Jack Rose Saloon: Women Who Whiskey in Washington!

Women Who Whiskey has finally arrived in Washington, DC!

The Jack Rose Saloon
{via Yelp}

wWw had its inaugural event at The Jack Rose Saloon, a raucous reference library of whiskies from around the world, featuring some choice local selections as well.  

          

We tested out Jack Rose’s Whiskey Cellar, a more intimate space that’s out the back, down the emergency exit stairwell, past a nice fellow with a clipboard named Yvan, and through a Japanese-style sliding door into an Adirondack style drawing room.

True to wWw form, we got into a bit of trouble, and, in typical wWw fashion, we managed to charm our way out of trouble.

The event was a bigger hit than even I had expected, and we managed to test Jack Rose’s policy on limiting the number of people allowed in the special Whiskey Cellar.  That venue is only open on Friday and Saturday nights, and on Saturday nights a reservation is mandatory.  (The Cellar normally doesn't take large groups, but made an exception for this smooth talker.)  Still, it's an atmospheric, intimate spot with a speakeasy vibe and a warm glow that goes perfectly with a whiskey neat. 

Drinks were much appreciated by these friends/coworkers,
who toasted to Friday nights and probably tried to bill
the whiskey as an "expense".

As opposed to the upstairs main room, where large crowds have bartenders zipping around the whisky shelves like an Oxford librarian and flipping cocktails with athletic speed and precision, the Cellar has one bartender who carefully crafts each cocktail, and he’s in no rush.  

Our Manhattans and Old Fashions took some time, but when they came we were very happy with the results.

Celebrating birthdays, engagements, weddings, and life!

Jack Rose’s selection is extensive and changes frequently, so it’s best to discuss your order with the bartenders and have them point you in the right direction.

I have to find more of
this nectar of the God-like

I ended up drinking a Barterhouse 20-Year Old Bourbon (Orphan Barrel), a lovely, sweet, spicy, charred-oak whiskey, NEAT (a friend ordered it up and that turned the whiskey from “somewhat delicate and complex” to “meh” right quick.

wWw is now in the District! Washingtoniennes/Distrixes, keep an eye out for future events.

Women of DC who like whiskey (and friends of!), here is my card

Women who like whiskey, and people who like those women who whiskey (teetotalers, gentleman, etc.), you've got a new community right here.

It's was a pleasure hosting the inaugural Women Who Whiskey (Washington, DC Chapter) event. Here's looking to a many more!

Cheers!

Emma

Scotland's Whiskey Regions

We’ve all heard of Scotch whisky, most often referred to simply as “Scotch,” which consists of malt or grain whisky made in Scotland. And most of us know that the country is divided into a number of geographic areas that produce the beloved liquor. But what exactly are these various districts and how do the flavors vary? Let’s take a look.

Islay: The tiny island of Islay is nicknamed “Whisky Island,” due to its concentration of eight producing distilleries. Its whiskies are the strongest flavored of the four regions and renowned for their dryness and strong peaty smokiness. Examples of distilleries include Bowmore, Lagavulin and Laphroaig.

To read more about the different regions of Scotland on Food Republic, click here.

Women Who Whiskey: Ward III Monday Night Whiskey Tasting

At the beginning of October my friend Samantha and I took a little trip to Ward III to check out their Monday Night Whiskey Tasting, which was a splendid evening.

So last week I planned an official wWw Monday Night Whiskey Tasting at Ward III for the rest of the ladies to come check out the event. 

We got there around 7pm to enjoy the requisite cocktail at the bar before the tasting started at 8pm. 

I had my signature spicy ginger bourbon bespoke cocktail, which is always a delight.  

Amanda had them whip up a bourbon apple cinnamon version, with a twist of orange. 

And Mary wanted something similar to Amanda's, but with a bit more citrus and fruit.

All our bespoke cocktails were quite delicious, and I even indulged in a Maker's Mark Manhattan before we moved on to the tasting.

This time there were two tastings set up--both whisky--each sampling four different kinds, so we were quite spoiled! 

Compass Box Whiskey Co. 

The first was Compass Box Whiskey & Co, a boutique Scotch Whiskeymaker & Craft Blender. 

