Together with the excellent undisclosed 1973 Speysiders , there was also a new Speyside 1998 release in the Archives series. Heavily sherried this time.

Speyside Region 18 yo 1998 (52,7%, Archives 2017, sherry butt #1034, 239 btl.)

Nose: deep sherry, with blackberry jam and black cherries. A whiff of chocolate before it becomes drier, more savoury, with teriyaki sauce, leaves, a hint of roasted nuts and something of a smoking gun. Cigar boxes too. Mouth: again traces of dried fruits (dates, figs) but quickly taken over by dark chocolate, heavy roast coffee and smoky touches. Oranges and honey....

“How boring would it be if all wine were Merlot?” asks Matt Hofmann, master distiller at Seattle’s Westland Distillery . Much like wine grapes, there are hundreds of varieties of barley, the grain responsible for single malt scotch and other highly regarded whiskies. And Hofmann proposes that each has its own unique properties. “We’re working with one right now called Purple Egyptian. It comes from Egypt. It’s 2,000 years old. It has these really rich plum notes. It’s just fascinating. It’s very, very cool and it changes the whole idea of what whiskey making can be. … You get complexity...

Get ready for great whiskey:...

It’s not unusual for bourbon to appear in barbecue sauces or sweet desserts, but now top chefs are finding new applications for whiskey in kitchens where wine once ruled, bringing whiskey’s beautiful flavors to salads, seafood, bacon, and more. Here are some great ways to have your whiskey—and eat it too.

At Hewn Bakery in Evanston, Illinois, Ellen King caramelizes onions to fold into her rye bread dough, deglazing the pan with F.E.W. Spirits’ bourbon. “You’re getting up all the fond from the onions, that dark rich flavor,” she says. “The alcohol gets all cooked off, so it’s really just...

I’ve got to leave Chi-town. This old town keeps knocking me down. It’s like a whirlwind of unhappiness Keeping me on the ground.

­— Lurrie Bell

What, you were expecting “Sweet Home Chicago,” the toddling town’s sappy-sweet blues anthem? Chicago is more than its clichés, like “The City that Works.” Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t, but it is never boring.

You can still hear live blues in dingy dives decorated with Christmas tree lights any night of the week, but you can also see the world’s best live theater. Chicago contains the world’s most influential architecture, such as the...

To non-whisky drinkers, Scotch and bourbon are the same thing. A dark spirit, made with the same ingredients and aged in the same barrels. Right? Wrong. The two drinks have a lot in common but there’s also a world of difference, which we’ll explain for you.

Location

Scotch : No prizes for guessing this one: Scotch whisky must be made in Scotland. Not only that, to use the term ‘Scotch whisky’ on the label, the whisky must be bottled in Scotland, too (with the exception of blended whisky ).

Bourbon : Contrary to popular opinion, bourbon does not have to...

One of the lesser-known spirit categories is eau-de-vie . Most people will have tried one, and often without realising as various countries’ national drinks are classified as eau-de-vie, such as raki from Turkey and European slivovitz. Here’s our guide to all you need to know, including what iT is and how to enjoy it.

Common types of eau-de-vie include slivovitz, pálinka and Sri Lankan arrack

What is it?

Confusingly, eau-de-vie (French for ‘water of life’) is a term used in French to mean ‘spirit’. But in English-speaking countries, it refers to brandies made with fruit other than grapes. Not all...

Compass Box is working on a new limited edition called Compass Box Phenomenology . It is a blended malt bottled at 46%.

Phenomenology is a way of thinking about ourselves and the very personal, subjective nature of experience. It’s a school of thought in psychology that focuses on phenomena, or, the experiences that we get from our senses – what we see, taste, smell, etc. Somehow, we saw a link between phenomenology and whisky. We’d long been working on a blend of single malts that combines seemingly dissonant flavour profiles, but together creates something compelling.

They end by saying...

After numerous fishes of Samoa, Whiskybase has just presented three upcoming releases with starfish on the label. We’re trying two ex-Fino casks filled in december 1973 at an undisclosed Speyside distillery. There’s also an undisclosed 1998 vintage in the same series. All three will be available in their online shop later today.

Speyside Region 43 yo 1973 (46,5%, Archives 2017, Fino sherry butt #9, 120 btl.)

Nose: it has the slightly sharper Fino-ish side (paraffin, mint, eucalyptus, walnut oil) but also a nicely warm side, with some jammy apricots, stewed apples and a whiff of vanilla. Nice beehive notes...

An old Caol Ila 1982 bottled a long time ago by Hart Brothers . We’ve had some great 1982s at cask strength, but this is a fairly standard 46%.

Caol Ila 25 yo 1982 (46%, Hart Brothers ‘Finest Collection’ 2007, American oak cask)

Nose: a very mineral style of Caol Ila, coming close to Port Ellen. Smoky, without actual peat, with hints of seaweed and brine. Camphor. Lemon and sour apples. Wet chalk. Wet dogs too. Motor oil. Mouth: superb. It’s smoky and kippery, a tad farmy, with lots of phenols and resinous notes. Sweet apples and candied...

Glen Scotia 16 Year Old is a travel retail expression. I tried it back in 2013 and thought it was so-so. The flashy alcopop style packaging has now been toned down and the liquid has been upgraded. It is matured in American oak barrels & finished in oloroso sherry casks.

Glen Scotia 16 yo (46%, OB 2017)

Nose: fresh and clean, with a smooth nutty character (almonds), honey and a buttery quality. Also lemon peel, vanilla and light meringue notes. Coastal notes as well. The sherry is present but on a second level. Gingerbread. Tobacco leaves. Rather complex...