This week we are featuring five Single Malt Scotch Whiskys from five different whisky producing regions in Scotland. Each region has its own unique characteristics and understanding the differences will allow you to pick the best scotch for your own palate. The five regions we will highlight are Speyside, Highlands, Islay, Lowlands, and Islands.
Speyside: The Glenrothes 12-year Single Malt Scotch
Sale $54.99 Reg. $59.99
Half of Scotland's distilleries are located in Speyside. Known for their pleasing flavors of fruit, nuttiness, vanilla, spice, and very low amounts of peat are used, keeping the flavors light and approachable. The Glenrothes ‘House Style’ is showcased through our 12-year old. All of the flavors come from the balance of different sherry seasoned casks, giving a smooth and lasting sweetness. Matured only in sherry seasoned oak casks and bottled at natural color with a character of vanilla, melon, and cinnamon.
Highland: Glenmorangie The Nectar D'or Single Malt Scotch
Sale $79.99 Reg. $86.99
Highland Scotch covers most styles of scotch, but the northern highland distilleries like Glenmorangie deliver flavors of custard, honey, cereal, and lively fruit. Glenmorangie also relies heavily on ex-bourbon barrels to pair perfectly with their elegant spirits. This whisky was born from the memory of entering a pastry shop for the very first time. It’s about that first moment of finding your senses deliciously overwhelmed, breathing in the sweet scents and wishing you could take a bite of every creamy, flaky treat you see. In Nectar D’Or you can taste it all.
To create it, we take the delicate, fruity spirit of our giraffe-high stills and age it in American oak bourbon casks along with casks that once held Sauternes sweet white wine. The outcome is like a silky dessert-filled daydream of white chocolate swirled with lemon cream, crème caramel, almond croissants... all balanced by a soft drumbeat of spice. Each sip is like sending your senses on holiday to a French patisserie.
Islay: Ardbeg Corryvreckan Single Malt Scotch
Sale $129.99 Reg. $139.99
When a lot of people think Scotch, smokey heavy peat is something they attribute to all scotch whisky. But Islay is truly the home of peated whisky and is the most polarizing flavor in the scotch category. Other defining characteristics are ocean salinity and heavy pepper make a classic Islay dram. Ardbeg Corryvreckan takes its name from the famous whirlpool that lies to the north of Islay, where only the bravest souls dare to venture. Swirling aromas and torrents of deep, peaty, peppery taste lurk beneath the surface of this beautifully balanced dram. Like the whirlpool itself, Corryvreckan is not for the faint-hearted!
Lowland: Bladnoch Vinaya Single Malt Scotch
Sale $56.99 Reg. $62.99
Lowland Malts are all about delicate flavors. The peat and smoke of Islay are nowhere to be found, replaced by balanced flavors of grass, honeysuckle, cream, ginger, toffee, and cinnamon. Bladnoch is the southernmost distillery in Scotland and their whiskys are approachable and refined. ‘Vinaya’, a Sanskrit word meaning respect and gratitude, pays homage to the original founders of the distillery who paved the way, as Bladnoch looks forward to an exciting new era of production and innovation. Matured in a unique combination of first fill Bourbon and first fill Sherry casks for notes of fresh apple, sweet floral grass and hints of chocolate.
Islands: Talisker 10-year Single Malt Scotch
Sale $74.99 Reg. $79.99
Similar to Highland Scotch, there are many different styles of scotch represented throughout its island distilleries. Distilled by the sea on the shores of the Isle of Skye in Scotland, centuries of local distilling tradition and the rugged environment are what make our whisky so unique. Intense and full-bodied, it is the classic stalwart of the Talisker family. The long, warming finish of this aged single malt should be served neat. Sitting amongst the Inner Hebridean Scottish Isles, Skye is rugged, windswept, a place of extremes and our whisky captures the spirit of its island home perfectly. Sitting amongst the Inner Hebridean Scottish Isles, Skye is rugged, windswept and a place of extremes. This whisky captures the spirit of its island home perfectly.
Mark Your Calendar: Scotch Tasting September 27th @ 6:00pm
We will be joined by Ed Kohl for a guided Scotch tasting. Ed has been in the spirits industry over 40 years. He was inducted into the Keepers of the Quaich in 2011 and into the Society of the Musketeers in 2017. Ed will us you through the distillation techniques of the various distilleries and share his knowledge of each dram. Tickets will be $20 with $10 going back to any purchases of the sampled products. Please call the store to reserve your seat now.
