Here in our workshop on the shores of Loch Fyne we do just one thing, and we do it very well. That’s to know what people like in a whisky. You’ve told us everything we need to know and we’ve heard you, because, like whisky, the skill of listening improves with age.
WIN A VIP Trip To The Beautiful Isle Of Raasay Distillery
Isle of Raasay Distillery, the home of R&B Distillers, is perhaps the only distillery in Scotland that provides luxury accommodation within the same building as a working distillery. Designed by local architect Olli Blair and renowned Scottish designer Anne Hunter, the distillery offers six exclusive en-suite bedrooms well-appointed with luxury amenities and comfort with either double or queen size beds, and arguably the best view from any distillery in Scotland.
You could WIN a VIP trip there including including accommodation, breakfast, a distillery tour and whisky tasting.
Buy a bottle of The Tweeddale The Evolution to be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize.
The Evolution is the oldest expression from The Tweeddale to date. Inspired by Richard Day’s cellar book, The Evolution is a blend of classic Speyside single malts and a Lowland single grain. All the components of The Evolution have been aged for at least 28 years to create a complex expression that embodies the vision and craftsmanship of the venerable Borders blender.
Nose: Juicy black fruits, with cherries and plums, and just a touch of icing sugar.
Palate: Big and full with Christmas cake, blackcurrant and pear notes, with a sweet fruity quality reminiscent of mulled wine.
Finish: A definite American oak influence with a hint of creamy milk chocolate.
52% ABV
70cl
£175 – BUY NOW to be in with a chance of winning
Isle of Raasay Distillery, the home of R&B Distillers
Located between the ferry terminal and Inverarish, the main village on Raasay, the distillery is well placed for exploring the island’s breath-taking natural beauty and historic sites, including the iconic Dun Caan mountain, Brochel Castle and the enigmatic Calum’s Road.
Order a bottle of The Tweeddale The Evolution now for your chance to win:
Full details can be found here
Old & Rare Whisky – Where do I start?
Since its very beginnings, The Whisky Exchange has had a focus that sets us apart from other whisky shops: we love old and rare whisky. Co-founder Sukhinder started as a collector of old bottles and that grew into The Whisky Exchange – we’ll be celebrating our 20th year online later in 2019, and he’s been collecting even longer.
Whisky is far from static. Over the centuries of production, the spirit has changed hugely. From uisge-beatha, an unaged spirit infused with herbs – a proto-gin – it has gradually become the oak-matured whisky that we know and love today.
While we haven’t had a huge jump comparable to the ‘what happens if I put this in a cask?’ moment in recent times, whisky these days is not the same as that produced even as recently as the 1980s. Since the early 1980s, for example, regulations on sherry production have changed the way that sherry casks for whisky have been made; meaning that a sherry-matured whisky from that period might taste significantly different to one produced more recently. Step back further, to whisky distilled in the 1960s, and you can easily find large changes, especially in the types of casks used: bourbon casks revolutionised whisky making when they started appearing in the 1950s, imbuing whisky with new flavours which we now so often take for granted.
Learn more about sherry casks >
Some people like older whisky bottlings for collecting, but for us it’s all about taste. Seeing how the flavours created by the distillers, warehousemen and blenders have changed over the years. Old whiskies aren’t necessarily better, but they are different, and that difference is what we enjoy looking for.
One of the most common questions we’re asked is, ‘where do I start?’
With so many whiskies available, launching into the world of old and rare bottles can be daunting. But worry not – here are a few easy ways to start your journey.
One problem when first setting out to try older bottlings – especially single malts – is that they can be expensive. If you’re looking for a more reasonably priced place to start and develop your palate, then old blends are great.
The way that whisky has been blended has changed a lot over the years. Ratios of grain whisky to malt have shifted, with older blends often having much higher malt content than we find these days. 50% malt/grain recipes weren’t uncommon, compared to the 20% and lower malt whisky content that we usually find today.
