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Join me on an adventure of discovery through whisky
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The last month of 2023 saw the release of this new, no-age-statement whisky from Glen Moray. The distillery is famed for its good value whisky available at very reasonable prices and this is no different - available (if you can find it) for around Β£30. The unique selling point of this expression is the βunusualβ way it is matured. The βPhoenix Risingβ, a reference to the mythical bird that rises from the ashes, is a nod to the fact that the whisky is finished in new, heavily-charred oak barrels with the intention of adding spice to the classic Glen Moray whisky; letβs find out if it deliversβ¦
A few months ago I visited the Cotswolds Distillery and heard all about owner Dan Szorβs passion for whisky and locally-sourced barley. As with many other new English distilleries when they started distilling in 2014 they needed to produce gin alongside their whisky in order to have something to sell while the whisky lay dormant, maturing. Their gin was what first propelled them into the mainstream, winning multiple awards and is arguably what they are best known for, but whisky is truly at the heart of this distillery. Letβs find out if itβs any goodβ¦
Welcome, whisky wanderers, to the next chapter in my epic journey toward whisky centurion status. As weβve covered in previous posts, at the end of 2023 I set out on the quest to become a Whisky Centurion, a journey to sample and savour one hundred distinct whiskies (read more about that here). Now, as we are Spring in the UK, we have rounded out the third row on the whisky 100 chart - completing 30 whiskies tasted and reviewed on this site. As we approach a third of the way through this journey, Iβm going to look back at the last ten; there was certainly some variety in here.
A few months ago I tasted and reviewed Talisker Skye, one of the three entry whiskies from the distillery. Today we are tasting one of the other two - the 10 year old bottling. Despite there now being three entry whiskies from Talisker, the 10 year old expression is their flagship bottling and has been for decades. Maybe tasting this will help explain why Talisker has chosen to put the Skye, Storm and 10 year old all at the same price point.
Over the last few months Iβve sampled and reviewed nearly thirty whiskies on this site in my ongoing journey to become a Whisky Centurion. The whiskies I've tried range in price from around Β£27 to over Β£70, sparking my curiosity about value for money in a bottle of whisky. Value is highly subjectiveβwhat one person sees as valuable may differ entirely from anotherβs perspective. Sometimes, a cheap, easy whisky suffices, even if it means compromising on quality. Other times, splurging on a more expensive bottle can be gratifying, even if the extra cost doesn't equate to a proportionate increase in value. But it made me wonder, is there a way to quantify this and will it help?β¦
Welcome, fellow Centurions, to our latest whisky exploration featuring the Glendronach 12 year old. While my encounters with Glendronach have been somewhat limited, it's undeniable that this distillery has garnered a cult-like following since its revival under the legendary Billy Walker nearly two decades ago. Through its tumultuous past, changing hands multiple times in the twentieth century, Glendronach finally found its footing under Walker's guidance, refocusing on aged statement single malts and stepping out of the shadows from its role in blends, most notably Teacherβs.
Greetings, fellow Centurions! This week, we embark on a journey through the flavourful charms of Tamdhu 12 Year Old whisky. Originating from a quaint yet resilient distillery established in 1896, Tamdhu has quietly forged its legacy before being embraced by Ian Macleod Distillers in 2011. Intriguingly, it rose from a period of closure by its former owners, emerging under new stewardship with a distinct bottle shape and presentation that stands out from the crowded marketplace of Speyside whiskies.
In our last review, we delved into the world of whisky with the somewhat underwhelming Glenlivet 12 year old. Today, we venture just a stone's throw away from Glenlivet to explore another distillery with a shorter history but a distinctive identity: Tomintoul. Established in 1964, Tomintoul has made its mark in Speyside as "the gentle dram." Interestingly, despite having no affiliation with Glenlivet, Tomintoul upholds the convention of incorporating "Glenlivet" in its name β a practice dating back to the 1860s when rival distilleries such as Macallan, Aberlour, Glen Grant and many more claimed the term had become synonymous with the style of whisky from the area. But does the Tomintoul 14 bare any resemblance to The Glenlivet 12? Letβs find outβ¦
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Aberlour is one of my favourite distilleries. It was where it all started for me; I fell in love with whisky following a tour of the quaint old distillery whilst on a road trip of Scotland many, many years ago. I love the bottle designs, the flavours, the distillery buildings themselves - Iβm a fanboy. The most contemporary addition to the Aberlour core range is the Aberlour 14 which was added to the 12, 16 and 18 back in early 2021. Iβm eager to find out how much I love it(!) and how it completes the familyβ¦