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January 12, 2025 |
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A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace! |
An avalanche of white rums
to bring the sunshine in |
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| Distillerie Bologne, Basse Terre, La Guaddeloupe (Rhum Bologne) |
We rarely get the chance to taste white rums, and to be honest, they’re not entirely at home on Whiskyfun (and don’t get me started on the number of ‘joven’ tequilas and mezcals we still have to try). But for me, white rum, much like a spritz, is also a symbol of summer. So, in the northern hemisphere, January seems like the perfect time to sample a little wheelbarrow-load of them. Our goal: around fifteen or twenty, especially as it’s brilliant to be able to explore the DNA of these distillates and compare them more effectively, something you cannot really do with malt whisky. Mind you, we won’t be tasting all of these in one go, but everything will be published below in one batch. And I should add that we don’t feel confident enough to assign scores with pinpoint accuracy, down to a single point. Good luck to us, and good luck to you… |
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Black Stripe (40%, OB, Canada, +/-2020) 
The bottle is quite intimidating, though it’s worth noting this is blended by Forty Creek. One can’t have it all, can they? Colour: white. Nose: hello? Well, there’s a touch of cane juice, hints of bamboo shoots, a drizzle of sugar syrup, and a mere drop of pineapple liqueur. Hardly the kind of profile one might recall the next morning. Mouth: it’s fine, let’s move on swiftly. A bit of earthy cane, a faint suggestion of artichoke, and sweetness without actual sugary weight, if you follow. Finish: virtually non-existent. A faint note of lime. Comments: not dreadful, but rather weak for a malt enthusiast’s palate.
SGP:330 – 60 to 69 points. |
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La Favorite ‘Cœur de Canne’ (50%, OB, La Martinique, agricole, +/-2023) 
This ‘Cœur de Canne’ (Heart of Cane) is also available at other strengths, such as 55%. Colour: white. Nose: ah yes, fermented cane, olives, capers, lime, parsley, Thai basil, beet syrup (and cane syrup, naturally). Mouth: a touch sweet but otherwise very good, vibrant, and perfectly enjoyable even without water or ice, with a lovely earthy character. Fresh carrots, lychee, hints of roses. Finish: long, clean, and fragrant. Comments: quite gentle for an agricole, yet still very charming.
SGP:441 – 80 to 85 points. |
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Taragawa (40%, OB, Japan, +/-2023) 
Made by sake makers in Okinawa, using shochu stills (steel). Colour: white. Nose: ultra-soft, almost like rose water blended with lychee syrup. Mouth: moves closer to the world of rum. Lovely fermentary notes, with rice and chocolate, roses, violets, and papayas. Finish: good length, with a pleasant acidic structure beyond the floral and lychee elements. Pink grapefruit. Comments: interesting and unusual, I rather like it.
SGP:730 – 75 to 80 points. |
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Aguardiente de Cana (46.9%, OB, El Destilado, Mexico, +/-2020) 
This is from Oaxaca, though it’s not mezcal. Colour: white. Nose: well, it may not be mezcal, but it certainly smells like it, with just the right mix of olives and charcoal. Small pickled lemons, pickled onions… Mouth: frankly, it tastes like mezcal. It’s excellent, still packed with olives and smoked lemons, along with earthy tones and a hint of petrol. Crazy stuff. Finish: long, smoky, earthy. Comments: I’m not sure they still produce this, at least that’s what I gather from the TWE website. The world’s gone mad if we lose top-quality spirits like this while continuing to churn out oceans of ghastly, sugar-laden gut-rot. Right, let’s take a deep breath...
SGP:372 – 85 to 90 points. |
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Duppy Share White (40%, OB, Jamaica, +/-2024)
The bottle is very pretty. We had tried an aged version before, which wasn’t bad at all. Mind you, this is Jamaican! Colour: white. Nose: hey, this is lovely! Super-ripe mirabelles, raspberry syrup, blackcurrant juice, and prickly pear. No Jamaican funk at this stage, but who cares. Mouth: oh yes, hints of varnish, fermented fruits, and olive oil, followed by touches of liquorice and even tar. Finish: not very long, but the flambéed banana note is superb. Comments: this deserves more than 40% ABV; it would be brilliant at 50%.
SGP:561 – 80 to 85 points. |
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Neisson ‘Clos Godinot’ (52.5%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2023)
One of, if not the very first parcellaire white rum from Neisson. Colour: white. Nose: geranium and jasmine, white peaches, longans. With water: fresh concrete, engine oil, tropical greenhouse. Mouth (neat): slightly hot, earthy, and loaded with fermented fruits. It needs water. With water: a lovely saline touch, hints of tarragon and sage, with a fermentary bitterness. Finish: long, this time with extremely, extremely ripe bananas. Comments: plenty of action in this Neisson blanc.
SGP:462 – 80 to 85 points. |
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Renegade ‘All-Island Cuvée Aura’ (46%, OB, Grenada, 2024) 
So much emotion here, as the distillery has closed. People definitely prefer sugary rubbish and that’s why major alcohol companies prefer to invest in brands of fake rum with made-up stories while being loaded with additives. As Coluche used to say, "To calculate the IQ of a crowd, you take the IQ of the dumbest person and divide it by the number of members."Alright, let’s take it easy, after all, Vox Populi, Vox Dei. Colour: white. Nose: a stunning distillate, saline, tarry, oily, and elegant. Tiny pink olives and a beautiful manzanilla en rama. Mouth: exceptionally saline and oily, followed by ripe mangoes and black cherry juice. Magnificent. Finish: long, with more citrus and spice. A superb saline aftertaste with olives. Comments: what a distillate! As a white rum, this is easily in the world’s top ten or even five, in my opinion. After the lovely Neisson, this confirms it.
SGP:462 – 90 points. |
Update: there are some truly incredible coincidences — we had just finished wrapping up and editing this session when the news of a probable refinanced restart of Renegade reached us!!! |
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Bielle Blanc (59%, OB, Marie-Galante, agricole, +/-2023)
Colour: white. Nose: closed and simple at 59%, which is not really ‘Bielle’. Sugar syrup (eh?). With water: no development, which is very surprising. Mouth (neat): varnish and cane, but again, it’s too hot. This must be made for ti-punches. With water: better, but a bit messy and poorly defined. It struggles after the Renegade. Finish: same. Comments: I don’t quite understand this. Bielle, in theory, is top five as well—I’m sure of it. Must be me, I might have done something wrong, I totally loved this one five years ago. I'll try again with another batch.
SGP:441 - 75 to 80 points. |
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Domaine de Bellevue ‘Rhum Blanc Bio’ (59%, OB, Marie-Galante, agricole, +/-2023)
This is a single-parcel rum from Marie-Galante, though it carries the Guadeloupe GI, as administratively, Marie-Galante is part of Guadeloupe. We’ve already tasted some great Bellevues. According to the owners, ‘the Bellevue distillery is the only eco-positive distillery in the world’, though I’ve seen ‘carbon-positive’ rums before. To be verified… In any case, this rum comes from the new Bellevue distillery, built in 2001 right next to the old one. They own 62ha of sugarcane. Colour: white. Nose: fairly gentle at first, slightly earthy with notes of ripe pear, hearts of palm perhaps, and fresh blackcurrants… In any case, it’s very mild so far. With water: little development, a touch of paraffin. Very discreet, which is surprising. Mouth (neat): very powerful, very grassy, quite bitter, with bagasse and hay. Water is really necessary here. With water: again, it’s discreet, but rather elegant, with green berries. It then gains complexity with notes of olives and a touch of seawater bringing a light ‘funk’. Much more to my taste now. Finish: of medium length, quite grassy and salty. The little olives remain, as does a hint of vanilla. Comments: it needed quite a bit of water and some patience, but it worked out very well in the end, phew.
SGP:461 - 80 to 85 points. |
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Longueteau ‘Souvenir L’Intemporel’ (62%, OB, Guadeloupe, agricole, 2024) 
A blend of approximately one-third blue cane and two-thirds red cane here. Like many fine white rums, it is matured for several months in vats before bottling. I’m very fond of the simpler Longueteau blanc at 50% ABV (WF 88). Colour: white. Nose: a distinctive nose, starting with vegetables and fish (sardines in olive oil), seaweed, and beach sand… It almost feels like standing before a ‘low marque’ Jamaican. Naturally, we love this, even at 62%. With water: hints of carbon, exhaust fumes… (in rum, that’s appealing; in real life, not so much) followed by orange blossom. Mouth (neat): brilliant, with lime, green pepper, olives, and seawater. This is bold! With water: the cane reigns supreme, elevated by the same very saline flavours. Finish: long, precise, even refreshing. Comments: I’m not sure all of this is ‘timeless’, but it certainly evokes the style of a great white mezcal, for instance.
SGP:462 - 85 to 90 points. |
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Amrut 2022 (62.8%, Habitation Velier, India, pure sugarcane juice, 2023)
Made from cane harvested just near the distillery and distilled in the pot stills used for Amrut’s famed malt whiskies. Colour: white. Nose: delightful! More tarmac than in all the others, with fresh rubber, zucchini, dried mushrooms, seawater, and whelks… Very surprising. With water: a touch fresher, more maritime, and even a bit chalky. Do they have all these aromas ‘near the distillery’? Mouth (neat): oh yes! Gorgeous ‘funky’ mangos alongside bags upon bags of Williams pears, which is entirely unexpected. With water: brilliant—cakey, honeyed, and salty. Finish: long and tight, with a hint of varnish. The pears remain in the aftertaste, along with a return of tar. Comments: a delightful surprise.
SGP:552 - 85 to 90 points. |
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Montebello 2019/2022 ‘Canne Rouge’ (52%, Barikenn, Guadeloupe, 551 bottles)
Colour: white. Nose: soft and fruity, with pears and plums, papayas and bananas, plus soft honey and fresh cane juice with a faint chalky touch. With water: cement, plaster, limestone, and rainwater. Mouth (neat): earthy, with fermented fruits and saline notes… With water: it’s the earthy side that truly stands out. Rather dry in profile, which is exactly what we like. A drop of mustard. Finish: long, mineral, and rich. Shares characteristics with a fine fino sherry from Jerez. Green pears. Comments: this little Montebello is a true champion swimmer.
