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Master of Malt Blog

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New Arrival of the Week: HYKE Gin

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On the blog this week we showcase a grape-based drink that isn’t wine, brandy or even those purple cans of fizzy drink that used to be a fixture at school…

Features

Are these Britain's smallest gin distilleries?

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Some people build a garden shed and store a lawnmower in it. Others think, ‘I could make gin in that’. We like those people. Here, we celebrate five of Britain’s…

News

The Nightcap: 22 March

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Looking for bite-sized bits of booze news? That’s exactly what The Nightcap is all about! This week we’ve got stories about distillery facelifts, trees and 47 year old whisky… It’s…

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Say hello to some spring spirits!

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Spring has finally arrived and there’s no better way to ring in the warmer months than with a seasonal spirit in hand. Shed your layers and rejoice: spring is here!…

News Whisky

Chip Tate to set up New Distillery after leaving Balcones

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Balcones’ founder and builder Chip Tate and the venture capitalist group that invested in the Texan craft distillers back in February 2013 reached an impasse with regards to working together…

Chip Tate & Co Distillery Balcones

Balcones’ founder and builder Chip Tate and the venture capitalist group that invested in the Texan craft distillers back in February 2013 reached an impasse with regards to working together some time ago, and have finally parted company.

Having ended up in court in August of this year following disagreements that stemmed from the distillery expansion the investors were brought in to facilitate, a number of allegations were made and Chip was temporarily suspended. In November, however, Judge Jim Meyer of Waco’s 170th State District Court ruled that the board’s actions taken without Chip in the intervening months were invalid, forcing them back to the negotiating table.

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Competitions Tasting Notes Whisky

Whisky Santa’s Whisky Advent Day 4: Jura 16 Year Old

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It’s Day 4, and what do we have here? A single malt Scotch whisky? Yes, from the “extremely unget-at-able” Isle of Jura, as I once heard young George Orwell describe…

Isle of Jura 16 Year Old Diurachs' Own

It’s Day 4, and what do we have here? A single malt Scotch whisky? Yes, from the “extremely unget-at-able” Isle of Jura, as I once heard young George Orwell describe it.

It’s considerably easier to ‘get-at’ if you have flying reindeer of course, and I do rather enjoy travelling to the island on business every Christmas Eve. Less ice than at home, but many more deer! Mrs Claus and I are only outnumbered 9:2 (used to be 4:1 before we adopted that ruddy schnozzled fellow) by our four-legged antlered friends, whilst the Diurach of Jura are outnumbered 30:1 by the island’s red deer!

Hence why Jura or ‘Diùra’ literally means ‘deer island’. This dram, meanwhile, spent 14 years in American white oak casks and two years in ex-Amoroso Oloroso Sherry casks, and is said to be the whisky of choice for the Diurach themselves…

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Competitions Tasting Notes Whisky

Whisky Santa’s Whisky Advent Day 3: Evan Williams Single Barrel

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Time to open the third window of our Whisky Advent Calendars and see what surprise lies behind it… why I think this is a bourbon… Yes, it’s Evan Williams Single…

Evan Williams Single Barrel

Time to open the third window of our Whisky Advent Calendars and see what surprise lies behind it… why I think this is a bourbon… Yes, it’s Evan Williams Single Barrel Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey!

They’ve been producing Evan Williams at family-owned Heaven Hill since 1959 you know, and it’s named after the chap who was purportedly Kentucky’s first ever commercial distiller. I remember young Evan very well, of course, but as an omniscient supernatural being I’m not allowed to clear up these little historical facts for you I’m afraid. Rules is rules. Besides, there’s some delicious bourbon to taste…

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Competitions Irish Whiskey Tasting Notes Whisky

Whisky Santa’s Whisky Advent Day 2: Teeling Small Batch

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The second day of Whisky Advent is upon us already and what’s behind the second window of the Whisky Advent Calendar?… Why it’s Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey! The Teeling…

Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey

The second day of Whisky Advent is upon us already and what’s behind the second window of the Whisky Advent Calendar?… Why it’s Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey!

The Teeling family were of course the good folk behind the independent Cooley distillery (creating the excellent Connemara Peated single malt and Greenore single grain, for example) before it was eventually bought by Beam. Fortunately, they weren’t away for long and soon released Teeling Small Batch, a blend of selected casks of Irish malt and grain, finished for six months in ex-Flor de Caña Rum casks! In early 2015 they’ll have a shiny new distillery opening in the heart of Dublin too, one of many new projects on the island.

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Absinthe Cocktails Whisky

Master of Cocktails – Pedro Grant goes to New Orleans

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Right then folks. Time for another #MasterofCocktails! This week’s involves setting things on fire, which is always fun. We’re going to be making a Christmassy twist on a Sazerac recipe…

Master of Cocktails Pedro Grant Goes To New Orleans

Right then folks. Time for another #MasterofCocktails! This week’s involves setting things on fire, which is always fun.

