Scotland’s greatest export — besides golf — is its national beverage, Scotch whisky. And yes, that’s whisky, with no ‘e,’ if we’re referring to the Scottish product. Sipping what the Scots call the water of life is a distinct, civilized pleasure, but also, for most, an acquired taste. And how does one acquire a taste? You try a few.
Until 50 or so years ago, Americans consumed mostly blended Scotch whisky, called such because it utilized a blend of single malt Scotch whiskies from different distilleries. Then someone discovered what the Scots had long known, that the whisky of a single distillery will carry that distillery’s subtle and not-so-subtle qualities. Soon patrons were asking for Glenlivet and Glenfiddich, rather than Chivas and Dewar’s.
Much of the fun of sophisticated sipping comes from tasting single malt whiskies from different areas of the country. Each region differs in such characteristics as water and soil, so there can be a surprising amount of variety from one single malt whisky to the next. With the aid of Chris Mirza, Chiricahua Clubhouse Manager, here’s a snapshot of Scotland’s legendary single malts, including what to try and where to find them on the Mountain.
“We carry Dalwhinnie, Glenfiddich in different years, 12 and 15, and Glenlivet 12-year,” says Mirza. “We also stock Laphroaig, Glenmorangie and The Macallan in 12-, 18-, and 25-year varieties. And we carry Oban. It’s hard to find and is one of my personal favorites.”
Not all Scotch whiskies are created — or preferred — equally, however.
“Our top-selling Scotch whisky is The Macallan 12-year-old,” says Mirza, “followed by The Macallan 18-year-old. They even outsell our top blends, Dewars and Chivas, which are used more as kind of a mixer, like on the golf course where people order scotch-and sodas. For the fine dining experience during the nighttime, however, we see a lot more single malts go through the bar.”
The Macallan is a Speyside whisky, a sub-region of the Scottish Highlands which houses the greatest concentration of whisky distilleries in the country. Glenfiddich and The Glenlivet are also Speyside whiskies. Glenfiddich and Glenlivet are more fruity and floral, while Macallan is typically more robust. Glenmorangie and Dalwhinnie are Highland whiskies. Oban is also a Highland, but its distillery resides on the West Coast, where the air, water and soil combine to create a smokiness in the beverage that is more complementary than overpowering. Laphroaig is based in Islay, a small, barren island off the west coast of the mainland. Its aroma is akin to pipe smoke and will definitely overpower the novice Scotch drinker. It’s the kind of whisky that scares off folks who don’t drink Scotch — big, peaty, smoky, briny.
For someone just beginning to appreciate the virtues of Scotch whisky, leave Laphroaig for another day. Mirza recommends Constantino’s and Apache for the greatest collection of single malts on the Mountain. “I would begin with a Glenlivet,” he says. “It’s smooth and not very peaty. Experiment with one that’s neat (no ice or water added), another with ice cubes (on the rocks) and another with a few drops of water. But I would start with one ice cube. After you try it several ways, you’ll find your personal preference.”
The Mountain has frequent wine dinners and recently hosted a bourbon whisky tasting. It won’t be long before there’s another special event featuring Scotch whisky. For now, if you’re in the mood to celebrate, perhaps spring for a wee dram of the Mountain’s most expensive Scotch whisky, The Macallan 25-year-old, at $225 a shot. “It has more nuance and depth than you would get with a 12-year Macallan,” says Mirza.
Outside of Scotland, there’s no better place on earth to be sipping that rare Macallan than at Desert Mountain Club alongside the fine dining and incredible views. If you’re envisioning a spot on the patio, gazing at the sunset with a rare whisky in hand, talk to our Membership team to see how you can get started.
Pour us another. We’re going to linger awhile.
This story was originally written by Joe Passov, a Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA) award-winning journalist. Read the article in the Spring 2023 issue of Inside Desert Mountain Magazine.
