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November 1, 2025 |
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October 2025 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Ex aequo:
Glenlivet 85 yo 1940/2025 'Artistry in Oak' (43.7%, Gordon & MacPhail, sherry butt, cask #336, 125 bottles) - WF 95
Port Ellen 42 yo 1983/2025 (56.4%, OB, 200th Anniversary, 150 bottles) - WF 95
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Glenfarclas-Glenlivet 15 yo (57 G.L., OB, All Malt Unblended, Pinerolo for Edward Giaccone, 75cl, early 1970s) - WF 93
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
Talisker 10 yo (45.8%, OB, +/-2025) - WF 90
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Cabeza Llena 1948/2025 (49.1%, La Maison & Velier, Cuba) - WF 94
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Ballindalloch 2016/2024 (60.8%, OB, for Germany, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #4, 265 bottles) - WF 90
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
None (hurray!) |
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October 31, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos,
today indie Deanston |
There’s always something going on over at Deanston, one of the distilleries that, in recent years, has benefitted most from the overblown trend of premiumisation and from the disappearance of certain brands from independent bottlers, brands which, perhaps, fancied themselves a bit too 'important' at some point. That’s just my personal take, of course, but I believe consumer goodwill is going to become increasingly important, and that modest, friendly brands will end up having the edge over distant and pretentious ones. But that’s just my two pence... |
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Deanston 11 yo 2014/2025 (49.7%, Lady of the Glen, Samhain Series, 1st fill PX quarter cask, cask #300223, 158 bottles) 
A new series of bottlings revolving around tales, in this instance ‘The UFOs of the Falkirk Triangle’. We'll delve into that one later, but first things first, the whisky... Colour: amber. Nose: just a wee bit hot and spirity at first nosing, but massive waves of milk chocolate with raisins and praline fudge soon come rushing in to settle matters agreeably. Increasing amounts of salted butter caramel follow, alongside peanut butter and even millionaire's shortbread. Then roasted peanuts. And caramel-coated hazelnuts. You see where this is going, it's all charmingly nostalgic and sweet-shop-esque... Mouth: rather thick, with the PX and the cask both leading the charge, and I was about to say ‘naturally’, though this time it’s more molasses honey and corn syrup wrapping themselves round your palate, with just flickers of tobacco leaf and a dusting of nutmeg lingering behind. Crème catalane delivers the final persuasive touch – indeed, it’s truly good. And yes, nostalgic again. Finish: long, on vanilla chestnut purée, liquorice, and a wee hint of turmeric and black pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: a tad thick, rich, edging towards the sweet side, yet never quite cloying. Not exactly my preferred style, but I won’t deny it’s ex-cel-lent.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
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Deanston 27 yo 1997/2025 (50.4%, Decadent Drinks, Decadent Drams, refill hogshead, 251 bottles) 
Deanstons of this rather respectable age aren’t exactly thick on the ground. We’re quite fond of the label too, rumour has it it was designed on a Commodore 64 (just like Whiskyfun, come to think of it). Colour: white wine. Nose: it does feel a bit like a crafty elf had secretly blended Clynelish with Pulteney while everyone else was fast asleep. It’s true we’re more used to Deanstons that carry a heavier cask imprint, but this wee thing is very clean and waxy, on garden white and yellow fruits and fresh white bread with fennel seeds. With water: the fruits begin to overripen and even edge towards a touch of fermentation. And we’re all for it. Mouth (neat): this is really excellent, oily yet tense, with some beautifully subtle bitterness, waxiness once again, the skins of those same fruits (especially apples), and a few drops of eau-de-vie from tiny wild berries – service tree, rowan, holly and the like. A touch of salinity also emerges. With water: water makes it even oilier and fattier, also just a tad mechanical (engine grease comes to mind). The bitterness remains, with some curious meaty touches now creeping in. Finish: medium length, more bitter again, on roasted aubergines and baked artichokes. With a splash of olive oil. Comments: this time, and even if one tries not to let it count for too much, this is entirely my favourite style, I’m afraid.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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October 30, 2025 |
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Solera Session: another series full of blends
There are quite a few of these blends that might seem a bit unlikely, yet they’re often branded with great seriousness. Still, we find them rather endearing – and sometimes, they’re even excellent! Right then, let’s start with an old-fashioned aperitif… |
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Ye Auld Toun 12 yo (86 proof, OB, John Gillon & Co., Edward & Edward, Italy, 4/5 quart, 1970s) 
A brand that once fell under the sway of Ainslie/Clynelish, which can hardly be unwelcome news, can it. Amusing contradiction between the American-style proof and centilitre conversion, and the clearly Italian destination, but were the ways of Eduardo ‘Baffo’ Giaccone ever meant to be straightforward... Colour: gold. Nose: if memory serves, Coleburn was the base malt in this one, and that would track, as we’re immediately greeted by those plump oily phenolics of a good Royal Edinburgh bottling, wrapped in a blanket of outrageously ripe banana and a drizzle of mead. Quite lovely in fact, with charming little plumes of ancient toolbox and crankcase oil wafting about. Mouth: impeccable, rich and generous, rolling across the tongue with a salinity and fatness that recall old apples, dusty peppercorns, grapeseed oil, vintage cognac, herbal cough syrup and salted butter caramel. In short, one might be tempted to whisper the phrase 'super-blend'. Finish: rather long, properly fat and almost chewy, smoky and saline to the point of flirting with a kind of Thai broth. Comments: now that’s a blend! There’s something White Horse-esque here, though a notch less smoky and noticeably rounder on the fat side. It even flirts with the Glen Brora blend at moments.
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
Alright, enough of the old stuff... |
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Dewar's 8 yo 'Portuguese Smooth' (40%, OB, blended scotch, +/-2025) 
We do love Dewar’s, we cherish them, we’d almost consider marrying into the family, but really now, ‘Portuguese Smooth’? Right then, it’s a Port cask finish... Colour: gold. Nose: light, pleasant, rounded, with touches of damp earth and orange peel, and to be entirely fair, it doesn’t disgrace itself even after the rather splendid Ye Auld Toun. There’s a faint whisper of Campari (apologies) but no overt winey notes to speak of. Mouth: well, this is good. They’ve managed to preserve a certain tautness, mostly thanks to the oranges again, and while it does rather throw in the towel partway through, there’s precious little to grumble about. Finish: not short, slightly bitter. The return of the Italian bitters, brand names unnecessary. Comments: one imagines this would fare even better over ice.
SGP:461 - 78 points. |
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Woven 'Hemisphere' (51.4%, OB, world blend, +/-2024) 
A blend involving New Zealand whisky smoked with manuka wood, along with a measure of Scottish malt. And why ever not? It rather sounds like a World Cup rugby fixture, doesn’t it. Colour: white wine. Nose: a lick of tarry smoke to start, followed by stewed fruits and an increasing sense of garden bonfire and even some hay burning quietly in the background. It’s charming. With water: fresh rubber – Nike, Puma, Adidas and the rest – followed by a very attractive note of proper farmhouse cider. Mouth (neat): the distillates come out swinging, rugged, herbal, rooty and earthy, bursting with youthful vigour. A touch of olive oil as well – did you know olive oil is going to save the world? With water: a rubbery smokiness returns, now with a sweeter edge of root vegetables, carrot purée springs to mind. Finish: long, quirky, unusual, with flickers of old vinyl and salsify. We did say it was unusual. Salty aftertaste, skirting smoked ham territory. Comments: well, we do like this oddball.
SGP:453 - 84 points. |
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Compass Box 'Brulée Royale' (49%, OB, blended Scotch, 2025)
Apparently this oddly named creature – particularly odd in French – contains Aberlour, Ardbeg, Clynelish and Speyburn. The real headline here, of course, is Speyburn, isn’t it Jon in Drumnadrochit? Colour: white wine. Nose: celery! Fennel! Sorrel! Turnip! What curious garden spell is this? Beneath all that, crème brûlée indeed, lemon drops, pear lozenges and coconut snowballs. It’s rather amusing. Mouth: everything comes together around the malt, could be mistaken for a slightly smoky Speysider, focused on sweetshop delights, jammy things, boiled sweets and a pint of something very hoppy. Finish: fairly long, leaning more into citrus now, quite robust and countryside-driven in the end. Plenty of youthful energy. A hint of sugar on the aftertaste. Comments: the youth shows, but a very fruity kind of youth, one happily conferred. A neat composition, as ever from Compass Box.
SGP:652 - 83 points. |
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Black Bull 18 yo (50%, OB, blended Scotch, +/-2025) 
We quite like the new minimalist labels. Not sure whether the brand is still under the wing of Duncan Taylor – we’ll need to look into that. Colour: white wine. Nose: this BB isn’t far off the CB, fruity, cheerful, lightly smoky and faintly earthy, with notes of windfallen apples and raw carrot. Quite a lot of carrot, actually. With water: turnips and celery glazed with honey. High-brow cuisine, you know. Mouth (neat): remarkable, it’s almost the same whisky as that oddly named Compass Box, not quite sure what’s going on there. Perhaps the art of blending smooths out all the quirks and jagged edges? With water: we’re a bit adrift, but it’s undeniably good. Finish: medium length, middle-of-the-road profile, nothing out of place. A lovely earthy note and a touch of pear. Comments: this Black Bull probably won’t turn the whisky world on its head, but one must admit it’s a well-made blend.
SGP:442 - 81 points. |
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Johnnie Walker 'Blue Label Ice Chalet' (43%, OB, blended Scotch, 2024)
A very pricey blend (£300), crafted by the superstar master blender, the fantastic and charming Emma Walker, who surely holds one of the finest jobs in the world. The story goes that this blend is built around malts from high-altitude Scottish distilleries – and to think we didn’t even know there were high-altitude distilleries in Scotland. Dalwhinnie, perhaps? Colour: gold. Nose: funny how the mind works – I’d swear this smells ‘fresh’! Pretty notes of earth, stone, roots (gentian), dandelion and gentle honeys. Mouth: this is very well done indeed, saline, malty, lightly smoky, with a coastal dimension (altitude, you say?) and a good spread of fresh exotic fruits – wee pineapples, pink bananas, even a dash of passion fruit. Finish: not overly long but fresh, fruity and nicely balanced. Comments: a very, very well-composed blend from a blue bottle that looks slightly out of place on a traditionalist's shelf, but we’re not here to talk about design...
SGP:632 - 88 points. |
While we’re at Johnnie’s… |
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Johnnie Walker 'Blue Label Elusive Umami' (43%, OB, blended Scotch, 1l, 2023) 
A blend crafted in collaboration with star chef Kei Kobayashi, in Paris, holder of three Michelin stars. Which doesn’t necessarily mean it all went sideways, nor that it’s all marketing fluff – let’s not be too cynical, please... Of course, the 43% vol. doesn’t exactly set the pulse racing, but one never knows. Colour: gold. Nose: not much umami to report so far, more along the lines of apple tart glazed with honey and sweet wine. In short, classic Johnnie Walker Blue Label, which remains a very good blend, to be fair. Perhaps the umami will show on the palate... Mouth: afraid the Ice Chalet is vastly superior here. A rougher, more rustic affair, rather uninspiring and not exactly inviting. No comprendo mucho. Finish: fairly long but frankly middling, and truth be told, one isn’t clamouring for it to linger. Comments: not quite to our taste, though we might still pop into Kei’s one day to see what the fuss is about. I wouldn’t trade a single half-bottle of Ice Chalet for a case of Elusive Umami, that’s for sure.
SGP:531 - 72 points. |
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MacPhail's 40 yo (46%, Gordon & MacPhail, single malt, +/-2025)
Not even under torture, nor under threat of a tête-à-tête with Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin, would anyone at G&M reveal what’s actually in MacPhail’s. Believe me, we’ve tried. Colour: deep gold. Nose: sublime raisins, honey, metal polish, old sweet wines, damp earth and ancient sherries. It’s simply splendid and – dare one say it – just a touch Macallan-esque. Merely an impression, fleeting and by no means conclusive. Mouth: bloody hell (oops), this is good! Perfect tension and freshness in spite of the age, overripe apples, plums and oranges, old passito or vin de paille, then just a shade too much old wood, manifesting as slightly oversteeped black tea. Finish: long, herbal, woody, that’s the wee Achilles’ heel right there. Strong mint and pepper. Not that it matters – it’s excellent. Comments: not that it matters indeed – it’s excellent indeed.
SGP:571 - 89 points. |
(Thank you mucho, Stéphane) |
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October 29, 2025 |
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Glenfarclas is back on WF, with all due fanfare
I believe it had been over two years since we last tasted an official Glenfarclas, for reasons far too long-winded to go into here. Perhaps we're just a little too sensitive? But you see, the delightful Debbie won us over, and here we are again! No, no, we won’t say another word, not even under torture, but let’s start with a little aperitif...
