All reviews on this blog are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.
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Hi, this is a blog I put together quickly so that my girlfriend and I could post our thoughts on some of the things we drink. Right now, this is heavily centred around alcoholic beverages, but it might some day even encompass other beverages we enjoy, such as tea and coffee. Of course, the opinions expressed here are our own and may very significantly differ from yours (it's all a matter of taste, isn't it?), but, whether you agree or disagree with us, I hope it will be useful in some way, if only to introduce you to drinks or brands you didn't know existed. If you should have any comment on what you read here, please feel free to drop me a note at smassy at sdf dot lonestar dot org. For context's sake, know that we are currently living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where we arrived from Montreal in August 2005; hence, when we refer to something as local, it more or less means NS or, at its broadest, the Atlantic provinces. It also means that all prices reported here are in Canadian currency, unless otherwise specified. Price are also non-inclusive of taxes (15% in Canada), once again, unless otherwise specified. But that's boring stuff… Click on any category or subcategory to read entries more relevant to your interests and tastes. Happy drinking! Saturday, August 26 2006
Balvenie 10 Yr. Old Founder's Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky
I first bought Balvenie when looking for a new, affordable single malt Scotch to try for the new year and being bewildered by the vast array of choices and price range available to me; I chose this Whisky because of its boast that it was hand crafted in a small distillery, because of its packaging, and because of its relatively low price when compared to other single malts. Balvenie comes in the traditional tube, but the bottle has a very appealing shape which makes it special, and the stopper, rather than being made of the more usual plastic, is made of wood! Even before opening the bottle, one can smell the wood and lacquer, and one knows that this will be a truly sensual experience. The liquid itself smells wonderful, ripe with grain and tall grass as well as discrete whispers of cherries, all of it lending the smell a lushness which is hard to resist. In the mouth, it has a thick, rich consistency and a quiet, elegant demeanor; it starts very gently, fresh like spring water at the dawn of time, filled with the aroma of malt and flowers; as the liquid is drawn further in the mouth, however, it thickens further still and gains in character, acquiring flavours of peat, leather and sweet wood. As a matter of fact, and though it seems fanciful, I often feel that, at the time of swallowing, the Whisky tastes somewhat like that wooden stopper smells, which is, believe me, wonderful. The aftertaste combines both oak and peatiness to provide the drinker with a lingering memory of what a pleasant, nay pleasurable, experience he as just had. I so far have felt that I have done a fair and useful job of describing the spirits reviewed on this blog, but I honestly feel that my descriptive powers are out-classed by this particular Whisky. The best testimonial I can make of its all around quality is that I ended up buying a second bottle (which I am currently sorrowfully putting out of its misery) even before the first one was empty, and that it has surpassed Glen Fiddich as my all-time favourite single malt Scotch, excluding Islay malts: if I had to buy a case of anything, it would be of this Whisky. I have also had the privilege to taste the 12 year version of this Whisky whilst paying a visit to Bishop's Cellar: it was a very, very pleasant drink, as well crafted as its younger sibling and even more subtle, but whereas the ten year version is just right for me, I found that one slightly too light for my taste, though still delicious. If you are a Whisky-lover, especially a Highlands-lover, and haven't tried this one yet, then you haven't lived. [/Whisky/Scotch] permanent link |
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