Malt Maniacs #0 - A collection of prE-pistles, written for Malt Madness between 1998 and 2001
prE-pistles by Craig Daniels (1998-2001)
During the first few years of Malt Madness Craig has been our most prolific correspondents.
He has been sending us monthly reports of the adventures of the 'Earls of Zetland' - perhaps Australia's noblest whisky club.
By Craig Daniels, Adelaide, Australia
prE-pistles by Louis Perlman (1998-2001)
During the larvea-stage of Malt Maniacs Louis produced 35 prE-pistles, covering a wide variety of topics. Louis focuses mainly on IB's.
By Louis Perlman, New York, USA
prE-pistles by Davin de Kergommeaux (1999-2001)
Severely handicapped in a government controlled whisky market like Canada, Davin still manages to keep up with the other maniacs.
By Davin de Kergommeaux, Ottawa, Canada
prE-pistles by Klaus Everding (2000-2001)
Klaus is the no-nonsense maniac. He likes his malts strong and cheap.
But that doesn't mean he avoids a good analytical discussion.
By
Klaus Everding, Hamburg, Germany
prE-pistles by Krishna Nukala (2000-2001)
Krishna is the pilgrim among us. He has made several pilgrimages to Scotland and written colourful reports about them.
By
Krishna Prasad Nukala, Mumbai, India
prE-pistles by Patrick Whaley (2000-2001)
Until the team transformed into the twelve certified malt maniacs, Patrick was 'the new kid on the block'.
Then he moved on to bigger and bolder malts. (And then he suddenly stopped drinking single malts.)
By Patrick Whaley, Minneapolis, USA
prE-pistles by Roman Parparov (2000-2001)
As a self-proclaimed 'whisky tourist' Roman is one of the few people in Israel promoting the consumption of SMSW.
By
Roman Parparov, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Malt Maniacs #1 - January 1, 2002
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An interview with Derek Gilchrist
E-pistle #01/01 - by Patrick Whaley, USA
Some time before the launch of Malt Maniacs one of our former correspondents did an interview with Bowmore's Marketing Director.
A Decade of Dramming
E-pistle #01/02 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
Ignorance is bliss. Just like many people, I was quite content with drinking cheap blended whisky for many years.
After discovering SMSW in 1991 my condition deteriorated rapidly.
Seven Steps to Malt Mania
E-pistle #01/03 - by Serge Valentin, France
The first E-pistle from our fresh French correspondent proves that Frenchmen do actually have a sense of humour.
Well - some of them anyway ;-)
Desert Island Malts
E-pistle #01/04 - by Davin de Kergommeaux, Canada
Davin made a list of the Top 3 (commercial) single malts he would most dearly miss if he got himself stranded on a desert island.
It's useful to think about these things, you know...
My Three True Loves
E-pistle #01/05 - by Klaus Everding, Germany
Klaus picked his 3 'Desert Island' malts as well. True to his nature he considered 'value' considerations as well.
He chose an all weather selection, suitable for summertime as well as 'Hamburger Schmuddelwetter'. Smart thinking.
My Favorite Three Commercial Malts
E-pistle #01/06 - by Craig Daniels, Australia
Craig chimed in with his Desert Island malts too.
Three highly recommendable malts, available to one and all.
Top 3 Malts
E-pistle #01/07 - by Louis Perlman, USA
Louis is remains a little vague about his precise preferences.
Neverthess, I think it's a fair review of the best malts available to American audiences these days.
Another Day In Paradise
E-pistle #01/08 - by
Klaus Everding, Germany
In January, German correspondent Klaus visited Johannes in Amsterdam for another mega malt session.
A lot of malts were drunk and a lot of fun was had by all...
A Perfect 10
E-pistle #01/09 - by Krishna Nukala
, India
India may be developing at an astonishing rate on an economic level, but when it comes to single malts it's still a 'developing nation'.
Krishna Nukala bravely endures the hardships of being a malt maniac in India (and Bo Derek helps a little...)
My Top 10 Explained
E-pistle #01/10 - by Louis Perlman, USA
American maniac Louis Perlman's presents us with a rather ambiguous Top 10 that requires some legwork - and an explanation.
You could say it's 'interactive', I guess...
Shorthand Highlights of 2001
E-pistle #01/11 - by Craig Daniels, Australia
Australian maniac Craig reviews 2001 from 'Down Under'.
His retrospective includes a review of the best single malts of 2001 and reflections on the major malt events.
JOLT Transcript - Laphroaig
E-pistle #01/12 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
On December 22, 2001 malt maniacs around the world joined each other in cyberspace for the very first official JOLT.
