Whisky Party

Word from the wise on blogging this week:  To create a successful whisky blog, round up whisky news on the web and create a section on reviewing cheap(er) whiskies while also once in a while reviewing more expensive stuff.  Rinse.  Repeat….

(we kid!!!)

Tasting Notes From Bloggers We Trust:

• Matt at WhiskyforEveryone tries the double barrel of Glenrothes and Ardbeg, and though he doesn’t seem too impressed with it, concludes that it’s well worth a try.
• WhiskyforEveryone also tries the Glenmorangie 12 year line of port, sauterne and sherry casks aged and finds them all tasty for different reasons.  Karen’s favorite is the port, Quinta Ruban, and Matt’s favorite is the sauterne, Nectar D’Or.
• Serge at Whisky Fun and Matt at WhiskyforEveryone rave about the Springbank Claret aged whisky.  Serge calls it “globally very excellent” and Matt calls it his “favourite Springbank to date“
• WhiskyIntelligence tries some Clynelish 14yo from Duthies and discovers lemon, leather and demerara sugar.
• WhiskyNotes tries a Glen Elgin 25 year old from 1984 and finds it a bit oaky.  He also schools us on some information about Charles Cree Doig, the architect of Glen Elgin who is the inventor of the pagoda roof.
• WhiskyNotes also tries a Clynelish, different from WhiskyIntelligence,  He finds the Clynelish 14yo to be a fine dram with some lemon, candy and chocolate.
• Turning Japanese:  Nonjatta tries a The Cask of Hakushu 1993 Spanish Oak Bota Corta and admires it as similar to Aberlour A’bunadh but smoother at a similar level of ABV.  WhiskyNotes tries a SMWS Hakushu 1981 and calls it love it or hate it, deciding he likes it but it’s not an everyday dram.
• Neil and Joel at CaskStrength try MANY different Manager’s Choice whiskies and try to clear up some confusion about whether or not they’re paid to do it (they’re not)
• WhiskyNotes tries an Ardbeg Lord of the Isles and finds all that is right in the world.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Congratulations to Karen and Matt at WhiskyforEveryone on celebrating 2 years in this weird, wonderful world of whisky writing on the world wide web.  Head on over to WhiskyforEveryone to try and win some free whisky in celebration of their anniversary.
• CaskStrength also celebrates their 2nd anniversary with an apparently killer Laphroaig cake.  Where do you get such wonderful toys?
• Laphroaig 18 has gone on sale and reached more reasonable levels of pricing.  Here it is for $80 at Shopper’s Vineyard (thanks, WhiskyHost)
• CaskStrength decides that they will also start creating a Whisky News roundup, at the same time as they start a “Reasonably Priced Dram” feature.  Sounds great.  They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  You’re welcome, CaskStrength.
• Edinburgh Whisky Blog has a great interview up with Grant’s Whisky Global Brand Ambassador Ludo Ducroqc
• While John Hansell is recuperating from surgery, WhatDoesJohnKnow has been going strong with some great guest blog posts from B.J. Reed.  Check out his trips to Jura and Orkney, Clynelish Glenmorangie and Dalmore, Tormore Glenlivet and Aberlour, Glenfarclas, Balvenie, Glenfiddich and Tullibardine, and Laphroaig and Bunnahabhain.
• Amrut has finally launched in the U.S. Looking forward to trying it.
• DrinkHacker pulls out the first shipment of the Whisky Explorer’s Club.

–StrongLikeCask

We’ve been working hard for our money, trying to support our whisky habits.  Quick fix?  The naming contest over at The Whisky Exchange is still on.  And Tim thinks that we all can do better.  Get to it, fellow drammers.  While you’re at it, raise a glass to the health of John Hansell, who undergoes surgery today.

Tasting Notes From Bloggers We Trust:

