6 minute read
Opinion: Dominic Roskrow
Dominic Roskrow
UK-based world spirits expert Editor - Stills Crazy newwizards.co.uk
A whole new world
Dominic Roskrow takes a deep dive into whiskies from the New World and is left breathless…
I HAVE spent the first part of 2022 tasting whisky and writing tasting notes for a new edition of Michael Jackson’s Malt Whisky Companion.
Michael died 15 years ago, but his work as the Beer Hunter and then Whisky Chaser is revered by many, and his Malt Whisky Companion is the world’s bestselling whisky book.
This is the third time I’ve been asked to update it, and when it appears on the book shelves in the middle of the year it will be in its eighth edition.
I won’t lie – this time around it has been a struggle. I cover New World whisky – basically anything that is not Scotland. And the combination of Brexitfuelled red tape and the pandemic made getting samples harder than usual.
But the difficulties pale in comparison to the joys of updating the book for the first time in seven years. Back then, only a handful of New World whiskies made the cut. This year the publishers have bowed to the inevitable and dramatically increased the size of the section for whiskies across the world.
I was well aware that there are a lot more world distilleries now, and decided just to feature the very best New World whiskies.
What I hadn’t planned for was the extraordinary quality of whiskies from around the world. As the days passed, it was like peeling an orange and finding the purest, sweetest and juiciest fruit inside.
As we reach the editing stage, two things have become abundantly clear. Firstly, we are in the throes of a revolution in New World distilling. Duckling whiskies have become elegant swans. Malts struggling to fly at three years old in 2015 are now 10-year-olds.
Or maybe they’re not quite there, because many are still very young, but they’re ten times better than they were.
And the second point to note is that under eight years old Scotland can’t hold a candle to the new wave of micro distillers in countries across the world.
I predict the following. Firstly, England and Australia are set to become leading markets for whisky. Australia’s problems are expense and distance, but its malts are refined and exciting. England already has four established world-class distilleries with at least another eight on the way.
Secondly, if a distillery worked with the late whisky consultant and trouble-shooter Dr Jim Swan, its whisky is going to be great. He created the Shaved Toasted and Re-charred Cask, which imparts vanilla, honey and tropical fruits. Much of the malt is just four years old – and sensational.
Thirdly, watch France. Some distillers there, being French, are claiming that they will be making the world’s finest whisky. From what I’m tasting, they may have a case. Once upon a time the country had a handful of distilleries in Brittany, a Celtic region of Northern France, or in Alsace, where there is a strong German influence. Now, France is making whisky everywhere. No country has expanded more.
And finally, we know that New World whiskies appeal to a younger consumer. But they’re not just drinking it, they’re making it. Younger, more females, and multicultural, they are dispensing with established protocol and experimenting with woods and grains.
Never has whisky been more exciting. Being the inquisitive enthusiast he was and how willingly he embraced new trends, I can’t help but think that Michael would have loved it all.
New arrivals at Thirsty Camel
Distributor Thirsty Camel has some fantastic new additions to its diverse portfolio of spirits, liqueurs and mixers…
Brooklyn Gin
A craft spirit made in New York with fresh citrus peels and hand-crushed juniper. Presented in a handsome bottle, its unique bottle cap design can be used as an ice stamp. A fresh, complex and flavourful gin, its base spirit is produced entirely from corn and distilled in a Carl copper pot still. Founders Emil Jättne and Joe Santos designed a gin to showcase the vibrancy of fresh citrus peel.
Brooklyn Gin – 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $109.99
Templeton Rye Oloroso Sherry Cask
Templeton Rye whiskey is a spirit unlike any other. For this new release, traditional Templeton 6 Year Rye spends an additional nine months in Oloroso sherry casks. The team at Templeton says their limited release cask finish series offers an annual unique twist on what rye can be. The 2021 release is no.3 in the barrel finish series – a limited edition sold on allocation and not to be missed.
Templeton Rye Oloroso Sherry Cask – 46% 750ml, RRP $124.99
The Busker Blend – Irish Whiskey
The Busker is a “new to world” Irish Whiskey that is born out of a modern Ireland, where the contemporary and bold meet at the crossroads of tradition. Made with high-quality Single Grain, and a high percentage of Single Malt and Single Pot Still. A beautifully yellow gold whiskey with a rich body. Tropical fruits and vanilla on the nose lead to notes of malt, sweetness, and dark chocolate; with more subtle notes of toffee fudge and cinnamon. Concludes with a mellow, well balanced, sweet finish.
The Busker Blend Irish Whiskey – 40% ABV 700ml, RRP $63.99
The Busker Single Malt – Irish Whiskey
An intense journey into the realm of taste. The Busker Single Malt is distilled in large copper stills, then matured in two different woods. It has initial accents of fruit, which leads gently to an explosion of pine essence and malt biscuit, with a luscious fruity mouthfeel. The palate is very intense with rich, chocolate notes, and a sweet and creamy finish.
The Busker Single Malt Irish Whiskey – 44.3% ABV 700ml, RRP $69.99
Engine Gin
Engine Gin celebrates the imagery of oil and fuel cans, motocross races and racing vehicles. Housed in an aluminium can designed to look like a can of engine oil, it is a London dry gin hand-crafted by master distillers, produced in small batches and bottled by hand in the Alta Langa region, in north-western Italy. Its formula is linked with Italian and Piedmont tradition, with notes of bitter sage and sweet liquorice root. It is produced with 100% organic Italian ingredients.
Engine Gin – 42% ABV, 500ml, RRP $63.99
Acqueverdi Gin
This unique gin takes its name from the mountain springs of the Val d’Aosta, close to the La Valdotaine distillery. Minerals give the springs a beautiful turquoise-green colour, and give the gin its particular taste.
It uses mountain botanicals such as gentian, elderflower, alpine rosepine buds, fir needles and mountain pine. Juniper prevails in the aroma, sustained by the aromatic intensity of alpine plants. It is dry and full on the palate; well balanced with resinous and floral nuances of the botanicals.
Acqueverdi Gin – 43% ABV, 700ml, RRP $72.99
Amaro Denti Di Leone
Amaro Dente di Leone (Italian for “wild dandelion”) is a common plant whose roots, leaves and flowers are all edible. Traditionally, it was a base for herbal medicines and liqueurs and is believed to be beneficial for health and digestion. Amaro Dente di Leone is made from the mountain variety with its smaller, heartier leaves and intense aroma. This Amaro blends dandelion with gentian and génépy herbs. It is sweetened with a touch of muscovado sugar.
Each herb and plant emerges in the aroma, while the taste is full and rounded with a characteristic hint of liquorice added by the muscovado.
