Free Tasting Event in DC!

Attention DC Area Scotch Drinkers!!  DC Scotch Chick wants to put a plug in for a free tasting event in our area.  As I am sure many of you are familiar with The Wine Specialist in DC (see our earlier post) you may be interested to know that Saturday November 29th they will be sampling a few single malts from the Laphroaig distillery.  The selections offered include: Laphroaig Single Islay Malt Scotch 10 year old and the Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Quarter Cask 48% ABV.  A few distillery reps will be on hand to answer any questions.  

Check back in for DC Scotch Chick's tasting notes.

What do you Mean Carbs Aren't a Primary Food Group?

Okay, the CA Scotch Couple admit it. They have the palates of seven year olds - albeit well pampered seven year olds who get to eat foie gras and go to outstanding restaurants. They live on salads and lean meats at home in defense of svelt bodies, but when on vacation, they will freely indulge in a diet that would normally destine one for diabetes and heart disease. 

In particular, the CA Scotch Couple see absolutely nothing untoward about living on junk food and substituting desert for a meal, provided that the junk food is of a high caliber and the deserts are outstanding. Amsterdam is a mecca for high caliber junk food and outstanding deserts. It was also a frequent stop during their year in Belgium, so the CA Scotch Couple have a long list of must-go-to places a seven year old would love.

One thinks one knows one's friends well until everybody travels together. Now, DC Scotch Chick is an avowed Internet food gawker. She will send the CA Scotch Couple links to the most amazing, evil food out there – pure food porn. These will range from deep fried chocolate covered bacon, to candy corn bark, to Taiwanese street food. Consequently, the CA Scotch Couple just assumed DC Scotch Chick had the same predilection toward junk food that they did. Sure, the Scotch Couples always eat balanced meals when they are playing together at DC Scotch Chick's house, but the CA Scotch Couple always attributed this to common sense rather than preferences. Consequently, they were prepared to lead the DC Scotch Couple on a romp through their favorite junk food places in Amsterdam.

Their first indication that they had misjudged their friends' palates was when they took the DC Scotch Couple to a Belgian frite stand for dinner the first night in Amsterdam. Now, the Belgians may have invented the twice fried frite, but it is the Dutch who took it to a new level by offering satay sauce. The combination of the crispy salty amazing fry with peanut sauce is to die for, and the CA Scotch Couple have been known to live on nothing more than frites during an entire weekend in Amsterdam. 

Mmmm, Frites with Peanut Sauce

The first inkling the the CA Scotch Couple were in trouble was when they went to order the frites, and DC Scotch Chick said, "It is awfully close to dinner. I think I'll hold off for something real." Oh dear, this was supposed to be dinner. 

The CA Scotch Couple went into quick conference. They had traveled to that part of the city specifically to try out this frite stand, and they didn't know any "real" restaurants in the area. They finally decided that Turkish pizza might qualify as "real," but the closest one they knew of on this trolley line was down at Central Station. They boarded a trolley and trooped a very hungry DC Scotch Chick down for quite yummy Turkish pizza. Everybody was happy, and the CA Scotch Couple learned a bit about their friend.

For the remainder of the three days in Amsterdam, the Scotch Couples balanced their palates. At the market, while DC Scotch Gent hit the herring stands, the CA Scotch Couple managed to get frites three times, sucre waffles, and stroopwaffles. While the DC Scotch couple ordered savory pancakes at the Pancake Bakery (Prinsengracht 191), the CA Scotch Couple split one savory pancake and the most amazing creation of mocha/caramel ice cream with ethereal whip cream they have ever had. The CA Scotch Couple didn't know that many "real" restaurants, so they hit a lot of Turkish pizza places. DC Scotch Chick was a trooper, and CA Scotch Couple are pretty sure that she tucked into a good salad the minute she hit home (they, on the other hand, mourned the fact that they were having to go back to salad).

"Mocca/Caramel" Ice Cream Pancake at the Pancake Bakery

Still, friends do influence other friends' choices. It is true that the CA Scotch Couple eat better when they are visiting DC Scotch Chick at her home than they do normally. And, influence can go both ways. On the final day, DC Scotch Chick stumbled upon a sucre waffle dipped in chocolate that she adored. As she waxed enthusiastically about her find, she said, "You know, I think I'll just substitute another one for lunch!" 

The CA Scotch Couple exchanged knowing glances. A seed had been planted. Their job here was done!

