On the evening of October 14th I was lucky enough to have been part of the continually great Tweet Tastings run by The Whisky Wire. This tasting featured Duncan Taylor, an award winning whiskey bottler. Originating in Glasgow before relocating to Huntly, Aberdeenshire in 2002. According to their website, there will soon be a distillery there of their own too! This evenings tasting would be extra special for myself as it would be my first tasting to feature a gin as well as the other three blended scotches to sample. Duncan Taylor also produce Rum as well as the aforementioned whiskey and gin. Politician – 40% ABV Nose: Dark chocolate, gentle burn on the nose, not over powering. Taste: A slice of fruit cake, with real butter on top. Finish: A peppery and slight citrus finish which is long lasting. I added just a drop of water on the third sip and felt that helped with that. This is really well worth checking out at this price. Black Bull 12 Year Old - 50% ABV A gorgeous autumnal colour

On the evening of 7th October 2020 I took part in yet another of the continually excellent Tweet Tastings. These tastings have been great during lock-down. I have been able to socially interact with and learn from fellow tasters thanks to these evenings. Tonight is no different and we are sampling three offerings from 'The Quiet Man' . Based in county Derry, Northern Ireland, founder Ciaran Mulgrew named the whiskey 'The Quiet Man' , or as we say back home 'An Fear Ciuin' after his father, John. He worked as a barman for fifty years in the pubs of Belfast and stayed true to the unwritten rule of barmen, to tell no tales. I'm sure he must have heard plenty of interesting stories over that half a century. First up for tasting is The Quiet Man Superior Blend. The Quiet Man Superior Blend The superior blend (40% ABV -) is 20% Irish malt and 80% grain whiskey. They have been matured in ex-bourbon barrels. This is a strikingly beautiful coloured dram. Nose Banana

Sliabh Liag Distillers in Carrick, County Donegal have recently released their second whiskey of late. The Legendary Silkie Irish Whiskey is now joined by The Legendary Silkie Smokey Irish Whiskey. The whiskey gets its name from the word Silkie, or Selkie, seals: which were legendary shape-shifters who shed their seal skins to come ashore as beautiful sea maidens or handsome men with enchanting voices, only to eventually return to the sea leaving broken hearts. I was lucky enough to sample both drams recently. And being a Donegal native myself, I was even more enlivened to get my hands on them. Soon, Ardara (Ard an Rátha meaning Height of the Fort) will be the new home of Sliabh Liag Distillers, sometime in 2020 according to the website. However, for now it is in nearby Carrick, which is just less than fifteen miles away on Donegal’s Wild Atlantic Way. First up I sampled The Legendary Silkie Irish Whiskey. A non-chill filtered blend of double and triple distilled single malts. It's

Tasting notes recorded on the evening of July 8th 2020. The Character of Islay Whisky Company Aerolite Lyndsay Nose Raisins, and peat mainly. Also reminded of the seashore on a sharp, blustery morning. Taste Hints of fruit, mainly peach. There's a lovely earthy kick to it. Finish Sweet smoke, yet not overly so. Also, not as long lasting as the Green Isle. Green Isle Nose Apples, Barley. Taste Peppered marine notes with a modest smoked and oiled texture. Finish Summer fields with a pleasant smoked tinge overlay. Grace Île Nose Sweet banana, virtually expired pink lady apples and gentle smoked notes. Taste Warms with shades of citrus and liquorice. Finish Forbearing smoke and a tender allusion of high-end furniture. I am Left wanting more. Fiona Macleod Nose An eruption of tropical fruit, warm fudge and supplementary pineapple notes. Taste Instantly warming and sweet. Swelled further by the taste of corner shop classic confectionery and apricots. Finish A powerful although not domine

Much has been written about this greatly admired drink before, for sure. However, I have only recently been able to try this impressive dram from Four Roses. It has flourished since first released and possesses a long list of very successful accolades, the most recent of which came in 2019 (Gold at the Cigar & Spirits World Spirits Competition). At first sight you think, this doesn't even look like a bottle of whiskey. To me, the bottle resembles a bottle of brandy rather than a bottle of bourbon whiskey. This is bottled at 90 proof and only contains bourbon that has been aged for at least five years. Appearance Toffee brown, honeycomb and autumn leaves. Nose Stewed apples,  Fruit cake,  Demerara Sugar,  Vanilla and  Oak. Taste Very smooth at first and then the vanilla and citrus fruits, predominantly Orange zest begin to emerge. Full bodied Finish This has a nice long finish with an abundance of citrus notes as well as some caramel too. Overall I would highly recommend Four Ro

