This July, Kansas Smitty’s will play host to an unusual whisky experiment from renowned whisky brand, The Glenrothes, where the question ‘Which whisky sounds best?’ will be answered in a unique tasting and listening experience.
As part of this interesting residency, every Wednesday in July will see a relaxed evening of whisky tasting accompanied by specially selected jazz music played on vinyl. Guests will receive a welcome The Glenrothes julep, followed by the opportunity to taste three whiskies from the award-winning The Glenrothes Speyside distillery. Each dram will be paired with music specially chosen by Giacomo Smith, one of the Kansas Smitty’s house band’s eight founding members. The aim of the tastings is to measure the effect music has on the way people taste whisky.
Amanda Baxter, from Berry Bros & Rudd, brand owners of The Glenrothes commented “the idea was born from the two team’s mutual passions for fine whisky and jazz; we are trying to create a unique tasting and listening experience that is both instructive and also a lot of fun. We think it’s the best way to learn and share a dram!”
In previous studies, relating to wine and other spirits, pitch, tempo and melody have all demonstrated notable effects on our perception of flavour. Assisting with the research is Bjorn Thorleifsson, who is currently studying a MA in Consumer Behaviour at Goldsmiths University, focusing on how music and sound affect consumption. After completing the month of tastings, results will be compiled and studied for correlation.
Kansas Smitty’s has become renowned for bringing its signature combination of jazz and juleps to their intimate bar on Broadway market, Hackney. Thanks to regular appearances on the jazz circuit, swing octet Kansas Smitty’s opened the bar last year, inviting in new talent and established acts alike. From May 2016, Kansas Smitty’s have been partnering up with a collection of exciting drinks brands for a series of monthly julep collaborations.
The Glenrothes distillery, founded in 1879, is located in the town of Rothes in Speyside – Scotland’s whisky heartland. Their vintage single malt is slowly distilled in tall copper pot stills and casked in oak until peak maturity, character and flavour has been reached. The Glenrothes distillery team then carefully marry selected vintages together as reserves, or bottle as Single Vintages. Malt whisky matures at its own pace and at Glenrothes, maturity is valued over age with each cask nosed and tasted many times before bottling to ensure the flavour is perfect.
Each residency is highlighted with a Julep special, July’s collaboration see’s ‘Joe’s Julep ft. The Glenrothes’ Speyside Single Malt’ grace the Kansas Smitty’s bar. Paying respect to the late, great Joe Temperley, a Julep as sweet as the music he played has been developed using The Glenrothes’ Single Malt, infused with vanilla, cloves, dark cherries, demerara cane, topped with a fresh cherry. Joe, a Scottish born, Glasgow raised jazz musician who made a big impression playing alongside the luminaries of the New York scene, played amongst the likes of Buddy Rich, Joe Henderson and even performed in the Duke Ellington Orchestra. This trans-Atlantic, improvisation fuses together his homeland and the place he made his name, all in one drink.
The tastings will take place on the 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th July between 6.30pm – 8.00pm.
