www.caskstrength.net - whisky blog

The music business is littered with acts which have changed their name at some stage, to avoid confusion with other, likeminded creatives. Be it a simple hyphen added (in the case of UK indie band Long-View), a location specific addendum (in the case of The London Suede) or a total surname change (take a stand Cheryl Cole), the act you see on stage on hear on record will be the same talented* artist as they were before.

Because as consumers, we’re easily confused. Or so the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) would have you believe. Recently they changed their labelling regulations to make sure that each and every bottle of whisky you buy is clearly identifiable as to where it was made. Sort of.

For years now, bottlers have been buying single malts (or blending whiskies) and selling them under names akin to mythical distilleries; the sort of bottle you’d see on the shelf of your local supermarket maybe, with a watercolour of an anonymous country estate in the background.

It was deemed by the SWA that this could be confusing to consumers who might think they’re getting a single malt from an actual, real life distillery (which they are, if it says ‘single malt’ on the label) but when trying to visit Glen Narnia, might find that the place name on the label of their favourite bottle doesn’t really exist.

Anyway, one of the excellent independent bottles who chose to adjust its name to come in to line with the recent change in regulations, is Port Askaig (or Port Askaig Harbour as it became known). Thankfully back to its original moniker, the name was chosen to mirror a rough estimation of where the liquid in these releases apparently comes from (I’ll save you looking it up: Caol Ila), taking it's name after Islay's lesser known, much more northerly, port. However, with a cryptic, non-distillery specific name, it by no means ties this bottler down to only using liquid from that one distillery.

Proudly Islay-poduced, Port Askaig has a short but excellent history of previous releases (I’m still rueing not picking up a bottle of the very first batch of 17 years old which they release: pure nectar). In fact, I recently purchased a bottle of their now-gone 25 year old as a gift for a friend, such is my faith in the product.

Thus my excitement was tickled when, late last year a 12 year old version was added to the ranks at the decidedly perfect strength of 45.8%. Now where have we seen that ABV before...?

Port Askaig ~~Harbour~~– 12 Years Old – Islay Single Malt – 45.8% abv – 70cl - £43.95 here

Nose: Vanilla and peat smoke give a bracing, coastal quality to this warming yet invigorating aroma. Elements of coal dust and dried seaweed give way to wet soil and heavy petrichornotes.

Palate: A good balance of salty sea spray, peat smoke and milk chocolate. This sits well and with a drop of water opens up the lighter vanilla and citrus tones to become a very easy drinking Islay malt (not in a low PPM way- this still packs a punch).

Finish: Chamois leather, grapefruit pith and peat smoke.

Overall: A very drinkable Islay malt. As other peaty whiskies move towards no age statements at this price point, if you want something that does carry an age and also packs a peaty punch, this could be for you. Much more Radiohead than On A Friday.

*hummm... debatable.

Hello there folks, we trust you are in fine form, now we've had a spot of decent weather. Here at Caskstrength Heights we've gone from suffering the chilly months next to an asthmatic fan heater, to Joel purchasing a brand new pair of 'OFFICE SHORTS', specifically to wear at his desk during the warmer spells. That's dedication.

Anyway, putting our minor weather news aside, we bring you much more exciting news of a sensational whisky and music event, thunk up by those smart people at The Whisky Lounge and featuring Joel and I as your guides and comperes for the day.

The Dram & Jam (AKA The Great Whisky & Music Experiment) is scheduled to be held here in London on the Sunday 19th May at Shoreditch's effortlessly cool Village Underground.
Starting at 12pm and running until 5pm the day will explore the concept of blended whisky and just how bloody great the art of blending whisky really is.

To this end, Caskstrength will be attempting something rather unusual: deconstructing a blended whisky live on stage using the medium of an assembled group of musicians. Each player will represent a different aspect of the whisky and will (hopefully) demonstrate just how harmonious a brilliantly put together blends can be. You will of course be asked to join in with the chorus...

Alongside this introduction, the day will be filled with blending masterclasses, where you can have a go at blending your own whisky (which you get to take home) as well as three, all-star whisky industry bands performing (which may include a performance from someone located close by...)

We'll also be running competitions and giving you the chance to sample plenty of blends along the way too.

What's not to like about this, eh! But that's not all. In addition to all this, you can browse around the assembled whisky stands and take in some of the very best drams the business has to offer. Kaboom...

Tickets for this day long event are just £25 each and include the following:

1 x Glencairn nosing glass

1 x Bottle of water

All your whiskies sampled throughout the day

A mini of the blend represented on the day (TBC)

To book, simply click on the link here, or visit:

http://www.thewhiskylounge.com/book-now-whisky-festivals/london-jam-dram-2013-12-pm/

Hope to see you there folks!

Neil & Joel

AGGGHHHH! My lower lumber region!!

Ain't life a funny one. A little while back, I was lifting a rather heavy speaker cabinet up several flights of stairs, without paying any attention to the proper way to carry things, as sported here in this instructional video. Of course, I ended up buggering up my back, which took a few months to get better. I was told by a back specialist that it would probably never be 100% again and only this week the swine decided to give way again. Alas, it meant that agonisingly, I had to cancel my attendance at the Spirit of Speyside festival this weekend, which was deeply upsetting.

But despite not being able to move about without the use of a sturdy malacca cane, today I am smiling. Why? Not because of the codeine tablets (which I must wholeheartedly advise NEVER to mix with alcohol) but because here in London, it is the sunniest weather I have seen all year.

Blissful azure blue skies are predicted all weekend and that can only mean one thing.

Outdoor sunshine drinking.

My usual exploits would be with an array of different gins, a highball made from Japanese whisky or perhaps even a few glasses of little light and floral Scapa/Rosebank with a barbecue. But this year, such is our enthusiasm for world whiskies, I've plumped for what is turning out to be one of the standout spirits of the year round here: Bains Cape Mountain Whisky.

Bains Cape is one of the many high flying masterpieces from South African distiller James Sedgwick. Under the watchful eye of distillery master Andy Watts, James Sedgwick have crept up on the whisky world, tapped it on the shoulder and whilst it looks the other way, snuck past, poured a dram of something sensational and left everyone in absolute wonderment.

For several years running their Three Ships brand has won aplenty at the World Whisky Awards (where Joel and I are judges) and recently, Bains Cape has picked up the coveted Best Grain Whisky in the World award.

As we suggested back at the turn of the new year in our predictions, the rise of South African whisky is rather timely. Not only is the nation one of the largest and most hearty consumers of whisky in the world, but James Sedgwick is now ripe for export and their range of whiskies represents the changing ways in which the consumer enjoys the spirit.

Bains Cape Mountain Whisky (named after Andrew Geddes Bain, who pioneered the awe-inspiring Bainskloof Pass) is a grain whisky with all the zest-filled glory you would expect it to be. Column distilled, then matured in first fill American Oak, the whisky is ultimately bottled at five years old. It's young, vibrant and fresh, leading me to seek out its very own serve.

With something as robust in flavour as a Yamazaki or Nikka From The Barrel perfectly suiting a highball, I wanted to find a serve that flatters the sweet grain note in Bains Cape and extenuates the delicate vanilla custard note.

A white wine glass full of ice is my first port of call. Next up, 40ml of Bains Cape and then a thin slice of expressed lemon zest. Look for the most chubby lemon you can find (ok, I did splash out here on a nice Amalfi one from foodie mecca, Borough Market) give the whole thing a stir and you have quite frankly THE drink of the summer. As the Bains Cape dilutes, it sweetens, mixing effortlessly with the zest. It's simple, but gloriously refreshing. There's still enough of a bite to give you a thrill along the way and anyone who enjoys a gin and tonic will be falling over themselves to thank you for introducing this to them. Couple this with one of Theo Randall's Amalfi lemon tarts and you have a perfect appetiser for an impending sun-drenched weekend.

Bains Cape Mountain Whisky - 43% - 75cl

Nose: Classic grain freshness, with an explosion of citrus zest, vanilla pods, burnt caramel and marzipan/sugar coated almonds. With water, it becomes sweeter, with some white flower notes and a touch of fresh nectarine. Stunningly sunny.

Palate: A hint of bite and then we're into a mouth coating wash of sweet vanilla, coconut milk, candied fruit and lemon zest. It's surprisingly rich and has a huge bourbon influence.

Finish: Short, with sweetened tea notes, vanilla shortbread and marzipan.

Overall: I'm going to stake a big claim on this one... This could well prove to be the whisky of the year in our eyes, at least the summer. That much is a given.

With a wonderful weekend of relaxing in the garden under our belts (with lashings of Bains Cape Mountain Whisky and ice) the weather shows no sign of abating today either, so whilst we're in a good mood, we've decided to give away TWO pairs of tickets (that's two lucky winners, innit) for the splendid whisky event Jam & Dram on Sunday 19th May run by our friends at The Whisky Lounge. Caskstrength will be compering the day, alongside hosting a series of blending workshops.

On top of this, you'll also get chance to see Neil's brand new band, Prince Adewale & The Endeavours rockin' the Casbah with their debut gig, The Whisky Lounge Blues Band (featuring none other than The Whisky Lounge's Eddie Ludlow) and an unmissable, all-star performance from a beat combo, The Copper Dogs featuring our good friends and whisky cohorts: Sam Simmons (aka Dr Whisky), Cat Spencer from Master Of Malt, Whisky Magazine's Editor, Rob Allanson and Simon Roser from Simply Whisky. What's not to like about that!

To win a pair of tickets worth £50, all you need to do is email us at info@Caskstrength.net with your name, location, contact details and age. Entry for the competition closes at 12pm on the 13th May. Please note that you'll need to make your own way to the event at London's Village Underground in Shoreditch, so if you're planning to enter from overseas, don't expect a pair of complimentary airline tickets too... ;-)

We'll be choosing the winning two entries at random on the 15th May.

Good luck!

