I was able to pick up my first Japanese malt called Nikka Whisky Gold & Gold. It is a blended malt from one of the oldest distilleries in Japan. Apparently the original owner trained in Spreyside before opening up his distillery. The malt is golden in color, has a very mild aroma. I detect some orange in the aroma. The taste is mild also with very little bite. It is smooth, mild and has a dry finish. Not peaty at all. Remember this is a blended malt so you would not expect the same complexities as a single malt. All in all a reasonably priced and good tasting blend. I would buy it again. If you have tasted any of the Japanese malts please let me know what your experiences have been. A Dram for Life! Dr. Scotch

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition was held on March 18th and 19th in San Francisco. There were over 700 spirits entered from 51 countries. Highland Park won the distiller of the year award. The 'best in show whisky' won by the Bowmore Distillery. Here are some of the other awards: Bowmore: Best in show whisky Double Gold, Bowmore 25 years old Double gold, Bowmore darkest 15 years old Silver, Bowmore 16 years old Silver, Bowmore 12 years old Silver, Bowmore Legend Lagavulin Distillery: Double Gold Medal, Lagavulin 16 Year Old Silver Medal, Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Distiller's Edition Caol Ila Distillery: Gold Medal, Caol Ila 18 Year Old Silver Medal, Caol Ila 12 Year Old Silver Medal, Caol Ila 25 Year Old Laphroaig Distillery: Gold Medal, Laphroaig 10 Year Old Gold Medal, Laphroaig 10 Year Old Gold Medal, Laphroaig 30 Year Old Silver Medal, Laphroaig 15 Year Old Silver Medal, Laphroaig 10 Year Old Ardbeg Distillery: Silver Medal, Ardbeg 10 Year Old Silver Medal, Ardbeg 12 Year Old Silver Medal, Ardbeg 17 Year Old Some excellent scotch whiskys won some very high awards. It would really be great to be one of the judges, don't you think? I now have a new shopping list for my scotch store. A Dram for Life! Dr. Scotch

It is said that the art of distilling was discovered somewhere in Asia in approximately 800 B.C. The assumption was that this technique was merely used to make perfumes, however this has been refuted. The method by which the processes found its way to the British Isles is uncertain; however we do know that the Moors brought the art of distilling to Europe. It is believed that the art was then refined in monasteries throughout central Europe. Apparently the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, carried this trade into the monasteries in 432 AD on a Christian mission. Regardless, the Celts did attain the secret eventually and made their water of life that in Gaelic is pronounced “Uisge Beatha”. This simple yet not well-known name is how the scotch whiskey came to be, as Uisge means whiskey. The millstone year for whiskey in history would have to be 1494 as a Sir Friar John Cor of Scotland ordered eight bolls of malt. It was reportedly to be used for aqua vitae which is the first accountable proof of production of whiskey in Scotland. The skill of distilling soon left the monasteries for the farms where just about everyone was making whiskey up until about 1820 this is when the government decided they were going to shut down personal and private distilleries making them illegal. The rough and sometimes brutal taste differs greatly from today. It was not until the eighteenth century that it was discovered that with aging came a mellower brew. The findings of the aging process was practically tripped upon when an old cask long forgotten was found full of the good stuff. The uniting of the two parliaments one from England and one from Scotland in the year 1707 is what drew into effect the Union Act. Realizing that it would pay off for both sides, they came up with an unheard of plan for making the malt. By the year 1725 the English malt tax was forged however not without bloodshed. At this time every second bottle of malt distilled in Scotland was of the illegal kind due to roving excise men, illicit distilleries, and the fashion of smuggling. In 1820’s much trouble arose in the form of crime and tough taxing policies which eventually became completely unmanageable. To solve the problem, the government ordered the Excise Act which allowed the government to track which distilleries were legal and those which were not by using labels. Whisky started out as a product for the British market in the 1820s, but today it has become a drink that is appreciated and loved around the world. Much of this incredible development is the result of the introduction of blended whisky. Even today approximately 90 percent of all whisky that is produced in Scotland is used in blended whisky. However the interest of single malt whisky has increased in recent years and this development is likely to continue. A Dram for Life! Dr. Scotch

There is no true rule of thumb when drinking scotch whisky but there are a few things to keep in mind to make the experience a lot more enjoyable. It should be pointed out that if the general rule of thumb is not observed there is still no reason not to enjoy this wonderful spirit.

You should never put ice in a great dram as it kills the taste and aroma, however, some do prefer it this way.

When purchasing great malt the price, like many things, will indeed reflect the quality you get since with scotch, you tend to get what you pay for. There are a variety of alcohols available for a cheap price in which you can get a buzz, however, fine scotch should be sipped and enjoyed.

Good malt is not an appropriate mate for a mixing party and does not really take kindly to a soda. It tastes much better with simple bottled water. The best pairing with great malt would be of the mineral water variety bottled water is tolerated by malt without hesitation.

At 40-60% alcohol, whisky is indeed a strong spirit and will definitely get the attention of the less than experienced in drinking it. Throwing in a dash of mineral water will soften the blow so to speak and calm its aggressive nature. The term “the whisky will open itself” is in reference to the aroma being released when water is added so a few drops will surely bring even the most experienced of malt drinkers to bliss.

