I picked my top ten Drams that are available in Hong Kong so whether you’re looking to buy a gift for a colleague, someone special, or treat yourself at this spiritual time of the year, here it is, I have these 10 as part of my stash and they can even be found in shops in Hong Kong, which believe it is not easy, especially the selection.
Most
of my 10 chosen Christmas whiskies contain classic festive flavours like rich
fruit cake, vanilla and cinnamon, while others make fantastic gifts. From
experimental bourbons to extravagantly-priced Scotch and everything affordable
between, there’s something on this list for everyone.
Drum
Role please… In no particular order.
1 Lagavulin
16 Year Old - Islay
One for those who like their whiskies to come with a
blast of peat smoke, the palate is dry and intense, with a distinctive saline
twang and notes of dark toffee and wood-smoke – it's powerful, but by no means
one-dimensional.
2 Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old - Islay
Called "the gentle heart
of Islay", they use unpeated barley and their water rises through
limestone and is piped in to ensure no peat character is picked up along the
way. Fresh with a hint of sea spray, the palate is soft and sweet with a surprising
maltiness. Unchillfiltered to maintain richness and purity of flavour.
3 Bowmore Islay 18 Year Old - Islay
Closed away in the finest, hand-selected oak casks and
allowed to mature at its own sedate pace, this is one of the most remarkable
wee Drams I have tried.
4 Glenfarclas 17 Year Old - Speyside
Amber
caramel and apple scent and a big caramel finish mixed with creamy citrus.
Hints of oak, complexity but finely balanced. A simple luscious expression.
5 Yamazaki 10 Year Old
This
single malt from the Yamazaki distillery in Japan has been aged in bourbon
barrels for 10 years, giving the liquid plenty of vanilla, caramel and spice
synonymous with Christmas. This one is a perfect introduction to Japanese
whisky.
6 Talisker Storm - Islands
This
has no age statement but is a 12 year old, instantly recognizable as a part of
the Johnnie Walker universe, especially the deep honey, apricot, and
honeysuckle. Just underneath these bright, sweet, fruity, and floral notes is a
nice light smoke and briny oyster shell that is a hallmark of marine style
Scotch whisky.
7 Highland Park 18 Year Old - Islands
One of my all-time favourites, this has to be one
of the most consistently excellent malt whiskies of the last ten years.
Showered with awards and praise from all quarters, in 2011 it
was Single Malt Scotch of the Year from Jim Murray getting 95.5 Points
8 Macallan
Sherry Oak 18 Year Old – Speyside
No list would be complete without The Macallan, Purple
grapes & sugarcane, cinnamon powder with orange zest, vanilla and
butterscotch, outstanding.
Ok
so number 9 & 10 is a choice, on Christmas Eve or Day when your opening
something special, here are 2 choices, one for the budget conscience drinker
and one who does not mind to splash a little on this day, sharing with loved
ones and friends.
Budget
9 Arran Machrie Moor - Islands
The Peated
Arran. Lightly peated, this mythical malt has proved a popular addition to the
Arran range. On the west coast of the Isle of Arran lies a mystical peat bog
called Machrie Moor. Bronze Age stone circles and standing stones are strewn
across its barren, undulating terrain. One of the stone circles is known as
Fingal’s Cauldron Seat, where sits a stone with a carved hole.
The legendary
warrior giant Fingal is said to have tethered his favourite dog Bran to this
stone. This peated expression of the Arran Single Malt perfectly captures the
rugged beauty and lore of the landscape. Unleash the legend that is Machrie
Moor. This one is crisp and clean with lingering smoke and sweet vanilla. A limited edition,
double matured for 12 years, aromas of poached pears, honey and toasted almonds
and whiffs of sweet red berries.
Splashing out
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