Master of Malt have long been pals of Dramatic Whisky and I’d like to think it’s because our two companies have the same outlook on the world of whisky- keep it fun. I would say that we both bring a youthfulness to whisky, but my graying hair might be evidence that I’m simply hoping to be included in that category!
Something thing they do which I think is ace is ‘Drinks by the dram’ which allows anyone to purchase miniatures of just about anything they stock. Of course, you have to pay accordingly and a 3cl sample starts at under £4 up to the current £209 for 3cl of Glenfarclas 1953. Fortunately enough they sent me a sample of that last one. See, I told you we were pals. 
This is a huge help to those who wish to try a broader range of whisky without forking out to do so.
They also have a new range of their own bottling under the name ‘That Boutique-y Whisky Company’ and yes, the “y” is hyphenated. Under this label the guys bottle single malts, grains and blends from a variety of renowned distilleries, each limited release 50cl bottle is adorned with various sketches and comic book illustrations which will no doubt help the already growing cult status of these drams. The range already has quite a number of releases in the range and when they offered to send me some samples, the ‘Drinks by the Dram’ creation came in handy. I have 18 samples to get through! so I am doing this in parts, this being part one. Selecting the first five was no easy task, but sticking to things such as Bunnahabhain and Deanston which I recently reviewed and Clynelish as another favourite plus Springbank and Braes O’ Glenlivet to round out a fine line-up. And I thought I would start with the lighter styles so the choices of my first five samples (part 1) are as follows:
Clynelish- Batch 1
So what’s the label all about: Clynelish was built after Brora closed and whilst it is a superb whisky, it is seen by purist (or should that be purrists) in this case as never quite being up to ‘scratch’.
48.6% abv 
197 Bottles RRP: £54.95 50cl
Appearance: Pale straw with white gold
Nose: Rattan fruit basket filed with tangerines, melon and peaches. Not immediately typical of Clynelish, less waxy but still has a coastal “freshness” holding the fruit down. Light spice on the nose, earthy vanilla pod and a bit of waxed church candle towards the end.
Palate: More of the expected waxy, creamy mouth-feel with stem ginger and vanilla before a hint of cardamom and cinnamon spice dusted over red berries mid palate. Faint salty element licks around the mouth bringing the earthy notes back to the fore.
Finish: Lingering citrus peel with a waxed edge. Earthy tones dry out the very long finish.
Summary: At first, not immediately recognisable as a Clynelish, them it bursts through with jubilant energy. Very good dram indeed.
Springbank- Batch 1
So what’s the label all about: Those cheeky chaps (bet they hate that tag) from Cask Strength, Neil and Joel twisting and shouting, trying to squeeze every last particle from a grain mill.
54.6% abv
274 bottle release RRP: Sold Out
Appearance: Light Honey, rose gold
Nose: A sweet peat reek to begin, underlined with coal embers, brown paper, slices of start fruit and a hint of baby sick. Came back to this 20 minutes later and yup, still baby sick in there somewhere.
Palate: Light sweet peat smoke and a mineral iodine flare before charred cedar wood dries out the palate allowing the white fleshed fruits to emerge.
Finish: Turns slightly oily to the finish, with the white fruits flowing on for some time.
Summary: Once you have a note stuck in your head, like a bad song, it’s tricky to get rid of it and butyric acid is a tough tune for any spirit to hum (of). I just could get the nose to match up to the tasty palate and it stopped the enjoyment right there.
Bunnahabhain- Batch 1
So what’s the label all about: A picture tells a thousand words- well almost. Here we see an elevated depiction of the Bunnahabhain distillery itself with everything from rally cars to shark infested waters.
46.1% abv
233 bottles released RRP: £51.95 50cl
Appearance: Pale yellow straw
Nose: Parma ham fat with white pepper over a piece of driftwood. Almost akin to reposado tequila, a definite vegetal nose with busts of coastal sea air. Samphire, turning to damp hay and deeper farmyard notes with a floral lift of violets at the end.
Palate: Creamy mouth-feel with liquorice root, milk bottle chews and vanilla before the salt washes through to leave chestnuts and buttery elements and peat water. Touches of ginger root and kippers keep the complex palate lively.
Finish: Dry spiced palate with tight tannin feel, lingering peat residue.
Summary: Being a fan of Bunnahabhain I was keen to get into this one and it didn’t disappoint. Complex, ever-changing and almost a challenge to the palate but in such an interesting way. Superb.
Deanston – Batch 1
So what’s the label all about: Deanston used to be a cotton mill before it was turned into a distillery in the mid 60′s, so it’s fairly ‘new” it whisky terms. According to MoM, hippies were around in the 60′s also although I doubt many made it to the banks of the river Teith.
50.8% abv
218 Bottle release RRP £46.95 50cl
Appearance: Bright gold
Nose: Sweet apple sauce with perfumed vanilla and fresh ginger shavings. The up front nose calms to reveal quince, grape and yellow sultanas with a good beechwood background.
Palate: Rich, creamy vanilla to the fore with lighter ginger spice close behind. Over-ripe banana with flaked almonds and a leafy element towards the end.
Finish: Dries with good malty grip and clean spice.
Summary: Quite close to the Deanston 12 in character, but seems to have the volume turned up a touch. Good example of this new kid on the block.
Braes o’ Glenlivet – Batch 1
So what’s the label all about: The inspiration for the label was the fact that it was Braes o’ Glenlivet that drew the Master of Malt trio Ben, Tom and Justin into the wonderful world of whisky in the first place.
47.2% abv
210 Bottle release RRP: £51.95 50cl
Appearance: Light straw, white gold.
Nose: Red berries mixed with poster paint, almond and lead pipe. Lets just say there is a lot going on in here. Varnished wood, bread and butter pudding, tinned pears and cherries.
Palate: Rich and buttery, again hints of bread and butter pudding spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon. Brazil nut and cherry bakewells.
Finish: Long and creamy, the bakewell lingers on.
Summary: A huge complex whisky, seemingly light at first but continues to develop and twist. A lot of fun and a great whisky.
So that is Part 1 done, as you will see the above limited releases are already selling out and I suspect this will always be the case. A great idea, executed with style and a good dollop of humour. Wish the rest of the industry could loosen up a bit like this.
