The awards are announced annually in the spring issue, which subscribers receive in early March. But the 2011 award recipients will be announced here, first, beginning February 1^st. The daily posts will also reach my Twitter feed (@JohnHansell) and the Whisky Advocate Facebook page.  (More details on the foundation of the Whisky Advocate Awards program–how they are chosen and why–will precede the awards announcements on January 31, 2012.)

Why are they announced here first? The daily announcements reach a larger audience far faster by way of social media than in print media. This blog also offers an interactive element between whisky enthusiasts, industry personnel, and press. Previous year’s postings prompted a lot of discussion and I’m certain that will continue with this year’s award announcements.

Beginning February 1^st, visit this blog daily to read the award winner, the magazine write-up, and the comments that follow. The dates the award winners will be announced are as follows:

February 1^st: Artisan Whisky of the Year (North America)

February 2^nd: American Whisky of the Year

February 3^rd: Canadian Whisky of the Year

February 4^th: Irish Whiskey of the Year

February 5^th: Japanese Whisky of the Year

February 6^th: New World Whisky of the Year

February 7^th: Blended/Blended Malt Scotch Whisky of the Year

February 8^th: Speyside Single Malt of the Year

February 9^th: Islay Single Malt of the Year

February 10^th: Highlands Single Malt of the Year

February 11^th: Lowlands/Campbeltown Single Malt of the Year

February 12^th: Distillery of the Year

February 13^th: Lifetime Achievement Award

A magazine re-design is nothing new. During the 20 years of Malt Advocate, we have re-designed it several times. This one, however, is our biggest–and the one we are most proud of.

That’s all I am going to say for now. I just wanted to let our loyal subscribers know why they will be getting their issue a little later than usual. 

When it is released, I will let you know right here. Stay tuned…

Our new issue of Malt Advocate hits the streets today. It’s a special one: our 20th Anniversary issue. If you are not a subscriber, be sure to pick up a copy. It’s our largest issue yet–and our most personal. You’ll find out how Malt Advocate (and WhiskyFest) was created, and there’s an interview with my wife Amy (pictured) and me. She has been my business partner since the beginning. Without her, there would be no Malt Advocate or Whiskyfest.

This will probably be my last post for about a week. I’m taking the next couple days off for vacation. Then, the first half of next week is filled with editorial meetings, doctor visits (routine stuff), etc.

We have some very exciting things planned for the next 20 years. We’re already working on them. Stay tuned…

I usually save this blog for more formal posts. It’s Malt Advocate magazine’s official blog, and I try to keep it professional.

Having said this, if you want more whisky information than what I’m posting here, and you don’t mind if it isn’t formal or “official,” then you might want to friend me on Facebook. You’ll find me there regularly (usually daily). I’m putting comments up there that you might find interesting, but on a more personal level.

I will often take pictures of whiskies that I just received and perhaps offer informal thoughts on them (if I’ve tasted them). For example, today I received this very interesting bottle of Irish whiskey called Inish Turk Beg (pictured), and I posted it up on Facebook here.

I’ll also take pictures and comment on what I’m drinking on any given day if I feel motived. I don’t know if that interests you. Sometimes it’s pretty cool stuff–either something new, or something from my bar. Yes, sometimes when I am down in my bar drinking, I take a picture and–in some weird social media way–invite you to join me.

Anyway, I thought I would pass this on to you.  I’m easy to find on Facebook, but here’s a quicker link. I’m also on twitter (@johnhansell), but the only things that go there most of the time are links to my blog posts. However, I do answer questions that people ask me on Twitter, so that’s another way to reach me.

Malt Advocate also has an official Facebook page, which I think you might also find interesting. Right now, links to all my blog posts go there, and I stop by regularly to comment and answer questions.

So, I don’t mean this as a marketing ploy (although it might come across this way, and it might get me new friends on Facebook). I just want to let you know that there’s another way to stay in touch with me in a more informal level–especially considering my blog posts have become less frequent lately due to time constraints.

Fair warning, though: you might have to sort through the occassional “hobby” posts: usually of me and my buddies fishing, boating, down at the Jersey Shore on weekends, or perhaps smoking a cigar (with a whisky, or course…)

Bottom line: I’m trying to make myself as accessible as possible to anyone who loves whisky and wants to learn more about whisky. That’s the least I can do for you.

P.S. (I’m adding this after my original post.) If you do ask to friend me, please include a note that you are a WDJK reader, so I know why you are trying to friend me. I’m learning this the hard way. Thanks!

Until then, I encourage you to check out the other fun whisky sites that I have links to.

Be safe, have fun, and drink some great whisky while I’m gone.

Retailers, you can now put them on their shelves below the the whisky to help guide consumers on a whisky they will like. (And it just might help you sell more whisky too!)

It just went live yesterday, so if you see any glitches, please let us know.

I hope this gives you something to look forward to. (And don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll find some other things to talk about too. My posts won’t just be reviews.)

