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DD: Can you share with us some tips on how
people can create cocktails with
blended whiskies?
KS: Blended whiskies are just perfect for cocktails as
there’s so much we can do to play up the different
notes and characters. One of the best ways to start is
to play with the variants of classic cocktails. Take for
example the flavour profile of the Johnnie Walker
Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask and Rye Finish which
is really close to bourbon. When developing the
four cocktails around Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask
and Rye Finish, I looked for inspirations in signature
bourbon-based cocktails like a Manhattan, creating
a twist with stirred vermouth or pairing bourbon
with mint or peaches. All these flavours work well
in Southern cocktails. One of the cocktails created
was Blender’s Summer, a very simple and refreshing
cocktail of lemon, lime and orange wedges, bringing
a nice and refreshing acidity to the bold and smoky
flavours of the whisky.
DD: What makes this Blenders’ Batch second
expression different?
KS: This is the second expression in the Blenders’
Batch range under Johnnie Walker’s umbrella of
experimental whiskies which are really pushing
the boundaries on what whiskies can taste like.
Master blender, Jim Beveridge and his team
are always experimenting and with the second
expression of Blenders’ Batch, they wanted to
get under the skin of the flavours traditionally
associated with American rye and bourbon
whiskies to produce Scotch with really interesting
twists. If you compare it to the iconic Johnnie
Walker Black Label which is a little bit smoky, this
is sweeter with notes of honey, vanilla, and dried
fruits. Just imagine a smooth, sweet Scotch with
the warming vanilla spiciness usually associated
with Johnnie Walker Black Label and the unique
sweetness and vanilla notes of bourbon and rye. It
is also different from the first expression, the Red
Rye Finish, which was created using a blend of just
four whiskies, including Cardhu single malt for its
vibrant, fresh fruitiness, along with creamy, vanilla
grain whisky from Port Dundas. The honey notes in
this Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask and Rye Finish
allow for almost a dessert-like cocktail. The blends
in there make the flavours really unique and
special. One of them is from the now closed Port
Dundas, so you can never re-create that sweet
fruitiness and grain whisky flavour.
DD: Anything important to note about
this whisky?
KS: I love working with whisky and this expression
has been a dream. It is a flavourful and versatile
whisky that enables both bartenders and whisky
fans at home to have an ideal base to make
exceptional Scotch cocktails. It’s really a very easy
blend to enjoy. Aged in first-fill bourbon casks and
finished for up to six months in former rye whisky
casks, the Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon
Cask and Rye Finish gives us spice notes with
exceptional smoothness and sweetness. The small
number of individual whiskies used in its creation
would normally have been set aside for inclusion
in Johnnie Walker Black Label, but they identified
specific casks when used in the right way would
shine on their own – and they really do in this case.
Everyone is going back to basics. Bourbon is one
of the more popular options and this finish is just
the perfect balance of flavours making it really
versatile. It’s just one in the many experimental
expressions that Johnnie Walker hopes to release
and I’m excited for the next few batches. DD
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