Practical Whisky: History

	» Another pig on my whisky bottle!	08-MAR-2010
Pig's Nose was supposed to be a complimentary whisky to Sheep Dip by some sources. It advertises being a smooth as a pig's nose. I'm not sure who thought this was advertising genius, but I will admit this is acceptably smooth for a blend.

	» Canadian Mist: blue label	05-MAR-2010
As of this tasting, Canadian Mist's older Orange Label version has my least favorite Canadian Whisky of all time, sitting at the very bottom of my overall taste list for four solid years. Now, thanks to my new label = new review rule, I get to drink it again. Yikes. The fact that I picked this up as a one-buck mini is small comfort, I'm subjecting you to another dreary review of this repackaged horror. Because of that, I'm tossing this in on a Friday instead of the normal weekly review. I simply cannot imagine that this is anything but a new label (someone realized that mist isn't orange, I guess) of junk whisky. Sorry, but this stuff was miserable last time and if anyone at Canadian Mist reads this, I hate your whisky. You'll just have to console yourself by watching those truckloads of Canadian Dollars backing up to your headquarters.

	» More grouse, with a bit of mystery.	01-MAR-2010
Back when I purchased the other 12YO Grouse I ran into a bit of a holdup at the register because the barcode didn't scan and it didn't match the number on the wall. That card was advertising today's subject: the not-so golden version while I was holding the Gold Reserve. So, is this just a repackaging? A replacement? The replaced? Some oddball sibling from another market? Luckily, I've saved a small vial of the old 12, mostly because I hoped one day I'd track down a 12 without the Gold suffix and could properly compare them.

	» Christmas Bounty 3: Ledaig	22-FEB-2010
My brother's contribution to the holiday festivities, this follows the horrible prior Ledaig and improves its score... slightly. This was a fascinating bottle because the slightly peated flavor gives it a world of interesting flavors, sadly they aren't all -good- flavors.

	» Christmas Bounty 2: The end of the Johnnie Walker Rainbow	15-FEB-2010
It would have been more poetic to have the Gold Label as the final JW, or the Blue had we gone upline, but instead we have what might be my new favorite: the Green. JW Green is the only vatted member of the color line, which might explain my fondness for it.

	» My Christmas Bounty: Part 1	08-FEB-2010
I've had a mixed relationship with Dalmore, but given my love for the 21YO I'm more than willing to put money up for another. The 15 does well enough, but it's a fiddly, fussy sort of Scotch.

	» I guess I can't avoid Johnnie Reb any longer.	01-FEB-2010
I have carefully avoided Rebel Yell for my entire whisky drinking life. It has a reputation, certainly, and its cost point and shelf address don't add anything to it. I knew it would strain any attempt at me being objective. I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be, though. I've found surprising joy in everything from the dirty bird to Beam Green and been hugely disappointed by whiskies as old as I am. It doesn't guarantee I'll be perfectly open to whatever this bottle brings, but it's the best chance I think RY will get.

	» It's Feckin whisky.	25-JAN-2010
I tend to avoid alcohol of all types that attempt to win my dollar with amusing names. Wines, cocktails, beer and now whiskies that sell appearance before substance are usually hiding something. Today's review of FECKiN (sic) does little to convince me that my name-based purchasing policies need review.

	» An anniversary gift of another type	18-JAN-2010
While my wife generally gives me whisky on our anniversary, this comes from my job. For my ten year anniversary they offered me about a hundred bucks worth of gifts, so I put it all on a nice Murray McDavid. I chose this one because I'd never had anything from Auchroisk and because the store offered to let me taste it first. Money well spent, given that it was essentially free. As for Auchroisk, it's one of the youngest distilleries in Scotland and is pretty tough to find anywhere outside an indie bottler. This used to be the Singleton expression now taken over by Glendullan, so it had some prior exposure, but currently this is nigh impossible to find.

	» More Honey Bourbon	11-JAN-2010
To my knowledge Wild Turkey had the first and second major-brand honey liqueurs on the market. Their latest is quite drinkable straight, if you're a fan of bourbon and honey. Now with Red Stag challenging SoCo for the cherry side of things, Evan Williams has tossed their hat into the ring with a Honey Bourbon.

	» Starting 2010 with a 2008	04-JAN-2010
Joined a friend for dinner at an Irish Pub and he insisted we explore their top shelf. I still have a bit of the 2006 version at home and this gives me a glimpse of how the premier Irish Blend changes (or doesn't) from year to year. Plus I'm not going to buy a full bottle of this.

	» Loves me some 'farclas	28-DEC-2009
Glenfarclas has been good to me over the reviews with the 10 year old being a bit of a let down. This is the newest version of that 10, a stout little bottle in their latest lineup.

	» Back to my favorite Irish Castle	21-DEC-2009
The 1995 edition of Knap was a huge surprise, racking up a not-so-modest 88 score and a spot in my top 10 value list. It even edged out longtime favorite Black Bush for top Irish honors. Thus it was a huge joy to find this slightly older version at a favorite store lurking among the holiday gift boxes. The ceramic pitcher it came with got tossed, I've no clue what purpose it has. Also, I know this one is out of production (it's a 2005, the 1995 came out in 2007) but I can't resist the opportunity to compare the two.

	» A blend from my favorite distillery.	14-DEC-2009
Springbank releases a few oddities that bear names other than that of the distillery, such as Longrow, Hazelburn and today's Campbeltown Loch. Shockingly inexpensive compared to the near triple-digit base price for Springbank's least expensive self-titled release, is this a cheap date to tide me over between glorious visits to my expensive mistress?

	» Seagram 7 Crown 75th Anniversary Edition	09-DEC-2009
This bottle brings me joy. Oh, I have thin hopes for the contents of this thing, but the fact that it even exists thrills me. 7 crown, one of the four horsemen of the blendpacalypse, has an anniversary edition! Normally this fever dream would set you back fifteen whole bucks, but I snagged it -on sale- and got change for a ten. Oh, you have no idea how fast I had this tucked under my arm. I was a fullback on a mission to a cash register touchdown.

	» Label change comes to the Hollow	07-DEC-2009
I have every reason to believe that this week's Tennessee style whiskey is the same as the prior Black Label version. But rules is rules (new label = new whisky review) and I like this rule because it gives me an excuse once in a while to buy a mini on the cheap. Plus I didn't hate GDOFCH3yoTSW, so: bonus.

	» I guess De Luxe + 6 years = Special Reserve on the name scale.	30-NOV-2009
My second anniversary gift from my lovely wife, this is the 18 YO sibling of the 12 I liked very much. This is a bit of a problematic beast. While I enjoyed it quite a bit, it's a touch pricey and further suffers from the classic blend problem: a horrible reputation for being cheap and second-rate compared to single malts.

	» Rhymes with “Dokken” - “Poshin”	23-NOV-2009
So having finally rattled the mind of the collective internet on how to pronounce this, the reputation of Auchentoshan continues to rise in my home. My first experience was terrible but every Ok since then has been decent to exceptional. This, however, manages to be the most practical of the bunch.

	» What whisky is made from	16-NOV-2009
The only distillery within 300 miles of me is Belmont Farms in Virginia, maker of Wasmunds and Virginia Lightning. This is whisky distillate, which you would age in oak barrels to make whisky. Having now tried it, I can assure you with a tiny bit of fresh experience and authority that the aging process is absolutely necessary.

	» My “Weed” search score just doubled.	09-NOV-2009
In case you're not a regular surveyor of the Whisky aisle, you might have missed Jeremiah Weed's latest duo (or trio?) based on Sweet Tea. Apparently the existing Weed is still around. Today's tasting is the only one of the trio (the black and red label) openly advertising Bourbon on the label.

	» Limited Edition Beam	02-NOV-2009
In honor of the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition (a common theme, I guess) the company has launched a limited edition bottling of 7 year old bourbon with each of the head distillers on the front. I've managed to snag the last in the line. Lucky for me my collecting instinct is limited to tasting what's in the bottle, I don't have space for seven Jim Beam bottles.

	» SOJU!	26-OCT-2009
In the spirit of inclusiveness, exploration and cool bottles of stuff made from barley, I've found this new =other= category member: Soju. Not all Soju is made with barley, apparently, so this doesn't get it's own category. As if I'm going to track down dozens of bottles of whatever this is.

	» Tis a shiny, shiny tin of B.O. from Speyburn	21-OCT-2009
So one of the cheapest Single Malts has a... well, a sibling of some sort. With an odd name. Pricewise Bradan Orach NAS (just look for the goldfoil tube) comes in maybe 4 bucks over the standard 10YO, but my rounding system puts them both at roughly 25 clams. The 10 still seems to be appearing on shelves, so this doesn't look like a replacement. And if you don't feel like reading a bunch today: it's probably worth the extra five or so. Mostly. Oh, and Bradan Orach is some geographic area within Speyside.

	» The last, and worst, of the grainy cameraphone pics.	19-OCT-2009
Yeah the picture sucks, but have you ever tried to photograph an etched bottle in a dim library at dusk with a cameraphone? Well here's what you kinda get. I keep telling myself to take the camera wherever I go, and I'll probably forget next time. Plus I should have reorganized my tastings so there was more variety. Yeah.

	» The only grainy-picture Rye	14-OCT-2009
So here we are, nearing the end of the grainy pictures. I realize I front loaded this with some rarities, but that's how I went after them. And really, can you blame me? So, here's the only Rye to be found amidst the Macallans and Bourbons.

	» An oldie, but a goodie	12-OCT-2009
Glenmorangie revamped their entire line shortly after I started getting serious about Scotch, depriving me of the opportunity to slowly track down their wood expressions for their 12 year old. I've had the Madeira, but didn't take notes, and now I've had the Port Finish.

	» How about a bourbon to break up the Macallans	07-OCT-2009
Seeing as how we've been all over the high dollar Scotch and are a bit Macallan-ed out, let's try some more bourbon! Well, wait.. you might want to skip this one.

	» And even MORE Macallan	05-OCT-2009
Had I preplanned this a bit better I could have worked up to the 25 and started here, with the 1980 - 18 year old. Yeah, it's a bit out of date and you're not going to run into it a decade after it was released, but I enjoyed comparing it to the other Macs on my list.

	» Back to once a week	01-OCT-2009
While I'd love to continue the Monday-Wednesday updates, I simply can't. The unexpected camera-phone mini tasting was a great addition, but I can't continue at this pace beyond it. Starting October 26th, I'll be back to updates every Monday. I'm working on a few ideas to help soothe the loss, details as they become available.

	» Yay, now I don't have to buy a bottle.	30-SEP-2009
Not that I'd mind having a fifth of Aberlour around, but it's nice to knock off a long-overlooked Scotch without having to personally fork out the cash. This would have been a worthy purchase, unlike the last Aberlour I ended up with.

	» More Macallan!	28-SEP-2009
Seems my host loves Macallan. Oh, the horror. In any case, this is the Fine Oak version of the 21, which I'll never buy on my own, so good deal. Will our twin 90+ whiskies last week have a new score buddy?

	» Gunpowder in a bottle.	23-SEP-2009
And so, the legendary George T. Stagg appears on PW! These monsters are the current kings of the small-batch, top shelf bourbon world. If you can find them. And then stomach their ungodly ABV. I thought I just might be man enough to take this one on. Wait, 66% ABV?!

	» Most expensive ever, at least the picture is nicer.	21-SEP-2009
This bottle was somewhere in the $350-$500 range when it was released in 2005, which makes it all but impossible for it to achieve 'practical' status under my magic math. Still, I think that it's worth noting how these sorts of things stand up to scrutiny and darn it if I wasn't going to brag about drinking this. Just... just look at it. A 25 year old Macallan. Yeah.

	» Pretty bottle, crappy picture	16-SEP-2009
The Glenmorangie 21 Elegance is shaped like a still and has a tiny still shaped cap, which you can't see in the awful camera-phone pics I have here. Unfortunately, this is going to be a trend for the next few weeks. Fortunately, those same weeks will explore the dusty back liquor shelf of a collector who loves to share. I had to limit myself to the whiskies, despite the wondrous rums, tequilas and vodkas on display. Not quite enough for another tasting, but still a fun trip.

	» Fuzzy Cameraphone mini-tasting	16-SEP-2009
On Wednesday we'll be entering an era of awesome whiskies and terrible photos. This is an object lesson for me to take a camera everywhere I go. The 10 whiskies didn't really work out as a standalone tasting, especially so soon after the similar Chardonnay event. Hope you enjoy, please forgive the cameraphone shots!

	» The last Highland Park	14-SEP-2009
Per tradition, my younger brother brings down a bottle of whisky for various holidays and we destroy it over the course of a weekend. This grand Highland Park nearly survived thanks to my sister & her boyfriend bringing whisky AND a fine example of gin (Plymouth, which was quite yummy). There's only so much we two can do, you see. In any case, this also represents the likely end of the Official Highland Park lineup for this site seeing how the $400+ 30 year old probably won't see digital ink anywhere on PW. If anyone feels like sending a bottle along, I'll be glad to review it for you.

	» I'm an old, forgetful man	09-SEP-2009
I got Tomintoul 16 for my birthday from my lovely wife and I was convinced that I'd already had it. My wife and son had even scoured this site to ensure they'd found something new, and yet I doubted. Maybe I'd seen it too many times on the shelf. Maybe the name is too similar to Tamdhu or Tullamore or Tobermory. Or maybe I'm just getting a bit daft and can't remember what I've tried and what I haven't. So huge apologies for the momentary lack of enthusiasm, turns out I've never had it.

	» Looking for Single Malt Scotch on the cheap?	07-SEP-2009
Have we got a deal for you. Now you might tend toward the very inexpensive Speyburn 10, but wait. For 5 dollars more and, admittedly, 2 years less, you get a much better glass. True, it's a bit more fair than lovely or wonderful, but should you be stuck at $30 and demand a single malt, I guess this is the one to get.

	» Best Irish of the 2009 so far	02-SEP-2009
It's been a poor year for the Irish here at PW, aside from the very nice Connemara 12 that appeared during the Chardonnay Tasting the isle has been languishing in the 50s and 60s. That ends today. Knappogue Castle was rebuilt in the 1950s by a Texas couple with a love for Irish spirit, which is a great thing if you're a fan of malty monsters like Redbreast.

	» Ever elusive BenRiach	31-AUG-2009
I've seen this 10YO version at a few liquor store haunts and it vanished each time before I came back for it. BenRiach is a storied distillery with sales, closings and a litany of odd ownerships that affected the quality and notoriety. My last Benriach was a lovely peated dram while this one goes all sugary sweet.

	» And now for something COMPLETELY different	26-AUG-2009
Some months ago the Beam corporation sent me a nice flier announcing their newest line of Bourbon-ish products: Red Stag. It looks like there will be a flavored line of RTD products, which thrills the hell out of me. Why? Because it will either beat my expectations (interesting review to write) or it'll reek like month-old gym socks (interesting review to write). So when I saw the clerk unpacking a crate of minis at a fave liquor store, I couldn't whip out my dollar + tax fast enough. Which way does this Beam point?

	» My second SV mystery distillery	24-AUG-2009
My prior SV from this line was easy to identify, what with there being exactly one distillery to choose from. Now given three distilleries from the Lowlands, I'm forced to admit some level of defeat. I -think- it's a young Auchentoshan, but I can't be certain given my limited exposure to the other Lowlanders: Glenkinchie and the admittedly unlikely Bladnoch, I can't be certain. In any case, this wasn't a bad buy, cheap and easy to drink. I know, backhanded praise but I've been a bit spoiled for choices in the high-end arena thanks to the recent tastings and my friend Scott's SMWS contributions.

	» More farm animals on my whisky labels	19-AUG-2009
I've mentioned it before but at one point I was trying to put together an Old MacDonald themed taste event. There are just so many farm animals showing up on whisky labels, which baffles me and inspired me to try and lump them all in. Growing up in farming country, I had enough crossover between the animals outside and my dinner table. Now I've got them in my whisky glass! At least a hogshead has a real whisky connection: it's a barrel size. Note the lack of barrel pictures on the label.

	» The OTHERS	18-AUG-2009
Seeing how I've already let such non-whiskies as Junior Johnson, Catdaddy and the Country Cocktail set onto the list, I can hardly hold back other distant cousins like Potcheen. Besides, nobody else is reviewing these mysterious lurkers on the whisky shelf. And, if I'm going to be totally honest, I've found a few very curious items that I can't help but review! So, won't you overlook their iffy pedigree and welcome them into your palate? I haven't really finalized the rules, but I'm thinking that any distilled product with a whisky-grain base might qualify. Maybe.

	» The other resident of Campbeltown	17-AUG-2009
There are but two operating distilleries in Campbeltown: Springbank and Glen Scotia. The first has more than found a home in my heart but this is my first Scotia. They're simply very hard to find given the limited output.

	» State Line Jura	12-AUG-2009
Visited a friend to blow off some work-steam and picked up Jura at State Line Liquors, which is a pretty impressive bit of liquor store on the MD/DE border. I grabbed the Jura because it was quite reasonable for a teenager. It was a big hit during the rock-band marathon. I do have to complain that it calls itself a "Vintage" but doesn't list a year, which is the -definition- of vintage, for barley's sake!

	» More cream from the Irish	10-AUG-2009
The Irish love their creamy liqueurs, apparently, and this one is... a taste experience to rival the greatest... no not really. It's yet another Irish Cream with a few new twists that really amount to footnotes. It is, and I hate to use this term over and over, a check in the box. Sorry.

	» My first 'Lossie.	05-AUG-2009
Most of Glenlossie's output is blend fodder, which is fairly sad considering how much I enjoyed this Speysider. Other research shows that critics are similarly minded, but I have to remind myself that the only Single Malts you get out of dear Lossie are those that indies manage to snag and bottle, which are by design going to be quite good.

	» Not a glass to be taken lightly, this one.	03-AUG-2009
Frogs are monsters demanding attention and care in the best of circumstances and this one is in top form. The SMWS description is quite funny (wrestler's armpit!?) and this ranged from a long conversation piece to a punishment shot over a long weekend among quite a few other whiskies. If you're not paying attention, this one will bite you.

	» My first Brackla	29-JUL-2009
Bracka, or ROYAL Brackla, is a bit of a pain to track down if you're playing "drink your way through Speyside". Not that I'm playing personally. Or winning. By a lot, you understand. But such is the challenge of this odd distillery. Most of it winds up in the Walker or Dewars lineup and you'd be hard pressed to track down a single official version of it anywhere. Not that I'm hard-up for such findings, this was an interesting excursion back into the Spey, but not a fabulous one and I gave up on another Mortlach from Signatory to buy this one.

	» Yet another frog makes the list.	27-JUL-2009
After a late start, Laphroaig had only one resident on the list for nearly 2 years. This has hopefully been rectified by the recent quarter cask and this, the 15. This pretty much clears out the frog contingent unless I manage to trip over a 10CS or cheap 30 Year Old (ha!) in my travels.

	» WORST Springbank EVER!	22-JUL-2009
Yea! Look upon the mighty and wail in grief for she has fallen! Fallen, I say, fallen! Yes, it has finally happened. The (say it reverently with me) Springbank (insert sigh here) has produced a glass that has failed to live up to those that came before. Why must we live in these times! Why must we see such greats fall short? Why must I have a Springbank that doesn't rank 90 points (Fantastic)? Nay, this one only gets a mid 80 score (Excellent). These are hard times, my friends. Hard times.

	» Return to Bowmore	20-JUL-2009
Since the last time Bowmore 12 appeared here they've updated their labels, so it's a whole new review for the dozen-year variety. I think the Legend might be their base model, but that's only because it's the one that I liked least. This new variety appears via my younger brother, who has started a grand tradition of bringing me whisky every time he visits.

	» Finally filling the Spey 10 gap.	15-JUL-2009
I see the 12 YO version of the horribly named Speyside everywhere. In both the full and miniature sizes, no less. This particular mini came via slightly roundabout means, so it's very nice to have. This also seemed like a cool trend to continue (filling gaps in my whisky lineup) so I'm going to continue for a bit longer next week. It won't amount to a full event, just a curious happenstance.

	» Stepping back 4 years at Glenrothes	13-JUL-2009
The 1991 Vintage 'rothes holds a special place in my heart because it managed to surprise me with an odd sulfur taste that I've yet to find anywhere else. That particular bit of flavor wasn't great, nor was it entirely a bad thing, but it set the 1991 apart from all other whiskies in a way that few others have managed and that I will never forget. So it was with great enthusiasm that snagged a small bottle of the 1987. I'm hoping to move backwards, apparently the 70s were a legendary time at 'rothes, but the costs look a bit daunting.

	» Wednesdays continue with the only official Ardmore	08-JUL-2009
Ardmore is the primary source for Teachers Highland Cream, which I thought was terribly mediocre. That said, the source is sometimes quite different in blends and I very much wanted the lone Ardmore, a peated Highlander no less, to be something worth raving about. I've a whole bottle, and I'd -love- to enjoy it more than I do, but I don't. I'm even worried I've lost some objectivity (such as it is) in trying to give this bottle every benefit of every doubt. In the end, it's just not that great.

	» CT13: Ending on the lone Canadian.	06-JUL-2009
I know nothing of Wiser's, but if after 18 years of aging it's still this mediocre, I'm just not that motivated to care.

	» CT12: My Oldest Whisky Ever (Mk III)	01-JUL-2009
It's my birthday.. nearly, and as I end my 34th year I find myself with a Scotch of that same ancient, ancient age. Well, it feels that way sometimes. This bottle comes, quite coincidentally, 300 whiskies after a bottle from the same distillery, Tandhu. Oh, how far we have come. And yes, I did stage this so that I'd keep pushing the oldest bar higher. It's not like I'm going to have much opportunity after this.

	» CT11: More Bruichladdich	29-JUN-2009
How do you go back to Bruichladdich after the fantastic Blacker Still? With this, another 20 year old. I've heard that the First Edition is even better, which is amazing considering how much I liked this one.

	» CT10: Glen Ord is now my Oldest Whisky Ever.	24-JUN-2009
Yeah, I just did a 29 year old and now here's a 30. This was a huge surprise, a 30 year old from a distillery I've barely heard of. How do you beat that? By making it one of the best whiskies I've ever tasted, that's how.

