. Ma'am, all of my proceeds go to breast cancer research."
       "Oh," she says.  Her shoulders sink and she slouches away to the nearby escalator.
       The continuing stream of tourists pushes on.  The traffic lights change.  A dozen motorcycles thunder by.  Scooping his two little products off the cart, the man in the aqua blue windbreaker begins his sales pitch again.
       "Ladies and Gentleman!"

Happy Friday! Quick ramblings and an escape...

Last night David Driscoll wrote a lovely piece on the romance of big brands.  The flu may have knocked Driscoll stone sober, but it's given him time and clarity to muse deeply.  Here's a link.

Mr. Feldman is back to posting on Coopered Tot.  Always a good thing.

Oliver Klimek of Dramming.com fame has a new blog: Culinary Atrocities.  It's delicious.

And then there's...

ESCAPE FROM LA - FEBRUARY 2013 edition

(Source)

I am (desperately) escaping LA for Vegas this weekend.  My brother, Jason, is flying out from the East Coast and I'm driving in, directly from work.  We were there last year around this time for his birthday.  All sorts of amazing stuff happened.  This time, I will be satisfied with just drinking and gambling.  You can do those things in Las Vegas, right?

Single Malt Report: Vegas 2012 edition (Part 4 of 4)

The triumphant conclusion of the Vegas 2012 edition of the Single Malt Report.

The Whisky Attic tasting in its entirety (links fixed!):

Part 1 - Dalmore Gran Reserva
Part 1 - Tyrconnell 10yr Irish Single Malt, Madeira Finish
Part 1 - Big Bottom Bourbon
Part 2 - Balvenie 14yr Caribbean Cask
Part 2 - Rowan's Creek Bourbon
Part 2 - Willett Straight Rye
Part 3 - Ledaig 15yr
Part 3 - Amrut Cask Strength Indian Single Malt
Part 3 - Laphroaig 10yr Cask Strength
Part 4 - Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Part 4 - Ballylarkin Irish Whiskey Liqueur
Part 4 - Tomintoul 27yr

In Part 3, I tried peaty, muscular, demanding whiskies.  In Part 4, my whisky walls tumble asunder.

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ARDBEG CORRYVRECKAN

The great black wave.

The Corryvreckan, just off the coast of Islay, is the third largest whirlpool in the world.  It's a powerful audible force, described as "very violent and dangerous" by sailing manuals.  It has drawn artists and mystics throughout the years.  It almost killed Orwell when he was in the midst of writing Nineteen Eighty-Four.  It is the washtub of the Gaelic goddess of winter.  It pulled an ancient Norse king to his death.

Per Arcade Fire:
"Nothing lasts forever that's the way it’s gotta be
There's a great black wave in the middle of the sea"

Distillery: Ardbeg
Age: millennia?
Maturation: the planet's molten core
Region: Islay (natch)
Alcohol by Volume: 57.1%

'Twas very pleasing to see this placed in front of me.  I am an Ardbeg 10 fan and deeply desire all of Ardbeg's drams.  I brought the Corryvreckan glass to my lips to begin The Method and the ride began.

Whatever involuntary expression crossed my face made Adam laugh.  "That's what we like to call a bouquet," he said.

I said, "I um."

The whisky had expanded inside of my mind and lit up my skull, like only great absinthes (The Grand Mistress) do when they've arrived at their mark.  I don't know where the nose, palate, and finish borders began or ended.

I was like David in Henry Roth's Call it Sleep.  I had touched the electric rail.

thick tar! bitter

tea and black coffee and

decay-

-ed seaweed

mentholated tire fires

the anise

& sugar
of black

licorice

smoldering
petrol

all held together by the sweet bloom of some great unknown dark flower

"I don't even know what it is." "Fantastic, huh?" I answered him by staring at the glass for two minutes.

This one will sit in second place in the Rankings because I can't quite believe that it is real.  I require a second tasting to prove that I didn't dream it.  And maybe a comparison with its brother Uigeadail.  [Ed. note: Yes, it's bloody real.  Here's the followup report.]

Pricing - Bargain at $70-$80

Rating - 96

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BALLYLARKIN IRISH WHISKY LIQUEUR

 I can't find a decent pic of the bottle, so here's a happy Wiki pic of lychees.

Distillery: Ballylarkin Abbey?
Age: minimum 3 years
Maturation: unknown
Region: Ireland (Kilkenny)
Alcohol by Volume: 40%

This dram proved that whisky tastings aren't totally devoid of humor.

After dropping me into the dark sun of Ardbeg Corryvreckan, what did Adam give me next?  Whisky candy!  He brought me back into the light with syrupy, rich, and fruity Ballylarkin Irish Whisky Liqueur.

I've searched far and wide (on the Intertubes) to find anything about Ballylarkin Liqueur.  The only place with statistics was a report from Washington State's Liquor Control Board.  Otherwise, not much in the way of facts.  It does appear that the liqueur was created by the monks at Ballylarkin Abbey.

Dang.  Monks are always onto the good sh**.

The Ballylarkin company (and abbey) are in County Kilkenny, a beautiful spot I visited almost nine years ago.  I highly recommend visiting the beautiful town of Kilkenny as well.

