For a quarter of a century the Northern port of Wick had no licensed premises. Dominic Roskrowreports on the
bitter feud that divided the town.
The 28th of May has a special significance in Wick. It was on that date in 1922 that every pub shut its doors and every off licence removed alcohol from its shelves.
And it was that date in 1945 that 25 years of no licence came to an end and the people of the town were permitted to buy liquor one m...
Whisky History
from Issue 72 published on 19/06/2008
The Dalmore is a sleeping giant but it's starting to stir. Dominic Roskriw visited one of Scotland's strangest distilleries.
Early summer in the Highlands, and the scene outside the distillery is one of utter tranquillity.
The tide’s out so Cromarty Firth is a mass of sand dune and rivulets.
A watery sun casts shadows across the estuary where sea birds are feeding at what turns out to be the end of one of the distillery...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 72 published on 19/06/2008
New Zealand is the latest country to embrace Whisky Live and it did so with style. Dominic Roskrow went down under.
I’m standing with a bemused bunch of Australians watching events unfurl in front of us in awed silence.We’re in the bowels of a large and traditional theatre and in front of us the kaumatua of Auckland’s biggest Maori tribe are drinking Scotch whisky from a large Quaich-like cup which once belonged ...
Whisky Live
from Issue 71 published on 17/04/2008
It calls itself the gentle malt of Islay,but Bunnahabhain is much more than just that.Dominic Roskrow braved
the last blast of winter to visit it
When it comes to what are technically known as ‘blow me sidewards’ moments,entering the still room at Bunnahabhain distillery takes some beating.
In the first place, it catches you by surprise.The entranceway takes you out on to a gantry that is halfway between floor and ceiling, so you’re about ei...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 71 published on 17/04/2008
In the latest in his series on whisky terms,Dominic Roskrow addresses part one of a two part look at the letter P, and makes sense of peat,phenols and PPMs
Whisky is defined as a spirit made with grain, yeast and water only, and a single malt whisky as one made at one distillery using only malted barley,water and yeast.
With the exception of allegedly flavourless caramel colouring, nothing else may be added to malt whisky.
This, though, isn’t the who...
Glossary
from Issue 70 published on
The Glenrothes is one of Scotland’s biggest distilleries but is an enigmatic one too,its doors generally closed to visitors and its malts relatively unknown.Dominic Roskrow visited it.
Iam halfway up a stairwell in semi darkness and all I can smell is…how can I put this politely – horse dung.
In front of me is Ronnie Cox, Whisky Magazine’s Scottish Ambassador of the Year.Behind me is former Whisky Mag editor and industry jack in the box (he pops up all over the place) Marcin Mill...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 70 published on
Owning your own cask of malt is arguably the ultimate whisky experience.Having selected his cask type Dominic Roskrow travelled to Glengoyne to fill it with new spirit.
We’re a motley crew for sure. Bleary-eyed, wet, bedraggled. Expectant and excited. And undoubtedly as happy as any human being has the right to be.
We’ve only known each other a few hours but we’ve shared a meal together, consumed considerable amounts of fine whisky, put the world to rights and arg...
Cask Ownership
from Issue 69 published on 18/01/2008
In the latest in the series on whisky terms Dominic Roskrowlooks at the letters N and O.
Water or no water? This is quite possibly the question asked most often by whisky converts as they set out on their journey of discovery.And it’s question with no straightforward answer.
Whole chapters and even books have been written on how to appreciate whisky, and in particular malt whisky, and ...
Glossary
from Issue 69 published on 18/01/2008
Knockdhu is an oddball distillery that defies categorisation.It’s owned by Whisky Magazine Distiller of the Year,Inver House.Dominic Roskrow visited it.
Some distilleries are soaked in atmosphere, and pay homage to their past.
Memories hang in the breeze, and emotions twist and turn in their courtyards.
I’m not sure whether different distilleries affect people in different ways, or whether the haunting atmosphere I experience at some places can be...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 69 published on 18/01/2008
To mark the fifth anniversary of its American bartenders’trip Brown Forman picked an elite
group to take part in a cocktail event. Dominic Roskrow joined them
As events go, this year’s bartenders’ challenge was among the weirdest.
You could describe it as bourbon’s future meeting its past: a group of wellseasoned but still relatively young and fashionable bartenders parading in front of some of Kentucky’s old guard.
The idea was simple enough: each bart...
Bartender's trip
from Issue 69 published on 18/01/2008
In our series looking at whisky terms we have reached the second part of the letter m.
Dominic Roskrow looks at maturation
You know you’ve caught the whisky bug good and proper when you happily sit through a two hour talk on casks, or consider the highlight of your distillery trip is the exhibition on wood.
But maturation is one of the main components which sets whisky apart from any other spirit.
For some time it has...
Glossary
from Issue 68 published on 07/12/2007
Auchentoshan is the nearest distillery to Glasgow but it is often criminally overlooked. Dominic Roskrow explains why it warrants closer inspection.
I was visiting a distillery recently when two tourists came in and asked if they could be shown round.Actually they didn’t so much ask for a tour but demand one.And when they were told that the distillery was shut they kicked up a fuss.
This being Scotland, they were generously accommodated and a t...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 68 published on 07/12/2007
In our series looking at whisky terms we have reached the letter m. In the first of two features Dominic Roskrow looks at malts and malting.
It may well be that the romance of whisky making is epitomised by the shapes of the gleaming copper stills and the agitated liquid bubbling within, or symbolised by the aromas of maturing spirit in the bowels of a damp warehouse.
But the work horse part of whisky lies way before – in the malting an...
Glossary
from Issue 67 published on 01/11/2007
Whisky tourism continues apace and discerning enthusiasts continue to demand something special
from their visit.Dominic Roskrow reports
It was clear that the mixed group of German and Australians were a cut or two above your average foreign tourist when we reached the part of the tour when we could taste the wash.
The Australians concluded that the sour distiller’s beer was quite palatable and would grow on you after a while. The G...
Whisky Tours
from Issue 67 published on 01/11/2007
The world of whisky may well still be dominated by the big five traditional producers,but they’re no longer having
it all their own way.Dominic Roskrow looks at the new wave of world whisky
It was a telling moment. We were at the launch of a new expression of a single malt whisky and we were being addressed by a very proud and very Scottish whisky maker.
No-one makes whisky like the Scots, he said, and although other countries tried, they just weren’t up to it. Even the English were t...
World whisky
from Issue 66 published on 25/09/2007
In the latest in our series looking at whisky terminology,Dominic Roskrow considers the letters k and l
and in particular The Lincoln County Process
When is a bourbon not a bourbon?
