Pure Decadence

Sherried whiskies and chocolate. Personally, I don't think that life gets much better than when you get to spend an evening drinking whiskies paired with chocolates.This is always our most popular tasting of the year, and with good reason. It is pure and complete decadence.

500 chocolates perfectly crafted by Megan

Dalmore 15 yo
Nose: orange peel, spices
Taste: cinnamon, ginger, cloves, a bit later you came across chocolate oranges with a vanilla coffee finish
Chocolate: orange blossom and vanilla bean center in white chocolate
Post-chocolate: initially very bitter and full of oak notes. The dominant sweeter side of Dalmore was lost in the smooth silk of the white chocolate. But it evolved into marzipan, nutmeg, kona coffee with cream and brown sugar.
Overall: A great introduction into heavily sherried whiskies. Very easy to drink and a great dram. Perfectly matched with the white chocolate.

Glengoyne 17 yo
Nose: herbs, grassy, rosemary, thyme, pear, light and fresh, melon rind
Taste: bouncy green apples, "grass--green, green grass"
Chocolate: a truffle with a white chocolate chai center wrapped in milk chocolate
Post-chocolate: brings out the sweeter notes: Christmas cake, cinnamon, oranges, and nutmeg.
Overall: the least sherry infused whisky of the night. This served as a great example of how a spirit can be subtly influenced by a small amount of time within a cask.

Olivier and his baby, Dalmore.

Glendronach 15 yo "The Revival"
Nose: red fruits, nutty, chocolate covered pretzels
Taste: "maple syrup",  "chocolat", plums, dates, honey, milk chocolate
Chocolate: salted caramel
Post-chocolate: the whisky "gets bigger" but the sweet notes are rapidly subdued and the wood and oak notes become more and more noticeable.
Overall: Another great pairing of the night. This was my favorite dram a great whisky that became more and more complex.

Glenfarclas 105
Nose: green apples, icing sugar, pear, sweetie shop
Taste: "Christmas cake on steroids or soaked in alcohol", hazelnuts, chocolate covered bananas
Chocolate: bitter orange creme wrapped in dark chocolate
Post-Chocolate: oranges, coffee, extremely sweet
Overall: A big crowd pleaser. The pairing of this chocolate and dram was truly fantastic and many loved it.

100 people enjoyed the tasting

Ardbeg Uigeadail
Nose: earthy, peat, sherry "grinds out the harsher edges" that Ardbeg usually has.
Taste: root vegetables, earth, peat, plums, pinot noir, over-ripe grapes, citrus (oranges and lemon)
Chocolate: extra dark chocolate truffle.
Post-chocolate: sweeter notes come through stronger. The heavy peat comes a bit later and not as strong.
Overall: This dram won the hearts of the peat lovers that night. A wonderful expression of Ardbeg's unusual nature. Eimear's absolute favorite dram of the night.

This semester has been packed with great whiskies that have created awesome tastings. However, I think that this one tops them all (so far). The pure ecstasy of indulging luscious home and hand made chocolates that complimented all the whiskies perfectly... it is an experience that lingers long after the night is over.