Oh look, it’s April 1, the day every year that comedy goes to whisky blogs to die. Don’t worry, I don’t have an elaborate April Fool’s joke post for you. Only my usual list of potential whisky reviews and such. March was a somewhat atypical month on the blog; at least insofar as the most read post of the month was neither about whisky nor about food. No. it was a post about a poem, my reading of Imtiaz Dharker’s “At the Lahore Karhai”. Alas, I fear that this is not a sign of the world changing for the better; if anything, probably more confirmation of the bad. I suspect, based on traffic patterns and a bit of desultory googling, that this poem is on an examination list at an Indian university and that a lot of desperate students have been casting about for study aids. Well, if that’s the case, I hope their professors don’t fail me. 

March was also an atypical month in that the second-most read post of the month was in fact about whisky. Not a whisky review though but my post about Loch Lomond’s fudging of their “history”. As with my long-ago post about Glendronach’s “single cask” shenanigans, I expect this post will continue to be read for some years but will have no impact on the distillery’s actual practices. This kind of thing is why I don’t bother trying to make fun of the whisky industry any more—it’s mostly beyond satire at this point.

Oh, if you’re interested, the top 5 whisky reviews in terms of views in March were of the three Lagavulin 12s, the Caol Ila 25 and the Glenfiddich Fire & Cane. As it happens I’m likely to post a number of reviews of other official releases this month as well, including of a number of releases from the aforesaid shameless Loch Lomond distillery. As the people who make the whisky are not involved with the marketing shenanigans I will not hold those shenanigans against the whisky but I will take the opportunity each time to remind you of how bogus those shenanigans are.

What else might be coming? The long list of potential reviews is below—feel free to nominate things you’re interested in to the shortlist. And if you’re wondering what recipes I’ll be posting this month, your answer is here.

1. Ambassador 25 yo, Blend
2. Auchroisk 27, 1989 (Cadenhead’s)
3. Ben Nevis 20, 1997 (Berry Bros. & Rudd)
4. Ben Nevis 20, 1997 (Exclusive Malts)
5. Ben Nevis 23, 1996 (First Editions)
6. Caol Ila 11, 2008 (The Whisky Jury)
7. Dalwhinnie 15
8. Dalmore/Cromarty’s Firth 13, 2007 (Hepburn’s Choice for K&L)
9. Glen Grant 24, 1995 (Signatory for the Nectar)
10. Glen Moray 25, 1994 (SMWS 35.275)
11. Glen Scotia 11, 2007 (SMWS 93.118)
12. Glen Scotia 12, 2007 (SMWS 93.135)
13. Glen Scotia 17, 2002 (SMWS 93.140)
14. Glenburgie 14, 1997, Cask Strength Edition
15. Glendronach 18, 1994 (PX Puncheon for the UK)
16. Glenmorangie 16, 1993 (SMWS 125.22)
17. Glenrothes 12, 2007 (SMWS 30.111)
18. Hazelburn 12
19. Highland Park 17, 2002 (SMWS 4.255)
20. Inchmoan 12, “Smoke & Spice”
21. Inchmurrin 12, “Fruity & Sweet”
22. Kilchoman 8, 100% Islay, Single Sherry Cask
23. Kilchoman 11, 2007 (for Friends of Kilchoman)
24. Kilchoman 12, 2006 (for the Islay Cask Company)
25. Laphroaig Triple Wood, 2009 Release
26. Laphroaig 14, 1998 (Signatory for Binny’s)
27. Linkwood 9, 2010 (Old Particular for K&L)
28. Loch Lomond 12, “Perfectly Balanced”
29. Loch Lomond 18
30. Springbank 10 Local Barley, 2019 Release
31. Springbank 17, 2002, Madeira Wood
32. Tomatin 23, 1976 (Old Malt Cask)