There’s a girl in this harbor town
And she works laying whiskey down
They say Brandy fetch another round
She serves them whisky and wine…
– Looking Glass

It’s Spring!

That means that wine and spirits conferences are everywhere! Because I’ve been busy, I haven’t had an opportunity to share some of my adventures of participating in conferences, conventions, and festivals.

This may be two parts.

Whisky! Or Whisk(e)y for USA!

The Nth Experience, or, more accurately, the Ultimate Whisky and Spirits Experience, took place at the Wynn Las Vegas. Nth describes the event as follows: The Nth is the only event in the world where patrons sample the most premium, rare, unique, and expensive whiskies and spirits from all the major houses worldwide.

And yeah, that’s true. And this is serious stuff because the events ranged in price from $12,000 for the entire week to $595 for the Grand Tasting. My particular budget told me that $12,000 was not ever going to happen (especially after my Home Improvement event last summer), but I was able to make it into the finale. You do what you gotta do

My taste for whiskey (American spelling) is rather limited, admittedly. I’m basically a Bourbon and Single Malt Scotch gal. I like the occasional Tequila (preferably Añejo), Gin – with its resultant bad behaviors – and high-end Vodka. I will try all kinds of spirits, bitters, and liqueurs from time to time just for fun.

But obviously, this blog isn’t called Vegas Wineaux for nothing. Wine’s my vibe.

But I digress.

The spirits were great. Despite the burn-the-throat heat, high-end spirits are always great. Instead of the rotgut traits of cheaper hooch (see the old slang I used there?), better spirits, like better wines, are nuanced with varied subtleties and actual character. While the ABV is far higher than wine, and therefore requires less drinking, that doesn’t detract from the flavorful pleasure of a quality spirit.

Oh, by the way, this Bourbon girl’s favorite was the Lagavulin 16-year Single Malt Scotch, which was extraordinary.  First of all, I love smokey Scotches and the Lagavulin delivered. It was smokey, peaty, iodiney (is that a word?), and seemed to have some ocean mixed in. On the palate, the peat and smoke carry through, with just a hint of salted caramel. Complex, nuanced, delicious. It was the one spirit I revisited more than twice.

Enjoy the (ridiculously) short slideshow! Sipping on whisk(e)y considerably diminished my picture-taking abilities!