By Richard Thomas Rating: C+ February 2021 saw the first-ever major reform in Japanese Whisky law, which was rather notorious in world whisky circles for having essentially no laws. When it came to Japanese Whisky, one could count on the two giants of Suntory and Nikka doing things in keeping with international standards, out of respect for tradition and protecting ...

By Emma Briones Rating: B In 2016, The Macallan presented a new collection of whiskies, that included The Macallan 12 Double Cask, Triple Cask, and Sherry Oak. It became their basic range, with the earlier 1824 range was discontinued in 2018. In 2021, The Macallan Double Cask becomes a three-expression range, with 12, 15, and 18 year old whiskies. For ...

By Douglas Fraser Rating: B- Catoctin Creek is one of Virginia’s most award-winning distilleries. Catoctin is named after an Algonquian Indian tribal term in the central part of the state of Virginia. They pride themselves on the high-quality local grain they use in their products as well as their attention to detail in making their spirits. Scott and Becky Harris ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ When one sees a whisky dubbed “A Tale of Cake,” the immediate conclusion is that it’s not just a digestif whisky, but a dessert dram on top of that. The backstory behind this latest release from The Glenmorangie confirms that assumption: their blender (Director of Whisky Creation), Dr. Bill Lumsden, crafted this particular single malt ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: A- Heaven Hill raised a noticeable amount of squeaking from the dingier corner of the enthusiast community last year when Parker’s Heritage 2019 was a not quite 9 year old rye, aged in “Char 5” barrels. These heavily charred casks received 30 second of flame beyond the level of Char 4. Predictably, they focused on the ...