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September 16, 2025 |
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More blends and secret droplets from Scotland
You don't know what it is, but you give it a try anyway, out of curiosity. It’s a bit like when you hire a car from Hertz or Avis – you never really know what model you’re actually going to get, but you’re just glad to have a set of wheels. |
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Parkmore Selection 6 yo (46%, Aceo, bourbon cask finish, +/-2025) 
We do somewhat doubt this could be genuine Parkmore, especially at six years of age, ha. Remember Parkmore distillery, although still standing, was mothballed in 14931. Still, it's single malt, and we do find the notion of a bourbon cask finish rather amusing. Colour: white wine. Nose: crikey, this is rather charming, all on ripe kiwis, apples, pears and gooseberries. In the background, a half pint of IPA and a little mead. Well well, this is a most delightful nose, fresh and breezy. Mouth: it's good, sweet, malty, fruity, honeyed, without any jagged edges and therefore without flaws. I must say I find this very good indeed. Finish: medium in length, on honey and fruit syrups. One thinks of mirabelle plums. A lovely splash of orange liqueur in the aftertaste, with a wee salty edge. Comments: the use of the Parkmore name, a mythical distillery that no living soul has ever tasted, did raise a few eyebrows but honestly, who actually remembers Parkmore?
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
That said, tasting a real Parkmore remains one of our goals at WF… Well, they say it’s good to have goals in life, so we carry on… |
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World Peat Highball Premix 8 yo (5%, Decadent Drams, bourbon barrel, 2025) 
A blend of peaters from Scotland, Germany and Sweden. We would suppose that Smögen and St. Killian had a hand in this improbable yet rather amusing creation. As for the Scot, no idea, perhaps there were several involved? Colour: white wine. Nose: we’re in a chemist’s shop, but under cheerful circumstances. Loads of mercurochrome and iodine, but also green apple and walnut stain, with ashes of all kinds, pine, coal, peat, barbecue charcoal… With water: surgical tape and camphor, though in a tempered, measured way. Mouth (neat): this is superbly rooty, with gentian, mezcal and Islay-style peat in carefully composed proportions. No doubt whatsoever. With water: I reckon there’s no need to add any, you might tear it apart a little. Finish: long, fresh, medicinal, perfect. Comments: the question is, can this be replicated? Or was it at least partly the result of sheer luck? At any rate, I do adore this United Nations side of things. You’ll note we didn’t try it as a highball.
SGP:556 - 88 points. |
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Delta Cephei II 8 yo 2013/2021 (56.2%, Scotch Universe, 1st fill ruby Port wine barrique) 
Well well, dreaded ruby Port strikes again. It’s said to be Dailuaine in disguise, and this rather galactic way of naming malts might well appeal to Elon M. A welcome change from ketamine, wouldn’t you say? Colour: white wine, not pink. Nose: it does smell a little like cheap plonk, but it's not as unpleasant as that may sound. I believe a little water should help bring out subtler shades… With water: more on dough and fruit brioche generously packed with glacé cherries. Mouth (neat): it’s good now, very fruity, slightly peppery and earthy, otherwise on grenadine. With water: the glacé cherries return, along with a dash of raspberry liqueur. Finish: long, on red fruit liqueurs. Comments: this is frankly a fine spirituous drink. I also think it could well convert those friends and companions who ‘don’t like whisky’.
SGP:741 - 82 points. |
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Secret Highland 2013/2023 (52.4%, Whiskyjace, Edition #8, bourbon hogshead)
A Warholian label, rather nice. Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: ultra-tight, on grapefruit skin, chalk and fresh bread. With water: tangerines and beeswax come barging in. Mouth (neat): excellent, earthy, chalky, waxy, citrusy, salty. With water: same again, only deeper and even more taut. Finish: long, perfect, pure, waxy, saline, citrusy. Comments: superb distillate, but no name guessing please. Although I’m struggling to hold back…
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
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Speyside Region 25 yo 1993/2018 (51.7%, Whisky-Fässle, sherry cask)
Let’s say it — we do miss the ducks a bit, where have they gone? … But once again, we’re rather late to the party… Colour: amber. Nose: classic walnut cake, chestnut purée, roasted peanuts, pecan pie and slightly earthy raisins. With water: turrón, nougat, blond cigarettes, potting soil. Mouth (neat): oh, but this is very good, more complex than the nose suggested, with meats, mushrooms, leather, tobacco, dried fruits, cured ham, beef broth, coriander, parsley… It’s top notch. With water: in comes honey and sweet wine to smooth out the edges. Finish: long and full-on dried figs and dates. Comments: as we often say, we’ve no idea what this is but if we were the distillery, we’d be proud to slap our name on such a bottle. The exact opposite of the previous one, and yet…
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
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Blended Scotch 29 yo 1995/2025 (44.1%, St Bridget’s Kirk, refill butt)
They say this is ‘Speyside & Island single malt blended with Lowland grain’ and that does rather sound like a bit of Edrington stock, doesn’t it? Colour: straw. Nose: apple juice, waxy touches, mirabelle tart, quince paste, yellow fruit jellies (apricot, peach, pear) and the like. A wee trace of coconut, nothing troubling. Very pretty nose, that’s for sure. Mouth: very fruity, in proper Haribo style, with quite a lot of orange, lemon and grapefruit syrups, plus a clearly sweet undertone. In short, the fruit jellies are firmly in charge. Finish: very much on fruit jellies and syrups. Tiny sugared eggs. Comments: very good, you just shouldn’t overdo it, or that ‘sweet’ side may come crashing in. I do wonder where that’s coming from, could it really be just the grain?
SGP:740 - 85 points. |
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Blended Scotch Whisky ‘Ninety-Nine & One’ (46.3%, Living Souls, ‘Mostly Heavily Peated’, bourbon & sherry, 2024)
1991 — that does feel very Laphroaig, doesn’t it? Colour: full gold. Nose: fresh tar, tarmac, smoked hams and sausages, garden herbs, parsley, a hint of chicken broth… All wonderfully dry. Mouth: much more punch on the palate, with smoked oranges, mussels in white wine, honey biscuits, grapefruit liqueur… The salty side, courtesy of the mussels, is absolutely lovely. Finish: long and fresh, superbly coastal. Comments: should be tasted aboard a boat, seriously, to heighten the mood. This charming wee fellow wins you over in moments. As for the grain, if there is any, it’s purely incidental.
SGP:655 - 89 points. |
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Blended Scotch Whisky 40 yo ‘Batch #2’ (45.1%, Living Souls, refill sherry butt, 514 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: extremely resinous, we’ve stepped into another dimension here, this really smells like tar liqueur, or pine bud liqueur, or both. In short, we’ve left the whisky galaxy entirely. Mouth: we do return to whisky land a little, but only just. Verbena liqueur, chartreuse, rose syrup, pine bud liqueur again, aquavit… In truth, this is very good, it’s just not terribly ‘whisky’. Finish: same again, with added genepy and elderflower liqueur. Comments: ready for a top-class spritz, I’d recommend a splash of Henri-Giraud or perhaps Boizel, and a modest pour of Perrier. And quite a bit of ice, naturally. Great fun.
SGP:770 - 87 points. |
Go on then, one last one, nice and peaty… |
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Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 27 yo 1997/2025 (55.6%, Murray McDavid, The Peat Chronicles, for Germany, 229 bottles)
This one’s a ‘Premier Cru Bordeaux Cask Finish’, not sure such an appellation exists ‘as such’. What we do know is that it’s a blend of Ardbeg and Laphroaig, so if the Bordeaux cask was virtually dead, all should be well. If not, brace yourself, unless it was a Sauternes… Colour: gold. Nose: I believe the Bordeaux is under control, the Islays are doing their job, and all things considered, it’s not the trainwreck we feared. According to our own gospel, mixing peated Islays with red Bordeaux is worse than pairing oysters with strawberry jam. With water: not so sure… Mouth (neat): there’s a kind of cheerful mêlée, like a village fête, with jams and seawater, ham and chocolate, grapefruit and coffee. In short, it clashes all over the place but does so gleefully. With water: no, the fruitiness fades and the rest doesn’t quite know what to do with itself. Smoked strawberry jam? Finish: fairly long, on cherry stem herbal tea and grapefruit liqueur à la Sarti Rosa, which isn’t terribly good, if we’re honest. Something had to be said. Comments: structurally it’s rather monstrous, but at the same time, there’s probably an educational value to it, and that’s well worth a good handful of extra points.
SGP:755 - 80 points. |
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September 15, 2025 |
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Contrasting styles in the Lowlands: old Littlemill versus St. Magdalene |
It’s true that the St. Magdalene Rare Malts—particularly the 19-year-old release—had left a strong impression on us due to their power and complexity, a combination not so commonly found in the (then rather few) Lowland whiskies. By contrast, the Littlemills, especially the older releases from around three to six years ago, had proven to be incredibly fruity explosions, quite the opposite of the St. Magdalene style. But let’s see whether that impression was truly justified, shall we…
Si Magdalene/Linlithgow (Historic Environment Scotland + AI) |
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St Magdalene 1982/2001 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Rare Old)
Of course, there's no question of expecting the devastating power of the Rare Malts, but still, even at this now thoroughly unfashionable 40% vol., the tiger can still let out a little roar, let’s have a look. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: truth be told, the near-absence of cask influence more than makes up for the lack of wattage here, and reveals a magnificent balance, on herbs and flowers, but also those greases and oils one finds in an old garage, which is fairly typical of St Magdalene in our modest experience. A few autumn leaves and old apples round off the delicate ensemble, along with a few mandarins. Very pretty nose, it’s almost a white wine. Premier Cru, naturally. Mouth: oh, this is lovely, it brings to mind that Campbeltown distillery beginning with an S., it’s saline, a little on pencil lead and paraffin oil, with a faint touch of soot but also those familiar mandarins and old apples already found on the nose. Strikingly, it never nosedives, that’s the elegance of the distillate speaking. Finish: certainly not everlasting, but always classy, saline, and rather ‘West coast’. That Campbeltown distillery springs to mind once more. Comments: magnificent and just a tad frustrating. You know why.
SGP:452 - 89 points. |
But what if this Littlemill were instead a much older distillation, aiming to explore a more austere style, one perhaps closer to that of St. Magdalene? Like this one, for instance… |
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Littlemill 25 yo 1966/1992 (53.5%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection)
Naturally, this expression was ‘matured in an Oak Cask’. We had previously tasted a 1966 from CAD in their ‘black dumpy’ line, but that one had been bottled earlier, in 1984 (WF 87). Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is absolutely not one of those very fruity Littlemills, quite the opposite in fact, we’re firmly in straw and hay territory here, with ski wax, turpentine and paraffin, pine needles, and a touch of dust… Truth be told, it’s not that far off certain aspects of St Magdalene in fact, though perhaps one should have seen that coming. There’s just a touch less class. With water: a stroll through a pine forest after the first summer rain. You see? Mouth (neat): on resinous woods and mineral oils, liquorice wood, green pepper, citrus peels… This is most definitely not a fruity or cheerful Littlemill, but it carries that rather rugged character we often found in this series at the time and always had a soft spot for. With water: the fruit does return but more in the grapefruit register, complete with peel. Finish: fairly long, with no major shifts. A touch of coffee in the aftertaste. Comments: this really is Littlemill just as it was back then. It also explains why those glorious fruity vintages distilled in the late 1980s and early 1990s had come as such a surprise.
SGP:451 - 85 points. |
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September 14, 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! |
Malternatives: only high-class Armagnacs |
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| Domaine de l’Auzoue (Domaine de l’Auzoue) |
We'll start with a little something new that we've just discovered in... Scotland. And indeed, over there, it had a distinctly Scottish flavour. |
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Domaine de Balous 10 yo 2014/2025 (53.3%, Decadent Drams, Bas-armagnac, selected from Château Garreau, 120 bottles)
Pure Baco from a sprawling 300ha estate (!) in Aire-sur-l’Adour. That said, we did notice the estate also harbours maize fields, grain cultivation, pig farming and fattened ducks, with vines covering a mere... 4ha. Phew! Colour: pale gold. Nose: opens on moist ashes and menthol, then swiftly veers towards fir buds, camphor and pink grapefruit. A few grape skins and stems in the background serve as a gentle reminder that this is indeed a wine brandy. A trace of vanilla too. All in all, a very rustic nose, which we always enjoy. With water: one could almost believe they’ve washed up on the northeast coast of Scotland, wax candles and all. Grape seed oil. Mouth (neat): a whisper of retsina to begin with, then plenty of youthful vigour, mint tea, a touch of olive liqueur and an increasingly saline profile, veering ever more… Scottish. With water: it quietens down, though only just. You’d almost swear it had seen a Laphroaig cask in a past life, though of course that’s pure fancy. Finish: long, remaining delightfully rustic, this time heading towards pinot noir marc. Comments: given they grow grain on the estate, one might cheekily wonder whether some found its way into the ‘mash’. At any rate, we do rather like this slightly deviant and unpolished wee armagnac, quite a find.
SGP:462 - 88 points. |
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Domaine Cutxan 18 yo 2006/2025 (51.9%, L’Encantada for Armagnac Festival 2025, Bas-armagnac)
They write ‘maturation in progress’, which at 18 years of age rather suggests they’re in it for the long haul. This is Baco again. Colour: amber. Nose: quite different, of course, more classical, rounded without being soft, on poached peaches in Sauternes, acacia honey and then a hefty slab of Scottish fudge. The link with Scotland stops right there. With water: incredible, once again we find mint and camphor rising up, albeit in infinitesimal amounts. The rest remains classical and very pretty. Mouth (neat): to my taste this is fully mature, even if this time there’s a rather amusing agricole rum note, with liquorice, cane juice and very ripe bananas clearly marked. With water: it really does feel like a Gascon/Martinican blend now, I kid you not. And it’s very good. Finish: similar story, soft liquorice taking the lead, then a tiny splash of grapefruit juice. Comments: a striking contrast and, when all is said and done, a comparable level for me.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
After an Armagnac-whisky and an Armagnac-rum, let’s see if we can sniff out something a bit more conventional… |
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Domaine Pouy 25 yo 1998/2024 (58.7%, The Colours of Rum, Up Spirits Club, No2, Ténarèze, cask #93, 120 bottles)
We do love our Ténarèze. Alas, Domaine Pouy has been closed for some fifteen years now. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: I must be dreaming, something’s surely happening in the skies above WF HQ—this time I’m finding a distinct modern Macallan character, I swear. Raisin rolls, prominent but polished oak, discreet sherry, notes of moss, ferns, tobacco… I may need to consult a doctor. With water: in come beeswax, candle drips, orgeat, pollen and a stunning orange marmalade. Mouth (neat): no doubt about it, this is veering full-on towards a glorious… cognac. No kidding! Vineyard peaches, various honeys, very ripe apricots, mirabelles, quinces… With water: perfect. A rather soft and seductive Ténarèze, exquisitely balanced. Finish: not very long but slightly earthier, and what a lovely patch of earth it is. Comments: excellent Macarmagnac, highly civilised, a proper crowd-pleaser.
