A bottle of Grant's whiskey is sure to go down a treat
Indulge your Dad this Father's Day with a special drink, and introduce him to new ways of consuming it.
A bottle of Grant's whiskey is sure to go down a treat and you can help him to enjoy the subtle complexity of it with a personal guide to tasting and nosing whisky from our Master Blender Brian Kinsman.
Along with his team of craftsmen, Brian's job is to deliver the consistent high quality, distinctive Grant's taste. Here are Brian's top tips:
Step 1 – For the ultimate nosing and tasting it is ideal to have a tulip shaped nosing glass. If you don’t have one of these handy, any glass that has a wide bottom that narrows at the top will do the job perfectly.
Step 2 – The temperature of the glass can be very important so make sure your glass isn’t too cold or hot. Room temperature should be just perfect. If you are concerned that your glass is too cold just gently warm it between your hands for a minute or two.
Step 3 – Whisky is traditionally around 40% alcohol. The ideal nosing strength is between 25%-30% alcohol. A trick to lessen the alcohol strength of the whisky is to add water. The water will awaken the flavours in the whisky, which will allow you to nose the subtle aromas trapped within the liquid.
Step 4 –To make sure the aromas are awake, put your hand on the top of the glass and shake the whisky vigorously around the glass. This motion will ensure the aromas are released from the liquid and rise to the top of the glass.
Step 5 – Remove your hand and gently nose the top of the glass. Everyone notices different smells, but aromas that you may experience will include vanilla, sweetness, slight floral notes and perhaps rich summer fruits. Go and see what you can smell.
Step 6 – This is the best bit, when you have had a good nose, take a sip and enjoy the flavours of your whisky. Remember there is no right and wrong way to drink your whisky. Whether you enjoy it neat, or with ice - the best way, is your way.
Or why not try a bottle of Green Mark Vodka. The authentic Russian vodka recently launched in the UK and whilst this is perfect to enjoy on it's own, why not add a little mixer?
If you want to savour the full taste, pair it with some ice. But if you fancy a little bit of flavour add some limes.
If you're not into plain Vodka add pure orange or some cranberry juice for a taste of summer. Plus they're much nicer than carbonated drinks which just bloat.
Another liquer that will go down as a great present has to be Disaronno Amaretto.
This is another one to drink plain with ice. Or again add a squeeze of lime juice to give it a little kick.
A lot of people pair it with coke, but I prefer it with cranberry juice. A delicious mixture.
What will you be buying your Dad, and how will you be drinking it? Let us know in the comments below.
Tagged in Alcohol Fathers Day Orange