With Mariano Rivera gone for the season (and possibly longer) the modicum of a shit I gave about baseball I eagerly take back.
Massive remodling going on at home right now. Some smashing and destruction is involved. Trying to limit my nervous breakdown to a mere heart attack.
And the Beastie Boys' MCA (Adam Yauch) has died. What a crap week this has been.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
NOT Single Malt Report: J&B Blended Scotch Whisky
I follow Cutty Sark with its historical mate, J&B Rare:
As soon as Prohibition had ended -- about 100 years after Alfred Brooks bought up the Johnson holdings of (Giacomo) Justerini & Johnson -- Justerini & Brooks released a light-colored blended whisky in the US. A few years later they realized that "Justerini & Brooks Whisky" doesn't roll off the American tongue, and they rebranded it as J&B Rare.
For a few decades Cutty and J&B ruled the top of the US Scotch market. In 1962, Cutty became the first Scotch brand to sell one million cases, then J&B accomplished the same the following year. This light-character was so popular in the '60s that (according to Charles MacLean's Scotch Whisky: A Liquid History) Glenfiddich made sure that the first Single Malt product was kept an un-colored pale shade in 1964.
During the late '70s recession, middle and lower class Americans drifted away from Scotch towards cheap vodka, wine, and beer. Upper middle class folks kept buying whisky so the more premium brands like Dewars and Johnnie Walker replaced Cutty and J&B at the top of the sales chart. Before the decade was over, Justerini & Brooks was sold to Grand Metropolitan who would later become......you guessed it. Diageo.
Unlike Cutty Sark, J&B has held onto quite a bit of their market share, still ranked as the third best-selling blended Scotch brand in the world (behind Johnnie and Ballantines) in 2010.
While I'm happy to report that it tastes better than Cutty, that's not why it sells well. It has the Diageo muscle behind it. Whenever you see the Johnnie Walkers on the higher shelves, you can almost always find J&B on a shelf below -- throughout The States and much of Europe. Thus it's not actually 'Rare'.
Let's taste.
NEAT:
Color -- Very light, almost chardonnay
Nose -- Apple juice, fruity sweetness, then rough young grain whisky, varnish, and weak oak
Palate -- Apple juice again, brown sugar; very mild and light, must be a bunch of 4th-fill casks
Finish -- Decent length, but grain whisky heavy
WITH WATER:
Nose -- Much more minerally, no more fruit, wood gets stronger
Palate -- Creamied up a bit, just a whisper of the neat palate, not much but not bad
Finish -- Short but very drying
HIGHBALL:
Palate -- Buttery, pleasant, not sweet, oaky
As per the notes, there isn't a heck of a lot going on. But it's not terrible. It didn't take to water very well, but decently handled the club soda. The young cheap grain whisky keeps it from holding its own straight up. While my palate liked it slightly better than my old buddy Black & White, it's still not something I'd purchase at a liquor store or bar.
My blend search continues...
Brand: J&B Rare
Ownership: Diageo
Distilleries: "42 different whiskies" (primarily in Speyside)
Type: Scotch Blended Whiskey
Age: minimum 3 years
Alcohol by Volume: 40%
For a few decades Cutty and J&B ruled the top of the US Scotch market. In 1962, Cutty became the first Scotch brand to sell one million cases, then J&B accomplished the same the following year. This light-character was so popular in the '60s that (according to Charles MacLean's Scotch Whisky: A Liquid History) Glenfiddich made sure that the first Single Malt product was kept an un-colored pale shade in 1964.
During the late '70s recession, middle and lower class Americans drifted away from Scotch towards cheap vodka, wine, and beer. Upper middle class folks kept buying whisky so the more premium brands like Dewars and Johnnie Walker replaced Cutty and J&B at the top of the sales chart. Before the decade was over, Justerini & Brooks was sold to Grand Metropolitan who would later become......you guessed it. Diageo.
Unlike Cutty Sark, J&B has held onto quite a bit of their market share, still ranked as the third best-selling blended Scotch brand in the world (behind Johnnie and Ballantines) in 2010.
