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April 25, 2025 |
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Having a bit of fun all over the world (for a change) |
| People often ask me what has changed in the world of whisky over the past twenty-five years. Quite a lot, of course, but the main thing—unsurprisingly, I’d say—is the wave of new whiskies emerging from all over the world, including places like Mexico and Cambodia. |
We’ve spoken about this often already; it’s no longer breaking news, but still, at the most recent festivals I attended—in France, where there were dozens of new French whiskies I’d never come across before, and in Switzerland, where exactly the same trend was happening—it was clear this was a real movement. And no doubt Limburg, where we’re heading in a few days (as we write this), will be just as revealing.
Although many of these new distilleries and brands are quite small, I believe Queen Scotland made a major strategic error: putting far too much emphasis on the casks used, both in maturation and in finishing, and as a result, significantly downplaying the role of their actual distillate and its environment. “The wood makes the whisky,” they used to say, but while it’s extremely difficult to produce something like Ardbeg or Macallan in Outer Mongolia, it’s very easy to use exactly the same highly active casks as those two famous distilleries. Which means it’s entirely possible to achieve something increasingly close to their style—and this can be demonstrated ‘glass in hand’.
We’ll soon be heading to China to take a closer look at all this, but for now, let’s focus on what we’ve got on the tasting table today, starting—as usual—with little France… |
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Évadé ‘Maple Cask Finish’ (47%, OB, France, single malt, +/-2025) 
A creation by ‘Whiskies du Monde’, somewhat alarming at first glance, although I must admit to having already sampled it informally. Still, it’s amusing to encounter ‘in the flesh’ many of the descriptors we so often bandy about. At this rate we’ll soon be seeing finishes in limoncello, Earl Grey tea or indeed… tar casks. Ha. At any rate this wee ex-pot still number, presumably sourced, first spent four years in bourbon casks, 1st fill and refill. Colour: gold. Nose: mounds of stewed apples and overripe pears to begin with, but soon enough the maple syrup comes marching in and utterly overpowers the nose, eventually giving you the impression that you’re sniffing neat maple syrup. Now, the trouble here is that we happen to adore maple syrup, and so what we have is an almost regressive nose, against which resistance is frankly futile. A touch of grilled bacon and smoked ham then puts in an appearance, which doesn’t hurt. Mouth: frankly, this is a whisky that puts a smile on your face. It’s completely improbable, but unless you happen to harbour a deep-seated aversion to maple syrup – or indeed to goulash drenched in coffee liqueur – it’s a real treat, even if it does start to feel ever so slightly suffocating. Finish: long, much more on oak, with a bitterness that attempts to restore some semblance of balance. Just about manages, perhaps. Lingering notes of gently burnt caramel. Comments: yes, they do maple syrup whiskies in Canada and the USA too (Koval!) but this little French number (apparently from Hepp in Alsace) really tickled me. Well done, it’s genuinely fun.
SGP:751 - 85 points. |
Let’s be honest—more flexible regulations than those in Scotland in some areas (and less flexible in others, such as the origins of the barley) can offer real advantages to ‘outsider’ nations. |
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Distillerie du Mont Blanc 2019/2024 (50%, LMDW Version Française, Vermouth cask, single grain, 300 bottles) 
An assemblage of barley and wheat distilled in an Armagnac-style still (petite colonne). I’ve little experience with this wee distillery, I must confess, though they’re brewers first and foremost, and I have indeed already enjoyed their rather good beer, ‘Brasserie du Mont Blanc’. The sort of thing one drinks while skiing. Colour: gold. Nose: this is fresh, firm – not your average grain – with citrussy notes and the inevitable hints of genepy (but of course) and verbena. The vermouth certainly plays a part, yet never takes over, it’s not overtly ‘winey’. With water: very light sulphur. Mouth (neat): the same profile unfolds on the palate, practically note for note. Lemon, herbs, gooseberries… That said, it does veer slightly more wine-forward this time. With water: that faintly sulphurous note returns, along with a fermentary edge, natural wine style… Must be the vermouth. Finish: fairly long, even more on fermentation. We do enjoy that side. Comments: you do get a bit of that whisky + wine character in the end, but it’s rather nice.
SGP:451 - 80 points. |
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Tchankat ‘Brut’ (47.3%, OB, France, +/-2024)
A new maize-based Gascon whisky by the famous Armagnac house Samalens. Now they rather used Charentais stills here (Cognac stills) and matured their spirit in recharred – not STRised – ex-Gruaud Larose barriques, a Second Cru Classé of Saint-Julien. Colour: deep gold. Nose: one gets the impression it’s really the casks that have done the heavy lifting here, but then again, Gruaud is Gruaud and it all works rather well, with heaps of vineyard peaches, green peppercorns, blackcurrant buds and button mushrooms. A few glimmers of strawberry jam, though one wouldn’t exactly say it smells like red wine. Nor would one call it faint or weak, quite the opposite in fact, especially given it’s maize-based, which might’ve suggested otherwise. Mouth: has something of a ‘fine de Bordeaux’ vibe, so not terribly whisky-like, but we’re not complaining at all – quite the contrary. Grapes, zest, cherries, buds, pips, leaf matter… Finish: same style, with lovely length. Comments: this is quite a ‘cross-category’ spirit, and honestly, this profile suits the south-west of France down to the ground. Best enjoyed after some goose foie gras followed by confit de canard with ceps, and a generous helping of pommes sarladaises. You’ll tell me that’s also the domain of Armagnac… Well, I’m thoroughly into it.
SGP:561 - 83 points. |
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Stillhead ‘Vancouver Island Rye’ (62.2%, OB, for Switzerland, Canada, 108 bottles, 2024)
We recently tasted another Stillhead and it had been very good indeed. At this strength, be warned, the Canadians can turn fierce – and not just on the ice rink. Colour: full gold. Nose: powerful yet refined, with elegant wood spices, curry, ginger, and a lovely medley of artisan bread notes (poppy seed, sesame, maize, caraway, barley of course…) With water: touches of sawdust, as one might expect, but also hints of polish and even a whiff of natural tar. Perhaps they slipped in a dash of Port Ellen, ha. Mouth (neat): ultra-potent, with a creamy texture, absolutely loaded with caraway and… maple syrup. I kid you not. With water: oh yes, this is excellent, earthy, very ‘rye’. Notes of bitter orange. Finish: same register, then more peppery citrus, nutmeg, and a touch of honey. Spruce honey, I’d wager, something very local. Comments: I like this a great deal, it’s nearly on par with their marvellously superlative ‘Garry Oak’.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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Bimber ‘Dickens The Novelist’ (58.3%, OB, England, Shoulders of Giants, bourbon, cask #398, 259 bottles, 2024)
Bimber in bourbon is generally a bit of a showstopper. And well, Dickens, that’s about as British as it gets… Colour: gold. Nose: oh yes indeed, nothing terribly complicated here but absolutely spot on. Vanilla, orange cake, banana loaf, a wee touch of papaya, a dusting of chalk and a small basket of freshly baked morning croissants. With water: honeysuckle and mullein. Mouth (neat): liqueurs of yellow fruits, dandelion syrup, vanilla, American oak, banana, pear. With water: triple sec rounds it all out nicely. A whisper of gluey notes in the far distance. Finish: long, clean, rounded, deceptively easy-going if you’re not paying close attention. Comments: none of this really feels all that Dickensian, truth be told, but then again you might say we’re not British ourselves. At any rate, it’s excellent and nudges close to the Canadian style, even if the two are miles apart.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Newborn ‘Collaboration Double Malt’ (55.4%, OB, South Korea/Japan, 402 bottles, 2025) 
We often dream of this kind of transnational collaboration, though they’ve been rather rare to date. Here we have a ‘vatting’ of one-year-old Korean Craftbros (2024/2025) aged in ex-first-fill oloroso and new American oak, blended with a 2020 Japanese Nagahama matured in an ex-Islay quarter cask and red wine cask right up to 2025. So yes, it’s quite the concoction, but we love this bold idea which, if anything, seems designed to show just how daft it would be for any country to turn in on itself. Anyway, let’s taste… Colour: apricot gold. Nose: rather incredible, really, every component is distinct and clearly perceptible, starting with the red wine, then sherry, and finally the peat, which remains subtle. It all stays in a fermentary register, with notes of cherry clafoutis. I reckon water might shake things up a bit. With water: back to the brewhouse – yeasty, sourdoughy, unfermented wort… All of that, which we love. Mouth (neat): peated kirsch (the peat really comes through on the palate), artichoke liqueur, ultra-dark chocolate, bay leaf, green pepper, blackcurrant… With water: yes, this is great – green pepper, blackcurrant buds, blood orange, bitter beer… Finish: long, on similar notes, though those smoky whisky-soaked cherries do bid a proper farewell in the aftertaste. Comments: a true puzzle of youthful and highly dynamic flavours, miles away from yet another safe Speysider lazily PX'd into oblivion. Well done, Craftbros (and Nagahama too, naturally).
SGP:563 - 88 points. |
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Vardberg 4 yo (48%, OB, Norway, oloroso sherry hogshead, cask #66, +/-400 bottles, 2024)
I rather liked Vardberg’s ‘Born’ (which, amusingly enough, seems to mean ‘born’ in Norse) back in 2023. This one’s made by Berentsens Brygghus, where they dabble in all manner of liquids – gin, of course, and aquavit too, naturally. Colour: gold. Nose: how utterly delightful! In truth, this doesn’t smell much like whisky – more like smoked fish, pine smoke, tiny forest berries, pistachio nougat, fir honey (again), and, hold on tight… maple syrup! I swear it. Mouth: again, we seem to be in an alternate flavour universe, with bud notes, cumin, orgeat, woodland honeys, pine sap, coriander seeds… To be honest, in this setting the oloroso barely gets a word in, save for a few green walnuts tossed into the mix. Smoked salmon with dill. Finish: rather long, with those flavours one might lazily label ‘Nordic’ from over here. Lovely honey and chocolate in the aftertaste. Comments: right, does it actually resemble malt whisky? The answer is ‘No’. But is it any good? The answer is most certainly ‘Yes’. Best enjoyed lightly chilled alongside smoked salmon. And did you notice? We didn’t even mention genever…
SGP:661 - 84 points. |
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Kavalan 2017/2024 (59.4%, OB, Taiwan, Solist, OBE/Club Bâtard Exclusive, Madeira cask, cask #D170314035A, 210 bottles) 
We always approach Kavalan with a touch of hesitation, the issue being that the Solist bottlings are invariably very, very good. That said, we’re quite intrigued by this Club Bâtard affair – one imagines it’s closer to Bâtard-Montrachet than to some ‘pure bastard’ from the backstreets (apologies, if needed). Colour: dark amber. Nose: boom, this is pure old Malmsey – or Bual – or Sercial, take your pick. Fig jam, dates, peach liqueur and the most precious of precious sultanas. Not a foot wrong. With water: on the move the raisins – Corinth and otherwise – storming the stage and claiming command without a fight. Mouth (neat): in-cred-i-ble. Monumental Madeira, massive, almost overpowering, but it seems all top gear, and honestly, one could mistake this for a glorious old cask. Basically, it’s as if someone fortified a grand old Madeira with Kavalan. With water: in comes a barrage of chocolate and hazelnut liqueur. Finish: long, creamy, irresistible. Comments: this is truly excellent and impeccably controlled from start to finish. People sometimes say Kavalan is very ‘technical’, but at this level, three cheers for technique!
