For my second entry into the Dice and Drams series, I wanted to up the complexity a bit. There’s always room for simple, fun games and simple, delicious whiskey, but there are also times that call for a game that burns your brain and a whiskey that takes some thought to dissect. This month, I bring you a pairing that does just that – a game that challenges you yet delights with the potential decision space it provides, and a whiskey that demands your full attention to appreciate its depths of flavor. With that in mind, I decided to pair Seven Seals Single Malt Peated Doublewood Finish with one of my all-time gaming favorites: Barrage.
The Pairing: Seven Seals Single Malt Peated Doublewood with Barrage
The Whiskey: Seven Seals Single Malt Peated Doublewood Finish
One of the more interesting whiskies I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying, with the complexity being apparent on the first nose. It has that classic single malt grain note on the front, but in a graceful way. The peat smoke is well-integrated and counters the single malt well, bringing to mind smoked meats, sea-salt, and pickle brine. The smell of honey and vanilla is present. Interestingly, I also smell something buttery, almost like a chardonnay. That’s not a note I expect on a whiskey, but it’s nice here. The palate brings further notes of a creamy kind of smokiness, a fruit note that almost makes me think of a peach, and pie crust. The finish is medium-length, mostly carrying the smokiness and pickle brine note from the peat. The proof makes itself known on the palate and finish but is in no way overwhelming. This is an all-around incredibly pleasant whiskey, with a healthy complexity that I’ve enjoyed exploring.
The Game: Barrage
Barrage is a game of depth – depth of rules, depth of strategy, and depth of interaction space with other players. In Barrage, players take on the roles of heads of state in an alternative-history 1920’s Europe. In this history, the main source of energy is hydroelectricity, primarily generated through dams. Those who control the flow of water control the source of energy in this world, and the French Alps are one such place to harness this flow.
The board represents the flow of water down the mountainside, starting high on the peak and moving down into the valley. Players take turns investing their resources into building dams over these flows, improving the capacity of those dams, purchasing technology, and generating energy. Generating energy allows you to fulfill contracts, which give you access to more resources and technology. The depth comes through controlling the water flow – if you build a dam higher up the river than another player, you can divert the water away from them and towards another one of your dams. Building dams is not cheap, and cutting off the investments of other players like this can be devastating. However, choices in Barrage are not free, and there are consequences to overinvesting early. Building high up the mountain is expensive, and doing so early before you have other infrastructure in place to capitalize can leave you crippled for the rest of the game. Careful consideration of when to build, hold your place, or cut someone off is required.
As you might imagine, this game is intense, and requires a lot of time and energy. Put aside several hours and play with people that are ok with heavy games and lots of interaction.
The Final Pairing:
As you’ve probably figured out, I really like both this whiskey and this game. With each there is depth, but both offer surprising rewards to those that are willing to explore them. This Seven Seals offering has notes I’ve never experienced on a whiskey, and integrates its flavors together very well. I keep coming back to that buttery chardonnay note… so interesting. Barrage offers a decision space where each step must be measured and success is determined by who can capitalize on other players’ missteps most effectively. Enjoy the two together and appreciate the beauty of good craft.
Cheers and happy gaming!
