I sometimes get bogged down updating happy hour listings and writing about this or that bar and I forget why I love my hobby (read: this is not my job; a job earns a person money). I love my hobby because there is a real art in alcohol, and this point was very aptly demonstrated at The Dalmore scotch tasting at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse I attended last week. If someone considers the notes of scotch poetry, then meeting Richard Paterson, The Dalmore’s Master Blender (a.k.a. “The Nose”), could be described as nothing short of meeting William Shakespeare.
We arrived and were directed to the cocktail lounge where we milled around until we were escorted two or three at a time to the private wine cellar that was stage to the evening’s proceedings. Each guest had a place with his/her name delicately printed on a namecard, reading materials, a leather cigar/flask case (love), an amuse bouche, and our first glass of scotch, The Dalmore 12. I’ll go ahead and say it, I’m a vodka girl; but this evening, when the scotch hit my lips, it was all over for me; my love of scotch was reawakened. (My boyfriend is lucky that scotch makes me a fun, friendly drunk unlike most scotch dilettantes.)
Our amuse bouche was so delicious that I think my meal could have ended there and I would have been happy – well, maybe after a couple more glasses of scotch. The first course turned into the second, and then the third and then finally dessert, each one better than the one before, the food filling my stomach with unexpected but delicious tastes and the scotch warming it and me with its delightfully potent scent and flavor. I was in heaven. (I just read that paragraph back to myself in the voice of Anthony Bourdain … try it.)
With each course came another glass of The Dalmore. We had 12, 15, Gran Reserve, 18, and the pièce de résistance, The Dalmore 1263 King Alexander III. I’ve had good scotch in my (short) time, but these five glasses proved that even a novice can appreciate the difference between a great scotch and an amazing one.
The quality and uniqueness of the food and drink was surpassed only by our host, Mr. Paterson. He put on a show that one wouldn’t need alcohol to enjoy. He was not only witty, but irreverent and wasn’t ashamed to call himself (and his two predecessors) an alcoholic – I guess that’s what comes from a third-generation scotch blender. Hear this: I learned geography, history, and even dabbled in etymology … and enjoyed it. Did you know that Christian Monks were the first to serve alcohol to the public? You bet; they used it as a “cure” (eau de vie) of the black death … or something like that. If you really want to know the full story, read it here.
Overall, the night was amazing. The company at my table couldn’t have been more enjoyable and the food, drink, and floor show can’t be matched. I am proud to say I now have a bottle of The Dalmore gracing my bar … but I’m not too proud to say that I’ll be keeping a close eye on it when I have company – I keep the good hooch for myself.