SGP:751 - 90 points. |
Well, since we're already tasting Madeira at Kavalan – or the other way around… |
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Kavalan 2017/2024 (61%, OB, Taiwan, Solist, Crown Cellars Exclusive, JP’s Choice, Madeira cask, cask #D170317055A, 196 bottles)
Back to Canada for this one, specifically to Calgary, Alberta. Colour: dark amber. Nose: clearly very close to the ‘Bâtard’ (either you master the technique, or you don’t), though this one feels a tad less rounded and jammy, and with a slightly more mineral and dry profile – though by no means a ‘dry’ Kavalan. Whiffs of damp forest floor, followed by a box of little Cuban cigars, the sort JFK supposedly enjoyed post-embargo. With water: you’re wandering through an old bodega… Mouth (neat): oh lord, this is good! But watch out – it’s mighty powerful, with a rather head-snapping tendency (rather like a few Canadian hockey players, come to think of it). Glorious walnuts, tobacco and earthy notes. With water: honeys, figs, raisins, and some balsamic touches all jockeying for attention. Finish: long, almost saline. Bone marrow hints with a dash of marc or grappa. Madness! Comments: one would love to have a word with this ‘JP’. Then again, best leave him in peace…
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
Not much could top this Taiwanese-Canadian-Portuguese Kavalan, so let’s call this session to a close. |
That said, we should point out that while this selection of world whiskies was quite exciting—largely thanks to their unconventional character—we could easily see ourselves buying a whole case of any Clynelish, but I don’t think we’d do the same with any of the whiskies we tasted today. See you. |
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April 24, 2025 |
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T.T.T. (Three Times Tamdhu)
A cheap little headline meant as a tribute to the T.T.T. (Twelve Tone Tune) by the great jazz pianist Bill Evans. A few days ago, we were talking with a very disheartened American friend about the state of his country, and it seems I rather lifted his spirits by saying, “America is also the music of Bill Evans” even though the latter left this world forty-five years ago.
Right, anyway, we do like Tamdhu, that’s a fact, even if we’re generally wary of the little NAS expressions like the first one we’re about to taste. Perhaps the last survivors of the ‘high-tide’ period the market went through for a good fifteen years, right up until the immediate post-Covid months… |
Bill Evans, 1929-1980
(publicity photo Steve Schapiro) |
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Tamdhu ‘Cuatro Reserva’ (41.2%, OB, +/-2024) 
Not wildly fond of those slightly daft ABV decimals that seem designed to lull your subconscious into believing this was bottled at natural strength, but let’s not dwell… Colour: light gold. Nose: rather charming, malty and leaning towards brown ale, walnut wine, lightly singed cake, a touch of menthol, dark chocolate, and instant coffee granules… Really quite pleasant, honestly. Mouth: good start, with notes of orange and walnut, more beer, preferably Belgian if you please, even a nod to stout, but the strength is too timid and it lacks a bit of backbone because of that, tending to nosedive and becoming a touch bitter and flattish. Finish: fairly short and dry. Coffee grounds, scorched nuts, dried parsley. Comments: it’s good stuff but a shame really, this would’ve been better even at 43%. Fine, 43.2% if you insist.
SGP:351 - 81 points. |
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Tamdhu 12 yo (43%, OB, +/-2024)
We rather liked this one the last time, back in 2021. Colour: gold. Nose: drier than the Cuatro and the like, less expressive perhaps but showing greater elegance, closer to barley, fruit, apples, quinces, stewed fruit, wholemeal bread, bitter chocolate, farmhouse cider and a touch of baker’s yeast. Forgot to mention some Oloroso-esque touches as well. Mouth: very much old-school Speyside in natural form, sherry clearly involved here, with walnut cake, orange marmalade, a discreet dab of mustard, gingerbread, a whisper of ginger ‘with elegance’, cider again, and crème brûlée… In short, nothing to complain about, really good stuff in my modest opinion. Finish: pleasantly long, with more spices, ginger, nutmeg, brown ale, a hint of green wood, and yeast. Comments: dry and exactly as I remembered it. That said, I’ve always preferred the 10-year-old, though sadly it’s not on the tasting table this time.
SGP:451 - 84 points. |
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Tamdhu 10 yo 2013/2014 (57.9%, Alistair Walker’s Infrequent Flyers, PX puncheon, cask #800069, 698 bottles)
No need to panic, it’s only a light PX finish. Frankly, I suspect there’s more PX in our whiskies these days than in all the actual Pedro Ximénez bottles on earth. Well, almost, and to be fair, some of these PX finishes are rather good. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: ah, clever stuff—PX nicely integrated, veering towards almost saline notes, walnut cake, dried bananas and figs, turrón, chicory-laced coffee, and roasted pecans. A pleasant surprise. With water: not a massive change, perhaps a slightly savoury, meaty edge, verging on glutamate, with some very dark, damp earth. Mouth (neat): oh yes, that’s good—dark chocolate with fleur de sel, dark tobacco, a splash of coffee liqueur spiced with pepper, a touch of mole sauce… Cleverly done and structurally sound. With water: roasted walnuts and yet more salt. Impeccable. Finish: long, full-bodied, saline, malty, leaning towards brown ale. Comments: this talks. A lovely range I’m not well acquainted with, though I really ought to pay more attention to it. Good to have goals in life, isn’t it.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
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April 23, 2025 |
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Wine and single malt whisky from Tomintoul |
With certain malt brands, we who came to single malts from the world of wine now find ourselves on something of a backwards journey, as these brands are simply leading us… back into the world of wine. Tomintoul is a good example: many of their recent releases have been finished in wine casks of all sorts and from various origins. The names of these wines, in fact, now appear on the labels in place of age statements. Should we regret this shift? Not necessarily. |
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On the one hand, it seems the Scots have improved their finishing techniques—at least, that’s how it seems to us—and on the other hand, one has to have a bit of fun with it all... I do wonder, though, whether young malt enthusiasts, after tasting, say, a Tomintoul ‘Tempranillo’, will go on to take an interest in that great Spanish grape and perhaps even buy a few bottles of wine made thereof. |
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Tomintoul ‘Tempranillo Wine Cask Finish’ (40%, OB, Small Batch, 2024) 
This isn’t sold at a high price, roughly €45. Quite a few prestigious Spanish wines made from tempranillo, such as certain Riojas or Ribera del Dueros, go for considerably more, though I doubt those are the types of casks used here. You’ll tell me, why not? Colour: white wine. Rather odd, as tempranillo is usually very red. Nose: it’s absolutely crammed with redcurrants and cherries, then comes a little vanilla and some apple juice. All in all, it’s fresh, light, not unpleasant, and not too vinous either. Increasing notes of toffee apple and barley sugar follow on. Mouth: I suspect these kinds of casks are notoriously difficult to balance, things tend to veer off quickly into bitter herbal teas, grape skins, even the stems. But here it stays reined in, the cherry keeps leading the dance, with just a few hints of strawberry jam chiming in. In short, it’s still quite unmistakably ‘tempranillo’. Finish: short and light, not unbalanced. Comments: I find this better than last year’s Pinot Noir version.
SGP:451 - 79 points. |
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Tomintoul ‘Amarone Wine Cask Finish’ (40%, OB, Small Batch, 2024)
From Spain we cross over to Italy, though Amarone della Valpolicella isn’t a grape variety like tempranillo, rather a style of dry red straw wine, with grapes that have been concentrated by drying before pressing. It’s typically made from corvina and rondinella grapes and enjoys a loyal following, particularly in... Scotland. No names mentioned. Colour: white wine. Once again, oddly pale. Nose: more rustic than the tempranillo, less daintily fruity, leaning more towards very ripe plums, blackberries, tobacco and wine cask notes. So, more vinous overall. Mouth: similar impressions but it fares better on the palate, even though the red wine presence is rather strong—something you wouldn’t expect just by looking at the colour. Maraschino, hints of pepper, budding vines, cherry clafoutis. Finish: not very long, but more on ginger, chlorophyll and a touch of pink pepper. Comments: not bad, this little ‘winesky’, though I found the tempranillo to be rather better balanced.
SGP:461 - 78 points. |
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Tomintoul ‘Merlot Wine Cask Finish’ (40%, OB, Small Batch, +/-2022)
Merlot’s grown just about everywhere these days, but this one hails from Bordeaux. You’ll say it’s found all over Bordeaux too, not only in Pétrus, and I think it’s even the number one grape there, ahead of the cabernets. Colour: white wine. Same comment as before. Nose: it’s rather fun to spot the differences among these major red grapes, and here we do indeed get cherry, but also some damson jam and a few violet touches, alongside a whiff of floral perfume (jasmine, almond blossom). A wee hint of stalks and leaves as well. Mouth: it’s drier, less sweet, more peppery, less fruity, more herbal, and not as immediately charming, though there is some fig tucked away. Finish: long and fairly herbal indeed, though the aftertaste is softer, with notes of marzipan. Comments: one wonders whether the grapes were destemmed or not. Also, it would have been nice to know the vintage. A shame it couldn’t be 2022, such a glorious year!
SGP:461 - 77 points. |
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Tomintoul ‘Seiridh’ (40%, OB, Limited Edition, fist fill oloroso sherry cask finish, 6,000 bottles, 2022)
A limited edition bottled at 40% vol., which is a bit daring, though with oloroso, we’re on familiar ground. Colour: gold. Nose: reassuring stuff, calm and composed, with walnut cake and currants, followed by dates, a few touches of Easter chocolate (why Easter?) and even a Mars bar. Mouth: yes, this works, not as light as one might expect, nicely balanced, very much ‘dry sherry’, and unmistakably oloroso. Caramelised pecans—a killer—and a lovely drier sort of honey. Finish: not very long once again, but with a fine note of black tea. English breakfast tea rather than Scottish breakfast whisky, ha. Comments: I think this is really well done. At 45/46%, it would positively sing.
SGP:551 - 82 points. |
Let’s turn to bourbon for a change… |
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Tomintoul ‘Tundra’ (40%, OB, bourbon, 1l, +/-2020)
Never tried this little beast before, bottled—judging by the name—prior to the tragic events in Ukraine. You’ll say there’s tundra up north across all continents, be it America, Europe or Asia. Fair enough, let’s see if we can sniff out any moss or lichen... Colour: pale gold. Nose: no moss to report, rather pear, pineapple, vanilla and grist, plus a basket of this morning’s croissants. Mouth: this one fully lives up to Tomintoul’s slogan, ‘The Gentle Dram’. Scones and muffins, Earl Grey, barley, a little green tea, then a reprise of nicely ripe pear and apple. It whispers more than it shouts, but it’s charming. Finish: short but soft and fresh, without any misstep, save for a faint dusty note in the aftertaste. Comments: very honest and loyal, no needless fuss. Yep ‘tundra’ is truly a Russian name, apparently.
SGP:441 - 80 points. |
Right then, let’s try to seek out something a bit more refined, from the indies of course, and then we’ll call it a day. |
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Tomintoul 2010/2024 (58.2%, Malts of Scotland, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 24023, 243 bottles)
We’ve got a rather good feeling about this one… Colour: full gold. Nose: starts off like a campfire where marshmallows are toasting, then moves toward fig tree and even a bit of tomato bush, before getting into all sorts of roots—maybe even some moss and lichen, ha. The fruits are playing hard to get at first, it seems, though we’ve got our secret weapon… With water: yes, cassata and a fruit salad of pale and yellow orchard fruits. Mouth (neat): boom, an orchard avalanche—plums of every kind, apples, pears, peaches, apricots… No worries, I shan’t list them all. A leafy touch helps rein it in just a bit. With water: here comes melon, quince, prickly pear, jujube… Finish: long and delicate, on a fruity Wulong tea. Comments: a very fine example of a malt that really deserves a few drops of H2O.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
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April 22, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today young Balblair
Are we going to come across some fruit bombs?
