Greg's Whisky Guide

NEWS (11/02/26) : 👉 WINE PARIS 2026 Show / Mini-REPORT, a spoiler of an upcoming Live Show about it in my Youtube channel soon... 🍷 🍹 🥃

Just me sharing some pictures of my highlights & discoveries, whisky & other spirits related... 😃 (there were even a few wines, 2 if memory serves, can't do more, as spirits were my priority). Note that my Instagram account ("Greg's Whisky Guide" handle) shows way more pictures than here as it is super limited here, sorry (there are over 20 pics on my Instagram in 3 post, mind you). 😉

PS: APOLOGIES to all the brands/companies/people I couldn't visit as the show was great but it was very tiring to navigate in on my side...Hope to see you another time, and for those I've seen, THANKS a lot for your warm welcome in your stand ! 🙏 👍

PS2 : Other than that, my connection was supposed to be set up today, but, guess what, it didn't happen ! So I have to be creative to see how to upload the video I've did last saturday, so please be patient & stay tuned...

1/ #Redwoodempire (first time I see this excellent Bourbon & Rye brand here)
2/ #Taichung (first time for this taîwanese new distillery, with some nice CS innovative single grains)
3/ #Tullibardine (first time also, with a new cask strength, no finishing)
4/ #Laballe (excellent 21 yo Bas-Armagnac, from a brand known for naturally presented products !)
5/ #Claxton (excellent indie Caol Ila here, and lots of new things I never tried)
6/ #Glencadam 17 Calvados finish (interesting & rare too, and with new packaging)
7/ #Callington Mill (new Australian distillery, from Tasmania, nice stuff)
8/ #Mauxion (top quality Cognac with some crazy good stuff like this multi-vintage)

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5 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 4

Greg's Whisky Guide

QUICK UPDATE (07/02/26) :
I managed to record today my new upcoming video about "METAL & WHISKY", episod 3 (mainly talking about Metal music, but not only, and pairing 12 records with 12 whiskies), but that bloody maintenance ("extra time") is alas still going on for at least 5 days more, therefore I can't neither work on it further, nor publish it now, so please be patient, it will come asap...

Other than that, I will attend a huge wine & spirits show this upcoming week (it's called "WINE PARIS", see some of you there maybe ?), so you'll hear about it most probably first in my social media (Instagram mainly) & then a bit here (posts) & in the channel as a live show with slides asap, so stay tuned & have a nice week end meanwhile...Cheers !

PS: in picture a rare closed grain distillery bottle from my collection, a DUMBARTON 32 yo bottled in 2018 by indie bottler CLAXTON (Bourbon barrel-SC #1852-73497, ncf/nc, 57,1 %) I never reviewed yet...(from a recent conversation about grain whiskies, on line, with my pal Benny from Denmark)...

1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 14

Greg's Whisky Guide

NEWS UPDATE (30/01/2026) :

I hope you're all well...me I'm alas currently facing a long duration (& not respecting the announced schedule !) maintenance on my internet/TV/main box line, which alas limits my actions for now, video publishing wise, for instance, but also for other things of life, to put a long story short. So my activity on line is temporarily slowed down, and I can't create the usual video format I do, so apologies for no videos this week end (unless I manage to do a short one with my phone but I can't be sure of it now ?). The online after sales service says it should resume just before next week end (so one week more than what was planned), so I hope this time it will be true (it was supposed to end last Friday).

I also have no access to Discord or to the website's mailbox, at the moment, just to let me know, so for important things, please contact me through my Instagram or here. Thanks for your understanding...

Meanwhile, for those who follow me on Instagram, you might have seen I did post a few pics (I could transfer to this laptop) of some recent purchases, but for those who don't have it & haven't seen my Favorite WOTY video, here they are (for the last one, alas the parcel is delayed too, so its a borrowed pic from an online shop, sorry).
More about all those asap, so stay tuned !