• John Hansell reviews the new The Glenrothes 1994 vintage and finds it very bright and lively with a nice balance of flavors.
• John also finds the Four Roses 100th Anniversary 17 Year Bourbon to be “therapeutic”.  Perhaps that will be his drink after his surgery.
• WhiskyforEveryone finds Four Roses Small Batch bourbon lovely, expressive and balanced.  He also drops a not too subtle hint that we should send him some of America’s small batch bourbon.
• WhiskyforEveryone also joins the crowd in giving love to John Glaser of Compass Box, suggesting Hedonism would be the perfect apertif on a warm dry day.
• WhiskyIsrael raves about Caol Ila 10 Unpeated and finds lots of lemon zest and chocolate.
• Serge at WhiskyFun finds everything to like about two Linkwoods (including The Whiskey Exchange’s 10th) and two sherried Longmorns.  We’re beginning to think he might like whisky.
• CaskStrength sucker punches us and brings in Vintage StarWars Figures as part of their tasting notes of a German Lagavulin Single Cask.  Well played, sirs.  It’s okay to be jealous…and we are.
• The Good Dr.Whisky tries the new Glenfiddich distiller’s edition 15 year expression, finds a potential entry for our 40 under $40 in the Glen Moray 12, and loves the Macallan 18 as much as we did while adding his two cents (with some cussing!) on the whisky and ice debate.
• WhiskyNotes reviews the Scotch Whisky Aroma Nosing Kit (thank you!), and his opinions are mixed.
• AmericanHooch reviews some local Brooklyn pride, and well, the label is cool.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Whiskyhost brings some great news about Highland Park bottling new make spirit and discusses this recent trend of distilleries.
• Maker’s Mark released a picture of their new “46″ Bourbon on Facebook.  It looks great and many wonderful people are excited.
• GlenDronach announced a new 31 year old bottle called Grandeur that looks great and tasty but we will probably never get to try.
• EdinburghWhiskyBlog needs your help filling out a quick survey to finish his dissertation (if you’ve ever visited a distillery) and also lets us know that we have the late Michael Jackson to thank for our beloved Uggie.

–StrongLikeCask

While this is not even close to being the best whisky news of the week (that might go to the discovery of hangover-free alcohol – more on that below), I feel obligated to point out that we made Gawker (sort of).  The good folks over in Nick Denton’s empire are calling for a Whiskey (political) Party to compete with the Tea Party and the Coffee Party here in the states.  We heartily endorse their recommendation and volunteer to lead the charge.

Tasting Notes from Bloggers We Trust:

• Cask Strength visits the Berry Brothers Rudd shop and tastes MacDuff 1984, Balmenach 1979, Glen Mhor 1982, and Cragganmore 1987.
• After a visit to Whisky Live London, Cask Strength tastes Lagavulin 30 bottled 2008 and and Lagavulin 12 Friends of the Classic Malts 2008, as well as the Highland Park Saint Magnus and Haakon (long story).
• Master of Malt tastes two single cask bottlings of Hanyu Japanese Whisky.
• John Hansell reviews four releases from GlenDronach.
• Whisky for Everyone enjoyed the Penderyn Port Wood, but thought it might be too rich and heavy for some.
• Whisky Fun samples two limited release Strathmills.  He trashes “the four cheapest scotch, bourbon, canadian whisky and “whiskey” bottles that he could find.  Three expressions of Talisker fare much better.
• Whisky Host reviews the Cragganmore 10 from Diageo.
• Whisky Notes gives the Ardbeg Rollercoaster another mixed review.
• Whisky Notes also reviews BenRiach 1993 sauternes cask and Glenrothes 18 from Single Malts of Scotland.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Scientists discover that oxygenated booze gives you milder hangovers.  So how long before we see our first hangover-free whisky product?
• John Hansell editorializes about whisky bloggers.
• Get the lowdown on some French whisky in the latest edition of Whisky Cast.
• Whisky Magazine announces the winners of their 2010 World Whisky Awards.
• Whisky 101 for beginners (hat tip to Whisky Host).
• Pernod Ricard’s whisky sales are down.

–Whisky Party

Ardbeg’s newest release – Rollercoaster – continues to dominate blog coverage this week.  Here are the latest reviews:

• Cask Strength thinks it falls a bit short of the (high) bar set by Super Nova and Corryvreckan.
• The bloggers at Edinburgh Whisky are split in their opinion – one is slightly let down, the other calls this the bigger, better brother to Corryvreckan.
• Whisky for Everyone says Rollercoaster is interesting, but take an overall skeptical tone on its appeal beyond Ardbeg’s cult fans.

