Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/687399
june 2016 / the tasting panel / 71 A mind is a terrible thing to waste and so is a glass of whiskey. Putting both our minds and palates to work we headed to the Master Classes, hosted by Beam Suntory's National Ambassador Team during the com- pany's L.A. Whiskey Week. Starting out the day with a journey to Scotland, Laphroaig Brand Ambassador Simon Brooking began his Hair of the Bog session with a traditional Scottish song and noted that Beam has one of the largest peated portfolios in the world. He then walked through the composi- tion and terroir of the boggy matter. Since the best way to learn is through doing, we sipped on Connemara, the only peated Irish whiskey, and picked up on a lovely smokiness balanced by flavors of honey. We moved on to sample Ardmore Legacy—the peat for this whisky comes from St. Fergus on the western side of Scotland. It has a lighter style and peppery quality, making it a perfect intro to peat. We ended with the robust Laphroaig 10 Year Old. "The first time someone has a sip of this," Brookings explained, "they might think they licked a campfire. But the second and third sips open up the whisky and show off its complexity." And with a final Scottish poem, we left the world of peat and entered the world of rye. Dan Tullio, Canadian Whisky Master Ambassador at Beam Suntory, walked us through the legal intricacies of whis- kies and ryes in Canada, while sam- pling Canadian Club Chairman's Select 100% Rye, which just became available in the U.S., and Alberta Rye Dark Batch, a unique, spicy rye with notes of vanilla and dark fruits. Showing off the whiskies of Japan, Johnnie Mundell, Japanese Whisky Ambassador at Beam Suntory, led a completely full class on this exploding category. When all was said and done, both our brains and bodies were full of whiskies from around the world—not bad for a day's work. —Emily Coleman Is in Laphroaig Brand Ambassador Simon Brooking. Dan Tullio, Canadian Whisky Master Ambassador at Beam Suntory. Students contemplate the way the peat affects the bouquet, during the Hair of the Bog session. Johnnie Mundell, Japanese Whisky Ambassador at Beam Suntory, led a completely full class on the hot topic of whiskies from Japan. PHOTO: SAM SCHNEIDER Attendees were able to DIY screenprint t-shirts featuring Auchentoshan Scotch. PHOTO: CAL BINGHAM PHOTO: CAL BINGHAM PHOTO: CAL BINGHAM PHOTO: CAL BINGHAM