The Tapped Cask

{"id":555884249258,"title":"We Did It!","created_at":"2021-05-12T19:39:37+01:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003eIn case you missed it last night, our appearance on Dragons' Den was a roaring success!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThomas and Tristan secured investment of £75,000 from three dragons': Deborah Meaden, Tej Lalvani \u0026amp; Peter Jones. Whisky Me is only the sixth business in the history of the show to secure three dragons, and it is the first whisky company to receive Dragons' Den investment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFurther to our appearance (which was filmed in the autumn) we are pleased to reveal that the paperwork has all been signed and we have welcomed the Dragons' onboard as our new business partners. We're both looking forward to seeing what their combined experience can do for Whisky Me, to grow the club internationally as well as to improve it for you, our loyal club members.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can watch the whole show on BBC iPlayer or view our segment in the den below:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wcMFXMYG3hU\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":76389875882,"author":"Tristan Stephenson","user_id":71976517802,"published_at":"2021-05-14T09:00:00+01:00","updated_at":"2021-05-14T09:26:27+01:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"we-did-it","tags":"tag:media","image":{"created_at":"2021-05-12T19:39:37+01:00","alt":"","width":1280,"height":720,"src":"\/\/whisky-me.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/maxresdefault.jpg?v=1620844777"}}

{"id":555790794922,"title":"Enter the Dragons","created_at":"2021-04-26T14:26:27+01:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003eWe have some exciting news to share with you!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBack in September, Tom and Tristan travelled to Manchester with a suitcase full of Whisky Me pouches (and a head full of dreams...) to film with the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/programmes\/b006vq92\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Dragons Den\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eBBC show Dragons' Den\u003c\/a\u003e. In case you are unaware of the show's format, it sees entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to a panel of multi-millionaire investors with the hope of taking one (or more) of them on as a partner. Dragons' Den has helped to grow brands like \u003cem\u003eLevi Roots\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Craft Gin Club\u003c\/em\u003e to name but a couple.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo spoilers here I'm afraid, as the BBC asks participants not to reveal whether their pitch was successful until after the show airs. Truth be told it's been a bit of a struggle for us to keep quiet for the past nine months!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are interested to find out how we did (or just want to watch us squirm!) be sure to pour yourself a large whisky - perhaps your May dram? - and tune in to BBC1 at 8pm on Thursday 13th May.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep an eye on this blog and our social media channels too, as we'll be posting more about our experience in the Den soon!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor press and media enquiries please contact \u003ca href=\"mailto:laura@whisky-me.com\"\u003elaura@whisky-me.com\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":76389875882,"author":"Tristan Stephenson","user_id":71976517802,"published_at":"2021-05-06T20:52:54+01:00","updated_at":"2021-05-06T21:26:15+01:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"enter-the-dragons","tags":"tag:media","image":{"created_at":"2021-05-06T20:52:02+01:00","alt":"","width":1200,"height":675,"src":"\/\/whisky-me.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/p09b00ky.jpg?v=1620330723"}}

{"id":555761991850,"title":"Whisky By Flavour","created_at":"2021-04-22T08:32:13+01:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe whisky category can be a daunting place if you're just starting out on your whisky journey, and even folks who have years of experience exploring whisky can easily find themselves bamboozled by the diversity of the products available to them. The range of products available is one of the things that makes whisky great, but understanding the full spectrum of whisky styles available and then learning how to select them can be a bit of a challenge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEver since we opened our first whisky bar, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.barblackrock.com\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Black Rock Whisky Bar\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eBlack Rock\u003c\/a\u003e, in 2015, we have been championing the marketing of sale of whisky by \u003cem\u003eflavour\u003c\/em\u003e. This goes against the traditional notions of organising whiskies by their base material (malt, corn, rye, etc.) country of origin, region, and distillery. These systems have worked okay in the past, but conformity to regional styles is