Wee Dram Issue 11 - Autumn Winter 2014

Is age just a number?

Interview: Peter Mackay of Morrison and Mackay

New craft distillers

A happy ending for Michael Braun

PREPARE TO BE DISAPPOINTED. (We will only rack 8 barrels a week)

We do not, and will never, mass produce. Instead we will craft a small number of limited edition whiskies.

We’re very big on keeping it small. It means we can source rarer woods that offer greater character. That we can choose our cask size based on the finish we want, not the volume we need to meet. It frees our team to play, tweak and tinker until it’s absolutely perfect.

Small means we will major on our specific Signature Style - a lovely, lightly peated coastal Highland style matured in the best individually selected Olorosso sherry barrels that we can get our hands on. Small allows our master distillers to make the best without incurring the wrath of a global accountant. Small means some might never get to savour a drop.

Make sure you’re not one of them.

We’ll release our first whisky this November. Be the first to know by visiting edenmillstandrews.com Here you will discover more about our limited edition whisky and unique tours and tasting sessions, plus even a wee bit more.

WELCOME

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elcome to our Autumn/Winter edition of the Wee DRAM. There’s plenty of news and features in this publication to keep you informed about what’s happening in the world of whisky. Whether you are a novice or an expert there is plenty to keep you reading.

This issue we focus on No-Age-Statements whiskies, do they bear up to investigation? Find out on page 12 and we also take a look at Scotland’s wealth of craft distillers. There are plenty of new faces in the trade.

We also highlight some tasty whisky cocktails and also fill you in on all the latest launches.

Our What’s On pages are full of dates for your diary while there are also some great ideas for birthday or Christmas gifts.

This month we interview Peter Mackay of Morrison and Mackay, a young man making his mark on the world of whisky. While our cover features another young man making his mark, Michael Braun – of Edinburgh’s Panda & Sons. He has just won the Buffalo Trace cocktail competition. See the news story on page 4.

Slainte.

Susan Young, Editor

CONTENTS 4

NEWS

The latest from the world of whisky

12 Age is just a number

Jamie Allan investigates the rise of No-AgeStatement whiskies

16 CASK ME A QUESTION

Interview with Peter Mackay from Morrison and Mackay

19 WHISKY BLENDING

Warren Campbell visits The Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh

22 DEVILISH DRINKS

Halloween cocktails

24 CRAFTY CASKS

Wee Dram looks at the craft distilleries making their mark

26 WHISKY WISDOM

Whisky related quotes from the great and the good

28 tasting notes 29 WHISKY GIFTS

What to buy that special, whisky loving, person in your life

30 WHAT’S ON

Interview with Peter Mackay Editor: Susan Young Assistant Editor: Jamie Allan Sales Manager: Emma McDonald Sales Executive: Vicky Corrieri & Lucy McGovern Production Manager: Jill Donald Dogs: Tootsie & Lucy Upper Floor, Finnieston House, 1 The Stables Yard, 1103 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8ND Tel: 0141 221 6965 Email: dram@mail.com A Wee DRAM is published by Media World Ltd. The publishers, authors and printers cannot accept liability for errors/omissions. Any transpranencies or artwork will be accepted at owner’s risk. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the copyright holder and publisher, application for which should be made to the publisher. Articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. © Media World Limited 2013 ISSN No 1470 - 2428 A WEE DRAM 3

Cover Story

Scots Buffalo Trace Cocktail Competition Winner heads to Kentucky >>>

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dinburgh bartender Michael Braun of Panda & Sons in Edinburgh is packing for an all-expenses paid trip to the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, as Scotland’s winner of the Buffalo Trace ‘8 Steps to Heaven’ cocktail competition.

Michael saw off strong competition to take first prize in the contest, organised by HiSpirits. Competitors were asked to create a unique drink reflecting one or more of the eight processes required to make Buffalo Trace; milling, cooking, fermenting, distilling, ageing, filtration, selection and bottling.

Michael’s winning recipe, ‘The Happy Ending Cocktail’ took its inspiration from the ageing, selection, filtration and bottling steps. It also focused on the quality of the ingredients used in Buffalo Trace by including the unaged spirit, known as White Dog, infused with maple and mint.

Edinburgh bars took the top three places, with second prize going to Jon Hughes of Bramble, and third place awarded to Miran Cauhan of Paradise Palms.

‘The Happy Ending Cocktail’ is made up of 40ml Buffalo Trace, 20ml White Dog maple-mint liqueur (home-made, aged and blended), 10ml Byrrh Grand Quinquina and five drops peppermint bitters. All you have to do is add the ingredients to a mixing glass, stir and strain, then garnish with a mint sprig... or you could pop into Panda and Sons and get Michael to mix you up one!

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Bowmore’s Devil’s Casks re-released Bowmore, Islay’s first distillery, has unveiled its second release of its sell-out Devil’s Casks series.

Matured exclusively – and unusually – in the finest first fill sherry casks, the second small batch release of Devil’s Casks is say the company “still mischievous.”

The expression gets its name from a legend nearly as old as the distillery itself. It was claimed that the Devil was once spotted and chased through the town, eventually hiding away in the distillery.

After searching, the Devil was nowhere to be seen, having made his escape in a whisky barrel.

Rachel Barrie, Master Blender, Morrison Bowmore Distillers, said, “The first edition of this expression was one of the most sought after whiskies of 2013.

This second small batch release will no doubt emulate that success thanks to its devilishly tasty dark side, in debt to the first-fill sherry casks it has been carefully mellowed in.”

You will find it for around £60 at specialist whisky shops.

Look out for a new competition which could see you winning a unique piece of art which has been commissioned to celebrate the release of the Balvenie Single Barrel, Aged 25 Years. The company is to make available, as a competition prize, a framed limited edition A1 print, signed by David Stewart (the Balvenie’s Malt Master) from Mr Smith’s Letterpress Workshop – one of the few remaining traditional letterpress workshops in London.

NEWS

BenRiach releases batch 11 of its single cask bottlings BenRiach released the latest batch, its eleventh, of single cask bottlings in the summer. The batch consists of fourteen casks that were bottled in July. Ranging from 37 to 9 years old, the much-anticipated release demonstrates a hugely eclectic range of expressions for which BenRiach is renowned. These include whiskies in the traditional, classic Speyside style, peated expressions and wood finishes such as Dark Rum, Tawny Port, Madeira, Virgin Oak, Pedro Ximenez Sherry and a Marsala wood finish.

All fourteen casks have been hand-selected by BenRiach’s Managing Director and Master Distiller Billy Walker who described them as “absolutely special” and said, “Wood Management is one of the most important factors in ensuring excellence of quality during maturation. The most important factor is to use top-quality casks – Bourbon barrels, Hogsheads and ex-Wine Seasoned casks - and there is a role in the maturation process for all of these casks. Getting the wood right can be expensive but it’s one of the things I’m most proud of since we took over BenRiach.”

NEW £100m MACALLAN DISTILLERY IN SPEYSIDE The Macallan has been granted planning permission by Moray Council for a new £100m iconic distillery and visitor centre.

Work is due to begin on the new facility shortly and it is scheduled to open to the public in Spring 2017. Graham Hutcheon, Group Operations Director of Edrington, who own the distillery said, “Only the external appearance of the distillery will change, the exceptional quality of The Macallan, which has been produced for many years using copper stills from Forsyths, will not be compromised and the same focus on attention to detail and personal care of the whisky’s production will be upheld. The new distillery will undoubtedly become one of the most talked about distilleries, not only in

Speyside but globally.”

