Monthly Archives: May 2026

Whisky Ladies’s Bourbon Pairings

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When hosting, each Whisky Lady curates their evening. They chose the whiskies, how they want to approach the tasting, keep it simple or explore a pairing, and how to close the evening with light bites or a proper meal.

One Whisky Lady just so happens to be an exceptional gourmet chef. The passion she brings to her profession is infectious and we are the happy beneficiaries!

Her choice for the evening? A theme of bourbon – with a twist. Her approach? To pair each with a fruit/nut, a cheese, and a sweet treat.

It was more than a whisky tasting, it was a complete experience.

She also introduced a “calibration” dram – a readily accessible Indian single malt.

Dōaab ex-Bourbon cask 42.8%

  • Nose – Warm, honey, very sweet, spices, waxy, some fresh paint and rubber
  • Palate – Woody, a peppery spice, raw banana peel, a bit bitter
  • Finish – Clove, wood, a hint of charcoal

It was a more substantive start than we would have with our calibration dram in Germany. There we chose a relatively neutral whisky, something light to whet our whistle before the main attraction. Here, we had a much more desi style. A dram of sufficient power to hold up to generous pours of cool water and ice that is the norm with whisky in our considerably hotter climate.

We then moved on to our planned trio…

  • Iwai Mars Tradition Blend 40%
  • Wild Turkey Longbranch 43%
  • Buffalo Trace 15 year 41%

We began with the Japanese blend… It made the Bourbon theme as it is touted to be “inspired by bourbon”. How? It uses a high-corn mash bill with light malt and aged in ex-bourbon, sherry, and red wine casks.

Iwai Mars Tradition Blend 40%

  • Nose – Floral, fruity, a burst of juice from peeling an orange, bright, yet also gentle and fresh – like dew drops after the rains, creamy milk chocolate, popcorn
  • Palate – Surprising depth given the floral aromas, lots of flavour, was that even a hint of peat?
  • Finish – A gentle whisper

Well that was a rather nice start! With the revisit, we found the delightful floral aromas remained, joined by even more citrus – this time lemon instead of orange.

Our pairing experience?

  1. Grapefruit – Pairing enhanced the zesty element in the whisky, a light bitterness and enhanced the peat
  2. Camembert – What a contrast! Made the whisky so much sweeter, cloves, delicious!
  3. Chocolate with a touch of salt – A lovely harmony and interplay between the light salt in the chocolate, brought out a cigar smoke in the whisky – delightful!

Each enhanced and contrasted in unique ways – bringing out distinct elements in the dram. In short – the pairings worked very well!

Our host picked this expression up in Hong Kong airport.The Mars Shinshu Distillery was founded in 1985, with the Iwai Tradition blended expression launched in 2010. And whilst we perceive it as Japanese, the whisky is actually was produced in both Japan and UK.

Here is what they have to say:

Created using the “Iwai Pot Stills” that have been in operation for half a century, this blended whisky pays respect and gratitude to the “Father of Mars,” Kiichiro Iwai.
It features a complex, pleasant aroma and a gentle, soft texture, balanced by a solid body and a mature character.

I’ll admit I poured a bit more of this one to revisit later. Another lady did the same, adding three drops of water. Hers? Lost all the aromas that made it interesting. Mine without water? Lovely! So definitely say no to adding water!

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this whisky.

Next up was a bourbon from Wild Turkey. A special expression, Longbranch, created in 2016 as a partnership between Master Distiller Eddie Russell and actor Matthew McConaughey.

Wild Turkey Longbranch 43%

  • Nose – Interesting… not a typical bourbon… dusty grains, fruity yet farm fresh, Szechuan pepper, pine cones, mountain air, then more and more corn husk, joined by something pungent, one even described it as jalapenos
  • Palate – We dubbed it a “baby” bourbon, as it was more relaxed and toned down than a typical bourbon, easy sipping dram, sweet with some roasted pepper corns
  • Finish – The black peppercorns continued

It was an easy sipping bourbon, rather than knocking back shots.

And now for the pairing..

