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LET ' S TALK ABOUT WHISKY
by David Beaufort-Dysart
Before we dive into exploring another Whisky , let us have a recap on how I taste , again try this method or ' go your own way '!
The Glass : Ideally , I recommend you use a Glencairn glass , I ( and many ) see it as the official Whisky tasting glass .
Pour and nose : Add 20-25 ml of Whisky to the glass , give it a gentle swirl then waft the glass from side to side under the nose ( smelling lightly is the key ) you need to get past the first hit of alcohol , then look for the character of your dram , try and focus on first impressions ; Fruit ? Floral ? Woody ? Smoke ? Peat ?
This month we are staying in the Highlands and moving to the stunning village of Dalwhinnie . A site originally chosen for its access to clear spring water and a plentiful supply of peat . The ‘ chosen one ’ this month is a Classic Malt , Dalwhinnie 15-year-old . Coming in at less than £ 40.00 for a 15yo Single Malt Whisky , this is incredible value , especially when compared to say a Macallan 15-year-old which would cost you nearly three times as much ! This Whisky has lovely notes of Honey , I ’ m a big fan , same as our Zdravko !
Dalwhinnie is owned by drinks giant Diageo , the Distillery is famous , not only for some sublime Whisky ’ s but also as being the highest distillery in Scotland ! This also means it ' s one of the coldest places , being highly exposed to the elements results in having an average yearly temperature of 6 degrees . Chilly indeed , so you can drink Dalwhinnie , and it will warm your cockles , add some fresh linguine along with some nicely caramelized shallots and voila ! ( that ’ s dinner sorted ).
The distillery was built way back in 1897 , positioned to take advantage of the close Railway Line . The name Dalwhinnie means meeting place , ‘ Hello ! how are you ?' as Master Blender Richard Patterson famously says when tasting a Whisky .
Dalwhinnie have some lovely expressions ; 25 , 29- and 36-year-old , a distiller ’ s edition , Winter ' s gold ( best served straight out of the freezer ) or you could just leave it on your doorstep overnight !
Dalwhinnie 15-year-old . Highland Single Malt : Gold ; Single Malt Scotch - 13 to 19 Yrs – 2013 -San Francisco World Spirits Competition Gold ; Highlands & Islands 13-18yo – 2013 - The Scotch Whisky Masters ( The Spirits Business )
Colour Yellow Gold
Nose Gentle smoke and heather , wild honey , earl grey tea , ripe fruits .
Palate / Finish Madagascar vanilla , honey , malted bread , with a pleasant touch of spice
Dalwhinnie is said to appeal even to non-whisky drinkers ; hence named The Gentle One ! That said , I tried a glass with my good friend Jeff , who ’ s not a Whisky drinker and never has been , in fact if you presented him with a 52-year-old Macallan he would probably turn his nose up and head to the bar for a lovely San Miguel especial ; golden in colour , with a nice white creamy head and citrus aroma ( this is in fact one of my go to beers , btw !) Anyway surprisingly it did cure him , if only temporally from ' WhiskyNOsis '. After taking the tiniest of sips he smiled and announced , ‘ that ' s rather nice ’. Cured ? Not really . I think he will stick to his San Miguel and brooding Italian reds . Sadly , not venturing any further on the Whisky trail .
Cleopatra is said to have bathed in sour milk , I would happily bathe in Dalwhinnie , I sure would smell a hell of a lot nicer afterwards .
Until next time Slainte … David . wirrallife . com 29