vPub Live - The Best of 2023

Of course, when I say 'Best’ I really mean best according to no one other than me. Isn't that always the way of these things? But don't worry, we'll be able to focus on things much bigger than just one opinion.

I do, however, believe it's been yet another great whisky year. Always different, always interesting and always something new, but we can't take it for granted. When it's good it should be celebrated. It might not always be there and when it's gone, our brain plays nostalgia tricks on us to make us believe it was better than it actually was. There's a lot of pressure on new things to level up to what we believe they should be, often based on nothing more than warm and fuzzy memories. Despite that, 2023 has brought us some really interesting new things.

From there we'll look at my Whisky of the Year, my Producer of the Year and also take a wee wander around the events and moments of 2023 that made it what it was. Not everything was pretty, not everything was something to celebrate, but much of it very much was.

And before I disappear for a few days respite from everything whisky in early January, I'll also bring back, for one session only, Is it a Speyside? Yes, it’s in response to relentless requests and pressure from you, but isn’t that the power of a combined voice?

It'd be a pleasure to welcome you there!

0:00 - Opening
1:22 - Intro to topic
6:04 - Welcoming in the lounge
15:03 - January - Indri Trini - Promiscuity
22:07 - February - Speyburn - Loyalty
27:47 - March - Ardbeg - Islay
38:11 - April - Maclean's Nose - Limburg
49:10 - May - Turntable - Blends
56:16 - June - Loch Lomond - Adaptable producers
1:05:18 - Producer of 2023
1:14:55 - Is it a Speyside? -  InWhiskyVeritas
1:26:38 - Is it a Speyside? - Rob Smith
1:32:55 - Is it a Speyside? - Alastair McPhail
1:43:32 - Is it a Speyside? Sniper King Kresimir
1:54:10 - July - Armorik - Mature world malts
2:02:40 - vPub summary of 2023
2:04:32 - August - Glen Garioch - Ignored whiskies
2:09:25 - September - Ardnavitaes - Privilege
2:15:08 - October - Port Charlotte - OSWAs/Legfest
2:23:18 - November - Kilchoman - GWF
2:28:47 - December - Benromach - Community
2:34:55 - Whisky of the Year 2023
2:49:10 - Quiz at the End (of the year)