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October 8, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today indie Cardhu
We were mainly keen to revisit a Cardhu from Cadenhead’s that we gave a really poor rating to about… fifteen years ago. Independently bottled Cardhus are rare enough to warrant this sort of attempt at rehabilitation (right). But first, a more recent expression, also independently bottled. |
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Cardhu 10 yo 2013/2023 (48.4%, Douglas Laing, Old Particular, refill hogshead, cask #DL18175, 367 bottles) 
Frankly, this wee taster doesn’t quite know what to expect here, but let’s trust that if DL deemed it worthy of single cask status, they must have had a good reason, so let’s see... Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: if you’re partial to Williams pear eau-de-vie, this one’s squarely for you. And thus, very much for me too, as I’m awfully fond of Williams pear. Beyond that, we find a little custard, vanilla fudge, and sugarcane syrup. Mouth: it’s a touch firmer on the palate, more tutti-frutti as it were, but also sweeter, evoking candied apples and those Haribo jellybeans we do mention from time to time. Other than that, the cask appears to have been even lazier than Gontcharov’s Oblomov. Finish: medium in length, very clean, with malt, apple and lemon all making a fine return. Comments: we’re really quite close to certain Glenfiddichs here. Very pretty stuff, though one has to be comfortable with this rather ‘immature’ style. As for me, I’m quite taken.
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
And so, this infamous Cadenhead that deserves a second chance... |
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Cardhu (Cardow) 13 yo 1987/2000 (56.9%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogshead, 312 bottles)
With a bit more bottle ageing than the last time... Colour: straw. Nose: well now, we’re back in the nudist territory of that DL style, all apple and pear spirit, though this one’s rather more on the herbal side, with amusing whiffs of gherkin and even curly kale, plus some flint and freshly broken stones. With water: the stones come to the fore, the rest retreating politely. Mouth (neat): blimey, this has blossomed into something lovely, extremely lively and taut, very sharp, bursting with green apples and a few bitter oranges and lemons, then some rather under-ripe berries. With water: excellent! A veritable ode to bottle ageing. Limoncello, orange juice, green apple liqueur, fir honey, chalk. Finish: similar, though a notch more herbal. Hints of absinthe and green pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: well, there we are then!
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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October 7, 2025 |
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Three Glenlivet plus two, including a prestigious last-minute guest
Three independents from Signatory and one official bottling, does that sound good to you? And how about we finish off with the oldest single malt in the world? |
Paul Nash, Battle of Britain, 1941, oil paint on
canvas (IWM Non-Commercial Licence) |
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Speyside (GL) 16 yo ‘Edition 7’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof, 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Hogshead, 2024) 
Nothing proves it’s Glenlivet but it’s hard to imagine what else it could be. Colour: amber. Nose: a proper old-school sherry, all about walnut cake and bone-dry raisins, with a lovely spoonful of orange marmalade thrown in for good measure. With water: faint touches of damp forest floor and a dab of menthol. Mouth (neat): rather more assertive and self-assured than the nose would suggest, though it does lean on the rustic side. Marmalade, chocolate and toffee jostling for attention. With water: here come hints of ginger, along with a creamy swirl of pistachio and almond custard. Finish: fairly long, staying its course without major deviation. Still some ginger, now with a good crack of black pepper. Comments: very good, though it does have a somewhat unrefined edge. Ideal for the chrome hipflask emblazoned with the Confederate flag and the Harley-Davidson logo.
SGP:451 - 83 points. |
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Speyside (GL) 16 yo ‘Edition 8’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof, 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Hogshead, 2025)
Colour: amber. Nose: this one feels tighter, more chocolatey yet also more refined, with a noticeably richer Armagnac-soaked prune character. We’re preferring this so far. With water: it aligns with the previous in overall style, just with a slightly greener, more herbaceous touch. Mouth (neat): clearly our favourite, there’s more wattage, more verve, a lovely burst of pink pepper, oranges, toasted almonds… With water: no question, this one pulls ahead of Edition 7, more citrus-led with a good crackle of pepper and even a faint earthy rootiness coming through. Finish: long, lifted by zest and elegantly bitter peppers. Comments: it still carries a rustic edge, mind you, but more the kind of rustic you’d find in a stainless-steel hipflask from the MoMA design shop.
