Occasionally, just to keep our noses and palates finely tuned, Clutch and I will have an impromptu private tasting of single malts at either of our places. It’s the kind of training regimen that Rocky Balboa would be proud of. On one of these evenings, we did a bit of a marathon session, where we… Continue reading La Phrog
Whisky Country: Part 3
Glenfiddich distillery is situated on the doorstep of the picturesque town of Dufftown. It produces one of the most ubiquitous and widely consumed malts in the world, in the form of the Glenfiddich 12 Year Old, but its other expressions are definitely worth investigating also. The Solera Reserve or 15 Year Old, as it has… Continue reading Whisky Country: Part 3
Whisky Country: Part 2
So, I thought I should conclude my recent expedition to The Moray Riviera before it becomes too much of a distant memory. My father and I set off for Huntly in the morning, with the intention of visiting Whiskies Of Scotland. It’s staffed by a very friendly and knowledgeable man by the name of Ronnie… Continue reading Whisky Country: Part 2
The Land of Ire
So while Clutch was celebrating his father’s 60th in what he calls ‘whisky country‘, I was hanging out with musicians in what I suppose you could call ‘whiskey (with an ‘e’) country’. Except mostly, it wasn’t. I’ve had it before of course – a Jameson’s here and there, the occasional Bushmills, and I like it… Continue reading The Land of Ire
Whisky Country: Part 1
I travelled northwards on Monday night, with the intention of becoming a surprise guest at my Dad’s 60th birthday, and expanding my knowledge of all things malt. Obviously the best approach to this would be to sample as many as I could, and thanks to my father’s generosity and extensive collection, I managed to do… Continue reading Whisky Country: Part 1
Tasting notes
I have a Moleskine notebook. I’d wanted one for years, and I could never justify the fact that they are so much more expensive than anything else out there in that category of product. But once I actually bought one in a moment of self-indulgence, I realised what the cost factor was. Moleskine notebooks are… Continue reading Tasting notes
What food with whisky?
I once read that whisky writer Michael Jackson loved to always have chocolate chip cookies on hand when tasting some of the peatier Islay malts. I can no longer find the reference, and perhaps that’s equal parts memory and wishful thinking, but I get the feeling that there are other things that can be had… Continue reading What food with whisky?
Back for a drink
There’s this sense you get, when you’re talking to someone who knows a little bit more about something you’re interested in, that they have access to something that’s just a little bit outside your reach. Like when you play chess or tennis against someone you know can beat you – but they have to work… Continue reading Back for a drink