With the amount of reviews I have written on the blog thus far, I had a rather surprising moment of realisation the other day; I still had not reviewed a single Balvenie expression! It is about time, then, that I do so.
I doubt Balvenie will be a new name to any of my readers, and as many of you will be well aware they have picked up quite an impressive range of awards for their various expressions – as I’ve said so many a time before, though, it often does seem that nearly any whisky that hits the market will be awarded with some gold medal or other. Anyhow, Balvenie have released several PortWood expressions including 1989, 1991 and 1993, and they have picked up several prestigious gold medals.
continue reading »
I thought it was about time to put a somewhat less known distillery under the loop, and (quite at random) decided to go for Auchroisk. Never heard of them? Good, good! I tried to find some history on them but came up with a rather unsatisfying amount; the distillery was founded in 1972 (I believe) and production began in 1974 (I know), with most of their whisky going into J&B and a small share bottled as ‘The Singleton’ (not of dufftown), apparently due to Auchroisk being rather difficult to pronounce (Athrusk).
continue reading »
Glenlivet is one of those distilleries that I’ve never really been able to bond with. They are a big name, and their sale levels indicate that a lot of people have become rather more affectionate with them than have I. As such, I keep thinking that there must be something I’m missing. By all means, the expressions I have tried have all been perfectly fine, good even, but not good enough to deserve some of the ratings they’ve achieved nor the rave reviews they’ve received.
continue reading »
As I’m not the biggest drinker of blended malts in the world, I’ve only really had a select few and out of them I only like half a handful. To cut a long story short, I thought it was about time I added another expression to my list of blends that have had the pleasure of ending up in my belly. As I didn’t really have one in mind when I hit the shops I picked up the first one to tickle my fancy, which just so happened to be Cutty Sark.
continue reading »
Founded in 1898 by Duncan McCallum and F.W. Brickman, the Speyside Benromach distillery was purchased by Gordon & MachPhail in 1993 after 10 spending 10 years in hibernation who reopened it in 1998. Since then they’ve released a few different bottling to different acclaim, and in late 2009 their first 10 year old expression saw daylight – and that’s what I’ll dowsing my palate with today.
continue reading »
After browsing my cupboard for whiskies not yet reviewed on the blog, I found my bottle of Macallan 10 year old Fine Oak, a most suitable whisky indeed.
Macallan was founded by Alexander Reid in 1824, and has since grown to become one of the most popular and well-known single malts in the world. For good reason, too, as most of their expressions are worthy of the price they carry. While browsing their website, I came across a photograph of the oldest bottle of Macallan held in their archives, from 1841, and I must say it is one of the best looking whisky bottles I have seen to date.
continue reading »
