The Glenlivet brings the finer things to Morton's

Everyone raise your glass - just don't spill a drop.

The Finer Things.

I dig 'em... you dig 'em... everyone seems to be working pretty dang hard to get 'em. Even Steve Winwood knew about 'em. But I have a feeling some folks don't always know exactly what he was singing about. What are these "finer things" of which you speak, Stevie? And why are they "shining through"? Are you talking about electric light, electric guitars, electric eels? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU YAPPING ABOUT, STEVE!?

Well, don't look to Little Stevie Winwood for inspiration; he was probably high when he wrote that ditty. And isn't he blind or something*... what the hell does he know? But if you've ever eaten at a top notch steakhouse, you've probably enjoyed a taste of 'em yourself. And if you've ever sipped on a really high quality spirit crafted by a true artisan, you've probably had 'em then as well. Luckily for me, I was able to experience quite a bit of 'em this past Thursday evening when Morton's the Steakhouse hosted The Glenlivet Scotch Tasting event at their downtown Baltimore location.

Seriously, nothing much beats the combination of great food and top shelf liquor in the realm of "the finer things". Maybe throw in a spectacular view from the penthouse of a 5-star hotel in Paris... but now I'm getting greedy. I know I was quite content that evening. And with the guidance of our host from The Glenlivet distillery, I think all in attendance were entertained and informed as well.

The event began with a friendly waiter handing me a glass of The Glenlivet 12-year (their flagship product) as I entered the banquet room, although I barely noticed. I was too busy absorbing the milieu before me - three tables, arranged with a multitude of snifters, perfectly populated with portions of beautiful auburn liquor. Each table represented a different aged bottle of their product: the 15-, 16- and 18-year-old versions. This display was quite impressive for a Scotch drinker, and the presentation soon after did not disappoint either.

Greeted by affable Scotsman and Glenlivet rep Ricky Crawford, we were treated to a fun yet educational history of the Scottish whisky, sprinkled with humorous tales and a joke here or there, many at the expense of the Irish, English or French. (At this point, I hid behind my semi-German heritage and continued drinking.) He then proceeded to speak of each label in turn and explained the differences as we tasted, painting a delicious picture of The Glenlivet's offerings and giving us a chance to experience these wonders first hand. I'll save you the entire spiel, but here's a quick glimpse at the four products we enjoyed that evening:

The 12 Year Old
Simply one of the smoothest single malts you can find in most any bar, this spirit is aged for 12 years in American bourbon oak casks and bottled lovingly at 80 proof. The gold standard for Scotch in most of the civilized world.

The 15 Year Old
Take some of the 12 year version and age it for another 3 years in French oak barrels, giving it a softer, but still spicy, flavor, and you'll have this label. Apparently this is a favorite of the ladies. Don't sue me, I'm just the messenger.

Nadurra 16 Year Old
This was a new one for me. After its life in the American oak, this whisky is bottled at cask strength, meaning it is not diluted to sell at a standard 80 proof as most are. Differing in strength from batch to batch (ours was 108 proof), this one definitely has a power behind it you can feel, without the burn of a cheap blend.

The 18 Year Old
In my opinion, the champion of Speyside Scotch. Full of complex floral and fruity notes - the kind of subtle character you'd expect from an elder whisky. Especially pleasing is the tinge of sherry oak flavor that really separates it from the others. Finished the night spectacularly, and it was well worth the wait.

So that is just a short list of some of The Finer Things that Steve won't shut up about. And when paired with the tasty hors d'oeuvres served throughout the evening by the hospitable folks at Morton's, well - I can hardly think of anything finer. Either way, it all adds up to a great experience that will keep me coming back, and probably make the nearest liquor store selling The Glenlivet 18 Year Old very happy indeed.

No, you can't come over and share. Go get your own.

Especially you, Steve Winwood. Remember last time? Yeah, I didn't think so...

Mark Burlet
Drunken Intellectual

*-Editor's Note**: Steve Winwood is not blind. The author is probably thinking of the artist's early work with Eric Clapton in the band Blind Faith.

**-Additional Note: I have no editor***.

***-Who just wrote that, then? Spooky stuff...