Escape Into the World of Whisky and Cigars BY JOSH WARD
When you find yourself in a place where the choices are endless and small batch is nothing more than a marketing term, what makes you like what you like? What draws you to your drink of choice? Often we are surrounded by a plethora of tasty pleasures but yet still gravitate toward a velvety single malt scotch from the Scottish Highlands or a silky bourbon from Kentucky’s finest stills. And why do we so passionately try to convince our Islay hating friends to embrace that peaty deliciousness of funk? Good questions right? Truth is, the reason most of us are drawn to something is we let ourselves get charmed by a captivating and new idea. Triggers to the senses cause a release of dopamine which makes us feel good which in turn compels us to expose ourselves to more of said goodness. The more we learn - the more we subject ourselves to the idea. The greater the enthralment – the greater the onset of expertise. That first whisky might have been intense and scary - do I detect gasoline and burnt cigars? Ahh but since the idea has already captivated your attention, you likely move quickly through the honeymoon phase and are on your way to becoming a full blown enthusiast. You begin to fully embrace the new found interest and learn everything you can. Taste and explore, buy a bottle of Auchentoshan 12 year old, ask your friends and then before you know it, you are visiting a local tobacconist because you want to build a palate for cigars and spirits.
You start gravitating toward folks who are immersed in the culture. Exploring the vast nuances found in each and every puff, examining the smoke as it lingers in the air performing an unapologetic and brilliant dance. It becomes so easy to find which flavours best suit your moods, may even draw you to a specific region and here’s where you start to discover what you love and just as important, what you hate and why? You may even start to hear the term connoisseur or purist being thrown around, often fairly loosely but the only thing truly separating the aficionado from an amateur is time and experience. Where you once found yourself tip toeing through the stability part, you realize you are cruising into committed enthusiast phase and nothing is more beautiful then the sound of the cork being popped. How quickly that anticipation is created as you watch the water of life dance around the bowl of a crystal Glencairn. One gentle swirl causes the viscous spirit to form legs, and with it – opinions. Albeit tempted, you let the nose envelope you, spending as much time as necessary until finally you decide to take the first sip. Instantaneous, the stresses of the day are left behind, magically melted away and the sharp and satisfying sound your V-cutter makes as it slices through a well crafted cigar is as unique as the whisky you had chosen. For some perhaps it’s the smell of cedar sticks or the desire for the calming sensation that is created when the first draw crashes likes waves over the body. For me it is the aroma of
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the whisky explorer magazine
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