“How boring would it be if all wine were Merlot?” asks Matt Hofmann, master distiller at Seattle’s Westland Distillery . Much like wine grapes, there are hundreds of varieties of barley, the grain responsible for single malt scotch and other highly regarded whiskies. And Hofmann proposes that each has its own unique properties. “We’re working with one right now called Purple Egyptian. It comes from Egypt. It’s 2,000 years old. It has these really rich plum notes. It’s just fascinating. It’s very, very cool and it changes the whole idea of what whiskey making can be. … You get complexity...

Get ready for great whiskey:...

It’s not unusual for bourbon to appear in barbecue sauces or sweet desserts, but now top chefs are finding new applications for whiskey in kitchens where wine once ruled, bringing whiskey’s beautiful flavors to salads, seafood, bacon, and more. Here are some great ways to have your whiskey—and eat it too.

At Hewn Bakery in Evanston, Illinois, Ellen King caramelizes onions to fold into her rye bread dough, deglazing the pan with F.E.W. Spirits’ bourbon. “You’re getting up all the fond from the onions, that dark rich flavor,” she says. “The alcohol gets all cooked off, so it’s really just...

I’ve got to leave Chi-town. This old town keeps knocking me down. It’s like a whirlwind of unhappiness Keeping me on the ground.

­— Lurrie Bell

What, you were expecting “Sweet Home Chicago,” the toddling town’s sappy-sweet blues anthem? Chicago is more than its clichés, like “The City that Works.” Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t, but it is never boring.

You can still hear live blues in dingy dives decorated with Christmas tree lights any night of the week, but you can also see the world’s best live theater. Chicago contains the world’s most influential architecture, such as the...

The 15th annual Tales of the Cocktail —a bartenders’ convention in New Orleans—happens next week. Considering the high volume of professional cocktail-makers (and drinkers) in attendance, it’s the perfect chance for whisky brands to debut new expressions. And thus Redemption is launching its new wheated bourbon ( detailed here ), Kilbeggan has a single grain Irish whiskey coming out, and Auchentoshan The Bartenders’ Malt will make its first U.S. appearance. Plus, the first Maker’s Mark Private Select barrel in the state of Louisiana will roll out at Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House , the famous French Quarter seafood restaurant and bar....

Created by Gates Otsuji, chef de bar for...

While there’s a wide array of whisky cocktails out there, the Highball might be the ideal way to enjoy the spirit, especially in the summer. Not only is a Highball incredibly easy to build—all you need is whisky, soda, and ice, and the ability to pour and stir—it’s also incredibly easy to drink, and to customize to your own taste.

“Highballs are great cocktails because they are easy, refreshing, quick to make, and sessionable,” says Jesse Vida, head bartender at New York City’s Blacktail . “They definitely fit the summer season.”

And like most cocktails, the origins of this thirst-quenching...

Westland Distillery launched its second expression of Garryana Single Malt in juni 2017, and the whiskey is reviewed in the Fall 2017 issue of Whisky Advocate. Here, we bring you the advance tasting note by executive editor Jeffery Lindenmuth.

Westland Garryana 2|1 Single Malt—$125, 86 points

Aromas of wood smoke with hints of hot tar and rubber are draped over ripe berry fruit. Dark and somewhat brash, it comes off a touch hot, fully revealing its 100 proof, becoming more fruit driven on the palate, as sweet berry, buckwheat honey and sorghum syrup give way to smoldering baking spice on...

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  The trend of larger companies snapping up craft distilleries continues: Moët Hennessy , the parent company of Glenmorangie and Ardbeg scotch, has acquired Woodinville Whiskey Co. for an undisclosed sum. The deal sees the distillery, warehouses, and whiskey stocks go to Moët Hennessy, which also owns Hennessy cognac and the Dom Pérignon , Moët & Chandon , and Veuve Clicquot champagne brands. Woodinville currently has a straight bourbon and rye, both 5 years old, as well as a straight American whiskey and “microbarreled” 100% rye whiskey. Under the terms of the deal, co-founders Orlin Sorenson and Brett Carlile will continue...

