I try, I really do...I want to be blown away by younger Speyside malts but the reality is unless it's a high alcohol, sh-sh-sh-sh sh-sh sherry bomb like Aberlour's A'bundh, I tend to like them, appreciate them and...not be blown away by them. Dufftown's Glendullan was apparently the favored whisky of King Edward VII, and … Continue reading The Singleton of Glendullan 12 Year Old – Review
Scotch
Octomore 2.1 – Review
For good or for ill (mostly for ill) Americans have this sad, misguided little notion that bigger and/or more extreme is better , especially when it comes to food or pretend food products. There's a new line of "bold" Doritos out there that promises an artificially produced heat hitherto unknown in the natural food world. There … Continue reading Octomore 2.1 – Review
Springbank 10 Year Old – Review
For the relatively uninitiated (like me), Campbeltown malts in general and Springbank in specific (which makes up most of the Campbeltown whiskies anyway, so...) hold a certain romantic appeal. They're like the bison (bison bison) of the whisky world, at one time so prevalent, traipsing their woolly bottles across the great plains of the Kintyre … Continue reading Springbank 10 Year Old – Review
Big Peat Small Batch “Blended” Islay Malt
I like to think that I'm a steely rock, inscrutable and impenetrable to the grasping wiles of advertisers and their kerned and pantone-d ministrations, but really, I'm just as much of a sucker for good packaging and marketing as the next guy. Ardbeg, for example, does a masterful job mixing the tradition and mythos of … Continue reading Big Peat Small Batch “Blended” Islay Malt
Glenfiddich 18 Year Old – Review
I suppose because I see Glenfiddich everywhere, in every little corner store, suburban big-box supermarket, domestic flights, and bars that keep the premium spirits in a dusty, ignored display next to the register, I default to thinking they're a big, corporate, profit-before-flavor scotch. It's easy to fall into that line of thinking these days when … Continue reading Glenfiddich 18 Year Old – Review
Port Charlotte PC6 – Review
Who, exactly, was this Charlotte and what did she do to get a quaint Islay village, not to mention a whole series of well-regarded scotches named after her? A strong-footed mid-fielder for Wemyss United who scored that stellar, curving goal for the win over Askaig City FC in the '46 All-Islay tourney finals? No. A … Continue reading Port Charlotte PC6 – Review
Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old – Review
One day, I'll make it to Islay and when I do, I'm going to make a point to visit Bunnahabhain and the little village next door, established to give a home to the employees of the distillery when it was first opened in 1881. Located in the remote Northeast corner of Islay, Bunnahabhain overlooks the … Continue reading Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old – Review
Bruichladdich 2001 “Resurrection” – Review
I have to admit, I'm always a little conflicted when I see a bottle of "Resurrection", and lord knows a person can't help but see a bottle this garishly blue from a few miles away. On the one hand, I like the type and design of the tin and the bottle, and the matte blue … Continue reading Bruichladdich 2001 “Resurrection” – Review
Ardbeg Supernova comes back for more
Why is it that Ardbeg news gets more of a reaction from people than other news from the whisky world? I'm certainly guilty of this myself. When I hear about a new Macallan release, I usually don't even finish the little blurb I'm reading and chalk it up to another exciting scotch I may or … Continue reading Ardbeg Supernova comes back for more
Tobermory 10 Year Old – Review
Legend has it that a certain ill-tempered witch hangs out around Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. While not publicly active as of late, this Dòideag apparently liked to whip up bad weather and make things rough for guys in boats. As the myth goes, She really made things rough for one boat in the … Continue reading Tobermory 10 Year Old – Review
THE CASKS 