Situated in one of the UK’s best Whisky Bars is a unique experience to help you improve your understanding of Whisky to the point where you feel comfortable blending and creating whisky yourself.
The Black Rock blending course is a classic gift for that person who you know likes whisky but you want to get them something more personal than just another bottle. It's also a perfect gift for yourself, from you to you!
In the four years that it's doors have been open, The Black Rock Bar has been declared "UK's Best Specialist Bar" by CLASS Magazine three years in a row and it's no surprise why. The main bar is situated in the basement of the building. An intimate encounter and beautifully decorated. The centre table is made of a solid oak tree (sourced ethically) that has been hollowed out to fit three whisky barrels. This connects you closer to the whisky-making process as you are sitting at a table that is ageing whisky as you drink. If you find yourself unable to get access, booking is recommended, the ground floor is also a whisky tavern with a wide selection on offer.
The staff who run the course are truly passionate about whisky and have a huge amount of knowledge, providing plenty of anecdotes and segues throughout the night.
The course starts with a tasting of 5 scotches of varying flavour profiles, the process used is a simplified one focusing on sweet, fragrance, fruit, spice and smoke. Afterwards, you then get a chance to try and create a trial blend of these 5 scotches to see what you can make. Spoiler alert: The peaty flavours power through.
At this point, you haven't done much different from a normal whisky tasting, this is the point where the Block Rock's course comes into its own. The next half of the event is then focused on helping you create your whisky recipe. You are now unleashed on a selection of around 100 single malt whiskies sorted based on their flavour profile. You start by drawing out what whisky you want to create using a flavour chart and then set off trying to mix your choice of whiskies to try and make that one that appeals uniquely to you. This can take a surprisingly long amount of time as you try to calculate what makes your perfect whisky, all the while trying to resist taking a sip and ruining your measurements.
Once complete you then fill a small (give specific ml) bottle with your recipe, label it and seal it in wax. You also don't have to worry about rationing it as Black Rock save your bespoke recipe so once you run out you can always order more in the future.
If you're interested in booking you can find out more information at: https://www.blackrock.bar/blending-room
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