Browsing Posts in: WHISKY & WHISKEY

[You can find the first two parts of this series at: What was a sherry cask? and What is a sherry cask?] In the last post, I talked about how the type of wood that makes…

If you’re a whisky fan, it’s highly likely you jot down the occasional tasting note or two. Tasting notes are the perfect way to keep track of the whiskies you’ve tasted and when. And keeping…

As you may have noticed, Christmas is rapidly approaching. That means that the world’s postal services start groaning at the seams and deliveries start slowing down. To make sure you get your parcel by 25…

It’s strange how quickly something becomes a yearly tradition. It’s only the second time we’ve given our Whisky and Spirit of the Year awards, but it already feels like a festive fixture. The core idea…

[If you missed it, here’s part one: What was a sherry cask?] These days, the vast majority of sherry casks used to mature Scotch whisky are specifically built for the whisky industry. They are still…

‘I think,’ he said quietly, ‘I think … I’ll have just one more of those chocolate bars. The same kind as before, please.’ ‘Why not?’ the fat shopkeeper said, reaching behind him again and taking…

December’s Malt of the Month certainly fits the criteria – a stunning whisky that is often overlooked – Port Askaig 19 Year Old Cask Strength. Introduced by independent bottler Speciality Drinks in 2009, the range…

We’ve been fighting it, but now December’s upon us, it is officially Almost Christmas. With this curious state of being comes a number of things: tinsel becomes more appropriate, Christmas songs become legitimate radio fodder, and…

Once you start getting into whisky, one of the first things you notice is the various types of cask that the spirit is matured in. While they all have their own distinctive character, the most…

The folks at Glenfarclas are best known for producing whisky of a very specific style: sherry matured. They’ve done many releases with a nod to other styles, but the core of what they do is rich…

As mentioned on the blog previously, we’ve recently run a prize draw with our friends at Paul John: everyone who bought a bottle of Edited, Brilliance, Peated Selected Cask or the Classic Select Cask was entered…

It’s been more than two years since we last held a Kilchoman tasting at TWE Vinopolis, which showcased the first releases of 100% Islay and Machir Bay, along with the precursor to Loch Gorm. With…

The past decade has seen a huge rise in the popularity of smoky whisky. This jump is one of the main reasons why we’ve seen prices for Islay whisky shoot through the roof in recent…

It’s cold, it’s dark, people are starting to wear winter coats, and Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible has appeared. There’s still one thing missing: the Diageo Special Releases. While Rocky got a pre-pre-launch tasting a few…

Bruichladdich may have reduced their myriad number of bottlings in recent years, but they still know how to grab a headline or two. The progressive Hebridean distillers have just unveiled two latest additions to the…

Update: If you want to see all of the winners in stock then head to our Whisky Bible 2015 page. The latest edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible has hit the shelves, and in usual fashion, his…

This year I decided to overcome the post-Whisky Show blues by visiting a distillery (and a country) that’s been on my bucket list for a few years – Sweden’s Mackmyra. ‘The founders wanted to create a whisky…

The first Masterclass of The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show aptly celebrated the first single malt brand – Glenfiddich. Led by newly appointed UK brand ambassador Mark Thomson, the Masterclass charted the history of the distillery, with six…