Neil & Joel x

There's a line that sums up what is undoubtedly one of the finest films in cinematic history. Simple, effective and descriptive, the line, 'there's none more black' characterises the degenerating relationship between the members of seminal (fictional) heavy metal band Spinal Tap. If you're not familiar with the line, or the film, we urge you to buy it immediately and have a peak at the video below.

Why are we telling you this? Well, frankly, there's a lot of crossover between the whisky and music businesses respectively, especially in the last 5 years. Both of us Caskstrengthers came from careers in music, both Island and Warner Brothers and it was amongst our responsibilities to develop release campaigns around the artists we'd signed and looked after- sometimes creating an aura of mystery, intrigue and excitement.

Consider the band My Chemical Romance. Not a band either of us worked with directly but great props to our friend and former colleague Danny Watson for engineering something truly inspiring at the time. On their breakthrough album, The Black Parade, a huddled horde of 30 shadowy figures, dressed in long black hooked cloaks prowled the streets of Hammersmith, carrying banners emblazoned with 'The Black Parade', bringing the roads to a standstill. Fans went crazy, local residents went crazy, the police probably went crazy, but the album, alongside its award winning TV campaign went on to sell truckloads in the UK. Another of Danny's standout ideas was utilising the restaurant Dans Le Noir, for an album launch. The restaurant is famous for being totally blacked out, wrong footing the diner's senses, but leading to a taste sensation as a result.

As you can see, there's a theme running here. The dark. Mystery. Uncovering the truth within.

Whisky companies are seemingly adopting the idea of looking at their whisky releases in the same way a record company marketing manager would when creating a promotional campaign for an album. This neatly brings us on to Alpha by The Glenlivet; a whisky which no one really knows anything substantial about, which has baffled the online community with its unconventional launch - seemingly parachuting in from no where, with little fanfare.

What can we tell you about it. Well, it comes in a fairly striking black bottle, with virtually no information on it, save for the legal requirements of ABV, bottle size and that it is a product of Scotland. As to the whisky inside... well, here in lies the intrigue.

Anyone who writes reviews of a whisky is rightly or wrongly guilty of informing a flavour profile in some capacity. Since we started this site back in 2008, we made a decision to never score whiskies, a system which is now much imitated - and rightly so. Rather like in an NME album review, readers tend to gravitate towards very high or indeed, very low scores. Anything in-between tends to fall into the 'grey' area. I remember one artist we worked with receiving a 6/10 for their album in the NME. We'd have preferred a 2/10, simply because poor reviews tend to be better written and, in many cases, actually inspire listeners to seek out the record for themselves.

According to the little press available, Alpha aims to offer a 'blank canvas' to the consumer allowing themselves to make a judgement on their own interpretation of the whiskies flavour and aroma profile. To this end, The Glenlivet will be unveiling a series of sensory videos as guidelines to help the consumer to discover their own interpretation of the whisky. A neat idea really.

So what does it actually taste like?

Well, here's the problem. Although an open bottle is sitting in front of us, it would be quite boring to simply review this in a conventional fashion and give the game away. So we've decided to have a little fun with you.

Glenlivet Alpha - 50%

Nose:

01110110 01100001 01101110 01101001 01101100 01101100 01100001 00101100 00100000 01101001 01100011 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01110011 01110101 01100111 01100001 01110010 00101100 00100000 01110011 01101100 01101001 01100011 01100101 01100100 00100000 01100001 01110000 01110000 01101100 01100101 01110011 00101100 00100000 01100011 01101111 01100011 01101111 01101110 01110101 01110100 00101100 00100000 01100110 01110010 01100101 01101110 01100011 01101000 00100000 01110000 01101111 01101100 01101001 01110011 01101000 00101100 00100000 01101100 01100101 01101101 01101111 01101110 00100000 01101101 01100101 01110010 01101001 01101110 01100111 01110101 01100101 00100000 01110000 01101001 01100101

Palate:

Finish:

Overall: Well. That's up to you to find out. Suffice to say, we thought it was a solid expression and very 'Glenlivet' in style. Over to you. Let us know your thoughts.

If you're having trouble working out our tasting notes, fret not. We urge you to try this whisky and make your own mind up. If you're still needing our tasting notes, somewhere on this page is a link to them. Have fun...

Before I kick off this post, we need to make a small announcement. Since we started writing this blog at the beginning of 2008, we’ve been on an amazing journey, met a lot of fantastic people and had some incredible experience in the world of whisky. There weren’t many whisky blogs around at that time (Dr Whisky and Whiskyfun take a bow for probably being the only other two – sorry if we’ve missed anyone out), with score-free whisky reviews seemingly like an idea from Mars.

Now in our sixth year, we’ve been extra busy with everything from writing work with the likes of Whisky Magazine, Imbibe, The Wall Street Journal in India and many more around the world, through to books (Neil and Gavin D. Smith’s excellent Let Me Tell You About Whisky), media work, our bottlings, hosting tasting far-and-wide, as well running our creative agency, Caskstrength Creative. This year we were even made Keepers of the Quaich and we were incredibly proud to receive such an honour from our peers.

As a result of our growing number of outlets for our writing (including a new book we have just been commissioned to write- more on that soon) we will be tightening up our posting schedule, condensing our blog to two articles a week, on a Tuesday and a Thursday, with any ‘special features’ (such as trips to Islay’s Feis Ile or anything else that needs more in-depth coverage or special attention) going out in between.

If you don’t want to miss out on our now bi-weekly posts as well as any other special features we do, you can subscribe to our mailing list(you won’t get any other rubbish, just our articles from here) on the right of the page.

So that’s it. Expect fresh and new content every Tuesday and every Thursday here on Caskstrength.net or mailed directly to your inbox if you subscribe.

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May is a big month.

Usually it is the time when relegation and promotion in the British football leagues are resolved (and as an Oxford United fan, that often induces ‘squeaky bum time’, as Sir Alex once called it), the FA Cup and Champions League finals are played and it is a month when you (if you’re me) start to think about booking a holiday, but realise it might be prudent to do a tax return first. But over-and-above all of these, it is also the season of the regional whisky festival in Scotland.

First up, for those of you who like a good Glen or two, the Spirit of Speyside festival kicks off. This year it was held between Thursday 2^ndand Monday 6^th May, with various events taking place across the region and some superb drams tasted, such as The Glenlivet’s first ever distillery-only bottling. Inspired by sister distillery Aberlour, they have added a fill-you-own cask in their new mini-tour section and, as you would expect, is labelled as ‘cask number 1’. So, for the second post in a row, let's try a new bottling from The Glenlivet.

The Glenlivet – Hand Filled At The Distillery – 18 Years Old - Cask No. 1 – Bourbon Cask – Number of bottles unknown – 56.8% ABV (£70.00)

Nose: White peaches, rich maple syrup and vanilla. Some soft ginger loaf, highly polished oak furniture and over-ripe banana, apricots, nutmeg and cinnamon. There is fantastic age to this dram with a really rounded nose. A very active cask caught at just the right time, with a big in aroma. A really big aroma. With water: the vanilla and banana come to the fore and red cherries appear.

Palate: At full strength, it is sweet on the palate (muscavardo sugars), with a hint of green tea, rancio and bitter orange, all wrapped up in very dark chocolate. With water, the whisky really comes alive, giving a boost to the previous flavours but with an added bonus of golden syrup and heather honey.

Finish: Soft and long with a rich treacle tart notes.

Overall: If you’re going to do something, do it well and that is exactly what The Glenlivet have done with first attempt at a distillery only bottling. A single cask, cask strength 18 year old for £70 is not bad value at all in my book.

The excellent, limited ed Aberlour

There were a few ‘special’ bottling flying around in Speyside, such as Glenfiddich's200-only festival bottle (a light and floral bourbon cask from 1997 and bottled, hand bottled with an abv of 55.4%), an excellent Aberlour of just 1,812 bottles, designed for local sale only (a richer, stonger version of the a'bunadh with an age statement of 12 Years Old, 56.8% abv, 100% oloroso sherry) and a Mortlach named simply ‘48’ (3,000 bottles ‘only’) and bottled at the respective abv.

However, the home of the special bottling has to be Islay, which has consistently offered up interesting single cask releases such as the Lagavulins and Caol Ilas done by Diageo (not to mention their legendary Port Ellen), many interesting Bruichladdichs, Bunnahbhains and Bowmores and always something from Ardbeg and Laphroaig, who are now using the occasion to launch wide limited releases across the world. Add to this Kilchoman and Jura and the aforementioned holiday / tax bill seems to slip even further down the priority list when it comes to money!

As usual, we shall be heading out to Islay for the majority of the festival (a wedding precludes turning up for the first few days) but once we arrive we’re expecting the same fun-filled time as usual (although I’m not sure anything can top 2009 with @TWEBlog, Faceman and the Immortal Cowjetski). Having warmed up in April with a trip to Skye, tasting a couple of Port Askaigs and refreshed our palate with some excellent grain and Speyside offerings, it’s time to start warming up again for peat and what could be more apt than a new offering from the new arm of Douglas Laing, than their small batch Big Peat.

A brand which has been around since 2009 and has traditionally used whisky only from Islay, also at times using Port Ellen in their mix. The new release, available only at www.bigpeat.co.ukthis edition, bottled at 50% contains whisky from Ardbeg, Caol Ila,Bowmore and Port Ellen. A 50cl offering is only £29.99 and only 250 bottles have been made.

Big Peat – 'Private Edition' - Blended Islay Malt – NAS - 50cl - 50% abv £29.99 here

Nose: vanilla, spiced green apple, peat smoke (obvs), white and green wine gums, some watermelon, pear drops, chamois leather and grapefruit, some coal dust.

Palate: Lovely and smooth, soft vanilla and those pear drops take centre stage. The back of the palate is where the smoke sits. Some dusty old tones and a little copper fill the mouth. Zinc and calcium notes round out a sweet, peaty and slightly chalky palate. With water, the vanilla develops and the chalky nature falls a little, leaving an oiler whisky.

