Category: Wisdom & Opinions

Glenfarclas 105 versus Aberlour a’Bunadh

Glenfarclas 105 versus Aberlour a’Bunadh. Do you have a favourite? Have you already decided on a winner? Did you actually taste the two back-to-back to arrive at your conclusion? Does any comparison of the two simply come down to brand loyalty, or is there something objective we can measure?

If there’s a rivalry amongst the whisky producers, it would best be described as “friendly”. While the likes of William Grant & Sons and Pernod Ricard duke it out for the biggest selling single malt in the world (i.e. Glenfiddich and Glenlivet respectively), both companies know that, firstly, sales need to be considered across their full portfolios, and that their blends (e.g. Grants, Chivas, and Ballantines) are where the real volume is. Secondly, that what’s good for the category is good for everyone in the category. In other words, as long as the rising tide is floating all boats, then things are pretty rosy.

If there are rivalries amongst the brands, they’re being driven by consumers and punters, and they have their origins in the chatter on social media and in whisky forums. And so, in the Speyside stakes, we have Glenfiddich 12 versus Glenlivet 12. Over on Islay, we have Lagavulin versus Laphroaig. And for those who love their cask-strength sherry monsters, we have Glenfarclas 105 versus Aberlour a’Bunadh.

Both whiskies are cask-strength; both are natural colour; both are heavily sherried; and – in Australia, at least – both carry the same price tag of $140. (Equates to US$96 / 87 Euros / £75).  That’s what they have in common, so let’s look in detail at how and where they differ….

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Islay – Its distilleries and its whiskies

[Updated April, 2026] With Islay’s smoky, pungent, peaty whiskies gaining increasing popularity and traction around the globe, and with whisky tourism to Islay growing, now is a great time to come to terms with the island and its whiskies. Here’s a unique and new way of presenting Islay’s critical information….

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Too much information?

Is there too much whisky information flying around these days?  Are we becoming overwhelmed – or distracted – by excessive information about each release that ultimately obscures our appreciation and enjoyment of the whisky?  Has whisky trivia become too trivial?

Earlier this week, I was re-writing the Whisky & Wisdom “Whisky Quiz” which I refresh and update semi-regularly.  Designed and intended as a fun way for whisky drinkers to test their knowledge, the questions certainly separate the novices from the hardcore enthusiasts.  (If you’d like to try Whisky & Wisdom’s latest Whisky Quiz and put your whisky knowledge to the test, you can try our quiz here).  My rule is that the questions have to come off the top of my head – that is, I rely on my own knowledge, and I don’t research or go looking for impossible questions.  I figure that if I know the answers, then other people must know them, too.  However, whilst conceiving the questions and answers this time around, it became very apparent to me just how much information is out there and available to today’s whisky drinker.   And I pondered:  Is there too much information? 

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Bakery Hill – the view from the top

There’s a lot of noise and activity in the Australian whisky scene at the moment – most of it to do with new distilleries being established or newer distilleries releasing their first matured spirit. Or, frequently, you’ll hear about some Aussie whisky collecting an award at an international spirits competition.  Meanwhile, some distilleries are simply getting on with making good whisky.  Bakery Hill is one such distillery. Not the most vocal brand on social media, Bakery Hill is happy to let its whiskies do the talking. And talk, they do. Continue reading “Bakery Hill – the view from the top”

Craigellachie – the whisky and the distillery

Craigellachie is – or perhaps was – one of Speyside’s great little secrets. A wonderful distillery that sits unabashedly beside the main road running through the Craigellachie village, its whiskies have been well known and admired by whisky connoisseurs for many years. However, it seems it’s time for Craigellachie’s malt to be appreciated by a bigger and wider fan club.

Craigellachie is making a bit of noise right now with the global release of its 51yo – a whisky that will be far more accessible than you might at first think, but more about that in a moment. In the meantime, let’s set the scene… Continue reading “Craigellachie – the whisky and the distillery”

Is diversity bringing down the quality of whisky?

