While Covid changed a lot of things, one thing it didn’t change was our annual Oddballs tradition! in 2021, we had a great Oddballs line-up tasted over Zoom including the following drams, all of which were single cask and cask strength Opinions and favourites were mixed, but everyone agreed there were some massive surprises in the line-up, with the speyside’s sulphury palate being the most … Continue reading Oddballs 2021
Our last in-person tasting before Covid hit…. the before times. Crazy that it would be a full 2.33yrs before we would be in person again – could almost age a whisky to legal maturity in that time! This tasting was pulled together over time through a combination of members bringing in bottles and the brand ambassador providing a bunch as well. The writer was travelling … Continue reading Tomintoul Tasting – Mar 2020
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?
The Toronto Whisky Society has curated some amazing custom bottlings over the years. Here are some pics and descriptions of them! Our inaugural bottling in 2017, This Tobermory 21 yr single cask is aged in ex-bourbon and very lightly peated. Bottled in partnership with Heads & Tails and The Whisky Agency. A gorgeous dram for our first barrel pick! This Orkney (Highland Park) 17yr single … Continue reading TWS Custom Bottlings
The best time of year has come once again! While some of us wish we could say that 2020 was, yet again, a fantastic year for Toronto Whisky Society, 2020 was far from ideal. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a lot of challenges to whisky drinkers around the world and has severely impacted the drinks and hospitality industry from the distilleries who make your favourite spirits, … Continue reading Toronto Whisky Society’s Whiskies of the Year 2020
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
Going back to an old review I did when this bottling hit the Alberta market back in April. It’s interesting to think back on now that Cadenhead’s has decided to replace the Small Batch series with their new “Cadenhead’s Original Collection,” which will all be bottled at 46% ABV, to whether or not this is a negative move or not towards enthusiasts. Personally I like … Continue reading [Review] Knockdhu 9 Year 2010 Cadenhead’s Small Batch
I recently purchased a few whiskies that a friend grabbed for me out West, two of which were split and one I kept for myself out of curiosity because it was a pretty good deal for a 22 year old blended malt at cask strength aged in what appears like sherry casks. It’s also a blend from a newer IB called North Star Spirits who … Continue reading [Review] North Star Spirits Vega 22 Year Old Blended Malt
So it’s coming closer and closer to a year since I’ve been to Campbeltown. And while most would crave to venture back to Springbank and Glengyle and Cadenhead’s, I really yearn to go back to Glen Scotia again because for what it is it was a great distillery experience with some very underrated whisky, especially the unpeated stuff. So with that being said, it’s time … Continue reading [Review] Glen Scotia 8 Year Old (1980s-1990s Bottling)
Hello everyone! As you’ve noticed, due to the difficulties stemming from COVID-19, Toronto Whisky Society hasn’t had too many updates to post onto the main website. So we’re slowly going to be throwing up more content including whisky reviews, starting with a review I wrote a little while ago about this stunning 14 year old Hazelburn single cask that was released exclusively for the Alberta … Continue reading [Review] Hazelburn 14 Year 2005 Fresh Rum Single Cask
(This distillery write-up was written by Toronto Whisky Society member Stephen Sheps. Another big thanks to him for sharing the experiences he had visiting Islay back in 2019!) Part 3 of my Islay Journey is a bit of out chronological order, but it was so good that it needed to be saved for last – Bruichladdich. I should probably preface this review with 2 caveats: … Continue reading Bruichladdich Distillery Review
(This distillery feature was written by Toronto Whisky Society member Stephen Sheps. Thanks to him once again for letting us publish his experiences on Islay!) Day 2 of my trip to Islay was a memorable one to say the least – while nothing could top the stunning high of our visit to Bruichladdich the previous afternoon (saving the best for the last review), we knew … Continue reading Ardbeg Distillery Review (With a Stop at Laphroaig and Lagavulin!)
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