This is the definitive guide to UK whisky and rum festivals for the rest of 2025 and into 2026. The drinks festival is where spirits come alive. From masterclasses and…
Master of Malt blog
Category: Features
Featured news, interviews and articles covering whisky, rum, gin, tequila and mezcal and other drinks and spirits, as well as the drinks industry.
Retro whisky cocktails are back. I’m sure for some of you, they never went away. Maybe you have a soft spot for disco-era drinks. Back in the 70s and 80s,…
I know you’re all just dying to know the answer to this question: What have been the major spirits trends for 2025? Yes, we’ve almost reached the end of 2025,…
Nc’nean is green. It’s the poster-child of whisky’s sustainable, organic, renewable, net-zero, B Corp-certified future. Led by Annabel Thomas from her family’s farm in Drimnin, over the last decade, it…
Brighton isn’t short of characterful bars, but there’s one spot that whisky fans have been hyping for years: Cut Your Wolf Loose (CYWL). After far too many recommendations and missed…
After seven years, it’s time for us to say goodbye to social media tycoon Charlotte Gorzelak. Perhaps some of you have seen our social medias. The Instagrams. The Facebooks. The…
To book a room at Ardbeg House, go to www.ardbeg.com. Eat, sleep and drink Ardbeg. That’s what new boutique hotel Ardbeg House promises visitors and Illeachs alike. Just a short…
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2025 has arrived at Master of Malt. It’s the most mature whisky ever the Kentucky Straight Bourbon brand has ever blended. The third expression in the…
The Isle of Raasay Marsala Cask Single Malt whisky is here. Rejoice. Yes, the distillery’s shiny new toy has arrived on the good ship Master of Malt. We had a…
The Fettercairn Vanguard Series is an ambitious project from a distillery that has been flexing its creative muscles in recent years. We’ve spoken before about the revival of the brand’s…
Whisky stones. I hate whisky stones. Supposedly, they keep your dram cold without diluting it. In reality, they don’t chill anything properly, they don’t improve flavour, and they deprive you…
For some whisky drinkers, peat is the pinnacle. The holy grail. The ultimate test of your taste buds. We’re doing a whole campaign to celebrate the stuff right now. Those…
I’m Adam, and I like to mix Islay whisky. To some people, this would be a shocking confession. A revelation that betrayed a lack of taste and respect for a…
Canadian whisky used to be the quiet giant of world whisky. It was smooth, dependable, and often overlooked, sitting politely on the back bar while Scotch and bourbon hogged the…
This is Whisky 101: A Beginner’s Guide for the 21st Century. Feel free to share away, but remember to always drink responsibly and spread the good word in the same…
When it comes to whisky, size does matter… at least where casks are concerned. Yep, we’re talking cask size, folks. The barrel a whisky matures in determines how quickly it…
Some things never go out of style. Like my black leather jacket. I’m not too old for it. Right? Well, one thing that I’m sure we’ll all agree endures is…
Here’s a guide to different kinds of peats. First, the basics. What is peat? Compacted layers of decayed vegetation found in bogs, moors, and wetlands. Rich in moss, heather, and…
You can buy Octomore Series 16 from Master of Malt here: 16.1, 16.2, 16.3. “Octomore can be more Bruichladdich than Bruichladdich is”, says brand ambassador Bill Shearer. Octomore is where…
There are certain phrases that get whisky lovers really going. Few have the allure of “cask strength”. When beer and wine drinkers first move into the world of whisky, 40%…