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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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April 11, 2025 |
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A Full Case of Benrinnes – Part 4/6
We carry on, quite simply… |
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Benrinnes 12 yo 2009/2022 (54%, The Dava Way, hogshead, 305 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: well now, this one’s rather vinous, almost like a carafe of Pinot Blanc in an Alsatian winstub, then it veers towards plums and some rather surprising notes of capers and even tiny pink olives. Ripe apples soon come in to settle everything down and bring a bit of order. With water: lovely, on apples, barley and chalk. Mouth (neat): more traditional on the palate, with garden stone fruits, a touch of green pepper and rhubarb tart. Some bread, and olive fougasse at that! With water: back to more ‘standard’ fruitiness. Finish: medium length, fairly soft, fruity and cereally. Comments: a few twists and turns in this one, which makes it charming and fun to follow.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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Benrinnes 11 yo 2010/2021 (52.8%, Liquid Treasures for eSpirits, Winter Edition, 1st fill oloroso, 148 bottle)
Winter Edition 2021? Goodness, we’re rather behind! Colour: full gold. Nose: all manner of cakes and some nougat. Orange cake, Jaffa cakes, amaretti, maraschino. Almonds and cherries—where’s all that coming from? Not that we’re complaining. With water: loads of beeswax, and the fatty side of Benrinnes comes to the fore. Mouth (neat): oh yes, excellent, marmalade, candied chestnuts, fig jam, peppers… With water: a splash of American orange juice (the reconstituted kind), but also some lovely bitter almonds. The amaretti are back. Finish: medium length, on oriental pastries or anything almondy really. Comments: ideal as your 5 o’clock whisky.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
I’ve got a sort of premonition… |
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Benrinnes 23 yo 2000/2023 (51.8%, Maltbarn, bourbon, 127 bottles)
Colour: light gold. Nose: citrus fruits of the finest kind, with chalk and limestone, cereals, a touch of mentholated and aniseed herbs, yellow fruits… With water: clay and wax join the dance… Mouth (neat): just superbly taut, lemony, herbal… How lovely is this! With water: same story. Finish: same again. Comments: a model of balance. The only flaw? I was expecting this. But where’s the surprise effect? I shall file an official complaint with the bottler first thing tomorrow morning—we can’t let this slide, I tell you.
SGP:551 - 90 points. |
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Benrinnes 2008/2023 (56.4%, Malts of Scotland, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS23028, 278 bottles)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: the sherry brings polish, old walnuts (again), dark cocoa, stone fruit pits, bay leaves, tobacco and leather… With water: brings in old metals, tools, coins, soot, even bone marrow and gravy… You could pour this over a burger. Truly. Mouth (neat): rich, energetic, all on cherry and peppers, including pink peppercorns. With water: the bay leaf returns, along with fairly spicy sauces—think sriracha, used sparingly of course. Finish: rather long, slightly bittersweet, spicy, oriental in style… Comments: a heavier style, but still very good. Let’s call this the Scottish-Arabic-Andalusian option.
SGP:461 - 85 points. |
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Benrinnes 12 yo 2009/2021 (58.2%, The Whiskyfind for Whisky Picnic Bar Taiwan, hogshead, cask #309666, 302 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: austere, simple, razor-sharp, on barley, sharp apple and limoncello. With water: plenty of flint, almost a hint of smoke. Mouth (neat): much fruitier on the palate, creamier too, on Spanish apple liqueur (why not?) and quince paste. With water: exactly where one expects Benrinnes to land in this setup. Lemon marmalade, earth, green tea, apples. Finish: long, taut, more herbal, though there’s a touch of honey and blackcurrant in the aftertaste. Comments: perhaps not one for a twelve-volume epic, but it does its job very, very well in its naturally lemony style.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Benrinnes 10 yo 2013/2024 (54.3%, Dràm Mor, refill palo cortado hogshead finish, cask #9006063, 221 bottles)
In French, one would say “le refill c’est plus subtil”. Oh forget. Colour: Rolex gold (S.!). Nose: the finish has a moderate impact, let’s say it brings in touches of hummus and nougat, perhaps a few macadamia nuts and some rather vague tree leaves. And a packet of bidis. With water: those leafy notes become clearer still, alongside cocoa, chocolate truffles and the like. Mouth (neat): a grand re-entry of pear, in both liqueur and cake form, the whole lot coated in chocolate sauce and bits of roasted peanut. With water: back to that typical fruity balance. Typical of many Speyside distilleries, for that matter. Finish: medium length, easy, charming, without any real edges. Swiss milk chocolate. Comments: just very good, even if not exactly unforgettable (what are you on about, S.?).
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Benrinnes 13 yo 2011/2024 (55.6%, Fadandel, 1st fill oloroso hogshead, cask #11639/058, 96 bottles)
A small outturn to close this fourth Benrinnes series. People sometimes ask whether it bothers me to taste these micro-bottlings, and I always reply that I know no one who’d mind sampling mini-bottles from Malt Mill or Stromness. Or, for that matter, Benrinnes. As the great Greg Lake once said, c’est la vie. Colour: golden amber. Nose: we’re in Jerez but with mint, camphor, green walnut, sweet mustard, seaweed, bitter oranges, and a truly magnificent manzanilla. What a nose! With water: confirmed. There’s sawn fir wood or spruce, which adds a fun little ‘Christmas’ twist. Mouth (neat): utterly gorgeous, with taut, bitter tones that are simply stunning. This mentholated and mustardy coffee character might seem a bit ‘too much’, but in truth it’s highly entertaining. With water: lovely wood essences. Finish: rather long, resinous, slightly candied. Comments: the cask likely did most of the heavy lifting here, but it did so superbly. Hats off to the fine tree that was felled for a worthy cause. And remember, if you never cut trees, you can’t tend to and develop forests. I’ll add that it seems that Europe’s forests have never been so vast since the Renaissance! Still, it’s all about replanting the right species—but that’s another matter…
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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April 10, 2025 |
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A Full Case of Benrinnes – Part 3/6
I really get the feeling that this 1971 Benrinnes from Cadenhead will remain our favourite Benrinnes for many years to come — perhaps even forever. But don’t worry, we’re not about to give up the hunt…
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Benrinnes 12 yo 2009/2021 (60%, Fable Whisky, Chapter 4, The Ghost Piper of Clanyard Bay, hogshead, cask #307949, 309 bottles)
We had adored those labels – the whiskies too, it must be said. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: it’s simple, it’s lovely, it’s fresh, it’s efficient. Apple juice, pear juice, sunflower oil and freshly baked fruit brioche. A touch of pear eau-de-vie. With water: grist and apples. Mouth (neat): powerful, close to eau-de-vie, almost sharp, although that could well be due to the very high bottling strength. The cask must have been rather lazy, but that’s often quite enjoyable. With water: a little rounder, yet still youthful and somewhat tight. Apples and ginger tonic, apple spritzer, tutti frutti eau-de-vie. Finish: fairly long, without any particular development. Comments: it’s good, simple, efficient, a tad rustic all the same.
SGP:441 - 82 points. |
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Benrinnes 9 yo (46%, James Eadie, Small Batch, 1st fill and refill bourbon, 683 bottles, 2023)
All these unpretentious small batches are generally rather jolly and very good. Colour: white wine. Nose: the 1st fill brings a slight buttery, vanilla and toasted edge (roasted hazelnuts), while the refill adds punch and freshness with more apples, gooseberries, yellow plums and bananas. A wee floral touch as well (dandelion). Mouth: very fruity, though with a slight hint of paraffin. Melon, an odd note of raspberry liqueur, fruit brioche again, then mandarin. Absolutely nothing to complain about. Finish: medium length, a natural extension of the palate. A trace of banana foam in the aftertaste. Comments: not much to add, it does the job perfectly.
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
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Benrinnes 20 yo 2002/2022 (54.6%, The Whisky Trail Knights, Elixir Distillers, cask #42644)
Colour: white wine. Nose: we’re extremely close to the previous one, fruity, just a tad rounder if anything, with apples, white table grapes, bananas, gooseberries and melon. The 20 years don’t really show at this stage, but it’s a lovely nose regardless. With water: ground barley and a touch of chalk. Mouth (neat): fruity, almost verging on sweet. A bag of barley sugars bought at the fair alongside a pick’n’mix of lemon and orange drops. A slight herbal note in the background, though nothing too assertive. With water: remains similar, simple, fruity and very good. Finish: same story. Syrups and yellow fruit liqueurs, with even a hint of tinned pineapple in the aftertaste. Comments: a simple but high-quality fruity dram.
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
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Benrinnes 18 yo 2000/2019 (57.3%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon barrel, 150 bottles)
There were quite a few 2000 Benrinnes from Cadenhead, and they’ve been fine, fresh and fruity whiskies. Colour: straw. Nose: more citrus in these batches, along with a more mineral edge, on slate and fresh cement. With water: fresh croissants and a few weekly magazines, all with depressing covers (Trump, Putin, Musk, Netanyahu…) but this lovely Benrinnes lifts the spirits. Mouth (neat): excellent, very lemony, with a beautifully grassy side as well. Also brings a refreshing brightness. With water: lovely citrus once again and a wedge of ripe buttery pear—be it Hardy or not, pear it is. Finish: long, and even more focused on mandarin and pear, in perfect proportion. Comments: a cheerful, vibrant bottle, bound to be perfect this summer, slightly chilled and sipped under a parasol. We really ought to invent the champagne bucket for whisky (?).
SGP:561 - 88 points. |
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Benrinnes 10 yo ‘Batch 16’ (56.8%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, 446 bottles, 2021)
We have a soft spot for these Benrinnes batches, as the labels feature our two little comic strip characters from a few years back, Pete McPeat and Jack Washback. No idea whether we’ll ever find time to revive the series, but the Pete & Jack archives are still online. You could also spot them in Whisky Mag UK back in its glory days. Colour: golden amber. Nose: a wildly unleashed amontillado, walnuts, soot, mustard – one might almost mistake this for Ben Nevis. With water: glorious! Amaro, fino, walnuts, cigars… Mouth (neat): I reckon this is better than the earlier batches. Bitter oranges, green walnuts, nutmeg and cinnamon cake, tobacco... With water: a bit softer, with orange liqueurs, old yellow chartreuse, Bénédictine, coffee… Finish: long, candied yet bitter, but spot on. Comments: the kind of profile that could benefit hugely from a good spell of bottle ageing, tucked away from the light. Just saying. Cheers, Pete & Jack!
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
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Benrinnes 21 yo 1995/2017 (55.8%, The Golden Cask, cask #CM241, 290 bottles)
By the House of Macduff. Let us remember that in those years, Benrinnes was still undergoing partial triple distillation, though I must humbly confess I never looked too closely into the matter. Were they redistilling the foreshots and feints before reintroducing them? Colour: gold. Nose: waxes, oils and fats galore, and it’s utterly splendid. Sesame oil, pistachio oil, goose fat. The rest is shared between apple and barley. With water: it soars into all sorts of fresh fruits. Mouth (neat): a slight perfumy edge (now musk remains unmentionable lest WF towers get blown up), then blood oranges and mandarins, all coated in a perfectly fatty texture, almost Clynelish-like. With water: a fruit salad whipped up by a three-starred chef. Finish: same brilliance. Comments: Golden Cask? Never has a series lived up to its name so gloriously.