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Glenfarclas 8 yo (40%, OB, Pure Malt, Saccone & Speed London, 75cl, +/-1980)
One can see why the SWA eventually felt compelled to tidy up the nomenclature around vatted and pure malts, what with some 'blended' rather cheekily calling themselves 'pure', indeed. This handsome bottle was part of a tasting session put on by Whisky.Auction and led by the ever-knowledgeable Dr Nick Morgan. Colour: full gold. Nose: heavily on the toffee, a proper mix of sherry and paxarette, with maple syrup aplenty, then leaning towards earthy and metallic tones that may well betray a touch of good old OBE. Mouth: rich considering the modest strength, full of sultanas and toffee again, yet showing freshness from fruits such as fully ripe figs, and even dried ones. By the way, let us not forget that the fig is not truly some fruit, but rather a casing that holds thousands of tiny flowers. But let us not wander off... Finish: medium in length, mellower and richer still. Comments: the standard was high in those days, although do bear in mind a good OBE might have lent a helping hand here.
SGP:641 - 88 points. |
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Glenfarclas 2014/2025 'Easter Edition' (46%, OB, Germany, sherry casks, 3000 bottles)
Hurrah, we’ve managed to taste this Easter edition before Christmas for once. Colour: gold. Nose: this is a rather oily GF yet also livelier and fruitier on the nose, with a fairly moderate sherry influence, somewhat reminiscent of the older 15-year-old, if that rings any bells. It goes on with hints of gas and truffle that might be a touch less thrilling, but on the other hand the florals do appear as well, especially dandelion. And herbal teas... Mouth: a slightly sulphury side to start, then tarte tatin and orange liqueur, tobacco, a touch of caramel... Finish: fairly long, still lightly sulphured. Comments: there are some wonderful facets here, but also these faintly rustic notes that call to mind brake pads and an old, poorly ventilated underground car park. Pretty likeable, though a little tricky to pin down...
SGP:551 - 81 points. |
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Glenlitigious 12 yo 2012/2025 (50%, Decadent Drinks, Decadent Drams, 2nd fill sherry hogshead, 218 bottles)
The label is quite hilarious! The 12-year-old from 2024 had been excellent (WF 88). Colour: pale gold. Nose: beautiful malt with a sherry presence that’s discreet yet clearly there, sitting in perfect balance between Mars bars, walnut liqueur and chestnut honey. One might call it the epitome of a traditional young own-family Speysider, though perhaps without venturing far enough to invite legal correspondence. With water: triple sec and tobacco appear, both in gentle moderation. Mouth (neat): orange chocolate and English breakfast tea. Very good indeed. With water: still lovely, this time with a touch of sweet chestnut purée and vanilla. Finish: fairly long, superbly balanced and highly convincing on the maltiness front. Comments: why aren’t all official 12-year-old Speyside malts this good? I see no reason not to award it the same score as last year.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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Glenfarclas 11 yo 2011/2023 (56.5%, North Star Spirits, oloroso sherry butt, 402 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: all in on fudge, salted butter caramel, marshmallow and cappuccino, if not a certain Frappuccino ™ from you-know-where. A drop of coffee liqueur à la Kahlua ™ or Tia Maria ™. With water: a faint smoky touch (exhaust fumes) that suits us perfectly, this might well be a malt for petrolheads. A light gingery note as well. Mouth (neat): this is really good, still very much on coffee and its many permutations, then orange zest and countless roasted hazelnuts, almonds and peanuts. Feels very close to an official bottling, if you ask me. With water: it turns a tad more herbaceous and spicier, which is hardly unusual in official expressions either. Finish: long, more on bitterness now, but in a most pleasing way. Comments: very good, I find this one closer to official standards than the official we started this wee session with.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Glenfarclas 12 yo '105' (60%, OB, Germany exclusive, sherry, 4,200 bottles, 2025)
Our German neighbours have always had a soft spot for Glenfarclas, and as far back as I can recall, there have always been plenty of limited editions just for that fine country. Sadly, we don’t have a recent ‘standard’ version of the 105 to hand—we would have liked to compare. Colour: amber. Nose: honestly, take the ‘North Star’, dial it up a few notches, and there you are. Archetypal stuff. With water: same again. Mouth (neat): really very good, classically styled, with just a faint note of geranium and violet slipping in here. With water: still excellent, malty, chocolatey and full of toasted walnuts and hazelnuts. Finish: long, a bit more on cinnamon, ginger and, above all, nutmeg. Orange blossom and liquorice in the aftertaste. Still excellent. Comments: pure Glenfarclas.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Glenfarclas 20 yo 2004/2024 (56%, OB for Tiffany's New York Bar Hong Kong and OBE Whisky, refill sherry hogshead, cask #2032, 108 bottles)
Colour: amber. Nose: another textbook Glenfarclas, though this one leans a little more towards varnishes and wax polishes, which we naturally adore. The rest splits itself between walnuts, roasted peanuts, chestnut honey, prunes and milk chocolate. Very hard to fault at this stage. Mind you, that’s hardly the goal. With water: still ultra-classic, though now it takes on more earthy tones, cigars, and even a few touches of juniper and cumin sneaking in. You may as well add a few drops of the fine spirits those talented folk up north in Europe are producing using those ingredients. Mouth (neat): rather oily, opening on orange zest and ginger slices dipped in chocolate, the sort of treats you’d enjoy with a good coffee. Just like this GF, without doubt. It then heads straight for absolutely pure dark chocolate, with just a peppery trace or two. With water: it’s the floral notes that lift the whole affair to new heights, truly lovely. An irresistible peony note emerges here, it gains several points at this stage, not that such things matter, of course. Finish: long, fresh, and surprisingly more complex. And here come the oranges! A beautiful finale, Springsteen-style (what?). Comments: a proper cinematic experience; I'm sure if we gave it another quarter of an hour, it’d reach 90.
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
We were planning to stop there for our rekindling with Glenfarclas, but since it's going so well, we might as well throw a few more into the mix, alright? |
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Glenfarclas 'Passion' (46%, OB, sherry casks, 6,000 bottles, 2014)
An older edition, but you see, it’s always a pleasure to spot George Grant on a label... Colour: gold. Nose: light sherry, jelly babies, dandelion and mullein syrup, fresh malt, sugarcane syrup. Seems like a rather playful version, definitely a departure from the usual paths. Mouth: really good, not overly complex, malty, unfolding on baked apple drizzled with honey and cinnamon, then chicory coffee and a few fresh mint leaves. Finish: pleasant, not very long, on twigs and fruit peelings. Comments: to be honest this wasn’t the most majestic of all the GFs, but as the saying goes, it did the job.
SGP:541 - 82 points. |
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Glenfarclas 2012/2024 'Vintage' (46%, OB, Trinity Vintage Series, sherry)
From oloroso casks sourced from the bodega José y Miguel Martín in the heart of Jerez. Colour: gold. Nose: a classic sherry profile, though leaning a touch more towards soy sauce, umami, Bovril and that whole family of things, though in moderation, we wouldn’t quite call it ‘savoury’. The rest is on chocolate, caramel and malt. Mouth: very close to the ‘Passion’, though with more pronounced sherry influence. Oranges, walnuts, raisins, candied cherry, vanilla and dried pear... Not a thing to complain about, this is really very good. Finish: fairly long, a little more on honey. Fir honey, cinnamon, clove. Comments: really very good, in a classic style that’s not fallen out of fashion. Well, not here at WF at any rate.
SGP:551 - 83 points. |
Let’s head back, then, to the Far Eastern independents… |
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Speyside 21 yo (55.3%, Oxhead Whisky, oloroso sherry hogshead, cask #4593, 195 bottles, 2024)
Nothing here suggests this couldn’t be Glenfarclas. Colour: gold. Nose: back to a classic profile, with millionaire’s shortbread, maple syrup, baked apple and roasted chestnuts. In short, very much in season. With water: dark ales, farmhouse cider, black bread. Mouth (neat): on the palate the spices speak first—green walnut, ginger, pepper... All in all, quite herbal and spicy, a little astringent, and no doubt in need of a splash of water to open up. With water: it does round off, bringing herbal liqueurs and lemon zest into play. The spices remain firmly in charge though. Finish: long and a touch drying. Comments: overall very good, just perhaps a tad austere and herbal for a Glenfarclas of this fine age.
SGP:461 - 84 points. |
How about inviting an older edition? Even if it risks blowing this little reconciliation session to pieces? Hey, this is WF, is it not? |
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Glenfarclas-Glenlivet 15 yo (57 G.L., OB, All Malt Unblended, Pinerolo for Edward Giaccone, 75cl, early 1970s)
Eduardo ‘Baffo’ Giaccone, of course... The good man did, after all, select some of the most fabulous versions of our favourite malts, from Clynelish to... Glenfarclas. Colour: gold. Nose: Houston!... Mandarins, basalt, beeswax, first rainwater, late-season wild mushrooms, honeysuckle and old Meursault. Must we really add anything more? With water: utterly sublime, evoking all the great white wines from the finest vintages of the last century. Nothing further to say. Mouth (neat): absolute beauty, minty firmness, sultanas de la muerte and venerable Italian and French liqueurs. We shan’t list them all, shall we? With water: tiny animal touches emerge, mutton fat, hams, salamis, suet, dried meats, marrow quenelles, and assorted Japanese and Chinese ‘things’. Forgive this ultra-condensed version of our impressions, but we’ve decided to moderate our use of maltoporn. Temporarily... Finish: rather long and sublimely saline, full of all the greatest broths of creation. Comments: that’ll do nicely; this bottle is near impossible to find anyway.
SGP:562 - 93 points. |
Hold on, before we wrap up, we’ve got a last-minute surprise guest: a little neighbour who really impressed us at Whisky Live Hamburg. It might not be the time or place to taste it, but there you go, we reckon it won’t waver in the slightest, even after that magnificent old gem from Glenfarclas… |
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Ballindalloch 2016/2024 (60.8%, OB, for Germany, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #4, 265 bottles)
It’s starting to get a bit embarrassing, one gets the feeling our dear German friends are snapping up everything good coming out of the townlet of Ballindalloch. We might have to start keeping an eye on Cragganmore while we’re at it. Just kidding, of course... Colour: Nose: white wine. Nose: candied mandarins and pistachio oil, plus still-warm buttery croissants straight from the oven, all beneath a faultlessly clean line, accurate down to the micron. With water: a medley of rustic breads of every imaginable sort, no exceptions, with traces of vanilla pod and a faint hint of geranium potting soil—much loved in Alsace. Mouth (neat): barley, orange, lemon, wax, coriander seeds. Why overcomplicate things... With water: breads and dried fruits, mainly citrus, arranged by some divine entity. Finish: long, slightly more peppery, but wonderful all the same. Comments: a bit of a ‘Daftmill but a little further north’ vibe, if you see what I mean. You feel the original ingredients resonating through and through.
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
We’d already tasted Ballindalloch before, but we probably hadn’t quite summoned the energy to really get to the heart of it. Admittedly, there are literally thousands of new malt distilleries around the world these days, but this one feels like serious stuff. Right then, see you soon... As for Glenfarclas, we’ll be back next year, cross our hearts. In any case, thank goodness for Debbie. Isn't whisky mainly, or perhaps only about people? |
PS: note that a few independent bottlers have occasionally used the name 'Ballindalloch' for some more or less secret Glenfarclas bottlings, but this has nothing to do with the recent Ballindalloch distillery, from which we've just tasted a superb example. |
(Merci to Thierry and The golden Promise) |
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October 28, 2025 |
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The World Sessions,
A new little malty journey around the world |
Setting off from France, of course, let’s make the most of it while neither the air traffic controllers nor the railway workers, perhaps not exactly the crème de la crème of French society, are on strike… |
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Trésor Légendaire (44%, Marcel Cabelier, sherry, vin jaune finish, +/-2025)
Unmistakably a malt whisky that seems to hail from the Jura, although the distillery remains unnamed. That said, we've already sampled another expression from this house, and it had rather tickled our fancy back then. Colour: gold. Nose: barley, ripe apples and fresh walnuts—what more could one ask for? Extremely faint traces of aniseed and caraway lurking in the background. The vin jaune influence is subtle yet unmistakably present. Mouth: the fact is, this unlikely bottle turns out to be excellent, offering caramelised walnuts, wee apples, toasted rustic bread and a dash of liquorice wood, all wrapped in a saline touch that evokes the nearby Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans. Finish: of medium length, ever so slightly mustardy, entirely consistent with the vin jaune style. Still a bit of a mystery whether we're squarely in Arbois territory or perhaps further south. Well done, Grands Chais! Comments: I wasn't expecting this level of quality, to be honest.
