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WHISKY JOURNAL
What we’re drinking: Burns Night 2021
What we’re drinking: Burns Night 2021
- January 16, 2021
Craigellachie 13 (RRP £48)
A great aperitif to start off your Burns Night. This whisky is a safe bet for anyone who likes a classic scotch. The Craigellachie distillery is one of the few distilleries that use worm tubs for condensing their spirit, which results in a somewhat meaty taste. Makes you craving for that haggis on your menu!
Nose
Carrot cake, a fresh pack of cigarettes, copper stills, parma ham (although very subtle), green apples, pear, white grapes and a fresh newspaper in the morning.
Palate
Dry, woody and slightly savoury, with hints of vanilla and tobacco.
Finish
The finish starts savoury with a hint of crab sticks, but it soon transforms into something more tropical and sweet, with banana, merengue and citrus pie. This all on top of a classic oaky character.
Glen Garioch 12 (RRP £43)
This Glen Garioch 12 years old is everything you wish for if you are looking for a traditional flavoured Scotch whisky. In fact, we never heard about someone disliking this bottle. This is everyone’s friend during your festivities. It can be an amazing dram to kick-off your supper with, but brings enough power to accompany you the whole night. A perfect partner for your Scotch Broth!
Nose
Mocha, dark stewed fruits, apple and lavender.
Palate
Rich and creamy, with earthy notes. Heather, blueberries and honey. Leather, raisins, milk chocolate and fresh baked cake.
Finish
A well-balanced finish with chocolate, nuts and raisins. The aftermath contains lavender and spicy oak.
Ardbeg 10 (RRP £40)
A peated whisky should definitely be on your shopping list, especially just before Burns Supper. What you see is what you get when it comes to this Ardbeg 10 years old. The raw and intimidating appearance is only a sign of things to come and it pairs incredibly well with good old haggis. Say the Selkirk Grace and pour me some of this Uisge Beatha!
Nose
Fresh and sweet on the nose. A little bit fishy and definitely briny, slightly tarry, Fishermans Friend and sweet pineapple.
Palate
Quite gentle on the tongue, dry oaky vanilla with salt and peat. Sweet notes of barley and tropical fruits are opening up.
Finish
Oily, very tropical and fruity. Refreshing and sweet, with an aftertaste of wet ropes and an extinguished bonfire on a sandy beach.
Kilkerran 12 (RRP £40)
Of course we can’t pass a dram from (the former) whisky capital Campbeltown, on a night like this. The distillery only reopened in 2004, but it turned out to be an instant classic. Its elegance and timeless taste, feels almost like a tradition in a bottle. A bridge between the old and the new, we can bring out a proper toast with this!
Nose
Malty at first with a small hint of campfire smoke, candied oranges covered with dark chocolate. Also hints of mushrooms, kale and damp concrete, before becoming slightly tropical with aromas of galia melon.
Palate
Creamy with hints of biscuits, pineapple, vanilla, coconut, tea biscuits and vanilla milkshake.
Finish
Pineapple, cream cheese, peaches, malt, lemon peels and a whiff of charcoal.
Arran Sherry Cask Strength (RRP £55)
On and around Burns night, it can be quite cold outside. So you will need something to keep you warm and cosy. We’re not talking about blankets of lighting the fireplace, those things are optional, not mandatory. We’re talking Arran Sherry cask strength here. This dram is a knight in shining armor and will definitely take your evening to a higher level. Don’t forget your bagpipe!
Nose
Very, very rich with dark chocolate, cherries, cocos and tobacco. Dairy with strawberries, rosehip, vanilla and apricot for a very interesting nose.
Palate
Unbelievably dry and oaky. Red fruit, apple, peaches and a little bit of ginger as well.
Finish
A dry finish with pure chocolate once again. Walnuts, gingerbread, green tea and cherries. Very creamy, a bit like a black forest gateau. Some peaches will sign off.
Kilchoman Sanaig (RRP £50)
You’re probably having a full belly at the arrival of this last dram, but there’s always room for one more. This Kilchoman, from the farm distillery of Islay combines all the previous tasty outliers. Bring in the smoke, the sweetness and the maltiness. A perfect nightcap for by the fireplace. No worries if you don’t have one, this glass almost offers a pretty bonfire by itself.
Nose
The nose is soft and fruity, with vanilla, orange blossom, salty caramel and a whiff of fresh peat smoke.
Palate
The palate is warming, it builds itself up from citrus and sauna wood to red fruits and toffee.
Finish
The finish offers an Islay-ish bite with thick smoke, pear, flowers and cooked apples.
