York Whisky Club raised a 🥃 (or six) to the bard of Scotland, with our first Burns Night tasting, offering some new, unexpected and classic drams.

As often with our tastings, we had a mix of regulars who keep coming back for more ‘usquabae’ (as Rabbie Burns would say) and new attendees. A shout out to several members of the newly formed University of York Whisky Society who came to see what we’re about and discuss an inter-generational event we’re concocting. On that theme, one attendee was delighted to taste the Glen Garioch wine cask since it was distilled in his birth year, 1998. We’ll quickly gloss over the age of the hosts and other attendees at that point…. (!)

Dram of the night was the Bunnahabhain 12 Cask Strength (2022 edition). In their words:

“Our second annual 12 Year Old Cask Strength release has been bottled at a higher abv of 56.6%, creating really intense, rich and concentrated flavours. With lots of spice, orange marmalade and bold dried fruit notes balanced with toasted oak.”

As always, we did a giveaway and first-time visitor Howie won a Darkness 8yr old sample, which in the generous spirit of the club, he regifted.

Full dram list:

• Arran Robert Burns Single Malt Scotch (43%)
• Lochlea Harvest Edition First Crop (46%)
• Carn Mor Glenallachie 2013 Oloroso (47.5%)
• Glen Garioch 1998 Wine Cask Matured (48%)
• Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old Cask Strength – 2022 Edition (56.6%)
• Laphroaig Càirdeas Warehouse 1 (52.2%)

Leaving the last word to the famous Scot:

“Inspiring bold John Barleycorn [whisky]!
What dangers thou canst make us scorn!
Wi’ tippeny [tuppenny ale], we fear nae evil;
Wi’ usquabae [whisky], we’ll face the devil!”