Scotch Bars

[rosenet.livejournal.com]

Hi there, can anyone recommend a bar in or around Camberville that servers flights or has a tasting menu of Scotch? I want to educate myself and find a good Scotch  but I don't want to spend $50+ until I've found the right one. Thanks!

Comments

[inahandbasket]

gargoyles does small flights of decent scotch, but nothing very exotic.

If you just want advice, try Caol Ila 12 year.
http://www.scotchwhisky.net/malt/caol_ila.htm
Hands down my favorite single malt I've ever had.

[ruxxell.livejournal.com]

yelp.com

[marphod.livejournal.com]

Get friends who drink single malts. Best bet for variety.

As for flights, I believe Finale has one (but I may be confusing that with one or more of their other flights).

I don't know if Upstairs at the Square does a flight, but they've been more-than-willing to give us small samples when they had something we were unfamiliar with.

There have been scotch tastings at a number of liquor stores, although they usually are from one of the main-stream distributors (so you'll get commonly available malts, rather than some of the more interesting smaller batch labels). Kappy's, Downtown Wine and Spirits (Davis Square) and Mall Discount (Alewife) have all done tastings that I've been to.


The Cambridge and Somerville communities might also be better thban davis.

[ravenword.livejournal.com]

Finale does have one.

[lac.livejournal.com]

Every so often, you can find an adult ed place that does a class on them. I've never taken one but had a friend that did. My experience is just trying different ones. Lagavullin 16 year is my hands down favorite.

[entrope.livejournal.com]

I second that very heartily.

[shana-lyons.livejournal.com]

Or, you can learn for free. My fiancee and I have been to a bunch of events that Johnny Walker hosts. I think most of them are invitation only, but they used to be pretty regular. They had tastings of scotch and a marketing presentation/lesson on tasting scotch. Some of them have been completely over the top and beyond posh. Several have had hors d'oeuvres, open bars, jazz trios, etc.

I'm never sure how we get on the list. Try www.keepwalking.com . Register. They might send you an invite out of the blue one day.

[shana-lyons.livejournal.com]

Wow, as you can see, the first thing I did not learn at those events was how to spell Johnnie. :) The Scotch was fine, though.

[agreeleyo.livejournal.com]

I've been to a tasting at the Independent in Union sq.

Try the Lagavullin 16yo! (My favorite)

Marty's

[davelew.livejournal.com]

Try Marty's Liquors in Allston. They don't have scotch tastings AFAIK, but they have some very knowledgable staff, who recomended some Ardbeg Uigeadail that was much appreciated by my scotch-hound father. They also have an excellent wine department if you ask (the best bottles are hidden in their private cellar), and a decent beer selection although some of the bottles have been on the shelves too long.

[cosinezero.livejournal.com]

Don't bother.

Bars and restaurants aren't a good bet for a good scotch tasting; the good scotch has been hanging around so long it's stale - especially the true gems that no one really knows about.

Try the following:

- Read online, and buy sample size bottles. Stick to the only 10+ year old, only single malt rule, and you'll find yourself with good scotch. Balvenie has sampler sets, and the "Classic Malts" sampler is an excellent starter (has talisker, oban, lagavulin, dalwhinnie, and ... er... I forget). These are general favorites and cover a wide variety of styles.

- Throw a scotch tasting party. Each couple must bring one bottle (10+, single malt) to share. My friends did this and we walked away with a good understanding.

Bars aren't a great way to get a good tasting. The bottles have usually sat open for a month or more. Much more, in many establishments.

btw, if you can't afford / understand the $50 to try a bottle... maybe scotch isn't your thing.

if it's not Scottish, it's crap!

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Atlas liquors in Medford has tastings from time to time.

The Cambridge Adult Ed Center has a Scotch-tasting class, which I took and recommend.

Scotch does not go stale. The main reason not to bother experimenting in bars or restaurants is because it's so darn expensive.

I'm going to guess the OP simply meant they didn't want to randomly buy $50 bottles until they hit on one they like, but have a better informed idea when they buy. Nothing wrong with that, and no need to break out the snobbery.

Re: if it's not Scottish, it's crap!

[cosinezero.livejournal.com]

"Scotch does not go stale."

-->An opened bottle most certainly will. Let one sit for a month, two, three, six, and keep tasting notes. You'll see.