June 2016

The Station Hotel: the ultimate Speyside base for whisky lovers

2016-06-29

“The Perfect Base From Which To Explore Speyside” With an expert blend of tradition and modern luxury, the boutique Station Hotel in Rothes is the perfect base from which to explore Speyside: world-famous whisky country. Each distillery has its own unique heritage and story, something that stands it apart. And The Station Hotel is no different. Following extensive restoration by Richard and Heather Forsyth (now you …

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Whisky Shopping: my 10 favourite drams under £50

2016-06-28

While the sales period is currently in full swing around here – summer-style neon swimsuits and inelegant wedge sandals shamelessly colonising retail shelves – I thought it was high time for me to write this long-overdue piece (I received countless messages on social media asking me for my favourite “not-too-expensive” whiskies, and trust me the choice is highly difficult – Yes, I know a lot …

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A Whisky Lover’s Thoughts: to geek or not to geek?

2016-06-23

While British citizens are currently asking themselves if they want in or out, I have another question to ask today (which may not need a referendum but still…): to geek or not to geek? Let me try to explain (hey, this article has been classified in the “thoughts” category so please be warned that my thoughts aren’t always very clear in my own mind – …

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In pictures: touring the Glenfarclas Distillery

2016-06-21

Here we go again for a pictures summary of one of my most recent distillery visits. Glenfarclas has always been standing at a high rank in my “top distillery to visit” bucket list (some of the brand’s expressions also made their way in my “top whiskies of all times” list btw…), I was then more than happy to discover it for a special historical-focused tour …

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5 barrel-aged beers you need to try

2016-06-14

As my country is currently hosting the Euro UEFA cup this month and all I can hear while walking down the street in Toulouse are supporter songs & the tinkling of beer chops at all the café terraces  (we won’t talk about chair fights and alcohol ban here… And anyway, I think the way-too-colorful jerseys and wigs should be first on the “to ban” list …

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In Pictures: The Blackening at Speyside Cooperage

2016-06-13

Another episode of my Spirit of Speyside 2016 “in pictures” summaries – bringing you today to the Speyside Cooperage (Craigellachie – Moray) where we had the immense honour to witness a very rare ceremony : the blackening of two new coopers who completed their four years of apprenticeship and were then covered with flour, treacle, feathers and other dirty stuff by their colleagues.  Ending up in the …

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Weekly Review: Claxton’s Auchroisk 25 years old (1991)

2016-06-10

In the early years of Scotland’s ancient and most world-renowned industry, many merchants bought single casks of whisky and bottled them as they were, preserving their unique character and flavour. As a family-owned, independent company bound to no single distiller, Claxton’s proudly continue this ancient tradition by hand-selecting individual casks that reach only the highest benchmark. The marriage of wood and spirit in a cask …

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In pictures: visiting the recently-built Ballindaloch Distillery

2016-06-08

The idea of building a distillery at Ballindalloch began late in the summer of 2011. The old steading was viewed by Estate owners Clare and Oliver Russell as an embarrassment and certainly not representative of Clare’s ancestral home. After looking at a number of different ideas, they decided that a distillery would be the perfect solution both for the old steading and for the long …

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Pairing: Match your whisky with your favourite Disney character

2016-06-07

Because I do believe whisky doesn’t have to be so serious all the time – and because I am more than tired of all those long-lasting NAS and/or transparency debates that just don’t go anywhere – can we just stop talking phenols, too-high prices, investment and legal issues for a second and focus on lighter things… Such as… Let me think… Pairing drams with Disney characters? …

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