Jura Origin 10 year Single Malt

When I was in Paris, I was on a scotch-high. Breakfast was always 30 cent bananas and $1.00 Red Bull at the grocery store. But we ate out every night, and I attempted to try a new scotch each time.

During a shopping trip to Les Halles I found a bottle of Balvenie 40 year old for 3800 Euros which was so expensive I couldn't even afford to stand near it. They charged me ten bucks just to take a photo! Kidding.

Anyway, I settled on the Jura Collection. The three 5cl bottles cost $25 Cdn. Probably a bit expensive, but I was on vacation and justified the spending that way.

The first I tried was the 10 year old, Origin. I'd never had a 10 year old scotch before so was not expecting it to be as calm or as nice as the older ones I'd had. Wrong, oh so wrong. I've now learned first-hand that age means nothing.

The nose was big on crisp apples and sweet apple juice, with a slight alcohol scent sneaking its way through.

The taste really surprised me. It was rich and slightly smokey. I got a hint of s'mores and then grapes. It was far more mature than what I expected.

The finish followed suit with smokey honey and a unique taste I couldn't figure out for a long time. Ah-ha! Grape seeds!

I really enjoyed this a lot. It's one I would surely buy again. I would liken this to a high-mileage DeLorean. Expecting to find faults, but amazed that there is nothing wrong with it at all.

Les Halles, Paris: $25 for the Jura Collection
50 ml
40% (80 proof)

www.JuraWhisky.com

DeLorean Bling

SQUEE SQUEE SQUEE SQUEE! I heard the nose coming from the engine, directly behind my head. "That sounds like us" I said, slightly worried. "No, it's NOT us!" declared Sue. SQUEE SQUEE SQUEE SQUEE! "Yeah, that's definitely us." I replied. "No! Don't stop the car!" yelled Sue.

A few seconds later I had no choice. With a tiny snap my rear window fogged up. I immediately pulled off the highway and shut the car off, then watched as coolant spewed onto the ground. I peered into the engine bay only to find my water pump pulley was missing. It had snapped off due to metal fatigue, wedging itself into a nook in the 2.8L PRV.

Dave Swingle, owner of DeLorean Motor Company Midwest called it "A very unusual failure!" And so, my summer fun ended and work began on the DeLorean.

My choices were as follows. Pull the water pump, press a new pulley on, and reinstall my water pump. I didn't see the value in that since the cost savings over option two was about 37 cents. Option two was pull the water pump and replace with an OEM water pump and pulley. And finally, option 3 was pull the water pump and replace with a bolt-on pulley & pump.

For less than $100 more, I liked option 3 the best. The bolt-on pulley was the most logical choice. If my pulley ever failed again I could simply unbolt it myself and bolt on a new one, thus saving me the hefty labour expense (By the book, it's 6.5 hrs).

So who sold a bolt-on pulley? Hervey. And it was anodized aluminum. Sweet.

When my mechanic placed the order, Hervey told him there were only 2 left. And he wasn't planning further production of them. I bought the entire silicone hose kit (lifetime warranty) and my mechanic took the utmost care installing it all, as if he were working on a show-car.

Should this pulley fail, it is an inexpensive DIY job I am absolutely capable of undertaking. Should it not, I have a bitchin bit of bling to dress up my 31 year old engine bay! It's always awesome to make the best of a bad situation.

Highland Park 12 year Single Malt

The Scotch Noob (scotchnoob.com) claims to be for the newbie scotch drinkers. I, however, am far more certified in that regard and that's hardly a compliment.

Months back, when I wanted to branch out, I began taking recommendations. Trying smokier and peatier scotches was a bit frightening, but it's what everyone seems to love. My first peated scotch was an Ardbeg, a deadly thing that nearly destroyed me. I still sweat nervously thinking about it. A number of people suggested Highland Park 12 as the perfect way to ease into it. A sale at the LCBO was my green light and I picked up a 750ml bottle for $55.

Despite huge recommendations and whisky guru Jim Murray declaring it "The perfect all-rounder..." I had a tough time with this one. The nose was fine. A bit of an off-putting yet intriguing old cabin smell, moderately smoky, and after some careful consideration a bit of caramel, but not sweet.

On my tongue was smooth, rich, medium smoke, a bit woody. I almost felt like I was camping. It was pushing my limits - a bit too strong for me and not very complex.

The finish was similar. Warm and smokey. Images flashed through my mind of sitting in a rustic, patched chair in a cabin, dying most likely. As the finish finished the imagery changed to the deck of the cabin, near the water. I was still alive. A bit salty and dry. The scotch, not me.

The problem is I happen to be a supertaster. You can look it up. In a nutshell, I experience flavour at a much more intense level than normal people. What a shock! I'm ABnormal! What it means is that rich, smokey or peaty scotches overwhelm my tastebuds. Yes, I am a scotch wuss.

That's not to say I dislike the Highland Park 12. I can still appreciate it, but the power of this scotch pushes me and my delicate, wussy tastebuds to the limit. A DeLorean with an upgraded stereo, an amp and subwoofer that can't be turned off.

LCBO sale: $55
750ml
43% (86 proof)

www.highlandpark.co.uk