Whisky Magazine 42

State of Independence The Macallan new expressions Girvan Bushmills Innovation from Laphroaig Widder Bar The...

Editor's Word Hard to put a figure on it... I'm not one for snobbery, pretentiousness or elitism. Can't stand it. But if I've learned anything over the last few...

By Dominic Roskrow

Musings with Michael Jackson The Pundit and the Popper Michael Jackson brainstorming on behalf of Scotch Whisky.

By Michael Jackson

A Dram with Dave Broom As easy as Alpha, Beta… Dave Broom launches the resistance against the whisky terroiristes

By Dave Broom

News Chilltothrill Youngconsumersareseekinginnovativewaystodrinkalcohol.AndyKnottreportsonhowDiageoispromotingitssuperpremiumblends

By Andy Knott

News Bright young things There is a new wave of whisky drinkers who are confident, intelligent, young and individualistic. Many of them are women....

By Dominic Roskrow

People The times they are a changing This month we ask a female only panel of whisky drinkers whether the image of malt whisky is changing

By Dominic Roskrow

News Women with taste If a group of women conducted a whisky tasting, would it be very different to a men's one? Well yes,...

By Dominic Roskrow

News A nice girl like Abigail Abigail Bosanko's new book is a romance aimed at the professional female. But it includes whisky tasting notes and its...

News A world at her feet Iseabail Mactaggart could have pretty much chosen to work anywhere. She chose the Islay whisky industry. Here's why…

By Iseabail Mactaggart

Distillery Focus HighSociety TheScotchMaltWhiskySocietyisundernewownershipandenjoyingnewpremises.OurMysteryVisitorwentandcheckedoutoneofourmoreinterestingmembers'clubs

By Mystery Visitor

Distillery Focus Forty not out: Girvan isn't your normal run of the … er… mill distillery. Ian Buxton paid it a visit

By Ian Buxton

Distillery Focus Home of the Black art (Bushmills) Ireland isn't normally associated with single malts, but at Bushmills they're investing heavily in producing outstanding whiskeys. Dominic Roskrowwent there

By Dominic Roskrow

News Doyouwannabeinourgang... Howmanyofushavethoughtaboutgivingitallupandstartingafreshasaworkerintheworldofwhisky?RichardJonesspeakstosomepeoplewhohavedonejustthat

By Richard Jones

Whisky & Culture Perfecting the gift of McNab Patrick McCabe's disturbed protagonist McNab first appeared in The Butcher Boy; Jefferson Chase sees how he's grown

By Jefferson Chase

Production Beams'dream Among great bourbon families it doesn't get much bigger than the name Beam. And as Charles K.Cowdery reports, another generation...

By Charles K Cowdery

Food Full of Eastern promise Our new food and whisky series will look at restaurants and chefs who cook with whisky or serve it as...

Bars Tomes of Zurich Switzerland might not seem an obvious place to find a good whisky bar, but the Widder Bar is just that....

By Jefferson Chase

News AnewmeaningforPyramidselling Fakewhiskybottlesappearinmostmarketsoftheworld.ButasErkinTouzmohamedovreports,therearesomebizarreonesinEgypt

By Erkin Touzmahamedov

People Peak practice Adrian and Alison Murray are combining business and pleasure by selling whisky to tourists in England's Peak District. Dominic Roskrow reports

By Dominic Roskrow

Production Staringdownabarrel IanWisniewskilooksattheroleofthecooperandassesseswhatfuturetheprofessionhas

By Ian Wisniewski

People A gardener's world (Hilary Lamont - Linkwood) In a new series looking at different distillery careers, Richard Jones talks to Hilary Lamont – distillery gardener at Linkwood

By Richard Jones

Column Here's to grumpy old men... This month's guest writer is market analyst Tom Stinson

By Tom Stinson

Dave BroomAs easy as Alpha, Beta…Dave Broom launches the resistance against the whisky terroiristes

Ian BuxtonForty not out:Girvan isn't your normal run of the … er… mill distillery. Ian Buxton paid it...

Jefferson ChaseTomes of ZurichSwitzerland might not seem an obvious place to find a good whisky bar, but the...

Charles K CowderyBeams'dreamAmong great bourbon families it doesn't get much bigger than the name Beam. And as...

Michael JacksonThe Pundit and the PopperMichael Jackson brainstorming on behalf of Scotch Whisky.

Richard JonesA gardener's world (Hilary Lamont - Linkwood)In a new series looking at different distillery careers, Richard Jones talks to Hilary Lamont...

Andy KnottChilltothrillYoungconsumersareseekinginnovativewaystodrinkalcohol.AndyKnottreportsonhowDiageoispromotingitssuperpremiumblends

Iseabail MactaggartA world at her feetIseabail Mactaggart could have pretty much chosen to work anywhere. She chose the Islay whisky...

