I was never very aware of a Fathers Day celebration when I was younger, despite the fact it was around. Beginning in America in 1910 it never really took off, certainly not in the UK until the mid 70′s. This left me faced with the problem of getting my dad a gift twice a year- birthdays and Christmas. Not much of a problem really, as the default was inevitably chocolates (giant Toblerone to be exact) socks and a tie. He wasn’t much of a drinker, so it tended to stop there.
In general I think buying a gift for a man is pretty straight forward as gadgets, books on gadgets or DVDs are all pretty safe bets, but one particular category most seem to find tricky is when it comes to buying whisky.
If you are a non-whisky drinker, the thought of standing faced with row upon row of golden to dark brown liquids with unpronounceable names or frankly unfathomable descriptions of the contents can be a daunting one. Now if you happen to be trying to make your choice in one of any number of supermarkets rather than a specialist store, good luck finding someone who can advise you on the right choice. In fact, good luck finding someone who even drinks it.
A little preparation is the key to creating a smile on the face of your chosen recipient.
What do they normally drink?
This is the easiest one. Open up the drinks cabinet, take a peak and if there is a selection inside then note them down. Stick to the single malts as most whisky drinkers will have a couple of blends in there to have as an “every day drop” but will treasure a single malt more although, some premium blends such as Wemyss or Compass Box are amongst the exceptions to that rule. Most brands will have a selection of expressions or limited releases to choose from, so once you know the brand it’s quite easy to find a special version that dad might like that wont cost an arm and a leg. Keep an eye out for words on the label such as “Distillery or Managers release”.
Style over region
Whisky regions in Scotland are nothing short of misleading and confusing and so are not always the best indicator of what kind of whisky you will find inside the bottle. Don’t think that just because it says Islay on the label it will be pleated (smokey) and not all Speyside whiskies are light and fruity. Bunnahabhain, is an Islay distillery which isn’t a smokey malt. Similarly Smokey whisky like Ardmore can be found in the highlands. Best then to go for a style of whisky rather than a region.
Colour me bad
Ok, it’s not a hard and fast rule, but if most of your dad’s cabinet is stocked with gold coloured whisky, there is a chance he likes those which have been matured in American ex-bourbon cask (white oak) in which about 70% of whisky is matured. These whiskies typically have white fleshed fruit (think apple, pear, quince) aromas and flavour rather than those liquids matured in ex-sherry cask (European oak) which tends to give a deep amber colour and a spicy profile to the resting spirit. You can find some bourbon cask examples in my recommendations at the end of this article. Good sherry cask examples come from Glengoyne and Glenfarclass or Glenrothes.
Passport Control
If you are sure you understand what they like then why not try a similar style to their normal tipple from outside Scotland. Chichibu distillery from Japan is wonderfully light and fruity whilst Paul John from India gives rich spicy smoothness from its fast maturation in the Goan heat. Balcones Texan Whisky is big and bold but has all the finesse of a well made scotch with age or the English Whisky Company which might be young, but its creative use of varied casks has given birth to some outstanding examples which many whisky experts have lauded so its bound to excite even the most experienced of dram lovers.
Ageist
Older ain’t always best! There is normally a different type of maturation (ageing process) in a range of Scotch from the same company which means an 18 year old isn’t just six years older than a 12 year old. They could have very different flavour profiles and may not suit the palate of the intended.
I’m a big fan of Glenfiddich 15 year old and would choose it most times over the 18 year old.
Something special
It’s great if you have the budget to get something very rare and limited. Online is the best place to search with retailers such as Master of Malt or The Whisky Exchange and they don’t always cost the earth but make sure the recipient know it’s for drinking! Collectible whiskies are not always the ideal gift for someone as they tend to have a theme to their collection so it’s best best leave it to them.
It’s got your name on
Companies like Master of Malt will customise a bottle label on it to include your fathers name. It’s a great value for money service but you still have to know which bottle you want to use. See above!
Birth year
This is a tricky one. Assuming your over 18 there is a good chance your father was born a few years ago making it tricky to find a bottle from the year he was born. You can find bottles which were distilled in a certain year, and bottled shortly after. Therefore, the contents of the bottle may only be 10-12 years old but from 1960 say. Trust me when I say this might be still an expensive purchase, but a lot cheaper than trying to source a 53 year old dram!
