Single malts and blends: Definitions and de-mystification

Single Malt or Blended…can you tell the difference?

By Kevin McComber

One of the most common questions floating around in the whisky education ether is “What the heck is single malt whisky?” Another common question is “How the heck did I get in this ether?” I’ll attempt to answer the first, and leave the second to a later discussion.

The term “single malt” often seems to impress many whisky novices, though single malts, like any other whisky, can run the gamut from mind-blowingly tasty to mind-blowingly nasty. While most tend to fall somewhere in between, I want to dispel the myth that the words “single malt” have anything to do with quality.

To uncover its real meaning, the phrase “single malt” should be broken into its two component words and analyzed from there.  “Single” refers to the distillery at which the whisky was produced – it’s made at a single distillery.  In other words, it’s the product of only one distillery and will most likely represent the house style of that particular establishment. “Malt,” on the other hand, refers to the grain that’s used to make the whisky – the whisky was made only from malted grain. Thus, “single malt” means the whisky was made at a single distillery, using malted grain as its only grain ingredient.  You can have single malt Scotch whisky, single malt Irish whiskey, and even single malt American whiskey, as long as it’s only made at one distillery and only from malted grain.  It should also be noted that, in the vast majority of cases, the malted grain in whisky is malted barley.

Contrary to the term “single malt,” the word “blended” often makes both whisky novices and connoisseurs turn up their noses like a princess at a landfill. But there’s no good reason for it – blends can be just as amazing as single malts, if not more so, and I also want to dispel the myth that blends are inferior to single malts.

A blended whisky is a mix of single malt whiskies and grain whiskies (non-malt whiskies), made according to the specifications of the blender. This means that, if a single malt has some awesome qualities in one flavor area but is lacking in another, another whisky can be added to it to fill in the gap. Other whiskies can be added to make it smoother.  Still more can be added to give it a beautiful finish. Blending is an art, and when you taste a phenomenal blended whisky, you can skip that trip to the Louvre; Mona Lisa’s got nothing on a great blend.

At the end of the day (or at the beginning of it, sometimes), the whisky you choose should just be based on what you prefer. A great blend is like a world-class orchestra with all instruments perfectly balanced, while an outstanding single malt is akin to a solo by your favorite musician. You just have to decide which concert to attend.

Kevin McComber recently completed a PhD in Materials Science & Engineering at MIT and like any great mind, his true passion could be found in a glass. Back in 2006, Kevin began dabbling in whisky, but became much more engrossed in it in 2009 after meeting a few “whisky mentors” whose collections, knowledge, and generosity allowed him to see much more of the whisky world. Kevin began leading whisky tasting events around Boston in 2010, primarily for students and alumni of MIT and other universities, as well as posting his musings about whisky experiences on his blog MyWhiskipedia.

Glenrothes: a unique scotch with unique potential

By Alex Macina

It’s tough to find a scotch that appeals to people of different experiences and palates, however many find that Glenrothes is one that has enough complexity for a refined palate and is smooth enough for the occasional scotch drinker. The flavors of fruit, citrus, and vanilla will keep your palate occupied while providing a pleasantly long finish. Due to its approachable nature, Glenrothes is capable of pleasing all levels of scotch drinkers. 

My first experience with this Speyside gem was on a recommendation. A friend told me that he felt it’s one of the most complex scotches he’d tried. Having had and enjoyed many single malts from Speyside, I decided the claim he made needed to be put to the test! He showed me the bottle as a reference point that sparked my interest even more. 

Besides the strong recommendation, the uniquely squat bottle that Glenrothes is packaged in is something that will certainly catch anyone’s attention. While at the liquor store I tried for a long time to figure out the age of this single malt. I couldn’t figure it out by anything on the bottle or primary label, but rather a secondary label that is affixed with the unique vintage. By affixing a vintage to nearly all of its line, Glenrothes makes a connection with another beverage of distinction, wine. Although scotch does not develop in the bottle in the same way that wine does, each vintage had certain distinctions. Every year, the master distiller creates a unique variation that expresses both the hallmarks of the distillery and the vintage. What this also means is that there’s only a limited amount of each vintage, thus when a vintage is gone, it’s gone for good.

When I got home the unique potential of this scotch had me excited for my first experience. I poured a dram and took a few healthy whiffs. Wow! This scotch is telling a story indeed. When taking in the aromas, it’s essential not to put your nose in the glass as you would a glass of wine, but rather slightly off the edge, the harsh alcohol levels in scotch will overwhelm your sense of smell. Also, it’s not advised to repeatedly go back as your ability to identify different aromas will begin fade and cause them to muddle.  With the Glenrothes there’s no mistaking the intense vanilla that jumped out. Because of its intensity of aroma, vanilla was also the first flavor that I was able to identify. The finish was unexpectedly long and brought out many other flavors including citrus and fruit on the back palate and a hint of spice. It was a wonderful first impression.

Since my initial experience, I have started sharing Glenrothes with all ranges of scotch drinkers. The line-up is equally as flexible as its qualities. They make an everyday drinker in the form of the Select Reserve, which offers an entry point and captures the essence of what Glenrothes is all about. If you’ve tried and loved this non-vintage scotch, there are numerous vintages available that can range anywhere from $65 to $500+. So for all of you who wish to celebrate your kids graduating from college, the 1978 has your name on it.

Regardless of your preferences, The Glenrothes offers an expressive, high-quality experience that can be enjoyed by the most novice scotch drinkers, as well as the life-long connoisseur. It’s become a staple of our gatherings, as it provides something for everyone. After you try it, I have a feeling it will have play a similar role for you.

