It has become something of an unwritten rule that scotch distilleries revere certain landmarks in their journey: 12 years, 15 years, and 18 years are seemingly those milestones when it comes to core range releases. During my time as a whisky drinker, that middle entrant has done the hokey cokey within the Highland Park core … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Highland Park – 15 Years Old (Viking Heart)
The Dalmore is easily one of the most discernible bottlings of single malt scotch whisky. There are several reasons for this, not least because it is one of the most easily readable and pronounceable of the Gaelic named brands, but also due to the instantly recognisable caberfeidh - the silver 12-pointed stag emblazoned on every … Continue reading Tasting Notes: The Dalmore – Cigar Malt Reserve
Tomatin, the award-winning Highland single malt, is today announcing the launch of a four-part limited release series, 12 years in the making. The French Collection is a series of exceptional whiskies exhibiting the unique influence imparted by different French wine and spirits casks, hand-selected for the maturation process. The whisky, distilled in 2008, began its … Continue reading Press Release: Tomatin Launches The French Collection
Ever since tasting Tomatin's seasonal Cù Bòcan whiskies last year, I have bought bottles for both myself, and - the ultimate test - for friends, and have even converted a seasoned whisky drinker to "unlocking the unusual". You can see my notes on the Signature release here. I realise that I got so wrapped up … Continue reading News: Cù Bòcan – Unlocking The Unusual
In 2017, the good folk at Highland Park really doubled down on promoting their Viking roots as part of their Orcadian history. The chunky, rectangular bottles were replaced with a new bottom-heavy curved design, laden with embossed markings inspired by the Viking carvings at Orkney’s Urnes Stave Church and assorted Viking paraphernalia. With that rebrand, … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Highland Park – 18 Years Old (Viking Pride)
This post is about two things: 1) a whisky, and 2) the brilliance of independent bottling. We'll come to the whisky in a moment, but for me, one of the most beautiful things about independent bottling is that you can capture, sample or explore a rare cask or expression which may otherwise be kept behind … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Royal Brackla – 7 Years Old (The Whisky Cellar)
Though this relative newcomer started its spirit production in the 2010s, its roots hark back to the 1820s when the name Wolfburn was first used by a distillery on a site nearby. The name itself comes from a small freshwater stream from which the original distillery would make its whisky. ‘Burn’ being the Scots name … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Wolfburn – Northland
whisky unplugged 