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BILLY LEIGHTON’S REDBREAST DREAM CASK – An Exclusive Tasting Of A Rare Dram!

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#RedbreastDreamCask – ready to rock!

Last Saturday I had the good fortune to be part of Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey’s www.facebook.com/RedbreastSinglePotStill, a Facebook LIVE tasting of a rare and exclusive Redbreast Irish whiskey to celebrate World Whisky Day 2017.

Head Blender Billy Leighton had hand-selected a Redbreast single cask and Billy then led the 20-minute tasting with Redbreast Apprentice Blender Dave McCabe, from warehouse A1 in the grounds of the Midleton Distillery, to a global audience of whiskey fans.

#RedbreastDreamCask is a single cask single pot still Irish whiskey that offers a unique take on Redbreast’s full bodied flavour profile, renowned for its signature Christmas cake character – the result of a strong contribution from Oloroso sherry casks.

A surprise was in store for us all!

Leighton and McCabe took whiskey fans on a whistle-stop journey through the history of Redbreast and shared the qualities that make the range the definitive example of single pot still whiskey from Ireland.

Finally, Billy let us know exactly what we would be tasting. The dram we were to sample was drawn from Cask 41207 with a final 46.7% ABV. This olorosso sherry cask is a recask from 2011.

Before that it spent 25 years in re-fill ex-bourbon barrel making this dram just over 31 years old!

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey – 31 Years Old (46.7%)


Colour: Beautiful, rich, mahogany colour with glorious depth.

Nose: Blood oranges, rich dark fruits, blackcurrant.

Palate: Succuluent dark fruits, blackcurrants and blood orange abounds. Vanilla caramel adds a creamy accompaniment.

Finish: Black coffee, fresh pepper and very, very long!

Overall: This is a rich feast of flavours! The nose is exceptional and promises very great things. The taste does not disappoint, it is intense and satisfying. A rare treat and my tastebuds have rarely been so spoiled!

Redbreast is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Sampling The Kilchoman 100% Islay 7th Edition!

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Kilchoman 100% Islay 7th Edition

Kilchoman, Islay’s Farm Distillery, have launched their 7th edition of their 100% Islay range. The 100% Islay releases are particularly special to Kilchoman with all parts of the whisky making process, from barley to bottle, completed on site at the farm. This marks these releases out as truly unique with Kilchoman being the only distillery in Scotland to produce Single Malt in this traditional hand crafted way.

Shipping from May 1st!

Kilchoman 100% Islay 7th Edition Year Old will retail for approximately £70.00.

The distillery has very kindly sent me a sample. So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman 100% Islay 7th Edition (50%)


Colour: Pale, straw colour.

Nose: Strong, pleasant charred wood and smoke hits you straight away. Little bit of green apple and vanilla starts to come through after a while in the glass. Caramel also makes an appearane in stronger tones as time progresses.

Palate: Smokey and slightly peaty, sweet vanilla and fresh citrus fruit.

Finish: Very smooth long finish with the peat smokiness and sweet fruit complementing each other throughout. A hint of pepperiness sends it on it’s way!

Overall: I WANT THIS DRAM! If your into balanced peatiness coupled with fresh fruit and vanilla sweetness then this whisky should certainly be on your shortlist … a shortlist of ONE!

So. What are you waiting for?

Background Notes:

The farm is based on the rugged west coast of Islay and nestled in the outbuildings is the distillery. They work throughout the year to grow, malt, distill, mature and bottle Kilchoman’s unique single malt using traditional farm distilling techniques not seen on Islay for generations.

Since day one we have not only been proud of the traditional methods revived to create the 100% Islay releases but also the quality of the spirit produced. We are now growing more barley than ever for future releases of this beautifully fresh and vibrant whisky.

– Anthony Wills: Kilchoman Founder and Managing Director

This, the 7th edition of the annually released limited edition, is a vatting of fresh and refill ex Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels filled in 2010 and bottled in 2017. This is the most mature expression released to date and as with all previous 100% Islay releases, the 7th edition has been produced from barley exclusively grown and malted at the distillery.

Kilchoman are the only Islay distillery to produce whisky in this traditional way, making this single malt truly 100% Islay. The peating level comes in slightly lighter than the rest of the Kilchoman range and creates a fresh and floral balance with the bourbon cask maturation.

