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April 2, 2025 |
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A short stroll among some of Japan’s new-wave distilleries
It's always a joy to find ourselves back in the Land of the Rising Sun, if only in our glasses... In fact, in some cases, it’ seems that we'll also be heading to Islay, in a way. |
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Ichiro’s Malt & Grain (60.2%, OB, La Maison du Whisky Singapore, Japan, single cask, refill bourbon barrel, cask #14838, 247 bottles, 2023) 
A third-fill barrel having previously contained some peater. Colour: full gold. Nose: extremely fresh and citrusy, taut like freshly chopped rhubarb drizzled with lime juice, with a sprinkling of bay leaf and verbena oils, then yellow melon and pretty soft vanilla, although the high strength does make itself known as well. The peat stays well-behaved for now. With water: Japanese bean cake, obviously. Mouth (neat): an explosive fruitiness straight down the citrus line, with hints of camphor and olives wrapped in gently honeyed custard. With water: same story. Lovely lemon, a touch of fresh sorrel, and still that lingering honey in the background. Finish: same again, only with ashes now playfully peeking through in the aftertaste. Comments: a very lovely blend, wonderfully tight and chiselled.
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
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Akkeshi 3 yo (58%, OB, Japan, single malt, Claude x Salud friendship cask, 2025) 
This should be peated. We’ve already tried peated Akkeshis, but those were more lightly so. Colour: light gold. Nose: we're straight on Islay, with something that feels like a blend of A and CI, at least on the nose. Charcoal, seaweed, tar, ashes, smoked fish, plus a touch that’s both farmy and mentholy with a singular coastal twist that now sets it apart. With water: oysters show up, along with bandages and mercurochrome. Mouth (neat): fat and even closer to A, with a distinct lemony feel and hints of tiny herbs seemingly kilned for days. Then tarred and liquorice-laced olives, and the expected saline touch. With water: swims beautifully, the peat turning even more citrusy and coastal. Finish: long, with almond milk and lapsang souchong in the aftertaste. Comments: of course it’s simple at this age, but it’s a simplicity engineered with precision. I really do like this little Ar… kkeshi a lot.
SGP:557 - 88 points. |
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Togouchi 2019/2024 (51%, OB, Japan, single malt, Taiwan exclusive, Islay cask, cask #5288, 198 bottles)
Not a ‘Japanese world blend’ at all here, this was distilled at Sakurao and matured at Togouchi Cellar. Colour: pale gold. Nose: this one starts off a little more on porridge, cereals and ale, then it grows increasingly peaty and lemony, in a very classic and rather lovely fashion. Those wafts of damp chalk in the background are still working beautifully. With water: a little fresh wood, but also langoustines and rather soft ashes. It’s all very delicate, very pretty. Mouth (neat): very fruity, with peat more enclosed within mandarin—including the zest—which gives it almost a touch of cask-aged gin. Fresh banana, then a fruit salad. With water: balance is perfect, lemon/rhubarb/ash, but beware, the drinkability index rises steeply. Finish: long, very fresh and maritime. Could we order a platter of a dozen oysters? Comments: the progress the name Togouchi has made recently is truly impressive—thanks to their own single malts, of course. And perhaps also to that Islay cask in this instance.
SGP:565 - 87 points. |
Since we're with Sakurao... |
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Sakurao 2018/2024 (58%, OB, Japan, single malt, cream sherry hogshead, cask #6105, 205 bottles)
From Sakurao 2 cellar. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: heaps of roasted chestnuts, black truffle and fresh rubber, leather, gunpowder, burnt wood, black tea... It’s really water that will settle the matter here, as often. With water: still a good dose of powder, but also pipe tobacco ashes from an old briar, and always those black truffles (tuber melanosporum). Mouth (neat): heavy on the roasting, now much more on burnt cakes, dried meats, orange marmalade and black nougat. Three tonnes of deeply roasted almonds. With water: bay leaf, geranium and smoked paprika come barging in. Finish: long, still very ‘gunpowdery’, but now also peppery. Roasted chestnuts and Seville oranges resurface in the aftertaste. Comments: a bold beast, very, very singular and even spectacular, in a rather dry and earthy style.
SGP:472 - 85 points. |
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Saburomaru 4 yo 2019/2023 (59.65%, The Auld Alliance, Japan, single malt, heavily peated cask, 185 bottles) 
More new-wave Japanese whisky, this is very cool… We’re at Wakatsuru Distillery, a sake brewery in Tonami. We already tried a great one (for Rudder). Colour: deep gold. Nose: perfect, on cherry stem tisane, old copper and brass bits, Parma ham, heather honey, wisteria flowers, a wee chunk of smoked herring, and a nice touch of… funk. With water: the waxes and vegetable oils emerge. All very good signs! Mouth (neat): there you go, you instantly know this is a winner, you could just slap on 90 points straight away. Tobacco cake (if that were a thing, though I doubt it—it would likely be toxic), then rather fatty peat and a complete set of all the peppers in the world. With water: is this really four years old? I’m about to request an audit. Anyway, what now appears are heirloom apples, taking centre stage—a small marvel. Finish: perfect, ideal, rich yet lifted and elegant. Ash-baked apples. Comments: of course, one could question this whole ‘heavily peated cask’ business, but let’s abstain and simply enjoy finishing our glass. Which, obviously, we never do, with very few exceptions.
SGP:664 - 90 points. |
We’re really quite fond of these young Japanese, so we’re going to keep going... |
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Mars Tsunuki 5 yo 2018/2024 (57%, OB for Lucky Choice ‘chapter 1’, Japan, sherry puncheon, 557 bottles)
From a series called ‘The Dragon Awakes’, which sounds pretty G.O.T. if you ask me. Well then, we know what to expect here… Colour: copper amber. Nose: we’re back to oven-scorched cakes and tarts, quite a bit of soot, cigar ash, very dark chocolate, an abundance of walnuts, then saddle leather and an old biker jacket. That was one heck of a puncheon! With water: it almost folds in on itself, which is rather unexpected. Soot, slag, ashes, old beeswax polish… Mouth (neat): precise, jammy, on zest and marmalade, then mint, chlorophyll and tar. Also a rather stunning polish-and-clove combo. With water: candied oranges take over neatly. Finish: long, with a touch of ginger and—let’s face it—a bit of gunpowder again. Oops, it drops a point or two at this stage. Comments: this really is a splendid Tsunuki. Now, one just wonders under what conditions they’re shipping a sherry puncheon from Jerez all the way to Japan.
SGP:564 - 88 points. |
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Chichibu 2018/2022 (63.9%, OB for La Maison du Whisky Singapore, Japan, Flower Series #2, single malt, second-fill bourbon, cask #7087, 227 bottles)
Chichibu in refill bourbon? Hang on, we’re coming!!!… Colour: very pale gold. Nose: almond cream, barley syrup, mirabelles and quinces, tangerines and a few ashes. And loads of ethanol, so let’s not get too silly just yet… With water: fresh baguette, damp cardboard, plaster… Mouth (neat): sublime citrusy and ashy precision. Honestly, it’s a bit like a young Rosebank from the old days. With water: this is exceptional. A full showcase of citrus fruits (on world tour), top-notch green pepper and always that ash. A single drop of pear liqueur. Finish: frankly, same again. Comments: of great beauty, this is a rich yet chiselled Chichibu.
SGP:654 - 91 points. |
We ought to stop there, but we’re going to add another Chichibu for Singapore, simply because we love Singapore (and Chichibu, of course) ... |
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Chichibu 2017/2023 (64.2%, OB for La Maison du Whisky Singapore, Japan, Flower Series #3, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #7248, 207 bottles)
At this strength, it’s an alcoholic assault—I’m fairly certain that’s regulated by the Geneva Convention, it seems only uncultured brutes seem to ignore that one nowadays. Colour: full gold. Nose: clearly a more assertive bourbon barrel imprint here, with marzipan, buttercream, a hint of kirsch, lightly mentholated vanilla custard (agreed, sounds odd), then a full stream of blood orange juice. With water: twelve orange cakes and a dab of leather conditioner. Mouth (neat): an explosion of exotic fruits, vanilla, papaya, guava, banana liqueur… all that’s missing is a little paper parasol and a couple of sparklers to complete the scene. With water: the texture turns wonderfully oily and sharply citrusy—it’s so dazzling you might be tempted to drizzle it over grilled sole fillets. Bon appétit. Finish: long and creamy, fairly gentle, though still led by citrus. A curiously sweet note lingers in the aftertaste. Comments: splendid, of course, just ever so slightly overshadowed by the previous one.
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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April 1, 2025 |
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| ANNOUCEMENT |
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Beyond Excellence:
Whiskyfun Transcends to The WhiskyFun |
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In a move that epitomises the quintessence of sophistication and the ever-evolving pursuit of distinction, Whiskyfun proudly announces its bespokely curated evolved renaissance as The WhiskyFun. |
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This daringly auspicious transformation is not merely a change of moniker but a recommitment to the luxurious ethos that has long defined our essence in the realm of whisky appreciation. It is a disruption of the blogosphere and a recasting of our hallowed data archives into post-luxury tasting note-centric experiential quest on the internet of drams
The WhiskyFun emerges as a beacon of opulence, the northern whisky star, guiding connoisseurs and aficionados on an enriched pilgrimage through the perilous deserts of blended mundanity, to the amber-hued nirvana of the finest distillate-driven spirits. Our newly anointed identity is an ode to the heritage and aristocratic pageantry that whisky, in its most noble forms, embodies.
With this ultra-refined, quantum-concept branding, The WhiskyFun will enhance its offerings, curating not only rare and exquisite whiskies but also providing an elevated platform for celebration of the liquid gold. Luxuriate in our new poly-functional meta-scores; gasp at the implementation of our patented new AI technology (Artificial InSmelligence); grace your own opinions with our specially generated, The WhiskyFun approved, Facebook comment actualiser; bask in the engorgement of our new minimum 1000 word tasting notes; sign up to our Patreon for one-month early access – please!
With these innovations re-defining innovations, we invite our esteemed readers to partake in this new chapter, to figuratively turn the internet page before them, into a new realm where pure, un-blended luxury is not an option but a liquid gold standard.
Join the hyper-exclusive lifestyle of The WhiskyFun, where every dram poured is a testament to our unyielding commitment to excellence and a profound dedication to the storied lore of whisky art. Here, each sniff is hallowed, every sip transcends the mundane, each tasting note suspends time and the SGP measures ‘Superlative, Goldenness and Potential invest-ability’. We are offering nothing less than a vicarious taste of the unknowable.
Experience the sublime! The totality of whisky! Cross the event horizon of eminence where legacy and luxury intertwine like a particularly difficult old fishing knot—The WhiskyFun! |
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| Angus Meets Head of Webmastering: A Spirited Chat with Serge on The WhiskyFun's Luxe Leap |
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Angus: Serge, with Whiskyfun's transition to The WhiskyFun, what should our readers expect? Any big changes in store? |
Serge: Well, first of all, they should definitely start expecting to use a silver quaich instead of those quaint Glencairn glasses! (Readers can order a genuine replica of my own personally commissioned new Quaichs with bespoke moustache groove from the new The WhiskyFun webshop.) But seriously, while our name now has a rather grand 'The' in front of it, fear not—our spirits remain high and our whisky even higher. We're just adding a bit of an old-school, monarchical flourish to the experience. |
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Angus: A monarchical flourish, you say? Are there any new royal decrees that we should be aware of? |
Serge: Indeed, there are a few! Henceforth, every review shall be penned with a quill on vellum—or at least, that’s what we’ll have everyone believe. We’ll also require readers to wear top hats and monocles for the full reading experience – again, these can be ordered from The WhiskyFun webshop – check out our new Charlie MacLean tribute monocle – made of genuine Scottish Perspex. It enhances the flavours, or so the latest cutting-edge scientific googling suggests. I’m delighted to announce we have also received a Royal Warrant from the Prince of Auchtermuchty! |
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Angus: And how about the whisky reviews themselves? Will they change under The WhiskyFun? |
Serge: Ah, the reviews will remain as honest and forthright as ever. However, we might start scoring whiskies on a scale of one to a hundred based on how well they pair with Salmon caviar, as well as on the intensity of the butler's approval nod. More nods mean higher scores. Or possibly add a secondary horizontal luxury rating scale thus turning our tasting notes into a graph. Additional, top-secret research is ongoing into potential new additions and evolutions to the tasting model. I can’t say too much just now, but readers should invest in one of our 3D hyper-virtual visualised helmets – (available from The WhiskyFun online shop). But don't worry, we’ll still have our usual notes, albeit described in the Queen’s English to contribute to luxury and complexity. |
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Angus: Final question, are we finally going to replace that vomity yellow background with a pure and pristine white one? |
Serge: I don’t think so, yellow is the colour of the sun, the sign of hope and happiness. It stands bright and bold, energising every soul it touches and lifting spirits with its luminous glow. Also, I can’t figure out how to change it. |
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Please note that both the new The WhiskyFun webshop – along with all the incredible items it will offer to the discerning enthusiast – and access to our Patreon will only be available in the coming days. All the other new features will be implemented gradually within the month of April. We thank you for your understanding and patience. |
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March 31, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today Springbank OB |
I know, you're going to say we've only just finished tasting a dozen superb Springbanks. It's true, so think of today's little session as a mini-sequel. And for once, we won't be (too) late...
Floor malting (Springbank) |
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Springbank 8 yo 2016/2024 ‘Local Barley’ (58.1%, OB, 13,500 bottles, 2025)
This baby was bottled last December and released in 2025. The barley, of course floor-malted at Springbank, came from High Ranachan farm, just down the road from the Wee Toon. One could hardly get more local than this. Colour: gold. Nose: oh lovely! At once a little ‘dirtier’ and more lemony than the 10 year old many of us adore, quite marked by paraffin, boot polish, pot ale… one could almost describe it as ‘a trifle feinty’ with a slightly soapy edge. But Springbank may well be the only malt that’s actually enhanced by these tiny soapy notes, if you see what I mean. Also fresh almonds and walnuts galore. With water: paint and ‘a Saturday morning at Ikea’. Or perhaps ‘a fresh parcel from Temu’. Mouth (neat): an outburst of pink and green peppercorns, plus an avalanche of citrus. The usual greasy and coastal elements are very much present too. With water: fewer developments this time, and one gets the impression that youth might be a slight drawback here. Finish: same feeling, perhaps a tad too rustic at this stage. Ginger ale, porridge, ink, pepper. Comments: just spotted it’s bere barley.
