Single Malt Nation

No sólo de Carling vive el hombre… or in Shakespeare´s, man does not live of Carling alone. Indeed, I´ve started recently to discover the world of the Single Malt (for a good wiki-scientific explanation of what a Single Malt is, here). Indeed, this post is about my opinion of the last ones I´ve tried (since starting 2009, while I still remember what they tasted like :=)) and the idea is update it with any other coming up in the close future… Let´s go for them.

(Just note I indicate the name of the Malt, the age, the region, the alcoholic content and the price if I know it).

1. Talisker 1987 Distillers Edition. 14 years. Skye. 45.8%. 40 pounds/litre.

I tried this one straightforward as I arrive from London to Madrid on Christmas, with Albert and Pedro. Talisker is the only distillery on Skye Island, which by the way is my favourite region in Scotland and one of the most wonderful places I´ve ever been in. This particular edition is characterized by a stronger flavour than the normal Talisker, which indeed is quite a lot to say as Talisker is very likely one of the most flavoured Malts in the range in the fairly well known and affordable ones. A bit smoky, and with a lovely dark colour given by the cherry oak barrels it is partially matured in, I strongly recommend it. As it is quite strong I recommend to taste it mixed 50-50 with water. Indeed, every single Malt should be mixed 50-50, or at least that is what I´ve been told in every distillery I´ve visited in Scotland. Ice cubes is not a good option, as the cold dilutes the flavour and makes impossible to distinguish any special touch on it. Coca Cola… well, yeah. Whatever the fuck, Pedro!!! :).

A proper tasting experience here

2. Talisker 10 years, 10 years. Skye. 45.8%. 30 pounds/litre

This one I bought it on Asda (the equivalent to Carrefour in Spain), and it is very likely my favourite one, maybe not just because of the flavour, but also for all the remembers it gives to me. I tried it first time when I went to Scotland during my Erasmus year, and it has been since then my first option whenever I want to experience a good Malt in a pub. Not as smoky or tasty as the previous special edition, it is anyway a very strong whisky with a particular and quite specific smell that somehow might remember the sea, at least compared with an insipid one as the Glenfidich/Cardhu options. In Spain, apart of in whisky shops, I´ve seen it in some superstores as Makro.

A proper tasting experience here

3. Bushmills Malt. 10 years. Northern Ireland. 40%. Invited

In Gilberto´s birthday, three weeks ago, Aitor, the host of the party, had an incredible Malts collection and at the end of the party we had both my brother, him and myself a really nice tasting experience – many thanks, Aitor, if you read this. I reckon at that point is when I thought about writing this post, indeed… this Bushmills single Malt, as opposite to both Talisker commented before, is a very light whiskey -whiskey, as Irish whiskey, and not whisky, as Scotch. Not as light as the blended Bushmills we also tried there -and another post would be worth about great blended Scotchs or whiskeys, as this one is-, this is still one of those you may try even without water on it, as it is distillated three times as most of the Irish stuff. A bit more light than what I do really like, in my opinion this is a good option if you want to have quite a lot of them, as it is not particularly strong either in alcoholic percent or in taste. I particularly appreciate Irish Whiskeys, like Jameson, with ice cubes after a proper lunch, as they don´t add up an already upset stomach.

4. Glenlivet 15 years. 15 years. Speyside. 43%. Invited.

The second one we tried in Aitor´s. A great exponent of what an Speyside Malt is supposed to be: not too strong, not too light, just balanced both in flavour and alcoholic content and a bit sweet. I´m not a great fan of this type of quite smooth Malts, as I prefer the more strong stuff, but I have to recognize that it is a very good option for the ´less brave´ ones :). A good compromise option for most of the people.

A proper tasting experience here

5. and 6. A Japanese one and a Frankenstein one. Invited.

Please, help here… if anyone around has Aitor´s mail, just send him this post URL, cause I cannot remember the name of those two. The Japanese one was really nice, quite smooth as well, more in the Speyside side. If anybody is surprised, you should know Japan is the second producer of Single Malts in the world, just after Scotland and above Ireland. Those little Japanese guys became nuts several years ago about this stuff, and currently they produce very good quality ones.

The Frankenstein, well, Aitor called it like that because it came from the Speyside region but tasted as an Islay, this is, very smoky with a very dark coal-like colour, and a very strong nose and persistent ending. To be honest, one of the best if not the best I ever tried. And one of the rarest as well.

7. Lagavulin 16 years. 16 years. Islay. 43%. Invited.

A very expensive and demanded Malt, this is the one we tried the last and the one Aitor was more proud about, not the least because as it is that demanded it is quite difficult to find it in a shop. It is an Islay (the same apply for this sort of Malts that I said for Talisker applies, but even more superlative: stronger, smokier, sea-resembling), but not a particularly defining Islay, as it is a bit smoother than most of them. My opinion about this one is that it is the best option to make a transition from light-smooth Malts to stronger and flavory ones, but it just lands in the very middle without convincing the real fans of any of both sides. And of course, that opinion must be wrong, as most people who understand about this rank this particular one on the very very top.

A proper tasting experience here

8. Ardbeg. 10 years. Islay. 46%. 30 pounds/litre

I bought this one as a present to Dave when I went to Berlin last weekend, and it was a fantastic finding, to be honest. When I said for the Lagavulin that was not what I understand as a full-bodied Islay… quite similar on the taste to the Frankenstein I tasted with Aitor, this one was even more smoky, but in a finer way, not so shocking. Not as persistent as any Talisker, I have to say. And, well, true enough we already were slightly drunk when we tried it, but I reckon we enjoyed it quite particularly, and the one to praise for it is the guy in the Malts shop in Stansted. By the way, really helpful those guys in that very specific shop: if you want to buy a present, just tell them the sort of drink you want to buy and the budget you have, and they are really fair and honest in their recommendations.
A proper tasting experience here

9. Aberlour. 10 years. Speyside. 40%. 15 pounds/litre (believe it or not!!!)

Well, I´m actually trying this one right now. This evening, when I went to the local supermarket, they had this one in offer, reduced from 25 quid to 15… if you think that is what you pay nowadays for Bells or JB blended Scotch in any shop, I couldn´t just let it go. Even when I did not really need any more whisky, as I have my Dyc 10 años for the weekends, and during the week… well, during the week I don´t drink, and definitely I don´t drink whisky at home. I´m not in such a bad shape yet, luckily. So just as an exception, I´m having a sip of it at the moment, just as a tasting experience for the blog post. And… well, it is just OK. Again, maybe a bit too smooth and light, if you want my opinion. But anyway… for 15 quid… well, amazing value for money.

A proper tasting experience here

And that´s it by now... any visit coming to London and bringing new stuff is really welcome!!! (just a joke, White Label coke is good enough)