The dual personality of Whisky. Do you know?

Until a few years ago I did not drink spirits, then, following a recommendation from a friend, I began to taste, correct me, to sniff!  In fact I do not drink, or better, but above all taste smell. Try doing that with your eyes closed, over time your luggage memories will be enriched by sensory experiences that will bring you back to mind the tastes and emotions.

As they say "everything is born from the passion". So it was for Claudio Riva, soul of the web community SingleMaltWhisky.it, and for David Terziotti, passionate connoisseur and author of the blog Angel’s Sharand. Together, united by the desire to promote the culture and knowledge of quality distillates, gave rise to the WhiskyClub Italia.

The November 8, at the Club House of the Golf Villa D'Este Montorfano in the province of Como, was presented the club with a meeting between people who share this passion. L’evento, started with a tasting event whiskey selected, ended with dinner by the Chef Corrado Radice, that matched his creations to three beers matured in barrels Quarter Casks former Laphroaig.  Micro-breweries Lombard presented by the Master Brewers intervened with their stories during the evening.

Claudio Riva and the chef Corrado Root

Whisky, but not only…  Pass the word to Claudio Riva.

• Claudio, this club was born from a passion for whiskey, but not only… what are the goals that you prefiggi, but especially, what action you intend to promote through it?

The aim of the club is to spread the culture of good spirit through its highest excellence, lo Scotch Whisky. We want to do it in a modern way, for this reason we defined the era 2.0 del whisky in Italia. No longer the old conception of exclusive club where you can only enter if invited, but a much more open and modern which also goes by the collaboration with other professionals or enthusiasts.

After the beers will deepen the pairing with cheese, then, in collaboration with Giorgio Cabella Chef and Culture, realize a project to explore seriously the pairing whiskey-food, virgin territory especially here in Italy. We will also cocktail parties, unthinkable for a 'whiskey club' old-fashioned. I do believe that if you drink a gin & tonic you have a right to expect high quality raw materials.

Claudio Riva

• And 'my habit, When I attend an evening, interact with the people who follow me by publishing real-time and post photos. The reason is simple: give people the opportunity to speak with any questions or opinions. Well, commenting on my photo friend chef Matthew Knowles, emphasized the distinction between whiskey and whiskey sea floor. A classification did not know. Can you explain the difference, provided there is ...

I state that the difference between whiskey and whiskey sea floor does not exist. It is, however,, with good approximation, the double soul of Scotch, that usually leads to distinguish a peaty whiskey from a non-peated. Diversification comes obviously from the site and from the ecosystem in which the barrel is maturing (angel’s share).  The sea this air will be brackish with hints of iodine and medicines, and if close to the mountains will have floral scents, fruit and honey. During the long maturation of Scotch interaction with the wood of the barrel and the environment shape the character of the malt. The desire to slow the process of evolution of Scotch is the reason why the same can have a sort of terroir that determines a unique product and unrepeatable.

The whiskey islanders have a different character, perché gli isolani sono un po’ più folli degli Scozzesi di terra ferma 😉 e perché sulle isole non ci sono piante. The process of malting barley is done with the only fuel available in abundance: la torba. The peat smoke, much more pungent and penetrating than coal, goes so deep into the grain of barley to resist all'ammostamento, fermentation, two distillations, and aging in barrel. It follows that in the whiskey Islanders, almost always, the presence of peat is much more trodden than the other malts of land.

At the end of the evening you always pull the sums. As far as I'm concerned, among the many samples, my absolute preference has been for Octomore Bruichladdich, a special bottling done for the Feis Ile 2014, the whiskey and music festival which takes place in late May on Islay. L 'whisky più torbato al mondo, born into a distillery built in 1881, located on the island of Islay, in the far west of Scotland. Resounding!

Dinner

Club-House Golf Villa D'Este

Chief Conrad Root

Salmon tartare marinated in the flowers you

Risotto alla bottarga served with beer Extraomnes Dram (Old Ale 13,5%). Mastro birraio: Louis “Schigi” D'Amelio

Veal fillet in a crust of brown bread

Mini tarte tatin with creamed mozzarella and served with whipped cream natural beer Menaresta Damned (Imperial Russian Stout 10,5 %). Mastro birraio: Enrico and Marco Valeriani Dosoli.