Compass Box isn't a distiller, so they don't make their own whiskey, but they produce a variety of whisky blends. 

Great King Street Blends: Artists Blend and New York Blend

The first two were the Great King Street Blends: the Artist's Blend and the New York Blend.  Normal blends are about 70/30 grain/malt, but Compass Box uses a 55/45 ratio, which gives the whisky a much smoother more palatable taste. 

Both were extremely drinkable and almost a bit fruity. 

Flaming Heart, Peat Monster, Flaming Heart

Next up were two single malt blends: Peat Monster and Flaming Heart, which won the blend of the year award with a score of 95.5/100.

Neither of these uses caramel coloring or chill filters--steps taken to improve the aesthetic of whisky, often at the cost of taste. 

The result is a clean, smooth, rich taste, both neat and with a bit of water, which is how it's meant to be had. 

Myself and Robin, posing with giant bottles of whisky

Robin Robinson, the Compass Box brand ambassador who curated the tasting, gave us some excellent advice about how to properly savor a good whisky.

You pour it onto the "dead spot" of the tongue, letting it slowly spread over the rest of the tongue, "chewing it," as the Scottish say.

He also explained that to really taste the different layers of flavor, diluting it with a little water is ideal, as the higher the alcohol content, the more the alcohol numbs the tongue to the flavor nuances. 

Bringing it down to 25% alcohol--about half water, half whisky--allows you to perceive the balance and flavor of the malt. 

Lark Tasmanian Whiskey

Lark Tasmanian Whisky--which not being produced in Scotland, can't be called Scotch--is a single malt from Tasmania. 

Though regulations now prohibit many new foreign whiskys from calling themselves Single Malt, Lark, being over 20 years old, was grandfathered in.

Lark is produced in three strengths: 86 proof, 92 proof, and 116 proof. It's aged in Port barrels sourced from the producer of Grange wine.

Scott's Selection

We also tasted three rare single malts from Scott's selection. 

We started with the 1977 Bunnahabhain (right), a 92 proof Single Islay Malt with more of a briny than peaty taste. There are only ten cases of this whiskey left in the world.

Second we had the 1989 Macallan (center), an 104 proof Single Highland Malt, aged in bourbon barrels, of which there are only 3 cases left in the world.

Finally we tried the 1978 Glen Mhor (left), a Single Highland Malt from a "silent distillery," no longer producing Scotch. There are only two cases of this left in the world.

All three has distinct textures and flavors, and among the group we all had different favorites. But as Richard, the brand ambassador, put it, "Whisky is all a matter of taste. Like the company you keep, the music you listen to, even the people you marry."

Well said, Richard. 

***

Ward III

11 Reade St.

(corner West Broadway)

212.240.9194

Monday Night Whiskey Tastings

Mondays 8-10pm

Free with the purchase of a cocktail at the bar

***

Whiskey & Chocolate Pairing

It's starting to get chilly out--perfect for Whiskey--and the impending holiday season just screams chocolaty goodness, so why not pair the two? 

From smoky Scotch to smooth milk chocolate to syrupy Bourbon to sharp dark cacao--a few combinations are tasty enough to get you salivating. 

{via}

In a piece for Liquor.com, Jacques Bezuidenhout--a national cocktail and tequila ambassador for Partida Tequila and the master mixologist for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants--explains how to perfectly pair up these two tasty treats. 

"I originally thought that most chocolate would pair easily with most whiskies. That turns out not to be the case. Too many variables—wood, peat, age, proof and grain—have to work with the array of different styles and flavors of chocolate available. Hours into it, with a liquor buzz and a sugar high, I still felt like I had only scraped the surface.

Pairing chocolate with whiskey is an interesting exercise, since it is an assault on all your senses. Chocolate coats the mouth and tongue, blunting your taste buds, and whiskey’s complex aromas overwhelm the nose. But it’s worth the effort, because when the combination is right, it really sings."

Here's what he discovered:

70-PERCENT-CACAO DARK CHOCOLATE & REDBREAST 12-YEAR-OLD IRISH WHISKEY:

This Irish powerhouse is fantastic with the dark bitterness of a high-cacao chocolate. The bitter notes are balanced by that hint of sweetness from the whiskey. It is pure happiness.