When it’s a Tennessee whiskey.
And depending who you’re talking to and where you’re doing the talking, the likes of Jack Daniel and George Dickel are either barred from the bourbon club because they’ve messed with the rules, or they have added a quality process tha...
Understanding whisky
from Issue 66 published on 25/09/2007
Ardmore and Glendronach have much in common but at the moment their experiences are very different.
Dominic Roskrow visited both
They are blood brothers, sharing a common geography and history; close cousins with a (not so) common uncle.
Misfit distilleries operating on the furthest borders of Speyside, close to Scotland’s blessed region but adamantly not part of it, despite what some writers say. And both are traditionally ...
Distllery focus
from Issue 65 published on 20/07/2007
The region known as The Highlands covers a huge and disparate area. So in this area we focus just on the South and East part of the region
Is it time to reassess our definitions of the whisky regions of Scotland? Are our broad regional descriptors becoming increasingly redundant and as whisky enthusiasts grow in number and the knowledge levels rise, are they over-simplistic and meaningless?
Certainly a growing number of distilleries a...
Regional Focus
from Issue 65 published on 20/07/2007
Whisky can be a great summer drink – and it can work well with the barbecue. Dominic Roskrow gets the big recipe book out
It’s a commonly held view that whisky isn’t a summer drink. But whenever someone says this to me I think back to my very first day as Editor of Whisky Magazine and a television interview Michael Jackson gave to a German film crew shortly before a whisky and cheese tasting.
Inevitably he was asked w...
Whisky and Food
from Issue 65 published on 20/07/2007
Robin Laing is whisky’s muse.He’s recorded three CDs of whisky songs and has just completed a quite excellent book on Speyside,called The Whisky River. Dominic Roskrow spoke to him
Typical. You wait years for some new Robin Laing whisky product, and then two come along at once.
And the arrival of a new whisky compact disc and a new whisky book come complete with rather a large dollop of irony. For just as the 55 year old musician is starting to look for a quieter life he’s pr...
Whisky and Music
from Issue 65 published on 20/07/2007
In the latest in the series on whisky terms,Dominic Roskrow looks at the letters H,I and J
If you can’t make heads nor tails of the distillation then it’s not really surprising – there are so many terms floating about for the various stages of spirit that it’s a nightmare to put it into logical order. Two of the key terms used begin with H – heads and high spirits. Let’s go through it in ...
Understanding whisky
from Issue 65 published on 20/07/2007
Situated in the heart of Speyside,The Glenlivet is a study of modern and progressive whisky making in the most historic of settings. Dominic Roskrow reports
It’s in places like this, on days like this, that you can fear most for our planet. We’re standing in the heart of historic Speyside, high above the River Spey, and the sun is warm on our faces. Far below the light flits over the ruffled surface of the river as its waters negotiate the rocks and sto...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 64 published on 01/06/2007
Whisky dinners are becoming more sophisticated and they are enjoying more popularity than ever before.
Dominic Roskrow speaks to the doyenne of food and whisky pairing, Martine Nouet
Are whisky dinners falling out of fashion? Have people grown tired of trying to match whiskies to accompany food, lost interest in adding quality malt to the food itself, and had enough – quite literally – of having a range of whiskies alongside five or six course dinners?
Not if you ask Martine No...
Whisky and Food
from Issue 64 published on 01/06/2007
In the latest in his series looking at the whisky glossary, Dominic Roskrow turns to the letter ‘G’ and to grain whisky
Pity poor grain whisky. While malted barley is the golden boy in the shiny new uniform, grain whisky is forced to stand in the corner, resentfully tolerated and rarely loved.
More than that, grain whisky has continued to receive a limited or bad press. In one feature in Whisky Magazine some 10 year...
Understanding whisky
from Issue 64 published on 01/06/2007
The Macallan is one of the truly iconic distilleries but it is not resting on its laurels. Dominic Roskrow went to stay there
Easter Elchies House is an imposing and impressive rural retreat at any time.
This evening, though, as it comes in to view as we walk back from the warehouses, with its walls lit up and every window ablaze with startling light, cushioned in darkness and wrapped in the last snows of winter, it is no...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 63 published on 20/04/2007
To really enjoy the bourbon experience of Kentucky you must immerse yourself in the character and culture of the state itself. Our man does exactly that
The moment that the madness of Kentucky started to make total sense – and the rebelliousness, unpredictability, friendliness, and contrariness formed in to a coherent whole – came on one hot summer’s lunchtime at the Maker’s Mark distillery.
We had eaten well and were relaxing. The jet-lag was stil...
Visitor Guides
from Issue 63 published on 20/04/2007
The Spirit of Speyside Festival has grown in to a major celebration of the region’s food and drink. So how do you set about catering for such an event? Dominic Roskrow went to find out
As anybody who has ever been to a dinner where hundreds of people sit down to eat at exactly the same time will know, it is no easy task. When the diners are there not for some secondary purpose such as an awards ceremony or to watch entertainment, but specifically to celebrate the food and drink on...
Whisky and Food
from Issue 63 published on 20/04/2007
In the latest in our series looking at the language of whisky, Dominic Roskrow looks at the letters E and F
When it comes to whisky-making you really can’t help but use the F words. Some of the key distillery processes for making new make spirit require use of F words.
The first is fermentation – the process by which the solution containing water and the ground up malted barley (grist) known as ‘mash’ is...
Understanding whisky
from Issue 63 published on 20/04/2007
Our music guru showcases one of the bright new talents to break out of America. More perfect whisky music
You’ve just got to love a band who start one of their tracks with the lines (and please note the lack of capital letters): I’ve been trying to get people to call me freddy knuckles. people keep calling me right said fred. it’s hard to keep trying when half your friends are dying. it’s hard to hold s...
Whisky and Music
from Issue 62 published on 01/03/2007
Jack Daniel's is bucking the trend in many markets and going from strength to strength. Dominic Roskrow went to Lynchburg to find out why
You start to get a sense of just how big Jack Daniel’s has become when you visit the main square of the pretty village of Lynchburg down the road from the distillery.
It’s not that there’s anything small-scale about the distillery itself. It occupies land that stretches for acres. But because much ...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 62 published on 01/03/2007
Is the Emerald Isle worth a visit for whiskey fans? You bet – and particularly in 2007
Don’t shout it too loudly, but 2007 might just be the year when Irish whiskey becomes a contender again.
Metaphorically speaking the stars are in alignment. The spotlight’s been turned on.
The cash train might just be heading back in to town.