Tags: 3cl, barley, Batch, ben, blend, Blended, blog, bottle, boutique, boutique-y, Box, braes, brand, brora, Bunnahabhain, by, Cask, cat, Clynelish, comic, company, cool, copper, cost, cotton, cute, dead, Deanston, design, dinky, distillery, dram, drinks, evian, expensive, fun, Glass, Glenfarclas, Glenlivet, handy, harrison, held, help, hippy, image, joel, label, limited, malt, master, mill, miniature, Neil, New, notes, of, Old, own, post, price, release, retro, review, Ridley, sample, samples, Scotch, Scotland, seal, select, sent, single, Springbank, still, strength, tasting, Teith, the, top, van, vintage, wax, whiskey, whisky
With a weekend behind me I would rather forget, having been to one end of the country and back again in a day, to then arrive back in London on a time schedule which would leave even those with teleportation abilities wondering how they were to fit everything in, it was a pleasure to make (if a tad late) my final appointment of the day. The calm, tranquil setting of the Pickering room, deep in the basement of No.3 St James street at Berry Bros & Rudd, being filed with familiar faces such as Neil and Joel of Cask Strength, Marcin from No.1 Drinks, SMWS boys, Billy, Alwyn and Kirtsy, certainly helped remove the stress of the proceeding days and hours. It’s a rather amazing building, steeped with history at every turn that I have had the fortunate luck of hearing over many years and it never fails to entertain me each time I visit. Thankfully, its normally with a glass of something rather special in my hand and this time was no exception.
The reason we were gathered was to hear the ever entertaining Doug McIvor, Master of Cask Selection, talk us through the latest release in the Blue Hanger range. Blue Hanger is a collection of blended malt (vattings for those who remember the term) whiskies of exceptional quality named after William ‘Blue’ Hanger, a loyal customer at Berry Bros. & Rudd know for his expensive blue clothes. The releases originally came to the diplomatic market in 1932 but had faded into history, until being revived in 2003 by Doug. The first release was a sublime marriage of Glenlivet and Glen Grant casks which produced just 723 bottles from a total of 4 hogsheads. Unsurprisingly, it sold out almost immediately upon its release as has been the fate of every subsequent release in the Blue Hanger range. Creation of a new addition only takes place when Doug feels they have secured the right casks in the best condition and can create a complimentary expression addition to the range.
There is always a nod to the original style which was heavy on the sherry cask although Release no. 6 did surprise a few of us with its more smokey character- but then, after winning Best Scotch Blended Malt in the World in 2008 & 2012 – it clearly was a pleasant surprise. With Doug now working on the 7th release of Blue Hanger, we were offered samples of releases 2, 4, 6 & 7 plus a couple of little single cask tipples just for fun – and a 1974 Glen Grant single cask IS a lot of fun. You will have to forgive me for not popping any tasting notes below on that particular whisky- sometimes you have to just put the pen down and enjoy something as rare as this, giving it some respect rather than trying to analyze it. After all, the pleasure is in the drinking.
Blue Hanger 2nd Release 25year old Blended Single Malt
723 bottles, 45.6% ABV, Non-chill filtered
4 hogshead of Glenlivet 1974, 1 sherry butt of Glenlivet 1974, 2 hogsheads of Glen Grant 1974
Appearance- Warm gold with hints of rose
Nose- Tropical fruit salad with apricot and crushed nuts. Buttery with slight rancio notes and light orange zest emerged before turning more towards floral lavender, hay, nubuck leather and kirsch.
Palate- Much of what was to be discovered on the nose with additional chewy cinnamon, coffee/cocoa nib, cherry wood and spices of nutmeg and clove.
Blue Hanger 4th Release Blended single Malt
3256 Bottles, 45.6% ABV, Non Chill Filtered
2 hogheads of Mortlach 1992, 1 sherry butt of Mortlach 1991, 1 sherry butt of Glen Elgin 1991, 2 sherry butts from Glenlivet 1974, ’75, 1 hogshead of Glenlivet 1976
Appearance- Golden Hay
Nose- Brazil nut and new plasticine with charred nut shells and a floral element which turns mineral before light clementine noted emerge. Struck match and the side of a Swan Vesta strike pad come to the front but seem to unite the other elements.
Palate- A gentle palate of warm spice, light honey and butter with cardamom and dry, toasty wood. Orange peel and dried apricots bring a welcome fruity center to the whisky.
Blue Hanger 6th Release Blended Single Malt
2223 bottles, 45.6% ABV Non Chill Filtered
Sherry butt of Glenrothes 1990
Sherry Butt of Bunnahabhain 1990
Hogshead of Bowmore 1980
Hogshead of Bowmore 1987
Appearance- Warm bronze with rose gold
Nose- Chocolate covered Brazil nut, linseed oil and liquorice root all wrapped in seaside aromas with drifts of dying embers. Brandy butter, flamed orange peel, ginger root and hay compete this most complex of noses.
Palate- Chewy indeed and as indicated from the nose, a lot going on but thankfully in harmony. Salty bar-b-que with pancetta strips, gingerbread, peat smoke and cinnamon spiced chestnuts all playing there part in bringing this wonderful marriage of sherry influenced peat smoke together.
Summary- If the outstanding quality of these exceptional cask, expertly married together to create delicious whisky was not enough to tempt you- try the fact that this latest release is only £66.81 RRP! don’t expect it to hanger round forever ! If this is a little rich for your pocket, then you wont go far wrong with Berry’s other blended option- Cutty Sark
Tags: bery, Blended, blender, blue, Bowmore, Bros, Bunnahabhain, Cask, cellar, chill, collection, Cutty, dram, Elgin, filtered, fine, Glen, Glenlivet, Glenrothes, grant, hanger, history, Japanese, London, malt, Marcin, master, merchant, Motrlach, non, notes, Old, oldest, rare, release, review, Ridley, Rudd, Sark, Scotch, select, selection, shop, single, SMWS, strength, tasting, vat, vatted, whisky, wine
Take a glance around a supermarket spirit shelf in any good sized town and you will be faced with quite a selection of whisky including offerings from outside the UK. In fact, as Gin, tequila and other spirits have seen a massive rise in popularity and therfore shelf space which has fortunately been driven by the 
consumers “thirst for knowledge” we see a general increase across the categories. Go back just fifteen years and your choice of gin would be perhaps three in total with 100% agave tequila almost unheard of in anything other than top London destinations. Today you can buy some of the best tequila and boutique gins from distillers such as Sipsmith and Chase from your local supermarket whilst stocking up on dragon fruit and edemame. Consumers are understanding these categories more and seeking out the more unusual offerings, but only after careful research gleaned from every available source. Consumers have all the information they require to hand from the enthusiastic bloggers post reviewing the latest releases, lifestyle magazines that scratch the surface a little deeper to tell the reader not only what to drink- but where and how to order (and what to ware whilst ordering!) to experience events such as the hugely popular GandTeatime and Dont-shoot-tequila which offers educational tasting events across the categories all across the UK (just like us at Dramatic Whisky). Yet there is still a need for an element of trust when a bartender or shop assistant is recommending a product which is only gained if the right knowledge is shown.
