Tasting #12 Recap: Scotch Malt Whisky Society House Tastings – November 2017

The Saratoga Whisk(e)y Club had Tasting #12 on various nights throughout November, 2017.  It was the first time we tried doing more informal tastings at people’s houses. This was also a different tasting in that we did it as a blind tasting.  None of the guests knew from what distillery any of the bottlings came from.  They also did not know how old each whisky was or the price.  It was very interesting to see what happened when the bias was removed, the pre-conceived notion that a whisky has to be good because it is from a certain distillery or because of its price.  We had a good turnout of 22 people over the course of four different nights, both members and non-members. We had eight different whiskies at our tasting.  Here is a list of what we tasted:

• We started with a beer and this varied from house to house
• SMWS 41.89 ‘Tarte Flambe’ Dailuaine 12 Year
• SMWS 37.83 ‘An odyssey of flavor’ Cragganmore 12 Year
• SMWS 55.31 ‘Sparkling, lively and playful’ Royal Brackla 17 Year
• SMWS 36.114 ‘Tap-dancing tongue teaser’ Benrinnes 13 Year
• SMWS 54.42 ‘A washing day in Spring’ Aberlour 9 Year
• SMWS 46.45 ‘A two-way street’ Glenlossie 23 Year
• SMWS 48.74 ‘Coffee kisses and lucky tatties’ Balmenach 10 Year
• SMWS 73.79 ‘Hopped-Up!’ Aultmore 16 Year

Overall it was a fun tasting and it made you think!  It’s amazing how much more difficult it is not knowing what you are tasting.

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Here are some photos from the tasting.