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
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Benrinnes 19 yo 2003/2023 (50%, Hunter Laing, Old Malt Cask, 25th anniversary, Canasta butt, 536 bottles) 
I suspect you're wondering what exactly a ‘Canasta butt’ is, as Canasta to me is a card game. Well then, if you know, do tell. Right, I’ve checked on Google… Apparently it’s a cream sherry from William & Humbert, so a blend of dry palomino and sweet PX (around €12 a bottle). Let’s move on… Colour: gold. Nose: starts off with a box of spent matches and cooked cabbage, then shifts towards green fruits and damp earth, leek soup and truffle. Finally, a bit of orange zest. With water: improves, showing truffle soup, foie gras and honey. Mouth (neat): the burnt edge returns, along with gunpowder, bitter orange and cabbage soup… With water: not much change this time. Finish: rather long, still a little ‘burnt’. Sulphur, of course. Comments: a truly oddball thing. Probably Hunter Laing’s way of reminding us they’re human too, and can get it wrong on occasion. That said, I wouldn’t trade a bottle of Ardnahoe for three pallets of this utterly bonkers Benrinnes. But good fun nonetheless…
SGP:372 - 70 points. |
See you again with more Benrinnes (and hopefully a little less sulphur) ... |
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April 9, 2025 |
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A Full Case of Benrinnes – Part 2/6
Let’s carry on. Did you know that Benrinnes had 8 washbacks? |
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Benrinnes 15 yo 2007/2022 (55.3%, Alistair Walker Infrequent Flyers for HNWS Taiwan, Chinquapin oak finish, cask #802700, 276 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: the Chinquapin casks we’ve tried before (Glenmo, some bourbons) tended to lean towards green banana and a subtle fir wood touch, and that’s exactly what we find here in this youngster, which is otherwise rather gentle and well-balanced on the nose. Fir honey, buttercream, mosses, undergrowth, button mushrooms, and a few hints of fermented soy sauce… With water: a touch of thuja wood, spice blends, and the odd puff of Moroccan souk. Mouth (neat): very good—here we’re rather on lemon liqueur, smoked ham, and fir buds. It’s modern, and it works. With water: citrus takes over, but smoked ham and salmon remain firmly in place. Unusual stuff, really. Finish: long, more on candied fruits, very sappy. Comments: this is jolly well made, no doubt about it.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
We need to stop being afraid of these seemingly unlikely finishes. Right then, let’s go back ten years… |
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Benrinnes 21 yo 1997/2019 (58.7%, Cadenhead, Single Cask, bourbon barrel, 156 bottles)
This one from CAD’s 27th International Release, which does remain impressive, does it not. Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s punchy, almost rugged, more rustic, more on flour, agricole rum, rubber, varnish, hairspray… But also—drumroll please—quinces! Could someone send a few tonnes of quinces to the Kremlin, the White House, and the Knesset? With water: fresh pastries straight from the oven. Mouth (neat): oh, this is wonderfully rustic, and oh is it good! Pink grapefruit, chalk, varnish, limoncello, quince paste… With water: same again, with the usual peppery brightness joining the fun. Finish: long, creamy yet zesty, with outstanding citrus and a touch of myrtle and caraway liqueur. Comments: schlack! I believe this was another one selected by Mister Watt.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
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Benrinnes 20 yo 1997/2018 (58%, Cadenhead, Single Cask for Heng Jiou 30th Anniversary, bourbon, 192 bottles)
Colour: straw. Nose: somewhere between rum and malt, sugarcane and barley (well spotted, Sherlock), bread and lemon, smoke and roots. With water: even more rooty, and strongly on turnip purée and ‘barley mash’. Mouth (neat): oh, very good, on yellow jelly babies—the lemon ones—then samphire and green pepper. It’s fresh and taut, very much my style. With water: all those 1997s from Cadenhead were excellent, to be fair. Notes of gentian and absinthe. Finish: long, fairly creamy, close to barley, earth, and citrus. Comments: this brings us close to nature—it’s deeply comforting.
SGP:551 - 89 points. |
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Benrinnes 18 yo 2000/2019 (58.7%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon barrel, 186 bottles)
Colour: straw. Nose: fresh, on a barley field, a basket of just-picked lemons, fresh plaster, and a baker’s dough trough in full swing. A few touches of powdered fruit juice—remember Tang? With water: bread dough, ink, papier mâché. Mouth (neat): fresh, fat yet taut, lemony, herbal, nicely bitter, and rather uncompromising. A little nectarine juice. With water: tinned fruits begin to show up—orange segments, apricots, pears… Finish: long, chalkier, and on fresh bread. Comments: I’ve just noticed Angus had already reviewed this back in 2019. I agree with him (naturally).
SGP:561 – 87 points. |
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Benrinnes 18 yo 1997/2016 (61.5%, Chapter 7, bourbon hogshead, cask #898, 267 bottles)
Colour: light gold. Nose: lemonade and limoncello, chalk and mashed potatoes. You remember the recipe, don’t you? 50% potatoes, 50% butter. Life’s too short. With water: fresh concrete, oyster shells, and ink. Mouth (neat): forget it, this is the ultimate standoff between green pepper and lemon, plus green apple and pear peelings. Sends a little jolt right down your spine. With water: ah, here we go—it rounds off slightly, with tinned peaches arriving. Finish: very long, sharp, fermentary, then increasingly sweet, almost as if someone had distilled a triple IPA. Ideas ideas… That said, it’s been observed both in France and the USA that hops don’t always survive distillation all that gracefully. Comments: loco-loco dram, but high quality.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
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Benrinnes 12 yo 2008/2021 (56.2%, The Single Malts of Scotland, hogshead, cask #310640, 282 bottles)
There are always lovely things in this series—only proper connoisseurs are behind it. Colour: white wine. Nose: here we go—pear juice and apple juice, touches of spent flint, cornmeal, plaster, and paraffin oil… With water: wheat beer, fermenting plums, sourdough starter… Mouth (neat): this is a Benrinnes gazing longingly toward the axis of good (you know, from Highland Park to Springbank), and it even brings to mind its former UDV cousin, Benromach. With water: back to civilisation—mirabelle juice, muesli, Greek yoghurt, vanilla cream… Finish: medium in length, soft, indeed on Greek yoghurt and vanilla custard. Comments: nature remained close throughout—in other words, it’s all about barley.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Benrinnes 11 yo 2013/2025 (56.4%, Lady of the Glen, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #311808, 214 bottles)
Hold on, 2013, that was last year, was it not. Lady Gaga and all that. Colour: straw. Nose: what’s great at this age, provided no heavy-handed casks have been used, is that you stay close to the distillate—in this case, nail varnish, cherry juice, focaccia, pear juice, and orange blossom. Okay, with water: pears and pineapple, the telltale signs of youth. Mouth (neat): oh, this is good! Hops leaning hard into citrus, grapefruit, Thai wine (no joke), and cornbread. With water: you’re at the very core of the distillate, in direct contact with barley, molecules, vitamins, and all the other trace elements. Extraordinary nougats. Finish: long, fresh, natural, close to the barley field. Comments: of course we’re exaggerating a little, but you get the idea, I’m sure.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
That’s enough for now — see you soon with more Benrinnes… |
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April 8, 2025 |
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A Full Case of Benrinnes – Part 1/6 |
Benrinnes is one of those distilleries we don’t know particularly well. It enjoys a good reputation among fans of fruity malts, but on the WF side, we've barely tasted just over a hundred in well over twenty years. As a result, the Benrinnes have gradually piled up in our library over the years, and something had to be done. This time, we’re going to proceed rather randomly—now though we often say that, a sort of Brownian order usually ends up establishing itself more or less naturally... |
(geograph.co.uk) |
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Benrinnes 15 yo (43%, OB, Flora & Fauna, +/-2023?)
Not quite sure when this official bottling was released. We last tasted the ‘F&F’ back in 2019 and had found it very good, while wondering whether it still came from a batch distilled ‘two and a half times’, in the style, more or less, of Mortlach or Springbank… Colour: full gold. Nose: on the nose, this could very well be a lovely official mid-range expression, we’re rather fond of this assortment of roasted nuts, a little soot, and some fairly heady yellow blossoms—dandelions, broom, that sort of thing… Then hints of soy sauce drift in, with a faint meaty edge and some MSG-like umami laid over a delicate slice of walnut cake. A touch of dark earth as well. Mouth: curiously salty and peppery, again a little meaty, with spiced sherry and a fatty streak reminiscent of dry-cured ham, before edging gently towards miso soup. A striking personality, just as I remembered. Finish: fairly long, sweet and salty, still meaty, still very ‘umami’ in a satay sauce sort of way. Honey comes in to round off the aftertaste. Comments: with this profile, the 43% feels more like 46. A very fine old-style profile, likely the result of a somewhat ‘byzantine’ distillation.
SGP:462 - 86 points. |
Since we're heading towards the ‘old-school’ style… |
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Benrinnes 19 yo 1971/1991 (55.3%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection)
From an ‘oak cask’, naturally. Ah, the good old days… Colour: amber/honey. Nose: massive, concentrated, camphory, full of soot, mutton suet, bergamot, yellow flowers once again, and dried figs of every variety and origin, along with gentian and other wild roots… Tremendously impressive. With water: an avalanche of old citrus liqueurs and beeswax, plus some apple-flavoured hookah tobacco. Mouth (neat): incredible. Camphory and mentholated honeys, ancient pipe tobacco, ras-el-hanout, orange blossom, fifty-year-old pu-ehr tea (well, almost), and a touch of hashish… Frankly, no one makes this sort of thing anymore, though one does wonder whether every element in the blend was strictly ‘legal’. Well, well… With water: stunning, glorious waxes, stewed fruits, always with a floral dimension, always camphory, and always showing a fine eastern touch. Finish: long, creamy, more honeyed but also more mentholated still. Comments: makes you want to put on something from back then. Say, Hot Tuna, ‘First Pull Up, Then Pull Down’.
SGP:671 - 93 points. |
Well done Serge, you've already killed off this session... Mind you, we’ve only got about forty Benrinnes left in the queue… Right then, let’s stick with the ’70s... |
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Benrinnes 1978/1995 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Centenary Reserve)
A bottle I had bought but which had greatly disappointed me—so much so that I never got around to writing a note. But I had decanted about twenty centilitres into a smaller bottle, so it’s high time to give it a proper ‘official’ go… Colour: pale gold. Nose: urgh, that stale herbal tea note that’s always a bit unnerving in older bottles, though I must admit I do enjoy the chamomile and mint tea that’s coming through here, alongside mead, wild rose, and Japanese red bean paste… At any rate, the palate will have the final word. Mouth: it’s very light, as expected, but also rather delicate—faded flowers, floral jellies, the herbal infusions mentioned above, slightly overripe clementine, yesterday morning’s Earl Grey forgotten in the teapot… You get the idea. Finish: inevitably short. Comments: rather like an old and lovely painting whose colours have faded a little over time. One couldn’t deny its charm.
SGP:341 - 80 points. |
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Benrinnes 21 yo 2002/2023 (46.3%, Milroy’s Vintage Speyside Reserve, hogshead, cask #3453)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: oh lovely, on orange blossom honey, natural old Cognac, vineyard peach, marzipan and nougat, apricot water, ylang-ylang, and rose… This is truly delicate and refined, with a style that feels somewhat ‘forgotten’. Very old Cognac indeed… Mouth: little orange cakes, Champagne biscuits, vineyard peach once more, and a very faint touch reminiscent of top-tier white Hermitage (let’s say an old lighter-vintage Sterimberg). Proper lacework. Finish: not very long, yet it carries the same elegant notes, quite ‘high perfumery’ in fact. A hint of quince in the aftertaste! Comments: it whispers rather than shouts, but the elegance is staggering. Twenty years ago, one might still have dared to write that this was quite a feminine malt.
SGP:441 - 90 points. |
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Benrinnes 23 yo 1997/2021 (56.6%, Chorlton Whisky & The Rare Malt Hong Kong, hogshead, 232 bottles)
There have already been some truly lovely whiskies from Chorlton Whisky. Colour: gold. Nose: this is fun—vineyard peach and orange blossom honey return, followed by brighter, punchier citrus fruits, mostly tangerines and sweet oranges. It’s all fresh and brisk, and once again I can’t help but think of a small-house Cognac of high quality (the sort that brightens up our Sundays on WF). With water: back to barley syrup and even a splash of apple juice. Mouth (neat): a tonne of jelly babies, bears, beans and crocodiles from that brand we all know, plus liquorice allsorts and white chocolate. There’s also a faint touch of glue and varnish, which is a little surprising here. With water: the glue shifts into candle wax. Finish: fairly long, pleasantly citric, lemony, honeyed… Comments: this is excellent, though no surprise there.
