Proud to be English?

Walk around most English towns and you will do well to see a Cross of St George. Compare that to equivalents in Wales and Scotland and it is clear that English nationalism is in a very different place. It begs the question, how proud one can publically be of being English?

Whisky has been similar. Scottish – perfect and loved, Welsh – be proud and sing from the hilltops, English – there is none. Recently this status quo has been challenged.  

James Nelstrop had a goal to create whisky in England and in building the St Georges distillery in Norfolk he has, with the help of his son Andrew and a merry band of like minded others, achieved just that. Having waited well over a century for whisky to flow from English stills again it is worth noting that Hick’s & Healy in Cornwall have recently released a 7 year old malt and Adnams (the Suffolk brewer) is due to release in 2013.

I met Andrew Nelstrop, of the English Whisky Co, recently at a Whisky Lounge event and had the chance to sample 3 of the Whiskies in his range. Having sent me a bottle of ‘Chapter 6’ it seems only fair that I share my thoughts on it here with you.

So, the stats to start with; my Chapter six was distilled in May 2008 and bottled in May 2011. It has been aged in American Standard Barrel casks (numbers 600-603 no less), cut to 46% ABV, is un-peated and non chill filtered. All of this is very kindly detailed on the label of each bottle – very useful indeed.

As for the drinking, it is well worth experimenting with. To view, Chapter 6 is a very pale, almost straw colour. With only 3 years in an ASB this is no real surprise. On the nose, I get a real sweetness which came as a bit of a revelation to me – a hit of caramel and something of soya in there.  In the mouth I get some green fruit, apples and pears but the overriding character is of the grain. As with the pale colour this is to be entirely expected with such a short maturation. The finish is not overly complex but does linger which is bit of a joy.

Maturation really is the key here. The usual time we are used to our Scotch Malt ageing for is 10 years plus, Chapter 6 has been in for 3. The English Whisky Co talk about how the Norfolk weather is better with hotter summer days and less of a winter deepfreeze than their cousins in the Highlands get. In turn they say this means a faster maturation than the Scots see. There is a lot of truth in this, warmer temperatures create a greater interaction between spirit and wood and hence time is shaved off. However, even decent Bourbon spends longer than 3 years in wood and Kentucky gets some major temperature swings with average summer temperatures pushing 90° day in day out.

The truth is that ageing Chapter 6 for only 3 years  leaves the resulting whisky feeling slightly immature, it is not a straight replacement for 10, 12, 15 year old Scotch Malts we are familiar with. This should not detract from what the English Whisky Co has created though, in fact this 3 year maturation should be celebrated. So few whiskies actually convey their new make spirit and raw ingredients. Yes, we hear lots about them from the marketing guys and they undoubtedly have a huge influence  but in fact it is the wood and the finish that are front and centre. Really tasting the malted barley used, some the finest there is from the farms of Norfolk, is something of a revelation.

Priced at £34.99 direct from the Distillery this is not a cheap Malt but I would certainly recommend everyone to have a bottle in the cabinet. Chapter 6 is different from what you are used to, it is interesting and most importantly it is highly rewarding. The Scots are very proud of the Whisky and of flying their flags. Now regardless of how often you see an English flag flying, we can indeed be very proud of our Whisky production.

Still to come to the new whisky world – Chapters 9 and 11 the introduction of peat.............

For more info head to www.englishwhisky.co.uk

You have tried it, honest - Mortlach 16 Year Old

You have tried it, honest - Mortlach 16 Year Old

Diageo is the world’s biggest drinks company and the largest producer of Scotch Whisky. In drinks it is synonymous with names like Guiness, Smirnoff and Baileys. In Scotch it owns, amongst others, Bells, Talisker, Lagavulin, Dalwhinnie and Johnnie Walker, the globally famous and often exceptional blend. At some point we all drink their offerings. With brand names like these on the corporate CV it may seem surprising that they own and operate a distillery many have never heard of.

Mortlach, in Dufftown, was the first of the seven distilleries built in the famous whisky making town at the heart of Speyside.  Since its building in 1824 it has seen many owners and many great alumni – William Grant of Glenfiddich fame learnt his trade and saved his pennies here. Today it produces somewhere in the region of 3 million litres a year out of 3 wash and 3 spirit still. Surely you must have heard of it?