From Barley to Bottling …

The development of the 100% Islay casks from the Inaugural release up to this, the oldest 100% Islay release, has been intriguing to see. As the bourbon barrel maturation influences the spirit over time it has taken on a real depth of character and complexity to add to the light citrus fruit and peat smoke of the Kilchoman spirit.

– Robin Bignal: Production Manager

Founded in 2005, Kilchoman is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland and was the first distillery to be built on Islay for over 124 years. Today Kilchoman is the only independently owned Islay distillery.

Visit them online at www.kilchomandistillery.com

Kilchoman is the only distillery in Scotland to produce whisky from barley grown and malted on site

Kilchoman is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Sampling Teeling’s The Revival Volume III!

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The Revival Vol. III joins Teeling Whiskey’s range of award winning Irish whiskeys

Teeling Whiskey Unveils Third Bottling of The Revival Single Malt

Teeling Whiskey, Ireland’s leading independent Irish whiskey producer, is proud to unveil the third bottling of “The Revival”, a limited edition commemorative Single Malt. The Revival Volume III is being released to celebrate the 18-month anniversary of the opening of the Teeling Whiskey Distillery and will be limited to only 10,000 bottles.

The original Revival bottling was produced in 2015 to mark the opening of the Teeling Whiskey Distillery, the first new distillery in Dublin in over 125 years. The third edition of this bottling consists of a 14-Year-Old Single Malt Irish whiskey distilled in 2002, initially matured in ex-Bourbon casks before being given further maturation in 350 litre ex-Pineau Des Charentes casks to impart an extra pressed grape and dried fruit flavour unique to Irish whiskey. Further, the Revival Vol. III has been bottled at 46% ABV with no chill filtration to complete an Irish whiskey of true character.

The Revival Vol. III joins Teeling Whiskey’s range of award winning Irish whiskeys which have collected over 100 international awards over the past four years. The maturation from the ex-Pineau Des Charentes casks creates a unique palette pteasing taste profile, reminiscent of dried fruit and toffee pineapple rounded off with a toasted almond and dark chocolate bitterness that’s balanced perfectly with a lingering soft sweetness. A signature bouquet of honey and hazelnuts flavours tops off the dark chocolate undertones of this limited edition Single Malt.

It is hard to believe we are just 18 months away from having Irish whiskey distilled from our new distillery in Dublin and to honour this half way point we have decided to release something very unique to mark the occasion with the first ever Pineau des Charentes finished Irish whiskey.

Our third Revival release will be limited to only 10,000 bottles and sold both through our distillery as well as our domestic and international distributors.
– Jack Teeling: Founder and Managing Director of the Teeling Whiskey Company

Pineau des Charentes is a regional French aperitif, made in the southwestern regions of Charente, Charente-Maritime and, to a much lesser extent, Dordogne in western France. It is a fortified wine made from either fresh, unfermented grape juice or a blend of lightly fermented grape must, to which a Cognac eau-de-vie is added and then matured in oak barrels.

The Revival Vol III 14-Year-Old will retail for approximately £120.00 (GBP£110.00). The product will be available in Ireland through the Teeling Distillery in Newmarket Dublin 8, Dublin Airport, the Celtic Whiskey Stop and all good independent off licences and will then be rolled out to international markets such as the UK, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Denmark and Italy.

The Revival Vol III 14 Year Old will retail for approximately £110.00.

Teeling Whiskey has very kindly sent me a sample. So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Teeling Whiskey The Revival III (46%)


Nose: Crisp green apples and pears. Caramel infused with rich vanilla.

Palate: Creamy mouthfeel. Caramel and cooked apple.

Finish: Quite dry, salty with pleasantly subtle peppery spices that grow in intensity. A Long finish.

Overall: Another powerful alcohol hit, much akin to the I & II, but appreciably smoother. Not my favourite of the trio but a worthy dram all the same.

Many thanks to Teeling Whiskey (@TeelingWhiskey) for sending the sample!

Teeling Whiskey is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

The Glen Grant & Wild Turkey Twitter Tasting – Which One Would Tickle Your tastebuds?

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Which one would tickle your tastebuds?

