How does weather affect your tastes?

[Eric in ABQ]

Hello all. I'm a new member and I've really enjoyed reading through past threads. I'm curious on some feedback on this question.

Do your drinking choices change depending on the weather? I live in the desert (ABQ is short for Albuquerque) so I deal with hot summers. I find that in the summer, my single malts (particularly the smokier ones) take a back seat to Bourbons, and as the nights get colder, the Scotch comes back to the front. On particularly warm days, room temp. whisky just doesn't provide the refreshment factor that I need. So, Bourbon on the rocks is the choice for me. The ice does dull the taste, which is unfortunate, but makes it a much more refreshing drink. I consider bourbon on the rocks to be a "beer replacement" when I want a cold drink but am not in the mood for beer.

So, how many whisky fans find that they have "seasonal tastes?"

[Paul A Jellis]

I certainly do, as summer is now behind us in England and the nights are getting longer and colder, I'm now drinking whiskies with a stong sherry/peat influence or just lovely full-bodied whiskies like Broro, Mortlach, Lochnagar etc.

I also use less water in the colder months, prefering it neat, even if it is cask strength.

In summer months I drink more blends than at any other time of year, usually 50/50 with water.

Cheers

Paul

[Aidan]

Usually during the winter I have a cold and can't taste anything at all...

Actually, maybe I do change my whiskey drinking habits subconciously for different seasons.

[Jeroen Kloppenburg]

When it really gets hot in the summer i resort to beer Whisky just doesnt taste all too well when I'm already half de-hydrated...

In the mids of winter, when it gets dark at 5pm already, and you hear the wind hauling around the house I prefer more fuller bodied whiskies as well

[Admiral]

Personally, for me at home, my whisky consumption does not drop during the hotter summer months. However, the whisky clubs and societies I am involved with usually stop holding meetings during summer.

It's interesting though...we all have different perspectives of "hot".

Summer days in Sydney are usually 32 to 37 degrees Celsius, and with humidity usually in the 90's.

In winter this year, the average temperature was around 20 degrees.......we found this cold, and yet many Europeans would think that 20 degrees is a warm day!

Cheers,
Admiral

[bamber]

Eric,
Generally more bourbon in the summer and more Scotch in the winter, but I still drink plenty of both. On really hot days a big mint julep can really hit the spot. I prefer mine made with a rye-ish bourbon - Bulleit does the trick and is pretty cheap.

[hpulley]

In the summer I tend to drink more lowland scotch and Canadian whisky in coke or ginger ale with ice. I also have some beer and white wine.

Once it gets cooler I switch to highland and islay scotch and when it's cold I really love a smoky islay.

I never add water or ice to scotch. If I want a cold whisky I pour some Canadian into a mix as I said.

Harry

[Mr Fjeld]

My winter drinking habits are not very different from what I consume during the summer. For some time I've thought that I had a sweet spot for the fuller and more powerfull whiskies during those -10 degrees celsius evenings but it's not true. I drink more or less the same all seasons. I've almost completely stopped drinking red wine the last two years though, but that is more a result of rediscovering bottled matured beer.

Skål!
Christian

[bond]

Personally, for me at home, my whisky consumption does not drop during the hotter summer months. However, the whisky clubs and societies I am involved with usually stop holding meetings during summer.

It's interesting though...we all have different perspectives of "hot".

Summer days in Sydney are usually 32 to 37 degrees Celsius, and with humidity usually in the 90's.

In winter this year, the average temperature was around 20 degrees.......we found this cold, and yet many Europeans would think that 20 degrees is a warm day!

Cheers,
Admiral

I live in similar though more extreme weather. Summers are 45 degrees while winters are 12- 15 degrees.


I just cannot drink whisky in summers and almost entirely switch to beer. In case I have to, its a light whisky (typically glenkinchie). The weather has just begun to look up and I have started enjoying my whisky. Am due to travel to a hill station this weekend and look forward to cracking open a few islays.

I seem to enjoy my heavier Islays much better in winter.

Cheers

[Froagi]

welcome aboard Eric. Albq NM is one of my favorite places on earth. been going there for training on Kirtland AFB for a little over 21 years now. Instructor and firearms training for DOE. great town. Sorry I can't say my tastes change with the weather but I just started drinking Scotch recently. I keep a good variety of bourbons on hand too but I mostly drink Scotch now instead. I do still love Knob Creek and Bookers however. what I am interested in hearing from you is about Tequila and Mezcal. have you tasted any that you would consider to be exceptionally smokey? if so a list of names would be greatly appreciated. write often Mr.

Cheers

[Eric in ABQ]

Froagi;

Well, I'm the wrong guy to ask about Tequila or Mezcal. I know next to nothing about either one. I know that premium tequila is all the rage right now, but my memory is still scarred by all the bad tequila I drank in college (which was good old Wazzu, by the way. Right there in south eastern Washington) so I haven't ventured into the quality %100 agave anejos yet. I hear they are pretty good, so someday soon I'll have to see if I like them.

