Whiskies for wine lovers at Christmas: 12 glorious bottles

Single malt is manner from being the one passion of Glenmorangie Grasp Distiller Dr Bill Lumsden. The arch experimenter (sometimes jarringly dubbed the Willy Wonka of whisky) moreover has a penchant for prime development, early Alan Partridge – and great wine. He’s equally at residence discussing Sassicaia as he is Speyside.

Scroll proper all the way down to see our variety of 12 glorious whiskies for wine lovers

So when Glenmorangie launched its Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Assortment earlier this yr – a £7,740 trio of long-aged single malts part-matured in Margaux, Corton-Charlemagne and Barbaresco wine casks – the establish was an outstanding deal larger than mere promoting and advertising and marketing spin. Furthermore, Lumsden was perpetuating the prolonged, proud connection between the worlds of wine and whisky.

Historic coincidence and sheer practicality play a job proper right here. As Scotch whisky’s enchantment grew by the nineteenth century, the dearth of regionally grown oak meant that blenders have been pressured to look elsewhere to hunt out casks throughout which to age and marry their spirit. Luckily enough, the docks of Leith, Glasgow and Aberdeen have been heaving with barrels of wine imported from European wine areas: most famously Sherry, however moreover Port, Madeira and claret. So the considered using an earlier Margaux cask to mature Scotch positively wasn’t invented inside the twenty first century. What began as necessity – whisky makers used these casks simply because they’ve been there – has, over time, develop to be a complicated synergy that distillers have probed and refined.

The Sherry problem

We’ve been looking for Sherry casks for over 100 years,’ says Scott Adamson, worldwide mannequin ambassador and blender for Highland single malt-maker Tomatin. ‘It’s one factor we’ve recognized for thus prolonged that works so properly for Tomatin.’

Like Lumsden, Adamson is a wine fanatic. ‘I consider Sherry is a wine for whisky lovers,’ he says. ‘It’s obtained a spot, a story and selection, similar to Scotch.’ Tomatin’s latest differ, the limited-edition Sherry Assortment, bridges the opening between grape and grain: exhibiting wine lovers how whisky and Sherry can combine to create one factor delicious, and displaying Sherry’s selection to whisky followers.

The differ eschews whisky’s commonplace use of ex-oloroso casks – the provision of those primary Christmas cake/dried fruit flavours – in favour of cask finishes in ex-manzanilla, palo cortado and Pedro Ximénez picket. And these are ex-bodega casks – in several phrases, casks which had been retired from their respective Sherry-ageing soleras.

Why does this matter? Most Sherry casks used for whisky at the moment are bespoke creations – coopered, ‘seasoned’ with Sherry, then emptied and transported to Scotland, all to the precise specs of the distiller. They’re often additional ‘full of life’ – in several phrases the oak (be it American or European) imparts additional flavour. Within the meantime ex-bodega casks are decades-old and inactive. Proper right here, the whisky derives characters from the cask’s earlier contents, not the picket itself.

Wine-cask wizardry

Stylish-day distillers have explored the in depth world of wine. Tomatin, for instance, launched its Italian Assortment, which used ex-Marsala, Amarone and Barolo casks, ultimate yr. Within the meantime Lumsden has tried each little factor from Meursault to Bolgheri. Nevertheless working with wine picket may very well be a troublesome enterprise: overdo it and the whisky can develop over-sweet, jammy notes.

For Lumsden, persistence is significant – he believes that these vinous notes diminish with time – whereas Adamson reckons wine casks have a fast second the place they’re at their peak. ‘Chances are you’ll get a implausible steadiness between whisky and cask – then six to 12 months later, the wine would possibly want totally overwhelmed it,’ he says. ‘The window of other is manner smaller.’

At their most interesting, wine cask-matured whiskies are just a few of probably the most memorable and distinctive drops spherical. Suppose Dalmore’s deep exploration of González Byass Sherry and Graham’s Port casks; Glenmorangie’s neverending experimental streak; or the attractive wine cask whiskies produced in whisky’s new world – Taiwan’s Kavalan, Japan’s Chichibu and Australia’s Starward to name a few.

If there’s an underlying rule, it’s harmony between picket and liquid. ‘There are nonetheless just a few wine estates available on the market that I’d want to get my arms on,’ says Lumsden. ‘I don’t have to establish names as I’m scorching on their path. Nevertheless the mantra for me is always the similar: is it true to the Glenmorangie sort and does it really model good?’