	» CT9: Laphroaig roars into the top 5 Value list	22-JUN-2009
The only other 'frog on my list is the 10 and I've long been interested in fixing that. The major flaw I have in the Laph 10 is the iodine flavor, it is both unmistakable and unacceptable to my palate. Such is life. This, however, is the Quarter Cask, and it has no such flaws.

	» CT8: Tokaji? I don't even know what that is. It's a Longrow (Springbank) though!	17-JUN-2009
Springbank makes Longrow, I'm not sure what the naming conventions are and I'm not particularly concerned given that I've zero clue what Tokaji is. (Quick Wikipedia search later) Until now: Wines from the Tokaji region of Hungary. Right. So that's all settled, on with the tasting.

	» CT7: Oh, Bruichladdich. You won't let me down like Balvenie did, will you?	15-JUN-2009
it's Bruichladdich with peat. You might read that in a deadpan tone, so let me try and type it like I'm thinking it: Its BRUICHLADDICH... WITH PEAT!!! That comes close, I suppose. I just love Bruichladdich.

	» CT6: More Connemara	10-JUN-2009
I tried to break these apart so it wasn't all Connemara all the time, but I got these two side by side and it's a bit of a pain to reorder them. So you get a week of Ireland. In June.

	» CT5: Back to Connemara	08-JUN-2009
So now we age the peated Irishman a few years and what do we get? Joy. This is why I love line tastings, you can see exactly what changes from whisky to whisky and why the distiller waited to release something.

	» CT4: Balvenie!	03-JUN-2009
Balvenie has yet to let me down. Every bottle has been a winner... until this one. Weep, for Balvenie has failed me. Weep and despair!

	» CT3: My first Dallas Dhu and my Oldest Whisky Ever	01-JUN-2009
As with the Edradour, you've probably never heard of Dallas Dhu either. Probably because it's not active anymore and operates mostly as a museum. Being a nice indie bottle, a first taste of this distillery and a whisky from my birth year, I was really excited to get a glass of this. I might as well not have bothered.

	» CT2: A distillery you've likely never heard of	27-MAY-2009
Edradour touts itself at every opportunity as the Smallest Distillery in Scotland, a title it now shares with Kilchoman. In any case, this came highly recommended, my host insisted I try this before several much older bottles.

	» CT1: Connemara Peated	25-MAY-2009
I'm reviewing these out of order for a reason: the Connemara came in a triple pack that I tasted the next day, so I'd like to space them a bit. It didn't work out as well as I thought (you'll see) but we start here. This is the most commonly found Connemara, and a decent representative of the breed.

	» Surprise! It's a Canadian liqueur	18-MAY-2009
According to the label this is a blend of Canadian Whisky and Maple Syrup, which are two things Canada is known for, so why -wouldn't- you mix them? I guess the other major exports: Natural Gas, Petroleum, Zinc and timber don't really lend themselves to beverages. So, a type of whisky I generally loathe and a pancake topping I love are whipped into a 30% liqueur. Oddly enough, I located this whilst trying to locate a miniature of Evan Williams 7 YO at a store known to be somewhat rough around the edges, euphemistically speaking. Imagine my shock to see a tall dessert bottle with fleur de lis around the top next to the giant jugs of Jack and Johnnie Red in the whisky... er... stack.

	» The now age-free black label from Evan Williams	11-MAY-2009
Why did the 7 years become "We're #1!" on the EW bottle line? Not sure. I only bought this because a friend at work and two readers commented that I'd either gotten a bad bottle of Evan Williams 7 or was just really harsh on it's vibe. I'm certainly willing to put a dollar towards either whisky peace or backing up my dislike, especially with a whisky from 3 years ago. The end result was a moment of surprised realization that this was, in fact, a whole new bottle of bourbon. As to the #1 status of EW, maybe that rank is due to it coming from goliath Heaven Hill distilleries, so I'm not all that impressed by their boast.

	» Hey, I know that bird!	04-MAY-2009
Of course you do, it's that very Famous Grouse, or his elder sibling. I'm actually unsure whether the bird was famous or the whisky named for such bird was famous. Either way, I've seen two of this particular flock up close, the standard label was my 100th whisky (and quite worthy of said honor) and the 12 Gold followed and earned itself... well exactly the same score. So.

	» Return to Speyburn	30-APR-2009
A buddy has this as his house Scotch, probably because it's reasonably drinkable and really cheap. We tried to track down a new gold-foil version of the Speyburn, but the liquor store, she did not love us. SO, it's a retasting of the Spey10, which did ok as a second-glass whisky.

	» Even More Updates and Features	28-APR-2009
RSS feeds! Yes, I'm now feeding... RSS... or whatever. I'm not sure who among my readers use this, but it looked fairly simple to implement so I've added it. Apparently this was the cool thing before the bird chrip thing I refuse to name or become part of, so I'm now just one technology behind the curve again. Horray! I'll add the site to some feed servers to possibly drum up readership shortly.

	» Well of COURSE it's a limited, one time special event version.	27-APR-2009
Old Forrester's 75th Anniversary of Prohibition bourbon was limited to something like 3000 cases and comes in a cool box with a Glen Cairn glass and copy of the repeal of prohibition. It also holds the distinction of being the first whisky I've actually mentioned in a news post and then managed to find, albeit by pure chance. So since I can never find another version and by the time you read this you won't be able to either, OF COURSE it is, without question, the best bourbon of the 45 that I have tasted. Now I'm forced to decide between drinking it and keeping it forever in a little shrine in my liquor cabinet. Damn you, Old Forrester.

	» Updates and Features	22-APR-2009
First, note the bottle picker widget to the left of the main page. It'll do a quick search for whiskies in a price range and of a certain type. I had a vastly more complicated version in the works for a long time, but honestly I can't imagine people would care. Simple and useful. Second, the great 2009 price update has been completed, in which I researched update prices for all the whiskies on the list. This had a relatively uniform effect on the prices and revealed a few bottles that have moved on. Such is life.

	» Finishing the Big Fellow's whisky line.	20-APR-2009
Somewhere roundabout 2 years ago I tried the blended version of Michael Collins and found it... uninspired. Given the reverence paid to the man, you'd think he'd have a better set of booze because I found the Single Malt smoother, tastier and altogether just not -AS- uninspired. Bother. This does both pair up and finish out the whole line, though, so that's something.

	» Gone... all gone	14-APR-2009
While working a pricing update, which I'm sure you're all on pins and needles to see the results of, I've come across a few lost bottles. Most aren't that big of a deal but my current king of value: Bowmore Dawn, has been out of production since the end of 2007/beginning of 2008. This makes Springbank 10 100 Proof the most available value king. So very sad.

	» I drink them so you don't have to.	13-APR-2009
Distilled From Bourbon Mash. Wow. What does that mean? Do they use leftover bourbon mash to make this? That's not very encouraging. In fact, very little about this product was encouraging. It was a bargain bin pickup (one liter and I got change back from a ten), comes in a cheap plastic bottle (you can squish it quite easily) and the general product look are setting up some serious barriers to objectivity. I'd really -like- it to be good, after all there are few independent distilleries left as it is.

	» Comment Changes	07-APR-2009
After much spammage I've added a blacklist check to my comment system through what appears to be either a legit blacklisting site or the most convincing hoax site ever. I'm going to hold off with the identifying and linking and crediting until I see if their API works. By which I mean I'll just scapegoat their API if the code I swiped and modified to fit my system somehow fails. So if you get a big ban message (or great PHP crash page) the next time you comment, please drop me a line and I'll see where the hiccup is.

	» All backwards and turned around	06-APR-2009
Glen Moray is an enigma in all the wrong ways. I loved it's nose and finish, hated the opening and most of the taste. There was so much hope, too. This is one of those mysterious shelf lurkers with common names that make me pause to wonder if I've had them. I'm always excited to give it a chance, hopeful that it will somehow reward me for diligently tracking it down.

	» Shocking Macallan Find	30-MAR-2009
I'm generally adverse to trying new restaurants while my wife is constantly on the lookout for them. When she told me a local redneck sports bar (and I'm not being judgmental, it was actually named "Redneck's") shut down and became a steak house, I wasn't really intrigued. She was. After a few nice reviews from friends we went and I found myself perusing a whisky list that included some fairly respectable Scotches. The top of that list was the Macallan 18 Year Old.

	» A decent sippin' whisky.	23-MAR-2009
Buchanan's has caught my eye a few times without getting purchased mostly because I could never be certain I hadn't already tried it. The bottle style and DE LUXE naming rang a lot of bells in my head, so I always put it back and made a mental note to double check the list. I finally got situated and picked this up as fill for my empty liquor shelf. I have several very nice bottles, but no go-to second glass whisky. As such, this is good, fairly inexpensive and well mannered Scotch that suffers from a lack of individuality.

	» Southwest of Scotland	16-MAR-2009
The middlemost peninsula on the western coast of England is the country of Wales, which is part of the UK, which as a Yank I am genetically barred from understanding the politics and history regarding and so I'm reduced to consulting Wikipedia and scratching my head. What I'm NOT confused about is the quality of the singular distillery located therein: Penderyn. That, gentle readers, is simply wondrous. More akin to the island of Ireland to the west in flavor, the main (and generally only) bottling from Penderyn is grand stuff.

	» The review that wasn't	13-MAR-2009
The combination of a slower schedule and some comments (both online and in person) about Evan William's dismal score for the black label inspired me to toss a buck at the problem and pick up a mini. Heck, the 7 Year Old is everywhere right? Right? Well, no. It's not. Oh, there's the classic black label, but the -aged 7 years- text in the fancy gold box in the middle has been replaced with "Kentucky's #1 Distillery". So new label, new review (sometime in April, I believe) and a bit of head scratching. What happened? The company web site now refers to the entire line by label color (Red, Black, White and a n'er to be seen Blue), but no mention anywhere of why the age statement had to go. So I'm very sorry Sean and Moe, I'm going to have to postpone the re-review for EW that was supposed to go up today.

	» Bailey's plus coffee equals Irish Coffee	09-MAR-2009
Honestly, I can't imagine you're having too much trouble adding a touch of coffee flavor to Bailey's. But I found this in a miniature on a wine-stocking trip with my lovely wife so now it joins it's siblings to round out the Bailey's lineup.

	» The new Glenlivet Archive	02-MAR-2009
For Christmas, Dad found an updated version of the first Scotch my wife ever bought me: The Glenlivet DLE Archive 21.

	» And it starts with the spamming and the banning and the captchas...	26-FEB-2009
Yeah, it took a whole week for the first bit of spam to show up. I've axed it and banned the IP, but that's a somewhat futile gesture. I'm going to have to either add a CAPTCHA, login or approval system. I'm going to foresee a lot of laziness on the admin approval or login code, so it looks like a CAPTCHA. Yeesh.

	» Unexpected Auchentoshan	23-FEB-2009
After two Dalmores within three reviews, it's an odd coincidence that my brother brought today's Auchentoshan to share at Christmas. Prior to that, Auchentoshan hadn't really thrilled me with its older and newer base models.

	» Comments Fixes and other fun things	17-FEB-2009
Special thanks to Alvaro for finding a bug in the icons and a misdirected link on the front page. If anyone else encounters anything odd (I didn't test for IE users extensively, for example) please email me and I'll get right on it. I'm really hoping the comment system works out, it's actually gotten more use than I anticipated in the whole 24 hours it's been active. Oh, and I realize that I suck at timing. I finally get the comments up on the site and what review rolls onto the front page? Jack Coolers. Filler crap, in other words. By way of apologizing, I'll reveal that the next 2 reviews are Single Malt Scotches -and- there's a whisky coming shortly from a country that I've never reviewed ... from ... before. Is that right? A whisky from a country from which I've never reviewed.... A neverbefore country review from that... It's from Wales. OK? Welsh whisky and I've never done one. Update 2: I've made some more fixes and added more updates. Hopefully everything is happy.

	» Yeah, it's another JD: Country Cocktail	16-FEB-2009
It isn't my fault this time. I got it for free and it saves me from eventually having to buy a six pack of this one. I still have bottles of the Watermelon flavor in the fridge in the garage.

	» COMMENTS!	14-FEB-2009
In honor of my 312 whisky... or perhaps Valentines Day... or because I managed to get it done this weekend, I present to you COMMENTS. Hopefully they'll work as well in practice as in testing. There are a few kinks to work out, but COMMENTS! WOO!

	» I don't smoke cigars anymore or drink this version of Dalmore.	09-FEB-2009
It's a shame that I just found out how fantastic Dalmore can be because this just doesn't measure up. I don't just mean it doesn't measure against the 21, it fails in every way to work as a good Scotch. I believe, thankfully, that Dalmore is retiring this aberration.

	» Christmas Dinner #2: Dalmore 21	02-FEB-2009
Oddly enough, I have a bottle of Cigar Malt at home waiting for a proper tasting and now that dinner is moving past the wine and towards the coffee I find myself once again perusing the Scotch list. I've decided on this only because I can't quite muster the gall to order the Macallan 25 on my wife's boss' dime.

	» Christmas Dinner #1: Auchentoshan	26-JAN-2009
My wife's work takes the office to dinner every year and every year I get to savor Scotch on someone else's tab. This year at The Capital Grill I started with Auchentoshan 21 and enjoyed it quite a bit.

	» Willett Bourbon: Best Bottle EVER.	19-JAN-2009
I'm going to be honest, here. I bought this for the bottle. Honestly, though, can you blame me? For forty five bucks and me out of Bourbon, how do you NOT buy this bottle? It looks like a still! I could only dream that the whisky would be as good as the container.

	» New Glenrothes	16-JAN-2009
I love Glenrothes and they've announced 2 new releases: The 1994 Vintage (which replaces the 1991 and I believe a rare 1992) and the Robor Reserve, which I don't believe replaces anything and would thus compliment the Select Reserve. Looking for them!

	» And lo, there were Clan Whiskies for 2009	12-JAN-2009
Faced with a daunting record of Scotches abusing clan names, I've gone out and bought another.

	» And now, possibly the best tasting whisky I've ever tasted.	09-JAN-2009
This is -the one- the original, the great start of my love of whisky and I'm hesitant to even open it just in case the reality doesn't live up to my memory.

	» Starting 2009 with a local.	05-JAN-2009
On a trip through Virginia I picked up several interesting bottles, notably this local brew. It's a study in cool vs. uncool. Copper pot stills are cool. Misspelling them in giant typeface on your label is not. Wax seals are cool. Wax seals with no pull strip are not cool. Wax seals over plastic screw caps are very uncool. Aging is cool. Aging for 2 years is not nearly as cool. KK tries, but seems to fall short everywhere except in the big category of flavor. This is a young whiskey, but it's a young whiskey with something to say and a nicer than expected attitude.

	» Version 4 of Gentleman Jack and a Happy New Year.	31-DEC-2008
It seems either I've grown more tolerant of the typical Jack flavorset or this is actually a better glass of whisky than the last version of this. It's not going to save the average Tennessee Style whiskey score, but credit due: Gentleman Jack is fair drinking. See you in 2009!

	» Ending 2008 on a low note.	29-DEC-2008
Sometimes I'll try and schedule tastings around dates or numbers, but honestly after 300+ tastings I'm just letting them fall where they fall. That apathy is coming back to bite me a bit as I just about close out what was a fantastic year overall with one of the worst Scotches I have ever, ever had. I think I get one more whisky in 2008, hope it does better.

	» Another 'shine from Carolina.	24-DEC-2008
After Monday's mediocrity I wasn't really excited to pull another 'shine out of my mini pile. One whiff of Catdaddy, though, and you'll realize this is not the same thing at all. This... drink is flavorful and astonishing and with a bit more character and a bit less bite it could have been a giant.

	» NASCAR shine for Christmas!	22-DEC-2008
I'm going to go right out and tell you that I couldn't care less about NASCAR and whoever J.Johnson is. I'm not going to make fun of anyone's pastime, what you do with your Sunday afternoon is your business and NASCAR is no worse than what you could be watching. Or doing. Or what you might be doing while watching NASCAR. Yeah, that's a mental image I needed to build up. That out of the way, this JJ stuff is just about as far out of whisky mainstream as I'm really going to go. In fact, I'm fairly certain this isn't actually true corn whiskey, but instead some corn based moonshine emulator that follows the whisky distillation process to some degree. I don't really have a category for that, so I'm just going to lump it in and hope there aren't too many other such beverages for me to suffer through. Plus it came in a mini for like 2 bucks. That's tough to pass up.

	» The best of 2008	19-DEC-2008
With 2008 winding down, I can reveal my list of the best whiskies for the year. Out of 120+ whiskies, my absolute favorite this year was Springbank 10YO 100 Proof, which took top honors in both Taste and Value. Interestingly, second place in taste was Springbank 10 YO from Alchemist and the second place in Value was Yamazaki 12. See the rest on the 2 cents page.

	» Is Cascade Hollow the last George Dickel I have to try?	17-DEC-2008
If so, then the best came last. It's not fantastic, but if you're going to visit George's neck of the woods, start here at the Hollow. If this was the standard for Tennessee style rather than the exception, then I wouldn't have such a godawful opinion of the whole lot.

	» Number 300: Stronachie	15-DEC-2008
299 whiskeys and 4 years ago, I tried the first great whisky of this journey. Now I had all sorts of odd ideas for ways to celebrate the big three double aught, but it really came down to one thing. This had a neat bottle. Honestly, I had thought of saving 100 Pipers because it's numerically similar, but that seemed rather silly. Then I was going to grab a sibling of either Num 100 Grouse or Num 200 Ardbeg, but neither was easily available. And so it came down to raw luck. The 300th whisky is, instead, a nice 12 year old that I picked up from a nice local liquor store when I ran out of Scotch. Seems fitting enough. Slainte!

	» New Year Changes	12-DEC-2008
The economic downturn has hit everywhere, including here at the home for practicality in the whisky aisle. A combination of financial costs and the ever-narrowing field of cheap options has forced me to make a decision I didn't want to make: reduce my whisky budget. That means I either have to buy ever-cheaper junk to review or cut back on the number of bottles I buy. There just aren't enough miniatures left to track down, shorties and half-bottles I haven't already had or whisky tastings to go to in order for me to justify the 2 per week I've managed this year. The site itself costs almost nothing, so I'm happy to keep going, I'll just have to keep going at a slightly reduced pace. So starting in January, there will be 1 new review per week on Monday and any retastes on Friday. On a happier note, I've tracked down a mini of the 2003 edition of Springbank 21. Any reader or friend should know this as the first, the greatest that I've ever had. I'm happy and worried about this one. Read a pair of new 2 CENTS about it.

	» It's getting on toward Christmas, so here's some Egg Nog	10-DEC-2008
Another ready-to-drink that suffers in the score department from a lack of whisky flavor. This is a good, steady Egg Nog for anyone into such beverages. I personally would have liked more of a kick.

	» # 298: Highland Park 18	08-DEC-2008
It's been 18 months since the last official Highland Park and 6 years difference between their ages. But those 6 years added up to 26 points of difference. HP 18 becomes only the fourth 90+ point whisky this year.

	» What the hell is floating in this bottle of whisky?	03-DEC-2008
Fruit, that's what. Honest to Irish Whiskey there's maybe 3 orange wedges and some grapes and who knows what else in this amber fluid. And would you believe pebbled glass and a glass-rope encircled neck? Between the bits of produce and the old (OLD) fashioned looking bottle and label I was just about to pass over this little Rock and Rye. Especially considering the memories of the last one. But it was on sale and I'm honestly trying to get to 300 as quickly as I can.

	» Bourbon with “OLD” in the name tends to suck.	01-DEC-2008
And Willie doesn't really do much to save the adjective. OWR is a fatally flawed beast, some great bourbon in the front and a cliff of alcohol bite in the back. I putzed around with this for as long as I could stand it, but I just can't find a point where I can get through a glass AND enjoy the flavors.

	» Happy Birthday, Russell!	26-NOV-2008
A good friend called me on his birthday and invited me over for Scotch. His Scotch, being not only a great little Islay, but one of the last Islay distilleries on my to-do list. I need more friends to invite me over for Scotch on their birthdays! So, BUNN-A-HAVN 12 is a great, un-peated dram that apparently goes very well with crisp fall evenings.

	» Signatory from Mull	24-NOV-2008
While this is unnamed, the distillery is clearly Tobermory. As you sit in awe of my knowledge of Scotch, I shall reveal that the Sherlockian process involved in solving this riddle. It involved a dastardly complex process of elimination largely including there being exactly one distillery -on- the Island of Mull. Hey, I'll take the easy IDs if I can. Makes me look more smarter.

	» American Whiskey of Lore	19-NOV-2008
The first non-Bourbon American whisky I was ever aware of was this, St. George Lot 3. Oddly, it's the third I've managed to track down through reasons and events not entirely clear to me even in hindsight. In any case, this is what American Whiskey should be and it pains me that such whiskey is so rare.

	» It's honestly just filler	17-NOV-2008
Both in terms of a review and in terms of taste+quality, my second JD country cocktail is pretty fluffy stuff. In fact, the main reason I'm doing the tasting when I am is that I desperately needed something to take my taste-buds of the last review.

	» And now, I present to you, the worst whisky I have -ever- tasted.	12-NOV-2008
From Chile. That's right Chile. I had to go all the way to Chile to unseat SoCo as the very worst. In any case, my first Chilean whisky is a bit of an enigma, as I have zero information about it that doesn't come straight off the label or some badly translated web pages. Not that it matters much, a whisky from Chile is probably not going to show up on a store shelf near you, nor should you buy it if it does. Nay, nay, I tell you. Noooooooooo.

	» The one, the only, Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey	10-NOV-2008
In one quick and very enjoyable tasting I get to check off the entire WHEAT segment of the whisky population. Bernheim is, as they say, IT. Made with only winter wheat, this is something all bourbon fans should try. It's made similarly, I have to believe, because it tastes very much like a dry, light bourbon. Well worth tracking down.

