Scotch from Islay: from the Spirited Folk of Oak and Smoke

Hello Everyone!  In our last post, we talked about the two smallest Scotch whisky producing areas and the representative drams from each.  In this post, we want to talk about Bryan’s favorite, which is Islay.  Although whisky is produced on many of the western Scottish islands, Islay is by far the most well known and has its own area designation from the Scotch Whisky Association.  Whisky from the other islands is officially lumped into the Highlands designation, although two of them, Arran and Jura, are right next door to Islay, while Skye, Lewis, and Orkney are farther north.

Photo in a photo: Storms in Loch Indaal; Bowmore Distillery

The dominant flavor profile of Islay is that of its classic peat and smoke.  The island almost appears to be two joined peninsulas divided by the dominant Loch Indaal, and includes mountains, beaches, rugged coastline, and long grassy stretches, much of which covers its signature peaty soil.  This small island with just over 3000 inhabitants boasts eight working distilleries: Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig.   

Peat fires at Laphroaig

Islay is classically known in the Scotch whisky world for its peaty, smoky characteristics.  Ardbeg maintains perhaps the consistently highest peat level across its line of whiskies, although Bruichladdich pushes the envelope even further with each release of its Octomore label (peated to a level of 169 parts per million in its latest release (!) compared to Ardbeg’s Supernova, reported to be peated to 100 ppm).   By contrast, Laphroaig and Lagavulin, the most familiar names from Islay, are in the 40-50 ppm range.  However Bruichladdich, along with Bunnahabhain, both produce unpeated whiskies, and Bowmore, the granddaddy of Islay distillers, produces a wide line of sherry-conditioned whiskies that show a nice balance between sweetness and smoke (personal favorite: Bowmore Darkest: a 15-year old malt that sees both Bourbon and Sherry aging, with its flavor most influenced by its final 3 years in ex-Oloroso Sherry barrels).   Even Ardbeg, which mounted a challenge to Bruichladdich in the ppm department, shows a remarkably balanced dram with its Uigeadail.

On an island dominated by distilleries that have been around since the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, and with the dominant reputations enjoyed especially by Laphroaig and Lagavulin, it might seem unusual that a new distillery would be established, but in 2005, Kilchoman (pronounced kilhoman) was the first distillery built on Islay in 124 years.   Kilchoman considers itself a farm distillery, and is one of only six distilleries in all of Scotland to retain the traditional floor maltings.  We had the opportunity to sample a 5-year old Kilchoman in 2011, and found it to be developing quite nicely for such a young whisky.

No trip to Islay would be complete without a visit to its most well-known distilleries, and we visited both Lagavulin and Laphroaig, complete with a tour and private tasting at Laphroaig.  The Laphroaig 10-year is the most widely available in the US, but we prefer the Quarter Cask offering.  Despite its younger age, it has a more enhanced and concentrated flavor due to aging in smaller casks, which aside from being smaller, also “breathe” more, thus drawing in more of the salty, briny character of the Islay air.  Aside from the peaty, smoky, briny flavors (the latter of which features more prominently in Lagavulin), these whiskies are often more complex as a result of using a good bit of sherry cask conditioning.   Greater aging, such as with the Lagavulin 16, another personal favorite, also enhances the sweetness and balance.  On the other side of the coin is Caol Ila, with its standard 12 and 16-year offerings; we have found them to be a little rougher than other Islay malts.  A good portion of Caol Ila is used in blending for the Johnnie Walker series.

Ugly Betty, the Botanist gin still at Bruichladdich

While Lagavulin and Laphroaig are perhaps the most familiar names from Islay, the other distilleries should not be ignored.   We’ve already mentioned Bruichladdich, a distillery with too many different bottlings to count.  Bruichladdich (pronounced brook-laddie) was built in 1881 but finally fell silent in 1994.  Bruichladdich remained shuttered until 2000, when a group of private investors rescued it, and installed Jim McEwan as its production director and Master Distiller.  Much of its Victorian equipment is still in use, and with this original machinery, Bruichladdich produces the broadest line of any distillery in existence, by far.   Bruichladdich even maintains a dedicated still, known as Ugly Betty, for the production of its botanical gin called the Botanist.  It was announced last summer that the French conglomerate Rémy Cointreau had purchased Bruichladdich, but we are hopeful that the same spirit will persist at the “Progressive Hebridean Distillers.”  

