A review of the Recanati Reserve Carignan Kerem Ba’al 2009 and the Bruichladdich 10-year-old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

By Joshua E. London and Louis Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  February 15, 2012

Australia has Shiraz, Argentina is known for Malbec, Chile for Carmenere and in California Cabernet is king. Whether by design, regulation or chance, nearly every winegrowing region has “its” grape. It adds a level of distinctiveness and sets a local standard whereby newcomers can be evaluated.

Many Israeli winemakers are looking to Carignan as the varietal that will help the country’s wines stand apart. While Carignan is widely planted in Languedoc and Spain, no region is really known for producing high quality Carignan wines, although you will find many good examples from Spain’s Priorat area, and it is often used in blends with fine results. Its ancient Mediterranean roots in southern France, Spain and Italy eventually led to it being planted in Israel in the late 1800s.

Made from a single vineyard located near the Dir Rafat Monastery in the Judean Hills is the kosher Recanati Reserve Carignan Kerem Ba’al 2009. The vines are all over 30 years old, have never been irrigated and (unusual for Israel) have been allowed to grow in a bush-like, untrellised fashion, resulting in a low-yield of intensely flavorful grapes. This is Recanati’s first Carignan. The wine offers intense raspberry and spicy black fruit aromas and flavors, along with deep dark currant, herbal, mocha and mild pepper accents. It has good balance and finish. A perfect steak wine, this beauty needs some time in the glass to open and offer itself as a delicious insight into what Israel can do with this unfamiliar grape.

Located in the Hefer Valley, the Recanati Winery is Israel’s sixth largest with an annual output of 950,000 bottles. An extremely successful financier and banker, Lenny Recanati is also a passionate wine collector who established his eponymous winery in 2000. His family moved from Italy to Israel in the early 1900s, and Recanati attributes his early interest in wine to the vineyard in the garden of his parent’s Haifa home. Recanati’s goal is to make wines that reflect the character of the Israeli terroir rather than imitate the wine of other countries. The current winemaking team of Gil Shatzberg (formally from Amphorae and Carmel wineries) and Ido Lewinsohn also create wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Carignan, Viognier, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc under the Yasmin, Recanati, Reserve and Special Reserve labels.

Spirits-wise, we thought we’d return once again to Islay, Scotland, to taste the Bruichladdich 10-year-old single malt Scotch Whisky ($60). This is the first 10-year-old release that is fully reflective of the current, fiercely independent, idiosyncratic ownership that took over and refired the stills in 2001. As Bruichladdich’s website puts it, “this is without doubt the most important release in our history, and very much a landmark for the distillery and the Bruichladdich team.”

At the heart of the Bruichladdich whisky team is the Islay-born Jim McEwan, who entered the trade at the age of 15 as an apprentice cooper at the Bowmore Distillery on Islay. McEwan spent 38 years with Bowmore, during which time he learned everything about the trade: malting, mashing, distilling, warehouse and wood management, blending, and marketing (or “educating” as the industry usually prefers to call it). McEwan lived a few years in Glasgow during his blending and “Bowmore Global Ambassador” phase, but is happiest back on his native Islay (making him an Illeach). McEwan left Bowmore in December 2000 and started at Bruichladdich on Jan. 6, 2001.

Between January and May 2001 Bruichladdich was dismantled and reassembled, with all of the original Victorian decor and, more remarkably, Victorian-era equipment retained. With the exception of things like 24/7 webcams, the distillery is very much an 1880s era throwback – which is part of what the folks at Bruichladdich like. Besides McEwan and his immediate production team (manager, stillman, etc.), the distillery employs around 50 Illeachs, making it the single largest nongovernmental employer on the island (over 60 percent of all employment in Scotland is government, so this is no small thing).

Bruichladdich styles itself as “Progressive Hebridean Distillers,” which says more than first meets the eye. They are obviously distillers and they are obviously located on southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. Yet Bruichladdich is also progressive in the ideological or philosophical sense. Bruichladdich places great importance on being local, authentic, and economically, communally, and even sociologically, relevant to the lives of the people of Islay and of Scotland. Always interesting, and only occasionally unmoored or unfocused by their determination to be separate and apart, there is seemingly no modern aspect of the Scotch whisky trade with which the folks at Bruichladdich do not take some level of exception.

Thus, the folks at Bruichladdich have not only breathed new life into this 130+ year old distillery, but they have done so with a certain flair, panache and a stubborn insistence on doing things their way. As their website boasts: “There are many attributes we share with our distant Gaelic forefathers: stubborn, resolute, self-sufficient, tough, hard-working, enduring, straight-talking, emotional, passionate, philosophical and engaging … perhaps with a certain roguish quality. We are proudly non-conformist, as has always been the way in these Western Isles.”

Andrew Jefford, wine critic and author of Peat, Smoke and Spirit, the definitive book on Islay and its whiskies, wrote of Bruichladdich: “They cut free over a decade ago, and they’ve been jamming and busking and riffing ever since. Different peating levels, local barley, organics, biodynamics, craft distilling, water from the hill, wood from some of Europe’s best addresses, Islay ageing and bottling: they give it all a go. Not a brand, but people, ideas, skills and laughter. Not industry, but agriculture and craft. Not a destination, but a debate.”

All of which is a nicely compact introduction for this independent, slightly rambunctious distillery – as is the whisky itself. Without further ado:

The Bruichladdich 10 year old (46 percent alcohol by volume; $57) is a smooth, delicious assemblage of both American and European oak-aged whiskies offering aromas and flavors of creamy vanilla, honey, lemon and lemon zest, apricot, tangerine, overripe cantaloupe melon, malt, banana muffin, fresh bread, candied ginger, and with a light but distinct brine. The finish is long and lingering. A delicious, unpretentious, easy drinking yet complex dram. L’chaim.

A review of Or HaGanuz Namura Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 and Angel’s Envy American Whiskey.

By Joshua E. London and Louis Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  February 8, 2012

When consumed appropriately, wine has been known to induce contemplative and even religious thought. Sometimes, as we’ll see shortly, it is exactly this sort of contemplative, religious thought that leads to the production of wine. Bear with us for a moment.

Jewish mystics believe that there is an Or HaGanuz, or a “hidden light,” that is the source of spiritual awareness. When God created the world he said, “Let there be light,” yet the sun and stars were not created until the fourth day. It is this first light that dispelled the darkness, and is unlike the later, more mundane, light of the stars that we are accustomed too. According to the Talmud (Chagigah 12a-b), this light had special attributes and enabled Adam “to see from one end of the world to another”, but that “God saw that the wicked were unworthy of enjoying it and therefore set it aside for the use of the righteous in the World to Come.”

