May 2011

Black Fungus Revisited – Diageo in a Tight Spot?

May 18, 2011
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A few weeks ago, news of the fungus-infested Clackmannanshire village of Tullibody swept Scotland and the whisky scene. But a recent Wired article sheds new light on this issue.

Tomintoul 21 yo

May 18, 2011

The new expression of Tomintoul is a smooth and pleasant sherried dram. It is slightly dry but not overly woody. Rating: 84/100

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #9 – Full Disclosure of a Standard Bottling

May 18, 2011
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Stewart Buchanan, the distillery manager of Benriach held a tasting of his whiskies at the Spirit of Speyside Festival. It started out as your usual distillery tasting, but it turned into something very special.

Glenfarclas 40 yo

May 17, 2011
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One the one hand this a typical old-fashioned and luxurious sherry whisky, but the flavours also bear some resemblances to aged bourbons. A fantastic dram with an almost incredible complexity at an unbeatable price for a 40 year old. – Rating: 92/100

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #8 – Dufftown Distillery

May 17, 2011
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Dufftown has the reputation of being “built on seven stills”. One of those is aptly named “Dufftown”, and just like its neighbour Mortlach it is only open to the public for the Spirit of Speyside Festival.

Mortlach 1998/2010 G&M for Whiskyshop Dufftown

May 16, 2011

The nose is almost disappointing, but the excellent palate delivers a strong reconciliation. A very rich and beefy Mortlach that becomes very cloudy diluted to around 40% – Rating: 86/100

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #7 – Ben Rinnes and Benrinnes

May 16, 2011
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A report of a Walk up Ben Rinnes and a whisky tasting at Benrines distillery with Dave Broom

Glenlivet Archive 21 yo

May 15, 2011
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Strong apple notes as well as the sweet and creamy overall character make this malt a typical Glenlivet. It is a very high quality whisky with a great richness of flavours. – Rating: 88/100

How To Tell If Your Whisky Is Chill-Filtered

May 15, 2011
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Have you ever noticed a coloured residue in your empty glass the next day? Sometimes, especially with cask strength whisky, there can be a rather thick layer of goo at the bottom of the glass. Now what could this be?

Ardbeg 1974/1993 Wilson & Morgan

May 14, 2011
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This is a very fine example of the legendary old Ardbegs, much more delicacy instead of today’s in-your-face peat. The tropical fruit aromas give it a very intriguing touch. – Rating: 89/100

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #6 – Dufftown Whisky Fair

May 14, 2011
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On the Saturday and Sunday of the Spirit of Speyside Festival the Dufftown Whisky Fair was being held at the Memorial Hall which is located not too far away from the central Clock Tower at the Square.

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #5 – Glenfiddich

May 13, 2011
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Glenfiddich is one of the biggest Scottish distilleries and it was the first one that actively marketed single malt whisky on a global basis. I decided it would be foolish not to pop in and have a look around.

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #4 – Mortlach and the Grouse Inn

May 12, 2011
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Some distilleries are not normally open for visitors. Only for the Spirit of Speyside Festival Diageo opens the doors to Mortlach.

Mackie’s Haggis & Cracked Black Pepper Crisps

May 12, 2011
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Claimed to be made with only natural ingredients, the taste of these crisps is surprisingly close to the real thing, but the pepper is too dominant. Best served with a neep dip and a dram of Sheep Dip. – Rating: 78/100

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #3 – Speyside Cooperage

May 11, 2011
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The first event I booked for the Spirit of Speyside Festival was a tour of Speyside Cooperage. It is located right outside Craigellachie, just a stone’s throw away from the distillery.

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #2 – Glengoyne

May 10, 2011
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In the immediate surroundings of Glasgow there are two distilleries, Auchentoshan and Glengoyne. I already visited Auchentoshan last year, so it was more or less obvious that I would see Glengoyne now.

The United Kingdom of Safety and High Visibility

May 10, 2011
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I live in a country that has a reputation for being over-regulated. Germany is widely regarded as a paradise for bureaucrats, and rightly so. But there is one area where British legislators are putting their German colleagues to shame.

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #1 – Glasgow

May 9, 2011
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The first stage of my dramming adventures in Scotland led me to Glasgow

Glenury Royal 23 yo 1971 Rare Malts

May 9, 2011
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A perfectly balanced and complex dram with a strong but not too dominant sherry influence. The wood manifests itself more on the nose than on the palate. – Rating: 90/100

Millburn 18 yo 1975 Rare Malts

May 8, 2011
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This rare light-bodied dram has a great nose, but the palate is a little too spicy to make it a truly great whisky. – Rating: 86/100

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