Toast A Greener Future with Whisky

Caring for our planet doesn’t essentially require a red letter day. And whether it’s home-based composting, planting trees in the backyard or cleaning up litter from the local park – there’s no dearth of ways for us to express how much we care about Mother Nature.

This Earth Day, let’s try to extend our environmental consciousness to our purchase decisions as well. Minimally packaged goods, organic foods and recycled paper tissues all help in contributing towards a ‘greener’ planet, and the same applies for organic whiskies too.

Whisky might not be the most obvious option for the ones looking to revel in the ‘Earth Day’ celebrations. But think about it – what else can be better than venerating the environment with a dram that comprises sustainable and organic ingredients?

To help you imbibe eco-friendly drinking habits this Earth Day, we’ve compiled a list of organic whiskies that are worth snapping up.

Enjoy!

P.S. – We’ve also included some exciting regular whisky selections that are especially for the ones who aren’t much of an ‘organic fanatic’, but eager enough to raise a toast to greener future.

Springbank Green 12 Year Old

Springbank uses organic Scottish barley to produce this expression. The other ingredients, however, aren’t essentially organic and so the whisky doesn’t come with an ‘organic’ label. As an entry-level offering, this whisky offers a palette-full of flavours ranging from vanilla malt to rich honey. The opening whiff blends subtle hints of creamy peat, white pepper and brine which keeps you wanting for more right from the first sip. The finish on the other hand leaves behind an aftertaste of cocoa and peat which hugs your taste buds for a long time.

Price: $145
Availability: Online, Europe

Chivas Regal 18 Year Old

Exemplifying the characteristics of a typical blended Scotch whisky, the Chivas Regal 18 yr old comes packed with a range of earthy aromas and rich smokiness which makes it an ideal draw for the Earth Day celebrations. Blending almost twenty separate single malts from premium Scottish distilleries, this whisky presents an amazing camaraderie of flavours that include dark chocolate and marmalade, along with some additional touches of wood. The rich oaky finish – a result of extended maturation, accentuates the overall flavour experience with every sip.

Price: $75
Availability: Europe, Asia

Journeyman Distillery Federalist 12th Organic Rye

This Journeyman expression derives its name from the 12^th Essay in The Federalist Papers that highlight Alexander Hamilton’s proposal urging the government to collect taxes on alcohol. The proposal was later passed in the year 1971 which led to a huge rebellion.

The distillery is one among the few which has been demarcated as ‘organic’, thus all the expressions in their range are completely organic. The Federalist 12^th Organic Rye hides rich aromas of rye spice and nuts within delicate layers of dried fruit and salted caramel flavour. On the palate, the whisky is overwhelmingly smooth with hints of cloves, black pepper and baking spices. One of the major aspects that distinguishes this whisky is its finish which imbues a lingering touch of maraschino on the palate.

Price: $46
Availability: USA, Online

Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask Matured

If you wish to relish the real spirit of Speyside through a dram, then the 12 yr old expression from Aberlour has to be the right pick for you. Each sip of this classy whisky will remind you of the Speyside’s tantalizing countryside, rivers and forests – each of which play a crucial role in shaping the character of the expression. This double matured version offers a gush of flavours with every sip ranging from brown sugar and maple syrup to milk chocolate and plump raisins. On top of that, you get aromas of glacé cherry and cinnamon toast ready to please your senses.

Price: $52
Availability: Asia, Europe, North America

Benromach Organic Single Malt ($43.51/ bottle)

Matured in virgin oak barrels and made from organic Islay barley, this single malt whisky from Benromach serves as the first organic expression to be ever released. The whisky is popular for its natural flavours which is essentially retained through non-chill filtration during distillation. With diverse flavours like pineapple, sugar sweets and vanilla, this whisky serves as a clean and refreshing choice for both amateurs and connoisseurs.

Price: $44
Availability: Europe, Asia, North America

Gifting Whisky Heres Everything You Need to Know

Gifting whisky is becoming increasingly popular these days, and has evolved into a strong contender for the loyalty of the younger generation. As more and more gravitate towards whisky, it is undeniable that the identity of whisky as a viable gifting option has only risen in the market today.

Different Types of Blended Whisky

The term ‘Blended Whisky’ implies a mixture or combination of two or more whiskies, although it doesn’t even begin to describe the many, many types of Blended whiskies that exist all over the world.

The Black Douglas

Say you are a whisky lover but have never heard of this scotch and someone mentions Black Douglas-- what are you likely to think? For us, we got transported to the wars of Scottish independence and remembered one very brave man, Sir James Douglas, who led several other valiant warriors to the battlefield. In case you do not know who Sir James Douglas was, he was a Scottish knight who swore his loyalty to Robert de Bruce, first lord of Annandale, king of Scotland from 1306 to 1329. He was a man who stood beside Bruce and fought relentlessly since the time he got back from Paris and found his estates to be in possession of Robert de Clifford. After the defeat at the Battle of Methven, Sir James Douglas returned to South Scotland and attacked his own estate until it was completely destroyed. But it was primarily his raids on the English that won him the title of “Black Douglas”. Later during the Wars of Independence, in an attempt to overthrow the Spanish conquerors, he laid down his life, holding on to a silver casket that contained the heart of Robert de Bruce.