Author Archives: Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer
Distilled – Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley
The guys at the Cask Strength whisky blog have been making a name for themselves for the last couple of years or so. The started bottling whisky, their blog went professional and now they’ve also got a book out. Let’s start … Continue reading
Posted in - Book, - Other Spirits
Tagged Absinthe, Blogging, Book, Book review, Books, Bourbon, Brandy, Calvados, Cask Strength Whisky, Cognac, Joel Harrison, Mezcal, Neil Ridley, Rye, Shochu, Tequila, Vodka, Whiskey, Whisky
2 Comments
Too many open bottles
Usually I would write more end-of-year lists in the dark days of a waning December. This year, apart from not too much booze related events happening due to my family’s growth of 33%, I also didn’t focus a lot on non-whisky … Continue reading
Posted in - Beer, - News and Announcements, - Other Spirits
Tagged Open bottles, Samples available
7 Comments
My favorite whiskies of 2014
I started doing my end-of-year lists yesterday with the music one. I love doing that since it makes me reconsider what I’m listening to for a large part of every day, and everybody else does their lists first so I get … Continue reading
Posted in - Blended Whisky, - Japanese Whisky, Arran, Benromach, Bowmore, Caol Ila, Clynelish, Compass Box, Glen Grant, Imperial, Karuizawa, Lagavulin, Longrow, Macallan, Michel Couvreur, Mortlach, Springbank
Tagged Arran, Asta Morris, Benromach, Bowmore, Campbeltown, Clynelish, Compass Box, Darkness!, Devil's Casks, Feis Ile, Glen Grant, Gordon & MacPhail, Great King St., Imperial, Karuizawa, Lagavulin, Longrow, Longrow Red, Macallan, Masterpieces, Michel Couvreur, Mortlach, Port Cask, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Signatory, SMWS, Speciality Drinks Ltd., The Whisky Exchange, The Whisky Show, Wealth Solutions
2 Comments
Music in 2014
In last year’s music post I said I hoped to be paying more attention to my list then, since I kind of screwed up on the 2012 list. I think I did slightly better last year, but it’s hard to … Continue reading
True Blood, or Professor Cornelius Ampleforth’s Cherry Brandy Liqueur 2014, 27.8%
When I first saw this sample I thought the chaps at Master of Malt had devised some new brand again. Some spin-off from the True Blood tv-show and this was their test batch… Master of Malt and their infinite number … Continue reading
Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013, 48%
So here it goes. Before I go into full year-review-mode I wanted to get this under my belt so I can add it to my lists, if it turns out Jim Murray is on to something. He called this his … Continue reading
Posted in - Japanese Whisky, Yamazaki
Tagged Free Sample, Japan, Jim Murray, Sherry Cask, Whisky Bible, Yamazaki
1 Comment
Wrapping up the Blind Tasting Competition of 2014
It’s time to start wrapping up the year with all the semi-obligatory year’s end lists. Those will follow over the coming week. There’ll be a list of my favorite music, whisky, events, other booze and whatever comes to mind. Of … Continue reading
Posted in Balmenach, Benromach, Bowmore, Glen Garioch, Glen Keith, Imperial, Lagavulin, Longmorn
Tagged Asta Morris, Balmenach, Benromach, Blind Tasting Competition, Bowmore, Closed Distillery, Devil's Casks, Feis Ile, Glen Garioch, Glen Keith, Highlands, Imperial, Islay, Kintra Whisky, Lagavulin, Longmorn, Signatory, SMWS, Speyside, The Perfect Dram, The Ultimate, Usquebaugh Society
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Blind Tasting Competition 18: Imperial 18yo, 1995-2014, 52.4% – Signatory for Asta Morris
So, the final night of this year’s Blind Tasting Competition is upon us. This year, like last year I’ve sucked. This year, unlike last year, there we no ridiculous casks like Lepanto Brandy cask matured Deanston and no ancient ‘nobody … Continue reading
Posted in Imperial
Tagged Asta Morris, Blind Tasting Competition, Imperial, Inchgower, Signatory, Speyside, Usquebaugh Society
2 Comments
The FEW Spirits Bottle-share
Yesterday I printed the labels. Tonight I filled the samples. At least most of them, on both accounts. I used a printer I didn’t know and didn’t want to ruin labels so I printed page one only. After checking I … Continue reading
Posted in FEW Spirits
Tagged Bottle Share, Bourbon, Evanston, FEW, FEW Spirits, Gin, Illinois, Master of Malt, Rye Whiskey, Single Malt Whiskey, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, USA, White Dog
3 Comments
Blind Tasting Competition 17: Lagavulin 19yo, 1995-2014, 54.7% – Feis Ile 2014
Yesterday I missed out on the idea of points, which was a strangely calm experience, and rather satisfactory. At least I didn’t screw up as massively as before. Today is the penultimate dram of this year’s competition and I only … Continue reading
Posted in Lagavulin
Tagged Blind Tasting Competition, Caol Ila, Feis Ile, Islay, Lagavulin, Usquebaugh Society
1 Comment
Malt Fascination 