Whisky is a complex and diverse spirit category that reflects a deep heritage, regional characters, and meticulous craftsmanship. From the smoky and peaty Scotch whiskies to the smooth and often lighter Irish whiskeys, and from the bold American bourbons and ryes to the balanced and precise Japanese whiskies, there is an immense range of flavours, aromas, and textures for whisky enthusiasts to explore and enjoy.

Palate: Classic Caol Ila notes of linseed and coastal peat, that nuttiness from the nose rides through, with heaps of dry, salted peanuts, and nut brittle. Nonetheless, the journey of single malt – reflecting and punctuating Stewart’s own career – has been long and eventful since that first consignment of Glenfiddich headed south in 1964. It’s a development encapsulated by the evolution of Balvenie, the Speyside single malt for which Stewart remains responsible in his semi-retirement ( Brian Kinsman took over his broader company duties in 2009). Whisky, or whiskey, depending on the region it hails from, is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. The drink is typically aged in wooden casks, which imbues it with distinct flavours over time, depending on the material of the casks and the conditions in which they're stored.DoubleWood, Portwood, Madeira Cask, Caribbean Cask – a pioneering production line of Balvenie ‘finishes’ that was born in that fertile period of experimentation. But if the malt’s history is written by the winners, the losers can be just as educational in their own way. First, let's delve into the main types of whisky, which are differentiated based on the production process, the ingredients used, and the geographical region of production.

In 1985, Guinness, owner of the Distillers Company, bought Bell’s and joined the two to form United Distillers, a forerunner of Diageo. In 1994 Bell’s became an eight-year-old age statement with a huge marketing campaign including television advertising which, according to Morgan, broke “a long-standing ‘gentleman’s agreement’ in the whisky industry.” But it is that and more, a constantly reliable whisky maker that ensures the fine tastes of Islay are available the world over in many forms. Despite its size and reach, the quality and character of Caol Ila is relentlessly impressive. We always look forward to each new expression that comes our way. You can imagine we’re doubly excited to have one of our own to shout about. A blended whisky can contain 25 different single malt whiskies. And while insights on how to balance the ratios of the whiskies and maintain the flavour are handed down by each Master Blender, we’re always more focused on final flavour. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. If you’re just into flavour above all and not concerned with the exact identity of the whisky in question, then there are a variety of brands that you should look out for. The king for Master of Malt customers is Seaweed & Aeons & Digging & Fire 10 Year Old and all its variants – a smoky Scotch single malt – but there are others such as Smokehead, Big Peat (a blend of smoky single malts), and the mighty Wormtub. Blended whiskyThe Perth style tended to be very different from West Coast blends like Johnnie Walker which had more Islay and Campbeltown single malts. Perth whiskies lent toward nearby Speyside for their flavour profile. To keep up with demand, in the 1930s Arthur Bell & Sons acquired three distilleries Inchgower, Blair Athol, and Dufftown, and in 1975, built a new one next to Dufftown called Pittyvaich, which later closed in 1993 and was demolished. Blended away, a cask at a time, into William Grant’s older blends, only the chastening memory of these failed experiments remains.‘That’s probably the beauty of our company,’ says Stewart. ‘If it doesn’t work, then we’re not forced to bottle it.’ There are something like 146 whisky distilleries in Scotland. Some like Lagavulin or Macallan are extremely well-known. Most, however, aren’t, and that isn’t really a problem because most of their output goes in blends so there’s no need to push the single malt brand. So if you want a cheap single malt, go for the lesser-known names. From the Diageo stable alone we could recommend Clynelish, Dailuaine, and Benrinnes. Other names that came up round the Master of Malt discussion table are Tamdhu, anCnoc, and GlenAllachie. Of course, there’s always the danger that once these are discovered, then prices might go up, so please don’t share this article! Flagship bottlings These green shoots of potential were enough for Justin to make Master of Malt his mission, and so he set about rallying others to the cause.

Yeasts and the fermentation process, which can last from a few days to several weeks, also play a crucial role. The type of yeast, temperature, and duration of fermentation influence the creation of different alcohol compounds and flavours. Fans of big, bold, and smoky whisky will really appreciate this release from Islay. It’s a 14-year-old Caol Ila, distilled in December 2008, and drawn from a very cool combo of casks. It’s a marriage of single malts matured in American rye (one cask) and Spanish moscatel casks (three octaves) which was bottled at 48% ABV. The cult of Caol Ila There are various styles of gin with London Dry Gin being the most popular - Tanqueray and Beefeater are both notable London Dry Gins. While juniper must be the dominant flavour, other botanicals can be used to make gin, and there is no limit to what can be used – these often include anise, liquorice root, saffron, cinnamon, cassia bark and orris root. The term "gin" might derive from either the Dutch "jenever" or the French "genièvre" – both of which mean "juniper".

HAPPY HOUR HIGHLIGHTS

I just started to nose the whiskies that were coming through. There weren’t that many in those days, but Girvan distillery had just opened in 1964. We had Glenfiddich and Balvenie distilleries;there was [blended Scotch] Grant’s Standfast. You can’t go wrong with anCnoc – unless you struggle with the pronunciation Under the radar distilleries If the world of single malt whisky had to declare a spiritual home, then Speyside on Scotland’s north-east coast, would lay a strong claim. With the Cairngorms to the west and those all-important barley fields to the east, over half of the entire country’s distilleries can be found in the region, most within a 15 mile radius.

Next up was The Singleton & Soda, a Whisky Highball made with 50ml of The Singleton of Dufftown Malt Master’s Selection and 120ml soda water, garnished with half an orange wheel and served in a highball filled with cubed ice. The beauty in the simplicity of a Highball was highlighted here in an extremely refreshing serve.The Glasgow 1770 (named after the year the original distillery was founded) single malt core range is made up of three whiskies that reflect the three new make styles: The Original, Peated and Triple Distilled. Then there’s been a flurry of limited editions from its Small Batch Series and single casks releases, such as the new Glasgow 1770 Tokaji Cask Finish (Peated) and the triple distilled Glasgow 1770 Cognac Cask Finish. By creating three different styles of new make spirit, we create three very different flavour profiles. These profiles are the foundation upon which we release our range of single malt whiskies; giving us a wide spectrum of flavours to choose from for our whisky portfolio each year,” says Sebastian Bunford-Jones, global marketing manager. It wasn’t long before these blossoming adolescents shunned the world of commodity lager, and developed an interest in fine spirits – single malt whisky in particular. This journey of discovery was made so much easier by virtue of Justin’s family having a close relationship with a whisky shop based in nearby Tunbridge Wells – Master of Malt. It’s a similar story with pretty much every Japanese single malt you care to name. You couldn’t give them away ten years ago and now… Then there’s the price of well-loved bottles like Lagavulin 16 Year Old and Talisker 18 Year Old. It’s enough to make the impecunious whisky lover give up and move over to Armagnac. But not so fast because there’s still a lot of good value to be found in whisky and indeed whiskey. If you ignore the most in-demand bottles, releases from new distilleries, and pretty much anything from Japan, then you can still drink extremely well without breaking the bank.