Tags
48%, alaska, beauty smith, borealis, campfire, heaven, hell, jack london, laphroaig, lutheran, peat, perrault, punishment, quarter cask, review, scoresby, scotch, smoke, the call of the wild, Whiskey, whisky, white fang, yukon
There are certain whiskies that present themselves with a quality of strangeness that approaches the supernatural – that is, they seem to be able to bridge the gap between what is acceptable on earth and what is allowable in the other realms of super-reality. Of course, by saying this, the “other realms” may vary. There are some whiskies that I fully intend to request by name when I am ushered into the eternal bosom of heaven because I experienced the prophetic vision of their divinity here on earth. There are others that I would most assuredly expect to see in the following scenarios: In the griddle of hell, Hitler is offered the choice between being served a glass of Scoresby or being lashed by a charring whip woven together from cinder and demon hides. Hitler chooses the whipping, but it was for nothing. It was a cruel hoax for a little hope. The devil serves him the Scoresby because he knows it is worse.
Scoresby is hellish, as if it were wrenched from the venom-filled veins of Satan right into the bottle. Alternatively, consider the Laphroaig Quarter Cask. It is heavenly, and it carries with it an unearthly and aural joy. It stirs the imagination in the following way (at least for me)…
When the cork is gently pried from its mouth and the first nosing is offered, there is an inviting, elemental nature to its smoke. It is chilly, but dense enough to suggest that in its wintry context, a campfire is nearby. With that, the imagination is kindled and one finds it very easy to be carried into a scene from a Jack London novel such as White Fang or The Call of the Wild. If the consumer were to close his or her eyes, almost certainly when they open, one would be found sitting near the aforementioned campfire along the River Yukon with characters of all sorts, the likes of Perrault and Beauty Smith; and only a few paces away are the hefty canines — Mastiffs, Malamutes, half-wolves, Saint Bernards — all with names like “Bud” and “Pike” and yes, “White Fang.”
The palate continues the image with Smith cursing and taunting the rustling dogs while tossing peat bricks into the fire. It carries on with Perrault throwing salted whitefish strips to the dogs and then reaching into his satchel to offer bits of dried fruit.
The finish is long and smooth, like the limitless skyline of stars hovering just above the tree line and awash in the gentle glows of a silky Borealis.
I’ve enjoyed many different editions from Laphroaig. The Quarter Cask is indeed one of the best. In fact, my wife has, on occasion, prodded that we should take a trip to Alaska. I think that would be nice, and now that I have beheld the wonder of the Quarter Cask through the eyes of a heavenly vision, I shall be certain to take this particular edition along so that the scene may be complete.
Love the way you trashed Scoresby!! Fine literary tribute to yet another superlative single malt. Keep it coming!!
You can count on me! Thanks, again!
I have enjoyed many different iterations of Laphroaig over my 50 some years of legal drinking and will look for this one when next I am in the big city.
I am curious how this “recent” post dated four days ago garnered replies from over a year ago.
I envy your personal collection as pictured at the top of some pages.
Scoresby in the 1.75l container has been my everyday Scotch for perhaps 20 years. Oh, well.
I do hope there is some disclaimer in your collection plates about your hobby.
Potter Valley, CA
The reason the date is weird is because I just reposted it with an edit and changed the date. As far as disclaimers, they aren’t necessary in my bunch. Great folks. As far as Scoresby goes, you’d better lay that weapon down before you hurt yourself. Thanks for stopping by. Hope to hear from you again.
I was introduced to Laphroaig on the Queen Mary 4 years ago and now have a bottle of Quarter Cask. Up to that point Bowmors had been my choice.
I’ve been meaning to reply to your post. Thanks for checking out the site. I’m glad you have that Quarter Cask bottle. You’ll love it, I’m sure. Cheers!
I found your blog when linked from my WhiskyNotes email today. I love it. Then I bought the book on the kindle and I’ve been laughing myself silly all day. I’m looking forward to trying a some of your favorites. I’m fairly new to Scotch so I haven’t noticed the Scoresby yet. They must keep that on the bottom shelf. I may have to try a half-pint bottle some day; it can’t be as bad as you say.
Steve, I’m glad you enjoy the site and the book. I should warn you, though…Scoresby is as bad as I have recorded. Be wary.
I was surprised to see this discussion pop up in my email, Though i haven’t forgotten it, it had slipped pretty far down on my things under active consideration.
Now that it is open again, I tthink I have an explanation for your beating up on Scoresby.
A friend, a co-grandparent in fact, gave me a 1.75 l bottle of Cutty Sark for some occasion. I didn’t want to seem ungrateful, but I certainly couldn’t drink it so I said nothing. Since it is bottled in glass,I was afraid of dropping it on my tlle kitchen floor and I decanted it into a plastic Scoresby container with a small “CS” note on the label.
It has been useful in serving visitors with no taste or overlong stays. A couple of times I have had some of it myself by mistake. Spit, spit, rinse with any other fluid.
So I think you may have had the misfortune of being served Cutty Sark thinking it was Scoresby
It may be time to try some more actual Scoresby and realize your error.
If, in the unlikely circumstance you don’t, someone local who reads this blog would love to finish it for you.
Potter Valley, CA
No thanks. Cheers.