Where could I take a Scotch class?

My self and some buddies are just getting our feet wet in the world of scotch and would like to educate ourselves. Anyone have any ideas on places that might offer tastings/classes?

jpeac2 wrote:My self and some buddies are just getting our feet wet in the world of scotch and would like to educate ourselves. Anyone have any ideas on places that might offer tastings/classes?

It's not really a class, but I'd go buy this http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Single-Malt-Scotch/dp/0762413131/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199909057&sr=8-1. You'll learn just about everything you need to know. Then the key is to just go pick out a few bottles and start drinking

Sam's and Binny's used to have semi-regular tastings, but I haven't see any in a long time. It might be worthwhile to subscribe to their email lists, or keep an eye on their events pages (here and here).

In addition, I was told that the Lincoln Park outpost of Sam's was going to have their tasting area set up again soon. If you can get there when it's not too crowded and find someone in the whisky department, it might be worth it to ask if you could try a couple of whiskies. The hard part is getting there when it's not busy.

Duke of Perth has a decent whisky list, but it's always been a crapshoot (for me) if half of the listed malts are actually in stock. Also, I haven't always had the most informed servers and bartenders, and it might be hard to navigate the list on your own. They do have tasting flights, though, which is nice.

Delilah's has an enormous collection of bourbons and whiskies, too. And Bluebird, in Wicker Park, despite getting mixed reviews for its food, I think has a decent selection of bourbons and whiskies.

Lastly, I would recommend attending this year's WhiskyFest. Odds are you won't find a larger collection of whiskies under one roof.

jpschust wrote:

jpeac2 wrote:My self and some buddies are just getting our feet wet in the world of scotch and would like to educate ourselves. Anyone have any ideas on places that might offer tastings/classes?

It's not really a class, but I'd go buy this http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Single-Malt-Scotch/dp/0762413131/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199909057&sr=8-1. You'll learn just about everything you need to know. Then the key is to just go pick out a few bottles and start drinking

JPSCHUST -

Have you read this? Was easy to follow and draw comparisons when actually drinking? Sometimes I find I do not have the most accute sense of taste which is why i was leaning a little more towards a class.

jpeac2 wrote:

jpschust wrote:

jpeac2 wrote:My self and some buddies are just getting our feet wet in the world of scotch and would like to educate ourselves. Anyone have any ideas on places that might offer tastings/classes?

It's not really a class, but I'd go buy this http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Single-Malt-Scotch/dp/0762413131/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199909057&sr=8-1. You'll learn just about everything you need to know. Then the key is to just go pick out a few bottles and start drinking

JPSCHUST -

Have you read this? Was easy to follow and draw comparisons when actually drinking? Sometimes I find I do not have the most accute sense of taste which is why i was leaning a little more towards a class.

I have and it's on my shelf right now- it's kind of my go to book for scotch, though frankly I don't drink as much scotch as I do bourbon and american blended whiskies. What I'd suggest doing is going and reading this- I'm sure a good library has it too, then get a couple of bottles or go to a place with a decent selection and a good bartender who knows scotch (read: Delilah's) and start tasting and describing back to one another. You'll sound like a Scotch geek in no time.

jpeac2 wrote:Have you read this? Was easy to follow and draw comparisons when actually drinking? Sometimes I find I do not have the most accute sense of taste which is why i was leaning a little more towards a class.

Just out of curiosity, what do you expect to learn in a class that you wouldn't learn from reading a little and drinking?

The social and conversational aspects may be enjoyable, but outside of technical knowledge of specific production, there's nothing that special that I'd think you'd learn in a class.

Scotch profiles can be pretty distinct. That book is probably the best one out there to help you pick a few bottles to start with. The only way to learn is to start tasting. (But frankly, you can learn a heck of a lot from Wikipedia and a few bottles).

I've been learning about scotch for about 8 years now, and all of my education has been through buying bottles and drinking them. It's an expensive hobby, so it does take time, but it's really the only way to learn about them.

Trust me, by the time you get to the bottom of a bottle of Laphroaig, you'll never forget the taste.

Best,
Michael

You could always prevail upon Mike Miller to lead a Scotch tasting for you at Delilah's. I did this with bourbon several years back, and it was quite an enjoyable evening. He expressed interest in the time at following up with Scotch, but we never did.