no longer a given, with even individual distilleries sometimes producing a range of different tasting whiskies that could have been sourced from anywhere in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFlavour, however, is a unifying feature of all whiskies and can be tracked and mapped on a dram by dram basis. It allows us to communicate exactly what a whisky tastes like rather than what it might (or should) taste like based on a few made up geographical borders or some assumptions about what cereals are available in that region. It's also, ultimately, what we're looking for in a whisky. Whether it's a fruity malt or a spicy rye you're after, it's far better to talk of these spirits as \u003cem\u003eflavours\u003c\/em\u003e rather than products of a specific grain or location.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0539\/2665\/8218\/files\/whiskyflavourmap_600x600.jpg?v=1619076680\" alt=\"Whisky Flavour Map\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe malt whisky flavour map was created for this purpose, by plotting distilleries on to a flavour map with axis that represent certain taste characteristics. The malt whisky flavour map can be difficult to navigate however, and especially so when the number of distilleries increases beyond 20 or 30. It also doesn't take in to account the variety of flavours that a single distillery can produce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Black Rock (and now Whisky Me) we took a different approach. Black Rock was the first whisky bar in the world to have no bar and no back bar (where spirits are normally displayed). Instead, we installed six cabinets, each one marked with a different flavour: Smoke, Fruit, Balance, Fragrance, Sweet, Spice. These cabinets made no distinction for distillery, country of origin, price, or anything other than flavour. This enabled our guests to make informed decisions around what type of whisky they wanted to drink, based on personal preference, occasion and the serve itself (straight, mixed, cocktail, etc.) This system also helps guests to discover similar whiskies that are nearby on the flavour spectrum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0539\/2665\/8218\/files\/WM_RGB_PROFILES_600x600.jpg?v=1619004945\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs of May 2021 we have applied these same category principles to all of the whiskies we send you, as well as in our online bottle shop. You will notice that the label on every pouch has one or two background colours which indicate the flavour camp(s) that the whisky sits in. We hope that this will help you to identify the styles you like the most so that you can make better decisions when picking new whiskies to try.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/whiskies\"\u003eonline shop\u003c\/a\u003e is equipped with filters that can select for flavour, so have a play around and see if you discover something unexpected to satisfy your palate.\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":76389875882,"author":"Tristan Stephenson","user_id":71976517802,"published_at":"2021-04-22T08:36:22+01:00","updated_at":"2021-04-30T10:10:22+01:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"whisky-by-flavour","tags":"tag:flavour, type:Flavour","image":{"created_at":"2021-04-22T08:36:03+01:00","alt":"","width":1000,"height":807,"src":"\/\/whisky-me.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/MG_1197_copy_c6008a1e-3ed3-4c2b-ac89-62cef629a00c.jpg?v=1619076964"}}

{"id":493205618858,"title":"Whisky Smuggling and Moonshining in Scotland","created_at":"2021-02-23T14:45:36+00:00","body_html":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe first tax on spirits in Scotland was set in 1644, at a rate of 2s. 8d for \"everie [sic] pynt of aquavytie or strong watteries sold within the countrey\", with further increases half-a-dozen times the following 60 years. After the Act of Union in 1707 the parliaments of England and Scotland were as one, and the same taxes on distillation applied to both. In 1715 the English Malt tax was put in to affect in Scotland too and increased in 1725, making it one of the major contributing factors to the Jacobite uprising and riots that were frequent in the time. But even with heavier taxes the distilling industry continued to prosper, since \u003cem\u003euisgebah \u003c\/em\u003e(whisky) could be made form other cereals too. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eOne of histories most prominent malt distilleries from the same period, and the first large distillery to flourish in Scotland, was Ferintosh. The distillery at Ferintosh became an incredibly lucrative operation after its owner was granted a tax break for support of the new Dutch king, William of Orange, who took to the British throne in 1689. No taxes meant the product could be sold cheap, meaning the other tax paying distilleries were fighting an uphill battle when competing with Ferintosh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0539\/2665\/8218\/files\/roys-military-map-of-c-1750-51-showing-a-densely-populated-area-of-ferintosh_600x600.jpg?v=1616591811\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eGrowth for Scottish distillers continued up until 