While I'm happy to report that it tastes better than Cutty, that's not why it sells well. It has the Diageo muscle behind it. Whenever you see the Johnnie Walkers on the higher shelves, you can almost always find J&B on a shelf below -- throughout The States and much of Europe. Thus it's not actually 'Rare'.
Let's taste.
NEAT:
Color -- Very light, almost chardonnay
Nose -- Apple juice, fruity sweetness, then rough young grain whisky, varnish, and weak oak
Palate -- Apple juice again, brown sugar; very mild and light, must be a bunch of 4th-fill casks
Finish -- Decent length, but grain whisky heavy
WITH WATER:
Nose -- Much more minerally, no more fruit, wood gets stronger
Palate -- Creamied up a bit, just a whisper of the neat palate, not much but not bad
Finish -- Short but very drying
HIGHBALL:
Palate -- Buttery, pleasant, not sweet, oaky
As per the notes, there isn't a heck of a lot going on. But it's not terrible. It didn't take to water very well, but decently handled the club soda. The young cheap grain whisky keeps it from holding its own straight up. While my palate liked it slightly better than my old buddy Black & White, it's still not something I'd purchase at a liquor store or bar.
My blend search continues...
Availability - Everywhere
Pricing - Reasonable at $18-$20
Rating - 74
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Hummingbird versus the Skylight
We have three skylights on top of our condo unit. Two indoors, one outdoors. They help add to our home's generous flow of natural light and look a lot better than a ceiling. I think we still like 'em, despite their shockingly shoddy installation [subject for another post, maybe, if I'm drunk].
The two indoor skylights hover over each of our bathrooms. The outdoor skylight is just outside our front door in a small hallway/atrium. It lights up that little entranceway with white natural light. The folks on the floors below don't have this so their entranceway is cavelike during the day.
Returning home from the gym, yesterday morning, I heard a flittering buzzing noise as I approached our front door. I looked up expecting to see a large moth doing battle with the skylight. But it wasn't a moth. It was a hummingbird.
He was bashing his tiny hummingbird skull against the skylight desperately trying to fly towards the light. He thought the window was the sky and this sensory miscalculation was gradually killing him.
I am a softie when it comes to animals, but I am especially smitten by hummingbirds. Their lovely stop-hover-go-hover-go-hover-stop-hover-go flight mechanics seem to defy the laws of physics. They display what appears to be a playful character of curiosity and mischief (personification!). And they're really tiny.
And now here was a hummingbird that was going to die at my front door because of our outdoor skylight. He (more personification) panicked more every time I stepped into view. His left wing looked bent out of whack. And I swore I heard crazed bird squeaks with his every struggle.
I hurried inside. I'm Stupid City Folk. What the f**k do I do? Internet! Google: hummingbird skylight. (Note to self: Hummingbird Skylight --> title of my debut New Age Emo Xylophone indy album.) Sure enough, this is not the first time in history that a hummingbird has gotten stuck in a skylight. Most folks posted hairier stories about hummingbirds getting stuck indoors.
Here's a link about one of those situations.
Here's a very in-depth page with multiple solutions.
And, yes, there's an LA Hummingbird Rescue line.
A lot of the articles talked about creating a perch for the bird to rest on. I tried using a broom, but that FREAKED IT THE F*** OUT! Now he'd slipped into a machine-gun-level effort of bludgeoning himself to death.
Then there were articles about catching it in my bare hand. Then all of these warnings about being careful to not crush the bird's bones when......I'm not going to finish typing that.
I caught a line about closing all sources of light except an open door or two within the house so the bird will eventually go for that light source. Suddenly a dim bulb in my own brain turned on. Though closing off light sources was irrelevant (since the bird was outdoors), I realized that I could cut off the light that was pouring in through the skylight window. If the bird stopped seeing the light above him, maybe his dumb ass will look for the actual sunlight a few feet away.
I grabbed a rug and large towel and headed for the roof. [Note: Oh the roof. I'm only up there when there's trouble. And I've been up there many many times.] I covered the window dome in its entirety, making sure to smother all light. I even hit it a couple of times. And yelled, "Go, you little sh*t! Go!"