We concentrated our tasting efforts on the ultimate 'antifreeze' distillery; Laphroaig.
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Malt Maniacs #2 - April 1, 2002
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An interview with Mark Reynier
E-pistle #02/01 - by Serge Valentin, France
Our fresh French correspondent Serge Valentin managed to get hold of Mark Reynier in London for an 'exclusive' interview.
Mark is one of the founders of Murray McDavid and Managing Director at the Bruichladdich distillery on Islay.
Diary of a Mini Malt Safari
E-pistle #02/02 - by Davin de Kergommeaux, Canada
Canadian maniac Davin once described himself as a 'globetrotting bureaucrat'. This time, his duties took him to the dark continent of Africa.
Much like people like Stanley and Livingstone, Davin devoted his time to exploration.
Trio de Violincelles en Islay Majeur
E-pistle #02/03 - by Serge Valentin, France
With a little help from his friends Serge Valentin tried to find the best peaty malt in the French hypermarkets.
He did a H2H comparison of Ardbeg 10yo, Laphroaig 10yo and Lagavulin 16yo. Do you want to know who won? Read the E-pistle!
A New Phase of Malt Madness
E-pistle #02/04 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
By December 2001, Dutch maniac Johannes had sampled at least 1 bottle from every active distillery in Scotland. What to do next?
How about the 'Scotland by Dram' project?
The Whisky Hunt of a Tourist
E-pistle #02/05 - by Roman Parparov, Israel
Roman's latest shopping spree report reads like an old fashioned spy thriller.
Dashing around Europe Roman found some 'safe houses' for the true malt maniac.
My March Tastings
E-pistle #02/06 - by Serge Valentin, France
Some more 'Chinese Portrait' samplings by Serge.
Tasting A Legend
E-pistle #02/07 - by Patrick Whaley, USA
Many of us have heard of the famous 'Black Bowmore', but few people have actually ever gotten the chance to sample it.
Pro's & Con's of Old Age
E-pistle #02/08 - by Louis Perlman, USA
Time, flowing like a river... Louis ponders the pro's and con's of old age and the parallels between life and whisky.
The Influence of Age
E-pistle #02/09 - by Davin de Kergommeaux, Canada
Age does not always equal maturity - at least not according to Davin who sheds his light on the 'age' topic.
Ages of Macallan
E-pistle #02/10 - by Klaus Everding, Germany
Klaus contributes to the age discussion in a very German fashion: an experiment. He compared 3 Macallan OB's.
The Age Issue
E-pistle #02/11 - by Patrick Whaley, USA
American maniac Patrick also picked the Macallan range to try and find some answers to the age old question.
JOLT Transcript - Aberlour
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E-pistle #02/12 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
The target for our second JOLT was the Aberlour distillery.
Malt Maniacs #3 - July 1, 2002
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An interview with Raymond Armstrong
E-pistle #03/01 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
The number of active Lowland distilleries has dropped at an alarming rate over the last decades.
For a while, it seemed like Bladnoch would share the fate of Saint Magdalene and Ladyburn, forever lost to Lowland lovers around the world.
Fortunately, Raymond came to the rescue. We thought we'd ask him a few questions about his adventures in the whisky industry.
Aqua Dolce Vita
E-pistle #03/02 - by Serge Valentin, France
French jet-setting maniac Serge travels thousands of miles in his search for malts.
Before the
DrAmsterdam Festival in June he hopped over to Italy to soak up some culture and score a few special bottles.
Report Feis Ile 2002
E-pistle #03/03 - by
Michael Wade, USA
American maniac Michael Wade made his way to Islay for Feis Ile 2002; a festival of whisky and music.
Every year the distilleries open their doors and bottles for all to experience and celebrate the island, its people and its whisky.
The Islay Festival: Miss & Mess
E-pistle #03/04 - by
Serge Valentin, France
After a time of bliss on Islay French maniac Serge fell victim to the Heathrow chapter of the airport thieving guild.
Those guys seem to have a nose for single malts because this is not the first horror story I've heard. Bastards!
Maltmadness in Amsterdam
E-pistle #03/05 - by Klaus Everding, Germany
Shortly after the Islay Festival the malt maniacs had their own little whisky festival in Holland.
With 'only' 5 malt maniacs attending I think we can safely call it the smallest whisky festival in the world; 3 days of dramming and drooling.
Private Pleasures
E-pistle #03/06 - by Louis Perlman, USA
American maniac Louis Perlman came up with a fresh discussion topic.