SGP:562 - 86 points. |
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Springbank 26 yo 1998/2024 (53.4%, OB, for Lateltin 125th Anniversary, Switzerland, fresh bourbon barrel, 156 bottles)
A wee gem uncovered at Whiskyschiff Luzern 2025. Enough to drive quite a few Springbank collectors mad, especially the completists (if any still remain). Colour: light gold. Nose: it’s frankly annoying how these well-aged Springbanks are always bang on target, perched right atop the podium. Pink grapefruit, brake dust, candle wax, turpentine, Tiger Balm, fresh sourdough, seaweed, wet chalk, facial cream, sand and pebbles on the beach… Etc. With water: barley and pistachio syrups, fruit salad, agave syrup, and the faintest touch of tarry smokiness. Mouth (neat): exceptional cask contribution when it comes to texture, with fir honey, mangoes, peaches and passion fruit, grapefruit of course, beeswax, tiny banana, a smidgen of olive oil, a splash of seawater, and a few stones… All of this is frankly very aggravating. With water: it gets even worse with the arrival of papayas and mirabelles, plus even more minerality. What sort of sorcery is this? Finish: rosehip tea, manuka honey, salted butter caramel, and just the right amount of pu-ehr tea and whelks (and clams). Comments: one of the most, if not the most, fruit-laden recent Springbanks distilled in the 1990s. They’ve all brought us utter joy so far and this one is no exception.
SGP:652 - 93 points. |
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March 2024 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Springbank 29 yo 1994/2024 (50.1%, North Star Spirit, Obscurities & Curiosities, refill hogshead) - WF 94
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Macallan 1957 (80°proof, OB, Campbell, Hope & King, Rinaldi Italy, sherry wood, +/-1972) - WF 95
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
Springbank 10 yo (46%, OB, +/-2024) - WF 91
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Fradon ‘Lot 70’ (46.4%, Through the Grapevine for Navigate World Whisky South Africa, Petite Champagne, 99 bottles) - WF 92
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Kimchangsoo ‘Gimpo - The First Edition 2024’ (50.1%, OB, South Korea) - WF 90
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Teeling 15 yo (50%, OB, Irish single grain, 2023) - WF 65 |
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March 30, 2025 |
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Glory to Cognac
Times seem tough for cognac, which just goes to show that humanity as a whole is in decline, led astray by leaders without morals. To (barely) paraphrase the sociologist E. Durkheim: “the dumber, the less moral.” And one hardly dares to imagine a scenario where US tariffs on cognac or other EU spirits become vastly higher than those on, hum, ‘Cognac of Russia’. |
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Part of an advert for Cognac Monnet, circa 1945 |
Right then, let’s support authentic cognac as much as we can — not that it takes much effort when it comes to the small producers who make quality stuff...
That said, we’ll still be kicking things off with a little old-school apéritif… |
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Hennessy ‘Fine Champagne VSOP’ (40%, OB, Cognac, +/-1988) 
We don’t taste these sorts of things very often, but yes, since we're here… Colour: amber. Nose: it’s soft, very rounded, with a caramelised touch, liquorice and a fair bit of honey. There are also some lovely yellow flowers and a very light and rather seductive smoky and metallic side, perhaps the effect of a little OBE. A good surprise for now… Mouth: really not bad, not weak at all, even more marked by the liquorice, but notes of burnt caramel and a slight bitterness soon rise to the surface. Alas, it tends to fall apart rather quickly on the palate. Finish: this is the most difficult part, logically. Over-infused tea and burnt wood, plus a slightly rubbery touch that’s a bit distracting. Comments: well, it’s an old bottle, so let’s say it has extenuating circumstances. A shame, it had started well.
SGP:551 – 70 points. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘Lot 99’ (50.5%, Swell de Spirits, Wonders of the World, Bons Bois, 350 bottles)
If I may say so, the label is very pretty, but it doesn’t quite evoke the verdant Charentes, does it? Colour: gold. Nose: this is a serious nose, well-defined, a little austere in the best sense of the word, on apples, white peaches and liquorice wood, with a few tangy little sweets in the background. You can feel there are aromas hiding a bit, and for that… With water: absolutely! Out come cedarwood, pink pepper, small cherries, hints of beeswax polish… Mouth (neat): again that serious tone to start, but soon all the sweets from our childhood show up, the winning chewing gums, the ‘roudoudous’, also the sultanas we used to pinch from our mums, and above all those liquorice rolls. You need to be a bit cautious with such evocative profiles—they can quickly throw you off course. With water: citrus fruits arrive en masse this time, though a slightly herbal and ‘serious’ structure remains. Finish: fairly long, lovely, fresh, with oolong tea and fruit skins, especially peach. Liquorice returns in the aftertaste. Comments: we’re already quite high up in altitude.
SGP:561 – 89 points. |
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Prunier 1995/2024 (53.6%, Art Malts, Vintage Reserve, Fins Bois)
Oh, a Corvette! You’ll say it could have been worse—it could’ve been a T. (you know, that electric brand everyone’s ditching for a slice of toast these days). Joking aside… Colour: gold. Nose: once again, this is a fairly compact Bons Bois at first, slightly herbal, with the usual liquorice and fruit skins, though there’s a sense of smaller aromas bubbling up in the background. With water: yes, mandarins, orange zest, wildflower honey, Earl Grey tea, a touch of garden soil… All in all, this one loves water too. Mouth (neat): powerful, with tobacco and mentholated notes right from the start, then—of course—liquorice wood and a touch of banana skin (when you bite into the banana to open it). With water: perfect. Lemon mint, liquorice, black tea, a touch of rock sugar. Finish: same direction, heading into sweet green tea with honey. Comments: always very good, these Fins Bois are generally wonderfully alt-style.
SGP:651 – 88 points. |
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Domaine du Chêne ‘XXO Lot 89’ (43.8%, Art Malts, Bons Bois)
The label features a good old fire-red 911, a cabriolet it seems, most likely a 3.2L from around 1986–1987, and it’s not entirely impossible we once owned one just like it back in the day. Not to be driven after a whisky tasting, mind, as the all-rear engine wasn’t exactly compatible even with the mildest, perfectly legal tipsiness. Anyway, Domaine du Chêne is a fine 90-hectare estate. Colour: deep gold. Nose: we plunge straight into a world of lavender, vine peach, and aromatic earth and herbs, all wrapped in perfect delicacy, with even a touch of white truffle before tangerines make an elegant entrance. Perfect. Mouth: danger, as they say—it goes down like milk. Blood oranges, nectarines, acacia honey, a little maple syrup, a few edible flowers, white clover, then green tea adds a touch of... gravitas. Finish: nicely long, more herbaceous as is often the case by this stage, though the oranges and peaches remain firmly in charge. Comments: magnificent, but beware—it goes down far too easily. No, I shall make no comparisons to that famed 911.
SGP:651 – 90 points. |
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Marie Foucher ‘L’Horizon Perdu Lot 96’ (59.34%, Malternative Belgium, Fins Bois, 131 bottles, 2024)
A bottle to celebrate their 5th Anniversary. Very well done, Malternative Belgium! And I mean it. The alcohol level is surprisingly high for a cognac approaching 30 years old, it’s quite intriguing… Colour: gold. Nose: at this strength you almost land in the world of rum, which is rather amusing. Honestly, you’d almost think of Barbados at FS (85% column still, 15% pot). Granted, apples and peaches come in to adjust those first impressions, though not overwhelmingly so. With water: it’s mad, those impressions linger a little, even if it gradually eases back into the world of dry and elegant brandies. Mouth (neat): again, there’s that rum-like profile, enhanced by lemons and dried raisins. And there’s even a hint of malt whisky, something like a nice Speysider from a refill cask. That said, it’s excellent, even at this strength. With water: ah, now we’re back to proper cognac, with lovely apples, oranges, pears and peaches. Nice aniseed and liquorice touches in the background. Finish: same direction. Touches of pineau, with a woodier aftertaste. Comments: incredible—everyone dreams of pulling off a great cross-category super-blend, and here they’ve done it without even bothering with improbable mix-ups.
SGP:561 – 87 points. |
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Vallein Tercinier ‘Lot 74’ (50.9%, Valinch & Mallet and Heads & Tails Canada, Spirit of Art, Fins Bois, 150 bottles, 2024)
1974, a chance to pay tribute to Steve Harley of the Cockney Rebels, who left us last year. Come up and see me, make me smiiiiile! Colour: amber. Nose: truly delighted to be tasting so many of these ‘Bois’, thanks to the independents who’ve brought them into the spotlight. Here we’re deep into fruit compotes and jams (apples and so on), sweetened with honey and a touch of… barley syrup. The addition of white nougat makes it rather irresistible. With water: splendid herbal infusions! Mouth (neat): oh that’s good, with a clear woody side but lit up by little resins that are simply irresistible. At least for me. Genepy, wormwood, pine buds, green oak honey… With water: watch out, it goes fractal before you’ve time to say “phew”, as we say over here. You remember, each flavour splits into sub-flavours, which then split into yet more sub-flavours… etc. Finish: the fir wood is just ever so slightly marked, but the whole thing is superb. A kind of all-fruits and all-herbs jam. Comments: well, we should’ve seen that coming.
SGP:661 – 91 points. |
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Fradon ‘Lot 70’ (46.4%, Through the Grapevine for Navigate World Whisky South Africa, Petite Champagne, 99 bottles)
We’re near Jonzac here, it’s the first time we’re trying a cognac from Domaine Fradon. Hard to believe it took our friends in South Africa to make it happen… BTW, love that the bottlers would tell us this little baby that spent 53 years in wood harbours an ‘ester content of 134.3gr/hlPA’. Knowledge is power (hey D.C.). Colour: gold. Nose: oh, varnishes, vanilla pods, oils of all sorts, a flood of caramel cream, cappuccino, various balms and then fruit wines—apricot wine, for instance. Plain and pure sorcery. Forgot to mention pistachio cream. Mouth: resinous woods and soft varnishes, a touch of sea salt (yes), and frankly a definite old Springbank character. I’m not joking—S.p.r.i.n.g.b.a.n.k. Finish: same story. This thing’s a bit crazy, even if one might say the resinous/oaky side is just ever so slightly over the top. But that’s just nitpicking… Mocha in the aftertaste. Comments: it’s exactly for things like this that Whiskyfun carries on, after years of madness and laughter. All the magic of a single cask…
SGP:562 – 92 points. |
Go on then, one last one and we’ll call it a night... |
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La Symphonie ‘Lot 45’ (58.2%, Malternative Belgium, Fins Bois, 90 bottles, 2025)
A 1945 at 58%? These Belgians are completely mad. We agree that 1945 was 80 years ago, right? In Scotland, they’d hand you the keys of a free convertible Bentley with every bottle, though to be fair, no one would know what to do with it. I mean the Bentley, of course. Anyway, this is a Fins Bois from a bouilleur de cru. Colour: red amber. Nose: astonishing freshness, varnish, cherries, peonies, old sweet wines, Málaga, pineau, Banyuls, then cured ham and Corinth raisins. Impressive. With water: we're fully into old wines now, especially Bordeaux. Peonies, blackcurrant, violet, mint, liquorice, roots… Wow. Mouth (neat): the wood and pepper grab you in a bit of a pincer movement at first, with a huge—really huge, bigly huge—wave of black tea, but that was to be expected. Then comes old chartreuse, very bitter chocolate, old oloroso, strong mint and salted liquorice… What’s impressive is that a certain fruitiness still manages to emerge through this woody onslaught, especially plum and cassis. With water: little change, truth be told. We’d already crossed into another dimension, and we remain there. Finish: banana and varnish—is that possible? Since they had the liquid analysed, could they confirm the isoamyl acetate content? Comments: such fun! Nothing fits, yet everything works. Magical…
SGP:471 – 91 points. |
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March 28, 2025 |
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Macallan in memory of Michael Jackson, the continuation (and conclusion) |
With a series that left us rather unmoved when it was first released, as at the time expensive NAS bottles were deeply shocking, and the attempts to replicate the past even more so. Like the improbable ‘replicas’ or… this little series. Of course, we’ve already drunk and even tasted these, but indeed we’ve never actually written tasting notes. Now’s the time, before these oddities vanish completely… |
The complete series makes quite an impression
on your shelves, provided you keep it in order.
tWorld Wine Whisky) |
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Macallan ‘Travellers Edition - Fifties' (40%, OB, sherry cask, 50cl, +/-2001)
This quirky little bottle was intended to replicate the style of 1950s Macallan. The issue, of course, was that back then, the 1950s Macallans – like the 1957 we tasted yesterday – were still relatively easy to find and taste, so direct comparison was perfectly possible. Let’s do it again then… Colour: amber. Nose: well, this has come along nicely, certainly light, but showing charming notes of sweet wine, almond croissants, floral nectar, acacia blossom, pistachio syrup… Oh yes, not bad at all, whereas we found it a bit feeble back in the day. Mouth: this has aged well, though sadly the low strength has rendered it quite diaphanous and rather a little frustrating. Mint and barley syrup, herbal teas, walnuts, a touch of light honey… The profile itself has become awesome. Finish: short, fading, but still on lovely dried fruits such as figs. Comments: for the record, the Fifties was my favourite of the four (twenties, thirties, forties, fifties) back then. In any case, this has aged very gracefully and it’s always a joy to revisit the old-school Macallan style.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
Well done, that '50s bottling was by no means out of place after the 1957 we tried yesterday. Now, shall we move on to the '40s? |
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Macallan ‘Travellers Edition - Forties' (40%, OB, sherry cask, 50cl, +/-2001)
The 1940s were said to be smokier, notably because fuel was in high demand for other purposes, which supposedly led to a return to peat in distilleries. Or so whisky mythology has it. Colour: amber. Nose: definitely drier, much less on dried fruits, more herbal, with notes of hay and cut grass, some nuts, though we’re not really finding any of that ‘peat’ character you sometimes get in immediate post-war Macallans. Still, there’s a lovely beeswax note. Mouth: I’m 100% certain there’s been some positive OBE. It’s certainly dry and fragile, even slightly cardboardy, but we’re far from the near disaster we noted back in the day. Chamomile tea, cake crumbs, and some rather pretty wax. Finish: short, dry. Banana skin, then a touch of ash. Comments: it whispers, it’s fragile, but it’s unquestionably very good.
