Whisky Posts & Articles

Bruichladdich 18yo & Bruichladdich 30yo

Of all the distilleries on Islay, Bruichladdich surely has the most interesting story to tell from the last 25 years.  Yes, much has been made of Ardbeg coming back from the dead, and its story is certainly compelling.  Bruichladdich’s story, however, has a bit more grit.  Its tale speaks more of hard work and toil; of sweat and determination by a small and dedicated team of personnel; of a community that rallied; and an operation that ran off the smell of an oily rag.  Many years later, it also speaks of reward.

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Glen Moray new releases

When you consider which Scotch whisky distilleries and brands have undergone a transformation over the last two decades, few could match the significant overhaul and expansion demonstrated by Glen Moray.

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Barrel & Batch Highland Park Cask #3439

Highland Park is a leading name in Scotch whisky circles, although it remains an enigmatic brand for some.  Despite being one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries, dating back to 1798, its location on the Orkney Isles puts it north of some people’s radar.  The brand has also leant heavily into Orkney’s viking heritage in recent years, and has themed its livery accordingly.  While its entry-level expressions sit comfortably amongst their peers, the aspect of Highland Park that teases so many whisky enthusiasts is that its high-end and special releases can often be up there with the very best that single malt has to offer.

Of course, if you’ve been in the game for a while, none of this is a surprise.  Indeed, it was over 30 years ago that the great whisky writer, Michael Jackson, declared Highland Park to be the “greatest all-rounder”.   And he was right – a good Highland Park will display a little bit of everything:  Malt, heather-honey sweetness, citrus, spice, floral notes, and a wisp of smoke.

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23rd Street Australian Whisky

The ever-evolving narrative around the Australian whisky industry continues to morph and develop.  One of the more interesting (and pleasing) threads to follow has been the increasing number of distilleries bringing new releases to market below the $100 price threshold.  23rd Street Distillery is the latest to do so, throwing down the gauntlet with an impressive new malt whisky release that carries a price tag of $80 and is labelled simply as 23rd Street Australian Whisky.

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Visiting The Macallan distillery in 2024

Even if you only have a vague interest in Scotch whisky, you’re probably aware that The Macallan embarked on a massive and – literally – groundbreaking construction of a new distillery in recent times.  Established on the Macallan Estate, just a short distance from the existing/old distillery, the new production facility is exceptional and unique in its design, its layout, its appearance, and its functionality.  The new distillery is also unique in its approach to whisky tourism and how it goes about welcoming visitors.  Visiting The Macallan as a whisky enthusiast can be a tricky venture at the present, and it’s not a simple exercise.  If you’re wanting to visit the new Macallan distillery and to experience one of their tours, here are a few thoughts, tips, and comments following our visit in April 2024…  Continue reading “Visiting The Macallan distillery in 2024”

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The Whisky Castle at Tomintoul

There’s an old adage when it comes to travelling and being a tourist:  Sometimes, the best sights and experiences are found off the beaten path.  Similarly, there’s an old truth when it comes to shopping and retail:  Years after the purchase, you won’t always remember how much you paid; you might not even remember what it was you bought, but you’ll remember the experience in the shop and how you were looked after by the proprietors.  When it comes to The Whisky Castle at Tomintoul, both these truths quickly become evident and play out. 

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Diageo Special Releases 2023

For fans of malt whisky and, in particular, those who prefer their single malt bottled at a higher strength beyond the standard 40% ABV, there are some annual expressions and releases to look out for each year.  The Diageo Special Releases is one such range and, for most markets around the globe, its annual arrival and launch is a heralded event.   In a quirk of international marketing and timing, not all countries feature the DSR in the actual year of release.  Australia is one such market and for over a decade now, each annual release of the DSR occurs in the year following the “vintage”.  As such, March 2024 sees the arrival in Australia of the Diageo Special Releases 2023 range!

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Waiheke Whisky

Waiheke Whisky comes from Waiheke Island in New Zealand.  Waiheke is a small island in the Hauraki Gulf, just a 40 minute ferry ride east of Auckland.  The island has a strong tourism industry and is renowned for its vineyards and wineries, its beaches, and restaurants.  Although it’s popular for day trips or weekend stays out of Auckland, the small island – just 92km2 in area – is home to roughly 9,000 people.  As a point of reference and context that many readers will appreciate, Islay is roughly 620km2 in comparison and home to just over 3,000 inhabitants.  Islay is obviously well known for its whiskies.  One suspects Waiheke isn’t too far behind!

The distillery itself has an incredible story that showcases extraordinary enthusiasm, passion, initiative, independence, and determination by its founders, together with a journey and evolution that belies its years.  Indeed, evolution is key to appreciating Waiheke’s story, and it would be an injustice not to outline some of it here.

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Whisky Mythbusters – Debunking the whisky myths

There are plenty of articles and videos online that purport to address so-called myths about whisky. What many of them actually discuss are just misconceptions, and the content is aimed chiefly at novices and newcomers to the category. Well-worn examples include “older whisky is better whisky”, or “the smokiness in whisky comes from the charred barrels”, or “you should add water to your dram”. While such content does have value, that’s not what this article is about.   What’s more interesting is to look at some of the myths and stories that are so deeply entrenched in whisky’s culture, they’re even believed by seasoned whisky drinkers and enthusiasts. Worse still are those that continue to be reinforced by some well-meaning but misled brand ambassadors. And let’s not get started on the misinformation spread by influ…oops….content creators who are more interested in getting clicks than researching their topic. So let’s knuckle down and tear into some of the deeper myths about whisky that continue to endure…       Continue reading “Whisky Mythbusters – Debunking the whisky myths”

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World Whiskies Awards & Icons of Whisky Australia, 2024

The World Whiskies Awards and the Icons of Whisky winners (in the Rest of World category) have been unveiled for 2024.  There are some familiar names and, pleasingly, some new names and faces as a number of new distilleries bring their whiskies to the world’s stage… 

The World Whiskies Awards has grown to such an extent that, several years ago now, it was split into various regions to do justice to the huge number of distilleries, producers, bottlers, and individuals who contribute to the many sectors of the whisk(e)y industry.  While some regions naturally pick themselves (e.g. Scotland, USA, Ireland), the catch-all region of Rest of World was created to capture the likes of Australia, Japan, India, Taiwan, Canada, New Zealand, Israel, China, and the many European countries producing whisky (e.g. Belgium, Germany, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, etc) and more.  In February this year, the 2024 winners in the Rest of World categories were announced for both the World Whiskies Awards and the Icons of Whisky Awards.  Being an Aussie and someone who’s written a lot about Australian whisky, I trust you’ll indulge us if we highlight the Australian winners for 2024… 

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