Category Archives: News

News & Review: Douglas Laing’s Timorous Beastie

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Sep14-TimorousBeastieTimorous Beastie – Highland Vatted Malt – 46.8%

Info: Douglas Laing & Co. has launched a new blended Highland Scotch whisky named after a mouse immortalised in a poem by Robert Burns. It contains various whiskies including Blair Athol, Glen Garioch, Dalmore and Glengoyne. It’s a blend of malts, not a blended whisky!

Colour: Lightly golden, slightly cloudy.

Nose: It’s a nose that seems familiar, and yet isn’t. Highland nature comes out at you, it’s nutty, sweet (honey) and bold with plenty of malt and a bit of young leather in the background. After a while buttery notes come forward.

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Review: 3 x Wemyss Malts recent releases (’82 Bowmore, ’91 Bunnahabhain, ’88 Invergordon)

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(For my reviews, please read on…)

For those of you that follow Wemyss Malts you’ll know that they release various bottlings a few times a year, and the most recent summer releases include some real beauties including a single grain single cask whisky for the first time and the most valuable whisky Wemyss has ever released – a 31 year old single cask from Bowmore distillery.

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Review: The Duppy Share Caribbean Rum

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the-duppy-share-caribbean-rumThe Duppy Share – Caribbean Rum – 40% ABV

In the whisky world, the angels take their share of whisky from the casks maturing it. In the Caribbean, it’s the mischievous Duppy spirits that travel from island to island, taking their share of rum from the casks. This legend is where the stylish Duppy Share Caribbean Rum takes its name. It’s made from a blend of bourbon-barrel-matured 5 year old rum from Barbados and 3 year old rum from Jamaica. A bright, bold and altogether very handsome rum. (Thanks to Master of Malt for that precis).

I enjoy a good rum from time to time, but I’m very new to them in general, so here’s my thoughts as a newbie..

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News & Quick Reviews: Tomatin’s new Cuatro Series

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Tomatin’s sherried Cuatro Series

(Quick reviews below…)

The Tomatin Cuatro Series presents four unique limited edition expressions of Tomatin Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

All distilled on the same day, the whisky was matured for nine years in traditional American Oak casks and was then transferred to four different types of Sherry butts for a period of over three years. As a result each of the four expressions have developed their own unique characteristics. The range includes: Fino, Manzanilla, Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez.

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News & PR: Chivas Masters Cocktail Competition announces the First Chivas Master

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299-chivas-regal-new-logo-mdChivas Regal Announces the First Chivas Master

The CHIVAS MASTERS 2014 New YorkAmerican bartender, Masahiro Urushido, has been revealed as Chivas Regal’s first ever Chivas Master, winning the iconic whisky brand’s inaugural bartender competition in style at the NoMad hotel in New York (15th July 2014).

Urushido was announced as the winner following a tightly-contested final which saw him impress an international panel of judges with his ‘The New Pal’ cocktail to secure victory over the 12 other international competitors. He wins the opportunity to work in partnership with Dave Arnold, inventor and co-founder of Booker and Dax, a food science development company and lab dedicated to finding solutions to real world food, beverage and cooking issues. The partnership will see Urushido and Arnold collaborating on an inspirational concept which will be revealed at the next Chivas Masters final in 2015.

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News & Review: Reference Series ‘The First Educational Whisky’

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Reference Series – The First Educational Whisky

There’s a new funky experiment in town. I say new, it’s been out for a wee while, but I’m catching up, and for those that missed the initial announcement then this is a good follow up! It’s from those crazy people at… what… I have no idea which brand to pick… Master Of Malt / Drinks by the Dram / Blended Whisky Company / Maverick Drinks / That Boutique-y Whisky Company / Reference Series. More brands than you can shake a fist at… however you know who I mean I’m sure, basically that Ben chap.

Here’s the PR text which explains probably better than I can… Once you’ve read it, please find my tasting notes of the initial three releases at the bottom! 🙂
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News & Review: Lord Elcho – New Blended Scotch from Wemyss Malts

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LordElchoLord Elcho – New NAS Blended Scotch from Wemyss Malts

(see update below…)

“Wemyss Malts is taking its second step into the world of Blended Scotch by adding a non-aged version of Lord Elcho to its range.

Lord Elcho 15yo was launched in 2012 and we are delighted to be adding another member of the family.

The nose on the new whisky is fresh and lively, with notes of fruit salad and fragrant wood shavings. The palate is full and soft, with waves of chewy caramel and a warm spiciness. Its finish is dry and long, with hints of crushed nuts.”

On to my quick wee review…

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News: New Single Casks from Wemyss Malts

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Wemyss Malts refreshes Single Cask line up

(Keep an eye on the blog for reviews of two of these releases coming very soon!)

Edinburgh based boutique Spirits Company Wemyss Malts is delighted to announce the release of a new parcel of single cask single malt Scotch whiskies.

Each cask is a celebration of the unique and contrasting appeals of the different Scotch whisky regions and the latest release covers three of the regions: from Islay, Highlands, and Lowlands.

group March 2014 low

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Opinion: Bowmore and Chocolate – A Perfect Combo

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I’m kind of supposed to be on a diet… one of those diets that never really quite get going, but you have every good intention of starting tomorrow. With that in mind friends and family eased off buying me anything much in the way of any Easter eggs this year, which made me really quite upset, damn them!

However, (yippee) Bowmore came to the rescue! Bless them and their chocolaty Easter eggy general good chappishness. (FYI mostly not actual chaps, I’m being gender neutral here).

So, it’s with excitement I opened the following just before Easter hit…

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News: Glenlivet release Nàdurra Oloroso

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The Glenlivet Nàdurra expands into a range of cask experiences

The Glenlivet is expanding its Nàdurra brand into a range featuring different cask experiences.

GlenlivetNadurraOlorosoEach expression in The Glenlivet Nàdurra range is crafted in small batches using traditional production methods and is matured exclusively in a different cask-type. The range is bottled without chill-filtration, which offers the additional complexity, body, and texture of a whisky that has just been drawn from the cask.

The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso is the first new permanent expression in the range. The first-fill, ex-Oloroso sherry casks from Jerez in Spain impart rich, distinctive dried fruits aromas, warm spices, and notes of cinnamon and liquorice. The spirit combined with the cask influence, produces a sweetness of dark chocolate and a finish which is long and sweet with a slightly dry, spicy effect from the European oak maturation.

The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso will be introduced to Travel Retail Europe in May 2014.