Week 5 Virtual Tasting for Charity - Something Smokey - DEC 23-DEC31

I did one of these last year for IJM and loved it. One of the things I get hung up on sometimes is how much we all spend on wine and other indulgences. It is really nice to be able to give something back through this medium in particular.

I still support IJM, but had a different idea this year. My good friends Matt and Beth Mowad became missionaries a few years back . Matt and Beth retired from being a navy pilot family and decided to dedicate their lives to giving back to the people of Thailand and greater Southeast Asia. They are with an organization called Mission Quest and he flies frequently for the Free Burma Rangers. Here is a link to their general page: Matt & Bethany Mowad - Mission Quest

If you want to see what they do, the best place to follow along is to get their newsletter through email or Matt’s Facebook page: Redirecting...

How do you participate? You open and post as many “SMOKEY” tasting notes as you like in this feed, and I will pay $10 for every note that is Smokey (or even anticipated to be Smokey)! To really try to blow the doors off of this round, Brig had mentioned something with Whiskey/Scotch…so any tasting note of any alcohol that might include a descriptor like SMOKEY, TOBACCO, MATCHSTICK, BURNT, FLINTY, PEATY, CIGAR, CAMPFIRE, etc. can count.

To go further, I will DOUBLE THE PAYMENT TO $20 per TN if you post a photo of a glass of wine with the view of where you normally drink wine inside/outside the house! Don’t make it an elaborate photo of a place you never drink, rather the typical view where you enjoy a glass of wine with the wine/other beverage glass (or bottle) in the photo. Give us a view into your typical drinking spot!

If anyone wants to join me in a donation, let me know!

Post your TN’s here starting on Thursday, December 23rd and continuing until New Years Eve, December 31st:)

Thank you for being a part of this and God bless all of you during this Christmas season.

Hey, what about flint and matchsticks!

That’ll get the burgheads fired up!

Okay, this just got serious! Big $$$$

I have a smokey viognier on deck. Something you don’t hear everyday…

We recently canned a Rauch Bock. I’ll have to do a review…

Mmmm… Hot Dog Water

2008 Mendocino County anyone?

Add in petrol and you’ll get the riesling heads as well!

Mezcal. Porters. Beers with coffee. Someone needs to make a cocktail where you smoke the glass and do a video of it.

Please Do! I haven’t had one since the last time I was in Berlin!

When we first mentioned this subject I had posted this article. The headline always stuck with me… “Sipping These Wines Is Like Smoking and Drinking at the Same Time”

https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704211704575140141004748362

PETROL sounds good. Just sip it next to a campfire:)

Drinks with a “bang”!

An explosion flavours

significant heat on the finish

Whisky? I don’t drink it but I have a few bottles in the bar so I pulled them out for a tasting looking for a smoky note. I found one in the Maker’s Mark.

Obviously I’ve never written attention note on Whisky but there’s a first time for everything so here we go. Sure makes you feel warm all over on a cold and rainy Southern California evening.

Chivas regal 12-year-old premium Scotch whiskey.
Very light colored, basically yellow. The nose has an apple note and a touch of sweetness, add in some beeswax. Taste is medium sweetness and smooth yet light body. The finish has a peat note to it and is a good 20 seconds.

Crown Royal blended Canadian whiskey
Medium dark caramel colored, looks like apple juice. Aromas of vanilla and a hint of sweetness. There’s quite a bit of heat on the palate with oak and terpins. A bit angular in the mouth and the finishes a touch rough.

Maker’s Mark Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey.
Medium Plus depth of color like a pancake syrup. The nose is the most interesting of the three, it’s complex with resin and caramel notes. There’s a light smoke and charred oak flavor resulting in good complexity and a nice mouthful. Medium body. The finish is very long, probably 30 seconds.

Post-dinner tipple at my parents’ place was the Lagavulin 16 Year Old. It’s one of those things where my dad and I have complete palate agreement. It’s my house Scotch and his as well. The peaty/smoky top note is a welcome home no matter where I am drinking it. Turns out it goes pretty well with Christmas cookies, especially ginger shortbreads.

2016 Gramercy Cellars Forgotten Cellars Forgotten Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley- Herbaceous and savory with blue/dark fruits and a hint of smokiness. Probably the most restrained Washington Syrah I’ve tasted with an alcohol of 12.5%

I’m glad you included some other things because this was going to be a very narrow range of wines. Got these cheapy Bordeaux from an auction recently. Had some experiences with this producer in the past and I figured a top vintage like this was worth the gamble.

• 2000 Château Cambon La Pelouse - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (12/23/2021)
  Upon opening the wood was very present. That integrates with air and is a likely contributor to the strong cigar box aroma. Plummy cassis nose with some old wood. Still showing some weight and flesh on the palate. Cassis and roses. More wood and tobacco. Falls some at the finish and kicks with tartness. A nice solidly maturing Bordeaux but nothing more. For the price its a terrific value. No rush here as it’s got fruit depth to spare. The only question is where the finish is going.

Posted from CellarTracker

I thought I might get some smoky Rhone notes here. Beautiful CNdP wine though.

Update: two day earthy toasted campfire note!

• 2009 Tercero/Cabot Les Deux Comtés - USA, California (12/25/2021)
  Last time I tasted this wine was 5 years ago and I promised myself not to drink it for 5 years. Shockingly I actually made it. Very similar attributes as the previous note with blackberry fruit and sage. The only noticeable difference is the tannins have slightly rounded out compared to the previous two times. This is much more of a southern Rhone blend style from chateaunuef de Pape versus something from the northern part like Hermitage.

This has all the pieces to age for another 20 years. Unfortunately this was my last bottle.

Posted from CellarTracker

Thanks for the note, my friend. And great to hear that this wine is still alive and kicking. I still have a few cases left and my guess is that John may as well.

My last bottle did show some smokey goodness - will have to open another one soon.

Happy holidays all!