Whisky has always help a fair proportion of the shelf space- mostly due to the range of blended whisky that has always been available, but the current success of more premium spirits has undoubtedly lent a helping hand for whisky and in particular single malt. Blends have always outshone single malt, contributing to about 90% of all global whisky consumed, and not only the standards blends but as we see premium blends such as Black Grouse and Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve start to jump over the sales targets set- although some premium blends are beginning to tag themselves with prices around that of a 10 or 15 year old single malt, the choice for the consumer is at an all time high. There is without doubt, an opportunity to up-sell in a recession stuck country such as our- people may be going out less and certainly watching what they are spending their money on, but when they do venture out its value for money and an experience they seek no matter what their status or budget, And as staying at home becomes more common place, people are choosing more premium products to recreate a “better than normal” experience at home. Unfortunately, far too often the UK hospitality sector and the high street retailer are seriously lacking the skills to deliver the right service or information, failing to capitalise altogether.
A few years back, when I managed The Lobby Bar at One Aldwych, London hit a tough time for tourism as 9/11 was a recent happening. Most of the five start establishments had slashed room prices as occupancy dropped to an all time low with some of the grandest of London’s establishments only reaching 20%. One Aldwych stuck to her guns, kept rates as standard but didn’t lay off a single member of staff. I witnessed this risky approach in action one evening as the then time C.E.O. of a certain orange budget airline, who was a regular, asked the owner directly why he was paying the rate he was when he could pop over the road to another five star and stay there for a third of the price. My boss’s response will stick with we forever- “Would you like me to arrange for our luggage porter to take your bags over because they have had to let theirs go”. Basically, if you can still offer value for money and deliver the perfect guest experience every time, you can maintain your price when all around you are loosing theirs.
Emerging markets outside the UK such as India, Russia and China have certainly helped boost the numbers in terms of whisky exports and sales over the last coupe of years and no doubt will continue to do so for some time, but surely we need to support the foundations in the UK to ensue we are not left behind- and here is where the problem lies.
To most people, a bottle of single malt is a pricey investment when buying at the supermarket as many still choose by age and with age, rightly so in many cases, comes a hefty price-tag. The consumer is left with a bewildering choice with little guidance other than the marketing departments best attempt to stand out from the crowd with a well crafted introduction to the whisky on the label- few though, actually tell the customer what the whisky actually tastes like. I’ve tried to ask members of staff for help, and even in large high street retailers, unfortunately the response is rather laughable.
Pubs in the UK don’t fare much better in my view. Most stock whisky, a blend at least, or have a carefully selected range which unfortunately is selected for them by the brand manager and therefore the bar staff think the job is done. They don’t need to actually learn about the range, it has “something to cover all palates” as the rep told them. Now of course this is not always the case- there are venues out there who do take care and consideration over the stock they invest in and support the choices with good staff training ensuring they can sell through the range and keep customer satisfaction at a peak. After all, with whisky on such a rise, there is great profits to be made on a large dram of liquid gold.
But the above is a minority, too few and far between a dram to bother seeking out. Even in my home country of Scotland I am shocked to find such a lack of knowledge and enthusiasm for our national drink which you would think would be the first place to start. Yet sadly, it is venues such as these, which are filled on a daily basis with customers who are interested in trying something different, moving up from a blend to a premium blend or a single malt, who would gladly spend that little bit extra if only the bar staff had the training and knowledge to deliver trust to the customer that they knew what they were offering and could recommend well.
In reality the local pub actually has it quite easy as they should know the clients well and therefore have the opportunity to sell a single measure of a new whisky, allowing them to try something without investing in an entire bottle from the supermarket. So why does this not happen more often? It seems to me that venue owners are as much to blame being fearful to invest in whisky. Yet the numbers are clear, whisky is on the rise. From the entry level blend through its premium big brother on onto the guidy heights of superstar single malt. You don’t have to be brave to bath in its glory- just clever and understand that with a little investment in training staff or even further – inviting the customer to partake in tasting events such as Dramatic Whisky, then whisky sales across the bar will increase. What I fear is that venue owners, upon hearing the good news about the growth in the category will simply grab an extra couple of “on offer” brands when next at the wholesaler and hope they chose well enough. Its not as if the tools are not out there on offer either. Every whisky brand manager will happily spend an afternoon at your venue training staff on the virtues of their brand. Or you can bring us in.
Try my little technique to work out if a bar knows its whisky- scan the back bar of whisky, find something you know well then think of an alternative but similar brand. Tell the bartender you want a whisky and normally drink the brand you are thinking of, then ask for a recommendation of something similar. Hopefully the bartender will offer you the brand you picked out but trust me on this- it works maybe 2-3 times out of 10. In fact, I have said at times I normally drink Glenlivet 12 in the hope they will offer me the Glenfiddich 12 but I have in the past been offered Laphroaig as a substitute because “Its really popular”. Eh, HELLO? Great news for the brand manager of Laphroaig, but I’m one unhappy customer if I don’t like Islay whisky and I’m afraid that all important confidence i was hoping to attain as a customer has just left the building.
Recently I was asked to consult at the bar for a two michelin star restaurant- a very well respected establishment with a great reputation. Apparently the whisky shelf was a little tired and they had asked that I come in to help revive things a little. I visited the venue and yes, it was clear not much love had been placed there with Jack Daniel’s the only American choice on offer and the usual suspects making up the numbers. However, being a French restaurant the Armagnac and Cognac range was outstanding but on closer inspection it turned out that they didn’t actually sell much of any of it. My plane was set out in three parts:
Train the staff on the current stock of whisky- highlighting “duplicate” styles and training them on how to push the up sell to these to clear the shelf of them.
Introduce replacement stock, again with another training session to ensue the staff had the correct tools to not only continue to sell the existing range but also the new additions
Return to the venue in 3 months for a refresher training course and to analyse how the sales have been.