So, if whiskey is already a liquor, what is whiskey liqueur?  A liquor producer takes some already-matured whiskey stock (that's often not of single malt, pot still, or, even blend quality) then sweetens it with honey, fruit juices and extracts, spices, and sugars.  The result is something extra-desserty, like Drambuie, Irish Mist, Jeremiah Weed, and...

Ballylarkin Irish Whiskey Liqueur
Nose: mmm desserty, candied peaches, lychee juice, vanilla
Palate: thickly textured, lots of lychee fruit, canned peach and pear syrup, and a bourbony Irish whiskey
Finish: strong enough to clear away all previous whisky, but NOT sickly sweet

If you can find Ballylarkin at a bar or restaurant and those tasting notes appeal to you, I do recommend giving it a try.  It shouldn't be that expensive, probably cheaper than Drambuie.  But if those notes gross you out, then stick to a Glenfarclas-flavored dessert.

Pricing - Good at $30-$35

Rating - 77

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TOMINTOUL 27 YEAR OLD

Distillery: Tomintoul

Age: minimum 27 years old

Maturation: Bourbon casks

Region: Speyside

Alcohol by Volume: 40%

I reviewed the Tomintoul 33 year old last year after I'd sampled it on my 33rd birthday.  And found it to be so easy-going that its character was difficult to suss out.  I'd enjoyed the 16 year considerably more.

The 27-year is being phased out, with the 33-year replacing it on the official Tomintioul range.  Or so, I've been reading.  The thing is, the 27 year is easier to find than its replacement via online US whisky sellers.  And that's not a bad thing, since I enjoyed the 27 year much more.

Now, the Ballylarkin was supposed to be the closer on the tasting.  But Adam was incredibly generous and allowed me a bonus partial dram of this 27.

Tomintoul 27 year old

Nose: Light vanilla, fruit sugary but not sweetish, pears!

Palate: More pears, fresh ones though, not canned; a little nutty and malty with a peep of the vanilla

Finish: Medium, a little bit fruit, a little bit of malt

Quite good.  If it was a third of the price, I'd make this a regular in my whisky stash.  But it is 27 years old and priced very competitively with others in that age range.

Pricing - Acceptable at $180-$200

Rating - 87

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I have now expended thousands of words on this tasting and still feel as if that hasn't done it justice.  It was a pivotal whisky experience for me.  Not just for learning a new tasting method.  Not just for getting a chance to view and drink so many great spirits.  Not just for having the opportunity to talk to a whisky expert like Adam Carmer.

Things have been a little rocky in my personal life, so having this chance to deeply explore the grand whisky world without judgement, without second thought, luxuriating in the moment, was valuable beyond price.

Thanks for giving this particular whisky voyage a read.  I look forward to reporting on the many voyages to come.

Single Malt Report: Vegas 2012 edition (Part 3 of 4)

Happy Monday!  Time for Part Three in the Vegas 2012 edition of the Single Malt report.

Here's The Whisky Attic drink list:

Part 1 - Dalmore Gran Reserva
Part 1 - Tyrconnell 10yr Irish Single Malt, Madeira Finish
Part 1 - Big Bottom Bourbon
Part 2 - Balvenie 14yr Caribbean Cask
Part 2 - Rowan's Creek Bourbon
Part 2 - Willett Straight Rye
Part 3 - Ledaig 15yr
Part 3 - Amrut Cask Strength Indian Single Malt
Part 3 - Laphroaig 10yr Cask Strength
Ardbeg Corryvrecken
Ballylarkin Irish Whiskey Liqueur
Tomintoul 27yr

Adam had told me, before the tasting had begun, that due to my palate preferences we would be heading towards the extremes of the whisky world.

Now we were at the midpoint of whiskies.  There had been great finishes: madeira on Irish, rum on Scottish; and there had been a massive spicy rye.  But what about the single malt's spirit itself, what journeys awaited?

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LEDAIG 15 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT

Distillery: Tobermory
Brand: Ledaig
Age: minimum 15 years
Maturation: likely bourbon casks
Region: Island (Mull)
Alcohol by Volume: 43%

The Island of Mull sits south of Syke and north of Islay.  A single distillery has operated on this rocky island, on and off, since 1798.  It's been known as Tobermory for the majority of its existence, but also went by the name Ledaig for twenty years.

Currently Tobermory produces its namesake unpeated malt as well as "Ledaig", a considerably peated malt modelled after the whisky that had been produced on the island many years before.  Ledaig is a bit of a curio since it's not hot and peppery like Talisker to the north, nor is it medicinal like the distilleries to the south.

The good news is that Ledaig 15 is wonderful, strong in character and significantly different than any other malt that I've had...

Ledaig 15yr
Nose: Fresh peat: the mosses and grasses that later ended their days as the smoke that dried the Mull malted barley; a bit of soap, some citrus
Palate: That lovely fresh vegetal peat element, new cigar smoke, a little dusty, malty, a smidge of spice
Finish: Very extensive for its ABV, lovely in fact, a little dusty and vegetal

...The bad news?  Ledaig 15 was produced in limited amounts for a limited time and no longer for sale anywhere, except at swollen auction prices.  It was a great pleasure to have had this opportunity to taste it.