SGP:462 – 86 points. |
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Uberach 2005/2025 (47.9%, LMDW Version Française, Banyuls cask, 251 bottles)
Dear, dear LMDW, if I may say so, the mention of 'Grand Est' on the label instead of 'Alsace' is most unwelcome. Will your next champagnes be labelled 'Grand Est' as well? And what of mirabelle from Lorraine? Rozelieures, perhaps? Said in all friendship, of course... That aside, it is rather sad that Uberach, i.e. the Bertrand distillery, has ceased 'smoking', as it once boasted France’s most formidable master, citizen Jean Metzger, prince and pioneer of French whisky. Let me add we had already tasted this baby during a masterclass at Whisky Live Paris, and I believe it was quite the hit. Colour: deep gold. Nose: it would appear that this unlikely pairing of Alsatian malt and Banyuls has resulted in notes of new tyres, charcoal, herbes de Provence on the grill, rosewood and fresh latex. How amusing. Mouth: it’s nothing short of miraculous that this works so well, but let’s not forget Jean used to play Hendrix and Zappa to his casks during maturation. No surprise, then, that we find here notes of muffins shrouded in a purple haze. Joking aside, the liquorice pastille that wraps it all up turns this into a proper little gem. Finish: long, with blackcurrant and liquorice, a curious combination that almost drifts into an improbable watermelon (in Easter hay). Comments: magnificent and moving. Jean, keep in touch.
SGP:651 – 89 points. |
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Agitator 'Chestnut Cask' (43%, OB, Sweden, +/-2024)
A ‘vacuum distilled’ malt (but we’ll come back to that later), matured in chestnut casks, a type that was once widely used for transport, notably by the Burgundians, as it was cheaper and far easier to work with than oak. Word has it you can still unearth old chestnut casks in Scotland, though of course, while traditional, they’re now officially illegal. Shh... Colour: full gold. Nose: I imagine what we’re detecting here mirrors the difference between chestnut honey—one of my favourites—and oak honeydew, pleasant but rather more common and less refined. Brave bees! In short, a light resinous side and hints of chestnut purée. With whipped cream, naturally. Mouth: this is good, slightly more resinous and indeed honeyed, with what we might call foresty notes—mosses, ferns, that sort of thing—along with a faint sawdustiness, perhaps a little less charming, let’s say. Finish: medium in length, and decidedly on marrons glacés and fir honey. Comments: I wouldn’t call it the innovation of the century, but personally I quite like it—very much, in fact.
SGP:351 – 83 points. |
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Archie Rose x Whisky Abbey (50%, Single Malt Australian Whisky, 2024)
Here we are in Sydney, Downunda. I don’t quite know what to expect, but Casa de Vinos seems to be involved, which is rather like receiving a letter of recommendation from Winston Churchill. Randomly. Colour: full gold. Nose: LOL, as we used to say. Hugely expressive, with a mash-up of cereals, cumin and honey, all properly fermented as one might hope, then prunes, roots veering toward carrot, molasses and pumpernickel. In short, it’s very ‘new world’, and naturally, here in the old one, we rather love that—particularly the faint roguishness about it. Mouth: fat and hugely expressive, with carnations, cinnamon, strawberry, lychee, coffee, pine sap and liquorice—a wildly improbable flavour combo that somehow works like a recently serviced Patek Philippe. Finish: long, now saltier, more tertiary, fermentary and umamified. There. Comments: frankly, it’s a bit bonkers, but we absolutely love this delightfully refreshing anti-classicism.
SGP:562 – 88 points. |
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Thy 'PX and Oloroso' (49.5%, OB, Denmark, 2024)
This appears to be Odyssey barley, smoked over beechwood. And why ever not? We are admittedly a little weary of PX these days, but let’s remain civil and stay focused... Colour: full gold. Nose: it’s mainly the wood that takes hold here, giving the impression the distillate’s been gently swept under the rug. Roasted chestnuts, toasted bread, the faintest hint of mastic... Mouth: it improves greatly on the palate, though the herbs and wood resins still dominate somewhat, with a sprucey character that’s actually rather pleasant, if a touch overpowering. The sherry doesn’t seem to have much to say in this case, though we’re not sufficiently familiar with Thy’s distillate to pass firm judgement. Finish: fairly long, but led by lemon, pine and fir. Comments: cracking stuff, though really quite polarising. Perhaps best reserved for true Vikings, of which we most certainly are not... We've found other Thys much more convincing.
SGP:373 – 80 points. |
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Penderyn 15 yo 2010/2025 (56.8%, OB, LMDW Itinéraires, Wales, bourbon barrel)
Penderyn is one of those distilleries that left us rather cold at first—perhaps due to an overenthusiastic use of Madeira casks and the like—but which has gradually won us over over the years with purer, more natural expressions. The only remaining question is whether these very tall bottles actually fit on standard Ikea shelves. Colour: gold. Nose: it’s oily and rooty, somewhere between celery, carrot and a blend of sunflower and peanut oils. The vanilla from the bourbon barrel merely softens it all ever so slightly. With water: barley fields and vanilla pods. Mouth (neat): mango ice cream and orange liqueur, with some floral glimmers. Absolutely nothing to complain about here. With water: edging slightly towards the Irish style—Bushmills comes to mind. A little coconut, ripe apple, fresh oak. Finish: fairly long, with a hint of green tannins, though the whole remains really… lovely. Gorgeous ‘aeroplane’ mangoes. Comments: gearing up for the Six Nations, you see. When is it again—Wales vs France?
SGP:551 – 85 points. |
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Rampur 9 yo 2016/2025 (57.5%, OB, LMDW Itinéraires, India, bourbon barrel, cask #2411)
Here we are in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, Mughal territory—home to the Taj Mahal, no less. Colour: gold. Nose: mad stuff, all on gewürztraminer, mei-kwei-lu, rose petals and lychee syrup. Possibly a touch OTT, one might suspect some enzyme tinkering in the lab... let’s dig a little deeper. With water: things settle down slightly, as oranges and pink grapefruit begin to emerge. Mouth (neat): almost too perfect, bursting with mango, heather honey and passion fruit sorbet. With water: lemon and yes, grass, come in to add just the right amount of acidity, restoring balance with remarkable precision. Finish: fairly long, again with an almost indecent exotic fruitiness. Still, one can’t help loving those gewurzy notes. Comments: terribly hard to score, given that slightly, erm, let’s say ‘uninhibited’ side. Apologies. But heavens, it’s delicious!
SGP:751 – 85 points. |
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October 27, 2025 |
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A little quartet of Lagavulin, some rather secretive
We get the impression, whether true or not, that distilleries which usually prevent independents from using their names are becoming a bit more relaxed, as we’re seeing more and more subtle (and not-so-subtle) hints appearing on the labels. Mind you, when times get tough, people tend to be a little less fussy... But let’s begin with a proper, official Lagavulin, thankfully free from tequila or any other such 'delights' this time... |
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Classic combo (2006, WF Archive) |
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Lagavulin 12 yo 'Grain & Embers' (56.5%, OB, Special Release 2025, refill, PX and oloroso-seasoned casks)
Grains and embers? Well, that does sound rather reassuring, doesn’t it? That said, one must concede that our less whisky-versed friends aren’t entirely wrong when they ask what exactly makes a 12-year-old ‘special’, when a 16-year-old is merely ‘normal’. Answers on a postcard please (looks like no one reads emails anymore). Colour: white wine. Nose: orgeat syrup, lemon preserve, seawater, damp wool, wee touches of tar and smoked salmon, though the whole ensemble strikes me as very mild, very kind, nearly harmless for Lagavulin. With water: more tincture of iodine, Mercurochrome, oysters. Phew! Mouth (neat): pronounced sweetness, perhaps that’s the PX at play? Once again this jammy profile, plum preserve, then more green pepper and dried seaweed, so all in all we’re firmly back on Islay. With water: still sweet, but the DNA is clearly there, even if it’s rather swaddled in softness. One is reminded a little of gentian liqueur. Finish: fairly long, a little more peppery, though still on the sweet side. More ashes towards the back. Comments: this is really good, but I think I liked last year’s version a lot better, which was much freer and more natural (WF 91). I also much prefer, by quite a margin, the 16-year-old. But you’re right, chacun son truc. To be fair, the press release did warn us: this year’s Special Releases were to be “reinterpreted through unconventional cask finishes”. Hmm...
SGP:655 - 85 points. |
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South Coast Islay Malt 15 yo 2008/2024 (51.8%, Liquid Treasure for The Antelope, Macau, refill hogshead, cask #L0845A)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: this means business, very precise, rich yet controlled, tarry without going overboard, not necessarily Lagavulin either, could just as well be a slightly leaner, less overtly phenolic Ardbeg, with a lovely earthy-citrusy-patchouli combo. With water: hessian sacks, dunnage warehouse, tar, pitch, liquorice, engine oil, old British motorcycle. Mouth (neat): really excellent, though again one hesitates between two distilleries, not that getting it right is the point. Lovely fat peat, saline and lemony, plus faint notes of petrol. I know what you're thinking... With water: superb rooty tension. Finish: long, precise, earthy, with a funny impression of celeriac smoked over peat. Comments: maybe it’s the L at the start of the cask number that’s throwing us off. In any case, this is excellent and thoroughly buries the (not so) Special Release.
SGP:656 - 90 points. |
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South Coast Islay Malt 18 yo 2007/2025 (56.6%, The Antelope and Kanpaikai, refill hogshead, cask #L0701A)
A Macao–Japan alliance. Sounds like everything should go swimmingly... Colour: pale white wine. Nose: yes, stop, halt everything, dried flowers, autumn twigs (really?) and thyme tisane. Then beechwood smoke rather than peat, beach sand, fresh vinyl, and green pepper straight from the Andromeda Galaxy. It sends the rather modest Special Release ad patres in no time at all. With water: fresh paint, carbolineum, tar, new plastic. Mouth (neat): utterly pristine, superb tar, smoked fish, tobacco, oysters, seawater, olives and a faint touch of—wait—Talisker? Must be the maritime side playing tricks. With water: now we’re truly levelling up. Little black olives, seashells, pepper... Finish: same, and it lasts for quite some time. Comments: we loved the 15, but this is clearly operating on an even higher plane.
SGP:566 - 91 points. |
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Lagavulin 31 yo 1991/2022 (53.4%, OB, Casks of Distinction for Jimmy Chen, cask #P5C3, 119 bottles)
Colour: dark gold. Nose: a much rounder Lagavulin, jammier, on all manner of dried fruits, raisins galore, though that’s only the beginning, as a slightly wild peat soon breaks through the lid (S., what lid?) to express its smoky and camphory side, becoming increasingly medicinal, heading towards eucalyptus and menthol. With every passing second, it all gets more assertive. With water: and there it is, camphor, leather, mint and “beach” ashes. Mouth (neat): clearly sumptuous, locked in a duel between citrus and saline elements, with ash and tar refereeing, and the dried fruits reduced to mere spectators. What a cask! And don’t count on it mellowing out, it’s a fighter to the end. With water: things go fractal, chartreuse, herbal teas, verbena, camphor, roots, mint, berries, truffles, oysters and assorted shellfish, liquorice... Finish: liquorice takes over completely, Miles Davis style (so what? - ooh that's smart, S.) Comments: gives the impression of a very light, very well-behaved PX influence that never dares contradict the distillate. In the end, it’s the opposite of the 18, yet they stand on exactly the same level, according to your humble servant.
SGP:556 - 91 points. |
All we can do now is hope that the 2026 Special Release of Lagavulin is once again up to the extremely high standard of the 2024. I now understand why they promoted the 2025 edition so discreetly, almost sheepishly... (probably just a personal impression) ... |
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October 26, 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! |
We send our heartfelt support and strength to the people of Jamaica as they face Hurricane Melissa. |
Some more rums
With joy and good cheer! We'll notably be getting another very, very old Cuban, a rare independent La Favorite, and of course, some Hampden.
The very fine people from Takamaka brought their Mini Moke to Whisky Live Germany last week. With that distinctive colour, one might assume they could then rent it out to Bruichladdich.(WF) |
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Takamaka 'Pti Lakaz Batch #3' (45.1%, OB, Seychelles, +/-2025)
Here comes a rum made from pure cane juice blended with molasses-based distillate, with a bit of meddling from Port casks and Foursquare barrels. Quite the concoction, but it’s the outcome that matters, isn’t it? Colour: gold. Nose: charming nose, fairly on the fermentary side to start with, with clear hints of diesel oil right from the off, then it pivots towards more exotic fruit, ripe mango and banana come to mind, before gradually veering into liquorice territory. All things considered, it’s rather dry and seriously well-composed. Mouth: liquorice and molasses up front, with a tiny pinch of salt, followed by marzipan laced with kirsch, and just a few drops of aniseed liqueur. Finish: sameish... Comments: we’re quite a bit closer to a Caribbean or even Martinican profile here, rather than the usual Indian Ocean style, Mauritius in particular tending to the sweeter side. Pretty splendid rum and three cheers for the Seychelles! We’ll have more Takamaka in the coming weeks.
