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The Whisky Exchange offer up a few whisky favourites from across the globe to help you expand your whisky horizons in the run up to World Whisky Day

words by Will HALBERT

Whilst we love the diversity of whisky from Scotland, America and Ireland, there are more than 20 different countries whose whiskies are available around the world. Different regions are known for unique styles or distilling techniques, so there is a whole world of new experiences for your taste buds to discover. And what better time to dive into the wider world of whisky than in the run up to World Whisky Day this May 16th? So without further ado, our ambassador and around malt master, Billy Abbott, offers up his top five whiskies for World Whisky Day.

Jameson Black Barrel

To start with, an Irish whiskey, and what may be the best value Irish blend out there. It’s a big step up from regular Jameson, showing off more of the fruitiness of Irish malt whiskey, with a big kick of spicy pot still and some toffee-laden grain. It’s my go-to Irish dram, and I’ll be definitely grabbing a glass on World Whisky Day.

English Whisky Co. Classic – TWE Exclusive

Whisky making in England never used to be seen as strange, but an almost 100-year gap between the last distillery closing and The English Whisky Company opening meant that most people forgot that English whisky was ever a thing. This single-cask is a classic of the distillery’s style: creamy, fruity and zingy in equal measures.

Kavalan Podium

While Taiwan may not seem like the obvious place to make whisky, the folks at Kavalan have turned an inhospitable environment into a positive. Really high temperatures cause the whiskies to pick up more cask influence, and the whisky makers use this to create rich, spicy and fruity whiskies – Podium is my favourite of the lot, with stacks of mango and spice.

Milk & Honey Young Single Malt

Israel is another country where the climate could be an issue, but Milk & Honey have mastered it in a short time. They’re about to launch their first ongoing whisky (I’m doing a tasting with distiller Tomer Goren to celebrate it – see The Whisky Exchange Facebook page for a video), but this young single malt shows how the spirit is developing – creamy and fruity (I like fruity whisky), with just enough woody character.

Aird Mhor 2009 The Whisky Exchange

And last, but far from least, a Scottish whisky – World Whisky Day is about celebrating whisky from around the world, and you can’t miss out the motherland. This is a smoky dram from an area that doesn’t usual do peat, and it brings together a selection of styles – delicate floral notes, fruity sweetness and a big whack of peat smoke, all carefully layered.

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