Hyde are independent whiskey bonders based in Skibbereen , County Cork, Ireland. Founded in 2014 by two brothers Conor & Alan Hyde, they blend, mature and finish in hand selected oak casks. These casks are sourced from all over the world. The different range of casks they use include; bourbon, port, rum and sherry. Earlier this month I was lucky enough to sample three different blends and below are my tasting notes. Hyde No.1 President's Cask Appearance Golden honey and aged straw. Nose Given this is matured in a sherry cask there are various sweet smells that tickle the senses the main being caramel. Taste I could taste pears, fudge and a little dried fruit. This registers on the lips and front of the tongue and upper gums, where there are satisfying tingles aplenty. Finish A long and smooth finish with gentle arboraceous notes. Hyde No.1 President's Cask Hyde No.6 President's Reserve The number 6 is  named in honour of the first president of Ireland Douglas Hyde (1860

My first online tasting experience happened recently, during the Covid 19 lockdown. I was lucky enough to take part in the Lambay Whiskey Tweet Tasting The marketing campaign for this exciting range of Irish Whiskey is second to none, instantly striking. I was thoroughly impressed by the leaflets, promotional items and indeed the website. Naturally, before taking part in the tasting, I wanted to learn a bit more about Lambay Whiskey and Lambay Island. Lambay Whiskey started back in 2018 and has grown increasingly popular amongst critics. In this short amount of time they have been awarded a total of no less than twenty three awards internationally, a haul that is likely to keep growing up for some time. A mere six people inhabit the two and a half square kilometre island of Lambay, which is located just 3 miles off the coast of Dublin, Ireland. As well as this it is also home to some rather interesting wildlife including Fallow deer and red-necked Wallabies which were int

Bulleit was undoubtedly my first ‘proper’ venture into the world of bourbon. Of course I’d tried it before at parties and functions. However, if I'm being honest, that is not exactly the best place to experience something like this and give it the attention it rightfully deserves. The Bulleit Distilling Company was founded in 1987 by Thomas E. BuIleit Jr., who was greatly inspired by his great-great-grandfather Augustus Bulleit, who made high-rye whiskey, Bulleits cornerstone. The distillery is located at the Kirin Brewing Company Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, Bourbons spiritual home. Bulleit Bourbon is made with pure Kentucky limestone filtered water. Since temperature change is the primary factor in aging whiskey, Kentucky’s four distinct seasons provide ideal climate conditions for maturation. Having initially been bottled at 40% ABV for the UK market, it is now available at 45% ABV, having been introduced in 2014. So, most importantly, what’s it like? The fi

Highland Park - The Dark The Dark is a limited edition release which is complimented with another recent release from Highland Park ‘The Light’. The latter was recently awarded a double gold medal at 2018's San Francisco World Spirits competition. It’s a dram I have not yet had the opportunity to taste but if it’s anything like ‘The Dark’ it will be well worth it. With an alcohol by volume percentage of 52.9% and no colouring added (something Highland Park prides itself on continuing not to do), ‘The Dark’ is an aesthetically alluring beverage. Having sampled the 12 year old and the smokier, Dragon Legend this deservedly resides further still up the line of great whiskeys from this consistently exceptional Orkney based distillery. Citing a maturation period of seventeen years, this delightful toddy really is something to cherish. Examining the glass, presents the appearance of tears on the inside of the glass. Tasting notes Appearance Dark brown with a reddish-

If you have yet to sample Isle of Jura’s extensive range of whiskey available right now, then I would implore you to do so. This 10 year single malt is not as pleasing as Superstition, but then you may have read contrasting reviews elsewhere about this particular tincture already. There’s a gorgeous colour to this beverage and a sweet and chocolaty scent draws you in initially. It’s certainly not full-bodied but still a very good quality whiskey with an agreeable aftertaste and instantly warming allure. I bought the 20cl edition which was accompanied with a bottle of Sanda Blonde IPA which does compliment this whiskey very well. It’s a refreshing and sweet craft beer that goes down easy. However, it’s not a whiskey I will be rushing out to buy more off anytime soon.

On a recent trip to Edinburgh I came across this divine whiskey, marketed as ‘Scotland’s Little Gem’. Famed as being distilled in Scotland’s smallest distillery since 1825. Aged in a combination of Oloroso Sherry and Bourbon casks. This single malt has quite a kick to it. This is not a smooth whisky. I found it has a bit of a sharp though sugary aftertaste that is instantly warming. Bit of a singe on the nostrils. There is a smidgen of caramel here and it’s refreshingly sharp, whilst also sweet. It’s like a sharp intake of breath on a crisp and frosty November morning. There’s also hints of liquorice and coffee in there for those patient enough to sniff it out. Facts Chill-filtered at 40% ABV. Where: Perthshire, Scotland Sizes available: 70cl, 20cl & 5cl