How to Taste?

A Gentlemanly Guide to Single Malts

by Martin Pilkington

Myths

Let’s dispel a few myths at the outset: single malts (whisky from a single distillery) are not, per se, superior to blended scotch. I recently refused to review one particularly vile single malt, fearing legal ramifications. Contrast Black Bottle, a well-made and characterful blend of Islay malts.

Nearly all single malts are effectively blends of spirit from different years, finished in different casks, from different batches. The age on the bottle indicates the youngest whisky in this blend. Single cask whiskies are rare and expensive.

Quality and enjoyment do not necessarily increase with the spirit’s age. I prefer Bunnahabhain (pronounced Booner Harven) 18-year-old to its 25-year-old.

Scotch is not innately superior to say bourbon, or rye, or Japanese whisky.

Not all Scottish distilleries are in twee glens, and quality is not dependent on picturesque settings. To quote Iain Banks on Glen Lomond distillery: “It’s a factory on an industrial estate,” which doesn’t prevent him saying of one of its products: “I like it for its eccentricity.”

How to Taste?

The answer to that question is really however you damn well please. But if you invest in a good malt, respect it; no mixers except a dash of water, or maybe club soda before sundown. And it is worth having a set of nosing glasses: not one – drinking alone is sad; drinking in company is sociable and the insights of others are useful.

Speaking of which, when I began visiting distilleries, John MacLellan, then manager at Bunnahabhain, was kind enough not to laugh at my opinions, and stressed that everyone’s experiences of a dram differ. There is no right answer.

To back that up, take these two statements: “The nose is light and flowery, with wet meadow notes and cucumber” and “a powerful heather and honey nose with brown sugar.” Both of these views describe the same malt – a Glenkinchie 12-year-old in the 2010 Malt Whisky Yearbook.