Scotch, Song, & Soul - Kilchoman Machir Bay
When my grandparents were young they loved to swing dance and they were really good at it. Someone once came up to my grandmother to say, "Excuse me, but I wanted to tell you that you dance divinely." I learned some steps from my grandfather and would jump at the chance to dance to the music of that time whenever I could. I loved it. One of my all time favorites is the well known classic, In the Mood.
I never really learned more than the few basic steps. I could follow well enough, and so with spins and turns that's all I really needed to know to have a great time dancing with my family. However, as everyone got older, and especially as my grandfather's health declined, the dancing grew sparse.
I've always wanted and intended to take lessons and learn how to swing dance really well. I've also wanted to find people I could dance with to this music! (Instead of always being the one to teach the very little I knew to whoever was willing to dance.) There were always obstacles: schedules, time, money, someone to dance with...
But after life's great quantity of ado...I finally went to a swing class last night. It was wonderful. Very laid back, a brand new dance space, really nice people, and great music.
Having mainly been doing salsa lately, it was a little rough getting back into the "swing" but I loved every minute of it.
It was a very long day, but dancing gave me a second wind and upon returning home, I cracked open the second to last single dram bottle for a tasting. Kilchoman Machir Bay - 2014 bottling.
He was much paler than the previous whiskies I've had. Definitely more yellow than gold, but a beautiful color. I learned that although there is no age statement, this Scotch is only about 5 years old. I'm sure that's part of the reason for the light color, but I've also recently learned about the process of caramel coloring, and that many distilleries use it in their Scotch. I don't have strong opinions on it currently, but Talisker is one that has the caramel added, and his color is darkened by it, I'm sure.
In the bottle his nose was strongly smoky, but with a perfumey floral scent as well. In the glass, I sensed banana, smoke, and pepper. The first sip was complex, but light - spicy, and also a bit tart. Adding water didn't change him too much in nose or flavor, and that was ok; I liked him.
I relaxed into the enjoyment of the evening, eating my late dinner and sipping my new Scotch. My dinner was a gruyere cheese-filled veggie "chicken" cutlet. Savoring the creamy, salty, crunchy tastes and textures, I recalled a memory...
Years ago I gave some friends an analogy of life's good experiences either being like a sunset or a chix patty. Chix patties, for the uninformed, are vegetarian friendly creations that imitate a fried chicken patty and are wonderfully delicious. They are perhaps a little addictive, as when you finish one, it's a very sad thing and you find yourself wanting more. Contrast this to a sunset: no matter how amazing and beautiful a sunset is, we generally don't wish for more of it when it is over. We let it pass gracefully. Certain moments in life are like sunsets, and certain moments are like chix patties. When the latter ones end, we're not quite ready to let them go.
I realize that in these types of moments, as with the chix patties themselves, part of our enjoyment is in the wanting of more. Like being in love, which gives us the hope of a future together, it's that longing for it to last which affects the pleasure in the moment. So perhaps the difference is simply a matter of faith. Of all things in this world, one thing we can be certain of is that the sun will rise and set tomorrow. As long as we are alive to see it, there is no choice we can make or path we will take that will stop us from having another chance to see that beautiful sight. However...
If sunsets weren't guaranteed, would you cry when they were over?
Most things in life are not guaranteed, and even with sunsets - we can never know for sure if this one won't be our last. Part of the trick is probably acceptance of this fact. Understanding that change is the nature of things, and therefore endings inevitable, helps us not take things for granted. We want to be present and engaged in all the good moments of our life so we can get the deepest and fullest enjoyment of them. But if we can temper this with a bit of faith - knowing that even if we may never have a "chix patty" again, there will probably still be things just as delicious and enjoyable somewhere in the future - perhaps we can find a way to let go with more ease.
I finished my dinner, and still had a bit of Kilchoman left in my glass. His spice was the most prominent flavor, being very mild in all other ways. Although this one is an Islay, he reminded me a little of Macallan. Kilchoman was a little smokier, not as smooth, and definitely spicier, but they both had that slightly reserved, gentlemanly feel to them.
I am glad to finally be taking swing dancing classes. During the class, one of the folks who organizes it talked about how a lot of the volunteers who run the club are leaving soon, and so it may be harder to hold as many events. He put out the request for others to step up if at all possible. Another reminder of the ever-shifting nature of life and circumstance. Who knows what will happen, but I will enjoy it with the awareness of change, do what I can to help, and have faith that one way or another, I will swing dance again.
The night passed quickly, and as I took my last sip, I realized I wish I had more Kilchoman to chat with. He may not be "the" perfect Scotch, but tonight, he was absolutely the perfect Scotch to Swing Dance to.
