I first encountered Copeland’s signature blend, Merchants’ Quay, during a blind tasting Jon R hosted for the Water of Life team. It wasn’t long before I ordered a bottle. With a little further inspection, it’s clear that this whiskey deserves a more in-depth examination.
The Isle of Raasay Distillery was founded with the aim of establishing Scotland’s leading artisanal distillery. The Raasay R-02 is an early release, but gives us some hints as to how the distillery hopes to achieve its aim.
We talk a lot about the renaissance of Irish whiskey, with the industry having grown from a mere four distilleries… Read more Kingsbarns: Dream to Dram
We’ve previously praised Ardbeg for not taking whisky too seriously, and it appears that they are in good company. It seems that Diageo’s Talisker features a whisky based around a pun among its range. It seems that when the team at Talisker decided to make a whisky in tribute to Portree, they couldn’t resist the obvious joke, finishing the dram in port casks.
The Water of Life has a bias towards small and independent distilleries. Given how hard it is to build and… Read more Glenfarclas 105
As a comparatively recent convert to Irish whiskey, one of the more confusing things to come to terms with has been the practice of distilleries sourcing their spirit. I initially scratched my head when trying an 18-year-old from a distillery that had only started production in 2013. So how is it that something like this can be released, and what does it mean for the consumer? Sourced whiskey seems to be a widely acknowledged but seldom discussed topic.
Talisker describes itself as “made by the sea”. In the literal sense, this is quite right: the Talisker distillery in Carbost on the West coast of the Isle of Skye is a few yards from Loch Harport, which opens onto the Atlantic. The whisky that Talisker produces is famously maritime in character, displaying salt and seaweed in spades. Clearly, when Talisker looks to establish a link with their branding, they go all in, which should s branding, it goes all in. This should mean good things for the Talisker Skye, the distillery’s entry-level offering, named after its island home.
Christmas has passed and the New Year is upon us. Soon, we will be deep into the depressing, cold weeks… Read more Mackmyra Vinterglöd
Sitting in the gulf between the islands of Jura and Scarba, the Corryvreckan whirlpool is one of the largest and most dangerous in the world. The unique underwater topography results in a tide that flows at 9 knots and in over 9 metres high waves. This is a truly terrifying force of nature, and any whisky bearing its name can only be fearsome.
Glencadam Distillery, part of the Angus Dundee Distillers family, is quickly becoming a favourite at the Water of Life. We first encountered the distillery during a vertical tasting in October. Given that I usually get most excited by innovative distillers, I was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed these offerings from Glencadam, which is about as traditional a distillery as you will find. Since then, the Angus Dundee team offered us a chance to try two more of their products, so naturally, we jumped at the opportunity. This time, we would be trying their Aged 13 Years, also dubbed “the re-awakening”, and their Reserva Andalucia, described as “Glencadam with a sherry influence”.
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