Finish: Bitter lemon, marmalade and smoke.

Overall: For a penny short of £30, this is a solid peaty offering, if not a little leathery in places. The perfect ready-made hipflask for that CalMac ferry over to Port Ellen, this will warm your heart and your tummy with a fist of great peatiness, before you disembark to savour some of the whiskies which originally went into this mix.

Well, this has certainly warmed me up and the smell of peat smoke fills my soul. Speyside seems to be a regular on our travels at the moment and it has been a while since I’ve visited Islay, but this has given me a dreamy vision of arriving once more to see old friends, stay in old buildings and drink old drams.

Here’s to May- a month of many delights!

I've always been a huge fan of cartoons and from my uncle who learnt his English by reading Donald Duck comics first in Norwegian and then again in English, through to my older brothers who always had copies of The Beano lying around, it's been a consistent family trait.

Starting with the aforementioned Dundee-based comic (which has been the subject of a post before) I graduated to the excellent Tintin series of works, but that's where my interest waned in favour of books with less illustrations and more words.

However, I've still maintained a love for graphic art and, of course the odd relaxing cartoon on the telly from time-to-time.

One of my guilty pleasures in life is to set the Sky+ box to series link for The Simpsons and, once the working day is over, to sit back with a nice dram and an episode or two of this now iconic American show. So, imagine my surprise when I heard that in the latest season (season 24) one episode, called Whiskey Business, was to feature the down-at-heel local bar owner, Moe Sizlack landing venture capital investment to sell his own bourbon, Maker's Moe.

Amid the growing craft distillation movement in the US, we shouldn’t forget those staple bourbons which populate our backbars and supermarket shelves, so this gives us a nice chance to have another look at Maker's Mark whisky.

Maker's Mark – Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky – 45% abv – 70cl £22.95 here

Nose: a bourbon which doesn’t shout but gets its point across well with few words. Vanilla pods and oak spices are backed with some subtle honey and red apple, all wrapped in parma ham.

Palate: soft brown sugars are mixed again with vanilla pods and some red cherries. There is a hint of ginger and a mixed dried fruits. Oaky drieness kicks in, but this is, overall, soft and subtle on the palate.

Finish: Some spices, but not over powering. Softness again.

Overall: A really great whisky for mixing or pouring, this is a classic example of a great American bourbon which has established itself as a go-to brand for all the right reasons.

It's no secret that craft distilling is in a boom-time in the US and it has reached such a height that even The Simpsons is featuring it. Quite the accolade for those already set-up and distilling.

Of those making interesting spirits, Chip Tate at Blacones in Texas has to be right at the top of the tree. From his crazy creations such as Rumble (a distillation of figs, honey and sugar) through to his Baby Blue and the 2012 Best In Glass award-winning Texan Single Malt, Chip has now delved into the world of bourbon, making something which we would describe simply as ‘extraordinary’. We tried a sample at this year’s Whisky Live...

Blacones – Straight Bourbon Whisky – Single Cask – 64.2% abv - 100 bottles approx. worldwide

Nose: A classic “yee-haa” of a bourbon nose with rich toffee apple, light wood varnish (Pledge?), rich vanilla pods, some freshly laid garden wood chippings and that wonderful delicate drying note provided by the corn.

Palate: As is becoming traditional with Chip’s offerings, this is stout, strong and robust, with elements of charred meats, heavy oak and red cherries, yet there is a complexity on the back of the palate where spices dance around hand-in-hand with those vanilla pods from the nose, with hearty red berries and cinnamon spices providing a velvety backdrop.

Finish: Cigar box and leather with those red berries finishing off and a drying tone of menthol to end the experience.

Overall: Another great whisky from Chip Tate. I hope, unlike Moe Sizlack, that Chip maintains his independence and can play around with ideas and flavours at will. It’s a great bedrock on which to build a business.

How unusual be reviewing two American offerings and not have to put an ‘e’ in my whisky. However, when you pour yourself a dram of the Balcones Straight Bourbon, you’ll certainly be putting the ‘you’ into flavour...

The world of collectible whiskies is an extraordinary place - and it has undoubtedly travelled a very long way since we've been actively writing about whisky. I distinctly remember the moment when it dawned on me that people actually 'covet' whisky; not just for its simple unctuous enjoyment, but to hold, to gaze upon and to store behind glass, like precious possessions.

The Macallan 'Peter Blake At 80' set

Fast forward to 2013 and the world of the collectible whisky is of course still dividing opinion and sparking mass hysteria within the whisky drinking community. A quick glance at Scotch Whisky Auctions will tell you that the likes of The Macallan, The Balvenie and Port Ellen are the barometers for how profitable whisky has become. The Macallan in particular has, like no other brand, managed to create not only objects of desire (consider last year's Diamond Jubilee bottling, or the Sir Peter Blake box of curiosities) from their special limited edition releases, but couple them with outstanding liquids. It creates quite a conundrum really: To drink, or to covet?

Well, the conundrum is likely to get even more tricky from today, as The Macallan are back with another limited edition bottling, this time to celebrate the Queen's Coronation 60 years ago. However, this time, unlike the Royal wedding bottling, or the aforementioned Diamond Jubilee release, the distiller has decided to release a brace of 350ml bottles that form a set to commemorate the celebration.

The Macallan Diamond Jubilee bottling

Designed by long time The Macallan collaborator, Art Director David Holmes, each bottle will feature a different image of the Queen, one taken in the year of the coronation by Cecil Beaton and another taken in 2004 by portrait photographer Julian Caulder. Two sides to mark the remarkable life the Queen has undoubtedly lived.

The liquid types could not be more different. Neither carries an age statement, but the hallmarks of both vibrant American oak and intense sherry cask maturation are on display.

Both the Royal Wedding and Jubilee bottlings were superb expressions. Quite how many are actually open is anyone's guess (not that many, by the looks of SWA) so will this new release only serve to bolster the collectors market for The Macallan? Without even trying either whisky, only a fool would bet on them not selling out, but what we're really here to discuss are the different liquids themselves and fortunately, our two slightly-less-beautifully-packaged sample bottles will do more than enough justice.

The Macallan - Coronation Bottling - Cecil Beaton - 58.1% - 35cl

Nose: Initially, a lively zesty affair, but given a few minutes in the glass, this really is a breathtakingly sweet affair: vanilla bean-rich white chocolate, golden syrup, tonka bean, Victoria sponge cake and vanilla pipe tobacco notes swirl elegantly with a light orange blossom. Superbly light weight, perfumed and rich.

Palate: The strength gives this a punchy mouthfeel, but after a burst of spice (liquorice and ginger) the vanilla rich aromas are transported to the palate, with a buttery richness developing. Water calms down the spice and brings out more of the vanilla, with some sweet cereal notes helping to deliver a very pleasing and fatty mouthfeel.

Finish: Lingering oakiness gives way to a return of the vanilla/golden syrup and a touch of menthol right on the very death.

Overall: The Macallan, but wearing a plush velvet suit with a soft ermine collar. It's the sort of whisky that drapes itself over you - a comforting blanket of sweet treats and satin textures. Superb stuff.

Next up, a more mature and complex side to the Queen... The Macallan style...

The Macallan - Coronation Bottling - Julian Caulder - 55.7% - 35cl

Nose: If the Beaton bottling was white chocolate personified, this is its nemesis. Layers of cocoa and fattened rum-soaked raisins and figs mix with an overly woody spice note of cinnamon and nutmeg. The vanilla of the other bottling hasn't diminished completely, more pushed into the background to be discovered. But when you do dig deeper, there are plenty of surprises. Kirsch soaked cherries, toasted Brazil nuts, a touch of walnut and masses of dried fruit, all with a swish of creamy custard. Hugely complex and very Macallan, but with such finesse.

Palate: Like the Beaton bottling, it gets off to a hot start, but the spices drive through, with a warming cinnamon, liquorice and cola note leading into diced dates, raisins molasses, dark leaf tobacco and dark chocolate. Water simply adds to the complexity and helps develop the spicy notes and the length of the dark chocolate.

Finish: Lingering raisins, sour cherries and cocoa help to emphasise the richness of the sherry influence.

Overall: A Macallan through and through, this is a whisky that takes time to fully uncover, but rewards the drinker with complexity, spice and a darker, more robust side. If the Beaton bottling was the Queen pottering round Sandringham tending to her roses in the summer, this is Her Majesty polling around the grounds of Balmoral on a cold autumn day in her Harris tweeds.

All in all, both bottlings are so different to the other, but each definitively a Macallan and proud. Another triumphant release - and one which we hope will not just sit on display in a collector's cabinet. For to simply gaze on these whiskies from afar is to do the whisky's creator, Bob Dalgarno a distinct disservice and possibly a Tower'able offence.

The Macallan Coronation set will be priced at £350 and is limited to 1953 bottles, available from the Macallan Visitors Centre and online (UK customers only)

Save the whiskies Harrison, not yourself!!

What is it about whisky and weather? Yes, we understand that today's rain is tomorrow's whisky, but it seems that of late there's a few companies paying homage to the tumultuous weather. Both Talisker and Cutty Sark laid claim to the Storm moniker and this month see's the return of Bowmore's feisty Tempest, with batch IV hitting the shelves as we type.

Tempest has always occupied a special place on the shelf for Caskstrength. Since the inaugural batch was released in 2010, we've been big fans of its bracing, visceral quality. Never compromising (well, Batch III was a little lighter in intensity) peat fans and whisky sessioners the world over have reached for a bottle of Tempest when they want to deliver the goods in front of their mates at a reasonable price.

Continuing with the small batch outturn (still a phrase that vexes us a little, as there is no indication of what the batch size actually is) the whisky is again released as a 10 year old with a strength of 55.1%. One thing of immediate note is the absolutely sumptuous new packaging: the blue box is terrific looking and demonstrates that Bowmore is really ratcheting up the contemporary feel for their bottlings, which has perhaps been lacking before.

