Today is Valentine’s Day and you can almost feel the love in the air! With that in mind, we have found eight different Scotch whisky expressions as February’s whiskies of the month, chosen especially to make you fall in love with Scotch whisky.
Lowlands: Glenkinchie 12
Glenkinchie’s whisky is a fantastic example of how special a Lowland single malt can be! A classic in every sense of the word, Glenkinchie 12 year old is citrusy, malty, light, and refreshing. The distillery also very close to Edinburgh, making it a perfect place to visit for a cheeky whisky-themed date this Valentines Day, and the beautiful surrounding area will make you fall in love with it even more!
Highlands: Aberfeldy 12
Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery plays a huge part in the incredibly popular Dewar’s range of blended Scotch whiskies and is close by to the romantic Scottish town of Pitlochry. Once you sampled this single malt you will be able to see why it’s so important to the blend, and why so many people around the world love this malt! The 12 year old expression has plenty of honey and marzipan aromas and flavours, the perfect introduction for someone to fall head over heels with whisky.
Speyside: Aberlour Casg Annamh
This is a new release from the Aberlour Distillery in Speyside: the name itself is Scots Gaelic for “rare cask”. Casg Annamh is matured in three different types of cask: European oak sherry casks, and two different types of American oak casks, making it very rich and warming. Expect some coffee and caramelised biscuits, alongside other classic Aberlour characteristics like dried fruit, cinnamon, and cloves! A perfect whisky for cosying up by the fire with someone special.
Campbeltown: Glen Scotia 18
Campbeltown is the fifth whisky region of Scotland, known for its briny, salted caramel flavours in its whisky. The Scotch Whisky Experience is one of just a few places where you can try Campbeltown whisky as part of the main whisky tour, and many a visitor has fallen in love with this little whisky hub on the Kintyre Peninsula, having visited us here in Edinburgh for a whisky tasting! The 18 year-old Glen Scotia expression has been finished for a year in Oloroso sherry casks, which helps to add a nice spicy aroma. However, you can still expect that classic Campbeltown “sea spray” with this particular malt alongside some floral notes, toffee, peaches, and pineapple.
Islay: Caol Ila Moch
Islay whisky is one of the most rewarding styles to get your palate around, and once you fall in love with Islay, there’s no going back. Caol Ila Moch is a lighter, fresher style of Caol Ila, but don’t be mistaken: it’s still a classic, powerful Islay single malt, and one for the peat-lovers out there. Expect lots of earthy, barbeque smoke alongside some brine and pepper, all lifted by some fresh, grassy aromas in the background.
Blended: Whyte & Mackay, The 13
Whyte & Mackay is a world-famous blended Scotch whisky, known for using a “triple maturation process” when the blend is being made: the single malt and the single grain whiskies are aged separately, then blended together and given time to ‘remarry’ before bottling. The 13 year old Whyte & Mackay is a great example as to why so many people love these beautiful whiskies: incredibly rich with lots of caramel, toffee, vanilla and orange peel, with a spicy kick on the palette.
Liqueur: Bruadar
Looking for a sweet treat to soften even the most adamant non-whisky drinker? Bruadar is a liqueur made with Scotch whisky, honey, and sloe berries. If you find drinking Scotch whisky neat a wee bit too intense then this could be the dram for you: an easy-going liqueur that works perfectly at the end of a long day, or as an after dinner drink.
Luxury: Highland Park The Dark
The one that’ll get away (if you’re not quick): Highland Park’s The Dark is a limited-edition expression from the distillery, alongside its counterpart, The Light. This luxurious single malt has spent 17 years in sherry casks making it intensely rich and robust, with notes of dried fruit, spices, and a touch of peat smoke. If you are already in love with Highland Park, then this expression is a decadent treat, and like the perfect romantic fling, it won’t be around for long!
We love all eight of these expressions and we hope they’ll be enough to make you fall in love with Scotch whisky this Valentine’s Day. Take a look at last year’s blog post from our team on the moment they fell in love with Scotch whisky – can you remember when your moment was? Let us know, and in the meantime, slàinte mhath!
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