It was great to be back at The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show at Old Billingsgate, near London Bridge for all 3 days and have the chance to try drams we might not otherwise have the chance to sample – or afford. The vibe was very relaxed and happy, a far cry to last year’s which, whilst I loved it, was also the first event for most of us since lockdown, too many people still not able or willing to be there, and felt different accordingly. This year’s was fun and full of talk. I didn’t actually see anyone really drunk, possibly my first ever whisky festival where no one’s fallen down at my feet after imbibing too much – or is it simply that I’ve lost my drunk magnet?
We could hug again, people were sharing glasses and there was a real buzz to the show. I probably had as many hugs as drams and it was wonderful to catch up with so many friends, both in the trade and fellow whisky lovers from all over the world.
As ever, I carried my own spittoon with me (an empty water bottle with a wide opening for ease of use) but saw more drams poured out than spat out in the official spittoons, always disappointing to see such waste unless it’s a dram that just doesn’t appeal. Hold it in your mouth, swirl, but not too long or the spice can overwhelm with younger drams, then spit. That way, you get to try more whisky safely. This is not a show for endless dramming, it’s one of quality and, yes, there’s also quantity available with around 800 drams included in the ticket price, plus the Dream Drams and secret, under-the-counter drams. There were officially 1,000 drams in total on offer over three days.
I enjoyed every dram I tried but would have loved an extra day. I keep thinking of the stands where I meant to return – Woven and Douglas Laing amongst them – or never reached at all – saké and Sliabh Liag Distillers/Silkie Whiskey, included. But I did try a fantastic and varied selection, from new make to 45 year old whisky, and used a different notebook a day to record them all after last year’s debacle where I lost my notebook with tasting notes for every dram I tried that day. Fortunately, only my first day’s notes and not all of them but I wasn’t going to take the chance again. I write tasting notes for every dram, as well as taking photos, to record what I’ve sampled and the quality of the writing is generally a good indication of when it’s time to return to the hotel, the handy London Bridge Hotel again this year.
The queue
The day starts in the queue. Not quite as impressive as the recent queue to pay respects to the Queen, and it was a really slow start this year, possibly because of the train strike on the Saturday which meant trains ended early on Friday and several people had to miss the show because they couldn’t guarantee getting there or back, but the usual culprits were in position. I arrive early so I’m there and can relax but no mad dash to the show shop for me as soon as it opens and that’s a big issue with the queue. There are those who arrive early to head straight to the shop, intending to flip bottles. Their business but I can’t help but feel that it’s not in the spirit of the event if all some people do is head to the shop, buy those rare and/or profitable bottles, then leave immediately, as happens.
On the last day, two young men, not known to fellow whisky people from what I heard, queued overnight and, when the doors opened unexpectedly suddenly, raced to the shop, almost failing to take a glass en route. I hope they at least tried a few drams before leaving. On that last day, the queue of adults weren’t given the previous days’ warning not to run to the shop as it’s dangerous and it was like watching Black Friday sales – grown men ran, racing each other to the shop to pick up… I have no idea but there were rumours of hard-to-find Japanese whisky for sale. I’ve never seen anything like it and hope The Whisky Exchange change this next year – to award medals to the first three who reach the shop without accident or incident! An assault course, possibly, jump over casks to reach the shop and swim through angels’ share, maybe.
Being serious, though, I would love the system to change, for everyone to try the show drams before just buying the bottles. I think sampling the drams, then being given tokens to buy them, would be better but the reality is that it’s down to individuals to do what they want. We are, after all, adults, although it didn’t look like it when they literally ran to the shop. I just wonder how many of those first-in-queue bottles are opened and enjoyed, not just flipped immediately for a profit.
I eventually went to the shop but on the last day after retasting one of The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show bottlings, the Clynelish 11 year old, a surprising favourite for me as it’s not a distillery I’d particularly rated before trying that bottle – but which encouraged me to try more Clynelish at the show and I’m now a fan. Keep an eye on their website or in their shops in case there are any unsold bottles which make it to the shelves https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/search?q=whisky%20show%20clynelish
Queue drams
One of the highlights of queuing isn’t just the chance to catch up with friends, as well as make new ones, and actually have time to talk but to share and enjoy queue drams. The rules of the show are strict – no empty dram bottles are allowed. We’re not allowed to take drams home, they must all be enjoyed at the venue. However, drams are taken to enjoy in the queue. I took hip flasks containing whisky I hoped most people there wouldn’t have had the chance to try, one with SMWS The Tar Pit 9 yo blended peated whisky and the other had Sutcliffe & Son The Exceptional Grain which has aged grains from 5 distilleries, as well as packing three little cups so people could try them – and a stylish/pretentious/irresistible (delete as appropriate) Glencairn travel set for me to try others’ drams. It’s a sign of how generous and kind the whisky world is when you see what’s on offer in the queue and my Star Queue Dram was Thompson Brothers Tullibardine 28 year old with The Grainman Carsebridge 33 year old a close second.