	» Compass Box brings back Orangerie	07-NOV-2008
One of my favorite indies, Compass Box has made some announcements: Orangerie will return for a limited time. I quite liked Orangerie last year. Peat Monster Reserve Magnum Hedonism Maximus


	» Five score pipe players might sound great, but...	05-NOV-2008
they don't really measure up in taste. I should know, I've seen 100 pipers marching and I've tasted good scotch and this doesn't really equate to either.

	» Another Clan's Scotch	03-NOV-2008
I've not had the best luck with Clan-themed Scotches. I know the Scots are a proud people who are proud of their clans and thus it confuses me to find such horrors bearing their names.

	» And lo, the Ready To Drinks did arrive.	29-OCT-2008
OK, so a few bits of fact to start us down the road of the "Ready to Drink". First, I decided to add RTDs to my list primarily after reading that Jack Daniels does, in fact, put some actual TS Whisky into the bottle, which eliminates any question of snubbing it after adding Egg Nogs and SoCo and such. Second, I got one for free at a party. A buddy noted that I liked whisky and handed me this and after I killed him I took a taste and felt bad about all the blood. You can read the review, and it's not a horrible addition to the site. Finally, hopefully I can mooch off whatever JD traffic there is out there.

	» The glory of Glenfarclas	27-OCT-2008
The great 21 year old has yet to be matched by any other 'farclas, but here we have something without all the youth of the mediocre 10 year old and well within the pocket range of almost anyone.

	» Clan Whiskies need some image management	22-OCT-2008
This is the second Scotch blend with a clan nomenclature and I worry that there's something wrong with the Scottish clans. They seem to be well organized and respectable people, but their names are somehow slandered on bottle after bottle.

	» Back to Bourbon.	20-OCT-2008
It's been a while since I reviewed a bourbon, and over 2 years since the previous Evan Williams SB.

	» Back to the Asylum	17-OCT-2008
I got another chance to try Compass Box's Asyla at a restaurant with my lovely wife. The worst part of the evening was that the bartender got my hopes up with a “set” of Glenlivet, 4 small tastings for some amount of cash. My hopes were dashed when I saw the list, however. I'd had them all. Each and every one. Such is life, I suppose. In any case, at least they had the Compass Box.

	» New Glenmorangie Lineup (3 of 3): The Golden Nectar	15-OCT-2008
In my collection of new Glenmorangies, this is the last and (I believe) most expensive. After the stellar start and fair middle ground, where will this one measure up?

	» New Glenmorangie Lineup (2 of 3): Lasanta	13-OCT-2008
My reviews of the new Glenmorangie line continue with Lasanta, which I'm sure has some deep meaning in Gaelic or Latin or French. I'm a taster, not a linguist. On that, the Ruban was exceptional and I've very high hopes for this as it's a step or two up in the new line.

	» New Glenmorangie Lineup (1 of 3)	08-OCT-2008
Glenmorangie recently upended their whole line, dropping every expression above their standard 10 YO (which they just retitled). Thankfully, they've released a box set of 4 of their new expressions. I reviewed the new 10 YO a while back and today I move on to their extra-long named Quinta Ruban.

	» It has finally happened. Worst. Whisky. Ever.	07-OCT-2008
For nearly the entire run of this site I've had Southern Comfort as the lowest scoring whisky product I've ever tasted. I scored it in the single digits due to the outright horror it instills in every sense I have. While I knew that it was possible that this (or the highest ranking whisky Springbank) could one day be bested, I thought the odds were quite low and never really gave it much thought. Until this week. No, No, not yesterday's or tomorrow's, I'm giving out spoilers here. This review won't appear on the site until next month, but I wanted to forewarn you. This whisky was so utterly horrid that I not only scored it less than SoCo, I'm actually going to give SoCo MORE POINTS. That's right, this one tweaks the bottom end of the bell curve so badly that SoCo gets boosted into near double-digit territory purely by not being as ridiculously atrocious. I say near double digits because SoCo was still quite awful. I think now that I've found the absolute bottom of the barrel. This whisky scored two (2) (ii) (1+1) points and the only reason that I didn't score it lower is that my gagging didn't result in any actual vomit. A whisky will have to achieve full physical rejection by my body before it scores lower than our upcomming mystery monster.

	» Also Auchentoshan.	06-OCT-2008
When I picked up this bottle of McClellands I wasn't looking for back-to-back Auchentoshans. After researching how correct I was about McClellands Islay being Bowmore, I did some very simple math (2 Lowland distilleries, one owned by Diageo) and worked out that this is almost certainly Auchentoshan. And if you're feeling some deja vu, perhaps it's because the Islay version has the same label.

	» Auchentoshan you can actually buy	01-OCT-2008
The last Auchentoshan... and the first Auchentoshan... and the ONLY Auch-etc was disappointing both in that it wasn't particularly good and isn't available anymore. THIS Auchentoshan is the replacement version, the unaged “Select” variety.

	» My first McClelland's	29-SEP-2008
I'm fairly certain this is a young Bowmore. Now, before you get too impressed there are only 7 Islay distilleries. Remove Ardbeg (independent and very distinct tasting), remove Bruichladdich (very distinct) and you're down to five: Bunnahabhain, Caol Isla, Lagavulin, Laphroaig and Bowmore. Of these, I've had the most Bowmores, and this tastes like that. So, history and luck add up to me thinking it's a very mediocre and underaged Bowmore.

	» I felt like I was cheating a bit with a new Forty Creek	24-SEP-2008
My basic rule has been label change = new review, and so the bottle of Forty Creek that I picked up goes from being a planned Friday Retaste to an entirely new review. Yeah, it seems cheating a bit, but they didn't just change the name (adding the premium prefix), this really is a whole new Forty Creek.

	» Poit Dhubh is pronounced potch ghoo	22-SEP-2008
And now you know more than I did when I first got a hold of this. Lots of Gaelic pride in the company that puts this out, and why not.

	» #275 is 18 and finishes The Glenlivet line	17-SEP-2008
I know there are other 'Livets out there, but the primary line within my price range is now in the books thanks to a birthday present from my father. This was a lucky purchase, he's demanding -lists- now that I've covered what amounts to the easy to find bottles.

	» Lost and Found Scapa	15-SEP-2008
This bottle is from the pre2004 closing of Scapa. When Scapa returned they switched to the 14 year old so as to keep the two bottling seperate in name.

	» Dalmore's website returns	12-SEP-2008
Dalmore was nice enough to notify me that their website is back up and running. I assume it is promoting their new look, but the snail-on-valium speed that is on display makes that a tough judgment call. de....du.... Ah, it's loaded. So, they're advertising a 50 year old under "Awe", which I'm sure refers doubly to the price tag. You'll see a review of that here next Neverary Nonteenth at Unlikely-O'Clock. They're also apparently giving the “cigar malt” the old heave ho, it doesn't appear on their expression list, but navigation is a bit dodgy. Overall, it's a fair redo of the Dalmore brand, highlighting the big stag logo and such.


	» Strathayr has an interesting name	10-SEP-2008
And now that you've read it, you can really move on having experienced the best part of this odd vatting.

	» Version Five dot Zero	08-SEP-2008
Yeah, I know, I just did 4.8 and made a big deal about it. To be brutally honest with myself, I should have approached 4.0 and up like I did this. Let me explain: back in the bad old days, I was running JavaScript to handle all the database work because it's all I had. When I finally got a real site with real code I decided to move the code forward to real SQL (v4.0 through 4.3), but I moved it exactly as it was. The JavaScript was ugly and all over the place because it had to be and the new PHP and SQL was pretty and all over the place because I replaced each chunk of JavaScript directly. The result was better and far more functional and I could see the updates exactly as where they used to be. Happy pages, happy me until I tried to update stuff and wow, things just fell apart. SO, new and shiny and done right. Well... righter. So. The database code is all stacked pretty and there are no bugs or errors or missing anything. Yeah, that's a lie, but it should work better.

	» I must find this Frenchman	08-SEP-2008
Michael Couvreur (no, I can't pronounce it) is French but he vats and blends Scotch. Odd? Sure, but if the rest of his work is as amazing as this bottle then sign me up for as much odd as you can.

	» The glens, they are multiplying	03-SEP-2008
Glencoe, or MacDonalds Glencoe, or yet another whisky with GLEN in the title, is a tough to find Scotch hereabouts, but this came with a nice set (along with the Sheep Dip from last week) and gets reviewed.

	» Lost and Found Scapa II	01-SEP-2008
In the late 90s, Scapa distillery was just about done in. It was slowly exhausting it's stocks through the early 2000s and released the last of it's iconic 12 Year Old in 2004. I've tracked a bottle down and look forward to trying new Scapas.

	» Finally, the Sheep hit the Dip	27-AUG-2008
In a town just across the bridge there is a very nice store that carries Sheep Dip and I have held that bottle in my hand many times only to put it down and buy something a bit more... well. Lets just say that dipping animals is generally a process done to remove parasites. There's a tale that the Brits disparaged whisky by calling it Sheep Dip and that the Scots adopted it as a cheeky nickname. That's great, but we yanks have no understanding of this tradition and tend to handle anything labeled as an animal dip with latex gloves.

	» My second Mortlach	25-AUG-2008
Since you rarely see Mortlach outside of Indie bottlers it's no surprise that my second is also indie: Murray McDavid's Mortlach 13. It's a fantastic bottle at a remarkable price, too bad they only had 1 bottle unopened and I didn't get it.

	» McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt	20-AUG-2008
A 3 year old from Oregon, USA with a clear Scotch influence, McCarthy's was very reminiscent of Caol Ila. My second USA single and a much better one than my last.

	» Nearly finished with the main line Glenlivets	18-AUG-2008
Glenlivet 16 Nadurra is one of the last remaining Glenlivets that I needed to try. I believe there's still the standard 15 (not the French Oak version). Still, it was a good find and a good whisky.

	» Friday Retastes XVII: Annual Aberfeldy	15-AUG-2008
A second tasting of the one and only Official Aberfeldy, which you may know as Dewars (it's the distillery source). This is also the only whisky I've ever got from an in-law.

	» A very special Macallan.	13-AUG-2008
This ties JW Blue as the most expensive whisky on the list at 200 bucks. By my scoring system this means it is impossible for this Murray McDavid Mission Gold series Macallan to score well on the adjusted list, simply know that it scored well on the tasting list.

	» Another Springbank 10	11-AUG-2008
After a 4 year gap between the First Springbank and the Second I barely wait 3 months before finding a third. This one puts Springbank into an entirely new category for me, no Springbank has ever scored less than 90 points on my list.

	» Friday Retaste XVI: Retracing Buffalo	08-AUG-2008
Back to Trace, which I'm now seeing in more stores and still not all that impressed with.

	» Highland Park 15	06-AUG-2008
Indie bottler Alchemist (or Al Chem Ist) brings a peppery Highland Park that was quite a ride. This represents my first Alchemist bottling (but not my last).

	» Macallan bathed in White Zinfindel	04-AUG-2008
Seriously! This is a Murray McDavid release of Macallan from 1997 that was finished in White Zin casks from California. Very unusual and very good.

	» Friday News:	01-AUG-2008
Bruichladdich has updated their 18 Year Old to the new “Second Edition” Brown Foreman has announced a new Repeal version of their Old Forrester Bourbon. I'll be looking for it. Glenmorangie (dot com) has finally got their website in order. It's... colorful Auchentoshan, which I'll have a review up for in a month or two, has relaunched their line. Again. And updated the bottles. Again.


	» Friday Retastes XV: Back to the Beach	01-AUG-2008
Pebble beach, that is. We take a trip back to this young Speysider from the past.

	» Another J and B	30-JUL-2008
While I wasn't hugely impressed with midshelf staple J&B, it was decent enough stuff and had a few nice touches. This all leads to being very happy to find the step up, Jet 12 version which is all but MIA from US shelves.

	» New Version: 4.8	29-JUL-2008
Generally I don't announce every version, but since this update changes some very, VERY core code I wanted to mention it. There may be a few bugs, hiccups and such lurking in the far corners. I've done my best to find and test everything, but as sure as the sun rises tomorrow there'll be a version 4.8.1 in the near future. So I'm asking for patience and/or forgiveness ahead of time, depending on how ugly whatever I missed happens to be.

	» Suddenly Lismore is everwhere.	28-JUL-2008
A SMS called Lismore just appeared at every nice liquor store I visit at about the same time last month. It's the first time I've ever seen such a thing. Even more unusual is that Lismore seems to be set on giving Speyburn a run for it's money in the cheapest single malt category.

	» Friday Retaste XIV: The Glenrothes SR	25-JUL-2008
I only managed a few hastily scribbled notes at a tasting the first time, so it's nice to get a second shot and really explore Glenrothes basic version.

	» A pair of Laddies: The Seventeen	23-JUL-2008
I've never seen this in full size so having it at all is a nice treat. This also brings my eternally ignored Bruichladdich list up to a respectable foursome.

	» A pair of Laddies: The Fifteen	21-JUL-2008
Bruichladdich was one of my first personal Scotch purchases and I have to confess that it was the free glassware that helped boost it over the Bowmore. Now I have a chance at two nicer 'Laddies in a set that I missed a few years ago, although now it's 1/3 the size and 1/3 the price.

	» Friday Retastes XIII: Back to Speyside for THE Speyside	18-JUL-2008
Still an annoyance, that name. I'll let it go, though. It's a fair glass and little more, I'd rather hoped that if a scotch was going to try and adopt the entirety of Speyside it would aim higher.

	» I can hardly spell “Old Ballantruan”	16-JUL-2008
It calls itself "The Peated Malt" which is a bold claim considering the likes of Ardbeg. Amazingly, this isn't from Islay rather it hales from Speyside!

	» Trimming down the Tops	14-JUL-2008
As the number of total reviews grows, so does the number of whiskies at the top of the Tops page. To trim this down to just the best (and worst), I've dropped the percent from 7% to 5%. It stuns me that I've had so many whiskies that the top 5% amounts to 13 different whiskies (as of right now), but such is my quest.

	» More SMWS: Mortlach	14-JUL-2008
A major part of the Johnny Walker line, you can't really get an official Morlach anywhere. I was quite impressed, which explains my fondness for the upline JWs.

	» A second sip of Ardbeg 10	11-JUL-2008
Traveling back 100 whiskies to a stellar performer: Ardbeg 10. Last seen in the Alphabet Challenge, Ardbeg was a monster with an unyielding peat presence and massive score to match. In my second tasting she still deserves her 90 and stands as my gold standard to greater scores.

	» A second chance at Clynelish.	09-JUL-2008
My first shot fell through unexpectedly and this second chance came at my favorite price: free! Killed this at a party amidst friends.

	» Strathisla is a Home Run	07-JUL-2008
Every time I think I'm putting a dent in the list of whiskies you might realistically run into at your local liquor store I find ten that I haven't yet tried. It's part excitement at the potential and part despair at the size of the task. A coworker mentioned liking Strathisla back at a Christmas party and I nodded and added it to a mental checklist that I have going. Then I promptly forgot about it. Now I've actually found it and here we are, only seven months later.

	» Friday Retastes XII: For the Fourth we hit the Wayback Machine	04-JUL-2008
Going all the way back to September 2006 we find Bruichladdich 10, a classic introduction to the non-peat beasts of Islay.

	» Happy Birthday to me?	02-JUL-2008
For my birthday review (well, near-enough) I ended up with Schenley Reserve. Luck of the draw, but so help me this is a draw that I'm going to put the fix on next year.

	» Isle of Jura	30-JUN-2008
I'd say "Overdue" but that's getting a bit tired so I'll just say that Jura 10 has been on my to-do list for a long while thanks to a good showing by an earlier Jura and because a buddy has Jura 10 on his shelf standards list. The ten joins a number of other decade-agers on my new list of practical spotlights, scoring very well for a bottle that could be yours for less than 40 bucks.

	» Friday Retastes XI: Back to Beam	27-JUN-2008
I know it's been a bit since we've had a Friday retasting and the godawful cost of gas and weak dollar are killing my whisky exploration, but I've managed to pull a few together and can promise regular Friday updates and a steady supply of Monday / Wednesday new reviews. Today it's back to double digits with Jim Beam Black. Nothing really new in this tasting, but it's great to go so far back and pick up a second shot. Enjoy.

	» A Passport to fair drinking	25-JUN-2008
Passport is a standard shelf mate of many well known whiskies, one of the old guard who I can never seem to find in standard bottle sizes or, so help me, miniatures. This bargain priced mainstay fares well enough, a surprise when you consider the weakness of some of its comrades.

	» Two Five Oh	23-JUN-2008
That's right, two hundred fifty different whiskies reviewed! The big two fifty, the big quarter thou (or quarter mil to use the Latin. It sounds even better). I tell you I spent a few sleepless moments wondering what I should put here, it being such an auspicious number and all. Well, not as big as 100 or, say 500, but probably as important as 200 or... well, anyway, in honor of this very momentous day I've selected Ballantines 12, who's standard fare was decent, if not inspiring. I've passed on the better versions time and again at a local liquor store and finally dove in to give it a go. Salude!

	» Pikesville Supreme Rye	18-JUN-2008
A rye made in Kentucky, originally from Maryland that costs around ten bucks a liter. There no way this is going to work... or is there?

	» SMWS #2: Braeval	16-JUN-2008
Braeval was once Braes of Glenlivet, and has both Glenlivet and Allt-A-Bhainne as sister distilleries. The fact that she is also mothballed at the moment is a shame because this was one of the most fun whiskies I've had in a great while.

	» SMWS #1: Glen Scotia 13	11-JUN-2008
Another Campbelton, GS13 was an interesting contrast to my beloved Springbank. This one is actually long overdue here as I tried it (and somehow have no notes) two years ago.

	» The Singleton of Glendullan	09-JUN-2008
Dear Diago, Please find the people in your marketing department, or the person responsible for hiring the marketing company, who named your new product “The Singleton of Glendullan” and fire them. Firstly, “The Singleton” is redundant and pretentious. The term is already used in mathematics and there is a widely used, perfect phrase that goes something like “Single Malt Scotch”, which perhaps you've heard of. It also rhymes with “Simpleton”, to the degree that I thought this was a joke bottle when I first spied it. As for “Glendullan”, aside from having a terrible distillery name it's fair enough as a choice for inclusion, but there seem to be a wide range of better distilleries at your fingertips.

	» Really, who names a bourbon after a dog?	04-JUN-2008
Once upon a time I was considering an “Old MacDonald” style tasting with animal dubbed whiskies, things like Wild Turkey alongside Pig's Nose and so forth. I just never managed to get enough of them together to pull it off. One that was supposed to be on the list was Setter, which a local liquor store carried, then stopped stocking. I finally tracked down a full liter of the stuff and parted with less than a tenner for the whole jug. I don't think it will take too many guesses as to how much I'll actually drink.

	» Str8Up into June	02-JUN-2008
No, I haven't been reduced to using L33T in the blog titles to generate interest. That is, I'm sad to say, the actual title of today's review. The Str8 Up line consists of toothpaste tubes with various liquor products in them, including this one containing Canadian Whisky.... or at least it claims to have Canadian Whisky inside. Opinions differ. In any case, if you're going on an adventure so rigorous and physically demanding that plastic bottles of crappy whisky cannot possibly withstand the journey... Well maybe in those cases you shouldn't be, you know, intoxicated. But if you insist, now you have an option.

	» Predecessor Liquour	28-MAY-2008
Before there was American Honey there was Wild Turkey Liqueur with Honey. A bit unwieldy in the naming department, this is clearly built from the same stuff and has sired well.

	» The bottle isn't black anymore, but the Scotch sure is.	26-MAY-2008
Black Bottle 10 is a peat beast of blends, incorporating whisky from every distillery on Islay. It's well regarded by peat enthusiasts as an Islay wonder and I almost agree.

	» Glen Grant	21-MAY-2008
Glen Grant doesn't give me much to work with. It's a fair Speysider with no real exciting flavors or surprises. As a whisky it's fair drinking. As a muse for blog blurbs, it doesn't really measure up.

	» Betcha didn't know Seagrams made Bourbon	19-MAY-2008
Seagrams was once the king of all drinks, but now they're remembered only through a handful of brands within the new giant: Diageo. We start this week out with Seagram's Benchmark, once an upper shelf mainstay.

	» 400 years of Bushmills	14-MAY-2008
Bushmills has released an Anniversary Expression to mark 400 years since their 1608 charter to distill whisky and I review it as the first Irish of 2008. Wait... that can't be right... Bloody heck, it is the first Irish of 2008. Anyway, the 400 years doesn't apply directly to Bushmills the company, it refers to a grant to distill in the town of Bushmills. So congrats to the town, I suppose.

	» The madness of King George	12-MAY-2008
Technically that title refered to KG the III, not the IV, which is the subject of today's review. I'll sum it up to say that madness would have been at least interesting. Instead we get something that is fighting for pure middle of the road blend status served in a bottle that is nearly as boring.

	» The madness of King George	12-MAY-2008
I'm... I'm just not going to bother. This is a check in the box, cheap blend taken care of moment.

	» Long awaited return to Springbank	07-MAY-2008
Should you care to meander back in time, the very first whisky tasting I ever tracked, and the highest ranked tasting of all time, was the 21YO Springbank of yore. Now, 236 tastings later I finally return to Campbeltown to try the 10 Year Old 100 Proof. It's like coming home.

	» Canadian Club 6 100	05-MAY-2008
As of today's 10YO 100 Proof tasting, I have completed everything in Canadian Club's lineup. The only option would be to further explore the cask varieties in their Sherry Cask series, but don't count on it.

	» 2 New Whiskies and Other News	02-MAY-2008
Balvenie has announced a new whisky: 12 Year Old Signature. It should be less than $60 if it comes to the USA. Forty Creek is releasing Double Barrel, a limited (but worldwide) release. No clue on cost. Glenmoranige gets this year's award for worst website. The opening is nice, but then you get a black screen that says ">Skip" and links to another black screen. That's it. Way to go on that whole new image, guys.


	» JM&R Peaty Smokey One	30-APR-2008
I was underwhelmed by JM&R's last attempt. It was underflavored and simplistic in my opinion, so when I spied the peaty version, I thought it would be a good chance for the trio to make some good with some meatier flavors. Did they do it? Click and see.

