Urban Safari: Highland Happy Hour
...at the Haven!!!
A little while back, we kicked off the weekend right with a laid-back-but-whisky-forward gathering, designed to help those who made their way to The Haven in Jamaica Plain unwind with some delicious Highland pours.
The event was led by special guest Stewart Buchanan, Global Brand Ambassador for all things Benriach, GlenDronach, and Glenglassaugh.
The Haven
The Haven has been a mainstay of the Boston restaurant scene since 2010. As the only Scottish establishment on Perkins Street in Jamaica Plain’s Hyde Square, it’s a home away from home for many near and far.
The Haven offers authentic Scottish cuisine (haggis, scotch broth, black pudding, etc), both hard-to-find and well-known single malts, and is a frequent haunt for the RainyDayCocktails crew here at RainyDayMagazine. And if haggis is not your thing, The Haven also has an absolutely KILLER burger. Trust us on this 🙂
In 2022, The Haven moved from its original small space to the Haffenreffer Brewery Complex in Jamaica Plain in order to expand their offerings. The Haven now offers approximately 86 seats inside and 50 on its private patio at the new location. The MUCH larger space is an excellent location for after-work gatherings with coworkers, as well as larger events such as birthday parties and such.
Highland Happy Hour
According ChatGPT, when asked what Americans look for in Highland whiskeys, many appreciate bold and rich flavors, while others prefer softer, fruitier, or subtly smoky profiles.
Stewart Buchanan, Global Brand Ambassador, doesn’t need AI to tell him any of that. As brand Ambassador for Benriach, GlenDronach, and Glenglassaugh, he knows that the brands he presents check all of those boxes and more, and his goal at this Happy Hour was to show us all that tasting whiskeys is much better than reading about whiskeys 🙂
Steward started us off with a 16-year-old Benriach. He pointed out that, because of the location of the distillery, the quality of water (mineral-rich aquifer deep beneath the ground) allows for spicier whiskeys, with notes of honey and citrus, and a long finish.
Happy Hour revelers also got to taste whiskeys with other qualities. We were told to look for the taste of pineapple, cherry, and grapefruit, and to search for hints of chocolate and a touch of sea salt.
Yes, all were as delicious as he made them sound 🙂
The Spirits
In 2016, Brown-Forman, the company that owns Jack Daniel’s, acquired the Benriach Distillery Company for approximately £285 million. The purchase also included two other Scotch whisky brands: Glendronach and Glenglassaugh, as well as a bottling plant in Broxburn and headquarters in Edinburgh.
The Benriach, Glenglassaugh, and Glendronach single malts are, of course, steeped in whiskey history. However, those brands, while well-known by whiskey aficionados, are less known by the broader American public.
Single malt whiskeys have become more popular over the years, and Stewart Buchanan is clearly having a great time introducing them to an increasingly sophisticated American palate.
All of the spirits we sampled, said Jason Waddleton, founder and owner of The Haven Scottish restaurant, are available behind the bar, along with over 100 other single malt whiskies. Good luck trying to choose yours 😉
FinalThoughts
We visited Scotland in 2023. On that trip, we had the fortunate opportunity to drop by the Macallan Distillery. We have been itching to return and visit other distilleries. We now know we must add Benriach Distillery to our list!
For those fortunate enough to be in Boston, The Haven is the place for your Highland and Speyside whiskey fix between your visits to Scotland.
Go check The Haven out, you will not be disappointed 🙂
Links to items mentioned:
Leave a comment