He suggested we tackle the topic of 'private' or independent bottlings. Good call.
Ode To Independent Bottlers
E-pistle #03/07 - by Craig Daniels, Australia
Craig chimes in. Most of us started our discovery of maltland with the well-known official bottlings.
But sooner or later every malt maniac wanders off into IB territory.
Whisky or IMFL?
E-pistle #03/08 - by Krishna Nukala, India
It is said that more 'Johnny Walker Red Label' is consumed in India than is distilled at Dufftown.
Officially, Indian distillates (often molasses based) are not allowed to be called whisky.
Hence the name: 'Indian Made Foreign Liquor'.
Seasonal Malts
E-pistle #03/09 - by Louis Perlman, USA
Different malts shine at different moments. Louis has made a list with a malt for every month.
His 'seasonal suggestions' might come in handy if you're planning a shopping trip.
Clouds of Smoke
E-pistle #03/10 - by Roman Parparov, Israel
Although many maniacs frown upon smoking when it comes to 'serious' sampling, there are some dissidents among our ranks.
Roman is one of them. His E-pistle deals with the forbidden pleasures of pipe smoking and the best tobacco & malt combo's.
My First E-pistle
E-pistle #03/11 - by Matti Jaatinen, Finland
Being a 'malt minion', Matti needed some time to collect enough courage to share his thoughts with the rest of the world.
But once he started writing he didn't stop until he had written a full review of his alcoholic adventures in 2002.
JOLT Transcript - Macallan
E-pistle #03/12 - by
Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
The Macallan JOLT in June 2002 proved a haunting suspicion: the touchstone sherried Speysider is losing some of its former glory.
Ain't that a crying shame?
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Malt Maniacs #4 - October 1, 2002
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An interview with Olivier Humbrecht
E-pistle #04/01 - by Serge Valentin, France
Olivier is a rather famous wine maker. And guess what?
He loves drinking single malts almost as much as drinking (and making) wine!
What's more, he knows a great deal about wood, casks and maturation processes.
Glassware Test
E-pistle #04/02 - by
Klaus Everding, Germany
During the Malt Maniacs DrAmsterdam Maltathon 2002 we casually discussed the topic of glassware.
Most of us forgot about it quickly afterwards, but not German maniac Klaus. He's a physicist and likes to do tests.
He compared six different glasses and the results are remarkable.
Whisky Hill Dram Jam 2002
E-pistle #04/03 - by Michael Wade, USA
American maniac Michael dug up a report on a big 3 day dramming session earlier this year with some others from the PLOWED gang.
Although the WHDJ only lasted for three days the report covers some thirty different single malts.
Summertime Blues
E-pistle #04/04 - by Serge Valentin, France
After experiencing the chaos and alcohol-abuse at the 2002 DrAmsterdam Maltathon, Serge's nose, palate and mind needed recalibration.
What better way to do that than with a mega-tasting session with sixteen different Lowlanders?
A Short Note on Indian Single Malt
E-pistle #04/05 - by Krishna Nukala, India
Krishna reports on his encounters with the the only genuine Indian single malt whisky: Mcdowells. Or isn't it?
Malt Whisky & Value For Money
E-pistle #04/06 - by Craig Daniels, Australia
The scores in the matrix reflect how much we like a whisky, not how much we like to pay the price for that whisky.
To solve this Craig has invented an inventive formula to calculate the 'QPR' (Quality Price Ratio) of a whisky.
The Magic Price Point
E-pistle #04/07 - by Louis Perlman, USA
According to calculating New Yorker Louis Perlman, the illusive concept of 'value' can be easily defined.
It's that magic price point that will maximize the enjoyment of one's purchase, while minimizing the detrimental effect on other acquisitions.
Malts for Nothing, Peat for Free
E-pistle #04/08 - by Klaus Everding, Germany
Going against his German physicist nature, Klaus resisted the urge to develop his own QPR formula.
Instead, he offers some thoughts and a 'Value' Top 10.
If I Were A Rich Man...
E-pistle #04/09 - by Johannes van den Heuvel
, Holland
I couldn't resist sharing a few more words on this topic as well.
Especially with an increase of alcohol taxes here in Holland on the way this is becoming an expensive hobby.
2002 Paris Whisky Festival Report
E-pistle #04/10 - by Serge Valentin, France
On September 23 there was a big whisky festival in Paris. Of course, French maniac Serge was there too.
Serge did some heavy dramming and got the chance to speak to Iain Henderson, Jim McEwan and the Symington brothers.
