Month: July 2023
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Littlemill for little Emil
This venerable distillery is one I don’t have any personal history with. I’d barely heard about it until this year. Interestingly, Littlemill has a claim on being the oldest licensed scotch whisky distillery, founded 1772 or at least 1773, but due to the uncertainty of the evidence Glenturret (1775), Bowmore (1779) and Strathisla (1786) are…
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An empire lost
Imperial is like a poet whose work did not become appreciated until after their untimely death. In modern times a workhorse malt distillery for blends, it was mothballed in 1985, a difficult decade for the industry. Under new ownership it was running again between 1991-1998 but was then silenced, sold, and eventually scrapped in 2013…
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Open up for the Dornochs
[Title image from dramscotland] £1200 for a 50cl bottle of 3yo whisky! That’s what you’d be paying at auction for a bottle of Dornoch distillery’s first release a couple of years ago. Dornoch distillery is the passion project of the Thompson brothers, Phil and Simon, famous for their whisky bar at Dornoch Castle Hotel, and…
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Glencadam ’91 & ’94
Glencadam 10 was my vote for best whisky at Whisky Fringe 2022. Sure, there was more ‘special’ stuff on offer at the Fringe, but the crisp, fruity, and tart profile of Glencadam is simply delicious; and unchillfiltererd, at natural colour, and 46% ABV, the 10yo offers unbeatable value at ~€40. A clue to as to…
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The rehabilitation of Jura
I haven’t been to the isle of Jura, but I have laid eyes on it on my way to Islay. As my eyes traced its shorelines, traumatic memories of abused tastebuds resurfaced. Nearly a decade ago, before my serious interest in whisky took off, I shared a Jura tasting set with a friend. I can’t…
DuckDrams 