*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
Scotch
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
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
Kilchoman 100% Islay, 2nd Edition – Review
*Thanks to the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. The Irish saint, St. Comman also had a brother who was a saint - St. Cumine. Apparently that kind of things runs in one's family. Not mine, thankfully. Both Cumine and Comman were monks at the Abbey of Iona which is located, appropriately enough, … Continue reading Kilchoman 100% Islay, 2nd Edition – Review
Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams 2011 – Review
*Sincere thanks to MB from Glenfiddich and William Grant & Sons for the sample! Those that know me well know that I'm a scathing, occasionally ranting cynic with a big ol' softy heart...either that or a big ol' easily weepy softy with a small, cold lump of coal for a heart...sometimes both, which sounds just … Continue reading Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams 2011 – Review
The Arran Malt – The Devil’s Punch Bowl
*Thanks to the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. In popular culture, the Devil doesn't always seem to instill that much terror. Sure, there are a few good movies featuring/invoking a truly horrific being of some sort, maybe a book here and there, or a bit of extreme metal from Norway, but generally … Continue reading The Arran Malt – The Devil’s Punch Bowl
SMWSA 2012 Holiday Parcels…Part III
*A sincere thank you to the good folks at the SMWSA for the samples. The second 2012 "holiday" outturn from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America (SMWSA) was entitled "Holiday Parcels" and now that I've missed that boat and the holidays are pretty much over, I thought I'd take a three-part look at this particularly interesting … Continue reading SMWSA 2012 Holiday Parcels…Part III
SMWSA 2012 Holiday Parcels…Part II
*A sincere thank you to the good folks at the SMWSA for the samples. The second 2012 "holiday" outturn from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America (SMWSA) was entitled "Holiday Parcels" and now that I've missed that boat and the holidays are pretty much over, I thought I'd take a three-part look at this … Continue reading SMWSA 2012 Holiday Parcels…Part II
SMWSA 2012 Holiday Parcels…Part I
*A sincere thank you to the good folks at the SMWSA for the samples. The second 2012 "holiday" outturn from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America (SMWSA) was entitled "Holiday Parcels" and now that I've missed that boat and the holidays are long since over, I thought I'd take a three-part look at this … Continue reading SMWSA 2012 Holiday Parcels…Part I
THE CASKS 