  1. Hazelnut – Brought out the black pepper, cayenne red chilies, extended the sweetness
  2. Bavarian Blu – Gentle combination, balanced the bourbon character, bringing out a touch more spice, lengthened the finish
  3. Cream Cheese Cake – First off, the mini home made cheesecake was beyond delicious. Distractingly so. As a combination? Reminded me of a rich Irish coffee, creamy and indulgent – largely due to the incredible cheese cake!

Each on its own was excellent. The pairing was overall balanced – neither detracting nor enhancing – yet still well worth trying like this!

What more do the folks at WildTurkey have to say?

Nothing says, “Welcome to the family” like Longbranch.

Longbranch Bourbon was created in 2016 by Wild Turkey Master Distiller Eddie Russell and cultural tastemaker Matthew McConaughey. United by a shared curiosity and love of great whiskey, Eddie and Matthew wondered what would happen if a Kentucky Bourbon took a road trip to Texas. They set out to create a product that did just that. Their creation, a small batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon, refined with American Oak and Texas mesquite charcoals -was named Longbranch, a reference to an extension of a hand or an invitation for friends to become family.

What was originally created as a limited-edition bourbon has today become a beloved whiskey brand. Master Distiller Eddie Russell and his family continue to helm Longbranch and bring this exceptionally smooth bourbon to the world.

Our host picked this bottle up in Istanbul airport. I have a feeling she will find this quite a pleasant and versatile bourbon, lending itself well to cocktails or simply sipping.

Our bourbon evening closed with a classic – Buffalo Trace. What many folks may not realise is that a lot of Scotch whisky owes a debt to Bourbon maturing in virgin American oak barrels – then making these barrels available to Scotland! Buffalo Trace is certainly a popular supplier!

We understand that this expression was matured for 11 years in new American oak barrels, then another four years in ex-Bourbon barrels. Whilst maturing for 15 years was once a standard for Scotland, it is quite a long time for bourbon, which typical ages for a couple of years at best.

Buffalo Trace 41%

  • Nose – Super sweet! Orange, perfume, maple and brown sugar, bacon, dried apricot leather, sweet mint
  • Palate – Bitter roasted almonds, betel nuts, sweet spices, pepper, birchwood bacon, one even found fennel
  • Finish – A super sweet finish

I enjoyed revisiting Buffalo Trace after a decade! This expression was overall quite sweet, yet also had enough going on to make it interesting. I could imagine it making a rather fine Old Fashioned too!

And our pairing experience?

  • Peach – Delicious! Ginger and peach sweet ice tea
  • Smoked Aged Gouda – The cheese was particularly pungent, which meant the pairing was more a battle than harmoniously in balance! When I combined with a salty pretzel, it then settled into a lively mix and match experience
  • Pecan Tart – Completely home made and simply delicious on its own. When combined with the bourbon, it was creamy, crunchy, spice, sweet and enhanced the dessert even more

In the case of Buffalo Trace, I thought the whisky enhanced the pairing items… For the Wild Turkey Longbranch, for the most part, they simply went side by side… Whereas the Iwai Mars pairings perked up the whisky and focused attention more on the dram. What an interesting experience!

Overall, our bourbon evening was a kinder, gentler, more nuanced approach to the whiskey category than I had anticipated. And the dinner that followed? With more desserts!? Let’s just say we were thoroughly spoiled and left completely satisfied and stuffed!

And there you have it, another most enjoyable Whisky Ladies tasting experience – this time not just the whiskies!

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Nürnberg’s Ayrer’s Tasting Flight

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Near Nürnberg’s castle is a lovely brewery – Hausbrauerei Altstadhof. Over my years in Nürnberg, I’ve walked past it so many times! Even enjoyed a few beers, had a mini tour at the close of the underground city tour, promising myself that one day soon I would check out their whisky offerings properly. On a slightly rainy Saturday in May 2026, I managed just that!

I would like to invite you to join me at Ayrer’s Tasting Room aka proBIER Boutique – a little play on words with “probieren” to try and “bier” = beer, relevant as this distillery is known for their red beer!

