Whisky Advocate Fall 2021

This issue covers the remarkable ascent of bourbon, which has risen from the role of forgotten treasure to reclaim its status as an American icon. Along this path to glory, many beloved bourbon expressions have seen their demand soar, and the enthusiasm for collecting American whiskeys is now stratospheric. But amid all the auction hoopla, it should not be forgotten that bourbon remains firmly rooted to its identity as a product that can be enjoyed by whiskey lovers of all stripes. That’s one of the most beautiful aspects of this great drink. Despite all the eye-popping hammer prices and impossible-to-find special releases, there are still plenty of affordably priced bourbons out there. The distillers deserve our praise for that, as many of them have taken only minor price increases for…

HIDDEN GEMS AND SOUVENIRS Dear Whisky Advocate, I enjoy your excellent magazine! Although I don’t have the exact bottles you featured in your article “Hidden Gems,” I do have a bottle from each of the distilleries featured. I have a fairly extensive collection of whiskies (200+) which I’m always eager to expand. Collecting in Canada can be challenging! I’ve hosted a number of tasting events with friends and acquaintances who have similar interests. Pictured here, on the stool next to your magazine are two whiskies I purchased in London, England in 1973. They were bought more as souvenirs rather than drinks as I hadn’t yet become a scotch drinker at that time. I’ve since tried to find out more about the contents of each, but have been unsuccessful. If you…

Just the name Miami evokes thoughts of sunny days with gentle trade winds and sultry nights filled with neon lights and the strains of salsa music. Miami’s cityscape is constantly changing. Wynwood, now the city’s art and brewing capital, was an industrial and warehouse district as recently as 10 years ago. The Design District was once a place for interior designers to shop for upholstery, and now it’s home to designer shops like Gucci and Dior, and has some of the finest eateries in Miami. The entire city’s food scene is thriving, and there are some things you absolutely cannot miss: a Cuban sandwich, a slice of key lime pie, and croquetas—fried bites filled with bechamel sauce and meat (usually ham, cod, or chicken)—Miami’s official snack. If you visit between…

How about them pears? While apples tend to steal the spotlight in the fall, pears are just as diverse. And since you can tease out pear notes in many whiskies, take advantage of the season’s fresh bounty and make these whisky cocktails. “The subtle caramel notes of whisky create a lovely dialogue with the subtle sweetness of pears,” says Ricardo Alvarado, bar manager of Mama Delia and Bordel in Chicago. “Together, these two make for a well-balanced cocktail that’s simple, evocative, and powerful all at the same time.” Nothing Com-Pears to You Created by Summer-Jane Bell, partner, Hello Stranger Bar, Oakland, Calif. Elegant pear adds a velvety texture to this crimson cocktail. “The aromatic spices and tannin from the wine play well with the cask notes in the whisky,” Bell…

John Salley has a story to tell. The four-time NBA champion has played alongside Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and starred in movies with Will Smith and Whoopi Goldberg. So imagine him cutting a cigar, pouring you each a whisky, and taking you back in time with any number of tales, like the one he’s sharing now. He’s describing a game he played against the Boston Celtics in 1986, his first year with the Detroit Pistons, in which he was tasked with guarding Robert Parish. After the veteran Parish beat Salley down the court, Pistons head coach Chuck Daly had a word with the young rookie. “It was the one time I had a lapse. They’re the Celtics,” Salley explains, “you don’t have time to lapse.” After the game, which…

Many whisky lovers enjoy having their nose in a good book almost as much as a glass of whisky, and there are deeply evocative aromas common to both pleasures. The bouquet of some whiskies call to mind the antique scent of rows of books inside a library, in the cabinets of antiquarian book dealers, or along the miles of shelving stretching around enormous bookstores from Powell’s in Portland to the Strand in New York. Sales of print books rose during the pandemic as more people picked up a good read. (According to publishing industry tracker NPD Group, U.S. print book sales were p 8.2% in 2020 to 750 million books, while more than 200 million print books were sold in the UK last year—passing that mark for the first time…