More on Malts

White House held a Bruichladdich tasting the other day; it was their second such tasting in a little more than a year. But really, who needs much of an excuse to drink the Laddie, especially when it’s free? I met Danny there, and we sampled a few of the old favorites, including the fifteen, now in the second edition, and the fourteen, which has a golfing theme. I could care less about golf, but their fourteen is very nice, very rich and flavorful. That’s the Bruichladdich trademark: flavor. There is a little hint of peat lingering in the background; after all it’s an Islay malt. But the distinguishing characteristic is the flavor, not the peat. For a special treat, they had a bottle of the twenty available for tasting. This is too pricey to purchase, about $150 a bottle, and clearly not two-and-a-half times better than the fifteen. But the twenty is a pretty special malt, full of slow-developing flavor – one of these malts that slowly blows up on your palate, or in your mouth, or wherever it is that you taste these whiskies.

Speaking of big flavor and a too pricey price, the Chophouse now has Macallan 18 behind the bar. I’ve always felt the 18 was overpriced; no way it’s worth the 120 or more that most stores want to charge. But the Chophouse serves a generous pour for only $15, and at that price, which is about the same that any New York City hotel would charge for a simple shot of any entry level single malt, it’s pretty hard to turn down. And I have to admit, the 18 deserves its reputation for big flavor. I’ve read some guys criticize the 18 for a syrupy flavor, but I enjoy that rich chocolaty taste. It’s not as smooth as other high end malts I’ve tasted, but it’s hard to find fault with the enormous flavor.

I’ve joked in past years at the Rosh Hashanah table, that our sages prescribe a fine single malt to finish the holiday meal, but come to find out that isn’t so preposterous a statement. My young friend Matt from New York, who is observant, advises that single malts, not aged in wine casks, are kosher. And his neighborhood purveyor runs a sale each year before the holidays, discounting everything that’s appropriate for the holidays. After a brief consultation, he picked up a nice bottle of Highland Park. Shana Tova.