The vast majority of the output of the Saint Magdalene distillery was used in blends. As a consequence of the big whisky slump of the late 1970s, it ceased production and closed in 1983.

This release was distilled in 1965 and bottled under Gordon & Macphail ‘s Connoisseur’s Choice ‘Map Label’ series. Three versions exist: one bottled in 1991, a second one bottled in 1993 and this version which doesn’t have a neck label to indicate the bottling year. I assume this predates the other two.

St. Magdalene 1965 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, late 1980s, 75 cl)

Nose:...

The Aberfeldy Exceptional Cask series contains some unique casks, usually one-offs and apparently often double matured. I’ve seen a 1996 Red Wine finish for La Maison du Whisky not so long ago and now there is this Aberfeldy 1983 marsala finish for China Whisky Society .

It has been matured for 33 years , five of which in the wine cask.

Aberfeldy 33 yo 1983 ‘Exceptional Cask’ (52,4%, OB for China Whisky Society 2016, cask #3157-#1, marsala finish, 588 btl.)

Nose: orchard fruits like mirabelles and apricots, sweet pears and yellow apples. Some malty notes. Very nice waxy...

Blackadder Raw Cask English Whisky Moscatel Cask 2007 (7 year old) 63.2%

Cask 794/Dist: Oct 2007 Btl: maj 2015/Tasted: juli 2016

An interesting nose of perfumed, dried grape, cereal, malt biscuits and dark honey. Very winey and cask orientated with a late herbal note.

The palate is raw and winey. Really intense with cereal, dried grape and no shortage of alcohol! The finish is seriously alcoholic and Stagg-esque in its intensity, but once it clears it leaves lingering cereal, malt and dried Moscatel fruit.

With water the nose is a little softer and possibly a tad more perfumed. It’s still...

The 15th annual Tales of the Cocktail —a bartenders’ convention in New Orleans—happens next week. Considering the high volume of professional cocktail-makers (and drinkers) in attendance, it’s the perfect chance for whisky brands to debut new expressions. And thus Redemption is launching its new wheated bourbon ( detailed here ), Kilbeggan has a single grain Irish whiskey coming out, and Auchentoshan The Bartenders’ Malt will make its first U.S. appearance. Plus, the first Maker’s Mark Private Select barrel in the state of Louisiana will roll out at Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House , the famous French Quarter seafood restaurant and bar....

Loch Lomond distillery can be found a mile or so to the south of the eponymous loch, and has been quietly making whisky since 1964. For most of its life, the distillery has focused on producing blended whisky but the past couple of years has seen some big changes.

The History

It’s not the prettiest distillery from the outside, but inside is where the magic happens

One of the challenges of making blended whisky is sourcing enough grain whisky. Producing grain maj be cheaper by the litre than single malt, but building a grain distillery takes a huge amount of...

The GlenDronach Kingsman Edition is a 25 Year Old 1991 vintage expression, apparently related to the upcoming movie Kingsman: The Golden Circle with Colin Firth and others. Of course it is fully sherry matured and bottled at 48,2%, apparently in the same type of bottle as the GlenDronach Recherché.

Given the pricing of the similarly aged Grandeurs I expected this to retail for around € 600, but it turns out to be closer to € 1000 . It will only be released in the UK, US & parts of Asia, and only 2000 bottles globally are available. The 1991 vintage...

Created by Gates Otsuji, chef de bar for...

While there’s a wide array of whisky cocktails out there, the Highball might be the ideal way to enjoy the spirit, especially in the summer. Not only is a Highball incredibly easy to build—all you need is whisky, soda, and ice, and the ability to pour and stir—it’s also incredibly easy to drink, and to customize to your own taste.

“Highballs are great cocktails because they are easy, refreshing, quick to make, and sessionable,” says Jesse Vida, head bartender at New York City’s Blacktail . “They definitely fit the summer season.”

And like most cocktails, the origins of this thirst-quenching...

Westland Distillery launched its second expression of Garryana Single Malt in juni 2017, and the whiskey is reviewed in the Fall 2017 issue of Whisky Advocate. Here, we bring you the advance tasting note by executive editor Jeffery Lindenmuth.

Westland Garryana 2|1 Single Malt—$125, 86 points

Aromas of wood smoke with hints of hot tar and rubber are draped over ripe berry fruit. Dark and somewhat brash, it comes off a touch hot, fully revealing its 100 proof, becoming more fruit driven on the palate, as sweet berry, buckwheat honey and sorghum syrup give way to smoldering baking spice on...

Read the...

  The trend of larger companies snapping up craft distilleries continues: Moët Hennessy , the parent company of Glenmorangie and Ardbeg scotch, has acquired Woodinville Whiskey Co. for an undisclosed sum. The deal sees the distillery, warehouses, and whiskey stocks go to Moët Hennessy, which also owns Hennessy cognac and the Dom Pérignon , Moët & Chandon , and Veuve Clicquot champagne brands. Woodinville currently has a straight bourbon and rye, both 5 years old, as well as a straight American whiskey and “microbarreled” 100% rye whiskey. Under the terms of the deal, co-founders Orlin Sorenson and Brett Carlile will continue...

This Highball variation, created by Zack Berger, head bartender at New York City’s ...