Tasting

Start a Lowland tasting with an Islay peat monster, and you won't smell anything else afterward. That's why Auchentoshan, Glenkinchie, and Bladnoch belong at the beginning of a tasting, never at the end.

Auchentoshan 12 shows tropical fruit and honeyed vanilla on the nose, along with nuts and a fine spiciness. On the palate, mandarin, caramel, and cereal notes join in, with a slightly oily texture that comes from the triple distillation. Many consider this texture the distillery's signature.

Glenkinchie 12, also known as the 'Edinburgh Malt', is brighter and grassier. Apple blossom, honey, lemon peel, and a hint of biscuit define the nose, along with the gentle sweetness brought by its large stills. It comes out of the bottle at 43 percent alcohol, mild enough for those just starting out.

Bladnoch stays true to its reputation: grassy and sweet, with stone fruit and blossom on the nose. A hint of chocolate and toffee comes through on the finish, a spirit that speaks more of the wide pastures of Galloway than of smoke.

For getting started, a simple nosing glass and room temperature are all you need, nothing more. To open up the delicate floral and grassy notes, add a few drops of still water. Ice has no place in the glass, it would only numb the delicate aromas.

The order within the region is worth considering too. Start with Bladnoch and its fruitiness, then Glenkinchie with its biscuity spice, and finish with Auchentoshan and its oily richness from the triple distillation. That way, the tasting builds step by step.

However different the three malts taste in detail, their family resemblance remains unmistakable: light in texture, never overpowering on the nose, always more meadow than smoke barrel.