SGP:641 - 87 points. |
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Benrinnes 12 yo 2011/2023 (53.9%, Berry Bros. & Rudd, LMDW New Vibrations, Pomerol finish, cask #303711, 204 bottles)
First off, well done for spelling Pomerol with a single ‘m’, unlike some in Scotland. Then again, on a bottle for France, that would have been quite the faux pas. Colour: gold. Nose: no Petrus or Le Pin here—more on blood orange and tarte Tatin, which suits us just fine. That said, after a minute or two, glacé cherries and a spoonful of blackcurrant jam begin to poke their heads out. A bit of patchouli and withered roses as well. With water: veering towards cherry clafoutis and nut-studded chocolate bark. Mouth (neat): the wine makes itself known immediately this time, bringing a sense of wild muesli and cherry liqueur (guignolet). It’s quite assertive, but well-controlled—strictly a matter of taste, then. With water: not much change, except for the arrival of spices—clove, cumin, black pepper, bay leaf, and cherry stems… Finish: long, fairly jammy but balanced, by some miracle. Comments: was this a ‘first-fill’ Pomerol?
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
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Benrinnes 15 yo 2009/2024 (54.5%, James Eadie, First fill Bual madeira finish, cask #367729, 268 bottles)
A long finishing of 28 months in Bual/Boal, a white grape variety found in Madeira but also used in white port. These wines are fortified, like sherry. Colour: straw. Nose: dry, taut, and we love it. Smells of rocky ground, bread dough, fino, chalk, and tart apples… Nothing to discard here, as is so often the case with J. Eadie. With water: freshly baked brioche with orange blossom and honey. Killer nose. Mouth (neat): fermented honeys, cider, old apples, fino, yeasts, ales… With water: sour, sharp, yeasty, ‘overripe’ notes… and we love that. Splendid apples. Finish: long, with pepper waking up but tamed by stewed apples and quince, bringing lovely balance. Superb chalky edge in the aftertaste. Comments: here’s a little idea—get yourself a bottle of the wine, in this case a Bual, and taste it alongside the whisky finished in the same wine. Good fun!
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
We’ll stop here for today — that’s our first Benrinnes session done. There’ll be many more to come; we’ll see if anything manages to dethrone the 1971 from Cadenhead… |
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April 7, 2025 |
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We can deconstruct Talisker too...
... But in a different way, of course. In fact, last October the owners announced the demolition and reconstruction of the distillery, doubling its capacity. However, it seems they are still in the consultation phase with local residents and with, as I seem to remember, some people in Scotland sometimes used to call them, the ‘sandals’ (various environmental groups, whether public or private) — at least according to Radio Skye. Anyway, we’ll see. In the meantime, we’re going to sample a few recent examples of its production. |
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Jack Wiebers, who is also President of the
German Mouse Protection Association,
introduces a remarkable young Talisker to
us in Lucerne (2025, WF Archive) |
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Talisker 10 yo (45.8%, OB, +/-2024)
For my part, no NAS version has managed to surpass the 10-year-old in recent years, and I don’t say that out of animosity towards NAS bottlings, not at all. In fact, it rather seems to me that the 10 is making more frequent appearances again, so not everything is going to the dogs in this sorry world. Colour: gold. Nose: yes, that’s it, there you have it, lemon marmalade, ashes, smoke, camphorated massage balms, oysters and other shellfish, and the ever-anticipated twist of cracked black pepper. Impeccably impeccable, a flawless and luminous profile. Mouth: it’s perfect, a bit like bumping into an old friend who hasn’t changed a jot. A flawless tension of salt and lemon, a kind of Scottish margarita, seawater, olives… It’s almost more of a dry martini than a margarita, when all is said and done. And I’d swear it leaves salt on your lips, even if that’s technically impossible. Or so they say. Finish: terrifying in that it immediately calls for another glass, with that smoky, very saline manzanilla-esque edge. And the worst part is, it’s actually quite refreshing. Comments: same score as usual, I’m afraid.
SGP:456 - 90 points. |
A quick one from the previous year to bridge the gap, since the last one we’d tasted before today was from 2022… |
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Talisker 10 yo (45.8%, OB, +/-2023)
Colour: gold. Nose: not sure if it’s the extra twelve months time or so in bottle, but this one leans a little more towards cut apple and brine, and a little less towards ashes and smoke. The rest is identical, as expected. Very lovely, with also a slightly flintier side emerging after a few seconds. Mouth: yes, a touch oilier here, with a little smoked salmon with lemon and dill in addition to everything else. Finish: long and indeed a little more complex, though not quite enough to justify a higher score. Comments: you should buy these inexpensive bottles in bulk and cellar them for twenty or twenty-five years. De nada, my pleasure.
SGP:456 - 90 points. |
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Talisker 'Distillers Edition' (45.8%, OB, Edition 2022)
Still a double maturation in sweet ‘amoroso’ sherry casks, but no more age statement, and farewell to those charmingly cryptic little codes on the label, such as ‘TD-S: 5XJ’, which also doubled up nicely as passwords for dodgy websites. Generally speaking, the ‘DE’ tended to lag about five points behind the 10 yo. Colour: gold. Nose: yes, it’s a softened 10-year-old, rounder, fruitier, occasionally verging on the exotic, but certainly very pleasant. Someone seems to have kilned an orange cake. Mouth: the difference from the 10 yo is even more pronounced here, with raisins slightly throwing off the Taliskerian mechanics, there are some buds and a wee bit of rubber, though it still works rather well. Finish: long, fattier than the 10, rounder, perhaps a tad maltier. A slightly bittersweet aftertaste. Comments: exactly where we expected it to land.
SGP:555 - 85 points. |
Look here, we had an even older one yet to taste... BTW, in fact, originally, ‘amoroso’ was an oloroso to which 10 to 20% of sweet PX or moscatel was added, for the English market. By Jove! |
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Talisker 1996/2008 'Distiller's Edition' (45.8%, OB, TD-S: 5KW, 1litre)
Still seasoned with amoroso. Colour: deeper gold. Nose: the base is very close, but there’s more minerality here, a touch of soot, saltpetre, Mercurochrome, bruised apples, bitter oranges, old pinot gris… In short, it’s more complex, though to be fair there are fourteen extra years in bottle, which could well make a difference. And here, I do think it does, quite clearly. Mouth: yes, it’s more complex, more herbal, with a peat that’s even more forward, tobacco, a drop of Tabasco, green walnut, oysters… One almost gets the sense that the distillate has fully digested the sweetness of the amoroso. Finish: long, leather, tobacco, walnut, pepper… Comments: not something that would put the 10 yo to shame either, but this is a rather handsome Talisker that has become more tertiary.
SGP:566 - 87 points. |
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Talisker ‘Distillery Exclusive Batch 02’ (48%, OB, 2023)
A blend of refill bourbon and PX. I imagine that if you ask nicely at the distillery, they’ll tell you the age or vintage of these whiskies, otherwise the move might come across as a little bit cheap... Colour: gold. Nose: it’s a lovely Talisker but with a more modern twist, that is to say, more influenced by wood, resins, sugars and spices. This often veers into resinous territory and in truth, that’s rather the case here, to the point it somewhat blankets the powerful distillate. Fir honey, liquorice, marmalade, marzipan and mussels in white wine. That we like. Mouth: it’s rich, fairly creamy, really very good actually, despite that apparent modernity. Smoked spices and citrus, ginger, vanilla and cocoa. Finish: long, becoming more maritime at this stage, though still rather fat, spicy, peppery, rich and… modern. Comments: a touch of Indian spices, whatever that may mean. Still, it does feel quite young, all things considered.
SGP:566 - 87 points. |
Let’s move on to the independents, if you don’t mind — especially as they’re generally more distillate-driven, although things do seem to have been changing on that front over the past few years… |
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Talisker 12 yo 2010/2023 (48.4%, Douglas Laing, Old Particular, refill hogshead, cask #DL17861, 163 bottles)
The Laing brothers were rather sharp-nosed in securing a good stock of young Talisker around the turn of the 2010s, which now allows us to enjoy them with great pleasure. Even at just 5 years of age they were already quite perfect, if you recall. Colour: white wine. You see, less wood. Nose: oh yes yes yes, ashes, a kiln in full operation, chalk, bread dough, a bread oven, focaccia, white wines from the Jura or the Alps, laundry, salsify, a brand-new pullover, heaps of soot… In any case, all of this we adore, even if it’s rather austere. Magnificently austere. Mouth: great austere purity, great beauty, and a clearly difficult edge, almost challenging. Feels like drinking a cocktail of yeast, turnip purée, lime juice, chalk, sourdough starter, crab apples… You get the idea. Finish: same, sharp, more citric and acidic still. Liquorice wood in the aftertaste. Comments: some parts might put off your neighbours at aperitif hour, but if you ask me, that’s very good news indeed.
SGP:467 - 89 points. |
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Talisker 9 yo (50.4%, Whisky Racing, Jack Wiebers, bourbon and Port, cask #3921, 106 bottles, +/-2025)
Most probably from the same racing stables as the previous one, which is good news of course. Talisker is like mezcal or Jamaican rum, it can be superb even at a very young age, though fair enough, 9 years isn’t exactly infantile. By the way, ‘don’t drink and drive’. Colour: full gold. Nose: the modern Distillery Only character is back, the casks must have been pretty active (as the colour confirms), with a combination of zest, smoke, vanilla, ginger and olives. Truth be told, it’s utterly gorgeous, all of it ticking together with the synchronicity of a Formula 1 engine (that should earn me a beer). With water: the candied fruit from the Port does show a little more, but it remains under control, worry not, the distillate stands firm. Mouth (neat): alas, it’s irresistible, a little sweet perhaps but so fabulously smoky and phenolic. Salty zest smoked over fir wood. With water: saps and resins, citrus, salt, green olives, seawater, candied ginger, and green peppercorns. Finish: it keeps dancing the same dance for quite a while. Comments: I think we too often forget just how ‘big’ Talisker can be.
SGP:567 - 89 points. |
One last one — a collectivist Talisker one might say... |
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Talisker 1998/2017 (56.6%, Keepers of the Quaich, for the Autumn Banquet 2017, refill sherry butt, cask #6829, 618 bottles)
If you’re wondering why I’d never tasted this Talisker before, well it’s simply because I only became a Keeper in 2018, by which time the stocks, I believe, had already been depleted. But all good things to those who wait, and here’s the proof. Colour: pale gold. Nose: I think ‘elegance’ is the word that fits best here, nothing sticks out, it’s a whole, a complex assembly of the usual citrus fruits, everything oceanic, and spices steered by pink and green peppercorns. It’s certainly smoky, but the peat merely punctuates the ensemble, never interrupting the conversation. Well, you know what I mean. With water: it’s almost like nosing a perfectly ripe blood orange. Mouth (neat): same feeling of harmony, but above all there are some truly exceptional tropical fruits, led by mango and passion fruit. As if the peat had already begun to transmute, like in an old Lagavulin or Laphroaig. With water: and here come the waves, pink pepper, shellfish, smoked fish, and yet more mango. Finish: everything gathers round the oranges, which is of course perfect. Comments: a devilish Talisker, at the height of its powers, full of sweetness yet showing not a hint of weakness.
