Bordeaux En Primeur – A Cautionary Tale

Wisgy Stories (Published Elsewhere)

Old Japanese whisky adverts

The story of Japanese whisky: from modest origins to international acclaim Japan House

After a hundred years of espionage, suspicion, imitation, controversy, creative rivalry and a drive for perfection, the reputation of Japanese whisky has never been stronger, with Japan boasting some of the most sought-after whiskies produced anywhere in the world.

'Back in Scotland, news of a Japanese whisky rocked the blenders and distillers. Was this their evidence that the amiable Taketsuru really had been a spy after all?'

150 Years of Whisky Fraud header

150 Years Of Whiskey Fraud Fraud Advisory Panel

Whisk(e)y fraud is not the reserve of morally bankrupt cask investment scheme directors. And it is certainly not a new phenomena either. What can we learn from 150 years of misdirected legislation and can we prevent another 150 years of whiskey fraud?

The recipe for artificial Cognac is given as follows:

¾ Ib. Aether Acetic

½ Ib. Spirit Aethrens Nitrosi

8 ¾ litres real French Cognac

½ Ib. Tincture Quercus Cortic (from 1Ib. Of Cortic Quercus and 2Ib of Alcohol).

To be mixed with a quantity of purified alcohol, so as to obtain 165 litres of liquid at 54%.

Barrels piled up

The Strange Case of the Whisky That Never Was Barley Magazine

Whisky is investment gold — it always has been. But in the case of ‘cask investment schemes’, it’s an increasingly perfidious endeavour governed by parasitical impostors, posing as informed, knowledgeable and well connected members of the whisky trade. It’s nothing short of a stain on the industry, argue Nick Morgan and Isabel Graham-Yooll.

'Yes, what I'm helping you to buy has poor-ish provenance. And the ownership documentation is charmingly archaic. But on the plus side, there is an attractive lack of transparency. Yes, of course you can see all the terms and conditions. But don’t worry too much about the detail, everyone’s at it, just sign here.'

People

Dave Broom

Dave Broom On Whisky, Writing And Change

From Mariner To Maniac, Ulf Buxrud, A Connoisseur Of Global Standing

Highlights From An Exclusive Q&A With Serge Valentin

I was meant to be interviewing Dave Broom in Brighton for the Whisky.Auction magazine, but it quickly became more of an interrogation, with occasional smatterings of industry gossip.

Serge Valentin

Highlights From An Exclusive Q&A With Serge Valentin

From Mariner To Maniac, Ulf Buxrud, A Connoisseur Of Global Standing

Highlights From An Exclusive Q&A With Serge Valentin

The world’s top rare whisky critic on tasting 150000 whiskies, anarchic tasting notes and malt maniacs.

Ulf Buxrud

From Mariner To Maniac, Ulf Buxrud, A Connoisseur Of Global Standing

From Mariner To Maniac, Ulf Buxrud, A Connoisseur Of Global Standing

From Mariner To Maniac, Ulf Buxrud, A Connoisseur Of Global Standing

Before there were whisky influencers there was Ulf Buxrud. Interviewed when he was in his 80s, we talk to the man about his early influences and proudest moments.

RIP Crobar Soho

A Requiem For a Whiskey Bar

‘A Side Hustle’: How Karuizawa Came To The World

From Mariner To Maniac, Ulf Buxrud, A Connoisseur Of Global Standing

A much-loved bar went out of business. I spoke with Richard Thomas and heard his surprisingly moving tale about his years running his rock ‘n’ whiskey bar The Crobar.

Marcin Miller

‘A Side Hustle’: How Karuizawa Came To The World

‘A Side Hustle’: How Karuizawa Came To The World

‘A Side Hustle’: How Karuizawa Came To The World

From Karuizawa to Ki No Bi, few people have put more spirits on the map than Marcin Miller.

Alice Lascelles

The Vintage Cocktail Edit With Alice Lascelles

‘A Side Hustle’: How Karuizawa Came To The World

‘A Side Hustle’: How Karuizawa Came To The World

Alice Lascelles talks cocktails and I tested the recipes on vintage cocktail ingredients.

Bottles

Freddie in the French army, standing 3rd from right

Rare 19th Century Chartreuse Cherished By 4 Generations Of 1 Family

Rare 19th Century Chartreuse Cherished By 4 Generations Of 1 Family

Rare 19th Century Chartreuse Cherished By 4 Generations Of 1 Family

The story behind a superbly well kept bottle of Yellow Chartreuse dating back to 1878-1903 when production was located at Fourvoirie in France.

Diageo Special Releases

An Auctioneer’s Guide To Diageo Special Releases

Rare 19th Century Chartreuse Cherished By 4 Generations Of 1 Family

Rare 19th Century Chartreuse Cherished By 4 Generations Of 1 Family

Every Diageo Special Releases released from 2001 up to 2022 and why.

J Chapman & Co

The Family Heirloom That Witnessed A Century

Rare 19th Century Chartreuse Cherished By 4 Generations Of 1 Family

The Family Heirloom That Witnessed A Century

How one bottle of Hine Vintage 1922 Cognac witnessed 100 years of turmoil but remained safe within four generations of a close knit South London family.

Books

Christine McCafferty at the Diageo Archives

Historic John Walker & Sons Records Reunited With Diageo Archive

Historic John Walker & Sons Records Reunited With Diageo Archive

Historic John Walker & Sons Records Reunited With Diageo Archive

The world famous Diageo Archive is home to a new piece of Johnnie Walker history thanks to the work of a keen eyed whisky enthusiast.

Best Whisky Books

Top 24 Scotch Whisky Books

Historic John Walker & Sons Records Reunited With Diageo Archive

Historic John Walker & Sons Records Reunited With Diageo Archive

Diageo’s Dr Nicholas Morgan shared his favourite whisky books. There were more than a few surprises.

Alfred Barnard 1st Edition

Alfred Barnard’s Distillery Pilgrimage

Historic John Walker & Sons Records Reunited With Diageo Archive

Alfred Barnard’s Distillery Pilgrimage

In 1886 Alfred Barnard journeyed around every distillery in Scotland, Ireland and England. A year later his findings were published.