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…)
“When you are in Elgin, make sure to stop by at The Drouthy Cobbler for a dram and a nibble!” – While planning my first-ever visit to Speyside, I did not hear this advice once or twice, but at least a dozen times. As this left me with no other option than checking the much-praised venue out (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…)
For almost a year, Aaron and I protocolled our whisky experiences together on BarleyMania before he went on to form his own blog, Drams United, in late 2017. Although we are no longer sharing our content in the same place, we keep meeting regularly to attend tastings (more…)
When visiting a distillery, one of the best souvenirs you can take home is a bottle that is exclusively available on site. While some production units offer these special releases as prefabricated bottlings that can be grabbed directly from the shelf, others not only sell you the whisky itself (more…)
When you operate a well-sorted whisk(e)y shop, host regular tasting events and attend a lot of fairs as an exhibitor, you will naturally end up with quite a few open bottles in your assortment. To solve this luxury problem, Pinkernells Whisky Market in Berlin (more…)
Although I got these samples directly from Yorkshire-based whisky company Claxton’s, I have not indicated them as promotional items (as I usually do in such cases). That’s because I did not receive them in my function as editor for BarleyMania, but as a whisky fan “in private”: (more…)
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…)
When I saw on a flyer that Osaka Whisky Festival 2018 took place last Sunday (June 3), I thought to myself: “Well, this looks like a much better way to end the week than sitting at home and watching Netflix!”. So I ordered myself a ticket. (more…)
I have never been to the Isle of Jura in my life. Yet, I have already attended the distillery’s annual whisky festival no less than three times! Sounds highly improbable, I know. But thanks to Jura’s distributor Borco Marken Import it is actually possible. (more…)
BarleyMania | Whisky & Whiskey 