In tasting single malts the purist will at first pour a “dram” – small 1/2 to 2 ounce pour – without water or ice into the very-accepting vessel. (Preferably a glass and not the gaping mouth of the over-zealous taster.) So that is why any glassware, glass being important for tasting any liquor, is appropriate. Riedel makes a reasonably priced connoisseur scotch tasting glass that looks like a tulip shaped wine glass. They would be nice for the tasting but for drinking we like the look and feel of the double old fashioned glasses.

Then, as in a wine tasting, the guests are encouraged to smell, swirl and taste. But, not like a wine tasting, we will then prompt our guests to do it all again…this time with a little water added. And, like aerating a wine, adding water to scotch will change it’s taste. (Update: the new photo on your right features a Scotch “On the Rock” gizmo that allows one large ice cube – or round as this one is from the MoMAstore.org – that will melt slower than the beforehand method of serving on the rocks. Oh…and the two hot broads? I’m the blond and my sister is the brunette.)

Then, we travel from the lowlands to the highlands. Eddie pulls out his map…and we both try and recall what our teachers said about when the scotch will loose it’s easy smoothness and dip into Peat territory. Or like I like to say: “This smells like a wet band aid.” Or Eddie, “Bad day at work, pour me some angry scotch please.”

We will pair some light appetizers along with the different selections, and, most likely, take breaks so our guests can take their time, make some notes and not become intoxicated.

But, as most drink parties go at our humble abode…eventually it becomes a memorable evening that was centered on liquor. We have fun. We laugh. We make fun of our friends.

So…we expect that our guests will leave with a little education and a long shopping list. In the meantime, feel free to suggest any scotch, pairings…or a rich distributor that wants press.