My Life As A Malt Minion - A Look Back
E-pistle #04/11 - by Patrick Whaley, USA
Patrick recently broke the 50 malts barrier, so he's no longer a malt minion.
Time to reflect on his history as a maltoholic.
JOLT Transcript - Springbank
E-pistle #04/12 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
This JOLT was a three day event. And what a wonderful event it was.
Read all about it in the transcript.
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Malt Maniacs #5 - February 1, 2003
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An interview with Keir Sword
E-pistle #05/01 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
Keir Sword runs one of the most famous whisky stores in the world, Royal Mile Whiskies in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Whisk(e)yfest 2002 Treasures
E-pistle #05/02 - by Louis Perlman, USA
American maniac Louis visited the New York Whisk(e)yfest.
He managed to sneakily sneak a bunch of spare samples into his goody bag for closer inspection.
A 'Live' Tasting of 8 Blinds
E-pistle #05/03 - by Serge Valentin, France
Serge kicks off the 'Pandora proceedings' with a report on the 8 blind samples I muled over to France a while ago.
Opening Pandora's Box
E-pistle #05/04 - by
Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
After reading Serge's report I couldn't postpone my own confrontation with the blind samples he sent me any longer.
Compass Box Whisky
E-pistle #05/05 - by Louis Perlman, USA
The fact that John Glaser uses grain whisky in his 'blends' has kept him off these pages so far.
Louis argued that this is no worse than 'vatting' a malt. Good point.
2002 Dram Diary
E-pistle #05/06 - by Craig Daniels, Australia
In the chaos surrounding the launch of Malt Maniacs, the steady flow of reports from the Earls of Zetland came to a standstill.
Fortunately, this E-pistle covers an entire year.
2002 Review
E-pistle #05/07 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
Inspired by Craig's idea to have a last look at the year that was, I've written a few words on my own highlights of 2002.
(Check out the Liquid Log
for a dram-by-dram report.)
2002 - The Year in Malts
E-pistle #05/08 - by Davin de Kergommeaux, Canada
Davin's flashback to the year that was focuses on two events; the DrAmsterdam maltathon and the Boston Foafathon.
Best Malts of 2002
E-pistle #05/09 - by Craig Daniels
, Australia
It's easy to get lost in Craig's 2002 Dram Diary. For your convenience, he extracted the Top 10 single malts of 2002.
A Little Fun With Blends
E-pistle #05/10 - by Louis Perlman, USA
Louis continues to stretch the limits of our scope - this time with an E-pistle about the stuff we love to hate: blends.
French Still Life
E-pistle #05/11 - by Serge Valentin, France
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to distill your own whisky?
Well, Serge has. What's more, he has actually tried it! Read all about the secrets of distillation.
JOLT #5 - Pandora Project Phase II
E-pistle #05/12 - by
Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
This time around the transcript deals with a double-blind sampling by Serge Valentin and Craig Daniels.
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Malt Maniacs #6
- April 1, 2003
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Scotch On The Rock
E-pistle #06/01 - by Davin de Kergommeaux, Canada
After last year's
African safari Davin travelled to a place much more hospitable for Islay lovers: Newfoundland.
Davin paints a pretty picture of the 'couleur locale' while examining the Rutherford's range of bastard malts. A darned good read.
Laphroaig & MaltMadness - An Epiphany
E-pistle #06/02 - by Mark Adams, USA
A clear recollection of a blurry introduction to single malt.
An Evening with John Hansel
E-pistle #06/03 - by
Louis Perlman, USA
On January 27th 2003 John Hansel hosted a tasting session in New York.
American correspondent Louis Perlman reports on a tasting session with many obscure single malts.
Hot & Heavy In The Cold of Winter
E-pistle #06/04 - by Serge Valentin
, France
Serge Valentin and Olivier Humbrecht decided to explore the topic of 'independent bottlers'.
Their investigations started in February with a dozen single malts bottled by Cadenhead, Douglas Laing and James McArthur.
Sherry Monster Report
E-pistle #06/05 - by Michael Wade, USA
Michael reports on a February tasting session with a bunch of sherry monsters - including the infamous 'orange goblin'.
The Signatory Signature
E-pistle #06/06 - by
Serge Valentin, France
The second part of Serge's research of independent bottlings focussed on 20 single malts bottled by Signatory Vintage.
Three Little Ones from Islay
E-pistle #06/07 - by Klaus Everding, Germany
Klaus comments on three Islay samples.
Murray McDavid, My Mission
E-pistle #06/08 - by
Serge Valentin, France
Serge had to fly solo during the third flight of independents.
This time the object of his affection was Murray McDavid.
