Scottish Roadtrip with J.D. William's Whisky Bar

I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am that the whisky flight I brought home for a tasting, contains only whiskies, that I have never tried before. This beauty is brought to you by none other than J.D. William's Whisky Bar, located on the Prinsenstraat in Amsterdam.

Because good whiskies on a Sunday evening deserve a great food pairing, I went for food from a country that has an undeniable love affair with Scotland and which was born through whisky... Japan. Tonight's menu: Yakitori chicken skewers, served with miso glazed, grilled rice balls wrapped in shiso leaves.

Pure Scot Blended Whisky - 40%

As I didn't know this whisky, I was surprised by the hint of smoke on the nose. But through it I discovered lovely fruits like apples, pears and a little bit of sweetness. Very smooth. And I wasn't disappointed. On the palate the whisky has that great gentle smoke flavour as well as a hint of vanilla. Not the longest finish but surprisingly tasty - definitely a good first dram.

The Old Pulteney 2006 Vintage - 46%

On the nose has a lot of grass, warm grass at the end of a summer day. After a while I feel like walking between trees, there's fruit in there as well. Not too sweet, more sour tones, like apples, maybe even lemon. On the palate it is one big apples and pears party. Yes, there is that vanilla in there, some wood and a gentle amount of spice. It has a nice finish, warm and woody. All I can say : Very pleased about this whiskey.

Ultimate Aberfeldy 2013 - 46%

Described by J.D. William's as "a bit edgy", I couldn't wait and I wasn't disappointed. On the nose this whisky is sort of sweet, medicinal almost. Maybe even a little leathery but mostly sweet. On the palate it also has a slight smokey flavour but evenly balanced and very warm. Leave that glass for a few minutes and when you come back, this whisky has become even sweeter on the nose, which I found surprising. A good lasting finish.

Smokehead High Voltage Single Malt - 58%

To be honest, I was very worried about this whisky but the moment I poured this in my glass, I was beyond pleased. Of course there is this initial burst of smoke on the nose but after a few moments that intensity subsided a little bit after which you will discover scents like umami, like roasted meat and I swear, for me there is dark chocolate in there. In the glass there's this incredible burst of caramel and I was very pleased to discover that on the palate, the smoke wasn't as intense. You can definitely taste those notes of smoke, chocolate and wood. Here's the lesson of the day - don't judge a whisky by it's label. For me this was a very gently peated whisky.

After thoughts

All in all four very interesting whiskies and I the Ultimate Aberfeldy is the winner of the night. As long as this lockdown lasts, I will be sure to be trying out the different whisky flights I can find in an effort to support my locals and keep up to date with developing my palate and knowledge.

If you've got a chance, check out J.D. William's Whisky Bar and try one of their whisky flights. They're located on Prinsenstraat 5, 1015 DA Amsterdam.