One of the presents I received at Christmas was a bottle of whisky from my sister and brother-in-law. He is a member of the Scotch Malt Whiskey Society who issue some bottle from casks they get hold of. I also had a gift from my neighbour Dave who is a big whisky fan. That was a nice wooden box containing a couple of glasses, tongs, coasters and some whisky stones. The latter are literal stones that you put in the freezer and then use to cool your drink. The idea is that you do not have ice cubes diluting it.
Bottle labels are hard to photograph, but I just figured out how to put these two photos side by side.
So this whisky was finished off in a Jamaican rum barrel and is nine years old. It was bottled just before Christmas. It is a small bottle at 35cl, but I guess a bigger one could be quite expensive.
Of course I needed to have a glass, although Dave and I already started the bottle. This Scotch is quite sharp initially, so it does benefit from a splash of water just to take the edge off. I am not great at describing flavours and tastes, but I am quite happy with this one. It tastes like I expect a good Scotch to be. The glasses are nice too.
Certain experiences are enhanced by having the right environment and equipment. I treat a glass of whisky as a special treat and now I have some extra touches to add to the preparation. All part of the fun.
Life is a series of experiences and you should make the most of the good ones.
Cheers!