SGP:562 - 85 to 90 points. |
Wait, we need to reassure ourselves about the Bielle blancs... (We’re already totally convinced by the aged ones, I insist). |
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Bielle 2023 (58%, Swell de Spirits, Marie-Galante, On Tour Series, for Limoges Spirits Festival 2024, 250 bottles)
We’ve got some lovely friends in Limoges. Colour: white. Nose: coconut, mercurochrome, and peach syrup. I’m sure water will work wonders. With water: the pears take control once again. Delicate touches of first rain, though it remains discreet. Mouth (neat): rich and oily, with lemon, pear, cane juice, and a hint of brine. With water: cane juice, agave juice, and pear juice—very gentle. Finish: of medium length, soft, and almost folded onto apples. Comments: these fresh Bielles strike me as surprisingly gentle, but this one is still vastly superior to the official ‘59’.
SGP:551 - 80 to 85 points. |
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Bologne ‘La Batterie’ (58.6%, OB, Guadeloupe, agricole, canne noire, 3,000 bottles, Edition 2020)
Black cane is said to be a very aromatic variety, albeit low-yielding. This is a single-plot cuvée from the parcel ‘La Batterie’, as the name suggests. Unfortunately, we haven’t tasted much Rhum Bologne so far. Colour: white. Nose: plenty of freshness but also sweetness, with orange blossom beyond fresh cane, followed by fennel and dill, clementine peel, Sichuan pepper, and a faintly brioche-like note. Very pretty and elegant, though not exactly ‘gentle’. With water: a touch of seawater and a small olive complete the profile. Mouth (neat): soft but beautifully lemony, with zest, pink pepper, and fennel. It’s a bit hot at 58.6%, though nothing out of the ordinary. With water: delicate earthy touches, jasmine tea, citrus peels, saline notes, liquorice, and pepper. Finish: really long, with citrus, pepper, and a tiny pinch of wasabi. A hint of coconut lingers in the aftertaste. Comments: at no point did I feel the need to add ice cubes—well done, Guadeloupe.
SGP:551 - 85 to 90 points. |
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Jamaican Blended Rum (58%, Swell de Spirits, high ester, On Tour Series, for Rhum Fest Paris 2024 10 years, 200 bottles)
Colour: white. Nose: of course. Mouth: naturally. Finish: obviously. Comments: pure Jamaica, with tar, olives, antiseptic, paint, petrol, seawater, acetone, and all sorts of diverse solvents, plus that little masochistic touch that Jamaican rums (apart from Appleton) always compel us to embrace. And we do, almost with shame. A high-definition white rum, exceptional.
SGP:463 - 90 points. |
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Unaged Heritage Blend (56%, Tamosi, Jamaican and Guyana, +/-2024)
From what I understand, this is Hampden + Port Mourant + Uitvlugt. As blends go, you could do much worse. Colour: white. Nose: an acetic side, very charming, with touches of ammonia and parmesan, followed by olive brine, seawater, and fermented fruits (bananas, pineapples). With water: carbon paper and linoleum. Mouth (neat): quite frankly, the Jamaican dominates. Tar, olives, pickled items, carbon, and all that. With water: adding a fair amount of water proves interesting, as it brings out the blend’s components beyond Hampden’s dominance. Sardines in olive oil, salted anchovies, black olives, and fermented cassava (sour cassava starch) … Finish: similar, very briny. Comments: all in all, this is a Navy Blend for highly superior British officers.
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
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Ghana ‘Unaged’ (65%, FRC, 320 bottles, 2024)
We’ve forgotten the name of this distillery in Ghana, but we know, having tasted it once before (whoof), that it’s very good. What a useless blogger (a rare moment of lucidity, S.). Colour: white. Nose: it’s a bit strong (no kidding Erwin), but there are lovely notes of apples and bananas. With water: the solvents and acetone come through—like a medical cabinet. Mouth (neat): varnish, petrol, coconut milk, and apple eau-de-vie, along with massive doses of ethanol. With water: ah yes, here come the olives, tar, lemon, pine needles, iodine tincture, and oysters… Finish: long, very saline, and extremely coastal. Seaweed and seawater. Comments: Ghana is by the sea, isn’t it? Not sure if this distillery is in Accra, but that would make sense. In any case, well done, FRC!
SGP:562 - 85 to 90 points. |
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White Pearls ‘Rhum Blanc’ (48%, Vagabond Spirit, Réunion, 2024)
Rum from Savanna, it seems, with a passage in amphora. We’ve always been supportive of ageing in amphora/concrete/glass/stoneware, but it appears that authorities generally prefer oak or other wood, which makes one suspect that these authorities are likely influenced by the agroforestry industry. Just joking. Colour: white. Nose: easy, light, and sweet, with honeysuckle, apple, mild lemon, plums, and fresh cane juice… This isn’t a grand aromatic profile but it’s really nice. Mouth: good, easy, with notes of fermented apples, young calvados, grappa, umeshu, and pear cider… Finish: medium length, slightly acidic, with a curiously light but subtle body. It’s close to the cane. Comments: fine and delicate.
SGP:541 - 80 to 85 points. |
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Los Convidados 2023 ‘Satvrnal’ (64%, Swell de Spirits, Mexico, 1,000 bottles)
Well, we don’t really know what this is, so let’s see. In any case, the folks at Swell de Spirits are clearly having fun, and rightly so, if you ask me. Colour: white. Nose: it seems a bit lethal, but we enjoy these whiffs of gunpowder, black olives, smoked bacon, fresh IKEA plywood, and moped exhaust fumes… (I’m thinking of the Gitane Testi Grand Prix 50cc from 1975). With water: by Zeus, we’re in Jamaica. Mouth (neat): absolutely explosive. Salmiak and heather maceration, universal glue, and concentrated lemon juice with bird’s eye chili. To be honest, it stings your tongue quite a bit. With water: crazy, admirable, acetic, spicy, salty, and… fairly floral. There’s mullein syrup, for instance. Finish: very long, mineral, and salty, with lupins in brine. Comments: what an adventure for a white rum. I love it, and so should you, if I may say so.
SGP:572 - 90 points. |
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South Pacific Distillery 2017/2018 (83%, L’Esprit, Fiji, third edition, 258 bottles)
It seems this is what Fiji’s all-powerful rugby team makes their opponents drink before matches. Have you seen the ABV? Shall we survive? And who will take care of Whiskyfun’s mousers if something happens? Colour: white. Nose: it’s petrol mixed with medicinal alcohol. I feel we should have notified our insurer before attempting this ‘thing’. The worst part is, it’s actually lovely—as long as you keep your glass at least two metres from your nose and ensure no open flames are nearby. Olives, anchovies, and sharp green apples. With water: smoked bacon and fish, plus small thick-skinned lemons with ultra-acidic juice. Or finger limes. Mouth (neat): it obliterates your entire airway, but you can tell it’s good. Hyper-concentrated olives and solvents. With water: absolutely incredible. A massive combination of pepper, tar, glue, and lemon so intense even the C.I.A. would lodge a complaint. Finish: forget it—you can’t fight this, even armed with two litres of Vittel (or Gleneagles, Highland Spring, Miller Light etc.). Comments: did we dream this? Did a relatively discreet French independent bottler actually release a ‘very high ester’ rum at 83% ABV, the equivalent of John Bonham in Achilles Last Stand?
SGP:384 - 90 points. |
Well, I think this idea of sampling a good number of ‘whites’ has run its course. It’s interesting to note, at least from my humble perspective as a mere enthusiast, that the hierarchy of ‘aged’ rums doesn’t necessarily align when it comes to the whites from the same distilleries or brands. We’re planning another tasting of completely crazy white rums around July 2028, if that suits you (we’ve still got quite a few waiting). Oh and great news regarding Renegade! |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far
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January 11, 2025 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
Double Ledaig
Two old Ledaig, to stave off wintery January here in Scotland. |
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Ledaig 20 yo (43%, OB, late 1990s) 
I have vivid and fond memories of how they used to be extremely fond of this bottling in the old Loch Fyne Whiskies shop, and how their great salesman, Andy, used to sell it to anyone and everyone with great verve and enthusiasm. Very much the age of innocence! Now, as I recall, some batches were distinctly better than others... Colour: pale straw. Nose: ah yes, a peaty one! Coal smoke, soft tarry notes, wet rocks, crisp peat smoke, mineral salts and fresh seafood. Superbly fresh and hyper clean, almost certainly dominated by pre-1974 Ledaig! Mouth: a little less impressive, coal smoke again, but it's overall a little flatter and with a slightly more papery feel to the smokiness. Damp bonfires, wet bark, salty porridge, fire embers and aspirin. A peated malt that feels like it has been blended with some unpeated in a funny way - not impossible when it comes to funny old bottlings from Tobermory distillery! Still, plenty nice seashore vibes and soft peaty notes. Finish: surprisingly long and back on tarry and salty combinations, some kinds of smoked porridge in the aftertaste. Comments: Serge wasn't a fan of this one on more than one occasion in Whiskyfun's distant past. I suspect this is probably one of the better batches, although it's technically a little uncertain on the palate. I find it very hard to disentangle this bottling from my memories of Inverary. Incidentally, if you are passing, I can strongly recommend the brilliant George Hotel, their food is top notch and the whisky bar and its lovely staff even better!
SGP: 455 - 84 points. |
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Ledaig 32 yo 1972/2005 (48.9%, Alambic Classique, cask #8721, oloroso sherry butt, 396 bottles) 
Speaking of the age of innocence... Colour: deep gold. Nose: peaty wellies wading through dense sherry! That's the vibe anyway. Quite a thick and stodgy feeling of sherry, which is not bad thing, with peat feeling rather soft and earthy behind that. There's also softer medicinal characteristics such as cough syrup, then heather honey, some very old Drambuie and gentle peppery notes. I'd add some Serrano ham, tarred rope and camphor into the bargain too. Mouth: camphor, mixed with herbal tonic wines and quite a few other herbal qualities, herbal teas, extracts, tinctures, ointments etc. Also bitter orange marmalade, hessian cloth, beef stock, old leather, bone marrow and iodine. A big tussle between the sherry and the peat, but in an entertaining way that involves pleasing integration. Has an elegant but balanced bitterness about it too, with bay leaf, green walnut and rancio aspects. Finish: long and much more on saltiness, nutty notes, cupboard spices, walnut wine, soy sauce, feelings of bakelite and plasticine and some salted liquorice and chewing tobacco. Comments: decidedly old style, you so rarely find whiskies that have this kind of character these days. Now, I don't think it's quite 90 point material purely due to these rather extreme characteristics, but it’s a bit of a technicality. I love this big, rugged, earthy old Ledaig.
SGP: 465 - 89 points. |
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January 10, 2025 |
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A bag of Longmorn, randomly, Part Drei
Let’s taste another five or six, some recent and some older ones, if you don’t mind.
