Sam 'Slams Drams' Swindells
@swinny34.bsky.social
Personal Trainer
Loves drams
Hates fascist demagogues
Loves drams
Hates fascist demagogues
Reposted by Sam 'Slams Drams' Swindells
An analysis of BBC news coverage over the last 4 years shows a shameless bias against Vladimir Putin, with BBC reporters insisting on calling the Special Military Operation in Ukraine “an invasion”
November 11, 2025 at 4:33 PM
An analysis of BBC news coverage over the last 4 years shows a shameless bias against Vladimir Putin, with BBC reporters insisting on calling the Special Military Operation in Ukraine “an invasion”
Reposted by Sam 'Slams Drams' Swindells
Episode 100 is on Spotify, Apple and Youtube (actual video, so mind your eyes) as Mike and Duncan sit down with Stephen Worral and Joel Lummi, from 3 Greek Street (Milroys), in the upstairs tasting room. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTrR... - ps give us a follow on Youtube if you like the vids, thanks!
Episode 100 - Honest to a Malt at 3 Greek Street aka Milroy's in Soho, London. 🥃
YouTube video by Honest to a Malt
www.youtube.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Episode 100 is on Spotify, Apple and Youtube (actual video, so mind your eyes) as Mike and Duncan sit down with Stephen Worral and Joel Lummi, from 3 Greek Street (Milroys), in the upstairs tasting room. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTrR... - ps give us a follow on Youtube if you like the vids, thanks!
The nose on Ardna's Heritage Barley is quite the departure from the Dailuaine. Citrus & vanilla are in there but are accompanied by prominent savoury notes of yeast (bovril?) & porcini mushrooms. These carry across to the palette along with manuka honey & meaty, umami flavours. I like it, I think...
November 5, 2025 at 10:31 PM
The nose on Ardna's Heritage Barley is quite the departure from the Dailuaine. Citrus & vanilla are in there but are accompanied by prominent savoury notes of yeast (bovril?) & porcini mushrooms. These carry across to the palette along with manuka honey & meaty, umami flavours. I like it, I think...
Neck pour of this Dailuaine hits all those classic ex-bourbon cask notes with vanilla egg custard (but no sulphur), freshly baked pastry & lemon curd on the nose. The palette benefits from a little water & offers treacle sponge, gentle oak spice & more citrus sweetness. Not quite as waxy as expected
November 5, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Neck pour of this Dailuaine hits all those classic ex-bourbon cask notes with vanilla egg custard (but no sulphur), freshly baked pastry & lemon curd on the nose. The palette benefits from a little water & offers treacle sponge, gentle oak spice & more citrus sweetness. Not quite as waxy as expected
This beauty had sold out before I discovered Loch Lomond's Distillery Editions. Thanks to Alan (aka Whisky Friend) I've been able to try it & it doesn't disappoint. Nose is green olives, oysters and lemon juice. Balanced salinity & sweetness on the palette. Like an Inchfad without too much funk.
October 25, 2025 at 7:19 PM
This beauty had sold out before I discovered Loch Lomond's Distillery Editions. Thanks to Alan (aka Whisky Friend) I've been able to try it & it doesn't disappoint. Nose is green olives, oysters and lemon juice. Balanced salinity & sweetness on the palette. Like an Inchfad without too much funk.
A Christmas gift from a client which I really wasn't expecting much from. Happy to have had my preconceptions proved wrong as this is a really competent dram albeit at 40%. The Glenlivet distillate shines through w/ icing sugar, pear, apple and honeyed porridge on both nose & palette.
October 25, 2025 at 4:53 PM
A Christmas gift from a client which I really wasn't expecting much from. Happy to have had my preconceptions proved wrong as this is a really competent dram albeit at 40%. The Glenlivet distillate shines through w/ icing sugar, pear, apple and honeyed porridge on both nose & palette.
I can see Brendan Rodgers has spent his spare time wisely during his managerial stint at Celtic! 🥃#CabinetEnvy
October 25, 2025 at 11:39 AM
I can see Brendan Rodgers has spent his spare time wisely during his managerial stint at Celtic! 🥃#CabinetEnvy
Capping off a busy day with a great bourbon. Maybe it's true the Yanks keep the best bottlings for themselves as this 75cl Four Roses Select is sublime. Russet apples, rye spice & toffee on the nose; balanced astringency (i.e. English mustard), cinnamon, cherries & apple tarts tatin on the palette👌🏻
October 22, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Capping off a busy day with a great bourbon. Maybe it's true the Yanks keep the best bottlings for themselves as this 75cl Four Roses Select is sublime. Russet apples, rye spice & toffee on the nose; balanced astringency (i.e. English mustard), cinnamon, cherries & apple tarts tatin on the palette👌🏻
An incredible evening at the Royal Albert Hall watching the Sumo last night with brother Max. A profoundly unique and beautiful spectacle! Great catching up with old friends beforehand too 🍻 My head's a wee bit sore this morning...