The forests of Limousin cover nearly 600,000 hectares (around 400 million trees), including almost 200,000 hectares of pedunculate oak. (Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière) |
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Balblair 10 yo (46%, Living Souls, ex-Limousin oak Cognac finish, 2024)
A rather pleonastic idea from some new Glasgow-based indie bottlers, given that Balblair in and of itself can sometimes already nod towards a rather fruity Cognac. It should be noted that Cognac is generally matured in pedonculate French oak from the forests of Tronçais or Limousin, the latter being the more tannic of the two. Colour: white wine. Nose: the oak spices are quick to leap out, followed by citrus peels and hints of fir sap, alongside a touch of stewed rhubarb. A charming nose, it must be said, though rather than amplifying the fruitiness, the finishing seems to have capped it somewhat, rendering this baby rather more on the herbal side. Mouth: similar feelings, loads of spices on a fairly creamy texture, then green apples and once again citrus zests, even some bitter orange. Pine needles. Finish: fairly long, even spicier and more herbaceous still, but it wears it well. Comments: indeed, there are also some nice echoes of quality oak throughout. I find the whole thing a tad curious, but genuinely enjoyable.
SGP:461 - 83 points. |
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Balblair 12 yo 2011/2024 (53.4%, Valinch & Mallet, Young Masters Edition, 2nd fill oloroso, cask #800197, 331 bottles)
Colour: straw. Nose: the sherry cask remains fairly discreet, allowing the distillate to fire off loads of green apples and lemon straight up the nostrils, with a few aniseed-y touches adding to a Sauvignon Blanc-esque freshness we’re particularly fond of around here. With water: not much change, and that’s just as well. A pure and vibrant nose, as the saying goes, perhaps just a few walnut skins, most likely from the sherry wood. Mouth (neat): green apple liqueur mixed with lemon juice and a dab of honey. I dare say this combo could soothe all our springtime ailments – sinuses, throat, bronchi and beyond. With water: perfect, extremely Balblairian. Lovely notes of pink pepper joining the apples and lemons. Finish: long and properly zesty. Comments: a rather lovely bottle, with perfect tension.
SGP:661 - 88 points. |
After these youthful new releases, let’s take the opportunity to quickly sample a couple of Balblairs from our old stock, never formally tasted until now. |
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Balblair 20 yo 1990/2011 (54.2%, Friends of Malt, finished in Port Charlotte cask)
I must admit I’d been a little hesitant to taste this rather oddball baby… Colour: white wine. Nose: I confess it’s quite amusing, with ashes blanketing tinned pineapple, the whole lot served in a hefty silver salad bowl. There’s also loads of rhubarb again, along with strawberries and radish tops. It’s quirky but oddly coherent. With water: arrival of apples. Mouth (neat): more classically peaty here, a bit like some of those mainland peaters such as Benriach or Tomintoul. With water: apples and lemons now, with touches of passion fruit helping to balance things out. Finish: long, tense, with returning ashes and smoke. Comments: I think it worked, though one wonders whether this Balblair might not have been even better before being Portcharlotted like this.
SGP:563 - 86 points. |
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Balblair 18 yo 1990/2008 (58.7%, Villa Konthor)
Villa Konthor is one of the hallowed grounds of Limburg an der Lahn, see you there very soon! Colour: white wine. Nose: quite similar to the previous one, minus the Port Charlotte, which should in theory help us answer our question. Essentially, remove the peat and add a touch of honey and vanilla. With water: ripe apples. Mouth (neat): creamy, very fruity, with peaches, apples, bananas, and indeed a bit of pineapple. With water: same again. Finish: same again. Comments: not entirely sure we’ve actually solved our little conundrum, to be honest.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
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April 21, 2025 |
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Back with the bad, and the much better
Not exactly the kind of thing we actively seek out, but over the years and through our travels, a few of them inevitably find their way to Château Whiskyfun — and it's always fun to taste them, especially as some are very cheap. Take this one, for instance…
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Old Finil 3 yo (40%, OB, Italy, Licor S.R.L, +/-2024) 
A strange little bottle, simply labelled as ‘whisky’, with no indication of origin. That said, it is promoted as ‘a distillate with intense and persistent flavour, crafted artisanally in Italy’. Elsewhere, it is stated that ‘This whisky is handcrafted in the distilleries of the Old Finil Udue company, located in the verdant valleys of the Dolomites.’ However, we unearthed our bottle in Sicily, with the price for 70cl hovering between €6 and €8. Oh, and we’ve absolutely no idea why there’s a papal tiara on the label as we do have our doubts about the Vatican having made this little one its official whisky. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: comes across like entry-level vodka, flavoured with artificial vanillin and oak chips. Not utterly disgusting, though the raw woody alcohol notes soon seize control. One gets the impression it would be inconceivable to taste this baby without a heap of ice cubes. Mouth: same story, tutti-frutti eau-de-vie sold by the jerrycan, bargain-bin limoncello, a dash of fake vanilla, and something resembling wood extract. Now I don’t think it would render you blind. Finish: none to speak of, which may in fact be one of its more commendable features. Comments: at this price, one can’t really complain, can one? Let’s say it’s just about drinkable, but it certainly isn’t good. According to Mr Massimo R. of Formigine, it also doubles as a pipe cleaner.
SGP:310 - 20 points. |
Update: We were saddened to learn, barely an hour after publishing this woeful tasting note above, of the death of Pope Francis. We have decided not to make any changes to it, as His Holiness had, on many occasions, demonstrated a rather marked sense of humour. May he rest in peace. |
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The Old Choice (40%, OB, Blended Scotch whisky, +/-2025)
This one goes for €8.49 a bottle (70cl) in Italy, though we spotted it on an Australian site for $49.00, which works out to over €27! To be fair, it is a proper Scottish blend, distributed in Italy by the firm Dilmoor. Colour: white wine. Nose: certainly not grand, but far better than that poor Old Finil, with traces of malt, fudge, overripe apples and English tea. Not miles away from the big-name blends—Johnnie Red, Black & White, and so on—with even a fairly charming touch of caramel. Yep. Mouth: as anticipated, it rather falls apart on the palate, with a harsh and even burning edge from the alcohol. The caramel manages to claw things back a little, and the bitterness isn’t overly assertive. Not utterly dreadful in the end. Finish: very short, with a few fleeting hints of pear that help boost the score a notch or two. Comments: I’m not saying it wouldn’t win a prestigious international award in the under-€10, 3-year-old blend category, now am I…
SGP:310 - 30 points. |
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The Glen Glover 3 yo (40%, OB, Blended Scotch whisky, 2024)
The back label tells us this baby hails, like The Old Choice for that matter, from a company in Bologna, where quite a lot seems to be happening in the world of whisky! The price is similar, around €8.50 for a 70cl bottle. Colour: straw. Nose: very close indeed—vanilla, fudge, white chocolate, a powdery note, bottled apple juice, even a whiff of apple tart. One could almost go so far as to say it’s not an unpleasant nose. Mouth: same sort of juice as The Old Choice, not good, with dusty touches, cardboard, sawdust, and also hints of pear liqueur and caramel attempting to soothe the pain a little. Finish: very short, identical to The Old Choice. Comments: truth be told, this is the kind of whisky they use in cocktails at all-inclusive holiday clubs all around the Mediterranean basin, from Marbella to Bodrum and far beyond.
SGP:310 - 25 points. |
Let’s try to be a bit more serious now — that’s quite enough of the los cheapos for today… |
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Dewar’s ’White Label’ (40%, OB, Blended Scotch, +/-2024) 
One of the best-known blends in the world. Generally speaking, and even if it doesn’t exactly set the heather alight, we rather like it. Colour: light gold. Nose: cleaner and smoother, slightly more malty, with notes of bread, porridge, beer and brioche. A touch of orange blossom too. Mouth: a simple blend, free from the flaws of the earlier suspects—no burning edge, no cardboard, no overly spirity mess—but that doesn’t mean you’ll be whisked away to the fruit section of Fortnum’s or La Grande Épicerie either. It remains basic. Finish: short, very simple, with a trace of what the public likes to call ‘smokiness’. Probably not peat though… The aftertaste is more charming, with hints of nougat and dried fruits. Though it comes a bit late… Comments: already a big step up!
SGP:331 - 60 points. |
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William Peel (40%, OB, France, +/-2024)
This one was ‘patiently matured’, if you please. William Peel is a massive brand in France, but it leans rather heavily on the budget end of things. Colour: pale gold. Nose: not much going on, frankly. The Italians had more flaws, but at least they showed a bit of character. Perhaps some vanilla-flavoured black tea, at a stretch. Mouth: not much here either—Dewar’s is clearly far superior. That said, there’s an oddly amusing little note of lavender and salt, which is rather fun. Finish: short, and hooray, that salty lavender note sticks around. Some liquorice too, though sadly it all arrives a bit too late… Comments: better than some William Peels we’ve braved in the past—for the cause and the cause alone, mind you. Alas, it has nothing to do with Emma Peel (that was stoopid, S.).
SGP:331 - 50 points. |
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Chivas Regal 13 yo ‘Extra - Tequila Cask Finish’ (40%, OB, Blended Scotch, +/-2024)
After so much lamenting over these improbable finishings that practically scream ‘WTF’, it was only fair that we actually taste a few. Like this Chivas, the epitome of a traditional brand and still somewhat ‘prestigious’, here behaving like an unsupervised heir from a good family who’s gone astray by messing around with tequila. What an idea! Colour: pale gold. Nose: not far off William Peel, which is frankly baffling. It seems the tequila has added a dirty, earthy side to what might once have leaned more towards a lovely, fresh panettone. What an idea indeed. Mouth: same feeling. Some Chivas, mixed with rustic gentian, celery root, earth, and perhaps a touch of tequila. I’m afraid this doesn’t really tango well together, sorry. Finish: herbal and earthy. Roots that perhaps oughtn’t be there. Comments: might well have worked better at 45 or 46%, but as it stands… yes, it’s dirty to me. A shame, we do enjoy agave—but still, we’d take the classic Chivas Regal 12 over this one a thousand times.
SGP:341 - 50 points. |
Right then, let’s have a rummage through the stash and dig out a couple of old bottlings… |
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Stalker & McLellan ‘Special Reserve’ (No ABV, OB, Scotch Whisky, +/-1910-1920)
Not much is to be found online about this Glaswegian brand, but our thanks go to our friend Morten for having sourced it. Colour: opaque gold. Nose: very typical of extremely old, low-strength bottles, with notes of chicken broth, old books, cocoa, lamp oil and dusty old tea tins… All of this is utterly charming, antiquated, old-fashioned, and even rather romantic. Mouth: it has clearly seen better days, no doubt about that, but there remain some lovely touches of pu-ehr tea, liquorice wood, roots, even a dash of powdered ginseng. Finish: not very long but very elegant, salty, ‘like a precious broth’. Comments: it’s always tricky business assigning a score to such an ancient dram. In any case, this Stalker & McLellan from the silent film era still has some fine remnants of glory…
SGP:221 - +/-80 points. |
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Old Mac 5 yo (40%, OB, Blended Scotch, 1980s)
This blend was bottled for Italy by the house of Thomas Mac & Sons of Glasgow. We do love that little note on the label— ‘100% Blended Scotch Whisky’—what would it be otherwise, one wonders? Colour: light gold. Nose: it’s light, rather grain-forward, with hints of castor oil, sunflower oil, perhaps even a touch of polenta… But all of it remains in whisper mode… Mouth: ah, not bad at all on the palate, with peat and a pleasant minerality, a bit of rubber, crème de menthe and chlorophyll, broth again, and salt… These wee blends can be full of surprises, even if there’s not much fruit to be found in this one. Finish: medium length, salty, like vegetable soup, tobacco, salted liquorice… Comments: one wonders if this Old Mac came out around the time of the very first Apple computers. I know, a pointless remark, but all told, this is really not bad at all.