Bertanne apple (Pour de Bon) |
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Longmorn 22 yo 1988/2011 (46%, Mo Òr Collection, release 44, bourbon hogshead, cask #14378, 411 bottles)
What an incredible collection—housing all the Scottish distilleries, even the rarest ones like Ladyburn. I think they were just a little ahead of their time in 2011. Colour: straw. Nose: this one is superbly fresh and citric, bursting with all sorts of yellow citrus fruits, then shifting towards freshly cut grass, a touch of fresh mint and rhubarb, and finally tiny hints of vanilla pods. Magnificent purity. Mouth: powerful for its pedigree, leaning more towards exotic fruits—banana and guava—then mead and a touch of liquorice before becoming slightly more herbal and bitter. As is often the case, 46% works very well. Finish: long and frankly herbal by this stage, with roasted aubergines appearing in the aftertaste. Comments: on your palate it may have lost a bit of its citrus delicacy over time, but it remains excellent. And did you notice we haven’t mentioned apples?
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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Longmorn 28 yo 1996/2024 (58.8%, The Antelope Macau & Kanpaikai Japan, refill hogshead, cask #17388, 196 bottles)
What a fun label—cats now seem to reign supreme on whisky bottles for the Far East, much like they rule at Château WF, for that matter. They even appear to be toppling the dragons Bowmore introduced back in the 1990s, during the era of their famous 30-year-old ‘Sea Dragon’. Colour: deep gold. Nose: well, this is perfect—worthy of purring with delight (S.!). Superb citrus notes, fresh or in marmalade form, plus crème de menthe and countless tiny aromatic herbs, always around mint but also basil and coriander. Ever tried basil ice cream? Then come kumquats and bergamots. Utterly flawless and feline (!) in elegance. With water: and here come the mineral and saline notes. Mouth (neat): like a grand old white wine of great age. Truly extraordinary—honestly, 101% my preferred style. Please call the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade! With water: this now heads towards fruity old cognacs—it’s incredible. Honey, vineyard peaches, candied violets, liquorice… Have you called the A.M.B. yet? Finish: blindfolded, one might genuinely mistake this for an old cognac from a small, prestigious house, like the ones we often discuss here. Comments: truly sublime.
SGP:651 - 92 points. |
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Longmorn 23 yo 1992/2015 (52.1%, Single Cask Collection, bourbon hogshead, cask #71757, 257 bottles)
Here we are in Austria, with great pleasure. We’ve already tasted several exceptional whiskies from the Single Cask Collection of Wels, near Linz. And indeed, the thought of Linzertorte is now firmly lodged in my mind—a real ‘palateworm’... Colour: full gold. Nose: rather sharp, starting with cider apples and a touch of varnish, then unfolding into apples, pears, plums, cherries, and gooseberries. Very typical of Longmorn in its most natural state. With water: as usual, chalk, ground barley, and fresh bread emerge. Impeccably natural. Mouth (neat): no Linzertorte. I repeat, no Linzertorte. Instead, vibrant apples, melons, pears, then a touch of green pepper mixed with honey (why not?). With water: little change, except for more lemon. Finish: long, becoming more herbal and peppery, with barley syrup in the aftertaste. Comments: a fine beast, all natural.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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Longmorn 11 yo 2008/2020 (56.6%, Boogieman Import for The Longmorn Bros., bourbon barrel)
We know the Longmorn Brothers—they’re great people (guys, you owe me the aperitif next time). Colour: white wine. Nose: perfect! Fresh almonds, parsley, apples, mirabelles, quinces, and a touch of damp earth. Amusing hints of fruity shampoo (apple!). With water: fresh rhubarb and small windfall apples. Mouth (neat): very good, fresh and tense, on white, yellow, and green fruits, with increasingly more pepper. With water: the addition of water triggers an avalanche of fruit drops in various flavours, including plenty of lemon drops. Finish: long, more herbal. Apple peelings and honey in the aftertaste. Comments: as good as a natural 11-year-old Longmorn can be.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
What a distillery, though! Speaking of the Longmorn Bros., it’s worth knowing that twenty or thirty years ago—or even earlier—whisky enthusiasts often had the habit of picking their ‘favourite’ distillery, then collecting its bottles and artefacts and building up knowledge that sometimes even the brands themselves didn’t possess. That didn’t stop them from gathering other whiskies, of course, but ultimately, if you wanted reliable information about a particular distillery, you’d turn to these friends rather than some of the distillers themselves, who already tended – but not all of them - to dish out a fair amount of ‘corporate talk’—not always the most interesting. That said, there were always exceptions indeed, and it also depended on whom you spoke to within the companies. Generally speaking, the lower someone ranked in the organisations, the more reliable the information was—ha! But since then, everyone’s attended seminars on “what to say and what not to say,” and corporate talk now tends, at many places, to trickle all the way down—even to students working as tour guides, gardeners, or cleaning staff.
Regarding collectors who were fans of a particular distillery – usually completists – most of them stopped their collections, even the whales, because, around the 2010s, they found themselves essentially held hostage by brands. Indeed these brands had started releasing more and more limited editions at completely unjustifiable prices. Most of these private collections were later sold off, sometimes even back to the brands themselves. |
Careful, we’re about to go back through the vintages… |
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Longmorn 1976/2013 (53.7%, Malts of Scotland, bourbon hogshead, Cask #MoS 13029, 143 bottles)
I’m not sure why I hadn’t tasted this very attractive baby before now. Colour: gold. Nose: the vanilla from the American oak is quite prominent at first, with crème brûlée, vanilla cream, and custard (we get it, S.), then hints of pinewood, cooked yellow fruits of all kinds, and finally some rum-like notes and exotic fruits, especially ripe bananas. With water: apple and banana juice, 50/50. Now there’s an idea! Just add rum—or Longmorn. Mouth (neat): great power with rather prominent woodiness, but it stays on pine buds, cherry sap, or maple syrup. Orchard fruits then make their way through without much trouble, particularly all sorts of apples, as usual. With water: it handles those slightly resinous and very, very faintly dusty notes rather with gusto. Thirty-six or thirty-seven years old, mind you. Finish: medium length, with tea, grey pepper, wood, and grassy juice. Comments: perhaps just a touch fragile due to age, but the DNA remains superb.
SGP:451 - 87 points. |
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Longmorn 28 yo 1971/2000 (57.9%, Vintage Hallmark of St. James’s, USA, sherry cask)
A bottle with quite the reputation, it must be said. The bottles from the defunct Hallmark of St. James’s were known for featuring tasting notes by Wallace Milroy of Milroy's of Soho, also one of the true legends of whisky writing. Colour: copper amber. Nose: oh! Roasted chestnuts, morels, truffles, clootie dumpling, butterscotch, fine coffee, wood varnish, a hundred different dried fruits, and the most sumptuous waxes. I think it’s perfect—on par with the greatest Macallans of their golden era (and don’t talk to me about paxarette or brandy!). With water: pata negra ham and prunes in Armagnac. Mouth (neat): thunderbolts and lightning—what a marvel! A massive arrival, almost intrusive, like Schwarzenegger, followed by a machine gun of flavours firing the most wonderful dried fruits, chocolates, coffees, tobaccos, and woody spices (cinnamon, tea, light smoke/toast…). Basically, you’re dead. Well, your taste buds and olfactory bulb are practically dead. With water: boom—absolute marvel. I’m done for. Finish: … Comments: …
SGP:652 - 95 points. |
We should probably stop here, but this is Whiskyfun, and we’d still like to go all the way back to the 1960s and revisit this baby that I had tried a little quickly back in 2008... |
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Longmorn 31 yo 1969/2001 (45.65%, Douglas Laing, Old Malt Cask, 210 bottles)
Colour: full gold. Nose: we start with fresher fruits, jams, liqueurs, and syrups, but you can immediately tell this is, yet again, a cask of interstellar quality. Gradually, dried fruits take over—first dates (and what a beauty they are!), then figs, and finally raisins of all kinds. Add a touch of earth, tobacco, and a fresh mint leaf, and you have yet another absolutely definitive nose. You don’t find this sort of profile in recent releases anymore—and let’s not even mention those old casks reconditioned with very active wood or wine, a rather regrettable trend, frankly. With water: was Mozart a distiller too? Exceptional tiny meaty notes—dry hams, Chinese sauces, subtle fermentations... Mouth (neat): very, very slightly more fragile and less structured than the Vintage Hallmark, but still sitting firmly in the upper floors of malt whisky. Mind you, we’re practically on the rooftop. Fruit sauce, Christmas cake, old Madeira... With water: very, very, very faint dustiness, but the rest is exceptional, with little dried figs and dried white mulberries standing tall. Finish: more like an old sweet wine. Comments: following the Vintage Hallmark is no small feat, but this one manages it. Another exceptional bottle which, moreover, seems to have greatly benefited from an additional 16 or 17 years in the bottle since we last tried it (fom another bottle, naturally).
SGP:651 - 93 points. |
I think we won’t revisit Longmorn for a few months, but you never know. |
(Mille mercis Andy and Michiel - and Edward) |
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January 9, 2025 |
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The Time Warp Sessions,
today Dufftown |
I know, we've had some Dufftown quite recently, but we wanted to taste this little Ukrainian version we've just received. To pay tribute to it, we'll then bring out one of those incredible 8-year-olds dating back to... well before Gorbachev. |
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Dufftown 15 yo 2008/2024 (54.7%, Scyfion, armagnac cask finish, 102 bottles)
This is actually maturation since this baby from Ukraine spent 45 months in an armagnac cask, so more than 36 months. Let us hope that very soon, we shall no longer need to send cannons and may instead primarily export casks of armagnac, empty or not, to Ukraine. Slava Ukraini, and peace! Colour: light gold. Nose: it’s the malt that speaks, and it’s a very lovely malt. Orange caramel, bergamots, roasted hazelnuts, maple syrup, salted butter caramels, apples… Some delightful hints of anise in the background—perhaps there was a drop of pastis in the armagnac. Just joking. With water: more rustic. Earth, foliage, baker’s yeast… Mouth (neat): a touch of peppered apple. One might wonder whether the equation malt whisky + armagnac = calvados might hold a little truth. Joking aside, this is good, fruity, generous yet fresh… With water: it works, the oranges charge in at full gallop and carry the day (what?). Finish: long, on apples and plums, with perhaps a few raisins. Perhaps… Comments: all of this works very well, with armagnac, much like cognac for that matter, embracing the malt without ever disfiguring it. Bud’mo!
