Whisky Reviews

Video: The Glenlivet Faemussach

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Ardbeg Rollercoaster Review

As Ardbeg Rollercoaster is about to go on sale in an hour or so (Monday, 9am), we give you a line or two of very subjective review. Euan Martin and Chris Hoban sampled the whisky on Thursday and came up with their own tasting notes and opinions without consulting each other on the night!
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Euan: Firstly, [...]

That really cheap nasty stuff

I have spent the last week drinking a spirit that suffers from two problems. Either it is unknown, or people assume that it’s disgusting. You know what I am talking about. That stuff that goes into Bells, Famous Grouse, Johnny Walker, Grant’s, Cutty Sark etc. The really cheap industrial nasty stuff (apparently). The stuff that [...]

Why exactly is Smokehead so dear?

As I would imagine somebody will be quick enough to point out, this isn’t really a post with a point. It’s more of a musing, maybe a push for some discussion. I was looking at the price of Smokehead 18 year old yesterday and was struck by just how expensive it really is. In case [...]

A Quick Dram: Tamdhu 25yo

Tamdhu
25 years old
Speyside (sadly mothballing)
43% ABV
£80.71 from here
Colour: Orange Dawn
Nose: Apple pie dusted with brown and white sugar. Dash of hot Ribena weirdly. Estery notes, bananas and pineapples.
Palate: Quite different. A sweet ale flavour with a hoppy bitterness.
Finish: Caramel and black olives.
Overall: Inoffensive and, frankly, disappointing at this price.

The SWE Blend: A Rare Insight

To mark 21 years of being open, The Scotch Whisky Experience decided to create a 21 year old luxury commemorative blend. Since the Scotch Whisky Experience is owned by some of the major players in the Scotch Whisky Industry, it means they were allowed access to some really interesting and rare whiskies. Not only did [...]

A Quick Dram: Bowmore Tempest

Bowmore Tempest
10 years old
Islay
55.3%ABV
£40.61 from here
Nose: Menthol and bread with a touch of leather and sweet pipe smoke… smells like an old man but in a good way. With water presents some quality sweet vanilla. Add a touch more and it hits with berry-flavoured Robinson diluting juice, milk chocolate and more wood smoke. Awesome.
Palate: Rich [...]

Penderyn: Sherrywood or Peated?

Just before I went away for Christmas two very cute Welsh-looking bottles landed on my desk. Unfortunately none of my usual co-tasters was available at the time and then I got into the mad spin of all those horribly ordinary and boring yet necessary activities such as packing, shopping, wrapping, cooking and cleaning. Trying not [...]

BenRiach PX 1984: The best whisky I have tasted in the last 2 months!

I have remained firmly out of recent discussions about Jim Murray and his Bible of Whisky. The main reason is I think Jim gets a fair few plaudits, so does not need my compliments and has pots of money/success so any criticism I would throw just looks like plain jealousy (which it would be). If [...]

Madness Reinspired

It’s the first week of November and, surprise-surprise, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society has a brand new outturn ready. And it’s the biggest one yet apparently. Out today.
So it happens that they quite like us and we quite love them and on the back of these mutual feelings we sometimes get to taste stuff before [...]