Tasting Notes from Bloggers We Trust:

• Drink Hacker gets a taste of the Highland Park 1968 vintage.
• Whisky Fun tries four Highland Parks that are exclusive to travel retail.
• Master of Malt enjoys some Yamazaki Sherry Cask, saying it is worth every penny.
• Whisky Host raves about the Glenfarclas 105 – as has almost every review I’ve read.
• Yet another review of Penderyn – this time from Whisk(e)y Apostle.
• Scotch Hobbyist is loving his sample of 2009 Special Release Brora 30 year old.
• Whisky for Everyone calls the BenRiach 18 Gaja Barolo finish a “lovely dram.”  They also try the Glenfiddich 18, Glenmorangie Quarter Century and six new bottlings from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
• Arran 1 Peacock 12 year old is a “solid whisky,” says Whisky Host.
• Whisky Host also does a head to head of 6 expressions of Laphroaig.  We’ll have to agree to disagree about the merits of the 15 year.
• I both envy his collection and pity his liver; Whisky Notes reviewed seven whiskies since our last best in blog: Redbreast 15, Brora 30 (2007), Craigellachie 1984, Tomatin 1980, BenRiach 23, Glenrothes 1994, and Penderyn Sherrywood.
• Whisky Intelligence isn’t far behind with four new reviews: Caol Ila 10 (SMWS), Royal Brackla 10 (SMWS), Highland Park 10, and Clan MacGregor 36 months.
• Edinburgh Whisky reviews the Glenlivet Faemussach in this video:

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Nonjatta clears up some confusion around older bottles of Suntory.
• The Whisky Exchange Blog finally releases Part II of their predictions for 2010 (and beyond).
• The latest edition of Whisky Cask reports on St. George’s English whisky.
• A whisky blogger ethics panel?
• John Hansell has inormation about the Glenlivet Cellar Edition Vintage 1973.
• Whisky Host Twitterviews the folks at Auchentoshan.
• The Balvenie has made some changes to their website.

Lots’s of Laphroaig tasting notes this week.  Can’t really argue with that.

Tasting Notes From Bloggers We Trust:

• Drink Hacker reviews the “new” Laphroaig 18, calling it their favorite Laphroaig.  I have to disagree and put the 15 year above it, but more on that in an upcoming blog post.
• Whisky Intelligence, meanwhile, seems to be reviewing every Laphroaig but the 18.  It’s Indie Laphroaig Week on his site, and you can find reviews Laphroaig 16 (SMWS 29.64), Laphroaig 11 (Duthies 2009), Laphroaig 10 (Cooper’s Choice), and Laphroaig 8 (Signatory).
• Whisky For Everyone reviews Laphroaig Quarter Cask and Paddy Old Irish Whisky.
• Speaking of “new” expressions, Dr. Whisky loves this 30 year old from Old Pulteney.
• John Hansell recommends putting a little water in this ‘very nice’ Lagavulin 12 (2009 Special Release), and he’s looking for alternate opinions of the unpeated Caol Ila 10 (2009 Special Release).
• Whisky Fun tries three Glenrothes, and two Glen Garioch.
• Whisky Notes samples Arran 12, Tamnavulin 16 (Masters of Malt), Bowmore 26 (Masters of Malt), and Speyside 30 (Masters of Malt)
• Whisk(e)y Apostle reviews Crown Royal Reserve Blended Canadian Whisky.
• Drink Hacker reviews Balvenie 17 Madeira Cask.
• Whisky Host enjoys Hazelburn 8 year old.
• Dubber and Clutch return to blogging after a long absence with tasting notes on 12 different blends.
• Making his inaugural debut in our bi-weekly roundup, Jason’s Scotch Whisky Review is not impressed with Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Laphroaig is sponsoring the US Curling team in the Winter Olympics.  My favorite winter olympics sport paired with a great single malt.
• Following on our post from last week, Whisky for Everyone and Edinburgh Whisky have more information about the 2nd round releases in the Diageo Manager’s Choice Series.
• Edinburgh Whisky blog is starting to interview distilleries – and they want your help determining the questions.  First up is Tomatin.
• Kilchoman is getting ready for its third release.
• Looks like Ardbeg Supernova is set to become a “semi regular” release here in the states.  Still waiting to taste my bottle when all three of the Whisky Party bloggers convene in April.
• Last week John Hansell asked us how many whiskies we had on our shelf.  This week he fesses up on the size of his own collection, and it’s pretty amazing.
• Knappogue Castle Irish Whisky is releasing a new 1994 vintage.
• Johnnie Walker is kicking the smoke flavors up a notch with their new “Double Black” expression.
• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America have announced their spring tasting schedule.
• John Hansell has some info on Mackmyra, a Swedish distillery
• Whisky Host continues their Twitter interview series (Twitterview?), this time with Mauricio Samayoa of The Macallan.
• In the latest edition of their “Say What?!” series, Whisky Host examines the meaning of the tasting note “wet dog.”
• Edinburgh Whisky blog is starting a YouTube Channel.

