Xtreme Tasting League: Scotch

We’re super excited to have Skot and Tyler from True Stone Coffee Roasters with us to taste the Glenmorangie Tusail and the Tullibardine 228 Burgandy. We spend time talking about how similar the tasting process is between what we do and what they do when researching a new blend. They were also kind enough to bring a sample of their immersion brew cold coffee beverage, which we taste just before the closing toast. True Stone Coffee Roasters have also given us–and you–a special treat. If you go to their web site to order any of their amazing blends and use the coupon code “scotch”, you’ll get 10% off your order–no limit, no end date (or so I’m led to believe). Our thanks to them and happy roasting!

We run a little long again because we’re still joined by James Fairbairn from The Awfulcopter (huey huey huey huey huey), who has passionate reactions to this episode’s pours and tells us a couple stories, one of which I actually ask for. We taste the Kilchoman 2nd Edition and the Ardbeg Auriverdes. Oh, and Dave’s still gone, the loser.

We’re a man down yet we run a bit longer than usual. Why is this, you might ask. It’s because we have fellow podcaster James Fairbairn with us to taste the Craigellachie 13yr and the Glen Moray Elgin Classic.

We pitch a show idea for Jena, Perrin borrows from Mickey Rooney’s playbook, Phillip reminds us there are still two performances of his show “Get Thee Behind Me, Santa” for you to see, and Bob talks a little more about “Hard Wired”, his new show co-written with Suzy Becker and playing at the Bryant Lake Bowl next month. All this while we taste Kavalan Classic and Nikka Yoichi 15yr. Also, the Minneapolis distiller I was thinking of was indeed Du Nord.

Bob Alberti returns and Phillip Andrew Bennett Low joins him and us for another round of not scotch scotch. Because it’s Episode 69 and we’re immature idiots, we’ve decided to French you Down Under by tasting Brenne from Cognac in France and Lark from Tasmania in Australia.

Duck Washington returns and gives us his origin story–well, his name’s origin story anyway. Dave’s nose makes several vocal appearances as well and we’re all sorry about that. Pours this go around are the Balvenie Peated 17yr and Glenkinchie 2010 20yr. Even though this show is posting a bit late, there’s still time to see Caucasian-Aggressive Pandas and Other Mulatto Tales at the Bryant Lake Bowl this weekend. If you are a Twin Cities local, you really should check it out. This is the final weekend.

Duck Washington of Fearless Comedy Productions joins us this month to promote his upcoming show “Caucasian Aggressive Pandas and Other Mulatto Tales”, playing at the Bryant Lake Bowl theatre November 13, 14, 20, and 21 at 7pm. The play is an original work based on Duck’s life as an individual of mixed race and we at Xtreme Tasting League: Scotch are looking forward to seeing it (during the second weekend, as we’re all three of us going to OmegaCon on the show’s opening weekend). As for the drams this show, we’re doing another independent bottlers episode, this time featuring Montgomerie’s (an Angus Dundee label) Ben Nevis 18yr and Scott’s Selection Glen Mhor 1978.

Mona returns and we taste the Isle of Jura Brooklyn and Bruichladdich Octomore.

Dave’s back, Perrin’s gone, and burlesque performer Mona Montague joins us for the first of our October shows, a “scotch on the cheap” episode, where we taste the Auchentoshan Classic and Glen Ness 12yr. Mona will performing this weekend in the Minneapolis Burlesque Festival and we do hope you’ll go check out the shows.

Perrin makes a visual joke and then talks about his wife’s love of mushes, after which I regale the group with a mush story not my own. One of my cats proves he’s a little shit by playing with some, causing a mild distraction. We also talk some shit about the actors in the Star Wars prequels, mostly Hayden, because why not. It’s XTL story hour! Oh yeah, there’s some scotch tasting too–Tomatin 25yr and Ardbeg Supernova.

Di returns, Dave’s gone (again), and we’re still not drinking blends! Instead we have the Glenmorangie Companta and the Old Puteney 12yr.

Natalie Wass returns and brings Bombshell La Belle, a burlesque performer (on stilts!), with her. We drink a couple of independent bottlings this episode, a Cadenhead Caol Ila 22yr and a Gordon & MacPhail Lochside 12yr.

Do you like theater? We sure do, and that’s why we’ve invited two participants in this year’s Minnesota Fringe Festival to join us. Natalie Rae Wass is dancing in Bollywood Dance Scene’s “Spicy Masala Chai” at the Rarig Proscenium while Matthew Kessen acts in Comedy Suitcase’s “The Averagers” at Theatre in the Round. Both shows still have tickets available for select dates but reserve yours now as they may very well sell out! We also talk about the Encyclopedia Show, a monthly collection of performances based around a single topic, to which both Matt and Natalie are frequent contributors. He also tells us briefly of his monster presentation archive Rev. Matt’s Monster Science. Both of our guests are also members of Green T Productions, who will be at this year’s MN State Fair (on certain days anyway). But this is our show, Xtreme Tasting League: Scotch, and so we also need some special guest star whiskeys. This month, that means Cragganmore Dis

Kirsten Wade returns and tastes the Glengoyne 16yr Shiraz finished and Bowmore Small Batch.

Kirsten Wade, newly minted Fearless Comedy Productions member and Vilification Tennis Amateur Show champion, joins us for our next round of Scotch on the Cheap!

Melissa Kaercher returns for our next edition of Scotch Around the World (…world…world)! This time we sample Kavalan’s Concerto Port from Taiwan and Glenora’s Glen Breton Rare 10yr from Canada. Melissa also talks about her recent vacation to England where she walked Hadrian’s Wall and drank at the super secret bar within a bar in London. For more details, press play.

Movie maven Melissa Kaercher recently invited Cetius over to record for one of her podcasts, Xanadu Cinema Pleasure Dome, and so we’re having her on (again!) with us. She’s joined us for a Special Edition, but we give her the full episode treatment this time while we taste the last of Highland Park’s Valhalla series, Odin, and the Glen Deveron 16yr.

We’re back with our Die Laughing 2 winner, Cicely Robin Laing, to talk about all her improv troupes and we welcome her (formerly) sober cab, Roger, while we taste Auchentoshan 12yr and Glen Dronach 14yr finished in Sauternes barrels.

Cicely Robin Laing, winner of our Die Laughing 2 auction and performer in a few Die Laughing events, joins us to drink Aberlour 12yr and Springback CV.

Tim Uren returns and talks about Ghoulish Delights and the Twin Cities Horror Fest and I ask him to talk about stepping onto the dance floor in a Fringe show last year. We make some D&D references while we add water to the second pour, for reasons that are evident when you listen, and we toast out on a story in praise of large chocolate malts. We taste the Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams (2nd American edition) and Glen Garioch 21yr.