The Whisky Couple

07/12/2023

Finally got to taste this lovely dram. Thanks, Charlie!

20/11/2023

For our Dutch friends, here’s an opportunity to have a personalised bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue without travelling to Edinburgh. Not that we’re against a trip to Edinburgh! The chocolates are delicious - ginger ones & almond ones.

The Johnnie Walker Blue Label x Friandries chocolates (available since November 13) and the Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottle with inscription are available via drankenboutique.nl

De Johnnie Walker Blue Label x Friandries chocolates (verkrijgbaar sinds 13 november) en de Johnnie Walker Blue Label fles met inscriptie zijn verkrijgbaar via drankenboutique.nl

14/11/2023

Yesterday we made our first visit to Cley Distillery in Rotterdam and were impressed. We already knew the whisky was good, but now we've seen with our own eyes how it is made. And the story will get better, since founders Paul and Maria have great plans for Cley 2.0, if we may call it that way. Have a look - it's in Dutch at the moment but googletranslate may help.

Wij zijn Cley Distillery. Vanuit Rotterdam maken wij whisky en gin op basis van de in de 17e-eeuw ontwikkelde Nederlandse stooktraditie, met uitsluitend biologische grondstoffen uit de regio. We zijn klaar om onze producten op grotere schaal te gaan produceren, maar om onze nieuwe distilleerketel aa...

07/11/2023

It was an immense pleasure and privilege to taste this beauty. If you have the funds, this liquid is exceptional.

Talisker Glacial Edge 45-Year-Old was aged over four decades before being finished in ice-fractured oak, a new experiment in whisky craft and a first for Talisker. Twelve of the Talisker distillery heavily charred American Oak casks were taken to Canada’s ice fields. A specialist cooper removed the ends of the casks and they were left exposed to sub-zero temperatures and Arctic winds for 96 hours. This allowed the extreme cold to fracture the wood which in turn increased the surface area of the casks that the whisky was able to interact with during the finishing period in Scotland.

This journey was taken hand in hand with Talisker’s partner Parley For the Oceans. This mission to the ice fields was led by pioneering glacier scientist Dr. Alison Criscitiello, alongside Parley ambassadors surfer Greg Long and snowboarder Taylor Godber. The team traversed across the wild terrain and into ice caves, where Dr. Criscitiello helped the team understand how the planet’s ecosystems are interconnected, from the glacial fields of Canada to the sea surrounding the distillery’s home on Skye. This is the third year of Talisker working with Parley to raise awareness of the importance of marine ecosystems and support their preservation globally, and a portion of the funds from Talisker Glacial Edge 45-Year-Old will be donated to support this cause.

It’s possible to book a guided Talisker whisky tasting experience as part of your trip to Iceland, enquire about this tasting experience at www.abercrombiekent.co.uk. Talisker Glacial Edge is available to purchase globally from selected retailers and www.diageorareandexceptional.com at an RRSP of £4,000.

05/11/2023

The man, the myth, the Lagavulin legend…

After more than 50 years at Lagavulin, Iain McArthur is coming to the end of his shift as Lagavulin Warehouseman and host of the famous Warehouse Experience on 14 November, with a final festive farewell on 8 December.

Be sure to book your warehouse experience soon in order to catch Iain before he passes his cask valinch on to an esteemed successor.

Please share any fond memories of Iain in the comments or via [email protected] as we celebrate his lifetime in whisky. Slàinte 🥃

25/10/2023

Apples from our mini orchard, and mushroom spotting during a walk in the woods. Must be fall around here. 🍄🍂

24/10/2023

And now the 8th and final one of Diageo's 2023 Special Releases: Clynelish - The Jazz Crescendo (brings back memories of when I wrote Whisky & Jazz / Malts & Jazz). This is a 10 Years Old version, bottled at 57.5% and matured in first-fill ex bourbon casks exclusively. American oak - and all that jazz ;-)

Appearance: Clear gold. Good beading, slow running legs.

Nose: A mellow, crisp nose with quite some impact. The top notes are very faintly waxy but are mainly mineral and maritime, suggesting soft sea breezes, slaked lime and salt crystals; the mid-notes become sweeter, hinting at dusty heather pollen, while the base is lightly woody and earthy, the earth faintly scorched. Late on, the aromas become rounder, with a toffee-sweet suggestion of vanilla fudge. A drop of water softens the impression.

