Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Follow Up On "101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die"

I have found some additional resources (interviews, reviews, etc.) on this book that you might find interesting.

Whiskey Boys interviews Ian Buxton
(Whiskey Boys also has a nice "Links" page to more whiskey resources.)

Cool Hunting review and some inside "scoops"

Whisky Magazine post by Ian Buxton and replies

Scotch Malt Whiskies review and sample extracts from the book

YouTube Video of Ian Buxton at the Glasgow Whisky Festival on his book and three tips

101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die


Ian Buxton recently put out the book "101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die," and it is rapidly becoming one of those must-reads for whiskey drinkers.  Although each of you probably has your own particular taste (or possibly even brand) that you prefer, this gives a great sampling of easy-to-find whiskies that are well worth the taste.  You will probably find (as I did) that you can already check off a number of different varieties.  Think of it as one large whiskey sampler!  I am thinking about drinking through all 101 over the next year or two!  You can probably find the book in your local library if you aren't the type to run out and buy a new book, and you can read the Amazon information on the book below:

101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die


About the Author

Ian Buxton is a former marketing director of Glenmorangie. He was elected a Keeper of the Quaich in 1991, the highest honor of the Scotch whisky industry; he is a member of the international tasting panel for the annual World Whisky Awards; and he is a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers. He writes regular columns for The Keeper, Whisky Magazine, and WhiskyEtc, and has written for the Country LifeScottish Field, and the Times.
Product Description
A fun and accessible guide to completing an education in whiskey from a man who knows his hooch Avoiding the deliberately obscure, the ridiculously limited, and the absurdly expensive, whiskey expert Ian Buxton has scoured the shelves of the world's whiskey warehouses to recommend an eclectic selection of old favorites, stellar newcomers, and mystifyingly unknown drams that simply have to be drunk. This witty, focused, and practical guide is not an awards list or a list of the 101 "Best" whiskies in the world in the opinion of some self-appointed whiskey guru. It's simply a guide to 101 whiskies that enthusiasts really must seek out and try--love them or hate them--to complete their whiskey education. What's more, it's both practical and realistic as it cuts through the clutter, decodes the marketing hype, and gets straight to the point; whether from India or America, Sweden or Ireland, Japan or the hills, glens, and islands of Scotland--here are the 101 whiskies that every whiskey enthusiast needs to try. Slainte!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Whiskey Resources

Some of these are local (Northern California), while others are nationwide whiskey resources.  First, let's start with an alphabetical list of whiskey retailers, as outlined by www.WhiskyMag.com.  You can visit their websites to view their whiskey selections, for ordering information, and more!
    Central Liquors
  • 917 F Street N. W.. Washington. DC. U.S.A.. 20004
  • Tel : +1 202 737 2800
  • Fax : +1 202 347 9463
    Kenwin Liquor Store
  • 2182 Kensington Avenue. Snyder. NY. U.S.A.. 14226
  • Tel : +1 716 839 3226
  • Fax : +1 716 634 1297
    Party Mart
  • 4808 Brownsboro Center. Louisville. KY. U.S.A.. 40207
  • Tel : +1 502 895 4446
  • Fax : +1 502 893 9847
 
 Next, we have whiskey forums!  Want to talk about the latest and greatest whiskey you've had?  Check out some of these sites and see what the latest whiskey buzz is all about!
 

And a whiskey blog wouldn't be complete without highlighting some of the top whiskey blogs out there!  According to www.connosr.com, these are some of the "A List" whiskey blogs that they would recommend, and include many that I personally follow as well.  You can also always view regularly updated RSS feeds for some of our top blogs in the right margin of Sac Whiskey's website!

Cask Strength

A thoroughly entertaining pair who really know their whisky, Neil and Joel have just celebrated their second year running the excellent Cask Strength. Essential reading for any whisky fan.

Whisky Fun

Malt Maniac, Serge Valentin, reminds us all that we shouldn't take whisky (or life) too seriously. This vast collection of tasting notes is peppered with musical tidbits and cultural observations. Go read.

WhiskyNotes

Consistently outstanding, Ruben at WhiskyNotes is on a one man whisky tasting mission and has built up an impressive body of reviews and personal impressions. Highly recommended reading.

Whisky for Everyone

A very well balanced and regularly updated blog with a real depth of content. This is a superb resource for everyone from whisky beginners to seasoned connoisseurs.

Dr Whisky

Practicing since 2006, Dr Whisky is the blog of UK-based Canadian national Sam Simmons. The design won't set your world alight but it's all about the content here! Great stuff.

What Does John Know

US based John Hansell, publisher and editor of Malt Advocate magazine also runs an excellent blog. Very insightful with a dedicated following of equally well informed readers. Top marks.

Nonjatta

The leading english language resource for Japanese whisky - that really sums it up. Combines interesting features and imagery with a clear and informative writing style.

TWE Blog

Tim Forbes from The Whisky Exchange brings you a wealth of whisky blogging goodness with everything from industry news, competitions and bit from behind the scenes at the internets' biggest whisky retailer.

Whisky Grotto

Running since 2005, Johan Ronnestam combines beautiful typography with a very well structured blog. Whisky Grotto leans towards the branding and product marketing side of things.

Whisky Israel

Gal Granov's insatiable passion for all things whisky and web are realised in this well presented blog. Lots to delve into including tasting notes, polls or just he odd 'Quick Dram'.

Edinburgh Whisky Blog

Chris and Lucas bring you a nice balance of whisky reviews and distillery interviews. The intimate 'in your own front room' style makes this one of the most popular whisky blogs around.

Master of Malt

The chaps at MoM recently launched their blog and have hit the ground running. Features nicely written tasting notes and interesting news on the latest releases. One to watch.

The Scotch Blog

Pioneering whisky blogger Kevin Erskine has been bringing us top notch whisky commentary since 2005. Still up there with the very best and well worth a read.

Whiskey Apostle

An unrelenting collective of whiskey bloggers 'proselytizing the way of the malt'. Don't let the simple blog template put you off.

The Master Blender

Whyte & Mackay's Master Blender, Richard Paterson, is prolific on the social media scene and its well worth dropping by his blog to see what he's up to.

Whisky Party

A nice blog packed with malty goodness. Mike, Mike & Dan provide essential round-ups from the whisky blogosphere as well as their own thoughts. Look out for their '40 Whiskies Under $40' feature.

Whisky Host

Whisky blogging pair, Jason and Joe serve-up a bit of everything from whisky news, reviews, pairings and quirky articles. Jason now runs Guid Scotch Drink.


Enjoy some of these amazing resources, and happy drinking!!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Whiskies of the World Expo in San Francisco: Reviews

Yes, the 12th Annual Whiskies of the World Expo has come and gone, but if you missed it this year, you can always catch it next year!  Check out some of these great reviews of the event, including the tastings:

The Casks' Review
Daily Feed: The Bunrab Blogspot Review
Drink Me: Lifestyle Beyond the Glass Review
The Whisky Wall Review
Drink Hacker Review
San Francisco Bay Guardian Review

Coming up next...new, local whiskey resources!