You’re bringing cigars, right? SOFREP Managing Editor Guy McCardle was asking me what I was packing for SOF Week.
Umm, Yes of course, why?
Because I’m bringing a bottle of Fior Scotch to review, have you ever had any?
I had to admit I hadn’t, mostly because I’m not a big Scotch drinker but, if that’s what a Veteran owned company sends us to review then we step up and give it our all, and I’m glad we did.
THE COMPANY
Fior Scotch is the first and only Black-owned and US Veteran-owned Scotch, ever. Major Eric Dominijanni USMC started life as a Rum and cigar person but one day in Huntington Beach, after a free shot of bad scotch, by chance he happened upon a true scotch bar where he learned about good scotch. It changed his life in a way he never thought would happen.
Major Dominijanni is a rather unique person, a retired Marine with 3 tours in Iraq and 2 in Okinawa, he makes his own Mead and Beer, is a Culinary school graduate who competed against and beat Bobby Flay in 2006, and makes his own sausage. Tinkering with food and drink comes natural to him so blending different scotches together to get a perfect taste was almost a forgone conclusion and in 2017 he hit upon his “Infinity Blend”, the scotch that would later become Fior in 2023. He doesn’t consider himself a scotch expert but he knows what he likes and when he shared it with family and friends, they loved it.
THE SCOTCH TASTING
Wednesday of SOF Week was a very full day for Guy and I, and by the time we made it to the house it was after 9pm and we were in need of some chill time.
We opened the Fior, poured two generous tumblers and got to tasting. At first I swirled the tumbler and looked, yes it clings to the glass as it should and the smell reminds me of, citrus with something in the background I can’t quite identify, but it’s not harsh in fact it’s pleasant and even an inviting smelling liquor.
My next act is a small sip because I’m usually trying to prepare for a bad liquor, the kind that’s advertised as “smooth” but in reality feels like a ball of 60 grit sandpaper going down your throat. I sipped and, hmmm, yes a bit of citrus and something more but very pleasant and inviting so I took a full sip and let it sit in my mouth for a second. Ahhh, the second taste is caramel and malt, with a hint of smoke possibly. Guy agree’s, a bit of sweet/citrus and malt, overall very pleasant and drinkable.
There’s a lot to taste in this full bodied scotch so I refill the tumbler and head to the couch. Yes, there’s a hint of smoke in the background but it’s very light and mellow not at all harsh with a nasty charcoal bite as I’ve experienced in the past, this is easy on the palate and combined with the caramel and malt provides a good offset to the fruity notes that are initially tasted.
CONCLUSION
Blended liquors should bring out the best in their respective styles and limit the harsher aspects to provide a unique and pleasant taste not found in any single vintage. Fior does exactly that with it’s blend of Highland and Speyside scotch’s, producing a scotch with a full bodied and complex taste that is very pleasant to drink.
Guy and I both agree, the words we keep coming back to are, pleasant tasting and very drinkable. We both enjoyed drinking it, and even though we weren’t big scotch drinkers before, we have since come to appreciate Major Dominijanni’s passion and salute his hard work and new challenge in life. I don’t think Fior will pull me away from my Rum full time, but I will put a bottle in my bar and enjoy it as it’s meant to be, with friends. Bravo Sir!
