Whisky tornado: the new way to enjoy a dram

Scotch mist adds a fresh twist to an old favourite

A TEAM of artists and scientists has devised a mesmerising way to sample Scotland’s national drink. The “whisky tornado” allows connoisseurs to partake in a tipple by breathing in from a column of swirling vapour.

The Scotch mist art installation, which has attracted the interest of whisky-tasting clubs, uses industrial humidifiers to transform the spirit into an alcoholic twister.

By sucking from a straw placed into the centre of the spinning vapour, people are able to taste the drink in a new way, while still getting a hit as the alcohol is absorbed through their lungs and straight into their bloodstream.

The artwork, envisaged as a metaphor for “the impact the Scottish weather has on flavour formation in whisky”, is the brainchild of Bompas and Parr, a studio that specialises in putting a creative twist on everyday foodstuffs and beverages.

Developed in conjunction with scientists and technicians at King’s College, London, it uses industrial humidifiers known as ultrasonic oscillators, contained inside a bell jar.

Sam Bompas said he hoped the tornado would help to “demystify” the world of whisky and educate people about how distinctive flavours are achieved.

“Battling the elements is part of the romance” Dr Mark Freeman

he added: “if you’re able to see something that’s quite figurative and visual, it can make it a lot more accessible.

“We wanted something … visual, exciting and engaging. it’s often very difficult to articulate the elements of a great whisky when you just have a glass in your hand.

“There are many things which go into making the flavours of a whisky, and we thought it would be interesting to look at the meteorological elements. Sunlight, temperature, rainfall and humidity all contribute to the distinctive aromatics.”

he added: “The tornado is part art installation, but it also gives people an experience they’ve never had before. When you see it moving, it’s almost hypnotic.”

The gastronomic wonder, which creates a vapour of Talisker single malt, was on display at King’s College’s Festival of Food and ideas last week. The exhibition will transfer to Leeds Gallery on Saturday.

“i’ve been to hundreds of whisky tastings,” said Mr Bompas. “The very best are the ones that get people excited. if you can do something unexpected and different, it can start a dialogue.”

Asked if a licence would be required to display the tornado, he added: “You would only need one if you were selling the spirit or charging admission.”

Dr Mark Freeman, senior lecturer in economic and social history at the University of Glasgow, liaised with Bompas and Parr. he explained the effect of the landscape and the weather on whisky.

he said: “The weather affects the type of barley that can be grown, the amount and quality of water for making whisky and the environment in which whisky barrels spend their many years of maturation.

“Some writers argue that whiskies in the casks take flavour from the atmosphere around them, and it is easy to believe this when watching the windswept seas battering the islands on which many single malts are distilled and matured.”

But he added: “Battling the elements is part of the romance of the whisky-making story.”