SGP:666 - 91 points. |
... But how hard it is to beat the ‘basic’ 10-year-old! A situation you also find at Ardbeg or Springbank, for instance (IMHO). |
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April 6, 2025 |
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A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace! |
A toast of Armagnac to the world’s
good health |
(In honour of the penguins of the Heard and McDonald Islands)
The oldest of aged spirits! Armagnac has seen its fair share of ups and downs over more than seven centuries — and it seems the story isn’t over yet. If we know how to listen, it might just have a few pearls of wisdom to whisper in our ear… |
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Sauvis 2004/2024 (45.9%, Domaine de Saoubis, Bas-armagnac, pièce, cask #69)
We’re in Ayzieu-en-Armagnac, near Eauze, and this is proper biodynamic armagnac, 100% folle blanche and entirely fermented with native yeasts. We’ve already tried a 100% baco from the same domaine and it had been excellent. Colour: gold. Nose: this is wonderfully fragrant, in the style of an orange loaf cake strewn with grated zest and a few muscat raisins, then come dried figs, a splash of cinnamon liqueur and some fir honey, slightly resinous. Very gentle, very pretty, just as the world needs, really. Could they ship a few bottles to Washington, cash on delivery? Mouth: more on roasted notes now, with some smoky, toasty, even slightly burnt elements, yet also rather sappy. Zests of all sorts soon coat the whole palate. Finish: long, once again veering towards the softer side rather than the opposite. Peaches, apricots and a comeback from the fir honey. A discreet woody touch in the aftertaste. Comments: absolutely impeccable, most seductive yet never overly so.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Sauvis 2001/2024 (44.4%, Domaine de Saoubis, Bas-armagnac, pièce, cask #107)
Same combo, folle blanche, biodynamic, etc. The theory would suggest we’re not far from the 2004. Colour: gold. Nose: we are indeed in similar territory but this one’s a little riper and more tertiary, with blond tobacco coming through alongside a host of herbal teas and infusions—linden, thyme and the like. A few notes of fir bud and a scattering of rose petals. It’s all very lovely, very slightly oriental. Ah, the mysteries of the East… Mouth: more firmness here, with beautifully polished wood, a light resinous quality, roasted pine nuts, black tea (what we used to call Russian tea) and once again blond tobacco (which used to be called American, didn’t it). A charming touch of oak neatly frames the whole. Finish: fruitier again, jammy but with grace, tapering off on spices and once more a roasted, empyreumatic side. Comments: dangerously adorable. If you ever own a bottle, best put a padlock on the cork after a few glasses and toss away the key.
SGP:661 - 90 points. |
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Hontambère 26 yo 1997/2025 (53.8%, Grape of the Art, Ténarèze, cask #B4, 295 bottles)
This time it is 100% ugni blanc. Hontambère also has a very fine range of négociant-matured armagnacs. Colour: deep gold. Nose: for now, this leans a little more towards a cognac, even though it’s a Ténarèze. Beautiful elegance, ripe apples, vineyard peaches, sultanas, blood oranges, and a faint chalky touch… But a drop of water may shift the profile. With water: potpourri and honeydews, a hint of light tobacco, a wee dab of butterscotch. Nothing to complain about. Mouth (neat): rather rich, on exotic spices, orange blossom and even maple syrup. Very lovely honeys (plural intended). With water: in comes mint, eucalyptus and even some camphoraceous notes, yet always delivered with finesse and gentleness. It moves on to praline and still a trace of maple syrup, and I’m even finding tiny flashes of chen-pi—you know, those sun-dried mandarin peels. Finish: lovely length, with a beautiful camphory sweetness, citrusy pepperiness and a slightly more herbal aftertaste. Comments: should be tasted blind alongside great malts, just for fun. Superb.
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
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Michel Tartas 1992/2024 (43.2%, Authentic Spirits, Bas-armagnac)
This one is 100% baco, from Arthez d’Armagnac. I’d never heard of this domaine before and there’s not much to be found online, but we place great trust in the house of Authentic Spirits. Colour: gold. Nose: extremely close in style to the previous one, and once again we’re drifting a little towards Cognac territory, though with a gentle breeze from the Bosphorus. Glorious peaches, melon, mandarin blossom honey, juicy sultanas, very ripe apricots, Turkish delights and wisps of fresh mint… It’s really beautiful! Mouth: medicinal citrus! Basically, oranges sprinkled with a few drops of iodine tincture, pine resin and mint extract. Unstoppable. Finish: long given the strength, magnificent, growing ever more complex and, once again, a little oriental. Loads of orange blossom. Comments: splendid, and at €75, it’ll bear the full brunt of the tariffs imposed by any self-important drunken tardigrades.
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
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Jean Cavé 1990/2024 (51%, Swell de Spirits, Flashback, Armagnac, 236 bottles)
The well-known house of Jean Cavé is based in Lannepax, in the Gers. This is a multi-varietal armagnac and possibly a blend of several crus, as it carries the broader Armagnac appellation. Which, of course, doesn’t prove anything conclusive—but it’s a clue, nonetheless. Colour: full gold. Nose: a complete U-turn, we’re now firmly in the world of varnishes, bourbon, even solvents, kirsch, stone fruits, bitter almonds and resins… With water: it calms down just a little, but only just. Cardboard, basalt, resins, snapped branches, bitter almond… Mouth (neat): a slightly unhinged armagnac, still on varnish, resin, cherry… With water: remains taut and edges into malt whisky territory, with a slightly herbal profile. Very surprising. Finish: long, rather earthy, on humus and mushrooms. Comments: a creature quite unlike the others, almost like a very old bottle unearthed from somewhere. You can always count on Swell de Spirits to come up with distinctive spirits that are, above all, never—absolutely never—boring. And we’re very fond of this one too.
SGP:461 - 87 points. |
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Hontambère 1982/2024 (52.7%, Pouchégu Collection, Ténarèze, cask #F2)
Back at Hontambère. This one is 100% ugni blanc. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: that varnishy profile returns, a touch of bourbon, even a bit of fresh glue before we head into stone fruit territory—mirabelles, cherries, apricots—alongside a whiff of chartreuse and, would you believe it, even a hint of pastis. But truly the tiniest trace… With water: it softens a little, showing some marzipan. Mouth (neat): it grabs your tongue just a bit, as old Ténarèze often do in our humble experience, and continues to toss out glue and varnish, bitter almond, rustic kirsch, and apricot eau-de-vie (think maestro Capovilla’s kind) … With water: still very much in the ‘eau-de-vie’ camp, with stones, kirsch, snapped twigs and such. Rather incredible. Finish: long, taut, on liquorice wood, leather and… varnish. A faintly saline edge in the aftertaste. Comments: some local aficionados claim this is exactly how armagnac should be—rustic and rooted in its terroir. Perhaps so, but either way, this is top class.
SGP:461 - 90 points. |
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Jean Cavé 1979/2024 (54.8%, Swell de Spirits, Field Trip, Armagnac, 200 bottles)
One can’t help but wonder what connection there is between this old armagnac and the sea trout depicted on the label. Just asking. Perhaps is it for the penguins of the Heard and McDonald Islands? Colour: deep gold. Nose: now this is another dimension entirely, far more tertiary, with roasted pineapple, pipe tobacco, potting soil, model glue, sauna oils, eucalyptus and, right at the end, a drop of turpentine essence. Believe it or not, there are even hints of agricole rum. With water: puffs of old cellar and bruised apple. Mouth (neat): oh yes, we’re clearly in evolved territory now, on strange infusions, polish, orgeat, sesame oil, old waxes, maraschino… With water: it holds up, turns slightly earthy, with tobacco, concentrated orange juice, mocha and chocolate. Finish: fairly long, mature but genuine (what that means, S.?) A touch of bitterness. Comments: these old spirits must be treated with due reverence and respect, even if they’re probably no longer fit to run a 100m dash. Then again, neither are we.
SGP:462 - 86 points. |
One for the road, before we stray too far… |
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Château de Gaube 1964/2024 (43.2%, Baron de Lustrac, for 10th Anniversary Wine4you, Bas-armagnac)
Colour: dark amber. Nose: we’re firmly in old-school territory this time, all on jams and all manner of nuts, roasted or otherwise, mostly pecans, praline, with faint meaty hints, a tiny glimmer of metal and a touch of soot, medlars and quinces… It’s overall an elegant nose, perhaps just a tad shy, also offering figs of the lovelier sort… well, awesome. And some mead. Mouth: you do feel the age, but not necessarily the wisdom, as this chap still speaks up, even if the wood is slowly tightening its grip. Teas, cinnamon, furniture polish, a few drops of fir bud liqueur, a touch of pipe tobacco, and date spirit… Finish: of medium length, fairly woody, not quite dusty yet, with dried fig, a little lavender and some black tea. Slight pepperiness in the aftertaste. Comments: a very charming old-style armagnac, evolved and cerebral. Sorry, couldn’t think of a better word.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
Well, it would seem that it’s the younger — or rather, the less aged — Armagnacs that have called the shots today. |
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April 5, 2025 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
Two Bowmore
I have many more Bowmore samples awaiting 'processing', however, time is short this week and so I thought these two could serve as a nice wee 'amuse bouche' before we tackle the rest of the stash for next weekend... |
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Bowmore 1997/2023 (46.1%, Berry Bros & Rudd for Kensington Wine Market, sherry butt, cask #85, 98 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is the epitome of how I think about late 1990s Bowmore in my mind: background fruitiness with pristine coastal brininess up front, all wrapped up in some surprisingly chunky peat smoke. There's also always this compelling and beautiful dryness about it, which is something that always seems to distinguish the indys from the officials in my view, the OBs rarely display their whisky in such an unvarnished guise. You could add dried seaweed, green tea with lemon, anchovy paste and guava jam into the mix - totally excellent! Mouth: what an arrival! Loads of dried exotic and citrus fruits, but also a terrific bitterness that encompasses bitter herbal liqueurs and extracts, artichoke liqueur, mixed olive tapenades, celery salt and this superb combo of hessian and tarred rope. The low ABV never feels low, in fact it manages to juggle power, drinkability and this rich diversity of flavour with embarrassing effortlessness. Finish: long, back on dried fruits, lemon oil, coconut water, olive tapenades, preserved lemons and thick wafts of pure peat smoke. Comments: Bowmore in full, classy stride. The only trouble is such bottles, at such perfect natural strengths, tend to be slightly...err... deadly...
SGP: 665 - 91 points. |
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Bowmore 30 yo 1990/2020 (53.7%, Kingsbury for Club Qing, cask #3971, hogshead)
Colour: gold. Nose: pure and dry, with crystalline peat smoke, beach sand, seashells and impressions of seaweed in rockpools. Behind all that, some gentle but definite evocations of older, fruitier style Bowmore, with these delicate notes of pink grapefruit, guava and a tiny inclusion of passionfruit. In short: a gorgeous and highly meticulous nose that stands apart from the 1997 and feels like it belongs quite distinctly to the pre-1994 early 1990s style. With water: seaweed, waxes, camphor, mineral salts and crystalised exotic fruits. Still superbly elegant and finely detailed. Mouth: much peatier and richer than that elegant nose suggested, thicker peat smoke, yet still wonderfully drying, involving things like tarred rope, hessian, squid ink, smoked sea salt and black olive. One of those peaty profiles that shows gorgeous variations on umami. With water: tends more towards the fruitier aspects now, still retains much of this weighty and salty profile, but delivers more definite notes of grapefruit, star fruit and a little mango. Finish: long, back on crystalline, fine-grained peat smoke, bone-dry coastal impressions, lightly brewed exotic fruit teas and things like miso and dried seaweed. I also find the aftertaste quite medicinal. Comments: probably among the best Bowmores of these post-perfume vintages. This era could produce some slightly muddled profiles, but this feels wonderfully precise, elegance and shows great development. A snap in terms of score with the 1997.
SGP: 465 - 91 points. |
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April 4, 2025 |
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A solitary wee Glenmorangie |
Solitary because, we’ll admit it: we haven’t got any other Glenmorangie left in the stash that we haven’t already tasted. Or rather, we probably do have quite a few, but under different names — you know, ‘Secret Highland’ types and that sort of thing. No, no Westport either. That said, this recent Glenmo is probably quite emblematic of the times we’re living in… |
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Glenmorangie 12 yo ‘The Original’ (40%, OB, bourbon casks, 1l, +/-2025)
There used to be the modest but likeable 10 year old ‘The Original’, which we last tried in 2023 (WF 81) but it’s since been replaced by this 12 year old, the house having added two extra years of maturation. A refreshing change from the recent global trend of reducing ages by heading toward NAS territory, you know whisky's way of doing shrinkflation. Colour: gold. Nose: the 40% do make themselves felt, or rather not felt, if you see what I mean, but the American oak casks do lend their usual creamy and vanilla-forward touch, alongside ripe apples, banana, soft oak (with a whisper of fresh sawdust), and a fairly prominent note of Earl Grey tea. Also some fresh barley, which makes the whole thing rather pleasant. Mouth: we find the nose again on the palate, though it leans a little more towards oranges this time, and thus a little less towards the rest. A hint of bitterness follows, then green tea, a touch of ginseng and a suggestion of peach skin. It’s light but not weak. Finish: a little short, yet once again, fair enough. Green tea with a drop of honey and a discreet grassy side. Comments: I quite like this charming little dram, nicely put together.
