To "e" or not to "e"

Back in 2008, Eric Asimov of the New York Times wrote an article about Scotch. Now, the NY Times being what it is has a policy about the spelling of certain words. For the purposes of said article, if there is a discrepancy on how a word is spelled based on region, the accepted American spelling is what they will always use. Now, Scotch is always spelled without an “e”, so it would be “Scotch whisky”. American whiskeys are almost universally spelled “whiskey”. The article was about Scotch whisky, but Mr. Asimov, writing for the NY Times and obeying his editor’s mandate, used the American spelling.
Mr. Asimov was, naturally, ripped to shreds.
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about; he can’t even spell!”
“No credibility if he doesn’t know Scotch isn’t spelled with an ‘e’.”
“This guy sucks. Hang ‘em.”
The Scotch Whisky Association went so far as to threaten litigation. In the end, the NY Times eventually changed their policy on universally using "whiskey" regardless of the spirit's regional origin.
Honestly, is something as innocuous as an “e” really worth getting worked up over?
Apparently, yes.
You would think that this debate would be better left to the linguists. But no, it seems like a whole lot of bloggers and commenters just can’t get enough of calling those of opposite mind “idiots” and such for having the audacity to use their own regional spelling. Why not concentrate instead on the whiskey itself? And if spelling really is an issue, where’s the debate over flavor vs flavour, color vs colour, or aging vs ageing?
So here’s the skinny: American and Irish whiskeys generally include the “e” in the spelling, while Canadians, Scotches, Japanese, Indian, and most of the rest of the world are spelled “whisky”.
For the record, no one resource can say with absolute certainty how the Scots came to generally start spelling their product “whisky” whilst the Irish chose “whiskey”. More than a number of sources seem to think that the Canadians used the Scottish spelling due to the number of Scottish immigrants in Canada, while the Americans had a large number Irish migrating through their borders. This was, naturally, scientifically trounced by Canadian writer Davin de Kergommeaux of Malt Maniacs. He also points out that it was relatively recently that the Scotch Whisky Order of 1990 legalized that region’s use of the word “whisky”, and that according to the US Standards of Identity, the legal spelling in the United States is…..”whisky”.
I don’t feel the need to delve too deeply into the linguistic history of the word because I would personally rather concentrate on the drink itself. At one point in my development I tried to hedge my bets by writing “whisk(e)y”, but have since abandoned that practice, finding it a bit cumbersome and bourgeois. Personally, I don’t take offence either way. And it seems that a number of whiskey-makers don’t, either. Need examples? Well, there’s the now-defunct Glasgow Scotch Whiskey Distillery, George Dickel’s Tennessee Whisky, Maker’s Mark Bourbon whisky, and the pre-1970's Paddy's Old Irish Whisky.
But here’s how I choose to do it: when talking about whiskey in general, I will use the accepted American spelling with the “e”. When discussing whiskeys from specific regions, I will use that particular region’s accepted spelling. For exceptions, I will defer to their preference. Occasionally I will make mistakes; call me out on it if you must, and I will not take offense. For the record, nations like India and Japan have adopted the Scottish spelling principally because their mashbills and distilling techniques are heavily influenced by Scotch. Personally, I just think they'd rather be associated with the austerity of Scotch rather than the rebelliousness of Bourbon and the Irish.
Having said that, I will occasionally take time to correct you should you make that mistake when I’m feeling particularly snarky. Don’t be too insulted, I probably just had a long day.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve a dram of High West Bourye that needs to be evaluated.
Salud.

High-Falutin' with Scotch

In the early 19th century, enterprising European wine growers attempted to grow European grape vines on the East coast of North America. They failed. The vines would grow for 1-2 years and then sicken, their leaves turning yellow, then red, then drying out completely before falling. Perplexed, these Europeans decided to send North American grape vines back to France to test differences in the plant stock as well as the soil. In 1863, small tracts of vines in Languedoc began falling under the same affliction. By 1867, it had spread to Bordeaux and Cognac. Within the next 15 years, 40% of all French vineyards had perished, and soon parts of Spain and Italy would be affected. What happened was, when the North American grape vines got sent to France, a tiny, root-eating aphid named Phylloxera vastatrix came with them. North American grape vines have naturally adapted thick, tough roots to survive against phylloxera's voracious appetite, but European vines were mowed down like Denny's Slams the Tuesday after the Super Bowl. The death of so many vines not only affected the production and availability of wine, but of brandy as well.

