Highland Fling: Single pleasures, double measures

20 May 2015 - 02:13 By Dominic Skelton

The water of life touched Pretoria's lips last week when the city hosted its first Whisky Live Showroom. The edgy venue - 012 Central, a revamped warehouse a few blocks from the State Theatre - was a good fit for a young crowd playing an old game.Whisky-tasting involves intelligent guessing. You rely on your eyes, nose, mouth and memories to unlock subtle, hidden secrets.Brandhouse whisky rep Bradley Jacobs says memories play a role in discovering a flavour "note"."Ask yourself two questions: what season does it remind you of, and why does it remind you of that time of year?"There are, of course, other things to consider when tasting a new whisky.Viscosity reveals its age and alcoholic clout. Swirl it around the glass and look for the ''legs" running down the sides. A slow flow indicates older, stronger whisky.A tinge of redness might indicate maturation in sherry or port casks.Nose the whisky; your sense of smell can pick up hundreds of notes, far more than you can taste.Lastly, taste the whisky and feel it in your mouth. To release more flavours, add some water.I went for the Singleton 18-year-old with its smoky hints, woody tones and the strength of a Highland warrior.I love peat - the flavour of old earth with decaying vegetation - so I looked for malts from Islay: Lagavulin and Ardbeg are the kings of smoke.A standout was the Balblair 2000 specially casked by Whisky Live. One hundred and fifty-eight bottles were produced to sell at R1490 a bottle.The 40-year-old Glenbrynth was one of the most expensive on display at R2953.The Balvenie 21 was R2599 a bottle.The best thing about the event was the opportunity to sample whiskies usually too pricey to afford.Sipping on a glass of Glenlivet, organiser Emily Stockden said hosting the event in Pretoria was a ''no brainer"."We picked up on the urban, sophisticated and edgy feel that whisky marketing is taking and we took the opportunity to host it here," she says.She suspects that during hard times people tend to cancel their holidays and splurge on treats like fine whisky instead...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.