But box and bottle design aside, this has been one of those eager awaited whiskies that we're finally pleased to bring you an update on... and the good news is that it totally delivers. Tempest has always made a play on using first fill bourbon barrels in its construction and this time around, the sweetness is really in evidence, alongside that unmistakable smoke...

Bowmore Tempest - Batch IV - 10 Years Old - 55.1%

Nose: Spirity at first, then swathes of rich toffee hit, alongside some hickory woodsmoke, menthol notes, orange zest, chocolate covered gingers, homemade vanilla ice cream, toasted pecans and butterscotch sauce. Given time (and a little water to calm down its intensity) a familiar vanilla pipe tobacco develops and a faint waft of something perfumed (parma violets perhaps?)

Palate: A superb mouthfeel helps to prepare you for the onslaught of hot, sooty peat, a sour cherry note, then a wonderfully spicy richness, leading to an ultimate sweetness. It has a bourbon'y vanilla note ringing clear right the way through, but a pleasant peppery bite on the side. Given a little time to unwind and the more perfumed elements that Bowmore possesses come to the fore: parma violets, freshly cut lemons, a toasted nutty note and more creamy vanilla pipe tobacco. Superb stuff.

Finish: The sweetness lingers on the palate, with a slight sooty note claiming the bragging rights to your tongue.

Overall: Bang- totally back on form, the current batch of Tempest is right up there with the first in terms of sheer peaty indulgence, sitting alongside a moreishness that screams late night session with your friends.

Sometimes peaty whiskies can just smash you into submission- even when you're not ready for them. Consider them the equivalent of dating a bodybuilder, all bronzed and rippling from cheek to cheek (even the ladies.) All well and good, but after you get past the fun, ever-so-sightly terrifying aspect, don't expect the conversation to get too deep over breakfast. Bowmore Tempest has its muscles flexing in all the right places, but has enough intelligence to stimulate the parts that strength alone will fail to grapple with...Sterling work folks.

Bowmore Tempest is available here for£47.95

Yes, folks. We’re here again. As yet another year rolls around, with the FA Cup Final out of the way and Glastonbury, Wimbledon and The Ashes on the horizon, what could be a better way to while away your time, than with the Feis Ile: Isle’s Festival of Music and Malt.

Usually, we’d be here right from the off, hitting the eight distilleries in row and then, if we had the time / weather / energy, hit Jura for an hour or so. But not this year. Oh, no. This year, we’ve come to Jura first.

Sitting off the coast of Islay, Jura is an island of ones (save for the TWO doctors): one road, one shop, one church, one hotel, one pub and one distillery. ~188 people live in an area the size of London, seriously outnumbered by 6,000 red deer. It is probably most famous for being the final home of George Orwell and providing him with the perfect isolation where he could write 1984, the piece which, according to some, eventually finished him off.

However, for some of us of a certain age, it also provided the backdrop for one of the most audacious pieces of ‘art’ (or PR stunts, depending on how you look at it) of the 1990’s, when hugely successful British dance outfit, KLF (known at that time as The K Foundation), burnt £1 million pounds. In cash. In 1995.

Even now, nearly 20 years on, it seems utter madness that someone, even in the name of art, could burn a million quid. But that’s exactly what the two members of the KLF, Bill Dummond and Jimmy Cauty did. Many myths and rumours surround this event, with the band claiming that only £900,000 eventually went up in smoke, with £100,000 worth of £50 notes simply flying into the air due to the intensity of the fire. The local police even found up to £1500 in charred notes, which were left for the two members to reclaim if they so wished.

So Jura is a place where interesting things happen and in 1810, a distillery was opened; the perfect place to hide from the excise man. By 1901 the distillery was closed to lay dormant for nearly 60 years, until it was rebuilt in the early 1960’s springing back to life in 1963. Housing the second tallest stills in Scotland, and the largest stills of any island distillery, it is now a single malt which you’ll find all over the world. Yet another piece of art from this small island making a global impression.

The venue for our Turas Mara tastings

This year, Jura held an ‘open house’, over two days running free buses and ferries across from Islay, hoping to attract many more of the folk who have travelled to the Feis Ile for their annual hit of smoky whisky.

With events ranging from warehouse tastings with the ever-energetic Richard Paterson, through to speedboat tastings in the Sound of Jura, (…hosted by yours truly) there were plenty of reasons to drive onto the small car ferry and make the short crossing between islands. On top of all this, there is an annual festival bottling release from Jura, only available from the distillery during their open days.

This year, the bottling was extra special, to mark the 50^th anniversary of the distillery reopening, a ‘boutique barrel’, containing whisky from a 1963 French oak cask, as well as containing some heavily peated stock, resulting in a whisky which is both fruity and smoky.

Jura – Festival 2013 – 1963 French Oak + Heavily Peated 1999 stock – 663 bottles – 52.4% abv - £70.00

Nose: A real treat straight off the bat. The aroma of a delightfully smooth, almost 70’s peat smoke swirls around the glass initially, followed by some rich notes of spicy sherry/wine tones, some oakiness and a fruity, almost jammy note.

Palate: Initially dry and hot, with some oakiness delivering a wet wood note, which then fades into a spiciness – a hint of cinnamon and liquorice. Given time in the mouth, the wine influence takes hold with some bold fruit and a distinct smokiness.

Finish: The peat lingers alongside an oakiness and a rich fruit note.

Overall: The nose really defines this whisky: elegant and refined, with a smooth smokiness. A dash of water develops the fruitiness and direct nature of the spice. At £70, it’s also very well priced against many of the other Islay festival bottlings. Well done chaps.

Jura also have a new release, called Turas Mara, which means ‘long journey by the sea’ and is their new offering in Global Travel Retail. Made up from whisky matured in four types of casks (bourbon, sherry, French oak barriques and port pipes) it is priced at £45 for a litre.

Jura – Turas Mara – GTR only - 42% abv £45.00

Nose: A departure from the festival bottling. Masses of fresh fruit, vanilla, a real sweetness and some subtle spices. Light toffee/peanut brittle, sliced pears and orange zest. Candied and very fruity.

Palate: Sweet and malty, with some herbaceous notes, crème caramel, some sour cherry notes and a hint of creamy oak. With water, zesty lime notes begin to emerge.

Finish: Clean, with orange zest and a slight drying vanilla oak.

Overall: Having used this as the main feature for our speedboat tastings, it has established itself as our favourite expression of Jura on the market today.

Tea, you say? Turas Mara and cake more like.

It has been a real pleasure spending some extended time on Jura, an island we have only fleetingly visited before. We had no idea as to the hidden beauty of the island and we would highly recommend a visit, and a drive all the way up the islands only road...

Tomorrow we head to Bunnahabhain and try the festival release from Lagavulin...

Hello deer!

Having spent a great couple of days on Jura, experiencing the island to its fullest (including a three hour bus tour- something we didn’t think possible on an island with just one road, but boy was it informative and fun) it was time to head back to an island we’ve spent a lot more time on: Islay.

Arriving at Port Askaig it seemed only sensible to visit the pair of distilleries which sit just around the corner from Islay’s second port, Caol Ila and Bunnahabhain. We popped in to the former, for a quick hello with the chaps there and to take in that wonderful view back across the Sound of Islay to the Paps of Jura, a must for anyone visiting the island.

If only we’d had our speedboat again, instead of driving back up the hill, along the road and down again, we could have simply nipped around the corner to Bunnahabhain, who were having their Open Day.

Always good value, it has been a wonderful place to hang out over the past few years with some excellent events (last year’s caber tossing even made the back page of our limited edition newspaper, The Daily Cargo, which came with our recent Cutty Sark release), this year proved no different, offering a small stall holders market, band, events and a bar serving a slushie-style cocktail. A nice turn of pace during the week.

Before the event really kicked in, we took some time to sit down with Andrew Brown, the distillery manager at Bunnahabhain. A local chap, he’s worked there for over 20 years and is now the man in charge of making the spirit. Andrew kindly took an hour out of his busy schedule to give us a highly informative lowdown about the history of the distillery, casks, flavour, spirit quality and, of course, a dram or two...

Bunnahabhain – 35 year old – 1971 – 750 bottles only – 44.9% abv – bottle no. 123 – 70cl

Nose: Sweet coconut, vanilla, blood oranges and spices. Creamy with banana notes and soft caramel.

Palate: Dry, but very malty, with dry menthol, fresh mint, buttered toast, cornflakes, liquorice root and some rose notes.

Finish: A light dryness, very fruity with kiwi and peaches and cream. The blood orange from the nose comes back at the death.

Overall: We’d go as far as to say, this is the best Bunnahabhain we’ve had in a long time. Two others were two bottling from Speciality Drinks, sister casks filled on the same day in 1979 (our review from the start of this century can be found here). All of these are really lovely drams, sadly all now long gone...

As is now tradition, Bunnahabhain also have their own festival bottling out. This year it is a 10 year old from a sherry butt and it’s a huge hitter, coming in at 60.1% abv...

Bunnahabhain – Sgeul Na Mara – 10 Years Old – 606 bottles – 60.1 % abv – 70cl

Nose: Slated caramel, ginger cake and butterscotch. It opens up with water to reveal stewed fruits and a tangy, mandarin note.

Palate: Initially, it is drying with layers of sherry and liquorice, moist oak and stewed apple. With water, it opens up in to more tinned pineapple and the bananas, which we’ve come to love this distillery for.

Finish: The finish gives both green and red apple skins and a big hit of dry oak.

Overall: A big hitting whisky which needs water to fully open up, but when it does, you won’t be disappointed.

