A lovely and aromatic Blended Malt pulled from the enviable cellars of Hunter Laing.
Hunter Laing & Company is one of those old-time independent bottlers with a serious knack for finding rare casks of Whisky and issuing special, limited release bottlings that preserve all that character. That what they do and they do it really well. They have issued a few custom blends, but they specialize in rare Single Malts from their vast collection. But just this year they opened their own distillery — Ardnahoe on the the island of Islay — and we expect great things to come.
Highland Journey is blended from some of the finest distilleries in the Highlands and aged in ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks. As with any secret formula, the full list of participated Single Malts is a closely held secret. But the representative names Blair Athol, Clynelish, and Glen Garioch are casually dropped into the conversation as we review the dram. We all agree, however, that this is a lovely dram indeed. Aromatic, sweet and fruity on the front, and creamy on the finish.
Smartass corner:
The naming designation laws in the UK changed a bit in 2009, so let’s review. “Single Malt” is made from water and malted barley at a single distillery. “Single Grain” is made from water, malted barley, and any number of other grains at a single distillery. “Blended Malt” is a combination of Single Malts, and “Blend Grain” is a combination of Single Grains. “Blended Scotch” is any combination of the others. All must be aged a minimum of three years.