Two page proposal, all aimed towards increasing whisky sales and maintaining a healthy GP, fee set low as it would be a fun project with a great bit of kudos attached. Result was a “Thanks but no thanks, we will leave it as it is”. I checked the proposal again and I hadn’t put too much in there for them to carry the project through themselves, the fee was below market value considering the gains from the end result and yet no, even a restaurant with a per head spend in excess of £100 could not see the value in whisky.
What ever happen to the “Auld Alliance“? Somethings will never change.
Tags: 9/11, Aldwych, Alliance, Armagnac, Auld, back, bad, Bar, bartender, best, Black, blend, Blended, blue, bourbon, Box, Cask, China, cognac, Daniels, diageo, distillery, dram, dramatic, easyjet, educate, education, France, french, gain, Gin, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, gold, GP, Grouse, hospitality, India, islay, Jack, Johnnie, label, Laphroaig, learn, lifestyle, Lobby, London, magazine, malt, maxxium, Michelin, One, premium, pub, rant, Reserve, respond, restaurant, revenue, Russia, sales, Savoy, school, Scotland, shoot, single, Sipsmith, staff, star, supermarket, superstar, Tea, teach, tequila, training, venue, waitrose, Walker, whiskey, whisky, world
Last week I was invited to pop along to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society to witness the reveal of Unfiltered Magazine in its brand new digital format for the iPad. Available on iTunes, the new format brings the magazine to life enticing readers to scroll through various editorial pieces and get interactive with great video content. Each edition will be an amalgamation from a few different Unfiltered magazine and is available to non-members of the society. The magazine in its original form was always a welcome addition to my post box as it is interesting read that appeals to all especially the whisky enthusiast. The app is free to download with single issues priced at £3.99. With the digital additions availability outside the society, I am sure they will see a quick uptake in membership this year.
I always find it strange when I go to these events and am introduced as a blogger because I never started out as one, and even now I associate my ramblings with just that, ramblings. Although judging by the number of monthly hits they get, perhaps other see it as something else. However, gathered within the upstairs members room at the society were real bonafide bloggers such as Billy Abbott, Whisky Squad and Whisky4everyone and as we waited for the grand reveal we were offered a rather splendid 38yr old Glen Moray which was simply outstanding- but most things born in 1974 are and despite numerous hints dropped to Jo McGirr, the manager of the London arm of the society, a bottle didn’t make it into my bag.
A short trip across the yard from the society is the Bleeding Heart restaurant which, as the name may suggest, is not a vegetarian restaurant and as they rolled out the Chateaubriand it was clear they didn’t cater for those with little appetite either! I am not a small person, but even I had to leave a little of my main course so generous were the portions- but it was only green bean and potatoes, the steak was long gone.
Throughout the meal, each course was paired with a whisky from the society, 76.91, 106.18, 129.1 and 53.168. Jo did very well in choosing each one to match with the food, although when it came to the Kilchoman (129.1) I think we all agreed it was a little lost with its youthful peat and didn’t quite fit. Although, the two outstanding pairings were the Mortlach (76.91) with the banana parfait pudding and the Caol Ila (53.168) with Epoisses cheese. Another evening showcasing great drams and how, if chosen well enough, they have every right to replace wine during a meal.
A nightcap you say? back at the society? Oh, go on then. We trotted back across the yard to try out two favourites- 26.86 “Massage in a Bottle” (Clynelish) and 2.81 “Black Tea in a Greenhouse” a 15 year old Glenlivet single cask first fill Ex-Sherry Butt. Simply incredible and a fine finish to the evening.
Well it would have been if Jo, who thought he would test our skills out at identifying a dram, decided to hand a glass of amber liquid over to Jason B Standing and said “Don’t smell it because you will know too easily, just drink it”. If only my curiosity and love of a challenge had stayed quiet, but no of course I said ” me too”.
Before I knew it, Jason had slugged and passed on to me for me to do the same, which I did. If only I had held off 5 seconds I would have seen the look on Jason’s face which would have told me to refrain- alas, the Naga chilli vodka from Master of Malt was already over my palate and rushing with an impossible fire to the centre of my body where it would spend the next 30 mins trying its best to ignite me from within.
Beer was the only answer to dowse the flames and luckily SMWS has a great selection. Next time Jo—it’s your turn.
Tags: app, beer, bleeding, blog, bloggers, bottle, bourbon, Caol ila, Cask, cheese, chill, chilli, Clynelish, cowfish, digital, distillery, eppoisses, ex, farringdon, filtered, food, Glen, Glenlivet, heart, ipad, itunes, Kilchoman, London, magazine, malt, master, match, membership. codes, moray, Mortlach, naga, Scotch, Scottish, Sherry, single, Society, squad, unfiltered, vodka, whiskey, whisky
Before I ever begin a tasting session, I can probably write down the five questions I will surely be asked. 1. What is your favourite whisky? 2. Do very expensive whiskies taste good? 3. Is it ok to add ice/water? 4. What is Bourbon and 5. How many whisky regions are there. It is this last question that normally launches me off into a ramble lasting longer than it probably should.
The thing is, you can approach whisky in a number of ways, from the very detailed study of the science involved- it’s germination, fermentation, methanols, ethanols, phenols, fatty acids, and esters bumping into copper, catalysing and oxidising, esterifying to create the flavours and aromas we expect, to the far simpler approach of knowing what style you like and just enjoying it with friends. Of course, there is a huge chasm of information between one approach and the other and I for one tend to choose a path somehwere between the two in order to understand the science without it distracting me from the joy on the whisky itself.
But what of those just starting out on the journey of whisky discovery? What should they look out for? Where should the journey begin? Well, understanding what you like yourself is a huge help. Like spicy food? Probably going to like a spicy whisky. Like salty food, then it might be a coastal distillery you aim for. So how about these whisky regions we hear of? Surely those make it simple I hear you say. Well no actually, they only confuse in my opinion.
