I love scotch.... scotchy scotchy scotch

Wednesday 3rd of February saw The Crown and Anchor (our pub/restaurant situated in the semi-rural village of Barugh Green, Barnsley) play host to a whisky tasting evening.

Whisky expert Ed Daly (who can usually be found at The Broadfield on Abbeydale Road) talked customers through a list of 5 delectable Scotch whiskies – with plenty of tasting included too, of course.

Glenkinchie

Hailing from the Scottish Lowlands, (where there are just three distilleries left today) Glenkinchie was the lightest and easiest to drink out of all the whiskies on offer. Cereal and barley flavours appeared initially, before giving way to citrus and vanilla tones.

Tomintaul

Tomintual whisky derives from the Highland region of Speyside, famous for creating great-tasting whiskies – and it’s also the highest village in Scotland! We tried the 10 year aged Tomintual, which was a light, but flavoursome single malt.

Dalmore

Another Highland whisky, Dalmore was a more complex blend than its predecessors – and in Ed’s opinion, showcased the best bottle of the evening! Aged in sherry barrels rather than ones previously containing bourbon, Dalmore is a rich whisky which the makers themselves recommend taking as an after-dinner drink.

Bowmore 12

The whisky which divided opinion on the night! Controversial Bowmore 12 hails from Islay, an island just off the West Coast of Scotland, famous for its rich, peaty soil – a perfect environment for distilling whisky. The smoky, peaty flavour wasn’t to everyone’s taste, but on Ed’s advice, just add water if you want a sweeter finish.

Talisker 10

Another island offering, this time from the Isle of Skye, Talisker 10 was described by Ed as ‘the lovechild of Bowmore and Tomintaul’. It was also the whisky with the highest ABV of the night – a whopping 45.8%!

Look out for our other whisky tasting evenings in the near future, or if whisky isn't your thing, try one of our cocktail masterclasses!