David's Drink Diaries - Issue 23
Tomatin 14 year old Tawny Port
Heavens Door
Bob Dylan has spent a lifetime resisting definition. The man who reshaped folk music, redefined rock, won a Nobel Prize, and became a reluctant prophet of a generation also has his own whisky - and, fittingly, a new film that refuses to pin him down. The Complete Unknown, a biopic, doesn't attempt a straightforward retelling of Dylan’s life. Instead, it fragments his identity, reflecting the ever-shifting enigma of the man himself.
I was fortunate enough to attend a private screening of the film at the Soho Hotel, where the whisky of the night was, of course, Heaven’s Door. The night started with delicious cocktails before a tasting that included 3 of the brands expressions. It was the perfect way to set the tone for a film about Dylan.
Heaven’s Door launched in 2018, a collaboration between Dylan and Marc Bushala, the entrepreneur behind Angel’s Envy. The brand is as much about storytelling as it is about liquid, with bottles embossed with Dylan’s own wrought-iron designs. The range includes a Tennessee Bourbon, a Double Barrel Whiskey, a Straight Rye, and an ever-expanding series of limited releases.
Like Dylan’s music, Heaven’s Door doesn’t follow convention. The Double Barrel, blends three different spirits before finishing in toasted American oak. It has the warmth of a late-night Dylan ballad - dark fruit, toffee, spice, and a touch of smoke, like the last chord of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door hanging in the air.
The Straight Rye, meanwhile, leans into Dylan’s restlessness. Instead of the classic American rye profile, it takes a detour through France, being aged in toasted oak cigar barrels from Vosges, France. The whisky is full of dried fruit, citrus, baking spice, and a velvety mouthfeel.
The Complete Unknown doesn’t attempt a single, cohesive Dylan. Instead, Timothée Chalamet takes on different versions of him, each embodying a distinct era. One is the folk poet of Greenwich Village, another the electric wildman who faced boos in Manchester. There’s Dylan the recluse, Dylan the preacher, Dylan the weary road warrior. It’s a film about transformation, reinvention, and the impossibility of truly knowing Dylan, hence the title
Dylan has spent a career defying categories, and his whisky follows suit. Heaven’s Door isn’t just another celebrity vanity project, it’s made with real intent, a reflection of an artist who’s always been more than just the sum of his songs. As the credits rolled and I finished my Rye, I couldn’t help but think of Like a Rolling Stone’s immortal question: How does it feel?
In the case of Dylan’s whisky and his film, it feels satisfying, complete and fundamentally delicious. Which, really, is the only way it could ever be.
Valentines Day Whisky
Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love, and if you’re looking for a dram worthy of raising a glass to someone special, Tomatin’s 14 Year Old Tawny Port single malt fits the occasion beautifully.
Tomatin is a Highland distillery that traces its whisky-making roots back centuries, with the current distillery established in 1897. The distillery’s philosophy, ‘To What Matters,’ speaks to shared moments, the kind that often begin with a well-poured dram.
Tomatin’s 14 Year Old Tawny Port is a perfect choice for valentines day. Finished in casks that previously held port for half a century, this single malt showcases the distillery’s meticulous approach to wood selection. The result is a whisky they say that is rich yet balanced, packed with red berries, honey, and toffee on the nose, leading into layers of light fruit and nuts before settling into a smooth, lingering finish. I shall be reporting my one tasting notes next week when I have had a chance to personally try it.
At 46% ABV, this whisky carries its character beautifully, offering depth without overwhelming the senses.
Available at tomatin.com and specialist whisky retailers (£77.50, 70cl).
Lalomba Finca Lalinde 2023
Lalomba Finca Lalinde 2023 is a lovely expression of a rosé from Rioja, a region traditionally known for its reds but increasingly producing high-quality, terroir-driven rosés. Sourced from the high-altitude slopes of Monte Yerga in Rioja Oriental, this wine benefits from the region’s cooler temperatures and limestone-rich soils, resulting in freshness, elegance, and minerality.
Ten years ago, Ramón Bilbao purchased what they described as a ‘dream parcel’ of vineyards high in the Yerga mountain range in Rioja Oriental. This was a site brimming with potential, though even they did not anticipate that their first release would be a Garnacha-based rosé named ‘Lalomba’- a tribute to the hillside that gives the grapes their home.
Harvested by hand, the grapes (90% Garnacha and 10% Viura) were carefully selected and placed in 12kg crates to preserve their integrity. They were taken to the Lalomba winery in Haro, where they spent 12 hours in a cold chamber before being gently pressed. Only the first, most delicate pressings were used to retain purity of fruit. Fermentation took place in bespoke concrete tanks, and the wine was aged on its lees for six months in unlined concrete, enhancing texture and complexity while maintaining its hallmark freshness.
The result is a refined, perfectly balanced rosé with delicate aromas of wild strawberry, white peach, and grapefruit, complemented by a saline minerality that reflects its high-altitude terroir. The palate is crisp, layered, full of fruity such as cherry and strawberry, well structured, with vibrant acidity and a long, clean finish.
It is available for £22.95 from slurp.co.uk