SGP:551 - 89 points. |
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Domaine de Bellair 23 yo 1998/2025 (59.2%, L’Encantada for Armagnac Festival 2025, Bas-armagnac, cask #78) 
23+1998–2025=–4, so probably 4 years in demijohn. Did you know we held a doctorate in quantum mathematics? No, neither did we… Colour: red amber. Nose: you instantly understand why this spent time in demijohn—there are varnishes à la young bourbon, even touches of acetone, yet also hints of sherry and old Catalan rancio. Notes of aged walnuts too. With water: magnificent woodland floor after the rain. Mouth (neat): oh, how lovely this is. Certainly extreme, admittedly a tad too oaky, slightly solventy as well, but it hits like a battle standard flapping at dawn (what what what?) With water: sheer beauty. Peaches poached in honey or sweet wine, take your pick. Finish: not terribly long but supremely satisfying. Fruity liquorice. Comments: wow, the battle was most definitely won.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
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Pouchégu 30 yo 1995/2025 (54.8%, Hontambère, Ténarèze, cask #B4, 200 bottles)
Pure ugni blanc here. This baby has just been released, but we know that Pouchégu—another now-defunct estate—produced magnificent things, so it’s almost as if we already knew what to expect in our wee tasting glass. Colour: red amber. Nose: very well integrated, on stewed and preserved yellow fruits and exotic jams, various honeys, with a discreet fir-and-mint combination tucked well into the background. A faint vinous edge, though you can tell two or three drops of H2O will work wonders here. With water: the wood rises up, but it’s beautiful wood. Damp earth, greenhouse air, mosses… Mouth (neat): ultra-expressive, marked by resinous oak and some wine wood, but in this context all of it feels extremely positive, especially as the exotic-cask-meets-mint combo takes over with tremendous grace. That said, you can feel again water’s going to work miracles… With water: and indeed, it does, bringing out that distinctly Ténarèze, very ‘countryside’ character most delightfully. Finish: long, now uniting every facet—earth, resins, honey, exotic fruits… Comments: to be sipped during a feria, right in the middle of a bull run. Just mind yourself…
SGP:661 - 90 points. |
Oh, go on, one more Ténarèze, please… |
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Domaine de l’Auzoue 31 yo 1991/2025 (55.6%, L’Encantada for Armagnac Festival 2025, Ténarèze, cask #16)
A blend of Baco and Ugni Blanc. This is our first time tasting an armagnac from Domaine de l’Auzoue in Courrensan, which, truth be told, we’d never heard of before. No doubt a small (but sturdy) estate. Colour: deep gold. Nose: old-school, on solvents and peaches, caramel, vanilla and assorted varnishes. A touch of fino sherry. With water: even more towards fino now, with sea water and mustard. I kid you not. Mouth (neat): oh, this is good, with lovely bitterness and varnish layered over white wine and yellow fruits. Feels like a grandfather’s armagnac, but in this case it’s a Gascon grandfather. With water: same impressions, perhaps even veering towards farmy Calvados now. Finish: long, rustic, more herbal. Touches of kirsch. Comments: we’re deep in the countryside now, just add foie gras and some garlic cèpes and you’re all set. Excellent, of course.
SGP:461 - 86 points. |
A final Ténarèze, if you please… |
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Domaine Lous Mouracs 1982/2025 (51.9%, L’Encantada for Liquid Art, Ténarèze, cask #601, 89 bottles)
Another micro-bottling of venerable armagnac, strictly for aesthetes and the polite and well-educated only. People like you and me, right… Colour: dark amber. Nose: a medley of yellow and red fruits, fine oak, deadly hydromel, then dark tobacco and bitter chocolate. Menthol gently blankets the whole, but with poise and restraint. With water: amusingly, it brings to mind those incredible Californian beers like Pliny the Elder, sipped on site in good company, though that was long ago… sob sob… Mouth (neat): oh, this is lovely—powerful, very Ténarèze, robust and utterly unyielding. Marvellous spicy citrus and cherry cream, chestnut honey, pinewood. With water: excellent, more earthy, woodier, with added leather and dark tobacco, but all that makes the whole even more assertive. You see what I mean. But do go easy on the water! Finish: very long, on varnish, tobaccos and candied cherry. Slightly drying. Comments: we’re back on the heights. Did we mention dried apricots?
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
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September 13, 2025 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
Celebrations and old bottles!
Every so often, whisky gives me a necessary reminder of why I love it and why I stay devoted to it. Last weekend in Edinburgh, I gathered with old friends to open a great selection of old bottles and simply celebrate together. |
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On top of that, I've been kindly sent quite a few very tantalising samples of old bottles recently, which means there's probably a fair few very silly tasting sessions coming up full of old bottles on Whiskyfun. As we often point out on these pages, we are not masochists, and we rather like to taste whiskies that we think will bring us pleasure and joy. |
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I've been tasting old and rare bottles for over twenty years now (not continuously). In fact, the first bottle that really switched me on to old style whisky was an old Lagavulin 12yo White Horse bottling, poured from the boot of an anonymous Belgian enthusiast's car in the carpark at Ardbeg when I was working there as a tour guide around May 2005. Since that time, I have undeniably been very fortunate to taste the selection of whiskies that I have, largely thanks to a small legion of generally older friends who benefitted from a smaller, more innocent, early era of whisky culture and its associated lower prices and were able to accumulate quite considerable stashes of these amazing bottles and naturally to open and share them as well. Off the back of that experience I was able to incorporate working with old and rare whiskies in my professional life, initially by working in auctions, and latterly by exhibiting at festivals. It meant I was able to continue to search for and open such amazing historic bottles. |
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Nowadays I do far less of that work, which is a bit of a shame but understandable given the now extremely steep prices commanded by these sorts of bottles and their general level of scarcity - which is noticeably much greater than 15-20 years ago. |
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It makes events like this past weekend - the excuse for which was three of us had milestone birthdays this year, including my 40th - all the more special and provided opportunity for meaningful reflection on these amazing old-style whiskies and upon their continuing potency as agents of friendship. |
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| Some rare Securo caps. Securo caps were a type of tamper-evident, child-resistant closure sometimes used on spirits more than sixty years ago. |
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I'll take this opportunity to offer a few musings and observations about old bottles in this present day. |
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1: They are still - frequently - great! This might seem a bit obvious, but I think it bears repeating that old bottles retain a power to dazzle, to shock and stop you in your tracks with sheer force of quality and beauty that almost no modern whiskies possess to the same degree. History and emotion are undoubtedly a part of this, but this would not be the case if the liquid itself was not profound in difference and quality. There are of course often flaws, issues, problems arising from age in simple glass bottles (let alone strange capsules), but the underlying essential quality of these old bottles is that they show 'old style' malt whisky, of an era and character that is shockingly distinct from their modern counterparts. This point can't be laboured enough in my view. |
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2: That being said, there's more and more tricky problems with old bottles. I would say, over the past twenty years of opening hundreds of these bottles, I notice that more and more of them display funny notes associated with old bottle effect, or capsule taint. More of these whiskies appear a little tired; some show increasingly common soapy notes; blends in particular really diverge from each other depending on volume of malt content and closure type. It serves to highlight the ones that show incredibly well and really stand the test of time, it's just that those, in my view, are becoming scarcer. |
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3: There are bottles that can last over a century in bottle and show magnificently. But to achieve this they tend to require a good quality cork closure as this was the best material for preservation at the time, be either wholly or mostly single malt, and it helps if they have a good amount of peat influence and a higher than 43% bottling strength. |
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4: Screw caps and spring caps can be incredible preservers of filling level, but even in those instances the preservation of the spirit - due to the non-inert materials used in the manufacture of these capsules in that era - can be something of a lottery. |
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5: Anything bottled above 46% gives immense power of preservation to a spirit, but it does not necessarily insulate it from developing strange characteristics in the bottle. Not even cask strength can ultimately protect a spirit from influence over the course of decades in a glass bottle - although, on average, the most brilliant and well-preserved historic whiskies I've tasted, tended to be those bottled at much higher ABVs. |
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6: Old Bottle Effect (OBE), remains a distinct phenomenon that I would characterise as separate from other issues with old bottles like loss of ABV, filling level, loss of potency etc. To me, OBE is generally negative and tends toward specific flavour characteristics that are usually vegetal, porridge and cardboard staleness. These profiles are most noticeable in lower malt content blends from the 1960s and 1970s, but they are also increasingly found in single malts of many types, although still most commonly larger batch, lower ABV official bottlings of single malts. |
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7: I also think it is clear, after over twenty years of tasting modern and old bottles, that whisky does develop positively in bottle. I think this is separate from OBE described above. To me, this is when whiskies develop greater subtlety and complexity in bottle and digest some of their rougher edges that they would have possessed at point of bottling. Elevation of fruit flavour and sub-division of peat character are key hallmarks of this process in my experience. This seems to require around twenty years to become noticeable. I observe it in bottles I was already very familiar with a couple of decades ago when I revisit them now. This was most striking to me last week when re-tasting some early Special Releases bottlings (Oban 1984, Brora 30yo 1st release) that I hadn't tried for a number of years. |
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8: Of course, all of that stuff about OBE, bottle ageing etc, is heavily anecdotal; humans also change as we age, our sense of smell and perception of flavour etc, the funny tricks played by memory. Despite many sensible, science-based theories about what 'should' and 'could' happen to different types of whisky during decades in glass, there remains no known studies around this subject, and it is indeed an incredibly hard subject to study objectively and accurately. If anyone fancies a crack at it... |
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9: There isn't much else quite like getting together to open something utterly remarkable and ancient bottles that nobody has tasted in decades; this goes for most alcohols, not just whisky. Life, for me, is about experience, so the sense of sharing a piece of history in the moment together is hard to beat. Old style whisky is uniquely suited to this, it's one of the reasons why these bottles command such high prices and why they are valued by so many people around the world: a sense and possibility of connection to the past and, if opened, a window into it. |
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10: These old bottles often improve dramatically with just a week or so once opened. It creates a dilemma we've often commented upon when we get together to crack open bottles: if we wanted to experience them together at their best, we should probably open them a couple of weeks early, decant them and then put them back into their bottle for serving. But in doing so, you lose that shared moment of revelation. Part of the joy of these whiskies remains the unknown, the suspicion and hope that they might reveal something utterly wonderful, the risk taken and sense of reward and shared discovery if you're all there together at the point that screw cap is cracked or that dusty, gnarly old cork is excavated from the bottle for the first time. It's why we always save them and open them as a group, and why we always observe that "this is amazing, think how good it will taste in a couple of months.... can you save me a sample?" |
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11: If you're reading this and you're familiar with these experiences, we are all pretty damn lucky to be able to do such things and it's worth reflecting on that I think. |
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This week we'll just start with... |
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Glenlivet 15 yo (100 proof, Gordon & MacPhail, securo cap, bottled early 1960s) 
Securo caps are probably one of the best ever preservers of filling level in a bottle and they are also a dream for anyone who has to date old bottles as they were used only around 1962-1963. Many wonderful older malts were sheltered behind what I believe deserves the title of 'geekiest whisky bottle closure'. Colour: deep gold. Nose: so old style it makes you chuckle! Seriously, this is like muton stew, old bouillon broth, very old burgundy, roast pheasant, natural tar liqueur, resinous fir woods and all manner of oils: motor, lamp, olive - you name it! Also hugely camphory, full of herbal liqueur notes, dried out old honeys going towards beeswax and cask aged mead. Amazing! With water: stunningly herbal and mentholated, really going towards complex old herbal tea, medicinal properties, ointments, boot polish, tiny inclusions of peat, tar, eucalyptus and more of these wonderful umami broths. Mouth: astonishingly powerful, almost brutal but at the same time brilliant! Ruggedly earthy, extremely salty, and more dominated by classical, bone dry old sherry notes. Think big dry old oloroso full of rancio! Some cedar wood boxes full of aged cigars and reams of hessian. We should also mention the texture as well, which is so huge you could stand an Elephant on stilts in the glass! With water: magnificent and just more of everything, same texture but broader, more emphatic herbal, waxy, gamey, earthy and honeyed characteristics. More of these salty, rugged old VORS sherry vibes and some stunning tertiary earthy notes. Finish: very long, elegantly drying, salty, earthy and showing more classical sherry cask influence once again. Comments: Amazing, decidedly old-style malt whisky of immense texture, body and charisma that rewards, nay, requires patience and several drops of water.
SGP: 562 - 93 points. |
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Glenlivet 1945 (100 proof, Gordon & MacPhail, securo cap, bottled early 1960s) 
An even rarer vintage-stated version at classic 100 proof bottling strength, which equates to 57.1% in today’s ABV. Colour: gold. Nose: please see my comments about capsules above! This bottle had a perfect filling level when opened, probably in never lost a single millilitre in 60+ years in glass. And yet, this whisky has gathered an undeniably funk that feels like a profile we've encountered before with old screw caps and spring caps in particular. Loads of forest mushrooms, baked vegetables, hints of carboard, metal polish, medicinal roots, old copper coins leather bags but also behind that some very similar characteristics to the 15yo, with big impressions of cask aged mead, huge waxiness, herbal medicinal and liqueur-ish properties. With water: cider apple funk that suggest young calvados, alongside more wild mushrooms, more aged game meats, pinot noir, truffle, mead, more metal polish and old sooty iron coal hearths. Mouth: it's really two whiskies at the same time, on the negative side this funkiness and funny vegetal side extends to the palate and delivers some grubbiness and muddy notes. On the positive side, it's very close in texture and fatness to the 15yo, with similar magnificent saltiness, tar, waxes and herbal flavours. With water: at its cleanest with water, but still a challenging beast of opposing personalities. Some stunningly salty and peaty flavours coming through with more assertion and precision now, also touches of mint, big camphor and more chunky earthy notes. Finish: very long, immensely long in fact, glowing warm with peaty, sooty, earthy and medicinal rooty notes. Liquorice, caraway and hessian jumbled up in the aftertaste. Comments: it's almost impossible to score a bottle such as this, pure history in a glass that your emotions and intellect could convince you was somehow in perfect condition. But this perfectly illustrates my point above about old bottles increasingly being something of a lottery. Now, I would say water helps a lot here and is in fact essential but overall it remains incredible to try, but very hard to score. You can easily see how another bottle without these funny capsule-induced funky notes might easily fetch 93-94 points.
