THE SEVEN BEST WHISKIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

 THE TOP SEVEN GLOBAL WHISKIES

The value of whisk(e)y has sky-rocketed over the past few years, reaching an all-time high and even becoming the go-to option for some when it comes to investing their money. I deal with this option at length at this post and its sequel at this post: 

While the golden spirit has historical fame in western Europe, it is now created across the world, with new and exciting expressions continuing to evolve. Limited to about fifteen countries around WWII, as many as 87 nations/nation states deal with the manufacture or sale of whisky in the global market as of today.

AMRUT FUSION, India (£44 / $80) ABV 50%

A proper sherried malt is a beautiful thing to behold. Burgundy liquid brimming with the richness of over-ripened stone fruit, it balances aromatic intensity against structural nuance. When it comes to Indian whisky, many may turn their noses up, but be under no illusion, as there is some fantastic stuff available. This elegant bottling helped put Indian single malt on the map when it debuted in 2009. The 1948 distillery's name Amrut comes from Indian mythology, translating as "Elixir of Life" from Sanskrit. While other national distilling shops were focused on low-cost production, the entire history of Amrut has been a story of improvement, quality, and taste and it shows in their ramping accomplished over the years. Today, it remains the gold standard of the style.

Amrut Fusion is a distinct blend of Indian barley from nearby the Amrut distillery in India and peated Scottish barley, both matured and distilled separately in American oak for more than four years. Non-chill-filtered for that final touch, you get nuances of the peat with a complexity that makes it even more exciting. Dollops of fresh stone fruits like apricot and peach with honey, Chinese spices and a tickle of smoke to round things out.

NIKKA SESSIONS 2020 ABV 42%

Launched in September 2020, Nikka Sessions is set up to be a truly memorable release that will be enjoyed by everyone. As a limited release specifically for the Japanese market, the first batch of bottles surely won’t last long. Nikka Sessions comes in a stunning matte blue bottle, with flowing Japanese artwork and the title “Session” adorned across the label. This Nikka is a brand-new addition to the Nikka portfolio and it’s a ridiculously exciting blend of whisky from not only the Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries in Japan but also Scotland’s Ben Nevis distillery.

Three world-class spirit purveyors intertwine to create an evolutionary expression, carefully crafted by experts who have been creating world-class blends for decades. The provenance of the liquid is hard to argue with, hailing from what could be classed as three of the best distilleries in the world today. If we combine that with the fact that Nikka have been experts at creating delectable, complex and well-balanced blends for decades now, the Session ticks all the boxes.

As Nikka’s first world blended whisky, it’s fitting that it should be a marriage of spirit from Japan and Scotland, 100 years on from the marriage of Nikka founder Mastataka Taketsuru, and his Scottish wife, Rita Cowan. It’s a beautiful nod to those that made it all possible, while showcasing the company’s commitment to innovation and a thriving industry at the same time.

Aromas of fresh apples and oranges jump from the glass as a smooth and velvety palate offers stewed orchard fruits, light toffee, and a wave of freshly peated smoke. If you can’t decide between Scotch or Japanese whisky, your question was just answered.

DEANSTON 10 YO BORDEAUX RED WINE CASK FINISH 46.3% ABV

Deanston Distillery lies in the heart of central Scotland in an area with a temperate climate. The area rests in proximity to Sterling Castle, where many battles for Scottish independence were fought. The Deanston name originated from the town of Dean in the fifteen hundreds and is the only hydro-powered distillery in Scotland. The new Deanston 10 year is produced from unpeated Scottish malted barley. It is un-chill filtered at 46.3% ABV, retaining all of its natural flavour and deep character. When water is added a heavenly clouding occurs and this is exactly as it should be, crafted by nature and nurtured by time. Their Master Distiller continues to focus on the traditional methods of distilling malt whisky: Carefully selected natural ingredients; 100% unpeated Scottish barley; brewers and distillers yeast; and pure crystal water from the river Teith. American Charred bourbon cask produces a clean spirit that can be truly appreciated from the nose to the finish.

Originally released for the Travel Retail market, this 10 year old single malt from the wonderful distillery was finished in casks that had previously held red wine from the world-famous Bordeaux region of France. This wine cask finish has done wonders, imparting a full-bodied sweetness to the whisky while balancing its creamy, malty notes with splashes of damson, cherry and just a hint of dark chocolate. The nose bursts with red fruit, caramel, sniffing tobacco and malt. Some furniture polish and blood oranges followed by rhubarb. Softly spiced on pepper, some nutmeg and vanilla. Surprisingly rich and complex for such a young beast and the wine does not dominate, which is quite pleasant. Taste: The red wine is immediately and clearly there. After the first sip, it shows herbs and a bit more spicy notes overall. Pleasantly creamy on the tongue. Here again the fruity berries and pleasant sweetness. Over time, fine acidity and drier red wine notes. Some chocolate on the palate. Finish: Pleasantly dry and spicy, but still rather fruity and sweet overall.

