You know what really grinds my gears? All those articles claiming that Whisky from Asia (Japan/Taïwan) is the “best in the world”. First of all, I don’t think there’s such a thing as the “best whisky in the world” – According to who? to what? If there’s an official list of criteria on which journos/critics base their statement on, I’m more than happy to have …
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You know what really grinds my gears? Women championing the “Women in Whisky” cause like it’s somehow badass. It’s not. Let’s make it clear, women in whisky have been commonplace for a long time now and – within the industry – they’re really treated as equal as men (I haven’t checked their pay slips though… ;)). You know what? Your favourite malt is probably thought, distilled, …
Continue readingDiageo’s first ‘Future Series’ trend report reveals the shape of socialising in the year ahead. In the report, the team responsible for innovation and future-gazing at Diageo, the world leading drinks company behind brands like Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Baileys and Guinness, isolates three main social trends expected to accelerate into the mainstream in the year ahead. Diageo worked with a team of cultural …
Continue readingWhile many whisky enthusiasts are singing the praises of 1980s/1970s/1960s or even older expressions often stating that those past juices were better, had more character and/or offered a better quality/price ratio than today’s nectars, I thought it was an issue worth investigating! As you know (not that I like bragging about my youthful age… Kidding, I totally do), I’m born in 1990 and only developed a …
Continue readingMost of the times, when you get introduced to Scotch, the well-known “5 regions – 5 different profiles” explanation is given to you and your fellow Scotch newbies. It’s an old and common classification you can’t really miss, whether you’re taking a tour of The Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh or simply doing some shopping at the airport duty free (actually even found out recently …
Continue readingRare whisky has outperformed other investments such as wine and gold, enjoying a record year in 2015. The leading index for scotch whisky, the Rare Whisky Apex 1000, rose by 14% last year, outperforming wine, which fell by 0.4%, gold, which declined by 10%, and many of the world’s leading equity indices. The FTSE 100 index in London lost 4.9% in 2015, while on Wall …
Continue readingIf France is traditionally associated with wine and Anglo-Saxon countries with whisky, consumption behavior tends to prove the contrary. Indeed, the United States is the largest consumer of wine in the world and France the first market of Scotch whisky in the world! In fact, the whisky market continues its growth to achieve a turnover of several billion euros and has been strengthening its leading …
Continue readingDespite its tweeds-and-tartan image, whisky is anything but a cottage industry. It actually is Britain’s largest food and drink export by far, worth more than 4 billion pounds ($5.8 billion) annually and directly employing 10,000 people at 115 distilleries in Scotland (and even more if you add English, Welsh and Northern Irish distilleries to the bill). Britain has always had a mixed relationship with Europe …
Continue readingSometimes, it happens that when talking whisky with a total beginner person you met at a random event or a more connoisseur friend, he/she pronounces some words that make you want to leave the place straight away and go hide yourself deep under a blanket with your purring cat, eating heartwarming chocolate cookies. I still decided to compile those dangerous phrases in an article, probably …
Continue readingYes, English Whisky is very much a thing. In December 2006, the first spirit flowed at the St George’s Distillery in Norfolk (home of the now famous English Whisky Company) and thus marked the official rebirth of English whisky, leading the way to a new wave of English whisky distillers. Among them : The Cotswolds Distillery near Shipston-On-Stour, The Lakes Distillery up in Cumbria, Adnams …
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