SGP: 562 - 85 points. |
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Glenlivet 27yo 1954/1981 (46%, Cadenhead Dumpy, sherry)
It's always tricky with old bottles to know which way around to taste them. In this case, I decided on youth and strength before age and grace... Colour: deep ruby/mahogany. Nose: sweet featherless Vishnu! A collusion of the most glorious ancient Armagnac and the most incredible low-ester Jamaican rum. Also some kind of otherworldly sherry-induced lusciousness. The whole is drenched is plump, sweet, sumptuous dark fruits: plums, damsons, figs, prunes, sultanas - the whole ruddy spectrum of fruit is in here. Also freshly brewed black coffee of the most sublime quality, fermented tobacco, tiny hints of medicinal tinctures and dark chocolate studded with sea salt. In truth, this is immediately one of those whiskies that is a total, perfectly cohesive whole which simply dazzles you. I find this kind of aromatic depth, intensity and beauty utterly poetic. Mouth: pure green walnut liqueur, miso paste, tar liqueur, Maggi and yet more mind-boggling dark fruitiness, acidity, ancient rancio-drenched old Armagnac re-appears once again. In truth, it's hard to describe and probably pointless to try. The sort of whisky that puts food on the table for those Anti-maltoporn brigade folk. The rest is censored. Finish: also censored, we'd be here all week! Comments: Older style malt whisky distillate of stunning quality, paired with a once in a lifetime sherry cask (probably drenched in pajarete for all I know) and done no harm at all by nearly 40 years in bottle. You can't ask for much more than this from a sherry matured malt whisky in my view.
SGP: 652 - 95 points. |
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Balblair 8 yo (100 proof, Gordon & MacPhail, securo cap, bottled early 1960s)
I have no suitable sparring partner for this Balblair and, as it was opened together with the Glenlivets above and also a securo cap, it seems a shame not to include it here. Colour: gold. Nose: a profile that just cannot belong to whiskies distilled after the 1960s in my experience. Instantaneously fatter, thicker and more muscular distillate on display, dominated by honeys, waxes, camphor and, in the case of this wee Balblair, subtle notes of dried and exotic fruits. In fact, these wee fruity signatures do make you think of Balblair's usual fruitiness. Also background hints of engine oil, herbal tea, kumquat and bone marrow - quite the medley! With water: the coastal qualities come to dominate more decisively now, a beautiful freshness, salinity, still immensely muscular and punchy and with a sharper, more lively fruit profile on display. Water really seems to awaken freshness in this one. Mouth: extremely powerful, here you realise this is really a young whisky with these big spicy notes, jagged, almost rough, waxy qualities, fat oiliness, big hints of camphor, paraffin, stoney mineral qualities, tar and more things like marrow, umami broths, herbal teas and toolbox rags. A whisky that sits equidistant between the workshop, the seashore and the forest. With water: astonishing thickness and waxiness in both flavour and texture. Old crystalised flower honey cut with motor oil and garnished with assorted green, yellow and exotic fruits. A whisky with the texture of old Drambuie almost! Finish: stunningly long, salty, camphory, with menthol notes of mint, pine resin and eucalyptus. Comments: a beast, but also a beauty. Astonishing power, and with water also an immense freshness is unlocked that really delivers something quite breath-taking. The thing I keep returning to with drams like this is the texture, the fatness and the sense of body. I'm delighted with this wee, old, young Balblair!
SGP: 563 - 94 points. |
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Thanks to all my great friends who came along last week! There will probably be more maltoporn to come in the next few weeks I'm afraid. |
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September 12, 2025 |
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We're setting off around the world again |
Well, Europe actually. As we were saying, the whole world is making whisky now, and inevitably there's a scissor effect taking place, with demand not necessarily where it was expected, and small lochs being filled here and there. All the more reason to separate the wheat from the chaff. We're setting off from France again, of course... |
Breton chouchen, or chouchenn (La Bigoudène) |
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Armorik ‘Small Batch Chouchenn’ (46%, OB, France, +/-2025)
What an improbable idea! This Breton malt was matured in Breton oak casks (why not) and in casks that had previously held chouchenn, a Breton-style mead with a rather dodgy reputation. I’ve heard it takes three men to drink the stuff: one to do the drinking and two to hold him up—though that old chestnut’s done the rounds with many a dodgy beverage, even some Alsatian varietals… Colour: gold. Nose: one does indeed get an impression of hive, beeswax, pollen, and old firwood, though there’s also a fermentary, yeasty side from the mead, reminiscent of bruised apples left a bit too long… Mouth: truth be told, this isn’t far from malts matured in calvados, though the chouchenn’s influence is kept in check. It’s certainly sweeter than your average Armorik, often excellent as those are. You do find honey, yes. Finish: fairly long, again somewhat sweet, with a noticeable oaky presence. Comments: this is genuinely good fun and rather amusing, but it does feel a little… touristy. We prefer the classic Armoriks!
SGP:641 - 80 points. |
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Eddu 21 yo 2003/2025 ‘Graal #2’ (46%, OB, cognac cask, cask #08001, 365 bottles)
They say this may well be the oldest French whisky in existence. The first batch, back in 2022, had been magnificent (WF 88). Let me remind you this is a whisky made from buckwheat. Colour: full gold. Nose: wonderfully soft and pâtissier, with orange blossom, oriental pastries, honey, Corsican citron liqueur, and a definite old triple-sec character, though it never turns heady or overblown. It’s the citrus fruits that lead the dance here. Mouth: really very good, starting rather on herbal spices, with clove, and hints of peppermint, then once again the citrus takes over, this time alongside little hazelnut biscuits. Orange zest, orange blossom honey, white nougat, fresh marzipan… All of this is gentle and really rather perfect. Finish: of good length and always on this soft, honeyed, citrusy sweetness, leaning towards a lovely old cognac from Grande or Petite Champagne, with wee notes of vineyard peaches and rolled liquorice. Comments: gentle yet beautifully composed, extremely seductive. What a fine buckwheat! That said, the individual quirks seem to have mellowed somewhat with age…
SGP:631 - 88 points. |
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The Nine Springs 3 yo ‘Triple Cask Batch 10’ (46%, OB, Germany, +/-2023) 
Produced in Thuringia and matured in American Virgin Oak, ex-Bourbon and ex-Bordeaux casks. At three years of age, that might sound a bit much, no? Unless the casks weren’t used sequentially, but in parallel… That said, previous Nine Springs we’ve tried were really quite good… Colour: pale gold. Nose: not so sure here, this is rather earthy and fermentary, with some apricots coming to the rescue, though there’s also a whiff of old barrel mustiness. Mouth: more agreeable, with touches of raspberry liqueur, mild beer, milk chocolate, spiced cake, and cinnamon… Finish: long and spicy, with some small rubbery notes towards the end. Comments: a touch wobbly in terms of profile and perhaps not entirely coherent, yet it remains of a real good standard.
SGP:651 - 79 points. |
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Peak Side 7 yo (60%, OB, Switzerland, sherry cask, cask #1, 160 bottles, 2024)
Made by the See-Distillerie in Beckenried, in the canton of Nidwalden, on the shores of Lake Lucerne. A stunning place, that. Colour: deep amber. Nose: a few pencil shaving notes to start, then juicy damson tart and very moist pumpernickel, the whole thing being rather, rather lovely. With water: hey hey! Mouth (neat): powerful of course, but also showing a fresh black bread side we’re totally smitten with. The pumpernickel’s back. Light touches of molasses. With water: clove, nutmeg, star anise, prunes and… pumpernickel. Lots of those dark, faintly fruity breads one finds in Bavaria or Austria, and no doubt also in Nidwalden. Finish: long, again leaning on prunes and that famous bread we shall now stop naming, lest we overdo it. Then more towards candied fruit, with figs and a few currants. A little cumin, liquorice and candied orange right at the end. Comments: a lovely surprise, and to think this was cask number 1. A proper breakfast malt.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
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Millstone 2018/2025 ‘Unpeated No.3’ (54.1%, OB for Kirsch Import, Netherlands, Dutch Windmills Collection, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt, cask #18B251, 614 bottles)
We do tend to like what Millstone/Zuidam are doing, let’s just say that straight away. Colour: amber. Nose: naturally, this is lovely, softer than expected, gentler, absolutely rammed with fruitcake, all led by top-grade sultanas of the kind you’d find in the finest Levantine grocers. With water: much the same. Mouth (neat): tarry touches atop a concentrate of those same sultanas we mentioned above. Is this a spirit made of sultanas? We adore sultanas—true Proustian madeleines, our grandmothers used to keep them in little tin boxes as if they were coins of gold. With water: same again, with more honey and orange liqueur. This stuff is sinful. Finish: not tremendously long, but carrying those same superb, timeless (whatever that means) and philosophical (wait, what?) flavours. Comments: a bit Glen Sultana, if you like, but we’re total fans.
SGP:641 - 89 points. |
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Millstone 2018/2025 ‘Heavily Peated No.5’ (54.1%, OB for Kirsch Import, Netherlands, Dutch Tulip Collection, 1st fill PX sherry butt, cask #17B089, 628 bottles)
This one might require some proper bracing… Colour: full gold. Nose: pencil shavings juice, brand new trainers, fir tar, very ripe plums and Corinth raisins. It’s maddening how pretty it is. With water: not much change, to be honest. We’re not going to mention sultanas again, are we. Mouth (neat): my word this is good. Someone’s dared to smoke orange liqueur with honey and spike it with cumin and juniper, then toss in some milk chocolate. This should be banned—or at least heavily regulated by the European Commission. Heaven forbid… With water: not really an improvement, I’d say water’s a bit superfluous, except it does let a hint of lemon liqueur peek through. Finish: long and rather perfect, even turning slightly salty in the end. Comments: I wouldn’t call this a peat monster, but I do call it excellent.
SGP:654 - 90 points. |
Let’s finish a little further north… |
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Smögen 10 yo 2014/2025 (59.1%, WDC, Sweden, 1st Fill Four Roses barrel, cask #13, 198 bottles)
WDC stands for Wu Dram Clan, a trio of deeply terrifying and barely tolerable individuals—but with an undeniable knack for picking cracking casks of whisky and other spirits. Colour: straw. Nose: peated malt porridge, the kind you might be served for breakfast on Islay. Smells incredibly of sea air—a classic descriptor, yes, but here it REALLY does smell like proper sea air. With water: add some olive oil to the mix. Mouth (neat): straight to the olives. Then mussels, oysters, whelks and razor clams. With water: these people are truly infuriating. But my, this is good. Finish: taster on strike, apologies. After all, we’re French. Comments: might have to file a complaint, this simply shouldn’t be allowed to taste this good.
SGP:466 - 92 points. |
Joking aside, Smögen, with very few exceptions, is now even more clearly among Europe’s top ten in my book. While indeed, we’re counting all the British Isles as part of Europe, at least geographically. |
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September 11, 2025 |
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Forres Face-Off: Benromach vs Dallas Dhu |
A small tasting that makes little sense, except geographically, as both distilleries are located in Forres. Moreover, both whiskies come from the Gordon & MacPhail stable. A project by Aceo to restart Dallas Dhu using as much of the original equipment as possible still appears to be under consideration or even planning, but the distillery is already open to visitors once again. |
Dallas Dhu (AI) |
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Benromach 20 yo 2003/2023 (57.7%, OB for LMDW Singapore exclusive, first fill bourbon barrel, cask #48, 189 bottles)
We love Benromach in ex-bourbon, now a safe bet, especially compared to some of their few slightly more… um, creative, oak-heavy offerings. Colour: pale gold. Nose: the power and near-maritime purity, certainly saline, of a Benromach left to its own devices in a well-behaved cask. Tiny touches of mint and fir buds atop a bed of oysters and seaweed. Plus some boot polish. With water: nail varnish and solvents come charging in, along with a bit of fresh butter. Mouth (neat) very powerful, nearly sharp, but oily and downright salty. Grape seed oil and a touch of concentrated lemon. With water: becomes a little more aerial, more coastal again, with those oysters now laced with lemon juice making a bold return. Let’s say two dozen. Finish: long, waxier still, some smoke, and even a tiny olive popping up at the very end to bid you farewell. Comments: hugely impressive, one of my favourite malts—I mean this style of 20-year-old ex-bourbon Benromach in general. The only flaw, it’s not exactly a surprise, boo.
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
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Dallas Dhu 50 yo 1971/2021 (59.2%, Gordon & MacPhail, Private Collection, refill American oak hogshead, cask #694, 56 bottles)
Tasted thanks to Stephen Rankin, via Angus, though in the peace and quiet of Château WF. That said, this isn’t the only very old Dallas Dhu we’ve sampled, but it’s true the 50-year-old 1969 from the same series left us a little less impressed, whereas this 1971—into which we’ve already dipped our lips—left us rather gobsmacked. So, let’s revisit it a touch more calmly… Colour: deep gold. Nose: age in all its full glory, instantly obvious on the nose but without any of the slight drawbacks one sometimes finds in very old malts—too much oak, excessive dustiness, and the like. Let’s say we’re dealing with a very classic composition, executed to perfection, with honeys, panettone, roasted figs, and just the faintest earthy undertone (celeriac) and one or two fir buds again. With water: water draws out the fir, fern, and mossy side… But the base remains on those powerful honeys, such as chestnut or forest honeydew. Mouth (neat): we haven’t enough experience to recognise Dallas Dhu on the first sip, but it’s true that this feels rather different, especially extremely oily, a bit in the style of, say, the best Fettercairns. A touch of pepper and quite a bit of chilli oil, all laid over a marvellously honeyed and fruity structure. With water: the whole thing relaxes and becomes fruitier and more bitter, a bit like a famous red-coloured Italian amaro, though naturally more subtle. That said, we’re not about to try it in a spritz, are we, even with Dom Pérignon. Finish: the oak becomes a little more pronounced, as one would expect, but all the honeyed and resinous notes (we know, they come from the wood) still hold the fort. Comments: of course, it’s quite a touch pricier than the Benromach, but really, this is a 50-year-old Dallas Dhu!