In recent years Ireland, has, to all intents and purpo...
Visitor Guides
from Issue 62 published on 01/03/2007
Diageo is making a fresh assault on our taste buds with a new approach to pairing whisky and food. Dominic Roskrow reports
During the last six years no company has done more than Diageo to promote the concept of serving whisky with food.
It has been an uphill struggle and one that has been dismissed contemptuously in some quarters and fiercely opposed in others.
Indeed if you are in to conspiracy theories, then there’...
Whisky and Food
from Issue 62 published on 01/03/2007
In the latest in the series Dominic Roskrow looks at the letter ‘D’
That’s the spirit. Distilling is, of course, the core part of the whisky-making process. We can – and I’m sure we do – sink many a glass of whisky and while away plenty of happy hours debating how important the barley, yeast and water are to the overall flavour of whisky, how much a long fermentatio...
Understanding whisky
from Issue 62 published on 01/03/2007
Bourbon is not only continuing its growth in profitability but is carving out a new premium image for itself. Dominic Roskrow reports
You don’t expect to find a top Kentucky distiller conducting tastings on a Saturday afternoon in a sprawling shopping mall on the edge of Louisville. Mind you, until relatively recently you wouldn’t have expected to find his whiskey there either.
Jim Rutledge is the master distiller at Four Roses a...
American Whiskey
from Issue 61 published on 19/01/2007
Let 10 young bartenders loose in bourbon country and it’ll get messy. But as Dominic Roskrow reports, when it
came to the business end of the trip, our boys delivered
In Kentucky the racing folk have an expression: the money, they say, is in the lovin’. The expression refers to the thoroughbred race horses that have made the State one of the most famous horse-racing centres in the world.
It basically means that no matter how fast you go round the track, or how m...
American Whiskey
from Issue 61 published on 19/01/2007
Ballantine’s is one of the world’s top blends but it is in need of a dose of loving and who better for that than the French? Dominic Roskrow reports
The way in which French drinks giant Pernod Ricard picked up a raft of new brands from Allied last year, assimilated them in to its company portfolio and has set about giving them a polish has been ruthlessly efficient and highly impressive.
Normally when a company falls apart and its carcass picke...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 61 published on 19/01/2007
Amber at the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre has established itself as a class act. Now it's taking whisky and food pairings to new heights. Dominic Roskrow reports
It’s one thing putting on an expensive and elitist whisky dinner and matching specially-sourced food with the finest whiskies. But it’s quite another to do so and pitch it at a wider audience.
When Amber at the Scotch Whisky Experience, formerly the Heritage Centre, opened its doors a couple of yea...
Whisky and Food
from Issue 61 published on 19/01/2007
In the latest in his series defining whisky terms Dominic Roskrow looks at the letter C
Barley, yeast and water may be whisky’s raw ingredients and the skill of the whisky maker and distiller may be crucial in placing the foundations of a great single malt. But it is two c words which steer the new make spirit towards its final taste destination – casks and charring.
Whisky of all typ...
Understanding whisky
from Issue 61 published on 19/01/2007
Laphroaig on Islay is one of the iconic distilleries. Dominic Roskrow visited it
When it comes to stunning views on Islay, it’s a toss up between the one from the wall at Bowmore and that on the craggy shores of the island’s South Eastern distilleries.
When the wind’s up and the sun’s out, the seawall at Bowmore takes some beating. Here the light flicks off the mini waves that ...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 60 published on 10/11/2006
Richard Parker is turning a passion for whisky in to a healthy business. Dominic Roskrow reports
The High Street in Banff doesn’t look like a mecca for whisky. In fact at 7pm on a warm summer’s evening on a weekday it doesn’t look much of anything.
The shops are all shut and the pavements deserted.
Which is a problem because we are due to start a whisky tasting, the shop is empty, and I can’t...
Spotlight
from Issue 60 published on 10/11/2006
In the second of our ‘back to basics’guides Dominic Roskrow looks at the letter B and in particular blends
If there is one word purpose-built to confuse newcomers to whisky, it’s the word ‘blend.’ This has always been the case but it has become even more so now that the whisky industry has adopted a new descriptor which uses the word.
The trouble with the word ‘blend’ is that it is used as a technical d...
Understanding whisky
from Issue 60 published on 10/11/2006
The Scapa Distillery is producing spirit regularly again after a two year renovation programme. Dominic Roskrow reports
It’s the stillroom at Scapa that you remember most, and in particular the large window at one end of it, and the still at its heart.
Chalk and cheese really; the window providing vantage across the Flow, and bringing much needed respite to the intensity of the isolated and library-like room; the st...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 59 published on 11/10/2006
The concept of whisky and food has come a long way in recent years. Dominic Roskrow charts its progress
A couple of years ago The Guardian newspaper in Britain reviewed Whisky Magazine alongside a selection of British wine magazines.
The fact that the female journalist bracketed a whisky title in with a group of wine ones says a great deal in itself – I have long maintained that wine and whisky don’t...
Whisky and Food
from Issue 59 published on 11/10/2006
New to whisky? Then this new series goes back to basics. Dominic Roskrow explains
So there we were, having a heated debate about what did and didn’t constitute pot still whiskey, when someone suggested we look it up in a glossary.
Which we did, only to discover that the definition given included references to two other technical pieces of information which just clouded the debat...
Understanding whisky
from Issue 59 published on 11/10/2006
Dominic Roskrowis leaving the building. Here he says goodbye after four years as Editor
I’ve spent a great deal of time in recent weeks pondering where whisky might go in the future. Much of this thinking has been prompted by the fact that wherever whisky’s going I need to go too, because I am leaving full time employment as editor of Whisky Magazine, and my future in whisky will lie i...
From the Editor
from Issue 58 published on 30/08/2006
On his last day as Editor of Whisky Magazine,we sat Dominic Roskrow with a special whisky and let him speak to one of his sporting heroes, All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick
As one of the greatest rugby union players of all time, former Auckland and All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick has faced some intimidating situations.
But nothing – not the South African front row, the powerhouse that is Martin Johnson, or the baying of 80,000 passionate rugby fans – has scared him...
Whisky Interview
from Issue 58 published on 30/08/2006
Rampaging huntsmen,under-achieving daleks,lots of whisky.Whatever’s going on, asks Dominic Roskrow
I am standing at the edge of a paddock, surrounded by people. In front of me a man in green hunting costume is grappling with a large fox hound.
Other huntsmen in red are running around in panic in the sun, after hunting dogs that having been deprived of foxes for some time now, have gone berserk a...
