Now then, we realise that this is a slightly tenuous link but every man and his wife are jumping on the World Cup band wagon so why not join in the fun. The big news ahead of the tournament is that Scotland and Ireland – the great celtic whisky producing nations – both failed to qualify for the finals in Brazil, so we sent our talent scouts a little further afield to pick four exotic Whisky World Cup choices for your tastebuds to tackle this summer.
Staff Picks - our choices for this month
Millstone 100 Dutch Rye
Netherlands: Like the great Dutch football teams of yesteryear, famous exponents of the 'Total Football' philosophy, this whisky is also very pure and could even be called 'Total Rye'. Millstone 100 Rye whisky is produced by Zuidam and it's all about the number one hundred. It's distilled from 100% rye. It's matured for 100 months. It's then bottled at 100 Proof – which works out at 50% ABV.
£62.45 at www.thewhiskyexchange.com
Lark Single Cask Australian Whisky Cask #205
Australia: Not famed for their football or their whisky, Australia are rank outsiders to return down under with the World Cup trophy. The budding whisky scene in Tasmania, however, could one day produce a world champion of its own. Good luck to the 'Socceroos' all the same!
£95.35 at www.thewhiskyexchange.com
Guillon Cuvée 42 French Whisky
France: World Cup winners in 1998, France are more famous for Cognac than whisky but a number of distilleries operate in the North of the country, which has a strong celtic connection. Guillon Cuvée, however, is produced in the heart of the Champagne region and is matured in three types of white Burgundy casks for around four years.
£42.58 at www.thewhiskyexchange.com
Ichiro's Malt & Grain / Premium Chichibu Blended Whisky
Japan: Ichiro Akuto is the star player of Japan's phenomenal whisky industry. This is a blend of whiskies from Chichibu and other Japanese distilleries - possibly including Hanyu and Karuizawa. Interestingly, it's labeled as a 'worldwide blended whisky' which indicates that it could even contain spirits produced elsewhere in the world. A whisky worthy of the World Cup? We think so.
£87.95 at www.thewhiskyexchange.com