Scottish Festival
-----------------

Mike Hall

Sometime in mid-summer I happened to be at a Scottish Festival in Arlington,
Texas, where I ran into our old Los Alamos friend John Wolff. We met with
our wives later in the week at Humperdink's, a huge brewpub in Arlington. I
don't remember the beers in particular but the company was good. John had
just finished reviewing a new book by George Fix due out this fall, and was
preparing for a move to the Northwest (Seattle, if I remember correctly).

Getting back to the Scottish festival, I certainly recommend attending
one if you get a chance. There were Highland Games, Clan Tents for the
genealogically inclined, SCA staged events, Scottish food (give that boy some
haggis), Celtic crafts, Scottish bands (noteworthy was Seven Nations), and
a ceilidh (celebration). The selection of Scottish beer wasn't outstanding,
but I did drink my share of draft Guinness, which is only an island away. An
enterprising young chap selling cigars tied in with the Scottish theme by
humidifying (not soaking) some cigars with single malt scotch and selling
them. I had a 50-ring maduro-wrapper stogie humidified with Laphroaig --
wonderful match for a Guinness.

One of my favorite parts of the festival was a scotch tasting, sponsored
by the Defenders of the Malt. For a $5 donation to support bagpiping and
drumming, we were treated to samples of eight different scotches. Here  are
my tasting notes:

   * - Pure Grain Whiskey - smells like ethanol, almost like
       isopropyl alcohol, slightly sweet, tastes thin, warming.

   * - 3-Day-Old Miltonduff Glenlivet - sweetish, slightly funky,
       smells like sake, tastes strong, lots of harsh edges.

   * - Miltonduff Glenlivet 12-year-old Single Malt - acetone,
       aldehyde, sweet green apples.

   * - The Glendronach 15-year-old Single Malt - golden color,
       woody, smooth taste, some sherry sweetness (matured in
       sherry casks).

   * - Teacher's Highland Cream (Blended Scotch) - smokey, creamy,
       diacetyl-buttery, smooth tasting.

   * - Scapa 12-year-old Single Malt - smells and tastes appley.

   * - Laphroaig 10-year-old Single Malt - medicinal, salty, very
       peaty taste (my favorite).

   * - Laphroaig 15-year-old Single Malt - subdued medicinal
       compared to the 10-year-old.

Sorry my notes weren't more elaborate -- I was enjoying myself! The
presentation which accompanied the tasting was excellent, and it included
a slideshow that described the whisky-making process.