Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Dougie's Whisky Story


It has been asked before but I will ask again, how many new whisky websites are going to pop up with the EXACT SAME FORMAT? Another forum? Another log of tasting notes and distillery info? Another zzzzz...
Maybe I am bitter cuz I am often omitted from these new sites' blogrolls?
Maybe I just think we can be smarter than that.


Dougie proves me right with his new blog, Whisky Story.

While I obviously approve of the font choice, the wider concept is brilliant: a contemporary whisky journey inspired by the travels and reports of Alfred Barnard.

Barnard worked for Harpers Weekly Gazette in the 1880s and set upon a journey to every distillery in Scotland (129 at the time), Ireland (29) and England (4). His reports were serialized in Harpers and, in 1887, published in book form as The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom.

One of the most important books in British whisky history, it fell out of print but was brought back about 20 years ago in a rather beautiful 500+ page hardcover edition. It has been reprinted several times since.

Dougie, we follow you and hope that in 80 years when there are only 58 Scottish distilleries left between two large foreign owners, that your record of distilleries in 2010-2011 is deemed one of the most important blogs in whisky history. Safe travels, and perhaps I will see you on the trail?

Follow the Whisky Story HERE.

8 comments:

Dougie said...

Greetings Sam, and thanks for the mention. I hope any new visitors to Whisky Story find something of interest there.

I hope to see you and your family safe and well in Scotland sometime soon. WOLS awaits you! Best wishes, Dougie.

Anonymous said...

Sam, why do you have such disdain for amateur whisky blogs? Must they all be witty like you?

Anonymous said...

Hey anonymous, why do you have such courage to post jabs anonymously on whisky blogs?

Mark Connelly said...

I've been reading this blog almost since the beginning and it's a great read. Highly recommended. I wish I had the time (and dedication) to produce something like this. The only downside is that it will obviously come to an end at some point.

Mark Connelly said...

Did you guys hook up at the festival?

Dr. Whisky said...

Yes, Mark. Who WASN'T at the festival? I know Dougie from my Edinburgh whisky days and it was great to catch up.

Anonymous said...

Do not pirate jpegs from other websites

Dr. Whisky said...

Anonymous/Armond,

Apologies. As much as I love the image of being a pirate, I did not steal your image and repost it as my own, but rather linked to the publisher's image you have used on your site and added a link to your Whisky News page.

Nonetheless, you will be pleased to learn that I have taken your site off my links and have instead borrowed the desired image from my friends at Caskstength.net in this season of giving.

Again, sorry for the inconvenience.
Happy Christmas!