Gazing into your (not so) distant memory lives a special person. You never had to “try” or fake it. Friendship came easy. Even slight gestures or their chosen words never ceased to amaze or impress you. To others present then, they might only be wisps in the wind. But to you, looking back, the recall is sharp and poignant
It’s the same with Aultmore; soft, sweet and subtle, with a color of the finest Meursault. The light, airy and honeyed scent sends you on a voyage of graceful peace. Your nose smells floral, fruity vanilla bean rising on a bed of clouds. Then, toasted honey wheat bread devoid of sherry smoke greets your mouth as the smooth finale goes down with a deft touch of pepper. It’s not hot, in fact a mild after taste gives way to a mid-length, gentle, citric finish.
Skip adding water to this. You don’t want to change your mental image into something it isn’t or shouldn’t become. A balanced complexity dwells here. Like that human bond, a psychic flavor grows and stays with you.
Enjoy this faerie of a Speyside neat before dinner. You could also tempt fate by having a dram side-by-side with a dessert. Its innate docile nature pairs well with lemon pound cake and cream or Linzer Torte.
An Apprentice will use this Scotch to ease into the new world of single malts. But the Enthusiast can cite this tasting as a rare chance to learn and teach. They’ll show their friends that some whisky, as with life itself, is not always about what’s in front of you. Sometimes hidden details matter. Just as you noticed those traits about someone unseen by most people, you now found a twin spirit.
Unwind and savor its delicate style. With or without your friend, drink and revel in the past’s beauty.
Mark Garbin’s Evaluation
Aromas & Flavor Appeals to:
Optimal Client Type
Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado
Apprentice
Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer
Enthusiast
Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee
Adventurer
With Food
Chameleon Lover
Hedonist
Dessert or Afterwards
Distiller rating: Everything is arranged quite deftly, much like a dessert at a white table cloth affair. A whiff of caramelized bananas, green apples, and shaved dark chocolate on the nose. Creamy vanilla-bean ice cream upfront soon evaporates in a poof of smoke leaving white pepper and dry peat on the finish. Grab the proper spoon, lift your pinky, and dig in! –Sam Davies
Whiskeyreviewer rating: This Aultmore is a nice, easy drinking release. It’s not overly complex (that crown goes to the Craigallechie release, especially their 23 Year Old, which is one of the best whiskies I’ve ever tasted), but it would be a great dram to welcome you home from work and to kick back with. –Kurt Maitland
Over the last few months, you may have seen many new whisky reviews written by Mark Garbin, a recent guest author to Fine Tobacco NYC (ex: (here, here, here, and here). He breaks the mold of the typical 100-point review, injecting in some much needed personality and charm.
Mark’s reviews aren’t just about reporting smells and flavors. He takes the time and thought to help people understand the experience of whisky; embracing the fact that every one of us approaches life in ways that are quite personal. His philosophy as he puts it: “If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, enjoyment is in the taste of the sipper!” I very much enjoy reading his posts and appreciate the unique spin he brings to this website. Although focused on cigar smokers, our site is also visited by tens of thousands of spirits lovers from all parts of the globe each year.
We all know that the link between a great smoke and fine drink enhances both. So I’m excited to announce that Mark has agreed to grace us with his measured thoughts on alcohol the world over, taking the role of Spirits Editor for finetobacconyc.com.
In the “spirit” (Ha!) of meeting our newest team member, I asked Mark to share his story and his take on all things distilled. Read on to find out what he said.
FTNYC: Let’s get started with the basics. Who are you? Where are you from? And how did you come to be involved with reviewing on Fine Tobacco NYC?
MG: By day I’m a institutional risk and portfolio specialist who sits on Fund boards helping to guide the portfolio performance of investment advisers. In my 35+ years in the business, I’ve been around the world numerous times and had the privilege and pleasure of enjoying thousands of whiskies and places to drink. Last year, I decided to become a certified whisky sommelier and received my certification from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust.
Recently, I met Fine Tobacco NYC’s fearless leader, Matthias Clock, over coffee. His approach to cigars and events is unique and dovetails well with my own beliefs. It was a natural for me to contribute to the fun and enjoyment.
FTNYC: Putting together a review of any product takes time and effort. What got you in to writing about whisky and why do you keep it up?
MG: I noticed more people trying new whiskies but they struggle to find clarity in their own preferences. I also saw how they start with but want to get beyond mass production bottles. I got into writing because I want people to drink better quality but also have an appreciation for how time, place, food and emotion play into life’s wonderful nuances. I didn’t see that (and still don’t) in the current review genre. I love helping individuals view tasting as an experience to be savored.
Pictured: Mark Garbin at a recent Fine Tobacco NYC event. (Photo credit: John DeMato Productions)
FTNYC: Besides being an accomplished writer, you mentioned that you put together whisky events in New York City for businesses. What do those events usually look like?
