Plenty of blended Scotch can be enjoyed casually, whether on the rocks or in cocktails (even pods, as we've learned). Some well-to-do heretics might even use particular single malts for highballs, but there are certain whiskies that must be reserved for enjoying in their purest forms. Here's how to host your own at-home tasting.
Read MoreMetallica’s new whiskey is crafted by spirits legend Dave Pickerell (former master distiller for both Makers Mark and Whistle Pig who, sadly, only very recently passed away), and blasted with “black noise” via Metallica’s music while aging in black brandy barrels. The obvious musical accompaniment to drinking such a dram is, of course, a Metallica album – but which one?
Storied spirits journalist Ethan Fixell and tipsy Metallica fanboy Chris Krovatin sat down together and created a comprehensive pairing of Blackened drinks and Metallica albums.
Read MoreI fell in love with Cognac not only for its similarities to barrel-aged whiskey, but also for the importance its provenance contributes to its identity. It’s a craft product that can be imitated, but not replicated anywhere else in the world. If you’re as intrigued as I was, check out the following tips – and product suggestions – for enjoying your Cognac like a well-informed pro.
Read MoreDavid Stewart, The Balvenie’s master of malt, and the longest-serving master blender in the Scotch industry, claims that roughly 70% of whisky flavor comes from wood. Over the last half of a century, he has discovered, through trial and error, just how different types of oak containers can drastically shape the profile of a whisky. Now, Stewart is taking all that he has learned—and distilled—over the years to create some of the highest quality, rarest Scotch ever produced. And while the drams can be described in myriad ways, “affordable” isn’t one of them.
Read MoreAs a cocktail lover in a steakhouse town (New York City), I’m often wracked with doubt when deciding which blended, stirred or shaken concoction to order with a beef-based meal. As I know there are others with the same problem, I convinced five friends of mine to accompany me to five different Manhattan steakhouses to determine the ultimate cocktail for pairing with steak. Classics, modern twists and experimental inventions were all fair game―so long as the liquid contender was high in alcohol and had the potential to taste wonderful alongside a Flintstones-sized slab of charbroiled cow. This was my journey—kidneys and liver be damned.
Read MoreThirty minutes outside of Park City, Utah, High West Distillery’s brand new 25,000-square-foot compound sits amidst vast stretches of open wilderness and magnificent mountain views. Blending modern and rustic aesthetics, the stunning construction set on a 3,500-acre luxury cattle ranch called Blue Sky Utah is any whiskey distiller’s dream-come-true. And yet, the apparent irony of this gorgeous new state-of-the-art facility–complete with a built-to-order Scottish Forsythe Copper pot still–is that High West has best come to be known for blending whiskey, rather than distilling it.
Read MoreWe all dream of amassing a Scotch collection worthy of Ron Burgundy, but the required cash is cost prohibitive for most of us. Fortunately, one need not sell a kidney to enjoy some of the finest whisky on Earth. Single-malt producers in each of the five major Scotch regions put out legitimately top-notch spirits that retail for $50 or less. Here are our favorite affordable options from the Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Islay, and Islands. Pick up all five bottles for a tour of Scotland that lays out the different flavors and character that define each.
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