I must confess that this single cask bottling from the Spirit & Cask Range did not sound too tempting to me at first. In this age span, you find quite a lot of bourbon-matured whiskies from Southern Islay; and usually they are a bit more friendly to your wallet. (more…)
Every year, the Islay Festival of Whisky & Music finds its big finale in rollicking festivities on the premises of the easternmost of the so-called Kildalton distilleries on the island’s south shore. But it’s not only there that Ardbeggians go crazy on that day. (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…)
The Vaults. That mythical place in the north of Edinburgh, where 35 years ago the world’s most illustrious whisky club – the Scotch Malt Whisky Society – was founded. Today, the former wine warehouse still serves as a high-class bar and meeting room for the Society’s members. (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…)
For two reasons, picking a bottle from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is not a particularly hard task. First, the whiskies’ telling monickers always give you a good impression of what to expect. And second, the quality of the releases of the world’s biggest dramming club (more…)
Traditionally, Douglas Laing release a new cask strength edition of their best-selling Big Peat brand every year in time for the festive season. Previously, the Christmas Edition 2016 surprised its fans by being the first (and for a long time most likely also the last) blended malt (more…)
When a whisky legend like Fred Laing, who has been working in the industry for half a century (and counting), hand-picks a cask for a special occasion, you know that liquid greatness is inbound. And indeed, I cannot think of a better term to describe this 16-year-old Laphroaig, (more…)
A few days ago Norbert Meyer-Sand, the owner of a very cool online mailorder called Whisky Experience, invited me to accompany him to a VIP tasting with Kilchoman’s maltman Jamie Muir. Organized by Corinna Schwarz and Adam Dittrich of the distillery’s German importer (more…)
For several months, I was struggling with myself wether I should become a member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society or not. Throughout this time I tried several bottlings of theirs and not once was I disappointed. In addition, my wife also enjoyed almost every SMWS dram (more…)