MG: They range from 20 – 250 people. Some companies love the idea of a vertical range of a single whisky label. For example, at a recent event, we tasted all of the stunning Dalmore brand expressions. Another firm wanted to sample different bourbons with multiple mashbills as well as create bespoke cocktails. These get-togethers are often for law firms, financial companies and for tech industry client thank-you events. My objective is to create a memorable experience.
FTNYC: What do you think of numerical ratings and letter grades?
MG: This is an emotional subject for me. First, there are many fine whisky reviewers who provide a great intro to quality. One of the best is Kara Newman at Winemag.com. She packs a lot of helpful info into a brief description. Ari, The Whisky Guy also does fantastic 60-second video reviews. Distiller.com and the Ultimate Spirits Challenge are also helpful.
That said, these grades are better taken as initial guidelines. One person’s 95 is another’s 75 and vice versa. But more important, a whisky that you might like at 6pm for a pre-dinner drink is different than one you would enjoy with certain main courses, desserts or after a meal. Your mood and flavor desires at the time also matter. For example, you might want a high rye bourbon or peated malt when you’re eating a steak. Or if it’s before a meal, your frame of mind could take you to a delicate Japanese whisky or wheated bourbon. Are you with your partner or with a group of friends engaged in a friendly taste-a-thon?
Bottom line, use ratings as starting points. More critical is what do you feel like drinking, when do you want it, with what are you pairing and with whom.
FTNYC: In your reviews, you break down whiskies by the type of person they would appeal to. Can you tell us a bit about those categories?
MG: Sure. Like Cigars, whisky has many facets. You can enjoy a whisky for its balance but then crave a real powerhouse. Sometimes a softer touch is needed or you want a dram where you can sit back and contemplate life. Flavor profiles are highly subjective. So don’t choose one. Embrace them all!
Next, where are you on your whisky journey? The Apprentice is starting down the road to a sophisticated palate. The Enthusiast is engaging in education as much as they can and the Adventurer climbs mountains just because they exist. Finally the Hedonist seeks spiritual (pun intended) rapture every time they raise their glass. Please note: It’s so much fun to indulge in multiple personalities when you enjoy what’s in the glass. A person can be an Apprentice and Hedonist simultaneously! Any permutation is welcome!
Finally, when and with what food, if any, are you drinking? There are some brands I would never, ever have with food. There are some where I would ONLY have them with a meal. You can love a whisky at many times or at a single time and place. Finding what works for you is the great joy! I hope to earn your trust as a guide on your voyage and bring a smile to your face.
It’s one of those things magazines write about for a person to do before they die. It will spoil you forever. The glasses and gins/vodkas are kept at -10º F as you select from a myriad of hard to get gins and designer vodkas. Then quintessential butler service brings a small portable station to you where long-serving bartenders pour the syrupy spirit into your now frosted glass. Then a precise peeling separates a Sorrento lemon skin from its host as droplets of the most fragrant oils caress the surface of your drink. A bowl of olives and nuts are placed on your table as you invoke your hedonist persona to savor each glistening sip.
FYI, the Dukes’ compelled me to: 1) Keep my gins & vodkas at sub-zero temps, 2) Buy organic lemons if I can’t get Sorrentos and 3) Buy a small freezer that now holds my precious secret stash of Beefeater Crown Jewel Gin and other hard to get whiskies.
Btw, they also stock a magnificent collection of Single Malts, Cognacs and Armagnacs. It might look like the classic “man’s bar”, but women are equally welcomed and pampered. Why are you reading this? GO THERE NOW!!!
FTNYC: You’ve sampled a lot of whisky in your time. What are your top three to five choices?
MG: OMG, the list is long and distinguished. It’s so hard to narrow everything down to so few. But, let’s look at two categories: 1) Great value whiskies less than $100/bottle and available at great prices. 2) TKO spirits i.e. The best devil-may-care availability or price point.
Whisky
Great Value
TKO
Single Malt
Cragganmore 12
(Tie) Ardbeg Uigeadail and Balvenie 21, Dalmore Cigar Malt
Blended Scotch
Johnnie Walker Green
Hibiki Japanese Harmony
Low Rye Bourbon
(Tie) Stagg, Jr. & Elmer T. Lee
Clyde May’s 10 Year Cask Strength
High Rye Bourbon
Four Roses Single Barrel
Remus Repeal Reserve
Rye
Hudson Maple Cask
Hillrock Sauternes Cask
Gin (London Dry)
Greenhook Ginsmiths
Beefeater Crown Jewel (Have to go to London)
Tequila
Herradura Anejo
Patron Cask Collection Sherry Anejo
FTNYC: You have an ebook with an extensive selection of bar reviews. Can you tell our readers what it is, and where they can get a copy?