It was a Glen Grant and Wild Turkey comparison ‘taste-in’ for Wednesday nights Tweet Tasting, hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire.

The malts sampled were:-

  • Glen Grant 10 Years Old
  • Wild Turkey 101
  • Glen Grant 12 Years Old
  • Wild Turkey Rye

There was a marked difference in the tastes and styles of the two brands and differences of opinion abounded on the night on Twitter. The great thing though about a wide selection of flavours is that there was something to please most palates on the night!

If you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #UKvUSA on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Glen Grant 10 Years Old (40%)

Glen Grant was founded in 1840 by brothers John & James Grant. Today, Glen Grant is the world’s number 5 selling single malt Scotch whisky. Production at the Rothes based distillery is overseen by Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm, who has worked for Glen Grant for over five decades. The 10 Years Old is Matured in bourbon barrels.


Nose: Very fruity and fresh! Pears and apples with a slight hint of honey and vanilla custard and also a bit pear droppy.

Palate: A bit ‘thin’ mouthfeel wise. Sweet and sugary, honey vanilla with hint of apples.

Finish: Long fiesty and peppery!

Tasting Notes – Wild Turkey 101 (50.5%)

Wild Turkey features the legendary father & son Master Distilling team of Jimmy & Eddie Russell, who have 90 years of combined experience making bourbon. This bourbon has a mashbill of 75% Corn, 13% Rye & 12% Malted Barley.


Nose: Lovely colour and so sweet! Toffee and oranges and tropicalness. Apple pie with lots of sugar and slightly caramalised – I’m in love! Slight oak, maybe just a splinter or two!

Palate: Just lovely! Syrupy sweet, tropical fruity – doesn’t disappoint and a great taste of cherries!

Finish: So smooth in the finish – sweet and long with a modicum of pepper – I’m impressed!

Tasting Notes – Glen Grant 12 Years Old (43%)

The 12 Years Old is Matured in bourbon barrels.


Nose: Nice woodiness coming straight through with a cheeky bit of honey with toffee and crisp apple – a bit less ‘pushy’ than the 10.

Palate: Toffee, vanilla and apple – nicely balanced and tasty!

Finish: Subtle, warming pepper – more refined and mature than the 10.

Tasting Notes – Wild Turkey Rye (40.5%)

Matured in ‘Alligator Charred’ American oak barrels. An Alligator aka No 4 Char, gives the interior of the barrel a rough texture similar to that of alligator skin.

This level of char imparts bigger & bolder vanilla and spice flavours. This Rye has a mashbill of 65% Rye, 23% Corn & 12% Malted Barley.


Nose: Very close to the 101 but maybe more ‘earthy’. Toffee, fudge, orange oak and a promise of great things to come …

Palate: ‘Meatier’ compared to the 101 but just as tasty! Sweet, tropical fruit but a little drier and more cherry cola! Licorice and caramel with charred wood thrown in.

Finish: Smooth, sweet finish with fruit and a little spice to wend it on it’s way – delightful!

My Favourite On The Night

Out of the 4, I think it’s got to be the Wild Turkey 101 – an absolute revelation! Bold, fruity, smooth – Get In!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening and the teams at Glen Grant (@GlenGrantUK) and Wild Turkey (@WildTurkeyUK), for the samples and without whom!

My fellow Tweeters were:-


@GreatDrams @BritishBourbon @london_liquor @spikeydog120 @WhiskyDiscovery @dvdbloke @iheartwhisky @MichaelMcKillop @RealDramRob @DistilleryBikes @GeorgeHHutton @allthingsbooze @bigfootrunning @JasonVaswani @MorayTours @The_Bourbonator @cache1337 @whiskyfreak123 @MaltMusings @bourgeoisbooze @mnshanbhag @PhilScott101 @Whisky_lit @WildTurkeyUK Tweet Tasters: 6/6 @Jamie_Rowley @whiskywings @brawspirit @SpiritAndWood

Glen Grant is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Wild Turkey is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

The Benromach Tweet Tasting – History In The drinking!

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Treats before Christmas!

It was the 100th. Tweet Tasting last Wednesday night and the last one before Chrimbo and to celebrate both events Steve from The Whisky Wire gave us a cracking selection of drams to savour from the folks at the Benromach Distillery.