SGP:552 - 83 points. |
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Ron Bodega 6 yo 'Batch 001' (46%, OB, Scotland, 2025)
A molasses-based rum from BrewDog Distilling Co., matured in a rather curious mix of oloroso, bourbon, and red Bordeaux casks—quite the cocktail. Colour: gold. Nose: the wine influence is fairly pronounced, bringing notes of blackcurrant bud and blackberry, with some rather surprising leeky undertones, a touch of beer (unless our brain is leading us astray again), and a little whiff of new rubber. Distinctive indeed, not unpleasant in the slightest, and not a million miles from a modern whisky either. Mouth: fresh, lemony and yeasty at first, then it leans more towards the herbal side, straddling several categories really, and not just rum. Liquorice eventually ties it all together. Finish: medium length, with hints of lemon balm. Comments: curiously herbal and not at all bad, though perhaps it suffers slightly in comparison to that lovely fellow from the Seychelles.
SGP:351 - 79 points. |
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Père Labat 5 yo 2017/2022 (46%, Tres Hombres, Marie-Galante)
This young rum matured on Marie-Galante before making its way to Europe aboard the 40-tonne sailing cargo vessel Tres Hombres, a five-month voyage said to have added a bit of 'stirring' and presumably a touch of maritime character. In any case, we do like Père Labat. Colour: pale gold. Nose: that unmistakable blend of fresh cane juice, aniseed, coriander and poppy seeds, underpinned by a rather earthy base with a whiff of mint, not unlike some top-notch small-batch cachaça. Mouth: we’re very fond of this singular style, herbaceous, earthy and distinctly anisic, with fennel, fermenting exotic fruits, and a lively citrus edge that lends it a lovely tension. Finish: long, sailing off into... craft pastis land. Both literally and figuratively, mind you as the ship did connect the islands to the mainland after all. Comments: absolutely brilliant, and one imagines it would make a stratospheric ti-punch.
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
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Very Fine Old Rum from Cuba 30 yo 1993/2024 (49.6%, Delia's Whiskyshop and The Whisky Agency, barrel, Christmas 2024)
We’re not entirely sure of the precise origins of these Cubans—there are whispers, naturally—but we’d rather dive straight into the tasting. Colour: gold. Nose: coconut macaroons, chamomile, sugarcane and dandelion honey, nothing earth-shattering in itself, but the molecular arrangement is spot-on and we’re utterly charmed by the overall impression. This simple yet patisserie-like freshness is just perfect. Above all, it smells unmistakably of Cuba. Mouth: gentle, yet always close to the cane, with a touch of earth, molasses honey, two or three salmiak pastilles, then a café latte with a drop of liquid liquorice stirred in. The background is more intricate, with white pepper gradually building. Finish: medium in length, becoming saltier, even more on the salmiak, but always with a soft touch. Pink grapefruit and lemongrass linger in the aftertaste. Comments: a delightful Cuban, fresh and lifted.
SGP:551 - 89 points. |
Seeing as we're in Cuba... |
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Cabeza Llena 1948/2025 (49.1%, La Maison & Velier, Cuba)
Rumour has it these extremely old Cubans, fully aged on the island, hail from the remaining stocks of the former Havana Club distillery, Vizcaya, which was nationalised and subsequently shuttered by Fidel, who redirected production to other facilities, notably Bacardi, which had also been nationalised. We've already had the chance to taste some examples from this 1948 stock, and they were so marvellous that, dare we say it, we almost feel compelled to thank Mr Castro, posthumously. Truth be told, these casks might never have survived without his intervention in the early 1960s... but claro, let’s move swiftly on. Colour: amber. Nose: the first impression is that of opening a box of fine chocolates from a top-tier chocolatier, think Patrick Roger, Ferber in Niedermorschwihr, or Jacques Génin, but precious woods soon come to the fore: rosewood, macassar ebony, walnut, with a sensation not unlike sitting inside a freshly reupholstered vintage Jag. Beeswax too. The rest unfolds in waves of toasted hazelnuts, pecans, delicate tobaccos (not necessarily Cuban), and a lovely infusion of linden blossom. It is, naturally, glorious. Mouth: the esters! Completely unexpected! That green olive and pickled gherkin sharpness, beautifully sour and acidic, then a medley of vintage sweets and cough syrups (PulMoll springs to mind) with eucalyptus and cinchona leading the dance for a while. Then come the chocolates again, especially fruit ganaches, with mango standing out. Simply irresistible. Finish: long, saline, almost sherry-like, with walnuts and lovely touches of rancio. Comments: more than just a great rum, this is a truly great spirit that should also delight fans of fine malt, cognac or armagnac. What’s more, the price seems very well judged—seriously now, it’s seventy-seven years old! Less than 2K€.
SGP:562 - 94 points. |
Well, it'll take some real beasts to live up to that wonder... |
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Martinique 7 yo 2017/2025 "MMLF" (65.4%, Rum de Luxe, Wild Series, cask #14, 258 bottles)
From some sharp independent bottlers in Denmark, this is a secret Martinican rum aged on the continent, though the marque rings a very loud bell. With LF, La Favorite comes to mind. Colour: white wine. Nose: the beauty of temperate ageing in inactive wood, which lets the distillate sing almost a cappella, like some William Byrd or Palestrina. Truly, this is a near-religious nose, with unfathomable purity and freshness, on sweet woodruff and wild garlic, with the gentlest touch of vanilla, as soft as a feather, and the most delicate thread of caramel. An utterly splendid nose. With water: veers into ultra-high-end aquavit territory. Those Danes, eh! (though to be clear, there's absolutely no suggestion that any aquavit was added!) Mouth (neat): a spell of pure cane juice, though with a hefty punch of alcohol that needs taming. A touch of mezcal, a lick of salt. With water: astonishing, just as medicinal as an ultra-medicinal Laphroaig, and just as oily and fat as a proper greasy Ben Nevis. What’s more, the woodruff returns. Finish: long, pure, elegant, and superbly herbal. Comments: extremely convincing. Slightly chilled, with caviar or oysters… yes please.
SGP:472 - 91 points. |
I fear that for the last rum of this little session, we’ll have no choice but... |
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Hampden 2020/2025 'HGML' (63.3%, OB, Awakening Series, Germany, bourbon, cask #277, 193 bottles)
The HGML marque clocks in at a hefty 1,000 to 1,300 grams of esters per HLPA. In other words, in any given line-up, few rums stand a chance once this beast shows up. Colour: full gold. Nose: brand-new trainers fresh out of the box, pickled gherkins, green olives from the Iberian peninsula, nail polish remover, and pineapple just on the turn, fermenting, but not quite rotten. You get the idea. In short, everything we love. With water: the green and black olives seize total control, and we’re entirely on board. Mouth: surprisingly gentle for such a marque, with citrus and a cool, minty liquorice that nonetheless grabs hold of your palate straight away. Fear not, the acetone and seawater follow swiftly. With water: stone fruits! Cherries, plums, apricots... though all seemingly preserved in brine. We really must try that, one day. Finish: very long, salty and liquorice-laden, but this time it leans more towards sweet than bitter. Comments: I’ve lost track of how many Hampdens we’ve tried—surely quite a few—but it never ceases to be an immense pleasure.
SGP:463 - 90 points. |
Hold on, we’ve still got a special weapon up our sleeve, just three letters: DOK... |
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Hampden 4 yo 2021/2025 'DOK' (60%, La Maison & Velier, Magnum Series #3)
A quick reminder that the ‘Magnum’ series isn’t about bottle size, it was launched in homage to the photographers of the Magnum agency. As for the DOK marque, or <DOK, this is Hampden’s ester behemoth, clocking in at a staggering 1,500 to 1,700 grams per HLPA, placing it somewhere between nitro-glycerine and TNT on the flavour detonation scale. And we’re only half-joking. Colour: white wine. Nose: pure nail varnish, hairspray, North Sea brine and cider vinegar. There’s a trace of quince eau-de-vie lurking in the background, that’s the civilised part. With water: pure carbon, fibreglass, topcoat and fresh faux leather. Mouth (neat): honestly, it feels like drinking seawater, if one were being deliberately crude, one might say “post-oil spill.” Shame on us. On the gentler and more peaceable side, there are hints of peach syrup. With water: salt, hessian, and lime. Finish: very long and razor-sharp, with an aggressively acidic lemon that takes full control and sends shivers right down your spine for a solid fifteen minutes. Comments: I’ve always wondered whether it’s entirely normal to enjoy these mad contraptions so much, or whether it’s time to seek professional help.
SGP:473 - 90 points. |
After a DOK, nothing else will do. Goodbye. Stay tuned. |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted
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October 24, 2025 |
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The Time Warp Sessions,
today young Glen Grant
You’ll remember, the idea is to compare recent and older bottlings of malts of roughly the same age and, of course, from the same distillery. |
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Glen Grant 12 yo (75° proof, Moray Bonding Co, UK market, 1960s)
Angus already tasted this rare baby some years back, but we shan’t dwell on that. Moray Bonding held a licence to bottle Glen Grant, and while several 12-year-olds were issued for the Italian market labelled ‘43°’, this ‘75° proof’ version for the UK is much rarer. That said, 43 GL and 75 proof amount to the same thing... Colour: white wine. Nose: flawless purity, on almond oil, beeswax polish, and the faintest trace of smoky solvent. This is soon followed by glorious whiffs of mineral oil and even a nostalgic two-stroke petrol and oil mix, Kawasaki-style. A fabulous nose – and rather less perilous than those Kawasakis. Mouth: implausibly salty, mechanical, oily, fat, with just a few wrinkled apples from the fruit section. Still, it’s utterly wonderful, and if some once considered Glen Grant the undisputed king of Speyside in those days, it wasn’t without reason. Finish: long, splendidly fat and bitter, and comes across as rather stronger than its 75° proof suggests. Now bubbling broths of every kind also make an appearance. Comments: a monumental young whisky, and apologies to whatever follows next...
SGP:462 - 92 points. |
Oops, we're really being harsh here, and on top of that, we hadn't noticed the next one had been finished in rum casks... |
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Glen Grant 'Exploration No.1' (48%, OB, limited edition, rum cask finish, 2025)
This sort of finishing and the whole travel-themed concept is precisely the kind of ‘innovation’ (ahem) that every single distillery seems to be pursuing at the exact same time. Next up, tequila; then mizunara; and then tequila ex-mizunara. That said, we do appreciate the bottling strength – 48% is not bad at all. Colour: white wine. Nose: hold on, this is actually not bad at all! It would appear the rum used had a bit of character, perhaps something Jamaican, maybe Appleton, since both Glen Grant and Appleton are owned by Campari? Nicely oily, with phenolic touches, a whisper of olive oil, the faintest dab of (posh) shampoo, then ripe apples, which have become rather classic in younger contemporary Glen Grants, a far cry from their much bolder ancestors of the 1950s or 60s. All things considered, this is very decent indeed for a humble NAS. Mouth: same impression of a rum with a good ester count, even more vivid than on the nose. What’s more, the assemblage, right, or rather the finishing, seems to have been handled with care. But let’s be frank, the rum does overpower the malt, though since it was a very fine rum, there’s really no complaint here. Lovely notes of olives, hints of tar, and a nice saline touch. Finish: fairly long, salty, rather fat, and genuinely very good. Comments: a surprise indeed. Then again, the rum could also have been agricole, perhaps Trois Rivières or La Mauny, both now under the Campari umbrella these past three or four years.
SGP:652 - 85 points. |
Well, it's not been the bloodbath I was fearing after all! |
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October 23, 2025 |
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A new quintet of Pulteney |
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| Wick Harbour (Wick Harbour) |
Here we are, back in Wick, with this magnificent distillate carrying delightfully maritime aromas when overly active casks haven’t been used. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got on the table… |
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Old Pulteney 2006/2024 (51%, OB, exclusive to Germany, cask #2101, 204 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: it's very fresh, first and foremost on green apple and lemon, with soft vanilla humming quietly in the background and a light sheen of coconut—nothing excessive, so no unwelcome piña colada effect here. With water: the vanilla comes more to the fore now, alongside touches of fennel and a whisper of candle wax that points discreetly southward, toward a certain cousin on the east coast. You're right, that would be Clynelish. Mouth (neat): fresh oak makes quite the entrance, bringing along an herbal, slightly bitter side that would nod toward some of the more pugnacious IPAs. The green apple theme remains firmly in charge. With water: no real change, save for a few welcome salty flourishes. Finish: rather long, with green apple and coconut returning to the spotlight. Comments: very good, just a tad too much fresh oak for my personal liking.