And he went. Or maybe he disappeared into thin air as magical hummingbirds are apt to do. The skylight was hummingbird-less. I did a three-second version of The Running Man, then went indoors and almost passed out from dehydration.
I haven't discovered any bird bodies in the meantime. Maybe he's alive and flying sideways with his wonky wing. Or perhaps he's searching for nectar inside tractor trailer tailpipes, thanks to his dain bramage. Or maybe he's trying to mate with a dachshund.
In any case, you tiny twit.:
 |
| You're welcome. (Source) |
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
NOT Single Malt Report: Cutty Sark Blended Whisky
Ah, the blended whisky reports begin. Let's start with one of the classics.
Brand: Cutty Sark
Ownership: The Edrington Group (previously Berry Bros. & Rudd)
Distilleries: Many (though Glenrothes-centered with some Macallan and Highland Park)
Type: Scotch Blended Whiskey
Age: minimum 3 years
Alcohol by Volume: 40%
Named after one of the last great British tea clipper ships, Cutty Sark Blended Whisky was created in 1923 by Francis Berry and Hugh Rudd. Berry and Rudd wanted to fashion this whisky for the international market, specifically for the US (whenever the Americans' damned Prohibition would end). Because Berry and Rudd were foremost wine merchants, they also wanted to create a blend for their wine clientele. A whisky lighter and fruitier than other blends, and naturally colored.
During Prohibition, bootlegger Captain William McCoy, known for bringing in only the best of the best (hence, "The Real McCoy"), introduced America to this brand. Apparently everyone's efforts worked. By 1961, Cutty Sark had become the top selling blended Scotch in the US (though it no longer holds that position). In 2010, The Edrington Group (owners of Macallan and Highland Park) bought the brand from Berry Bros. & Rudd and have been distributing it since.
There's a peated Cutty (known as Cutty Black), a blended malt, and a series of aged blends (12, 15, 18, and 25 years). But the flagship (so to speak) product is the young basic blend.
DISCLAIMER: I have the utmost respect for Berry Bros. & Rudd, The Edrington Group, as well as Cutty Sark's important place in Scotch Whisky history. But I have my doubts that the blend recipe for the current product is anywhere close to what it used to be.
I'll list the tasting notes, then comment.
NEAT:
Color - Very light gold
Nose - grain heavy, overripe bananas, brown sugar, but mostly a rush of derelict wino whisky vomit
Palate - Grass, moonshine, the sad sours, turpentine (aka The Turps)
Finish - I wish it would finish
WITH WATER:
Nose - like a grainier(!) oakier version of Black&White with a hint of rotting flesh
Palate - creamy, nillas, and The Turps
Finish - mercifully brief
HIGHBALLS:
Palate - a little more vanilla and saccharine, but it's raunchy no matter how much ice is added
Like skunk funk or vomit or other glandular secretions, Cutty's palate cannot be scrubbed away with water. It gave me terrifying flashbacks to college-era toilet-hugging puke-scapades, and I'm not even sure those were my memories.
I'm not alone in this judgement. To quote the glowing reviews of the Los Angeles Whisky Society:
It's not the worst whisky I've had (though it's close to making the bottom 5), but I had such a hard time understanding how this could be appealing. I have to believe that it was better once, back before mass production, when malt contents were higher and better. Having heard many whisky fans bemoan the quality decline of many blends, I have to believe that this is another one that's been tarnished.
I'm very thankful that I didn't buy a 750mL bottle just because the price was right. The $2.99 for a 50mL was thus a worthwhile expense.
Brand: Cutty Sark
Ownership: The Edrington Group (previously Berry Bros. & Rudd)
Distilleries: Many (though Glenrothes-centered with some Macallan and Highland Park)
Type: Scotch Blended Whiskey
Age: minimum 3 years
Alcohol by Volume: 40%
Named after one of the last great British tea clipper ships, Cutty Sark Blended Whisky was created in 1923 by Francis Berry and Hugh Rudd. Berry and Rudd wanted to fashion this whisky for the international market, specifically for the US (whenever the Americans' damned Prohibition would end). Because Berry and Rudd were foremost wine merchants, they also wanted to create a blend for their wine clientele. A whisky lighter and fruitier than other blends, and naturally colored.
