In September 2004 a group of guys (all Iowa State chemical engineering graduate students back in the mid- to late-‘60’s) decided to get together for a canoeing adventure in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of northern Minnesota.  Since no glass containers are allowed within the area, one of the group noticed that Scoresby’s can be purchased in a plastic container so, we bought a bottle for the trip.  Some of the group were Scotch drinkers and made a few disparaging remarks about the product.  The last night, around the campfire, we finished off the bottle (didn’t want to haul out anymore weight than necessary, you know.) 

In September 2006 we planned another canoeing adventure to the same general area in the BWCA and again, took a bottle of Scoresby’s with us.  It, too, was consumed around the campfire in the evening as tales were told and like the earlier bottle, was finished off the last night in camp. 

Just two weeks ago, our group went to southern Missouri to canoe down the Eleven Point River.  One of the group brought with him six unmarked containers of Scotch.  Actually, the containers were marked but with the letters, A, B, C, D, E, and F.  The purpose of the blind taste test was to see just how well Scoresby’s stacked up against some other well-known and not-so-well-known Scotches.  Two of the Scotches were single malts.  The other four were blends.  Some were comparatively expensive while others were not.  Six of the group participated in the “taste” test.  We all poured a thimble-sized sample of each Scotch to sniff, taste neat, and then dilute slightly and taste again.  After due deliberation and cogitation, each of us ranked the Scotches.  The person who arranged the taste test, took our score sheets and totaled the scores.  As he was doing so, he kept making surprising exclamations.  “This is something!”  “I don’t believe this!”  “You’re not going to believe this!”   

All members of the group had either a Master’s degree or Ph.D. from ISU in chemical engineering.  Three men were from Minnesota.  One was from West Virginia.   Two were from Texas and one was from California.  Most of the group is retired.  

To our surprise Scoresby’s came out decisively on top with a score of 1.6 (lowest score wins).  The next closest product score was 3.0 and it was a single-malt.  Can you believe that!

Dave Johnson
Grand Rapids, Minnesota