The upper classes of England, unable to indulge in French cognac and in dire need of a drink that would separate them from the commoners, turned to whiskey. Although global sales of Irish whiskey dwarfed those of Scotch at the time, the English gentry preferred their neighbors to the North, Scotland having won seals of approval from King George in 1822 and Queen Victoria in 1852, while Ireland was seen as a lawless place populated by uncouth rebels. By the time the British stopped shipping Irish whiskey throughout their empire following Irish independence, Scotch whisky's love affair with the top-hat & monocle set was firmly ensconced.

In modern times, Scotch whisky is still seen as a bit elitist, although the Scotch bar itself has for the most part followed the recent trends toward casualness and informality. The problem with that is that if an imbiber wishes to evaluate a whiskey, it's best to do so with few distractions, such as crowds, loud music, food odors, etc. You know, the things associated with informal and casual bars and restaurants. Ideally, one's home would be the best location, but for those of more modest means (like myself), regularly buying single-malt Scotches to evaluate at home isn't an option. So for those of you, I present the Gallery Restaurant at the Ballantyne Resort.

The Gallery Restaurant (10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway, Charlotte; 704-248-4100) may not have the largest Scotch selection in the area, but their options are still extensive. Like all Scotch bars, their emphasis is on single-malt whiskies, of which they have more than 40 in addition to their dozen or so blends. Pricing for a dram is what you would expect for Scotch whisky, ranging from $7 for Johnnie Walker Red to $400 for Johnnie Walker Blue Anniversary, with most notable single-malts falling in the $9-30 range. Of the single-malts, all regions of Scotland are represented by multiple distilleries, from the Western isles and Islay, to the under-appreciated Lowlands near Edinburgh.

The bar area at the Gallery Restaurant is located at the opposite side of the dining room from the kitchen, so I always sit in this area in order to avoid kitchen odors influencing my nosing of the whiskies. Because they are located in a resort hotel, I have never experienced notable crowds during any of my visits. They occasionally host whisky dinners, bringing in distillery/distributor reps and notable chefs to pair Scotches with food courses. And starting at 5pm every evening, they have "Flight School."

In my humble opinion, Flight School is what separates the Gallery Restaurant from other regional Scotch bars. They have 10 different Scotch flights to choose from, each consisting of 3 or 4 half-ounce pours for $10-25. Wanting to discover the differences between the Scotch producing regions? Choose the 2nd Flight, which pits a West Coast against a Lowland and a Speyside. Curious about wood finishes like sherry, port, and burgundy barrels? Take a tour of the Glenmorangie house by ordering the 10th Flight (my personal fave). Are blends more your fancy? Say hello to the 6th Flight. Ever wonder how additional aging can affect taste? You're in luck, because the Gallery Restaurant offers not one, not two, but four linear house studies, two for the Macallan and one each for Glenfiddich and the Glenlivet. Not sure about anything? Allow their incredibly knowledgeable staff to make recommendations.

Not that the Gallery Restaurant isn't without faults. Their single-malt menu isn't as extensive as another area Scotch bar. Some single-malts are regionally mislabeled. Non-Scotch whiskey inventory is incredibly limited. With their lack of crowds, people-watching is close to impossible, which might be an issue as the night winds down or for non-Scotch-enthusiasts that are accompanying you. And of course, with their location in the Ballantyne area, they are about a 20-minute drive from downtown Charlotte in the best of traffic conditions. Minor infractions, sure, but infractions nonetheless.

If you're wanting to enjoy a nice quiet evening discovering the jewels of Scotland, make the trip. But before you go, let me know if you need company, as I'm ever willing when able.

Salud.

The Well-Rounded Whiskey Bar

Before becoming a whiskey enthusiast, I always thought that whiskey bars were divided into two distinct categories: the austere Scotch whisky bar, furnished in rich wood and dark leather, populated by bankers and politicians smoking fat cigars with their tumbler glasses, versus the dive American whiskey bar, sticky floors littered with cigarette butts, cowboys and rockers downing shots of Wild Turkey and Jack Daniels. And while places like the Brandy Library in NYC and the Whiskey-A-Go-Go in LA certainly still exist, most establishments that pride themselves in their whiskey selections fall somewhere in between. There are many bars with incredible Scotch selections whose decor is held together by duct tape (Delilah's in Chicago is a good example), and bourbon bars known for their jazz music such as this one in Seattle. So it should not be surprising that in my humble opinion the best overall whiskey selection in Charlotte prides itself on the number of plasma TV's on display as well as a drink mixer that specializes in Jack & Cokes.

Despite its name, Whiskey Warehouse (1221 The Plaza, 704-334-7005) is, in fact, a sports bar. Area hipsters may know it as the place where Creation once resided. Most of the staff are young women prone to wearing their shirts several sizes too small and they have a top-40 DJ who comes in on weekend evenings. They also have a well-rounded selection of Scotches, Americans, Irish, and Canadians that separates them from other bars. Let me explain.

