July 2012

Ardbeg 17 yo 1994/2011 Cadenhead’s

July 30, 2012

The peat is unusually strong and medicinal in this older Ardbeg. Everything is very clean and very dry, not overly complex but truly delightful. – Rating: 90/100

The Glenfiddich Millennium Vintage – Or How To Boost Your Profit Margin

July 26, 2012
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The latest addition to the the Glenfiddich product range is the Millennium Vintage, a World Of Duty Free travel retail exclusive bottling.

Whisky Myths Debunked #9 – The 1800 Litre Minimum Still Size For Scotch

July 25, 2012
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For centuries it has ben regarded as something like an iron law that Scotch whisky had to be distilled in stills of a minimum capacity of 400 gallons or later 1800 litres. Not!

Dufftown 8 yo

July 24, 2012
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No sensational old malt, but a very interesting one. Especially on the nose there is a slight meatiness that is totally lost in today’s Singletons. – Rating: 83/100

5 Tips For Whisky Bloggers

July 23, 2012
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It’s been pretty exactly three years since this blog went online…Time flies indeed. I thought I’d share some of the experiences I made.

Miltonduff 1980/2011 Malts of Scotland

July 22, 2012

A loveley old malt where age and freshness are perfectly balanced. Even at a low strength like this, it benefits from a few drops of water. – Rating: 88/100

Glencadam 19 yo 1990/2010 A.D. Rattray

July 21, 2012

Apart from the somewhat sharp nose, this is quite an enjoyable malt, richly flaoured with an interesting note of cheese. – Rating: 85/100

How Much Of A Whisky Geek Are You?

July 18, 2012
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Let’s have a fun poll, or actually two polls in one. Listed below are 10 random symptoms of whisky geekdom you may suffer from.

Bruichladdich Sherry Classic

July 17, 2012
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The spices are quite dominant here and cover the nice fruity and sweet flavours to some extent. Overall it still is a decent value dram. – Rating: 82/100

Littlemill 20 yo 1991/2012 Whisky Doris

July 12, 2012

The nose starts timid but develops well with water. Don’t be fooled by the light color, there is quite some flavour in this dram. – Rating: 84/100

Ellenstown 10 yo

July 11, 2012

With the nose of a peat monster that takes no prisoners and a sweet but dry palate that is dominated by spices, this malt is not for the faint of heart. But delicious it is. – Rating: 86/100

Bruichladdich To Be Sold – Rise And Fall Of An Independent Distiller

July 10, 2012

Yesterday Mark Reynier, CEO of Bruichladdich, tweeted to the the world that the owners were in “advanced talks with Rémy Cointreau” about the sale of the distillery.

Tamdhu 1989/2011 Douglas Laing

July 6, 2012

The sherry influence on this malt is extreme, but it works very well. The wood is in the background here. – Rating: 89/100

Why Blended Whisky Is So Important For Maltheads

July 5, 2012

A final pondering about the Malt Maniacs’ rendezvous with Diageo in June. Actually it is about the whisky industry as a whole,

A Gallery Of Old US Whisky Ads

July 4, 2012

Let’s have something a little different than usual for the 4th of July. Old advertising can tell you a lot about the zeitgeist, the spirit of the times.

Comparing Two Old with The Current Johnnie Walker Red Label

July 3, 2012
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I was fortunate to receive two samples of older bottlings of Johnnie Walker Red. So I can finally do a comparison in a head-to-head-to-head tasting.

Glenfarclas 1966/2011 For Nth Las Vegas

July 2, 2012

Quite an unusual flavour profile for this’ Gingerbread Glenafarclas’, the nose is wonderful, but the palate does not quite reach that level. – Rating: 85/100

Forget Whisky Decanters, Ampoules Are The Future

July 1, 2012

As much as we love to complain about the premiumization of whisky that’s been happening in recent years, the wine business has always been a step ahead.