Features - Page 5

Featured news, interviews and articles covering whisky, rum, gin, tequila and mezcal and other drinks and spirits, as well as the drinks industry.
Crown Royal whisky is the biggest selling Canadian whisky in the worldCanadian Whisky in 2025: The Comeback Of A Quiet Giant

Canadian whisky used to be the quiet giant of world whisky. It was smooth, dependable, and often overlooked, sitting politely on the back bar while Scotch and bourbon hogged the…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
The Nightcap: 3 SeptemberWhisky 101: A Beginner’s Guide for the 21st Century

This is Whisky 101: A Beginner’s Guide for the 21st Century. Feel free to share away, but remember to always drink responsibly and spread the good word in the same…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Size Matters: A Guide to Cask Size in WhiskySize Matters: A Guide to Cask Size in Whisky

When it comes to whisky, size does matter… at least where casks are concerned. Yep, we’re talking cask size, folks.  The barrel a whisky matures in determines how quickly it…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Why Islay Whisky Continues to Dominate in 2025
Why Islay Whisky Continues to Dominate in 2025

Some things never go out of style. Like my black leather jacket. I’m not too old for it. Right? Well, one thing that I’m sure we’ll all agree endures is…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Peated malt shortageA Guide to Different Kinds of Peats

Here’s a guide to different kinds of peats. First, the basics. What is peat? Compacted layers of decayed vegetation found in bogs, moors, and wetlands. Rich in moss, heather, and…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Octomore Series 16: seeing through the smokeOctomore Series 16: Seeing Through the Smoke

You can buy Octomore Series 16 from Master of Malt here: 16.1, 16.2, 16.3.  “Octomore can be more Bruichladdich than Bruichladdich is”, says brand ambassador Bill Shearer.  Octomore is where…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Highland Park cask strength batch 4Cask Strength Explained: What It Means and Why Fans Love It

There are certain phrases that get whisky lovers really going. Few have the allure of “cask strength”. When beer and wine drinkers first move into the world of whisky, 40%…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Glenmorangie A Tale of Spices reviewGlenmorangie A Tale of Spices Review

The Glenmorangie A Tale Of… series is now well established. Cake, Winter, Forest, Tokyo, Ice Cream… and now, Spice. Like its predecessors, Glenmorangie A Tale of Spices is exactly what…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Does your drink really taste better at a gig?Does Your Drink Really Taste Better At A Gig?

You’ve got a drink in one hand, music in the air, and suddenly it all just clicks. The flavours feel brighter, the whole thing somehow more alive. Festival magic? Or…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Jura adds two more years!Jura Adds Two More Years!

Jura 10 Year Old will be no more. In its place comes Jura 12 Year Old, now the brand’s entry-level expression. Two more years in oak, a clearer identity on…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Just Jura: The Charm of a Whisky Always Finding Itself
Just Jura: The Charm of a Whisky Always Finding Itself

‘Jura gets into your blood – it’s that kind of place,’ said Willie Cochrane, who ran the distillery for decades. He was talking about the island, one I visited recently…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Why Idris Elba wanted to make a Cognac: The Porte Noire storyWhy Idris Elba Wanted To Make Cognac: The Porte Noire story

“Cognac is something I’ve always appreciated for its complexity and richness,” says Idris Elba, founder of Porte Noire.  Idris Elba and The Porte Noire story His brand, meaning “Black Door”,…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Whisky stones are not what whisky lovers want for ChristmasThe First Drink of Whisky: So Often A Disaster

The first drink of whisky is rarely a romantic awakening. More often, it’s a bad date that makes you delete the app and give up.  A Bell’s and R White’s…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Pina ColadaWhat is the Drink of the Summer™?

Every year, without fail, this industry of ours asks itself the same question: What is the Drink of the Summer™?  And every year, without fail, scores of writers, bartenders, lifestyle publications,…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
A circle of flavour: brewing and whisky with Wire WorksA Circle of Flavour: Brewing and Whisky with Wire Works

In our Glencarin glass today is the third iteration of White Peak’s limited-edition: Wire Works Necessary Evil Finish. The independent Derbyshire distillery has gained plaudits for its uncompromising approach to whisky…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
10 trend-setting whiskies to try in 2025The Death of Bad Whisky?

“There is no bad whisky. There are only some whiskies that aren’t as good as others.”  — Raymond Chandler Was Chandler onto something? Gum is perfection. Wait, wrong Chandler. Whisky…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell