Citrus

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2020 Port & Wine

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 |

Tamdhu distillery was founded in 1896 in the Speyside village of Knockando, Scotland. Much of the next century passed without note, including some periods of dormancy related to war and supply shut off, and it wasn’t until the 1970s that more investments were made to increase production output. It is the last distillery in Scotland to use a Saladin box in production. Currently able to produce 4.5 million liters a year, most of the Tamdhu spirit is used in blended scotches like The Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark. However, some single malts do escape. This Tamdhu 15 is, like all their single malts, completely matured in ex-sherry casks.

By Adam | July 30, 2022 | Speyside | No Comments |

Mingo Creek Craft Distillers, better known by their brand name Liberty Pole, are a craft distillery in southwestern Pennsylvania who deftly weave the line between history and imagination. Their whiskey-focused portfolio includes offerings made using heritage grains like bloody butcher corn and Pennsylvania rye. But they’re not afraid to get creative, as seen by their Peated Bourbon. After seeing what peat could do with with corn, they wondered…why not rye? A few years later, the Liberty Pole Peated Rye was born. The result was so successful, it has become a staple of their portfolio and is released about once a year.

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