Pricing - Unbloodyknown :(
Rating - 92

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AMRUT CASK STRENGTH INDIAN SINGLE MALT

Distillery: Amrut
Age: unknown but definitely young
Maturation: bourbon casks
Region: India (Bangalore)
Alcohol by Volume: 61.8%

Then it was a quick gear shift into a hefty Cask Strength from...

India.

India?  India.  India has a massive whisky market, dominated by their own brands of blends.  Much of what they bottle as "whisky" is actually an inexpensive distillation of molasses.  BUT, Amrut Distilleries (est. 1948) now produces their malts according to the Scottish Whisky Association's standards.

Now, as you can imagine, the weather in India is slightly different than that of Scotland.  So the whisky matures differently.  For instance the heavy heat causes the spirit to shed alcohol much faster than its Scotch counterparts.  Thus the bottlings must be much younger.

So, what we have here is a young cask-strengthed Amrut, with a big ABV:

Amrut Cask Strength Indian Single Malt

Nose: Malty and oaky, but surprisingly little ethyl for an ABV like this

Palate: Thick, oily, malty, a little bit of salt, very fatty, again relatively little of that ethyl

Finish: Here's the Heat, along with some spice.

Perhaps it was the new tasting method, but the alcohol (62% of the drink) was not as obtrusive as other lighter cask strength whiskies I've had.  It was very good.  Blindfolded I wouldn't have known that it wasn't Scottish.

ALSO, I have a my own mini bottle of this.  So we'll explore this further, along with other world whiskies, next month.

Pricing - Good at $65-$75
Rating - 81

(to be examined again in April...)

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LAPHROAIG 10 YEAR OLD CASK STRENGTH (Batch 002)

This may or may not be the right bottle pic.  There are others with greener labels and the ABV stamped largely on the front.

Distillery: Laphroaig
Age: minimum 10 years
Maturation: seasoned oak
Region: Islay
Alcohol by Volume: 56.3%

Adam and I chatted about Laphroaig's malts after I'd sampled this one.  He helped diagnose my issue with the 18 year -- it's designed with a subtler palate range in mind.  He's also a fan of the Quarter Cask.  "Best nose in the range, but this has the best finish by far."  This being the 10yr Cask Strength.

Laphroaig 10yr Cask Strength
Nose: Coal and wood smoke, no bandaids, salty, and moderate peating
Palate: More of the coal and wood smoke, smoked fish, salty Atlantic, balanced by a mellow brown sugar sweetness, nice oily texture
Finish: One of the greatest ever. ENORMOUS. I swear there were three climbing tiers of finish. It was boom, then BOom, then boOM. Cigars, bonfires, woodstoves, coastal Irish evenings

I'll agree with him, this finish was unbelievable.  It kept transforming as time went on.  Looks like the Quarter Cask has a competitor here.

Pricing - Good at $60; Less Good at $75

Rating - 89

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These were all big individualist whiskies adorned with clomping steel-toed boot-style characteristics.

Could we go any larger?  What in the world would that be like?

Stay tuned for Part Four in the series, coming soon.

Single Malt Report: Vegas 2012 edition (Part 2 of 4)

Time for Part Two in the Vegas 2012 edition of the Single Malt report.  Part One can be found here.

Here's The Whisky Attic drink list:

Part 1 - Dalmore Gran Reserva
Part 1 - Tyrconnell 10yr Irish Single Malt, Madeira Finish
Part 1 - Big Bottom Bourbon
Part 2 - Balvenie 14yr Caribbean Cask
Part 2 - Rowan's Creek Bourbon
Part 2 - Willett Straight Rye
Ledaig 15yr
Amrut Cask Strength Indian Single Malt
Laphroaig 10yr Cask Strength
Ardbeg Corryvrecken
Ballylarkin Irish Whiskey Liqueur
Tomintoul 27yr

Adam was clearly aiming towards a massive nose/taste profile for this tasting.  That wasn't just blind guessing on his part.  Before beginning, he'd first asked me some questions on my whisky preferences and from there made these selections.  He said that I had a "very expansive palate".  Whether that was customer flattery or the truth, it worked for me!

I like massive Petite Sirahs, very dark chocolate, bitter beers, and bitter teas.  I guess the flipside of that is my impatient response to older subtler whiskies.  I'm working on that, but someone needs to supply me with some additional old whisky!  Otherwise, I guess I've been currently saving money sampling lunatic youngin' drams.

I did tell him that I'd tired a bit of the super winey finishes and enjoyed more basic finishes, the malt, the many varieties of peat, and all things Campbeltown.  He snuck a couple of finished whiskies in here, but he chose wisely since I really enjoyed them both.  And, as noted in Part 1 (yesterday) and 2 (today), he entered three American whiskies into this world tour.

To the reports!

