Happy Father’s Day – why not celebrate with a dram, or two, or three! From super premium malt whisky distilled in the foothills of the Himalayas to an iconic blended Scotch or for something a bit different, an English Single Malt. These whiskies make for a truly special gift to suit all whisky palates:
Rampur Select Indian Single Malt Whisky
This super premium malt whisky is distilled in traditional copper pot stills, matured at Rampur Distillery, India’s largest and oldest distillery dating back to 1943, in the foothills of the Himalayas and then non chill-filtered and bottled at 43%.
The unique distilling location of the Himalayan foothills exposes the whiskies to polar opposite climate conditions throughout the year, with the flavour of the famous Indian Summer giving Rampur Whiskies an added dimension and depth. Indian whisky matures significantly more quickly than other whiskies, such as Scotch and Irish Whisky.
Rampur Indian Single Malt Whisky is smooth, with a mellow taste with a long-lasting finish. It is distinctively malty, with creamy vanilla taste with hints of apricot, apple and sweet and wine-like finish
RRP: £49.95 for 70cl (ABV 43%) Available from: thewhiskyexchange.com
Rampur Double Cask Indian Single Malt Whisky
Rampur Double Cask Single Malt is a hand crafted single malt whisky matured in hand-selected American Bourbon barrels as well as European Oak Sherry casks chosen by Master Distiller, Anup Barik.
Distilled in traditional copper pot stills, the malt matures for two-thirds of its life in handpicked American Bourbon Barrels and a third in European Oak Sherry Casks at India’s largest distillery and is then non-chill-filtered and bottled at 45%. The combination of Rampur’s unique distilling and the double cask maturation process, sees this luxury Single Malt taking traditional Indian heritage and rooting it in contemporary culture. Delicate balsamic vanilla notes from the American white oak compliment the full-bodied aroma whilst rich caramel, dried dark fruits and spiced tonality from the European oak add to the depth of flavour.
RRP: £60 for 70cl (ABV 45%) Available exclusively from www.thewhiskyexchange.com
Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky
Award winning Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky was launched in October 2017, and is the first whisky ever distilled in the Cotswolds. The distillery uses 100% locally grown, floor-malted barley and matures the whisky in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and reconditioned red wine casks. This English whisky is rich, fruity and sippable with notes of honey, Seville orange marmalade and dark red fruits. Each bottle lists the barley variety, harvest year and local Cotswolds farm it was grown on.
RRP: £44.95 for 70cl (ABV 46%) Available from: waitrose.com, majestic.co.uk , thewhiskyexchange.com, Harrods, Laithwaites and cotswoldsdistillery.com
Cotswolds Founder’s Choice Single Malt Whisky
This cask strength release from the Cotswolds Distillery comes from their founder Dan’s favourite casks: shaves, toasted and re-charred American Oak red wine barriques. These uniquely active casks give a rich and intense maturation to the distillery’s fruity spirit, offering toffee, oak and red fruits, and a beautiful, deep colour.
Cotswolds Founder’s Choice Single Malt Whisky was awarded ‘Best English Single Malt’ at the World Whiskies Awards 2019
RRP: £64.95 for 70cl (ABV 60.4%) Available from cotswoldsdistillery.com, Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange.
J&B Rare Blended Scotch Whisky
J&B Rare has been distilled, blended and bottled in Scotland since the 1930’s and is a blend of 42 malt and grain whiskies. The heart of J&B Rare is formed from the finest Speyside malts including Knockando, Glen Spey, Auchriosk and Strathmill. The blend is returned to the cask for a further three years’ maturation which brings together the bold flavours of the single malts with the lighter grain whiskies adding fullness and depth to the blend.
This iconic whisky has become a recognised symbol of sophistication around the world and has transformed tastes and perception of blended whisky. J&B Rare is smooth with an elegant taste, fruity and aromatic on the nose and has a flavour that layers rich fruitiness and vanilla. As it is lighter than single malts it is the perfect addition to the cocktail cabinet.
RRP: £22.50 for 70cl (ABV 40%) Available to purchase from: Waitrose, thewhiskyexchange.com masterofmalt.com and Justerini & Brooks .