To be or not to be : Traditional taste of Single Malt Vs Flavored Whiskey

To be or not to be : traditional taste of Whiskey  or flavored one 

Dude,  we are talking about Whiskey not the stuff being sold here in India in the name of Whiskey which is technically Rum. I am watching a new trend in Whiskey , the flavored Avatar. 

Think about hint of sweet fruit, honey  or cake in whisky? The connoisseur like you or me may recoil at the thought but whisky manufacturers have already warmed up with the idea.

There is a stuff called Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, which has sweet, not tangy, notes of green apple. The flavoured dram from the famous bourbon brand was launched in India last , a year after its global launch, joining other global brands that have introduced flavoured whiskies which can be enjoyed as is or as a cocktail.

Another big player Glenmorangie launched A Tale of Cake, a single malt which, as the name suggests, tastes like cake. Few months back another US brand Two Spice had introduced a pumpkin spice peppermint flavoured whisky.

Blame it to The Corona lockdowns and restrictions seem to have opened up the world of flavours for whisky drinkers ; they are more willing to experiment, sealing a trend that has been taking shape for some time, with gin and vodka to begin with. Unlike the pre-pandemic time when people would visit bars for their favourite drink, millennials now prefer to polish their mixology skills at home. The new generation is experimental and loves to try cocktails or spirits on-the-rocks. Brands, on their part, are keen to be more accessible, through dashes of creativity and stories.

That begs a question though: Is it even whisky—malty, smoky and complex—if it’s flavoured?

In the world of whiskies, the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. The idea is not to overpower the spirit with a fruit or spice, just add a hint of flavour. Jack Daniel’s, for instance, melds its in-house apple-flavoured liqueur with the original whisky No.7. A few years ago, it had followed a similar recipe for Tennessee Honey and Tennessee Fire—blending in-house liqueurs with No.7. I tasted Tennessee Honey which gives a sense of bourbon based cocktail. 

The traditional bottles will not go out of style. But brands are introducing small- batch collections or limited editions to stir in some excitement and appeal to niche audiences who like whisky cocktails. Let’s say someone is a fan of Old Fashioned; a spiced honey-flavoured whisky is for them. And a whisky loyalist would add a shining new boutique bottle in his collec

tion. 

Flavours unlock curiosity. So, Glenmo- rangie’s A Tale Of Cake—best sipped on the rocks, with a splash of water—is

focused on storytelling, with the flavour notes mimicking an old-school cake that draws inspiration from the brand’s director of distilling and whisky creation, Bill Lumsden. His fondest memories involve cake—be it baking with his grand- mother as a young boy, or the upside down pineapple cake his daughter would make for his birthday.

But if you ask me to give honest opinion , there is nothing like traditional Whiskey or bourbon splashed on big rock in a crystal glass but experimenting is not bad for a change.