I was fortunate enough recently to head up to the Highlands of Scotland for a kind of whisky safari, concentrating on those two peaks of ‘the wee dram’, Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. Glenmorangie comes in an almost bewildering variety of forms, ranging from the famous original single malt whisky through a number of others, including a magnificent 18-year old variety and the Nectar D’Or, which has been specifically designed to have a citrus finish, almost like a lemon tart. The highly able staff at the Glenmorangie Distillery, who offer fascinating tours showing the whisky’s production from inception to eventual production, are keen to empathise that whisky is a hugely underrated accompaniment to food, although perhaps only the bravest would have a three-course meal with matching whiskies.
Ardbeg, which I tasted the next day (a man has, after all, got to have some time off for good behaviour), is an altogether different beast. More complex and peaty, and less accessible, the Supernova variety is the legendary whisky writer Jim Murray’s favourite Scotch whisky and single malt whisky of the year in 2009, as it has been for the past two years. It’s definitely an uncompromising drink – 58.9% alcohol, with a peat concentration in excess of 100 parts per million – but, as befits the name, it goes off like an exploding star in your mouth, thanks to its uniquely rich and flavoursome taste.
I stayed at a fabulous place called Glenmorangie House, which offers old-school hospitality, including fantastic dinners where all the guests sit down over several belt-loosening courses and engage in chat, wonderfully comfy rooms (with four poster beds in a couple) and, perhaps most dangerously of all, a well-stocked honesty bar with a selection of just about every Ardbeg and Glenmorangie that could be thought of; it’s suggested that a few glasses are taken before dinner to take the edge off conversation later. A variety of activities can be arranged for guests including clay pigeon shooting, falconry (best not to get those two confused) and trips to nearby golf courses. Whatever you do, it’s sure to be a memorable occasion, whisky blurring notwithstanding.
Find out more about the whisky at www.glenmorangie.com and www.ardbeg.com, and see more about Glenmorangie House at www.theglenmorangiehouse.com.
