Tasting #73: Tomatin Vertical Tasting

Tasting #73: Tomatin Vertical Tasting

Tasting #73: Tomatin Vertical Tasting

On March 10th, the Saratoga Whiskey Club had its 73rd tasting! The focus was the wonderful Highland Distillery Tomatin. We did an entire Vertical Tasting of Tomatin, including 7 different whiskies. 32 members were in attendance for this great Luxury Tasting. We were also joined by Scott Adamson from the Tomatin Distillery. He joined us via Zoom at a very late hour of the night for him. It was really fantastic.

Here is what we tasted:

  • Tomatin 12 Year – vintage bottling from the 1980’s
  • Tomatin 14 Year Port Wood Finish
  • Tomatin 15 Year Limited Edition Moscatel Finish
  • Tomatin 18 Year Oloroso Sherry Finish
  • Gordon & MacPhail’s Connoisseur’s Choice Tomatin 16 Year First Fill Bourbon
  • Tomatin 30 Year Bourbon and Traditional Oak
  • SMWS 11.41 ‘Smoke, mirrors and honey traps’ 31 Year Single Cask

It was a great evening of whisky! Scores can be found here: Scores

 

Tasting #68: A Campbeltown Celebration

Tasting #68: A Campbeltown Celebration

Tasting #68: A Campbeltown Celebration

On Wednesday, January 20th, the Saratoga Whiskey Club had its 68th tasting. The focus of this tasting was Campbeltown. It was a true Celebration of some really fantastic whiskies that were collected by the club over the last year. From Festival bottles to a very special Scotch Malt Whisky Society gift, this tasting was one of the best we have had as a club. We were joined by both Tom Smith and Ben Diedrich from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society to go through some of their casks, but also just to be with us to enjoy this really fun evening.

Here is what we tasted.

  • Glen Scotia 14 Year Campbeltown Festival 2020 Bottling
  • SMWS 93.128 ‘Smoke and smugglers’ Glen Scotia 17 Year
  • SMWS 93.140 ‘Bacon on a bonfire’ Glen Scotia 17 Year Tasting Panel Experience
  • Springbank 12 Year Cask Strength
  • Springbank 12 Year Burgundy Cask
  • Springbank 14 Year Bourbon Wood
  • SMWS 27.113 ‘What a song and dance’ Springbank 26 Year

32 members were online for this really great tasting.

YouTube video: YouTube Video

For scores, please check here: Scores

Tasting #67: Scotch-Paired Dinner

Tasting #67: Scotch-Paired Dinner

Tasting #67: Scotch-Paired Dinner

On Thursday, January 14th, the Saratoga Whiskey Club had its 67th tasting and first tasting of 2021. We started the year off with a really great Scotch-paired dinner. The food was crafted by the very talented kitchen crew at Hamlet & Ghost in Saratoga Springs. We paired five courses with 4 different Single Malt Scotches and one cocktail. It was a dinner-to-go, as the Pandemic still prevents our club from getting together indoors as a group. 

Here is the menu and what was paired with it:

  • First Course: Red Snapper Crudo – paired with “A Step Too Far” cocktail made with Lagavulin 16 Year Single Malt Scotch, Apricot, Amontillado Sherry, Golden Moon Kummel
  • Second Course: Chicken Liver Mousse Tartine – paired with Gordon & MacPhail’s Connoisseurs Choice Highland Park 14 Year Single Cask
  • Third Course: Braised Beef Cheeks – paired with Infrequent Flyers’ Linkwood 14 Year Single Cask
  • Fourth Course: Stilton and Eccles Tart – paired with Glen Scotia 11 Year Double Cask Finish
  • Fifth Course: Sticky Toffee Pudding – paired with SMWS 48.110 ‘Sooooternes!’ Balmenach 15 Year Single Cask

21 members were online for this really great dinner and whisky tasting.

First Annual Advent Calendar 2020

First Annual Advent Calendar 2020

First Annual Advent Calendar 2020

The Saratoga Whiskey Club did its first ever Advent Calendar for 2020!! We had 48 Calendars in total go out to members and friends. Here is the list of whiskey that we have tasted so far. This is a blind calendar, so each day’s whiskey will be released at 9pm.

  1. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon C920 (Fall Release), 66.4% ABV
  2. Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake, 46% ABV
  3. Amrut Single Malt Indian Whisky – Cask Strength – 61.8% ABV
  4. Method and Madness Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey – Finished in French Chestnut – 46% ABV
  5. Arran Sherry Cask ‘The Bodega’ – 55.8% ABV
  6. Pinhook Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Store Pick from Gordon’s – 57.25% ABV
  7. Nikka Days – 40% ABV
  8. Penderyn Portwood Single Malt Welsh Whisky – 46% ABV
  9. Tomatin Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch – 57.5% ABV
  10. New Riff Single Barrel Rye – 57% ABV
  11. Talisker Port Ruighe Single Malt Scotch – 45.8% ABV
  12. Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (Inaugural Release) – 46% ABV
  13. Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon – Barrel Strength – Gordon’s Pick – 62.2% ABV
  14. Glenallachie 10 Year Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch – Batch 3 – 58.2% ABV
  15. Mars Maltage “Cosmo” Japanese Whisky – Blended Malt Whisky – 43% ABV
  16. Starward Australian Whisky – Single Cask Release – Astor – 55.8% ABV
  17. The Lakes Single Malt Whisky – The Whiskymaker’s Edition: Colheita – 52% ABV
  18. Glenfarclas 15 Year Single Malt Scotch – 46% ABV
  19. Waterford Rathclogh (a) & Dunmore (b) Single Malt Irish Whiskey – 50% ABV
  20. Maker’s Mark Private Select Bourbon – Bayway Store Pick – 54.3% ABV
  21. Edradour Caledonia 12 Year Single Malt Scotch – 46% ABV
  22. Smoke Wagon Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Private Barrel – Bayway Liquors – 58.76% ABV
  23. Barrel Craft Spirits Rye – Cask Strength – Batch 1 – 58.5% ABV

Stay tuned for each day’s announcement!

Tasting #62: Whisky and Rum!

Tasting #62: Whisky and Rum!

Tasting #62: Whisky and Rum!

On Wednesday, October 28th, the Saratoga Whiskey Club had its 62nd tasting! We were joined by Tom Smith from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society to taste different whiskies finished in Rum casks. We then ended with three of the Society’s Single Cask Rums! It was a great evening and discussion on rum, its impact on whisky and how great it can be on its own as well. Such a fun evening of tastes and education.

Here is what we tasted:

  • Glenlivet Caribbean Rum Cask Finish (pre-tasting dram)
  • Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask
  • SMWS 9.172 ‘Quantum Endramglement’ Glen Grant 15 Year
  • SMWS 112.51 ‘Funky Irie Feeling’ Loch Lomond 15 Year
  • SMWS R2.11 ‘Goat farms, esters and vinyl funk’ Guyanese Rum 16 Year
  • SMWS R1.5 ‘A little extravagant’ Jamaican Rum 12 Year
  • SMWS R8.7 ‘The volcanic spirit’ Nicaraguan Rum 14 Year

32 members were online using Zoom for this really fun and rare tasting!!

For scores, please visit our Scores page.