After leaving Bunnahabhain, we took the high road across the island to Port Ellen and onwards up to Ardbeg, our resting place for the next couple of nights. En route, there was time to pop in and see our old friend David Wood, now the Brand Home Manager for both Caol Ila and Lagavulin distilleries, where we were able to share a dram of the excellent Lagavulin festival bottling with him...

Lagavulin – 18 Years Old - Feis Ile 2013 – 3000 bottles – 51% abv – 70cl

Nose: Surely this can’t be right… Earl Grey tea? Yes, there in all its glory is a stupendously fragrant bergamot note, backdropped with all the hallmarks of a classic Lagavulin: sappy woodsmoke, carbolic soap, a rich sherry oakiness and hints of Playdoh and almond marzipan. Sensational.

Palate: Again, a fragrant Earl Grey note continues, with a sweet, slightly stewed tea note, wonderfully rounded smoke and a lighter, spicy richness. It has big similarities to the 16yo, but has an additional power and complexity to it.

Finish: Lingering wood smoke and fragrant top notes.

Overall: Another outstanding Feis bottling from Lagavulin, who set the bar stupidly high for themselves nowadays, this delivers... and then some. Some armchair whisky anoraks and Twitterers (or 'Twats' as we like to call them) have been critical about the fact that Lagavulin have discontinued the tradition of releasing a festival single cask, but this whisky squarely bats any criticism back and the larger outturn at least offers a wider global audience a chance to grab a bottle at a sensible (non-grossly inflated-auction) price.

After settling into our Islay accommodation (more on that tomorrow...) we received a visit from our good friends at Master of Malt. Here on their own annual trip, with bags full of goodies, they were en route to iPed2013... International Port Ellen Day 2013. Hosted by @MaltWhiskyBar this has seen some astonishing tastings in the past, including this one (here) from 2011, where every single official Port Ellen release was available to try.

This time around, Jon Beach led the assembled Port Ellen-ites through a number of indie bottlings in a variety of locations, including outside the maltings, the Oa lighthouse and a sneaky peek into the old malt kiln buildings, now home to an unofficial gym of weightlifting equipment. The distillery may be well and truly dismantled and gone forever, but its liquid legacy remains very much in the hearts (and mouths) of whisky aficionados.

Blimey, that went quickly. Usually, after the full force of the Feis Ile we're both feeling absolutely destroyed and ready for the return journey and a familiar duvet, OR totally inspired, thirsty to dig out more peaty goodness. This time around, as we've only spent a short spell on this wonderful island, we're very much in the latter camp and Saturday brings forth probably the highlight of the week - Ardbeg's open day.

Much has been made of celebrating the distillery's cult following around the globe and it's intriguing to see just how many peat'o'philes (is that ok to say?) rocked up at various retailers, bars and whisky events last Saturday, eager to try the new release, Ardbog. We even heard rumours that a flock of inflatable sheep were driven across London Bridge here in London, in homage to the brand's unique sense of humour. But for us, there is really only one place to truly dig down to the core of the brand and that's the Old Kiln Cafe, where by 12pm, hundreds of festival goers were already queuing to get started on the drams and the events that the distillery team had planned.

Seaview's very own still...
(aka a wood burning stove)

We were fortunate this year to have landed a couple of nights at the distillery's brand new Seaview Cottage, next door to manager Mickey Heads' home from home. As holiday homes go, the place has been designed as the ultimate Ardbeg fan's dream come true. The location couldn't be more idyllic: With a balcony overlooking the bay and the front door pointing squarely towards the warehouses, one doesn't know which way to look. From the Ardbeg Green carpets to the portraits of Shortie adorning the walls, everything is in-keeping with the irreverence of brand. You can see for yourself here...

Ardbog Day followed on from last year's elaborate events and the mighty 'hand of destiny' (designed and built by the equally mighty - and all round excellent guy Yogi at the distillery) was once again presiding over the occasion, this time bursting through a giant peat bog in the distillery courtyard. The events were similarly wacky: bog racing in sacks, a Krypton Factor-style challenge of dexterity and speed to load a wheelbarrow full of peat whilst traversing an tricky course plus excellent tastings from Bryony MacIntyre as well as unique trips to Texa Island with Mickey, to try a few choice drams. And what of the whisky of the day? Ardbog... Bottled at 52.1%, Ardbog is a mixture of bourbon casks with a few that have also been aged in Manzanilla casks, which tend to give a charismatic salty/aromatic note. The 2013 festival bottlings have been excellent (with the Lagavulin leading the way in our opinion) so we had high hopes... Battle of the Bogs? Let battle commence...

Ardbeg - Ardbog - 52.1% - 70cl

Nose: A briney note hits first, with a touch of liniment, a little coal dust and a wee blast of menthol, all bog wrestling for your attention. Underneath, a slight liquorice root develops, with a sweeter tablet/vanilla rich chocolate note, some white pepper and a waft of wood smoke.

Palate: The coal notes develop, with salt-crusted barbecued pork, some drying oak notes and a hint of sweet tablet again, backdropped by a luscious coating of smoky hickory wood. The mouthfeel is rich and unctuous and very easy drinking, despite its strength.

Finish: Lengthy iodine and singed BBQ pork give the palate a formidable run for its money.

Overall: Boom. This is absolutely sterling stuff, raised from the very bowels of the peat bogs, but with so much more alongside. Whereas last year's Ardbeg Day was a little threadbare in places, this is a full on 15-tog-patchwork-quilt of a whisky, bristling with character.

Although our time on Islay was woefully short by previous year's standards, this Feis Ile has been one of the best yet. Looking at the burgeoning numbers at each of the distilleries, it could well be the most successful yet too- and proves that although the waft of peat is undoubtedly drifting on the breeze around the globe, the allure of actually visiting the island itself burns as fiercely as ever.

After all the peated shenanigans of our recent visit to Islay, coupled with three solid days judging whisky this week at the IWSC Awards (we lost count at around 150 or so) our palates and tiny minds are a little shot. So we thought the only way to counteract any ill-effects of whisky exposure was to dive headlong into white spirits instead... the Obi Wan to whisky's Vadar if you will.

And with this in mind, we bring you news of a rather exciting gin tasting workshop we're hosting at the Southbank Centre in London on Wednesday 10th July.

Caskstrength, In Association with The Southbank Centre Presents:

A Journey Into the refreshingly exciting world of premium gin!

Join us for an internationally flavoured journey into London's quintessential and best loved spirit, gin.

Experience how gin is made, discover the myriad botanicals that go into giving gin its unique flavour, try six outstanding premium gins from around the world as well as learn the secrets of making the best gin and tonic and perhaps the most iconic cocktail of all time, the classic gin Martini.

The evening promises a real experience into how gin took control of the City of London back in the 18th Century and how the thirst for gin has developed internationally over the past decade, including everywhere from the Philippines to Spain.

We'll also be joined by a Very Special Guest Gin Expert on the evening too, so it promises to be a botanical packed bonanza!

The event starts at 6.30pm and tickets are available to non members of the Southbank Centre, priced at £40 or £70 for two. Numbers are limited, so get your skates on!

Let us know if you'd like to come along and we'll hook you up with the Southbank Centre or alternatively, feel free to Book Tickets Here:

TTFN!

This might look like Neil (top) and Joel (bottom), but really it's the movie poster. Honest.

There are elements to writing where, sometimes, inspiration just doesn’t hit. Reporting fact, you can’t go too wrong: you already have a narrative of facts set out in front of you, the skill is ordering it for the reader, to make it make sense, even if there is no conclusion. With creative writing, you’re faced with a blank page and off you go. If there is nothing there, then there is little else you can do than wait. And wait. And wait some more.

How does one get around this blank slate, this empty void, this deserted page? Well, if you’re the brilliant Coen brothers, the movie writers/makers/producers (and a second nod in as many weeks for one of the Coen brothers, Joel, who is also a writer on The Simpsons) then, when faced with this situation, you write a movie about it. Which is exactly what happened when, mid-way through writing their film Miller’s Crossing, the pair were hit with writers block. To clear the creative dam, they wrote Barton Fink, a story about a holywood scriptwriter inflicted with the same problem.

"We're only interested in one thing, Bart. Can you tell a story? Can you make us laugh? Can you make us cry? Can you make us want to break out in joyous song? Is that more than one thing? Okay!" – Jack Lipnick, Barton Fink

Often, it can feel a little like this, when sitting down to write this blog. We’re lucky- we have facts we can report. But who wants a repetition of what’s written on the label of a bottle? If you want that, go and read the label on the bottle. We have tasting notes- that’s always a help. But writing the rest... that can be a real challenge at times.

However, let’s face it, the best stories told are by the whiskies from the casks. Be they three years and a day old, or somewhere approaching four decades of age, these are the true story-tellers of the business; they’re the raconteurs who will leave you wanting more, posing questions and generally leaving you thinking that you’ve had a wonderful time. They are the true marketers, the true brand ambassadors, the stars of any tasting. Simple, yet complex at the same time, it is their richness of experience which you have paid for, their headline slot the turn for which you wait.

The release of the new Balvenie Tun 1401 seems to have become an annual staple in the whisky calendar, and what a good thing that is. Not a duffer yet in the already eight strong line of releases, it started with just 300 bottles of the Batch 1 (now an true ‘investment grade’ whisky, whatever that means) which we reviewed here (even looking at each of the invidivual casks which went in to it) and this week saw the release of the latest batch.

The Tun holds around 2000 litresand each batch is created my their Malt Master, David Stewart. As this is made up of 12 casks, the most yet (ranging from the 1970’s up to 1991), with three of the casks being European oak and the rest coming from America, it’s outturn is around 2500 bottles worldwide.

The Balvenie – Tune 1401 – Batch 8 – 50.2% abv - £220 available here

Nose: A big nose crammed with rich apricot jam, honey, freshly cut ginger, toffee, cinnamon and liquorice. It is a heavy nose; big and rich and befitting of a well aged whisky.