October 19, 2025 at 8:41 AM
An incredible evening at the Royal Albert Hall watching the Sumo last night with brother Max. A profoundly unique and beautiful spectacle! Great catching up with old friends beforehand too 🍻 My head's a wee bit sore this morning...
Wow what a dram! Like previous batches the distillate rules supreme w/ the bourbon casks playing the perfect supporting role. Nose is citrus fruits, vanilla custard & a tad vegetal; the mouth feel's thick w/ orange fruit pastilles, Granny Smith apples & slightly drying. A H2H w/ other DEs is a must!
October 14, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Wow what a dram! Like previous batches the distillate rules supreme w/ the bourbon casks playing the perfect supporting role. Nose is citrus fruits, vanilla custard & a tad vegetal; the mouth feel's thick w/ orange fruit pastilles, Granny Smith apples & slightly drying. A H2H w/ other DEs is a must!
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 5's a great follow up to 4 as I'm getting a lot of similar notes on the nose. Marzipan, dark cherries & black olives in there too. The palette's sweet peat (missed that on the nose somehow), lemon cheesecake & a touch vegetal/ brine. Probably a Caol Ila & my favourite. 4/5
October 12, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 5's a great follow up to 4 as I'm getting a lot of similar notes on the nose. Marzipan, dark cherries & black olives in there too. The palette's sweet peat (missed that on the nose somehow), lemon cheesecake & a touch vegetal/ brine. Probably a Caol Ila & my favourite. 4/5
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 4 has the best nose so far - toffee, milk chocolate, soft oak spice, boozy raisins. Great oily texture on the palette with more oak balanced nicely with dense sponge cake & a little salted caramel. Another 4/5. 55%ish. A mix of ex-bourbon & sherry casks. Glen Scotia maybe?
October 12, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 4 has the best nose so far - toffee, milk chocolate, soft oak spice, boozy raisins. Great oily texture on the palette with more oak balanced nicely with dense sponge cake & a little salted caramel. Another 4/5. 55%ish. A mix of ex-bourbon & sherry casks. Glen Scotia maybe?
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 3 offers rich, sherry seasoned European oak on the nose suggesting decent maturity. Some walnut & a little sulphur too. Thick, resinous mouth feel with cranberry, bitter chocolate & ginger jam. Lovely single malt, at least 16YO & >56%. 4/5. Glenrothes?
October 12, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 3 offers rich, sherry seasoned European oak on the nose suggesting decent maturity. Some walnut & a little sulphur too. Thick, resinous mouth feel with cranberry, bitter chocolate & ginger jam. Lovely single malt, at least 16YO & >56%. 4/5. Glenrothes?
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 2. Now that's better! Cinnamon, cloudy apple juice, complex oak & freshly baked pastry on the nose. The palette's a bit disappointing - quite spicy, apple cider vinegar & minimal sweetness when neat. Water helps soften the bitterness. Royal Brackla perhaps? Deffo >57%. 2/5
October 12, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 2. Now that's better! Cinnamon, cloudy apple juice, complex oak & freshly baked pastry on the nose. The palette's a bit disappointing - quite spicy, apple cider vinegar & minimal sweetness when neat. Water helps soften the bitterness. Royal Brackla perhaps? Deffo >57%. 2/5
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 1 has to be a single grain based on the nose alone - vanilla beans and a little lemon zest. The palette offers more vanilla, simple sweetness & minimal oak influence. A bit hot neat, better with a little water. I'm guessing young grain (<15yo) at >60%. 2/5.
October 12, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Belated #BlindDrams: Dram 1 has to be a single grain based on the nose alone - vanilla beans and a little lemon zest. The palette offers more vanilla, simple sweetness & minimal oak influence. A bit hot neat, better with a little water. I'm guessing young grain (<15yo) at >60%. 2/5.
Something strong & meaty required after an unexpected trip to A&E w/ the youngest tonight (False alarm, just a bad sprain!) Took a punt on this Mortlach after sampling the 12 OB @ Blair Athol. Punchy @61% & just a neck pour, it's spirit driven & lacks that savoury Mortlach complexity 🫤 Needs time...
October 11, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Something strong & meaty required after an unexpected trip to A&E w/ the youngest tonight (False alarm, just a bad sprain!) Took a punt on this Mortlach after sampling the 12 OB @ Blair Athol. Punchy @61% & just a neck pour, it's spirit driven & lacks that savoury Mortlach complexity 🫤 Needs time...
