LAPHROAIG Style: Single Malt Region: Islay Alcohol: 55.3% Distillery: Laphroaig Age: 10 year WHISKY MENU SINGLE MALTS 20 The first records of alcohol distillation come from 13th century Italy, where spirits were distilled from wine. By the 15th century, this skill had spread to Scotland. Deep Gold Huge smoke gives an ash aroma. The salt laden air and exposed coastline creates a sea-weedy note with a hint of sweetness with a subtle wisp of peach This full bodied whisky has a bold, smokey taste, followed by a hint of seaweed and a surprising sweetness. It has an accent of vanilla and ginger ISLAY Single malt is whisky from a single distillation of a mash made of a single variety of malted grain. Unless the whisky is described as single-cask, it is a mix of whisky from various casks and different years. Different countries use the grains that are native to the land, greatly affecting the flavour profile of their whiskies. Corn makes for a sweeter flavour, whereas rye gives off spicy notes. Barley, used in Single Malt Scotch, results in the subtle notes that have enthralled enthusiasts for centuries. The type of barrel the whisky is aged in also profoundly affects its taste. New oak gives a strong, vanilla-tinged flavour, while re-using a barrel allows for a more muted effect. Lengthy www.montaguehotel.com
OBAN Style: Single Malt Region: Highland Distillery: Oban BALVENIE DOUBLEWOOD Style: Single Malt Alcohol: 40% Distillery: Balvenie Age: 12 years Golden amber Deep amber/gold Peat and sea salt, swirling in a fruited caramel body Citrus explodes out and is complemented with nutty undertones and dashes of vanilla Smoky peat remains with a slight sweetness Flavour spiral: Smoky, vanilla, dark fruit, peaty, caramel, salty, orange peel, citrus and oak Gristy, supple nuttiness intertwined with spices. Honeyed sultanas and grapes. Hugely inviting Sweet with good body. The bourbon characters develop; gentle spice with a little vanilla, a hint of balancing peat lurking quietly in the substrata. Dried fruit too, combining with nuts, nutmeg, cinnamon Spicy, slightly drying, still sweet
AUCHENTOSHAN THREE WOOD Region: Lowland Golden bronze Nutty and fruity, with burnt toffee, orange, dates, and a real sherried quality Distillery: Auchentoshan Fruit, syrup, marshmallow, sherried with a dry maltiness underneath Long, gentle and warming WHISKY MENU WATER & EARTH 25 The word whisky originates in the Gaelic uisge beatha or usquebaugh, meaning water of life. In the 18th century this became usky, then whisky. This is indicative of the significance of water, the most important single factor. Peat, which is used in the kiln, also has an impact and provides the peaty or smoky flavour in many Scotch whiskies. Lowland Whisky Whiskies from the Lowlands are light and gentle, rarely using peat. Single malts tend to the dry side. Islay Whisky Single malts from Islay are the most pungent and peaty of all Scotch whiskies. Speyside Whisky These whiskies are the sweetest of the malts, varying between light, floral flavours and deep, rich, sherry flavours. www.montaguehotel.com
LAGAVULIN Region: Islay Distillery: Lagavulin Age: 16 Year Old THE GLENROTHES Distillery: Glenrothes Age: 10 Year Old Deep amber gold Medium gold Intensely concentrated with peat smoke and intense iodine. Fruity sherry notes, vanilla and Lapsang Souchong Rich, dried fruit sweetness with clouds of smoke and barley-malt flavours. At the back of the mouth an explosion of salty and peppery smoke Huge, long, warming and peppery with an appetising sweetness. Spice lightens the grip of the peat and vanilla ISLAY is Rich, spicy vanilla, golden syrup and lemongrass, dry flowers, cereals and butter caramel/toffee Soft, mature, sweet vanilla with a hint of cinnamon, honey, fruity marmalade and apple Smooth, long
