By Richard Thomas When I broke into whiskey journalism, Irish Whiskey was on the cusp of its renaissance. The number of distilleries in Ireland had increased just a few years before from three distilleries to four. Since then, the count has increased ten fold. Nowhere has that distillery building boom been more in evidence than …
By Richard Thomas One of the idealized features of an artisanal movement–whether it be craft beer, craft whiskey or craft gin–is the spirit of independence. That ideal has existed more often in the imaginations of the imbibers than at the company making the booze, but it’s easy to understand how it got there: the little …
By Richard Thomas More than a decade ago, I wondered in print that if Kentucky and Tennessee were America’s first and second whiskey states, who was the craft scene propelling to become number three. It took years for the issue to resolve itself, but by the time the Pandemic was clearing up, it had in …
By Richard Thomas The whiskey release calendar often sees a flurry of activity in the early and middle springtime, following the conclusion of the Holidays. Summers aren’t quite the doldrums the season used to be, but even so it is slower than what come before and what follows, the red hot autumnal period. So, here …
By Richard Thomas John Lunn could be fairly described as the giant of Tennessee Whiskey that the average enthusiast has never heard of, and he passed away on March 30, 2023. He was 53 years old. In an era when veteran master distillers are revered by a large and growing fan base as rock stars, …
By Richard Thomas Usually it’s Christmas or birthdays that prompt splurging, but when it comes to splurging on whiskey, I think St. Patrick’s Day is as good an excuse as any to pick up a very fine bottle of Irish Whiskey. After all, if you’re self-employed or run your own business (as I do) and …
By Richard Thomas High end bourbon has been rocked by twin scandals in 2023, and while they are taking place on opposite sides of the country, all of it lies in the realm of bottles that are either truly finite (i.e. no more are coming) or those commanding demand that far outstrips supply. Collectables, in …
By Richard Thomas Although some ignore it or limit their participation to wearing something green, many mark St. Patrick’s Day with our own little tweaks on the holiday. I put out a bottle of Irish Whiskey on the shelf (to be shared with what guests come calling) on March 1st every year, and make things …
By Richard Thomas That I’m a devoted dog lover will probably come as a surprise to you, despite that devotion rising to such a level that I jokingly affirm my “dog nut” status is a minor mental illness. The only time whiskey and dogs have ever crossed paths in such a way as I could …
By Richard Thomas For those of us who live in the Bluegrass and regularly make the trip between Lexington and Louisville, the billboards telling travelers to stop in at either the Lexington or Louisville location of Justins’ House of Bourbon is a familiar sight. Billed as Kentucky’s premier bourbon shop, these stores have become a …