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=21283#21283

Also, I believe there was a slightly less formal, but no doubt equally enjoyable Scotch tasting engaged in by some LTHers at the Hopleaf. I believe it was right about the time of the birth of our second child, which kept me from attending.

You can surely find ways with others here to pool resources and economically and enjoyably sample a lot of bourbons.

Cheers,

Aaron

A trip to Scotland in the winter will go a long way toward figuring out what it's all about.

Aaron Deacon wrote:Also, I believe there was a slightly less formal, but no doubt equally enjoyable Scotch tasting engaged in by some LTHers at the Hopleaf. I believe it was right about the time of the birth of our second child, which kept me from attending.

Yes, nearly three years ago now.

The Twisted Spoke has a nice selection of whiskeys of all sorts and all whiskeys (bourbon, Irish, Scotch, etc.) are half-priced on Wednesday -- which might give you an opportunity to try some things you wouldn't normally otherwise splurge for.

eatchicago wrote:

Aaron Deacon wrote:Also, I believe there was a slightly less formal, but no doubt equally enjoyable Scotch tasting engaged in by some LTHers at the Hopleaf. I believe it was right about the time of the birth of our second child, which kept me from attending.

Yes, nearly three years ago now.

Time for a do-over?

Although honestly, I'd rather taste other spirits before a night dedicated to scotch. I would probably be most interested in a tequila tasting, although I also think that fine rum is underappreciated, and wouldn't mind being introduced to a few more labels. Or even bourbon, although many BYO LTH events seem to turn into de facto bourbon tastings anyway...

Anyone have a current read on how hard it is to get that room at the Hopleaf? Or a suggestion of an alternate spot?

(oh, and if jpeac2 or anyone else convenes a scotch tasting, I'd almost certainly participate!)

eatchicago wrote:Just out of curiosity, what do you expect to learn in a class that you wouldn't learn from reading a little and drinking?

The social and conversational aspects may be enjoyable, but outside of technical knowledge of specific production, there's nothing that special that I'd think you'd learn in a class.

All respect, Michael, I disagree. Tasting in a group can offer a mulitplicity of reactions to the same glass. People taste differently and learning about new tastes in a group offers the chance to discuss the nuances and different notes that any given scotch (or anything else) might offer.

Drawing on my experience, most recently, from our PX (Pedro Ximenez sherry) tasting, I discovered a lot more about what I was drinking precisely because of the company. The chance to trade ideas, offer suggestions, and especially to learn from someone knowledgeable is invaluable. The give-and-take is precisely what makes it so valuable. Lord knows, I've found it extremely helpful to have someone sitting down with me say to me, "no, what you're tasting is tannin, not x or y." Or to suggest the possibility of identifying other notes that might exist but not be acknowledged even in the best of books. Sure, the cherry, black walnut or coffee tastes may be predominant for many people, but that doesn't mean that someone might not also taste tobacco or vanilla notes. Having that sense confirmed by others is invaluable in educating a new palate.

I don't mean to suggest that a book can't be a wonderful guide. To the contrary. Only that it is no substitute--no matter how good the book--for discussing with a group serious about its efforts.

germuska wrote:Anyone have a current read on how hard it is to get that room at the Hopleaf? Or a suggestion of an alternate spot?

I went to Hopleaf the Thursday after Christmas and we had 30-40 minute wait around 6:30 PM for two people. From our perch upstairs, it seemed there were some empty tables the entire time we were dining, but maybe that was just an illusion.

Gypsy Boy,

I don't think Michael meant that you had to drink alone if you opted for a little reading and cork pulling over going to a "class". Your PX tasting certainly wasn't a "class". jpeac2 and some buddies could certainly organize their own tastings and learn a great deal in a reasonably short period of time (assuming there were enough buddies).

I'd suggest a series of evenings covering the main producing areas:
Highlands, Lowlands, Islay, Campbeltown, Speyside and "the Islands". It's not hard to find scotch around here. And trust me, by the time you get to the bottom of a bottle of Ardbeg Nam Beist or Uigedal, you'll never forget the taste.

I generally find the Signatory Unchilled Filtered bottlings to be particularly good examples. I also think that most scotch benefits from age and that the 10 year bottlings generally show a lot of heat and lack complexity.

You guys should definitely get together and start pulling corks or assemble at one of the aforementioned establishments with a good selection of scotch. It's a lot cheaper to do at home as markups on spirits are probably 4 times cost (or more) at a bar.