A former bartender with over 17 years experience, most recently at Wine Spectator ‘Grand Award’ winning Stonehedge Inn & Spa, Alex Macina has a breadth of knowledge and passion surrounding fine wine and Scotch. Alex found out early and sought to convey the power these fine libations have in turning an ordinary gathering into an enhanced experience.

The Sensuality of Wine

By Rebeccah Marsters

Type “wine and…” into your browser search bar and what does the all-knowing Internet come up with to fill the blank? Wine and food, wine and roses, wine and chocolate, and, yes, wine and sex. Wine and romance seem to go hand in hand, but is there something inherently amorous about fermented grape juice? Anyone who has enjoyed a glass of truly amazing wine can attest that the experience transcends the taste buds and indeed enters the realm of the sensual, but why? If the romantic connotation of wine is just hype, then kudos to the companies out there who are exploiting and profiting from it, but upon further exploration, it seems that the sensual aspects of wine- from the scientific and physical, to the cultural and historical- may in fact be inherent in the drink itself.

Beginning on the surface, wine as an idea is sensual. Every clichéd romantic scenario involves it in some way, whether opening a bottle in front of a roaring fire, or sipping it in a dimly-lit restaurant. One reason for this is that wine is an economic signifier and expensive things are seen as romantic or alluring. In a culture where being ‘wined and dined’ is basically synonymous with having money thrown at you in the hopes of impressing, pricey foods and beverages are right up there with jewelry and roses in the toolbox of the modern-day Casanova. In ancient Egypt, priests and royalty enjoyed wine while the workers drank beer, and although nowadays the price discrepancy between the two beverages can be minimal, wine will always be seen as the classier, more posh choice, especially when looking to impress a mate. Even those who don’t swoon at displays of financial bravado can agree that a can of Bud by candlelight wouldn’t quite do the trick.

Another reason that wine finds itself as the spokesbeverage for those with prurient interests is that it’s conducive to sharing.  One bottle, two glasses- the perfect amount for two, unless your date’s a lightweight, of course. No other beverage lends itself to this situation in the same way; beer usually comes in individual containers, and while you could each get your own cocktail, trying to share a bottle of vodka is not an advisable way to spend an evening. There’s also mystery involved in sharing wine. The process of uncorking the bottle, pouring the first few sips, not knowing what you’re going to taste- it’s like undressing, and the element of the unknown makes it all the more titillating.

Beyond the concept of wine being sensual, the experience of wine itself is quite literally of the senses. There are few things that we experience with every one of our senses, food and sex being the most obvious, but wine exceeds both in this category. With wine, there can be new and different perceptions with each bottle, and even each sip within that bottle. Wine is always evolving- as it ages, from vintage to vintage, as the weather changes- and there is therefore no limit to the amount or height of sensation that the next glass might provide. The sound of a bottle being uncorked is universally recognized, and whether the ecstatic pop of champagne, or the gentle squeak as the worm of the corkscrew enters a delicate cork, it usually means good things are to come. Visually, wine is sensual. Starting with the shape of the bottle, its curves and bulges that please the eye and invite touch, and then of course the colors inside the bottle. Pale gold, translucent ruby red, deep burgundy, watery rims, inky cores; wine not only invites us to admire it for beauty sake, but because the appearance reveals so much about what we’re soon to taste. Touch occurs in two locales: our hands touch the bottle, the cork, the glass as we swirl; the wine touches our tongue and body is detected here- creamy, viscous, almost oily, or thin, light, and fleeting. Again, to better understand the wine, this touch is necessary, and some even swish it in their mouths and hold it on their tongue, maximizing both surface area and duration of touch. At every step of this process, we are sensing the smells of the wine: the first whiff that comes up from the bottle upon uncorking, followed by the aromas that reveal themselves as the wine opens up in the glass. Usually these are food-related scents (fruits, vanilla, berries, chocolate), but there are also often musk, dirt, funk, and leather- smells of the body and of the earth. Taste is the sense most clearly linked to wine, and while it’s arguably the reason for drinking it in the first place, the above proves that wine can be a sensual experience long before it hits your lips.

Looking at wine reviews and descriptions, it is clear that those who are passionate about it really do experience it on a level akin to bodily, sexual pleasure. Adjectives such as seductive, supple, luscious, juicy, and racy might seem more appropriate for the bedroom, and these are just a few of the creative and abundant descriptors that have been applied to wine. But the connection between wine and the bedroom in the practical sense goes far beyond this. It’s no mystery where some of the aforementioned romantic evenings are headed, and wine has a role to play in this scenario as well. As with all alcohol, wine lowers inhibitions and increases confidence, two factors that encourage us to act on our physical attractions- and I haven’t even taken ‘beer goggles’ into account here. There are multiple reasons why alcohol can lead to sex, and with the exception of being so inebriated that we make poor decisions, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Simply put, wine is an intoxicant, and one definition for ‘intoxicate’ is to excite or elate to the point of enthusiasm or frenzy, language that readily lends itself to copulation- coincidence? The CEO of Taittinger Champagne said at a press conference that Champagne’s main competitor wasn’t cheap California sparkling wine, but Viagra. While this was clearly said in jest, the parallel between the two products speaks to the aphrodisiacal effects of each.

Using history to clarify this equation further, we turn to the ancient Persian fable of wine’s discovery. The myth involves a princess trying to end her life, but after gulping what she thought was poison, she finds herself not only still very much alive, but with a feeling of ease, no longer plagued by the anxieties that had troubled her before. The ‘poison’, of course, turned out to be wine, and I’ll wager a guess that this wasn’t the last time she partook of it. Nowadays, we know that wine relaxes us, and this may be another way in which it primes us for romance. Science has proven that when we’re stressed- as most of us are on a daily basis- our bodies are too busy producing stress hormones such as cortisol for our sex hormones to be fully pumping. It stands to reason that the relaxing effect that wine takes on the body and mind not only helps us unwind after a long day, but can also put us ‘in the mood’.