When you think of the Islay and Scotch, think of peat and smoke.  However, these are not one-dimensional whiskies and they offer some great flavors.  Stay tuned for further discussion about malts from the rest of the Scottish islands!

In the meantime please let us know about your favorite malt!

A taste of Campbeltown and the Lowlands

Hello Everyone!  Now that we’ve talked about the basics of whisky (and whiskey), we’re going to go into a brief discussion of Scotch whisky.   Whisky has been made throughout Scotland, both legally and illegally, for at least five centuries.  As we mentioned last time, Scotch whisky was created from a Scottish drink called uisge beatha, meaning water of life.   It is fairly common for a culture to have its own “water of life” (think eau de vie), but Scotland’s version is likely the only one to have become a worldwide phenomenon.

In thinking about the different flavors and styles of Scotch whisky, we were reminded of all the differences that one can experience across the wine spectrum.  If we were to compare Scotch whisky to wine, these would be what we would call the “old world” wines.   (We’ll carry this theme through in later posts – for example, who is the Burgundy of Scotch, the Rioja, etc.).  There are five major Scotch whisky-producing regions:  the Highlands, the Lowlands, Speyside, Campbeltown, and Islay.  Other than Islay, the other islands are not recognized as a region by the Scotch Whisky Association, but are considered part of the Highlands region.  Nonetheless, many people would argue that the other islands (often called the maritime malts) maintain similar characteristics to Islay malts, and therefore, you will often see "the Islands" denoted as a consolidated whisky-producing region.

Scotch from the Lowlands is produced, predictably, in the southern part of the country, and tends to be the lightest of all Scotch varieties.  Many Lowlands distilleries have gone silent, but the two names that you’ll commonly encounter are Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan (pronounced aw-kan-tow-shan).  These tend to be aromatic with fruity or herbal notes, and are easily enjoyed.  They are generally aged mostly in ex-Bourbon casks.   Auchentoshan however has been expanding its line with multiple offerings including sherry and triple wood (aged in three different cask types: Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry, and Pedro Ximenez Sherry).  Auchentoshan is also triple-distilled in the manner of Irish whiskies, which contributes to its light, smooth flavor.

Another region, Campbeltown, is unique in that it is a relatively limited geographic area (especially when compared to the Highlands and Lowlands).  Campbeltown is a town located on the southern tip of the Kintyre peninsula in southwestern Scotland, tucked away in a protected bay.  The drive along the west coast of the Kintyre peninsula to get to Campbeltown is quite scenic and alternates between rocky shoreline and long stretches of beach.  In the late 19^th into the early 20^th centuries, Campbeltown had over 34 distilleries and was dubbed “Whisky City,” with a reputation to rival Speyside.  Today, there are only two distilleries operating in Campbeltown.

Campbeltown is now anchored by Springbank and its sister distillery Glengyle, and Glen Scotia.  Glengyle was recently re-opened in 2004 after almost 80 years of silence.  These whiskies tend to be lightly peated compared to other nearby regions such as Islay or Jura, but with a full body and flavor.  Springbank is practically a malt whisky industry in its own right: it is one of the few distilleries that still malts its own barley using the traditional floor maltings, and includes a line that ranges from light and triple-distilled (Hazelburn) to a heavily peated, double-distilled malt (Longrow), with the traditional Springbank label in between.  Springbank’s sister distillery, Glengyle, is producing whisky under the name Kilkerran.  The Kilkerran “Work in Progress” line shows a young malt of varying ages, which is a great way to taste the evolution of the whisky as it ages.  We tasted the 8 year old Kilkerran, and it certainly compared favorably to many 10 year old malts that we’ve tried. 

Stay tuned for more discussions about Scotland and its water of life.  If you have a favorite malt, we’d love to hear about it!

Mediterranean Flavors – The Basics

Hello Everyone!  As promised, we’ve been expanding our focus beyond wine, and to that end, we wanted to talk about one of our other biggest passions, food!   And one of our favorite styles of food comes from the Mediterranean region.   Mediterranean food received quite a bit of attention in the early ‘90s as part of the discussion around the “French Paradox”: the apparent ability of the French (and others who consume a similar diet) to eat cheese, butter, and other saturated fats, but still have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease than in the US.  While the French – and others around the Mediterranean – may generally be healthier than those of us in the US (residents of the Italian island of Sardinia can boast one of the longest life expectancies in the world), it’s likely that there are a number of other factors that contribute to that long life span.  That being said, no one ever was considered less healthy due to a Mediterranean-style diet!

