Friday, January 23

10E2423: Burns Night - Which Whisky?

“Inspiring bold John Barleycorn!
What dangers thou canst make us scorn! 
Wi’ tipenny [beer], we fear nae evil; 
Wi’ usquebae [water of life - whisky], we’ll face the devil!”
“O Whisky! soul o’ plays an’ pranks! 
Accept a Bardie’s gratefu’ thanks!”

-Robert Burns

January 25th is Burns Night (the annual celebration of the Scottish poet Robert Burns who gave us My love is like a red red rose and many more...) and it offers the chance to splash some whisky on your haggis dinner. David Broom created this whisky "map" - you can find it in your better establishments. He talks about it, and whisky generally below.


How does a beginner find their way around? The whisky industry does not help itself with its regional classifications, Speyside, for example, stretches from Glasgow [in the south of Scotland] to Wick [northernmost tip - been there - couldn't understand a word -ed.] with numerous whisky styles.

Broom has plotted single malts in Scotland on a grid with four co-ordinates: delicate, light, smoky, rich. The horizontal axis plots the lightness or richness and the vertical axis plots the smokiness. "There isn't a 'best malt' position on the map either – it's an unbiased plotting device," he says.

-via The Scotsman