–Whisky Party

Two big rare whisky auctions are coming up, one next week and another the week after.  The first is at McTears, and the second at Christie’s.  It will be interesting to watch what gets sold and for how much.  Details below.

Tasting Notes From Bloggers We Trust:

• Whisky for Everyone has three great whiskies on tap today – the new Benromach 10, a Mortlach 16 from Diageo’s Flora and Fauna range, and Cragganmore 12 – one of the best whisky deals you can get, in my opinion, in terms of price to quality.
• Drink Hacker reviews 8 year old expressions of Highland Park, Glenrothes and Tamdhu from Gordon & MacPhail.
• Drink Hacker also tries Compass Box Orangerie.  They liked it more than I did.
• Edinburgh Whisky loves the unpeated, 10 year from Caol Ila.
• John Hansell is looking for reader opinions on the Edradour Ballechin series.
• Whisky Notes samples Glenrothes 1998, Glenglassaugh 1984 (Malts of Scotland), and Benrinnes 1988 (Malts of Scotland).
• Whisky Fun tastes two independent bottlings of Glen Livet.
• Whisky Intelligence goes of the beaten path, and tries a Syrah-finished Auchroisk 15 from Murray McDavid, and Dumbarton 42 year old single grain scotch whisky.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Dalmore is getting ready to send a new expression to auction – Dalmore Oculus.  It’s expected to sell for ₤20,000.
• The LA Times has an interesting interview with Andrew Ford, a blender for Johnnie Walker.
• McTear’s is holding a whisky auction on Wednesday, Nov 4th.
• John Hansell notes that Christie’s here in the states has their own brown liquor auction on November 14th.
• Malt Advocate is offering a special deal on subscriptions.
• Yet Another Whisky Award.  Or maybe not . . .
• John Hansell wants to know your experience with bottle variation on single barrel whiskies.

Due to some late work nights, and a lot of tastings recently, I’ve fallen behind on our regular “Best in Blog” series.  I’m playing catchup, so this is a less comprehensive post than normal, but I think it represents the best of the whisky blogosphere since my last entry.

Tasting Notes From Bloggers We Trust

• More tasting notes on Diageo’s Manager’s Choice series, this time from Cask Strength.
• For the bourbon lovers, John Hansell reviews the entire Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.
• Whisky Intelligence tastes a Ben Rinnes Cask Strength 23 year old, a 13 year old Springbank, and a Highland Park 10 year old from Duncan Taylor.
• Whisky Notes  samples Clynelish 27 from Whisky Agency, Glenrothes 1969, and Balmenach 31 from Gordon and MacPhail.
• Whisky Fun tries the new Brora 30 year old.
• John Hansell is liking the new Benromach 10, and he also takes time to review the first release of Kilchoman, calling it stunning.
• Drink Hacker reviews Dewar’s 18 year old Founder’s Reserve.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Diageo is releasing 9 new, limited edition, single malts in time for the holidays.  The release includes the 9th Annual Release of Port Ellen.
• Newly reopened Glenglassaugh distillery is selling whole casks.  The cheapest – an ex bourbon barrel – will run you £2,500.
• Whisky for Everyone interviews Richard Paterson, Master Blender for Whyte & Mackay.
• A major whisky collector has been the victim of theft.  This is a hell of a whisky collection to lose. Condolences.
• Chicago readers will be interested to know that Binny’s has bought out Sam’s.
• Despite the recession, sales of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey are up.
• Scotch Hobbyist has another post about the Johnnie Walker blending webcast.

Last night I attended an Edradour/Signatory tasting at Heights Chateau, my local wine/liquor shop.  Ten scotches in an hour and a half, and probably the best local tasting I’ve been to in terms of host/taster interaction and sheer variety of whiskies.  The team from signatory was light on the schtick – no kilts, just down to earth conversation – and I got to taste a wide variety of whiskies.  Some of these were variations on old favorites, and others were brand new to me.  Let’s dig in.

Tullibardine 1993
Honestly, this bottle might have been the surprise of the night.  This is a bottle I own.  A friend brought it to a party I hosted, but stacked against the Islays that dominate my collection we came away thinking it was a rather plain whisky.  In a new context, this bottle came to life for me in a way it hadn’t previously.  Made from 75% bourbon and 25% sherry casks, the color is white wine and the nose was sweet with some light sherry on the end.  The taste was more tart and oaky with an upfront hit that I want to say is rubbery, but only because I can’t quite pinpoint the actual flavor.  The finish faded much too quickly to pure heat, but this was a pleasant surprise after my previous experiences with this bottle.

