@ Rare Drams we have been leading several tastings this year covering everything for cask maturation to how to taste and recognise flavours.
Taste , as we know, has four main attributes , Salty: Bitter: Sweet and Sour. However when it comes to Flavours we like to describe these as “memories”. Sometimes these memories are from events or from little moments, for example remembering that initial smell when entering a “wee Italian Coffee shop”, or perhaps a food that we have eaten in the past that immediately comes returning back when we taste our dram.
At a recent tasting one lady insisted that the whisky reminded her of the flavour of a sweety called ” Candy Kisses” which is a Canadian favourite (I am told), or equally it might have been the flavours remembered by some Scots when “sooking” a Fishermans Friend , to keep a cold at bay.
@ Rare Drams we have taken these Tastings and their memories and the moods that they might evoke a little bit further.
As Flavours bring back memories of tastes , so also does a good dram stir moods and emotions encountered when listening to music. Using this as a background we now offer a Tasting with Music, pairing some of our unique drams with a well kent, or long forgotten music favourite.
We have created a “Dram Music Map” (see below) which helps us log our favouite Single Malt expression with the piece of music that it brings to mind.
The map divides the music style into four quadrants : Celtic (Predominantly from Scotland, but yes we will allow ireland as well !): Edgy (which is modern/contemporary) : Jazzy and Classical.
Using the map as a reference here are a few examples from a recent tasting .
The Malt #1: Port Ellen: Douglas laing Old Malt cask 26 Year old.
Port Ellen is probably the most complex of all the single malts. Now long gone this beautiful dram offered everything, from a soft smoke to sweet marzipan to leather from an old Buick. The complexity of it reminded me of a Thelonious Monk tune ,click to see Thelonius and sip a Port ellen 26 YO
The Malt # 2 : Laphroaig: Douglas laing Old Malt cask 18 Year old.
This was deffinately a Laphroaig, in the background there was the unmistakeable Phenolic qualities, but at the front there was toffees, nuts and some stewed candy.But waht made it powerful for me was the finnish…I love long finnishes, but this Laphroaig hit me again as I was going out the door,long after the initial hit and like a burst of fireworks…thats why it reminded me of a Scottish (Celtic) band called Shooglenifty…check out Shooglenifty and have a dram of laphroaig
Malt #3 :Ardbeg Old Malt cask 18YO. Ardbeg distillery closed for a period during 1981 and reopened in 1989. Demand for ardbeg has always been greater than its supply. this Douglas Laing (only 210 bottles worldwide), was distilled just after reopening the distillery in 1991. This 18 YO is a beautiful single cask expression , with peach as well as the familiar tarry background, even some rubber or liquorice to tantalise, Id say its a wee bit edgy. For this dram I have chosen a Bob Dylan track, Buckets of Rain , equally you may want to test out the Glasgow Band Blue Nile with Tinseltown in the Rain. I like to have a Dram of Ardbeg at the famous Glasgow bar The pot still.
Malt #4: last but not least Tomintoul 14 YO. This dram was only released in february 2009, but has already won the heart of Jim Murray.He has awarded it the “Single Malt of the Year 2010″ in the Category of 11 yo to 15 YO Single malts.This covers some very prestigious whiskies. The dram opens with a creamy velvet mouth and continues long.The gentle dram is well named as it is a lovely way begin dinner, finnish after dessert or sit and sip later as you mellow.Try listening to Sting Fields of Barley….
I would be interested in your own choices for the drams on the Rare Drams Music Map, or others that you wish to share. There are also many other great pairings at the Malt Maniacs Whisky Fun site….remember its a Dram not a drama !
This is a 30 YO Caol Ila bottled at Cask Strength with the date of Distillation : 1979 shown clearly on the bottle. The Carn Mor Special cask selection is now in BC through 
