Farewell to Erin

In La Coruña (the northwestern part of Spain), there is a tower called Torre de Hercules. On the ground near this tower is a mysterious circle divided into 8 sections, each corresponding to one of the Celtic nations. I've never really been able to get much info on it, but as a lover of Celtic culture, it has always intrigued me. Some of the Celtic nations are known and obvious: Scotland, Ireland, Wales...but there is also the Isle of Mann, A Coruña, Brittany, and Cornwall. The eighth and most mysterious is Asturias, another region of Spain. The symbol on the circle at the Torre de Hercules for Asturias is a skull, but I have never been able to find out what this means or why it is their symbol.

One thing is for certain though, the Celtic nations must have a shared history. Part of their culture remains strongly rooted in a common thread that binds them all, somehow, still today. On this trip in Ireland we have been surrounded by the traditional music; we've learned tunes, songs, and dance; we've hiked the landscape and stood on the shore. Too soon, it is time to say goodbye. One of the tunes I learned is Farewell to Erin, which is poignantly fitting. Even more so, the video I found for this tune was recorded in Asturias. This reminds me yet again, of the ties between all the Celtic lands, and I savor this as I taste a true single malt, of the Irish whiskey variety: Connemara Peated Single Malt.

It has smoky nose that I have missed, and an earthy taste that reminds of Talisker. I am beginning to recognize this flavor as peat, and I think of the bogs here that we visited, and of the traditional way of hand cutting the peat that keeps the land alive. There is something else about this lad though - a touch of something...perhaps just more Irish. Adding a drop of water definitely opened up the whisky but seemed to take away some of the smokiness. This lightened him up a bit too, perhaps a mischievous spirit I am sensing? That other flavor is still there though, like a bit of sweetness, but grounded. Gentle and real...I like this one.

Connemara Peated I will definitely meet again, and although I will return to the Scotches, I'll keep this Irish lad in my mind for some time.

When in Éireann...

Leafing through the Aer Lingus magazine I found this ad for Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whisky. "Discover what all the hush is about." I suppose it was meant to imply that it was so good that those in the know wanted to keep the secret...but it just seemed like a desperate marketing ploy to me. I wondered what a whisky drinker would say about this description... 

Even though my search is for the perfect Scotch, being in Ireland limits my Scotch choices while offering a myriad of Irish whiskies that I may never see on my side of the Atlantic, so I decided to live dangerously and switch up the game for my fortnight here.

The first leg of our journey was in Ennis. I asked a bartender at O'Connell's pub what he thought of the Redbreast. He said it was fairly good, mentioning its smooth character and easy drinkability. He was assuming, I think, that those were the traits I was looking for - something very simple and sweet. He also said it had a good flavor though, so I decided to give it a go.

When we first arrived in Ennis we were able to catch an awesome group of musicians playing tunes at the Clare museum. One of the lads sung a haunting song I had never heard before called "Foreign Lander." The group singing is Socks in the Frying Pan, and the link is them, but a different performance. Have a listen and get a taste of the Emerald Isle...

 Later that evening we went to a great session at Cruises pub and the bartender there seemed to know her stuff. She refused to pour me a glass of whisky until I promised not to pour more than a tiniest wee bit of water into it, so I ordered a glass.

This Irish Whisky is called a "Single Pot" which I thought meant single malt, but I later found out that isn't the case. In many ways, the Redbreast reminded me of Macallan: it was unassuming, had a mild nose, and did indeed seem very drinkable. It was sweeter than all the others thus far though; tasted of vanilla, and a hint of licorice. He seemed playful - a little immature, but not in a bad way.

I was feeling a bit lonely and found him a perfect companion, really, to lift my spirits a bit so I could fully enjoy the moment. Mighty tunes, in a brilliant pub, in a lovely town, in my favorite country. The ultimate craic. The night was flowing along wonderfully for a bit but it did not last; I was chatting away with a few of my friends and fellow Irish musicians when all of a sudden the bartender swooped in to clear our empties, and she stacked a glass on top of my not-quite-finished fella and whisked it away. Quick as lightning I snatched her hand to stop her. I was quite in shock and very appalled that she would so rudely interrupt my date in this way - not even inquiring as to whether or not we were done. I was able to salvage the remaining whisky and enjoy it, but this interruption did ruin the feel of things a bit. I can't blame it on the Redbreast, but there it is. In the future, even if I stray from the Scotch, I definitely need to at least make sure my whisky is single... 

Macallan 12

This morning I heard an old Waterboys song that I've always loved. It reminded me of a moment with an old flame...

On a beautiful late spring afternoon, we were playing frisbee and drinking beer, celebrating and enjoying life, and graciously ignoring the not-so-quiet hum of swan song in the air. We were laughing and having a great time as usual, when I noticed a streak of rainbow in the sky behind him. I pointed and shouted, "Look, a Rainbow!" (as I do) because I love rainbows and always want to share the gift of their momentary beauty with all in the vicinity.

He turned to look at it, and then turned back. He said to me, in almost confused surprise, "it's short!"