During Prohibition, bootlegger Captain William McCoy, known for bringing in only the best of the best (hence, "The Real McCoy"), introduced America to this brand. Apparently everyone's efforts worked. By 1961, Cutty Sark had become the top selling blended Scotch in the US (though it no longer holds that position). In 2010, The Edrington Group (owners of Macallan and Highland Park) bought the brand from Berry Bros. & Rudd and have been distributing it since.
There's a peated Cutty (known as Cutty Black), a blended malt, and a series of aged blends (12, 15, 18, and 25 years). But the flagship (so to speak) product is the young basic blend.
DISCLAIMER: I have the utmost respect for Berry Bros. & Rudd, The Edrington Group, as well as Cutty Sark's important place in Scotch Whisky history. But I have my doubts that the blend recipe for the current product is anywhere close to what it used to be.
I'll list the tasting notes, then comment.
NEAT:
Color - Very light gold
Nose - grain heavy, overripe bananas, brown sugar, but mostly a rush of derelict wino whisky vomit
Palate - Grass, moonshine, the sad sours, turpentine (aka The Turps)
Finish - I wish it would finish
WITH WATER:
Nose - like a grainier(!) oakier version of Black&White with a hint of rotting flesh
Palate - creamy, nillas, and The Turps
Finish - mercifully brief
HIGHBALLS:
Palate - a little more vanilla and saccharine, but it's raunchy no matter how much ice is added
Like skunk funk or vomit or other glandular secretions, Cutty's palate cannot be scrubbed away with water. It gave me terrifying flashbacks to college-era toilet-hugging puke-scapades, and I'm not even sure those were my memories.
I'm not alone in this judgement. To quote the glowing reviews of the Los Angeles Whisky Society:
"Nose is fruity, with pee. Palate is initially awful. Then it doesn't get better. I don't like anything about this and can barely drink it. Barely." "Bottled sewer water." "I think maybe this tastes like pee, not that I know what pee tastes like, but if I did drink pee, I think this is what it would taste like." "It tastes like flat beer with Splenda. This is vile, hideous stuff."This is the stuff that ruins blended whisky for beginners. Blends do not have to taste like this.
It's not the worst whisky I've had (though it's close to making the bottom 5), but I had such a hard time understanding how this could be appealing. I have to believe that it was better once, back before mass production, when malt contents were higher and better. Having heard many whisky fans bemoan the quality decline of many blends, I have to believe that this is another one that's been tarnished.
I'm very thankful that I didn't buy a 750mL bottle just because the price was right. The $2.99 for a 50mL was thus a worthwhile expense.
Availability - Everywhere :(
Pricing - Fair(?) at $17-$20
Rating - 60
Monday, April 30, 2012
Monday Miscellaneous
I wake from vivid dreams where I've been framed for murdering a producer and my car's been firebombed to the real world sounds of shouting and gunfire. I lay in bed a moment, my heart racing. The shouting continues.
A moment later I realize our alcoholic (at the very least) oddball neighbor across the way has passed out with her TV cranked up to 11 and her front door open. The amplified onscreen turmoil no one's watching had filtered into my unconscious and influenced my nightmares. I wake her up and have her close the door. It is 2:45am.
At 4:45am I am still awake, the adrenaline still bouncing around my brain banging pots together. I have to trick my consciousness into believing that I am having an out of body experience, looking down at myself from the ceiling, in order to slip into sleep. Two hours later our cell phone alarms go off. Two hours of restful sleep.
Mad Men
(TONS OF SPOILERS AHEAD)
I love the writing staff's decision to go big and crazy this season. From the two hour sexy premiere to Don's fever dream of killing an ex-lover with his bare hands to Lane delivering a beatdown to "grimy pimp" Campbell to LSD reverie to handjobs in a movie theater. But a heartfelt slow clap goes out to Julia Ormond servicing a particular gentleman in one of the more graphic simulated oral sex shots I've seen. And I may have seen a few.