The wonderful thing about cask strength is that at approximately 60% alcohol per volume rate, this is one strong drink in turn allowing the drinker to tone it down to an appropriate alcohol level to suit personal taste making this an ideal drink to customize.

The makers of these fine spirits advise that you take a small mouthful and hold it in your mouth swish it around your tongue giving it time to settle. Only then will you get the true nature of this fine malt.

Finally, after a swallow, it is said that you can get a good read on the maturity of the malt by how long it stays with you in you mouth.

A Dram for Life!
Dr. Scotch

What do you drink you scotch out of? A shot glass, a wine glass, water glass or a glass designed for scotch drinking? To some degree it does not matter. However if you want the most out of you scotch then use the "proper glass".

The "proper glass" is tulip shaped. Wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. A brandy snifter is a good example of the shape. Another would be a wine glass.

I use a glass designed for scotch tasting and am satisfied. Believe it or not I have found the taste to be different when using a scotch glass and some other type of glass. I think the difference is because so much of the taste comes from the aroma. By concentrating the aroma in a narrow neck glass you get a better appreciation of the aroma.

Next you need to decide if you will drinking your scotch neat or with a very small amount of water. Traditionally you drink you scotch neat. However if the scotch is too hot for your taste try diluting it with a very small amount of water. The addition of the water may also change the aroma. So be sure to check if you can detect any change in the aroma as well an any change in taste.

A Dram for Life!
Dr. Scotch

The results of the latest challenge are in. Over all the top 12 'core expression' whiskys judged were:

TALISKER 18YO Index: 3.96
HIGHLAND PARK 18YO Index: 3.92
ABERFELDY 12YO Index: 3.9
HIGHLAND PARK 30YO Index: 3.82
SMOKEHEAD Index: 3.86
GLENFARCLAS 30YO Index: 3.82
MACALLAN 30YO Index: 3.8
BOWMORE 15YO Index: 3.75
CAOL ILA 18YO Index: 3.7
DEWARS 18YO Index: 3.7
ABERLOUR A'BUNADH Index: 3.5
GLENFARCLAS 15YO Index: 3.5

According to their web site 'CORE EXPRESSIONS’ are whiskies that are continually available as part of a distillers range, not single one-off releases that are severely limited.

Every whisky assessed for the SFWC is done so ‘blind-folded’ – our panel do not know what they are tasting.

The highest and lowest scores for each whisky are omitted to deliver a medium, or ‘team score’. Whisky democracy!

The ‘Index’ is the ‘team score’ divided by the number of judges who assessed the whisky. This gives a consistent and accurate mark regardless of number of judges scoring.

The SFWC panels have scored over 200 whiskies since we introduced the ‘star scale’ in October 2005, these are the top 12 ‘core expressions’…

Some of these scotches I have never seen in my local distributor. But I will take this list with me the next time I shop there.

What is your favorite Scotch?

A Dram for Life!
Dr. Scotch

The last post I gave you a definition of whisky. Now lets look into what a Dram is. Definitely a small volume of liquid.

Dram (volume)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The fluid dram is defined as 1/8 of a fluid ounce, which means it is exactly equal to

* 3.696 691 195 312 5 mL in the U.S. and
* 3.551 632 812 500 0 mL in most other Anglo-Saxon countries.

In the UK, a teaspoon was formerly defined as 1 fluid dram.

Dram is also used informally to mean a small amount of liquid, especially Scotch whisky.

Dram for Life!
Dr. Scotch

I thought it would be interesting to see how Wikipedia defined
"whisky". You will find the results of the search below. I think
you will find some interesting facts and perhaps stories
mentioned here. Enjoy.
Whisky
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Whisky, or whiskey, refers to a broad category of alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented grain mash and aged in oak casks. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and maize (or corn).

The first written record of whisky comes from 1405 in Ireland, it is also mentioned in Scotland in 1496. However it is thought that whisky had already been around for at least several hundred years prior. When or where whisky was first distilled is unknown and the localised, undocumented nature of beverage production during the period makes identification of the drinks origin difficult. Additionally, it is possible that different groups discovered processes of distillation completely independent of one another.

Some scholars believe distilled spirits first starting being produced between the 8th century AD and 9th century AD in the Middle East with the art of distillation being brought to the British Isles by Christian monks. A popular legend (which has yet to be confirmed or dis-proven) is that St. Patrick himself introduced distillation to the British Isles, however it is likely he lived around the 5th century AD. It is also possible that the distillation process was discovered in the British Isles (either independently or in precursor to Arabian distillation) by farmers as a way of making use of excess grain after harvest.

Types of whisky

Whisky or whisky-like products are produced in most grain-growing areas. They differ in base product, alcoholic content, and quality.