SGP:341 - 86 points. |
Note that the very first bottles in this series came with twist caps (we had a set), which were quickly replaced with cork stoppers. |
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Macallan ‘Travellers Edition - Thirties' (40%, OB, sherry cask, 50cl, +/-2001)
We’ve little direct experience with 1930s Macallans, though the 1938 ‘red ribbon’ remains etched in our memory – we consumed quite a few glasses back when it was still sold at prices that now seem laughable. Colour: amber. Nose: more austere, with wax and ashes, manzanilla, amaretti, then earth and mushrooms. Honestly, this one too feels vastly better than it did 25 years ago. Good grief, 25 years! Mouth: a true ode to bottle ageing, perhaps even more pronounced in a 50cl bottle. Saline touches, parsley, marrow, walnuts, raisins, tobacco, honey… Finish: short but elegant, on walnuts and dried fruits. Comments: so much better than at the time of its release, I swear!
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
All this points to the need for a dynamic approach to managing our stock of spirits, perhaps newcomers should really be buying today for the future, starting by building up their working stock with old bottles bought at auction. Who knows, maybe yesterday’s rather a little lacklustre Macallan ‘Terra’ will have become superb in 25 years’ time!? |
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Macallan ‘Travellers Edition - Twenties' (40%, OB, sherry cask, 50cl, +/-2001)
Now this one, sorry, I’ve zero experience with the 20s, aside from the 1928 and the vatted version with the 1926 (50 yo Anniversary). But I wouldn’t know how to extract or describe a specific style, and I freely admit I’m a little ashamed of that now… Just kidding. Colour: amber. Nose: not very different from the Thirties, just rounder and more on dried fruits, leaning slightly towards the Fifties. Still, you see, it’s very charming, especially as hints of mint and camphor start to emerge. Mouth: this has become really good, on liquorice and dried fruits. I’ll keep it brief. It’s just those darn low strengths that hold it back a little – a shame, they really should have gone for 45/46% vol. Finish: short but lovely. Marrons glacés, heather honey, raisins, and even a clear saline touch in the aftertaste. Not so short after all. Comments: it seems increasingly clear to me that the whole series has benefited hugely from 25 years in bottle. For my part, I won’t swear my tastes haven’t changed since Y2K – but not that much, honestly.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
Im sorry, I can’t quite remember who the Master Blender at Macallan was around the year 2000, but in any case, hats off to them. Belatedly…
Right then, we’ve still got two or three recent indie bottlings to taste… |
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Macallan 32 yo 1991/2023 (46.8%, William’s Choice, DH Global Wine, 1st fill PX sherry, cask #8184)
An old Macallan for Asia, where, incidentally, all these aged Macallans seem to end up nowadays. Our friends have good taste, that much is clear… Colour: dark reddish amber. Nose: we’re stepping into another dimension, loaded with prunes but also rosewood, patchouli, blackberry jam, vintage wax polish, then resins and old herbal liqueurs, with a faint tarry touch. Quite beautiful. Mouth: truly singular, on sour cherry liqueur, hints of Swiss cheese, caraway, and old red Burgundy… The palate is frankly unusual, with some molecular transmogrification either underway or already complete. One might almost say it has some splendid flaws, if you see what I mean. Finish: medium in length, ‘in mutation’, with waxed cardboard and a return of the sour cherries. Big bitterness in the aftertaste. Comments: let’s say this is for the Macallan lover who’s already had it all. The palate is genuinely loco, but of course we like that – since the only thing that truly frightens us is boredom. Right.
SGP:362 - 87 points. |
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Macallan 31 yo 1991/2023 (54.1%, William’s Choice, DH Global Wine, sherry hogshead, cask #2593)
Colour: amber. Nose: we’re back to something a bit ‘loco’, even on the nose, though this time it’s all mosses and resins, wild mushrooms, humus, ferns, pine needles – a glorious stroll through the forest, with woodpeckers and cuckoos overhead. With water: green Chartreuse and Velay verbena, proper old collector’s bottles if you please. Mouth (neat): beautiful, earthy and resinous, with lemon and essential oils, then pine sap, propolis, salty liquorice… Massive tannins, but that’s part of its charm. With water: some tiny tarry and even petroly notes emerge. Finish: long and deeply resinous and tannic. Comments: frankly, this is a bit bonkers, but for long walks in the woods, it’s the ideal dram for your hipflask. Personally, I love anything resinous, even when it’s as unorthodox as this.
SGP:371 - 89 points. |
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Macallan 26 yo 1993/2020 (56.4%, Douglas Laing, Xtra Old Particular, The Black Series, Exclusive for DH Global Wine, refill sherry butt, cask #DL13661, 244 bottles)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: it opens with blasts of leeks and truffle, moves on to Jamaican rum (indeed), lands briefly on orange-flavoured yoghurt, continues through furniture polish and shoe cream, and finishes on a lit Cuban cigar in an ashtray. This one’s clearly ‘special’ too. With water: charred woods and a few Brussels sprout notes before bitter oranges come in to restore order. Mouth (neat): slightly burnt pecan pie, gunpowder, roasted artichokes and aubergines, and bitter oranges dusted with pepper and ash. With water: caramelised citrus zest, a touch of yeast, various peppers. Finish: fairly long, with a few notes of both game birds and furred game. Comments: yet again, very unusual and, shall we say, ‘creative’. All these early 1990s indie Macallans really are… loco. The vast majority veer a little ‘off-piste’, but the attentive taster will greatly appreciate these highly ‘different’ and even rather stimulating offerings. Right.
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
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March 27, 2025 |
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Happy International Whisk(e)y Day!
Today is International Whisky Day, the original international day of whisky that started right here on Whiskyfun in 2008, following the suggestion of the famous Dutch whisky writer Hans Offringa, who was the first to come up with the idea. Each year, International Whisky Day pays tribute, on his birthday, to the great whisky writer Michael Jackson, who sadly passed away in 2007. |
Michael Jackson was a staunch supporter of Macallan, among other distilleries. It's true that the pinnacle of his extraordinary career coincided with the availability on the market of some sublime Macallan expressions, from the 18-year-olds (up to the 1980 vintage) or the 30-year-olds, not to mention the older 15-year vintage editions, which could still be found relatively easily at the time of his earlier Malt Whisky Companion guidebooks.
So, we’ll finish today’s tasting with one of those legendary Macallans, a 1957 imported to Italy by Rinaldi which, alas, we don’t have formally tasted yet, just imagine the scandal. |
Some Macallan for Michael Jackson |
We're also going to take this opportunity to bring out a few other old Macallans that we've never formally tasted, including some bottles from which we decanted parts into smaller bottles quite a few years ago. Here's hoping they've held up…(please note that this session will have two parts.) |
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Macallan ‘Terra’ (43.8%, OB, Quest Collection, travel retail, 1st fill American and European oak sherry casks, +/-2024) 
An expression that’s been around for quite some time, sadly far too pricey for a mere NAS (250€) Colour: deep gold. Nose: roasted peanuts and a slight metallic and leathery touch, then a few raisins, some sherry, followed by a rather charming smoky, waxy and ashy combo. A hint of burnt wood in the background. Mouth: dry and rather oaky, fairly herbal, with some pepper and more and more sherry influence, but also this unmistakable ‘finishing’ feel, not entirely well-integrated, even if it remains fairly pleasant. Roasted nuts, toffee, oak, ginger. A touch of tension. Finish: rather short, more burnt and caramelised, with a bitter and sour edge. Oak coming through in the aftertaste. Comments: for me the oak and its spices are a little too forward, along with that slightly jarring ‘finishing’ character. I’ve not had much luck with the ‘Quest’ range.
SGP:361 - 81 points. |
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Macallan 'A Night on Earth in Jerez de la Frontera' (43%, OB, 2024) 
Another simple NAS, though half the price, drawn from the usual ‘sherry seasoned’ casks. This one celebrated New Year’s Eve and paid tribute to Jerez – one might say, about time too (just joking). That said, we had rather enjoyed the 'A Night on Earth in Scotland' from 2022 (WF 85) Colour: gold. Nose: a nose I find more appealing than that of the Terra, with more fruitiness, dry fruit jams, and altogether a more classical Macallan profile. The whole feels more coherent and better married, if you like. Raisins, figs, marzipan… Nothing earth-shattering, but quite pleasant. Mouth: less convincing on the palate, with jellybeans and slightly sugary fruit preserves which, truth be told, don’t exactly scream ‘Jerez’. Fruit pastes from the supermarket, with a few supermarket sultanas thrown in. Finish: medium in length, still a little syrupy. Comments: the nose was somewhat misleading, as I find the palate rather a little flabby and not terribly engaging.
SGP:541 - 79 points. |
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Speyside (M) 13 yo 2011/2024 ‘Edition #29’ (57.1, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof, 1st fill oloroso butt)
Truly a lovely move with this series priced at €70. What, have we said that already? Colour: amber. Nose: back in the day, as the saying goes. Very charming combination, slightly floral at first (dandelions), then moving to accords of jams (mirabelle, quince, apricot) with roasted hazelnuts and almonds, all followed by a coffee and chocolate duet. With water: very lightly smoky, slightly burnt cake, toffee, and a few touches of fern. Mouth (neat): prune and Armagnac to start, then back to the same jams and dried fruits, laced with some lovely pepper. The whole leans slightly sweet, as if there were a touch of moscatel – though there isn’t. With water: not much change, save for some orange marmalade joining in. Finish: long, with clove and cinnamon making an appearance. Comments: impeccable. Deranged minds might consider keeping, once empty, any pricey official crystal decanter just to refill it with this kind of very lovely juice. Philistines! Pithecanthropuses! Squawking popinjays! Vegetarians! (all copyright captain Haddock).
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
Here's an important question: are the different batches really that different? The answer, coming up… |
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Speyside (M) 13 yo 2011/2024 ‘Edition #25’ (57.1, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof, 1st fill and refill oloroso butt)
Colour: amber. Nose: ah yes, this one’s different, a little less rounded, slightly earthier, with a touch of gunpowder this time, notes of cured ham, and a faint metallic edge… But the trouble is, I rather like both. Mouth: they’re closer on the palate, though this one leans more towards candied oranges and, once again, a whiff of smoked ham. Excellent in either case. Finish: a bit more coffee and black pepper. Comments: best to stop here, because with this sort of side-by-side exercise, one can easily end up knocking back 25cl of each just to chase down the nuances, only to finish utterly lost. Speaking from experience, of course.
SGP:651 – 87 points. |
But do these batches evoke the ‘Old Macallan’ style? Only one way to find out: look for an older expression, one that could be close, and for which we haven’t yet written an official tasting note. Sound like a plan? |
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Macallan 10 yo ‘Cask Strength’ (58.8%, OB, +/-1999)
Not to be confused with the official 10 yo ‘100 Proof’ at 57%. Colour: amber with copper tones. Nose: no, this is quite different, far more on roasted nuts and fruitcake, mocha, roasted sesame oil, even beeswax and dried beef. Then it shifts gradually towards furniture polish. Overall, it’s distinctly drier. With water: this official version gains a slight edge, thanks to a little more beeswax and some soft oils (sunflower). Mouth (neat): the gap narrows on the palate, with the differences becoming more subtle. We’re on spicy dried fruits and Armagnac-soaked prunes once more. One is reminded of Austrian ‘Rumba Pfaumle’, which, long story short, translates, for the record, as ‘chocolate-dipped dried plums with domestic rum’. And in Austria, domestic rum is quite something, but I digress… With water: this time we’re nearly identical, this one just being a tad more polished, more harmonious. Dates and figs, with a signature note of copper coin. Finish: lovely length, loads of dried fruits, and a burst of honey arriving late. Comments: a touch of positive OBE here. That said, I see these bottles now sell for over €2,000. Ahem…
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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Macallan 24 yo 1998/2023 ‘Speymalt’ (54.1%, Gordon & MacPhail, for LMDW Singapore 18th Anniversary, 1st fill sherry, cask #21603904, 326 bottles)
There had already been at least one Speymalt 1998, but that one had felt a bit underwhelming to our taste (WF 79). To be fair, it had been bottled at 43% back in 2007, so at a rather young age. Colour: gold. Nose: well then, ripe bananas, rum and honey – we’re in. And then comes eucalyptus and lemon verbena, laid over some sumptuous roasted figs, grand-restaurant style. The G&M style, always somewhat distinct from the OBs and often a little more complex and less overtly oaky, is clearly in play here. With water: waxes and hand creams, moisturiser, pollen, ripe apples… We’re loving all of this. Mouth (neat): thank you for proving me wrong, this is now woodier than the OBs, though more in the direction of infusions and herbal teas, all steeped in honey. Plenty of very ripe fruits rather than dried or as jams, particularly apricots. With water: stop right there, it’s perfect – no need for more. The medicinal side is absolutely lovely, especially the camphor and mint notes. Finish: not overly long but balanced and elegant, with beeswax captaining the ship. Comments: truth be told, we were expecting this. Bottles like this should not be placed next to current official NAS releases – that would be tactless.
