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UNDER THE INFLUENCE
Can any composition be truly unique?
W
hat’s the strongest
emotional reaction that a
whisky has elicited from
you? It could simply be a contented
sigh as you relax into a chair with your
favourite dram. Perhaps you err on the
side of excitement, letting loose a cheer
or delighted squeal or smacking the
table upon tasting a particularly special
liquid. You may even have shed a tear
over a whisky, either for the beauty of
the spirit itself or a beautiful memory
ƒˆϐ‹š‡†–‘‹–• ‘•—’–‹‘Ǥ
Stripping our appreciation of whisky
back to its bare bones, it seems we seek
similar qualities in it that we do from
any other original composition (which,
„›‹–•„”‘ƒ†‡•–†‡ϐ‹‹–‹‘ǡŒ—•–‡ƒ•Dzƒ
creative work”).
That concept of originality is
worth dissecting. Most works of art,
be it musical, visual, or consumable,
are ‘original’ (i.e. they are a single,
unrepeated entity), but to create
something unique – the content of
which bears no relation to anything
previously created or currently
existing – is a different ball game.
I’d go so far as to say that the whole
concept of ‘uniqueness’ in art is a bit
of a misnomer; no artist operates in a
˜ƒ ——ǡˆ”‡‡ˆ”‘‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡ȋƒ† ǯ†
grill anyone who tried to claim that).
In his bestselling book The Seven
Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories, British
Œ‘—”ƒŽ‹•–ƒ†ƒ—–Š‘”Š”‹•–‘’Š‡”
Booker expounded and examined
a theory that there are only seven
ƒ””ƒ–‹˜‡•–”— –—”‡•–Šƒ–‡š‹•–‹ϐ‹ –‹‘Ǥ
These include ‘Rags to Riches’, ‘Voyage
and Return’, ‘Rebirth’, ‘Tragedy’, and
EDITOR’S WORD
BETHANY WHYMARK
‘Overcoming the Monster’ (I’m sure
you’re already thinking of examples
–‘ϐ‹–‡ƒ Š‘ˆ–Š‡•‡ȌǤ ˆ‹–‹•’‘••‹„Ž‡
through critical analysis to boil the
‡•–‡”Ž‹–‡”ƒ”›ƒ† ‹‡ƒ–‹ ϐ‹ –‹‘ƒŽ
canons down to, essentially, the same
seven stories, can we really argue there
is ‘uniqueness’ in this artform? But in
its defence, given that humans have
fundamentally similar drives, emotions,
and reactions to their environment, it’s
perhaps unsurprising that most people
who have ever put pen to paper ended
It is not the uniqueness
of a piece of art that we
value. It is the way it
makes us feel...
up on one of these seven tracks.
As well as this ‘nature’ dynamic,
‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡Šƒ•ƒǮ—”–—”‡ǯ‡Ž‡‡––‘‘Ǥ ˆ
you wish to hone a skill, or a discover
more about an interest, it follows
that you would look to others in that
ϐ‹‡Ž†–‘„”‘ƒ†‡›‘—”‘™Ž‡†‰‡Ǥ•ƒ
musician, I’ll use a musical example:
Ludwig van Beethoven, while a globally
revered composer in his own right,
™ƒ•‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡†‹Š‹•‡ƒ”Ž›™‘”ȋŠ‹•
Ǯ ‹”•–‡”‹‘†ǯ‘ˆƒ†‡ϐ‹‡†–Š”‡‡Ȍ„›Š‹•
contemporaries Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart and Joseph Haydn, as well as
OG pianoman J.S. Bach and his seminal
Baroque-era work The Well-Tempered
Clavier. In turn, Beethoven has inspired
composers across a range of musical
disciplines – from the expansive operas
of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt’s
symphonic poems in the 19th century,
to the cross-genre work of present-day
American composer John Adams.
We’ve posited that ‘unique’ art, made
in an emotional and psychological
vacuum, is likely a red herring. But
generally it is not the uniqueness of a
piece of art that we value. It is the way
it makes us feel: the ineffable beauty,
horror, or wonder it possesses and the
response that elicits.
Most would readily acknowledge
the role of creativity in producing
whisky. Like a symphonic composition,
it requires an intimate understanding
of each component part, what it brings
to the table, and how it can enhance or
temper other elements. When we nose
and sip a whisky, be it a new discovery
or an old favourite, we are searching
for the individual layers and nuances
that were carefully mapped by the
distillers and blenders that produced it.
Ironically, it is the science of whisky
making that brings greater potential
for creative originality: putting the
same spirit from the same distillation
run into two identically produced
casks from the same cooperage on the
same day and ageing them next to each
other for the same amount of time is
no guarantee of consistency. You will
still end up with two spirits that are
unique in the proper sense: inimitable
‘„‹ƒ–‹‘•‘ˆƒ”‘ƒ–‹ ƒ†ϐŽƒ˜‘—”
‘’‘—†•™‹–Š–Š‡‹”‘™•’‡ ‹ϐ‹ 
Ž‡˜‡Žƒ†ƒ–—”‡‘ˆ ƒ•‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡Ǥ
It’s easy to be cynical about the
concept of uniqueness, but with
whisky, we have a good benchmark for
the magnitude of that descriptor.
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 3
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EDITORIAL
Editor-at-large – Christopher Coates
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Editor – Bethany Whymark
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Europe – Hans Offringa
Japan – Stefan Van Eycken
Scotland – Gavin D. Smith
USA – Liza Weisstuch
DESIGN
Creative director – Paul Beevis
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Art editor – Tim A’Court
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Designer and photographer –
Mandy Chettleburgh
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PRODUCTION
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AWARDS
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DATA & TECHNOLOGY
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EVENTS
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COMMERCIAL
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Commercial managers
Jamie Brodie
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MANAGING DIRECTOR
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36
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 42
12
In this issue...
07 Whisky Live
The latest news about the world’s
premier whisky festival
08 One to watch
Liza examines whisky’s recent media
appearances
10 The wooden age
Chris on the history of wooden
distilling vessels
12 Elevating the artform
Jason goes in search of whisky’s
creative ‘auteurs’
20 Regional focus: Texas
The Lone Star State’s whiskey scene
is coming of age
30 Interview: Emily Chappell
Millie meets the illustrator behind
That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s
label designs
36 In search of a spark
Kristiane asks: what are the secrets
to a successful creative partnership
in whisky?
ON T
COVEHRE
PAGE 8
4
42 Interview: Drew Mayville
Sazerac’s master blender shares his
whisky-making lessons
48 Play it again
How music can change and enhance
our whisky experiences
54 The art of perspective
Inside photographer Ernie Button’s
84 Awards introduction & contents
new whisky-focused project
86 Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame
58 Bar focus: Eddie’s Klub
Discover the venue considered 89 Icons of Whisky: America, India,
3RUWXJDO·VÀUVWVSHFLDOLVWZKLVN\EDU and Rest of World
&HOHEUDWLQJHDFKUHJLRQ·VÀQHVW
64 Altered states
people and places
Where whisky and the psychology of
creativity meet 92 Icons of Whisky: Global
Which of our regional winners
70 Tastings
have triumphed?
Christopher and Bethany sample the
latest batch of new releases 98 World Whiskies Awards 2023
Design winners
80 Travel retail
Marking Lunar New Year in 2023 100 World Whiskies Awards 2023
Taste winners
82 Caskaway
We send Compass Box founder John
Glaser to our desert island

A CULTURE OF CREATIVITY
3DUWQHUVKLSVZLWKEURDGDSSHDOFDQEHQH¿WZKLVN\IDQVWRR
T
oday, whether in dive bars or
private members’ clubs, I’m
used to seeing whisky on the
lips of patrons from all walks of life,
nearly everywhere I go. And yet, a
recent trip to the 23rd Festival Del
Habano brought home quite how
niche whisky, especially single malt,
remains today. In Cuba I met trade,
’”‡••ǡƒϐ‹ ‹‘ƒ†‘•ƒ† ‘ŽŽ‡ –‘”•ˆ”‘
across the globe, all united by a shared
Ž‘˜‡‘ˆ ‹‰ƒ”•ƒ†–Š‡ϐ‹‡”–Š‹‰•‹
life. Though I did meet one loyal Whisky
Magazine•—„• ”‹„‡”‘–Š‡ϐŽ‹‰Š––‘–Š‡
Caribbean and a few more throughout
the week, I was surprised by how few
whisky drinkers were to be found
among the collected connoisseurs.
Almost all I spoke to showed
enthusiasm upon learning I hailed
from the Scotch sphere, but most were
†‡ϐ‹‹–‡Ž›‹–Š‡‡ƒ”Ž›•–ƒ‰‡•‘ˆ–Š‡‹”
whisky journeys. Serving as a reminder
of the power of Scotch whisky’s leading
luxury marque, it was The Macallan’s
recent James Bond 60th Anniversary
Collection that I was asked about most
often. Hitherto, I’d paid little attention
to the collection, being somewhat put
off by the lack of age statements and
information about the liquid – though
I had to admit the interactive Bond
experience at Harrods looked like fun.
Regardless, this valuable time spent
outside my regular whisky circles
really drove home how irrelevant
my gripes with the collection are to
even discerning buyers – including
those fully clued up on concepts
such as terroir, blending, ageing, and
provenance by dint of their passion for
6 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
EDITOR-AT-LARGE
CHRISTOPHER COATES
cigars – and the importance of high-
visibility partnerships to the relevance
and status of Scotch whisky.
In a world where 1,000 distractions
per minute are competing for our
attention, this kind of creative
endeavour with broad appeal is
perhaps more critical than ever in
order to cut through the noise and give
newcomers a touchpoint that can help
orient them in what can admittedly be
an overwhelming sea of distilleries,
blenders and bottlings. Though
I believe that this kind
of blue-sky thinking
will be as imperative as
production expertise
traditionalists often roll their eyes at
such partnerships, I believe that, when
done well, these creative collaborations
ƒŠƒ˜‡„‡‡ϐ‹–•ˆ‘”’—”‹•–•ǡ–‘‘Ǥ
For example, The Dalmore’s
Luminary No.1, which saw architect
Kengo Kuma and his protégé work
with master blenders Richard Paterson
and Gregg Glass, not only produced a
beautiful, high-end fusion of design
and distilling that attracted collectors
of both art and whisky, but it also
helped support parent company Whyte
& Mackay’s nascent Scottish Oak
Programme, as both the Collectible
and Rare expressions incorporated
casks built from wind-felled local
timber. By creating a high-value
proposition to support what is a costly
and time-consuming cask-supply
project, Luminary No.1 will help the
programme to continue bearing fruit in
more enthusiast-focused products such
as the Whisky Works series and the
new 18-year-old from Fettercairn.
Similarly, early distillery partners of
Web3 technology companies BlockBar
and Amber Island have not only
brought whisky to an as-yet untapped
tech crowd but also helped those start-
ups lay the foundations of innovative
marketplaces and create new online
communities for whisky lovers to
engage with.
I’ll admit I remain highly sceptical of
NFT projects based on the proposition
that the digital art itself has intrinsic
value (thankfully, this isn’t either
company’s focus), but as a means of
buying, remotely storing, and easily
trading bottles across borders I can
see huge potential – especially as both
BlockBar and Amber Island are backed
by trusted travel-retail businesses Duty
Free Americas and Gebr. Heinemann,
respectively. It’s early days, but I’m
optimistic and can’t wait to see how
these projects will develop as they
add more exclusive bottles to their
platforms, iron out the creases and
expand their real-world delivery and
experiential capabilities.
At a time when the Scotch whisky
category is facing substantial
regulatory and economic threats at
home and abroad, I believe that this
kind of blue-sky thinking will be as
imperative as production expertise and
environmental sustainability when it
comes to keeping the spirit we love
appealing for generations to come.

GOING DOWN UNDER
Preparing for Whisky Live’s Australian shows
This year’s Whisky Live season in
Australia is about to begin, with six premier
tasting shows lined up in the country’s
major cities over the next six months.
Starting in Melbourne in April, the Whisky
Live Australia calendar for 2023 will take in
Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney, and Perth, before
concluding in Adelaide in September.
Ticket holders will have the chance to
sample a vast array of high-quality whiskies
and spirits from distilleries across the world
and sit in on expert-led classes focusing on
particular whiskies. Also included in the
ticket price are a whisky glass to use while
tasting, a printed guide with descriptions of
all the whiskies available to sample, and an
assortment of food to graze on while tasting.
Visitors will also be able to buy bottles of
Find out more at www.whiskylive.com
Sponsored by Glencairn Crystal
their favourite whiskies on the day.
Alongside the exhibitors’ stalls, each show
will host its own Rare and Old Bar, housing
ƒ•‡Ž‡ –‹‘‘ˆϐ‹‡ǡ”ƒ”‡ƒ†‘–Š‡”™‹•‡Šƒ”†Ǧ
–‘Ǧϐ‹†„‘––Ž‹‰•–Šƒ– ƒ„‡•ƒ’Ž‡†ˆ‘”ƒ
additional price. Rare and Old Bar vouchers
can also be purchased and redeemed at any
of the Whisky Live shows in Australia.
The dates for Whisky Live in Australia
in 2023 are: Melbourne, 28–29 April;
Canberra, 26–27 May; Brisbane, 16–17
June; Sydney, 22–23 July; Perth, 11–12
August; Adelaide, 22–23 September.
For more information on the individual
shows, visit www.whiskylive.com.au.
Discover a Whisky Live event near you
at www.drinks-live.com/worldwide.

ONE TO WATCH
Whisky is capturing the attention of mainstream media
I
’ve been struck by a bout of
disorientation lately. It started
about a year into the pandemic,
but it really ramped up in early 2023.
It’s that same disorientation I’ve
experienced when a musician or actor
ǯ˜‡ƒ†‘”‡†ǡ™Š‘ǯ•ƒ„‡Ž‘˜‡†ϐ‹‰—”‡
ƒ‘‰†‡˜‘–‡†ˆƒ•„—–‹•’”‡––›
much overlooked by the masses, has
his breakout moment. He has a role
‹ƒ’‘’—Žƒ”ϐ‹Ž‘”Š‹•—•‹ ƒ’’‡ƒ”•
in a television advert and suddenly
‡˜‡”›‘‡‹•–ƒŽ‹‰ƒ„‘—–Š‹ǡƒ†Š‹•
‰‹”Žˆ”‹‡†ƒ†Š‹•–ƒ––‘‘ƒ†–Š‡‘—–ϐ‹–
he wore to an awards ceremony, etc.
Over the past few months, whisky –
Scotch in particular – has been in the
news a lot. Like, a whole lot. Yes, I know
‹–‹‰Š–•‘—†ƒ„•—”†–‘ ‘’ƒ”‡–Š‡
™‹––‡” Šƒ––‡”ƒ†‡†‹ƒ ‘˜‡”ƒ‰‡
•—””‘—†‹‰ƒ ‡–—”‹‡•Ǧ‘Ž†Š‡”‹–ƒ‰‡Ǧ
”ƒˆ–Ǧ–—”‡†Ǧ ‘”’‘”ƒ–‡ǦŒ—‰‰‡”ƒ—–
to the attention conferred upon
‘ŽŽ›™‘‘†ǯ•‡™‡•– ‘–‘—‰Š‹‰ǡ
but ride this one out with me.
Š‡ƒ‹•–”‡ƒ‡†‹ƒŠƒ•Ž‘‰
„‡‡’—„Ž‹•Š‹‰•–‘”‹‡•ƒ„‘—– ‘– Šǡ
bourbon, Irish, Japanese whiskies and
the rest, but it’s typically a fun feature
in a news or culture publication’s
lifestyle section. Sometimes, as any
”‡ƒ†‡”‘ˆ–Š‹•ƒ‰ƒœ‹‡‘™•ǡ‹–ǯ•ƒ
report about a labour issue, market
ϐŽ— –—ƒ–‹‘•ǡ‘”ƒ ‘”’‘”ƒ–‡‡”‰‡”
or acquisition. These days, however,
–Š‡”‡ƒ”‡„‹‰‰‡”–‘’‹ ••’ƒ”‹‰‘‹•›
reaction and discussion.
‘•–”‡ ‡–Ž›ȋƒ•‘ˆ™”‹–‹‰–Š‹•
in late February) was the hullabaloo
around the report that former Scottish
ϐ‹”•–‹‹•–‡”‹ ‘Žƒ–—”‰‡‘”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡†
8 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
THOUGHTS FROM
LIZA WEISSTUCH
in January in an effort to curb alcohol
•ƒŽ‡•ƒ†ǡ‹–—”ǡ’”‘„Ž‡†”‹‹‰Ǥ
In a statement that will likely live
in infamy, she asserted: “Without
„”ƒ†‹‰ƒ†‘–Š‡”ƒ”‡–‹‰
•–”ƒ–‡‰‹‡•ǡƒŽ ‘Š‘Ž’”‘†— –•‹‡ƒ Š
„‡˜‡”ƒ‰‡•—„Ǧ•‡ –‘”ƒ”‡‡••‡–‹ƒŽŽ›
˜ƒ”‹ƒ–‹‘•‘ˆ–Š‡•ƒ‡–Š‹‰Ǥdz
–ϐ‹”•–ǡ –Š‘—‰Š–•Š‡™ƒ• ‘ϐŽƒ–‹‰
ƒŽŽ™Š‹•‹‡•ȂͶͷǦ›‡ƒ”Ǧ‘Ž†•‹‰Ž‡ƒŽ–
Scotch, blended Scotch, Japanese,
‡”‹ ƒǡ ”‹•Šƒ†‡˜‡”›–Š‹‰‡Ž•‡
ƒŽ‹‡Ǥ—–‘ƒ Ž‘•‡””‡ƒ†ǡ‹–‰‘–™‘”•‡Ǥ
By equalising beer,
wine and spirits... she
announced the drink’s
prevailing popularity
›”‡ˆ‡””‹‰–‘Dz‡ƒ Š„‡˜‡”ƒ‰‡•—„Ǧ
•‡ –‘”dzǡ–—”‰‡‘•ƒ‹†–Š‡†‹ˆˆ‡”‡ ‡•
„‡–™‡‡‘‰‘”‡ͳ͸ƒ†ƒ’Š”‘ƒ‹‰
25 are as imperceptible as those
ƒ‘‰„—ŽǦ’”‘†— ‡†˜‘†ƒ•Ǥ ‘–Š‡”
™‘”†•ǡ•Š‡ƒ‘— ‡†Š‡”Šƒ”†ǦŽ‹‡
ƒ†ǡˆ”ƒŽ›ǡ‘ˆˆ‡•‹˜‡‹‰‘”ƒ ‡‘ˆ
Š‡”ƒ–‹‘ǯ•„‹‰‰‡•–ƒ†‘•–ˆƒ‘—•
‡š’‘”–ǡƒŠ—‰‡‡ ‘‘‹ †”‹˜‡”ȋ‹–ƒ††•
͉͸Ǥͳ„‹ŽŽ‹‘–‘–Š‡‡ ‘‘›ƒ—ƒŽŽ›Ȍ
and, perhaps more essentially, a core
‘ˆ‹–• —Ž–—”ƒŽŠ‡”‹–ƒ‰‡Ǥ ”‡•’‘•‡ǡ
Scotch producers have not only made
–Š‡’‘‹––Šƒ–‡Ž‹‹ƒ–‹‰„”ƒ†‹‰
would affect tourism, but that it
†‹•”‡‰ƒ”†‡† ‘–Žƒ†ǯ•Ž‘ˆ–›”‘Ž‡‹
history and history’s important role in
Scotland today.
In a way, this points to a failure of
•— ‡••Ǥ–—”‰‡‘†‹†‘–ƒ‡Š‡”
•–ƒ–‡‡–‹”‡ˆ‡”‡ ‡–‘–Š‡‘”‡Ǧ
—„‹“—‹–‘—•„‡‡”Ǥȋ ˆ›‘—†‹•ƒ‰”‡‡ƒ„‘—–
ubiquity, ask yourself this: does anyone
†”‹ ‘– Š™Š‡ƒ––‡†‹‰ƒ•’‘”–•
ƒ– ŠǫȌ›‡“—ƒŽ‹•‹‰„‡‡”ǡ™‹‡ƒ†
spirits, whether impulsively or with
calculation, she announced the drink’s
’”‡˜ƒ‹Ž‹‰’‘’—Žƒ”‹–›Ǥ
–‹–•ƒ—ƒŽ‡ ‘‘‹ „”‹‡ϐ‹‰‹
February, the Distilled Spirits Council of
–Š‡‹–‡†–ƒ–‡•”‡˜‡ƒŽ‡†–Šƒ–ƒˆ–‡”ͳ͵
•–”ƒ‹‰Š–›‡ƒ”•‘ˆ‰ƒ‹‹‰ƒ”‡–•Šƒ”‡ǡ
spirits supplier revenues surpassed
„‡‡”ˆ‘”–Š‡ϐ‹”•––‹‡Ǥ’‹”‹–••ƒŽ‡•
Ž‘ ‡†‹ƒ–ͶʹǤͳ’‡” ‡–‘ˆ–Š‡
alcoholic drinks market, while beer
Š‡Ž†ƒ–ͶͳǤͻ’‡” ‡–Ǥ
–—”‰‡‘ǯ•ƒ‘— ‡‡–‹•ǡ‘ˆ
course, all smoke and mirrors. Even
‹ˆ•‘‡‹†‘ˆ‡™”‡‰—Žƒ–‹‘™‡”‡
–‘Ž‹‹–ƒŽ ‘Š‘Žƒ†˜‡”–‹•‹‰ǡ‘‘‡
™‹–Š–Š‡ƒ„‹Ž‹–›–‘ ‘—––‘ͳͲ ‘—Ž†„‡
‘˜‹ ‡†–Šƒ–ƒŽŽ•‹‰Ž‡ƒŽ–•Ȃ‘”ƒŽŽ
‰‹•‘”Žƒ‰‡”•‘””—•Ȃƒ”‡–Š‡•ƒ‡
™‹–Š‘—––Š‡‹”‹†‡–‹ˆ›‹‰Žƒ„‡ŽǤ†
Ž‡–ǯ•„‡Š‘‡•–ǡƒŽ ‘Š‘Žƒ†˜‡”–‹•‹‰
could never come to an end – not with
corporate titans always poised to spend
ƒ•Šǡ‘”™‹–Š•‘ ‹ƒŽ‡†‹ƒ”‡ƒ –‹‰–‘
ƒŽ‰‘”‹–Š•ƒ†‰‘„„Ž‹‰—’ƒ––‡–‹‘Ǥ
‡”‹ ƒ”‡‰—Žƒ–‘”–Š‡Ž ‘Š‘Žƒ†
Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡†ƒ‰—‹†‡•’‡ŽŽ‹‰‘—–Š‘™‹–•
ƒŽ ‘Š‘Žƒ†˜‡”–‹•‹‰”‡‰—Žƒ–‹‘•ƒ’’Ž›
to social media. Alcohol companies
ƒ”‡‘–”‡“—‹”‡†–‘‰‡–’”‡ƒ’’”‘˜ƒŽ‘ˆ
advertisements, but the TTB offered to
review materials for compliance. This
is a rational and achievable measure
–Šƒ–ǯ•Šƒ”†–‘ϐ‹†ˆƒ—Ž–™‹–Šǡ—Ž‹‡
–—”‰‡‘ǯ•‡š–”‡‡’”‘’‘•ƒŽǤ

THE WOODEN AGE
Development of wooden stills in the pre-steam era
A
s incongruous as it might
seem, wooden distilling vessels
appeared in the 12th century
at the advent of liquor distillation
in Europe. This excludes wooden
‘†‡•‡”•ǡ‘”ϐŽƒ‡•–ƒ†• ‘–ƒ‹‹‰
metal worms, in use since the early
15th century. Wooden stills remained
a valued and common material in
many countries into the 20th century.
–‹Ž–Š‡ͳͻ͵Ͳ•ǡ–Š‡„—Ž‘ˆ‰”ƒ‹
™Š‹•›ƒ—ˆƒ –—”‡†‹‘”–Š‡”‹ ƒ
and the British Isles used wooden
distilling apparatuses.
While wooden pot-style vessels
impart an inferior spirit due to limited
sulphur-copper contact and retention
‘ˆˆ—•‡Ž‘‹Ž•ǡ–Š‡›•‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ–Ž›Ž‘™‡”‡†
the cost of capital and production, with
–‹„‡”‹””‡’Žƒ ‡ƒ„Ž›‡š’‡†‹‡–Ǥˆ–‡”
the invention of steam boilers wooden
stills found popularity, especially
in countries mashing rye and corn,
‘–ƒ„Ž›‹‘”–Š‡”—”‘’‡ƒ†‘”–Š
‡”‹ ƒǡ™Š‡”‡†‹•–‹ŽŽ‹‰‘–Š‡‰”ƒ‹
was a prerequisite to the British wort-
based wash in pot stills.
Š‡ϐ‹”•–†‡• ”‹’–‹‘‘ˆ™‘‘†‡
stills was reported in Ireland’s 14th-
century Red Book of Ossory, describing
a wooden lidded ‘clepydra’ as the
ƒŽ‡„‹ Š‡ƒ†ǡ–Š‡’‘–Ž‹‡Ž›‘ˆ‡–ƒŽ
‘”ϐ‹”‡†‡ƒ”–Š‡™ƒ”‡Ǥ–‹Žƒ••Ǧ
smelted copper became affordable
and desirable, early distillers used
combinations of glass, alloy metals,
pottery and wood for distillation
‡“—‹’‡–Ǥ ‡”‹ ƒǡ–Š‡ϐ‹”•–•–‹ŽŽ•
manufactured at Jamestowne in 1608
were blown from locally made glass
ƒ†ǡ‹ͳ͸͵Ͳǡˆ”‘ϐ‹”‡† ‡”ƒ‹ Ǥ ‘Š
10 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
MYTHBUSTERS
CHRIS MIDDLETON
Owings’ Bourbon Furnace Company
„‡‰ƒ’”‘†— ‹‰–Š‡ϐ‹”•–‡–— ›
stills in 1797, being of questionable
spirit quality as he mounted wooden
–‘’•‘ͷͲǦ‰ƒŽŽ‘‹”‘Ǧˆ‘”‰‡†‡––Ž‡•
for pioneer farmers.
The seminal distillation publication
by Hieronymus Brunschwig in 1512
featured an etching of a wooden bain-
marie distilling vessel with six glass
moorshead alembics submerged in
a wooden tub. The advent of steam
boilers would revolutionise the use of
wooden distilling
vessels appeared... at
the advent of liquor
distillation in Europe
wooden stills. Johann Glauber, in 1648,
copied Claude Dariot’s 1603 treatise
on steam distilling, using copper
‰Ž‘„‡Ǧ•Šƒ’‡†ϐŽƒ••–‘‹Œ‡ –•–‡ƒ
‹–‘ƒ™‘‘†‡ ƒ•ǡ™‹–Š–Š‡˜ƒ’‘—”
•‡––‘ƒ•‡ ‘† ƒ•ˆ‘” ‘†‡•ƒ–‹‘Ǥ
Žƒ—„‡”‘˜‡†–‘•–‡”†ƒǡ™Š‡”‡
the Dutch controlled the international
copper trade, soon to be supplanted
by the British. His technique inspired
‹—•‡’’‡ƒŽ—œœ‘–‘‹’”‘˜‡‡ˆϐ‹ ‹‡ ›
with a set of retort ‘eggs’ which, in
1767, Peter Woulfe made into a series
of Woulfe bottles. In France, Edouard
†ƒ‘†‹ϐ‹‡†‘—Žˆ‡ǯ•„‘––Ž‡‹ͳͺͲͳ
–‘‡‰‹‡‡”‘‡‘ˆ–Š‡ϐ‹”•– ‘–‹—‘—•
batch distillations by connecting
a series of ‘eggs’ for sequential
distillations. Variations of this semi
and continuous batch distilling method
ƒ’’‡ƒ”‡†‹‡•–‡”—”‘’‡ƒ†‘”–Š
‡”‹ ƒǡŽ‡ƒ†‹‰–‘–Š‡‡”‹ ƒ
‘doubler’ development by the 1820s.
Brunschwig, Glauber and other
‡”ƒ†‹•–‹ŽŽ‹‰Šƒ†„‘‘•ȋ›ˆˆǡ
Gesner, von Hohenheim, Puff, Faithr,
et al.) were copied by English
authors such as John French writing
in 1651: ‘Manner of Distilling in
Wooden Vessels’, and ‘Balneum and
Boiling vessel made of Wood’. The
dissemination of wood distilling
‘™Ž‡†‰‡™ƒ•‡˜‹†‡–™Š‡–Š‡
‹”‰‹‹ƒ••‡„Ž›‰”ƒ–‡†‡™ ‘Ž‘‹•–
George Fletcher a 14-year patent to
‘distill and brew in wooden vessels’ in
1652, noting he was not the inventor.
The turning point for steam was in
1698, when Thomas Savery patented
–Š‡ϐ‹”•–’—’–‘—•‡•–‡ƒ’”‡••—”‡–‘
ˆ‘” ‡™ƒ–‡”ˆ”‘ϐŽ‘‘†‡† ‘’’‡”ƒ†
–‹‹‡•‹‡˜‘ǤŠ‘ƒ•‡™ ‘‡
’ƒ–‡–‡†–Š‡ϐ‹”•– ‘‡” ‹ƒŽŽ›˜‹ƒ„Ž‡
steam engine 14 years later, upgraded
by James Watt for powering locomotion
in 1759. Christopher Colles, an Irish
‹‹‰”ƒ––‘‡”‹ ƒǡ”‡’Ž‹ ƒ–‡†–Š‡
‡™ ‘‡‡‰‹‡‹ͳ͹͹ʹ–‘’—’
water at a Philadelphia distillery.
By 1787, a Boulton and Watt steam
‡‰‹‡™ƒ•‹•–ƒŽŽ‡†ƒ–‘„‡”––‡‹ǯ•
‹Ž„ƒ‰‹‡‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›‹ ‘–Žƒ†–‘
pump water. Steam’s next step was to
vaporise alcohol.
Britain’s excise laws and
manufacturing regulations hampered
wooden distillation until Stein and
Coffey invented continuous wood-
framed stills. The cost of copper and
–Š‹ ƒ•Š‡•‹‡”‹ ƒŽ‡†–‘™‘‘†‡
steam charger stills.
12 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
 Whisky People Whisky Auteurs

WORDS JASON THOMSON

Whisky making is considered by many to be an artform as much as a

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T
here is something
particularly special about
being pulled into someone
else’s world. No matter the
medium, be it a painting,
a song or a novel, the artist wants their
work to lift you out of the material
world and set down in theirs, even if it is
just for a moment. That is the real goal
for anyone creating something for other
people to consume.
Of all the art forms there are, cinema
might just be the most immersive.
Filmmaking, like whisky production,
appears on paper to be a deceptively
simple process, but it’s the small
intricacies that set it apart. Back when
’Š›•‹ ƒŽϐ‹Ž•–‘ ™ƒ•—•‡†ǡ„‡ˆ‘”‡–Š‡
–”ƒ•‹–‹‘–‘†‹‰‹–ƒŽˆ‘”ƒ–•ǡƒϐ‹Ž™ƒ•
composed of individual still images; 24
‘ˆ–Š‡•‡™‘—Ž†ϐŽƒ•Š„›‡˜‡”›•‡ ‘†
to create the impression of movement
(hence the early cinematic moniker
'moving pictures'), allowing a story to
be told. Like converting barley grains
into single malt, a kind of magic is being
applied, which is simple to understand
but takes years to master. In today's
world where people can capture
countless images at any time with a
pocket-sized device, photography and
videography are simple and accessible
hobbies – but much like whisky, it takes
a truly skilled practitioner to make
something special.
In cinema, the best directors often
„”‹‰’‡”•‘ƒŽŠƒŽŽƒ”•–‘–Š‡ϐ‹Ž•
they work on: it might be an impossibly
looping camera shot, a focus on a
certain aspect of the human psyche,
or an on-screen symmetry so intense
it becomes unsettling and unworldly.
Š‡”‡ƒ”‡ϐ‹Žƒ‡”•‘—––Š‡”‡Ȃ–Š‡
auteurs of the art – whose styles are
so idiosyncratic that just by looking at
one of those 24 still images captured on
ϐ‹Žǡ›‘— ƒ‹‡†‹ƒ–‡Ž›‹†‡–‹ˆ›–Š‡
creative force in its composition.

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 13

Whisky People Whisky Auteurs

Is this sort of individuality present in

whisky? Since the 1980s, the real skill
that has come to whisky making across
the world is consistency, creating the
potential for clashes with creativity
in production. Is it possible for the
individual to shine through, or will
creating a memorable and sustainable
product always be the most important
factor? As in the movie business, the
size of your operation might be a big
factor in your creative freedom.
“We’re in the indie sector,” says
Peter Mulryan of Blackwater
Distillery in West Waterford, Ireland.
Mulryan is ideally placed to look at
this comparison: before founding
Blackwater, he worked as a TV producer.
He points out that when the distillery
began producing spirits, Ireland’s
whiskey scene was almost exclusively
dictated by larger corporations. “In any
healthy ecosystem, you’ve got top-
down multinationals, but you also have
ground-up individuals,” he says.
Forging its own path, Blackwater
Distillery uses a double distillation
method in its production, shunning
the triple distillation that has become
synonymous with Irish whiskey.
Mulryan and his team (because you
ƒǯ–ƒ‡™Š‹•›‘”ϐ‹Ž•™‹–Š‘—–ƒ
team) have also delved into distilling
with heritage grains. “What we’re trying
to do here is use a lot of oats because
oats, I think, are Ireland’s gift to the
distilling world,” he says. While this
use of a long-neglected grain connects
Blackwater to Ireland’s distilling
traditions, Mulryan is acutely aware
of why the bigger distilleries stopped
using it in the 1960s: it brings down
yields, which is something the growing
industry was actively moving away
from. But adopting techniques such as
this that could not be easily replicated
on a large scale allowed Blackwater to
carve out a niche.
Scale is something that Stephanie
Macleod, newly appointed director
of Scotch whisky blending at Bacardi,
must deal with daily. Macleod joined
Bacardi-owned Dewar’s in 1998 and

14 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 Whisky People Whisky Auteurs
Opening pages: worked under master blender Tom
A Compass Box Aitken until she took on the role herself
bottling by specialist in 2006. Macleod believes innovation
spirits design agency
Stranger & Stranger.
has always been a cornerstone of
Dewar’s and points to the brand’s rich
These pages, Š‹•–‘”›‘ˆ ƒ•ϐ‹‹•Š‹‰ƒ•ƒ‡šƒ’Ž‡
clockwise from of its experimentation. “We honour our
top right: heritage and house style, but we try
Taking Balcones new things too. It’s a great balance,”
whiskey from
the cask;
she says. While the drive to try new
Balcones' Lineage things seems to be a common thread
and Pilgrimage between Blackwater and Dewar’s, an
single malts; John interesting difference is their views
Glaser, founder of on consistency when it comes to the
Compass Box. ϐ‹ƒŽ’”‘†— –ǤDz•ƒ•–‡”„Ž‡†‡”ǡ–Š‡
ultimate accountability for the quality
and consistency of our whiskies lies
with me,” Macleod says, while pointing
out the company’s commitment to
quality control and consistency.
Mulryan’s thoughts are very different.
“For us, consistency is death,” he shares
with a laugh. As an ‘indie’ trying to
make its own way, Blackwater has to
be “a little bit out there” – without that
edge, Mulryan says, its products won't
get the attention afforded to those from
bigger brands with bigger budgets.
Mulryan’s passion for creating
something new in whisky isn’t itself
new. In Waco, Texas, Chip Tate echoes
many of his views. The word 'pioneer’
is one that might be overused in today’s
vernacular, but in Tate’s case it might
not be quite enough. Not once, but twice
he embarked on building a distillery
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 15

ˆ”‘–Š‡‰”‘—†—’ǡ•–‹ŽŽ•ƒ†ƒŽŽȂϐ‹”•–
at Balcones, then at Tate & Co. Distillery.
If ever there was a case of someone
determined to put their own stamp on
their spirits, Tate’s wouldn’t be a hard
one to argue.
“I think so much of that comes down
But that's what masters of their
craft do: they create things
worth consuming...
to forming and building on a shared
vision of what it is that makes the
work there what it is,” Tate tells me.
He’s quick to point out that simply
replicating something that worked
for a more prosperous brand doesn’t
guarantee you the same success: “I’ve
Whisky People Whisky Auteurs
These pages, actually never seen anybody do it
clockwise from successfully. I’ve seen a few people try.”
bottom left: When it comes to the spirits that he
Inside Ireland's
sets out to make, he says, “There has
Blackwater Distillery;
Checking the new to be something relatively simple and
make at Blackwater; compelling at the surface to pull you
Peter Mulryan in a little bit more, to investigate a little
examines a spirit bit more.”
sample. Hearing his thoughts on making the
correct creative choices, it is possible
to draw an interesting parallel with
the responsibility that Macleod feels at
Dewar’s. “As an artist who has children
and [a] wife in the house,” Tate says,
“I need to make artistic decisions
–Šƒ–ƒ”‡ϐ‹ƒ ‹ƒŽŽ›”‡•’‘•‹„Ž‡ƒ†
commercially viable.”
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 17
Whisky People Whisky Auteurs
Tate's comments seem to hint that the
way to ensure your creative choices are
the right (or at least the most successful)
‘‡•‹•„›ƒ•–‡”‹‰›‘—” ”ƒˆ–ϐ‹”•–ǡ
then starting to play with the process.
Both Mulryan and Macleod share similar
sentiments – and this mastery could be
what is at the core of individual creativity
in whisky. “The degree to which someone
can be invited into the creative process
depends in part on how much they can
be trusted,” says Tate. However, other
people will be involved at some point. As
‡–‹‘‡†‡ƒ”Ž‹‡”ǡ„‘–Šϐ‹Žƒ†™Š‹•›
making are art forms that are almost
impossible to do alone.
According to Jill Boyd, whisky maker
at Compass Box, “Collaboration is at the
heart of whisky.” Jill and fellow whisky
maker James Saxon are part of the small
Compass Box team who are tasked with
creating its exciting limited editions and
ensuring that the core-range products
meet the high standards the company is
known for. “We’re all drawn to whiskies
™‹–Š‰‡‡”‘—•ϐŽƒ˜‘—”ƒ†‰‘‘†„ƒŽƒ ‡ǡdz
Saxon says. From talking to them, it
seems that while there is no set style for
the team to follow, there is a ‘Compass
Box ethos’ that permeates through
everything they make. Boyd shares
that she “rarely creates the exact blend
I was expecting” when setting out on
something new, and that she “loves the
—‡š’‡ –‡†‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡•–Šƒ–†‹ˆˆ‡”‡–
distilleries can bring out in each other,
creating nuance or boldness where you
wouldn’t anticipate.”
18 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
Saxon’s response echoes the freedom
they have when compared with larger
companies: “Being blenders, you do
have this kind of limitlessness and that
is the beauty for us.” Interestingly, both
Mulryan from Blackwater and Saxon
from Compass Box make the same point
when it comes to how they work: when
crafting their spirits, they’ll focus on the
inputs and the process without focusing
too much on the exact end product,
trusting their stocks, their team and
their well-honed instincts to create
something worth drinking.
But that’s what masters of their craft
do: they create things worth consuming
and spending time with, things that
will leave an impression with the
consumer. That can take many forms.
It could be hugely talented individuals
© STRANGER & STRANGER | BALCONES | COMPASS BOX | BLACKWATER DISTILLERY | BACARDI
working at bigger studios or larger
companies, using their experience to
ensure the most consistent and most
ϐ‹––‹‰’”‘†— –’‘••‹„Ž‡Ǥ”‹– ‘—Ž†„‡
independents or individuals generating
ideas and products that haven’t been
seen in the mainstream before, pushing
boundaries in a way that sparks new
and exciting methods of production.
Tate sums it up nicely: “It’s kind of
interesting to hear what [cellist] Yo-Yo
Ma would make if he did jazz. I don’t
This page: know what that would be, but I’d listen
Stephanie Macleod, to it.” When a master of their craft, an
director of Scotch
auteur, puts something out there for you
whisky blending
at Bacardi, outside to enjoy, it’s always worth trying. You
Dewar's Aberfeldy could get lost in someone else’s world, if
Distillery. even for just a moment.
Regional Focus Texas

20 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 Regional Focus Texas

WORDS KEVIN GRAY

With an ever-growing number of distilleries and award-

winning whiskeys coming out of Texas, producers in
the Lone Star State are looking to certify the category

A
cross the United States
and the world, Texas
enjoys a larger-than-life
reputation. Its physical
size and association
with cowboy culture continue to
dominate much of the discourse,
especially from those outside the
state, but Texas today is diverse
in people and landscapes, with
mega metropolises coexisting
alongside rugged ranchlands.
All that open space has
long accommodated cattle
and crops, and a growing
population has exhibited a
thirst for whiskey, ranking
second in consumption behind
more populous California,
according to data from Beverage
Information Group.
Š‡ϐ‹”•–™ƒ˜‡‘ˆ‡šƒ•™Š‹•‡›
distilleries sprang to life in the mid-
aughts, as small operations began to
distil spirits and lay them down in
barrels. As recently as 2010, the state
counted only two whiskey distilleries
among its ranks: Garrison Brothers
in the Hill Country town of Hye, and
Balcones in Waco. Since the beginning,
in-state distillers have faced an uphill
„ƒ––Ž‡ǡϐ‹‰Š–‹‰ƒ‰ƒ‹•–‘”‡‡•–ƒ„Ž‹•Š‡†
players in Kentucky and Tennessee,
consumer awareness (or unawareness),
and well-meaning but often reductive
concerns about how the hot climate
in Texas impacts a spirit’s ability to
ƒ–—”‡ƒ††‡˜‡Ž‘’ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•Ǥ
If numbers are an indication, Texas is
winning the battle. Dozens of whiskey
distillers now call Texas home, and
consumers both within the state and
outside it are beginning to ask for
Texas whiskeys. Perhaps most telling
of all is that the industry is no longer
content with simply growing its ranks,
as associations look to certify grain-to-
glass operations that are truly Texan.
With its earliest whiskey brands
barely 15 years old, and more players
entering the market each year, Texas
whiskey is still in its infancy. Distillers
are excited about the opportunities
this affords, especially as the rest
of the world, from consumers to
conglomerates, begins to pay attention
to what is happening in the state.