The distillery has been designed to complement the natural beauty of the area and The Macallan Estate, which overlooks the River Spey.

Edrington also owns some of the leading Scotch whisky and rum brands in the world, including The Macallan, The Famous Grouse, Cutty Sark and Highland Park. The company itself is owned by the Robertson Charitable Trust which gave more than £15m to charity last year.

Whisky beats champagne at launch A new era could have started with the news earlier in the summer that HMS Queen Elizabeth, the new aircraft carrier, was launched not with champagne but with Bowmore whisky! To our knowledge its only the second time that whisky has been used, and the last time was in 1996 when HMS Sutherland was launched with The Macallan.

Submarines traditionally use bottles of ‘home brew’ beer. Now you know.

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NEWS

anCnoc ‘Cutter’ revealed The latest expression from anCnoc’s collection of limited edition peated malts was unveiled in Edinburgh recently at midnight! Whisky enthusiasts gathered under cover of darkness to share a midnight dram of the smoky new single malt at the Edinburgh’s Last Word bar.

They were the lucky few who were invited to enjoy the first taste of the new release. anCnoc launched its peated collection earlier this year with three expressions of varying peat strength - ‘Rutter’, ‘Flaughter’ and ‘Tushkar’, which aim to help drinkers find a peaty dram to suit their palate and to ‘shine a light’ on the dark, enigmatic world of peat.

With drinkers embracing the new collection, the ‘Cutter’ launch marks the start of a new anCnoc tradition which will see a new peated expression unveiled every year on 1st September, alongside a midnight celebration of anCnoc’s dark and mysterious side.

‘Cutter’ is the most peated of anCnoc’s single malts to date, with a phenol content of 20.5 PPM (parts per million). Light gold in appearance, it according to the company, has “an ashy taste, with slight apple-core bitterness and notes of leather and spicy vanilla lingering at the back, accompanied by sharper notes of pink grapefruit and ripe orchard fruits.”

The new whisky also boasts traditional yet contemporary packaging which features a traditional ‘cutter’ peat tool emblazoned in silver on the pack’s distinctive black label and tube design.

Get snapped

by Rankin

An exclusive party took place recently at the Venice Film Festival and it featured the ultimate photobooth! Acclaimed photographer Rankin has teamed up with Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve to create this exclusive photobooth, which was unveiled by Rankin on the night. The booth will go to events and bars around Europe over the next six months, inviting aspiring and talented individuals to step inside to be in with a chance of being photographed by Rankin. So look out for the photobooth as it tours Europe. Upload your picture to Instagram using #GoldCelebration and encourage your friends to like your picture for a chance to win.

Accolade for Edinburgh’s Bow Bar The Bow Bar on West Bow Street, Edinburgh, was named the Wee Dram Whisky Bar of the Year at the recent 2014 DRAM Licensed Trade Awards. The ceremony at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow, recognised the very best of the Scottish licensed trade and with more than 200 malts on its gantry and an enthusiastic team the Bow Bar lifted the trophy this year.

The pub’s philosophy is experimental, featuring single casks, various finishes, new releases, requests, recommendations,

whims and fancies. Speaking after the event, Bow Bar owner Mike Smith (pictured) said, “It was very flattering to win an award, although rather unexpected. It’s great to get some recognition and appreciation from the industry, it shows that our hard work paid off.”

The other finalists for the Whisky Bar of the Year award were The Pot Still in Glasgow as well as Teuchters Landing and Whiski Bar and Restaurant, both in Edinburgh.

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NEWS

TAWNY PORT FINISH FROM GLENDRONACH Golden syrup, red fruit compote and red grapefruit – a mouth-watering description of the new GlenDronach 18 year-old Tawny Port expression which launched at the end of the summer.

Bottled at 46% abv, it is the awardwinning Aberdeenshire distillery’s latest addition to its wood finishes range and replaces the 15 year old Tawny Port finish expression.

The GlenDronach Tawny Port finish is first matured in European oak casks and thereafter finishes its maturation in a small batch of Tawny Port casks.

This gives the whisky its own unique

Glen Garioch launches first chapter of four Loyal followers of Glen Garioch will be expecting big things when the distillery launches the first chapter of a four-part story focussing on the resurgence of its fine single malt whisky.

The hearty Highland character of Glen Garioch has been captured in an new quadrilogy, charting the journey of the malt’s current house style as it matures over four years. The result is an anthology of four exclusive editions - 15, 16, 17 and 18 year olds – entitled the Glen Garioch Renaissance Collection, of which each will be released annually. The inaugural release – a Glen Garioch 15-yearold is already on the shelves. The three following editions will be released annually, creating a compilation that maps out the fascinating progress of Glen Garioch’s spirit in the cask undoubtedly a must-have for Glen Garioch enthusiasts.

The new Glen Garioch house style revealed a rich and full-bodied character, infused with fruit, butterscotch and spice, marking a new chapter in the unfolding story of Scotland’s most easterly distillery.

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flavours and aromas – in particular a distinctive rich red fruit taste. Sales Director Alistair Walker said, “We launched our wood finishes range four years ago and the response worldwide has been excellent.

“We’ve carefully selected whisky that has been gently maturing in lighter casks so that aficionados experience the full impact of the Tawny port cask.

The very pleasing result contributes extra depth and concentrated stewed fruit flavours. It’s another outstanding whisky that we’re delighted to add to our portfolio.”

Look out for Dram Orach, a brand new whisky from a brand new whisky company called Dram2O, who say they are determined to offer an alternative vision to the tartan stereotype. Its website says, “We have an alternative vision which encapsulates everything that makes whisky great, but results in a contemporary twist on a traditional story.”

It officially launched this month, although it has been sampled over the course of the last few months at special events. We at the Wee DRAM look forward to trying it.

The Wee DRAM is looking forward to the opening of the new Quaich Bar at the Craigellachie Hotel in Speyside (artist’s impression, above). It should be open soon and with around 700 whiskies on offer, it surely has one of Scotland’s largest selection of single malt whiskies. Keep checking its website for news. www.craigellachiehotel.co.uk

• Award-winning food and real ales.

• Locally sourced food, served all day - every day.

• Offering a wide range of whiskies, real ales, cocktails & wines.

• Live music every weekend.

• 17 quirky hotel bedrooms.

THE LOCHSIDE HOTEL

Lochside Hotel & Whisky Bar, a friendly family run 10 bedroom hotel with magnificent views over Lochindaal from its very popular restaurant.

The hotel’s world famous lounge bar houses around 300 Islay malts.

Main St East, Inveraray, Argyll PA32 8TT Tel: 01499 302111 www.thegeorgehotel.co.uk

Shore Street, Bowmore, Isle of Islay PA43 7LB T: +44 (0) 1496 810244 bookings@lochsidehotel.co.uk

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NEWS

Praise indeed for Ben Nevis Distillery

The folk behind the Ben Nevis Distillery are in a celebratory mood. They have managed to top last years successes which saw their whiskies win numerous Gold medals including the highest accolade of all a Gold medal and trophy from the judges of the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) for its Ben Nevis 15 Years Old, single cask, cask strength, single malt. This year has seen its whiskies also being recognised in various competitions, in fact all four expressions entered in the Spirits Business Masters Competition gained top awards.

