Barley Nectar

08/07/2024

Sales results are in for 2023 and it makes for some reading. Looking at the top selling spirit brands of the year (by volume), there are a few clear trends.

Firstly, many brands took a hit in 2023 versus 2022 as the global economy took a turn for the worse. This is being seen by the industry as a post pandemic ‘reset’.

Secondly, as a whisky-centric page, it’s interesting to see the sheer scale of the Indian whisky industry. McDowells - the Indian whisky brand - sold 50% more volume than Johnnie Walker last year.

24/06/2024

Ardnamurchan Distillery are one of my favourite distilleries.

Established in 2013, by the independent bottler Adelphi, they produce a mix of peated and unpeated whisky.

Located on Ardnamurchan peninsula, the distillery is one of the most remote in Scotland. The area is a region of outstanding natural beauty - and very much worth a trip!

19/06/2024

Dickel’s Tabasco Barrel Finish whiskey is not the for the faint hearted.

Made by combining Tabasco pepper mash, as well as ‘essence of tabasco’ it’ll blow your socks off. Could also be used to create an extra boozey Bloody Mary.

Swipe on to find out more.

16/06/2024

Did you know Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg are all within 2km of each other? Sounds like a whisky walking tour waiting to happen.

Read on to find out more about Lagavulin - one of the most popular smoky whiskies in the world.

09/06/2024

Fishky!

This is what you get when you cross a perfectly good Bruichladdich barrels with smoked herring.

‘The nose hides the secrets of this whisky well, with notes of malt, brine, and heather. The taste reveals all, though, with sour butyric baby vomit, brine, and stomach acid. The finish is salty, greasy, and nasty with no redeeming qualities.’ (Tasting notes from WhiskyCast.com)

29/05/2024

Clynelish has had a fascinating history, spawning Brora - one of the most collectible whiskies in the world, and continuing to provide the bedrock for Johnnie Walker - the best selling blended Scotch in history.

Read/swipe on to find out more….

23/05/2024

Snake whiskey has become a tradition in Thailand. An entire snake is placed into a bottle of alcohol to add health benefits and flavour to the booze. Apparently it tastes of ’smoke and fish’.

Not one for the faint hearted…

14/05/2024

Laphroaig are one of the most popular distilleries in the world. Arguably, the most famous example of a ‘smokey whisky’ out there, they are one of the few to continue to malt their own barley on site using traditional floor malting.

They produce a beautiful whisky and are well worth an explore.

06/05/2024

Based on the remote Orkney Islands, Highland Park have grown to be one of the best loved whisky distilleries in the world.

Read on to find out more.

30/04/2024

🧊🥃??

28/04/2024

One of my favourite whiskies, Aberlour are on the up and up.

After a tumultuous history, including being burnt to the ground, they are now on track to international whisky stardom.

They produce a lovely liquid, and crucially, just received part of an £88m cash injection by drinks giant Pernod Ricard.

One to watch!

28/04/2024

One of my favourite whiskies, Aberlour are on the up and up.

After a tumultuous history, including being burnt to the ground, they are now on track to international whisky stardom.

They produce a lovely liquid, and crucially, just received part of an £88m cash injection by drinks giant Pernod Ricard.

One to watch!

16/04/2024

Bunnahabhain (pronounced ‘Bu-na-ha-venn’) is of the finest, albeit hardest to pronounce, distilleries on Islay.

Unusually for Islay, most of their whisky is relatively lightly peated. They do produce peated liquid under the name ‘Staoisha’, although this is typically restricted to independent bottlings.

Both are well worth a try! 🥃🥃

06/02/2024

With multiple Chinese whisky distilleries announced over the past year or so, let’s take a look at some of the biggest! 🥃🥃

19/12/2023

Explore the whisky regions of Scotland!

🥃🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🥃

07/12/2023

Whisky has been matured in sherry casks for decades.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​It tastes delicious, but how did this seemingly strange combo come in to being?

04/12/2023

27/11/2023

Translated as 'valley of brambles', Glendronach makes some of the best sherried whisky on the market.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Read more for a deepdive.

24/11/2023

WhiskEy​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​To e or not to e