How to drink whisky

Aside from Icelandic whale testicle beer and Korean wine made from baby mice, there are probably few drinks which the observation 'It's an acquired taste' is more applicable to than whisky.

And with Burns night upon us, you can rest assured that there will be plenty of people who are already dreading the moment when the time comes to raise a glass in honour of Robert Burns, the 18th century 'heaven-taught ploughman-poet' whose birthday will be celebrated around the world on the night of January 25 with haggis, neeps - and, yes, whisky. Lots of whisky.As with oysters, cigars, cold water swimming and cryptocurrency, whisky is something which many people feel they should acquaint themselves with but which they recoil from because they've tried it once and have either been left with the memory of a 'bad experience' or, in extreme cases where they have tried to like it rather too hard, no memory at all. But it's still not too late to acquire a taste for whisky.  Who knows, you may even thank the bard for providing you with a reason to get to know it.The first thing to appreciate is that, as with most things drinkable/edible/smokable, a whole world of mystery has evolved around whisky that might almost have been designed to deter the outsider from coming in for fear of appearing 'ignorant' about the subject or lacking the sophistication to pose as a 'connoisseur'. Such fears are somewhat founded by the fact that anyone who has never really tried whisky before will very likely have an adverse reaction at first sniff (maybe a small tear) and an even more extreme one at first swig (two larger tears, a burning sensation in the throat and a loss of the ability to speak). Both can easily be avoided, however, simply by repeatedly thinking of the word 'doucement' - which, as linguists will know, is not Scots for anything, but it is French for 'gently'.Start with a glass that you like the look of – an empty one, that is. Drinking anything from a receptacle that doesn't 'feel' right is never going to give whatever is in it a fair chance, and whisky is no exception. These days, a flared tulip-shaped glass is favoured by the experts. I prefer a stout, weighty tumbler with a heavy base (even though every time I look at one it reminds me of my father bellowing 'Stopppppp ! You'll drown it, you fool' whenever some hapless waiter looked like over-diluting his dram).So, glass at the ready, pour-in a single measure – around 35ml – and make it neat. No ice, no water. Pick it up and have a darned good look at it. The 'hue' of any whisky is very much part of its charm and is, to a large extent, what makes it whisky in the first place. Those rich tones that can range from shimmering bronze to weak sunlight represent the soul and history of the casks whisky is matured in, with each one developing its own distinct variation.

Next, give it a slow swirl and a sniff. Not a bull-like snort, a gentle sniff from three or four inches off. This will get your taste buds ready for what's to come, and give you a hint of the flavours to expect. All that business about 'vanilla, green apples, toffee and wet springer spaniels on the nose' might sound like nonsense, but such smells really are in there if you give yourself time to find them (and if your fortunate enough to start with an Islay whisky and don't detect smoke, get yourself a Covid test).

Now, time for that first taste. Swirl again, and take a look at the 'legs' – the way it slides down the sides of the glass. As a rule, the slower it moves the greater the viscosity and the higher the alcohol content. Then, take a sip. Sip being the operative word. No cowboy-like downing-in-one. Just a small, gentle sip. Move it around in the mouth (or 'chew' it, as they sometimes say) and then let it slide slowly down. Do that once or twice, and then you'll have an idea of how you feel about what your drinking. It may be too 'strong', too sharp, too flavoursome – in which case, just add water. Not much, a drop or two to begin with, just enough to 'open up' the aroma and soften any sharp edges. (Don't forget, incidentally, that adding more water will dilute the whisky, but it won't dilute the alcohol – so if it suddenly become easy to drink, be careful not to let it get too easy....).Alternatively, add an ice cube. That will have a similar effect to adding water, but changes will take place more slowly and, of course, will dramatically reduce the temperature of the whisky. To some people, that can be a good thing. To others, much of the character of a particular whisky, especially a single malt, comes from its inherent 'warmth' which they believe should be preserved at all costs.Beyond that, there is little more that can be done to 'acquire' a taste for whisky, other than to resolutely build-up a relationship with it which, if you succeed, will open-up a whole new world. And, if what happened to Robbie Burns is anything to go by, you might find you're rather good at poetry.After all, as he once so succunctly wrote: "O whisky! soul o'plays and pranks/Accept a bardie's gratefu' thanks!/When wanting thee, what tuneless cranks are my poor verses!? Thous comes – they rattle in their ranks, at ithe's arses!"Roughly translated, that means without a few drams inside him, he couldn't write a poem to save his life...

