If you think blended whiskies are by definition cheap and coarse, think again; this 17 year-old Japanese blend is wonderfully assured and complex. Plus: why Japanese blends are particularly notable.

Belle Meade

A Scot drinks whisky, and tells you about it; I’ll taste one malt or blend every episode, but there’s no set schedule for new episodes. This is not an authoritative guide; I’m just someone who has found he loves whisky and who wants to share my favourites and my new discoveries.