Sunday 25 May 2014

Blind Taste Test - The World Whisky Challenge

Six whiskies, six countries, two contestants and no clue.


A little while ago, while reviewing the quite horrendous King of Scots, I made mention of a game I play with a few friends on a semi-regular basis. We take turns playing host for an evening, during the course of which the guests are presented with six mystery drams, cunningly contained in cobalt nosing glasses to conceal the colour. Each guest will scribble down some tasting notes, give the dram a rating out of ten and have a stab at stating the ABV, region, type etc. At the end of the tasting the host will do the big reveal and we all have a laugh at how useless we are.


Some of the more recent events have had a theme, combined with a prize at the end for anyone accurate enough to place each of the six in their appropriate category. For example, a few months back I put on a 'Regions of Scotland' tasting with a dram of the Master of Malt 50yo Speyside for anyone who could match all six drams to their regions. It's actually a lot harder than you'd imagine and needless to say nobody managed to get all six. On the bright side, I enjoyed the prize dram very much when everyone had gone home.

Fast forward a couple of months and I find myself taking the position of host once more. This time however, the evening has a more global flavour as I look to present my guests with six mystery whiskies from six different countries; Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales, Japan and the USA. For anyone shrewd enough to get all six correct, a sample of the rather lovely (and rather appropriate) Orbis World Whisky awaits. Let the games begin......


The Contestants

The rugby mad, cask-strength connoiseur....

Drinks like a man, laughs like a girl


Keyser Soze has nothing on this guy......

COMMENT DELETED


Dram One


Cecil Norris

Nose:
Soapy to begin with, followed by lemon sherbets. Floral as it develops with foam sweets to follow.

Palate:
Smooth, dry and bland.

Finish:
Short and uneventful.

Thoughts:
Not getting much from this. I'd say it's probably a blend, probably 40% and I'd give it 4/10.

Country:
WALES


Agent X

Nose:
Fruit salad with pineapple and sour apples. Coconut butter and banana chips, followed by those milk bottle sweets you used to get as a kid. Raisins towards the end.

Palate:
Starts off with a chalky, bitter note but develops into honey, fudge and nutmeg. There's an artificial banana note under there somewhere too.

Thoughts:
It's all a bit 'Coffey Still' and a little grainy. I'd say it's around 46% and it's 6/10 for me.

Country:
JAPAN



Reveal


Not the best of starts for the two boys. Cecil was on the money with the ABV but both were fooled as to the origin of this tricksy Irish malt. Looks like the Orbis is mine.


Bad start for both lads



Dram Two


Cecil Norris

Nose:
This smells exactly like the previous one. My nose is all over the place today. After a while I'm getting some ketchup and gherkins but that's about it.

Palate:
Ok, I'm getting a little more on the palate. There's some smoke here and a little peat. It's beefy and slightly spicy.

Finish:
Medium in length and quite mellow. It's what I'd call chewy.

Thoughts:
I must admit, I'm struggling. It's a little beefier than the first one so I'll say 50% and I'd give this one 6/10.

Country:
USA


Agent X

Nose:
Straight away there's peat. A little coal in there, some marker pens, tarmac and, after a while, some pears.

Palate:
Iron. Fresh green fruit, a little mint, camphor and some definite peat.

Thoughts:
I initially had this down as Japanese from the nose alone but the palate has changed my mind. I like this though. I reckon we're talking 46% and I'd give this 8/10.

Country:
SCOTLAND



Reveal


Agent X must be kicking himself for changing his mind, the peat was a bit of a curveball. Cecil is starting to show signs of cracking and he's looking a bit glum. Still, neither chap is off the mark and the competition is still wide open. 



Ouch. Two swings, two misses



Dram Three


Cecil Norris

Nose:
Oh for God's sake. This is just like the other two. Erm, I don't know, sweet and fizzy perhaps.

Palate:
Sherbet, oak and spice. Either these are awful drams or I'm having one hell of an off-day.

