The First Mannochmore from That Boutique-y Whisky Company announced!
The prize for winning the first ever TBWC Cocktail Competition was to pick a cask and design the label in conjunction with label artist Emily Chappell. The result is this magnificent honied Mannochmore that has been finished in ex-Barley Wine octaves, another first!.
Last year, That Boutique-y Whisky Company challenged (for the first time ever) all UK Bartenders and whisky specialists to create a uniquely delicious, winning recipe, in a contentious battle to find just who has the ultimate cocktail prowess.
The rules were simple; use the celebrated Canadian Corn Core Whiskey as one of a total 5 ingredients, the 5 ingredients taking inspiration from the word MOOSE (five letters) which graces the distinctive red label of That Boutique-y Whisky Company's Canadian Corn Whisky.
The serve must use five ingredients, this includes garnish
45ml Canadian Corn had to be used as the base spirit (as the abv of the standard bottle)
All serves were welcome no matter how corny
The name of your cocktail needed to be appropriately Canadian or moose inspired
There must be a story behind the serve; again corny puns were welcome!
The serve must take no longer than 5 mins to make, so is accessible to all
The Final
After some incredible recipe submissions, the entrants were whittled down to five, and there was an excellent afternoon in the Couch Bar in Stirchley, where the finalists prepared their cocktails for the judging panel.
Five great stories accompanied five delicious cocktails, but there could only be one winner. It was a very close result, with just ten points separating the highest to lowest scores from the totalled points from the judges.
Our winner Callum Palmer from Nottingham’s Tilt Bar scooped up the first prize with his ‘Comrades Stick Together’. Callum told us: "The inspiration for the cocktail came from sticky toffee pudding and its roots to the import of British and Canadian history.”
He elaborated: “I wanted to showcase all of the amazing notes within the whisky and showcase how we can elevate the drinking experience of cocktails using this ingredient. The toffee ice cream flavours in whisky being a direct flavour link inside the cocktail, boosting the flavour I needed. Following up with sherried berries adding a deep complexity.
The addition of the egg is to amplify the flavours and richness of the cocktail. Making sure to have that silky mouthfeel to help round out that punchy 45.8% whisky but also carry through the flavours we expect from sticky toffee pudding.”
The judges comments read:
“One sip and I was instantly taken back to my childhood - This is sticky toffee pudding in a glass. Amazing flavour and texture!”
“A strong, natural performance. I was engaged and interested in what Callum had to say. I always enjoy the history and provenance of how/why things were created. The serve looked delightful, it was a perfect choice of glassware that looked delicate and enticing.”
Engaging from the off, a very natural conversion as well as a mini history lesson! I do love a flip but they sometimes can be heavy but this tasted light and crisp which added to the drinkability! The’ Nik & Nora’ was the perfect glass too.”
The Prize
The prize for winning the cocktail competition was to work with Boutique-y’s head of whisky, Sam Simmons, to bottle their own whisky, including selecting the cask, and directing the label design with Emily Chappell.
The Result
A 13 Year Old Mannochmore, that has been finished in an ex-Barley Wine Cask. Three firsts in one hit! The first TBWC Cocktail Competition, the first Mannochmore release from That Boutiquey Whisky, and the first time we’ve finished a whisky in an ex- Barley Wine cask!
The Distillery
The Mannochmore distillery is located in the Speyside region of Scotland, near Elgin. It was established in 1971 by Scottish Malt Distillers (now part of Diageo) as a sister distillery to their Glenlossie distillery, and was specifically built to produce malt whisky for blending purposes, particularly for Haig Blended Scotch Whisky, and the Johnnie Walker range.
The distillery is known for its intermittent production schedule, experiencing periods of operation and mothballing throughout the 1980s and 90s, but has been running continuously since 2007. Mannochmore produces a light, grassy, and somewhat spicy spirit, but it’s probably most well known for the Loch Dhu (aka The Black Whisky) achieved through heavily charred casks and added caramel coloring.
The Finishing Cask
Barley wine is a strong, full-bodied ale that is traditionally brewed to a high alcohol content, often ranging from 8% to 15% ABV, and sometimes even higher. Despite its name, barley wine contains no grapes and is made entirely from fermented grain, typically barley, along with hops, water, and yeast. The "wine" in its name refers to its alcoholic strength and its ability to be aged, much like a fine wine, developing complex flavors over time.
The Label
The label is set in Nottingham’s TILT Bar, home to the winner of our competition, Callum Palmer. There’s an epic chess battle taking place, between Team Callum (on the left) , and Team TBWC (on the right), the cocktail comp judges. Callum is just making his checkmate move. The winning cocktail is sitting on the bar, and note the little details in the chess pieces; woodpeckers, fat monks, and a Queen Dr. Whisky…
The Finished Product
Callum winner picked this magnificent honied Mannochmore that we’ve finished in ex-Barley Wine octaves. We’re expecting around 247 bottles at 45.8% abv. The nose brings lots of Honey (Honey on toast, honey on oatcakes) Fresh Citrus Peel, but there's also a hint of herbal cough syrup like a Lemsip with honey and whisky in it. There’s more honey on the palate, alongside candied lemon and pepper, with a dry sweet, pine, herbaceous finish.
The ex-Barley wine cask has added some sweet complexity to this malt!
Available from Master of Malt now, while stock lasts!
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