It’s always fabulous news when you hear that a young entrepreneur gets a chance to move a business forward and – from my perspective naturally – when this happens in the whisky world.
Over the past 18 months, I’ve watched folks like Allison Patel from Brenne Whisky conquer the US with her tenacity and great whisky, and Darren Rook and Andrew MacLeod Smith take London by storm with their London Distillery Company, among many other examples who are popping up and showing the whisky world is an inventive, ever-changing space open to all ages. It’s all revitalising, reviving and gives me a thrill about this industry.
So it was excitement that I heard Gregor Hannah, who launched Lady of the Glen whiskies last year (check out this piece I did with him in January 2013) had received support and funding from The Prince’s Trust. He details the full experience of the process and how it came together in this post on his site (including the bizarre coincidence that one of the panel he had to present his business idea to had the same name as him!) but I am thrilled to hear about it and to know that another young whisky entrepreneur is on his way further up.
And to say a further big well done I thought I’d raise a dram to Gregor. What better way to do it than with one of his?
Here are my thoughts on his latest bottling, a 21-year old Littlemill bottled at 53.6%. Limited to 309 bottles, this single cask, cask strength whisky was aged in an American oak ex-bourbon cask for its whole maturation.
Lady of the Glen Littlemill: 53.6%: £95:
(c): Buttered honey
(n): Vanilla, honey, tinned pineapples and passion fruit – it’s very zingy; it almost makes my mouth water smelling it. Then fresh oak and marzipan. With water, more toffee and apple notes come through – definitely sweeter. There is a definitive change with water and I like it both with and without.
(p): Wow! So bright! Filled with candied pineapple cubes, vanilla ice cream, yuzu, something quite floral and cola bottles, before going much earthier with a slight bitter, sour note – a bit like chewing on an aspirin if held on the palate too long. Melons come through too. With water, it’s a bit more balanced and integrated. Some more of those floral notes come through and it becomes more delicate.
(f): Cherry cola bottles; with water, cherry cough syrup and minty chewing gum wrappers.
In conclusion: A cracking dram. Full of vibrancy and freshness, but enough structure and layers for you to note the age. Fresh, fruity, summertime. Enjoy while listening to this warm, summery track from Duke Dumont.