There are six whisky “regions” in Scotland. Highland, Speyside, Lowland, Island, Campbelltown and Islay. Supposedly, these areas each have their own distinct style and therefore give an indication of the whisky inside the bottle when the region it hails from is printed on the label. That, quite frankly, is the type of out-dated approach to whisky that won’t do it any good as the world of whisky (non-scotch) builds in quality and confidence causing us to cling to our tartan hems as the waters of progress start lapping at them. To understand why regions play little or no part in modern whisky, we have to understand how they came about in the first place. In the early 16th century, the whisky produced would have been distilled from a variety of grains, including barley, and these grain recipes would no doubt have differed from farm to village as any surplus of harvested grain was set aside for distillation. Whisky was in a healthy, if somewhat unregulated, state of production all across Scotland, but it wasn’t until the union of the English and Scottish parliaments in 1707 that we start seeing a big shift in attitude and production. A malt tax was introduced (as had already been the case in England) which upset Scottish producers and consumers no end and it’s continued increase saw riots in the streets and general bloody unrest know as the Malt Tax Riots. As taxation increase once more illicit distilling was just around the corner, forced out of the farms and homes and starting to spread (home-made spirit was exempt from tax).
As Londoners lay drunk in the streets on gin, parliament drew up the Gin Act to try and stem the “flow” of gin consumption and limit production and sale by imposing costly licenses and high duty for producers and retailers. Scotland was exempt (for now) of this act and as such, production of mixed grain spirit increased which would eventually make its way across the border to be made into gin. Although, it was probably a ban on distilling in the mid and late 1700′s (crop failure) that helped drive the illegal sale of whisky in Scotland, as the home distiller, still under the radar of the excise man and exempt from the legislation imposed on its commercial neighbours, started to supply the ever increasing demand for whisky.
The Highland Line (the first of the regions) divided Scotland in two, for the purpose of differing duty and regulations about spirit production. The tax was lowered for those above the line, but they were banned from exporting the spirit out of the region (yup, not even within their own country) but this did see a certain amount of quality control as Highland distillers could use a smaller still than their Lowland counterparts and could take their time in the production of the spirit. Those below the line however, were forced to produce a harsher spirit from still which could be worked quickly in order to increase outrun. This of course all fell nicely into the hands of the smugglers and illegal distillers who cashed in on trade opportunities around the UK. It wasn’t until the early 1800′s and the introduction of the small stills act that the Highland Line was abolished, the duty was reduced and smaller stills were permitted. This saw a fast growth in legal distilleries and an equilibrium of quality between the two now defunct regions. So, a historic line drawn for tax purposes which THEN changed how those above and below distilled their spirits still demands we choose our whisky style based on location. Glengoyne distillery, which happens to straddle the imaginary line distills in the Highlands, yet its warehouse lies on the opposite side of the road effectively in the Lowlands…a case of split personality?
For the purpose of this blog, I have only just scratched the surface. For more in-depth information about the history of whisky and how many of the traditions evolved I suggest picking up a copy of Charlie Maclean’s book – Malt Whisky, The Complete Guide in which Charlie really gets to grips with the historical side of whisky.
Speyside has one of the highest concentration of distilleries now in operation in Scotland. The land surrounding the river Spey is fertile and produces excellent quality barley from its deep alluvial soil from the banks of the Moray firth, good peat moorland, plenty of springs from the snow capped Cairgorms which also provided great hiding places for the number of illegal distillers of the time. Speyside has a vast array of styles but due to the fame of The Glenlivet distillery, many tried to emulate its light fruity flavour and smooth finish. Yet, just in the next glen we can find heavy full on rich style (Aberlour) and even a smokey whisky (Ardmore). The diversity of these distilleries simple means you can’t guarantee the style of the whisky in the bottle if it says “Speyside” on the label.
Campbelltown, a town on the Kintyre peninsula which hangs down off the west of Scotland, did at one point have over 25 distilleries, with many more in the surrounding countryside- and like Speyside benefitted from good peat, barley, spring water and troublesome geographical location. By all acounts, there didnt seem to be a particular “style” produced here, something between the Islay distileries and Highland. Today only three distilleries making 5 different whiskies remain Springbank (Hazelburn, Longrow), Glen Scotia and Kilkerran. There is something you can guarantee from this droop of land as a friend of mine who worked for the BBC told me the angle the peninsula lies off the coast is the maximum angle the naked male appendage can be if ever viewed on the BBC with the island of Arran adding somewhat of an additional piece of imagery for this purpose.
So what are we left with? The “islands” and “Islay“. Well, considering the islands are lumped together as all islands of Scotland (with the exception of Islay) no matter if they are tucked up in sheltered firths such as Arran, Lewis in the outer Hebridean or Highland Park on Orkney- far too vast an area to have a singular “style”. There are heavily peated styles, light and floral, rich and fruity….good luck.
Isaly, I am almost tempted to say is actually they only one you can be sure of style. Typically peated, fresh and maritime notes with the distinct nose of iodine from the heavily peated barley. But would that put you off Bunnahabhain? Seeing the words Islay on its label, if you didnt like smokey whisky might just do that. But Bunnahabhain, on the north east of the island, does not peat its barley and therefore is not a smokey whisky (although they now have Toitech).
So, these regions we seem to so dearly to maintain are nothing more than marketing provenance to a by-gone era. They do little to help us understand what is in the bottle and can simply confuse a reader in most cases. Thankfully, brands are beginning to realise that it is better to put better tasting notes and a bit more info to help out, yet its normally on the back label with a region proudly displayed on the front. Further to this, distilleries like Balvenie are constantly pushing the development of their style- with the likes of Single Cask, Peated Cask and full sherry cask all joining the list from the distillery normal releases and none of that trio are anything like the expected taste and smell of Balvenie, a risk perhaps which could upset the regular Balvenie drinker- but distilleries like Bavenie realise that the whisky drinker is changing, becoming younger, coming from new countries and from very different backgrounds. These individuals are key to the future growth of whisky and are choosing their tipple on flavour, not historic political or geographical boundaries.
