Speyside virginity lost

More or less. Having 'done' Islay as well as the south from Glenkinchie to Bladnoch and the southern and eastern Highlands, my experience of Speyside whisky in its own domain has been pretty fleeting. So, a trip to Speyside for the autumn break beckoned and it didn't disappoint. Even better, the Scottish autumn was glorious.

The road north from Perth through Blairgowrie and Braemar on the way to Srath Spè is a stunning highway to the north. For a whisky geek the only thing that can better the autumnal trees of Perthshire is the glut of well-kent names on the map as you approach Tomintoul.

Speyside sheep block the road to Allt a' Bhainne.

With our but'n'ben sitting in Glen Rinnes, the first distillery encountered was the auld timer of Tamnavulin in the hamlet of Tomnavulin. To the locals a generation or two back, it was Toman a' Mhuilinn - the little hillock of the mill. Unfortunately to whisky travellers, the sign in English said 'closed to visitors'. Despite this, seeing the source of a famous Scottish whisky, in the flesh so to speak, still gives the whisky geek a wee thrill. It's probably like train-spotting. Within a few miles of the house, we had the aforementioned Tamnavulin, Braeval (or Braes of Glenlivet as it was), Glenlivet, Allt a' Bhainne, Tomintoul, Benrinnes and Glenallachie. Cragganmore, Glenfarclas and the whisky metropolis that is Dufftown were only slightly further afield.

As we soon found out, this a feature of travel around Speyside. Especially if you take some of the back roads. Distilleries seem to loom up every few minutes.

Despite most lying in 'hidden' glens it is difficult to find much romance about many of them. Most are simply factories with the kind of architecture you'd expect from factories that were built or re-built in recent decades. For every Strathisla there's an Allt a' Bhainne and Aultmore.

What counts though is the welcome, the experience and the liquid.

First stop for a tour was the famed Aberlour. As the Founder's Tour was all booked, I had to settle for the Aberlour Experience. As experiences go, it's not a bad one. Indeed, for a standard tour it is worth the £12.50. Having been rebuilt after a fire as well as modified and enlarged, the architecture is a bit grim save for one or two buildings of the old 'vernacular' which are more pleasing to the eye. We get a glimpse inside one of the warehouses but that's as far as it goes.

The tasting though is excellent. 6 drams including a decent measure of new-make spirit. We also get the two single-cask cask-strength drams that are available for bottle your own - these are both 16yo with one first-fill bourbon and one sherry. The bourbon has a nose that I could caress all day - the taste and finish don't reach such heights though. The sherry is an all-round stoater. It is purchased and comes with its very own whisky coffin. The 12yo French release at 43% is like juice in comparison. The 16yo follows before we finish with the mighty A' Bunadh.

The next day sees us leave one distillery that is very much alive to encounter two that are in different stages of death-rebirth or even a zombie-like purgatory.

Whisky Fringe benefits

The coming and going of this year's Whisky Fringe has more or less consigned Summer 2013 to history. Autumnal nights of log fires, drams and Nordic-noir beckons as the nights begin to fair draw in again.

As always, a superb selection of drams were on offer. Having seen the Spirit of the Fringe awards, I have to admit that most of my drams of the day were not on it. Indeed, perhaps there should also be a 'Stall of the Fringe' award for the table that bears the greatest weight of liquid treasure? If there had been such an award this year then surely the Adelphi display of fire power would've blown most of the others across to Fife or least to an overpriced George St wine bar.

Adelphi seem to have a knack of bottling seriously fine malts. This year's offerings were both fine and interesting. A 6yo Glenrothes sherry cask? Lovely. The sherry theme dominated and did not disappoint. The Bowmore 17 was neck and neck with the Caol Ila 9 for me. It was also good to hear that Adelphi expect distilling to start at their new Ardnamurchan distillery in December of this year.

I was also more than pleased to discover a preview of the forthcoming Longrow Red #2. Like the previous offering, this is an 11yo but this one enjoyed its latter years in a Shiraz cask. Wonderful, wonderful stuff yet again from Campbeltown's finest.

The benefits this year included the chance to sample the Brora 32 as well as Douglas Laing's 15yo Laphroaig.

On the downside was the Balcones Brimstone. If you forgive the religious analogy, this is more happy-clappy than in-your-face Presbyterian fury. The absence of Laphroaig and Bruichladdich was also noted as was the failure of Glen Moray to supply a sequel to last years superb Chenin Blanc 8yo cask strength. Never mind, at least I have this years Laphroaig Càirdeas Port Cask to welcome in the dark evenings.

Whiskybroker Braes of Glenlivet 23yo

Don't do notes very often but sharing a dram with a partner who possesses a very advanced sensory system can see vague ideas verbalised in a semi-coherent way. Here goes...

