-
- Price band
-
£ £ £ £ £
- ABV
- 44%
- Production type
- Single grain whisky
- Region
- Lowland
- Flavour camp
- Rich & Round
- Nose
Strong aromas of acetone; a freshly painted room. Some vanilla and orange coming through behind, but overshadowed by the layer of varnish that still lingers. Interesting, though not for everyone.
- Palate
Rich and fruity, with a thick, oily texture. A dessert platter of spicy fruitcake, treacle tart and creamy crème brûlée. There are also notes of nutmeg, dark chocolate and Earl Grey tea, as woody flavours come through. A hint of menthol adds a touch of freshness.
- Finish
The Earl Grey lingers for a long finish with some burnt sugar.
- Conclusion
Delectable palate that’s good enough to eat – but the nose lets it down.
- Right place, right time
Afternoon tea at the Savoy.
- Price band
-
£ £ £ £ £
- ABV
- 40%
- Production type
- Single malt whisky
- Region
- Speyside
- Flavour camp
- Fruity & Spicy
- Nose
Raisins, toffee and thick, sticky treacle, and a light whiff of smoke. A fresh pouch of Golden Virginia tobacco and buttery shortbread.
- Palate
At first, the palate seems quite mellow, but give it time and there’s a complexity of flavours to be found. Gingerbread, fruitcake packed with currants, dried dates, light cereal notes and honey. A trickle of smoke towards the end.
- Finish
Long, woody and fruity.
- Conclusion
At a higher abv, this could have been truly spectacular. Nonetheless, a delightful dram.
- Right place, right time
With the biscuits baking in the oven, he rolled himself a cigarette.
- Price band
-
£ £ £ £ £
- ABV
- 55%
- Production type
- Single malt whisky
- Region
- n/a
- Flavour camp
- Rich & Round
- Nose
Hugely complex from the start. Leather sofas and old oak furniture. Some caramel and vanilla, which then leads into McVitie’s Ginger Nuts. Medjoul dates and raisins.
- Palate
Incredibly flavoursome with intense spices, ginger and cinnamon. This is a big, rich whisky, with a thick, oily texture. There’s orange marmalade and dark chocolate – Jaffa Cakes. It continues to grow, with Sherry notes coming through; a crescendo of Christmas cake, Maraschino cherries, raisins and honey.
- Finish
Long and dry, with a hint of eucalyptus.
- Conclusion
Complex, rich, bold and utterly delicious.
- Right place, right time
Perusing the second-hand furniture store and dreaming of the past.
One of London’s newest bars officially opened for business last month: The Hyde. Tucked away inside boutique hotel The Royal Park, a renovated mid-19th-century Grade II listed townhouse, the venue boasts a back bar filled with rare whiskies and Cognacs.
At a special preview in March, features editor Melita Kiely was fortunate enough to sample a small selection of hard-to-come-by whiskies available to purchase at the bar.
First, a 42-year-old single grain from the now demolished North of Scotland distillery, distilled in December 1971 and bottled in May 2014 at cask strength. Part of independent bottler Gordon & Company’s Pearls of Scotland series, only 290 bottles were released.
Next, a 1940s vintage Strathisla (which has a claim to being the oldest distillery in Scotland). This particular expression was distilled in 1949, just before Chivas Brothers acquired the distillery. It was bottled in 2006 by Gordon & MacPhail at the ripe old age of 55.
Finishing this week’s tasting notes is a 1979 Japanese single malt from Suntory’s Yamazaki distillery. The whisky was aged for 29 years in Japanese Mizunara casks before being bottled at cask strength for the travel retail market. Only 294 bottles were released in 2008.