Tags: Aberlour, act, alcohol, ardmore, arran, Balvenie, barley, bourbon, Bunnahabhain, campbelltown, Cask, distill, distillation, england, esters, ethanol, fermentation, firth, flavour, Gin, Glen, Glen Scotia, Glengoyne, Glenlivet, Grain, Hebridean, Hebrides, Highland, historic, history, illicit, islands, islay, Kilkerran, kintyre, lane, Lewis, lowland, malt, mature, moray, Orkney, Park, Peated, regions, riots, science, Scotland, Scottish, Sherry, single, smokey, Speyside, spirit, Springbank, style, tax, toitech, type, union, well, whiskey, whisky
So, quite often, I find myself thinking about new things to write and more often than not I start something, read it over, decided it’s rubbish and bin it. And of course, I always try to find a new angle to write about, otherwise it bores me. So, during a conversation this morning on twitter with the very talented Katie Antoniou who had posted her list of most admired women after the controversial FHM award to Tulisa Contostavlos for being the hottest woman in the world with which, by the way, neither of us agreed. We swiftly set about putting the wrongs to right. It seems we have quite similar taste in beauty and despite the Megan Foxes of the world and the Giselles, it was pretty straight forward. We think its intelligence and talent that makes “hot”. Just to make it a bit more interesting, I though I would add a whisky to salute the selected few…so here goes in no particular order:
Liv Tyler – A dazzling woman and smart to boot. It would have been easy to start listing connections to The Lord of the Rings or Stealing Beauty but I thought the fact that she is the daughter of legendary rock king Steve Tyler, who no doubt has seen his fair share of bourbon during his career would be better. So, to Liv I raise a glass of Hudson “Baby” bourbon from the small distillery at Tutthilltown, new, exciting and cutting edge it is a perfect accompaniment to Livs otherworldly beauty. A rich and spicy bourbon, first since prohibition to be made in New York. If you need more info, I reviewed it here
Penelope Cruz - Well what can you say about this Spanish firecracker. Never one to keep her Mediteranian passion at bay, this hot and spicy, full on woman surely makes you sit up and take notice. Like a charging bull at a matador, every inch of her is Carne Trémula. So, what to choose? what matches the fire of Penelope? the full on personality and Spanish richness? Well, I choose the Aberlour A’Bunadh.
Full Spanish sherry cask and at cask strength, I reckon it has it all.
Scarlett Johansson- It’s the husky voice, plump lips and classy, sassy attitude that makes Scarlet stand out. You can imagine her out till the small hours, a speakeasy somewhere. Obvious whisky choice was Suntory to follow her Lost in Translation role, but decided to go for something a bit different from the norm, as she definately is. Balvenie 15yr old single cask, , delivering a surprise every time, just like Scarlet.
Kate Winslet -Now, I’ve met Kate, and I can tell you, she can command a room with her looks and personality. A strong woman with a funny, tender side she is quite the complete package. Again, there is an obvious link with the movies, and since its not been too long since the centenary of the Titanic sinking, it simply has to be a glass of single cask, Glenrothes Titanic limited edition. no ice of course!
I recently reviewed this dram and would like to think Kate would find a lot to enjoy in it.
Selma Blair- Associated with a sort of preppy geeky ness in most movies, and shooting to fame with “that kiss” in Cruel Intensions, Selma has only gone and grown up! her last role, in HellBoy II sees her smouldering with sexiness and brimming with confidence. Yet, you still cant help feel that she would be the perfect girl to take home to your parents and get approval. Still an American sweetheart. That’s why I chose the Glenlivet 18 to toast Selma, an all rounder and definitely the whisky which everyone can nod with approval for.
Eva Green- Well HELLO! Here comes trouble. Eva doesn’t smoulder, she is a full on inferno. Careful of those Medusa like eyes for they will turn you to jelly with a single look. Such a chameleon of character, but never quite able to shake off the sense of forbidding and danger, thank goodness! With her goddess like figure and dark sorceress image I can imagine conjuring imagine her sipping a Bowmore Tempest.
Stormy, dark, and mysterious. We salute you Eva.
Maggie Gyllenhaal- Oh Maggie, with those doe eyes and full lips beneath plump cheekbones, you are really spoiling us. It’s the voice also, could lull a tiger to sleep. Yet it’s not all about looks, this girl is razor sharp too, educated, cerebral and non-conformist she was renowned for picking out independent classy films to work in (ok, forget Batman).
So, which dram? Well, got to be independent, little known and as with Maggies surname, tricky to pronounce- BenRiach 18 it is then.
Kelly Brook – Ah Kelly, the English rose. Always smiling, always bubbly and thankfully not ended up part of the stick thin brigade…Kelly has curves like a woman should. She reminds me of a pin-up from the 50′s, when girls didn’t need to get naked to be sexy. OK, so she did playboy,page 3 and topped FHMs hot list, but we can forgive her right?
It also goes without saying that one English rose deserves another so we raise our glass of The English Whisky Chapter 6.
Juliette Lewis – Can you see a pattern forming here? Sultry dark eyed hell raisers? Juliette first caught our attention in Cape Fear, but it is her career since that seems to have suited her style best-Natural Born Killers, Kalifornia for example? plus her rock band Juliette and the Licks isn’t known for love ballads. Could have gone down the bourbon route again, maybe a spicy rye heavy version, but no.
This one was easy. For Juliette, it’s Compass Box Headonism.
Eva Mendes – really? I mean you really need an
explanation! Despite her casting and looks, she was born in Miami to Cuban parents. Safe to say her early acting career wasn’t a trail blazer (mostly B movies) but she has become a household name after roles in Training Day and Once upon a time in Mexico.
Staying firmly on the Cuban theme, we opted for the Dalmore Cigar Malt and a fine Partagas no.4 cigar.
So there it is, the Dramatic Whisky list of our top ten women. It’s not complete, and will no doubt change again in a year or two, but at least we now know which bottle to reach for if ever they come round to the DW offices!
Oh, and Sienna, if your reading this, we still love you.
Tags: 10, 18, A'bunadh, Aberlour, American, baby, Batman, Benriach, Blair, Born, bourbon, Bowmore, Box, brook, Cape, Chapter 6, cigar, Contostavlos, Cruel Intentions, Cruz, Cuba, Cuban, Dalmore, distillery, English, Eva, Fear, FHM, film, Flesh, Fox, Giselle, Glenlivet, Glenrothes, Green, gyllenhaal, Headonism, Hellboy, Hottest, independant, Johansson, Juliette, Kalifornia, Kate, kelly, Killers, Lewis, Licks Compass, Liv, live, Lord of the Rings, Lost in Translation Actress, Madusa, maggie, malt, Megan, Mendes, Miami, Miller, Natural, neat, New, Partagas, Penelope, playboy, prohibition, rose, Scarlet, Scotch, Scottish, Selma, Sherry, Sienna, single, Spanish, Stealing Beauty, Steve Tyler, Suntory, Sweetheart, Tempest, ten, top, Tulisa, Tuthilltown, whiskey, whiskies, whisky, Winslet, women, world, York
I have been promising this for a while now, and every time I sit down and begin, something interrupts me.
So here it is, the Dramatic whisky guide to food matching with malt. Good timing actually, because most people will reach for a bottle at some point over the next two weeks, and I bet you it is after the meal, which is such a shame.
