On this page you will find some of Paul's favourites, including; Tobermory, Cardhu, Jura, Monkey Shoulder & of course Oban (him being from that neck of the woods). Right; Ah, Tobermory; have you ever seen such an idyllic place for a distillery? Shown left the setting on Mull for this distillery, we can take you there!  My favourite Distillery location. We are often asked; what is the best whisky? the answer; which ever one YOU like best! simple eh.

WHAT WAY DO YOU TASTE SCOTCH WHISKY? There are no hard and fast rules when drinking whisky. Don't let preconceptions or supposedly set-in-stone conventions get in the way of enjoying your favourite dram. Scotch can be enjoyed responsibly in many ways. Here are just a few: In Scotland, Scotch Whisky tends to be enjoyed straight or with a little water . However, enter a bar in Tokyo and you will see whisky being consumed 'mizawari', diluted with lots of water . Out for the evening in Madrid, the order is likely to be Scotch mixed long with lots of ice and cola . In Shanghai Scotch with ice and cold green tea is very popular. Visit a style bar in New York and bartenders are likely to be using the great variety of whisky flavours to make exciting cocktails.   So who is right? Well, everyone. The only rule is that you should drink Scotch the way you enjoy it as an individual.

Paul; hard to say, I like many, but if really pushed - maybe an Oban or Jura. Or Dalwhinnie, or Dimple.  You need me to go right through the alphabet! As I can. What is Your favourite dram? Some single malt, some a blend. A Speyside, Lowland, Highland, Isles? we will endevour to sample them all - or as many as we can, just for you!  Liz; "anything I can put into a hot toddy! " We had a special bottling of 2002 whisky for the Maclean gathering of that year, out of the total amount, Liz had and enjoyed around 8 bottles, all went into hot toddy's.  WHAT'S YOURS?  LET US KNOW
Monkey Shoulder - hard to find, but well worth it in the end. It is a vatted, or pure, malt whisky, this cheeky monkey is made by combining three single malts from separate (Kininvie, Glenfiddich and Balvenie I am led to believe) Speyside distilleries. Monkey Shoulder is inspired by and named in honour of the malt men at William Grant, who are among the few still to turn the malting barley by hand using a sheil (wooden shovel). Monkey Shoulder was a nickname given to a temporary injury some malt men occasionally suffered many years ago as a result of repeatedly bending over whilst turning the malt. Thankfully, working practices have now changed and the condition no longer exists. Crafted in small batches of just 27 bourbon casks, Monkey Shoulder's smooth and and rounded taste has accents of malty sweetness, vanilla, marmalade and barley sugar. The iconic bottle design, complete with three brass monkeys - each representing one of the single malts - on the bottle's shoulder, is sure to attract people with discerning taste and ensures it's not one to hide away. I LOVE IT!

Producer: William Grant & Sons Ltd - www.williamgrant.com   ABV: 40%
Country of Origin: Scotland  Region: Speyside
Category(s): Blended & Vatted Whisky www.monkeyshoulder.com

CARDHU   Which means 'black rock', is situated at Knockando on the Craigellachie to Grantown road, very much in the heart of Speyside. The distillery was first licenced in 1824 by one John Cumming, the owner of Cardow farm. The distillery was made famous by John Cumming's daughter in-law, Elizabeth, who rebuilt the distillery in 1872. This made her the first female distiller in Scotland, and her hospitality had a glowing reputation. Diageo continue this hospitality today as Cardhu is now the spiritual home of Johnnie Walker. 'Cardow' is the anglicised name for Cardhu, occasionally independent bottlers use this name, as did the owners Diageo for a brief period in late 2003 to early 2004. The vatted/pure malt controversy made Cardhu famous, and might yet make the short-lived red pure malt expression a collectors item.

Paul's note; I have a bottle unopened! Offers gladly welcomed. To be honest, many years ago I first tasted this malt because I liked the shape of the bottle! Only then did I find out what a true malt this is and love it.

ISLE OF JURA SUPERSTITION
The people of Jura are superstitious. From the prophecy of the one-eyed Campbell to an aversion to cutting peat before May, age-old island beliefs resonate to this day. Drawing on our finest older malts and spring-peated younger whiskies, Jura Superstition is a tribute to the people, the traditions and the mystical heritage that make Jura island life unique.

COLOUR – Deep intense mahogany with glittering sun rays.  NOSE – Firm and positive, yet forcibly mellow. Strong accents of phenolic aromas. Rich, sensual nuances of honey and marzipan.  PALATE – Spice, honey, pine and peat aromas make a dramatic impact, the long years in oak casks have tempered and tamed this mystic spirit creating a long, lingering and tantalising aftertaste.

BRONZE AWARD WINNER AT 2005 INTERNATIONAL WINE AND SPIRIT COMPETITION   Paul's note; I have a bottle of this also, though half full by now, again I was taken by the marketing, but have always enjoyed the taste