About me? I am a Whisky Educator, Travel-Tourist and Blogger. I blog tasting notes about (mostly Scotch) beer and whisky at The Whiskyphiles. I keep progress of my travels via the Alfred Barnard Society. Based in Livingston, Scotland I do most of my dramming at the University of Edinburgh Water of Life Society and Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
Laphroaig® unveils The Ian Hunter Series Introducing Book One of The Ian Hunter Story™, a rare and collectable series of Laphroaig Super-Premium Whiskies Beam Suntory’s Laphroaig has announced a unique and exclusive […]
New Releases 29th September 2019 ANNANDALE 2015 MAN O’ WORDS Sherry Cask £145 ARDBEG TWENTY SOMETHING 22 Year Old Embassy Release £600 ARRAN BARREL RESERVE £32.25 ARRAN QUARTER CASK £48.95 BALVENIE […]
New Releases SMWS September Outturn Cask 9.168 CEDAR BIGGER PICTURE (Glen Grant 15yo 2004) £67 Cask 12.30 CARAMELISED COCONUT CHIPS (Benriach 9yo 2009) £50 Cask 44.111 SPICY AND FRUITY, SWEET AND […]
SMWS 7.130 Musky, floral, sweet perfumes whisky review: A delicious aged Longmorn full of fragrant and fruity notes and a good helping of complimentary woody spices. Again a very true to form whisky expression redolent of Longmorn distillery character and aged to perfection in a refill hoggie for just the right balance of spirit and cask influences, approaching perfection. 88/100
SMWS 30.98 Bring on the dancers whisky review: A fairly true to form Glenrothes, I just noticed I pulled (finally) one of the same tasting notes as on the bottle in caramel apple granny! Diminishes only in the fact that the nose is the best part of this dram, drinking is nothing challenging and all very pleasing. A great example of an aged whisky from SMWS at a sensible price compared to OB’s but offering just as much. 86/100
Cragganmore Distillery has released a limited-edition anniversary Single Malt Scotch whisky, available to purchase exclusively from the Speyside distillery. Double matured in heavily charred American oak hogsheads casks, this highly prized release […]
Glenkinchie Distillery has released a limited-edition Single Malt Scotch whisky, available to purchase exclusively from the distillery in East Lothian. Matured in American brandy casks and specially charred Hogsheads, this highly prized […]
Pacory Calvados Domfrontais Hors d’Age Calvados Review: Very fruity and fresh, slightly ascerbic and drying fresh oak influence with masses of vanilla throughout to complement the sweetness of the fruits. 85/100
Aerstone 10 Years Old Sea Cask whisky review: Preferred over the land cask expression, this one feels much more integrated and balanced, some great flavours developing here and also a promise of things to come – I’d love to see these grow into 12, 15 or 18 year old expressions! 82/100
Aerstone 10 Years Old Land Cask whisky review: An interesting expression with potential, however this still feels a little rough around the edges and reminded me of some not so savoury HP expressions I have sampled in the past where the peat influence is too dry and over-dominant. For an entry-level (£20) supermarket whisky this carries a lot more flavours than most – vanilla this certainly isn’t! 81/100
