Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2024 i Whisky Magazine

“the scope of what a whisky festival looks like has evolved… organisers are continually looking to offer their guests… something memorable” I’m sitting outside the Craigellachie Hotel awaiting my ride to the airport after five days at this year’s Spirit of Speyside festival. As the judge for its coveted Best New Event award, I have spent my time at one of the industry’s calendar highlights touring the likes of The Glenlivet, Tormore, and Dunphail; been blindfolded with Duncan Taylor for a night of ‘drams in the dark’; and danced to an acoustic version of Britney Spears’ ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ on the grounds of Speyburn. Drams were plentiful, ceilidhs were boisterous, and I came away with emails and messages on Instagram and WhatsApp from new friends made over…

For those in other industries, other states, or other countries, it was just a news headline that came and went. In Kentucky, it was a 9/11 moment: a generation of Kentuckians, particularly those who were in the bourbon industry, remember where they were when they heard the news of the Heaven Hill fire and saw the ghastly images on TV. Quieter, and less talked about, is how the company’s competitors rallied round to make sure it survived after the fire. 7 November 1996 was an unseasonably warm and blustery day in Bardstown, with passing thundershowers and wind gusts of 50mph (80kmph). “It was just like a normal day, nothing unusual, nothing out of the ordinary, phone calls to return, meetings to attend. It was just like a normal day at…

This October, hundreds of people will gather in the exposed, often rain-battered car park of Glenfarclas Distillery high on the hill. Huddled against the elements, staring out at the bleak, beautiful landscape. Some may be whisky fans, but this is not why they are there. Today, they run. This is the Dramathon. Cooked up by two friends, one more the whisky lover, the other more the runner, this unique event takes the 1,500 who participate in one of the four races (marathon, half marathon, 10km, or relay) deep into the Speyside countryside, past — and occasionally through — its most famous distilleries. “We designed this as a crossover between two things that don’t normally go together: whisky and trail running. One of fitness, sports clubs, the outdoors; the other of…

Whisky has become more accessible to consumers over the last few years — not just the liquids themselves, but also how consumers learn about them. From books and magazines to the modern approach of knowledgeable brand ambassadors and online content creators, you don’t have to look far to learn about your favourite dram. Where whisky festivals, distillery tours, and tastings were once the main ways to discover or try a new whisky, interacting with a brand now extends into the digital sphere via media such as podcasts and videos. With longtime bloggers and vloggers heralding the rise of whisky on social media, it is now possible for a whisky fan to sit and listen to a brand ambassador speaking to a podcast host at their leisure. But there is another…

The 2024 Whisky Live season in Australia is in full swing, with premier tasting shows coming to major cities across the country. Following events in Melbourne and Canberra in May, the calendar will take in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Sydney before concluding in Perth in August. Ticket holders will be able to explore a vast array of high-quality whiskies from countries including Scotland, Ireland, Japan, and of course Australia. There will be short classes presented by distillers and ambassadors that offer the chance to sample whiskies not available at the main event, as well as classes that offer an introduction to whisky for those who are new to the category. Included in the ticket price are a whisky glass to use at the show and keep, a printed tasting guide profiling…

For any artist or producer, unveiling your first creation to the world can be a nerve-wracking moment. Finally, there is a physical manifestation of the time, effort, and energy you have expended in the pursuit of something to represent your vision and views. It is ready to make its transition from the private to the public sphere — but are you ready to let it go? Allowing it out into the wild, and into the path of other people’s assessment and critique, is enough to shake even the steeliest of resolves. The team from independent Scotch whisky bottler Hunter Laing & Co found themselves on this precipice recently as they unveiled the inaugural single malt whisky from their Ardnahoe Distillery on Islay. The excitement was palpable, but so were the…