Have a great Christmas everyone!

Whisky in Your Pocket  (by Wallace Milroy and Neil Wilson)
Published by Waverley Books | 188 pages

Having chalked up greater than 300,000 sales internationally since it was first published over a quarter of a century ago, this book based on the original Malt Whisky Almanac, was once an ideal platform for a journey into whisky. However, it has been 12 years since the last revision and the world of whisky is now a very different place. The authors’ objectives are to hook a readership of new whisky fans, which they see as the kind of customer at their local supermarket standing bewildered in front of the choices on offer. It’s a return to first principles, and explanation of the basics, they say. Picture what that supermarket whisky shopper would make of this book.

The book covers Scotch whisky and the Bushmills distillery in Northern Ireland, so not UK whisky, not Irish whiskey, nor American, Canadian, Japanese or any of the other New World whisky producing countries. The introduction has many stories to tell but raises many points of confusion rather than providing a concise opening. The first territory map is puzzling with the colour shading indicating whisky regions in Northern Britain although to the newcomer, it would appear that the Isle of Lewis is a distilling powerhouse whereas the dab of pink indicates a small craft distillery in Bushmills. The first single malt whisky label in the book is a Brora Rare Malts…I don’t know about you, but my supermarket hasn’t been the best place to find Brora for many, many years.

However, there is a good chapter for beginners covering the definitions of what can be labelled as blended whisky, single malt, blended malt, blended grain and single grain and the bottle illustrations are helpful. As a newcomer’s book, a glossary of terms would have been helpful especially for the chapter on production but I’m not sure the supermarket shopper really needs this information.

The main text is divided into regions with greater coverage given to active distilleries over closed and mothballed sites with each page featuring a distillery, address, production statistics and the standard core bottling. Each chapter section opens with a well-pitched overview of the region or whisky category. The pronunciation guide is good for novices, but not required quite so extensively…. do that many people struggle to say Dalmore or Ardbeg correctly? The printed tasting notes are actually reproductions of the companies own notes the authors admit, so disappointingly, there has been no attempt to rate or provide an independent opinion and the style varies between entries. Each page contains information on annual output, number of wash stills, water source and malt source that quite simply, newcomers will not find helpful to discern quality or guide early purchases. Another concern is that the UK prices in the book may date quickly, most notable with the tax rises coming in 2011.

When you are starting out, you need clear pointers. What you really want to know is; What is the good stuff? What should I try? What should I buy? This book doesn’t make it easy to answer those questions and whilst in earlier incarnations it played its role, these days a goggle at a search engine will likely be much more informative. My expectations of what information should be written into a pocket book on whisky may differ from the authors, but putting myself into the shoes of a whisky novice, it throws into stark relief just how successfully Ian Buxton’s 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die book has captured the mood conducive to entering the world of whisky that we share.

What book would you recommend to a friend who is just getting a taste for whisky?

I would like to extend an extra thank you for those of you who take the time to comment. Your participation makes WDJK a much more useful site. I really appreciate it, and I’m sure everyone else does too.

Please do continue on without me. And, as I was just reminded, let’s not take all this talk about whisky too seriously. It is only whisky, after all.

I’ve been tasting a bunch of new whiskies over the past couple of weeks, and I wanted to let you know my thoughts on them. There are two more guest blog posts to go out this week. But starting Monday, I’ll be posting up whisky reviews for ten straight weekdays.

What’s on the agenda? Well, how about these?: Highland Park St. Magnus, Highland Park 1970 vintage, Laphroaig Triple Wood, Balvenie Caribbean Rum Cask, Balvenie Peated Cask, Springbank CV, the two new Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection whiskeys, the new Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, Canadian Mist Black Diamond, Glenmorangie Finealta, and maybe even Redbreast 15 yr. old that’s coming to the U.S.  and some more oak-aged beers.

Stay tuned…

The week after that (August 23-27), I’ll be back here again with more blog posts. I’ll also be going through all the great guest blog submissions I have been receiving.

Then, the week after that (August 30-September 3), I’ll be on vacation again. This is the week I will post up one guest blog each day. Believe me when I say you will enjoy the guest posts. You will not want to miss them.

I have more surprises for you beginning in September, including reviews of all the new whisky books coming out and many more new whisky reviews by me, so don’t go anywhere!

What will I be doing while I’m gone? Hopefully a lot of what you see here in this picture: taking it easy on a beach my wife Amy, with a good drink in my hand. (I also plan on taking my boat out in the ocean and doing a little fishing.)

I usually post something up early in the morning. Sometimes, one or more of you have a question about the post–about a given whisky, distillery, or perhaps about a regulation.

By the time I swing back later in the day to take a look at the comments, someone has already answered the question. Thanks! You help make my job here a little easier.

I also want to thank you for your professionalism and self-policing. A large reason why WDJK benefits so many people is because of the comments and discussions that stem from my post, and not the actual post itself.