This Highball variation, created by Zack Berger, head bartender at New York City’s ...

The influence of sherry casks on whisky is usually evident from the first whiff: aromas of dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, and orange peel entice the senses and beguile the drinker into pouring an extra-large dram. (Or is that just me?)

Sherry itself—a fortified wine from the Jerez region of Spain—encompasses a diverse array of styles, each imparting different types of flavors on a cask and, later, whisky. But many distillers favor the nutty, dry style of Oloroso or the sweet, rich flavors of Pedro Ximénez (aka PX), which are especially suited to single malt scotch maturation.

True sherry connoisseurs know...

New Orleans in juli is H-O-T, but for the horde of cocktail enthusiasts destined to arrive next week for Tales of the Cocktail (now in its 15 ^th year), a cold drink will never be far away. The options are truly overwhelming. So, let’s start with our short list of the top whisky-centric events taking place. For a full listing of events, whisky-related and otherwise, visit the Tales of the Cocktail website .

(And by the way, cocktails are not a good way to stay hydrated. We recommend drinking plenty of water along with your whisky!)

Celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday With...

Take a trip around the world with this week’s newest whiskies, starting on Islay with a 50 year old...

For the first time since 1909, Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery is selling whiskey that it made itself. The Nashville, Tennessee-based distillery will launch Nelson’s First 108 Tennessee whiskey on juli 4 ^th , the birthday of founder Charles Nelson, offering free tours and tastings all day. The whiskey, which features a mashbill of corn, wheat, and malted barley, is available only at the distillery gift shop. There are two variants: Classic is a 45% ABV blend of multiple barrels, while Single Barrel comes in at cask strength (which will vary depending on the barrel, but has clocked in at 60.5%...

“ G reen malt” isn’t some new marketing tagline for organic and sustainable malt. It refers to barley grain that is actively growing, and just a handful of distilleries worldwide make whisky with it. Typically, malt is made by tricking raw grain into sprouting and germinating, then it is kilned with air and heat to halt germination and add flavors, aromas, and colors. Most importantly, the process converts the complex starches of the barley into simpler sugars appropriate for alcohol fermentation. All malt is “green” (wet and growing) at some point, but forgoing the kiln to brew with that active,...

Last year, frosé became The Summer Drink, and it seems like we still can’t escape it. The frozen rosé drink is certainly refreshing (and has a very catchy name). But you can also create frozen whisky drinks that are just as delicious and cooling—and with so much more flavor.

Combining whisky with ice cream to make a milkshake, float, or blended drink is a match made in creamy heaven. Whisky and vanilla ice cream is a no-brainer, but there’s lots of room to play around with the flavors, thinking about the notes of your favorite whisky. For example, scotch and...

I t’s a mean-spirited epithet hurled at 1960s musicians who lend their music to luxury car commercials, art photographers who shoot weddings on the weekend, and craft distillers purchased by big spirits conglomerates: “sellout!” The flurry of small distiller buyouts has certainly caused consternation among some craft whiskey drinkers, but the acquisitions can bring big benefits, according to those who make the deals.

Emotions and loyalties run deep when it comes to what we eat and drink, says Tim Halloran, author of Romancing the Brand . Like discovering a band before it gets famous, drinking relatively unknown whiskies feels special...

Dublin-based Teeling Whisky Company has sold a minority stake to Bacardi Ltd. The international spirits company is best known for its eponymous rum brand, but its portfolio also includes several well-known whiskies. Bacardi owns Angel’s Envy bourbon , as well as John Dewar & Sons, which covers both the Dewar’s blended scotch line and the single malts that go into it, including Aberfeldy and Craigellachie . The terms of the sale were not disclosed, but Teeling will continue to operate autonomously and independently. The deal dictates that Bacardi will become the whiskey’s U.S. importer—meaning that Teeling maj become more widely...

These two whiskies aren’t technically brand-new—both have been released in previous iterations—but the latest bottlings from...