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 21

Regional Focus Texas
“If you want to grasp how fast it’s
ƒŽŽ Šƒ‰‹‰ǡŒ—•–Ž‘‘ƒ–™Š‘ǯ•„—›‹‰
who,” says Nico Martini, the author of
Texas Whiskey and a staunch supporter
of in-state spirits. “We now have
massive corporations like Diageo and
Pernod Ricard coming into the state and
buying up distilleries. They know how
huge the market is here, and how we’ve
not even scratched the surface yet.”
Before international interlopers
entered the conversation, Garrison
Brothers and Balcones applied for
permits and broke ground on their
†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•‹–Š‡‹†ǦʹͲͲͲ•ǤƒŽ ‘‡•
™ƒ•ϐ‹”•––‘ƒ”‡–‹ʹͲͲͻ™‹–Šƒ
ϐ‹˜‡Ǧ™‡‡Ǧ‘Ž† ‘”™Š‹•‡› ƒŽŽ‡†
Baby Blue, followed shortly after by
22 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
Garrison’s one-year-old bourbon in
ʹͲͳͲǤ‘–Šƒ‡”•Šƒ˜‡•‹ ‡„‡ ‘‡
craft spirit darlings, winning awards
and garnering praise from critics, and
Balcones was purchased by Diageo in
‘˜‡„‡”ʹͲʹʹǤ—––Š‡‡ƒ”Ž››‡ƒ”•
were lean. Garrison began with three
employees and one expression, and
they faced an uphill battle convincing
drinkers that bourbon can legally
come from anywhere in the United
–ƒ–‡•ǡ‘–Œ—•–‡–— ›Ǥ ‘—†‡”ƒ
Garrison embraced the challenge and
realised that not being entrenched in
tradition provided them with freedom
to experiment.
“Being young and fresh means we are
not stuck in old patterns,” he explains.
Opening pages: “Every day we try to make better
Dan Garrison, bourbon than we did the day before. We
founder of Garrison are nimble, creative, and quick.”
Brothers.
Garrison Brothers has grown into
These pages, a 90-person company making nine
clockwise from expressions and selling its products in
right: ͶͲ•–ƒ–‡•ƒ†•‹š ‘—–”‹‡•ǤŠ‡ϐŽƒ‰•Š‹’
The Ironroot bourbon is still made in small batches,
Republic family; but now every barrel that goes into
Michael Langan,
the batch is at least three years old.
head of distillery
at Yellow Rose; The The distillery also produces a variety
Fierce Whiskers of limited-release bourbons, including
Distillery; Fierce the double-aged Balmorhea, the port-
Whiskers Texas ϐ‹‹•Š‡† —ƒ†ƒŽ—’‡ǡƒ†–Š‡— —–ƒ†
Straight Rye Whiskey —ϐ‹Ž–‡”‡†‘™„‘›‘—”„‘ȋ–Š‡ʹͲʹʹ
and Texas Straight
edition clocks in at 134.8 proof).
Bourbon Whiskey.
“We get bored easily,” says Garrison.
“We must continue to create. Unusual
™‘‘†ϐ‹‹•Š‡•ǡ†‹ˆˆ‡”‡–’”‘‘ˆ•ǡƒ†
wood barrel complexity keep us
interested and excited about our craft.”
›ʹͲͳʹǡ‘”‡†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•Œ‘‹‡†
the fray, including Fort Worth-based
Firestone & Robertson, which debuted
with TX Blended Whiskey, a sourced
expression, before creating its
homegrown TX Bourbon. Grains come
from a local partner, and a proprietary
yeast strain is derived from a Texan
© GARRISON BROTHERS | AUSTIN COCHRAN | YELLOW ROSE | IRONROOT REPUBLIC | STILL AUSTIN | FIRESTONE & ROBERTSON
pecan. These facts may have been lost
‘–Š‡„”ƒ†ǯ•ϐ‹”•– —•–‘‡”•ǡ„—–‘™
they’re selling points.
“Texas whiskey has shifted from a
scarce, almost novelty category to a
legitimate brand of its own,” says Ken
Graham, vice president of operations
at Firestone & Robertson. He credits
the growing category and increased
consumer awareness of Texas whiskey,
alongside the renewed interest in
brown spirits that’s taken off across the
country over the past 15 years. And the
awards certainly haven’t hurt, as Texas
distilleries have collected accolades that
give brands wider credibility among
drinkers. Retailers have also played a
role, with many in the state giving Texas
whiskeys their own shelf space, rather
than lumping them in with Kentucky
bourbons or other American whiskeys.
‹ ‡‹–•ʹͲͳʹŽƒ— ŠǡŠ‹•‡›
has become one of the state’s best-
selling brands. Pernod Ricard took note
and acquired Firestone & Robertson in
2019. Graham says the deep-pocketed
parent allowed the distillery to
improve its operations, marketing, and
distribution channels, but they were
never challenged to change the product
or their identity.
A decade ago, small barrels were the
norm. Texas distillers weren’t making
enough whiskey to warrant buying
expensive full-size barrels, and they
needed to recoup their investments,
so whiskey was often put into 10- or
15-gallon barrels and emerged one to
two years later for bottling.
“Today, people know what works
and what doesn’t,” says Martini, who
compares ageing whiskey in Texas to
‘‘‹‰‘˜‡”ƒ‘’‡ϐ‹”‡ǤDz –Š‡‡ƒ”Ž›
days, everyone was using small barrels,
and then they realised they needed to
ϐ‹‰Š––Š‡ƒ‰‡‹‰ǡ‘–•’‡‡†‹–—’Ǥ‘—
can make brilliant spirits here, but you
„‡––‡”’ƒ›ƒ––‡–‹‘Ǥ‘— ƒǯ–Œ—•–•‡–‹–
and forget it.”
That shift is evident at Houston’s
‡ŽŽ‘™‘•‡‹•–‹ŽŽ‹‰ǡ™Š‹ Š”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡†
‹–•ϐ‹”•–„‘—”„‘‹ʹͲͳʹǤ –„‡‰ƒ
with 10- and 15-gallon barrels before
eventually moving to 30-gallon and
then 53-gallon barrels.
“Texas whiskey is bold, and lots of
ϐŽƒ˜‘—”‡š–”ƒ –‹‘ ‘‡•ˆ”‘–Š‡
„ƒ””‡Žǡdz‡š’Žƒ‹•‡ŽŽ‘™‘•‡ǯ•Š‡ƒ†‘ˆ
distillery Michael Langan. “But there’s
a paradoxical belief that the whiskey
ages faster because it’s so hot, when
it’s really more about the intensity of
the extraction. The smaller the barrel,
the shorter your window to catch the
whiskey at its peak. We need more time
in barrel for things to settle down.”
Whiskey produced in North Texas
ages differently than it does in the Texas
Hill Country or down in Houston, where
the environment exhibits Caribbean-
like heat and humidity. Langan found
that four and a half to six years in
53-gallon barrels is the sweet spot for
‡ŽŽ‘™‘•‡„‘—”„‘•ǡ™Š‹ Š•‡‡ƒ
angel’s share as high as eight per cent
per year.
Langan came to Texas from California
about four and a half years ago and was
surprised at how advanced the Texas
whiskey scene was when he arrived.
He noted that it mirrored a lot of what
he was seeing in California, in terms of
regional sourcing and reputation. He
thinks part of that reputation is driven
by the movement toward grain-to-glass
whiskeys and the understanding of how
Texas-aged products differ from those
aged in other states.
“It’s amazing what the consumer
knows today versus a decade ago,”
says Langan. “Consumers know what
comes from where; they want to buy
authentic products.” There are still
plenty more people to reach in Texas,
but increasingly, those consumers are
coming from outside the state.
In 2017, the Spanish wine and
•’‹”‹–•ϐ‹”ƒ‘”ƒ‘’ƒ›„‘—‰Š–
ƒ‡“—‹–›•–ƒ‡‹‡ŽŽ‘™‘•‡ǡ™Š‹ Š
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 23
Regional Focus Texas
opened doors to international markets.
Currently, 40 per cent of the distillery’s
products go overseas. South Korea
accounts for the brand’s largest
international market, with Spain and
Germany leading the charge in Europe.
Head north to Denison, Texas, near
–Š‡ŽƒŠ‘ƒ„‘”†‡”ǡƒ†›‘—ǯŽŽϐ‹†
Ironroot, named for the hearty local
vines that helped to save the French
wine and Cognac industry from
phylloxera-induced destruction in
the late 1800s. Founded by brothers
Robert and Jonathan Likarish, the
distillery opened in 2014. From the
beginning, they made whiskey on site
using heirloom and non-GMO corn
from local farms, and today the brand’s
portfolio includes a core bourbon line-
up – Harbinger XC, Harbinger 115, and
Promethean – augmented by a handful
of limited releases.
When Ironroot started, it was
common to see Texas whiskeys released
after just six to 18 months in barrel, but
Robert Likarish says age statements
are going up across the state. As the
reputation for local whiskey grows,
distillers are incentivised to increase
age and embrace grain-to-glass
production methods. But they are
‡• Š‡™‹‰ƒ‘‡Ǧ•‹œ‡Ǧϐ‹–•ǦƒŽŽ–‡’Žƒ–‡ǡ
pushing boundaries and experimenting
with what Texas whiskey can be.
“Distillers come to Texas from all
over the world and with all different
backgrounds, so almost every style
is made here,” says Likarish. This
means unique mash bills, still types,
and maturation processes, plus an
ability to harness the diverse Texas
weather, which varies greatly from the
Panhandle to the Gulf coast. Consumers
are taking note and realising that all
Texas whiskeys aren’t the same.
Time matters, says Likarish, who
notes how much the industry has
changed in the last decade. “The
recognition of Texas as a region is
multitudes larger than it was when we
got started, and investment in the state
is growing. We’re just starting to see
what this region can do.”
24 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
Compared to the relative old-guard
Texas whiskey brands, Still Austin
Whiskey Co. is a newer operation. The
ϐ‹”•–†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›–‘‘’‡‹—•–‹ǯ• ‹–›
limits, it began distilling less than six
years ago. It turns Texas grains into
bourbon, cask-strength bourbon and
straight rye using a custom 42-foot
Forsyth column still, and utilises a “slow
water reduction” process, in which
water is added incrementally during
„ƒ””‡Žƒ‰‡‹‰–‘„ƒŽƒ ‡‘—––Š‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”
’”‘ϐ‹Ž‡ƒ•–Š‡™Š‹•‡›ƒ‰‡•Ǥ
Still Austin’s chief operating
‘ˆϐ‹ ‡””ƒ†‘ ‘Ž†‡”•ƒ•ƒ›•–Š‡•‡
distinctions matter and help the brand
to differentiate itself from the growing
ϐ‹‡Ž†‘ˆ‡šƒ•™Š‹•‡›ƒ‡”•ǤŠ‡”‡ǯ•
room in the market for all types of
products, but consumers are getting
wiser and are interested in authenticity.
“We have an opportunity like no
other state to truly differentiate
ourselves and to make Texas its own
meaningful geographic whiskey
region,” says Joldersma. “The grains
are different here than those grown in
other climates, and the way barrels age
is noticeably different.”
Three miles away, Fierce Whiskers
is preparing to enter the fray. The
distillery put spirits into barrels in
ʹͲʹͲƒ†™‹ŽŽ”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡‹–•ϐ‹”•–•–”ƒ‹‰Š–
rye whiskey in June 2023 followed by a
straight bourbon in 2024. It will have to
compete for shelf space with 100-plus
‡šƒ•™Š‹•‡›•ǡ„—–™‹ŽŽƒŽ•‘„‡‡ϐ‹–
from the groundwork that’s already
been laid.
Fierce Whiskers co-founder Tri Vo
acknowledges the hard work that has
built up the Texas whiskey category and
is excited to help tell this regional story
to the world. The distillery will do so
with a tasting room, an outdoor space
™Š‡”‡˜‹•‹–‘”• ƒŠƒ‰‘—–ǡƒ†ƒϐ‹˜‡Ǧ
storey rickhouse.
Despite the category becoming more
crowded every day, Texas distillers
•Š‘™ƒ—‹ϐ‹‡†„‡Ž‹‡ˆ–Šƒ––Š‡›ǯ˜‡‘–
yet scratched the surface. “The sky’s the
limit for where we can go,” says Langan
of Yellow Rose, noting how many
 Regional Focus Texas

These pages, distilleries are packed into Kentucky, a
clockwise from left: much smaller state.
Still Austin Straight Texas whiskeys have already proven
Rye Whiskey;
they deserve a place at the table. The
TX Bourbon and TX
Blended Whiskey; next step is codifying what, exactly,
The Firestone & constitutes Texas whiskey. The Texas
Robertson Whiskey Whiskey Association is a member-
Ranch in Forth established group that sprang forth as
Worth, Texas. a way for local distillers to promote
the category, educate consumers, and
encourage truth and transparency in
labelling. Part of that mission includes a
‡”–‹ϐ‹ ƒ–‹‘•‡ƒŽǤ‘‡ƒ”–Š‡‡”–‹ϐ‹‡†
Texas Whiskey status, a whiskey must
be mashed, fermented, distilled, aged
and bottled within the state.
Members say that, until legal
regulations set standards for what can
and cannot be called Texas whiskey,
this voluntary measure will help to
separate the wheat from the chaff – or
the compliant, Texas-made products
from brands that are based in the state
but produced elsewhere.
The Texas Whiskey Association
also formed the Texas Whiskey Trail,
which promotes distilleries across
the state, with regional trails in North
Texas, South Texas, the Hill Country
and the Gulf Coast. It’s all part of the
effort to further distinguish Texas
whiskey as a category independent
from other American whiskeys, one
that’s represented by a diverse line-up
of whiskey makers producing whiskey
across a variety of styles, from bourbon
and rye to single malts.
“We have a lot of eyeballs on us right
now,” says Martini. “Consumers are
realising that Texas whiskey is not the
same as what’s made in Kentucky, and
it’s not trying to be.”

Texas distillers show

DXQL¿HGEHOLHIWKDW
they’ve not yet scratched
WKHVXUIDFH

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 25

 MISSOURI
THE
Dalhart
TEXAS Dumas
Pampa
OKLAHOMA
DISTILLERIES 40
Amarillo
40
Canyon
ARKANSAS
Hereford
Plainview
27
Wichita Falls
35 Ironroot Republic
Lubbock
Levelland Whiskey Hollow Plano
Bendt
NEW MEXICO Oak & Eden Fort Distilling
Worth
1845 Distilling 30
Blackland
Herman Marshall / Dallas Distilleries
MISSISSIPPI
Acre Distilling
Seminole
Trinity River Five Points
Longview
20 Dallas Deep 20
Big Spring Abilene 20 Firestone 35W
& Robertson 35E Ellum Tyler
Midland Tahwahkaro
Distilling
Fort Bliss Odessa
Horizon City Nacogdoches
20 Monahans San Angelo Waco Balcones
Sierra Lufkin
45
Blanca Pecos
TEXAS Killeen
35
10 Iron LOUISIANA
10 Fort Stockton Wolf Spirit
Van Horn
of Texas Modisett & Sons
10 Treaty
Andalusia College Station
Whiskey Oak
Alpine 10
Kooper Family Bartletts
Garrison Brothers AUSTIN Whiskey
Marfa William
Milam & Greene Fierce
Price Beaumont 10
San Marcos Whiskers MKT
Chapline Still Austin Giant Texas Distillers
Maverick Whiskey Crowded Barrel Shire
10
San Antonio Dripping Springs
Yellow Houston
Alamo Real Spirits Rose
Uvalde Distilling Rebecca Creek Sugar
Land
Victoria
Ranger
Creek
35
37
Rockport
MEXICO
Corpus
Christi
MEXICO GULF OF MEXICO
Interview Emily Chappell

WORDS MILLIE MILLIKEN

30 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 Interview Emily Chappell

Illustrator Emily Chappell has been designing That Boutique-y Whisky

Company’s labels since it began – as the company enjoys a celebratory
\HDUZHSUR¿OHWKHZRPDQZKRJDYHLWLWVYLVXDOLGHQWLW\
\  S ¿ J \

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 31

Interview Emily Chappell
H
ave you ever heard of
the Gnasher Club? Me
neither. But illustrator
Emily Chappell was
a member when she
was a child. Her love of comic books
(such as The Beano and Dennis the
Menace) is something she only recently
remembered, she tells me: “We got a
furry little badge which obviously stuck
to everything at school.”
In isolation, it’s a charming
recollection; in the context of whisky,
•’‡ ‹ϐ‹ ƒŽŽ›–Šƒ–‘ˆŠƒ–‘—–‹“—‡Ǧ›
Whisky Company, it brings the world
that Chappell, Ben Ellefson, and the
team at parent company Atom Brands
have created into even sharper focus.
Šƒ’’‡ŽŽŠƒ•„‡‡Šƒ†Ǧ†‡•‹‰‹‰
Šƒ–‘—–‹“—‡Ǧ›Š‹•›‘’ƒ›
labels since it began, estimating more
than 200 individual designs in total.
Š‡™Š‹•›„‘––Ž‡”ǡ™Š‹ Š ‡Ž‡„”ƒ–‡†
its 10th anniversary on 12 September
ʹͲʹʹǡ„‘––Ž‡•ƒ˜ƒ•–ƒ””ƒ›‘ˆŽ‹‹–‡†Ǧ
edition whiskies from renowned
distilleries across Scotland, Japan, the
USA, Sweden and beyond, alongside
32 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
Opening pages:
That Boutique-y
Whisky Company
has become known
for its vibrant, playful
label designs.
These pages, left
to right:
A selection of That
Boutique-y Whisky
Company bottle
labels designed
by Emily Chappell;
Chappell at work.
blending its own bottlings of grain and
malt whiskies. And while the brand is
known for handling some very special
Ž‹“—‹†•ǡ‹–‹•ƒŽ•‘ƒ•™‡ŽŽ‘™ˆ‘”–Š‡
‘Ǧ ‘ˆ‘”‹•–ǡ™‹––›ǡ‰”ƒ’Š‹ ‘˜‡ŽǦ
style labels that adorn every single
bottle – which are the work of the very
talented Chappell.
When she started working for
‘—–‹“—‡Ǧ›ǡ–Š‡™‘”Ž†‘ˆ™Š‹•›Žƒ„‡Ž•
was not a particularly exciting one.
“I think at the time, wine and beer
™‡”‡“—‹–‡‡š’‡”‹‡–ƒŽƒ•–Š‡›™‡”‡
choosing to work with artists and
illustrators,” she recalls. “As a whisky
company, though, it was a bold move on
–Š‡‹”’ƒ”––‘†‘–Š‹•ǤŠ‡”‡™‡”‡˜‡”›
staid graphics being used at the time,
very masculine colour palettes and
brands weren’t being too playful – it
was just very traditional and that
was accepted.”
Šƒ–™ƒ•—–‹Ž–Š‡‹†‡’‡†‡–
bottler enlisted Chappell to bring its
vision for a whisky company to life. “I
think because I wasn’t too involved in
–Š‡‹†—•–”›‹–‰ƒ˜‡‡ƒ™‹†‡Ǧ‡›‡†
approach to it,” she says of her attitude
 Interview Emily Chappell

–‘™ƒ”†–Š‘•‡ϐ‹”•–ˆ‡™†‡•‹‰•ǤDzŠ‡”‡ get to grips with it, but they were still ‡Œ‘›–Šƒ–ǤŠ‡ •Š‘™–Š‡™Šƒ–ǯ•
‹•†‡ϐ‹‹–‡Ž›ƒˆ”‡•Š‡••–‘‹–ǥ †‹†ǯ– exploring as well,” she says of the very, possible within that framework.”
realise how it was going to go.” very early days. Some are more thematic than others,
†‡ ƒ†‡‘ƒ†Šƒ’’‡ŽŽǯ•Šƒ†Ǧ It wasn’t until year six or seven, she with ranges based on a theme such as
drawn, digitally coloured labels have says, that the labels really cemented music or Australian whiskies, meaning
included scenes depicting the people, the world that Chappell and the team Chappell can think about how they will
places and stories behind some of had created with their bottles: “It is work as a collection from the start of
the world’s favourite whisky brands, –Š‡‘—–‹“—‡Ǧ›™‘”Ž†™Š‡”‡–Š‹•Š—‰‡ Š‡” ”‡ƒ–‹˜‡’”‘ ‡••Ǥ–Š‡”•”‡“—‹”‡
peppered with inside jokes for whisky number of labels represent an alternate, meeting the human focus of the labels
‰‡‡•ǡ Ž‡˜‡”–ƒ‡•‘†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›“—‹”•ǡ parallel world of whisky.” in person to capture their likeness or
and some downright silly scenes just Chappell says her designs ordinarily †‡Ž˜‹‰‘”‡‹–‘–Š‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•‘ˆ–Š‡
for the sake of it. Among the many start with a “rough doodle” informed ™Š‹•‹‡•ˆ‘”‹•’‹”ƒ–‹‘ǤDzŠ‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”
recognisable stills, secret distillery „›–Š‡„”‹‡ˆǤDzŠ‡”‡ƒ”‡—•—ƒŽŽ›ƒŽ‘–‘ˆ is a really lovely thing to play on,” she
†‡’‹ –‹‘•ƒ†ϐŽƒ˜‘—”Ǧ„ƒ•‡†‹ƒ‰‡”›ǡ things to include: stills drawn correctly, admits, citing one bottle of blended
–Š‡”‡ǯ•ƒŽ•‘„‡‡ƒ˜‡Ž‘ ‹”ƒ’–‘”ϐ‹‰Š–‹‰ somebody’s likeness, what not to grain in particular. “It was a ship made
a shark (Aultmore 20 Years Old), the include, or if it’s a secret distillery ‘ˆƒŽŽ–Š‡•‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”’”‘ϐ‹Ž‡•ǡŽ‹‡ƒ„‹‰
Olympics held in space (Glendullan not giving too many hints away,” she mast made up of coconuts, the ocean
7 Years Old), and an ode to the song ‡š’Žƒ‹•ǤŠ‡ˆ‘”ƒ–•Š‡Šƒ•–‘™‘” was vanilla pods and these birds in
‘My Lovely Horse’ from sitcom Father ‹‹•ƒŽ•‘— ‘˜‡–‹‘ƒŽǣDzŠ‡•‹ŽŽ‹• the sky were made out of bananas. It’s
Ted (Irish Single Malt #1). Even getting a strong complete story on that bonkers but that is what we do well.”
Šƒ’’‡ŽŽǯ•Ž‘˜‡ˆ‘””‹–‹•Š Šƒ”ƒ –‡” • ƒŽ‡‘ˆŽƒ„‡Žǡ™Š‹ Š‹•”‡ƒŽŽ›“—‹–‡•ƒŽŽ ˆ ‘—”•‡ǡ•‘‡‘ˆŠ‡”‘—–Ǧ‘ˆǦ
Alan Partridge, the comedic media ƒ†“—‹–‡ƒ–”ƒ†‹–‹‘ƒŽ’‘”–”ƒ‹–•Šƒ’‡ǡ –Š‡Ǧ„‘š‹†‡ƒ•†‘ǯ–ƒŽ™ƒ›•ƒ‡‹–Ǥ
personality portrayed by Steve Coogan, so you have to think visually about what One she remembers well was for a
has been immortalised on a bottle of ǯ˜‡„‡‡„”‹‡ˆ‡†“—‹–‡˜‡”„ƒŽŽ›‘Ȃ  „‘––Ž‡‘ˆ‘ƒ–‹ǡˆ‘”™Š‹ Šƒ–‹‘ˆ
‘„‡”‘”›ʹͳǤ•›‘—ƒ›Šƒ˜‡‘™
realised, her approach to designing
whisky labels is anything but textbook.
Žƒ•‰‘™Ǧ„ƒ•‡†Šƒ’’‡ŽŽǯ•Ž‘˜‡ˆ‘”
–Š‡˜‹•—ƒŽƒ”–•ǡ•’‡ ‹ϐ‹ ƒŽŽ›‹ŽŽ—•–”ƒ–‹‘ǡ
evolved from comic books into studying
ˆ‘”Š‡” ‹ƒ Š‡•–‡”™Š‡”‡
she discovered the worlds of art
history, graphic design, ceramics and
illustration: “It was a fantastic time
and it opened my eyes to working in
the creative industries.” A tutor pushed
her to go on to the Glasgow School of
Art and on graduation she entered the
cultural sector, doing administration,
taking on a few small poster jobs and
building up her portfolio (Pinocchio
ƒ†Žƒ††‹’‘•–‡”•ˆ‘” Žƒ•‰‘™ǯ•”‘
Š‡ƒ–”‡”‹‰ƒ„‡ŽŽȌǤ
It was a meeting with a friend who
Šƒ†Œ—•–•–ƒ”–‡†™‘”‹‰ˆ‘”‘—–‹“—‡Ǧ›
that began Chappell’s unforeseen but
‘™†‡ ƒ†‡ǦŽ‘‰–‡—”‡ǡ™‹–Šƒ‘”–
ŽŽ‡ƒ•Š‡”ϐ‹”•––”‹ƒŽǤDzŠ‡‡™ 
was an illustrator looking to get some
good, juicy commissions, so she put
‡‹–‘— Š™‹–Š–Š‡ǥ –Š‹‹–™ƒ•
ƒ‘”–ŽŽ‡™Š‹ Š™ƒ•‘‡‘ˆ–Š‡ϐ‹”•–
ones they gave me to see if I could

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 33

Interview Emily Chappell
tomatoes was her brief. “I don’t think
–Š‡†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›Ž‹‡†‹–ǥŠ‡”‡™‡”‡ƒ
few batches made I think, but poor
‘›‘ƒ–‘‡˜‡”‰‘–Š‹•‘”‹‰‹
story.” He was, however, included in
–Š‡ˆ‘ŽŽ‘™Ǧ—’Žƒ„‡Ž•ƒ†–Š‡”‡ǯ•ƒǮ 
‘›‘ƒ–‘ǯ‰”ƒ˜‡•–‘‡Ž‹‰‡”‹‰
•‘‡™Š‡”‡Ǥƒ–Š‡”–Šƒƒ‹‰
favourites, Chappell instead references
the designs she thinks are most striking:
a Scotch and Japanese whisky blend
depicted with a Japanese dragon and a
rampant lion, another with a volcano
erupting, maps, raucous gig crowds, or
others with plants and botanicals which
mirror her love for her allotment.
Š‡”‡ƒ”‡ƒŽ•‘ǡ‘ˆ ‘—”•‡ǡ’ƒ”ƒŽŽ‡Ž•
to be drawn between the making
of whisky and the world of art, but
Chappell sees storytelling as the
closest of them all, not only in its role
of telling the distillery stories but also
bringing more people into the category
ƒ•ƒ™Š‘Ž‡ǤDzŠ‡•–‘”›–‡ŽŽ‹‰‡Ž‡‡–
you can’t deny is what links [art] to
™Š‹•›ǥ‘— ƒ•–‘”›–‡ŽŽ–Š”‘—‰Š
illustration more so than typography
or photography and the way [whisky]
is going now it is more playful, too –
The storytelling element you
can’t deny is what links
[art] and whisky...
34 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
people should enjoy it rather than be
daunted by it. I think illustration can
bring people in who wouldn’t normally
consider whisky.”
It’s a pioneering approach that has
undoubtedly opened the door to other
whisky companies to be more fun in
their approach to packaging. Chappell
sees it as healthy competition, but also
believes that there is more to what
‘—–‹“—‡Ǧ›‹•†‘‹‰ǣDz„‡Ž‹‡ˆ‹–Šƒ–
kind of playfulness and humour and the
want to keep building that world I was
talking about.”
From an artist’s point of view,
working on the project for 10 years and
counting has also been professionally
enriching. “It has been a really good
thing to have done in helping my
own work as well,” she explains. “You
really need good draughtsmanship,
you need to be able to draw things
accurately, so having that regular level
of professionalism and tight deadlines
Šƒ•„‡‡‰”‡ƒ–ǥŠ‡›‘—ǯ”‡ˆ”‡•Š
out of art school you have this idea of
pure work, and then you have your
professional work and people think
about them as two separate things,
© THAT BOUTIQUE-Y WHISKY COMPANY
„—– „‡‰–‘†‹ˆˆ‡”ǥŠ‡”‡‹•ƒ†‡ϐ‹‹–‡ This page:
playfulness and exuberance about the Chappell’s designs
style of drawing I’ve used and over the have also made it
onto That Boutique-y
›‡ƒ”•–Šƒ–ǯ•„—‹Ž–—’ƒ ‘ϐ‹†‡ ‡Ǥdz
Whisky Company
While we often talk about the merchandise.
advances and changes in making
whisky, the evolution of making art
is just as present for Chappell with
–Š‡Ž‹‡•‘ˆ ȋƒ”–‹ϐ‹ ‹ƒŽ‹–‡ŽŽ‹‰‡ ‡Ȍ
being a source of big discussions in
her industry right now. It is, she says, a
balancing act: “You kind of have to have
your feet in both ponds – to be aware
of what’s out there but also staying
true to knowing what you’re good at.”
Just like whisky can change over time,
so has Chappell’s work. Advancements
in the art world have had an impact
‘Š‡”™‘”™‹–Š‘—–‹“—‡Ǧ›ǡ™‹–ŠŠ‡”
†‡•‹‰•„‡‹‰˜‡”›ǮŠƒ†Ǧ†”ƒ™ǯƒ†
loose at the start, but her feeling a need
to tighten things up a little as the years
have gone by. But people, she says, will
always want the human touch.
Back in 2012, it would have been
†‹ˆϐ‹ —Ž–ˆ‘”ƒ›‘‡ȂŽ‡ƒ•–‘ˆƒŽŽ
Chappell – to envision the integral part
•Š‡™‘—Ž†‰‘‘–‘’Žƒ›ƒ–‘—–‹“—‡Ǧ›Ǥ
“Obviously nobody can predict what
will happen in the future, but it has
been a good thing for me to have done.
Š‡”‡ƒŽŽ›Š—‘”‘—•Žƒ„‡Ž•”‡ƒŽŽ›Ž‹‰Š–
it all up for me – when I’m giggling away
when I’m drawing something and I
know it will make someone else smile.
I’m not bored yet.”

From a dream
to a doocot
Kingsbarns Distillery in Fife has
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The Kingsbarns •–”— –—”‡†—”‹‰‹–• ‘•–”— –‹‘Ǥ
Distillery still house;
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Kingsbarns Doocot
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terracotta nesting ‘ˆ”—”ƒŽŽ‹ˆ‡‹–Š‡‡ƒ”Ž›ͳͺͲͲ•™Š‡
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™‡„•‹–‡ˆ‘”͉Ͷͷ’‡”͹Ͳ Ž„‘––Ž‡Ǥ
www.kingsbarnsdistillery.com
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 35
Whisky & Culture Creative Partnerships
In 2023, artists from all disciplines are
partnering with whisky brands to hone
creative partnerships. What’s driving
WKHWUHQGDQGKRZH̆HFWLYHLVLW"
B
ut does whisky ever make you sit up
and think anymore?” I’m on a Zoom
call with a big-name collector, one who
will remain anonymous. He
has seen his fair share of so-called
whisky partnerships. Designers, artists, car
makers, watch brands, crystal makers, chefs – he’s
reached newness fatigue. Jaded and bored, he
sighs into his laptop. “It’s just all been done, and it
doesn’t mean anything.”
It’s a sentiment some agree with. Whisky prices
seem to only be going in one direction, and every
week there’s a new limited-edition bottling to try
and tempt us to spend. Bright colours and luxury
names are ten-a-penny in premium whisky, but
36 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
WORDS KRISTIANE SHERRY
not all of these collaborations go beyond the
bottle. Whether it’s the likes of The Macallan and
Bentley or a small-release partnership with a local
artist, and whoever the intended audience, from
the enthusiast to the career investor and everyone
in between, it is unclear how much these whisky
creative partnerships resonate – if at all.
“If the collaboration is authentic and means
something, and they’ve explained it clearly, it
means more,” another whisky collector says.
In her words, sharing – in real life, and online –
whiskies resulting from such partnerships can be
fun. Especially if the liquid itself is distinct in some
way, too. “But sometimes I think they’re just not
released with me in mind.”
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 37
Whisky & Culture Creative Partnerships

It’s an interesting point to consider.

