ON THE WHISKEYS PRESENTED:
If you had attended the event, you would have learned a bit about the origins of whiskey, the difference between whiskey and whisky, and more. Below are some sample brand stories for the 3 whiskeys presented:
MICHTER'S BOURBON:
Michter’s Distillery traces its history back to 1753, when it was founded in Pennsylvania and produced rye whiskey¹. It is believed to be the first distillery established in the US, where General George Washington visited the distillery and purchased whiskey to fortify his men for a long, brutal winter at Valley Forge. After Prohibition, the distillery closed, until it was “resurrected” in the 1990s by a Yale College grad. Michter’s Bourbon is primarily comprised of corn, with fruity and nutty flavors.
MACALLAN 12 DOUBLE CASK:
The Macallan Distillery, founded in 1824, is currently owned by Edrington Group. The Macallan Double Cask 12 is a single malt² scotch from Speyside, a region in Scotland known for light and fruity notes. The Macallan Double Cask is matured in a combination of American and European Sherry oak. In 2010, a bottle of The Macallan 64-year-old single malt whisky in a one-of-a-kind “Lalique: Cire Perdue” crystal decanter was sold for $460,000 at an auction at Sotheby's in New York City.
LAGAVULIN 16:
Lagavulin, founded in 1816, is currently owned by Diageo. “Lagavulin” is anglicization of the Gaelic lag a'mhuilin, meaning “hollow by the mill.” Lagavulin 16 is the classic scotch from the distillery, winning many awards and remarks. It is known for its smoky, earthy and medicinal flavors derived from peat³ smoke. This expression is the preferred scotch of Ron Swanson, a character on NBC's Parks and Recreation.
FOOTNOTES:
1) Whisky vs. whiskey: Both spellings are correct. The difference is primarily due to geography. “Whisky” is primarily used in: Canada, Japan, Scotland, England, and Wales. “Whiskey” is primarily used in Ireland and the United States.
2) Single malt whisky is a whisky made at one distillery from a mash that uses only malted grain, usually barley.
3) Peat is basically turf made of partially decayed vegetation, e.g. moss and wood. In Scotland, particularly in Islay, peat is used as fuel to create fires that dry malted barley (one of the steps of making whisky).
THE GALLERY:
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