Infectious Charm. Devastating Wit. Below Average Looks.
The Peaty Paradox. That’s what they call it. The paradox is simply the strange mix of smoke and sweet mingled together in the glass as you smell and sip. The degree to which the producer is able to distill and develop the proper ratio of these contrary flavors determines the success of their peated malt. But... Continue Reading →
As opposed to the wine world, we in the wonderful world of whiskey do not often experience the dreaded “bad bottle.” Oxidation, sulpher, and acidity attack wine bottles with a vengeance, but as we know, whiskey does not change much on the shelf or cabinet. The industry phrase is “dead in the bottle.” As long... Continue Reading →
The path to Peated Glory is either a long, painful and strange one or you zip through it in no time at all. It depends on what your palate is ready for. It should be no surprise that it takes time to acclimate to a beverage that tastes like iodine, smoke and fossil fuels, but God help... Continue Reading →
Apparently, we Yanks in the US have a sweet tooth like you wouldn’t believe. We put sugar in things where it most certainly does not belong. We put sugar in bread. We put sugar in Wheat Thins. We even sweeten up water when we can. Naturally, we like our beverages this way as well,... Continue Reading →
Have you ever looked at your bottles and been in the mood for something a bit decadent on the tongue? If so, Compass Box's "Hedonism" is worth the consideration. While this is a blended grain scotch whisky, the label is chock full of information normally displayed on a premium malt whisky. Let's consider what this... Continue Reading →
Ask any craft distiller about the difficulty of launching a new, competitive brand of whisky into the marketplace and they will likely start crying. While a tall order, what’s even more impossible is growing a sluggish whisky category entirely. During the whisky boom of the last five years or so, Canadian whisky certainly saw its... Continue Reading →
The market is a cruel, cold lady to any new startup. She’s especially unkind to the startup distillery. So you want to offer your two year old whisk(e)y that no one has heard of for $50.00 when they could grab another three times as aged for half as much? Lot’s of luck, ace. Here’s a stat... Continue Reading →
The Glass Case. You’re allowed to look, but never touch. You’ll never be able to afford those bottles, so why get yourself worked up? Just keep moving along to your bottle of Old Crow in the back next to Early Times and give the cashier your ten bucks and go home. The rich dentists laugh... Continue Reading →
The Pappy Van Winkle brand must be one of the more bizarre stories in the whiskey world. From fairly quiet beginnings to now the most in demand bourbon in the world overnight (for now), it was at least interesting at first to figure out why. After the initial blast of rampant empty shelves, black market... Continue Reading →
Frederick Booker Noe II, grandson of Jim Beam, started working at his family’s distillery in Clermont, KY in 1951. During this time, Bourbon did not enjoy the rock star status it has today, despite the fact that a family as important as the Beams were quietly distilling and aging their barrels in the hot Kentucky... Continue Reading →
There are some disturbingly silly whisky descriptors out there. For example, I have read in more than a few reviews the aroma/taste of “wet rock.” What’s even more silly is that I have tried since then to smell wet rocks when I find them. Sometimes I get something, most other times I don’t. But at... Continue Reading →
Craft Distilling seems to be holding some gems within its midst. These can be difficult to find when the 9th new distillery opens up in your town to offer yet another 2 year old spirit priced over $50.00 a bottle. That is, if the “distillery” even made it all. Perhaps they bought the whiskey from... Continue Reading →
It took me two years to get this damned bottle of whiskey. Quite frankly, I forgot I was even on the waiting list until they called me. I slowly came to accept the reality that Pappy 15 would never reach my lips. Oh, the horror. When you come to realize that a murderous, crazed obsession... Continue Reading →
The craft distilling industry is succeeding on a few levels. The most important of which is innovation, ever rare in the crowded marketplace. Non-traditional grains, unorthodox finishing, old school comebacks (plain corn whiskies) and micro-barreling, to name a few, have seen success on the whiskey shelf. Things get interesting when a new innovation is added to... Continue Reading →
During the early 1960’s, blended Scotch was dominant. It is still dominant, but back then there was no single malt market to speak of. The Grant Family, owners of Glenfiddich, decided to hold back a portion of their stocks otherwise destined to feed the monster of blends. Single malt was thought of at the time as too... Continue Reading →
As a global brand since the early 50’s, Chivas Regal has secured a healthy market share envied by most brands, I imagine. Available in virtually ever bar, store and perhaps a few cabinets, it can be confidently expected that one develops an opinion early on concerning Chivas Regal 12. And it can be expected with... Continue Reading →
On the same night of our Shackleton whisky tasting, we sampled, not coincidentally, Glenmorangie Finealta, a new Private Edition from Dr. Bill Lumsden, Head of Distilling and Whisky Creation for the Glenmorangie Group. The reason for pairing Finealta with the famed Mackinlay’s was simply because it is recreation of an old whisky recipe found from 1903 (bottled... Continue Reading →
My fascination with Ernest Shackleton and the Heroic Age of Arctic Exploration began in an IMAX theater. A group of friends and I stumbled upon one of the few IMAX theaters at the time in the Mall of America. We all wanted to experience the famed 90 foot screen, but simply needed to pick a movie. One selection that stood out was a documentary on... Continue Reading →
It really is a shame when we read or hear someone speak ill of the Irish category. There is a decent level of variety within this style with plenty to talk about. Today’s selection of Redbreast 15 Year Old is one of those go to game changers than could convert any non-believer. We are already... Continue Reading →
Spokane Whiskey Club 