SGP:551 - 90 points. |
Right then, I suggest we finish with the 1957 for Michael Jackson, as we’d promised. Then tomorrow, we’ll have some other fun Macallans. |
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Macallan 1957 (80°proof, OB, Campbell, Hope & King, Rinaldi Italy, sherry wood, +/-1972)
A Macallan of course under the name of Roderick Kemp. The 15 years of age are noted on the cardboard box. These vintages are considered among the most legendary, with Campbell, Hope & King of Elgin – CH&K – having handled the bottling, alongside G&M, of the 'official' Macallans, as the distillery did not bottle its own pure malts at the time. The reputation of these releases is rather colossal, while among the vintages we’ve formally tasted, most have come from the years 1940 to 1962, with a justified skip between 1940 and 1946. Yet this 1957 had never ‘officially’ crossed our path… Colour: amber. Nose: what can I tell you? Perhaps that even a complete dictionary of whisky aromas wouldn’t quite suffice. Up front, everything that comes from a beehive – honey, wax, pollen, propolis, fir wood… Then heaps of dried yellow fruits – apples, raisins, figs, pears, bananas… Then forgotten varnishes, leathers, waxes and embrocations, aromas you’d find in the dusty stacks of an 18th-century library. And to top it all off, those familiar notes of ‘vintage car’ from similar eras. Let’s say an old Jag from the 50s or 60s – how does that sound? And what brilliance to bottle this at 80°proof, roughly 46% vol. Okay, 45.85. Mouth: immense, one of the GOATs of malt whisky, now melted into a kind of coffee and liquorice cake, yet with many distinct components still shimmering through – the honeys, the figs, a whisper of tar, the malt of course, sultanas, walnuts and pecans, and of course the queens of old-school sherry: the figs. Not forgetting the cognac and the mosto/paxarette, whose roles have always been debated quietly when no one else was listening. Ssh… Let’s not overlook the pipe tobacco and bouillons either, two pillars of this now sadly fading style. Have you rung the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade yet? Finish: sublime. Nothing more to say. Comments: shh… Let’s just say it settles just below the 1954 CH&K, my personal benchmark.
SGP:652 - 95 points. |
Bear in mind, these old bottles have each evolved in their own way—unless they’ve been kept sealed, together in their original case. So they’ve all become slightly different over time, which is absolutely delightful, naturally. |
In any case, tomorrow we’ll have some crazy indie Macallans, released under the distillery’s proper name, along with an old official series for which, sadly, we’ve never written proper tasting notes on this modest little website. So, have a great day or evening, and see you tomorrow for more Macallan adventures… |
(Thank you Thierry and Salvatore) |
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March 26, 2025 |
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A flight of Ben Nevis in several stages,
part quatre |
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| View of Ben Nevis Distillery today (in Tim Smith's 'Not Your Average Joe') |
We’re wrapping up our tour in Fort William with a few more 1996s, certain that we’ll be returning soon—at least from our tasting desk. We’re going to rank them by increasing alcohol strength this time, since they’re all from the same vintage and roughly the same age. Watch out, this is likely to result in a catastrophically high average… We’ll try to move quickly to minimise the damage. |
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Ben Nevis 25 yo 1996/2022 (45%, The Taste of Whisky, Pin-up Girls, hogshead, cask #1439, 111 bottles)
This motorcycle pin-up lady is named ‘Rita,’ and she seems to have nothing to envy from Betty Grable. Colour: pale gold. Nose: and there it is—a masterful combination of old tools found in the cellar, very ripe mangoes, equally ripe bananas, biofuel, and peppermint. Precision engineering, and simply irresistible. Mouth: a thunderous arrival of drier, more mineral, spicy, and saline components… Mustard and even horseradish appear too, softened by guava and orange blossom honey. Finish: long, saline, and increasingly peppery. A few ashes. The peppermint side makes quite a statement in the aftertaste. Comments: borderline illegal, it’s so good.
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
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Ben Nevis 28 yo 1996/2024 (45.1%, Acla Selection, Ski Ladies, hogshead, cask #412)
Seems like Rita was also into skiing. Colour: pale gold, just a bit darker. Nose: obviously very close to the previous one, perhaps just a little rounder and even fruitier. Everything else is still very much there, including the peppermint. A bit more beeswax and honey. Mouth: this time, it’s tighter, quite amusingly. More lemon, lime, and green pepper, while the horseradish remains present. Finish: long, probably even more peppery, with plenty of ashes. Comments: perhaps a fraction less chiselled than the previous one, but we’re nitpicking at the highest level.
SGP:661 - 90 points. |
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Ben Nevis 27 yo 1996/2024 (46.9%, The Whisky Blues for Bro Whisky, hogshead, cask #1639, 180 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: almost a carbon copy of the previous one, just a little more maritime, fresher, with sea breeze and a few oysters. The rest is split between mango, lemon, metal polish, and that now nearly proverbial peppermint. Mouth: magnificent! Perhaps a touch more lactic and fermentary, with a slight IPA-like note, then flint, guava, mild mustard, and green pepper. Finish: long and very beautiful, once again slightly tropical and citrusy, with touches of honey, coconut, and dulce de leche to round it off. A faint dirty edge in the end, perhaps just to remind you—should you have forgotten—that this is indeed Ben Nevis. Comments: these Ben Nevis are dangerous, beware—you might, as some Scots say, end up walking on your kilt.
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
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Ben Nevis 27 yo 1996/2023 (48.7%, The Whisky Blues, Whisky Age, Picnic Bar, Series No.60, hogshead, 222 bottles)
Colour: straw. Nose: of course, all these hogsheads are very similar. That said, this one might be a touch softer and fruitier, evoking mango sorbet and passion fruit. A few drops of crème de menthe, a hint of wasabi, then a touch of soot. Incredibly beautiful. Mouth: even livelier and fruitier than the others, though less sweet than on the nose—very tight, almost vertical. Sublime, and it inspires a new saying: “The more vertical the whisky, the more likely the drinker is to end up horizontal.” Yeah, not the best one, I admit. Finish: long, vibrant, with a whole container full of citrus. Comments: they’re all magnificent, as we knew, but this one offers even more of that sublime tension.
SGP:661 - 92 points. |
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Ben Nevis 27 yo 1996/2024 (54.8%, The Taste of Whisky, Endangered Species Vol.III, cask #1687, 198 bottles)
So, the animal on the label is a Scottish red deer. I don’t know if it’s truly an endangered species, what I know is that Jura whisky has often used them in its ads. Apparently, there are around 6,000 permanently on the Isle of Jura, their population being managed (as is that of distillers, it seems). If there are red deer on Ben Nevis, well, I have no idea… Colour: pale gold. Nose: at first, a giant bag of gummi bears in all colours, with a touch of blackcurrant mustard—but water should change things a bit. With water: actually, it remains very sharp, almost herbal, with lime taking centre stage among the fruits. Mouth (neat): very fruity but also rather sharp, highly peppery and mustardy. With water: once again, it stays edgy, almost aggressive, but then, we do love these profiles. The advantage? You naturally drink a little less of it. Finish: very long, still incredibly tight, with the proverbial mustard firmly at the helm. Comments: this one laughs a little less, but it remains truly admirable.
SGP:571 - 90 points. |
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Ben Nevis 27 yo 1996/2024 (55%, The Whisky Sponge, refill butt and 2nd fill sherry butt, #58b, 301 bottles)
Here is our last Ben Nevis from this little series we’ve done this March, this time with sherry, but in refill. In any case, the colour doesn’t suggest a massive sherry influence—though colours can be deceptive. Colour: pale gold. Nose: quite different from all the others, with a sherry that, by contrast, throws an avalanche of earthier notes at you, packed with fresh and less fresh walnuts, then cider apples, and of course, that ever-present mustard, followed by exotic fruits and citrus, though those remain in the background. With water: a rather magnificent amontillado straight from the back of the cupboard. Once again, it’s amusing to see how well Ben Nevis and a good dry sherry work together. Mouth (neat): somewhat in the style of certain old OBs, pleasantly ‘dirtier’, with charcoal, soot, ashes, mustard, pepper, and citrus peels. With water: the bitterness seizes control—bitter oranges, green walnuts, that ‘damn’ mustard again, grilled aubergines… Meanwhile, the ‘easier’ citrus notes lurk in the background. Finish: long and beautifully astringent, continuing on those bitters. If you don’t like that, move along, but if you love bitterness as much as I do, you’ll be in heaven. Comments: the least accessible of these 1996s, and perhaps also the most intellectual. Then again, The Sponge is a highly intellectual entity.
SGP:572 - 91 points. |
Adios, next Ben Nevis session in a few months. |
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March 25, 2025 |
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A flight of Ben Nevis in several stages,
part trois |
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| Ben Nevis circa 1900 (in Tim Smith's 'Not Your Average Joe') |
We’re moving on to the legendary 1996 and 1997 vintages, all while wondering: are they legendary because they are plentiful, or are they plentiful because they are legendary? Answers on a postcard, please! In any case, we’ll start with the 1997s… Worth noting, these vintages also marked the true official launch of Ben Nevis, with the release of their famous 10-year-old at the time. |
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Ben Nevis 27 yo 1997/2024 (46.5%, The Whisky Jury, sherry matured, cask #62, 187 bottles)
It’s worth noting that this well-aged BN was entirely matured at the distillery. As for the Jury in question, its reputation is already well established—but today, the jury is us (cue atrociously sardonic laughter). Colour: amber. Nose: this sometimes happens with active sherry casks—an avalanche of varnish and various solvents at first, then damp earth (potting soil), prunes, and chocolate, with walnuts even more present here than in other BNs we’ve been tasting lately. Then come beeswax and artisanal mead, not to mention a good kilo of very damp, very black pipe tobacco. After two minutes, maquis honey coats the whole. Mouth: that little touch of solvent reappears but quickly gives way to bitter chocolate and well-aged pu-ehr tea. Then comes a formidable salinity, complemented by a strong presence of walnut liqueur. Wonderful bitterness—it really feels like an old Palo Cortado. Finish: long and magnificently bitter, with the arrival of that famous mustard note we always love in Ben Nevis. Bitter oranges and equally bitter chocolate in the aftertaste. Comments: a lovely, bone-dry sherry over this undeniably world-class distillate.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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Ben Nevis 28 yo 1993/2025 ‘Ross’ (50.4%, Macbeth, Elixir Distillers, refill hogshead, 850 bottles)
This is about long fermentation—perhaps a mash started before the weekend, since, as in other distilleries, fermentations tend to last longer over weekends… because the brewers are off. Sometimes, you don’t need to look too far for explanations, do you? Colour: pale gold. Nose: very unusual, heavily marked by Earl Grey tea and dried mint leaves. It then develops into an array of herbal teas and infusions—hawthorn, wild rose… I’m sure this Ben Nevis is excellent for our health, especially since I’m quite in favour of alternative medicine. Right. With water: like sipping a mauresque by the sea—pastis and orgeat syrup. Mouth (neat): loads of spices from the cask, with a very different style—hints of fig leaves, toffee, heaps of bergamot, orgeat, marzipan with kirsch, and even straight-up kirsch, very almond-forward. With water: the salinity ramps up, almost like kippers cooked with almonds, then some beef jerky in the aftertaste. Finish: long, rather briny, very singular. Comments: this would be tricky to identify blind! But excellent all the same.
SGP:461 - 90 points. |
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Ben Nevis 26 yo 1997/2023 (52.2%, Lucky Choice for The Auld Alliance & Ad Astra Bar Shanghai, PX sherry hogshead, cask #2316301, 259 bottles)
Colour: dark amber. Nose: starts off like an old bottle of bourbon, something along the lines of Very Old Fitzgerald, with that bitter almond and varnish note returning, then plenty of mint, mustard sauce, ristretto coffee, and nocino. With water: absolutely no change, which is just fine. Mouth (neat): varnish, chocolate, coffee, cedarwood, mocha, and salted butter caramel. Very compact, very assertive. For now, this feels like a truly dry PX, with no avalanche of raisins in sight. With water: much more Ben-Nevisness now, sauce à la diable, walnut wine, bitter coffee, bitter almonds… As they say here, it’s as dry as a whip crack. PX, you say? Finish: long, magnificently austere, almost theological. Comments: feels a bit like one of those ancient herbal liqueurs that Europe used to make as if there were no tomorrow—but here, with barely a gram of sugar. Brilliant.
SGP:472 - 91 points. |
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Ben Nevis 25 yo 1997/2022 ‘I See the Day of My Return’ (53.8%, WhiskyFacile, hogshead, cask #29, 122 bottles)
It seems the name of this release was suggested by a certain Donald J. T. from Florida a few years ago. Colour: dark amber. Nose: this will be quick—it’s a concentrate of walnuts, fresh concrete, soot, very dry Corinth raisins, and an old copper pan. Or Uncle Trump’s pennies. A slight gamey note as well. With water: an old amontillado from the back of the cupboard. That said, if our Italian friends say it’s rather dry marsala, we’ll gladly bow. Mouth (neat): powerful, on pine resin sweets, pink and black pepper, rosemary, then lemon and orange marmalades. One can only bow indeed. In the background, quite a bit of tobacco, though it remains restrained—good, that’ll save us from being condemned by anti-tobacco leagues. Not to mention we’re already expecting grief from the anti-alcohol associations… With water: but how good is this, with those rubbery touches sneaking in. Grilled aubergines. Finish: long, perfect, balanced, ever so slightly dirty—so very Ben Nevis. Comments: a beautiful beast.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
A few 1996s now, before tasting many more next time. |
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Ben Nevis 21 yo 1996/2018 (48.8%, OB, private bottling, cask #1407)
Our friend Angus tasted this baby five years ago and, unsurprisingly, liked it a lot (WF 90). Colour: pale white wine. Nose: you bet! The return of an ultra-clean, oily, and mineral Ben Nevis, with paraffin, chalk, engine oil, menthol essence, and camphor, then the most beautiful bread dough, even with a few anise seeds. A superbly chiselled nose. Mouth: fruitier on the palate but still with sublime salty bitters, lemon zest, artichokes, and a fatty yet very vegetal side. A slight touch of smoked salmon, wonderfully oily, making us think this BN would pair beautifully with high-quality sushi. It even feels somewhat Japanese – was it shipped back by Nikka? Finish: long, with the arrival of pine needles, those famous old herbal liqueurs, and a salty, lemony aftertaste. Comments: faint echoes of a sotol we tasted a long time ago. A truly great Ben Nevis.