Palate: Ginger cake, very rich and oily honey. Hints of Four Roses single barrel bourbon coming through (big red cherries and hot strawberry jam) with fresh vanilla pods. Some cinnamon.

Finish: Toffee apples, spices and that honey note again.

Overall: This is not a slugger of a dram. The Balvenie makes some very quaffable whiskies (their doublewood is a whisky you can pretty much throw the cork away on, and their new 15yo single barrel release, reviewed here, isn’t far behind) but this is a totally different beast: still very much The Balvenie, but it is big and rich and demands you take time over it. The sort of dram you want to take a lot of time over. It also develops well with water, so if you do get hold of a bottle and decide to open it (go on, it’ll be worth it!), then please, please, please.... find some time to enjoy this dram.

Tun 1401 batch 8 is whisky which has a simple story; it lets the liquid do the talking. Throughout this range there is continued excellent consistency from The Balvenie. There is a reason why these are popular at auction: they’ve managed to get the balance between collectability and drinkability absolutely spot on.

Get in the queue now for batch 9...

When you first discover music, and I mean proper music, not some pop-tastic, here-today-gone-tomorrow, tweenie-aimed, profit-driven offering from a major record company, you often realise what a wealth of natural talent there is to hear in the world.

The are so many artists who have had a genuine impact on culture that it would probably be impossible to listen to every track by every artist listed under the ‘influential’ banner. As a result, as we move through life, we hear certain tracks (usually the biggest ‘hits’) by major acts and we pick and choose whose back catalogues we would like to dig a little deeper in to.

Every-so-often, and due to the huge reservoir of recorded music in the world, we’re hit with a classic artist or album which we’ve genuinely never heard before. I remember when I first subscribed to Spotify; it was a nightmare for about a week, because I didn’t know whether to go through and enjoy all the music I knew I already liked, or to explore the artists I loved, or to simply listen to loads of ‘new’ music (or at least new to me, if not in the literal sense).

And of course, there is brand new music being created every day. This just adds to the ever increasing pile of music, from both past and present, on the great ‘unlistened-to’ playlist in the sky.

However, it is good to have a cheeky look sometimes at some of the acts which have sold bucket-loads of records in the past, who have shaped modern culture and the sound of many of today’s artist.

The whisky business is booming at the moment. Okay, so sales maybe down overall (with profits up), but the expansion of various Scottish distilleries, the re-opening of others and the building of new premises, both in Scotland and across the world, makes it seem like we’re in the middle of the industrial revolution.

With all this new sprit being generated and previously snoozing brands coming back to life, it is easy to forget the stalwarts, one of them being Glen Grant.

The first distillery to be opened in the now whisky-focused Speyside town of Rothes (home not just to several distilleries but also to the Combination of Rothers Distillers (CoRD) dark grains plant, as well as Forsyths, world-renowned coppersmiths and stillmakers), Glen Grant has established itself as a major player, one of the biggest selling single malt in the world.

Pretty impressive stuff, really.

With a powerhouse in the USA and Italy as its sales foundation, since it was acquired by Gruppo Campari in late 2005, the range has been expanded to cover a No Age Statement ‘Major’s Reserve’, a 10 Years Old and a 16 Years Old, all supplement by market-specific offerings, such as a 5 Years Old in Italy, all of which are matured in ex-Bourbon casks.

The running of the distillery is overseen by an industry legend, Dennis Malcolm who started at the distillery in April 1961 as an apprentice cooper. Having been in charge of both Glen Grant and its sister distillery, the now-departed Caperdonich, in his 50 years plus Dennis has worked in all stages of the whisky making process. Needless to say that what he has forgotten about whisky making is more than I’ll probably ever know.

To celebrate his five decades at the distillery, Glen Grant have release a special, limited edition bottling simply known as ‘Five Decades’, containing whisky from each of the decades, which was launched at a dinner in Edinburgh last week.

Dinner is always great (something I try to fit in every single day, don’t you know) but the two real treats of the evening were firstly being able to spend some time chatting to Dennis about his career and the business and secondly, trying the core expressions from Glen Grant, something I really haven’t done in a very long time, if at all with a couple of the expressions. Going through the Major’s Reserve and the 16 Year Old was a little like digging into the past albums from a great act which you haven’t really spent much time with before. Suddenly you realise why they are so well loved.

Having sampled the 10 Years Old, the 16 Years Old and the aforementioned Major’s Reserve, we were treated to a glass of the new release, Five Decades.

Putting together a whisky using stock from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 80’s and 00’s can’t be an easy feat, but Glen Grant has a history of fantastic old stock, much of it bottled by the brilliant independent bottlers, Gordon & MacPhail. This new release is not to be confused with one of these vitnage bottlings, as it is very much its own beast, but the age does shines through, coupled with youthful bursts of spirit along the way. Unusually for Glen Grant, this uses a portion of whisky matured in Oloroso sherry butts.

Glen Grant – Five Decades – Limited Edition – 46%abv 70cl

Nose: Orange blossom, honey and nuts (crunchy nut cornflakes?), sweet vanilla and golden syrup. Yet more honey as it develops in the glass.

Palate: Vanillas, orange citrus fruits, milk chocolate (rum and raisin?), apricots, rye bread with salted butter.

Finish: a hint of smoke (just a tiny amount), some blackcurrant and liquorice tones.

Overall: This is available from July 2013 for an RRP of £115. One of the hot potatoe topics of the whisky business at present is that of age statements. Here, you have a whisky carrying no age, but with the knowledge that it contains a good portion of whisky from a span of five decades. A sweet and soft whisky which will appeal in abundance to the Glen Grant drinker, this is well worth a try.

Having discovered their core range and fully understood quite how this distillery can be so well respected (the 16 Years Old is particularly fantastic stuff), it has inspired me to go off and dig around on Spotify and find some of those major-uit-shifting acts which I’m not all that familiar with: Neil Diamond, Chicago and Foreigner await. This could be a very long evening... someone pass me a glass of Glen Grant.

Desmond Payne - Mr Gin

Here at Caskstrength, we're used to the importance of wood in developing the supreme character in a spirit. From lengthy maturation in an ex bourbon barrel, to short periods of extreme finishing in sherry, port or wine- the type of cask and its quality will of course have a profound effect on the spirit it holds.

Recently, there has been a trend for ageing more traditional white spirits in oak too - something we have cast a slightly quizzical eye over. Just blithely sticking a spirit into an oak cask won't give you the results you're looking for- take our word for it. We received a brilliant kit from the Wasmund distillery last October, which included a charred, unused two litre cask and enough new make spirit to start a small house fire. It began to mature very quickly - in fact after a month, it was beginning to take on a mellowed, round character.

But after Christmas, things went quickly down hill, to the point that the spirit was virtually undrinkable, such was the power of the oak. It now resides in our office and due to the fluctuating temperature, there is so little left in the cask, the liquid resembling a very dark woody monstrosity.

So subtlety is very much the key when it comes to using oak wisely, especially when your spirit is traditionally clear.

Two companies put out aged gins last year: Master Of Maltaged its Ampleforth's gin for apparently six months in small 50 litre casks, with the results working out well. Alongside them, French distiller Citadelle oak aged its excellent gin, releasing it in vintages and allowing consumers to experience the different subtleties between them.

Both of these pioneering products have been followed up by arguably one of the biggest players in gin, a sign that what was previously seen as a relatively novel product is perhaps about to hit the mainstream.

Burrough's Reserve is a brand new gin from the Beefeater distillery, which is situated near the Oval cricket ground (and a stone's throw away from Joel's house.) It takes its name from the distillery's founding father James Burrough and is distilled using a tiny still (No.12) which looks positively cute next to the mammoth copper behemoths which impressively hiss away in the still house.

But the real magic happens when master distiller and all-round ginmeister, Desmond Payne takes the spirit and places it into a specific type of cask- namely those previously filled with Jean de Lillet. For those of you not familiar with this name, Lillet is the name behind one of the finest vermouths in the world, which was used in the famed Vesper cocktail, as consumed liberally by one James Bond. For Desmond, the idea of 'resting' a gin was an exciting prospect, but one which was fraught with pitfalls. To age a gin in something that had an actual relevance with gin was his challenge, which meant not just reaching for any old used bourbon barrel or sherry hogshead. Instead, he looked for a cask that would enhance the botanical balance in Beefeater and not dominate it - and the choice of Lillet casks was an inspired one. If you haven't tried Lillet in a Martini or other gin cocktail, we urge you to get down to a retailer now and buy a bottle - it is unlike any other vermouth - and then you'll begin to understand its significance in the resting process here.

What results is a gin that has taken on a slightly darker hue in colour and a spirit that Desmond hopes will be sipped neat, like a whisky or Cognac. But what does it deliver on the nose and palate? We tried the gin both frozen down and at room temperature and the results were remarkably different - the colder temperatures bringing out more of the citrus notes and classic gin botanicals. But at room temperature...

Burrough's Reserve - Oak Rested Gin - Batch 01 - 43%

Nose: Immediate notes of vanilla custard, sweet creamy coconut, a touch of white pepper, Amalfi lemon zest, fresh pine and a softer, buttery biscuit note.

Palate: The botanicals deliver wonderfully, with juniper leading the way, followed by a gentle spice note, more lemon zest and a little liquorice, then comes the oak influence, with more vanilla notes and a slight maltiness.

Finish: Lingering notes of lemon zest, juniper and a creamy vanilla all coat the tongue, but leave the mouth feeling refreshed and vibrant.

Overall: This works as a sipping spirit, without a doubt and the influence of the oak, is restrained and perfectly balanced. Whether it will change the way we consume gin is debatable, but as a category defining moment, Burrough's Reserve has achieved a great deal in a short space of time. My next plan is to try this at the heart of a Martini, where I think it will excel.

I’ve been very lucky in life: at an early age I started promoting and managing bands and a few years later I had my dream job in the A&R department at Island Records. I spent nearly a decade discovering, signing and developing new acts and in that time I was consistently asked one question: how do I discover a great artist?

