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 Here you will find a selection of our top general articles from Castle & Cairn by topic. If you're looking to get started, this list should keep you busy for a while! Sections are updated as we publish new posts. For more background on this blog and our purpose, visit the About Us page.

a classroom where distillers are learning about whiskey

Whiskey General Information

Whiskey is both a beverage and a hobby. Educating yourself regarding the history of whiskey is a great way to connect with people the world over. Long a go-to topic for hotel bars, talking about a favorite pour or cocktail is a fantastic way to break the ice with strangers. The growing list below has a summary of everything I have learned along my whiskey journey, roughly broken out by level of depth. Feel free to peruse in any order you like, the sections are merely to break things into more palatable chunks, some of the articles are quite long!

Intro to Whiskey

This section holds what could be considered "common" whiskey facts as well as guidance for those just starting to get into the whiskey hobby.

Intermediate Whiskey Knowledge

By now you feed good about drinking whiskey neat and enjoy it. This section is geared to aid those who have tried a number of whiskeys and wish to take the hobby to the next level. The focus here is on the palate, detailing tasting experiences and sharing them. 

Advanced Whiskey Concepts

The "Advanced" section holds what is largely minutiae and science. These articles cover chemistry, food science, and production methods in depth and are written with the "whiskey nerd" in mind. 
For a full list of our reviews, complete with bottle backgrounds and history, visit: Reviews. For a table with all spirits reviews and their ratings, please reference the frame below. Note that all reviewed bottles have been tasted multiple times, often with a blind tasting to solidify the rating. Ratings are adjusted over the life of the bottle with updates noted (some bottles will get better, some worse).

General Spirits

These articles  focus on spirits broadly and will also be home to rum, gin, vodka, and tequila themed items.

Beer

Beer is good and stuff, let's go drink some:
image of a game controller next to a bottle of whiskey at night in front of a tv

Drinking & Video Games

Here you will find a section of our custom drinking game rules. Always remember to use good judgement and consume in moderation!

Popular posts from this blog

🥃 Review #40: Kirkland Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2024)

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Like Costco's other Scotches, the Kirkland Signature Islay Single Malt is bottled for Alexander Murray and imported by MISA Imports after being distilled and aged in Scotland (TTB.gov plant registry TX-I-1277). The isle of Islay is one of the southern most islands in Scotland and is one of the five whisky regions ensconced in law. There are only nine active distilleries on the island, and the Islay style is typified by strong peat or smoky flavors. As a single malt, we know that the juice in this bottle comes entirely from one of those nine! All of the distilleries are significantly smaller than Glenlivet and many of the mainland producers. Taste testing has people split between Caol Illa, Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte), and Bunnahabhain as being the source. Caol Illa and Laphroig both have done deals for private brand scotch without rights to name the source distillery, but Laphroig does not match the flavor profile for this bottle. Realistically, Caol Illa is the most likely cand...
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🍺🍷🥃 Beer, Wine, and Spirits Rebate Website Master List

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If there is anything I love more than a good drink, it's saving money buying that good drink! The rules for providing discounts on alcohol differ substantially between states with some allowing outright discounts or coupons and others entirely disallowing any sort of purchase incentive. Thankfully though, in my native Georgia as well as most states, a simple reimbursement approach is permissible.  Alcohol Rebate Site Master List The following sites are relatively stable for each manufacturer. New offers usually come out every few months. None of these are affiliate links and I provide no assurance as to the process. I have saved so much money using rebates and hope you have similar success. Best practices and general process advice will be presented at the bottom. New sites will be added as I uncover them. Beer Rebates Boston Beer Company Brands  - Angry Orchard, Dogfish head, Hard Mountain Dew, Samuel Adams, Sun Crusher, Truly, and Twisted Tea. Some brands may not have active...
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🍺 Costco's Kirkland Vintage Ale 2025 - Review & Tasting Notes

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Fall is in the air, and that means we have yet another year of Kirkland's Vintage Ale! Brewed proudly by  Deschutes (pronounced "Da-Shootz") in Bend, Oregon, this Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout spends nine months in the wood, picking up what the whiskey left behind (mostly vanillin and tannins). Bottled over the summer, this particular beer is from Lot B. Neither Costco nor the packaging give us much additional detail beyond the ABV and style. I remember finding  last year 's edition to be solid but nothing to write home about, fairly dry but a pleasant pour. The use of the work "vintage" to me implies that some changes may be made year-to-year but we'll have to see if our taste buds can help us validate. How does the 2025 vintage fair? 💅Style: Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout 🛒Sourced: $7.99 Costco, GA  for a 22oz bottle. $2 cheaper than the 2024 edition! 💥Hops:   Not Mentioned sadly. Other ingredients include chocolate malt, milled oats and Dutc...
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🥃 Review #34: ASW Fiddler Toasted Wheat Cask Strength Bourbon

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Founded by University of Georgia graduates Jim Chasteen and Charlie Thompson, American Spirit Whiskey Distillery ("ASW") is a craft producer out of Atlanta, GA with the plant registry DSP-GA-20014. As Southern Pot-Still Pioneers, they are one of the few producers to distill in the ancient Scottish Tradition of small, grain-in batches (where grain solids are left in for the remainder of the distillation process) though they also partner with Midwest Grain Products to source distillate for further aging, finishing and blending before bottling as is the case here. This bottle is from the June 2023 batch which is a blend of two principal spirits. ASW's master distiller, Justin Maglitz, is accomplished old-time string music fiddler and he often experiments with various factors between batches. As such, the "Fiddler" brand name fits perfectly. No two batches are truly the same, but all of the ones I've had so far have been to my liking. This bottle shares the same...
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🥃Review #20 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof - Private Barrel Distiller's Selection

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  📚 Background: Released in three batches per year, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Straight Kentucky  Bourbon Whiskey is almost always a hit with aficionados. Barrel proof means that, of course, the whiskey is not cut with water after being dumped from the barrel. The "Private Barrel" moniker further tells you that not the barrel was specially selected and not batched or blended. This can cut both ways as single barrel whiskies sometimes differ significantly from their batched counterparts which have the benefit of distiller curation to even out any off notes. If your local store owner's tastes align with yours, their barrel picks may be better than anything else you can find. On the other hand, a less conscientious selector may pick you a big loser of a barrel. This bottle comes from Costco which means that the private barrel is a "distiller's selection" and not picked by a Costco employee specifically. Typically for these big releases the manufacturer will try...
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