In the meantime, say many of the commentators and most of the kabbalists, this hidden light was stored in the words of the Oral Torah. Thus through the learning of the Talmud, one has the ability to gain some of the world-spanning illumination and perspective provided by this hidden light. This conceptual approach was brought down to earth even more by Martin Buber in his 1924 Das verborgene Licht (The Hidden Light), a collection of chasidic tales.

The concept of a powerful and transformative “hidden light” that dispels the darkness and establishes separation between day and night is a potent one. For those of a mystical bent, this concept resonates deeply as transformation and separation are already integral components of Jewish religious thought and practice – often recognized and sanctified with benediction over wine. (Thought we’d never get back on track, right?)

For wine can be said to be the quintessential symbol of this transformative process. Wine is one manifestation of the partnership between God and man, since winemaking is the transformation of one of God’s gifts into something truly special through man’s efforts.

All of which brings us back, finally, to our wine recommendation, as it is upon this general line of thinking that the kosher Or HaGanuz winery was founded in 2005 in Israel’s eastern upper Galilee at the base of Mount Meron, just a few miles northwest of Sfat.

The Or HaGanuz winery was founded, and is operated and managed by, the kabbalist-minded zealously Orthodox cooperative village of the same name, under the direction of veteran winemaker Yehuda Camisa. The village itself was founded in the early 1990s by Rabbi Mordechai Sheinberger and his students, and proclaims its founding motto as the admonition to “love your neighbor as yourself.” In keeping with the religious fervor of the Or HaGanuz village, the wines are certified kosher under the Badatz.

Or Haganuz produces over 140,000 bottles each year of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc and Barbera under the Amuka, Marom and Namura labels. Our wine this week is the non-mevushal Or HaGanuz Namura Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 ($28), produced from grapes grown high in the Galilee hills. It is soft and nicely balanced with red berry, plum and lavender scents that flow into cassis, cedar and blackberry flavors with hints of mint in the finish.

Contemplating the Or HaGanuz Winery, and its lifestyle and philosophy, reminds us of the famous line from poet A.E. Housman’s “A Shropshire Lad”:

“And malt does more than Milton can to justify God’s ways to man.”

Which brings us, inexorably, to our spirit selection this week. Just to try and stick to the sub-theme of the sublime, we thought we’d try Angel’s Envy American Whiskey ($43).

The whiskey is the latest creation of Lincoln Henderson, former master distiller for the Brown-Forman Corp and a member of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association’s Bourbon Hall of Fame. It is the first product release of the Louisville Distilling Company, run by Henderson’s son, Wes.

The name Angel’s Envy is a cute marketing ploy. The whiskey that naturally evaporates through the barrel during the maturation process, usually around the rate of 2% per year, is traditionally referred to as the angels’ share. The word “envy” suggests that this whiskey is so good, the angels wanted more.

To further establish the marketing deep thinking behind this name, the actual whiskey is four-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon that underwent additional three to six months of maturation, or finishing, in port pipes (European Oak barrels that originally held port wine). The fanciful, tongue-in-cheek account of this on their website, and the attractive packaging and bottle design, demonstrates just how smooth and polished is the marketing machine behind all this:

“Legend has it that he [Lincoln Henderson, the whiskey's creator] sat the angels down and got them to agree that they could take more of their share if they agreed to leave behind something even better. The deal was sealed. But when the angels snuck a sip of Lincoln’s incomparably smooth bourbon with exquisitely subtle ‘expressions’ that came from joining 200 years of bourbon tradition with 400 years of port wine heritage, they felt they should have gotten a bigger share. That’s why Lincoln thought it appropriate to call his bourbon Angel’s Envy. The angels, however, don’t find it funny.”

More often than not, such marketing guff makes us leery of the bottle’s contents. After all, good whiskey doesn’t need so much faux tradition and whimsy. It is earnestly believed in the trade that relatively new brands, like Angel’s Envy, must have interesting back stories or some history to tap into so as to convince us consumers into parting with our hard-earned cash. There is, obviously and sadly, something to this- which is why they all do it. The proof is in the profit.

Still, on the plus-side, Angel’s Envy is actually wonderful and dangerously easy drinking, bourbon whiskey. It is well-rounded, rich, and almost silky with charming berry and sweet citrus notes integrated into the more familiar maple syrup, toffee, and vanilla and all with some distinct if light spicy cinnamon. The longer you sit with this one, the more it grows on you – and before you know it, your glass is empty. Lovely. L’chaim!

A look at the Barkan Altitude +624 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Isle of Arran 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

By Joshua E. London and Louis Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  February 1, 2012

While there are many factors that can be manipulated to affect the quality of a wine, there is one fundamental aspect that cannot be changed: the place where the grapes are grown. The monks in France’s Burgundy region spent hundreds of years painstakingly characterizing and classifying the precise aspects of specific hillside plots in the Cote D’Or and the result is some of the world’s most profound wines.  Matching the correct varietal to the local climate and geography is likely the most critical decision that will assure a winery’s success. It is exactly as the old the real estate adage goes: location, location, location.

Established in 1990 by Yair Lerner and Shmuel Boxer, Barkan Winery is Israel’s second largest producing nearly 10 million bottles annually at their Kibbutz Hulda facility, in Central Israel east of Tel Aviv. Barkan, like Carmel Mizrachi—Israel’s largest winery, has tried hard over the last few years to break away from its cheaper supermarket wines image. Barkan’s primary vineyard, the largest single vineyard inIsrael, is also in Hulda. But Barkan also gets grapes from the very best vineyards inIsrael, from the Golan Heights, to the Upper Galilee and the Lebanese border area, to the lower Galilee and Tavor, the Jerusalem mountains, and down south, around Mitzpe Ramon. The winery’s central location allows for quick grape delivery, to insure freshness and to maximize quality. Following a huge infusion of capital from the Tempo Group, Barkan’s majority shareholder, Barkan’s head winemaker, Ed Salzberg, and his winemaking team, Irit Boxter-Shank and Yotam Sharon, have begun producing an increasing variety of enjoyable, high quality kosher wines across the Barkan label range.

They have six different labels, including their “Altitude” Cabernet Sauvignon series that are made from grapes grown in vineyards of varying altitudes. The vineyards are otherwise essentially the same and the grapes are handled similarly in the winery. Therefore the differences noted between each of the Altitude Cabernets (+412, +624 and +720) are really the variations imparted by their unique micro-climates.  We are fans of all three expressions, especially the Barkan Altitude +624 Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($40) a deeply purple, satin smooth and full-bodied wine. It opens with dark plums and currants accented with spice and cedar, then moves seamlessly into blackberry, cherry, burnt orange and anise flavors and a long finish. Well-balanced, fruit-forward and on a firm tannin background, this is one to drink in a few years with your favorite steak or roast.

