The theme is to be "Salt and Maritime Whiskies". The Islays and the other "Island" whiskies are of course technically maritime, but perhaps this should be the opportunity to showcase the slightly more restrained malts from the coastal Highlands in northern mainland Scotland. Here the smoke and peat will not be as prominent and might allow for that elusive sea-salt character to become more evident. We already own an exemplary Old Pulteney and a new Oban, which both fit this theme perfectly, but we need to select a third candidate. In combing the MLCC listings I have come up with Clynelish, Balblair and Glenmorangie as being from that region. From these, Clynelish is likely most in keeping with what we are looking for. We could also select one of the Island whiskies such as Highland Park or Tallisker, but that could almost be a theme all on it's own. Any thoughts?
Fellow Cabineteers,
ReplyDeleteWe have tasted some island malts, and maybe half of Islay already. I favour the idea of presenting only mainland coastal whiskies and leave the islands for another session.
Through the gracious good nature of Ivan, we already have an Oban in stock. Oban is on the west coast and finds balance between the dry, seaweedy Islay profile and the distinctive lighter, sweeter Highland style.
We also hold in our stores, an Old Pulteney, from the northeastern coastal town of Wick.
A quick perusal of MLCC's website tells me the other coastal whiskies are:
Balblair, Clynelish & Springbank.
Balblair is from Edderton, up on the Dornoch Firth; Clynelish from Brora in Sutherland. Northeastern coastal whiskies like the venerable Old Pulteney.
Springbank, from the Kintyre Peninsula, hails from the southwest coast and is a Campbeltown - a regional style heretofore unsampled in our hallowed chambers.
The Springbank 10 y.o. is available at MLCC @ $78.33 This has my vote.
Gentle squires, your opinions?
I had missed the Springbank in my virtual thumbing through of the MLCC list. I agree, it is a splendid choice. And, as it happens, Grant emailed independently to make exactly that suggestion as well. Springbank it is!
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