The Muse: Single Malt

 Saturday afternoon I attended Yankee Spirit's Single Malt Scotch event , and of course I had to dress the part. I was invited by Lisa Gailey, who is Yankee's events coordinator and the cousin of my sister-in-law Natalia. While I am actually more of an Irish whisky drinker on a regular basis (Bushmill not Jameson, for the record) I do enjoy a glass of single malt on occasion, its a great refined sipping drink. Apparently I am not alone because probably seventy or eighty dedicated Scotch drinkers turned out. A few more may have been there just for the free booze. I didn't get a picture of it, but every participant got a orange bracelet with ten tear off tabs, sort of like the bracelets you get when you're a patient in the hospital. You're allowed 10 quarter ounce samples. There were 25 brands to sample, and most brands had at least two or three varieties of each brand to sample. Some brands were offered by actual representatives of the company and others just by store employees. I will say that most were very well informed and happy to share their knowledge as well as their libations.

 I was not the only one in traditional Highland dress, Glenlivet sent Jeremy their local bagpiper who became fast friends with me in my tartan dress and thistle and tweed stockings. I also saw a few tweed caps, plaid shirts and ties. Just to prove that you never know who you'll meet at these things while tasting Dalmore's 15 year old single malt I turned around to find Jonathan and Matthew, identical twins, two of my buddies from high school, and recent Tulane Law School graduates, home from the Big Easy and ready to taste Scotch. I apologize for my photos they were taken long after the event and after many, many, Scotch samples. I will say that a bonnie time was had by all, and the boy won one of the raffle prizes which will be displayed soon in their new apartment.


Dress: Charter Club vintage, thrifted via Goodwill (Davis Square)

Stockings: so old I don't remember

Shoes: A Touch of Nina via Burlington Coat Factory

Earrings: vintage via Vintage Haven at the Top Shelf Flea Market

Glenmoragie (10 year, Artein, Quinta Ruban, and Nectar D'Or)

Jura (16 year and Prophecy)

Lagavulin**

Laphroaig (the only truly unpalatable Scotch, 

it tasted exactly like what I would expect seaweed to taste like)

Macallan (18 year)***

Oban

Old Pulteney (12, 17, and 21 year old)

*my choice for an everyday Scotch, its $28.99 price tag fits a teacher's salary

** Jonathan's choice for an everyday Scotch, on the smoky, peaty side, but very good

*** Matthew's choice for everyday Scotch, at $149.99 a bottle, he needs legal fees to pay for this habit

The Cardosi twins(note their misspelled name) and I, circa January 2003,
 the local newspaper came to do a story on our high school debate team
other teams always found the twins identical appearance and matching uniforms very intimidating.

I had the opportunity to taste the following:
Aberfeldy (12, 16, and 21 year old) The 21 year old is delicious, but only touchable at free sample price
Ardmore*
Belmore (12, 15, and 18 year old, they also donated the tasting glasses shown above)
Dalmore (12, 15, and 18 year old)
Glenmoragie (10 year, Artein,