My whisky journey begins here with the Laphroaig Quarter Cask.

By the time I first tried this, I already preferred whisky over other spirits. I used to keep bottles of Johnnie Walker Black in the dorm in college. Good bottles beyond the Johnnie Walkers are not so easy to find in Philippine groceries. But I also tried some decent single malts like Glenmorangie 10 and Glenfiddich 12.

At some point I tried a Nikka Yoichi and really liked it. But I didn't count myself as an enthusiast.

I went to this bar, LIT on one birthday in my 20s to try a Nikka whisky flight. Looking at their long menu was intimidating. I had no idea what I wanted or what these bottles were. Having caught wind that it was my birthday, this kind bartender gave me a shot of Laphroaig Quarter Cask on the house.

When I first tried it, I was floored. It smelled incredibly rich, maybe even a bit pungent. The smell and taste reminded me of tinapa (smoked fish), but still had the sweet woody flavors from the whiskies that I knew. I was shocked and amazed. How could this be whisky? And what amazing flavors and scents does the world of whisky have in store for me?

And the rest, I guess, is history.

Image Courtesy of @WhiskyPH

@WhiskyPH

At its core, whisky appreciation is an exercise in memory. Notes of a whisky enthusiast in the Philippines. 🥃🇵🇭