Whisky (and whiskey) and flyfishing have a long history.
In remote north-eastern Scotland lies an area ruled by frosty North Sea gales. Summers are fleeting, winters long and turbulent. It is the coldest place in all of Britain. When not blanketed in snow, it’s a place of rolling green hills and big rivers. Harsh as the climate may be, it does create some of the perfect elements for spirit distilling – pure air, and clean water fed by pristine snow melt. This Speyside – whisky country. And, salmon country. Hell, it does not get more classic than Spey Casting for Atlantic Salmon on the actual River Spey.
Anyway, we digress, back to whisky…Speyside is to whisky lore what the Champagne region is to bubbly aficionados. It is called “the Golden Triangle” in some circles because it is home to the greatest number of distilleries of any of the whisky-producing areas of Scotland. It is in this region where The Glenlivet, the first Highlands distillery to have been granted a license, is found.
First licensed in 1824, The Glenlivet is Scotland’s most famous whisky glen and still today regarded as the classic Speyside malt whisky. Malt whiskies from the valley of the River Spey are designated as Highland Malt Whiskies, but the unique climatic conditions produce a whisky of an identifiable character and require a separate classification.
The Glenlivet is a Scotch single malt, which means it fulfills three requirements: It made in Scotland; is a product of one distillery only; and, it is made exclusively from barley malt.
SEMANTICS (not)
It is also a whisky, with a ‘y’ which means that it was produced in Scotland. You see, as old as the spirit itself, language was the original divider. That is the word from Carol Quinn the archivist at Pernod Ricard’s Irish Distillers in Midleton, Ireland, from where Jameson (among other whiskeys come).
Now here is something not everyone might know: Whiskey was first produced in Ireland. According to Quinn, when the Scots started to distill their own whisky, they dropped the ‘e, possibly in an attempt to distinguish their whisky from the Irish product.
On top of that, the first man who created bourbon was an Irishman, hence their adoption of the Irish spelling
Interesting? No doubt, and makes you appreciate your tipple even more. These and other things you will learn when you join us for our Trout and About weekends in Dullstroom during our private whisky tasting conducted by the owners of Wild about Whisky.
You’ll also experience a private beer tasting conducted by co-owner and Master Brewer of the Anvil Ale house, meals at the best eateries in the village as well as flytying and casting sessions with our in-house specialists. Oh, and you’ll get to fish too…Fully-guided fishing sessions on our private waters – some of which you might have fished; others you may have heard of and desperately want to; and a few where you’ll be sworn to secrecy… Get in touch!
*Featured image by Dylan de Jonge on Unsplash