Welcome to Two Drams A Day! Here, I explore the unique character of whiskies—often Scotch single malts—by pairing two at a time and tasting them side-by-side. I share my real-time observations, from surprising highlights to occasional letdowns, and ultimately pick a favourite. Along the way, I aim to discover and share something new. If you’re […]
If you’re new here, welcome to Two Drams A Day! Each article is a personal journey where I pair two whiskies, often Scotch single malts among others, to discover the subtle differences that make each one unique and special. My approach is hands-on and intimate: I taste these whiskies side-by-side and share my real-time observations, from […]
Welcome back to another excellent tasting of two whiskies [it’s Japanese blended malts today], where I get to sip them side-by-side, compare the slight differences between them, take down these notes in real-time, then pick a favourite, and hopefully learn something new along the way. If you’re too impatient to find out the winner, you […]
Welcome back to another excellent tasting of two drams, where I get to sip them side-by-side, compare the slight differences between them, take down these notes in real-time, then pick a favourite and hopefully learn something new along the way. Won’t you join me on this journey? Up for a tasting are two Japanese blended […]
And we’re back for another fine sampling of two whiskies where I get to peel apart the tiny differences by tasting them side-by-side. In keeping up with my recent journey across the Japanese offerings, and while the last few drams I’ve tasted are still fresh in my mind (see how Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt goes […]
Welcome back to another fine pairing of two single malts side-by-side. Er… I’m off. These are not single malts but rather Japanese blended (aka vatted) malts from Nikka. And while one is just named Pure Malt, the other has a coloured suffix after that. In fact, I have discovered that there are also Black and […]
As mentioned in my previous post, I’d like to spend more time with Japanese Whisky and see what the craze is all about. I just spent about a month travelling around Japan and individually tasting various expressions, but now it’s time for a more clinical approach, where I pair two selected drams side by side […]
I just came back from spending nearly a month in Japan, where, as you can imagine, I’ve had the opportunity to explore a lot more local products that have not been exported to other regions. I’ve visited a few distilleries, and I’ve had plenty of drams, not to mention the abundance of beer, sake, and […]
I’m having a sort of love-hate relationship with the Japanese whiskies lately. Some of it may be coloured by the fact that many distilleries hid the original source of their ingredients and, prior to the most recently announced regulation, have even repackaged Scotch whisky under the Japanese label. By 2024, all products labelled as “Japanese whisky” must be fermented, distilled, aged and bottled in Japan.
Today, or rather over the course of a couple of days, I set upon a blind tasting of six drams, courtesy of The Spirits Embassy. Given that each sample is indeed only about 30ml, I do not intend to consume all of this alcohol in one sitting. I mean, of course, I can, but I […]
Two Drams A Day 