Whisky Advocate’s Post

Check out the video to hear all about this first release in the new five year series.

Welcome to part 4 in a my series of reviews covering recent releases from the Dumbarton-based independent bottler, Dràm Mòr. In this installment, I’ll be getting to grips with a wee sample from Loch Lomond Distillery, arguably one of the most interesting whisky producers in all of Scotland. Loch Lomond is capable of producing a wide range of different spirits. Each new make style is given a unique name in order to differentiate them. Some are named after islands that can be found in the famous loch. Like Inchmurrin, for example. The Loch Lomond Distillery was established in Alexandria in 1964. There was an earlier distillery to hold the name but it was relatively short-lived and the two are unconnected. Over the plant’s relatively short life, it has undergone several upgrades and expansions. Production commenced on a solitary pair of straight-necked stills that look like a combination between pot and column still. In place of the traditional swan neck, there is a cylindrical column, inside of which, there is a series of plates that can be adjusted to alter the character of the spirit being produced. The number of stills doubled in 1990, before a set of traditional swan neck pot stills were added in 1998. Complicating matters further, a set of column stills were added in 1993, to allow for the production of grain whisky. This made the distillery entirely self-sufficient and able to create everything required for making blended Scotch in-house. Despite the distillery’s impressive flexibility and potential for creativity, however, it would be fair to say that its single malt didn’t always enjoy the greatest of reputations. Things have improved in recent years after first one, then a second, management buyout. A new core range, which showcases the spirit at 46% ABV, without chill-filtering or colour enhancement, paints the spirit in a much more positive light and celebrates some of the incredible flexibility that’s been built into the distillery. Inchmurrin is the name given to an unpeated malt, distilled in the straight-neck stills and this Dràm Mòr expression is a single cask, which has been finished in an oloroso sherry hogshead before bottling at 55.7%. https://lnkd.in/eTPrWa-P

"Bridgeland is a young distillery, but that ethos could be a model for others looking to make distinctive spirits that belong to their place, made from raw materials that can be traced back to their sources" Don Tse, Author, Spirits & Distilling Click below to read how Don Tse described the ingenuity going on at Bridgeland Distillery!

BLANTON'S BOURBON and ROMEO Y JULIETA CIGAR Blanton's Bourbon made its debut in the United States in 1984. It is distilled by Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. At that time it was sold at a wonderful price of $24, which is roughly $100 in today's economy. This style of bourbon was the first of its kind when initially produced. It was created in one barrel made of white oak and then poured directly into the bottle. A process known as "single-barrel" distillation. This technique was invented by the Buffalo Trace Distillery's master distiller, Elmer T. Lee. Noted as a "high-rye" bourbon, containing a higher proportion of corn/rye, which is common in Buffalo Trace bourbons. A kick of rye in a mash bill usually produces a fruit and spice flavor, which plays nicely with the caramel and char. Conversely, wheat whiskeys tend to be softer than rye bourbons. The final flavor can vary from barrel to barrel due to how each tree grows differently from its soil, water and other environmental changes. Beyond the flavor and history, the artistic physique of the glass bottle with its famous horse corks is very beautiful. The cork alone is a collector's item. Each cork has a single letter at the base of the back leg of the horse. The only letters that are produced are B, L, A, N, T, O, N, and S. Collectors tend to keep an eye on the horse in order to assemble each letter to spell Blanton's. There are 6 varieties of Blanton's bourbons available today with a cost between $65 to $110 or more dollars for 750ml bottle. Despite an increase in distillation over the years, demand for Blanton's is quickly outpacing the available supply making it very diflicult to find along with increasing prices. When I see a cigar, I always think about the great Winston Churchill. According to Smithsonian Magazine, he had partially smoked a La Corona cigar, which was auctioned for $12,000 in October of 2017. Churchill smoked the cigar in Paris at the Le Bourget Airport on May 11th, 1947. The Prime Minister smoked several varieties, but the Romeo y Julieta was known to be his primary choice. The Romeo y Julieta marque was established in 1875 by Inocencio Alvarez and Manin Garcia. Between 1885 and 1900, the brand won several awards for quality and flavor, signified by the gold dots on the label.

