The wine behind the finish.

Vasco · June 13 2018 at 7:36AM

Currently, most of the finishes are wine-based, and most of these wines are from the Iberian Peninsula - Portugal and Spain -, despite we're seeing a lot of good creativity and inovation concerning this subject.

From Portugal we have Port, Madeira, Red Wine, and some Moscatel.

From Spain we have of course the heavy-weight finishes - the sherry ones, from Fino to Pedro Ximenez.

Does anyone enjoys (seldom or frequently) some of these wines? If so, how do you connect it with your wine-finished drams?

Regards,

Vasco

kroman · June 13 2018 at 7:17PM

@Vasco So, one time I bought a bottle of PX to see what it tasted like. PX tends to hold better over time than normal sherry, so I could take my time with it, relatively speaking. However, I didn't "pair it" with sherried whiskies or anything like that. If you haven't had PX, it's EXTREMELY sweet, thick, and sticky...too much for my liking, but I love it in scotch. Sometimes, I'll have port as a dessert wine when I'm at restaurants.

I was at a tasting with Kilchoman a few years ago, and they were talking about shortages in sherry. No one drinks it anymore. It's gotten so bad (again, according to them) that sherry producers often just dump the sherry and sell the cask to whisky distilleries.

so the bottom line is if you like your wine-finished scotches, give some love to fortified wines every once in a while.

Vasco · June 13 2018 at 9:57PM

@kroman

I'm used to the portuguese fortified wines - every household here in Portugal has, at least, a couple of port wine bottles, and there is even a trend since last year - tonic (white) port, which I sincerely prefer to gin & tonic. Madeira I also drink, but less often - always when I go there, and sometimes at home. I'm also from Oporto (mother side), so I could not run from port wines, even if I tried!

Concerning the sherries, that's what I am exploring right now. I go to Spain every couple of months, specially to the southern provinces - including Andaluzia, the home of sherry.

Like you, I've tried also a Pedro Ximenez - excelent as a dessert. I tried that after falling in love for Laphroaig PX Cask, so I'm getting ready to stock up with more sherries next time I go to Spain.

Right now, I'm expecting to receive a couple of bottles of Laphroaig Cairdeas Fino, a sherry I don't know yet. Have you tried this one?

Regards,

Vasco

kroman · June 14 2018 at 11:22AM

@Vasco

Things are very different in the U.S. I don't know one person who drinks fortified wine; maybe I just don't know the right people...

I feel safe to say that it's really only used over here for cooking. Most people over hear associate drinking sherry with old ladies :lol: . In addition, I don't think most Americans even know what port is.

I haven't had Laphroaig Fino, or even fino sherry for that matter. the only sherry I have ever had was PX. .

I loved the Laphroaig PX, so I wouldn't be opposed to trying it either. I know they also have a port finished whisky (Brodir) that I haven't tried either.

By the way, I was just outside of Seville a few years ago and I remember having one of the best meals I've ever eaten: fresh bread, traditional Sangria, oxtail paella, and some PX for dessert...amazing stuff! I flew in and out of Lisbon, and I have to say that Lisbon is one of the best cities I've ever been to. I loved it there!

bedlamborn · June 17 2018 at 4:39PM

@kroman

I drink different kind of sweet wines. From the Italian passito wines to Port and Madeira wines. The big gap in my knowledge is Sheryy which I have onlytasted once. Would love to try different sherry styles and see how it affects the whisky.

For port and Madeira I can feel how it affects the whisky. Especially for Sauterness wine I can feel their influence.

Vasco · June 18 2018 at 7:25PM

@kroman

Well, I think right now the younger generations don't drink as much port as the older ones.

If you ever return to Lisbon, let me know, and we'll try some ports, madeiras, and sherries.

@bedlamborn

Naturally, you are also invited. Concerning the influence of the wine in the whisky, I noticed that clearly in Laphroaig PX and Brodir (port) - loved both, but certainly are diferent.

Some years ago I had a Penderyn (welsh whisky, very enjoyable) Madeira, but I didn't find madeira wine as I was expecting. Maybe I need a second try.

bedlamborn · June 20 2018 at 3:32PM

@Vasco

For Madeira wines there is a lot of different types and I think it depends on the type how much it will influence the wine.

I would love to do a testing once there I add some wine to a quite neutral single malt such as
Glenmorangie the original and compare different wine types affect the whisky.

Thanks for the invitation. Maybe one day but almost all my travels goes to Italy or Scotland.

DramTasticVoyage · June 20 2018 at 6:05PM

@Vasco I'd be willing to bet that far more port/sherry gets dumped than consumed. They are both too sweet and syrupy for my liking. Im sure there are people out there who enjoy it but i imagine its only a once in awhile drink, even for them.