We often think of innovation in the whisky industry only in terms of the technologies and techniques that go into creating a dram. Experimenting with a new still setup, unique yeast strain, or untried cask is becoming increasingly common, and creating some great spirits. These new techniques, however, focus only on the production of whisky. Far fewer companies are investigating new ways for us to enjoy drinking it.

That’s not to say that no-one is innovating in this area. For one, the “Dram in a Can” produced by Two Stacks claims to offer both a more environmentally friendly form of packaging, as well as a way to enjoy whisky more casually on the go. Another innovation is the block chain technology employed by Ardnamurchan, amongst others, to provide a greater level of transparency than had hitherto been available. Finally, Fable Whisky has tried to perfect the use of whisky to tell a story.

Special releases and themed bottlings themselves are far from new ideas. However, what Fable Whisky has done is take the basic idea to its logical conclusion. Eleven distilleries have been chosen to provide a “chapter” each, with the whole range representing an imagining of the tale of the Ghost Piper of Clanyard Bay.

While several distilleries have incorporated unique artwork into some of their products, design is really at the heart of the Fable range. Each bottle, or chapter, is resplendent in the artwork of Hugo Cuellar, and linked to one aspect of a single animation of the Ghost Piper story, accessible via a QR code on the whisky’s packaging. The entire range has been produced with a single colour palette and artistic style. The result is that each individual bottle looks great, but a combined collection is truly stunning.

The important factor, however, is the quality of whisky. After all, you can’t drink artwork. The range includes single-cask bottlings from the likes of Caol Ila, Blair Athol, Daluaine, and Teaninich, each chosen to represent an aspect of the broader story. I’ve got my hands on a bottle of Chapter Five – Hound, which is sourced from Speyside’s Mannochmore distillery. I really like the representation of less well-known distilleries amongst the range: Most of them are normally only found as part of the Flora and Fauna range, or as independent bottlings. I should add that there is some variation in cask, ABV, and age for each successive batch release; if you encounter a bottle in the wild it may not match the details below exactly.

Fable Chapter Five – Hound

Speyside Single Malt Whisky; distilled at Mannochmore Distillery.

59.8% ABV. Aged in refill hogshead for 11 years (batches vary in age between 10 and 13 years)

Non-chill-filtered. No artificial Colour.

Large variation in prices depending on supplier. Whisky Fix has bottles for £79, but they’re £95 at Selfridges. Independent bottle shops may stock the Fable range for far cheaper though – I paid less than £60.

Nose: A concentration of fruit and oak. Honeydew melon is the star of the show, enhanced by pear, orange zest, lemongrass, honey, and strawberry. There are also some biscuity aromas – perhaps shortbread – and cinnamon.

Palate: The rich, oily mouthfeel is accompanied by an almost decadent sweetness: honey accompanying a full fruit salad. The initial flavours feature a complex mix of grape, melon, pear, mango, green apple, and burnt orange zest. This quickly gives way to a wave of warmth, oak, and spice: cinnamon and white pepper.

Finish: Long, lingering, sweet, and warm. Oak, honey, and dried mango.

Opinion: For a whisky bottled at 59.8% ABV, this is surprisingly smooth and balanced. I expected this to be far more ethanol-forward. Instead, it’s a good example of a cask strength Speyside: lighter, fruitier flavours are concentrated and then enhanced by a more than healthy warming spice. With characteristics that are both gentle and fierce, this whisky is an excellent representation of the story’s Hound.

Scoring this whisky is difficult due to the variation in price from vendor to vendor. For the price I paid, I am extremely happy. I don’t think I would have been happy paying the Selfridges asking price, however. If you find this in the £60-80 range, I recommend giving this a try: for that money, it is an interesting dram and a stylish addition to the whisky shelf. Be aware, however, of the slight variation between batches: if you can, try before you buy.

Arguably, no single aspect of the Fable brand is a new idea. However, the combination of artwork, animation, packaging, and whisky results in a product that really feels like it’s trying to push the boundaries of what whisky is about. This isn’t just a case of selecting a cask as a special release and putting it in a fancy tube. Instead, Fable Whisky is showing the rest of the industry that whiskies can be used to tell a story if enough effort is spent ensuring that the design, packaging, and spirit are all in harmony. While individual aspects of the Fable brand aren’t necessarily that innovative, the approach to intertwining a range of whiskies with a single story absolutely is. Fable has created something excellent: a new approach to whisky as an experience.

The initial Fable range is a great concept; I’m looking forward to seeing what other stories the brand chooses to tell. Most of all, however, I hope this inspires others to see how they can deliver whisky as part of an experience: what else can brands do to provide innovation to the act of drinking a whisky?

7.5/10