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THE BALVENIE 14 YEAR OLD, CARIBBEAN CASK

Distillery: The Balvenie

Age: minimum 14 years

Maturation: Traditional Oak
Finish: Guyanese and Venezuelan rum casks

Region: Speyside (Dufftown)

Alcohol by Volume: 43%

Balvenie has a history of rummed whisky releases.  There was the 17yr Rum Cask release from 2008, which was matured entirely in rum casks.  It was a smash and sold out promptly.  I was lucky enough to get a taste of it, courtesy of Bernardo (thank you, sir).  It was very rummy and full of molasses, a great dessert whisky.  Then there was the 14yr Golden Cask (47.5% ABV, non-chillfiltered) which was sold only via Duty Free shops in 2009.  Then there was also a Rum Cask (47.1% ABV) which they'd done briefly in 2005.  And a 14yr Cuban Selection (43% ABV) for the French market.

And now we have this 14yr Caribbean Cask bottling, exclusive to the US market.  Bottled at 43% ABV, it's finished for a number of months in rum casks from, yes, the Caribbean.

The Balvenie 14 year old Caribbean Cask
Nose: MILK CHOCOLATE! Tons of it wrapped around a bit of cinnamon. Yum.
Palate: Thick and malty. More milky chocolate. Cinnamon and all of the sweet spices in the cabinet. Not as rummy as 17yr.
Finish: Moderate. Lingering cinnamon and Nestle's chocolate.

It's a different creature than the 17yr, partially due to the difference in maturation and partially due to, well, me.  The tasting method helped hone my sensory experience.  And in this case, the first imprint was milk chocolate.  The rest of the blogosphere has found characteristics like vanilla, toffee, and nuts.

Like the 17yr though, this is not an aperitif.  It's a sweet dense whisky to cap off dinner.  Maybe a dram with some ice cream.

It's my favorite Balvenie at the moment.

Pricing - Bargain at $50, Good at $65
Rating - 87

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ROWAN'S CREEK BOURBON

Bottler: Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (aka KBD or Willett Distilling Company)
Brand: Rowan's Creek

Age: 5 to 15 years

Maturation: New Oak

Region: Bourbon County, Kentucky

Alcohol by Volume: 50.5%

Ah, he slipped another American whiskey into the tour.  Adam's a big fan of bourbon, and of KBD as well.  This one is Rowan's Creek Kentucky Bourbon, a small batch whiskey, bottled at 101 proof.  KBD is an independent bottler, though a very productive one, as it bottles sixteen different brands.  Rowan's Creek is their best selling brand.

Rowan's Creek Kentucky Bourbon
Nose: Lovely, expansive. Vanilla, cinnamon and peppery spices, toffee. Maybe even floral.
Palate: Vanilla and honey. Very easygoing considering the ABV.
Finish: Huge finish, I think I was still sensing this the next day. Bountiful sweet bourbon vanilla with a little zing.

I'm giving this one a half measure up on the Big Bottom Bourbon.  The nose was delicious, I couldn't stop sniffing the glass.  And the finish is enormous, which was a surprise since the palate was so smooth.  Another bourbon that I would try again, happily.

Pricing - Good at $40
Rating - 79

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WILLETT STRAIGHT RYE

Bottler: Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (aka KBD or Willett Distilling Company)
Brand: Willett

Age: 3 years

Maturation: New Oak

Region: Bourbon County, Kentucky

Alcohol by Volume: 57.6%

I'd been waiting for this opportunity for some time:  An introduction to rye whiskey.

Perhaps, I'd over-romanticized rye, but there always seemed to be an edge to its oldschool-ness.  For the longest time, most liquor stores never carried it.  No one ever talked about it.  Bourbon this, Scotch that, but no rye.

But within the last year or so, I started meeting people who'd just started drinking and enjoying rye.  Rye was starting to pop up in liquor stores.  A small resurgence perhaps?  I wanted in, but I was never that crazy about other American whiskies.  They were often too sweet, too much of a sadistic lumbering oaf, a total lack of grace -- very American, as it were.  There needed to be a proper introduction.

And here it was.  Three years old, a KBD bottling, 57.6% alcohol.  The bottle label contained barrel and distilling information but was otherwise simple and restrained.

Yet without any frame of reference, I had no idea what this was going to taste like.

Willet Cask Strength Single Barrel Rye Whiskey
Nose: WOW. Holiness. I'm transported to my childhood, evening Havdalah services at the synagogue, the fragrant spice box.  I may be having a moment here.
Palate: Very spicy. The zing and whoosh and prickle and hum, but no burn. Oh dear me.
Finisih: Epic. Toasty and peppery.

On February 23rd, 2012, I am sold on rye.

Pricing - Excellent at $35-$40
Rating - 91

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Part Three to follow on Monday!

Single Malt Report: Vegas 2012 edition (Part 1 of 4)

I'm curled up in bed with a 101.4 degree fever.  Sorry, more cowbell is not the prescription needed.  Instead, I need some consistent sleep and at least a week to dry out.

In the meantime, I'm going to do a bunch of mini-reports on the whiskies sampled at The Whisky Attic.  I posted about this experience last week, but would like to expand a little about the individual spirits.

But first...

I put away about a third of a bottle of Redbreast 12 over three nights.  It's still a damned delicious whiskey, one of the greats.  Everyone in the crew put it away without a single Whiskey Face.  In fact, everyone had it neat and went back for seconds and thirds (and maybe more).  There may even wind up being a bottle or two purchased as a result of the experience.

