Cocktails, Talisker and oysters
Happy autumn everyone!
October has been a fun month for sure. It kicked off in Belgium as I visited the Gent Whisky Show and enjoyed a few days exploring the Old Town. If anyone is looking for a weekend away, I’d highly recommend Gent as it’s a gorgeous place. Sadly we didn’t make it to the whisky bar that I’d had recommended to me as it was closed every time we tried to walk past, but I did try some interesting French and Belgian whiskies at the show.
One that caught my interest in particular was a brand called AWA, or Authentic Whisky d’Alsace, who make whisky that has been matured in barrels previously used in vinification of Alsace wines. The cask character definitely came throughin the ones I tried, but without overpowering the spirit. Unfortunately for us living outside of France I think his whiskies are only available in the Alsace region at the moment....
When I got home it was straight into Edinburgh Cocktail Week where I did The Glenlivet Dramming in the Dark experience. It combined music, whisky and cocktails. The highlight was getting to try the renowned cocktail capsules again! If you haven’t seen these curious creations, go check them out. Last time I was at the distillery they were available there as well so if you are passing by, don’t miss a quick cocktail stop as they’re worth it for the weird but delightful experience.
I haven’t yet been to Arran nor got to know the whiskies from the island that well, so far, but that just meant I was even more intrigued to try the first whiskies from the new distillery Lagg at a tasting with brand ambassador Mariella. Lagg is the sister distillery to Lochranza which is the more well known distillery on the island. Besides trying three different samples of the whisky which will be released shortly - ex-bourbon, sherry and ex-wine cask - we also tried a heavily peated experimental new make which was really tasty. If you haven’t came across Lagg before, that might not be so strange considering they’re a young distillery that’s just about to release their first whiskies. They make a peated style of whisky on the Isle of Arran and the distillery is owned by the same people who distill at Lochranza - also known as The Arran whisky up until now.
The main whisky event of October must be my trip up north with Diageo to the Singleton of Glen Ord and Talisker distilleries. I’ve been up to The Singleton before, but on this press trip we also got to see the maltings that sit side by side to the distillery. It was my first time seeing big scale maltings and it’s quite fascinating to look at the first stages in production and the barley which will be whisky in more than three years. Good thing I’m not too scared of heights as the floor is perforated and at times you are very high up in the building.
At Talisker it was rainy and dreich and the worm tub condensers almost looked like inviting hot tubs with their warm steam clearly visible on the chilly autumn day! We got to hide inside with a little tasting instead and tried the 10, 18 and the distillery exclusive fill-your-own-bottle expressions. I’ve heard so much about the 18 but not tried it in such a long time, but it’s a beautiful dram. We also got to do the classic pairing of oysters with Talisker Distillers Edition, which was incredibly tasty.
Another recommendation not to be missed if you are on the Isle of Skye, is a lunch or dinner at Edinbane Lodge. Chef Callum Montgomery had done an absolutely brilliant job of showcasing local food in an interesting and delicious way. Some of the foods he even gets from his cousin on the island or the restaurants garden and surroundings.
I also must admit that this month I also made a mistake and quite a costly one when I visited the bar where my whisky career started... It resulted in me buying the most expensive dram I’ve ever bought as I misheard the bar staff and thought they said £15 for the one particular dram I had my eye on, but alas when the bill arrived it was £50, not £15... I’ll listen very carefully at any pricing in the future.
As I spent most of the second part of October in Scotland, my brother took the opportunity to come visit us and I got put in charge of the itinerary and couldn';t resist taking them for a tour at Johnnie Walker Princes Street. I must say that I really enjoy the tour and will recommend it to anyone who’s visiting Edinburgh. We had a brilliant tour guide and since you get the chance to try three drinks during the tour, you can be as adventurous as you’d like or stick to your flavour category which you take a quiz to decide. We were lucky they weren’t fully booked in the bar afterwards and stopped for a drink following the tour so we could admire the stunning view as well. I can highly recommend the Fruity Old Fashioned with apricot, Fresh Highball with lemon or the Creamy Highball with cold brew coffee. I really enjoy how they’ve included various options so that everyone can enjoy the tour, from whisky enthusiasts to those curious but not super keen on neat spirits.
To finish up the month I had a mysterious invite to the Cask 88 headquarters where we ended up having our fortune told in cards that showcased the tasting notes of the new Book of Daemonologie whisky in their Witchcraft Series. They also reopened their world’s Smallest Whisky Bar; which I mentioned in August so that people could get the opportunity to try the new whisky and also have their fortune told. Apparently I’ve got plenty of magic in my card picks and I need to stick to a brew of honey, fresh thyme and citrus peel throughout the winter to avoid the colds. Perhaps I’ll add a dram of peated whisky to make sure I’ve got all the medicinal properties covered...!
If October was busy, then November will continue in the exact same fashion. I can’t wait to tell youall about it as Norway, The Netherlands and the Scottish west coast are waiting ahead!