Saying goodbye to a Speyburn Arranta this evening. (As it wasn’t one of my favorites, the goodbye wasn’t long or drawn out.) #bottlekill

Really enjoyed the Saint Andrew’s Society of San Francisco’s 163rd Annual Robert Burns Supper last night, with all of its pomp and circumstance. And haggis.

My 5-minute review of an independent bottling from the Glen Garioch Distillery in the Scottish Highlands town of Oldmeldrum that was released from The Good Spirits Company from Glasgow, Scotland. youtu.be/6_PfeX6tVGo

Hope all who are celebrating Burns’ Night are doing so with good drams and good friends!

For those hit by FB's 'We won't recommend your booze page to new people', looks like it might be just a tweak to age restriction: business.cellarpass.com/blog/%20why-...

Great visit last week at Westland Distillery in Seattle. They are doing some very interesting (and delicious) things there. Thanks to John Gibbs and BJ for making the visit special!

I had the opportunity to visit the Daftmill Distillery last month and it reinforced for me what an amazing product is coming out of such a small distillery. So I opened one of their releases from earlier this year and had a few thoughts. Good thoughts in under 5 minutes: youtu.be/6wASAM4pHUY

Back from a recent trip to Scotland and glad I didn’t need to bring home all those extra socks!

In this Whisky Zone Cut Point interview, I talk with David Brodie, < @davidjbrodie.bsky.social > well-known tour guide at the Bunnahabhain Distillery on Islay in Scotland. His long history with the spirits industry on Islay made it fun to get his insider’s perspectives. Enjoy! youtu.be/NjqTdevSIMI

If you haven't voted yet for the 2025 Online Scotch Whisky Awards nominees, voting is still open through Sunday. www.oswa.co.uk/publicpoll2025

Attended an excellent tasting at The Whisky Shop in San Francisco yesterday with Kilchoman Distillery founder Anthony Wills! (although I think an apology is in order for my unusual posture in the photo with Anthony😁)

In a departure from my regular take on individual whisky releases, I was asked to take part in a YouTube challenge to identify my Number One distillery. If you're a whisky lover with broad whisky interests, it's an interesting question. If you're curious, here’s the link: youtu.be/nV-P5FbuEfY

A core range expression from one of the oldest legally recognized distilleries in Scotland should be interesting. That’s why I’ve popped the cork on the Bowmore 15 year old. And with the video review lasting only 5 minutes, that turns into a win-win for everybody! www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2AU...

This is the inaugural release of The Cut Point, interviews that allow me get to...the heart of the matter! This talk is with Jason Lujick, owner and founder of The Oakland Whiskey Library in Oakland, CA, someone on the front lines of putting spirits into the hands of consumers: youtu.be/rD3t1y2kPgo

International travel these days is often full of challenges beyond our control. So if you do it, maybe the Travel Retail Exclusive Classic Laddie Sherry Cask Edition from Bruichladdich is your reward! (I think so, btw.) If you're curious, here's the full 5-minute video review: youtu.be/GkzjX6xyzO4

Well, that sounds like a good thing. www.scottishfinancialnews.com/articles/ind...

A fine send-off this weekend to a lovely bottle of Lore I picked up at the distillery a number of years back. And, yes, that is a Bunnahabhain glass. (Unfortunately, my Laphroaig glass was dirty for the bottle kill pour.)

Atop the outdoor worm tubs cooling system at the Speyburn Distillery, photographed in Rothes, Scotland, October 2024. (And there are more photos, too, if you're curious.) www.thewhiskyzone.com/whisky-shots

BOTTLE DOWN! Always a pleasant dram, the Laphroaig Quarter Cask has worked its way onto my Top 10 sweet-n-peat list and Saturday night turned out to be a good time to say goodbye! #bottlekill

I picked up the Blair Athol 12 y.o. at the distillery earlier this year, a Scottish Highland whisky that’s kind of rare and yet somewhat easy-to-find and is certainly worth a look, I think. It’s an interesting, yet hard to clearly define pour. My five-minute investigation: youtu.be/HlLgGt0n4rQ

Enjoyed a SMWS Outturn tasting tonight at the Oakland Whiskey Library. The Bunnahabhain rocked!

It takes the post office a few extra days to make it over the Rockies and Sierras to reach California, but when they finally do, they bring special things, like David Stirk’s latest book, Whiskyopolis. Can’t wait!

Maybe too much expansion at Ardbeg and Glenmorangie recently. drinks-intel.com/cross-catego...

The Bunnahabhain folks on the Isle of Islay are known for doing interesting things with whisky so if you’re curious if their Banyuls wine cask finished release is any good (OK, spoiler alert: I think it is), I promise I don’t talk about it for more than 5 minutes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PVw...