One can’t help but wonder, however, if there’s more to the wine-sex link than a mere lowering of inhibitions or relaxed state of mind causing us to jump in the sack. According to The Journal of Sexual Medicine, a study done by a group of doctors in Italy has concluded that red wine increases women’s sexual desire. The Telegraph reported these findings from Santa Maria Nuova Hospital in Florence, and apparently it has to do with the antioxidants in wine and their effect on the lining of blood vessels, which increases blood flow to key areas of the body. The article doesn’t go into great detail, and doesn’t explain why the increased desire is only experienced in females, but it’ll be interesting to see what, and if anything, develops from these experiments. If nothing else, I’d love to know more about how these Italian doctors went about conducting their research…

Despite all the inherently sensual qualities of wine, there are people out there who have taken it to the next level. We all know that sex sells, and it effectively sells everything from toothpaste to hamburgers (thank you Paris Hilton), so why not wine? Subtlety is clearly not the goal at Naked Winery and Orgasmic Wine Company, where one can only assume that bottles such as ‘Blazing Straddle Rosé’, ‘Foreplay Chardonnay’, and ‘Dominatrix Pinot Noir’ are not vying for points from Wine Spectator. California’s Erotic Cellars takes it one step further, with wines like ‘The Strip’ and ‘Barrel 69’ not even offering a clue as to what grapes are in the bottle- although one look at the label suggests who the target audience might be.

Unfortunately, these companies are missing the point; wine is sexy, and those who have to plaster a pole dancer across their bottle to feel that way might be better off with Viagra. The allure of wine isn’t overt and this is what makes it sensual. Whether it’s the chemical effects on the body, or purely a construct of the mind, it works. So take the opportunity to open a special bottle of wine with another person, and let the evening unfold as it may. In the words of Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, “we will always have time to make love and drink Champagne”.

After receiving her degree in Art History from the University of Vermont, Rebeccah Marsters decided to go to culinary school where she completed an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales in North Carolina.  After, she began an internship at America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) in Brookline, MA and was later hired full-time at ATK and now work as Assistant Test Cook for Cook’s Country magazine where I develop and test recipes and produce the food for the magazine’s photo shoots.

Deconstructing Wine: Everything changes, yet wine stays the same

Wine – a monosyllabic word that evokes different meanings for anyone who enjoys it.  Feelings of warmth, passion, companionship, appreciation and fun are likely the most common.  Instant images of the varietals, vineyards and distant regions are likely to occur.  Even thoughts of the history, key figures and legendary bottles may come to mind just by taking one sip.  This is the amazing thing about wine; it has the power to transport us almost anywhere.  But wine in itself is simpler than everything just mentioned.  It’s merely spoiled grape juice.

Ok, that may be oversimplifying things a bit.  Understanding what wine is and how it’s created is as important as knowing any of the talking points that you may hear wine connoisseurs spout off at a fine restaurant or wine shop. 

At its core, wine is grape juice that has been introduced to yeast and has gone through fermentation (the process of converting sugar to alcohol).  At this point you officially have wine and this unrefined version is exactly what hooked mankind on the drink nearly 7,000-8,000 years ago!

Since those days, winemakers have added a few additional steps to alter the overall quality, appearance and stability.  Each of these processes demand a bit of explaining, however for the purpose of this article it’s only necessary to understand that they take place and a basic description of what they are.  The four main developments since those archaic days are:

Glass Bottles: Up until approximately 400 years ago wine became vinegar all too quickly.  This was due to wine being stored in porous vessels, most typically wood barrels or poorly sealed containers that allowed large amounts of oxygen to attack the wine.  The advent of glass bottles with cork closures allowed for protection against rapid oxidation of wine. 

Filtration/fining: The controversial process of removing suspended remnants of the winemaking process such as dead yeast and grape skin particles.  Many winemakers avoid this at all costs, as they believe it removes the character of the wine.

Cold Temperature Stabilization: This is the process of removing tartrate crystals from a wine by exposing it to near freezing temperatures.  If this isn’t done, these crystals may form in the bottle.  They are completely harmless to the wine, but most novice drinkers don’t know that and get turned-off by them.  This is why mass-produced wines typically go through this process.

Malolactic Fermentation: A style of fermenting that converts malic acid, characterized by sharper/zestier sensation (think of how your mouth feels when you first bite into a green apple), and converts it either partially or fully into lactic acid.  Lactic acid, the same acid found in milk, imparts smoother and softer qualities to wines.  Most reds go through this process, as do some whites, most notably chardonnay.

Even with these innovations in winemaking, the fact remains that wine is still wine.  If you were to go visit most of the world’s top producers, you would find that they make wine the way it was likely made thousands of years ago.  They use different practices in the vineyard, use yeast that is cultured in a laboratory, or rack their wines numerous times prior to bottling. But it all starts the same way: grapes + yeast = wine.  That’s what makes wine so special; with every glass you drink a bit of history.

Decanting Wine: Understanding and underappreciated act

By Michael Meagher

You’re out for a celebration at a great restaurant and you’re looking forward to a spectacular meal.  To fit the feel of the evening, you order a nice bottle of wine off the list, which is then shuttled to your table by a sommelier who asks you if you’d like to have it decanted.  Not wanting to seem unknowledgeable or naïve, you nod your head in agreement and the sommelier begins the process of opening your bottle and carefully draining its contents into a sparkling glass decanter.  At the end of all this, a taste is poured from the vessel into your glass, and still feeling a bit overwhelmed, you nod in approval and say the wine is great, hoping to move along with the evening as efficiently as possible. 