SGP:561 - 84 points. |
Since we were in Germany and in 2006... |
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Old Pulteney 2006/202 (52.2%, OB, for Kirsch Import, cask #1454, 270 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: close to the previous one but a little softer, less dominated by oak, yet still wonderfully refreshing and again led by that slightly tart little apple. With water: creamier now, moving towards custard. Mouth (neat): a fine balance here between the distillate's natural acidity and a fairly fresh oakiness. There's a marked herbal side, but also a touch of honey peeking through. With water: it rounds out again this time, with lemon now joining the green apple in gentle harmony. Finish: quite long, mellow, fruitier, with oranges and a bit of passion fruit stepping in. Comments: a very charming simplicity.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Old Pulteney 2006/2022 (53.4%, OB, for Kirsch Import, cask #740, 252 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: very close again, perhaps even softer still, leaning more towards custard and apple tart. With water: beautifully balanced, with some lemony flashes coming through. Mouth (neat): amusingly, while it’s rounder and gentler on the nose, it turns more herbal and tangier on the palate, almost as if it were a vatting of the previous two. With water: very good, fresh, tangy, with plenty of citrus joining the green apple and even a hint of rhubarb. Finish: quite long, fresh, fruity, all in simple charm. A fun peppery twist in the aftertaste. Comments: I like this one just a tiny bit more.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Old Pulteney 11 yo 2013/2025 (53%, Decadent Drams, 1st fill bourbon barrel)
It looks like we can spot the landlord of the Fiddler’s Inn on the label. Colour: straw. Nose: this time we're closer to the maritime tension of the distillate itself, with the oak playing a lesser role. There’s green apple, green banana, a few touches of lovage and sorrel, then a dab of honey smoothing the whole affair out. Very fine—youthful, fresh, easy. With water: water brings it nearer to the officials, though the lovage still holds its ground, along with a few unexpectedly waxy notes. Mouth (neat): same markers, but this one's livelier than the rather lovely OBs, less influenced by American oak, and more led by lime and even a drop of olive brine. With water: much the same again, though this time with a dash of orange cream. And yes, the lovage remains! Finish: fairly long, extending the palate with matching notes. Comments: in truth, we’re very close to the previous official.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
Let’s finish with a much older official release... |
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Old Pulteney 38 yo (49.8%, OB, China exclusive, Spanish oak oloroso sherry-seasoned butt, 630 bottles, +/-2025)
Not far off €6,000 a bottle in travel retail in Hong Kong, not bad! This baby spent most of its life in American oak before being reracked into sherry. Colour: dark red amber. Nose: praline and raspberry ganache all along, joined by prunes and dates, with a few drops of hoisin sauce (but of course) and an umami edge that only grows with time, though the whole remains soft and quite jammy, almost like a very old PX. Gentle notes of petrol and tar in the background only make it more complex. Tarry ropes, camphor... in fact it just keeps gaining in complexity minute after minute, to the point where it turns... maritime! Mouth: fairly punchy, with a beautiful bitterness to start (dark tobacco, dried seaweed), then it becomes more and more tertiary, with touches of furniture polish, old walnuts, more tobacco again and a slew of maritime, salty, fermentary touches. A few tiny drops of fish sauce and some beef broth too. Finish: not eternal, but that’s to be expected. The salinity comes even more to the fore, as do the tobacco, chocolate and prunes, along with a bit of biltong. Comments: we were slightly apprehensive at the start, but air and time brought everything together again, delivering a magnificent old Pulteney that even some very assertive casks couldn’t quite steer away from its coastal DNA.
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
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October 22, 2025 |
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A new small trio from Port Ellen, with a 9 years old and the new 200th Anniversary |
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The Port Ellen staff in 1975, with none other than Iain MacArthur right in
the middle, who later moved on to Lagavulin. (Diageo) |
It's always a tremendous pleasure to taste Port Ellen, especially as we've yet to come across one that's gone totally off course, even after... wait a moment, it's been over 42 years since the distillery, in its former incarnation, was closed! In any case, aside from Diageo’s new releases, there are still some older expressions we’ve never officially reviewed on WF. We’ll start with those, before moving on to the official bottling just released for the distillery’s 200th anniversary. All of this, of course, as we await the arrival of the first young malts from Port Ellen 3.0... |
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Port Ellen 1979/1988 (65.3%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #43.2)
One of, if not the very youngest Port Ellen ever bottled, even younger than those splendid 10yos from Signatory Vintage, including the rather razor-edged Scottish Wildlife at 40% vol. Imagine that, this one’s but nine years of age! Now hyper-rare of course, and probably one of the truest illustrations of the distillate as it originally was. Colour: straw. Nose: we’re smack between artists’ varnish, dragster fuel spiked with a touch of nitro-glycerine, three dozen oysters, and cask-strength Mercurochrome (really). The worst part? It’s staggeringly glorious, and we’re as certain as 1+1=2 that this bottle has benefited from a superlative OBE throughout its thirty-five-plus years in glass. Almost forgot to mention the infamous tar, which is consubstantial with any self-respecting Port Ellen, bordering on fusel oil. With water: wet soils and mandarins, how does that sound? But also all the industrial oils one could possibly imagine, including the used motor oil from an old Harley after thirty thousand kilometres. Mouth (neat): assertive and, above all, incredibly sweet, nearly soft as cane syrup. One would assume that’s the effect of the extremely high strength, and that a few drops of water will set the cavalry loose. With water: indeed, though the sweetness remains, now on citrus liqueurs, with a peat that’s almost discreet, perhaps mellowed much like those old Bowmores or Laphroaigs from the 1960s. You see, smoky flavours are more delicate than we often believe. That said, chew the whisky a little and you’ll rediscover tar, paraffin, rubber, and smoked salmon cured in coarse sea salt. At any rate, there’s nothing aggressive about the whole. Finish: long and magnificent, perfectly balanced, a true ode to cellar ageing, akin to what one might encounter when stumbling upon a bottle of vodka forgotten for fifty years or more. A faint touch of strawberry on the aftertaste, typical! Comments: a beauty some might call unfathomable but I must insist, bottle ageing has surely played a role in this outcome. It has!
SGP:556 - 93 points. |
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Port Ellen 23 yo 1978/2002 (60.9%, Signatory Vintage, sherry, cask #5265, 464 bottles)
How many marvels from this ‘dumpy’ series have we already tasted, across all distilleries? Not necessarily Port Ellens, mind you... Colour: apricot. Nose: frankly, this is Jamaican rum in disguise as Scotch whisky. I kid you not. That sensation (olives, acetone, molasses) doesn’t last forever, mind, as the peat soon comes roaring in, thunderous and all-conquering, bursting with pipe tobacco, diesel fuel and tar. It’s rather glorious, to be perfectly honest, even though its siblings or sister casks were rather middling when we tried them upon release. So once again, it’s as if young or middle-aged Port Ellen needs some proper bottle ageing before it can fully reveal itself. Mysterious, isn’t it. With water: superb dry sherry, as if we’d poured a double amontillado into the glass. Mouth (neat): it grabs your tongue and refuses to let go. Mustard, molasses, seawater, salted liquorice, Nescafé. What a mix! With water: the return of bitter oranges, seawater, whelks, oysters, leather and tobacco, not forgetting that mustard again. Finish: very long and even saltier, oily, thick, mustardy and peppery, it’s as though the sherry’s trying to maintain control. Comments: this isn’t a whisky, it’s an adventure, somewhere between Jerez and Islay. Which, according to a friendly AI, corresponds roughly to the latitude of La Rochelle but out at sea, some 200 kilometres off the French coast. Still quite a way from... cognac.
SGP:567 - 91 points. |
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Port Ellen 42 yo 1983/2025 (56.4%, OB, 200th Anniversary, 150 bottles)
Don't we love 1) the fact that they chose a 1983, the final vintage before the closure, to mark the 200th anniversary—not the worst year by any means, especially if one remembers the 15th Release 1983/2015, and 2) the fact that they stuck with the classic official bottling, without going all out with some outlandish crystal decanter and a famous sculptor/designer nobody’s ever really heard of outside Mayfair or Notting Hill. And 3), that they didn’t fudge the founding date like so many others have done, as according to reliable sources, Port Ellen was indeed opened in 1824 (or was it 1825?) by Alexander Mackay, making it quite rightly two hundred years ago. Right then, shall we try this little gem?... Colour: amber. Nose: now we’re in another realm entirely, a universe where flavours and textures converge, where earthly concerns are forgotten, where new molecules are born and... wait, here they come, burgers on the barbecue lavishly doused in peated whisky, graphite, charcoal, fresh tar, but also citrons and lemons, fresh paint, new wool, wet cement, artichokes, white balsamic, olives (tonnes of olives)... Let’s stop there, it’s all too magnificent. With water: absolutely no change, it doesn’t budge an inch. Mouth (neat): a masterstroke, of unfathomable, salty, and transcendent beauty, packed with olives and all things smoky, phenolic and saline. With water: a procession of tiny citrus fruits arrives, most of them pickled. Finish: utterly majestic but immediately distilling a huge wave of nostalgia, like when you finally eat the tiny bit of black truffle tucked into the centre of a proper Alsatian-style truffled foie gras. Comments: it reminds me a little of the official Brora 40 yo 1972, except that one came in a crystal decanter weighing about two tonnes, as we were reminded during a ‘masterclass’ (right, right) we ran in London at this year’s Whisky Show, where that legendary bottle made an appearance thanks to the fearless organisers. In any case, this Port Ellen is a mad bottle, an apex of malt whisky. We’ve tasted quite a few whiskies at this level, but not ones released recently, or so it seems to me. Possibly the bottle of the year 2025? But you’re right, the year isn’t over yet...
SGP:466 - 95 points.
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(Thank you, Bora and Jon) |
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October 21, 2025 |
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Ten Blair Athol at full gallop
Blair Athol is much more than just the last petrol station (so to speak) before Edradour, there have already been a fair few truly historic bottles. |
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And if you've never tried an old 8-year-old with the black label from the Arthur Bell era, do so as soon as you can; they still come up at auction now and then. Let’s not forget that Blair Athol was, for a brief time, part of the famous Classic Malts of Scotland… granted, it was very short-lived. Right then, let’s go about things a bit randomly today, but we’ll try to keep a certain logic to it... |
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Blair Athol 12 yo (80°proof, OB, Pure Malt, +/-1975)
This isn’t the black label one, rather the blue label that came just after. There was also a crimson-labelled Dufftown in the same vein. Colour: white wine. Nose: full-on barley with a dash of engine oil and paraffin for good measure. One almost feels transported to a field just as the combine harvester has rumbled through, its engine not exactly purring, mind you. It’s utterly charming. Mouth: similar impressions carry through, though we’re now veering into overripe apple territory, beyond the barley syrup and a whisper of lightly sweetened tea. Immensely malty, quite beer-like on the whole, not tremendously complex, and certainly without the dazzling fruitiness found in 1960s vintages. Still, rather good. Finish: medium in length, on apples and malt. Comments: this is very, very pleasant indeed, though all told just a tad on the simple side—think… Bell’s.
SGP:541 - 83 points. |
Speaking of bottlings from the 1960s, let’s move from theory to practice... |
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Blair Athol 8 yo (80° proof, OB, Highland Malt, UK market, early 1960s)
Colour: gold. Nose: nothing much to do with the 12-year-old, this is far oilier and more phenolic, with hints of smoke, greasiness, earth and wax, along with floor polish and paraffin, and some rather surprising notes of fresh mango to round things off beautifully. A stunning nose. Mouth: superb, citrus takes the lead from the outset, soon giving way to a mad gallop of earthy and oily flavours—olive oil, sesame, a touch of metal polish and boot wax, and a splash of old-school cough syrup with a serious alcohol kick (the sort that had you back on your feet in no time). And then, the mangos return, though in rather more discreet quantity. Finish: fairly long, just a hint metallic and faintly peaty, yet gloriously waxy and citrusy to the last. Comments: sheer beauty! Between us, I might well have guessed an old young Springbank had I tasted it blind.
