Written by Jackson Glassey, December 21 2018

In a Scotch Slump?

Ever feel like you’re in a rut? I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a human being who has never experienced that dreaded sensation of fruitless repetition, of monotonous metanoia. But in my case, right now, this applies to something a little more lighthearted. I’m not in a slump because of career woes, existential affairs, or personal tribulations, no—rather… I’ve fallen absent in attending to my love for scotch.

I was once intensely fixated on this spirit. I was regularly attending Whiskey Wednesdays at our Somers Point location, constantly learning about different types of scotch and the processes involved in crafting them. Any chance I got, I picked up a bottle of one that had caught my fancy at tastings. But recently, I feel like I’ve lost the spark that ignited my hunger (or thirst, I guess) for the holy elixir of Scotland; I want it back, and I’ve been trying to get it back.

For instance, I’ve kept my eye on “bang-for-your-buck” scotches, scotches of reasonable standard and quality that won’t break your bank account. This has led to some terrific discoveries. The two that’ve stuck out to me the most as great values are Deanston’s 12-Year Single Malt and Glendullan’s “The Sinlgeton” 12-Year Single Malt, both of which I highly recommend to fans of zestier scotches and neither of which have a price tag exceeding fifty dollars.

PV’s resident whiskey expert Dave Baldwin introduced me to the Deanston scotch late one afternoon after my shift had ended at our Somers Point store. He describes it as a “scotch pilsner,” and I completely agree. Pilsner beers are often extremely easygoing, light, and poppy, and, in the wide world of scotch, this Deanston is exactly that. I think it’s a great scotch for those just discovering the drink like I was last year: it’s accessible, it’s appreciable, and it’s far from overbearing.

Conversely, I discovered the Singleton more arbitrarily. At this point my whiskey cabinet had been empty for a while, so I cruised back on over to PVSP to poke around for something semi-affordable and tasty. I was feeling a little adventurous and whimsical, so I took a chance on the Singleton when I stumbled upon its oblong bottle sitting on the shelf, hoping for a home… I was not disappointed! It’s similarly modest to the Deanston, but with a little extra punch. Where Deanston’s 12-Year is bound to please those who enjoy scotch, the Singleton should satisfy fans of any whiskey, really—its palate takes additional cues from bourbon and Irish whiskey, propelling the zing of Kentucky and the hominess of Ireland.