We just learned that Beam Suntory is releasing a new bourbon — another one! — and while it’s very affordable at $24 the bottle, it’s also pretty special. Jim Beam Bonded is the first new bottled in bond bourbon (that I know of) that’s been released in years. It’s good to see Beam’s keeping this new bonded in the general price range, too.

If you’re not clear on what makes a bourbon “bottled in bond,” here’s a quick rundown. As well as conforming to all the regular rules for bourbon, all the spirit in the bottle must have been distilled...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2015/01/16/beam-releasing-new-bonded-bourbon/

I got a box from Michael Reppucci at Sons Of Liberty Spirits in Rhode Island last week. I’d reviewed some of their whiskeys before, noting that their take on craft distilling is to take craft beers and distill and age them. He was reaching out with “an experience that we think is pretty freaking cool.” Turned out that I agreed, because what they’d done was take two of the “beers” they make to distill, and instead, carbonated and bottled them. You know, like beer . The idea was to try the beers with the whiskeys.

In the box were four...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2015/01/16/where-whiskey-comes-from/

Single malt producers do it routinely and so do America’s bourbon makers. Until now, however, no major Canadian whisky distillery has ever released a single barrel whisky. Finally, as 2014 drew to a close, Crown Royal became Canada’s first major brand to do so. To top that, each hand-selected barrel is bottled at a healthy 51.5% ABV. A whisky year already brimming with encouraging developments in the Great White North concludes with the Canadian whisky story of the year.

Crown Royal Single Barrel Whisky is more than simply a high-strength rendition of the standard bottling we are all familiar with....

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2015/01/06/canada-joins-the-show-single-barrel-crown-royal-at-51-5/

If you know A. Smith Bowman, you know about Mary. Mary is the pot still with the big reflux ball and tiara of pipes that the distillery has used for secondary distillation of column-stilled spirit for years. Bowman is a rare—if not unique—character in small distilleries in that they do no mashing; they take distilled spirit, made elsewhere, then run it through Mary and age it on their premises. When the late Truman Cox took over as master distiller, he told me with no little excitement that there were plans in the works for changing that; there was going to...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/22/big-little-changes-at-bowman/

Beam Suntory

Who knows whether Shinjiro Torii, when he opened his Torii Shoten store in 1899 in Osaka, envisaged his family firm becoming the world’s third-largest drinks group? Or that, in pioneering whisky distilling in Japan and creating a style that was recognizably Japanese and not a scotch copy, he would excite the world’s palates; that the values he laid out would have lasted for over a century.

A few years ago I met with his grandson, Shingo Torii, Suntory’s vice-president and master blender. Then, among other things, we discussed the philosophy which, he felt, helped define Suntory. “It has...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/17/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-award-distiller-of-the-year/

We have two Lifetime Achievement Awards this year, for two men who have made their careers in the Scotch whisky industry. Colin Scott has served as the master blender for the prestigious Chivas Regal and Royal Salute lines of blended whisky; Duncan McGillivray has wrestled with the Victorian-era machinery of Bruichladdich and brought it to heel. We salute their achievements and dedication.

Colin Scott, Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers’ master blender Colin Scott has spent 41 years working in the Scotch whisky industry, having been brought up next to Highland Park distillery on Orkney.  Both his father and grandfather worked for...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/16/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-award-lifetime-achievement/

Rosebank 1992 21 year old (Diageo Special Releases 2014), 55.3%, $500

The late Michael Jackson described the demise of Rosebank as “…a grievous loss,” and it remains one of the most mourned of silent distilleries, almost in the same league as Brora and Port Ellen.

There have been some very good independent bottlings of the triple-distilled Rosebank in recent times, but arguably the best  expressions have been Diageo’s 2011 and 2014 Special Releases ‘house’ bottling of Rosebank, both offered at 21 years of age. The 2014 Special Release was distilled during 1992, just a few months before the distillery closed,...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/15/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-award-lowlands-and-campbeltown-single-malt-whisky-of-the-year/

Arran The Devil’s Punchbowl III The Fiendish Finale, 53.4%, $130

John Grant of Glenfarclas distillery once told me that in his opinion no really top-quality single Maltwhisky had been produced in any Scottish distillery built since the Victorian era. Scanning the list of 20 ^th century distilleries, he maj have a point, but if one gives the lie to Grant’s premise, then it is surely Isle of Arran .

Established in 1993, Arran has matured as a whisky-making operation as the years have passed, from the slightly panicky, scattergun approach of many cask finishes to the calm, assured, and...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/14/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-award-highlands-and-islands-single-malt-whisky-of-the-year/

Signatory (distilled at Laphroaig) 1998, 60.8%, £100

Another toughie. The best have been small batches this year: Lagavulin’s Feis Ile bottling, Bruichladdich’s Bere Barley, and the coming of age of Port Charlotte. The winner however was that rarity, Laphroaig in sherry.

I know that the official line is that Laphroaig is best suited to American oak casks; they give the whisky a sweet element to balance its tarry, seaweedy depths. They work, no doubt about it, but you know there’s just something about this big bruiser of a single malt that works when given longer-term maturation in sherry wood.

Here...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/13/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-awards-islay-single-malt-of-the-year/

Craigellachie 17 Year Old, 46%, £83

This was tough, almost impossible in fact. There was a stellar tranche of Glenfarclas Family Casks whose 1987 Cask #3829, was the best overall Speysider in terms of liquid for me. For sheer consistency, look no further than Glenfarclas. It was pushed hard by an amazing Cragganmore bottled for Friends of the Classic Malts. Then how could you ignore the remarkable revamp of Mortlach, which showed the layered complexity that lies in this distillery’s make, and that there is more to the beast of Dufftown than heavy sherry?

