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With so much competition to face, especially in the ‘blended’ market, every whisky needs a story these days. ‘The Gladstone Axe’ is said to have been created in honour of four-times Victorian Prime Minister William Gladstone and was founded by a direct descendant, Elwyn Gladstone. The two whiskies in the range, the American Oak and the Black Axe, are a blend of 14 single malts from distilleries situated in the highlands and on the island of Islay, the latter providing a touch of smokiness. The ‘Axe’ in the name comes from the Liberal PM’s interest in tree-felling and an image of him, axe in hand, is embossed onto the bottles which have wax-sealed cork stoppers. The American Oak version is slightly sweet with a vanilla tone while the Black Axe offers a greater helping of spice. From around £30.
The end of last year saw marked the release of some fabulous vintage whiskies, not least anCnoc’s spectacular 2009. Produced at Knockdhu distillery in the tiny Aberdeenshire village of Knock, it has been resting peacefully in in the wood for a dozen years, initially in first-fill Spanish oak and then in American oak bourbon barrels. Surprisingly light in colour – a sort of weak honey – it’s also surprisingly uncomplicated for such a vintage. Flavours of smooth chocolate and slightly sharp butterscotch mingle with spiced apple, so prepare to be surprised how well it compliments a forkfull of meaty haggis. £50.
Another highly anticipated release from the close of 2021, this special edition is limited to 1,240 cask strength bottles and can only be bought in the UK. The Elgin distillery created this latest gem in its famous ‘Warehouse One’ – the dunnage store reserved for its most unusual cask whiskies – by finishing its already distinctive single malt in barrels that previously stored Manzanilla sherry. The fact that Manzanilla is only produced along the sea estuary of the Guadalquivir river lends a salty tang that combines nicely with the traditional softness imparted by Glen Moray’s use of water from the River Spey.It makes for a real mouthful, with an initial crisp fruit flavour giving way to a hint of herb and a touch of haggis-friendly salt at the end. £74.95
As Rabbie Burns might have told you, ‘bradan orach’ is Gaelic for ‘golden salmon’ – a reference to the River Spey’s second notable attribute after its contribution to great whisky: it’s also the home of world class salmon fishing. There’s nothing fishy about this classic single malt, however, just an easy-to-handle honey and vanilla flavour with a vibrand, spiced-up finish. As with anCnoc’s 2009, it’s slightly anaemic in colour despite having been matured in American oak bourbon casks. Speyburn’s 15-year-old looks considerably richer and offers a more complex combination of fruits, spices, vanilla and leather. But either will toast Burns a treat. Around £22 (Bradan Orach) and £55 (15-year-old).
If you really want to demonstrate admiration for Burns, dishing-out a few drams of this should do the trick. The second of Royal Salute’s ‘Time Series’ creations, it’s a blend of ultra-rare whiskies sourced from ‘ghost’ distilleries (including the mythical Caperdonich) and all a minimum of 51 years old. According to the official tasting notes, the result ‘exudes notes of blood orange partnered with the sweetness of aged oak, salted caramel and precious Manuka honey on the nose, followed by a subtleness of sweet hickory smoke, peach and bergamot.’ The reason we haven’t tried it ourselves is that each of the available 101 bottles is priced at $30,000 – but you do get it in a hand-blown Dartington crystal flagon.
Because you read about burns night
Also by Simon de Burton
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