James ‘Jimmy’ Santangelo , The Virtual Sommelier, (and best server 2010 according to SLmag) presented a ‘Basics of Scotch Tasting’ last night at Donovan’s Steakhouse. As a novice (at least that’s what my mom thinks) drinker, this was my first introduction into the wonderful world of Scotch.  In fact, my knowledge of scotch basically extends to quoting Will Ferrell in ‘Anchorman’.

I was a bit apprehensive going in, so I asked some of the SLmag staf for some advice:

“You should probably start drinking beforehand, you know, to kill some of your tastebuds  before the scotch.”

“I don’t drink scotch at all, sorry, it’s what my grandpa drinks.”

“….good luck.” (insert sarcastic tone here)

Comforting, really. Thanks guys.

Thankfully, Mary was a little bit more helpful and set me on the right track.

The class began with some shared apps (word to the wise: order crab cakes at Donovans) and sparkling vino, while Jimmy provided a basic intro to scotch. Apparently, scotch is considered “the ultimate of all spirits” originating in Scotland around 1494. The spirit, formerly known as ‘the water of life’ takes two forms: blended or single malt. Understanding this part was easy:

Blended Scotch Whisky is distilled in more than one distillery; combining malted barley with other cereals to produce a very distinct taste.

Single Malt Scotch is distilled entirely from malted barley. No mixin’ here.

Scotch also requires a very particular presentation:

-Tulip Glasses for the ultimate visual/taste/smell experience

-A side of h20. Jimmy recommends serving the scotch neat and adding a few drops of room temp. water to enhance the aromatics of the spirit

-If you must serve it on the rocks, three cubes of ice are ideal, otherwise the scotch becomes too cold and the taste is lost.

Next lesson: Tasting

There are 3 steps to tasting scotch:

Sight:  evaluate  the coloring of the scotch, which can range anywhere from ‘beech’ to ‘cherry’ to ‘ebony’ (resembling the color of the wood they are oaked in, clever)

Nose: Smell, or ‘waft’ (yeah, like in biology class) the scotch to identify the ‘aromatics’.

Taste:  sip, hold, swallow.

After a lesson on the production (complete w/ slideshow and bagpipe chorus) process, it was time to dive in.  Jimmy served up three scotches, a single malt, a blended whisky, and a sherry oak; as well as a bourbon. 

I was surprised how each scotch had such a distinct taste. The first scotch was lemony and floral, whereas the second tasted like I had just licked a campfire. I guess my scotch tastes have not been fully acquired yet. The third was my favorite with a creamy, toffee-ish taste. The bourbon tasted like big red bubble gum, delicious none-the-less, a close second for my favorite. I found it kind of crazy how the same spirit can take on so many flavors, colors and aromatics.

After my scotch initiation I can’t say I’ll be breaking my piggy bank to splurge on a bottle anytime soon, but I’m certainly not opposed to trying more. Plus, at 22 I’m pretty sure I still have some time to refine my tastes.  At least I’ve got the basics down.

….Oh, and I’ll let you in on a little secret that Becky, the bartender at Donovan’s shared with me last night:

Come into the lounge between 4 pm – 7 pm and enjoy a complementary steak sandwhich from Donovan’s. Enjoy it with a side of scotch.

Posted: Friday, July 30th, 2010 @ 8:36 pm
Categories: On the Table.