Whisky consumers right now are spoiled for choice. Most of the distilleries that bottle their own malt now offer a vast selection of different bottlings at a range of prices so that there’s something for everyone. Most brands now offer one or more No Age Statement expressions in their portfolio, together with, say, a 10yo or 12yo, a 15yo, 18yo, 21yo, and so on. Other brands just come out with a myriad of different bottlings under different names to pad out a broad – and, it must be said, complicated – portfolio….Highland Park and Macallan being two good examples.  But is all this diversity actually good for the consumer? More critically, what does it mean for quality? Is the quality of whisky suffering as a result? Continue reading “Is diversity bringing down the quality of whisky?”

Whisky and music – the final frontier?

Whisky and music.  Can it work?  Whisky – as I’m sure you’ve discovered by now – is a very versatile drink.  It can be enjoyed any number of ways (neat, over ice, with a mixer, etc); it’s a key ingredient in many cocktails; and it can be paired beautifully with a large number of foods and other beverages.  Such culinary matchings are now the norm, and whisky dinners – featuring malts that are specifically matched to the food courses – are almost passe.

But it wasn’t always this way.  Attitudes to and experiences with whisky were once fairly narrow in their vision.  In fact, it was only as recently as 20 years ago that matching whisky to food became a “thing”.   Internationally, it was probably the work by Martine Nouet through Whisky Magazine that brought attention to the craft and skill of matching whisky to food.

Over time, whisky came to be paired with many different things.  I’ve hosted my fair share of Whisky & Cheese events over the years, and this also grew to incorporate many events that showcased Whisky & Chocolate, Whisky & Beer, Whisky & Coffee, and Whisky & Ice Cream.  And, whilst it’s a practice I don’t personally endorse, Whisky & Cigars is also a popular pursuit.

About the only pairing I’ve struggled with is the concept of Whisky & Music.  It’s admittedly a far less tangible concept than pairing whisky to food and beverages, not to mention a more subjective pursuit.  After all, people’s tastes and preferences in music cover a far more diverse (and sensitive) spectrum, and it’s difficult to assign objectivity to the applicability or success of any match.   For example, who’s to say a 10 year old Talisker is lifted or enhanced by drinking it to Beethoven’s Third Symphony any better than it would if paired with ‘Uprising’ by Muse?  Does a malt with a long finish work well with a song that has a long ending?

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Australian whisky – a frank discussion

Earlier this year, Whisky & Wisdom published an article titled “Trouble brewing for the Australian whisky industry”.   It was an extremely comprehensive and honest account of the challenges facing the Australian industry and raised a number of issues that continue to lurk beneath the surface.   The article generated significant discussion amongst the whisky community and W&W received overwhelming responses and support from those within the industry.  You can read the original article here.

Fast forward six months later, and the article triggered a fantastic discussion/interview with James Atkinson at Drinks Adventures.   W&W recently sat down with Drinks Adventures for a frank discussion about what’s happening in the Australian whisky industry; the learning curve that distillers need to put themselves through; and the issues that consumers are now raising.

If you’re interested in Australian whisky and the Aussie whisky scene, it’s a fantastic podcast to listen to.  The link to the Drinks Adventures episode is here.

A rant: Is this whisky worth it?

Have you ever asked yourself the question, “Is this whisky worth it?”  Drinkers today have many tools and resources at their disposal to both share and advance their knowledge of whisky.  Social media has its many pros and cons, but one of the pros is that, courtesy of Twitter or Facebook, you can ask a question about a whisky and, within minutes, you’ll have people from around the globe giving answers and opinions.

Many such questions and forums are productive.  For example, for those needing to confirm a piece of trivia, you can ask “How many distilleries still use traditional wormtubs?” and the whisky community will come to your rescue with the necessary answer.  Or you can ask, “What are the dates for next year’s Feis Ile?” and your diary will quickly know the score.  However, not all questions and discussions advance the cause….

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