*Sincere thanks to DK & NR from Exposure PR for the sample, and to Suntory's Neyah White for the sage advice. Last month, March, Suntory celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Yamazaki Distillery and the House of Suntory Whisky. Shinjiro Torii founded his first distillery in March of 1923, establishing a whisky-making empire that would … Continue reading Hibiki 12 Year Old Japanese Blended Whiskey
The Exclusive Malts 2000 Aberlour 12 Year Old – Review
*Thanks to the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. If my cursory google-able research is correct (and why would it be?) Aberlour, or as translated into Scottish Gaelic, Obar Lobhair, apparently means "The mouth of the talkative stream". The babbling brook in question would be the Lour, which empties into the Spey, and upon whose … Continue reading The Exclusive Malts 2000 Aberlour 12 Year Old – Review
Le Cœur du Chêne – French Boutique Oak Cooperage
It stands to reason that in this day and age of boutique/artisanal/craft spirits someone would eventually take the leap into boutique/artisanal/craft cooperage as well. What might surprise you is that Le Cœur du Chêne, a new French forestry and cooperage, has actually been around for quite some time, indeed, its mission predates the whole "craft spirits" thing … Continue reading Le Cœur du Chêne – French Boutique Oak Cooperage
AnCnoc 22 Year Old – Review
*Sincere thanks to LD of Alembic Communications Ltd. and AnCnoc for the sample If you go looking for the AnCnoc distillery, you're not going to find it...there's no such place. If you go looking for Knockdhu whisky on your liquor store shelves...you're not going to find that either. Yet both Knockdhu and AnCnoc exist and … Continue reading AnCnoc 22 Year Old – Review
Bushmills Black Bush – Review, 2013 Redux
This post is part of a simultaneous St. Patrick's day posting on Bushmills Black Bush by a large international group of whisky bloggers/writers. The idea originated with Johanne McInnis of The Perfect Whisky Match Blog. Thanks to Johanne for organizing and thanks to Joshua Feldman of the great blog, The Coopered Tot, for the sample. Seriously...who … Continue reading Bushmills Black Bush – Review, 2013 Redux
Single Cask Nation 1995 BenRiach Peated 17 Year Old – Review
*A sincere thanks to JH, JJY, and SK at Single Cask Nation for the sample. BenRiach has been around for a long time, and yet in a way, it's barely been there at all. The distillery was founded in 1897 and then turned off the stills a mere six years later...another casualty of the Pattison … Continue reading Single Cask Nation 1995 BenRiach Peated 17 Year Old – Review
Single Cask Nation 1999 Arran 12 Year Old Pinot Noir Cask Finish – Review
*A sincere thanks to JH, JJY, and SK at Single Cask Nation for the sample. The Pinot Noir grape, the one responsible for that little wine making region in France called Burgundy, is one of the oldest offspring of Vitis vinifera, and one of the oldest varieties of grapevines to be cultivated by man. There is some … Continue reading Single Cask Nation 1999 Arran 12 Year Old Pinot Noir Cask Finish – Review
Single Cask Nation 2007 Kilchoman 4 Year Old – Review
*A sincere thanks to JH, JJY, and SK at Single Cask Nation for the sample. Those of us in the whisky world are always excited to see a new face on the scene, a new independent bottler perhaps, or even a new whisky society, so you can imagine the buzz generated by the emergence of … Continue reading Single Cask Nation 2007 Kilchoman 4 Year Old – Review
Anchor Distilling’s Old Potrero 18th Century Spirit – Review
Finally, a chance to write about the history of a place I've actually spent a fair amount of time in! The "Portrero" in Anchor Distilling's Old Potrero 18th Century Spirit refers to the area/neighborhood on the east side of San Francisco where the Anchor Brewery and Distillery currently resides. Today, it's referred to as Potrero Hill, … Continue reading Anchor Distilling’s Old Potrero 18th Century Spirit – Review
Chieftain’s 1983 Balmenach 28 Year Old – Review
*Thanks to the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. Balmenach is another distillery you hear about being one of those distilleries you never hear about. The distillery traces its roots back to a 1824 when a small distillery called "Balminoch" was given its legal license. Founded by one James MacGregor, Balmenach remained in … Continue reading Chieftain’s 1983 Balmenach 28 Year Old – Review
THE CASKS 