Show bottlings
The question in the queue is always where someone will go first – it’s not always the shop. On my first day, it was straight to a stand that gets busy early, The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show stand (not their onsite shop) with special Whisky Show bottlings, as well as TWE exclusives. I’d read the email and website so knew what was on offer but not how much they cost. Regardless of the price of the bottles themselves, I wanted to try the complete set of 5 drams for the experience. I hope next year’s email also includes prices so I know whether to get excited or not! It was fantastic to see bottles under £100 again after last year’s disappointment and I hope to see the same in future. I tried all show bottlings, including the Imperial 26 year old. It’s a treat to be able to try the old rare drams like this, a highlight of the show. My complete list of drams is at the end of this blog.
The theme of this year’s show was From Grain to Green and 4 of the 5 whisky show bottles on offer had special labels to raise awareness of the climate crisis we’re facing, only my first dram of the show, the Linkwood 16 year old didn’t and I liked the symmetry of my dramming with both my first and last drinks of the show being from the same distillery. The warmer it gets, the more details are shown on the otherwise solid-looking black labels. I know it’s an important message and a clever idea but they have no shelf appeal which is such a shame. I love labels, they’re artwork which influence what I want to try, if not buy. Had I seen them in a bar, I wouldn’t have been tempted. Too clever this year, perhaps but, once warmed as the room heats or even by my warm hands, the designs were great and the Clynelish label depicts a stylised London Eye behind the Elizabeth Tower, better (albeit wrongly) known as Big Ben. The rest of the time, they’re just black blobs. For most people, though, that won’t matter, all that’s important is what’s in the bottle. I’d expected to want to buy the Ledaig 2006 which was matured in a sherry butt for 15 years and it was beautiful with its Aga smoke, rubber bands, cherry, Vimto, salt water taffy, dry spices and chocolate notes but, at £175, over budget for me, although not a bad price comparatively. It was tempting, though, a very unusual and delightful Ledaig, it was clear why it had been chosen as the show bottling over another cask. I also tried a TWE exclusive Ledaig 15 year old at the stand which was more classic with its notes of ash, seat salt, bonfire on the beach, medicine cabinet, herrings and some raspberry jam on the side. A really lovely dram but the show bottling was the standout for me.
The 5 show bottlings were, in order of recommended tasting:
- Linkwood 2006 16 yo hogshead #801604-5, 56.5%
- Imperial 1996 26 yo hogshead #1053 and #1189, 51.5%
- Clynelish 2011 11 yo barrel #800273, 58.7%
- Ledaig 2006 15 yo sherry butt #13, 54.7%
- Caol Ila 2013 9 yo hogshead #315159, 57.3%
Where to go first
Some start on stand 1 and work round systematically, others do what I did my first time there, have a list of drams they want to try – something I gave up trying very quickly because there’s always something to discover and I’m easily distracted by shiny things! I spoke to people who headed straight for a very specific dram or Dream Drams so they wouldn’t miss out, to stands they wanted before they became too busy (Bimber was a popular choice at the front of the queue where I was) and others just went with the flow, seeing what appealed or which stands were free.
Day 2 saw me choose between Bimber or That Boutique-y Whisky Company as my first stop. Bimber won as it wasn’t as packed at that point, and Day 3 was a dash to the cloakroom with my bags before heading to Diageo and Adelphi/Ardnamurchan for Dream Drams. I’d left it too late by then for the Adelphi Mortlach 1986 34 year old, as I had for Berry Bros. & Rudd Girvan 1964 58 year old on the first day.
I knew who I wanted to see but was open to trying anything that appealed. I’d have loved a Day 4 but, being there for all 3 days at least meant I didn’t feel I had to race around frantically on a single day, trying everything in sight as I’ve done at one-day festivals, but could take my time. Do I have regrets about missing out on some stands and not returning to others? Absolutely, but I also loved what I did try and knew my limits – and stuck to them, helped nobly by using a spittoon which, along with drinking plenty of water when rinsing my glass between drams, enabled me to try more whisky safely.
