Recently, Douglas Laing’s German importer Bremer Spirituosen Contor started the sublabel “Time for whisky adventures” within the Old Particular line of bottlings. The first releases sporting the new moniker and logo are three real sherry bombs: (more…)
Cask Strength
2x Dutch Single Malt Whisky by Cley Distillery (Review Flight)
I first learned about Cley Distillery in March of this year during a business trip to Rotterdam. Usually, when I visit a place I have not been to before, I ask Google for whisky offerings nearby. And one of the all-knowing search engine’s suggestions was Cley Distillery. (more…)
Shock’em’toshan 22yo by Old Scar-ticular (Review)
Tonight is Halloween, fellas – the scariest and most awesome time of the year! To celebrate my favorite holiday in style, I walked over to my cabinet o’ poisons and picked a special sip from it, namely a 22-year-old Auchentoshan… or shall I rather say… Shock’em’toshan (more…)
Fary Lochan 6yo “141.1 – Dramlet: the Dark Prince of Denmark!” by SMWS (Review)
“To be or not to be?” – In case of “Dramlet: the Dark Prince of Denmark!” there is but one reply to the great playwright William Shakespeare’s existential question. And that is “To be!” on all levels. To be the first Danish whisky in the portfolio of the renowned Scotch Malt Whisky Society. (more…)
Ardmore 10yo “66.150 – Smoke, soot and tarry ropes” by SMWS (Review)
In the context of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, the number 66 is a lot more than just two digits clinging to each other. In The Society’s distillery code system it refers to the Beam Suntory-owned Highlands unit Ardmore. And at least in my opinion, this busy production site is always worth checking out. Traditionally, The SMWS has a particularly good nose (more…)
4 Single Malt Scotch Whiskies from North Star’s Series 008 (Review Flight)
A few weeks ago, I introduced the three grain whiskies from North Star Spirits’ recent Series 008 here on my blog. Today, I follow up with the malts. All in all, company owner Iain Croucher bottled four exquisite casks that fall into this category. They are between 8 and 13 years old (more…)
Strathisla 12yo “58.31 – Berried alive” by SMWS (Review)
When I stumbled upon this bottling in The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s outturn catalogue, it struck all the right notes with me: The number 58 stands for a renowned distillery that rarely finds its way into an independent release (namely Strathisla from Speyside). (more…)
3 old Grain Whiskies from North Star’s Series 008 (Review Flight)
No grain, no glory! With three out of seven expressions being made from other ingredients than malted barley, Series 008 of North Star Spirits grants grain whisky a prominent spot in the limelight. And the bottlings that Iain Croucher and his team picked for their latest line (more…)
Craigellachie 11yo “44.97 – Sweet, succulent shape-shifter” by SMWS (Review)
In mystery shows like “Supernatural“, shape-shifters often fill the roles of sly and devious antagonists that use their transformation abilities to mislead the heroes and perform their vile deeds unnoticed. This special breed of shape-shifter, which hails from Craigellachie Distillery (more…)









