Scotch, Song, & Soul - Trip to Skye
I was practicing some tunes yesterday with a friend, and I saw that he knew a tune called "Trip to Skye." The Isle of Skye, of course, is where Talisker is made, and I sighed thinking of how lovely it would be to take a trip there myself. I decided that I at least needed to learn the tune. It is written by John Whelan, and I found a recording of himself playing this beautiful waltz on youtube. It is poignant, to say the least. If you find yourself in a wistful sort of way, take a listen and sip a sweet scotch for solace...
Sadly, my bottle of Talisker Storm is now empty. I went to the store to buy another, but thought I should try something new - perhaps put some space between myself and Talisker for a little while. The store didn't seem to carry the Storm anyhow, so I looked through what they did have to find a good choice for my next bottle. Of the many Scotches I've met already, there are quite a few I wouldn't mind having at home, but they didn't have any of those either. So after much deliberating, I decided on Old Pulteney 12 year. I hadn't heard anything about him, but asked around and found good reviews.
While still in the bottle, his nose appeared very nice - fruity, mild, and inviting. I poured into the glass and saw that Old Pulteney is such a pretty amber colored Scotch. His nose still remained appealing, with a sense of freshness about it.
The first sip...was very good. Gentle, smooth, a little spice. I also tasted a solid briny flavor, and a little something in the finish. He was sweet and I thought that flavor at the end might be almond perhaps? There was not a hint of smoke to be found in Old Pulteney, but I didn't mind. I found that I had taken several sips and kept going back for more before realizing that I hadn't added any water yet.
The water didn't change his nose too much, but maybe brought that unidentified flavor forward. The flavors seemed to shift - perhaps a citrus? A brief flash of cocoa? Whatever the name, it was tasty, and I was having so much fun.
I must say, I wasn't expecting much when I bought this bottle. As I was checking out, I saw that the store did indeed have a single Talisker Storm behind the counter, and I almost switched at the last minute. I didn't, and I had buyer's remorse when I walked out of the store. I was telling myself "Old Pulteney isn't even an Islay," wondering if I should go and exchange it, afraid that I'd regret my choice...but I was very pleasantly surprised. Old Pulteney is lovely.
The bottle is simple, but beautiful, with a ship etched on the back so you can see it through the whisky, almost in 3-D, calling to mind the sea...
When I visited the distillery's website I noticed they talked much of food pairings. Folks after my own heart! Their suggestion was that the lighter, fruitier Scotches be paired with spicy foods. I just happened to be eating a small spicy snack, and as I played with taking sips and nibbles back and forth...wow! Having a sip after the bite of spicy brought the citrus out strongly. Old Pulteney's flavors became bigger and bolder. After a bit it became too much though, and I went back to separating the flavors so I could really enjoy and identify them.
As I listened to Trip to Skye, and continued the conversation with Old Pulteney, I found that the music and the Scotch seemed to match. The tune has a rhythm that feels like the rocking sensation of being on a boat at sea... I imagined staring at the shore, watching it grow more and more distant as the ship carries us to a different land. The harbinger of adventure - a departure from all that is known.
The excitement of what may come buoying our spirit from the undertow of longing for what we are leaving behind...
I took the last sip of the Old Pulteney and marveled at how the evening turned out. Sometimes, things just fall into place...just so, and seem just right. Those times are to be cherished, and enjoyed to the fullest. For wherever we are in life, there is usually a lost shore we pine for, and almost as sure is a hopeful future in store...as long as we are brave enough to begin a new journey into the unknown sea of what lies ahead.