Attending this year's Fog City Social in San Francisco was a treat, full of special moments, with amazing people, tasty food, great conversations, and ample pours of the best that a wide variety of producers had to offer. #fogcitysocial #sfws

Noticed this on a whisky auction site yesterday and it got me thinking. If overseas companies like auction houses charge tariffs up front on their end, does that money go to the U.S.? Or does the U.S. CBP collect a second tariff?

Had an enjoyable start to Fog City Social Week last night with an Isle of Harris tasting at the Cold Drinks Bar in San Francisco with Robin Coupar! Two very flavorful, just slightly-peated Hearach pours. And gin.

The Whisk(e)y and Barrel Nite is coming up next week in Washington, DC. whiskeyandbarrelnite.com/wash-dc/. There are more fun events across the country and around the world listed at The Whisky Zone Resources page! www.thewhiskyzone.com/resources-fe...

I dipped my toes into the independent bottling pool with a single malt from one of the granddaddies of independent bottlers. The whisky is from the Macduff Distillery, the bottling’s been done by Berry Brothers & Rudd, and the video review is only 5 minutes long. Check it out! youtu.be/p2nZ3eKv7Jc

The only thing better than killing an older Classic Laddie bottle is knowing there's another, newer release just secretly waiting in the wings, biding their time, knowing their own cork pop is coming very soon...

Blair Athol launches new 20 Year Old release thewhiskywire.com/2025/03/31/b...

Upon returning from Scotland this week, the officer at US Customs asked, “Do you have anything to declare?” and I replied, “Well, I brought back some whisky.” He said, “Have a nice day.” So, under direct orders from US Customs, I think I will.

When in Glasgow…

What a brilliant Scottish day! Had an exceptionally fun time at The Independent Spirits Festival and Film Premiere in Leith. Good whisky, amazing film, and the best people!

Currently at SFO, enjoying a very nice Balvenie 14 (at lovely airport prices!) awaiting boarding to start for my flight to Edinburgh! An adventure awaits!🥃

I don't usually follow the awards train but since it won some prominent ones I thought, what the heck. Bottom line: not a bad pour at all. Once you get past the price tag. My 5-minute take: youtu.be/XwrD_1MX218 #laphroaig #friendsoflaphroaig

Enjoying my birthday whisky pour tonight, the exceptional Bruichladdich Rock'ndaal 01.2, along with the wonderfull present "Peat and Whisky: The Unbreakable Bond", from exceptional wife Catherine.

Had some outstanding, delicious drams last night at a friend's house. It's nice to have friends who like to stock - and share - excellent malt! And, yes, there were some bottle kills, but they were given a proper sendoff.

If you're looking for a listing of whisky festivals to attend around the world, check out The Whisky Zone Resources. www.thewhiskyzone.com/resources-fe...

A late afternoon tasting with Sam Filmus and Impex Beverages at The Whisky Shop in San Francisco in honor of Robert Burns with a fine array of Lochlea whiskies.

Attended a really fun San Francisco Whisky Society sponsored Johnnie Walker blenders lab today at Elixir with Paul Jones, Johnnie Walker West Coast brand ambassador. A unique and (tasty!) experience. (Oh and the team I was on did win the best blend, not that winning matters or anything!)

For my first video review of 2025 I poured the Lagg Corriecravie from the Isle of Arran Distillers. If you like peat with a little something special, you’ll like this one. (I really did!) Here’s a link to the full 5-minute video review, if you’re interested in the details: youtu.be/2abou2O07Og

By far, my favorite Christmas gift this year was the Laphroaig wellie bottle bag from the Laphroaig visitor shop. Catherine knocked it out of the park with this one!

This time, I opened the Ardnahoe Inaugural Release, created by the team at the Ardnahoe Distillery, in the village of Port Askaig, on the lovely Scottish isle of Islay. One word: Wow! Here’s the full 5-minute video review, if you’re interested in more than just the one word: youtu.be/MfZUt_d7MVc

A Christmas present to myself arrived today from the nice folks at Royal Mile Whiskies, the elusive 2013 Bunnahabhain Banyuls Cask Finish. Yes, I convinced myself I was a very good boy this year and after careful consideration, I didn’t disagree with myself (and bottle #26, too!).

Part of our holiday traditions, every year we purchase one new ornament for our tree and this handsome guy was this year’s winner! So on behalf of my wife and Whisky Santa, I wish each of you the merriest of Christmas celebrations, with much joy, good health, and the perfect dram of holiday spirits!

Attended a tasting of a “new” American single malt yesterday at The Whisky Shop in San Francisco, from the Virginia Distillery Company. They’re doing some interesting things with unique barrel finishings (cider cask, gingerbread stout cask). Good but nothing jumped out as great.