SGP:571 - 92 points. |
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September 10, 2025 |
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A wee trio of independent Longmorns |
A distillery we almost visited quite a few years ago, but the reception at their main site the day before had been so problematic that the visit was cancelled. And yet, we had with us friends who had come especially from Japan and even the west coast of Scotland (ha), bottles from the 19th century, and even the BBC — camera, microphone, journalist and all. It took us a while to get over it, but never mind, we've long since forgiven them. |
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Longmorn 11 yo (48.5%, Decadent Drinks, Equinox & Solstice Spring 2025 edition, 1st Fill Barrel)
Colour: straw. Nose: straightforward and unpretentious, as if assembled without fanfare. Fruit tarts, syrups, sponge cakes, yellow plums… not quite the kind of aroma one commits to memory, but it’s cheerful enough while it lasts. Mouth: a likeable young malt whisky, fruity, nicely balanced, pleasantly malty, with no jagged edges nor any signs of precociousness. Finish: much the same, though it does start to unravel somewhat, turning oddly dry and herbal, almost as if it suddenly remembered it had somewhere else to be. Comments: in this instance, one does wonder what Messrs Equinox and Solstice had in mind, as this feels a tiny touch superfluous, particularly on the palate. Perhaps not totally up to the very high standards usually set by the house. We’d much rather revisit last time’s superb Glen Ord, and after all, let the bottler who has never produced a slightly less-than-sparkling bottle throw the first one!
SGP:441 - 80 points. |
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Longmorn 16 yo 2008/2025 ‘An Old Giant’ (53%, The Dramming Lads, hogshead + 1st fill oloroso quarter, 121 bottles)
Colour: reddish amber. Nose: peach jam and a great big bag of sultanas. A rather endearingly cooked-winey character, very old-school and quite likeable. With water: old cardboard, vintage pipe tobacco, aged Burgundy wines; this ‘antique’ side is utterly charming, reminiscent of the profiles found in very old bottles of blends. Faint hints of aniseed coming through later on. Mouth (neat): mildly soapy touches at first, then oils, before veering off towards pink grapefruit. Plenty going on here. With water: that antique side persists. Finish: same story. Comments: a curious wee beastie that seems to have been OBE-ed (not knighted!) from birth.
SGP:441 - 82 points. |
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Longmorn 16 yo 2008/2025 (53.4%, Maltbarn, sherry cask, 177 bottles)
From a small high-end outfit that knows how to nurture a great bottle and a love for handsome labels. Colour: gold. Nose: apples, pears, plums and beeswax. A touch of flint. With water: full-on mead, which, let me remind you, was the nectar of the Greek gods. Mouth (neat): a sharp, incisive, lemony attack, then it unfolds over fruity beer, IPAs and damson tart generously dusted with ground cinnamon… With water: absolutely beautiful, even if not overly complex. A hint of cardboard but glorious cooked orchard fruits, especially apple and quince compote. Finish: medium length, well balanced, on fruity beer. Comments: perhaps not one of the great Longmorns from the 60s or 70s, but it’s still a very, very lovely thing.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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September 9, 2025 |
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Ten Macallans, both official and independent ones
Although the distillery – or rather, the brand – has become something of a symbol of poshness and glitz, every tasting reminds us that it still maintains a high level of quality and deserves to be taken seriously, despite the endless stream of NAS bottlings with sometimes far-fetched stories and themes. In any case, as Suetonius said, “Veritas in poculo est.” The truth is in the glass… Let’s begin with two small official NAS bottlings, then…
(Suetonius, Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493) |
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Macallan ‘Jing’ (43.9%, OB, The Harmony Collection, 2024)
An expression drawn from American and European oak casks seasoned with sherry and ex-bourbon, inspired by Phoenix Honey Orchid Tea, a Chinese oolong offered by tea merchants called ‘Jing’ (whom we didn’t know, mind you). We’re supposed to find notes of peach, orchid and honey, or so they say, although figuratively of course. We had rather enjoyed ‘Vibrant Oak’, while the other ‘Harmony’ offerings left us a little more indifferent. Colour: gold. Nose: the oak is a little prominent at first, as is often the case with many contemporary official malts, but the marmalade and maltiness quickly come through. Then lots of damsons and stewed cherries. There is indeed also a faint touch of rose petal, which may well be the aforementioned orchid. Mouth: nothing to complain about here, it’s good, initially on honey, citrus zest and ginger, then comes the speculoos and quite simply cinnamon. And I can’t help but detect a little tea, somewhat drying as well, though that’s quite common with malts matured in fairly active casks. Finish: fairly long, rather on bitter oranges, candied cherries, chocolate and dried raisins. A hint of coffee at the end, that must be from the casks too. Comments: I find this really quite good and will now start taking more interest in ‘Jing’.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Macallan ‘Classic Cut 2025’ (50.6%, OB) 
There’s a new edition each year, and I suppose we ought to follow them all, but we don’t. Not out of principle, it’s just turned out that way. That said, the last one we tried, the 2020, really was far too oaky (WF 78). Colour: gold. Nose: so far, it’s close to Jing, the cask make-up seems fairly similar, though perhaps a touch more herbal, with ale and fresh malt coming through. Nothing to complain about at this stage. With water: marmalade and a little honey, this is charming. Perhaps not €150-charming, but charming. Mouth (neat): same remarks, we’re not far from Jing again but there’s fresh oak in fairly generous quantities, though that’s offset rather nicely by citrus which brings a certain tension. With water: the label claims ‘A multisensory myriad of dynamic and evolving flavours are unveiled with the addition of water’, so let’s see. Evolves towards light earthy notes, still oaky and chocolatey. Dark chocolate. The oak remains a little present… Finish: medium length, with a return of the ale and the malt, and a woody-honeyed aftertaste. Pine wood notes, and even a touch of thyme. Comments: I find it better than some of the previous editions I’ve managed to taste.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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Speyside (M) 15 yo 2009/2025 ‘Small Batch Edition #19’ (48.2%, Signatory Vintage, 1st & 2nd fill oloroso sherry butt)
The contest might seem a bit lopsided, let’s admit it. But of course this isn’t OB vs. IB, not at all. Colour: golden amber. Nose: this is ‘darker’ than the OBs, with more raisins, toasted walnuts, chestnut honey, a few Mars bars, and dark turron… Personally, I enjoy this, even if for now it hasn’t veered towards the meaty, the herbal, or the bouillony… Mouth: this time the spices take centre stage—caraway, star anise, cinnamon and above all nutmeg and coriander seeds. It’s all rather lovely but it does somewhat push back the softness of the chocolate, honey and raisins. On the other hand, the dark chocolate stands out more. Finish: long, with the arrival of bitter oranges, very bitter indeed. Aftertaste strongly marked by cumin and nutmeg. Comments: not the most classic of styles, but of course I like it. That said, we haven’t overtaken the new OBs yet. Still, we’re talking a third of the price…
SGP:561 - 84 points. |
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Speyside (M) 15 yo 2009/2025 ‘Small Batch Edition #18’ (48.2%, Signatory Vintage, 1st & 2nd fill oloroso sherry butt)
A marginally earlier edition, but one showing similar characteristics. Colour: golden amber. Nose: this feels a little rounder, with sunflower oil, but otherwise it’s quite similar. Milk chocolate rather than dark, shall we say. Mouth: there’s slightly less spice here, indeed, and we’re closer to chocolate with citrus. A touch of pink grapefruit, which is fun. And pink pepper while we’re at it. Finish: fairly long, once again close to #19, but without the barrage of spice. Comments: truth be told, we’re extremely close, but as they say, one could drink a double magnum of each, head-to-head, and still not be entirely sure they’re really different. Are they? Let’s say we slightly prefer this one, but that’s even more arbitrary than usual.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Speyside (M) 14 yo 2010/2025 ‘Small Batch Edition #16’ (48.2%, Signatory Vintage, 1st & 2nd fill oloroso sherry butt)
Colour: golden amber. Nose: this time we’re getting quite a bit of resinous honey, fir honeydew for instance, along with more freshness—orange peel and citron zest. Also a faint floral note. Mouth: the style of the previous ones is clearly present, very marked by oak spices, especially cumin and clove. Slightly terpene-like. Lovely honey, nice herbal infusions. Adding water… doesn’t change much, let’s move on. Finish: long, herbal, with green spices in the style of #19. Nice aftertaste on almonds and kirsch. Comments: let’s not start the double-magnum debate again. Of course we’re very close.
SGP:461 - 84 points. |
Let’s have a look at a big brother… |
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Speyside (M) 18 yo 2005/2024 (57.7%, Signatory Vintage for World of Whisky Waldhaus 25th Anniversary, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt, cask #17/A106#35, 642 bottles)
Colour: full gold. Nose: how to put it—this is immediately more complex, on oils, sesame, hazelnut, pistachio, then freshly malted malt and almond liqueur. The sherry is surprisingly discreet, but it’s definitely there, lurking in the background. With water: glorious touches of metal polish, which we just love. Bruised apples. Mouth (neat): oh oui, yes, ja, claro—earthy oranges absolutely everywhere. Plus some spearmint and a really lovely fennel-dill combo. A small hint of coconut. The sherry remains well in the background. With water: still earthy—roots, mushrooms, fallen fruits, damp leaves… Finish: it carries on with soft oils, almond paste, a few tiny raisins… Comments: rather a fine bottle, quite ‘different’, no doubt from a fairly ‘different’ butt. By the way, if you’re ever in St. Moritz, Switzerland, do stop by the Waldhaus Hotel to (figuratively) plunder their incredible whisky bar.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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Marketing Malt 16 yo 2008/2024 (53%, Decadent Drinks, first fill sherry hogshead, 349 bottles)
Strictly speaking, there’s nothing on this label that wouldn’t suggest we’re dealing with an ‘M’. Colour: red amber. Nose: the kinship with the earlier indies is fairly obvious, only here we’re getting a few more stewed fruits—mostly damsons but also a few strawberries—and a sherry that edges slightly toward rancio. Amusing medicinal notes in the background, including camphor. Some pepper too. With water: touches of old wine cellar. And we do love old wine cellars, even more than the Sistine Chapel. Mouth (neat): it does feel a bit Christmassy, sorry—spices, ginger, star anise, caraway, heather honey, a touch of rum and caramel, pipe tobacco… With water: the word is out—fruitcake! But also some rather curious touches of dried fish. This M is really quite protean. Finish: fairly long, on tobacco and also those maritime notes. A little leather. Comments: it’s got as many curious angles as the Waldhaus, only they’re just not the same ones.
SGP:561 - 88 points. |
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Secret Speyside (M) 30 yo 1993/2024 (49.7%, Casky Hong Kong, Finest Selection, 7th Anniversary, sherry hogshead)
The whisky scene in the bay is truly remarkable—and no, we’re not talking about San Francisco Bay. Colour: dark amber. Nose: here’s a fine example of a mature spirit crossing paths with other categories—cognac, rum and the like. Peach and apricot jam and liqueur, a touch of wild mango, the softest of fudges, raisins, various honeys, a dab of beeswax polish… this really does smell of time, and time is the main ingredient in all great aged spirits, is it not. Mouth: sumptuous, very (too?) marked by dried fruits and sweet old wines—we’re getting close to old Rivesaltes, sweet Madeira, PX or even white Port. We happen to adore all that, so the impact here is 100% on us. Perhaps those who enjoy Coca Zero (hint, nod) might be less convinced. Finish: not terribly long, but the mere fact that these flavours, now joined by a little pink and black pepper, carry on at all is already great news. Comments: Château Macallan at its finest. A beautiful sherry, even if it was ‘only’ a hoggie.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
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Macallan 30 yo 1990/2021 (58.3%, Gourmet Pool, Germany, hogshead, cask #7394, 61 bottles)
Small outturn, big whisky, as Confucius once said during a momentary lapse of reason, a sentiment later revived with some success and not a little sorrow by Pink Floyd (S., stop the whisky). Colour: gold. Nose: we’re close to those old-school Macallans, especially the 30yo blue label, or indeed the 1970 18yo—sheer splendour. Gentle earthiness, walnuts, mushrooms, dried raisins, pipe tobacco, apricots, truffle, dried figs… You see where we’re going, textbook classic style from the great era. With water: rather glorious, on beeswax polish, oranges, honeys and blond tobacco. And let’s not forget our old friends the sultanas. Mouth (neat): good old times indeed, with honey, figs and oranges taking the lead, quite simply. With water: … and the sultanas… Finish: what was also so lovely in these old Macallans were those tiny salty touches that added real dimension to the whole. Just like here. And the waxes. Comments: of course…
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
Just to be sure, and to wrap things up, let’s dip into some older vintages… |
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Macallan 18 yo 1975/1993 (54.4%, Wilson & Morgan, Barrel Selection, hogshead, cask #8880, 248 bottles)
We’re now entering the tail end of the truly seminal years for the distillery, though we’re still clearly within them. Colour: gold. Nose: how about a banana cake discreetly drizzled with a little rum, alongside a mirabelle and honey tart? Then add some peanut butter, dried fig and vintage English blond tobacco, and you’ll have a fair idea of the beauty of this lovely liquid. With water: add faint notes of damp paper, old books and beeswax. Mouth (neat): oh yes, here comes a procession of lively, aromatic little herbs, mainly lemongrass and peppermint. All carried by honey cake and wine-soaked figs. With water: this glides into all the beehive things—typical of a great hoggie that knew how to behave. Pollen, wax, honeys… Finish: not very long but of infinite delicacy, with lemon blossom honey and still those little waxy notes. A tiny pinch of salt at the end, as a kind of signature. Comments: its overall delicacy may mean it isn’t clearly superior to the others, but good grief, how utterly delicious this was.
