Meeting Minutes – July 2010

Minutes of the Meeting
of the

Old Scotch Nosing or Tasting Society

(Old SNOTS)
July 17, 2010

Members Present:                                          Single Malts Present:
Bruce Card                                          Imperial 1991 (G&M)
Anna Card                                          Dallas Dhu 1982 (G&M)
Mike Peet                                           Kilchoman 3
Don Halpin                                          Macphunn 18
Bobby Fowler                                       Bladnoch 1992 (Signatory)
Darren Swansen (V)                              Allt-a-Bhainne 12 (Dun Bheagan)
T.J. Kennett                                                                
Steve McAllister                                                         
Alicia McAllister
Bill Webster
Lisa Webster                                                   
Mike Russel
Mo Verling
Erin Meinders
Stan Skavdal
John Arsenault
Paula Arsenault
Jim Sabella
Mark Caslen
Gary Machovina
Gail Wojtowicz

1.  The Old SNOTS assembled at the Arsenault’s expansive manse for this month’s gathering.  Despite our best attempt to overwhelm the venue with 21½ of us (the half being the Webster’s young son Isaac), John and Paula’s home was more than up to the task and there was plenty of room left over.  They even had two grills standing by which we managed to load up.  As we all anticipated, John and Paula were superb hosts and we look forward to the next time we can invade their home.  However, after we all left, they were likely calculating how much they could get for their house and how quickly and quietly they could leave town.   

2.  Our continuing efforts to defrock all virgins appear to be working.  (Bwa-ha-ha-ha.)  The only virgin at this gathering was one Darren Swanson, brother-in-law of Bobby Fowler and damn fine imitator of the Irish brogue.  Because this virgin was brought in from out of town I’m now wondering if there’s that many left.  That’s not to say that there aren’t some who are on the verge of regaining their virgin status.  (Wouldn’t that be a neat trick?)  In fact, Don Halpin just avoided getting his whisky cherry back by showing up for this gathering (I was going to make a comment about his giddiness at the beginning of the tasting followed by quiet reverence at the end, but thought I might be crossing the line.)  Another attendee, who most had never met before, was George Risse, a recent transplant to Illinois from Arkansas . . . certainly, you would think, among the only virgins left in that state.  But, as it turns out, George was recognized as the very person to whom the brainchild of the Old SNOTS belongs.  So, if there ever was a person who could not be called a virgin, it would be George.  It’s one of the few things he could not be called.  We also welcomed back the husband and wife team of Bill and Lisa Webster who were visiting foreign countries (including ours it seemed) after Lisa’s retirement in Korea.  It was great having them back.  Finally, we need to recognize that the normal scribe was, once again, absent.  Jim Dice was in the North Country with the Boy Scouts canoeing the Boundary Waters.  I’d venture to guess that the Scouts were constantly looking over their shoulders knowing that Jim had a paddle in his hand.  Fortunately, Mike Day was with them to ensure Jim’s paddle stayed in the water.  (We’ll have to ask Jim when he returns if the water he drank began to take on the character of the Balvenie DoubleWood.)

3.  This gathering’s theme was based on a request to the experts at Loch Fyne Whiskies, the Old SNOTS adopted Scottish whisky shop, for a tasting line-up from the list of whiskies the Old SNOTS have not tried.   The line-up they recommended included one Islay, one Lowland and four Speyside whiskies.  It was a challenging and thoroughly enjoyable tasting.  Once again, the good folks at Loch Fyne Whiskies have done themselves proud.  Now, on to the reviews.  (With this many Old SNOTS, I discovered that trying to hear all the comments was a little like sitting behind home plate and trying to hear what was being said by someone in the left field bleachers.  I apologize for those who made noteworthy comments that don’t show up here.  Blame it on the C-5 and the passage of years.)

a.  Imperial 1991
“I’m waiting on Bobby” – Don; “Huh??” – All; “Yeah, Bobby’s always got the best comments.” – Don; “Green apple” – Wojo; “Good finish” – Gary; “Ton of sherry on the nose”- Mo; at this point the door to the deck behind Stan and Mo kept opening of its own accord to which Wojo observed, “Loch less monster”; “Summer scotch” – Mo

b.  Dallas Dhu 1982
“Softer nose . . . much” – Don; “Butterscotch and a little salt” – Stan; “Good scotch for company” – Mark (it took me a while to figure this comment out until Mark said “Not for me, for company”; “Weak and unimpressive.  A good scotch for Dice.” – Wojo; “Bought at the Dollar General store” – Don; “At Overstock.com” – Bill

 c.  Kilchoman 3
“A 3-year old Islay?  Standby” – Mo; “For those wearing socks . . .” – Wojo; “I wonder where my fertilizer went?” – unknown; “Campfire and insecticide” – Wojo; “There we go” – Alicia; “Peat without the scotch” – Bruce; “This is real scotch” – Gary; “Woof” – Darren; “Virginia ham smokehouse” – Bobby; “Scotch soaked in Kingsford”- unknown; “One dimensional” – Bill

d.  Macphunn 18
“Smells musky, like truffles” – Alicia; “Five weight oil?” – Bill; “Very sweet” – Anna; “A breakfast whisky” – Erin; “Better than A’bunadh” – Gary; “A lot of sherry” – Mo

e.  Bladnoch 1992
“Typical lowland” – Bill; “I’m not tasting much at all after the Macphunn” – Don; “Not much there” – Wojo; “I smell spinach” – Steve; “Certainly is grassy” – Mo; “Lemon grass and pepper at the end” – Alicia; “Tart and fresh, like lemonade” – Steve

 f.  Allt-a-Bhainne 12
“Very light” – Stan; “Cream soda” – Bill; “Cream soda?” – unknown; “Arkansas scotch” – Don; “Great starter scotch.  Dice would like it.” – Mark

4.  The vote was taken and it was no contest, though based on the comments, I was surprised . . . the winner with 12 votes was the Macphunn 18 yr old cask strength Speyside.  Also receiving votes were the Imperial 1991 with 5 votes and the Kilchoman 3 yr old with 4 votes.  This time, a smoky, peaty whisky didn’t win and Jim Dice wasn’t there to enjoy it.  But in an interesting twist, after the voting was complete and folks started helping themselves to the whisky they wanted more of, the only whisky to be completely drained was the Kilchoman.  So we have a whisky that came in third in the voting and yet, by virtue of its flavor, disappeared the fastest.  (And no, I didn’t fill my glass to brim.)  I’m still trying to make sense of that conundrum (as is Gary who bought the bottle).

5.  The next gathering of the Old SNOTS will be at the residence of Mark Caslen’s “really good friend” on 14 August.  I’m sure Mark will tell me how I could’ve said that better, but there it is.  The theme will be whiskies from the Highlands.  Until then, Slainte and . . .  

“Cab for Bean?!”