Whisky for a Future NW Rendezvous ?

[Loren Beach]

An aside in a current EY thread mentions single malt or some such tipple. Remembering that I bought a bottle of Linwood back in the 70's, I dug it out and with minimum 'net search I see that it might be worth several hundred dollars these days. The fancy display box has the price tag still on it: $15.80. Which was actually real money, back when I was working for about $4./hour.
"Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky Unblended" and other bits of label description. Nifty drawing of a castle on the label, even. Looks intriguing.
I recall reading back then that this was something one should put away for the future. Now I wonder if that future is getting quite a bit closer?

Since transporting it into BC for a rendezvous would likely be an expensive customs hassle, it might be best shared at an Ericson Viking gathering in US waters, perhaps?

At this point it's sorta kinda a "Tontine for One" (!) with no real point in not sharing it with friends at some august occasion.

Unopened, and fantasizing, with 100% anticipation, it might taste wonderful... but once tasted what if I don't actually like it? Oh my gosh!
(That uncertainty was the problem with that living-or-not-living cat inside that box, IIRC.)

SO ---- anyone else have any unusual booze set aside??? Or, scotch drinking knowledge to share?

 

[AlanO]

I think you mean a Linkwood. Here's a link for a listing from what sounds like the same bottling. https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/22978/linkwood-12-year-old-bot1980s It is certainly a rare whiskey. My understanding is single malts age better in the cask than in the bottle. Old bottlings have the risk of the cork drying out and desirable hydrocarbons leaking out. I have been told that single malts should be drank sans ice, but with 10% spring water to break up long hydrocarbon chains and bring out the odors. A snifter is desirable for serious tasting.

I only buy the blended stuff these days.

Cheers!

 

[Loren Beach]

That link seems to depict this bottle. Actually I have only been offered a few drinks of 'single malt' in my life, and did actually enjoy them. This celebratory idea might actually be fun!


Given the average ROI of my modest investments over the decades, perhaps I should have also set aside some cases of 'rare' whisky to fund my retirement. Ha!

 

[bgary]

Or, scotch drinking knowledge to share?

There are a variety of different flavor profiles for scotch (Islay, Speyside, Highlands, etc), generally mapping to the region from which each comes. You'll like some, you may not like others. But that's OK, some brilliant people at the University of Edinburgh actually got a grant to do research on the taste of scotch <lol> and came up with a chart that basically says "if you like this one, you'll probably like these others..."

We can jump-start your education at the next Rendezvous. The wine-locker on Makana has been repurposed for scotch, and there is usually a selection of my favorites aboard. All you gotta do is show up!

Bruce

 

[gstepler]

There are a variety of different flavor profiles for scotch (Islay, Speyside, Highlands, etc), generally mapping to the region from which each comes. You'll like some, you may not like others. But that's OK, some brilliant people at the University of Edinburgh actually got a grant to do research on the taste of scotch <lol> and came up with a chart that basically says "if you like this one, you'll probably like these others..."

We can jump-start your education at the next Rendezvous. The wine-locker on Makana has been repurposed for scotch, and there is usually a selection of my favorites aboard. All you gotta do is show up!

Bruce

Couldn't agree more that tastes vary, and there are myriad flavor profiles of Scotch. Enjoying Scotch, I had the privilege earlier this year of taking a tour of the Auchentoshan distillery near Glasgow. Distilling under license since 1823 (because that's when they got caught and had to get a license and start paying taxes), they are single malt (only bottle what they distill onsite from their own malt) and the only triple-distilled Scotch whisky (the third distillation makes it incredibly smooth and the flavor profiles "brighter"). It is a Lowland variety, but in addition to geographic variations each distillery (especially single malt) has its own flavor profiles based on the malt, barrels, ageing, the Master Blender, etc. I could keep going, but my suggestion would be to surround yourself with friends and drink it! (neat or with a splash of spring water)...

 

[bgary]

Auchentoshan ... is a Lowland variety

Auchentoshan is one of my favorites, and pretty affordable (when I can find it). Two other lowlands single-malts I've enjoyed are Glenkinchie and Bladnoch...