All this talk of altitude, reminds us—spirits wise—of the Isle of Arran single malt Scotch whisky. Arran means “high place”, presumably because the island is geographically higher than the surrounding lands along the shores of the Firth of Clyde off the west coast of Scotlandbetween Ayrshire and Kintyre. The Isle of Arran is the largest island in that Firth, and is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is widely considered “Scotlandin miniature,” because it is said to offer aspects of all the scenery in Scotland’s landscape: mountains and lowlands, glens, lochs and royal castles. Yet the Isle of Arran Distillery is the only distillery on the island, and was only founded in 1995.

This island distillery is based in the village of Lochranza, and was established by Harold Currie, who was previously Managing Director of Chivas Regal and the House of Campbell (both internationally successful Scotch whisky blends). For its first 12 years, until his  retirement in 2007, the distillery was managed by Gordon Mitchell, who previously worked at Ireland’s Cooley Distillery. Mitchell established Arran as a delicate, creamy, unpeated malt whisky, with distinct sweet, fruity, citrusy notes. The whisky was young, but could be delicious and showed terrific promise.

After Gordon Mitchell left, the distillery brought in James MacTaggart as distillery manager. MacTaggart had spent the previous 30 years in a senior production capacity with Morrison Bowmore Distillers. The whisky making team at Arran is rounded out by Gordon Bloy, John Dowens and Graham Omand.

All of Arran’s single malt whiskies are non-chill-filtered and presented without any caramel coloring. Chill filtration is designed to improve the physical clarity and brightness of spirits by filtering out emulsified oils that can cause clouding, but that also contributes to character and flavor.  Filtering out the former also diminishes, even if only slightly, the latter. Thus a non-chill-filtered bottling is more natural and allows the spirit to retain as much of its original character as possible, cloudy elements and all. Like most single malt lovers, we greatly prefer non-chill-filtered and un-caramel-coloring enhanced whisky—if only more producers followed such examples. For the record, “cask strength,” or undiluted with water, is our other fundamental preference in whisky.

Although the Isle of Arran Distillery began releasing whisky as early as 1998, their first whisky that could be said to taste more or less “mature” was their 2003 “Arran Non Chill Filtered” release. That same year they released their first finished or double matured whisky—a Calvados Finish, which sounds more interesting than it was (if our old notes are anything to go by).

After that, Arran quickly released a plethora of wine barrel finished whiskies: Marsala, Champagne, Port, Bordeaux, Chateau Margaux, Tokaji, Rum, Cognac, Cream sherry, Fino Sherry, Amarone, Fontalloro, Lepanto PX Brandy, Moscatel de Setubal, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Sassicaia, St. Emilion Chateau Fonplegade, and so on. Such flash is meant to keep people interested in “new” whisky releases, and at times—we suspect—to disguise too young whisky with an active European oak cask overlay. Nearly all of these releases were at least interesting, and some were genuinely good – though more than a few were not, and we frankly stopped paying attention around the time Mitchell retired.

Seems we might have missed something these last four years. Indeed, the days of too young Isle of Arran whisky gussied up by European oak is likely behind them. There are still plenty of wine finishes in their portfolio, but we have every expectation that these will be more consistently good now, and we hope to taste them soon. The distillery has some age on it, after all, and between on-hand stocks of mature whisky and over 15 years of production history and experience, the Isle of Arran whisky now brings something much more interesting and substantive to the party. Indeed, if their flagship Isle of Arran 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($45; bottled at 46%ABV) is anything to go by, Arran has truly come into its own as a brilliant whisky.

Here then is the Isle of Arran 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch: this is delightful, delicate yet lively whisky exhibiting rounded and full aromas of crème brulée, toffee, citrus fruit, pear, apple and something vaguely biscuit-like. These notes follow through on the palate, along with a honey and malty vanilla (semi) sweetness, and a mild spicy oak on the pleasingly long finish. This is a very quaffable whisky, and a fine (re)introduction to what the Isle of Arran has to offer. L’chaim!

A look at the Wagner Family wines.

By Louis Marmon

Gazette Newspapers  February 1, 2012

The Wagner family has been making wines in California’s Napa Valley since 1915. Its first winery flourished until 1920 when it was closed by Prohibition, and the family turned to farming, eventually growing grapes and making wines at their home. In 1972, Chuck Wagner and his parents Charles and Lorna Belle, established the Caymus Vineyards winery, naming it for the 1836 land grant that included the area encompassing their farm.

Chuck has been the Caymus winemaker since 1984 and within a few vintages, his Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, especially the “Special Selection,” acquired a reputation for excellence and a plethora of awards. The 1984 and 1994 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignons are the stuff of legends and each year, their release is widely anticipated. The senior Charles passed away in 2002, but not before he and Chuck were named to the Wine Spectator’s Hall of Fame.

The Wagner Family of Wines includes several properties and Chuck’s sons are now the fifth generation of Wagner winemakers. Chuck continues to oversee Caymus, while Charlie II (named after his grandfather) works at Mer Soleil and his brother Joseph is responsible for Belle Glos and Meiomi. A long-time Caymus associate, Jon Bolta, was put in charge of white wines in 1988 and released its first proprietary blend called “Conundrum” in 1989.

The Mer Soliel Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2008 ($32) is made with fruit sourced from Monterey’s Santa Lucia Highlands. It is a classically styled California Chardonnay with a rich buttery, toasty frame accented with tropical fruits, peach and vanilla. An interesting contrast is the Mer Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay 2009 ($22) that is made with Monterey grapes fermented in cement tanks rather than barrels. It is a softly textured fig, lemon and stone fruit-flavored wine with supple citrus acidity, noticeable minerality and a pleasant finish. Both expressions are food friendly, although they would each pair with distinctly different cuisines.

The Belle Glos winery is named in honor of the family matriarch and Caymus co-founder Lorna Belle Glos Wagner. It produces excellent Pinot Noirs from three coastal California vineyards including the medium-bodied, Santa Barbara-grown Belle Glos Clark and Telephone Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009 ($44). A spicy blueberry and dark cherry flavored wine with good depth and balance, it has minerals, coffee and soft tannins in the finish. The Belle Glos Taylor Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009 ($44), from the Sonoma Coast, has more pronounced red cherry and raspberry flavors with cola, spice and coffee notes. The fruit for the Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir 2009 ($44) is from the some of the highest sites in Monterey. Floral and dark fruit notes predominate, along with chocolate, cola and a pleasant smokiness that lead into a long, balanced ending.