Caperdonich 1996
This is the main single malt in the Chivas Regal blend.  The color was white wine, and the nose was a fantastic combination of fruits, flowers and vanilla.  I almost want to say like peaches and cream.  The taste was more flowery with another flavor I couldn’t quite put a name to.  The finish was medium long.  Overall, this was like a more mellow (read: less floral/perfumey) Rosebank.  Really nice and worth checking out.

Bladnoch 1992 Un-Chillfiltered
Only independent bottlings of this are available.  Again there is a floral nose, but it is different from the Caperdonich.  There is a scent reminiscent of the butter on movie popcorn.  This carried over to the taste, but faded quickly to a purely hot whisky when some water was added.  The finish had a perfume quality reminiscent of a lowland scotch and it built up as I took more sips.  Overall, it was too much flowers and perfume, and I wasn’t loving this scotch.

The Glentrothes 1994 Un-Chillfiltered
Made from 100% bourbon casks and a nice gold in color, this was a smooth scotch that had a lot of vanilla on the nose and a citrus taste.  It’s more complex than most offerings from the Glentrothes, and it lacked the “tequila nose” I normally associate with the Glenrothes.  It’s also a lot bigger than a normal Glenrothes – maybe that’s the non-chillfiltering coming through.

Highland Park 1985 Cask Strength
This is a 20 year old HP  bottled at 54%.  There’s peat and salt on the nose, and a whiff reminiscent of black magic marker.  The taste is salty, and this is much more aggressive and less creamy than the 15 or 16 year old.  It’s closer to a Laphroaig than most Highland Parks that I’ve tasted.

Ben Nevis 1992 Sherry Cask
The color is coppery on this sherry monster.  It tastes like the Mortlach 17 I have from Malt Trust.

Caol Ila 1996 Un-Chillfiltered
Getting towards the end of the night, my tasting notes start to taper off, but I noted that this white wine colored dram had the typical coal smoke flavor of Caol Ila with some salt and brine, and a finish that went on forever.  I’m always a big fan of Caol Ila and this was no exception.

Port Ellen 1982 Un-Chillfiltered
This was the dram that paid for admission to the tasting ($30 for the whole event).  Pale gold in color, this 25 year old had the typical tangy smoke of Port Ellen.  Energetic.

Edradour Ballechin Madeira Matured
This was a star of the evening.  Coppery gold in color with a massive amount of peat on the nose (50 ppm), this old farmhouse whisky seems simple, but then the madeira begins to creep out behind the peat, adding a layer of complexity.  Really nice if you are a peathead looking for something different.  The craziest fact of all, it’s only a 5 year old!  This one is going on my Christmas list.

Laphroaig 1991 Cask Strength
My notes are non existent here, but if I remember correctly this 16 (?) year old was less like the 15 year old or the new 18 and more like the Cairdeas festival bottling (at least on the nose).  Most interesting, it stood up well to the monster peat of the Ballechin.

As an added bonus, I got a sneak peak at the Edradour Ballechin Olorosso matured whisky due out later this year.  Hard to do a solid tasting after 10 whiskies, but this had a similar profile to the Madeira matured Ballechin – which is to say it was great – but I’d need to do a real side by side when I’m sober to get a good comparative analysis.

Elana at Heights Chateau also generously shared some slightly-watered Octomore, which I found to be surprisingly balanced for all the hype about the peat levels. Thanks for the taste, Elana.  I owe you a dram of Supernova when I get my bottle.  And congrats to you and the guys from Signatory/Edradour for an excellent event.

Here are some pics:

Ballechin - the Start of the Evening

Two Other Favorites

Another week, and another bottle (well, two) around which the whisky blogosphere seems to congregate. The first is a special anniversary offering from Macallan, which has “expensive gimmick” written all over it:

A limited edition of only 250 bottles has been produced and it’s envisaged that these will sell out quickly. The liquid comes from two casks chosen by The Macallan’s whisky maker Bob Dalgarno – one from 1997 and one from 1998, both numbered 1759, the year of Burns’s birth.  The significance of the cask numbers was recognised by Bob and he felt it only appropriate to produce a special bottling for the homecoming year. The rarity of the liquid is a fitting commemoration to Scotland’s famous poet.

