Michael Russ wanted to learn more about whiskey.
What’s the difference between a $30 bottle and a $200 bottle? What makes a good whiskey? And what does he really like when it comes to that spirit?
To learn the answers to that, he attended his second whiskey tasting at Le Chat Noir Jan. 22 with Augusta Neat, a local group of whiskey afficionados.
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“I know very little about whiskey,” said Russ. “I thought I liked rye best, but I found out I like different ones.”
The Jan. 22 event focused on bourbon – the American whiskey, and there was a socially distanced full house.
Chris Nabholz and Zach McCabe are two of the founders of Augusta Neat. They started the group in August 2019 and started offering monthly events to the public in September 2020.
Whiskey, or whisky, as it’s spelled in Scotland, is a type of distilled spirit made from fermented grains such as wheat, corn, rye or barley. It’s usually aged in wooden barrels.
“The different spelling depends on whether there’s an ‘e” in the country name,” said McCabe, who also owns All Equal Parts and does cocktails and spirits consultations.
Scotch whisky also known as Scotch is made in Scotland following strict laws. Bourbon is American-made whiskey and is distilled from a corn mash.
During the event, attendees were given a sheet of paper and several different whiskeys to try. They didn’t know what brands they were drinking so any preconceived ideas could be avoided, McCabe said. Participants were encouraged to take notes about the different drinks.
A whiskey tasting is a little different than a wine tasting.
McCabe encouraged people to smell the liquor first, but not to swirl it.
“If you swirl it, you will get a lot of the ethanol,” he said.
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When tasting, people were asked to concentrate on the flavors. Was one spicier or sweeter than the other?
Each table was outfitted with a container of water and a dropper so participants could add in a little water if they wanted to dilute it. Whiskey has a strong ethanol content or proof, and diluting it can often enhance its flavor, McCabe said.
The group ended its tasting with McCabe creating a cocktail called the Bobby Burns, made of scotch, vermouth and Benedictine liqueur. It’s named in honor of Scottish poet Robert Burns whose birthday is Jan. 25.
Nabholz said the agenda for the February event hasn’t been decided yet, but March is likely to focus on Irish whiskies in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
To learn more about Augusta Neat, find the group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/augustaneat or Instagram @augusta_neat
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
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