It's been my experience that most bars, from upscale/bourgeois to urine-soaked hell-hole, tend to stock the same whiskeys. For bourbons, it seems to be enough to stock Jim Beam's Small Batch Bourbon Collection and Woodford Reserve in addition to mixers like Wild Turkey and Jim Beam's white label. For Scotch whiskies, you'll find a number of popular blends (such as a couple of the Johnnie Walker colors), big-budget Speyside single malts like the Macallan, Glenfiddich, and the Glenlivet, a Highland like Glenmorangie, and, if you're incredibly lucky, an Islay such as Ardbeg. Jack Daniels seems ubiquitous, as does Crown Royal to represent Canada. Ireland seems to be represented by Bushmills (usually white label, but sometimes Black Bush as well) and a number of the Jamesons range. For people who have already worked their way through those whiskeys seeking to expand their tasting experience, a bar that goes beyond this standard stocking practice is an establishment that can revisited several times without having to resort to imbibing potables previously tried. Whiskey Warehouse is such an establishment. Allow me to break down each category individually, starting with the areas in which they are merely a hair above average.

For me, a well rounded Irish whiskey selection should include selections from the Cooley Distillery, and I'm not just saying that because I visited one of their facilities recently. While Whiskey Warehouse doesn't stock anything not produced by the Irish Distillers Group or Bushmills in the North, they do stock three Irish whiskeys that don't include the words "Jameson" or "Bush". They are Tullamore Dew, Powers Gold Label, and (my fave Irish) Midleton Very Rare.

Most Canadian whiskies tend to be looked at as nothing more than mixers. Very few bars stock any of the premium Canadian sippers, but Whiskey Warehouse fortunately has one among its selections, specifically Crown Royal Reserve. And in addition to the ever­present Crown Royal, they also have supplies of others such as Canadian Club and Canadian Mist on hand.

Scotch whiskies. Yes, there are numerous expressions of the Macallan, The Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, and Glenmorangie available, as well as a handful of other Highland and Speyside single malts. But they also have numerous representations from the Western islands (not just Islay), including Isle of Jura and Lagavulin. And unlike most other whiskey bars, Whiskey Warehouse stands out by stocking Glenkinchie, one of three remaining Lowland Scotch distilleries (more on Lowland distilleries in a future "Scotch 101" post).

And finally, American whiskeys. I am very pleased that Whiskey Warehouse has separated the bourbons from the rest of the Americans appropriately, because all too often I see a "Bourbons" heading on a menu with Jack Daniels featured prominently at the top. Here, their three Jack Daniels selections (Old No. 7, Gentleman Jack, and Jack Daniel's Single Barrel) are grouped with their other Tennessee whiskey selections (both of George Dickel's offerings are available) as well as a blend, a whiskey-based liquor, and (joy!) two rye whiskeys (Ri-1 being the notable option), which most places don't find the need to have as an option.

Bourbons are (of course) stocked with the popular small-batch labels as well as the entry­-level mixers, but they also have a number of other "bargain" brands available (such as Fighting Cock and Rebel Yell), two premium Wild Turkey options (Rare Breed and Russell's Reserve), and, to my extreme pleasure, great single barrel bourbons Elmer T. Lee and Blanton's from Buffalo Trace, and Elijah Craig 18-yr from Heaven Hill. In a baffling move, Beam's cherry-infused Red Stag is grouped with the bourbons even though it's technically a liquor.

Here's the downside to Whiskey Warehouse: it's a sports bar. I have yet to meet a member of the staff that can wax poetic about their whiskey stocks, much less make recommendations, and that includes the owner. Having a proper tasting is incredibly difficult due to the smells coming from the kitchen and the noise originating from either the televised sporting events or the top-40 DJ playing hits from the 80's, 90's and today. Pricing for a 1.5-ounce pour is perplexing at best: mid-level Scotch whiskies seem to have the highest priority, with anything labeled "single barrel" trailing right behind, while others that are more highly rated/regarded are wonderfully under-priced. Comparing their pricing schedule to the retail pricing guide at NC's ABC website is fairly amusing. There are numerous mis-spelled whiskeys on their menu; I'll usually let that slide if there were only one or two, but six mis-spellings (plus their pricing system) makes me think that maybe they don't really know what all they have in stock.

Overall, Whiskey Warehouse doesn't have the greatest selection of any one category. There are other local establishments with better stores of Scotches, some have more Irish whiskeys, and others pride themselves on their bourbon choices, but none of them have a better collective list of all the categories.

Next time, I'll discuss one such bar. Specifically, I'll sing the praises of the Charlotte bar that I feel is the best place for the serious Scotch drinker.

'Til then,

Salud.