Belfast - BourbonSphere

A Green Fuel Source for Distillers?

Beam Suntory has successfully tested the use of green hydrogen as a fuel source for directly-firing stills, and is part of a pilot project to… Read More

Beam Suntory has successfully tested the use of green hydrogen as a fuel source for directly-firing stills, and is part of a pilot project to create a hydrogen conversion unit that could be deployed at remote distilleries. We’ll learn more about the potential of hydrogen as a fuel source for distillers on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Laphroaig is looking for a new manager, while R&B Distillers has received planning approval for a new distillery in Campbeltown, Scotland and Dr. Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie makes a surprising admission about this year’s Ardbeg Day release.

Episode 1053: April 21, 2024

Bushmills Douses Blues With Hill Street Edition

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, Irish whiskeymaker Bushmills has released a 36-year-old whiskey – Bushmills Hill Street Edition – but only for those who can be in Belfast this weekend. Bushmills Hill Street edition is a 36-year-old Irish whiskey, re-casked in a sherry hogshead in 2001, bottled at 48% alcohol by volume […]

The post Bushmills Douses Blues With Hill Street Edition first appeared on Whisky Critic – Whisky Reviews & Articles – Style. Attitude. Whisky..

Bushmills Hill Street edition is a 36-year-old Irish whiskey, re-casked in a sherry hogshead in 2001, bottled at 48% alcohol by volume [96 proof] and is said to offer notes of almond, cinnamon, clove, dark chocolate and honey.

Only a mere 208 bottles of Bushmills Hill Street Edition are being offered for your potential St. Patrick’s Day enjoyment and only if you happen to find yourself in Belfast, where it will be made available exclusively for a whopping $6,330 per bottle.

The post Bushmills Douses Blues With Hill Street Edition first appeared on Whisky Critic - Whisky Reviews & Articles - Style. Attitude. Whisky..

Another New Distillery for Kentucky

Garrard County Distilling Company is the latest distillery to come on line in Kentucky, and it’s starting out with big ambitions. The producer of All… Read More

Garrard County Distilling Company is the latest distillery to come on line in Kentucky, and it’s starting out with big ambitions. The producer of All Nations Whiskey has two massive Vendome stills and a pair of rickhouses with plans for 22 more over the next six years. We’ll talk with distillery founder Ray Franklin on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Diageo reports more disappointing sales numbers, while Old Forester names an heir apparent for longtime Master Distiller Chris Morris.

Episode 1042: February 4, 2024

Image courtesy Garrard County Distilling Co.

Northern Ireland’s Distilling Resurgence

There was a time when Belfast and the surrounding counties led the world in whisky production. Several factors led to that tradition all but disappearing… Read More

There was a time when Belfast and the surrounding counties led the world in whisky production. Several factors led to that tradition all but disappearing over the last century, but now, the six counties of Northern Ireland are bringing new life to their distilling heritage. We’ll visit several of the country’s distilleries on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Chivas Brothers faces holiday strikes by distillery and bottling plant workers, while UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has given the country’s distillers a break by freezing excise taxes.

Episode 1032: November 26, 2023

Through the Years with Dewar’s Master Blender Stephanie Macleod

WhiskyCast celebrates our 18th anniversary this week, and Stephanie Macleod has been the Master Blender for Dewar’s almost as long. She was named Master Blender… Read More

WhiskyCast celebrates our 18th anniversary this week, and Stephanie Macleod has been the Master Blender for Dewar’s almost as long. She was named Master Blender in 2006, and has won a shelf full of awards for her work since then. Stephanie joins us this week on WhiskyCast In-Depth to discuss malts, the relationship between blender and distiller, and her role in bringing along the next generation of women in the whisky industry.

Episode 1030: November 12, 2023

The Risks of Whisky Investing

Valuations for rare whiskies have started to slow down after being one of the best performing alternative investments over the last ten years. The latest… Read More

Valuations for rare whiskies have started to slow down after being one of the best performing alternative investments over the last ten years. The latest Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index shows a four percent decline year-over-year in the value of the rare whiskies that make up the index. Is this the start of a trend? We’ll ask rare whisky consultant Andy Simpson, who helps compile the index for Rare Whisky 101.

In the news, Scotch Whisky exports fell during the first six months of 2023 compared to last year, with a sharp 20 percent decrease in volume. Irish whiskey exports rose during 2022, according to a new report released this week, and Hedley Wright, the longtime chairman of Springbank owner J&A Mitchell Co. Ltd. passed away this month at the age of 92.

Episode 1018: August 20, 2023

Islay Boys, Islay Whisky (Episode 964: August 7, 2022)

Scotland’s Isle of Islay is known for its distilleries, and construction will begin soon on the island’s 12th distillery near the shores of Laggan Bay. The Islay Boys, Donald MacKenzie and Mackay Smith, plan to build the new Laggan Bay Distillery across from Islay’s airport on the site of a former RAF World War II barracks. MacKenzie and Smith also own the island’s lone brewery, and plan to make Islay Ales part of the Laggan Bay development. We’ll catch up with Donald MacKenzie on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Kentucky’s Bourbon community is coming together again to help Read More »

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Kirker Greer Gearing Up For St. Paddy’s Day

Belfast-based Kirker Greer Spirits has released Shamrock Irish whiskey – a blend of six whiskies from the four provinces of Ireland – in preparation for next week’s arrival of St. Patrick’s Day (March 17). Kirker Shamrock is comprised of whiskies from these distilleries: Great Northern Distillery from Leinster; West Cork Distillers from Munster; The Shed […]

The Kirker Shamrock blend was created using single grain, single malt and single pot still whiskies which have all been matured in first-fill ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, with a ratio of 60% grain to 40% malt/pot still whiskey and is bottled at 43% alcohol by volume [86 proof].

Kirker Shamrock is being made available in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and the UK.