A Very Merry Christmas Gift

1 Dec 25

I got a great Christmas present from my lovely and talented wife:  A whiskey advent calendar.  It’s not the first time she’s gotten me an advent calendar that featured booze.  One year it was a gin calendar, another a scotch calendar.  I really enjoyed them all.  I didn’t know much about gin but enjoyed the few gins I’d tasted up to that point.  Some were amazing, others - not so much.  But the chance to try so many different brands without having to buy a fifth of each is certainly a bargain in the long run.  

To appreciate the full experience years from now, it’s best to take notes on each sample.  And again, for the tippler who has everything, a whiskey notebook is always a good stocking stuffer.  I still use mine and include cigars that I’ve tried.  I glue the wrappers in the book and take it to my cigar shop to show them which ones I preferred.  Works great!  Here’s a humorous notebook that’s leather bound.  It’s labeled, “Brilliant Ideas I had While Drinking Bourbon” (who hasn’t?!)

Although they’re not cheap ($250), whisk(e)y advent calendars are a good idea for the hard-to-buy-for whiskey drinker.  Here are my notes from last year’s calendar:

• Aerolite Lindsay 10Yr old.  46%

  • Very light on the smoke.  A good intro to Islay whiskies

    
    

• Kyrö Malt Rye, No Age Statement NAS, 47.2%, Kyrö Distilling Company, Finland

  • It’s certainly a rye, but it’s very light.  I think it would be better if it was left in the barrel for another year or two.  I like it.  It’s worth a try if it’s available at a local whiskey bar. 

    
    

• Laphroaig 10Yr old.    40%

  • My favorite whiskey.  Not for the person wanting to try scotch for the first time!

    
    

• Glengoyne 12Yr old     43%

  • Very light.  Would be a good intro scotch for newbies.  Not much peat. Enjoyable.

    
    

• Nc’Nean Batch 7 Single Malt Scotch   No Age Statement (NAS)   46%

  • Quite tasty.  Again, very light.  Almost no peat.  Located on the Sound of Mull in Scotland, it’s on the lower end of the Highland region. 

    
    

• Tamdhu 12Yr Old    43%

  • Never had it before and always wanted to try it.  Wow.  Really good.  Again, very light on the peat.  I’m buying a bottle of this the next time I’m at the store.

    
    

•  The Singleton of Dufftown   15 yr old 40%

  • A fruitiness to it.  Very delectable. 

    
    

• Teeling Small Batch   46%

  • Solid choice.  Never disappoints.  A great example of Irish whiskey.

    
    

• Black Cask Blended Irish Whiskey    40%

  • My first time enjoying this.  It’s good.  Very typical Irish.  It’s worth a try.

    
    

• Brenne Cuvee Speciale French Single Malt    40%

  • Wow.  Really different.  I don’t like tasting notes, but I tasted gingerbread.  I would definitely buy a bottle of this.  But, it’s totally different.  If you can get a single of this, do it.  But you’ll buy a bottle of it soon after.  Here’s the website:  https://www.brennewhisky.com/

    
    

• Egan’s Single Malt Irish Whiskey   10 Yr old    47%

  • First time trying this.  I enjoyed it very much.  Again, very light - in keeping with its Irish pedigree.  It’s got a lot of depth to it, but it’s a great place for a new whiskey enthusiast to start.  If you drink this, you will be happy.

    
    

• Mackmyra Swedish Malt Whisky Bjorksav    NAS     46.1%

  • It’s okay.  It’s definitely a malt whisky.  It does have an odd finish. While I’m not crazy about it, I think many would like it.  If there are minis of it, definitely get one.

    
    

• Tobermory Single Malt scotch whisky    12 Yr Old    46.3%

  • Not for the scotch beginner. .  It’s not especially peaty, but it has an unusual finish.  I’m not sure I’d buy a bottle of this. 

• Gulliver’s 47   Single Malt Whisky          47%

  • Very light in color, but it packs a peaty punch.  And then I looked it up online.  Interesting:  It’s not a scotch.  It’s made in England!  (https://gulliverswhisky.com/).  Like the English Rugby team, this is a little rough at the end.  I like it, though.  If you find it at a bar, it’s worth a try. 

• The Balvenie Double Wood  12 yr old   40%

  • Magical.  Everything you ever want in a scotch. I became smarter and more handsome after just one sip

    
    

• That Boutique-Y Whisky Company Blended Whisky,   NAS,   41.6%

  • Wow.  Really horrible.  Had no flavor.  It was more like vodka.  I clearly detected a hint of wet dog and sweaty socks.  Not worth the liver damage.  Don’t bother.

    
    

• Grace O’Malley Blended Irish Whiskey  NAS    40%

  • Not bad but unremarkable.  I wouldn’t bother with this one when there are so many other great Irish whiskies to choose from

    
    

• Monkey Shoulder - “100% malt whisky made for mixing”   NAS    40%

  • I love scotch, but I can’t think of any cocktail that I’d like it as an ingredient.  I’ve had a Rob Roy - not a fan.  This was really good.  It was waaayyy to good for a mixer.  It’s worth a shot.

    
    

• Glenrothes Speyside Single Malt Scotch   12 yr old    40%

  • Speyside is a section of Scotland known for a number of distilleries.  This one is as good as any quality scotch.  Worth a try.

    
    

• Talisker Port Ruighe Single Malt Scotch     NAS    45.8%

  • Situated along Loch Harport on the Isle of Skye, you get both the peat and the brine from the ocean.  Talisker is a scotch lover's favorite.  If you like scotch, you’re going to love the Port Ruighe.

    
    

• Glenfiddich Solera Single Malt Scotch     15 yr old     40%

  • There’s a reason why Glenfiddich is the best-selling scotch in the world.  It’s a consistent pour.  Aged in a solera vat, it adds an interesting character.

    
    

• Stauning Danish Rye Whisky        NAS    48%

  • This was a wonderful surprise and the reason why these whiskey advent calendars are so great.  Who knew the Danes could make delicious whisky?!  It’s not a scotch, it’s not an Irish, and it’s certainly not a bourbon.  It is truly unique.  This is worth searching for at your best whiskey bar.

    
    

• Mortlach Single Malt Scotch    16 yr old    43.4%

  • An excellent scotch.  Nice and smooth.  If you’re a scotch drinker, I can recommend a bottle of Mortlach.

    
    

• Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch    8 yr old    48%

  • Saving the best for last.  Lagavulin is one of my favorites. If you like a peated scotch, this is probably the best.  A Laphroaig/Lagavulin tasting is always fun (throw in a shot of Connemara for comparison). 

I hope you enjoyed reading about the Whisky/Whiskey Advent Calendar.  Consider it when you’re looking for the perfect gift for the whiskey drinker in your life.  

AI was used on original content to polish the language for readability, fix grammar and punctuation issues, and slightly adjust structure where needed for smoother flow.