Hrm.  A rare liquid chosen not on the quality of the cask, but rather because the arbitrary number on the cask marked a specific historical date?  Add in some ultra-lux packaging and this is just an interesting item to sell to the collectors’ market.  Not that exciting, unless you are fortunate enough to get a free bottle to taste.

For more info, check out Whisky Intelligence and Whisky for Everyone.

The second “hot bottle” this week is from the Glenrothes.  It’s a special bottling honoring Malt Master John Ramsay, and Ramsay himself created it using samples from 30 casks.  With only 100 bottles available (and only in the UK), this is basically for the collector’s market as well, but feels like the product might actually be of a higher quality than the Macallan release.

Whisky Intelligence, Whisky for Everyone, and Edinburgh Whisky all have more information on this bottling.

Tasting Notes From Bloggers We Trust

• Whisky Fun seems to be the first blogger live with tastings of the infamous “Manager’s Choice” selections from Diageo.  Most interestingly, he matches them up against other releases from the same distillery.
• Whisky Notes has four reviews this week – an Aberlour 1995 from Duncan Taylor, a Glenfarclas 1968 by Lindores, an Arran Pomerol Wine Finish, Glendronach 1996 single cask, and Bowmore Tempest.
• Whisky Intelligence tastes a Macallan 14 from The Alchemist, and a Rosebank 18 from Douglas Laing’s Old Malt Cask.
• Whisky for Everyone downs a dram of Jameson Irish Whisky.
• Cask Strength gets their hands on a rare Laphroaig Highgrove House bottling.  The 12 year old  is similar to a Springbank, according to their notes.
• Cask Strength also offers some tasting notes on Ardbeg’s latest, the Corryvreckan.
• John Hansell reviews the Eagle Rare 17 year old bourbon from Buffalo Trace.
• Welsh whisky The Penderyn takes a brutal lashing from the Malt Impostors.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Scotch Hobbyist has a great roundup of the Johnnie Walker Black blending webcast.
• Once upon a time, Maker’s Mark offered three expressions.  John Hansell wants to start a petition to bring them back.
• When is a whiskey a jackalope?  When it is a rye/bourbon blend (bourye) from Utah’s High West distillery.
• The latest edition of Whisky Cast is live.
• John Hansell has a list of the 2009 Classic Malts limited edition releases.
• Glengoyne is launching a 12 year old expression.

Welcome to the Bourbon Edition of Best in Blog.  We’ve got some single malt news too, but lots of Bourbon notes coming out of the whiskysphere this week.

Tasting Notes from Bloggers We Trust:

• We’re kicking this roundup off with Dr. Whisky who says “fuck scotch” and wants to taste a spate of bourbon and ryes.  First up he tries Old Weller Antique “The Original 107 Brand” (Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey). It’s a “wheated” bourbon from Buffalo Trace.  The verdict isn’t good . . .
• Dr. Whisky also tries an Indian “whisky” and finds it “better than he expected.”
• John Hansell has thoughts on Buffalo Trace’s new “Antiques” collection.
• Here are his tasting notes for BT’s “Double Barrel” bottlings.
• Whisky for Everyone has notes on Tobermory 10 and Ben Nevis 10.
• Whisky Fun tastes two young Highland Parks (High Dark Plan and Hjarta).
• Whisky Notes had an eclectic week, tasting Port Charlotte (Nadi Fiori), Amrut Black Adder, Highland Park Hjarta, and a 1979 Port Ellen from Old Bothwell.
• Whisky Intelligence reviews Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist, a Glenrothes 13 year old from Signatory, the Black Grouse, and Black Bull 30 year old blended scotch.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Whisky Cast interviews Elmer T. Lee.
• Macallan is now the second best-selling single malt in America.
• A 60 year old Mortlach is going up for auction this week.  Expected price is ₤10,000.
• Get the list of whiskies available at this years Whisky Fest (San Fran and New York).
• Scotch Hobbyist wants to know, “which stage of malt fanatic are you?“
• The Glenlivet Nadurra Triumph 1991 is headed to the United States.
• So is a 25 year old Rittenhouse Rye.
• Evan Williams is releasing a whiskey liqueur.
• Irish whisky distillery Tullamore Dew is releasing a 10 year old single malt.
• Whisk(e)y Apostle has a list of new US whisk(e)y releases.
• Following an 80% surge in sales over four years, Highland Park is making some substantial upgrades at their distillery.