We’re going to be making a Christmassy twist on a Sazerac recipe using Balvenie 15yo Single Barrel and PX Sherry. If anyone feels like complaining about the fact that we’re using a good single malt in a cocktail, can I suggest you jog on and complain to the Daily Mail – they’ll probably have a story to print about it being responsible for immigration. Or something.

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Competitions Tasting Notes Whisky

Whisky Santa’s Whisky Advent Day 1: Haig Club

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Well would you look at that – it’s the first day of Whisky Advent everybody! This is my very favourite time of the year as we all get to count…

David Beckham Haig Club Grain Whisky

Well would you look at that – it’s the first day of Whisky Advent everybody! This is my very favourite time of the year as we all get to count down to Christmas Day with Drinks by the Dram’s wonderful Whisky Advent Calendars!

In fact, I’m so delighted I’m going to bring you some Whisky Advent treats each and every day (see below).

Don’t have a Whisky Advent Calendar yet? Well it’s certainly not too late, you’re only one day behind so get your order in right away! For the rest of us it’s time to open the first window… behind which you’ll find… Haig Club single grain whisky! Yes indeed, the David Beckham one. Ho ho!

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Competitions Gin Liqueurs Rum Whisky

WIN Christmas Crackers with our Cracker Pullin’ Showdowns!

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Now this here story I’m about to unfold is something you should all be listenin’ to. And listenin’ well. There’s a reward, you see. A reward of Drinks by the…

Master of Malt #dramcrackers Cracker Pullin' Showdown

Now this here story I’m about to unfold is something you should all be listenin’ to. And listenin’ well. There’s a reward, you see. A reward of Drinks by the Dram Christmas Cracker sets, full of award-winning spirits and liqueurs, ready to be claimed by those with a keen eye for spotting the roughest, toughest cracker-pullers in the festive west…

Think you can identify the ace-highs from the crowbait? Throughout the first weeks of December we’ll be reliving the savage Cracker-Pullin’ Tournament of 1871. We’re giving away 10x sets of Drinks by the Dram Christmas Crackers per round, up to and including the grand Final, to folk who correctly guess the winner in each showdown!

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News Scotch Whisky Tasting Notes Whisky

William Grant Launches Glenfiddich Gallery

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Well this one’s been teed up perfectly really following last week’s post on The Glenlivet, and specifically how they’re catching the Glenfiddich in terms of sales whilst placing emphasise on…

Glenfiddich Gallery

Well this one’s been teed up perfectly really following last week’s post on The Glenlivet, and specifically how they’re catching the Glenfiddich in terms of sales whilst placing emphasise on their recent and historical innovation. So Glenfiddich, your move it seems. And here it is: Glenfiddich Gallery, a bespoke online whisky service where you can discover cask strength malts that match your personal tastes and also design the bespoke packaging your whisky will come in!

Whilst there is a certain award-winning online retailer that’s provided the opportunity to personalise both the labels and the liquid of your whisky for some time now *ahem*, this is an incredibly exciting step for a leading single malt brand to take.

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Absinthe Cocktails Whisky

Master of Cocktails – The Long-Standing Beef

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Right then chaps – time for this week’s #MasterofCocktails. We’re making a sort of Old Fashioned/Manhattan hybrid using Maple Syrup as the sweetening agent. Oh, and candied bacon as a…

Master of Cocktails Long Standing Beef

Right then chaps – time for this week’s #MasterofCocktails. We’re making a sort of Old Fashioned/Manhattan hybrid using Maple Syrup as the sweetening agent. Oh, and candied bacon as a garnish, as if this cocktail recipe wasn’t sounding awesome enough already.

However, before you even think about touching any of the liquids, you’re going to need to candy your bacon. No, that’s not a euphemism.

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Gin Liqueurs News Rum Vodka

Free Christmas Mulled Cup 10cl Sample When You Buy Any Other Professor Cornelius Ampleforth Product!

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I’ve been delighted to see that you’re all still getting your #WhiskySanta wishes in, either for any full bottle you fancy or for samples of World Whisky of the Year…

Free Mulled Cup Professor Cornelius Ampleforth

I’ve been delighted to see that you’re all still getting your #WhiskySanta wishes in, either for any full bottle you fancy or for samples of World Whisky of the Year Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013 on Twitter and Facebook. Plenty of people have been made extremely happy by having their wishes granted already, and that makes me very happy too! Now though, it’s time to point you in the direction of another festive surprise from Whisky Santa…

From now until 31st December, I’ll be popping a free 10cl sample of Christmas Mulled Cup in any orders that contain a bottle of one of Professor Cornelius Ampleforth‘s other fine spirits or liqueurs! That’s enough Mulled Cup to mix with one or two bottles of fruity red wine and a little sugar for perfect Mulled Wine every single time!

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