Business partnerships can be a real boon for distilleries, or for any producer, in fact. They can lead to unique, highly sought-after, premium-priced limited editions, or they can help whisky producers efficiently tap into brand-new audiences. Especially in today’s fiercely competitive landscape, leading whisky makers are increasingly capitalising on this opportunity, partnering with anyone and anything from celebrities to luxury car manufacturers, and from fashion brands to designers. Amid these high-profile partnerships, smaller independent distilleries are taking a different approach, embracing collaborations that not only benefit their businesses but foster tighter relationships within the industry and create spaces for mutual support, too. In North America, intra-state collaborations are playing a vital role in propelling emerging whiskey-producing states forward. In Ohio, a number of collaborative whiskeys allowed the local Distillers Guild…

One of the most intimidating aspects of attending a whisky tasting as a novice is feeling like you’re doing everything ‘wrong’ — from swirling to nosing to sharing (out loud) any tasting notes. Even the most knowledgeable whisky whiz doesn’t know everything. Therein lies the inspiration behind Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co, an Austin, Texas-based distillery making award-winning crowdfunded whiskeys and involving its community in every decision. Since opening in August 2018, the distillery has become a whisky haven for locals and out-of-state tourists. Its co-founders Rex Williams and Daniel Whittington have mastered making people feel an emotion sometimes amiss in whisky: fun. “When I got into whisky, it felt like there were two worlds: either you didn’t know much about whisky, or you were so obsessive and kind of a…

“Arodeo; a chocolate factory; a rare-breeds farm and a music festival,” read the email: certainly not the usual list of things one would expect to find in an invitation to a distillery. But this is how they roll at Nestville: a multi-purpose site — nay, remarkable tourist attraction — situated in the picturesque village of Hniezdne in Slovakia, in the ominous yet beautiful shadow of the Tatra mountains. Taking the two-hour drive from Krakow in Poland over the Slovakian border is the easiest and most enjoyable way to arrive at Nestville Park, which is an experience for the first-time visitor. A sprawling mix of vast, modern-looking grain hoppers and column still plumbing is interwoven with traditional Slovak-influenced wooden farmhouse architecture, a contrast that gives it a sort of ‘distilling theme…

Germany is far from alone in the expanding category of ‘world whisky’. However, the sheer extent and diversity of German whiskies stands in stark contrast to how rarely they are discussed. Compared to Scotland’s 147 operating distilleries, Germany has at least 200–230. No one, it seems, can agree on a precise number. In 2019, Michaela Habbel suggested that “about 200” distilleries were producing whisky in Germany, noting, “It’s crazy how many German whisky distilleries there are these days.” She is not just any commentator but one of the first whisky producers in Germany, and in 2019 was serving as president of the Verband Deutscher Whiskybrenner (VDW), Germany’s association of whisky makers. Alba Collection also produces a map showing about 200 German distilleries. As recently as 2022, www.whiskyflavour.com was asking, “Do…

Whisky tourism is a global phenomenon that is not just about savouring a glass of your favourite spirit; it’s an exploration of culture, history, and the craft behind one of the world’s most revered beverages. From Scotland to the United States to Tasmania, this unique form of travel weaves together the tales of regions flourishing through the love of whisky. Chattanooga, a small city in the US state of Tennessee, has become a destination for whisky lovers thanks to its innovative distilleries. The first was Chattanooga Whiskey; founded in 2011, it has been instrumental in reviving the local whisky industry and culture. One of Chattanooga Whiskey’s most remarkable achievements was changing the law to make spirits production in the city possible. Before 2013, distilling was illegal in Hamilton County, where…

When it comes to whisky cocktails, there are two enduring myths: one, that whisky shouldn’t go in cocktails at all; and two, mixing drinks at home is tediously difficult with little return. But neither of these should be the case. With the season for barbecues, garden parties and al-fresco dining approaching (in the northern hemisphere at least), it is the perfect opportunity to rustle up a delectable, pre-batched delight for your guests. In a similar way to food prepping, there will be many drinks all ready to go, and you can be a more present host with a whisky cocktail guaranteed to impress. It can be tricky to know where to start, especially as most recipes in books or online are for single-serve drinks. They often also require ingredients one…