Opuscula Age should not Be the only criteria For potent potables

I WILL NOT BE SO BOLD as to suggest that age — the time a whiskey or wine spends “maturing” — is of no concern.

For some potables, it is.

I HAPPEN TO LIKE Irish whiskey, a drink in rotation with Bourbon and arak.

Being a bit of a snob, I once drank only "single malt" whiskeys, even when I knew that even "single malt" whiskeys really are blends.

I have had 12 year old "single malt" Irish whiskey and I have had 4 year old ”single malt” Irish whiskey.

None of my Irish whiskey’s are matured in wine casks — used Bourbon barrels and first fill oak barrels only. The wine changes both the flavor and the color of the whiskey; some contend it makes the whiskey more palatable.

Somehow I stumbled — that probably is not a good word in context with potent potables, but … — across a young blended Irish and found it suits me far better than the 12 year old I previously bought.

The blend, the Quiet Man (right) is a relatively low price product — actually, about the same price as older, "single malt" Irish whiskeys. At four years, it is a “young” whiskey. (The distillery also produces an 8 year old single malt.)

I never will pretend to be a whiskey connoisseur; the only “nose” I know is on my face. My Second Born has an educated palate, but he doesn’t drink anything alcoholic. If someone tells me

* Appearance: Bright, golden straw, medium legs.
* Nose: Malted barley, candied fruit, oak, light amount of solvent.
* Palate: Quite sweet, notes of honey, vanilla, banana, velvety mouthfeel.
* Finish: Quick and light burn, with an aftertaste of toffee and butterscotch candy.

I’ll have to agree, although I have no idea what the reviewer really means. (The review is from The Whiskey Wash web site.) From another site, Master of Malt

* Nose: Icing sugar, fresh tropical fruit, green banana and honey.
* Palate: Creamy vanilla, toasted cereals, more honey, marmalade.
* Finish: Faint spiciness of cinnamon and peppery oak.

My personal bottom line: Forget the high falutin’ fancy words of the connoisseurs, try whatever drink catches your eye and decide — on your own — if it suits YOUR fancy. I take my whiskeys “neat.” No ice. No “water back.” Just the drink.

My current Bourbon of choice is from Kentucky and with this brand, age does make a difference. Jim Beam Black (right) is aged between 6 and 8 years — the distiller once included the information on the label, but no more — while the Beam white label is significantly younger and one taste and you know there is a difference. (I spent a number of years with Tennessee Black Jack (Jack Daniels Black Label) sour mash, but in my old age I prefer Beam’s Black.) Black Jack and Beam Black recipes are distinctly different.

Again, I take my Bourbons neat.

As with Irish (and scotch, and Canadian, and wines) there are connoisseurs who will opine on every aspect of the potable, but probably no two will agree.

Fortunately, many of the more popular whiskeys are available as miniatures so having a personal taste test won’t break the bank.

I may be related to Benjamin Kubelsky. I like my (relatively) inexpensive arak (right, with ouzo).

I’ve tries some of the fancy name products with the equally fancy prices. I’ve even tried some araks made from fruits — not for my unsophisticated taste buds.

Arak is about the same as ouzo; both come from around the Mediterranean. If you like black licorice, you probably will like arak. Some people prefer it chilled, others with ice or water. When chilled, with ice, or with water, the drink goes from crystal clear to cloudy. I prefer my clouds in the sky. It’s a matter of taste.

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Sources

Whiskey Wash: http://tinyurl.com/y277gqte

Master of Malt: http://tinyurl.com/yykyuv6c

Benjamin Kubelsky a/k/a Jack Benny: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Benny

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