*Thanks to the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. Poor, poor Rosebank. Long thought to be perhaps the finest of the Lowland distilleries, it has a rich history dating back to the early 1800's but came to a fairly ignoble end, completely unfitting its status and popularity. In 1988, one of the warehouses … Continue reading Chieftain’s 1990 Rosebank 20 Year Old – Review
Master of Malt 1990 Bunnahabhain 20 Year Old – Review
Thanks to the excellent people at Master of Malt for the sample. At the recent SMWSA Extravaganza in Chicago, I overheard a guy telling his buddies that he preferred "Breech-laddick", and then expressed his disappointment at not seeing that particular brand at the show. Now, I can only assume that he meant Bruichladdich, and while … Continue reading Master of Malt 1990 Bunnahabhain 20 Year Old – Review
W.L. Weller 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Review
William LaRue Weller's story is perhaps a somewhat typical one of successful men and women of the American 1800's. There's war, there's tragedy, there's family, there's dogged perseverance, and there's whiskey. Weller was pretty much born into bourbon making. His grandfather, Daniel, was operating a distillery close to Bardstown, KY as early as 1800. His … Continue reading W.L. Weller 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Review
2012 SMWS Extravaganza Chicago – Recap
Thank you very much to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America for the opportunity to attend the Extravaganza as press. Since Minneapolis does not yet have a large-scale whisky show of their own (I say "yet" in hopes that one day...maybe...) I recently headed down to Chicago to attend the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America's … Continue reading 2012 SMWS Extravaganza Chicago – Recap
Chieftain’s 1984 Benrinnes 26 Year Old – Review
*Thanks to the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. Benrinnes, from the Scots Gaelic, Beinnroinn, means "promontory hill". A rather uninspired name if you ask me, but maybe on the day it was named it was bitterly cold, wet, and windy and the group of guys out naming stuff had had enough and … Continue reading Chieftain’s 1984 Benrinnes 26 Year Old – Review
Chieftain’s 1997 Caol Ila 14 Year Old Jamican Rum Cask Finish – Reveiw
*Thanks to the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. Perhaps let's start with a very brief, hopefully briefly accurate history of rum. Like whisky, hell, like all spirits, rum got its start when some genius, no doubt tired of drinking too many filling yet low-alcohol fermented beverages, decided to distill said same fermented … Continue reading Chieftain’s 1997 Caol Ila 14 Year Old Jamican Rum Cask Finish – Reveiw
St. George Spirits Breaking & Entering Bourbon – Review
The Casks has left San Francisco and moved to Minneapolis and wouldn't you know it, early October, there's snow in the forecast. So with no small amount of wistfulness, I thought it appropriate for the first review from the new locale to be from one of my favorites from the old locale, St. George Spirits … Continue reading St. George Spirits Breaking & Entering Bourbon – Review
Upcoming Whisky Events: SMWSA Extravaganza 2012 Fall Schedule
From a whisky standpoint, one of the things I'll miss most about San Francisco are its annual three big whisky shows: the locally run Whiskies of the World, the mammoth WhiskyFest, and possibly my favorite event, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America's Single Malt and Scotch Whisky Extravaganza. The SMWSA Extravaganza features, as you … Continue reading Upcoming Whisky Events: SMWSA Extravaganza 2012 Fall Schedule
Where the hell have I been, you ask? Part II
Ok, I lied. I feel bad about it, but considering that lying has become quite the fashionable political activity in the U.S. as of late, I suppose it's my patriotic duty to lie my ass off (and yes, I said duty). Back in May, after returning from a trip to Scotland, I eagerly proclaimed, "I'm … Continue reading Where the hell have I been, you ask? Part II
Master of Malt St. Isidore, the Blogger’s Blend – Review
Thanks to the excellent people at Master of Malt for the sample. St. Isidore is a saint honored by the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. He served as an Archbishop of Seville for nearly 30 years around the year 600 A.D. and during that time, became widely known as a great historian … Continue reading Master of Malt St. Isidore, the Blogger’s Blend – Review
THE CASKS 