Feis Ile 2015 was a blast. Or so I was told by friends who attended the Festival. There were many events, lots of music, food and of course lots of whisky. As usual, there were special Festival bottlings by all Islay distilleries and although I wasn’t around, I was lucky enough to secure myself a few samples of them via friends.

This Feis Ile, marked the 200th birthday celebration by Laphroaig and Ardbeg and both distilleries released a special bottling to celebrate the event. Ardbeg bestowed upon the world Ardbeg Perpetuum – a blend of old and young whisky, matured in both...

Mackmyra Moment Jord, NAS, 55,1 % I still have a long backlog of old Mackmyra releases to work through. Mackmyra released a total of fifteen whiskies in their Moment Series, and so far I have only reviewed three. A lot more to come then. The Mackmyra Moment Jord (Earth) has received a finish in French Oak ex-Bordeaux […]...

Kilbeggan is the blended whiskey from the Irish Cooley distillery . Their latest expression is 21 years old and is composed of different casks: ex-bourbon, Port, Madeira and Sherry.

Kilbeggan 21 yo (40%, OB 2015)

Nose: sweet start with fruity aromas, ripe banana, (over)ripe apples and good deal of vanilla. Increasingly drier over time, first dried coconut, then also sandalwood and a little nutmeg with a mentholated edge. I can’t say all these cask types are noticeable. Mouth: quite minty and oaky right away. Lots of tea notes, a hint of eucalyptus and a slight grainy bitterness. Hints...

Coillmór – Edition Villa Konthor – Port Cask, NAS, 46 % Ever heard of Meatloaf (the artist, not the food)? Ever seen the massive length of most of his song titles? Well, here is a single malt with Meatloaf-esque proportions on both distillery name and name of whisky. The distillery is named Bayerwald-Bärwurzerei Spezialitäten-Brennerei Gerhard […]...

A new Canadian whisky recently introduced across America is raising a few purist’s eyebrows. Meanwhile, at home, Alberta Rye Dark Batch has become a favorite cocktail rye with Canadian bartenders. The controversy? Dark Batch is made by adding about 8% bourbon and 1% sherry to mature whisky distilled from 100% rye grain. And though Canada’s 9.09% rule allows this, it has some whisky enthusiasts scratching their heads.

We maj wonder why Canadian regulations permit distillers to add foreign spirits to Canadian whisky. I know I did. While researching my book I interviewed over a dozen retired whisky makers and though...

Bushmills celebrated the 400th anniversary of distilling in 2008. They meant distilling in the area around Bushmills by the way, not at the Old Bushmills distillery where this was made.

Bushmills 1608 is a blend of three different spirits: Bushmills’ own triple distilled malt whiskey with a lighter irish grain and a malt whiskey they made using crystal malt – a caramelized version of the normal malted barley. Maturation takes place in bourbon and sherry casks.

After the 2008 release, new batches have been made available so it’s still around. Bushmills 1608 was named Best Irish Blended Whiskey (No Age...

Czysta de Luxe Pure 40%...

Viche Pitia Classic 40%

Dark Rye Bread

Tasted: Dec 2014

Nose: Pungent and straw-like aromas. Raw and a little green with quite a heavy buscuity/ shredded wheat note.

Palate: Light and oily with hints of buscuits, nuts and a touch of camomile?

Finish: Medium length with the buscuity notes lingering?

Conclusion: A good spirit but the flavouring was far too subtle for the ‘flavoured’ category. Mind is the world ready for Shredded Wheat flavoured vodka? – majbe! (Actually it was Dark Rye Bread)

Viche Pitia Caraway 58%

Tasted: Dec 2013

Nose: Quite creamy and intense, liquorice and aniseed with hints...

AK-47 Vodka 40%

Tasted: Oct 2014

Nose: Lightly oiled with plenty of barley and whisky-like notes. With time a touch of smoke emerges.

Palate: Soft and lightly creamy with a touch of barley and smoke.

Finish: medium length with a slightly peppery finish.

Conclusion: Distinctly average.

AK-47 Vodka 40%

Re-Tasted: Dec 2014

Nose: Quite broad and oily aromas with a light vanilla note along with hints of nuts. With time it becomes a little perfumed.

Palate: Full and soft. Gently oily with some sweet vanilla and a hint of nuts.

Finish: Good length with a light spicy bite in the...

Michel Adam Fashion Vodka Luxury Collection 40%...

Tonino Lamborghini Triple Distilled Vodka 40%...

Aldi Tamova Premium Vodka 40%...

Mongol Premium Vodka 39%...

Finlandia Classic 40%

Tasted: Oct 2014

Nose: Deep and grainy. More like a young grain whisky with a touch of dried fruit and a smidgen of vanilla.

Palate: Soft and nutty. Pleasantly rounded with a touch of dried fruit. Again it has plenty of young grain whisky character.

Finish: Long and nutty.

Conclusion: Now that’s the sort of vodka I like!

Finlandia Coconut Vodka 37.5%

Tasted: Oct 014

Nose: Plenty of sweet, nutty, coconut along with a touch of crisp grainy spirit notes, but mainly coconut!

Palate: Very sweet, nutty and coconutty!

Finish: Long with lingering coconut!

Conclusion: Well, it...

Equissolis French Organic Vintage Vodka 2012 40%...

GlenDronach 1993 19 YO Single Cask, 59,4 % Wow, it has been a year since my last review on a GlenDronach Single Cask! About time I tasted a new one then. And where did I taste it? At Dr. Jekylls Pub in Oslo. They always have a nice selection of single casks GlenDronach on their shelf. […]...

Springbank 1996 18 YO Cask #313-5, 56,1 % We were recently in Limburg for the Whisky Fair (see report). While there we got to try a lot of great whiskies at the supreme whisky bar Villa Konthor. One of the great experiences was this Springbank 1996 18 YO Cask #313-5, bottled for Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft Bremen, and as such […]...