MACALLAN RARE CASK Light mahogany Orange zest, chocolate and spice Raisins and oak, vanilla, milk chocolate and walnuts Warming Grand Marnier Cognac and cocoa Distillery: The Macallan WHISKY MENU Macallan is a portmanteau of two Gaelic words - Magh meaning fertile ground and Ellan, meaning of St Fillan, an Irish monk who spread Christianity throughout Scotland in the eighth century. Macallan, much like the monk, has its own strong principles called The Six Pillars of Macallan. Spiritual Home: Remaining true to where the story began at Easter Elchies House, built in 1700. Curiously Small Stills: Their unique size and shape give the spirit maximum contact with the copper, providing Macallan s signature rich, fruity, full-bodied flavours. THE MACALLAN 45 Finest Cut: The best of the spirit, collected from the spirit stills at an exceptionally slow rate of boil. It is then put into Macallan s oak casks. Exceptional Oak Casks: Crafted to Macallan s unique specifications, these oak casks account for around 80% of the final aromas and flavours. Natural Colour: The rich range of colours in the Macallan whiskies is drawn only from the wood of the oak casks. Natural colours remain fixed, artificial colours fade. The Macallan itself: A peerless spirit. www.montaguehotel.com
MACALLAN Alcohol: 40% Distillery: The Macallan Age: 12 Year Old MACALLAN Distillery: The Macallan Age: 18 Year Old Mahogany Ginger and dried cherries with vanilla and toasted wood Rich, smooth, and sweet with notes of toffee, fig and orange blossoms Light mahogany Dried fruits and ginger, with a hint of citrus, vanilla and cinnamon Rich dried fruits with spice, clove, orange and wood smoke More toffee and molasses Full and lingering with dried fruits and sweet toffee and a hint of ginger
NIKKA Style: Blended Whisky Country: Japan Region: Yoichi, Hokkaido Alcohol: 51.4% Distillery: Nikka Age: 10 year old The Japanese sure know how to surprise WHISKY MENU BEYOND SCOTLAND 30 Gold Floral, fruity and a bit spiced. Notes of citrus/orange peel, apricot, vanilla extract, caramel and wood. Christmas pudding, new leather Complex and smooth. Caramel candy, toffee, vanilla, dark-chocolate, nutmeg. A spicy Christmas cake Long, warm and creamy. Loads of oak and a bit of smoke. Red chilli on the back of the throat. Notes of vanilla are present JAPAN In Ireland and the United States whiskey is the common spelling, whereas other countries use whisky. Scotch, on the other hand, is internationally recognised to mean Scotch whisky. Irish Irish whiskey is made in a single distilling of a mixed mash consisting of malted and unmalted barley. It is distilled three times in a pot still, then aged in wooden casks for at least three years. Bourbon Bourbon is aged in charred oak containers and does not contain any additives at all. At least 51% corn is used in the distillation. Japanese Japanese whisky has been winning awards for decades. Shinjiro Torii established Yamazaki, the first distillery in Japan in 1923 and hired Masataka Taketsuru as his distillery executive. In 1934 he founded his own company, Dainipponkaju, which later became Nikka. www.montaguehotel.com
BLANTONS GREEN SPOT Style: Bourbon Country: United States Region: Kentucky Alcohol: 46.5% Distillery: Buffalo Trace Style: Single Pot Still Whiskey Country: Ireland Region: Cork Alcohol: 40% Distillery: Green Spot Red amber A creamy vanilla nose features hints of orange peel, nutmeg, caramel, and light spices A soft but rich flavour of burnt sugar and cloves in harmony with strong caramel and corn sensations A strong and lasting finish that brings back nutmeg and corn above everything else UNITED STATES KENTUCKY Flavour Spiral: Caramel, creamy vanilla, nutmeg, spicy, demerara sugar, corn, orange peel, sweet, oak Light amber Fresh aromatic fruits and oils, paired with barley and toasted wood. The contribution of Sherry casks is more than present A sensuous spicy body with fruity notes of green apples, pears and apricot, rounded with the presence of mellow grain and coconut A moderate length finish that brings out the notes of spiciness and the pot still character SOUTHERN IRELAND CORK Flavour Spiral: Oak, sweet, barley, fresh, coconut, grain, sherry, smooth, apples, caramel, warm, apricots