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We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
Auld Lang Syne
Robert Burns
In the tasting room, the pale northern light grew dim and the trees outside looked gaunt against the sky. Robert opened his eyes, sniffed his glass, and took an unhurried sip, leaving no doubt that exploring the aromas and allowing flavours to roll over the tongue was the most fitting way to complete the circle and bring the day to a close.
Anyone who has learned a little about Scotch begins to share his experience - an awareness of how 17 Years Old distils the Scottish landscape, the struggles of the Scots people and the noble story of whisky.
Savouring a rare premium blended Scotch is enjoyable as a social occasion or a contemplative one. But there is no better way of exploring 17 Years Old, and sampling the range of malts it contains, than in the company of good friends. Tasting it in Scotland at the place of its creation is, of course, memorable. But the experience can be turned into a unique celebration wherever in the world you may be.
Preparations are simple and the ritual has the makings of an enjoyable evening. You can begin by laying a white tablecloth to highlight the colour of each whisky. Provide water to refresh the mouth and rough, crusty bread to cleanse the palate. Plain crackers will do, but bread is much more efficient.
Have still spring water - preferably Scottish - on hand to dilute the spirit. Some over-enthusiastic hosts go as far as providing individual spit cups, or buckets, for each guest, though many find the idea of disposing of good whisky in such a way unthinkable.
'There are many rituals associated with savouring good Scotch whisky,' Robert says. 'Some are fanciful, others based on sound experience.'
The advice offered by our Master Blender may help you explore the hidden depths of 17 Years Old and enjoy it to the full. To explain more fully, he eases himself from the sofa and opens one of the many cupboards which line his sampling room.
'The first requirement,' he suggests, producing a tulip-shaped glass, 'is something similar to a sherry copita with a broad base tapering to a narrow neck. Test it by seeing if you can comfortably insert your nose to draw in the aromatics,' he adds, sniffing it.
'Experiment with several until you get it right. Some people prefer a Scottish thistle glass, others a tapered wine glass.' Robert himself cheerfully admits to using the same glass for 31 years. 'Pour a goodly measure,' he advises, reaching for a bottle of 17 Years Old. 'Swill it so the sides of the glass are nicely coated. Examine the colour and clarity against the light. Then smell the whisky - gently, not too deeply.'
I followed his instructions, drawing in those delicious layered aromas. This time a hint of wet pine needles, heather in flower, a touch of wood smoke.
'Now, take some water and pour the same amount that you have whisky. Again, swill and smell. This time you will notice a difference as the bouquet is released by the water.' The aromas acquired a previously undetected depth and intensity, carrying the promise of still more hidden layers to come.
Attempts have been made over the years to compile a whisky-tasting vocabulary - less fanciful than that of wine, though some whisky writers do tend to wax poetic after a dram or two. Typical of the descriptive words used are heather, smoke, peat, honey, sherry, vanilla, oak, salt. Whisky-tasting notes progress in a traditional order which follows the sequence of the taster examining the spirit - first, colour; then nose as he explores the aromatics; a description of the body consistency; followed by how the spirit lies on the palate; and, lastly, its finish.
Tasting has been formalised in this way to evolve a common language. In reality, the complex flavours of a fine whisky are an extremely subjective experience, which vary widely from sampler to sampler.
'I can't tell you exactly what you will smell,' Robert admits, lowering his glass to return to the business in hand. 'Many of our taste memories are formed by the age of ten. For me, 17 Years Old evokes memories of fresh red apples in an orchard in my childhood. The hint of spiciness reminds me of sweets I ate on the way to school as a boy.
'The secret is to pick up the glass, think about what you can smell, then put the thought from your head. Return to the glass and, this time, you will smell a deeper layer, something different. It is fun to go down and down to the heart of the whisky in this way, discarding layers of smell and exploring new ones.'
Master Blenders rely on smell more than taste. Hundreds, even thousands, of aromas are released by adding water, while tasting conveys only about four levels of textural information.
Robert compares the 40 or so malts and grains in 17 Years Old to listening to an orchestra. 'If you have, say, a ten-piece orchestra, you can hear both the music and pick out individual instruments quite easily,' he explains. 'With a 100-piece orchestra, the music is everything. To pick out individual instruments you really have to focus your attention and concentrate.
'One obvious point about orchestras and conducting is that you can have too many instruments. The right number of blended malts and grains creates a pleasing balance and sense of style.'
And while the complex layers of aroma convey the bulk of the information, the textural quality in the mouth is equally important.
'17 Years Old has a softness and roundness on the palate,' Robert explains. 'Sip it, roll it around on your tongue and allow it to evaporate in your mouth. Warming the glass in your hand assists the process by releasing flavours. Ice, on the other hand, tends to kill fragrances in tasting.
'Whisky is both sweet and dry at the same time,' he adds. 'Dry at the sides of the mouth and sweet towards the bottom of the mouth. It is a highly personal thing, but I detect a slight touch of peat and a hint of yellow gorse flowers on the back of the mouth when I sample 17 Years Old.
'When you taste whisky in general, you should look for something that leaves your mouth clean, without a coating effect. Something dry and crisp with a range of flavours. 17 Years Old has a magic that lingers with you, but does not mar anything you taste afterwards.
'A clear amber gold colour against the light. A long nose with hints of oak and sweetness. Complex but vibrant on the palate with touches of honey and peat smoke. A long finish in which that lightly smoky flavour lingers with a note of vanilla and, finally, the slightest hint of salt.
'I call that close to perfection.'
Better still, use 17 Years Old to evoke your own personal taste memories reaching back over a lifetime. Peel away those layers of flavour to explore not only the rich sophistication, but something less easily defined as Scotland's landscape, history and traditions unfold, too.
17 Years Old achieves a perfection that eclipses time and distance. An ability to evoke personal memories and explore new experiences. Therein lies the magic of 17 Years Old, a whisky that embodies the true spirit of Scotland. The Scotch.