The term Casks and Barrels to most of us seem to be simply a tightly bound wooden drum that in more modern times is used to store, age, and possibly transport spirits. At first to me, they seemed to be two words out of a thesaurus for something meaning exactly the same, and texts and…
Category: Good reads
Whisky – Rice, Millet and space…
Whisky is an art they say – colours, shades and greys. Each stroke of the brush, thoughtfully selected colours, and an assortment of shades carefully fused on the palette elaborating a unique spectrum, exemplifying the final outcome on the white canvas frame. Perfecting this concoction takes sweat, blood and time, one that has evolved through…
Malt mania or Blended Bliss – The Malt vs Blend face off!
Conversations with friends do at times broach the subject I fancy most – whisky, and on such moments I do tend to be a bit of a snobbish geek endlessly talking about the spirit or some interesting fact specific to the expression we would be sipping on – I wouldn’t be surprised if some of…
The ‘Two W’ face-off – the Great Whisky debate!
In life there are many things grey that just doesn’t conform to things black and white. And whisky isn’t a stranger to this too, there’s the: Bourbon vs Tennessee debate – simple, straightforward but still unsettling! Whisky vs Whisk’e’y – this one doesn’t seem to be going anywhere! Whisky Origin – Ireland or Scotland?! –…
That disease called ‘Alcoholism’
A faint recurrent beep in the background unhinged the man while he lay in deep slumber and as his eyes opened against their will, the blur of green lines and the underlying fatigue quietly pulled him back into unconsciousness. A faint pull on the cheeks, what seemed like a gentle smile was accompanied by a slight…
Whiskey-Beer Appreciation – Jameson Irish Whiskey @Effingut
A massive face, curly moustache, a thick beard, and colored shades powered by neon lights looked down upon us as we made our way through the entrance and into the mezzanine. What stood before us was most pleasant and a sight for sore eyes. To our left lay this wall, all black and grey, packed…
Fun Facts – Japanese Whisky
In continuation to our whisky fun facts write up, I thought of including another post that involves a genre that had critics and distillers alike left in awe, jaws dropped and taken aback. The awards were almost always ‘reserved’ for the Scots and the Irish, but all heads turned towards this entrant from the East…
Whisk’?’y – Fun Facts!
From time to time, I get asked a few queries regarding whiskies and everything around it and so I thought it best to take some time out and pen some content around these queries themselves! I’m hoping you find this pleasant and insightful! *fingers crossed* 1. Whisk’?’y -To ‘e’ or not to ‘e’ ?! To start with,…
To etch or not to etch…
Two brands, two different prices, how must you decide? Certainly not one of those instances where you would leave the decision to a game of “Eeny meeny miny moe…” Consider a situation where you’re in a predicament and you need to single out a phone for yourself. Do you set your eyes on the latest…
Whisky – Gulf & all that’s in between!
Deep reservoirs of oil, the need for building infrastructure and an open door trade policy to the outside world meant the possibility for a wide variety of global brands to identify prospects in the sand clad lands of the gulf. And for a region that only three generations back was inhabited mostly by nomadic tribesman…
The Wood in Whisky
Every once in a while at the liquor store, I get stumped each time I come across whiskies that are tagged with sometimes mind numbing phrases such as being Solera Vatted, or matured in Triple Casks, PX or Select Casks. And I’m sure other novice drinkers like me do find themselves in the same predicament…
An update on my journey…
It’s been over five months since I’ve reformed myself and taken up this new found hobby. And to be honest, I did doubt myself initially as I wasn’t sure how long this last would. But fast forward to the present and I’m still a believer! My friends and coworkers seem to accept me now, and…
Shades of Spirit!
Alcoholic beverages have been around for over thousands of years, with remnants dating as old as 7,000 BC; perhaps even more! Now for a spirit to finally take its form, it requires three basic ingredients: yeast, sugars and water coupled with time. The time allows the yeast to act on these sugars to break them…
Tete-a-Tete : Japan & India | Part 2
Saki, incense sticks, honour, kaizen and the way of the Samurai; I’m sure after hearing the second reference you most likely had one of those light bulb moments screaming “Japan”! Oh yes, the Japanese might be famous for Saki and martial arts but there’s a new famous in town! And it’s whisky! Japan to me has…
Tete-a-Tete : The world and Australia | Part 1
Whether enjoyed as a cocktail, or used as a constituent in cooking, sipped as a digestive in a fine ‘n dine restaurant, or while sitting in front of a warm fireplace, whisky enjoys a sort of cult status that very few spirits can even come close to. Be it in sunshine yellow or dark blood,…
Scotland and Scotch: The Regions
Green scenic pastures, castles, lawn bowling, kilts and bagpipes, are some of the highlights that a few might be cognizant of when the term Scotland comes up in a conversation. But a majority of us might have something different that pops up in our minds every time we hear the word Scotch…oh sorry! Scotland (You…
Dilemma: How to sip the nip?!
Something that keeps making the rounds when it comes to enjoying your glass of whisky is how one should savor it. There’s quite a spectrum in terms of the options available. There’s always the one where you can have it neat, ‘on the rocks’, with ‘a splash of water’, as a cocktail, or just down…
My Calling…
Once I began looking at whisky differently, not only did it open up my senses but in the process it also invited a lot of ‘cuckoo’ eyes. Somehow the world around me found it to be dumbfounded, nonsensical and crazy. And when I began to explain why the sudden turn of events in my outlook,…
Uisce Beatha | My Whisk'e'y Diaries 