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
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Dufftown-Glenlivet 8 yo (80°proof, OB, early 1960s)
With the 80°proof mention under the golden line—it does make all the difference, doesn’t it. Of course, in theory, this Dufftown should be brushing the stars, but in any case, take this as a tribute to our Ukrainian friends. Colour: gold. Nose: there’s some OBE, with that metallic edge (old copper coins, pennies, vintage tools), but the development, on rare herbs and all sorts of oils and broths, is simply magnificent, especially as old herbal and mint liqueurs come along to complete the picture. These Dufftowns from Arthur Bell & Sons were simply incredible. Mouth: oh my! It’s slightly bitter, with plenty of pine sap, for example, but there’s also an incredible salinity and, above all, stewed fruits cooked in a copper cauldron with absolute majesty. Figs then bring everyone into agreement, followed by menthol and liquorice. Cough syrup. Finish: long, on gentle broths and chutneys. Magical. Comments: the 80°proof (46% vol.) works wonders, even after all these years. A perfect point of balance, these slightly higher strengths hold their ground much better than those at 40/43%, as we’ve often observed. After all, this bottle is over 60 years old, perhaps even more. Very impressive. It leaves me speechless (you’ll probably say ‘thank goodness!’).
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
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January 8, 2025 |
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We are experiencing a slight delay with our third Longmorn session, but we will publish it in a few days. In the meantime... |
Quirky Little Duos: finally, an innovation on Whiskyfun! |
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WF's Quirky Little Duos,
today Dalmunach vs. Imperial |
The kind of duet that’s rather loosely defined—purely for fun and a bit of glory. Today, for instance, we’ll be comparing a Dalmunach, which replaced the Imperial Distillery in Carron after its demolition by Pernod Ricard, with a malt still produced at the latter. Don’t worry, we’re not going to look for any so-called “terroir” effect linked to the distilleries’ locations—especially since our Imperial is naturally quite a few years old (the distillery closed in 1998 and was demolished in 2013), whereas the new Dalmunach only began to make a name for itself in 2014. At least, that’s, I believe, the official line—but I’ve already tasted some from 2013, ahem.
It’s also worth noting that the owners reused a good number of materials from Imperial during the construction of Dalmunach. |
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Dalmunach 7 yo 2016/2024 (58.4%, Dràm Mor, 1st fill Buffalo Trace barrel, cask #670, 254 bottles)
Already a fine age and a bourbon cask, which should allow us to form a clearer impression of Dalmunach’s malt. Colour: white wine. Nose: one of the most floral malts I’ve sampled in recent months, with plenty of wisteria and honeysuckle, followed by simple dandelions, before the profile shifts towards yellow fruits and fresh brioche, all wrapped in vanilla custard. With water: cassata and custard in generous proportions, with hints of buttery pears and chardonnay. Mouth (neat): powerful and rich in fruits and charred oak, with fudge everywhere and butterscotch piled on top, then IPA (very citrusy hops) and very fresh honey. Quite a bit of cinnamon from the cask. With water: well, this is very good indeed, rather classic overall but vibrant and refreshing. Lovely notes of verbena and genepy. Finish: long, more peppery, with zest, pink pepper, and custard. The aftertaste is more peppery. Comments: I think the very early Dalmunachs were too young and somewhat dull, but already last year we tasted a stunning Watt Whisky that was highly impressive.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
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Imperial 33 yo 1990/2024 (52.7%, Gordon & MacPhail, The Recollection Series #3, refill American oak hogshead, cask #9825, 63 bottles)
A very small release in G&M’s series honouring closed distilleries. Until fairly recently, G&M were still offering some lovely vintage Imperials under their ‘distillery labels’. Beware, this could be a real fruit bomb… Colour: dark gold. Nose: it’s the time spent in cask that speaks first, with pine buds and wood varnish swiftly followed by fresh almonds and kirsch. Then come essential oils (thyme, mint, rosemary) and exotic fruits, dominated by very ripe mangoes, almost ‘petrol-like’ if you see what I mean. In any case, this is superb. With water: as often with G&M, the whisky becomes quite opaque after water is added, indicating fairly minimal filtration. That said, the profile changes little, remaining magnificent, resinous, and fruity, with a slightly oriental touch (loukoumi, mint tea, and pine nuts). Mouth (neat): a perfect mirror of the nose, with prominent woodiness reminiscent of pine and bitter almonds, yet very well integrated with stewed fruits and mentholated and aniseed spices. Very curious to see what water does on the palate. With water: once again, not much change, though citrus notes and Sichuan pepper make an appearance alongside the rest. Finish: fairly long and even fruitier, whereas fruity notes often fade in the finish, I mean elsewhere. Blood oranges, hints of cedar and tobacco, then a return of pine buds. Comments: a magnificent dialogue with the cask. A shame there were only 63 bottles—if only they had been double-magnums!
SGP:661 - 92 points. |
I promise you can sense a sort of kinship between the Dalmunach and the Imperial, especially around the fruity notes. Don’t they say the apple never falls far from the tree? (You’re exhausting, S.) |
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January 7, 2025 |
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A bag of Longmorn, randomly, Part Dos
We’re back. Wow that new 30/1994 ‘Rothes Glen’ yesterday!
Goldrush apple (Pour de Bon) |
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Longmorn 15 yo (54.2%, Morisco Spirits, first fill bourbon, 2022)
Colour: white wine. Nose: this will be quick—ultra-precise, green apple and damp chalk, with a touch of honeysuckle. It’s reminiscent of a cool-vintage Sancerre (they’re getting rare) from Vacheron. With water: quinces and mirabelles appear, yet it remains nicely focused. Mouth (neat): splendidly fruity and utterly typical. Lemon, green apples, green pepper. Another beautifully natural malt with sharper angles. With water: it turns slightly softer, with apple juice, cinnamon and a hint of barley sugar. Finish: medium length, very clean, with that signature fruitiness and a slightly more peppery aftertaste. Comments: beautiful in its simplicity.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Longmorn 13 yo 2011/2024 (58.2%, Lady of the Glen, PX finish, cask #1721, 297 bottles)
Well, I’ve just learnt that in pharmacy, PX can sometimes be shorthand for ‘prescription’, but can anything be inferred from this in the realm of whisky? Colour: deep gold. Nose: total butterscotch, walnut cake and cinnamon rolls. Nice prescription. With water: few changes, probably just a little Bénédictine. Old bottles of Bénédictine can be absolutely superb. A touch of good-quality black tea. Mouth (neat): indeed, thick PX but PX that works—sweet but not overly so, with peppered raisins and plenty of cloves. Even a hint of chilli. With water: softer, rounder, but Spanish orange liqueurs step in to keep it all in check. Finish: long, on sultanas, orange marmalade and pepper. Comments: about as good as a PX finish on a young Speysider can be.
SGP:661 - 85 points. |
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Longmorn 22 yo 1997/2020 (58.7%, The Single Malts of Scotland, hogshead, cask #163301, 240 bottles)
My word, 2020 was already five years ago. Colour: white wine. Nose: it’s remarkable how a good age—22 years is certainly a good age—brings complexity and starts to deconstruct primary aromas. Here we’re moving towards layers of pastries, apple tarts, turnovers, strudel, with hints of vanilla pods and honeysuckle… In the end, we land on apple compote, the kind we all ate by the ton as children, didn’t we? With water: fresh barley emerges, which is amusing. It’s not the first time this has happened with these Longmorns. Mouth (neat): oh, citrus, pepper and mint! Though the alcohol does block things just a bit. With water: and there it is—a cavalcade of ripe orchard fruits, joined by lemon, grapefruit, aniseed and liquorice. Finish: fairly long, with similar notes. A very citrusy aftertaste. Comments: for lovers of grapefruit, among whom I’m counting myself.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Longmorn 22 yo 1992/2014 (51.4%, Signatory Vintage, handpicked by The Whisky Exchange, hogshead, cask #48488, 224 bottles)
Attention, we’re diving into this one with all sirens blaring! These 1992s from SigV were absolute bombs. Colour: deep gold. Nose: lovely nose—tobacco, roasted chestnuts, etc.—but you can already tell the magic will happen on the palate. With water: a slight basaltic edge of the finest sort, followed by hints of varnish, like in a very old Sauternes turned mahogany. Mosses and mushrooms. Superb nose. Mouth (neat): the purest expression of bitter orange, with an added amontillado-like note. Was this a sherry hogshead? Yet there are also touches of old bourbon. Never mind, not so long ago nobody cared about such details—it was either sherrywood or everything else. Or perhaps just ‘American’ or ‘European’. With water: splendid. Let’s call it American amontillado (apologies, apologies, apologies). Finish: long, leaning more towards earthy tones and coffee. Coffee dregs—but what a coffee it was. Comments: licking the edge of 91 points, as we sometimes say.
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
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Longmorn 24 yo 1983/2007 (51.6%, Riegger's Selection, hogshead, cask #51)
I’m sorry, no image found, except perhaps of a comparable bottle. 2007—those were the good old days when not everyone was obsessed with flooding the internet with content of questionable necessity. Colour: deep gold. Nose: lovely nose of orange liqueur, sultanas and old herbal liqueurs. A stunning combination of pine and mint on top of it all—highly invigorating—with hints of verbena and chartreuse. With water: oh, all those honeys, how beautiful! Mouth: but this is so good! I can’t say if it was already this superb back in 2007, but this kind of blend of fine liqueurs with figs and dates works wonders. With water: marvellous—more mineral and waxier. This two reminds me of Clynelish—we’ve had some sublime Clynelish 1983s, including one from Samaroli. Finish: rather long, smooth, leaning towards roasted hazelnuts and old Madeiras, with a wonderfully herbal aftertaste. Comments: thank you, Roger—18 years later (better late than never, I suppose). If anyone still has bottles of this little marvel, take good care of them!
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
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Longmorn-Glenlivet 1969/1991 (43%, Berry Bros. & Rudd Glasgow)
Straight from Dunreath Avenue, Glasgow, but with the label ‘3, St. James’s St., London’. Already a 70cl bottle, yet still bearing BB&R’s old presentation, along with a well-made screw cap. Colour: copper honey. Nose: let’s not waste time—this is pure marvel, the kind only the 1950s or 1960s could produce. Astonishing honeys, ripe apples, cherries, pollen, vineyard peaches, incense, old cognacs, then camphor and even a few maritime touches. This whisky is the boss, not you. Mouth: sheer class. Mandarins, wild strawberries, old yellow chartreuse, more honeys, a drop of pine liqueur, fruit ganaches, and—dare I say it?—two or three drops of moutai. Go on, one, two, three, and-we-bow. Finish: unbelievably long for a whisky at 43% from a bottle that’s already thirty-four years old. But let’s not forget this Longmorn was only 21 or 22 years old when bottled. There’s just a touch too much leather in the aftertaste to reach 93. There’s also a hint of salty/smoky broth—unexpected, but perhaps not that much. Comments: what a beauty, still bursting with energy.
