I KNOW Some of You Are Into Single Malt Scotch or Wine...

[tehtimmeh]

I ask this, because it seems to me that people who are intrigued by and interested in things that trigger the olfactory senses tend to be passionate about many things that trigger the sense of smell.

There's already an incense thread started, which follows along the same logic.

Personally, I am a big single malt scotch snob fan. I love sniffing the stuff almost as much as colognes... (well not quite, but close!) People think I am crazy for sitting down with one drink for 45 mintues or an hour, but I there's just something intoxicating about the ritual of it all.

What about you guys? Into scotch, wine, brandy, other things that trigger the olfactory senses like the frags do?

 

[Aaron01]

Single malt scotch, bourbon, kraft beer, cigars, brandy I like them all I guess it's all pretty similar in the process

 

[Obsessed]

Interesting idea. I do like scotch, and my favorites are the Islays, which I think it's safe to say are the most aromatic of the bunch. I like brandy as well.

 

[Evbo]

Wine for me. Red, red wine. The aromatic qualities of wine approach and sometimes exceed those of a fine fragrance. Never really developed a taste for scotch, but I can certainly see the appeal. I'd actually like to learn more about single malts. I also love a good microbrew, although they're more about taste than scent.

Cigars, though? Sorry, not for me. They just gross me out.

 

[Fbones24]

Craft Beers and Bourbon. The fragrance of pungent hops drives me insane!

 

[jakespoppy]

It's interesting to me how you experience wine with all five senses:

You see the color and the way it creates lines as it runs down the side of the glass when you swirl it.

You smell it when you stick your nose deep into the glass to get all the aroma it has to offer, noticing all the different "notes".

You touch and taste it with your tongue and mouth when you drink it, letting it roll around in your mouth, while you taste the "notes".

And you involve the sense of hearing when you clink your glasses together in a toast.
​

I think there is a lot of similarity in the aesthetics and pleasure of enjoying both wine and fragrances.

And with both, too much can give you a headache!

 

[The Knize]

<What about you guys? Into scotch, wine, brandy, other things that trigger the olfactory senses like the frags do? >

Absolutely! Each and everyone of those, and beer, for sure, and I hate to admit it, cigars, again. So frigging addictive.

Wine probably the first love. "I don't remember the name of the village. I do not even remember the name of the girl. But the wine, by God, was Chambertin."

 

[Rossmeister]

Coffee. Smells delightful.

 

[spoonman]

Great post! It made me realise that I obviously enjoy exercising my senses as although I have only just started getting into colognes, I have a healthy collection of single malt whisky, cigars and am just starting on pipe tobacco. I am also a bit of a coffee snob and enjoy trying different beans.

 

[tehtimmeh]

As you guys keep bringing new stuff up, I realize that I am a big fan of most of the items listed.

Single Malt Scotch
Wine (I'm pretty new into wine, but the reds are growing on me)
Bourbon (not the same level as scotch for me)
Cigars
Pipe Tobacco
Coffee

I love it all!

 

[joshmpdx]

interesting!

Yes, i like all of the above too.

teh, im going straight to the speakeasy to see what you have to say about scotches!

 

[tehtimmeh]

im going straight to the speakeasy to see what you have to say about scotches!

You have to take it easy with the scotches. I have found that most people that don't like scotch simply don't understand how to enjoy it. I often have people over at my house to entertain and after educating them a bit on the subject, not many have left not having in enjoyed it. I'm afraid I've turneda few people into more than just casual drinkers

Sadly, I didn't get into scotch until my grandfather passed away. He was a connoisseur of cognacs and single malt scotch. As the only grand child in the family, I inherited his collection and began to experiment to try to understand what all of the fuss was about. My favorite bottle is still one I inherited from his collection - the Balvenie 21 year Port wood. I wish I had shared the passion with him while he was still alive, but sadly it took his departure for me to understand it.

I relate it to my obsession with colognes (which started at a much earlier age in my life) because I think I am a lot like my grandfather. He very much enjoyed the finer things in life and especially those that triggered the olfactory senses. Every so often I will pull his bottle of Chanel Pour Monsieur (his signature scent) and wear it to remember him.

 

[The Knize]

<a connoisseur of cognacs >

I think I would truly love to be a connoisseur of cognacs! But that I know I cannot afford to become.

But a tour through some lesser cognacs and even better, Armagnacs, is a worthy sensory expedition! I read some supposed expert in either the Wine Enthusiast or the Wine Spectator say that if a cognac was put in as a ringer in a blind Scotch tasting, the cognac would win every time. He claimed to know this from experience! I have often wondered whether this would be actually true.

I love good Scotch, do not get me wrong! And I feel like I know Scotch pretty darn well at this point. Good Scotch is magical stuff. I just have the feeling that truly excellent cognac, might be able to take it a bit farther. But I doubt if I will ever know!

I have gotten into bourbons over the paid couple of years, too, after never liking bourbon all that much. I sure "get" bourbon now. (I include in the category Tennessee whiskeys and rye.) To me bourbon, for the most part, is an enormous bargain. I do not know if it quite hits the heights of the very best Scotch at the highest ends of each type of spirit, but to me there is no Scotch on the planet that comes close to the quality of, say, Woodford Reserve, that does not cost twice as much. And even something like Evan Williams is incredibly good for the price compared to what one has to pay for Scotch.

Good Irish whiskey is mightly good, too. Here though, I am talking Red Breast and up.

 

[Rivguy]

It's interesting to me how you experience wine with all five senses:

You see the color and the way it creates lines as it runs down the side of the glass when you swirl it.

You smell it when you stick your nose deep into the glass to get all the aroma it has to offer, noticing all the different "notes".

You touch and taste it with your tongue and mouth when you drink it, letting it roll around in your mouth, while you taste the "notes".

And you involve the sense of hearing when you clink your glasses together in a toast.
​

I think there is a lot of similarity in the aesthetics and pleasure of enjoying both wine and fragrances.

And with both, too much can give you a headache!

Not unlike enjoying a fine single malt scotch in the proper fashion.

 

[Rossmeister]

I only got my first single malt, and all whisky just smells like strong booze to me Hoping to rectify that before long, though!

 

[tehtimmeh]

I only got my first single malt, and all whisky just smells like strong booze to me Hoping to rectify that before long, though!

Take your time with it. Try to get to "know it". Pour yourself a very small dram every night for a week and spend some time with it.

Here is a great link for beginners who have just wondered into the vast world of whisky: http://www.whiskymag.com/nosing_course/

It is more about the smell than the taste, because as it turns out, you are really smelling when you think you are tasting. I know it makes no sense, but read up on it, and you will get much more out of it.

Cheers,

Tim

 

[Aaron01]

I only got my first single malt, and all whisky just smells like strong booze to me Hoping to rectify that before long, though!

Give it time, you'll start to pick out different notes in the whisky, both in the nose and the palate. Whiskies are a lot like colognes, except they're more fun

 

[DavyRay]

Give it time, you'll start to pick out different notes in the whisky, both in the nose and the palate. Whiskies are a lot like colognes, except they're more fun

And, sometimes, whisky works faster than cologne.