SGP:462 - 91 points. |
The problem with these vintages is managing to rate them below 90 points—while staying honest. |
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Ben Nevis 27 yo 1996/2023 ‘When Days Are Cold II’ (49.4%, Animal Spirits, 3rd Anniversary, hogshead, cask #764, 226 bottles)
Lovely label. It’s true that when it’s cold, good spirits can (very temporarily) warm you up. Around here, all skiers carry a flask, for instance—though it also works as a de-icer sometimes. But I digress… Colour: gold. Nose: immediate vintage effect—these Ben Nevis behave like great white wines. Sublime citrus and vegetal oils (grape seed, olive). I now have the honour of asking you to kindly call the anti-maltoporn brigade, thank you. Unbelievable precision, simplicity, and purity. Mouth: sheer beauty—fir buds, grapefruit, oolong tea, plasticine, precious peppers, zests, and mind-blowing bitters… We’ll stop here; this could go too far. Finish: touches of glue, bitter almonds, horseradish, tar, salty liquorice, but the yellow citrus keeps everything in check and holds this whole little world together in the aftertaste. And such gorgeous bitters—wow. Comments: I don’t see what more I could add, except that we’re drifting even further from the goal. Let me remind you: drop below 90 points.
SGP:462 - 92 points. |
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Ben Nevis 25 yo 1996/2021 (49.8%, OB for Alambic Classique, Calvados Cask, cask #856, 244 bottles)
We tasted a fantastic official BN 1996 for Alambic last year (cask #01, WF 92), but that one had never seen Calvados in its life. Calvados, now that could be a real Achilles’ heel… Colour: light gold. Nose: exactly as expected—this rounding effect, almost softening the incredible malt that is Ben Nevis. So, there are two schools of thought. The first will say that these notes of apple or pear tart, cider, brown sugar, and honey are welcome, adding extra softness to Ben Nevis. The other will argue that the distillery’s inherent profile has been half-erased here. Mouth: same impressions. It’s absolutely excellent, but it’s no longer quite Ben Nevis. Honey, stewed apples, black pepper, hay syrup, pepper liqueur, hints of soil and mushrooms… Finish: long and honeyed, then more herbal, with grape pips, pepper, mustard, and orange zest… Comments: we reached our target, but just barely. Let’s be honest—it’s still a magnificent bottle, well worth 89.99 points, as they’d say at Walmart.
SGP:562 - 89 points. |
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March 24, 2025 |
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A flight of Ben Nevis in several stages |
part deux
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Joe Hobbs (in 'Not Your Average Joe') |
| We were able to observe on Friday that while recent Ben Nevis whiskies, around ten years old, were generally cleaner and fruitier than older, "dirtier" vintages, the quality remained impressively high, and the typical style was still present. However, note that we only tasted independent bottlings, mainly single casks, which were probably more "selective" than the official large batches. In any case, we will continue with some other fairly young Ben Nevis expressions, and this time, we’ll bring a bit of order by sampling ages 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 years… Then we’ll see. |
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Ben Nevis 7 yo 2017/2024 (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, Artist Collective 7.0, LMDW Foundations, second fill oloroso butts, 1,765 bottles)
Colour: light gold. Nose: totally BN, with fresh bread, soot, ashes, ripe apples, paraffin, and those slightly green walnuts whose origin—distillate, sherry, or both—is uncertain at this stage. With water: mustard and slate. Mouth (neat): the spirit-and-cask duo delivers top-class bitterness, edging towards Fernet-Branca or rather extreme oloroso. So far, no sign of excessive youth. With water: a few very shy yellow fruits begin to emerge, like green pears from an old orchard. Finish: long, always beautifully bitter. Comments: a young and austere version, with all the markers but little in the way of solicitude. You just let it happen.
SGP:362 - 85 points. |
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Ben Nevis 8 yo 2014/2023 (59.6%, Signatory Vintage for Navigate World Whisky, second fill sherry butt, cask #274, 591 bottles)
From South Africa. Colour: gold. Nose: this time we find soot again, but also gunpowder, those famous walnuts, and fresh cement. We’re back in the cellar… so to speak. With water: all sorts of waxes take over, along with old paint pots (still in the basement). Mouth (neat): about-face, now we're much more on acidic fruits—cider apples, lemons, fresh rhubarb… and still those famous walnuts. Very powerful, but it feels very good. With water: perfect. I think the cask was of high quality, and it also shows that a really good refill cask works even on a very young whisky. Finish: long, with a perfect balance between walnuts, lemons, waxes… and chalk. Comments: this brings back that rather ‘1996’ profile of the TWS/Dawn Davies tasted last time.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
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Ben Nevis 9 yo 2015/2024 (54.7%, Jollywine & Spirit, Whisky is for Drinking, ex-Barbados rum finish, cask #53, 260 bottles)
From Taiwan. Colour: white wine. Nose: that proverbial acridity is right there, with fresh cement, chalk, soot, and little berries like serviceberries—or rather the eau-de-vie good distillers make from them here and elsewhere—then a slightly riper apple. Could that be the famous Barbadian rum at play? There is indeed a slight, not unpleasant, deviation. With water: rain-soaked rocks, gravel, sand, chalk… and a touch of raw wool. Mouth (neat): classic but even more mustardy than others, leaning further into citrus peels. Then orange sorbet and green pepper, followed by a little hint of banana candy—surely from the rum. With water: a lightning-fast ping-pong match between the malt’s austerity and the rum’s fruitiness. The former wins. Finish: long, with the impression of a rugged BN that’s been slightly softened. Comments: the pairing works.
SGP:562 - 85 points. |
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Ben Nevis 10 yo 2014/2024 (58.1%, Swell de Spirits, Eastern Tales for Constantia, bourbon hogshead, 140 bottles)
Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: very much in this independent bottler’s signature style—clean, pure, ultra-precise. I must admit, I even find notes reminiscent of Ardbeg or Port Charlotte. Soot, paint, solvent, chalk, rubber, tar, ashes… With water: mercurochrome and iodine! Mouth (neat): definitely a real peaty one. Lemon and tar, seawater and ashes, pepper and a drop of lime. With water: the fruit comes forward beautifully, with plenty of citrus alongside touches of myrtle, eucalyptus, and coriander seed. Finish: very long and very Islay-esque, shall we say. And there are olives in the aftertaste, which, as sometimes happens, add a mezcal-like note. Comments: quite exceptional, this young Ardbeg. I mean…
SGP:557 - 88 points. |
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Ben Nevis 11 yo 2012/2024 (59.4%, OB, LMDW Foundations, American Wine Cask, cask #2136)
There really seems to have been quite a strong American wine phase at Ben Nevis. Does Nikka own a winery in California? Colour: apricot. Nose: bold! This time, the original profile seems to have been seriously altered—we’re fully into orange zest, blood oranges, peonies, with even some hints of geranium and cherry-stem herbal tea. But don’t make me say what I don’t want to say—it’s very different, but rather pleasant. With water: yeasts and ales. Mouth (neat): quite the odd beast, on peppered strawberries and bay leaf, then cloves and very bitter chocolate. It’s a bit like ‘ELP play Mussorgsky,’ if you see what I mean. With water: still a bit of a fight, even with some metallic edges. Blackcurrants, old silverware, and pepper. Finish: long, spicy, peppery… Comments: there are some really beautiful aspects here, it’s just that, compared to the others—including LMDW’s own—this one feels a bit like the black sheep. But as always, a matter of taste.
SGP:651 - 82 points. |
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Ben Nevis 12 yo 2012/2024 (54.7%, The Duchess, Game & Wildlife, bourbon hogshead, cask #147, 284 bottles)
Colour: pale white wine. Nose: here’s a pure and direct version again, with plenty of soot and ashes, mustard, walnuts, paint, green apple, and fresh mushrooms. With water: citron, in the style of early 1980s Clynelish. Mouth (neat): what a clever selection! Once again, this is a very pure BN, but with hints of nectarines and apricots that make it feel slightly more civilised. Otherwise, it’s classic, but also with a touch of mint alongside waxes, charcoals, tars, and maritime elements. With water: just perfect. Ashes and vine peaches. Finish: long, perfectly balanced, almost refreshing. Comments: we absolutely love this one. It’s flirting with 90, clearly. That said, we didn’t find the gamey notes that were announced (S., that’s not funny).
SGP:652 - 89 points. |
Let’s carry on a wee bit... |
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Ben Nevis 16 yo 2007/2024 (51.3%, The Taste of Whisky, Endangered Species, bourbon barrel, cask #700087, 204 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: peat, I believe. And old apples, quinces, muesli, medlars, fruit brioche… In short, we’ve suddenly shifted towards the ‘gentler’ BNs. No complaints at all, it’s just very different from all the previous ones. With water: wow, here’s that famous old tweed jacket, soaked by Scottish rain, plus wet dog and a West Coast beach… Mouth (neat): yes, more evolved, but at the same time absolutely beautiful, with a spicy exotic fruit soup, pepper, masala, then those signature walnuts and a salty edge. One might even think of mussels mariniere. With water: an unlikely yet sublime thing—it reminds me of the 1959 dry Vouvray I tasted last week (yes, I’m boasting a little, sorry). Finish: fairly long and absolutely gorgeous. Walnuts and mustard leading an army of shellfish and small citrus. Comments: after over a dozen young BNs from the 2010s, it’s almost a shock to taste an older vintage (while still young). What a difference, and what a beauty—once the shock has worn off. It’s just the name of this series that’s a bit worrying… endangered species, let’s hope not!
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
One last one for today, but we’ll have more in the coming days—especially loads from 1996 and 1997… |
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Ben Nevis 19 yo 2004/2024 (45.3%, Spheric Spirits, refill barrel, cask #536, 204 bottles)
Don’t we just love the concept of a ‘spherical’ whisky, while quite a few recent officials might feel a bit flat? Colour: straw. Nose: great softness for a Ben Nevis, though the relatively low ABV might have hinted at that. That said, the profile remains superb, with old encaustic polish, dried rose petals, pink grapefruit, small flat oysters, old books, honeysuckle, and aged Sauvignon Blanc… utterly beautiful, with immense class. Mouth: I’m not sure I’d have immediately said Ben Nevis, but the markers do start to appear—the saline touch, for instance—followed by all sorts of citrus and small overripe fruits, jujubes, sorbs… This one too is absolutely stunning, especially as mustard sauce notes emerge later on. Finish: rather long, and rather sublime. The complexity of the whole and its coherence only grow over time. Amusingly, the aftertaste brings back peppers, ashes, walnuts, lemons, plasticine, and more. Comments: just don’t rush this baby, and you’ll find another glorious and complex Ben Nevis.
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
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March 23, 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! |
Just a few more rums
… but we'll be turning back to cognac or armagnac. We're also planning to try publishing about clear eaux-de-vie, or mezcals, and even gins. Maybe this summer — there's no rush... |
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Plantation ‘Barbados Grande Réserve’ (40%, OB, Barbados, +/-2023)
From just before Plantation became Planteray, for reasons that remain a little unclear to us—though seemingly a bit on the ‘woke’ side. We’ve nothing against wokism, of course, but we do rather like balance in all things and tend to think anything excessive becomes trivial. ‘Does ‘habitation’ still work by the way? Right then, shall we have a taste?... This must be from W.I.R.D., owned by the same fine folks. Colour: white wine. Nose: cooked sugar verging on ‘petit boulé’, sugarcane syrup and a generous splash of orgeat, with a few fluttering florals hovering about—white clover in particular, adding a faint pastoral lift. Mouth: pleasant at first, but the sweetness does rather take over. Think Malibu laced with molasses honey and sweet woodruff cordial. Finish: medium in length, gentle and sugary, with no real parting bite. Comments: clearly meant to be served over a good handful of ice, ideally dragged down to 8°C or so. In that context, it might even do the trick. At room temperature, however, it's a different story altogether.
SGP:730 - 70 points. |
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Braud & Quennesson ‘Signature du Chai’ (47%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2024)
Some very young rhum agricole from a brand I had never heard of before. It’s produced by Habitation Grand-Fonds in Le Marin, my gut feelings say the juice was sourced as I haven’t yet seen any pictures of stills, though I may be wrong. Colour: straw. Nose: very young on the nose, fresh sugarcane but without much development, which is entirely expected at such a tender age. Apples and bananas bring a pleasant fruity brightness. Rather nice, actually. Mouth: soft, with a slight lemony edge, vaguely reminiscent of rhums from French Guyana. Not a great deal of depth, but again, it’s quite likeable. A touch of fennel and a dab of acacia honey. Finish: medium length, with just the faintest saline glimmer. Bagasse and vanilla echo softly in the aftertaste. Comments: genuinely pleasant in fact, in a light and breezy style.
SGP:630 - 78 points. |
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Dominican Rum 2013/2022 (47%, Bristol Classic Rum, Dominican Republic, finished in Madeira wood)
A pioneering and major house, though a discreet one, which it’s a pleasure to see again. They’ve supplied many far more, shall we say, thunderous rum brands over the years. Colour: gold. Nose: it’s a joy to taste a Dominican that hasn’t been doctored to death, even if some Madeira casks were indeed used. Light in nosing texture—even aromatically—but there’s a charming toasted side to it, and imagine this: some malty notes as well. Cane honey, orange syrup, and a little earthiness, perhaps from the Malvasia in the Madeira. Mouth: light and slightly sweet, but far removed from the typical sugarbombs offered by the DomRep. Banana, honey, and soft, gently sweet herbal infusions. Finish: a little short but clean, soft, honeyed, with a lingering touch of Malvasia. Comments: it may not be reaching for the stars, but this is certainly one of the finest Dominican rums I’ve tasted in recent years.
SGP:640 - 82 points. |
Since we were in Madeira… |
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Rum 970 2015/2023 (55.5%, OB, Madeira, agricole, Madeira wine cask, cask #304, 267 bottles)
Made by Engenhos do Norte, where they still press their cane using steam-powered machinery. We’ve long been fond of Madeira’s agricoles, and it seems more and more people are joining the club. Let me remind you they benefit from a genuine and longstanding ‘agricole’ designation (GI), unlike many distilleries around the world who play a bit fast and loose with that term. Colour: gold. Nose: this is so distinctive! Imagine, let’s say, a blend of rosewater and cigars, with cypress, blood orange, then cardamom and juniper popping through. It’s frankly a bit loco-loco. With water: glue and varnish galore! Mouth (neat): utterly strange, utterly delicious! Clove and toothpaste, earthy blueberries, heather honey, camphor, myrtle, and some sweets flavoured with chlorophyll and pine sap… With water: it edges toward Greek retsina, but there’s still plenty of that ‘green’ honey, or rather honeydew. Finish: very long, peppery, still resinous, leaning into bitter orange. Comments: a big fan of this slightly eccentric dram, with a flavour profile that’s anything but ‘international’.