SGP:562 - 92 points. |
Right, that’s enough of the old relics... |
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Blair Athol 15 yo 2009/2025 (46%, Royal Mile Whiskies, small batch, French oak, 633 bottles)
Careful now, French oak often means wine casks, let’s see… Colour: ripe apricot. Bingo. Nose: there’s definite wine influence here, with strawberry-raspberry jam, even a touch of wild strawberry liqueur, blood orange, and a good deal of rosehip tisane. The malty, slightly waxy backbone holds it together rather well, let’s be honest. Mouth: no doubt about it, winesky territory, and one could easily picture this in a spritz atop a mountain of ice cubes by the poolside at forty degrees in the shade. Prosecco already included, how convenient. Joking aside, it’s actually rather nice. Finish: long, fairly soft, with a touch of grey pepper and some red berries keeping it lively. Comments: malt whisky 3.0. Let’s not be stick-in-the-mud traditionalists, this is very nicely done.
SGP:641 - 82 points. |
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Blair Athol 12 yo 2013/2025 (51.6%, Tri Carragh, 1st fill Port barrique, 174 bottles)
The reracking (quite right) took place in 2024. One might expect another red fruit explosion… Colour: gold. Nose: far less vinous than the previous one, though that may well be down to the higher strength, let’s not leap to conclusions, even if the hue is indeed less ruby-ish. Raisin buns, honey... With water: even more raisin rolls and honey. And let’s face it, raisin rolls are one of civilisation’s finer creations (aren’t they?) Mouth (neat): lovely! Caramel, fudge, pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, candied cherries... The caramel stands out particularly and leans rather heavily towards crème brûlée. With water: perhaps just a touch more grapey now, with hints of stalkiness not usually found in Port, though maybe best not to add water here. Finish: medium length, more charming without dilution. Comments: water swept away the raisin rolls. Still, no matter, this remains an excellent Blair Athol.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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Blair Athol 16 yo 2007/2024 (55.1%, The Whisky Exchange, Seasons: Winter, oloroso sherry)
Gorgeous label, let’s hope we find those mushrooms on the nose… though too much mushroom in a wine or spirit can tip into flaw territory. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: quite a bit of red fruit for an oloroso, and there’s clearly some PXness in the mix too. That said, it all comes together rather perfectly, classic, rounded, fruity, full of figs, walnut wine, and ta-dah, Mars bars. Certainly not a particularly dry oloroso. With water: marzipan soaked in kirsch. We do love that, brings out our Teutonic side. Mouth (neat): surprisingly jammy for an oloroso, more reminiscent of cream sherry in fact, especially as the sherry impact is utterly massive here. But that jamminess is lovely, bolstered by a good dose of pepper. With water: again with the almond paste and cherry liqueur, plus that distinct ‘cream’ character. You might call it oloroso dulce, but there’s a hint of Guinness in there as well... Finish: long, a touch less polished, more rustic in style. Comments: I feel this oloroso was slightly searching for itself, but all in, it’s still a thoroughly excellent maltsherry.
SGP:651 - 84 points. |
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Blair Athol 13 yo 2009/2023 (51.7%, Whisky Picnic Bar and T.S.M.C., hogshead, 282 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: back to base camp, barley, sunflower oil, soft vanilla and very ripe apples. You’ve no idea how much joy this sort of thing brings. With water: all clean lines, chalk, grist, oils, cider... Mouth (neat): magnificent, with bitter almonds, Seville oranges, pine honey, green tea… glory be to natural hogsheads! With water: even better, now with touches of mint and a dash of absinthe. Finish: fairly long, rather refreshing, and that’s precisely the danger with this kind of malt. They really ought to slap on a label reading “not to be used to quench thirst”. Comments: truth be told, it’s probably not the most complex malt whisky out there, but the balance and authenticity are simply spot-on.
SGP:451 - 87 points. |
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Blair Athol 12 yo 2009/2021 (58%, Timeless & Tasty, Whiskies & More 7th Anniversary, bourbon hogshead)
‘The label showcases the vibrancy and charisma of Hong Kong’s women’, or so it claims. Colour: pale white wine—hurrah. Nose: we’re even closer to the distillate now and having sampled the new make on-site in Pitlochry myself, I can vouch for it. Fresh brioche, biscuits, panettone, caramel fudge, oatcakes and just a wisp of the gentlest honey, think acacia. With water: a little more pear now, a sure sign of youth. And remember, youth is the future (how smart, S.). Mouth (neat): magnificent young malt, very fresh, very fruity—apples, pears, lemons and plums—with an even higher danger coefficient than the previous dram. With water: but this is glorious! Honeyed cider with a touch of vanilla and a few drops of Californian IPA, something like old-school Lagunitas from fifteen years ago. Finish: fairly long, with splendid bitterness. Comments: this whisky was clearly chosen by an aesthete. I’ve no idea who that was, but they deserve the platinum medal of Whiskyfun—if such a thing existed, of course.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Blair Athol 11 yo 2014/2025 (59.2%, Berry Bros. & Rudd, for LMDW, hogshead, cask #308672, 277 bottles)
This one's really brand new. Colour: full gold. Nose: this is amusing, there’s a very Germanic currywurst note to start with, laced with floral touches of lily, hibiscus and jasmine… What on earth? With water: back to cakes, barley, limestone and sourdough. Mouth (neat): compact and efficient, sweet and spicy, almost like an entire tin of Basler Läckerli. And if you don’t know Basler Läckerli, that’s your problem, not mine (S., please!...) With water: the water blows open the exotic fruit, banana, plantain, and a beautifully soft ginger. Finish: rather long, honeyed, coated, sweet but indeed quite spicy too, with plenty of ginger and even a dusting of dried porcini powder, Italian-style. Comments: a young, rich, marvellously syrupy version, highly recommended.
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
... how about we taste a very old Blair Athol?... |
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Blair Athol 38 yo 1986/2025 (51.5%, One8Nine, 1st fill oloroso sherry hogshead, cask #20078, 122 bottles)
It doesn’t seem I’ve ever come across such an old Blair Athol before, have you? The price strikes me as very reasonable, what's more... That said, one always feels a degree of trepidation before approaching such an old malt, has it weathered the years with dignity? Let’s find out promptly... Colour: mahogany. Nose: exactly what we'd been hoping for, extremely old umeshu mingling with a medley of ancient waxes, antique books, prunes and tamarinds, cigars, hoisin sauce, lovage, chestnut honey and... some venerable armagnac and very old agricole rum. Never has the old adage—that all the world’s ancient spirits eventually converge—rung truer. Splendid. With water: old wood dust and crumbled masonry, then dazzling echoes of jamon iberico—say, 9,582,437 belottas, if that were a valid rating. Mouth (neat): a rather surprising profile on the palate, opening on propolis by the ladleful, then pine resin, pepper, bitter orange, and above all, black truffle. Mind you, we are not speaking of sulphur here, this is pure black truffle. With water: the addition brings out oaky and fir honeydews. Finish: long, with the arrival of mint chocolate, as fashioned by a proper artisan chocolatier in Perthshire—or anywhere, really. Tamarind jam, black propolis and fir resin seal the whole affair. Comments: this is not one of those old malts trying to appear young like a fading Hollywood actress attempting a comeback—on the contrary, it wears its years proudly, and that is precisely what gives it its towering charm.
SGP:581 - 93 points. |
I think we need one last very young BA to cleanse the palate before moving on to other topics on WF… Well, you know what I mean. |
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Blair Athol 9 yo 2014/2024 '100 proof Edition #9' (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, Kirsch Import, 1st fill oloroso butt)
Colour: mahogany. Nose: it gives precisely the impression that, had this whisky aged on to the venerable age of 38, it might’ve ended up alarmingly close to that sublime 1986 we’ve just tasted. Do with that what you will... With water: stout, toffee, and chocolate fudge galore. At the end of the day, it’s still a young malt. Mouth (neat): monstrously coherent in its earthy, resinous profile. Bitter orange lifts everything nicely and, believe it or not, almost makes it feel fresh. With water: much the same again, just maltier and a touch softer. Barely. Finish: long and even more chocolate-forward, with just the faintest dusting of pepper. Comments: a lovely bottle, you simply have to like chocolate. Perhaps a slice of chocolate cake, then…
SGP:461 - 86 points. |
Right, ten is enough. There’ll be more Blair Athol soon, but for now, we’re officially calling it a day. I’ll just add that it’s a real shame the vast majority of available BAs are independents, with official bottlings practically non-existent, Òunless you count the very old releases from the ’60s and ’70s. That’s over 50 years ago, after all... You’re quite right, and then there’s the Flora & Fauna version... |
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October 20, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today indie Royal Brackla
We want more natural Brackla! Even if the base malt doesn’t exactly burst with personality, despite its inherent royalty… That said, as usual, if you really want to get closer to the distillate, you’ve got to turn to the (good) indies. It’s a mad world. |
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Royal Brackla 13 yo 2011/2024 (48.5%, Thompson Bros., refill butt, 727 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: oily nose, on peanut oil, sesame oil, then hay and salted butter caramel. And really, who could object to any of that? Mouth: a full transposition of the nose onto the palate, though a little rougher, more rustic. Almond croissant, hay wine, white pepper, coriander seed, Dutch genever... Finish: long, drier still, even more on the genever. Comments: absolutely lovely, far from a ‘standard’ Scottish malt, much closer to a northern European genever. In short, it’s intriguing, exactly what one also hopes for from an independent bottler, actually.
SGP:361 - 87 points. |
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Royal Brackla 11 yo 2013/2024 (53.6%, Fable Whisky, Hesperus, hogshead, cask 301779, 314 bottles)
These labels remain absolutely sublime, and I mean it. Colour: pale gold. Nose: a bit like the same whisky, only more austere, more Jansenist, but also more herbal—fennel, dill... With water: back to beer, wash, bread dough... Mouth (neat): same profile as the admirable Thompson Bros. edition. Pepper, bitter almond, juniper, coriander, candied lemon... With water: a little less oomph now, makes one wonder whether the water was really needed. It turns slightly drying but still remains very excellent. Finish: rather long, wilder, more peppery, though ultimately more honeyed. Comments: very, very good, just a touch more unruly.
SGP:451 - 86 points. |
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October 19, 2025 |
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Cognac is back with some knack
(Wonders from 1994 to 1939)
Aren't our headlines always absolutely brilliant — I honestly don’t know how we’ve not won an international award for them yet. Right then, let’s kick off with one of our now-traditional aperitifs… |
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Otard *** Spécial (40%, OB, +/-1960)
Straight from the Château de Cognac where, according to what the label tells us, King François 1er was born in 1494. Colour: deep gold. Nose: classic indeed, with a rather pronounced and wholly positive OBE, and I rather doubt this nose was quite so lovely at birth, given that it’s merely a modest ***. A delightful combination of sultanas, peach syrup, linden honey and orange blossom, with not the faintest fault to report. One wonders whether some older Cognacs found their way into the vatting, perhaps due to a ‘cognac lake/lac’, the French equivalent of the ‘whisky loch’ in Scotland. But let’s not get carried away with conjecture... Mouth: ah but this really is very good, fairly rich yet ever fresh, jammy but without excess, with plenty of figs and peaches at first, then moving towards honey and thyme infusion. A trace of salted liquorice, quite an original twist in this context. Finish: fairly long and still rather lovely, with a discreet toastiness of the most respectable kind. Comments: doubtless some very fine crus nestled in this little Otard from some 65 years ago. One to keep an eye on at auction, I should think...
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
Now let’s shine a spotlight on three star-producers, vertically, from 1994 down to 1939… In no particular order: Grosperrin, J-L Pasquet, Vallein Tercinier. |
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Vallein Tercinier 'Lot 94' (48.1%, Through the Grapevine, LMDW, Fins Bois, 90 bottles, 2025)
A Fins Bois own-estate from Vallein Tercinier... Colour: full gold. Nose: one of those bottles with but a single flaw, that being how utterly predictable they are when it comes to quality. Here we have damp earth and forest floor à la old white Burgundy, followed by aged wood in the cedar or even sandalwood register, then a neat array of dried fruits and preserved ones, all wrapped in mentholated touches and wisps of incense. Simply irresistible, by thunder! Mouth: firmer than expected, starting out on mint leaves and a little fir resin, then camphor and even a hint of Tiger Balm, quite the surprise, before bringing in liquorice wood, gentian, and eventually some restrained dried fruits. This firmer side makes it rather splendidly ‘malternative’, if I may say so. Finish: long, turning towards a combination of walnut and crème de menthe. Comments: more robust and less fruity than the older Cognacs from the house, but perhaps all the more quintessentially ‘Fins Bois’. The fact is, we adore this as well.
