Chapter Three: Moon serves an appropriately mysterious and brooding energy (All photos: Fable Whisky)
The Ghost Piper of Clanyard Bay is one of many obscure pieces of ancient Scottish folklore to have been passed through the ages, growing more tattered and mystic with each transmission. Today, the caverns — located in the south west coast of Scotland — have since disappeared, and though the sceptic might dismiss passerby reports of soft whistling sounds as mere wind blowing, the folks at Fable Whisky will most certainly disagree. True to its name, the emerging independent bottler launched its award-winning collection, based on this very narrative, in 2021.
Built around the art of storytelling, animation and illustration, Fable marries hand-selected, limited-edition single malts with unique and immersive creative mediums. “We came up with the concept of Fable to really match the whiskies with Scottish culture,” explains co-founder David Pattison. “We thought long and hard about the regional myths, stories and legends, and that’s where we came up with the Ghost of Clanyard Bay.”
This pioneering line-up, considered “volume one”, comprises a set of 11 expressions — functioning as “chapters” of the tale — each coming from a range of highly acclaimed and lesser-known distilleries in Scotland. Rather than allowing their spirits to be overly influenced by the flavour imparted by casks, the bottler insists upon faithfully representing the ingredients, fermentation and terroir particular to each expression. The single malts of the debut series are all cask-strength, non-chill-filtered spirits with no colour added, primarily matured in refill bourbon hogsheads. Fable also unveiled its batch series of blended malts in 2022, of which the latter four of six releases are narrative continuations of the original 11-part story.
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The burgeoning bottler has become well-recognised for its novel labels, which sport striking, monochromatic visuals by Bolivian illustrator Hugo Cuellar — a far cry from gold-striped diagonal banners and bold black calligraphy typical of most whiskies on the market. The artist’s fantastical motifs and geometric design language perfectly convey the haunting characters and elements that construct the myth, while foreshadowing the individuality and authenticity of the drams within.
The acclaimed brand recently partnered with sales and distribution specialist Single & Available to introduce its products to the Malaysian market, marked by a launch at Dark TTDI last month where guests were guided through a select four from the original series. “We wanted to get into the Southeast Asia peninsula, where we have been getting a lot of demand. The team at Single & Available understands the outstanding and surprisingly limited-edition whiskies we uncover from across Scotland, but they also recognise just how important the visual and cultural impact of our beautiful artwork and storytelling is,” says Pattison.
The first of the curated quartet, Chapter Two: Folk comes from the Speyside-based Linkwood distillery. From this light and golden fluid, one gleans a pronounced grassiness in reference to the agrarian lifestyle of the Clanyard locals who worked the rain-lashed ground. This full fragrance of peach blossom and lush meadows is credited to the longer distillation time, which allows the liquid to interact with the copper in the stills. Despite the ominously drawn figures, the palate is remarkably bright, presenting as green tea with the refreshing sweetness of juicy melon and honeyed green apple. Hints of vanilla converge with subtle, warm spice to emulate blonde chocolate, departing with a gently oaky finish.
The following page, Chapter Three: Moon, serves an appropriately mysterious and brooding energy that opens as very well-browned buttered toast with a dash of spice on the nose, cut ever so slightly by verdant fruit. A sip of this powerful tipple — an unabashed 57.2% alcohol by volume (ABV) — drenches the tongue in bold, baked flavour that borders on burnt as carried through by the olfactory presence. The Moon radiates robust notes of cocoa and coffee accompanied by a satisfying bite of thick, caramelised apples in burnished pastry and creamy smears of vanilla. This pale amber liquid hails from Dailuaine, an under-the-radar whisky maker using short distillation to yield a meatier, nuttier and more complex profile.
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In stark contrast, one finds a significantly more colourful personality in the faithful canine of Chapter Five: Hound, a result of Mannochmore distillery’s signature fruity style. The lightest of the four (though at 53.7%, the bark is certainly still backed by bite), the exceptionally clean aromas wafting from this whisky give an impression closer to gin, featuring juicy ripe pears and strawberries amid a fresh herbaceous medley. The palate does not betray these vibrant scents, delivering a pronounced mango and orange tropicality, with a candied undertone reminiscent of lemon drops. Warm oakiness and yeastiness, paired with a silky mouthfeel, facilitate a pleasant transition into the patiently lingering oak and mint.
The preview concludes in the legend’s median point, with Chapter Six: Crows, from one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries, Blair Athol, in the Highlands.
A tangy, floral perfume of stone fruit and sweet citrus with toasty cereals in the background precedes an incredibly distinct appearance on the tongue. Reserved in its sherry influence, this expression showcases a heartily spiced personality packed with brown sugar, gingerbread biscuits and dried orange peel, while jammy, syrupy stewed fruits punctuated by oak and pepper join the fray. The finish clings, as clove emerges next to the enduring cinnamon and a wash of honey-caramel rounds out the drink.
With only about 300 bottles of the Chapter range made, local collectors and enthusiasts are afforded the highly exclusive chance to experience the first “volume” before the expected arrival of a new story next year. The Ghost Piper of Clanyard Bay single malts retail for RM499, while the fifth from the blended batch releases, dubbed “The Three Companions”, is also available for purchase in Malaysia at RM313.
The Ghost Piper of Clanyard Bay
Plenty have heard of the Loch Ness monster, but what about the lesser-known tale that inspired Fable’s inaugural collection?
Legend goes that there once existed a small settlement perched upon the wild southwestern corner of Scotland. Its fertile and bountiful grounds were tended to by the hardy folk who lived there, but beneath the sea-struck granite, where the rough waters gnawed the bay, hid a gaping, deep cave from whence harrowing shrieks seemed to escape on stormy nights.
None dared enter the hollow until, one day, a skilled old piper and his loyal dog ventured within. From his bagpipes, crudely made as they were, streamed forth the most mellifluous tunes, so merry they would sate the cawing crows. The locals gathered at the mouth and listened to the song growing quieter and quieter till no sound escaped at all. Hours passed until, from the black, stony maw, darted forth the shivering hound with neither a hair left on its back nor its master in sight.
Inside, the brave piper traversed further into the heart of the maze, enraging the spiteful fairies who screamed and cursed at him to leave. The melodies bled into the chilly tempest as he reached closer and closer to the cave’s core. Furious at having been bested by a mortal, the cruel fairies fled, casting in their wake a torrent of labyrinths to trap the impudent human. And though none ever beheld the piper’s face again, some claim that on the quietest of summer evenings, distant echoes of his instrument can still be heard, drifting out from the heart of the depths below.
Fable whiskies may be purchased at Single & Available retail stores or online at singleandavailable.com.my.
This article first appeared on Dec 23, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