We were lucky enough to get a chance to try their Heritage 1973 Cask 4606 of which only 52 bottles have been produced. So, a rare chance indeed!

Benromach is a Speyside distillery founded by Duncan McCallum and F.W. Brickman in 1898 and currently owned and run by Gordon and Macphail who took over the distillery in 1993. Following a painstaking restoration, it was re-opened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998.

Since then sales of the classic Speyside malt have grown dramatically and Benromach is now exported to 42 countries around the world.

In 2013 a third distiller was recruited and additional warehouses were added to allow production to be expanded.

April 2014 saw a new look for the flagship Benromach 10 Years Old, reflecting its pre-1960s character and the fact that each cask is hand-filled, hand-weighed and hand-stamped.

In all the four drams sampled were:-

  • Benromach 10 Years Old
  • Benromach 100° Proof
  • Benromach 15 Years Old
  • Benromach 1973

If you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #BenromachXmas on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Benromach 10 Years Old (43%)

For this 10 year old the recipe is – 80% Bourbon barrels, 20% Sherry hogshead. Final year in first fill Oloroso casks.

Nose: Peaty and smokey – whiffs of sweetness and lovely caramel, maple syrup and honey aromas. There’s also stewed fruits and vanilla with the smoke fadeing away after a while …

Palate: Sweet Christmas cake mixture, grapefruit and a whiff of smoke pushing thru the sherriness.

Finish: Long, fiery, peppery, smoke-infused finish with hints of tobacco. Dry tanin aftertaste.

Overall: Quite a raw beast this one but a very drinkable dram all the same.

Tasting Notes – Benromach 100° Proof (57%)

Named after the old Imperial measure which followed a tradition established when skeptical sailors, who wanted to ensure their rum rations had not been watered down mixed spirit with gunpowder. If the mixture ignited, its strength was “proved”!

Nose: Sweet sherry frutiness. Apples and sweet sugars, honey, chocolate and demerara makes an appearance.

Palate: Sweet, rich fruit cake, sherry and spiciness – all delivered in an “Oomph!” of pure spirit!

Finish: Very smooth finish, lovely muted pepperyness peat and smokiness blending together well. Some tobacco also.

Overall: Class in a Glass – all you need is a roaring open fire to sip it by – and don’t get up from your seat too quickly!

Tasting Notes – Benromach 15 Years Old (43%)

As with the 10 year old the 15 year is matured in both bourbon barrels & sherry casks, with the sherry being the more dominant part.

Benromach insist on only using the highest quality first fill casks, from a variety of different sources. They take casks from the bodegas of one of the world’s leading sherry houses in Spain: Williams & Humbert.

Benromach also have new oak casks made to exact specifications of thickness of stave & charring by Antonio Paez Lobato. These casks are used to mature sherry for 3 years before they’re emptied & shipped to the distillery.

Benromach also use ex-bourbon barrels, which are shipped from America & coopered in Speyside.


Nose: Honeyed and waxy with green apples. No smoke etc. for me on this one at all and I have to admit to a little mint! (This caused quite a discussion on the night!)

Palate: Smooth, rounded, bit of smoke, some lovely frutiness and is my mouth deceiving me – do I taste a little mint as well?!

Finish: Sweet, dry finish, hint of tobacco – quite short … I thought.

Tasting Notes – Benromach 1973 (48.9%)

Limited to just 52 bottles, Benromach Heritage 1973 Cask 4606, is a UK exclusive.

Benromach Heritage 1973, is a 42 Year Old single malt, which was distilled before the Urquhart family took the reins and brought Benromach Distillery back to life in 1998. It currently retails for around £1400

Nose: Cherrys, crisp green apples, sumptous honey! Pineapple and sweet candy with zingy refreshers!

Palate: WoW! Intense! Sweet, tropical fruits, mint & zesty lemon.

Finish: Coffee and sweet pepper finish but the tropical hit just goes on and on! Familiar hints of tobacco at the very end.

Overall: Lots of flavours coming and going within this exceptional dram. I could have gone on discovering new flavours all night and I probably would have but my sample ran dry!

It was a big deal for me to get to taste this cracker – so many different flavours in a glass – remarkable!