In contrast to the single vineyard Pinot Noirs of Belle Glos, the Meiomi Pinot Noirs are blends of three coastal locations; Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara. Not surprisingly, the name means “coast” in the indigenous language. The Meiomi 2010 ($22) is a softly balanced Pinot Noir that shows layers of dark cherry, herb and berry flavors intermingled with root beer, smoke and a sweet oakiness that flow into a lush finish.

The Conundrum 2010 ($24) is a mystery white wine blend. My guess is that it contains Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, Chenin Blanc and Viognier. Intensely aromatic with scents of flowers, honey and pineapple, it has rich, soft melon, pear, apricot and apple flavors and perfect citrus acidity for balance, making it an ideal accompaniment to seafood or Asian cuisine.

Reviews of the Yatir Forest 2008, the Michter’s U.S. No. 1 Small-Batch Bourbon, the Michter’s U.S. No. 1 Unblended American Whiskey and the Michter’s U.S. No. 1 Single-Barrel Straight Rye.

By Joshua E. London and Louis Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  January 25, 2012

The story goes that when David Ben-Gurion was told by his scientific advisors that it would be impossible to plant trees in the northern Negev, he responded by getting new advisors. The result was Israel’s Yatir Forest, the 30-square-mile woodland along the southern slope of Mount Hebron. There are more than 4 million trees thriving in the Yatir Forest. Planted under the direction of Yosef Weitz and the Jewish National Fund, the Yatir Forest has become an international model of desert reclamation and ecologically healthy responses to climate change.

Similarly, the Yatir Winery is an illustration of the potential heights in quality that Israeli wine can reach. Owned by Carmel but functioning independently, Yatir consistently produces some of Israel’s best wines. Australian-trained chief winemaker Eran Goldwasser oversees both the wines and the nearby vineyards, along with the rabbis who provide kashrut supervision. Near archeological ruins of ancient winepresses, a testament to the 2,500-year-plus history of winemaking in the area, Yatir cultivates the classic Bordeaux grape varietals of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon along with Malbec, Viognier, Shiraz, and Sauvignon Blanc.

The operation’s flagship wine, Yatir Forest 2008 ($68; “Ya’ar Yatir” in Hebrew) is easily one of the finest wines Israel has to offer. Every vintage has, so far, been a dependable winner. The 2008 is an impeccably balanced and intensely flavorful full-bodied blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (58 percent, Petit Verdot (32 percent), Merlot (5 percent), Malbec (3 percent), and Cabernet Franc (2 percent).

It sings with lush aromas of black fruit and currants. Plums, mocha, blackberries, licorice and Asian spices on a soft tannin frame mingle with a bit of oak, red currants and earthy flavors hinting of its forest origins. A wine to be enjoyed today but it could also be put away for a few years to be brought out on a special occasion.

It should be noted that 2008 was a shmitah, or sabbatical, year for Israel (5768 on the Jewish calendar). Shmitah (which means “release”) refers to the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle – a year is designated as a sabbatical for the Land of Israel, according to the Torah.

During shmitah, Jewish-owned land in Israel is to be left fallow, and whatever grows there is to be free for public use, and conventional agricultural commerce is restricted. Shmitah is mentioned several times in the Torah and the other books of the Bible, and many more times in the Talmud and later rabbinic literature. Consequently, a variety of complex laws exist, accompanied by equally complex, and hotly debated, Jewish-legal “work-around” solutions to allow some form of commerce to continue.

Generally, these Israeli rabbinic methods of navigating shmitah’s halachic regulations are not fully embraced by Diaspora kashrut supervising agencies, and in any event, shmitah produce is not supposed to be exported outside the Holy Land, even though it often is by non-observant importers.

All of which helps explain why the 2008 vintage of Yatir Forest, like other Israeli wines of the vintage, is much harder to find outside of Israel – a great excuse, as if one were needed, to visit the Holy Land. It’s worth noting that the shmitta years of 2008 and 2001 produced some of Israel’s best vintages, an indication perhaps that God has a wicked sense of humor.

It’s enough to drive one to drink the hard stuff – such as some delicious, if slightly pricey, domestic whiskies from the Michter brand: Michter’s U.S. No. 1 Small-Batch Bourbon ($40), Michter’s U.S. No. 1 Unblended American Whiskey ($35), and Michter’s U.S. No. 1 Single-Barrel Straight Rye ($40) Michter’s is the chosen brand name for the whiskey selections distributed by Chatham Imports Inc., a small but intelligent player in the market. The marketing shpiel claims a storied legacy for Michter’s dating back to Pennsylvania in the 1700s.

Actually, the brand name – Michter’s – was created in 1950 by a businessman named Lou Forman, who simply merged the names of his sons, Michael and Peter, to create a brand that sounded vaguely Pennsylvania Dutch, which he thought would suit whiskey from Schaefferstown, Pa.

The distillery there was founded in 1753 by John Shenk, a Swiss Mennonite farmer. It stayed in the direct family line until 1861, when Shenk’s great-granddaughter, Elizabeth Shenk Kratzer, sold it to Abraham S. Bomberger, another Pennsylvania Dutch Mennonite (and a relative by marriage).

The Bomberger distillery thrived until Prohibition forced its closure in 1919; it was sold off soon afterwards. After Repeal, the distillery was brought back into production. It would change hands a few more times before closing permanently in 1990 (the remains have fallen into ruin). From 1975 until its demise, it was known as Michter’s. The last of what was produced there has been selling as the super-limited A.H. Hirsch Bourbon (simply because it was produced for Hirsch under contract before apparently being forgotten in the warehouse for more than 15 years). Chatham Importers Inc. bought the brand name and re-launched it as Kentucky, Pennsylvania, whiskey around 1999.

The whiskey that is today sold as Michter’s is sourced for Chatham by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD) of Bardstown, Ky. KBD does not produce whiskey; it merely procures it. It is widely assumed that the whiskey comes from the Jewish owned Heaven Hill Distillery (owned by the Shapira family), but this is not known for certain and remains a trade secret. KBD is just across the street from Heaven Hill.

Michter’s U.S. No. 1 Small-Batch Bourbon is an enjoyable, balanced, complex whiskey that offers an earthy semi-sweet experience with distinct corn and dried fruit notes, accompanied by spicy cinnamon, black pepper, and cloves, all against a drying, almost austere milled grain quality – an intriguing finish. Michter’s U.S. No.1 Single-Barrel Rye is young and enjoyably feisty, with notes of rye spice, black pepper, vanilla, coconut and sweet caramel flan. The finish is lively and enjoyable, with an interplay of orange marmalade, caramel and zesty rye. Delicious!