SGP:461 - 86 points. |
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Glenlivet 28 yo 1976/2005 (57.5%, Signatory Vintage, Cask Strength Collection, refill but, cask #4310, 384 bottles) 
We’ll admit it, we weren’t especially taken with these Glenlivet batches back in the day, but a bit of time in bottle can work wonders. Mind you, we had been far more impressed by other Glenlivet casks from S.V. Colour: white wine. Nose: the butt was clearly on the shy side, here we’re leaning more towards cider apples and gooseberries, with a little porridge and honeyed oat gruel in the background. This isn’t hard rock, nor is it free jazz. With water: it stays soft and simple, bringing to mind tinned greengages. Mouth (neat): very lively, all on green apples and green pepper. Quite the surprise. With water: a touch of almond milk appears, but it remains surprisingly narrow and perhaps not immensely inspired. Finish: same story, just a bit of lemon and green apple stepping in to save the day. Comments: let’s not go overboard, it’s still really good, but believe it or not, we find the recent ‘100 Proof’ editions superior.
SGP:461 - 82 points. |
Let’s move on to the official bottling, after a long break due to the drop in bottling strength, not always the easiest to manage in a lineup... |
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Glenlivet 25 yo (43%, OB, The Sample Room Collection, PX & cognac, +/-2023) 
A finish in first-fill Pedro Ximénez Sherry and ex-Cognac casks made from oak from the Tronçais forest, top-notch wood! Colour: deep gold. Nose: it’s really all on patchouli and dried figs at first, then moves swiftly into plum tart dusted with cinnamon, followed by chestnut honey subtly laced with black pepper. I must say I’m rather fond of this nose, PX and Cognac or not. A beautifully crafted aromatic profile, very classy indeed. Mouth: same impression, this is very well put together, elegant and reasonably full of flavours of cake, honey and soft spices, with cinnamon leading the pack. Lovely touches of marzipan-stuffed dates and then vine peach jam, which may well be the Cognac speaking. Finish: not hugely long at this strength, but still balanced, drifting more towards chocolate filled with raisins. Comments: I really like this very elegant, gentle and flavourful Glenlivet, certainly more so than the old 25 ‘XXV’ from a good ten years ago.
SGP:541 - 88 points. |
A last-minute addition: the new oldest single malt in the world, and therefore, inevitably, the oldest Glenlivet. This new baby – though it's becoming rather difficult to call this sort of malt a 'baby' – has knocked last year’s 84-year-old Macallan off the top spot as the oldest single malt ever bottled. For the record, we never got to taste the latter. Letting people taste something like this is clearly a bold move, especially when it's being served to commentators who likely won’t be buying it, and who therefore won’t be going through the usual mental and/or vocal process of justifying their purchase decision. Perhaps it’s this kind of attitude that sets the braver houses apart from the less daring ones, or from those with less confidence in their products, or who prefer to put all their energy and budget into pedestalising said products. You know, the way many used to do back in 2015... Anyway, enough rambling. Hats off and thanks to G&M for letting us taste their most extraordinary whiskies, truly a class act... |
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Glenlivet 85 yo 1940/2025 'Artistry in Oak' (43.7%, Gordon & MacPhail, first fill American oak transport sherry butt, cask #336, 125 bottles) 
This butt was part of a small batch of former transport casks that made several trips back and forth between Jerez and Bristol before being decommissioned and falling into the hands of Gordon & MacPhail, who had them filled at the Glenlivet distillery in early February 1940, just five months after the start of WWII for the United Kingdom (and France). Some of these casks have already been bottled, notably at 70 years of age (WF 91) and 80 years (WF 93). There could be two or three left following this brand-new 85-year-old, and my own little theory is that we might eventually see a 90-year-old, maybe even a 95, and who knows, perhaps a 100. Or perhaps not... I do hope to be around to taste that potential 100-year-old, is it possible to sign up already? Now, the usual doomsayers will claim that at such an age, whisky has long since passed its prime. In my experience, that’s often true – but not with Gordon & MacPhail. Proof? If proof were needed, we actually preferred the 80-year-old to the 70. Naturally, the casks are carefully monitored, and in any case, any malt becoming too fragile or overly tannic would be cast aside without hesitation for a release of this stature. So, shall we taste?