From the Editor
from Issue 57 published on 21/07/2006
Ireland’s only independent distillery has had a rollercoaster time since it was established at the end of the ’80s.Now it’s time to deliver,its chairman tells Dominic Roskrow
It’s time to change the record. Time to take off New Kid In Town by The Eagles and replace it with James Brown’s It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World. Or, and let’s not be too cynical about this, Abba’s Money, Money, Money. Time to grow up, stop looking for excuses and come of age.
I hope Cooley chairman...
Irish Whiskey
from Issue 57 published on 21/07/2006
The Harris Whisky Company is the latest company to bring quality whisky to the English market. Dominic Roskrow reports
If the key to success is making the most of the opportunities presented to you, then Mark Harris has a glittering future to look forward to.
In his career he’s been faced with two golden opportunities, and he’s grabbed them with both hands.
The first came when he started work as general manager at...
Whisky Spotlight
from Issue 57 published on 21/07/2006
The whisky industry seems to be rising to the challenge of attracting new drinkers while keeping the experts happy says
Dominic Roskrow
In the distillery focus in this issue, Ian Buxton describes how Glengoyne has introduced a half day tour which includes a blending class and the chance to make your own blended whisky.
It costs £100 but I bet it’s a big success. Why?
Because it’s just the latest logical progression in a trend that...
From the Editor
from Issue 56 published on 01/06/2006
There’s a real sense of purpose on Speyside at the moment, reflected by its rapidly developing Spirit of Speyside Festival.
Dominic Roskrow reports
Put it down to the eight outstanding whiskies we’d had to taste and judge, the fact that the dinner was served late or that the generally amenable ambience, but Alex Salmond couldn’t stop beaming.
The Scottish National Party leader had stepped in at the last moment to replace SNP member of parliame...
Whisky Events
from Issue 56 published on 01/06/2006
Plans to ban drinking from a glass in pubs and clubs in Scotland are wrong,says Dominic Roskrow
Once upon a time the drinks trade went through a quiet stage just after Christmas until Spring, and again for a month during summer. No more.
Such is the success of whisky at the moment that it’s not just a case of 24/7 but 31/12, too.
Even February seemed to have 31 days. And after a period of se...
From the Editor
from Issue 55 published on 14/04/2006
Piers Morgan is one of Britain’s leading media personalities and he’s promoting whisky. Dominic Roskrow met him
On the day I am to meet Piers Morgan, a row has erupted in the press between pop impressario Louie Walsh and singer Ronan Keating.
Keating has apparently criticised Walsh in an interview. And Walsh’s response?
To withdraw all co-operation with the journalist who had the audacity to report Keating’...
Whisky Spotlight
from Issue 55 published on 14/04/2006
What better way to visit the distilleries on Islay and Jura than on foot? Dominic Roskrow and a Whisky Magazine team have done just that
If you’ve ever followed the coast tour of Port Ellen on Islay and visited the distilleries of Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg you’ll know what a special experience it is.
If you do it on foot after two solid days of walking, rowing cycling and you’re accompanied by a raggle-taggle posse of distille...
Islay
from Issue 55 published on 14/04/2006
Hard rock and whisk(e)y have been bedfellows for 40 years.Dominic Roskrow lets his hair down
It’s become the iconic rock star image: hair long and flowing, leather trousers or jeans, shirt open to reveal muscular torso and chest hair, jewellery, sunglasses. And there, in the right hand, a halffinished bottle of Jack Daniels.
It’s a look that was invented by Keith Richards but perfected in ...
Whisky and Music
from Issue 55 published on 14/04/2006
The Whisky Shop is bringing whisky to a new market by mixing High Street marketing techniques with outstanding whisky. Dominic Roskrow spoke to Ian Bankier
It’s a wet day out of season in the English tourist city of York. There are few people out and about but at The Whisky Shop, nestling in the city centre next to the Jorvic Centre, there is a steady stream of people.
I’m chatting to Ian Bankier when he spots an ageing weather-worn couple who seem a ...
Whisky Spotlight
from Issue 55 published on 14/04/2006
Dominic Roskrow considers what the long term effects of an increased demand for whisky might be
Chuck Cowdery’s feature in this issue raises a very important question: is it possible for at least some whisk(e)y to run out due to an increased demand for it?
It would have been an unthinkable scenario just a few years ago when the industry feared for the future of strong brown spirits. And even ...
From the Editor
from Issue 54 published on 03/03/2006
This year’s Icons of Whisky were the toughest yet. Drawing up the shortlists was a nightmare.And the voting in nearly all categories was painfully close. Dominic Roskrowreports
If you’re reading this and you’re one of the industry personnel invited to vote in this year’s Icons of Whisky Awards but didn’t bother then shame on you. Because this year, more than any other, it really was a case of every vote counting.
The Icons of Whisky have been held in one form or another f...
Icons of Whisky
from Issue 54 published on 03/03/2006
When you think of poker, what is the dominant image before you?
I ask because when we were discussing the cover story, one of the team talked of smoke-filled rooms, male only events where the players wore open-necked shirts and played all night, the stakes rising at the same pace as the tension – a...
From the Editor
from Issue 53 published on 12/01/2006
A couple of issues ago we launched a new scheme to honour the world’s best whisky bars. Here are the first recipients – congratulations to them all
Albannach, London, England
Altona, Bergen, Norway
Atheneum Hotel, London, England
Auld Alliance, Paris, France Talbott Tavern
Bascule Bar, Cape Grace Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
Bishops Arms, Helsingborg, Sweden
Blue Label, Shizuoka, Japan
Boisdale, London, England
Bourbon Bistro, Louisville, Ken...
Great whisky bars
from Issue 53 published on 12/01/2006
We recently teamed up with The Glenlivet for a readers’ evening to discuss the world of whisky. We asked them about the future
Chairman
Dominic Roskrow, Editor, Whisky Magazine
The participants
Pieter Badenhorst (PB) Teacher,Waltham Cross, 29
Svat Buchlovsky (SB) Consultant, Basingstoke, 52
Brendon Humphreys (BH) Development manager, Loughton, 29
Ian Kendal (IK) Teacher, Loughton, Essex, 34
Barry King (BH) Retired, Chelten...
Whisky Debate
from Issue 53 published on 12/01/2006
The Speyside region is getting its act together and making life easier for the visitor. Here Dominic Roskrow reports on its changing face. And on page 34 we provide the complete visitors’ guide to the region
Speyside might boast the largest number of distilleries in one region anywhere in the world but boy, at times in the past it sure didn’t feel like it.