Layout
The show was spread over two floors with the second floor having three areas – whisky, Irish whiskey (although there were Irish whiskey stands elsewhere) and the Flavour Zone which contained different spirits and saké. It’s a great idea to have other spirits, especially rum which has so many similarities to whisky and it was a great way to tempt more whisky drinkers to try tots whilst there. Foursquare Isonomy 17 year old was the Star Tot for me, a beautiful fruity tot with rhubarb, bananas Foster, apple Danish, raisin Danish and overripe bananas, plus a perfect balance of spice. I particularly enjoyed the Whisky Show Flavour Selection stand which included rums from the likes of SBS and Privateer, as well as other spirits and aperitifs, such as Jean-Luc Pasquet Pineau des Charentes Blanc.
Strangely, the qualities I love in rum, those wonderfully rubbery notes from the esters, are my least favourite when drinking whisky but festivals like TWE Rum and Whisky Shows mean that we can try all styles and discover what appeals most. There were some great rums there and I hope people took the opportunity to sample them. I ran out of time so missed out on trying saké, Cognac and more rum but really enjoyed what I did try and I’m glad I took the time out to eat the meals included in the ticket price on each day and caught up with friends whilst giving my nose and palate a rest from continual drinking. A few sleeve sniffs were needed to refresh my nose once or twice each day but those meal breaks were essential and the boxed food this year was the best I’ve had at drinks festivals.
Masterclasses
TWE Whisky Show isn’t just there so we can try drams of all ages and prices, from nations across the world, both blended and single, malt and grain, plus other spirits. We go to be informed, whether through masterclasses, private tastings or speaking to the Brand Ambassadors at the stands.
I decided not to attend any masterclasses this year, partly because I’d been to so many wonderful ones during lockdown and beyond. I attend in-person tastings at Cut Your Wolf Loose in Brighton regularly and belong to several whisky clubs – and I didn’t want to take time out from choosing from the hundreds of drams on offer in the hall but it was tempting to sign up for some of them. There was a great choice, as well as free talks on the main stage.
I was also lucky enough to be invited to a private tasting of Fettercairn 18 with Whyte and Mackay’s Master Whisky Maker and Blender, Gregg Glass, and hear about Scottish oak, which I’ll be covering in a separate blog. One of the sights of the show was Gregg showcasing his passion for Scottish oak so memorably…
As ever, I learnt a lot. I also wish I’d had more time and some stands weren’t as busy so I could ask more questions. It was fascinating speaking to new distilleries and indie bottlers like Woven and Ardnamurchan and also discover the latest bottlings of more established ones, including Elixir and Glen Moray. I loved That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Christian Drouin Calvados 21 year old and would have loved to have stayed at their stand for a while, working my way from left to right. Where else can you try an old and wonderfully coloured Dutch dram (Millstone 25 year old) alongside a 25 year old Clynelish and the aged Calvados?
Dream Drams
I’m a huge fan of the Perfect Measure glass which we received at the show every day and which I always use for tastings at home. As the name suggests, they’re the perfect shape for nosing and tasting, and a Dream Dram token worth £10 was inserted in each glass on entry. More tokens could be bought from the show shop and the Dream Dram stand itself for £10 each and a whole wealth of dream drams were on offer, ranging from a single token to 35. In terms of value, 1 token covers bottles with RRPs of £500-999, 2 tokens £1,000-1,999, 3 £2,000-2,999, all the way up to 35 which equates to £34,000-34,999 which you could exchange for a 50 year old Karuizawa.
And that’s the thing about TWE Whisky Show, we all have different pockets and, for some, that £350 for 35 tokens is great value for such a rare dram which, if you could even find it elsewhere would be far more expensive.
I was very lucky to try a number of Dream Drams – with thanks to all the lovely people who gave me extra tokens. One of the most impressive in terms of distillery was a 30 year old from the long-closed Brora before its regeneration, a truly dream dram for many and so incredible to have the opportunity to try it. It really was history in a glass.
Under-the-counter drams
There are drams on display, Dream Drams and those secret under-the counter-drams and it was a sheer delight to try so many of the latter, including Copenhagen Distillery’s Emmer in a schnapps cask which, even before hearing what cask was used, took me right back to long ago holidays in Denmark where I used to drink the Danish spirit. Copenhagen’s Angelica Gin was also superb and I’d love a bottle. My favourite under-the-counter dram was one I misread as a 13 year old but the wonderfully dark Adelphi Blair Athol was a 21 year old and an absolute treat to try and try again – definitely one to source at auctions if you can. It was one of my favourite drams at the show, not least for that fabulous Guinness colour.
