Most people these days forget that poets during the early 1800’s were like the actors and rock stars of today. Lord Byron was one of the most notorious of his day, even though his talent as a wordsmith has always been somewhat overrated. In graduate school at NYU, when I was earning my Master’s degree in English Literature, I can remember groaning through a few Lord Byron poems, not least of which was Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. Still, it’s undeniable that a few of Byron’s poems are brilliant, especially by today’s standards.
I’d never heard of a SPEY whisky called “Byron’s Choice, The Marriage,” until I was given a bottle to review. Yes, the cost of this bottle was paid in full by The Whiskey Wash, so no conflicts of interest here. The packaging is nothing short of magnificent, although I must say that the glass cork is a bit stubborn, due a plastic washer that catches on the lip of the neck. A lovely cursive script adorns the inside and outside of the box, which opens with a high-class magnetized wrap-around side. Overall, this whisky’s packaging is very classy, to be sure!
The front of the box proclaims: “A special Anniversary bottling celebrating the marriage of Lord Byron 2nd January 1815.” Inside, a very apt quote reads, “Your whisky has made you original. . . . I have always thought it a fine liquor.” The words were penned by none other than Lord Byron in a thank you letter he wrote to Lady Melbourne in 1814.
As an aside, I can’t resist mentioning that this “Lady” had affairs with so many men that the paternity of her children was always a matter of debate. Still, there’s little doubt that she served damned good drinks at her parties. The Viscountess of Melbourne used both her parties, and her own body, to forward her husband’s career, and her family’s position in the governance of England and its colonies. In fact, one of her (potentially) bastard sons, William Lamb, became Prime Minster! Sound familiar? Yes, that’s right, the Melbourne technique of social climbing (both literal and figurative) does bear a striking similarity to that of Winston Churchill’s mother.
Byron’s Choice, The Marriage, single malt whisky met with quite a bit of fanfare in the media last year. For instance, Harper’s wrote a complimentary article about its release in December of 2015. This article makes the connection that Lord Byron served Speyside whisky at his marriage, which was provided by Harvey’s of Edinburgh.
Today, the Harvey family owns Speyside Distillery, which, in turn, created the SPEY whisky that I’m reviewing. A lot has happened in the intervening 200 years. It’s nice to know that good whisky can still be found, especially with the help of folks from the Harvey family of Edinburgh. Their SPEY 21 is worth trying if you get the chance, even though it’s rather hard to find these days (unless you happen to live in Deutschland).
Tasting Notes: Byron’s Choice, The Marriage
Vital Stats: 46% ABV (92 proof); 100% malted barley; around $100 per 7ocl (700ml) bottle.
Appearance: The color of polished mahogany comes to mind. Wow, this is really a charming whisky to behold in the light!
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Nose: Candied lemon peels; cinnamon hard candy; orange marmalade; soy sauce; almond shavings; New Orleans beignet; French pralines. The combination of fruit, sugar, and caramel is typically Speyside–in a good way. This said, I find this nose to be a little more exotic than the typical Speyside whisky. There’s also an oak presence biding its time in the background, but it is dialed way down in the mix. Some people might not even detect it.
Palate: Fairly creamy “dark” mouth feel, with tropical and Asian fruits coming to the fore. I’m getting unsulphured molasses, persimmon jelly, papaya, and then a light dash of white Chinese pepper. Perhaps a bit of lemon curd, along with agave nectar on toasted Jewish marble rye.
Finish: Medium in length, the fruity influence here becomes a touch spicy . . . and, yes, even rancorous. This brings to mind a a peppery, brandy-infused fruit compote, like the one that I sampled as a teenager in Yugoslavia, that mysterious land of olde. Describing the whisky’s finish as “sweet caramel,” as one reviewer has done online, is simply absurd. There is so much more going on, but it’s kind of a mixed bag in terms of effortless drinking enjoyment. I’m not sure the challenge here is entirely to my liking . . . perhaps a second pour would go down easier?
Final Thoughts:
It’s no surprise that Byron’s Choice was released in December. To me, it evokes holidays moods. Ah shucks, now I’m getting nostalgic. As far as the mouth feel is concerned, there is no appreciable burn. This said, for some reason it burns a little going down the back of my throat! Good news: I can faithfully report that “the burn” is not entirely unpleasant.
Byron’s Choice, The Marriage is exquisitely packaged. The whisky was greeted with a quite a bit of pomp and circumstance in the global media. In fact, it received more press than practically any other whisky in its class. Ironically, none of the reviews that I could dig up mentioned how it smelled, tasted, or even what it looked like. Lots of hype, and not one critical word about the whisky’s rather tenuous theme.
If memory serves, I seem to recall that I once very much liked Byron’s poem entitled, “She Walks in Beauty.” With this in mind, it’s time to take my anthology of English Romantic poets down from bookshelf, dust off the cover, and sink down into a leather armchair by the fire, along with a dram of “Byron’s Choice, The Marriage, 1815” to keep me company. A lot has changed in the past two hundred years, but good poetry and good whisky, when enjoyed together, still help to make life worth living.
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