Magazine


Whisky galore

by Chris Osuh
23/ 3/2005

I AM not, by any means, a heroic boozer myself, but I do have a bottle of Scotch in my drawer, a Christmas present.

Sadly, though much appreciated, the Scotch lies unopened. Drinking whisky can seem like chugging Listerine and the wrong swig of White Horse at the wrong time can put you off the drop for life.

I turned to the Briton's Protection on Great Bridgewater Street, the best place within miles to learn about whisky. It's a pub of the type that can be found in every good English novel, but is increasingly a rarity in the modern city centre.

The pub's colourful history goes back to 1795.

Woe betide you if you supped there during the Napoleonic War - the King's men would come in and slip "The King's Shilling" into a lush's pint. Once our unsuspecting drunkard had finished his drop and touched the coin he would be marched off to the army.

The décor dates back to 1892. It's cosy and lush, with nooks, snugs and crannies in which you might find gentlemen and eccentrics, and "muriels" on the wall depicting vivid scenes from history.

It has a regular collection of 237 Scottish and Irish single malts, bourbons, blended whiskies and house whiskies, starting at £1.90, with a couple at £6.90, the rarest a Wild Turkey Reserve.

Marcus Stephens, who shares ownership of the pub with Peter Barnett, is going to guide me through the Red Breasts, Bushmills and Fighting Cocks that line the shelves behind the bar.

He started taking nips of whisky when he was eight-years-old, because "it was tasty", although these days he prefers to drink rarely, with discrimination.

Marcus, 40, of Wilmslow, tells me many casual whisky drinkers favour the big brands, Teachers, Bells, Whyte and Mackay, maybe a Glenfiddich at Christmas, and are unaware of the diversity the tipple offers. I'm advised not to try more than five whiskys in a session, and to drink water in between to cleanse the palate. My guide tells me certain whiskies are enhanced by a drop of water, but he favours the drink straight to capture the full flavour. This suits me fine. I start with a Caol Ila 12 year, Scottish single malt. It's light, with a deceptively perfume-like fragrance and a smoky taste. It's not bad, but the smell reminds me of that tale in which Oliver Reed buts Chanel in Alex Higgins whisky. I won't be drinking it again.

Marcus tells me he believes a really good whisky should be kept for 20 to 25 years, although younger ones can be much smoother, and shouldn't be overproduced. Years of craftsmanship handed down produces the unique flavours, which range from the flowery to the husky, depending on the casks and the subtle flavours added in the maturation process.

I move on to a generous measure of Irish single malt, Middleton Very Rare. This is a brandy drinker's whiskey, sweet, smooth and rich with a fudgy, caramel taste. I like it.

I sip some water and move on to the next, a Glenfiddich 15 year. It smells like grapes, smooth but not sweet, burning slightly as it goes down. You can sense the wood in this winter warmer, it's a classic.

The next stop is a Ledaig 20 year single malt. Deep and harsh, it's not as rich as the Middleton, but has a delicate fragrance and a smoky aftertaste. It seems to runs down the tongue, but it's a bit gruff for me.

My final choice is the Rip Van Winkle, 15 years-old. If I were Jilly Goulden, I would say it smelt like November and tasted like the American Civil War. It packs a punch at 53.5%, and has a treacly burn that eases and gets sweeter the more of it you drink. It's proper liquor - and caustic with it.

It's been emotional. I've taken a journey through the mists of Scotland, the valleys of Ireland, and the dirt roads of the Deep South.

None of the whiskies quite hit the spot but I've certainly enjoyed myself.

Armed with my new education, I'm determined to extend my repertoire, but I think I'll be saying, "Pass the Courvoisier", more often than "Scotch and threat, Shelly love", for a while just yet.


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