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
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Eminente ‘7 ans Reserva’ (41.3%, OB, Cuba, whisky casks, +/-2025)
Eminente is the Cuban rum from LVMH, made in Santo Domingo (Villa Clara), in the heart of the island, where they also produce the very light and diaphanous ron Cubay. Colour: deep gold. Nose: lovely, gentle, but not sugary—more on praline and peanut butter at first, before drifting into faintly phenolic, borderline synthetic notes (varnish, plastics), though everything is handled with grace. New wicker basket, white asparagus, toasted sesame—yes, toasted. Mouth: really quite good, even if just a touch light. Jaffa cakes and milk chocolate up front, then comes hay, earth, and eventually mashed red kuri squash. Finish: not very long but rather complex, with lingering traces of root vegetables mingling with that milk chocolate. Comments: very Cuban indeed, reminiscent even of those homemade aguardientes the locals discreetly serve when no one’s watching (a rare occurrence indeed). This sort of newfangled brand can be cause for concern, but I find the execution here quite successful.
SGP:451 - 82 points. |
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Santiago de Cuba 12 yo ‘Extra Anejo’ (40%, OB, Cuba, +/-2025) 
Santiago used to be our favourite Cuban rum the last time we were on the island, with a strong preference for the 11-year-old… which, alas, we’ve never come across again in Europe. However, the brand has seen pretty strong development in France over the past three or four years, so we’re very pleased to be able to taste this 12-year-old. Diageo, of course, is behind the whole operation. Colour: amber. Nose: here come the gently burnt cake, scones, praline, caramel popcorn, and maple syrup… in short, all the irresistible hallmarks of a thoughtfully composed ron. Mouth: it feels a little ‘trans’, with some sweetened coffee, but also hints of brandies—Jerezian or even Armagnac in style. It really works, though one wouldn’t mind a version with a few extra volts. There are also touches of violet liqueur. Finish: nicely long, increasingly on liquorice, with an odd but charming echo of violet on the aftertaste. Mind you, I’ve never seen violets in Cuba. Comments: unfortunately, the low ABV flattens it out a little, but the overall composition is truly charming. Now all we need is to put on some Irakere on the old Thorens.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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Monymusk 12 yo 2010/2022 (46%, Mezan, Jamaica, 5,500 bottles)
We’ve always appreciated Mezan, particularly their knack for preserving the texture of a rum even when bottling at 40% ABV. Perhaps a ‘degree by degree’ reduction? But here we are at 46%, the sweet spot… Colour: light gold. Nose: oh yes, crystalline in style, with olives, charcoal, liquorice, engine oil, sea water and lemon juice. You see where we’re heading… Mouth: simply irresistible—undeniably Jamaican yet very approachable, wonderfully salty and smoky, the kind of thing you’d want chilled alongside smoked salmon or caviar. Or both. Could you pass the blinis, please? Finish: nice and long, salty, gently petroly but not too much, lemony, not too dry… Who could possibly resist? Comments: this is a lovely example of the ‘Mezan’ style. Fully trustworthy.
SGP:462 - 88 points. |
I think we’ll wrap up this session in Martinique, for a change… |
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Saint James 18 yo 2003/2021 ‘Single cask’ (42.3%, OB, Martinique, agricole, cask #67-05-2003)
The Saint James 18-year-old from the ‘core range’ (as we call it) is already extremely good, but this is likely a step above. Apparently, this cask came from the personal collection of Cellar Master Marc Sassier—though of course, one doesn’t buy into that sort of ‘pure yet gentle marketing’ piffle. No matter… Colour: amber. Nose: well, all right then—old beeswax, dried seaweed, antique copper and pewter, eucalyptus wood, smoked fish, cigar humidor, thuja wood, apple peelings, saltpetre, wild mushrooms… The most astonishing part is that this improbable gathering somehow forms a coherent whole. Mouth: there is a definite woodiness, quite resinous at that, marking the experience from the outset, yet from it rise tiny essential oils, more or less, with thyme, fir, rosemary, oregano and mint all swirling about. A cedary note builds in the background, though very ripe bananas and pineapples manage to keep it all in check. Finish: here’s where it gets tricky—it’s still very woody and resinous, with varnish notes, but a rather lovely liquorice saves the day, joined by a touch of Iberico ham and a lick of menthol. Comments: this is rather like a triple-jump with a double backflip in terms of oak, but it seems the rum gods were watching over the master blenders.
SGP:371 - 87 points. |
PS: A good number of these rums were discovered at the Lyon Whisky Festival last weekend. We also ran a rather ‘freewheeling’ masterclass there (a whisky-fuelled causerie actually) with our friend Gabriel Tissandier — it seems the participants, on the whole, survived the experience. |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far
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March 22, 2025 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
Field notes from Orkney
I went to Japan, came home, and immediately got very ill for two weeks. This rendered my nose and palate totally out of action for the duration, hence the few weeks hiatus between notes. Now I’m on holiday on Orkney with the family for around ten days, which is wonderful and gives me a good excuse to check in with some recent Orkney single malts. |
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I hope to write more about Orkney, and all the rather deep things this utterly spellbinding place can make you think, here on Whiskyfun soon. But for now, some notes… |
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Scapa 10 yo (48%, OB, 2024) 
Ironically, Serge beat me to these new expressions just this past week. I’m a fan of the new look Scapa, and this 10yo at least seems pretty well priced and with an encouraging bottling strength. Colour: straw. Nose: zesty citrus, polished cereals and green fruit. Some green banana, apple, kiwi and melon. Typical bourbon driven, easy and fruity stuff. Mouth: lemony up front again, lemon meringue pie with the creamy sweetness of American cream soda, suggesting some pretty active first fill bourbon at play. Buy the same sense of easy, rich fruitiness is undeniable. Finish: good length, rather peppery and still sweet with green apple. Comments: excellent entry bottling, just a notch too much wood activity for me, but the quality is certainly high. I admire the adhesion to classical bourbon maturation, but I would have loved a bit of a refill component in the mix to bring a bit of freshness and a bit more Scapa distillate character.
SGP: 651 - 85 points. |
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Scapa 16 yo (48%, OB, 2024)
Colour: gold. Nose: same feeling but more coconut, toasty oak, candied citrus peel, cupboard spices and a touch of wax. Gets a little more complex with time, revealing some coastal and floral touches. Mouth: pretty spicy and peppery, with some slightly exotic notes, lime sweets, citrus curds and custard. It’s the texture and body which impress most here, very enjoyable. A similar feeling of some active oak just lurking in the background. Finish: medium, on wood spices, dessert wine sweetness and custard again. Comments: it’s the texture that really impresses here. I would just add the same comment as the 10yo, it would be nice to fell a slight balance of some refill rather than full on first fill.
SGP: 661 - 87 points. |
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Scapa 21 yo (52.9%, OB, 2024) 
Colour: gold. Nose: gingery, cinnamon and spices. Green peppercorn, charred pineapple, cereal, waxes and a little aniseed. With water: nutmeg, cedar wood and sandalwood, with some subtle beach sand and healthier horny vibes – feeling suitably ‘Orcadian’ and even a little bit HP, dare I say. Mouth: grippy spices and a nice menthol note on arrival. Eucalyptus, lemon verbena, bergamot and dried exotic fruits in muesli. With water: herbal, honeyed and waxier. Still quite spicy but the overall weight, texture and dried fruity vibes are lovely. Finish: good length, on coconut, herbal teas, heather honey and peppery spice again. Comments: very good, oak involvement once again but it’s a solid older Scapa with excellent development and a clear Orkney accent.
SGP: 661 - 88 points. |
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I bought a couple of bottles on my brief visit to Scapa distillery while the kids were napping in the car… |
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Scapa 14 yo Distillery Exclusive (48.1%, OB, 1st fill barrels, 1500 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: menthol, watercress, lemon verbena, mint, eucalyptus and flower honeys. An immediately enchanting profile that feels like what you ‘want’ Scapa to behave like. Lots of fruit teas, herbal extracts and crystalised honeys that go towards mead and waxy honeycomb. A superb nose! Mouth: a little more in line with the new 10 and 16 year olds, with a more peppery, wood spice driven character, but also more strong fruit teas, heather honey, waxes, camphor, wet wool and touches of white flowers and fir wood resins. Finish: quite long, with a drier peppery warmth, crème de menthe, fir woods, lemon oil and baked apples in custard. Comments: perilously easy to drink and crying out for a hefty measure in a tumbler, which is precisely what I think a distillery exclusive bottling should deliver. Extra points for the wonderfully expressive and fun nose.
SGP: 561 – 88 points. |
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Scapa 16 yo (57.4%, OB ‘Distillery Reserve Collection’, cask #2182, 1st fill sherry butt, 924 bottles)
I was impressed by the range of bottlings available at Scapa’s lovely wee visitor centre, but at £125.00 this wee 50cl 16yo seems too highly priced in my view. Now, we don’t score prices here on WF… Colour: amber. Nose: punchy modern sherry that’s full of beef consommé, Bovril, crusted port, cocktail bitters, celery salt and rather jammy dark fruit notes, like prune paste and strawberry jam. It’s a very powerful style, that flies in the face of Scapa’s usual grace and elegance. Goes on with some breads, dark ales and coffee grounds. With water: game meats, strop leather, aged pinot noir and liquid vegetable stock like Maggi. Full of broths, vegetal and herbal impressions. Mouth: tough and punchy up front, rather assertive wood spices, some cranberry gravy, freshly brewed espresso, walnut oil and black miso paste. Very spicy and very umami in profile. With water: lean, dry, meaty, leathery, gamey and earthy with a lot of black pepper, hints of aniseed and more umami broths and infusions. Becoming even pretty salty after a while… Finish: very long, umami, gamey, salty and with pickled walnuts, mustard powder and black pepper. Comments: a wee thug! Makes you feel not unlike you’ve been mugged twice! (I’m kidding, dear Pernod Ricard, sort of 😉). Anyway, this is a technically very good wee Scapa, but it’s just rather tough. I think I’ll leave this bottle open with a bit of headspace and re-visit it in a year or so. Probably the sort of very fun bottle to pour blind to your whisky friends and play find the distillery, I suspect people would hazard Parkmore before they guessed Scapa.
SGP: 471 – 85 points. |
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Let’s go up the road to Highland Park… |
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I have to say, I’m a fan of the new ‘de-Vikinged’ Highland Park livery. I think the decision to quietly shift focus to the more ‘natural’ aspects of Orkney is a highly sensible one. It also looks, from reading the various blurbs in the distillery’s official wee shop in Kirkwall, that they’ve upped the sherry cask component for most of their core range, top dressed here and there with some refill. So, we now have Scapa fully on bourbon, and Highland Park predominantly on sherry, and both placing a more ‘Orkney’ character front and centre in the way they try to talk about and sell themselves. I am a big fan of this directional shift (if not necessarily all the prices that go along with it). I also think the absence of unlikely wine casks from their bottlings is smart and speaks volumes in its own way. Let’s hope this approach works for them and that they keep it up. If distilleries such as Highland Park and Scapa need red wine casks to shift their product, then the whisky world is dead in my view. |
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Highland Park 12 yo (40%, OB, -/+ 2024) 
One other noteworthy wee aspect of these new HP bottlings is that they are all natural colour, which is also encouraging to see. For example… colour: bright straw (woohoo!). Nose: more heathery and honeyed than I recall, with a light background peat smoke. Damp leaves, some orange peel and more classic sherried notes such as sultana and fruit cake. Mouth: it’s the sherry that feels a bit louder now. More on dried fruits, some cinnamon bark, heather honey and again this very faint peat smoke note. Finish: quite long, getting a little spicier, more leaves, dark fruits and cedar wood. Comments: very good, feels like the lack of caramel leaves a more natural profile. I think it is also notably more sherried and ever so slightly more peaty than recent years batches. We had the recent ‘Viking Honour’ 12yo at WF83, but I think this is a notch better.
SGP: 463 - 84 points. |
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Highland Park 15 yo (44%, OB, -/+2024)
The last version of this was in a cream-coloured ceramic bottle and named ‘Viking Heart’, which we thought was pretty solid (WF84). Colour: pale gold. Nose. Appears quite similar to the 12, perhaps a little more overtly fruity with green fruits joining the darker ones. I also find some lovely notes of plum jam, unlit cigar, hessian and thicker notes of pure heather honey and restrained, drying peat smoke. Denser and more vivid than the 12yo I would say. Mouth: on marmalade, crystalised fruits, cedar wood, a slightly more assertive peat smoke and again this sense of damp leaves. Lovely texture and richness with a return once again to darker fruit impressions. Finish: medium, thickly on spiced marmalade, mead, camphor, pollens and lightly herbal smoky notes. Comments: I find this an excellent new addition to the core range at a rather smart ABV. Potentially my favourite of the main expressions and certainly an improvement from the previous iteration of the 15yo. Like the 12yo, it feels like there’s a slightly more distinctive peat character on display, which is really enjoyable.
SGP: 563 - 87 points. |
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Highland Park 18 yo (43%, OB, -/+2024)
It’s been a long time since I tasted anything other than some very old batches of the HP 18yo, so this is a long overdue refresher course for me... Colour: gold. Nose: more directly and classically sherried. Lots of fig, sultana, milk chocolate, honeycomb and soft wood spice. I also start to find it waxy and notably more pronounced honeyed notes emerging. A few greener fruit notes such as apple and gooseberry emerge, but balanced by tangerine, bergamot and herbal cough syrup. Mouth: feels like a logical continuation of the 12 and 15, only softer, still quite spicy, but with the fruit dialled down and focused on darker components. Lots of marmalade, heather honey, medicinal herbs and unlit cigars in humidors. You can see what they’re trying to do and it does more or less work. Finish: surprisingly long and a bit smokier and drier than expected. Rich cereals, waxes, wood resins and camphor all adding a late-stage sense of weight. Comments: gathered extra points at the end with that lovely finish. It’s not up there with some historic batches of the 18yo in my view, but it feels like a sensitively and rather meticulously composed bottling made with a sense of elevating distillery character front and centre. Same score as the 15yo for me, but I’d probably opt for a bottle of the 15 over the 18 if I had to choose.