The thing about a good tasting is you learn not only the complexity of the flavors you should be searching for but you also learn about the history as well. For example, Laphroigh is a very peaty scotch made near the North Sea. After my tasting you could actually taste a faint hint of the salt water and ocean.
I can check with my reps and find out tastings int the area and will post a link

deesher wrote:I don't think Michael meant that you had to drink alone if you opted for a little reading and cork pulling over going to a "class". Your PX tasting certainly wasn't a "class".

Correct. I'm not suggesting that you drink alone exclusively. My point is that there's no need to pay someone to teach a class.

Buy a bottle or two, read up a little on how they're made. If you like, ask a few like-minded people to do the same and have a get-together to talk and taste. Do this every once in a while and you'll learn a ton.

Trust me, by the time you get to the bottom of a bottle of Laphroaig, you'll never forget the taste.

It only took me an ounce and I'm fairly certain my nose and my tastebuds are forever etched with the memory.

I would probably be most interested in a tequila tasting,

Who's organizing? I'm so there.

it's not scotch, but if people are interested in doing an informal bourbon/american whisky tasting (though I do have some scotch and some irish whisky) shoot me a pm and we can see if we can arrange something.

I ran across a great training class while in Scotland last November. Unfortunately it was put on by Diageo for its salespeople who seemed to be having a great time. The whisky and the materials were first rate, not to mention the fact that they were being ferried from the Highlands to the Islands via helicopter to experience different distilleries along with the different whiskies.

There also is a fair amount of useful information on the forum at http://www.whisky.com/. And this site, http://www.whiskycast.com/ lists tastings worldwide at the bottom of the page, but I could not find anything in Illinois in the near future. Might be a tasting podcast there, too.

But I agree with the above comments that tasting with real people is an even better plan. Glom on to a mentor and let them teach you.

Everyone keeps telling me I should love Laphroaig and I do like it, but somehow I prefer Caol Ila. But I also prefer to sip a bourbon when I am in a mood for whisky.

jpschust wrote:it's not scotch, but if people are interested in doing an informal bourbon/american whisky tasting (though I do have some scotch and some irish whisky) shoot me a pm and we can see if we can arrange something.

Good idea. A few years ago, psychchef organized a private room at Hopleaf for a whiskey tasting. If I recall correctly, everyone committed to bringing a different whiskey. The report is posted here.

Regards,

A couple of ideas. Fly to Denver and stay downtown. Then, plan on long stints at Pint's Pub where there are 260 different whisk(e)ys available. Most are Scotch but there's also a selection of Irish, Indian (yes), Colorado, Oregon, etc. No bourbons or other corn whiskeys. There are bottles from distilleries long gone and new distilleries. This is definitely the place for problem drinking.

Second choice would be the Chinnery Bar in the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong. Not as extensive selection as Pint's but the Chinese food is better. Airfare is also more expensive.

Andy's Better Brother wrote:A couple of ideas. Fly to Denver and stay downtown. Then, plan on long stints at Pint's Pub where there are 260 different whisk(e)ys available.

Delilah's has more than that, although they are probably counting bourbons, etc. as well. Blurbs on their press page say "over 300", "over 350" and "400" although I don't see any specific claim of their own.

Cheaper than a flight to Denver.

Delilah's
2771 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 472-2771

Saw this in today's email from Sam's. It's at their Highland Park location.

Scotch Seminar
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
What makes Scotch different from Whiskey? How do Scotches differ in taste? If you're a Scotch drinker looking to learn more about this fascinating spirit, then this seminar is definitely for you. Taught by Master of Scotch Martin Duffy, you'll experience all the nuances of flavors in the Johnny Walker Collection including the new Johnny Walker Swing. Sam's Price: $15.00

Taste Food and Wine in Rogers Park is having a scotch tasting coming up.

Robbie Burns Tasting

Celebrate the life and works of legendary Scots poet Robbie Burns.

Saturday, January 26th 6-7:30PM

-Single Malt Scotch Tasting
-Samples of tradtional scottish Haggis, and shortbread
-Salute with preformance by Dan the Bagpiper!

http://www.tastefoodandwine.com/
1506 W. Jarvis
773.761.3663

I could see if I could arrange for another scotch tasting at Hopleaf. Last time had it in the upstairs party room, so no wait.

psychchef