The Mediterranean style encompasses not just the more obvious countries in Europe, but also north Africa and the Middle East as well.  The foods from each of these regions have their own cultural identities and variations, but have several common themes. 

Much of the food in the Mediterranean arose from two basic concepts: locality and practicality.  People consumed what was local and readily available to them.   It was also important that the food was fresh, or could be stored without refrigeration.  Therefore, one common theme across the Mediterranean countries is the use of uses salt for curing (through a brine or dry cure), usually seasoned with a citrus and garlic.  Then the specific regional influences are layered in with herbs and spices.  The most common meats tend to be fish, chicken, lamb, and pork, depending on the specific culture.

Interestingly enough, many of these foods are considered "peasant foods" – because of the simplicity of the ingredients.  Inexpensive items such as polenta, rice, pasta, couscous, beans, or chickpeas are frequently added to the meal to provide bulk, giving enough energy to easily get one through the day.  A few country-specific variations, each making full use of that country’s natural resources, are described below.

In Spain, it is common to see extensive use of olives and lemons.  These are often combined with garlic, almonds, and eggs.  A common pairing is seafood (shrimp or scallops) with some form of cured pork, with sweet or smoked paprika as seasoning.  Spain is fairly famous for its pigs, and pork is served in many different ways, from roasted to a Spanish specialty, Serrano ham.

France uses the potato to add bulk to its foods, and bread is also a common staple.  There is a great deal of diversity to France and some of the influences include mustard and herbs of Provence, which contain lavender.  Olives, capers, and shallots figure prominently in French food.  Crème and crème fraiche are common in where dairy is used.

In Italy, the oranges which are commonly grown across the southern part of the country are used as well as lemon to contribute to the citrus flavors.  The combination of herbs such as basil and citrus create a great flavor profile.   Northern Italy, Tuscany, in particular, is known as the "Land of the Bean Eaters,” and legumes are a common addition.  Pasta is common but more often as a small side dish or appetizer, not as we typically see it in our Italian style restaurants in the US!  One of our favorite combinations is polenta with a sauce or melting cheese, and an additional garnish of herbs or nuts, such as pine nuts.  Fennel and other anise flavors appear in some dishes.

Moving further east towards Greece and the Middle East, things begin to change a little and you pick up more chickpeas and eggplant as the building blocks.  The “brown” spices such as cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice are more commonly used.  Fresh herbs are key, such as thyme, cilantro, and flat parsley, as well as oregano for earthy tones.  Yogurt figures in more prominently as the dairy component, rather than cream or milk.

Going into the North African region, we add a whole new dimension with harissa (a hot and spicy paste based on chili peppers) and preserved lemons, in addition to the Middle Eastern ingredients named above.  Preserved lemons are the ultimate combination of salt and citrus and it the rind that is more highly prized.  In addition, the flavors of tamarind and sumac are common, giving the dish a sometimes earthy, sometimes fruity flavor.  These ingredients were common prior to the later, more widespread use of citrus fruits in cooking.

We hope this gets you started in thinking about Mediterranean dishes.  Just remember, start with your choice of brine, citrus, and garlic and blend in the regional items.  And of course, don't forget to pick up your favorite wine to go along!

Whisky 101 - Uisge Beatha

Hello Everyone!  As we mentioned in our last post, we have decided to expand our writings beyond the world of wine.  During our time running Pangaea (which boasted one of the largest selections of single malt scotch in New England), and especially following a trip to Scotland in the summer of 2011, we have become very interested in whisky.  Whisky has a long and storied history from ancient times, and has come to be viewed as one of the symbols and in fact the soul of what many would call its spiritual home, Scotland.  In Scottish Gaelic, whisky is Uisge Beatha, or water of life, with varying forms in other languages, all originating from the Latin aqua vitae.

In many ways, whisk(e)y like wine, has a terroir.  Terroir is the French term that joins a wine to its location.  Before we get to a discussion of whisk(e)y terroir, let’s go over some basic concepts on whisk(e)y.  First we’ll clear up this pesky spelling – whisky is the Irish and Scottish spelling for the word, and whiskey is the American and Canadian spelling.  Around the rest of the world, either spelling may be used dependent on the influence.  As they were the inventors of the modern conception of whisky, we’ll stick with the Scottish/Irish spelling unless explicitly discussing American or Canadian types.