Lets start
Remember, the whole idea of a sherry at the beginning of a meal is to increase saliva, get the digestion juices flowing so to speak, so a dry or even salt/mineral whisky will do just that and lets face it- far tastier than sherry!
My choices this year for canapes at events have been things like:
Oak smoked brown trout
Wild mushroom tartlets
Poached quails egg with truffle dressing
Seared tuna with wasabi
Grilled chorizo and Scallop
crumbled parmesan and basil
All of the above are designed to enliven the palate with either spice, citrus or earth flavours and all can be underpinned with a similar whisky. I would always choose something which has been aged in virgin oak (not contained any other spirit prior) such as The Glenlivet 15 yr old French Oak Reserve with its lively spice notes and mineral finish or the Bunnahabhain Darach Ur (which means new wood in Gaelic) or Auchentoshan Classic which although is not from new wood, has light white peach notes (think peach Bellini) and compliments pastry and citrus well.
Soup
Always a tricky one to get people’s heads around, but actually, richer cream based soups or ones from roasted veggies work well with deeper malts.
Cullen Skink- tastes better than it sounds
Cullen Skink
Roasted red pepper
Mushroom
French onion
You can split these into two different style of malt: Creamy and rounded or rich and earthy. Both styles will actually work well with the above soups, but I also like using something with a citrus lift to cut through cream. Jura Superstition is ideal with creamier fish based soups such as Skink, and the light smoke lifts the dish wonderfully. Dalmore 15 and Glenfiddich 15 both work with those sweeter style or earthy soup such as the red pepper and carrot, giving subtle weight behind the richer flavours. The use of sherry cask with Dalmore helps bring rounded spice of mace and roasted fruit whilst the unique Solera system employed on the Glenfiddich 15 adds a similar richness and a deeper Christmas cake note without being to over sweet.
The main event
Now, I know its christmas, but the idea was to do this feature for any meal, or at least for a range of foods. Lets avoid turkey-please! and think about the main foodstuffs that we can enjoy here.
Deer - but worth it
Roast chicken, mash and rich gravy
Steak, chips and red wine jus
Halibut with cream sauce and green beans
Venison, spinach and redcurrent jus
Stir fry vegetables chilli seasoned with soy
There are a number of drams to choose from , but he main meal is often the richest, even in terms of a fish dish there is normally a heavier butter or cream combination. Even the stir fry has a heady character with the soy and chili so what to choose? Well, the white dishes (chicken and fish) I would grab a bottle of Scapa 16, Glenrothes Select Reserve or Old Pulteny 17 year old (my personal favourite) all are great drams with a little salty bite and light citrus backbone and light warming vanilla in contrast. Most of the Glentrothes range will offer this but less salty and more nutty that the other two. For the meat dishes, go bold- Aberlour A’Bunadh, Glenlivet 18, Fettercairn Fior or Springbank 15 all offer good body with different traits such as a slight olive note to the Springbank, or the rich leather and polished wood of the a’Bunadh. For the stir fry with chilli, grab the Springbank again, or maybe even a Bladnoch Distiller Choice or a Highland Park 12 to cut through the heat but compliment the soy.
Sticky and Sweet
And onto the puddings. Again, the variety of desserts to choose from are vast, cold ice cream, light lemon posset, or sticky toffee pudding? Well, I like to compliment any type of dessert with a nutty orange malt, something that simply crates a warm caramel feel that basically any sweet taste will work well with.
Oh my sweet
Balvenie Signature with its famed house style of honey and rich spice or Dalmore 18 year old, Glenfiddich 21 with
its delicious rum cask finish, Glengoyne 17, Yamazaki 18 or Auchentoshan Three Wood to really get the sweet spices going.
Cheese and the rest (coffee if you must )
Cheese, seems like we only ever tried to match it with port and wine…but hold on, surely this is actually one of the better matches for whisky? all that cream, lactose, dairy fats (yup, there isn’t much that’s good about it other than the taste!) is crying out for something with good alcohol content to rinse the palate and clean the taste buds. Enter stage left-WHISKY!
insert cheesy caption here...
Scottish blue- Ardbeg Uigeadail, Talisker 10, Old Pulteney 12
Mature Cheddar Clynelish 14, Glenlivet 16 , Balvenie Single Barrel 15
Goats (old)- Aberlour 10, Royal Lochnagar 12, Macallan 10 fine oak
Hard ewes cheese- Highland Park 12, Glen Ord 12 , Bowmore 10
And there are even some I would recommend to cover all of the above- Balvenie 17 Peated cask whilst it is still available, Glemorangie Quinta Ruban (port finish) and Whyte & Mackay 22 yr old (yes I know- but have you tried it? its awesome!)
Now, the last remaining pairing would be whilst you sit back and try to digest your own body weight- but you still can’t help reaching over for the box of Charbonnel et Walker chocolates you were given from Santa… and it would be foolish of me to divulge the amazing pairings that’s work here, so why not sign up for some of the Dramatic Whisky - Whisky and Chocolate classes held throughout January, February and March in London and get first hand experience of this divine combination - you could cycle there to work off the Christmas excess!
Tags: A'bunadh, Aberlour, Ardbeg, Auchentoshan, Balvenie, barrel, Bladnoch, Bowmore, Bunnahabdain, canapes, Cask, Charbonnel, cheese, chocolates, Christmas, Classic, Clynelish, Damore, dessert, Distillers, Durach, et, Fettercairn, fine oak, finish, food, Glenfiddich, Glengoyne, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Glenrothes, Highland Park, Jura, Lochnagar, Macallan, malt, matching, meat, Old, pairing, Peated, Port, Pulteney, Reserve, Royal, rum, Scapa, Scotch, Scottish, single, solera, soup, Springbank, Talisker, Three wood, Uigeadail, Ur, Walker, whiskey, whisky, Yamazaki
This is the first time in about two weeks I have actually had the chance to
sit down and clear the mess that normally fills my office and therefore my
brain! a moment of calm, and I can actually see the surface of my desk- I had
forgotten it was oak.
The reason for being so busy is a good one- Dramatic Whisky has really
grabbed peoples attention and earlier this month when I attended both Pure
Festival and the Whisky Show it was lovely to hear peoples feedback, comments
and general interest in my business. As warming a feeling as the numerous drams
that were offered. It has to be said, there were a few highlights throughout
both such as the Tweedale blend, Chichibu, Glenrothes 1988, Highland Park 21
and the Glenlivet 1974. But, as outstanding as these all were, and new- I still
found myself gravitating towards my old favourite, Old Pulteney.
