On this day in 2016, I published the very first article on this wee blog o’ mine. It is hard to believe that two full years have passed since then. But looking at the calendar, it does indeed seem as if BarleyMania is celebrating its second anniversary today. In the light of this event, I am happy to continue last year’s custom of running a Barleyversary competition on my blog and the associated Facebook fanpage. Participation is really easy and the prizes are helluva cool. True to the motto “Two years, two bottles”, I will be raffling a fantastic whisky duo sponsored by my friends in Douglas Laing and Alle Vögel Fliegen Hoch (the German PR agency for The Scotch Malt Whisky Society). Have fun, everybody… and good luck in the second BarleyMania Birthday Bash!
by Tobi
Event: BarleyMania Birthday Bash ’18
Objective: Have a virtual dram with me! Either share a photo of your whisky of choice in the comments of the respective Facebook post. Or, if you don’t have Facebook, comment on this blog post and let me know which pour you’d sip in celebration of my blog’s second anniversary.
Prizes: Timorous Beastie 18yo, Exotic Cargo Batch 2
Sponsors: Douglas Laing, Alle Vögel Fliegen Hoch / The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Event time: Friday, October 12 till Saturday, October 20. Entries posted later than October 20 at 11:59pm (CEST) can no longer be considered.
Open for…: Whisky fans from all over the world, who are of legal drinking age in their home country.
Selection of winners: Winners will be randomly selected and announced on BarleyMania’s Facebook fan page after the contest has ended, presumably on Sunday, October 21.
Terms and conditions: Click here for the terms and conditions of the BarleyMania Birthday Bash ’18.
Any more questions?: Post them in the comments and I gladly answer them!
Timorous Beastie 18yo
(sponsored by Douglas Laing)
Every year on Burns Night, I publish a special Timorous Beastie review in poem form. I started with the regular NAS bottling in 2017 and continued with the 21-year-old limited edition in 2018. While I have still not decided which version of Douglas Laing’s mighty mouse I will rhyme about in 2019, there is a chance it will be the fully bourbon-matured 18 Years Old. It’s a lovely Highlands malt of delicate character and complex make. As its name suggests, the whisky appears to be a little shy at first. But when you give that cute lil’ rodent time to warm up, you will have found in him a friend for life! Like I did in the wonderful folks at Douglas Laing, who kindly sponsored this bottle.
Exotic Cargo Batch 2
(sponsored by Alle Vögel Fliegen Hoch / The Scotch Malt Whisky Society)
Exotic Cargo is the first blended malt that The SMWS released in its illustrious 35-year history. Batch 2, which is up for grabs in this year’s Barleyversary raffle, is 11 years old, 50 per cent strong and fully matured in 1st fill ex-sherry hogsheads. The official tasting notes speak of “a sumptuous nose”, “a dense and chocolatey arrival on the palate” and “a beautiful and curiously old-school aspect to the sherry”. All in all, no more than 925 bottles of Exotic Cargo Batch 2 were brought into circulation. And thanks to the cool cats of Alle Vögel Fliegen Hoch, one lucky BarleyMania reader will soon be able to welcome one such gem in their whisky cabinet.
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- The prizes
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- Timorous Beastie 18yo (sponsored by Douglas Laing)
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- Exotic Cargo Batch 2 (sponsored by Alle Vögel Fliegen Hoch)
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- Happy Barleyversary!
Douglas Laing @ Web: http://www.douglaslaing.com/
The SMWS @ Web: https://www.smws.com/
Alle Vögel Fliegen Hoch @ Web: https://allevoegelfliegenhoch.de/
BarleyMania | Whisky & Whiskey 
Well, tonight I’ll be raising a dram of Tamdhu Batch Strength to celebrate your blogoversary! (Oh and because it’s Friday :D)
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Thanks a lot for toasting me with such a good dram! And for stopping by here regularly. It’s very much appreciated! :)
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Tonight, I’ll be raising a dram of AnCnoc cutter to celebrate.
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Cut-a-licious!
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Raising a wee Dram o’ Bowmore Tempest IV to you Tobi! Congratulations again!!!
Slàinte Mhath 🥃, and keep up the good work!
Gav.
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Thanks a lot, pal! You can never go wrong with a dram o’ Bowmore. Had one myself today, too. Slainte!
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Slàinte and all the best for your anniversary! Continue the good work. Cheers from the Danube in Germany!
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Slàinte and all the best for your anniversary! I am raising a Glentauchers 17 y.o. (SCC) to you! Continue the good work. Cheers from the Danube in Germany!