SGP: 662 - 87 points. |
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Highland Park 20 yo 1974 (46%, First Cask, cask #4334) 
A bottling series supplied by Signatory to Direct Wines, we’ve had many very lovely bottlings in this under the radar wee series over the years. Colour: pale gold. Nose: waxy with leafy smokiness, cider apple notes that are simultaneously tart, sour and funky, then more on hessian, chalky coastal and mineral notes, lemon rind and a rather brittle, dry peat note. Feels oddly close to many of these excellent unnamed Orkney Malts that are commonly found at the indies these days. Mouth: soft peat, heather honey and many subtle notes of dried seaweed, miso, camphor, fir wood, lightly smoked olive oil and sandalwood. Very pure and vivid old Highland Park character on display here – utterly natural, charming and beautiful. Finish: long, salty, gently earthy peat notes, dried herbs and subtle notes of citrus, white flowers and coastal impressions. Comments: hard to argue with such simple, elegant bottlings that simply deliver unvarnished, beautiful distillery character without fuss or fanfare. The peat character in these old HPs is glorious.
SGP: 464 – 90 points. |
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Highland Park 10 yo 1999 (57.3%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 4.135 ‘Orcadian Tongue-Roaster’, 1st fill bourbon barrel, 109 bottles)
Always good to know that ‘tongue-roaster’ should be hyphenated. Also, a pretty low outturn after 10 years with a good ABV like this is usually an encouraging sign… Colour: bright straw. Nose: lemony waxes, beach sand and pebbles, sandalwood, flower honeys and some notes of orange marmalade and tiger balm. Sitting on the lighter but still distinctive side of the HP profile. Also, a lovely sense of freshness and brightness about this nose. With water: chalk, sandalwood, coastal flowers, lightly smoked sea salt and heather ales. Mouth: indeed, a lighter, perhaps more modern style with less peat influence, but still a lot of mineral impressions and coastal notes. Mineral salts, light briny aspects, seaweed crackers, eucalyptus and elegant waxiness. Delicate threads of peat smoke woven down in the mix. With water: really on coastal freshness, saltiness and also a more defined and textured waxy character. The peat smoke is elevated nicely too. Finish: long, drying, salty, on camphor, caraway, miso, brine and dried herbs. Comments: there’s a surprising amount of nuance and detail to this one, and it swims as effortlessly as a rugged Orcadian should. A lovely, slightly different take on the HP character from this era.
SGP: 462 – 88 points. |
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Highland Park 8 yo (100 proof, Gordon & MacPhail, -/+1978)
We’ve tried a number of bottles in this livery over the years on Whiskyfun, and they typically fetch north of 93 at least. There seems to be many variations and vattings out there, which would make sense given the fact that these were probably bottled as required in small volumes. This is a bottle I opened in Japan a few weeks ago and now seems like the most sensible occasion to record notes. Colour: light amber. Nose: stunningly herbal, leafy and earthy sherry, full of salted almonds, green walnut liqueur, verbena, bone marrow, wormwood, celery salt, camphor and resinous hardwoods. One of those aromas where you aren’t too sure what comes from peat, what comes from sherry and what comes purely from distillate, a perfect fusion of influences and forces. Stunning herbal qualities continue to emerge, along with more medicinal aspects and this persistently beautiful, earthy, drying, deep peat note. With water: becomes astonishingly herbal and complex, really a whole herb garden on display, with dried exotic fruits, bone-dry peat smoke, earth, roots, vegetable stocks and salt cured game meats. Totally defeats you. Mouth: another level still! Totally stunning old style peat smoke, tar, camphor, pinecones full of resins, treacle with sea salt, natural tar liqueurs, herbal cough syrup – the list goes on and on. But really this is all about total power and force of personality, of a cohesive and highly singular personality. With water: brilliant, tense, salty, peaty, immensely coastal and yet also deeply earthy, thick and dense in texture. A masterpiece. Finish: extremely long and utterly glorious; cavernous and echoing with myriad peat flavours. Comments: as we often point out, whiskies that get to this level tend to have one thing in common: they lead, you follow. That’s precisely what happens here, a whisky that just gallops along and all you can do is attempt to keep up. These sorts of drams are bewildering to the mind.
SGP: 564 – 94 points. |
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March 21, 2025 |
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A flight of Ben Nevis in several stages,
part un |
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| At Ben Nevis with Colin Ross in 2006 (WF Archive) |
There are all sorts of rumours circulating among the whisky chatterati about Ben Nevis, following quite a few successful years during which the distillery propelled itself into the spotlight—mainly thanks to its outstanding manager, Colin Ross, who is sadly no longer with us. For instance, there was talk of a large-scale staff redundancy some time ago, which is, of course, quite drastic. But personally, I’ve always preferred to focus on the whisky itself rather than getting too caught up in intrigues and rumours, which are often contradictory. That said, I must admit it would be a real shame if the distillery were to lose the incredible goodwill it had built up—not only because of the extraordinary vintages from the mid-1990s. In any case, let’s see what we have in the library these days, starting with the more recent vintages, to check whether these rumours of decline are well-founded or not... |
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Ben Nevis 11 yo 2012/2024 (46%, Cadenhead, Original Collection, bourbon)
We should have a pretty good idea of the ‘state of the distillate’ here. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: well, this is unmistakably the pure distillate’s style, with that mix of fresh cement, bread dough, mashed potatoes, green apples, and lemons, followed by natural yoghurt and a touch of ‘musty old basement’. The cask’s influence is extremely restrained. Mouth: slightly sharp, with mustardy notes at first, then onto rather tart green apples and green pepper. It carries on with blackcurrant buds and hints of bitter coffee, all while keeping that fresh cementy side. Finish: fairly long, bitter, saltier and earthier. Lemon zest. Comments: that ‘earthy’ style is very much here, this is pure BN through and through. Reassuring, isn’t it? Even if we’re not quite in the realm of ‘grandiose ages and vintages’ yet.
SGP:461 - 85 points. |
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Ben Nevis 10 yo 2013/2024 ‘Dawn Davies’ (60.2%, Whisky Show London 2024, sherry butt, cask #1276)
Dawn Davies MW is the very engaging head buyer (or Buying Director) at TWE/TWS. Honestly, one could give this little BN a very high score without even tasting it, but that wouldn’t be very serious, nor particularly respectful of this young BN, would it? Colour: deep gold. Nose: powerful and very compact, with solvents, green walnuts, wasabi, cider apples, and a few pine needles. It needs water. With water: walnut cake appears, along with quite a bit of garden earth. Mouth (neat): all sorts of nuts, salted and lemon-flavoured (cashew). Indeed, cashews with lemon, smoked almonds, even peanut butter, roasted sesame, then that rather typical mustard sauce making a return. With water: arrival of pepper liqueurs and bitter orange. A slight fizzy side. Finish: long, peppery, very Ben Nevis. Overripe—or even late-season frozen little apples in the aftertaste. Comments: this is almost a baby 1996/1997, if you see what I mean.
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
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Ben Nevis 8 yo 2016/2024 ‘Heavily Peated’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, Artist Collective 7.0, Foundations, first fill Montravel hogshead, 980 bottles)
As usual, a wonderful label here (by Katrin Bremermann). What’s less usual is the heavy peat, as well as the Montravel. It’s been ages since I last had Montravel; in reality, Montravel is a part of Bergerac, in southwest France. They make both reds and whites, but we don’t know what was used here. Colour: deep gold. Nose: peaty, quite bold, a little monolithic for now, but that’s fairly normal at this strength. To be honest, it reminds me of certain Octomores. With water: no ‘4 a.m. ashtray’ notes, but rather some new rubber and fresh tyres… Mouth (neat): I would have guessed an Octomore from an ex-sweet white wine cask, and sure enough, they do make sweet white in Montravel. It’s quite pleasant, very much on citron liqueur and fresh rhubarb, with a lovely acidity beyond the heaps of ashes. With water: creamier, with the arrival of vine peach and apricot, both in liqueur form. Finish: long. Someone must have smoked apricots. Comments: a little disconcerting, but very good—this new Octonevis.
SGP:657 - 85 points. |
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Ben Nevis 12 yo 2012/2024 (52.1%, Maltbarn, bourbon, 139 bottles)
Maltbarn has already had some rather lovely Ben Nevis. Colour: white wine. Nose: very refined, precise, with apples, pears, ashes, wet chalk, croissants, and paraffin… Still, this is quite a ‘clean’ young BN. With water: perhaps one of the gentlest BNs I’ve tasted in recent times. Syrups and fruit compotes, complemented by bananas, vanilla, and a touch of coconut. Mouth (neat): indeed, this is very fruity, very, very fruity. Blueberries, apples, cranberries, strawberry syrup, little pink bananas, tangerines… It’s rather disconcerting, as it strays quite a bit from the usual BN universe, leaning instead towards… perhaps a young Littlemill, if memory serves me right. With water: same impressions, though there are indeed tiny touches of leather, soot, and mustard, but they remain rather minor. Finish: medium length, now on apple juice and cinnamon. The aftertaste, however, is quite BN. Comments: fun and, in fact, really very good, undeniably so. If you enjoy blind tastings with your whisky chums, you should give this one a go.
SGP:741 - 86 points. |
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Allt’ A Mhullin 12 yo 2008-2009/2022 ‘Batch No.01’ (60.2%, Roslin Distillers, ex-bourbon barrel and ex-Californian red wine, casks #684 + 1958, 478 bottles)
This is Ben Nevis, actually a vatting of a 2008 and a 2009. Allt a Mhullin Burn is the name of their water source. Colour: full gold. Nose: very much on toasted bread this time, as well as grilled sesame oil. I think it needs water to expand its palette, so to speak. With water: and here comes the usual slightly ‘dirty’ earthiness, slags, mustard sauce, and walnuts (which don’t come from any sherry here) … The American wine, on the other hand, holds up much better than their President. Mouth (neat): vineyard peach, pink pepper, other peppers… but this is seriously powerful. With water: same, but with added black pepper. That earthy peach note really stands out. Finish: long, still very peppery. A few red fruits in the aftertaste, but in a whispering way. Comments: Roslin Distillers was founded by Colin Ross and his son after they left the distillery. Hugs, and rest in peace Mr Ross.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Ben Nevis 10 yo 2014/2024 (58.9%, James Eadie, refill oloroso hogshead finish, cask #369683, 300 bottles)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: loads of cocoa, plenty of wood smoke, leather, crushed slate, saltpetre, toasted malt, and white asparagus. Perhaps not the most coherent, but it’s hugely enjoyable. With water: soot, laterite, an old cellar and new wellingtons, plus orange zests from the fruit aisle. And still those white asparagus. Mouth (neat): great lemony and peppery tension, actually quite aggressive. Quick… With water: bang, yellow and white fruits come rushing in and slot themselves among the peppers. Finish: long, even fruitier, rather on bananas and apples, plus a few drops of riesling. A properly lemony aftertaste, as it should be. Comments: top young Ben Nevis, that’s all.
SGP:652 - 88 points. |
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Ben Nevis 9 yo 2013/2023 (48%, The Single Malts of Scotland, Elixir Distillers, Reserve Casks, refill butt, parcel 12)
Colour: straw. Nose: soot and a touch of exhaust fumes, plus rubber, bananas, and apples. Just pure BN, in other words, no need to dwell on it. Mouth: ah, very, very good, right between that typical sootiness and stewed yellow fruits, all wrapped in a hefty dose of milk chocolate. Finish: long, with the arrival of that dear pepper and fresh white wine. Let’s say a Sancerre, with hints of honeysuckle and mandarin. Comments: a lovely little Ben Nevis, carefully composed. Glory to small batches when they’re executed like this!
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Ben Nevis 11 yo 2012/2024 (57.3%, Single Cask Nation, 1st fill American oak sherry hogshead, cask #160359, 275 bottles)
37 months in that sherry hogshead—surely enough to qualify as a ‘maturation’. Colour: deep gold. Nose: slightly restrained, which is perfectly normal, especially compared to the Elixir above, which was immediately chatty due to its 48% ABV. Leather and chocolate do express themselves, though. With water: and here comes flint, chalk, very ripe peaches, baked quinces, bread dough, and damp earth… Mouth (neat): stunning on the palate straight away, with a cigar-like note and fresh fruits, quite amusing. Plenty of blood orange too, which is just perfect. With water: a cocktail of tropical fruits, lightly smoked over charcoal. That must be possible to do, no? Finish: long, with a positively piercing fruitiness, while the soot and chalk remain ever-vigilant, so to speak. Comments: greatly done here, Single Cask Nation! We'll now listen to a bit of Zappaesque prog-punk by the band Kimono Draggin'.
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
Not Your
Average Joe
We’re taking this opportunity to recommend an extraordinary book that was published last year. It’s Not Your Average Joe by Tim Smith, which you can easily find on Amazon in print or as an eBook, or through the publisher, Troubadour Publishing.
