Category: Reviews

Reviews of whiskies

The Macallan – A Night On Earth

A Night On Earth (In Scotland) is the new, limited edition expression from The Macallan, released in time for Christmas and the new year.  The Macallan announced last year that it would be unveiling a series of annual, limited edition gifting expressions, and this is actually the second edition of A Night On Earth, after last year’s well-received 2021 release.   The suffix, “In Scotland” is added towards the bottom of the label in a smaller and lighter font, giving context to the whisky’s name and philosophy.

Macallan’s A Night On Earth essentially celebrates Hogmanay – the Scottish tradition of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming in the new year.  Aye, it’s effectively the Scottish take on what the rest of the world calls New Year’s Eve.   Traditionally, one of the key aspects of Hogmanay is the first-footing – being the first person after midnight to cross the threshold (i.e. enter the house) of a friend or neighbour and present them with one or more gifts.  Traditionally, this would have been coal, shortbread, salt, or whisky, and was intended to bring good luck to the householder for the year ahead.  The host reciprocates by providing some food and drink which are then enjoyed together, and the festivities can continue well into wee hours of the morning (and the late hours, for that matter) with people knocking on doors to be the first-footer!

No accident, then, that A Night On Earth is timed as we approach the gift-giving season!   The whisky comes in impressive packaging that is a bit reminiscent of unpacking Russian dolls as you encounter layer under layer. 

Continue reading “The Macallan – A Night On Earth”

The Macallan M Copper

Exciting news for fans and observers of The Macallan this month with the release of the new addition to The Macallan’s M Collection range for 2022 – in this instance, the M Copper. The M Collection is a special, high-end offering within The Macallan’s portfolio that aims to showcase the brand’s so-called Six Pillars. As the word “pillar” suggests, these are the foundations on which the brand is built, and they comprise the following:

Continue reading “The Macallan M Copper”

The Speyside Whisky Trail

With travel opening up again around the world, and particularly in the UK, whisky tourism is slowly getting back into the swing of things. And no whisky pilgrimage to Scotland would be complete without swinging by Speyside and dropping into a distillery or two. Or three. Or twenty. In fact, for those looking to make a specific trip of it, Alastair Rooney’s new book, “The Speyside Whisky Trail” is the perfect guide for discovering a lot about Scotland and visiting 20 distilleries along the way.

Continue reading “The Speyside Whisky Trail”

Paul John Mithuna & the new Paul John releases

For fans of whisky looking for something new or different to explore, the choices and options beyond the shores of Scotland grow more and more each day. Many of the so-called “new world” malt whisky countries now have industries that have at least a decade under their belt (e.g. Taiwan, India, the USA and, of course, Australia) and the whiskies from these countries are now firmly established. Paul John whisky, from India, is a brand that burst out of the starting blocks 2012, and has been going from strength to strength ever since.  The new Paul John Mithuna release, together with the excellent Oloroso expression, take things to the next level again.

John Distilleries Pty Ltd, the company behind the brand, has been in the spirits business since 1992, and turned its hand to producing single malt in 2008. With its first release of matured spirit four years later in 2012, by 2015 Paul John had expanded to have a core range consisting of Classic, Brilliance, Bold, Peated, amongst others. (You can read Whisky & Wisdom’s early thoughts on these whiskies in our 2015 article here). Things went up a notch in 2017 with the release of their special Oloroso bottling, and the range is now increasingly exotic with three new expressions now available in Australia: Nirvana, Oloroso, and Mithuna.   Our tasting notes and reviews for these three are presented further below, but first some general background information on each one….

Continue reading “Paul John Mithuna & the new Paul John releases”

Ian Macleod Distillers – The malts of Tamdhu, Glengoyne, and Smokehead

The Scotch whisky industry is a diverse and complex beast, consisting of companies large and small.  Amongst the whisky enthusiasts’ community, attention can often focus on the big players (e.g. Diageo, Pernod Ricard / Chivas, etc), or there are some smaller players that attract a healthy slice of the spotlight (e.g. J. A. Mitchell & Co of Springbank fame, or J. & G. Grant of Glenfarclas renown, etc).  Meanwhile, there are some medium-sized operations that quietly yet effectively keep ticking over and grow their space.  Ian Macleod Distillers is one such company.   Ian Macleod Distillers’ portfolio of distilleries and brands – which includes Glengoyne, Tamdhu, Rosebank, and Smokehead – are not whiskies that punch above their weight.  Rather, they are whiskies whose impressive weight is perhaps still to be fully appreciated.

