Whisky gets new flavours
One of the fastest growing categories in the US is flavoured whisky. Oops! That was my first reaction when I read that piece of news. Yes, I had heard of whisky being consumed with honey to banish colds, but now apparently several manufacturers are doing this commercially too — flavouring whisky to make it taste sweeter.
The addition of flavours such as cherry, honey and cinnamon are seen as softening the robust nature of American whiskey and bourbon, giving the spirits a sweeter and more accessible flavour profile. Many argue this is a more approachable way of drinking whisky. Bacardi is releasing a honey favoured Scotch. The launch of Jim Beam Red Stag, a black cherry-infused version of the familiar bourbon, arguably took things mainstream in 2009. There are cinnamon and pumpkin spiced whiskies too.
Great as aperitifs, some single malt whiskies are light, crisp and fragrant with a freshly cut grass aroma. These light and floral whiskies are perfect for warm Indian summers. Why then would one need additional flavours to mar the taste of the whisky? I fail to understand. American bourbon is naturally a sweeter whisky than, say, Scotch whisky. That’s because of the vanilla and sweet, woody aroma released by the newly-charred American oak barrels that are used to age it. So that’s fine.
My lady friends prefer the slightly sweet single malts with rich undertones of dry fruits and nuts. The Singleton of Dufftown, for example. They say this is perfect for an after dinner drink. Men surprisingly enjoy Black Velvet Toasted Caramel Flavoured Whisky, which is a lush, smooth and complex flavoured whisky, infused with sweet caramel flavour. A bartender once joked that flavoured whiskies are a result of the palate getting used to coffee with various sweet syrups, now so common, at coffee chains. “They’ve ruined our palate,” he complained.
For those who are discovering whisky for the first time, may enjoy flavoured ones, but not connoisseurs for sure.
Mini is a food writer
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