Each year, when winter arrives, a bottle of whisky can be the perfect gift for that difficult friend or relation or even the perfect gift to yourself, says Craig MacLellan. But, as someone who receives plenty of whiskies, I always appreciate someone putting in that extra effort to find me something slightly different. Here I will look at some truly unique whiskies that push the boundaries in terms of experimentation and finish.
Glenfiddich IPA
The new Glenfiddich IPA is the first of two releases from the distillery’s new Experimental Series. Rather than playing it safe, the 130-year-old distillery has opted for quiet innovation with this new range, which promises much more to come.
The aim of the Experimental Series is to combine the brand’s passion for Scotch whisky with its boundary-pushing approach. This has seen it collaborate with trailblazers from the drinks industry and beyond, hoping to inspire unusual and unexpected variants.
As the name might suggest, the distillery has collaborated with the local Speyside Craft Brewery to infuse its whisky with the citrus and tang you would expect from an Indian pale ale. Master blender, Brian Kinsman, worked with the brewery to create a brand-new beer which would work well with the whisky.
This intensive process saw lots of experimentation, with the casks used to mature beers of different strengths and with varying levels of hops. After this rigorous process, the whisky was ready to be put into the beer-soaked casks.
Tasting Notes
If you are looking for a whisky that tastes like a beer, then move along. Instead, this is a whisky that sits nicely alongside an IPA. The nose is unmistakably a Glenfiddich, although the fruit and sweetness have been ramped up, along with an aromatic burst of hops. The palate is vibrant and zesty, coupled with sweet vanilla and toffee.
What: Glenfiddich IPA
How much: £40
Where: Amazon.co.uk
Tomatin 9-Year-Old Caribbean Rum Cask
The Tomatin Distillery, located on the outskirts of Scotland’s most northerly city, Inverness, is fast becoming one of my favourites. After several years of flying under the radar of many whisky drinkers, the distiller has gradually built a sterling reputation for making top-notch Scotch whisky that does not cost the earth.
My first contact with Tomatin came at Royal Mile Whiskies’ annual Whisky Fringe in 2013 when the legendary Alistair Mutch guided me through the entire range. I have been hooked ever since and impressed by the distiller’s increasing willingness to experiment with different types of casks.
Tasting Notes
Three new expressions were launched during the summer, the highlight of which is the 9-Year-Old Caribbean Rum Cask. The result is a tropical fruit explosion with flavours of pineapple, coconut and banana on both the nose and the palate, alongside some creamy vanilla and a hint of allspice which works its way through. You will want to grab one of the 6,000 bottles before they all disappear from the shelves.
What: Tomatin 9-Year-Old Caribbean Rum Cask
How much: £33
Where: Master of Malt
The Dalmore Quintessence
2016 is a big year for Dalmore as the distillery’s master blender, Richard Paterson, celebrates 50 years in the industry. Better known as ‘The Nose’ for his exceptional ability to assess whiskies through smell alone, Richard has become one of the whisky world’s best-known faces. He has spent the last five decades taking Scotland’s national drink to the four corners of the globe, earning him celebrity status amongst whisky lovers.
During this time, Paterson has also been at the forefront of innovation within the industry – creating some of the world’s most coveted and iconic whiskies. And the new Dalmore Quintessence shows this old dog still has plenty of new tricks up his sleeve.
Richard describes the Quintessence as a combination of his two great passions – Dalmore Distillery and exceptional red wine. Travelling to the vineyards of California, he has picked five types of wine casks to finish the whisky. After extensive maturation in white oak ex-bourbon casks, the spirit was split across five red wine casks and matured for a further five years before coming back together to create a unique whisky.
Tasting Notes
The most striking thing about this dram is the liquid’s deep, cherry wood colour. This accentuates the aroma of black forest fruits on the nose and the sweet zing of marmalade and deep notes of molasses. The forest fruits turn into tropical fruits on the palate, with some warming ginger and the sweetness of dried raisins; truly delicious.
What: The Dalmore Quintessence
How much: £1,000
Where: WhiskyShop.com
As We Get It
Although the previous three whiskies are brilliant, some drinkers prefer their whisky to come with slightly less faff and pomp but still with an air of mystery. If you count yourself amongst them, then As We Get It from Ian MacLeod Distillers is the one for you.
The whisky does exactly what it says on the tin, with the liquid gold drawn right from the cask and placed straight into the bottle. That means no chill-filtering is carried out, no artificial colouring is added, and (dangerously) it is bottled at cask strength – pretty potent stuff!
The beauty of these bottlings is that as they come straight from the cask, the whisky’s colour and strength can change with each bottling, so no two bottlings are ever the same. Also thrown into the mix is the fact that no distillery is named on the bottle – you can either buy ‘Highland’ or ‘Islay’ – but you can rely on the whisky in the bottle being of the highest quality.
Tasting Notes
With the bottlings coming straight from the cask from different distilleries each time, it is challenging to give consistent tasting notes. Still, MacLeod presents them as the best example of a whisky from that region, so expect peaty smokiness from the ‘Islay’ and lighter, fruitier notes from the ‘Highland’. Oh, and do not forget that these regularly weigh in at 55+% ABV, so be sure to add a dash of water!
What: As We Get It
How much: £50
Where: Royal Mile Whiskies
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