Among friends
If the budget allows, why not think about the Scotch Malt Whisky Society membership? The SMWS allows access to single cask, cask strength bottles from all the distilleries in Scotland (and many more further afield).
My choices and recommendations
Highland park 18- Produced on Orkney, this island malt has won numerous awards including Worlds Best Single Malt. Although its American white oak, the oak has been seasoned with sherry so that it’s pale colour belies it’s spicy nature. It’s delicate with peat smoke, bags of marmalade type fruits but without the typical TCP or medicinal smokey nose often associated with west coast Islay whisky. If they like BBQ’s, try this. RRP £60
Bunnahabhain 12 - American cask. An Islay whisky with a difference, peat free malt makes for a light, seaside dram with an almost refreshing salty caramel character. One of our personal favourites and always in the cabinet it’s along a similar style to Balblair or Scapa. RRP £33
Glenfiddich 15 – With its unique ‘Solera’ maturation system and the use of three casks, giving spice from the sherry, white fruits from the refill bourbon cask and vanilla and coconut from the brand new American oak cask. This expression stands out from the other Glenfiddich offerings This is a great whisky with a dryer spice than the rest of the family. On the light side but still fruity and hints of honey. RRP £32
Ardbeg Ugeadail – A marriage of bourbon and sherry casks this is a powerful smokey whisky at a higher ABV delivers a rounded palate which is well integrated. If they like peat, and in particular Islay peat than grab this as it is worth every penny. Similar to Laphoaig, Lagavulin and Caol Ila. RRP £50
Old Pultney 17 – Predominantly American cask. The 21 year old may have won best in the world, but the 17 is my go-to dram. Warm and rounded with a slightly salty coastal edge it satisfies most palates and is a perfect accompaniment to those chocolates salted caramels you bought dad. RRP £52
AnCnoc 12 – Approx 70% American cask with 30% sherry cask. Sweet and honeyed, this rather lesser known single malt has a great character and it’s an easy drinker making it a real crowd pleaser. Will suit most people and as its not so well know it will make you look like you know a bit about whisky. Similar to Balvenie doublewood. RRP £31
Glengoyne 15 – For a full on ex-sherry cask matured blast of spicy rich leather and deep dark fruits you wont go far wrong with this example. With lots of lovely spices and warming notes, its the perfect dram to sit back and relax with once all the socks and ties have been unwrapped. RRP £45
Monkey Shoulder – A blended malt with bags of character, offers incredible value for money and if you find out where it got its name from, it makes an interesting tale to tell when you hand it over. RRP £27
Tweedale – A real unknown and well worth seeking out for that special gift. A historic (found in an original journal) blend of single cask whiskies it is big and bold with ooodles of pleasure. Reborn and already making waves, this is a great dram to savour. RRP £37
Balvenie 12 Single Barrel – The 12 Double Wood is perhaps far better known, but this lighter expression drawn from a single American wood barrel is a unique snapshot from this craft distillery. Without any sherry cask influence, it’s a lighter, dryer style than its siblings with bags of vanilla and lingering fruit. RRP £44
Good Luck!
Tags: age, American, AnCnoc, Ardbeg, ardmore, Balblair, Balcones, Balvenie, barrel, Berwick, bourbon, bow, Box, Bunnahabhain, buy, caol, Cask, chichibu, choose, colour, Compass, cost, dad, Day, doublw, English, european, Fathers, gift, Glenfarclas, Glenfiddich, Glengoyne, Glenrothes, help, Highland, how, Ichiro, ila, India, indian, Japan, japanes, John, lagavulin, Laphroaig, look, malt, market, master, mature, Monkey, much, Old, Park, paul, Pulteney, regions, review, Scapa, Scotch, shelf, Sherry, shop, Shoulder, single, Society, speyside. sherry, style, supermarket, take, taste, teach, texan, texas, Tweeddale, Wemyss, what, whiskey, whisky
In many of the events held by Dramatic Whisky around the UK we often ask if any of our guests have visited distilleries and most will answer with a handful of Speyside examples, or often the more accessible ones such as Glenkinchie, Dalwhinnie as well as some of the central examples like Auchentoshan and every now and again an Islay will pop up. But rarely does the Talisker distillery get a mention, but when it does, you can see the beam of pride on the face of those who have.