These included the: The Ben Nevis 25 Years Old Double Wood, cask strength malt and the 21 Years Old Ruby Port finish, cask strength malt both being awarded Masters Awards. The younger expressions - 15 Years Old, single cask, cask strength malt matured in sherry wood and 10 Years Old, single cask, cask strength malt matured in a white port pipe also won Gold Awards.

A date for your diary 15 May 2015 - the date for World Whisky Day. Keep up to date with all the plans at www.worldwhiskyday.com - they have even got some cool T-shirts for whisky lovers to buy online.

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2014 Glenfiddich Malt Mastermind launches

Glenfiddich has announced the launch of this year’s Malt Mastermind competition. Returning for the fifth year, the competition calls on bartenders to showcase their flair and creativity by crafting a signature serve, this year using Glenfiddich 14 Year Old Rich Oak, Glenfiddich 15 Year Old or Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Distillery Edition.

The competition has introduced some new features for 2014. These include inviting more finalists to join the final – twelve instead of six in previous years – and the inclusion of a ‘wild card’ entry. For the first time, the competition will focus on the brand’s 15 Year Old variant.

The judging panel will also include two new judges this year. Joining Mark Thomson (who helped judge last year’s Malt Mastermind) will be Kirsten Grant Meikle, a William Grant & Sons family member and Director of Prestige at the company and Roman Foltan from The Artesian in London.The final will take place in London on 17th November 2014. All finalists will be required to showcase their serve at the final, as well as take part in an additional challenge to be revealed on the day. The inaugural wild card entry will be Jamie Ireland from G&V Royal Mile Hotel in Edinburgh who reached the final last year and impressed the judges with his creativity when making his ‘Scotsman, Frenchman and an Englishman’ serve.The deadline for entries is 24th October 2014.

Bartenders wanting to enter the competition should visit www.glenfiddich.com/uk/explore/malt-mastermind.

NEW GLASGOW DISTILLERY Plans for a new Glasgow whisky distillery and visitor centre have been given the green light by planners. The £10m project which will include revamping the Pump House building on the Clyde, situated between the Hydro and the Transport museum. It will house a museum and visitor centre while new buildings will contain a cafe, whisky tasting bar and the single malt Scotch whisky distillery. Glasgow City Council planners gave their approval in July and work is expected to start shortly with the new Glasgow Distillery opening towards the end of 2015. The project has been developed by a small group of industry experts led by Tim Morrison, owner of the AD Rattray Scotch Whisky Company, and 2013 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oran Mor Whisky awards.

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Age is just a number

The number of No-Age-Statement whiskies is growing. Jamie Allan finds out why.

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ince the resurgence of interest in single malts He said, “We were really at the forefront of the no-age statement movement after we purchased the distillery one marker of quality, that whisky drinkers have sought out, is the age statement on the bottle. in 2001. When we began there was a big gap between Indicating the age of the youngest whisky used when production, as the distillery had been closed from producing the expression, the number on the bottle 1994 until 2001, and so NAS was a matter of survival has always been a go-to point for pub-goers looking to more than anything else, as the early days were a real struggle. It’s easy to forget how difficult things were try something new. Rightly or wrongly, ‘the older, the better’ has long been generally applied when it comes for us at first, as a small, independent company. It to single malt whisky, by those producing it as well as would have been great to have unlimited aged whisky those drinking it. at our disposal, but it doesn’t always work out like that.

However recent releases have seen a trend towards We needed to make ends meet.

“When the distillery was purchased a lot of the spirit No-Age-Statement (NAS) whiskies, with global brands such as Macallan, Ardbeg and Jura moving away we inherited was in very poor wood, so very early on from traditional age statement we became interested in ‘finishing’, bottlings in favour of a new range particularly using red wine casks as The industry of malts with idiosyncratic, often in the case of Bruichladdich Rocks. has placed such At the time Rocks was quite radical, vague titles on the label in lieu of a number. But why this trend away and people thought that the emphasis on the from the formerly sacrosanct age market wouldn’t accept it.” importance of statement?

Although Bruichladdich’s original age for so many NAS expressions resulted from The first motivation is borne from necessity, with some necessity rather than by design, years and it’ll distilleries now finding gaps in Carl believes that the current trend take a while to their inventories following the in these whiskies is healthy for the industry in general. Says Carl, upsurge of interest in single malts change people’s in recent years. Another reason is “There is absolutely no doubt that perceptions. that removing the age statement the industry had become lazy and Roddy Graham, over-reliant on age statements. from the label allows a great deal more flexibility for distillers Good Spirits Co, Glasgow Although we would claim to be to produce new and interesting pioneers in NAS, the brutal truth is expressions. As mentioned above, the age indicated that we’re not doing anything different now than we were all those years ago. It’s just that the market has on the bottle has to be that of the youngest whisky caught up with us. used in the blend, and with consumers trained to view age as an indicator of quality, producers have been “We now prefer to focus on the importance of cask understandably reluctant to print a low number on a management. Old whisky in bad wood is bad whisky, whereas young whisky in young wood can be bottle. NAS bottlings circumvent this issue. fantastic. Our Master Distiller Jim McEwan is legendary One of the first distilleries to fully embrace NAS whiskies was Bruichladdich on Islay. Of the current for his cask management skills. It’s a huge part of what makes Bruichladdich special.” range of nine single malts only three of the distillery’s standard expressions are NAS, though as Wee Dram spoke to Geraldine Murphy from The Pot Still, one of Glasgow’s most popular whisky bars, to Bruichladdich spokesman Carl Reavey told Wee Dram, they were one of the early pioneers. find out whether her customers had embraced the 12 A WEE DRAM

FEATURE NAS expressions by the bigger distillers. She told us, placed such emphasis on the importance of age for “Generally the NAS whiskies do fairly well. As more so many years and it’ll take a while to change people’s big brands like Macallan are going down that road perceptions.” then people will become more familiar with the idea.

“However last year we had a four year old Of course, we still get customers who ask how old Bunnahabhain and it flew off the shelves – it was the whisky is and will only drink those with an age almost the colour of water but it tasted fantastic. It’s statement on it, but so long as the whisky’s of a good one of many examples of very young whiskies being quality then that’s what really matters. The new Jura of good quality. Big companies are releasing younger range, for example, sells really well. whiskies mainly out of necessity, It’s just about changing people’s but it has allowed space for perceptions on NAS whiskies.” smaller operators to experiment Yet with major distillers placing with young expressions without such a prolonged emphasis over being sneered at.” the years on the importance of Wee Dram spoke to Stephen age in single malts, it may take Davies of Culloden House, an some time for whisky drinkers to Inverness hotel recognised as be weaned off. While people may a Malt Whisky Embassy by the be more willing to experiment Scottish Malt Whisky Society. He with a new expression in a bar, said, “The majority of our whisky Andy Bell, Inverarity Morton where a wee nip will only cost a drinking customers are North few pounds, retailers are finding it American, and they prefer to stick trickier to persuade their customers to part with their with brands and age statements that they recognise. money for a NAS whisky.

