Monday night a buddy and I attended a "Great Whisk(e)y Debate"; Scotch v. bourbon. Other than the representative from Laphroaig, we were the only kilts in evidence, much to the delight of a Times reporter and photographer, and the Laphroig man. Neither of us had tasted bourbon in at least 25 years or so, and we were determined to enter the tasting with an open mind. They started with welcoming everyone from the Jim Beam Fan Club or whatever it's called, who were clearly in the majority; when they asked if there were anyone here from Friends of Laphroig only the two of us in our kilts stood up (they'd already guessed our affiliation). The bourbon was first; Knob Hill and Basil Hayden, "small batch" boutique bourbons from Jim Beam. No offense to the bourbon aficionados out there, but after careful consideration, we both found them to be bloody awful! Then you pick up a glass of Laphroig Quarter Cask (If only it was the 15, *sigh*), admire the color, give it a swirl, admire the legs, then a good light nose, and...ohhhh yesss...now this is the stuff! The other bottle was a peated Highland malt, Ardmore. Very nice, smooth, could almost pass for an Islay, but milder; I thought it lacked some of the complexity.
Afterwards there were bottles in the bar (a great improvement to their usual very meager stock; only Glenmorangie and Glenlivet), and a couple of glasses of Laphroig, a decent cigar, and convivial company rounded out a very enjoyable and informative evening.