Beginner’s guide to whisky from a Harrogate expertWhittaker’s Gin in Nidderdale to expand into whisky market

Whittaker’s distillery in Nidderdale, best known for its boutique gins, is to expand into the growing English whisky market.

The company in Dacre has already laid down 150 casks of whisky, which take three years to fully mature.  The first bottles will go on sale in the summer of next year.

Owner Toby Whittaker told the Stray Ferret the ability to make whisky from locally grown barley appealed to him:

“Personally I like the concept of knowing where the barley has come from.

“In our case my sister and brother-in-law have a farm at the end of the River Nidd at Ferrensby. The barley is grown there so we are tying in local provenance. The grain is malted in Castleford – so it keeps all the transport costs down and the employment local.

“If you contrast that with gin, we are buying juniper berries from the continent so I just love the idea of using the local barley and making a malt whisky from Nidderdale.”

Last year Whittakers was amongst a small group of English whisky makers that grouped together to found the English Whisky Guild. Its aim is to promote English whisky globally and protect the integrity of the product, ensuring it is made in England.

Making whisky is more complicated than making gin. There are more processes involved rather than a single distillation.  The whisky then has to be casked for three years so it requires more investment and more time.  Whittakers is currently filling a cask every week.

Mr Whittaker said his whisky is aimed at a niche market — for people who seek out whisky, or the whisky “geek” as he puts it.

Help to develop the whisky came from an unexpected place — two whisky-loving Americans based at Menwith Hill US air base.  Derek Dowler contacted Mr Whittaker during lockdown and they began experimenting. A second American, Blake Meyer, then got involved.

Toby, Derek and Blake then went on a “steep learning curve” but finally got production up and running.

Mr Whittaker said his processes are a blend of ancient and modern:

“Twenty-five percent of the flavour comes from the type of grain used and how well you distill it. We have concentrated on embracing modern science to use grains that produce high yields and flavours. It’s a mixture, we’ve got old fashioned cooperage, the making of casks, that’s a trade that’s been around for thousands of years and we’re using modern strains. It’s an exciting time. “

Mr Whittaker says the cost of living crisis has impacted the business. The cost of raw materials has jacked up continually, he said. The cost of glass, for example, has doubled.

But he feels it’s a growing market. As the Guild says on its website, the story of English whisky has just begun…


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Harrogate auction house sees 50 year old bottle of whisky fetch £12,000

The next time someone at work gifts you a bottle of whisky, you might want to think twice before you open it.

A bottle of whisky that was consigned to Tennants Auctioneers in Harrogate has fetched £12,000 hammer price at auction.

The seller had been given it by a colleague a number a years ago and hadn’t realised how much it had appreciated in value.

The bottle was a Macallan 1940, 50 Year Old Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky — one of the most collectable whiskies which has dramatically increased in value over the last 20 years.

The whisky was distilled on January 1 1940 and laid down by Macallan for 30 years, before the cask was bought by independent bottlers Gordon and Macphail.

They moved the cask to their warehouses in Elgin where it remained maturing for another 20 years before being bottled. It formed part of Gordon and Macphail’s Speymalt range and was sold with its original presentation case and certificate.

Macallan still continues to dominate the whisky market at auction.

The bottle was sold at Tennants’ fine wine and whisky sale at its auction house in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, on Friday.


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Ripon man auctions 255 bottles of whisky for Falklands veterans

A Ripon man is to auction 255 signed bottles of whisky to raise money for Falklands veterans.

Next month marks the 40th anniversary of the start of the 10-week war, which claimed the lives of 255 British military personnel.

Simon Mercer, whose family has strong military connections, came up with the idea after a chance encounter with Nigel Phillips, the current Governor of the Falkland Islands, on a flight to the British overseas territory in 2018.

Each bottle has been numbered and signed by Mr Phillips and Major General Julian Thompson, who led 3 Commando Brigade during the conflict with Argentina.

Many bottles have been additionally signed on the front label by Falklands veterans including Sara Jones, widow of Lt. Col. H Jones, who posthumously received the Victoria Cross after being killed in action during the Battle of Goose Green in May 1982.

Each signatory served their country with extraordinary bravery on land, at sea and in the air.


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The cask-strength 53.5%, 13-year-old Glen Moray whisky will be auctioned online by Scotch Whisky Auctions, which has waived its usual fees.

Whisky auction

Each bottle is signed by Nigel Phillips and Major General Julian Thompson, who led 3 Commando Brigade.

The auction will take place from April 1 to 10 to coincide with the anniversary of the start of the war on April 2, 1982.

All of the profits will be donated equally between the charities Falklands Veterans Foundation and South Atlantic Medal Association 82.

Mr Mercer said the project had become a “labour of love” during lockdowns.

He said the Ukraine war highlighted the need to look after veterans.

“I believe we must give back to life. We can’t just take. I’ve done all sorts of successful fundraisers with Ripon Cathedral as a trustee but I never go to church. It’s just a nice building worth preserving and each generation has a duty.

“Supporting our armed services has never been more important than it is today. The Falklands was the last legal war and we have a duty of care to support those who served. I’m just doing my bit.”

 

Bring in the New Year with these 3 simple cocktails from Harrogate bartenders

After the headache of the last few months of 2021, I’m sure we could all use a strong drink when the clock strikes midnight.

Whether you’re isolating and planning to live it up at a virtual zoom party or you’re just chilling out on the sofa watching Jools Holland, we rounded up three simple cocktail recipes from Harrogate bartenders that will help you enter 2022 in style.

So get dressed up (or don’t) and raise a glass to better days ahead.

Pink 75 – Banyan 

Jack Whiting, bar supervisor, said:

“This is a nice one for New Year as it includes prosecco and you serve it in a champagne flute. You can garnish it with orange or put a flower in it, so it looks quite nice. I make it at home with my family all the time. It’s quite easy so anyone can make it.”

Pink 75

Ingredients

15ml Tanqueray gin

15ml Chambord liqueur 

15ml lemon juice 

15ml sugar syrup

Prosecco to top it up

Method

Add all the ingredients, apart from the prosecco, to a cocktail shaker with ice (about half the shaker) and shake. If you don’t have sugar syrup, you can make this by mixing sugar with boiling water and cooling it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Pour through a strainer into a champagne flute and top up with prosecco.

Garnish with a slice of orange or a flower.

Espresso martini – Foundry Project

Jody Shearer, bookings manager, said:

“It’s perfect for New Year’s Eve as it is easy to make and the caffeine kick keeps you going through the night!”

Espresso martini

Ingredients

25ml Kahlua 

25ml Absolut vodka 

12.5 ml vanilla syrup or vanilla vodka for an extra kick

50ml freshly ground coffee

Method

Measure all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake.

Pour through a strainer into a coupe cocktail glass and serve with a coffee bean garnish.


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White Stray – Three’s a Crowd

Francesco Deleo, bartender, said:

“This is a good one for New Year’s Eve as it’s a nice looking cocktail and it’s easy to make. People love Kahlua and Frangelico. Your friends will be jealous when you make it. You also don’t need a cocktail shaker.”

White Stray

Ingredients

20ml Jack Daniels 

20ml Frangelico hazelnut liqueur 

20ml Kahlua

50ml (approx) double or squirty cream

Large marshmallow to garnish

Method

Pour the ingredients, apart from the cream, into a whisky tumbler, top with ice and stir.

Top-up with the double or squirty cream

If you have a chef’s blowtorch, use this to toast the marshmallow, if not use gas or a lighter, then serve it on top of the cream.

Francesco Deleo, bartender at Three’s a Crowd, makes a White Stray cocktail.