Bruichladdich Distillery unveiled the 14th annual series of Octomore, its super-heavily peated single malt earlier this month, so those bottles should be on or near local shelves by now. First released in 2008, Octomore single malts continue to defy whisky wisdom today. Matured for five years, bottled close to cask strength and always super-heavily peated, Octomore’s surprising elegance has led ...

By Richard Thomas Although I do make cocktails at home, I am not endowed with a well-equipped bar cart of all the odds and ends to truly call one’s self a home mixologist. However, what I am is a fan of the eternal queen of the whodunnit, Agatha Christie. I am such a sucker for her work that even though ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Ian Macleod Distillers is one of those fixtures of the Scotch industry that the average, casual drinker (even Scotch drinker) has never heard of. That is nothing to be ashamed of; I’d put down some money that 9 out of 10 of the folks who know what The Macallan is have never heard of the ...

By Kurt Maitland Earlier this summer, I got to meet Malcolm Waring, the distillery manager of Old Pulteney. He graciously gave up some time to discuss some of the changes going on at Wick as well as discuss the first release in Old Pulteney’s upcoming Coastal Series. KM: Malcolm, it was a pleasure to meet you in NYC. Can you ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B Continuing up Ian Macleod Distillers’ ladder of Isle of Skye blended whiskies has taken me to their 18 Year Old expression. It’s a pretty typical progression, really, although one that seems to show large jumps to American eyes. The cooler, milder climate of Scotland and heavy reliance on used cask stock means Scotch whiskies mature ...