Clothes and accessories
A little aside here, but I wanted to pay tribute to a few of the clothes and accessories I saw at the show which led to some interesting conversations with those wearing them. First up were the best shoes of the show, worn by the gentleman from Suffolk who, along with his well-accessorised friends, is always one of the first in the queue on the first day. Beautiful shoes and I was impressed (and envious) by the sheer amount of whisky pins they were wearing. True whisky lovers and a delight to see such well-dressed men so early in the day.
I also stopped another man during the show just to praise his beautiful handmade shoes which sparked a conversation with him and his friends and much appreciation. My own shoes, incidentally, were green Converse but didn’t compare to a great pair I saw someone wearing at a stand, resulting in another initially non-whisky conversation. They’re conversation openers.
I admired a shiny whisky pin, discovered that Karan and I have a friend in common, and I’m now the proud owner of a very stylish Nanyang Whisky door-shaped pin and, like all the other cases, we had a great conversation and shared love of whisky. I also noted Gary Mills’ shirts which grew more alarming/colourful (depending on taste) by the day!
And then there was the other Gary’s T-shirt. You can talk to someone on social media for years, say ‘hope to see you at the show’… and later realise that not all of us use avatars with our faces – mine are dogs or bottles, depending which platform I use – and I probably wouldn’t recognise him at all. Then, I saw a fantastic Warhol-style Star Wars T-shirt, got talking and said that he really needed to visit Iain Allan at Glen Moray and say that Fi sent him, which is how we came to know each other’s names and talked some more. It was so great to meet him and, were he wearing a different T-shirt or if I’d focused purely on the drams and not people’s clothing and accessories, we’d never have met at all. It was such a lovely moment.
Festivals aren’t just for the whisky but the people who share and drink it and I loved conversations started by admiring what others were wearing; simple and genuine compliments which turned into connections. I might have to find some extra special Converse to wear next year, though. I wonder where my sequinned vintage snow leopard ones are which, on showing them to a friend one Black Friday in Vegas shortly after buying them, saw a man call to me across the bar, sharing his own admiration for them. I’m glad I’m not the only person to notice such things.
Conclusion
It was a superb three days. I loved meeting everyone, discovering more distilleries and try some superb drams and other spirits in an accommodating and convenient venue. It definitely benefits from having 3 days, I’d like a 4th but that’s not really practical, unfortunately.
Would I have done it differently? No, I got the balance right. You can’t try everything and of course I wish I’d been able to get to all stands and back to those that I intended but I loved every single dram I tried and can’t wait to do it all again next year (29th September-1st October at the same venue) when, hopefully, there will be no train strikes and the London Marathon is back to its springtime slot.
The two Star Drams of the show, like last year, were both from the Elixir stand, The Single Malts of Scotland Director’s Special Bunnahabhain 43 year old, followed by Port Askaig 45 year old. Superb drams and an honour to have the chance to try them, which is what makes the event so exciting and informative. We get to try drams we wouldn’t normally be able to find or, in many of our cases, afford. I absolutely loved it.
Swag
I was fortunate enough to be given some non-dram treats – as well as over-the-counter, under-the-counter and very under-the-counter drams – with thanks to everyone who poured them for me. I managed to lose or destroy 3 whisky pins en route to the show (don’t ask!) so was keen to amass more.
Whisky pins: Ardnamurchan, Glen Scotia and Nanyang Whisky
In turn, I gifted my Writer’s Tears whisky pin to the very nice man at their stand as he didn’t have one (and I have a spare, thanks to their Tweet Tastings!)
Tasting book: Ardnamurchan
Pen: Douglas Laing Big Peat, complete with a Batman-style Big Peat light
T-shirt: Compass Box Flaming Heart. Fantastic design and feels like a gig shirt
Drams
I recorded every dram I tried, including the queue drams. I also brought my own pipette bottles with Larkfire water to try drams with and without water where possible.
