whisky

Tuesday 27th of March is the inaugural World Whisky Day, devised by whisky enthusiast Blair Bowman to be a global celebration of whisky in all its many forms (and however you spell it).

There are more than 120 events planned as part of the day, but even if you can't make it along to one of the formal tastings, it's the ideal occasion to share a dram with a friend and introduce them to the delights of the grain.

Ah the delights of the internet!

The Whisky Wire and Compass Box came together in fine style on Twitter last week to present a tasting of three excellent whiskies. DrinkBritain.com joined in the fun, along with tasters from around the globe.

First to go – appropriately, since it majors in apéritif stylishness – was the Great King Street Artist's Blend, a whisky with a high proportion of malts in it.

Long established American magazine The Malt Advocate has emerged from a re-design & name change as The Whisky Advocate.

And the new look is certain to be of interest to DrinkBritain.com readers.

The first malt whiskey (please note – not whisky!) to come out of Cornwall in over 300 years has arrived – and already it's gaining rave reviews.

Described by leading whisky writer Jim Murray as, "near faultless & almost beautiful beyond words", Hicks & Healey Cornish Whiskey is the result of a collaboration between head brewer Roger Ryman of St Austells brewery & David Healey of Healey's Cider Farm.

61.3%, 50cl/£150; available from Healey's Cyder Farm, St Austell Brewery Visitor Centre, and online at www.healeyscyder.co.uk & www.staustellbreweryshop.co.uk

Distillers featured on DrinkBritain.com collected a total of 93 medals, the overwhelming majority, 89, being Gold or Silver, at the recent International Wines & Spirits Competition 2011.

Glenmorangie, Glenlivet and Bowmore all won multiple awards, and Welsh distillers Penderyn scored with both its gin and whisky.

The full list of winners would run to several pages, so instead we've picked out the highlights and included a few of our personal favourites from the winners.

A new scientific device created by researchers at Strathclyde University makes the detection of fake whisky quicker and easier.

The new handheld device means that investigators can test whisky straight away, rather than sending samples to a lab.

Professor David Littlejohn, who lead the research in the Pure & Applied Chemistry Department at Strathclyde University, says the system will help Scotch Whisky to counter black-market dealers, who cost the industry millions in lost revenue and reputation.

Glengoyne Distillery have teamed up with nearby hotel Cameron House to offer a new twist on the traditional afternoon tea, intended to appeal to heartier appetites.

The "manly" version is served on a slate, rather than bone china. And instead of delicate cucumber sandwiches and Earl Grey, it features the likes of a black pudding scotch egg, mini Aberdeen Angus burger, and haggis sausage roll.

After a "silent season" which is lengthy even by the standards of the Scotch Whisky Industry, work has begun on the reconstruction of the Annandale Distillery, located in the south of Dumfries-shire just a few miles from Gretna and the border with England.  If all goes to plan, the first spirit to be distilled for over 90 years will appear towards the end of 2012, with the launch of an eight year old whisky in 2020.

Originally built around 1830, the distillery operated independently until around 1896. From then until 1920 it was owned by Johnnie Walker, and provided a peaty style of malt to go into the famous Johnnie Walker blends.

Here at DrinkBritain.com we know that you can't always manage to get to the more far flung corners of the country to track down a rare bottle, so we are pleased to hear that a new specialist spirits store has opened its doors in Glasgow.

The Good Spirits Company was born of its three founders' frustration at the lack of rare, interesting, or simply unusual spirits available to buy. The trio have decades of combined experience in the drinks industry, and have brought this to bear in selecting a range of drinks where the emphasis is on taste over packaging.

Gin is leading the charge for British drinks at Imbibe 2010, the new show from the guys behind Square Meal and Imbibe on 13-14 July at Earls Court.

Targeted solely at those in the bar and restaurant industry and covering all drinks types, with 13,500 visitors already registered, it’s likely to be a busy couple of days.