SGP:661 - 92 points. |
There we have it, another session-breaker. It looks like we’ll need to come back a third time with some more Longmorns. |
(Thank you, Geert, thank you Roger) |
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January 6, 2025 |
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A pretty large bag of Longmorn, randomly |
We never quite understood why such an outstanding malt as Longmorn remained kind of tucked away in the owners' drawers. They had indeed released an attractive new 16-year-old after the old 15, but its price quickly crushed the buying ambitions of many enthusiasts. To be fair, it was the era of unbridled premiumisation, where very little actually made sense. Anyway, let’s dive in at random today—there will probably be quite a few rather old bottlings with no tasting notes yet here on this lousy website. |
Pinova apple (Pour de Bon) |
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Longmorn-Glenlivet 23 yo 1994/2018 (52.6%, Cadenhead’s, Rum cask, Guadeloupe, 222 bottles)
A four-year finishing in Guadeloupean rum casks. These are not the worst, it must be said! Indeed, the use of rum casks has become rather commonplace, though one should remember that the first Springbank ‘rum cask’ releases from Cadenhead were met with thunderous applause, notably the astonishing 18-year-old 1973/1991 (WF 93). Colour: pale gold. Nose: one immediately detects Longmorn’s very ‘orchard-like’ fruitiness, with superb slightly green fruits, apples, plums, then hints of white beer and jasmine, before more exotic fruits—likely from the rum—such as lychees. With water: notes of orange zest and wax. Mouth (neat): taut as a bowstring, with little rum influence but instead green pepper, cider apples and fresh herbs, underpinned by a lovely acidity. With water: the sugarcane side emerges, along with pineapple and banana liqueur, becoming more pronounced. Guava juice follows, along with even more herbs. Finish: long, fruit peelings and bitters. Comments: the two spirits flirted with each other throughout.
SGP:561 - 85 points. |
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Longmorn 17 yo 1996/2014 (46%, Signatory Vintage, Un-Chillfiltered Collection for The Whisky Fair Limburg, 1st fill sherry, cask #72322, 748 bottles)
Well, we’re not exactly early to this one. Colour: amber. Nose: we all know that Longmorn and a big, rich sherry cask go hand in hand, and that’s certainly the case here, with raisins, millionaire shortbread and a few tiny fragments of flint… and truffle. Mouth: chocolate and tobacco over almonds and bitter oranges, then gradually more coffee and very dark tea. Finish: much the same, with excellent length. Comments: old-school sherry, almost a sherry monster, slightly rustic. All in all, a charming country malt.
SGP:451 - 85 points. |
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Longmorn 2008/2022 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail, Distillery Labels) 
There have already been so many splendid Longmorns from G&M! In fact, they are probably the ones who popularised this distillery, if I’m not mistaken. Colour: gold. Nose: pure orchard-style Longmorn, apple juice, stewed apples, overripe apples… You get the idea. A touch of acacia honey and two or three sultanas in the background. So far, it does the job perfectly, provided one enjoys apples. Mouth: a bit stranger, slightly prickly and even fizzy, then almost soapy. An unexpectedly gin-and-tonic-like side emerges. Que pasa? It’s certainly not a sample issue. Finish: of medium length, a bit calmer, with apples returning alongside pears, and a hint of fudge in the aftertaste. Phew. Comments: I’m not sure I fully grasped this one. A placeholder score—the nose is lovely!
SGP:561 - 80 points. |
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Longmorn 21 yo 1992/2014 (49.7%, The Single Malts of Scotland, sherry hogshead, cask #110979, 293 bottles)
Colour: full gold. Nose: close to the SigV, with prominent sherry, Mars bar, pipe tobacco, tarte Tatin (yes, apples again!) and quince paste. Mouth: excellent sherry, massive, slightly peppery, featuring walnut caramel tart, pecans, tobacco, dark chocolate and a touch of ginger… Finish: long, rich yet beautifully balanced, with citrus adding a sense of freshness. A hint of old amontillado. Comments: this is very, very good—perfectly constructed, highly classic, and with nothing to fault.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Longmorn 11 yo 2011/2022 (52.4%, Michiel Wigman, Inspiring Friends, 208 bottles)
These labels depict Michiel’s friends and were illustrated by Hans Dillesse, whose own portrait is featured here. In essence, it’s a self-portrait, almost on par with those of his compatriots Van Gogh or Rembrandt. Indeed! Colour: white wine. Nose: yes, here it is, the distillate in its purest form, with marvellous garden fruits—ripe apples once again, along with mirabelles, quinces, pears, pink grapefruits and a lovely touch of flint. With water: a very light waxy note à la Clynelish and hints of unripe bananas. Mouth (neat): honey and blood oranges, with a touch of pink pepper. Perfect weight. With water: almost like pure barley syrup. Finish: medium length, perfectly balanced, ideally fruity, never vulgar—or let’s say ‘too much’. Comments: pure Longmorn, by and for Longmorn aficionados. Exceptionally high level for an 11-year-old.
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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Longmorn 30 yo 1994/2024 (55.5%, LMDW Rothes Glen, Artist #14, refill American hogshead, cask #50086, 141 bottles)
‘Rothes Glen’ is the name of the only private house ever built by Charles Doig—you can’t get geekier than that, can you? Bravo to La Maison du Whisky. As usual, the label is very much to my taste. Colour: gold. Nose: it’s simple—take the 2011 we’ve just tasted and add 20 years of refractions and little aromatic twists. If you see what I mean. Leathers, flowers, tobaccos, waxes, small berries, precious woods, damp earth… With water: thuja wood, mint tea and hints of sea breezes. It feels like Essaouira—just add some Gnawa music and you’re there. Mouth (neat): firmer than expected, more resinous but with superb softness and complexity. Snuff tobacco, spruce bud liqueur, a touch of unexpected hoisin sauce, then bags of figs from various origins. With water: all the fruits of the garden, plus jams and syrups you could make from them. It’s more ‘Longmorn’ than Longmorn itself. Finish: resinous notes return, Vosges fir sweets, spruce honeydew, then almonds and orange peels. Comments: it sounds almost like a Michelin *** restaurant menu.
SGP:661 - 92 points. |
No question of trying to top this sublime 30-year-old—we’ll pick up again tomorrow or later. Thank you for your understanding. |
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January 5, 2025 |
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A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace! |
First rum session of the year,
from 1876 to 2021 |
Goodness, that’s a hundred and forty-five years apart. I can’t think of any other non-artistic product that takes you on such a journey through time. Of course, one might argue that fine spirits are a form of art as well, but when you visit the distilleries, you quickly realise that they’re all factories—whether small or large. So, in the end, long live factories! |
Early label for Old Medford Rum
(Medford Historical Society & Museum) |
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Romero ‘Amber Rum’ (40%, OB, Canada, sherry cask finish, +/-2024) 
Oops! I thought this was one of those Romero & Sons from Ecuador, whose rather charming expressions we’ve sampled before. These Romero, hailing from Alberta, rather conjure images of glacial waters (well there is snow on the highest Ecuadorian mountains as well), ex-Woodford Reserve barrels, and oloroso casks shipped directly from Jerez, although we found no details regarding the sourcing of the molasses or the types of stills used. Well then, let’s taste this baby… Colour: light gold. Nose: very, very light, with a touch of orange, a hint of honey, and the faintest whiff of tar. I’d say it leans slightly Cuban in style. Mouth: a little boozy, not much character, though not unpleasant. I reckon it needs a bit of ice to tone down the alcoholic edge. On the other hand, it doesn’t seem overly doctored. The sherry influence remains discreet. Finish: very short, with a splash of cane juice followed by a herbal note. Comments: it’s fairly decent. Well then, Canadian rum!
SGP:340 - 70 points. |
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Nicaragua 19 yo 2004/2024 (60%, Rum Sponge, for LMDW Foundations, refill barrel, 230 bottles)
Ex-pot still, most certainly from the makers of Flor de Cana. 3 years on location, then some ‘early landing’ in the UK (I suppose it was not the Netherlands). Colour: rich gold. Nose: it begins with notes of hairspray and pear, somewhat amylaceous, followed by buttercream, orgeat, and very fresh white nougat. At 60%, it is exceedingly soft and thus quite dangerous. With water: praline, hazelnut cream, almond croissant, then a touch of old cedarwood (Chinese temple) and incense, with subtle hints of dried fruits. Mouth (neat): similar impression of varnish, then pears and pineapples, followed by citrus fruits. It’s a little sharper than on the nose but remains a very smooth rum, laden with almond milk. With water: orange liqueur and white peach purée (Bellini-ready). Seriously, if you don’t have fresh peaches to hand, you could pour a splash of this Nicaraguan into your champagne instead. Do note, you’ll be raising rather than lowering the alcohol level (de nada, happy to help). Finish: medium in length, very soft and elegant. A hint of avocado, coconut, and papaya juice. Comments: the pot-still character isn’t particularly evident, but all this delicacy is really quite charming. Undoubtedly one of the finest Nicaraguans, with an infinitely gentle softness.
SGP:540 - 87 points. |
Well, it’s now or never to taste this very old, historic rum. We have a small 'semi-official' bottle produced by Wealth Solutions two or three years ago to mark their 15th anniversary. So let’s not wait, because there's no way we’re tasting this ancient glory after some funky, high-energy Jamaicans! |
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Fine Old Medford Rum 1876 (M.E. Bellows’ & Son, USA, 15 Years of Wealth Solutions)
From the Daniel Lawrence Distillery in Medford, New England, closed in 1905. It appears, however, that the ‘Old Medford Rum’ brand continued to be used, though perhaps only from stocks of the former distillery, and it still is today, now produced in Boston, although the name is just ' Medrum Rum' these days. This version was sold by wine and spirits importers and merchants M.E. Bellows, 50 Broad St. in New York, but we could not find any online photos of this bottle with its label. We had previously sampled an admirable ‘Scotch Whiskey’ from Bellows (see 1 February 2024). Colour: coffee. Nose: it’s lovely, delicate, and far better than I had feared, not weak at all, leaning instead towards plum juice with a hint of tar and molasses, along with subtle notes of beef broth. Excellent presence and aromatic depth, with not the slightest trace of cardboard or mustiness on the nose. In this respect, it’s quite impressive, almost reminiscent of a fine old Navy blend from before WWII. Mouth: it’s sweet and highly ‘arranged’, likely with quite a few additives, perhaps molasses honey, which makes it very sugary yet still offers some delightful notes of brown sugar and cane sugar, far removed from those heavily doctored contemporary ‘rums’ that reek of vanillin and pineapple liqueur from fifty paces. You know what I mean. It continues with hints of coffee liqueur before fading gently. Finish: rather short but clean, with a faint woody bitterness and genuine honey lingering in the aftertaste, in very subtle touches. Comments: I suspect the sugar preserved this charming rum, somewhat like a very old port, Madeira, or sweet sherry, to which it ultimately bears some resemblance. Just think—1876! We might also have enjoyed this alongside very old cognacs, but alas, it’s too late. Mea culpa, we are undoubtedly too rational.