Independents Day
E-pistle #06/09 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
Serge inspired me to write a few independent words and drink a few independent drams as well. Just a few, mind you!
Includes an overview of the main independent bottlers.
Rationalising My Mania
E-pistle #06/10 - by Serge Valentin, France
Every maniac reaches a point where he has to rationalise his drinking collection.
Serge shares some thoughts on the problems that a whisky 'collector' has to deal with.
Independents Day II
E-pistle #06/11 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
I needed to get something else off my chest...
Pandora III Transcript
E-pistle #06/12 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
The 'Pandora Project' is in full swing. Klaus, Michael and Mark all received a package with six 'blind' samples.
Their task: spot the Lowlander hidden between five Speysiders. Let me assure you that's not as easy as it sounds...
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Malt Maniacs #7 - September 1, 2003
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Walpurgis: 8 Beauties & 8 Beasts
E-pistle #07/01 - by
Serge Valentin, France
Serge kicks off MM#7 with a report on the French approach to the 'Walpurgis' phenomenon.
His investigation included Welsh, Japanese, Indian, Canadian, German, Austrian, Chzech, Swiss and (of course) French whiskies.
My Pandora Premiere
E-pistle #07/02 - by Olivier Humbrecht, France
Our new maniac Olivier conveniently lives near the other French maniac: Serge.
His first E-pistle deals with his very first official 'blind' tasting at Serge's home.
My Malt Maniacs Report #1
E-pistle #07/03 - by Peter Silver, USA
Peter Silver from New York is another fresh addition to the team.
He looks back on his discovery of SMSW and the reasons (or excuses) for breaking his Malts Moratorium.
One More Visit To Scotland
E-pistle #07/04 - by Olivier Humbrecht
, France
By marrying a Scottish 'lass' Olivier made sure he would have plenty of excuses to hop across the North Sea every now and then.
Pandora VI Pandemonium
E-pistle #07/05 - by Serge Valentin, France
For this Pandora session, I composed a fiendish blind selection with two Aberlours, two Glenrothes and two Mortlachs.
Under the circumstances, Serge did exceptionally well.
Blind Ambition
E-pistle #07/06 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
Inspired by Serge's Pandora plight, I decided to ignore the string of constant bad nose days that have been torturing me for months now.
I attacked his return flight of blinds with gusto and the results were... well, humiliating...
Three Days of Hard Work
E-pistle #07/07 - by
Olivier Humbrecht, France
Olivier's third report for MM#7 is his biggest yet. Every new malt maniac is required to submit his 'malt mileage' when he joins the team.
This is a list with all sampled malts and their respective scores. In the real world, that meant three days of hard drinking for Olivier.
The Chemistry & Physics of SMSW
E-pistle #07/08 - by Klaus Everding, Germany
Our maniacal German physicist Klaus has prepared a little quiz on the chemistry and physics of single malts.
Dramming Along The River Ness
E-pistle #07/09 - by
Krishna Nukala, India
One of the (many) highlights from our Scottish voyage was our midnight dramming session in Inverness.
We had some fabulous drams on the terrace of the Glen Mhor hotel.
Scotland 2003 Pildrammage Report
E-pistle #07/10 by Davin de Kergommeaux, Canada
Krishna's report of our Scotland adventures focused on just one of the many highlights.
Davin has written a full report that has loads of data on the distilleries we visited.
Vinexpo or Whiskexpo?
E-pistle #07/11 - by Serge Valentin, France
Once every two years, Bordeaux hosts the world's biggest wine & spirits exhibition; 'Vinexpo'.
Serge reports on the latest new bottlings, including Murray McDavid's 'Heartland' and 'Mission' series and some new Bruichladdies.
Paris Whisky Festival 2003
E-pistle #07/12 - by Serge Valentin, France
This year's Paris Whisky Festival Report was cut short when bouncers had to pull Serge kicking and screaming from Andrew Symington's stand.
Still, Serge had plenty of fun.
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Malt Maniacs #8 - December 1, 2003
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Sound Advice
E-pistle #08/01 - by Johannes v/d Heuvel, Holland
Sampling a single malt is a multi-media experience. I've already written a few words on musical matters in my Liquid Log.
For this issue of MM I've tried to find the 'perfect' musical companions for a few widely available malts.
When A Good FOAF Goes Horribly Wrong
E-pistle #08/02 - by Peter Silver, USA
FOAF stands for 'friend of a friend', but in the vocabulary of the PLOWED crew 'foafing' means hunting down old and dusty bottles.
Preferably at old and dusty prices. Peter Silver's last FOAF went 'horribly wrong'...
