What does Christmas taste like? And stemming from that - what does Christmas in a glass taste like? Depending on where you live in the world, Christmas can taste remarkably different. In Poland, Barszcz (beetroot soup). In Denmark Julesild (spiced, pickled herring). In the Philippines, Bibingka (rice-flour cakes). But here in the UK, outside of the traditional roast Turkey, the rich, fruit-laden Christmas cake has been synonymous with the holiday since the 16th century ..read more

Life is all too fleeting – and there’s nothing like a whisky release countdown timer to reinforce that sense of ephemerality. Urgency and scarcity are powerful motivators. Particularly it seems, this year when that clock is striking both at 6am on The Whisky Exchange as normal, but also in an act of complete marketing replication, six hours earlier at 12am on Master of Malt. I’m totally unconvinced that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery here ..read more

Look, if you only had one shot or one opportunity To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment Would you capture it, Or just let it slip ..read more

"We place on paper without hesitation a tissue of flatteries, to which in society we could not give utterance, for our lives, without either blushing or laughing outright." Edgar Allen Poe, 1846 ..read more

Ever since bottling my own well-aged North British last month, I’m finding myself hunting down as many similarly aged examples to compare and contrast with as I can get my hands on. Each one I’ve sampled of late has ticked boxes in terms of both approachability and drinkability. And on occasion that’s exactly what’s called for. Not every whisky experience needs to be either intricate or ethereal – sometimes there’s simple pleasures to be found in a dram being nothing more or less than an agreeable drinking experience ..read more

Back in 2021 Watt Whisky released a 16 year old Clarendon Estate Jamaican rum. Post disgorging they’ve put that rum cask to further use in the maturation on their 9 year old Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. 20 months of finishing in a refill rum cask has resulted in 272 bottles at 56.8% ABV ..read more

Speyside stalwart Glenlossie is often a very safe pick for an indy bottler nowadays. At one point the spirit was infrequently seen on the cask market, now I’d consider it a regular hallmark of natural distillate weight and crisp, refreshing floralness. Watt Whisky’s 264 bottle release has been matured in a hogshead for 10 years before being presented at 56.4% ABV. Whisky Exchange have again got you covered on this one - £61.75 a bottle ..read more

Watt Whisky’s first foray over to Dalmunach sees a 22 month Amontillado sherry butt finish employed. Colour me intrigued. 456 bottles were produced at 57.1% ABV – you’ll still find these at The Whisky Exchange for £61.75 ..read more

I have far fewer (read: none) hints to provide you with on this incognito Highland release – we’ll just have to take it as it comes. 252 bottles at 58.9% ABV and matured in a barrel for 12 years. And still available over on The Whisky Exchange for £74.95 ..read more

Perhaps one of the most prized distilleries for blending in terms of its distillate weight being used to add base notes to a composition – this mystery Speyside release  is described as “rich and meaty” by Watt Whisky. That should be as much of a hint as you need to work it out. 248 bottles were disgorged from a single hogshead before being bottled at 56.1% ABV ..read more