Decanting wine is a practice that usually occurs at upscale restaurants, and when it’s done properly, there is a lot of misunderstanding about why this ritual takes place.  Is this really necessary?  Sure, it’s likely going to improve your wine 99.9% of the time. Should I do this at home?  Absolutely, as it’s a simple way to improve your daily experience with wine.   Do I need fancy equipment?  Nope, in fact all you need is a clean, empty vessel that can hold a full bottle of wine. 

Decanting aims at achieving one of three goals: separating the sediment that can accumulate in an older or unfiltered bottle of wine, aerating the bottle to increase the aromatics and consumer’s enjoyment of the wine, and, perhaps most overlooked, putting a bit of showmanship and flair into the process of enjoying your wine. 

Older wines, and on occasion unfiltered wines, tend to accumulate a good amount of sediment in the bottle as various compounds precipitate out of the liquid over time.  While a coffee filter or fine mesh strainer might be an effective tool to strain out the solids, it’s a bit out of place at an upscale restaurant.  The best alternative is to let the solids settle on the bottom of the bottle and then pour the bottle slowly into the decanter.  Usually this happens over a lit candle so the sommelier can see through the neck of the bottle and stop the pouring when the sediment begins to approach the neck.  A bit of wine will be left in the bottle, and that remaining wine can be consumed, if you don’t mind a bit of harmless grit in the glass, or you can ask the sommelier to filter the rest off to the side.  If you are in a giving mood, you could offer that last taste to the sommelier as a gesture of thanks. 

When you open up a bottle of wine, you’re summoning flavors and textures that have been cooped up in a bottle for years.  Like a person getting off a long flight, wine can use a bit of a chance to get some fresh air and stretch its legs before it can really start to show off its pedigree and elegance.  Tannins will soften, volatile aromas will be released, flavors will develop, and all of this happens because you’re giving the wine a chance to come into contact with oxygen.  This is why large wine glasses are popular for premium wines as they provide a large amount of surface area.  

Finally, we come to the third element for decanting: showmanship.  Wine is a luxury good and in restaurants we want to be taken care of and entertained, after all we’re spending our hard-earned money on the experience.  Decanting is one of the few opportunities for tableside service and interaction with the sommelier.  This is an opportunity to ask questions about the wine, perhaps solicit an opinion about what entrée will pair well, or just to sit back and watch one of the few remaining vestiges of fine service that remains in contemporary dining.  

Whether it’s separating the wine from the sediment, enhancing the aromas and flavors, or just to add some extra pizzazz to service, decanting is a simple and underappreciated opportunity to improve your overall dining experience.

Michael is a Master Sommelier Candidate is in the process of completing his Diploma of Wine Studies from the WSET.  Being a former collegiate athlete, he is now focusing that competitive spirit on the wine world.  He won the 2010 Chaine de Rotisseurs Best Young Sommelier competition, finished third at TOP|SOMM The US Sommelier Championships.  He also serves as Chairman of the Boston Sommelier Society and owner of the beverage consulting company, Sommelier On-Demand.

Smell: Giving life its savor

By Tyler Thomas

How much are you using your nose?  Sure you’re breathing, but what about smelling.  How often do you notice the aromas you encounter on a daily basis?  In the book Aroma: the cultural history of smell the authors make a compelling case that in the west we have lost an appreciation for aromas.  We’ve become a “de-odorized” culture.  Is there a case to be made that we should reverse this trend?  I think so, and I think wine can help.

You might wonder “for what purpose?”  Why should I desire for people have a greater appreciation for even the more pungent and foul aromas like gasoline (which many people secretly like), sewage, or body odor?  As a winemaker who appreciates aromas on a daily basis I wish I could make a passionate moral case that you will be a better person if you awaken your olfactory sense.  But let’s face it, there is no such case.  However, there may be reasons motivating enough.

You see paying attention to aromas can be akin to paying attention to life and this is a worthy reason to enjoy the fair and foul smells of our existence.  For example, there is a common taint in wine that is a result of a compound leeched from cork closures.  It is called trichloroanisole (or TCA) and offers a musty, moldy aroma that robs wine of expressing any of its true nature.  As a wine professional, I recognize the “fault” of this aroma, as I am quite endeared to the smell.  TCA reminds me of Grandmere and Grandpere’s dilapidated shed in Williamsburg, VA.  They had this old shed where Grandpere kept an even older refrigerator full of beer, plus all his gardening tools.  Parenthetically, he was fond of growing potatoes and often had sacks of unwashed potatoes in the shed alongside the dirt encrusted tools with which he dug them out of the ground.  We’ve recently learned that some species of Streptomyces bacteria, found principally in dirt, are capable of producing the taint compound TCA.  I digress.

So while I recognize the impact of the compound on the wines I make, I’m often fond of it when I encounter the smell because it conjures up so many memories of Grandpere, his not-so-secret smoking out by the shed, his cheap beer, the beautiful forest that filled their backyard, and his potatoes.  I relive pleasant memories because of smell.

In the aforementioned book Aroma, a man who lost his sense of smell is said to have noted that “…it was like being struck blind.  Life lost a deal of its savor – one doesn’t realize how much ‘savor’ is smell.  You smell people, you smell books, you smell the city, you smell the Spring, maybe not consciously but as a rich unconscious background to everything else.  My whole world was suddenly radically poorer.”

