WITH Shirley exploring whisky and scallops this week there is only one option for my column, and that’s a good Scottish single malt.
Other single malts are available with amazing spirits currently coming from India, New Zealand, Canada and even Wales. However, I feel that the range, quality and heritage lead you to just one destination. Scottish single malts have set the bar particularly high since time began, but nowadays you can choose between single malts (from one distillery), blended malts (from two or three or more individual distilleries), and good quality blended whiskies (a mix of single malts with some grain whiskies in the blend).
Even single malts tend to be a blend of casks from a single distillery, and they’re blended together to provide a consistent style in the bottle between releases. If you like Laphroaig 10-year-old (Waitrose, £37), then you really want it to be the same taste and style every time you buy a bottle.
This highlights the skill of the master distiller as it takes a real expertise to release a consistent spirit from season to season and year to year using a variety of casks stored in different warehouses.
Here are a few to tempt your taste-buds this weekend …
Hazelburn 12-year-old Campbeltown Single Malt (Inverarity One to One, £42.99). This really is exceptional for the money, and it’s a particularly light and fine spirit as it has been triple-distilled in the Irish style. The extra distillation creates a more elegant dram and this one is great as a pre-dinner aperitif.
To match Shirley’s scallops, I’d go for a coastal dram with a bit more body and sea salt on the palate. Try a bottle of Oban 14-year-old (readily available and online at Master of Malt, £47.83). This is the perfect age for this malt from this distillery and it’s one of my favourite session drams. It has nuances of oak and Maldon sea salt on the palate with fresh citrus peel, and it is incredibly more-ish. One glass is never enough.
If you fancy flambéing your scallops, a good choice is the Inverarity Islay Pure Malt 8-year-old (Inverarity One to One, £19.99). This blended malt represents the lighter side of the island with very well integrated peat. It’s a bargain at under £20 and while you’re flambéing, remember the chef deserves a wee extra glass. Or two.
Pete Stewart is Glasgow director of Inverarity One to One, 185a Bath Street, Glasgow (0141 221 5121) www.inverarity121.com
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