I the answer is ‘no’ then it is probably because virtually all Mortlach production goes into creating Diageo’s blends, most significantly Johnnie Walker. A small amount of highly prized Distillery release Single Malt does however escape the warehouse walls with a Mortlach label on the bottle. Whilst available in a 22 Year Old expression, most of the Distillery release is bottled as a 16 Year Old – the one I have been lucky enough to get my hands on recently.

The bottle did not come in a presentation box. It has incredibly simple packaging. There is no long story on the back label. It was not found via a social media marketing campaign. In short, Mortlach does not try to sell itself. It does not need to.

The first clear point about the Malt itself is a wonderful mahogany colour – there must be some serious Olorosso cask in here somewhere. On the nose this release does not mess about. A big strong, almost chunky aroma hits the nose with thoughts of sweet syrup, leather and mint. When drunk it is clear to see why Mortlach is so prized by Scotland’s Blenders. A strong and powerful structure offering some sherry sweetness, a hint of smoke and a genuine earthiness tease the palate. The finish is long and is where the Sherry cask influence is most obvious. Bottled at 43% the 16 Year Old has enough meat on its bones but can easily be approached as it is.

Everyone has heard of Johnnie Walker and the other major worldwide brands in the Diageo stable. Mortlach however is a real understated and little know gem - no wonder it is used to sure up the less refined grain whiskies.  If you are after something you know will not be in your friend’s drinks cabinet the look no further.  They like you will have tried Mortlach, they just did not realise it.

This year’s dark horse is a Monkey!

Most years one or two brands really take off. In 2010 it was Sailor Jerry and Jägermeister making giant leaps forward in their popularity. Before that Magners had a massive boom and if you head a little further back you could not move for Absolut Vodka. There was even a time you needed to be drinking Mateus Rosé to keep up with the Jones’.

It may be a foolish man who makes predictions about the future – far better to simply comment on the past – but I am going to be that fool here. For 2011 the next big thing will be Monkey Shoulder Triple Malt Whisky.

Monkey Shoulder has been around for about six or seven years now and is just starting to get some traction with drinkers. For the first few years Monkey was only available in the high end bars of London, Edinburgh et al but over time distribution has spread. Today you can find the triple malt whisky starting to appear in the mainstream on-trade and in the supermarket chains. A retail price around £22 means it’s on the expensive side if you view it as a blend but excellent value if as a Malt.

So why is Monkey Shoulder going to break its shackles in 2011? Firstly there is a gradual shift in what drinkers are looking for. Yes, the bars are still full of the Vodka generation but taste and flavour are back - Malt Whisky is growing again and Rum is the fastest growing of all the spirits categories. Men are looking to be masculine again on the back of TV shows like Mad Men and , looking for something new women are a huge driver of growth for quality whisky. Secondly, Monkey Shoulder manages to combine top quality whisky with an innovative and exciting brand image – a perfect combination for those looking to show they are moving on to something a little more serious to drink.

The whisky itself is deliciously smooth. All the lovely sweet flavours you can get from the most buttery and delicious of Scotch’s – vanilla, toffee, brown sugar and honey. There is enough pedigree for the seasoned whisky drinker (the blend is made up of Balvenie, Glenfiddich and Kininvie) and yet it remains approachable enough for the experimenter. As for the brand – hugely important if it is to explode this year – it is young, different, exciting and engaging. The web site (www.monkeyshoulder.com) is interactive and rather than spend its time discussing tasting notes and history it focuses on what cocktails you can make and events they putting on.  

Finally I have to cover off the question that’s always asked – why is it called Monkey Shoulder? Simple really, it’s a nod to a condition suffered by the old time malt men at the distilleries. In turning the malting barley with shovels they developed a shoulder condition similar to tennis elbow and affectionately knew it as ‘monkey shoulder’.

Monkey Shoulder Triple Malt Whisky

Nose: Light, citrus fruit, toffees

Palate: Sweetness – vanilla, brown sugar. Balanced with grain cereal

Finish: Not long but pleasing. Invites another drink

Maker’s 46 - that difficult second album

Musicians have always talked about that difficult second album. After taking as long as needed to create their first record, the pressure is on getting the second one out there. It’s not only rock stars however that have a follow up to worry about.   

