When I decided to broaden my whisky horizon, one of the issues with my new hobby was trying to understand where to begin. There is an endless number of bottles and brands worldwide, blends, single malts, various casks, grains, and age statements. And prices! This new interest of mine was about to get expensive. How can you decide which bottle to invest in if you’ve never tried it before?
The best advice I can offer is to take part in tastings. Due to the pandemic taking over our lives and limiting our freedom to visit whisky bars for those wee tasters, whisky subscription boxes have offered a great alternative. In fact, they often give you an even better chance to try something new before you pay top dollar for a full bottle. Not only will you learn more about the spirit itself, but you will gain further understanding of the broad spectrum of flavours available in whisky.
The Dram Team
The Dram Team offers whisky tasting sets with a range of drams to explore and surprise your taste buds. Whether you are a newbie to whisky or a seasoned drinker, you are bound to find new tasting experiences in these discovery sets. They really are a life (and money) saver when it comes to investing in whisky.
So, what is included in the Dram Team subscription boxes…
Each box contains:
- Five 25ml drams of whisky, averaging at £50 for 70cl, and up to £80.
- A special wee taster dram (10cl) of higher value at £125+ per 70cl
- A set of tasting notes
The cost of the subscription box is £29.99 or, if you just want a one-off box, £34.99. You can sign up to receive a monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly subscription set. It is also possible to stop and start your subscription at any time as you only pay once a month.
The Dram Team whisky subscription also makes a great gift. You just choose whether you’d like to give one, three- or six-months’ worth of tasting sets. In this case, the payment is taken in full. A pretty impressive gift for any whisky enthusiast.
An example tasting set
With July’s tasting set, we were taken on a journey across the globe.
Japan: Nikka Days
This is a classic, easy-sipping summer dram. This Japanese blend is made with both malt and grain whiskies from both of Nikka’s Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. Expect plenty of fruitiness of apples, pears, grapes and melon. The finish is zesty with buttery biscuits. This would make a refreshing highball.
Ireland: Lambay Whiskey, Small Batch Blend
All Lambay’s whiskies are aged in ex-bourbon and finished in cognac casks. Cognac casks are relatively rare, making these whiskies very special. Floral and light with nuttiness and spice.
Sweden: Mackmyra, Grönt Te
These casks were seasoned with Oloroso sherry and four styles of vintage Japanese green tea leaves, resulting in a truly unusual single malt whisky. It is fruity and floral with herbal green tea, apples, and subtle spiciness. Very surprising dram.
India: Amrut Single Malt
Did you know that the country with the highest whisky consumption is India? Amrut has bourbon vibes on both nose and palate. A hint of liquorice, molasses and toffee. Fairly dry.
US: Michter’s, Original Sour Mash Whiskey
Sour mash whisky recycles previously fermented mash as the starter for the distilling process. This was Michter’s most popular style of whisky in the 70s and 80s, and it has regained its popularity in recent years. In 2019 this was named the Whisky Exchange’s Whisky of the Year!
Canada: Whistlepig, Aged 10 years, Barrel #4176, Whisky Exchange Exclusive
This Canadian distillery produces some top-notch rye whisky. This dram is full of spicy notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves with a liquorice and mint finish.
Check the Dram Team website for how to subscribe or head over to their blog for interesting insight into the world of whisky.
How do you find new whiskies to try? Have you ever ordered a whisky tasting set?
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by The Dram Team, but as always, all photos and opinions are my own.