When you’re already into whisky, it’s
easy to miss some of these partnerships
for what they are: a consumer
recruitment drive.
“We work in partnership with
creatives regularly across our brands
and see it as a hugely important strand
within our overall marketing and
communications mix,” says Mathieu
Deslandes, Chivas Brothers’ director of
marketing for prestige brands. He cites
recent activity with Royal Salute and
Ballantine’s as particularly exciting. For
him, it’s about “pushing the boundaries
of Scotch whisky and inviting new
audiences into our brands’ world.”
Take Royal Salute. Last year it
released ‘The Art of Wonder’, a series
of whiskies celebrating creativity
in art and design. It’s about pairing
“exceptionally high-aged Scotch”
with “the magic of art”. Featherwork
sculptor Kate MccGwire created 21
unique pieces in a body of work called
Forces of Nature to accompany a
53-year-old Royal Salute blend. Another,
perhaps more unexpected, example
is Ballantine’s’ work with Gearbox’s
franchise, Borderlands the Game.
It’s a long-term partnership which
sees the brand ‘hire’ a video game
character called Moxxi. As well as a
responsible drinking message, there’s
an accompanying Ballantine’s Moxxi’s
Bar Edition limited-edition bottle.
The creative work serves a dual
purpose, Deslandes continues. “We’re
able to ‘open up’ Scotch by engaging
the audiences of the partners we work
with in innovative ways, which is vital
to protecting the future of the category
and our industry at large.”
Driving growth by looking to other
categories is a staple for Johnnie
Walker. To celebrate the Year of the
Rabbit, the blended Scotch partnered
with Shanghai-based fashion designer
Angel Chen to create Johnnie Walker
Blue Label Lunar New Year Limited
Edition Design. Chen, who studied at
prestigious arts college Central Saint

38 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 Martins, sought inspiration for her
design from Johnnie Walker master
blender Emma Walker.
“My work is often inspired by
different generations, different genders
and cultures coming together to create
something fresh and new,” Chen said as
her design was unveiled. “These ideals
echo the craft of Johnnie Walker, taking
different types of whisky from different
distilleries, with differing ages of
maturation and blending them together
© DIAGEO | EDRINGTON | PERNOD RICARD | MILES ALDRIDGE / GLENMORANGIE
for all parties can be realised. And that
includes us whisky lovers, too.
When asked what whisky Opening pages:
partnerships excited them most, Fashion designer
Bowmore’s Aston Martin tie-in and Angel Chen with a
bottle of Johnnie
The Macallan’s aforementioned
Walker Blue Label
Bentley partnership were all name- Lunar New Year
checked by whisky lovers. So too was Limited Edition
The Balvenie’s 2015 campaign with Design.
classic car maker Morgan. All time-
honoured tie-ups. But beyond motors, These pages,
clockwise from
Glenmorangie’s vibrantly striking ad

top left:
perfectly to create a masterpiece – that campaign with artist and photographer Jaume Ferràs, The
is something I can relate to.” It’s another Miles Aldridge also stirred up Macallan’s global
example of knitting together different conversation. “It just feels… fresh,” one creative director;
facets from seemingly distant worlds to whisky drinker told me. Angel Chen works
ϐ‹†‡ƒ‹‰Ǥ This sense stretches back to when the on her designs for
Johnnie Walker Blue
ƒ’ƒ‹‰ϐ‹”•–Žƒ— Š‡†‹ʹͲʹͲǤDz‡
Label; Ballantine’s
Time honoured decided to use colour as a metaphor to Moxxi’s Bar Edition;
It’s that sense of meaning, that open up the whisky’s world,” Alexander Ballantine’s ‘hired’
authenticity, that is the difference ƒŽ Š‡˜ǡ Š‹‡ˆ ”‡ƒ–‹˜‡‘ˆϐ‹ ‡”ƒ–ƒ† the character
between a collaboration resonating agency DDB Paris, said at the time. “Of Moxxi as part of
or just seeming a bit… forced. And course, as a master of colour, Miles its partnership
with Borderlands
one ingredient for that credibility is Aldridge was the obvious talent to bring
the Game; An
time. One-offs aren’t inherently less our vision to life.” Apocalypse Spritz
meaningful, but when brands align for Fast-forward to late 2022 and there’s with Ballantine’s
›‡ƒ”•Ȃ‘”Ž‘‰‡”Ȃ–Š‡—–—ƒŽ„‡‡ϐ‹–• no doubt that the extension of the Moxxi’s Bar Edition.

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 39

campaign has been near-universally
celebrated. It’s clever. There are ‘easter
eggs’ – coded messages and references
– throughout. It’s a creative partnership
that feels more like an invitation to
join a club. “They instil consumer
engagement with what’s going on,”
Aldrige himself says.
Is it different because it’s an
ad? Maybe. Perhaps that makes its
popularity even more surprising. We
don’t usually like being ‘sold to’. The
subtlety of this creative partnership,
and its inherent cleverness, are what
set it apart.
Back to The Macallan, and one of its
longest-running partnerships away
from cars has been with the Roca
brothers. The sibling trio run the
three-Michelin-starred El Celler de
Can Roca just outside Barcelona. It’s a

40 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190


ϐŽƒ˜‘—”ǦŽ‡†–‹‡Ǧ—’–Šƒ–ǡ•‹ ‡ʹͲͳͶǡŠƒ•
spanned whisky releases, charitable
partnerships, and menu development at
the distillery itself.
“The philosophy of El Celler de
ƒ‘ ƒ”‡ϐŽ‡ –•Š‡ƒ ƒŽŽƒǯ• ‘”‡
values of creativity, innovation, and
craftsmanship – the grounds for a
strong partnership,” The Macallan’s
global creative director Jaume Ferràs
says. He describes the partnership as
one that’s forged “new visions” in the
crafts of whisky making and cooking.
The ambition is to “push the boundaries
of the worlds of whisky and cuisine”.
For Ferràs, this partnership is about
working towards a common goal, which
comes to the fore when elements such
as creative control are being negotiated.
“We place a lot of emphasis on sharing
common values with our partners
and doubling down on this to remind
ourselves of each one’s admiration for
the other – we’re all looking for the
•ƒ‡ǡ—–—ƒŽŽ›„‡‡ϐ‹ ‹ƒŽ‘—– ‘‡Ǥdz
Trust, transparency, and knowing how
to complement each other creatively are
the most important elements.
An altruistic partnership?
At the other end of the ‘sold to’
spectrum are programmes such as
Ž‡ϐ‹††‹ Šǯ•”–‹•–•‹‡•‹†‡ ‡ǤŠ‡
output isn’t measured in sales – or
even whisky. Started back in 2002, the
programme sees up to eight artists
every summer descend on the Speyside
single malt distillery for three months.
They are fully funded to the tune of
£15,000 and given free rein to create.
Some are selected via open call, others,
such as in Taiwan, via a long-term
partner. In the UK, artists are recent
graduates from art schools.
“Did the artists turn up? Did they
have a positive experience here?
Did they make some work here that
they couldn’t make elsewhere? Did
they engage with the opportunity
offered? Did they display the work in
our on-site gallery? Did it get people
talking?” says Andy Fairgrieve, curator
‘ˆ–Š‡ Ž‡ϐ‹††‹ Š”–‹•–•‹‡•‹†‡ ‡
programme. “If we tick those boxes then
it can be considered effective.”
Š‡‹†‡ƒ ƒ‡ˆ”‘ Ž‡ϐ‹††‹ Šǯ•
late life president Charles Gordon. He
felt the company should invest in the
arts and build a collection, Fairgrieve
explains. It was his nephew, Peter
Gordon, who evolved the concept into
the residency model.
Whisky & Culture Creative Partnerships
These pages, from Projects to come from the residency
left to right: programme include Canadian Dave
Angel Chen’s designs Dyment’s ‘A Drink To Us (When We’re
for the Johnnie
Both Dead)’ from the 2008 season. “The
Walker Blue Label
special edition were artist was inspired by the fact that, in
focused on the genealogical terms, when you drink a
Year of the Rabbit; whisky that is over 30 years old you
Two images from are drinking a spirit that was made
Glenmorangie’s ‘It’s by the previous generation, many of
Kind of Delicious
whom may no longer be working at
and Wonderful’
campaign, shot by the distillery or indeed even be alive,”
photographer Fairgrieve says. The project saw a full
Miles Aldridge. 500-litre butt of new make buried
underneath Warehouse 8, like a time
capsule, not to be surfaced until 2108.
It was an “earnest attempt” at crafting
100-year-old whisky. A series of
symbolically empty caskets were then
sold to both art and whisky collectors.
“As no one involved in the project
will be alive in the next century, any
purchasers of the caskets will need to
pass them on to the next generation,”
Fairgrieve adds. The idea is that those
that inherit the caskets will be able
to share the whisky between them. It
feels radical now – imagine what the
reception could have been like back in
2008 when these types of partnerships
were in their infancy.
Authenticity is everything
The creative arts are a broad church –
this feature hasn’t touched on music,
ϐ‹ –‹‘ǡ‘”ƒ›‘–Š‡”†‹• ‹’Ž‹‡•Ǥ –ǯ•
safe to say that whisky is an established
part of the congregation. Distilling and
blending itself is an art form. It makes
sense that shared passions resonate
in creativity, and it’s exciting that new
opportunities are emerging. Just look at
Ballantine’s and gaming.
A mark of meaningful success, then,
is neither commercial nor magnanimity.
“It’s important to us that the partners
we’re working with have the freedom
to express themselves. Otherwise, you
run the risk of diluting what made them
•‘•’‡ ‹ƒŽ‹–Š‡ϐ‹”•–’Žƒ ‡ǡdz•ƒ›•Š‹˜ƒ•
Brothers’ Deslandes. As long as there’s a
spark of special, that partnership can be
a success. Without that magic, it’s just
another collaboration.
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 41
Interview Drew Mayville
WORDS
BLAIR PHILLIPS
& DAVIN DE KERGOMMEAUX
THE LINES
Sazerac’s seasoned master blender Drew Mayville
is championing a fresh approach to whisky blending
in North America, drawing inspiration and liquid
from across the continent’s borders
S
azerac master blender
Drew Mayville hated
almost everything he
ate as a toddler. He was
so sensitive to aromas
ƒ†ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•ǡŠ‡ǯ†”ƒ–Š‡”
skip a meal than search
‘—–™Šƒ–Š‘‡–‘™
Canadian chefs had to offer. “I believe that
I inherited my sense of smell and taste
ˆ”‘›‘ǤŠ‡™ƒ•ƒ —–‡Ž›•‡•‹–‹˜‡
and always reminded me where my palate
ƒ‡ˆ”‘ǡdz”‡‡„‡”•ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡Ǥ
••Ž‘™Ž›ƒ•™Š‹•›ƒ–—”‡•‹ƒ„ƒ””‡Žǡ
•‘†‹†ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡ǯ•’ƒŽƒ–‡†‡˜‡Ž‘’ǤŠ‡Š‡
began his career at Seagram in the early
ͳͻͺͲ•ǡŠ‡™ƒ•ƒƒœ‡†„›–Š‡˜ƒ”‹‘—•
aromas drifting in from the distillery.
–Žƒ•–ǡŠ‹•‘•‡Šƒ†ˆ‘—†‹–•Š‡ƒ˜‡Ǥ
Dz ‡ ‘˜‡†–‘–Š‡“—ƒŽ‹–›ƒ”‡ƒǡ „‡‰ƒ
›Œ‘—”‡›‘ˆ†‡˜‡Ž‘’‹‰›’ƒŽƒ–‡Ǥ 
“—ƒŽ‹–›ǡ ™ƒ•‡š’‘•‡†–‘–Š‡†‹ˆˆ‡”‡–
†‹•–‹ŽŽƒ–‡•ǡƒ–—”ƒ–‡•ǡƒ†ƒŽŽ‘ˆ‡ƒ‰”ƒǯ•
ϐ‹‹•Š‡†’”‘†— –•ǡ™Š‹ Š™ƒ•Œ—•–ƒ„‘—–
‡˜‡”›•’‹”‹–’”‘†— –Ǥ ”‘–Š‡”‡ǡ ‘˜‡†
–‘‘–”‡ƒŽ–‘†‡ ‹†‡‘–Š‡–ƒ•–‡“—ƒŽ‹–›
‘ˆ–Š‡’”‘†— –•Ǥdz
42 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
˜‡–—ƒŽŽ›ǡƒ’”‘‘–‹‘Žƒ†‡†ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡
‘–Š‡„Ž‡†‹‰–‡ƒǡ™Š‹ Š‹ Ž—†‡†
Š‹•‡–‘””–ƒ™‡ǤDzŠƒ–ǯ•™Š‡”‡ 
developed my passion and honed my
•‹ŽŽ•ƒ•ƒ„Ž‡†‡”ǤŠ‡”‡‹•‘•—„•–‹–—–‡
ˆ‘”Ž‡ƒ”‹‰ˆ”‘–Š‡„‡•–‹–Š‡‹†—•–”›ǡdz
he says.
The Seagram dynasty was second to
‘‡ǡ•ƒ’’‹‰—’–Š‡„‡•–’ƒŽƒ–‡•‹–Š‡
‹†—•–”›–Š‡–”ƒ‹‹‰ƒ††‡˜‡Ž‘’‹‰–Šƒ–
–ƒŽ‡–‹–‘„Ž‡†‹‰”‘›ƒŽ–›ǤDz˜‡–‘†ƒ›ǡ
their training led many people to lead
‘–Š‡”†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•ǡdz•ƒ›•ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡Ǥ‡ƒ‰”ƒ
developed the Canadian practice of
‹ Ž—†‹‰ƒ› ‘’‘‡–•‹‹–•„Ž‡†•ǡ
ƒ‹‘˜ƒ–‹‘–Šƒ–‡‡’•‡šǦ‡ƒ‰”ƒ
brands at the front of the whisky herd.
Dz›–”ƒ‹‹‰™ƒ•–Š”‘—‰Š—Ž–‹’Ž‡
areas and disciplines before I had the
chance to lead the blending team at
‡ƒ‰”ƒǤ‡ˆ‘”‡–Šƒ–ǡ  ‘•‹†‡”‡†‘˜‹‰
–‘ Ž‘”‹†ƒ–‘™‘”ƒ–”‘’‹ ƒƒȏ‘™‡†
„›‡ƒ‰”ƒƒ––Š‡–‹‡Ȑ„—–™ƒ•†‡‹‡†
„‡ ƒ—•‡–Š‡›Šƒ†ƒŽƒ”‰‡”‘’’‘”–—‹–›ˆ‘”
‡ǤŠƒ–ǯ•™Š‡ ™ƒ••‡–‘ƒ’ƒ–Š™ƒ›–‘
leading the Seagram blending team and
–‡ Š‹ ƒŽ•‡”˜‹ ‡•ǡdz‡š’Žƒ‹•ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡Ǥ
Interview Drew Mayville

We’re all about experimentation

to make better products, including
blending, like Mister Sam...
 Interview Drew Mayville

“Learning over the years from Art „‡†‘‡„—–Šƒ••‡‡ƒƒ†‹ƒ™Š‹•› ƒ”–‘ˆƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡ ”ƒ˜‡†ƒƒ†ƒǯ•

Dawe helped develop my blending •Ž‘™Ž›„—‹Ž†•–”‡‡– ”‡†ƒ•†‹•–‹ –‹˜‡ ‘’Ž‡š‡–Š‘†‘ˆ„Ž‡†‹‰›”‹ƒ†
•‹ŽŽ•Ǥ•‹‰›ƒ–—”ƒŽƒ„‹Ž‹–›ƒ† ˆ”‘‘–Š‡”™Š‹•‹‡•Ǥ ‘™‡˜‡”ǡ‹–†‘‡•ǯ– ™Š‹•‹‡•–‘ƒ‡ƒϐ‹ƒŽ’”‘†— –Ǥ
learning from the master was the best Šƒ’’‡‘˜‡”‹‰Š–Ǥƒ‡ǡˆ‘”‡šƒ’Ž‡ǡ “Mingling whiskies was simpler
™ƒ›–‘†‡˜‡Ž‘’›Ǯ„Ž‡†‹‰ Š‘’•ǯǤ ƒœ‡”ƒ ǯ•ƒ”‹„‘—”‘••‹‰ǡ™Š‹ Š –Šƒ„Ž‡†‹‰–Š‡™ƒ›‡ƒ‰”ƒ†‹†ǡ
Dz”–‹•–Š‡†‡ϐ‹‹–‹‘‘ˆƒ‡–‘”Ǥ was released in 2010 as part of a goal ‡˜‡–Š‘—‰Š‡”‹ ƒ™Š‹•‡›ƒ†
He saw something special in me early –‘’—–ƒ‘—‡–ƒŽŠ‘‘ˆ’”‹–‘ „‘—”„‘’”‡•‡–‡†–Š‡‹” ŠƒŽŽ‡‰‡•Ǥ–
on in my career at Seagram. He was Canadian whisky. ‡ƒ‰”ƒǡ™‡„Ž‡†‡†ˆ‘” ‘•‹•–‡ ›Ǥ
the one who moved my family and Dzƒ –Š‡ǡ™‡†‹†ǯ–‘™ƒ› ƒ”‡Ž›†‹†™‡„Ž‡†–‘ƒ‡‡™
‡ˆ”‘ƒ–‡”Ž‘‘–‘‘–”‡ƒŽˆ‘”› †‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•‹ƒƒ†ƒ„—–Šƒ†„‘—‰Š– ’”‘†— –•Ǥ–—ˆˆƒŽ‘”ƒ ‡ǡ‘–‘Ž›
†‡˜‡Ž‘’‡–ǤŠƒ–™ƒ•ƒ•‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ– •‡˜‡”ƒŽ„”ƒ†•ǡdz‡š’Žƒ‹•ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡Ǥ †‹†™‡™ƒ– ‘•‹•–‡ ›ǡ„—–ƒŽ•‘ǡ™‡
Šƒ‰‡‹›Ž‹ˆ‡ǡ„‘–Š’”‘ˆ‡••‹‘ƒŽŽ› “Those brands came with whisky ™ƒ–‡™’”‘†— –•Ǥ‡ǯ”‡ƒŽŽƒ„‘—–
and personally. He orchestrated my ‹˜‡–‘”›ǤŠƒ–ǯ•Š‘™‹–•–ƒ”–‡†Ǥ‡ ‡š’‡”‹‡–ƒ–‹‘–‘ƒ‡„‡––‡”
’Žƒ–Š”‘—‰Š‘—––Š‡”‡•–‘ˆ› ƒ”‡‡”ƒ– ™ƒ–‡†–Š‡ϐ‹”•–ƒŒ‘”•‹‰Ž‡Ǧ„ƒ””‡Ž ’”‘†— –•ǡ‹ Ž—†‹‰„Ž‡†‹‰ǡŽ‹‡‹•–‡”
‡ƒ‰”ƒǤ Ž‡ƒ”‡†•‘— Šˆ”‘Š‹ǡ ’”‘†— –‹–Š‡ƒƒ†‹ƒ ƒ–‡‰‘”›Ǥ –™ƒ• ƒǡ–‘ƒ‡‘‡Ǥdz
‘–‘Ž›ƒ„‘—–„Ž‡†‹‰„—–ƒŽ•‘Š‘™–‘ Opening pages: ‘†‡ŽŽ‡†•‘‡™Šƒ–ƒˆ–‡”Žƒ–‘ǯ•Ǥ ‹•–‡”ƒ”‹„—–‡Š‹•‡›‹•
Drew Mayville,
„‡ƒ‰”ƒ ‡ˆ—ŽŽ‡ƒ†‡”Ǥdz ”‹‰‹ƒŽŽ›ǡ–Š‡•–‘’’‡”–‘’™ƒ•ƒƒ’Ž‡ ƒ‡†‹Š‘‘—”‘ˆ‡ƒ‰”ƒǯ•ƒ
Sazerac master
ʹͲͲͶǡƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡ˆ‘ŽŽ‘™‡†ƒ‡™ blender and director Ž‡ƒˆǤ‘™ǡ‹–ǯ•ƒ ƒ”‹„‘—ǡ‘”‡‹Ž‹‡ Bronfman. There are two degrees of
’ƒ–Š–‘ƒŠ‘‡™Š‡”‡–Š‡„—ˆˆƒŽ‘”‘ƒǡ of quality. ™‹–Š–Š‡„”ƒ†ƒ‡Ǥdz separation between Mayville and Sam
accepting the role of master blender Žƒ–‘ǯ•’Žƒ›‡†ƒ”‘Ž‡‹‹•’‹”‹‰ ”‘ˆƒǡ™‹–Š”‘ˆƒ–‡ƒ Š‹‰
ƒ††‹”‡ –‘”‘ˆ“—ƒŽ‹–›ƒ–ƒœ‡”ƒ ǯ• These pages, from –Š‡’ƒ ƒ‰‹‰ǡ„—––Šƒ–ǯ•™Š‡”‡–Š‡ ƒ™‡Ǥ –ǯ•‡‘—‰Š†‹•–ƒ ‡–Šƒ–ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡
—ˆˆƒŽ‘”ƒ ‡‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›Ǥ•ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡ left to right: •‹‹Žƒ”‹–›‡†•Ǥ –‡”•‘ˆϐŽƒ˜‘—”ǡ‹– †‘‡•ǯ–•™‡ƒ”Ž‹‡ƒ•ƒ‹Ž‘”ǡƒ•”‘ˆƒ
Mister Sam Tribute
‘–‡•ǡ„Ž‡†‹‰‡”‹ ƒ™Š‹•‹‡• was another Mayville creation †‹†ǡ„—– Ž‘•‡‡‘—‰Š–‘ƒ„•‘”„
Whiskey; Labelling,
ƒ†„‘—”„‘‹•†‹ˆˆ‡”‡–ˆ”‘„Ž‡†‹‰ filling, and waxing destined to bring Canadian whisky ‰‡‡”ƒ–‹‘•‘ˆ‡ƒ‰”ƒǯ•„Ž‡†‹‰
ƒƒ†‹ƒ™Š‹•›ǣDz ‹”•–ǡ‹–ǯ•‹‰Ž‹‰ bottles of ‘‡ȋ“—ƒ†”—’‡†ƒŽȌ•–‡’ Ž‘•‡”–‘ •‹ŽŽ•Ǥƒœ‡”ƒ ǯ•Ž‡ƒ†‡”•Š‹’ƒŽŽ‘™‡†Š‹
whiskies. I always advise people that Caribou Crossing. the forefront. –‘ϐŽ‡š–Š‡„Ž‡†‹‰—• Ž‡•†‡˜‡Ž‘’‡†
ƒŽŽ™Š‹•‹‡•ƒ”‡„Ž‡†‡†‡š ‡’–ˆ‘”
•‹‰Ž‡„ƒ””‡Ž•Ǥ”ƒ†‹–‹‘ƒŽŽ›ǡ–Š‡„‹‰‰‡•–
difference between the two is that there
‹•‘„ƒ•‡™Š‹•›™‹–Š„‘—”„‘Ǥ‘†ƒ›
™‡ǯ”‡™‘”‹‰–‘™ƒ”†•‰”‡›‹‰–Š‡
difference between American whiskey
ƒ†ƒƒ†‹ƒ™Š‹•›Ǥ‡„‡Ž‹‡˜‡–Šƒ–
ƒƒ†‹ƒ™Š‹•›‹•—†‡””ƒ–‡†ƒ†
Šƒ•‰”‡ƒ–’‘–‡–‹ƒŽǡŒ—•–Ž‹‡„‘—”„‘
™ƒ•ƒˆ‡™›‡ƒ”•ƒ‰‘ǡƒ†™‡ǯ”‡’—––‹‰
ƒ™ƒ›™Š‹•‹‡•‹ƒƒ†ƒ–Šƒ–™‹ŽŽ„Ž—”
–Š‡Ž‹‡•Ǥdz
A lot has changed since Mayville
ϐ‹”•–•–ƒ”–‡†™‹–Šƒœ‡”ƒ Ǥ‘—”„‘ǯ•
’‘’—Žƒ”‹–›Šƒ†•›”‘ ‡–‡†ǡ™‹–Šƒ›
‘ˆ—ˆˆƒŽ‘”ƒ ‡ǯ•™Š‹•‹‡•Ž‡ƒ†‹‰
–Š‡ Šƒ”‰‡Ǥƒ‡••— Šƒ•ƒ‰Ž‡ƒ”‡ǡ
‡ŽŽ‡”ƒ†Žƒ–‘ǯ•„‡ ƒ‡ ‘˜‡–‡†‹
–Š‡™Š‹•› ‘—‹–›Ǥ‡–™Š‡–Š‘•‡
™Š‹•‹‡•Š‡ƒ–‡†–Š‡ƒ”‡–ǡƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡ǯ•
‡‰‘•–ƒ›‡† ‘‘ŽǤDz—” —•–‘‡”•™ƒ–
–‘„‡‡š ‹–‡†ƒ†™‘™‡†Ǥ ˆ›‘—’”‘˜‹†‡
–Š‡™‹–Š‰”‡ƒ–Ǧ“—ƒŽ‹–›’”‘†— –•ǡ–Š‡›
™‹ŽŽ ‘‡ǤdzŠ‡ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡•–ƒ”–‡†ƒ–
—ˆˆƒŽ‘”ƒ ‡ǡƒœ‡”ƒ ™ƒ•‘–•–”‘‰
in the Canadian whisky category. The
’Žƒ™ƒ•–‘„—‹Ž†•–”‡‰–Š‘˜‡”–‹‡Ǥ
He recognises that there is still a lot to

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 45

Interview Drew Mayville
‘˜‡”Š‹•ͶͲǦ’Ž—•Ǧ›‡ƒ” ƒ”‡‡”‹–Š‹•
‘ ‡ǦƒǦ›‡ƒ””‡Ž‡ƒ•‡Ǥ
“This blend symbolises me and
›„ƒ ‰”‘—†™Š‹Ž‡„‡‹‰ƒ–”‹„—–‡
™Š‹•›Ǥ ™ƒ•„‘”ƒƒƒ†‹ƒǡƒ†
‘™ ǯƒ†—ƒŽ ‹–‹œ‡Ǥ –‡š’”‡••‡•›
”‘‘–•ƒ•ƒƒƒ†‹ƒƒ†› —””‡–
Š‘‡ƒ•ƒ‡”‹ ƒ„‡ ƒ—•‡ —•‡†
both US and Canadian whiskies to make
–Š‹•–”‹„—–‡„Ž‡†Ǥ –ǯ•ƒ„Ž‡†‘ˆ›
‡š’‡”‹‡ ‡•„Ž‡†‹‰ƒƒ†‹ƒ™Š‹•›
ƒ†‡”‹ ƒ™Š‹•‡›Ǥdz ‡Ž‡ˆ–‹•–‡”
ƒ— —–ƒ†—ϐ‹Ž–‡”‡†–‘ƒš‹‹•‡
ϐŽƒ˜‘—”‹–‡•‹–›ƒ†ƒ– Š”‘ˆƒǯ•
— —–ƒ†—ϐ‹Ž–‡”‡†’‡”•‘ƒŽ‹–›Ǥ
Mayville decided to blend US and
Canadian whiskies to combine the
crème de la crème from both sides of
–Š‡„‘”†‡”ǡƒ•‡ƒ‰”ƒ™‘—Ž†Šƒ˜‡†‘‡
back in the day. “I wanted it to celebrate
the best whiskies from Canada and the
ƒ††‡‘•–”ƒ–‡–Šƒ––Š‡•—‹•
„‡––‡”–Šƒ‹–•‹†‹˜‹†—ƒŽ’ƒ”–•ȂŒ—•–
Ž‹‡ƒ™‘—Ž†Šƒ˜‡™ƒ–‡†ǤŠ‡„Ž‡†
”‡ ‘‰‹•‡•–Šƒ–”ƒ†‹†„Ž—”–Š‡
Ž‹‡••‘‡™Šƒ–ǡƒ†™‡ǯ”‡ ‘–‹—‹‰
–Šƒ––”ƒ†‹–‹‘Ǥdz
‹•–‘”‹ ƒŽŽ›ǡ‡ƒ‰”ƒ†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•
dotted the globe with a concentration in
ƒƒ†ƒƒ†–Š‡‹–‡†–ƒ–‡•ǤŠ‹•›
ϐŽ‘™‡†ƒ ”‘••–Š‡„‘”†‡”ˆ‘”‹‰Ž‹‰‹
„Ž‡†•™‹–Š‘—–ƒ›‘‡„ƒ––‹‰ƒ‡›‡ǤDz 
„‡Ž‹‡˜‡–Š‹•„Ž‡†™‘—Ž†Šƒ˜‡Šƒ’’‡‡†
‹ˆ‡ƒ‰”ƒ™‡”‡•–‹ŽŽ‹‡š‹•–‡ ‡ǤǤǤ –ǯ•ƒ
blend that represents not only Seagram
„—–›•‡Žˆǡ„›„Ž‡†‹‰ƒƒ†‹ƒ
46 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
This page,
clockwise from left:
Drew Mayville
admires a bottle of
Caribou Crossing on
the hand-bottling
line; Examining a
tailbox in the still
room; Drew Mayville
with a selection of
Buffalo Trace and
Sazerac whiskeys.
whisky early in my career then blending
‡”‹ ƒ™Š‹•‡›ƒ†„‘—”„‘Ǥ 
„‡Ž‹‡˜‡ Šƒ˜‡–Š‡„‡•–‘ˆ„‘–Š™‘”Ž†•Ǥdz
‘–Š‡””‡ ‡–Ȃ„—–ƒŽŽǦ‡”‹ ƒȂ
’”‡‹—„Ž‡†‹‰’”‘Œ‡ –‹•ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡ǯ•
‹‰ƒ–—”‡Ž‡†ǡ”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡†‹ʹͲʹʹ
–Š”‘—‰Šƒœ‡”ƒ Ǧ‘™‡†‹†‡’‡†‡–
bottler The Last Drop to celebrate
his 40th anniversary in the whisky
‹†—•–”›Ǥ ‡—•‡†ƒ”ƒ‰‡‘ˆ˜‹–ƒ‰‡
‡–— ›•–”ƒ‹‰Š–™Š‹•‡›•‹ Ž—†‹‰
„‘—”„‘ƒ†”›‡ˆ”‘–Š‡—ˆˆƒŽ‘”ƒ ‡
‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›–‘ ”‡ƒ–‡–Š‡„Ž‡†ǡ‘ˆ™Š‹ Š
ˆ‡™‡”–ŠƒͳǡͷͲͲ„‘––Ž‡•™‡”‡”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡†Ǥ
„‘˜‡‡˜‡”›–Š‹‰‡Ž•‡ǡƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡ǯ•
”‘Ž‡•–Š”‘—‰Š‘—–Š‹• ƒ”‡‡”Šƒ˜‡„‡‡
ƒ„‘—– ‘•‹•–‡ ›ƒ†“—ƒŽ‹–›Ǥ–
ƒœ‡”ƒ ǡ–Š‹•‹•‘ˆ’”‹‡‹’‘”–ƒ ‡Ǥ—–
Ž‹‡Š‹•—”–—”‹‰’ƒ”‡–•ǡƒœ‡”ƒ Šƒ•
‡ ‘—”ƒ‰‡†ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡–‘–”›‡™–Š‹‰•Ǥ
‹•–‡”ƒ‹•Œ—•–‘‡‡šƒ’Ž‡‹ƒŽ‘‰
Ž‹•–‘ˆ™Š‹•‹‡•ǤDzŠ‡”‡ƒ”‡ ‘—–Ž‡••
‘–Š‡”•–Šƒ–‘—”ǡƒ””‘™ǡŠƒ•
‘–‘Ž›•—’’‘”–‡†„—–‡ ‘—”ƒ‰‡†ǡdz
ƒ›˜‹ŽŽ‡•ƒ›•ǤDz‡‘ˆ–Š‡ϐ‹”•–’”‘Œ‡ –•
’—”•—‡†™‹–ŠŠ‹•ƒ’’”‘˜ƒŽ‹•—ˆˆƒŽ‘
”ƒ ‡‘—”„‘”‡ƒǡ™Š‹ Š‹•
Š—‰‡Ž›’‘’—Žƒ”Ǥ ƒ•‡†Š‹™Šƒ–ƒ‰‡
‘ˆ„‘—”„‘ •Š‘—Ž†„Ž‡†‹–‘–Š‹•
’”‘†— –Ǥ ‡•ƒ‹†ǡǮ—–‹–‘‹–™Šƒ––ƒ•–‡•
–Š‡„‡•–ǤǯŠƒ–ǯ•‘‡”‡ƒ•‘™Š› ǯ
ƒ–ƒœ‡”ƒ Ǥ –ǯ•ƒŽŽƒ„‘—––Š‡–ƒ•–‡ǥ‡
want to celebrate the art of blending
™‹–Šƒƒ†‹ƒ™Š‹•›Ǥdz†™Š‹•›ˆƒ•
© SAZERAC
who have tasted Mister Sam seldom
—––‡”ƒ†‹• ‘—”ƒ‰‹‰™‘”†Ǥ
Whisky Tasting 7KH,QÀXHQFHRI0XVLF
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WORDS FELIPE SCHRIEBERG
48 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
D
ave Broom only needed 15 minutes to host one of the most
impressive tastings I’ve ever attended. The award-winning
author and whisky writer kicked the experience off by
having his audience, from the 2019 edition of The Whisky
Show in London, don wireless headphones. Then he handed
us notecards with words such as ‘salty’, ‘sweet’, ‘bitter’, ‘metallic’, and
‘mineral’ before serving us a dram of Talisker Storm.
As we tasted the whisky, he played a variety of musical soundscapes
into the headsets. As he played each track, we silently held up the cards
™‡ˆ‡Ž–‘•–ƒ’’”‘’”‹ƒ–‡–‘‡š’”‡••–Š‡ƒ”‘ƒ•ƒ†ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•™‡™‡”‡
experiencing from the whisky. Despite the fact that we were all drinking
the same liquid throughout the tasting, with every track he played
™‡‡ƒ ŠŠ‡Ž†—’†‹ˆˆ‡”‡– ƒ”†•ƒ•–Š‡ƒ”‘ƒ•ƒ†ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•™‡™‡”‡
sensing in the whisky radically changed as a result of the sounds we
were hearing.
–‹•‘•‡ ”‡––Šƒ–•‘—†Ȃƒ†—•‹ ǡ•’‡ ‹ϐ‹ ƒŽŽ›Ȃ ƒ•Š‹ˆ––Š‡™ƒ›
in which people perceive the world around them. However, over the
past 10 years there have been ever more experiments and events that
drill down on the relationship between music and whisky and its effect
and impact on drinkers’ enjoyment of both. The combination not only
‘’‡•—’‡™‡š’‡”‹‡ ‡•ˆ‘”‡‡†”‹‡”•–Š”‹ŽŽ‡†ƒ–ϐ‹†‹‰‡™
ways to enjoy whisky, but also creates fresh opportunities, both
creative and commercial, for brands and producers.
Whisky Tasting 7KH,QÀXHQFHRI0XVLF