The components of the blends were also quite different to today. Not only were the single malts not the same, with different yeasts, fermentation times and distillation techniques used, but the grain whisky has also changed. Changing tastes and new technology has led to a lighter style of whisky, both of grain whisky and modern blended whiskies.
Stepping back to the 1980s is enough to find whisky of a different style. If you find whiskies from the 1970s and earlier, with components often distilled in the 1960s and further back, things change even more. With just a few bottles you can start to unpick the recent history of whisky.
Buy old & rare blended whisky at The Whisky Exchange >
Our next tip is sharing whisky. While that’s at the heart of all whisky for us, when it comes to old and rare whisky, especially more expensive bottles, it’s worth bringing together a like-minded group to share the costs and, more importantly, the experience. A whisky drunk with friends is almost always better than a whisky drunk alone.
Sharing the tasting experience is even more fun with old and rare whiskies than with modern bottlings. Comparing and contrasting your experience with others is better when the whiskies are unfamiliar, as old and rare drams almost certainly will be, at least to start with.
Outside of informal groups of friends, there are whisky clubs in most major cities around the world – a quick “whisky club” search should turn up at least one entry. And if not, why not start your own?
The single most useful thing for old and rare whisky fans is a place where they can try them without having to buy a full bottle. While many bars offer the chance to try recently bottled whiskies, there are far fewer that specialise in old and rare releases.
There are also a few whisky shows around the world that cater to an audience who want try interesting old whiskies, from Limburg’s Whisky Fair and the Whiskybase Gathering in Europe to an increasing number of shows in the far east. However, as you’d expect, we’d recommend heading to Glasgow at the end of February for our own event – The Whisky Show: Old & Rare.
In the end, the idea behind them all is the same: gather a selection of the top whisky shops and bars out there, as well as the world’s best-known collectors, hook them up with some whisky fans who want to buy their whisky to try by the dram, and let nature take its course.
Whisky Shows are almost always significantly cheaper than buying the same whiskies by the glass in a bar, with many also offering smaller sample sizes than you find in bars – a 1cl pour is standard at The Whisky Show: Old & Rare. You don’t need much of a whisky to be able to tease apart its character, and with 1cl pours you always have the chance to go back for more if you love a whisky. And one thing’s certain when you drinking old and rare whisky – you’ll find something you’ll love.
Originally published on The Whisky Exchange Blog – Old & Rare Whisky – Where do I start?
Give the perfect gift with a personalised bottle of whisky. Each of our own Loch Fyne whiskies and liqueurs and a select few other bottles can be engraved with a personal message to add that special touch to your gift. Whatever the occasion, say it with whisky!
The beautiful and flexible Haggis
THE FANTASTIC HAGGIS NEEPS & TATTIES a true Scottish extravaganza on a plate. I am an expert, having eaten maybe a half ton in my life (guessing here), with more to follow. One of my favourites is Simon Howie haggis made from traditional recipe by award winning chefs and butchers. Their original 454g Haggis is the UKs best-selling haggis for the second year in a row. (Source: Nielsen Scantrack 52w/e 06/05/17, Volume Sales) As well as being Scotland’s national dish eaten to celebrate Burns night in January, haggis is hugely versatile and can be enjoyed all year round. Howie is a Perth company.
Health Benefits Of Haggis Haggis is Scottish and although people are put off by its’ description, if you’ve ever tried it, you’ll know just how amazing it tastes. Haggis is made with sheep heart, lungs, and liver, all minced together with onions, suet, salt, spices, oatmeal, top quality meat and vegetable stocks, as well as a touch of whisky. The ingredients are then packed into the stomach of the animal and are gently boiled. Now, when you read it like that, it may not sound all that pleasant, but when you taste haggis, you instantly understand why it is so popular, as it tastes divine, if you are vegan or vegetarian, you can now buy vegan haggis which replaces the offal with fresh vegetables so anyone can enjoy the taste of haggis – meat or not! But what makes it healthy? Rich in Vitamins. Haggis contains top quality offal, including heart and liver. Both of which are full of vitamins that do the body a world of good. In particular, haggis is rich in vitamins A, C, B6, B12, Niacin, and vitamin D. These vitamins strengthen the immune system, promote energy production, promote healthy vision, and assist with nutrient uptake from other sources. Rich in Minerals. It is the mineral content that makes haggis so healthy. Offal is notoriously rich in minerals, and the ingredients in this dish do not disappoint. Thanks to the heart, lungs, and liver, haggis is packed full of iron, magnesium, selenium, calcium, zinc, and copper. These minerals contribute towards healthy immunity, they strengthen the bones, they regulate hormone levels, they promote healthy circulation and oxygen transportation, and they can even help lower blood pressure. Great Source of Protein. Liver and heart, in particular, are both packed full of proteins and amino acids, which promote cellular health and function and assist with the growth and repair of muscle tissue.
