I’ve complained (often) about the hated specter of GRAIN WHISKY and the ruinous effect that it has on our lovely, pure single malt when blended by greedy profit-seeking conglomerates in their quest to dull the palates and wash the brains of innocent bar-goers the world round. *cough* Turns out that’s only half-true.
I keep hearing two phrases around the whisky and whiskey community these days. One is “Blends can be excellent!” (Of course, one can also say “Fast Food can be excellent!” but it rarely is. That aside…) The other is “90-95% of the whisky sold internationally is in blends.”…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/aug/17/whisky-biobuel-scotland As if you needed another reason to drink Scotch, scientists in Scotland have discovered a way to use pot ale and spent grains from the production of whisky to make a butanol-based biofuel alternative to gasoline. Apparently this fuel can be used in traditional gasoline engines without modification. Cool stuff, and yet another reason …
…This very well-made article-slash-promotional reel for the Irish whiskey company Cooley at Connsr Distilled includes a succinct history of the troubled Irish whiskey industry, and a description of Cooley’s line. But there is a shock (for me): Cooley’s makes a Single-GRAIN grain whiskey and bottles it under the name Greenore.