Then comes a hefty kick as the alcohol manifests itself prominently. Pretty piquant too. Pepper, chili, cloves, nutmeg and a hint of cinnamon. But then the explosion of fruit follows: citrus and mostly red fruit. Cherries, berries and the likes. Nicely sweet. The tannine of the cask counterfoots this, but the malt never turns oaky, nor winey. This is beautiful. And bottled at its peak.

Only in the long finish does one get the first inkling of the drying effect, but it remains sweet enough to be pleasant throughout. It dies a spicy death. All in all, an excellent marriage between the soft malt of Deanston and the wine cask. Top dram.

 YAMAZAKI 12 ABV 43%

Trends in the world of alcohol tend to ebb and flow, but Japanese whisky seems to be here to stay. Within the last few years, the spirit has grown considerably in popularity. Part of that might be due in position to a rarity factor (scarcity is perhaps one of the world’s best and oldest marketing tactics), but it might also be because Japanese whisky is just really good.

Each year, the Yamazaki distillery would release a new edition of their 12 Year Old Yamazaki Single Malt. While the label and box changed often, the incredible liquid inside remained the same. This whisky has now picked up more awards than one would care to count and that only goes to highlight its supreme quality. Sadly, there was no release in 2019 and 2020 as they ran shy of stock.

A Nikkei Asia Review showcased the huge sales growth Japanese whisky has experienced in the past 15 years to meet an ever-growing demand. The focus is on age-stated expressions which, according to many online retailers and stores in Japan, sell out immediately after being placed on the shelves, both real and virtual, cost no bar.

Lessons learned, the major Japanese whisky maker will not commit the mistake of running out of stock again. Since 2013, Suntory has invested over $182 million in ramping up production. Stills have been added and the company’s Ohmi Ageing Cellar has undergone a large expansion. An extra $80 million will be invested through 2020-21 to expand the Hakushu ageing facilities.

Touch wood, that situation has changed. Suntory, which owns this brand, launched an expression last May of the Yamazaki single malt. The primary market will be the USA, where Trump imposed a blanket 25% tariff on Scotch single malts and liqueurs, ramping up their prices and forcing a 20% drop in sales if the Corona virus is not factored in. As always, the new Yamazaki will feature a new and modernised look. 

JJ CORRY THE FLINTLOCK BATCH 2 ABV 46%

JJ Cory is no stranger to exploration and has been sourcing some of the best Irish whisky from across the heart of the country for decades. The whiskey is named after a pistol found in the rafters of its 17th century tasting barn which was dated back to the 1790s, a time of freedom fighting in Ireland. Its label depicts this pistol in meticulous detail.

Back in the 19th century, every Irish town and village had their own flavour of Whiskey, but no brands. The Bonders bought all the booze from the distillers and sold it to consumers. When the Irish Whiskey industry almost collapsed in the 1910s, the art of bonding almost disappeared. Louise McGuane brought it back. Her company sources new make Whiskey from all around Ireland and matures is it in a special rackhouse.

Led by Louise, JJ Corry’s award-winning small batch whiskies are the result of decades of whisky know-how. The Flintlock is a statement of their Independence. The 16 year old Batch No. 1 received the accolade of Best Irish Single Malt over 13 years at the Irish Whiskey Awards 2018. It was their first small scale true Bonder’s Blend. JJ Corry provided virtually all details of its origins but for the distilleries' names.

Batch No. 2 was released in 2020 and was a blend of three hand selected casks aged 14 to 18 years.  The Flintlock Batch No 2 is no exception to their way of thinking. The liquid was crafted from three single malt ex-bourbon casks, each from the same distillery from JJ Corry’s library, name unknown. Aged 14 and 18 years, each single malt was chosen based on its unique flavour profile. Under Irish law, it of course can only be labelled as a 14 year old whiskey.

The magic happened when the two were married together to produce a 46% ABV dreamland spirit. On the flip side, there has been a £50 or so hike in price between Batches 1 or 2, which might put a lot of people off but there is real quality here and a bright ongoing future for the team, with the sources being chosen and the tastes being produced from bonding them. 

They did create a Batch 3 whiskey as well, a marriage of six hand-selected Irish Single Malt casks. Each cask was chosen based on its unique flavour and attributes. Varying in age (the youngest is 15 years old), they first blended to develop a vatting which perfectly represents their juicy fruit house style, before marrying the flavours in a Moscatel Sherry Bitt, to harmonise and impart complexity, giving the whiskey a rich, grapelike and floral character. Though cheaper than the Batch 2 variety, it does not appeal as much to the cognoscenti.