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 49

Whisky Tasting 7KH,QÀXHQFHRI0XVLF
An initial foray into this cross-current
was led by Oxford professor Dr Charles
Spence. An expert on crossmodality and
perception, he helped lead a ground-
breaking 2013 tasting with 441 guests.
In collaboration with The Singleton,
he and his colleagues created three
differently themed rooms, each with
its own custom soundscape – which
changed guests’ perceptions of the
ƒ”‘ƒƒ†ϐŽƒ˜‘—”‘ˆ–Š‡‹†‡–‹ ƒŽ
whisky tasted in all three rooms.
In 2016, Spence explored the
combination of music and whisky
‘”‡•’‡ ‹ϐ‹ ƒŽŽ›™Š‡Œƒœœ–”ƒ •ƒ†
curated whiskies from Glenrothes were
•‡”˜‡†–‘‰—‡•–•ƒ–ƒ‘†‘Œƒœœ Ž—„ǡ
while their observations were recorded
for analysis.
Inspired by Spence’s research,
Broom has gone further, hosting many
pioneering tastings combining music
and whisky – although his goal is to
create special visceral moments with
whisky for consumers rather than for
the purpose of an academic study.
‘The way I try to explain it is that
everyone is synaesthesic in some way,”
he says. “All our senses are relaying
information to our brain all the time,
so there’s always interaction between
them. Colour is a fascinating example. If
you go into a restaurant with red walls,
the food will tend to taste spicier. The
shape of crockery or bottles – all that
can relay information into the brain
about the way it might taste.”
Through the many tastings he has
conducted around the world, Broom
has reached a fascinating conclusion:
though the experience of tasting whisky
and listening to music is entirely
subjective, his guests’ noses and
tastebuds respond quite similarly to
his musical whisky experiments across
countries and cultures.
‘”‡šƒ’Ž‡ǡŠ‡ϐ‹†•–Šƒ–Š‹‰Š‡”Ǧ
pitched sounds such as bells bring
out sweetness. Slow and legato
(smooth) melodies do the same. Brass
instruments elicit bitter and sour
notes. Low-pitched sounds emphasise
umami (savoury notes). Dissonant
50 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
sounds bring out sourness while
simultaneously enhancing acidity.
To Broom, music not only serves as a
universal trigger for people to discover
ƒ†Š‹‰ŠŽ‹‰Š–ϐŽƒ˜‘—”ǡ„—–‹–ƒŽ•‘
increases their ability to relate to fellow
tasters or drinkers through the whisky.
Especially as they become familiar with
whisky, audiences are far more engaged
via the music angle than through a
more ‘orthodox’ tasting, where a brand
ambassador often dictates what is
meant to be smelled and tasted in the
glass. Instead, music helps guide and
enrich a shared experience.
Broom loves that this approach
accelerates audience engagement: “You
get people talking a lot faster and the
discussions are a lot more interesting.”
‡ƒŽ•‘ϐ‹†•–Šƒ–—•‹‰—•‹ Š‡Ž’•
transcend language barriers when
hosting tastings for non-English-
speaking audiences, helping to create
an interactive experience avoiding the
clumsiness and delays that often come
with using a translator.
Broom turns music into a facilitator
for creating a shared language of
™Š‹•›ƒ”‘ƒ•ƒ†ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•Ǥ ‘™‡˜‡”ǡ
music can also be a powerful tool
for whisky-based education and
entertainment – that is something I
explore professionally as one half of
–Š‡„Ž—‡•†—‘Š‡Š›–Šƒ†‘‘œ‡
Project. During the performances of
our show Two Guys, Three Drams,
we use what we call ‘sequences’ to
Whisky Tasting 7KH,QÀXHQFHRI0XVLF
holistically combine music and whisky
for our audience.
For example, while our guests sip on
a Scotch, we perform a cover of the John
Lee Hooker classic ‘One Scotch, One
Bourbon, One Beer’, but we constantly
interrupt the song to squabble between
ourselves and explain the differences
between the three.
In another sequence, our guests take
a sip of heavily peated whisky, hold it
on the palate, and on our instruction
swallow the moment we start playing
a particularly raucous song. The
combination of smoke and aural punch
is potent.
The award for grandest spectacle
combining music and whisky has to
go to Navigate The Blood, an opera
featuring original music composed by
Scottish indie band Admiral Fallow.
Telling the story of a family that
owns a small whisky distillery, it was
performed almost exclusively in actual
whisky distilleries around Scotland,
as well as a limited number of other
venues in 2018.
By incorporating whisky into a live
performance, new audiences that might
not typically be interested in whisky
are introduced in a unique way, while
whisky fans are provided with a new
platform to appreciate it.
Drinks writer, presenter and
musician Neil Ridley takes a different
approach in his work combining music
and whisky. He is more interested in
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52 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
recording a ‘whisky soundtrack’. His
past projects include tastings pairing
•‘‰•ƒ†ƒ”–‹•–•™‹–Š•’‡ ‹ϐ‹ ™Š‹•‹‡•ǡ
and using a vintage recording booth
to record a folk singer and then print a
vinyl of the session over the course of
a whisky tasting (including applause
from the audience in the recording).
His next undertaking sees him join
forces with producer Dean Honer to
record the sounds of the Glen Scotia
distillery. Using the best available
microphones, Honer and Ridley used
‘found sounds’ to create a distillery
soundscape covering the full production
process that will be featured in a tasting
during the upcoming Campbeltown
Malts Festival.
Ridley describes whisky distilleries
as a paradise for sound geeks. “I became
obsessed when I started visiting
distilleries – the high-pitched frequency
of the still room and low rumbles when
the mash tuns are operating, or when
casks are rolling by,” he said. “I think
it’s brilliant and no-one really ever
recorded these sounds.”
Drawing on many hours of recorded
audio, the duo also created a backing
track for an upcoming single by Scottish
singer-songwriter Jenny Sturgeon,
who wrote the lyrics at the distillery
and recorded vocals by singing into
one of the distillery’s stainless steel
washbacks. (“They give this incredibly
cavernous reverb,” says Ridley.)
Then there’s the whisky itself.
Previous pages: While many musicians have entered
The Rhythm and the whisky industry with their own
Booze Project (Paul brands (see: Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door
Archibald and Felipe
and Yelawolf’s Creek Water Whiskey,
Schrieberg) perform
on stage. among others), some have sought to
incorporate their art into production.
These pages, One of the best examples belongs to
from top: metal titans Metallica. Their whiskey,
Whisky writer and Blackened, blends a mix of bourbons,
author Dave Broom;
ryes and other whiskeys before further
Metallica’s Blackened
whiskey. maturation in ex-brandy barrels.
The barrels are then blasted in the
warehouse by large speakers playing
Metallica songs. The power of the
© SAM CHRISTIE | DAVE BROOM | BLACKENED WHISKEY
sound waves from the music leads
to the vibration of the liquid, which
means more contact between liquid and
wooden cask. The result is legitimate
metal-music-aged whiskey.
It is impossible to overstate music’s
ability to enhance whisky’s aromas
ƒ†ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•ǤŽŽ–Š‡•‡‡šƒ’Ž‡•‘Ž›
scratch the surface of what can be
accomplished by combining them.
 SPECIAL PROMOTION Breckenridge

WORDS JESSIE UNRUH

Colorado’s award-
winning distillery
Breckenridge Distillery was founded on an
overwhelming obsession with whiskey

S
ince coming online in 2008
ƒ†”‡Ž‡ƒ•‹‰‹–•ϐ‹”•–˜‘†ƒ
and bourbon three years
Žƒ–‡”ǡ”‡ ‡”‹†‰‡‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›
“—‹ Ž›„‡ ƒ‡‘‡–Š‡‘•–
Š‹‰ŠŽ›ƒ™ƒ”†‡†’”‘†— ‡”•‘ˆϐ‹‡•’‹”‹–•
in the USA. Noted as the World’s Highest
‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ǡ‹–Šƒ•„‡‡ƒ‡†‘Ž‘”ƒ†‘
Š‹•‡›‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›‘ˆ–Š‡‡ƒ”ȋˆ‘—”
times), winner of Best American Blended
Š‹•‡›ȋ‹‡–‹‡•Ȍǡ‘—”„‘‘ˆ–Š‡
‡ƒ”ƒ†‘”Ž†ǯ•‡•– ‹Ǥ –Šƒ•ƒŽ•‘™‘
–Š”‡‡ ‘•‘ˆŠ‹•›‡”‹ ƒ™ƒ”†•ǡƒ
Š—‰‡ƒ Š‹‡˜‡‡–‹‹–•‡ƒ”Ž›ƒ‰‡Ǥ
”›ƒ‘Ž–ǡˆ‘—†‡”ƒ†ǡ ƒ
„‘ƒ•–Šƒ˜‹‰–Š‡Žƒ”‰‡•–†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›‹
‘Ž‘”ƒ†‘ƒ†‹•‘–‡†ƒ•‘‡‘ˆ–Š‡–‘’ the modern-American cuisine and
craft distilleries in the nation. Led by Šƒ†Ǧ ”ƒˆ–‡† ‘ –ƒ‹Ž•–‘‡š’Ž‘”‹‰
‹–•ϐŽƒ‰•Š‹’„‘—”„‘ǡ–Š‡”‡ ‡”‹†‰‡ –Š‡‹”ƒ –‹˜‡’”‘†— –‹‘ˆƒ ‹Ž‹–›ƒ†
team offer more than 20 spirits, which „Ž‡†‹‰›‘—”‘™™Š‹•‡›™‹–Š–Š‡
ƒ”‡ƒ˜ƒ‹Žƒ„Ž‡‹ͷͲ•–ƒ–‡•Ǥ ‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ǯ•‡š’‡”–†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”•ǡ‡ƒ Š˜‹•‹–‹•
Š‡‘Ž–™ƒ•ƒ•‡†™Šƒ–Š‡Ž‘˜‡• ƒ‹‡”•‹˜‡‡š’‡”‹‡ ‡Ǥ
most about his job, he said, “there breckenridgedistillery.com.
ƒ”‡‘„‘—†ƒ”‹‡•ˆ‘” ”‡ƒ–‹˜‹–›Ǥdz
Something guests will notice on a
˜‹•‹––‘”‡ ‡”‹†‰‡‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›‹
”‡ ‡”‹†‰‡ǡ‘Ž‘”ƒ†‘Ǥ
”‡ ‡”‹†‰‡‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›™ƒ•ƒ‡†
ƒ ‘‘ˆŠ‹•›ǡ‘–‡†ƒ•Šƒ˜‹‰
‘‡‘ˆ–Š‡–‘’˜‹•‹–‘”ƒ––”ƒ –‹‘•‹
‡”‹ ƒǤ ‡”‡ǡ‰—‡•–•ƒ”‡–ƒ‡‘
a journey through the senses. From

Our reputation is built upon the quality of the product: color, density,
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based upon those factors, then it shouldn’t be in our portfolio

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 53

Interview Ernie Button
A NEW
PERSPECTIVE
Each distiller will tell you that their whisky has its own
unique character, but through his photography project
and accompanying book, The Art of Whisky, Ernie Button
is putting this assertion to the test
F
or centuries, people have looked for
answers at the bottom of a glass. For an
artist seeking inspiration, or a scientist
looking to understand the mysteries of
the universe, alcohol has often provided
a muse. But it is where those two worlds collide
that Ernie Button has found the space to create a
series of unique and otherworldly photographs by
experimenting with little more than coloured
light, the residue left in a tumbler, and his own
inquisitive mind.
Button already had plenty of experience working
on close photography – from pictures of agates for
a friend, to his Cerealism project which created
evocative landscapes through the creative use of
breakfast cereal – when he noticed an interesting
WORDS ALEX MENNIE
’ƒ––‡”‘ˆϐ‹‡‰”‡›Ž‹‡•‘–Š‡„‘––‘‘ˆƒ
empty whisky tumbler that had been left out
overnight. With his studio ready to go, he shot a
”‘ŽŽ‘ˆ‡†‹—Ǧˆ‘”ƒ–ϐ‹Žƒ†™ƒ‹–‡†‡ƒ‰‡”Ž›
for the results which, he says, he knew could be
something wonderful and exciting.
Over the past 15 years, the set-up has evolved
but the raw materials remain the same. Now,
Button has produced a book, The Art of Whisky:
The Vanishing Spirits of Single Malt Scotch, tracking
his exploration of this previously unexplored art
form to generate an extraordinary log of images.
Among these, the overwhelming theme is outer
space; with galaxies and ethereal space landscapes
appearing thanks to little more than a variety of
coloured lights, lens extenders and the artist’s
 Interview Ernie Button

creativity, which permits the occasional tilt of the

glass to guide the drying liquid.
While Button’s work is primarily pursued from
the artist’s perspective, his natural curiosity has
ƒŽ•‘’”‘’–‡†ƒˆƒ‹”ƒ‘—–‘ˆ• ‹‡–‹ϐ‹ ‹–‡”‡•–
in the process as well. A chance email exchange
with Dr Howard Stone, a professor of mechanical
and aerospace engineering at Princeton University,
led to a research project which has shown that the
evaporation patterns of whisky are determined by
polymeric compounds added in the manufacturing
process – most likely the effect of the oak cask that
ƒŽ•‘†‘‡••‘— Š–‘‘—Ž†–Š‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”
‘ˆ–Š‡ϐ‹‹•Š‡††”ƒǤ

Science, however, does not appear to have all

the answers just yet. For instance, it remains
unclear why grape-based spirits and even wine
ƒ•Ǧϐ‹‹•Š‡†™Š‹•‹‡•’”‘†— ‡Ž‹––Ž‡‘”‘’ƒ––‡”
under Button’s lights. “I’ve tried brandy, I’ve tried
Cognac and because of the grapes, it won’t produce
a pattern, even though it’s high ABV,” he says.
Once you get into whisky, however, patterns and
‡˜‡–Š‡‡•„‡‰‹–‘‡‡”‰‡ǤDz –ǯ•†‡ϐ‹‹–‡Ž›ƒ
interplay of the grain as well as the cask,” Button
explains. “Once you start to play around with
the malt or the casks, you’re going to see slight
changes.” He refers to The Macallan, explaining
that the heavily sherried malt produces “straighter
lines that are a bit more diffuse. The Macallan will
produce a pattern, but it will have less repetitive
and thicker lines.”
Through all of this, Button is creating a
taxonomy. The extent to which he can recall the
patterns and distinguishing features of different
whiskies is remarkable. “Each whisky has a unique
ϐ‹‰‡”’”‹–ǡdzŠ‡‡š’Žƒ‹•ǤDzŠ‡’‡›•‹†‡™Š‹•‹‡•
look a little bit different from the Islay whiskies
which look a little bit different from the island
whiskies. There are some subtle differences
which I can pick out.”

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 55

Interview Ernie Button
For example, peated whisky results
in diffuse milky lines which require
—––‘–‘™‘”Šƒ”†‡”–‘ϐ‹‡••‡–Š‡
ϐ‹ƒŽ‹ƒ‰‡ǡ™Š‹Ž‡‘Ž†‡”™Š‹•›ƒ’’‡ƒ”•
to give denser lines and patterns, and
new-make spirit shows its potential
even through the lens: “You can see
the evolution – it’s like an embryonic
shot of where the whisky maturation is
going, seeing these broad lines starting
to develop. As it’s getting older, it’s
starting to add in lines, so the organic
material from the cask is being added.”
One of the most interesting
questions raised by the project is the
extent to which Buttons’ ever-growing
taxonomy can tell us something about
the whisky-making process, or even be
—•‡†–‘‹†‡–‹ˆ›•’‡ ‹ϐ‹ ’”‘†— –•Ǥ ‡
is, however, characteristically modest
about any such suggestion. “I’m not
•—”‡Š‘™‹–™‹ŽŽ„‡„‡‡ϐ‹ ‹ƒŽ–‘ƒ›‘‡
but me, but it is fascinating how each
whisky gives a little bit of a signature.”
This is arguably something that
could interest more producers. With
distillery character being seen as such
...which distiller would
not want to see its brand’s
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56 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
a distinguishing feature
within the industry, which
distiller would not want to see
‹–•„”ƒ†ǯ•‹†‡Ž‹„Ž‡ϐ‹‰‡”’”‹–
writ large on its packaging?
So far, the only brand to bite has
been The Macallan, with Button
honoured to be featured as part of the
brand’s Masters of Photography series,
producing a set of 12 images of The
Macallan to be used on limited-edition
packaging sold in 14 markets around
the world – a project that came about
from another innocent email.
“I’m a big believer of trying to just
make contact with people and I don’t
have a fear of emailing people,” says
Button, when explaining how the
project came about. That email, which
included images Button had already
produced using Macallan single malt,
resulted in a simple response from
the brand: “Fantastic. Can you make
more?” Happy to oblige, Button spent a
whole summer shooting The Macallan
for the project, which was no hardship
given Speyside whiskies are usually
Opening pages his favourite, and conveniently tend to
and this page: photograph the best.
A selection of images When it comes to the choice of
from Ernie Button’s
whisky to photograph, Button admits
photographic
project Vanishing that his principal rationale is whether
Spirits, which it’s something he and his wife want
catalogues the to try: “There have been bottles that
patterns that the I will pick up to experiment with, but
residue of different primarily, we’re always going to taste
whiskies leaves as it
them. We’re always going to drink it.”
dries in a glass.
Those experiments have helped
broaden his whisky horizons, and after
several visits to Scotland, Button knows
™Šƒ–Š‡Ž‹‡•–‘ϐ‹†‹Š‹•‰Žƒ••‘”‹Š‹•
studio. He won’t commit to whether the
whiskies he most enjoys drinking are
the ones that produce the best images,
ƒŽ–Š‘—‰Š–Š‡Ž‹„‡–™‡‡–Š‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•
that develop during maturation and the
lines that appear in the photos suggest
it may just be possible.
“There is some merit to that
thinking,” Button posits, “because it’s
all being affected by that maturation
process and when that cask was
distilled. But I started this process
just from a purely photographic and
aesthetic perspective – I want the
best image possible – so whatever the
whisky, I’m putting the best image
forward. It’s fascinating to me, this
process, and so every time I go into the
studio I want something beautiful to
come out of it.”
Ultimately, Vanishing Spirits is an
art-led project which just happens to
have taught us a little about the spirits
™‡Ž‘˜‡Ǥ—–—––‘‹•ǯ–”—•Š‹‰–‘ϐ‹†
more answers, concluding that it’s the
© ERNIE BUTTON
exploration that excites him. It is the
element of mystery that propels him to
the bottom of each glass.
Whisky Bars Eddie’s Klub
WORDS ANN HOLMES
Join the
KLUB
After honing his bar craft in London, including
at whisky mecca Milroy’s of Soho, Eddie DeSousa
is determined to spread the good word about the
water of life in his native Portugal
T
he streets of Porto on a
summer’s evening are
packed with local drinkers
ϐŽ‘‘†‹‰‹–‘–Š‡’‹ –—”‡•“—‡
city’s wine bars. But for
those seeking something
other than an Aperol Spritz
or a large glass of Douro Valley vino, one venue
worth a stop is Eddie’s Klub – considered
‘”–—‰ƒŽǯ•ϐ‹”•–™Š‹•›•’‡ ‹ƒŽ‹•–„ƒ”Ǥ
Founder-owner Eddie DeSousa returned to
Portugal from the UK in 2020 to introduce his
penchant for a good dram to his home country.
After years mulling over the idea, the spare
hours afforded to him – and many others –
†—”‹‰–Š‡ϐ‹”•– ‘”‘ƒ˜‹”—•Ž‘ †‘™‰ƒ˜‡
him the time to turn thoughts into action.
In researching for his venture, Eddie
discovered a gap in the Portuguese market
for venues dedicated to whisky. “I would
see there’s rum bars, gin bars, and there are
‡˜‡–‡“—‹Žƒ„ƒ”•ǡ„—––Š‡”‡™ƒ•‘–Š‹‰™‹–Š
whisky,” he said.
“I realised that although there was a market,
there wasn’t a bar-leading specialist in
Portugal. So, it kind of just made sense – I had
this idea, my expertise, my knowledge, [and]
my experience that I could just take with me
and apply.”
Now just over a year old, Eddie’s Klub is
58 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
welcoming a steady stream of both whisky
ƒϐ‹ ‹‘ƒ†‘•ƒ†‡™„‹‡•Ǥ –Ž‘‘•‡ˆˆ‘”–Ž‡••ǡ
but it’s clear that Eddie’s years of experience
– dating back to his move to London in 2011 –
have played a huge part in the bar’s success.
“I started working in a bar in central
London, where I had access to what I thought
was an incredible offering of around 10 malts,”
Š‡•ƒ‹†ǤDz ƒŽ•‘Šƒ†ƒϐŽƒ–ƒ–‡™Š‘ƒŽ•‘”‡ƒŽŽ›
liked whisky, so anytime I was off, we would
get a bottle and sit in the house and just chat
about everything. Each time we did this we
always got something different, and from that
moment on my head just exploded with so
ƒ›†‹ˆˆ‡”‡–’‘••‹„‹Ž‹–‹‡•‘ˆ™Š‹•›ϐŽƒ˜‘—”
and I started getting really into it.”
Four years later, a family bereavement
gave Eddie the necessary nudge to pursue his
interest in the whisky scene. “My mum passed
away and I had a bit of a shake in my life. I
needed to change something as I was really
unhappy with what I was doing and how life
was going.”
Turning in his notice, Eddie journeyed to
Scotland to train as a whisky ambassador.
A managerial role at restaurant Boisdale of
Canary Wharf helped to sharpen his skills
upon return, but it was a later position at
‹Ž”‘›ǯ•‘ˆ‘Š‘–Šƒ–’”‘˜‡†–‘„‡–Š‡†‡ϐ‹‹‰
moment in his career.
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 59
 “Milroy’s is the centre of the whisky
™‘”Ž†‹–Š‡Ȃ‹–™ƒ•“—‹–‡‡ƒ•›–‘
drink from everybody’s knowledge
there,” he said.
“We were geeks and we were proud
of that. That was the coolest part of
all: we would be proud when someone
would come in and say, ‘Oh, you guys
are such geeks.’ We were like, ‘Yeah
man, thank you.’ This is the thing –
it’s passion.” It was this passion that
planted the seed for Eddie’s Klub.
When Eddie packed up his belongings
to return to his hometown of Guimarães
in northern Portugal over Christmas
2020, his dream started to take shape.
‡ƒ†™‹ˆ‡ƒ–”› Œƒ–‘‘–Š‡‹”ϐ‹”•–
steps into the project six months later,
taking on a completely blank-canvas
premises in the bustling city of Porto.
The pair worked hard to build a
place that would stand out between
extravagant cocktail venues and bars
selling beer for a euro. “The bar is as
much [my wife’s] as it is mine,” Eddie
said. “We would measure everything 50
to 100 times to make sure things would
ϐ‹–ǡƒ†‡˜‡”›–Š‹‰™ƒ•„—‹Ž– ‘• ‹‘—•Ž›
to make sure if we wanted, we could
take everything down and leave the
place exactly as it was.
“We did it in a very humble way, but
we did it with a lot of character and a
lot of love. And we always keep in mind
that we can only improve.”
60 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
In January 2022, Eddie’s Klub opened
to the public. Months of graft have
resulted in a warm and friendly venue
unlike anything else in the country.
Eddie says the place resembles a dive
bar (“we’re just missing the jukebox,
the beers, and the live band,” he jokes)
but it’s he and his sidekick bartender,
João, who have injected personality
into it. The pair effortlessly provide a
comfortable yet educational whisky
experience to everyone who walks
through the door.
“One of the most important things
for me is whisky doesn’t choose people,
people choose whisky,” Eddie said.
“Someone once asked me if I could get
them a more ‘girly’ whisky; I told them
there’s no such thing. There’s no gender
in it. Some people like it, and some
people do not.”
The Klub currently has a collection of
around 150 whiskies including a large
range of Scotch single malts and Eddie’s
top picks from Ireland, America, Japan,
Wales, India, and more. Each bottle is
hand picked to guarantee a special and
constantly evolving offering to drinkers.
“It is very important to me that
every whisky has a story behind
it – either my own personal story or
something about the whisky itself that
makes it interesting,” Eddie explained.
“Education for people has to have the
‘cool’ factor. Without this, people aren’t
 Whisky Bars Eddie’s Klub

These pages, really interested in what you have to “—‹–‡ƒŽ‘––Š‡•‡†ƒ›•Ǥ –ǯ•ƒŽŽ„ƒ•‡†

clockwise from say. It’s a work that doesn’t stop, it
top left: always builds up. I’m always hunting
Take a seat at the
ˆ‘”‡™–Š‹‰•ƒ†–”›‹‰–‘ϐ‹‰—”‡‘—–
bar; Eddie (right)
began his whisky what I can offer that will give people the
career in bars in ‘wow’ factor. It’s important to be always
London; Pouring The on top of that.”
Macallan; Carefully Eddie and João aim to work one-
measuring a dram; on-one with every drinker at the
Guests at Eddie’s
bar, building the experience around
Klub sample their
whiskies. education. Whiskies are served in 25ml
measures from tasting glasses to focus
‘–Š‡“—ƒŽ‹–‹‡•‘ˆ‡ƒ Š•’‹”‹–‘˜‡”
their presentation.
“First we are a bar, then we are a
whisky bar,” Eddie said. “The idea
‘ˆǮϐ‹”•–™‡ƒ”‡ƒ„ƒ”ǯ‡ƒ•–Šƒ–
people come in for a good hospitality
experience. Then it’s a whisky specialist
bar, so everything you see in front of
you is a whisky selection that outstands
ƒ›–Š‹‰›‘—™‹ŽŽϐ‹†‹‘”–—‰ƒŽǤ
“It’s all based on human interaction
– it’s something that people are missing
on that feeling of whoever you are,
wherever you come from, if you are
ƒ‰‘‘†’‡”•‘›‘—™‹ŽŽƒŽ™ƒ›•ϐ‹†ƒ
friendly place to be. This is what we try
to bring to the bar the most.”
Those who have a different spirit of
choice are welcomed just as warmly,
although Eddie is keen to work with
drinkers who say they prefer to steer
clear of whisky.
“If someone says they don’t like
™Š‹•›ǡ–Š‡ϐ‹”•––Š‹‰ †‘‹•‰‡–
them to smell something smoky. For
someone who doesn’t like whisky,
peated whiskies are always absolutely
disgusting or they’re completely in love
™‹–Š–Š‡Ǥ –Š‡ϐ‹†•‘‡–Š‹‰™‹–Š
a lower ABV that’s easy to approach,”
he explained.
“For me, this is absolute gold –
ϐ‹†‹‰–Š‡•‡•‹–—ƒ–‹‘•™Š‡”‡›‘— ƒ
bring someone into whisky, and even
better, make their friends or partner

Eddie’s Mirandela
Klub
Vila
Real
Porto
Trancoso
Aveiro Viseu
NORTH
ATLANTIC
OCEAN Parque Natural
da Serra
Coimbra da Estrela

Castelo
Branco
Leiria

Caldas da Tomar
Rainha SPAIN
Ponte
de Sor

Elvas
LISBON
Almada
Whisky Bars Eddie’s Klub

This page, from top: ask, ‘How did you do that?’ It’s a matter
Pouring a glass of of having the right tools – with the right
Oban whisky at tools, you can show different ways of
Eddie’s Klub; Raising
trying whisky.”
a toast.
Though Eddie’s Klub is only young,
its intention is clear. Eddie hopes that
the bar’s customer-forward approach to
whisky will transform preconceptions
about the spirit in his home country.
Domestically, whisky is still on
the back foot in Portugal (among the
imported brands available, Scotch
rules the roost). Like other countries in
continental Europe, it has been brushed
by the craft gin wave – there are around
a dozen brands on the market, and gin
has become one of the more commonly
consumed spirits alongside local tipple
ginjinha – but, despite the popularity of
its ex-wine casks for whisky maturation,
whisky production in Portugal is still
in its infancy. Venakki Distillery in
Alpiarça, maker of Woodwork Whisky,
is leading the charge.
Eddie said, “In Portugal, everybody
has whisky at home but it’s normally
blended. The biggest brands around
here are Grant’s, J&B, Chivas Regal and
Passport. It’s like a Christmas thing – at
Christmas, you either give whisky or
receive whisky from someone.
“People are not going to buy more
expensive whisky just because it’s more
expensive. You need to offer education
to the public, and you need to show the
public there are different options.”
Eddie’s enthusiasm for the industry
shines through, but he isn’t ignorant of
the fact more work needs to be done to
change the bigger picture.
“Whisky needs more people doing
what we’re doing because there is
potential in the market,” he said. The
hope is this will attract a chain of others
to Portugal, in turn introducing the
country to a better range of whiskies
and allowing the market to grow.
Small steps lead to big changes.
Eddie’s Klub is demonstrating just how
© VINICIUS VALPEREIRO

different the Portuguese whisky market

could look in the future, and Eddie and
his team will be bringing that change,
dram by dram, for years to come.

62 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

Whisky & Science :KLVN\¶V3V\FKRORJLFDO(̆HFWV
WORDS CHRIS MIDDLETON
“What else can change your ideas
DQGPDNHWKHPUXQRQDGL̆HUHQW
plane like whiskey?” wrote Ernest
Hemingway to biographer Arthur
0L]QHU:HLQYHVWLJDWHWKHH̆HFWV
of alcohol, and the role of whisky,
in innovation and creativity
W
hat is it about
alcohol that
lures creative
personalities to
use psychoactive
substances to help alter their
perceptions and consciousness? Is it the
tension between alcohol as a comforter
or killer, sacrament or poison? For
Hemingway, it started as a friend
and became a foe. His creative crutch
turned into a destructive force, a fate
that befell other writers. The gonzo
writer Hunter S. Thompson consumed
copious volumes of Scotch and bourbon.
Rising at 3AM each morning, he started
drinking “Chivas Regal with my morning
papers”. Beat writer Jack Kerouac
64 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
travelled the road with bourbon; like
others of his generation, such as action
painter Jackson Pollock, addiction
ultimately killed his talent. For Welsh
poet Dylan Thomas, whisky was one of
his muses, and it also led to his death
after downing too much whisky at the
White House Tavern during a visit to
New York City in 1953. The modernist
composer Igor Stravinsky amusingly
‘ϐ‹†‡†ǡDz› ‘†ǡ•‘— Š Ž‹‡–‘
drink Scotch that sometimes I think my
name is Igor Stra-whisky.”
Whisky was the modern Anglo-Saxon
drink of creative choice. American
‘˜‡Ž‹•–‹ŽŽ‹ƒ ƒ—Ž‡””‡ϐŽ‡ –‡†‘
his sources for sustaining inspiration,
“My own experience has been that the
tools I need for my trade are paper,
tobacco, food and a little whisky.” He
also sagaciously noted, “Civilisation
began with distillation.”
When ardent spirits moved from
medicinal elixirs to recreational
beverages during the 16th and
17th centuries, the introduction of
distillation was a hallmark of advancing
civilisation. The manufacture of
spirits demands skills and expertise
in agriculture, metallurgy, technology,
biological processes, and sensory
discrimination and appreciation. A
missing variable is the psychoactive
effects in ‘triggering creativity’ that
ethanol delivers in a more potent spirit
such as whisky.
Whisky & Science :KLVN\¶V3V\FKRORJLFDO(̆HFWV
Imagining or perceiving something
new, original or creative should ideally
be useful, valuable and relevant.
”‡ƒ–‹˜‹–›‹•—•—ƒŽŽ›†‡ϐ‹‡†ƒ•ƒ
non-linear process – another way
of seeing the world – whether in
the arts, mathematics, science and
technology, or everyday problem-
solving. In other words, an entropic
solution is not always dictated by
logic but also by intuition. For the
inventor Thomas Edison, genius
was “1 per cent inspiration and 99
per cent perspiration”. Whether
through collaborative efforts or
personal impetus, alcohol is a
psychoactive catalyst that helps
activate the brain’s synaptic functions
in private contemplation and public
collaborations. For creativity to
bloom, it demands the metaphorical
perspiration of information and
experiences as inputs to educate
neural networks and the spark of
inspiration to make informed leaps.
The quantum leap Albert Einstein
made when he imagined chasing a ray
of light to conceptualise the theory
of special relativity (E = mcψ), where
matter and energy are interchangeable,
demanded years of observation, study
and academic curiosity. These leaps are
not dependent on alcohol; however, in
many cases, alcohol plays a part. The
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WKDWKHOSVDFWLYDWHWKHEUDLQ¶V
V\QDSWLFIXQFWLRQVLQSULYDWH
FRQWHPSODWLRQDQGSXEOLF
FROODERUDWLRQV
66 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
causality role of alcohol can be gauged
at national quantitative levels. In 2019,
Michael Andrews of the University of
Maryland Baltimore County discovered
a 15 per cent decline in the registration
of new patent registrations during
America’s 14 years of Prohibition,
correlating with the reduced per-
capita consumption of liquor during
this national ban. Other academics
have postulated the emergence of
civilisations is characterised by the
cultivation of cereal and its production
into alcohol, or vice versa, as advanced
in 1952 by Robert Braidwood’s ‘beer
before bread’ hypothesis.
Consuming alcohol relaxes and
stimulates to incite divergent and
‘˜‡”‰‡–‹†‡ƒ•ǡ•—††‡Ž›ϐ‹”‹‰‘ˆˆ
ϐŽƒ•Š‡•‘ˆ ”‡ƒ–‹˜‹–›ƒ†‹•‹‰Š–ˆ—Ž‡••Ǥ
The consensus is that creativity
luxuriates during relaxation, and
alcohol induces relaxation. Archimedes,
perhaps savouring a cup of wine,
reposed in quiet solitude of his bath had
his insightful “Eureka!” moment. Yet,
creativity does not result from a single
cognitive process or anatomical location
inside the brain. The causal relationship
between alcohol and creativity can
be measured at many levels, from
individual to teamwork. Neuroscience
posits the prefrontal cortex as the
locus for creative thought, responsible
These pages: for cognition, planning and decision-
American writer making, while dopamine modulates
Ernest Hemingway is cognitive control. Its connectivity
claimed to have used
works with other parts of the brain,
alcohol as a creative
aid, but had a such as the hippocampus for memory
troubled relationship and learning and the basal ganglia for
with it. skills and decision-making. While the
prefrontal cortex is the workhorse, the
neurotransmitters are the chemical
messengers. This is where alcohol
affects the brain’s amorphous pathways,
leading to ‘thinking outside the box’.
An increase in neurotransmitters
in the prefrontal cortex is caused by
alcohol stimulating the release of
the body’s natural opiates, notably
the two major neurotransmitters,
endorphin and dopamine. Recent
studies indicate that dopamine drives
motivation to explore and boost
creativity, but in excess, it increases
–Š‡”‹•‘ˆ‡–ƒŽ‹ŽŽ‡••Ǥ•‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ–
over-representation of creative
personalities has been diagnosed with
bipolar disorder, including Ernest
Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, Vincent van
‘‰Šǡ ‹› ‡†”‹šǡ ”ƒ‹ƒ–”ƒǡ
and even eminent scientists like Isaac
Newton, Charles Darwin and Wolfgang
ƒ—Ž‹Ǥ‹–‹‰”‡ ‡–ϐ‹†‹‰•ǡ”ƒ ›
Andreasen conducted clinical studies
between 1987 and 2022, discovering
an 80 per cent lifetime prevalence of
mood disorders when sampling literary
writers. Psychologist Kay Jamison, in
1989, found 39 per cent of professional
artists and highly acclaimed writers
suffered from mental illnesses, and in
1994, analysis by Dr Felix Post found
more than 80 per cent of famous
playwrights, poets and novelists in
Britain were treated for psychosis and
depression. These and other studies
found among creative individuals the
rate of mood disorders was high, and
so too were rates of alcohol abuse. For
many people, famous or not, alcohol is
a form of self-medication, sometimes
causing or due to underlying psychiatric
and biogenetic illnesses. Chronic
alcohol consumption and creativity
Šƒ˜‡ƒ•‡˜‡”‡‹ϐŽ‡ –‹‘’‘‹–„‡›‘†
moderation, smothering the spark.
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Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 67