Six whiskies to try this Burns Night

Balblair

The Gladstone Axe

With so much competition to face, especially in the 'blended' market, every whisky needs a story these days. 'The Gladstone Axe' is said to have been created in honour of four-times Victorian Prime Minister William Gladstone and was founded by a direct descendant, Elwyn Gladstone. The two whiskies in the range, the American Oak and the Black Axe, are a blend of 14 single malts from distilleries situated in the highlands and on the island of Islay, the latter providing a touch of smokiness. The 'Axe' in the name comes from the Liberal PM's interest in tree-felling and an image of him, axe in hand, is embossed onto the bottles which have wax-sealed cork stoppers. The American Oak version is slightly sweet with a vanilla tone while the Black Axe offers a greater helping of spice. From around £30.

anCnoc 2009

The end of last year saw marked the release of some fabulous vintage whiskies, not least anCnoc's spectacular 2009. Produced at Knockdhu distillery in the tiny Aberdeenshire village of Knock, it has been resting peacefully in in the wood for a dozen years, initially in first-fill Spanish oak and then in American oak bourbon barrels. Surprisingly light in colour - a sort of weak honey - it's also surprisingly uncomplicated for such a vintage. Flavours of smooth chocolate and slightly sharp butterscotch mingle with spiced apple, so prepare to be surprised how well it compliments a forkfull of meaty haggis. £50.

Glen Moray 2008 Manzilla Finish

Another highly anticipated release from the close of 2021, this special edition is limited to 1,240 cask strength bottles and can only be bought in the UK. The Elgin distillery created this latest gem in its famous 'Warehouse One' - the dunnage store reserved for its most unusual cask whiskies - by finishing its already distinctive single malt in barrels that previously stored Manzanilla sherry. The fact that Manzanilla is only produced along the sea estuary of the Guadalquivir river lends a salty tang that combines nicely with the traditional softness imparted by Glen Moray's use of water from the River Spey.It makes for a real mouthful, with an initial crisp fruit flavour giving way to a hint of herb and a touch of haggis-friendly salt at the end. £74.95

Speyburn Bradan Orach

As Rabbie Burns might have told you, 'bradan orach' is Gaelic for 'golden salmon' - a reference to the River Spey's second notable attribute after its contribution to great whisky: it's also the home of world class salmon fishing. There's nothing fishy about this classic single malt, however, just an easy-to-handle honey and vanilla flavour with a vibrand, spiced-up finish. As with anCnoc's 2009, it's slightly anaemic in colour despite having been matured in American oak bourbon casks. Speyburn's 15-year-old looks considerably richer and offers a more complex combination of fruits, spices, vanilla and leather. But either will toast Burns a treat. Around £22 (Bradan Orach) and £55 (15-year-old).

Royal Salute Time Series 51

If you really want to demonstrate admiration for Burns, dishing-out a few drams of this should do the trick. The second of Royal Salute's 'Time Series' creations, it's a blend of ultra-rare whiskies sourced from 'ghost' distilleries (including the mythical Caperdonich) and all a minimum of 51 years old. According to the official tasting notes, the result 'exudes notes of blood orange partnered with the sweetness of aged oak, salted caramel and precious Manuka honey on the nose, followed by a subtleness of sweet hickory smoke, peach and bergamot.' The reason we haven't tried it ourselves is that each of the available 101 bottles is priced at $30,000 - but you do get it in a hand-blown Dartington crystal flagon.