SGP:441 - 82 points. |
So, for once, that’s all for today. |
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April 3, 2025 |
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A fairly recent trio from Glendronach |
Do you remember, fifteen years ago or more, Glendronach had become the new Macallan among enthusiasts, at least when it came to sherried whisky. This new positioning was backed by single casks from the 1970s through to the rather superlative 1993 vintage, as well as an excellent 15-year-old ‘Revival’. |
(Glendronach Distillery) |
The art of intelligent re-racking at its peak. Since then, things seem to have quietened down a bit—at least here, we’ve had far fewer contacts than back in the day. On the other hand, there are now probably 500 new interesting whisky distilleries around the world, which certainly changes the landscape considerably and puts the whisky world into a new perspective. Well then, shall we have a little Glendronach trio, if you’re up for it… |
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Glendronach 15 yo (46%, OB, Sherry Cask Matured, 2024)
To be honest, and after so many years, one was hoping more for a confirmation than a revival. And that’s just as well—they’ve now done away with that designation. Right, there’s still plenty of PX and oloroso in this baby, let’s see where this very recent batch now sits. Colour: deep gold. Nose: this is no longer a ‘sherry monster’, and we’re not exactly going to complain. Quite the contrary—there’s very ripe apple, figs, naturally a few walnuts, touches of sage and bay leaf, then a little caramel and some fudge. In short, it has fallen back in line, but frankly, we’re rather fond of that. Mouth: what’s really charming is that old-school side that remains, this lovely sherry that’s both dry and PX-ed, the tobacco, the marmalade, the apple compote, the figs... It’s almost turned fresh, borderline refreshing. Finish: fairly long, with oranges and apples that keep things bright, then some sloe berries. Comments: very good and actually keeping its usual place, even if the explosive, thick character of its early days has nearly vanished. Still, we’re very much enjoying it.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Glendronach 2013/2024 ‘Hand-Filled’ (61.6%, OB, PX puncheon, cask #104)
Well, this must be tailor-made then... Colour: rich amber. Nose: prunes, menthol, liquorice, varnish, dates and fir honey. Water should awaken a few extra aromas... With water: old-school bourbon from the 1950s. Seriously. I’ve always found it rather amusing how close those ancient American bottles and certain sherry monsters can be, when the casks were extremely active. Mouth (neat): this is massive, ultra-concentrated, tarry, very ‘old Málaga’ in the style of a solera begun in the 19th century, yet oddly approachable. The touches of lovage are simply marvellous. With water: this time we’re in Ténarèze, with coffee, folle blanche, cooked peaches, and some rich yet tightly coiled bitters. The bitterness of fir buds sneaks in towards the end. Finish: very long, creamy, mentholated, but never overwhelming, never ‘too much’. Comments: we shan’t name certain ancient releases from a certain Speyside distillery again, shall we? And besides, since it was a large puncheon, there was a fair bit of it, which is even better.
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
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Glendronach 1993/2024 ‘Hand-Filled’ (55.5%, OB, oloroso, cask #2463)
Colour: mahogany. Nose: this is extreme, packed with fir, spruce, maritime pine, inner tube rubber, myrtle, menthol, then dark chocolate, dates and damsons. This rather wild profile is probably a bit ‘too much’, but the seasoned taster—hardened and perhaps slightly jaded—will quite like it, trust me. Still, we’re likely at the very edge of the exercise here. With water: oh, this is lovely! It needs to be brought down to around 48%, no more, no less. Then come sumptuous notes of old Pomerol and a gloriously toasted edge that takes charge. All sorts of mint also decide to join the party. Mouth (neat): liqueur made from tyres (Pirelli?) and tar laced with fir honey. No joke... With water: chocolates and coffees, plus a hint of old Port Mourant and peppermint cordial from a long-forgotten brand. Finish: long and admirably dry and oaky, yet still offering notes of blackcurrant and proper wild blueberry tart—the kind that stains your teeth for days. Comments: it’s a beauty (sorry, bare minimum service on the commentary front).
SGP:561 - 92 points. |
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April 2, 2025 |
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A short stroll among some of Japan’s new-wave distilleries
It's always a joy to find ourselves back in the Land of the Rising Sun, if only in our glasses... In fact, in some cases, it’ seems that we'll also be heading to Islay, in a way. |
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Ichiro’s Malt & Grain (60.2%, OB, La Maison du Whisky Singapore, Japan, single cask, refill bourbon barrel, cask #14838, 247 bottles, 2023)
A third-fill barrel having previously contained some peater. Colour: full gold. Nose: extremely fresh and citrusy, taut like freshly chopped rhubarb drizzled with lime juice, with a sprinkling of bay leaf and verbena oils, then yellow melon and pretty soft vanilla, although the high strength does make itself known as well. The peat stays well-behaved for now. With water: Japanese bean cake, obviously. Mouth (neat): an explosive fruitiness straight down the citrus line, with hints of camphor and olives wrapped in gently honeyed custard. With water: same story. Lovely lemon, a touch of fresh sorrel, and still that lingering honey in the background. Finish: same again, only with ashes now playfully peeking through in the aftertaste. Comments: a very lovely blend, wonderfully tight and chiselled.
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
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Akkeshi 3 yo (58%, OB, Japan, single malt, Claude x Salud friendship cask, 2025)
This should be peated. We’ve already tried peated Akkeshis, but those were more lightly so. Colour: light gold. Nose: we're straight on Islay, with something that feels like a blend of A and CI, at least on the nose. Charcoal, seaweed, tar, ashes, smoked fish, plus a touch that’s both farmy and mentholy with a singular coastal twist that now sets it apart. With water: oysters show up, along with bandages and mercurochrome. Mouth (neat): fat and even closer to A, with a distinct lemony feel and hints of tiny herbs seemingly kilned for days. Then tarred and liquorice-laced olives, and the expected saline touch. With water: swims beautifully, the peat turning even more citrusy and coastal. Finish: long, with almond milk and lapsang souchong in the aftertaste. Comments: of course it’s simple at this age, but it’s a simplicity engineered with precision. I really do like this little Ar… kkeshi a lot.
SGP:557 - 88 points. |
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Togouchi 2019/2024 (51%, OB, Japan, single malt, Taiwan exclusive, Islay cask, cask #5288, 198 bottles)
Not a ‘Japanese world blend’ at all here, this was distilled at Sakurao and matured at Togouchi Cellar. Colour: pale gold. Nose: this one starts off a little more on porridge, cereals and ale, then it grows increasingly peaty and lemony, in a very classic and rather lovely fashion. Those wafts of damp chalk in the background are still working beautifully. With water: a little fresh wood, but also langoustines and rather soft ashes. It’s all very delicate, very pretty. Mouth (neat): very fruity, with peat more enclosed within mandarin—including the zest—which gives it almost a touch of cask-aged gin. Fresh banana, then a fruit salad. With water: balance is perfect, lemon/rhubarb/ash, but beware, the drinkability index rises steeply. Finish: long, very fresh and maritime. Could we order a platter of a dozen oysters? Comments: the progress the name Togouchi has made recently is truly impressive—thanks to their own single malts, of course. And perhaps also to that Islay cask in this instance.
SGP:565 - 87 points. |
Since we're with Sakurao... |
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Sakurao 2018/2024 (58%, OB, Japan, single malt, cream sherry hogshead, cask #6105, 205 bottles)
From Sakurao 2 cellar. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: heaps of roasted chestnuts, black truffle and fresh rubber, leather, gunpowder, burnt wood, black tea... It’s really water that will settle the matter here, as often. With water: still a good dose of powder, but also pipe tobacco ashes from an old briar, and always those black truffles (tuber melanosporum). Mouth (neat): heavy on the roasting, now much more on burnt cakes, dried meats, orange marmalade and black nougat. Three tonnes of deeply roasted almonds. With water: bay leaf, geranium and smoked paprika come barging in. Finish: long, still very ‘gunpowdery’, but now also peppery. Roasted chestnuts and Seville oranges resurface in the aftertaste. Comments: a bold beast, very, very singular and even spectacular, in a rather dry and earthy style.
SGP:472 - 85 points. |
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Saburomaru 4 yo 2019/2023 (59.65%, The Auld Alliance, Japan, single malt, heavily peated cask, 185 bottles)
More new-wave Japanese whisky, this is very cool… We’re at Wakatsuru Distillery, a sake brewery in Tonami. We already tried a great one (for Rudder). Colour: deep gold. Nose: perfect, on cherry stem tisane, old copper and brass bits, Parma ham, heather honey, wisteria flowers, a wee chunk of smoked herring, and a nice touch of… funk. With water: the waxes and vegetable oils emerge. All very good signs! Mouth (neat): there you go, you instantly know this is a winner, you could just slap on 90 points straight away. Tobacco cake (if that were a thing, though I doubt it—it would likely be toxic), then rather fatty peat and a complete set of all the peppers in the world. With water: is this really four years old? I’m about to request an audit. Anyway, what now appears are heirloom apples, taking centre stage—a small marvel. Finish: perfect, ideal, rich yet lifted and elegant. Ash-baked apples. Comments: of course, one could question this whole ‘heavily peated cask’ business, but let’s abstain and simply enjoy finishing our glass. Which, obviously, we never do, with very few exceptions.
SGP:664 - 90 points. |
We’re really quite fond of these young Japanese, so we’re going to keep going... |
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Mars Tsunuki 5 yo 2018/2024 (57%, OB for Lucky Choice ‘chapter 1’, Japan, sherry puncheon, 557 bottles)
From a series called ‘The Dragon Awakes’, which sounds pretty G.O.T. if you ask me. Well then, we know what to expect here… Colour: copper amber. Nose: we’re back to oven-scorched cakes and tarts, quite a bit of soot, cigar ash, very dark chocolate, an abundance of walnuts, then saddle leather and an old biker jacket. That was one heck of a puncheon! With water: it almost folds in on itself, which is rather unexpected. Soot, slag, ashes, old beeswax polish… Mouth (neat): precise, jammy, on zest and marmalade, then mint, chlorophyll and tar. Also a rather stunning polish-and-clove combo. With water: candied oranges take over neatly. Finish: long, with a touch of ginger and—let’s face it—a bit of gunpowder again. Oops, it drops a point or two at this stage. Comments: this really is a splendid Tsunuki. Now, one just wonders under what conditions they’re shipping a sherry puncheon from Jerez all the way to Japan.
SGP:564 - 88 points. |
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Chichibu 2018/2022 (63.9%, OB for La Maison du Whisky Singapore, Japan, Flower Series #2, single malt, second-fill bourbon, cask #7087, 227 bottles)
Chichibu in refill bourbon? Hang on, we’re coming!!!… Colour: very pale gold. Nose: almond cream, barley syrup, mirabelles and quinces, tangerines and a few ashes. And loads of ethanol, so let’s not get too silly just yet… With water: fresh baguette, damp cardboard, plaster… Mouth (neat): sublime citrusy and ashy precision. Honestly, it’s a bit like a young Rosebank from the old days. With water: this is exceptional. A full showcase of citrus fruits (on world tour), top-notch green pepper and always that ash. A single drop of pear liqueur. Finish: frankly, same again. Comments: of great beauty, this is a rich yet chiselled Chichibu.
SGP:654 - 91 points. |
We ought to stop there, but we’re going to add another Chichibu for Singapore, simply because we love Singapore (and Chichibu, of course) ... |
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Chichibu 2017/2023 (64.2%, OB for La Maison du Whisky Singapore, Japan, Flower Series #3, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #7248, 207 bottles)
At this strength, it’s an alcoholic assault—I’m fairly certain that’s regulated by the Geneva Convention, it seems only uncultured brutes seem to ignore that one nowadays. Colour: full gold. Nose: clearly a more assertive bourbon barrel imprint here, with marzipan, buttercream, a hint of kirsch, lightly mentholated vanilla custard (agreed, sounds odd), then a full stream of blood orange juice. With water: twelve orange cakes and a dab of leather conditioner. Mouth (neat): an explosion of exotic fruits, vanilla, papaya, guava, banana liqueur… all that’s missing is a little paper parasol and a couple of sparklers to complete the scene. With water: the texture turns wonderfully oily and sharply citrusy—it’s so dazzling you might be tempted to drizzle it over grilled sole fillets. Bon appétit. Finish: long and creamy, fairly gentle, though still led by citrus. A curiously sweet note lingers in the aftertaste. Comments: splendid, of course, just ever so slightly overshadowed by the previous one.