Wine can help you pull aromas from the unconscious background to the fore by employing your mind to awakening your olfactory sense and actively think about the odd aroma wafting from a wine glass.  In fact you can use wine to train your mind into a greater appreciation for the aromas of the world and vice versa.  You do not need to have a great sense of smell; you need to have a great desire to learn about a smell.  Don’t fret about pulling out specific characters.  Begin by thinking of the big picture of wine: it’s perceived complexity, does it have seemingly endless layers of flavor, and how does it feel in your mouth, how long lasting and pleasurable is the finish?  As you become more engaged you’ll find a wine you love and you’ll want to describe it to your friends.  In grasping for ways to describe it you’ll find yourself making associations between the wine and the aromas you already appreciate in everyday life.  You don’t have to be able to pick out apple or cherry or cedar and be correct about it.  No, wine isn’t about being correct.  It’s about making associations.

For example you could say this wine reminds me of the smell of grandmere’s kitchen when she made her roast lamb with plum reduction, warmed croissants, and sautéed beans with lardoons.  So what’s the wine equivalent?  Meaty, sweet with dark fruits, and roasted gamey flavors.  Our only hope?  That it doesn’t smell like Grandpere’s shed!

Tyler Thomas is the winemaker at Donelan Family Wines.  Prior to Donelan, he was the assistant winemaker at Hyde de Villaine Wines of Napa, California for four years.  Prior to that, Tyler gained experience at both domestic and international wineries, including stops in Germany and New Zealand. Tyler has a B.S. and M.S. in Botany from Colorado State University and a M.S. in Viticulture and Enology from the University of California Davis.

How to Drink Whisky

By Kevin McComber

Jumping into the world of whisky can be intimidating.  First, you have to figure out what you like.  Then you have to figure out where you can find it.  Finally, you need to decide how to drink it – with water, with ice, neat, with soda, straight from the bottle, or any of a variety of other ways.  When it comes down to it, it is all personal preference; however each preparation showcases whisky in a completely different light.

The following are the top four ways to consume whisky: neat, with water, with ice, and as part of a mixed drink.

The way most whisky aficionados drink their whisky, at least to start, is neat (i.e. without anything added).  This ensures that you have an experience consistent with that of anyone else trying the whisky neat, so you can compare notes.  It also means that the aromas and flavors you’re getting are from the whisky, so you can be sure what you taste is just the whisky itself.

Adding water to whisky is sometimes seen by novices as potentially screwing up an otherwise pristine drink, but the truth is that most professional tasters actually add water when they want to really understand a whisky.  A small amount of water in whisky reduces the alcohol concentration without diluting the flavors – this allows the whisky’s various flavor elements to shine through, without potentially being masked by the alcohol.  Be sure to use a method that allows you to precisely control the amount of water you add, though.  (Holding your glass under the office’s Poland Springs dispenser is not preferred.)

Solid water has a much worse rap than liquid water, however; ice is commonly seen as something that should not be added to whisky, unless you really like ice and don’t like whisky as much.  Ice has three detrimental qualities: first, it cools the whisky, which numbs your palate and causes your taste buds to be incapable of picking out the intricacies of the whisky.  (Ever seen those beer commercials that say you want to have their beer when it’s ice cold?  Guess why?  They don’t really want you to taste it.)  The second reason not to add ice is that ice can be “dirty” – it can contain other flavor elements, depending on the cleanliness of the way in which it was made, and this can taint your whisky.  And, finally, as ice melts it dilutes your whisky, so you’re having a different drink with every sip.

The fourth typical way to drink whisky is as part of a mixed drink.  Whisky can make a great mixer in a number of cocktails, ranging from simple (whisky and soda) to complex (old fashioned), though putting it in a cocktail usually means you’re not going to experience all aspects of the spirit.  Adding a $100 shot of whisky to a $1 glass of soda pretty much just gives you a $101 glass of soda.

In the end, please drink whisky as you want to.  Whisky appreciation is a personal experience and everyone has a right to consume whisky as they see fit.  As long as you enjoy it, you’re drinking it the right way.

Kevin McComber recently completed a PhD in Materials Science & Engineering at MIT and like any great mind, his true passion could be found in a glass. Back in 2006, Kevin began dabbling in whisky, but became much more engrossed in it in 2009 after meeting a few “whisky mentors” whose collections, knowledge, and generosity allowed him to see much more of the whisky world. Kevin began leading whisky tasting events around Boston in 2010, primarily for students and alumni of MIT and other universities, as well as posting his musings about whisky experiences on his blog MyWhiskipedia.

Fume Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc?

It’s one of the oldest stories in the book: the underdog gets a makeover, popularity ensues, and in the end, all is right with the world. Clichéd as it may seem, this scenario is as common in real life as it is in formulaic teen movies, and the protagonist of one such real-life instance is called ‘little wild one’, but you may know her as Sauvignon Blanc. Long revered in France, the Sauvignon Blanc grape thrives in the renowned regions of the Loire Valley in central France, and Bordeaux in the southwest. This white grape of the species vitis vinifera has naturally high levels of acid, and contains a compound called pyrazine, which contributes vegetal, ‘green’ aromas to the wines. Some find these aromas extremely off-putting, and when the grapes are under ripe, they can indeed be reminiscent of canned peas, asparagus, green bell pepper, and even cat urine or ‘litter box’. At its best, however, Sauvignon Blanc wines can offer a spectrum of fruit aromas, both tart and ripe: lemongrass, gooseberry, melon, grapefruit, lime, nettle, acacia, and hawthorn are some of most commonly recognized characteristics, and while there is often a grassy quality, it can be integrated into the wine in a harmonious way. No matter where it’s made, Sauvignon Blanc is almost always meant to be drunk young, ideally within two to five years of the vintage.