MG: Thanks. It’s called Whisky and Romance Manhattan. It’s about the most romantic whisky bars in the city. For those interested in Spy Thrillers, my novel, No Fingerprints, is perfect for pairing with a great stick and a dram.
OMG, the aroma is incredible, maybe life changing! If you wanted one whisky to create the standard of velvety, sweet smoke, this is it. I could smell JW Blue all day and smile each time. Vanilla, caramel and apple bouquets rotated through every sense; yet with a feel of permanent coexistence. Normally in spirits, each of those potent smells vies for domination. Here they’re vibrant, rich partners.
How can a single spirit be such a delicate changeling? I even postponed the tasting because of the astounding aromatics. When I succumbed to the temptation to drink, my world got confused. When flavors don’t align with scents, disorientation often occurs. Fighting such confusion, I forced myself to ask:
What happened? I had to stop and think. I figured out that my subtle chameleon morphed into a soulful soft, mouth coating balanced whisky with a long finish. You’ll pause and do the same.
I then pondered: To whom would this appeal? That’s an easier question to answer. The Adventurer has no mountain to climb here and the Hedonist’s lurid desires are unfulfilled.
Johnnie Blue is, however, a rare mix of subtlety, balance and shifting tastes. It will tempt the Apprentice eager to learn and the Enthusiast embraces each aspect while admiring the harmony.
Enjoy a dram before a meal or as a reward after dinner, but forget about a cigar. It’ll blow away the gentility.
Use in a cocktail? To quote Jeff Dunham’s Achmed, the Dead Terrorist, I kill you!
In the end, rest assured that the more you sample, the more you’ll want until, Voila! The glass is empty! Hurry and refill!
A note on price: This is not cheap stuff in any dimension. Shop with caution. I’ve seen bottles for less than $150 and over $250. Try this at a bar first to see if it’s for you and do the research on shops to know if you’re getting value or ripped off.
Mark Garbin’s Evaluation
Aromas & Flavor Appeals to:
Optimal Client Type
Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado
Apprentice
Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer
Enthusiast
Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee
Adventurer
With Food
Chameleon Lover
Hedonist
Dessert or Afterwards
USC rating: Distinguished nose of pipe tobacco, saddle leather, crushed pistachio, brown butter, and chocolate covered strawberries. Elegant and mellow mouthfeel with soft chewy caramel and milk chocolate bolstered by bright fruit and honeyed nuts. Luxurious and persistent.
Distiller.com rating: Where Johnnie Walker Black is more like Daniel Craig as James Bond, Blue Label is more Pierce Brosnan; less brute force with a touch more elegance. Take a sip and find dates and floral notes with a touch of spice. But make no mistake, the smoldering peat does eventually sneak up on you…perhaps like an MI6 agent might. – Stephanie Moreno
WhiskeyWash.com review: I know for myself, the question is not whether or not I would like to leave a store with a fresh bottle of Blue Label under my arm, but rather when I will feel the time is right to do so. After all, there is always a bottle sitting behind the register. The challenge becomes one of identifying an appropriate circumstance under which to finally make the investment. Once made, it is an easy one to live with. – Joshua St. John
Saturday night at a local restaurant and there it was, the core of Johnnie Walker’s product line, Cragganmore 12 year. No big deal. Right? Wrong!
The first aromas were, yeah, yeah, been there, done that, JW Black. But after two minutes of air, I lost my cynicism.
Refined scents rose from my Glencairn compelling me to pay full attention to a curious and varied sweetness. Caramel, almonds, wild honey and toffee together with floral chestnut vapors floated on gentle clouds. When I freed my nose, from the glass and tempted the fates of taste, the same pleasant subtle qualities ensued but with extra bonuses. A keen maltiness and creamy pound cake spread through my mouth and continued in the back palate without let up ending in a wisp of smoke. My continuous wide smiles were both unforeseen and unrestrained. They seemed to go on forever like the Energizer Bunny. When I added water I expected a typical 40% ABV flavor and finish dilution. Not here. A few drops subdued the main sugar factor, but emphasized the char.
Jason Debly’s comment is perfect: “This is gorgeous… an impressive tapestry of flavors to consider”.
This tender spirit is not for power or peat lovers and don’t think of using Cragganmore in a mixed drink. But the Apprentice learning about Speyside will find education in a bottle and the Enthusiast discovers a long-term addition to their collection.
Enjoy this neat before a meal; with a lobster dinner or any light food.
What I don’t get is Distiller’s write-up below. How can you give a 86 rating to a “hidden gem”? Take the number with a grain of salt. I leave you with a quote from Ari, the whisky guy, (a great 60 second video review): “This goes on my top shelf.”
