Today’s Tasting Report

By Andrew “the Alchemist”

Thursday, September 30, 2010

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Here is my report on three liquors that I picked up and tried for the first time today.

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Campo de Encanto™ Pisco brandy

($32.99 at K & L Wine Merchants in Hollywood, California)

When I tasted this copper-pot-distilled spirit, I instantly knew that it would become my favorite Pisco brandy.  Its flavor is more complex than most, and even though it is bottled at a respectable 85-proof, the ethanol sensation is not aggressive.  Many Pisco brandies are ‘new’ (as in ‘un-aged’), but this one is aged for eight months in new, un-charred American oak barrels, making it ‘young.’   It is Peruvian, from near the city of Pisco, but made to the specification of some San Francisco bartenders “for bartenders.”  San Francisco has a long mixological history with Pisco brandy.

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Speyburn™ 10-year single Highland malt Scotch whisky

($19.95 at Beverage Warehouse in Culver City, California)

This relatively-young single-malt is very accessible to the palate.  Its flavor is probably not interesting enough for neat service to aficionados.  But, I would be happy to make this very-affordable single-malt my basic, mixing Scotch whisky.  It is an excellent value for that purpose.

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El Viejito™ “extra-aged” Tequila mezcal

($45.95 at Beverage Warehouse in Culver City, California)

Having been informed that this was a pure copper-pot-distilled Tequila mezcal, I was very eager to try it.  Perhaps I was expecting too much.  It did not have the fullness of flavor that I would expect from a copper-pot-distilled spirit.  It was very mellow – probably too mellow for my taste.