Why Whisky Is The New Gin

By now we all know just about everything there is to know about Gin. For the last few years, we’ve been bombarded with the stuff, whether it’s served with cucumber and artisanal tonic, made in small batches or even from rhubarb (no word of a lie).

But what about the warmer of the cockles that is a wee dram of whisky? Well, you read it here first but the big W is having a moment too. And it’s not just for winter either.

Because this Saturday (15th May) is World Whisky Day, when bartenders around the globe are uniting to celebrate the spirit in all its glory with cocktails and tastings.

Still not convinced that whisky’s the drink for you?

Well, you’ll be pleased to hear that bars and distilleries are beginning to market whisky more at women – through dreaming up delicious whisky-based cocktails and some interesting new products too.

For example, take SPEY Tenne (£35.95) and our personal favourite of those we tasted. Finished in tawny port casks, it looks a bit like a rose wine and is aimed at those who are new to to the spirit. Sweeter than your average dram, it’s light and easy to drink. Plus it comes in a gorgeous bottle with a little tartan trim!

Next up is Grace O’Malley (£33.99). One of the first Irish whiskeys (you add an E when it’s Irish – who knew? Well not us until today) to be named after a woman, Grace O’Malley Blended Irish Whiskey is dedicated to the legendary 16th Century Irish Pirate Queen. Stephen Cope, founder and MD of Grace O’Malley Spirits, told Belle About Town: “We are very excited to share the story of Grace O’Malley with the UK market through our premium whiskeys. Far from ordinary like the whiskey itself, Grace O’Malley was a fearless seafarer who broke with the conventions of her time.”

Boasting one of the highest malt contents in the blended whiskey category at 46%, this special blend combines whiskeys with age statements that range from three to ten years old. Each batch is then matured in a range of barrels, including French Oak, ex-Bourbon, and ex-Rum casks. The resulting blend delivers a whiskey perfectly balanced between flavour, age character, complexity, and smoothness. We also found that this blend makes for a perfect base for cocktails including the Old Fashioned, a Whiskey Sour and a Whiskey Highball.

Tried and tested brand Grant’s offer their long-standing Family Reserve whisky (£16.99) – again a sweeter, richer drink with a vanilla flavour and light fragrance. Try it with ginger ale, Angostura bitters and a an orange wedge for a cocktail with a kick.

Another affordably inviting brand,  The Famous Grouse have brought out their Mellow Gold (£22 RRP) this year. Aged in Spanish sherry casks and charred American oak bourbon casks, this has an altogether sweeter mellower character that might appeal to anyone scared off by the ‘burn’ often attached to the taste of whisky.

The Glen Moray Classic is a quality Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Elgin, the capital of Speyside, Scotland’s most famous whisky region. The distillery has been producing fine malt whisky, distilled in traditional copper stills, on the banks of the River Lossie since 1897. The craft of producing this elegant and well-rounded Single Malt has been passed from generation to generation ensuring the legacy of the Glen Moray Distillery continues. Glen Moray is a great entry drink into the world of whisky. It offers excellent value and is an approachable whisky with butterscotch and shortbread on the nose and a lightly spiced mouthfeel with malty toffee notes and a lemongrass tang. RRP: £20 for 70cl.

Patricia Dillon, managing director of Speyside Distillers Company Ltd who produce SPEY Tenne reckons that whisky and women are a winning combination.

She told Belle About Town: “In recent years Rhianna, Christina Hendricks, Lady Gaga and Hilary Clinton have been connected with whisky brands or made it known that they enjoy a wee dram. But that’s not necessarily anything new – iconic Hollywood star Ava Gardner said during the height of her fame that she wanted to die with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of whisky in the other!”

So, forget the hard drinking Don Drapers of this world and check out whisky’s more feminine side this World Whisky Day.