There’s always been something fragmented about the region. For a starter, it sprawls and the name is a misnomer; don’t expect to find all its distil...
Visitor Guides
from Issue 53 published on 12/01/2006
In each issue of Whisky Magazine this year we will look at a whisky region from a tourist’s point of view. First up, Speyside
Some might consider Speyside to be the epicentre of malt whisky production and it can claim to have the greatest geographical concentration of distilleries anywhere in the world.
Depending on where you draw the boundaries, between a third and a half of all Scotland’s malt distilleries are here.
Ma...
Visitor Guides
from Issue 53 published on 12/01/2006
Glencairn Crystal is playing a major role in promoting dedicated whisky glasses. But as Dominic Roskrow reports, there is more to the company than that
Question:What do British actor Leslie Grantham, American superstar Kelsey Grammer and the folk behind Glencairn Crystal got in common?
Answer: They have all been very successful, and they have all been victims of their own success. So well known has their best creation been that they have struggled...
Whisky Spotlight
from Issue 53 published on 12/01/2006
As we enter 2006, China and the environment are going to be key issues for the world of whisky
If 2005 was a roller coaster year for whisky, strap yourself in for the ride of your life in the next 12 months.
It’s shaping up to be a stormer, as a whole host of producers step up their game and we start to feel the fall-out from the Allied Domecq sell off and the race is on among a whole raft o...
From the Editor
from Issue 52 published on 30/11/2005
Hosted for the second time in the magnificent Palais Brongniart, the old Stock Exchange, Paris Whisky Live welcomed 60 distilleries from all other the world including the newcomers from India, Wales and Brittany Whisky Live had chosen a sensory angle this year, placing the whole event under the them...
Whisky Events
from Issue 52 published on 30/11/2005
Whisky Magazine and The Glenlivet hosted a readers’ round table in London. In the first half we asked about wood finishes and innovations
Chairman
Dominic Roskrow - Editor, Whisky Magazine
The participants
Pieter Badenhorst (PB) - Teacher,Waltham Cross
Svat Buchlovsky (SB) - Consultant, Basingstoke
Brendon Humphreys (BH) - Development manager, Loughton
Ian Kendal (IK) - Teacher, Loughton, Essex
Barry King (BH) - Retired, Cheltenham
R...
Whisky Debate
from Issue 52 published on 30/11/2005
Tullamore Dew is reasserting its Irishness and it’s paying dividends. Dominic Roskrow reports
The Irish have a canny knack of turning their history to their advantage. When Irish Distillers needed to expand and moved to a new purpose-built distillery in Cork the company didn’t knock the old one down – it turned it in to one of the best visitor centres in the world.
And the business folk beh...
Whisky Spotlight
from Issue 52 published on 30/11/2005
Jack and Jean Oswald have turned their passion in to a hobby and business. Dominic Roskrow reports
They say film-makers and photographers make their own luck.
It’s not so much a case of being in the right place at the right time, but knowing to be in the right place at the right time.
So for American whisky lover Jack Oswald, capturing Mickey Mouse as he arrived at Bunnahabhain during the Islay...
Whisky Spotlight
from Issue 52 published on 30/11/2005
The times they are a-changing in Kentucky as the bourbon producers enjoy a renewed interest in their products. Dominic Roskrow reports
The road is a nightmare. Little more than an uneven dirt track, its entrance sufficiently concealed that we drive by it twice.
We’re just outside Bardstown in Kentucky, and we’re meant to be getting a glimpse of bourbon’s future. Right now, in the dust and glare of the late summer sun, it seems we’...
Whisky Trends
from Issue 52 published on 30/11/2005
Are whisky drinkers getting the sort of service standards they – and the product – deserves? Not according to Dominic Roskrow they’re not.And enough’s enough
There are a few things that really get my goat, but two of them relate to the way whisky is presented to customers in top hotels, bars and restaurants.
Number one is when a supposedly top establishment has a whisky list which is shorter than the list of strikers at Chelsea football club.
You’ve ha...
From the Editor
from Issue 51 published on 07/10/2005
The water of life flowed freely at this year’s Whisky Live show in Glasgow, with thousands of dram hunters making the pilgrimage to the event held in the main square of Scotland’s biggest city.
With people paying at the door and passers-by discovering for themselves this new annual event, attendanc...
Whisky Events
from Issue 51 published on 07/10/2005
Smokers are facing ever increasing restrictions.Will the alcoholic drink sector be next?
The Panel
James Leavey (JL) - Editor The FOREST Guides to Smoking in. London and Scotland.
Dominic Roskrow (DR) - Editor Whisky Magazineand Cigar Buyer.
David Williamson (DW) - Scotch Whisky Association.
Q.Fears are growing that spirits and alcohol will follow tobacco and face first the threat of r...
Whisky Debate
from Issue 51 published on 07/10/2005
Teacher’s is celebrating its 175th birthday with a new owner. And the brand’s still bullish
With 175 years of history behind you, you might be excused for looking back.
It would be entirely understandable if you wanted to concentrate on past glories and emphasise the long tradition and heritage of your firm.
And when that firm truly does have a proud and important part in the history of ...
Whisky Blends
from Issue 51 published on 07/10/2005
The Isle of Arran Distillery is 10 years old. Dominic Roskrow joined the celebrations
When a majestic eagle rose up from the hills behind the Isle of Arran Distillery at precisely the time that it reached its 10th birthday it was either a remarkable coincidence or the result of some very clever marketing.
The symbolism was lost on nobody. Exactly a decade earlier two of the great hu...
Whisky Spotlight
from Issue 51 published on 07/10/2005
They fought the law,and they won. Dominic Roskrow visits Drumchork Lodge
Some time next year, after just less than nine years at Drumchork Lodge, John Clotworthy and Frances Oates will fulfil a dream.
They will officially become distillers.
Not just any old distillers, either: distillers in charge of Britain’s smallest legal distillery and the only one kept in a garage...
Whisky Spotlight
from Issue 51 published on 07/10/2005
Onwards and upwards,says Dominic Roskrow,as Whisky Magazine gets a new look
There’s always a temptation when you hit a milestone to sit back and participate in some indulgent back-slapping. But it says much about the healthy state of the world of whisky that I have to say that quite frankly we just don’t have the time to.
Fifty issues is an impressive number, given the fac...
From the Editor
from Issue 50 published on 09/09/2005
The best letter in each issue wins a bottle of Berry’s Blue Hanger 25 year old. Always impeccably turned out, just like the gentleman it is named after, Berry’s Blue Hanger offers soft citrus aromas intermingled with leather, custard and pears, leading to an elegant butterscotch and rich orange peel palate with a dry smoky finale. One to ponder.
