# Tasting Notes... Pecan Pie in my Scotch?



## dks202 (Jun 20, 2008)

Come on, I read up on tasting notes for various brands of single malts and I call BS on stuff like this. Boots and chocolate in my scotch? Pecan pie? These are from actual scotch tasting web sites.

_"__Caramelised orange and peaches soaked in liqueur are instantly revealed before giving way to sugared almonds, raisins,"

__"New leather boots; sweet Oloroso sherry nose, with pecan pie, marzipan and poached pears&#8230;"_

_"First impression: dark cooking chocolate and cocoa. Sherry trifle emerges after a while&#8230;. "_

_"esters predominate (pear drops, acetone), with some citric notes (mandarin oranges, plums)&#8230;"_


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## Hitch (Apr 25, 2012)

Some Scotches are amazingly complex and leather, fruit and smoke are common elements.


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## dks202 (Jun 20, 2008)

Elements? How do those aromas and flavors get into it?


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## Hitch (Apr 25, 2012)

Very much the same way a fine wine reflects the local climate and soils. Malts are finished in wooden barrels and some makers use barrels that were previously used for another product, like wine or sherry. Some dry the malted barley with old fashioned peat fires. So some flavors and aromas are put in and some are let out, so to speak, by the distilling process. But im with you,sometimes there seems to be a competition for coming up with the loftiest sounding descriptions. I had the good fortune of being offered a cask tasting ,at a local winery, by the wine maker. He asked point blank what I thought. I was afraid he'd be offended, he,persisted. I told him it reminded me of our chicken coop, in an earthy satisfying sort of way. He beamed, and went on to explain a French term that translates to 'barnyard' . Back to Scotland. Whiskys ,once bottled are the end product of years of care , hence the expense, as they do not mature in the bottle .


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## TheGreatTwizz (Oct 27, 2010)

dks202 said:


> Elements? How do those aromas and flavors get into it?


Whiskey (Scotch, bourbon, etc.) matures in barrels. In the US, the barrels are only used once; many of them are sent to Scotland, where those whiskey makers use our old US barrels. When the barrels are charred, that, for lack of a better way to explain it, caramelizes the sugars in the wood, and that finds its way to the liquor.

I had the pleasure of having a Jefferson Presidential Select 18 year the other night, neat of course. I found this to be not only the smoothest bourbon I've ever had, but it was very sweet, and pecan pie/caramel is what immediately came to mind. An absolutely joy to drink.


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## dks202 (Jun 20, 2008)

Guess I'm not that lofty. I like Macallan 12 sherry oak the best for "everyday" drink. For serious scotch with a cigar --- Balvenie 15 single barrel or Macallan 18 fine oak. I have tried real hard to taste oranges, raisins, and leather but I just can't manage. I just like what I like.


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## Acme (Oct 5, 2011)

Macallan is wonderful... Have you tried Glenlivet's 15 year old French Oak Reserve?

I always found tasting notes a bit pretentious. I get the idea behind identifying the taste components of the whiskey, and thats fine for people who are discussing the whiskey as they are drinking it together, but when I read it in a guide or on a website none of it helps me to effectively imagine what I'd be tasting once I tried the drink.


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Try Aberlour. Plenty of toffee and pecan pie favours.


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Oh, and if you drink it neat, and don't add water incrementally, you'll never know what it tastes or smells like. Whiskey has a dilution spot where the flavours come out, one where the aftertaste is best, and one where it has the most "nose" but it is not the same spot. Water it by drops and smell, sip, taste and wait. Then you will find the pecan pie. 

Mostly, I just pour some, put in a smidgen of water and enjoy. But it's good to do it the other way sometimes as well. 

This is particularly helpful when tasting islay with a lot of smoke. 

But your way works fine too


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