“Go To” Single Malt Whiskies by Miles Mason, Sr.

As a Memphis divorce lawyer, I advise clients who are divorcing to limit alcoholic drinking consumption to one per night.  We advise some parents going through divorce to not drink at all and remove all alcohol from the home entirely.  In any event, always drink responsibly.

This post is for friends and colleagues who have asked me what I am drinking these days.  Here are my “go to” single malt whiskys.  These are the single malts which when I finish the bottle, I will buy another.  Almost all are available at Buster’s.  They have the best selection in town.  If you disagree, let me know who you think has more broad selection in Memphis, I will check it out, and report back.  At Buster’s, Josh Hammond or John Vego can take care of you.  Please tell them I referred you.  Trust the rest of the staff as well.

To make my list of “go to” whiskies, the single malts must be reasonably priced, excellent values, non-chill filtered, and with natural color only.  Many links below are to Ralfystuff channel video reviews, my favorite single malt whisky authority.  His reviews are much better than I can produce.  For a serious introduction to whisky tasting, try Ralfy’s Masterclass.

“Go to” sherried single malts:

1a.  GlenDronach 15 year old Revival  – Ralfy’s 2012 Whisky of the Year – I get chills pouring a dram.

1b.  Glenfarclass 17 year old  – Ralfy has not reviewed the 17 year old, so the link is to the 15 year old.  Very sophisticated and flavorful.

1c.  Springbank 15.  Ralfy reviewed the 18, so the link is to the 18 year old.

2.  Aberlour A’bunadh – A sherry beast.

3.  Balvenie 15 year old single barrel – Currently served at Fox and Hound on Sanderlin.

“Go to” non-sherried, non-peated single malts:

1.  Balblair 1997 – Ralfy’s 2013 Whisky of the Year was the much younger Balblair 2002, which to me, tastes like a green apples.  I may have recently purchased the last bottle of Balblair (a 16 year old) from Buster’s. I expect they may replenish but they may not restock with the 1997. Who knows?  Please help me encourage them to do so.  Balblair distillery is part of Inver House which wholly owned by Thai Beverage.  In other words, this is not a mom-and-pop operation.  I met several of the marketing team and the head distiller at the Glasgow Whisky Festival, in Nov. 2013.  The folks at Balblair assured me that the corporate suits leave them alone to make great whisky.  I believe them.  I was served Balblair for the first time by the bartender at The Kitchin outside Edinburgh.  For a premium upgrade, consider the Balblair 1989.  It’s outstanding and was the lone bottle I brought back from Scotland for myself.

2.  AnCnoc 12 year old – If tempted to buy the much more expensive 22 year old instead, don’t.  The 12 is very, very smooth.  Also, an Inver House whisky.  Pronounced like “a knock at the door.”

“Go to” peated single malt whisky:

1.  Laphroaig 18 year old – “Biggest bad ass gangster of a single malt whisky.”  Ralfy.  I am not in love with peated whiskies in general, but this is serious stuff.  Once I get to dram number 3 or 4 in an evening, I am likely to pour one.

2.  Longrow 10 year old.  This is the peated whisky from the Springbank distillery.  Outstanding.

My current “Final Four” distillery selections include (not ranked): Balblair, GlenDronach, Glenfarclas and Springbank.  I admit a prejudice in favor of craft distilleries over branded whiskies (discussed below).

I love single malt whisky.  I began my journey, like many others, with blended whiskies.  Dad drank Canadian whisky.  I never liked it much.  It was rough and needed a ton of water to tame it.  With an older single malt , we add only a few drops unless it is cask strength.  I like single malt because you can’t just pour and slog it down.  You must actively learn the process.  You must learn to customize your addition of water to your taste.  You must learn to let the ice go.  You must accept that there is a broad deep world of single malt fanatics all who know a great deal more than you.  It’s not an American adventure.  In the great USA, we gravitate to “the best.”  In the single malt world, there is no such thing as “the best.”  I love tasting the sweet (honey, pineapple, apple, floral) and bitter that hit all at once.  I love a strong finish.  I love Ralfy feeding me his notes on the nose.  I love tasting what he describes as share a dram with him.  When I taste the complexity, I am enthralled.  I know I am on a road that not everyone has taken.

Having enjoyed single-malt whisky since law school, attended several high-end single malt whisky tastings, traveled to Scotland, toured both The Macallan and Oban distilleries, attended the 2013 Glasgow Whisky Festival, sampled a few drams at Bon Accord in Glasgow, watched a ton of Ralfy’s whisky vlogs on YouTube, and read a good deal, I know I know very little.  I have a very busy day job.  I am not a member of a whisky club.  I don’t want to collect single malt whisky.  I don’t have a sophisticated palate that can discern among various subtle citrus notes.  I don’t care.  I enjoy sipping a special single malt after a long day.  I have many long days.

This blog post documents my thoughts and opinions on whisky, recording a point in time on my journey.  Many whisky fans record tastings and rank bottles.  Others rank distilleries.  I love reading all of those lists.  For me, my ambitions are much lower.  My recent goal has been to compile and maintain a short list of affordable and available single malts I am glad I won’t have to live without.  Herein, I refer to them as my “Go to” whiskies.

Friends may say, “You have no Macallans listed above.  What’s the deal?  You’ve been a Macallan fan a long time.”  It is true that like many, The Macallan provided my initial introduction into sherried single malt whisky.  I own several bottles and may buy more in the future.  But, The Macallan appears to be chill-filtered and add coloring.  (The distillery does not claim otherwise.)  Yes, I have been able to visit the distillery.  The area is stunningly beautiful.  The staff was warm and inviting.  The bottom line is that the sherried whiskies I listed above just taste better to me, in my opinion.  And, to me they are better quality for the respective price.  $239.99 for a bottle of 18 year old The Macallan?  Not for me.  I prefer the GlenDronach, Glenfarclas and Springbank.

What’s in my immediate whisky tasting future?  Someday, my friend John may actually invite me over to try his Oban 18 if he doesn’t finish it first.    I want to continue to learn about smaller and independent “craft” distilleries.  I want to explore a few of the older whiskies from the distilleries listed above. I want to continue to sample a variety of whiskies by flavor, taste, and area including Japan.  Someday, I would like to buy and drink a bottle from the Glenfarclas Family Cask collection.  Oh, my.

My current list of commonly-accepted “craft” distilleries include: Springbank, Bladnoch, and Edradour.  On the cusp are Glenfarclas (but it is one of the largest producers of whisky in Scotland) because it is still owned by the Grant family and the Inver House Group distilleries (Balblair, AnCnoc, Old Poulteney and Balmenach) but they are owned by Thai Beverages.  A possible exception may exist here.  I met the Inver House marketing crew at the Glasgow Whisky Festival and was assured that the distilleries are allowed to be run by the Scots.  While the definition of “craft” distillers remains in debate, the intent of the producers may be what is most important.  According to Ralfy, craft distillers let the whisky be what nature intended.  Branded whisky distillers try and give you what they intend which, in all likelihood, is influenced by marketing and sales.

Miles Mason, Sr.