Char

Ardbeg Scorch

Ardbeg is a distillery that loves its marketing. This is not a slight against the distillery, just a fact of the marketplace. But Ardbeg likes to have fun with their one-off yearly committee releases. No two are alike and they are not afraid to embrace a story. Even if it involves flavor dragons and terrible puns. The Ardbeg Scorch is their 2021 committee release and the box is bedecked with artful flavor dragons breathing, presumably, flavor fire. The Scorch in the name derives from the heavy char Ardbeg gave to the barrels this scotch matured in for an undisclosed period of time. Whether you embrace the fanciful story or not, however, the flavor abides.

By Adam | March 5, 2023 | Islay | No Comments |

The first Laphroaig Cairdeas (“friendship” in Gaelic) came out in 2008 and has been an annual release since then. The 2020 Cairdeas Port & Wine represents a way to introduce wine finishes to a smoky scotch, something that is not always successful given the strong elements of a typical Laphroaig. To solve this, part of the initial maturation was done in ex-bourbon casks and part in second-fill ruby Port barriques. These are then combined to finish in red wine casks. Specifics about the time spent in each process is not available but that is relatively common in No Age Statement whiskies.

By Adam | January 10, 2023 | Islay | No Comments |

Rampur distillery was founded in 1943 in the Indian city of Rampur, making it the oldest distillery in India and also part of the Radico Khaitan liquor conglomerate. The company has a portfolio producing spirits for the Indian domestic market, the international market, and the Indian military market, along with neutral spirit for use in a variety of commercial products. They also own their own bottling plant, enabling them to incorporate much of the production process. Rampur is part of the international portfolio. Situated at the base of the Himalayas, the location and elevation give it greater climate variance not seen elsewhere in India. The Rampur Asāva are aged for a time in ex-bourbon casks before being transferred to casks formerly containing cabernet sauvignon wine from India. This expression was first released in October 2020.

By Adam | September 20, 2022 | Foreign | No Comments |