December Whiskies of the Month
As the year draws to a close, we’re raising a glass to Scotland’s holiday traditions from Winter Solstice rituals to New Year’s Eve celebrations in December’s Whiskies of the Month.
Lowland – KinGlassie Double Matured
Our story begins on New Year’s Eve 1986, when three Edinburgh locals devised a plan to tackle the New Year. In the morning, they made their way to South Queensferry and, in the shadow of the Fourth Bridge, jumped into the freezing waters of the Fourth. Despite the shock, they all agreed it was the perfect way to wash off the wear and tear of the previous year and vowed to do it again the following year, this time for charity.
As the years went by the tradition grew, attracting more people. They began to dress up in costume, were egged on by pipe bands and were warmed by bowls of porridge prepared for them by the organisers. It reached national attention when it became an official part of the Edinburgh Hogmanay Festival in 2011.
Today, there are Loony Dooks all over the Eastern Lowlands from Dunbar and North Berwick in East Lothian to Dalgety Bay and St Andrews in Fife, home to our first Whisky: the KinGlassie.
The site of Inchdairnie Distillery, makers of the KinGlassie, is a former part of the Inchdairnie estate, owned by the Ayton family since the 1500s. It is also close to the Prinlaw Mills that used to produce flour for the region. The distillery began producing sprit in 2015 and prides itself on its ‘seasonal distillation’, achieved by local barley strains and open fermentation. It also produces other grain spirits such as Rye Whisky and Oat Sprit, incredibly rare here in Scotland.
Highland – The Hearach Oloroso
The traditional holiday celebrated here in Scotland before Christmas was the Winter Solstice, a Pagan celebration falling on the shortest day of the year to appease the Gods and allow the sun to return. However, these celebrations began to change as a new group of people began making their way to Scotland: The Vikings. Vikings began raiding in Scotland as far back as the late 8th century but by the 9th century, they had begun to settle and establish Kingdoms.
The main Norse stronghold in Scotland was the Hebrides; the group of islands found on the west coast of Scotland. In fact, the name Hebrides is likely derived from a Norse word that means ‘islands on the edge of the sea’ and many island names are also Norse in origin, such as Harris ‘High Land.’
The Vikings brought their ships, their language and their traditions including Yule, a Norse holiday to celebrate mid-winter and meaning ‘feast.’ These traditions would have been practiced in the Hebrides for at least 400 years.
The Hearach Whisky is one that perfectly links with the idea of mid-winter celebrations. It’s long maturation in hand selected Oloroso sherry casks is mixed with the lightly peated sweet spirit for which the Isle of Harris distillery is known. It’s perfect for warming your sprits after the cold and bracing days of Scotland in mid-winter.
Speyside – Spey Chairman's Choice
In the heart of Speyside there lies a place that celebrates New Year twice. The town of Burghead, north of Elgin, will set off fireworks on January the 1st but on the 11th of January, they will burn something quite different: an old whisky cask split in two and fixed upon a pole. This festival is known as ‘the burning of the Clavie’ and is celebrated each year by the townspeople and visitors from around the world.
The festival dates back to at least the 1750s, when Scotland changed its calendar from the Julian calendar to the Georgian calendar setting the New Year 11 days earlier. There were protests around Scotland with people demanding those days back. But the people of Burghead had a different idea: why not celebrate the New Year twice?
The ‘Clavie’ will be filled with tar and staves, set alight and carried around town before being set on Doonie Hill, the site of an old fort. As pieces of smouldering stave fall, the brave will pick up the still hot staves and take them home for good luck in the new year.
One distillery that is also conscious about its staves is the Spey Distillery. Every year, the chairman of the distillery will pick a small group of casks to be set aside to be enjoyed by the founding family and the distillery workers at Christmas time. In recent years, this tradition has been expanded, and a limited number of casks will be picked to become the ‘Chairmans Choice’ bottling. Filled with spices and Christmas cheer, it is a small gift from their home to yours.
Islay – Bowmore 12
The Island of Islay is brought together by community, and this is no different during holiday season. Many of the distilleries with unique bottlings of their spirit, can only be found at this time of year. There are also parties and fayres organised by the local community. These will take place over the entire holiday period.
Islay’s most unique tradition, however, is saved for the 18th of December. Each year, the Islay Young Farmers Association brings together people from all over the island and beyond and, with their tractors, lorries and vintage vehicles, creates a procession that makes its way around the Island. Each vehicle is decorated with lights, tinsel and wreaths with a prize going to the ‘best dressed’ among them.
This procession ends at the Bowmore pier and sees the vehicles lined up for judging before an evening of food, drink and whisky. Likely from the distillery just up the road!
For our Islay whisky, we give you the Bowmore 12. Layers of soft smoke and sweet fruits blend together from the peated sprit and selected bourbon and sherry casks. The perfect dram to enjoy by the fading embers in the fading light of sunset on Bowmore pier.
Blend – Spice King
Dundee cake, sometimes referred to as the Scottish Christmas cake, is a versatile cake enjoyed year-round, but particularly so at Christmas.
Dundee cake was first commercially available in the east coast city of Dundee in the early 1800s but its origins date back more than 350 years! It is said that this cake was originally made for Mary Queen of Scots as she supposedly didn’t like cherries, which were prominent features in fruit cakes of the time. Local bakers created a new version for the queen with almonds instead, decorating the top in beautiful concentric circles of almonds. These cakes have delicious flavours of raisin, orange peel, nutmeg and almonds. These same flavours can be found in our blended whisky this month – Spice King. In this whisky you’ll find notes of spiced orange complemented with a ginger syrup.
Luxury – Glenmorangie Signet
The tradition of The First Foot is one that extends beyond Scotland, also traditionally being practiced on the Isle of Mann and parts of Northern England. However today, First Foot celebrations are most widespread in Scotland. The custom surrounds the first person to enter a household after the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve, the stranger often bringing gifts such as coins, coal and “black bun”. The person that brings the most luck is the tall, dark-haired handsome stranger and they will be greeted with food and of course, whisky.
For this category, we have chosen the Glenmorangie Signet, whose unique and beautiful bottle holds a complex and magical whisky created by Dr Bill Lumsden. From the enticing aromas on the nose, right through to the finish, it is everything you need to greet the New Year.(We’ll let you draw your own parallels with dark-haired, handsome strangers!)