Body: Medium to full.

Palate: Very smooth and as expected, waxy in texture, the robust taste sweet with toffee notes then lightly salty, and soon cradled by a growing peppery warmth. A dash of water integrates these elements beautifully.

Finish: Long, smoothly dry and spicy with a trace of dried coconut in the aftertaste. A dash of water evens things out while keeping the length.

20/10/2023

What a lovely surprise in our post! Perfect dram for this dreich autumn weather. 🎵🥃

🍂

19/10/2023

Yesterday evening we introduced Ryelaw to the crew at Dublin House / Peacock cocktail speakeasy in Zwolle. André, Olin and Kevin were pleasantly surprised. I left a large sample so that they can experiment with it, most likely in their signature Manhattan.
I really love this whisky made by Inchdairnie from rye and malted barley, hence 'grain whisky' on the label.

18/10/2023

The 7th in the Limited Editions Series 2023 by Diageo. Prepare for Oban - The Soul of Calypso, 11 Years Old, finished in Caribbean Pot Still rum casks, bottled at 58% ABV.

Appearance: Bright, pale sunlight.

Nose: A mild and keen nose overall, rich in distillery character. The top notes are clear and faintly maritime, suggesting a sea breeze, seaweed, warm dunes, and a hint of iodine; they are backed by a lemon citrus note and enhanced by sweet-spirited tropical traces of sugar cane and mango learned from the rum finishing casks.

Body: Medium.

Palate: An exceptionally smooth mouthfeel introduces a fruity and citrus sweet, lightly salty taste, again true to the distillery character, balanced here by an insistent yet never overpowering spiciness. A dash of water rounds softens and sweetens, bringing up the oil-smooth citrus character.

Finish: Quite short, finishing spicy and smoothly mouth- cooling. A light, lingering, sweet aftertaste becomes more profound and longer if water is added.

17/10/2023

We like spotting our books in the wild & in the bookshops. 📚🥃

13/10/2023

Our Friday night dram. We concur with the official tasting notes. #6 in Diageo's Special Releases is 'and now for something completely different'. The very first opportunity to taste an OB from Roseisle Distillery - here's a true first: Roseisle - The Origami Kite - aged 12 years in first fill ex-bourbon and refill casks, bottled at 56,5%

Appearance: Clear harvest gold.

Nose: On the mellow nose, the overall impression is ‘lush’, which is to say rich in promise, with the light sweetness of vanilla, a touch of molasses and some cereal, yet also complex and well-integrated, with fruity and nutty notes to explore. The top notes suggest a light vanilla sponge with butter icing; this aroma increases in the development; hints of ripe peach and white chocolate lie beneath. All of these notes are subtle and reserved.

Body: Medium.

Palate: Smoothly creamy in texture and sweet to taste, with vanilla icing, before a spicier complexity brings balancing richness. There are more notes of vanilla mid-palate, soaring above a deep fruitiness, and the sweetness lasts throughout. Very appealing to drink, both straight and with a dash of water, which softens and sweetens it.

Finish: Long, finishing richly sweet and lightly spicy, with a touch of white pepper. A dash of water enhances the sweetness.

13/10/2023

This is how our Dutchlish life goes. Very sweet welkom sign in our self catering huis last month. ❤️

12/10/2023

Time for the next of Diageo's Limited Editions instalments - #5 - The Ink of Legends, a 12-year-old Lagavulin, finished in Don Julio Añejo tequila casks, bottled at 56.4% ABV:

Appearance: Bright pale sunlight. Good beading and legs.

Nose: The immediate aromas are slightly more medicinal than smoky, showing hints of carbolic soap and soothing rub that soon mingle with aromatic wood smoke from a driftwood bonfire on the beach. As the intense, herbal smoke takes over, a savoury note drifts through it, suggesting barbecued pork. A drop of water reduces the intensity yet adds more maritime and darkly fruity notes, making the smokiness yet more aromatic.

Body: Medium.

Palate: At natural strength, the robust texture is creamy- smooth and mouth-filling, while with its ever-richer swirling flavours the taste is sweet at first and citrus-like, adds a good sprinkling of salt, then reveals notes of juicy plum in an increasingly smoky and lip-tingling finale. With a dash of water, it’s a little sweeter and smokier still.