Dominic RoskrowBright young thingsThere is a new wave of whisky drinkers who are confident, intelligent, young and individualistic....

Tom StinsonHere's to grumpy old men...This month's guest writer is market analyst Tom Stinson

Erkin TouzmahamedovAnewmeaningforPyramidsellingFakewhiskybottlesappearinmostmarketsoftheworld.ButasErkinTouzmohamedovreports,therearesomebizarreonesinEgypt

Mystery VisitorHighSocietyTheScotchMaltWhiskySocietyisundernewownershipandenjoyingnewpremises.OurMysteryVisitorwentandcheckedoutoneofourmoreinterestingmembers'clubs

Ian WisniewskiStaringdownabarrelIanWisniewskilooksattheroleofthecooperandassesseswhatfuturetheprofessionhas

Connoisseur's Choice
1991

ABV 43%

Comments: That peachiness made me think of a Clynelish Bellini.

Overall score

7.7

Dewar Rattray Cask Collection
1975, 29 Years Old

ABV 46%

Comments: Interesting, but without the overriding character to make it great.

Overall score

8.0

Douglas Laing Old & Rare Platinum Selection
1968, Aged 35 Years

ABV 56%

Comments: Old brocade, velvet curtains, tweed.

Overall score

8.7

Douglas Laing Old & Rare Platinum Selection
1963, Aged 40 Years

ABV 45%

Comments: Just about holds its own against the effects of excessive age. On the cusp!

Overall score

7.5

Douglas Laing Old & Rare Platinum Selection
1977, Aged 27 Years

ABV 51%

Comments: Good balance, but not the weight or maturity you want from such an old malt.

Overall score

8.0

Duncan Taylor
'The Big Smoke', Aged 12 Years

ABV 46%

Comments: A drinkable, if relatively undemanding whisky. Perhaps a good introduction to Islay.

Overall score

8.1

Duncan Taylor
1980, 23 Years Old, Cask 1913

ABV 47%

Comments: Knockando is always a well-mannered whisky, although this expression seems a tad tired.

Overall score

7.7

Glen Garioch
1979, Aged 24 Years

ABV 52.1%

Comments: A great nose, but let down on the palate.

Overall score

8.2

Gordon & MacPhail
George & J.G. Smith's Rare Vintage, 1974

ABV 40%

Comments: Somewhat lifeless and one-dimensional. Not the best old Glenlivet I've tasted.

Overall score

8.2

The Balvenie
Aged 30 Years

ABV 47.3%

Comments: Fantastic length. A truly three-dimensional malt.

Overall score

8.4

The Cooper's Choice
1971, 32 Years Old, Sherry Cask

ABV 46%

Comments: A fine whisky, just lacking the finesse and balance of the 1974.

Overall score

8.4

The Cooper's Choice
1992, 12 Years Old

ABV 46%

Comments: Like lace on the palate. Treat carefully.

Overall score

7.5

The Macallan
8 Years Old, Fine Oak

ABV 0%

Comments: Fresh and young, but balanced with good feel. Have it long.

Overall score

7.8

The Macallan
10 Years Old, Fine Oak

ABV 0%

Comments: Best neat. Clean, crisp attack.

Overall score

8.0

The Macallan
12 Years Old, Fine Oak

ABV 0%

Comments: Starting to get there now. The qualitative jump from 10 to 12 is exactly parallel to that in sherried expressions. I'd buy this one!

Overall score

8.5

The Macallan
15 Years Old, Fine Oak

ABV 0%

Comments: Takes time to open but worth the wait. The complete package and arguably the best.

Overall score

8.8

The Macallan
18 Years Old, Fine Oak

ABV 0%

Comments: A lovely, elegant yet large whisky. Why would you ever use sherry wood?

Overall score

8.2

The Macallan
21 Years Old, Fine Oak

ABV 0%

Comments: A cracker, typical of old (and older style) Speyside.

Overall score

8.7

The Macallan
25 Years Old, Fine Oak

ABV 0%

Comments: Maturity, refined rather than OTT. Great to see distillery character retained at this age.

Overall score

8.4

The Macallan
30 Years Old, Fine Oak

ABV 0%

Comments: Great nose, firm palate. Wood dominating a little.

Overall score

8.7

The McGibbon's Provenance
8 Years Old

ABV 46%

Comments: The spirit is still coming together. Would have been best kept in the cask for a few more years.

Overall score

7.7

The McGibbon's Provenance
13 Years Old

ABV 46%

Comments: Good, but lacks a little sweetness.

Overall score

8.3

Whisky Magazine 42

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