Okay, fellas, let’s address the elephant in the room right away: This 11-year-old Ardmore from new German indie bottler PURE.WHISKY is an absolute banger of a dram! Ah, no. While this statement is totally true, that’s not the proverbial elephant. (more…)
I always like it when a young whisky takes a certain pride in its age rather than trying to hide it. After all, the time spent in the barrel is but one of many factors that influence the outcome of the final product. In fact, one might argue that the chosen ingredients, (more…)
For two reasons, visiting the Carlos I booth was one of my personal highlights of this year’s Hanse Spirit. First, I got to meet my pal Michael Lutz there, who worked the stand busy, competent, and good-humored as ever. And second, I discovered an expression there (more…)
For me, Ardmore is one of those hidden champions that usually don’t get as much praise as they’d deserve. Especially when drawn from carefully selected casks and bottled in natural strength, the distillery’s medium-peated Highlands whisky has a tendency to shine extra-bright. (more…)
Palo Cortado is a comparatively rare type of sherry that we don’t see in the whisky world all too often. Sure, every now and then there is a release that says “Matured in a Palo Cortado cask” on the label. But in comparision to Oloroso or PX, for example, those bottlings are few and far between. (more…)
Whisky, like music, connects people – even if they are oceans apart from each other! With their recently released Collaboration Drop 01, Scottish indie bottlers Turntable Spirits have given that claim whole new level of truth. Taking it literally rather than just figuratively, they teamed up (more…)
When it comes to Danish whisky, I have to thank Thomas of Fary Lochan for some of my best discoveries. Among others, he was the one who first pointed me towards Thy Whisky. And he was also the one who introduced me to Sall Whisky – an organic micro distillery (more…)
This year on Halloween, I am thrilled to take you on a field trip to the weather-beaten cliffs of Clanyard Bay, fifty-or-so miles north of the fabled Isle of Man. There, one of my favorite whisky tales takes place: “The Ghost Piper of Clanyard Bay”, which forms the frame narrative (more…)
For me, one of the highlights of the first Whisky of Voodoo outturn by venturous indie bottlers Brave New Spirits was “Coven of Resurrection” – a 13-year-old grain whisky from Cameronbridge with a finish in a 1st-fill red wine cask. Since that one really made my jaw drop, (more…)
When I first tried this single cask release from Stonewood in an online tasting, I described it as a mouth-watering dessert in whisky form. Two-and-a-half months as well as several drams later, I still find this statement one hundred per cent accurate. (more…)
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