My brother scored a free drink ticket at the Sports Book and awesomely handed it over to me.  The voucher said that it would only cover well drinks, but the GREAT bartender used Glenfiddich 12 when I politely inquired about it.  If I knew he'd be so swell, I wouldn't have asked for a highball.  But in fact, the club soda really brought out all of the sweets with the 'Fiddich.  So I recommend that to those willing to bruise their booze with soda water.

Wolfgang Puck's Postrio at The Venetian has an exemplary whisky selection.  It's all about quality not quantity in their case.  They had Bunnahabhain, Scapa(!), Tobermory, Caol Ila, and a couple independents in addition to the very good usual suspects.  I went with the Bunny 12 and happily discovered that I finally found the subtle peat note.  It was a lean and peaceful peat, contributing to a great whisky.  I've included an update at the bottom of my original post about Bunny 12.

Now, back to The Whisky Attic drink list:

Dalmore Gran Reserva
Tyrconnell 10yr Irish Single Malt, Madeira Finish
Big Bottom Bourbon
Balvenie 14yr Carribean Cask
Rowan's Creek Bourbon
Willett Straight Rye
Ledaig 15yr
Amrut Cask Strength Indian Single Malt
Laphroaig 10yr Cask Strength
Ardbeg Corryvrecken
Ballylarkin Irish Whiskey Liqueur
Tomintoul 27yr

I'm going to split this up into groups of three in order to make this easier to digest.  These will be a little smaller than the usual reports.

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THE DALMORE GRAN RESERVA

Distillery: The Dalmore
Brand: Gran Reserva (previously known as The Cigar Malt)

Age: 10 to 15 years

Maturation: Oloroso sherry butts and Bourbon barrels
Finish: Sherry butts

Region: Northern Highlands

Alcohol by Volume: 40%

Gorgeous bottle.  Stellar website too.  The Dalmore products are known for their luxurious design.  Their Master Blender (technically the Master for all of the White & Mackay products) is the boisterous Richard Patterson, who has dubbed himself "The Nose" for both physical and job-related reasons.  He has a great online presence and is everywhere at all times, probably the most sociable of all Master Blenders.

The Dalmore whiskies are also very much known for being very darkly colored and very very sherried.  They're also all 40% ABV which is as tamed as a whisky can legally be.  I lust after their King Alexander III whisky, which is a combination of Port, Sherry, Bourbon, Marsala, Madeira, and French red wine finishes.

Their famous flavor characteristic is orange (marmalade, juice, peel, etc.) but I didn't pick up any of that when I'd tried Dalmore 12 some time ago.  That was a little frustrating.

So now here's the Gran Reserva: matured in 40% bourbon barrels and 60% Oloroso sherry butts, then married together for six months in sherry butts.  With the help of Adam Carmer's method could I find the Dalmore character....?

Gran Reserva
Nose: Yay!!!  Success.  Fresh oranges.  Pulp and peel.  A little bit of caramel.
Palate:  The fresh oranges dominate again.  Some milky chocolate hides behind.  Silky texture.
Finish:  Brief.  Mostly vanilla.

It's very graceful.  And by that I mean pleasant rather than boring and subdued.  It's also not as exciting as most of the other whiskies I'd tasted at The Attic, and the finish is quite short.  I can't imagine that raising the alcohol to 43 or 46 percent would be that bad of a thing.

Pricing - Acceptable at $70-$75
Rating - 79

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THE TYRCONNELL 10 YEAR MADEIRA FINISH (Irish Single Malt)

Distillery: Cooley
Brand: Tyrconnell

Age: minimum 10 years

Finish: Madeira casks

Region: Ireland (Louth)

Alcohol by Volume: 46%

Yep, not a blend, not a single pot still, but a genuine Irish single malt.  Other than Bushmills, Cooley is producing the only Irish single malts at the moment.  They were also the last of the independent Irish distilleries, until they were purchased by Beam a few months ago.

Tyrconnell was very popular here in The States until Prohibition crushed their brand.  Thankfully it was resurrected by Cooley, who have released four different bottlings.

Whisk(e)y trivia:  The label has an illustration of a racehorse named "The Tyrconnell" once owned by the distillery.  In 1876, they entered it in The National Produce Stakes Irish Classic and, at 100 to 1 odds, it won.

Now to its eponymous whiskey...

The Tyrconnell 10 year, Madeira Finish
Nose: floral but not perfumy, instead its an entire field of blooming flowers; fruit juices (cranberry and grape)
Palate: Fresh ripe fruit and lots of it, stone fruits and berries, all with a solid malt center that keeps it from being overly sweet
Finish: Medium, the fruits remain, and the flowers return

As I've only hinted with all the Redbreast mentions on this blog, I am an enormous Irish whiskey fan.  It has a lightness that doesn't abandon verve and explosive flavor.  And this single malt did not disappoint.  It's probably the juiciest whisk(e)y that I've ever tried, yet it wasn't candied or sweet.  Even the great Serge Valentin called it yummy.  Agreed.

