Sunday 7 October 2012

Greetings all enthusiastic single malt drinkers

I've been quiet over the summer!  Too busy watching sport, and hasn't it been a brilliant summer of sport?!  First, the magnificent British victory in the Tour de France!  Hail the new heroes - Bradley Wiggins and the Sky team under David Brailsford's meticulous direction outperformed all our expectations!  Then the memorable London Olympics and Paralympics.  The event itself was a triumph but on top of it - all the medals for Team GB was icing on the cake.  And then the Ryder Cup!  The most exiting golf ever seen!!

All of this to try distract your attention away from the fact that I haven't posted anything on this blog for all too long!

Well have a look at this really funny youtube clip of how to taste whisky.  Yes I know he's talking about a blend - which goes against the grain (little pun) - but it is the proper way to taste whisky and enjoy the aromas, flavours and consistency.  Click on this link below and enjoy...
How to taste your whisky...


Sunday 8 July 2012


Greetings fellow blogging drinkers...
The subject today is Johnnie Walker!  Now, why would I want to blog on about a blended whisky on Maish’s Single Malts?  Well there are a few interesting facts, a different Johnnie Walker label, and an amazing coincidence!
You may already know this fact - Johnnie Walker Black Label or as the company calls it, just Black Label, or as I refer to it, Johnnie Black, is the best selling whisky in the world!   It holds this position because it has always been marketed so well and because it’s a pretty tasty whisky.  My friends in Australia keep their Johnnie Black in the freezer.  It makes a fine drink on a hot day down under.  Freezing whisky won’t change the taste but you do loose some of the rich aroma.  A single block of ice loosens it up nicely. 
Then there’s another label - Johnnie Walker Green Label.  This is a blended malt or a vatted malt.  This means that it is a blend of different single malt whiskies.  (Remember that a blended whisky is a blend of single malt and single grain whisky.)  Johnnie Green is in my opinion, by far the best of the bunch.  Their flagship product is their Blue Label which sells for £130 and to my mind (and to my nose and pallet) is not nearly as good as the Green Label.  It still is a blended whisky.  However Johnnie Green is a genuine malt and in the  2010 Whisky Bible Awards, it won the Scotch Vatted Malt of the Year award.  Here’s the other difference between the Blue Label and the Green Label:  Johnnie Green sells for £30!  Try it!  You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

And an amazing coincidence!!  I mentioned to one of my patients that I am a whisky fan.  He happens to be an actor, singer and model.  He told me that when the Johnnie Walker brand was first marketed in the Far East, they revamped the silhouette image of ‘the walker’ on their bottle.  He was the man who modeled for the image and he has sent me a copy of the original image of himself that was used...  I knew one day that I would have a famous person as a patient, but never dreamed it would be someone of this prominence!  I feel really important now!  In fact I’m going for a drink to celebrate!  Join me...

L’chaim!!



Thursday 10 May 2012



Fellow friends of the golden nectar!
They’re practically giving it away!!   I discovered that at Costco, they’re selling an 18 year old bottle of The Glenlivet for under £30!!   It would have criminal for me to leave it on the shelves!
So I didn’t...
The little River Livet which flows into the Spey is the home of the most famous glen in Scotland.  It is set in the mountains and the water often flows for many miles underground.   The unique water and ideal whisky distilling conditions give the character to these light, clean, flowery and spicey single malt whiskies.
George Smith was the first to produce whisky of such distinctive elegance and quality.  His whisky went on to define the taste of Speyside.  There were many trying to emulate these distinctive Scotch’s and calling themselves Glenlivet.  This gave rise the the name The Glenlivet, which set the original apart from the copycats. 
This 18 year old is the perfect expression of age and elegance.  It is smooth and soft, yet complex and zesty.  The colour is golden brown with an expression of late Autumn.   The nose is a unique blend of woody oak and sweet ripe fruit with a hint of caramel.  And then it hits your tongue and your palate!!  Ah the joy of the superbly smooth creamy fluid combined with an explosion of spices, citrus acidity and oaky nuttiness.  All of these complex flavours are savoured in the long finish.
So I make no apology for introducing you to another Speyside single malt.  This one is superb and if you can get to Costco - get me another bottle please - I mean to say that it’s great value!
L’chaim!

