Shackleton's Whisky
The original ‘Shackleton’ whisky - in handcuffs for safe-keeping.
His name lives on and is now commemorated in the limited edition ‘Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky’, behind which lies a tale that must be a marketing man’s dream. In 2006 three cases of Mackinlay’s were found under a hut abandoned by Shackleton in 1909 and from them three bottles were carefully extracted and taken to Whyte & Mackay in Scotland, now the owners of the Mackinlay name. There, Richard Paterson, master blender (and a great tale teller) removed a tiny sample of the whisky and has now ‘recreated’ the old blend, a bottle of which can be yours for about £100 in duty free.
Richard Paterson in his blending room.
The result shows the work of a dextrous hand in the blending room and Paterson has created a whisky of real character and identity, without resorting to stonking flavours to make an impression. The colour is pale straw and the nose is elegant and fruity with just a touch of smoke. It’s delicate on the palate but this is no shrinking violet (it has been bottled at 47.3% alcohol) and you can dig around in the flavour to discover extra layers and nuances. Above all, the key is balance and harmony leading to a very satisfying finish.
Good stuff, but in these straitened times very few of us can stretch to a bottle of Shackleton’s best, though coming towards Christmas we surely deserve a decent bottle. Better still if it comes from the hand of the master – Richard Paterson – and the Tesco 12 year old blended Scotch Whisky does just that. It is a blend of grain whiskies and Speyside malts aged in American oak barrels and for €20.29 you can hardly go wrong. There is still time to include it in your letter to Santa…