We were greeted by so many options – from spirits to whiskies – with a very capable guide! I shared that previously we’d tried Ayrer’s Alligator 57.7% and, more recently, I cracked open a miniature of Ayrer’s Organic Single Malt PX Sherry Cask 56.2%.

We also challenged him with a “less is more” approach – to be selective!

Our options included:

  • Ayrer’s 40 Jahre Stadtepartnerschaft Glasgow blend (2024) 47% ~Eur 69
  • Ayrer’s Alligator 57.7% ~Eur 79 –> Skipped as tasted in a Nurnberg International Explorer’s club
  • Ayrer’s Ayla Peat Cask 52.4% ~Eur 79 –> Skipped as we weren’t in a peaty mood, though we understand it is subtle peat as it wasn’t peated barley, instead it was finished in an ex-Laphroaig cask
  • Ayrer’s Mastercut (2024) 75% ~Eur 195
  • Ayrer’s PX (2025) 56.2% Eur 79 –> Also previously sampled, we were urged to try the new expression
  • Ayrer’s Red Port Cask 54,4 % ~Eur 79 –> Skipped as we couldn’t try everything!
  • Ayrer’s Tower No 1 48% ~Eur 69

We decided to start with a special expression that is matured in Nürnberg’s historic walls. Just for that alone, I was curious!

Ayrer’s Tower No 1 48%

  • Nose – How lovely! A subtle, sweet vanilla aroma joined by dried fruits
  • Palate – Juicy fruits, cherry, plums, robust, yet nicely balanced, with a warm wood, malt and a hint of chocolate
  • Finish – A warm caramel finish, a hint of nuttiness, and a touch bitter too

As I reflected on the liquid in our glass, found it to be a truly “finished product”, far ahead of fumbling early experiments. It was more complex than I had expected, and each time I returned to the glass, there was always something more.

Our guide shared that the whisky was matured for around eight years in virgin American Oak, with level 3 charring. More importantly, it was not matured on-site, instead, the barrel(s) were stored off-site in Nurnberg’s historic medieval walls with their iconic “turms” aka towers – hence the name Tower No 1. Here’s what they have to say:

The city wall, dating from 1365 and located between the Neutor 1 and Hallertor towers, just steps from the Altstadthof, served to protect the citizens in the Middle Ages. For the past four years, it has protected our AYRER’s Whisky, allowing it to mature in peace and seclusion at near-Scottish temperatures. In new American white oak casks (Level 3 charring), a unique interplay of aromas develops into a single malt with a distinctive character and urban origin.

AYRER’s TOWER No1 is best enjoyed neat.

Notes: “spicy, sophisticated, pronounced, multi-layered, animating, powerful, dense, full, malty, smoky, persistent, strong, very long-lasting”

I knew this bottle needed to make it back to India with me. As a special momento of this beautiful city, all the many walks taken along the very walls where the barrels were matured. That it just so happens to be a worthy dram – well it ticked all the boxes!

After such a brilliant start, where to go next? Something the distillery is super proud of, naturally! A celebration of 40 years of distilling, a city partnership with Glasgow, producing a now annual blended expression! On offer was the 2024 edition.

Ayrer’s Burns Special Edition 2024 – 40 Jahre Stadtepartnerschaft Glasgow blend 47%

  • Nose – Lots of minerals, a medicinal quality, smoke, saline… yet the sea breeze became sweeter and sweeter the longer it sat in the glass
  • Palate – Nicely rounded, unmistakable peat, malty
  • Finish – A balance of peat and sweet

What a departure from the other Ayrer’s sampled til date. The coastal element was distinctively Scottish, warmed by the Ayrer’s whisky. What was interesting was how it became sweeter and sweeter – so much so that by the end of our tasting, as we revisited the glass, it greeted us with sweet marshmallows!

Our guide shared that 70% was from Brauerei Altstadthof with the balance from an undisclosed Scottish distillery. Whilst he described it as having a “touch of peat”, we found the peat quite pronounced!

Whilst it wasn’t the whisky for our mood, it was well worth sampling!

