American Whiskey Magazine October 2020

I can’t actually remember the last time I had a good night’s sleep. As I write this, we are about a week into a string of ‘tropical nights’ that are making a comfortable night of sleep a thing of the past and, let’s face it, in the UK we just aren’t used to or prepared for it. But hey, it’s not all bad as we can spend the entire day complaining about something! Add onto that a marathon evening of writing and you have yourself one slightly dishevelled and grumpy editor… a (not so) subtle hint to my colleagues who will read this after me that, yes, I would like a coffee. I’m getting off topic here because actually, this week aside, for the past month I’ve been in a great…

SPONSORED BY GLENCAIRN CRYSTAL As many live events are put on hold during 2020, we have been given the chance to pause and thank our partners around the world. When Whisky Live started in Tokyo in 2000, so began a journey working with the world’s leading whiskey experts and enthusiasts. From whiskey importers to event organisers, retailers to whiskey clubs and bars, Whisky Live has taken on a life of its own as the passion and drive of our partners has developed it in all continents. As tastes have evolved, so has Whisky Live. From Bourbon whiskey to malt whisky, cocktails to other brown spirits, in recent years Gin Live and Fine Spirits have been added. Whisky Live has provided the platform for long-established and new brands to reach customers all around…

It’s still February, right? Social distancing is such a strange thing for so many people. We aren’t used to having our waking hours look mostly the same and few of us stay home for days on end. That was probably one of the biggest shocks adjusting to the new normal of the pandemic – for months I’ve really only been to the store for essentials, so it feels as though time has stood still. My hat is off to those on the front lines, from the medical professionals fighting the disease, to the store workers keeping the groceries flowing – all of you deserve a drink and a raise. For those of us working and existing at home, staying connected has been a true struggle. It has been great to be…

It has to be said that as years go, this one has been filled with uncertainty and surprises. However, for Marianne Eaves, one thing in 2020 was certain: it would be the year that she became a mother. “On March thirteenth my baby girl was born… I probably would have been locked in the house doing nothing but holding her for the first month anyway, so the lockdown at least gave me a good reason to stay inside and just cuddle my newborn,” explains Marianne. Fast forward five months and not only is Marianne hitting her stride as a mother, but also in her consulting business. Earlier this year, American Whiskey Magazine caught up with the former Castle & Key master blender as she stepped out into the world of whiskey consultancy.…

Coronavirus has changed the whole world overnight. In the whiskey world distilleries have closed to the public, bars have been forced to shutter completely or make the switch to carryout service and bottle sales. There have been disruptions to the whiskey-making process, and at many distilleries production has shifted to the creation of hand sanitizer to help in the effort to fight the spread of the pandemic. THE DISTILLING INDUSTRY HAS A LEGACY OF STEPPING UP Distilleries large and small have stepped up in numerous ways to support the community during the pandemic and subsequent economic downturn. Brown-Forman partnered with The Lee Initiative to help keep bar and restaurant staff fed in the face of monumental layoffs, while also donating upwards of US$1 million to organizations that will help the communities impacted. Rabbit…

As the months fly by this year, I have to admit that I’m getting increasingly numbed to, or perhaps by, the goings on in the world. And really, you can’t blame me, it’s a lot. To be pleasantly surprised by something I saw in the headlines was becoming a fond and fleeting memory, like hugs and spontaneity. Given their record of feats within the industry, it wasn’t a shock to me to see the news of Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniel’s working together to create opportunities for increased diversity within the whiskey industry we know and love. News of the Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative was greeted by rapturous applause from the industry, especially during this time of change. As Uncle Nearest’s CEO, Fawn Weaver explains, “We began working on the distilling…