A purple-blue flower that is home to the Nilgiri mountains, finds its moment only once in twelve years; the Kurinji also known natively as Neela-kurunji, meaning “blue Kurinji“, lends the slopes of these mountains a lovely rich violet hue. These Blue Mountains that are part of the larger Western Ghats are also popularly referred to as…
Category: Review
Review : Glenglassaugh 12 YO
A catch up with ol mates at one of the local whisky bars, and a very entertaining and knowledgeable bartender had got us to try out this curvy, swirly ice cream inspired bottle that was little known to me. But with all that talking, low lighting, and 90’s music, all I got was a sliver of…
Review : Starward Ginger Beer Cask #8
Starward comes out with its eighth release of the Ginger Beer Cask finish as part of their “Project” series, but this time dressed in a more vivid and lively theme, aligning closer to its siblings. Filled in 2019, this ginger beer influenced dram was bottled and released mid this year. Initially part of their experimental…
Review : Dalmore 12 YO Sherry Cask
The deer and its 12 point antler is not to be confused with the ever so famous Glenfiddich. The Dalmore’s is more bold, aggressive and well detailed; taking more real estate across their bottling. The Dalmore isn’t a stranger to the average sherry lover and their 12 albeit expensive does offer good complexity and depth….
Review : Eagle Rare 10 YO Bourbon Whiskey
Standing tall, with a history that goes all back to 1975 is a 10 YO whiskey that was introduced when Charles L Beam, grand nephew of Jim Beam and fourth master distillery of Four Roses, catered to the luxury market. 10 YO whiskies weren’t that common then and even now serves more to the mid…
Review : Glenfiddich 12 Amontillado Sherry Cask Finish
Over the years, distilleries have been busy innovating things at their end, in the hopes of being relevant with an ever changing and evolving consumer base. They’ve tried chucking in different maturation techniques, finishing their whiskies in rum, champagne or beer casks, or even storing these casks at warehouses underground, some at sea or even…
Review : Esperence’s Single Malt Whisky, American Oak, Cask No 3, Lisandras Series
It’s the break of dawn, with a drive to the airport on the itinerary; what ensues is a hot cuppa, followed by a two hour flight, a taxi ride, and a hotel checkin. Fast forward a few days later, and the same process was to follow but in reverse; the only difference being a quick…
Review Godawan 02 Indian Single Malt Series
The Godawan 02 is the second of the series, from the house of Diageo and keeps with the ethos of sustainability and conservation. Considering the distillery calls the deserts of Rajasthan its home, water conservation is not just a responsibility but also prime. The whisky is very much artisan, just like its sibling, embracing the…
Review : 36 South Double Grain Whisky
At 36 degrees south latitude, comfortably nestled in Victoria’s countryside is the Morris of Rutherglen; a region that receives its fair share of hot summer days and cool, wet winter nights. The temperature variations provide the conducive conditions that help age their whisky, promoting greater wood to whisky interactions. The geographical location also serves as…
Review : Bushmills 15YO
When you think of the Irish, chances are the ever so famous Jamesons might be the first to pop, or at least for most. No hate for the Bushmills here, as in all liklihood they would take an obvious second. But what might not be known to most is the latters history, credited to being…
Review : Bowmore 16 Port Cask Finish
I did plan to give Bowmore’s 16 YO Apellations Travel Exclusive a try earlier than I had hoped for; but the whisky stars didn’t quite align, pushing the dates a wee off – by a good 2 months! And albeit a bit delayed, here we are as I give the second of the tri-series a…
Review Pearse Irish Whiskey
My recent stint with Ireland’s Sextant had prompted me to continue my run with yet another Irish malt. Fortunately, during my run around the aisles at my local Dan’s, a shimmer of light bounced of this rather bold, somewhat macho yet minimalist bottling that stood comfortably amongst its more popular Irish peers like the Bushmills,…
Review Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish
Steering to the west, we kick start the month of April with a dose of Bourbon, Basil Hayden’s Red Wine Cask Finish. This small batch whiskey might not be popular amongst us commoners, but the distillery certainly is – Jim Beam‘s Clermont distillery at Kentucky. This line of expression gets its name from Meredith Basil…
Review Sexton Irish Whiskey
A rather peculiar name; designed equally unconventional with its octagonal shaped bottle and rather dark themed premise – The Sexton! By definition, a Sexton is a person that looks after the church premise and also works as a gravedigger, seeing one just before they move over to the afterlife. Alex Thomas, creator and master blender…
Review Bowmore 14 Bordeaux Cask Finish
Two decades, a stopover and a flight later, I got to visit my home away from home. Although I didn’t plan on rewinding through memory lane, I did get to set foot into a few travel retail stores. It had been a year since I travelled, and this was incentive to make the most of…
Review : Port Charlotte 10 YO
It had been a while since I got to acquaint myself with an Islay, so when this dark bottled beauty caught my eye, there was very little reason for me to look the other side. The Port Charlotte is the middle sibling from the house of Bruichladdich, not a peat God like the eldest –…
Review : Glengoyne Legacy Series Three
The distillery that sits pretty much on the fence, and I say this literally, situated on the divide between the highlands and the lowlands. The “Valley of the Geese”, also known as the Glengoyne distillery is a small farm styled distillery that produces Highland whiskies with a slight twist, maturing their produce in the Lowlands. It’s…
Review : Johnnie Walker 15 YO Sherry Finish Blended Whisky
My recent visit to Costco got me introduced to yet another release from the infamous and the most widely sold whisky brand, Johnnie Walker! This expression was first introduced in Asia in the 2020s and later released to most of the world. The whisky might be seen as another take of the longstanding and ever…
Review : Epitome Reserve Peated Single Malt Whisky
Spirit bohemath Diageo has been taking a keen interest in the Indian Subcontinent, gradually and steadily investing in a host of establishments and ventures, with their recents being Godawan and United’s Epitome Reserve. In fact, United Epitome Reserve‘s first expression released in the first half of 2021 was very well received, a single grain spirit made…
Review : Starward Nova
An old Qantas aircraft hanger, a single wine barrel and a dream is what it took for us to experience that lovely pop, everytime you crack open up a bottle of Starward, or the divine “glug” as you pour the spirit into a glass or even the lush gold and the sweet aromas as it…
Uisce Beatha | My Whisk'e'y Diaries 