PICTURE LEGENDS :

1/ LONGROW nas "Peated" from SPRINGBANK distillery, a 2023 batch...joining my "C.V." it did replace in history...(bottled at 46 % abv as well)

2/ Aside from this SPRINGBANK 12 yo "Cask Strength'" bottled 13/02/2025 (at 55,9 %), there was a tempting reasonably priced French exclusive (for La MdW) LINKWOOD 9 yo (2015-2024) bottled by SIGNATORY VINTAGE (at 46 %) that was waited to be picked, and so I did. It's a nice whisky, but the jury is still out, as it is light & young. For the non French audience, the letters highlighted on the label suggests "Floral" & "Fruity" as this whisky's key aromas, and I kinda agree...

3, 4, 5 & 6/ As I went yesterday at La Maison du Whisky to use a discount ticket I had the last time, I finally changed my mind for one of the whiskies I wanted to pick & went for that stunning (at least at the show i did try it first) BOWMORE official 15 yo in the new "Sherry Oak Cask" series, so can't wait to try it. The other bottle I picked & didn"t change my mind about was the new ARRAN 10 yo "Arran barley" (2025, 50 %), as I adored the sample my pal Benny from Denmark sent me (thanks again, mate !) & again I can't wait to open it & do a video for you with several interesting comparisons me thinks !

7/ Last but not least, even if it hasn't landed here yet, is that amazing SPRINGBANK 5 yo "100 Proof" (the batch bottled the 11/05/25), 57,1 % abv, again very excited to get this !

So I hope to see you soon on line ! Slainte !

PS: There might be a special bottle ordered along with the S. 5 yo, but, let's not spoil everything yet....ok, let's just say it might not be a whisky.

Last spoiler : I do have a video ready, "double line up wise", that could be called "Metal & Whisky, episod 3" (again with whisky pairings), I just need now my connection to be fully back to record it & talk about some of my favorite records of 2025 & beyond (some involving other genres than Metal, btw). Who's excited by it ?

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2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 10

Greg's Whisky Guide

Pour ceux qui ne me suivent pas sur Instagram/For those who don''t follow me on Instagram / HOMMAGE A MA MERE qui vient de nous quitter (un post très personnel pour une fois)/ TRIBUTE TO MY MOTHER who just passed away this week...(a more personal post this time, sorry mainly in French here). RIP ✝ 😍

Hommage à ma mère Eudoxie Sarafian, née Nikolaïdis (Thessalonique, 1937-Amiens, 2026), qui vient de nous quitter, après un épisode récent d'AVC dont elle n'a pas bien récupéré (même si c'est peut être autre chose ?). Elle a travaillé dès l'âge de 11 ans, et, entre autres durs & nobles métiers, elle a été infirmière, garde d'enfants à domicile, et bien sûr, mère de famille, de 3 enfants dont moi, "celui du milieu".
Elle était passionnée de cuisine, imprégnée de ses (et donc mes) 2 cultures d'origine, grecque et arménienne, très croyante et d'une grande générosité & altruisme. Elle nous manqueras à tous, et j'ai une pensée particulière pour mes petits neveux qui ont déjà perdu leur autre grand-mère, et bien sûr à mon frère et à ma soeur...et au reste de la famille dans le monde. Eudoxie "rejoindra" prochainement mon père disparu en 2016 dans le même lieu en province...Paix à leur âme...🙏

Je tiens à remercier le personnel de l'EHPAD Marie Marthe à Amiens pour leur dévouement et professionnalisme pour les dernières années de ma mère chez eux, "à la maison", comme elle disait...

PS (09/01/26 update) : Suite à cela, je devrais peut être modifier la date d'enregistrement et diffusion de ma vidéo "My Favorite Whiskies of the Year 2025" (notez que mes nouvelles vidéos seront désormais disponibles en plusieurs langues, à choisir sur les paramètres)/Following this, I might be obliged to postpone the recording & publishing of the WOTY 2026 video, we'll see, stay tuned...

#endeuil
#hommageamamere
#tributetomymother (who just passed away)
#familylove❤️
#restinpeace

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1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 21

Greg's Whisky Guide

I would like to wish you & your family a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026, full of nice things, events, bottles, discoveries of all kind, good health & piece of mind as well. Also a year of kindness & sharing...

