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.

World Whisky Tasting: Ireland 2021, by De Whiskykoning

Posted on 10 September 2021 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Contrary to regular years, in which I visited the shop in Den Bosch regularly for tastings, I now visit the shop semi-regularly to pick up tastings. As in, samples, for later tasting. I generally get a sample pack of each … Continue reading →

Posted in - Irish Whiskey, Busker, Hinch, Kilbeggan, Teeling, Undisclosed, Writer's Tears | Tagged 2003, 2005, Bourbon Cask, Brabazon, Hinch, Irish Whiskey, Kilbeggan, Marsala cask, Pot Still Whiskey, Rob Stevens, Sherry Cask, Single Pot Still, Teeling, The Busker, The Irishman, Whiskykoning, Whiskyslijterij De Koning, Writer's Tears | Leave a comment

Caol Ila 3, 2018-2021, First Fill Quarter Cask, 52.1% – The Whisky Jury ‘1 Day Old’

Posted on 9 September 2021 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Of course this isn’t really one day old. It’s whisky after all, and the vintage and bottling year are given. It’s more like they wanted to provoke us drinkers to indicate this is a very young whisky and challenge you … Continue reading →

Posted in Caol Ila | Tagged 2018, Caol Ila, Islay, The Whisky Jury | Leave a comment

Highland Park 15, 2003-2018, 1st Fill European Oak Puncheon 1306, 58.1% – OB for the Independent Whisky Bars of Scotland

Posted on 8 September 2021 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Longest. Title. Ever. Anyway, this sherry’d Highland Park sits in my collection, waiting for a moment to be opened. When at Maltstock in 2018, it was used in a tasting by Jon Beach and Tatsuya Minagawa in their ‘Japan vs … Continue reading →

Posted in Highland Park | Tagged Advent Calendar, Fiddler's, HIghland Park, Independent Whisky Bars of Scotland, Islands, Jon Beach, Orkney, Sherry Cask | 1 Comment

A Tennessee Distillery 13, 2003-2017, 50.7% – The Whisky Agency

Posted on 7 September 2021 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

And now a complete rarity. An undisclosed Tennessee whiskey isn’t too rare, of course, but one bottled by The Whisky Agency, at a decent age, for the Taiwanese market is. I got a sample of this from Whiskay.com and had … Continue reading →

Posted in - American Whiskey, Undisclosed | Tagged 2003, Tennessee, Tennessee Whiskey, The Whisky Agency, Undisclosed Distillery, USA | 3 Comments

Fettercairn 18, 1990-2009, Oloroso Quartercask 2902, 50%

Posted on 6 September 2021 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

I haven’t reviewed many Fettercairn on this blog, and it’s fair to say I haven’t tried many more either. It’s one of those distilleries that used to have a bit of a shitty reputation with their whisky being too funky, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fettercairn | Tagged 1990, Fettercairn, Highlands, Sherry Cask | Leave a comment

Ben Nevis 24, 1996-2021, Hogshead 1408, 45.6% – Wu Dram Clan

Posted on 4 September 2021 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

It took some doing and the sample that Wu Dram Clan sent me has now seen more of Europe than I have in the last decade, but eventually it arrived home. Of course, it was a rather highly anticipated whisky, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ben Nevis | Tagged 1996, Ben Nevis, Bourbon Cask, Duckhammers Rare & Fine, Fort William, Free Sample, Highlands, The Whisky Kingdom, Wu Dram Clan | 1 Comment

Redbreast 12, 40% – OB from Bow Street Distillery

Posted on 2 September 2021 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

In 1971 Bow Street distillery stopped producing. Redbreast didn’t disappear forever, of course. It just stopped being produces for a while. In the mid-90s the brand was relaunched with production of the whiskey happening at Midleton Distillery in County Cork. … Continue reading →

Posted in - Irish Whiskey, Redbreast | Tagged Bow Street Distillery, Dublin, Ireland, Irish Whiskey, Jameson, Redbreast | Leave a comment

Four Roses Single Barrel 4-1V, 50%

Posted on 1 September 2021 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

These Single Barrels are always a bit of a lucky shot. As in, Four Roses uses ten different recipes for their bourbons, and I’m not sure if these single barrels are always from a subset or use all ten at … Continue reading →

Posted in - American Whiskey, - Bourbon, Four Roses | Tagged Bourbon, Four Roses, Kentucky, Single Barrel, USA | Leave a comment

Kilkerran 8, Cask Strength Batch 4, Re-charred Oloroso casks, 57.1%

Posted on 31 August 2021 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Anything that comes from one of the Springbank brands is going to be popular. When it turns out to be a sherry cask matured something, at cask strength, it’s never going to be on a shelf in a shop until … Continue reading →

Posted in Glengyle, Kilkerran, Springbank | Tagged Campbeltown, Glengyle, Kilkerran, Sherry Cask, Springbank | Leave a comment

Port Charlotte 14, 2004-2019, 1st Fill Sherry Hogshead, 53.4% – Dramfool for Feis Ile 2019

Posted on 30 August 2021 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Peat and sherry always works. Almost always at least. And when a dram get vetted for use in Fiddler’s Advent Calendar, you know you’re in for a treat. A sample bottle this dark with a lovely whiff of briny smoke … Continue reading →

Posted in Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte | Tagged 2004, Advent Calendar, Bruichladdich, Dramfool, Feis Ile, Fiddler's, Islay, Jon Beach, Port Charlotte, Sherry Cask | 1 Comment