Trying to get them to move onto NAS expressions Andy Bell of Inverarity Morton One to One, a can be a hard sell sometimes. That said, a few of our specialist whisky and wine retailer in Glasgow, customers will try new things and are spreading their suggested that his customers remain sceptical about wings a bit further, like the new Mortlach releases for the current spate of NAS releases. He said, “It’s a trend example. amongst distillers certainly, but not necessarily for “The Dalmore Cigar Malt and Glenmorangie Signet consumers. We’re very specific about what we stock, are two great examples of NAS whiskies that have and so long as it tastes good then that’s great, but the gone down extremely well, but generally if it’s a increase in NAS whiskies appears to be more about brand they know then they’ll still seek out an age the distilleries keeping the older bottlings off the statement.” shelves. It just seems a way of squeezing more out of It may take some time for whisky drinkers to become the brand without much effort, and some of the NAS accustomed to the absence of an age statement on whiskies just aren’t as tasty as the a bottle, but with the stream of Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay: old 10yr or 12yr bottlings.

NAS releases showing no signs One of the first to fully embrace “If our customers are buying a of abating it may well be a case No-Age-Statement whisky as a gift they want the of just having to get used to it. whiskies knowledge and confidence of Says Bowmore’s Brand Manager what’s in the bottle, rather than Jane Ashley, “Of course people relying on a trendy name, and the will still use the age statement friend who receives the gift might as a signpost of quality, but this not have any idea about the is an inherent behaviour which quality and cost without looking could change over a period of it up on google. These are things time. Reducing the reliance and people consider when paying focus on the number of years an a decent amount of money for expression is aged allows the a whisky. Age isn’t necessarily the best guide as to distillery’s creative processes to come to the fore quality, but for your average whisky drinker it’s one and, with the popularity of craft production growing, of the few things they have to go on.” these blending techniques could stand to benefit.”

Roddy Graham, of Good Spirits Co, also in Glasgow, Certainly there are plenty of NAS’s on offer, but this told a similar story. Says Roddy, “A lot of our customers is where knowledge comes into play – enthusiastic are visitors to Scotland who may be less well informed bartenders with an interest in whisky and specialist about new whiskies, and they definitely seek out an whisky shops know what’s good, so why not ask them age statement before purchasing. The industry has or check out some forums on line.

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Distilleries to visit this season Ben Nevis Distillery Ben Nevis Distillery, Lochy Bridge, Fort William PH33 6TJ T: 01397 702476 www.bennevisdistillery.com Next year the Ben Nevis distillery will be 190 years old and was once one of Scotland’s most powerful distilleries when it was under the leadership of Donald P. MacDonald, the son of “Long John” MacDonald. Twenty-five years ago the Japanese whisky distiller, The Nikka Whisky Distilling Company Limited (a subsidiary of Asahi Breweries) took ownership of the distillery and since then has quietly been rebuilding its reputation for producing a quality malt whisky, with its production water having been drawn from the pure water running off the north face of Britain’s highest mountain.

Isle of Arran Distillery Isle of Arran Distillers Ltd. Lochranza, Isle of Arran KA27 8HJ T: 01770 830264 www.arranwhisky.com The Isle of Arran Distillery opened in 1995 and is one of the very few independent distilleries remaining in the Scotch whisky industry. The distillery is in the village of Lochranza, on the north-west tip of Arran, where it is perfectly located to benefit from the pure mountain spring water and soft sea air which grace this beautiful island. The award-winning Arran Single Malt is produced from un-peated malted barley and is typified by a delicious sweet & fruity character with an intriguing spicy twist on the finish. With no artificial colouring or chill-filtration our whisky truly is ‘pure by nature’.

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Isle of Islay

Isle of Arran

Pulteney Distillery Huddart Street, Wick, Caithness, KW1 5BA T: 01955 602 371 www.oldpulteney.com One of the most northerly distillery on the British mainland, Pulteney Distillery is a very unusual malt whisky distillery. The wash still has no ‘swan neck’, and is thought that when the still was delivered it was too tall for the stillhouse and the manager simply cut the top of the still off. Traditional craftsmanship and the distillery’s windswept location all contribute to an awardwinning, ‘unashamedly excellent’ whisky with a mineralsalted spiciness that evokes the rugged coastal landscape of the far north. Try a complementary dram when you take a tour and discover for yourself.

The Balvenie Distillery The Balvenie Distillery, Balvenie Maltings, Dufftown, Scotland AB55 4BB T: 01340 822 210 www.thebalvenie.com

Inverness Aviemore Aberdeen

Perth Dundee

Edinburgh Glasgow

Thanks to a unique combination of natural alchemy and centuries old craftsmanship, The Balvenie is unique among single malts. We still grow our own barley and keep faith with a traditional malting floor, the last of its kind in the Scottish Highlands. Our resident coppersmith maintains the stills and our team of coopers ensure each barrel is in perfect condition. And of course, our Malt Master presides over the all-important maturation process. Located in Dufftown on Speyside, in Scotland, the distillery is well worth a visit. We’d love to see you to share a unique malt whisky experience and a few drams at The Balvenie.

Springbank Distillery 9 Bolgam Street, Campbeltown, Argyll PA28 6HZ T: 01586 552009 www.springbankwhisky.com Springbank Distillery is unique. It is the oldest independent family owned distillery in Scotland, having been founded in 1828 on the site of Archibald Mitchell’s illicit still. Springbank Distillery is now in the hands of his great, great grandson, Hedley G. Wright. They produce three different single malts: Springbank (lightly peated and distilled 2.5 times), Longrow (more heavily peated and distilled 2 times) and Hazelburn (unpeated and distilled 3 times). The distillery carries out the full production process from malting to bottling on one site in Campbeltown and is the only distillery to have never chill-filtered or coloured, making it the most hand-made whisky coming out of Scotland.

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Peter Mackay

Age: 24 Company: Morrison and Mackay Position: UK Sales Manager

In his role as UK Sales Manager for Morrison and Mackay, Peter Mackay, 24, travels across the UK and Europe promoting and selling his company’s range. Morrison and Mackay, a family owned business based just outside of Perth, specialises in independent bottlings and whisky-based liqueurs. Its whisky range is called The Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask, a collection of independently bottled whiskies from some of Scotland’s most famous distilleries. The company turned over £1.9m last year, and is looking to continue to expand in the coming years.

Wee Dram spoke to Peter about his role in the industry and his passion for great whisky.

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What brought you into the whisky industry?

It was purely by accident to be honest. I’d originally set out to teach golf professionally, which I’d been studying for through school and college. Two weeks after I passed my driving test I crashed my first car, and while I was waiting for it to be repaired my dad, the Managing Director of Morrison and Mackay, took me out to a whisky fair.

It was my first experience of sales, and I absolutely loved it. When I returned to college I continued doing tasting events part-time, and by 2009 I was practically begging my dad for a job in the industry. Luckily I was given a golden chance to begin, and I haven’t looked back since.

INTERVIEW

What does your role involve, and what is a ‘typical’ day?

My role involves travelling around Scotland, the rest of the UK and often abroad, introducing people to our range of whiskies. There is no typical day to be honest, which is one of the best things about the job. One day I could be visiting retailers and dropping off samples, the next travelling to Germany or the Netherlands to host a tasting session. If there’s one consistency it’s the importance of direct contact with people, whether it’s a member of the public looking to buy a bottle or a major industry purchaser.

Personally interacting with people is a huge part of our service.

What do you enjoy the most in your role?