Monday 2 April 2012


Hello Friends!
It’s a few weeks since we had a wee dram together!
It’s been busy times - work, meetings after work, dinner with the trouble and strife, gym, and the end of the tax year!  Phew...
So what are we drinking tonight?  Well after a busy day when you need an undemanding, soft, smooth, slightly sweet with a faint hint of peat, easy single malt - how about a glass of Aberlour.  Pronounced to rhyme with the word ‘power’, this inexpensive ten year old, is a great example of a slightly spicey Speyside single malt.  The nutty spice and the cherry sweetness is a really satisfying combination. This medium bodied whisky with its malty spicy nose, has a hint of nutmeg and a long fruity finish.
Speyside accounts for at least half of the Scotland’s single malt whisky distilleries.  The Aberlour distillery is situated in beautiful countryside at the junction of the Lour and Spey Rivers.  The clear spring water is drawn from the Lour.  The distillery was established in 1879 by James Flemming on the site of the St Drostan’s Well.  This secured a lasting supply of that pure spring water.  Flemming was a modest and extremely generous man who built a community hall for the people of Aberlour and bequeathed funds for a hospital and a bridge over the River Spey.  The family motto (bestowed on it by Robert the Bruce) was “Let the Deed Show’ and this motto graces every bottle of this delicious dram.
Remember this satisfying whisky and in a future whisky, I’ll introduce you to this little baby’s big brother!  It’s something special so watch this space!
L’chaim

Monday 5 March 2012

Introduction

March 2012

Hi Friends

This blog is the result of a suggestion from various fellow single malt fans who know me.

I have been making a little study of single malt whisky for a few years now! Actually my wife would describe it as 'drinking too much for my own good.'  However without wanting to digress, I'll have another sip of the golden nectar and continue...

Many moons ago, when I was a very young man, a friend called Plotty, poured me a Scotch and added ice and soda.  I hated it, but I was young, impressionable and wanted to show that I could handle my drink like a man. Consequently after about half the bottle between us, I became a whisky drinker.  I then started drinking Scotch with ginger ale - what the Americans call whisky and rye.  I even drank Jack Daniels!!  Apologies...

As time passed I realised that one can't appreciate the taste of good whisky if you add stuff to it!  Ice and soda reduces the drink to something you glug down and get drunk on.  This is of course not the objective - or should I say, no longer the objective of drinking whisky.  Malt whiskies are wonderfully complex, aromatic and satisfying drinks.  They are all made from the same three ingredients- water, malted barley and yeast.  It's the unique process employed by each distillery that imparts the complex aroma, flavour and consistency to the dram.   

I will describe the process in my various posts on this site, but let's begin with a little l'chaim...
Come into my bar...

My own single malt bar!
Today we're drinking one of my favourite soft, gentle, easy going Highland malts.  On my way to a continental destination, I happened to be at my favourite shop at Heathrow Airport viz. The World of Whiskies.  I was offered a taste of Dewars.  Now I know that Dewars is a blend and why would I drink a blend if I don't have to?  Well it's actually a pretty good blend, but the single malt at the heart of this blend is Aberfeldy and that's what I'm enjoying today!

The Aberfeldy distillery was established in 1898 and can be found on the edge of Perthshire in the Scottish Highlands.  The distillery is located where Pertshire's highest mountain, deepest loch and longest glen meet- historically and geographically the "heart of Scotland."  On the South bank of the River Tay, the water for this delicious dram comes from the fresh spring water of the Pitilie Burn.

Aberfeldy has a rich orangey, golden colour.  The nose is a heather-honey fruity aroma - a hint of citrus.  The taste is sensational!  This full bodied scotch has soft smooth texture allowing you to enjoy the rich fruity flavour and savour the slight spiciness.  The spiciness has a flavour of oranges and a dry undertone. It has a lingering long finish that strokes the palate and caresses the taste buds!  A great soothing, satisfying dram after a busy day at work.

L'chaim