Braes of Glenlivet (Braeval), Single-cask 23 years old, 54.2%, Hogshead 1074 (Whiskybroker)

Tasted neat
Nose: Lovely! Weetabix, lemon and kiwi with cut grass
Palate: rice-pudding with a kind of citrusy shoe-polish taste and texture or maybe a lemony Cowans' Highland toffee? Quite classy.
Finish: fades slowly with some salt and dark fruits - blueberries, prunes?

One to sit and savour. Superb value too. What is there not to like?

Currently available from Whiskybroker for £44.

Burns Nicht wi nae meat

Times change. Haggis no longer has to contain the head, the arse and everything in-between of an animal. Veggie haggis is becoming increasingly popular with both vegetarians and squeamish carnivores. Equally, whisky has come a long way since uisge-beatha was a clear fiery liquid that was matured for days, at best, and not years in a variety of exotic casks.

If we're talking about etymology here, then 'meat' originally meant 'food'. In Old English it was 'mete' and Old Irish had 'mat' meaning 'pig' which is possibly the ancestor of today's Gaelic 'muc'.

I say all this as it seems as if some - who may or may not see themselves as 'tradition bearers' - turn their nose up at the idea of a vegetarian Burns Nicht. While Burns was a man of his time and enjoyed his animal flesh, innards etc, he was undoubtedly open-minded and content to embrace diversity.

Suffice to say that Scotland's various winter festivals can be enjoyed by all regardless of diet.

The Mac na Bracha household enjoyed a veggie Burns Nicht that included more than one dram of  vegan, distilled barley juice.

To eat: Veggie Haggis - MacSweens is by far the best though other varieties can be bought and unlike meat haggis, it can also be home-made quite easily without the need to blowtorch the skin of an animal, split it's head with an axe and scoop the entrails into a mixing bowl - Hebridean life has been described to me in such detail on more than one occasion btw. Mashed Tatties with olive oil instead of butter. Cubed and caramelised neeps. Most Scots kids can remember being forced to eat neeps at some point in their childhood and may recall that mixing it with the tattie rendered it somewhat palatable. I and others can attest that cubing the offending root and roasting it for nigh on an hour makes it very delicious indeed.

A vegan whisky sauce - rice milk, olive oil, white flour, ground oats, wholegrain mustard, a squeeze of lemon juice and some Laphroaig Quarter Cask - topped off the main course.

This was followed by Black Crowdie/ Gruth Dubh - traditional soft cottage cheese rolled in oats and black pepper - some Strathdon Blue and Asda's whisky cheddar accompanied by Shetland Oatcakes.

To drink: Innis & Gunn Rum Cask, Crabbies Black, SMWS 25.62 Rosebank 20 yo, Laphroaig Quarter Cask and Whiskybroker Bowmore 14yo.

Music: Dougie MacLean - Tribute. A Frightened Rabbit EP  - Scottish Winds is surely a song that Burns would've been proud of. And as the inhibitions were chased off into the January night by a sweet and smoky Bowmore, Oi Polloi's Dùisg graced the speakers.

Roll on St. Andrew's Day.

Longrow Red in Lochaber

Whisky is undeniably a product of its environment. In Scotland, in many situations, it is really the only drink to have. Say for example an Autumn break with a bit of walking thrown in and the landscape speaking to you with names such as Buachaille Eite Mòr, Stac a' Chlamhain or an Coire Dubh or the recently rediscovered originals of a' Chàrnaich (Glencoe Village), Baile a' Chaolais or Clo Mhuilinn. In the October sunshine when the mixed woodland around is starting to turn amber, a hipflask of your own last-drop-of-the-bottles-blend cannot be bettered. And, upon retiring to your bothy or cottage, what more could you want than an astoundingly good dram of Longrow?

 

Tradition is great. But not as a straightjacket. Whisky is a perfect example of an indigenous cultural product that has embraced the wider world. With Longrow Red, you have a Campeltown whisky that's borrowed from an Australian import of an Old World wine. Funnily enough, the Cabernet Sauvignon casks in which this 11 year old spent 4 years, come from the Long Row range of Ozzie wines.

And, it's good. Very good.

So good, that it had the Whisky Frau's nostrils pulsating with joy and her tongue exclaiming that its been a while since she tasted a dram so unusual and yet so damn good. In short, it's got a lot going on.

On the nose we got red fruits - strawberry compote to be precise for the my partner. The sweetness goes a long way to masking the smoke.

On the tongue, there's something a bit dirty and oily. An old leather bookmark maybe? Certainly something you can get your teeth into. On top of that there is another helping of fruit with peat. Strawberry bon-bons in peat stoor?

Finish is longish and unsurprisingly peaty with some more fruit.

Another superb offering from the Springbank crew - still independent and still going strong.

Finally, and back to Lochabar, I am ashamed to admit that I had never realised the extent of the Clachaig Inn's whisky menu. There's no point in going over it all here but should you be in the area, I'd recommend the Ben Nevis 25yo cask strength.

