World Whisky Day – some tasty options
Driving: Rolls-Royce Ghost – big is beautiful
12 May 2023
Saints and Sinners: France, the Dordogne
16 May 2023Dram! That's good
World Whisky Day (20 May) is the perfect occasion to raise a glass and celebrate Scotland’s national drink.
W hether you’re well acquainted with the world of whisky or inspired to sip your first single malt there are few things as comforting as a dram or two. As the annual celebration fast approaches, three distilleries – The Dalmore, Fettercairn and Jura – share some expressions that should find a home in your drinks cabinet ahead of the big day.
For the collectors celebrating:
For 180 years The Dalmore has been a masterpiece in the making. A single malt whisky like no other, overseen by an unbroken chain of visionary whisky makers whose entrepreneurial spirit and restless pursuit of the perfect whisky endures today.
Current Master Distiller, Richard Paterson, celebrated his sixth decade at The Dalmore in 2020. He continues to hand-select rare casks from the finest bodega and wineries in which to mature the carefully composed spirit. This commitment is at the heart of their exceptional whiskies.
The Dalmore Single Malt Whisky is available worldwide in the finest outlets, from Harrods, London to the Shangri-La, Shanghai. For those that enjoy fine travel, The Dalmore is available at 40,000 feet with Emirates First Class and onboard Queen Mary II of Cunard.
Worldwide demand for The Dalmore by consumers and collectors alike has continued to grow. The Dalmore is the fastest growing single malt whisky worldwide.
The Dalmore 21 Year Old
Sweet and warming with a touch of gentle spice, this special edition spirit is quite the coup for any whisky connoisseur’s collection.
Matured in exquisite 30-year-old Matusalem oloroso sherry casks unique to The Dalmore, the new offering typifies the inextricable affinity between The Dalmore and sherry.
A feast for the senses, the liquid is a symphony of the signature Dalmore DNA of oranges, bitter chocolate and gentle spices, masterfully layered with black forest fruits and sweet liquorice, walnuts and marzipan on the palate, gliding to a long and lingering finish of peaches, ginseng, pear tarte tatin and sanguinello blood oranges.
The Dalmore 18 Year Old
Matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks and aged in Matusalem oloroso sherry casks, this exquisite expression is an evolution of The Dalmore house style, harnessing bolder notes that create a robust and formidable whisky.
Part of The Dalmore’s award-winning Principal Collection, under the watchful eye of Master Distiller Richard Paterson, the liquid is initially matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks to create a base of soft vanilla and honey.
The liquid is then transferred into 30-year-old Matusalem oloroso sherry casks, exclusively provided by the González Byass bodega, where it reaches its full potential to create a rich, deep chocolate character before the magical moment of bottling.
Provocative and intense, this exceptional highland single malt is the ultimate expression for the discerning whisky drinker.
For those celebrating World Whisky Day for the first time:
Jura is a tiny island, nestled off the west coast of Scotland. With only one road, one pub, one whisky distillery and 212 people (at last count), Jura is as beautiful as it is remote.
The distillery was established in 1810 and reborn in 1963 to revive the community.
Inspired by the history and the island home, Jura creates single malts with a true passion for the craft of whisky making. Each bottle of Jura Whisky is a celebration of their island home and embodies the passion of those who make it.
This remote Scottish island provides the canvas from which these dedicated islanders take their inspiration and the distillery provides the means by which to bring this to life through whisky making.
Jura 14 Year Old
Matured in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels and hand selected American rye barrels, Jura’s 14 Year Old single malt delivers on depth and complexity with layered spice, aromatic, herbal and floral qualities.
The whisky’s palate reveals the richness of toffee apple and warmth of pecan pie with layers of cinnamon, vibrant vanilla, honey cacao and hazelnut.
Developing into a long, warm and nutty finish with notes of maple syrup, toffee, guava and soft wood spices on the tongue, the splendid dram is reminiscent of summer evenings on Jura Island, where the close-knit community of just 212 raise a glass after a busy day.
With scents of fresh citrus and vanilla character balanced with the herbal and floral aromas of the American rye barrels, the flavoursome whisky is the perfect choice to celebrate World Whisky Day for the very first time, helping create new traditions.
For those looking for something light:
Fettercairn was founded by Sir Alexander Ramsay, one of the Scottish landowners who campaigned for the licensing of Scotch whisky distilling. In 1824, he established the Fettercairn Distillery in the northeast of Scotland, which was to become one of the first licensed single malt distilleries.
Despite his campaigns for regulation, Ramsay recruited illicit whisky makers as his first stillmen, knowing they alone had the knowledge and experience required to make great whisky.
From the very beginnings, they have been doing things a little differently and, in the mid-1950s, the whisky makers at Fettercairn experimented, seeking ways to create a purer expression of their spirit. They found that pouring water down the still cooled the copper, increasing condensation inside so only the lightest vapours could rise for collection.
They fashioned a copper tube around the top of the still to continually douse it with crystal clear mountain water. This simple yet ingenious engineering feat not only creates a purer expression of the whisky, but the beautiful oxidised patina of the copper with shades of teal, brushed cooper and white proudly marks the stills. To this day the Fettercairn copper cooling ring remains unique in Scotch whisky making.
Today, Fettercairn Distillery continues this trend of ingenious thinking and is the home of enlightened whisky making, where experimental and considered, open-minded innovation provides inspiration in the creation of the most exceptional and rare single malt whiskies.
Driven by the idea of entire craft, there is an inherent commitment to the land and the idea of nurturing and embracing every single part of the process, from forest to field to Fettercairn.
As part of this philosophy, they are always chasing discovery and using this learning to feed the imagination and passion necessary to create distinct whiskies with a surprising tropical character.
Fettercairn 12 Year Old
Matured in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels for 12 years, the 12 Year Old Fettercairn is packed with tropical flavours without losing the brand’s signature weightiness and gentle gingery spice.
The liquid is the colour of sunlight and amber honey with vanilla, pear and soft spices on the nose. Refreshing notes of nectarine, tropical fruit, and roasted coffee shape the taste, with memorable flavours of sultanas and black toffee to finish off.
Perfect for inquisitive and open-minded whisky drinkers, the 12 Year Old should be enjoyed straight, before being sipped with a splash of cold water that opens up the spirit to bring out its signature flavour and aromas.