Review of my whisky year - 2020

First of all thank you to all the people who have read my blog (c79,000 up from 48,000 last year) and followed me on Twitter (c3,570 up from 2,600 last year).

I think all of us would agree it's been a very tough year.....

Side by side : A Famous Grouse flight

The Famous Grouse is one of the biggest selling whiskies in the world - around 43m bottles annually.

It features whisky from Edrington's Glenrothes, Highland Park, Macallan, North British, swaps with other Scottish distilleries and until recently Glenturret.

Whiskybroker's 21yo Springbank

You don't see that many independent bottlings of Springbank but somehow @whiskybroker managed to get their hands on a cask.

This one is a 21yo distilled in 1999 and matured in Sherry Hogshead 412.

Whisky from...? Germany 2

As you may know there are more distilleries in Germany than in Scotland so it's about time I did a second in the Whisky from...? series.

Whilst in Berlin last year I picked up a couple of bottles from Pinkernells Whisky Market, the third I'm trying in this blog came from a sample swap with @bhoy_whisky The three drams come from three different distilleries.

BTC7 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

These are my tasting notes from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 7th #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Gordon @gordonsmith63 and Scott @ScotchB78

Longrow Red

Longrow Red is an annual release of around 9,000 bottles from Springbank Distillery using heavily peated spirit which has been matured in red wine casks.

They choose a different kind of wine cask each year and to be honest I've never really got on with it, the 2015 I tried ended up being thrown down the sink. Lets see how the 2019 compares....

Side by side : Springbank from Cadenhead's Cage

If you've ever been to Cadenhead's shop in Campbeltown you will have had a look in The Cage, a simple wooden cupboard with chicken wire doors and a padlock - you can look but you can't touch!

You can ask them to open the doors if you have chosen a bottle to buy.

Peated Port Blind Tasting with @TheWhiskeyChaps

A message from @TheWhiskyChaps arrived asking if I'd like to run a #BlindTasting session for them - how could I say no?

I picked my favourite style of whisky - Peated Port Cask Finish and invited them to guess what they were!

Spey Distillery @TweetTastings

Spey is a distillery that's not on many people's radar, to be honest I've only tried some independent bottlers so when the chance of trying some with @TweetTastings I applied!

I was one of those luck enough to be selected!

Glen Scotia Campbeltown Malts Festival 2020 Single Casks

The Campbeltown Malts Festival was cancelled for 2020 but Glen Scotia were able to release the magnificent Tawny Port Festival Edition. Normally they'd also have Festival Edition and Festival Dinner Single Casks.

 

Well they've just released them....

TBWC Nc'Nean

New distilleries seem to be popping up all over the place recently, with their first releases disappearing from the shelves very quickly. @Ncnean distillery's first release did exactly the same but more recent batches are available.

Some how @BoutiqueyWhisky managed to get hold of a single cask and bottled it at cask strength.

Whiskey from...? Ireland

In 2013 there were just 3 distilleries in Ireland (excluding N.I.) but now there are over 20, a huge increase in just 7 years. Two of them have just had some of their first whiskies released.

In this blog I'm trying one from Waterford and one from Drumshanbo, let see how they compare side by side!

TBWC Rye Series MMXX

Independent Bottler That Boutique-y Whisky Company have switched to releasing their whiskies as series, the previous one was World Whiskies, the latest is all about Rye.

Let's see what they are all about!

Side by side : Oban

Oban doesn't seem to get mentioned very much in Social Media or blogs - maybe because Diageo haven't created social media accounts or even the distillery's own website - it's just a small part of the drink's giants mega malts.com website. There is a US website though.

Let's find out a little more...

BTC6 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

These are my tasting notes from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 6th #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Chris @chris_f74

Three Ships first UK release

Unless you live in South Africa you may not of heard of the @ThreeShipsSA brand, it sits alongside @BainsWhisky in the portfolio of Distell's James Sedgwick Distillery.

A few of us were lucky enough to try a couple of samples of Three Ships last year, two 35PPM peated  Single Malts - an 8yo and 10yo - you can read my thoughts here!

After months, if not years, of hassling Distell they have finally released a Three Ships whisky in the UK, let's see what it's like!

Side by side : Three Unusual Bourbons

Heading across the Atlantic for this side by side, three Bourbons, each with a strange twist!