Whisky Fringe - only a year away

So, the Xmas of the whisky year has come and gone. As usual, not one to disappoint despite the new introduction of a standard 1cl measure across the board. I was a bit nonplussed at first but the lower alcohol intake for each dram simply means an opportunity to sample a wider range of malts.

It was busy with lots of non-Scots in attendance - heard a few 'Glendronak' pronunciations from visitors from the south though the Germans and Spaniards present had no bother with the Scottish 'ach'. Lots of female connoisseurs too - the auld days of whisky being principally an auld man's drink are over.

As to the exhibitors, there seemed to be one or two omissions from last year. Sadly there was no sign of Duncan Taylor or Compass Box and while Gordon & MacPhail were present, it was only in their Benromach guise. That isn't a bad thing but G&M have such a wide and varied range of malts and it was a shame not to taste some of the jewels from their deep treasure-chest. Who can forget last year's cask strength Imperial from 1977?

Fortunately, there were still some cracking drams on offer.

My vote, and those of friends, for the Spirit of the Fringe award, went to dark horse that is Glen Moray. The Glen Moray 2003 Chenin Blanc was simply a revelation. Sweet, complex and mouth filling, it had all you want from a dram. A single cask at 60.7%, this will be worth every penny of the £59 they ask for it.

Glendronach had 4 excellent drams on offer but the 1993 Single Cask 19yo was the pick of the bunch and almost the dram of the Fringe. A true sherry monster, it seemed to expand on the palate until your mouth was filled with clouds of sweet vapour - honey, raisins and prune juice. Drams like this one just make your day.

Honourable mentions should also go to Adelphi as well as Tomatin with their expensive but elegant 1982 Single Cask. All in all, Tomatin which some may describe as 'unfashionable' along with Glen Moray, had an excellent Fringe. Interesting whiskies poured by an enthusiastic, friendly (imagine that!) and knowledgeable ambassador for the distillery.

Adelphi chipped in with the likes of the 15yo Clynelish at 54.4%. This had one of the most interesting noses I've even had the pleasure to introduce to my nostrils - big time sweetness dripping with maple syrup, honey and nectar. The palate didn't disappoint either.

Drink me.

Other drams that will join the above on my wish list are the Bowmore Tempest, Benromach Sassicaia, Glen Keith 1993 OMC and the 1996 Caol Ila also from OMC.

The half-time oranges were almost worth the ticket price alone. Two 50yo North British grains?! A 40yo Tomatin?! All of them a joy and privilege to lay on your tongue.

Those that did disappoint were few and far between but also deserve a mention. Kilchoman 5yo Single Cask is the worst dram I've tasted since the first Abhainn Dearg release. Fiery and hot, it had none of the complexity of a young Ardbeg and even the Glen Moray peated spirit was in a different league from this expensive but poor excuse for a whisky. I love Bunnahabhain usually but I fail to see the excitement in their 25yo. Flat, flat, flat. This is one that should be bottled at cask strength.

Others that underwhelmed were: Smokehead 18yo - very pleasant but far too tame, especially at £91! Laphroaig 18 knocks the socks of this one. Arran Amarone and BenRiach Solstice  were also in the 'pleasant but uninspiring' camp.

All-in-all another well organised and stimulating Whisky Fringe.

Hopes for next year? How about a Bladnoch/ Whiskybroker stand to showcase their impressive range of Bladnoch and other bottlings? A well stocked Gordon & MacPhail would also go down a treat. Similarly, a Diageo stall that permits us to sample some of their own gems and not just the usual supermarket heroes we all know anyway. How about a Loch Lomond stall showcasing some crackers from Glen Scotia, Inverleven or the deceased Littlemill?

On top of that is what really makes a successful Fringe. Friendly staff and not just automatons hired from a PR company go a long way. On this count, both Tomatin and Balvenie did well as did Glen Moray. For that alone, I intend to visit all of these distilleries before the next Fringe comes along.

Start ticking off the days...

Bowmore 100 Degrees Proof

Bowmore are going up in my estimation with this own bottling. Previously, I'd found Bowmore's various expressions to be a bit wishy-washy with not much to shout about. Only Mariner at 43% hinted at something more interesting and powerful. Independent bottlings from the likes of Cadenheads and SWMS have been excellent.

Recently though Bowmore unveiled a series available for purchase at 'travel retail'. After tasting the 100 Degrees Proof offering at Manchester Airport, a purchase had to be made. At £49 for one litre at 57.1% this is pretty good value for a lip smacking cask-strength.

Took it to a local whisky group and it went down a treat. Lots of salt and a layer of peat ash on the tongue. However, there's also a sweetness in there that you cannot help but like. Most seem surprised as the strength as its quite smooth. I found that a drop of water went down well though.

Look out for it at your next airport stop and request a sample.

Here's what others say:
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/bowmore/100-proof/lovely-cs-bowmore/

http://whiskyforeveryone.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/new-releases-bowmore-100-proof.html