1752, with the annual output almost doubling in the space of ten years. The future looked good until disaster struck in in 1757, marked by a massive crop failure that forced the British government to prohibit the sale of distilled spirits for three years. The use of a private still was not prohibited however and so long as its wares were used only for household consumption no law was broken. No enterprising Scotsman in their right mind would lie down just like that and so started illicit distilling and smuggling on a massive scale. By the time the ban was lifted it was already too late, duty-free whisky had a good taste to it and the illicit still men had little inclination towards paying taxes. And it was the game of taxation that seemed to govern the prevalence of illicit operations for the next 50 years, increasing dramatically when the risk of being caught was out balanced by the reward. A sudden increase in duty meant the sprouting up of new illicit distilleries by the hundreds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eIt seems like the government were too slow to recognise that things were getting out of hand and Excise officers were simply too soft on those caught in the act of illicit distilling, with early records of some individuals being caught three or four times in a short space of time. By the time the authorities got a handle on the  scale of the problem, it was already endemic and far too big to police or manage, regardless even of the severity of the punishment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eThe risk to the clandestine operatives of course was not a particularly great one. The various inaccessible, islands, glens and crags of the Highlands (many of which have given their names to present day legitimate distilleries) provided ample seclusion from the prying eyes of the Excise officers, who were also known as gaugers - named for their \"gauging\" of the malt to assess its duty. The Glendronach distillery in Speyside is one such operation that picked its location very carefully. Situated adjacent to natural springs, it meant that there was an abundance of good clean water, but even better than that were the colony of rooks who nested nearby and were prone to screaming whenever anyone approached at nighttime - as good a security alarm as anyone could wish for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0539\/2665\/8218\/files\/image_13a6a0b7-ced9-45af-8ed6-47b413b097e3_600x600.jpg?v=1616592134\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eThe ‘legal’ distilleries now had to compete on price with both the Duty-free Ferintosh distillery, as well as illicit operations that also weren't paying any tax. Many of them reacted the only way that they could, and took measures to fake their Customs and Excise production declarations in an attempt to reduce their tax bill. The government got wise to this pretty quickly though and enforced a series of strict and oppressive measures that aimed to control the few remaining legitimate operations. In 1774 William Pitt’s Wash Act was passed, which required Lowland stills to be a minimum of 400 litres in capacity and taxed on their size, not their output. Highland distillers were granted more lenient taxes, based on the volume produced, and permitted to use smaller stills of a minimum 91 litres. The only problem was they weren’t allowed to sell it outside of the Highlands. The Wash Act drew a deep line in the sand between how Lowland and Highland distilleries operated, encouraging the distillers in the South to build stills that could distill very quickly, albeit with a significant drop in quality. In the Highlands there was less rush, and the spirit was said to be of a much greater standard than the Lowland swill… but only available in the Highlands. The enforcement of these differing taxes is one of the reasons for the distinction between the lighter lowland a bolder highland styles we have today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eAs the 18\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eth\u003c\/span\u003e century drew to a close the ongoing Highland clearances, also known as the ‘expulsion of the Gael’ only served to fuel the fire of resentment that burned for the British Government.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eAny perception in the Highlands that smugglers were wrong doers, or law breakers, had been replaced by an acceptance of it as a profession and even as a god given gaelic right. \u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eBoth the duty and the punishment for non-compliance were further increased and Scotts rebelled, resulting in what almost amounted to all out warfare.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eThe rate of taxation on whisky fluctuated greatly over the years, as much as tripling in war times when the British government needed the cash, and settling down again during times of peace.