We are willing to bet that nearly every Indian teenager’s first drink was a highball. Do any of these sound familiar: Vodka Red Bull, Rum & Thums Up, Gin & Limca? Ours was (unsurprisingly) a furtive dash of whisky in a tall glass of soda when the grown-ups weren’t looking. A highball is basically a shot of any spirit mixed with a generous amount of fizzy, non-alcoholic mixer, in a tall g...

A few weeks ago we told you the story of bourbon. Of how there are more barrels of bourbon ageing in Kentucky than the local population! And the distillery that started it all was on the site of the present day Woodford Reserve Distillery at Versailles, Kentucky in 1812, by Elijah Pepper. It was also here, way back in 1838, that the “Father of Bourbon Whiskey” James Crow perfected the “s...

When the world’s largest spirits maker (Diageo) announces that it will be selling one of its most popular whiskies (Johnnie Walker) in 100% recyclable paper bottles from 2021, you have to sit up and take notice.The whisky industry has not been known for its environmental efficiency. Every aspect of crafting this spirit – from raw ingredients traveling long distances to heating stills aft...

When we heard that there are at least 15 times the number of distilleries in the US than in Scotland we knew we couldn’t ignore American whiskeys (no, not a typo) for much longer. America’s whiskey distilling history dates back to the 1700s when it was only used as a form of barter (by the corn and rye farmers) for sheep and other livestock. Every US presidency only saw the industry grow...

From a small grocery store in Aberdeen to a stalwart on the shelves of bars and homes across the globe, the story of Chivas Regal is one of perseverance and the constant purveyance of quality. The Chivas Brothers, James and John, left their rural home in 1836 to work in the family business - a grocery store which sold the finest quality provisions, wines and spirits. As the business quic...

“There is no such thing as bad Whisky. Just some whiskies happen to be better than others.” -William FaulknerScotch whisky has been around since ages. The earliest record of distillation in Scotland is noted down to 1494. It evolved from what was first known as a Scottish drink called Uisge Beatha, meaning water of life, in Scottish Gaelic, in Latin it was known as aqua vitae, i.e. essen...