RAISE A GLASS
THE myriad ‘Rubix Cube’ combinations used to create magic in a glass never cease to fascinate me. As I tumbled thoughts around for this week’s words, my eyes alighted on two spirits: whisky and tequila.
The bottles share a synergy. One is from Scotland and influenced by a spirit thousands of miles away. The other is created thousands of miles away but influenced by a spirit from Scotland.
Many spirits are “finished” in barrels which have previously held another style. This finishing picks up notes and flavours of the spirit which was previously in the barrel, maybe sherry or bourbon – it’s a memory of what’s gone before.
My first bottle to share is The Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve (RRP £38.59, Tesco, Sainsbury’s,
Waitrose, Co-op, Amazon).
This Glenlivet style is a single malt whisky finished in rum barrels from the Caribbean. The whisky delivers a cloud of tropical notes, banana, orange and vanilla, with all those and caramel to taste. There’s no mistaking its delicious core of malt.
There are cocktail ideas at theglenlivet.com, including the fun-sounding Tartan Tiki. But I just loved this whisky with a splash of water.
Now for a tequila.
The Storywood Tequila brand was founded by Michael Ballantyne, a Scot, who was inspired to create the range when living in Mexico. The full story of what happened can be found at storywoodtequila.com but for now just know that his tequilas have won countless awards.
There are five in the range, some aged in sherry barrels, others in whisky barrels.
I’m very much taken with Storywood Tequila Speyside 7 Reposado (RRP: £38.95, 70cl, amazon.co.uk, proofdrinks. com). A reposado tequila has already been aged. Then Storywood has taken the spirit and aged it for a further seven months (at least) in whisky barrels.
I love its smoky note, with touches of honey and citrus and spice. The earthy tequila is still there at its beating heart. Meanwhile… The Wine Society has recently been declared Austria Specialist of the Year at the Decanter Retailer Awards and for good reason.
The Society’s Blaufränkisch 2018 (£9.95) is, according to buyer, Freddy Bulmer: “A delicious example of Austria’s most coveted red grape; this is bright, elegant and generous, with lashings of red-fruit flavours, a twist of blackberry and a hint of spice.” The wine also has a bold upright personality and a backbone of acidity which adds freshness to all that fruit and spice.
Another Austrian wine
from the society is
The Society’s Grüner Veltliner 2019
(£8.50). The grüner veltliner grape has its home in Austria, and this wine has notes of white peach and pears, with a zest of lemon and a cheeky frazzle of white pepper.
As an aside, New Zealand wine producers Yealands have also added a grüner veltliner wine to its reserve range.
Yealands Reserve Gruner Veltliner (RRP £12.99, Waitrose) is created with grapes planted in the Awatere Valley, within the famous Marlborough region. The wine has a similar flash of pepper which is cushioned by silky white peach, apricot and a dash of dried honey. Lovely.
Find Jane online as One Foot in the Grapes.