Whisky for Robbie Burns novices
While tradition seems weird, the drink doesn’t have to be
Robbie Burns Night, an event marked by loud and screechy music piped in by kilt-clad men sporting furry sporrans, hits its crescendo when the host recites a traditional poem to the haggis — a sheep pluck and suet pudding, cooked in the beast’s own stomach lining.
To a novice, this might all seem a little bizarre. Add to this, whisky with an, er . . . esoteric flavour profile that can include notes described as tasting like smoke, iodine, ripe banana and even rubber band. These challenging flavours, cherished by aficionados, are often a barrier to people trying to learn about the category.
The good news is that there are four new single malts at the LCBO ideal for people who want to take baby steps into Scotch whisky and might be afraid everything is going to taste like peat bog.
With all the weirdness of Robbie Burns night on Monday, you can take heart in the fact that the whisky doesn’t have to be weird, as well. Auchentoshan American Oak, Lowland Since peat is responsible for some of Scotch whisky’s least accessible flavours, it stands to reason that a nonpeated whisky will be a lot more approachable to those just beginning to learn to love brown liquor. Peat-free Auchentoshan American Oak is proof of that theory with its light body and, thanks to its time spent in used bourbon barrels, subtle vanilla, fruit and wood flavour. Bonus points: Auchentoshan hails from one of Scotland’s few remaining Lowlands distilleries — about an hour’s drive from Ayrshire, where Robbie Burns lived. $59.95; #395582 Glengoyne 12-year-old The first thing that comes to mind when tasting this remarkable single malt is butter. It’s rich, smooth and sweet, but still full of delicious, complex character.
Glengoyne is another distillery that opts not to use peat (using warm air to dry the barley instead) and the whisky’s distinctive flavour is said to come from that choice. The LCBO is offering several bottlings of Glengoyne and, as you go up the ladder, the 15, 18 and 21-year-old expressions are even more intricately balanced. $76.95; #417915 Tamdhu 10-year-old Tamdhu does use a little peat in the process of making this excellent single malt, but it’s judiciously used and, as such, is on the lower end of the peat spectrum. This makes for a creamy mouth feel that complements and draws out the unmistakable rich, dark chocolate and fruit flavours that derive from the liquid having spent the latter part of its life soaking up the goodness of what’s left in old sherry casks. $87.95; #417923 Aultmore 12-year-old Ideal for pairing with a post-dinner plate of apples, pears and hard, dry cheese, Aultmore 12 is a remarkably delicate, light and honeyed whisky. Never heard of it? Like most of these other peat-reduced whiskies, it’s a bit of a hidden gem, taking a back seat to the smoke bombs that have been hogging all the attention of late.
This one used to be the backbone for a number of blends until recently, when a distiller recognized this single malt deserved to be a marquee player in its own right. $79.95; #417840