SGP:720 - 85 points (a partly symbolic score). |
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Providence 3 yo 2021/2024 (52%, OB, Haiti, 1,900 bottles)
Love it that they would add that it is ‘handmade’ and ‘robot free’. Ex-1,500l pot still fitted with a water bath (we use roughly the same technology when we distill at WF HQ, but ours is only a 100l). Pure cane honey. Matured in ex-bourbon and rum casks. Colour: full gold. Nose: this, I enjoy, fresh beets, celeriac and carrots, plus a double-magnum of cane juice and a handful of small wild strawberries. Very elegant nose, soft and complex. With water: orange-flavoured marzipan, with flying colours, plus a small oliveness that may stem from some cask’s previous contents. Tiny touch of paprika and nutmeg, pretty distinctive. Mouth (neat): very soft at first, then liquorice and lime that just keep growing. The highly distinctive rooty notes remain, along with a certain acidity, even a slightly vinegary touch that I quite like, adding pep. With water: were there ex-Caroni casks? It feels like it now. As with Hampden or Ardbeg, there’s a real homeopathic effect in any blend that includes any drops of them (in-cask blend or not), as even the tiniest molecule leaves its mark. Finish: medium in length, with orange marzipan mingling with hints of olives, brine, and tar. Comments: a lovely 3-year-old. And besides, we must support Haiti, beyond its fantastic clairins.
SGP:542 - 86 points. |
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Monymusk 12 yo 2010/2023 ‘MMW’ (66.9%, The Whisky Blues, Jamaica, barrel, cask #433029, 250 bottles)
Good heavens, I hadn’t noticed the alcohol strength! MMW is the mark for Wedderburn from Monymusk, meaning this is a rum with a very high ester content, 200-300 gr/hlpa, though Monymusk does produce even higher levels. Colour: gold. Nose: typical, varnish, glue, acetone, and white vinegar, over extremely ripe bananas. With water: notes of damp cement, caraway, tarragon, capers, and salmiak, along with a hint of toasted bread. Mouth (neat): oily, ultra-powerful, yet very, very beautiful citrus fruits emerge amidst all the varnish. Quickly now… With water: perfect, banana and mango liqueurs, plus plenty of varnish and liquorice. The balance, in fact, is spot on. Finish: long, fruity, yet still unmistakably ‘high-ester’, without veering into burnt tyre territory. Comments: a slight Trinidadian touch in this very, very fine Jamaican, perhaps. Fruity esters turned up to eleven.
SGP:652 - 88 points. |
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Jamaica 5 yo 2017/2023 ‘Single Cask’ (58.32%, Rum Nation, New Vibrations, 642 bottles)
Single-domaine pot still rum and 5 years in a PX cask on our continent. Colour: golden amber. Nose: a more classic Jamaican profile, rounder and softer, with seeded bread and, once again, plenty of marzipan, along with cherry liqueur and perhaps even a drop of maraschino. Also some curious yet pleasant smoky notes, as well as a handful of dried muscat grapes. With water: much the same. Mouth (neat): truly a soft Jamaican, almost sweet, but the rum has enough body to support this sweetness. In short, a touch of ‘cooking’—or rather patisserie here but that’s high-quality patisserie. Fine banana liqueur (unlike the dreadful stuff often found in supermarkets). With water: it’s sweet, it’s good, and it remains just within the limits. Finish: long, now drier. Hints of grape pips. Comments: I really do like this one, though I wouldn’t rule out enjoying it with two ice cubes. The less sweet regular Jamaica 5 yo ‘Single Domaine Rum’ from 2023 was tremendous in my book (WF 89).
SGP:652 - 84 points. |
I’ve got an idea—how about we finish with two from 1998? |
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Long Pond 23 yo 1998/2022 (52.7%, The Colours of Rum, Jamaica, refill cask, N°12, cask #1, 163 bottles)
Full continental aging. A silly question—does this description consider the UK part of the continent, or did the rum necessarily age in the Netherlands? Anyway, you know what I mean. Colour: gold. Nose: very much on fresh tar, warm candle wax, then tinned sardines and pickled anchovies. Splendid notes of citrus liqueurs and late-harvest Riesling (almost the same thing—no, I exaggerate). With water: old ship ropes and a slight Islay touch, followed by plenty of exotic fruits, all perfectly ripe. Mouth (neat): once again, a rather perfect balance of varnish and fruits, not far removed from the Monymusk. Oysters, olives, bananas, peaches, paraffin, tar, and nail varnish (yes, nail varnish). With water: superb rum, with hints of salinity emerging. Finish: rather long and now much more saline and liquorice-led. Curious touches of chervil, verbena, and honey right at the end. Comments: simply excellent, as expected.
SGP:652 - 89 points. |
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Caroni 25 yo 1998/2024 (59.6%, Bedford Park, North Coast Distillers, cask #2159, 208 bottles)
Rum selected by the distillers of the new North Point Distillery in Forss near Thurso, West Caithness. They have just begun producing Dalclagie malt but are already offering gin and even rum, along with a range of independent whisky and rum bottlings under the ‘Bedford Park’ label. Colour: amber. Nose: this feels like ‘heavy to semi-heavy’ Caroni, with plenty of new tyres and engine oil, as well as a lovely earthy side, plus black truffles and green olives. We’re perfectly happy so far. With water: not much change, except that it leans even more towards coal tar. Mouth (neat): almost like drinking a mix of tar, lime juice, salted liquorice paste, and very peppery brine. Deliciously brutal. With water: seawater, more tar, oysters, and black olives. Finish: very long, following the same profile. Peppery lemon in the aftertaste with a hint of chilli. Comments: it’s said to be ex-column Caroni, but I must say it feels remarkably ‘pot still’. You’d want to sip this on the terrace of a small bistro overlooking an industrial harbour, watching the ships come and go—with a few olives on the table, naturally. Well, you get the idea.
SGP:463 - 90 points. |
Between this Caroni and the Old Medford, it was quite the contrast today! Wishing you a happy Sunday. |
Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far |
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Regarding temperatures |
This is important for certain rums—at different temperatures, we perceive tastes differently, such as sweetness. For example, a sweet rum will taste even sweeter if consumed at room temperature, as we often do. However, it’s important to keep in mind that these sweet rums are designed to be served over ice or in cocktails that are served chilled—conditions under which they will taste less sweet, or even much less sweet. Distillers and blenders naturally take these factors into account when developing their recipes.
In general, it is said that sweet and salty flavours are most noticeable at room temperature, whereas bitter and sour/acid flavours tend to stand out more when served cold or chilled. |
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January 3, 2025 |
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A few wee Linkwood
Linkwood is a versatile malt that loves sherry but is also capable of embracing the most unusual woods and wines. Rest assured, however, today we won’t be dealing with any mizunara. Wouldn't mizunara be the vocoder of spirits?
Oh, and would you believe it—there's barley malt extract in Mars bars! |
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Linkwood-Glenlivet 10 yo 2013/2024 (46%, Cadenhead, Original Collection, oloroso sherry casks)
Colour: amber. Nose: lovely caramel, praline, toffee and raisin rolls. Chocolate and Mars bars that might only need a quick deep-fry. Well, you get the idea. Lovely nose, lovely sherry, easy-going and uncomplicated. Mouth: classic Jaffa cakes, caramel-filled chocolate (yes, Mars bar again), Nescafé and Ovaltine. The 46% works very well. Finish: good length, caramel and coffee, then roasted peanuts. Maple syrup and marmalade lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: fairly simple but very good, very well made, somewhat old-fashioned. We all know Linkwood has loved sherry since time immemorial.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Linkwood 15 yo 2008/2023 (45%, Samaroli, refill bourbon hogshead, cask #306029, 384 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: hey, nice! This is no longer the Samaroli of old (the brand was sold quite a few years ago) but this is a very lovely nose, with tarte Tatin, pistachio halva and panettone. To be honest, it feels much more like refill sherry than refill bourbon, but let’s not split hairs—it’s a lovely nose indeed. Fresh raisin rolls. Mouth: yes, very good, in the style of Cadenhead, just a little fresher and more focused on orchard fruits. Of course, that depends on the trees in your orchard. Caramel and honey-coated apples, plus a few green spices, especially pepper. Finish: fairly long, with toffee, ginger and lemon zest. Some woody spices in the aftertaste, ginseng, turmeric… Comments: really very good.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Linkwood 12 yo 2012/2024 (48%, Signatory Vintage for LMDW Artist Collective 7.0, first fill bourbon barrel, 1776 bottles)
A vatting of six casks. One doesn’t expect this to go wrong. Colour: white wine. Nose: wow, here come the fresh fruits in full freedom, from mango to apple, passing through fresh croissants and banana cream. Jellybeans and babies. Hard to resist all this—as they say, any resistance is futile. Mouth: just give in, this is fresh fruit on fresh herbs with a touch of clay and chalk. A champagne-like character, really. Finish: fairly long, with yellow citrus fruits taking charge. Citron and pomelos. Comments: it’s fresh, it’s excellent, it goes down effortlessly.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Linkwood 15 yo 2022/2024 (54.3%, Single Malt Dreams, for Bergen Whisky Social Club, 1st fill oloroso octave finish, 65 bottles)
There’s no real difference between Bergen in Norway and Havana in Cuba, since both have their Social Clubs, you see. That said, the last time I was at the one in Havana, they weren’t serving Linkwood—unless someone had invented a Linkwood Daiquiri. And why not! Colour: deep gold. Nose: a typical well-toasted octave, with caramel and turrón, then slightly mentholated tobacco. A few wafts of geranium, bay leaves, and then leather. With water: it becomes increasingly meaty. Mole sauce, Maggi, biltong, teriyaki, brown sauce… Mouth (neat): it works. Plenty of thyme and coffee, lovage, glutamate, chewing tobacco, liquorice wood, mustard… Quite a concoction—we wouldn’t call it ‘typical’. With water: we’re venturing into rather unfamiliar territories as far as Scotch goes. Heavy pinewood, tobacco, juniper, …? … ? … ? Finish: long, fatty, bitter and chocolatey, resinous… Lingering notes of bitter oranges and walnut wine. Comments: after the palate I really don’t know how to score this kind of highly unusual but very amusing creation. Let’s just think about it—those octaves!
