Whisky Bible Second Edition
Whisky Bible Second Edition
Whisky regions
Map of Scotland showing the main whisky producing regions.
There may be some whiskies behind the bar that are not included in this book and we may not have everyone in at any one time.
Campbeltown
The largest of the whisky producing regions, and therefore the one that varies most in style. Northern highland malts tend to be medium to light bodied with heather and some peatiness. Southern highland malts can be sweeter with more floral flavours.
Dalmore 12 years Northern 40% Rum butter nose with malt loaf on a light peat heath. Fettercairn (Old) 10 years
Eastern 40% Smooth, light, freshly cut wood with clean bitter toffee notes.
Glen Ord 12 years Northern 43% Soaked dry fruits meet warm cinnamon and toffee. Glengoyne 10 years Western 40% Glengoyne 21 years Western 43% Glenmorangie 10 years
Northern 40% Sandalwood with a whiff of the sea. Spicy, buttery long and rounded. Freshly picked, soft, warm Coxs apples with cream sherry. Sweet sherry and hay on the nose, toffee and butterscotch on the palate.
Glenturret 10 years Eastern 40% Oban 14 year old Western 43% Springbank 10 years
Pale greeny gold malt. Light and minty with toffee flavoured cough sweets.
Oranges, lemons and pears on the nose, dried figs and honey on the palate. Campbeltown 46% An elegant malt that has both sweetness and dryness with oil and citrus fruit and a suggestion of smoke.
Glenmorangie 18 years
Springbank 15 years
Northern 43% Perfumed with nutty, caramel and vanilla overtones. Great intensity.
Campbeltown 46% A deep golden malt yet smooth with some oil and citrus with a salty finish.
Southern 40% A light and refreshing malt with vanilla on the nose and chocolate on the finish.
Speyside
This area has the highest concentration of distilleries in Scotland with much of the water coming from the mighty river Spey. The whiskies have a greater similarity than in other regions; generally being complex and elegant with honey and heather tones.
Aberlour 10 years Strathspey 43% Balvenie Double Wood 12 years Dufftown 40%
Honey, spice and subtle oak.
Dufftown 40% 4 months in Carribean rum barrels gives rich toffee, vanilla and a new leather smell.
Glenfiddich 21 years
Medium sweet with vanilla and orange zesty overtones. Central 43% Spicy and sweet on the nose, the palate starts sweet and malty, becoming dry and salty.
Matured in oak then transferred to a port cask. Central 43% Sweet, complex with tofffee and marzipan. Golden shortbread nose with soft honey on nuts and raspberries. Dalwhinnie Speyside 43% Crisp, aromatic nose with honey Macallan 10 years Central 40% and vanilla on the palate. Pale bronze. Fragrant crisp and smooth. Lightly buttery and malty. Dufftown 40% Full gold, lean and smooth with malt and toasted hazelnuts. Dufftown 40% Honey with hints of wood and vanilla. Complex spice and fresh fruit. Dufftown 40% Blood oranges and apples with oaky smoothness. Sultanas and spices in the mouth.
Knockando 12 years
Glenfiddich 12 years
Glenfiddich 15 years
Central 43% Rich in colour with hints of dried fruit, spice and chocolate orange.
Glenfiddich 18 years
Old Ballantruan Livet 50% Youthful, malty and chocolatey aromas lead to sweet, soft and creamy palate. Strathisla 12 years Strathisla 43% Medium ripe apricots, teasingly sweet and dry with a rich sherry coating.
Islands
These malts have a tendancy towards peaty, smokey characteristics. Many people say that the Island whiskies are influenced by their seaside location, giving them saltyflavours and marine aromas.
Orkney 40% Succulent, with smoky dryness, heather honey sweetness and malt.
Ledaig Mull 42% Peat nose mixed with seaweed from Tobermoray. Milk chocolate and ginger. Poit Dhubh 8 years Skye 43% Talk of an illicit still, and an unchilled & filtered process make this unusual.
