Adam O'Connell

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Adam O'Connell has been writing for Master of Malt for over eight years now. He’s visited distilleries, wineries, and breweries across the world, reviewed a variety of whiskies, gins, rums, Tequilas, mezcals, brandies, vodkas, wines, beers, and cocktails, and contributed all kinds of words in all sorts of places, including over 1,000 articles to its award-winning online blog, The Whisk(e)y Wash, and many of the handy guides you might have enjoyed. He’s even jammed with Kiefer Sutherland AND dined with Ainsley Harriott. Not at the same time.

A bottle and glass of Yellow Spot 12 Year Old with a green backgroundTop 10 Saint Patrick’s Day Whiskeys

Need Saint Patrick’s Day whiskeys? You’re in the right place. Leave a comment below with any bottles you love. Saint Patrick’s Day is coming, and for us, that means one…

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Witchmark Single Origin English Vodka in a field of local barleyWitchmark Distillery: English Whisky Made Magic

A witchmark is an apotropaic symbol. A small carved sign believed to ward off evil, bad luck, and other unwelcome forces. Derived from the Greek apotropaios, meaning “turning away”, these…

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Brighton Whisky Weekend posterBrighton Whisky Weekend Arrives This Summer

Heads up, festival fans, the Brighton Whisky Weekend is taking place from 26 to 28 June 2026 and turning the city into a three-day dram crawl. A Brighton whisky festival…

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A bottle of Glen Scotia Campbeltown Malts Festival 2026 Release on a barrel in a whisky warehouseGlen Scotia Campbeltown Malts Festival 2026 Release Is Here

The Glen Scotia Campbeltown Malts Festival 2026 Release is here! And as usual, it’s a corker. This year’s limited edition whisky arrives as a seven-year-old, medium-peated single malt, matured in…

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Midleton Very Rare 2026 Vintage arrivesMidleton Very Rare 2026 Vintage Arrives

The arrival of Midleton Very Rare 2026 Vintage is a big one for Irish whiskey fans. Heck, whiskey fans in general. For collectors, this drop is a yearly ritual. For…

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The label of the Aberargie Inaugural ReleaseThe Story of Aberargie Distillery and its First Whisky

Aberargie Distillery has been laying down casks since November 2017. If you haven’t heard of them until recently, you’re not alone.  The Lowland whisky maker was quietly tipping away on…

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A glass of Kavalan Sherry Oak Whisky on a barrel of whisky, one of Master of Malt's Top 10 Sherried Whisky for 2026Top 10 Sherried Whisky To Drink in 2026

Here’s our Top 10 Sherried Whisky, from the subtle and smooth to the full-on sherry bombs. Sherried whisky, meaning whisky that has been aged (either full maturation or a finish)…

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Compass Box Hedonism 2026 among previous limited editionsCompass Box Hedonism 2026: Recharting the Course of Grain Whisky

Compass Box Hedonism 2026 exists because in 2000, John Glaser decided grain whisky was good enough. At the turn of the millennium, he launched Hedonism as the first blended grain…

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The Compass Box Muse for 2026 is Karen GillanWin A Trip To Los Angeles with Compass Box and Karen Gillan

Compass Box has made Karen Gillan the face of Hedonism 2026, and for a couple of glorious weeks, Master of Malt is the only place you can get your hands…

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The 2026 Glenfiddich redesign across the core rangeGlenfiddich Redesign Revisits the Past to Frame its Future

The Glenfiddich redesign is here. Come take a look. The Speyside distillery has given itself a refresh, drawing heavily on cues from its own archive. Helpfully, the press release includes…

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Sweet Red Maraschino Cherries in Sticky SyrupHow To Make Your Own Maraschino Cherries

Maraschino cherries are an essential cocktail ingredient. But they also have a bad reputation. Cocktail sabotage by these lurid, oversweet, radioactive-looking, vaguely cherry-flavoured impostors has occurred for decades. But the…

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The Martini Cocktail is drunk all year round, but our Drinks Calendar tells you when Martini Day isTop 10 Gins for the Ultimate Martini

Here’s our Top 10 Gins for the ultimate Martini. Purchase by clicking on the links in the product’s name. Got any suggestions? Leave them in the comments below.  There’s an…

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Karen Gillan as the face of Compass Box 2026Karen Gillan becomes the face of Hedonism 2026

The 2026 edition of Hedonism from Compass Box is here, and actor Karen Gillan stars as this year’s Muse. Yes, that Karen Gillan. From Doctor Who to Guardians of the…

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Why fine dining restaurants are embracing whiskyWhat Should I Pair With Whisky?

Ever ask yourself: What should I pair with whisky? If you have, this is the guide for you. Whisky lovers know the right pairing can turn a good dram into…

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Hands holding glasses of fresh lemonade with orange slices and paper straws at a summer partyHave You Tried Whisky and Lemonade?

Whisky and lemonade doesn’t roll off the tongue like whisky and Coke or whisky and soda. It’s not even really regarded as an official whisky drink, more of a last-minute…

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You need Herradura Reposado Tequila to make The Herradura Watermelon Mint MargaritaTop 10 Best Tequilas for a Margarita

These are 10 of the best Tequilas for a Margarita cocktail. Got any favourites you’d like to share? Leave a comment below. Margarita Day rolls around on 22 February every…

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