Finer Things Links:

TO FLY L.A.
16303 Waterman Drive
Van Nuys, CA 91406
877.863.5952
www.toflyla.com

Finer Things

Scotch: A Taste Of The Season
By Staff Writer

If there is a spirit more representative of the place it comes from, than Scotch, we have yet to find it.

For all the study and appreciation that experts devote to this spirit to discern the wheat from the chaff, the staple ingredients remain the same from one part of Scotland to the next. Take good water, malt some barley, ferment and then distill it, and presto, you have Scotch.

• Of course, the process is much more elaborate. "Create" is an appropriate word, because while the production of fine Scotch is a science in the literal sense of the word, master distillers are more prone to label the pursuit of the perfect whisky an art.
  
• Genuine Scotch comes from Scotland.
  
• Scotch whisky, Scotch and whisky are all acceptable terms for what we're talking about. "Whiskey" refers to Irish or certain American whiskies.
  
• The term "whisky" comes from the Gaelic "usquebaugh," which means "water of life."
  

There is some debate about the origins of Scotch. One legend has it that St. Patrick himself imported the art of spirit distillation to Ireland from continental Europe and that it came to Scotland in A.D. 500.

The first documented proof of the existence of a distillery in Scotland dates back to 1494. The first major distillers of Scotch were monks and barbers, who were more like doctors. Both groups were believers in the medicinal benefits of the spirit.

Distillers went underground in 1707 with the advent of the Act of Union with England and the introduction of heavy taxation on malt.

Over a century later, in 1823, government endorsement to distillers came in the form of the Excise Act, which sought to sanction the industry and curb illegal and rogue production. In exchange for a license fee and set compensation per gallon of spirit, distillers were free to engage in the open market economy, produce, and sell.

There is confusion about the difference between single malt and blended Scotch. Blended Scotch is a combination of up to 50 grain and single malts from various producers. There are laws that dictate the age on the label. It cannot be less than three years old, and the age is that of the youngest whisky in the blend.

The "single" in single malt refers to one single producer or distillery. Single malt Scotch improves with age in the oak casks, but it stops maturing once bottled.

The five main regions of Scotch distillation are Campbeltown, Highland, Islay, Speyside, and Lowland. Each region and each regional distillery has its own distinctive single malt production methods. These methods include the type of barley, water or yeast, as well as the type of cask (although oak casks are always used for Scotch, casks that have previously been used to age sherry or Madeira will bring a different flavor), and even whether to add a layer of peat to the barley. It is this triumphant marriage of art and science that conceives superior single malt.

There is a definitive process to undergo in order to appreciate a good single malt. There are five distinct groups of critical analysis to be aware of color, nose, palate, aftertaste, and finish.

Experts add a touch of water and the reason is simple: Because of the high alcohol content of many single malts and their age, the potency levels are high.

In fact, cask strength and the fumes therein can burn your nose. The alcohol can also nullify the delicate flavors inherent in the spirit and numb your senses. Thus, minimal room temperature dilution is the way to go.

Some experts claim that strong coffee or bites of dark chocolate help in the appreciation. We say, why not?

back to top