Talisker distillery is sited on the Isle of Skye, part of the cluster of island of the west coast of Scotland know as the Inner Hebrides. It was always a destination you had to make an effort to see, it’s not so much getting to the island, but the drive across the highlands which was taxing. It’s easier to get to now since the building of the bridge although the 500 meter ferry crossing wasn’t too bad really.
Talisker has always been a sought after dram and has many a follower. It’s the younger expression which gains such high applause amongst its fans so when introducing something new, unless those lovely Distillers Editions and those with good age, I think its always best to compare it to the 10y year old.
So first, a quick recap:
Talisker 10 yr old. 45.8% abv RRP £32
Appearance: Rose gold with light straw.
Nose: Fresh brine and sea air before cracked black pepper on mackerel fillets on a beach BBQ. Underlying elements of orchard fruit keeps the smoke and spice in fine check.
Palate: Rich peat smoke takes hold, but again is kept firmly in place by the balanced salty edge. Fresh capsicum, warm nutmeg, ginger and white pepper all seem to roll around in the peat smoke coming to the fore one by one. Complex and always entertaining.
Finish: The lingering malt peat smoke and gentle pepper just keep giving.
The above tasting notes are from 2001
So, onto the newest release which has no age statement (so i’m expecting younger than 10) and is a marriage of selected mature Talisker casks of “rejuvenated” American oak, refill European cask and refill American cask. I’m not quite sure what “rejuvinated’ means in whisky terms? Cracked old casks with a couple of new staves added or some picked up at the garden centre and given a quick rinse out but surly a cask is either fit for purpose or not? Anyway, with refills being used isn’t that technically rejuvenated?
Talisker Storm Single Malt Scotch Whisky RRP £39
No age statement 45.8% abv
Appearance: Rose gold with bright hay.
Nose: Rich notes of tarry rope, flamed orange zest, mace, charred creme brulee, sweet malt and light clove/menthol roll in behind. Manuka honey with a nut oil base all dusted with fresh black pepper corns and a waft of seaside air make up this complex nose.
Palate: Sweet arbroath smokies rolled if peated malt with a lovely salt edge. There is plenty of underlaying fruitiness also with ripe pear, mandarin and a roasted butternut earthyness. The classic peppery element shines throughout with an extra hit of smoke towards the end.
Finish: Malt with balanced pepper, spice and smoke. The sweetness is short lived, as is the underlying fruitiness which tuns it more into the standard 10.
Summary: There is certainly youthfulness on both the nose and the palate, but fortunately it is well placed. It is always going to be hard to see past the value for money that the original Talisker 10 offers and I’m not entirely sure this quite does it. Bigger smoke, slightly sweeter with parts offering more complexity but rather short lived. Talisker fans will of course welcome something different to try but Im unsure if this will be different enough for them to keep coming back to it. One can only assume that as with many brands struggling to find stock for their age statement whisky, we could soon see the 10 Year old disappear from our shelves to be replaced by this. A Storm in a teacup then perhaps?
Tags: 10, American, auchetoshan, bridge, Cask, coast, coastal, dalwhinnie, diageo, distillery, dram, edition, european, ferry, fine, glenkinchie, Hebrides, inner, Isle, malt, New, notes, Old, outer, pepper, rare, refill, regions, release, released, review, reviewed, salt, Scotch, Scotland, sea, single, skye, Talisker, tasting, travel, whiskey, whiskies, whisky, year
In this world of “Top Ten” lists, it would be of no surprise to find Glengoyne distillery high up the standings of a “prettiest distilleries” list (actually, I might have to put that together). Nestled at the foot of the Trossach hills in central Scotland and taking its name from Glen Guin meaning valley of the wild goose, a feature carried onto the new packaging in the form of small stria to represent the goose feather, Glengoyne has been producing whisky for nearly 200 years. Looking at the bottle, it clearly states 1833 as its established date, however, like most distilleries in Scotland, that date is more to do when the excise man caught them producing whisky without license and many distilleries have a much earlier date to mark first production with. But time is important at Glengoyne, with the casks they use taking six years to prepare, a 56 hr fermentation and one of the longest distillation times in the industry before maturing in those costly ex-sherry cask. Curiously, the distillery straddles the “highland line” with distilation taking place in the highlands, yet maturation taking place over the road in the lowlands, but you know my thoughts on whisky regions anyway! You would be mistaken if you think that all this extra time is simply to take life at a bit more of a leisurly pace, although that may be part of the reason, Glengoyne has always been held in high esteem for its careful approach with rewarding results. The normal expressions that can be found of Glengoyne are 10, 12, 17, and 21 year old but two have just been replaced and one new addition in the form of a cask strength all of which I was introduced to recently.
