Bruichladdich Distillery has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of peated Scotch whiskey through its Octomore and Port Charlotte collections. And while Octomore, which recently released its 15th triple bottle, tops the world when it comes to swampy and smoky flavors, Port Charlotte showcases the nuances. SYC:01, the latest version of the brand's heralded Cask … Read more
I poured countless glasses of whiskey during my 12 years as a bartender at the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Hollywood. But I didn't start to understand Scotch until I started writing about it. In my early years as a spirits writer, I went straight to Scotland's leading whiskey expert, Charles Maclean, who wrote more than … Read more
Laphroaig is known for its whiskey with a distinctive character that symbolizes Islay. But for its newest range, Laphroaig is showcasing the people who have helped make it one of the world's most recognized Scotch whiskey brands. The first installment of the new Strong Character range is a 33-year-old single malt that pays tribute to … Read more
During the almost two decades I've been writing about alcohol, I've spent a lot of time in Scotland. I have visited countless famous Scotch whiskey distilleries, from the Lowlands to the Highlands, Islay and everywhere in between. During this time, I have lost count of the number of drams of fine, award-winning whiskeys I have … Read more
When it comes to Scotch whiskey, few brands have as much name recognition and respect as The Macallan, especially their 18-year-old expression. The whiskey of choice for James Bond and his villains, and his name is also mentioned Suit, Penguin, House of Cardsand dozens of other pieces of media. But frankly it's a bit expensive. … Read more
In my opinion, Japanese whiskey is better than Scotch whiskey. This is a bold statement and may seem disrespectful to some. After all, Scotch whiskey has been around for centuries, and Scots have perfected the art of whiskey-making over generations. But having spent years enjoying both, I realized that something extraordinary was happening in Japan's … Read more
Bruichladdich's Octomore range is known for being extremely smoky. But for its 2024 collection, the brand tried more than just peat. The newest batch includes three bottles, each matured for five years in different casks and casks. The result is three very different single malts: Octomore 15.1, Octomore 15.2 and Octomore 15.3. “October is an … Read more
When it comes to expensive, ultra-aged Scotch whisky, the first thing that usually comes to mind are Speyside distilleries like The Macallan, which releases around $200,000 of its 82-year-old single malt (not a typo). But there are also many distilleries with stocks of whiskey that have aged for decades, sometimes close to a century. At … Read more
Scotland is known for producing some of the world's best whiskies, and this year's best of show awards at the International Wine and Spirit Competition prove Scotch's superiority. Earlier this year spirits professionals tasted more than 4,000 spirits to choose their favourites, awarding gold and silver medal rankings to the various winners. Some of the … Read more
Blended Scotch doesn’t need a sales pitch. The hugely popular style, which combines malt and grain whisky ingredients into an approachable whole, accounts for more than 90 percent of all Scotch whisky sales worldwide. In fact, it’s the most widely consumed category of whisky on the planet. Yet among a certain subset of connoisseurs (i.e. … Read more