SGP:242 - 85 points. |
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His Excellency 5 yo (43%, OB, 100% Pure Scotch Whisky, for Italy, Ditta Paglia Ivo, 1980s)
This 5-year-old was offered by Bartels, Rawlings & Co. There were plenty of young whiskies around back then, as youthful age statements were associated with lightness, something the public actively sought. Colour: straw. Nose: here we find those slightly smoky aromas that long led the public to believe all Scotch whiskies were ‘smoky’, and here we are. Rubber, new trainers, brine, engine oil, mint tea. Practically no fruit to speak of. Mouth: here too it’s rather full-bodied, oily and salty, with notes of cabbage soup and orange wine. There’s a curious fermentary side after all these years… Finish: fairly long, again with salted liquorice and a strong maritime character—almost as if it had been used to marinate… sea urchins? Comments: His Excellency clearly had good taste, as one would expect. This was before the era of cowboy diplomats. Not to be confused with oligarchic thugs, mind you!
SGP:342 - 83 points. |
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Teacher’s Highland Cream (86 US proof, OB, Blended Scotch, USA, Schieffelin New York, 1930s)
‘Perfection of Blended Scotch Whisky’, claims the old label. And there’s little doubt about that—these immediate post-Prohibition Teacher’s could be absolutely fantabulous; let’s have a look at this one. Colour: gold. Nose: just as one would hope, with a glorious arrival full of honeyed notes and a faint whisper of smoke (Ardmore perhaps?) which soon veers off toward sultanas, old sweet wines (old Malmsey), dried lychees and longans. It’s absolutely beautiful—who kept the recipe? Mouth: very much in the vein of White Horse, let’s say. Dry smoke at first, followed by a medley of herbal teas and infusions, with a dry fruitiness reminiscent of old liqueurs whose sugars have long since faded. A truly great Scotch whisky that transcends any simplistic blend-versus-malt dichotomy. Finish: long and elegant, almost like an old Meursault. Quite astonishing. Comments: I wonder whether we don’t spot crates of this very Teacher’s in the original version of Whisky Galore… Am I wrong? Thank you, Tomas.
SGP:452 - 90 points. |
Let’s get back to more modern things… |
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The Antiquary 15 yo (43%, OB, Blended Scotch, 6,000 bottles, +/-2022) 
Tomatin’s blend, and most certainly brimming with Tomatin, so one would expect it to be fruitier than a fruit salad. We tried the version finished in Bordeaux casks last year—it was a bit of a let-down (WF 74)—but here, things ought to fall back into place… Colour: gold. Nose: a mix of crushed chalk and blood orange to start, then prickly pear and melon. Rather unusual, even surprising, but a fermentary edge kicks in to balance things out, and it all becomes genuinely pretty. Mouth: this is very unusual—much drier than expected, with earthy notes, blackcurrant buds, even a splash of cabernet, then more and more green pepper… Finish: long, on bell pepper and aubergine. Comments: sorry, I bailed… Did they release the ‘claret’ under two different labels? Were there several batches? Superb nose, but the palate is tough going, for me at least.
SGP:351 - 76 points. |
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Isle of Skye 18 yo (40%, OB, Blended Scotch, +/-2024)
By Ian Macleod. We’ve never been especially enthused by the younger Isle of Skyes, but at 18 years old, perhaps this will be different… Even if the 40% vol. doesn’t exactly inspire high hopes. Colour: gold. Nose: this is a discreet blend on the nose, slightly earthy, slightly maritime, slightly sandy, with some nuts and a touch of dried seaweed, along with a smoke that’s… well, discreet. The choice to bottle it at minimum strength feels rather baffling. Mouth: it’s more acidic and saltier than the nose suggests, with a pleasing ‘fino’ aspect at first, then it flows into herbal teas and seaweed, but the ever-present frustration of the low bottling strength lingers throughout. A shame really, as it’s a lovely composition, but of course, when one sees ‘Skye’, Talisker inevitably comes to mind—and here… no cigar. Finish: short to medium, more on fermentation. Comments: a pity, as it’s sorely hampered by the bottling strength. Yes, I insist. It’s like Jimmy Page playing his double-neck Gibson, but without plugging in the amp. You get the idea…
SGP:343 - 80 points. |
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St Bridget’s Kirk 35 yo 1988/2024 (41.5%, OB, Blended Scotch, refill barrel, 248 bottles)
We’d already tasted another cask of this ‘blended when young’ style (ex-Edrington in theory) by Hannah Whisky Merchants, which had been very, very good (WF 87). Colour: full gold. Nose: tricky to pin down, but that’s not the point—here there’s glue, smoke, bitter almonds, maraschino, lanolin, pistachio cream (we’ve just come back from Sicily), and rich, black potting soil. All of it is rather lovely. Mouth: almonds and pistachios take the lead, though a pronounced salinity and a good helping of black tobacco add a fine contradiction, rounded off with a bit of coconut (grain component?) It’s an intriguing profile, certainly unusual. Finish: medium length, but saltier still. A faint tequila-like touch. Comments: these are very unusual whiskies, the sort that no master blender could ever hope to replicate. That sense of rarity adds undeniable charm to the whole affair.
SGP:552 - 88 points. |
Time to move on to the last one — perhaps a very old blend. What do you say? |
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The Antique Blended Whisky 48 yo 1976/2024 (49.1%, Sansibar, Blended Scotch, hogshead, 145 bottles)
A truly intriguing bottle, and according to the label, a very ‘American’ one. Then again, 1976 was the bicentennial, wasn’t it? Colour: deep gold. Nose: lovely—on stewed fruits, medlars, sangria, oranges, papaya, a pack of blond cigarettes, orange cream, rum-filled chocolate, and raisins… What’s particularly amusing is a note of old grain whisky that comes and goes, as if it might seize control, then vanishes entirely. One rather wishes certain politicians behaved the same way, wouldn’t you say? Mouth: the refinement of a very old cask, with fats, orange marmalade, smoked fish (really?), unguents, papaya, passion fruit and rowanberry eau-de-vie (a personal favourite), followed by more classic malty tones. The mysteries of time, the mysteries of age. The cask itself behaved with great elegance, leaning into almonds and honey. Finish: fairly long though more restrained, more compact. Mint tea with a drop of lemon and a hint of smoke, drifting into old amontillado. Only the aftertaste feels a little rougher. Comments: the boss is the whisky, not you—whether you’re younger or older than this magnificent old malt. I mean, this very mysterious old blended Scotch, perhaps ex-Edrington too – or not, who knows.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
I’ve got a feeling we’ll be doing another session like this one very, very soon — stay tuned… |
(Thank you, Morten and Tomas) |
A quick new note about the distribution of our scores: this little session, although unusual, shows that we really do use the full scale out of 100—so actual percentages—even if the single malts we usually taste tend to fall within the 75–95 range. This is perfectly normal given their average quality compared to the global production of whiskies, which of course includes the mass-market blends sold for under 20, or even 10 Euros. If we were to take all volumes produced into account, we estimate that the average would probably be around 40 to 45 points out of 100.
See you. |
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April 20, 2025 |
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The Easter Bunny brought a few rums
Forget that, let’s just go with the flow, alright? As long as we steer clear straight away of those artificially sweetened monstrosities we usually subject ourselves to—for the sake of our common cause… After all, it is Easter today.
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Saint James 9 yo ‘Hors d’Âge’ (43%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2024)
An expression from Saint James we had never come across before, I mean on our official tasting desk. Colour: full gold. Nose: a delicately smoked rendition, with touches of copper polish, exhaust pipe, cherry stem tea, cedarwood, incense and jasmine. It’s really delicately perfumed, heading towards potpourri. Mouth: the liquorice wood is more prominent on the palate, with tobacco and ashes too, then some pine resin and lastly, an exceedingly ripe banana. Finish: it ends on adorable honeyed notes and a few touches of varnish, heading towards wild strawberries. Wild strawberries in Martinique? Comments: this is classy, and a nine years of age, is more elegant than a ten from a marketing point of view. I know what I mean.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Nine Leaves 2017/2024 (59%, OB, Japan, small batch, ex-bourbon)
One of those modern rums I hadn’t quite grasped until now, but our soul remains pure and our spirit willing, so back to the drawing board we go… Colour: amber. Nose: rather discreet, on figs and nougat, with the bourbon element seemingly calling the shots. Very faint metallic touches, sweetcorn, a fleeting puff of patchouli and a medley of dried fruits. With water: mosses, ferns, and liquorice wood. Mouth (neat): a surprisingly malty side, with raisins and a touch of natural sweet wine. With water: dried fruits again, a bit of ale, light yeasts, hints of dulce de leche and liquorice rolls. Finish: similar profile, good length, with soft liquorice and chicory lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: really quite good, just not overwhelmingly memorable, in my very humble opinion. Still, I believe this may be my favourite Nine Leaves so far.
SGP:551 - 82 points. |
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New Yarmouth 2009/2024 (61.2%, Swell de Spirits, Eastern Tales, Constantia Bordeaux, Jamaica, bourbon, 200 bottles)
SdS persist in their delightfully offbeat labelling antics, this rum—unlike the previous one—having nothing remotely Japanese about it, or so it seems. Rather amusing. Colour: straw. Nose: very high-ester, with carbon, two-stroke moped mix, green olives and oil paint (which is trickier than watercolour – alright, forget that). With water: olive oil, sage, lime juice, oregano, shallots, white wine vinegar, tarragon… Mouth (neat): crushed green olives with chilli, green pepper and diesel. Something along those lines. With water: adorably zingy, citrusy and, above all, absolutely stuffed with olives, though there’s just the right dab of cane syrup to round things out. Finish: long, surprisingly well-balanced, and frankly too easy to drink. The salinity remains absolutely splendid. Comments: sorry, I simply can’t resist this sort of thing, long live Jamaica.
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
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Clarendoni 25 yo 1997/2023 (60%, Rum Sponge Special Edition, blend, Trinidad & Jamaica, 95 bottles)
The ex-Sponge dared! Blending Clarendon with Caroni! Colour: dark bright amber. Nose: well then, here we are, The ex-Sponge has only gone and reinvented navy rum for the very, very senior officers of the Royal Navy. As a Frenchman, I hate to say this, but it’s magnificent on the nose, with an elegantly woody profile, Christmas fir, antique furniture and well-aged Iberian ham. Insert a few swear words here, if you please. With water: thuja wood. Mouth (neat): it’s unbelievably coherent, perhaps the most un-blend of all blended rums. Sublime resins and floral honeys, with a colossal wave of salty liquorice. With water: dreadful, disgusting, undrinkable, a Trafalgar of rum. Finish: very long, unbearable, monstrously saline and fuel-oily. Concentrated salted liquorice in the aftertaste. Comments: a pity we’re so late to the game; we might have lodged a formal complaint with the International Court of Justice. Probably time-barred now.
SGP:463 - 92 points. |
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Barbados 16 yo 2006/2023 (60.6%, Transcontinental Rum Line, LMDW Singapore, 18th Anniversary, cask #F06FV06, 260 bottles)
14 years in the tropics, 2 years in Europe. Colour: amber. Nose: praline and nougat, with cane syrup and maple syrup in the Foursquare style. Wee touches of coconut liqueur. With water: lovely freshness, coconut milk and almond milk, plus orange blossom water. Mouth (neat): creamy, on oranges, honey and pepper. With water: the pot still component takes charge, with hints of petrol, varnish and mild brine, though the texture remains light. Finish: medium in length, a touch salty, on triple sec and cane syrup. Comments: very good, but also very gentle. Which is just as well—we could all use a bit more gentleness in this world.
