When somebody wins Unbiased Bottler of the 12 months 3 times operating, you hearken to their whisky suggestions.
Gregor Hannah, Director of Girl of the Glen, has spent over a decade sourcing distinctive casks and constructing considered one of Scotland’s most revered impartial bottling operations. Ranging from scratch in 2012 with backing from the Prince’s Belief, he’s reworked his ardour into a worldwide model that ships worldwide.
However experience means nothing with out style. Hannah’s alternatives span every thing from dependable on a regular basis drams to once-in-a-lifetime bottles that redefine what whisky may be.
From a New Zealand distillery constructed on a gold mine to a Speyside gem that realigned his understanding of tropical notes, these are the whiskies which have formed one of many trade’s most discerning palates. Whether or not you’re after your subsequent informal sipper or attempting to find that good special day bottle, Hannah’s picks supply one thing for each whisky lover’s journey.
The Excellent Social Sipper
Tomintoul 15 12 months Outdated 2008 Tawny Port Cask End
On the subject of informal consuming with buddies, Hannah reaches for Tomintoul with out hesitation.
“The place attainable after I go to a bar I prefer to get a Tomintoul of some type or one other,” he explains. It’s the distillery’s strategy to finishes that wins him over. “I feel their finishes do what they are saying on the bottle and I really like that candy, delicate Speyside model when it’s not blown away by the end however married properly.”
The 15-year-old tawny port end exemplifies this stability completely.
Below Robert Fleming’s steerage, Tomintoul has mastered the artwork of enhancement moderately than domination – letting that light Speyside character shine by way of while including layers of wealthy, fruity complexity from the port cask. Hannah’s confidence within the distillery runs deep. Girl of the Glen’s personal Tomintoul Amontillado end received Single Cask of the 12 months on the Nationwide Whisky Awards.
“It’s only a very adaptable spirit which works properly in numerous varieties. I feel a vertical tasting of Tomintoul can be an important tasting occasion!”
The Dependable Recommender
Some whiskies earn their status by way of flashy finishes or excessive age statements. Others merely ship precisely what you want, each single time.
Hannah’s go-to advice falls firmly within the latter camp. The Oban Distillers Version represents every thing he values in a reliable dram – distillery character that hasn’t been overwhelmed by wooden affect, married with simply sufficient complexity to maintain issues fascinating.
“I actually benefit from the Diageo Distillers editions particularly the Oban as an everyday dram,” he explains.
The ex-Montilla end units it other than the same old sherry cask crowd. Whereas most distilleries attain for Pedro Ximénez or Oloroso, this much less frequent fortified wine provides “richness with ginger and dried fruit character” with out masking Oban’s coastal Highland persona.
“As a product I feel its actually stable and it provides you the specified stability of distillery character with a wealthy fruity cask end.”
His solely grievance? “I solely want that there was a cask power model I might strive.”
The Hidden Gem
Glenburgie 1995 Girl of the Glen #6721
Some whiskies change every thing you thought you knew about flavour.
Hannah’s 27-year-old Glenburgie bottling from 2022 was a kind of revelatory moments. “I had not had a variety of Glenburgie previous to this and it was Paul, our model ambassador, that actually constructed the thrill up for this previous to it arriving within the warehouse.”
The anticipation was value it.
“Upon tasting we discovered that it had developed unimaginable tropical flavours that have been so distinct that it virtually realigned my understanding of tropical notes in whisky tasting notes,” Hannah remembers. “It was unforgettable.”
Glenburgie not often will get the highlight it deserves, usually overshadowed by its extra well-known Speyside neighbours. However this single cask proved that given time and the fitting circumstances, this underrated distillery can produce one thing really distinctive.
It’s the form of discovery that reminds you why impartial bottlers matter – discovering these forgotten gems that redefine what a distillery can obtain.
The Dream Bottle
Skilled jealousy generally is a highly effective endorsement, and Hannah isn’t shy about admitting when one other bottler will get it completely proper. The annual Finlaggan Feis Ile from Classic Malt Whisky Firm is precisely the form of launch that retains impartial bottlers awake at night time – distinctive liquid at honest pricing that sells out immediately.
“Naturally as a small enterprise proprietor in a really aggressive market I’m vulnerable to suits of jealousy with regards to people releases,” he admits with attribute honesty. “A model and liquid I actually charge is Finlaggan from the Classic Malt Whisky Firm. Yearly they do a Feis ile launch for the Feis and I feel its at all times prime notch and good worth for cash too.”
However this explicit bottle means greater than enterprise envy.
Hannah’s copy was bought throughout Feis Ile with Maria, his girlfriend on the time, now spouse. “It was nice vacation that we each look again on fondly, this Whisky typified that point.” Typically one of the best whiskies aren’t nearly what’s within the glass – they’re about capturing good moments you’ll treasure without end.
The Daring End
Lagavulin 2024 Jazz Competition Launch 14 12 months Outdated Cabernet Sauvignon 56.1%
Hannah’s relationship with Lagavulin runs deep.
“I really like Lagavulin, sometimes I at all times have a bottle on my shelf able to pour as a midweek dram,” he says. There’s only one frustration: “Its been a persistent frustration that I’ve not been in a position to bottle a Lagavulin cask however by no means say by no means…”
On the subject of finishes, he’s sometimes a purist. “I often favor Lagavulin with out finishes and simply quietly matured in a refill hogshead moderately than a stout cask or wine cask.”
So this Jazz Competition launch introduced a problem to his preferences.
“My preliminary ideas have been ‘I’d have most well-liked this with out the end’ however then as I had a number of extra drams of this I grew to get pleasure from it a bit extra.” The important thing was the strong spirit holding its personal towards the wine affect, growing “a definite blackberry be aware” that labored fantastically when opened up with water.
“I used to be glad it was bottled at greater power because it actually bought higher with a little bit water because the dram opened up.”
Typically one of the best whiskies are those that change your thoughts.
The Worldwide Wild Card
Typically one of the best discoveries occur if you least count on them.
Hannah’s 2017 journey to New Zealand coincided with a Lions rugby tour – nevertheless it was a distillery go to that left the lasting impression. “This distillery was held in actually excessive regard by the native inhabitants and with Whisky outlets in New Zealand so I used to be actually excited to go to the distillery which was allegedly constructed on a gold mine!”
The tour itself was barely disappointing – no whisky to pattern, simply liqueurs.
However persistence paid off. “We really went to a neighborhood bar after the distillery go to and we bought to strive a few of the precise Whisky there. We managed to strive a Sherry Butt of the stuff and I sadly can’t actually bear in mind a lot about it nevertheless it was nonetheless actually early on within the Cardrona journey and mine.”
What sticks isn’t the tasting notes – it’s the second of discovery. Discovering distinctive whisky in sudden locations, from a distillery actually constructed on treasure, throughout what was meant to be a rugby journey.
“It was nonetheless actually early on within the Cardrona journey and mine.”
Typically one of the best whiskies are those that remind you there’s at all times extra to discover.
From on a regular basis sippers to once-in-a-lifetime discoveries, Hannah’s alternatives show that nice whisky isn’t nearly age statements or prestigious distilleries. It’s about discovering that good stability between craft and character, whether or not it’s Tomintoul’s light finishes or a forgotten Glenburgie that redefines tropical notes fully.
The mark of a real whisky knowledgeable isn’t simply figuring out what’s good – it’s understanding why it really works and when to succeed in for it.
What’s your personal whisky discovery story? The bottle that modified every thing, or the dram that completely captured a second? Typically one of the best suggestions come from fellow fanatics who’ve been precisely the place you are actually.