My Favourite On The Night

Out of the four, I think it’s got to be the Benromach 1973. Well it has to be doesn’t it? History in the drinking!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening and of course, the team at Benromach (@Benromach), for sending the samples and without whom!

My fellow Tweeters were:-


@GreatDrams @WhiskyCorner @TomsWhisky @rodbodtoo @RealDramRob @JasonVaswani @whiskyrepublic @WhiskyApocalyps @BeersIveKnown @cache1337 @spikeydog120 @kaskwhisky @raithrover @AlpacaJo

Benromach is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Many thanks to Steve for another great year of Tweet Tasting – Here’s to 2017!


Sampling The Teeling Vintage Reserve Collection 24 Year Old – A Taste Bud Package To Die For!

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Limited to just 5,000 bottles …

Teeling Whiskey have kindly sent me a sample of their new Teeling Whiskey Vintage Reserve 24 Year Old – now that’s what I call an early Christmas Present!

Awarded World’s Best Irish Single Malt, 2016 at the World Whiskies Awards

Limited to just 5,000 bottles, the Teeling Whiskey Company has produced a special whiskey release containing some of the oldest Irish Single Malt in the world.

Matured initially in Bourbon casks before being given an additional maturation in ex-Sauternes wine barrels, it is bottled at 46% with no chill filtration thus retaining all the qualities of a whiskey of true character.

Teeling Whiskey Vintage Reserve 24 Year Old was awarded World’s Best Irish Single Malt, 2016 at the World Whiskies Awards.

My Tasting Notes – Teeling Whiskey Vintage Reserve 24 Year Old (46%)


Nose: Thick honey, sticky, rich fig jam, giving way to salty caramel popcorn. All very luscious and inviting! But take your time and hold back – the nose on this develops to be a joy in itself!

Palate: Satisfying mouthfeel. Very smooth. Sweet, figgy jam, honeyed caramel with a slight, sweet, saltiness thrown in.

Finish: A long smooth finish with a lovely salty sweetness touched with a hint of spice.

Overall: An exceptional dram – so morish! Nothing harsh about this one at all – a fine, smooth balance of fruity sweetness with just a hint of spiciness – a taste bud package to die for!

Many thanks to Teeling Whiskey (@TeelingWhiskey) for sending the samples!

Teeling Whiskey is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Tasting The Half-Century Blend – a lesson in smoothness from start to finish!

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Joy in a glass!

My Tasting Notes – The Blended Whisky Company The Half-Century Blend (45.5%)

As promised – here are my tasting notes for this amazing blended whisky.

Nose: Very powerful sugar-laden fruity aromas. Green, waxy, apples. Thick, sticky, caramel fudge.

Palate: Sweet, syrupy with vanilla and caramel. Stewed apple and some lovely, dry oak undertones.

Finish: Smooth, so smooth! Slight spicinesss in a long, sweet caramelly finish.

Overall: A dram in a league of it’s own! Not a trace of harshness, no rough edges, a lesson in smoothness from start to finish. Gorgeously sweet with a nice healthy fruitiness to balance. The world is a better place for this kind of dram!

Background

The Blended Whisky Company has revealed their newest limited edition release, The Half-Century Blend, honouring the era before the ‘whisky-boom’ and the quest for increased yields at all costs.

Just 768 bottles of The Half-Century Blend were produced

Just 768 bottles of The Half-Century Blend were produced

Following on from their two multi-award-winning whiskies, The Lost Distilleries Blend (World’s Best Blended Whisky – World Whiskies Awards 2014) and The Golden Age Blend (Best Scotch Blend – World Whiskies Awards 2016), The Blended Whisky Company has unveiled their latest limited edition release – The Half-Century Blend.

Only whiskies aged for over 50 years were used to create this astonishing blend, standing testament to the extraordinary complexity of these whiskies – distilled over half a century ago. The ‘whisky-boom’ of the late 1960s to the 1980s saw the beginning of an inexorable march towards modernisation, and the quest for increased yields at all costs.

Before this shift, distilleries were home to less efficient barley-strains, sprawling on-site floor maltings, inefficient brewer’s yeast, lengthy fermentation times, mucky direct-fired stills, bulky and inefficient worm-tub condensers and less active refill casks. The result of all this inefficiency, waste and lost commercial-opportunity? Flavour, subtlety, poise, an incredible depth of fruit-character and a beguiling, ethereal quality sadly missing from many of today’s whiskies.