< (I suppose the bottle and its container can then be used as the Olympic torch for Los Angeles 2028) |
Colour: deep gold. This relatively light hue is already, in itself, an excellent sign. Nose: the first clue arrives instantly, this cask housed several generations of sherry and has evidently rid itself, at least in part, of its most assertive tannins. The result is immediate notes of sweet almonds and fresh oil paint of great beauty. Think ex-Matisse studio, or better still, Paul Nash – the vintage fits. Then come marmalades and even fresh oranges, leading us to where all great aged spirits eventually converge: dried apricots, peaches in syrup, and old Sauternes, the whole accentuated by just a discreet flick of crème de menthe and fir bud liqueur. From the Vosges, naturally. And a whisper of liquorice. The freshness is astonishing, it’s almost a sprightly 85-year-old gentleman, the Harrison Ford of single malt. In truth, this nose is superb regardless of age; after all, 'age is just a number', isn’t it? |
Cask #336. You can clearly read the
marque 'Bertola Xeres', which you can
still find today at Diez-Mérito. |
Mouth: once again, the freshness is remarkable. You do feel the age, please don’t put words in my mouth, age absolutely matters here. It’s just that there’s no fatigue, no weariness, no drying out, as is sometimes the case. Time, indeed, but without the ravages. Apple tart, candied oranges, reduced-sugar marmalade (really), a touch of English pipe tobacco, quince liqueur, pollen and honey, again that trace of fir liqueur, and even, would you believe, some perfectly ripe fresh cherries. That’s perhaps the most surprising and frankly extraordinary part. Finish: rather long, and now even more complex, with the emergence of various teas and herbal infusions, which might be responsible for the very faintest hint of tannin that, however, never becomes drying, not even in the slightest. And just the tiniest touches of cocoa and thyme in the aftertaste. Comments: to be honest, one almost doesn’t feel like assigning a score to this genuine work of art, but then again, that’s what we do. Still, we shall allow ourselves to include a very modest emotional factor in this final tally.
SGP:561 - 95 points. |
At this rate, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that a 100-year-old — and I swear this is pure speculation on my part, because I haven’t the slightest hint of any information about the possibility of a 100-year-old in 2040 — might well score 100 points. At that point, we could shut down Whiskyfun for good… assuming that miserable little website is still around by then. After all, the Malt Maniacs' motto was, quite fittingly, ‘Quaestio Aqua Vitae Perfectum Per Ardua Ad Nauseam’. |
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October 6, 2025 |
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Thirteen Craigellachie, backwards |
What I mean by that is that we’ll start by tasting a very old official bottling that’s relatively recent, then we’ll add a few indies that are noticeably younger and should be inevitably, or not, more lively and spirited. Well, we’ll see...
Craigellachie + AI |
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Craigellachie 37 yo (46.75%, OB, Small Batch, 3,012 bottles, 2022)
Very amusing, the tasting notes on the label start with 'tarte tatin' and 'crème anglaise', but fear not, the remainder is in English. Mind you, we suspect this is going to be very good... Colour: straw, so a surprisingly pale hue. Nose: superb right from the off, no doubt thanks to a cask that’s kept itself to itself all these years. It's chiefly floral, led by blooming honeysuckle in full swing, then come little pink plums and absolutely glorious honeyed touches. Immense elegance, all the more so as arrive dainty notes of ancient apricots from the South Tyrol, in the style of Master Vittorio Gianni Capovilla. I’m barely exaggerating. Splendid almonds too. Wow. Mouth: superlative, lifted, not tired in the slightest, the very model of great distillate aged long and slow in a cask that’s really done nothing but hold it. Gorgeous orchard fruits, still plenty of flowers, and honey from meadows across several continents, as well as, since we must, a wee slice of tarte tatin. As for the crème anglaise, we’re still looking... Finish: probably not very long, but the arrival of small citrus notes ensures this whole lovely construction stays firmly on track. In the aftertaste, a touch of vanilla rice pudding. There you are. Comments: sheer beauty, a tribute to the 'slow whiskies'. No rush!