These are all moments that are much louder than anything in previous seasons (aside from the lawnmower scene). Subtle character development remains. Something messy gradually unfurls at the agency. And there's the continual descent into darkness. So it's still Mad Men, just a little bigger. But give us more Joan story, please!
I really have no idea where this season is going, as is the case every season. Sally Draper is going to be one scrambled adult, but how screwed up is the question. Teen pregnancy? Suicide? Homicide? My bet is on Megan leaving Don, who will continue to be powerless (aka Happy Don) when in her radius. And I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Roger and Joan make another go at things.
If there was one theme that's run the loudest during season, then it's Parents Screw Up Their Children.
Books
We have 'em. In fact, a consistent issue in our home is bookshelf space. We never ever have enough.
A few years ago I stopped buying new books and scoured the Used listings for the Amazon Marketplace sellers. I couldn't believe more people weren't doing the same. Books in great condition for a buck and change (plus shipping)? The accumulation of the printed word continued, until I took the next logical step...
No, I didn't buy a Kindle.
I obtained a Long Beach Library card. And now I'm reading more than I have in decades. I have research books. And Serious Literature. And frivolities. I'm saving buckets of cash and stopping the bookshelf stuffing.
I've even raided the "Government" and "Federal" stacks. Checked out old maps of LA County (picture Chinatown but without the bifurcated nostril and a nicer librarian). They rent out old music and even have a bunch of free downloads.
And best of all, they still have the occasional schizophrenic wandering in shouting, "WHERE ARE THE APPLICATIONS FOR THE US GOVERNMENT JOBS? APPLES! FRANKLIN DELANOR ROOSEVELT! DO YOU HAVE JELLY ROLL MORTON? HOOVER HAD HIM KILLED! I WANT TO WORK IN A FOREST!" Ah, that's just timeless.
The library smells like the best parts of my nerdy childhood and the bathrooms are clean. Makes me feel fulfilled.
A moment later I realize our alcoholic (at the very least) oddball neighbor across the way has passed out with her TV cranked up to 11 and her front door open. The amplified onscreen turmoil no one's watching had filtered into my unconscious and influenced my nightmares. I wake her up and have her close the door. It is 2:45am.
At 4:45am I am still awake, the adrenaline still bouncing around my brain banging pots together. I have to trick my consciousness into believing that I am having an out of body experience, looking down at myself from the ceiling, in order to slip into sleep. Two hours later our cell phone alarms go off. Two hours of restful sleep.
Mad Men
(TONS OF SPOILERS AHEAD)
I love the writing staff's decision to go big and crazy this season. From the two hour sexy premiere to Don's fever dream of killing an ex-lover with his bare hands to Lane delivering a beatdown to "grimy pimp" Campbell to LSD reverie to handjobs in a movie theater. But a heartfelt slow clap goes out to Julia Ormond servicing a particular gentleman in one of the more graphic simulated oral sex shots I've seen. And I may have seen a few.
These are all moments that are much louder than anything in previous seasons (aside from the lawnmower scene). Subtle character development remains. Something messy gradually unfurls at the agency. And there's the continual descent into darkness. So it's still Mad Men, just a little bigger. But give us more Joan story, please!
I really have no idea where this season is going, as is the case every season. Sally Draper is going to be one scrambled adult, but how screwed up is the question. Teen pregnancy? Suicide? Homicide? My bet is on Megan leaving Don, who will continue to be powerless (aka Happy Don) when in her radius. And I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Roger and Joan make another go at things.
If there was one theme that's run the loudest during season, then it's Parents Screw Up Their Children.
 |
| Mad Men Sad Men Bad Men |
Books
We have 'em. In fact, a consistent issue in our home is bookshelf space. We never ever have enough.