MILK CHOCOLATE & RITTENHOUSE 100-PROOF BOTTLED-IN-BOND STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY:

I really love how these two play together. All the new-American-oak flavors clash a little with dark chocolate, but with milk chocolate it makes the spice in the rye explode.

MILK CHOCOLATE WITH ALMONDS & THE MACALLAN SHERRY OAK 12 YEARS OLD SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY:

All the rich sherry-cask notes that come through in this Highland malt pair wonderfully with the almonds and rich creaminess of the milk chocolate.

50-PERCENT-CACAO SPICED CHOCOLATE & THE GLENLIVET NADURRA 16-YEAR-OLD SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY:

Oak does not overwhelm this Scotch, so it allows for the hints of fruit to come through. Those notes, combined with the high proof of the spirit and the spicy bitterness of the chocolate, are an intensely cheeky experience.

SALTED HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE & BOWMORE 15 YEARS OLD DARKEST SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY:

A salted truffle perfectly complements the notes of the sea and peat smoke in the Bowmore. And the sweet nutty chocolate loves the sherry-cask flavor. I could imagine myself sitting at the distillery on Islay enjoying both and having no worries in life.

SNICKERS BAR & RUSSELL’S RESERVE 10-YEAR-OLD BOURBON:

This bourbon actually pairs well with many of the chocolates above, but one cannot always enjoy only fancy confections. I love how the peanuts and caramel react to the beautifully aged whiskey.

Read more here.

History of Scotch Whiskey

Women Who Whiskey has inadvertently placed an emphasis on Whiskeys of the American variety. Most bars--especially speakeasy revivals--focus on Bourbons and Ryes because that's what was being made here during Prohibition, and it's what was being sent down from Canada.

Not to mention that Scotch--when done properly--it a very expensive habit.

But we still decided that writing off a whole genre of whiskey--one which many call the best--just because we didn't know enough about it was unwise. So a few of us ladies decided to brush up on our knowledge of Scotch by taking a class at the Brooklyn Brainery.

History of Scotch Whiskey

The instructor was a positively charming Scotsman, David McNicoll, who knows Scotch better than I know my own family (which says a lot) and was full of humorous anecdotes and quips. The class was engaging, instructive, and we finished off with a Scotch tasting... yum!

"Whisky is the national drink of Scotland, and the most popular spirit in the world: it is a multi-billion dollar industry employing thousands globally and one of the UK’s leading exports. Yet, it is more, much more than this; it’s a story – a story of a drink, a culture, a people, a land and a way of life. From the humblest of origins, to the glamorous world of ‘Mad Men’ Scotch has come a long way, and it is a fascinating tale.

So, with glass in hand we will begin that journey and explore the origins of spirit, its eventual arrival into Scotland and how the process was refined and perfected to the malts and blends we enjoy today. We will also stare through the looking glass of time to the people who made whisky so popular; the fight against government and taxmen; halcyon days and the dark days; its global reach with roots still firmly planted in the hills and glens of rural Scotland.

I’ll explain how the stuff is actually made, where it is made and how geography as well as history has had a part to play in whisky’s development. How is Scotch different to Bourbon or Irish, and how have their stories differed and related to our saga? There are quirky stories, interesting characters and the mystery of the lost distilleries to illuminate us as we unravel the secret of the Water of Life. Oh, and you get to sample some too!"

For more information, or to sign up, click here!

Happy Birthday, Rachel!

In honor of Rachel's upcoming birthday, we'll be making

The Courting Rachel

2 oz bourbon
1/4 oz rye whiskey simple syrup
Peychaud's bitters

Over ice, stir together bourbon, simple syrup, and bitters.

Fill a stoppered decanter (or another sealable container, like a lidded pitcher or jar) with fresh hickory smoke from a handheld food smoker (like PolyScience's Smoking Gun). Strain in the cocktail, seal the decanter, and swirl for one minute. Pour the drink out over ice; serve.

NB: If you don't have fresh hickory smoke on hand, substitute a peaty Scotch for the bourbon. 

Scotch In A Can!

Apparently this is a real thing!