Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Savouring Whiskey Components by Exploring a Scent Kit

“One of the things I find most frustrating about the way whisky is described is the level of parochialism with the terminology used - things like ‘peaty’ or ‘Christmas cake’ don’t really mean anything to an audience where peat doesn’t exist, or where there’s no such thing as a Christmas cake”.

Thus muses Roja Dove, the creator of the Harrod's Haute Perfumerie who collaborated with David Cox, director of brand education at The Macallan, producing The Macallan Aroma Box, a collection of 12 scents that help whisky drinkers identify the olfactory highlights in the distiller’s range of products. The Aroma Box looks a lot like a perfumery education scent kit, full of phials with individual "notes" or "bases" so as to acquaint oneself with the different ingredients that go into fragrances.
In this scent kit, the first 6 scents showcase the more common characteristics of whisky, arranged in pairs of opposites so as to provide an education by contrasts to the nose. The next 6 phials represent Dove’s interpretation of the essential sensory character of The Macallan matured in Spanish oak, sherry seasoned casks and American oak casks, seasoned with both sherry and bourbon, thus experiencing how wood affects the colour, flavour and fragrances of the finished product.

Candice Baker, will present The Aroma Box, at The Macallan Maturation Zone during this year’s FNB Whisky Live Festival, which is taking place in Cape Town and Johannesburg in November 2011. [Cape Town International Convention Centre from 2 – 4 November (18h00 to 22h00 daily) and at the Sandton Convention Centre, from 9 – 11 November (18h00 – 22h00 daily)].

6 comments:

  1. I can't believe this! :)
    And here I am, all day today fantasizing about a glass of fine whisky I'd love to have this evening.

    Talk about sinchronicity.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds intriguing. Unfortunately, I'm afraid it's going to be extremely expensive. I've always wanted to buy the traditional wine-smelling kit, Le nez du vin, but thought it costed a little bit too much.

    cacio

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ines,

    it happens sometimes! :D

    ReplyDelete
  4. Cacio,

    I know what you mean. You'd think that kind of thing should be widely available and cost-approachable. Yet I kinda think the Macallan are interested in preserving their luxe image, so yes, it should be kinda costly. Wine kit would be even more fascinating!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This sounds exciting, and yes, wine kit would be great as well!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Warum,

    I hear there is at least already one out! (tweeted about it)

    ReplyDelete

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