Et pour mes compatriotes français & francophones du monde, je vous souhaite à tous & à toutes "Santé, Bonheur & Prospérité" 🥃

#happynewyear
#bestwishesfromparis
#gregswhiskyguide
#ardnahoe
#islaysinglemaltscotchwhisky
#hunterlaing
#newincollection

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 22

Greg's Whisky Guide

News (21/12/25 update) : Hi everyone, since my last post (even if I added a text like this later on at the end, you might not have seen it), alas I became sick (both gastro-enteritis & bronchitis or flu, a nightmare, with 3 nights of non-sleeping at all), and even if I'm slightly better today (with 2 hours of sleep), I have to change my plans regarding making videos or live show until the end of the year, because also an important delivery of 2 whiskies I wanted to mention/show in a Christmas related Top 10 whiskies video failed completely & the company had to ship it again. I'm also expecting another visit from abroad, so I have to take care of some details & save time for the visit too, time taken on the usual days of recording & working the videos.

On the positive side, there'll be a cool swap of bottles during this visit & I might get a bottling I've tried once blind & loved (tiny spoiler, it is an age stated North American whisky I can't get here-any guess ???). Also I already have at least 4 whiskies that could fit in that Top 10, so if all goes well, a little video might be recorded next week end or so (ok, sorry not before the 24 for your last gifts, I know), but, as usual, because it is a lot of work, my video about "My Favorite Whiskies of the Year 2025" won't be release before January 2026.

Meanwhile, please note that there is a lot of content available in the Videos section of the channel, the Live section & Posts too &, last but not least, you can check out my favorite videos from other people on several topics including music in my "Playlist" videos section...Thanks for your understand & your patience, and have a nice Christmas or any other event for the Festive season...Cheers, wherever you are in the Word !

On picture (spoiler), 2 bottles of KILKERRAN (Glengyle distillery) 8 years old Cask Strength, one Bourbon matured, the other Oloroso Sherry matured, both from 2024 (but the sherried one is considered to be a 2025 release) that I will review soon & possibly award as well...

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 17

Greg's Whisky Guide

TAKING A WEE YOUTUBE BREAK but BEFORE NEXT END OF THE YEAR VIDEOS :
Here's an update on "What's New in Collection & to be reviewed asap", also for those not following me on social media but just the channel... (14/12/2025)

Having had a quite tiring but sometimes really cool week, working also yesterday, sorry I didn't have the courage to record a video this Sunday & I'll need more time to prepare it for the publishing, but I've planned to do if possible (had to erase "at least", sorry, being now sick, see update below) 2 videos for this end of the year 2025. On the positive side of this week, I had for instance the visit home of my pal Toby from the #WhiskyShared Youtube channel (warmly recommended), and we did exchange, as we're both Scorpios, some belated birthday gifts, for me the Ardnahoe « Society bottling 2024 » I couldn't get here & for him a bottle of the « Biersky » from the French Bertrand distillery located in Alsace/East of France (alas now closed) he’ll never find home, an original & successful mix of beer spirit & malt spirit (so not officially a whisky as hops are involved), that I've yet to review on my side.

Here are a few pics about most of all the new bottles entering in my collection (& I’m not even mentioning all the new samples offered by friends that I have to assess & review) :

1/ Me with Toby & one of the very last special drams of our 10/12 meeting, my Yoichi 25 yo (1988-2013), SC for La MdW, CS, 62 %
2/ Ardnahoe Society Bottling 2024, distillery exclusive, Oloroso & PX Quarter casks, CS, 59,1 % (also in the wait for my bottle of Ardnahoe Infinity Loch core range release to arrive)
3/ Big Peat/ »Winter Edition » 2025, Douglas Laing/RRM, Madeira cask finish, 53,6 %
4/ Ardbeg 5 yo « Wee Beastie », 47,4 % (the first ever whisky bought with Patreon’s money)
5/ Glenallachie 10 yo Cadenhead/Small Batch (Bourbon casks), 2025, 46 %
6/ My 4 Rozelieures French single-malt whisky bottles are now opened, with on the left the Parcellaire (Single-parcel) « Les Chauffours », then « Escapade Lorraine », my Blend Your Own bottled at the distillery, and on the right, the latest official bottlings, a distillery exclusive 8 yo Cask Strength « Fût de Moscatel » Single-Cask, 59,6 %, and the new core range 10 yo « Double Oak » peated, 46 %
7/ Rampur « Double Cask » (Bourbon/Sherry), 2023, 45 % (core range)

