A couple Fridays ago my other half and I went to the science centre in Glasgow to enjoy the Science of Whisky. Arriving at the science centre we got to explore a little before the event. I had not been to the science centre before but it was interesting to see it quiet with just adults going around. Not all of the exhibitions were on, which is fair as the night wasn’t about the centre but about the whisky.
They had set up the area next to the planetarium with plenty of tables looking ready for a formal dinner. Instead of dinner each place-setting had a selection of 6 whiskeys and a glass for water to cleanse the palette.
The evening was led by Rod from The Good Spirit Company and Steve from the Science Centre. Rod described each whisky one at a time while we sampled it. He told us where each whiskey came from and the flavours that could be detected from each one. Steve followed with the science of the whisky, such as how it was distilled and the effects it
would have on each of us.
The first whisky was a very light and smooth single malt from Glenburgie. This was a very easy whisky to drink and can be shared with anyone new to whisky.
The second dram was another single malt from the Glen Moray Distillery. It was a slightly older than the first and was described as having a coconut and pineapple flavour due to how long it had distilled. I could get the pineapple but not the coconut.
The third whisky was surprisingly my favourite. It was the youngest of all the whiskies that night. It was a single grain whisky from Loch Lommond. Initially it had a slight sour taste which then turned into a smooth flavour.
The 4th was a Speyside single malt which was not for me. This was quite a peaty one and I needed a bit of water to tame down the taste.
The 5th was from Glen Dronach and I know I liked it better than the 4th dram but I’m afraid I can’t remember much else about it.
I hadn’t heard of the any of the whiskys but had heard of most of the distilleries. Two of the six we tried were from independent bottlers. Getting to try these was a great experience. I like whisky a lot but haven’t tried a wide range. I was surprised about my favourite dram and happy I got to try it. The single grain would not have been one I chose due to its age but I’ll keep a more open mind from now on.
Once it came to the final dram we had to wait to try it but it was worth it. Our last dram was from Finlaggan and was enjoyed in the planetarium, under the stars, through a journey of the universe.
The 6th dram had a very strong smell of peat but the taste was quite mellow. I’m not a peat whisky fan but I could finish this one. However with it being the sixth dram and looking up at the stars it wasn’t difficult.
The night had a great turn out and I can see this event happening again. This was the third night that the science centre had hosted the event and hopefully they’ll do a fourth. Look out for it. If you like whisky and the stars this is a night for you.