[Froagi]

small world Mr. sorry to hear you suffered through bad Tequila in your college days. hope the Scotch you are drinking now is making up for that. I'm not due down there again till the SHOT Show in early Feb 06 and after I read a chap named Anthony Dias Blue's book "the complete book of spirits" I'm am now very much interested in seeing how a smokey Tequila or Mezcal tastes after discovering how much I love smokey scotches. if this has made you curious at all check out either Leyenda del Milagro Anejo Tequila or Scorpion Anejo Mezcal. if you don't care for smokey anything don't worry about it. I'll be there soon enough.

Cheers

[Frodo]

Hi Froagi:

The smoky taste that comes from Mescal comes from the method of cooking the agaves. In tequila, agaves are cooked in clay "hornos" ovens or in autoclaves. For mescal, the agaves are cooked in pits dug in the earth oaxacan-style for 2-3 days, and the smokey character mostly comes from this.

I'm not sure if the varietal choice of agaves have an impact on smokeyness - they probably do on flavours. Tequila can only be made using the blue agave, whereas mescal can be made with a number of varietals.

If you specifically want smokey, you might want to give tequila a miss. Tequila in my experiance can be citrusy, peppery, and herbal, but not smokey.

Smokey mescals that I've tried and liked are Beneva (cheap but good), and Divino which is tripple distilled but is reputed to have some non-standard agave varietals used. The best I've had is the Minero brand from the Del Maguey single village range. Tastes like burnt lemon and honey - exactly like what the label said! Lucky for you this stuff is made for export to the US so you might be able to find some.

Oh, and the Minero is overstrength at about 47-48% as opposed to most tequila/mescals at 38-40%. Whatever you get, if you want smokey try to avoid aged mescal as the wood influance will mask some of the smoke. Hope I didn't speak out of turn as your question was directed at Eric.

Cheers
Frodo

[Deactivated Member]

Summer days in Sydney are usually 32 to 37 degrees Celsius, and with humidity usually in the 90's.

In winter this year, the average temperature was around 20 degrees.......we found this cold, and yet many Europeans would think that 20 degrees is a warm day!

Quite possibly the temperatures in Sydney and Inverness in July are pretty similar!

[Admiral]

Quite possibly the temperatures in Sydney and Inverness in July are pretty similar!

Quite likely! We had an English friend come out last August, which is the last month of our winter, and the first month of his summer!

We were all rugged up in jeans and woollen jumpers, he was wearing shorts and t-shirt!

Cheers,
Admiral

[Froagi]

thank you very much Frodo for supplying the information. Mr. Blues book didn't touch on any of the Tequila or Mezcal you named so I am delighted to read about it here. I've got a long list started with yours added to search for when I get to Albq. this winter. I was very surprised to see the Scorpion Mezcal on the British Col. Liquor site but will not be surprised to see more of them closer to their home down New Mexico way. particularly inspired to hear of the higher alc/vol of Minero as that is also one of the features I admire most in cask strength scotches.

Cheers

[Frodo]

No problem. If you wanted aged (anjeo) tequila, two types with good reputations would be Gran Centenario Anjeo (lighter style, citrus mostly covered by oak), and El Tesoro anjeo (reputed to have heavier citrus with oak softening and adding wood flavours). Both should be fairly easy to get as they are exported and are well known. I haven't tried the ET yet, but I'm recommending it based on reputation. Have an ET Blanco (unaged) at home but haven't tried it yet.

The ET distillery (Tapatio) is supposed to be an equivelent of a "working museum" doing things the old-school way (think Bruichladdich). No cheap autoclaves no "mixto" tequila (all 100% agave) just good tequila the way it was made back when. ET is supposed to have a forward agave (citrus) taste that is more muscular than others such as Don Julio or Centenario.

Anyway, I'm confident Gran Centinario Anjeo and El Tesoro Anjeo are both good values so I have no problem recommending them. I will be asking some relatives to pick up some ET Anjeo next time they go down to Mexico.

Regards
Frodo

[Froagi]

starting to look like a Tequila site here and also looks like we lost everyone on this thread. Sorry guys. Appreciate all the good intel Frodo. like to know what you think of the ET Blanco when you pop it's top. I know it's only a matter of time now till I score one of those 'so called Smokey Tequilas'. thanks again.

Cheers.

[Deactivated Member]

Don't worry, Froagi, there are plenty of us out here peeking in through the blinds. There are occasional discussions here about tequila, cognac, calvados, aquavit, brennivin, mouthwash, aftershave, or any other interesting spirit.

