1
Scotch Single Malt Whisky
This Tasting Contains 6 tubes of the following Whiskies:
Cragganmore, 12 Y
Speyside
John Smith, Scotland's most experienced distiller at the time, built the Cragganmore distillery in 1869. The spirit stills, which he designed himself, stand out because of their unusual shape. He himself designed them at the time to produce a lighter end product. The heavier alcohols condense, fall back into the still and do not end up in the final product. This explains the enormous complexity of the Cragganmore malt. Whisky journalists Michael Jackson and Dave Broom both chose Cragganmore as their big favorite in this price range.
Glen Elgin, 12 Y
Speyside
Founded at the end of the whisky boom in 1898, Glen Elgin was designed by the distillery architect Charles Doig of Elgin. It is an unusually distinctive Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky from a little known traditional distillery that finds its home 10 miles south of where the river Lossie exits to the sea. A typical Speyside whisky, it’s complex and fragrant. On the palate it is soft and malty, delivering flavours of honey and lightly salted butter on toasted sultana loaf, plus hints of tiramisu. A characteristic heather-honey on the nose leads on to a pleasant malty palate, but never too rich. Sweet to start, then fruity, Glen Elgin whisky is a typical Speyside – complex, fragrant, with a delicious orange blossom finish. Often described as a ‘fruitcake in a bottle’.
Glenkinchie, 12 Y
Lowland
The distillery was once named Kinchie, but is known as Glenkinchie since 1837, and is situated not far from Edinburgh – resulting in the nickname “The Edinburgh Malt.” Whisky from the Lowland region is known for its light and floral character. After comprehensive testing, the Classic Malts distillers unanimously decided that 2 years of extra aging in American oak gives Glenkinchie a richer profile, without losing its essential Lowland character. This Scotch single malt is also used in many Johnnie Walker whiskies.
Dalwhinnie, 15 Y
Highland
Located 326 metres above sea level, the Dalwhinnie distillery is Scotland's highest distillery. In 1897 the distillery was built under the name Strathspey and in 1905 the name changed to Dalwhinnie. Due to its location, it used to be a resting place for cattle traders. The distillery has undergone little change in the more than 100 years of its existence. Dalwhinnie speaks of "The Gentle Spirit" when one talks about the malt. This 15-year-old Single Malt matured in Bourbon barrels.
Talisker, 10 Y
Isle of Skye
Talisker, founded in 1830, is the only distillery on the island of Skye and was founded by the brothers Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill. Although there are occasional slight shifts in emphasis, the connection between peat smoke, maritime influences, sweetness and white pepper remains a golden combination. Since the introduction of the Classic Malts in 1988, Talisker has rightly been a favourite of many, who appreciate this explosive and complex character. For them, this whisky is also known as "The golden spirit of Skye".
Clynelish, 14 Y
Highland
In the north of Scotland, not far from the small town of Brora and coast of the North Sea, stands Clynelish distillery. It was built in 1968 and stands right next to the former Brora distillery – which closed in 1983, but was founded from 1819. Clynelish matures in bourbon casks and is mainly used for blended whiskies. This Scotch single malt is a signature component of Johnnie Walker, 18 Y Gold Label. Only a few percent of production is released as single malt: a robust Highland whisky with a subtle smokiness.