Notes from Off-Season Practice

[Sled21]

(8 hours ago)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: When he first started in the wine business in 2003, he always enjoyed single malts, but didn't really pursue them research and drinking-wise like he did with wines. When his company also imported the whisky however, he had to read up and when he finally drank a good quality Macallan, he was hooked.

Thus, he started going to all these tasting, then got that certification and he can undoubtedly say that it is his favourite spirit. When I went to Scotland on rugby tour, the first house we stayed with, the mom gave me a bottle of Oban, when I went to Japan, I got him a Yamazaki 15 (or was it an 18? can't remember, it was for his 60th bday) and for his 55th or 56th bday, I got him a Macallan that was a hefty price. He isn't a snob per se, but he appreciated all three to death and could see the marked difference between those three and say, an off the shelf cheap blend or a Johnie Walker.

It's one of his feathers in his cap indeed lol, I believe I have a similar or virtually identical palate to him however, as I can taste what he does in certain foods and can pick out scents as well (or better than he can).

I smell so many things my wife can't smell, for example.

It all comes down to what you like. I have tried and tried over the years to develop a taste for Scotch, but I just do not like it. Now a good bourbon (not the cheap stuff) like pretty much anything from Buffalo Trace, Michters, Old Forester and Noah's Mill are just excellent on the rocks. Anything like Makers, Wild Turkey, Jim Beam etc., I have to put some Coke or 7 Up in it.