Become Ambasassadors.
All of us reading this magazine like to enjoy a good dram or two. Some have a near fanatical relationship and some just like the taste.
I remember my first whisky but thankfully not the name – it was a cheap blend. I dared to try another whisky shortly afterwards. This time a...
Letters to the Editor
from Issue 50 published on 09/09/2005
South Africa’s internationally aligned whisky festivals, the First National Bank Whisky Live Festivals, take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from October 26-28 and in Johannesburg at the Sandton Convention Centre from November 2-4, 2005.
Since inception in 2003, the FNB Whisk...
Whisky Events
from Issue 50 published on 09/09/2005
How good are the independent bottling companies? We decided to find out in our biggest ever tasting – more than 175 entrants in 24 categories,judged by nine judges over seven weeks. Dominic Roskrow reports
Every two years Whisky Magazine holds its Best of the Best competition, when the best 40 whiskies from the previous two years are tasted by about 100 judges in Tokyo, Dublin,Kentucky,Glasgow and London.
And every two years we have the debate: should independent bottlers be included?
Arguments in f...
Whisky Awards
from Issue 50 published on 09/09/2005
Fifty quotes from 50 issues of Whisky Magazine
Issue 1 - Michael Jackson
“What we need, and should be filling into casks this very minute, is a really robust product for the consumer who is drinking Lagavulin today and wants to graduate to something more pungent tomorrow. Even if we do it today there will be nothing in bottle for quite some year...
Whisky Magazine
from Issue 50 published on 09/09/2005
To celebrate our 50th issue we asked a selection of people for their best whisky drinking occasion. Here are the best 50 of them
1. My bar manager and I visited Glenfiddich and got the chance to dip into the mixing vat of their new Solero Reserve. It was stunningly gorgeous. A chance to try something before it had been filtered and even released yet.
Niall Barnes.
2. Going to the bar after seeing the Sex Pistols, who I had a...
Whisky Magazine
from Issue 50 published on 09/09/2005
A threat to the future of Scotch?
In my youth – a couple of centuries ago it seems – I remember snow lying around my home in Perth for weeks on end. I remember sledging every year and often daily in the 1950s and early 1960s. I don’t remember getting days off school because of the bad weather, but I suppose we must have done.
The S...
Whisky Trends
from Issue 50 published on 09/09/2005
Why is it that the reverence for single malts can turn into disappointment, or disdain,when single malts are mixed together? Is this based on knowing what blending can achieve,or just unenlightened prejudice?
Let’s start our evaluation of the category with a typical definition, that the resulting complexity exceeds the individual components of a vatted malt (I use this term in this article because it is not yet outlawed).
But with various single malts renowned for complexity, cynics assume vatted malts ...
Whisky Production
from Issue 50 published on 09/09/2005
Perhaps it’s because of what we British call the ‘silly season’, but over the summer months I seem to get a larger than normal number of calls from national journalists wanting to write about whisky.
This has always intrigued me because you’d expect the winter months to stir up the urge to write ab...
From the Editor
from Issue 49 published on 15/07/2005
September 25th and 26th 2005
The Paris stock exchange will welcome all enthusiasts of uisge beatha on Sunday 25th September (general public) and on Monday 26th September 2005 (professionals only) for the second Whisky Live Paris.
The event will bring together around 60 exhibitors including more than 50 distilleries from around...
Whisky Events
from Issue 49 published on 15/07/2005
A spate of whiskies with strange names suggest whisky is moving forward in marketing terms. Is this a good thing? We asked a select panel of experts
The panel
JG : John Glaser : Compass Box
MR : Mark Reynier : Bruichladdich
DR : Dave Robertson : Easy Drinking Whisky Company
Q. In your view does the traditional whisky bottle label with age statement etc put some people off the product?
JG: I think the traditional image that some people hav...
Whisky Debate
from Issue 49 published on 15/07/2005
Pictures from The Whisky Fair, Limburg, Germany
This year’s Whisky Fair at Limburg in Germany enjoyed its best-yet visitor figures of 4,500.
Though still very much an event for small independent bottlers and specialist dealers, the event is starting to attract some of the bigger names. Glenmorangie took a stand, as well as turning one downstairs...
World of whisky
from Issue 49 published on 15/07/2005
Whisper it quietly, but right across the planet a low-key revolution is taking place. Wherever I travel – Havana, New York, London, and er, Cromer, whisky enthusiasts are meeting to share, taste and discuss whisky.
Now I know that this is the way it has always been. But the tendency has spread way ...
From the Editor
from Issue 48 published on 10/06/2005
Whisky enthusiasts and industry representatives are gathering in Sydney this August for the second National Malt Whisky Convention. As interest in single malts within Australia continues to grow, this event is sure to be an even bigger success than the first festival in 2003.
The event will include...
Whisky Events
from Issue 48 published on 10/06/2005
Whisky Magazine is hailing its first American show as an overwhelming success and organisers are already turning their attentions to next year as the industry hailed Whisky Live New York as a total triumph.
The event, ambitiously held in Central Park, attracted hundreds of New York’s jet setters, a...
Whisky Events
from Issue 48 published on 10/06/2005
A team from Whisky Magazine completed nearly 50 miles of the Speyside Way to raise money for Make Poverty History. Dominic Roskrow reports
As great whisky moments go it takes some beating: an obscenely large glass of Balblair poured at Balmenach distillery late on a Friday evening in the company of friends and just as dusk began to turn to night .
We’d just completed a 12 hour, 30 mile yomp through Speyside on the back of 18 miles the...
Whisky Events
from Issue 48 published on 10/06/2005
Some whisky enthusiasts are naturally suspicious of whisky cocktails. But do they provide a platform from which to attract new whisky recruits?
The Panel
Dale DeGroff - Renowned as The King of Cocktails (DDG)
Dominic Roskrow - Editor of Whisky Magazine (DR)
Audrey Saunders - New York mixologist and drinks consultant (AS)
Q. Firstly, let’s get straight to the heart of the matter for Whisky Magazine readers. Are whisky cocktails good for the...
Whisky Debate
from Issue 48 published on 10/06/2005
Producing whisky in the middle of the North Sea is one long struggle but the results make it worthwhile. Dominic Roskrow visited Highland Park
Cutting peat in late April on the undulating hills high above Scapa Flow on Orkney isn’t for the faint-hearted.
