The Bottle Market in Bremen is taking place at a really good time. Mid-November is basically whiskey prime time and there is still enough time after discovering things at the trade fair to think about which bottle would be best as a gift for Christmas – before many people take a break in “Dry January”. This year was no different – and again spirits lovers and the star were drawn to the city of the town musicians to immerse themselves in the world of fine spirits.
Even though the Bottle Market offers a place for all spirits, whiskeys have a relatively firm hold on the fair. Of course, it’s not possible to try your way through all of the creations, but the huge selection allows you to take new inspiration away from the stagnant home bar. If you are looking for a high-quality whiskey – for your own selection or as a gift – here are five tips that impressed us during our tour of the Bottle Market.
The Danes are keen to experiment – ??and reliably produce very good whisky. Aside from the standard collection, the so-called “Research Series” by master distiller Stefan Baumgart invites you to think outside the box. Big this year: The Stauning Dirty Bastard. This is a rye whiskey made from mash containing rye that Stauning matured three times. First, the distillate was stored in American oak for three to four years, then in old mezcal barrels for up to a year and then another six to twelve months in “Hot Chocolate Imperial Stout” barrels, i.e. strong beer containers.
The result is an amazingly complex whiskey that skilfully combines the chocolaty notes of the strong beer, cinnamon and tobacco. The smoky note of the mezcal stays in the background in this whiskey and does not overwhelm the aromas too much. Despite the experimental approach, this is a very nice, not too heavy whiskey with fresh ideas.
The Australian distillery Starward is pursuing a similar approach – it seems to be trending – with its Stout Cask. Several characteristics make this dram special: Starward initially stores each whiskey in red wine barrels. This means that the basic tone is always fruity and full-bodied. The Stout Cask is characterized by the fact that the distillate was allowed to rest in a strong beer barrel for around 18 months. As with Stauning, this results in a chocolaty, pleasant sweetness that goes well with red wine storage.
Although a Starward is not necessarily one of the oldest bottlings, the whiskeys are surprisingly mature. This is also a question of climate, as Starward ripens its products in Melbourne, where there are high temperature fluctuations. This ultimately means more happens in the barrel – and the aromas emerge more quickly than in temperate Scotland.
If you prefer something classic, you might find what you’re looking for at Tamdhu. In expert circles, this very old but repeatedly closed distillery on Speyside is referred to as the “Poor Man’s Macallan”. Others would simply say that Tamdhu flies under the radar. Be that as it may, the products speak for themselves. A Tamdhu matures exclusively in Oloroso sherry casks and is correspondingly fruity, with a tendency towards a pleasant heaviness. As a price tip, the 15-year-old Tamdhu was shown at the bottle market, and those present even liked it a little better than the older 18-year-old version.
In terms of taste, Tamdhu is very close to Macallan, which also means that this is a smooth whiskey that will appeal to many palates. A small highlight in the range is the so-called Cigar Malt, which, according to the manufacturer, was developed specifically to be enjoyed in conjunction with a cigar. The latest edition, the Cigar Malt 3, impresses with a full-bodied, oily profile with vanilla, caramel and fruit notes that can assert themselves against aromatic cigars, but never dominate. However, the strong cask blend, which unfortunately lacks an age statement, is also quite expensive. If around 250 euros is too much for you, the 15-year-old is the perfect choice. Dealers charge around 80 euros for this – a good deal for today’s whiskey prices.
More and more German distilleries can be found at trade fairs such as the Bottle Market – a good thing, because what is distilled in this country is impressive (you can find out more here). A rock-solid, very tasty and pleasant whiskey, for example, is St. Kilian Mild
The last tip is written with an “e” – because the Pikesville Straight Rye is a whiskey – i.e. an American. The rye distillate from Maryland, USA, is pleasantly sweet, but still quite spicy. The whiskey from Pikesville is very close to a bourbon, without losing its independence. Unlike a Jack Daniel’s, there are lots of spices, vanilla and some cocoa on the palate. If you let it work, you can also discover fruits such as cherries.
It’s almost surprising that Pikesville Straight Rye is bottled at 55 percent – Americans would say 110 proof. This is unusually strong for a rye – although the whiskey never burns or is disturbing. If you want to get something classy in the bar other than Scotch, this is a surprisingly pleasant option.
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