Thanks to our farm crew, Carl and I actually took off a few hours early Friday afternoon and left the crew to process all the veggies and they had the responsibility of getting everything ready for market. They did a GREAT job and we had EXCELLENT sales at market. WHY would we leave work early? All because we had the honor of being Marshall and Anne McLaughlin guests’ for a Scotch Tasting event at the Wolf Laurel Country Club and we had an INCREDIBLE TIME. If ever, you can attend a Scotch Tasting with Marshall McLauglin as your host, please be sure to do so. Thanks Marshall and Anne for a GREAT evening out.
When Marshall and Anne asked us to join them, our first reaction was maybe we shouldn’t, because about 8 years ago we attended a meeting at the Madison County Courthouse in which we were against the zoning for the airport/development at Wolf Laurel. However; ones morals can be quickly set aside for a scotch tasting so we went anyway.
On the drive there Anne and Marshall informed us that the Wolf Laurel County Club where we were headed for the scotch tasting was a completely different community than the Wolf Laurel Ski/Airport resort that we voted against on the zoning. The Wolf Laurel County Club was absolutely beautiful, well designed while preserving the beauty, with views of the Appalachian Trail and one day we hope to hike from Max Patch to Wolf Laurel! Wouldn’t it be fun to end the hike with a scotch tasting?
Marshall, Julie and Carl dressed up in front of the Wolf Laurel Country Club.
We want to hike the Appalachian Trail from Max Patch to Wolf Laurel!
When I told a few folks that I was going to a “scotch tasting”, they envisioned a “scotch drunk”, kind of like Scotchman normally do. Scotch. Most think this is the typical scotch drinking affair where we pass out. But one just sips a few different types of scotch. This glass is a typical sample and we only had a few of these.
A few things we learned:
1. Your nose can recognize around 35,000 different smells! Your nose is how one can learn a bit about the different the types of scotch before even tasting. After swirling a glass of scotch, pass it under your nose while keeping your mouth open slightly, and this is how you can try to understand the aromas of each different type of whiskey.
2. Water can make a huge difference in the taste of scotch. Just a few small drops of water for an ounce of scotch is all it takes to change the flavor.
3. The way malt (from barley) is made will drastically change the flavors of scotch. A few distilleries, and ones that Marshall has toured, use very old timey techniques in drying the barley to stop the sprouting process. The peat dried barley scotch, with the smoky flavor, was some of the best I’ve ever tasted!
The scotch master!
Sandy. I think that everyone is a member of this country club because of her! She knows the people, what they need, and most of all she is there to make them happy! You guessed it, she organized the scotch tasting, and folks were HAPPY!
Enjoying scotch aromas and flavor!
The evening can fly by when a group gets into a discussion about scotch
Books that should be in the library of every scotch enthusiast!
