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Adam O'Connell

Adam O'Connell

Adam O'Connell has been writing for Master of Malt for over eight years now. He’s visited distilleries, wineries, and breweries across the world, reviewed a variety of whiskies, gins, rums, Tequilas, mezcals, brandies, vodkas, wines, beers, and cocktails, and contributed all kinds of words in all sorts of places, including over 1,000 articles to its award-winning online blog, The Whisk(e)y Wash, and many of the handy guides you might have enjoyed. He’s even jammed with Kiefer Sutherland AND dined with Ainsley Harriott. Not at the same time.

A bartender making a whisky cocktail10 More Drinks Buzzwords You Never Want To Hear Again

Well, you liked The Drinks Buzzwords You’re Sick Of Hearing, so have another piping hot batch of lingo that need to be sealed in a barrel, rolled into the sea,…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
The winner of Europe’s 50 Best Bars, Line AthensEurope’s 50 Best Bars Has Arrived, And Athens Has Stolen The Car

Europe’s 50 Best Bars 2026 has landed, with Line named No.1. A glitter cannon has been shot into the European cocktail scene with a scream: Athens, baby. Here’s what the…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
The Koji Hardshake Cocktail at Seed Library, New YorkHow To Create A Bar Menu: More Expert Advice

For Alex Lawrence-Milia, managing director of Mr Lyan Venues, the a bar menu should derive from collective work rather than individual ownership. We’re discussing the second menu that the New…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
The Martini CocktailWhere Does The Trade Drink A Martini?

The Martini isn’t having a comeback. It’s not possible to have one when you never left. It’s never been more diverse, however. Oyster shells, tomato water, mezcal, whiskey, freezer pours,…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Cose-up on hands of man bartender holding glass with cold drink with ice cube decorated with lime. The kind that inspires many Drinks BuzzwordsThe Drinks Buzzwords You’re Sick Of Hearing

Making a drink and selling a drink are two different skills. Both are haunted by the same problem: buzzwords. Producers wants to communicate value. Buyers wants to feel like they’ve…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Inside Advocatuur Bar, Rosewood AmsterdamCan Luxury Hotel Bars Feel Human Again?

Luxury hotel bars have a fairly unforgiving reputation: beautiful rooms, expensive drinks, stiff service, and an overwhelming sense that you had accidentally wandered into somebody else’s tax bracket. Too many are…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Professional sommelier swirling and closely observing a glass of white wine during a wine tasting session, meticulously assessing its color, clarity, and captivating aromaThe Dos and Dont’s of Spirits Competition Judging

Spirits competition judging sounds like a cushy gig. There’s definitely worse ways to make a living. Though it’s not quite sitting in a velvet armchair, swirling a glass, declaring it…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
Giorgio Bargiani at the Connaught BarIs This The Best Bartender In The World?

Is Giorgio Bargiani the best bartender in the world? The assistant director of mixology at the Connaught Bar has just won the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award for Europe’s 50 Best…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
The 2026 menu at Eve BarCreating A New Bar Menu: The View From Eve Bar

For Kelvin McCabe, beverage director at Eve Bar and the Adam Handling Collection, a new bar menu should not begin with a list of drinks. It should begin with the…

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
A bottle of Nc'nean whisky in ScotlandThe State of the Drinks Industry in 2026

What is the state of the drinks industry in 2026? Nick Gillett, managing director of Mangrove UK joins us to give us the lowdown. The drinks industry loves a euphemism….

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell
The Master of Malt Trade Blog Launches: Join UsThe Master of Malt Trade Blog Launches: Join Us

This is the Master of Malt Trade Blog. We already have a blog, yes. You’ve seen it on our retail site. Hopefully. Do keep checking that out, it’s not changing….

Adam O'ConnellAdam O'Connell