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Introduction |
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There are many styles of whisk(e)y being produced in an increasing number of countries, but this page will focus (at least initially) on Scotch Whisky, especially the now-burgeoning array of single malts and their ever-wackier "finishes".
Don't get me wrong, I love many of the new finishes, but this recent phenomenon should be seen against the great historical tradition of Scotch Whisky to gain some perspective; indeed, from this view, it sometimes appears more as marketing (uh!) madness than as an exploration of the potential of a great drink. That said, it's at least providing an expansion of choice for the malt drinker, but let's hope that it doesn't lead to a further round of distillery closures.
Anyway, here's a list of some of my favourites. Easily available means from the local supermarket, specialist means from a decent off-license or mail-order company eg. http://www.lfw.co.uk/ (note: yo = year old).
| Whisky | Availability |
| Easily available | |
| The a'bunadh (@60% vol, cask strength) is an absolute snip at around £30 a bottle; this is very sherried like the Springbank 21yo. Brilliant with a cigar. | |
| Specialist, becoming more easily available | |
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Huge tarry monster from Islay, a good buy is the 10yo. |
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| Specialist | |
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Light, wonderfully-balanced blend with a sweet finish. |
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Easily available |
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Doublewood, one of the earlier "finishes", is traditionally matured in bourbon casks then given a brief "finish" in sherry casks. The result is an understated classic. I have fond memories of this as I enjoyed a couple after a wonderful day out. |
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Specialist |
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The Islay lovers blend! A blended Scotch giving gentle smokiness on the nose, like a whiff of peat on the breeze. Palate restrained and harmonious, tastes exactly as an Islay-based blend should. |
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Easily available |
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Bowmore produce a HUGE range of different whiskies. The Legend is an excellent introduction to Islay malts, the 12yo a classic, as is the Darkest (sherry finish). The 17yo is very classy, more restrained than the 12, but sooo smooth. Less easy to find are the recent pairing Dusk (Bordeaux finish) and Dawn (port finish). These are cask strength and need considerable dilution to fully enjoy. |
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Some expressions easily available |
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Bruichladdich has recently (in whisky terms) undergone
something of a rennaisance, re-packaging and producing a full range of expressions.
Whilst the routine versions are a little light for my taste, I've discovered a relatively
new cask strength bottling branded 'Infinity'. My tasting notes: |
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Specialist |
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These whiskies deserve wider popularity; their balance of body and smoky/peaty flavours is often stunning. Two of my favourites are both 1989s, one from Murray McDavid, the other from Signatory (both independent bottlers), both whiskies being bottled at what some call the "optimum drinking strength" of 46% - however, I still dilute them just a tad. Both are of the light-to-medium body style with a real attack of sweetish peaty smoke - just as I like it! Latterly, I've also sampled a 1990 from Signatory - this is one of the palest whiskies I've ever seen, scarcely a shade more coloured than water, but still with that essential character. |
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Easily available |
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Possibly the most refined Speysider, one of the most sublime expressions was a 15yo cask strength, however, the standard 12yo is well worthwhile. |
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Easily available |
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The 10 year old is a very popular whisky that I've only just got round to trying - it fully deserves this status with its light-to-medium complex palate of cereals with a hint of marmalade - delicious. |
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Easily available |
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If you can find it, the 18yo is the best, perhaps the most overtly complex whisky I've ever tasted. The widely available 12yo is, however, a pretty decent substitute. |
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Specialist |
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I couldn't resist trying the Calvados finish, and the result was pretty much as I'd hoped - a smooth, understated Speyside body with just a hint of stewed apple fruit as an aftertaste. |
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Easily available |
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A relatively new bottling is the excellently packaged 'Superstition', Celtic symbols on a black box containing a clear moulded bottle of unusual shape. But it's the contents that count, and this is a very unusual whisky, offering up hints of violets and chocolate - highly recommended. |
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Easily available |