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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April 1, 2025 |
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| ANNOUCEMENT |
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Beyond Excellence:
Whiskyfun Transcends to The WhiskyFun |
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In a move that epitomises the quintessence of sophistication and the ever-evolving pursuit of distinction, Whiskyfun proudly announces its bespokely curated evolved renaissance as The WhiskyFun. |
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This daringly auspicious transformation is not merely a change of moniker but a recommitment to the luxurious ethos that has long defined our essence in the realm of whisky appreciation. It is a disruption of the blogosphere and a recasting of our hallowed data archives into post-luxury tasting note-centric experiential quest on the internet of drams
The WhiskyFun emerges as a beacon of opulence, the northern whisky star, guiding connoisseurs and aficionados on an enriched pilgrimage through the perilous deserts of blended mundanity, to the amber-hued nirvana of the finest distillate-driven spirits. Our newly anointed identity is an ode to the heritage and aristocratic pageantry that whisky, in its most noble forms, embodies.
With this ultra-refined, quantum-concept branding, The WhiskyFun will enhance its offerings, curating not only rare and exquisite whiskies but also providing an elevated platform for celebration of the liquid gold. Luxuriate in our new poly-functional meta-scores; gasp at the implementation of our patented new AI technology (Artificial InSmelligence); grace your own opinions with our specially generated, The WhiskyFun approved, Facebook comment actualiser; bask in the engorgement of our new minimum 1000 word tasting notes; sign up to our Patreon for one-month early access – please!
With these innovations re-defining innovations, we invite our esteemed readers to partake in this new chapter, to figuratively turn the internet page before them, into a new realm where pure, un-blended luxury is not an option but a liquid gold standard.
Join the hyper-exclusive lifestyle of The WhiskyFun, where every dram poured is a testament to our unyielding commitment to excellence and a profound dedication to the storied lore of whisky art. Here, each sniff is hallowed, every sip transcends the mundane, each tasting note suspends time and the SGP measures ‘Superlative, Goldenness and Potential invest-ability’. We are offering nothing less than a vicarious taste of the unknowable.
Experience the sublime! The totality of whisky! Cross the event horizon of eminence where legacy and luxury intertwine like a particularly difficult old fishing knot—The WhiskyFun! |
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| Angus Meets Head of Webmastering: A Spirited Chat with Serge on The WhiskyFun's Luxe Leap |
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Angus: Serge, with Whiskyfun's transition to The WhiskyFun, what should our readers expect? Any big changes in store? |
Serge: Well, first of all, they should definitely start expecting to use a silver quaich instead of those quaint Glencairn glasses! (Readers can order a genuine replica of my own personally commissioned new Quaichs with bespoke moustache groove from the new The WhiskyFun webshop.) But seriously, while our name now has a rather grand 'The' in front of it, fear not—our spirits remain high and our whisky even higher. We're just adding a bit of an old-school, monarchical flourish to the experience. |
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Angus: A monarchical flourish, you say? Are there any new royal decrees that we should be aware of? |
Serge: Indeed, there are a few! Henceforth, every review shall be penned with a quill on vellum—or at least, that’s what we’ll have everyone believe. We’ll also require readers to wear top hats and monocles for the full reading experience – again, these can be ordered from The WhiskyFun webshop – check out our new Charlie MacLean tribute monocle – made of genuine Scottish Perspex. It enhances the flavours, or so the latest cutting-edge scientific googling suggests. I’m delighted to announce we have also received a Royal Warrant from the Prince of Auchtermuchty! |
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Angus: And how about the whisky reviews themselves? Will they change under The WhiskyFun? |
Serge: Ah, the reviews will remain as honest and forthright as ever. However, we might start scoring whiskies on a scale of one to a hundred based on how well they pair with Salmon caviar, as well as on the intensity of the butler's approval nod. More nods mean higher scores. Or possibly add a secondary horizontal luxury rating scale thus turning our tasting notes into a graph. Additional, top-secret research is ongoing into potential new additions and evolutions to the tasting model. I can’t say too much just now, but readers should invest in one of our 3D hyper-virtual visualised helmets – (available from The WhiskyFun online shop). But don't worry, we’ll still have our usual notes, albeit described in the Queen’s English to contribute to luxury and complexity. |
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Angus: Final question, are we finally going to replace that vomity yellow background with a pure and pristine white one? |
Serge: I don’t think so, yellow is the colour of the sun, the sign of hope and happiness. It stands bright and bold, energising every soul it touches and lifting spirits with its luminous glow. Also, I can’t figure out how to change it. |
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Please note that both the new The WhiskyFun webshop – along with all the incredible items it will offer to the discerning enthusiast – and access to our Patreon will only be available in the coming days. All the other new features will be implemented gradually within the month of April. We thank you for your understanding and patience. |
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March 31, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today Springbank OB |
I know, you're going to say we've only just finished tasting a dozen superb Springbanks. It's true, so think of today's little session as a mini-sequel. And for once, we won't be (too) late...
Floor malting (Springbank) |
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Springbank 8 yo 2016/2024 ‘Local Barley’ (58.1%, OB, 13,500 bottles, 2025)
This baby was bottled last December and released in 2025. The barley, of course floor-malted at Springbank, came from High Ranachan farm, just down the road from the Wee Toon. One could hardly get more local than this. Colour: gold. Nose: oh lovely! At once a little ‘dirtier’ and more lemony than the 10 year old many of us adore, quite marked by paraffin, boot polish, pot ale… one could almost describe it as ‘a trifle feinty’ with a slightly soapy edge. But Springbank may well be the only malt that’s actually enhanced by these tiny soapy notes, if you see what I mean. Also fresh almonds and walnuts galore. With water: paint and ‘a Saturday morning at Ikea’. Or perhaps ‘a fresh parcel from Temu’. Mouth (neat): an outburst of pink and green peppercorns, plus an avalanche of citrus. The usual greasy and coastal elements are very much present too. With water: fewer developments this time, and one gets the impression that youth might be a slight drawback here. Finish: same feeling, perhaps a tad too rustic at this stage. Ginger ale, porridge, ink, pepper. Comments: just spotted it’s bere barley.
SGP:562 - 86 points. |
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Springbank 26 yo 1998/2024 (53.4%, OB, for Lateltin 125th Anniversary, Switzerland, fresh bourbon barrel, 156 bottles)
A wee gem uncovered at Whiskyschiff Luzern 2025. Enough to drive quite a few Springbank collectors mad, especially the completists (if any still remain). Colour: light gold. Nose: it’s frankly annoying how these well-aged Springbanks are always bang on target, perched right atop the podium. Pink grapefruit, brake dust, candle wax, turpentine, Tiger Balm, fresh sourdough, seaweed, wet chalk, facial cream, sand and pebbles on the beach… Etc. With water: barley and pistachio syrups, fruit salad, agave syrup, and the faintest touch of tarry smokiness. Mouth (neat): exceptional cask contribution when it comes to texture, with fir honey, mangoes, peaches and passion fruit, grapefruit of course, beeswax, tiny banana, a smidgen of olive oil, a splash of seawater, and a few stones… All of this is frankly very aggravating. With water: it gets even worse with the arrival of papayas and mirabelles, plus even more minerality. What sort of sorcery is this? Finish: rosehip tea, manuka honey, salted butter caramel, and just the right amount of pu-ehr tea and whelks (and clams). Comments: one of the most, if not the most, fruit-laden recent Springbanks distilled in the 1990s. They’ve all brought us utter joy so far and this one is no exception.
SGP:652 - 93 points. |
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March 2024 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Springbank 29 yo 1994/2024 (50.1%, North Star Spirit, Obscurities & Curiosities, refill hogshead) - WF 94
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Macallan 1957 (80°proof, OB, Campbell, Hope & King, Rinaldi Italy, sherry wood, +/-1972) - WF 95
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
Springbank 10 yo (46%, OB, +/-2024) - WF 91
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Fradon ‘Lot 70’ (46.4%, Through the Grapevine for Navigate World Whisky South Africa, Petite Champagne, 99 bottles) - WF 92
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Kimchangsoo ‘Gimpo - The First Edition 2024’ (50.1%, OB, South Korea) - WF 90
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Teeling 15 yo (50%, OB, Irish single grain, 2023) - WF 65 |
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March 30, 2025 |
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Glory to Cognac
Times seem tough for cognac, which just goes to show that humanity as a whole is in decline, led astray by leaders without morals. To (barely) paraphrase the sociologist E. Durkheim: “the dumber, the less moral.” And one hardly dares to imagine a scenario where US tariffs on cognac or other EU spirits become vastly higher than those on, hum, ‘Cognac of Russia’. |
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Part of an advert for Cognac Monnet, circa 1945 |
Right then, let’s support authentic cognac as much as we can — not that it takes much effort when it comes to the small producers who make quality stuff...
That said, we’ll still be kicking things off with a little old-school apéritif… |
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Hennessy ‘Fine Champagne VSOP’ (40%, OB, Cognac, +/-1988)
We don’t taste these sorts of things very often, but yes, since we're here… Colour: amber. Nose: it’s soft, very rounded, with a caramelised touch, liquorice and a fair bit of honey. There are also some lovely yellow flowers and a very light and rather seductive smoky and metallic side, perhaps the effect of a little OBE. A good surprise for now… Mouth: really not bad, not weak at all, even more marked by the liquorice, but notes of burnt caramel and a slight bitterness soon rise to the surface. Alas, it tends to fall apart rather quickly on the palate. Finish: this is the most difficult part, logically. Over-infused tea and burnt wood, plus a slightly rubbery touch that’s a bit distracting. Comments: well, it’s an old bottle, so let’s say it has extenuating circumstances. A shame, it had started well.
SGP:551 – 70 points. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘Lot 99’ (50.5%, Swell de Spirits, Wonders of the World, Bons Bois, 350 bottles)
If I may say so, the label is very pretty, but it doesn’t quite evoke the verdant Charentes, does it? Colour: gold. Nose: this is a serious nose, well-defined, a little austere in the best sense of the word, on apples, white peaches and liquorice wood, with a few tangy little sweets in the background. You can feel there are aromas hiding a bit, and for that… With water: absolutely! Out come cedarwood, pink pepper, small cherries, hints of beeswax polish… Mouth (neat): again that serious tone to start, but soon all the sweets from our childhood show up, the winning chewing gums, the ‘roudoudous’, also the sultanas we used to pinch from our mums, and above all those liquorice rolls. You need to be a bit cautious with such evocative profiles—they can quickly throw you off course. With water: citrus fruits arrive en masse this time, though a slightly herbal and ‘serious’ structure remains. Finish: fairly long, lovely, fresh, with oolong tea and fruit skins, especially peach. Liquorice returns in the aftertaste. Comments: we’re already quite high up in altitude.
SGP:561 – 89 points. |
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Prunier 1995/2024 (53.6%, Art Malts, Vintage Reserve, Fins Bois)
Oh, a Corvette! You’ll say it could have been worse—it could’ve been a T. (you know, that electric brand everyone’s ditching for a slice of toast these days). Joking aside… Colour: gold. Nose: once again, this is a fairly compact Bons Bois at first, slightly herbal, with the usual liquorice and fruit skins, though there’s a sense of smaller aromas bubbling up in the background. With water: yes, mandarins, orange zest, wildflower honey, Earl Grey tea, a touch of garden soil… All in all, this one loves water too. Mouth (neat): powerful, with tobacco and mentholated notes right from the start, then—of course—liquorice wood and a touch of banana skin (when you bite into the banana to open it). With water: perfect. Lemon mint, liquorice, black tea, a touch of rock sugar. Finish: same direction, heading into sweet green tea with honey. Comments: always very good, these Fins Bois are generally wonderfully alt-style.
