Kingsbarns Doocot and Balcomie

Kingsbarns Doocot and Balcomie

Kingsbarns Distillery, nestled in the scenic East Neuk of Fife near St Andrews, Scotland, is a relatively new addition to Scotland’s whisky landscape. Founded in 2014 by the Wemyss family, that we already know here for their independent bottling activity, Kingsbarns was born from a vision to revive whisky-making traditions in an area rich with history but absent of distilleries for over a century. The distillery is housed in a beautifully restored 18th-century farm steading, adding a sense of heritage and character to its modern operations.

Read more
Glen Keith 1996 Wemyss Malts

Glen Keith 1996 Wemyss Malts

This humble blog welcomes two new additions to its pages: Glen Keith Distillery and Wemyss Malts. Strangely enough, I was convinced I had already covered both, but it turns out I did not have – so it’s time to fix that! Before diving into the tasting and review of the Glen Keith 1996 Wemyss Malts, named Sweet Disposition, let’s take a moment to introduce both the distillery and the independent bottler.

Read more
Ardnamurchan AD/10 10th Anniversary Edition

Ardnamurchan AD/10 10th Anniversary Edition

As we’ve previously mentioned, Ardnamurchan Distillery, located in the western Highlands, was established in 2014 and began distilling on July of that year. Founded by the independent bottler Adelphi, the distillery features a two-tonne semi-lauter stainless steel mashtun with a copper canopy, along with seven washbacks: four wooden (three made from Oregon pine and one from oak) and three stainless steel. Ardnamurchan operates with a single pair of stills – a 10,000 L wash still and a 6,000 L spirit still – now fitted with stainless steel sub-coolers. Their inaugural release debuted in October 2020, and in 2024, to mark their 10th anniversary, the distillery released its first 10-year-old single malt: the Ardnamurchan AD/10 10th Anniversary Edition.

Read more
My Recap of 2024 - Part 2

My Recap of 2024 – Part 2

Although I shared my recap of 2024 two days ago, I realised there were more personal and insightful statistics worth exploring. These might inspire you to reflect on your own whisky spending and how it breaks down across categories: official vs. independent bottlings, age, ABV, or even the total days of whisky you’ve purchased (assuming one dram per day). If that number exceeds 365, and you’re not drinking more than one dram daily, then your collection has grown! So, here’s my 2024 recap – part two.

Read more
Hakushu and Yamazaki 25-year-old

Hakushu and Yamazaki 25-year-old (2024)

Back in September, I attended the Dugas Club Expert show, primarily to catch up with Graham and Fay Coull, who were making an appearance since leaving Dingle. The event featured a stunning Suntory booth, as Dugas distributes their products in France. One side of the booth showcased Laphroaig and Bowmore, while the other side highlighted Suntory’s Japanese brands: Chita, Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Hibiki.

Thanks to the generous pours from Christophe Davoine, House of Suntory’s brand ambassador, I was able to bring home samples of Yamazaki 25-Year-Old and Hakushu 25-Year-Old for a proper review with a fresh palate. We’ve already reviewed the younger Yamazaki expressions – Distiller’s Reserve, 12-Year-Old, and 18-Year-Old – which happens to be one of the most read articles on this humble blog. Before I dive into Hakushu’s lineup, including the Distiller’s Reserve, 12-Year-Old, and 18-Year-Old (coming soon…ish), let’s focus on these 25-Year-Old expressions.

Read more
Glen Moray 1976 Rare Vintage

Glen Moray 1976 Rare Vintage

Nestled along the meandering course of the Rhône River in south-eastern France, the Vallée du Rhône, or Rhône Valley, stands as a bastion of viticultural excellence. Renowned for its diverse terroirs, this historic wine region produces a rich tapestry of wines that captivate the senses with their depth, complexity, and distinctive character. From the robust reds of the northern Rhône to the sun-kissed, fruity whites of the south, the wines of Vallée du Rhône are a testament to the region’s centuries-old winemaking tradition. In the northern reaches of the Rhône Valley, appellations like Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage crafted red wines of exceptional finesse and longevity. The 1970s saw vintages that, under the influence of the cool continental climate, delivered wines with structured tannins, aromatic complexity, and the potential for graceful aging. Meanwhile, the southern Rhône, home to illustrious names such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, produced robust red blends and luscious whites that reflected the warmth of the Mediterranean sun. Even though we don’t know the exact provenance of the wine casks that have been used here, let’s review this Glen Moray 1976 Rare Vintage Vallée du Rhône Finish.

Read more
Wolfburn Distillery

Wolfburn Northland & Morven

Wolfburn Distillery is located in the most northerly town on the British mainland, Thurso. It was first established in 1821 by William Smith and was the largest producer of whisky in Caithness in the 1820s. However, the distillery was closed in 1837 and remained inactive for over 160 years. In 2012, a private consortium from Caithness called Aurora Brewing received planning permission to rebuild Wolfburn, 350 m from the ruins of the original site and using the same water source, the Wolf Burn. Production commenced on January 25, 2013, marking the revival of this historic distillery. We’re trying two of their core releases: Wolfburn Northland and Morven.

Read more
The Easy Sipper, Brig O'Perth & Pintail Tweet Tasting

The Easy Sipper, Brig O’Perth & Pintail

It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to participate to a Tweet Tasting, thanks to Brexit and the pain it is to ship whisky, even samples, from the UK to Europe, especially France. More paperwork, duties, taxes… many distilleries don’t include European tasters any more in their Tweet Tastings. Sometimes just French ones, because it’s even more of a pain here, thanks to Customs and our taxes agency. No thank you to all those responsible! But Keith Bonnington, The Whisky Cellar founder, that we now know very well here, wanted me to be able to participate anyway, so he had the same tasting pack (and tee-shirt) sent to me as the other tasters. Thanks again Keith! No Whisky Cellar release this time, but five drams, four whiskies and one rum, from his other brands: The Easy Sipper, Brig O’ Perth and Pintail.

Read more
GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 9

GlenDronach Grandeur 24yo Batch 9

Grandeur is a term that refers to the quality of being grand or impressive in size, appearance, or manner. It often implies a sense of splendour or magnificence, and is often used to describe things that are grand in scale or opulence. Grandeur can be applied to a wide range of subjects, from architecture and art to natural landscapes and events. It means something is impressive and awe-inspiring. High-end whisky is often associated with grandeur due to its luxurious and refined nature. Premium and aged whiskies, in particular, are often described as having a sense of grandeur due to their complex and rich flavours, as well as the impressive appearance of their bottles and packaging. GlenDronach distillery used Grandeur as the name of one of their expressions from the Special & Limited Releases range, so let’s see with this GlenDronach Grandeur batch 9 if the qualificative is deserved.

Read more
2007 Kilchoman Club 6th Edition

Kilchoman Club 6th Edition 2007

It’s our first time reviewing a Kilchoman on this humble blog. To be honest, up until now whisky coming from Kilchoman was not to my taste, I always found some off-notes (for my palate), something that didn’t suit me. But I’m always trying to stay open-minded, and so when I found a sample of Kilchoman in my whisky and spirits advent calendar, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to give another go at this distillery. So let’s introduce them, and review a Kilchoman 2007, bottled for as the Kilchoman Club 6th Edition.

Read more