My girlfriend and I bought this Balmenach 9yo at The Vaults, the spiritual home of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, on the first day of our latest trip to Scotland. To be honest, we predominantly picked it because it was one of the cheapest whiskies they had on sale. (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…)
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 he compared Benromach’s approach to whisky making to the technique of reverse engineering, our tour guide Robert was only half-joking. Cause whatever the Forres-based distillery plans and wherever it heads, it always has one eye directed at the future (more…)
The fine folks at Glen Moray say about themselves that they are “not your usual Speyside distillery”. And indeed, the wonderful experience they provide is everything but ordinary. Neither are their prices: The 60-minute tour including two complementary drams (more…)
“This spirit can restore you / It’s the finest I have seen / With my own eyes / With my own eyes,” sings whisky bard Robin Laing in his beautiful piece “Macallan” from the acclaimed “Whisky For Breakfast” album. While I have already seen the cherished Speyside distillery’s excellent product (more…)
When we discuss the topic of whisky in general, we are all on the same page: This stuff rules supreme! But when we come to speak of individual expressions, things become a bit more complicated. With the range of available bottlings being incredibly diverse (more…)
Not long ago, Speyside giants Glenfiddich revealed part three of their Experimental Series called Winter Storm. While I have not yet had the pleasure of trying this 21-year-old Scotch whisky finished in Canadian ice wine casks, I am lucky to call a bottle of its predecessor my own. (more…)