GLENMORANGIE SIGNET 46% ABV

Owned by LVMH, one immediately conjures up steep prices for this bespoke distillery’s products. The process at Glenmorangie for the Signet starts with mashing unpeated barley with water from the distillery’s Tarlogie Springs. Although there is no smoke, once a year some chocolate malt is added to the mash for use in the firm’s leading Signet brand – another of the distillery’s many innovations.

Fermentation is long, while distillation takes place in the tallest stills in Scotland, all of which retain the same long-necked design of the pair which were brought from John Taylor’s gin distillery in 1887. This extra height allows a long interaction to take place between alcohol vapour and copper and, while the new make is decidedly high-toned (the cut points here are quite high), there is still a little note of cereal, adding a dry counterpoint.

The vast majority of Glenmorangie’s make is aged in ex-American oak casks, many of which have been made to the distillery’s exacting specifications: slow-growth American white oak from north-facing slopes in Missouri, which is then air-dried. The firm’s Astar bottling uses 100% of these ‘bespoke’ casks. 

The casks are only used twice, with the second-fill casks all ageing in damp ‘dunnage’ warehouses to increase oxidative-driven flavours. As the whisky matures, it picks up more lush fruits, some honey and mint, as well as notes of vanilla, crème brûlee and, in the oldest expressions, chocolate.

When enjoying a cup of coffee, the notion of Signet first came to the Director and Masterblender at Glenmorangie, Dr Bill Lumsden. The idea of spiralling mocha flavours could not be forgotten. It would take years to bring this unprecedented whisky to life. But in its tiramisu tones and melting chocolate, you can taste most delicious imaginings. 

Signet begins with a precious chocolate malt spirit, made just once a year from one batch in Glenmorangie’s giraffe-high stills. Its espresso-like intensity fills the Distillery with aromas more familiar in an Italian coffee bar. Over the years, its power is tempered with rare and treasured casks. Bourbon for creaminess. Sherry for sweetness. The spice of virgin charred oak. All balanced by some of the oldest whisky we own. The result? A velvet explosion of flavour. Bursts of bitter mocha, sizzling spice and waves of dark chocolate, mellowed by smooth butterscotch. Whisky, from beyond this world.

MACALLAN SHERRY OAK 12 YO 40-43% ABV

Macallan is an excellent example of the significance of size on whisky character. It is a large producer certainly, but its spirit stills are small (3,900 litres). This is a major contributing factor to the rich and oily nature of its new make.

A firm belief in the fusion of the oily, heavy, new make style and ex-Sherry casks saw Macallan, under Edrington’s governance, become the first distillery to craft so-called ‘bespoke’ casks. To create the range, they work closely with fully integrated 'tree to finished seasoned cask' companies in Spain to identify oak trees in the forests of northern Spain, fell the trees, saw and air dry the oak staves before shipping them to the south for further air-drying to reduce the moisture even further. Select Jerez-based cooper Tevasa specifies the length and nature of drying, type of coopering, the liquid used for seasoning (oloroso) and the duration of that process. The casks are then seasoned for 18 months before making their journey to Scotland to be filled with The Macallan 'new make' spirit.

Even with an extremely tight (i.e. small) cut there is little time for copper to do its lightening job on spirit vapour in tiny stills the lyne arms of which are acutely angled. The opposite applies to maturation, however, where the balance between large and small is more fully revealed.

No colour adjustment takes place at Macallan, meaning that each vatting needs to not only replicate the previous one in terms of aroma and taste, but must hit the same hue, despite every cask having a different tint. It is this understanding that makes colour an indicator of character.

For a distillery which has become synonymous with the growth of single malt, it is worth remembering that Macallan had always been an important malt for blending. It wasn’t until the early 1980s, faced with a downturn in the market for fillings, that Macallan decided to focus more strongly on the then new single malt category.

The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old forms part of their Sherry Oak range (12-40 YO) which features a series of single malt whiskies matured exclusively in hand-picked sherry seasoned oak casks from Jerez for richness and complexity. A matured character, the 12 Years Old delivers rich wood spice and dried fruits and a natural rich gold colour.

When matured exclusively in Oloroso sherry seasoned oak casks, the rich, fruity and full bodied ‘new make’ spirit is transformed into a classic single malt. Once filled, the maturing spirit remains undisturbed in the same casks for 12 years and is brought together in this rich and complex whisky characterised by spice and dried fruit and a natural rich golden colour.

Once filled, the maturing spirit remains undisturbed in the same casks for the necessary number of years it needs to be worthy of its destined Macallan expression. It is these oak casks that make the greatest contribution to the quality, natural colour and distinctive aromas and flavours which lie at the heart of The Macallan single malt.