SGP:551 - 90 points. |
I think that’ll do for this time. More Macallan coming soon. |
(Merci to KC and Sebastian) |
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September 8, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today two Glenallachie
We missed them during our last Glenallachie session two or three weeks ago…
(Nougat from Provence with almonds and black olives — an absolute knockout, I could eat three tonnes of it a day. Courtesy of L'Espérantine de Marseille.) |
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Glenallachie 2014/2025 ‘Sinteis Series Part 1’ (57.8%, OB, virgin Chinquapin oak & PX cask)
The use of very active casks on youthful distillates continues to intensify, but we’re rather pleased to see they’ve not gone down the NAS route. Chinquapin oak, aka Chinkapin, aka Quercus muehlenbergii, aka yellow oak, is a variety of American white oak first popularised by Glenmorangie quite a few years ago. Colour: deep gold. Nose: it’s the international festival of crème brûlée and soft brown sugar, soon joined by speculoos biscuits and proper custard. With water: more of that caramelised, vanilla-forward oak emerges, but thankfully it stops short of the carpenter’s bench. Mouth (neat): sharper on the palate, starting on ginger and white pepper wrapped in orange marmalade, with wee touches of turmeric and cumin in the background. With water: an avalanche of nougat with a hefty dose of honey and spices. Finish: long, sweet and spicy at once, like a peppery marmalade. Comments: the beams are showing a little, as they say, but this is very good indeed.
SGP:651 - 84 points. |
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Glenallachie 15 yo 2009/2025 (65.6% Signatory Vintage, Symington’s Choice, 1st fill oloroso, cask #900864, 570 bottles)
Many a splendid malt has already emerged from this rather discerning series by Signatory. Colour: amber. Nose: naturally more on the sherry, with walnuts, chocolate, a box of cigars… and quite a bit of ethanol, though it remains curiously soft altogether. With water: caramel tart, millionaire’s shortbread and a family pack of assorted toffees. And some raisins too, as expected, though kept in check. Mouth (neat): very powerful indeed, but again, surprisingly easy to down at 65%. We’re speaking of a drop or two at a time, mind you. Gorgeous salted butter caramel wrapped in orange cream and dark chocolate, or something in that ballpark. Hints of rum and the walnuts aren’t far either. With water: the savoury/umami side of the oloroso now takes the stage. Lovely notes of bitter orange. Finish: long and drier, on dark tobacco, salty touches and lime. It’s very lifted. Comments: magnificent sherry, by turns sweet and dry.
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
Bonus, this other oloroso-ed one just in… |
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Glenallachie 13 yo 2011/2025 (61.8%, OB for Tiffany’s New York Bar and Whisky Lovers Hong Kong, oloroso hogshead, cask #805001, 355 bottles)
Colour: amber. Nose: a few hints of new plank wood right at the start, but they quickly blend into notes of raisins and marmalade, then the oak melts away entirely, as the whole shifts more and more towards nocino and those orange liqueurs one finds in countries, erm, where orange trees actually grow. Nein, that’s not quite that obvious in all cases. With water: have you ever tasted soft white nougat with bits of black olive inside? It’s rather fabulous, you find some of that down in Provence, and you get a whiff of those aromas here in this Glenallachie. Mouth (neat): very powerful and compact, yet also very honeyed. Spiced honey, especially with cinnamon and ginger, which works extremely well. With water: this amusing profile halfway between sherry and ex-bourbon, with a marked presence of oak spices, while the rest clings to honey and orange liqueur. Finish: long, sweet and spicy at once. Comments: lovely ‘modern’ style in this excellent young Glenallachie for Hong Kong.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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September 7, 2025 |
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A few more rums to try and hold on to summer |
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Luisita in Tarlac, Philippines, single estate rum |
It’s true that last Sunday, we went from 9 to 91 points without so much as a blink, quite an unusual gap in a tasting session, even in a category as broad and varied as rum. Today, we’ll try to take fewer risks. |
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Blue Mauritius 'Gold' (40%, OB, blend, +/-2024) 
Since 2012’ they claim on the label. Well, we did try one of the earlier batches back in 2013 and found it decent enough (WF 72). Right, those 40% aren’t exactly screaming greatness… Colour: gold. Nose: buckets of pineapple liqueur drizzled with vanilla and a hint of coconut. That’s more or less the whole show, but it’s really not dreadful at all, even if the palate’s looming with some concern… Mouth: extremely sweet, positively liqueur-like, banana foam sweets, more pineapple liqueur by the ladleful, and an overwhelming amount of sugar. Finish: long, alas, much too sugary. Comments: I’ve just checked, and just like last week’s Don Papa, this one turns out to be a ‘spirit drink’ too. I suppose there’s far too much sugar in there to legally call it rum. That said, I did prefer it back in 2013. Still, I’m quite sure it’d do alright over ice…
SGP:820 – 50 points. |
Since we're embracing the strange, as we say here… |
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Samai ‘Kampot Pepper’ (41%, OB, Cambodia, +/-2024) 
The Samai ‘Gold’ was jolly good indeed (WF 84), hence our decision to take a punt on this ‘Kampot’. Kampot pepper, as it happens, is a rather well-regarded variety of peppercorn grown down in Cambodia’s Kampot province. Colour: pale gold. Nose: how utterly charming! Nothing at all like last week’s Don Papa ‘Alon’—this one’s crisp and refreshing, with elements that might remind one of some very posh gins, though of course we know next to nothing about gin. Even if, over at WF Towers, we did crank out a fair number of litres of our own gin last year, delightfully named ‘Gin Genie’. One couldn’t possibly make that up. Mouth: pity, the sugar takes over a bit too much for my taste, which is a shame, as the underlying structure is really rather delightful. Think fennel, pink pepper and lime. A real shame about the generous dosing of sugar—mind you, I’m not saying there shouldn’t be any at all. Finish: long, sweet, leaning more into citrus now. Comments: we’ll certainly be keeping an eye on this Kampot pepper, if not on this little spiced rum itself. That said, let’s not forget we’ve also already encountered some superb Samai in the LMDW ‘Flags’ series—it bears remembering.
SGP:740 – 72 points. |
From now on, we'll need to be careful not to stumble upon those spiced rums by accident, they're really not our thing... |
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Havana Club 'Especial' (37.5%, OB, Cuba, +/-2025) 
We’ve already tasted some Añejo Especials at 40 or even 45%, but never a version simply labelled ‘Especial’ and bottled at 37.5%, as distributed in France in this instance. At that rate, one does wonder what exactly is so ‘Especial’ about it… That said, it’s clearly intended for Cuba Libres, as the back label candidly states. Colour: full gold. Nose: hey, this isn’t bad at all, with some rather lovely spicing—star anise comes to mind—alongside molasses honey, ginger biscuits and a wee touch of cinnamon. There’s even a subtle whisper of pineapple. Honestly, the nose isn’t half bad. Mouth: sweet, that much is certain, but I imagine it still slips in just under the good old European Union’s legal sugar threshold. It feels a little hollow, to be fair, no doubt owing to the reduced strength, and although the notes of cane honey, banana and speculoos are pleasant enough, the sweetness does begin to smother things a tad. Finish: short, but even sweeter. Comments: you know the mantra, ‘perhaps over a lot of crushed ice’, but to be fair, this one’s perfectly decent. Incidentally, their museum in Havana is rather brilliant, I think.
SGP:731 – 65 points. |
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Luisita ‘Casa’ (58%, OB, Philippines, small batch, +/-2024)
Caution, Luisita may hail from the Philippines but has nothing whatsoever to do with Don Papa. We’ve already tasted some rather good ones from this house. This particular expression is 5 years of age but is said to contain older parcels from the 1990s, high-ester no less. Anyway, let’s see if your casa is my casa (too easy, S.) Colour: pale gold. Nose: on the nose it’s rather on the oily side, with notes of sesame oil, fresh cane juice and the odd touch of liquorice. It does seem a bit locked up by the high strength though. With water: it really opens up on slightly fermented cane juice with just a few dabs of boot polish. Mouth (neat): the esters leap out right away, it’s very much on olives and concentrated lemon juice, with a precise, zesty sharpness that we’re quite fond of. With water: a complete volte-face into the world of tangy fruit sweets. A hint of coffee too. Finish: same neck of the woods, fresh cane and lemon. Comments: a truly lovely rum, delicate and rather subtle but sometimes also roaring. A proper Filipino rum, in short.
SGP:451 – 84 points. |
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Marie-Galante 23 mo 2022/2024 (59.7%, Spirit of the Day, agricole, 262 bottles)
They clearly couldn’t wait the extra month to make it a full 2 years, that’s the kind of spirit we like. So then, Bellevue? Bielle? Père Labat/Poisson? Colour: white wine. Nose: cane juice and gentian, with a touch of pink pepper and caraway. With water: modelling clay starts to push through, along with a modest dose of engine grease and little notes of fresh new tyres… Mouth (neat): excellent, feels not unlike a fruit eau-de-vie—rowanberry or holly perhaps—but salted and again underpinned by gentian. With water: the balance between cane, roots and salt is just spot-on. One might almost believe sugarcane was a root (just kidding, obviously). Finish: fairly long but gentle, with flashes that recall agricole rums from… Madeira. Comments: it’s hard to go more spirit-driven than this, and yet there’s clearly been some thoughtful ageing at play. Spot on.
SGP:562 – 87 points. |
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South Africa 4 yo 2019/2024 (59.7%, La Maison du Whisky, Flag Series, agricole, 270 bottles)
Mhoba, of course—or at least we presume as much—which would be splendid news as we’re rather fond of Mhoba. This is an agricole-style rum, made from hand-cut local cane. Colour: full gold. Nose: not one for everyone, as it’s massively acetic, but that’s perfect for us, as we adore this sort of thing and might just see about acquiring any remaining stock. Vinegars galore, balsamic up front, then carbon and brine. It’s almost as if the Jamaicans decided to make high-ester rum from fresh cane juice instead of molasses. With water: calms down just a touch. Mouth (neat): superb salty-vinegary tension, with wildly overripe fruits playing backup. With water: no real fundamental change on the palate. Finish: long, ultimately fairly simple, but so beautiful we couldn’t care less. Comments: one caveat, it’s not terribly fond of dilution, which flattens it slightly, so do mind the watering.
SGP:663 – 89 points. |
I think we’ve outfoxed ourselves, only a Jamaican could top this likely Mhoba… |
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Monymusk 24 yo 1999/2024 ‘MPG’ (57.4%, Rest & Be Thankful for Navigate World Whisky South Africa, 283 bottles)
The MPG marque sits around the 100g/hlpa ester mark, but it bears repeating that so-called lighter marques can sometimes feel heavier than heavier ones. Are you following me? Colour: pale gold. Nose: actually rather delicate, on vineyard peaches and a faint smokiness reminiscent of fresh tarmac, then blood orange and pink banana, with hibiscus syrup and jasmine tea not far behind. It’s all exceedingly elegant. With water: fresh mango absolutely bursts out, lightly wrapped in a touch of tar. Mouth (neat): more punch and drive on the palate, this is gorgeous stuff. It oddly brings Highland Park to mind—even if totally unrelated—then shifts towards seawater and even lemon-dressed oysters. Excellent. With water: mango returns once more, but everything remains delightfully crisp and fresh. Finish: long, increasingly saline, with citrus and passion fruit coming to the fore. Still superb. Comments: these so-called ‘low-ester’ Monymusks can be astonishingly pure and refreshing. A brilliant South African duel between the Mhoba and this Monymusk that, indeed, was bottled for ZA, and both have walked away with top honours.
SGP:652 – 90 points. |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted
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September 5, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today, Glen Spey |
We continue our relentless exploration of somewhat obscure Scottish distilleries—at least, those that are rarely promoted by their owners. It’s often a chance to discover that their whiskies are excellent and have nothing to envy from the big names that are much better known and, more often than not… rather a tad pretentious and very faintly arrogant at least some of them Hmm. Glen Spey is at the heart of J&B and is therefore supposed to be a light malt. In theory…
('When the nose said yes, it's yes.' French press advert for J&B from 1991, featuring Jim Milne, master blender. A very traditional theme, seen elsewhere of course - Johnnie Walker, etc.) |
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Glen Spey 11 yo 2013/2025 (57.7%, James Eadie, Cask Finish, cask #373070, 221 bottles)
20 months in first fill European oak oloroso sherry butt here. Colour: amber. Nose: nicely done, on dried raisins that aren’t ‘too fruity’ and walnut cake, pecans, Brazil nuts etc. There’s a rather ‘simple’ side to it that we rather enjoy, even if subtle touches of rose, lemon balm and peppermint begin to emerge little by little, giving it a slight ‘stroll through the garden’ feel. With water: faint notes of forest floor, humus, mushrooms, tobacco… Mouth (neat): very caramelly, Mars bars, millionaire’s shortbread, molasses honey, honey-and-raisin cereal bar and the rest. It’s really very moreish. With water: not much change here, the spices remain gentle and the whole feels quite rounded and charming. Worth noting, it can take on implausible quantities of water. Finish: rather long, still rounded and sweet, honeyed, and still adorned with gentle spices. A drop of ginger liqueur. Comments: this is very very very good. Frankly, one wouldn’t immediately think of J&B, talking about its lightness here..
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
More oloroso, but this time in American oak… |
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Glen Spey 14 yo 2010/2025 (57.5%, Single Cask Nation, 1st fill American oak oloroso hogshead)
May I take this opportunity to remind you that when it comes to sherry casks, American oak is the rule and European oak the exception. Indeed, it’s rather counterintuitive. Colour: full gold. Nose: very similar aromatic territory, though here we’re leaning more towards dried and candied fruits, with subtler spices and a lovely soft liquorice. Splendid orange liqueur with honey, dried figs, white nougat, sweet wine like a muscat (a sweet one, muscat isn’t always sweet) or late-harvest gewurztraminer… In fact, it’s an extremely friendly nose. With water: little change, it just becomes even more approachable. Mouth (neat): a fantastic cocktail of honeyed liqueurs, with a clear, direct, irresistible side. I believe this baby could replace honey in your yoghurts, pastries, tisanes, over your pancakes etc. For a wee kick that instantly lifts the spirit and soothes your worries and fits of rage. Please don’t quote me to your local health authorities. With water: it joins its 2013 sibling in terms of style. Finish: long, gentle, honeyed, extremely moreish. Comments: a superb honeyed sweetness and a malt that should appeal to absolutely everyone.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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September 4, 2025 |
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A small selection of independent Glenglassaugh |
I think it's been quite a while since we last tasted Glenglassaugh. We're hoping to come across some new official releases in Paris, London or Hamburg, but in the meantime, let's enjoy these little indie bottlings, no doubt full of character... Just a heads-up, though: there are a few peated versions floating about.
