Agitator Whisky’s Post

What Is Whisky Marrying?? In the context of making Scotch whisky, "marrying" refers to the process of blending different batches or barrels of whisky together before bottling. “Marrying is a process that we can use before bottling the final expression of whisky. It's really when you take different whiskies and mix them together. It's like blending. mix them together and then either put them back into other casks or put them into big vats for a period when we say they marry.” Scotch whisky (even single malt) is often made by blending whiskies from different casks or batches to achieve a desired flavour profile and consistency. Each cask or batch of whisky may have its own unique characteristics due to factors such as aging time, type of cask used, and the environment in which it was aged. Marrying involves carefully combining these different whiskies to create a balanced and harmonious final product. This process allows the flavours and aromas of the individual whiskies to integrate and meld together, resulting in a smooth and cohesive product that is ready for bottling and consumption. #marrying #whisky #blend

Aged whisky market: Is 8 years old the new 12? 12 years old was the go to age of the blends and was the entry "sweet spot" for the aged whiskies. This is now rapidly being replaced by “8 years”. There are a variety of reasons but the shortage of 12-year-old liquid would be biggest reason of all. Having said that, it’s better to drink 8 years old than drink a NAS whisky. Eight-year-old whisky occupies a special place or a niche within the whisky maturation spectrum, embodying a beautiful balance and harmony between the vibrant character of younger whiskies and the nuanced complexity of older expressions. The maturation of an eight-year-old whisky involves a delicate interplay between the whisky and the cask in which it rests. Eight years of ageing is often where the distillate's youthful exuberance begins to mellow, and the deeper, more intricate notes imparted by the cask come to the forefront. In eight years, the whisky has had ample time to develop a richer flavour profile. It's likely to exhibit more pronounced cask-derived characteristics, such as oakiness, sweetness, or fruitiness, which are layered over the inherent flavours of the malt. So next time you are buying a whisky, keep a lookout is there is that 8-year-old sweet-spot version from your favourite brand. #scotch #whisky #8yearoldwhisky #agedwhisky #NAS #caskstrength

15 Stars debuts new expression, updates Timeless Reserve whiskey. The new expression is a blend of premium wheat, rye, and bourbon whiskeys

Don’t mind if I do…….Got a taste of this at Lagavulin 🥃😍 Lagavulin 26 Year Old -2021 - Special Releases - Single Malt Scotch Whisky Released as part of the Diageo Special Releases 2021, this 26 Year Old Lagavulin Cask Strength is aged in rich first fill Pedro Ximinez and Oloroso sherry casks. Nose: 👃 On the mellow nose a finely woven wine-woody aroma of great complexity takes time to yield its individual secrets. Light, fresh and vinous top notes mingle with the linseed oil of an artist’s studio then fade into a warm suggestion of sun-bleached polished mahogany, backed by dry edible seaweed, with sweeter hints of baked fig and butterscotch. Further in, the aromas grow more pungent, oily and fragrantly smoky; like going fishing, with background aromas of tarry rope and boat engine. If a little water is added, their intensity is reduced, while a note of clean linen survives best. Palate: 👅 In the light, ultra-smooth and oily texture a sweetness briefly gleams, soon tinged with salt and pepper, the whole growing more savoury and smokier all the time. Here is all the precious sweet-smoky style of Lagavulin, in a glowing, well-rounded form. A drop of water, not needed, yet seems to heighten the harmony of flavours. Finish: 🥃 Long, sweetly warning and faintly smoky, as with smouldering beech leaves, leaving an aftertaste of chanterelle mushrooms. A drop of water introduces a little pepper, then the smokiness reasserts itself in the drying aftertaste. *Tasting Notes Courtesy of Lagavulin Distillery. #lagavulin #lagavulinlovers #whisky #scotch #scotchlovers #bundabergwhiskyclub #bundaberg #lovewhisky #peatygoodness

Thought I'd share my IB buys this week. All Speyside single malts, but all quite incredibly different on the eye; from the bottle type, label shape, colour and font, the actual liquid colours, and finally the information shared on cask information etc. The Mortlach 14 from Hart Brothers Ltd in Glasgow, is a 2012 bottling, distilled in 1997. Bottled at 46% ABV, there isn't much information on the bottle, other than the guarantee that they "personally check every cask, to ensure that nothing compromises their enduring spirit of excellence". Can't really argue with that. It's definitely the most traditional looking bottle and label style, quite classy and classic I'd say. The Uncharted Whisky Co. bottling "Fools Gold" is a Tamnavulin 11, named after the classic Stone Roses song (one of my faves). Distilled in 2013, it was bottled this year at 50% ABV, with an outturn of only 195 bottles from a single bourbon barrel, specifically for the Spirit of Speyside Festival 2024. Nothing to fault here, I personally love everything about the UW Co's bottlings. Finally we have the rather impressive and statuesque Linkwood 12, from Finn Thomson and Finn Thomson Whisky. I was recommended to source a bottle by a friend who was blown away by tasting it, he said that he "couldnt believe it wasn't an 18". If you want to talk about attention to detail, style and quality? Well these bottlings scream all of that, and plenty more. Distilled in 2010 and bottled in 2022, at 55.5% ABV with an outturn of 300 bottles, from a First Fill Bourbon. This one really is quite a colour.. As I sit and admire them, the hardest part is to choose which one to dram? Slainte🥃 #whiskydream #whiskylife #whiskylover

