My friend Roy showed up at work the other day with two test tubes of Scotch for me to try. This sounds weird, but he's a microbiologist, so that makes it less weird. And the test tubes were sterile. And he knows I love Scotch.
He gave me Laphroaig Quarter Cask and Macallan 12 Year.
I uncapped the test tubes to sniff at work, I won't lie. I didn't taste them, though. I thought that probably deserved my complete attention.
The Laphroaig is pale golden compared to the richer amber of the sherry-casked Macallan. The first whiff of Laphroaig is pure smoke, but a soft smoke with hints of vanilla and Band-Aid. It's not at all unpleasant, though it sounds like it might be. On the palate, it's a mix of smoke, moss, salt, and seaweed, with an iodine sting that lingers through the tight finish.
The Macallan has a rich, fruity nose, like dried apricots and that distinctive sherry smell that makes me think of rehydrated raisins. I expected it to taste as light and fruity as it smelled, but it took me by surprise, less full-bodied and more just big-bodied. The taste is fruity, and also somewhat floral. It doesn't taste like marmalade, but it reminds me of it in it's slightly-overwhelming yet enjoyable sweetness.
With only a few milliliters of each left, I committed sacrilege and added a splash of filtered water to each one. It improved the Macallan, removing the hint of cloying sweetness and making me think of orange blossoms. The Laphroaig does not pair well with water, losing it's smoky smoothness and emphasizing the Band-Aid.
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