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eWhisky would be distributed amongst towns and villages by ‘bladdermen’, so called because concealed beneath their britches would be a bladder full of uisge beatha. Highland Park distillery on Orkney (see pox) were known to \u003c\/span\u003eseclude casks of whisky in the hollow pillars of nearby St. Magnus Cathedral, despite the attending Reverend reaffirming ‘thou shalt not make whisky’ in his Sunday service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eDuring the same period it has estimated that Edinburgh had around 400 distilleries; 11 of them were licensed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0539\/2665\/8218\/files\/landseer-still-10011_600x600.jpg?v=1616591900\" alt=\"An illicit distillery\"\u003eThe 1823 Excise Act changed everything however, duty on Scottish whisky was cut by more than fifty-percent, down to the manageable rate of 2s. 5d. per gallon. For many business minded distillers this was an opportunity to legitimise their operations and grow their businesses. Glenlivet, Fettercairn, Cardhu, Balmenach and Ben Nevis are just some of the distilleries that are still operational today, that saw their chance and licensed their operations during this time. By 1825 there were 263 licensed distilleries in Scotland, all of them free to produce whatever volume of spirit they wished. Quality naturally improved, since it’s so much easier to make good whisky when you don’t have to hide it from anyone, as did quantity, and the operations that chose to avoid the duty were soon forced out of the market place with records of seizure in Scotland dropping from a post-Excise Act high of 764 in 1835, down to only 2 in 1875.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eThe smuggling in Scotland didn’t stop there mind you. The tax on spirits was much higher in England than Scotland during the 19th century, to the tune of 8s. per gallon. Licensed scotch distillers, many of which had plenty of experience of the smuggling lifestyle, developed ever more ingenious methods to smuggle their mountain dew over the border, even going as far as to train dogs to swim across rivers with pig bladders full of whisky in tow. Practices like that were small time however, there were bigger operations taking place as some estimates place the volume of Scottish duty paid whisky crossing the border in the 1820’s in upward of ten-thousand gallons every week (that’s a lot of dogs). Many of the distillers would travel in armed groups, each carrying\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e30 litres load of spirit tied to themselves in metal canisters; most of the time excise officers were simply too scared to approach them - who can blame them?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eEven up until the 1980’s it was normal for Excise Officers to live ‘on site’ at the distillery. One distillery manager once candidly told me that “To be a distillery worker you have to have a real genuine love for drinking whisky, but to be an Excise officer you have to have an even bigger love.”\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":76389875882,"author":"Tristan Stephenson","user_id":71976517802,"published_at":"2021-04-22T08:30:00+01:00","updated_at":"2021-04-22T08:30:00+01:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"highland-photographer-matt-reding-shows-us-the-ropes","tags":"tag:distillery, tag:history","image":{"created_at":"2021-03-24T13:24:59+00:00","alt":"","width":1080,"height":593,"src":"\/\/whisky-me.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/scotlands-secret-history-p105-75628.png?v=1616592300"}}

{"id":555644256426,"title":"WHISKY ME: Single Malt Scotch vs. World Whisky","created_at":"2021-03-31T15:13:24+01:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003eIf you're about to join Whisky Me, one of the questions you might be asking yourself is whether to go for the Scotch Single Malt (SSM) subscription or World Whisky (WW) Subscription. Or natural response to this is to say \"try both!\" but for those of you with better restraint this article is might help you make an informed decision. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhisky Me is all about exploration, and we have gone to great lengths to ensure that both the Scotch Single Malt and World Whisky subscriptions deliver whiskies that will surprise and delight you. We partner with distilleries big and small, old and new, known and unknown. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet's take a look at each subscription separately to establish the key differences. We will begin with SSM, which was our first subscription option and has been running for three and half years now, delivering somewhere in the region of 100,000 pouches to our members in that time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eScotch Single Malt Whisky\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur SSM subscription gets you a pouch of malt whisky from a single Scottish distillery each month. There are around 116 malt distilleries operating out of Scotland right now and we have partnered over 40 of them to date. So there are still a fair few more to go, but also new and different expressions from distilleries we have previously visited. Although SSM has fairly strict production parameters compared to WW, it is still extremely diverse in the styles and flavours that fall under that heading. We have featured light, fragrant whiskies with herbal or floral notes, right through to rich and juicy whiskies with powerful smoky characteristics. And everything in-between. Suffice to say that you could stay with a SSM subscription for years and continue to find new and exciting whiskies that you will have never tried before.