Highland Style
E-pistle #08/03 - by Craig Daniels, Australia
When it comes to the Scottish whisky regions, the Highlands are a geographical grab-bag.
Considering that Speyside is part of the Highlands as well, only 12 active distilleries are NOT located in the Highlands.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
E-pistle #08/04 - by Serge Valentin, France
A few months ago the Pandora Project went through an ugly phase where Serge and I sent eachother a few 'avoidable' whiskies.
Serge reports on a few stinkers from my latest (and last) Punishment Package.
Trick Or Treat
E-pistle #08/05 - by Michael Wade, USA
Inspired by the American tradition of Halloween, Michael attacked some (supposedly) bottom shelf fodder with glee.
Some malts lived up to their reputations, some didn't.
Macallan Vertical
E-pistle #08/06 - by Craig Daniels, Australia
Macallan is a famous distillery, but many maniacs feel that the 'brand' has been going downhill lately.
Craig thinks that it might be bathing in the light of past glories a little too much, even he can't deny that they used to make a good whisky.
Cadenhead's in New York
E-pistle #08/07 - by Peter Silver, USA
On a recent fall evening in New York, John Hansell of Malt Advocate Magazine conducted a tasting of old Cadenhead single malts.
All bottlings were distilled in the 1970's and 1980's. Peter Silver reports.
An Interview with John Glaser
E-pistle #08/08 - by Louis Perlman, USA
John Glaser's Compass Box whiskies are not single malts, but they offer a breath of fresh air in a stuffy whisky world.
where some 'traditions' are window dressing anyway.
Big Bruichladdich Blast
E-pistle #08/09 - by Craig Daniels, Australia
Something went wrong with the arrangements for Craig's visit to Bruichladdich this summer.
Mark Reynier felt very bad about it and sent him a nice pleasure pack to sample.
Whiskyship Zurich 2003 Report
E-pistle #08/10 - by Serge Valentin, France
Our roving reporters Serge and Olivier hopped across the border to Switzerland.
This time they report on the treasures that 'Whiskyship Zurich' had to offer.
From Malt-Mania to Malt-Insanity
E-pistle #08/11 - by Roman Parparov, Israel
The 2003 MM Awards promoted Roman to the rank of 'Malt Missionary' on the matrix.
This inspired him to collect his notes and thoughts on the proceedings in a 'reflective' E-pistle.
November in Amsterdam
E-pistle #08/12 by Davin de Kergommeaux, Canada
Davin has proved many times before that he really deserves the title 'malt maniac'.
This time he crossed the atlantic ocean 'just' to pick up his bottles for the 2003 Awards.
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Malt Maniacs #9 - March 1, 2004
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2003: Peaty or Pity?
E-pistle #09/01 - by
Serge Valentin, France
Serge kicks off this issue of MM with a huge report.
While attacking a bunch of Ardbegs in his collection he looks back at the 'catastrophic' year that was 2003.
Frozen Over - Winter 2003/2004
E-pistle #09/02 - by Michael Wade, USA
Overlooking the wintery landscape of the Merrimac Valley with a dram in his hand, Michael's thoughts wandered towards Scotland.
2003 was a big year for three distilleries in particular; Edradour, Laphroaig and Macallan. Michael takes a closer look.
2003 In Retrospect
E-pistle #09/03 - by
Davin de Kergommeaux, Canada
Davin's review of 2003 isn't quite as prosaic as Serge's or Michael's, but then again Davin had a lot of ground to cover.
His malt mania took him all around the globe this year; to Scotland, the USA, France and Holland.
Highlights of 2003
E-pistle #09/04 - by Craig Daniels, Australia
2003 was a big year for many maniacs and Craig was no exception. Making another pildrammage to Scotland was just the beginning.
Soon afterwards Craig organised the very first Australian single malt convention (which sounds rather unconventional, if you ask me ;-)
2003 Wrap Up
E-pistle #09/05 - by
Louis Perlman, USA
The past year has been relatively quiet for Louis, who spent most of his time trying to prune back his drinking collection.
You can imagine how bringing order to the chaos of almost 100 bottles is a tough job.
Eight Bimbo's around the Pool
E-pistle #09/06 - by Olivier Humbrecht, France
2003 also saw the launch of A.W.E.S.O.M.E. quite possibly one of France's 'awesomest' whisky clubs.
The menu of their first tasting session would make any malt maniac drool.
A Malty Trilogy
E-pistle #09/07 - by Krishna Nukala, India
The picture of a thoroughly chilled-out Krishna at the top of MM#9 was taken halfway through his European adventures.