SGP:651 – 88 points. |
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Domaine du Chêne ‘XXO Lot 89’ (43.8%, Art Malts, Bons Bois)
The label features a good old fire-red 911, a cabriolet it seems, most likely a 3.2L from around 1986–1987, and it’s not entirely impossible we once owned one just like it back in the day. Not to be driven after a whisky tasting, mind, as the all-rear engine wasn’t exactly compatible even with the mildest, perfectly legal tipsiness. Anyway, Domaine du Chêne is a fine 90-hectare estate. Colour: deep gold. Nose: we plunge straight into a world of lavender, vine peach, and aromatic earth and herbs, all wrapped in perfect delicacy, with even a touch of white truffle before tangerines make an elegant entrance. Perfect. Mouth: danger, as they say—it goes down like milk. Blood oranges, nectarines, acacia honey, a little maple syrup, a few edible flowers, white clover, then green tea adds a touch of... gravitas. Finish: nicely long, more herbaceous as is often the case by this stage, though the oranges and peaches remain firmly in charge. Comments: magnificent, but beware—it goes down far too easily. No, I shall make no comparisons to that famed 911.
SGP:651 – 90 points. |
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Marie Foucher ‘L’Horizon Perdu Lot 96’ (59.34%, Malternative Belgium, Fins Bois, 131 bottles, 2024)
A bottle to celebrate their 5th Anniversary. Very well done, Malternative Belgium! And I mean it. The alcohol level is surprisingly high for a cognac approaching 30 years old, it’s quite intriguing… Colour: gold. Nose: at this strength you almost land in the world of rum, which is rather amusing. Honestly, you’d almost think of Barbados at FS (85% column still, 15% pot). Granted, apples and peaches come in to adjust those first impressions, though not overwhelmingly so. With water: it’s mad, those impressions linger a little, even if it gradually eases back into the world of dry and elegant brandies. Mouth (neat): again, there’s that rum-like profile, enhanced by lemons and dried raisins. And there’s even a hint of malt whisky, something like a nice Speysider from a refill cask. That said, it’s excellent, even at this strength. With water: ah, now we’re back to proper cognac, with lovely apples, oranges, pears and peaches. Nice aniseed and liquorice touches in the background. Finish: same direction. Touches of pineau, with a woodier aftertaste. Comments: incredible—everyone dreams of pulling off a great cross-category super-blend, and here they’ve done it without even bothering with improbable mix-ups.
SGP:561 – 87 points. |
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Vallein Tercinier ‘Lot 74’ (50.9%, Valinch & Mallet and Heads & Tails Canada, Spirit of Art, Fins Bois, 150 bottles, 2024)
1974, a chance to pay tribute to Steve Harley of the Cockney Rebels, who left us last year. Come up and see me, make me smiiiiile! Colour: amber. Nose: truly delighted to be tasting so many of these ‘Bois’, thanks to the independents who’ve brought them into the spotlight. Here we’re deep into fruit compotes and jams (apples and so on), sweetened with honey and a touch of… barley syrup. The addition of white nougat makes it rather irresistible. With water: splendid herbal infusions! Mouth (neat): oh that’s good, with a clear woody side but lit up by little resins that are simply irresistible. At least for me. Genepy, wormwood, pine buds, green oak honey… With water: watch out, it goes fractal before you’ve time to say “phew”, as we say over here. You remember, each flavour splits into sub-flavours, which then split into yet more sub-flavours… etc. Finish: the fir wood is just ever so slightly marked, but the whole thing is superb. A kind of all-fruits and all-herbs jam. Comments: well, we should’ve seen that coming.
SGP:661 – 91 points. |
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Fradon ‘Lot 70’ (46.4%, Through the Grapevine for Navigate World Whisky South Africa, Petite Champagne, 99 bottles)
We’re near Jonzac here, it’s the first time we’re trying a cognac from Domaine Fradon. Hard to believe it took our friends in South Africa to make it happen… BTW, love that the bottlers would tell us this little baby that spent 53 years in wood harbours an ‘ester content of 134.3gr/hlPA’. Knowledge is power (hey D.C.). Colour: gold. Nose: oh, varnishes, vanilla pods, oils of all sorts, a flood of caramel cream, cappuccino, various balms and then fruit wines—apricot wine, for instance. Plain and pure sorcery. Forgot to mention pistachio cream. Mouth: resinous woods and soft varnishes, a touch of sea salt (yes), and frankly a definite old Springbank character. I’m not joking—S.p.r.i.n.g.b.a.n.k. Finish: same story. This thing’s a bit crazy, even if one might say the resinous/oaky side is just ever so slightly over the top. But that’s just nitpicking… Mocha in the aftertaste. Comments: it’s exactly for things like this that Whiskyfun carries on, after years of madness and laughter. All the magic of a single cask…
SGP:562 – 92 points. |
Go on then, one last one and we’ll call it a night... |
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La Symphonie ‘Lot 45’ (58.2%, Malternative Belgium, Fins Bois, 90 bottles, 2025)
A 1945 at 58%? These Belgians are completely mad. We agree that 1945 was 80 years ago, right? In Scotland, they’d hand you the keys of a free convertible Bentley with every bottle, though to be fair, no one would know what to do with it. I mean the Bentley, of course. Anyway, this is a Fins Bois from a bouilleur de cru. Colour: red amber. Nose: astonishing freshness, varnish, cherries, peonies, old sweet wines, Málaga, pineau, Banyuls, then cured ham and Corinth raisins. Impressive. With water: we're fully into old wines now, especially Bordeaux. Peonies, blackcurrant, violet, mint, liquorice, roots… Wow. Mouth (neat): the wood and pepper grab you in a bit of a pincer movement at first, with a huge—really huge, bigly huge—wave of black tea, but that was to be expected. Then comes old chartreuse, very bitter chocolate, old oloroso, strong mint and salted liquorice… What’s impressive is that a certain fruitiness still manages to emerge through this woody onslaught, especially plum and cassis. With water: little change, truth be told. We’d already crossed into another dimension, and we remain there. Finish: banana and varnish—is that possible? Since they had the liquid analysed, could they confirm the isoamyl acetate content? Comments: such fun! Nothing fits, yet everything works. Magical…
SGP:471 – 91 points. |
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March 28, 2025 |
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Macallan in memory of Michael Jackson, the continuation (and conclusion) |
With a series that left us rather unmoved when it was first released, as at the time expensive NAS bottles were deeply shocking, and the attempts to replicate the past even more so. Like the improbable ‘replicas’ or… this little series. Of course, we’ve already drunk and even tasted these, but indeed we’ve never actually written tasting notes. Now’s the time, before these oddities vanish completely… |
The complete series makes quite an impression
on your shelves, provided you keep it in order.
tWorld Wine Whisky) |
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Macallan ‘Travellers Edition - Fifties' (40%, OB, sherry cask, 50cl, +/-2001)
This quirky little bottle was intended to replicate the style of 1950s Macallan. The issue, of course, was that back then, the 1950s Macallans – like the 1957 we tasted yesterday – were still relatively easy to find and taste, so direct comparison was perfectly possible. Let’s do it again then… Colour: amber. Nose: well, this has come along nicely, certainly light, but showing charming notes of sweet wine, almond croissants, floral nectar, acacia blossom, pistachio syrup… Oh yes, not bad at all, whereas we found it a bit feeble back in the day. Mouth: this has aged well, though sadly the low strength has rendered it quite diaphanous and rather a little frustrating. Mint and barley syrup, herbal teas, walnuts, a touch of light honey… The profile itself has become awesome. Finish: short, fading, but still on lovely dried fruits such as figs. Comments: for the record, the Fifties was my favourite of the four (twenties, thirties, forties, fifties) back then. In any case, this has aged very gracefully and it’s always a joy to revisit the old-school Macallan style.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
Well done, that '50s bottling was by no means out of place after the 1957 we tried yesterday. Now, shall we move on to the '40s? |
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Macallan ‘Travellers Edition - Forties' (40%, OB, sherry cask, 50cl, +/-2001)
The 1940s were said to be smokier, notably because fuel was in high demand for other purposes, which supposedly led to a return to peat in distilleries. Or so whisky mythology has it. Colour: amber. Nose: definitely drier, much less on dried fruits, more herbal, with notes of hay and cut grass, some nuts, though we’re not really finding any of that ‘peat’ character you sometimes get in immediate post-war Macallans. Still, there’s a lovely beeswax note. Mouth: I’m 100% certain there’s been some positive OBE. It’s certainly dry and fragile, even slightly cardboardy, but we’re far from the near disaster we noted back in the day. Chamomile tea, cake crumbs, and some rather pretty wax. Finish: short, dry. Banana skin, then a touch of ash. Comments: it whispers, it’s fragile, but it’s unquestionably very good.
SGP:341 - 86 points. |
Note that the very first bottles in this series came with twist caps (we had a set), which were quickly replaced with cork stoppers. |
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Macallan ‘Travellers Edition - Thirties' (40%, OB, sherry cask, 50cl, +/-2001)
We’ve little direct experience with 1930s Macallans, though the 1938 ‘red ribbon’ remains etched in our memory – we consumed quite a few glasses back when it was still sold at prices that now seem laughable. Colour: amber. Nose: more austere, with wax and ashes, manzanilla, amaretti, then earth and mushrooms. Honestly, this one too feels vastly better than it did 25 years ago. Good grief, 25 years! Mouth: a true ode to bottle ageing, perhaps even more pronounced in a 50cl bottle. Saline touches, parsley, marrow, walnuts, raisins, tobacco, honey… Finish: short but elegant, on walnuts and dried fruits. Comments: so much better than at the time of its release, I swear!
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
All this points to the need for a dynamic approach to managing our stock of spirits, perhaps newcomers should really be buying today for the future, starting by building up their working stock with old bottles bought at auction. Who knows, maybe yesterday’s rather a little lacklustre Macallan ‘Terra’ will have become superb in 25 years’ time!? |
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Macallan ‘Travellers Edition - Twenties' (40%, OB, sherry cask, 50cl, +/-2001)
Now this one, sorry, I’ve zero experience with the 20s, aside from the 1928 and the vatted version with the 1926 (50 yo Anniversary). But I wouldn’t know how to extract or describe a specific style, and I freely admit I’m a little ashamed of that now… Just kidding. Colour: amber. Nose: not very different from the Thirties, just rounder and more on dried fruits, leaning slightly towards the Fifties. Still, you see, it’s very charming, especially as hints of mint and camphor start to emerge. Mouth: this has become really good, on liquorice and dried fruits. I’ll keep it brief. It’s just those darn low strengths that hold it back a little – a shame, they really should have gone for 45/46% vol. Finish: short but lovely. Marrons glacés, heather honey, raisins, and even a clear saline touch in the aftertaste. Not so short after all. Comments: it seems increasingly clear to me that the whole series has benefited hugely from 25 years in bottle. For my part, I won’t swear my tastes haven’t changed since Y2K – but not that much, honestly.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
Im sorry, I can’t quite remember who the Master Blender at Macallan was around the year 2000, but in any case, hats off to them. Belatedly…
Right then, we’ve still got two or three recent indie bottlings to taste… |
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Macallan 32 yo 1991/2023 (46.8%, William’s Choice, DH Global Wine, 1st fill PX sherry, cask #8184)
An old Macallan for Asia, where, incidentally, all these aged Macallans seem to end up nowadays. Our friends have good taste, that much is clear… Colour: dark reddish amber. Nose: we’re stepping into another dimension, loaded with prunes but also rosewood, patchouli, blackberry jam, vintage wax polish, then resins and old herbal liqueurs, with a faint tarry touch. Quite beautiful. Mouth: truly singular, on sour cherry liqueur, hints of Swiss cheese, caraway, and old red Burgundy… The palate is frankly unusual, with some molecular transmogrification either underway or already complete. One might almost say it has some splendid flaws, if you see what I mean. Finish: medium in length, ‘in mutation’, with waxed cardboard and a return of the sour cherries. Big bitterness in the aftertaste. Comments: let’s say this is for the Macallan lover who’s already had it all. The palate is genuinely loco, but of course we like that – since the only thing that truly frightens us is boredom. Right.