One of these featured in the TBWC 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar and the others are from a drample swap from @whiskeychap - lets' see how they compare:

#LetsTrySomeWhisky - Balblair

It's been a while but the Anglo French #LetsTrySomeWhisky gang got back together to try our third set of drams - this time a flight from Highland distillery Balblair.

Let's see what we thought!

Arran tasting with BCWS

Another Friday night and another @BlackCountryWS lockdown virtual tasting!.

This time is was with @Arranwhisky distillery.

TBWC Advent Calendar 2020

@MasterOfMalt have been creating #Dramvent Calendars for 9 years now, this is their @BoutiqueyWhisky one ready for the run up to Christmas! For the whisky fans amongst us this makes much more sense than a chocolate one!

Now the idea with an Advent Calendar is that you open 1 door each day from the 1st December through to Christmas Eve... But please enjoy your whisky responsibly! Sometimes it may not possible to open a dram each day, you could share with mates or save a couple to enjoy at the weekend?

Side by side : Power's

Powers is one of the most iconic Irish Pot Still whiskey brands, it's now owned by Irish Distillers and distilled in Midleton.

In this blog I'm trying 3 of the range - Gold Label, Three Swallows and John's Lane

Ardnamurchan Tasting with SWC

Following their hugely successful Summer Whisky Festival @SouthportWhisky Club have continued their regular virtual tastings.

I joined in for a virtual tasting of Ardnamurchan @Distillery1826 single casks.

Belgium Surprise

A recent sample swap with @dram_gazette delivered an unexpected and surprising additional sample!

Let see what it was...

BTC5 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

 These are my tasting notes from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 5th #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Simon @TheWhiskyNovice

Dingle tasting with BCWS

The Black Country Whisky Society have held a number of successful virtual tastings during Covid-19, this is the third one I've join in with.

This time is was to try a new distillery for me : Dingle in Ireland.

What Ardmore can really be like

Ardmore gets a bad wrap for it's cheap supermarket NAS, most of its output goes into the Teacher's range of blends.

In this blog I'm trying an older distillery bottling and 4 independent bottlings.

The Fisherman's Retreat - Edition No. 7

How does a whisky legend Jim McEwan selected 8yo @Bruichladdich matured in a Yalumba Octavius Red Wine Cask and bottled at 50.4% sound?

More importantly - where would you find such a dram?

Loch Lomond 14yo Fruit & Cinnamon

As part of Loch Lomond's recent packaging revamp, a number of bottles were discontinued and a couple of new ones appeared.

One of the new ones is the Loch Lomond 14yo Fruit & Cinnamon - let's see what it's like.

Side by side: Single Grain or should that be Malt?

Loch Lomond's Distillery, just North of Glasgow, is really two distilleries in one, a Malt distillery using malted barley in Pot Stills and a Grain distillery using grain in Column Stills.

Photo: whisky.com.gr

But, interestingly, sat in one corner of the Malt distillery is a set of Column Stills....

Ardnamurchan Inaugural Release

Ardnamurchan Distillery is located in Glenbeg, Ardnamurchan, Argyll in the far West of Scotland. It's Scotland's most westerly mainland distillery.

They have just released their first whisky - let's see what it's like!

Old Malt Casks

The Old Malt Cask range was first released in 1999 by Douglas Laing & Co. Ltd. as single cask whisky usually bottled at 50% ABV.

Lets try a few of their releases.

Side by side : Deanston Single Casks

Deanston isn't a distillery that's really been on my radar, but having been camping close by on a recent road trip I decided to pay a visit.

I came away with 3 single cask bottlings, let's see what they are like.

Side by side : Method and Madness

Irish Distiller's Midleton Distillery has a programme of innovation where distillers are allowed to experiment with the whiskey making process developing what could be the next addition to the core range

In this blog I'm trying 5 of the range!

BTC4 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

 These are my tasting notes from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 4th #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Damian @newdramrising

Glen Scotia 2020 Seasonal Release - Sherry Double Cask Finish

Glen Scotia's Double Cask has been around for a number of years - an ex-bourbon matured whisky finished for up to 12 months in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks offering rich spicy fruits, overlaid with the characteristic sea spray and oak spice typical of Glen Scotia.

Alongside this year's Tawny Port Limited Edition Glen Scotia have released a second Double Cask, this time though it's a batch strength Limited Edition.....

