India is a nation of whisky drinkers and we have got a fondness for that glass along with soda and a plate of chicken tikkas. But slowly, a wind of change is coming over as Indians are beginning to enjoy their dram more and more instead of using it as a measure to get tipsy. With single malt tastings and whisky food pairings, the story about this golden nectar is becoming more and more interesting.
An art of blending workshop by Diaego United Spirits India’s Ajay Nayyar at Crowne Plaza, Gurgaon gave us a beautiful insight into whisky and the land which started off this revolution, Scotland. Ajay takes us through a tour of Scotland from the lowlands to the Islays. So, let’s delve into the story of Whisky.
What is Whisky?
Whisky is basically 3 ingredients. Malted Barley, distilled water and yeast. Born in Scotland, the land of bagpipes and men wearing kilts, it gained popularity when crops of Europe got destroyed leading to an absence of wine and rum. The liquid produced from fermentation of the mash from the malted barley is essentially clear in origin. So, all that colour and taste comes from the barrels they mature in.
What is maturation?
Maturation is the process of giving the whisky it’s characteristic taste and colour after spending a certain amount of time in oak barrels. Now, there are some exact specifications for a whisky to be called a Scotch. That being it should have spent at least three years of maturation in Scotland.
How to appreciate a whisky?
With a load of tasting sessions happening all over Delhi, we wouldn’t want you to miss out on all the fun. There are some rules that will give you an exemplary tasting experience.
- Do not taste your whisky in a flat bottom glass. Try to use a snifter or a champagne flute to give you the perfect olfactory experience.
- Do not use a plethora of soda or ice to consume your whisky. It totally changes the taste of the whisky.
- Colour: See the liquid against the light to fall in love with the beautiful golden colour. It may vary and that is what starts off your experience.
- Sniff: Swirl the whisky around in your glass and sniff. You will get the stiff smell of the alcohol but there will be some smells that you may notice of some fruits and spices.
- Sip: Sip a small amount of the dram and let the flavours hit you. You will notice some sweetness and some spice.
- Swirl: Swirl the liquid around on your palate so that it can coat all your taste buds. You might notice some butteriness along with notes of vanilla. It is characteristic of a lot of barrels from America. Draw in some air with pursed lips to find if it can find a few more characteristics.
- Finish: You can now swallow it and understand whether the flavours stay for long or not.
- You can add a few drops of water to open it up for some new flavours.
What is the difference between a blend and a single malt?
With a plethora of confusing names, a blended one is one where the master blender mixes whiskies across distilleries to achieve a constant taste in all the bottles. A single malt on the other hand consists of whisky from a single distillery only.
Tasting Notes
We fell in an acute love with the Black Dog: Triple Gold Reserve with it’s typical sweet taste with an explosion of spices. An unlikely pairing with plum cake which perfectly complemented its taste. Another pairing that struck chords with our palate was that of Johnnie Walker’s Red Label with candied ginger.
So, now that we have brought you the guide to how to taste and pair whisky, let us know about your favourite and we’ll review it on the blog.
