The historic indenpendence vote for a free Scotland and the start of Fall has coincided with the once-a-year Signet Selectis, a complex whisky showing poise and incredible balance. In the words of The Select, it is “A fusion of unique and rare elements, clouded in secrecy,” to which we add, in keeping with the times. Sláinte.
The Signet was first created in Dr Bill Lumsden’s mind some years back whilst studying for his PHD in bio-chemistry. He and a friend were in love with coffee and its aromas. That lead to the idea that a single malt could possibly be made with roasted malt as opposed to the regular malted barley.
Fast forward many years and a few disasters later we have the extremely complex dram—Signet. Now made with a high temperature “chocolate” roasted malt. There is an amazing amount of different whiskies in this masterful creation ranging in age from 16 to 40 years of age. There are many different finishes including sherry, wine, virgin oak and some secret stuff that only Dr Bill (Lumsden) knows about.
As TD’s Whisky Editor Stephen Winch put it, “This is a seriously great scotch that works exceptionally well on a large “rock.” The flavor ranges from coffee, mocha, almond biscotti, tiramisu. Yes it is rich and complex, but beautifully balanced. The blend for the Signet is only done once a year, so global availability is minimal.
Available online here: http://bit.ly/1m8cBQ1