SGP:371 - (pending) points. |
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January 2, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, two robust, well-aged Allt-A-Bhainne to ease the pressure |
We always love these little names, which we enjoy tasting as often as possible. The name of this fairly modern distillery (1975) continues to appear in all sorts of different spellings (Allt-A-Bhainne, Allt-á-Bhainne, Allt A Bhainne, Allt A'Bhainne, and so on). |
(Geograph.co.uk) |
And let’s note that even the owners themselves, Chivas Bros./Pernod-Ricard, sometimes write it as Allt’A Bhainne (in their Distillery Reserve Collection), sometimes as Allt-A-Bhainne (the recent OB ‘The Sweetly Peated Single Malt’ packaged like a... bourbon), or even as Allt a’ Bhainne (in the Lost in Time series for TWE). In short, there are almost as many spellings as there are expressions on the market. But let’s not dwell on that—it’s the whisky that matters... |
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Allt-a-Bhainne 26 yo 1997/2024 (52.1%, The Whisky Blues for MUJO Liquor Store 1st Anniversary, Taiwan, ex-Williamson refill barrel, 236 bottles)
The highly surreal label is amusing and attractive. Let’s see whether the cask’s previous occupant makes its presence felt or not… Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is typical ‘filler’ of high quality in my view, brimming with green apples and pears, plums, damp chalk, paraffin, and sourdough. Perfect in something like Chivas 25 years old (just as an example) and equally perfect as it stands, au naturel. Expected citrus notes emerge later. With water: not particularly peaty, only faintly medicinal, though at this level that’s hardly the exclusive domain of Laphroaig. Bandages join the chalk. Mouth (neat): very beautiful, somewhat in the vein of old Strathisla 100 proof (pale vattings). Very taut, peppery, almost a touch aggressive yet in an elegant way. Bushels of cider apples and a wee glass of fruity eau-de-vie (tutti frutti, right). With water: the pepper grows even stronger. Lemon zest, then outright hints of chilli and salt. Finish: long, a bit ‘Orkney’ if you know what I mean. Lemon pepper and a touch of paraffin dominate this slightly austere aftertaste. Comments: the former occupant of the cask plays a bit of hide-and-seek with the attentive taster. Just as amusing as the label. Excellent malt.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
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Allt a Bhainne 31 yo 1992/2024 (48%, The Whisky Cask Company, PX Sherry, 250 bottles)
Allt-A-Bhainne, much like its companion Braeval, seems very comfortable with sherry, based on our modest experiences. Colour: bronzeish gold. Nose: old walnuts and an antique wine cellar, a few mushrooms, then it takes an amusing U-turn towards all kinds of citrus, particularly pink grapefruit, with hints of coconut that feel rather ‘white oak’. The whole ensemble is somewhat reminiscent of the finest white wines from the Basque Country, notably the Irouléguy, a marvellous little appellation that’s relatively unknown (though some would say that’s for the best – the selfish ones!). Mouth: we find that same peppery and slightly combative edge as in the previous dram, only with a well-integrated layer of sherry. I really enjoy both styles. A few notes of bitter walnut liqueur, somewhat in the style of Italian nocino but less sweet. Finish: long, with everything melding beautifully into these delightful bitters. Coriander seeds and Seville oranges linger in the aftertaste. Comments: a pleasantly bitter PX, which we’re very fond of as well.
SGP:461 - 87 points. |
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January 1, 2025 |
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A small line-up of Clynelish, vertically arranged, to celebrate the New Year |
Without 'Secret Highlands' that might—or might not—be Clynelish. We simply couldn't start the year without a few Clynelish, you see, and without asking ourselves a question that's fundamental for us but probably of little interest to the rest of the world: "Does Brora's relaunch cast a bit of a shadow over Clynelish?" Consider yourselves warned. |
A little glimpse of paradise—Italy, around 2004 (WF Archive) |
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Clynelish 10 yo 2011/2021 (60.2%, Timeless & Tasty, Whiskies & More, barrel, cask #800313, 234 bottles)
A bottling from Hong Kong. Colour: straw. Nose: it opens with crushed slate and apple compote before shifting towards grist and husks, evoking a sense of wandering through the distillery itself. With water: damp chalk, bandages, camphor, embrocations and plasticine—the hallmark has arrived. Mouth (neat): these vintages lean heavily towards fruit, but here it’s more about sharp apple and lemon with slightly unusual medicinal notes. However, at this strength, it’s a touch early to draw firm conclusions. With water: pure Clynelish, just lightly mentholated and mildly aniseed. Finish: long, with citrus firmly taking charge. Comments: 1. buy by the case, 2. lay down for 30 years. Deep affection for this profile.
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
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Clynelish 13 yo 2010/2024 (56.6%, The Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks, Elixir Distillers for LMDW, bourbon barrel, cask #800188, 207 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: it opens with fresh cement and damp chalk, followed by a hint of the seaside not far from the distillery and finishing with green apples and a sort of fruity earthiness. Very little wax at this stage. With water: austere, leaning towards cut grass and even more cement, though the apples have ripened. Mouth (neat): very Clynelish this time, starting with paraffin, then growing salinity and touches of varnish and mustard, increasingly evoking the West Coast—Ben N. style—which is certainly no bad thing. With water: classic Clynelish! A touch of beer, candle wax, mandarin, green pepper and a notably oily texture. Finish: long and oily, with those lovely mandarins and a hint of jasmine tea. Comments: a genuine conversation in your glass. Fascinating and excellent. In the end, it becomes very close to the 2011, which will surprise no one.
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
Let’s jump forward more than 15 years, but we're back around Hong Kong... |
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Clynelish 27 yo 1997/2024 (47.2%, The Antelope Macau, 5th Anniversary, refill hogshead)
Very fine vintages when they’re not too influenced by sherry—let’s see what these Aristocats on the label have to offer. Colour: deep gold. Nose: few things can rival the candied citrons found in these Clynelish. Neither the nuts (sherry, naturally), nor the beeswax, nor the fresh fougasse. One bows in reverence… Mouth: what balance! A perfect example of a sherry (I suspect it’s refill sherry) that adds complexity without overshadowing the distillate in the slightest. And what a distillate! Orange zest, pollen, little violet-flavoured sweets, hints of earth, plenty of wax of course, a tiny drop of fine Sauternes, and ever-present citrus, especially simple squeezed orange. I’m absolutely smitten with this one. Finish: long and more earthy, with touches of truffles and morels, along with those marvellous oranges peeled in honey and olive oil that always win universal approval. Black pepper lingers in the aftertaste. Comments: the age is perfect. Hope we’ll keep finding these under the Distillery’s banner.
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
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Clynelish 30 yo 1993/2023 (42.1%, Halcyon Spirit, casks #11082 + 11104, 154 bottles)
An intriguing vatting, perhaps done to ‘boost’ a cask that had dropped a little too low in ABV. It’s always fascinating and often sublime in terms of results. Didn’t Springbank often do this back in the day? Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s remarkable—though perhaps not surprising—how much this leans towards the early 1970s style, with those ripe old apples and, above all, everything that comes from a beehive, starting with beeswax but also pollen, pinewood, honey and propolis. In the background, there’s fresh paint and putty. Watch your fingers (S.!) Mouth: the oak is slightly more present, with black tea and crushed pepper, but the wax and old apples soon reclaim control, accompanied by a touch of turpentine and menthol. The propolis is even more pronounced than on the nose. Finish: medium length, leaning more towards pine needles and, again, propolis. A hint of juniper. Comments: it’s magnificent and at no point do you wish for more watts. It rather calls to mind a very old pianist who still masters Chopin as well as ever—if not better.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
We’re finishing with this gem, one of the rare 98/100 on WF, but from a different bottle than the ones we’ve already tasted. Any excuse to revisit these things, really... (It was actually a Facebook post that gave me the idea, I swear!) |
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Clynelish 24 yo (49.4%, Cadenhead, Sestante, +/-1989)
We’ve never been able to confirm whether this bottle was distilled in 1965 or 1966 (so pre-Brora Brora in any case). That matters because it was in 1965 that Clynelish ceased using its own floor malting. However, there’s no proof that the 1965 Cadenhead’s were still ‘floor malted’, and we don’t know precisely which month in 1965 the distillery switched to sourced malt (probably from Ord). I should add that M. Mainardi of Sestante doesn’t seem to recall this particular bottle, but if this is ‘fake’ Old Clynelish, then the forgers were absolute geniuses—bravo and thank you to them! Colour: amber. Nose: good heavens! We start off in a luxury shoe shop, with sumptuous leathers and polishes, then move to a garage specialising in vintage cars (rare old tools, engine oils, petrol, tyres), followed by an artist’s workshop (linseed oil, paint, canvases, turpentine, varnish) and finally end up at a fruit merchant’s stall brimming with all kinds of citrus. Mouth: we linger at the fruit merchant’s, then wander over to the tea vendor, and finally step into an old church where the pews have just been waxed and the candles replaced (these aromas translate beautifully onto the palate). Beyond that, we’ll let your imagination take over. Finish: an utterly sublime finale, smoky, immensely complex and astonishingly long, with refined coffees and broths at the very end. Truffle broth, Bocuse-style. Comments: amusingly, I’ve just realised we tasted this Old Clynelish before—from another bottle—while celebrating New Year 2015. Of course, we won’t revise our final score despite the ten-year gap.
SGP:563 - 98 points. |
Clynelish is vital for our survival. Dinosaurs didn't have Clynelish and look what happened to them! (Couldn't we stop the silly jokes in 2025, S.?) Speaking of jokes, here’s what a whisky expert—whom we won’t name out of Christian charity—wrote about Clynelish back in the 1990s:
"Sadly, however, it is no longer the Clynelish Distillery. It held this distinction
until 1968 but was superseded by a box-shaped monstrosity which the old Scottish Malt Distillers company considered a worthy replacement. The whisky produced there is, admittedly, pretty fine and highly prized by a number of blenders. But it is not a patch on the original distillery's make, which was fruitier and slightly peatier, perhaps because its water came from a different source."
