Sincere thanks to JA and Usquaebach for the sample. Obviously, the most striking thing about Usquaebach's Old Rare Blended Scotch Whisky is the ceramic flagon that the whisky is sold in. One sees quite a few glass bottles on liquor store shelves, but flagons...not so much. The word "flagon", of course, is derived from the 15th century Middle French … Continue reading Usquaebach Old Rare Blended Scotch Whisky – Review
Whisky Reviews
Usquaebach 15 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky – Review
Sincere thanks to JA and Usquaebach for the sample. As a result of the current boom in popularity, there are very few whisk(e)y brands out there that haven't received at least a little slick, silver-tongued marketers' magic. Whether it's a new label, revamped line-up, hip ad campaign, or a hyperactive social media presence, these days, it can … Continue reading Usquaebach 15 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky – Review
Bowmore Small Batch Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Review
*Sincere thanks to MS & AS at Savona Communications for the sample. Not too long ago, I poked fun at the misuse and abuse of the term "small batch". It's not really my intention to beat that dead horse any further in this post, especially since there are so very many other booze marketing catch … Continue reading Bowmore Small Batch Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Review
Auchentoshan American Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Review
*Sincere thanks to MS & AS at Savona Communications for the sample. Auchentoshan American Oak, the new-ish, entry-level, no-age-statement malt from the Lowland distillery, replaces (thankfully) the Classic, which was a very affordable whisky...just not one you'd want to buy. For this expression, Auchentoshan has, in a way, tilted its triple-distilled single malt towards bourbon. … Continue reading Auchentoshan American Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Review
Very Old Barton Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Review
First of all, let's just all agree right away that at four to six years old, this Very Old Barton is not very old at all. Granted, "very old" is a pretty damn relative term. A six year old banana, for example, would widely be considered "very old", whereas a six year old Galápagos Tortoise (Chelonoidis … Continue reading Very Old Barton Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Review
The Exclusive Malts 1997 Ledaig 17 Year Old – Review
*Thanks to SF and the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. I'm not sure you could ever say that the pronunciation of Scotch Distillery place names was a hotly debated subject, especially for those non-Scots who are just looking for an easy way to correctly say something without breaking their jaw. Still, for every Dailuaine, Glen Garioch, and … Continue reading The Exclusive Malts 1997 Ledaig 17 Year Old – Review
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey – Review
*Many thanks to the Baddish Group for the sample. In 1972, Irish whiskey pretty much hit rock bottom. Bushmills had just been absorbed into Irish Distillers, thereby giving the company control of both distilleries (New Middleton and Old Bushmills) on the island. At the time, Irish whiskey was reportedly selling barely 500,000 cases a year … Continue reading Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey – Review
Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve – Review
*Sincere thanks to MS & AS at Savona Communications for the sample. So, who the hell founded this distillery? My keen and occasionally flagging interest in whisky history has drawn me down a dark road which seemingly has no end. According to the distillery itself, which one would expect to have the final say-so in this … Continue reading Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve – Review
The Exclusive Malts 2004 Tomatin 10 Year Old – Review
*Thanks to SF and the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. In the beginning of 2014, a great many red-blooded, whiskey-drinking Americans were saddened, incensed, and apparently betrayed somehow to find out that Japanese beverage giant Suntory, was buying Beam Inc. Such was the outrage that the quintessentially American Jim Beam brand was now … Continue reading The Exclusive Malts 2004 Tomatin 10 Year Old – Review
The Exclusive Malts 2004 Speyside 10 Year Old Port Cask – Review
*Thanks to SF and the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. Port, or Porto, or if you want to get really fancy, Vinho do Porto, is Portugal's contribution to the world of fortified wine. Portuguese Port is produced solely in the north of the country, in the Douro valley. Along with Italy's Chianti, … Continue reading The Exclusive Malts 2004 Speyside 10 Year Old Port Cask – Review
THE CASKS 