1983 - A Dark Year for Single Malt

Many of us whisky supergeeks have a serious fascination with closed distilleries and, more specifically, the load of now-famous names associated with the Distillers Company (DCL), now known as Diageo after a merger with Guinness and Grand Metropolitan. 1983 was the year the industry's whisky glut doomed the fate of Port Ellen, Brora, Dallas Dhu, Glenlochy, Banff, and a string of other distilleries that would permanently silence their stills. These closures continue to be a source of inspiration to aspiring whisky collectors, much like the rock stars who died too young live on in our romantic ideals. I always thought that a tasting of the 1983 closures would make a fascinating and exciting theme for any whisky drinker. Now Tim Read over at the blog Scotch and Ice Cream has decided to make that dream a reality.

Read along with Tim as he tastes through each distillery and documents the experience. He just began the other day with St. Magdalene. I'm excited to see how it goes!

-David Driscoll