Health benefits of tatties Mashed tatties are simply mashed potatoes and they are very healthy. Some primary health benefits include: Great source of energy As potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, they have a very low glycemic index, so insulin levels will not spike following consumption. What will happen, however, is that your muscle glycogen levels will be replenished. Rich in Potassium is another mineral required by the body, that not only helps to reduce lactic acid build ups and muscular fatigue, but it also helps regulate blood pressure. A potato actually provides almost twice as much potassium as a banana. Health benefits of neeps or turnips are a staple food served alongside tatties and haggis. Some of their key health benefits include: rich in antioxidants Turnips are packed full of phytonutrients and antioxidants, including glucosinolate, which inhibits tumour growths, helps rid the body of toxins, strengthens the immune system, and fight the harmful effects of toxins and carcinogens. Great for the heart – rurnips are rich in folate, a B vitamin which has been found to lower harmful LDL cholesterol levels and promote cardiovascular health in the body. Great for the bones – turnips are rich in calcium, which is a mineral that is vital for optimal bone health. By combining turnips with haggis, your bones will absorb much more of the calcium from these root vegetables, helping to keep them strong and healthy.
Haggis & whisky crisps (chips to my American family) Mackie’s Crisps are the creation of an award winning family business – Mackie’s at Taypack Ltd. – which was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between Perthshire potato farmers, the Taylor family, and Mackie’s of Scotland, renowned for their luxury ice cream. The Taylor family have been growing potatoes in Perthshire for generations. The Mackie’s have over 20 years’ experience in ice cream from their farm in Aberdeenshire. All crisps are made in Perthshire, a few miles from the Taylor’s family farm, ‘Moncur’. Ingredients – potatoes, high oleic sunflower oil, whisky & haggis seasoning (7%) (sugar, yeast extract powder, spice, yeast powder, barley malt extract, rusk (wheat), natural flavourings, sea salt, onion powder, acid: citric acid, oatmeal powder, natural clove flavouring. Makie’s is a Perth company.
Of course you must use a whisky sauce or better still a few drams of whisky in a glass to down with the above. Whisky sauce is a sauce in Scottish cooking, has become popular globally. It is created by pouring an amount of whisky into a saucepan. It is then set alight, in order to make sure that the sauce is not too bitter. Double cream is added whilst stirring. The heat is then reduced so that the sauce can thicken and finally seasoning such as salt and pepper is added, the documentation of whisky in savoury cooking goes back to at least Victorian times, where its use in meals is documented in Isabella Beeton’s famous cookery book Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management. Due to the Scottish nature of the sauce, recipes including whisky sauce have been popularised as dishes to be eaten on Burns supper along with the traditional main course of Haggis – or any time of year.