Bright amber red; pungent smoky and malty with a huge peppery finish. Bright gold. Light and sweetish, slowly developing a soft dry saltiness.
Lowlands
The lowland area has fewer distilleries than any other region, producing softer, mellower whiskies that tend to be light and dry.
Glenkinchie 10 years
Eastern 43% Aromatic sweet lemon nose sits on spiced Demerara and dry ginger.
Western 43% Rich with dark fruits, thick butterscotch and roasted hazelnut. Finished on Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez casks.
Islay
One of the larger islands off the west coast, Islay is a mecca for whisky lovers. The influence of the sea is usually obvious in aroma and taste, with the use of peat fuel also giving smokey, medicinal qualities.
Caol Ila East Shore 43% Vinho verde mixed with vanilla and nutmeg. Laphroaig 10 years South Shore 40%
Famously medicinal and sea-weedy with a hint of oily sweetness.
South Shore 57.3% Rich aroma of peat smoke, sweetness and strong hints of the sea. Mild, smokey with sweet warm undertones.
Bruichladdich 10 years
Lochindaal 46% Soft breezes over a green sea lapping against passion fruits.
Lochindaal 46% The brae on the shore, biscuity with sea and smoke. Flowers, fudge and caramel.
Bruichladdich 15 years
Blended Scotch
Ballentines 40% Bells 40%
Ballantines finest, contains 57 odd malts from Miltonduff and Glenburgie. Finely balanced malty, fruity and rich blend matured for eight years in oak.
Smooth and light, but still retaining many of the characteristics of traditional scotch. 40 whiskies, aged 12 years or more, make up this complex international blend.
Round and creamy, heather honey and apples layered on hot buttered toast. 300 year old internationally acclaimed blend. Known as Pinch in the USA.
The most acclaimed and exclusive blended scotch whisky in the world.
Fresh young grassy whisky with a touch of spice and complex fruity aromas. Rich and full bodied with a malty, creamy palate and oaky, dry finish.
Smooth, medium peated and with a touch of dryness. A high proportion of Speyside malts produces a smooth, round, fruity blend.
Irish
Bushmills Blend 40%
Sweet honeyed taste and distinctive smooth flavour.
Strong peat aromas precede an explosion of pepper, chocolate and fruit flavours.
World famous triple distilled Irish whiskey. Delicate smooth and complex whiskey with a hint of honey toasted sweetness.
40% Thrice distilled and matured in two woods, this is a rich, smooth, single malt.
Smooth and complex this clean, peaty, single malt is from the western shores.
Initial big barley hit on the nose and palate ending in dry fruitiness and vanilla.
A very linseedy, flowery nose is followed by a light toffee-based flavour. Spice honeyed, full-bodied flavour. Oak matured.
Intense vanilla creaminess with moderate corn aromas and a touch of oak.
Noahs Mill Kentucky 57.5% Hints of coffee, mandarin orange and maybe a little chocolate. Pappy Van Winkles 15yr old
Kentucky 53.5% Loaded with caramel and toffee ending in brown spice and wood notes.
Kentucky 40% Some sherry notes with a trace of almond and leather on the nose.
Kentucky 51.5% Aromas of baked apple, butterscotch and corn mash with a medium spicy finish.
Sweet herbal nose and palate with a spicy, almost ginger finish.
Suntory Yamazaki Japan 43% Dried fruit and honey aromas with a mellow taste and lingering dry finish. Wild Turkey Kentucky 50.5%
Caramel and vanilla with hints of honey and oranges.
Kentucky 40% Vanilla and caramel notes moving into a slightly woody char.
Woodford Reserve
Kentucky 43% Toffee and tobacco moving into subtle toasted grains.
Kentucky 45.2% Honeycomb and charcoal on the nose, almonds and marzipan on the palate.
Kentucky 50% Aged in charred American oak lending extra sweetness in aroma and palate.
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