06/12/2022
Chapter 1
My Whisky Epiphany
I’ve never been a great drinker…coming from Italy we don’t really have that culture of drinking spirits just to get smashed…not me at least…beer wine yes…limoncello and bitter spirits were my usual “social drinks”…but I’ve never been a connoisseur nor an enthusiast of any of them…
I did try few whiskies before COVID, yes. Do I remember anything specific about them? Not really. I had a Dalmore 12 and a Jura 10 and I used to sip them with my guests pretending to appreciate them, but not really understanding any difference between them nor with other spirits…
Then COVID came to the UK as to the rest of the world. It took us apart from each other. It took our social part away. When things started to re-open and we were allowed to meet again in “bubbles”, we had a new inner desire of socially sharing something new…a new experience.
This is when me and my mate Giuseppe (“Peppino”) decided to start our whisky journey…we did not know where this would have taken us…and so we started, from the basis, buying samples…we wanted variety more than quantity. Finding samples was not easy, and we wanted to avoid the investment of big bottles.
We started with Glenfiddich 12, 15, 18, Glenlivet 12, Auchentoschan 12
and Triplewood, Laprhoaig 10, Clynelish 14, Glenkinchie 12, and so on…
I bought a book, Whiskypedia. Reading through the introduction to
understand a bit more how to drink it, how it was made…with the super
useful wheel of notes, we were trying to see which notes we were
finding in those whiskies… I remember nosing orange/clementine in the
Auchentoshan, the pear juice I used to drink when I was a school boy
back in Italy in the Glenlivet and cough syrup in the Laphroaig…but
that’s about it…
I also remember not getting any notes from the Clynelish and having that bad bitter pungent sensation in the throat with the Glenfiddich 12…
We used to drink slowly, maybe with some oat cakes on the side (will talk about those later on), staring at the wheel…picking our notes if any…sipping…commenting…then maybe viewing Ralfy’s (see side note) review of the same whisky.
He was talking about things like guava, jasmine, barley sugars…I didn’t even know what a guava tastes like 😀 it was at times…too much, but we were laughing about it. We were just curious about how much we had to learn…
Then Roy’s ABCD (see second side note) made us realize that maybe we were missing something. Maybe, there was a different experience a fuller whisky experience we were missing…and then it came in March 2021 a BBQ with Peppino and Leo.
We had some good time that day. A good BBQ, good weather…
My old friend Leo brought us few drams to taste. We had our good old Glenfiddich 12 on a side as baseline…
Then the first one came, Old Pultney 12…still 40% abv, still chill-filtered, but I remember the waxiness, thick texture in my mouth covering all the palate. That was something I never experienced before with any spirit.
But then…all of a sudden…kabooom...Deanston 12!
My Whisky Epiphany!
46.3%, natural colour, non chill-filtered, age statement. It was ticking all the theoretical boxes. Most of all, it was ticking the boxes of my heart and palate. I remember that sweet toffee and cereal nose, that nice coating in the mouth with vanilla, honey…and that nice lack of bitter pungent sensation in my throat…
Again I’m not a reviewer, better you hear from the professionals, but I encourage you to try it out. This little guy set me on my journey and what a journey…
You want to try these drams without buying 3 bottles?
Drams
and more...
Today's drams
- Glenfiddich 12 – 40%
- Old Pulteney 12 – 40%
- Deanston 12 – 46.3%
Dutiful "malt-mention" to Ralfy
I could be writing a thousand words. But simply:
Thank you Ralfy!
Thank you for what you do. Through your experience and humor, you’ve been guiding us through our journey. If some new malt mate is reading this…simply click here and enjoy.
Roy's ABCD
With this simple video, Roy showed us that there was something else. He made us curious about a different experience.
His “recycled reviews” are great to go through few whiskies quickly so you know what to pick up next if you’re a newbie…
Again, not sure if you’ll ever read this…but Thank You!