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Known for its smooth texture and often triple-distilled for an extra smooth result, Irish whiskey can be made from a mix of malted and unmalted barley. It must be aged for at least three years in wooden casks. Unique types of Irish whiskey include Single Pot Still Whiskey, made from a mix of malted and unmalted barley distilled in a pot still, and Single Malt Whiskey, made from 100% malted barley.
Palate: Rich and full-bodied with notes of coffee fudge, ground almonds, chocolate, gingerbread, and tangy oak that make way for fruit: a medley of dried, dark, and tropical. Since then we’ve continued to invest in those two things: people and technology. Master of Malt is a mission, but it’s also a statement. We wanted MoM to be a role model for what ‘good’ looked like in online retail. We were fed up of being the fed-up customers of other businesses which seemed to think that shitty experiences were acceptable, and we wanted to show them how wrong-minded they were by doing it right ourselves. DoubleWood, Portwood, Madeira Cask, Caribbean Cask – a pioneering production line of Balvenie ‘finishes’ that was born in that fertile period of experimentation. But if the malt’s history is written by the winners, the losers can be just as educational in their own way. Master of Malt meets Malt Master through a new Singleton expression from Dufftown Distillery: The Singleton of Dufftown Malt Master’s Selection!
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From there, Master of Malt opened a physical store and expanded its range. The store had a small but loyal customer base, but was pretty parochial compared to modern day MoM. As the friends entered their twenties they followed different paths – academic pursuits, careers and relationships – but remained very close friends, and started to devise plans to build a business together. Shortly after, he began training as a blender under legendary David Stewart MBE, creator of The Balvenie DoubleWood. Brian studied at his side, acquiring four decades of skill and experience in maintaining the quality of some of the world’s best-loved whiskies. Inspired heavily by Scotch whisky, Japanese whisky has seen a surge in global popularity thanks to its high-quality production and intricate flavours. Made with a focus on precision and a broad variety of production techniques, it can vary significantly in flavour. It wasn’t until the 1970s when Macallan came along, The Glenlivet, Glenmorangie and others. At that stage we thought: “Well, let’s bottle Balvenie.” We put it into a triangular bottle because that’s what we were used to very much at Glenfiddich. In 1973, we launched it at eight years old – Glenfiddich was eight as well and generally quite a lot of single malts that were around at that time were eight. It wasn’t a problem.’
Palate: Burnt coffee beans, dark chocolate, dried fruit, smoky BBQ sauce, flamed orange zest, and caramel.The Perth style tended to be very different from West Coast blends like Johnnie Walker which had more Islay and Campbeltown single malts. Perth whiskies lent toward nearby Speyside for their flavour profile. To keep up with demand, in the 1930s Arthur Bell & Sons acquired three distilleries Inchgower, Blair Athol, and Dufftown, and in 1975, built a new one next to Dufftown called Pittyvaich, which later closed in 1993 and was demolished. The Singleton is pitching the new bottling as the perfect introduction for those who are new to single malts, or indeed the world of whisky as a whole. However, it’s hoped that the edition will also appeal to those more well-versed in the category. This is a difficult balance to strike. We journeyed to the launch event at 100 Wardour Street, Soho, London to test this water of life and see how it fared… What’s in the glass reflects Stewart’s carefully chosen words and, in a deeper sense, the character of the man as well. Peat not as a dominant force, but as a seasoning, happy to play an accompanying role and to allow the character of the distillate to shine through. Then Glenfiddich started [as a single malt] in 1964. Gradually I was seeing more and learning more and more from [Hamish], and then he left in 1974. I was just left to get on with running the place after 10 years with the whisky.’
With The Singleton of Dufftown Malt Master’s Selection, the possibilities are endless… What’s your serve of The Singleton of Dufftown Malt Master’s Selection? My tour could have been brief because the distillery itself is a very humble, industrious, self-contained unit. But The Glasgow Distillery doesn’t do things simply. Whisky production is split into three distinct periods across the year: Palate: Classic Caol Ila notes of linseed and coastal peat, that nuttiness from the nose rides through, with heaps of dry, salted peanuts, and nut brittle. That’s the one that I’m probably most proud of, just because that’s what put Balvenie on the map, and that’s really when Balvenie sales started to become what they are today,’ Stewart says. The distillation process can vary widely, with different types of stills (pot stills, column stills) and distillation methods. For example, Scotch whisky is typically distilled twice, while Irish whiskey is usually triple-distilled, resulting in a lighter and smoother flavour.
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We tried a number of wines – maybe not always the right wines, and maybe they weren’t always sweet enough. The ones we did try were Californian wines – white and red – because they were easy to get, but they didn’t really work for us. They didn’t really change the whisky all that much.’ Gin can be made with any neutral spirit, so production methods can vary greatly. It is how the spirit is flavoured that marks the difference between the various styles. I’d say The Balvenie’s focus on craft is a unique thing,” says Stewart. “We are a family owned-and-operated company, which gives us a lot of freedom.” While this a new whisky with an updated look, from a production aspect the tradition and heritage of The Singleton and Dufftown Distillery remains. Distillation has taken place at Dufftown for over 120 years, and this single malt was created in much the same vein as many others, with a long fermentation and slow distillations.
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