SGP:641 - 86 points. |
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Jamaican Rum 23 yo 2000/2024 (54.8%, Bedford Park, North Coast Distillers, cask #2205306, 402 bottles)
Fully ex-new French oak, which I find a tad odd, but still, all joy lies in nature’s diversity. Colour: amber. Nose: espresso and olive oil—isn’t that a bit unusual? Then paint and varnish, liquorice, solvents, nail polish, patchouli, bidis, Tiger Balm, and a freshly unwrapped vinyl LP… With water: lovely maritime freshness, seaweed, seawater, oyster, petrol… Mouth (neat): simple and perfect. Liquorice, lemon, olives, acetone. Amen. With water: the usual suspects—green and black olives, brine, paint, tar, seawater, lemon… Finish: much the same… Massive black olives in the aftertaste. Comments: we hesitate—we’re not entirely convinced it’s Hampden, or even genuinely ex-new French oak—but it’s pretty superb all the same, especially if you love black olives as much as we do.
SGP:462 - 89 points. |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far
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April 18, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today Strathmill
Once again, as part of our special programme ‘No Scottish Distillery Left Behind’ — which is becoming increasingly hard to uphold as the number of new ‘world’ whiskies continues to skyrocket. At just two pretty small and recent festivals, we came across at least fifteen new distilleries we’d never even heard of before. Seriously.
Carthusian walnut liqueur (Liqueur de Noix des Pères Chartreux - La Boutique de Théophile)
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Strathmill 10 yo 2014/2024 (51.1%, Murray McDavid, Benchmark, Koval quarter cask finish, 1174 bottles)
Certainly, ‘Benchmark’ is the name of the range, but it still feels a tad peculiar to see it pinned on a young Strathmill finished in… well, what exactly? What sort of Koval was it then? Rye? Bourbon? Millet? Truth be told, a benchmark for us would rather be a Springbank 1965, a Macallan 1957, a Brora 1972 or a Bowmore 1964… Ah well, onwards… Colour: straw. Nose: well, this is pleasant, fresh, with cider apples, barley, lemon, green pear and a touch of fresh cement (no worries). With water: rounder, with vanilla custard, yellow fruit jam and barley syrup. Mouth (neat): creamy mouthfeel, most likely courtesy of the American oak, with lemon blossom honey, more pear, sponge cake, vanilla and indeed, wee touches of rye. It’s perhaps a little gender-fluid in style, and that’s no bad thing. With water: not much change, save for a little extra fresh oakiness. Finish: good length, rather gentle and malty. The pear and the oak continue to hum sweetly in the aftertaste. Comments: nothing to add really, it’s just very good.
SGP: 541- 84 points. |
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Strathmill 12 yo 2012/2024 ‘Edition #36’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt)
Once again with these cleverly upmarketed series, premiumised from the inside rather than through flashy labels or packaging, and perfectly timed with the shifting sands of the whisky market. Or so it seems to me. Less than €50 a bottle, by the way. Colour: full gold. Nose: no denying the sherry’s doing the heavy lifting here, as Strathmill’s distillate isn’t quite assertive enough to take charge. That said, there’s a lovely mentholated note riding alongside chocolate and prunes, with a dab of soy sauce and a few earthy roots. With water: brownies and an amusing touch of sweetish garlic. Mouth (neat): really good, kicking off with a tiny morsel of candied ginger, then moving on to walnut liqueur, dark chocolate and a teaspoon of beef bouillon, even with a faint dusting of ground coriander. With water: a hint of blueberry tart. Finish: long and a tad more peppery, with a rather splendid bittersweet sherry and a touch of fresh turmeric. Comments: these bottlings strike me as particularly clever. There, it’s said.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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April 17, 2025 |
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From oranges, high altitude or a NATO bunker, a few more whiskies from around the world |
As usual, when we say ‘whiskies from around the world’, we’re excluding the major whisky-producing nations — Scotland, Ireland, Japan and, rather conveniently given the current climate, the USA, which we’re not particularly drawn to at the moment. This is by no means a boycott, but rather a chance to quietly build up our stocks while we wait for our natural goodwill to gradually return. Hopefully that won’t take too long... Right then, let’s start in France — more precisely in Brittany, the most Celtic region of our little country. |
Casks of Swiss whisky maturing at an altitude
of 3,454 metres (Rugen) |
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Eddu 15 yo (43%, OB, Distillerie des Menhirs, France, +/-2025)
This well-aged Breton whisky, distilled entirely from buckwheat, was matured in ex-cognac casks, thus French oak unless struck by some unlikely mishap. Eddu carries a GI ‘Whisky de Bretagne’, which permits the use of buckwheat, itself a proud element of Breton identity—think of those famed buckwheat galettes (galettes de sarasin)! The last Eddu we tasted was the ‘Yes We Cam’ edition, which had been rather superb (WF 87). By the way, the distillery is located in Finistère. Colour: gold. Nose: less exuberantly fruity than expected, hence more composed, on banana and pear cake, scones, lovely caramel, then yellow peaches, rather fresh dried fruits and acacia and dandelion honeys. Subtle touches of orange blossom. Altogether very delicate, it does its fifteen years proud. Mouth: the raw materials come through more clearly, particularly beer and even a little mead, touches of cinnamon, hints of amaretti, white chocolate, then apricot and a teaspoon of Sauternes. Finish: nice length, a little more oaky but with finesse. The cognac doesn’t particularly show, unless, or because it’s been fully integrated. Comments: I believe this is technically a grain, yet it lacks the lightness one might associate with that category. One of the finest French whiskies in my humble opinion, far removed from that Napoleonic ethos seen elsewhere—you know, the sort of “let’s barge ahead, we’ll sort it later” philosophy.
SGP:641 - 87 points. |
From Finistère to Yorkshire… |
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Filey Bay ‘Orange Wine Barrique’ (46.2%, OB, England, 1,100 bottles, +/-2025)
Yay, some orange wine! These four casks hailed from Huelva in Spain and previously held ‘Vino Naranja del Condado de Huelva’. Careful now, let’s not rush—this isn’t ‘orange wine’, it’s ‘wine made with oranges’, a maceration made with orange zest and, like its cousin, protected by a GI. It’s aged in solera as is traditional in those parts. Colour: gold. Nose: this isn’t triple sec in the slightest, there’s no orange explosion; rather we’re in gently sweetened fino territory, joined by a dollop of marmalade, all resting on a faintly earthy base that’s really quite lovely. Elegant, almost like an Andalusian horsewoman (ahem). Mouth: the oranges come through more clearly on the palate, though still with balance, and one might detect hints of Bénédictine and old Grand Marnier. Or yes, even Dalmore that’s not overly winey. Good fun. Finish: long, increasingly on orange zest, yet never calling out for ice cubes. Comments: it’s cool, it’s charming, it’s unlikely—but it works. Right then, now we’re just waiting for a double maturation in orange wine casks…
SGP:741 - 84 points. |
From Yorkshire to Newfoundland… |
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Signal Hill ‘Founders Select Overproof’ (56.3%, OB, Canada, +/-2024) 
Viva Newfoundland, viva Canada! That said, I must confess I struggled a bit with their standard 40% ‘blend’, but this ought to be another matter entirely. As for what exactly it is, the bottle simply says “Whisky”. Colour: full gold. Nose: very light, vanilla-led, with gentle honey, puffs of blueberry muffin and enough popcorn to get you through a full Ingmar Bergman retrospective. With water: not too bad, a touch oilier, with faint hints of beeswax and tinned pineapple. Mouth (neat): this feels very much like a wheat whisky, sweet, extremely light in texture, almost as if some cane syrup had been added. With water: becomes lighter still and rather feeble, reminiscent of old-style grain whisky. Frankly, it reminds me of that whisky from the former GDR, Der Falckner. Word is the latter’s been faithfully recreated since the Wall came down! Finish: short, sugary. Comments: not a disaster, but for a malt enthusiast, the lack of texture is glaring. They ought to throw in more malt.
SGP:520 - 68 points. |
Since we’re in Canada, let’s head over to Vancouver Island… |
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Stillhead ‘Garry Oak’ (50%, OB, Canada, Rye, 470 bottles, 2025)
Here we are in British Columbia. This baby rye spent three and a half years in virgin American oak before being transferred to refill Garry oak from Oregon. Garry oak is said to be the only species native to B.C. – in fact, it’s Garryana, as used by Westland further south. Colour: full gold. Nose: the wood's vibrancy is stunning. Generally, I’m not one for overly oaky whiskies, but here the rye marries the wood beautifully, and the youthful age is never an issue. Certain notes bring to mind Polugar, that aged pot-still vodka. Brown sugar, cinnamon, fir, flambéed banana, mild curry, caraway, roasted pecans and a few hints of coffee. Impeccable. Mouth: delightful spices, caraway, lavender, cinnamon, turmeric, roasted millet, followed by violet and soft liquorice. This is excellent, and what’s certain is that this Garry deserves to be known. All jokes aside, this is a cracking alternative to the best of the new American craft whiskies. Finish: long, more on pumpernickel and rye bread. Bitter cocoa in the aftertaste. Comments: delighted to have stumbled upon this new creature in… Switzerland. Small world indeed.
SGP:462 - 88 points. |
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Swiss Mountain Whisky 12 yo ‘Ice Label’ (52.2%, OB, Rugenbräu, Switzerland, 980 bottles, 2025)
Utter madness really, albeit the charming kind. After spending four years at the distillery, these casks were hauled up to the Jungfrau to mature for a further eight years inside a cave carved into the ice at 3,454 metres above sea level. One imagines this did little to hasten maturation, but the whole operation certainly adds an undeniable cachet. Next time they might as well chuck the casks onto the Lauberhorn and go for a downhill speed record. Ha. Colour: deep gold. Nose: dark ale, yeasty notes, very ripe bananas, sesame and poppy seed bread, spent coffee grounds, grey pepper… There’s no shortage of activity here. The brew-like origins really shine through. With water: damp earth, beer, rum, autumn leaves. Mouth (neat): there’s more to this than just a good yarn—the whisky is genuinely very good, more chocolatey on the palate, with rum-and-raisin, fruitcake, spiced figs, toffee… With water: even better with water, seriously. Lovely baked fruits, slightly brined. Finish: dark rye bread and fruit loaves. Apricots and such. Cloves. Comments: here’s a new frontier—high-altitude ageing.
SGP:661 - 86 points. |
While we’re on the subject of mad ideas, let’s head over to Germany … |
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St. Kilian ‘Whisky Bunker Limited Release 2025’ (57%, OB, Germany, 476 bottles)
Matured, it would seem, in a former NATO bunker. The world of whisky appears increasingly populated by madmen, and that’s no small part of its charm. Colour: full gold. Nose: an avalanche of fresh breads of every stripe, drizzled with honey, apricot liqueur and a touch of orgeat syrup. The apricot liqueur is particularly forward. One hopes NATO won’t be needing this bunker any time soon. With water: earthy, bordering on compost—perhaps a gift from the bunker? Mouth (neat): sweet and spicy, almost Caribbean in style. That apricot liqueur reappears, joined by hints of cassava and gentian root, then mountain honey and more of those many breads. A slight cocoa edge from the wood. With water: the spices go absolutely wild. Finish: long, drier, with a salty touch and even a note of roasted aubergine. Comments: I reckon they’re just getting better and better, easily among Europe’s top producers—and all without taking themselves too seriously, which in my book is the ultimate virtue.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
Since it seems that, unless I’m wrong, there’s no whisky from Greenland (we would’ve loved that), we’re off to Denmark instead… |
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Thy ‘Bog’ (50%, OB, Denmark, 2024)
Beechwood-smoked barley and a spirit matured in oloroso and PX. And it’s organic. We’ve already tasted some superb expressions from Thy. Colour: gold. Nose: I don’t believe I’ve ever nosed a whisky so deeply rooted in smoked butter. All the rage in Michelin-starred kitchens these days. Then a medley of root vegetables—those long-forgotten sorts that are now all the rage again too, thanks to those very same chefs. In short, it’s distinctive. With water: a burst of lime tidies the whole thing up nicely. Mouth (neat): this is very different, which means it’s good. That’s where I’ve landed—so many malts are mind-numbingly samey these days (largely due to everyone using the same bl**dy casks). Liquorice, rubber, hawthorn and linden tea (and a lot of it) … With water: smoked pear, of all things! Finish: long, a touch more austere, with more ashes and a final whiff of dill-cured smoked salmon. Fitting really—smoking salmon with beech is quite the standard, isn’t it? Comments: brilliant. I even forgot to mention the oregano that turns up in the finish of the finish of the finish.