Now working in a different industry as whiskey writer, I am still asked one question consistently: how do I discover a great whiskey? Simply, the best way to discover great whiskey, is with friends.

In my previous working life I discovered that there is no simple formula to finding new musical talent, but there are key ingredients, two of which are friendships and experience. Add to these the luxury of time and a solid understanding of the wider cultural landscape and you tend to have a winning formula.

One can draw parallels here with whiskey; it is the experience of the farmer that lets him grow the best barley, the Master Distiller to create the best spirit and, of course, the experience of that spirit in oak casks. Similarly, if you speak to any musician about the art of song writing, they’ll tell you the same is true in their field (excuse the pun) - emotion and experience are the ‘barley, water and yeast’ for them; their very own raw ingredients.

Alongside these key ingredients, time is a vital element to the development of both whiskey and music. When crafting a song, it is rare for an artist to be suddenly hit by inspiration like a bolt of lightning. Most work hard and collaborate with friends to perfect their craft; the results can often take years, sometimes decades, to hone.

In the same way, time allows whiskey to mature. Keeping an eye on the maturation process is one of the nicer jobs at a distillery. Nosing casks, assessing which need more time to develop and eventually which ones are ready to be released into the world surely rivals most dream jobs I can think of.

An ability to understand the lay of the land is also crucial for music and whiskey crafting: at any record label, it is the role of an A&R Manager to have an intimate knowledge of the landscape of current talent, deciding who’s worth investing in and eventually releasing at the right time. This demands knowledge of unsigned acts which are self-releasing records, touring, recording, getting press and radio play, tweeting, selling merchandise...you get the picture.

It is a skill akin to understanding the maturing stocks at a distillery, except the artists are casks and the warehouse, the world. At Island Records, my former home for many years, we had a formidable roster, ranging from Bob Marley to U2. Being tasked with adding to this list, I felt less like a talent spotter and more like the custodian of a legacy.

Last year Bushmills Irish Whiskey brought the music and whiskey worlds together in a unique event, inviting a mixed group of up-and-coming and established artists to play live at their distillery, helping people to enjoy whiskey and music in the best way possible: with friends.

As a result, ‘Bushmills Live’ was born and this year the distillery opened their gates once again, as the next generation of acts arrives to ply their craft alongside the next generation of whiskey, both maturing as they do, side-by-side.

Musicians and whiskey makers both have a very similar approach: preparation now for future success. So where better for these two to meet than in a location which, for centuries, has been doing one thing brilliantly: preparing today for success tomorrow.

The list of acts at this year’s event included some big name acts, such as Of Monsters And Men, Jake Bugg, Iain Archer (a personal friend of the blog) and a band I have been meaning to catch for a while now: Bear’s Den.

Bear’s Den is a new band, signed for a few EP’s to Communion, Mumford & Son’s label. We had the pleasure of seeing them again when we ran some whiskey tasting for the bands at Mumford’s recent sell out show at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (and something we’ll have the pleasure of again on Saturday in the wonderful town of Lewes) and quite wonderful they were, too. If you’ve never heard them play, I strongly suggest you click on this link and listen to their track Agape; a truly beautiful tune.

Bushmillscreated a bespoke whiskey for the headline act, Of Monsters And Men, using casks from sherry and bourbon barrels, from the years the band members were born; 1987, 1989 and 1990 making it a 23 year old single malt.

Bushmills – Of Monsters And Men – 23 Year Old Irish Single Malt Whiskey - 40% - 70cl

Nose: A big hit of vanilla and maple syrup, icing sugar, some figs and dates. Lighter, grassy tones gives this whiskey some vibrant energy.

Palate: Milk chocolate gives way to rich sherry tones, dark cherry and some sponge cake with strawberry jam and vanilla icing.

Finish:Lasting malty tones, with a hint of fresh kiwi and the strawberry jam again. Some mint.

Overall: An excellently constructed whiskey where the age shines through but with some extra, vibrant energy, too.

As we saw in our Jam & Dramexercise in May, music and whisk(e)y go hand-in-hand. Next time you put on a record, or go to a gig, forgo your usual pint and choose something altogether more in line with the work, effort and artistry on stage: a whiskey.

Summertime. Impossible to predict in this country, yet always so welcoming, especially after a tough few months of back to back projects. After Caskstrength's busy event schedule, which included a fun and very bustling bespoke whisky bar partnership with Mumford & Sons for their recent outdoor summer UK gigs and a positively sparkling gin tasting at the Southbank Centre, it was time for a holiday and the destination for one of us was the Loire Valley in France to a remote farmhouse, perfect for idling around with family for a week.

Lois Ridley, with no wardrobe issues.

Now of course, when you're preparing for a summer holiday, there are certain demands on one's wardrobe: are shorts really that acceptable? How should one dress to avoid looking too much like a tourist? Is black tie absolutely necessary for a provincial dining experience? All these were vexing questions, cutting a deep furrow during packing. I obtained a brand new panama hat before the trip (not the rolled, 'travelling' type) which also posed an issue regarding where it would sit in the car, without getting crushed by my daughter's extensive wooden toy collection. Decisions! I thought a holiday was time to avoid making any but before we even set foot on French soil, I was presented with far too many.

One easy decision concerned which whiskies I was to travel with. A lightweight, but beautifully balanced Glen Grant 10 year old would provide everything I needed for making tall, icy drinks, a Caol Ila 18 year old (in 20cl format) would provide some robust warming power in case the sweltering French weather was to turn swiftly on its beret'ed head and a Yamazaki 18 year old would provide a perfect counterpoint to the endless barbecued meat products we would no doubt be consuming during the week. So simple there. Or so I thought.

Anyone who has travelled by car to France for a vacation will have no doubt stopped off at the many Hypermarkets dotted along the highways: E.Leclerc, Carrefour and Inter Marche are vast warehouse-styled shopping experiences, totally out of kilter with the enjoyment of pottering around a rustic French village looking for a loaf of bread, some croissants and 200 Gauloises (I don't smoke, so I made this bit up.)

But what is truly astonishing is the selection of wines and spirits available - from all over the globe.

As I wandered down the spirits aisle, I was taken aback by the range in Leclerc, which rivalled that of a specialist UK retailer: Single barrel bourbon, Japanese whiskies I have never seen close up and an entire section dedicated to exceptional vermouths. The comes the prices. Come on UK! Quite frankly, when you can pick up bottles of Four Roses Single Barrel for under 30€, Highland Park 15yo for under 30€ and the aforementioned Japanese whiskies for a fraction of the prices they appear on specialist websites, I can see why whisky is hugely popular in France. Needless to say, after spending 200€ on whisky on the first day of the holiday,
I thought I should probably settle down a bit and put my wallet away.

One interesting whisky which did catch my eye in a local Carrefour shop was from the Warenghem distillery, produced in the Breton region in northern France.

As part of my recent book project with Gavin Smith (Let Me Tell You About Whisky) I tried a number of whiskies from the region and was impressed by the emerging quality. Warenghem produce several single malts and a couple of blends: from a double matured (French oak and sherry cask) to bourbon cask matured whisky and Breizh, a blend that recently triumphed in the 2013 World Whisky Awards.

The bottling I bought from Carrefour for 15€ is labelled Reflets de France and appears to be a range of products, much in the style of Tesco's Finest - from honey to sea salt and foie gras, the range seems to represent French gastronomy at its best, so I was quite surprised to see a whisky featuring here, but equally pleased to see that French whisky is revered by its producers as highly as some of the country's more well known delicacies.

So what of the whisky itself? Well, there is little information available on the bottle, short of the abv (40%) but a quick glance at the back label with my basic grasp of French reveals that the whisky is 'composed of malt aged for up to three years in oak casks, with an emphasis placed on the quality of the local water to add character to the flavour...'

Let's dive in, shall we. Will this be a French Fancy, or simply a case nonchalantly shrugging one's shoulders, the same brilliantly disdainful way that only the French do best... ;-)

(Breton top and Panama hat not included with purchase)

Reflets de France - Breton Whisky - Produced by the Warenghem Distillery - 40% - 70cl - 15€

Nose: A light, clean malty note opens up first, with a touch of dried ginger, some slight moist wood, some lightly perfumed powder, banana milkshake and a wisp of smoke perhaps? Just a touch, to give this a very entertaining mix of aromas. It is certainly young, but given a little time, a honeyed sweetness begins to emerge.

Palate: No mistaking the light wisps of smoke here - it is rich and oily, but still restrained - reminiscent of the lightly peated Ardbeg Blasda or Caol Ila Moch. Alongside sits some fresh green apple, oaty porridge, an oak note, bitter hard caramel and a malted chocolate milkshake note. Light and frothy but with a highly drinkable approach to it.

Finish: Given the age the finish is malty, with a hint of zestiness creeping through and a little sour cherry and light milk chocolate on the death.

Overall: Now listen very carefully, I shall say this only once... For 15€, this is a really good example of a French whisky that one could easily get into trouble with. Neat, over ice or as a highball, this is pleasant in all its guises and definitively hammers home that French whisky is not to be taken lightly. Whilst it won't trouble many of the serious malt hounds out there, it gets a tricolour-coloured thumbs up from us. Vive le Whisky Breton!

The other day, I was asked if I was in to wine. Well, I like wine and I have a basic knowledge of some grape varieties, some producers and some vintages; but to be honest, I know a lot of people who have a far greater depth and breadth of knowledge than I on the subject.

A long time ago, when I first fell in love with whisky, it seemed that Scotch was a world which I could get to grips with more easily than, say, wine. Scotch whisky to me seemed like a triangle with three sections. At the base there is blended whisky; high volume and focused on consistency. The most FMCG part of whisky business, by a long way.

