Blended Scotch Grignolino Malbec Rye Whiskey Scotland Highland

The purple Malbec variety grapes which now grow all over the Old and New Worlds had their origins in France, where they are one of the few grape varieties allowed to be used in the highly esteemed blended wines of Bordeaux. However, it is perhaps the New World Malbec wines which have attracted the most attention in recent years, as they thrive in hot southern climates in ways they cannot in their native country, where the damp conditions leave them highly vulnerable to rot. Malbec grapes are renowned for their high tannin content, resulting in full-bodied red wines packed with ripe, plummy flavors and held in their characteristically dark, garnet colored liquid. In many countries, Malbec is still used primarily as a varietal for blending, as it adds a great level of richness and density to other, lighter and thinner varietals. However, single variety Malbec wines have been greatly on the rise in recent years, with some fantastic results and big, juicy flavors marking them out as a great wine for matching with a wide range of foods.

Rye Whiskey is enjoying something of a renaissance of late, with sales rocketing in recent years thanks to a growing interest in strong, unique flavors, and small, independent distilleries. Rye Whiskey is a drink which is all about powerful, bold flavors, with plenty of spice and bitterness when drunk young. Aged, however, it takes on a deep set of subtle notes which are beautifully mellow and complex, and becomes a fascinating example of what whiskey can be when made with expert hands.

In order for an American Whiskey to be labeled a Rye Whiskey, it must have a mash content which is no less than fifty one percent rye. This separates it from Bourbon, and it is this which gives it its distinctive flavor and spiciness. Toffee, cinnamon, caraway, cloves and oak are typical tasting notes, and ‘straight rye’ whiskies - which are aged in charred oak barrels - take on plenty of the smokiness of the wood, adding a further, fascinating facet.

Rye Whiskey has its spiritual home in the northeastern states of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and cities like Pittsburgh produced vast quantities of Rye Whiskey in the 18th and 19th centuries. Most the old distilleries were closed during the prohibition era, after which time rye whiskey more or less disappeared completely, but the twenty-first century is seeing old recipes being resurrected and released to rave reviews.

For fans of fine scotch whisky, there’s nowhere quite like the Highlands. This single malt whisky region is the largest in Scotland, covering a vast swathe of the country and providing a great deal of variation, and both subtle and dramatic differences in style, flavor, aroma and character from bottle to bottle. This isn’t surprising, when you consider how varied the landscape of the Highlands is. Here, you find towering mountains, misty moorlands, urban centres and rugged coastlines, each with their own distilleries creating their own interpretations of single malt scotch whisky.

Due to it being such a large region, the Highlands produces around twenty-five percent of all Scotland’s whiskies. Thirty distilleries are still operating in the Highlands, continuing a set of whisky traditions that stretches back centuries, and always innovating and experimenting in order to achieve the best expression of their unique surroundings. Great pride is taken in maintaining traditional techniques, and alongside state of the art equipment, Highland scotch is forever pushing the possibilities and reaching new heights.

Highland scotch is difficult to pigeonhole and characterize with a set of flavors or features, because there is so much variety between the distilleries in the north, and those in the southern and central parts of this region. However, the most common flavor profiles include rich, fruit-cakey flavors, smoky notes from the production techniques which include burning peat, and dried fruit, oak and fragrant heather.