Whisky Tourism - The Impact On A Scottish Island.

* This article originally appeared on the Huffington Post UK on 13/7/17. 

Whisky tourism is nothing new to Islay. It is home to eight distilleries that are known the world over and is relatively accessible for a Hebridean island. A two-hour ferry ride from the mainland or a short 30-minute hop from Glasgow by plane gets you there. But how does the island cope during the annual Feis Ile, a week that celebrates the island’s music, heritage and single malts?

Many malt fans see Islay as the ‘Mecca of whisky’ with large numbers visiting on their own personal pilgrimage. However, Feis Ile takes things to a very different level. Islay’s population of just over 3,000 almost trebles for a week as the whisky pilgrims flock there from all four corners of the globe to join the festivities. How does an island’s infrastructure cope with such a sudden influx?

What is the Future of Whisky?

It seems that everyone is constantly trying to predict the next big thing? What is the next trend? It is human nature to seek constant change and development, and this urge covers all walks of life.

The whisky world generally works at a somewhat slower pace than most industries. However, it is not averse to evolution and innovation. This was recently brought in to focus at an event, hosted by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, looking at the future of whisky.

Playing To Your Strengths

* This article originally appeared on the Huffington Post UK on 5/1/17.

The current buzzword in the Scotch whisky industry seems to be experimentation. This year we have seen major brands releasing whiskies that have been matured in funky wine casks, creating new recipes and collaborating with craft beer brewers.

Experimentation has generally been seen as the realm of the craft or artisan distiller, especially those new to the scene. The major players argue that they have always been experimenting throughout their history and that this is simply taking it to the next level.

So what are the big whisky brands trying to achieve from this experimentation? Is it to simply diversify their range? Is it to make their product more attractive to a wider audience or new drinkers? Or is it to be seen as a ‘craft’ product themselves?

Huffington Post Revisited Part 4 - Another Day, Another Distillery ...

Matt of Whisky For Everyone has been writing on the Huffington Post UK since being invited as a contributor in 2012.  His posts in the Lifestyle section are increasingly popular, so we thought we would publish the most-read articles in case you have not seen them before.  Recently, we showed three posts on WFE for the first time.  This fourth one was published on Huffington Post last week and looks at the ever-growing number of new distilleries and potential problems facing them.

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Another Day, Another Distillery ...
Posted on HuffPostUK on 08/02/16 - click here to view the original article.

The proposed Ardnahoe distillery

Recently, the news of a new single malt whisky distillery in Scotland was greeted with universal applause from whisky fans. The Ardnahoe distillery, which will be constructed on the north east coast of the famous whisky island of Islay, is hoped to be in production by the end of 2017.

This is the latest in an increasingly long line of such announcements, mostly in the craft/boutique sector. But is there a real danger of the whisky industry overloading itself with new distilleries and will all of these projects survive?

Huffington Post Revisited Part 3 - Think You Know How To Taste Whisky? Think Again ...

Matt of Whisky For Everyone has been writing on the Huffington Post UK since being invited as a contributor to the blogging site in 2012.  His posts in the Lifestyle section are increasingly popular, so we thought we would publish the most-read articles in case you have not seen them before.  This week we will show three posts on Whisky For Everyone for the first time.  This one about an innovative brand launch changed how Matt viewed whisky tastings and opened his mind to experience more.

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Think You Know How To Taste Whisky?  Think Again ...
Posted on HuffPostUK on 23/9/15 - click here to view the original article.

As a London-based whisky commentator I get regularly invited to whisky tastings and brand launches. Most follow tried and trusted routines. Nothing wrong with that, but they can seem formulaic sometimes. Sometimes something changes your thoughts, opening both eyes and mind. For me, this came at the recent launch of a new Chivas Regal whisky.

The words 'Experimental Chef' and 'Exploration Lab' on the invitation filled me with a slight sense of dread. I pictured a gimmicky tasting, albeit in a cool venue, that would push food and whisky pairing. Quickly I discovered just how wrong those initial feelings would be ...

Huffington Post Revisited Part 2 - A Positive Argument for No Age Statement Whiskies

Matt of Whisky For Everyone has been writing on the Huffington Post UK since being invited as a contributor to the blogging site in 2012.  His posts in the Lifestyle section are increasingly popular, so we thought we would publish the most-read articles in case you have not seen them before.  This week we will show three posts on Whisky For Everyone for the first time.  This one about 'no age statement' whiskies got lots of people irritated on whisky forums and is the most controversial to date.

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No Age Statement Whiskies - A Positive Argument
Posted on HuffPostUK on 18/2/15 - click here to view the original article.

The recent release of The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve seems to be causing a stir amongst the whisky community. The Glenlivet has long been one of the biggest selling single malts but Founder's Reserve represents a departure for the brand as it strives to grow even further. It is the first permanent core range product to have 'No Age Statement' (or NAS for short) and this has got some people very annoyed.

Huffington Post Revisited Part 1 - Is Scotch Whisky Dead?

Matt of Whisky For Everyone has been writing on the Huffington Post UK since being invited as a contributor to the blogging site in 2012.  His posts in the Lifestyle section are becoming increasingly popular, so we thought we would publish the most-read articles in case you have not seen them before.  This week we will show three posts on Whisky For Everyone for the first time, starting with his most recent one - Is Scotch Whisky Dead?  This has over 1,700 Likes on Facebook to date.

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Is Scotch Whisky Dead?
Posted on HuffPostUK on 13/1/16 - click here to view the original article.

The publication of a book last Autumn created a serious stir amongst the whisky community. In fact, it created a stir in the wider world with issues raised and tackled by the UK and global media.

The book in question was the 2016 edition of Jim Murray's Whisky Bible, an annual release that has become the world's best selling whisky publication. Murray samples around 4,000 whiskies each year and the book is a collection of his tasting notes and personal scores. Whisky fans wait to find out his top marks and these can make brands an instant success overnight. Murray is a powerful influencer and many consumers naturally follow his recommendations. So, why the fuss this year?