(Glenglassaugh + AI) |
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Glenglassaugh 13 yo 2011/2024 ‘Peated’ (52.8%, Milroy’s Soho Selection, 1st fill palo cortado hogshead)
And here comes a peated version. Colour: amber. Nose: well then, here we are with tar, roasted chestnuts, toasted semolina and even exhaust fumes (we’re speaking of nothing less than an Italian eight-cylinder). Frankly, the peat is doing a fine tango with the dry sherry. With water: it rounds off a little but remains, shall we say, vibratory. Wee smells of an old petrol station. Mouth (neat): rather massive yet curiously brisk, with salty hints and grapefruit over a layer of pistachio, roasted pecans and the much-anticipated walnuts. Once again, everything dances together very well indeed. With water: in comes the mustard, also keenly awaited, to complete this thoroughly Jerezian picture. Finish: very long, drifting towards Italian bitters that would pair marvellously with that famed eight-cylinder. Fresh saline touches lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: a splendid young trio – Glenglassaugh plus peat plus palo cortado. To stay in tune, one thinks of De Lucia + Di Meola + McLaughlin. Nothing less.
SGP:466 - 89 points. |
Maybe we're starting off too high, what do you think…? |
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Glenglassaugh 12 yo 2011/2023 (55.3%, Milroy’s Soho Selection, 1st fill PX)
No peat this time, apparently. So, we took a little break before tackling this baby. Colour: bright amber. Nose: we’re quite far from the syrupy explosion one might have expected, instead there’s a touch of old tin box (and whoever dares say that’s the same as an Italian V8 will have to answer to my Italian friends). Figs and raisins, Darjeeling-style black tea, equally dark chocolate, air-dried meat in the style of Grisons… With water: oddly enough, one gets coal tar, fresh tarmac, and an old granddad’s pipe… Mouth (neat): properly punchy, but some orange zest lifts it all nicely, along with pepper, tobacco, leather… It’s crying out for water. With water: we’ve tamed it, though only just. Plenty of candied peel chopped up cassata-style, still with sultanas, still with tobacco. Finish: long, slightly salty again, certainly peppery. The tobacco simply won’t let go. Comments: not quite as wham-bam as the peated version, but still absolutely excellent.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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Glenglassaugh 10 yo 2014 (58.6%, Alister Walker’s Infrequent Flyers, Sauternes hogshead finish, cask #2369, 309 bottles)
Here too, we’d never come across a Sauternes hogshead, so either it was a hogshead seasoned with Sauternes, or a Sauternes barrique re-coopered into a hoggie. The ways of coopers are impenetrable… Colour: deep gold. Nose: we’re in similar territory to the Milroy’s PX, with a metallic touch at first but then quickly veering towards citrus, apricots, floral tisanes, ripe and tinned peaches… It’s a lovely nose, no doubt about that. We know Sauternes can work rather well. With water: but this is apricot jam with honey and whisky! Mouth (neat): the gentlest of the three, the fruitiest, the most nougat-forward, with orange cake, fudge, baked apples… With water: the sweetness and slightly jammy edge from the Sauternes, I presume, does the job. Honey, mirabelles, apricots, white nougat… Finish: same again, it’s a real liqueur, in the most positive sense of the word. Comments: we’ve done all this in completely the wrong order in terms of aromatic progression, I’m a little ashamed. I shouldn’t have ranked them by ABV. At any rate, this rather gentle baby is also excellent.
SGP:641 - 86 points. |
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September 3, 2025 |
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Two Kilkerran from Glengyle
It takes quite a bit of effort to keep up with what these admirable people are doing, generally speaking, because nothing seems to happen normally in Campbeltown. But that’s precisely what appeals to my French side, we, too, never really do anything like anyone else. In fact, we often get frustrated with ourselves and consume unbelievable amounts of tranquillisers. Or wine. Or whisky… Indeed just like in Campbeltown. |
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Kilkerran ‘Heavily Peated Batch 12’ (58.4%, OB, 2025)
Batch 11 from 2024 had been superb (WF 87) and in any case, we've resolved to follow these batches through thick and thin. Colour: straw. Nose: we're immediately very close to smoked barley, citron peel, bread dough, iodine tincture, oysters and massage balm, something in the vein of Voltarol. One can only think of Lagavulin 12 SR. With water: zero development, everything was already present from the start. Perhaps a few touches of soaked plaster. Mouth (neat): it's terrific how simple and how excellent this is. Warm, packed with barley, grist, husks, anything you might wish for post-processing, all of it smoked over beechwood and salted with Himalayan salt (alright, that's a bit much). With water: the citrus surges forth but coastal salinity keeps everything under control. Finish: long, tense, more fermentary. The apparent youth is making itself known. Comments: I get the feeling these versions are becoming peatier and peatier, though I could be wrong.
SGP:456 - 87 points. |
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Kilkerran 17 yo 2007/2024 (54.8%, OB, 20th anniversary opening of Glengyle Distillery, refill sherry hogshead, 244 bottles)
It took us ages to get through the 15th Anniversary releases (USA, Japan...) so you can imagine, we're practically ahead of schedule here. Colour: gold. Nose: smoky oils at first, mostly sesame, then a rounder profile leaning more towards the nutty side of the heavily peated range. Behind that, quite a bit of sea water but also a curious waxed cardboard and burnt paper note that feels slightly out of place in this context. Curious indeed. With water: ah no, water flattens it quite a bit, and the burnt cardboard pushes to the fore. Mouth (neat): we're not miles away from the HPB12, but the salted citrus is far more prominent. There’s a rather sharp edge, in fact, but also a slightly tannic, drying side. Walnut skins. With water: we lose our way a bit, gives the impression it might be best to avoid water altogether. Finish: long, heading towards salted ham, but also a hint of paint. I get the feeling it likes water even less than the five cats we have at Château WF. Comments: it’s very good but I struggled slightly with this baby. That must be me. Batch 12 any time.
SGP:465 - 84 points. |
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September 2, 2025 |
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World Whiskies, Session #4,567,126
We joke, of course, but whiskies from around the world are now pouring in, and it’s not so easy to find them a place on this modest website, which is more used to comparing Glendullan to Mannochmore, or Ardbeg 1974 vs 1975. You see what I mean. Still, it’s a breath of fresh air, at times improbable, at times daunting, but undoubtedly progressing steadily. Okay, it’s all a bit politically correct, I admit, but let’s get on with it, starting with France, as usual… |
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Domaine des Hautes Glaces 'Epistémé R15C25 carré' (47%, OB, France, Rye, 666 bottles, 2025)
The treasure hunt continues, with a devilish bottle count! It spent a little time in new oak, the rest in ex-Cognac, in the manner of... Cognacs. Colour: pale gold. Nose: but it’s smoky! Rye bread that’s been through the hearth, caraway, sweet gentian, celery, carrot… It’s all very amusing and really rather lovely. Mouth: the earthy and rooty theme carries on, we’re unearthing improbable rhizomes and small forgotten root vegetables—think salsify or parsnip—yet we’re all for it, this is a spirit that truly expresses the soil beneath, and that’s not something one encounters too often. Continues on mustard and horseradish, but in a gentle and balanced register. Finish: good length, with salty thrusts that could almost evoke an Alpine gazpacho. I know what I mean. Comments: this is smashing stuff, and above all, extraordinarily distinctive, much in the style of truly artisanal mezcals.
SGP:472 - 89 points. |
We’re heading to Brittany… |
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Armorik 12 yo 2011/2024 (55%, OB, France, LMDW Foundations, refill bourbon barrel, cask #926, 280 bottles)
The pioneer of French whiskies, following Clayssens in Wambrechies in the North where they were more into grain. Colour: gold. Nose: I do hope I shan’t offend anyone by saying this feels very Scottish, with a lemony malt and some chalk of exquisite beauty. It’s lively, cheerful, classical. With water: porridge, that chalk still shining through, cider apples (naturally) and a soft, understated vanilla. Mouth (neat): very good, apples, lemons, dill and watercress. Who could be against that? With water: top-notch, fresh, still dancing on notes of aniseed and dill, which I’m rather fond of. Refreshing. Finish: not terribly long but fresh and full of bounce, like a little summer frock. I’m paraphrasing Christian Dior on Alsatian Riesling here. Comments: perfect classicism.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Indri 2018/2025 ‘Peated Oloroso’ (58.5%, OB, India, for Germany, cask #33, 564 bottles)
Frankly, ‘peated oloroso’ with no punctuation sounds as dodgy as ‘coffee with mustard’, but let’s keep an open mind if you don’t mind. Especially since we’ve already tasted some very good Indri. Colour: mahogany. Nose: truffle, fresh rubber, scorched brake pads post-race, cordite, onion tart, then beef stock, glutamate, Maggi and oven-roasted marrow. It’s all rather spectacular. With water: same again, just leaning a little more towards parsley and chicken broth. Mouth (neat): a monster, though in the best possible sense. Take caramel, tar, truffles, orange liqueur, salt, pepper and Bovril, stir them all together, and here you are. More or less, let’s say… With water: reduced broth that’s simmered for hours upon hours. Finish: the same story. Comments: what a concoction! There’s nothing classical here, nothing safe, nothing soothing… In short, it’s a monster. In the best possible sense. The slightly jaded taster will rejoice.
SGP:482 - 87 points. |
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Säntis 12 yo 2012/2024 (59.3%, OB, for Whisky Picnic Bar Taiwan, Switzerland, ex-sherry, cask #718, 146 bottles)
We’re pleased to be tasting Säntis again, even if it’s via Taiwan, as these Eastern Swiss whiskies aren’t exactly known for timidity. Colour: red mahogany. Nose: surprisingly classical, meaning full of bitter orange, walnuts and dark honeys, but truth be told we’re veering more towards top-tier rum than whisky here. With water: same direction, even ripe pineapple and a dab of acetone in a Jamaican sort of way. Mouth (neat): I promise you, this could pass for rum. Molasses, jasmine, liquorice, black olive, hibiscus syrup… Don’t tell me it’s the sherry that did all that. With water: same profile, we’re clearly deep in the realm of excellent, saline-leaning rums. Finish: indeed. Comments: may we see the cask papers, please? Just kidding. Then again, perhaps they distilled a heavily hopped beer, something like a triple IPA? Or maybe they pushed some wild fermentation to the limits? We’ll probably never know… PS: we love it, you never get bored with Säntis.
SGP:463 - 88 points. |
While we’re in Switzerland… |
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Johnett 2012/2024 (47.9%, OB, Switzerland, Pinot Noir, 281 bottles)
This is made by the house of Etter, renowned fruit distillers. Pinot Noir in whisky maturation is a rather contentious affair, but I studied in Burgundy, so I’m naturally inclined to react favourably to blackcurrant, musty mop cloth, hare belly and what the old ones used to call ‘unkempt nun’. Other times indeed… Let’s see how this unfolds… Colour: full gold. Nose: much lighter than expected, soft, with notes of blood orange and Aperol. No Burgundian vibes just yet. And by the way, let’s not be too quick to write off Swiss Pinot Noirs, some of them aren’t half bad. Mouth: brushing up against strawberry and paraffin, an oddball assembly that’s lacking a bit of backbone. Finish: medium length, a little sour, but fair enough. Comments: very honest. Could probably chuck it into the fondue pot as well… Right then, I think I’ll wait a bit before setting foot in Switzerland again.
SGP:531 - 70 points. |
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Morris of Rutherglen ‘Signature’ (40%, OB, Australia, +/-2023)
When you see the word ‘signature’, it’s a bit like ‘reserve’—rather entry-level, let’s be honest. You’ll retort that a range needs a starting point, and you’d be quite right. Let’s have a look… Colour: gold. Nose: pleasant, fairly oaky over a rather light distillate, vanilla, cinnamon, ripe apples… A touch of caramel, but genuinely nice. Mouth: a pretty whisky, light indeed, slightly overrun by an intrusive coconut note, but as they say, it goes down easily. Finish: coconut liqueur and banana cake. Comments: precisely my definition of a 75-point spirit, which is well above the global average for spirits production, which, in theory and by our reckoning, hovers around 50/100, 50%, 50 points, whatever the name of the scale you use.