Finish: Long, with a salty tang and finishing very smoky, with just a hint of that light meatiness in a smoky aftertaste that is both lingering and mouth-cooling. It is drying, with a lovely warm-heartedness.

12/10/2023

Fun & informative American whiskey event with Pernod Ricard Nederland. Well-done, team and wishing you every success with your new brands Jefferson’s & Rabbit Hole. We know how well you have done with our one of our favourites, Four Roses. 🥃❤️

06/10/2023

06/10/2023

Thanks for allowing the geeky half of TWC to have a good look at the new Glenturret mash tun & the resulting new wort levels in the washbacks. What’s not to love about more Glenturret whisky in the world?

Also a bonus photo of said geek’s first visit to the Glenturret.

04/10/2023

Torabhaig Allt Gleann Batch Strength completes the current chapter of the Torabhaig Legacy Series, which charts the journey to 10 year old for the charming distillery on the Isle of Skye. The whisky embodies their emerging signature style: well-tempered peat. It is drawn from a select batch of casks. The whisky balances smoke and brine with a floral, fragrant character.

Torabhaig Whiskymaker, Neil Macleod Mathieson, comments: “Torabhaig Allt Gleann Batch Strength is our way of bidding a fond farewell to Allt Gleann and closing out this chapter of Torabhaig’s journey to 10 year old. This is the last time we’ll get to see this specific style of Torabhaig, so we set aside a few hundred casks of this expression distilled during the experimental phases of 2017 and 2018 to release at its natural strength.”

Torabhaig Allt Gleann Batch Strength
RRP: £75/ 85 EUR/ $89 US
Tasting note: Smoke & brine. A robustly peated spirit with a deceptively refined character resulting in a complex and characterful maritime whisky
Grain: Concerto malted barley
Yeast: Fermented with pinnacle MG+ yeast
Wood: American oak, first fill bourbon barrels and re-fill whisky barrels
Time in cask: 60+ months
Peat in grain: 78+ PPM
Residual peat: 22.8 PPM
ABV: 61.1%
Treatment: No chill filtration. No colour added

02/10/2023

Ready for #3 in Diageo's Special Releases 2023? Here comes a classic Lowlander: Glenkinchie 27 YO, bottled at 58.3% and matured in refill American & European Oak barrels and butts:

Appearance: Deep gold, with good beading.

Nose: A mellow and surprisingly direct nose, with light floral grassiness. As it opens, an immediate citrus note of fresh orange juice edges towards apple juice, soon joined by suggestions of flaked almonds and light vanilla. More meadow-grass aromas develop the floral theme. The vanilla note increases slightly with a drop of water, nestling among sweet meadow scents.

Body: Medium.

Palate: Smoothly pleasing in texture and airy to taste; at first lightly sweet, then developing a citrus acidity. Fruitier then, with a delightfully unexpected rich and round style, while becoming lightly drying, with a vibrant oaky spiciness. Appetising and easy to enjoy straight and with water, which softens the spiciness and brings back the initial sweetness.

Finish: Of medium length and rich in character, finishing dry and spicy. A dash of water controls the spiciness nicely.

30/09/2023

The 2nd of Diageo's Special Releases 2023 is:

Talisker, The Wild Explorador, finished in a combination of Ruby, White and Tawny Port casks, bottled at 59.7%.

Appearance: Rich, bright gold. Moderate beading, thick
legs.

Nose: Mellow and drying, with a touch of spice once it settles down. The top notes are of sticky malt loaf with sultanas and dates as dried fruits lead the way, soon fading to become more maritime, with clean sea air, sea salt and sand dunes. Surging through this come mineral notes of chalk and a light, winey hint of macerated grape skins. At first, just a suggestion of peat smoke runs underneath, although the aroma becomes much smokier when water is added.

Body: Medium to full.

Palate: A creamy-smooth mouthfeel introduces a powerful taste with lightly sweet notes and hints of rich fruit. This soon becomes very salty, then intensely peppery and gunpowder smoky. The taste is almost as powerful with a good dash of water, which accentuates the saltiness.

Finish: Long, finishing spicy with the trademark Talisker catch of chilli pepper, which tends toward mouth-cooling Szechuan pepper.

