The writer was travelling in Japan at the time, but long-time TWS member, frequent website contributor and former exec Mike O’Leary travelled to Scotland and brought back some real treats from his distillery visits and tours. He was kind enough to host an event and pour some of these for members! which would you want to drink first? Continue reading Distillery Exclusives Tasting with Mike
Over the past few years, we’ve tried to include one non-whisky event in our annual line-up, to help introduce folks to different spirits, and to keep things interesting! In 2021, the event was Rum & Cachaça. While we could have done a full rum event, the opportunity to get some cachaça direct from Brazil presented itself via a co-worker who was going back to visit … Continue reading Rum & Cachaça Tasting – March 2021
In feb 2021 we held a tasting with Waterford Whiskey from Ireland, virtually connecting with the team at the distillery while tasting some of their wares. Waterford’s raison d’etre is to evaluate and demonstrate the effect of terroir on whiskey, much like with the wine industry. They closely monitor the climate and soil conditions at their various farms, creating single farm whiskeys and blends thereof. … Continue reading Waterford Whiskey tasting – Feb 2021
Our AGM looked a little different this year, but we still had a good time online drinking for the last time together in 2020, and did a blind tasting of two Carn More Strictly Limited Bottlings and had people guess their identity and specs. The closest to the mark got to keep the leftovers! Here’s to a better 2021! Continue reading Virtual AGM & Social 2020
COVID sure did change a lot about whisky tastings in 2020, but it didn’t slow them down! In September we managed to work with Sagamore Spirit on a tasting event that included a virtual distillery tour, a history of Maryland Rye, a fantastic giveaway and if course 4 very neat expressions of their Maryland style rye: Sagamore Straight Rye Sagamore Double Oak Rye Sagamore Cask … Continue reading Sagamore Rye Tasting Event
In July 2020 we had a virtual tasting with Bernard Walsh of the Walsh Whisky Distillery in Ireland, presented by Woodman Wines and Spirits. Bernard gave us an overview of the history of Walsh Whiskey, and the ins and outs of their two brands, Writer’s Tears and The Irishman. We had a chance to try 5 expressions from those brands, and the group consensus was … Continue reading Walsh Whiskey Distillery tasting with Bernard Walsh
We love a good wine-finished whisky, whether it’s the Red Series from Longrow, an Octomore X.2 release, a double-barreled single malt from Shelter Point and so on and so forth. So when Corby announced they were collaborating with their recently acquired Foreign Affair Winery for a new whisky release we were VERY interested in the results. Foreign Affair wine club members got a preview of this … Continue reading New Release Spotlight: Pike Creek 15 Foreign Affair Cab Sauv Finish
In February 2020 we had a fantastic event that branched out from our usual whisky fare. We had a line-up of Mezcals led by the Mezcal people with special guest Carmen Marron from Mezcal Agua Santa distillery in Oaxaca! We learned a ton about the different agave varietals used in various Mezcals and the different styles out there as well. Highly recommend setting up a … Continue reading Event Recap: Mezcal Tasting with the Mezcal People
As always, we had an AGM and social to end the year and killed off a ton of great bottles! Continue reading AGM & Social 2019
Many of our members have been fans of the Northern Border Collection all the way back to when it was just a twinkle in Dr. Don Livermore’s eye, and we’ve had the good fortune to try each of the rare range releases over the past three years. For the inaugural line-up, we had Dave Mitton come in and introduce them to us. Last year, we … Continue reading 2019 Northern Border Collection Rare Range Tasting
Last night the Toronto Whisky Society had a fantastic event with Mike Brisebois of the Distell Group of distilleries (Bunnahabhain, Tobermory/Ledaig, Deanston) and shared some amazing drams with the 30+ attendees! Reviews will trickle onto the site and pictures onto our instagram over the next few weeks, but here are some pics of the event, the highlight of which was an 18yr Distillery Exclusive bottling … Continue reading Distell Group Tasting with Mike Brisebois
Toronto Whisky Society 