Our first distillery tasting!
A huge thanks to Ben from Annandale distillery for popping down to present our first distillery tasting.
Our pre-tasting promo noted that after being closed for 90 years, this lowland distillery started production in 2014 with an interesting approach involving “descriptive sensory analysis” to produces two types of single malt whisky, both matured in American oak barrels – an unpeated spirit that’s described as “smooth and sophisticated”, while a peated version is depicted as “strong and powerful”.
Given Ben turned up with six cask-strength whiskies, that last part was definitely true!
It was great to hear the history of the rebirth and learn more about their approach.
What we drank:
- Man O’Words – Bourbon 5yrs old 61.6% – Retail £126
- Man O’Words – Sherry 4yrs old 60.8% – Retail £148
- Man O’Words – Red wine STR cask 3yr 62.1% – Retail £81.95
- Man O’Sword – Bourbon 5yrs old 61.1% – Retail £126
- Man O’Sword – Sherry 4yrs old 58.4% – Retail £148
- Man O’Sword – Red wine STR 3yrs old 61.5% – Retail £85.95
(Links are to either exactly what we drank or the nearest equivalent on the Annandale shop)
Dram of the night was the Man O’Words Red wine STR cask, and Ben was kind enough to donate that to the (now customary) end of tasting raffle which Alan won.
The very convivial evening at the SHOP at Micklegate SOCIAL was also further dialled up to 11 with an additional prize donated by Charles Edge London: Jenna was the excited recipient of their London Square 12yr old blend and we look forward to hearing how she gets on making the cocktails in the accompanying booklet!