The process of better understanding and appreciating three of those brands, at least in Australia, began this month with a visit to these shores by Gordon Dundas, Global Ambassador for Ian Macleod Distillers.  With a renewed focus on showcasing Tamdhu, Glengoyne and Smokehead through established drinks distributor, Swift and Moore, Dundas was in town to give insight into the character and nuances of these single malt whiskies.   But first, some background… 

Continue reading “Ian Macleod Distillers – The malts of Tamdhu, Glengoyne, and Smokehead”

Diageo Special Releases 2021

Of the many annual whisky releases that hit our shores each year, few raise as much anticipation and enthusiasm as the Diageo Special Releases.  As always – well, at least in this country (Australia) – the annual set is released in the year after their namesake.  And so it is that, in April 2022, we have the launch of the Diageo Special Releases 2021…

The Diageo Special Releases – first launched 20 years ago now in 2001 – is a fantastic opportunity to try some of your favourite distilleries in an expression quite unlike the regular version that you’re otherwise familiar with.  The Special Releases expression might appear with a different or unique age statement, or might have undergone a different maturation regimen to the regular release.  Also of note is that, unlike the regularly available expressions that are typically bottled at 40-43% and have been chillfiltered, the Special Releases are bottled at their natural cask-strength and remain unchillfiltered.  The annual Diageo Special Releases also often include a distillery or two in the line up that actually aren’t regularly bottled or commercially available – and so it’s an opportunity to try a distillery that you might not otherwise encounter.

The Oban, Talisker, and Lagavulin bottlings from the Diageo Special Releases 2021 range
The bottles on display at the Sydney launch.

Continue reading “Diageo Special Releases 2021”

78 Degrees – an Australian whiskey with a twist

If you’ve followed the news, gossip, and under-currents of the Australian whisky industry over the last year or two, you’ll be aware that it’s an extremely dynamic scene right now. New distilleries are popping up everywhere; new releases & products are being launched; distilling methods and products are diversifying; distillery ownerships are changing hands; and the industry is genuinely in a state of “blink and you’ll miss something”.

In a space that is becoming increasingly crowded, each new distillery fights for its point of difference or to latch on to something tangible that sells their story. Phrases like “craft”, “finest ingredients”, “pristine environment”, “care and attention to detail”, and the classic “traditional methods” simply don’t carry much weight or meaning anymore, and – with due respect to all involved – it can seem a bit forced for those distilleries that have simply copied or modelled their plant and operations on the same blueprint and template as the many distilleries that stepped out before them.

It’s thus noteworthy when a distillery comes along that is genuinely innovating and doing something different. The 78 Degrees distillery is one such pioneer…

Continue reading “78 Degrees – an Australian whiskey with a twist”

Whisky Advent Calendar

For those wanting to expand their whisky experience and explore a diverse range of whiskies without spending a fortune on full bottles, the advice for many years was to find a bar with a good selection and buy yourself a few drams over several sessions.  Such an approach is affordable, but not always convenient, and not particularly possible if you live a long way from a well-stocked whisky bar.

A far more popular and convenient alternative has been the recent availability of whisky Advent Calendars.  And one of the better offerings out this year is the “Whisky Selection Box” by The Really Good Whisky Company.

Continue reading “Whisky Advent Calendar”

Ardbeg 8yo – For Discussion

If there’s one distillery on Islay that is guaranteed to invoke discussion, it’s Ardbeg.  From its unfortunate history in the 1980’s and ‘90’s; to the brand’s vibrant, fun and cheeky personality of today; to the Ardbeg Committee and the special members-only Committee Releases, Ardbeg is a whisky that every drinker has something to say about.  The new Ardbeg 8yo For Discussion, which is available via https://ardbegcommittee.com.au, has been released to trigger discussion amongst Ardbeg Committee members, and it’s a discussion worth having.  So what is it that we’re talking about?

The Ardbeg 8yo For Discussion is a new members-only Committee Release, and it remains to be seen if it will join the core-range in Ardbeg’s gradually expanding portfolio.   So, apart from the age statement of 8 years old, what is it that’s up for discussion?  The answer is pretty interesting and prompts some exploration into Ardbeg’s flavour spectrum….

Continue reading “Ardbeg 8yo – For Discussion”

The Malt Whisky Yearbook 2022

With the whisky industry being possibly the most dynamic it’s ever been – for example, new distilleries being established; existing distilleries changing ownership; defunct distilleries being resurrected; distillery upgrades and refurbishments; new brands appearing; new releases and new expressions entering the market; personnel changing companies; etc, etc – it’s a tough job trying to stay on top of every update and development.   Fortunately for all of us, one man takes on the task each year and does all the research and reporting for us.  For the avid whisky enthusiasts among us who want a one-stop-shop for all the latest data and information, there’s really only one resource: Ingvar Ronde’s “Malt Whisky Yearbook”.

Continue reading “The Malt Whisky Yearbook 2022”