Mark Garbin’s Evaluation
Aromas & Flavor Appeals to:
Optimal Client Type
Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado
Apprentice
Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer
Enthusiast
Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee
Adventurer
With Food (Light)
Chameleon Lover
Hedonist
Dessert or Afterwards
Wine Enthusiast rating: The succulent aroma develops with aeration in the sweet forms of barley, cream, light caramel, and a trace of tropical fruit. Palate entry is round, borderline plump, breakfast-cereal sweet, and honeyed; at midpalate, there’s a slightly oily peat smoke. Sweetly concludes with the focus on the malt.
USC rating: Stunningly golden dram with aromas of sweet stone fruits, citrus, honey, cereal, and a wisp of sage. Soft and smooth with flavors of malted chocolate, smoke, and dried apricot that build onto a mellow, semi-sweet, and smoky finish. Fantastic.
Distiller rating: This whisky is quite the hidden gem in Diageo’s Malt Whisky Collection. The whisky is filled with heather, honey, nuts, and pears. Delicate smoke comes in on the palate along with dried cherry and more honeyed nuts. It is a shame that this whisky doesn’t get heralded more than it does, but then again, maybe it’s okay to keep this one a secret. –Stephanie Moreno
Power Flavors for the Enthusiast in Cocktails with or AS Dessert!
photo courtesy of Diageo
Whisky Reviewed: Ron Zacapa Sistema 23 Solera
Distiller: Zacapa (Diageo)
Region: Guatemala
ABV: 40%
Suggested Retail Price: $45
Distiller Rating: 92
Rum Howler Blog Rating: 91
Mark’s Review
So I walk into the Carnegie Club for Fine Tobacco NYC’s cigar and whisky event. There, in front of me stands Kelvin. On his small table is a snifter with a dark liquid. I ask, “What’s in the glass?” With the same wide grin he shares with new guests, he lets me smell the contents. Looking odd, I say, “Rum”? Yup! Ron Zacapa 23. He proceeds to tell stories of cigars paired with whiskies and that a good rum is as wonderful an experience as scotch or bourbon.
Feeling every bit of my King Leonidas line, “I’ll put that to the test”, I sat down with a light pour, took out a pen and wrote my impressions, pre-stogie. Right off the bat, BANG! Sweet sugar smacked me upside the head. The force kept straight through the mid palate and as it eased down my throat, fleeting Broadleaf flavors emerged.
This is a splendid drink for the Enthusiast seeking life beyond the usual brown dram. I also knew any strong stick would be a perfect match, provided it had a gentle fade to allow other external tastes to emerge.
So guess what I did? You bet! I lit up! Maybe my evening smolder was not the precise pair but, nonetheless, the combo weaved its magic.
A true benefit here is that this spirit can amplify any cocktail made with it. I mentioned to Kelvin that a pina colada with Zacapa 23 drizzled on top would bring a smile to any cynic’s face. But, even if you don’t smoke, a Glencairn neat or with a cube could be fantastic with vanilla ice cream, banana cream pie or by itself after dinner.
One note, the “23” is Sistema 23 not the minimum age in the bottle. The end product of a Solera process, the number really represents the oldest whisky; the youngest being six years old. That said, I just care how great the power transfer is and how it works with a nice Montecristo #2 Torpedo. Bliss!
Mark Garbin’s Evaluation
Aromas & Flavor Appeals to:
Optimal Client Type
Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado
Apprentice
Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer
Enthusiast
Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee
Adventurer
With Food
Chameleon Lover
Hedonist
Dessert or Afterwards
Distiller rating: Ron Zacapa 23 Sistema Solera Rum is enduringly one of the most pleasurable dark rums to sip neat. At first the sweet notes of roasted coffee, butterscotch, vanilla and dark chocolate appear, then some fresh citrus and apricot refresh the palate with green herbal accents, nutmeg and ginger. The long finish includes flavors of caramel, pipe tobacco, cedar and roasted nuts. –Amanda Schuster
Rum Howler Blog: (Edited) I have noted in the past, that this rum can at times seem to carry just a little more honey sweetness and vanilla. Dry fruit (raisins and dates in particular), pecans and walnuts, and cocoa are all highlighted in the exit which reveals just a touch of bitterness in the exit (which perhaps is the perfect foil for the honey-like sweetness which characterized the entry). The palate is left with lingering impressions of molasses and baking spices. My final score of 91/100 reflects that I have a high opinion of the Ron Zacapa Centenario (23 Solera) Rum. If I were to have a gathering of close friends and family and I wanted to serve a high quality spirit which everyone could enjoy. This rum from Ron Zacapa would be a very good choice. –Chip Dykstra
photo courtesy of Bacardi Ltd.
