Live Blogging This Hellish Week

Again, this being Whisky Week in the Bay Area (with WhiskyFest tomorrow) all the big names are in town, making the rounds, shaking hands and kissing babies. My old buddy David Blackmore from LVMH just stopped by to keep us up to speed on the latest Ardbeg/GlenMo happenings. Tasting through the lineup again (for the umpteenth time) I just got reminded of why Glenmorangie might be my favorite single malt distillery. The whisky just delivers everything you want at various price points and flavor profiles.

First off was the Lasanta explanation—they've lowered the proof a bit and changed the marriage to both Oloroso and PX sherry casks, rather than just the former. That switch has tamed the funkiness just a bit a sweetened up the finish. It's much more Aberlour now and much less Glendronach. It's such a good deal. Also up for tasting was the forthcoming Taghta—a manzanilla-aged whisky that was picked by the voting public from three possible options (the others being Burgundy and Bordeaux finished whiskies). However, part of the gimmick was that the countries with the highest voter turnout got the largest allocations. We Americans are notorious for our lack of commitment when it comes to civic duty, therefore we get nothing. We didn't vote in the Glenmorangie sweepstakes, hence we get the smallest allocation globally. Expect a mad dash for a tiny, tiny allocation when this shows up. It's elegance in a bottle, plain and simple. Wonderful stuff.

Then a few of us poured a glass of the Signet and the Glenmorangie 18—still the best deals in single malt when it comes to generally drinkable, wonderfully-packaged, high quality whiskies. At $89.99, I still stand behind that slut of an 18 year old. It's just a gigantic slut of a whisky, and it's a wonderful thing; so soft and supple and rich and sweet on the finish. The Signet is still the spicy, yet soothing malt it's always been. Another one of those NAS bottles where you just have to taste it and say, "Yep, that's a $200 bottle of whisky."

I'm sure there will be more cameos to come today. Yesterday, John Hall from Forty Creek poured off the Canadians and I was totally impressed. I know next to nothing about Canadian whiskey, but the higher-end Forty Creek expressions have me totally intrigued. Make sure you taste with him if you're going to WhiskeyFest tomorrow. He's a wealth of information and a really nice guy.

-David Driscoll