*Thanks to SF and the good folks at Impex Beverages for the samples. Though Glen Keith is a relatively young distillery, its shortish history is peppered with curiosities. Founded by Seagrams on the site of an old grain mill in 1957, the distillery not only produced whisky, but also functioned as something of a research lab. … Continue reading The Exclusive Malts 1996 Glen Keith 19 Year Old – Review
Robbie Burns Night…
Here's a bottle and an honest friend What wad ye wish for mair, man? Wha kens, before his life may end, What his share may be o' care, man? Then catch the moments as they fly, And use them as ye ought, man; Believe me, happiness is shy, And comes no ay when sought, man! … Continue reading Robbie Burns Night…
Westland Peated American Single Malt Whiskey – Review
*Sincere thanks to Westland Distillery for the sample. Conventional whisky wisdom says that peat as a flavor is at its most pungent when a whisky is young, let's say under 12 years. Once a malt starts edging up into those delightful late teens, things begin to balance out and that once dominating peat starts to … Continue reading Westland Peated American Single Malt Whiskey – Review
Top Whisky-type Stuff (or not) List for 2015
As much as I love year-end lists, I'm beginning to realize that I like reading them far more than I like putting them together. I would happily skip writing such a list if it weren't for my unfortunate love of trite traditions. Alack, here we are again, stumbling blindly and listing a bit to the left, … Continue reading Top Whisky-type Stuff (or not) List for 2015
Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Canadian Whisky – Review
If you were to, let's say, come up with a "world restaurant of the year" award, it would seem an awfully broad category, would it not? An award with a title that vague would have to include the Red Lobsters and Applebees of the world right next to the Nomas and French Laundries because, after all they … Continue reading Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Canadian Whisky – Review
The Exclusive Malts 1997 Deanston 17 Year Old – Review
*Thanks to SF and the good folks at Impex Beverages for the samples. Deanston is one of those relatively rare single malts that is more or less widely available, yet oft-overlooked. They don't have a large core range, and they don't trot out tiresome, expensive, heavily marketed special releases a couple of times a year. … Continue reading The Exclusive Malts 1997 Deanston 17 Year Old – Review
Westland American Single Malt Whiskey – Review
*Sincere thanks to Westland Distillery for the sample. Seattle's Westland Distillery is something of a rarity in the American Craft Distilling scene. A great many small, new distilleries are excited about the prospect of making a whiskey, but the time and financial patience needed to see that whiskey come to fruition also means that more … Continue reading Westland American Single Malt Whiskey – Review
Mill City Whiskey Review – Re-cap
*Sincere thanks to The Mill City Whiskey Review and Half Full Productions for the media pass. I recently attended the first installment of The Mill City Whiskey Review, which was the second big whiskey-focused expo held in Minneapolis this year. Two in one year after years of no big whiskey shows at all? A veritable … Continue reading Mill City Whiskey Review – Re-cap
Head-to Head! Two Young Laphroaigs From The Exclusive Malts
*Thanks to SF and the good folks at Impex Beverages for the samples. My incompetence and negligence has afforded me an interesting opportunity to taste two very similar single malts side by side. Towards the end of 2013, The Exclusive Malts released to the US market an 8 year old Laphroaig, distilled in 2005. I received a … Continue reading Head-to Head! Two Young Laphroaigs From The Exclusive Malts
400th Post…
I wasn't sure if I was going to mark the occasion of The Casks 400th post with something special, just another review, or...I don't know, a video of me sabering a bottle of vintage Pol Roger Brut while doing an ancient clog dance last performed by a bunch of drunk Jacobites in Killiecrankie. My impulse was not … Continue reading 400th Post…
THE CASKS 