Matching malts-does anyone else do this??

[Reggaeblues]

This Christmas I was the lucky recipient of many malts, including several miniatures from "Father christmas"(alias my mother in law! )

At a large family gathering on Christmas day, i was asked to be "Father Christmas", i.e. hand out an obscene quantity of gifts from under the tree( most of which happened to be for my 20 month old daughter who had obviously charmed everyone into parting with their hard earned cash!)

In order to oil the proceedings,and fully enjoy my role, i procured two empty brandy balloons. Into one i poured most of a mini of Bruichladdich 10, into the other most of a mini of Edradour. Throughout the proceedings I took sips from each.

I found that this was a wonderful experience! I had started with a clean palate, and found it fascinating how the two drams seemed to complement and bring out the best in each other.

I then opened a present for myself( obviously whisky shaped!) It was a Laphroaig 10. so i repeated the exercise, matching this with a Highland Park 12. Again, the results were superb - each highlighting the other.

I recall doing the same a while back, writing a song with a glass of Glenfarclas 12, and one of Ardbeg 10...

Does anybody else do this? If so, what successful "matches" have you discovered?

[Paul A Jellis]

That sounds a very interesting idea and one I may well try, my only concern is that if the wife sees me with a glass of whisky in each hand she will think that I've gone completely over the top!

[Reggaeblues]

Wait 'til she's had a few glasses of wine and convince her she's seeing double...

Seriously, my Lucie hates whisky and enjoys pouring scorn on we "whisky bores..." Nonetheless she and her family have gifted me some fine drams!

Good luck! Be interested to see what you come up with. I think it works best if one doesn't rush between one and the other. Let the aftertaste of one sit for a while before sipping t'other.

For me this is helped by havingsomething else to take my attention. (e.g. writing, being father xmas, watching a film or favourite sport/sitcom on TV, etc)

[Muskrat Portage]

So, ReggaeBlues:
The concept is to sample two diametrically opposed drams, which will compliment each others strengths. Pairings like; an Islay with a Speyside; an Islands with a Lowlands; being examples.
I'll try it this evening with my Edradour and maybe the newest HP to see if there's an improvement in the former (FWB).
Muskrat

[Reggaeblues]

Careful! make sure it's whisky you drink, and not your wife's ( or anyone else's ) perfume!

Seriously, I don't know if it'll improve an "off" whisky...

This was just something i chanced upon, and greatly enjoyed.

Also the christmas experiment was all with 40% drams as it happened...a nice mellow taste trip! Just don't make it too much of an analytical thing...I say this because, as I mentioned earlier, whenever i've done this, i was doing something else, fairly leisurely!

just another way to enjoy our favourite drink!

Have a nice evening...i'm just off to a gig with the band...i hear the place is fully booked tonight!

...and they have a good malt selection, but I'll be sticking to ONE Lagavulin or Talisker. No matching tonight - I'm driving!

[Muskrat Portage]

ReggaeBlues:
Tried the matching with 15 yo HP and 10 yo Edradour. The Edradour still has the soapy aftertaste but the HP effectively masks it. I note that combining them both in the mouth creates a rather pleasant vatted dram, eliminates the soap and becomes hotter and spicier in the finish than either separately provides.
Thanks for the idea it may require further light study.
Musky

[Reggaeblues]

MP!

Phew, what a gig last night! smashed the place! Had my Lgavulin 16 on the house and i m ight just get me another bottle. The last few helpings I've had in pubs were rather better than the last rather lacklustre bottle I had. It was the first whisky I really fell in love with....

Never had a 15YO HP and only seen it in one supermarket here. The 12 was my nightcap last night and I LOVE the 18... how does it compare?

so you did a little "mouthblend" eh? Well, it's all fun, and part of the journey of discovery...

[Deactivated Member]

Rb, Mr Picky compliments you on spelling "complement" correctly.

I can't say I've ever done this, but I have paid attention to which follows what--Bob & Jill called it "sequencing", sampling drams in a specific order for effect. The concept runs entirely contrary to the tasting'n'scoring ethic that seems to be so rampant, in which the taster attempts to clear the palate and taste each dram in isolation in order to "objectively" score it. I for one don't really care about conducting lab experiments with my whisky, and prefer to enjoy it in the context in which it and I reside--after a meal, along with a beer, for breakfast, whatever. It is for me a part of life, not apart from it, and I don't see any allure in attempting to remove all subjectivity from what is such a delightfully subjective experience. I'm not sure I'm moved to try your method, but I applaud the intent. Elsewhere this past week I talked someone into trying an unpeated, unchillfiltered (and preferably cask-strength) dram after a peat monster, and I suggest you try that, also. (The combo that got me onto that was Ardbeg 10 and Bruichladdich Full Strength.)

[Reggaeblues]

Thanks Mr. Picky, and may I complement you on a great post!

I totally agree with your views on "lab experiments/tasting and scoring ethics" etc. My 'method' was devised on the spur of the moment..as you say, "to be enjoyed in the context in which it and I reside...it is for me a part of life."

I tried it again last night(practice what you preach etc...BTW Mr. P, did I spell "practice" right?!). I repeated one of my Christmas combos - HP12 and Laphroaig 10, in the context of cooking dinner...meaning the two drams were spread over a goodly timespan. A sip of one...prepare a pan of brown rice...sip another...prepare fish...sip the other...prepare salad dressing, and so on.

So my mind/intellect was occupied while the whisky experience was pure sensory enjoyment...and they did seem to enhance/complEment each other!

Re: unpeated/sweet after peatmonster: this is fun too. A few years back, my ageing dad was having trouble getting to grips with a Dalwhinnie 15( sweet to me, albeit lightly peated towards the finish). i suggested he too try it after an Ardbeg 10.

He was amazed! He called me a few days later from Switzerland, where he lives, ecstatic! I was in the middle of a crucial overdub in the studio...but I couldn't shut him up!

BTW I'm not sure I'd want to do this with CS, rare, or expensive whiskies...(not that I can afford, or own many...but my Ardbeg 77, or single cask Mac i like to sample quietly, almost meditatively...on their own.

[Bob & Jill]

Nice to hear that someone else does this sort of thing. Yes, Jill and I suggested this earlier under the title "sequencing." It's the only way I now enjoy my several evening drams on these cold nights here in the mountains of Colorado. Jill and I both tend to match peated and nonpeated, but settling on favorite combos have elluded us. Some evenings an "old favorite" pair doesn't come off as well, which makes me try something new. Kinda fun, really. And what else is better when the snow is piled 4 feet deep out side and you've got a good book to read?

Bob

[Reggaeblues]

...and each other? Surely(hopefully) the best combo!

[Deactivated Member]

Thanks Mr. Picky, and may I complement you on a great post!

I believe you have.

Nice to see you, B&J--don't be strangers!