Richard Patterson: Master of Whisky

Well, I suppose I'll tell you a secret. I didn't spontaneously gain knowledge about scotch (no shit, right?). I began with trust Google. Upon searching, I came upon a gentleman by the name of Richard Paterson. He is a 3rd generation Master Blender for the Diago company which deals with the great malt Dalmore and the sublime blend Whyte & Mackay (among others). A Short biography

http://www.youtube.com/user/masterblenderrichard

Watch. Them. All.

He taught me how to drink a whisky. He taught me what goes into a whisky, what it takes to blend, and how to appreciate a dram. He gave me the tools: copita nosing glass, cool distilled water, a nose, and a mind willing to take the time. Watching his passion, hones by 3 generations of whisky blenders, is truly inspiring. He's humorous, "If I ever catch you nosing like this [nosing like a wine}, I'll kill you." Always dressed in a suit with a finely trimmed mustache, his class exudes from the walls and his sonorous voice comforts your confused mind. Shhh, do not fear the whisky; respect it.

There are a few rules he has that I have adopted. They are as follows...

Hold the glass from the stem to prevent warming.

Smell deeply! Get your nose into the glass and give several smells. It's a conversation with a beautiful woman. Hello. How are you? I am fine. Thank you very much. Take your time, let it speak.

When tasting, chew on it; swish it around your mouth gently. Hold it for 1 second for each year old it is. 12 years for 12 seconds, etc. (that's a minimum, by the way).

Swallow and take a deeeeeeeep breath. Allow the smells and taste to permeate into your sinus and out through your mouth. Oxygen will intensify the flavors and you'll taste the whisky long after you've finished.

For a nominal fee, Mr. Paterson will spend some time with you and create a custom blend based upon you as a person. what a dream! Often, my friends and I have debated what malt we would be! Am I a Highland? A Speyside? Do I have a heavy fire, full of smoke, but maybe a bit harsh? Or am I full of clarity, gold, with a bitter coffee taste? How on Earth could one decide? And yet, to take MULTIPLE malts and marry them together to work harmoniously! What a task.

How to drink whisky
Listen to the Master. When someone can make a living teaching other show to drink, tasting whisky for a living, and blending together these wonderful liquids, you better take your time and appreciate it. To speak with someone who can analyze the effort, the history, shows a level of commitment to the conversation and mental capacity to converse of things more esoteric than commonplace (I sound like a pompous dick. Sorry).

But approaching whisky with reverence and respect gains respect from those around you. Merely ordering a whisky neat (no ice) from a bar will give at worst, quizzical looks and at best, an interest in your opinion. Bartenders have often given me the, "Ok, whatever you want" with an order of a Talisker 10. Surrounding people will often poke fun, "That's a grandfatherly drink!" But when I take my time to drink it, when I have my private conversation with the drink, they all watch and wonder. Some roll their eyes, some ask, "Why do you drink that crap? It tastes like band-aid water." The conversation has begun and they are listening. I have not had an intentions about starting conversation and I have expended zero effort to engage. Yet, when I drink, others take notice and need to know why. Already, my opinion is valued (whether ridiculed or respected). Any publicity is good publicity, right? Loved or hated, the emotional content remains. A drink with that much intrigue is always something to be pursued.