Glengoyne 15 year old single malt (replaces the 12)
43% ABV
70% first fill ex sherry cask, 30% refill ex sherry cask
RRP £47.99
Appearance- Rose gold highlighted with apple green.
Nose- Immediately opens with warm honey, nut oil, baked apples, dried apricots and a light cherry note. Spices come through as fresh ginger, pineapple and light vanilla with cinnamon. Towards the end of the note, a dryer, more mineral element of green tea leaf emerges.
Palate- Much of that detected in the nose makes a second appearance here on the palate, rich orchard fruits, honey and spice but with the added weight of chewy malt as it heads towards the finish.
Finish- Lingering well balanced spice and fruit with a malt backbone.
Glengoyne 18 year old single malt (replacing the 17)
43% ABV
50% 1st fill ex sherry cask, 50% refill ex sherry cask
RRP £74.99
Appearance- Light amber with bright yellow gold
Nose- Oily and spiced with linseed oil, cricket bat and glaziers putty lifted towards fruity notes of bergamot, dried mandarin peel and stewed orchard red fruits.
Palate-Again, many of the elements found in the aroma are carried over here. Rich and nutty with chewy fruits which add depth and sweetness to the otherwise dry spiced palate. Struck match comes through as the final spice.
Finish- lingering prickly sweet spice and drying struck match in perfect balance.
Glengoyne Cask Strength Single Malt Batch 1
No age statement
Non chill filtered
58.7% ABV
30% 1st fill ex sherry cask 70% refill ex sherry cask
RRP £46.99
Appearance- Polished copper and warm bronze.
Nose- Cinder toffee, caramac bar, thick cut marmalade and chicory make up the abundantly rich and slightly oily nose with a good malty background aroma of banana bread.
Palate- Characteristically Glengoyne with its nutty oil of linseed and fruit, bell peppers, slightly tropical again with warm banana, caramel and hints of light citrus to light the palate. with a splash of water, the fruity elements come to the fore with delicious buttered digestive and toffee banana.
Finish- lingering spice of mostly pepper, butter and vanilla.
Summary- Three excellent drams in their own right, each delivering very different characteristics whilst still showing the familiar DNA of Glengoyne. For me, the 15 actually delivered a more complex experience than either of the other two with it’s clever balancing act of various casks. Prices are perhaps above that of most other brands of similar age, but dont let this put you off as The Glengoyne is certainly worth paying (and waiting) for.
Tags: aafter, Cask, chill, delight, distillation, dram, dramatic, effective, fermentation, filter, geese, Glengoyne, goose, Highland, Longest, lowland, malt, maturation, named, New, notes, quality, refill, regions, relaxed, release, review, rucshed, science, Scotch, Scotland, Sherry, single, slow, taste, tasting, tax, whiskey, whisky, wild
You know that feeling of panic that sets in when you loose something like a set of keys and you are on a tight schedule, slapping pockets, turning over sofa cushions in a frantic attempt to discover their hiding place. Horrid isn’t it, but when you eventually find them the rush of relief is great. Or when you remember about a possession you haven’t seen in a while, you know you have it, but its just not been in your life and when you do stumble across it again, its welcomed back and put to good use.
So imagine if you happened to stumble across a cask of 40 year old whisky that you didn’t realise you had. Just how would that feel? Well, you could ask Ian MacMillan, Master Distiller at Bunnahabhain because thats exactly what happened to him when he found some ‘Turney’ casks, which were filled with Bunnahabhain whisky over 40 years ago by Glasgow wine merchants J G Turney. I suppose its difficult to imagine how you ‘forget’ a few casks, but as Bunnahabhain store around 21,000 casks at the distilleries warehouse on Islay, (some of which will make its way into the superb Black Bottle blend) it becomes a bit easier to understand.
Bunnahabhain has long been a favourite of mine and I have used a number of bottles including the duty free releases of Darach Ur in my Dramatic Whisky events to show people that not all whisky from Islay is peated as is the popular misconception about whisky regions. Therefore, I was more than delighted to reciev a sample of the newly discovered 40 year old Bunnahabhain which was accompanied by a illustration from the label created by Iain McIntoshScots illustrator, which depicts the journey this rested malt has undergone.
