Smokin'

As promised, but maybe a little late, is another short and sweet whisky review!  A while back I ordered a bottle of Smokehead Whisky, a single malt from Ian MacLeod (of the clan MacLeod, no doubt).

The Smokehead!!

Now, I decided to take my time with this one.  Instead of just taking a sample taste and blogging right away, I kept it around and had it as my evening dram.  Ok, let's get real...it was more likely 2 fingers or so, not just one. Who can drink just one?

So back to the whisky.  It's an Islay malt, and nice and peaty. And smokey. Very very smokey.  The first taste slams you hard. Holy cow. Was it going to be TOO strong?  Thankfully, at only 86 proof there wasn't an underlying sting of "too much booze" to overpower.

Back for the second taste. Ok, much better. The peat and smoke, although strong, mellow out a bit once you know what to expect. And it gets really tasty.

It might look like a gimmicky whisky, not worth your time and/or money.  But it isn't a gimmick.  It is a well-crafted single malt to blow the pants off you! Rather like those old cartoons with the smoke pouring out of the ears, this one is a mind-blower.

If you're in the mood for something new, something to keep you a bit warm through the upcoming Fall and Winter months, give this a try! Go on, it's easy... just click on that link.  However, if you need something now, click on that other link.. the Master of Malt one. See it? Right over to the right of this post. I think I bought the last bottle of Smokehead until stocks are renewed..

A Few Wee Drams

It's that time again.  Well, actually, it's well past that time, as I finished my samples from Master of Malt a while ago. They deserve a review, Jessica-style!

Highland Park 13 Year

First up is the Master of Malt bottling of Highland Park's 13 Year Old Single Cask.  Coming in at a healthy 114-proof (57% abv), this one's not to be taken lightly.  If you've read any of my other reviews, I am not one to linger on confusing tasting notes.  You can easily read this online if you follow the link!  However, this little number is aged in bourbon casks and we all know I have a certain fondness for bourbons! So, 13 years after hitting the casks, this little number comes out warm, sweet, and slightly smoky. Yum. Yum. Yum!  And best of all, no water needed! Although it's cask-strength, it's not over-powering!

Caol Ila 30 Year

And on to the Master of Malt Caol Ila 30 Year Old Single Cask.  Man, oh man!  Distilled when I was a wee lass of 5, scampering around the streets of Miami, it emerges with some serious punch! Slightly stronger than the Highland Park, at 57.4% abv, it still isn't too boozy. However, it's full of flavor..spicy, a bit fruity and vanilla-y, and loads of good smoke!  A total winner.  A bit hard on the wallet, but a wee sample would make a great little treat!

As always, simply follow the links to get your own.  And...many thanks to the very very kind folks at Master of Malt for letting me try these lovely whiskies!

Murphy's Law

Or you local people might call it "Sod's Law".  There have been many corollaries over the years, but in the end, if something can go wrong, it will.  It's all about timing.  So, my husband is working overseas for a while. We accepted this, made the decision, and forged ahead.  Living apart is nothing new to us, and with the Internet and free phone calls, it's not as bad as it might seem.

Everyone keeps asking me, "When is he going to visit?" as if he is going to come racing home every weekend, simply to spend less than 2 days here.  Not being funny, but that's a bit unrealistic considering the travel arrangements, not to mention costs.  We figured we'd just wait to see when his schedule allowed a bit of vacation time, and go with that.

Review: Island Whisky

A while back I made it through another Master of Malt dram sampler set.  This time it was the Island Whisky one, and a rather tasty one indeed!

Island Whisky Set

First of all, anyone who has tasted a few Scotch whiskies has probably discovered that they're all very different, even within the same region! Maybe you like one particular style, but have no idea how to branch out. And, let's face it, the guy behind the counter in your local liquor store will either know nothing, or try to sell you the most expensive thing he's got.  If you don't like it you're likely stuck with the bottle taking up space in your pantry, gathering dust.

So, when my parents sent me this set for Hanukkah, I was quite happy that I could experiment a bit!  The Highland Park 25 Year Old and the Tobermory 14 Year Old were the most mellow, without being too boozy.  I never like when the alcohol overpowers the flavor.  The MoM Arran 12 Year Old and the Jura 16 Year Old were a bit more flavorful, but my favorite had to be the Talisker 57〫North. It's  nice and powerful; a bit peaty with some sweet and smoke thrown in for good measure.

The only downside? I didn't have any more...

Whisky Bitters

I recently got my paws on a bottle of Master of Malt's new whisky bitters.  I immediately went off in search of simple recipes and came across the classic Manhattan and Old Fashion.  Easy to make, and I already had the basic ingredients!  I decided to make my Old Fashion without the addition of any soda water, or tonic, but just a few teaspoons of simple syrup, a healthy dose of bitters, ice (3 cubes), and a good shot of whiskey.  I think it was The Irishman. I also left out those pesky garnishes as I am not fond of maraschino cherries and I was out of oranges after mulling cider.

The Bitters!

One word. YUM.

Several words. Sweet, spicy-cinnamon and nutmeg, slightly fruity.

The flavors are wintery and not remotely "bitter".  A few drops will even give a bit of a kick to any regular whisky, if you're so inclined.  However, if you think it's sacrilegious, stick to adding the bitters to cocktails.  You won't be sorry.