Whisky Advocate Summer 2024

So much of the enthusiasm in the whisky world these days is about special releases, limited editions, and ultra-aged trophy bottles. You read and hear about them every day, and the buzz is certainly refreshing compared to the old days, when stodgy brand owners offered little variation from their core product. But it’s so tough to keep track of it all, and with so many limited releases nearly impossible to find even when you do get wind of them, it all feels like a moving target. So, when you’re ready to spend your hard-earned cash on a superb, unforgettable whisky at a price that’s reasonably affordable, what to do? We sat down to think up a plan, and over time put together a list of whiskies that are top-flight in…

Cigar and whisky lovers descended upon the Sunshine State on April 6th for the fourth annual Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest, held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa. This marked the first time the event took place in Tampa—also known as Cigar City—where the historic Ybor City neighborhood, once hailed as the “Cigar Capital of the World,” is a hub for hand-rolled cigars, making it a fitting locale. The evening’s grand tasting commenced at 5:30 with a sold-out VIP hour, where throngs of ticket holders were treated to an exclusive array of whiskies and cigars. VIP drams included limited American whiskeys, among them Bardstown Bourbon Co. Collaborative Series with Foursquare Rum, Green River Distilling Co. Single Barrel bourbon, and George Dickel x Leopold Brothers Collaboration rye, as…

Home to grand Gilded Age mansions and a historic yachting culture, Newport is the epitome of a centuries-old New England resort town. Beyond the opulent estates and shipyards lies a city begging to be explored for its arts, history, and culinary and drinks scene. Rhode Island’s first distillery since the 19th century, Newport Craft Brewing & Distilling Co., is based here, and the city has evolved from old-world tradition to a wide range of new dining, drinking, shopping, and entertainment options. One of the benefits of vacationing in a state this small is that so many of its attractions are within walking distance or a short drive away. And at just three hours from New York City and about an hour south of Boston, Newport is a destination that everyone…

Summer weekends are made for cookouts, and while there’s nothing wrong with setting out a cooler of beers and hard seltzers, this year, pull your bar cart out too. Whisky cocktails can enhance the flavors of smoked ribs, juicy burgers, charred steak, and anything else you grill. “You can use a smoky whisky to complement smoked or char-grilled meats and veggies, or something peppery like a rye to bring out the rubs and seasoning commonly used in summer cookouts,” says Rebecca Mullis, bar administrator at Husk Savannah in Georgia. Add classic warm-weather flavors like iced tea, lemonade, and seasonal fruit, and friends will be grilling you for these recipes. Peachy Quien Created by Ziv Scherman, food and beverage director, Blue Jay Bistro, Littleton, North Carolina This bright, lively drink starts…

The Doig Ventilator The warm air or peat smoke rises up into the narrowing roof space, escaping through the cupola’s vents, which are like the slatted panels of a venetian blind. The Furnace At the start of kilning, a fire is lit in the furnace and kept going for many hours, sometimes days at a time. Peat is burned to add flavor by its smoke enveloping the moist grains. Alternatively, burning flavorless fuels, like coal, simply dries the malt. The Wind Weather conditions affect the draw of the smoke through the Doig ventilator. At exposed Scottish island distilleries, a very windy day will increase the draw of peat smoke through the kiln. The Kiln Floor Germinating barley is spread around 18 inches deep on the perforated mesh floor. Some kilns,…

What distilleries have a working pagoda roof? Scotch whisky distilleries with operational floor maltings: Balvenie, Bowmore, Highland Park, Laphroaig, Springbank, Ardnamurchan, Benriach, Dunphail, Glen Garioch, and Kilchoman keep the practice alive. Do other distilleries have pagoda roofs, even if they no longer do floor malting? Yes, these structures can be seen across Scotland at around 40 other distilleries. Some of the finest examples are located at Ardbeg, Cardhu, Dalwhinnie, Knockdhu, Strathisla, and Speyburn. Do architects still add purely decorative pagoda roofs to new scotch whisky distilleries? Yes, especially distilleries built with visitors in mind, even with no plan to dry malt on-site. Examples include Ardnahoe, Arran, Falkirk, and Torabhaig. Are they built at distilleries outside of Scotland? While peated malts are closely associated with scotch, distillers around the world have built this…