All posts by MACKAY

Beer Spotlight: Red MacGregor

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Brewer – Orkney Brewery
Red Macgregor is a unique beer: delicate and sophisticated yet the robust cask conditioned version of this beer was the first Scottish beer to win the BIIA World Cask Beer Gold Medal.

On the nose, this ruby-red beer is delicate, floral and fruity, with notes of violets, cherries, toffee and caramel.

On the palate, the fruits combine with a juicy malt character and hints of toasted malt, with a biscuit malt and spicy hop finish.

Appearance
A brilliant ruby-red colour, with a smooth white head
Aroma
Delicious perfumed, floral, lychee aromas from Cascade hops, including notes of violets and rose-water, with hints of spiciness and of toasted malts
Palate
Rich hop fruits, summer berries, lychees, toffee sweetness and toasted malt, giving way to a clean, dry, refreshing, floral hop bitterness

Key Ingredients
Crystal and chocolate malt give this beer its distinctive ruby-red colour, and its backbone of toasted malt flavour; Cascade hops, rarely found in darker beers, give the floral, perfumed fruitiness

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Beer Spotlight-Skull Splitter

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Brewer – Orkney Brewery
Skull Splitter is our strongest ale: which is named after Thorfinn Einarsson who was the 7th Viking Earl of Orkney. Sophisticated, satiny smooth with a deceptively light character, it is a tribute to our colourful forbear.

On the nose, this strong beer has a fruity malt character, with hints of dark fruit, spicy hop, dates and figs.

On the palate, rich and complex with sweet toasted malt, molasses, fresh and dried fruit and hints of warming spices.

Appearance
A crystal-clear, rich tawny-red colour beer; a tight, smooth head with hints of red and amber colour

Aroma
Juicy, almost fruity malt character, together with a medley of fresh and dried fruits, dates and figs, hints of ginger and cinnamon spice, hints of vanilla

Palate
A rich, fruity, wine-like complexity on the palate includes fresh and dried fruits, warm exotic spices, and light summer citrus fruits

Key Ingredients
Very best pale ale malt – and plenty of it – together with crystal and chocolate malts provide a rich, fruity backbone which is perfectly balanced by the spicy herbal character of East Kent Goldings hops

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Scottish Beer Spotlight Innis and Gunn Rum Cask

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Brewer – Innis and Gunn
6.8% ABV
The Rum Aged is matured over oak heartwood infused with specially selected rums, its spicy, full-bodied qualities make it a lively sparring partner for a round or two.

Like its Original elder brother, Rum Aged also won a prestigious Grand Gold at the Monde Selection Awards in 2012, having previously secured gold medals over three consecutive years.

TASTING NOTES
Color: Ruby red
Smell: Lots of fruit and mulled spice
Taste: Surprisingly light. Soft fruits and rich malt with aromatic spiciness from the rum.
Finish: Warming and mellow

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