Favourite single malt whisky?

[Sandra Piddock]

With Christmas just around the corner, maybe your thoughts are turning to the drinks cupboard. We always treat ourselves to a couple of decent single malts for Christmas and New Year, which we share with our Scottish next door neighbour.

Our particular favourites are Glenmorangie and Isle of Jura. What about you? Any stories to accompany your choices?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Jura, Highland Park and Bushmills.

• Jura is one that I have always liked. Not sure why but...
• Highland Park Whisky came about after a visit to the distillery on Orkney where we came home is a special edition that we took the last of with us on our tour in a hip flask. made a great toast at Nordkappt to celebrate the top of Europe...
• Bushmills - a part of our world tour took us to the Giant's Causeway and we visited the distillery at the same time. We got several very large free tasters and tried one of the special whiskeys (1608 I think it was called). It was gorgeous and so very nice that the bartender gave us extra. I think you are only meant to get a sample. this sample was in a wide whiskey glass and was slightly more than 3 of his very thick fingers deep. We had one each! I think he was fed up of tourists who a) did not appreciate whiskey and were on a tour of ireland & b) appreciated us eating first to clear the rush at the bar and then taking time to talk with him about the whiskeys we were trying. regetfully the 1608 is £65 a bottle and we were on bike (thankfully that day we had actually walked from the campsite 1/2 up the road; cycling would have been interesting!) we were however provided with a free minature of their normal whiskey each....
• there was one that was part of the Dalwhinnie group, I think that we purchased in a boxed set (3 lots of 1/3L), I can't remember what the name of it was for the life of me but it was simply the best whisky I have ever tasted - good reason to get revisit the distillery.

Ironically the only bottle we have in the house is one that I think we forgot to give as a present before we left on tour... A 15 year old Glenfiddich solara reserve... Something else to add to the list of things we can't currently afford!