When I read on the internet that Douglas Laing was about to release a limited edition of their Lowlands blended malt The Epicurean, a huge smile formed on my face. As a dedicated fan of this moustached muchacho, I could not wait to find out what this special bottling (more…)
Born in Glasgow but at home in cities big and small around the globe, The Epicurean is the Lowlands expression of Douglas Laing’s popular Remarkable Regional Malts range. It is the second-to-last member of the pack (only to be succeeded by the annual limited edition bottling (more…)
Having started as an independent bottler of high-quality single malt whiskies (plus the occasional grain or bourbon thrown in between), North Star has recently also made a name for itself as a blender. Their first such bottling, Vega 23yo, took the whisky community by storm (more…)
Usually, I either buy the whiskies I introduce on BarleyMania myself or borrow them from friends. But every now and then, I also receive a sample from a distillery or from an independent bottler. Although I understand that some of you might question the impartiality (more…)
Japanese oak, also referred to as Mizunara oak, is probably the rarest component from which whisky barrels can be made. Due to the slow growth and knotted stature of the respective trees, the processing of this kind of wood requires excellent craftmanship (more…)
In a way, whisky blending is like alchemy. Cause just like the proto-scientists of yore, whisky blenders also create an elixir of life (“aqua vitae”), turn differing raw materials into gold (albeit in liquid form) and produce a universal solvent (if the blend is good, one sip is all it takes (more…)
Although he was the first Remarkable Malt to hit the market back in 2009, it took Big Peat quite a while until he received a special bottling with an age statement. However, after his friends Scallywag, Timorous Beastie and Rock Oyster had all spawned limited editions (more…)
A monster does not necessarily have to be a gargantuan behemoth that rages and stampedes day in, day out. It can also be a more refined and evolved creature – like the Alien in Ridley Scott’s eponymous sci-fi classic or the Pale Man in “Pan’s Labyrinth”. Or The Peat Monster (more…)
Nomad is a whisky with a twist. Although it was created in Scotland by Whyte & Mackay’s legendary master blender Richard “The Nose” Paterson”, this marriage of more than 30 carefully selected malts and grains did not get bottled on Scottish soil. (more…)
The chemistry part of the whisky making process is incredibly fascinating… and incredibly complex. Unfortunately, I am always a bit lost when the interaction between the molecules in the air, metal, wood and spirit is being explained in detail. (more…)
