There’s an old adage when it comes to travelling and being a tourist: Sometimes, the best sights and experiences are found off the beaten path. Similarly, there’s an old truth when it comes to shopping and retail: Years after the purchase, you won’t always remember how much you paid; you might not even remember what it was you bought, but you’ll remember the experience in the shop and how you were looked after by the proprietors. When it comes to The Whisky Castle at Tomintoul, both these truths quickly become evident and play out.
Tag: Aberlour
What makes a whisky a “Christmas whisky” ?
What makes a whisky a Christmas whisky? Is it simply a whisky you receive as a gift for Christmas? Is it a whisky that comes packaged in traditional Christmas colours, e.g. red, green, and white? Or is it a whisky that smells and tastes like Christmas? (Which begs the question: What does Christmas actually taste like?)
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Five whiskies for Christmas
Need a whisky for Christmas? Once upon a time, whisky was whisky, and Santa wasn’t too discerning when it came to what special dram you left out for him on Christmas Eve. But as for us consumers? Well, Christmas = Christmas pudding, and that means dried fruits, raisins, dates, boozy prunes, butterscotch sauce, toffee, cherries, currants, cloves, cinnamon, and spices. And THAT, my friends, means a Christmas dram has to be sherried!
Here are five sensational sherry-matured whiskies that will fit the bill this Christmas. Four are regularly and widely available; one is an Australia-only exclusive….
Glenfarclas 105 versus Aberlour a’Bunadh
Glenfarclas 105 versus Aberlour a’Bunadh. Do you have a favourite? Have you already decided on a winner? Did you actually taste the two back-to-back to arrive at your conclusion? Does any comparison of the two simply come down to brand loyalty, or is there something objective we can measure?
If there’s a rivalry amongst the whisky producers, it would best be described as “friendly”. While the likes of William Grant & Sons and Pernod Ricard duke it out for the biggest selling single malt in the world (i.e. Glenfiddich and Glenlivet respectively), both companies know that, firstly, sales need to be considered across their full portfolios, and that their blends (e.g. Grants, Chivas, and Ballantines) are where the real volume is. Secondly, that what’s good for the category is good for everyone in the category. In other words, as long as the rising tide is floating all boats, then things are pretty rosy.
If there are rivalries amongst the brands, they’re being driven by consumers and punters, and they have their origins in the chatter on social media and in whisky forums. And so, in the Speyside stakes, we have Glenfiddich 12 versus Glenlivet 12. Over on Islay, we have Lagavulin versus Laphroaig. And for those who love their cask-strength sherry monsters, we have Glenfarclas 105 versus Aberlour a’Bunadh.
Both whiskies are cask-strength; both are natural colour; both are heavily sherried; and – in Australia, at least – both carry the same price tag of $140. (Equates to US$96 / 87 Euros / £75). That’s what they have in common, so let’s look in detail at how and where they differ….
Six historical whiskies you MUST try
You’ve probably been at a whisky event amongst a bunch of people and you were tasting a whisky from a particular distillery when someone near you remarked, “Ah, it’s not as good as it used to be…their whisky was so much better 20 years ago!” Or words to that effect. It’s a sentiment I’ve heard a lot lately. Mostly because I’m the old fart repeatedly saying it. We all look back on the rare and special whiskies we’ve tried in the past, and it’s hard not to wish that current incarnations were the same.
But I know I’m not alone – it’s an observation shared by many, and particularly amongst some of the pals I’ve been dramming with for 15-20 years. We’re often accused of wearing rose-coloured glasses or getting caught up in sepia-toned memories. That being said, we can be objective about this, and you should perhaps read our feature article, Is whisky better or worse today than it was 20 years ago?
To be clear, I’m not referring to all whisky per se … it would be folly and a blatant mistruth to suggest all whisky was generally better in the past. However, there are some distilleries that, on the whole, are releasing whiskies today that are a far cry from the bottlings they released in years gone by. I hesitate to suggest that their quality has gone downhill, since quality or flavour preference can be a subjective thing.
But, having said that, if you’ve been enjoying single malt whisky for over 20 years, there are a few benchmark drams that some of us hang our hats on. You may have heard of these drams in the past and wondered what all the fuss is about? Why are they so revered?
Hyde Irish Whiskey & the 10yo President’s Cask
Irish whiskey is continuing its rapid climb and resurgence. Just as we hear all about new distilleries opening in Scotland, so too are new ventures commencing in Ireland. In addition to new distilleries, we are also seeing new Irish bottlers and brands appearing hand-in-hand with the resurrected industry. Hyde whiskey forms part of that narrative.
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The three stages of your attitude to Glenfiddich: Like – Hate – Love
Catchy article title, eh? Not sure my former editor would approve of it – it’s hardly a flowing headline. But there’s not really a more succinct way to say it. I’ll elaborate: It’s my opinion that whisky drinkers all go through three very distinct stages in their appreciation of Glenfiddich. And, depending on what stage you’re up to, this tremendously impacts your attitude to Glenfiddich. Curious? Let’s look into this…
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Glendronach vs Glenfarclas vs Macallan
Glendronach versus Glenfarclas versus Macallan. Immediately, you’ve already chosen your winner. You’ve no doubt got your own favourite, and you’re probably even wondering how this could possibly even be a close race worth discussing! Is there a rivalry between these three heavyweights? Let’s dig a little deeper…
The Top Four Whiskies for Christmas
{Update: The article below was first written in 2014 and has been superseded/replaced with a more up-to-date article. You should read the updated article here.}
Need a whisky for Christmas? Once upon a time, whisky was whisky, and Santa wasn’t too discerning when it came to what special dram you left out for him on Christmas Eve. In decades gone by, there was also less distinction – by both marketers and consumers – about the significance of sherried versus non-sherried whisky. Of course, with the huge decline in sherry consumption and the corresponding rise in the cost of sherried single malts, the distinction and noise around sherried whisky is now more stark and louder than ever. (And that’s before we even mention words like European oak or sulphur candles!)
When I first started hosting whisky tasting events in 2001, I did a fair bit of freelance work for Macallan. This was back when the core range was simply the 12yo, 15yo, 18yo, and 25yo – all of them made with Golden Promise barley, and all matured exclusively in sherry casks. I used to describe the flavour of these sherried whiskies as being like “Christmas pudding in a glass”. The really great sherried whiskies showcased all of the dried fruits you’d find in Christmas pudding (e.g. raisins, sultanas, dates, cherries, apricots, etc); as well as the butterscotch and toffee notes you’d associate with the brandy butter or Christmas sauce. Some of them also exhibited a bit of the spice that we commonly associate with European oak, and occasionally there was also the pleasant bitterness of cloves and Christmas mince pies, or the sweetness of cinnamon.
As such, for me, if I’m going to drink a single malt at Christmas time, it’s got to be a sherried whisky. And, certainly, when it comes time on the 24th to put out a dram for Santa, it’s been a Glenfarclas for jolly Saint Nick every year since my kids arrived on the scene.