Wednesday 17 January 2018

Burns Night with The Byrnes

Though the spelling of our BYRNE surname denotes our Irish heritage we have ancestors on the other side of the tree who originated in Scotland, mixed heritage that we are extremely proud of.

You may never see the Byrne boys wearing kilts but you do know them as whisky experts so on 25 January when Scots and Scots-at-heart celebrate the life and poetry of their national poet, Robert Burns, they will be toasting our heritage with a glass of usquebae (water of life).

Here's a selection of whiskies to suit all tastes.

For more information about Burns Night



Light & Delicate:

SPEYBURN Bradan Orach SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT £19.29
Outstanding price for Single Malt Whisky. On the nose it reveals green apples, honey, lemon and floral vanilla spices. It’s a wonderfully balanced, full-flavoured whisky, with a long lasting finish.

TOMATIN Legacy Highland Single Malt £21.99
Light sweetness, which boasts aromas of vanilla, marshmallow, pineapple and lemon. On the palate gentle flavours of candy, pine, lemon sherbet, apples and sponge cake emerge.

TOMINTOUL T’Lath Speyside Single Malt £22.99
Light and creamy. Lively white pepper and some oak-driven spiciness dance on the tongue with
background layers of nutmeg and toasted vanilla. Spicy with notes of shortbread and fresh mint.

JURA 10 Year Old Origin Isles Single Malt £27.99
Soft nuances of American white oak with a smooth, sweet aroma of honey. A refined, smooth and clean tasting liquid with gentle oak flavours, followed by highlights of caramel and soft liquorice. The warmth of roasted coffee beans lingers long in the mouth.

ABERFELDY 12 Year Old Highland Single Malt £29.99
Creamy on the nose withs ome sherried fruit with a trailing hint of smoke. Sweet, malty, a gentle peat but nonetheless the mouth feel is very clean, with a hint of citrus at the end.

Soft & Full Flavoured:

GLENCADAM Origin 1825 Highland Single Malt £22.99
Aromas of mixed fruit – red fruit from the sherry casks and tropical fruit from American oak – with creamy Glencadam character. The palate has sweet winter spice, vanilla, malt and stewed fruits.

GREAT KING STREET ‘Artist’s Blend’ Blended Whisky 50cl £24.99
Sweet and creamy nose, with lots of cereal notes, some vanilla, dried fruits, citrus and apple crumble. The palate has notes of Christmas spices, lemon, Bakewell tart, rose petals and raisins.

GLENGOYNE 10 Year Old Highland Single Malt £27.99
Smooth, fruity and incredibly moreish. Fresh green apples, toffee and a hint of nuttiness. This is the taste of distilling slower than anyone else in Scotland, of barley they dry by air and hand-selected sherry casks.

DALMORE 12 Year Old Highland Single Malt £39.99
The Dalmore 12 year old, with its intricate aromas and flavours, is recognised as a whisky with character far beyond its age. Aromas of citrus fruit, chocolate and aromatic spices. Orange peel, Oloroso sherry and vanilla pod on the palate followed by a finish of roasted coffee and more chocolate notes.

SPRINGBANK 15 Year Old Campbelltown Single Malt £50.99
Like a storm gathering off the Kintyre coast, 15-year-old Springbank is dark and ominous, yet delicious. Demerara sugar, dark chocolate, Christmas cake, almonds and toffee on the nose. Creamy palate with raisins, cocoa, figs, marzipan, brazil nuts and vanilla. Oak and sherry notes sustain and mingle with hints of leather. Utterly delicious if you fancy splashing out!

Smoky & Peaty:

THE ILEACH Islay Single Malt £22.99
We recommended this a lot, but it’s such outstanding value for a heavily peated single malt. Strong yet gentle, warm yet mellow, but with maturity beyond its years. Robustly peaty, with that unmistakable breath of the seashore.

GREAT KING STREET ‘Glasgow Blend’ Blended Whisky 50cl £24.99
Rich spice with dried fruit and peaty notes on the nose. Full flavoured and smoky on the palate, with notes of baking spices and sherry wine notes. A lingering peaty finish.

JURA Superstition Isles Single Malt £29.99
Lightly peated - that’s nicely smoky to you. Light phenolic aromas with subtle nuances of honey and spice result in a sweet yet smoky delight. The warmth of the tongue releases spice, honey, pine and peat. Prince Charles had a glass of this whilst wandering our cellars when he came to visit us last year.

CU BOCAN by Tomatin Highland Single Malt £29.99
Initially feather light, followed by honey smoke and toasted almonds. The rich spice of cloves, cinnamon and star anise create an enigmatic elegance., Imagine a café latte with chocolate and of course sweet, smoky peat.

LAGAVULIN The Distillers Edition Islay Single Malt £67.99 Double Matured
A touch pricy yet this is my all-time favourite Whisky! Most of you will know Lagavulin, but this doublematured, that’s finished in PX sherry casks, just has an extra dimension to it. Firstly aromas of well-roastedbarley and wafts of iodine. A creaminess of vanilla and yoghurt coated raisins. Seville orange and cherry.More medicinal peat initially on the palate, hints of Seville orange, cherry and a touch of seaweed, driedapricot and chewy pecans. An extremely long smoky finish, yet the sweetness from the sherry cask give touches of chocolate and boozy soaked fruits.

Something a Little Sweeter

STROMA Malt Whisky Liqueur Old Pulteney 50cl £17.99
Hailing from the far North East of Scotland, off the Caithness coast, Stroma Malt Whisky Liqueur takes it name from the windswept Orcadian Isle. Stroma originates from the Norse meaning ‘island in the stream’ which also refers to the dangerous currents on the island’s shores, including the infamous ‘Swilkie’ whirlpool. Charming whisky aroma with notes of toffee. Smooth, sweet and warming and is packed full of robust and unmistakable rugged undertones of Old Pulteney.

Something a Little Different

EDEN MILL Oak Gin St. Andrews 50cl £24.99
A cask aged gin from craft brewers and distillers Eden Mill. Unsurprisingly, the casks used are oak aged beer casks! The result is a rich oak spice gin with notes of caramel, vanilla, and a touch of fudge. Delicious on its own or in a long drink with ginger ale and a sliver of orange peel.