October 2023 – Small Batch 02: Israeli Single Malt Whisky
Summerton Whisky Club’s October 2023 Club Bottle Small Batch 02: Israeli Single Malt Whisky
Milk & Honey is a brand that has been on everyone’s lips this year after they won World’s Best Single Malt in March at the 2023 World Whiskies Awards. Fortunately we had already been working with the team in Israel to create a special bottling for the Club, which I am happy to be able to share with you.
Dr Jim Swan (1941 – 2017) has been key in the stories of many of the best known new distilleries around the world, such as Amrut, Cotswolds, Kavalan, Kilchoman, Nc’nean and St George’s (The English Whisky Co). Referred to as the “Einstein of Whisky”, his research into whisky and its distillation process pioneered new methods of production. Dr Swan demonstrated that it was possible to create great whisky in tropical climates, despite being aged a short amount of time, with his creation the STR cask (shaved-toasted-recharred) being a key to this.
In 2013 the late Dr Swan was hired as a consultant to help create Israel’s first whisky distillery, and later became their first Master Distiller. Between travelling around the world, helping up and coming distilleries like Milk & Honey and advising well-established spirits brands, he happily joined their mission: not only building a distillery, but establishing an industry from scratch. As well as helping design floor plans and stills, choosing ingredients and casks, Dr Swan oversaw first experimentations operating the stills and collaborated with Tomer Goren, M&H’s head distiller who was named Master Distiller of the year 2023 by the Icons of Whisky, in creating Israel’s first single malt whisky.
With the help of the distillery team we tried a number of options, particularly focussing on the casks used. From this work, with the help of our first Club Member, a whisky finished in ex-Islay whisky casks was chosen for us to enjoy and I hope you do…a depth and warmth comes from the casks, that is best enjoyed in the colder months.
As ever, you should enjoy your whisky how you like it best, whether neat or with water, ice or mixed. For those who are unsure from their first taste I can recommend leaving the bottle for a couple of weeks after opening, as a whisky will often evolve. To experience differently, add a drop of water to a glass and see how the flavours open up.
And those thinking about mixing this, a simple option is with sparkling water or a smokey cokey…(a smokey whisky mixed with cola).
Dan
