Tasting #40: Coastal Scotland Tour

Tasting #40: Coastal Scotland Tour

by | Oct 1, 2019 | Tastings

Tasting #40: Coastal Scotland Tour

On Wednesday, September 11th, the Saratoga Whiskey Club had its 40th tasting as a club! We had a special tasting of bottles that were recently brought back from a recent Rascal + Thorn whisky tour of Scotland. 20 members were in attendance for this outing!

Here is a list of the whiskies we tasted:

  • Talisker Distillery Exclusive
  • Wolfburn From The Stills
  • Ardnamurchan 2 Year Warehouse Release
  • Longmorn 13 Year Single Cask
  • Highland Park 18 Year Cask Strength
  • Ledaig 21 Year Port Pipe Finish

It was a fantastic tasting and night overall. Cheers!

Tasting #39: Annual Club Dinner

Tasting #39: Annual Club Dinner

by | Aug 19, 2019 | Tastings

Tasting #39: Annual Club Dinner

On Wednesday, August 14, 2019, the Saratoga Whiskey Club held its annual dinner feast.  The theme for this year was whiskey finished in a variety of different casks.  We had 48 people in attendance for this great evening of outdoor dining and tasting.  The weather cooperated for us which was nice!

Here is a list of the whiskies we tasted and the food that they were paired with:

  • We started with a Rye Lemonade Cocktail
  • Writers Tears Florio Marsala Cask Finish – Paired with Jerk Shrimp & Pineapple Skewers and Chicken Satay with Siracha Aioli
  • Sagamore Spirit Port Finished Rye – Paired with an Arugula Salad with Port Poached Pears & Roquefort
  • Highland Park Twisted Tattoo 16 Year – Paired with Lobster Sliders and Greek Israeli Cous Cous Salad
  • Bardstown Bourbon’s Phifer Pavitt Reserve – Paired with Braised Brisket with Bourbon Peach Glaze, Summer Succotash and Honey Jalapeno Cornbread
  • Limestone Branch Yellowstone Limited Edition 2018 – Paired with Whiskey Bacon Brownies

A big shout out to Airstream Catering for providing us with the food for this dinner!

Scores can be found on our Score page.

And here’s to another great annual dinner!!  Cheers.

Tasting #38 Recap: Race Track Tasting

Tasting #38 Recap: Race Track Tasting

by | Jul 30, 2019 | Tastings

Tasting #38 Recap: Race Track Tasting

On Sunday, July 28th, the Saratoga Whiskey Club had its second annual Track Tasting. It was a great afternoon of tasting various whiskies, betting on the ponies, and getting treated to some Pies on Wheels! It really was the perfect afternoon for our club. 24 members were in attendance for this outing!

Here is a list of the whiskies we tasted:

  • Dingle Single Malt Irish Whiskey – Batch 4
  • Barton’s 1792 Full Proof Bourbon – Gordon’s store pick (Waltham, MA)
  • Balblair 2005 Single Cask – Gordon’s store pick (Waltham, MA)
  • The Macallan Edition #4 Limited Edition
  • The Glenlivet Enigma Limited Edition
  • Kavalan Ex-Bourbon Single Cask – Symphony #2 – Gordon’s store pick

A great second year event for the club. We are already looking forward to next year. Cheers!

Tasting #37 Recap: SMWS Tasting

Tasting #37 Recap: SMWS Tasting

by | Jul 30, 2019 | Tastings

Tasting #37 Recap: SMWS Tasting

On Wednesday, July 24th, the Saratoga Whiskey Club welcomed Tom Smith, the USA Director of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, to Saratoga Springs. He hosted a fantastic tasting of the July Outturn releases of the SMWS. Along with the whisky, we were entertained with history of the SMWS, a variety of toasts and some discounts on membership and bottles. 35 members were in attendance for this tasting!

Here is a list of the whiskies we tasted:

  • Cask 93.107 – Glen Scotia – 7 Year ‘Flexing the mussels’
  • Cask 1.209 – Glenfarclas – 7 Year ‘Waxing a hot woodsman’
  • Cask 5.70 – Auchentoshan – 18 Year ‘In the absence of convention’
  • Cask 35.224 – Glen Moray – 23 Year ‘Fata Morgana’
  • Cask 52.25 – Old Pulteney – 11 Year ‘A morning at the beach’
  • Cask 53.287 – Caol Ila – 12 Year ‘Ye olde medisin’

It was a fantastic evening with Tom and we look forward to another visit in the future. Everyone enjoyed this special treat. Cheers!

Tasting #34 Recap: Drams For Fams 2019

Tasting #34 Recap: Drams For Fams 2019

by | May 7, 2019 | Tastings

Tasting #34 Recap: Drams For Fams 2019

On Thursday, May 2nd, the Saratoga Whiskey Club took part for the second year in the North American Drams For Fams charity benefit. Drams for Fams was started a few years ago by the Edmonton Scotch Club in Edmonton, Canada, as a way to use their love for whisky tasting to raise money for the local Edmonton Food Bank. Last year we joined them along with a number of other whiskey clubs throughout Canada and the United States. Over $50,000 was raised since the idea was started.

Our club benefit whiskey tasting was held at Henry Street Taproom in Saratoga Springs, NY. HST was kind enough to donate the space to hold the event as well as provide tasty appetizers. Whiskey was donated by members of the Saratoga Whiskey Club and by some brands. Money raised from ticket sales ($50 per ticket) is being donated to the Franklin Community Center, our local support center for families in need of food and supplies. The Saratoga Whiskey Club raised $1250 this year.

The goal for 2020 is to double this club initiative.

17 whiskies were donated and 25 members attended this wonderful evening of sampling and comraderie. It’s exciting to see the 13 clubs that are now involved in this charity and how much money is being raised this year. We are proud to be a part of this group.

Here are some photos from the evening.