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet 'Lot 86' (45.3%, OB, Kirsch Import Awakening Series, Grande Champagne, 2025)
A new bottling unveiled at Whisky Live Hamburg just last weekend. Colour: gold. Nose: at first nosing, it’s far fruitier than the 1994, though no less structured, especially once a rather earthy liquorice note begins to make itself known, with, believe it or not, wee touches of pale ale and even a faint smokiness. I swear it. As for the fruits, we find the usual peaches and melons, then a little orange, but all in rather discreet fashion. Mouth: I promise you there’s a bit of brown ale, along with currants, dried figs and dates, a faint charcoal note, then quite a bit of green tea, lending it a slightly dry and rustic edge. Finish: fairly long, even drier, on tea and tobacco. Citrus notes linger in the aftertaste. Comments: lovely bitter tones in this utterly charming Cognac that feels ever so slightly pastoral.
SGP:461 - 89 points. |
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Vallein Tercinier 'Lot 78' (48.4%, OB, Kirsch Import Awakening Series, Grande Champagne, 2025)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: it’s almost pure orange blossom honey to begin with, then come a few soft spices—cinnamon, liquorice, star anise—followed by ripe rather than dried fruits, with mellow apples, nectarines, and even hints of rose-infused banana compote. Well, I’m not entirely sure such a thing exists, but I find this nose rather dazzling. Mouth: a slight touch of old Calvados at first (those mellow apples again) and some tobacco notes, then a little flurry of herbs—aniseed, mint, even lovage—before the citrus elements come marching in. A light touch of green tea as well. Finish: long, mostly on honey and citrus, with additional notes of liquorice and mint. Comments: what would you have me say...
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
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Grosperrin 'N°67' (40.6%, OB, Héritage, Petite Champagne, 2025)
1967—Hendrix, the Yardbirds, the Doors, Cream, Engelbert Humperdinck... Well, perhaps not Engelbert Humperdinck. Colour: deep gold. Nose: Maître Guilhem at what seems to be his finest. Granted, he didn’t distil this one himself, but he selected it—and in this context, that’s nearly the same thing. A devilishly fruity affair, with all manner of herbal infusions, and above all, a clarity and expressiveness one wouldn’t quite expect at just over 40% vol. That said, it does seem Cognac handles lower strengths far better than malt whisky. Figs and honeys in an infernal tango. Mouth: not a hint of tiredness, rather a medley of various oranges, prickly pear and pomegranate. Admittedly, there’s the faintest nose-diving after a good fifteen seconds on the palate, but a gorgeous Assam-style tea steps in without missing a beat. Finish: not eternal, of course, but possessed of rare elegance. The honeys are sublime. Comments: kindly disregard all that business about Engelbert Humperdinck. Think Menuhin instead.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet 'Lot 63' (45.6%, Through the Grapevine, LMDW, Grande Champagne, 90 bottles, 2025)
Colour: full gold. Nose: drier and more on the woody side, though in a register reminiscent of a well-stocked humidor and sandalwood, then we drift into fruit skins—apricots, pears, peaches—plus touches of vanilla, honeysuckle, acacia blossom, linden, sweet woodruff, and even the faintest hint of lily of the valley. All this with great finesse, even a touch of discretion, which is absolutely not a flaw, quite the opposite, especially in today’s world (not the most helpful comment, S.) Mouth: a rather unexpected liveliness, almost lemony, with passion fruit and then pear sorbet, all wrapped up in soft liquorice and a trace of wild carrot. Truth be told, it’s pristine and quite stunning. The lemon–liquorice duo works far better than one might have imagined. Finish: it doesn’t budge an inch and remains on those deliciously fresh and taut notes for a good fifteen caudalies. At the very least. Comments: just as the nose was discreet and well-mannered, the palate is fresh, energetic, and just a little bit cheeky. We love it.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
To wrap things up, I’ve got an intriguing duo for you: a 1939 and a 1945. We could’ve saved them to mark some WWII anniversary or other, but hey, this is Whiskyfun, capeesh? |
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Grosperrin 'N°45' (52.2%, OB, Héritage, Fins Bois, 166 litres, 2025)
The vintage of victory and peace, of course, even if officially this isn’t a vintage Cognac. The bottling strength is particularly high for something this old, so one would imagine it was transferred into demijohns fairly early. Or perhaps it was aged entirely in a dry cellar. Colour: copper amber. Nose: far richer than most of its predecessors, more honeyed, with more raisins, dates, dried pears, and even a faint touch of molasses. What one might call a proper ‘old-school’ Cognac, with perhaps a bit of ‘seasoning’ during cask preparation, eighty or seventy-nine years ago. Or not. With water: some mint and herbal teas make an appearance, along with a peach skin touch. Mouth (neat): oh! Almost simple, which, again, is by no means a flaw here—quite the opposite—with notes of honey, triple sec, maple syrup and a little instant coffee. Old-school indeed. With water: it opens like an oyster once water is added, branching out into marmalade citrus, even more honey and maple syrup. A bit of peanut butter as well, would you believe. Finish: long, more classic, more graceful too, and in any case, the freshness in this V-Cognac is absolutely remarkable. Light tobacco and wood in the aftertaste. Comments: when compared with what’s happening in malt these days, even including the very old ones, it’s hard to see how this could be rated at anything less than...
SGP:561 - 92 points. |
Let’s leap over the Second World War to bring this decidedly superlative little session to a close… |
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Grosperrin 'N°39' (45.5%, OB, Héritage, Grande Champagne, 118 litres, 2025)
One always learns something interesting from Grosperrin’s labels. In this case, that a donkey entered the cellar during the removal of the cask from the estate at Salles-d’Angles. Though one suspects it may have rather been the Wehrmacht that did something similar when this lot may have been first filled, in spring of 1940. You should remember that in Cognac, the vintage refers to the year of the harvest, while distillation must be done before March 31 the year after. But not sure these rules did apply back in 1940. Colour: golden amber. Nose: dazzling freshness, precision and fruitiness, with a surprisingly mineral edge—wet chalk, slate—alongside honey, peaches, and, would you believe, traces of old malt whisky. Also a little salted butter caramel, as in a very old Sauternes that’s finally digested its sugars. Once again, there’s even a bit of peanut butter this time again, though we’re well aware that’s a rather vulgar descriptor. Still, we truly adore proper, unadulterated peanut butter. Mouth: let us dispense with the wood notes straightaway, here personified by a touch of English tea, and focus on this extraordinary pear and banana ganache profile. Also some mango, fir honey, and still that salted butter caramel. Finish: at this point it gets just a touch tea-ish and perhaps doesn’t quite hold its ground against the 1945, which we find a notch above, but it remains an utter delight. Surprising apple notes in the aftertaste. Comments: still very much up there, of course, just slightly less elevated than the splendid 1945. I mean, the N°45.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
Well, what a session, truly, what a session! You’ll say that with a line-up of JG, JLP, and VT, things were bound to be on the right track anyway. Sharp observation — bravo! |
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October 18, 2025 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
A Brace of Bladnoch
I don't taste Bladnoch too often, and I have to admit I am not really at all familiar with the output of the (relatively) new owners. That being said, I am a fan and I love the older ones. We'll have one of each today and see how we go... |
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Bladnoch 23 yo 2001/2024 (49.2%, OB for Hedonism Wines, Amontillado sherry cask, 317 bottles) 
Colour: amber. Nose: a nicely autumnal sense of soft dark fruits, plums, old armagnac and touches of caramelised brown sugar, rolling tobacco and suggestions of earthy potting sheds. An upfront impression of sweetness that doesn't suggest Amontillado to me, but then these elegant earthier and drier aspects begin to slowly take control - which is very charming. Mouth: a tad spicier and more vinous than expected on arrival, with rather a lot of cupboard and mulling spice qualities, all spice, clove etc. Then some bitter herbal notes alongside these sweeter qualities that suggest Buckfast and Jägermeister (what a combo that would be: BuckBomb anyone?). Goes on with some big notes of Cointreau, rancio, plum wine and sweetish orange marmalade notes. The spiciness hovers on the precipice of slightly too much, but never altogether goes there. Finish: quite long, warming, the spice recedes to an easy peppery warmth, bitter orange marmalade now and some vielle prune. Comments: a little out of step with itself at times, and featuring some rather funny sweet and spicy qualities that feel like they've come from the wood, but in the end it lands firmly in the 'charismatic and good' category.
SGP: 551 - 87 points. |
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Bladnoch 33 yo 1988/2022 (54.1%, Gordon & MacPhail 'Connoisseur's Choice' for Kensington Wine Market, cask #2107, refill sherry hogshead, 53 bottles) 
Next time I go to Canada, KWM is top of my hit list in terms of places to visit... Colour: white wine. Nose: wonderful, and very different from the more common 1990s, this is much more about waxes, citrons, sandalwood, mineral notes, cooking oils, hessian cloth and dried herbal notes. Extremely old school and almost displaying notes you might associate with positive old bottle effect, with these slightly dusty and old dried herbal notes. With water: tiger balm, shoe leather, face cream, papaya - some beautiful old dry Riesling vibes too. Mouth: amazing fruit profile upon arrival, so different, showing lots of lychees, rosewater, kiwi, star fruit, dried mango and passion fruit. Stunning and complex fruit profile that really is a departure from the norm. Also greener notes of gooseberry and cider apple that supply ample freshness and even an impression of acidity. Beyond that also these superb waxes and crystalised honey notes. With water: further impressions of old bottle vibes, mature dry white wines, camphor, putty, linseed oil, dried flowers full of pollen and a hint of dried lavender and more sandalwood. Finish: medium, sappy, peppery, waxy and back on green and yellow fruit notes. Comments: was there really only 53 bottles in this cask, maybe that explains this highly concentrated and complex profile: a lot of air! I love how this feels ever so Bladnoch, while also being distinct from most of the other casks from these late 80s / early 90s vintages I could try. Great selection!
SGP: 551 - 91 points. |
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October 17, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today Glen Ord
There's this new official Special Release, and there is one by Signatory. In other words, a proper fight... |
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The Singleton of Glen Ord 17 yo 'Into the Blue' (55.5%, OB, Special Releases 2025, second fill ex-sherry and mezcal finish)
Into the blue? In any case, agave spirits do seem to be making their mark on Diageo's malts, and one can’t say it’s a daft idea given our fondness for top-notch mezcals and great tequilas. Colour: pale gold. Nose: fairly oily at first nosing, with earthy touches and pipe ash, then increasingly briny olive oil and gherkins in brine. This is all very mezcal indeed, though perhaps not quite what one would expect from an Ord. Let’s dig a little deeper, if you don’t mind... With water: more notes of damp paper and wet cardboard, still plenty of olives, some green tapenade (anchovies, garlic and olives), and even a dab of aioli. The malt itself doesn’t have a huge amount to say, but we do enjoy the overall effect. Mouth (neat): a UFO of sorts, the mezcal is front and centre—salty, peppery, briny, packed with olives—then a honey and vanilla combo that feels almost out of place in this context. All this is rather ‘trans’, as they say. With water: the malt resurfaces, with hints of beer and chocolate, but the mezcal still runs the show, cartel-style. Ha. Finish: medium in length, earthier still, with a touch of coconut in the aftertaste. Comments: a wee Glen O(rd)axaca in fine fettle, even if the whole remains a little... odd.
SGP:352 - 82 points. |
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Glen Ord 12 yo 2012/2025 '100 proof Edition #43' (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 1st fill bourbon barrel)
Let’s be honest, these fights aren’t much fun when the outcome is this predictable... Colour: pale gold. Nose: grape seed oil and peanut oil at first, then citrus peels, paraffin, fresh barley, sourdough starter, and wee apples from an old orchard. Oh bother! With water: hints of soaked ashes and crushed slate, plus some fresh apple juice. Still awfully painful, I mean, I mean the opposite, right. Mouth (neat): pure lemon and wax. A flawless profile, crystal-clear lines, total freshness—it’s practically a single malt in a bikini. Quite excruciating indeed. With water: I hardly dare say it, but Ord is a truly great malt, and this is an expression of remarkable fidelity and admirable purity. It’s honestly a bit much. Finish: painfully long, precise, chiselled and... painful. Comments: since we’re among ourselves, we can admit that one rather expects this kind of ultra-distillate-forward profile from the... distillers. Signatory really ought to be awarded the Légion d'Honneur (a fairly pointless French bauble).
SGP:461 - 88 points. |
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October 16, 2025 |
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A solo tasting, Roseisle!
We never do this – but this time, we’re just not feeling creative enough to pit another malt against Roseisle. Unless… well, you never know... |
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Roseisle 14 yo 'Harmonic Grace' (55.9%, OB Special Releases 2025, refill and rejuvenated casks)
Remember that? Everyone was talking about Roseisle when the distillery first fired up the stills, and then... radio silence. We visited back then; it was a lovely experience. Playful label, very ‘AI’. The name ‘Harmonic Grace’ sounds like a Buddhist mantra, by Imee Ooi perhaps? Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s light, soft, malty, on apples and pears, with no edges and nothing out of place. One thinks of Glenfiddich 12 straight away. With water: a few notes of roasted peanuts and white nougat. Mouth (neat): of course it’s good, it’s ultra-classic, all on malt with touches of coffee, limoncello, and pilsner beer. Very light, very ‘natural’, despite a few hints of that absolute abomination some call Dubai-style chocolate. With water: no major change, save for a faint bitterness. Finish: rather short but pleasing, more on lemons and beer. Comments: this is certainly very good, it’s just a tiny wee tad dull(ish).