Le Repaire de Bacchus

Le Repaire de Bacchus

DC Scotch Chick mentioned the excellent whisky selection to be found in Paris wine stores in her initial La Maison Du Whisky post. One of these chains, Le Repaire de Bacchus, had a couple of outposts conveniently located on the way from Maison Landemain to Le Relais Gascon. Of course, the Chix had to drag the Scotch Gents in for a little window shopping. 

Unlike many European countries, where the government has cornered the liquor game and driven the prices to extremes, France seems to be allowing the free market to take a hand. And, despite VAT, the prices really aren't unreasonable. In addition, there seems to be great freedom of choice – Le Relais Gascon had a whisky selection in which any US establishment would have been proud.

The Whisky Selection at Le Repaire de Bacchus

An added bonus is that both stores the Chix visited were staffed by extremely knowledgeable (and extremely attractive) young men willing to take the time to discuss whisky. This made for a very pleasant shopping experience. Consequently, even though the Chix had not planned to buy, they ended up doing so. 

Their choice on this occasion was a selection of whisky by an Independent Bottler that one of the (extremely attractive) young men touted as being produced especially for Le Repaire de Bacchus – Spirit Collection's Natural Color Scotch Whisky. Now, the Scotch Chix have not had great experiences with Independent Bottlers, but since this was a sample pack, and the clerk was so helpful (and extremely attractive), they were willing to give it a try. 

Spirit Collection's Natural Color Scotch Whisky

Unfortunately, it turned out to be pretty mediocre across the board. With the exception of Wild Scotsman Mortlach 13 and the vatted malts out of the guys at Eades, the Scotch Chix have found IB's to be lacking in depth of flavor, and, alas, this selection was no exception.

Still, the whisky ended up coming in handy when best laid plans for purchasing whisky in Amsterdam were thwarted, and one must admit that a good gouda cheese and other market munchie food makes any whisky desirable. Moreover, since the Scotch Chix purchased a sampler pack, the damage to their pocketbooks was limited and a small price to pay to support a very friendly chain of wine stores with awesome whisky selections and very helpful (extremely attractive) clerks.

5 Year Old Gouda Cheese and Other Market Munchie Food

Trinkets from La Maison du Whisky

As mentioned in an earlier post one of highlights of La Maison du Whisky is their unique array of small/travel size single malts that the Chix had not seen available elsewhere. The cute bottles and rough economy are not the only reasons that the Chix dig the baby bottles of single malts.  Quite often the Chix want to taste something new without feeling wedded to it (in that they would have a whole bottle of something unpleasant left, though that hasn't stopped them in the past) or that they need to give up their left arm (this can be a spendy hobby, no?).  With these thoughts in mind DC Scotch Chick picked up three baby bottles: Balblair, Strathisla, and a slightly bigger baby bottle of Nikka.  This is what DC Scotch Chick defines as an acceptable souvenir.

Balblair 10

Balblair 10 has the sweet and smoky elements one usually associates with a Speyside. Much like the Aberlour 10 it is surprisingly creamy for such a young whisky. 

Whisky: Balblair 10

Pronunciation: Ball-Blair

Region: Highland (Speyside)

Nose	Sweet, Sherry
Body	Creamy
Palate	Raisins, Nuts and Sherry again, Touch of Smoke
Finish	Clean with Light Smoke
Comment	Extremely Pleasant for a 10.  Would like to try again.

Strathisla 12

Another Speyside, the Strathisla, stands apart from other Highlands.  The Chix found the Strathisla packed flavors other than the usual fruit usually associated with Speyside malts.

Whisky: Strathisla 12

Region: Highland (Speyside)

Nose	Nutty, Woody
Body	Hot
Palate	Spicy, Nutty, Underlying Fruit, Wiff of Smoke
Finish	Long
Comment	The spiciness makes it hard to decipher specific fruit flavors on the palate.

We Interrupt this Trip Report

… to bring you news from our brother blogger. Many Loyal Scotch Chix Fans know that the Chix run a twice monthly column on ForScotchLovers http://www.forscotchlovers.com. Well, we recently received an email from the founder Doug Stone asking us to let our readers know that over the summer he commissioned the artists at Inner Light Crystal to produce a limited edition of twenty-one engraved bottles of Macallan Fine Oak 21. (We like Doug's concept of symmetry). Each bottle is signed by the artists and individually numbered, and will be accompanied by a pair of engraved CelticMalts Spirits Glasses, and a certificate of authenticity from the artists. He is selling them through his web site.

Here is a link to Doug's information of the 21 of the Macallan Fine Oak 21 http://www.forscotchlovers.com/scotch_and/art. Looks like a beautiful present for a Scotch Lover.