Whisky is first and foremost distilled beer without the hops.   For Scotch whisky, barley is the exclusive ingredient used to make the “beer” for the single malt.  A single malt whisky is made from malted barley; blended whiskies are made from a mix of malt and grain.  Irish whisky is typically made from wheat or barley.  In Canada, much of the whiskey is made from rye, and in the US (particularly bourbon and Tennessee whiskey) it may be a combination of corn, rye, and other grains.  Bourbon has to be at least 51% corn to be considered ourbon. 

After the “beer” is made, it is then distilled.  In general, Scotch whisky is distilled two times, Irish whisky three times, and American and Canadian whiskey are both often distilled three times.  As the distillation is performed, the distillate is “cut” into three portions:  the head, heart, tail - referring to the early, middle, and late points in the distillation process.  The heart, naturally, forms the basis of the whisky.

After distillation, the aging process begins, and which is where most of the distinctive flavors are imparted.  Bourbon and Tennessee whiskies are required by law to be aged in brand new oak casks that have a good char/toast.  Use of these new oak barrels gives Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey their characteristic vanilla oakiness.  Irish whisky is typically aged in used Bourbon casks – since American Bourbon must be aged in new oak barrels, most of the used Bourbon casks make their way around the world to be reused to age other whiskies. 

When it comes to single-malt Scotch, the aging process gets much more interesting.   Scotch is often first aged in either used Bourbon casks or Spanish sherry hogsheads.  Following the initial aging period, the whisky may be finished in a variety of options:  ex-Bourbon, rum, sherry, wine, or other oak casks.   The whisky is then aged for a variety of years, depending on the specific characteristics desired.  Since no aging will occur once the whisky is bottled, the final result is highly dependent on the decisions made by the master distiller during this process. 

So, this has been our first introduction to the world of whisky, and we’ll talk about more in future installments.   Most cultures have their own version of Water of Life, but whether your drink of choice is whisky or whiskey, many would argue that this is the true Uisge Beatha!

A New Outlook for 2013

Hello to all our Wine Spectre friends and Happy New Year!   We know that we’ve been neglecting our blog over the last few months primarily due to work, travel, etc., but in a way we feel that we’ve been rejuvenated as a result.  The last several months have taken us on a journey of experience to different places and different cultures, and not surprisingly, that journey has left us hungering (and thirsting!) for more.  

On these journeys, following on our experiences with our Pangaea Wine Bar, we’ve realized that our interest in wine really only touches on a single aspect of what makes a particular culture unique, and in fact is much broader than that.   It is also the land, the people, the food, and their experiences, because nothing can or should be viewed in a vacuum.  Just as we think about the concept of terroir as including the land, the air, the light of a particular place and the people in it, we should also consider our own experience as part of the mix, for surely all of these things contribute to the final product (for example, the glass of wine that seems to have tasted better in the Paris bistro or the café in Rome).   In the film “Sideways,” the character of Maya gives us one of the most evocative and memorable quotes about this more expansive view of terroir:

“I like to think about what was going on the year the grapes were growing; how the sun was shining; if it rained. I like to think about all the people who tended and picked the grapes. And if it’s an old wine, how many of them must be dead by now. I like how wine continues to evolve, like if I opened a bottle of wine today it would taste different than if I’d opened it on any other day, because a bottle of wine is actually alive…”

This is the true concept of terroir, whether we’re speaking about wine, whisky, or other spirits, as well as the cuisine of a certain place.  In our lexicon, terroir will be used to represent not only the land, the air, the light, but also to refer more broadly to a true sense of place and time.

This is why you’ll start to see the Wine Spectre expand a bit outside the world of wine to both food and spirits.  We are both passionate cooks and for us, experimentation in different types of cuisine is one way to experience another place.  As well as food and other spirits, we will also begin to delve further into the world of whisky, particularly the malts of Scotland, as there is no greater expression of the terroir and sense of place than the connection you experience with the Scottish countryside.  A bit later we’ll discuss the idea of globalization, and how this presents ever more increasing risk to true terroir.

But for now, as we begin another happy weekend, we leave you with hopes that you will enjoy this evening with family and friends.  Maybe you will be inspired to do a little experimentation, or settle down with something warm and familiar.   In either case, as we always say, drink what you like, like what you drink!

Cheers,
Rachel & Bryan