Sweet Vishnu! |
Indeed, since everyone seems to be after lists these days, here's a PDF file (in the old Malt-Maniacs style) featuring all the spirits we've rated 92 points or above in 2024:
LIST OF TOP SCORES WF 2024
Naturally, we couldn't resist adding a few scattered statistics and comments below: |
The Scores: |
| 133 tastings received a score of 92 points or higher from Serge or Angus between 1 January and 31 December 2024, out of approximately 1,800 reviews written during the year. |
- 99 points: 0 scores
- 98 points: 0 scores
- 97 points: 0 scores
- 96 points: 1 score
- 95 points: 6 scores
- 94 points: 12 scores
- 93 points: 45 scores
- 92 points: 69 scores
- Less: approx 1,700 scores
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| Our Two Tasters: |
- Serge: 98 scores of 92 points or higher
- Angus: 35 scores of 92 points or higher
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| Four Categories: |
- Whisky: 92 scores of 92 points or higher
- Cognac: 15 scores of 92 points or higher
- Rum: 12 scores of 92 points or higher
- Armagnac: 4 scores of 92 points or higher
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| Recent Bottles vs. Old Bottles: |
- Recent Bottlings (bottled <10 years ago): 73 scores of 92 points or higher
- Older Bottlings (bottled >10 years ago): 60 scores of 92 points or higher
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| The Top Whisky Distilleries: |
- Port Ellen: 15 scores of 92 points or higher
- Ardbeg: 7 scores of 92 points or higher
- Brora: 6 scores of 92 points or higher
- Bunnahabhain: 5 scores of 92 points or higher
- Caol Ila: 5 scores of 92 points or higher
- Glen Grant: 5 scores of 92 points or higher
- Highland Park: 5 scores of 92 points or higher
- Lagavulin: 5 scores of 92 points or higher
- Springbank: 5 scores of 92 points or higher
- Ben Nevis: 4 scores of 92 points or higher
- Bowmore: 4 scores of 92 points or higher
- Benromach: 3 scores of 92 points or higher
- Macallan: 3 scores of 92 points or higher
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Moderately significant comments: |
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This list depends on what comes our way or what we actively seek out
It is not a precise reflection of the market or the overall quality of spirits, even though we make a point, especially with whiskies and even rums, of tasting a bit of everything. That said, it’s still the top distilleries that tend to appear on this list. |
Expensive Whiskies Dominate the Top of the List
The higher end of the whisky list is generally occupied by whiskies that are currently very expensive—sometimes even outrageously so. At least we can say that these bottles are genuinely rare, and we accept that rarity often commands a high price. Rest assured, however, that very expensive whiskies whose rarity is merely a façade, while their quality remains average or just slightly above, will never make it into this list. Let’s see what the upcoming trend of “de-premiumisation” will bring. |
Excellent Whiskies Scoring 88–91 Points
Keep in mind that many whiskies scoring 88–91 points, which are often fabulous and much more affordable—sometimes around €50—are not, de facto, included in this list. |
Older Bottlings Continue to Impress
After 22 years of Whiskyfun, we’re still coming across older bottlings that we’ve never tasted before and that absolutely blow us away. We couldn’t be happier about that! |
Notable Trends Among Distilleries
Many big names only appear on this list thanks to older bottlings (e.g., Ardbeg, Macallan, Bowmore, Laphroaig, Glen Grant). We hope to see this balance shift in the future. Some distilleries maintain their rankings through a combination of recent and older releases, such as Highland Park, Bunnahabhain, Lagavulin, and Springbank—kudos to them! |
Emerging Stars
New “blue chip” distilleries are emerging, like Benromach and Ben Nevis, which seem to have made significant progress in the past few decades. |
Closed Distilleries Hold Their Status
Prestigious closed distilleries continue to hold their ground, and we eagerly await the return of younger whiskies from the new or renewed Rosebank, Brora, and Port Ellen. |
The Absence of Clynelish
Clynelish is notably absent, largely due to the lack of new releases under the original distillery’s name—an unfortunate situation. It is also true that we had already tasted almost all of the older bottlings before 2024. |
New Distilleries Show Promise
New Scottish and Irish distilleries aren’t quite at this level yet, but that’s to be expected. We’ll likely see them make their mark within the next ten years (e.g., Ardnahoe, Ardnamurchan, Isle of Harris, and others). |
Whiskies from Newer Regions
Whiskies from newer whisky-producing countries are getting closer to inclusion. Hellyers Road is already on the list, and we anticipate others will follow in the coming years—such as Millstone, Smögen, Cotswolds, hopefully Waterford, as well as some smaller American, Nordic, French, and German distilleries. I'm sure I'm missing other countries. |
Japanese Whiskies
Japan is well-represented with Yoichi and Chichibu. We’re expecting others, like Shizuoka, to join soon. Other big names, such as Yamazaki and Miyagikyo, remain very close. |
Outstanding Rums
Several rums have impressed us, particularly Enmores and some TDL from Trinidad. Other distilleries are producing massive numbers of different sublime rums (scoring 89–91) that are likely to make it onto this list soon—names like Hampden, Bielle, and others. Other productions remain pretty poor though, especially some 'new brands'. |
Exceptional Cognacs and Armagnacs
There’s a respectable number of cognacs and armagnacs featured, but this isn’t fully representative since we tend to receive or retrieve only the very best examples—and even then, not all of them. Unlike with whiskies and rums, we rarely taste the more everyday offerings in these categories. Life is short and precious. |
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Aside from that, and more generally:
We won’t harp on about it, but the use of alien casks—and the “Doritos strategy”—is becoming even more widespread, as most second-hand wine casks are really quite inexpensive. It is worth noting that some distilleries now focus almost exclusively on finishings—whether in red wine casks, mizunara, STR casks, or just about anything else you can think of. Increasingly, and unlike what happens in other categories such as cognac, whisky producers are clearly prioritising age statements first using ‘any lazy casks’ and then just flavouring their distillates before releasing them. Unfortunately, we’re starting to see this trend appear in rum as well… I must admit we’re getting tired of receiving press releases announcing a so-called world-changing innovation—a new expression finished in mizunara! Wow! |
The waves of new distilleries continue—but the tide keeps going out
I believe that quality will be the key during these times of low tide. The numbers were alarming in 2024, but we won’t repeat or analyse them as everyone else has already done, sometimes in a rather sardonic way—we’ve seen a lot of schadenfreude. You can count on us to support, within our modest means, those who choose to focus on quality. That said, some younger producers who highlight their ethical, local and environmentally friendly approaches (as they all seem to do, to be fair) will need to align their actions with their claims. |
By the way
There are some new, highly "branded" names, like SirDavis or Eminente, which aren’t as bad in tasting as whisky geeks had feared. This marks a change from just three years ago, when many believed that only branding, packaging, and cheap storytelling mattered. Who knows—Beyoncé’s whisky might not turn out to be just a buy-once bottle after all (S., you’ve outdone yourself once again!) I even think we’ll end up tasting SirDavis in 2025—just imagine that! |
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| Okay, good... |
| A few words about the market, from my very modest point of view (I just couldn’t resist). I wrote 99% of this quite a few weeks ago and had never published it—perhaps I should have stuck with that decision after all. Read only if you must, |
| Indeed social media, forums, blogs, vlogs, and podcasts are brimming with discussions about the state of the whisky market, and spirits in general, especially since the Scotch Whisky Association released its latest figures (exports for the first half of 2024: -18% in value, -10% in volume compared to the first half of 2023, which also indicates price pressures). It's even worse if you take the first nine months into account - in fact, we do not want to know. . |
| The situation varies across different markets, and commentators offer a range of reasons, including: post-Covid effects, inflationary spirals leading to a slowdown, a shift towards frugality, the fragility of formerly emerging markets, trends towards modesty, global anxiety, excessive premiumisation, declining alcohol consumption among younger people, the rise of alternative substances which supposedly 'make you lose weight rather than gain it' - or so I’ve even heard, health concerns, a demand for transparency on environmental impact, rejection of greenwashing, the weariness of certain concepts and market positions, over-industrialisation, short-termism, increasing blending/finishing with other wines and spirits (bastardisation of the product), local markets favouring regional offerings, a highly fragmented supply, unrestrained branding but globally identical brand visions, homogenisation of styles leading to the loss of what used to make brands and distilleries distinctive, growing power of the secondary market, the fetishisation of old bottles by enthusiasts (buffered market), loss of qualitative markers (an age statement can’t be replaced by a faux crystal decanter), proliferation of product references, and the natural long and medium-term cycles inherent to the category, to name but a few. Enough already! |
| Was this predictable, did we see it coming? We can always say yes, of course, and claim that people had been talking about a “bubble burst” for years, but hindsight makes everyone a genius. Now it’s true that we had already talked about all this here on 1st January 2024—how we wish we had been wrong! In any case, it seems to me that, over the long term and in broad strokes, the phases of all this could be outlined as follows. Bear in mind, this is really just a rough, quick, and highly personal take on the so-called “ages” that the industry itself has highlighted (especially the Age of Innocence, of course): |
| Our Five Ages of malt whisky: |
- Age of Ignorance until 1985 (tourist interest, cultural appeal, casual consumption).
- Age of Evidence until 1995 (single malts are great!).
- Age of Innocence until 2010 (you can buy anything you want for not much money! Thanks, Internet).
- Age of Arrogance until 2023 (including Covid). Please note that Angus doesn't quite agree with this term (smile). Premiumisation, organised scarcity, overbranding. The rising tide lifts all boats.
- Age of Abundance until 2???. Multiplication and diversification of supply, overcapacity, new loch, reorganisation, further loss of brand loyalty, cheaper prices, better quality, newcomers shaking up or even overtaking the established players, back to core values.
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| Keys, I think: education, reasonable transparency, authenticity, proven quality, product over branding, new trust. |
| Let’s hope this is not just wishful thinking. |
| We've been too long again. |
| Happy New Year, hugs and peace! |
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December 2024 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Brora 45 yo 1978/2023 (49.4%, OB, Casks of Distinction, cask #P5V2, 255 bottles, 2024) - WF 93
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Bowmore 1969/1978 (GL. 58, OB for Fecchio & Frassa, sherry cask, cask #6638, 75cl) - WF 95
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
An Orkney Distillery 15 yo 2008/2024 (54%, Royal Mile Whiskies, hogshead, cask #35, 345 bottles) - WF 91
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
François Voyer ‘Temps Magique Lot 19.20’ (43.8%, Malternative Belgium, Grande Champagne, 2024) - WF 93
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Royal Brackla 2015/2024 ‘BeeSquadUA’ (46%, WhiskyUA Kyiv, 1st fill sherry, cask #304266, 358 bottles) - WF 88
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Ardbeg 34 yo 1989/2024 ‘The Abyss’ (48.4%, OB, heavily toasted French oak, 400 bottles) - WF 83 |
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