How My Palate Has Changed
Years have passed since I posted about starting my journey with whisky. I've now had the opportunity to sample many different varieties: Scotch, Irish, Canadian, American, Japanese, Tasmanian, Indian, Hawaiian, and local Canadian micro-distilleries.
Back when I was 21, I bought a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, and to be honest, it wasn't enjoyable. My palate was way underdeveloped. When hosting a whisky tasting at the Canadian Armed Forces College for Robbie Burns night, I had a surprise opportunity to sample Blue Label again. This time around, Johnnie Walker Blue Label was delicious, and I would recommend it to anyone. I also found it much better to add a little bit of water to the Blue Label. The flavors that open up are amazing and it’s definitely the way to go for this one.
For years, I also stayed away from peated Scotch; I just didn’t find it to be enjoyable. It was like a roundhouse kick to the face. Again, as the years went by, I would revisit peated Scotches and peated Irish whiskies from time to time, and over time my palate has definitely changed. Peated whiskies are awesome. They have so much depth, and character and when done right, it is amazing. The Bruichladdich Port Charlotte MRC:01 2010 is one of my favorites—so much character but well-rounded and not overwhelming. I also can't say anything bad about Octomore. Octomore is a super-heavy peated Scotch that is brilliantly crafted and delicious. Irish peated whisky- Waterford Fenniscourt 1.1 is also very delicious and brilliant. The aroma is like toasted marshmallows. I also like that Waterford is extremely transparent. They document in extreme detail how their whisky is made. (It’s so detailed that they even have an audio file of a tractor harvesting their barley from the fields.)
If you periodically pour, sip, and explore your whiskies and revisit the whiskys that you haven't had in a while, you could be surprised at how your palate has developed. There are so many whiskies that you haven't tried yet just waiting to be enjoyed.
Recently, I find myself starting to get into pairing cigars with whisky. I had a Havana Castle Back Street Dominican Edition and paired it with The Dalmore Sherry Cask 12 year. It paired very well together. At first, I didn't get cigars; I would see people in movies, TV shows, and even in my buddy's backyard having cigars. I would think it looked cool but when I would try it it didn't satisfy me. However, once I had one with The Dalmore Sherry Cask, it just clicked. I was like, "Oh, damn."
I say if you find yourself drinking the same whisky all the time, that's fine and dandy, but I promise you that you're missing out on other great whiskies. Explore! If you're not sure what to buy and try, you can always grab your buddies and do an in-home private whisky tasting. When you try different flavor profiles, you'll get a better sense of what you like and don't like. It becomes a great base, a foundation to have and to start exploring. Let the journey begin!
Cheers,
Tim aka The Whisky Boss