* Scotch whiskies are generally distilled twice and matured in Scotland for at least three years in oak casks. There are various terms which are fairly common in the spirit (or at least, whisky) world but which have special meaning in the Scotch whisky industry as described below.

o Age Statement. Whiskies do not mature in the bottle, only in the cask, so the "age" of a scotch is the time between distillation and bottling. Whiskies which have been in bottle for many years may have a rarity value, but are not "older" and will not necessarily be "better" than a more recently made whisky matured in wood for a similar time. If the whisky is from more than one cask, then the age statement on the bottle must reflect the age of the youngest element. Some well-respected single malts, for example Glenfarclas 105, omit the age statement since the youngest element – added for genuine flavouring reasons – would require an age statement which would not reflect the overall character of the final product which contains several elements which are much older.
o Malt Whisky is whisky made entirely from malted barley and distilled in an onion-shaped pot still.
+ Vatted Malt is blended from malt whiskies from different distilleries. If a whisky is labelled "pure malt" or just "malt" it is almost certain to be a vatted whisky.
+ Single Malt whisky is from a single distillery, but will usually contain whisky from many casks, so the blender can achieve a taste recognisable as typical of the distillery (unless the whisky is described as "single-cask"). In most cases, the name of the whisky will be that of the distillery (Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Glenfarclas), with an age statement and perhaps some indication of some special treatments such as maturation in a port cask. Especially expensive malts may have a special name.
o Grain Whisky is made from unmalted barley (and even other grains), usually in a continuous "patent" or "Coffey" still. Until recently it was only used in blends – but there are now some "Single Grain" scotches being marketed.

o Blended Whiskies are the cheaper whiskies made from a mixture of Malt and Grain whiskies. A whisky simply described as Scotch Whisky is most likely to be a blend. A blend is usually from many distilleries so that the blender can produce a flavour consistent with the brand, and the brand name (eg Bells, Chivas Regal) will usually not therefore contain the name of a distillery.

* Irish whiskeys are generally distilled three times and must be aged in wooden casks for a period of not less than three years. Unpeated malt is almost always used.

* Canadian whiskies have the regulatory requirement of being aged for at least three years in a barrel. Most Canadian whiskies are blended multi-grain whiskies

* American whiskey includes both straights and blends. To be called "straight" the whiskey must be one of the "named types" listed in the federal regulations and aged in oak casks for at least two years. The most common of the "named types" are Bourbon, which must be at least 51% corn (maize); rye, which must be at least 51% rye, and corn, which must be at least 80% corn. All straight whiskeys except straight corn whiskey must be aged in new casks that have been charred on their inside surface. American blended whiskeys combine straight whiskey with un-aged whiskey, grain neutral spirits, flavorings and colorings. These definitions are part of U.S. law. Not defined by the law but important in the marketplace is Tennessee whiskey, of which Jack Daniel's is the leading example. It is identical to bourbon in every important respect. There are other, minor, variations to the above, but they are not significant in the marketplace.

* Grain whisky differs from malt in that it is usually made from corn, maize, or other grains rather than malted barley. It is distilled in continuous distillation process stills known as Coffey stills instead of the pot still used for malt whisky.

* Pure pot still whiskey refers to Irish whiskey made from a combination of malted and unmalted barley and distilled in a pot still.

Names and spellings

Whisky comes from the Gaelic uisce/uisge beatha (IPA: [??k?? b?ah?]) meaning "water of life". The name itself may have originally derived from the Scandinavian aquavit; although it may also be modelled on the Latin phrase aqua vitae or the early name for brandy, aqua de vite, meaning "water of the vine".

The spelling whisky (plural whiskies) is generally used for whiskies distilled in Scotland, Wales, Canada, and Japan, while whiskey is used for the spirits distilled in Ireland. A 1968 directive of the ATF specifies "whisky" as the official U.S. spelling, but allows labelling as "whiskey" in deference to tradition; most U.S. producers still use the latter spelling.

In the late Victorian era, Irish whiskey was the world's whiskey of choice. Of the Irish whiskies, Dublin whiskies were regarded as the grands crus of whiskeys. In order to differentiate Dublin whiskey from other whiskies, the Dublin distilleries adopted the spelling "whiskey". The other Irish distilleries eventually followed suit. The last Irish "whisky" was Paddy, which adopted the "e" in 1966.

A mnemonic used to remember which spelling is used is that "Ireland" and "United States" have at least one "e" in their names, while "Scotland", "Canada" and "Japan" do not.

In the USA, the abbreviated term "Scotch" is sometimes used for "Scotch whisky". In Scotland and most other English speaking countries however, the term "whisky" [citation needed] almost always refers to "Scotch whisky", and "Scotch" is rarely used by itself.

Popular types

* Scotch whisky
* Bourbon whiskey
* Canadian whisky
* Corn whiskey
* Irish whiskey
* Moonshine
* Rye whiskey
* Tennessee whiskey
* Welsh whisky

Health effects

The health benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation (better health and greater longevity) commonly associated with wine appear to apply also to whisky. Most researchers now believe that the beneficial substance is the alcohol itself, although it isn't ruled out other components in the beverages are responsible for the beneficial effects. However the frequent consumption of strong spirits such as whisky significantly improve a persons chance of contracting Head and neck cancers.

Dram for Life!
Dr. Scotch