A fantastic afternoon and evening watching the mighty Partick Thistle and exploring the whisky bars of Glasgow, despite Storm Amy's best efforts to scupper our plans! What a fantastic city and the perfect way to cap off our Scottish trip 🥃🏴
October 5, 2025 at 9:41 AM
A fantastic afternoon and evening watching the mighty Partick Thistle and exploring the whisky bars of Glasgow, despite Storm Amy's best efforts to scupper our plans! What a fantastic city and the perfect way to cap off our Scottish trip 🥃🏴
Stopped off at Robertson's of Pitlochry after our tour & sampled a wee dram of the legendary 'Chestnut Wood': brainchild of Tony Reeman-Clark of Strathearn distillery fame. Delicious & totally unique, it just illustrates the endless possibilities of smell & taste through use of different wood types
October 3, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Stopped off at Robertson's of Pitlochry after our tour & sampled a wee dram of the legendary 'Chestnut Wood': brainchild of Tony Reeman-Clark of Strathearn distillery fame. Delicious & totally unique, it just illustrates the endless possibilities of smell & taste through use of different wood types
An absolutely fantastic tour of Blair Athol distillery today with our amazing guide Jane. The 30 year old first-fill Oloroso sherry cask was a truly remarkable drop and both the 12 year olds Blair Athol & Mortlach were delicious too. Diageo do do some things right after all! 😉
October 3, 2025 at 2:02 PM
An absolutely fantastic tour of Blair Athol distillery today with our amazing guide Jane. The 30 year old first-fill Oloroso sherry cask was a truly remarkable drop and both the 12 year olds Blair Athol & Mortlach were delicious too. Diageo do do some things right after all! 😉
A cracking tour of Aberfeldy distillery today & a big shout to Tim, our guide for his impressive whisky knowledge! The 21 year old ex-Pauillac red wine cask was a highlight and the 12 year old Aberfeldy and 18 year old Dewars blend were impressive too, albeit a little under strength at 40%
October 2, 2025 at 5:25 PM
A cracking tour of Aberfeldy distillery today & a big shout to Tim, our guide for his impressive whisky knowledge! The 21 year old ex-Pauillac red wine cask was a highlight and the 12 year old Aberfeldy and 18 year old Dewars blend were impressive too, albeit a little under strength at 40%
Topping up my infinity decanters with a few bottle ends today. Will likely replace the Circumstance as it's a belter but was slightly disappointed by the Loch Lomond Spanish Oak 14YO. Lacking balance, it's very oak forwards and a bit too bitter for my palette. The only LL I'm yet to gel with. 6/10.
September 30, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Topping up my infinity decanters with a few bottle ends today. Will likely replace the Circumstance as it's a belter but was slightly disappointed by the Loch Lomond Spanish Oak 14YO. Lacking balance, it's very oak forwards and a bit too bitter for my palette. The only LL I'm yet to gel with. 6/10.
What a delightful and totally bonkers drop this is. Salted caramel, seaweed, freshly baked bread, engine oil & sweet peat on the nose. More sweet peat, black pepper, oysters & smoked bacon on the pallete. Truly nothing holds a candle to a great, cask strength Laphroaig. 9/10.
September 22, 2025 at 9:32 PM
What a delightful and totally bonkers drop this is. Salted caramel, seaweed, freshly baked bread, engine oil & sweet peat on the nose. More sweet peat, black pepper, oysters & smoked bacon on the pallete. Truly nothing holds a candle to a great, cask strength Laphroaig. 9/10.
This is the 2nd bottle of Cask 88's Blair Athol 26YO that I've bid on through Whisky Hammer that, mysteriously, has inspired a bidding frenzy, despite there still being 10+ of the same bottle still at starting price (£20). Not one to cast aspersions, but this smells a lot like price fixing to me....
September 20, 2025 at 9:05 PM
This is the 2nd bottle of Cask 88's Blair Athol 26YO that I've bid on through Whisky Hammer that, mysteriously, has inspired a bidding frenzy, despite there still being 10+ of the same bottle still at starting price (£20). Not one to cast aspersions, but this smells a lot like price fixing to me....
Reposted by Sam 'Slams Drams' Swindells
We need to be very clear about this.
Rising Christian nationalism is a threat to us all.
humanists.uk/2025/09/17/r...
Rising Christian nationalism is a threat to us all.
humanists.uk/2025/09/17/r...
Rising Christian nationalism: a threat to us all
Scenes on Saturday of Christian preachers denouncing ‘Secular Humanism’ from the main stage of Tommy Robinson’s radical right Unite the Kingdom rally in London may have been surprising to see on the s...
humanists.uk
September 19, 2025 at 9:56 AM
We need to be very clear about this.
Rising Christian nationalism is a threat to us all.
humanists.uk/2025/09/17/r...
Rising Christian nationalism is a threat to us all.
humanists.uk/2025/09/17/r...
@lidltrek.bsky.social ya beauty! 🍻🍻🍻 (No official Lidl page, so you cycling lads will have to pass on my thanks 🤣)
September 18, 2025 at 1:15 PM
@lidltrek.bsky.social ya beauty! 🍻🍻🍻 (No official Lidl page, so you cycling lads will have to pass on my thanks 🤣)