“Remember, remember, the 5th of November…”
November 5. Guy Fawkes. The gunpowder plot. A night immortalised. But what does this have to do with whisky I hear you ask. Well, quite a bit in that whisky has played a part – like any good whisky should – in bringing back memories. Warm, pleasant memories before I was known as Keith Wood of Whisky Emporium.
Let me take you on a journey back to my childhood days of the 1960’s. The weeks and days leading up to 5th November, or what we call ‘Bonfire Night’ were exciting times indeed.
Calling at neighbours and asking for “any old wood” for our bonfire, even helping to tidy a few garden hedgerows under cover of darkness by removing old pieces of garden fence which we felt were obviously unstable and wouldn’t last the winter, until finally there was a large enough pile of timber to constitute a bonfire come the 5th November.
Then what nights they were; roaring fires to warm the cold winter evenings, aided by rockets, roman candles and many other delightful fireworks, but my over-riding memories are of my family, friends and relatives helping to celebrate with typical bonfire night fayre; a selection of soups, baked potatoes, home-made toffee, toffee apples, gingerbread men and delightful banana & ginger cakes for all to savour.
For the most part these were long-forgotten memories of childhood, tucked away behind years of living outside the UK where bonfire night is unheard of.
Until one fine evening when I opened a rather unusual and innocuous-looking whisky. Suddenly I was immediately transported back in time to those heady bonfire nights with a nose of banana, toffee, chocolate and even a little sea air, followed by a palate including the same smooth toffee and banana.
What was this magical whisky?
Unbelievably one from New Zealand called Milford 10, and here is an excerpt from my notes:
Palate: Bonfire night in the UK. Oh boy, back to my childhood again! Smooth toffee followed quickly by lots of banana. This is not what I would call pure banana, but think of a fruit shop where you see lots of bunches of banana and you want to buy some, but not a full bunch, so you break three or four from the bunch. As you break the stems, a specific type of banana aroma is released. This is the banana aroma / taste of Milford 10.
Since discovering this Milford I have continually searched for other whiskies which remind me of those halcyon times and another, more easily available whisky, with the rich winter flavours of bonfire night, including dried spices, cloves, cinnamon and ginger along with hints of toffee is the Dalmore 15 year old. So, if you would like to help me celebrate bonfire night this year, pick up a bottle and help toast my childhood and Guy Fawkes with a large dram!
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Tags: Dalmore