	» Blind D = My second Laddie.	28-APR-2008
Bruichladdich has been a solo act on my list since the earliest, pre Practical Whisky days, which is a shame that is rectified here with Full Strength. This is no mild lad, either. This is a roaring hellion!

	» General Friday News	25-APR-2008
Rather than comment on the row over new names for blends/vattings and such, I'll stick to other items of interest this week. A Danish company (the country, not the breakfast pastry) called Scaent has purchased Glenglassaugh distillery in the Highlands and is planning to start up production. The distillery has a checkered past of openings and closings, so here's to hoping things work out. Highland Park has announced a 40 year old, and at $1000+ that's pretty much all you'll hear about from me.


	» Blind B= BenRiach 16	23-APR-2008
Long on my "to-do" list, BenRaich finally appears thanks to the blind taste test. The BR 16YO is a nice ride through an unusual flavorset for a Speysider.

	» Blind A = G&M's Imperial Apple Juice	21-APR-2008
Whiskies from Imperial are a bit tough to come by, mostly because the distillery releases no official bottlings. This G&M creation was finished in calvados (apple brandy) casks, which imparts a distinct flavor that I wasn't very fond of. It was memorable, though!

	» Blind A = G&M's Imperial Apple Juice	21-APR-2008
Blind A, which I took to be an infusion from Compass Box or something equally crazy.

	» Four Blind Whiskies	16-APR-2008
If your memory serves, a year ago I attended a private Bourbon tasting where I got to try 4 new (and fantastic) Bourbons. My friend managed to pull together the contents of a PREVIOUS tasting that was focused on Scotch. How awesome is that? Now, I lack the bottles and have instead been given 4 small tasting bottles and a booklet detailing what's inside, so no original pictures of bottles to enjoy. However, I can't let an opportunity for a blind tasting to by unseizedupon, so I'll taste and score blind. All I know so far is that there are 4 (out of an original 5) and that they are from various regions of Scotland.

	» Blind C = Littlemill	16-APR-2008
Littlemill is a recently closed distillery in the already deprived Lowland region and only a handful are still available, so it was great to get the 12YO in a blind tasting. Good stuff and sorely missed. Oh, and if you're wondering, I'm posting reviews in the bottler order (1→4), not the tasting order (A→D).

	» The First Whisky of the Rising Sun	14-APR-2008
Yamazaki 12 was a slight disappointment. Scorewise it was wonderful, striding proudly to within bare clutching distance of the fabulous 90. But honestly? For my first Japanese whisky I wanted it to be a whole new WORLD of whisky flavor, and well, it tastes like a good Scotch. Now some feathers are perhaps ruffling out there and so be it, but darn it! I wanted this to be like Bourbon, a whole new world of flavor and what do I get? Wood, sherry and malt. Ah well, it is still a great glass and I'll just have to be satisfied with that.

	» Isle of Arran: 4 of 4. The one with the long name	09-APR-2008
Ready? Isle of Arran Robert Burns Official Authorized World Federation Single Malt Scotch. Got that? Good. Thanks to my new system all I have to remember is #229, so I'm set. I've no idea who Robert Burns is, or what the Federation has to do with anything. What I do know is that this is a good whisky and it scores well into the 70s. I still preferred the oddly (but shorter) named 100 Proof, but this was a good way to end the tasting.

	» Isle of Arran: 3 of 4. The 100°	07-APR-2008
No, not 100 points or 100 years old: 100 proof... in the British sense I guess since it actually clocks in at 57%ABV (114 US Proof). It also puts a degree sign in there, the point of which eludes me. All that aside, the 100° leaps ahead of the earlier Arrans and after a bit of watering scores big points.

	» Isle of Arran: 2 of 4. The 10 YO	02-APR-2008
A step up in numbers, a slip in score. Today's 10YO was just a bit noisier and sharper than it's kin, the NAS version. Still, a good glass in the slightly recommendable range.

	» Isle of Arran: 1 of 4. The NAS	31-MAR-2008
Also for Christmas (see the Tormore) my brother brought me a 4 pack of miniature Arrans that we sampled together. The first, Arran NAS was a fair introduction to the flavors of the island.

	» World Whiskies: Murree	28-MAR-2008
I have no real news today, but I stumbled across this and wanted to share. There is a distillery called Murree which exists in, of all places, Pakistan. I don't know how their 12 year old might appear on these pages, but by all the malt in Scotland I'm going to look for it!


	» A Gift of Tormore	26-MAR-2008
My younger brother, who I seem to be corrupting horribly in the ways of whisky, gave me this nice bottle for Christmas. It didn't live up to the fun of a 4-pack of minis (coming soon!) but it was a good bottle that revealed a few subtle flavors.

	» Grants has taken too long to show up here.	24-MAR-2008
You've likely seen Grant's Family Reserve sitting amidst the midshelf vanguards. While not a knock-out, this served as a steady, easy-drinking glass that is a credit to its name.

	» News: New Jamesons and New Scotch Rules	21-MAR-2008
Pernod has announced a redesign of the Jameson's line and 2 new Jameson's products: Jameson Gold Reserve (at a suggested $60) and Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve ($250). I think you can guess which one might end up here on the site. In other news, Longrow (Springbank) has a new 7 year old Wood Expression that we yanks can't get. So... horray and such. And finally, the Scotch Whisky Association is considering some naming rules changes and Bruichladdich isn't very happy about it.


	» Some Tasty Nog.	19-MAR-2008
Nearly left this one out. I picked up an Egg Nog that comes from a dairy in Pennsylvania and it turned out to be fair drinking. It doesn't score really well for a whisky, but that's mostly because the liquor is tough to taste over the powerful cream and spice. And hey, who says you can't have Nog in March?

	» New Tasting Schedule	17-MAR-2008
Starting today, I'll be on a Monday + Wednesday Schedule for the foreseeable future. I've exhausted much of my Christmas buffer and I just can't keep up with the cost of 10 whiskies per month if I'm not finding small (cheap) minis. I have a few reviews I can add for whiskies already here and I'll have to pay more attention to news in the whisky universe.

	» Steady as she goes: Macallan 10	17-MAR-2008
Macallan 10 tastes like a slightly drier, tighter version of the 12, which certainly isn't a terrible thing but doesn't make for exciting reviews. So... I'll make stuff up here and recant in the review: The ten tastes exactly like artichoke ice cream.

	» Version Four point Two	14-MAR-2008
Version 4.2 has rolled! While I tend to intentionally hype these releases, this one actually involved a massive, top to bottom rewrite of the entire back end. There are going to be some front end changes, but considering that everything behind the scenes is now running faster, better, longer, uh... cheaper, this seemed worthy of front page mention. The biggest change for visitors will be (I hope) speed and usage. Logical placement of some links, faster page negotiation, multiple reviews and lots of additional bits and bobs should allow people to find or browse to interesting whiskies. For me the new system allows me to update, link, add, modify and move things without having to write a lot of new javascript. The database itself provides me with a ton of features that I had once hand-coded.


	» WoD: I'm being a bit unfair: Glenfarclas 25	12-MAR-2008
It's one thing when a bottomshelf Canadian blend or mixing Scotch isn't very good, one rather expects to be underwhelmed. This is a horse of another color though. Glenfarclas 25 is a quarter century brother to one of my all time favorite Speys, the wonderful 21YO. And yet for all its age and cost it cannot even muster a recommendable score. This is another type of desolation, so I'm sticking it here.

	» WoD: Canadian De Luxe	10-MAR-2008
So... insert deluxe joke here, because the Canadians have foisted another monster upon us.

	» Aberlour 12 stumbles	07-MAR-2008
(ON BREAK) As a huge fan of the standard Aberlour lineup, the 12 Double Cask seemed like an easy purchase for our break. Sadly it was heavily over-sherried and falls apart. It's still a world better than what I've been slogging through, but this is hardly a sign of springtime.

	» WoD: Drowning in the Old Mill Stream	05-MAR-2008
A bourbon and rye combination that failed in every way to work, the Old Mill Stream seems like it needs some help from the EPA to correct something.

	» WoD: Not the worst ever, but not by much.	03-MAR-2008
Gold Crown (HA!) is a bitter, two flavor horror that fails to reach the absolute nadir of the taste chart purely through its simplicity: there are just fewer flavors to hate. It slumps below the 20 point nightmare line by just a hair. Worst of all, this is one of a few whiskies produced in my home state of Maryland, which makes me very sad, especially after ranting at Canadians for producing and exporting so much weak whiskey.

	» Friday News & Retastes	29-FEB-2008
No real news or retastes, but I am working diligently on version 4.2, which will be released shortly!

	» WoD: Canadians won't even drink this stuff	27-FEB-2008
I'm starting to think that the bittersweet rye abominations that are pushed on me as “Canadian Whiskey” are NOT the stuff that the Canadians are actually drinking, it's actually the crap that they don't want. I've had some good Canadians, but they're like rays of light through a ceiling of storm clouds. So fess up, northern neighbors, you're foisting your leftovers and leavings on us, aren't you! In my research on who produces this monstrosity I discovered that it isn't even available to Canadians as a domestic whisky! What makes you think WE want it?!?

	» WoD: My first USA Single Malt!	25-FEB-2008
: Too bad it's pretty awful. Wasmund's Rappahannock Pot Stilled Single Malt is certainly an interesting product, unfortunately its central flavor: a musky applewood and noble rot wine kick, just isn't working for me. At all. I tried to like it, I tried to give it time and space to grow on me, but I've failed.

	» A new (but not improved) Glenmorangie	22-FEB-2008
(ON BREAK): Our first break and my first chance at the new Glenmorangie line up. If you remember back to October Glenmorangie announced a complete revamp of their core lineup. Logos, bottles, taste, the works. This new 10 replaces their previous 10, which was one of my all time favorites and prince of the Top Ten list. The net result is good, but a step down from the malt beast that I so loved.

	» WoD: And here's another	20-FEB-2008
If you thought Monday was bad, here we have a beast of a Canadian that is relentless and mean. Hold fast, my friends, Friday is our first break!

	» The Winter of Desolation	18-FEB-2008
To cough celebrate a streak of bad whiskies I've decided to do a special taste event chock full of 'em. Hey: I suffer, you suffer. Now to give you a break from the bleak marathon that I endured, I've decided to toss in a few rest stops along the way. I had hoped to gather enough of a type to have a counter-taste event going on, but there was no real trend to these pauses except that they aren't awful. If you're curious as to how I managed to find this trove of horrors, I did so on a trip to NC to visit the in-laws for the holidays. To be fair the local ABC stores actually had a nice selection, but I'd already tried all of the good stuff, so I was stuck with the local variety of leftovers in the smaller size bottles. So... uh... enjoy? We kick things off this week with ↓

	» WoD: Yet another Heaven Hill label	18-FEB-2008
Evan Williams 1783 10YO is, shockingly, another Heaven Hill multi-ID bourbon... and another disappointment. It started well enough, and died and is thus interred here in the Winter of Desolation.

	» Friday News	15-FEB-2008
Auchentoshan has annouced a trio of new (limited) editions. A 30YO, 40YO(!) and 16 Bourbon Matured. edition. Fat chance of seeing any here, but now you know. Balvenie has announced a 17YO Sherry Oak Limited (at ~$160, and only in the UK). Bushmills has announced a 400th anniversary whisky, well.. they've announced that there will be one. No word on the wherefores and howtos. The Classic Malts line has announced Distiller's editions of many of their whiskies, including Cragganmore and Oban. They even sent me a big calendar over the holidays. Dalmore is threatening changes on their radicially revamped website. Reminds me of Glemorangie, whose web site is now less dead. And speaking of Glenmorangie, they've updated the splash page on their website and it takes you to a page that will not load in any browser I have access to. Nice one guys.


	» Bowmore 21 is almost as good as Dawn.	13-FEB-2008
The 21 YO seems to be a drier, smokier version of the awesome Dawn. The lack of a sweet contrast and a big cost difference puts it beyond practical status, but it was a good end to a triplet of Bowmores.

	» Bowmore 17	11-FEB-2008
The second in a string of 3 Bowmores, the 17 YO is good stuff and helps to bring some balance to the drastically varied Bowmore flavor lineup.

	» A Legend from Bowmore	08-FEB-2008
The legend I'm reading says that Bowmore Legend tastes good. Sadly like many legends, it's just not true. Bowmore has been all over the map in flavor for me, from the dizzying heights of Dawn to ... well, this.

	» At least one part of Canadian R and R is interesting.	06-FEB-2008
Sadly, that part is the bottle. The whisky inside is of no importance compared to the cool bottle. Too bad I don't rate packaging, eh?

	» I need a bourbon break	04-FEB-2008
Aside from SoCo a month ago (which doesn't really count), I haven't put a Bourbon on the list since mid December! I'd hoped to break that streak with some awesome Bourbon. Instead I picked up Jeremiah Weed Bourbon Liqueur. Just take a look at that name and tell me how in the world I can be objective here. Please. So... it wasn't that bad, drinkable and all that. It would have been better if it were horrible so I could have some fun with it. I guess I should track down an Irish whiskey for 2008, and now I still need a Bourbon.

	» Final Switch	01-FEB-2008
As of today, all updates will take place at www.practicalwhisky.net

	» Chivas 18YO	30-JAN-2008
Having already tasted the fair 12 YO and fabulous Century finding 18 year old was a must. Were it not for the recently introduced 25 year old, I could have checked the Chivas Brothers off my list!

	» Duggan's Dew	28-JAN-2008
D. Dew = Do not bother. Old Duggan has access to a good set of flavors from which to build and goes absolutely nowhere with them.

	» Danfields Private Reserve 10YO isn't a Scotch.	25-JAN-2008
I doubt you few dear readers are coming here to find new and exciting Canadian Blends to savor, I know I've pretty well given up, but if you are here's one to add to your list. Not at the top, mind you, but not one of the hordes of Canadian blend bores. So, somewhere just slightly down the list a bit.

	» I bet you've heard of White Horse	23-JAN-2008
White Horse blend ranks among the standards I think of when I imagine Scotch Blends. Grants, JW Red and J&B are certainly on that list as well, the old guard mixers you see in the well of every bar. I had planned to put WH here earlier, but it was difficult to find this in less than liter size, and I knew I wasn't up to putting away a liter of this. In fact, I wasn't able to go through much more than three glasses of WH.

	» Ledaig of the overwhelming Sherry	21-JAN-2008
Ledaig SF tastes like someone poured a pint of sherry into the bottle. It isn't normally a bad flavor, but at these levels it's a distraction and has little else to save it. I also realize that 2008 has been a string of Scotches, a trend that will continue until Friday.

	» Big News	18-JAN-2008
Two major (related) announcements! Practical Whisky dot Net! After a year at the Comcast site I've finally registered a real url and picked up some web space. This gives me the ability to move all this Javascript into PHP... well, most of this JS to PHP, and eventually gives me the option of going to a true database! Exciting times, exciting times. Both sites will be active for the next week or so, but eventually the Comcast site will join the choir invisible. Version 4.0 All the changes to the code for the move prompted me to do some major work on the site and I've updated to version 4.0! You can look at the Version page to see what's going on.


	» Fleischmann prefers this to... something.	16-JAN-2008
Oh, the pathetic mediocrity! Since this was barely a half-drinkable whisky, I'll finish this writeup using half words: Fleisc wa no ve go. I d no li i a al. Ro i He fleisc. I'll leave the translating to your imagination.

	» #200: Ardbeg 17 is fantastic.	14-JAN-2008
For my 200th whisky I chose an Ardbeg that has been off shelves for a year or two: Ardbeg 17yo. I couldn't pass up on the chance to try it, and I'm glad I did. After a difficult taste-off, the 17 ties the fantastic 10 year old at an even 90 points.

	» The Two Hundred	14-JAN-2008
In 2004, standing in a friend's garage I was instructed, nay, ordered to sample a single malt of yet to be surpassed quality. It was a key in the ignition for me, inspiring dozens of tastings that wound up in a tiny flip-book notepad that I kept in my briefcase and in a text file shared on my rather boring web space. One year and three months ago I moved those few dozen reviews onto the web to share with more friends, and the rest is... well, this site. Slainte! Salude! Prost! Cheers! Maljanne! Kampai! Vivat! Or however else you say it.

	» JM&R's lead off is weak.	11-JAN-2008
I had high hopes for John Mark and Robbo's line of vattings and blends. I picked up their Smooth Sweeter One (Scotch variation) for a party and it was drinkable, but too bland to score well.

	» Bowman is pretty boring.	09-JAN-2008
Bowman's is a fairly bland, drinkable and forgettable blend. And coming off the mega news of Monday, even it's writeup is pretty bland.

	» Southern Comfort and “Drinkable” in the same sentence.	07-JAN-2008
Oh yes, you read that correctly. My least favorite whisky product ever has a 100 proof cousin that, truth be told, wasn't that bad. That's right, not that bad. In fact, it had but one overwhelming flaw that prevented it from being an entirely pleasurable drinking experience. So... here goes: Southern Comfort 100 proof is fairly drinkable.

	» Friday Retaste Ex: Glenfiddich 15 CS!	04-JAN-2008
Gone and back, Glenfiddich 15 comes to me in CASK STRENGTH! Woo!

	» Friday News & Retastes	04-JAN-2008
A combination, I've done a retasting of Glenfiddich 15 Cask Strength and have seen it back on store shelves!


	» Obligatory Old Smuggler	02-JAN-2008
In a field of “Old” whiskies there are a few standout greats whose titular age claims match their drinkability. Old Smuggler is not one of them. Man, I didn't kick off 2008 any better than I wrapped 2007!

	» ==2= H A P P Y =0= N E W =0= Y E A R =8==	01-JAN-2008
It's 2-0-0-8! 2008?!? Wait, That's Impossible! No, it's true: Happy New Year!

	» Official Old Pulteney is Officially Fair	31-DEC-2007
Wrapping up our 2007 tasting season is an official Old Pulteney to compare to the mediocrity of an Indy from back in the Mini Madness II days. The result? The 12 is slightly better, reaching recommendable status but not impressing much beyond that. Maybe I should have planned to wrap this year on a higher note.

	» For my 2007 wrap up of the best whiskies from the past year	31-DEC-2007
↑ Go to the my 2 cents page!

	» Cutty Sark 18 sails!	28-DEC-2007
Where the earlier Sark was a rowboat in a rainstorm, the older and wiser 18 year old sails tall and proud. The aged versions of the Sark are tough to find locally, and seem to appear and vanish from the lineup with little notice.

	» Chivas Century of Malts	26-DEC-2007
These are disappearing from shelves at a rapid pace, which is a shame because the complexity and flavor makes it well worth the price tag. I can do little more than look forward to Chivas' next special release.

	» Happy Christmas!	25-DEC-2007
May you have a wonderful season.

	» Evan Williams Egg Nog for Christmas	24-DEC-2007
This was a Thanksgiving pick up that I held on to for Christmas. Nobody else seemed to like it, but if you're a fan of nog and bourbon, this might be a good experiment.

	» No News & Retastes	21-DEC-2007
I'm taking a break in the run up to Christmas, plus nobody seems to have any breaking news on the wires. There'll be some interesting site news shortly after the New Year though, look for it around review number 200.

	» MMII: The Talisman	19-DEC-2007
The mysterious Talisman comes to me as a surprise entry toward the end of our mini marathon. In any other tasting it might have scored topmost, but its 70+ score is forced to fight against some real winners and it risks getting overlooked. A shame for such a good blend.

	» MMII: Auchentoshan NAS isn't very good	17-DEC-2007
Auchentoshan follows the well received Glenkinchie from the Lowlands of Scotland and utterly fails to impress. Flowery and sharp, it plays a poor second fiddle. This has recently been replaced by the "Select" in the Auch. lineup, so one hopes that this represents an improvement.

	» MMII: Dalmore is a puzzle	14-DEC-2007
A puzzle that you'll enjoy picking apart, I believe. I was thrilled to find a Dalmore in mini form since it seems to sit just next to the standard Highland pack on the shelves of better liquor stores.

	» MMII: Clontarf SM is the top for good reason.	12-DEC-2007
The peak of the Clontarf Trinity tower, this is the Single Malt of the bunch and the only one that I really much enjoyed. It was ultimately disappointing to add only one drinkable Irish to my list as I have a deep fondness for green malts from the Isle.

	» MMII: Kentucky Vintage is a spicy meatball	10-DEC-2007
A monster of spice and dry bourbon goodness, Kentucky Vintage brings home silver for the Bourbon team in this tasting. In fact it's testimony to the scope of this tasting to see so many big numbers.

	» The Kthulu finally gets retasted	07-DEC-2007
For a long while the Kthulu existed as the lowest-ranked single malt scotch on my list. For the life of me I couldn't remember why I disliked it so much, so I've given it another shot.

	» Happy Hannukah!	06-DEC-2007
May you have a wonderful season.

	» MMII: Bowmore Darkest brings redemption	05-DEC-2007
Between the lofty heights of Dawn and the dire straits of Dusk lies Darkest. While it will always be overshadowed by its golden brother, the darkest sibling can at least take comfort in being good, peaty stuff. I have to mention that as Bowmore's ranks swell, it seems to be all over the score map.

	» MMII: My first Lowlander is a winner.	03-DEC-2007
I'm a bit embarrassed that it's taken me this long to finally get a Lowlander on this site. I blame the sheer volume of Highlanders compared to only three active and a few recently inactive Lowland distilleries (Glenkinchie, Auchentoshan and Bladnoch are active, Rosebank still exists, as does, I believe, St. Magdalene). Glenkinchie 10 leads the Lowland brigade honorably, pulling off a good score and setting the stage for further entries.

	» MMII: Rowan's Creek	30-NOV-2007
Winner of this year's worst label award, Rowan seems to have put only slightly more effort into its taste as it did into its exceptionally simple and ugly label. Seriously, this is something my 5th grader would throw together in ten minutes for a homework assignment so he could go play video games. As a lover of Bourbon I'm really tired of the “homey” spin companies insist on putting on our national whisky. It's bad enough that the label rules are so lax and there's such an overabundance of crap cluttering the shelves, we really don't need more reasons for bourbon to be dismissed.