SGP:630 - 75 points. |
Right then, we’ll finish with something really funny… |
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St. Kilian ‘Judas Priest Invincible Shield’ (47%, OB, Germany, 7,850 bottles, 2024)
To sum up, there are clearly people of very high standing—and deeply into whisky, mind you—who at some point decided that 7,850 souls might be moved to purchase a whisky in tribute to this rather improbable band called ‘Judas Priest’. Naturally, no disrespect meant here to St. Kilian nor to Judas Priest themselves, whose oeuvre, truth be told, we’re unfamiliar with, though surely it's richly deserving. One must admire the boldness and utter lack of fear here! Colour: straw. Nose: pleasant, on grist, rye, porridge, very ripe apples, pear juice and fireplace ashes. No Judas references just yet. Mouth: but it’s good! Lovely barley, apples, mild ales, ripe bananas, honeyed cereal porridge, rustic bread with dried fruits… Yes indeed, it’s good. Finish: a few smoky and salty touches round off the picture nicely. Comments: we’re having a laugh, but in the glass, it’s all going really rather well. I even put Judas Priest on Spotify out of sheer curiosity—it was called ‘Painkiller’. The cats bolted, I nearly died laughing… Honestly, we love it!!!! Whisky leads to everything.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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September 1, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today two secret Lowlanders
The consensus is that these are Glenkinchies, but I get the impression no one would stake their reputation on it. As for me, I must humbly admit that I’m quite incapable of recognising Glenkinchie with any real certainty in a blind tasting. |
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Distilled at a Lowland Distillery 9 yo 2013/2023 (56.5%, Watt Whisky, ruby port finish, Taiwan exclusive, 314 bottles)
With ruby Port, we might brace ourselves for a raspberry avalanche, mightn’t we? This finishing stage lasted a rather substantial 19 months. Colour: ripe apricot. Nose: the port’s very much in charge, make no mistake. Strawberry tart, blueberry muffins, overripe damsons, and those sticky nut-and-fruit cakes that occasionally pop up at village fêtes… Even that famous cherry beer our Belgian friends concoct, the Kriek, which we’re rather fond of, though that fondness earns us sniggers and scorn from said Belgian friends. With water: shifts a little towards cherry cake soaked in syrup. Mouth (neat): finishing turned up to eleven, frankly this is more Port with a dram of whisky than the other way ‘round. Now I’m not saying it’s not good, but you do need to be fully committed to the red fruit agenda. Utterly committed. With water: this is where the crux lies—it’s wildly improbable, yet rather well executed. Altogether a new sort of Caledonian–Lusitanian hybrid spirit, perhaps. Finish: long, jammy, richly fruity. The cherries call the tune throughout. Comments: now go on, try slapping a score on this! Please don’t take it too seriously …
SGP:751 - 85 points. |
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Lowland Single Malt 11 yo 2013/2025 (57.5%, Cadenhead, Enigma, refill oloroso finish, 1,590 bottles)
A refill cask, which might offer a welcome reprieve from the razzmatazz of the Ruby (My Dear, ha). Colour: gold. Nose: rather charming, on fig cake and pistachio nougat, with a touch of that mandarin liqueur our Belgian friends—yes, them again—do so well. They call it Mandarine Napoléon, which suggests they’ve rather forgiven old Boney. Well, perhaps we’re reading too much into it… With water: much the same. Not terribly complex but spot-on in terms of aromatic balance. A touch of maltiness and something akin to beer make a quiet appearance. Mouth (neat): this is very good, well-balanced, delightfully creamy, slightly liqueur-like, again that duet of candied citrus peel and dried figs singing in fine harmony. With water: a little more citrusy tension, quite proper, edging towards something almost refreshing, though let’s not get carried away. Finish: of medium length but gentle, more on honeyed softness, though the citrus, figs, honey, and a pinch of spice—mulled wine style—still lead the dance. Comments: a draw in Campbeltown, as it were.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
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August 2025 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Clynelish 28 yo 1996/2025 (49.9%, Casky Hong Kong & Kanpakai Japan, Finest Selection, refill bourbon hogshead, cask #11444, 171 bottles) - WF 91
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Pride of Strathspey 1959–1960/1986 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Royal Marriage Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson) - WF 92
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
Wormtub 10 yo ‘Batch 5’ (56.1%, Atom Brands, sherry cask finish, 2024) - WF 88
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Monymusk 17 yo 2007/2024 (52.3%, Art Malts, MariGold Series, Jamaica) - WF 91
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Isle of Raasay 5 yo 2019/2025 (61.1%, The Maclean Foundation, charity bottling, release 3, cask #557, 246 bottles) - WF 90
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Oliver’s Exquisito 1995 (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2025) - WF 25 |
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August 31, 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! |
A few rums to make summer last a little longer
A harmless headline, really.
(The saucy marketing strategy of Dictador at trade shows and expos used to be very much aligned with current global political trends. Now we'll have a good expression today...) |
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Oliver’s Exquisito 1995 (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2025)
Evidently, at 40% vol. this feels cheap and rather 'inflated' from a marketing perspective. It's a solera, so the vintage is pure nonsense in normal situations. In short, little hope here, and that's precisely why we relegated it to apéritif duty. The good news, such as it is, is that it's 'small batch'. Colour: deep gold. Nose: not too dreadful, actually—some aubergines, furniture polish, and a medley of cane and maple syrups. But as we all know with these heavily 'doctored' rums, it's really the palate that tells the tale… Mouth: alright, not monstrously sweet, but still unbalanced, caramelised, and fairly vulgar. Finish: short, sugary, unpleasant. Comments: as a rule, when you see such a rum in a decanter, walk away. In fact, this stuff is rather awful - than 'exquisito'.
SGP:630 – 25 points. |
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Don Papa ‘Alon’ (40%, OB, Philippines, +/-2025)
The brand once languished in the lower dungeons of WF, but I must admit the Diageo takeover did manage to lift it somewhat, particularly with the 'Sherry Cask Finish' version, which wasn’t half bad at all (WF 81). Of course, purely personal opinions. This Alon is labelled as 'single island', which is rather amusing, and you'll definitely need a sturdy pair of sunglasses to admire the label in full blazing glory. But mind you, this isn't rum, it's a 'spirit drink', as discreetly stated in the tiniest possible font on a far-flung corner of the aforementioned label. If only we’d noticed that sooner! Colour: gold. Nose: a touch putrid at first, with notes of boiled leeks, stale pepper, last week's open ginger tonic, and a whole lot of nutmeg. Very strange, very deviant. Mouth: let’s not linger—this is a sort of spiced liqueur you might conceivably consume with 60% prosecco, 30% Perrier, and an Everest of crushed ice. Finish: not overly long but long enough to let all that sugar come blaring through. Comments: makes the little Exquisito seem almost brilliant in comparison. As for this Alon, one would do well to leave it… alone (that’s dreadful, S.) That said, even this is a matter of personal taste, and I’m sure there are passionate advocates of this concoction. And they’re absolutely right.
SGP:860 – 9 points. |
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Havana Club (48%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, Cuba, barrel no.111968, 165 bottles)
Common owners Pernod Ricard at the helm here, one expects a rather handsome Cuban rum. Colour: deep gold. Nose: there’s something subtle about great Cuban rums that reappears here—a delicate floral edge, discreet yet present sugarcane, soft elements akin to nougat and coconut balls, and inevitably, wafts of cigar box, with a touch of aniseed and cedarwood à la Romeo & Julietta. Mouth: sweet but not cloying, sugary but far from syrupy, more on orange liqueurs at first, then increasingly dominated by maple syrup. Maple is often cited, but here it truly reigns supreme. Do note, however, that the last time we were in Cuba, we didn’t spot a single maple tree. Finish: a tad short but soft and pleasant, with a charming liquorice-laced aftertaste and a bit more tannic grip. Comments: this is really very good indeed, within this style.
SGP:651 – 86 points. |
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Dictador 22 yo 1999/2021 ‘Episodio 1’ (43%, OB, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Port cask, 903 bottles)
Right, rumour has it that it's currently the favourite brand of a certain someone in D.C., even though they're supposed to be teetotal.… Colour: deep red amber. Nose: lovely! Coffee and praline, maple syrup, cigar box, beef stock… It’s truly a delightful nose, and quite unexpected, truth be told. A touch of mentholated tar on top, hooray. Mouth: and it doesn’t collapse in the slightest, it’s simply crammed full of all sorts of dried raisins, liquorice, and tar. The whole thing comes together rather well and even veers towards smoky bacon and American-style BBQ sauce. Finish: fairly long, smoky, nicely on rubber and tar, with a salty aftertaste. Comments: the brand once had a habit of parading scantily clad hostesses at festivals, which may have been eye-catching but did the juice no favours. At any rate, this one is very charming indeed—we’re frankly surprised. The smoky bacon touch is quite spectacular.
SGP:652 – 83 points. |
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Jamaica Single Cask Rum 9 yo 2015/2024 '<>H' (65%, Dr Whisky, Hong Kong, 90 bottles)
According to the label, cats seem to continue their reign over the Asian spirits scene, which is excellent news, as we’ve got five of them at WF Towers. Colour: gold. Nose: but of course—inner tube, acetone, varnish, seawater, cider vinegar, nail polish… With water: varnish, vinegar and tar racing in at full tilt. Mouth (neat): this will scorch and strip your throat if you’re not careful, but otherwise, it’s rather beautiful. Honestly, this stuff ought to be illegal. With water: rather in the WP style, though I wouldn’t bet my hand on it as the marque clearly suggests this is Hampden. Still pretty brutal and extreme, even with generous dilution. Hints of leek. Finish: long, very salty, tarry, extreme. Comments: this baby is properly mad, we’re likely brushing up against the limits of civilisation here.
SGP:273 – 87 points. |
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Isautier 2011/2024 (59.4%, Swell de Spirits, Wild Series, Réunion, agricole, ‘RVA’, 316 bottles)
Pure cane juice, aged on-site in a former Cognac cask. We’ve tasted some superb official agricole Isautiers in the past. Colour: amber. Nose: a touch strong at first, but reveals a lovely blend of fresh tar and yellow flowers, even lilies, all rather splendid. With water: beautiful humid earth and hints of cardamom with flickers of acetone. Mouth (neat): very strong, which almost lends it a young Willett rye kind of vibe. Varnish, fermented coconut, salted liquorice, and heaps of ethanol. With water: the rumness takes charge—sugarcane, esters, cacao, and a pronounced nocino note… Finish: long, with the liquorice taking centre stage, followed by hints of aniseed. Comments: it absolutely needs water, they ought to bundle it with a 1.5l bottle of Vittel (so, where’s that famous cheque, Nestlé?)
SGP:462 – 87 points. |
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Clarendon 2009/2024 (58.9%, The Wild Parrot, Jamaica, LMDW Foundations, Bog Estate mark)
Bog Estate is the EMB marque, so around 150 g/hlpa of esters, which is fairly light, though nothing is ever linear in this domain. Yes, it’s just like peat. Colour: gold. Nose: as the saying goes, when it’s there, it’s there. The esters are indeed very present—acetone, carbon, and a basaltic side, almost like scorched volcanic slag after a first rainfall. Then come olives and ultra-ripe fruits. With water: more carbon, fresh concrete, and seawater… Mouth (neat): oh, this is good, loaded with glue, indeed, but also mentholated salty liquorice. 150g? You don’t say. With water: superbly dry and salty. Black olive tapenade packed with anchovies and, naturally, loads of black olives, lifted by a squeeze of lemon. Finish: same story, very precise, fantastically dry and bitter. We love this. Comments: a real beast, truly, love at first sniff. But only 150g? Really?
SGP:462 – 90 points. |
We’re staying at Clarendon… |
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Monymusk 17 yo 2007/2024 (52.3%, Art Malts, MariGold Series, Jamaica)
Colour: white wine. That suggests likely ageing in Europe. Nose: we’re in similar territory to the previous one in terms of profile, though this feels like a more stripped-back version, almost austere, on seawater, diesel and lemon. That said, the citrus, and even vineyard peaches, begin to push their way to the fore. A very elegant nose. With water: Riesling is often cited, but here we’re squarely in ultra-mineral Riesling territory, with fresh fruits in support. Mouth (neat): incredible balance between solvent tension, liquorice, and ultra-ripe yellow fruits. Razor-sharp precision. With water: this gets dangerous, it’s that good. We weren’t surprised, but… well, we are surprised. Finish: long, pinpoint, very mineral and solvent-led, with most of the fruit stripped away. Magnificent purity. Comments: I won’t start speculating on the benefits of European ageing—I wouldn’t want four shady blokes in a black Mercedes S-Class turning up at WF Towers…
SGP:463 – 91 points. |
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Jamaica Single Cask Rum 10 yo 2014/2024 ‘<>H’ (66.4%, Dr. Whisky, Jamaica, 114 bottles)
A bottling for a group of bars and other rather distinguished establishments in Hong Kong, much like the previous version we tasted just moments ago. The ‘<>H’ mark suggests Hampden’s <H>, so around 1,000 g/hlpa of esters if that’s indeed the case. Colour: gold. Nose: a blast of UHU and Pattex glues, 50/50, followed by olives and dried seaweed of the nori variety. And, well, 66%+ alc/vol. With water: papier mâché, tar, plasticine, fresh plaster and seawater, along with a few crabs and shellfish. Mouth (neat): a cracking little salty monster, lemony and petrol-laced. Water isn’t optional in cases like this. With water: not much change, truth be told, just more manageable on the intake. Finish: very long, very salty, very solventy, and once again the trademark olives ride to the rescue. Comments: it really does give that full-on Ardbeg-of-rum feeling. Cracking bottle—they’re lucky in Hong Kong.
SGP:463 – 91 points. |
The Clarendon was more elegant, the Hampden more powerful and imposing, but in my view, both are firmly in the same top tier. Right, we'll leave it there, until next time. |
Check the index of all rums we've tasted |
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August 30, 2025 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
New Springbank 5yo plus sparring partner
There's a new Springbank 5 year old 100 proof out, a combination of factors that could have been deliberately put together with me in mind - though I feel confident we can say with maximum certainty that it was not ;) Let's try it today alongside a suitable, if somewhat leftfield sparring partner... |
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Springbank 5 yo '100 proof' (57.1%, OB, 2025) 
Composed of 100% bourbon casks, although not too sure if everything was first fill. Colour: pale straw. Nose: an abundance of fresh breads and citrus notes. Yeasty sourdough starter, wool, fresh linens and white flowers. Then lemon barley water and impressions of bay leaf, citrus curds, heathery floral notes and some firmer mineral and stone qualities that nod towards waxiness. The very epitome of excellent young malt whisky. With water: lighter and almost feathery, more focussed around cereals, breads, pressed flowers, wool, ink and mineral oil. Mouth: fantastic! Pure Springbank distillate character, very waxy and much oily and more emphatic than the nose suggested, going here much more decisively towards lemon waxy notes, chalk, clay, sheep wool, delicate medicinal tones and wild coastal flowers. There's also a slightly sharp, white stone fruitiness and fermentary side that makes me think of old Glen Grant 5yo 100 proof bottlings. With water: gets bone dry, even salty and superbly coastal now, lemon juice on sheep wool, watercress, white pepper and a trace of brittle peat smoke. Finish: good length, warming and peppery, with impressions of warm draff, old school ales, chalky and still those persistently bright lemony notes. Comments: It's true that I adore this distillate-dominated sort of profile, but even with that caveat, I think this is top notch, uber-charismatic young malt whisky in the very best sense. Swings a wrecking ball through most of these frankly embarrassing NAS wine finished things that clutter up whisky these days. That being said, it also demonstrates that in order to be able to release young, unvarnished, high strength bottlings such as this, you need the sort of distillate that can stand on its own.
