The Importance of Oak Barrels in the Whisky Industry Barrel aging is the cornerstone of making great whisky I've written about the whisky aging process and the importance of the oak cask in how whisky gets its flavor. But what about the barrel itself? What are its origins and how did it make its way … Continue reading – Cask and You Shall Receive – →

Understanding Peat and Smoke Flavors Let's start with the obvious. What is peated whisky? It's a descriptive term in the whisky world that describes a smoky whisky. Smoke and peat go hand in hand because the smoky taste is a result of burning peat moss to dry different types of grain in the malt making … Continue reading – Where There’s Smoke…. – →

The People Behind the Whisky Names We all know the labels. Famous whiskies. Household names. Chivas Brothers, Johnnie Walker, Jim Beam, Jack Daniel, John Jameson. Founding whisky fathers whose legacy is on their bottles for all time.But there are many more whose legacy comes from more unique, if not obscure, places in history. Names that … Continue reading – What’s In a Name? – →

Campbeltown Whisky once ruled the industry Campbeltown - the forgotten whisky region. Or so it seems. One hundred years ago, Campbeltown was the center of the Scottish whisky industry, with thirty active distilleries. Today, it is, by far, the smallest. Three active distilleries. A region in name only that produces a meager 1% of Scotland's … Continue reading Campbeltown – The Forgotten Gem →

With the holiday season approaching, I thought that it would be nice to wish our friends around the world all the best. And, of course, if you're having a dram, perhaps we can offer a toast in your native language. So.... here goes. For our friends in Italy, Buon Natale. If you're enjoying a Puni … Continue reading – A Little Holiday Cheer – →

While the Islands are not officially designated as a Whisky Region (they are included with the Highlands), the five whisky producing islands of Arran, Jura, Mull, Orkney, and Skye are often considered the sixth region. No doubt because of their uniqueness. And they are. Not only to the other regions, but to each other.Let's start … Continue reading The Islands – Each One Unique →

Do you remember the first drink of whisky that you ever had? Horrible, right? And it took a while to gain an 'appreciation' for the taste. The bottle sat among the other bottles in your liquor cabinet, or your father's cabinet, depending on how old you were when you got started. The nectar of the … Continue reading – Analysis of a Whisky Room – →

For many of us, Islay (pronounced eye-lah) is synonymous with whisky. A tiny island, less than 250 square miles, it has a population just north of 3,000. With nine active distilleries, it produces a lot of whisky. But we'll talk about that in a moment, because Islay is much more than whisky.The first known visitors … Continue reading Islay – Small in Size, Big in Whisky →

Three of the Classic Lowlands Brands Sometimes, Lowlands whisky gets a bad rap. Or no rap at all. But there's more to Lowlands whisky than meets the eye. Or the palate. Much more.Let's start with the grain whisky industry. What's grain whisky, you ask? As you probably know, blended scotch whisky has always dominated the … Continue reading The Lowlands – Smooth and Subtle →

Some of Scotland's best known brands are from Speyside Even if you are new to the whisky world, you would certainly recognize some of the iconic brands of Speyside. Glenfiddich, McCallan, Glenlivet, Mortlach, Glenfarclas. Quite a lineup, indeed. About 50% of all Scottish Whisky is produced in the fifty or so distilleries located in the … Continue reading Speyside – Where Whisky is King →