Perhaps better known for its reds, the Bordeaux region produces a high volume of white wines as well. The primary white grape of the region is Sauvignon Blanc, but the majority of wines are blends in which Semillon, and to a lesser degree, Muscadelle are used to soften and fatten the lean, racy grape. Most of these blends hail from the sub-regions of Graves and Entre-deux-Mers, where the gravel soils, and the limestone plateau of the latter, lend minerality, and generations of experience with the Sauvignon Blanc grape mean that careful viticultural practices are the norm.

The same is true in the Loire Valley, where Sauvignon Blanc grapes are more often featured in unblended iterations. The regions of Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre provide two example of what can be achieved when this grape is coaxed into greatness but not overly manipulated. The beauty of these wines has to do with the grape’s fresh, tart profile, its tight, lean fruit aromas with underlying greenness, and the incredible mineral qualities contributed by the chalky Kimmeridgian marl and Portlandian limestone on which the grapes are cultivated. Ideally, the winemaker’s impact is minimal. Fermenting in oak is not an unheard of practice in Pouilly Fumé, and some malolactic fermentation may be allowed to take place, but masking the wine’s inherent qualities with wood is never the goal, and fermenting in stainless steel is the way of the majority. Another noted trait of Loire Valley Sauvignon Blancs is the smoky, flinty aroma that can pervade them. This is most likely due to the particularities of the soil on which they are grown, and to residues of iron present in them, but it’s this smokiness that is the root of the very name Pouilly Fumé (fumé means smoke in French), and it was also the inspiration behind the marketing scheme of one particular California vintner.

Despite an illustrious past in France, it wasn’t until the 1880s that someone decided the Sauvignon Blanc grape might be due for a transplant. In the movie scenario, this would be the part where the parents thoughtlessly uproot their teenage children from the home town they know and love, dragging them to a whole new place where they just don’t fit in. Playing the part of the clueless but well-meaning parent was Charles Wetmore of Cresta Blanca Winery, and while the endeavor was well thought out on the front end (some of the cuttings he brought were from the highly esteemed Château d’Yquem in Sauternes), the émigrés simply didn’t take well to their new surroundings. California winemakers had no experience with Sauvignon Blanc, and with no one to clue them in to the eccentricities of the grape and the vine, in most cases it was grossly mistreated. Despite marginal success in areas such as the Livermore Valley, American examples of Sauvignon Blanc from the nineteenth and early twentieth century were off-dry at best, and, more commonly, sappy sweet. ‘California Sauterne’ was slapped on some of the labels, and it seemed doubtful that this French deportee would ever be embraced by American wine drinkers- at least ones with discerning taste.

After prohibition had taken its toll, Sauvignon Blanc underwent a resurgence of sorts in the 70s and 80s. Unfortunately, California growers still hadn’t wised up to the needs of this fickle vine. In addition to being fairly susceptible to black rot and powdery mildew, Sauvignon Blanc vines are quite vigorous, and the leaf canopy must be trimmed back in order to direct energy to ripening the fruit. Vines allowed to grow unchecked will produce neutral wines, and fruit that is not fully ripe will display aggressively vegetal aromas, even erring towards the previously mentioned litter box phenomenon. When winemaker Robert Mondavi was offered a particularly good crop of Sauvignon Blanc by a grower, he decided to take a stab at reversing the fate of the unfortunate misfit, and with a brilliant marketing scheme, and plenty of oak barrels, he did just that.

This is the turnaround point in the story; the part where the previously misunderstood and underappreciated protagonist takes off her glasses, lets down her hair, and throws on a low cut shirt. In the Mondavi story, however, there was less stripping down and more covering up. Oak treatment of white wines in the US, while not as prevalent as it is today, was a fairly common practice. Usually reserved for the more neutral, full-bodied backdrop of a Chardonnay, the ability of oak to take over the profile of a wine was not lost on Mondavi. If a strong, vegetal character was the hurdle, then the solution would have to be something even more powerful: wood. By barrel ageing the otherwise unexceptional wine, Mondavi not only covered up its less palatable attributes, but gave it a character all its own. This sensory turnaround was only part of the makeover, however. Everyone knows that a good product is only worth something if you know how to sell it- popularity has as much to do with reputation as with anything- and attaching an intriguing name to his new creation seemed as good a tactic as any. Alluding to the French Pouilly Fumé, as well as to the smoky, toasty character the wood imparted to the wine, Fumé Blanc was born.

Debuted in 1968, this new style of Sauvignon Blanc with its chic moniker was divorced from all previous American Sauvignon Blancs in the minds, and on the palates, of its new fans. There were potential suitors lining up at the door of this hot little number, so to speak, and fellow California vintners were quick to follow Mondavi’s lead. Since there was no copyright on the term, Fumé Blanc began to adorn the labels of a bevy of wines. Many were oaked, but some saw no wood at all; most were dry, but sweet versions could be found under the same alias. For all the good that Fumé Blanc did in terms of resurrecting a flailing grape varietal, there was really no improvement to the overall consistency and quality control of Sauvignon Blanc wines. With no legal designation attached to it, the vaguely French sounding name was no more than a façade, akin to a smear of lipstick, a dye job, and new wardrobe- but it was brilliant nonetheless.

