Scotchy Scotch, vol 4

Welcome to the Pub for another wee dram. Today’s offering is a bit more obscure than even my last post.

It was some months ago that I found myself in Las Vegas on business. I end up in Sin City about once a year for some function or another, and I tend to seek and to find some of the best places to eat that I possibly can. It keeps me out of trouble.

Craftsteak...a heaven of beef and booze.

Lo, it came to pass that your friendly neighborhood Dangerboy was seated at Craftsteak in the MGM Grand, experiencing the ministrations of one very cute Irish waitress. I struggled not to objectify her too much, even though it was Vegas. I may have succeeded. I may not have.

Craftsteak is a place that, if you like steak and scotch, you absolutely must visit. Must.

Why, you ask? “A scotch list that features pictures of the distilleries and well over 150 single malt scotches covering a range from $10 pour to $1048” is my answer. (Macallan 1961 signature.) Needless to say, I stick to the under $30 club…I can’t imagine spending over a grand for a single pour of booze unless it is accompanied by a half hour blow job or an all expense paid trip to Grand Turk. Also, their steak is damned good.

When faced with such deep bench strength in a scotch list, I will invariably hunt for something obscure. Obscure, like the Lone Ranger’s nephew’s horse. (Victor, by the way.) I made a selection that night that the waitress hadn’t heard of, and she had a taste with me so we could compare notes. She was an obvious connoisseur, and we had a great discussion about what we liked in whisky.

Mortlach...easy to say, easy to drink.

What did we have, you ask? A fine expression from Mortlach, a 16 year old Speyside. I’d never heard of Mortlach, though evidently they’re a minor powerhouse in Scotland, and have produced many expressions over the years. Alas for a Midwestern Scotch drinker’s woes, where bartenders often offer me Chivas as a single malt. No shit.

But back to the Mortlach! I found it a very pleasant and complex taste, with some sweetness from the sherry cask, a fruitiness, a bit of smoke, and a hint of vanilla in the finish. This was a definite winner for my taste buds, and not bad on the pocketbook. A bottle typically runs in the $60 range, though sadly I have not been able to find it anywhere other than Vegas.

In scotches, like in many things, you should always be willing to try something new. I have my favorites, but I’m always looking for something else that can be added for variety. You know, like video games or positions. Be bold, try something new, and Slainte!