Michter’s U.S. No.1 Small-Batch Unblended American Whiskey is matured in previously used American Oak Bourbon barrels. It is whiskey is sweet and subtle, with explosive and intriguing aromas and flavors of bell pepper (or something similarly vegetal), vanilla, hazelnut, white chocolate, caramel and charred oak – there also seems to be a slightly minty note lurking about. Definitely worth checking out. L’chaim!

A review of Chateau de Parsac 2010 and an interview with Rachel Barrie, the new Master Blender at Morrison Bowmore Distillers.

By Joshua E. London and Louis Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  January 18, 2012

There are few names better known in the world of wine than Rothschild. Primarily a financial dynasty since the 1700s, the Rothschild family expanded into the wine business with the 1853 purchase of the Bordeaux estate Château Brane Mouton by Nathaniel de Rothschild who renamed it Château Mouton Rothschild. His father-in-law, Baron James bought the neighboring Château Lafite in 1868, thereby establishing a rivalry between the two grand estates that has lasted until this day. In 1973 Edmond de Rothschild, the grandson of Baron James, purchased Château Clarke. The subsequent years have seen the three branches of the family expanding their wine holdings in France and elsewhere including California, Chile and Portugal.

Acquired in 2000 by Edmond, Château de Parsac is located on the “right bank” of Bordeaux’s Gironde river in Montagne-Saint-Emilion where the Merlot grape remains the dominant variety among growers. Its 2010 release ($20) is medium-bodied, garnet-colored beauty. This mevushal kosher Merlot-based wine also contains 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, which brings a distinctive currant and raspberry aspect that rather gracefully accents the underlying plum, blackberry and chocolate flavors. Additional hints of earth and oak add depth to the finish. This is a very well-priced wine for this level of sophistication and one that can be cellared or enjoyed now with roasts, duck and stews.

Spirits-wise, we are excited by some interesting news from Scotland. Rachel Barrie, formerly the “Whisky Creator & Master Blender” at Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, has been confirmed as the new Master Blender at Morrison Bowmore Distillers (MBD). The position was created specifically for Barrie, who will now also be in charge of the laboratory and oversee quality control for all of MBD’s whiskies, including Bowmore, Glen Garioch and Auchentoshan.

Why is this exciting? When Barrie became the first woman to be made a whisky “master blender” in 2003, she also became Dr. Bill Lumsden’s right-hand (wo)man at Glenmorangie, and so is largely responsible for crafting some of their award-winning whiskies. These include the Glenmorangie Signet, Astar, Sonnalta PX, and Finealta, as well as such Ardbeg superstars as the limited release Rollercoaster, Corryvreckan, Supernova and Alligator, as well as the mighty Ardbeg Uigeadail. Barrie also selected whisky casks and chaired weekly tastings for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (we are both members). In other words, given Barrie’s track record, whisky lovers have lively expectations of even more great things to come.

Further, one of us had an opportunity to chat with Barrie a few years back, and is delighted for the chance to dust off the old notes.

Barrie studied chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. Following graduation, she did a brief stint as an analytical chemist at Scottish & Newcastle brewery before entering the whisky trade, in 1991, at the Scotch Whisky Research Institute. She was the only female scientist in the department for whisky “maturation and blending,” working alongside the legendary Dr. Jim Swann. They conducted extensive research on developing the ideal ex-bourbon American oak cask for the maturation of Scotch whisky, and also researched the effects of air-seasoned versus kiln-dried wood in whisky maturation.

Her expertise made for a natural fit for moving over, in 1995, to become quality lab manager at the Glenmorangie Company. Glenmorangie remains an industry leader in its innovative wood management policy, exclusively using slow-growth, air-seasoned American white oak from the Ozark Mountains for its primary maturation. Barrie developed Glenmorangie’s on-site Sensory Laboratory, and created a 50-person in-house tasting panel, before “becoming,” as she put it, “involved in all aspects of product quality management from barley selection to final bottled whisky.”

She was named Glenmorangie’s product development manager in 1998 and, among other things, focused on whisky innovation. Glenmorangie acquired the ArdbegDistillery in 1997, so after they thoroughly investigated Ardbeg’s warehouse stock, Barrie, working closely with Lumsden, taking a lead role in developing the Ardbeg range of whiskies. She also developed Glen Moray’s “wine-mellowed” range and worked on various Glenmorangie wood finishes; Glenmorangie sold the Glen Moray distillery in 2008.

As the new Master Blender for Morrison Bowmore Distillers (MBD), Rachel Barrie will be responsible for whisky creation, blending and management of all spirit quality operations. This will entail selecting casks of maturing whisky for the BowmoreDistillery on Islay, the Auchentoshan Distillery in the Lowlands, and the Glen Garioch Distillery in the Highlands. Just in case her employment history and whisky accomplishments are not sufficient to get you excited, consider this gem buried in our notes from that old interview. When asked, for a personal reflection of what whisky means to her, she said:

“Whisky is an adventure. It is my passion and favorite hobby – and, thankfully, my job. I’ve been extremely lucky, and still feel very honored to be in the trade. It’s the outlet for my imagination, creativity and my insatiable quest for knowledge – I have this endless desire to keep learning about all the distilleries in Scotland and the world; the science and technology of what makes every whisky so special, and how to unlock flavor characteristics from the barley and oak. This is the most exciting part of the job – creating new and unique tongue-tingling taste profiles or experimenting with barley and oak to unlock a surprising flavor dimension. I’ve dipped my nose into well over 80,000 casks of whisky, and I try and get to know every drop of whisky I’m working on. Whisky continues to bring exciting new challenges and chapters to my life.”

Given her magic touch with Ardbeg, we’re very curious to see just what she’ll do with MBD, and in particular with the Bowmore Distillery, the oldest distillery on Islay. While we all patiently await future releases, consider the excellent and easy-to-find Bowmore 12-year-old Islay single-malt Scotch whisky($45), the heart of the Bowmore portfolio.

This gently peated whisky opens on the nose with distinct floral notes amid the peat and sweet tobacco (think pipe) smoke, followed by ash, dried grass, sea brine, and zesty, lemon and orange, citrus notes. These are followed on the palate with lovely and well-rounded flavors of peat, spice and honey, offering a subtle balance between dryness, sweetness, peat and smoke. The finish is smoky, briny, citrusy, oily, and dry. This is not an massive peat monster, but this is a fantastic, elegant Islay classic. L’chaim!