There are so many great people in the industry and they’re always happy to help you. Looking from the outside you might assume that we’re all competitors but everybody helps each other out, it’s a very close-knit community. My favourite experience was when I attended the Netherlands’ biggest whisky festival in The Hague. There was about 20 of us there from across Scotland from various different companies, and the camaraderie and social side of it was excellent. it was a lot fun and I felt very lucky to be there.

the age. I don’t think dram drinkers will mind so long as it still tastes great. It might even become essential. In 2014 the whisky industry saw stocks of 12yrs and above fall by a third, so distillers are going to have to adapt.

Do you have any advice for whisky-drinking novices?

I would suggest starting out by finding a good retailer who does tutored tastings. There’s so much you can learn from them, and they’re also great fun, which after all is the most important thing. As the tastings generally let you try a broad range of styles then you should find out very quickly what you like and don’t!

How can whisky attract a more diverse audience?

The product is so diverse and will always speak for itself, so long as it’s presented to newcomers in a relaxed and fun way. Events such as whisky festivals and masterclass tastings are ideal for making the spirit entertaining and bringing in new people who might otherwise have never given whisky a chance. There are so many events going on at the moment, long gone are the days when you’d be relying on your Granddad giving you a nip of Laphroaig as an introduction to whisky.

Do you have any advice for anybody who would like to work in whisky?

If you had to choose, what would you say is your favourite whisky?

My dad always tells me that knowledge is absolute power in the whisky trade, and knowledge of the product is key. There are so many good courses available now, whether through the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) or others, so I would definitely recommend looking into them. Having one of their qualifications on your CV will make any job application much, much stronger.

If I was in a bar I would find it very hard to look past Johnny Walker Black Label. It’s just such a perfect blend. At home, it would have to be the 1968 Tamnavulin in our Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask range, it’s the most spectacular whisky I’ve ever tried. I love the hints of pineapple and exotic fruits.

What direction do you see the whisky trade taking over the next five to ten years?

I’ve a real passion for motorcycle racing and I’m a massive fan of Valentino Rossi. I’ve got a trip planned shortly that’s going to take me through Switzerland to San Marino to watch the Moto GP, and from there I’m also going to visit Lake Como and Venice.

Well, you’ll certainly see prices go up! That aside, I think the non-age statement whisky is here to stay. If the quality of the whisky is good enough then I don’t see any problem with not displaying

What are your interests outside of the industry?

A WEE DRAM 17

AWARD WINNING SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY FROM THE ISLE OF ARRAN.

San Francisco World Spirits Awards – Double Gold Medal, Islands

San Francisco World Spirits Awards – Gold Medal, Islands

Distillery & Visitor Centre Lochranza, Isle of Arran KA27 8HJ Tel: +44 (0) 1770 830264

www.arranwhisky.com

FEATURE

Warren Campbell decided to try his hand at blending his own whisky at the Scotch Whisky Experience. It certainly was an experience!

L

ike a kid in a candy store, I found myself at the which she always replies, “There is no right way. You five star premier visitor attraction The Scotch should never tell folk how to drink.” So there you have Whisky Experience in Edinburgh recently for a it from the dram meister herself! Adding water, ice, night of tasting and the opportunity to actually make Coca-Cola, Irn-Bru or simply drinking it straight are my very own blended whisky. all absolutely acceptable making whisky a very fine Situated on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, The Scotch and diverse drink suitable for absolutely everyone.

Whisky Experience attracts visitors from all over the Following on from our education on maturation, was world and offers an in-depth insight to Scotland’s a tantalising test for the noses and a spot of whisky most famous export from, its humble beginnings, to tasting for the taste buds. During an evening like the global phenomenon it has become today. this you also get to meet new people, who all have You could also, if you are so inclined, take a barrel ride different whisky experiences. through a replica distillery where you can encounter First we had to smell ten different bottled scents some very peculiar accomplices as well as have the with points scored if we correctly identified them. opportunity to learn about the process of maturation With a tiny bit of help from fellow guest Angela, I and, of course the best bit of all... testing one’s nose am ashamed to say I scored a measly 10 and a half and palate with the different out of 20. The half point being Single Malts they to offer. generously self-awarded for I was a guest at the ‘Blend my effort! Although Susan Your Own Whisky Experience’, informed us that getting at also available for visitors and least 7 out of the 10 scents all hosting the evening was Susan correct placed you within 5% Morrison, Director and General of the country’s population for Manager of the Scotch Whisky sensory analysis.

Susan Morrison, Director of the Experience.

Moving on in the evening, As a self-confessed lover Scotch Whisky Experience we got to sample some of of whisky, although not an Scotland’s finest malts namely expert, I knew I was in for a treat as I approached Glenkinchie, Old Pulteney, Aberlour and Bowmore, my table where four single malts were waiting for all distilled in different parts of the country, from the me. The beauty of these kind of nights is that they windy north to the salty shores of the west. For me, are arguably the most aesthetically pleasing way of my personal hero of the evening was Old Pulteney having a fantastic night whilst sampling some of the which boasted a unique quality in that it almost gives most heart-warming malts Scotland has to offer. off a slight fizz giving it a more subtle and intriguing Susan gave us a crash course on whisky maturation depth. and lots of other valuable information. One of the It was now time for me to do some work as the messy early points she made was that current Scotch part I had been waiting for all night was about to start; Whisky Regulations, insist a Scotch Whisky must the blending session! As the blending commenced, I be aged for at least three years in oak casks and be had decided to infuse my new love Old Pulteney in made exclusively from malted barley. the blend somehow, but also to include a rich smoky One of the most popular questions she is asked is, aroma from the likes of Lagavulin or Bowmore.

“How does a real Scotsman drink his whisky?” To After careful consideration and in-depth thought, my A WEE DRAM 19

blend was born! I had decided to use approximately 70% (and though do love Islay malts such as Lagavulin and Bowmore,) I decided to use very little to avoid overpowering my blend, so I used a mere 4%. The rest was an almost equal measure of both Old Pultney and Glenkinchie. Blending aside, I had the all-important task of coming up with a brand name for my creation. Thus, “GONZO” became my branded blend and was aptly named after a favourite writer of mine, Hunter S. Thompson, a fellow whisky lover and founder of ‘gonzo journalism’. Everyone got to take their blend away with them as well a blending certificate.

If you fancy doing this at home... to make your own blended whisky, which I thoroughly recommend doing, you must use at least 50% grain whisky and add a range of single malts.

Events like these are one of the great perks of my job, but visitors can take part in the ‘Blend Your Own Whisky Experience’ too. Blended whiskies make up a huge 90% of the whisky market meaning that the industry would not thrive as well as it does on just single malts. The blending package costs £65 per person for groups of 10 or more and includes a tour of the Scotch Whisky Experience and a tasting of four Single Malt Whiskies.

Warren Campbell with The Scotch Whisky his new concoction Experience is home to the world’s largest whisky collection formerly owned by Brazilian collector, Claive Vidiz, and is also part of the ‘Blend Your Own Whisky Experience’. The impressive collection stands at 3,384 whiskies which comprises single malts and blends and is an absolute must-see for whisky connoisseurs and enthusiasts.

My night was most certainly informative and enjoyable. Whether you are a traditional drinker who likes their spirits straight, or perhaps a more modern indulger who likes that single ice cube giving a whole new level to your beverage or even if you are that one who likes to mix Scotland’s other finest drink Irn-Bru, there is a whisky out there for you, no matter what your drinking preference is. It’s all about finding that perfect whisky to give you that certain glow and I would thoroughly recommend visiting the Scotch Whisky Experience to anyone and everyone.

