scotch

(adapted from a listserv post of mine)

After receiving a birthday gift of money for scotch from my mother in law (who, by the way, rocks the house), I went up to the liquor store yesterday afternoon to pick up a bottle. Scotch is something I could really get into if I had the time and cash. I never was a fan untill one time I was at my folk's place and started to hit my mother's bottle in the evenings. Something clicked

So I was at the store and totally baffled by the selection. I know very little about scotch...and the only stuff I've actually owned was a bottle of Glenfiddich I got for Christmas two years ago (one would assume to keep me away from her bottle).

So, after consulting with the store owner. He was a nice guy, but he admitted he didn't really know too much about scotch. Of course, his suggestions inevitably were out of my price range. Luckily, though, he did have a book on single malt scotches in the display area. After consulting, I ended up with (1) a bottle of Aberlour 10 yr. old and (2) a bottle of rum...still had enough money left over for a happy meal!

I cracked open the bottle last night (corked...nice!) to celebrate my new job as seasonal help at the Toledo Zoo. It's good stuff, and quite different than Glenfiddich, my only single malt reference. It's less peaty. The label on its tube claims it has "a mixture of spice--cinnamon and nutmeg--and autumn fruit overtones," and as much as I usually don't understand snob language, this hits it pretty close.
Mild smokiness and a bit of sweetness. I drink on the rocks, and the melted ice mellows it out nicely.

The owner of the store did suggest one brand, by the way, but as it ran for $241, I thought I'd pass. One of these days...