SGP:464 - 88 points. |
Since we’re up north… One last one. |
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Smögen 8 yo 2016/2024 (57.1%, Decadent Drams, Sweden, 172 bottles)
Smögen is a session killer—unless you’ve got more Smögen waiting at the tasting table, it’s best left for last, as a rule. Also, we rather love these new retro-naive labels by Decadent Drams, looking as though they were made on a Commodore or an Atari. A welcome change from today’s ubiquitous AI-BS. Colour: amber. Nose: holy Suzy! And no one told me? Normally, we like Smögen when it’s taut, fresh, vertical, saline—but here we’re swimming in richness, motor oil from a Bentley (well, an old Saab), Brussels sprout liqueur (not a thing, thankfully perhaps), basalt sands, game, smoked fish… Bloody hell, this nose is extraordinary. With water: carbon paper, maintenance oils, fresh diving suit, cooked artichokes, and fermented fish (in the good sense). Mouth (neat): rather warm, yet austere, packed with tobacco ash and salt. Almost confrontational at this point, the scoundrel fights back. With water: ashes, peppers, and a dab of concentrated molasses. Finish: very long, salty and peppery, with more tar and drops of spicy pizza oil and brine in the aftertaste. Comments: these people are a menace, truly. One’s tempted to ask for a Smögen ban, much like a casino ban. Blame shared between the distiller and the bottler here.
SGP:475 - 92 points. |
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April 16, 2025 |
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Top-notch only: a selection of independent Glen Moray from five countries
Each time we enjoy Glen Moray (or Ardbeg for that matter), we spare a thought for Stuart Thomson. |
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Glen Moray 11 yo 2013/2024 (51.4%, Dramcatcher, for Whisky & Music Festival Zürich 2024, 1st fill oloroso, cask #2312209, 95 bottles)
For a delightful little festival in Zürich that brings together whisky and music, organised by our friend Andreas. Warmly recommended, and you might even take the opportunity to pay a visit to your bankers. Colour: full gold. Nose: incredible, quite a bit of chocolate – Swiss, naturally – then notes of suntan lotion and a good deal of barley, both fresh and malted. With water: patchouli and roasted hazelnuts, then bruised apples and a splash of walnut wine. Expected, perhaps, but very nicely done. Mouth (neat): very pretty fruity sherry, with plenty of walnuts, mandarin orange, caramel, tobacco... With water: stewed fruits in abundance, including plums and apples, sprinkled with fragments of roasted hazelnut. Finish: rather long, lovely, very slightly saline. Comments: fine work with this very young Glen Moray. The next Whisky & Music Festival Zürich will take place on the 28th and 29th of November this year. Hoppla!
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
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Glen Moray 14 yo 2010/2024 (56%, Navigate World Whisky, Partners series, ex-bourbon, cask #800541, 182 bottles)
One moves without blinking from Switzerland to South Africa. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: this is very different indeed, with notes of rubber, aubergine, artichoke, even a touch of Brussels sprout. Unusual, certainly, but nothing over the top, and in fact it works. A bit of kale and lemon too. Tremendous fun. With water: almond milk, imagine that. Mouth (neat): powerful, very lemony, big on cider apple, gooseberry, grass juice, verjuice… With water: stewed apple with a drizzle of honey and a squeeze of lemon juice. Even the vanilla keeps a respectable distance. Finish: long, fresh, softer, but the verjuice character still lingers. Comments: in truth, this is quite the gastronomic Glen Moray. Let’s say… perhaps with poultry?
SGP:461 - 87 points. |
From Switzerland to South Africa to Taiwan… Who’d have imagined Glen Moray would take us so far afield? |
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Glen Moray 15 yo 2008/2024 (52%, Whisky Age, 1st fill palo cortado hogshead, cask #5651, 309 bottles)
Palo cortado, that’s just splendid) Colour: gold. Nose: green walnuts, seaweed, sweet mustard, polenta, then white grapes, furniture polish and cherry stalk infusion. What’s so lovely with malts that don’t shout too loudly is that you’re able to uncover all these subtle little nuances that something like an Ardbeg or a young Springbank would probably bulldoze right over. With water: oh, salted butter with seaweed and roasted almonds… oh… Mouth (neat): I adore this. The palo cortado was spot on. Exceptional salinity, mustard again, more walnuts, tobacco, chen-pi (hi Gene), teas, sharp apples… It’s splendid. With water: superb bitter-acid development, beautifully poised. We may be in Taiwan (and Elgin), but we’re also deep in the heart of Jerez. Finish: alas. Comments: I admit it, this beastie rather took us by surprise.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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Glen Moray 17 yo 2007/2024 (51.4%, Club Qing, Bottled Realities, ex-Laphroaig barrel, cask #6311, 255 bottles)
In theory, Glen Moray and Laphroaig are like chalk and cheese. Had it been Ardbeg, at least there might have been some kind of managerial continuity, in a way. Colour: white wine. Nose: nursery school glue, brass and silver polish, clams and whelks, the latest issue of the New Yorker, a fireplace just gone out, and hefty whiffs of fresh plastic. I must say this is fairly disconcerting, though one suspects there’s some sort of trick here, let’s see. With water: no, still very much all sorts of polishes. Drawing gum, linseed oil… Mouth (neat): who remembers ‘Serendipity’? Well, this is much better, but still obscure, disconcerting, bizarre… Preserved lemon juice in a copper pot, or something along those lines. With water: it edges a bit towards a caipirinha. Probably the most convoluted way to make a caipirinha. Finish: same story at first, but the Speysider strikes back with some cider apple and barley syrup. Salt on the aftertaste. Comments: bizarre and, in fact, bizarrely excellent. But was it deliberate or sheer happenstance?
SGP:463 - 88 points. |
Let’s wrap up our wee adventure in Italy, if you’re happy with that. |
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Glen Moray 18 yo 2006/2024 (54.8%, Wilson & Morgan, oloroso sherry finish, cask #720007, 540 bottles)
We do appreciate that W&M have never changed their labels, it’s a mark of trust towards the consumer and proof of a top-tier value system (yes, really)) Colour: amber. Nose: another lovely example of an ex-sherry malt that leans bourbon at first, with fresh varnish, popcorn, custard, and marrons glacés, then increasingly mocha-infused chocolate. Hazelnut liqueur and nocino aren’t far behind… Bravissimo. With water: a few puffs of dried seaweed on the beach, and notes of church candle wax. After all, we are in Italy. Mouth (neat): old-school, perfect. Powerful, bold, slightly acetic, also showing fine notes of controlled burn, coffee, walnuts, a drop of Jerez vinegar (naturally), and black pepper… With water: it relaxes a little, but those walnuts, mustard, bitter chocolate, nocino, and even, cue the trumpets, a touch of amaro remain. Finish: long, drier still, more chocolaty, and with a hint of green pepper. Comments: probably the most Italian Glen Moray I’ve tasted in recent years. And yet it was sherry, not marsala.
SGP:462 - 89 points. |
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April 15, 2025 |
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A Full Case of Benrinnes – Part 6/6
It was high time to put an end to this Benrinnes binge — we’ve been tasting them seven at a time. Great Scott, 6 × 7 = 42! |
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Benrinnes 12 yo 2011/2024 (46%, StrongholdUA, Ukraine, oloroso sherry octave finish, cask #11639/050, 312 bottles)
I read on social media that whisky and politics should be kept separate, that they don’t mix well. Utter nonsense, whisky has always been political, in Ireland, in Scotland, and in the US too. Whisky is political by nature. Otherwise, it would just be cheap beer, distilled in crumbling factories and aged in second-hand casks. Slava Ukraini. Colour: full shiny Ukrainian gold. Nose: plenty of roasted walnuts and hazelnuts, earth, fresh concrete, soot—you’d think this was a Ben Nevis. With water: lovely, on apple peels, even potato skins, ashes, cement… Mouth (neat): wonderfully austere, smoky, peppery, herbal, bitter… I like this a lot, it really makes you work. With water: fruitier, a touch easier, but leather steps in to keep that slightly… military profile in check. Finish: long and peppery, on tart and bitter apples. The peppered walnuts go all-out in the aftertaste. Comments: this isn’t an easy Benrinnes, but full respect to our Ukrainian friends.
SGP:462 - 85 points. |
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Benrinnes 2007/2024 (52.3%, Dutch Whisky Connection, 5th Anniversary, 210 bottles)
Selected by Michiel Wigman, naturally. Love the quasi-Soviet, almost Schwitters-like label design by Master Hans Dillesse. Colour: deep gold. Nose: walnuts and yeasts, loads of beer of all kinds, then a wheelbarrow’s worth of roasted nuts—pecans, pistachios, malted barley… With water: oh yes—red ale, vin jaune, parsley and marrow. A deeply savoury note of beef and chicken stock, missing only a touch of truffle. Mouth (neat): wait now, we’re on the west coast, somewhere between Ben Nevis and Springbank. Salty, raw, very yeasty, smoky and extremely malty… This is truly a brutal Benrinnes, far from mirabelles and dainty apples. With water: still very dry, restless, salty, on leather and tobacco. Finish: not much change, perhaps more pepper and bitter walnuts. Comments: what was this? A challenge? A dare? A provocation? Whatever it was, we love this embodiment of anti-commercialism. Let me remind you: whisky is political.
SGP:462 - 85 points. |
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Benrinnes 10 yo 2011/2022 (58.1%, LMDW, Artist #12, 1st fill sherry butt finish, cask #307205, 660 bottles)
Still those 3XXXXX cask numbers of mysterious origin—and those stunning labels. Colour: office coffee. Nose: office coffee indeed, chicory, sorrel and spinach soup, dark chocolate, roasted walnuts, malt extract, artichokes… With water: black teas and chocolates, fully unleashed. The faintest touch of gunpowder, barely noticeable. Mouth (neat): extremely rich and thick, caramelised, like a proper concentrate of orange liqueur veering into those slightly mad Belgian beers—think Westvleteren 12 or Orval. Admittedly, we’re still clueless in that field, despite the numerous efforts of our Belgian friends (aka the Alsatians of the North). With water: smoked hazelnuts, honey sauce and quite a bit of leather. Leather isn’t always good news. Finish: long, with a layer of burnt rubber over the rest. Comments: forgot to mention the black pepper.
SGP:462 - 84 points. |
Let’s be honest — these sherry finishes with leathery notes aren’t always the easiest… |
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Benrinnes 12 yo 2009/2022 (54%, Chapter 7, bourbon hogshead, oloroso finish, cask #301395, 324 bottles)
This must be in the same vein. Colour: deep gold. Nose: cabbage soup, chocolate, gunpowder, brand-new leather jacket, malt, ham. With water: yes, ham fat and fresh concrete. Mouth (neat): much better on the palate, though still a bit forceful—bitter almonds, bitter oranges, pepper and very dark chocolate. With water: it’s alright, quite pleasant, though still a tad tiring. Finish: long, peppery, bitter. Leek soup. Comments: these sherry finishes do end up being rather tricky in the long run, just a touch lacking in precision but still very enjoyable.
