Infectious Charm. Devastating Wit. Below Average Looks.
It happens to all of us. Don't feel alone. About 6 months into a whisky hobby (an obsession, if you will), you feel like you have a decent handle on what's in your glass. You understand process and fermentation. You start using words like "dram" and "juice" and other stupid descriptors. You also start saying... Continue Reading →
Revival. Like at a Baptist revival tent, but not really. I am trying to come up with a provocative intro, and it is not working. What else is new? But seriously, GlenDronach is a significant Scotch whisky. But it was not always so. Popular in the 60s but only as a contribution to Teacher's, the... Continue Reading →
When we tasted a flight of Glenfiddich whiskies blind for a meeting this summer, somewhat surprisingly, the 18 came out on top. I am normally a bigger fan of the 15, but because blind tastings are really good at making a fool out of you, the truth always comes out. Laid bare before your friends,... Continue Reading →
The blind taste test continues to show its worth with today's selection: Glenfiddich 15, the bigger brother of the 12 reviewed a few days ago on this very blog. In that previous review I opined in a rather smug and self satisfied manner that my dislike of the 12 was confirmed with my blind review.... Continue Reading →
With blind tasting comes boldness, boldness to disavow everything you thought you knew, or perhaps confirmation of the few precious truths you hold dear. What I mean is that if you hate a whisky whilst blind tasting it, you probably truly hate it, and if you like it, you probably...like it. You have no bias... Continue Reading →
One of the challenges of long term whisky enjoyment is the trajectory of one's ever changing palate. The goal of any whisky freak from day one is frequently adding varied sensory input in order to evolve your taste and mental Rolodex of aroma. That's part of the fun and good work of growing your skill.... Continue Reading →
My whiskey journey is a baffling one. My first legit tasting session was with a miniature of Johnnie Walker Black. I nearly spit it out and gave up on this "whiskey as a hobby" thing almost as soon as it started. It is now a dependable and steady dram as sure as God made green... Continue Reading →
Few things in the bourbon world, or any world for that matter, surprise me anymore. When Maker’s Mark announced a proof reduction in their bourbon, their legions of fans went bat crap crazy and the company reversed course. The proof reduction didn’t bother me, however, since I don’t drink Maker’s much and I had some... Continue Reading →
Whiskies like George T. Stagg restore one's faith in the romantic allure of the whiskey hobby. We've all been there, especially in the beginning. Back then, everything about the whiskey world was cool, our palates primed for trying new things, we soaked in information and mash bill details like sponges, and we even believed most... Continue Reading →
In past reviews, we have used the phrase “perilously drinkable” to describe how well a whiskey can taste. If perilous is utilized, rest assured friends, it probably goes down easy, which, if you’re drinking whiskey, can be quite a perilous Friday night. It’s almost proper that most whiskey burns on the way down. It’s like... Continue Reading →
There is a simple explanation as to why we have not yet reviewed the famed Elmer T. Lee bourbon from Buffalo Trace: the secondary market bubble ruined everything and everything sucks now. A more nuanced and sophisticated explanation would be that the popularity explosion of the whiskey world has created a vibrant and robust secondary... Continue Reading →
Irish whiskey is on the rise. Just kidding. Little inside joke there for those paying attention. What I can say is on the rise is rum finished whiskies. Balvenie does it, Angel’s Envy does it, I think, and now our close, personal, mutual friends at Tullamore Dew are jumping in on the Caribbean action. And... Continue Reading →
Okay, you win, Midleton, you win all the awards. You’re the kings of the single pot still style. The SWC seems to gravitate towards this stuff like Matthew McConaughey into a black hole, and I secretly wonder out loud in front of you all if we should just slow down a little. All the Spots,... Continue Reading →
Here's how you know if the whiskey blogger you are reading has nothing unique or interesting to say about Irish whiskey: they begin their review with the oft repeated, vomit inducing lede, "Irish whiskey is on the rise" or, the ever blood curdling opener, "Irish whiskey is in the midst of a comeback." I'm not... Continue Reading →
I recant my former statement on the novelty of the Edition series from Macallan. Just when I admit the freshness of this curious set of bottles, along comes Edition No. 4. Here is a quick snippet from Macallan on No. 4….. The fourth release in this innovative annual Series, Edition No.4 embodies the craftsmanship and... Continue Reading →
We move forward with our ever penetrating gaze upon The Macallan Edition No. 3 single malt expression. I would be tempted to complain that all the Edrington Group seems to do these days, as many other Scotch producers are want to do in our Golden Age of whisky consumption, is simply rehash non-innovative production methods... Continue Reading →
We shall begin today's look at Macallan Edition No. 2 with a celebration. A celebration of wealth. Our club normally only carries one rich dentist member, as they are hard to find and we wish to remain a blue collar group, but we certainly will not resist the emergence of a second, for as well... Continue Reading →
Long ago in a land far away I heard on Whisky Cast that Irish Distillers was reviving the Spot line, an old brand of Irish whiskies sold in the shops of Mitchel & Son in Dublin, Ireland. I faintly remember a guest of Mark Gillespie, the host, explaining that barrels aging the single pot still... Continue Reading →
Now we are on to something. Today’s look at Glenfiddich IPA Cask Experimental Series is the 3rd and last in our brief beer cask finished whisk(e)y series, and as it so happens, this one was far and away our favorite. We tried two stout finished whiskies to start off, (here and here) and while I... Continue Reading →
