HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR WHISKY TASTING SKILLS
As we continue down the road of discovery into the wonderful world of whisky, we find ourselves consuming more and more educational information in the form of tastings. This is an excellent way to learn more about available whisky and how the different whisky-producing regions produce unique flavours, but are you able to detect the […]
WHISKY DISTILLATION EXPLAINED – DOUBLE VS TRIPLE
Scotch whisky has a long and distinguished pedigree in the minds of connoisseurs. What they may not realize is the exquisite care that is used to craft the perfect amber liquid they are sipping. Scotch was not always the drink of choice – even in the British Isles. Prior to the crash in demand in […]
CHATEAUX MARGAUX – RED WINE CASK
Technically, whisky stills can be made of any number of metals or alloys, including iron, brass, aluminium, stainless steel or copper and even glass or ceramic. Distilling, when it began originally, used a lot of materials – pretty much anything that was available and could be made to work. Lately, most distillers have experimented with […]
PEDRO XIEMENEZ – SHERRY CASK
The first evidence of alcoholic distillation came from Mesopotamia some 4,000 years back. Other ancient civilizations, like the Indians, Chinese, Greeks and Romans, followed suit. Suffice it to say distillation of spirits is a well-understood process – customized by master brewers at large breweries, including the Scotch and Bourbon makers on either side of the […]
FISRT FILL CASKS VS SECOND FILL CASKS
There is a lively debate among connoisseurs about the merits of drinking first cask vs. second cask single malt whiskies, in terms of their quality, strength, taste and flavour. There are some myths for sure, but there’s also solid scientific evidence – backed up by the actual taste – that there are significant differences in […]
WHY SCOTCH IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN BOURBON
Why does scotch, especially good Single Malt scotch, cost much more than bourbon? Before we answer this question, you must realize that there are instances when bourbon can be as expensive as scotch. But let’s see why the statement is true on the average, especially when you compare single malt whisky made in Scotland with […]
THE HISTORY OF WHISKY AND WHISK(E)Y
If you stroll down to your local liquor store and pick up a bottle of … what? Whisky or Whiskey? And what’s the difference? The issue does confuse people if and when they become aware of it. Purists are insistent that Scotch, especially, needs to be spelt as “whisky”, without an “e” – always! No […]
A CLOSER LOOK AT BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
The debate never stops among whisky lovers when it comes to blended whisky and whether it is comparable in quality to single malt. I wanted to explore this further but before we go any further we need to understand exactly what a blended whisky is. Blended whiskey is the outcome of blending various types of […]