27/09/2023

Any excuse to dress up! A delight to attend the Scottish Dinner of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, in Edinburgh. Do check out their upcoming One of One auction- they support really good charities.

26/09/2023

How fun! A chance to win our latest Dutch language whisky book! 🥃📚

In hun nieuwste boek ‘Whisky’ zetten experts Hans en Becky Offringa hun kennis uiteen in acht overzichtelijke hoofdstukken vol wetens­waardigheden,...

25/09/2023

#1 of Diageo's Special Releases 2023:

Mortlach ‘The Katana’s Edge’, finished in ex-Kanosuke Japanese whisky and ex-Pinot Noir casks, is illustrated with a golden gleam that represents the flash of umami that cuts through the ripe, fruity sweetness of this stunning expression. 58% ABV
Appearance: Deep gold, with good beading and slow
running, thick legs.
Nose: Mild and fresh overall, with fruity top notes of ripe melon and pear that suggest boiled sweets dusted with icing sugar, then fruit pastilles and jellies. Savoury hints of leather and spice underpin the fruit. A drop of water dries the effect yet retains the overall fruitiness while introducing notes of almond and pencil shavings.
Body: Medium to full.
Palate: : Rich, thick and smoothly mouth-filling in texture, with a deep, fruity and rich taste that is at once sweet and gently savoury. Lively throughout, it has an appealing dry spiciness. A dash of water softens it and brings up the sweet fruity note, which is now richer still.
Finish: Long, dry, spicy and warm of heart, with a lingering sweet-savoury intensity and a fruity aftertaste that is lightly mouth-cooling. More savoury character emerges if a drop of water is added.

21/09/2023

Magic visit to the Lakes Distillery. A great pleasure to catch up with Sarah Burgess who is doing great things as their new Whisky Maker.

20/09/2023

Master Blender Dhavall Gandhi is thrilled to introduce KANDOBLANC, an avant-garde whisky brand that is a celebration of duality. KANDOBLANC has graciously donated their inaugural creation, AGA, to the highly anticipated Distillers One of One auction. AGA showcases the marriage of understated Japanese aesthetics and bold Italian craftsmanship.

The notion of duality also resides at the heart of its unique whisky composition. A contrasting duo of rare single cask Scotch whiskies, both distilled in 1979 and bottled in 2023, were intricately woven to create a tapestry of uniqueness and allure.

A fusion of flavours, materials, and textures, embodies Gandhi’s own mixed heritage to be yet another reminder that everything is richer when we connect diverse backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and unite them in creative expression.

17/09/2023

Today signals the launch of the Distillers One of One Auction 2023. Here is your opportunity to register to bid in this auction of exceptionally rare and distinctive Scotch whiskies.

Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Youth Action Fund, which has been created by The Distillers’ Charity with the aim to transform the life chances of young people in Scotland, empowering them to create positive change in their lives and communities.

Express your interest and register to bid by visiting sothebys.com/distillersoneofone or by clicking the link in our bio.

16/09/2023

Glenrothes is upping the ante on age-statement whisky with the 18 and 25 now their core whiskies. The bottles and packages have received luxurious updates. We appreciated being invited to taste the 42 year old. It was a stunner of a Glenrothes. 🥃❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

11/09/2023

Only one day left! Exciting!! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🥃📚

Rare and limited whiskies donated to raise money for a great cause.

07/09/2023

Here’s an instant whisky library up for auction! The Maclean Foundation is also auctioning some smashing whiskies. Proceeds to the Foundation’s charities, 5 days left to bid. 🥃📚

An instant Scotch Whisky Library featuring 40 books, many of which have been signed by the authors: Scotch Whisky, A Liquid History, by Charles Maclean, signed Famous For A Reason, The Story of The Famous Grouse, Charles Maclean, signed Michael J...

04/09/2023

Talk about one of one! Now in its second year, The Distillers One of One Charity Auction will take place at Hopetoun House on Thursday 5th October 2023. The biennial series of auctions is led by The Distillers’ Charity, the philanthropic arm of The Worshipful Company of Distillers. The proceeds raised from the sale of the auction will be donated to the Distillers’ Charity, principally to the Youth Action Fund, dedicated to transforming the lives of young people in Scotland.

#50+

29/08/2023

Tariffs on Scotch shipped to India remain one of the key points to be resolved in discussions with the UK about a free trade agreement. However, the end may be in sight...