Non-whisky drams/tots are italicised and my star and top drams of the show are in bold
Day 1
Queue drams
- SMWS The Tar Pit 9 yo blended
- Talisker (no more details given)
- Springbank 14 yo Burgundy cask, 57.3%
Show drams
- TWE Whisky Show bottling Linkwood 16 yo, 56.5%
- TWE Whisky Show bottling Imperial 26 yo, 51.5%
- TWE Whisky Show bottling Clynelish 11 yo, 58.7%
- TWE Whisky Show bottling Ledaig 15 yo, 54.7%
- TWE Whisky Show bottling Caol Ila 9 yo, 57.3%
- TWE exclusive Ledaig 15, 53.4%
- Woven Experience #9 blended whisky, 46.1%
- Woven Superblend
- Dingle Mezcal cask finish 2017/2021, 66.16%
- Dingle Batch #6, Port cask maturation, 46.5%
- Dingle ‘Samhain’ Moscatel cask finish, 50.5%
- Dingle PX cask 2014, 59.6%
- Shortcross Rye & Malt Irish Whiskey, 46%
- Shortcross Rye & Malt Irish Whiskey cask strength, 66%
- J.J. Corry Tequila cask finish batch #3, 6yo, 50%
- J.J. Corry Fino cask 200 2, 52.53%
- Mackmyra Reserve peated new make
- Jean-Luc Pasquet Pineau des Charentes Blanc, 18%
- Privateer Navy Yard Barrel Proof Rum, 54.4%
- Privateer Thick as Thieves Rum, 56.2%
- Fettercairn 18 yo, 46.8%
- Laphroaig 19 yo, cask #20/538 #3?
- Jura 1990, bottled 2020, 46.5%
- Adelphi Ardnagherkin, 6yo, 59.9%
- Adelphi The Sändebud 6 yo, 58.9%
- Adelphi, Blair Athol 1997 21 yo, 57.2% (the fabulously black one I misread as being a 13 yo…)
- Ardnamurchan AD/09:22 cask strength, 58.7%
- Elixir The Single Malts of Scotland Speyside Distillery 25 yo, 52.6%
- Elixir The Single Malts of Scotland Director’s Special Imperial 32 yo, 42.7%
- Elixir The Single Malts of Scotland Director’s Special Bunnahabhain 43 yo, 41.4%
- Brora 30 yo bottled in 2010, 54.3%
Day 2
Queue drams
- Cask Share Benrinnes red wine cask
- Cadenhead’s Miltonduff -Glenlivet 14 yo
- Balvenie red wine cask
- Carsebridge 33 yo
- Springbank 18 yo
- Thompson Brothers Tullibardine 28 yo
- SMWS Glentauchers 8yo for Swedish market
- Clan Denny Dumbarton 48 yo 1998
- The Grainman Carsebridge 33 yo
- Raasay private cask bottled on 22/2/22
Show drams
- Bimber Platinum Jubilee Bourbon cask, 51.8%
- Bimber Tower Hill Palo Cortado cask, 58.7%
- Bimber Camden Town Amontillado cask, 58.5%
- Bimber Peated Ex-Bourbon, 61.7% (1 of 7 casks going into their Peated botte)
- Bimber Dunphail Commemorative Founders’ Release Fino cask, 55.7%
- Paul John XO Brandy 8 yo, 46%
- Paul John Mithuna, 58%
- Never Say Die Bourbon Barrel #2, 56.4%
- That Boutique-y Whisky Company Christian Drouin Calvados 21 yo, 41.5%
- That Boutique-y Whisky Company Millstone Batch #5 25 yo, 46.5%
- Loch Lomond ‘Irish’ grain New Make (70% malted, 30% unmalted)
- Loch Lomond ‘American’ New Make (70% malted, 30% rye), 63.3%
- Berry Bros. & Rudd Inchgower 2009, 52.4%
- Berry Bros. & Rudd Staoisha 2013, 56.7%
- Berry Bros. & Rudd Ironroot Distillery Bourbon 2018, 61.2%
- Stauning Floor Malted Rye Whisky Sweet Wine Casks, 46%
- Stauning Smoke, 47%
- The Irishman The Harvest, 40%
- Cadenhead’s Ben Nevis 2012 9yo Manzanilla cask, 57%
- Celtic Whisky Distillerie Gwalarn Celtic Whisky Blend (Britanny-based distillery), 40%
- Celtic Whisky Distillerie Glann Ar Mor, 46%
- Celtic Whisky Distillerie, Kornog
- Ardnamurchan AD/10:22 Madeira cask
- Adelphi Blair Athol 1997 21 yo, 57.2% (repeat dram)
- Adelphi Bowmore 25 yo, 54.2%
- Adelphi Foursquare 15 yo, 61%
- Morrison Mac-Talla Red Wine Barriques, 53.8%