	» MMII: Old St. Andrews shoots a birdy.	28-NOV-2007
OK, I'll keep the golf jokes to a minimum. Old St Andrews Clubhouse Blend is named for and sold by the famous golf course in Scotland and comes to you as golf-ball shaped bottles of whisky that are thankfully made by people as interested in product as they are in packaging. Steady, honest, straightforward blending that only made me feel slightly silly pouring it out of a golf ball.

	» MMII: Clontarf Reserve is the torso of the Trinity	26-NOV-2007
What did the robot in the torso get to DO anyway? I guess if it was also the head, but then you're still just the middle management of the robot combination... I guess being a foot is no real payoff either, most of those things seemed to fly. Anyway, the middle bottle of this stack is Clontarf Reserve and it was appropriately mediocre.

	» News	23-NOV-2007
The Scotsman is reporting that Diageo is trying to buy into Indian liquor company United Distillers, which owns Whyte and Mackay and a good part of the Indian Market. Whether this forebodes a bigger move by Diageo or not isn't known.


	» Happy Thanksgiving!	22-NOV-2007
For everyone in the USA, have a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Remember to raise a toast to everyone!

	» MMII: Cu Dub doesn't deserve its reputation	21-NOV-2007
I don't have the ú key on my keyboard and it is going to mess up my script references. I'll just spell it correctly in the notes Cu Dub. This is a whisky that other reviewers love to hate, and while I didn't love it, it was hardly the evil glass of steaming death that I was led to expect.

	» MMII: Noah's Mill is a monster	19-NOV-2007
A bourbon beast of complex flavors and miles of expression. This is what a powerhouse bourbon should be: unrepentant, demanding and ultimately rewarding. Noah is no gulping whisky, this will require attention, contemplation and respect.

	» MMII: Bowmore Dusk establishes that I'm a morning person.	16-NOV-2007
Where the prior Dawn was fantastic, Dusk is less so. Actually, very much less so. I admit that Dawn set a high standard, but this is fewer than half as many points less so. This is the very definition of building and failing my expectations.

	» MMII: Teachers is a classic...	14-NOV-2007
...allegedly. I found it to be a musky, chalky mess with precious little to enjoy about it. I'm starting to suspect the classic age of whisky wasn't as good as everyone seems to imply.

	» MMII: Clontarf and the awesome Trinity	12-NOV-2007
While not a mini of the 50ml variety, the Clontarf Trinity set provides you with 3 200ml bottles that stack and form a larger bottle like an Irish Whiskey Voltron. Or that Transformer made up of construction vehicles. Or... a power ranger Zord thing if that's more your era. I suppose you could go back further. I wonder what the first combining-robot slash thing TV show was?

	» Weekly News	09-NOV-2007
Chivas announces a new 25 year old blend. No idea about price or availability, but I'm guessing it will top $150 Glenmorangie has updated their web site.. although not in October as promised. Now instead of a 'coming soon' message you get a link to a flat black page. Way to go, guys! Sell that new lineup! The Scotch Blog (thescotchblog.com) clued me into an Indi bottler on this side of the pond! Premium Bottlers (Sadly in Canada) have some interesting products. Which I can't get without one heck of a road trip. Bother. Austin Nichols (Wild Turkey) announce Russell�s Reserve Rye, a small batch rye that will sell for about $25. No link yet.


	» MMII: Pure Kentucky Gold	07-NOV-2007
One of four mini bourbons in this event, Pure Kentucky was on my list for the Alphabet Challenge for letter X, but I couldn't get a hold of it. It's a pity because PKXO is great stuff.

	» MMII: Old Pulteney 8	05-NOV-2007
I decided to update my original review rules when I purchased Old Pulteney 8. When I was buying from local liquor stores a few carried Independent Bottlings which I excluded due to 1)cost and 2)availability. This bottling from Gordan and McPhail would break those rules, but finding a mini version has led me to update my purchasing guidelines. Sadly, Old Pulteney doesn't really thrill me for my first Independent.

	» MMII: Bowmore Dawn is simply fantastic	02-NOV-2007
Coming in above the exceptional 90 point line, Dawn is an Islay powerhouse that came out of nowhere. With two more Bowmores scheduled for this taste event it could end up being a very one sided affair.

	» MMII: Mosey on up to the Barr	31-OCT-2007
The Gilded label version of the John Barr rainbow fails to impress me any more than the Black Reserve managed back in June. This one manages to be steadily mediocre rather than a bipolar mess, but the net result score was the same. Thankfully I only had a mini to put away instead of a full bottle. With only their bottom-of-the-line red and a mysterious blue (older label?) left, John Barr is looking like a dead end for me.

	» Happy Halloween!	31-OCT-2007
Hope you get lots of candy!

	» MMII: Saint Brendans is YAIC	29-OCT-2007
Yet another Irish Cream, that is. This was the first I found, and although it's a bit weak to kick of MMII, I swear things will get better. Probably around Friday.

	» Mini Madness ][ ][ : The taste of FEAR	29-OCT-2007
In honor of my having spent the summer accumulating a new hoard of miniatures, I've pushed them all into a pile and danced around them starkers in hopes that the Whisky Gods will grant me a fine harvest of flavors. This event is looking to run us up to Christmas with a grand total of 20 whiskies, following the 5 whiskies every 2 weeks (MWF+MW+news)format that worked reasonably well earlier in the summer.

	» Friday... er Off Schedule Retaste of Knob Creek. Number IX.	26-OCT-2007
At a bar at a party, so why not?

	» It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas	26-OCT-2007
Oh, the joy of seasonal change in the special packaging section of local liquor stores. I've spotted some early gift pack offerings; which are a great way to try new whiskies, get some decent glassware or even ... I don't know, give them away as gifts, I suppose. Anyway, beside the Bourbon/poker sets and the Kahlua fondue pot set (the hell?!?) there sat the new Glenmorangie “Original” Ten year old with glassware. It appears that this is a new product inside and out, so apparently I'll be heading back to Glenmorangie sooner or later. One clerk also mentioned a Talisker pack, which would be great if it's not the 10yo again. Yes, it's barely Halloween and things are already looking interesting. Here's hoping!

	» No Real News	26-OCT-2007
I'd hoped to be into my new standard 10/month format MWFMW, but preparation for the upcoming Mini Madness II tasting has prevented me from doing so. Next week, however, will include 3 new tastings, none of them are Canadians or Bourbons and one (secret clue!) will even score above 90! So forgive my slow struggle to get everything in line. I can offer a second tasting of Knob Creek as a tiny concession, but it doesn't change the fact that I wasn't particularly impressed with the brand.

	» Midleton Very Rare	24-OCT-2007
If you know anything about Irish Whiskey, you don't need to see any more than the title of today's whisky. This was an anniversary gift from my lovely wife.

	» Back to Back Canadian winners	22-OCT-2007
It truly is a miraculous month here at Practical Whisky. While I didn't enjoy Canadian Club's 10 year old as much as last week's Pendleton, it still rises far above the typical chaff of the Great White North and ranks as my favorite from Club's lineup, which I believe I've essentially finished.

	» Friday News	19-OCT-2007
Continuing a string of releases, Bruichladdich has announced a new peaty Islay: Lochindaal, which was the name of the old Port Charlotte distillery. The Scotsman is reporting that the UK is tightening labeling laws regarding regional names for Scotch bottles (Islay vs Highland). Good on them! The Scotsman has new articles on a new Diageo Distillery in Roseisle Scotland (another Speysider, it seems) The Scotsman also has a listing of Glenmorangie's new lineup.


	» Yeah! A great Canadian... from Oregon.	17-OCT-2007
Yeah, you can figure this one out if you want, but it's a Canadian whisky brought to you by an Oregonian... Oreganic... A Rodeo from Oregon. As I'm not from Oregon and don't follow Rodeo, sometimes I just have to accept things and move on. Also, I'm not sure what's up with all the Canadians and Bourbons lately. You see them in the order I get them... At least Pendleton 10 is a good Canadian, very nearly a great Canadian in the same crowd as Forty Creek.

	» Henry McKenna is an imposter.	15-OCT-2007
Henry McKenna didn't score very well, and worse still it has revealed itself to be another Heaven Hill multiple personality Bourbon (the 6year 80proof version). While not a complete bottom shelf bourbon, it has but a few interesting ideas and a bit of spunk. Sadly it also has a coppery and tart flavor throughout that just sort of ruined it.

	» Sad Friday News	12-OCT-2007
Michael Jackson, the respected whisky and beer reviewer and not the ~~sing~~ ~~ped~~... celebrity of unknown function... Let us start again. Whisky and Beer reviewer Michael Jackson died on 30 August. I'm not sure why I'm so late in reporting this, but he was a founding father of the modern drink review. His books on beer helped revolutionize the options you now have at your local pub and he was a true star of the whisky scene. Sliante, Mr. Jackson.

	» MacNaughton is pretty weak	10-OCT-2007
I wish I could tell you more, MacNaughton is a boring Canadian in a crowded field of boring Canadians. A veritable plantation of boring, featherweight whiskies dripping with bitter rye aftertaste and a Yukon winter's worth of warmth.

	» Eagle Rare should be your house bourbon	08-OCT-2007
The tops of the practicality chart are nearly bursting with 99 point all stars and Eagle Rare 10 SB joins the pack. A truly spectacular Bourbon and a downright steal at $30 a bottle. If you like bourbon and haven't grabbed this one: go! Go now!

	» Friday News!	05-OCT-2007
Bruichladdich announces yet another whisky, the 18 year old. These guys sure are introducing a lot of product. The Scotch Blog is reporting that my favorite independent, Compass Box, has announced their new lineup. Check it out on their sight, the big news is that Orangerie is out this year.


	» A Dirty Dozen Bourbons	03-OCT-2007
According to the Whisky Bible, some fifteen different bourbons are, in fact, all the same thing with different coats of paint. One of them is Evan Williams Green Label, which is actually a shame because I liked this bourbon well enough and Evan Williams needed the boost. To help anyone looking for the varied incarnations, they will all link to the same review.

	» Yet another fair Canadian	01-OCT-2007
Canadian Springs was a cheapie that I grabbed at a grocery store because it was there and I was there and these things just sort of happen sometimes. In truth it isn't a terrible Canadian, with the standard set of faults and just enough character to make it enjoyable.

	» Friday Retastes IX: Back in Black	28-SEP-2007
JW Black, cornerstone and flagship and keystone and probably fifth vertebrae of the JW lineup. Again. Not that I mind terribly.

	» It wasn't just an age, nor even just an ANCIENT Age...	26-SEP-2007
...it was an ANCIENT, ancient age. Darn near archaic. Primordial even. So ancient there were only 10 stars rather than the billions and billions we see today. Yeah, that far back is where you must go to find Ancient Ancient Age 10 star Sour Mash Bourbon. I picked this up for no real reason, then bumped it so as not to have it land on my first anniversary tasting. I was tempted to bump it 6 more spots so it would fall exactly 100 tastings after the original, but I'm not that obsessive. The short of it? A big improvement over original Ancient Age, but it would have had to be a massive improvement to reach recommendable.

	» Long Overdue Laphroaig	24-SEP-2007
In celebration of my first anniversary with this site, I decided to grab a bottle of something from a distillery that's been on my to-do list for ages: Laphroaig 10. If you love peat beasts... well, then you already know about Laphroaig. If you're just learning to love the dark beast you should have this in line right behind Lagavulin and my personal go to peaty Ardbeg.

	» One Year Anniversary!	24-SEP-2007
And Lo, The Fourth Seal Was Opened And A Multitude Did Cry Out. One Year, One Hundred Sixty Two Whiskies! Here is what the page looked like back in the ancient days of 2006!

	» Everybody wants to know	21-SEP-2007
why I hate SoCo. It is, without question, the most frequently asked question I get. Here's my response.

	» New whiskies ahoy!	21-SEP-2007
Many a new bottle to be had: Glenfarclas announces they will release single cask offerings from every year from 1952 to 1994. Dubbed the “Family Casks” you can bet they'll be hard to find and high in price. Glenfiddich announces its new Christmas tins for 2007, which compliment their new standard tins. OK, it isn't a new whisky, but they're purdy. Bruichladdich has announced the newest, and last of their Legacy series: Legacy 6. If you're not in the know, these are old Bruichladdich casks from the old Bruichladdich and (I believe) Port Ellen distilleries, prior to the distillery closing in 1994. L6 will be around $200 bucks. Springbank has announced their newest “Wood Expression”: a sixteen year old Bourbon/Rum finish. The Scotch Blog is reporting that Highland Park is going to release a new 21YO and 40YO. Finally in non-new whisky news the Scotsman is reporting that giant Diageo is eyeing lesser giant Absolut. I don't know that it will have any whisky effect, but it's interesting.


	» Return of a well known game bird	19-SEP-2007
In searching for an upline of Ballantine's I found Famous Grouse 12 in a “Gold Reserve”, which isn't how the 12 is advertised elsewhere. This might be the tail end of the prior Grouse shipment or a limited set, but with all the love Grouse's standard version showed me I didn't hesitate to grab this one.---------------In searching for an upline of Ballantine's I found Famous Grouse 12 in a “Gold Reserve”, which isn't how the 12 is advertised on most online sites or Grouse's official site. This might be the tail end of the prior Grouse lineup or a limited set, but with all the love Grouse's standard version showed me I didn't hesitate to grab this one. It comes in dead even with the stock release, which is a still a great score but a bit of a disappointment given the shift in cost, age and suggested quality. Worth having at least and I still have the rest of the Grouse lineup to look forward to.

	» The continuing adventures of the bland blends	17-SEP-2007
In back to back to almost back mediocre Scotches, we now have Bulloch Lade (BL) who's most interesting feature is apparently its name. This is another of those founding father name sets (Misters Bulloch and Lade) which in this case was eventually snapped up by Diageo and now we have naught but a depressingly bland blend to remember them. When I go I hope they can at least give me a half decent Spey or Islay. Anyway, to keep your interest this review is the most poetic whisky review I've ever attempted.

	» Scoresby lives right next to Stuart	14-SEP-2007
Remember House of Stuart? Probably not. Either way you've essentially tasted Scoresby. More or less. Yeah... so space to fill... space to fill... Oh, I know. Scoresby Scotch isn't sold in Scotland! That's kind of interesting. Yeah? No? Fine. Look, if the Scotches aren't going to try to engage me then I'm not all that motivated to engage you.

	» Not Another Corn!	12-SEP-2007
No man can withstand two corn whiskies within two weeks you say! It cannah be DONE, you claim! Nay and Nevah! I have taken up the challenge! I can and shall and, in fact, HAVE done so, tracking down another moonshine emulator from a little farm in the Commonwealth o' Virginia who claims an actual documented history of shine making. And who am I to argue? On a side note, having two unopened shorties of corn lightning made me consider a taste event. And higher homeowner's insurance. Combining the horrors of the liquour tasting and bourbon marathon convinced me otherwise on an all corn festival, thankfully. In the end lightning strikes twice and we end up with good, enjoyable company for J W Corn.

	» Last of the Beams	10-SEP-2007
Tucked away between the White Label and my choice house Bourbon Black Label sits this, Jim's green labeled “Choice”. The Green scores slightly lower than the Black, but given it's slightly cheaper score it actually ties the master for practicality! I'll probably shell out the extra few bucks for the Black label, but I sure won't turn down this as an alternative!---------------Tucked away between the White Label and my choice house Bourbon Black Label sits this, Jim's Green “Choice ”. The Green scores slightly lower than the Black, but given it's slightly cheaper cost it actually ties exactly with the master for practicality! I'll probably shell out the extra few bucks for the Black label, but I sure won't turn down this as an alternative!

	» Friday Retastes VIII: Glenmorangie	07-SEP-2007
Why a retaste of G15? Why not?

	» Stuart's house isn't that great	05-SEP-2007
The House of Stuart is a three bedroom split level with a cracked window or two and lots of peeling paint. The gutters need some work and the neighborhood isn't the best. On the plus side it comes to you for a steal and doesn't have foundation problems or mold, and the termite guy says that the damage is mostly cosmetic. In all seriousness this was everything I've begun to anticipate from a weak blend, boring and full of thin grain and hay flavors.

	» Its Paul Jones, not JOHN Paul Jones	03-SEP-2007
Not John Paul Jones, you'll note, just ignore the seafaring theme on the bottle. This Paul Jones was a Bourbon pioneer and this bottle is put out by Heaven Hills distillery, which is noteworthy for their mix-and-match lower shelf bourbons. Despite all this what we have here is a “whiskey” only, with a whopping 72% neutral spirits and coming courtesy of a raid of ABC stores on a long road trip.

	» Glenrothes Vintage 1991	31-AUG-2007
In a bit of coincidence, my first ever Glenrothes of a few weeks ago is followed by this, a 1991 vintage Glenrothes. In case you're wondering, Glenrothes doesn't do age statements, they do year vintages based on when they think the whisky is ready. The winning card for this Single is its complexity, new tastes and wonderful layers overcome a few odd notes. This was a birthday present that got shelved for a few weeks thanks to a surplus of whisky birthday presesnts.

	» A corn whiskey that acually doesn't suck	29-AUG-2007
Not only does it not suck, J W Corn is downright drinkable. Oh, it isn't going to set the leaderboard on fire with a shockingly tasty trip down the all-corn paths of Moonshine Alley, but it it at least a fairly drinkable representative of the breed. It also managed to be one of my longest reviews (and longest tastings) thanks to a combination of high ABV and a certain sense of fear. I took my time unravelling Mister Corn's secrets and was pleasantly surprised by a nice, if not overly complicated Corn Whiskey.

	» A slightly out of print Bowmore	27-AUG-2007
I picked up this slightly dated Bowmore at a mediocre liquor store near the big city. I was actually looking for a nearby store, which didn't have anything to offer despite some good word of mouth. This is an older release of the 12 year old, having 43% alcohol and the birds in flight, gold foil label. As much as I enjoyed my last journey into Islay, this turned out to be a confusing mix of wonder and disappointment. I've heard great things about the newest releases, so I've at least got things to look forward to.

	» Friday News	24-AUG-2007
Big happenings in whisky. Glenmorangie will announce a new brand look in October. Their web site is down to a splash page, but the Scotsman has a good pic of their new line. Apparently this revamp covers bottles, packaging, logo and lineup, so across the board all my tastings for Glenmorangie might have become stale. The Scotsman also brings news of a new member of the Famous Grouse lineup: Grouse Black. A blend with a healthy dose of Islay peat, this is supposedly starting in Scandinavia and the UK.I can only hope that it will make its way stateside. Lastly, Bruichladdich has revealed the latest member of its Links lineup: Carnoustie.


	» High hopes for Canada	22-AUG-2007
I had high hopes for this Canadian, seeing as I have gotten so little joy from the great white north, it seemed fitting that an unusual attempt to warm up the typical Canadian rye-fest would succeed. In truth it was fairly good, not quite the rags-to-riches story that sells movie tickets but at least it wasn't yet another Canadian failure.

	» Low hopes for Jack	20-AUG-2007
The last holdout of the Tennessee whisky family falls into my grasp thanks to a long wine-hunting road trip with my wife. Of course good wine stores tend to stock a good whisky selection, and sometimes even cater to the miniature crowd. Thus a nice drive with my wife combines with my enjoyment of wine and love of whisky, and in this case I managed to get a few bottles to try. I had lowered hopes of enjoying this thanks to an unending string of mediocre to awful Tennessee beasts, but Jack SB now ranks as perhaps the only Tennessee whiskey that I will readily accept a glass of.

	» Ooooh Racehorses.	17-AUG-2007
A sweet "dessert bourbon", this was a tough tasting at the big Bourbon taste-off. After 3 bourbons I'd already tasted (Makers Mark, Knob Creek, and Woodford Reserve) and two new bourbons (Hirsch and Pappy's) I was a bit fatigued and the super-sweet flavors of Blanton's didn't really help much. I enjoyed it, but it lacked much beyond candied fruit and vanilla flavors.

	» From the Dewars family: Aberfeldy 12	15-AUG-2007
Owned by Dewars, Aberfeldy distillery provides one of the key ingredients to their entire line, which must be why I enjoyed it so much. This was a birthday present from my mother in law. Ha! My mother in law buys me scotch!

	» Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit	13-AUG-2007
Aside from one slip up I've enjoyed every Wild Turkey product that I've tried, and the Kentucky Spirit keeps that tradition alive. If I understand the lineup correctly, KY Spirit represents the top of the Turkey line and its score reflects that. I need to track down some Russel's Reserve and their other liqueur to finish the main line of Austin Nichol's lineup.

	» Pappy Van Winkle 20 year old	10-AUG-2007
That's right, a 20 year old Bourbon! Pappy's strides past my previous top bourbon: Bakers in the taste department, but as you might suspect with two decades of maturation, this one doesn't come cheap and suffers for it in terms of value. I was very excited to see such a rarity at the event since there was little chance I'd ever try it on my own.

	» Friday Whisky News	10-AUG-2007
A roundup of what's going on whisky-wise in the world. Bruichladdich has announced an addition to their core line: Bruichladdich 18 Year Old. The 18 is aged in Bourbon casks and finished in French Oak and will be available through 2008 and 2009. According to The Scotsman Scotch blender Whyte and MacKay (makers of John Barr) have been purchased by an Indian Company, Vijay Mallya for around 1.2 billion dollars. Thanks to the Scotch Blog I'm now aware of an Australian distillery (specifically Tasmania) called Hellyers Road Distillery. They seem to have only a single NAS expression, but they're pretty new, so it's something to look out for.


	» Those miserable Bankers down at the Club	08-AUG-2007
Given my deep love (sarcasm!) for the earlier Club of Senators from New Jersey, how could I not partake of their financial institution's selection of whiskey? You might note that this is a one LITER bottle, which I can tell you came into my possession for less than half the cost of the two jars of fine imported Greek olives that joined it at the register. The clerk barely batted an eye at the grouping, for which I can only offer silent thanks. This particular Club of Bankers has been evacuated, condemned, declared unfit for human habitation and demolished, its rubble burned and scattered, and the bared earth has been salted so that nothing may ever grow there again.

