A Tea Party!
When I was a kid I remember watching Walt Disney’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’. I also remember thinking how messed up the tea party scene was even though I had only just started to tie my own shoes laces. A word of warning to you dear reader. If you ever happen to be on a ramble [...]
Balblair 1992 (cask 2990)
I thought I knew Balblair inside out. I mean, I work with the brand for Darwin’s sake! I teach people about the product, I research it in my spare time, I’m very familiar with all the expression. At the distillery I feel at home, I know all the faces, all the names, know where the [...]
All the Knights of the Round Table say yo!!
At last our turn! Big welcome to all the Knights, it’s great to have you here! Muchos slàintas to Jason for being such a geek and making all this happen and the rest of you for being such an entertaining wee crowd for nearly a year now. So here is the question we asked you [...]
Beer Rant
Right, that’s it. I’ve had enough. Every time I talk to people about Scottish beer, they tell me it’s s*it. I serve people in bars all the time waxing lyrical about Czech beer, English beer and American micro breweries (by the way, all these countries make ridiculously good beer). But when I drop in that [...]
A World without anCnoc, Balblair and Old Pulteney..
Part One What is this post apocalyptic nightmare? A World without these 3 absolute gems of whiskies would be a far colder World. I have so many happy memories of these 3. Polishing off a bottle of Pulteney Single Cask with my navy bound mate. Tasting Balbair 2000 with Stuart Harvey from Inverhouse while at [...]
Balblair Vintages and Jazz
I think I will be one of the most hated and envied people in Edinburgh when I publish this article. I spent an evening in the Balblair Vintages lounge, listening to the excellent Jazz singer Niki King and supping on some superb Balblair Vintages. Add some tasty canapes, one of the best views in Edinburgh [...]
Balblair 2000
Balblair 1989 and 1975 are amongst my all-time favourites, no big secret. Chris however has always preferred the much fresher and cleaner 1997. The 2000 vintage, bottled and released this year, is Balblair’s newest baby and is replacing the 1997 which is now set to be discontinued. I got to taste it yesterday and I [...]
A Quick Dram: Balblair 1975
Balblair 1975 Northern Highlands 46% ABV £149.95 from here Colour: Copper pot still and orange Nose: Pears, creamy toffee and a slightly spicy raisin note. Rich chocolate and a touch of smoke. Tickles. Palate: Spicy, bitter chocolate. Pear drops. Slightly fizzy on the tongue. Ever so slightly smoky and earthy. Finish: Long, fruity and juicy. [...]
Whisky & Snow: Chris’s survival guide
Over the past couple of days I have been unable to access the Internet. Most other countries seem to be able to deal with a bit of snow, but Britain reacts like it is the coming of the next Ice Age. The trains stop, people cannot get to work and Chris’s internet goes down! So [...]
Lucas’s Top 5 Whiskies. At last.
Yes! At last the schedule allows me to present you with my current Top 5 Whiskies list, which by the way is sooo much more interesting than Chris’s. The choice is utterly subjective and has nothing to do with the availability or price issues . Maybe one day I will create Top 5 Whiskies I [...]