WHISKI ROOMS BAR • RESTAURANT • WHISKY SHOP Whisky Bar of the Year 2013/2014, SLTN Awards Fresh, local, scottish produce.

Over 270 whiskies, premium wines and spirits.

Daily Whisky Tastings.

Private dining and events.

Iconic views over Edinburgh.

The Mound, 4-7 North Bank Street, Edinburgh www.whiskirooms.com bar@whiskirooms.co.uk Bar & Bistro 0131 225 7224

Whisky Shop 0131 225 1532 A WEE DRAM 21

COCKTAILS

DEVILISH DRINKS Just in time for Halloween! ...but these cocktails can also be enjoyed all year round.

The Devil’s Digestif

Ginger Walker

Red Scotch

Ingredients • 50ml Jim Beam Devil’s Cut • 8 mint leaves • 12.5ml dark chocolate liqueur (Mozart’s Black)

Ingredients • 50ml Johnnie Walker Red Label Blended Scotch Whisky • 150ml Ginger Ale • 1 wedge lime

Ingredients • 25ml Scotch whisky • Tomato juice • Juice of half a lemon • Dash of Worcester sauce • Dash of Tabasco

Method Fill a glass with ice.

Pour Johnnie Walker Red Label Whisky and ginger ale into the glass.

Using a jigger measure 50ml Johnnie Walker Red Label Whisky and 150ml ginger ale into the glass.

Garnish with a wedge of lime.

Method Shake together the Whisky, tomato juice, lemon, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce.

Fill a glass with ice and pour the mixture over and decorate with freshly ground black pepper.

Method Muddle the mint leaves, a bar spoon of gomme and the dark chocolate liqueur in a Julep tin. (or glass). Fill with crushed ice add the Jim Beam Devil’s Cut and stir well. Top up with ice and garnish with a fresh mint sprig.

22 A WEE DRAM

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rafty c crafty The art of craft distilling is becoming fashionable. Jamie Allan takes a look at the craft distillers making their mark.

U

nless you’ve spent the last few years trapped under a rock in an abandoned mine, the chances are that you will be more than familiar with the so-called ‘craft beer revolution’ that has swept Scotland.

The substantial rise of small-batch beers has mirrored trends in the US, and now it appears that another American drinks movement has reached these shores; craft distilling.

The term ‘craft distilling’, or ‘microdistilling’, is applied in general terms to small-batch ‘boutique’ spirit producers whose output is restricted by the size of their stills and storage areas. As with craft beer, many craft distillers emphasise their use of locallysourced ingredients when distilling their spirit, adding to the brand’s sense of provenance.

One example is The Strathearn Distillery in Perthshire, Scotland’s smallest distillery, which began its first whisky distillation in October 2013. Due to the smallbatch nature of the production, Strathearn will primarily be selling whisky by the barrel rather than the bottle. Says Sales Manager Ailish Loughran, “We’re mostly selling it to private buyers, who pay initially for the storage of the barrel as it ages and then three or more years later a second payment for bottling and duty. There’s been such a huge interest in the private casks that we’ve not been able to put much aside for ourselves. The casks are 50 litres and our prices begin at £690 for a standard American oak cask. You can also pay a bit extra for a sherry cask finish.”

Continues Ailish, “Micro-distilleries are going to be a growing trend in coming years and there will be more built in the near future. I think it’s entirely possible that 24 A WEE DRAM

craf in five years time we’ll see dozens of micro-distilleries, and not just for whisky. Already new gin, vodka and even rum distilleries are cropping up.”

The craft-distilling movement has its links in the current craft beer craze, and one Scottish microbrewer, the Eden Brewery, has decided to branch out into spirits too with the transformation of the Eden Mill. The St Andrews based brewer will soon be producing its first batch of whisky, and director Paul Miller told Wee Dram that he envisions Eden’s production process as being very much an interactive experience for his customers.

Says Paul, “We want to provide a unique opportunity for people to engage and experience the Strathearn Distillery process of making whisky, rather than your standard distillery tour.

People will be able to identify the type of barley and wood that they wish to use, we want them to have the freedom to develop their own style. It’s about broadening the appeal of whisky. There are plenty of people out there who want to purchase casks, but we don’t want to create a market for investing in a barrel. We’d rather they came along to the site and made the whisky themselves.

“We’ll have a few esoteric, quality products but it will mainly be a mix of single cask whiskies and our own house expression, which will be a coastal Speyside style, slightly salty and aged in sherry casks.”

As with Ailish at Strathearn, Paul believes that this is just the beginning for the Scottish craft-distilling movement, though he warns against the possibility of dilution of quality in Scotch whisky.

He told Wee Dram, “Micro-distilling is a really exciting opportunity for Scotland. The barriers of entry are

casks casks FEATURE

fty casks much higher than for producing beer of course, but the public are increasingly looking for drinks that have been crafted and have provenance.

“The biggest issue will be ensuring that the right controls are in place to ensure the integrity of Scottish whisky. This is of paramount importance; Scotch has developed a superb reputation for quality over the last hundred years, and micro-distilling must be scrutinised to ensure that this is maintained.”

However it’s not only craft distilleries that are springing up across Scotland. In what can only be seen as exciting news for whisky enthusiasts, a number of larger distilleries have also been scheduled for locations as distant and diverse as Barra, Falkirk and Shetland, amongst many others.

One of the most ambitious projects to have been announced is the construction of the Glasgow Distillery on the banks of the Clyde. The project will cost £10m and create 300 jobs, with a visitor centre and bar and bistro also being built on the site.

Project Manager Glen Moore told Wee Dram, “The site should be ready to begin production by the end of 2015, it’s been purchased and we have planning consent. The stills are on order from Forsyths, which is good as it’s so difficult to get them ordered these days with everybody increasing their production. We’ll have a 1.5 tonne mashtun, which can produce 400,000 litres of pure alcohol a year, so while we won’t be the smallest distillery by any means we will still be in the bottom 15 in Scotland in terms of production.”

When asked about sudden increase in new distilleries, Glen offered three suggestions, saying, “One cause has been the rise of small craft distilleries from the American bourbon model, and another is the continued interest and continual growth of single malt whiskies. Finally, because of the growth it’s becoming increasingly difficult for independent bottlers to get their hands on good quality spirits and wood. Mainly though it’s been consumer led, as peoples’ interest in smaller, hand-crafted food and drinks has carried over to whisky.”

A ninth Islay distillery is also currently under construction at Gartbreck Farm just outside of Bowmore. Gartbreck is owned by Jean and Martine Donnay of the Glann ar Mor distillery in Brittany, France, and production is provisionally scheduled to begin in autumn 2015, with the signature malt being of typically peaty character for an Islay malt. As with many new distilleries, Strathearn and Eden included, gin will also be produced on site while the whisky is in the early stages of production and maturation. Another distillery due to open soon is Kingsbarns in St Andrews, who plan to eventually produce up to 500,000 litres of single malt whisky per year. The distillery is partly funded by Wemyss Malts, whose blended malt whisky range includes Spice King, Lord Elcho and Peat Chimney.

All of these new additions to the Scottish whisky scene can only be a positive thing for those who enjoy a wee dram; if the craft beer scene is anything to go by then the increase in small-batch distillers should lead to some highly creative and idiosyncratic single malts.