Whisky & Science :KLVN\¶V3V\FKRORJLFDO(̆HFWV
The other hormone is an endogenous
opioid, endorphin, produced in the
pituitary gland, which delivers a rush
when alcohol is consumed. Endorphins
block pain and, most importantly,
promote pleasure. It’s why moderate
drinking of alcohol generates the
‘feel-good’ sensation. In 2009, Prof
Š”‹•–‹ƒ ‹ƒ‘—Žƒ‹•‘ˆ ‹ŽŽ
University reported in Alcoholism:
Clinical & Experimental Research
that ethanol’s effect on endorphins
“increases or decreases the number
of neurotransmitters, which amongst
68 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
them are endogenous opioid peptides”.
It is a relatively new and emergent
science to understand the brain, from
cellar functions to its connectivity
through its neural networks. Learning
how alcohol disrupts, inhibits and
incites these functions is only beginning
to be grasped.
ˆ–‡”‰‹˜‹‰ƒ–ƒŽƒ– ‘‘‰Ž‡
headquarters on humanity’s appetite
for intoxication, Edward Slingerland,
author of the 2021 book Drunk: How We
Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way
to Civilization, was taken to the campus
Whiskey Room, the destination where
program coders sought communal
inspiration in drinking malt whisky and
ϐ‹‡„‘—”„‘Ǥ ‡”‡‹–Š‹•Ǯ‹ —„ƒ–‘”
of collective creative’, he learnt of the
Ballmer Peak. Attributed to Microsoft’s
CEO, Steve Ballmer, the company
discovered the ‘ideal’ blood-alcohol
level in the 1980s; it was claimed
programmers hooked themselves to
alcoholic intravenous drips to sustain
their creative sweet spot.
An empirical sweet spot was revealed
in the Journal of Consciousness and
Cognition in 2012, in ‘Uncorking the
Muse: Alcohol Intoxication Facilitates
Creative Problem-Solving’. Using the
Remote Associated Test, the University
of Illinois Department of Psychology
found a blood alcohol concentration
These pages, from of 0.75 was optimum for creative
left to right: problem-solving. Called the ‘Aha!’
American writer moment, further investigations by
William Faulkner;
Prof Andrew Jarosz of Mississippi
Alcohol affects
the transmission State University evaluated similar
and processing of intoxication levels, publishing The
information in the Eureka Factor in 2015, which concluded
brain, which can drunk people are better at creative
lead to ‘outside the problem-solving. Northwest and Drexel
box’ thinking; An
Universities found using fMRI brain
itinerary plan for Jack
Kerouac’s seminal scans that sober participants would
novel On the Road. block neural pathways necessary for
problem-solving. In contrast, alcohol-
relaxed respondents experienced an
upsurge in creativity detected in the
superior temporal gyrus, the frontal
Ž‘„‡‹†‡–‹ϐ‹‡†™‹–Š–Š‡—”‡ƒ‹•‹‰Š–
or Aha! moment. In 2017, Michael
Sayette at the University of Pittsburgh
published ‘Lost in the Sauce’ in the
Psychological Science journal, explaining
•—„Œ‡ –•—†‡”–Š‡‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡‘ˆƒŽ ‘Š‘Ž
were more susceptible to mind
wandering. Inducing disinhibition
effects on cognitive control similarly
facilitates aspects of creative cognition.
Š‡„‡‡ϐ‹–•™‡”‡”‡•–”‹ –‡†–‘
modest amounts of alcohol, prompting
empirical and clinical speculation
on the dosing levels. Ethanol is a
synergistic drug that can alter the state
of consciousness towards creativity.
In many countries, advertising codes
‘ˆ ‘†— –‹ Ž—†‡ Žƒ—•‡••’‡ ‹ϐ‹ ƒŽŽ›

prohibiting the portrayal or depiction
of alcohol helping solve problems or
contributing to a mood change. The
same psychoactive effects that are the
raison d’etre of alcoholic consumption
are its seeds of destruction.
In Bliss Point Factor, sensory scientist
Dr Robert McBride expounded that
the human desire for organoleptic
pleasure trumped nutrition – sensory
and emotional needs eat rationality
for breakfast. His clinical observations
might explain why whisky has been
the preferred liquid muse since its
popularity in the 19th century. Whisky
Šƒ•–Š‡‘•–ϐŽƒ˜‘—” ‘’Ž‡š‹–›‘ˆ
any alcoholic beverage. In 2016, 85
Scotch brands were analysed by the
Whisky & Science :KLVN\¶V3V\FKRORJLFDO(̆HFWV
University of Edinburgh‘s School of
Chemistry and Scotch Whisky Research
Institute, identifying not hundreds
„—––Š‘—•ƒ†•‘ˆϐŽƒ˜‘—” ‘’‘—†•Ǥ
Could the combined sensory pleasures
of whisky and its psychoactive effects
have contributed to the exponential rise
in creativity and innovation over the
past two centuries, as whisky became
one of the most popular spirits in the
Western Hemisphere? We could judge
by the long list of artists, scientists,
ƒ†‹†‡ƒ–‹‘‹‘–Š‡”ϐ‹‡Ž†•‘ˆŠ—ƒ
endeavour that anecdotally rank whisky
as their preferred tipple.
Disclaimer: Whisky Magazine
advocates for the responsible and
moderate consumption of alcohol.
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 69
Tastings Latest
Taster biographies
Bethany Whymark
After studying English literature at university, Bethany
worked as a journalist for regional newspaper groups
before moving to the spirits industry. She was appointed
as editor of Whisky Magazine in 2022, having previously
edited its sister titles Gin and Rum. She is also editor of
annual publications Travelux and Scotch Whisky.
Christopher Coates
A member of the team since 2013 and a keen whisky
drinker long before that, Christopher served as Whisky
Magazine’s Scotch whisky editor before being appointed
as editor in 2020. In 2022, he was named editor-at-large
and now writes a regular column for this title, in addition to
his role as a blind taster. He is also chair of judges for the
World Whiskies Awards and Icons of Whisky competitions.
THE PROCESS
• All samples are blind tasted, with ABV, country/region
and style the only information disclosed
• Samples are tasted individually over a two-week period
• Tasters work to tasting and scoring guidelines in order
to assess samples consistently
• The top-scoring sample is awarded Editor’s Choice
• Samples receiving scores of 16.5+ receive a
Recommended award
Compass Box
Delos
&203$66%2;
ABV: 49% Bethany
Style: Blended
Country: SCOTLAND Nose: Buttery caramels and vanilla sponge cake.
Region: N/A Tinned pears and a little nutmeg. Apple slices with
Price per bottle: DOPRQGEXWWHU$FUXQFK\ÁRUDOLW\OLNHGDQGHOLRQVRU
Bottling: Independent marigolds. Orange marmalade.
Availability: Worldwide
Palate:/LJKWPHGLXP9DQLOODVSRQJHVWXGGHGZLWK
toffee apple chunks. A hint of bitter coffee. Baked
pears and blossom honey. Nutty rye bread, praline
biscuits, candied peel, and a touch of mace.
Finish:6KRUWZLWKVDOWHGFDUDPHODQGÁRUDOQRWHV
but some warmth lingers.
8.0 Comments: Good complexity matched
with a nice softness of character.
Christopher
Nose: Strawberry laces, blackcurrant wine gums,
freshly sawn oak and distinctive dunnage aromas.
Malted milk biscuit, whey powder, white chocolate.
With time, peach hard candies. Subtle herbal notes.
Palate: Medium-bodied. Heightened herbal element
evocative of thyme. Then cherry candy, black and
rooibos teas honey, bergamot orange, and a little
lime pickle. Treacle tart with whipped cream.
Finish:/RQJRQVXEWOHKHUEDOÁRUDODQGQXWW\QRWHV
Just a touch of cucumber.
9.1 Comments: Sophisticated, immensely
complex, and continuously evolving.
70 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
Ardnamurchan
AD/ Single Malt
ADELPHI DISTILLERY
ABV: 46.8% Bethany
Style: Single Malt
Country: SCOTLAND Nose: White toast, heathery honey, rolling tobacco,
Region: Highland and iodine. Lemon and orange sherbet. Oatcakes,
Price per bottle: toffee apples, coffee grounds, chicory and thyme.
Bottling: Distillery Palate: Light-medium bodied. Herby salad and
Availability: Worldwide
FLGHUYLQHJDUÀUVWTXLFNO\FDSLWXODWLQJWRVZHHWSHDW
notes, heather honey, toasted sourdough, burnt
URVHPDU\DQGWRXFKRIERQÀUHDVK&ORXG\DSSOH
juice, baked pears and a little golden syrup.
Finish:0HGLXPORQJRQERQÀUHDVKVRXUGRXJK
and apple juice.
8.0 Comments: This sips well, but I think it
also has great highball potential.
Christopher
Nose: Blossom honey, aloe vera, linseed oil,
woodsmoke, eucalyptus, sourdough, petrichor,
SRPHJUDQDWHPRODVVHVÁDSMDFNOLO\SROOHQDQG
black treacle.
Palate: Medium-light bodied. Blossom honey, olive
oil, waxy apple, tarte tatin, and creamy brie. Sweet
and savoury cereals, reminiscent of oat cake. Dry,
ZLWKJUHHQWHDWDQQLQ'HOLFDWHMDVPLQHÁRUDOQRWHV
Finish: Medium-short. Drying, playing out on the
jasmine tea and honey notes.
7.9 Comments: Like eating real honeycomb
and creamy white cheese on an oatcake.
Dalmunach
5 Years Old
&+,9$6%527+(56/7'
ABV: 63% Bethany
Style: Single Malt
Country: SCOTLAND Nose: An over-ripe fruit bowl: apples, bananas, and
Region: Speyside apricots. Warm hayloft. Golden Grahams cereal,
Price per bottle: vanilla wafer biscuits, and malted milkshake.
Bottling: Distillery 7RPDWRVWDONVVZHHWSDUVQLSDQGHOGHUÁRZHUZLQH
Availability: UK
With water, vanilla and banana pudding.
Palate:/LJKWPHGLXP&DUDPHODQGZKLWHFKRFRODWH
shortbread. Lemon thyme and green tea leaves.
Bruised apples, fruit scones, and apricot jam.
Finish: Short, on green tea with honey, and dried
apple pieces.
7.9 Comments: An interesting balance of
sweet and herbal notes.
Christopher
Nose:6OLJKWO\SULFNO\DWÀUVW:LWKWLPHKRQH\GHZ
melon, malted barley, pear drop, and gooseberry
jam. Green oak, pine sap, raw sourdough, olive
oil, crayons. Then cannoli aromas of sweet pastry,
VZHHWULFRWWDÀOOLQJPLONFKRFRODWHDQGSLVWDFKLR
Palate: Medium-light body. A touch hot, but honey
sweetness does well to balance it. Opens up with
time to apricot jam, poached pear, Greek yoghurt,
blackberry jam, and cream cake with caramel.
Finish: Short-medium, on cream cake.
7.7 Comments:$ELWIHLVW\EXWWKHÁDYRXUV
are solid.
Bottle price guide: £11-25 (US$17-40) £26-70 (US$40-110) £71-120 (US$110-190) £121-180 (US$190-280) £181 plus (US$280 plus)

English Whisky Company Glengoyne

Original Aged 15 Years
(1*/6+:+,6.<&203$1< ,$10$&/(2'',67,//(56

ABV: 43% Bethany ABV: 43% Bethany

Style: Single Malt
Country: ENGLAND
Region: N/A
Price per bottle:
Bottling: Distillery
Availability: UK
Nose:%XWWHUHGSRSFRUQDQGDKLQWRIERQÀUHDVK
Iced gems, white chocolate, and whipped vanilla
cream. Dried apple rings and a little sawdust.
Palate:/LJKWPHGLXPERGLHG9DQLOOD*HQRHVH
VSRQJHFDNHZLWKKRQH\DQGÁDNHGDOPRQGV$OLWWOH
nutmeg and clove. Fresh mint and celery tops. Tart
stewed apples and rhubarb with custard.
Finish: Medium, with green apple skins and cream
crackers, then lingering on creamy hazelnuts.
Comments: A pleasant whisky that
7.9 doesn’t ask too much of you to enjoy it. I
respect that.
Style: Single Malt
Country: SCOTLAND Nose:&UXVW\EUHDGZLWKVDOWHGEXWWHUDQGRUDQJH
Region: Highland PDUPDODGH&DUDPHOLVHGSHDQXWVDQGVXOWDQDV
Price per bottle: granola-like. Fresh black cherry and raspberry.
Bottling: Distillery &RFRQXWFUHDP1LFHPDOW\\HDVW\EDFNERQH
Availability: UK
Palate:0HGLXPERGLHG1XWW\ÁDSMDFNVDQGJROGHQ
syrup. Sourdough French toast with cinnamon and
clove egg custard. Pears and mandarin in fruit
cocktail syrup. Milk chocolate-wrapped honeycomb.
Finish: Medium, on golden syrup, chamomile tea,
and a hint of yeast extract.
7.9 Comments:,WVVSLF\DQGVDYRXU\ÁDVKHV
kept the intrigue up.

Christopher
Nose:$QLQWULJXLQJPL[RIGHOLFDWHÁRUDOV
HOGHUÁRZHUFKDPRPLOHFDOHQGXOD EORVVRP
KRQH\%HURFFDYLWDPLQWDEOHW RUDQJH PLON
chocolate, vanilla essence and toffee cake. Initial
whiff of talc and latex gloves, but this dissipates.
Palate:9HU\OLJKW0DQGDULQMXLFHFKDPRPLOHWHD
ZLWKKRQH\&KDONFDQG\RUDQJHEORVVRPZDWHU
ULSHSHDU6OLJKWO\ÁLQW\$QRWKHUZKLIIRIODWH[
Finish: Medium. Plays out on those core orange and
ÁRUDOQRWHV
7.6 Comments::KDWDWÀUVWVHHPHGVLPSOH
showed complexity. Unusual.
Christopher
Nose:9HU\ULSHSLQHDSSOHSDSD\DMXLFHDQG
pencil shavings. A pleasant whiff of felt-tip pen,
then golden syrup and granola with sultanas and
candied citrus peels.
Palate: Light-medium. Wholemeal toast with butter
and a thick layer of apricot jam. Blood orange juice
and more golden syrup. Subtle white and citrus
ÁRUDOV3LVWDFKLR0HGMRROGDWHVDQGGULHGÀJV
Finish: Long. Malted milk biscuit emerges with time.
Comments: A very well-balanced dram
8.1 with some complexity that I could easily
return to again and again.

The Glenlivet
12 Years Old Rum and Bourbon Cask Selection
7+(*/(1/,9(7

ABV: 43% Bethany

Style: Single Malt
Country: SCOTLAND
Region: Speyside
Price per bottle:
Bottling: Distillery
Availability: Taiwan
Nose: Subtle herbal and spice notes, like a peppery
VDJHDQGRQLRQVWXIÀQJ$OLWWOHFKHVWQXWDQG
cooked date. Dusty wood and a touch of pine.
Sliced red apple and dulce de leche.
Palate: Medium bodied. Dates wrapped in smoked
EDFRQ-DPP\SOXPDQGÀJ0RODVVHVSRZGHUHG
ginger, and cherries cooked in vanilla syrup.
Finish: Medium-long, on sherry-soaked raisins and
dark chocolate-dipped crystallised ginger cookies.
Comments: There’s a delightful darkness
8.2 to this, like a naughty dessert.

Christopher
Nose: Fresh red apple, beeswax, jaffa orange
zest, toffee, vanilla oat biscuits, lily, instant coffee
JUDQXOHVDQG&KDQWLOO\FUHDP
Palate: Medium-bodied. Intensely juicy: orange
and lemon gummy sweets, apple and pear boiled
sweets, mandarin segments, raspberry chews, and
foam bananas. Some vanilla cupcakes with butter
icing and sugar sprinkles.
Finish: Medium, on mandarin.
Comments: Big, chewy, and simple candy
7.9 ÁDYRXUV&RPIRUWLQJDQGPRUHLVK

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 71

Tastings Latest
Glenmorangie
A Tale of the Forest
MOET HENNESSY
ABV: 46% Bethany
Style: Single Malt
Country: SCOTLAND Nose:&UHDP\DQGVPRN\OLNHDEXUQWFKHHVHFDNH
Region: Highland :RRG\URVHPDU\%DUEHTXHGSRUNDQGQHFWDULQH
Price per bottle: slices. Grapefruit peel. A little wood varnish. Sweet
Bottling: Distillery brioche dough and chocolate-hazelnut spread.
Availability: UK
Palate:0HGLXP&KDUUHGVDJHDQGURVHPDU\ZLWK
PRUHEDUEHTXHGSRUN+D]HOQXWODWWHDQGJLDQGXMD
Poached pears with spiced syrup (cinnamon, clove,
RUDQJHSHHOYDQLOOD DQGFORWWHGFUHDPLFHFUHDP
Finish: Medium-long, on toasted hazelnuts, mint
stalks, and sweet smoke.
8.4 Comments: Luscious texture and
GHOLJKWIXOZHOOEDODQFHGÁDYRXUV
Christopher
Nose:(QJLQHRLOSHWURO9DVHOLQHPHQWKROOHDWKHU
tamarind, ink and fresh paper. Pencil shavings,
slate dust, and rubber gloves. Herbal dill and white
sage. With time, peach, pear and cream cheese.
Palate: Medium to light bodied. Pear drop, celery,
and a touch of balloon rubber. Simple sugar
V\UXS&DQGLHGRUDQJHOHPRQDQGJLQJHUSLHFHV
&LQQDPRQGXVWHGSDVWU\WZLVWV&RIIHHFUHDPV
Finish: Medium, on vanilla latte and balloon rubber.
Comments:(TXDOSDUWVNLWFKHQJDUGHQ
8.6 machine shop and art studio. Immensely
nuanced, complex and drinkable.
Gulliver 47
English Whisky
6$08(/*8//,9(5 &2
AABV: 47% Bethany
Style: Single Malt
Country: ENGLAND Nose:&UqPHFDUDPHOIUHVKO\VFUDSHGYDQLOODSRG
Region: N/A FORYHFDVVLDDQGJUDVV\U\HVSLFH&DQGLHGRUDQJH
Price per bottle: peel, overripe pear, salted sweet potato crisps, and
Bottling: Independent WRDVW\RDN&KRFRODWHFKLSEULRFKH0LQWKXPEXJV
Availability: UK
Palate: Medium bodied. Baked apples, sultanas
DQGJURXQGFLQQDPRQ&DUDPHOODWWH%DQDQDVOLFHV
fried in butter. Rye bread with chocolate-hazelnut
VSUHDG&ORYHVSLFHUHWXUQVWRZDUGVWKHHQG
Finish: Medium-long, on demerara sugar, dark
chocolate and almost mentholic clove.
8.0 Comments: Pleasingly herbaceous.
Manhattans, anyone?
Christopher
Nose: A basket of ripe brambles, kirsch, and dark
chocolate. Espresso, fried pastry shells, cream
cheese and rose nougat. Polished oak furniture, a
little camphor wood, pear purée and green apple.
Palate:0HGLXPIXOO&KHUU\DQGEODFNEHUU\MDP
FKRFRODWHELVFXLWVUDLVLQVGULHGÀJVDQGSUXQHV
in syrup. The sweetness is balanced by delicate
black tea tannin, subtle turmeric and slightly tart
DSSOHVDXFH&LQQDPRQDQGQXWPHJGXVWHGEXQV
Finish: Long, nutty. Ends on Florentines.
8.3 Comments: A proper dessert dram.
What’s not to love?
72 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
Glenturret
Triple Wood 2022 Release
LALIQUE AND HANSJORG WYSS
ABV: 45% Bethany
Style: Single Malt
Country: SCOTLAND Nose: Porridge, coconut cream and maple syrup.
Region: Highland &LQQDPRQODWWH&U\VWDOOLVHGSLQHDSSOHFKXQNVDQG
Price per bottle: FRFRQXWPDFDURRQV)UHVKTXLQFHDQG%UDPOH\
Bottling: Distillery DSSOHZLWKDKLQWRITXLQFHMHOO\ PHPEULOOR 
Availability: Worldwide
Palate: Medium. Stewed plums, apricots and spiced
oat crumble. A little full-fat milk cappuccino. Ground
nutmeg and clove. Wholewheat sponge cake and
raspberry jam. Underlying caramel sweetness.
Finish: Medium-long, on that wholewheat sponge
with jam and sweetened cream.
7.9 Comments: The fruitiness would make it
a great afternoon tea accompaniment.
Christopher
Nose:&RFRQXWRLOVXOWDQDVZD[VKRHSROLVKGDUN
chocolate and unwashed coffee beans. Raspberry
OHDIDQGQHWWOHWHD3UXQHVLQV\UXS&KDUFRDOJULOOHG
steak. Earthy.
Palate: Medium-light. Savoury and fruity, like beef
cooked with mushrooms, plums and pears. Raisins
and sesame snap. Wholemeal loaf with butter. Oak
leaf wine. Milk chocolate-enrobed raisins.
Finish: Medium-length. Ends on bread and butter.
Comments: For autumn walks and the
8.1 dinner after.
Hankey Bannister
12 Years Old Regency
,17(51$7,21$/%(9(5$*(
ABV: 40% Bethany
Style: Blended
Country: SCOTLAND Nose:%LJEDUEHTXHYLEHVOLNHPDULQDWHGFKLFNHQ
Region: N/A thighs. Paprika, green bell pepper, and olive oil. A
Price per bottle: touch of digestive biscuit and underripe peach.
Bottling: Distillery Palate: Light. Peach and a little cantaloupe melon.
Availability: Worldwide
6WHDPHGDSSOHSXGGLQJDQGWRIIHHVDXFH&RIIHH
EHDQVDQGDOOVSLFH$WRXFKRIWKRVHKRWEDUEHTXH
coals. Digestives dipped in milky coffee.
Finish: Medium, on oaty crackers, fruit chutney, and
bitter espresso.
Comments: The exciting and unusual
7.8 nose morphed into a more familiar,
enjoyable palate.
Christopher
Nose: Pan-fried salmon, thyme, dried lemon, and
VZHHWFRUQ'HOLFDWHRDNVSLFHHVSHFLDOO\FORYH9HU\
subtle violet and lemon.
Palate:9HU\OLJKW3RSFRUQZLWKEXWWHUDSSOHVDXFH
and pear drop. Werther’s Originals, and a whiff of
wood smoke. Some general orchard fruit and a
touch of orange juice. A little chantilly cream.
Finish: Medium. On sweet cream.
Comments: Delicate and refreshing. Not especially
complex, but really very tasty. Exactly
7.9 what I want from a solid blend.
Bottle price guide: £11-25 (US$17-40) £26-70 (US$40-110) £71-120 (US$110-190) £121-180 (US$190-280) £181 plus (US$280 plus)

Limeburners Macaloney’s
5 Years Old Kildara
%287,48(<:+,6.<&203$1< 0$&$/21(<·6,6/$1'',67,//(5<

ABV: 51.5% Bethany ABV: 46% Bethany

Style: Single Malt
Country: AUSTRALIA
Region: N/A
Price per bottle:
Bottling: Independent
Availability: Worldwide
Nose: Sweet and sharp, like mango chutney and
lime pickle. Brandy snaps, orange blossom water,
YDQLOODSDVWHDQGFRFRQXWFUHDP&XUU\OHDYHV
coriander, mustard seeds, and underripe plum.
Palate: Medium-full. Really ripe peaches and brown
VXJDU OLNHSHDFKÁDYRXUHGVZHHWWHD 5DLVLQVDQG
crystallised ginger. Fresh lime peel and more sour
lime pickle. Slightly burnt French toast.
Finish: Long, on peach iced tea and sticky ginger
cake. A hint of sage right at the end.
8.7 Comments:&RPSOH[ZHOOEDODQFHG
weighty, delicious. Well done, Australia.
Style: Pot Still
Country: CANADA
Region: N/A
Price per bottle:
Bottling: Distillery
Availability: Worldwide
Nose: Rich and fruity. Black cherry, blackcurrant,
damson, echinacea, milk chocolate-covered raisins
and blanched almonds. Brazilian coffee with warm
milk. Dark brown sugar, port, and new leather.
Palate: Medium. A gateau with cocoa-rich sponge
DQGGDUNIUXLWFRPSRWH9DQLOODODWWHZLWKQXWPHJ
&RRNLHGRXJKDQGFU\VWDOLVHGJLQJHU%ODFNFXUUDQW
OLTXHXUDQGKLQWVRISHSSHUPLQWDQGMXQLSHU
Finish: Medium-long, drying. On ginger biscuits and
sweetened black tea.
8.2 Comments: Flaunted its richness in a
restrained, mature way.

Christopher Christopher
C
Nose: Potpourri – especially rose and violet. Nose: Prunes, raisins, menthol, candied orange,
&KLQRWWRRUDQJHSDWFKRXOLYLROLQURVLQFDPSKRU ccinnamon stick, and pumpernickel. A little
ZRRGMDVPLQHDQGVWLFN\WRIIHHSXGGLQJ&KHUU\ ccardamom and dill.
FRODDQGEODFNWUXIÁH+RQH\URDVWHGSHDQXWVZLWK Palate: Medium-bodied. Sourdough doughnut,
paprika. After Eight mints. ÀÀOOHGZLWKFXVWDUGDQGGXVWHGZLWKFLQQDPRQ
Palate: Medium. Beef with red wine jus, cherry jam, VVXJDU&KHUU\FROD)UXLW 1XWFKRFRODWHEDUDQG
roasted chestnuts, oyster mushrooms, watermelon, w
wholemeal toast with damson plum jam.
DQGEXUQHGEXWWHU3HSSHUPLQWOHDIOLTXRULFHURRW Finish: Medium-long, on pumpernickel.
paprika chips and rancio. Tangy peach and lemon. C
Comments: Sugar, spice and everything nice.
Finish:/RQJRQSHDQXWDQGWUXIÁHFKLSV
8.8 Comments: Smells like an eau de parfum
and tastes like dinner at a hunting lodge.
8.3

Macaloney’s
Killeigh
0$&$/21(<·6,6/$1'',67,//(5<

ABV: 46% Bethany

Style: Pot Still
Country: CANADA
Region: N/A
Price per bottle:
Bottling: Distillery
Availability: Worldwide
Nose: Rum-raisin ice cream. Syrupy ginger cake
and applesauce. High-cocoa dark chocolate, pipe
WREDFFR+RW&URVVEXQV \HDVWHGGRXJKFXUUDQWV
FDQGLHGSHHO PDU]LSDQDQGDWRXFKRIURVHZDWHU
Palate:/LJKWPHGLXPERGLHG2UDQJH]HVWFUqPH
FDUDPHODQGV\UXS\FRRNHGSOXPV&RFRDSRZGHU
dusted chocolate brownies. Beeswax and a little old
leather. Black cherry yoghurt and Florentines.
Finish: Long, on the rum-raisin notes and candied
orange peel.
8.3 Comments: A great balance of dark,
richer notes and fruit freshness.

Christopher
C
Nose: Dried mango, papaya juice, dragonfruit and
UDLVLQ'DUNFKRFRODWHDQGÀOWHUFRIIHH2YHUULSH
EUXLVHG VWUDZEHUU\DQGULSHSOXP
Palate:&RQFHQWUDWHGIUXLWÁDYRXURIULSHQHFWDULQH
mango, and cantaloupe. A touch of sweet balsamic
and sweet red pepper. Evocative of an old marsala.
a
Lots of milk chocolate, with some background
herbaceousness.
Finish: Long. The ripe plum note persists.
Comments: Has a nice balance of
8.0 chocolate and tropical notes – like a
fusion-cuisine dessert.

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 73

Tastings Latest
Macaloney’s
Kirkinriola
0$&$/21(<·6,6/$1'',67,//(5<
ABV: 46% Bethany
Style: Pot Still
Country: CANADA Nose: First, smoky bacon crisps. Iberico ham, ancho
Region: N/A chilli, and rye crackers. Then clove-studded orange,
Price per bottle: prunes, and apple and blackcurrant cordial. A little
Bottling: Distillery wet grain and burnt rubber.
Availability: Worldwide
Palate: Orange polenta cake with lashings of
FDUDPHO:RRG\YDQLOOD&ORYHDQGEODFNSHSSHU
spice. Oyster mushroom and a pinch of dried,
smoky chilli. Raspberry compote and dried mango.
Finish: Medium-long, on soy sauce, grassy spice,
orange zest, and a hint of dark chocolate.
8.4 Comments: A lovely interplay of sweet
and savoury that evolves as it sits.
Christopher
C Christopher
Nose:$WÀUVWEXUQLQJUXEEHURUFDUFOXWFKEOXH
ccheese and silage. Under it, honey-roasted
a
almonds, rye cake, overripe pineapple, unwashed
ccoffee bean, cured ham, sourdough starter, coal
d
dust, milk chocolate and prunes in syrup.
Palate: Pistachio butter, a touch of Époisses funk,
D
DQGFRIIHHFDNH&DQGLHGJLQJHU0HGMRROGDWH
cchocolate brownie with tahini. A little beetroot and
ccreamed celeriac earthiness. Tropical fruit drink.
Finish: Long. Forest fruits and chocolate.
8.5 Comments: With time in the glass, swung
from giving me the ick to being lovely.
Ragtime Rye
New York Straight Whiskey
NEW YORK DISTILLING
ABV: 45.2% Bethany
Style: Rye
Country: USA Nose: Peppery spice, linseed oil, and fennel seeds.
Region: New York Sliced apple and celery. Lemon zest on soy yoghurt.
Price per bottle: &RQGHQVHGPLONFDUDPHO3URYLQJZKROHZKHDW
Bottling: Distillery bread dough.
Availability: UK
Palate: Medium bodied. Rye bread with lime
marmalade. Turmeric latte and soy milk. Milk
chocolate-coated caramels. Shaved fennel,
wholegrain mustard, and a hint of fresh melon.
Finish:0HGLXPORQJRQRUDQJHFUqPHEU€OpH
peppery spice and a hint of warm hay.
8.4 Comments:9HU\ZHOOEDODQFHG$JUHDW
introductory rye for sweeter whisky fans.
Christopher
Nose: New oak, violin rosin, labdanum, plum wine,
\X]XDQGWRIIHH6LJQLÀFDQWVSLF\QRWHVRIFXPLQ
turmeric, clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pickled
FDSHUVDQGFRIIHHOLTXHXUWRR
Palate: Light-medium. Blueberry cordial, toffee
sauce, and milk chocolate-coated hard toffee.
Miscellaneous red wine notes. Aloe vera and subtle
spearmint. Underneath, fresh parsley and basil.
Finish: Medium-short. As the sweetness fades the
herbal notes linger.
8.4 Comments: A complex but easy-drinking
rye with lots to like.
74 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
3ŮNHQR
Origin
PŅKENO
ABV: 43% Bethany
Style: Single Malt
Country: NEW ZEALAMD Nose:)UXLWIRUZDUGDWÀUVWO\FKHHWLQQHGSLQHDSSOH
Region: N/A and peach foam sweets. Then macadamia nuts,
Price per bottle: IUHVKPLQWDQGFLQGHUWRIIHH%OXHEHUU\PXIÀQZLWK
Bottling: Distillery a buttery crumble topping. A little white pepper.
Availability: UK
Palate: Light-medium. Steamed vanilla pudding and
GDUN DOPRVWEXUQW FDUDPHO3LQHDSSOHVRXUSOXP
red apple, blossom honey and pumpernickel.
Finish: Short-medium, on wholewheat bread with
honey and a touch more lychee.
Comments: A delightful little malt
8.0 that somehow feels intriguing and
comfortingly familiar at the same time.
Nose: Apricot and raspberry fromage frais.
5LSHFRQIHUHQFHSHDUFUqPHEU€OpHQXWPHJ
and prosciutto.
Palate:/LJKWERGLHG)ROORZVWKHQRVHZHOO&UHDP\
yoghurt, honey-glazed granola, and melon balls
ZUDSSHGLQFXUHGKDP(OGHUÁRZHUFRUGLDODQG
vanilla ice cream. Delicate notes of Brazil nuts.
Finish:0HGLXPVKRUWRQULFHFULVS\VTXDUH
Comments: Simple, refreshing and without fault.
You could drink this all day.
7.8
Scallywag
10 Years Old
'28*/$6/$,1* &2
ABV: 46% Bethany
Style: Blended Malt
Country: SCOTLAND Nose: Summer pudding (juicy red berries, sponge
Region: N/A FDNH 'DUNFKRFRODWHZLWKIUHH]HGULHGUDVSEHUULHV
Price per bottle: Plum sauce and crispy duck skin. Dark muscovado
Bottling: Independent VXJDU%UD]LOQXWV&UXQFK\FUqPHEU€OpHWRS
Availability: Worldwide
Palate: Medium. Sticky toffee pudding packed with
dates. Meaty fried mushrooms and plum sauce.
'DUNFKRFRODWHJDQDFKHUDVSEHUU\ÁXII\SDQFDNHV
and maple syrup. Eucalyptus and candied ginger.
Finish:0HGLXPORQJRQWRIIHHVDXFHDQGOLTXRULFH
Comments: Inviting colour. The aroma
8.4 implied a richness and complexity that
the palate successfully delivered.
Christopher
Nose: Butterscotch, buttermilk pancakes, fromage
frais, fresh blueberry and maple syrup. Lemon zest
and fresh orange juice. Base notes of both tea cake
FXUUDQWFDNHZLWKEDNLQJVSLFHV DQG7XQQRFN·V
WHDFDNH PDUVKPDOORZPLONFKRFRODWHDQGELVFXLW 
Palate: Medium. Well-integrated orchard and stone
fruit: stewed red apples, pears and plums, with
fresh apricot and nectarine. A sweet, delicate cereal
QRWHXQGHUQHDWKOLNHKRQH\QXWIURVWHGÁDNHFHUHDO
Finish: Medium. Fresh apricot and cereal.
8.2 Comments: Oodles of fruity malt. Good
fun and lots to love.
Bottle price guide: £11-25 (US$17-40) £26-70 (US$40-110) £71-120 (US$110-190) £121-180 (US$190-280) £181 plus (US$280 plus)

Tomatin Uncle Nearest

Madeira 1856 Premium Whiskey
TOMATIN 81&/(1($5(67

ABV: 46% Bethany ABV: 50% Bethany

Style: Single Malt
Country: SCOTLAND
Region: Highland
Price per bottle:
Bottling: Distillery
Availability: Worldwide
Nose:%UDQG\GUHQFKHG&KULVWPDVSXGGLQJZLWK
IUHVKFXVWDUG&LWUXVV\/DQFDVKLUHFKHHVH:KLWH
grape and pickled walnuts. A little leather and wood
varnish. Ground ginger and cumin.
Palate: Medium-full. Notably voluptuous texture.
9DQLOODODWWHIUHVKQXWPHJJLQJHUFDNHPRODVVHV
DQGVZHHWÀJV'U\UXEEHGEDUEHTXHGEHHI6DOWHG
FDUDPHOÀOOHGFKRFRODWHWUXIÁHVDQGDOLWWOHOHDWKHU
Finish: Medium-long. The fruit cake notes
crescendo, with creamy hazelnut.
8.5 Comments:9HU\JRRGFRPSDQ\IRUD
long, cold evening.
Style: Bourbon
Country: USA
Region: Tennessee
Price per bottle:
Bottling: Distillery
Availability: Worldwide
Nose:9HU\EXWWHU\VDOWHGSRSFRUQ)UHVKO\VKHOOHG
SHDQXWVDQGSLVWDFKLRV&RFRQXWRLOFRUQEUHDG
and ground clove. Mandarin, nectarine, and a little
milk chocolate.
Palate: Medium-bodied. The buttery popcorn turns
VZHHWVDOW\9DQLOODVSRQJHFDNHJLQJHUFUHDPDQG
ÁRUDOKRQH\0LONFKRFRODWHFRYHUHGUDLVLQVDQG
honeyed cereal. A warm, grassy spice underneath.
Finish: Medium-long on corn kernels, chewy toffees
and that fresh, herbal spice.
8.4 Comments: A well-balanced bourbon that
leans slightly savoury.

Christopher Christopher
Nose:2UDQJHGUL]]OHFDNHZLWKDOPRQGÁRXU Nose: Modelling clay, oil paints, pine sap, lily of the
VSRQJH&KXUURVZLWKEUDQG\FUHDP&RFRDSRZGHU valley, menthol, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and star
shaved nutmeg and cinnamon stick. anise. A buttery biscuit base with cornbread and a
Palate:0HGLXPIXOO&OHPHQWLQHQHFWDULQH VDYRXU\QRWHOLNHKLFNRU\VPRNHGEDUEHTXHEHHI
and delicate candied citrus peels. Deep-fried Palate: Medium-light. Well-integrated sweetcorn,
puff pastry, olive oil, sesame and golden syrup. sour cherry, underripe bramble, black coffee, chewy
Delicate white bread base notes. Fried plantain. toffee, and allspice. A touch of green bell pepper
&RQFHQWUDWHGWURSLFDOQRWHVRIPDQJRDQG and white pepper spice. Black tea and subtle violet.
passionfruit, too. Finish: Medium. Treacle biscuit, some tannin drying,
Finish: Medium, with the clementine before a cooling menthol note takes over.
8.3 note lingering.
Comments:/LTXLGPDUPDODGHRQWRDVW
8.4 Comments: Would stand up well in
FRFNWDLOVEXWGHÀQLWHO\DVLSSLQJZKLVNH\

Westland
Solum
WESTLAND

ABV: 50%
Style: Single Malt
Bethany A glassful of delights
Country: USA
Region: Washington
Nose: Sweet yeasted buns with chocolate chips.
0DOWHGPLONVKDNH&ORYHFDUGDPRPDQGFXPLQ to pick over and
Price per bottle:
Bottling: Distillery
&KHUU\ÁDYRXUHGEODFNWHD'ULHGDSULFRWVURDVWHG
chestnut, lemon-scented polish, and sweet peat. savour slowly
Availability: Worldwide
Palate: Medium-full. Sweet smoke comes forward
like barbecued pork ribs. Rich chocolate ganache Bethany Whymark
DQGSHFDQQXWV9DQLOODODWWHZLWKORWVRIJURXQG
cinnamon. A hint of cigar box. Deliciously malty.
Finish: Long, on rich malt, milky spiced coffee, and
VZHHWERQÀUHVPRNH
8.5 Comments: A glassful of delights to pick
over and savour slowly.

Christopher
Nose: Mossy bark, pencil shavings, and tilled earth.
Rosemary, eucalyptus and slate dust. Malted milk
GULQNOLTXRULFHDQGVWDUDQLVH$WRXFKRIFRDOGXVW
Palate: Medium body. Strong retronasal aromas of
SHWULFKRUDQGFRDOVPRNH/LTXRULFHVWLFNDORHYHUD
gel, and a base note of milk cookie. Subtle lychee,
green banana and lemongrass. A soft herbal note,
like dried oregano and basil mix.
Finish: Long. Fading smoke, anise and oregano.
Comments: A delicately smoky, herbal
8.3 dram with a light touch from the wood.
Lots to unpack.