Bunnhabhain Single Malt Scotch Whisky
40 Years Old
Limited release of 750 bottles
ABV 41.7% vol. Un-chillfiltered
RRP: £1999
Appearance: Burnished copper with rose gold
Nose: Candied orange, vanilla wax cande, nougat and heather honey. Light earthy spice, ginger bread and balsa wood all very well integrated and still lively. Waxed leather saddle with lavender and violets round off the nose.
Palate: Orange oil with a mineral note, almost diesel like before rounded malt and ginger spice open the palate up allowing deeper vanilla and earthy spice to grip hold. Seems to sit on top of your tongue for a while before sinking in. Very little wood element which is surprising considering the age.
Finish: Clean yet spicy, again almost a mineral/fuel-like dryness before light oak and vanilla linger.
Summary: Certainly lively for its age and and unsurprisingly complex but its this assertive spice that perhaps shows the greatest departure from the classic Bunnahabhain style. Its heading towards a dryer style of whisky, perhaps held together with the waxy element before becoming too oaky.
Right, I’m off to search down the back of the sofa for my keys again.
Tags: 40, aged, biggest, Black, blend, Blended, bottle, bottled, Bunnahabhain, buy, Cask, cost, Darach Ur, distiller, dram, drink, duty, expensive, found, free, Glasgow, hand, hardest, iain, Ian, ice, illustrator, island, islay, keys, latest, limited, lost, MacMillan, malt, master, McIntosh, Old, oldest, peat, Peated, price, rare, regions, release, released, rest, review, reviewed, Scotch, Scotland, Scottish, sinlge, source, tasting, warehouse, water, whiskey, whisky, Years
Those lovely chaps (and lasses) at Wemyss Malts are at it again with the second release of those splendid single cask whiskies. This time a selection which tempts the autumnal tastebuds with titles such as “Beach Bonfires” and “White chocolate torte” perfect timing as we see the last of the suns warm rays give way to chilly blue skies and crisp leaves underfoot. Get the fire on, grab a good book and settle in to these three delightful drams.
“Autumn Berries” – 26 yr old Blair Athol distillery.
Distilled: 1986 46% abv
268 bottles Ex Hogshead
Appearance: Palest straw with white gold
Nose: Apple blossom, chesnuts and conference pears. Buttery vanilla helps balance the bright fruits with a slightly waxy undertone.
Palate: Warm apple and pears drizzled with the lightest maple syrup and earthy spice.
Finish: Roast chestnuts and mocha coffee make up the drying finish.
Summary: Wonderfully complex and intriguing dram. Well balanced and integrated with dry fruit and rounded buttery vanilla.
“Sugared Almonds” – 30 yr old. Aultmore distillery.
Distilled : 1982 46% abv
272 bottles Ex Hoghead
Appearance: Light honey with rose gold
Nose: As the name suggests- sugared almonds is right in there. Hints of artists oil paint and linseed oil, red apple skin, marshmallows and white chocolate raisins.
Palate: Rich malt, roasted chestnut, liquorice root and brandy butter all combine with red berry, cracked peppercorn, yellow capsicum and hint of spearmint woven through cool autumnal smoke.
Finish: Wonderfully rich with drying roasted notes and lightly spiced, the lingering palate keeps delivering.
Summary: Took a while for me to actually get the words out for this- its such a fabulous whisky. Oodles of character, plenty to say for itself but quietly sophisticated with it. I’ve fallen for this one BIG time.
“Lemon Smoke” – 16 yr old. Caol Ila distillery.
Distilled: 1996 46% abv
380 Bottles Ex Hogshead
Appearance: Pale ochre with hints of hay.
Nose: Light carbolic note with samphire, stewed rhubarb and gooseberry fool all wrapped up in dying embers from a seaside campfire. Gentle vanilla creeps through supported by fresh pine sap. Black pepper on strawberries right at the end.
Palate: Calmly assertive with a creamy, buttery beginning, quickly becoming laced with wood oven smoke and a brine edge to control things. Well integrated all round with a perfect balance of sweet fruit, salt and smoke.
Finish: Delightfully lingering edge of salty smoke and nutty wood.