Proving that patience has its rewards, the slow-maturing whiskies contained in The Half-Century Blend were produced in an era where flavour – not forecasts – ruled the roost.

Just 768 bottles of The Half-Century Blend (RRP £599.95) were produced in this first batch, with an ABV of 45.5%.

Many thanks to The Blended Whisky Company (@BlendedWhiskyCo) for sending the samples!

The Blended Whisky Company range is available from fine retailers including Amathus, Amazon, Harvey Nichols, Hedonism, Master of Malt and Ocado.

Wemyss Malts Tweet Tasting – A Batch Strength Celebration!

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Batch Strength? Oh Yes!

Batch Strength? Oh Yes!

Wednesday night was Batch Strength Tweet Tasting night, courtesy of Wemyss Malts and Steve from The Whisky Wire.

We had the opportunity to sample three of a new range of Non-chill filtered, No Age Statement blends with a fiesty alcohol strength of between 54.5% – 57%.

The Blended Whiskies sampled were:-

  • Wemyss Malts The Hive
  • Wemyss Malts Spice King
  • Wemyss Malts Peat Chimney

If you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #WemyssMalts on Twitter.

The Range

The Range!

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Wemyss Malts The Hive (54.5%)

Launched last month these limited edition (6000 bottles each) Batch Strength bottlings are the latest offerings from the multi-award winning Edinburgh based boutique spirits company. Each one uses signature malts to define their flavour and aroma as their names suggests.

Wemyss Malts have tailored the blend recipe for The Hive Batch Strength, to increase the deepness of the sweetness.

Nose: Quite subtle honey for me. Green apples, caramel and salt. There’s lemon, orange and cereal notes and I Love the luscious way it coats the glass!

Palate: Smooth, sweet with a satisfying mouthfeel. Honeyed, sweet and biscuity – pretty punchy though!

Finish: Quite dry finish, with caramel to accompany it – very little spice.

Tasting Notes – Wemyss Malts Spice King (56.0%)

Spice King Batch Strength has been made using a different assortment of West Coast signature malts providing an increased salinity & pepperiness which when blended with the peated malts provides a salt caramel like flavour.

Each of the new Batch Strength bottlings have been produced using a selection of single malts, sourced from over 10 Scotch whisky distilleries.


Nose: Smokey peat on this one for sure. Waxy, salty, tobacco and ever so slightly honey.

Palate: Smooth, thick mouthfeel, waxy with a fruity sweetness. Spicy kick coming through.

Finish: Syrupy, honey finish married with lovely intense spiced, salty flavours!

Tasting Notes – Wemyss Malts Peat Chimney (57.0%)

Peat Chimney Batch Strength is made with roughly the same recipe as the Non Chill filtered 46% core variant taking advantage of a heavily peated, late-cut distilled Islay whisky as its signature malt.

Nose: More peat, less smoke on this one. A Less oily dram – citrus & more rich, dark peat. There’s a little popcorn but mostly it’s gently smoking peat (with a rich frutiness)!

Palate: Smooth, oily thick, sweet and nicely peaty – does exactly what it says etc…

Finish: Peppery sweetened spice to finish and that ever present peat.

Overall: A Fruity and smokey fireplace burming peat – what a delight!

Tasting Notes – Wemyss Malts Rob Roy Cocktail

The famous Cocktail using Peat Chimney Batch Strength as its base. Originally created in 1894 by a bartender at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan.

It was named in honour of the premiere of Rob Roy, an operetta by composer Reginald De Koven & lyricist Harry B. Smith. The operetta was loosely based upon Scottish folk hero Rob Roy MacGregor.

The recipe is:-

  • 50ml Peat Chimney Batch Strength
  • 30ml Sweet Vermouth
  • 10ml PX Sherry
  • 10ml demerara syrup
  • Dash of cherry bitters
  • Garnish with cherries and orange

All three of the new Batch Strength bottlings can be used with this and other cocktails including The Old Fashioned.

Palate: Mmm … that’s nice – smokey vermouth and Sweet n’ sour cherry sherry! A tasty cherriness coupled with the sherry and I love the way the cherry also battles it out with the peatiness!