A few years ago I stopped buying new books and scoured the Used listings for the Amazon Marketplace sellers. I couldn't believe more people weren't doing the same. Books in great condition for a buck and change (plus shipping)? The accumulation of the printed word continued, until I took the next logical step...
No, I didn't buy a Kindle.
I obtained a Long Beach Library card. And now I'm reading more than I have in decades. I have research books. And Serious Literature. And frivolities. I'm saving buckets of cash and stopping the bookshelf stuffing.
I've even raided the "Government" and "Federal" stacks. Checked out old maps of LA County (picture Chinatown but without the bifurcated nostril and a nicer librarian). They rent out old music and even have a bunch of free downloads.
And best of all, they still have the occasional schizophrenic wandering in shouting, "WHERE ARE THE APPLICATIONS FOR THE US GOVERNMENT JOBS? APPLES! FRANKLIN DELANOR ROOSEVELT! DO YOU HAVE JELLY ROLL MORTON? HOOVER HAD HIM KILLED! I WANT TO WORK IN A FOREST!" Ah, that's just timeless.
The library smells like the best parts of my nerdy childhood and the bathrooms are clean. Makes me feel fulfilled.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Whisky Ramblings, Month in review and Month in preview
So that was a weird whisky month. Thanks to the 'Tour', being sick, and travelling I've had a grand total of 3 ounces of single malt Scotch whisky for the entirety of April. (Okay that's a fib; there was the LA Scotch Club tastings. Bless you, chaps.)
Aside from the reviewed world whiskies, I tried some blends from Ireland and Scotland. Cheap blends. I'm still on the search for a nice new Scotch cheapie for The Cabinet. I'll be reporting all of my blended findings in May.
I might dabble in some bourbon in the coming months as I widen my search for affordable quality drank. Otherwise, I have at least 3 massive Scotch Taste Offs prepped over the next 2 months. This time, it's all about product line verticals. These three distilleries, combined, have 1/3rd of Macallan's production capacity, but are as or more beloved by whisky anoraks than big Mac. Their names will remain shrouded in mystery for now...
But back to the blends for a sec. When I reached for a drink last night, I realized what I wanted was a whisky I didn't have to ponder, mull, and pontificate over. Just something reliable (and inexpensive so I wouldn't feel any guilt over additional servings), so I could just enjoy and forget about it. It should taste good, but sometimes I don't need a winged choir singing to me on every whisky sip. Just something to chill with. Again and again. Repeat if necessary.
Happily, I have Powers Gold Label. C'mon Scotland, step it up!
Good weekend wishes to you all!
Aside from the reviewed world whiskies, I tried some blends from Ireland and Scotland. Cheap blends. I'm still on the search for a nice new Scotch cheapie for The Cabinet. I'll be reporting all of my blended findings in May.
I might dabble in some bourbon in the coming months as I widen my search for affordable quality drank. Otherwise, I have at least 3 massive Scotch Taste Offs prepped over the next 2 months. This time, it's all about product line verticals. These three distilleries, combined, have 1/3rd of Macallan's production capacity, but are as or more beloved by whisky anoraks than big Mac. Their names will remain shrouded in mystery for now...
But back to the blends for a sec. When I reached for a drink last night, I realized what I wanted was a whisky I didn't have to ponder, mull, and pontificate over. Just something reliable (and inexpensive so I wouldn't feel any guilt over additional servings), so I could just enjoy and forget about it. It should taste good, but sometimes I don't need a winged choir singing to me on every whisky sip. Just something to chill with. Again and again. Repeat if necessary.
Happily, I have Powers Gold Label. C'mon Scotland, step it up!
 |
| Whuuuut? How does this exist and I not know about it until now? Yeah, it's for decor purposes, but who doesn't want a flagon?! |
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Single(?) Malt Report: Amrut Fusion
We conclude our World Whisky Tour with a multi-national option. A British Empire selection, if you will. Amrut Fusion.