Summary: Another superb example of a well balanced Islay, not overly phenolic and with plenty of other elements going on to keep you coming back for more. Would make the perfect introduction to the first timer for a smokey dram- if they could get their hands on a bottle in time!
Overall, in my eyes these guys can do no wrong (ok, maybe not perfect) as each release is timed to perfection and showcases the very essence of the distilleries they were born from of course, it does help when you have the guru that is Charlie Maclean putting his tuppence worth into the selection as we saw earlier this year with the first single cask releases. Estimated to retail between the very reasonable price of £75-£105, I doubt we will see these last very long.
Put me down for the Aultmore please 
Tags: American, Athol, Aultmore, autumn, best, Blair, Bonfire, bottle, bottled, Cask, Charles, chill, chilled, chocolates, chrlies, Coal, cosy, dram, filtered, fireside, guru, Highland, hogshead, isla, islay, limited, lowland, Maclean, malt, malted, non, oak, peat, Peated, rare, regions, release, review, Scotch, Scotland, single, slippers, smokey, welcome, Wemyss, whiskey, whisky, Winter, world
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
The Balvenie Signautre – a word thief.
I have just deleted 800 words of a blog i was half way through typing. because, it was going nowhere and i was boring myself! so why would anyone else read it?
So where to now?
Well, the jist of the now trashed piece was having Dr Sam Simmons at my tasting last night. The global brand ambassador for The Balvenie single malt. nothing really unusual in this, I get a lot of industry professionals pop their head round the door from time to time, but this was a wee bit different as I had two Balvenie expressions in the line up! The signature and the 17yr old peated cask.
Mid way through my “script” I turned to begin on the Balvenie Signature 12 yr old, and it is a dram I know well but I found myself glancing over the label of the bottle to remind be of the maturation and wood names!
WHAT!?! i can recite those in my bloody sleep!
But a feeling hit me that I had not felt since school the slight stumbling of answers in an exam- of course you know the answer, of course it’s buried deep in that head of yours, but try as you might, all that you can find is a muddy puddle to wade through until that shiny coin of hope which has until now only glinted at you from the hazy depths fully reveals itself to you in all its glory.
However, it was probably not even noticed by anyone, and to be honest by the time they had taken their first sip- all was forgiven. Turns out the feedback from the room and Sam himself was all positive.
Thanks Sam
I said I chose two expressions of the Balvenie, and for what it’s worth here are my notes on the both.
The Balvenie Signature 12 year old
Matured in Oloroso sherry butts, first-fill bourbon barrel and refill bourbon cask.
An appearance of rose gold and light amber.
The nose is instantly pleasing with delicate spices of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, all gently pulled through a honey centre. In the distance, you can detect a slight wood smoke that may be mistaken for warm rubber- but in a really good way!
In the mouth, those honey sweet elements take hold, complimented once again by rounded, nutty spice. Some dried citrus cuts in before being whiskies away by that clever smokey element, disguised all this time before being let loose.
A delightfully rewarding dram, complex, smooth and interesting. elements of each wood making its mark. 
and now, ladies and gentlemen, the close of tonight’s show:
The Balvenie 17yr Old Peated cask 43%
aged Balvenie – Introduced to heavily peated casks for a final maturation and then married with The Balvenie finished in new American oak. – Whats not to like?
In the glass, there is a brighter orange note that is not so typical of The Balvenie with some rose gold flecks in the background.
The nose is divine, with rich orange scented candle, cured meat and the most delicate of whiff of butter all combining to create an overall sweet note with gentle snuffed candle smoke in the background.
And then comes the palate initially rounded and creamy with honey and toffee, it quickly sucker punches you into submission with a belt of smokey sweet cured meat. Spices then take over the party with cinnamon first to arrive, white pepper not far behind then fashionably late, a touch of nutmeg and clove.
The long lingering finish swirls with peated smoke, chewy spices and that “give me another” feeling all good whisky should have.
Tags: 12, 17, Ambassador, Balvenie, barley, barrel, bourbon, brand, Cask, Cocktail, deconstruction, Dr, dram, ex, fill, finish, first, global, islay, Liberty, London, Lounge, malt scotch, malted, mature, olorosso, peat, Peated, professional, refill, regions, Sam, Scotland, script, Sherry, signature, Simmons, single, smoke, tasting, UK, week, whiskey, whisky