SGP:561 - 82 points. |
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Benrinnes 9 yo 2014/2023 (55%, James Eadie, first fill Malaga finish, cask #367728)
The finishing lasted 16 months. That’s roughly how long it takes a far-left French MP to solve a Year 7 maths problem. Kindly meant, of course—without them, France wouldn’t quite be France. Colour: gold. Nose: chocolate, pepper, ham and sorrel. With water: more ham, leeks, cabbage. Mouth (neat): much better and fruitier on the palate. Violet jelly, marmalade, various honeys, pink peppercorns (a lot of it, really a lot). With water: a tidal wave of sultanas, figs, PX, candied bananas, meadow honeys… Phew, saved by the bell. Finish: fairly long, more balanced thanks to apples and oranges. Comments: very good, just ever so slightly… ordinary.
SGP:551 - 83 points. |
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Benrinnes 12 yo 2010/2023 (57.6%, Signatory Vintage for LMDW, New Vibrations, first fill oloroso sherry butt finish, cask #112, 683 bottles)
Let’s be honest—these young sherry finishes are about as thrilling as the launch of a new Tesla or the next iPhone. That said, this is Signatory, so there’s hope… Colour: amber. Nose: marmalade, honey, pancake syrup, fudge and Iberian ham. Iberian ham isn’t necessarily good news, so let’s see what happens with water… With water: roasted peanuts, slightly burnt, bay leaf and leather. Mouth (neat): no, this is very good—the level goes right back up. There are honeys and exotic fruit jams, along with spice blends we adore—satay, masala, Balinese basa gede… With water: honey and figs, everything is splendid, Madame la Marquise (French saying). Finish: medium length but very honeyed, much softer now. Almost a miracle. Black and pink peppercorns return in the background. Comments: we’ve been saved—well done!
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
And now, the last of the last. Agreed — we probably should have saved the 1971 Cadenhead for this point, rather than yet another young sherry-finished Benrinnes. Such is life… Right then, let’s go with a BB hoggie to finish — sound good? |
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Benrinnes 10 yo 2013/2023 (57.5%, Dràm Mor, refill bourbon hogshead, cask #300745, 278 bottles)
Always these #3XX,XXX casks—perhaps a curse? A secret sign? A hegemonic broker at work? Colour: gold. Nose: we’re treated to lovely notes of natural rubber, macaroons, marzipan, and orgeat syrup… With water: barley, chalk, mud, cement… Mouth (neat): very nice, with bitter orange, small bitter pears, school glue, and more marzipan. With water: lovely malt, orgeat syrup, though it does dip a little. Finish: medium length, on almonds and ripe apples. Comments: it’s good.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
Right, that’s enough — we’re calling it. Benrinnes is still a very good malt, but its true character remains to be discovered. Sherry finishes are generally good, but they can get a bit tiring over time, to be honest. Just my opinion! Then again, maybe we just shouldn’t have tasted quite so many… |
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April 14, 2025 |
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A Full Case of Benrinnes – Part 5/6
We really did still have a lot of Benrinnes left to taste…
Rancio maturing oxidatively in demijohns left out in the open air (idealwine)
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Benrinnes 11 yo 2010/2021 (48%, LMDW Artist Collective 5.0, 1st fill sherry butt finish)
Colour: golden amber. Nose: one damson tart, then another, and a third for good measure… It’s all-out damson tart, with just a hint of honey and maple syrup. You could absolutely pour this simple yet superb little gem over your pancakes for a champion’s breakfast. Mouth: the damsons are still very much present, this time in jam form, while there’s also green walnut and a fair bit of cask pepper. Let’s try it with a drop of water: out comes the toffee, along with some mocha. Finish: fairly long, quite peppery and chocolaty. And in the aftertaste? Perfectly ripe damsons! Comments: not complicated, but very, very nice indeed.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
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Benrinnes 12 yo 2011/2022 (57.1%, Lady of the Glen, oloroso finish, cask #302612, 292 bottles)
Colour: full gold. Nose: more on yellow fruits, mirabelle rather than damson, mandarin… It’s surprisingly fresh for oloroso. With water: blond cigarettes (I haven’t smoked in ages but still love sniffing them, including those of my dear mother, still smoking at 91). Mouth (neat): creamy texture – you’d think virgin US oak – then a burst of pepper, soon giving way to orange and lemon marmalades. With water: really lovely. Lemon meringue pie, with honey and apricot. Finish: fairly long, this is where it gets a tad more bitter. That often happens with these finishings – it’s in the finish that they slightly wobble. But absolutely nothing serious. Comments: yes, very lovely indeed.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Benrinnes 11 yo (53.1%, Morisco Spirits, Marble Collection III, refill bourbon hogshead, cask #304405, 312 bottles)
With a rather lovely Viennese-style label design. Colour: white wine. Nose: this is the bright side of the force, showing off the distillate – sweet and tart apples, quinces, white nougat, acacia honey, fresh brioche, and dandelion blossom… With water: in come honeysuckle, acacia flower and white clover. Hats off. Mouth (neat): absolutely smashing. Bursting with citrus and soft aromatic herbs, with a hint of fennel. With water: it mellows out and remains beautifully fruity. Sharply defined style. Finish: medium length, but very fresh and fruity. Comments: immaculate. We adore this young Benrinnes.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Benrinnes 10 yo (55.7%, Dràm Mor, 1st fill rancio sec finish, cask #306071, 2023)
Ah, brilliant, we’ll finally get to explain what rancio is—a descriptor many use for certain brandies. Rancios are wines from Catalonia, either Spanish or French, aged oxidatively and often outdoors, sometimes in unsealed glass demijohns. They can remain sweet, but once they’ve ‘digested’ all their sugars, they become dry. We recommend Domaine des Demoiselles cuvée ‘Evoé’. Colour: deep gold. Nose: a bomb of raisins, leathers, tobaccos, all sorts of black teas, with a faintly savoury edge reminiscent of palo cortado. With water: sublime dried meats, tobaccos, little Chinese sauces, hints of stables and walnut wine… It’s stunning. Mouth (neat): the malt brings a soft fruitiness that rancio alone lacked, and the whole thing evokes pipe tobacco from the old Dunhill shop in London-on-the-Thames. With water: in come the raisins again, revived by the whisky. Finish: long, curiously fresh and playful. Comments: a stroke of genius, this. You’ll note we didn’t even use the word ‘rancio’ in the actual tasting note.
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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Benrinnes 2011/2022 ‘Monuments’ (43%, Signatory Vintage, Kirsch Import, 1st fill sherry butt finish, cask #6)
At 43% vol., we’re likely to land a little softer after those two glorious cask-strength Benrinnes beauties. Colour: beautiful amber – and it’s natural. Nose: more on chestnut cream, maple syrup and dark nougat, without a single false note. A faint touch of marrowy beef stock, but discreetly done, before the sultanas take over completely. A lovely nose, very consensual – even the cleaning lady at WF HQ, whom we love dearly and consider family (she’s our own Melania), would enjoy this. Mouth: perhaps a touch light, especially in contrast, but truth be told, it wipes the floor with every sub-€100 M out there. That sort of style. Finish: medium length, with the faintest hints of stock and even seawater. Honestly. Comments: a neat little coup, this is very good indeed.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Benrinnes 16 yo 2008/2024 (53.2%, Valinch & Mallet, Young Masters Edition, 1st fill amontillado, cask #800245, 440 bottles)
No artwork on the label this time—well, perhaps the art is in the bottle. Colour: gold. Nose: a bag of salted butter caramels, a bag of vanilla fudge like the Scots make for the tourists (us included—we love it), and then simply, well, amontillado. Lustau’s is lovely, by the way. With water: in come the peppers, leather, tobacco and a few whiffs of tomato leaf. Mouth (neat): infinitely gentle, all on sultanas and a touch of Turkish coffee, then Grand Marnier du Centenaire and hazelnut liqueur. No product placement, promise. With water: incredible—mushrooms in olive oil and a touch of Parma ham. We’re definitely in Italy now. Finish: long, creamy, sweet, liqueur-like but never excessive. Coffee liqueur and hazelnut liqueur, though clearly not of the mass-produced sort. The mushrooms in oil return in the aftertaste, along with a hint of poached pear. Comments: a magnificent bottle. They’ve managed to add an Italian flair to amontillado.
SGP:661 - 88 points. |
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Benrinnes 13 yo 2005/2019 (55.6%, James Eadie, Marsala cask finish, 285 bottles)
I know, I’m really behind on this one. That said, Marsala is timely, as I’ll soon be spending a few days in Sicily. Colour: gold. Nose: toasted bread, potting soil, walnut cake, dark chocolate and roasted malt. Hints of orange peel in the background adding a little fruitiness—just about. With water: geranium, parsley, macarons, roasted peanuts. Not the most expected combo, but it works beautifully. Mouth (neat): wait a minute, this is young cognac—we’ve got a mix-up. Canned peaches and heather honey… With water: even more honeyed and candied, on raisins, passito-style. It was clearly a sweet Marsala. Finish: long, creamy, fruity, jammy and honeyed. Comments: a real treasure hunt, this wee thing spent the whole time trying to shake us off the trail. Whom do we write to with our complaint?
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
More Benrinnes next time, but I promise we’ll stop there. We’ve got about fifty Glenburgies waiting for us. Seriously. |
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April 13, 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! |
The rums are back on WF, from Colombia to Jamaica |
You've got the pattern by now: cognac, armagnac, rum, rum, rum, cognac, armagnac, rum, rum, rum… But all of that can be interrupted at any moment by mezcal, genever, or other more or less devilish spirits. In any case, today, it’s rum. |
Chamarel (Chamarel) |
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Dictador ‘Aurum’ (40%, OB, Colombia, +/-2024)
Aurum ? Yet another name seemingly nicked straight from Wikipedia or ChatGPT, although Wikipedia does feel marginally more credible, even if it’s a nest of lefties (just kidding). Anyway, a Dictador that’s been no doubt premiumised in a hurry, though the ABV says it all: 40% = likely j*nk. Colour: orange amber. Nose: burnt caramel, Catalan cream, molasses honey and that café liqueur you pick up at €12 a bottle. Not much hope… Mouth: my word this is dreadful, sickly sweet, over-caramelised, very much in the Starbucks camp. Deathly sweet instant coffee, lukewarm Coca-Cola at 25°C, burnt caramel… It’s just about drinkable. Finish: short, which is THE good news of the day. Comments: ugh. I briefly considered a horizontal tasting of Dictador Aurum, Platinum, Insolent and Perpetual but wisely gave up. Sometimes, we’re proud of our choices. That said, it’s no doubt far better over a heap of crushed ice or in a misuwari. Just a reminder that lower temperatures tend to dull sweetness. At any rate, €100 for this poor thing is pushing it. Worst of all, the bottle looks terribly ‘D.J.T’.
SGP:830 - 49 points. |
Good heavens, quickly, some agricole… |
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Trois Rivières ‘X.O’ (43%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2024)
This baby’s said to be six years old, which is a fine age. Colour: gold. Nose: ripe strawberries from twelve metres away, truly. Then as one gets closer, it’s jasmine and lavender that come marching in, assertively and without negotiation. A touch of cedarwood and thuja as well; all in all it’s ultra-aromatic. Mouth: rather more unruly, with cedar, lavender, ginger and bitter oranges locked in a proper scrap, but it’s the sort of brawl we quite enjoy, with lavender ultimately taking the crown. Truth be told, there’s quite a lot of wood, as often when the ABV is on the lower side. Finish: fairly long, oaky, with pink pepper and some orange stepping in to restore order. As we always say, in any spirit, the citrus rules. Comments: certainly miles better than the Colombian Dictador, especially at a third of the price, though we’re not quite at the pinnacle of agricole here, in my humble view.
