Other than whisky (And beer. And vermouth. And noodles. And Lego) one of the biggest loves of my life is coffee. I have a hand grinder that I imported from Japan (well, bought from a Japanese store on Amazon) in the office, buy my beans from a small London based coffee roaster, have used a thermometer and stop watch on occasion to ensure consistency, and use a set of scales to measure the water I need (because it’s more accurate. And a lot more pretentious). While I’ve calmed down slightly in recent times (I don’t use the scales in the office) I’m...

Läs mer http://blog.thewhiskyexchange.com/2014/03/irish-coffee-teeling/

Läs mer http://www.whiskyfun.com/2014/Going-for-another-wander-around-the-Lowlands.html

Les Bowmore 2003 sont arrivés… This one is sold by Whisky-Doris .

Bowmore 10 yo 2003 (53,4%, Whisky-Doris 2013, bourbon cask #20188, 179 btl.)

Nose: could this one be slightly more aromatic than the Bowmore 2003 selected by Whisky-Fässle ? Slightly bigger lemon notes, including the nice aroma of lemon balm (I mean the herb, not the waxy stuff). Same mineral notes, wet stones, chalk and olives. Very very difficult to set them apart after a while. Mouth: same perfect mixture of brine, lemons, peat and sweetness. Punchy but nicely drinkable. Maritime notes. Sour fruits. Hay and pepper. Finish:...

Läs mer http://www.whiskynotes.be/2014/bowmore/bowmore-2003-whisky-doris/

Smögen Primör, 3 YO, 63,7 % This is the first review in a new series here at Whisky Saga, where we will take a closer look at whiskies from Nordic distilleries. We are starting off with a whisky that premiered in Sweden just days ago; on mars 13, 2014. The whisky is called Smögen Primör, […]...

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Hi, and welcome! Whisky Saga is a new whisky blog, and at the same time it’s not a new whisky blog. This might take a bit of explaining, so please let me elaborate just a little bit. Who are we? Whisky Saga is my wife, Tone Øhrbom, and me, Thomas Øhrbom. I have written the […]...

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Another in our occasional series of Tweet-style interviews. As always, it’s 140 characters or less (we don’t count the spaces) in the answers from the distillery manager of Lagavulin. Georgie Crawford left Islay at thirteen to live on the mainland. In her work life, among a few other places, she spent some time at the Scotch Maltwhisky Society before joining Diageo. She returned to Islay a few years ago to take over the management of Lagavulin.

What’s the view from your office window?

Today it is blue skies and green rolling fields full of sheep. I can also see...

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Balblair 2003 is a recent release, launched at the end of 2013 together with the 1990 (2nd release) and 1983 (1st release) vintages. It was composed from 18 bourbon casks.

Balblair 2003
(46%, OB 2013, first release)

Nose: really young and a tad undescriptive. The usual pear drops and apples, mixed with a bit of vanilla. Soft lemon. Meadow flowers, say buttercups. Hints of orange blossom. Very light honey. Mouth: smooth, decent body, still largely characterized by the barley. A young profile again. Slightly less sweet than expected, with more grassy notes, pepper and heathery notes. Muesli. Oranges and...

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Bowmore 10 yo 2003 (50,2%, Whisky-Fässle 2013, bourbon hogshead)

Nose: chiselled, modern Bowmore which means moderate but ultra-clean peat, seaweed and lots of briney notes. Quite some nice leafy notes, wet ferns and damp cellars. Some wet chalk and olives. But also fresh citrus and traces of sweetness and pepper in the background. Impeccable spirit. Mouth: briny, lemony. Perfect strength, with lots of punch but also a nice silkiness. More peat than on the nose, though still no peat blast. Again a chalky note and crystallized lemons. Ginger and a zesty bitter touch. Sandy beaches. A little pepper. Finish: smoky...

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News today that Italy’s Campari Group has bought Canada’s Forty Creek Distillery, should come as no surprise. After decades of marginal decline, Canadian whisky sales have rebounded strongly in recent years. Much of the credit for this must go to Forty Creek’s whisky maker, John K. Hall.

It is more than a decade since Hall began taking his whisky from bar to bar in New Orleans and Texas. At the time Canadian retailers had shown little interest in the upstart Canadian whisky maker. As he pounded the pavement, selling a case here and a case there, Hall effectively became the...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/03/12/campari-buys-forty-creek/

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Läs mer http://www.whiskyfun.com/2014/A-trio-of-young-Bowmore-and-more.html

I’ve never tried a truly magnificent Auchroisk . Most of them were okay – I would only call the Auchroisk 30yo 1982 really good.

Auchroisk 17 yo 1996 (48,2%, Liquid Library 2013, refill barrel, 208 btl.)

Nose: big notes of yellow apple and pear. Some hay and buttercups. Chalky notes and lots of plain barley notes too. Settles mainly on the fruity notes: plums and peaches. Fairly neutral spirit, not my style. Mouth: similar. Slightly harsh fruit spirit. Barley juice meets grain vodka meets grappa meets plum liquor. Just hints of vanilla and pepper. Not very wide. Finish: rough,...

Läs mer http://www.whiskynotes.be/2014/auchroisk/auchroisk-1996-liquid-library/