An Ode to Scotch

What with the annual celebration of Robert Burns' life and now Andy Murray reaching the Australian Open Finals, I thought this would be the perfect week to go off on a tangent with my little guide to Scotch Whisky  – a delicious tipple that I always associate with my father, sipping it from his cut crystal tumblers in front of the TV. Fast forward 30 years and it’s now me sipping a wee dram in the evenings, one of my most favourite things during these colder nights.

So what is Whisky?

Blended Scotch whisky constitutes about 90% of the whisky produced in Scotland, and contains both malt whisky and grain whisky, blended together to produce a consistent brand style - a bit like the big Champagne Houses (eg Moet & Chandon) blending their various wines to produce the same style Non Vintage champagne year after year.

Single Malt whisky on the other hand comes from a single distillery, must be aged at least three years in oak casks and bottled at minimum 40% ABV. These whiskies are labelled with the region that produces them: Highland, Lowland, Speyside and Islands. The regions are not prescriptive of flavour per se, but generally speaking the Lowland produces lighter styles and the Islands produce heavily peated whisky, with Highland and Speyside sitting somewhere in between.

So what should I be drinking??

If you want to try a top quality blended whisky, go for Chivas Regal which is soft and smooth, a good starting point for any novice whisky drinker.

If you have never tried a Single Malt before, I’d start off with something like Glenfiddich or Dalwhinnie. They are both soft and fruity with lovely butterscotch, creamy notes.

If you like these and want to try something a bit warmer and stronger, go for Macallan 10 or Balvenie Doublewood, both of which have spent time in old Sherry casks giving a depth of flavour which I personally find very seductive.

If you’re feeling brave, you can ease yourself gently into the Island whiskies. If you’ve ever tried Lapsang Suchong tea then you’ll have some idea of what’s in store for you. These whiskies are smoky, salty and very savoury, so the complete opposite of the butterscotch notes in Dalwhinnie. The Aardbeg 10 is probably the lightest of them all so a good place to start, with Laphroaig best avoided until you've acquired a taste for this style.

Water or Ice?

Ah, the age old debate! My mother always has ice, my father always has water. In honesty there is no right answer but to begin your whisky adventure I would suggest you start with ice as this softens the burn but also tones down the aromas and flavours. The addition of water will soften the burn as well but it will also enhance all the aromas and flavours, so this is great once you’ve found a whisky you enjoy savouring. Some will tell you that adding anything at all is blasphemy but don’t listen to them – go with whatever helps you enjoy it best.

Happy Swigging!  

High Street Wine Challenge: Secanto Maiten Vineyard Block 1 Pinot Noir (£14.29, M&S)

So this evening I had 5 minutes to spare before my train left, which led me to the wine section in the station's mini M&S. I was looking for something soothing for my £10 budget, so my eyes skipped over France, Italy, Spain, until they reached a rather grown-up-looking Pinot Noir from Chile for £9.49. "Perfect," I thought, and dashed to the checkout.  All I can say is that it's been an exhausting week as I didn't spot the actual price as I tapped my card and ran for the platform. So I apologise for the fact that I broke budget this time.

I will not apologise however for the pleasure I took in consuming this rather tasty midweek treat. Chilean Pinot Noirs can be hugely disappointing. Avoid anything sub £7... in fact, that's a good rule of thumb for all Pinot Noir as it's a bloody hard grape to produce and the cheap versions are notoriously dreadful. This Pinot however comes from Leyda, which is rapidly gaining a reputation for top quality wines thanks partly to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the cooling sea breezes it enjoys.

My first impression of this wine was how silky smooth it is - seriously seductive and easy to drink. Deliciously ripe blueberry and plum fruit, sweet spice and a hint of truffle. This would be delicious with pork or duck, but it slipped down very easily on its own in this instance...

Happy Swigging!