Scotch, Cigars, and Good Fellowship

There is just something about a good Scotch, along with a good cigar, and great fellowship. This is one of the things I love about Reformed Christians. We have the freedom to enjoy good drinks along with good cigars.

For years, I knew this was true about many in Reformed circles, but it is only in the last two years, since becoming pastor of Waco Reformed Church, that I have found true fellowship with those who enjoy doing just that.

I started writing this post because I wanted to share with Gabriel Rench, of CrossPolitic fame, the fact that I picked up another bottle of Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky. He made a post showing a bottle and a cigar, and I thought I would return the favor since I bought my second bottle for our fellowship lunch on Sunday.

The men the church love to sit in my garage (for lack of a better place) and smoke cigars, sip beer or Scotch, and talk theology, politics, and a host of other things. It is great fellowship.

But then this post morphed into one about Scotch, and so here it is.

I’m not an expert on Scotch but I was inspired by a Youtube video on the Top 5 Peated Scotches. At SLB’s suggestion, I bought a bottle of Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky, and was rewarded for my trust. Most people don’t particularly care for peated Scotch, but I have grown to love it.

My tastes for peated Scotches began about 2 years ago when a friend shared some Laphroaig (pronounced LaFroy). I didn’t like it at all. But it was such a strong taste, it made an indelible impression on the memory of my taste buds. The taste was sharp and smoky. It lasted. It had depth to it.

So I tried Peated Scotch again with a bottle of Ardbeg. That was probably not the way to go, since Ardbeg is much stronger that Laphroaig (pronounced LaFroy). Yet, it too, left an impression on my memory, especially as I worked my way through the bottle. I wasn’t going to throw it out, after all. It was still Scotch.

By the time I finished that bottle, I was officially a peated Scotch drinker. This led to the video. The man’s wife in the video calls the peated Scotches the “stinky Scotch.” And it does have a strong smell to it. So what is Peat?

“Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs…. Some Scotch whisky distilleries, such as those on Islay, use peat fires to dry malted barley. The drying process takes about 30 hours. This gives the whiskies a distinctive smoky flavour, often called “peatiness” (Wikipedia).

Peat basically gives us two kinds of Scotch, normal Scotch and Peated Scotch. One is easier to drink than the other, yet it is worth learning to drink both (always in moderation.)

SLB lists these 5 as their top peated Scotches, in the following order:

Talisker — “Ruggedly Maritime, sweet smoke, Peat, Pepper” according to the label.
Port Charlotte (made by the second distillery featured in the documentary Scotch: A Golden Dream. Yes, it is worth watching).
Laphroaig: Lore. This is their premium Laphroaig. I haven’t tried it yet. I just get the normal 10-year-old.
Lagavulin. Never heard of it, nor seen it in the shops I visit.
Ardbeg: Uigendail. Again, their premium. From what SLB says, it has a premium price on it, so I don’t think I will get a bottle.

I snapped a quick photo of the video so I could remember SLB’s suggestions.

Here is the one that is out of my price range.

Now, I would like to list my top 5 Scotches.

Glenlevit 18. Nothing more smooth. I rarely drink this one, usually settling for the 12-year-old.
Highland Park 12.
Glenmorangie 12 year Malt Qunta Ruben (Port Cask Finish).
Talisker 10 years.
Glenmorangie 10 year Sherry Cask Finish.

As for cigars, that is a whole other topic. I will say that it was through my Dad that I learned to enjoy a good cigar. At a very low point in my life, he and I would enjoy a good cigar at the end of the day. We would sit on his porch, looking out over the green pastures of his ranch, and talk about life. I got to know more about my Dad in those days than at any other point in my life. I think it was because we were not only father and son, but man to man.

And that is a lot of what our fellowships are like (without the view of the ranch). We talk, man to man, brother to brother, about those things that are important to us. And the best part about it is that the following Proverb is true:

As iron sharpens^[c] iron,
so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

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