Pricing - Acceptable at $70-$80 (though if Beam could lower it $20......pretty please?)
Rating - 92 (adjusted down to 81 in a later review)

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BIG BOTTOM STRAIGHT BOURBON

The international tour continues.  From the Northern Highlands, to County Louth, to Bourbon County, Kentucky.  This one had Adam, along with the Frog's bartender and I humming the tune to Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom".

Bottler: Big Bottom Whiskey (multiple distilleries)

Age: minimum 3 years

Maturation: New white oak

Region: Bourbon County, Kentucky (spirit); Oregon (company)

Alcohol by Volume: 45.5%

Big Bottom's bottles indeed have big bottoms.  And the flavor is big and bottomless.  They take new make (or white dog) from different distilleries, then they do the wood finishing themselves to create the final product.  This one is 36% rye while a combination of unmalted barley and corn likely makes up the rest.

As mentioned in previous posts, I'm still a little new to the bourbon palate, but it's gradually working its way in.  American whiskey is something that I would love to love.  And big bottoms are worth singing about.

Big Bottom American Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Nose: some nice spiciness (maybe from the rye?), okay "spiciness" is kind of a generic term, how about "zing!" and "whoosh!", followed by more corn sweets than vanilla
Palate: the "zing" is peppery, hot cinnamon and nutmeg, and lots and lots and lots of corn sweets, Frosted Flakes perhaps
Finish: Massive finish, outlasted many of the single malts

Not a bad one.  I love the pricing (see below).  Would be great in an old-fashioned, the spice mixing with the bitters.  I would definitely order this neatly in a bar to give it a second run.  Very different than Blanton's, so my bourbon world is quietly expanding...

Pricing - Good at $28 (same price at five different locations)
Rating - 74

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Part 2 to follow soon...

Las Vegas, Days 4 & 5 - Fremont Street and departure

Final Tally:
Video Poker - UP $110.  Hit four 7s while eating frozen yogurt on Day 4.
Slot Machines - DOWN $16.  Had to tithe to the Vegas spirit.
Craps - DOWN $50.  That was one cold-ass table.
Blackjack - DOWN $50.  That was one cold-ass table.
TOTAL - DOWN $6.  I live to see another day.

Our buddy Shayan arrived in Vegas on Day 3 to bring our crew to four strong.  Then we all proceeded to destroy a bottle of Redbreast 12yr, neatly.  I always recommend pre-partying with something delicious.

We hit tons of good restaurants over the whole trip:  Postrio, BLT Burger, Carnegie Deli (okay, maybe not good), Sirrico's (yum), Noodle Asia......and I'm sure I'm leaving some out.

Thanks to the clubbin', Day 3 lasted until 4am on Day 4.  Haven't done that since......my single days?  I dunno.  Day 4 was a recovery day until we headed out to beautiful Fremont Street.

Okay, that pic is from 1986, but -- aside from the bizarro Viva Vision overhead -- it hasn't changed much.  And that's what I like about it.

The cheap glitz.  Millions of strobing bulbs.  Hot neon.  Immersion in Crayola color vomit.  Love it!  There was even some dude wailing out tunes on his saxophone.  I shouted, "I'm in the '80s!"

Unless you go to a classy joint like the Golden Nugget, $5 tables abound.  Even on weekend evenings. You can sidle up to the craps table with your Michelob.  Stand between the casino employees who hate each other's guts.  Toss your crumpled 20s onto the table.  And share dice with a dozen prostitutes, pimps, the mentally ill, the drugged desperate, and the incontinent insomniacs.  It rules.  Nowhere else in that town will you find such camaraderie, so much cheering!

And yeah, I lost some money at Fitzgeralds, but it lasted me awhile.  Plus the four of us actually got to sit at the same blackjack table, and lose money together.  By the way,  you should totally go to their website.  The photo gallery is clearly from the......you guessed it, the '80s!

On Day 5, we breakfast buffeted then went our separate ways.  No last minute slot machines.  No emergency trolling for cheap tables.  We're wiser than we used to be, in this sense only.

That drive back to LA is never the best part of the trip.  If you've done Vegas correctly, then you're bloated, benumbed, and directionally disoriented.

Barstow was almost 80 degrees, then, forty minutes later, I drove through a snowstorm.  Thus the escapade continued until I got home and passed out on the couch.

Five days is a loooong time in Las Vegas, but I didn't feel like I'd overdone it that badly.  Had there been more money at my disposal, I could foresee things getting wilder on the gambling floor.  But getting out and about (especially with Claire, the Vegas rookie) makes for a much better experience.  I've lost count of how many times I've been to LV (somewhere between 12 and 20), but I would venture to say that this, alongside my bachelor's party, may have been amongst my top two Vegas trips.

And yes, there was some significant entertainment that will remain unpublished here.  Sorry folks, but it's Vegas.

Las Vegas, Day 3: Impressions at XS, Encore Las Vegas

A delightful result coming from the questionable camera on the BlackBerry Bold 9700.

I present to you: Impressions at XS, Encore Las Vegas.

Turn up the volume.

Las Vegas, Day 2: The Pinball Hall of Fame

Running Tally:
Video Poker - DOWN $60.  Curse you, video poker!  Actually that $60 lasted for about 40-50 hands on a $1 ($5 max bet) machine.