Recipe: 1 part Indian barley + 1 part peated Scotch barley. Malt 'em, distill 'em, age them for 3-4 years in oak. Dispense into bottles. Win some serious awards:
2009 - Best Natural Cask (Daily Drams), Malt Maniacs Awards
2010 - 3rd Best Whisky in the World, Jim Murray
2011 - World Whisky of the Year, Malt Advocate
Three sets of folks who rarely concur on their whisky faves and they all raved about this one.
Region: Distillation - India (Bangalore), Maltings - Scotland and India
Alcohol by Volume: 50%
First, a question. Is this really a single malt? I've read various descriptions about this whisky's parts. I had seen "Indian barley and Scottish barley" and "Indian malt and Scottish malt". So I wondered how they could bottle this as a "single malt".
I went to the Scottish Whisky Association's 2009 Scotch Whisky regulations for an answer. Amrut says they play by the SWA's rules. So how does the SWA define a single malt?
So, to conclude: The barley can be malted in multiple locations (around the world), but as long as the whisky is distilled at a single distillery, it can be labelled a single malt. Okey doke.
I've done a pair of Amrut reports already, both with some distillery info, we can skip the history part. But why 'Amrut'? What does it mean? Per their website:
One of Whisky's root Gaelic terms is 'uisge beatha' which translates roughly to "Water of Life".
So Amrut's doubling up on the life-giving-liquid terminology. Works for me.
I picked up a 50mL mini of Fusion along with Amrut's Cask Strength (reviewed here) at Mission Wine & Spirits several months back. I freed it last night.
NOTES
NEAT:
Color -- Brass
Nose -- Brown sugar, bourbon oak, bitter grapefruit, lots of vanilla yogurt, Nillas!, new oak; with some time it gets a little candy-sweeter and there's a brief swimming pool note
Texture -- Very thick
Palate -- Grassy, light peat, caramel, very ripe fruit, mildly sweet
Finish -- Lengthy, drying, light peat, caramel
WITH WATER (about 40% ABV)
Color -- It clouds up immediately, thus no chill filtering!
Nose -- Pencils, new oak, alcohol + spice zing, apple juice, light peat
Palate -- Water brings out more peat and more sweet, soft sweet creamy custard, brown sugar, almond cookies
Finish -- Medium, molasses, citrus sour
You may notice how brief the palate notes were, compared to the nose, on the neat sampling. That was because it was SO DAMN GOOD that I had difficultly figuring out what I was tasting. Some folks say they get something chocolate fudgy.
Fusion works very well with water too. It helped sort through the individual characteristics. Overall, it's not really that peaty. A little less than Highland Park, probably.
I recommend this for Scotch lovers. It's definitely a dessert dram. It's one of those whiskys that you sip, then stare at your glass and say in your most manly voice, "That's yummy."
Because this marks the end of my World Whisky Tour, I'd like to comment on the international character of this whisky's production. As mentioned earlier, a good portion of this whisky's barley is grown in Scotland. Then it is shipped to India. After it's been distilled and aged, the bottles are then shipped to the United States. If you're not following my italics here, I'll make it plain.
Scotch Whisky import distance:
US EAST:
3,300 miles by boat
US WEST:
3,300 miles by boat
2,800 miles by land
Amrut Fusion full import distance:
US EAST:
16,100 miles by boat
2,800 miles by land
US WEST:
16,100 miles by boat
Consider Fusion's carbon footprint. Or, if carbon footprints aren't your thing, think about how much petroleum is needed for that whisky bottle to get to your liquor cabinet.
Maybe it's just me but I can't not think about it. As tremendous as this malt is, I will probably never buy a bottle (mini or otherwise) of it......until container ships are run on happiness.
But the whisky is great.
Recipe: 1 part Indian barley + 1 part peated Scotch barley. Malt 'em, distill 'em, age them for 3-4 years in oak. Dispense into bottles. Win some serious awards:
2009 - Best Natural Cask (Daily Drams), Malt Maniacs Awards
2010 - 3rd Best Whisky in the World, Jim Murray
2011 - World Whisky of the Year, Malt Advocate
Three sets of folks who rarely concur on their whisky faves and they all raved about this one.
