This past meeting, member DW enlightened us all as to the actual wines and spirits behind cask finishes.  We sampled BenRiach's 2007 line of 15 year whiskies -- which are four bottles of the same single malt Scotch, except each bottle is a different finish: Dark Rum, Pedro Ximenez (sherry), Tawny Port, and Madiera.  This allowed us to distinguish exactly how different finishes affect a whisky, since the whiskies themselves were identical otherwise.

For each whisky, DW presented us with the actual wine/spirit that the whisky was finished in.  We sampled a decadent Pedro Ximenez sherry, a great Madiera, a well-respected port, and -- to mix things up -- a Murray McDavid 13-year Jamaican rum.  Tasting each wine/spirit side-by-side with its corresponding whisky, it was very apparent how each cask finish had influenced the whisky.  And we learned a good deal about each wine/spirit, too.

In addition, JW provided us with a great trivia game, "Famous Whisky Quotes."  Attendees were challenged to match a whisk(e)y related quote with its author.  AS won the competition with a 100% score.  To try your hand at it, click the image.