- Carn Mor Glentauchers 2011 10 yo, 47.5%
- Glengoyne Legacy Chapter Three, 46%
- Glengoyne 21 yo, 43%
- Glen Moray Amontillado, 57.5%
- Glen Moray Amarone, 55.6%
- Dunphail The Dava Way Dailuaine Cognac butt 13 yo, 50%
- Dunphail The Dava Way Orkney Distillery 17 yo, 60.3%
- Deanston 2000 Organic Whisky, 50.9%
- Whistlepig Piggy Back 6 yo, 48.2%
- Whistlepig Maple Syrup
- Gordon & MacPhail Tormore 1993, 54.5%
- Glencadam ‘The Remarkable’ 25 yo Batch #2, 46%
- Mars Komagatake 2021 Edition, 48%
- Mars Maltage ‘Cosmo’, 43%
- Glenturret 12 yo, 46%
- Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries 2021, Blended Chichibu & Komagatake, 53.5%
- Port Askaig 1968 distilled 45 yo, 40.8%
- Elixir: Seaweed and whisky cocktail
- Elixir Single Malts of Scotland Glenrothes 31 yo, 53.2%
- Port Askaig 28 yo, 45.8%
- An unrecorded dram in a Jean-Luc Pasquet Rouge Pineau des Charentes cask
Day 3
Show drams
- Adelphi Archive Clynelish 1997 18 yo, 55.5%
- Adelphi Caol Ila 10 yo, 51.1%
- Laphroaig 10 yo Sherry Oak Finish, 48%
- Compass Box Ultramarine, 51%
- Compass Box, Flaming Heart 2022, 48.9%
- TWE Whisky Show bottling Clynelish 11 yo, 58.7% (repeat dram)
- Milk & Honey Christmas Treat, 49%
- Milk & Honey Apex Ex-Alba cask, 53.4%
- Wire Works Necessary Evil Finish (stout cask), 51.3%
- Wire Works Whisky Small Batch, 46.2%
- Wire Works UTC dram, 55.4%
- Nc’Nean Organic Huntress 2022, 48.5%
- Nc’Nean Organic Quiet Rebels: Lorna, 48.5%
- Copenhagen Raw Batch #2, 51.6%
- Copenhagen Refined Batch #1, 54.9%
- Copenhagen Rare Batch #3?, 60% STAR DRAM OF THE DAY
- Copenhagen Emmer, 62%
- Copenhagen Bay Leaf Gin, 45%
- Copenhagen Angelica Gin, 43%
- The Whisky Baron Staoisha, 56.7%
- Mezcal Siete Misterios Doba-yej, 45%
- Foursquare Exceptional Cask Isonomy 17 yo, 58%
- Foursquare Exceptional Cask Sovereignty 14 yo, 62%
- Foursquare LFT White, 62%
- Foursquare Private Cask Elysium 12 yo, 60%
- That Boutique-y Whisky Company Boutique-y Birthday Blend 10 years, 46%
- That Boutique-y Whisky Company Clynelish 25 yo, 47.1%
- Cadenhead’s Caol Ila 34 yo, 51%
- SMWS Ben Nevis Smoky Plumes and Salted Prunes 78.61, 66.9%
- Diageo Port Dundas 25 yo Muckety Muck, 45.5%
- Diageo Clynelish 20 yo, 200th Anniversary Release, 57.3%
- Gordon & MacPhail Strathisla 25 yo bottled for 1977 Silver Jubilee, 35% ABV/70% proof
- 1970s Glen Grant 10 yo, 35% ABV/70% Proof
- Port Askaig 45 yo, 40.8% (repeat dram and 2nd Star Dram of the show)
- Elixir The Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks Linkwood 10 yo, 48%
Total – 114 drams + 13 queue drams
The next event by The Whisky Exchange is the Champagne Show on 4th November which has sold out but there might be returns if an expected train strike is declared so it’s worth getting in touch or keeping an eye on the website. The show offers a chance to sample over 100 different Champagnes and discover more about the industry, including its plans for the future and the environment, attend masterclasses and meet fellow Champagne lovers, plus buy a wide range of great bottles at The Whisky Exchange shop. I thoroughly enjoyed it last year. Just don’t forget to use the spittoons!
For more information, go to https://champagneshow.com/london/
To buy a Perfect Measure glass, visit The Whisky Exchange shops or go to https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/46180/perfect-measure-whisky-glass-in-gift-box
Quaffed 