Having heard today that Jim Murray has just awarded the 21 year old “the
best whisky in the world” was no real surprise to me as I have though all that
comes out of Wick is world class, even my gran!
Above the new whiskies, old favourites and filled notebooks was the
accompanying jangle emitting from my bag of samples making me seem like some
kind of misguided Morris dancer as I clanked and clunked on the tube back to
Putney.
Then there were the friends. Some new, some old favourites and some that
jangle themselves. But it was such an affirming feeling as one after the other
caught eyes across the room or a solid hand shake with old chums. Chatting over
a dram here and there, it was clear as I stood back and took note for a while
at the room and its current inhabitants that everyone was having a great time.
But this is whisky right? But wait- the room is pretty much filled with
people under 40, and look closer and isn’t that a woman? And another? And
another? It has always been pretty clear to me that if whisky was to maintain
its current status as “largest consumed spirit in the world” it had better
shake of the shackles of tweed and chesterfields.
In fact, these past few events have had a large proportion of female whisky
drinkers not only from the trade, but from the consumer section also and the
best of it, there seems to be no feeling of “there are not one of the lads”,
“can’t handle whisky” patter that one might expect from the old guard. Far from
it- open arms more than shut doors here. With enthusiast such as Cat Spencer (Albannach)
and Alwynne Gwilt with her http://www.misswhisky.com site coming soon, are forging a
clear path for the female drinker, it will be a continuing growth for this
sector no doubt.
I’ve met some fascinating characters in the last six months, male and
female- passionate, educated and enthusiastic about whisky. From my own classes
with Dramatic Whisky where in two of the classes in October women outnumbered
men! To day courses and whisky shows filled with people from all walks of life-
actresses, psychotherapists and pilots and thankfully all young. It reminds me
of the type of fans you see at the Tour De France….dedicated, almost to
obsession, but no matter what, welcoming anyone to the fold.
One thing I have to comment on though, and I have seen them appear at a few
shows now, is what I have come to term “glass bondage” and it really is a step
to far.
This apparatus is worn around the neck and has a “cradle” to enable you to
hold your whisky glass just above the belly button- hands free. NO! NO! NO!
This is the whisky equivalent of wearing spectacles on string round your neck
and I don’t care if it is made of modern material such as neoprene. This, crocs
and uggs are all to be gathered up on the days of reckoning, along with their
inventors and owners and burnt at a stake made of footballers wives.
I am all for being progressive and leaving tradition behind in preference
to progress but this is just another bit of geekery dragging down something
that has at last started to be cool.
Tags: Albannach, chichibu, Crocs, Glenlivet, Glenrothes, Highland Park, Jim Murray, Miss Whisky, Old Pulteney, tasting, Tweeddale, Uggs, Whiskt, wick
A good friend recently coined this phrase, and it got me thinking about how some people struggle to find the aromas and subtle flavours in whisky that are often discussed at a tasting session. You can see them time and time again sniffing the rim of the glass, mind racing to try to grab some comprehension leading them into a dizzy panic that they are not getting it along with the others in the room.
I am often asked “how do you get that aroma, when I don’t”
It is true, that not all of us are cut out to be tasters. Is it nurtured or nature? Well I believe it is a bit of both really. Everyone has the capacity to taste the glorious combinations present in a dram, or any beverage for that matter – alcoholic or not, it is just some of us have trained ourselves in how to do it better than others.
I smell everything; from fruit just bought from the supermarket, to spices in the kitchen at home. I need to, it’s my job to lock away these sensory answers for future use. Take a bag of sugar for instance even by reading those words, you have probably imagined something in you mind. Was it a kilo bag of Tate and Lyle castor sugar, the ubiquitous accompaniment to a cup of tea, or perhaps you imagined a small pile of White granulated sugar in a bowl. The thing is, when talking about sugars, it can be a multitude of expressions, all with very different aromas and tastes. Caster, unrefined, icing, brown or molasses. Then the next level of state; caramel, toffee, fudge etc. All very different, all very recognisable if they were to be placed side by side and tasted individually one after the other.
The same can be said for so many of the elements within scotch but it takes a little bit of effort to recognise them and draw them out. After all, if everyone could do it easily, I would not have such a busy work life!
At last nights tasting session, I had just such and individual, struggling glass after glass to understand and recognise the make up of the whisky in front of him. And I could see him struggle, see him begin to panic and head towards “Analysis Paralysis”. It would have been easy to have bulldozed on, turning my attention to the rest of the room but I took five minutes to focus on this one guest, explaining how the aromas would get in there in the first place, guiding a little towards the simpler notes, offering suggestions of food stuffs that he knew before asking him to try again. We don’t all go around sniffing dying bonfires, overripe bananas and the like…..but it does help if you do!
Next week, my sensory receptors will be on full attention as I pop back to the home land for a week and visit some distilleries again. Balvenie and Glenfiddich are on the cards and both of these superb distilleries will no doubt offer up another full notebook of ideas, smells and sights to further bolster my wee brain. But of course, the smell of a malting room will not be something I use as a suggestion to any sessions I do soon- that would be unfair. I will keep that for the more professional side of my business.
The dram most people grabbed onto last night was The Glenlivet 18 yr old. A superb and, hopefully for some time to come, a great value whisky for all to enjoy.
For what it’s worth, here are my notes:
Appearance: copper golds and deep amber
Nose: immediately rich and honeyed, deep fruit notes of raisin and sultanas with dried apricot thrown in for good measure. A more delicate sniff reveals marsh mallows (the pink ones) and a dusting of icing sugar. Below that, nutty almonds and marzipan with a malty cake element, those cooked fruits again of cherry and plum feature. Gorgeous warm vanilla and spices of clove, mace and nutmeg surround the oak that never overcomes the overall experience.
“Christmas cake in a glass”
Palate: Beginning with that full feel of a rich, sweet spice dram, it coats and fills the mouth with wondrous abundance before the vanilla and mixed fruits come forward. Interestingly, the letter part, just before the finish, brings up a phosphorous lick that helps put a leash on the sweetness before it becomes overbearing.
Finish: chewy and delightful, lingering elements from all of the above continue to wash in and out, but it’s that drying phosphorous element that intrigues the most.
Another glass ? Yes please.
Tags: 18, analysis, Balvenie, corporate, distillery, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, masterclass, paralysis, Scotch, tasting notes, whiskey, whisky
