Ian Buxton - Page 2
Though he has neither a beard nor any visible tattoos or piercings, Ian Buxton is well-placed to write about drinks. A former marketing director of one of Scotland’s favourite single malts, his is a bitter-sweet love affair with Scotland’s national drink – not to mention gin and rum, or whatever the nearest PR is pouring. Once, apparently without noticing, he bought a derelict distillery. Follow his passionate, authentic hand-crafted artisanal journey on the Master of Malt blog. Or just buy his books. It’s what he really wants.
Don’t overlook blended whiskyLove good quality Scotch but don’t want to spend too much on a bottle? Well, don’t overlook blended whisky, says Ian Buxton. From the big boys like Johnnie Walker and…
Arbikie and Inchdairnie, the Scots rye revivalIan Buxton returns with a look at two new distilleries, Arbikie and Inchdairnie, that may appear quite different but actually have a lot in common. Not least a common interest in…
Tips for investing in whisky (and avoiding scammers)Today, Ian Buxton returns to one of his favourite topics, buying whisky in cask. He’s come up with some tips to help you not to get scammed. Here are seven…
How Scotch whisky opened upIan Buxton returns to take a look at how Scotch whisky opened up. He remembers a time when master distillers were unknown and unreachable, and whisky production was a secret…
The unstoppable rise of craft and world whiskiesIt’s been nearly ten years since Ian Buxton’s first book on craft and world whiskies. With a new edition out (plug! plug!), here he reflects on how this category has…
The lost whisky industries of Australia and New ZealandIn all the excitement about new world whiskies, it’s not generally known that we have been here before. Until surprisingly recently, both Australia and New Zealand had thriving whisky industries….
Last Drop Distillers – sniffing out rare casksThe Last Drop Distillers’ business model is based on sniffing out rare casks of spirits and Port. But what happens when such rarities become impossible to find? Ian Buxton talks…
Great whisky marketing fiascosDo you remember Bailey’s whiskey, or J&B -6°C? Don’t ring a bell? Well, they weren’t around for long but Ian Buxton remembers these and other product launches that failed to…
Does very old whisky taste better?This article was originally published on 29 June 2021 and was updated on 7 October 2024. “You are old, Father William,” the young man said, “And your hair has become…
The surprisingly long history of column single malt whiskyCopper Rivet Distillery has just released what is claimed to be “the first column single malt whisky ever released from any distillery in Britain”. Not so, says Ian Buxton. Here…
Master of Malt Islay Festival 2021 Day 8: BunnnahabhainIt’s the Master of Malt Islay Festival 2021 Day 8: Bunnahabhain time! It’s the eighth day of our celebration of all things Islay and we’re looking at what’s going on…
Covid spirit start-upsMany people took up new hobbies during lockdown like cooking or jogging, but some brave individuals went a bit further and started distilling businesses while a global pandemic raged. Ian…
A history of celebrity drinksThis article was first published on 5 May 2021, then updated and significantly added to on 5 September 2024. From Sean Connery advertising Suntory in the ’90s to David Beckham…
Scotch Whisky Association – guardian or bully?We reported a few weeks ago on the legal action the Scotch Whisky Association is taking against a Canadian whisky producer in Vancouver Island, Saanich for violating Scotch whisky’s geographical…
China’s baijiu giants: the most valuable drinks companies in the worldLooking for a hot share tip? Ian Buxton looks at whether you might be best off investing in China’s rapidly growing national spirit baijiu. The top three most valuable drinks…
A warning about whisky investmentIan Buxton returns to one of his favourite topics this week, the rapidly-expanding whisky investment market. It can’t keep going up forever, he warns, and there are signs that the…
