Well, well, well. Glen Scotia, we meet again. Peated, cask strength, ruby port finish, ex-bourbon matured. A delight! An utter delight of everything that is fantastic and bass driven style of Campbeltown and west coast Scottish whiskies in general. This review comes out as I’m sunning myself in the sprawling metropolis that is, New York City. Enjoy the review, the whisky is outstanding, this city is brilliant. Cheers!

https://youtu.be/yyL_IdcAuRE

The Good Dram Show – Episode 268 – This week’s episode of the show looks at a few bottlings from the independent bottler Malts of Scotland, that were entered into the 2017 Independent Bottlers Challenge.

https://youtu.be/oPvIFK1Ag7o

Ralfy re-examines an ‘oxidised’ conditioned old malt with Ralfy Review 729 – Brora 30yo 4th Edition revisited!

https://youtu.be/p_WHJ7qCzRo

We all like, Balblair, don’t we? Well, I do, most of you folks do, so check this one out! The Whisky Shop has picked a barrel from the glorious distillery – twenty years old, cask strength, natural colour, no filtering – ALL THE GOOOOOOOD STUFF. Aged in a single Bourbon barrel, this thing is deep with white chocolate, fudge and toffee, the mouthfeel is super creamy with just the smallest hint of dryness form twenty years in oak and an ABV above 50%. Happy to have bought this when it came out at Christmas, 249 bottles from the one barrel, an awesome little gem from both Balblair and The Whisky Shop. Cheers.

Whisky Reviews every Wednesday ~ Facebook.com/whiskytube ~ Twitter.com/whiskytube ~ Youtube.com/whiskywednesday

The Good Dram Show – Episode 267 ‘Blended Whisky‘

This weeks episode of the show features a number of blended and vatted whiskies that were entered into the 2018 World Whisky Awards.

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 204: Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare

Mark Dermul, Belgian whiskyblogger, tries the lastest Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare. Johnnie Walker Blue Label is the epitome of luxury (in the affordable range at least). It is very popular as a gift, hence the endless stream of special editions. Luckily it is also very good. But in 2017 Johnnie Walker launched a new, limited edition of their Blue: the Johnnie Walker Ghost & Rare. The protagonist of the first release is Brora. But Pittyviach and Cambus – also closed distilleries – play an important part as well. The other whisky’s are Clynelish, Royal Lochnagar, Glenlossie, Glenkinchie and Cameronbridge. The result is a bottle of 250 EUR, albeit in an exquisite packaging. But is it worth it?

https://youtu.be/dV2cSxJVJ3o

https://youtu.be/893gADv85t4

One of the finest! One of the most affordable and indeed, one of the most old school approaches to producing that wonderful thing that we all know and love, Bourbon. I had the privilege to meet, Eddie Russel in Manchester a few weeks ago – what a man! As down to earth and Kentuckian? As you could ever want, managed to get him to sign this bottle as well, we’re all allowed to geek out in situations like this. Utilizing some of the finest stocks in their warehouses and cultivating yeast strains that date back to pre-prohibition, Wild Turkey and all of it’s wonderful little facets are on display in abundance here. Dark chocolate, fruity tobacco, strawberry, blackberry, caramel and butterscotch – all rounded off with a still present tobacco note that ups the ante of that rye grain and gives a finish that is truly superb. To this day, this exact whisky was not only the first Bourbon bought for me by a future ex-girlfriend but it also made that greatest Old Fashioned cocktail, which to this day, still hasn’t been topped! Enjoy!

Whisky Reviews every Wednesday ~ Facebook.com/whiskytube ~ Twitter.com/whiskytube ~ Youtube.com/whiskywednesday

The Good Dram Show – Episode 266 ‘Mossburn Distillers’ – This episode of the show is dedicated to the brand new independent bottling company Mossburn Distillers and a selection of their inaugural releases.

https://youtu.be/3d0g-3YaOIw

The Good Dram Show – Episode 265 ‘Anglo-Canadian Whiskies’ – This week’s episode of the show is an Anglo-Canadian episode featuring the English Whisky along with the Glenora distillery and Two Brewers Yukon single malt from Canada

https://youtu.be/4LGJ2PErolk

https://youtu.be/J3_5_IM0UtQ 

Balblair, a distillery, that for those who know it are aware of it’s powerhouse presentation and delightful craft when it comes to delivering whiskies that are ready to bottled to suit them rather than the rest of the current market. Previously, the 1990, 2003 and 1997 have all received high praise from myself and Joe, let alone the rest of the whisky world. This bottle is laced with classic Balblair contrast, a nose of sweet chocolate orange and sticky toffee – backed up by a luxurious palate that continues the flavours from the nose – the finish is spicy and herbaceous which for me takes us back to classics like the 2003 & 2005 vintages which lure you in with a sweet style and then hit you with classic Highland clout towards the end. She’s a beauty! Cheers!

Whisky Reviews every Wednesday ~ Facebook.com/whiskytube ~ Twitter.com/whiskytube ~ Youtube.com/whiskywednesday