Islay Whisky Academy at Celtic Connections Blind Islay Whisky Tastings at National Whisky Festival for Celtic Connections, hosted by myself, Rachel. This is a wonderful event – filled with music and food and, of course, exceptional drams & people! People...
Scotch Series 43: Condensers and Worm Tubs Basically – Worm tubs have the vapour in the worm/ the copper pipe, and the water in the tub. Shell and Tube condensers have the vapour in the tube and the water in the copper pipes. At the end of the lyne arms...
Scotch Series 42: Soul of the Land One can live ON a landscape or live IN a landscape. The role of the whisky maker is to bring out TERROIR. This concept of Anam an fhearainn – Soul of the Land – Terroir, reflects and contains a pride and a tradition. It...
Scotch Series 41: Drinking Whisky IN MY MOUTH I HOLD THE WORLDGazing into my glass swimming with clear, warm, liquid gold, I imagine standing on the highest diving board and looking down – the distances are comparable. Eye to glass; body to water. I dive; down,...
Scotch Series 40: Maturation We distil spirit that is clear. When it is filled into the cask the spirit looks like water – uisge beatha – water of life. It is during its time in maturation inside the cask that spirit develops its colour. Spirit...
Scotch Series 39: Process The stages involved in whisky making are numerous. Here is a schematic highlighting eight of them. MALTING, KILNING, MILLING, MASHING, FERMENTATION, DISTILLATION, MATURATION and our favourite one…. LIBATION! Each stage of whisky making...