Likewise, the new, larger distilleries will go some way towards invigorating an already thriving industry, and introducing Scotch production to oft-neglected areas of Scotland. So next time you’re scouring a bar’s shelves for your whisky of choice, keep an eye out for some unfamiliar names. You never know where your next dram may come from!

A WEE DRAM 25

WISE WORDS

Enjoy whisky, you’re in good company “I’d much rather be someone’s shot of whisky than everyone’s cup of tea.”

Carrie Bradshaw

“The water was not fit to drink. To make it palatable, we had to add whisky. By diligent effort, I learned to like it.”

Winston Churchill

“Tell me what brand of whisky that Grant drinks. I would like to send a barrel of it to my other generals.”

Abraham Lincoln

“A whisky bottle comforts me And tells me not to cry”.

Jon Bon Jovi (song lyrics)

“Love makes the world go round?

Not at all. Whisky makes it go round twice as fast.”

Compton Mackenzie

“It is true that whisky improves with age.

The older I get, the more I like it.”

Ronnie Corbett

26 A WEE DRAM

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough.”

Mark Twain

His last words were, “I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.”

Humphrey Bogart

“I’m on a whisky diet. I’ve lost three days already.”

Tommy Cooper

“A good gulp of hot whisky at bedtime it’s not very scientific, but it helps.”

Alexander Fleming

“I’m not gonna, like, sugar coat it for 60 minutes that, I’m some sober human being because I’m not. I drink a lot of whisky.”

Lady GaGa

”I wish to live to 150 years old, but the day I die, I wish it to be with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of whisky in the other.”

Ava Gardner

“I like my whisky old and my women young.”

Errol Flynn

“Whisky is liquid sunshine.”

George Bernard Shaw

“The light music of whisky falling into a glass - an agreeable interlude.”

James Joyce

A Wee DRAM, published by

Some of our other publications

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Nip inside Scotland’s top

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1st Edition

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197 High Street 1PE Edinburgh EH1 T: 0131 220 5277 burgh.co.uk h-edin www.albanac

self-proclaimed h is the ion of The Albanac city centre celebratcoolest‘sophisticated of the certainly one you won’t Scotland’. It’s the Capital. Inside, looking bars in wall of around the Albanach’s bar, with be able to miss the long central 250 whiskies behind to make agonising over menu d a dedicate easier. And just that little bit seriously which one to try takes whisky very customers this is a bar that tours, whereby by age with its own whisky or four malts themed can select three the occasional ales, including lagers. or location. Real draught of range to a guest, sit next epitome of favourite is the emphasis This Edinburgh equal an ity, with salmon Scottish hospital of things. Haggis, classics b on the food side alongside pub-gru hes. and venison sit pastas and sandwic like burgers, grills,

whisky bars

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Amicus Apple 17 Frederick Street Edinburgh EH2 3EY T: 0131 226 6055 www.amicusapple.com @AmicusApple

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t’s quite fitting that Amicus Apple’s cocktail list shares many of the features of the bar itself, being stylish, contemporary and clearly not taking itself too seriously. This isn’t intended as a slight; Amicus Apple is about as down to earth as a city centre cocktail bar can be, contributing greatly to its laidback, homely atmosphere. Famous for its cocktails, each lovingly prepared and expertly presented, the bar staff are always more than happy to mix your favourite tipple should it not be on their list. The bar has a permanent Friday night feel about it regardless of the day of the week, with the mood lighting and funky music all adding to the vivacious vibe.

SCOTLANDS

2014

TOP BARS

11

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Monboddo

34 Bread Street, Edinburg h EH3 9AF T: 0131 221 5555 DoubleTreeEdinburghCity.c o.uk MonboddoEdinburgh @Monboddo1

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2014

tart the day with a Scottish breakfast or a coffee and freshly baked cake, followed by the Express Lunch menu, suiting those who want perfectly good food in good time.

For the leisurely guest, Afternoon Teas offer a little bit of indulgence,more classic bar dishes and sharing with platters available all day.

Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, unwind perfectly created cocktail, with a a bottle of bubbly or one of the bar’s fine selection of gins, which can be quaffed in elegant surroundings, whilst enjoying views of Edinburgh Castle, slick service and a warm welcome.

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@dramscotland dram.scotland

Cocktail Bars

Upper Floor, Finnieston House, 1 The Stables Yard, 1103 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8ND Tel: 0141 221 6965 www.dramscotland.co.uk

TASTING NOTES

TASTING NOTES The great thing about malt whisky is that people can taste a whole variety of flavours in the liquid.

Whisky connoisseurs have a whole host of descriptives, and on this page we give you some that are used to describe a selection of our favourite single malts. When we talk about nose we mean smell, and palate means the taste. The finish is the taste that remains once you have swallowed the whisky.

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban Colour Dark amber Nose Dark mint chocolate, tangerines and Seville oranges mingle with sandalwood and walnut before giving way to a spicy finish of pepper and nutmeg.

Palate Mint chocolate and walnuts envelop the palate like velvet, laying the foundations for rose, Turkish delight and sweet Seville oranges.

Finish Long lasting silky aftertaste leaving dark chocolate mints and traces of orange.

Cardhu 12yr Colour Golden honey.

Nose Heather and sweet honey and nut.

Palate Well balanced, smooth mouth-feel; sweet and fresh, then drying. Moorish. Enjoyable with a little water or ice.

Finish Quite short. Some lingering sweet smoke in the attractive, drying aftertaste.

Arran 10yr Colour Ripe Golden Barley Nose The initial rush of rich vanilla sweetness gives way to the fruits of slow distillation – kiwi, banana, cantaloupe melon – with just 28 A WEE DRAM

a dusting of cocoa powder.

Palate A touch of cinnamon adds a spicy edge to the soft and sweet texture which captivates the palate. The classic Arran citrus notes have rounded with age and reveal new depths of character against a background of sweet oak.

Finish It drifts over the tongue like golden syrup and fades ever so slowly to tempt another sip.

Glengoyne Cask Strength Colour Amber gold Nose Warm baked custard, peppered strawberries, digestive biscuits, soft oak and a short sherbert tingle Palate Thick rosehip syrup, Demerara sugar developing into a spicy, gooseberry dryness. Wonderful balance, nothing dominates.

Finish Very long The Tomatin Legacy Colour Light gold to yellow Nose Vanilla pods, marshmallow, sponge cake and fresh pineapple, mixed with citrus lemon and boiled sweets.

Palate Light and delicate with a candy sweetness which is peppered with hints of pine.

Lemon sherbet, pineapple and crunchy green apples with a touch

of freshly baked sponge cake.

Finish Clean, light and refreshing.

AnCnoc Vintage 2000 Colour bronzed honey with rich amber highlights Nose Oriental spices, burned vanilla and unrefined cocoa beans give way to subtle aromas of lemongrass, orange peel and fragrant cut flowers.

Palate The new Vintage is smooth but firm-structured, envelops the palate in creamy vanilla, spicy sherry notes and pralines.

Finish A long, balanced finish with a whiff of wood smoke.

Devil’s Cask Bowmore’s Limited Edition, Second Edition Colour Deep mahogany Nose Breathe in rich sherried sweetness with dates and sultanas smothered in the indulgence of treacle toffee, pecan and maple syrup.

Palate Sip the sublime velvet taste of dark chocolate fudge infused with sherried dark fruit, sea-salt and walnut oil.

Finish Savour the longlasting finish with sun-dried raisins and salted treacle.