You have to make your way to the heart of the 2,000 acre estate that Highland Park owns, navigate bumpy lanes and walk along a pathway littered with muddy pools and then, as the sharp win...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 48 published on 10/06/2005
The Ubiquitous Chip is celebrating 30 years at its current location and throughout whisky has been key to its success. Dominic Roskrow visited
Thirty years in the restaurant business is impressive anywhere.
In Glasgow it represents a lifetime. For back in the 70s the city had little at all in the way of a dining culture. What it did have tended to come courtesy of the city’s Italian residents.
And when it came to finding anywhere with Sc...
Whisky and Food
from Issue 48 published on 10/06/2005
The second annual Cocktail Challenge took place at Whisky Live in London. Dominic Roskrow reports
What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, when we first gathered at the City Inn in London for the first proper Whisky Cocktail Challenge, there was a lot of prodding and poking at the idea of whisky cocktails. Lots of sniff and scratch, lots of taste it and see.
Our barmen gathered intrig...
Whisky Cocktails
from Issue 48 published on 10/06/2005
Judging by the conversations I’ve been having at Whisky Live London and New York the ‘blended malts’ debate is going to run and run.
In this issue the Scotch Whisky Association has replied to my editorial in issue 46, and our round table debate also addresses the subject. I said pretty much all I w...
From the Editor
from Issue 47 published on 05/04/2005
Whether you are bemused, confused, excited or delighted, share your views and opinions with other Whisky Magazine readers.
Winning letter
The best letter in each issue wins a bottle of Berry’s Blue Hanger 25 year old. Always impeccably turned out, just like the gentleman it is named after, Berry’s Blue Hanger offers soft citrus aromas intermingled with leather, custard and pears, leading to an elegant butterscotch and r...
Letters to the Editor
from Issue 47 published on 05/04/2005
Whisky Live Glasgow will be held for the second time on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th September, 2005.
And this year’s event will not only be more ambitious than last year, but will embrace other aspects of Scottish culture beyond just whisky.
Held in the impressive St. George’s square in the centr...
Whisky Events
from Issue 47 published on 05/04/2005
Inevitably this issue’s debate looks at labelling and the use of the words ‘blended malts’
The Panel
Dave Broom, Contributing editor, Whisky Magazine (DB)
John Glaser, Compass Box (JG)
Martine Nouet, Regular Whisky Magazine contributor (MN)
Erkin Touzmohamedov, Russian writer (ET)
Ricky Christie, Speyside Distillery (RC)
Q Are we winning the battle to get the consumer to understand the d...
Whisky Debate
from Issue 47 published on 05/04/2005
It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago public access to a distillery was rare. Now many offer tours or tastings and they’re becoming increasingly sophisticated. Dominic Roskrow reports
Later this year Whisky Magazine will publish its 50th issue and we’ll be taking a look at how the industry has changed in that time.
Almost certainly among the scores of new and successful launches and the distillery sales, closures and takeovers, the rise and rise of the visitor centre will featur...
Distillery Focus
from Issue 47 published on 05/04/2005
The Islay festival starts on May 27th. We decided to host a pre-festival dinner on the island and invited all the distilleries. Dominic Roskrow reports
On the face of it spending March 17th – St Patrick’s Day – on the Scottish island of Islay isn’t the most obvious thing to do. But there is some method in such madness. For while the Emerald isle is no doubt downing the Jameson’s in honour of its national saint and adopted Englishman, Islay has its ...
Whisky Events
from Issue 47 published on 05/04/2005
Gillian Bell of Caledonian Connoisseur is pioneering whisky and food pairings with our very own Dave Broom. Dominic Roskrow spoke to her
If ever a person was suited to the term ‘going with the flow’ it’s Scottish on-line food and whisky retailer Gillian Bell.
Her career path over the last two years is either the result of a series of happy coincidences or the product of some intuitive business acumen, depending on your point of view...
Whisky and Food
from Issue 47 published on 05/04/2005
When is a blend, not a blend? When it’s a vatted malt.
When is a blend, not a blend? When it’s a vatted malt. For the Scotch Whisky Association has decided that the best way to end the confusion over definitions of various styles of whisky is to redefine ‘vatted malt Scotch whisky’ as ‘blended malt Scotch whisky’. This is to distinguish them from ‘blend...
From the Editor
from Issue 46 published on 10/3/2005
In just three years, the Whisky Fair at Limburg in Germany has established a good reputation and continues to attract excellent visitor numbers.
In just three years, the Whisky Fair at Limburg in Germany has established a good reputation and continues to attract excellent visitor numbers.
The omens for this year’s fair, on the last weekend in April, look excellent. All 45 available trade stands have been snapped up and there is quite a wait...
Whisky Events
from Issue 46 published on 10/3/2005
How should the industry react over the issue of responsible drinking?
The Panel
Abigail Bosanko, author and whisky enthusiast (AB)
Chuck Cowdrey, American whiskey writer (CKC)
Keir Sword, proprietor, Royal Mile Whiskies (KS)
Q. There is a growing view that society is becoming more litigious and governments are increasingly taking responsibility for society’s well bei...
Whisky Debate
from Issue 46 published on 10/3/2005
This is the third time we have held the Best of the Best. But as Dominic Roskrow reports, this is the biggest and most ambitious attempt yet to find the world's best whiskies
Almost 60 great whiskies tasted blind in five countries by more than 100 tasters over four months... the Best of the Best event in 2005 can rightly claim to be the most ambitious whisky tasting ever held.
And the results reflect just how thoroughly we searched for the finest products from America, ...
Whisky Awards
from Issue 46 published on 10/3/2005
The Icons of Whisky recognise the people and companies that have made the biggest contribution to the world of whisky. Dominic Roskrow explains how the winners were chosen
It’s become something of an annual ritual. At an indeterminate time after the summer and before Christmas, Dave Broom will telephone in a bit of a flap. Have we thought about the voting for Icons? He’ll say. Then we’ll meet up, consume whisky, and debate firstly, what the fairest method of judging s...
Icons of Whisky
from Issue 46 published on 10/3/2005
Of all the events that this job involves, the Best of the Best tasting is among my favourites.
Of all the events that this job involves, the Best of the Best tasting is among my favourites.
This is whisky at the coalface: an ambitious and logistically impressive affair that unites the world of whisky – literally – and really does celebrate all that is great about the spirit.
The Best of the...
From the Editor
from Issue 45 published on 21/1/2005
Albannach is an exciting new Scottish restaurant in the very heart of London. Dominic Roskrow reports
There are very few of us who manage to live out our dreams. But in the very heart of London that’s what young Scottish entrepreneur Niall Barnes and his business partner Dan Sullam are doing.
