Meeting Minutes — June 2010

Minutes of the Meeting
of the

Old Scotch Nosing or Tasting Society

(Old SNOTS)
June 26, 2010

Members Present:                                                      Single Malts Present:

Bruce Card                                                   Lagavulin 16
Mike Day                                                      Lagavulin 12
Tim Robinson                                               Talisker 10
Jim Dice                                                       Ardbeg Blasda
Bobby Fowler                                                Talisker 18
Teri Newman                                                Laphroaig ¼ Cask
T.J. Kennett (V)                                            Bruichladdich Links (Turnberry 10th)
Steve McAllister                                                         
Alicia McAllister                                                         
Mike Russel
Brant Dixon (V)
Mo Verling
Erin Meinders
Stan Skavdal
John Arsenault

1.  This meeting of the Old SNOTS was graciously hosted by Bobby Fowler at his residence on Scott Air Patch, Cornfield County, Illinois.  A large gathering attended this event in spite of the Islay selections for the evening’s tasting.  A minority of Islay lovers were giddy with anticipation at the prospect of washing their steak down by swigging iodine flavored brine and could be seen prior to dinner salivating over the various labelings.  You know who you are. 

2.  Two virgins joined us for the first time at this meeting, T.J. Kennett and Brant Dixon.  T.J. lives across the street from Bobby and no doubt has heard of our little gathering more than once from our host.  Brant comes from our office on base and has often heard highly exaggerated stories of The Old SNOTS from members who will (and should…Steve) remain nameless.  After dinner we assembled the whiskies on Bobby’s best “Dora the Explorer” table.  Somehow that seemed to fit this group.  Because we had more than one selection from a couple of distilleries, our senior curmudgeon Mr. McAllister decided to dispense with the blind tasting in place of a “head to head” competition.  The scribe believes it’s because he was afraid his beloved Talisker wouldn’t hold up to the competition.  Anyway, it was time to get our glasses wet.  Oh, yeah; it was noted that Don Halpin was absent.  Apparently he had called just hours earlier to inform Steve that his request for a kitchen pass had been disapproved.  Too bad; the Islays would have helped relieve the pain of that nose ring Don. 

3.  The reviews.

a.  Lagavulin 12
“Iodine, nothin’ else!”-Jim; “Sweet”-Mike R;  “Quite a finish too”-Steve;  “It’s not sweet”-Bobby;  “Peet and iodine with sweet finish”-Teri;  “Nice buttery finish”-Mo;  “Has a kick”-Steve;  “Nice with water”-Bruce;  “{water} Tones it down”-Mo

b.  Lagavulin 16
“Doesn’t burn the nose as much”-Steve;  “Calmer nose, seaside”-Mo;  Definitely peaty, but has more flavor”-Steve 

c.  Talisker 10
“Light nose”-Jim;  “Butterscotch”-Mike R;  “Tolerable”-Jim;  “Peppery”-Teri;  Scribes note:  The group was suspiciously quiet during this tasting, perhaps because we’ve tasted this one so damned much in the past.  It’s become the Glenlivet of Islays.

d.  Talisker 18
“Butter nose”-Jim;  “Little fruity nose”-Mo;  “Citrusy nose”-Steve;  “Lemon grass”-Bruce;  “Nothing to this, lost it’s complexity”-Mike R;  “The 10’s better than the 18”-Jim;  “That’s how we voted in a blind tasting”-Steve

e.  Laphroaig ¼ Cask
“Smells like old socks”-Jim;  “Smells like the first Lagavulin”-Steve;  “Sweeter than I expected”-Mike R;  “Carmel beginning but finishes harsh”-Mo;  “Rips your tongue out”-Steve;  “Water completely changes the finish”-Mo;  “I’d run my car on this one”-Teri;  “Water did not help THAT”-Mike D;  “BP Scotch”-Teri

f.  Ardbeg Blasda
“Same nose as Talisker 10”-Steve (That’s because Talisker 10 is all he drinks);  “Nice finish”-Mo;  “Like the water’s already been added”-Steve:  “Tame”-Mo:  “The Islay for people who don’t like Islays”-Brant;  “NO, it’s not”-Jim;  “No flavor”-Bobby;  “No finish to it”-Steve

g.  Bruichladdich (Note:  This bottle had particulates in the bottom.  Either bad bottling or Bobby’s been drinking straight from the bottle again.)
“Taste like a Highland”-Jim;  “The opposite side of the island”-Steve;  “Flowery”-Bobby;  “After you’ve been assaulted, this one comes by to make you better”-Mike D;  “Scotland’s most westerly distillery”-Teri;  “That means it’s almost an Irish Whisky”-Mo

4.  The vote was taken and the winner with 5 votes was the Bruichladdich with the Lagavulin 16 coming in with 4 votes.  The Lagavulin 12 and Talisker 10 each acquired 3 votes.  For those of you paying attention, it comes as no surprise that a Scotch tasting much like a Highland won in the competition of Islays.  Just stating the facts here Steve.  At this point someone brought out the bottle of 20 year old Sheep Dip for sampling.  Many appeared to enjoy this oddity even though it is a mixture of both Islay and Highland whiskies; obviously a selection at odds with itself. 

5.  The next gather of the Old SNOTS will be held at the O’Fallon residence of John Arsenault on 17 July and will feature selections recently purchased from our friends at Loch Fyne Whiskies.  See ya all then. 

“Cab for Bean?!”