SGP:651 - 92 points. |
A short break before the indies, which are inevitably a bit disadvantaged after that real gem... … … … Right then, let’s go, and at random. |
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Craigellachie-Glenlivet 18 yo 2006/2025 (46%, Cadenhead, Original Collection, refill oloroso hogsheads)
Colour: gold. Nose: we had a bit of a struggle with a Port-matured version two or three years back, but this one seems rather charming, much more traditional, reasonably firm and textured on the nose before branching off into bitter orange, proper marmalade, and fir tree honey with the faintest mentholated breeze. A few currants and a whisper of soap, though nothing remotely troublesome. Then a hint of pumpernickel and battelman—let us call that its Germanic leanings. Mouth: cracking acidity, lemons, slightly unripe grapes, gooseberries... And considerably less sherry than expected. Lovely tension, sprightly, riding above the distillate’s rather oily backbone. Adorable. Finish: very good length, with a taut character that holds steady. Comments: an absolutely delightful wee bottle, perky and refreshing in every possible way.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
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Craigellachie 2015/2024 (48.1%, Cask Masters, 1st fill Larose-Trintaudon barrique, cask #166, 320 bottles)
Larose-Trintaudon is a vast cru bourgeois from the Médoc (over 200 hectares), working roughly half Cabernet and half Merlot. Let’s see if that shows... Colour: full gold. Nose: yes, the wine influence is evident, especially after the splendid little beasts we've just tasted. Cherries, raspberries, all resting on a fruity malt, with some blood orange notes layered over the top. Frankly, it’s not bad at all. Mouth: the wine influence is quite pronounced here, no doubt we’re well within winesky territory, but again, it’s not unpleasant. A light touch of strawberry jam, atop some cherry-flavoured Belgian beer (Kriek). Finish: medium in length, carrying the same notes through. Comments: like a tune one doesn’t care for much, but played very well indeed. In other words, those who enjoy red wine-finished malt—and I gather there are more of them each day—should like this more than I do. I'll add that we've also just sampled some other excellent malts from this distinguished company at the Whisky Show in London. A bit more crowd-pleasing...
SGP:641 - 83 points. |
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Craigellachie 11 yo 2012/2023 (52.9%, Tri Carragh, palo cortado barrique, 298 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: palo cortado works a treat, and here’s yet another fine example, with a taut and lively Craigellachie, very malty, textured on the nose, almost waxy, and packed with lemon marmalade and damp earth. With water: out comes the paraffin, and even more moist earth. Mouth (neat): excellent! Fat, oily, dry, showing green walnut, pink grapefruit and bitter orange. With water: touches of honey rounding things out, though kept in check. Some lovely pepper building in... Finish: and here comes more pepper, top-grade stuff, along with some ale. Andalusian ale, naturally. Comments: Cadenhead-level quality, so excellent. In my humble opinion, as ever...
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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Craigellachie 15 yo 2009/2024 (54.2%, Whisky Age, ex-Caol Ila hogshead, cask #305228, 283 bottles)
Right, we’re not the world’s biggest fans of in-cask blending in general, but we do adore Caol Ila, so perhaps... Colour: white wine. Nose: now, this is a lovely blen... single malt, with the distinct impact of both components, though let’s say they’re dancing the tango with grace. It seems the fattiness of Craigellachie marries well with the fresh peat from Caol Ila. With water: no idea what proportion of CI is in there, perhaps 10%? But as usual, the peated malt takes the upper hand. Mouth (neat): let’s call it peated pear. The Islay influence is even stronger here than on the nose. We like it. With water: it becomes very peaty, slightly reminiscent of, say, peated Benriach. Apple and ashes. Finish: same story. Comments: a very lovely blende... single malt, fresh, though quite disorienting if you’re looking for clear markers. Luckily our friends announce the manoeuvre on the label!