Vegas tip:  If you choose to leave The Strip to drive around town, make sure you plan your travel carefully.  Roads change names, end abruptly, and seem to have existential crises near the highway.  When returning to The Strip, if you find yourself on Desert Inn Road, GET OFF OF IT IMMEDIATELY.

None of us (Jason, our pal Claire, and I) slept much on the first night.  Does anyone ever sleep well on the first night in LV?  I powered through the day without a nap and without lunch.  Yes, I forgot to eat.  That happens in Vegas sometimes.  That's usually due to a good run at the tables.  But for me, it was due to

THE PINBALL HALL OF FAME.

Source

Yeah, that's right, baby.  The Pinball Hall of Fame is a Must Stop for me every time I'm here.

She may not look like much on the outside, but she's got it where it counts.  [One of the many Star Wars quotes that goes seamy out of context.]

Their new facility is huge!  There are so many pinball games that......

......

......

......Sorry, I got lost daydreaming about the place again.

Source

Here's the game list.  Oh, there is indeed 150+ pinball games.  But here's the kicker:  They're in perfect working order.  Probably in better shape than the tables you played 15-45 years ago.  The place is a non-profit, using its proceeds for the upkeep and overhead, then donating the rest.

Yeah, it's freaking sweet.

$12 lasted me THREE HOURS.  Three hours of bliss for the same price as one ugly blackjack hand.

Two of my all-time faves (Addams Family and Jurassic Park) were getting fixed.  Had they been up, I'd still be playing right now.  But it was all good.  So many of my old favorites were bumping like they were shiny and new.

Star Wars - Got reamed on it like always do.
Twilight Zone - Killed it!  Played at least 8 games.  Hands went numb early.  REPLAYED.  Possible all time favorite?
Attack From Mars - A super table.  Forgot how awesome it is.  Didn't forget how bloated the scoring system is.  I was at 6 BILLION points when I was all, "The hell's the replay at?"  8.7 billion.  Five balls!  MATCHED ONCE.
Black Knight 2000 - There were 2 credits sitting on this oldie.  So I gave it spin.  Odd and not entirely intuitive double-leveled gameplay.  But it was free pinball.
Eight Ball Deluxe - A little older than the previous table, but very enjoyable.
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Incredible how quickly the gameplay all comes back.  This is a modern pinball classic.  REPLAYED TWICE IN A ROW.  Yeee-ay-ah.  MATCHED ANOTHER ONE.  Seven games of this.  "Q, we don't have time for your games."
Bad Cats - Awesome.  Haven't played this one in about 15 years.  It's an uncomplicated but oddly addictive table.  I don't even remember how many games I played.  MATCHED TWICE.
Jack Bot - By this point my wrists were locking up and my mind was mush.  I think I played three rounds of this.  Scores were embarrassing.
Theatre of Magic - But I got my second wind here.  Must have played it for an hour, thanks to another two matched free games.  Got 92% of the way to the replay on my last game.  Then I just had to put down the pinball pipe.  My natural instincts were groaning for sustenance and hydration.

I have actual HD video footage of this experience.  It's terrible and terribly mint.  I'll edit one minute recap of this as soon as I'm able.

If you enjoy pinball, please go to the Pinball Hall of Fame.  It will refresh your pinball soul.  The games are all 25-50 cents.  The sounds will transport you to the arcades of the '80s and '90s.  And it's non-profit too!

Las Vegas, Day 1: The Whisky Attic

"I hate to travel, but that's probably because my dad used to beat me with a globe."
--Dave Attell

Okay, neither are true for me.  I LOVE to travel.  And I was beaten with a blue agave plant.  That's probably why I hate tequila.

Did the annual pilgrimage drive to Vegas yesterday.  Started bright and early yet still hit a ton of LA traffic.  But, man oh man, every time I hit Interstate 15, I get Vegas geeked.

I prefer driving here, even if it's without a car partner.  The gas expense is similar to roundtrip plane tickets, but I don't have to deal with the debaculous McCarren Airport.  I don't have to wait in the awfully long taxi line then get charged a bundle for the cabbie sitting in traffic.  And I gain some level of control over my trip.  One has very little control over everything else in this city.  Speaking of which...

Running Tally:
Video Poker - EVEN.  Was down almost $60, then made it all back.

Due to financial restraints, I won't be doing much gambling this weekend.  But I have set aside cash for some excellent endeavors.

The first endeavor......

THE FREAKING FROG - THE WHISKY ATTIC

The Freaking Frog sits just to the west of the UNLV campus.  To call it a bar would be an insult.  They have 1000 beers on the menu.  And lots of live music.  Oh yeah, and they have The Whisky Attic.

The Whisky Attic is by-appointment-only, but it's easy to set up.  There's a couple hundred whiskies up there.  Quite beautiful.  At your appointed time, the boisterous brilliant owner, Adam Carmer, leads up there unlocks the door, then frees your mind.

Source

Since whisky nosing/tasting officially began around 50 years ago there's been one way to do it:  Look at the whisky, nose the whisky, taste the whisky.  Adam has discovered a second way.  And it's 100% legit.  I am a believer.

