Bushmills SMWS 51.8 “Funky flowers and tropical fruits”

Recently we’ve seen a sudden jump in Irish whiskey coming out. Perhaps due to certain tariffs from a specific country caused by a dumb fight between airline manufacturers, perhaps due to the rise in demand for Scotch, or perhaps because there was a rumoured large amount of honey barrels released by a rich collector family. […]

Millstone Oloroso Sherry Special No.9

Thanks to /u/boyd86 for sharing this dram. There was a time where, if you drank whisky, statistically it was made in Ireland. Scotch wasn’t as big. And there was a time where if you drank Scotch it was a single malt (statistically) and underage or a blend, depending on the decade. We don’t know the next big […]

Omar 4 2013 Cask Strength

Thanks to /u/throzen for sharing a sample of this bottle. Omar means Amber in Gaelic. Nantou, though, is in Taiwan. And that’s where we begin. Nantou located it in an area suitable for whisky. In the 1980s they sent men to Scotland to learn whisky making. So when discussing Taiwanese whisky, why does Nantou or Omar not […]

Perth Canadian Whisky

Thanks to /u/devoz, who pointed out this whisky and said I had to try it. Top Shelf Distillers is a small distillery. They currently are making moonshine, gin, vodka, Perth Canadian Whisky, and hand sanitizer (if you’re reading this after the pandemic is over, wash your hands, hug your friends and family, and appreciate the little things in […]

Lot 40 Cask Strength Third Edition & Pike Creek 21 Oloroso Finish

Each year we receive the Canadian equivalent of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, called the Northern Border collection from J.P. Wiser’s. Sadly this year I couldn’t go to the tasting that typically happens to try them. Luckily, as part of a tasting, there were two of the whiskies hanging out as open whiskies ready to […]

Alberta Premium Cask Strength

Thanks to /u/devoz for sharing this dram with me. Alberta is currently a hot topic in Canada. There’s some history there which I won’t be getting into. I won’t be opening that particular can of worms here. That said, it is the origin and part of the name of the whisky I’ll be reviewing today, Alberta Premium Cask […]

Shelter Point Single Malt Kensington Wine Market Pick / Shelter Point Single Cask Rye

I’m always looking for a “next distillery”. Something that makes a whisky that I’ll enjoy. And while I typically enjoy Scotch, I do want other countries to make cool stuff too. Enter Canada, get cold, go home, realize home is a little crazy (unless you’re part of Germany or a country that’s less crazy), come […]

Hibiki Japanese Harmony [Re-Review]

Thanks to my buddy John for sharing a dram of this one. Hibiki 30… is not being reviewed today. It is the Hibiki white whale that I search for. Wait, that seems familiar. Let’s go a different route. Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a blended malt from Hibiki meant to mimic music, with high and low notes, […]

Mars Iwai / Mars Iwai Tradition

Thanks to my buddy John for sharing these as part of a tasting we had in summer. Japanese whisky. Wait, wait, I’m not about to gush all over it. As I never really have. Also I’m not going to hate on it either. So if I’m not here to bury or praise Caesar (or Tojo, […]

Amrut Oloroso Single Cask 4133 [Mystery]

Thanks to nsquare14 for this mystery. Amrut. Yeah, I didn’t know it was Amrut when I started, but safe bet I’ll enjoy an Amrut. devoz and I are big fans of the Indian single malt and have a fun competition where we try to out-review the other one. We also share quite a few drams. Enter a sherried […]