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA list of good things about a SSM sub:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExplore a specific producing country and get granular with the styles it produces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNever deviate top quality Single Malt Whisky from Scotland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStyles are varied but less so than World Whisky\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduct is shipped directly from our bottling facility in Scotland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDetailed tasting notes, food parings and monthly live tasting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eBetter for folks who:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDon't like bourbon\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre looking to further their exploration of scotch malts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWould rather play it safe\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWorld Whisky\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe WW subscription is our new baby and something that we're very excited to show off. Sign up to this subscription and you'll receive a monthly pouch of whisky that could be sourced from any one of the thousands of distilleries and blenders from over fifty countries that now produce whisky. Not only will you be receiving whiskies from different producing countries - each with their own take on how whisky should be made - but you will be receiving different whisky categories too: bourbon, rye, wheat, single malt, single grain, blends, and other really weird stuff that will blow your mind. If you're up for exploring the outer limits of the whisky category, or keen to be one of the first to encounter the next most talked about distillery in the world, this subscription is for you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA list of good things:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExplore further afield taking in the full breadth of the global whisky category\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCelebrate variety by drinking whiskies made from a range of cereals, produced in very different ways, and often exhibiting flavours that you wont find in Scotland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiscover distilleries that you might never have heard of\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDetailed tasting notes, food parings and monthly live tasting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eBetter for folks who:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWant the full, uncensored whisky experience \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHave a good amount of experience with scotch and want to see more\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLike being surprised\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAppreciate variety\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're still unsure which one is right for you, remember there's absolutely nothing stopping you from signing up to both subscriptions to test the water. You can always cancel one later down the line, though there's a good chance you might get used to two pouches landing on your doormat every month and not want to!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":76389875882,"author":"Tristan Stephenson","user_id":71976517802,"published_at":"2021-04-22T08:05:53+01:00","updated_at":"2021-05-20T07:15:16+01:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"whisky-me-single-malt-scotch-vs-world-whisky","tags":"tag:flavour, tag:production, type:Flavour","image":{"created_at":"2021-03-31T17:04:18+01:00","alt":"","width":1500,"height":1058,"src":"\/\/whisky-me.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/WM_Scotch_Label_MAY.jpg?v=1617206659"}}

{"id":493205586090,"title":"Distillery Profile: Highland Park","created_at":"2021-02-23T14:44:57+00:00","body_html":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe Highland Park distillery is located on the outskirts of Kirkwall, the main town on the Island of Orkney that just off the north coast of Scotland. Orkney is comprised of around 70 islands in total (some only appear when the tide is low!), of which around 22 are inhabited. The islands sit at 59º latitude, which is almost the same as Bergen in Norway.