Here we have one of Diageo’s flagship releases within their ‘Classic Malts’ series - the Glenkinchie 12 year old. Pronounced “glen-kin-chee” rather than “glen-kinky”, this single malt represents Diageo’s more readily-available ‘Lowlands’ scotch offering, originating from the Glenkinchie distillery in East Lothian. Though it is based some 15 miles or so from the Scottish capital, … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Glenkinchie – 12 Years Old
Despite the name’s Scottish roots, for me, this story starts not in the Highlands, but on the Wirral. That is the location of the Glen Affric brewery and taproom. In the last couple of years, I have spotted the brewery’s distinctive antlers logo appearing more and more frequently in pubs and off licences throughout the … Continue reading Beyond The Dram with Glen Affric: Barrel-Aged Beers (Part 1)
212. That's the population of Jura. The human population, that is. The people are outnumbered by deer by 30 to 1 on the rugged island, but here we are concerned with the Two-One-Two. Following a fairly recent revamp of their core range and travel retail bottlings, this new release from Jura is being sold as … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Jura – Two-One-Two (2019)
Boo-nah-ha-vun [that's how I've been told to pronounce it anyway] is one of the longest inhabitants of Islay, and certainly stands proud by its Gaelic history. Recent expressions have capitalised on its heritage and tongue-twisting names as part of the branding. Despite that however, its recent rebranding across the last decade or so has kept … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Bunnahabhain – 18 Years Old
Tradition. It's a strong word. It also has lots of implications. It can divide opinion too. "Why not move with the times?" vs "Why fix something that isn't broken?" Campaigning for the stance of sticking with tradition is Tamdhu distillery. Tucked away in Knockando, Speyside, the distillery has been producing whisky since 1898 and has … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Tamdhu – 10 Years Old
The story of the Glencadam distillery is an interesting one, with its origins going back to 1825. As with many Scotch distilleries, the site has been opened and closed several times, and has seen its ownership change hands several times, with groups and independent businesses along the way. The site was converted into army barracks … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Glencadam – 10 Years Old
This whisky represents the third and final part of Highland Park’s Viking Legend series. The trilogy started with Valkyrie in 2017, followed by Valknut in 2018, and now this closing release of 2019: Valfather. Each release has been supported by heavy Viking imagery and mythology alongside designs from Danish designer Jim Lyngvild. The Valfather himself … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Highland Park – Valfather