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 75





 






  

   

 




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Travel Retail New Exclusives

WORDS JOE BATES

YEAR OF THE R ABBIT PROVES

LUCKY FOR TRAVEL RETAIL
Over the past three years, Chinese New Year has proved a damp
squib for whisky distillers, but the Chinese government’s decision
to drop its zero-Covid policy has signalled a change in fortunes

S
unday 8 January 2023 will go
down in history as a red-
letter day for the travel-retail
business. It marked the
long-awaited moment that
the Chinese government reopened its
borders, allowing foreign travellers to
enter and Chinese residents to venture
abroad again after three years of strict
Covid-19 travel restrictions.
After such a long period of
deprivation, demand for foreign
travel among the mainland Chinese is
understandably high, but they won’t
reclaim their pre-pandemic title as the
world’s highest duty-free spenders
overnight. Covid case numbers in
China have soared since restrictions
were relaxed, travellers face long delays
‹‰‡––‹‰’ƒ••’‘”–•ƒ†˜‹•ƒ•ǡϐŽ‹‰Š–
prices are high, and airlines have yet to
Žƒ›‘‡‘—‰ŠϐŽ‹‰Š–•–‘‡‡–†‡ƒ†Ǥ
Consequently, it could be the second
quarter of 2023 before the Chinese
start travelling abroad in meaningful
numbers, but that hasn’t stopped
whisky distilleries from introducing
•‘‡Š‹‰ŠǦ’”‘ϐ‹Ž‡ǡŽ‹‹–‡†Ǧ‡†‹–‹‘
Chinese New Year releases.
It’s the Year of the Rabbit in the
Chinese calendar in 2023 and people
born under this sign are supposed to
be gentle, sensitive, compassionate, These pages,
amiable, modest and merciful – they from left:
sound like the perfect travelling The Johnnie Walker
Blue Label Chinese
companion to share a dram with!
New Year 2023 Year
The Glenlivet has launched a of the Rabbit limited
travel-retail exclusive design for The edition; The Chinese
Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ƒ”‡ƒ•ǡ–Š‡ϐ‹”•–”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡ New Year limited-
in the distillery’s Triple Cask Project. edition pack for The
As the name suggests, each expression Glenlivet Rare Cask,
from the distillery’s
in the Triple Cask Project highlights
Triple Cask Project.
the role differing cask maturation can
play in creating complex and creative
ϐŽƒ˜‘—”’”‘ϐ‹Ž‡•ǤŠ‡•–›Ž‹•Š’ƒ †‡•‹‰
features the outline of a rabbit in mid-
leap (or should that be mid-hop?).
The Glenlivet Rare Cask is aged in

80 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190


ϐ‹”•–Ǧϐ‹ŽŽ‡šǦ•Š‡””› ƒ••ǡ‘ˆˆ‡”‹‰—’
lots of stone fruit and sweet spice
on the nose, and marmalade, vanilla
ƒ†Ž‹“—‘”‹ ‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•‘–Š‡’ƒŽƒ–‡Ǥ
Available at airports worldwide, the
Chinese New Year limited-edition
release of The Glenlivet Rare Cask
is priced at US$124 (£100) for a
1-litre bottle.
Islay’s Bowmore Distillery has also
created a Chinese New Year release:
the 18-year-old Bowmore Lunar New
Year. Bottled at 43% ABV, this new
whisky has been matured in both
oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry
casks and is available at major Asian
duty-free stores in China, Korea, Hong
Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand
and Malaysia, priced at about US$145
(£117) per bottle.
In terms of its taste and aroma,
expect some notes of bittersweet
© DIAGEO | PERNOD RICARD
orange peel and peat-smoke roasted
coffee on the palate with dark
chocolate and sticky toffee pudding
notes on the nose. The dark chocolate
theme of this whisky continues in the
Ž‘‰ϐ‹‹•Š™Š‹ ŠƒŽ•‘‹ Ž—†‡•Š‹–•‘ˆ
macadamia nut.
The stunning outer gift box of the
whisky features the Bowmore Distillery
surrounded by beautifully depicted
water rabbits presented in a classic
Chinese brushstroke design.
Diageo Global Travel has also joined
the Chinese New Year party, partnering
with Shanghai-based designer Angel
Chen, a rising star of the Chinese
fashion world who likes to fuse Western
and Eastern themes, to create a
stunning bottle label and box design for
Johnnie Walker Blue Label. They feature
a prancing rabbit and her trademark
print pattern. Chen has already worked
with global names including sports
brand Adidas and cosmetics
line MAC, so expect this new
limited edition to become
highly collectable.
The Johnnie Walker Blue
Label Chinese New Year 2023
Year of the Rabbit limited
edition is available at leading
airports across the Asia–
ƒ ‹ϐ‹ ”‡‰‹‘ǡ‹ Ž—†‹‰‘—–Š
Korea’s Seoul Incheon,
Taiwan’s Taoyuan and
Hainan’s Haikou Meilan
international airports.
At Dubai Duty Free
in the United Arab
Emirates, the whisky
is currently priced
AED1,299 (£285).
A crop of Chinese New
Year releases targeted
at travel-retail stores
used to be a routine
annual occurrence, but
the pandemic put pay
to most of them. Now
that China is embracing
overseas travel once
more, I am glad to see
them back.
Travel Retail New Exclusives
NEW TRAVEL-RETAIL EXCLUSIVES
Nantou Distillery
Omar DEBE Sky Virgin Oak
NANTOU DISTILLERY
ABV: 57.5%
Style: Single malt
Price per bottle: NTD3,950 (£106)
Bottling type: Distillery
Availability: Ever Rich Duty Free stores at
Taoyuan, Taipei Songshan, Taichung and
Kaohsiung airports
Country of origin: Taiwan
Chinese New Year releases don’t come
more interesting than this release from
Taiwan’s Nantou Distillery, produced
exclusively for the island’s leading travel
retailer, Ever Rich Duty Free. Featuring
a running rabbit-themed packaging
GHVLJQE\7DLZDQHVHJUDIÀWLDUWLVW'(%(
Omar Sky Virgin Oak is a full-bodied
single-cask malt whisky aged in a virgin
American white oak cask.
Sky Virgin Oak is one of two exclusive
Omar single-cask whiskies available at
Ever Rich, each limited to 200 bottles.
The Oxford Artisan Distillery
Easy Ryder
THE OXFORD ARTISAN DISTILLERY
ABV: 50% ABV
Style: Rye
Price per bottle: £45
Bottling type: Distillery
Availability: British Airways High Life Shop
Country of origin: England
Sustainability-focused travel-retail drinks
distributor Sustainaholics has succeeded
in getting this innovative English whisky
OLVWHGE\7RXUYHVW'XW\)UHHWKHLQÁLJKW
shopping provider of British Airways.
The Oxford Artisan Distillery specialises
in producing spirits from sustainably
produced heritage grains. Easy Ryder
boasts a complex maturation in eight
American oak casks of varying toasts,
chars, sizes and cooperages, as well as a
3RUWXJXHVH0RVFDWHO5R[RIRUWLÀHGZLQH
FDVN$VWKHÀUVW(QJOLVKZKLVN\DYDLODEOH
on British Airways’ High Life shopping
programme, it’s well worth seeking out.
Issue 190 | Whisky
Wh
hisk
ssky
ky Magazine
M
Ma
Maga
aga
gazine
gazine
gaz n 81
81
Desert Island Drams John Glaser
CASK AWAY
In each edition, we ask one of the industry’s great and
good which drams they would take to our desert island
C
ompass Box founder
John Glaser’s career in
whisky started thanks
to the derailment of his
original ambition – to
become a winemaker. After obtaining
a business degree, he•–”—‰‰Ž‡†–‘ϐ‹†
a position in the wine industry. In the
end, the whisky world came calling; he
was offered a job at Johnnie Walker, a
marketing role based in New York. A
few months in, he was sent to Scotland
and toured several distilleries in one
week before ending up in a blending
room with industry titan Maureen
Robinson. Glaser cites this experience
as the moment he fell in love with the
potential creativity of blending whisky.
Glaser founded Compass Box in 2000
and the company has since led the
charge in blended whisky in Scotland,
taking inspiration from many whiskies
Glaser discovered early in his career.
WHISKY #1
Signatory Vintage
Cambus 1964
One type of whisky that truly captured
my imagination in my early days was
grain whisky. I was working in London
in the late 1990s for a big company, and
I was going to places like Milroy’s, when
Doug McIvor was working there, and I
began falling in love with grain. I would
„—›ƒ›‰”ƒ‹™Š‹•‹‡•  ‘—Ž†ϐ‹†ǡƒ†
there was a Signatory Vintage bottling
of Cambus, distilled in 1964 and bottled
in 1995. It was the most delicious
whisky I had tasted at the time. I bought
as many bottles of it as I could afford.
WHISKY #2
Cadenhead’s
Vatted Islay 8 Years Old
Š‹•‘‡™ƒ•ƒŽ•‘˜‡”›‹ϐŽ—‡–‹ƒŽ
82 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
on me once I started Compass Box.
They sold this thing in the mid 1990s
called Cadenhead’s Vatted Islay 8
Years Old. They still make it now, but
it’s a different recipe... It was the most
extraordinary thing and you can still
ϐ‹†‹–‘ƒ— –‹‘•‹–‡•ǤŠ‡›™‘—Ž†ǯ–
tell you exactly what it was a vatting
of, but the belief among myself and
the guys at Milroy’s was that it was a
30-plus-year-old Ardbeg that had gone
understrength, that was brought over
40% ABV with the additions of other
Islay whiskies. So maybe it was Ardbeg,
maybe it wasn’t. But it was stunning.
WHISKY #3
Compass Box
Eleuthra
Š‡ϐ‹”•–˜ƒ––‡†ƒŽ– ‡˜‡” ”‡ƒ–‡†ȋƒ†
I’m using this term because this is all
taking place before the Scotch Whisky
Association lobbied the UK government
to change the law) was Eleuthra. We
ƒ†‡–Š‹•ˆ‘”ƒ„‘—–ϐ‹˜‡‘”•‹š›‡ƒ”•Ǥ –
was a vatting of malt whisky from Caol
Ila, at about 20 per cent of the recipe
and around 10 years old, along with
malt whisky from Clynelish, between
12 and 15 years. The 12-year-old aged
‹ϐ‹”•–Ǧϐ‹ŽŽ„‘—”„‘„ƒ””‡Ž•ǡƒ†–Š‡
ͳͷ‹ƒ”‡ϐ‹ŽŽŠ‘‰•Š‡ƒ†Ǥ‘—‰‘––Š‡
waxy character from Clynelish with
the peaty but elegant Caol Ila. It was an
80/20 split, and this became a magic
proportion for me. It has to be the
‡ ‡„‡”ʹͲͲͳ„‘––Ž‹‰ǡ–Š‡˜‡”›ϐ‹”•–Ǥ
WHISKY #4
Suntory
Hibiki 21 Years Old
Ideally this has to be one of the early-to-
late 1990s bottlings which I purchased
™Š‡ ™ƒ•‹ ƒ’ƒǤ ˆ™‡ ƒϐ‹†–Š‹•ǡ
great; if not, I’ll take the current Hibiki
© COMPASS BOX
21. It’s a classic. It has this exquisite
balance of components and drinkability.
Just an amazing masterpiece of
blending, I think. I say this because
it has different cask types, but it’s so
subtle. It has malt whisky in it, grain
whisky in it – it’s a masterpiece. I aspire
to make something of this character.
WHISKY #5
Compass Box
Asyla
People have always asked me, “What is
your favourite Compass Box whisky?”
It’s hard to choose a favourite among
150 whiskies you’ve made over the
years... If I could only take one Compass
Box whisky, it would be Asyla. It’s a
blended whisky, a 50/50 malt and
grain recipe, which we made for
many years. Sadly, we had it retired
as we could no longer get the precise
components we needed and didn’t
want to alter the recipe. The name is
inspired by a symphonic piece of music
by English composer Thomas Adés. In
an interview, he said he chose the name
because he likes the connotation of not
just a madhouse, but a sanctuary. I’ve
often thought that great whisky can be,
in a sense, a sanctuary: somewhere you
can go with friends and family, a calmer
place in your life, for a little while.
LUXURY ITEM
Zalto Bordeaux glasses
I would have to bring my own glasses,
and they would be three dozen Zalto
Bordeaux glasses. Why? Because they
show off whisky extraordinarily well.
You can really get the whisky swirling
inside. I need three dozen because they
are so thin that they are probably going
to get broken. Some of them break just
by looking at them the wrong way.
 8 ISSU
FOR ONELS
£29.99 Y

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 RECOGNISING GREATNESS
The Whisky Magazine Awards reveal their 2023 champions
W
hile the modern
whisky industry is
worthy of celebration
every day, the Whisky
Magazine Awards – which comprise
the Icons of Whisky, World Whiskies
Awards, and Whisky Magazine Hall
of Fame – are an annual occasion
to recognise and reward the global
‹†—•–”›̵•ϐ‹‡•–’‡‘’Ž‡ǡ’Žƒ ‡•ǡ
and products.
The primary goal of the World
Whiskies Awards (focused on product)
and Icons of Whisky (people and places)
is, of course, to commend the industry's
wealth of talent. However, these
competitions also provide an invaluable
opportunity to take stock of the whisky
Sponsors
84 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
world, analyse trends and progress, and
uncover its most innovative players,
liquids, and projects.
Challenges remain for our whisky
distillers – ongoing controversial
discussions in Scotland over the
advertising and packaging of whisky
spring to mind – but through its growth
over the past 20 to 30 years, the
industry has been fortifying itself to
weather such storms.
If the world’s whisky producers and
promoters approach these challenges
with the knowledge, creativity and
openmindedness with which they drive
the industry forward on a daily basis,
then whisky lovers have nothing to fear
– and much to be excited about.
 Whisky Magazine Awards 2023 Contents

AWARDS CONTENTS
HALL OF FAME 86 FLAVOURED......................................................................... 107 Dunville’s PX 20 Years Old Cask Strength
Black Velvet Toasted Caramel Cask No. 1644
Inductee 82.................................................................... 86
Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. Coffee Flavored Whiskey Elsburn Single Sherry Octave V13-67
Inductee 83 and 84 ..................................................... 87
Tullamore D.E.W. Honey Glen Scotia First Fill Bourbon Cask No. 372
Inductee 85 and 86 ..................................................... 88
High Coast Distillery Exclusive No. 8
POT STILL ........................................................................... 108 Hogback The Wallace Collection
ICONS OF WHISKY 89
Macaloney's Island Distillery Kildara Signature Iniquity Den's Dram #57
America .......................................................................... 90 Expression Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask Strength
India................................................................................. 90 Redbreast 15 Years Old Macaloney's Island Distillery The Peat Project:
Rest of World ................................................................. 91 Talnua Virgin White Oak Cask Single Portuguese Red Wine Barrique
Global ........................................... 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 with Washington Peat
RYE ............................................................................. 109, 110 Mars Komagatake Yakushima Aging Cask No. 2026
WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS – DESIGN 98 Archie Rose Distilling Co. Single Paddock Whisky Millstone Special No. 21 Pedro Ximénez Cask
World's Best / Bottle Design ...................................... 98 Harvest 2018 20 Years Old
Label Design .................................................................. 98 Kyrö Wood Smoke Malt Rye Olympian Series Hades
Limited Edition Design ................................................. 99 Lot 40 Dark Oak Secret Series 30 Years Old
New Launch Design ...................................................... 99 Millstone 100 Rye Stauning Heather Virgin Single Cask No. 3411
Presentation .................................................................. 99 Sazerac 18 Years Old Vintage Series Bruichladdich Port Charlotte
Relaunch/Redesign ..................................................... 99 Siderit PX Cask Rye Rum Barrel
Travel Retail Exclusive ................................................. 99 Stauning El Clásico Rye Wild Weasel Single Cask Single Malt
Range ...............................................................................99 The Westfalian Cask Tw127
SMALL BATCH SINGLE MALT ....................... 122, 123, 124
WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS – TASTE 100 SINGLE CASK SINGLE RYE .............................................. 111 Amber Lane Sleigh Bells 2022 PX Cask
Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye Single Barrel Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Years Old Batch No. 4
BOURBON ........................................................................... 100
Stauning Rye Maple Syrup Single Cask No. 517 The Cardrona Otago Pinot Release
The Representative Bourbon The Stillery Rye Whisky Single Cask
W.L. Weller C.Y.P.B. The English Whisky Co. 2010 Vintage Peated
Glen Saanich Wine Cask Finished
NEW MAKE & YOUNG SPIRIT................................. 112, 113 J.J. Corry The Flintlock No. 3
FINISHED BOURBON ........................................................ 100
291 Colorado Whiskey White Dog M&H Apex Orange Wine Cask
Broken Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon Anohka Heavily Peated Single Malt
Ironroot Republic Apotheosis Mars Komagatake 9 Years Old
Clonakilty Pot Still Mashbill The Notch Nantucket Island 15 Years Old
Eden New Make Spirit Säntis Malt Rainbow Series No.1 "Freedom"
SINGLE BARREL BOURBON ............................................. 101
Holyrood X Pilot NMS 11 – Pilot White Stout Recipe Spey Trutina 10 Years Old
1792 Single Barrel
Il Signor Camillo Moonshine Italiano Dei Monti Liguri St. Kilian Judas Priest – Angel of Retribution
Tumblin’ Dice Single Barrel
Mackmyra New Make Extra Peated Thy Whisky Society Cask No. 230
Niigata Kameda New Pot Peated
SMALL BATCH BOURBON ................................................. 101
Thy Whisky New Make Bøg SINGLE MALT ...................... 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C922
Filibuster Bottled In Bond Bourbon Amrut Peated
BLENDED ................................................................... 114, 115 Ardbeg 25 Years Old
Blend 285 Signature Bivrost Helheim
CORN ................................................................................... 102
Breckenridge High Proof Bourbon Whiskey Broken Bones Whisky
Ironroot Republic Hubris
Dewar’s French Smooth Cotswolds Founder’s Choice
Upshot Red Corn Whiskey
Kirin Fuji Daiking Golden Brand
AMERICAN WHISKEY ....................................................... 102 Red Locks Blended Straight Irish Whiskey Dunville’s VR 21 Years Old Palo Cortado
Storm King Distilling Co. Side Gig Whiskey Saburomaru Whisky2022 The Sun Sherry Cask Finish
St. Kilian Terence Hill – The Hero Glen Scotia Double Cask
TENNESSEE ........................................................................ 103 Three Ships Premium Select The Glenlivet Archive 21 Years Old
Jack Daniel’s Bonded Glenmorangie Signet
BLENDED MALT ........................................................ 116, 117 Gouden Carolus Blaasveld Broek
CANADIAN BLENDED ....................................................... 103 Alfred Giraud Voyage Kavalan King Car Conductor
Gibson’s Finest Venerable Breckenridge Two Clans Lamas Nimbus Robustus
Lark Symphony No. 1 Lark Chinotto Cask II Cask Strength
GRAIN......................................................................... 104, 105 Nikka Session Le Breuil Finition Sherry Oloroso
78 Degrees Triple Smoke Whiskey Single & Single Cambridge Circus, Liber Single Malt
Bainbridge Yama Mizunara Cask 32 Years Old Oloroso Sherry M&H Elements Sherry Cask
Bains Single Grain Slyrs Malt Macaloney's Island Distillery Siol Dugall
The English Whisky Co. The Norfolk Farmers Taketsuru Pure Malt Mackmyra Destination
Fercullen Distillery Select The Whistler The Good, The Bad and The Smoky Millstone Special No. 26 Peated Rivesaltes Cask
Hwayo X. Premium 3 Years Old
Kirin Single Grain BLENDED LIMITED RELEASE .......................................... 118 Mosgaard Palo Cortado Cask
Loch Lomond Single Grain Breckenridge Collectors Art Series Rosebank 31 Years Old
The Westfalian Cask Tw46 Fercullen Estate Series – The Italian Gardens Seven Seals The Age of Leo
Ichiro's Malt & Grain Blended Japanese Whisky 2023 Teerenpeli Kulo 7 Years Old
SINGLE CASK SINGLE GRAIN.......................................... 106 Woven Experience N.10 Thomson Whisky South Island Peat
Celtic Cask Daichead A Dó (42) Three Ships 12 Years Old Double Wood Blend
Rare Auld Invergordon 32 Years Old SINGLE CASK SINGLE MALT................ 119, 120, 121, 122 Tobermory 12 Years Old
Cotswolds Platinum Jubilee 1952 Cask Westland Whiskey Solum Edition 1
WHEAT ................................................................................ 106 Daiking Bourbon Single Cask Strength – Willowburn Ember
Lone Elm 4 Years Old Single Barrel "Forest Green" Yoichi 10 Years Old

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 85

 Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame
Sponsored by Amorim Top Series
CELEBR ATING THE TR AILBL AZERS
:HZHOFRPH¿YHPRUHLQGXFWHHVWRRXU+DOORI)DPH
I
nduction into the Whisky
Magazine Hall of Fame is an
honour that is reserved for
individuals who have made
an outstanding and lasting
contribution to the world of whisky. Its
hallowed corridors are populated by
distillery founders, master distillers and
blenders, whisky communicators, and
many others who have helped to shape
Inductee No. 82
Steve Nally
Bardstown Bourbon
Company
86 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
every facet of the modern industry and
to inform its direction of travel in the
21st century.
ˆ–‡”‹†— –‹‰–™‘ϐ‹‰—”‡•ˆ”‘
Scotland in December, Alan Winchester
and Bob Dalgarno, we now welcome
ϐ‹˜‡‘”‡‹†— –‡‡•‹–‘–Š‡ˆ‘Ž†ǡƒŽŽ‘ˆ
whom walked the path less travelled to
broaden the horizons of thousands, if
not millions, of whisky lovers.
Steve Nally has been a constant in the
$PHULFDQZKLVNH\EXVLQHVVIRUÀYH
decades. In 2022, he celebrated his 50th
anniversary of working in the industry
and is one of the few remaining Bourbon
Hall of Fame master distillers currently
working in this capacity.
Steve spent his formative years in
Loretto, Kentucky, where his whiskey
career began with Maker’s Mark Distillery
in 1972. He spent more than 30 years
working at the distillery, progressing
through every facet of the Maker’s Mark
operations before taking on the role of
master distiller in 1988.
In 2003, Steve retired from Maker’s
Mark and set up his own distilling
consultancy. It was during this period
that he set the foundations for Wyoming
Whiskey, which launched in 2009. As its
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The Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame
is sponsored by
from the ground up and helped founders
Brad and Kate Mead and David DeFazio to
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He returned home to Kentucky in 2014
as employee number one at Bardstown
Bourbon Company, where he remains
today as master distiller. His unique skill
set made him a vital strategic asset for the
company, which has gone from strength to
strength since its foundation.
In 2018, Bardstown Bourbon launched
its own award-winning brand, becoming
the seventh-largest distiller of bourbon,
rye, and American whiskeys in the US.
Steve remains involved with product
development while also serving as the
face of the brand as it expands across
the country.

Lance Winters is master distiller at St.
George Spirits in California, one of the
earliest pioneers of the craft whiskey
movement in the US. He is recognised
for his love of throwing aside the
traditional conventions and expectations
of the spirits world, instead using his
LPDJLQDWLRQDQGDUWLVWLFÁDUH
Lance came to St. George Spirits in
1996 after time spent as a US Navy
nuclear engineer, and subsequently
working as a brewer. Motivated by
the desire to make whiskey out of his
favourite ales, he developed an interest
in distillation. He approached St. George
Inductee No. 83 Spirits founder Jörg Rupf with a bottle of
homemade whiskey as his resume and
Lance Winters has been with the distillery ever since.
St. George Spirits Lance is driven by a need to create
beautiful spirits that beguile the palate
and capture the imagination, utilising his
Born to a farming family in Co Tipperary,
Ireland, Bernard Walsh spent 16 years
working in the IT industry in London
before he and wife Rosemary founded
Walsh Whiskey in 1999.
7KHLUÀUVWSURGXFWDQ,ULVKFRIIHH
liqueur called The Hot Irishman, secured
Bernard an entrepreneurial award.
However, spotting early signs of growth
in the world of Irish whiskey, the couple
decided to take the company in a new
direction, founding whiskey brands The
Irishman and Writers’ Tears in 2006 and
2009 respectively. The portfolio of pot still
whiskeys through Writers’ Tears and single
Inductee No. 84 malts through The Irishman have garnered
the company more than 100 international
Bernard Walsh awards and are now sold in more than
Walsh Whiskey 50 countries.
As well as being in the vanguard of
the Irish whiskey revival through these
EUDQGV%HUQDUGZDVDOHDGLQJÀJXUHDW
the Royal Oak Distillery, one of Ireland’s
largest independent distilleries. Between
2013 and 2019 he designed, built, and
operated the distillery – which, uniquely,
makes three types of Irish whiskey (pot
still, malt, and grain) under one roof and
in the same distilling room.
Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame
Sponsored by Amorim Top Series
technical skill and palate to create many
award-winning spirits. In the 26 years
since joining St. George, he has been
instrumental in expanding the company’s
portfolio and catalysing its growth from
a dedicated eau-de-vie distillery into an
innovative craft distillery. Under his watch,
St. George has launched many of the
spirits that the distillery is best known for,
including St. George Single Malt Whiskey
and Baller Single Malt Whiskey.
Lance is also St. George Spirits’
president and a partner in the business,
and has expressed his pride that it has
remained distiller owned and operated
throughout its 40-year history.
Bernard’s experimental approach to
FDVNÀQLVKLQJKDVVHHQKLPWUDYHOWKH
world in search of unique casks, with
one of his stand-out creations in this vein
EHLQJWKHÀUVWLFHZLQHFDVNÀQLVKHG,ULVK
whiskey. His progressive outlook also
led him to become an early adopter of
e-labelling, an initiative to give consumers
more information about the food and drink
they consume, and to introduce braille on
the packaging of The Irishman range.
Alongside his work on his own brands,
Bernard is a tireless campaigner for Irish
whiskey at large. He is a founding member
of the Irish Whiskey Association, serving
as its chairman from 2014–2016, and in
2019 he was invited to serve as a board
director of Drinks Ireland, the industry
body for alcoholic drinks manufacturers
and suppliers in the country.
Walsh Whiskey was sold to Luxembourg-
based Amber Beverage Group in
November 2021, but Bernard continues in
his role as managing director, focusing on
product development and innovation for
The Irishman and Writers’ Tears.
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 87
 Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame
Sponsored by Amorim Top Series
Sukhinder Singh and his brother Rajbir
were born into the world of drinks.
7KHLUSDUHQWVEHFDPHWKHÀUVW$VLDQ
immigrants in the UK to be granted a
liquor licence and subsequently opened
what became an award-winning off-
licence in west London. It was at his
parents’ shop that Sukhinder’s interest in
whisky, particularly single malt, was born.
After graduating university, Sukhinder
helped to redevelop and restructure
the family business, which led to
numerous award wins through the 1990s.
Concurrently, he was starting to build a
VLJQLÀFDQWSHUVRQDOZKLVN\FROOHFWLRQ
Inductee No. 85 When their parents retired in 1999,
Sukhinder and Rajbir took the decision
Sukhinder Singh to sell the family business and founded
The Whisky Exchange The Whisky Exchange: an online portal
where whisky fans could buy, sell and
swap bottles. It quickly became a leading
platform for single malt whisky sales,
and within a decade was named online
whisky retailer of the year in the Icons
of Whisky. The company now has three
shops in London in addition to its online
retail business, and also organises The
Whisky Show, an event that has set
the benchmark for engagement and
Despite being the son of medical
professionals, it was clear from a young
age that Hans Offringa would be a
writer; he was editor of his high school
newspaper and worked as a copy editor
at a local newspaper company. He also
had a keen interest in whisky, giving his
ÀUVWWXWRUHGWDVWLQJVLQKLVKRPHFRXQWU\
of the Netherlands in 1984. These
interests collided in 1990 when he began
writing articles about whisky – around
the same time he helped to develop a
‘publishing and printing on demand’
model for book printing and distribution.
+DQV·ÀUVWZKLVN\ERRNZDVSXEOLVKHG
Inductee No. 86 in 1998. Since then, he has written 40
books on the subject, contributed to
+DQV2̆ULQJD 16 books by other whisky writers, and
Whisky author and judge translated nine whisky books into Dutch.
His own books have been translated
LQWRÀYHODQJXDJHV+LVZLIH%HFN\KDV
worked with him since 2006 as research
manager, contributing editor and/or
co-author of his books; together, they are
known as The Whisky Couple.
Among his most remarkable books are
A Field Guide to Whisky (100,000 copies
sold to date), the autobiographical The
Road to Craigellachie, and 2007’s A Taste
88 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
education between whisky producers and
consumers over the past decade.
Assisting in his parents’ business,
building his own whisky collection, and
eventually running his own whisky retail
site gave Sukhinder an encyclopaedic
knowledge of whisky and he is regularly
called on by individuals, associations,
companies, and media around the world
for his expertise.
In 2003 Sukhinder launched wholesale
business Speciality Drinks, which grew
from a side-line operation selling spirits
to the on-trade in the early days of The
Whisky Exchange. The business grew over
the ensuing years and now incorporates
an independent bottling arm, a distilling
division (Elixir Distillers), and a rare spirits
auction website (Whisky.Auction).
Sukhinder is also an advocate
for maintaining authenticity and
trustworthiness in the secondary whisky
market; he and the Whisky.Auction
team recently assisted an investigation
by London’s Metropolitan Police to
track down the the fraudster behind a
VLJQLÀFDQWQXPEHURIIRUJHGUDUHVSLULWV
of Whisky, one of the earliest food and
whisky pairing books. He also writes about
whisky for 11 magazines and newspapers
on a regular basis and is European
contributing editor for Whisky Magazine.
Since 2002, Hans has been presenting
and judging for national and international
whisky competitions including the World
Whiskies Awards. He was co-founder
and patron of the Whisky Festival Noord
Nederland (WFNN) from 2006–2022.
It was at this festival in 2009 that
International Whisk(e)y Day – which he co-
founded in honour of British whisky writer
Michael Jackson – was launched.
Hans was made a Kentucky Colonel
by the Governor of Kentucky in 2014 for
his contributions to bourbon history and
was made a Keeper of the Quaich in 2016
for his dedicated promotion of Scotch
whisky. He is a lifetime international
ambassador for the Spirit of Speyside
Festival, an honorary ambassador of the
Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and a board
member of US organisation the Council of
Whiskey Masters.

A STAR CAST
Celebrating the leading lights in the global whisky industry
A
fter commending regional winners
in Scotland, Ireland, America, India,
and Rest of World, the Icons of
Whisky awards has revealed its
global winners for 2023.
From producers to bartenders to marketers,
the Icons of Whisky have been celebrating
the industry’s leading lights and most fervent
champions for two decades.
‘•‘ˆŠ‹•›‹•ϐ‹”•–Œ—†‰‡†™‹–Š‹
the aforementioned ring-fenced ‘regions’,
encompassing established whisky-producing
ƒ–‹‘•Ǥ–”ƒ–•–‘‡ƒ Š ƒ–‡‰‘”›ƒ”‡ϐ‹”•–
Œ—†‰‡†ƒ‰ƒ‹•–’‡‡”•ˆ”‘–Š‡‹”‘™”‡‰‹‘ǡ
to set category criteria using submitted
supporting evidence.
Sponsors
Icons of Whisky 2023 America, India & Rest of World
‹‡”•–Š‡’”‘ ‡‡†–‘„‡Œ—†‰‡†ƒ––Š‡
global level to establish the best of the best for
each calendar year.
Š‡ ‘•‘ˆŠ‹•›ƒ™ƒ”†•ƒ”‡Œ—†‰‡†„›
a panel of impartial experts, which includes
the global Whisky Magazine editorial team
ƒ†”‡‰‹‘Ǧ•’‡ ‹ϐ‹ •—„Ǧ’ƒ‡Ž•–‘‡•—”‡Ž‘ ƒŽ
‡š’‡”–‹•‡ƒ–‡ƒ Š•–ƒ‰‡‘ˆŒ—†‰‹‰ǤŽ‡ƒ•‡‘–‡
that people, places, and campaigns must be
‘ˆϐ‹ ‹ƒŽŽ›‡–‡”‡†‹–‘–Š‡ ‘’‡–‹–‹‘„›ƒ
representative to be considered, and members
‘ˆ–Š‡Œ—†‰‹‰’ƒ‡Ž†‘‘–Šƒ˜‡–Š‡’‘™‡”–‘
add in their own nominations.
For more information, please visit
iconsofwhisky.com and the entry portal at
worldwhiskiesawards.com.
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 89
 Icons of Whisky 2023 America, India & Rest of World

DISTILLER CAMPAIGN INNOVATOR DISTILLER

SPONSORED BY GLENCAIRN CRYSTAL STUDIO O’Shaughnessy Distilling Company SPONSORED BY GLENCAIRN CRYSTAL STUDIO
Heaven Hill Brands Highly Commended Beam Suntory India
Highly Commended 1792 Bourbon
Barton 1792 Distillery CRAFT PRODUCER
BAR Godawan Distillery
CRAFT PRODUCER SPONSORED BY HELLMANN
Chattanooga Whiskey Bourbons Bistro VISITOR ATTRACTION
Highly Commended Paul John Visitor Centre
A Smith Bowman INDEPENDENT BOTTLER
Lost Lantern Spirits BRAND INNOVATOR
SUSTAINABLE DISTILLERY
Heaven Hill Distillery Radico Khaitan
SINGLE OUTLET RETAILER Highly Commended
SPONSORED BY THE GLENTURRET Diageo India – Godawan Malt and Epitome Legacy
VISITOR ATTRACTION McCallum and Sons Whisky Co.
The Sazerac House MASTER DISTILLER/MASTER BLENDER
Highly Commended Anup Barik, Radico Khaitan
Buffalo Trace Distillery

BRAND INNOVATOR SCOTCH WHISKY BRAND AMBASSADOR

Broken Barrel Shweta Jain, Diageo
Highly Commended
Barrell Vantage WORLD WHISKY BRAND AMBASSADOR
Rakshit Jagdale, Amrut Distilleries
MASTER DISTILLER/MASTER BLENDER
Caleb Kilburn, Kentucky Peerless CAMPAIGN INNOVATOR
Highly Commended Glenmorangie
Conor O’Driscoll, Heaven Hill Brands
Jonathan Likarish, Ironroot Republic BAR GROUP
The Taj Hotels
DISTILLERY MANAGER Highly Commended
Tyler Pederson, Westland Distillery Old World Hospitality

AMERICAN WHISKEY BRAND AMBASSADOR BAR MANAGER

Lynn House, Heaven Hill Brands Prantik Haldar, Bombay Canteen
Highly Commended Highly Commended
Freddie Johnson, Buffalo Trace Distillery Govind Koranga, Americano

WORLD WHISKY BRAND AMBASSADOR BAR

Koray Kaan Özdemir, Paul John Indian
Single Malt Whisky
VISITOR ATTRACTION MANAGER
Matt Higgins, Buffalo Trace Distillery
Highly Commended
Susan Nogues, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
Bastian Worli
Highly Commended
5HÀQHU\
Providore The Bar
These pages, clockwise from top left: Westland
Distillery manager Tyler Pederson; Bottlings from BARTENDER
Lost Lantern; Glenmorangie’s India-exclusive Dilbar Rawat, Loya
packaging design; Jamie Lin from Kavalan Whisky
Bar; Emma Cookson; McCallum and Sons Whisky Co.;
Paul John ambassador Koray Kaan Özdemir.

