- Santina Croniser
- Just look at those chandeliers.
After depositing my coat at the (apparently mandatory) coat check at the Union League Club on Thursday night, I walked toward the elevators, looking for signs pointing to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s 21st annual Whisky Extravaganza. There were none, but I did see a white-haired gentleman wearing a kilt and asked him for directions, assuming he was an official part of the tasting. He wasn’t—but he was attending it, and we rode the elevator together to the sixth floor, where we exited into a sea of suit jackets.
Another of my favorites of the evening was much more available and affordable (at $80 a bottle it’s not cheap, either, but single malts do tend to be pricey). Talisker Storm was developed, Diageo Master of Whisky Kyle McHugh told me, to be something you’d reach for on a chilly, stormy night. Released without an age statement, it’s comprised of Talisker single malts ranging in age from three to 25 years, landing at a price point just above the Talisker ten-year. I think just about any whiskey would be appropriate for drinking during stormy weather, but this one certainly fits the bill: slightly smoky, but beautifully balanced, it’s spicy, sweet, and smooth in equal proportions.
Julia Thiel writes about booze on Thursdays—and occasionally, on other days too.
