Whisky Fundamentals
Should you swirl whisky in the glass or not?
Published 18/12/2022
What are the benefits of swirling whisky in your glass? The proponents of swirling whisky point out that whisky react with oxygen just like wine in the glass. By briefly swirling the nosing glass, the whisky comes into contact with more air more quickly, evaporation is increased for a short time and hidden aromas come to light. Brian Kinsman, the master blender at William Grant & Sons explains that “This is important because the whisky has been trapped in a cask or bottle all its life and now needs some time to unfold itself and show its true qualities”.
Should you swirl whisky in the glass or not?
What is a Single Estate Whisky?
Published 14/12/2022
With a single estate whisky, all the raw materials come from the immediate vicinity of the distillery. The distilling grain is grown and malted in-house, the distillation takes place in our own stillhouse and the whisky is barrel matured in our own warehouses on the premises. From the field to the bottle, the motto for a single estate whisky is logical. We present the special whisky variety with its properties.
What is a Single Estate Whisky?
An overview & glossary of whisky flavours
Published 14/12/2022
Depending on the type and distillery, a whisky can have over hundreds of aromas. Not all of these are dominant, there are also many nuances that our senses can hardly or not at all consciously perceive. The aromas are either sourced from the ingredients, created during manufacturing or te result of the complex chemistry of maturation that whisky undergoes before bottled. Then unlike wine, which will continue to mature in the bottle whisky will remain constant in the closed bottle until opened, or accidentally exposed to the elements.
An overview & glossary of whisky flavours
Tasting whisky
Published 06/12/2022
The flavour of a whisy is derived in principle from three places, the raw materials used, the production process, and from cask maturation. In addition to these it’s worth also talking about blending, and subsequent processes such as chill filtration, and the addition of spirit caramel. It is also important to remember that tasting whisky is a personal experience and everyone may have different opinions about a particular whisky’s flavor and quality.
Tasting whisky
Why are single malts distilled from malted barley?
Published 02/12/2022
The preferred use of barley (malted barley) for whisky production in Scotland has historical reasons above all. Hardy barley was best grown in the Scottish climate, which is why it was the most widespread crop from the Lowlands to the Highlands to the Islands in the past. In addition, barley offers the advantage that it can be germinated relatively easily and thus malted. Whisky distilled from malted barley has shaped the taste of Scotland’s national spirit for centuries.
Why are single malts distilled from malted barley?