GIFTS Personalised Whisky Set - From £34.99 www.gettingpersonal.co.uk A personalised, five 30ml bottles of the finest (and hardest to find) scotches from both Highland and Island regions, gift set. As well as the five bottles, the set includes a presentation mat, and tasting cards for each whisky which give detailed information and instructions on how to best savour these fantastic single malts. This beautiful gift set can also be personalised just for the recipient, with the message of your choice appearing on the presentation box.

Glass Set - £12.95 House of Bath These novel whisky glasses balance, spin and twirl and that’s before you have had a sip!

Gift Pack - £18.00 M&S Marks and Spencer have a gift pack for Christmas which boasts a 12 year old Islay Single Malt, with traditional shortbread and an Islay branded tumbler. Perfect for first footing!

Water Dancing Speakers - £39.95 www.red5.co.uk When you are enjoying your ‘Water of Life’ why not relax and listen to your favourite music and these speakers from RED5, feature jets of water illuminated by bright multi-coloured LED’s, which create a truly unique water show. The water actually bounces to the music like your very own Bellagio fountains!

whisky gifts With Christmas fast approaching, here are some ideas for what to buy that special, whisky loving, person in your life.

Various Luxury Gifts www.Occa-Home.co.uk Luxury gift company Occa-Home have a lovely set of six Flamant Bogart Whisky Glasses at £126.50; as well as a Flamant Bogart Crystal Long Drink Glass and you could also splash out on an Eichholtz Westbound Spur Wine Cooler at £143.

Arran Malt 10 Year Old Single Malt 46% 70CL - £34.99 www.arranwhisky.com The Arran 10 year-old Single Malt is a classic expression from the Isle of Arran Distillery and is the perfect Christmas gift for a whisky fan who appreciates a dram that you can’t find on every other supermarket shelf! This small island Distillery produces an award-winning range of Single Malts. The 10 year-old is a fresh and vibrant un-peated style of whisky with vanilla and citrus notes which compliment each other beautifully to create a smooth and mellow dram. The Arran Distillery is the only Distillery on the Isle of Arran and independently owned.

The McGibbon’s Golf Range from Douglas Laing www.douglaslaing.com The re-launch of The McGibbon’s Golf Range from Douglas Laing is perfect for golf loving friends and family. The range features the “Special Reserve” ceramic Golf Club decanter and the “Premium Reserve” Golf Bag decanter. Honouring a golfers trusty 3 wood, the Special Reserve has been matured in an inspired combination of 3 different types of oak cask: first and second-fill Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry. The result is a Whisky displaying rich burnt sugar, vanilla, sweet malt and runny honey. It comes in at £44.99.

While The Premium Reserve Golf Bag has a high proportion of old malts and Oloroso sherry cask matured Whisky.

The result is a unique Whisky revealing stewed fruits, creamy caramel, zesty orange and dark chocolate. The Premium Reserve is £49.99. Both available from all good whisky shops.

A WEE DRAM 29

WHAT’S ON

WHAT’S ON...

10th October

15th November

29th November

Buffalo Trace Tasting at The Good Spirits Co.

Glasgow’s Whisky Festival

Drambusters

Drew Mayville, Master Blender for Buffalo Trace, returns for another night of fantastic bourbon and great chat. If it’s anything like last year’s superb tasting then it is most definitely not to be missed. Tickets £20 in advance. 7pm-9pm. Call 0141 258 8427 to book.

Organised by Mark Connelly of whiskywhiskywhisky. com, one of Europe’s largest online whisky forums, Bill Mackintosh, director of Scotch Whisky Auctions, and Julie Hamilton, the festival in its 5th year now showcases the art and craft of whisky making in Scotland and around the world.

With some of the biggest – and smallest – names in the whisky industry present, this is the must-attend event of the whisky year. Tickets £30 in advance. 1pm – 5pm.

17th October

Whisky Tasting at The Good Spirits Co. 23 Bath Street, Glasgow A regular canter round the shop’s whisky shelves, with a focus on new releases and indie bottlings. Tickets £20 in advance. 7pm-9pm. Call 0141 258 8427 to book.

31st October

Which Whisky is Witch Tasting The Scotch Malt Whisky Society The North View Room, 28 Queen Street, Edinburgh Society trick or Society treat? You will find a bit of both in this entertaining tasting. Only one thing is for sure, you will eventually get to taste some Society single cask (that’s for the treat!). But the trick is, you won’t know until you actually drink your glass as this will be a blind tasting! Tickets available from www.smws.co.uk

30 A WEE DRAM

The Arches, Glasgow

29th November

Whiskies of the World – International Whisky Tasting Event Anchorage Hotel, Troon A tasting that will allow you to compare some amazing whisky from all round the globe to one of the finest single malt whiskies from Scotland. With new whisky distilleries popping all over the globe this is a great opportunity to compare our native spirit to some of the wonderful whiskies that are being distilled in some far flung and unexpected places.

Tickets available from www. glasgowmaltwhiskycompany. com

Easterbrook Hall, The Crichton, Dumfries Price includes a dramming glass, unlimited water, programme and a full range of whiskies to sample plus a few rums and gins for good measure. Tickets are £23, and limited to 650. Call 01387 256 601 for details.

12th December

The Vaults End of Year in Whisky Tasting The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Edinburgh Drams matched with Clans, a member’s room bursting to the seams on World Whisky Day, Sherry, Craft Beer, trawler men and swordfights – it sure has been an eventful year for the Vaults. Tonight they will take time to reflect over the year’s activities. Tickets from www.smws.co.uk 23rd January

Cask Strength Tasting Event Glasgow University Union Cask strength whisky, the way nature intended whisky to be tasted, is a tasting event for the purists. A carefully selected range of whiskies for you to taste, that best showcase the great combination of strength and flavour that you can get from cask strength whisky. Tickets from glasgowmaltwhiskycompany. com

handcraft slowly,

we our Single Malt Scotch Whisky the and make it time-honoured way.

finest

Using the natural ingredients, our three distillers orchestrate every second of the distillation process; there are no short cuts to perfection. Every cask is hand-filled, handweighed and hand-stamped before maturing for many years in our traditional dunnage warehouses. Why do we make it this classic pre-1960s Speyside way? Because it creates a

gorgeous

character: beautifully balanced with a light touch of smoke.

Discover more at benromach.com

Best Speyside Single Malt 12 Years and Under

discover more

Benromach.com

please enjoy benromach responsibly.

ENJOYED 2014 ENJOYED 2014

GlenglassaughDistillery, Distillery, standing Coast at at thethe Glenglassaugh standingon onthe theMoray MorayFirth Firth Coast edgeofofSandend SandendBay, Bay, is a distillery distillery which forgotten forfor edge whichlay laysilent silentand and forgotten overtwo twodecades. decades.Its Its heritage heritage stretches and thethe distincover stretchesback backtoto1875 1875 and distinctivefruity fruitycharacter character of of its whisky it. it. tive whiskyisisloved lovedbybyallallwho whodiscover discover Afterbeing beingmothballed mothballed for over restarted After over 20 20years, years,production productionwas was restarted 2008.The The first first whisky whisky from is is now inin2008. from this this refurbished refurbisheddistillery distillery now availabletotosingle singlemalt malt Scotch Scotch whisky available whiskylovers loverseverywhere. everywhere.

WWW.GLENGLASSAUGH.COM WWW.GLENGLASSAUGH.COM