Overall: Morish, powerful and tasty – enough said!

My Favourite On The Night

The Peat Chimney – The peat, you just gotta luv Peat!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening and of course, Wemyss Malts (@WemyssMalts), for sending the samples and without whom!

My fellow Tweeters were:-


@WhiskyDiscovery @whiskyrepublic @moonbites @WhiskyApocalyps @WhiskyWriter @TheFinestCut @thisismydram @RealDramTom @Ardbaggie @WhiskyManc @DistilleryBikes @Andrews_Share @_littlebrowndog @dramming_uk @Unchillfilter @LauraWBurgess @ocdwhisky @Girl_Whisky @LaCaveDeCobalt @dram_gazette @MaltKlaus @RBWhiskyWorld @the_whisky_lady @ChrisMCoates @whiskylord @allthingsbooze @PWulf @RealDramRob @brawspirit @Milroys

Wemyss Malts are available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Rebel Yell Tweet Tasting – Something To Shout About!

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Yelling since 1849!

Yelling since 1849!

On the Eve of the US Election I virtually attended a very appropriate Monday nights Tweet Tasting. The politics were left to others and instead we sampled some of the Rebel Yell Bourbon range.

Way more fun and everyone was a winner!

Hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire, the whiskeys sampled were:-

  • Rebel Yell Kentucky Straight Bourbon
  • Rebel Yell Small Batch Reserve
  • Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye

If you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #RebelYellBourbon on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Rebel Yell Kentucky Straight Bourbon (40%)

Rebel Yell takes its name from the Confederate war cry, used during the American Civil War. The original Rebel Yell recipe was invented in 1849, at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Kentucky. Aged for at least four years, Rebel Yell Kentucky Straight Bourbon, is made using a mash bill of wheat, corn and malted barley.


Nose: Lot’s of green apples and caramel, honey and pear and spearmint. Little bit of oakyness but mainly very fresh and sweet!

Palate: Rich vanilla and caramel, sherbet sweet and green apples. A smattering of mintyness and there’s a dry woodiness as well.

Finish: Smooth finish with a little chilli spice.

Tasting Notes – Rebel Yell Small Batch Reserve (45.3%)

Rebel Yell has been favoured by the like of Keith Richards and Billy Idol. Rebel Yell Small Batch Reserve is made using a mash bill of wheat, corn & malted barley.


Nose: Quite subtle in comparison with the Straight Bourbon. Some heavy vanilla and fudge. A lot more wood with rich fruits.

Palate: Mmm .. rich fruit, vanilla, caramel and zingy mint! Smooth too! Buttery palate, hints of damp wood and apples.

Finish: Fiesty peppery spice at the finish. A warming rebellion on the throat to be sure!

Tasting Notes – Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye (45%)

Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye is made using a mash bill of rye, corn & malted barley. Rebel Yell’s parent company Luxco is currently building a new distillery on a 70-acre site in Nelson County, Kentucky. The new distillery will house all the company’s bourbon brands including Rebel Yell, when completed later next year.


Nose: Vanilla and strong coffee grounds. More caramel and mint with the wood and apples thrown in. A more refined aroma to be sure.

Palate: Ooh! A step up! Rich chocolate, caramel and green apples – superb! Bit of rich orange and mint coupled with sugared fruits. Would make a nice whiskey sour this one!

Finish: Smooth, sweet and spicy – NOT a rebel on the tongue for sure!

My Favourite On The Night

Without a doubt, I think it’s got to be the Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye – rich, satisfying and warming – certainly worth joining the Revolution for!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening and of course, Rebel Yell (@RebelYell_UK), for sending the samples and without whom!

My fellow Tweeters were:-


@WhiskyDiscovery @allthingsbooze @whiskyrepublic @WhiskyWriter @jdpjamesp @RealDramRob @ocdwhisky @spikeydog120 @Maltman_Mike @stoo_broon @dramming_uk @NeilMacKinnon1 @cache1337 @Jamie_Rowley @SoundOfWhisky @Whi5kyGeek @dvdbloke @ivyeatsagain @brawspirit @cenbons @NNWhisky @Sal_Jones @whiskyfreak123 @raithrover @msykesjones @TheWhiskyKiwi @AWhetForWhisky @smileysmoggy

Rebel Yell is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

The Exceptional Tweet Tasting – The Drams That Live Up To Their Name!

