Christmas drams
Dec 09, 2018
It's that time of the year again, tinsels, baubbles, Christmas music and mulled wine are all around us. Most of us are too busy looking for those presents in our shopping lists and running from one store to the next and clicking away on several websites.
With all the ongoing frenzy, allow us to ask the following: have you thought about that special bottle of whisky that you will share with your loved ones after the Christmas dinner?
If not, check our suggestions:
Best Value
Berry Bros. & Rudd Sherried blended malt
This is a relatively new addition to the superb Berry Bros. & Rudd range of own label spirits. The sherried blended malt has a lovely palate with berries, raisin and nutty flavours. At £32 a bottle it will make the time after dinner that extra bit special.
Aged in PX and bourbon casks for extra complexity, from Campbeltown, under £40 what else can one want? This whisky will delight anyone who tries it.
This is an Islay single malt from a distillery located in Port Askaig. The whisky has a robust peaty nose with salty and peppery notes. The palate combination of burnt oak and grassy flavours.
Modern Classics
We know, during the winter we crave rich flavours and whiskies aged in sherry casks offer precisely that. The Tomatin 18 has notes of cloves, leather and chocolate, perfect as an after-dinner tipple.
More and more whisky enthusiasts are seduced by the aromas and flavours of this superb Highland malt aged in sherry casks. The 12 year old was aged in bourbon and sherry casks for 12 long years and has all the Christmas-friendly flavours one expects this season.
Just like the big Islay players this Highland single malt is made using barley smoked to an impressive 50ppm. Expect peaty, earthy notes that combine with floral undertones and roasted malt flavours.
Special and unique
This gem is a winner each time we include it in our whisky tastings. It has all the complexity, depth and character one expects from a whisky aged for almost 40 years in a single sherry cask.
Just by opening this super rare bottle Christmas will be that little bit more memorable. This whisky was distilled in 1955 and spent 50 long years maturing in a single sherry cask. It was bottled in 2005.
Independent wine and spirits merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd have bottled this Highland single malt exclusively for us. This whisky has smokey notes, mineral notes, black pepper undertones and aromas of green apple skins.