90 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 Icons of Whisky 2023 America, India & Rest of World

CHEF DISTILLER BARTENDER

Arun Sundararaj, The Taj Mahal SPONSORED BY GLENCAIRN CRYSTAL STUDIO James Lin, Kavalan Whisky Bar
Highly Commended Kavalan Distillery
Nikhil Nagpal, ITC Grand Chola BAR MANAGER
CRAFT PRODUCER Lachlan Watt, Whisky & Alement
F&B MANAGER The M&H Distillery Highly Commended
Ritesh Kasture, The Taj Lands End Highly Commended Shawn Soole, Clive’s Classic Lounge
Highly Commended Macaloney’s Island Distillery
Upender Singh Tomar, ITC Maratha HOTEL BAR
SUSTAINABLE DISTILLERY Clive’s Classic Lounge
GENERAL MANAGER (HOTEL) SPONSORED BY SARTEN
Ritesh Sharma, The Taj Mahal Palace Stauning Whisky BAR
Highly Commended SPONSORED BY HELLMANN
Vikramaditya Singh, The Claridges VISITOR ATTRACTION Whisky & Alement
The M&H Distillery Visitor Center Highly Commended
HOTEL BAR Highly Commended Kavalan Whisky Bar
Harbour Bar Sullivans Cove Distillery
Highly Commended COOPERAGE
The Brass Room BRAND INNOVATOR Casknolia
Cheroot The M&H Distillery
The Writers Bar
Highly Commended INDEPENDENT BOTTLER
Sullivans Cove Master of Malt
BUYER
Ashish Seth, The Taj Hotels SINGLE ESTATE
Highly Commended BUYER
Thy Whisky Distillery
Nandhini Sriniwas, Mumbai Duty Free John Vine, Waitrose
Highly Commended
MASTER DISTILLER/MASTER BLENDER
MULTIPLE OUTLET RETAILER Julie Trewren, Master of Malt
Tomer Goren, The M&H Distillery
Tonique
Highly Commended MULTIPLE OUTLET RETAILER
Heather Tillott, Sullivans Cove
SINGLE OUTLET RETAILER WhiskyBrother & Co
The Cellar DISTILLERY MANAGER
SPONSORED BY LARKFIRE ONLINE RETAILER
TRAVEL RETAILER Heather Tillott, Sullivans Cove Master of Malt
Mumbai Duty Free Highly Commended Highly Commended
Gal Kalkshtein, The M&H Distillery The Whisky List
COMMUNICATOR
Bikramjit Ray AMERICAN WHISKEY BRAND AMBASSADOR SUPERMARKET
Cam Dawson, Brown-Forman Waitrose
ADVERTISING AGENCY
White Media Marketing IRISH WHISKEY BRAND AMBASSADOR COMMUNICATOR
SPONSORED BY WHISKY AUCTIONEER
Chris Hayes, Teeling Whiskey
Highly Commended
Emma Cookson
Alan Malone, Powerscourt Distillery Highly Commended
Millie Milliken
WORLD WHISKY BRAND AMBASSADOR
Ally Bhana, Sullivans Cove DESIGN AGENCY
SPONSORED BY MCLAREN PACKAGING
Highly Commended
Tal Chotiner, The M&H Distillery
Nude Brand Creation

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 91

 Icons of Whisky 2023 Global
Multiple Outlet Retailer
WHISKY BROTHER & CO.
Rest of World
WhiskyBrother, named single outlet retailer of the
year at the Icons of Whisky in 2020, has opened
WZRQHZVWRUHVLQ-RKDQQHVEXUJRYHUWKHODVWWZR
years offering the same customer service, range of
products and premium shopping environment in a
smaller package. These satellite stores continue to
specialise in whisky, offering the largest range in
6RXWK$IULFDDVZHOODVZKLVN\ERRNVWDVWLQJVHWV
JODVVZDUHDQGVLQJOHFDVNH[FOXVLYHVIURPEUDQGV
DQGGLVWLOOHULHVKLVWRULFDOO\XQDYDLODEOHLQWKHFLW\
Regional Winners
India – Tonique
Ireland²$HU5LDQWD,QWHUQDWLRQDO $5,
Online Retailer
MASTER OF MALT
Rest of World
Master of Malt has more than 3,800 whiskies in
stock, covering a wide variety of styles and tastes.
These range from high-end and rare expressions
WRDURWDWLQJUDQJHRIÁDVKVDOHERWWOHVDQGPO
VDPSOHVL]HGGUDPVFRYHULQJDOOEXGJHWV7KLV
LVFRPELQHGZLWKLQIRUPDOHGXFDWLRQDOSURGXFW
GHVFULSWLRQVEORJIHDWXUHVFDPSDLJQVDQG
creative social media content. In the last year, the
Master of Malt site has seen a complete overhaul
to improve customers’ online shopping experience.
Regional Winners
Ireland – Celtic Whiskey Shop
Scotland – TyndrumWhisky.com
92 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
Single Outlet Retailer
6SRQVRUHGE\The Glenturret
McCALLUM AND SONS WHISKY CO.
America
Opened in 2021, McCallum and Sons Whisky
Co. is an independent whisky shop dedicated to
giving customers a luxury experience. Founders
Maxine and Glen have no prior formal experience,
EXWDZHDOWKRINQRZOHGJHDQGORYHIRUFXUDWLQJ
customer experiences. The company’s success is
said to come from prioritising the education of its
customers, as well as showcasing spirits at a range
of price points.
Regional Winners
India – The Cellar
Ireland – Celtic Whiskey Shop
Scotland – Gordon & MacPhail South Street
Travel Retailer
AER RIANTA INTERNATIONAL (ARI)
Ireland
$HU5LDQWD,QWHUQDWLRQDOLVRQHRIWKHELJJHVW
UHWDLOHUVLQWKHZRUOGRIJOREDOWUDYHODQGLVWKH
SDUHQWFRPSDQ\RI7KH/RRS'XW\)UHHDW'XEOLQ
Airport, home to the Irish Whiskey Collection.
7KHVWRUHVKRZFDVHVWKHEHVWRIERWK,ULVKDQG
LQWHUQDWLRQDOEUDQGVZKLOHRIIHULQJDQDFFODLPHG
shopping experience to passengers. Digital
technology and advancements are consistently
EHLQJDGGHGWKURXJKRXWWKHVWRUHDVZHOODV
SHUVRQDOLVHGEUDQGHGZDOOED\V
Regional Winners
India²0XPEDL'XW\)UHH
Supermarket
WAITROSE
Rest of World
To meet the growing demand for international
whiskies, Waitrose is continually adding new
varieties from around the world to its already large
range of whiskies. Four new lines were entered into
WKHVXSHUPDUNHW·VSUHVVWDVWLQJVLQ6HSWHPEHU
,QWRWDOZKLVNLHVDUHQRZVROGE\
Waitrose, with styles ranging from single malts
made in the remote Scottish Highlands to whiskies
EOHQGHGLQWKHLVODQGVRI-DSDQZKLFKFDQEH
SXUFKDVHGLQEUDQFKRURQOLQH7KHVXSHUPDUNHW
also provides an in-depth guide to help customers
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Buyer
ALLY ALPINE
CELTIC WHISKEY SHOP
Ireland
Ally has more than 20 years’ experience in the
spirits industry and founded Celtic Whiskey Shop in
+HDQGKLVWHDPDUHUHVSRQVLEOHIRUWKHYDVW
DPRXQWVRISURGXFWVDYDLODEOHWREX\RQOLQHDQG
LQVWRUHIURPWKHVKRSHVWLPDWHGWREHPRUHWKDQ
3,000. He has great working relationships with
distilleries across Ireland and Scotland, sourcing a
variety of rare casks and limited-edition releases.
Regional Winners
India – Ashish Seth, The Taj Hotels
Rest of World – John Vine, Waitrose
Scotland – Craig Dearden, Tyndrum Whisky

Bar
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BOURBONS BISTRO
America
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whiskies as well as a menu of southern-inspired
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VHYHUDOEDUUHOVHOHFWLRQSURJUDPPHV
Regional Winners
India – Bastian Worli
Ireland – Celtic Whiskey Bar & Larder
Rest of World – Whisky & Alement
Bar Manager
LACHLAN WATT
WHISKY & ALEMENT
Rest of World
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enthusiasm, his knowledge of whisky in Australia
LVVWURQJZLWKWKHEDUUHFHLYLQJJORZLQJUHYLHZV
from guests for the quality of its classes, events,
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EDUVWDIIWRPDLQWDLQWKHKLJKOHYHOVRIH[SHFWDWLRQ
in service, while also showing great skill in the
creation of cocktails.
Regional Winners
India – Prantik Haldar, Bombay Canteen
Ireland – Jim Rafferty, Kilkenny Whiskey Guild
Hotel Bar
CLIVE’S CLASSIC LOUNGE
Rest of World
Clive’s Classic Lounge was one of the original
FRFNWDLODQGVSLULWEDUVLQ9LFWRULD%ULWLVK
&ROXPELD&DQDGDRSHQLQJDIWHUDUHQRYDWLRQ
in 2009. Since the pandemic and the return of
EDUPDQDJHU6KDZQ6RROH&OLYH·VKDVH[SDQGHG
its whisky and spirit offerings exponentially. The
VXFFHVVRIWKHKRWHOEDULVQRWMXVWGRZQWRWKH
expansive drinks menu and solid grounding in
FODVVLFFRFNWDLOVEXWDOVRWKHYDULHW\RILWVPRQWKO\
events and dinners programme.
Regional Winners
India²+DUERXU%DUThe Taj Mahal Palace
Bartender
JAMES LIN
KAVALAN WHISKY BAR
Rest of World
,Q-DPHV/LQMRLQHGWKH$VLDWHDPDQG
GHYHORSHGDFRFNWDLOPHQXZLWKEDUOHDGHU+DQN
7VHQJ+HZDVUHFUXLWHGDVEDUPDQDJHUDW/D]\
Point in 2017, spearheading operations and
FRFNWDLOPHQXFUHDWLRQ+HMRLQHG.DYDODQ:KLVN\
%DUDVEDUOHDGHULQDQGKDVVLQFHEHHQ
FRPPLWWHGWRGHYHORSLQJDQGSURPRWLQJWKHEUDQG
WKURXJKFUHDWLYHEDUH[SHULHQFHVDQGPL[RORJ\
Regional Winners
Ireland – Evan O’Connor,
Celtic Whiskey Bar & Larder
India²'LOEDU5DZDWLoya
Icons of Whisky 2023 Global
Bar Group
KILKENNY WHISKEY GUILD
Ireland
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capital, with each premises stocking a minimum
of 60 Irish whiskeys and assisting in customers’
H[SHULHQFHWKURXJKNQRZOHGJHDEOHVWDIIWDVWLQJ
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whiskey events are held in each of the guild
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whiskey history, production, and various styles.
7KHJXLOGDLPVWRPDNH.LONHQQ\DOHDGLQJZKLVNH\
tourism destination in Ireland.
Regional Winners
India ²7KH7DM+RWHOV
General Manager (Hotel)
EDDIE LANGTON
KILKENNY WHISKEY GUILD
Ireland
(GGLH/DQJWRQLVDIRXQGLQJPHPEHUDQG
FKDLUSHUVRQRI.LONHQQ\:KLVNH\*XLOG+H
represents Langtons on the historic John Street
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the venue now also includes Langtons Hotel, Set
Theatre, Bridie’s Bar, John Street Tea Rooms and
7KH*DUGHQ5HVWDXUDQW(GGLHZDVERUQLQWRWKH
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the industry while respecting and exploring the
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Regional Winners
India – Ritesh Sharma, The Taj Mahal Palace
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 93
 Icons of Whisky 2023 Global
Chef
ARUN SUNDARARAJ
THE TAJ MAHAL
India
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maestro who started his career 28 years ago
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ZLWK7DM+RWHOVHYHUVLQFH0RUHUHFHQWO\KHKDV
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and the House of Ming. As a whisky lover,
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spirit, and various Indian whiskies including the
likes of Rampur Indri and Gianchand have also
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Irish Whiskey
Brand Ambassador
CHRIS HAYES
TEELING WHISKEY
Rest of World
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whiskey world. After six years as Teeling European
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feathers to his cap, learning multiple languages,
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Teeling’s on-trade platform Crafted to Create. His
determination to spread the word of Irish whiskey
has seen him visit Northern Africa, Eastern Europe
and Scandinavia, connecting with whiskey fans,
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Regional Winners
Ireland – Dan Grummel, Blackwater Distillery
94 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
Communicator
6SRQVRUHGE\Whisky Auctioneer
EMMA COOKSON
Rest of World
The Whisky List’s Emma Cookson is an award-
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specialist, presenter and international tastings
host. In 2022 she was selected as one of the
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Scottish and Australian whisky, Emma honed her
knowledge at Whisky & Alement and has also
travelled Australia, visiting dozens of distilleries,
providing her with extensive technical knowledge.
Regional Winners
India²%LNUDPMLW5D\
Ireland – Barry Chandler
Scotland²-DVRQ&DPSEHOO7KRPVRQ
Scotch Whisky
Brand Ambassador
MARK THOMSON
WILLIAM GRANT & SONS
Scotland
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DPEDVVDGRUIRU6FRWODQGDQGKDVVLQFHFRQWLQXHG
to share his love and enthusiasm for whisky and
spirits. After more than 17 years in the whisky
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in 2019. He offers whisky courses to consumers
and trade individuals alike, introducing them to
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uses his social media platforms to entertain and
educate, as well as hosting charity auctions online.
Regional Winners
India – Shweta Jain, Diageo
American Whiskey
Brand Ambassador
CAM DAWSON
BROWN-FORMAN
Rest of World
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WHDPIRUPRUHWKDQHLJKW\HDUVKDYLQJÀUVWMRLQHG
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that time, Cam has helped to fuel a period of
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the staunchest of Scotch whisky drinkers.
Regional Winners
America – Lynn House, Heaven Hill Brands
World Whisky
Brand Ambassador
KORAY KAAN ÖZDEMIR
PAUL JOHN WHISKY
America
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Indian Single Malt Whisky as the US West Coast
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of Sazerac in April 2021 as its US portfolio
DPEDVVDGRUZKLFKLQFOXGHGPRQLWRULQJWKH
entire portfolio of Scotch, American and Canadian
whiskies. His primary focus, however, has always
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VLQFHEHFRPLQJ3DXO-RKQ·VQDWLRQDODPEDVVDGRU
Regional Winners
India – Rakshit Jagdale, Amrut Distilleries
Rest of World – Ally Bhana, Sullivans Cove

PR Agency
SPEY
Scotland
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earned the award for a second consecutive year,
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in the last year, Ardgowan Distillery has partnered
with Heriot-Watt University to develop pioneering
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QHJDWLYH63(<KDVDOVRDQQRXQFHGWKHLPPLQHQW
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Fletcher of Lind & Lime.
Campaign Innovator
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GLENMORANGIE
India
Among the innovative campaigns produced
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create a localised limited-edition festival pack
exclusively for the Indian market. Glenmorangie
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.DUVK.DOHWRGHYHORSWKH'HOLFLRXV'HVLJQ3URMHFW
a digital art and music experience that marked the
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Regional Winners
America – O’Shaughnessy Distilling Company
Ireland – Waterford Distillery
Design Agency
6SRQVRUHGE\McLaren Packaging
NUDE BRAND CREATION
Rest of World
1XGH%UDQG&UHDWLRQLVDVSHFLDOLVWEUDQGLQJDQG
packaging design agency with nearly 20 years’
experience focusing on premium wine and spirits.
In the last 12 months, the agency has worked
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as Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Royal Salute,
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Independent Bottler
LOST LANTERN SPIRITS
America
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VW\OHGDVD6FRWWLVKVW\OHLQGHSHQGHQWERWWOHU
focused on new American whiskies. The founders’
mission is to help whiskey enthusiasts discover
distilleries and whiskies they otherwise may not
have. Lost Lantern has released more than three
dozen single casks from 17 distilleries in 13 US
states. The company is committed to transparency,
IHDWXULQJWKHVRXUFHGLVWLOOHU\QDPHVRQLWVODEHOV
Regional Winners
Ireland – Two Stacks Whiskey
Rest of World – Master of Malt
Scotland – Lady of the Glen
Icons of Whisky 2023 Global
Brand Innovator
WATERFORD DISTILLERY
Ireland
In the past year, Waterford has revealed a new
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VRLOODERXUDQGJUDLQZKLOHQHYHUEHLQJDIUDLGWR
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Releases such as its peated whisky, made with
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showcased the distillery’s drive to innovate and
revolutionise the category.
Regional Winners
America – Broken Barrel
India²5DGLFR.KDLWDQ
Rest of World – The M&H Distillery
Scotland – Holyrood Distillery
Visitor Attraction Manager
LISA JAMESON
TEELING WHISKEY
Ireland
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devotes much of her time to engaging the tourism
industry and forging international relationships
to make Teeling one of the country’s top visitor
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Experiences and Attractions and the Irish Whiskey
Association tourism committee, Lisa works with her
peers to promote whiskey tourism across Ireland.
Regional Winners
America – Matt Higgins, Buffalo Trace Distillery
Scotland – Colin Hart, The Glenturret
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 95
 Icons of Whisky 2023 Global
Visitor Attraction
JOHNNIE WALKER PRINCES STREET
Scotland
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H[SHULHQFHLQ(GLQEXUJKLVWKHFHQWUHSLHFHRI
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tourism in Scotland. The attraction takes the
concept of personalisation to a new level, with the
Johnnie Walker Journey of Flavour tour allowing
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mapped with drinks tailored to individual palates.
Regional Winners
America – The Sazerac House
India – Paul John Visitor Centre
Ireland – Powerscourt Distillery & Visitor Centre
Rest of World – The M&H Distillery Visitor Center
Sustainable Distillery
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STAUNING WHISKY
Rest of World
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VLQFHLWVLQFHSWLRQLQDQGWKLVSKLORVRSK\
RIHQYLURQPHQWDODZDUHQHVVZDVEXLOWLQWRWKH
IDEULFRILWVQHZGLVWLOOHU\ZKLFKRSHQHGLQZHVWHUQ
Denmark in 2018. Improvements at the distillery in
the last year have continued to enhance this focus,
for example recycling energy from its kiln while
drying to heat water for mashing and cleaning and
WRKHDWLWVRIÀFHVDQGVKRS
Regional Winners
America – Heaven Hill Brands
Ireland – Midleton Distillery
Scotland – Tomatin Distillery
96 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
Cooper
ANDY MOORE
LOCH LOMOND COOPERAGE
Scotland
In his role as senior cooper at Loch Lomond
Cooperage, Andy oversees seven full-time coopers
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years’ experience as a cooper. He plays an integral
part in overseeing the quality of all casks used
across the Loch Lomond Group, and therefore in
the release of all Loch Lomond products. The last
12 months have seen the cooperage check, repair
and maintain in excess of 20,000 casks across a
variety of sizes and woods.
Single Estate
LOCHLEA DISTILLERY
Scotland
/RFKOHDJURZVSHUFHQW/DXUHDWHEDUOH\DWD
IDUPRQVLWHDOOZLWKLQNPRIWKHGLVWLOOHU\7ZR
successful malting trials were conducted in 2022,
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All milling, mashing, fermentation, distillation
and warehousing is conducted at the distillery,
too. The team regularly analyse ways to improve
every process, keeping one eye on the long-
term protection of the land and environmentally
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Regional Winners
Rest of World – Thy Whisky Distillery
Cooperage
CASKNOLIA
Rest of World
Casknolia is at the forefront of a new golden age
in coopering, marrying traditional techniques and
generations of expertise with the needs and ideals
RIWRGD\·VZKLVN\PDNHUV/HGQRZE\WKHVHFRQG
generation, this family cooperage stands at the
vanguard of a commitment to quality, innovation
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virgin oak casks made from American, Danish,
Spanish and French oak, it is Casknolia’s sherry
casks that have drawn particular acclaim.
Regional Winners
Scotland – Loch Lomond Cooperage (Cooperage
021)
Distillery Manager
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TYLER PEDERSON
WESTLAND DISTILLERY
America
As Westland’s manager, Tyler manages the entire
whiskey-making process at the distillery and also
stewards core programmes that put Westland
at the cutting edge of the whiskey industry. He
LVDWWKHFHQWUHRI:HVWODQG·V3DFLÀF1RUWKZHVW
peat programme, relationships with farmers, and
experimentation with maltsters, and serves as the
face of Westland in the local distiller’s guild.
Regional Winners
Ireland – Michelle Guilfoyle, Dingle Distillery
Rest of World – Heather Tillott, Sullivans Cove
Scotland – Marc Watson, Holyrood Distillery
 Icons of Whisky 2023 Global

Master Distiller/Master Blender

GREGG GLASS
WHYTE & MACKAY
Scotland
Gregg Glass was appointed master whisky maker
in 2021 as luminary Richard Paterson stepped
back and 2022 bore witness to his tenure in
practice, including the launch of Whyte & Mackay’s
6FRWWLVK2DNSURJUDPPHDÀUVW6FRWWLVK2DN
expression, and the planting of a small urban
forest. Gregg is passionate about the balance
of nature and nurture in whisky making. Prior to
joining Whyte & Mackay, Gregg made his name
at respected Scottish whisky blending house
Compass Box.
Regional Winners
America – Caleb Kilburn, Kentucky Peerless
India – Anup Barik, Radico Khaitan
Ireland – Paul Corbett, Powerscourt Distillery
Rest of World – Tomer Goren, The M&H Distillery

Craft Producer

CHATTANOOGA WHISKEY developing their malt-forward style of straight

America
Now in its 10th year, Chattanooga Whiskey has
become an innovative and stylistic leader in one
of the USA’s most highly regarded whiskey-making
regions. After working for two years to help change
century-old distilling laws for some of Tennessee’s
counties, the small team at Chattanooga
Whiskey commissioned one of the country’s
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they spent two years and more than 100 barrels
bourbon. Some 7,000 barrels later, Chattanooga
Whiskey now offers six mainstay expressions while
continuing to release experimental batches.
Regional Winners
India – Godawan Distillery
Ireland – Blackwater Distillery
Rest of World²7KH0 +'LVWLOOHU\
Scotland – Nc’nean

Distiller
Sponsored by Glencairn Crystal Studio

HEAVEN HILL BRANDS

America
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continues as the USA’s largest independent family-owned distilled spirits
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continues its legacy as one of the foremost American whiskey producers.
+HDYHQ+LOOKDVFXOWLYDWHGWKHWUDGLWLRQVDQGKLVWRU\RI$PHULFD·VQDWLYH
VSLULWZLWKLWVÀHUFHLQGHSHQGHQFHSDVVLRQDWHIDPLO\RZQHUVKLSGHGLFDWLRQ
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more than 1.9 million barrels ageing in more than 65 warehouses throughout
Nelson and Jefferson Counties. The distillery is home to an award-winning
collection of American whiskeys including bourbon brands Elijah Craig and
Larceny, along with its extensive Bottled-in-Bond label collection including its
namesake bourbon.
Regional Winners
India – Beam Suntory India
Ireland – Irish Distillers
Rest of World – Kavalan Distillery
Scotland – Glenfarclas Distillery

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 97

WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Headline sponsor Glencairn Crystal Studio
Design – Sponsored by Hunter Luxury
SHOWCASING THE BEST
We reveal a global collection of winners
T
he team behind Whisky Magazine
launched the World Whiskies
Awards in 2007, with the aim
of judging and promoting the world's
best whiskies through a comprehensive
annual tasting. The competition now
has two strands: taste and design.
To enter, whiskies must be available
for purchase by the general public in
bottles and conform to the criteria
of a relevant entry category. Taste
entries are blind-tasted by an expert
‹–‡”ƒ–‹‘ƒŽ’ƒ‡Ž‹ Ž—†‹‰ϐ‹‰—”‡•
from the hospitality, media, retail, and
drinks industries, alongside regional
WORLD’S BEST DESIGN
& BEST BOTTLE DESIGN
Cù Bòcan
15 Years Old
GOLD
Belgian Owl Identity
Hidden Lake Cask No. 195
SILVER
Bird Creek Single Cask
Coachbuilt 001
Glasgow 1770 Peated – Rich & Smoky
Jeptha Creed Straight 4-Grain Bourbon
The Macklowe 4th Edition Cask 58 8 Years Old Single Malt
Man O’ Words Unpeated Single Cask Single Malt
Redemption Rye
Wire Works Whisky Virgin Oak Finish
98 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190
sub-panels. A global panel presides Sponsors
‘˜‡”–Š‡ϐ‹ƒŽ”‘—†‘ˆŒ—†‰‹‰ǤŠ‡
WWA taste categories cover the main
globally recognised styles of whisky,
with further segmentation by age. Each
entry is assessed for its 'nose', 'palate',
ƒ†̵ϐ‹‹•Š̵ǡ™‹–Š“—ƒŽ‹–›ƒ† ‘’Ž‡š‹–›
taken into account when scoring.
Design entries are similarly judged by
an expert panel with design experience
across a range of industries.
For more information on the entry
process and categories, and to view a
full list of 2023 winners and medallists,
visit worldwhiskiesawards.com.
BEST LABEL DESIGN
The Whistler
Imperial Stout Cask Finish
GOLD
Johnnie Walker The Princes
Street Collective: Johnnie
Walker X Harris Tweed
Lark Wolf Release V
SILVER
Belgian Owl Identity
Dirtgrain Mash Bill #08
Fettercairn 18 Years Old
Scottish Oak 2022
Glasgow 1770 Peated
– Rich & Smoky
Mackmyra Destination
Powerscourt
Fercullen Falls
Redemption Sur Lee
St. Kilian Judas Priest
– Angel of Retribution
Waterford Primavera
Waterford
Feuille Morte
Waterloo The Surgeon
 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Design – Sponsored by Hunter Luxury

BEST LIMITED BEST NEW LAUNCH DESIGN BEST PRESENTATION

EDITION DESIGN Bird Creek Lambay
The Craft Irish Single Cask 20 Years Old
Whiskey Co. GOLD GOLD
The Emerald Isle Castle & Key The Untold Story of Johnnie Walker The Princes Street
Kentucky Whiskey Collective: Johnnie Walker
GOLD SILVER X Harris Tweed
The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. The Taoscán The Borders SILVER
Monkey Shoulder Limited Edition Distillery WS:01 The Cardrona Otago
SILVER Borders Malt & Rye Pinot Release
Hinch 19 Years Old Bushmills The Dingle Samhain
Causeway Collection Lagavulin Islay Jazz
2012 Burgundy Cask Festival 2022
Hanson of Sonoma
Single Malt Double
Barrel
Hinch 19
Years Old
Vintage Series
Isle of Arran
24 Years Old

BEST RELAUNCH/REDESIGN BEST TRAVEL RETAIL BEST RANGE

Sonoma Distilling Co. EXCLUSIVE Uncle Nearest
Straight Bourbon Whiskey Jura GOLD
Belgian Owl
SILVER Islanders’ Expression No.2
SILVER
Royal Brackla Oloroso
Säntis Malt
12 Years Old
The Whistler
Royal Brackla Oloroso
21 Years Old

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 99

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Bourbon – Sponsored by Kentucky Bourbon Festival / Finished Bourbon

Best Kentucky
W.L. Weller
WORLD’S BEST C.Y.P.B. 47.5%
BOURBON Complex and balanced. Pear,
honeysuckle, burnt sugar,
Best Non Kentucky toffee, and warmth on the
nose – it smells delicious.
The Representative Caramel, vanilla, clove,
Bourbon 52.5% apple, and oak on the
palate. Long, slightly
Dark fruit, rich oak and toffee, and light spice on the nose. The palate ZDUPÀQLVK$Q
excellent product.
is soft, with lightly roasted nuts, herbal notes, brown sugar, cherries,
SHSSHUDQGOLJKWVSLFH$PHGLXPWRORQJÀQLVKZKLFKVRIWHQVRXW
beautifully. This is a balanced and very interesting whiskey that is
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Best Kentucky
Broken Barrel
WORLD’S BEST Cask Strength Bourbon 57.5%
FINISHED BOURBON Sweet nose with fruit, honey,
some dark brown sugar,
Best Non Kentucky plums and dark chocolate.
Ironroot Republic Fruit and light cinnamon
on the palate, with a hint
Apotheosis 56.1% of peanut brittle. Very
smooth for the proof. Finish
The nose is full of roasted cornmeal, with some bright oak and overripe is dry, but not bitter.
blueberries, orchard fruits and dark berries. Tickling heat, but bursting
with fruit and honey to balance the warmth. Tastes... golden. The
ÀQLVKLVKRWEXWEDODQFHGLQRDNDQGKRQH\7KLVWDVWHVKDSS\

100 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Barrel Bourbon / Small Batch Bourbon

Best Kentucky
1792
WORLD’S BEST Single Barrel 49.3%
SINGLE BARREL BOURBON Perfumed alcohols, dried fruit, barrel char,
buttery caramel and yeasty aromas on the
Best Non Kentucky nose, then rich, sweet corn in the mouth.
Dries slowly into a moderately long and
Tumblin’ Dice FOHDQÀQLVK9HU\LQYLWLQJDQGGHPDQGLQJ
Single Barrel 57.5% of another sip.

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and pear. Repeats on the tongue with some oak, and corn sweetness.
Finish is warm, with oak framing but still led by corn and fruit.

Best Non Kentucky

Filibuster
WORLD’S BEST Bottled In Bond
SMALL BATCH BOURBON Bourbon 50%
Best Kentucky Fragrant and aromatic
nose, with sweet corn and
Elijah Craig caramel apple. Vanilla,
crisp green apple, candied
Barrel Proof C922 62.4%
pecan and orange
zest on the palate.
Caramel, sweet corn, and brown sugar on the nose. Pleasant warmth.
Finish is balanced
Vanilla, caramel, hints of leather and menthol appear on the and satisfying with
SDODWH)LQLVKLVRDN\ZLWKYDQLOODDQGEXUQWVXJDU$QLQFUHGLEO\ more candied nuts,
good sipper at a high proof. Complex and intriguing. caramel and oak.

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 101

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Corn / American Whiskey

Best American
12 Years & Under

WORLD’S BEST Ironroot Republic

CORN Hubris 58.9%

$ELJYDQLOODQRVHZLWKKHUEDO
Best Australian notes. Some corn, like
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW cornbread. Lots more
fresh vanilla cream on
Upshot WKHSDODWHDQGDÁDVK
Red Corn Whiskey 43% of apple. More vanilla
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Sweetcorn, blackcurrant and anise on the nose. Buttered quite hot and tingly.
popcorn, coconut toffees, fragrant black pepper, vanilla, foam
bananas, and gentle spices on the palate. Finish has more
notes of popcorn, spices, and blackcurrant. Very complex.

WORLD’S BEST
AMERICAN WHISKEY
Storm King Distilling Co.
Side Gig Whiskey 45%

Woody, cedar, chocolate and charcoal notes on the nose. The palate is perfumed
DQG\HDVW\ZLWKPLOGVZHHWQHVV,W·VTXLWHVSLF\DQGORQJRQWKHÀQLVK

102 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Tennessee / Canadian Blended

WORLD’S BEST
TENNESSEE
Jack Daniel’s
Bonded 50%

%HDXWLIXOIUXLW\DURPDVRIIUHVKDQGMXLF\DSSOHSHHOVIROORZHGE\EDQRIIHHSLH6ZHHWDQG
FUHDP\DURPDVRIKRQH\DQGPHULQJXHÀOOXSWKHSDODWHZLWKEURZQVXJDU/LJKWDQGEULJKW

WORLD’S BEST
CANADIAN BLENDED
13 to 20 Years

Gibson’s Finest
Venerable 40%

6XEWOHDFFHQWVOD\HUHGRQWKHQRVHIURPDSULFRWVIUXLWMDPDQGVZHHWFKHUU\WR
baking spices and old oak tannins. The palate is peppery and oaky with vanilla
DQGEDNLQJVSLFHV+HUEVDQGVSLFHRQWKHÀQLVK&RPSOH[DQGEDODQFHGZLWKRXW
JRLQJRYHUWKHWRSDQGWKHDOFRKROLVZHOOLQWHJUDWHG$JUHDWEOHQG

SHORTLIST
12 Years & Under
J.P. Wisers 10 Years Old 40%
21 Years & Over
Canadian Club 45 Years Old Chronicles Issue No.5 50%
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW
Legacy Canadian Whisky 40%

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 103

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Grain

WORLD’S BEST
GRAIN
Best Korean
No Age Statement

Hwayo
X. Premium 41%

Wet varnish and sharp lemony citrus on the nose. The palate has notes of burnt
caramel, toasted grain, tinned peaches, toffee apple, lemon peel and dessicated
coconut, rounded out with sweet cinnamon and peppery spice.

Best American Best Australian Best English

12 Years & Under No Age Statement No Age Statement

Bainbridge 78 Degrees The English

Yama Mizunara Cask 45% Triple Smoke Whiskey 44% Whisky Co.
Coconut shavings on the nose, with Soft leather and dusty grain and spice The Norfolk Farmers 45%
vanilla, nutmeg spice, cedar wood and notes on the nose. On the
Grassy notes with green
banoffee pie. On the palate there’s more palate there are notes
apples and green grapes.
old woodiness, overripe banana and more of yeast, husky grain,
A tropical feel from notes
nutmeg. A beautiful and delicate sipper. chocolate powder and
of honeydew melon on
nuts, with subtle leather
the mid palate, with warm
and rubbery notes.
spice, caraway and
SHORTLIST nutmeg. Juicy and
rich, with a confident,
12 Years & Under warming finish.
Ned Wanted Series
Honour 48%

104 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Grain

Best German Best Irish Best Japanese

12 Years & Under No Age Statement No Age Statement

The Westfalian Fercullen Kirin

Cask Tw46 52.1% Distillery Select 49% Single Grain 46%

Beautifully rich nose with rum raisin, Grain forward on the Notes of apricot, cereal, and oak on
cooked plums and caramelised apples. nose. Bright palate with the aroma and palate,
The palate has a dry fruity ester notes. Vanilla with a well-defined malty
woodiness with wafer cheesecake and lots of character. A clean whisky
and grassy notes. Carries floral notes come through, with good balance between
some heat from the ABV. too. Warm finish with soft the fruit and wood notes.
Short, warm, peppery fruits. Good maturity
finish with returning and balance.
plum notes. Rich
and flavourful
for a grain.

Best Scottish Best South African

No Age Statement No Age Statement

Loch Lomond Bains

Single Grain 46% Single Grain 40%

A lot of character and wisdom Mellow, smooth and

here for a grain whisky. balanced. A classic,
It has a nice balance of candied nose. A soft,
softness, spice, fruit, and
vanilla. Very enjoyable.
interesting and incredibly
well-balanced dram.
A lot of character
SHORTLIST
and wisdom here for
13 to 20 Years a grain whisky
Whisky of Voodoo
Coven of Resurrection Loch Lomond
Batch #1 57.8% Best Scottish Grain
21 Years & Over
Invergordon 21
Years Old 46%

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 105

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Cask Single Grain±6SRQVRUHGE\5HÀH[/DEHO / Wheat

Best Irish
12 Years & Under

WORLD’S BEST Celtic Cask

SINGLE CASK SINGLE GRAIN Daichead A Dó (42) 57.2%

Very active wood, with loads of rich spice

Best Scottish bursting out of the glass.
21 Years & Over Banana bread, caramel
and apricots. Big bold
Rare Auld flavour of coconut ice and
Invergordon 32 Years Old 48.1% barley sugar, with raisins
and chocolate wafers.
Tar and hits of toffee on the nose. On the palate, more tar and Really unctuous and
packed with flavour.
toffee with oak, fudge, and an oily character which continues into
WKHVOLJKWO\VSLF\ÀQLVK$EROGZKLVN\ZLWKQLFHVZHHWQHVV

SHORTLIST
13 to 20 Years
Duncan Taylor
Rare Old Girvan Grain 54.1%

WORLD’S BEST
WHEAT
Best American
12 Years & Under

Lone Elm
4 Years Old Single Barrel 60%

Begins with maple syrup, caramel, and berries. The palate is rich and heavy with cherries and
PRODVVHVLQWRDVWHGRDN%ROGPXVKURRPVR\VDXFHDQGGDUNFKRFRODWH9HU\PRXWKÀOOLQJ

106 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Flavoured

WORLD’S BEST
FLAVOURED
Best Irish
Tullamore D.E.W.
Honey 35%

Notes of caramel, cinnamon, anise and raspberry on the nose. Mouth coating. The palate
LVOHGE\KRQH\QRWHVZLWKVRPHFLQQDPRQ$VZHHWÀQLVKZLWKDOLWWOHZDUPLQJDOFRKRO

Best American Best Canadian

Sons of Liberty Black Velvet
Spirits Co. Toasted Caramel 35%

&R̆HH)ODYRUHG Thick and creamy. The

Whiskey 35% caramel notes are creamy
and milky, and the whisky
Aromas of coffee – nitro backbone carries those
cold brew. The palate is
like a cold brew coffee
flavours well. Great texture.
Very active wood,
with a shot of whisky. An with loads of rich spice
excellent representation
of the category. bursting out of the glass
Celtic Cask
Best Irish Single Cask Single Grain

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 107

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Pot Still

WORLD’S BEST
POT STILL
Best Canadian
No Age Statement

Macaloney's Island Distillery

Kildara Signature Selection 58%

Big, bold nose of treacle and spice. The palate is drying, with butterscotch,
apple, stewed grain, sherried fruit accents, and complex wood notes.
Finish is spicy, dry, and long. Powerful yet drinkable. Impressive.

Best American Best Irish

12 Years & Under 13 to 20 Years

Talnua Redbreast
Virgin White Oak Cask 43% 15 Years Old 46%

Ripe red apples and vanilla A rich and intense aroma of apricot, plum,
ÁRZHURQWKHQRVH7KHQ baking spices and brown sugar. Well-
vanilla and cinnamon on balanced palate with plum
Rich, creamy, mouth the palate with a medium
YLVFRVLW\0HGLXPVSLF\ÀQLVK
pie, milk chocolate, bitter
almond, caramelised sugar,
¿OOLQJDQGFRPSOH[ with notes of cinnamon,
clove, and nutmeg.
cinnamon, and just a touch
of green apple. Rich, creamy,
A very enjoyable whisky mouth filling, and complex.
A very enjoyable whisky.
Redbreast
SHORTLIST
Best Irish Pot Still
12 Years & Under
Redbreast
12 Years Old 40%
21 Years & Over
Redbreast
27 Years Old 54.6%
No Age Statement
Redbreast
Lustau 46%

108 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Rye

WORLD’S BEST
RYE
Best Dutch
No Age Statement

Millstone
100 Rye 50%

%ULJKWQRVHZLWKJORULRXVÁRUDOU\HSRSFRUQDQGOLTXRULFH3DODWHLVOHGE\U\HDQGZRRGVSLFHV
with some green banana. Oily, spicy and sweet with lots of complexity, but really easy drinking.

Best American Best Australian Best Canadian

13 to 20 Years No Age Statement 12 Years & Under

Sazerac Archie Rose Lot 40

18 Years Old 45% Distilling Co. Dark Oak 48%

Big bright nose of tropical Single Paddock Whisky Bread dough, mint, crackers,
fruit, caramel, burnt sugar, Harvest 2018 61.6% and apple on the nose. The
and vanilla extract. Palate is palate is warm with spice,
soft and creamy with plum Soft plum and peach on roasted nuts, some fruity
pudding, baking spices, the nose with caramel, notes, and heat from
and vanilla cream. Great well-incorporated grain, cinnamon and pepper.
complexity, very well tobacco and soft leather. Drying, spicy finish.
EDODQFHG/RQJÀQLVK Palate has great Nice complexity.
of sweet and spice. sweetness with
Beautiful whiskey. beauitful grain SHORTLIST
notes, honey, No Age Statement
SHORTLIST dark chocolate, Alberta Premium
12 Years & Under OLTXRULFHDQG Cask Strength 63.5%
Laws Whiskey House perfumed violet
Bottled in Bond San florals. Very
Luis Valley Rye 50% creamy.
No Age Statement
Redemption
Rye 46%

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 109

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Rye

Best Danish Best Finnish Best German

No Age Statement No Age Statement 12 Years & Under

Stauning Kyrö The Westfalian

El Clásico Rye 45.7% Wood Smoke Malt Rye 47.2% Cask Tw127 54.8%

Very approachable nose with blueberry Aromas of calf leather with hints of stone Golden syrup, summer fruits and light
pancakes and honey. fruit, cocoa and tobacco. spice on the nose with balsa wood and
Palate has notes of More leather and tobacco fresh mint. Creamy, full-
pomelo, orange-infused on the palate with caramel, bodied palate with notes
dark chocolate, a hint chocolate, orange, and of butterscotch, vanilla,
of clove and slight funk. VOLJKWEDUEHTXHVDXFH caramel, banana-fudge
Rich finish with fortified before a long finish with ice cream sundae, and
wine notes. Beautiful waves of gentle cigar dates. Complex, flavourful
texture. Complex, smoke and final and incredibly well
but not overdone. hints of honey. Very balanced with
smooth and creamy. the ABV well
integrated.