Scotland’s national chef Gary Maclean and Simon Howie delicious haggis recipes with a twist. TV’s Masterchef: The Professionals winner Gary Maclean’s show-stopping haggis dish took him to the show’s finals, and he’s got a few more tricks up his sleeve for our national dish. Working with Howie, the duo have come up with three exciting recipes to re-invent the Scottish staple, including crispy fried haggis, haggis burgers and haggis Yorkshire puddings. Maclean’s Crispy Fried Haggis, first seen on MasterChef: The Professionals, turns the classic texture of haggis on its head, shallow frying Simon Howie haggis wrapped in a light filo pastry and combining it with a red onion chutney, mashed potatoes and roasted turnip. http://www.thescottishbutcher.com/recipes/haggis-recipes/gary-macleans-crispy-fried-haggis GARY; Born in Glasgow, this multi-award winning chef has been hailed as a major talent, a gentleman of the kitchen, a world class educator and one who could step into a three Michelin-star kitchen and feel at home. Gary Maclean, husband, father and chef – is one of a kind. He of course is a Maclean, say no more.
PAUL MCLEAN Michelin (tyres) awarded whisky drinker. If you come on any of our Scottish tours, you are likely to come up against the age old problem “do I try haggis or not?” Honestly, the amount of people who tried have agreed it is delicious, similar to a stuffing maybe you put in a turkey. Like whisky and golf, you cannee go far in Scotland without coming in touch with the wee haggis, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, deep fried or with chips. It does NOT have a consistent taste as each chef will use his/her own recipe. My advice, try a nibble at breakfast, if you like it, get a larger portion later that day – with a dram.
A personal blether from Paul McLean. www.whiskytours.scot
Take a relaxed whisky tour. Sample fabulous drams whilst we drive you around distilleries
Scotland & Ireland, stress free •Knowledgeable & friendly drivers •See the real Scotland & Ireland •Tasty local cuisine in friendly places •Luxurious and homely accommodation
Whether you feel like a weekend sampling drams or a tour getting right into the heart of our whisky, we’re the people for you. We work with you every step of the way to create a bespoke whisky tour. We take you to distilleries, arranging tours to suit from beginner to the connoisseur. Have fabulous tastings, whisky dinners and whisky schools. All transport and accommodation is prearranged, from lovely local guest houses, to 5 star castles – booked by us, with care. With over twenty years of experience and our extensive contacts within the whisky industry ensure you enjoy the best of Scottish & Irish hospitality, from the moment you arrive until your final dram. You drink, we drive!
A review by Ingvar Ronde, authour of the Malt Whisky Year Book
“Paul and Liz put together a record breaking program for the trip, visiting 43 distilleries – nine full whisky tours and the rest stopping for photos. Thanks to Paul we also managed to get quite a bit of history and culture. Already planning a new visit for next year. Cheers for now!” – Ingvar
We’re a bespoke tour company, you give us your ideas and we design a tour for you, here are some examples….
PRIVATE WHISKY SCHOOL and TOUR (new for 2019) – A discerning malt whisky nosing & tasting experience for serious whisky lovers, who don’t mind paying for a superb experience.
FIVE DAY SUPERB SCOTTISH WHISKY TOUR – a small group tour of Speyside, Perthshire and Glasgow, including a couple of distilleries not open to the general public. A chance to blend your own whisky, a great experience!
SPEYSIDE DISTILLERIES – a short tour that can be adapted to suit YOU. A great way to see the best.
DISTILLED WHISKY FESTIVAL TOUR – a four day tour taking a blending tour at Strathisla, an educational and humourous evening with Vic Cameron, 6 Distilleries and the Whisky Festival. A really, really fun tour!
EXCLUSIVE, LUXURIOUS, SHORT TOUR This four day whisky tour blends luxury with 5 distillery visits, superb scenery, fine food and whisky, all fully guided. Go on, pamper yourself whilst sampling excellent drams in Scotland.
WHISKY and HISTORY ON THE WESTERN ISLES – a busy tour, 7 distilleries and five islands.
OBAN, CAMPBELTOWN and ISLAY – a wonderful, west coast tour. Come and see why west is best!
FLYING FROM OBAN TO AN ISLAY WHISKY TOUR Two days/nights on Islay, returning to Oban day three – unless we stay longer, your choice. A flight back to Oban so you have time for more Islay whisky!
ask liz@mcleanscotland.co.uk for details or visit the website whiskytours.scot
Robert Burns Whisky Sale
In celebration of Burns Night (Jan. 25th)
our Robert Burns single malt is 10% off!
