William Grant and Sons Ltd is an independent, family-owned Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other spirits. It was established in 1887 by William Grant, and is run by Grant’s descendants as of 2018. It is the largest of the handful of Scotch whisky distillers remaining in family ownership. The William Grant brands include: Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Kininvie, Grant’s, Monkey Shoulder, Aerstone, Clan MacGregor, Tullamore D.E.W.
Hendrick’s Gin
Reyka Vodka
Sailor Jerry Rum
Many years ago, I worked for the South African Breweries. Based in Johannesburg at the Sandton head office, I had regular visits to the various distilleries. Each distillery has an individual culture, but the one constant was the smell. The delicious, malty, hoppy aroma of beer being brewed.
Peated whisky is a divisive topic—some adore it, while others find it overwhelming. When I started drinking whisky, I could not appreciate the heavily peated drams. But as I explored more, I began to appreciate the earthy, smoky complexity they offer.Read More »Best Peated Whisky
My next side-by-side comparison takes a look at two of the biggest names in Irish whiskey: Tullamore DEW vs Jameson Irish whiskey. If you are new to Irish whiskey, chances are you have already seen both bottles sitting on a supermarket shelf or behind your local bar. They are affordable, widely available, and often recommended as entry-level Irish drams.
If you’re exploring Scotch whisky beyond the basics, there’s no better place to look than Speyside, the region that produces many of the world’s most-loved single malts. But what exactly makes Speyside special, and which bottles truly earn the title of the best Speyside whisky?
Originally part of my tasting notes for the Golden Cask, this side-by-side comparison quickly proved too good not to deserve its own spotlight. Today, we dive into the delicious world of the Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask, two rum-finished Speyside single malts that showcase just how versatile The Balvenie can be when tropical cask influence enters the equation.
Last week I looked at the Aerstone Sea Cask 10 year old single malt whisky, and this week I explore more of the Aerstone Land Cask single malt Scotch whisky and look at the Ailsa Bay Distillery. A new distillery to my blog.