Looking for the best whiskeys this year? Or do you want to learn more about how to pick what type to go for? Whatever your interests, we've got all the details you need to make an educated decision.
Whisky has been admired for centuries as a popular tipple in and around the British Isles. Amazingly, it dates as far back as the 15th century. Thanks to various immigrants and empires, whisky soon made itself clear under the umbrella of three well-known types:
Even though the drink dropped out of favour for a brief time during the late 20th century, whisky has of late pulled ahead of vodka as the most popular liquor in the UK, and a decent range of malts and blends can be found in most local pubs.
You will find there are three fundamental types. Malt whiskey is made of malt and aged in oak, with a flavour and taste that is renowned. Malt whisky is made exclusively from malt right within a single distillery, without adding any other grains. Specifically, Scotch whiskey is known for its strong and unique malts that can be found all over the world.
It is a case of looking in the right spot, and you will surely find Indian, Japanese, or Irish single malts.
In the United States, this is usually corn or maize, making the sweeter bourbon-style American whiskies. Whiskey is manufactured from grains rather than malted barley. If you want a lighter grain whisky, then you should look for brands that are made from unmalted cereals.
The most widely created whisky is blended and made from a combination of malt and grain spirits. Seeing that single malt whiskey requires a large amount of work and is costly to make, mixing with a grain leads typically to a cheaper product. A more spicy, less complex taste is often produced with the inclusion of the lighter grain whiskey that some would like, and that can be ideal for use in cocktails and blended drinks.
Blended malt whiskies are less commonly seen, and are only made using malted barley, but may blend malts from more than one distillery. Usually, this provides a distinctive mixture that is more difficult to produce than a malt-grain blend and comparatively cheaper than a single malt.
Single pot whiskey relates to Irish whiskey made using a combination of unmalted and malted barley (and occasionally other grains), offering a somewhat more peppery experience opposed to single malt.
You will find single or mixed malts in cask strength, meaning the whisky is distilled directly from the cask in which it was aged without being filtered. Usually, cask-strength whiskies contain between 60-65 percent alcohol by volume whereas traditional whisky is around 40 percent. Therefore, people need to drink it with water.
Scotch-style single or distilled malt whisky has a full-bodied taste that is perfect for refined sipping. A single scotch's flavour varies from astringent to a near caramel flavour. Peated malts feature a nearly chewy, smoky flavour that requires an acquired taste.
It's worth your while to try several malts from different places – if you don't like a peaty Highland malt, then maybe a soft Speyside with a hint of sweetness would be more acceptable to your palate. It is prudent to add a spatter of water to bring out the taste and flavour of your tot – a method that is regularly referred to as "releasing the serpent."
You may want to add either ginger ale or Coke with your whiskey to bring about a with smoother, less smoky blended whisky aroma. Doing so will please your palate much better than just a single malt. You can always keep a bottle or two of the finest whisky in the back of your cocktail cabinet for visitors to enjoy.
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Bulleit provides a strong kick to the senses with its peppery rye flavour and that playful extra 5 percent ABV. The whisky is revered as a Kentucky-style bourbon. Rich and engaging with a citrusy aftertaste of cinnamon, you can drink Bulleit right from the flask, and it also blends mixes well. If you'd like it or not, it's a punchy and rugged whisky that brims with a rich, oaky aroma of vanilla, spice and pepper flavours.
The clean, single malt aged in sherry and bourbon casks for extra layers of flavour, this softer offering includes undertones of vanilla and caramel. It is an outstanding choice for laid back sipping immediately after dinner or when sitting by the fire on a wintry evening. Seeing that the whisky features a strong 57.5% ABV right out the bottle, you need to dilute it with water before drinking.
The no-fuss blended malt from the brewers of The Famous Grouse, this happens to be a flowing but full-bodied all-malt whisky aged in sherry casks. Rich, more substantial than a grain or malt blend and with a slightly sweet aftertaste, Naked Grouse comes in a clean and unfussy bottle that we consider pretty attractive. At less than £20, it's also a great value.
Remarkably smooth drinking that is triple-distilled and aged in Oloroso, bourbon, and Pedro Ximenez casks to bring a mellowed, fruity taste that's worth savouring. Slightly sweet and rich, with no peaty smoke, this is perhaps the nearest fine whisky to be compared to a Christmas pudding in a receptacle. If the far more astringent malts make you believe that you do not enjoy Scotch whisky, give this brand a try prior to giving up.
A warm, age-long single-pot whiskey, smooth with velvety vanilla hints. Made with a mix of malted and unmalted barley, Green Spot was, up until recently, only made available at the distiller's Dublin store, and production is still restricted to 12,000 bottles per year. Therefore, if a person has a few buddies you'd like to wow, a bottle of the Green Spot should make all of them very happy.
Welsh whisky or commonly referred to as "wisgi" is a real drink, and a tasty one also. The wisgi custom ended up being reinvigorated in Wales in the beginning of the 2000s, which is now increasing in popularity outside of its motherland. This welcoming, mild whisky with notes of vanilla is Penderyn's most popular single malt, while other offerings from the distillery come with the peatier Celt and the jammy port wood-finished malt.
Laphroaig is not a dram for everybody, considering its peculiar ample taste. It features a complex combination of smoky sweetness, pine and honey notes, and delivers a rich body taste that's extensive and silky on the palate. This lovely limited edition 14-year-old Islay malt is a nifty way of treating yourself if that feels like your sort of stuff.
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