The middle of the triangle: single malts. Certain distilleries who bottle their own product, often with a range of easy-to-understand, age statement products growing in maturity throughout their range. Again, with consistency playing a major roll.

At the top of my pyramid, are single casks. These often come from distilleries who don’t normally release a single malt, or if they do, are in some way unique. Yet these are never about consistency; these are the ‘flair players’ in the team. Temperamental, inconsistent, but sometimes utterly brilliant.

This simplistic approach to one part of the whisk(e)y world seemed light years away from wine, where one side of the river differs to another, one vintage to the next, and on it goes. Throw in grape variety, the producer and production, the weather, bottle-aging and when to open and drink the product... oh, and then learn this all for every country that makes wine around the world and it makes understanding wine seem like particle physics, while understanding whisky? Well, more like lego.

But with whisky globally seeing a renaissance, once silent Scotch distilleries reopening, new ones coming on line all the time, all around the world (the President of the American Distilling Institute in the US tells us there are now over 550 craft distilleries in operation there, many making whiskey as well as gin and other spirits) and countries like Japan throwing down the gauntlet to the Scotch whisky industry in terms of sheer quality of spirit, the whole category has become a lot more complex in the past decade or so.

And it is this issue of quality which can only be a good thing for whisk(e)y across the world. Scotch, very much seen as a premium product in the category, cannot afford to rest on its laurels. Just because it is considered the home of whisky, where some would even say it was invented, is no excuse to kick back and ‘chillax’. After all, it was a Scotsman who invented the television. But would you buy a Scottish TVtoday? No. Would you buy a Japanese TV? Yes.

Whisk(e)y has grown and the world has embraced. New and exciting countries are producing whisky, which have never done so before and here am I am going to look at a new single malt distillery which is the first and only in its country: Italy.

When starting off with a blank page, with no history, no millstone of tradition, then why not do something different; this is exactly what the Ebensberger family, the folk behind the Puni distillery in Northern Italy, have done.

From their jaw-dropping building, a 13-meter tall red brick cube, through to their two current products, a new make and a very young single malt (note the lack of the term ‘whisky’ here) matured in local wine casks which are stored in ex-military bunkers, the whole affair is unique.

These two releases, initially called simply ‘White’ and ‘Red’ and latterly renamed ‘Pure’ and ‘Alba’, are the only two products produced by the distillery, with the first being their new make spirit and the second being matured for a short period (6 months) in local Marsala Vergine wine casks. Both products have been upped from their original strength of 40% to a new, higher strength of 43% abv and, unlike the ‘White’ and ‘Red’ which were only sold locally, these will both be available internationally.

The ‘Pure’ is a classic new make, with lovely vanilla, malts and honey, backed with a hint of fennel and fresh leather.

Puni Distillery – Alba – 6 months old - Marsala Vergine – Sample - 43% abv

Nose: No getting away from it, this is young and spirit (as you would expect at 6 months old), but it is not argressive in any way. The aromas are well balanced and soft, with a big hit of green apple sours, pear drops, young banana, some blackcurrants and croissants dusted with icing sugar. Right at the back sits peach melba and dream topping. Very inviting and very promising...

Palate: Again, no doubting the age of this, but the palate is full of flavour; the banana from the nose is back, this time with toffee and some elements of instant coffee. After the fruits, the palate develops a nutty quality with walnuts and hazelnut praline. Once again, you would expect something aggressive or unruly and energetic at this young age, but it is restrained and well balanced.

Finished: The finish is where the nutty quality lingers with the hazelnut praline giving taking the headline slot, before milk chocolate and cream finishes off.

Overall: Very tasty stuff at such an early age. Very much keeping an eye on this place...

As the world of whisky continues to grow, I’m sure many new distilleries will pop up in countries where we have never seen them before. But more power to these emerging producers, especially if their style is as effortless, and the product as drinkable as that of the good family Ebensberger at Puni distillery.

Continuing our theme of interesting world whiskies you probably haven't heard of this month, we bring you news of a brace of new Aussie whiskies about to hit these shores, from The Old Hobart Distillery in Tasmania. Australian whisky making has really begun to attract the sort of feverish attention it deserves thanks to a number of recent award successes and better distribution outside of Australia and the Old Hobart Distillery located to the south of Tasmania, is the latest to capitalise on this interest.

Casey and Jane Overeem

The story begins back in 2005 when Casey Overeem, owner and head distiller was granted a distillers licence, with production beginning in earnest in 2007. The small batch operation was producing around 5000 bottles of whisky a year, mostly matured in a mixture of cut down 100 litre quarter cask port and sherry casks and today the distillery is now running at a capacity of 8000 bottles a year.

It's a remarkable testament to the explosion of craft distillation in Australia, which can really be traced back to Bill Lark, owner of the Lark Distillery, who first helped change Australian legislation concerning the minimum size of stills allowed in the production of craft spirits. Since the landmark date in 1992, when Lark was established, Tasmania now boasts at least nine working distilleries (making whisky) with another couple in the planning stages - heady times indeed.

So what of the whisky itself? Well, we've been sent four different expressions: two matured in sherry casks and two matured in port influenced French oak casks. The differing strengths (two at 60% and two at 43%) will give us a rough idea of where this spirit is heading. We're told that the casks selected here are between five and seven years old and judging by Casey Overeem's steady hand on the tiller, he's selecting what works best and when.

Overeem Single Malt Whisky - Old Hobart Distillery - Sherry Cask Matured - 43%

Nose: Immediately, this is very inviting and open, with notes of spiced apple pie, vanilla ice cream some perfumed notes and a slight vegetative note (boiled sweet potato.) Given time some sweet, plump raisins come to the fore, alongside a little dustiness and some cracked black pepper. Extremely rich and complex, all said and done.

Palate: Wonderfully spicy and sweet, with star anise, clove and cinnamon dusted apples coating the palate, alongside some dried fruits (apricot and date), soft caramel and some vibrant blood orange notes. Balanced and very impressive indeed for a youthful whisky.

Finish: Lingering notes of dark chocolate, orange zest and toasted malt give this a luxurious and very lengthy finish.

Overall: What a flying start. Make no mistake, this is high quality whisky making and what's clear is the care and attention that has gone into pulling this expression together. Highly recommended if you're a fan of big, bold sherry monsters.

Overeem Single Malt Whisky - Old Hobart Distillery - Sherry Cask Matured - 60%

Nose: Wallop. This is a big hitter. Wonderful wafts of classic sherry wood hit first, with juicy raisins, dates and prunes, coupled with woody spices, stewed Bramley apple and perhaps just a faint whiff of some smoky embers from a long forgotten fire. With water (just a touch, mind) the lighter fruits come through with more precision, alongside a creamy vanilla.

Palate: At 60%, this is clearly going to be a powerful experience, but extremely pleasing nonetheless. Bold sherry notes (oloroso and PX sweetness) sit alongside a sharp burnt orange zest note, some menthol tones, a blast of anise and high quality cocoa enriched chocolate. With a dash of water, the fires are tempered slightly, but none of the resonance is lost: a touch of woody smoke can be found if you look hard enough, alongside some toasted nuts, celery hearts, flat cola syrup and vanilla. Superb stuff.

Finish: Lengthy, with drying notes of moist raisins and orange peel.

Overall: Consider us mightily impressed, Mr Overeem. At this stage of the distillery's production I doubt many people would have expected what has been achieved here, which all points to further greatness in the future.

With the sherry expressions working far beyond our expectations, let's delve into the port expressions...

Overeem Single Malt Whisky - Old Hobart Distillery - Port Cask Matured - 43%

Nose: Distinctly more perfumed than its tempestuous sherried sibling, this is calmer, more restrained and less bombastic. It has a delicate balance of white flowers, vanilla, ripe summer fruits (strawberry, plum, nectarine and redcurrant) with a sweetened cream drizzled over the top. Dig a little deeper and some polished wood begins to emerge with some tinned peaches popping in for good measure, but not enough to trouble the fresh and fruity frisson that works so well. About as summery a whisky as you could hope for.

Palate: The sweetness of the first sip gives way to notes of liquorice, lemon grass, some toasted oak and a darker, richer fruitiness, one can only assume is derived from a ruby port: think blackcurrant, toasted vanilla, dark chocolate, a touch of spice and notes of leather and lemon zest.

Finish: Subtle and balanced, with a few drying notes of tannic oak and cigar leaf.

Overall: A start contrast to the sherry matured expressions, but no less exciting. This is a superb example of getting the balance between spirit and wood character absolutely spot on.

Finally, the more shouty port expression... could this be a clean sweep?

Overeem Single Malt Whisky - Old Hobart Distillery - Port Cask Matured - 60%

Nose: A very different aroma meets the nose than from the lower ABV version. This time around, it's cracked hard caramel, a touch of butterscotch sauce, roasted walnuts and freshly turned earth, alongside wafts of fresh pine smoke. The lighter fragranced notes are probably in there, waiting to be set free from the spirit, but this is an altogether more grown up affair.

Palate: The higher strength brings an explosion of bold flavours: a distinct toasted nuttiness, some bitter dark chocolate, a touch of espresso coffee, liquorice root, flambeed orange peel and creme brûlée topping. Think after dinner complexity, from that of an XO Cognac or Armagnac and you're in the same ballpark. With water, the perfume notes and a lighter orchard fruit note balance with the bolder flavours from above and you're left with something altogether exceptional.

Finish: Lingering notes of liquorice, orange zest and toasted chocolate malt.

Overall: What can we say... four outstanding whiskies from this fledgling distillery. With the growth in craft distillation, it would be easy to say that anyone with enough time, financial backing and vision could turn in a drinkable whisky, but to get to this level of finesse in such a short space of time is very unique and requires something extra, unobtainable by conventional means. It's clear to us that Casey Overeem has a bag full of this fairy dust at his disposal and we very much look forward to trying the next whiskies he decides to give a sprinkling to.

Follow Overeem on Twitter: @OvereemWhisky

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