But for me they were shaded...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/12/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-awards-speyside-single-malt-whisky-of-the-year/

The Last Drop 50 year old, 50.9%, $4,000

The story is compelling. In 1972, a batch of more than seventy malts and twelve grain whiskies were blended together and left to marry in sherry oak casks. Their intended destiny was to become an agreeable 12 year old blended Scotch whisky. Each of the constituent mature whiskies had been distilled between the 1940s and 1960. These days, we lament the loss of many of the distilleries where those historical liquids originated.

The sherry casks were disgorged for bottling and the contents consumed through the 1970s, around the dance floors of noisy...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/11/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-awards-blendedblended-malt-whisky-of-the-year/

Broger Burn Out, 42%, €48

The World Whisky of the Year award has previously been bestowed upon whiskies from Asia (Yamazaki in 2007, Kavalan in 2013) and the Indian subcontinent (Amrut in 2010, and 2011), but only once to a European whisky (Millstone in 2012).

However, this year’s recipient is Broger Burn Out , a rather special Austrian single Maltwhisky. Brothers Bruno and Eugen Broger head up the family business, which has become a leading light of the Austrian Whisky Association. Their distillery is based in Klaus, Vorarlberg, in the far western tip of Austria, nestling close to the...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/10/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-award-world-whisky-of-the-year/

There’s been a bit of discussion in the comments sections of the Awards posts (and in other social media) that makes it apparent that our Awards process maj be misunderstood by a few of you, so I’d like to clarify. While we do review whiskies all year long, and give them points—ratings—the awards don’t necessarily go to the highest-rated whisky for a given category. There’s a bit more to it than that. This holds true, not just for my American Whiskey of the Year pick, but for all the award selections.

We noted this in our december 3rd awards announcement ...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/09/a-clarification-about-our-awards/

Ichiro’s Malt The Joker (Distilled At Hanyu), 57.7%, £220

At the time of writing, everyone is asking me about Japanese whisky, which is fantastic. Is it really good, Dave? Yes, I respond. I’ve been saying that for close on 20 years and am happy to continue to do so. When you consider that Japanese distillers have been perfecting their craft for over 90 years, it would be more surprising if they weren’t making award-winning, world-class whisky. It’s good to see people getting the message.

This year’s choice is a tinged with sadness, because it marks the end of an era...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/09/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-award-japanese-whisky-of-the-year/

Midleton Very Rare 2014, 40%, $125

In living memory, Ireland’s whiskey industry has never been healthier. Irish Distillers has been reaping rewards for their consistent investment this century but they are not alone. The realization of the huge potential for Irish whiskey has led to a flurry of new distillery projects in the north and south. Over the next five to ten years, we can anticipate an abundance of provocative new whiskeys.

Thirty years ago, the very first Midleton Very Rare expression was released on an unsuspecting world. Over the decades that followed, the popularity of this whiskey has grown steadily;...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/08/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-award-irish-whiskey-of-the-year/

Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye, 40%, $27

The race for Canadian Whisky of 2014 was tight. Crown Royal Monarch was first out of the gate; probably the most flavorful Crown Royal ever. Scoring 96 points in the Buying Guide, Monarch tied the record set in 2010, when Forty Creek Confederation Oak became our top-scoring Canadian whisky ever. A perpetual favorite, Forty Creek followed with another solid contender this year: its 2014 Evolution. Then Highwood Distillers returned from a disastrous flood in 2013 with an even more flavorful, post-flood version of the already spectacular Ninety 20 year old. But everything...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/07/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-award-canadian-whisky-of-the-year/

Sazerac Rye 18 year old, 45%, $80

There were many great American whiskeys released this year, including Booker’s 25 ^th Anniversary release, Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, and George T. Stagg. However, the winner this year is Sazerac Rye 18 year old .

It’s not just because it’s a classic—I rated it a 95—but it’s also because of its consistently high quality, year after year. That, to me, is this year’s tie-breaker. Limited edition whiskeys change from year to year. Since Sazerac Rye 18 year old was first introduced in 2000, its quality has been stellar and unwavering.

Part...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/06/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-award-american-whiskey-of-the-year/

St. George Single Malt Lot 14, 43%, $80

There have been a significant number of “American malt whiskeys” popping up recently, and a fair amount of talk about them. Are they a new class, are they “Scotch” (they’re not, period, end of discussion), and more importantly, are they any good? I don’t think any new type of American whiskey is going to be a class or a category for at least five years—it’s just too soon to tell—but I can taste them now…and this one’s most definitely good.

The St. George Spirits single malt releases have been on my short...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/05/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-award-craft-whiskey-of-the-year/

The Whisky Advocate Awards are less than two days away!

The 21 ^st Annual Whisky Advocate Awards will be announced right here on the Whisky Advocate blog beginning this Friday, december 5 ^th . As the awards are announced, they will automatically be published to the Whisky Advocate Facebook page and the Whisky Advocate Twitter feed (@whiskyadvocate).

The Whisky Advocate Awards exist to recognize excellence in the world of whisky. Now in its 21st year, the program is simply about the world’s greatest whiskies and distilleries, and the individuals who make and promote them. As always, these awards are not...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/03/21st-annual-whisky-advocate-awards-to-be-announced/

Caroline first met Cara Laing when she was a young, very capable marketer at Whyte & Mackay. She then went on to do good things at Morrison Bowmore before joining the family firm, Douglas Laing & Co., in 2013. She works alongside her father, Fred Laing, as head of brands marketing, looking after all aspects of marketing and communications; and she’s still young! This has been a momentous eighteen months; she also got married and became a Keeper of the Quaich.

What’s the view from your office window? Truthfully!

The sun is shining, rather unusually and I can see my...

Läs mer http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2014/12/01/cara-laing-in-140-or-less/