Author Archives: Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

About Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

I'm very interested in booze, with a focus on whisky. I like to listen to loads of music and play lots of Magic: the Gathering, and board games too. I'm married to Anneke, have two daughters Ot and Cato, a son Moos and a cat called Kikker (which means Frog, in Dutch). I live in Krommenie, The Netherlands.

Port Ellen 1976-2001, 25yo, 50% – Old Malt Cask

Posted on 19 September 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

It’s been a while since I tried a Port Ellen, but my mate Jason gave me a sample of the bottle he opened for his 40th birtday, earlier this year. It’s not just any Port Ellen but one from the mid-seventies, … Continue reading →

Posted in Port Ellen | Tagged 1976, Closed Distillery, Douglas Laing, Islay, Old Malt Cask, Port Ellen | Leave a comment

Benromach 1974, 41yo, Sherry Cask, 49.1%

Posted on 13 September 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Finally, I decided to try this baby. G&M/Benromach sent it to me a few months ago, right about when all the other reviews came online. Somehow I’ve not been tasting a lot of whisky lately and I wanted to properly … Continue reading →

Posted in Benromach | Tagged 1974, Benromach, Cask Strength, Free Sample, Gordon & MacPhail, Sherry Cask, Speyside | Leave a comment

More bottle shares

Posted on 8 September 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

The whisky season is hitting the ground running with some really interesting releases. Of course, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t want to try a lot of them, so there’s about to be a lot of bottle shares happening … Continue reading →

Posted in - American Whiskey, - Blended Malt, - Blended Whisky, - Bottle share, Compass Box, Heaven Hill | Tagged 2001, Blended Whisky, Bottle Share, Bourbon, Compass Box, Heaven Hill, Islay Cask, Kentucky, Malts of Scotland, Spice Tree, The Luxe, USA | Leave a comment

Cherry Spirit, 2003-2012, 51.9% – Beacon Spirits

Posted on 7 September 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Beacon Spirits is a new Belgian bottler of apparently not just whisky. This Cherry Spirit is not a typo for sherry, but an actual cherry brandy from Germany. It matured on oak casks for nine years so it’s far beyond … Continue reading →

Posted in - Other Spirits | Tagged 2003, Beacon Spirits, Belgium, Cask Strength, Cherry Spirit, Germany | Leave a comment

Tomatin 9yo, 2006-2015, Virgin Oak, 60% – Handbottled at the Distillery

Posted on 6 September 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

When I visited Tomatin in a snowy November last year, with some mates, we had a great tour and did an extensive tasting of all Handfills available at the moment. This is a good thing because the things aren’t cheap … Continue reading →

Posted in Tomatin | Tagged 2006, Distillery Only, Handfilled, Highlands, Tomatin, Virgin Oak | Leave a comment

Auchentoshan 17, Bordeaux Cask Finish, 51%

Posted on 2 September 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Before the revamp of Auchentoshan years ago, they also had their series of special bottlings. In gorgeous off-white boxes with some proper age statements on them. There was a 16 year old Fresh Bourbon cask, an 18 year old Oloroso … Continue reading →

Posted in Auchentoshan | Tagged Auchentoshan, Glasgow, Lowlands, Wine casks, Wine finish | 1 Comment

Beers of August

Posted on 31 August 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Another month of far too heavy beer drinking (according to my wife at least). The amount of beers was a fairly acceptable number until last weekend in which I both drank some new ones at home, and also went to … Continue reading →

Posted in - Beer | Tagged Beer festival, Brewdog, Brouwerij De Molen, Edge Brewing, Emelisse, Klein Duimpje, Leidsch Bier, Mikkeller, White Pony, Wild Beer Co. | 2 Comments

Mortlach 1998-2016, 18yo, 55.8% – Signatory for The Whisky Exchange

Posted on 26 August 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

EDIT: I made a booboo on the title. I initially had this up as being distilled in 1988. It is, however, a decade younger than that, from 1998. Mortlach has been gaining popularity and fame since Diageo revamped the packaging … Continue reading →

Posted in Mortlach | Tagged 1998, Cask Strength, Free Sample, Mortlach, Sherry Cask, Signatory, The Whisky Exchange | 3 Comments

Eagle Rare 10, barrel 230, 45% – OB for World of Drinks

Posted on 24 August 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

This is not going to be a traditional review with proper tasting notes. Mostly since I didn’t write any notes, but I still want to review this whisky, in a way. Some background first, since that is the reason I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in - American Whiskey, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare | Tagged Bourbon, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Kentucky, Single Barrel, USA, World of Drinks | Leave a comment

A couple of Gordon & MacPhail Drams

Posted on 22 August 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Over the last couple of months I’ve been getting some G&M samples from random distilleries. The ancient Mortlach and slightly less old Benromach have been sitting and waiting for the right time. However, the somewhat younger drams have been piling … Continue reading →

Posted in Craigellachie, Dalmore, Glenallachie | Tagged 1997, 1999, 2001, Connoisseur's Choice, Craigellachie, Dalmore, Free Sample, Glenallachie, Gordon & MacPhail | Leave a comment