Whisky : Allt-A-Bhainne 7 Year SMWS 108.14 “An enjoyable curiosity”

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 66.2%

Cask : 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel

Age : 7 Years (Distilled 1 November 2011)

Nose : Opens with a bit creamy peanut butter that turns faintly chemical and not dissimilar to roach bait.  It is a freshly placed Combat roach trap or maybe a Hoy-Hoy.  It is not unpleasant— and roaches sure seem to enjoy it.  A bit of musty vinegar, faint herbal notes, and a dash of lemon grass.  Hints of meatiness and faint smoke play at the edges of perception.

Palate :  Herbaceous with a sweet meaty quality.  It is roasted pork seasoned with Chinese five spice, burnt marshmallows, melting s’mores, and a bit of fish sauce.  Burning rotten vegetation blows over along with the sweet scent of pond scum, Lily pads, and tadpoles.  Picnic beside an algae covered pond.

Finish : Lingering lemon or burnt lemon peel with some sun baked grassy hay bale at the end.

Score : 7

Mental Image : Hoyhoy Roach Trap.

Something Better : Port Charlotte First Cut Fèis Ìle 2007 (more intense decay and pond scum) 

Something Similar : Glen Scotia 10Y SMWS 93.98/other young Glen Scotia (similar Chinese five spice)

Something Worse : Jura Superstition (more fish sauce, similar spices, less finish)

Notes :  “Would go well with pho or Vietnamese food.”  For whatever reason most of the food pairings that have come up at our tastings usually involve pairing a scotch, often peated, with Vietnamese food.  Something about the vinegar notes present in some whiskies give the impression that they might help cut through beef broth or compliment a sweet fish sauce.  I do not do a whole lot of intentional whisky and food pairings aside from the obvious salty or coastal paired with a funky creamy cheese, or a smokey peat heavy dram with a rich beef stew.

I never did get around to this pairing.  It was too good to save for such an occasion.  I have never found the smell of roach traps to be all that appetizing, but after this, I may instinctively start craving whisky.  Something about the aroma strikes the sense in such a way to resemble roach bait.  If I left a dram out on the counter would I find some drunk roaches?

I am not in the mood to share and find out.  This Allt-a-Bhainne showed remarkable complexity for just 7 years.  Its flavors were distinct and well rounded, it drank incredibly smoothly without a drop of water— to the point that I almost forget each time I tasted it to add a few drops and see what happened.  It has lovely layers of rotting vegetation, herbs, algae, and maybe a bit of mold.  It is not quite the funk level that Bruichladdich achieves with some Port Charlottes, but it is in the same ballpark and therefore right up my alley.