[Froagi]

that's outstanding Mr. TattieHeid. I've got a bottle of all but the Brennivin and I'm willing to taste one long as it's 40 abv or above. the best news I've received in a while is the Or. Liquor store in Pendleton is bringing in a case of Laphroaig CS and one of Isle of Jura. I've not sampled either of those so far as none have been available to me anywhere I've been. got any insight you'd care to mention on either? so far on this site everyone that's mentioned drinking Laphroaig CS seems to hold it in high regard. the 10 YO blew me away and any CS I've had the pleasure of tasting has too. I'm certain after drinking quite a few more drams I'll start to taste all the amazing things I read about. no hurry. I take it as a great pleasure just to be on the journey.

Cheers

[Mr Fjeld]

that's outstanding Mr. TattieHeid. I've got a bottle of all but the Brennivin and I'm willing to taste one long as it's 40 abv or above.
Cheers

Sorry for barging into your conversation Froagi but "brennivin/brennevin" is both the icelandic/norwegian term for spirit and the name of an icelandic spirit brand (thanks to Mr.T for the info on the latter one) . It translates to "burning wine"

......... so far on this site everyone that's mentioned drinking Laphroaig CS seems to hold it in high regard. the 10 YO blew me away and any CS I've had the pleasure of tasting has too. I'm certain after drinking quite a few more drams I'll start to taste all the amazing things I read about. no hurry. I take it as a great pleasure just to be on the journey.

I haven't tasted the Jura but the Laphroaig 10CS is one big bruiser! With your penchant for peat and smoke I'd say it'll be a "satisfaction guaranteed!"

Skål!
Christian

[Froagi]

welcome Christian. so burnt wine like a brandy of sorts? something made on fruit like grapes or a grain spirit like a vodka? sorry I'm not familiar with the Brennivin spirit at all but something about burnt wine seems familiar. I don't know much so I am always willing to learn. I'll start a post on the Jura hopefully next saturday afternoon Pacific Daylight time and throw in a comment on the Laphroaig CS. if nothing shows up on this my guy failed to get delivery. I've lived 56 years without it so one more week I can handle. I hear the 10 YO calling me for a dram. time to go.

Cheers

[Deactivated Member]

No, "burning wine" as in "blistering the entire alimentary canal on the way through"! I understand the Icelandic version is actually a rather cheap spirit similar to aquavit, but flavored. (Christian will correct me there.) I've never had it, but imagine that it is not entirely unlike Jagrmeister. I shiver but to think!

[Mr Fjeld]

Hi Froagi & Tattiheid!
Your suggestion about burnt wine as in brandy seems right Froagi.
Historically both corn, potato after the discovery of American continent and wine has been distilled although the latter one hasn't been distilled in Norway. Brennevin today is synonimous with "spirit" as a general term with everything that has 22% alcohol and more. Aquavit is indeed flavoured with herbs (and has been stored in sherry casks) and this was done for two reasons: for medicinal purposes and to disguise bad smelling/flavoured spirit. On a sidenote it's interesting to note that in Socrates by Plato - Socrates claimes that too much of what is considered good isn't at all good for you (hardly surprising now but... ) . Socrates reasoning was that medicine is good, but medicine is also poison - hence too much poison/medicine will kill you!
Recent threads in here have also shown that there are a lot of phenols in some whisky and phenyl acid is the basis to make aspirin. Go figure!

No, "burning wine" as in "blistering the entire alimentary canal on the way through"!

sounds like nettles in fluid form....

[Eric in ABQ]

Froagi;

Just thought I'd let you know that I swung by both Quarters and Kelly's today (westside locations) and they both seem to have a pretty extensive tequila selection. Quarters was probaby larger. I couldn't remember what brands had been mentioned here, but it looks like you may find some of what you are looking for.

As an aside, I must say.........the tequila marketers certainly spare no expense coming up with interesting bottle designs. It was all a bit loud, to say the least.

[Froagi]

Hey Eric. just noticed the reply on checking for Tequila. I'm not familiar with either Quarters or Kelly's. you say they have websites? don't suppose you have a link to either. I was thinking about the upcoming meeting in Feb 06 being at Albq. and remembered yesterday we're not going there but to Vegas instead like last year. now I don't know when I'm going to get back to Albq. and it frustrates me no end. I wasn't interested in Scotch or Tequila at all last time I was there. I'm pretty sure however that Vegas will be able to provide some entertainment prospects for both those in the meantime. please post websites if available and thanks much.

Cheers

[Eric in ABQ]

Froagi;

Quarters and Kellys are just our local liquor stores. Those two (which have multiple locations) along with Jubilation are your best bets for liquor here in Abq. You may find stuff at those places you can't find in the stores in Washington. However, the selection is really just average. I don't think any of them have websites, however.

[Froagi]

thanks again Eric for the report on the stores. I have no doubts about choice of selection. Albq. is a much bigger city than where I live so it takes Oregon and Idaho to develop much selection for me at all. this at least is making travel a lot more fun now.

Cheers