	» A H Hirsch Single Barrel 16	06-AUG-2007
I got to participate in a great Bourbon tasting in early July. There will ultimately be four new Bourbons listed, including our current offering of A H Hrisch, but I'll be intermixing them with other tastings. Variety being spicy and all that. A.H.H. is particularly interesting because it comes from a closed bourbon distillery that is slowly selling off its stock, which is entirely composed of 16 year old Bourbon that is no longer aging. While it was tasty, the rarity has driven the price up to triple digits, making this more of a collectors item than a sought after taste experience. You can probably find this one at some specialty shops with labels of “Closed Distillery!” and a duly marked up price tag.

	» New unpractical releases	03-AUG-2007
Knappogue Castle has announced that their sixth and newest vintage release will be from 1995. They're also reorganizing their vintage (read: expensive) lineup in ways that practical drinkers probably won't have more than a passing bit of curiosity about. Springbank has announced that their first vintage will be from 1997, and imply that there will be an ongoing line of vintage releases. I'm not up on what's going on over at Springbank. They seem to only be producing a handful of expressions under the Springbank name (they also produce Longrow and Hazelburn) in ages like 8, 9, 10 and 15 years. I rarely see any of these in my area anyway, although one of my favorite stores has a 10CS and 15 on the shelf and a 21 behind glass. And my favorite Canadian has announced a limited edition, small batch release called Forty Creek Small Batch Reserve. It is so limited that you have to show up at the distillery to get ahold of the first set, and only the remainder will get shipped anywhere. Sadly these will all be woefully expensive and in the case of the Forty Creek, so limited as to be useless to me. As it is I can hardly find the major releases from Forty Creek at my local stores. Also, it's a sad sign of getting old when you see the Vintage dates on wine and whisky bottles and it is a year in which you have clear memories. Glenrothes has vintages from the 1970s that are slightly before my time and so the years are simply numbers. But 1997? My youngest son was born in 1997! No updates today, I plan on taking every other Friday off with a news posting until I get a little further ahead with my buffer of reviews. Look on the bright side, this means a guaranteed three tastings next week.


	» Out to the Pebble Beach	01-AUG-2007
A gift from my lovely wife, I'm familiar with Ardbeg's golf course naming system but this is a whole new world.

	» Balvenie 10	30-JUL-2007
I picked this up with some birthday cash and it marks a bit of a milestone for me. Balvenie was one of the very first whiskies I ever seriously tried and this tasting completes their widely available line for me. They have a few sideline specialties like the 17 New Wood, but I can now say without reservation that Balvenie is a surefire winner. The 10 actually surpasses longtime favorite 12 Doublewood, and at a tenner less it is an incredible bargain, taking the top spot away from the fantastic Glenmorangie 10 on my Single Malt Scotch value board. It's especially nice to escape the failings of the last few tastings even if it took moving back into overly familiar territory.

	» My first Jack Old No.7	27-JUL-2007
“But wait!” you cry. “You've already done Jack No 7” Ah, so true, but this is Jack Old No. 7 GREEN label! Which is... different? See, this old bottle of Jack Daniels Green came with a bit of mystery: Is Jack Daniels Green the same as the newly less-ABV Black Label? To find out, I got some of each and set up a blind taste comparison!

	» An Irish Mystery at #140	25-JUL-2007
Finian's Five Provences is a decent Irish drink that I couldn't prove existed except for that fact that I have an empty mini bottle. I told a clerk that I needed a mini of something I'd never had, and he hands me this. Not only had I never tried it, I've never heard of it, none of the online stores or ABC shops have heard of it, and even the collectors sites are silent on it. This wouldn't be quite as odd in a Scotch or Bourbon, but since there are only three active Irish distilleries out there I'd normally expect to find relevant information pretty quickly. Since tasting this I've seen the full sized bottle in a few of the nicer stores, so I assume its either a new product or new to my region. Should you be so curious as to track one down yourself it was well worth trying and a very nice addition to my Irish list.

	» Glenfarclas 10 isn't as good as I'd hoped.	23-JUL-2007
Frankly, starting at the 21 just made it harder for every other whisky in the lineup. The 10 just doesn't impress me, it was far too immature and harsh and lacked the sweet steady warmth of an older Spey. I've heard really good things about the 15yo, soo it's clear that I need to flesh out the middle part of the Glenfarclas lineup to glean a better picture.

	» Changes in the Glenfiddich lineup	20-JUL-2007
Glenfiddich has announced that their entire core line will get updated labelling and branding. Beyond this, the 12 upgrades to cork and all of Glenfiddich's bottles will be standardized to a more traditional round shape. They've also dropped the names in the core line, which means yet another shift to their entry-level bottle. It's moved from “Special Reserve” to “12yo Special Reserve” to the latest “12 year old”. The Gran Reserva is now simply labelled 21 year old and unlike the rest of the core there will be changes inside the bottle as Glenfiddich has announced a shift in its Rum finishing. Finally, they've announced the variant finish lineup will follow suit shortly with similar labelling. In my opinion the bottle standardization is nice and the different label descriptions were just fluff anyway. As to the label, I've always been a fan of the Glenfiddich label style. They were well proportioned and had a simple elegance to them that the new bottle at least stays true to. I can certainly live without the triangular bottle shape, but I'll have to wait to see a few on the shelves (probably early next year) before I can get a real feel for them.


	» Old Taylor joins the Awful Edlerly Chorus	18-JUL-2007
This bottle of Old Taylor 6 was a surprise purchase at a shop where I was trying (in vain) to find Vat 69 in a smaller than 750 size way back during the Alphabet Challenge. I spotted this on the back wall and had them toss it into the bag. I had no idea what it was, and am even having trouble researching the company or product. Not that I'm inclined to try very hard after tasting this one, Old Taylor and all his mysteries are entirely avoidable. It has become clear to me over the course of my tastings that synonyms the word “Old” in the brand of a whisky serve as a fairly good indicator that it is going to be terrible. Not a single bottle has cracked the 60 point "Recommendable" benchmark, as is evident on my newly updated my two cents post on the topic.

	» Glenrothes new no-year whisky	18-JUL-2007
This was a freebie at a whisky tasting that I walked into without any foreknowledge.

	» Another Compass Box Winner	16-JUL-2007
A free tasting, satisfying my inner cheapscate if not my outer whisky lover. Compass Box continues its legacy of fantastic concoctions with a very, VERY woody blend called Oak Cross that starts well and finishes great. As an interesting bit of history, there was once a Compass Box product called "Spice Tree" that ruffled some feathers. In the eyes of the Scotch gods it took too many liberties in the finishing and aging steps, so Compass Box altered the process and replaced it with Oak Cross in their lineup. This joined the Glenrothes of last week as the last remains of a whisky tasting that I wandered into the tail end of. Oh to have been a half hour earlier!

	» “Speyside” is a really pitiful name for a distillery.	13-JUL-2007
Not to be confused with Speyburn, SpeySIDE is a newer distillery that I've never seen on the shelf. I got a taste of the Speyside 12 for free and enjoyed it well enough, but I'm hoping to find one a bit higher on the totem pole in the future. Oh, and come on Speyside guys, couldn't you put just a few ounces of effort into coming up with a decent distillery name? The fact that the entire region of Strathspey gets labelled "Speyside" makes this look really half-assed. See Below.

	» Better Names for the Speyside Distillery	13-JUL-2007
One of the more recent distillery openings is the (sort of) re-opening of the Speyside Distillery for the Speyside Scotch Company in the (wait for it) Speyside region of Scotland. I have my issues with unpronounceable distilleries (Bunnahabhain, Auchentoshan, Laphroaig) and confusing names (Strathisla vs Strathmill, Tomatin vs Tomintoul) but none of them share their primary identification with a thousand other bottles of whisky. So I'm going to I do the work so that they can concentrate on the product.

	» Friday Leftovers VII: Jameson 12	11-JUL-2007
A bottle of Jameson's 12 appeared at a party and was exactly what I remembered: good steady Irish stuff. The last two unexplored Jameson variants are the 18 year old and Midleton, both of which lean toward the pricey side.

	» I can't see through all this Irish Mist	06-JUL-2007
On a quest to find some Harp for a party I saw Irish Mist in mini form and grabbed it. It joins a long list of hyper-sweet honey-based whisky liqueurs that I've hated. The pancake syrup bus makes yet another stop in the whisky aisle and this manages to be less than I'd even hoped. I never imagined I'd be yearning for Yukon Jack.

	» Version 3.0.0 and a Summer of no taste events!	06-JUL-2007
First, Version 3.0 has been finalized. The primary update is a complete rewrite of the table data to allow for truly dynamic tables without page reloads. All tables are now sortable in both directions on almost every column and include standardized sizes, data formatting and options. This helps me keep things organized and should speed up the site. Everything else is included in the code history page, but it mostly involves code cleanup and migrating to the new table system. As for taste events: Given the hectic pace of the Alphabet challenge (and the accumulated leftovers), I plan to slow things down a notch and move away from taste events for a while. Not that I didn't enjoy the whole Alphabet romp, but it gets a bit overwhelming. Expect new tastings every Monday and Wednesday with Friday split between new tastings, news and any retastes I can track down. Enjoy!

	» Alphabet Challenge: Z is hard to find	06-JUL-2007
Apparently I'd need to go to pretty far abroad to have any hope of finding any “Z” whiskies. Zen is a Japanese tea liqueur (!?) that may not even contain whisky Suntory Za: a blend (also from Japan) that I'm unable to locate anywhere except in the back of my Whisky Bible. Zurcher: And in the extremely unlikely category there exists a Swiss whiskey called Zurcher which I don't think any stores outside of Switzerland carry. This also marks the end of the Alphabet Challenge, one of the longest and most difficult taste events I've attempted yet.

	» Alphabet Challenge: Y is for Yukon Jack	04-JUL-2007
Yukon Jack is a study in contrasts. Low expectations and high fears of the liqueur sector formed a perfect storm of trepedation. While the mighty Canadian did not completely win me over, it was far, far better than my darkest fears had led me to expect.

	» Alphabet Challenge: X marks the empty spot	04-JUL-2007
Finding no “X” whisky was a bit of a disappointment. Maybe it was all those jugs you see in Bugs Bunny cartoons with their overabundance of “X”s, but I only found two blips on the whisky radar: Crown Royal XR, a $160 Canadian Whisky that I'm not pressed to buy. Pure Kentucky XO which seems to only exist on shelvs in Kentucky, Illinois and California.

	» Alphabet Challenge: W is for Wild Turkey	02-JUL-2007
Wild Turkey 80 was supposed to be an easy addition, a slightly watered down version of the fair 101 and following in the footsteps of Austin Nichols' unbroken string of recommendable products. But no, there is no joy in Mudville, the mighty Casey of Bourbons has struck out.

	» Alphabet Challenge: V is for Vat 69	29-JUN-2007
Should you be curious about the name of Vat 69, lore has it that there were 100 vats in the running to be the blend put forth by the original blender, and number 69 was chosen above all others. Take that as you will, today this is old guard whisky is essentially drinkable. It suffers mainly from a lightning fast taste and lack of great flavors. At least it isn't as bad as I'd feared. This is also the "Golden Light" version, the old black label has either been retired or I'm just completely unable to locate a black label version of Vat 69.

	» Alphabet Challenge: U is for Usher's Green Stripe	27-JUN-2007
Should you be interested, this was the last bottle purchased for this taste event, just after the next one and Highland Park. I simply could not find it in a smaller size and I was toying with something called Uisgebach Millenium, which I'd never heard of and can find precious little info on. Ushers Green Stripe pulls off a decent effort and reaches a borderline recommendable nod despite a few taste shortcommings. It did leave me wondering if there are any other "Stripes" to be had. Is there a rainbow of stripes, akin to Johnney Walker? Are they gun shy due to Red Stripe beer? I actually wonder about these things.

	» Alphabet Challenge: T is for Talisker	25-JUN-2007
Talisker 10 completes the winning trifecta started by Caol Isla and Lagavulin, and will come out as one of the best whiskies of this entire competition. To sum up: Islay sampler set was a goldmine and Talisker was just shy of excellent.

	» Alphabet Challenge: S is for Senator's Club	22-JUN-2007
Senators Club came to me via the Commonwealth of Virginia and her well stocked and friendly Alcohol Beverage Control stores. While a government monopoly on liquor cuts against my free market grain, I have to admit that Virginia generally does a bang up job. My trips through the state are often highlighted by a stop at a nice, well stocked store with friendly Virginians at the counter. I'm taking this opportunity to post all this here because there's just not very much to say about Senator's Club, a lower shelf whiskey that I got on the cheap. I don't know either Senator from New Jersey, but I think they should join another club.

	» Alphabet Challenge: R is for Rye	20-JUN-2007
Jim Beam has had been pretty reliable and comes in to claim R with its Rye offering. Aside from needing a letter “R” my rye options are a bit thin and, to be honest, this was freely available at a bud's as a mixer. Hey, I'm all for freebies. Not only is this the best rye I've had so far, but it actually manages a recommendable nod.

	» Alphabet Challenge: There is no Q	20-JUN-2007
As expected, there were no “Q” named whiskies to be found in my travels. Should you doubt my search or choose to tilt this windmill yourself, the only possibilities I managed to scrape up were: Queen of the Moorlands: an independent bottling available only at a wine shop in the UK Barton QT Premium a bourbon(?) which seems to have stopped production in the late 1970s.

	» Alphabet Challenge: P is for Powers	18-JUN-2007
Powers Gold Label is of those everpresent Irish whiskies that you pass on the shelf, usually holding guard next to a Bushmill White. Powers is the biggest selling Irish whiskey in Ireland, similar to Famous Grouse in Scotland. And, like its birdly cousin, Powers manages to be a low cost, high return glass. My hesitation to buy this before was apparently more the fault of their label design department than their quality guys. A very recommendable and very reasonable Irishman.

	» Alphabet Challenge: O is for Orangerie	15-JUN-2007
Compass Box Orangerie whisky infusion struts tall as the new Scotch liqueur champion. This just missed the Liqueur Extendueur, mostly because I was well and truly done with that parade of liqueurs by the time I found this. It isn't entirely fair to lump this in, however, since it is technically an “Infusion”. Whatever it is, it's neither a candy flavored liqueur nor a slouch in the taste department. This was a completely new experience for me.

	» Alphabet Challenge: N is for Number 12	13-JUN-2007
George Dickel No 12 was Tennessee whiskey's last real chance to redeem itself as a worthy brother to Bourbon, a task in which it failed utterly. While there are certainly Bourbons that I hate the entire category is redeemed by those others that provde sweet, smokey warmth and wonder in a glass with eight representatives scoring higher thatn 70 points. Contrary, I have yet to find a single Tennessee Whiskey that I could recommend and aside from Gentleman Jack there isn't a one that scores above the 50 point mark. If you are a fan, save your indignation and feel free to drink it all yourself, Tennesse Whisky is now dead to me.

	» Alphabet Challenge: M is for Moonshine (Georgia Moon)	11-JUN-2007
Georgia Moon is essentially moonshine, legally produced and sold while taking every step to latch onto shine's tradition of rebellious snubbing of the taxman. I bypassed the standard sized mason jar styled bottle, although I've been tempted just to have it up on the empty shelf. I can appreciate the Moon's particular line of marketing, even if it plays the novelty card awfully hard. So, marketing department: Good Show. Taste department: Oh no. And yes, I'm cheating a bit on the rules by having this here in “M” rather than “G”, but Georgia Moon wants very badly to be seen as moonshine and I wanted very badly to have Glenmorangie in the “G” spot, so I'll play along. Honestly, this is the worst cheat I'll use for naming during this taste event.

	» Alphabet Challenge: L is for Lagavulin	08-JUN-2007
Lagavulin 16 is rightly considered a classic and a cornerstone whisky of the Islay region. It has taken this long to appear on my list because the most commonly available version (the 16yo) is around 70 dollars, which puts it well out impulse purchase range. Fortunately the superb triple pack of Islays that I picked up solved that problem nicely and I've now made a respectable first dent in the exploring the Islay region of Scotland. The Lagavulin was awesome, surpassing even the fantastic Ardbeg 10 that kicked off this list, joining it in superstar 90 point range.

	» Alphabet Challenge: K is for Kilbeggan	06-JUN-2007
Since this is one of the last letters I had to find (last week in fact), I ended up cheaping out a little. I was torn between the pricier Knappogue Castle and Kilbeggan, and well... I now wish I'd gone higher end. Kilbeggan might be legendary and famous and all sorts of other adjectives, but I found it barely drinkable. This marks a steady dip in the quality of whisky in this event, but I suspect that we will be improving upon that on Friday (Hint: We'll be up to letter "L").

	» Alphabet Challenge: J is for John Barr	04-JUN-2007
John Barr Reserve exists (if I'm following the tangled history correctly) because Johnnie Walker couldn't be sold in the UK at some point in the late 1970s. Some sort of legal issue with pricing of exports. So the owners repackaged the whisky in a similar bottle with a new name and it has since become a seperate line, since this is clearly not the same as anything in the Walker lineup. I should note that the order of Barr's label rainbow doesn't match up with Walker's, except with the black labels. On that, I preferred JW Black, especially in the finish.

	» Alphabet Challenge: I is for Imperial	01-JUN-2007
To be fair, Imperial came to me cheap. And by that I mean “clearing off shelves” cheap at an amazing six bucks and change. In the final analysis I don't condemn Imperial to the hells of the 40 point range, but this isn't some mighty bottomshelfer with aspirations of stardom. You can sail past this empire without so much as a sidelong glance.

	» Alphabet Challenge: H is for Highland Park	30-MAY-2007
In a bit of timeliness I bypassed an “H” monikered midshelf Bourbon because I could not find it in a smaller size. Having since finished a full sized bottle, I spied Highland Park 12 at a nice store and glanced at the nearby whisky guide. Sufficed to say, this line (and this expression) has gotten a number of glowing reviews. While good, it is a bit overshadowed by the spectacular Glenmorangie from Monday.

	» Alphabet Challenge: G is for Glenmorangie	28-MAY-2007
Glenmorangie 10 returns the list to its stellar path after last week's dip and Friday's big stumble, rocketing to a respectable position on both the “taste” and “value” Top 10 lists. It is a brash and heady glass, very flavorful and brimming with surprises. In the end it managed to outshine even its elder brother and yanks the taste list back up to its previous glory.

	» Alphabet Challenge: F is for Fighting Cock	25-MAY-2007
Fighting Cock moves into its letter slot hard, fast and mean. While normally nothing says “awesome bourbon flavor” like training domestic fowl to kill each other in a barbaric bloodsport, this latest bird whisky somehow manages to dive straight onto my list of cringeworthy bourbons. To be fair, this isn't the absolute worst bourbon I've ever tasted. There are, let's see... 3 lower on that list. For example, Old Crow is a whole 3 points worse! In the current taste event, however, Fighting Cock easily manages dead last, falling under the former lowest scorer, Deanston, by a whopping 25 points.

	» Have yourself a Memorial little Weekend	25-MAY-2007
My yearly pilgrimage kicks off today. Every Memorial Day I meet up with a circle of friends for a grand weekend party and thus Monday's update is likely to come late... possibly as late as Tuesday. I would update early, but I want today's low and Monday's high to each get their own moment in the spotlight. Sláinte!

	» Alphabet Challenge: E is for Emmets	23-MAY-2007
I picked up Emmets Classic Cream as a restock. I had originally been eyeing Edradour or one of the multitudes of “E” Bourbons, but we ran out of Baileys and this was available. While there's nothing surprising about the taste, the value calculation makes this one of the most attractive Irish Creams on the market. Don't feel to bad about cheating on Baileys though, Diageo apparently owns all the Irish Creams anyway.

	» Version 2.7: All that you've been dreaming of	23-MAY-2007
There have been a number of additions to the code recently, in case you've missed them. First, there are new links next to the date in the history blocks (and if you don't know you're reading a history block right now). The [age] column has been added and set to sort on the review page. I've modified link bar at the top by dropping the index link and making the logo the homepage link. The menu now supports sublinks (as on the Review tab). And finally, there have been some further graphics updates. I have plans to make a serious shift in code for tables (eliminating reloading the page), but I don't want to promise anything until I'm sure it will do what I want it to do.

	» Alphabet Challenge: D is for Deanston	21-MAY-2007
Deanston 12 showed up as a mini at a store I buy wine at, so I dropped it into the pack with a grin. It didn't really excite me, emerging as a mediocre trip back to the Highlands without going back to the familiar haunts of Strathspey. Compared to the ongoing glory of this taste event, though, Deanston fails to stand tall and continues a gradual downward trend in the tastings.

	» Cutty Sark Ship Burns	21-MAY-2007
The namesake ship for Cutty Sark whisky was destroyed in a fire in London. This is sad news for lovers of history.


	» Alphabet Challenge: C is for Caol Ila	18-MAY-2007
Caol Ila 12 was central to the triple pack of Islays that inspired this challenge, and a quite enjoyable taste of the Isles. More smoke than peat, the Caol Ila was excellent and suffers only from a persistent medicinal taste that I can't quite let pass. Still, she was wonderfully drinkable and a key cornerstone to expanding this site into the classic bottles of Scotland and her Islay region. Not to jinx myself, but I want to mention that the first week of the Alphabet challenge has been fantastic. In but three tastings we have reached half the score achieved by all nine in the Liqueur Extendueur.

	» Alphabet Challenge: B is for Bushmills. And Black. And also Bush.	16-MAY-2007
Not a real tough decision for “B”. Bushmills Black Bush raised a common purchasing problem in my hobby. I could drop the full price on the 750ml or buy the triple mini pack White Label and Single 10 that flanked the Black in the mini pack, so I would be paying all that for the Black and two retastes later on. In the end I spent my money elsewhere and grabbed the mini pack. Having tasting the Black and scoring it well into outstanding territory I feel a few pangs of regret tht I've no more to drink. On the bright side, this taste event has started out spectacularly.

