As with all Compass Box whiskies, the name of the game here is quality and transparency, even if the name of the whisky itself is "No Name". What is more unusual however is that, whenever Islay whiskies are used in blends, then the original distillery tends to hide its identity within a shroud of mystery … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Compass Box – No Name
Pronounced oo-gah-dahl, and named after the loch that provides Ardbeg with its spring water on the south east of Islay, this peaty puncher is one of the distillery's core expressions. The master distillers have taken their revered smoky malt and given it a final and thorough sherry butt maturation. Bottled at a high percentage, this … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Ardbeg – Uigaedail
It might seem odd for someone to be writing about beer on a whisky blog but stick with me on this one… I've always been a whisky man. There's never really been any other type of alcoholic drink that I've enjoyed more thoroughly. Like many whisky fans, I've had to have THAT conversation with … Continue reading From Whisky To Beer – A Spirited Journey
After a brilliant day's musical and liquid entertainment on the Saturday, I managed to wake up without a single regret on the Sunday, and the weather was also as surprisingly clear as my head. There are few sights in this world that I've been lucky enough to witness that are as serene, calming and stunning … Continue reading Best Of The West Festival 2015 – Day 2
My trip to the 2015 Best Of The West Festival (or "Bowfest" as simply referred to) was a journey two years in the making and it did not disappoint! Pretty much two years ago to the day, WU embarked on their first Islay road trip. Having started out from the south of England, it took … Continue reading Best Of The West Festival 2015 – Day 1
It was only a few weeks ago that WU was reporting on the (literal) launch of Suntory's space experiment, however the last week has seen two more dalliances with the beyond courtesy of Ardbeg and Ballantine's. Firstly, Ardbeg's Dr Bill Lumsden has now released his White Paper finding on the 2011 experiment to find the … Continue reading Space: The Current Frontier?
At WU we have a special place in our hearts for the drams of Islay, both peated and unpeated, and so we just wanted to wish everyone a good recovery from this year's Feis Ile, along with happy big birthdays to Laphroaig and Ardbeg who both turn 200 this year, and to Kilchoman for reaching … Continue reading Festivals, festivities and big birthdays
