Whiskey Links

BLOGS/REVIEWS

There are tons of great whiskey blogs out there.  I have listed every English language blog I am aware of on my Complete list of Whiskey Blogs, and each month, I highlight one blog I particularly enjoy in my Blog of the Month series so check out those links. If you're looking for a less overwhelming selection, here are some suggestions, but they represent just a few of the many great whiskey blogs out there:

Scotch

WhiskyFun. French blogger Serge Valentin maintains one of the oldest and best regarded whiskey review sites on the web. Dedicated to reviews of fascinating and obscure single malts, Serge is always tasting something interesting, and even if you'll never taste 95% of the whiskey on his site, it's always a fun read.

Dramming. German blogger Oliver Klimek heads up this relatively recent addition to the whisky blogosphere which alternates between essays, reviews, interviews and polls. Oliver always has something interesting to say.

My Annoying Opinions. An American's take on Scotch.  The author is opinionated but only sometimes annoying.

Ralfy Stuff. Ralfy is the premiere YouTube whiskey reviewer. Located in Scotland, he mostly sticks to Scotch but sometimes branches out and is always unorthodox and entertaining.

American Whiskey

Chuck Cowdery Blog. There are few people walking the earth who know as much about American whiskey as Chuck Cowdery. The author of Bourbon, Straight, the best bourbon book around, Chuck talks equal parts history and current whiskey news, and he's not afraid to give his opinion, even when it may be unpopular with the industry.

The Coopered Tot.  Previously mostly Scotch, Josh Feldman now seems to write mostly about American whiskey, including some in depth history and analysis of very old whiskeys.

Bourbonr. Blake Riber's blog is a great place for newbies.  It has news and information with clear, visually pleasing graphics.

Red White & Bourbon. Great Colorado based blog covering American whiskey.

Canadian Whisky

Canadianwhisky.org. Davin de Kergommeaux's blog is the go-to site for Canadian Whisky news, information and reviews. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of his subject and shares it generously with his readers.

Japanese Whisky

Nonjatta. Chris Bunting's site is the authoritative English language resource on Japanese Whisky.

General Whiskey

K&L Spirits Journal. David Driscoll and David Othenin-Girard run the spirits program at California retailer K&L and maintain a spirits blog that is more than just salesmanship. For retailers, the Davids speak surprisingly honestly about the industry and the whiskey they sell. They are truly a breath of fresh air, offering information and letting us know about exciting new whiskeys coming into the shop.

Los Angeles Whisk(e)y Society. Probably the best designed whiskey review sites on line, the LAWS site includes ratings for over 1,000 whiskeys of all types. I'm a LAWS member and rate whiskey on the site.

The Whisky Advocate Blog Occasional postings of news and reviews from the Whisky Advocate staff.

WhiskyCast. Mark Gillespie's weekly podcast, which goes on-line every Sunday, is a must for anyone who wants the latest in whiskey news.


FORUMS

StraightBourbon.com. A great forum with extremely knowledgeable participants as well as distillers and other industry folks. While the main subject is bourbon, the forum is a great place to discuss any American whiskey. Just don't ask how much that bottle is worth.

Whisky Magazine Forum. The Whisky Magazine forum is a good resource with international participation. It mostly centers on Scotch.

WhiskyWhiskyWhisky.com. You can always find some good discussions on Mark Connelly's forum, which is mostly focused on Scotch.

Reddit.  Reddit has a wide variety of active whiskey forums, including forums for bourbon and Scotch.


ON-LINE SHOPPING

Astor Wines. This New York store has a great selection of whiskey as well as brandy and has great deals. Look for their frequent sales and mark-downs. They ship all over.

K&L Wine Merchants. K&L has stores in Hollywood, Redwood City and San Francisco. With a great selection, rare bottles and on-line shopping (including free shipping from store to store), K&L is my first stop for whiskey.

The Whisky Exchange. The Whisky Exchange is a UK based on-line retailer with a fantastic selection.