*Thanks to Dave Driscoll and K&L Wines for the sample of this one. It's Tuesday...I wish I could regale you with some obscure history or made-up story about Aberlour's founder, James Fleming, and his childhood dream of becoming a world-famous harpist, but it's Tuesday and I'm already tired. So instead, a fairly perfunctory and dull … Continue reading A.D. Rattray 1991 Aberlour 18 Year Old, “K&L” Single Barrel – Review
Month: August 2010
History Lesson #1 – The Phylloxera Epidemic
*The first in what will, hopefully, be a series of mildly in-depth looks at some of the pivotal events in Whisky's illustrious history... When I first heard of the Phylloxera epidemic that decimated the European wine industry in the late 1800's, I wasn't aware of its impact on the world of whisky, but I was … Continue reading History Lesson #1 – The Phylloxera Epidemic
The Arran Malt, Icons of Arran #2 – The Rowan Tree 12 Year Old – Review
Another huge thank you to Jason at Guid Scotch Drink for the sample. I grew up in Milwaukee, WI with a great Rowan Tree (Sorbus americana) in our front yard. In many ways, it was the ideal tree for a bunch of suburban boys, fantastic for climbing and each year come summer, fully stocked with … Continue reading The Arran Malt, Icons of Arran #2 – The Rowan Tree 12 Year Old – Review
The Arran Malt, Icons of Arran #1, Peacock 12 Year Old – Review
A huge thank you to Jason at Guid Scotch Drink for the sample. If you haven't given him a read...do so. Interesting facts about Peacocks (Pavo Cristatus): Part of the Pheasant family, Peacock's are actually Peafowl. The word "Peacock" refers, damn appropriately I might add, only to the male of the species. The female is … Continue reading The Arran Malt, Icons of Arran #1, Peacock 12 Year Old – Review
The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky, Aged 12 Years – Review
With the embarrassment of culinary riches right at our fingertips, us San Franciscans can get pretty damn smug about our food scene. Sure NY chefs get more Food Network shows, but we get all the best produce and animal parts. The plethora of local farms makes it incredibly easy to eat organic, non-processed, sustainably grown … Continue reading The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky, Aged 12 Years – Review
Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky – Review
The Maker's Mark story goes that while experimenting with recipes for their whisky, the Samuels family made a lot of bread. The bread kind of bread, not the money kind of bread. They've made a lot of the money kind of bread as well, but that came later, first they made a lot of the … Continue reading Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky – Review
Isle of Skye 8 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky – Review
*Thanks to the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. Woeful is the path of the poor Scotch whisky blend! Blends get all the sales...but single malts get all the attention. Blends account for 90% of total whisky production...but single malts get all the attention. Blends are labored over for hours, days, weeks even, … Continue reading Isle of Skye 8 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky – Review
Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey – Review
The Town of Tullamore was damn near burned to the ground in 1785 when a hot air balloon crashed (slowly, I'm guessing) and set aflame more than 100 houses. There's no record as to who was piloting the pride of the Montgolfier brothers, but we can assume it was a terrible accident and not one caused … Continue reading Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey – Review
The BenRiach Curiositas 10 Year Old Peated Malt – Review
"Rident stolidi verba Latina" - Ovid* Let us cast our minds back to the heady days of the Punic Wars. Love was in the air, The Romans were just figuring out how to make a truly spectacular pork sugo, and the Carthaginians, long dominant in sea battle and handball were getting their butts kicked for … Continue reading The BenRiach Curiositas 10 Year Old Peated Malt – Review
Bargain Bin Fridays #4, Sunnybrook Kentucky Blended Whiskey
I've heard stories of people walking into some out-of-the-way liquor store and finding a dust-covered Port Ellen for $90 or some 20-year-old Glen something-or-other for $39.99. Chances are, some distributor dumped a pricey bottle off ages ago on a store that wouldn't ever sell that kind of thing and the store has no idea what … Continue reading Bargain Bin Fridays #4, Sunnybrook Kentucky Blended Whiskey
THE CASKS 