At a recent event, I had the rare pleasure of tasting Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky — a remarkable recreation of the original whisky shipped to Antarctica in 1907 by the legendary explorer Ernest Shackleton. Crafted to honor that historic expedition, this whisky is both elusive and exceptionally high priced, making it a true…
Category: blended whisky
Shanky’s Whip Irish Whiskey (Black Liqueur and Whiskey Blend)
When I first laid eyes on this bottle, my immediate reaction was: what in the world is this? Is it a liqueur? A whiskey? Somehow both? Honestly, I’m still not entirely sure—but I can tell you this: the taste was nothing like I expected. Shanky’s Whip is an Irish brand crafted in Cavan, Ireland. It…
Traveller Whiskey Blend No. 40
Traveller Whiskey is a blended expression from Buffalo Trace, born from a collaboration between Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley and Grammy-winning artist Chris Stapleton. I’d had my eye on this bottle for a while, but only recently decided to give it a try when I spotted a 50ml mini available. I’ve said it before, and I’ll…
Compass Box Nectarosity and Crimson Casks
As a devoted fan of Compass Box, I am excited to share my thoughts on two more intriguing expressions – Nectarosity and Crimson Casks. Let’s dive in! Nectarosity Nose: honey and fruit Palate: vanilla, toffee and fruit Finish: Sweet with hints of cinnamon and vanilla ABV: 46% Cost: $60 Crimson Casks Nose: spices, fruit and…
Father’s Day 2025 Whiskey Gift Guide
Father’s Day is just around the corner – less than two weeks away! If your dad enjoys a glass of whiskey, I’ve got you covered. Below is a curated list of whiskies I’ve personally tried and loved over the past year – prefer picks to make his day extra special. Reviews of these are either…
Hirsch The Horizon and The Bivouac
The first Hirsch expression I tasted was their Single Barrel Double Oak – an exceptional pour that did leave an impression. Since then, I’ve sampled The Horizon and The Bivouac. Let’s dive in and see how these two compare. The Horizon Nose: Vanilla and oak Palate: spices, cinnamon, pepper and oak Finish: oaky and peppery…
Compass Box Secrets of Smoke
Recently, I had the chance to try the Compass Box whisky called Secrets of Smoke. As the name implies, this blend includes peated whiskies, but it differs significantly from their Peat Monster expression. If you didn’t enjoy Peat Monster, I believe you’ll find Secrets of Smoke much more appealing. Let’s get into it. This expression…
Compass Box Orchard House Scotch Whisky
I am a huge fan of Compass Box, and recently I had the pleasure of tasting their Orchard House Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, and it was an immediate love. I couldn’t help but wonder why I had not tried it sooner. For those not familiar with the brand, Compass Box was established in 2000 by…
Writers Tears Tequila Cask Finish Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Happy Day of the Dead! I recently stumbled upon this brand and instantly fell in love. When I came across this beautiful bottle, well, I couldn’t resist buying it. Fingers crossed that I enjoy this one as much Copper Pot Whiskey. To find out if I enjoyed it, keep reading. As previously mentioned, a couple…
Isle of Skye Whisky 12 Year
At first glance, you’ll wonder, did a new distillery open on Isle of Skye? Currently, Talisker and Torabhaig are the only two distilleries to inhabit the island. This brand doesn’t trace back to either of them. It’s a brand put out by Ian Macleod distillers, which is one of Scotland’s independent bottlers. So no, not…
Buchanan’s Pineapple
Now this is a brand I walked by a million times and never even thought to even try. It wasn’t until recently that we got a chance to sample and well, I have thoughts. Buchanan’s is a blended Scotch that was launched in 1884 by James Buchanan. The idea was to create a smooth blend…
Dark Arts Amburana Oak Stave Finished, Small Batch Rye
Dark Arts Whiskey House is a brand I was recently introduced to. They take sourced whiskey, blend it, rebarrel it and finish it in Lexington, Kentucky. To them, whiskey blending isn’t just science but rather a form of art. Dark Arts’ goal is to take that art to a whole new level. I had the…
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