A review of the Weinstock Petite Sirah 2010 and Jim Beam White Label Bourbon Whiskey

By Joshua E. London and Louis Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  January 11, 2012

There is nothing tiny about Petite Sirah. It is a bruiser of a grape that requires a deft hand to make it approachable. Now grown primarily in California, Australia and Israel, Petite Sirah was developed in France by crossing Sirah with the lesser known Peloursin. The grapes are smaller than other varietals which led to its name and a considerable amount of vineyard confusion when it eventually made its way to the U.S. Also known as “Durif,” it was primarily utilized as a blending grape until talented winemakers demonstrated that the grape could also stand on its own.

The earliest Petite Sirahs were nearly undrinkable due to their high tannins and dense flavors. Two California wineries, Concannon and Foppiano, led the rescue of this flavorful varietal in the U,S. and now hundreds of wineries around the world create deliciously dark Petite Sirah wines. A kosher example is the Weinstock Petite Sirah 2010 ($18), a deeply garnet, medium-bodied delight that displays opulent red berry, floral and earthy aromas along with layers of complex spicy flavors including plum, blackberry, olive, tobacco and pepper. The tannins are healthy but not dense, giving it the structure to pair with roasts and other similar fare. Consider pouring it into glasses or a decanter a half hour before dinner so you can sniff it every few minutes to appreciate its development.

On the spirits front, we thought we’d stay domestic and turn again to Bourbon whiskey. The best-selling and most ubiquitous whiskey in the world is, of course, Jack Daniels – which we’ve already reviewed at length. So the next logical choice is Jim Beam.

For those not in the know, Jim Beam White Label Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey ($15) is one of the world’s best-selling Bourbon whiskies. It is the flagship of the Jim Beam brand of bourbon, and the primary product of the Jim Beam Distillery, which is actually two distilleries in Kentucky, one in Clermont and the other in Boston. The white label sells around 5 million cases a year.

The Beam name is legendary in bourbon, and not just because of its heritage. The Beam family has dominated the world of Bourbon whiskey, mostly as distillers and whiskey craftsmen rather than as businessmen or distillery owners, throughout its history.

Johannes “Jacob” Beam (1770-1834) of Pennsylvania (the family name Boehm was changed to Beam soon after emigrating from Germany) started the Beam Bourbon story in 1795. He had moved to the wilderness that was to become Kentucky in the late 1780s, and by 1795 was said to have begun selling his own whiskey. Jacob brought one of his 12 children into the family business: David Beam (1802-1854). Two of David’s 11 children, Joseph B. Beam (1825-1912) and David M. Beam (1833-1913), also went into the whiskey trade, as did many of their progeny. Two of David M. Beam’s sons, Colonel James Beauregard “Jim” Beam (1864-1947) and William Parker “Park” Beam (1868-1949), went into the trade and, post-prohibition, it was they who established the modern Beam dynasty. Then Col. Jim Beam – that is, the Jim Beam – had one son who entered the trade: T. Jeremiah “Jere” (pronounced “Jerry”), and then one of his daughters, Margaret, married Frederick Booker Noe, and their son, Fredrick Booker Noe II (1929-2004), entered the trade. He, in turn, was succeeded by his son, Frederick Booker Noe III, who still produces whiskey at Jim Beam. All of which is a long-way round to saying that the Beam family has been making Bourbon whiskey from the beginning, and continues today at various, even competing, distilleries. All are known for producing excellent Bourbon.

Yet because of its popularity and ubiquity, Jim Beam White Label, the flagship brand of the Beam whiskey-making dynasty, is sometimes given short shrift by those who enjoy spending more money on their tipple. “Familiarity breeds contempt,” goes the adage, though it should really be more difficult to argue with such global sales. Besides which, it is actually very nice Bourbon.

Jim Beam White Label Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a medium bodied, young whiskey, probably around 4 years old (this is hinted at by the pale amber color). Yet it lacks the harsh edge and fiery burn that is usually associated with young whiskey. A bit dry and orange-fruit-like on the nose with maybe a hint of vanilla and caramel, the whiskey has a slightly syrupy mouth-feel, with lovely notes of buttered toast, hints of brown sugar, subtle cinnamon and whispers of vanilla. The Jim Beam wild yeast strain gives this whiskey an odd, though enjoyable, sour funky or gamey sort of finish. White Label is straightforward and uncomplicated yet versatile, as enjoyable straight as it is as a mixer. Delivers well above its weight!

For those wanting an older expression of Jim Beam, look no further than the great 9-year-old Knob Creek Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey ($30). Named after a little creek that runs just south of the distillery, and past what is claimed to be Abraham Lincoln’s childhood home, the whiskey was introduced a couple of decades ago to showcase aged Beam whiskey. At 100 proof, Knob Creek is not to be trifled with. Chunky, firm, earthy, sweet and brilliant, Knob Creek exhibits floral aromas with a touch of charred oak, a hint of spicy rye, honey, roasted nuts, vanilla, and an odd, yet not unpleasant, touch of mustiness. These are followed on the palate with sweet, creamy flavors of vanilla pound cake, maple sugar, and (slightly burnt) caramel, hot cinnamon candy, white pepper, walnuts, and something like apricot chutney. Rich and complex, with a slightly jarring yet absorbing hot and heavy finish. L’chaim!

A review of Appalina Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 and several Glen Garioch whiskies.

By Joshua E. London and Louis Marmon

Washington Jewish Week   January 4, 2012

The rules governing European wine production are almost Talmudic in their complexity. The regulations concern all aspects of wine-making including the technigues permitted, the amount of land that can be used to grow grapes, the specific varietals allowed in each region and what words and information can appearr on the labels. Integral to this system is the belief that the place of origin imparts distinguishing characteristics upon the vines.

In the early 1900′s the French legally mandated what could be produced within several precisely delineated regions. Over the ensuing decades a hierarchy developed with the more stringently regulated “appellation d’origine contrôlée” or AOCs at the top, followed by the “vin de pays” (country wines) then the “vin de table.” Some of the AOCs are vast and diverse while others are smaller and homogeneous with the ones in Burgundy and Bordeaux having almost mythic reputations. AOC wines are usually more expensive but the designation itself does not necessarily denote quality.

Better values are often found among the so-called “lesser” tiers. Vin de pays is stratified into regions, departments and zones with the largest, Vin de Pays d’Oc , based on the Languedoc-Roussillon. This region has seen a recent dramatic improvement in quality and is the source of many of the country’s best quality-to-price values. A mevushal kosher example is the very smooth Appalina Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($11). As Cabernets go, the Appalina 2008 is on the lighter side, offering red fruit, mint and blackberry flavors. With only a hint of tannins, this is a Cabernet that Merlot lovers will enjoy.