And that right there is a quintessential distillation of our relationship and the reason why it ended.


Speaking of distillation, I'd like to tell you about a new single malt I tried tonight. Here's the song from this morning: The Whole of the Moon. Take a listen, if you will, and go ahead and pour yourself a glass of the best of what's around while you're at it. Enjoy the music and the drink, and perhaps you will stumble on an appreciation for life's short & sweet beauties while I tell you about Macallan 12.

I bought a small bottle of this Scotch today, and happened upon some friends in the courtyard that were interested to try. I brought out both the Macallan and my beloved Talisker Storm to introduce them to my friends.

The main thing I notice about the Macallan 12, is that he is just so easy to get along with! Quite a gentleman: smooth, inviting, sophisticated, easy to have a conversation with. Gentle, but with just enough spice to keep me interested. He has a very demure nose, which I am certain is part of the charm. He doesn't impose his story onto you; he waits until you are interested, and then begins to share his tale.

One of the women in the courtyard had referred to Macallan as the quintessential Scotch - having all the things you expect a good single malt to have. I can see that. Although, I miss the smokiness of my Talisker so I would't say it has *all* the elements, but I see her point.

The Macallan is intriguing. I find myself wanting to keep talking with him because I feel there is something that remains hidden. Although I feel that he might turn out to be a bit too reserved for my tastes, I will definitely dance with this one again.

The Sailor's Wife

I'm going to Ireland next week. You may be surprised to hear that it is not Scotland, but Ireland that is my favorite country; in truth, I've only been to Scotland once, so one might say that it is still unknown to me. Perhaps that's why I've come to find the whisky of that land that so alluring...

GLENMORANGIE 10

I went to a music session at the local Irish pub last night and decided to see what Scotches they had to offer.  Of the few choices, I picked Glenmorangie 10. He was sweet and kind at first taste. After adding a drop of water, some rougher notes appeared, as they inevitably do, but didn't really take away from the gentle, easy style of this Scotch.

I arrived at the session when it was in full swing, and it was a great turnout. Folks had to leave as the night went on, but a handful stayed till the end. One of the whistle players offered this tune to us:             The Sailor's Wife

It seemed familiar, and had an adventurous explorer feel to it. I couldn't place it though, and then was delightfully surprised when he told me it was on an episode of a famous short-lived sci-fi series adored by many, myself included.

As I sipped my Scotch, I thought of my day and recent frustrations that were on my mind. The creamy and fruity notes of Glenmorangie were comforting. A very upbeat, yet down-to-earth Scotch. Conversation turned to the trip ahead, and my thoughts shifted to the exploring adventures that might be in store for myself...

I did find my mind wandering back to the Talisker Storm, but I stand firm in my decision to give others a chance. We had a lovely time, really, the Glenmorangie and I.  The pub soon was closing, and it was time to pay our tabs and leave.  Overall, I'd say this is a nice, easy Scotch to have along for tune listening, and if someone else was buying, I'd do it again. At this point, it's not one I'd want to take home with me, but I might bring him to a party.

Talisker Storm

Hello and Welcome.

This is a journey to find the perfect Scotch, recorded for any who wish to come along.

Perfect is a daring term, I know, but I have long since realized that "perfection" is fluid. A perfect blue sky is changing by the second, and the sky that is perfect on a day when you're feeling hopeful and adventurous would seem less so on a day that you are daunted and heartbroken. For the latter mood, a stormy sky might be more perfect...


Either way, it illustrates the point: perfection is possible, but we've been defining it wrong. Without the flow, without the growth, there is no perfection. Nothing static is perfect.

I will tell more of my story as the days go on, but for now all you need to know is this:

I have decided to search for the perfect Scotch instead of the perfect partner. I have recently been introduced to a lovely single malt called Talisker, and he is very enticing. This whole Scotch tasting business is very new to me, but I'm enchanted by the mysterious ritual of it all, and so my journey begins...

I have just discovered this song, and if you have a glass of Scotch yourself, I invite you to play this song while sipping and savoring, and may a beatiful truth you have been hiding from become clear.

Dust to Dust by The Civil Wars

And now back to that stormy sky...   We've had a lot of them this spring here in Virginia. The Talisker I tasted the other day was Talisker 10, but I had to see what else was out there before deciding which would have the honor of being my very first bottle of Scotch.

As I explored all the options at the liquor store, I kept coming back to "Talisker Storm." It was more money than I intended to spend, but sometimes you just have to take a leap.

I corked the bottle and gently brought it to my nose; it was smoky, almost too much so...reminded me of smoked meat. I poured a glass, and sipped, catching embers of scents that felt familiar, like the other Talisker. This one was more intense, but I liked it. When I added the touch of water, the body of the spirit flooded up to fill whatever edge I might have thought was too harsh. Mmm...perfection.

So I am happy with this gentleman for now. But my dating life has taught me that what seems wonderful at first can often turn, and sometimes suddenly and without any reason. So I will not fully commit until I am sure. There are many more Scotches to meet, to sip, and to dance with my tongue before I will settle. I hope you join me on the journey.