Famous for it’s peat smoke and sea spray influenced whiskies, Islay has long been the object of romance for many a single malt fan. As a result, the island has become home to Scotch Whisky’s strongest regional identity and the industry’s densest concentration of distilleries. That concentration grew thicker today, as Ardnahoe Distillery went operational. It’s been 15 years since ...

Bladnoch Distillery has announced they have appointed Dr. Nick Savage as their new Master Distiller. This appointment comes after the departure of former master distiller and blender Ian MacMillan in January 2019. After completing his PhD in engineering, Savage started his whisky industry career at Diageo as Technical Lead in Cask Maturation. From there, he moved to the Scottish Lowlands ...

By Richard Thomas This is an era when the popularity of world whiskey has driven prices sky high. As age statements fall, old favorites become discontinueds, and then collectibles, driving prices up. Meanwhile, more thirsty mouths are chasing the same favorites that remain, driving prices up. Take Japanese Whisky as a crystalized example. Once a category known only to the ...

Littlemill, a Lowland distillery that ceased operations in the early 1990s, is obscure among the ranks of Scotland’s historic whisky-makers. No grand brand name is attached to it, and it’s placement in the Lowlands is hardly glamorous. That said, evidence has emerged that points to this humble foundation as being the oldest whisky distillery in Scotland. There was already some ...

By Michael Cervin Rating: B For some, peat is the holy grail of whisky. For others it’s a tin cup. Either way, peat, also known in Scotland as blanket bog, is ubiquitous, covering nearly one-fourth of the country. Long burned for heat in Scotland, it was also used to fire malting floors, and so it is the defining element for ...