“Whiskey, like a beautiful woman, demands appreciation. You gaze first, then it’s time to drink.” Murakami
Everyone has their delectable morsel of joy be that food and drink or otherwise. My taste has been brewing for over 5 years (young in some liquor standards) to embrace the grandiose young age statements of whisky.
There is a particular joy only whiskey can give me, the bellowing aroma, the musky tones, when it tastes like tar, gravel or dirt. I wonder if it has something to do with spending many years holidaying in Ireland close to the peat bogs? I like the hard hit to the nose, the warming it brings my throat and the after taste or burn.
Whiskey dates
One of my favourite things to do when I travel it to explore whiskey bars and seek out new whiskeys which I have not yet had the pleasure of an acquaintance. I am still finding new nooks and crannies which I enjoy even in Sydney. For many years I have been a Baxters Inn or nothing purist when it comes to going to whiskey bars, but I branching out into more cocktail bars to see what the can offer me in terms of new flavours. When I go out to a whiskey bar, I want to try new whiskeys I have not yet tried, which are young, heavily peated and preferably from Islay. Even though my interest in whiskies is very narrow, I still find that there are age expressions or limited editions that I have not yet tried (they always get you with the limited editions). I am still yet to try all of the Lagavulin's or Ardbeg's. Last week I was told by the staff at Eau De Vie that I would very much enjoy Octomore's 7.2, which is aged in sherry casks, (which are my favourite flavour profiles (which is why my all time favourite staple whiskey is the Laphroaig Quarter Cask)), however this is an international travel exclusive so I will have to wait until I next fly or for someone to bring it for me. Next on my list of bars to try is Roosevelt, owned by the same company that owns Eau de Vie (if you have ever wanted to watch someone making you a fancy cocktail go here, it was ultimately the most theatrical cocktail making I have ever seen with LOTS of smoke, candy floss with paper aeroplanes in them and cocktail glasses that look like pipes). I also regularly travel in Australia and Europe, I adore Milroy's of Soho's bar and I want to learn more about the best whiskey bars in the world! I have turned on the comments, let me know your favourite whiskey bars, where I should explore and what you would recommend me trying whiskey wise.
What to bring on a date- my current favourites
As far as what you can obtain in Australia and elsewhere easily, as my taste has matured, I have begun to hunker for the younger whiskey and whiskeys exclusively from Islay, some of my current favourites are:
Lagavulin 8 year old- complex, young and full bodied, smokey and peppery
Ardbeg Corryvreckan- award winning and rightly so, peppery, very salty and super complex!
Octomore 10 year old- Octmore, owned by Bruichladdich, makes the whiskey with the highest PPM in the world. I find their younger whiskies too peaty (and boy do I love pelted whiskies) but this has mellowed to just the right degree to make it hard hitting with a soft subtlety (which probably has something to do with it being aged in Grenache and Bourbon casks).
My ultimate dream whiskey holiday
My ultimate whiskey holiday would be visit Islay. I have always been enamoured with the Scottish Highlands and as you can only get to Islay via car and ferry I think this would be a wonderful romantic holiday, especially if timed with a whiskey festival. If you ever wanted to make a whiskey girl happy go check out my Tailored Travel page and take me to Islay! We could go to Kilchoman, Ardbeg, Laphroiag, Lagavulin, Caol Ila and Bunnahabhain. Many flavours for us to explore together.
Thank you to all my generous lovers who have brought me whiskey, my whiskey cupboard is over flowing and this couldn't make me happier. I am so grateful that you have taken the time to get to understand my taste and fulfil my whiskey dreams.