What next? This was when our guide decided he had to pull something from the bar. Whilst no longer available at the tasting table (as no bottles remained to sell!), he felt we couldn’t miss experiencing one of his favourites – a spring-like sweet dram finished in Moscatel casks!

Ayrer’s Moscatel 5 years 52.2%

  • Nose – Oh my! There is that mineral element again! This time with an earthiness, yet still light
  • Palate – It was incredibly fresh, a bit piquant, joyful and even slightly effervescent
  • Finish – Subtle yet long finish

What a treat! It was indeed a summery whisky… something to enjoy at Nurnberg’s city beach, bare feet playing in the sand, the warm summer sun, sipping a bright light whisky. It was not my favourite Canadian Shelter Point “sunshine in a glass”, yet it was a total summer dram – distinctly different.

With the mineral earthiness also found in this single malt, perhaps I incorrectly attributed the mineral in the Burns Special Edition to the Scottish side of the equation! We live and learn when we challenge our assumptions!

Now to up the game by revisiting an Ayrer’s expression I just recently tried – the PX! Sure, we could have skipped it, our guide was convinced I simply HAD to try this new expression. And he was right!

Ayrer’s PX (2020 – 2025) 56.2%

  • Nose – Oh wow! It was bursting with that delicious “rum topf” aroma – just chock full of fruits, rum, sweet, with some cloves, a bit of ginger too.
  • Palate – Lip smacking good! A burst of cherry that was soaked in “rum topf”, great mouth feel – roll it around, and one gets rum raisins, some rich chocolate…
  • Finish – Just yum!
  • Water – We decided to try with some water – Lovely! It opens it up beautifully – bringing even more fruits and sherry elements forward.

This was certainly an upgrade from the earlier PX expression. Don’t get me wrong, the earlier one was also rather good, however, this one kept evolving and should not be underestimated. I suspect this would do well with water and ice – hence would be perfect for the Indian market, where whiskies tend to be cooled down with a few cubes of ice.

Our guide mentioned the bottle we sampled was matured for 7 years, and yet the information online indicates only 5 years. All that matters is that it was one impressive dram – great balance of Virgin American Oak with an ex PX Sherry finish. Delicious!

We could have ended our Ayrer’s tasting flight with the PX Sherry. Yet again, our persuasive guide shared that there was just one last dram that we could not leave without trying. Most of you may know that before the new make spirit goes into a barrel to mature, it is typically reduced to 63.5%. And yet the actual new make spirit could be upwards of 70%!  To learn that Ayrer’s has a full force “Mastercut” expression, which reveals true cask strength? We weren’t going to stop until we tried it.

Ayrer’s 2024 Mastercut 75%

  • Nose – Was that rubber? It was something, yet subtle… then a honey sweetness, with spice and nuts too
  • Palate – Powerful yet balanced, what fabulous diversity of flavours, wood forward, spice, fruit and something else rather nice!
  • Finish – Long and lingering, with the strength continuing
  • Water – With just a few drops – it was initially a spice bomb! But as it opened (and yes – added a bit more water!), then a punch of sweet spices, red licorice, chewy and fruity, woods, were joined by a lovely fresh ginger and a dusting of cinnamon

This was not a dram for the fainthearted. And yet for 75% – yup, that really is 75% – it was incredibly balanced, belying the true power at play. Technically, a lot was going on here. And my lovely tasting companion kindly decided I had to go back to India with a 50 ml sample – to be opened at leisure at some future date. Thank you!

And with that, on nearly my last day in Nürnberg, I spent a lovely afternoon exploring the Ayrer’s whiskies of Hausbrauerei Altstadhof.

If this inspired you to explore more German distilleries, check out any of the following:

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2025 Whisky Show – Aberargie

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We are at an interesting inflection point in the whisky industry. Across Scotland, a wave of new distilleries that began construction during the last decade’s boom are finally reaching maturity—bringing their first proper whiskies to market just as global consumption is softening. Perhaps this will be a moment that will separate the merely competent from the genuinely compelling?