The only single malt endorsed by The World Robert Burns Federation, Arran. Distillery’s Robert Burns whisky is a crisp, fruity dram with a free tasting glass included in the price.
Limited number available! Click here for more details and Purchase link
10% OFF Select 10 Year Olds
May as well make the #10yearchallenge viral sensation work to your advantage 🙂
Oh silly social media!
The latest viral trend sweeping through social media platforms is the #10yearchallenge – Basically people are just posting images of themselves next to an image of them 10 years later. We know ~ Fascinating. So while you’re currently being subjected to this viral sensation we thought we’d turn it into a fun opportunity for you. The listed 10 year old spirits in this email are 10% Off through the end of January. Only these select bottles.
Use the Promo Code: 10YEAR (in Caps)
Please contact us with any questions and don’t forget to RSVP if you’re interested in attending our ‘Burns Night’ after-hours single-malt scotch tasting on the 25th.
Cheers!
Jonathan, Eric & Marlon
The Park Avenue Liquor Shop
270 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212-685-2442
jonathan@parkaveliquor.com
eric@parkaveliquor.com
whiskyconn@gmail.com
www.parkaveliquor.com
WhistlePig 10 Year Old Straight Rye
Nose: Allspice, orange peel, anise, oak, char and caramel
Palate: Sweet, hints of caramel and vanilla, followed by ryespice and mint
Finish: Long finish, warm butterscotch and caramel.
PRICE: $90
AFTER DISCOUNT: $81
Ardbeg 10 Year Old Islay Single Malt
“For peat lovers, Ardbeg 10 Year Old is probably the highest-quality ‘entry-level’ single malt on the market, and the distillery many Islay connoisseurs would choose as their favorite. A whirlwind of peat and complex malty flavors”.
PRICE: $75
AFTER DISCOUNT: $67.50
Widow Jane 10 Year Old Straight Bourbon
AROMA: Butter, cream and toffee.
TASTE: Honey and cherry wood.
FINISH: Charred oak, orange peel and smooth spicy finish.
PRICE: $85
AFTER DISCOUNT: $76.50
Yame ‘Eight Goddesess’ 10 Year Old
Japanese Whisky
Yame – Eight Goddesses – is a Japanese Whisky blended from whiskies matured in oak for 10-13 years inspired by the mythical Yametsu Hime said to protect the scenic mountainous beauty of the Yame Region, home of the famed Kitaya distillery.
Super Mellow, Delicate notes of Vanilla interlaced with Citrus.
PRICE: $65
AFTER DISCOUNT: $58.50
– Bushmills 10 Year Old –
Single Malt Irish Whiskey
“A superb 10 year old Irish single malt and winner of Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey at the 2007 World Whiskies Awards. Aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso sherry casks.
The Wisky Bible previously awarded Bushmills 10 year old 92.5 points.
Nose: Banana skins.
Palate: Medium, very fruity, chocolate pudding.
Finish: Floral, tannic”.
PRICE: $63
AFTER DISCOUNT: $56.70
– Ben Nevis 10 Year Old –
Single Malt Scotch
Ben Nevis 10 Year Old is a superb introduction to the distillery’s style. Full-bodied with a whiff of peat, lots of tropical fruit, and hints of coffee and dark chocolate, this is a great example of western Highland whisky.Nose: Fresh and quite dry. A supple greenness with soft leafy notes with a rich fruitiness. Hints of orange and Seville marmalade with a light vinous character and nutty undertones.Palate: Gentle dryness. Toffee. Looming omnipresent are solid peat notes with a bitter sweetness.Finish: Silken, toffee and caramel notes balanced with a touch of ‘mochaccino’ and dark chocolate.PRICE: $98 AFTER DISCOUNT: $88.20
Once again this offer is through the end of January. Discount applies ONLY to listed items and CANNOT applied to any other bottles. We are not responsible for any typographical errors or the Jets hiring a Head Coach that the Dolphins just fired. Notes and descriptions are not necessarily the opinion of Park Ave. Please contact the store with any questions.
