10 Whiskies to Try on Burns Night (and Beyond)

In homage to Burns Night we asked James Thewlis, the man responsible for the recently launched 60-strong whisky list at The Plough in Harborne to share his top ten whiskies with us.

The selection takes in five traditional Scotch whiskies, but given the recent rise of 'New World whiskies, he's also thrown in five drams from around the world.

As you might guess, the're all available at The Plough in Harborne, starting at £3.50 a dram (that's roughly a shot for all you whisky novices out there).

Scotland

1. Bruichladdich the laddie classic, single malt 

Stunning in all areas, crisp, fruity, with sweetness infused from years in American bourbon casks.

2. Balblair 03 single malt

A vintage highland whisky from 2003, floral and spicy with a touch of honey.

3. Ardbeg 10 year old single malt 

A fantastic example of an Islay malt, possibly the sexiest of all of them all. This distillery was not so long ago closed for business, but reopened under new ownership in the late 90s.

4. Edradour 11 year old burgundy finish 

It has a strength of 57.3% so don't be afraid to add a few drops of water to open this up a little. With only 439 bottles made, and 2 of them at The Plough, you may have trouble finding your own, but you know where to come if you want to try it.

5. Compass box, Great King Street

From the master blenders at compass box, this "artist's blend' is a combination of malt and grain whiskies from some of Scotland's top distilleries.

Rest of the world

6. The Wild Geese single malt – Ireland

Of course we had to have an Irish 'whiskey' in our selection. Triple distilled and extremely smooth the Wild Geese single malt is buttery with hints of vanilla.

7. Wasmund's single malt whisky – Virginia

This whisky is no longer in production, so get it while you still can. This single malt from Virginia is like nothing you would expect. Intrigued?

Luckily we have a couple of bottles stashed away so it won't be disappearing off our list just yet.

8. Chichibu 2009 the floor malted – Japan

If you haven't tried a whisky from Japanese distilling guru Ichiro Akuto, then why not start with this one. With a nod to Scotland, it's perfect for a Burns Night dram.

9. Mackmyra 15 year old single malt – Sweden

Sweden? Whisky? Oh yes, and rather good it is too. Released in 2008, it has been picking up awards ever since. It's gentle, fruity and easy to drink

10. Sullivans Cove double cask single malt - Australia 

Tasmania has long been well known for producing high quality wine, and now the distilleries on this southern Australian island are starting to gain recognition around the globe. My pick is Sullivans Cove. With only about 120 casks produced each year, quality is the priority of this light fruity whisky.

Something to eat...

And if you get hungry, The Plough has added three Burns Night specials to its menu: Haggis Sunday Lunch, Scotch Broth and Venison burger.

James Thewliss is the Product Development Manager at The Plough.

You can follow him on Twitter here.

Author: ahmed