The Whiskey Starter Kit

Experience the art of Whisk(e)y.

The Amber Kingdom of Whisk(e)y is vast and diverse, and if you’re a novice explorer, you have to start somewhere—or if you’re a seasoned aficionado in need of a new tasting adventure, trying three new offerings shouldn’t hurt. This tasting flight was designed to give you a quick, 360° vista of the Whiskeyland with three main genres: Scotch, Irish Whiskey, and Bourbon.

Each expression represents the unique characteristics of its home region, showcasing the delightful differences between “Whiskey terroirs” and the beautiful similarities that reveal their relatedness. “Noob” or a pro, we say it’s time to pop open these vials and experience the art of Whisk(e)y.

Your flavorful expedition begins in Northern Ireland, in Old Bushmills Distillery, where Whisky has been made for over four centuries. (How time flies, huh?!) Bushmills 12-Year-Old used to be a distillery-only reserve and is deliciously approachable despite being quite complex. Naturally, it was triple-distilled and is made from 100% malted barley—spending over eleven years in a combination of Oloroso Sherry casks and ex-Bourbon barrels before they put it for another 6-9 months in Marsala wine casks. You can expect opulence in flavors with floral and fruity notes, with an echo of dark chocolate.

Your next stop is just a hop across the North Channel in the Scottish Highlands: the Ardnamurchan peninsula. The eponymous Adnamurchan AD is the distillery’s first core release after a series of delicious experiments, and it was made with a combo of peated and unpeated malt, matured in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks and ex-Bourbon barrels. The nose will remind you of popcorn, oranges, and late summer, with the aromas beautifully translating to the palate—with an addition of chocolate, limes, and sea salt notes.

To wrap your Whisk(e)y journey up, your tasting flight (geddit?) will take you to Kentucky. Rare Stash Bourbon #2 is marketed as “not your average Kentucky Bourbon,” and while anyone can claim that, it is something special about this one. See, former UFC champ Dustin Poirier is a passionate collector of rare Whiskey, and to share his appreciation for the dram, he co-created this very blend. It was carefully crafted from a 33-barrel lot, with 30 barrels contributing an 8.5-year-old and three #4 char barrels adding an 8.5-year-old Bourbon. Various regions, different climates, one delicious union. Rich and sweet with warm notes of vanilla, butterscotch, and chocolate.

This is your captain speaking: fasten your seatbelts, get your glasses ready, and get ready to taste. Welcome to the world of Whisk(e)y.

Smartass Corner:

1) The word "Whiskey" comes from the Gaelic phrase "uisce beatha," which means "water of life."

2) The oldest known bottle of Whisky is believed to be a bottle of Old Vatted Glenlivet 1862, which sold for $71,700 in 2010.

3) The flavor of Bourbon is influenced by the climate and environment where it's aged, with hotter climates producing sweeter, more caramelized flavors.

4) Bushmills is the oldest licensed distillery in Ireland, with a history dating back to 1608.

5) Did you know that 42 bottles of Whisky are exported from Scotland every second? That's enough to keep even the most enthusiastic whisky drinker satisfied.

6) Bourbon has a bit of an identity crisis. Some people believe it was named after Bourbon County in Kentucky, while others believe it was named after Bourbon Street in New Orleans. We'll let the historians sort that one out.

7) In certain Latin American countries, people say 'Whisky' instead of 'cheese' when posing for photographs. We're not sure why, but we're willing to go along with it.

8) According to Charles Joughin, the baker on board the doomed Titanic, Whisky can help you survive in cold water for hours. He claimed he was able to tread water for three hours before being rescued, thanks to the amount of Whisky he had drunk prior to the accident. We don't recommend trying this at home.

9) In 1956, Whiskey replaced William in the NATO phonetic alphabet.

10) George Washington was a man of many talents, including distilling Whiskey. His distillery was one of the biggest of its time, but unfortunately, it was destroyed by a fire a few years after opening. We can only imagine how much history went up in flames that day.