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The 16yo is an Islay classic - Michael Jackson's (no, not the, er.... - the whisky and beer writer!) favourite. I've also tried another 16yo, somewhat less easy to find, a 1987 bottled in 2003 and finished in Pedro Ximenez (a grape variety used to make the darkest, sweetest sherry) cask - this is frankly sublime! |
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Easily available |
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Remiss of me not to include this earlier, the straight 10 and 15 year olds are both classics, of the powerfully medicinal iodine-scented style of Islay. I have also tried a 10 year cask strength and a 1988 refill sherry finish, both of which surpass the ordinary expressions - just try them if you can! |
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Loch Fyne Whiskies |
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The house blend of Loch Fyne Whiskies, described as "a malt-drinker's blend", this really is 'worth the extra 30p' to what you'd pay for most commercial blends - seek it out. |
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Specialist |
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The second distillery of Springbank, now extant in name only, I've tasted a straight-up peaty monster before, but a new expression, a Tokaji wood finish (cask strength), deserves special mention. From my tasting notes: "Unusual greenish tints betray an extraordinary whisky: a little spiritous on the nose, somewhat brooding, the palate opens, on dilution, to a rich amalgam of malty, peaty flavours and a heavy-ish winey sweetness, not at all like sherry-woods. Very good indeed." |
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Specialist |
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The Loch Fyne Whiskies' 2005 bottling of the year, the
14 year old is rather delicious. My tasting notes: |
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Specialist |
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A "non-attributable" single malt Islay offered at a very attractive price, this is unmissable for Islay fans - up-front, well-balanced and a truly great all-rounder. |
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Specialist |
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The 21yo old is a full-bodied sherry-cask-matured classic to rival the famous Macallan 18yo (which I had many years ago). The 10yo is a light malt with a salty twang. A more recent bottling is the 10yo '100° Proof', bizarrely equating to 57% abv (it's these old systems!) - this is more like the ordinary 10yo but with added complexity including hints of white chocolate (the persistence of olfactory memory!). |
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Easily available |
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A huge mouthfiller, somewhere between full-blooded Islay and coastal in style, peaty but with strong salty sea-reek: a classic. This is my father's favourite. |
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Easily available |
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My regular bulk-drinking blend, this has a higher-than-average malt content (45%) including more than a hint of smoky peat - an excellent cocktail mixer for this very reason. |
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In the trade, tasting is known as nosing since professionals do not need to put the liquid into their mouths to assess its characteristics. Tasting for pleasure involves both nosing and drinking, but there are a few techniques that can enhance the experience.
Like wine tasting, use a clean, clear glass and have some white background at hand to appreciate the colour. Also, use an ISO glass (small wineglass with stem and bowl wider than rim) - keep the cut-glass tumbler for routine drinking.
Of paramount importance with single malts is dilution - some require none, most a little, some, especially cask strength, a lot (up to 30% in some cases). It's worth trying it if you've never done it just to see (or rather smell and taste) the difference. I can now generally assess the correct dilution through smell alone - the spirit no longer "prickles" the nasal passage. Obviously, this only comes with practice; it's best to take a small sip, then, if the palate is closed or too spiritous, add a splash of water (always use still bottled water, preferably Scottish!). Repeat this procedure until the palate seems to have opened up without tasting dilute. I recall that the Highland Park 18yo needed just a splash to bring it out, whereas one particular cask strength Port Ellen (from Royal Mile Whiskies) needed no dilution at all - very rare in a spirit at 55% v/v alcohol.
It's worth tasting a few malts at a single sitting, and with a few like-minded people - it can spread the cost and encourage debate and comparison, and perhaps a competition for the maddest adjective!
There are a handful of well-established whisky-based cocktails, always made from blends. Sometimes, a relatively neutral whisky makes a better cocktail by dint of its lack of assertiveness. A fairly controversial recent trend (let's face it, the bulk of up-market whisky drinkers are highly conservative, almost by definition!) is cocktails prepared from named single malts. Why controversial? Purists cannot countenance adulteration of their hallowed tipple!
I'm personally in favour of great respect for whisky, but not reverence, hence the idea is new and exciting, perhaps most publicly exploded by American drinks writer Gary Regan when he prepared versions of the standards (e.g. Rob Roy, Rusty Nail) using single malts live on TV.
Whilst I haven't yet ventured this far myself (and it's only due to lack of experience), I have created a set of cocktails based around named blends, initially Teachers as it's my personal favourite. I'll let the list grow naturally as I experiment.
Apple Crumble Dram Martini
Cherry Picker
Smokin' Jo
Tartan
Teachers Pet
Teachers Pet Gone Nuts