That backdrop made our second day at the 2025 London Whisky Show particularly intriguing, when a new Lowland name caught our attention –  Aberargie Distillery.

Founded in November 2017, Aberargie has taken a notably patient approach—waiting until March 2026 to release its first official bottling – Aberargie Inaugural Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

In an era when some producers rush young whisky to market, that restraint already says something about them. The team poured us a preview of different experiments, offering a glimpse of both their philosophy and their future style.

Everything we sampled was a teaser of things to come… Our journey began not with mature whisky, but with the spirit itself. A key part of Aberargie’s approach lies in producing two distinct styles of new make, driven by barley variety:

  • Golden Promise — heavier and richer in character, reminding me of sour fruits like cherry, almost evocative of kirschwasser.
  • Laureate — cleaner and brighter, with hints of orchard fruits—apples and pears—with a more delicate lift.

That dual-barley approach feels particularly suited to the Lowlands, a region currently enjoying something of a quiet revival after decades of contraction. Historically known for lighter, approachable spirits, the modern Lowlands are increasingly experimenting with fermentation, barley selection, and wood to build layered yet elegant profiles.

From there, we moved into early cask samples—young, yes, but already showing personality.

Aberargie 7 year (2018 – 2025) Golden Promise and Laureate Barley, First Fill Bourbon 48.2%

Surprisingly soft and sweet. Easy on the palate, unmistakably youthful yet lively with gentle spice, closing on a pleasingly sweet finish.

Aberargie Golden Promise and Laureate Barley Sherry 48.2%

Light, juicy, and fruit-forward—red currants and berries on the nose, with layers of whisky-soaked raisins joining on the palate. Delightfully approachable, nicely balanced, and finishing with a subtle herbal lift.

What made the experience particularly enjoyable was the sense of discovery—tasting a new whisky still on its journey rather than at its destination.

It’s always fun to get a glimpse of coming attractions, and after this early look, I’m especially curious to see how Aberargie Distillery expresses itself in its official inaugural release.

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Nürnberg’s Ayrer’s PX Sherry 56.2%

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Near Nürnberg’s castle is a lovely brewery – Hausbrauerei Altstadhof. The central court is a delightful beer garden that features their signature red beer. Their special seasonal beers are well worth making the effort to try! It is also home to a small whisky distillery – quietly producing a range of expressions under the name Ayrer’s since 1984.

On one of my many walks to the Berg, I picked up a cask strength miniature of their PX cask from their store. A few years later, our Nürnberg Whisky Explorers quite enjoyed the Ayrer’s Alligator expression during a 2023 tasting. I kept meaning to return to the store to pick up a set of their miniatures, yet somehow simply didn’t.

When I unpacked the PX miniature in Mumbai, I was flooded with nostalgia – memories of good times in Nürnberg. And decided the perfect way to commemorate would be with a favourite tasting companion – following a pair of Indian whiskies from Paul John – thus bringing together my two homes.

Ayrer’s PX Sherry Cask 56.2% ~Eur 9 mini / Eur 79 bottle

  • Nose – Big, bold, and beautiful! There were loads of dried fruits, candied nuts, and a dusting of candy floss
  • Palate – Wow! Sweet cloves, so smooth, perfumed, nuanced, complex, and balanced
  • Finish – Sweet rose, surprisingly subtle, lingering

All the different elements came together wonderfully! What was so surprising is how it initially came on so strong, then mellowed, revealing a depth of character – even an elegance – that was unexpected. We loved it!

Curious to learn more? Here is what they have to say (roughly translated from German):

This specialty whisky was made from our organic red malt, triple distilled, and aged for over three years in new American white oak casks. For final refinement and maturation, it was transferred to ex-PX sherry quarter casks.  This sweet sherry, made from the Pedro Ximenez (PX) grape, is extracted during the intensive finishing process in these small casks, giving AYRER’s PX its unique aroma and rich colour.

AYRER´s PX – Sherry Cask

Curious to explore more from Germany or other countries in Europe? I have a whole section dedicated to European whiskies from Austria to Switzerland!

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