	» Alphabet Challenge: A is for Ardbeg	14-MAY-2007
Ardbeg 10 was a bit of a spur of the moment pick up. The triple-pack of Islays that sparked the idea for this trip down alphabet lane had already dented the Island Scotch segment, but here we have another peat beast. Or should I say THE peat beast appearing on the list. The fault lies entirely with a favorite liquor store who had no Auchentoshan (my intended “A” target) left in stock. Instead they had Ardbeg, which has an excellent reputation and such a nice classic bottle style. Was I disappointed? Let me just throw out a number score not oft seen on this site: NINETY

	» Ladies and Gentlemen: The Alphabet Challenge	14-MAY-2007
In a fit of masochism I've challenged myself to find a whisky for every letter of the alphabet!Impressed? Think I can do it? Well, no. In all my research I have never found a whisky that starts with "X". There are only a few "Q"'s, all of which are rarities or hugely expensive. I found a few that start with "Z", but they are all Japanese and can't be found locally. Also all the "N", candidates are nearly $100. But other than THOSE! The spark for this inferno was a triple pack of 200ml Islay/Skye whiskies that I finally tracked down after stupidly passing on them the first time I saw them. If you're motivated to follow some clues, the triple pack will take care of C, L and T, which is why the Canadian LTD of last week didn't get included. So: Around 24 whiskies in 12 thrice weekly updates over the next 2 months. Since I'm actually typing this little note before I've found representatives for the vast majority of letters, I'm slightly concerned as to how I'm going to pull this off. To give myself some leeway, a whisky can make the list if any of the capitalized letters in the distillery or brand match the letter I'm looking for. I'll try not to abuse this, but if pressed for certain letters I can't promise to play fair. Lastly, I'm going to try to avoid distilleries and brands that I've already tried, and I'm going to push myself into areas of Scotland that I've missed (i.e. Islay, Lowlands). It isn't going to be easy, and I've already picked up a Bushmills for B, but these are my rules and I'll break them if I want to. Kickoff Update: As of the start of this event I have managed to find most of the letters without resorting to letter gymnastics or rough interpretation. Well... mostly. There are still a couple of later letters yet to be found, BUT I've even managed to find an "N", so things are looking up!

	» Friday Leftovers VII: Top Shelf	11-MAY-2007
I finally get to post a retaste of two of my very top taste scorers: JW Blue and the last of my mini Balvenies: the 21 Portwood. Ah, what pain it is to know the price of these! These aren't “practical” unless your definition of practicality differs wildly from mine but if you love whisky you should find a way to have a taste of something at this level.

	» Friday Leftovers VII: Top Shelf	11-MAY-2007
I finally get to post a retaste of two of my very top taste scorers: JW Blue and the last of my mini Balvenies: the 21 Portwood. Ah, what pain it is to know the price of these! These aren't “practical” unless your definition of practicality differs wildly from mine but if you love whisky you should find a way to have a taste of something at this level.

	» Lonely Canadian	07-MAY-2007
Canadian LTD was a surprisingly drinkable Northerner who fought past my personal prejudices to score as borderline recommendable. It doesn't get to be part of the next tasting event for reasons I can't go into without revealing the nature of the taste event. But that's fine, it gets to sit out here and not get overshadowed by anyone else.

	» Calm before the Storm	07-MAY-2007
I'm building up for a big event that kicks off next week, one that is drawing in every whisky I've managed to pick up recently with its massive gravitational pull. So for this week expect 1 new whisky (today) and a group of retastings. Should you feel let down by this lull, be comforted by the fact that the next taste event will have 20+ whiskies.

	» Liqueur Extendueur Week 3: Finally, the Finale!	04-MAY-2007
Sorry, but I'm abandoning this taste event. Aside from the Drambuie this has been at best passable (the creams) and at worst an awful drudgery that is wearing me down. To end this on a high note I steeled my resolve, settled my mojo and hunted down a final liqueur that I believed might save this sinking ship. As Austin Nichols has yet to have anything below recommendable, I took a chance on a halfer of their newest liqueur. Wild Turkey American Honey is a real treat with wave after wave of sweet warmth. It easily mounted the American liqueuer taste mountain as alpha male and while it can't go back and fix all the wrongs of the Liqueur Extendueur, it at least takes us out on a high note.

	» Liqueur Extendueur Week 3: Rock around the Sugar Shock	02-MAY-2007
Monday's Drambuie was just a tease of sunshine in an otherwise stormy trend. Our current subject: Mr Boston Rock and Rye comes off so shockingly sweet that my teeth hurt. Frankly, I'm not sure what I expected out of Mr Boston. The Rock & Rye isn't regarded very highly as a cocktail(?) and the Mr. Boston line seems to be targeting the bottom-dollar consumer crowd. Even with these caveats Mr Boston failed to bring me an ounce of enjoyment on any conceivable level. The sugar atom bomb and harsh alcohol base combine to form a nearly undrinkable combination. This goes straight to the bottom of this already weak taste event and will almost certainly make it onto my alltime worst list.

	» Liqueur Extendueur Week 3: An dram buidheach	30-APR-2007
Drambuie doesn't really cater to my personal taste spectrum with its black licorice base, but the spice flavors and overall complexity manage to shine through. If you're an adventurous explorer and can find a mini, take a gamble. While Drambuie's score is decent enough, this taste event is starting to wear on me. Liqueurs are generally nice diversions, but going into the third week that I've been nosing around these suburbs of Whiskyville I'm losing interest in continuing.

	» Liqueur Extendueur Week 2: Phillips Union Vanilla	27-APR-2007
In stark contrast to Wednesday's PU:Cherry, Vanilla is downright awful. I'm actually considering going back and challenging the standard version to justify its high score.

	» Liqueur Extendueur Week 2: Phillips Union Cherry	25-APR-2007
While the standard Phillips Union Whisky was interesting and drinkable, the first of two flavored varieties was a huge disappointment. Cherry is at best flawed and mediocre.

	» The System... is Down	25-APR-2007
Sorry about the glitch in service (if anyone noticed). I updated my suite of personal entertainment a la Comcast over the weekend and somehow they twiddled my online accounts into the aether. After a phone call or two everything seems to be back up and humming.

	» Liqueur Extendueur Week 2: Bailey Twin 2	23-APR-2007
Caramel follows last week's mint by being equally and similarly the same. Really just a set of fraternal twins.. er triplets if you count the original. Anyway, if you drink Baileys and either flavor addition sounds at all appealing you're pretty safe. In fact my biggest complaint is that they really aren't that different from the original and it made for pretty boring taste testing. Safe, but boring.

	» Liqueur Extendueur Week 1: Baileys Twin	20-APR-2007
The standard issue Baileys has two siblings. Today's is Mint which was just as good as Baileys, mostly because it tastes all but exactly the same. Drink Bailey's after licking a dinner mint and you've got it.

	» Liqueur Extendueur Week 1: Celtic Crossing	18-APR-2007
Celtic Crossing was... odd. I have no idea what your tastes would need to run to in order to make Crossing appealing. Maybe if you drink pancake syrup straight from the bottle.

	» Liqueur Extendueur Week 1: Irish Contrast	16-APR-2007
Bushmills Irish Cream is a little simple but darn drinkable as an alternative to Baileys. If your tastes run to Irish Creams or homemade Egg Nog, be sure to check this one out.

	» Liqueur Extendueur	16-APR-2007
For reasons that I cannot seem to remember I opened my taste envelope to include what some might consider the dark underbelly of whisky: Liqueurs. Oh to be sure the simple, honest pleasures of a Baileys live here, but tread far enough into the maze of alleys and you'll find things you probably aren't quite prepared for. Most of these got skipped during the race to 100 for various reasons and I just wound up with a pile of almost-whiskies.

	» Back To The New Normal: M-W-F	16-APR-2007
With triple digits achieved and a whirlwind tour of world whiskies now in the books, I'd planned to go back to a regular Monday and Friday schedule. The whittling down has been very successful, but I actually rather like having more than one or two updates a week, but I can't maintain 4 or 5 a week. So I'm dropping down to 3, on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday update schedule.

	» * [= 100 =] One Hundred Reviews [= 100 =] *	13-APR-2007
For number 100 I take my own advice from March and grab a bottle of the number one selling blend in a land that knows its whisky, Scotland. So it's fitting that it get the nod for the first triple digit review and it has more than lived up to expectations, coming just shy of unseating Forty Creek from the current top adjusted score spot. Got a free book with this one, an update to the always nice to have Jim Murray Whisky Bible.

	» 99	12-APR-2007
For a bit I was considering holding a Calvert Comparison to include Calvert Extra and number 99: Lord Calvert. Maybe if I could have found a few more Cavert monickered whiskies one would have passed 60 points.

	» 98	11-APR-2007
I picked up the very last untasted shortie at one of my favorite local liquor stores. Calvert Extra is a pretty bland American Blend, described best as "drinkable".

	» 97	10-APR-2007
I grab a shortie of the ubiquitous Clan MacGreggor which was... uninspiring. You would think that my curiosity about lower shelf Scotch blends would be sated by now. You'd also think there'd be more than 2 scotches thus far in the countdown. You'd be wrong a lot today.

	» 96	09-APR-2007
The namesake bourbon from the Buffalo Trace distillery clocks in next. This one is interesting in that it normally isn't widely available in my home state. A pleasant and complex bourbon.

	» 95	06-APR-2007
George Dickel Old No 8 expands our Tennesse whiskey category to a hefty three members and our "Old" list to eight. Then it rockets straight to the center of both lists. Maybe I should have done an Elderly Taste-Off. (goes back and reads list) Yeah, nix that.

	» Happy Holiday	06-APR-2007
If you're celebrating Easter or Passover, enjoy! The countdown (or count-up, as has been pointed out) will continue on Monday.

	» 94	05-APR-2007
The ever eyecatching Dimple Pinch matches its very cool bottle with the contents therein. I'd claim that this marked an upturn in the ongoing event, but after peeking into the future I realize that I'd be lying. Things are pretty up and down for the rest of the week.

	» 93	04-APR-2007
Padding the already overpopulated elderly themed class of booze is Old Overholt, the first rye to appear here and the seventh whisky with 'old' in the name. Interestingly, none of these has reached "recommendable" status (60 points). Shockingly, this one didn't either.

	» 92	03-APR-2007
Off to the wilds of untamed Ontario for a kick in the head with steel capped boots thanks to Harwood Canadian, who undermines my interest in the whiskies of the Great White North just a bit more.

	» Taste Chart	03-APR-2007
I've moved my tasting chart off of a hidden subpage and into the stark light of the About page.

	» 100 whiskies	03-APR-2007
Having finished (but not yet posted) reviews for 100 whiskes, I take a moment to look at the lessons learned as I contemplate the next phase of my whisky hobby.

	» 91	02-APR-2007
Woodford Reserve was an obvious gap in my mid to top shelf Bourbon lineup, one that has now been pleasantly filled. It just barely missed the Bourbon Boom, and I was even thinking of extending that list before realizing I was teetering on the precipice of triple digits.

	» Countdown to [= 100 =]	02-APR-2007
Friday's Glenfiddich 18 represented the 90th whisky I've reviewed for this site. Having turned that corner I plan a dedicated sprint down the home stretch to triple digits! Over the next two weeks I will review a whisky each and every weekday. This will be an odd collection of worldly whiskies I've assembled, with little rhyme or reason to their presence here at the top of the double digit list.

	» Green Christmas 6: Last of the Fiddichs	30-MAR-2007
The two new Glenfiddichs in mini sampler size: 15yo Solara and 18yo Ancient round out the (realistic) bottles in my Glenfiddich line nicely. The only fidds I'm ever possibly going to add are the 12 Caoran and 21 Gran Reserva. The Caoran is a rarity on shelves and the 21 breaks the 3 digit barrier, so you shouldn't expect them anytime soon. The pair was good and enjoyable, but nothing earth shattering or chart topping. This brings me to the end of my Christmas gift session and as I pick up the shredded paper and scattered ribbons I'm looking forward to the next event, which will kick off on Monday

	» Green Christmas 7: Last of the Fiddichs	30-MAR-2007
Two new Glenfiddichs in mini sampler size: 15yo Solara and 18yo Ancient round out the (realistic) bottles in my Glenfiddich line nicely. The only fidds I'm ever possibly going to add are the 12 Caoran and 21 Gran Reserva. The Caoran is a rarity on shelves and the 21 breaks the 3 digit barrier, so you shouldn't expect them anytime soon. The pair was good and enjoyable, but nothing earth shattering or chart topping. This brings me to the end of my Christmas gift session and as I pick up the shredded paper and scattered ribbons I'm looking forward to the next event, which will kick off on Monday

	» Green Christmas 4: Fine Stuff	26-MAR-2007
I put a few Christmas dollars toward a bottle of Ballantine's Finest. I see it on the shelves everywhere so it was really overdue for a tasting. While it scores just shy of recommendable, it does draw my eye further up the Ballantine lineup.

	» Green Christmas 5: Gold	26-MAR-2007
The big Christmas gift from my father was Johnny Walker Gold 18, a real treat given my fondness for Mister Walker and Sons top blend and my need to fill out their rainbow of whiskies. It performed quite admirably. I also put a few Christmas dollars toward a bottle of Ballantine's Finest. I see it on the shelves everywhere so it was really overdue for a tasting. While it scores just shy of recommendable, it does draw my eye further up the Ballantine lineup.

	» Green Christmas 3: Odd Americans	23-MAR-2007
The other, Phillips Union, is from Minnesota and was pretty interesting as a (claimed) blend of Canadian whiskies and Bourbons. One of these is from my home state... no, not the good one.

	» Green Christmas 4: Odd Americans	23-MAR-2007
Two oddball whiskey blends found their way onto my shelves over the holidays. Club 400 is a whiskey from Maryland that is truly amazing in its underwhelmingness. If I had a chart for things to mix with if you didn't want to taste the whisky, this might just top it. It might take up the whole list in fact.

	» Green Christmas 1: A rocky start	19-MAR-2007
On the distant other hand, the top score list is quite safe from the bottle of Canada Club Classic 12 that fell into my possession thanks to a bit of gift-exchanging. Not that it was an awful glass, but against the Christmas crowd it struggles to be noticed.

	» Green Christmas 2: Better Start	19-MAR-2007
My lovely wife purchased me a bottle of Peat Monster because I'd enjoyed its sibling so much. And yes, that is seriously its actual (and very apt) name. It shortly found a home high on the score mountain and established itself as a warm, occasional favorite.

	» Early Update	19-MAR-2007
I'll be out of town on Thursday and Friday, so here's an early update for you. Normal operations resume on Monday.

	» A Green Christmas	19-MAR-2007
After finally thinning out the very crowded review bin and cleaning the liquor cabinet of all the detrius, I'm now ready to dive into my shiny Christmas presents. In March. Yeah. So the joys of a hunka-hunka holiday past are upon us and I'm uh-huh all shook up at the heartbreak hotel in my blue suede and all that. There, all the Elvis is out of my system and we can march forth smartly. These are either direct gifts or items I picked up with money received over the holdiays, 8 new tastings in the next 2 weeks.

	» Week of the Irish II: Happy Saint Patrick's Day!	16-MAR-2007
How much more Irish can we get than a retaste of Jameson NAS and first shot at Tullamore Dew? None more Irish, that's how much. Zero percent more Irish. And yes, I know I've broken the promised pattern of 2 new tastes on Mondays and Fridays, but I don't have any other new Irishes to try. Mo→Fr updates will continue with next week's big taste event: Green Christmas.

	» Week of the Irish II: Happy Saint Patrick's Day!	16-MAR-2007
How much more Irish can we get than a retaste of Jameson NAS and first shot at Tullamore Dew? None more Irish, that's how much. Zero percent more Irish. And yes, I know I've broken the promised pattern of 2 new tastes on Mondays and Frdiays, but I don't have any other new Irishes to try. Mo→Fr updates will continue with next week's big taste event: Green Christmas.

	» Week of the Irish	12-MAR-2007
Next, the nigh forever on-deck Bushmills White gets a go and proves itself as a mediocre but drinkable representative of the Emerald Isle.

	» Week of the Irish	12-MAR-2007
In honor of Saint Patrick's Day I'll be switching to Irish whiskies, which should be a relief after the seemingly endless Bourbon Boom. While I discovered some really great Bourbons, variety is the spice of not having to drink any more awful Bourbons for a while... or something. First new tasting is Michael Collins Blend, which has both an interesting bottle and legacy. There's also (I've learned) a single malt version, which bears investigating.

	» PNG update	12-MAR-2007
I've been a zealot of the PNG graphical format for years and stumbled over an awesome free optimizer, which has since been used to strip down the already small graphics on the site to even tinier ones. If you do any PNG work, check out PNGOut by Ken Silverman or use PNG Gauntlet, a free Windows based version.

	» Bourbon Boom 6: Heaven and Hell	09-MAR-2007
Rounding out the last of the Bourbon Boom, Bulleitt is a big winner, sadly falling just shy of top score on both the taste and adjusted charts. This means it will forever be in the shadow of Bourbons slightly better tasting or more economical. Ah, but if only it had ended there. Ten High finishes the list, but really Ten High? What does that really mean? The ten might refer to the cost, its score out of 30 or how much you'd have to pay me to drink any more of it. The high could be defined in may ways, left to your imaginations. Disirregardless, this ends the Boom of the Bourbons and we step gingerly out of the mineshaft to look back on all we've brought forth, fair and foul.

	» Bourbon Boom 6: Heaven and Hell	09-MAR-2007
Rounding out the last of the Bourbon Boom, Bulleitt is a big winner, sadly falling just shy of top score on both the taste and adjusted charts. This means it will forever be in the shadow of Bourbons slightly better tasting or more economical. Ah, but if only it had ended there. Ten High finishes the list, but really Ten High? What does that really mean? The ten might refer to the cost, its score out of 30 or how much you'd have to pay me to drink any more of it. The high could be defined in may ways, left to your imaginations. Disirregardless, this ends the Boom of the Bourbons and we step gingerly out of the mineshaft to look back on all we've brought forth, fair and foul.

	» Bourbon Boom 5: A Rare Gentleman	05-MAR-2007
It was a very pleasant surprise to find Wild Turkey Rare Breed in a mini form. Its sibling was pretty good stuff and this one stands even taller in the curiously crowded "whiskies with bird names" category. Which reminds me, I need to grab some Grouse. I then meet a Kentucky Gentleman who is neither as friendly nor as refined as his (apparently unrelated) associate from Virginia. If I ever remember why I decided to do an all Bourbon taste event I'll be sure and give myself a good talking to.

	» Bourbon Boom 5: A Rare Gentleman	05-MAR-2007
It was a very pleasant surprise to find Wild Turkey Rare Breed in a mini form. Its sibling was pretty good stuff and this one stands even taller in the curiously crowded "whiskies with bird names" category. Which reminds me, I need to grab some Grouse. I then meet a Kentucky Gentleman who is neither as friendly nor as refined as his (apparently unrelated) associate from Virginia. If I ever remember why I decided to do an all Bourbon taste event I'll be sure and give myself a good talking to.

	» Bourbon Boom 4: Crossing the Border	02-MAR-2007
To start out the new Friday Updates we kick off with Virginia Gentleman, our first (and I believe only) Virginia bourbon. And while I may quibble about his credentials as a modern Southern Gentleman, he was at least a cordial and enjoyable chap. Similarly Early Times was almost equally pleasant, although not really anything wonderful. I guess one note of progress is that the Early Times were an improvement over the Ancient Ages. Perhaps if we could find a bottle of "Recent Happenings" Bourbon we would have a top flight whisky. I guess back in the "Good Old Days" they drank their corn liquor hard, fast and with teeth firmly clenched.

	» Bourbon Boom 4: Crossing the Border	02-MAR-2007
To start out the new Friday Updates we kick off with Virginia Gentleman, our first (and I believe only) Virginia bourbon. And while I may quibble about his credentials as a modern Southern Gentleman, he was at least a cordial and enjoyable chap. Similarly Early Times was almost equally pleasant, although not really anything wonderful. I guess one note of progress is that the Early Times were an improvement over the Ancient Ages. Perhaps if we could find a bottle of "Recent Happenings" Bourbon we would have a top flight whisky. I guess back in the "Good Old Days" they drank their corn liquor hard, fast and with teeth firmly clenched.

	» Those Mighty Gears of Progresss Continue to Turn	02-MAR-2007
First, Double Review Updates I've built up a bit of an overstock of reviews thanks to a few nice finds over the holidays, several road trips and a gaggle of Christmas presents. Therefore, I'm going to put the Friday Leftovers on hold (after a whole month) and implement Monday & Friday updates to thin out el Heap de Whiskies. This means 4 new reviews a week for the foreseeable future (at least the month of March). You may carry out wild celebrations in the designated area to the left. Second: Code Updates you might care about This history list (and the history page) are visually easier to read, the LEDs are linked to the last whisky reviewed, sped a few things up. Thirdly: Code Updates you don't care about While nothing (hopefully) will have changed on the front end, a major back end shift has been implemented in that I've finally removed all of the review data from the code that handles it, which simplifies updates to either. This involved some tedious regular expression tweaking and a lot of fiddly work to get right. And yeah, I don't really expect too many people to understand that, but it's cool, dammit!. Fourthwise: Copyright Update: Creative Commons has updated their license to version 3.0, and I'm a world renowned early adopter of copyright legal... type... stuff. This changes very little in the grand scheme of things and I doubt very much that you're deeply concerned with this bit either BUT↓. And Finally: 75 Reviews!! Today's review of Virginia Gentleman represents the 75th whisky review I've done for the site. Go to your local liquor store and count if they even stock 75 whiskies. Go on, I'll wait.... What? They do?! You picked that big fancy one over next to the deli, didn't you! Fine. Seventy Five is still a big number, you know.

	» Bourbon Boom 3: Old Basil	26-FEB-2007
The final bottle from the cool bourbon sampler pack was Basil Haydens, which is the most interesting bottle I've seen yet in the Bourbon camp. Less novel packaging provides us with an Old Crow of legend, which I picked up just to round out the Boom into an even number. I liked one of them quite a bit and found the other to be an evil pox, haunting a dank corner of the mine metaphor that I insist on dragging out. Try and guess.

