By Richard Thomas Rating: B The second in the new Benriach “Season” series whiskies is Malting Season, so named because Benriach is one of just seven Scottish distilleries still engaged in on-site, in-house floor malting. Indeed, Benriach itself only resumed the practice in 2012. For this particular single malt, the wort was made using Concerto …
The Gospel Straight Rye Whiskey–made of 100% Australian unmalted rye–has come to the US. The Gospel is bringing together traditional American whiskey history with its Australian culture and environment. Already in markets in France, Germany, the UK, Hong Kong and China, The Gospel marks its US launch in over 29 states. New to the scene, …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B These last few years, it seems like everybody (even slightly) famous thinks they can start up a spirits brand or merit having an expression named after them. At this point, I am so sick of seeing adds for Proper Twelve that I would gladly watch Floyd Mayweather whup his ass …
The Problem Isn’t The Secondary Market Anymore. It’s The Retailers. By Richard Thomas Whenever the subject of the spiraling cost for limited edition whiskeys has come up during the last decade, someone always curses “the secondary market.” Lately, it has even become the villain for why brands like Blanton’s are no longer available on store …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Newport’s New Riff Distilling is riding more waves of novelty than just those names. The distillery is part of a new class of medium-sized distilleries in Kentucky, and is also part of the group that followed Old Pogue in bringing bourbon-making back to Northern Kentucky. New Riff has also become …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ I first wrote up Compass Box’s Great King Street Artist’s Blend in Spring 2012, and we are fast coming upon the 10th anniversary. Much has changed in that decade, not just for Compass Box, but for this specific brand. Created as the standard bearer for Compass Box’s line of artfully …
In time for the holiday season, Crown Royal is celebrating the release of the award-winning whisky brand’s most luxurious variant to date. Crown Royal Aged 18 Years is a rare blend of exceptional whiskies, handcrafted by their master blender, patiently aged to perfection for eighteen years. In honor of the release, Crown Royal commissioned celebrity …
Smith Bowman Distillery announces the latest release in its Abraham Bowman series of experimental whiskey, the Abraham Bowman Rum Finished Bourbon. The bourbon in this release aged for nine years in American White Oak before finishing in rum casks for an additional six years. This release may just be the oldest rum cask finished bourbon …
It’s finally the time of the year where we all look forward to unwinding after a year’s worth of hard work. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, it is a great opportunity to take some time off from the hustle-bustle of life. After all, we have earned it! The last two years have been heavy …
By Richard Thomas Rating:B+ The premise behind The Glenmorangie’s Cadboll Estate line of single malt whisky is simple. The distillery is taking their estate-grown barley from the lands around the distillery itself. The whisky is matured for 15 years (or more) in first-fill examples of the most common cask type used in Scotland, ex-bourbon barrels. …