Finish:
Long and still fizzy.

Thoughts:
*sigh* I reckon this is probably around the 51% mark and I'd give it 5/10.

Country:
ENGLAND


Agent X

Nose:
Corn. There's flour, honey...it's like a bowl of porridge. After a while I smell ketchup and some fruit, there's an oily note and some Liquorice Allsorts to finish.

Palate:
Stewed apples, mincemeat (the Christmas kind), marzipan and cherries.

Thoughts:
Smells a bit like Glen Grant Major's Reserve but doesn't taste like it. Probably around 46% and I'd give this 8/10 too. Very nice.

Country:
IRELAND



Reveal


Although Agent X was bang on the money when it comes to ABV, the despondent Cecil pulls a blinder and gets the country right. Is this merely a blind squirrel finding a nut or has he been kidding us all along?


Cecil draws first blood


Dram Four


Cecil Norris

Nose:
Soapy but sweet, with an alcoholic nip. Not much else, I'm afraid.

Palate:
Chewy and quite woody. This is painful.

Finish:
Long and a little harsh.

Thoughts:
I don't know. 55%? 5/10 for me.

Country:
JAPAN


Agent X

Nose:
Oranges. Huge Cointreau note with orange zest, gin and a honeysuckle aroma. As it develops, there's juniper there too.

Palate:
Icing sugar, almonds and glace cherries. A fair amount of bourbon and some oak there too.

Thoughts:
I really like this. There's a lot going on here. I'm going to say 50% and I'd give this 9/10. This is where you tell me it's Penderyn, yeah?

Country:
WALES



Reveal


A screamer from Agent 'I hate Penderyn' X. Not only has he got the country spot-on, he's done the ABV too. Alas, lightning has not struck twice for Cecil. Honours even with two drams to go.

Drama! Agent X equalises!


Dram Five


Cecil Norris

Nose:
Ugh. Sweet.

Palate:
Mellow and fruity.

Finish:
Long and dry.

Thoughts:
This is no longer any fun. 55% and 6/10

Country:
SCOTLAND


Agent X

Nose:
Rhubarb and ginger to start with plenty of bourbon. Parley, black pepper and oak. There's a certain vegetal note there too.

Palate:
Liquorice, cinnamon and cola. It's quite drying with cloves and it has an almost chewy quality.

Thoughts:
I'm quite confident here. If this isn't American, I'll be amazed. I reckon it weighs in at around 54% and I'd give this 7/10.

Country:
USA



Reveal


Agent X doubles his tally late in the game and takes the lead. Cecil is really not on form today, blaming anti-histamines; we're going to send him backstage after the tasting to get checked over by the St. John's Ambulance guy.

Another for Agent X! 



Dram Six


Cecil Norris

Nose:
Shame.

Palate:
Excuses.

Finish:
Yeah, about four whiskies ago.

Thoughts:
60%. 6/10

Country:
IRELAND


Agent X

Nose:
Pine, apples and furniture polish. Grapefruit and limes with a buttery vanilla cream after a while.

Palate:
Loads of green fruit with kiwis standing out. Soapy with a light ginger note towards the finish.

Thoughts:
Not the best I've had tonight. Quite strong; I'd say around 57%. I'm going to give this one 6/10.

Country:
ENGLAND



Reveal


Despite looking utterly distraught, Cecil has come within half a percent of the ABV; not bad at all. Ultimately, the Speyside heavyweight foxes both of our boys, leaving a mere three correct answers between them.

Agent X hangs on for the win.


Summary:
A solid attempt from both contestants, proving that blind tasting can unseat even the most experienced drammer. Any comments, chaps?

Cecil: "I just couldn't perform tonight. It's like taking a beautiful lady home from the pub, bending her over the table and nothing happens. So disappointing."

Agent X: "No comment. Why are you writing this down? Stop that! Seriously, stop writing! I'm out of here. Code Red! Code Red!"


Final Score


Agent X takes advantage of Cecil's handicap to claim bragging rights

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