Browsing Posts by Author: Stuart

Our lovely head buyer Dawn Davies knows more about wine than 99% of people on the planet. She’s a Master of Wine (MW), a qualification so tough there are only 350 people in the world…

One in three people living on Orkney have Scandinavian ancestry, so it was no surprise when Highland Park embraced this heritage with its Warriors Series, a range of whiskies named after proud Vikings: Sigurd, Harald,…

Joy Spence, master blender at Appleton Estate, was special guest at the latest Whisky Exchange tasting to share her favourite bottles and to spread the word about Jamaican rum. About Jamaican Rum The story of Jamaican…

Whisky has historically been seen as an after-dinner or late-evening drink, but from a taste point of view, what is the most effective time of day to drink whisky? And when are your taste buds…

Many people dream of starting their own whisky distillery, but the Wills family went ahead and did it, founding Kilchoman on Islay back in 2005. George Wills was our host for a tasting of the…

The Irish whiskey industry is in fine fettle. Many new distilleries are planned across the country, and there’s an exciting new project from the biggest name in the business: Irish Distillers. I visited Ireland to…

Cognac expert Michelle Brachet came to our London shop on a mission to convert people to the wonders of this classy spirit. After wowing guests with her choices, it appears she succeeded. And if you…

I’ve been lucky to attend plenty of whisky tastings. The latest was a tour through the new batch of Diageo’s Special Releases hosted by whisky educator Colin Dunn – and it was superb. But as…

In the second part of our exclusive interview, Jim Murray explains his strict rules for choosing his World Whisky of the Year, his response to critics of the Whisky Bible, and his retirement plans. You…

In the first part of our exclusive interview, Jim Murray tells Stuart how Lord Lucan helped him get into whisky, how he helped create the rye boom, and why sulphur is the enemy of a…

The Whisky Exchange blog was busier than ever in 2016, with so much happening in the drinks world to talk about, from shock EU rulings to legendary masterclasses and cool cocktail trends. Here are some…

Despite our name, we don’t just sell whisky at The Whisky Exchange; far from it. In fact, we have nearly 4,000 spirits, liqueurs and Champagnes to choose from. The TWE blog team cast our minds…

As we approach the end of 2016, it’s time to look back at the TWE blog team’s favourite whiskies of the past 12 months. It doesn’t have to be a new release; just the drams…

Christmas is the ideal time to relax and share a glass or two of something good, but why not step out of your comfort zone and try something different? I’ve picked five festive drinks that…

We’ve got a great Black Friday deal this year – but unlike some retailers, we’re not slashing prices. We’re taking one of our favourite whiskies and charging more for it – or are we? Glendronach…

I’ll be honest – it took me a while to get into gin. My spirits education began with dark, not white spirits, and it was only a few years ago that I learned to appreciate…

Christmas is a time to relax and enjoy a well-earned rest, accompanied by delicious food and drink. It’s also a time for festive parties and friends popping round at a moment’s notice, so it’s important…

Kirsteen Campbell is master blender for both The Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark. We caught up with her to ask her about blended whisky, single malts and more. What are the key stylistic and flavour profiles of Famous Grouse…