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‘Tauchers FTW! Oh, and cheers from the Elbe to the Danube! :)
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Rasing a glass of Signatory Cask Strength Coll. Clynelish 1995 21YO …. Slàinte and all the best
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Slainte to you, too! Clynelish rocks!
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Tonight I will raise a glass of Highland Park Full Volume. An 18yo fully-bourbon-matured beauty – my preferred style of whisky 😉 I picked it up from the distillery just last week and what an amazing place!
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As a huge fan of rock and metal music, I absolutely love that whisky’s attitude and packaging! Also, I have no doubt that visiting Highland Park must be an unforgettable experience. I hope I’m gonna make it that far up north in Scotland someday!
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It was incredible. The place is just steeped in history. When I saw the packaging and then, more importantly, tried the Full Volume in the visitor centre, it was a case of “just take my money”. Expect a few Orkney related posts over the next few weeks! We will include some tourist tips too 👍
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Ah, that’s great to hear! I can’t wait to read about your Orkney adventures on your blog, pal!
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Raise a Dram 🥃🎁🙋🏻♂️
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That’s the thing to do! What’s your poison of choice?
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What lovely prices you have for us whisky lovers to dream about.
I say happy anniversary to you and raising a glencairn with Elements of islay CI9 to you and your great blog.
Skål!
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Right back at ya: What lovely drams you whisky lovers have selected as your competition entries! <3
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A drama on ancnoc
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Cheers!
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Congrats on 2 years, it’s a lot of hard work. Just going on IG can feel like a job, albeit fun learning experience! I do t gave the Fbook so I’ll be sharing a dram of Single Cask Nation 21yo Tormore refill bourbon cask! Cheers!
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Good choice, Robert. I didn’t have many Tormores so far, but the ones I had were great!
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Well done on making it through two years! Consistency is half the battle. I’ll toast you with The Single Cask’s bottling of 23 year Tobermory. Keep up the good work!
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Cheers, Jamie. And yeah… I’ll try my best to keep the BarleyMania routine up and post new stuff at least once a week.
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Congratulations on the Blog and you’re 2 year anniversary. In joining you in celebration I’ll go for a little dram from the states with a WhistlePig 10 year old.
Be interested to know what’s in your glass 😊.
Thx
Joe
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Nice one. Last Friday, I treated myself to a dram of Bowmore 30yo XOP to celebrate my second BarleyVersary. It was insanely good… but unfortunately, buying a full bottle is not really an option.
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How’s the Bowmore? That sounds like an exclusive and exciting dram. Great way to celebrate a birthday.
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It was out-of-this-world good. Super exciting and complex. But also wayyy above my budget. I only had a wee sample of it, so chances are very high that I will only taste it one more time. When my sample’s empty, buying a full bottle will unfortunately not be an option.
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Yeah, it sounds a great drop of whisky, but like you say a budget buster 🙁. Maybe one for when you get a lotto win 😊.
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All the best for your anniversary! I am raising a Highland Park 18 to you!
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Slainte, Stephan! And thanks for bringing some Orkney awesomeness to my blog!
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Congratulations on your two year anniversary! Glad to have discovered your blog on here. I raise a glass of Lagavulin 16 yr. old to you!
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I’m happy that you found your way over here… and that you brought a bottle of Lagavulin along! ;)
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In my glass that I am raising to you for BarleyMania’s second birthday bash contains ‘the 1920 summer olympics’ – cask 66.114 from the SMWS. – A 16 year old red wine finished Ardmore. Cheers Tobi
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That’s definitely one of the best names the SMWS has come up with in the last months… :D
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Congratulations on your anniversary ! And i am raising a glass of Ardbeg Alligator on you. Slàinte Mhath.
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Always wanted to try the Alligator, but haven’t done so yet. Someday… :)
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Tried the Exotic Cargo as part of a blind tasting, it was fantastic. Would love to explore it further with a full bottle!
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Since GregsWhiskyG on Twitter doesn’t have FB or WP, I’m passing on his entry: He’s having a Braeval 12yo “Single Minded” by Douglas Laing. :)
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Cheers to your #Barleyversary 🥃 I’ll raise my glass filled with tasty Säntis Dreifaltigkeit to celebrate with you! This malt is one of my favourites for the colder months. Do you know this liquid smoke drink?
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Slainte, David. I had the Dreifaltigkeit a couple of times already. A pretty unique malt. Like liquid bacon. :D
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