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eWhat this means is less seasonal effect on temperature, but plenty of effect on light. Summers peak at about 16ºC and over 18 hours of sunlight. Winter rarely drops below 0ºC and captures a mere 6 hours of daylight. Wind, on the other hand, is a constant feature. The islands actually feel like they are near the top of the world, the sun and shadows behave differently in Orkney, the clouds appear low, distant and somehow squashed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0539\/2665\/8218\/files\/HP-17-Soren-Cask-Stencil-Distressed-8_600x600.jpg?v=1616586838\" alt=\"Barrels at Highland Park\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe isolation is palpable, and it’s said that only 1% of Scots ever visit, which is why it might seem surprising that the islands have been prized for so long. The standing stones of Orkney are the oldest man made structures in the British Isles, Roman conquests took great interest in the islands too, as did Viking invaders in the 10\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eth\u003c\/span\u003e Century, who have left behind a lasting Nordic burble in the otherwise Scottish dialect of the Orcadians. Orkney was also the chief tactical Naval base during the first and second world wars, mainly due to the Scapa flow, which is one of the largest natural harbours in the World. During times of war the population grew by a factor of six, from the steady 20,000 souls, up to 120,000.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe Highland Park distillery stopped production during both wars, during WW2 the wash backs served as gigantic bathtubs for naval men who would walk over from nearby communication bunkers.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe rather Nordic sounding Magnus Euson first founded a distillery on the Highland Park site in the late 18\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eth\u003c\/span\u003e century and the operation was founded properly in 1798 by David Robertson. Before the Excise Act of 1826 it would have operated illegally, which is the reason for the tactical placement it holds with views out to Kirkwall harbour and the incoming roads from the south - no, there’d be no unexpected visits from Excise Officers here!\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eObviously the distillery is a totally legitimate operation today, owned and operated by the Edrington group, who play parent to the Macallan brand as well as the Famous Grouse blend, which HP contributes towards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0539\/2665\/8218\/files\/HP-17-Soren-Rolling-Cask-1_600x600.jpg?v=1616586882\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eFrom a production perspective Highland Park’s most interesting feature is its malting floors. It is the largest of the seven distilleries that malt their own and supplies 20% of HP’s total requirements and 100% of the subtle peat influence that is lingers in the final product. The remaining 80% (unpeated) malt is bought in from Simpsons Maltings on the mainland. I’m told by HP’s distillery manager, Graham Manson, that when all is said and done the barley that is malted by at the distillery itself costs twice as much as it would be were it bought in from the mainland. But Highland Park consider the Orkney peated malt to be a part of their whiskies DNA, and the accountants are fighting a losing battle in this instance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe Peat smoke on Orkney is different to that of the mainland partly due to the lack of trees on\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003ethe island, which gave up braving Orkney’s incessant salty winds a long time ago. Highland Park’s peat is brown like soil, rich with heather roots and not a lot else. Peat cutting takes place on Hobbister Moor in late spring, where over 350 tons is cut, \u003ci\u003emostly \u003c\/i\u003eby hand, in the space of two weeks. Its influence is that of a light sootiness, rather than the iodine phenolics of a comparable Islay malt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe second most interesting feature of HP bookends the production process, and it is wood. No bourbon casks have been filled since 2004, and every cask whether made from American or European Oak is constructed in Spain and loaned out to be filled with sherry for two years. Even for Highland Park’s core 12 year old expression, the distillery must be thinking about supply and demand a full 20 years in advance. Daryl Haldane, Global Brand Ambassador, tells me that “the acid in the sherry removes the flavours from the wood that we don’t want in Highland Park.”\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe multitude of expressions that Highland Park produce trace out a battle between old and new world casks, fought by fresh first-fill warriors and tired (and tested) refill veterans. Each expression is like a de-briefing of the aftermath where one side usually tips the other.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eFor us, it’s the strict code of malt and wood that Highland Park adhered to, coupled with the open attitude to explore complex avenues of wood influence over time that defines Highland Park whisky and makes it some of the most highly respected stuff out there.\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":76389875882,"author":"Tristan Stephenson","user_id":71976517802,"published_at":"2021-03-17T14:00:00+00:00","updated_at":"2021-04-30T10:10:53+01:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"we-chat-to-nc-nean-founder-annabel-about-changing-the-world","tags":"highland park, maturation, peat, tag:distillery, tag:history, tag:production, type:Distilleries","image":{"created_at":"2021-03-24T11:50:30+00:00","alt":"","width":1200,"height":800,"src":"\/\/whisky-me.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/HP-17-Soren-Distillery-Night-1.jpg?v=1616586630"}}