After months of determination and hard work they have now proudly opened the doors to London’s latest style...
Whisky and Food
from Issue 45 published on 21/1/2005
The Cluny Bank Hotel is working within the community of Forres to give whisky fans the perfect Scottish break. Dominic Roskrow stayed there
They say that Inverness is now the fastest expanding town in Europe. Whether that’s true or not, there can be absolutely no doubt that the development of its airport has helped drive tourist trade in
the area.
And it’s had a more fundamental psychological effect on the region, too. For the Speyside...
Whisky Spotlight
from Issue 45 published on 21/1/2005
Glenmorangie House lies some seven or eight miles from the distillery, and driving up to it on a dark and windy night is like driving back in time.
We arrive late, and already guests are coming down for dinner and meeting for drinks in a spacious and stylish lounge. It is like walking on to the se...
From the Editor
from Issue 44 published on 25/11/2004
This year’s Kentucky Bourbon Festival was the first since the legendary Booker Noe passed away. But as Dominic Roskrowreports, he was remembered in the best possible way – with a whiskey
Ivan the Terrible, the Mean Jeanie, Karl the Snarl… America’s hurricane season did its best to put a dent in this year’s Kentucky bourbon Festival, but it failed miserably.
Indeed by the time country legend Charlie Daniels took the stage for a free concert in front of 7,000 fans, the rain that had ...
Whisky Events
from Issue 44 published on 25/11/2004
As low points go, the conversation I had with a senior person at Glenmorangie on the day the sale of the company was announced is up there.
As low points go, the conversation I had with a senior person at Glenmorangie on the day the sale of the company was announced is up there.
It wasn’t the subject matter that was so upsetting. It was when I put my foot in it and said that word about the imminent sale had been out for about a week. A...
From the Editor
from Issue 43 published on 23/10/2004
The first Whisky LiveParis was held inteh old Parisian stock market - and it was a success
Whisky is definitely a bullish market in France as Paris Whisky Live could testify. The venue, the distinguished Palais Brongniart, former Paris stock exchange, had never dealt with so many liquid assets.
More than 50 exhibitors including 44 distilleries entertained 2,300 visitors for two days. Edr...
Whisky Events
from Issue 43 published on 23/10/2004
Whisky Live Glasgow was different to any other whisky show
It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming, whisky’s coming home.” Three Lions might be a song linked intrinsically to the English, but a
paraphrased version of it had a certain resonance in Glasgow when Whisky Live came to town.
For there was a real sense of triumph and celebration during the...
Whisky Events
from Issue 43 published on 23/10/2004
This month we ask three master blenders where the sector fits in in respect to the rest of the whisky market
The Panel
Jim Beveridge, technical specialist, whisky, for Diageo (JB)
Richard Paterson, master blender for Whyte & Mackay (RP)
John Ramsay, master blender for Edrington (JR)
Colin Scott, master blender for Chivas Brothers (CS)
Q. In your view, do blends receive the respect they deserve?
JB: No...
Whisky Debate
from Issue 43 published on 23/10/2004
Blended whisky is most often considered a poor relation to single malts.
Blended whisky is most often considered a poor relation to single malts. And when you consider that 90 per cent of whisky sold is in this category, much of it of questionable quality and with no restraints on the age (above the legal minimum of three years) of the whisky nor
on its malt content, the...
Blended Whisky
from Issue 43 published on 23/10/2004
Ailsa Craig
Company: A Dewar Rattray
Age: none
ABV: 40%
Territories: NA
Description: smoky but has a unique and unusual taste created by the harsh grain and the oily and interesting malt content
The Antiquary 21 Years
Company:
Age: 21 years
ABV: 43%
Territories: Worldwide
Description: rich, fruit...
Blended Whisky
from Issue 43 published on 23/10/2004
Chivas and Glenmoranige smarten up their act for Chistmas
The pre Christmas period is always an intense one for drinks companies. But this year the blended sector looks set to be more competitive than ever as the leading brands vie for position.
And two of the very best products in the market – The Baillie Nicol Jarvie and the Chivas Regal 18 - are gettin...
Blended Whisky
from Issue 43 published on 23/10/2004
We thought it would be fun to match some favourite whiskies with cigars, coffee and chocolate for a Christmas treat, so we called on the experts. This is what we got
Simon Chase, Hunters & Frankau – cigars
Gerard Coleman, master chocolatier,
Artisan du Chocolat – chocolate
Dominic Roskrow – whiskies
Jeremy Torz, roastmaster, Union Coffee Roasters – coffee
Glenfiddich Solera Reserve
Coffee selection:
JT: “The fairly light body of this whisky but sweet yet bold...
Whisky Events
from Issue 43 published on 23/10/2004
The Mystery Visitor gets all artistic at Glenfiddich
I made at least one big mistake when visiting the Glenfiddich visitor centre. Against my better judgement, I didn’t sign up for their premium Connoisseur’s Tour. I convinced myself I didn’t have time (really I was just being mean) and then my friend went and raved about it. So, secondhand, I can rec...
Mystery Visitor
from Issue 43 published on 23/10/2004
I’m not one for snobbery, pretentiousness or elitism. Can’t stand it. But if I’ve learned anything over the last few years it’s that you get what you pay for and that quality comes at a cost.
I’m not one for snobbery, pretentiousness or elitism. Can’t stand it. But if I’ve learned anything over the last few years it’s that you get what you pay for and that quality comes at a cost.
Let me explain; before I arrived here I spent 10 years working away from home and dragging a travel bag – m...
From the Editor
from Issue 42 published on 3/9/2004
There is a new wave of whisky drinkers who are confident, intelligent, young and individualistic. Many of them are women. Dominic Roskrow reports
It started off as a simple enough idea: to feature women who enjoy whisky, some employed in the trade, some not, and to get a feminine view of the world of whisky.
Hold a tasting and see what happens. Shake up the masculine image of whisky a little.
That was the intention, but it didn’t sit easy. ...
Whisky Trends
from Issue 42 published on 3/9/2004
This month we ask a female only panel of whisky drinkers whether the image of malt whisky is changing
The Panel
Gillian Bell, proprietor of online catering company Caledonian Connoisseur (GB)
Abigail Bosanko, author and whisky enthusiast (AB)
Annabel Meikle, Scotch Malt Whisky Society (AM)
(Q) Whisky is seen primarily as a male drink. Is this changing?
GB: In the main I think yes, but Scottish wom...
Whisky Debate
from Issue 42 published on 3/9/2004