The comforting thing about the stereotypical teen movie is that we can rely on it for a happy ending. After the shine of popularity has worn off, the budding protagonist learns that it’s what’s inside that counts, and that that’s where her value truly lies. The sexy dress is cast aside, and she’s finally accepted for who she really is. But can Sauvignon Blanc hope for a similarly serendipitous fate? Things are looking good. In the 1990s, there was a growing interest in seeing Sauvignon Blanc ‘unmasked’. Largely thanks to the fresh, clean, varietally-driven examples that began to come out of New Zealand, American wine makers and drinkers alike started to see the merits of well made, minimally manipulated Sauvignon Blanc. With a new understanding of proper pruning and viticultural practices, favorable soil and climactic factors, and an eager and adventurous new generation of wine drinkers, it was an auspicious time for the grape, and- just as in the cinematic parallel- people really did start to appreciate her true self.

Sauvignon Blanc is the leading white wine of New Zealand today, but there are also unoaked styles coming from South Africa, Spain (particularly Rueda), Italy, Chile, and, of course, the US. Fumé Blanc is still around, but now it is simply a synonym for wine made with the Sauvignon Blanc grape, and there are both oaked and unoaked versions out there. Whether the label says Sauvignon Blanc or Fumé Blanc, there has been a trend away from the overly wooded style that once dominated. Even the benchmark wine from Mondavi is veering towards a European approach, and while he still uses barrel ageing, the wine is fermented in a majority of French oak, with stainless steel making up the balance, and there is Semillon blended in as well. Despite the happy ending, this story may not be quite worthy of the big screen, but for those of us with a vested interest in the world of wine, both past and future, it’s certainly an uplifting tale.

After receiving her degree in Art History from the University of Vermont, Rebeccah Marsters decided to go to culinary school where she completed an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales in North Carolina.  After, she began an internship at America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) in Brookline, MA and was later hired full-time at ATK and now work as Assistant Test Cook for Cook’s Country magazine where I develop and test recipes and produce the food for the magazine’s photo shoots.

Understanding Gin

By Kate Webber

Gin has its friends and enemies.  There are those who swear by it, who enjoy the pine and juniper aromas, floral, pepper, all of that.  And then there are those – a surprising amount, it seems, rivaled only by those who claim the same about tequila – that “can’t” drink gin, or more specifically just won’t.  This is quite understandable, as gin isn’t necessarily that easy to understand.  It isn’t clean and pure like vodka.  It isn’t malty and smoky like whiskey.  Gin is a secret combination of spices, fruits, and nuts. Individual distillers don’t even want us to know what’s in their gin—they keep their recipes a deathbed secret–so it can be hard to prepare ourselves in the first place.  “Gin makes me mad” is what so many people claim, or even better: “Gin makes me mean.” I even used to say it myself. And although I would have you believe that gin got me into my fair share of bar fights, what I probably meant was that I didn’t understand it, and was in fact being confused by my cocktail.  Well that’s enough to make anyone angry.

But if we look at how gin is made and what we can do with it, we can feel a little more comfortable with what might be in our glass.  Gin is made by distilling grains to a high proof (eventually 180-190), and then distilling it a final time with a selection of botanicals added to the still.  It is this final distillation that gives each gin its character and flavor.  Here the distillers add different herbs, spices, barks, seeds, flowers, and citrus peel to create a unique flavor profile.  The botanicals are placed on a perforated tray towards the top of the still—this allows the rising vapors of the evaporated alcohol to pick up the aromas and flavors of the botanicals as the vapor passes through the perforated shelf.  When the vapor condenses back into liquid, it has been infused with these flavors.

So what botanicals do distillers choose, and why?  To start, the predominant botanical of all gins must be the juniper berry (indeed, this is where gin gets its name: the Dutch word for “juniper” is “Genever,” shortened by the British to our “Gin”).  Juniper has a distinct pine aroma to it.  The next time you pick up a gin—any gin—smell it and see if you can identify the pine.  After that, it’s any man’s—or botanical’s—game.  Common botanicals used include coriander, angelica root, citrus peel, aniseed, fennel, clove, almond, geranium, cinnamon, and caraway.  After smelling and tasting several gins across categories, some common flavors will become more recognizable, and gin itself a lot less intimidating.
   
What do we do with gin?  Certainly with all these possible flavors, we’re not dealing with a blank slate like vodka.  Gin is known, of course, for the martini.  This is probably the purest gin cocktail as sometimes, with extra dry martinis, the only additional flavor is perhaps a vermouth-rinsed ice cube. Other popular gin cocktails include the Negroni (gin with Campari and Sweet Vermouth), the Aviation (with lemon juice, cherry brandy and Crème de Violette), French 75 (with lemon juice, sugar and Champagne) and the increasingly popular Corpse Reviver #2 (with Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, and Absinthe).  A common factor in all of these cocktails is a lower perception of sweetness—they do not include grenadine or sour mix, and they use simple syrup and sugar very judiciously.  The second factor is a lighter, less dominant secondary ingredient—no root beer, cream liqueurs, or fruit purees. The complex flavors of gin can easily be overpowered by excessively sweet or loud flavors.  Look to the Classic Cocktails of Pre-Prohibition (1880-1920) when gin was celebrating its heyday.  The recent re-emergence of the Classic Cocktail has been the best thing to happen to gin in the last 100 years.

So when you approach Gin, remember that you’re about to face an incredibly wide range of flavors, carefully chosen to create a specific flavor that distillers hope to be unrepeatable.  But the more you practice and experience different gins, the more you will recognize, and the likely you will, in fact, find a gin you like.  Just keep looking—they’re all different.  Just stay away from the sour mix.

Kate’s Favorite Gin Cocktail: Satan’s Whiskers

Kate made this cocktail and gave it to a colleague who swore that she “did not drink Gin” because it “made her angry.” Somehow Kate’s colleague loved this drink. At no point in the evening was her disposition anything other than pleasant.  

