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Whisky Magazine 40

How whiskey fuelled the Blues Whisky in Greece Speyside Festival Whisky and Coffee

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Editor's Word It'sbeenalongtimesince... Timeisrelative,andinthewhiskyindustryyouareremindedsoregularly.

By Dominic Roskrow

Musings with Michael Jackson Love, war and whisky Michael Jackson has a few drinks with Buffalo Bill

By Michael Jackson

A Dram with Dave Broom Going down the toilet? Dave Broom gets all nostalgic while visiting the gents

By Dave Broom

Awards & Events Limburg Whisky Fair grows on ... In just three years, the Whisky Fair at Limburg in Germany has established itself as one of THE events in...

By Brian Townsend

Awards & Events Glenlivin' it up This year's Speyside Festival was a great success. Marcin Miller was there

By Marcin Miller

Distillery Focus Back for more at Edradour It's four years since our mystery visitor was at Edradour, and a lot has happened since then. So what's the...

By Mystery Visitor

People Are we good finishers? In the latest of our round table debates, we look at special finishes.

News Music's dark heart Blues – from its roots in black rural poverty through 60s psychedelia and on to the college rock scene of...

By Jefferson Chase

News Forever drinking Dave Broom talks music with seminal 60s band and whisky drinkers, Love.

By Dave Broom

Distillery Focus Taking Caol comfort at Islay's biggest distillery (Caol Ila) A high proportion of Caol Ila whisky is used for blends. But as Ian Buxton discovered, Diageo is making some...

By Ian Buxton

News Wacky, weird and wonderful We might moan about nanny state governments these days, but over the years legislators across the world have tried all...

By Christine Green

News Anything but a Greek tragedy Greece has one of the biggest markets for whisky in the world. Tom Bruce-Gardyne reports

By Tom Bruce-Gardyne

Whisky & Culture A book with a central Flaws Guttered is a decadent and bawdy drinking romp. Perfect terrain for Jefferson Chase, then

By Jefferson Chase

Production Teaching an old distillery new tricks Buffalo Trace takes its name from the great pioneering days when Kentucky marked the new frontier.Today, it's still blazing a...

By Charles K Cowdery

Cocktails Naughty but nice Impossible to do whisky justice when it's in a cocktail? That's rubbish, as our recent Whisky Cocktail Challenge showed

By Dominic Roskrow

Production What happens in the cask The reactions that go on in the cask and create whisky are still not fully understood. Ian Wisniewski takes a...

By Ian Wisniewski

Food Blowing hot and cold (Coffee and Whisky) Coffee and whisky make an ideal after-dinner partnership. We put together a panel of tasters to match some outstanding coffee...

By Dominic Roskrow

People Whisky's own grand national? Ian Bankier's dream is to give whisky lovers a national retail chain of their own. Gavin D Smith spoke to...

By Gavin D. Smith

Food Marriages made in Hebrides It's easy to spice up your food offering with whisky. Here Martine Nouet uses Islay and Jura to pep up...

By Martine Nouet

Distillery Focus Small but perfectly formed? Recent issues have reported on two micro distillery projects being launched this year. On this page Terry Williams writes about...

By Terry Williams

Tom Bruce-GardyneAnything but a Greek tragedyGreece has one of the biggest markets for whisky in the world. Tom Bruce-Gardyne reports

Terry WilliamsSmall but perfectly formed?Recent issues have reported on two micro distillery projects being launched this year. On this...

Mystery VisitorBack for more at EdradourIt's four years since our mystery visitor was at Edradour, and a lot has happened...

Michael JacksonLove, war and whiskyMichael Jackson has a few drinks with Buffalo Bill

Martine NouetMarriages made in HebridesIt's easy to spice up your food offering with whisky. Here Martine Nouet uses Islay...

Marcin MillerGlenlivin' it upThis year's Speyside Festival was a great success. Marcin Miller was there

Jefferson ChaseA book with a central FlawsGuttered is a decadent and bawdy drinking romp. Perfect terrain for Jefferson Chase, then

Ian BuxtonTaking Caol comfort at Islay's biggest distillery (Caol Ila)A high proportion of Caol Ila whisky is used for blends. But as Ian Buxton...

Ian WisniewskiWhat happens in the caskThe reactions that go on in the cask and create whisky are still not fully...

Gavin D. SmithWhisky's own grand national?Ian Bankier's dream is to give whisky lovers a national retail chain of their own....

