Whisky Tasting

Whisky Tasting Scot Free

By Troy Herrick, Freelance Writer

November 2006

Scotland conjures up images of bagpipes, kilts, golf and Scotch whis There are many products to choose from at this gift shop in Tomintoul. ky (“whisky” in Scotland, “whiskey” in Ireland and America). In Scotland, “whisky” and “Scotch” are synonymous. I ordered “whisky” in the pub and was served “Scotch”. The bartender only needed to know which one of the many brand name Scotches I wished to drink; a daunting decision as there are many to choose from.

Scotland has 128 working distilleries. Just over half of these are closed to the public. Of those open to the public, all but 9 charge an admission fee - as high has £4 per person - for a tour and a “wee dram” (a small sample). These distilleries will often credit a percentage of the admission price toward the purchase of their products. I risked being coerced into purchasing a bottle of whisky or forfeiting the entire admission cost with nothing to show for it.

Discovering a favorite brand of Scotch is only accomplished by tasting as many as possible; a costly undertaking if not strategically planned. The most economical solution for me was to focus on those distilleries that offered both a free tour and a free dram. To quote one tour guide - “the only bad whisky is the one you pay for”.

At present, the following distilleries offer a free tour and free taste: Dalmore, Tomatin, Glen Grant, Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glendronach, Glenlivet, Edradour and Old Fettercairn. Distillery policies tend to change without notice and a free distillery might suddenly begin to charge an admission fee. Visitors should seek tour details in advance of any visit to a distillery.

I rented a car to visit these distilleries as no commercial tour includes all of them. All are scenic drives from Inverness; some are set in lush yet rugged glens while others are situated in quiet, unassuming villages.

In general, distillery tours are fairly standard; visitors need only attend one to understand how whisky is produced. The downside is that guests might be required to take the tour before being allowed to sample the whisky. Photography is not permitted inside buildings because a stray spark could detonate the alcohol vapors.

Each distillery provides visitors with a dram of its “single malt” whisky. A An old pot still stands discarded at the Macallan Distillery. “single malt” whisky is the premium product of one distillery. It has not been blended with whisky from another distillery. Approximately 90% of the world’s whisky is blended.

Beginning the tour in the order listed above, Dalmore serves a 12-year old single malt whisky. With glass in hand, I sat in a comfortable chair and watched an 8-minute video. During the presentation, the master blender provided valuable information about how to enjoy the various Dalmore whiskies. Dalmore is best consumed on a cool evening in front of a roaring fire. The whisky should be accompanied by hot coffee and a chocolate bar containing 69% cocoa. I purchased a bottle of the 12-year old Dalmore for £25. Its flavor was comparable to my longtime favorite below.

Tomatin produces a 12-year old single malt Scotch. Tomatin whisky is sold primarily in the Japanese market; it is blended with domestic Japanese whiskies.

Glen Grant produces a 10-year old single malt whisky. This light, delicate whisky is sold primarily in the Italian market - for use in mixed drinks. In the comfort of an old fashioned drawing room, I nursed my dram and I watched an AV presentation outlining the history of the Glen Grant Distillery.

Macallan serves a 10-year old single malt Scotch. The Macallan brand has been my longtime favorite. I did not purchase a bottle of this amber nectar as I had an ample supply at home.

Glenfiddich served a 12-year old single malt special reserve whisky for visitors to enjoy. Glenfiddich is the largest selling single malt whisky and the brand that most North Americans are likely familiar with.

At the Glendronach Distillery, visitors enjoy a 12-year old single malt whisky. The Glendronach tour is the only one where visitors see a traditional malting floor on which barley was prepared. Most distillers no longer produce their own barley malt as it is too expensive.

Glenlivet provides visitors with a choice of an 18-year old single malt whisky aged in she The Bonded Whisky Warehouse at the Glenfiddich Distillery. rry casks or a 12-year old single malt aged in bourbon casks. The 18-year old whisky was sweeter and smoother with a more distinctive flavor.

Edradour is Scotland’s smallest distillery. Here visitors sample a 10-year old single malt whisky. Edradour also produces the “official” whisky of the British House of Lords (a blend). I found the blend somewhat disappointing after having tasted the single malt whisky. The House of Lords blend is only sold in Edradour’s gift shop or at a parliamentary store in London.

A whisky-flavored coffee was also available in the gift shop. I remembered the Dalmore master blender’s comment above and immediately purchased this coffee.

The last distillery is Old Fettercairn. Unfortunately I was unable to sample this whisky because the distillery was out of my way.

If you still have not found a whisky to your liking after having visited the above distilleries, a trip to the Whisky Castle at Tomintoul is in order. Mike Drury, the owner, maintains a large collection of whiskies for sale.

Mike provides each customer with an individual tasting session; simply provide him with your price range and he will match you to a whisky. “The measure of a dram is a measure of a man’s generosity” said Mike. Since I sampled 3 expensive whiskies, I felt quite privileged to receive the thimble-sized drams. I purchased a rare whisky from the Isle of Islay for £69 after twisting my wife’s arm and reminding her of the value-added tax (VAT) refund that we would receive. Visitors should always ask the merchant to provide a VAT form upon purchase of any goods exceeding £30 (see www.globalrefund.com/ ).

Travelers may wish to learn whisky tasting techniques before visiting one of the above distilleries. Proper whisky tasting is a slow, methodical ritual. Remember the four “S”es: sight, smell, swish and swallow. Visitors may benefit by reviewing these steps in detail at www.anquaich.ca.

The addition of one or two drops of water accentuates the flavor of the whisky. I sampled the Scotch straight up first then carefully added the water and re-tasted the whisky. The difference in taste is remarkable, considering how little water was added. The master blender at Dalmore The Glenlivet Distillery. recommends that you “hold the whisky in your mouth for the same number of seconds that it has been aged in years to appreciate the taste”.

Whisky acquires its flavor from multiple sources: barley malt, peat, sherry and bourbon casks and the design idiosyncrasies of each individual pot still.

The peaty flavor and smoky aroma originate from barley malt that has been dried by a peat-fueled fire. Highland whiskies typically have a mild “peaty” taste that visitors may not recognize at first. I found that the flavor of peat is most apparent in whisky from the Isle of Islay. Islay whiskies, such as Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig, are an acquired taste.

By law the distilled alcohol must mature inside oak casks for at least 3 years in Scotland to be labeled as “Scotch”. Each distiller utilizes Spanish sherry casks and American bourbon casks to age newly produced whisky. An individual distiller always purchases casks from the same source; doing so imparts a consistent flavor in the whisky.

Tour guides often point out specific design differences between their distillery’s pot stills and those of the competition. These subtle design differences have a profound impact on the flavor of the whisky. Exactly how the flavor is impacted in this way is not known. This curiosity reflects the art of whisky production.

After sampling so many brands of scotch in a matter of days, how does a traveler solidify his/her new found whisky knowledge? He/she participates in one of the free whisky tasting contests that are sometimes available in Scottish resorts. My wife and I came second behind a Scottish couple with over 20 years of tasting experience – not bad for neophyte tasters. Our whisky tasting skills will be more honed next time.

** All Photos by Troy Herrick

If You Go

Dalmore

Tomatin

Macallan

Glenfiddich

Glenlivet

Edradour

The Whisky Castle

www.whiskycastle.com

Glen Grant

just outside the village of Rothes near Elgin.

Macallan

Glendronach

leave Huntly on highway A97 toward Banff for 6 miles, turn right onto highway B9001 and travel to the village of Forgue which is approximately 3 miles down the road.

Old Fettercairn

on Distillery Road at Fettercairn.