{"id":493154074794,"title":"Mixing Whisky: The Mizuwari and Bourbon \u0026 Branch","created_at":"2021-02-17T10:04:38+00:00","body_html":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe Japanese ritual of Muzuwari is one of the best examples of the simplicity of a whisky drinking winning over. On the face of it this drink is nothing more than whisky, water and ice, but if there’s one thing that the Japanese do well, it’s ice. If there’s another thing that they do well, it’s whisky. And they’re not bad at water either.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eI was intrigued the first time I was served a Mizuwari, back in 2014, by the legendary bartender Kichi-San, in Tokyo’s underground \u003cem\u003eStar Bar:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eYamazaki 12, hand cracked ice and crystal clear water were added to a glass, and the concoction silently and skilfully stirred for just the right length of time. A quick sniff alerted me to some faint aromatics of whisky, but it was in the taste where I was really surprised.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0539\/2665\/8218\/files\/StarBar-Tokyo-Japan-02_600x600.jpg?v=1616588510\" alt=\"Star Bar\" style=\"float: none;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe liquid itself was very cold indeed as it whipped around my mouth hammering home tropical fruits like pineapple and lychee, then slipping away like a fruity little serpent. The other surprising thing was the sweetness—oh, the sweetness!—despite having had no sugar added at all. I put much of that down to the viscosity of\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003ethe liquid post-chilling.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eSince then, I regularly find myself diluting whisky to see what effect it has on the our of the dram. You see alcohol, whilst accentuating some flavours, does a very good job of masking others. Take it out of the equation (almost) and you have the opportunity to experience whisky in a whole new light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eA similar drink that is traditionally drunk in America is \"Bourbon \u0026amp; Branch\". I was first introduced to this cocktail when reading the Ian Fleming Novel, \u003ci\u003eDiamond’s Are Forever\u003c\/i\u003e. In the novel, our hero, James Bond, orders this drink because it is “fashionable in racing circuits”. The author goes on to explain how \"real Bourbon drinkers insist on having their whisky in the traditional style, with water from high up in the branch of the local river where it will be purest.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eIt would seem that whiskey drinkers in the 1960’s were a discerning crowd, even down to the type of water that went in to the glass. I have born witness on a number of occasions to distillers and blenders brooding over the effect that different types of water have when added to a whisky. Rachel Barrie, from the Bowmore distillery is one such person who I know has taken a great interest in to how the product evolves when diluted with a range of waters from different sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eOnce water becomes 75% of your drink, things like the pH, mineral content and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) begin to have a big impact on flavour perception. Mineral salts, are very much like table salt, so can accentuate certain characteristics, as well as provide a harder, more chalky texture. Soft water, with a lower TDS tends to feel sweeter as slinks about your mouth, and water with a particularly high pH (alkaline) or low pH (acid) can give a boost to spicy flavours and smoke. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0539\/2665\/8218\/files\/Long_Rusty_Nail_600x600.jpg?v=1616588861\" alt=\"Mizuwari (with soda)\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMizuwari\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e50ml Hakushu Distillers Select\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e150ml Japanese Mineral Water\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eTake a highball glass and add a few chunks of hand cracked ice. If you can get hold of the crystal clear stuff then all the better. Add the whisky and water and stir for one minute. Japanese tradition dictates that you should stir only three-and-a-half times, but I personally feel it benefits from a little extra chilling. Try not to disrupt the ice too much, it should be a quiet process. Remove the spoon and serve with a warm \u003cem\u003eoshi-bori\u003c\/em\u003e towel.\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":76389875882,"author":"Tristan Stephenson","user_id":71976517802,"published_at":"2021-02-17T10:04:43+00:00","updated_at":"2021-03-25T17:30:48+00:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"our-top-japanese-whisky-distilleries-really-worth-a-visit","tags":"tag:flavour, tag:mixing","image":{"created_at":"2021-03-24T12:20:30+00:00","alt":"","width":2519,"height":1200,"src":"\/\/whisky-me.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/Salary_Man_copy.jpg?v=1616588431"}}