One book we annually purchase to make sure we are up to date on our statistics concerning existing and new distilleries, is the Malt Whisky Year Book by Ingvar Ronde. Every year, he single handedly sets out to update these stats and self publish them. Enriched with interviews, behind the scenes stories, colourful pictures and…
JUST GETTING STARTED…
For most whisky enthusiasts, entering the Speyside area brings something special. With over 50 active whisky distilleries – and counting, the region has become a new home away from home for WhiskySpeller, albeit for only about two weeks of the year. These two weeks, not very incidentally, always seem to coincide with the busiest time…
DEXTER’S LAB
Well, that was quite a fermentation period… At WhiskySpeller HQ we have been handling a pair of overflowing washbacks the last couple of weeks. Cutting the froth didn’t quite ehm… cut it, so we decided to switch to an anti-foaming agent to clear the schedule a little. Repairs have been done, both stills are undamaged,…
DARNLEY’S
In 2016, we visited the Kingsbarns distillery in the Kingdom of Fife for the first time. Then, they were already producing and casking single malt spirit for a whole year, which means that it has now come of age and can be called whisky. Except for an exclusive selection of their founders’ club members, it…
A WHISKY PILGRIMAGE
Driving through the beautiful Kingdom Fife, we find ourselves nearing the town of Newburgh towards a location that should be a pilgrimage for whisky lovers. Where in the old days Grey Monks grew a diversity of fruits from their own orchards, kept bees for their honey and mead and harvested barley to brew and distill…
THE BORDERS DISTILLERY
The Scottish Borders. An area in Scotland we have mostly passed through, when driving on the coastal A1, trying to reach a more northern destination when coming off the boat at Newcastle upon Tyne. Little did we know that the A696 – the “other” road leading north from Newcastle, would merge with the A68 at…
LEG THREE OF THREE
Because three weeks of touring through Scotland is quite a bit to digest in one read, we decided to gather our notes and split the trip in three more edible parts. Mind you, the first, second and third parts are just a resume of what we have been doing and all distillery visits will be…
LEG TWO OF THREE
Because three weeks of touring through Scotland is quite a bit to digest in one read, we decided to gather our notes and split the trip in three more edible parts. Mind you, this second part is just a resume of what we have been doing and all distillery visits will be getting their own…
LEG ONE OF THREE
Because three weeks of touring through Scotland is quite a bit to digest in one read, we decided to gather our notes and split the trip in three more edible parts. Mind you, this first part is just a resume of what we have been doing and all distillery visits will be getting their own…
BenRiach Triple Distilled
During last weeks’ Spirit of Speyside festival, we were invited by the BenRiach’s Global Brand Ambassador Stewart Buchanan to join him in a tasting of their newly released triple distilled expression. In one of the distillery offices, a table was lushly filled with a selection of cheese, fruit and charcuterie, plus five mystery drams. Starting…
Black sheep Red sheep
Friday the 13th, 2018. A day people seemed to handle with extra care, avoiding dangerous situations, seeing ladders as serious death threats and black cats as fierce mountain lions. Many doomsday scenarios were composed fitting any Guillermo del Toro silver screen adventure. On this very day we decided to travel to Bunnik, a little town…
BEEK
A well-known face in the Dutch Spirit drinks industry took a big leap last year when he surprised his friends and colleagues by quitting his job, leaving everyone flabbergasted with a “see you soon” note. After trying for a while what it would feel like to sleep in, his inner Duracell rabbit was fully recharged…
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