Side by side : Loch Lomond Core Range 12yos

As you know I'm a bit of a fanboy when it comes to @LochLomondMalts distillery, it comes top in the list of distilleries I've tried the most drams from! 

They have recently launched a new packaging range so I thought I'd take some time to try the three 'new' 12 year olds central to the core range.

The Whisky Cellar @TweetTastings

@whisky_cellar chose @TheWhiskyWire to launch their new range with a @TweetTastings - those who were successful received a lovely package through the post.

Five bottles from the new 10 bottle range along with a branded notebook and @MiaWoodCrafts cask pen were included - let's see what the drams were like!

Lakes Distillery WhiskyMaker's Editions - Colheita

If you've been following my blog over the last 12 months or so you'll have seen my complete turn-around in respect for the @LakesDistillery The release of their three WhiskyMaker's Reserves showing what they can really do without resorting to blending with imported Scotch.

Now along comes the start of a new series - WhiskyMaker's Editions - what are they all about?

Tomintoul Mystery Drams

 "You've got to be in it to win it" is a common shout when talking about competitions and in this case I was and I did! I added my name into the hat for a Tomintoul Mystery Dram Tasting and won!

So a couple of days later a parcel arrived containing 3 mystery drams....

Mackmyra Seasonal Releases - Jaktlycka

Well known Swedish distillery @Mackmyra release two annual 'seasonal' whiskies usually featuring innovative seasonal characteristics focusing on unusual finishes often reflecting the prevailing season.

I've tried a number of them including Gront Te, Äppelblom, Blomstertid and Vintersol, this season's release is the completely unpronounceable Jaktlycka, let's see what it's like...

Whisky Subscription: Pour & Sip

Pour & Sip is the name of a new whisky tasting subscription club from Master Of Malt. Using the 30ml bottles from Drinks by the Dram packs they'll send out 5 samples for you to try at home.

Let's see what it's all about!

Batches : Kilkerran Heavily Peated

Distilleries often release whisky in batches, the same name but subtly different recipes, ABVs, maturation periods etc. In this new, occasional series, I'm going to review a number of different Batches in my Side-by-side format to see if I can detect any differences, does each batch get better or are they to all intents and purposes the same?

This time I'll be reviewing batches #1 to #3 of Heavily Peated from @Kilkerran2004 distillery, what differences are there?

BTC3 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

These are my tasting notes from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 3rd #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Mark @Mark_BCWS

Side by side : Redbreast

Redbreast is one of the most iconic Irish Pot Still whiskey brands, it's now owned by Irish Distillers and distilled in Midleton.

In this blog I'm trying 4 of the range - 12yo, 12yo CS, 21yo and 27yo!

Virtual tasting: Elixir Tasting with BCWS

The Black Country Whisky Society are a small group with big ideas from Greater Birmingham. They've been going for around 18 months and successfully held a number of tastings before Covid-19 put a stop to meeting together. So like most groups they went virtual.

Their tasting are sometimes opened to non-members and I was lucky enough to get a place on one from Elixir Distillers.

Side by side : #BoutiqueyWorldSeries

Following the success of the World Whisk(e)y Summit hosted by TBWC back in May, the independent bottler announced they’ll be releasing a special batch of world whiskies, featuring many of the participating distilleries.

The bottles have now been released - let's see what some of them are like!

Side by side : Three TBWC Speysiders

Heading up to Speyside for this side by side, three drams bottled by @BoutiqueyWhisky

Lets see how they compare:

Lakes Distillery The One Blends

Following quickly on the heels of their Whiskymakers Reserve #3 the @LakesDistillery have released two additions to their The One Fine Blended Whisky range.

Orange Wine and Sherry Cask finishes join the Signature and Port Cask finish, let's see what they are like.

GlenAllachie Single Cask for IWS

There are lots of little whisky shops around the country, whose business has been affected by recent events, some have mail order businesses to keep them going so please support them as much as you can. One thing that some of the distilleries are doing is to bottle single casks exclusively for a shop - this is one such example.

GlenAllachie have bottled a 2007 12yo exclusively for the Inverurie Whisky Shop.

Whisky Maturation

Some distilleries will tell you that there are three ingredients used to make whisky - Barley, Yeast and Water but all that will give you is a colourless moonshine.

Oak is the final ingredient which gives colour and flavour to whisky.