It is said that about 70 per cent of a whisky’s flavor and 100 per cent of its (natural) color come from the cask. When you put a sub-par distillate into top-quality wood, the result will usually be decent at least. But when you fill excellent new make into weak barrels (more…)
“Be honest, guys. How many of you would have bought a ticket for tonight’s event if you had known before that we would not actually drink any drams?” – When Whisky Bible author Jim Murray asked his guests this question at the beginning of his Penderyn tasting in Siek (more…)
When we found out that The Macallan would invite the winners of their #ToYourMacallan competition over to their home turf for a full weekend of whisky extravaganza, my girlfriend Dini and I left no stone unturned to produce the best contributions we could. (more…)
Labeled “The Maritime Malt” that was “Born in the Port of Whick”, Old Pulteney is a prime example of a salty, sea-shaped Scotch whisky. And despite the fact that all of the distillery’s bottlings are usually held in high esteem by fans of the afore-mentioned flavor profile (more…)
When a club as illustrious and rich in tradition as The Scotch Malt Whisky Society turns 35, they don’t just bring a box of chocolate to the office and tell their colleagues “Help yourselves.” They celebrate with a whole lotta hoo-ha! (more…)
On several evenings per week, the Fabrik in Hamburg/Altona lends its spacious stage to renowned bands and artists like Chuck Ragan, Fish or Magnum. However, before the curtains open and the decibels rise at the end of the day, the location often hosts food events (more…)
Whisky does not always have to be silken, filigree and beautiful. Sometimes, you do not want to have the often-quoted “liquid sunshine” in your glass, but scratch the bottom of a barrel (figuratively speaking) for a good dose of smut and grime. (more…)
These are exciting times! With demand for single malt Scotch whisky at a height, a fair share of new distilleries have either been built or at least planned in recent years. One production site that I am particularly curious about is Douglas Laing’s upcoming Clutha Distillery in Glasgow. (more…)
Newly founded Lowlands unit Kingsbarns Distillery will always have a special standing with BarleyMania. After all, the first blog post I ever wrote was a recap of a Wemyss and Kingsbarns tasting. At the event, I was given the chance to sip a 1.5 years old cask sample (more…)
When I read on the internet that Douglas Laing was about to release a limited edition of their Lowlands blended malt The Epicurean, a huge smile formed on my face. As a dedicated fan of this moustached muchacho, I could not wait to find out what this special bottling (more…)
