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PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTY IMAGES BAR EXAM scotch showdown CAN THE SYMPHONY OF A BLENDED SCOTCH OUTSHINE A SINGLE-MALT SOLOIST AT BOSTON'S MOST EXCLUSIVE SCOTCH EVENT? BY BRANDY RAND W hen John F. Kennedy's father, Joseph, secured the US distribu- tion rights for Dewar's and other whisky brands as Prohibition ended, he knew what he was doing—Scotch is now almost a billion-dollar business in the US. But somewhere along the storied path of the whisky, blends got a bad reputation. Blame it on their more popular single-malt cousins, prized for age and prestige, and often found lingering on the palates of discerning connoisseurs. But a newfound appreciation for the craft of blending, especially at the premium level, is opening the minds of Scotch enthusiasts as well as new whisky drinkers. It may surprise some single-malt Scotch lovers to learn that blends already make up the bulk of overall Scotch sales in the US, but that is partially because blends are often less expensive. However, when it comes to Scotch whisky, it's all about age, whether it's a blend or a single malt, and blends like Dewar's 12, Chivas Regal 18, and Johnnie Walker Blue Label continue to grow. Scotch enthusiasts will have a chance to sip from some of the most prized casks at this month's Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza at the Taj hotel and determine for themselves which they prefer. This year Boston will be privy to one of only 26 remaining bottles of The Classic Cask 35-year- old, a rare blend. On the single-malt side, aficionados can sample an array of other bottles from the Classic Cask line, including Highland Park 14-year-old, Glen Ord 14-year-old, and Aberlour 12-year-old. Mick Ley, veteran bartender at Davio's, loves both styles of Scotch and chal- lenges the perception of blends as being inferior. "In Scotland, the art of blending single malts is considered just as important as the malts themselves. I believe combining Highland, Lowland Islay, and Speyside malts is a very pre- cise art of balance." And Americans are beginning to appreciate this art, just as we've begun to move away from single-varietal wines and indulge in more Old World–style blends. Single malts are the varietals of the Scotch world. continued on page 74 72 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM