As whiskey starts to age in a barrel, it takes on the flavors and character of the wood. If it sits too long In a barrel, it can get “woody.” If it’s not in the barrel long enough, it doesn’t have time to develop any real character and has an overbearing alcohol taste. [...]

The Macallan Cask Strength
What: There are some brand names that are synonymous with quality and luxury. Rolex and Mercedes are a couple that come to mind. Now I don’t own either, but I understand why folks do. I appreciate them for what they are – well-crafted products that consistently perform at [...]

What: The holidays not only bring parties, gifts, and cold weather, but they also bring family and friends from faraway places, which means that more than likely at some point, you’re going to have overnight guests. We are no exception. The Whiskey Wench’s brother, Chris, is in from San Francisco, and he was [...]

The Whiskey Wench Manhattan
Believe it or not, I really don’t drink that often. I would say I have maybe three beers a week, then a whiskey or two on the weekends (damn, I didn’t mean this to sound like a confession). There have been times when I wanted a good cocktail but [...]

Ardbeg 10 Year Old
What: Scotch, unlike bourbon, is regional by style; and each region has, in their opinion, a distinctive flavor profile which defines it. For the most part, I find that the regional differences are more subtle from one region to the next, in spite of what the distillers and Scotch ambassadors [...]

A Family Reunion This will be a review covering three whiskeys from the same family. All of these are scarce and are in limited production; and for the most part, are allocated to distributors, but they are available in the area. I visited five liquor stores this week (fairly normal for me), and [...]

Redbreast 12-year-old Irish Whiskey
What: Depending on what rag, website, advertisement, or label you read, it seems every whiskey under the sun has a gold medal/ribbon from some festival or contest. It reminds me of these politically correct, make-you-feel-good schools we have nowadays, where every kid who tries out makes the team and is [...]

Highland Park 18
What: This whiskey, in my opinion, is a staple, like having bread, milk, eggs, and beer in the house (milk is an option) and it should have a spot in any whiskey lover’s cabinet. That’s the love part of this relationship. In the past two years, it has doubled in price [...]

Editor’s Note:
We are pleased to welcome Mark Rhodes, Owner of Vinworx Custom Wine Cellars & Cabinets, as a columnist specializing in whiskeys. We think Mark will share valuable insights for those seeking great whiskeys to try.
George T. Stagg 2009 Release
What: With my first post to BottleReport I want to set your expectations. [...]