The Beginning

The seed was originally planted at the end of 2009. Sales Manager and friend, Philip Maurice bought in the end of a special bottle of whisky for me to try. Initially I did not want to even try it. I didn’t like whisky ! I was a red wine and Guinness drinker (not in the same glass). But Phil persuaded me that this would be unlike anything else I had previously tasted.

He was right. It was a Clynelish 14 Year Old cask strength whisky and I immediately enjoyed the nose. I can’t remember too much about it and went back to drinking my red wine and Guinness throughout 2010.

Then at the end of the year Phil brought different bottle in for me to sample. I didn’t need persuading this time.

Cadenhead's Caol Ila 15 YO

The catalyst that started it all - Thanks Phil!

Distilled in 1991 and bottled at 46% in May 2006 and one of just 378 bottles.Just a small tasting of this William Cadenhead’s single barrel bottling of a Caol Ila 15 year old, was enough for me to want more.

I was going to investigate further and so the following weekend went out and bought my first bottle of single malt whisky.

My First Purchase

Not knowing where to start I stood looking at the store shelves determined to come away with something. It had to be a single malt, but only really recognised The Glenfiddich 12 Year Old . Knowing this was usually available everywhere I wanted to try something a little different and eventually picked up a Laphroaig 10 Year Old.

Deciding that I needed something to compare against I made some immediate purchases: One from the Highlands; a Dalwhinnie 15 Years Old and one from the Lowlands; a Glenkinchie 12 Year Old both 20cl bottles.

I think I was hooked at this point, at a New Year Party I was already talking about my new experiences and was recommended to try Laphroaig Quarter Cask. I immediately went the following day to get myself a bottle, and came home with a 1/2 bottle of Jura 10 year old to keep it company.

I was definitely hooked !

I needed to know more about Single Malt whisky and began trawling the internet in search of knowledge (see links page). I decided that I should buy a new bottle single malt every month and so the journey began…..