Welcome to Whisky Rocks - our new Substack newsletter
I’m pleased to introduce our new Substack newsletter, Whisky Rocks.
Whisky Rocks is a new beginners guide to help you discover more about the magic and wonder of the world’s most exciting spirit. Yes - that’s whisky (or whiskey if you’re reading this in America or Ireland*).
I say ‘we’ when it’s principally ‘me’ - Gordon Thomson - the editor of Barley.
Sometimes I’ll invite one of our Barley contributors to write something on Whisky Rocks, or else I’ll talk to them about what I want to write and use their expertise in a post, so it’s unquestionably a team effort.
I’d really like to get your ideas too, so from time to time I might ask what you want to read about next.
Whisky Rocks is for anyone who likes whisky, or wants to like whisky, but it’s chiefly written for the emerging whisky curious crowd - those of us (and I count myself among them) who want to learn more about this extraordinary drink, but don’t know quite where to start.
Maybe cocktails have been your gateway into whisky or else you got a taste for it by stealing the odd sip from a bottle pulled out at Christmas or New Year. Perhaps you’re keen to impress your friends with your ability to discern a peaty Islay from a Sherry cask Speyside. You could be a complete novice. It doesn’t matter. This is a liquid journey we can all celebrate and share together.
I’m going to start by posting two pieces a week, and see how we get on.
In my head Whisky Rocks is like a mini-series to sip and savour, as opposed to a box-set binge.
With that in mind, here are a few of the episodes coming your way:
Monks. Moonshine. Mesopotamia. The wild birth of whisky
Spirited away. How whisky is made
Neat, on the rocks or with a splash of water? The essential drinking guide
Do you know how to nose?
Blends, single malts and all the other incredible varieties explored and explained
Feints, wort, washbacks and mash tuns - distilling, distilled
Great grains: corn, rye, maize and wheat
The Angel’s Share. Speak the whisky lingo
Speyside’s top tipples
Islay and the power of peat
Barrels of joy - an ode to casks
The fine art of bottling
Bourbon
Cocktails
Bars. The best ones to try
Quaichs, Glencairns and other worthy drinking vessels
GlenMORangie or GLENmorANgey? Talk like a pro
*we’ll be explaining that too!
Thanks for opening this newsletter — and I look forward to writing for you and to receiving your feedback.
Barley isn’t changing. This website will still be the home for all longer form articles, travel stories, culture and more.
Sign up to a subscription before the end of June for a whole host of great introductory offers. See the ABOUT page on Substack for details.