SGP:362 - 87 points. |
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Macallan 31 yo 1991/2023 (54.1%, William’s Choice, DH Global Wine, sherry hogshead, cask #2593)
Colour: amber. Nose: we’re back to something a bit ‘loco’, even on the nose, though this time it’s all mosses and resins, wild mushrooms, humus, ferns, pine needles – a glorious stroll through the forest, with woodpeckers and cuckoos overhead. With water: green Chartreuse and Velay verbena, proper old collector’s bottles if you please. Mouth (neat): beautiful, earthy and resinous, with lemon and essential oils, then pine sap, propolis, salty liquorice… Massive tannins, but that’s part of its charm. With water: some tiny tarry and even petroly notes emerge. Finish: long and deeply resinous and tannic. Comments: frankly, this is a bit bonkers, but for long walks in the woods, it’s the ideal dram for your hipflask. Personally, I love anything resinous, even when it’s as unorthodox as this.
SGP:371 - 89 points. |
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Macallan 26 yo 1993/2020 (56.4%, Douglas Laing, Xtra Old Particular, The Black Series, Exclusive for DH Global Wine, refill sherry butt, cask #DL13661, 244 bottles)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: it opens with blasts of leeks and truffle, moves on to Jamaican rum (indeed), lands briefly on orange-flavoured yoghurt, continues through furniture polish and shoe cream, and finishes on a lit Cuban cigar in an ashtray. This one’s clearly ‘special’ too. With water: charred woods and a few Brussels sprout notes before bitter oranges come in to restore order. Mouth (neat): slightly burnt pecan pie, gunpowder, roasted artichokes and aubergines, and bitter oranges dusted with pepper and ash. With water: caramelised citrus zest, a touch of yeast, various peppers. Finish: fairly long, with a few notes of both game birds and furred game. Comments: yet again, very unusual and, shall we say, ‘creative’. All these early 1990s indie Macallans really are… loco. The vast majority veer a little ‘off-piste’, but the attentive taster will greatly appreciate these highly ‘different’ and even rather stimulating offerings. Right.
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
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March 27, 2025 |
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Happy International Whisk(e)y Day!
Today is International Whisky Day, the original international day of whisky that started right here on Whiskyfun in 2008, following the suggestion of the famous Dutch whisky writer Hans Offringa, who was the first to come up with the idea. Each year, International Whisky Day pays tribute, on his birthday, to the great whisky writer Michael Jackson, who sadly passed away in 2007. |
Michael Jackson was a staunch supporter of Macallan, among other distilleries. It's true that the pinnacle of his extraordinary career coincided with the availability on the market of some sublime Macallan expressions, from the 18-year-olds (up to the 1980 vintage) or the 30-year-olds, not to mention the older 15-year vintage editions, which could still be found relatively easily at the time of his earlier Malt Whisky Companion guidebooks.
So, we’ll finish today’s tasting with one of those legendary Macallans, a 1957 imported to Italy by Rinaldi which, alas, we don’t have formally tasted yet, just imagine the scandal. |
Some Macallan for Michael Jackson |
We're also going to take this opportunity to bring out a few other old Macallans that we've never formally tasted, including some bottles from which we decanted parts into smaller bottles quite a few years ago. Here's hoping they've held up…(please note that this session will have two parts.) |
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Macallan ‘Terra’ (43.8%, OB, Quest Collection, travel retail, 1st fill American and European oak sherry casks, +/-2024)
An expression that’s been around for quite some time, sadly far too pricey for a mere NAS (250€) Colour: deep gold. Nose: roasted peanuts and a slight metallic and leathery touch, then a few raisins, some sherry, followed by a rather charming smoky, waxy and ashy combo. A hint of burnt wood in the background. Mouth: dry and rather oaky, fairly herbal, with some pepper and more and more sherry influence, but also this unmistakable ‘finishing’ feel, not entirely well-integrated, even if it remains fairly pleasant. Roasted nuts, toffee, oak, ginger. A touch of tension. Finish: rather short, more burnt and caramelised, with a bitter and sour edge. Oak coming through in the aftertaste. Comments: for me the oak and its spices are a little too forward, along with that slightly jarring ‘finishing’ character. I’ve not had much luck with the ‘Quest’ range.
SGP:361 - 81 points. |
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Macallan 'A Night on Earth in Jerez de la Frontera' (43%, OB, 2024)
Another simple NAS, though half the price, drawn from the usual ‘sherry seasoned’ casks. This one celebrated New Year’s Eve and paid tribute to Jerez – one might say, about time too (just joking). That said, we had rather enjoyed the 'A Night on Earth in Scotland' from 2022 (WF 85) Colour: gold. Nose: a nose I find more appealing than that of the Terra, with more fruitiness, dry fruit jams, and altogether a more classical Macallan profile. The whole feels more coherent and better married, if you like. Raisins, figs, marzipan… Nothing earth-shattering, but quite pleasant. Mouth: less convincing on the palate, with jellybeans and slightly sugary fruit preserves which, truth be told, don’t exactly scream ‘Jerez’. Fruit pastes from the supermarket, with a few supermarket sultanas thrown in. Finish: medium in length, still a little syrupy. Comments: the nose was somewhat misleading, as I find the palate rather a little flabby and not terribly engaging.
SGP:541 - 79 points. |
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Speyside (M) 13 yo 2011/2024 ‘Edition #29’ (57.1, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof, 1st fill oloroso butt)
Truly a lovely move with this series priced at €70. What, have we said that already? Colour: amber. Nose: back in the day, as the saying goes. Very charming combination, slightly floral at first (dandelions), then moving to accords of jams (mirabelle, quince, apricot) with roasted hazelnuts and almonds, all followed by a coffee and chocolate duet. With water: very lightly smoky, slightly burnt cake, toffee, and a few touches of fern. Mouth (neat): prune and Armagnac to start, then back to the same jams and dried fruits, laced with some lovely pepper. The whole leans slightly sweet, as if there were a touch of moscatel – though there isn’t. With water: not much change, save for some orange marmalade joining in. Finish: long, with clove and cinnamon making an appearance. Comments: impeccable. Deranged minds might consider keeping, once empty, any pricey official crystal decanter just to refill it with this kind of very lovely juice. Philistines! Pithecanthropuses! Squawking popinjays! Vegetarians! (all copyright captain Haddock).
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
Here's an important question: are the different batches really that different? The answer, coming up… |
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Speyside (M) 13 yo 2011/2024 ‘Edition #25’ (57.1, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof, 1st fill and refill oloroso butt)
Colour: amber. Nose: ah yes, this one’s different, a little less rounded, slightly earthier, with a touch of gunpowder this time, notes of cured ham, and a faint metallic edge… But the trouble is, I rather like both. Mouth: they’re closer on the palate, though this one leans more towards candied oranges and, once again, a whiff of smoked ham. Excellent in either case. Finish: a bit more coffee and black pepper. Comments: best to stop here, because with this sort of side-by-side exercise, one can easily end up knocking back 25cl of each just to chase down the nuances, only to finish utterly lost. Speaking from experience, of course.
SGP:651 – 87 points. |
But do these batches evoke the ‘Old Macallan’ style? Only one way to find out: look for an older expression, one that could be close, and for which we haven’t yet written an official tasting note. Sound like a plan? |
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Macallan 10 yo ‘Cask Strength’ (58.8%, OB, +/-1999)
Not to be confused with the official 10 yo ‘100 Proof’ at 57%. Colour: amber with copper tones. Nose: no, this is quite different, far more on roasted nuts and fruitcake, mocha, roasted sesame oil, even beeswax and dried beef. Then it shifts gradually towards furniture polish. Overall, it’s distinctly drier. With water: this official version gains a slight edge, thanks to a little more beeswax and some soft oils (sunflower). Mouth (neat): the gap narrows on the palate, with the differences becoming more subtle. We’re on spicy dried fruits and Armagnac-soaked prunes once more. One is reminded of Austrian ‘Rumba Pfaumle’, which, long story short, translates, for the record, as ‘chocolate-dipped dried plums with domestic rum’. And in Austria, domestic rum is quite something, but I digress… With water: this time we’re nearly identical, this one just being a tad more polished, more harmonious. Dates and figs, with a signature note of copper coin. Finish: lovely length, loads of dried fruits, and a burst of honey arriving late. Comments: a touch of positive OBE here. That said, I see these bottles now sell for over €2,000. Ahem…
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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Macallan 24 yo 1998/2023 ‘Speymalt’ (54.1%, Gordon & MacPhail, for LMDW Singapore 18th Anniversary, 1st fill sherry, cask #21603904, 326 bottles)
There had already been at least one Speymalt 1998, but that one had felt a bit underwhelming to our taste (WF 79). To be fair, it had been bottled at 43% back in 2007, so at a rather young age. Colour: gold. Nose: well then, ripe bananas, rum and honey – we’re in. And then comes eucalyptus and lemon verbena, laid over some sumptuous roasted figs, grand-restaurant style. The G&M style, always somewhat distinct from the OBs and often a little more complex and less overtly oaky, is clearly in play here. With water: waxes and hand creams, moisturiser, pollen, ripe apples… We’re loving all of this. Mouth (neat): thank you for proving me wrong, this is now woodier than the OBs, though more in the direction of infusions and herbal teas, all steeped in honey. Plenty of very ripe fruits rather than dried or as jams, particularly apricots. With water: stop right there, it’s perfect – no need for more. The medicinal side is absolutely lovely, especially the camphor and mint notes. Finish: not overly long but balanced and elegant, with beeswax captaining the ship. Comments: truth be told, we were expecting this. Bottles like this should not be placed next to current official NAS releases – that would be tactless.
SGP:551 - 90 points. |
Right then, I suggest we finish with the 1957 for Michael Jackson, as we’d promised. Then tomorrow, we’ll have some other fun Macallans. |
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Macallan 1957 (80°proof, OB, Campbell, Hope & King, Rinaldi Italy, sherry wood, +/-1972)
A Macallan of course under the name of Roderick Kemp. The 15 years of age are noted on the cardboard box. These vintages are considered among the most legendary, with Campbell, Hope & King of Elgin – CH&K – having handled the bottling, alongside G&M, of the 'official' Macallans, as the distillery did not bottle its own pure malts at the time. The reputation of these releases is rather colossal, while among the vintages we’ve formally tasted, most have come from the years 1940 to 1962, with a justified skip between 1940 and 1946. Yet this 1957 had never ‘officially’ crossed our path… Colour: amber. Nose: what can I tell you? Perhaps that even a complete dictionary of whisky aromas wouldn’t quite suffice. Up front, everything that comes from a beehive – honey, wax, pollen, propolis, fir wood… Then heaps of dried yellow fruits – apples, raisins, figs, pears, bananas… Then forgotten varnishes, leathers, waxes and embrocations, aromas you’d find in the dusty stacks of an 18th-century library. And to top it all off, those familiar notes of ‘vintage car’ from similar eras. Let’s say an old Jag from the 50s or 60s – how does that sound? And what brilliance to bottle this at 80°proof, roughly 46% vol. Okay, 45.85. Mouth: immense, one of the GOATs of malt whisky, now melted into a kind of coffee and liquorice cake, yet with many distinct components still shimmering through – the honeys, the figs, a whisper of tar, the malt of course, sultanas, walnuts and pecans, and of course the queens of old-school sherry: the figs. Not forgetting the cognac and the mosto/paxarette, whose roles have always been debated quietly when no one else was listening. Ssh… Let’s not overlook the pipe tobacco and bouillons either, two pillars of this now sadly fading style. Have you rung the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade yet? Finish: sublime. Nothing more to say. Comments: shh… Let’s just say it settles just below the 1954 CH&K, my personal benchmark.
SGP:652 - 95 points. |
Bear in mind, these old bottles have each evolved in their own way—unless they’ve been kept sealed, together in their original case. So they’ve all become slightly different over time, which is absolutely delightful, naturally. |
In any case, tomorrow we’ll have some crazy indie Macallans, released under the distillery’s proper name, along with an old official series for which, sadly, we’ve never written proper tasting notes on this modest little website. So, have a great day or evening, and see you tomorrow for more Macallan adventures… |
(Thank you Thierry and Salvatore) |
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