The Single Cask categorises whisky by mood

Scotch whisky bottler The Single Cask has divided its whiskies into five mood categories: cheerful, playful, bold, curious and easy-going.

The brand, based in Fife, said the process makes picking whiskies for people easier and quicker, allowing them to get a feel for a whisky’s character without feeling bewildered by label information and tasting notes.

Cheerful whiskies, for example, are identified as ‘well-mannered, joyful, effortless, and dependable crowd-pleasers that suit any occasion’. Playful whiskies ‘bounce around your nose and mouth, full of life, vigour, enthusiasm and excitement’.

Bold whiskies are then for drinkers who want their flavours big, powerful and strong with ‘assertive, rich and deep characters’. After something less known? The curious category represents whiskies that are unusual and surprising, which ‘break the rules of whisky flavour’.

And lastly, the easy-going whiskies are defined as ‘laid back, and mellow drams for when you’re in the mood to simply unwind and relax’.

Helen Stewart, brand marketing manager at The Single Cask, said: “We feel this brand-new way to explore our single cask whiskies will open whisky lover’s eyes to a new world of experiences. We want to be the brand who helps people to easily discover their perfect dram, and enjoy that ultimate, unique single cask whisky experience.”

“At The Single Cask, we believe the overall ‘charisma’ of a dram is more important than its individual flavours, and when we picture whiskies as personalities, they become easy to relate to. We can instantly identify with the mood of the whisky.

“That ability to move and connect people, to make us feel alive in ways unimaginable and open our minds to new experiences.”

The brand has 3,000 casks in its Glenrothes warehouse, with each fitting into one of the five mood categories. Whiskies will be put into their appropriate category by a panel of sensory whisky assessors.

Kami Newton, one of the whisky sensory assessors, explained: “One of the biggest challenges with flavour is that it’s a different experience from one person to the next. For example, to some people coriander tastes like a delicious, fragrant herb. But others have a genetic variation that makes coriander taste like disgusting soap.

“Add to this flavours that are culturally specific and the challenge of pigeonholing whisky by flavour becomes clear. The five-mood method takes a whole new approach that is less confusing and creates an emotional connection with whisky drinkers.”

In addition to the mood categories, The Single Cask is also releasing a range of limited edition bottlings this month, from Bunnahabhain, Glen Spey, and a special Fèis Ìle cask of Bruichladdich to celebrate the whisky festival on Islay at the end of May.