On the spirits-side, after reviewing successive smoky, peaty whiskies over the last few columns, we’ve gotten requests for reviews of something less smoky, less assertive as well as something new or at least less familiar. Ask, and ye shall receive.

A lovely little gem of a Scottish Highland malt whisky can be found from the Glen Garioch brand of single-malt Scotch whiskies. Situated in the historic Valley of the Garioch (pronounced ‘Geery’ in the Doric dialect of Scots spoken in the northeast of Scotland), in the historic town of Oldmeldrum, approximately 20 minutes northwest of Aberdeen, the Glen Garioch Distillery was established in 1797.

It remains one of the very few urban distilleries in the country. Glen Garioch is also, perhaps, the only distillery in Scotland that now bottles everything in its lineup at a minimum of 48 percent alcohol by volume (the industry standard is otherwise 40-43 percent,) and all are non-chill-filtered.

Brothers John and Alexander Manson, who established Glen Garioch, chose the location based on the ready supply of clear, quality water from the Percock Hills and the abundant barley of the Valley of the Garioch, known then as “The Granary of Aberdeenshire.”

Indeed, for many years the distillery malted its own barley and used local sources of peat. The whisky was characterized by a distinct heathery smokiness. As late as 1989, in the first edition of Michael Jackson’s “Malt Whisky Companion” (this is the late beer and whisky expert Jackson, not the late pop-star), he referred to Glen Garioch as “the assertive peat-smoky style of highland malt that has become all too rare.” Soon after that, Glen Garioch discontinued both its own in-house maltings and the use of peat.

The distillery was family owned for its first 90 years before being sold off, and then it changed hands several times until 1970 when it was acquired by Stanley P. Morrison, Ltd. (now Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Japanese drinks company Suntory).

The distillery first released Glen Garioch single malt only in 1972; before that all of its production went to blends. That same year a new underground spring was discovered, giving Glan Garioch a new and more abundant supply of water to boost production. Morrison invested back in the distillery several times, expanding production capacity and updating and refurbishing equipment. Due to shifting priorities, the distillery was mothballed in 1995, and was not pushed back into production until 1997. The distillery and its brand of whisky were given a much welcomed revamp in 2009, with a major re-launch in the U.S. in 2010.

Here are the current releases of this charming, underrated and woefully less familiar range of the non chill-filtered single-malt Scotch whiskies of Glen Garioch:

Glen Garioch, 1797 Founder’s Reserve ($45) this non-age statement release is lovely, young, light and fruity yet impressively mouth-filling; with aromas and flavors of pears, green apples, lemons and apricots, vanilla, honey, buttery shortbread, toffee and fudge, with fresh and vibrant barley notes and something like white chocolate and perhaps ginger, with mocha-like notes in the drying finish. This is an enjoyable, easy drinking yet still interesting dram. [Note that, to us, adding water makes this charmer fall apart.]

Glen Garioch 12-year-old ($65) is a marriage of whisky aged in ex-Bourbon American oak (like the Founder’s Reserve) and ex-Sherry European oak, resulting in aromas and mouth filling flavors of butter, fudge, vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, honey, cantaloupe, over-ripe banana, baked pear, malted barley, some warm and drying oak spice, and all with just a touch of smoke that seems to drift in and out brilliantly. Another charming and engaging whisky with enough complexity to keep things interesting.

Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage ($110; non-chill-filtered and bottled at 53.9 percent ABV) was matured in used American oak casks for 17 years before being bottled in 2011, and is a limited release example of the previously peated style of Glen Garioch.

This beauty of a whisky exhibits remarkably youthful aromas of sweet vanilla, heather-honey, buttery fresh biscuits, custard, and ginger, all with just a whisper of smoke. The whisky is oily, lightly smoky yet still sweet on the palate, with notes of vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, bitter-apple, hard pear, hard peach, under-ripe banana, vibrant lemon citrus and with a sprinkling of ginger. The finish is long, dry yet fruity, spicy and floral, with a mild peat smoke. It takes water well, but really doesn’t need much if any. This is an intriguing, subtle and elegant whisky that’ll reward a little time and contemplation. L’chaim!

A sparkling wine review including the Pol Roger Brut Reserve ”White Foil,” the Mionetto, Lunetta, Voveti and Lamberti proseccos, JJ Vincent Cremant, Champalou Vovray Brut, Trapiche Extra Brut, and the J Vineyards Brut Rose and their 25th Anniversary Brut.

By Louis Marmon

Gazette Newspapers  December 29, 2011

Bubbles in wine were once considered a fault, especially when the increased pressure caused the bottles to explode. The early Greeks attributed the presence of bubbles in wine to either astrological influences or malevolent spirits. It is likely that the French monk credited for “discovering” sparkling wine, Dom Perignon, was trying to find a way to prevent the bubbles from occurring. And it is equally likely that the development of stronger glass bottles by the English and their use of cork stoppers is what led to the subsequent success of the French Champagne region.

The better sparkling wines are created by a secondary fermentation that occurs either in bottles (methode champenoise) or huge tanks (Charmat). The process requires residual sugar and yeast which is added to a base wine that previously has been fermented. These base wines are usually high-acidity varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay although nearly any grape can be made into a sparkling wine. The typical colors range from pale yellow to a pinkish rose with a range of sweetness depending upon the amount of sugar remaining after the second fermentation. The color, sweetness and flavors are crafted by the winemakers who strive for a consistent “house” style. Like most modern wines, the majority of sparklers are meant to be consumed within a few years of release, although some will age gracefully for decades.

Champagne remains the quintessential sparkler and only wines produced within a specifically demarcated region within northeastern France may carry that title on their label. An elegant example is the Champagne served at the April wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the non-vintage Pol Roger Brut Reserve “White Foil” ($39). The creamy, full-bodied blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay shows perfect balance with rich apple, red berry and peach flavors.

Those with royal tastes and a tighter budget should try a dry Prosecco. Produced by the Charmat technique in northern Italy, Prosecco is an excellent value-priced sparkling wine option. Mionetto was the first to import Prosecco into the U.S. and its Mionetto Brut D.O.C. ($11) remains deservedly popular with soft, lush apple and citrus notes accented with a pleasant nuttiness that persists in the finish. The Lunetta Prosecco ($12) has bright, fresh fruit flavors with more pronounced peach and pear along with a crisp acidity, while the Voveti Prosecco ($12) has more citrus and floral aromas that join harmoniously with green apple and honey flavors. The similarly well-made Lamberti Extra Dry Prosecco ($13) shows an interesting spiciness along with its Granny Smith apple and lemon flavors.

