Winchester Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 2 YO, 45 % I continue my exploration of the TerrePURE whiskeys currently available. These are whiskeys partially matured through chemistry (the TerrePURE process) rather than just using oak barrels (see more here). This is the Winchester Straight Bourbon Whiskey, produced for the Total Wine stores and “Aged a minimum of […]...

Rock Oyster, NAS, 46,8 % Rock Oyster is the Island whisky in the Remarkable Regional Malts series of blended malts from independent bottler Douglas Laing. Rock Oyster joins Big Peat (Islay), Scallywag (Speyside), and Timorous Beastie (Highlands). They will soon be followed by a Lowland expression as well. Rock Oyster consists of single malt whiskies […]...

Compass Box has long been one of my favourite blenders. Founded by whiskymaker John Glaser in 2000, it has gone from strength to strength. The team has been at the forefront of innovation, and is currently campaigning for more transparency in regulations following a recent run-in with the Scotch Whisky Association , which you can find more about on scotchwhisky.com , which broke the story. Five years after his last appearance at Vinopolis , we welcomed John back to host a special 15th anniversary tasting.

Up for a fight. Compass Box’s John Glaser wants the law changed on transparency in...

Dewar’s have a great selection of distilleries, but other than Aberfeldy, until recently they’ve been quiet about them. No longer! Starting in late 2014, they have been revamping their range under the banner of The Last Great Malts. With Royal Brackla  on the market and The Deveron (aka Glen Deveron aka Macduff ) coming very soon (after being launched at The Whisky Show in oktober), the series is complete, and we’re celebrating with a prize draw:

Buy any two different Last Great Malts from Aberfeldy, Aultmore or Craigellachie and we’ll enter you into a draw to win one of each of...

I’ve reviewed 13 whiskies this week, from 10 bottlers and always in a direct comparison between similar vintages / ages. It was more or less an experiment. Most bloggers (like me) do one whisky at a time, but others (most notably Serge) totally rely on direct comparisons. I’m not saying one method is better than the other, but I’d like to share some thoughts. Feel free to comment.

Comparisons highlight the differences

True enough: whenever you try similar whiskies head-to-head, the differences stand out more . However I’m not sure this is an advantage. Of course it makes...

First released in 2006, Flaming Heart combined whisky matured in new French oak with the smoky Islay character. It was a popular blended malt and there have been four bottlings so far.

The latest fifth release is called ‘15th Anniversary Edition’ and celebrates the creation of Compass Box in 2000.

When it was launched, Compass Box provided the exact composition :

• 38,5% of Caol Ila 14yo from refill American oak hogsheads
• 27,1% of Caol Ila 30yo from refill American oak hogsheads
• 24,1% of Clynelish 20yo from rejuvenated American oak hogsheads
• 10,3% of married Clynelish / Teaninich / Dailuaine...

Arran The Bothy is a brand-new NAS bottling from Quarter casks .

These smaller casks are working well for Laphroaig and other distilleries , and The Arran used them to finish this whisky for at least 18 months after the initial maturation in first-fill bourbon barrels. Smaller casks means more wood contact (around +30%) and supposedly a wider aromatic range.

A bothy is a basic shelter in the Scottish mountains, usually left unlocked for anyone to use.

Arran ‘The Bothy’ Quarter Cask (55,7%, OB 2015, Batch #1, 12.000 btl.)

Nose: rich and fruity, with lots of vanilla and...

Three Bunnahabhain bottlings. I first thought they were all 1989 but it turns out one of them was actually from 1990 . Three really different whiskies anyway.

Bunnahabhain 23 yo 1989 (44%, Abbey Whisky ‘Rare Casks’ 2013, refill bourbon barrel, 96 btl.)

Nose: peated Bunna. On its own this doesn’t come out that much (it’s rather a heathery, softly smoky style) but in a direct comparison it’s definitely peated. Also moderately fruity: oranges, pear, subtle hints of roasted pineapple. Light vanilla. Honey and hints of pastry dough. Mouth: a nice, creamy mix of sweet marzipan, yellow apple and...

Earlier this month, Gordon and Macphail, the Elgin based independent bottlers launched a campaign named ‘The wood makes the whisky’. The campaign focuses on the cask’s contribution to whisky flavor. It’s worth repeating here what I wrote numerous times in the past, that the whisky industry estimates cask’s impact on whisky flavor at 55-80% of the final result, making it the single largest factor (Yeah, I know my math ;-) )

The campaign launches with a a dedicated book and few selected whiskies to demonstrate and showcase G&M experience in matching spirit and cask. The book, written by Neil Ridley & Joel Harrison...

Today we’re going to Ireland. A new distillery is being set up in county Cork , Southern Ireland by Hibernia distillers. To celebrate the occasion, they sourced Irish single malt from an undisclosed source (Although I’d bet it’s from Cooly distillery), named it Hyde No 1 Presidents Cask to honor Douglas Hyde who was the first president of Ireland.

Hyde 10 yo is a proper Single Maltwhisky that was matured in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in a different spirit cask and there are two variants: one finished in a first-fill Oloroso sherry casks which is the reason for the post...

Ensign Red Canadian Whisky, NAS, 40 % When I was out shopping for new whisky/bourbon/rye the other day, I came across the Ensign Red Canadian Whisky. I should note that I am currently in California for work. I had never seen this particular whisky before, and thus my interest was piqued. There is no information […]...

Stauning Peated 2nd Edition, 4 YO, 55 % OK, here goes. This is the second peated release from Danish distillery Stauning. The Stauning Peated 2nd Edition was distilled in 2009, just like the 1st edition. This release was bottled a year later though, in 2013, making it four years old. The outturn this time was 750 bottles at 50 cl […]...

Las Vegas Select Club Canadian Whisky, NAS, 40 % Do you feel lucky? Do you have your lucky dice ready? Well then, let’s try this “ultra premium” Canadian blended whisky. I have tried googling for a while, but I am unable to find who actually produces this whisky. The bottle says it is imported to […]...

Excitement builds every year about the big winners in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible .  Last year , Jim chose  Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013 as his 2015 World Whisky of the Year, which had an astonishing effect on demand for this now-rare bottle – and boosted the fortunes of the entire Japanese whisky category overnight.

Look into my eyes, not around the eyes…

So, who is this year’s winner? For the first time, it’s from Canada: Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye . Jim scored it 97.5pts/100: ‘Rye, that most eloquent of grains, not just turning up to charm and enthral but...

Two Inchgower 1991 bottlings today. When independent bottlers share a cask, one of them bottles it and sells part of the bottles which are then labeled by both. In this case the colour of the cap foil is identical.

Inchgower 24 yo 1991 (51,8%, Sansibar 2015, bourbon cask, 132 btl.)

Nose: initially a bit closed. Malty notes and muesli. Dusty grains. The alcohol seems to block some aroma. More fruits after a while, garden fruits like pears, apples and peaches. Grassy notes, light chalky hints too. Mouth: again some mineral and chalky notes at first, then overtaken by...