Chris

Chris White grew up in the rolling hills of the Scottish Borders before heading to Auld Reekie to study at the University of Edinburgh. The eternal student, he managed to cling to the student lifestyle for more years than is socially acceptable, but has now firmly established himself in the whisky industry.

Chris has hosted hundreds tastings across the globe, from the UK and Ireland, to continental Europe, to the USA, and he has worked in an ambassadorial capacity for several whisky brands. He has judged the World Whiskies Awards, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards, The Scottish Whisky Awards, The Spirits Business’ Global Scotch Masters, as well as several regional and national cocktail competitions. He has also attended Diageo’s prestigious Malt Advocates Course and gained the Diploma in the Art of Tasting Whisky from the Edinburgh Whisky Academy. He was also awarded ‘Communicator of the Year 2020’ at Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky awards.

Chris has also sat on the Tasting Panel at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, where he was responsible for analysing, reviewing and selecting casks to be bottled and sold by the society. He also founded, and was General Manager of, the award-winning Usquabae Whisky Bar in Edinburgh, which stocks over 450 whiskies.

Chris is available for tastings, masterclasses, talks, staff training, and generally any whisky-related event - just drop him a line at edinburghwhisky@gmail.com to get in touch with him directly.

Ballantine’s 7yo Bourbon Finish

December 15, 2020 by Chris

5 Comments

Ballantine’s have added a new expression to their core range – a seven year old blended whisky finished in bourbon barrels. The rather odd age statement takes its inspiration from Ballantine’s founder, George Ballantine, who [...]

The Wine Society 1989 30yo Highland Single Malt

December 13, 2020 by Chris

3 Comments

The Wine Society has launched the first expression in its new Reserve Cask Selection, a 1989 30yo single malt from an undisclosed Highland distillery. Impressive numbers for an inaugural bottling, but they’re nothing compared [...]

Dalmore 12yo Sherry Cask Select

December 9, 2020 by Chris

3 Comments

The Dalmore has added a new expression to its Principal Collection (core range, to you and I); a 12 year old Sherry Cask Select. “But they already have a 12yo expression matured in sherry casks?!” I hear you cry. Yes, they [...]

Black Tartan 88 31yo Blended Malt

December 3, 2020 by Chris

1 Comment

If you’ve been around whisky for a while, you might have come across the term ‘single cask blended malt’. This may seem a juxtaposition in terms, since a blended malt is comprised of single malts from several different [...]

A Fine Christmas Malt 2020 19yo

December 1, 2020 by Chris

2 Comments

You’ve made it. You’ve gotten through arguably the worst year in living memory and made it to December. Christmas is a little over three weeks away and a brand new year is just around the corner. Thank fuck for that. Now, [...]