	» Bourbon Boom 3: Old Basil	26-FEB-2007
The final bottle from the cool bourbon sampler pack was Basil Haydens, which is the most interesting bottle I've seen yet in the Bourbon camp. Less novel packaging provides us with an Old Crow of legend, which I picked up just to round out the Boom into an even number. I liked one of them quite a bit and found the other to be an evil pox, haunting a dank corner of the mine metaphor that I insist on dragging out. Try and guess.

	» Friday Leftovers V: Two Mini Balvenies	23-FEB-2007
A Trio of Balvenies has finally become mine (precious) and will allow me to update Every Balvenie I have. The first two are the youngest. The scores don't change, although it was nice to get better pictures and notes for some of the oldest tastings on the list. The 15 is, in fact, the first review from the legacy list and the 12 is long overdue for a full retaste. The 21 is going on the shelf for a tasting in the near future.

	» Friday Leftovers V: Mini Balvenies	23-FEB-2007
A Trio of Balvenies has finally become mine (precious) and will allow me to update Every Balvenie I have. The first two are the youngest. The scores don't change, although it was nice to get better pictures and notes for some of the oldest tastings on the list. The 15 is, in fact, the first review from the legacy list and the 12 is long overdue for a full retaste. The 21 is going on the shelf for a tasting in the near future.

	» Improvements	23-FEB-2007
To balance out some discrepencies in the price list, I've worked up a reasonable system of getting realistic sales prices. It involves pulling data from several online sites and state ABC price lists in the area. Hopefully it will help level the playing field. I've also added icons to the history list because I'm crazy about tiny icons. Finally, two new widgets this week (to the left) an LED indicator of the current taste count and a link to the events page, where the latest (and historical) tasting sets are listed.

	» Bourbon Boom 4: A Kick and a Crown	19-FEB-2007
Confusingly near namesakes Bakers and Bookers redeem the Bourbon image from the top shelf of the Bourbon world. One teaches me the importance of reading the tiny, tiny print on the back labels before drinking. The other captures the lofty Bourbon taste crown. Of course it's not necessarily in that order... but in actuality it is in that order. I hope we've turned a corner in this mine, this week was quite enjoyable.

	» Bourbon Boom 3: A Kick and a Crown	19-FEB-2007
Confusingly near namesakes Bakers and Bookers redeem the Bourbon image from the top shelf of the Bourbon world. One teaches me the importance of reading the tiny, tiny print on the back labels before drinking. The other captures the lofty Bourbon taste crown. Of course it's not necessarily in that order... but in actuality it is in that order. I hope we've turned a corner in this mine, this week was quite enjoyable.

	» Friday Leftovers IV: The Macallan	16-FEB-2007
I was surprised to see a mini of Macallan 12 in an otherwise typical liquor store. I'm a little early for a retasting, but I wasn't entirely sure about the score I'd assigned back in May.

	» Bourbon Boom 2: Rocky Start	12-FEB-2007
Our first foray into the pile of Bourbon reveals that the Ancient Age was a mostly unpleasant age. A nigh undrinkable age of lawlessness, villany and grain alcohol.

	» Bourbon Boom 1: Old Men	12-FEB-2007
Perhaps we can get a rollicking tale of this rough and tumble age from Old Grand-Dad 100 who in the very least is a pretty interesting and entertaining old geezer, whatever his flaws. Yeah, that long row of Bourbon minis is looking less and less like a gold mine. Perhaps we've struck coal.

	» It's a Bourbon Boom!	12-FEB-2007
I've managed to amass an impressive pile of bourbon minis and shorties over the holidays. I'm breaking them into pairs and mining this vein of sweet Bourbon for all she's worth. So strap on your old oil lantern helmet, grab your parakeet, heft your pick and hold on! Thar's a gold mine o' Bourbon to be had!

	» Friday Leftovers III: Gratitide	09-FEB-2007
As a thank you for a bit of chivalry on my part, my lovely wife produced a bottle of Dalwhinie 15 (blindly no less), which I had on my legacy "Needs to Be Retasted" list. A proper retasting does wonders for the Dal's score, which is pushing me to re-examine the rest of the legacy list.

	» Practical Whisky Version Two	09-FEB-2007
If you can't see what's changed, you've never been here before. I had planned on revamping the site in honor of the upcomming 75th tasting, but I'm so happy with the results that I'm unveiling it now. The site has been streamlined, updated, polished, waxed, buffed to a hard glossy finish, injected with beef byproducts for flavor and subjected to careful scrutiny for every manner of bug and flaw before being heaved onto the intertubes with nary an ounce of warning. I believe that every single inch of the site is now shiner and betterer. No file unedited and no picture unmodified, a car in every garage and a chicken in every pot. These are the golden days we shall tell our grandchildren about.

	» Moving Upline in Canada	05-FEB-2007
Crown Royal Reserve was also surprising, but not because I hadn't heard of it. The CRR moves into second place... albeit distant second place on the Canadian whisky mountain. This is dimming my optimism a bit. I have a few more upmarket Canadians in my sights, but it's getting harder to part with the cash when there are safer bets from other parts of the world.

	» Moving Upline in Canada	05-FEB-2007
I managed to find upline versions of two Canadian whiskey brands already on the list: Black Velvet 8 Reserve was a surprise find at a little corner liquor store. I wasn't even really aware a line of Black Velvet products existed, and now I've had them all/both.

	» Friday Leftovers IIB: Rock Bottom	02-FEB-2007
Despite my protests and loathing I gave Soco and Inver House Green Plaid last shots. Very final last shots. By all the barley in Scotland, this is it for SoCo and Inver House.

	» Friday Leftovers II: Rock Bottom	02-FEB-2007
Despite my protests and loathing I give Soco and Inver House Green Plaid last shots. Very final last shots. By all the barley in Scotland, this is it for SoCo and Inver House.

	» Score Rant	02-FEB-2007
A look at a professional taster's scoring system has me wondering whether 60 should mean better than average or terrible. Seems to me that 60 is higher than 50, and 50 is ... well, you can read it all under 2 cents

	» Fancy Dining	29-JAN-2007
At Christmas dinner for the wife's work I got to try Compass Box Asyla and Glenlivet 15 French Reserve, which essentially rounded out the top shelf of the restaurant's modest whisky line. And I drank them for free, no less! Mmmm, free whisky. I tried to get a new Bourbon or Irish, but sadly they had nothing from either that I hadn't already tasted so I enjoyed a glass of Maker's Mark. Two great new whiskies added to an already fine evening, although I did get a few odd glances when I was scribbling down notes in my little red book in the middle of dinner.

	» Fancy Dining	29-JAN-2007
At Christmas dinner for the wife's work I got to try Compass Box Asyla and Glenlivet 15 French Reserve, which essentially rounded out the top shelf of the restaurant's modest whisky line. And I drank them for free, no less! Mmmm, free whisky. I tried to get a new Bourbon or Irish, but sadly they had nothing from either that I hadn't already tasted so I enjoyed a glass of Maker's Mark. Two great new whiskies added to an already fine evening, although I did get a few odd glances when I was scribbling down notes in my little red book in the middle of dinner.

	» Friday Leftovers IB: Wedding Bells	26-JAN-2007
Kicking off the new "Friday is for Retasting" trend are Chivas Regal 12, which I'd last had at a wedding. There I was, scribbling notes in the middle of a wedding of two people I hardly knew.

	» Friday Leftovers I: Wedding Bells	26-JAN-2007
My last tasting of Seagrams 7 Crown was at a cousin's wedding, so I'm kicking off the Friday retastes with wedding-related whiskies.

	» Spellcheck and Photos	26-JAN-2007
I half comme two the conklushion that I can't spelll aftah tastin whisky. So I did some work to get other tools to spell for me. These have limited value in the format I use to edit and update the site, but I've managed to fix most of the ugliest ones. I've also done some clipping and cleanup on the bottle pictures to reduce their size down. The vast majority are less than 10k in size, which helps on the bandwidth and page loads.

	» Mini Madness 12: Ending with Sharks and Tins.	22-JAN-2007
Often spotted and always mispronounced by yours truly Cutty Sark charges headlong into the dead center of my list of incredibly mediocre blended whiskies. With gusto no less. Sigh.

	» Mini Madness 12: Ending with Sharks and Tins.	22-JAN-2007
Dewars 12. Can the inner beauty of this blend match the outer beauty of its packaging? How will she stack against her lowly sibling from waaay back in MM 4?

	» Minor Tweaks, Friday Leftovers and ver 1.7	22-JAN-2007
Cleanup and mods on the data page. Adjusted and updated the Premium class of awards. Minor picture modifications. Changed the History script to show the last 30 days of updates here on the index page instead of the last 3. Lastly, I've updated the single whisky view page to include navigation so you can go through the whiskies in chronological order. Finally, I've established enough ongoing updates to move all second tastings to Friday updates called "Friday Leftovers". So any time I have a retaste or two they'll show up then so as to keep Monday's fresh and useful.

	» Mini Madness 11: Hail to the Canadian King!	15-JAN-2007
J&B isn't setting the chart alight like the Barrel Select, but it was a good checkbox in need of a checkmark.

	» Mini Madness 11: Hail to the Canadian King!	15-JAN-2007
I stumbled on a few minis in my hunt for Christmas gifts. The first comes out stellar: Forty Creek easily takes the Canadian whisky crown. But, not satisfied in obliterating the entire list of Canadians it even takes top spot on the practicality list! I really need to find a full sized bottle of this. I'd originally believed that I'd never heard of the distillery or expression, but a few sites mention Forty Creek's possibly out-of-stock expression, Three Grain. From across the Atlantic, JB reminds me that just because it's a well-known mid shelf denizen doesn't mean it can't be fairly drinkable.

	» Adjustment Adjust	15-JAN-2007
The new king of the adjusted scores has inspired me to make a final tweak to the adjusted score calculator, which inspired me to write a longish 2 cent blog about it, which inspired me to add 2 cent updates to the front page. Lots of inspiration this week

	» Mini Madness 10: Brothers	08-JAN-2007
So, the five to ten dollar question (depending on MSRP, markup and VAT in your area) is whether Glenlivet 12 French Oak is really that much better than Glenfiddich 12. I don't want to give it away... but yes, yes it is. This originally marked the end of Mini Madness, but in the ensuing time I've located several more minis and currently plan three more updates.

	» Mini Madness 10: Brothers	08-JAN-2007
So, the five to ten dollar question (depending on MSRP, markup and VAT in your area) is whether Glenlivet 12 French Oak is really that much better than Glenfiddich 12. I don't want to give it away... but yes, yes it is. This originally marked the end of Mini Madness, but in the ensuing time I've located several more minis and currently plan three more updates.

	» Best of 2006	08-JAN-2007
Ignoring anything legacy, the best drams for the dollar that I tasted in 2006 were (drum roll) Redbreast and Maker's Mark! MM was on my ignore list thanks to a lot of hype and a price tag just above the lion's share of bourbons. Redbreast is a malt monster that came out of nowhere thanks to a helpful store clerk. This list would have included Glenfiddich 15 Cask Strength, but you can't buy it anymore. Sad emoticon. The lack of scotches comes more from my desire to expand my whisky world than any snubbing. There are a number On Deck and I've certainly lost no love for them.

	» 2007 Score Adjust	08-JAN-2007
A tweak in the adjusted score will have little effect on the very top scorers but it will have a big impact on the bottom of the pack and (most importantly) it culls some more undeserving whiskies from the practical medal list.

	» Mini Madness 9: 2007 starts with a Fiddik	01-JAN-2007
I'm not sure when Glenfiddich 12 SR replaced Glenfiddich NAS SR but it seems to have been a good thing. Also, having added liqueurs to my range I've started close to home with Baileys standard version. Yeah, its not a mini but I passed up the opportunity to buy a mini before adding them to the available whiskies.

	» Mini Madness 9:Liqueurs!	01-JAN-2007
Having added liqueurs to my range I've started close to home with Baileys standard version. Yeah, its not a mini but I passed up the opportunity to buy a mini before adding them to the available whiskies.

	» 2k7 updates	01-JAN-2007
Added ABV to the data, although I'm going to have to double check some of the values. I've also removed medals for the lowest category of practicality since so many were winning for mediocre scores.

	» Mini Madness 8: Two top-tier Bourbons	18-DEC-2006
I avoided Maker's Mark because of its mass popularity and marketing, and it seems I was wrong. Its shelf-mate Knob Creek didn't fare as well, but was still very drinkable stuff. This marks the end of the Bourbons in Mini Madness, leaving only 3 scotches.

	» Mini Madness 8: Two top-tier Bourbons	18-DEC-2006
I avoided Maker's Mark because of its mass popularity and marketing, and it seems I was wrong. Its shelf-mate Knob Creek didn't fare as well, but was still very drinkable stuff. This marks the end of the Bourbons in Mini Madness, leaving only 3 scotches.

	» Winter Break	18-DEC-2006
No updates until the new year, Have a safe one!

	» Mini Madness 7: Hunting the Dirty Bird	11-DEC-2006
Since Crown Royal's bottle shape made it impossible to pick blindly, it gets to be the last of the midshelves. This also marks the end of the trove of Canadians, which held up fairly well. True, they were mostly fair to okay, but these were the cheapest expression of the major market brands while Scotland (for example) has hundred dollar banner bearers on the list.

	» Mini Madness 7: Hunting the Dirty Bird	11-DEC-2006
Every time I did a blind taste during Mini Madness I'd have to take the empty back and look into the cabinet where, invariably, Wild Turkey was looking back at me. Well now I'm going hunting for it.

	» Country Codes and layout	11-DEC-2006
Changed the system to differentiate by country and not differentiate by country+type. This means all single malts are collected together, regardless of country. You can also sort and search by country now. This required a change to the layout of the data page. I've also moved the nav barrels up to improve visibility.

	» Bushmills Single Malt 10 YO	05-DEC-2006
A gift from a friend at the yearly Memorial Day party, this broke my understanding of Bushmills. Now I have to find them all.

	» Mini Madness 6: I can see!	05-DEC-2006
I've really thinned out the ranks of the mini midshelf multitude and the mystery has all but left, so after this pair the blindfold comes off. I finally get around to Kessler which is pretty good for ten dollah hooch and Seagrams VO wasn't as bad as I remembered... but sadly, that isn't saying much.

	» Mini Madness 6: I can see!	05-DEC-2006
I've really thinned out the ranks of the mini midshelf multitude and the mystery has all but left, so after this pair the blindfold comes off. I finally get around to Kessler which is pretty good for ten dollah hooch and Seagrams VO wasn't as bad as I remembered... but sadly, that isn't saying much.

	» Update Schedule	05-DEC-2006
Rather than posting as soon as I get things in (which is sporatic) I'm moving to a weekly update. This will let me build up a little bit of padding and keep things moving. Expect updates on Mondays, usually with 2 reviews each.

	» Mini Madness 5: Fair, Foul and Fifty	01-DEC-2006
And lo as I did reach fifty whiskies there was a lower shelf version of a Bourbon I liked and wow, did it ever suck.

	» Mini Madness 5: Fair, Foul and Fifty	01-DEC-2006
I finally get to sort of not retaste a Canadian whisky that I'd scored poorly based on an apparent bit of name confusion. This tasting pair pushes me at fifty whiskies! While this is small change in the greater tasting universe, at least I can now look down the whisky aisle with some measure of wisdom.

	» Lost Pics!	30-NOV-2006
I found a folder containing some great pics that I was missing, so Longmorn 15 and Glenfarclas 21 get updated shots.

	» Mini Madness 4: Mediocrity	28-NOV-2006
Two more minis, whittling down the midshelf crowd. Black Velet does better than I expect, Dewar White lands square in tolerable land.

	» Mini Madness 4: Mediocrity	28-NOV-2006
One of two more minis, whittling down the midshelf crowd. Black Velet does better than I expect, Dewar White lands square in tolerable land.

	» Score Adjust	28-NOV-2006
Too many mediocre whiskies are getting high adjusted scores, which has inspired me to tweak it. No huge shifts in rank at the top, but it's a little tougher for a $15.00 whisky to get a recommendation with a mediocre taste.

	» Mini Madness 3: The Drinkable Streak Ends	26-NOV-2006
Jim Beam White and Canadian Mist got the grab-bag blind taste treatment. Beam didn't embarrass its better sibling, but sadly that's where the winning streak ends. So far Jack Black, Gentleman Jack, Windsor Canadian, JW Red and Old Grand-dad have been passable... or at least drinkable. Not Canadian Mist. Oh no.

	» More Madness: Old Grand-Dad	26-NOV-2006
- No Notes -

	» More Madness: Windsor Canadian	26-NOV-2006
- No Notes -

	» Mini Madness 3: The Drinkable Streak Ends	26-NOV-2006
Jim Beam White and Canadian Mist got the grab-bag blind taste treatment. Beam didn't embarrass its better sibling, but sadly that's where the winning streak ends. So far Jack Black, Gentleman Jack, Windsor Canadian, JW Red and Old Grand-dad have been passable... or at least drinkable. Not Canadian Mist. Oh no.

	» Search Tool	24-NOV-2006
I've added the search tool to the widget bar on the front page. It's fairly simple, case insensitive and four words max. Also, I've abandoned the CSS page layout and gone to a table. Any CSS zealots can go rot, I'm tired of trying for hours to get columns to work in CSS on all browsers when I can do it perfectly in 30 seconds with a table. Or changing a single margin and getting hash. Or trying to figure out why there's a pixel of whitespace along a border and being told to add a HACK to fix it! Its not a lack of understanding. Browser support is a mishmash and its not my job to figure out when or if IE and FF are going to play nice.

	» Mini Madness 2: Blind Tasting (1 of 3)	23-NOV-2006
Three Blind Tastes over the weekend.

	» Surprise! It's Glenfiddich 15 YO Cask Strength	22-NOV-2006
An unexpected addition, a friend pulls a bottle of Glendfiddich 15 Cask Strength out of the aether.

	» Mini Madness 1: Happy Thansgivin!	22-NOV-2006
2 of 2: In a head to head I retaste the big daddy of USA whiskie sales: Jack Old No 7 Black against his distinguished father: Gentleman Jack.

	» Mini Madness 1: Happy Thansgivin!	22-NOV-2006
In a head to head I retaste the big daddy of USA whiskie sales: Jack Old No 7 Black against his distinguished father: Gentleman Jack.

	» Mini Madness is coming!	20-NOV-2006
I've tracked down 20 minis, requiring a rewrite of the ON DECK page and inspiring me to finish the sort code on the DATA page! So now everything I wanted to get done for the site is done, bringing us to version 1.0. So Practical Whisky is now everything I hoped it would be... minus the number of visitors. Hello to the few dozen who've found me, welcome! Some of those twenty minis are repeats, or second chances, so the new total tasted list plus on deck has topped 55.

	» Milford 10	18-NOV-2006
Milford 10 is a New Zealand Single Malt from what was the Lammerlaw distillery. It was a fun side trip and worth the time and money, but Milford won't be knocking anything off any of my top lists.

	» Version 0.6	17-NOV-2006
Fixed a few minor issues, expanded a few reviews and touched up some of the lingering script issues. The final thing I'd like to add is some navigation on the review pages and a means to search. I should have a review for Milford up here shortly as I've reached the bottom of the Jura Superstition.

	» Cleanupalooza	15-NOV-2006
Page cleanup, CSS cleanup, script cleanup, layout and structure improvement.

	» Old Ezra	13-NOV-2006
We killed this one at a party because it had lingered for a while on a friend's shelf. Ezra comes in just under recommendable for general taste, but gets a good practical score thanks to her cost. No pic yet, I'll blame... the cat today. It was the cats fault I haven't taken a pic yet.

	» Version 0.5	08-NOV-2006
Put up the On Deck page after snagging a really cool bottle... that I can't open because I'm already full up. Ah well. Soon, my precious... soooooon

	» Archive Review: Old Forrester	30-OCT-2006
Archived Review

	» Happy Halloween!	30-OCT-2006
Managed to locate a few more pics, the rest will just have to come from the official pages for now. I've got a bottle of Old Ezra on deck for a bourbon, although the bottle and price have me concerned. The Old Forrester I had prior was good stock stuff, although it won't be replacing anything on my go-to Bourbon list. I'm also slowly draining my Jura, which puts me in the enviable position of picking out a new SMS or blend. Finally, I'm starting to look forward to this year's Memorial party where I'll hopefully be greeted with many unfamiliar bottles of top shelf joy.

	» Version 0.4	27-OCT-2006
I've added the LINKS page, plus I've updated some of the information on distilleries and the companies that own them. I'm not trying to create a map of world whisky corporations, though, so it's pretty basic. As of now, PW is essentially at around 90% of what I hoped to make it for the first iteration, minus some sort capabilities and a few minor page features that I'm reconsidering. For now, it exists as what it will probably continue to look like for a while.

	» Pics. PicTures, even.	22-OCT-2006
Added a dozen+ pics. I've now got pictures of every empty and every open bottle in my collection. I plan on swiping shots of some of the bottles I tasted with friends from the mfg's web site, as allowable. I have a few pics I need to finish, one of a couple of JD miniatures and a Canadian Club mini that a friend gave me that has "1973" stamped on the cap seal. It's too bad whiskies don't age in the bottle or it would almost be drinkable.

	» More... of everything	12-OCT-2006
Updated most of the review scores to reflect the slowly evolving scale, plus added pics!

	» Archive Review: Jim Beam Black Label 8 YO	11-OCT-2006
Archived Review

	» Archive Review: Tamdhu NAS	11-OCT-2006
Archived Review

	» Version 0.3	11-OCT-2006
The site is largely complete, with all page elements in place and working. I need to finish the review page and add pictures.

	» Version 0.2	09-OCT-2006
Finished adding all the major reviews. I'm sure I've missed a few, though.

	» Archive Review: Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 YO	26-SEP-2006
Archived Review

	» Widgets!	26-SEP-2006
Fixed the "last item" code, to display the little update widget.

	» It Begins, version 0.1	24-SEP-2006
The birth of the page from the old archives, restructured and rebuilt. Actually, not even rebuilt, since I'm not quite done yet.