Dominic RoskrowNaughty but niceImpossible to do whisky justice when it's in a cocktail? That's rubbish, as our recent...

Dave BroomForever drinkingDave Broom talks music with seminal 60s band and whisky drinkers, Love.

Christine GreenWacky, weird and wonderfulWe might moan about nanny state governments these days, but over the years legislators across...

Charles K CowderyTeaching an old distillery new tricksBuffalo Trace takes its name from the great pioneering days when Kentucky marked the new...

Brian TownsendLimburg Whisky Fair grows on ...In just three years, the Whisky Fair at Limburg in Germany has established itself as...

Andrew JeffordMixing itWe have invited four of the best drinks writers to take it in turn to...

Chivas Brothers
1989, Aged 14 Years, Cask Strength

ABV 55.3%

Comments: A midsummer's night dream dram. So delicate, so rich but without ostentation.

Overall score

7.8

Chivas Brothers
1987, Aged 16 Years, Cask Strength

ABV 56.6%

Comments: Has the wow factor that separates the very good from the truly great.

Overall score

8.7

Chivas Brothers
1986, Aged 17 Years, Cask Strength

ABV 58.2%

Comments: Maybe not as balanced as the classic 15 year-old. But who would turn one's nose up to a Longmorn? So rare, so satisfying. Yummy.

Overall score

8.2

Chivas Brothers
1988, Aged 15 Years, Cask Strength

ABV 55.1%

Comments: Make the effort to sample a cracking dram and to visit the bonniest distillery in Scotland.

Overall score

8.3

Dewar's
Aged 18 Years, Founder's Reserve

ABV 43%

Comments: A very classy blend. Recommended.

Overall score

8.2

Dram House
Vatted Malt, 12 Years Old, Milroy's

ABV 46%

Comments: Briefly this reminded me of the smell in the old Glasgow subway. Well put together.

Overall score

7.7

Evermore
2004 Blend, 21 Years Old

ABV 40%

Comments: An old whisky and of interest, but beginning to fade.

Overall score

7.9

Frisky Whisky
Milroy's

ABV 40%

Comments: Frisky to say the least! The palate is much more talkative and pleasant than the nose. Would be great in a granite with strawberries.

Overall score

7.3

Fuji Gotenba
Aged 15 Years, Single Grain

ABV 43%

Comments: A delicious whisky.

Overall score

7.8

Fuji Gotenba
Aged 18 Years, Single Grain

ABV 43%

Comments: All oak. Good oak, but oak nonetheless.

Overall score

7.7

Gordon & MacPhail
1991

ABV 54.8%

Comments: The nose is unusual, closer to a sour Chinese broth than a whisky! But the palate restores an expected floral Lowland freshness.

Overall score

7.7

Gordon & MacPhail
1991

ABV 57.4%

Comments: A good example of how peaty drams need a balance of sweetness. Another Caol Ila cracker.

Overall score

8.5

Hibiki
17 Years Old, Non chill filtered

ABV 50.5%

Comments: Virile. Rich display of flavours. If I was to climb up the Fujiyama, I'd take a flask with me.

Overall score

8.7

Hokuto
Aged 12 Years

ABV 40%

Comments: A fine elegant whisky. The broadest and softest of the flight but with its own subtle complexity.

Overall score

8.5

James MacArthur's Old Masters
1990, 13 Years Old

ABV 59.2%

Comments: Pleasant fruitiness on the nose but the palate is somewhat dour and one dimensional.

Overall score

7.3

Karuizawa
Aged 15 Years

ABV 40%

Comments: Has maturity and masses of charm.

Overall score

7.7

Karuizawa
Master's Blend, Aged 10 Years

ABV 40%

Comments: A great session whisky.

Overall score

7.7

Mercian
Ship Bottle

ABV 40%

Comments: A promising nose but a somewhat worn out palate.

Overall score

7.2

Nikka
Black, 8 Years Old

ABV 40%

Comments: A well balanced session drink.

Overall score

7.8

Nikka Miyagikyo
10 Years Old

ABV 45%

Comments: Just beginning to pick up complexity. Try this distillery at 12 or 15! World class.

Overall score

7.9

Silver Barley
Milroy's

ABV 40%

Comments: A very young, new-make like whisky. On the bitter side. A fresh nose isn't enough.

Overall score

6.5

Taketsuru
17 Years Old

ABV 43%

Comments: Images of a weatherbeaten oak. Mature, but sweet-hearted.

Overall score

8.1

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Whisky Magazine 40

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