Distillery Focus: Tomatin (Part 1)

Well here we go, the very first Distillery Focus feature. It took us a little longer than we had planned, but EWB always delivers eventually. We had made a conscious decision to focus on distilleries that perhaps do not have the highest profile in the UK, so hopefully our readers can branch out and try [...]

Here comes Ardbeg Rollercoaster!

Update (15/02/2010): High resolution photo and our review
Here it comes! The new Ardbeg is just round the corner. On February 15th Ardbeg Rollercoaster will be made available through the Ardbeg website. It is a vatting of 10 casks, one from each year between 1997 and 2006, put together co celebrate the tenth anniversary of the [...]

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.

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. A real joy to savour.
Overall: A really [...]

GlenDronach’s Revival of Allergy

Do you remember that horrible childhood feeling when after waiting for Christmas through September, October, November and December the day finally came but you were so tired of all the anticipation that you just couldn’t enjoy it, no matter how hard you tried? I could not help but to feel this way when I finally [...]

Smokehead 18yo Extra Black Tasted!

Smokehead 18yo Extra Black
Islay (’Mystery Distillery’)
Bottled by Ian Macleod
46% ABV
Available soon for £85

This has been going on for ages now, the rumours of the new Smokehead with an age statement surfaced so long ago that I no longer remember when that was. Then we saw some pictures and we found out it was going to [...]

A Quick Dram: The Glenlivet 15 yo

The Glenlivet 15 yo
Limousine Cognac cask
Speyside
40% ABV
£30.50 from Here

Colour: Deep Gold
Nose: Vanilla, perfume, oaky spice, strawberries and peaches
Palate: Malty, rich tea biscuits, smooth
Finish: Short, bit creamy and slightly peppery.
Person: Carla Bruni. A classy whisky and a classy lady. If you are reading this, Carla, leave Sarkozy and get in touch with me!
Chris

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Laphroaig 25 yo Cask Strength

Laphroaig 25 yo Cask Strength
2008 bottling
Isle of Islay
£225 from Here
All that we see or seem,
Is but a dream within a dream.
- Edgar Allan Poe
****
The afternoon was unusually quiet and warm for Edinburgh. As I was walking up the Royal Mile I could smell the spring. It was getting darker.
Minutes later I was sitting at a [...]

Bruichladdich 1998 Manzanilla

Manzanilla in Spanish means “old bathtub”. Well, maybe not exactly. Literally it means “little apple”. It’s a dry style of Fino Sherry from Sanlúcar de Barrameda. A few oak butts used for aging this wine were acquired by Bruichladdich distillery and in 1998 filled with new spirit and laid in a warehouse. Ten years later, [...]