Cognac vs Armagnac. Same country, same raw material, but two different philosophies.
Grapes, terroir, copper stills, distillation, oak and ageing: what really separates France's two famous brandies?
My latest deep dive:
moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
Does whisky really get better with age?
Oak extraction, oxidation, evaporation, esterification… and over-oaking.
What actually happens inside a cask, and why isn't older always better?
Time matters. But it's only one ingredient in maturation.
moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
100 ppm of peat. Twice as smoky as 50 ppm?
Not necessarily.
Peat, phenols, laboratory measurements, distillation and maturation… PPM is one of whisky's most misunderstood numbers.
I explain why in my latest article: moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
A few drops of water can change your whisky. But why?
Ethanol, aroma molecules, cloudy whisky and surprisingly complex chemistry.
Does water really release more aromas? And is dilution always an improvement?
I dive into the science in my latest article: moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
TADAAAAA! More Drams Less Drama has a new look!
After six years, the blog finally got a fresh coat of paint.
Same whisky and Cognac content, brand-new design!
There may still be a few bugs, so let me know what you think. More tweaks coming soon!
moredramslessdrama.com
Whisky's fruity and floral aromas don't all come from the cask.
Many begin in the washback, thanks to yeast and fermentation.
Esters, yeast strains… How much of whisky's character is created before distillation?
Let's dive into the washbacks.
moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
Sulphur. Still shapes. Worm tubs. And chemistry.
Copper is everywhere in whisky distillation. It helps remove unwanted sulphur compounds—but its role is far more complicated than that.
Is more copper contact always better?
I explore the Copper Paradox: moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
No post today on moredramslessdrama.com as I’m still working on the next series of five technical articles related to whisky and spirits production. Might write shorter ones than the previous series, a 15-20 minutes read every two days is maybe a bit too much?
See you on Monday!
🥃 How old is your Cognac, really?
Harvest year, distillation date, April 1st, oak maturation, glass demijohns… Cognac age is more complicated than you might think.
And when does a Cognac actually stop ageing? 🤔
I untangle it all in my latest article: moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
🥃 Grapes. Double distillation. French oak.
That's Cognac. But did you know it can also legally contain boisé, sugar and caramel (E150a)?
What are they? Why are they used? And can you tell if they're in your glass? 👀
I explore facts and regulations: moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
Walnuts. Mushrooms. Old leather. And chemistry.
Rancio might be Cognac's most mysterious characteristic—and its most overused tasting term.
But what actually causes it? And are we calling too many things "rancio"?
I dig into the science and myths:
moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
🥃 VSOP, XO, Hors d'Âge, Grande Champagne, vintage, Lot numbers…
Your Cognac label tells you quite a few things. But what does it leave out? 👀
Age, origins, additives and more: let's decode what Cognac labels reveal—and what they don't.
moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
A single malt is usually a blend… of different casks from the same distillery.
And a single cask? It can sometimes contain whisky from several distilleries.
Wait, WHAT?! 🤯
I untangle the terminology and surprising exceptions in my latest article.
moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
No whisky in the glass, but plenty of whisky on the page. 🥃
I still can’t drink alcohol because of medication, but I’ve really enjoyed writing these recent Scotch whisky deep dives—with several more to come.
moredramslessdrama.com
“Matured in a refill cask.”
You see it on whisky labels all the time. But what does “refill” actually tell you about the cask? How many times was it used? What was in it before? And does refill really mean less cask influence?
moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
What if a whisky label won’t tell you which distillery made it?
Secret Speyside. Undisclosed Islay. Burnside. Westport. Sometimes it’s a mystery. Sometimes everybody knows—but nobody will write it down.
I decode the strange language of undisclosed whisky: moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
“They don’t make whisky like they used to. Different barley. Different yeast. Different casks. Different production methods. Different whisky.
Read the (long) article on More Drams Less Drama: moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
What is actually on a whisky label — and what does it all mean? From age statements and ABV to cask types, natural colour, and bottle numbers, we decode the mandatory details and the useful extras.
moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
Glen Garioch, two cask stories: a 2011 Cadenhead’s finished in white Port versus a 27-year-old 1998 Thompson Bros. refill-barrel bottling. Young, wine-led energy against mature distillery character.
Read the review on More Drams Less Drama: moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
Four official Hakushu, one mountain distillery: Distiller’s Reserve, 12-Year-Old, and two 18-Year-Old editions. Fresh, herbal, and gently smoky Japanese whisky from Suntory’s second distillery.
Read the review on More Drams Less Drama: moredramslessdrama.com/2026/…
