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This post is sponsored by Balvenie USA. All opinions are mine alone.
The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.
#BalveniePeatWeek
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The Balvenie Peat Week
[/custom_headline][text_output]Last week, I met up with Balvenie Ambassador David Laird for a tasting of The Balvenie Peat Week Aged 14 Years (2002 Vintage) scotch.
It’s Balvenie’s latest whisky released this fall.The Balvenie Peat Week was conceptualized by The Balvenie’s Malt Master David Stewart MBE and Ian Millar, former distillery manager and current Prestige Whiskies Specialist at William Grant & Sons.
Balvenie bottles this rare scotch only one week per year in October called “Peat Week”. This makes The Balvenie Peat Week limited and rare by nature. Its non-chill filtered expression was bottled at 48.3% ABV with liquid matured solely in American Oak casks, giving the final spirit a velvety and round taste with the peat smoke balancing oaky vanilla and honey.
Ten years ago when I experienced a vintage 1968 Balvenie at my first scotch tasting in Scotland, I was told to drink the scotch with ice or without water. Since David is born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland and has years of experience with whisky on both sides of the bar, having managed and owned bars in Tennessee and Oregon, I asked David his opinion on how to drink scotch. David explained that by adding 1-2 tablespoons of filtered water to your pour of Balvenie Peat Week, the water releases various layers and floral notes to enhance the tasting of the whisky. I sampled Balvenie Peat Week both ways and definitely noticed the difference.
Then I asked David for information on how to host a whisky tasting party at home. He mentioned that he wrote a recent article called “The Balvenie Guide to a Successful Whisky Tasting” and shared it with me! I reposted the article below for my readers.[/text_output][custom_headline type=”center” level=”h2″ looks_like=”h4″ id=”” class=”” style=””]
The Balvenie Guide to a Successful Whisky Tasting
by David Laird
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Hosting a whisky evening has never been difficult for me. To paraphrase the movie field of dreams, if you have whisky they will come.
The Scots are experts at bringing people together to enjoy our uisge beatha (Gaelic for water of life)
We have been celebrating weddings, harvests and even funerals for many centuries, and inevitably, it all centers around the whisky.
For me, most of the times I simply want to enjoy my whisky (which is not a bad thing). But sometimes I want to appreciate my whisky.
I will invite friends around, pour a few drams, and we will discover what magic and craftsmanship are in each whisky in front of us. Agreement and disagreements are bound to flow, and that is the magic of a whisky tasting. It is a time spent with friends
But you want your whisky tasting to stand out to be memorable, so
When it is time to appreciate whisky, it is time to step it up a little.
Hosting your own whisky evening should not be hard work. Here are a few simple guidelines to take it from a casual gathering to a night that your guests will talk about for a long time.
The Balvenie Guide to a Successful Whisky Tasting
Bottles: All great whisky tastings start with great whisky. Try to bring together a variety of whisky. Don’t be afraid to try new whisky, a new finish, a new region. Try comparing different alcohol strengths, even different whiskies from the one distillery. The range of finished whisky at The Balvenie alone, covers Port, Rum, Sherry and if you can find older variants Madeira and Peated casks. The options are endless. Go explore!
Atmosphere: A relaxing setting with attendees with varying whisky knowledge will add to everyone’s experience. Just remember to encourage everyone to be free to describe what the taste and smell. There are no wrong answers and a good host will make everyone comfortable to enjoy the night.
Liquid: In this case water. Water is as equally important as the whisky itself, as it will help open up the flavor in the whisky. How much water should you add? Every whisky will be different and everyone’s taste will be different. Keep in mind it is easier to add more water than take it back out again. Conversely, ice can close down aromas in whisky. However, if the whisky seems a little warm, a touch of ice will help bring down the temperature. Aim for your whisky to be a little below room temperature. Think of the serving temperature for a good red wine.
Vessels: For me, the perfect whisky glass is the one in my hand. But if you want to experience all of the aromas in the whisky, a nice fluted glass like the Glencairn glass is ideal. Don’t have a Glencairn; try a sherry glass, fluted wine glass or a brandy snifter glass.
Edibles: The part most often overlooked. Food will help cleanse your palate between tastes but can also develop flavors in your whisky. Experiment with dark chocolate, rich fatty cheese, cured meats, nuts, and my favorite, desserts. Avoid overly spicy food as these can desensitize taste buds.
Notebook: Whisky and storytelling go hand in hand, so the evening can last a long time. So take notes as you taste your whisky so you remember for next time. A great give away is a nice whisky notebook. I know friends who have kept theirs for years, like a badge of honor, with pages of notes; and they always remember exactly who gave it to them.
Identifiers: Not everyone can identify apple from pear or cinnamon from nutmeg in a whiskey. So give people an idea of what they are sensing. Little samples of some of the key flavors in jars or plates can really open up peoples imaginations, especially in new whisky enthusiast.
Expert help: Finally don’t be afraid to have a whisky book around for guidance. Look for books from authors such as David Broome or Charlie Maclean. Their insights into the distillery histories can add a lot to a tasting. Or you can visit a website like theBalvenie.com’s youtube page where you can view tastings hosted by the malt master David Stewart himself. On a side note: be wary of your whisky expert friends whisky experts in real life are like expert golf players. I know many who say they are experts but in reality, very few are.
Using these guidelines you should now be all set to host your own successful whisky night.
But no matter whether you start with a couple of friends, you and a sibling or you go for a whole family tasting at the holidays, always make sure to enjoy your whisky responsibly.
The holiday season is just around the corner, why don’t you be the toast of the season and host your family to a whisky tasting.
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Taste and See For Yourself
[/custom_headline][text_output]Thank you, David Laird, for meeting with me and for the Balvenie Peak Week tasting. I enjoyed learning your story and how Balvenie Peak Week is made! Special thank you for the article on how to host a successful whisky tasting. It’s a great idea for a holiday social!
Taste & See Life friends, if you wish to experience a taste of Balvenie Peat Week, you can find it at the following Houston businesses:
- B&B Butchers
- Houston Watch Co.
- Federal Grill
- KA Sushi
- Reserve 101
So go taste and see for yourself and let me know what you think! I’m sure you will love it as much as I did! Oh, and don’t forget to invite me to your whisky tasting party too!
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