SGP: 462 - 88 points. |
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Not sure this sparring partner makes much sense, but we aren't exactly spoilt for choice with 5yo Springbank bottlings just lying about the place... |
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Springbank 5 yo 1993/1998 (61.2%, Adelphi, cask #324)
We can only assume some kind of uber active sherry cask was deployed here... Colour: deep ruby. Nose: soy sauce, beef jerky and teriyaki! We know from a few other bottlings that Mitchells had filled a parcel of very active first fill port casks in the early 1990s, could this be one of those? There are certainly some pretty porty impressions going on: ruby and crusted port notes, cassis, blackcurrant cough drops, then more tertiary, earthy and rooty characteristics underneath that. A strong impression of some Springbank character despite such a heavy drape of cask influence. With water: blackcurrant, brambles, fig jam, plum wine and aniseed. This gentle impression of children's medicine such as Calpol in the background too. Mouth: extremely powerful upon arrival! You do tend to feel the alcohol, but there's also a wealth of sweet liquorice, black jack chew sweets, aniseed, cough syrup, herbal ointments, Buckfast, celery salts, cocktail bitters, dried tarragon, resinous hardwoods and strong, black tea. The nose seems like a distant cousin by comparison in terms of power! With water: full on blackcurrant cordial, red fruit cough syrups, dried mint, eucalyptus, aged porter beer, subtle traces of peat, some walnut oil and more strong notes of aniseed and liquorice. Also a feeling of aged Fernet Branca too. Extremely potent and dominated by these herbal, medicinal and rooty characteristics. Finish: long, on bitter artichoke liqueurs, black pepper, teas, rich earthy tones and more things like bramble wine, natural tar and fir wood resins. Comments: extreme and also extremely fun. What I really quite enjoy is that you still find the Springbank peeping out from those inky depths. I would really love to know if this was indeed one of those hyper active port hoggies? Also, in the end, it turned out to be a pretty perfect sparring partner for that new 5yo. Although, it's one of those drams that's extremely hard to score, please take mine with a pinch of salt.
SGP: 662 - 87 points. |
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August 29, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, more Tamnavulin and more wine
Several distilleries have made a speciality of releasing NAS (No Age Statement) versions enhanced with table wine, and Tamnavulin is one of them. We've already tasted quite a few, some of which were actually fairly decent. This time it's going to be grenache, though we can’t be sure it’ll be Rayas, now can we. Then we’ll go in search of a small independent...
(Grenache, Jules Troncy, public domain) |
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Tamnavulin ‘Red Wine Cask Edition – Spanish Grenache Cask Finish’ (40%, OB, +/-2022)
Ah alright, it is Spanish, so we should really say garnacha rather than grenache. One must be aware that grenache is a grape variety originally from Aragón, and certainly not from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Amen. Colour: gold (not pink). Nose: not bad at all, not overly marked by red fruits, rather going towards very ripe peach. A little jasmine and potpourri here and there, otherwise it's malt and ale speaking. I quite like it so far – do note this is a bottle priced under 30 Euros. Mouth: more vinous on the palate and truth be told, it slightly recalls certain white Châteauneufs-du-Pape, with a somewhat weighty structure. Some notes of stewed blueberry and wild strawberry, with a muffin-like edge. Finish: not so short, malty and jammy. Comments: do keep in mind that grenache is not solely red, there are white and grey (rosé) variants as well. At any rate, I do quite like this well-assembled little Tamnavulin.
SGP:551 - 80 points. |
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Tamnavulin 13 yo 2011/2024 ‘Moscatel Port Pipe’ (51.2%, Cut Your Wolfe Lose, 470 bottles)
Finished for two years in this intriguing Moscatel Port Pipe. One cannot legally make Port from Moscatel alone, but there is the excellent ‘Moscatel do Douro’, and I imagine that’s what we’re dealing with here. Or perhaps it was Moscatel destined to be blended into white Port? Lovely artwork by ZombieSqueegee, a welcome change from all those invasive AI renderings, the sort that go ‘a whisky drinker riding a pink dolphin through a cloud-strewn sky, chased by angry apricots’. Well, you get the idea. Colour: pale gold. Nose: fresh and crunchy muscat grapes arrive alongside grapefruit and lemon zest, which balance things out rather smartly. The whole thing is faintly reminiscent of a very young Rosebank from back in the day, all lemon brightness with a bit of plum in the background. With water: lemon streusel. Mouth (neat): much fresher and tighter than malts finished in Moscatel from Andalucía, or so it seems to me. We’re finding citrus, greengages, and also a faint fizziness, almost like ginger tonic. With water: not much change, save for a little green tea joining the chorus. Finish: medium in length, slightly fermentary and acidic, which suits it well. Comments: I must say, this is a proper success. I’ll admit the word ‘Moscatel’ gave me pause.
SGP:651 - 84 points. |
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August 28, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today
Glenfiddich again, 16 vs 30 |
Right, after Bowmore, Aston Martin has chosen Glenfiddich as a co-branding partner. We’ve already talked about that, but we hadn’t actually tasted anything yet. Here’s our chance, especially since we also wanted to revisit the old 30-Year-Old which, when it was released twenty years ago, left us feeling a little underwhelmed. It must be said that the 40% ABV really didn’t help… |
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Glenfiddich 16 yo ‘Aston Martin’ (43%, OB, American oak, 2025)
Apparently, this one’s the result of a tie-in with the Aston Martin Formula 1 team. Colour: deep gold. Nose: very nice, very civilised, rather on vanilla fudge and praline, apple tart, multifloral honey… It’s genuinely lovely and gentle, a bit like Aston’s position in the standings (Alonso 11th, Stroll 12th). Mouth: I find this really good, a little richer than your usual ‘fiddichs, which we do like, more malty on the palate, more on honey-baked quince, mirabelle tart, maple syrup… Finish: not so short, more on honey again but also more on cakes, scones, muffins and all that jazz. This is really good. Comments: to be honest, we do poke fun at these unlikely marketing tie-ins, but I must admit I rather like this little 16-year-old that’s got a fair bit of depth, even if we’re not quite dealing with a naturally aspirated V12 here.
SGP:551 - 85 point. |
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Glenfiddich 30 yo ‘XXX’ (40%, OB, +/-2005)
I’m rereading my notes from 17 October 2005, where I wrote ‘I hope we’ll see a 45 or 46% version on the market one day!’ I fear that never came to pass, but let’s taste this baby, from a different bottle of course, and most likely for the last time. Colour: deep gold. Nose: I reckon after twenty years in bottle, it’s become more aromatic, certainly more on bergamots and beeswax, honeysuckle and orange blossom, almost like fresh panettone from a good bakery. Needless to say, the panettones that turn up in our French hypermarkets aren’t exactly of the highest order. Mouth: blimey, what progress! A perfect OBE, leading straight to all things hive-like, honeys, but also a surprising salty edge, light broths, a faint Thai side (Thai basil, coriander, coconut, mild chilli) and the subtlest marmalades. What a surprise, truly. Finish: not even that short, very pretty, this time waxy and on blond tobacco… A touch of liquorice and Jamaican rum (yes) on the aftertaste. Comments: I’m absolutely floored, I wasn’t expecting this, I just wanted a little sparring partner for the 16 yo AM. Well then!
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
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August 27, 2025 |
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A quartet of Nc’Nean matured in active casks
I always find it a bit surprising when a distillery makes a point of using local or organic ingredients, proudly highlighting the regional terroir and going almost fully eco-conscious in its approach—only to then use the most eclectic and conceptually, and geographically, distant casks imaginable. Amarone, anyone? But you'll tell me it's the end result that matters, and I couldn't really argue with that... In any case, we've already enjoyed some excellent Nc’Nean. |
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Nc'Nean 'Huntress 2025 Lemon Meadow' (48.5%, OB, 5,729 bottles, 2025)
The operation brought together STR casks, American oak and a touch of oloroso. It would appear they've used champagne yeast, which is frightfully efficient, it could probably ferment pebbles! That's what I used myself when distilling mead, for example, honey not being easy to let ferment… Colour: light gold. Nose: lovely, on sponge cake and ale, banana bread, very ripe apples and a nice little lemon meringue tart. Pleasing malted freshness throughout. Mouth: a sweet and sour style, white beer, clearly some slightly green wood, then green walnuts and a twist of grapefruit zest. I find this good and not overly ‘STR’-ish, which is always appreciated. Finish: medium in length, quite fermentary indeed, though I doubt that's down to the champagne yeast. A touch of dark nougat lingers on the aftertaste. Comments: I find this really good, even if I remain partial to malts that stay closer to the distillate (I do repeat myself).
SGP:561 - 82 points. |
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Nc’Nean 6 yo 2018/2024 (57.1%, Watt Whisky, STR cask, 282 bottles)
More STR again, but in any case it’s always an encouraging sign when respected independents like the Watt chaps take an interest in your distillery. Colour: gold. Nose: more modern, more ‘American craft’ if I may say so, with rye bread, fir wood, eucalyptus, citrus peel, turmeric and cumin. Speculoos biscuits. With water: the candied peels take the lead. Mouth (neat): gentle but very spicy, heavily marked by the cask, full of ginger, lemon peel, cinnamon, ginger again… One is clearly a good distance from the distillate here, but it so happens that I also enjoy this sort of style. If one’s going to go cask-driven, may as well go all in, no? With water: indeed this is very good, although more west-coast USA than west-coast Scotland. Finish: rather long, with touches of elderflower liqueur. Ready for a Hugo spritz! Comments: no doubt a little polarising, but I really do like it.
SGP:561 - 85 points. |
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Nc’Nean 2020/2025 ‘AON Amarone’ (59.3%, OB, Kirsch Import, cask # 20-676, 486 bottles)
One might reasonably ask what on earth the connection is between the west coast terroir and Valpolicella, no? Colour: partridge eye. Nose: very lovely, clean, close to barley and grist, a low-tide beach, a full bowl of oatcakes… With water: likely refill wood, as balance seems to have been preserved, we’re far from any cherry or strawberry jam. I rather enjoy this fresh bread angle too, alongside damp earth and a whiff of soggy cardboard… Mouth (neat): strong but good. Nothing to do with Amarone, we’re firmly in the realm of taut citrus, pink grapefruit, citron… Very fine sharpness. With water: tiny flecks of menthol and bergamot. Finish: rather long, slightly saline, still close to the barley. Comments: ma dov’è amarone? Perhaps best not to mention it at all, it only led us astray at the start… Excellent.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
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Nc’Nean 2017/2025 ‘AON Calvados’ (60.1%, OB, Kirsch Import, cask # 17-520, 343 bottles)
I imagine there’s no more link between the west coast of Scotland and calvados than there is with Amarone, but never mind, we said we’d keep an open mind, didn’t we? Colour: pale gold. Nose: the previous cask’s contents are far more assertive here, with marked notes of banana and coconut—piña colada style. A family-sized bag of Haribo’s finest, though beware, high strength tends to flatten things a bit… With water: the proverbial pacifying lemon meringue pie. They ought to send some to Moscow, Washington and Tel Aviv. Mouth (neat): liquid sweeties, led by pear and lemon. The worst part is, I rather like it, it must be the inner child surfacing. With water: yes, very good. The apple does emerge a little, with elegance and restraint. Finish: same again. Comments: the previous one had a touch more of those positive edges, but this ‘calva’ is also very, very good in my humble view.
SGP:641 - 86 points. |
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August 26, 2025 |
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Another short selection of recent Glen Ord
Indeed, we often taste Glen Ord, simply because we love Glen Ord. Believe it or not, we never build our line-ups based on brands' market share, their popularity, or even their image. It’s also worth mentioning that the ‘square’ bottled versions from Diageo, some twenty years ago, made a very, very strong impression on us.
(The very extraordinary Glen Ord 30 yo from 2005 - WF 93) |
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Glen Ord 8 yo (48.5%, Decadent Drinks, Equinox & Solstice Summer 2025 edition)
From two refill hogsheads) You’ll note that all this solstice and equinox business appears to matter a great deal more to the wilder northern tribes than it does to us, humble dwellers of middle-Europe. At least, that seems to be the case for the Scots. Colour: straw. Nose: pure multivitamin fruit juice. One might imagine that if you saw a doctor, he’d simply prescribe you a bottle of this baby—so straightforward, yet so utterly perfect. That said, it’s williams pear that gently leads the charge. Mouth: a notch more complexity on the palate. Caution, it may give the impression you can knock it back in one, but that would be unwise, there’s still a fair few volts humming in there. Patisserie notes, custard, honey, syrups, all come together with properly ripe fruit. Finish: inexplicably long, fresh, fruity, yet never lapsing into that excessive ‘eau-de-vie’ territory. Comments: top drawer stuff, dangerously drinkable (or is it!)
SGP:641 - 87 points. |
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Glen Ord 11 yo 2012/2024 (56.4%, Milroy’s Soho Selection, bourbon barrel, cask # 800243)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: and here we go, an Ord-Clynelish. Not at all like the previous one, but here the waxy side simply can’t go unnoticed by any attentive taster. The rest is absolutely top-notch, sea air, apples and pears, fresh grass… What a nose indeed. With water: it folds entirely into paraffin and shoe polish. Mouth (neat): a thunderous arrival, earthy, almost combative, briny, fermentary, peppery… Water should bring a truce, as it usually does. With water: fermenting fruit, seawater, mezcal… Something odd must have happened, but we love it. Finish: long, salty, coastal. Comments: a strange Ord, perhaps a stencil mix-up, or yet another barcode editor update gone awry, as always. Either way, we’re absolutely taken with this very improbable and decidedly deviant Ord.
SGP:462 - 89 points. |
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Glen Ord 12 yo 2012/2025 ‘Edition #46’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof, 1st fill bourbon barrels)
Colour: straw. Nose: this one’s the purest, the simplest (in the best possible sense) of the trio. And perhaps the most ‘Ord’ of the lot. Honeys, pollens, ripe apples, mirabelles, apricots, with a waft of coastal freshness. Nothing to fault here. With water: ultra-simple, excellent, on lemon fruit jelly and acacia honey. Mouth (neat): when simplicity becomes a virtue. Pear and apple juice, lemon juice, a saline touch, with hints of sourdough and white beer. With water: no real shift, just more softness and those gently malty, fermentary tones. Finish: fairly long, classic, drifting towards lemon focaccia. Comments: this is also very good indeed. Such class, Glen Ord.
SGP:451 - 87 points. |
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