Whisky Fun Review - Ben Nevis 1998 - SGP:362 - 86 Points We are thrilled to share another review of one of our limited-edition whiskies: Ben Nevis 1998 (48%, Limited, bourbon hogshead, cask #696, 300 bottles, +/-2023) We have a good feeling about this one, once again. It must be reminded that the vintages 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 were quite superlative at Ben Nevis, for reasons unknown to us. Colour: white wine. Nose: very pure, precise, almost monastic. Green apples, ashes, paraffin, pepper, linoleum. Mouth: a bit of a slip-up at first (strange plastics) but the salinity and lemon quickly put us back on track. Petrol, artichoke, hearts of palm, salsify, and increasingly more salinity. Finish: long. Lemon, rubber, artichokes, samphire, bitterness increasing in the aftertaste. Comments: another Ben Nevis that’s a bit mad and, consequently, very difficult to score. Well, let’s take the plunge... Get a bottle today: https://bit.ly/4cJLshc

Whiskey Wizards and Alligator Char: A Match Made in Barrel Heaven? Ever wondered what makes your whiskey taste so magical? Well, I might just have a nugget of wisdom to share. I've been reading about the craft behind the barrels at distilleries like Castle & Key and Bardstown Bourbon Company that use a #4 alligator char. Now, that might sound like something straight out of a swampy fairy tale, but it's actually the secret sauce—or should I say char? It's a super-charred barrel that gives whiskey its kick and deep flavor. Did you know that "alligator" refers to the roughness of the char on the wood, likening it to alligator skin? Pretty cool, huh? But here's the scoop from my corner: Not all whiskey needs to wrestle with an alligator to be superb. At Supergay Spirits, we believe in the flair each spirit brings to the table without needing the heaviest char. This aligns with our value of highlighting every spirit's unique character—just like we celebrate every individual's uniqueness. So, while those gator-level chars create bold flavors, remember, there's room for every style in the grand distillery of life. And always keep it super, never shy. 🌈✨ If you've got a thirst for more whiskey wisdom, take a peek at the article: [Article link]https://buff.ly/3z6JVTf Spirits Co. Unveils Second Blue Run Micro-Batch Bourbon Release - PRWeb

The morning ran away from me so I'm running a tad late for my #MondaySparks: 1. With the growth of #zeroproof #beveragesolutions, a lot of what we talk about is the flavor...of course. If you're going to market something as a gin, whiskey, bourbon, etc. substitute, there are expectations about taste that have to be met. But drinking alcohol is about other experiences beyond just flavor including that warm "burn" you get. That has been extremely hard to replicate, though more spirit-free beverage companies are trying including Free AF | AF Drinks. Their new Whisk#y Ginger features Afterglow(tm), a botanical extract that mimics that feeling of warmth. It's an important reminder that while flavor rule, food and beverage experiences are not just flavor and exciting and engaging other senses can create far more dynamic experiences. Are you focusing on sense beyond sight and flavor in your #innovation process? (https://lnkd.in/e3saRXRQ) 2. Búho Soda recently launched a line of premium tonics, but what I find fantastic about these are the flavors. Sure, there are other flavored tonics out there but these are complex, internationally inspired, and really interesting. How easy is it for us to focus so much on innovation outside the basics that we forget the basics can be in desperate need of revamping? What we've seen happen...endlessly and continuously...with ranch dressing is another example of how a basic element suddenly because a lot less basic. (https://lnkd.in/e5SFXNpw) 3. In a recent survey Mike Kostyo and I fielded, over 80% of consumers say they get more joy from anticipating a great meal than reminiscing about a great meal. Building that anticipation can be challenging beyond making the reservation. Here we need to lean on creative #hospitality, #technology and think beyond how we "always do things." At the Office of Mr. Moto, they are building anticipation by requiring patrons to decode an email before the visit. How can your operation, or brand, build anticipation before consumption? Is this a technology play, or a way to showcase your exceptionally trained and committed staff? What does anticipation look like for the experience and brand strategy? #trends2024 #restaurants #foodandbeverageindustry #consumerinsights #consumerbehavior #foodservice #cpg

🆕 New Post Alert –> Angel's Envy Cask Strength Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Review "If you're even semi-American whiskey savvy, you recognize the phrase in this bottle's name: Cask Strength Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon. Well, it's true: no water was added to achieve 100 proof; just the mingling of sub- and above-100-proof casks to attain that essential proof for BIB." Click-through to read more. 🥃