Whisky Blogger Summit 2017 (OR How to become a whisky thief)

Whisky lovers, let me explain.

I didn’t go to a Macallan tasting assuming I’d become a whisky thief but sometimes in life, you find yourself doing something crazy.

Casa Luca in DC
(Casa Luca is owned by Fabio Trabocchi who also owns Michelin star rated Fiola)

A month ago, I received an invite from The Macallan for a special tasting at Casa Luca in DC. Without hesitation, I accepted and RSVP’ed that I would be there. I knew it was coming. Brian and Tim from The Whiskey Library DC were setting up the second annual Whisky Blogger Summit and needed everyone’s addresses well in advance to mail out the invites.

Casa Luca’s Bar

As a blogger, I figured this was the event to end all events. The event where I’d get to try the Macallan M and be done tasting expensive whiskies forever (ha!). Sure enough, the pre-dinner flight we had started with the Rare Cask and ended with the M. What I didn’t realize is my own personal adventure of owning Macallan stopped one bottle shy of the one that would change my entire palate’s perspective on whisky.

(on to the pictures)

A little private room action!

Don’t I own two of these?

@WhiskeyIsEverything and @Scotch_Trooper

@WhiskyWithAView aka @Whisky_Nate talking with @MacallanNicolas

Hors d’oeuvres (Horse day Oovers lol)

Two of the gents from @Whisky.Arch laughing it up

A little selfie action because all whisky comes in mirrored boxes, right?

Heck of a spread!

@Whiskey_Library_DC and @Scotch_In_The_City

The Macallan 1824 Master Series

A glass water dropping pipette.

Macallan Nicolas walking us all through the series, eh. (he’s Canadian)

Hello darkness my old friend… (remember when I made an old fashioned out of this?)

So much nervousness!

The pièce de résistance. The M.

But THIS spoke to my palate and my SOUL.

Let’s stop with the pictures for a minute. I didn’t even take notes for this dram, that’s how excited I was about it. Also, it’s an absolute shame that I didn’t write my thoughts down but I remember thinking dried fruits including fig with sherried spices were perfectly balanced in a way that I had never had before. Ab. So. Lute. Ly. Mindbending. I had fallen in love with whisky all over again.

Honestly. When you get to the point that you’ve tried a few hundred whiskies, your brain looks for easier ways to sort them all. I’ve literally created an immediate two pile separation of whiskies in my mind: Memorable and Unmemorable. Every once in a while a memorable whisky transcends reality and grows into a beast that haunts your dreams…. in a good way.

I still have favorites all over the cost spectrum from $27 to $1800 but now… now I have this $5k bottle in my hand contemplating the meaning of whisky itself. The problem is I have no desire to spend $5k on a single bottle of No 6. Let’s be serious, you could buy a used car for that price. That used car will provide you with the ability to drive great distances and travel to meet people you wouldn’t normally. All of those life experiences you could have for just $5k.

BUT. THIS. BOTTLE.

I don’t have it. But now I very seriously want it. What was the next logical step at a tasting where no one is allowed a second pour?

THEFT.
(G-d I hope no one from Macallan is reading this lol).

I brought some extra samples bottles with me originally thinking “Oh, I’ll grab some M to sample at home and do a legitimate review” but the No 6 changed my brain in ways I can’t explain. So I did it. I grabbed the bottle when everyone was pretty distracted and I poured a solid half an ounce into a clean glencairn before transferring it to my sample bottle at my camera bag. It was finished. I have the sample at home and I’m saving it for my birthday this year. YES. It was that good to me. *drool*

Back to the pictures of the rest of the event!!

The M’s topper is frosted only on the sides. It’s clear from the top. This is looking down at the triangular bottle.

The M

@Whisky_Nate helping @Scotch_Trooper with one of his IG famous shots

For pairing with dinner

Me playing with @Scotch_Trooper’s toys lol

A motley crew including the brand reps 🙂

MMM

“This is how we take all of the bottles…”

Oh and dinner was incredible 😉

So there you have it! Another adventure (and sample bottle) in the bag!

-Sniff