The Single Malt Scotch Episode

The Single Malt Scotch Episode – Episode #509

July 25, 2008

WordPress creator Matt Mullenweg visits and Gary Vaynerchuk delivers the Scotch Episode he’s been saving for just this occasion.

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“If you enjoy the Peat, try the Lagavulin Distillers Edition….” by Toby Marcus
“[...] The Single Malt Scotch Episode – Episode #509 [...]…” by Dr Vino Visits Wine Library TV – Episode #771
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Wines tasted in this episode:

Balvenie 17yr Sherry Cask
Talisker 175th Anniversary
Laphroaig Malt 86 10yr

Links mentioned in todays episode.

266 Responses

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July 26, 2008

Oklahoma Michael
The Ying and Yang for days!!! Awesome show QOTD= what precent of the population even know who Steve Jobs is?? Yes, Apple will survive. They will outlast Mr. Jobs By decades
July 26, 2008

John Farrin
Oh Jesus, another thing to spend my money on, THANKS!

QOTD: Since Microsoft seems to have survived the retired Bill Gates, I suppose Apple will survive the loss of Jobs. The aura that both those icons have produced will probably insulate those companies during the transition generation.
July 26, 2008

Eric
Nice show. I’m travelling for work and it was good to have the diversion.
July 26, 2008

Bob B
I haven’t read any of the comments yet – but…

WAAAAAAAAY too much water.

Just add a splash – usually cool water, not more than a teaspoon.

If you don’t like scotch, then add the amount you guys did. Adding double the amount of water turns it into something completely different. Adding ice cools it too much, limiting the tastes. Might as well buy jug scotch if you are going to do that. Try it sometime – you’ll see the difference
July 26, 2008

Steve
Gary:
The Laphroig is an awkward example of the Islay single malts. Lagavulin is a much smoother, more polished whisky, yet with the same smokey, salt water spray components.
July 26, 2008

aaronb
Nice episode, Gary! I’ve been a single malt fan for years and was wondering when you would get around to a Scotch episode. Laphroaig is my favorite, but I find the 10 year old a bit harsh. Not a big fan of cask strength whiskies either (see Paul’s comment above). The 15 year old Laphroaig is much nicer, and for a truly transcendent experience, you should try the 30 year old (though it’s hard to find and at $300/bottle it’s not for everyone).
July 26, 2008

Chris D
Great show !! – thanks. Very insightful from young Matt as well … I liked the experimenting with the water .. I typically drink scotch on the rocks.. and you get that added water component later on…

– How about CIGARS and Scotch on the couch !!

QOTD – I really don’t know enough about how Apple runs and Steve Jobs … but would hope he has laid enough foundation and surrounding himself with thr right people for Apple to continue their mission.

More Scotch shows….I liked it
July 26, 2008

Richard
Great show! When you do your next scotch show in two weeks how about including Bunnahabhain 12.
July 26, 2008

Justin
Thanks for the Scotch show Gary. I’ve been a big fan of Laphroaig for awhile now. I personally prefer it with one ice cube, as it melts you get the just the right amount of water to be able to taste the flavors in the Scotch.

QOTD: I think not only will Apple survive but they will continue to flourish.
July 26, 2008

Vincent
Right on Gary! We do need more scotch shows. One every two weeks is a great idea!
July 26, 2008

Rowland
Gary Gary Gary. you missed a perfect opportunity to talk about America’s dysfunctional drinking culture. Take as an example your guest, while you said youve only been “drunk” 3 or 4 times, while your host nonchalantly replied he had been drunk that many times since that morning. I’m not trying to be insulting to your guest, simply illustrate the vast gulf between American and European drinking cultures. There is a word Americans are constantly saying to express how proud they are of there drunkenness. You all know it; “WASTED.” For Americans, its seems the object of drinking (and therefore the soul purpose of alcoholic beverages) is to become drunk … “Duuuuude Im so waaaaasted!!! I drank this and that and one of those and a few of these and blah blah blah …” How often have YOU heard that? Im not going on some AntiAmerican-Eurocentric rant, because young people are the same everywhere, but you can hear this out of 30 and 40 year olds here. Its suppose to be about food, family, love, culture, health, moderation … the alcohol itself should be regarded as nothing more than a preservative, allowing you to enjoy grapes and apples and wheat many months or years after they were harvested. Alcohol shouldnt be used as an excuse to debauch yourselves.
July 26, 2008

Jimmy T
ALRIGHT!!!!! This was incredible. What a great show, one of the best in a while. You two did well together.

