December 2015

My (very) personal 2015 Whisky Awards

2015-12-23

I’ve never been a huge fan of “top 5/10/20” lists, especially when it comes to something as subjective as whisky. Here’s therefore more of a “the best/surprising/original/waow whiskies I had this year” list or “You can’t imagine the inner struggle with myself while putting this list together” Whisky Awards (ok, then you may ask why I decided to come up with this article if it …

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STARWARD Australian whisky: A look at Diageo’s latest investment

2015-12-21

Distill Ventures, which is part of the Diageo group, said it was investing an unspecified sum in Melbourne-based Starward Whisky. This marks the second whisky investment for Distill, which was set up to back early-stage brands and help them grow. (more on bbc.com) “STARWARD began with a simple vision: offer the world a modern whisky unshackled from tradition. This whisky is the culmination of nine years of research …

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Where to enjoy a good dram in Bangkok? Part 2/2

2015-12-16

Following my first piece on whisky hotspots in Bangkok, I couldn’t forget to mention Whisgars – simply superb, from the setting, decoration, atmosphere to whisky and cigars selections (I also got to visit the Ice Bar and cocktail lounge of the Silom branch, both truly well thought-after and boasting this “Please let me stay here forever, I’ll bring my bed, cat and desktop computer and …

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#LaddieMP3: A tasting night with Bruichladdich

2015-12-15

TERROIR MATTERS “Bruichladdich pride themselves on their ingredients, far beyond the point that their marketing and PR teams would ask them to. Their philosophy is based on traceability and terroir – whether you believe it exists for whisky or not – and not only do they want to track everything they can about their whiskies, but they pass that information on to the people who drink them, a relevant …

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3 seriously cool places to stay on the Isle of Arran

2015-12-11

The Isle of Arran, located just off the beautiful West coast of Scotland, offers a perfect alternative destination. Off the roads from the more touristic paths, the island offers its visitors both breath-taking landscapes and stunning places to stay, whether you’re travelling on a budget or looking for luxury getaways. The Isle of Arran is also welknown amongst whisky enthusiasts for hosting The Arran Distillery …

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Japanese Spirits: the best is yet to come?

2015-12-10

After asking Japanese whisky experts from the Dekanta team last week about all the fuss around Karuizawa, I thought it could be a great opportunity to get an update on the latest spirited news and projects in Japan… We all know these are exciting times for the Japanese spirits industry, getting everyday more and more popular all over the world. If sometimes it may seem …

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WHISKY TOURISM: 4 Christmas gift ideas for whisky wanderers

2015-12-09

A new 10-night cruise to the Southern Hebridean Islands will take in the whisky isles of Islay and Jura as they celebrate 200 years of malt whisky production. The best way to experience these unique distilleries is from the sea, reflecting the maritime flavour of the whiskies themselves. Mini-cruise operator The Majestic Line is offering two departures for 2016 on May 21st and August 27th …

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DREAM DRAM: A review of Littlemill 25 Years Old (2015 Edition)

2015-12-06

“Though there were many ‘lost but definitely not forgotten’ distilleries that were forced to close during the 1980s and early 1990s, including the likes of Banff, Brora, Dallas Dhu, Glenlochy, Linlithgow, Port Ellen and Rosebank, luckily some still live on through remaining ‘get them while you still can’ stocks of whiskies. Released mainly through independent bottlers but occasionally through official distillery releases, from the companies that now …

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Whisky Auctions: 7 Questions For Daniel Milne, Whisky Hammer co-founder

2015-12-04

Whisky Hammer (www.whiskyhammer.co.uk) is an exciting new online whisky auction service specialising in rare and hard-to-find bottles. This new whisky-collector-friendly website is being developed by 2 Scottish brothers and whisky enthusiasts, Daniel and Craig Milne. The platform is set to go live within the next 2 months, with the first auction anticipated to be launched around March 2016. . /!\ Special offer for my lucky …

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