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The Exceptionals!

The Exceptionals!

The Exceptional is a series of small batch Scotch whiskies created by Don Sutcliffe, Managing Director of Craft Distillers.

These are the drams that we had the pleasure of sampling during Wednesday nights Tweet Tasting (once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire.)

The malts sampled were:-

  • The Exceptional Grain
  • The Exceptional Malt
  • The Exceptional Blend

We strive for nuance and complexity. Alcohol as structure, not primary.
– Don Sutcliffe: Managing Director of Craft Distillers

If you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #TheExceptional on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – The Exceptional Grain (43%)

The Exceptional Grain is a blend comprising whiskies from North British, Loch Lomond, Strathclyde Cameronbridge & Carsebridge distilleries. Finished in first-fill sherry casks. It also includes 33YO Carsebtidge, 32YO Cameronbridge, 21YO Strathclyde and 12YO North British.

Priced at £82.58

Nose: Quite punchy! Sweet, vanilla and caramel. Getting a little hint of aniseed, mixed in with apples and Exceptionally sweet!

Palate: Smooth, icing sugaryness and tropical fruits with a fruity spicy cake mixture.

Finish: Quite fiery, fiesty pepper held in check by the creamy sweetness. Got a little bit of Port there at the end as well …

Overall: Exuding classiness with every drop, these are seriously quality-strewn drams!

Tasting Notes – The Exceptional Malt (43%)

The Exceptional Malt is a blend of malts from Glenfarclas, Ben Nevis, Balvenie, Kininvie, Glenfiddich, Alt-a’Bhainne, Auchroisk, Glenallachie, Westport, Speyside & Macallan.

It also includes: 22YO Auchroisk, 21YO Glenallachie, 14YO Westport, 13YO Speyside and 30YO Macallan. Finished in first-fill sherry casks.

Priced at £82.58

Nose: Caramel fudge with cream – very rich! Green apples, marzipan, buttery – not getting any spiciness at all.

Palate: Lovely, rich tropical sweetness with a punchy after spice.

Finish: Smooth, sweet finish with a slight dryness – no real spiciness to behold on the finish though.

Overall: this … is … a … nice … dram …

Tasting Notes – The Exceptional Blend (43%)

The Exceptional Blend is a blend of grain whiskies including a 33YO from Cameron Bridge and malts from Glenfarclas, Ben Nevis, Balvenie, Kininvie, Glenfiddich, Alt-a’Bhainne, Auchroisk, Glenallachie & Macallan.

The blend proportion is approx. 60% Grain / 40% Malt using the same Whiskies as in their other whiskies but in slightly different proportions.

The Exceptional Blend is then finished in first-fill sherry casks.

Priced at £82.58

Nose: Bit of a combo of the last two but even more intense: sweetness, vanilla, caramel and very fresh green apples. Aromas of sugared almonds. Getting the grain – as other Twitter peeps said – much more pronounced in this dram.

Palate: Rich, smooth, spicy sweetness.

Finish: Lovely, long, strong, sweet finish with a healthy, tongue tizzeling bit of spice to send it on it’s way!

Overall: They weren’t wrong when they named these gems …

My Favourite On The Night

My Favourite On The Night: The Malt, closely followed by The Blend – exceptionally good drams that make you appreciate having taste buds! The flavours in all three are rich and intense and really highlight the selection of classy mature malts that are used in the blending of these drams.

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening.

And of course, The Exceptional (@TEWhisky), for sending the samples and without whom!

My fellow Tweeters were:-


@TEWhisky @TheWhiskyWire @TweetTastings @TomsWhisky @Whi5kyGeek @jesslionsmane @DistilleryBikes @kizzsmyth @MaltMad @dvdbloke @SoundOfWhisky @dnisbet250 @WhiskyApocalyps @SanjieB @brawspirit @RealDramRob @godsofgoodison @WhiskyManc @bourgeoisbooze @allthingsbooze @ocdwhisky @whiskyfreak123 @rodbodtoo @Whiskyflasken @Girl_Whisky @LoveBowmore

The Exceptional is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

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