Check out his E-pistle if you want to know why Krishna is dressed like a garden gnome.
2003 Annual Annotations
E-pistle #09/08 - by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
Unlike most other maniacs, I've got the 'MMadness' part of this site to keep you updated on my amazing alcoholic adventures.
So, my 2003 review is short and sweet.
Santa Klaus Day in Alsace
E-pistle #09/09 - by Klaus Everding
, Germany
Davin and Krishna have already written a few words about the Alsacian adventures of the malt maniacs.
Now there's Klaus' E-pistle (or libretto), offering the most detailed account of the events so far.
A Very Malty 2003
E-pistle #09/10 - by Peter Silver, USA
The MM Awards and the Scotland Pildrammage were the major events for most malt maniacs.
Even though Peter couldn't join us in Scotland and didn't receive the awards samples, his 2003 malt mileage rivals that of any maniac.
No 2003 Review
E-pistle #09/11 - by Mark Adams, USA
Instead of a 'traditional' review of 2003, Mark Adams wrote a report about his Amsterdramming in January 2004.
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Malt Maniacs #10
- June 1, 2004
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Whisky 'Alive & Kicking' in London
E-pistle #10/01 - by Johannes v/d Heuvel, Holland
I've visited the UK a few times in the 1980's, but after I discovered SMSW in 1991 it took me twelve years to make the trip again.
That's rather odd, considering that fellow maniacs fly halfway across the globe on a regular basis for a pildrammage in Scotland.
Well, less than a year after my first visit to Scotland last year I hopped across the North Sea again for for Whisky Live London 2004.
Oh, Happy Night
E-pistle #10/02 - by Ho-cheng Yao, Taiwan
Do you know what Taiwanese malt lovers prefer to drink during the humid heat of summer? Islay malts.
That's right! Many Europeans usually keep their peat monsters under lock and key in the summer, but not in Taiwain.
Over there it's an all year long peat party. That's the topic of the first E-pistle of our fresh Taiwanese maniac Ho-cheng.
The article deals with the Kildalton malts; Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig.
Whisko Americano 101
E-pistle #10/03 - by Alexander v/d Veer, Holland
The 'whisk(e)y' life of Dutch maniac Alexander started with two bourbons for a rather prosaic reason; 'the bottles looked intresting'.
Further explorations with blends, Irish whiskies and finally single malts followed. Read all about it in Alexander's first E-pistle.
Anzac Combatant Malts
E-pistle #10/04 - by
Craig Daniels, Australia
This year's 'Anzac Day' tasting from the Earls of Zetland in Australia featured some so-called 'deviant drams'.
Like so many other maniacs before him, Craig was quite taken with the Ankara malt whisky from Turkey in particular.
Spring 2004: Great Finds & Honours List
E-pistle #10/05 - by Serge Valentin, France
Since a few months Serge has been publishing extensive notes of his tastings on his new 'Whiskyfun' site.
Now it's time for a review of the highlights of spring 2004.
Enjoying Whisky (WGBOI) - Part 1
E-pistle #10/06 - by Louis Perlman, USA
This is the first part of a two part series dealing with the day to day acquisitions of Louis' alter ego, 'Harry'.
Harry has a complicated life...
Book Review: Raw Spirit by Iain Banks
E-pistle #10/07 - by
Davin de Kergommeaux, Canada
Davin decided it was time we added some book reviews to MM and I couldn't agree more.
The first article in Davin's 'Fun for Four Eyes' series looks at 'Raw Spirit' by Iain Banks.
Scottish Life: In the Parish of Peats
E-pistle #10/08 - by Charles MacLean
, Scotland
When Charles joined the maniacs he found himself in the middle of a heated debate about 'borderline distilleries'.
We didn't agree on the sense and nonsense of whisky regions - an article Charlie wrote for 'Scottish Life' recently deals with this issue.
Gold Medal Malts - A Very Classy Trio
E-pistle #10/09 - by Craig Daniels, Australia
The latest EoZ session focused on 'gold medal malts'; winners of last years Australian Malt Judging Competition.
These winners were; Lagavulin 16yo, Glenlivet 18yo and Macallan 18yo.
More on Borderline Personalities
E-pistle #10/10 - by Davin de Kergommeaux, Canada
Well, the Borderline Personalities
entry in my Liquid Log has certainly stirred things up in the mailboxes of the maniacs.
Davin has collected our thoughts for us, enabling us to proceed with the discussion knowing what we actually said.