It’s about 4 years ago now that I spent a very long, and very enjoyable, night at The Rockwell bar in London with Dave Pickerell, the former Master Distiller at Maker’s Mark. Over the course of the evening we discussed anything and everything bourbon, including future plans for Maker’s Mark releases. Whilst remaining quite tight lipped about what was around the corner, Dave did let me know he had a few casks laid down and was monitoring them to see how they were progressing.

Rewind back to 1953 and Bill Samuels Sr bought the Burk’s Spring Distillery and set about creating his new – bitterness free – bourbon. A family history of distilling going back to the previous century gave Samuels a good idea of what he was doing and in 1959 the first case of Maker’s Mark was sold to Keeneland Racecourse. Maker’s was on its way.

51 years later and Maker’s Mark is stronger than ever. A focus on what they do and doing it to best of their ability has meant a consistent quality in the whisky. Other than a brief foray into a slightly spicier, stronger Bourbon back in the 90’s that only really went to Japan, Maker’s Mark has remained a one whisky distillery. That is until now.

Gradually through 2010 Maker’s has been shipping Maker’s 46 across the US, state by state. The work begun by Dave Pickerell that I was given the very slightest insight into has been carried forward and bought to market by his successor, Kevin Smith. Despite the new expression hardly leaving the USA and Duty Free I have managed to get a bottle and give it a little road test.

The original Maker’s Mark bottle was designed by founder Bill Samuels Sr’s wife, Marjorie and 50 years on and the folks from Loretto have created a perfectly modernised version of the classic design. Clearly Maker’s Mark but distinctively different.

Maker’s Mark has always had a very distinctive nose and Maker’s 46 follows the same pattern – vanilla, toffee, honey and butter. To taste, it is no surprise that Kevin Smith and his team have stuck to the mantra at Maker’s of ‘remove the bitterness’. This bourbon is so smooth it almost feels as though you could spread it on your toast in the morning and the hefty 47% ABV slips by unnoticed. All of those sweet notes from the nose continue on the palate and thoughts of creamy toffees come to mind with the complement of cinnamon. For the finish it becomes sweet joy again with those same caramel and toffee themes. Unlike most bourbon, where rye is used in the mash bill, there is no side-of-the mouth bitterness.

There it is. The first genuine addition to the Maker’s Mark range and it’s a real triumph. For Kevin Smith and Bill Samuels Jr, it is fair to say that their difficult second album is sure to go platinum.

One man's loss is another man's gain

In January this year the heavy snow that affected much of the UK led to a major accident at the Glenfiddich distillery with a warehouse roof collapsing. The result was damaged casks and millions of pounds of damage.

Glenfiddich and Malt Master Brian Kinsman saw the opportunity in this disaster. Why not take those casks not so badly damaged and create something new? Hence Snow Phoenix - risen from the ashes from the heavy snow.

So what's it all about? Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix has no age statement - none would make sense. The marriage is made up of some very young casks together with those destined for the brand's 15 and 18 year old as well, I am sure, with some heading for much older releases in years to come. Add to this the fact that there are various different finishes involved and a truly unique release is on the cards.

I was lucky enough to try Snow Phoenix at a dinner last week and I can report that it is worthy of the profile that Glenfiddich is giving it right now. Only 2000 bottles have been released and it's this limit has meant the £50 retail price (Booth's, Sohowhisky.com) can already be doubled, if not more, on the likes of ebay. As for the contents of the bottles - the design of it and its packaging are stunning - the liquid matches up.

The young casks in the blend mean Snow Phoenix delivers a relatively light and pale colour. To the nose this does not feel like any other Glenfiddich. A real sweetness is the first to come across with more depth and development as it takes hold. Caramel and toffee are obvious with spice and candied fruit coming in. As you progress subtle cinnamon and apple come to bear.

In short, Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix is a whistle stop tour through the Glenfiddich range. Elements of of the 12, 15 and 18 year old all come through. To be able to get all of this in a single dram is unique and for me, highly desirable.

Snow Phoenix is a testament to Brian Kinsman and an attitude that says there is always a way to get your best whisky to the end consumer. It is rumoured that the collapsed roofs at the Glenfiddich distillery have cost owner, William Grant, and their insurers in excess of £10m. The result is Snow Phoenix that can be ours for around £50. Proof if every there was that one man's loss really is another man's gain.