So, You Think You Know Your Whisky?

Here at Regal Whisky, we pride ourselves on our knowledge of the amber gold. Most whisky drinkers do, it just seems to go hand in glass with our personas, right?

So, rather than the usual topics that I’m sure you’re up to speed on, we’ve decided to hit you with 10 bottles that will test your observation skills, and you whisky palette memory. 

Can you name them from just a brief description? Or will you need a prompt from our disguised bottles as a clue? 

Pour yourself a glass of your favourite gold and give them a crack. 

They get a little trickier as you go so Just click on the bottles if you get stuck. 

Good luck!

 

1. 

A Speyside single malt. Matured in ‘first fill’ American oak casks. “A perfect balance of late summer flowers and ripe fruit aromas”. The nose is vivid and woody, with subtle black pepper notes lingering in the shadows. 

2. 

This beauty comes out of an undisclosed Islay distillery. Only a handful of people are privy to which one. It’s a single malt named after the ruins of a Castle.

Bourbon oak casked. It has a peaty, almost salty smokiness with a slightly medicinal background. 

 

3. 

First produced in 1963, this recreation commemorates the 'Original' single malt.

In their own words: “Fruity and floral with the hallmark hint of pear. Subtle oak notes and a youthful, biscuity character”.

4. 

Here’s one you will recognise immediately (or will you?). It gets its name from the movement of the bottle if given a little nudge. 

The deep old gold colour and sweet nose entice you into a fruity finish with hints of smoke and oak. 

5. 

Slightly trickier this one.

In their own words: “Triple distilled blend of all three types of Irish whiskey. However, it has a high proportion of pot still and malt whiskeys”.

A deep spice flavour with a chocolaty note. Dried fruits and nut accompany the chocolate, giving an almost praline taste.

How are you doing at the halfway stage? Don’t get too confident, the last five are much harder.

So, pour yourself another and get comfortable. Some of these are going to be hard to crack … 

 

6. 

Back to Islay for a real tester.

In their own words: “Enter into realms of sweet treacle toffee, navigate thick clouds of aniseed, menthol and soot, before finally re-emerging through a dense nebular of peat and smoke. Whisky will never be the same again.”

For an added clue – they’ve also produced a ‘WEE BEASTIE’.

 

 

7. 

Here’s a curveball for you.

'World's Best Blended Whisky' winner (4 times no less). A 17-Year-Old matured in rare Japanese Mizunara oak casks. The makers have now discontinued this fine drop so if you see one, bag it. 

Flavour belts of herbs, oranges, demerara sugar and a gentle hint of oak. A great long finish too, with chocolate tunes left playing on your tonsils.

8. 

For three decades this highly sought-after drop of Speyside gold was matured in American white oak barrels. It was also the final malt resting in the distillery when it closed in 2011. 

Bottled at 51.1% ABV in 2019, this fragrant dram offers soft fruit, fresh pineapple and sweet honey balanced with gentle warming spices for an incredibly long, smooth finish. 

9. 

Travel back in time with us now for the drop of your dreams.

This one is the second ‘replica’ release from a Master Blender. Created from a combination of two re-discovered pre-twentieth century casks. Rich in summer fruits, light vanilla fudge, sweet oak and wood spice. The bottle is modelled on the original Victorian style.

10. 

Your last one is an absolute belter. Only 191 bottles of it were ever released, so give yourself extra plaudits for a correct answer. Distilled in 2001 - and matured in a ‘first-fill’ American white oak ex-Bourbon cask.

Bottled in 2018 - to commemorate the distillery’s 175th anniversary. This single malt is aged for 16 years and gives a lingering fruitiness with spikey notes of spice and oak. 

How did you do?  

Best case scenario: You knew them all from just the descriptions – Wow! You really know your stuff – and you really know how to bend the truth ????

Honest case scenario: You had a bit of a stab at the photos then sat off to enjoy your whisky – Bravo.

Worst case scenario: You didn’t get any without clicking on the bottles, but you had a lovely 15 mins with your favourite drop of gold.

Win, win, right?