Laphroig & Bowmore Re-visited

We first did a Laphroaig/Bowmore event with Matt Jones way back in 2018, and as many members love these brands, we felt it time for a revisit 7 years later! Working with James Neil and Mike Mclean of Beam Suntory, we pulled together an incredible line-up for both brands. We started with a trio of Bowmore 15 expressions, all showcasing different styles of sherry influence. … Continue reading Laphroig & Bowmore Re-visited

What are you drinking January 25th?

What are you drinking January 25th? Some readers may think that this is a strange question. Why this date you may ask? Those who celebrate January 25th annually with cock-a-leekie soup, neeps, tatties and haggis know that January 25th is Robbie Burns Day. Many may be surprised to learn that they have already raised a glass, indirectly, to Robbie Burns when they rang in the … Continue reading What are you drinking January 25th?

Bowmore Distillery Tour

So after finishing up at Bruichladdich and waiting for the bus at a little café called Debbie’s just up the road from the distillery I grabbed the bus back to Bowmore to drop off the distillery valinch I purchased and headed on over to Bowmore Distillery for their last tour of the day. The Bowmore Distillery tour costs 10 pounds and comes with 3 drams … Continue reading Bowmore Distillery Tour

Laphroaig / Bowmore Tasting – Event Recap

On April 18, we had a tasting event with Matt Jones (@whisky_chef on instagram/twitter), the Beam-Suntory brand ambassador for the company’s Scotch and worldwhisky portfolios. Matt brought us a number of expressions from both of these Islay distilleries and regaled us with tales from that beautiful island, and the people who live and work there. He also brought some great swag for everyone to take … Continue reading Laphroaig / Bowmore Tasting – Event Recap

Bowmore – Devil’s Casks 3

Bowmore – The Devil’s Casks Limited Release 3, 56.7% ABV, Acquired in Trade Marriage of first fill Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. Nose: Signature Bowmore peat, dank/musty/woody, rich sherry, raisins, black cherries, candied strawberries. Taste: Subtle peat, oak spice, chocolate orange, Licorice Allsorts, red plums, cinnamon and molasses. Finish:  Long and drying. Peat, chocolate, and oak spice linger. Thoughts: Its bold for sure, but … Continue reading Bowmore – Devil’s Casks 3

Islay comparison

Five of the big players from Islay. You will notice Bunnahabhain, Bruichladdich, and Kilchoman (among a few others) are absent from this lineup. I wanted to review the entry-level (age statement) offerings from the main distilleries to see how each compare. They are affordable, available, and most of all, these are the ones I currently have. Bowmore 12, 40% ABV, $60 CAD Nose: Very light … Continue reading Islay comparison

A Night at Feather’s Pub (+3 reviews)

Back in August when my wife and I celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary, she gave me a gift of a night out at Feather’s the pre-eminent scotch bar in Toronto. She gave an amount I could spend on whiskies in whatever fashion I wanted, quantity/quality/both, and would drive me home at the end of the night. pretty sweet deal! So fast forward about 4 months … Continue reading A Night at Feather’s Pub (+3 reviews)

Toronto Whisky Society meetup at Devoz’s house, Feb 2016

Toronto Whisky Society got together at Devoz’s house for a few drams…though the word ‘few’ is kind of a lie. boyd86 kinohead devoz and I were drinking all night and tomodera dropped by for some swaps too. here are the drams I tasted and some comments on each, verbatim from my hand-written notes that night, so you can probably tell which ones were later in the evening! Glenmorangie … Continue reading Toronto Whisky Society meetup at Devoz’s house, Feb 2016