½ oz. Gin (preferably Beafeater)
½ oz. Dry Vermouth
½ oz. Sweet Vermouth
½ oz. Orange Juice
2 tsp. Orange Curaçao
1 tsp. Orange Bitters

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker, and strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with an orange twist.

Kate Webber is the co-owner of the Gibbet Hill Grill and the Barn at Gibbet Hill in Groton, Massachusetts. Also, she work as the sommelier for the Scarlet Oak Tavern and Fireside Catering for Webber Restaurant Development. Kate’s passion for wine and spirits led me to becoming a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Masters Sommeliers and the International Sommelier Guild, a Certified Specialist of Wine and Certified Specialist of Spirits through the Society of Wine Educators, and an Associate Member of the Institute of Wine and Spirits through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET).

Riesling: It’s time to start paying attention

By Michael Meagher

It was somewhere between Blue Nun and Black Tower, when Riesling lost its identity.  One of the noblest grapes in the world was being considered for nothing better than plonk-quality wines. The labels from Germany certainly didn’t help either as they seemed to require a secret decoder ring.  The alcohol percentage is noticeably lower than other wines, with most examples between 9-11% and rarely topping 13%.  Besides, why would you want to spend money on something that was so, well, sweet?

Riesling’s image problem began in Germany, not because it was perceived to be a low-quality grape, but because of the German decision to keep all their best wines in country.   Like many other European wine-producing countries, the Germans decided that rather than export a share of all their wines, they would ship off all bulk and lower quality wines.  Much of this lower-quality wine was directed to the United States. With our emerging wine culture, we began to seek out wines from around the world to whet our palate.  Unfortunately for Germany, all we could find for Riesling was the surplus juice that they didn’t want to drink. We saw cheap Riesling and Liebfraumilch (a blend that often incorporated Riesling, but never was meant to impress), and we came to expect that Riesling, and German wines, were not worthy of our attention or dollars, thus effectively turning many wine lovers off.

Luckily, time heals all wounds and we are in the midst of a Riesling renaissance.   American wine drinkers are moving past the ingrained prejudices of Riesling and come to embrace it for its versatility, purity and accessibility.   It is incredibly refreshing on its own, and it is unparalleled as a pairing with a vast array of cuisines.  And in addition to Germany, more regions are beginning to plant Riesling and have success marketing it on the global marketplace.  Alsace, which is nearly as synonymous with Riesling as Germany, has a long a storied history with the grape and tends to produce richer, rounder, and drier expressions, with a touch more ripeness to show for it.  Austria, another country that didn’t export much of its wines until the late 1990s, has had tremendous luck with the grape alongside its flagship, Grüner Veltliner.  Australia has been the recent darling of the Riesling world with the Clare Valley producing some world-class wines with acidity and terroir usually reserved for its European brethren. 

So what is it that makes Riesling so unique?  For starters, it’s a very “transparent” grape, and by that I don’t mean that it is one-dimensional.   Riesling does not take to oak aging very well.  You’ll never see a “barrique-aged” Riesling, or you should be very wary if you do.   Riesling is one of the most aromatic grape varieties in the world, and to mask the perfume with the obvious influences of oak is to ruin a year’s worth of cultivation, effort and energy.  Riesling’s “transparency” is best attributed to its ability to reveal the elements of the soil upon which it is grown.  Certainly Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux is very different than anywhere else in the world, and Chardonnay from Burgundy is tremendously unique, but no other grape will reflect the exact location of its birth like Riesling.  In the German region of the Mosel, you can almost taste the stoney, sharp minerality; Alsatian Riesling will give you a broader, redder minerality reflecting the gres de Vosges, a pink sandstone found throughout the region.  Clare Valley Riesling is sharp and tangy, due in large part to the limestone found in the higher elevations in this South Australian enclave. 

With all these characteristics of aromatics and earthiness, there is one piece that makes Riesling one of the most exciting and versatile wines you can buy: acidity.  Acidity is that missing link between good and extraordinary when it comes to food and wine pairing.  Think of a simple, fresh, piece of fish, perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper.   It will taste good, but add a squeeze of lemon and that piece of fish will become even better than on its own.  That’s acidity at work.  It ties flavors together, brings out subtleties that were barely noticeable, and acts as a wake-up call for our taste buds.   It’s kind of like liquid energy for your food.  But Riesling does not require simple foods to excel as a pairing.  If you like spicy foods, then an off-dry Riesling will be perfect.  The residual sugar in the wine will soften the spices in the food while bringing out the background flavors.  If you were to try to pair a spicy dish with a wine that is high in alcohol and tannins, you would be adding fuel to a fire since spice, alcohol and tannins are all irritants and will compound the effects of one another in your mouth, which is not a pleasurable experience. 

Although the labeling in Germany hasn’t improved much over the years, and you will likely need a lesson in the German to decipher everything on the label (there is an incredible amount of detail about the wine on a German label), don’t let this discourage you.  Whether you select a Riesling from Mosel, Alsace or Clare Valley, you will realize that Riesling offers a unique wine experience, unlike any other grape.  Be brave, be bold, walk in to your wine shop and demand better.  Pass by the eight-dollar bottles and opt for what the Germans refer to as “Qualitätswein”; pour yourself a glass and discover the wonder and depth that you never expected would come from a glass of white wine. 

Michael is a Master Sommelier Candidate is in the process of completing his Diploma of Wine Studies from the WSET.  Being a former collegiate athlete, he is now focusing that competitive spirit on the wine world.  He won the 2010 Chaine de Rotisseurs Best Young Sommelier competition, finished third at TOP|SOMM The US Sommelier Championships.  He also serves as Chairman of the Boston Sommelier Society and owner of the beverage consulting company, Sommelier On-Demand.