SGP:562 - 79 points. |
Agricole gets another shot… |
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Depaz ‘Hors d’Âge XO’ (45%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2024)
A good feeling here… Colour: full gold. Nose: but of course, maple syrup, honey, Sichuan pepper, cigars and cedarwood (think Romeo & Julieta ‘Cedros’, more or less), damp earth, a few floral touches of geranium, and ultra-ripe bananas… Mouth: how could one not enjoy this creamy, even delicately liqueur-like profile? Pink grapefruit liqueurs, rose, Brazil nuts, exotic hardwoods, orange zest… Finish: fairly long, still very much on those precious woods, incense, jasmine, fresh ginger and spiced honey. Comments: undoubtedly ideal with dim sum, perhaps those beloved ha-kao (sp?).
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
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Chamarel 2014 (53.77%, Navigate World Whisky, Mauritius, Highveld Aging Series, South African market exclusive, ex-Islay cask, 247 bottles, +/-2024)
A blend of column and pot still rums from the distillery, further aged in ex-Laphroaig wood. One couldn’t make it more ‘world’ than this, could one? Colour: gold. Nose: forget any reference to Laphroaig, you barely get a whiff, save for a suggestion of yellow peaches and guavas. A few notes of flint and lighter stone do make a cameo, mind you… With water: carries on with peach skin, nectarine, papaya, and still those bursts of flint (and indeed spent match). Mouth (neat): most improbable yet it works. Imagine peach liqueur smoked over beechwood, then laced with cigar ash. With water: swims like a champion, no question, growing peatier the more water you add. But wait, it’s still rum… Finish: we end up on Islay, this journey’s a real hoot. Comments: that said, we reached Port Askaig more than Port Ellen.
SGP:653 - 85 points. |
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Foursquare 15 yo 2006/2022 (61%, The Colours of Rum, Barbados, ex-bourbon, No.16, 264 bottles)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: highly aromatic, with notes of Swiss cheese, alpine flowers, varnish and hairspray, then toasted sesame oil. Altogether, it works a treat. With water: still very much ‘column’, but rather lovely, gentle without being weak, now leaning more towards vanilla and the coconutty side of the wood. Mouth (neat): glue and varnish, classic column still, then bananas in all guises, from liqueurs to marshmallows, with a dash of corn syrup thrown in. With water: the varnishy side turns saltier, which is quite the little miracle, even if the texture remains fairly light. Finish: not overly long, but more herbal and leaning towards… apples. Comments: it’s the wood that seems to be bringing the texture, one might even mistake it for pure column. In any case, it’s very good.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Rum Blend Jamaica/Belize (65.4%, Zn09, Cyberpunk series, 200 bottles)
It’s reassuring to learn, at over 65% vol., that the rums used here weren’t reduced. We’re talking Worthy Park 2012 for 60% and a Belize 2007—surely a Travellers—for the remaining 40%. We’re right on the edge of an anti-taster assault here, but let it be said, we’re standing tall, fearless and faultless. Colour: deep gold. Nose: this isn’t exactly reasonable, but WP takes charge at once, with vanilla, shoe polish and nail varnish remover. Amen. With water: Belize strikes back with softer notes of banana cake, the whole thing ending in a rather cheerful fiesta. Mouth (neat): this is now proper Jamaican rum, loaded with acetone, barely rounded off by a splash of banana juice and a dash of pancake syrup. With water: the Jamaican retains control, especially as a bold salinity starts to emerge. Finish: long, salty, with a hint of olives, or perhaps even that famous Tupperware olive cake that conquered the globe. Comments: of course it’s very good, even if it’s a bit odd. Punk indeed (by the way, did you know the Stranglers are still touring?)
SGP:563 - 86 points. |
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Hampden ‘1753’ (46%, OB, Jamaica, 2025)
A very handsome bottle with a crowded, rather over-the-top baroque label, quite in the Italian taste. Frankly, we’re not entirely sure what this is, but one surrenders to it with delight and a satisfied purr or two. Colour: gold. Nose: ultra-ripe bananas, even riper pineapples, ammoniac touches, brine, olives, wood glue, solvents and seawater. We bow our heads. Mouth: it’s exhausting how good this is. Olives, liquorice, barbecued sardines and varnish. The 46% suits it perfectly, sparing us the trauma of a dodgy reduction. Thank you! Finish: long, all on essences and oils, though we’ll avoid name-dropping brands lest we incur unjust and unfounded tariffs from the planet’s head polluters. Right, deep breath… Comments: this new bottle is quite the stunner. Thank you for bottling it at ‘drinking strength’, and hats off for the reduction technique employed, whichever it was.
SGP:563 - 90 points. |
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Trelawny 9 yo ‘<>H’ (55.7%, Valinch & Mallet, Jamaica, 2024)
Right then, another Hampden, in other words the Ardbeg of rum—minus the pushes, the storytelling, and those wildly implausible finishings that could make a mortgaged brick weep. Colour: gold. Nose: good heavens! Puncture repair glue, wine vinegar, olives, acetone, carbon dust, tart apples and ancient brine. One couldn’t possibly resist such an olfactory assault. With water: come on, this is one of the greatest spirits on earth, the rest is just prose. Mouth (neat): astonishing how close this gets to the official bottling we’ve just tasted. Liquorice, barbecue, varnish, brine, the whole lot. With water: in come essential oils, tar, and olive oil chocolate (you know the stuff? Look up Espérantine de Marseille)… Finish: vinegar and the ultimate weapon—white nougat with bits of black olives inside; on the palate, it’s somewhere between Caravaggio and Rembrandt. Comments: shamelessly good, another Achilles Last Stand of rum.
SGP:563 - 91 points. |
Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far |
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April 12, 2025 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
More Bowmore
As Serge charges the internet with 6 x 7 Benrinnes sessions in the space of a week, I appear to struggle to complete a single Bowmore session in the space of weeks. Nevertheless, we remain undaunted; slow and steady etc... A few more Bowmore today, and probably some more next week. |
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Bowmore 15 yo 2001/2017 (56%, LMDW, Artist #7, hogshead, cask #20116, 275 bottles) 
Colour: white wine. Nose: if we're talking artistic mediums then perhaps this would be minimalism, or abstraction? Very pure, singular, focused on maritime and coastal expressiveness, seaweed, bright citrus notes, with a tiny glimmer of something more exotic underneath that. With water: much smokier and ashier, on cigar ash, rolled cigarettes and hints of capers in brine. Mouth: same raw purity that displays the distillate front and centre. There's even almost some newmake elements on display, but in a good way. Impressions of old malt bins, kiln smoke, paraffin, ink, beach pebbles and white flowers etc. The purity is hard to argue with when the distillate is this impeccable. With water: ashes once again, pure brine, raw lemon juice, sheep wool, peat coals - excellent, and highly pure and specific once again. Finish: long, salty, drying, briny, mineral and taut. Comments: dazzling purity and impressive distillate on display. A whisky full of confidence!
SGP: 456 - 89 points. |
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Bowmore 17 yo 2001/2018 (54.2%, Cadenhead's Malt Festival, Cameron's Choice, hogshead) 
Colour: white wine. Nose: this one is more evocatively coastal, more scented with gorse flower, sandalwood, citrus peels, seashells and then fruitier notes of grapefruit and green apple emerge. There's a softness and elegance to this one which is immediately disarming. With water: seawater, mineral salts, chalk, kelp, pink grapefruit, lemon oil and camphor. A perfect sense of roundness and cohesion. Mouth: same feeling, a softer, more rounded profile, that is still quite drying, salty, coastal and citric, but manages to involve soft peat smoke, herbal teas, pine wood, camphor and things like nori, anchovy paste, chalk, beach pebbles and dried mango. With water: more exotic fruits come forward, mingling with that unmistakeable modern Bowmore 'wispy' peat smoke. Some gentle background medicines and hessian too. Finish: long, a perfect medley of everything that's come thus far, beautifully salty, fruity and vivid. Comments: great, pin-sharp, expressive, modern Bowmore at its most emblematic I would say. Bullet proof distillate.
SGP: 565 - 90 points. |
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Bowmore 19 yo ‘Feis Ile 2024’ (54.8%, OB, double-matured in virgin American oak barrels, 3,500 bottles) 
New oak is up there with red wine in terms of 'alert triggers' for me. Colour: deep orangey gold. Nose: full of coconut, ground ginger, nutmeg and other assorted cupboard spices, a 'muted' background smokiness, some draff, damp grains. In time it wanders more into a syrupy and fruity direction, with some banana liqueur, mango pulp and more coconut milk. You feel the use of the oak has been done quite cleverly, but it's ironically far from the OBs in terms of levels of distillery character in evidence. With water: I think this works better now, it goes more decisively towards exotic fruit teas, dried mango, herbal bitters, lapsing souchong and camphor. Mouth: again the richness and assertiveness of the oak is immediately evidenced by quite a lot of spice, cedar wood, camphor, green peppercorns and ginger wine. There's also resinous fir woods, some nice herbal medicines and liqueur vibes and notes of pineapple cordial, tangerine and old-fashioned cocktail. With water: banana liqueur, herbal ointments, Manhattan cocktails, curry leaf and coconut once again. Full circle to oak derived spices and sweetness. Finish: medium, a little tannic and green, some pepper, ground ginger and strong herbal teas. Comments: it's fun and rather playful at times, and no doubt the new American oak has been handled with intelligence and care. My favourite part was the intermittent bursts of fruitiness, although they never quite manage to elevate the whole away from the oak, which remained just a little too much for me. I appreciate that the distillery owners would like to use these Festival bottlings to offer something different, however I also find the way they mask their own distillery character a little perplexing. Now, not every whisky can be matured solely in refill wood I accept. I suppose the key takeaway here is that this is a clever whisky, just not my preferred style. Please take my score with a large sporran full of salt.
SGP: 664 - 83 points. |
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Bowmore 15 yo 1991/2006 'The Blacksmith's Bottling' (57.7%, Queen of the Moorlands, Rare Cask, 199 bottles)
An old series by David Wood, that sheltered many terrific and under the radar whiskies over the years. I was fortunate enough to attend some of their legendary/infamous tasting sessions to select bottlings at the sadly closed and utterly remarkable Earl Grey Inn. But of course, that was back in 2005/2006, so around three hundred years ago... Colour: deep gold. Nose: a stunning mix of this similarly pure, powerful, coastal and subtly fruity Bowmore house style, all entangled in what presents as some sort of magnificent leathery, slightly earthy, robust refill sherry. Camphor, putty, limestone, tar, iodine, dried kelp, black olives, miso - all the good umami stuff is on display! With water: wood resins, spiced orange marmalade, dried exotic fruits, mineral oil, heather ales and guava jam. Mouth: it's really quite peaty, that's what strikes first, more so than I usually find in these vintages. A big, earthy, mineral and salty peat profile, that once again involves lots of miso, black olive and tarred rope. Also some herbal liqueurs, camphor, hessian, salt-baked fish and seawater. With water: magnificent! All on eucalyptus resin, natural tar liqueur, hessian, cloves, black olive tapenade, seawater, bone-dry very old Oloroso and still these background traces of exotic fruits and aged orange peels. Finish: superbly long, salty, tarry and immensely peaty! Comments: I would love to know what kind of sherry cask this was matured in. An amazingly powerful and immensely peaty Bowmore that just seems to develop further in beauty and intensity at every step. A gem that's well worth seeking out.
SGP: 566 - 92 points. |
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Next week, assuming that tangerine scrotum in the White House hasn't placed 100% tariffs on independent bottlers or, I don't know, the internet, we'll be back with more Bowmore, including some well-needed 1960s glories! |
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