I Finally Fell In Love With Bowmore
E-pistle #10/11 - by Ho-cheng Yao, Taiwan
Ho-cheng used to have little love for Bowmore.
That changed quite dramatically when he encountered the 50yr Anniversary Edition of Bowmore 32yo 1968 S.P. Morrison.
Dial 'F' for Fake
E-pistle #10/12 - by Johannes v/d Heuvel, Holland
While doing his shopping, Ho-cheng discovered a bottle of Arran that was supposedly distilled in 1982.
That's rather odd, because the distillery only opened in 1995...
Surprise In The Park
E-pistle #10/13 - by Peter Silver, USA
A few days ago Peter experienced a 'surprise in the park' which involved 'a lovely busty lady in a corset shoving her goods in his face.'
Wanna read more? Sure you do!
The Fake Hunt Continues
E-pistle #10/14 - by Serge Valentin, France
After Ho-cheng discovered a fake Arran a few days ago, Serge found another suspect bottle.
This time we found it - of all places - on the pages of Whisky Magazine; it was a Loch Dhu 8yo.
Ileachs Walk the Plank for Glengoyne
E-pistle #10/15 - by Davin de Kergommeaux
, Canada
Can you imagine a stronger contrast than that between an Islay malt like Laphroaig and Glengoyne, an 'ersatz' Lowlander?
The pirates were not discouraged.
Heather & Cream
E-pistle #10/16 - by Craig Daniels, Australia
Another report on the adventures of the Earls of Zetland.
Craig set out to select a bunch of bourbon matured malts, but as it turned out most malts had a sherry side too.
Feis Ile 2004
E-pistle #10/17 - by
Davin de Kergommeaux, Canada
The Islay Festival is quickly establishing itself as a meeting ground for 'old' maniacs and a hunting ground for 'fresh' maniacs.
Davin, Serge and Olivier met Ho-cheng and Charles for the first time on Islay this year.
Bruichladdich Academy
E-pistle #10/18 - by Ho-cheng Yao, Taiwan
After Bladnoch's Raymond Armstrong launched his 'Whisky School' a few years ago, Bruichladdich was quick to upstage the Lowlanders.
Ho-cheng gave their 'Bruichladdich Academy' on Islay a test drive.
Whisky Live Paris 2004
E-pistle #10/19 - by Serge Valentin, France
Whisky Live is a grwoing, global event. They now organise events in London, Glasgow, Japan, the US and Paris.
Serge reports on the latest news from WL Paris 2004.
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Malt Maniacs #11 - October 15, 2004
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The Classification of Malt Whiskies
E-pistle #11/01 - by Charles MacLean, Scotland
The 'borderline' discussion focuses on the geographical classification of malt whiskies, but Charles offers another perspective.
He provided us with a list that looks at the topic from a blender's point of view. Interesting! This shows the 'blenders' malts.
Did you know that the relatively 'mundane' Glen Grant and Glenlossie malt were (once) held in high regard by blenders?
New World, new malt family
E-pistle #11/02 - by Lex Kraaijeveld, England
Our new maniac Lex Kraaijeveld has a keen interest in the 'deviant' whiskies produced far from familiar Scottish turf.
At a time when large parts of the world loathe anything from the USA, his first E-pistle looks at American malts.
What is My Favourite Ardbeg?
E-pistle #11/03 - by Luc Timmermans, Belgium
Lex isn't our only new maniac - the team now has eyes and ears in Belgium as well.
Luc is 'Mr. Glenfarclas', but his first E-pistle deals with a bunch of high class Ardbegs.
Luc is a brave maniac - he dumps on some 'team favourits'.
Re-educating Your Palate
E-pistle #11/04 - by Roman Parparov, Israel
The 2003 MM Awards really took their toll on Roman; he didn't look at another malt in almost a year.
Now, at the advent of his wedding, he dutifully goes back into training to prepare for the mayhem of the
MM Awards 2004.
Schotse Dagen in Ooijdonk, Belgium
E-pistle #11/05 - by Luc Timmermans, Belgium
Wow... Before the pixels of his previous E-pistle are dry, Luc Timmermans submits another E-pistle.
This time the topic is the Scottish festival in Ooijdonk, Belgium.
An Interview with Sukhinder Singh
E-pistle #11/06 - by Krishna Nukala, India
It has been quite a while since we had our last interview on Malt Maniacs, so I asked the maniacs to tap into their vast networks.
The first one to respond to my call to arms was Krishna, who interviews Sukhinder Singh from TWE.
'Phroaig Fraud on eBay
E-pistle #11/07 - by Luc Timmermans, Belgium