Another reasonably priced French alternative is Cremant, produced either in Loire or Burgundy. Legally required to be hand-harvested and aged for at least one year, these may be slightly pricier, but are worth the extra expense. The ginger-scented JJ Vincent Cremant de Bourgogne ($20) expresses complex fig, green apple and pear with some pineapple in the finish. The enticing apple aromas in the Champalou Vovray Brut ($20) combine nicely with the lemon, pear and toasty bread flavors.

The sparkling Argentinean Trapiche Extra Brut ($10) contains Malbec, which provides a bit more depth to the apple and tropical fruit flavors that mingle nicely with brioche and nuts at the end. From California, try the delightful, strawberry-scented J Vineyards Brut Rose ($20) that has raspberry, orange, lemon and apple flavors on a crisp, balanced frame. The J Vineyards 25th Anniversary Brut ($24) also is very good, with toasty almond, lemon, apple and toffee notes.

A review of Hagafen Cuvee de Noirs 2007 and the Laphroaig 10 year old Single-Malt Scotch.

By Joshua E. London and Louis Marmon

Washington Jewish Week  December  28, 2011

Sparkling wines are ideal for festivities. Their bright flavors and acidity make them perfect pairing partners for numerous cuisines including sushi, cheese, chicken, fish and dessert. In fact, they are so versatile that it seems a shame to relegate them only to celebrations.

Sparkling wines are created by adding sugar and yeast to a base wine to induce a secondary fermentation. One of the by-products of winemaking is carbon dioxide gas. During the subsequent fermentation this gas is trapped and dissolves in the wine. Traditionally this occurs within the bottle, a very expensive and time-consuming process. An alternative is the less expensive Charmat method that utilizes large tanks to create the bubbles before bottling.

Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay are the most common grapes utilized, but nearly any varietal can be made into a “sparkler” and almost every wine-producing region makes one. California’s Hagafen Cellars creates an excellent kosher mevushal sparkler, the orange-hued Hagafen Cuvee de Noirs 2007 ($36) an 80/20 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Strawberry, peach and raspberry flavors dance lightly on a citrus frame with hints of melon and white chocolate. Serve this beauty when your guests arrive and watch their eyes glimmer with appreciation.

On the spirits side, all through Chanukah we were in a smoky, peaty, Islay single-malt Scotch mood. As Scotch whisky regions go, Islay (pronounced EYE-lah, Gaelic for island)) is widely considered the most identifiable, and the easiest to generalize about as a type, with common characteristics and flavors. This is all part and parcel of an enticing, romantic idealization about the island of Islay and its whiskies.

Islay is the windswept, rain soaked, southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. The island is relatively flat and covered in peat bogs. Peat is a Celtic term for the compact, decayed vegetation, decomposed over thousands of years by water, and partially carbonized by chemical change. Historically, peat was the fuel of choice for making Scotch whisky. The smoke generated by peat is robustly aromatic and tarry, transferring and imbuing these compounds (phenols) to the whisky itself. The pungency is determined by how heavily peat is used in the kilning of the malt. Think of peat as an earthy, smelly, poor-man’s coal. The use of peat in producing whisky is, typically, more assertively and robustly identifiable in the Islay whiskies than anywhere else in Scotland. This suggests a distinct “taste” of Islay.

True enough, most of the eight distilleries on the island – more distilleries than schools, as one of the industry insiders likes to remind folks about the priorities of the locals – share some basic characteristics in that they tend to be challenging and strongly flavored: very smoky, with iodine/medicinal notes, and give one the impression of distinct salty, sea weedy influences, and most tend to have a dry finish and often these have some bite.

There is, indeed, something to this commonality – but less than folks suppose. As wine and whisky writer Andrew Jefford once put it: “In wine, the impact of place on flavor is clear, even if the tracery of mechanisms by which this unfolds is complex. In whisky, the matter is less straightforward. … Indeed it seems that the fundamental elements of flavor in malt whisky are not related to place. … ‘The taste of Islay’ as popularly conceived is in fact the taste of a traditional island approach to malt whisky distilling. This approach, though, can be substantially duplicated elsewhere, as will become increasingly evident when the new, peaty whiskies produced at malt distilleries all over Scotland eventually mature and reach the market.”

Hard to argue with Jefford, the author of the brilliantly evocative, lyrical, and incomparable (if slightly wordy), Peat Smoke and Spirit: A Portrait of Islay and its Whiskies. This is the very best book, by far, on Islay whisky, and Jefford has done much to further the captivating, romantic image of Islay.

Still, Islay whiskies remain hugely enjoyable and utterly enchanting – facts and logic be damned. So during Chanukah, we enjoyed sampling the ranges of Bowmore, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, Kilchoman, Ardbeg, Bruichladdich (brook-LAD-dy), and Bunnahabhain (BUN-na-hah-ven). These are all fine, excellent whiskies, each in its own way. Yet the one that has held our overall allegiance this holiday season, the one that most calls to mind the enjoyably poetic if fallacious notions of the island of Islay, the one that has pride of place in our imagination is Laphroaig. Among Laphroaig whiskies, the choice that is perhaps the most seductive is the Laphroaig 10 year old($45). Thankfully, it is also the best value.

For one of us at least, this was the very first smoky, peaty, Islay whisky that we ever tasted. So it holds a special and evocative place in our continued sensorial love affair with whisky. We even used it as the base of our Chanukiah!

The Laphroaig 10-year-old single-malt Scotch whisky always delivers. It is, in turn, soothing and stupendous; familiar and reliable, yet complex, deep and dreamy. It enraptures with its heady yet nuanced mix of iodine, smoke, sea-brine, and sweet malt; with its oaky backdrop, and whispers of vanilla, and with its rounded, oily, subtle and ever so slightly drying finish. Yet it is a dram with enough of a medicinal, fish oil, seaweedy presence to keep one grounded and alert, like a good natured thump from an older brother or an old school chum. This is serious whisky!

If one is willing to spend a bit more, an awesome comparative experience can be had with the Laphroaig 18 year old ($75). Think of it as a gentler, less assertive, creamier Laphroaig – which is to say it still packs a lovely wallop. The nose presents with a rich, salty, vanilla cream, along with buttered toast, and, of course, peat smoke, iodine, charcoal, and tar. The whisky follows with rich, round and thick notes of sweet malt, honey, vanilla, salty toffee, peat, subtle brine, ripe banana, ginger, almonds and a lemony citrus quality. The finish is long and savory, with additional notes of marmalade and something reminiscent of kippers. The smoke is more of a backdrop or undercurrent here, creating a showcase for the rest of the flavors. This is another lovely, delicious whisky. L’chaim!