By Richard Thomas Rating: A- Ardbeg is a major favorite among lovers of Islay malts, especially those who could best be described as “smoke geeks.” I say that because first it’s possible to be a whisky smokehead without being a geek about, and because usually the geekier said smokehead is about whisky, the more they love Ardbeg. It’s a prime ...

By Richard Thomas While we do not hold annual awards as such here at The Whiskey Reviewer, we do have a more informal way of handing out laurels to those whiskeys that have garnered our sincere and lasting admiration. Each member of active staff is invited to name two whiskeys that got his or her foremost attention during the calendar ...

By Richard Thomas British drinks conglomerate Diageo has struck a pension deal with the largest union representing workers in their Scottish bottling plants, GMB. Although the smaller union Unite has yet to reach an agreement with Diageo, GMB’s accession makes a bottling plant strike less likely going into the new year. At issue was Diageo’s plan to close a late ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: A For the last few years, I have thought Highland Park is the natural pairing choice for settling in for a new episode of Vikings. No, the Vikings never drank whisky, but the Orkney-based distillery loves to tie in on the Viking heritage of their island home in the extreme north of Scotland with Norse-themed releases. ...

The Macallan has unveiled its latest whisky in the coveted Sherry Oak range, The Macallan 40 Years Old. This collectible, limited-release whisky represents only the second non-vintage release of a 40 year old expression to come from the noted Speyside distillery. The creation of The Macallan 40 Year Old owes its existence to the skill and foresight of The Macallan ...