Whiskey "Auchentoshan" (Auchentoshan): description, production features, reviews

Traditionally, whiskey is considered one of the tricky drinks for comprehension. He has a huge variety of flavors, flavors and aftertaste. On these indicators, it exceeds many distillation products: peat, with creamy-chocolate notes, with citrus or vanilla tastes. By the smell and taste of this alcoholic beverage there are no equal.

Scotch whiskey, or scotch, is the most famous strong alcohol in the world. There are two types of whiskey: cereal and malt. The latter is produced from barley malt by double distillation in a copper distillery (very similar to an onion). But there are exceptions. For example, the whiskey "Okentoshen", which is obtained after a triple sweep.

"Field angle"

In the distant 1800 in the vicinity of Glasgow (the second largest city of Scotland) was opened a distillery. It was located on fertile land: on the banks of the full Clyde River in the heart of Kilpatrick-Hills. The name of the distillery in Gaelic is "Field Angle" (octoshen). The license was granted in 1823.

Special Irish distillation

The Okentoshen Distillery is located in Loweland, one of the most famous whiskey producing areas. In these places (so historically formed) the drink is made by the method of triple distillation. This method is famous for the fact that brags have to use more than usual. The output is true alcohol, completely purified, crystal clear and weightless. Therefore, whiskey "Okentoshen" (reviews of gourmets around the world - a vivid confirmation of this) has the title of Malt's malt whiskey.

Special water and vats are not simple

The unique Irish triple distillation is not all. For Okentoshen whiskey, water is taken from the freshwater lake Loch Katrin, located in the Trossax National Park. And in a huge hole, formed from bomb strikes in March 1941, produce a water intake for the cooling system. Malt for this drink is ordered special (for example, it does not go through the smoke treatment). The process of making drinks "Okentoshen" takes place in a mash tunic, which is made of stainless steel, and the dome covering it is covered with copper, and fermentation vats from the famous Oregon pine.

A system of three cubes is arranged for the distillation. After the first alcohol, it turns out to be eighteen percent, after distillation in the second it grows to 54%, and at the output of the third cube, a product with a strength of 81%. This method gives the strongest alcohol from all produced in Scotland. Withstand Oaktoshen in barrels after American corn whiskey and dry or sweet Spanish sherry.

The taste remains unchanged

During the Second World War, the distillery was badly damaged as a result of repeated bombing of shipyards. By the early 60s of the last century it was restored and sold. After several owners, the institution is in the hands of the Japanese (the Santori company), who highly appreciate the Scottish whiskey "Okentoshen". The production facilities are modernized, and all production is perfected. In January 2008, the company's management takes a radical decision: change the label, bottle and packaging.

Distillery in the 21st century

Auchentoshan Lowland Single Malt has changed not only this. The range of the drink has considerably expanded. There was a stunning whiskey "Okentoshen Classic" and incendiary "Okentoshen Select" (they do not specify the aging period in barrels). Another line was refreshed whiskey with the indication of aging - "Okentoshen 16 years" and "Okentoshen 12 years", as well as there are drinks that are 18 years and 21 years old. And another novelty of this line is the whiskey "Okentoshen Three Woods". It is filled with taste and aromatic compositions of "three barrels": a twelve-year-old drink after a corn bourbon and annual vigor in a vat after the Irish sherry - dry "Oloroso" and sweet "Pedro Jimenez".

We should not forget about the retro drinks of 1977-1978, which received original flavor notes after aging in the vats from the Irish sherry "Fino" and the American bourbon, as well as the "Okentoshen 1988", which entered the packaging after the French Bordeaux. The oldest in this line and the most seasoned is the malt whiskey "Okentoshen 50 years" worldwide.

The products of the brand repeatedly became a gold medalist at the international class IWSC.

The classic "Okentoshen"

In online stores of elite alcohol there is always a whiskey "Okentoshen Classic". Reviews about it are always positive: refined taste, pleasant smell of green apple with a light admixture of tobacco. The aftertaste is fresh with weightless notes of chocolate, mint and mandarin ... Gourmets are recommended to try. The disadvantage of buyers is called one - the cost. Although, probably, this single mole should not be cheap.

This whiskey refers to Moltov from Lowland (or Plains). It distinguishes it from other varieties of color: candy caramel with a golden hue. This is achieved by triple distillation, and not by color or other additives.

On the packaging (always in English) there are several suggestions that the drink is produced at the famous Okentoshen distillery, which stands on the banks of the Clyde River between Glasgow and Loch Lomond, in the shade of the old Kilpatrick hills. The "Okentoshen Classic" whiskey is aging in oak vats. It absorbs the taste and smell of the strong Irish bourbon and dry sherry in the barrels.

Many sommeliers believe that the first sensations are fruit: a ripe peach or a summer pear, then honey appears with a linden taste ... The producer specifies (on the package): this whiskey has a pronounced sweet smell of vanilla, as well as coconut and notes of mint.

Noble old age classic "Okentoshen" reaches for eight years. Fortress of the drink is 40%.

Twelve-year old drink

Each drink of the new line "Okentoshen" has its own flavor and aftertaste. Whiskey "Ocotoshen 12 years" acquires a noble old in the vats (volume of 250 liters) "Hogshead". It is the holding of the drink in these containers that helps the whiskey acquire notes of spices, and in the smell light hazelnuts are audible. What do they say about him? Comparing this whiskey with classical, people note that "Okentoshen 12 years" - is darker and has a more generous fragrant composition. In the palate, there is always a taste of citrus. The drink has a subtle oily structure.

Matter of chance

The history of the appearance of whiskey "Okentoshen Three Woods" to the light deserves special attention. Specialists of the distillery claim that it turned out quite by accident, because of the error of the staff.

There was some overabundance of "Okentoshen" ten-year-old in the vats from the bourbon. For the experiment, it was poured into barrels from under dry sherry. At the end of the experimental period it became clear: it was not what was planned. At the end of the experiment, the employees of the company mistakenly poured the drink into a vat from the sweet sherry Pedro-Ximenez. When the oversight was discovered, it was too late to correct anything, and the whiskey was about to be destroyed. But after taking samples, it turned out that the drink was amazing!

Thus, the famous "Okentoshen Three Woods" is ten years old in bourbon vats, a year in vats of dry sherry Oloroso and the final year in vats of sweet Pedro-Ximenez. It was a sensation: an amazing mixture of smells and flavors (from sweet to sour and bitter). This "Okentoshen" is much darker than the others, with a bright smell of coffee and coconut. They are blended with notes of leather and elite cigars. Judging by the reviews, for cigar lovers this is the No. 1 drink!

"Share of angels"

After a triple distillation on the distillate "Okentoshen", alcohol is obtained with a percentage of alcohol - 81.5. When filling the barrels, approximately 5% alcohol is evaporated per year. And the "share of angels", according to the current law, is no more than two percent per year. Therefore, before pouring alcohol into the barrels, it is diluted with water.

Experts calculated that about 1.5 million liters of alcohol evaporates from the Ocetoshen distillery during the year. They say that very happy "angels" live there ...