Distillery: Amrut
Age: around 3 to 4 years
Batch: #04, January 2010
Maturation: ex-bourbon and/or new oak casksRegion: Distillation - India (Bangalore), Maltings - Scotland and India
Alcohol by Volume: 50%
First, a question. Is this really a single malt? I've read various descriptions about this whisky's parts. I had seen "Indian barley and Scottish barley" and "Indian malt and Scottish malt". So I wondered how they could bottle this as a "single malt".
I went to the Scottish Whisky Association's 2009 Scotch Whisky regulations for an answer. Amrut says they play by the SWA's rules. So how does the SWA define a single malt?
Single Malt Scotch Whisky means a Scotch Whisky produced from only water and malted barley at a single distillery by batch distillation in pot stills.Thus what Amrut must be doing is shipping the peated Scottish barley all the way to India, then distilling it along with the Indian barley in their facilities in Bangalore. Since the Scottish barley is peated, then it was likely malted in Scotland then dried with peat smoke before it shipped.
So, to conclude: The barley can be malted in multiple locations (around the world), but as long as the whisky is distilled at a single distillery, it can be labelled a single malt. Okey doke.
I've done a pair of Amrut reports already, both with some distillery info, we can skip the history part. But why 'Amrut'? What does it mean? Per their website:
According to Indian Mythology, when Gods and Rakshasas - the demons - churned the oceans using the mountain Meru as churner, a golden pot sprang out containing the Elixir of Life. That was called the "Amrut".Amrut is the Elixir of Life.
One of Whisky's root Gaelic terms is 'uisge beatha' which translates roughly to "Water of Life".
So Amrut's doubling up on the life-giving-liquid terminology. Works for me.
I picked up a 50mL mini of Fusion along with Amrut's Cask Strength (reviewed here) at Mission Wine & Spirits several months back. I freed it last night.
NOTES
NEAT:
Color -- Brass
Nose -- Brown sugar, bourbon oak, bitter grapefruit, lots of vanilla yogurt, Nillas!, new oak; with some time it gets a little candy-sweeter and there's a brief swimming pool note
Texture -- Very thick
Palate -- Grassy, light peat, caramel, very ripe fruit, mildly sweet
Finish -- Lengthy, drying, light peat, caramel
WITH WATER (about 40% ABV)
Color -- It clouds up immediately, thus no chill filtering!
Nose -- Pencils, new oak, alcohol + spice zing, apple juice, light peat
Palate -- Water brings out more peat and more sweet, soft sweet creamy custard, brown sugar, almond cookies
Finish -- Medium, molasses, citrus sour
You may notice how brief the palate notes were, compared to the nose, on the neat sampling. That was because it was SO DAMN GOOD that I had difficultly figuring out what I was tasting. Some folks say they get something chocolate fudgy.
Fusion works very well with water too. It helped sort through the individual characteristics. Overall, it's not really that peaty. A little less than Highland Park, probably.
I recommend this for Scotch lovers. It's definitely a dessert dram. It's one of those whiskys that you sip, then stare at your glass and say in your most manly voice, "That's yummy."
Because this marks the end of my World Whisky Tour, I'd like to comment on the international character of this whisky's production. As mentioned earlier, a good portion of this whisky's barley is grown in Scotland. Then it is shipped to India. After it's been distilled and aged, the bottles are then shipped to the United States. If you're not following my italics here, I'll make it plain.
Scotch Whisky import distance:
US EAST:
3,300 miles by boat
US WEST:
3,300 miles by boat
2,800 miles by land
Amrut Fusion full import distance:
US EAST:
16,100 miles by boat
2,800 miles by land
US WEST:
16,100 miles by boat
Consider Fusion's carbon footprint. Or, if carbon footprints aren't your thing, think about how much petroleum is needed for that whisky bottle to get to your liquor cabinet.
Maybe it's just me but I can't not think about it. As tremendous as this malt is, I will probably never buy a bottle (mini or otherwise) of it......until container ships are run on happiness.
But the whisky is great.
Availability - Available at most liquor specialists
Pricing - Good at $60-$70
Rating - 90
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