Best Spanish
12 Years & Under

Siderit
PX Cask Rye 43.7%

Well-balanced nose with

great complexity. Rancio
and new-oak aromas
&RPSOH[ÀDYRXUIXODQGLQFUHGLEO\ alongside florals and
orange. Sweet entrance
well balanced with the ABV to the palate with
vanilla and toffee. Some
well integrated herbaceous notes and
aniseed. Long finish
The Westfalian with distinct tannins.
Nicely rounded.
Best German Rye

110 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Cask Single Rye

WORLD’S BEST
SINGLE CASK SINGLE RYE
Best Danish
12 Years & Under

Stauning
Rye Maple Syrup Single Cask No. 517 57.8%

Lovely sherry notes on the nose. Nutty aroma of rye malt with earthy, woody notes
and a little grass. Palate starts with rye malt, becoming spicier with warm
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$VWURQJVSLULWEXWLWLVZHOOEDODQFHGZLWKWKHÁDYRXUVIURPDJHLQJ

Best American Best Dutch

12 Years & Under 12 Years & Under

Smooth Ambler The Stillery

Old Scout Rye
Single Barrel 57%
Nose of ripe tropical fruit,
roasted nuts, burnt sugar,
and pie crust. Palate is
drying. White fruit, pepper,
vanilla and chocolate.
Balanced with complexity.
Finish is medium, fruit
forward with some heat.
Rye Whisky
Single Cask 48%
Earthy, woody nose with the
nutty aroma of rye malt and
a little grass. Palate starts A strong spirit, but it is
with rye malt, becoming
spicy (warm ginger). With well balanced with the
water, toffee notes
develop and the spice
ÀDYRXUVIURPDJHLQJ
is more coriander
with a woody Stauning
character. Dry, slightly World's Best Single Cask Single Rye
bittersweet finish.

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 111

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
New Make & Young Spirit

WORLD’S BEST
NEW MAKE & YOUNG SPIRIT
Best Japanese
New Make

Niigata Kameda
New Pot Peated 60%

Pleasantly smoky, with a very good peaty character on the aroma and
palate. Well balanced, with great potential for the future.

SHORTLIST
Young Spirit
Matsui The Matsui Sakura Cask 43%

Best American Best Australian Best Canadian

New Make New Make New Make

291 Colorado Eden Anohka

Whiskey New Make Spirit 60% Heavily Peated
White Dog 50.8% Soft berries on the nose with some pear. Single Malt 63.5%
Rich palate with strong,
The nose is reminiscent of a Leather, smoke, and tobacco
sweet blackcurrant
distillery, nail varnish remover, on the nose. Oily and
and some peppery
and tons of sweet corn. The full-bodied palate. Great
spice. Smooth with
palate shows more sweetness sweetness up front with
a thick mouthfeel.
along with citrus and ripe fruit jam, red berries
eucalyptus. An amazing and spice. Well-integrated
PRXWKIHHO7KHÀQLVKLV alcohol heat. Rounded,
beautiful with a touch balanced, and full
of cinnamon spice. of character.

SHORTLIST
Young Spirit
Ancient Grains
Quarter Cask 45%

112 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190


Best Danish
New Make
Thy Whisky
New Make Bøg 63.5%
Arbroath smokies on the
nose. On the palate there is a
note of smoke, but not peat
smoke. Wheat, paprika, fruits,
yeasty notes, and crystal malt
sweetness. A nice spirit.
Best Scottish
New Make
Holyrood X Pilot
NMS 11 – Pilot White
Stout Recipe 60%
Floral aromatic nose with
some low malty biscuits
and slight spice. Light
palate with biscuity malt,
almond, orange, and earthy
tones. A lovely hint of
peat. Well balanced
with a good texture.
WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
New Make & Young Spirit
Best Irish Best Italian
New Make New Make
Clonakilty Il Signor Camillo
Pot Still Mashbill 63.5% Moonshine Italiano Dei
Sake and fermented rice Monti Liguri 40%
wine, baked potato,
Hazelnuts, apricots
and toasted cornflake.
and floral notes on
Blanched green beans.
the nose. Clean palate
The palate leans towards
with hazelnuts and
toasted rice milk, fresh
biscuit. Warming finish
almonds and bitter
with some nuts and a
cacao. Puffed and
lingering sweetness.
candied rice. Dry
with a light toasted
spice. A very pleasing
new make that is
delightfully peculiar.
Best Swedish
New Make
Mackmyra
1HZ0DNH([WUD3HDWHG62%
Very husky aroma with cereals, parma
violets, and barnyard
notes. A little sweetness
comes through on the
palate, like sour-flavoured
Well balanced, with
sweets. Creamy finish, with
a slight astringent note.
great potential
for the future
Niigata Kameda
World's Best New Make & Young Spirit
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 113
 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Blended – Sponsored by Blue Box Design

WORLD’S BEST
BLENDED
Best American
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW

Breckenridge
High Proof Bourbon Whiskey 52.5%

The nose has notes of kerosene and sawdust. A medium-bodied palate with notes of
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Best German Best International Best Japanese

1R$JH6WDWHPHQW 1R$JH6WDWHPHQW 1R$JH6WDWHPHQW

St. Kilian Saburomaru Kirin

Terence Hill –
The Hero 43%
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QRWHVVRPHPHGLFLQDO
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sweetness. Complex.
Whisky2022 The Sun
$EDODQFHGQRVHZLWKPDOW
EUXLVHGDSSOHVERQILUH
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The palate has notes of
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48% Fuji 43%
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FKDUDFWHU:HOOEDODQFHG
OLJKWDQGHDV\WRGULQN

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Best Irish
<HDUV 8QGHU
Red Locks
Blended Straight
Irish Whiskey 
)ULHQGO\QRVHKHUEDFHRXV
and floral with barley
QRWHVDQGDJRRGWRXFKRI
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VKHUULHGIUXLWFDNHQRWHV
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VOLJKWHDUWKLQHVV1LFH
VSLFHLQWKHILQLVK
&RPSOH[EDODQFHG
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,ULVKVW\OHZKLVNH\
SHORTLIST
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW
The Whistler Dark
Symphony 43.1%
Best South African
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW
Three Ships
Premium Select 43%
)UXLWIRUZDUGDURPDZLWKULSHPHORQ
RUDQJHEDQDQDDSSOH
plum and raspberry.
9DQLOODFLQQDPRQDQGD
hint of anise. Palate has
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QRWHVDQGDOLWWOHPRUH
DQLVH6KRUWILQLVKZLWK
VRPHFRPSOH[LW\
WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Blended – Sponsored by Blue Box Design
Best Scottish
<HDUV 8QGHU
Dewar’s
French Smooth 
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FDUDPHOYDQLOODDQGD
little smoke. Palate starts
VZHHWWKHQGHYHORSVD
VSLF\FKDUDFWHU*LQJHU
VRPHQXWWLQHVVDQGFLWUXV
DFFHQWV:HOOLQWHJUDWHG
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SHORTLIST
WR<HDUV
Old Parr 18 Years
Old 40%
<HDUV 2YHU
Dewar’s Double Double
21 Years Old 46%
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW
Compass Box Glasgow
Blend 43%
Best Thai
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW
Blend 285
Signature 35%
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DSSOHYDQLOODDQGSXQJHQW
RUDQJHRLO3DODWHLVVRIWDQG
toffee forward with some
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FKRFRODWH:HOOLQWHJUDWHG
JUDLQFKDUDFWHU0HGLXP
finish with some peaty
QRWHVDWWKHHQG$OLJKW
but pleasant sipper with
HYROYLQJFRPSOH[LW\
,VVXH_:KLVN\0DJD]LQH115
 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Blended Malt – Sponsored by Kapag

WORLD’S BEST
BLENDED MALT
Best Japanese
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW

Taketsuru
Pure Malt 43%

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IUXLW\HVWHUVYDQLOODDQGPLQW)UHVKFLWUXVVR\VDXFHSHSSHUDQGFUDFNHU7DQQLQV
RQWKHÀQLVK$QH[FHOOHQWEOHQGHGPDOWZHOOEDODQFHGDQGGHOLFLRXV

Best American Best Australian Best French

1R$JH6WDWHPHQW 1R$JH6WDWHPHQW 1R$JH6WDWHPHQW

Breckenridge Lark Alfred Giraud

Two Clans  Symphony No. 1  Voyage 48%

1RVHRIVPRNHEURZQVXJDU 0L[HGVSLFHRQWKHQRVHZLWKWRIIHHSOXP $URPDVRIJLQJHUKD]HOQXWFDQGLHG

FKRFRODWHDQGYDQLOOD7KH
SDODWHKDVOLJKWVPRN\QRWHV
PDOWEURZQVXJDUVZHHWQHVV
and ripe white fruit. Medium-
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An easy drinker.
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PDU]LSDQ$OPRQGVDQGVZHHWIXGJHRQWKH 7KHSDODWHKDVDSSOHV
SDODWHZLWKDSULFRWMDP FKHUULHVDQGKRQH\
OHDWKHUDQGWREDFFR$ with soft leather and
ORQJZRRG\ILQLVKZLWK PLONFKRFRODWH7KHILQLVK
HDUWK\DOPRQGVSLFHDQG FDUULHVJLQJHUVSLFH
YDQLOODQRWHV

116:KLVN\0DJD]LQH_,VVXH
 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Blended Malt – Sponsored by Kapag

Best German Best International

1R$JH6WDWHPHQW 1R$JH6WDWHPHQW

Slyrs Nikka
Malt  Session 43%

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VLPLODUWRPH]FDO&LWUXV
QRWHVRIRUDQJHRQWKH
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EDODQFHGRDNQRWHV
0RXWKFRDWLQJWH[WXUH$
well-distilled whisky.
&KDON\DQGVOLJKWPLQHUDODURPDVDWILUVW
followed by sweet notes of
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6ZHHWQHVVDQGDVOLJKW
funk on the full-bodied
SDODWHZLWKWREDFFRDQG
OLJKWRDNFKDUDFWHU

Best Irish Best Scottish

1R$JH6WDWHPHQW <HDUV 2YHU

The Whistler Single & Single

The Good, The Bad and
The Smoky 48%
6ZHHWFLWUXVQRWHVRI
OHPRQDQGRUDQJHRQWKH
aroma and palate with
FDUDPHOERLOHGVZHHWV
and perfumed florals.
Cambridge Circus, 32 Years
Old Oloroso Sherry 47.3%
$URPDVRISHDUULSHJUHHQ
DSSOHOLPHIUXLWSDVWLOOHV
DQGVWUDZEHUU\IURPDJH
IUDLVZLWKYDQLOODFLQQDPRQ
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and dry wood on the palate
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FRFRQXWDWRXFK
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QXWWLQHVV/RQJ
ILQLVKZLWKUDQFLR
DQGPDOWFDNHV

SHORTLIST
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW
Ardgowan
Clydebuilt
Sailmaker 48%

,VVXH_:KLVN\0DJD]LQH117
 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Blended Limited Release

WORLD’S BEST
BLENDED LIMITED RELEASE
Best Japanese
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW

Ichiro's Malt & Grain

Blended Japanese Whisky 2023 48%

*RUJHRXVÁRUDOQRVHZLWKDURPDVRIDPDUHWWRRUFKDUGIUXLWVZRRGDQGDWRXFKRIVROYHQW2Q
WKHSDODWHWKHUHLVSHDUDSULFRWDQGRDNZLWKKLQWVRIIRUWLÀHGZLQHDQGVPRNH([FHOOHQWÀQLVK

Best American Best Irish Best Scottish

1R$JH6WDWHPHQW 1R$JH6WDWHPHQW 1R$JH6WDWHPHQW

Breckenridge Fercullen Woven

Collectors Art Series 48% Estate Series – The Italian Experience N.10 52.4%

5LSHIUXLWSHSSHUFDUDPHODQGZDUPLQJ Gardens 46% 6PRN\IUXLW\EDUEHTXHVDXFHQRVHZLWK

VSLFHVRQWKHQRVH3DODWHKDVDQLFH FDUDPHOFRFRDWRQNDEHDQDQGRUDQJH
6XEWOHQRVHZLWKSHQFLO
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VKDYLQJVJHQWOHIORUDOV
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EODFNFXUUDQWVDQGWRDVW
VXJDUQRWHV%DODQFHG ZDYHVRIKHDWKHU\VPRNH
with honey. Palate is
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FUHDP\DQGEDODQFHG
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ZLWKWRIIHHDSSOH
VKRZVIUXLWDQGVSLFH Beautiful sweet finish.
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SHORTLIST DQGKLQWVRIFLWUXV SHORTLIST
IXLWV6RPHSOHDVLQJ
<HDUV 8QGHU tannins and wood <HDUV 2YHU
Iron Fish 1887 notes. Medium finish. Hankey Bannister
Grand Rye 46% 21 Years Old
SHORTLIST Partners' Reserve
– Batch 3 40%
<HDUV 8QGHU
Clan Colla 11
Years Old 46%

118:KLVN\0DJD]LQH_,VVXH
 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Cask Single Malt – Sponsored by UPS

WORLD’S BEST
SINGLE CASK SINGLE MALT
Best Scotch Campbeltown
WR<HDUV

Glen Scotia
First Fill Bourbon Cask No. 372 56.4%

,QWHQVHDQGZHOOEDODQFHGDURPDZLWKSHDUJUDSHEDNLQJVSLFHVFRFRQXWDQGWRIIHH+LQWV
RIFRIIHHDQGZRRGVPRNH6PRRWKHQWUDQFHWRWKHSDODWHZLWKGULHGIUXLWDQGFKRFRODWH
IROORZHGE\ÀJVWRIIHHVDXFHDQGFUqPHEU€OpH/RQJÀQLVKZLWKEDODQFHGRDN

SHORTLIST
<HDUV 8QGHU
Glen Scotia
First Fill PX Sherry Cask No. 21/943-10 56.8%
<HDUV 2YHU
Glen Scotia
5HÀOO$PHULFDQ2DN+RJVKHDG&DVN1R52.4%

Best American Best Australian

<HDUV 8QGHU 1R$JH6WDWHPHQW

Hogback Iniquity
The Wallace Collection  Den's Dram #57 56.8%

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QRVH,WWKHQGHYHORSVLQWRD
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(DUWK\PXVW\DQGJUDVV\
$URPDVRIFORWWHGFUHDPDQGUDVSEHUU\
ULSSOH%DODQFHGQRWHVRISHDFK
DQGSHDWRQWKHSDODWHZLWK
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SHORTLIST SHORTLIST
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW <HDUV 8QGHU
Courage & Conviction Hillwood
Cuvée Single Sherry Cask 60.6%
Cask 59.2% WR<HDUV
Sullivans Cove
$PHULFDQ2DNQG
)LOO7G47.5%
<HDUV 2YHU
Sullivans Cove
21 Years Old 'Old &
5DUH $PHULFDQ2DN([
%RXUERQ +K 48.3%

,VVXH_:KLVN\0DJD]LQH119
 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Cask Single Malt – Sponsored by UPS

Best Belgian Best Canadian Best Chinese

12 Years & Under No Age Statement No Age Statement

Wild Weasel Macaloney's Daiking

Single Cask Single Malt
Watermelon, some
blackcurrant and a hint of
vanilla on the nose. Palate
has notes of toffee with
mead, dried spices and pine
nuts. Good finish with grassy
and citrus notes coming
through. Nice balance.
SHORTLIST
No Age Statement
Belgian Owl
Intense 73.1%
46% Island Distillery Bourbon Single Cask
The Peat Project: Strength – "Forest Green"
Single Portuguese 59.6%
Red Wine Barrique with A soft, oily, youthful nose
Washington with hints of putty, fruit and
astringent spice. Cereal,
Peat 58% citrus, strawberry jam and
hints of vanilla on the
A little funk on the nose palate. Water brings out
with tropical fruits and more savoury notes.
dry oak. Spicy and The alcohol is fairly well
oaky palate, slightly contained. Raw barley
drying. Peat finish with a touch
smoke, mango, of confected fruit.
marmalade, toffee,
breadcrumbs,
and tea cake.
Long, warming,
smoky finish with
some fruit.

Best Danish Best Dutch Best English

No Age Statement 13 to 20 Years No Age Statement

Stauning Millstone Cotswolds

Heather Virgin Single Cask Special No. 21 Pedro Platinum Jubilee
No. 3411 61.1% Ximénez Cask 1952 Cask 55.4%
Intense nose with wood, 20 Years Old 51.2% Lemon, stone fruits, coconut
tar, astringent green fruit, and raisins on the nose.
Rather savoury on the
bromine, and some salinity. The palate is bold with
nose and palate with
The palate follows the nose lemon, creamy custard,
Marmite (yeast extract),
with more green fruit, tar, dark chocolate, maple,
mushroom, soy sauce,
toffee sauce, and peach, and pumpkin
and some meaty notes,
chargrilled herbal pie. Pleasant finish.
accompanied by a
and vegetal notes.
sweetness from
Hints of chocolate and
toffee apple.
vanilla. Lengthy finish
with lingering smoked
meat, heather and tar.

SHORTLIST
12 Years & Under
Thy Whisky
No. 19 PX 59.1%

120 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190


Best German
<HDUV 8QGHU
Elsburn
Single Sherry Octave
V13-67 57.2%
Robust and meaty with
herbal barley and honey.
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palate is full and meaty
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oak on the middle.
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Best Scotch Highlands
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Secret Series
30 Years Old 47.5%
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heather honey on the nose
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with toast and hints of
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finish with sweetness
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SHORTLIST
<HDUV 8QGHU
Mythical Beasts
11 Years Old
$UGODLU53.5%
WR<HDUV
Loch Lomond
2ORURVR+RJVKHDG
&DVN53.1%
Best Irish
WR<HDUV
Dunville’s
PX 20 Years Old Cask
Strength Cask No. 1644
&DUDPHOURXQGHGPDOW
DQGFODVVLFVKHUU\QRWHV
with sultanas on the nose.
:RRG\FKDUMRLQVWKH
&KULVWPDVSXGGLQJQRWHV
RQWKHSDODWH$JRRG
OHQJWKRQWKHILQLVK
*RRGFRPSOH[LW\
SHORTLIST
<HDUV 8QGHU
Dunville’s
PX 12 Years Old Cask
Strength 56.2%
<HDUV 2YHU
Clonakilty
31 Years Old 43%
Best Scotch Islay
<HDUV 2YHU
Vintage Series
Bruichladdich Port
Charlotte Rum
Barrel 48.7%
Very smooth peat and
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SHORTLIST
<HDUV 8QGHU
DS Tayman
Caol Ila Tulip
(GLWLRQ46%
WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Cask Single Malt – Sponsored by UPS
Best Japanese
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW
Mars
Komagatake Yakushima
55% Aging Cask No. 2026 53%
)UHVKO\EUHZHG&H\ORQ
WHDHVWHU\IUXLWDQGZHOO
LQWHJUDWHGZRRGQRWHV*RRG
sherry notes on the palate.
SHORTLIST
<HDUV 8QGHU
Saburomaru
2019 The Founder 61%
Best Scotch Speyside
<HDUV 2YHU
Olympian Series
Hades 
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3DODWHEULQJVWRIIHHDSSOHDQG
F\VWDOOLVHGSLQHDSSOH/LQJHULQJ
ILQLVK6WXQQLQJGUDP
SHORTLIST
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW
Stalla Dhu
*OHQURWKHV/DWH+RXU3RUW
Finish Cask Strength 64.2%
<HDUV 8QGHU
The Glenlivet
12 Years Old Rum &
Bourbon Cask – Taiwan
([FOXVLYH43%
WR<HDUV
Stalla Dhu
Linkwood Reserve
Cask Strength 57.3%
,VVXH_:KLVN\0DJD]LQH121
 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Cask Single Malt – Sponsored by UPS / Small Batch Single Malt

Best Swedish Best Taiwanese

<HDUV 8QGHU 1R$JH6WDWHPHQW

High Coast Kavalan

Distillery Exclusive
No. 8 
,QLWLDODURPDLVSLQH\ZLWK
UHGSHDQXWVNLQVZRRG
YDUQLVKVSRQJHFDNHDQG
marmalade. Palate is more
XPDPLDQGHDUWK\ZLWK
EODFNWUHDFOHEURZQVXJDU
DQGVWURQJEODFNWHD
Dry tannins to finish.
Solist Port Single Cask
Strength 
6WHZHGSOXPVYDUQLVKDQG
VSLFHVRQWKHQRVH7KH
palate is buttery with notes
RIWRDVWHGRDNZDOQXWORDI
GDUNVXJDURUDQJH]HVW
WREDFFRDQGFKRFRODWH
SHORTLIST
<HDUV 8QGHU
Omar
Cask Strength
Virgin Oak 57.2%

WORLD’S BEST
SMALL BATCH SINGLE MALT
Best Irish
WR<HDUV

J.J. Corry
The Flintlock No. 3 46%

$FRPSOH[QRVHZLWKEDODQFHGRDNRUFKDUGIUXLWQHFWDULQHPDOWDQGVRPHOHDWKHU7KHSDODWH
VWDUWVGU\DQGZDUPLQJWKHQFRPHEDNLQJVSLFHVZLWKVWUXFWXUHGZRRGMXLF\UHGIUXLWFKRFRODWH
DQGFRIIHH/HPRQDOPRQGVQXWPHJDQGFLQQDPRQOLQJHURQWKHPHGLXPÀQLVK$SOHDVLQJGURS

SHORTLIST
<HDUV 8QGHU
Waterford Micro Cuvée Feuille Morte 50%

122:KLVN\0DJD]LQH_,VVXH
 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Small Batch Single Malt

Best American Best Australian Best Canadian

13 to 20 Years No Age Statement No Age Statement

The Notch Amber Lane Glen Saanich

Nantucket Island Sleigh Bells 2022 Wine Cask Finished 45%

15 Years Old 48% PX Cask 58% Notes of maple on the nose with some
brioche toast and bold fruit cake notes.
This has a unique taste of blue raspberry Oak aromas lead the nose, Palate is drier, delicate and malty with
popsicle. Oaky and with some fruit notes. Palate stewed fruits, molasses,
complex, wonderfully has burnt fruits, orange zest, baking spices, oak, and
proofed, and brings waterlemon cordial, cloves a hint of rum. Beautiful
both interest and and rich oak. Long finish, mouthfeel. Great malt
excitement to the table. ending in sweet caramel. structure through the finish.
Complex and delicious.
SHORTLIST SHORTLIST
12 Years & Under SHORTLIST
12 Years & Under
Town Branch 12 Years & Under Grainhenge Elevator
Small Batch Single Coastal Stone Row 58.2%
Malt 43.5% Element Series –
Shiraz Cask 46%

Best Danish Best English Best German

12 Years & Under 12 Years & Under No Age Statement

Thy Whisky The English St. Kilian

Society Cask Whisky Co. Judas Priest – Angel of
No. 230 59.7% 2010 Vintage Peated 46% Retribution 47%
A nicely balanced whisky Well-balanced, ester- Meaty and fruity nose,
with sweetness alongside rich spirit, with some echoed by the palate.
tobacco spice and a nice smokiness and faint Complex finish of a little
herbaceousness that citrus. It's also rich in smoke and sweetness.
creates complexity. maltiness and becomes
very oily with a few SHORTLIST
drops of water. Really 12 Years & Under
delicious and very Störtebeker
well integrated. Cognac Edition
2022 52%

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 123

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Small Batch Single Malt

Best Japanese Best Israeli Best New Zealand

<HDUV 8QGHU <HDUV 8QGHU <HDUV 8QGHU

Mars M&H The Cardrona

Komagatake
9 Years Old 
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WKHQRVH&KRFRODWHFDNH
strawberry and whipped
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and the sweetness
RIEDUOH\$FODVVLF
Japanese malt.
Apex Orange
Wine Cask 57%
6RPHVZHHWQRWHVRQ
WKHQRVH2QWKHSDODWH
there are notes of burnt
KD\VZHHWFKDUFRDORDN
DQGEXWWHUVFRWFK
Otago Pinot Release 52%
White wine on the nose with some
PHGLFLQDODVWULQJHQF\
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follows the aroma.

SHORTLIST
1R$JH6WDWHPHQW
Mars Tsunuki 6th
$QQLYHUVDU\52%

Best Swiss Best Scotch Islay Best Scotch Speyside

1R$JH6WDWHPHQW WR<HDUV <HDUV 8QGHU

Säntis Malt Ardbeg Spey

Rainbow Series No.1 Traigh Bhan 19 Years Old Trutina
"Freedom" 52.4% Batch No. 4 46.2% 10 Years Old 46%

6ZHHWDURPDZLWKUHG 5LFKVPRNLQHVVRQWKHQRVH /LJKWIORUDOVPLOGRDWVDQGKLQWV

EHUULHVDQGGHOLFDWHVSLFH
8QFWXRXVSDODWHZLWK
QRWHVRIFLQQDPRQFHGDU
DQG0DGHLUDZLQH)UXLW\
IORUDOQRWHVLQFOXGLQJ
plum and a hint of
O\FKHHDQGULFK
YDQLOOD$OOVHHPV
YHU\EDODQFHG
ZLWKIUHVKKLQWVRIYDQLOOD of raisin on the nose. A well-
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IUXLWV2QWKHSDODWHWKHUH DVSHFWVRIIUXLWRDNDQGPDOW
LVFROGDVKPRUHYDQLOOD /RQJILQLVK:HOOLQWHJUDWHG
IUHVKRUFKDUGIUXLWVGDUN
FKRFRODWHDQGLRGLQH SHORTLIST
ZLWKDVOLJKWUXEEHU\ 1R$JH6WDWHPHQW
note on the finish. Spey Tenne Cask Strength
Batch #4 57.5%
SHORTLIST
<HDUV 8QGHU
Whisky of Voodoo
The Rusty Cauldron
Batch #1 54%

124:KLVN\0DJD]LQH_,VVXH
 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Malt – Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

WORLD’S BEST
SINGLE MALT
Best Israeli
No Age Statement

M&H
Elements Sherry Cask 46%

Fruity aroma of citrus zests, white peach, grape, and green apple. Sweet golden syrup on the palate
with whispers of grain and cereals. Anise, tropical fruits, vanilla, and iced tea. Pleasing weight and
PRXWKIHHO0HGLXPÀQLVKZLWKQRWHVRIDQLVHOHPRQSHHODQGVRPHWDQQLQVWRZDUGVWKHHQG

Best American Best Australian Best Belgian

No Age Statement 12 Years & Under No Age Statement

Westland Whiskey Lark Gouden Carolus

Solum Edition 1 50% Chinotto Cask II Blaasveld Broek 46%

Soul-warming aroma with Cask Strength 60% Green leaves, smoke, sweet nutty hickory,
apricot, cedar, smoke, and phenols with sweet hints on the nose.
Succulent nose with sultanas and herbs.
PHVTXLWHDQGÁRUDOV7KH Bright citrus on the palate with hops,
On the palate, pine resin and some superb
palate has a balanced cereals and oaty flapjacks.
orange zest notes. More orange on the
smokiness with agave, Short but fresh finish.
finish, which lingers long.
FHGDUDQGÁRUDOQRWHV
A long, pleasant,
SHORTLIST
VPRN\ÀQLVK$ZHOO
balanced whiskey. No Age Statement
Morris Whisky
SHORTLIST Muscat
Barrel 48%
12 Years & Under
Lost Lantern Gentle 13 to 20 Years Old
Giant 57.6% Hellyers Road 15
Years Old Slightly
Peated 46.2%

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 125

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Malt – Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

Best Brazilian Best Canadian Best Chinese

No Age Statement No Age Statement No Age Statement

Lamas Macaloney's Island Daiking

Nimbus Robustus 54% Distillery Golden Brand 43%

Perfumed floral nose with patchouli and Siol Dugall 46% Grassy, woody nose with
some wood smoke in the background. some warm raisin. Citrus,
Balanced nose with
Perfumed notes also on banana, dried fruits, vanilla,
polished wood, spice,
the palate, with pepper, cocoa, and brioche on
delicate fruit and
aniseed, more wood the palate. Slightly waxy.
KRQH\FRPE7KH
smoke, and very light malt. Warm, pleasing finish.
palate has notes of
caramel, cooked green
apples, cookie
dough, custard,
and smoke.
Excellent finish.
Well integrated,
delicate and
stylish.

Best Danish Best Dutch Best English

No Age Statement 12 Years & Under No Age Statement

Mosgaard Millstone Cotswolds

Palo Cortado Cask 53% Special No. 26 Peated Founder’s Choice 60.5%

New leather shoes, red Rivesaltes Cask 7URSLFDOIUXLWVDQGRDN\

berries and cereals on the 3 Years Old 46% vanilla on the nose with
nose. Warming brandy red berry jam and toffee
notes, ginger cake and A savoury, yeasty nose apples. Palate has notes
pencil shavings. Excellent with some charred oak of apple, vanilla custard,
balance between wood and pipe tobacco. Palate prunes, chocolate and
and fruit. Delightful opens with sweetness caramel, with ginger,
dry sherry finish. of strawberry jam, cloves and cinnamon.
caramel, raisin and Medium finish with
GHVHUWZLQH7KHQ chocolate and
honey, cigar box and sweet forest fruits.
light peat. Robust
malt and oak notes.
7RIIHHLQWKHILQLVK$
very good dram that
retains elegance and
drinkability despite
its complexity.

126 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Malt – Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

Best Finnish Best French Best German

12 Years & Under No Age Statement No Age Statement

Teerenpeli Le Breuil Willowburn

Kulo 7 Years Old 51% Finition Sherry Oloroso 46% Ember 45.9%

Honey, almonds and peach on the nose. Really interesting, complex nose. A ton of Mellow grains, biscuit,
:DWHUEULQJVRXWQXWWLQHVV7KHSDODWH fruit, peach, apple, and bacon, with white cereal and citrus on
has more honey and peach, with pear, wine-like notes. Lots of fruit on the palate. nose. Worn leather, wood
biscuit, raisin, Christmas Pain au chocolat, raisin, shavings, warm spice
pudding and marzipan. apple, pear, peach, and and dry sherry. Figs and
Spicy finish with oats, with a bit of smoke. dried stone fruit, honey
cinnamon and ginger. Elegant, floral and rich. and ginger. Warm tea
and rasins. A short
SHORTLIST SHORTLIST but pleasant finish
No Age Statement 12 Years & Under with good tannins.
Teerenpeli Armorik 15
Kaski 43% Years Old 2022 SHORTLIST
Edition 46% 12 Years & Under
The Westfalian
Cask Tw68 51.1%

Best Indian Best Irish Best Japanese

No Age Statement 21 Years & Over 12 Years & Under

Amrut Dunville’s Yoichi

Peated 62.8% VR 21 Years Old Palo 10 Years Old 45%

Intense, complex aroma with Cortado Sherry Malt and citrus nose.
malt, warm smoke, dried Cask Finish 53.2% Palate is light bodied with
fruit, caramel and vanilla. condensed milk, berries,
Malt and herbal notes Strawberry, papaya, mango citrus peels, malt and
on the palate with dried and melon aromas. Palate pleasant smoke. Delicious,
fruit and warm spices. has dried exotic fruits and and well balanced between
7KHDOFRKRODQGWKH chocolate. Long finish. oak and spirit character.
smoke are surprisingly
well integrated. SHORTLIST SHORTLIST
Good balance. No Age Statement
No Age Statement
Teeling Blackpitts Miyagikyo Aromatic
Peated Cask Yeast 47%
Strength 56.5%
12 Years & Under
Clonakilty 5 Years Old
Sherry Cask Finish 53%
13 to 20 Years
Dunville’s VR 20 Years
Old Oloroso Sherry
Cask Finish 54.8%

Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 127

 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Malt – Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

Best New Zealand Best Norwegian Best Scotch Campbeltown

No Age Statement No Age Statement No Age Statement

Thomson Whisky Bivrost Glen Scotia

South Island Peat 46% Helheim 46% Double Cask 46%

Aromas of toffee apples,
spice, leather, and a hint of
juniper. Leather and tobacco
translate on the palate with a
light whiff of smoke. Vanilla
fudge and toffee. Finish
has spicy fresh ginger, a
little more smoke, and
lingering toffee apples.
Fresh, grainy nose with
berries, dried herbs
and citrus zests. Sweet
pastry, lemon cream,
vanilla fudge and tart
citrus on the palate with
wood and coal smoke,
some dried mint,
and gentle malt.
Cinnamon on the
finish. Very unusual
but very pleasant.
Deep, rich nose with rancio,
baked dough and malt notes,
and well-integrated oak.
Smooth entrance to the
palate. Dark fruit followed by
oak sweetness and creamy
notes. Pepper and a little
smoke. Long, warming
finish. Well balanced.
SHORTLIST
13 to 20 Years
Glen Scotia 18
Years Old 46%

Best Scotch Highlands Best Scotch Islands Best Scotch Islay

No Age Statement 12 Years & Under 21 Years & Over

Glenmorangie Tobermory Ardbeg

Signet 46% 12 Years Old 46.3% 25 Years Old 46%

Heavy fruits and spice Malt and milk chocolate nose Sweet peat on the nose with
on the nose with hints with warm spices. Palate grilled gammon, pineapple,
of charred wood. Spicy, has dried fruit, citrus, a and burnt porridge.
herbaceous palate. Light touch of peat and lovely Porridge with honey on
smoke with earthy and wood notes. Very clean and the palate alongside
peppery notes. Baked well balanced throughout. ashy notes and grilled
agave, fruit compote, gammon. Medium finish.
and nutty toffee apple. SHORTLIST A proper Islay whisky,
Long, drying finish. No Age Statement very well put together.
Arran Sherry Cask –
SHORTLIST The Bodega 55.8% SHORTLIST
12 Years & Under 13 to 20 Years No Age Statement
Loch Lomond 12 Years Highland Park 18 Laphroaig Quarter
Old Inchmurrin 46% Years Old 43% Cask 48%
13 to 20 Years 21 Years & Over 12 Years & Under
Cù Bòcan 15 Tobermory 23 Laphroaig 10
Years Old 50% Years Old 46.3% Years Old 40.1%
21 Years & Over 13 to 20 Years
The Glenturret 30 Lagavulin Islay Jazz
Years Old 42% Festival 2022 55.4%

128 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190


Best Scotch Lowlands Best Scotch Speyside
21 Years & Over 21 Years & Over
Rosebank The Glenlivet
31 Years Old 48.1% Archive 21 Years Old
Aromas of Juicy Fruit Mellow nose of baked fruit,
chewing gum, slight pencil aniseed, and perfumed
sharpenings, and struck notes of heather and pear.
match. Full-bodied palate An excellent mouthfeel and
with fresh ginger, green powerful palate with rich
tea, and a hint of white fruit, notes of sherry, and
pepper. Beautiful and floral elements. Silky,
complex, showing and nicely complex.
impressive dexterity.
SHORTLIST
No Age Statement
Glen Moray
Classic 40%
12 Years & Under
The Glenlivet 12 Years
Old Rum and Bourbon
Cask Selection 40%
13 to 20 Years
The Glenlivet 15
Years Old 40%
Best South African Best Spanish
12 Years & Under 13 to 20 Years
Three Ships Liber
12 Years Old Single Malt 45%
Double Wood Blend 49.6% Aromas of demerara sugar, apple, pear
and sherry at first, becoming more savoury
Malty, buttery and creamy with soy sauce, celery
aromas with dried fruit, and slight funk. Oily,
caramel and hints of luscious palate with
wood. Palate has warm peanut brittle and a bold
smoke, ripe fruit and sweet sherry character
more buttery notes. that gets drier
Rich flavours are
on the finish.
very well managed Wraps up with
and the alcohol is brandied cherries.
well integrated. An Surprising and
amazing dram. delightful.
SHORTLIST
21 Years & Over
Three Ships
21 Years Old
Millennium 51.8%
WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Malt – Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons
Best Slovenian
12 Years & Under
Broken Bones
43% Whisky 46%
7URSLFDOHVWHUVRQWKHQRVHZLWKPDOW\
biscuit notes, vanilla ice cream, clove,
VDZGXVWDQGKD\7KH
palate initially has lemon
drops and custard creams,
then opens up to toasted
oak. Oily mouthfeel, and
a medium-long finish. A
very promising drop.
Best Swedish
No Age Statement
Mackmyra
Destination 48.7%
Yuzu, wine gums, caramel,
vanilla and allspice on the
nose. Earthy and grainy
notes on the palate. Rich
and warm with Christmas
cake, fruit salad, and a
touch of funk. Long finish.
SHORTLIST
12 Years & Under
Gammelstilla
Jubileum 49.5%
Issue 190 | Whisky Magazine 129
 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2023
Single Malt – Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

Best Swiss Best Taiwanese

No Age Statement No Age Statement

Seven Seals Kavalan

The Age of Leo 49.7% King Car Conductor 46%

Spicy aroma of cinnamon and coriander, Pronounced fruit nose

overlaying caramel. Palate has notes of with banana and raisin.
toffee fudge, sweet jam, almonds and Medium-bodied palate
ginger, with leather and
chewy oak. Excellent
with some fruit notes and
a hint of white wine.
5LFKÀDYRXUVDUHYHU\
mouthfeel. Soft, lingering
finish with woody notes. SHORTLIST
well managed and the alcohol
12 Years & Under is well integrated
Yushan Sherry
Cask 46% Three Ships
Best South African Single Malt

CELEBRATING THE
WORLD’S BEST WHISKIES
The World Whiskies Awards are e the global awards
selecting the very best in all internationally
ternationally recognized
styles of whiskies. The Awards select, reward and
promote the world’s best whiskieskies to consumers
and trade across the globe.

8SZMI[XLIJYPP[MRRIVWPMWXERHǻRHSYXLS[
HǻRHSYXLS[
to enter, go to worldwhiskiesawards.com
wards.com

130 Whisky Magazine | Issue 190