This book of over 300 pages retraces the life and incredible adventures of Joseph ‘Joe’ Hobbs (1891–1963), one of the whisky barons of the last great (re)founding era. Just before the war, he found himself at the helm of Bruichladdich, Glenlochy, Benromach, Fettercairn, Strathdee, Glenury Royal, and Hillside. Then, from 1943 onwards, he took over Ben Nevis, and finally, Lochside—a brewery he converted into a distillery from 1957. In fact, he was already selling Ben Nevis whisky in bulk to the Nikka group, which eventually acquired the distillery in 1989. At that time, it was owned by Whitbread/Long John, who had replaced the experimental concrete washbacks installed by Joe. |
(Avalable at amazon) |
In any case, Not Your Average Joe is packed with delightful anecdotes and rare photos, which we highly recommend savouring—ideally, of course, accompanied by one or three glasses of Ben Nevis. |
See you on Monday for more, much more Ben Nevis! |
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March 20, 2025 |
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A small trio of Bladnoch
Bladnoch was part of our quartet of Lowlanders twenty years ago or more, back when there was still plenty of Rosebank around. So, Glenkinchie, Auchentoshan, Rosebank, and then Bladnoch, which had started operating intermittently I think—whereas Rosebank had ceased production. And from time to time, a little drop of St Magdalene for good measure. Since then, new distilleries have appeared in the Lowlands… |
Blackcurrant and cassis jelly (Tesco) |
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Bladnoch ‘Dragon Series I - The Field’ (46.7%, OB, Rare Release, Refill Bourbon, 2,000 bottles, +/-2024)
One might often think that modern whisky is an industrial product, made in facilities run by two or three people and some quasi-quantum computers. But then you read this on Bladnoch’s website and feel reassured: ‘The Dragon Series showcases the scale of variability encountered throughout the process, which is seemingly chaotic and unpredictable.’ That’s exactly what we love, is it not? Colour: pale white wine. Nose: apple cake and lemon cake, neither quite baked enough, which really brings out the cereal and yeasty notes we always enjoy. A few spring flowers and very gentle touches of honey. Feels rather close to those Bladnochs from the 1990s, really. Mouth: indeed, very typical, somewhere between Fanta and 7Up, fresh lemon juice, then fresh barley and orange juice. Nothing chaotic here, I find this very much ‘Bladnoch au naturel.’ Finish: medium length, still on barley and citrus, with a finale of green apple and a faint touch of coffee. Comments: I find this very pretty and refreshing, and it’s a great thing that two or three distilleries—perhaps even fewer—continue to preserve this delightfully simple and cheerful style.
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
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Bladnoch 15 yo 2007/2022 ‘Vibrant Stills’ (56.6%, OB, first fill Californian red wine cask, cask #705, 250 bottles)
It’s not entirely clear why something meant to celebrate the distillery’s ‘vibrant stills’ would then be poured into an American wine cask. But let’s not forget that some of our Scottish friends have significantly improved their use of red wine casks over the past 25 years. That said, the Bladnoch 17 yo ‘Californian Red Wine Finish’ was rather difficult for me a few years ago. Colour: deep gold. Nose: nothing to do with that one, this is lovely, even if rather deviant, with an astonishing amount of strawberry and morello cherry jams. The good news is that notes of mendiants and clafoutis soon come to the rescue, along with blood oranges—though thankfully without any sangria vibes. With water: blackcurrant in all its forms, cream, syrup, fresh fruit, even buds. A little bay leaf and some old tools in the background. Mouth (neat): now this is strange, like blackcurrant Jell-O made with alcohol instead of water. Behind that, green pepper and, again, Fanta. With water: not much change, though pepper and capsicum get louder. Finish: rather long, more on damsons and blackberries. The malt begins to express itself a little more in the background. Comments: a thousand times better than that old 17-year-old, though still a bit deviant for me. Or perhaps a touch ‘whisky arrangé.’
SGP:741 - 83 points. |
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Bladnoch 19 yo ‘2023 Release’ (46.7%, OB, PX sherry butts)
This appears to be full-term maturation in Pedro casks rather than just a finishing. Colour: rich gold. Nose: careful, this is a beautiful nose, not dominated by dried raisins, even though there are quite a few. Lovely little earthy and nutty notes, liquorice wood, pipe tobacco, fir honey… All very classic, but above all, very well balanced—sweet without being sluggish. Superb, with gorgeous walnut cake notes emerging later, topped with a gewurz marc glaze. Yes, that’s a thing! Mouth: a cask that makes its mark, but in a lovely way, very cocoa-driven, with another avalanche of nuts, then leather and tobacco. I insist, this is not one of those ‘ultra-sweet’ PX casks drifting towards moscatel. You know what I mean. Finish: rather long, once again on blood orange, with some bitter orange as well. Nuts and a faint hint of glue in the aftertaste. Comments: I find this excellent. Not really a surprise… but then again, maybe a little.
SGP:561 - 88 points. |
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March 19, 2025 |
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Whiskies from around a reshuffled world
Right… As always, we’re starting off from France.
(At Kimchansoo in South Korea - Kimchangsoo) |
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Cormeil ‘Peated Single Malt’ (43%, OB, France, +/-2024)
From Distillerie H. Leblanc (Busnel) in Normandy. We’ve already tasted a non-peated version finished in Calvados (Normandy, Calvados, capeesh), which wasn’t half bad at all. Colour: gold. Nose: rather nice, in the style of a young CI, fairly oily, with old hessian sacks and ash mixed with ink, then increasingly more pear and plum eau-de-vie, suggesting a certain youthfulness. Lovely freshness. Mouth: still rather nice, just a little light on the palate to support all that ash. Pear smoked with peat, ha. Finish: rather short, slightly bitter, but still pleasant. You could make a Martini with Noilly Prat and olives. Comments: another lightweight for a peated malt, but really well made.
SGP:545 - 80 points. |
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Domaine des Hautes-Glaces 2018/2024 ‘Episteme B17CS24’ (57.3%, OB for LMDW Foundations, France, Parcelle Vulson, cask #1678)
Colour: gold. Nose: more pears again, but here it’s pear tart drizzled with honey and butterscotch, with bits of toasted almonds. So far, it’s much rounder and fruitier than usual, and less on anything related to breadiness. With water: it bursts out—limestone, chalk, white Burgundy, wash… Mouth (neat): very oily texture, fruity style, pears and citrus, lemon bonbons… With water: and here’s our DHG at last, taking its time but now fully there—rye bread, green walnuts, woodruff, caraway and fennel seeds, lemon… Finish: long, curiously saline, rather earthy. Comments: this is fun, you almost feel like you’re taking part in the whisky’s creation, as the dilution you apply changes nearly everything. I’m quite proud of myself! (Getting a bit big-headed, am I?)
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
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Millstone 12 yo 2010/2022 (53.2%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, Netherlands, PX, 656 bottles)
Why, oh why hadn’t I tasted this baby yet? Especially since, in my experience, Millstone handles heavy PX even better than… let’s say Glendronach. Just a random example. Colour: dark amber. Nose: in the immortal words of Talking Heads, qu’est-ce que c’est? A pile of old copper kettles and saucepans, even some antique pewterware, then a landslide of raisins soaked in chocolate, sprinkled with warm liquid praline and drizzled with soy sauce. Or something along those lines. With water: out come dried morels, moss, parsley, prunes, and old genever. Ha-ha! Mouth (neat): utterly massive, extremely rich, meaty and slightly tarry, packed with dried fruits served on pumpernickel and drenched in the most powerful garrigue honey, then dusted with black pepper from the mill. With water: an avalanche of spices joins the party, on top of the pepper. This is the trickier moment—more tense, even aggressive—but still top-class. Oh, and we don’t back down! Finish: as long as the eighth season of a Netflix series, peppery, but brought back in line by a horde of Corinth raisins. Though there are a few black olives lurking in the aftertaste. Comments: I made a mistake—I should have saved this little beast for the end of our session.
SGP:662 - 88 points. |
We're taking a long break; we'll be back later. |
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Haran 12 yo ‘Traditional’ (40%, OB, Spain, Iberian oak cask, +/-2023)
This malt from the Spanish Basque Country, while ‘Iberian oak’ suggests, I suppose, either Spain or Portugal. I don’t know if there’s any connection with Agot, another Basque malt, or with Bikkun, a very fine blended malt. Colour: light gold. Nose: lovely, with a mix of shoe polish and fireplace smoke, plus citron, peach, chamomile, and fresh cake. Quite surprising, but it works well on the nose, with a certain delicately smoky finesse. Mouth: both sharper and fruitier at the same time. A touch of burnt butter, then black pepper and pear eau-de-vie. Lastly, hints of liquorice allsorts mingling with herbal juice. Finish: not as short as one might expect, staying on the same notes, with a bit of burnt wood lingering. Comments: a quality bottle, though perhaps best enjoyed in San Sebastián or Bilbao.
SGP:652 - 78 points. |
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Sherishor 12 yo ‘Moscatel de Pasas’ (54.3%, OB, Spain, 1,400 bottles, +/-2024)
We’ve already enjoyed quite a few Sherishors. These are all Scottish malts, matured in Spain—here first in proper sherry casks of up to 50 years (not just ‘seasoned’ for the whisky trade), then in Moscatel ‘de Pasas’ casks, which I hadn’t come across until now. The grapes are sun-dried, which must further amplify the sweetness of these Muscats of Alexandria. Let’s brace ourselves… Colour: full gold. Nose: deep in passito territory, with also rancio, sultanas, and hazelnut cake, plus a touch of damp earth. So far, it remains fairly balanced. With water: zucchini flowers! Mouth (neat): well, ripe strawberries, ripe apricots, very ripe yellow plums, and about the annual dried grape output of a small Mediterranean country. The muscat character is much more pronounced on the palate, but that’s always the case with muscats, in my experience. Also some black pepper. With water: full-on muscat, though it feels more like petit grain (small-berry muscat). Slightly suffocating, but if you control the doses, it’s really enjoyable. Finish: long, same story, almost like ultra-fortified muscat at this stage. Comments: I much prefer the brilliant oloroso version at 54% (WF 87), but if you’ve got a sweet tooth, I won’t be the one to stop you. Spectacular, within this style.
SGP:751 - 83 points. |
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Morris of Rutherglen ‘Sherry Barrel’ (46%, Australia, +/-2023)
Apparently, they’ve used their ‘apera’ (aka Australian sherry) casks here, though it’s unclear whether proper ‘world sherry’ wine casks are really any worse than Spanish casks that were merely ‘seasoned’ in haste before being filled with whisky. Oh well, here we go making friends again… Colour: gold. Nose: almond croissants, shoe polish, two drops of blackcurrant syrup, praline, and a touch of juniper. Naturally quite ‘winesky,’ but it’s a pleasant nose. Mouth: more unexpected, with rubber and bell pepper, then lots of leather and tobacco before some peanut butter and gin (Australian, of course) make an entrance. A very unusual profile. Finish: rather long, a little dusty but not in an unpleasant way. Cherry stems and blackcurrant buds. Comments: it’s tricky to form a solid opinion on cases like this.
SGP:571 - 79 points. |
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Elch Whisky ‘Torfduett – Auflage 5’ (50.6%, OB, Germany, 2024)
We tasted one of these ‘Torfduett’ five years ago and liked it a lot. Just a reminder, last time I checked, ‘Torf’ meant ‘peat’, and ‘Duett’… well, you get the idea. Colour: gold. Nose: I haven’t got time to check whether this is German or Scottish peat, but the result is here, elegant, with remarkable balance between an initial rustic side (soot, wood, cardboard) and a mix of small herbs, flowers, and citrus. Borage and bergamot seem particularly present. With water: more fermentary, on fresh bread and ashes (straight from an old bread oven). Mouth (neat): smoky pepper and citrus strike first, then as they fade, a touch of smoked ham appears, along with those bergamots, juniper, cumin, and toasted black bread. With water: small flowers and berries emerge—cranberries and violets, for instance. Finish: rather long, with ashes making a return. Comments: I forgot to mention, they partly use acacia wood, and I think you can feel it. In any case, this baby seems less on rustic bread than the first batch we tried, but really, we like it.
SGP:564 - 86 points. |
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Kimchangsoo ‘Gimpo - The First Edition 2024’ (50.1%, OB, South Korea)
We’ve already enjoyed a few whiskies from this very talented small distillery, and here comes their first truly official release. Colour: apricot. Nose: okay, let’s stop here—this is too beautiful, too surprising, too well-constructed (coffee – mango – black bread, who says better?). What I find particularly astonishing are the saffron notes—I don’t think I’ve ever nosed a malt with such a pronounced saffron character. And we’re talking about real saffron here, not the cheap stuff sold in tourist markets. With water: a little varnish, rhubarb, sorrel, and fir honey emerge. Mouth (neat): slightly less spectacular, but have you ever tasted a mix of mint, olives, liquorice, honey, black tea, and… saffron? I hadn’t. With water: the wood takes a very slight lead, but elegantly so—no complaints possible. Some unexpected notes of wild strawberries as well. Finish: fairly long, in line with the rest, with none of the usual pitfalls of young, boosted whiskies, such as excessive woodiness. It feels like everything was well controlled, perhaps during the cask selection. Black bread makes a comeback in the aftertaste, reclaiming its spot. Comments: this is a ‘thinking’ malt—it makes the drinker smarter. Yes.
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
Right, we’ve got one slot left, but we’ll need to find a malt that can stand up to this admirable little Korean. Maybe another Hautes-Glaces? That would allow us to return to France in First Class… |
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Domaine des Hautes-Glaces 2016/2024 (56.3%, Swell de Spirits, France, vin jaune, cask #234, 202 bottles)
Vin jaune, the fino of France (or is it the other way round?). Well, vin jaune is made from the Savagnin grape, not fortified, and aged under veil/flor without cask changes, much like those trendy ‘añada’ casks in Jerez. As for Domaine des Hautes-Glaces, no need for introductions. Colour: full gold. Nose: wait, is that coffee? Or rather Ethiopian mocha? I must say, I love this. Of course, there’s more—grilled walnuts, for instance—but we’ll wait until we add water to dig deeper. With water: lots of liquorice wood, chicory root, speculoos, nocino… and that green walnut from vin jaune that asserts itself. We love this. Mouth (neat): explosive and massive. Sultanas (feeling more like vin de paille/straw wine at this stage), walnut cakes, dried apricots. With water: its finest moment, almost like a top-tier dry white vermouth. Finish: very, very long, powerful, a bit rustic but oddly well-balanced. The walnut reigns supreme though. Comments: not all whiskies aged or finished in vin jaune casks are equal—we’ve had some proper ‘3-men whiskies’ before (one drinking the stuff, the other two holding him up). But this one…
SGP:662 - 89 points. |
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