The Park Avenue Liquor Shop | 212-685-2442 | 212-689-6247 | parkaveliquor.com
We hope you all had a lovely festive time and all the best for 2019
We saw in 2019 nicely with our first festival of the year – Harrow Whisky Festival – It is a two day event at ‘Best Western Plus’ Grims Dyke Hotel in Harrow and tickets are for one of the three tastings or can include an overnight stay and meal in the restaurant. The food is superb and the hospitality unbeatable. We already have the dates in our diary for next year. Please see more information here, if you are local (or even if you’re not)!
The Festival ‘Best Seller’
People couldn’t quite believe the price we were selling a 36 Year Old grain for! It was really nice to see the festivals goers trying and absolutely loving this whisky! Some of the comments made our day such as ‘the nicest grain they had ever tried!’
New Year Voucher
To Welcome you into the New Year please take advantage of this voucher for 10% off anything you purchase.
‘thanks19’
The Perfect Burns Night Dinner – Guid Auld Scotch Drink
At the end of the month is one of the biggest dates in the Scottish calendar. When it comes to excuses for a party, at least. Less than a month after Hogmanay and it’s time for another night of celebration – 25 January is Burns Night.
For those who don’t know the work of Robert Burns, he was a Scottish writer, who was born on 25 January 1759 – hence the date of Burns Night – and died in 1796. In his time he was a not only a writer and poet, but also a farmer and an exciseman, working a beat in the lowlands that included checking up on at least Annandale distillery.
He is one of the most influential writers in Scottish history, and his influence is still felt today. In honour of his life, his birthday has now become a day of celebration, with Burns Suppers and parties popping up around the world.
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a bit of a fan of Burns and his poetry, with the seeds sown at my first Burns Supper at The Whisky Exchange in Vinopolis. Franchi Ferla of Simply Whisky stalked the floor while telling the tale of Tam o’ Shanter – still one of my favourite Burns poems – and I was a convert.
Simply Whisky do Burns Night – If you see these two at the front of a Burns Supper, you’re in for a treat
Since then, I’ve expanded on my Burns Night obsession each year, with posts on food and beer ideas, ginny alternatives to whisky, a spot of poetry and keeping things more traditional. Strangely, the one thing I’ve not looked into is what whisky to drink with your Burns Supper.
A traditional Burns Supper can take many different forms – there have been suppers for more than 200 years and things have changed a lot over that time. However, here’s a skeleton of how things usually go and what we’d recommend – feel free to add bagpipers and as many courses as you like.
As an opening dram of the evening, we’d go for something lighter and more aperitif-like. To keep with the Burns theme, we’ve chosen Arran Robert Burns Single Malt, the ‘official’ Robert Burns whisky. We’re not entirely sure what makes it official, but it’s the perfect start to an evening of whisky, food and poetry.
Some hae meat an canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.
– The Selkirk Grace, the traditional opening to dinner
Some like a Scotch Broth, some a Cullen Skink, but if I’m about to chow down on a hearty main course, then Cock-a-leekie is the soup I want to start with. As the name suggests, it’s a chicken and leek soup, traditionally with prunes in the mix. I like the recipe on GreatBritishChefs from Graeme Taylor of A Scots Larder – it’s a bit more substantial than some, has carrots for extra sweetness and has the prunes cooked in from the beginning rather than used just as a garnish.
On thee aft Scotland chows her cood,
In souple scones, the wale o’food!
Or tumblin in the boiling flood
Wi’ kail an’ beef;
– Scotch Drink. Burns liked a bit of beef and cabbage soup
To go with the soup, we’d go for something lighter and sweeter, although with enough weight not to get lost – something that will pair rather than contrast with the homely, comfort-food character of chicken soup. We’ve chosen Bruichladdich Islay Barley. It’s buttery and creamy, like most Bruichladdichs, with a touch of grain sweetness. Our second choice is Glen Grant 18 Year Old. More delicate than the Bruichladdich, it’s got more sweetness and a touch of dried fruit richness hiding at the back – just the thing to pair with a prune-tinged Cock-a-leekie.