#newincollection #gregswhiskyguidecollection
#ardnahoe #islaysinglemaltscotchwhisky
#bigpeat #douglaslaing #ardbeg
#glenallachie #cadenhead
#rozelieures #rampur
#worldwhisky

PS : (19/12/25 update) alas went sick since (both gastro-enteritis & bronchitis, a nightmare), so not sure I can record something the following week end, to be followed...

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2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 19

Greg's Whisky Guide

Question for #youtube ? How can I see yesterday that my latest video has 100 views so far & today only 98 ????? Can you explain that to me ????

2 months ago | [YT] | 6

Greg's Whisky Guide

SHARING A POST ON INSTAGRAM WITH THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA (posted on Instagram & Linkedin on 02/12/2025) :

Thanks a lot to our French best whisky reviewer I name #SergeValentin of #whiskyfun for his nice review & rating published today about my blending creation "Cuvée 1110" for the French farm-brewery distillery NORTHMAEN from the region of #Normandie :

www.whiskyfun.com/

For those who missed it (even if they'll struggle to find a bottle of this now), here is an interview of me in French from #matthieuacar (blogger about French whisky, indie bottler for La MDW #versionfrancaise special range ) who did interview me some time ago :

lnkd.in/eM8SPaGd

NOTE : On my Youtube channel, you can find a French and an English language video about this creation explaining all you have to know about it...
(English) :
lnkd.in/eqvjwxZP
(Français) :
lnkd.in/em4v5kUQ

PS: Note that Matthieu did a quite nice selection of a smoky version/single-cask of NORTHMAEN this year within his @versionfrancaise.whisky range, check it out on the #lamaisonduwhisky onlineshop or on their shops...(I speak about it in my #whiskyliveparis2025 2025 live report on youtube)

Disclaimer : This was bottled on 11/2021, but mainly sold in 2022. There is only one batch of it I worked on, batch 1, so please note that if a second one occurs I won't be responsible for it. It is important to mention...

#whiskyfun
#sergevalentin
#northmaen
#gregoiresarafian
#gregswhiskyguide
#consultantassembleur
#consultantblender
#northmaen "Cuvée 1110" (limited release)
#normandie
#whiskyfrancais

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2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 10

Greg's Whisky Guide

#UNCORKINGTHELASTOFMY5SCAPA / Spoiler / TBRA (To be reviewed asap) / OLD & NEW WHISKIES :

Just a spoiler about 5 different whiskies that will be reviewed asap...Considering I’ve just uncorked the last one, the old SCAPA Official bottling 16 yo, here a bottle from 2010 (& before you asked yes, of course, the cork broke right away…), so stay tuned !

So the review in video will feature soon these whiskies, from the SCAPA Single-Malt distillery, founded in 1885 in St Ola, Kirkwall, an Orkney archipelago Island, officially part of the Highlands Scotch Whisky region. A distillery owned by the French Pernod-Ricard group :

-SCAPA official bottling 14 yo, bottled 2007, 40 %
-SCAPA official bottling 16 yo, bottled 2010, 40 %
-SCAPA official bottling n.a.s. « Skiren » bottled 2015, 40 %
-SCAPA official bottling 10 yo bottled 2024, 48 %
& a quick note about the old SCAPA 12 yo official bottling (of the early 2000s) I used to have in my collection, a lovely one…

-SCAPA independent bottling by Gordon & MacPhail/Distillery labels series, Vintage « 2000 », bottled 10/02/2012, S.C. #1088, 46 %

PS : For those who follow my Youtube channel, 2 of these bottlings have already been reviewed, but it’s always interesting to revisit those some time later, as they did evolve a bit….

#scapa #highlandssinglemaltscotchwhisky #orkneyislands
#gregswhiskyguide #oldandnewincollection #browsinginmycollection #tobereviewedsoon

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2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 5