QOTD: I just read “Good to Great” by Jim Collins and this question gets at one of his primary findings. I am not sure about whether or not Apple will go beyond Steve Jobs. This is dependent on his leadership today, which I don’t know much about.
July 26, 2008

PhilB
Great ep!

Good to see GV experimenting with my favortie, scotch!
Just a little clarification : the age on the bottle always represents the age of the YOUNGEST scotch in the blend (if it is a blend), not the age of the oldest like in the solera system. Plus, your Talisker was a vatted malt, which means it was a blend of single malts only, no grain whisky involved like in what is normally called a blended scotch (J. Walker, Ballantine’s..)

Lots of people refer to Talisker as being “volcanic” : great way to express smokiness and fiery pepper!!

Would love to see more of this! Cognac maybe? Rhum?
July 26, 2008

Leslie
I love how you were talking about Steve and if he ever left Apple, the company would just sink. A friend and I just had that conversation not to long ago. A guess birds of a feather really do flock together.

Plus, I really want to go out and get some scotch now. Thanks Gary. Like I don’t drink enough wine…
July 26, 2008

Mojave Joe
One of the best shows in a long time.
July 26, 2008

Richard LeBlanc
Awesome show…love the single malts, never met one that wasn’t at least interesting. In the end I always come home to the Macallan. Cheers
July 26, 2008

paul
Sorry about that last comment. It came across as a bit chippy. Haven’t had enough coffee this morning. Or enough scotch.
July 26, 2008

indigo
Great, great show Gary. Thanks for having Matt on. You’ve got me convinced to drop 90 BONES on a bottle of Talisker.

Idea: Fridays are either “Laid Back Fridays” or “Other than Wine Fridays”

QOTD: They survive, but kind of like Excite.com surviving.
July 26, 2008

paul
WAY too much water. It’s interesting to watch folks with what appears to be little experience drinking scotch do a tasting. A small splash at most after tasting straight to coat the palate, at least for the regular bottlings.

So what’s the big deal about sherry casks? Simple – today most scotches are aged in used bourbon casks, although traditionally sherry casks were used (until the Spanish revolution made getting sherry casks very difficult). Now there are a lot of different casks used. (I remember seeing casks from Wild Turkey being used in a barrel room in Ft. Wiliam.)

The Talisker would be expected to have a bit of a smoky, peaty nose. That’s it’s character. Question: what makes the 175 special? Special aging? More info, please.

For the cask strength Laphroaig, OF COURSE you should add water. It would have been nice if you’d explained cask strength and what scotch makers do to get it to the ABV levels of the other scotches you tasted – by adding water prior to bottling. A little comment about proof would be nice, too. You could have lit the Laphroaig with a match, BTW. And it will kill your PAL in short order unless you add water. BUT NOT TOO MUCH, IMHO.

Anyway, good show. Yes, KenP, Caol Ila would have been nice, but that goes to show that there are a whole bunch of things that need tasting. I guess you need to another scotch show, GV.
July 26, 2008

Matt Westerman
Great show, Gary! My brothers and I started drinking scotch after our father called us wussies for drinking jack and coke in college. 15 years later, there’s always a bottle of single malt in the cabinet. I drink my share of Scapa, Oban, and Glenmorangie (especially the discontinued Madeira wood version).

QOTD: What’s Apple? Steve who? All depends on the successor.
July 26, 2008

Susan
Gary & Mott & Matt, QOTD: Not sure if Apple can survive from such a loss. Steve is a driving force behind many SUPER Apple products. I think yes, they might survive.
July 26, 2008

Susan
Gary & Mott, Don’t think I have had much single malt scotch……………….
July 26, 2008

waterdr
Had a number of single malts, including the Laphroig. One taste I always got, was as if you were sitting in a salt marsh, the taste of the ocean.
July 26, 2008

Hido53
Haven’t had single malt in some time. Been on a bourbon kick of late. Still like the Thunder Shows that focus on wine the most, though it’s refreshing when Gary pushes the envelope and expands beyond the wine world. Keep exploring Gary!
QOTD: I’m sure Apple will survive. Steve Jobs certainly is Apple’s voice and face, but I would think that by now, his philosophy, approach, and vision are fully integrated into all aspects of the company. They will find another voice and face when the time comes. As has been mentioned before, he’s already groomed his successor(s). I also agree that while the company will likely survive, there will just as likely be a dip after he leaves.
July 26, 2008

Jesse Wilkinson
second grade level video my ass. over 500 episodes! just started watching on rev3 but came here to watch all of the old episodes starting with #1. great show!!