March 2021
As Q1 of 2021 draws to a close, I’m left with a multitude of feelings about where we are in the world right now. On one hand, it almost feels like we might see some light at the end of the tunnel with COVID, but the deja vu of the situation gives me pause to wonder if we will ever be rid of it.
Conversely however, the whisky community is greater than ever. Devoid of any possibility of events or face-to-face human interaction, we’ve some truly excellent online environments pop up and the best of the community has shone through. I am truly grateful to be part of it.
Poignant intro aside, lets get into the month of March, and see what drams won out for me.
As always, I’ll talk about each of the runners up in turn and the winner below them.
Some links may be affiliate links that help support No Nonsense Whisky.
Runners Up
The first runner up is the Firkin Rare. It’s a delicious single cask Aultmore distilled in 2010 and ‘finished’ in a Tawny Port cask custom built for Firkin. You’ll have to watch the video below to get a bit more info on their process, but take it from me, it’s a really interesting concept and deserves to be paid attention to.
I’m on honest, this almost came out on top this month, but was edged by the winner for little more than price and availability. A really good whisky that you should get if you can
Next up is The Sexton Single Malt. An indie bottled Irish whisky, distilled at the Bushmills Distillery. It’s been given a fancy looking bottle, but it’s a bit impractical to hold well, and it nearly always spills when you pour it.
Although the liquid isn’t bad, I was left a bit underwhelmed by it as a complete package. I can’t see much reason to ever buy a second bottle of it.
The last runner up the Deanston 18 Years. This came my way via my Summerton Club membership (make sure you check them out if you’re in the UK). I was really pleased to see this when I opened the box as it’s a dram I always wanted to cover but never quite got round to buying. I’m really enjoying the bottle, and it’s a quintessential Scotch to have around, but it didn’t quite make the top stop as, personally, I’m after some bolder flavours. Top quality whisky though.
Top Dog
The winner then is the GlenAllachie 15 Year. I’ve been hearing good things about this dram since it first launched but I had been initially put off due to the sherried interactions. Those that know me well will know that I have a chequered history with sherry influence. But I took a punt on a purchase recently and lo and behold it’s absolutely lovely. The care and attention that’s gone into crafting the balance, coupled with a very reasonable price have placed this on the top spot this month.
