I was lucky enough to receive a sample of The Dalmor 12 Year scotch from their distributor, and I’ve written up my thoughts on it for Primer Magazine. While bourbon remains my true whiskey love, I’ve been known to dally with scotch on occasion (not to mention rye, Irish whiskey, and Canadian whiskey … I’m a bit of a strumpet, I guess). I’ve educated my palate enough to be able to enjoy both smooth scotches and some of the smokier offerings, and I was happy to have the chance to check out a product I hadn’t tried before.

Here’s a clip:

Bourbon and rye have made some tremendous leaps in reputation in the last ten years or so, and while there are many who will always hold the whiskies of Ireland closest to their heart (perhaps in a flask), it would be difficult to argue that there is a more highly-regarded form of whisky out there than Scotland’s most famous liquor.

You could spend a lifetime developing your appreciation and knowledge for Scotch. Many have. But to do that you need to get started, and there’s the kicker – Scotch is such high-variance liquor that it can be frightening, baffling, and intimidating to newcomers. Grab the wrong bottle, for example, and your first sip is going to wallop you with smoky peat flavors for which most people require time and effort to develop a taste. This effect has scared off more than one neophyte.

You can read the whole thing over at Primer Magazine.