🥃Whisky cask finishing, also known as secondary maturation, is a process where whisky is transferred to a different cask for a period of time after its initial aging. This technique allows the whisky to absorb additional flavours and characteristics from the new cask, enhancing its complexity and depth. Common cask types used for finishing include sherry (imparting unique notes of dried fruits🍇), port (rich & sweet🍷), rum (tropical hints🌴), as well as wine barrels. I'm still a bit on the edge about red wine finishing, but "a wise man changes his mind sometimes, a fool never"... so I'm looking forward to trying some of these! If you want to hear more about whisky casks & how to invest in them, reach out! #AlternativeInvestment #WhiskyInvestment #WCC #WhiskyCasks

Great piece and the Sherry, Rum and Port finishes tend to end up in Butt's vs Barrel's. Sherry Butt's on average are 500 litre capacity but the beauty of these casks is indeed the finish. They say around 10 litres of sherry gets absorbed into the Oak which naturally will give a unique Scotch finish. Anything for deep, rich to tropical flavours in the finish. We have a selection of most types of cask's so just DM for more information. Whisky Cask Club is here to help! 🥃 🥃 #AlternativeInvesting #WhiskyInvesting #whiskylovers #ScotchWhiskyIndustry #alternativeassets #passionassets

“In the craft spirits world, the term ‘grain to bottle’ gets used a lot (perhaps too much). This phrase can mean different things to different distilleries, but generally speaking it refers to a spirit that has been overseen from the field to the bottling line by the people who are actually making it. The new Jaywalk Rye from Brooklyn’s New York Distilling Company, LLC seems to meet this qualification, and it happens to be the best whiskey I’ve tasted to date from this craft distillery. 💥 💥 👀 Allen Katz and Tom Potter founded New York Distilling Company in 2011, and have released a range of gins and rye whiskeys over the past 13 years…. Jaywalk Straight Rye is a blend of #whiskey aged from six to eight years in 53-gallon new charred oak barrels and bottled at 92 proof. The mashbill is 75% rye, 13% corn, and 12% malted barley—all grown in #NewYork State, which puts it into the unofficial (for the time being) Empire Rye category. This is a superb whiskey that surpasses other expressions from rye-focused craft distillers in terms of quality and taste, and acts as a good alternative to your typical 95/5 rye from MGP or a Kentucky-style with just over 51% rye grain. There is a welcome balance of flavor on the palate—the spice is indeed present but takes a supporting role, leaving the spotlight to shine on deep notes of caramel, espresso, vanilla, custard, burnt orange, black pepper, and a touch of grape soda. This is a great sipper, but also works very well in a cocktail like a Manhattan (something that Katz says he purposely designed it to do)… Score: 95 95 – 99 In the Pantheon: A trophy for the cabinet” ALL excerpts by Jonah Flicker in Robb Report article below with image by Gabi Porter Cheers to the NYDC team! 🥃 ❤️ #entreprenuership #business #distilling #beverage #spiritsbusiness

Have you heard of Auchlossan Whisky? Chances are the answer is no, and the reason is that they have just launched their inaugural release! It's a wonderful dram, launched in collaboration with Lost Loch Spirits Ltd and the Whisky Teuchter. Read my review on this single cask, sherry influenced 10 Year Old from the Miltonduff Distillery. #lostloch #whisky #whiskyreview #auchlossan #singlemalt

Read my newest review of Savage & Cooke Distillery! Savage & Cooke

The barrel's Role: Balance, Elegance, Harmony ✨ A few years ago, in an interview, we asked Péter Vida, the head of Vida Borbirtok, what he expects from a barrel. "A good barrel gives a defined but delicate maturity. It allows the wine to stay in great condition for a longer period. I expect complex flavours with a delicate appearance, like a lovely violin note." This quote perfectly expresses our credo, our barrels are made along these principles to bring out and preserve the true character of each wine. The barrel is not just a storage tank, it serves to develop, refine and shape the character of the wine, contributing to the harmony of the final product. Learn more about how KADAR barrels are made ▸ https://lnkd.in/dcAYHiPk . #kadarhungary #winemaking #kadarbarrels #cooperage #kadarbarrels #oakbarrels #hungarianbarrel #premiumbarrel