When people say the word “scotch”, the first thing that comes to mind is the brand “White Horse”. Yes, and the Scots themselves consider the “White Horse” the personification of the blended whiskey of their country. The White Horse blend is made from a mixture of 35 grain and malt components, resulting in a scotch of amazingly bright color – like melted amber with sun glare. A pleasant aroma is remembered by the sweetness of wildflowers and the astringency of peat smoke. And the fact that White Horse is successfully sold in 160 of the 197 countries recognized in the world is evidence of unconditional popularity.
Historical reference. It all started not even with a distillery, as is usually the case, but with an Edinburgh tavern, to which the owners, fans of Mary Stuart, gave the name White Horse Inn. The Queen of Scotland, and then of France, was an excellent rider, and the townspeople loved to watch her, accompanied by her retinue, leave the royal residence of Holyroodhouse for a walk. Mary Stuart preferred white horses, this predilection was reflected in the name of the tavern, and then the drink so beloved by many.
The link between the inn in Edinburgh and the Whiskey “White Horse” was the Mackey family. A descendant of the owners of the inn, James Logan Mackey first bought the Lagavulin distillery on Islay Island and began to produce whiskey. In 1883, he registered the Mackie & Co company in Glasgow and marked the date “1742” on the label of the White Horse scotch he created, which misleads many and seems like a marketing ploy, as if the age of whiskey was deliberately increased by almost a century and a half. But in fact, Logan Mackey simply indicated the date of construction of the tavern, from which he borrowed the name for the drink.
The White Horse brand was officially registered in 1891, at the initiative of Peter Mackey, the nephew of Logan Mackey, who was passionate about creating blended drinks. It was Peter who actually led the company until the end of the XNUMXth century: he came up with the brand name, monitored compliance with production standards, and promoted the product in the Scottish markets. And it is thanks to him that the company was the first in the world to seal bottles with a screw cap. They talked about Peter Mackey as an eccentric, tough, stubborn person, stubbornly moving towards the goal and not noticing obstacles. But if he had been different, success for the White Horse would not have come soon.
Until 1900, only the Scots knew about the White Horse. But at the beginning of the XNUMXth century, scotch began to enter the British markets – this is the merit of Peter, who was constantly in search of markets.
During the First World War, the British military fell in love with the White Horse, due to which sales skyrocketed. Scotch quickly conquered the American market, despite the presence in the United States of its national whiskey – bourbon. By 1924, when Peter Mackey died, the White Horse brand had crossed a dozen frontiers.
After the death of the owner, the company changed its name from Mackie & Co to White Horse Distillers Ltd, then merged into The Distillers Compagny Limited. Today, both the brand and the company itself are owned by the British alcohol concern Diageo.
One of the most significant awards in the development of the brand is the Queen’s Award for Achievement in International Trade, awarded to White Horse in 1978.
Features of the “White Horse”
White Horse is a traditional drink that embodies a classic Scottish blend with all the appropriate features: a tart peaty aftertaste, a “smoky” aftertaste and distant notes of pear, apple and honey.
How to drink. Ladies who are not indifferent to whiskey usually prefer softer varieties: chocolate shades and pronounced fruity-floral bouquets, and they drink the White Horse in the American style – with a lot of ice, which helps the taste to open up, but completely neutralizes the aroma. Men, who know a lot about strong drinks, drink White Horse without diluting it, they are just impressed by the lack of cloying sweetness, tart smoke and slightly salty peaty notes.
The secrets of the formation of taste and smell must be sought at the source – in the distilleries, where the ingredients for the blend are produced.
- Lagavulin. The first Islay distillery purchased by Logan Mackey. The single malt scotch of the same name became the leader in the White Horse blend. The salty peat taste is explained by the island location: peat is saturated with sea salt and iodine, and when the malt is dried, it gives off this aroma and smoky flavor, which forms the original taste, which sharply distinguishes the drink from mainland whiskey. The taste of Lagavulin is soft and pleasant, thanks to long fermentation processes and long distillation.
- Caol Ila. Another old distillery on the island of Islay. The same special, salty peat with an abundance of algae, which means iodine. But there is a significant difference in production technology, when compared with Lagavulin: malting is carried out here both smoky – with the help of peat, and smokeless – Irish way. The Irish dry their malt in closed ovens, where outside smells do not penetrate. Whereas the Scots allow sprouted grains of barley and other cereals to be completely saturated with peat smoke. Whiskey distillery Caol Ila soft and light, almost smokeless, with fresh flavors of apples and honey.
- Craigellachie. The distillery in Speyside was once built by the same Peter Mackey. After his death, Crаigellachie was sold to a small company called John Dewar & Sons Ltd, which was later taken over by Diageo. Like most drinks from the Speyside Valley, Craigellachie’s taste is floral-fruity and full-bodied, with bright nutty and fruity notes.
- Glen Elgin. This is a small distillery in the Speyside Valley that produces whiskey for blending. As independent drinks, Glen Elgin varieties are not sold, but they are perfectly combined with the products of other distilleries and are distinguished by a mild sweetish taste with a floral aroma.
All varieties of “White Horse” are matured in oak bourbon barrels and have a strength of 40%. Scotch is drunk clean – as a digestif (after a meal) or with a small amount of ice – as an aperitif (before a meal).
Types of Whiskey White Horse
- White Horse. A classic blend of 35 varieties created in 1891. Most of the bouquet is made up of single malt drinks, the leader is Lagavulin. The color of the adhesive tape is thick, amber. The taste is slightly tart, with hints of dried fruits and smoke, the aroma is harmonious – notes of peat smoke, caramel and pear are felt. Long aftertaste with a hint of honey.
- White Horse Extra Fine 12 year. Scotch tape is a thick amber color with the aroma of smoke, prunes and figs. Fruity notes are the result of aging in oak sherry casks. The taste is soft and sweetish, shades of cinnamon and ginger are traced, but the smoky-tart “Lagavulin” remains the main accent. The aftertaste is short, with a fresh aftertaste.
- White Horse 1900. The name of the drink is due to the entry into foreign markets in 1900. An amber-nut color Scotch with an apple-pear aroma, in which honey notes are traced. The taste is soft and fresh, which is explained by the predominance of Speyside varieties in the blend. But the “smokyness” of Lagavulin is also noticeable.
- White Horse Logan. The drink is named after the founder of the company and the brand, the blend consists of 50 varieties of whiskey. This is a golden amber scotch with a rather complex, but soft and smoky aroma, dominated by notes of sherry and caramel. Full and smooth, multifaceted taste with emphasis on fruity notes. Long aftertaste with honey-smoky aftertaste. Fortress 40%, exposure 12 years.