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
Wait, we've finally got an idea for a sparring partner. What would you say to this…? |
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Aldunie (Kinninvie) 26 yo 1997/2023 (52.6%, The Whisky Blues, barrel, cask #2032, 155 bottles)
These labels remain as stunning as ever, but William Grant's Kinninvie has never exactly been the stuff of malted dreams... Truth be told, it probably wasn’t designed to catapult malt enthusiasts straight to Mars. Colour: pale gold. Nose: but how very close this is to Roseisle! Pre-AI whisky, one might say, very good, but slightly devoid of emotion. That said, there are plenty of charming wee touches, green tea, putty, lime, quince, fresh rubber... though all of it speaks in a whisper. With water: much the same, though a tad more characterful and earthy than the Roseisle. Mouth (neat): right, this is really very good now, with a lovely lemon and some green apple, along with a hint of liquorice wood. No complaints here. With water: folds in a little, moving towards beer, cider, and liquorice. Finish: rather long, a touch fuller and fresher than the Roseisle’s. Comments: neither Ardbeg nor Brora, but it takes all sorts to build a malty world, does it not. Seriously, this is a very, very good malt, nothing to fault.
SGP:5514 - 85 points. |
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October 15, 2025 |
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A cracking stash of M&H
Recent events in the Middle East have given us reason to celebrate — and let’s be honest, such occasions have been rather scarce in recent years. So, we’ll be tasting a few M&H whiskies from Milk & Honey. In fact, quite a few, in true Whiskyfun style. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got in the library...
(Picture M&H) |
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M&H 2019/2022 'Ex-Rye Casks' (56.7%, OB, APEX, Israel, 2,111 bottles)
We know this kind of light in-cask blending of malt and rye can work rather well. Colour: gold. Nose: it's very dry, led by oak and fresh bread, with the faintest hints of fresh putty in the background. With water: the fruitiness steps forward with dilution, bringing wee pears and a touch of lemon peel, while the rye becomes more vocal too. Bags of green tea. Mouth (neat): very powerful, mostly on oak spices, peppers of all hues and small green fruits, gooseberries, lime, cactus flesh... With water: this is when it's at its most pleasant, fresh, still taut and rather dry, but very clean. Green tea in full bloom and a dab of honey. Finish: quite long and a continuation of the palate. A wee touch of violet in the aftertaste. Comments: very clean and compact, the rye works nicely. In short, we like it.
SGP:451 - 82 points. |
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M&H 2019/2023 'Madeira Wine Casks' (52.3%, OB, Art & Craft, Israel, 2,466 bottles)
This was a dessert-style Madeira wine, not a dry one. Colour: gold. Nose: much more presence than the rye, with a toasted side reminiscent of botrytis, raisins, hints of bresaola, a touch of camphor and an even lighter menthol... With water: and even faint smoky touches after dilution. Mouth (neat): the Madeira sings loudly but it works, very grapey, very expressive, still with those toasted notes but also a good dose of blood orange. Lovely stuff. With water: no major changes but it was already in fine shape. Finish: the blood orange returns alongside sultanas, with some pepper and black tea. A bitterness appears here, but it's well reined in. Comments: cheerful whisky, rather the opposite of the much more austere ex-rye.
SGP:651 - 84 points. |
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M&H 2018/2022 'Pomegranate Wine Casks' (57.4%, OB, APEX, Israel, 3,049 bottles)
This one spent the beginning of its life in bourbon, and was finished for six months in some intriguing pomegranate wine casks. I don’t believe I’ve ever tasted anything quite like this... Colour: gold. Nose: well we’re closer to the rye than the Madeira, surprisingly back to something more austere. Oak, putty, leafy notes... With water: citrus peel emerges. Mouth (neat): here comes the fruit! It’s zesty, lemony, plenty of lime and pink pepper. I’m not quite sure I could identify pomegranate wine blind, I must admit... With water: still citrus-led, and that’s very much to our liking. Note to self: track down a bottle of pomegranate wine post-haste. Finish: oranges return, both sweet and bitter. Comments: lovely tension, a delightful surprise.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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M&H 2019/2023 'Tokaji Wine Casks' (52%, OB, Art & Craft, Israel, 1,550 bottles)
One thing’s for certain, Tokaji and peat clash terribly. But there you go, I think this whisky wasn’t peated... Colour: pale gold. Nose: the sweet wine is rather prominent, bringing us closer to Greek muscats, perhaps even orange wine and rose liqueur. Under these conditions, the malt does seem to struggle a bit to assert itself. With water: water changes everything, it becomes better balanced, more malty, more forthright. Mouth (neat): it’s spectacularly fruity and sweet, yet there’s a peppery acidity that keeps it all in check. In the end, it’s really not bad at all, though the Tokaji remains firmly in charge. With water: once again, water brings balance. White grape berries, not necessarily furmint, a lovely honeyed vanilla and even a wee touch of salt... Finish: medium length, soft, very pleasantly fruity. Comments: water is a must; there you have it.
SGP:651 - 83 points. |
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M&H 2019/2023 'White Port Casks' (53.6%, OB, Art & Craft, Israel, 2,210 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: a faint whiff of sulphur that's not bothersome in the least, and vanishes quickly anyway, then salted butter caramel and quince jelly. With water: psst, just between us, it’s rather like Glenmorangie’s ex-Sauternes, Nectar d'Or. In fact, I dare say it might be a wee bit better, or rather more to my liking. Mouth (neat): very good, much fresher and livelier than expected, on orange liqueur and crème brûlée, with grated candied orange zest. No quibbles. With water: water often settles the matter, and here it brings out all manner of oranges, which we adore. Finish: aged orangecello and mandarins. Comments: my favourite so far.
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
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M&H 'Hartman's Cigar Blend' (50%, OB, Israel, virgin oak, PX and bourbon, 2024)
Hopefully we’re still allowed to taste this special blend, even if it’s been a long time since we last puffed on a cigar. Colour: deep gold. Nose: bravo. Very malty, closer to barley than all the previous ones, creamier on the nose too, with citrus to be sure, but also herbal infusions, vanilla pod, croissants, brioche — all is well so far. With water: indeed, it’s the citrus, especially tangerines, that lead the dance. Mouth (neat): truly excellent, like a well-made citrus liqueur with very little sugar. We’re miles away from the 'cigar blends' of old, those often heavy-handed things laden with sherry, chocolate, leather and... tobacco. Not here, this is fresh as a daisy. With water: an infusion rich in orange blossom, Earl Grey, and so on... Finish: rather long, a touch more on the wood, but as ever, the citrus straightens everything out. Comments: one almost wants to dig out an old Cuban Dom Pérignon from the humidor to enjoy alongside this splendid little M&H. Well, we’ll think about it.
SGP:641 - 87 points. |
I must admit, a slight shiver of apprehension is setting in now... |
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M&H 2019/2023 'Recioto Wine Casks' (55.1%, OB, Art & Craft, Israel, 2,210 bottles)
I think Recioto is something of a cousin to Amarone, so we’ll approach this one with a touch of caution. Red wine and whisky, you know how it is... Colour: apricot. Nose: strawberry cake, cherry cake, goji berries and panettone. Perhaps the panettone will come to the front once water is added... With water: black pepper. In theory, pepper and strawberry go together beautifully, but theory and practice often don’t see eye to eye. Mouth (neat): it’s well made, it’s just not my thing. Grenadine, pepper, kirsch-soaked cherries and rustic sourdough. With water: it creaks and squeaks on all fronts. A personal take, as always. Finish: strawberry bread, grape seeds and bitter spices — does strawberry bread even exist? Comments: as I was saying, it’s probably well crafted, but it’s not really my cup of malt.
SGP:461 - 75 points. |
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M&H 'Jerusalem Mountains' (55.4%, OB, APEX Terroir, Israel, 3,285 bottles, 2025)
For this series, terroir refers to where the whisky was matured — in this case at higher altitude, where the climate is gentler than elsewhere in Israel. The concept is somewhat akin to what the Japanese at Mars do with their various ageing cellars. In return, there’s no stated age or vintage here, at least as far as I can tell. Colour: pale gold. Nose: fairly soft vanilla and a few touches of fir bud liqueur, then a little honey, also fir-driven. All quite subtle, but to the point. With water: classic young malt, very well executed, in the style of certain young Scots or indeed Japanese. Mouth (neat): say no more, this is very good. Fresh, malty, lemony, beautifully herbal, with notes of verbena and a splash of Chartreuse. I rather feel M&H have upped their game with this very recent baby. With water: same impression. Tiny hints of anise and mint, exactly what was called for in this context. Finish: not very long but the addition of finger lime seals the deal. A very faint tarry note in the aftertaste. Comments: let’s remain polite — we won’t say we’re surprised, but... well yes, we are surprised.
SGP:561 - 88 points. |
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M&H 'Dead Sea' (57.4%, OB, APEX Terroir, Israel, 5,609 bottles, 2025)
Here we are at some -350m altitude, what’s going to happen? I haven’t checked this part, but I imagine the base distillate was the same throughout, and that the only variable was the maturation location. In short, a proper scientific approach... Colour: gold, so a slightly deeper hue. Nose: it’s a little less expressive, a little less fresh, perhaps a tad oilier. One gets sunflower oil, for instance, though I’ve no idea whether sunflowers grow in Israel, ha. The rest is close to the ‘JM’. With water: yes, slightly fattier... Mouth (neat): even closer to the Jerusalem, to be honest I’m not sure I could reliably detect the influence of the maturation site on the palate. Finding more salt, for instance, could simply be a trick of the mind (or what’s left of it, ha). Anyway, let’s move on — it’s very similar... With water: same again, very close, and thus very good. Finish: again very similar, but with some pink grapefruit notes emerging right at the end that weren’t quite as noticeable in the previous one. Comments: to do this sort of thing properly you’d need blind tastings and all sorts of controls. We’re a bit mad, but not that mad. At least, we hope not.
SGP:561 - 88 points. |
Let’s pick up the pace. We had a feeling these 'Terroir' expressions would be good — but not this good... |
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M&H 'Sea of Galilee' (56.2%, OB, APEX Terroir, Israel, 3,001 bottles, 2025)
Colour: gold. Nose: less expressive than the previous two, probably closer to the more ‘core’ M&H expressions, which we haven’t sampled today. That said, there are some lovely hints of exotic fruits and a few raisins, plus tiny pinches of turmeric and ginger. Raisin and banana cake, would that do for you? With water: closer to the previous ones, perhaps a tad spicier. Mouth (neat): much more expressive on the palate, citrus comes back to take charge, there’s fresh resinous wood — in short, all is well. With water: orange buttercream steps in to keep order, green spices too. Finish: here we’re almost identical to the Dead Sea. Comments: superfluous.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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M&H 'Negev Desert' (54.2%, OB, APEX Terroir, Israel, 2,194 bottles, 2025)
A desert should, in theory, push up the strength, but that doesn’t seem to have been the case here. Colour: gold. Nose: a decidedly fruitier version, more on sweets, jelly babies — honestly, it almost smells like a young Balblair, just like the ones we tried yesterday. Seriously! With water: small citruses, great pleasures. indeed, that’s our new motto. Mouth (neat): fresh, lemony, very pretty, it feels a bit like we’ve landed in the Lowlands of Israel, if such a place existed. With water: well, blow me, they really didn’t miss the mark with this series. Finish: lemon tart, with meringue of course. Comments: a thousand bravos!!!
SGP:661 - 88 points. |
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M&H 2020/2023 (67.2%, OB, for Whisky Picnic Bar, Israel, Private Cask Selection, Dead Sea ex-bourbon cask, cask #2020-2156, 148 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: nothing, nichts, nada, niente, and that’s the murderous strength. Perhaps a few extremely distant notes of very, very ripe oranges. With water: jelly babies, perhaps... There’s also a marked minerality, quite unusual. And hang on, a bit of pineapple? Mouth (neat): a flamethrower in your mouth, but again, the citrus seems to be trying to wrest back control. With water: now perfect, compact, fruity, irrepressible (yes?) and sublimely citrusy. Finish: young Rosebank? Comments: make no mistake, if folks like our friends in Taiwan are starting to select casks like this, it’s not without good reason. Honestly, we adore it. And blast it, barely three years old!
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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