Sourced from Facebook

So who is Adam, exactly?  He's the Wine & Spirits professor at UNLV.  He opened the Frog first, then the Attic later as the collection expanded.  He also has a ribs place nearby.  He has a book coming out next month on his Method.  When he's not teaching he's meeting with Master Distillers and Blenders in Ireland, Scotland, and Kentucky who want in on this Method.  And he has two patents pending.

Because The Method (also known as CSTEM - Carmer Spirits Tasting Enhancement Method) is in the patent phase and I want the guy to sell some books, I'm going to avoid spilling the beans.  BUT some googling will direct you to some sites that attempt to explain the process.  There's even a video floating around out there.  These things give you a hint but they don't do it justice.

I will say this, if you go drinking with me, I'll walk you through it.  It takes some practice.  Practice with whisky.  OR you can set up an appointment with Adam next time you're in LV [check out the Freaking Frog's website and/or drop me a line].  He'll set up a "tasting" per your specific palate.  And your whisky mind will be melted.  And the price (and I am a cheapskate) is excellent, considering the spirits and two hours of the man's time and what you take with you.

He lined up a set of enormous-palated whiskies since he surmised that I would man-up and enjoy the challenge.  Mere flattery?  Truth?  Either way works for me.  Here is my worldwide sensory experience in order:

Dalmore Gran Reserva
Tyrconnell 10yr Irish Single Malt, Madeira Finish
Big Bottom Bourbon
Balvenie 14yr Carribean Cask
Rowan's Creek Bourbon
Willett Straight Rye
Ledaig 15yr
Amrut Cask Strength Indian Single Malt
Laphroaig 10yr Cask Strength
Ardbeg Corryvrecken
Ballylarkin Irish Whiskey Liqueur
Tomintoul 27yr

Yes, that's a lot of drink.  But it wasn't unreasonable.  It was glorious actually.  And due to his Method, I could easily discern and remember every whisky's characteristics.  And still can actually.  Here are my notes on the highlights:

Dalmore Gran Reserva - can FINALLY taste the Dalmore orange peel character, never was able to before, a graceful malt, one of the better sherried malt experiences I've had
Tyrconnell 10yr Irish Single Malt, Madeira Finish - never been the biggest fan of the fancy wine finishes, but this is delicious; there are flowers blooming in my olfactory bulb, and fresh fruits melting on my taste buds
Big Bottom Bourbon - best bourbon experience I've had yet; it's bourbon, but I can taste more than generic Bourbon, especially the sweets from the corn
Balvenie 14yr Carribean Cask - milk chocolate! lots of it, and cinnamon, all the sweet spices in the cabinet
Rowan's Creek Bourbon - okay, maybe this is the best bourbon experience I've had, I could nose this for days on end
Willett Straight Rye - that's it, I'm sold on rye; I have found an American whisky that I've enjoyed at first blush, it's like a havdalah spice box
Ledaig 15yr - always wanted to try Ledaig, and this was no disappointment; a little soapy and dusty around the edges, but a beautiful peat at its center, a fresh peat if that's possible, grasses and growing vegetation
Amrut Cask Strength Indian Single Malt - for all of its 62% ABV this was very easy to do thanks to the method, the layers expanded with each sip
Laphroaig 10yr Cask Strength - ah the Quarter Cask has a competitor now, dynamite, a whole different animal than the regular 10yr, no more bandaids instead replaced by coal and wood smoke and smoked fish, has one of the best finishes I've ever experienced as it keeps transforming
Ardbeg Corryvrecken - we have a winner, holy s***, despite being one of the heaviest peated malts in history The Corry's peat doesn't dominate, it's one element in actual whisky bouquet, I just used "bouquet" to describe a Scotch, Corry's a damn whirlpool enveloping this drinker, *sigh* I'm going to have to save up for a bottle of this one
Ballylarkin Irish Whiskey Liqueur - Scotch candy! Lychee and canned peaches, shows Adam's sense of humor for putting this one next to The Corry
Tomintoul 27yr - a bonus sip, wasn't supposed to be part of the tasting; very nice malty malt, more enjoyable than the 33yr, very tiered with a burst of pear at the end

Okay, so I realize that's of limited help to the reader.  But I wanted to show you that the whisky alone would cost two or three times as much in LA......if you could find a bar that carried any of them.  All of this for less than a good seat at Cirque de Soleil.  Much cheaper than a terrible 30 minutes at the tables.

And keep in mind, I violated every rule of whisky nosing beforehand.  I wore (too much) cologne.  I ate fish and chips (at his recommendation).  He cooked up a bunch of garlic and onions at the bar.  And none of that, none of it, hindered the whisky adventure that followed.

I can easily enumerate the seminal whisky experiences in my life:
Glenfiddich with Cousin Jon almost 15 years ago; Scotland and Ireland in October and November 2003; Splitting at least a half bottle of Johnnie Walker Green Label with Bernardo; Royal Mile Whiskies visit in May 2011; Peat reek finally clicking with the Signatory Bowmore; and now learning this new sensory method.

I'm still mulling over this.  It's like being able to see new colors.