Friday, January 20, 2023
Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (January 20, 2023)
Thursday, January 19, 2023
Distillery Visit / Dalmore
The Dalmore distillery and its range of single malts are held in high regard by whisky drinkers and collectors alike. Sitting in a gorgeous location on the shores of the Cromarty Firth and looking across to the Black Isle, this north Highland distillery is currently closed to the public.
The reason - a combination of the recent Covid pandemic and forthcoming planned extension work that will see the production capacity doubled. We were delighted to receive an invite to visit last November.
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Friday, January 13, 2023
Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (January 13, 2023)
Friday, January 6, 2023
Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (January 6, 2023)
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
Our Top 10 Whiskies of 2022
This is always our favourite post to write each year. The Top 10 is something we first began way back in 2009 and within it we celebrate the finest new whisky releases of that calendar year. Our first selection crowned Benromach 10 years old as our Whisky of the Year.
However, some time ago we decided to no longer give a top prize. Instead, each of the ten whiskies that we have chosen is a winner in its own right and for differing reasons. As the world continued to come out of the Covid-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions in 2022, the whisky world responded with some excellent releases. It has been difficult to select just ten to be honest, given that we have sampled close to 150 whiskies this year.
Thursday, December 22, 2022
Review / Smokehead Terminado
The Smokehead Terminado is the latest limited edition from the Islay single malt brand. This new bottling follows the brand's recent experimentation with different cask types that has included the Rum Rebel ex-rum cask finish and the Twisted & Stout ex-stout beer barrel finish. Terminado has seen a similar finishing period in ex-tequila casks that have been sourced from Jalisco in Mexico. The exact number of bottles has not been revealed. Smokehead Terminado is released at as no age statement and 43% ABV. It is initially exclusive to the Amazon and Smokehead websites. Wider distribution will follow. A bottle will cost £69/ US$83.
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
Review / Dalmore 2007 Vintage & 2003 Vintage
This pair of whiskies are the latest new limited editions from the north Highland distillery of Dalmore. The Dalmore 2003 Vintage (pictured, above left) and 2007 Vintage (pictured, above right) represent the second bottlings in the Dalmore Vintage Collection. Both whiskies have been created from casks hand-selected by pioneering whisky maker Gregg Glass and Richard Paterson OBE, Master Blender for Dalmore.
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Review / House of Hazelwood 46 years 'Spirit of Scotland' old & 56 years old 'The Long Marriage'
The House of Hazelwood is a premium collection of Scotch whiskies blended malt. It has been created by William Grant & Sons, which has been operated by the Gordon family for much of the last century. The collection is named after the family home, Hazelwood House, which is located in Dufftown - the unofficial whisky capital of the Speyside region.
The bottlings were originally created for family consumption at special occasions from some of the company's oldest and rarest stocks. It was only recently decided to expand this out to bring these fine super-premium whiskies to whisky consumers.
Friday, December 16, 2022
Inbox / The Week's Whisky News (December 16, 2022)
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Review / Bushmills 1997 Rum Cask
This new whiskey represents the latest expansion of the Causeway Collection by the Northern Irish single malt distillery of Bushmills. The Bushmills 1997 Rum Cask is the first whiskey in the series to be created by Alex Thomas, the new Master Blender for Bushmills. The collection pays homage to some of the more unorthodox casks that are maturing within the distillery's warehouses. The spirit was filled to American oak ex-Caribbean rum barrels in February 1997 and has undergone a full 25-year maturation in them. This is very rare as ex-rum casks are often only used for finishing of short periods from six months to two years. The Causeway Collection was launched in 2020.