Whiskies for wine lovers: 12 to attempt

Bunnahabhain Fèis Ile 2024 19YO Mòine Madeira Cask Finish

Scotland

A distillery-exclusive from this yr’s Islay Pageant, that’s the lesser-spotted peated side of Bunna’, combining the distillery’s mushy, juicy fruits (mandarin, peach) alongside sweet, billowing smoke and – from a seven-year ‘finish’ in ex-Madeira casks – notes of roasted chestnut, sweet cinnamon and prunes in chocolate. Alcohol 51.2%

Cardrona Rising Wings Central Otago Pinot Noir Cask

New Zealand

Good Kiwi whisky meets great Kiwi wine on this high-octane bottling matured for five years in casks supplied by Mount Concern. It’s all about poise, marrying Cardrona’s honeyed apples-and-pears distillate with the picket’s wild strawberry, vanilla-cream character. Together with barely water opens up the aromas. Alc 67.4%

Chichibu Crimson Wine Cask 2023

Japan

Take 36 casks of spirit then rack them into an array of wine picket: Pinot Noir from Burgundy and New Zealand; Napa Cabernet; pink wine and Muscat from Japan. Chaotic? Hardly. The consequence from Japanese grasp Ichiro Akuto is a seamless, delicate combination of vibrant pink fruits, heady floral aromas and a twist of menthol. Alc 50.5%

Glenfiddich Grand Château 31YO

Scotland

Glenfiddich’s first foray into Bordeaux pink wine casks, however it absolutely obtained’t be its ultimate if that’s one thing to go by. 9 years in wine picket dial up the distillery’s apple-scented fruit, shifting into sweet layers of cassis and black cherry, backed up by warming Christmas spices. Deep and resonant. Alc 47.6%

Glenmorangie The Nectar 16YO

Scotland

There’s one factor explicit regarding the combination of Glenmorangie with dessert-wine casks. This revamped mannequin makes use of oak from Sauternes, Monbazillac, Spanish Moscatel and Tokaji, and is predictably decadent: sticky bread-and-butter pudding, zingy lemon, roasted almond and a slight pure elevate. Alc 46%

Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask

Taiwan

Kavalan’s sterling work with fortified-wine casks has helped protected the Taiwan distillery’s standing on the forefront of world whisky. This generally is a pitch-perfect combination of oloroso, PX and Moscatel, piling layers of dried plum and darkish chocolate on excessive of Kavalan’s juicy tropical fruits. Alc 40%

Kingsbarns Distillery Reserve 2024

Scotland

The Fife distillery’s oldest launch up to now was completely matured in ex-solera oloroso Sherry casks, ushering the gently fruity and floral distillate into richer, hotter territory: candied orange peel, mulled wine spices and blackberries in darkish chocolate. Unashamedly cask-driven and as comforting as a hug. Alc 58.2%

Redbreast Lustau Model

Ireland

Two masters of their craft – Midleton distillery in Ireland and Bodegas Lustau in Jerez – be part of forces on this oloroso-matured primary. Rich notes of dates and liquorice distinction with the oily orchard fruit of single pot nonetheless spirit, with a bit of grip and tannin from full of life European oak. Alc 46%

Starward Fortis

Australia

Starward’s provenance-first technique extends to this single malt aged utterly in American oak pink wine casks, principally from the Barossa. Plenty of rich, darkish fruit, a mouthful of chocolate brownie and a great deal of oak-driven baking spices and tannic building. Explosive. Alc 50%

The Dalmore Port Wood Reserve

Scotland

Can’t afford the £35,000 for Dalmore’s recently launched Cask Curation Sequence trio of Port-matured malts? Console your self with this festive combination of unctuous spirit with tawny Port pipes supplied by Graham’s. Raspberries in darkish chocolate and cinnamon-dusted plums, melded with darker flavours of espresso roaster, sultanas and liquorice. Alc 46.5%

The GlenAllachie 10YO Grattamacco Wine Cask Finish

Scotland

GlenAllachie Grasp Distiller Billy Walker’s experiments with wine casks have spawned additional hits than misses, along with this tie-in with the Grattamacco property in Bolgheri. Rich cassis and heady spices from the cask, nonetheless always GlenAllachie’s irresistible honeyed magnificence as a counterpoint. Alc 48%

Tomatin The Sherry Assortment Manzanilla Model

Scotland

Displaying that there’s additional to Sherry maturation than oloroso, this mixture of Tomatin’s mild Highland spirit with ex-solera manzanilla butts represents spirit and picket in glorious harmony. Latest-baked bread and butter, ripe citrus fruits and a evenly nutty finish, with solely a lick of sea salt. Alc 46%