My commitment to Nordic whisky and independence

Whisky Saga is a blog, started in January 2012, covering the topic of whisky in the broadest sense. The main reason why I continue to spend a lot of time and energy on the blog is that I am passionate about whisky, and I want to share this passion. Whisky is liquid sunshine. Whisky is sharing memorable moments with friends. Whisky should not be about rules, snobbery, or exclusion in any way. I know I do not stand out from the crowd of whisky bloggers in the above statement. Where I want to be different, and perhaps add something new, is by focusing on Nordic Whisky. Nordic Whisky is a small, but growing, sub-category of whisky. There are working distilleries in all Nordic countries today, and some of them are already starting to make a name for themselves internationally. There are many exciting and innovative projects in the works. The focus on quality, attention to detail, and willingness to challenge established ‘truths’ is refreshing. The passion out there is intoxicating - literally.

I want Whisky Saga to be a resource for up-to-date and relevant information on Nordic Whisky. I want to cover the distilleries, the whiskies, and the whisky industry in general in the Nordic countries. I want Whisky Saga to be the go-to source for independent and factual information on Nordic Whisky.

To achieve the above I will spend my time helping to promote Nordic Whisky, primarily online and in Norway – but in time also internationally. I am equally passionate about all Nordic Whisky, both new players and established veterans. I want to hold tastings and masterclasses to help bring knowledge about Nordic Whisky in general to more people. I want to visit all these distilleries and spread the word about what they are doing, what their philosophies are, what their approach is, and what makes each one unique.

I will help present Nordic Whisky in general at whisky festivals, if and when I can. On occasion, I will be presenting one specific brand of Nordic Whisky, on other occasions the brand will be different, or there will be several brands at the same time. The brands might have the same importer, different importers, or no importer at all.

I will not be working exclusively with any one specific distillery or importer. I will not be bound by contract or other written agreement with any distillery or importer, or in any other way promise exclusivity or preference to any one Nordic whisky. I will not be employed, paid or unpaid, by any distillery or importer of whisky (not just Nordic). My Code of Conduct is available for all to see, and will always be followed.

I will promote Nordic Whisky – passionately. This is my promise to you, the readers of my blog.

Sincerely yours, Thomas Øhrbom Passionate whisky nerd

PS! I will of course also continue to review and follow whisky in general, it will not all be about Nordic whisky.

PPS! I posted a note on my Facebook page in mid-October 2015 where I stated that I would become an ambassador for Box Whisky in Norway. This posting was premature, to say the least. After having thought this over for a couple of days, I decided to politely turn down the offer from Box Whisky. I gave them the same explanation as above, and that was it. In other words, I have no contract or other binding with Box Whisky. I apologize for the confusion, and for not being clear enough on this earlier. I should have posted this message a couple of months ago.