The arrival of the haggis is the centrepiece of a Burns Supper. Cooked in whatever manner you wish (I like to wrap mine in foil and roast it), it should be brought in whole and presented to the assembled throng. It’s at this point that the most famous bit of dinner poetry is read – Address to a Haggis. This is the important bit:
His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!
That means it’s slicey-slicey time. Cut open the Haggis and make sure it gets served quickly: haggis is at its best when hot. It’s usually served with neeps and tatties – mashed turnips and potatoes – and a sauce that often has a bit of whisky in. Just make sure you don’t pour whisky over the haggis: it’s not a Christmas pudding.
With the simple application of heat, a magical transformation occurs – warm-reekin, rich!
To go with the main course, you need something a bit more robust – haggis is a peppery beast, with strong flavours throughout, and the neeps and tatties normally have more than their fair share of butter. Our first pick is our Whisky-Exchange-exclusive Glenfarclas 2007 Marriage of Casks. It’s rich, spicy and very sherried, without getting too heavy – it won’t be cowed by a weighty haggis. And as an alternative, something a bit smoky: Talisker 2007 Distillers Edition – it’s got the classic salt, pepper and smoke Talisker character with an extra hit of richness from its amoroso finish. An excellent match.
Dessert often gets a bit forgotten at Burns Suppers. However, when it comes to rib-sticking puds, the Scottish know a thing or two.
If you look beyond the deep-fried Mars Bar (no matter what The Three Drinkers recommend), there’s a whole raft of options, with Clootie Dumpling sitting at the top of my puddin’ pile. However, after a hearty serving of haggis, there’s only one dessert for me: cranachan.
It’s a Scottish riff on a style of pudding that pops up wherever there is milk: cream, something sweet, something crunchy and something fruity. Eschewing the southern decadence of the Eton Mess’s meringues, cranachan is straight-down-the-line Scottish: cream, heather honey, oats and raspberries. With maybe a splash of whisky. Just a splash…
Some experimental cranachans, including a rather tasty one using gooseberries…
Matching whisky and creamy things can be difficult, but we reckon something fruity will give an extra layer of flavour. Our first fruity dram is Ben Nevis 10 Year Old. It’s got a whiff of smoke and a rich chocolate background, but it’s also packed with tropical-fruit flavour – it’ll cut through the cream and compliment the berries. Our second choice is our exclusive Glenlivet 1981 from Signatory. It’s got orchard and stone fruit in spades, and has a rich, sherry-cask backbone that’ll make sure the cranachan doesn’t take over.
Once the eating has finally finished, it’s time for some more whisky, and a bit of a sing-song. Arguably Burns’ most famous poem is one that people around the world sing without realising it’s one of his: Auld Laing Syne. It’s not all his own work, but he added some verses to an old folk song, and it’s thanks to him that it’s spread as far as it has.
While it’s best known as a new year song, it’s also traditionally sung at the end of a Burns Supper. It’s a song about remembering friendship and times past – the perfect end to the evening.
If you’re singing, you need a drink in your hand, and we’d go for something big and special. Our first choice is the Whisky-Exchange-exclusive Speyside 1973 bottled by The Whisky Agency. It’s packed with tropical and dried fruit, with the fruity spirit amplified by maturation in a sherry cask – we think it might have been a fino cask. Our second choice is even bigger and more sherried – our exclusive Edradour 2005 oloroso sherry cask. It’s a sherry monster, with loads of dried fruit and spice, just the thing for toasting the end of the perfect Burns Supper.
Whatever you do this Burns Night, make sure you raise a dram to the Ploughman Poet – as if we need an excuse to drink some guid auld scotch drink.
O thou, my muse!
guid auld Scotch drink!
Whether thro’ wimplin worms thou jink,
Or, richly brown, ream owre the brink,
In glorious faem,
Inspire me, till I lisp an’ wink,
To sing thy name!
–Scotch Drink, my favourite Burns poem