SGP:564 - 84 points. |
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Craigellachie 13 yo 2009/2023 (51.5%, DramCatcher, hogshead, cask #5005)
Colour: straw. Nose: I think we may have overlooked Craigellachie’s distillate all these years—it’s really quite beautiful, always oily, always highly textured on the nose (yes, that is possible). Aromatically it leans towards barley and apple. No issues whatsoever, quite the opposite. With water: same again, one might say it’s like a great beer, just distilled. Not BrewDog... Mouth (neat): very straightforward, still oily, malty, with orchard fruits and a touch of sourdough. It’s certainly more textured than its more famous neighbour. With water: it shifts toward more softness, but the profile stays firmly in place. Finish: long, still oily, though gentler, and almost a little sweet. Comments: all natural, very lovely, very simple, very very good.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Craigellachie 16 yo 2009/2025 (55.2%, Signatory Vintage, Cask Strength Collection, 1st fill Madeira hogshead finish, cask #205, 303 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: the very faint mustardy touch from the Madeira adds nicely to the distillate’s fattiness, with an increasingly earthy edge that’s also typical of Craigellachie. Notes of metal polish and dried flowers in the potpourri vein. With water: damp floors after the first rain, a flower vase, and an old teapot. Really! Mouth (neat): far more individuality than on the nose, with devilled sauce, kumquats (yes), and paprika... With water: quite the oddball, and it’s one that opens your chakras. Rock sugar, fat, goulash, pepper, honey... Finish: same again, and it goes on. Comments: there’s absolutely nothing routine about this wee thing, and that’s precisely its strength.
SGP:562 - 86 points. |
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Craigellachie 12 yo 2013/2025 (60.5%, Lady of the Glen, refill oloroso butt + oloroso finish, cask #300805, 332 bottles)
I’ve just noticed the distinguished owners are calling this a ‘Scottish’ whisky rather than a ‘Scotch’ whisky. I know, a rather pointless observation... Colour: amber. Nose: double oloroso, no less! So here we have more walnut cake and a healthy dose of Nescafé. Behind that, nargileh tobacco and fresh leather—think a stopover in Turkey during a Mediterranean cruise. Yup. With water: out comes the damp earth, yet again. Mouth (neat): it’s very creamy, it’s very rich, it’s very good, and it’s already deep into Christmas spices, along with a hefty pour of honey. For once, we’re early... With water: now it’s excellent, rich, jammy, thick, with bags of candied fruits and just the lightest touches of cedarwood and fir. Finish: same again, but with a lovely reappearance of citrus, which is fantastic. Comments: rather brilliant, this double oloroso.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Craigellachie 16 yo 2008/2024 (66.7%, Milroy's Vintage Sherry Reserve, second-fill sherry butt, cask #80900934)
Right then, did you catch the ABV? Another attempted assassination of a poor whisky blogger, it’s going to cost them dearly. We’ll be alerting Interpol forthwith. And possibly Mossad and the FSB. Unless... Colour: deep amber. Nose: probably thanks to the strength, we’re more in young bourbon territory. No complaints there, though there’s quite a bit of pencil shavings and corn syrup for now. The only cure, with water: an onslaught of chocolate in every form imaginable. Mouth (neat): seems excellent. The key word being ‘seems’. Pepper, candied oranges, pepper, candied oranges, pepper... right, we’re going in circles. So, with water: civilisation at last. In fact, it’s excellent, rich and oily once again, but with a kind of lift brought in by notes of oranges and all manner of citruses. That said, we’re still hovering close to the idea of a very, very high-quality young bourbon. So much for ‘sherry’. Finish: same vibe, a tart of fig, orange and caramel. Or something along those lines. More black pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: a bit of a mad thing, honestly. But then, we’re a bit mad ourselves, aren’t we.
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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Craigellachie 20 yo 2005/2025 (58.3%, Decadent Drams, Decadent Drinks, refill hogshead + 1st fill sherry, 251 bottles)
A toolbox on the label, that rather sets the tone, doesn’t it. Colour: deep gold. Nose: fairly elegant, still oily on the nose, but showing a touch of austerity. Scones, crème de menthe, beeswax, a fresh pack of Camels, and indeed a trace of engine oil. With water: more earth and potting soil coming through. Mouth (neat): not far at all from that excellent Milroy’s, just a tad spicier, but ultimately less extreme. With water: rather high-end, jammy, and full-on with Christmas spices. Yes, we're early, but that’s entirely Decadent Drinks’ fault. We'll punish them accordingly as soon as the opportunity arises. Finish: long, rather rich and spicy. Very peppery fruitcake. Comments: top-tier stuff once again from DD. It’s just that we didn’t find any proper toolbox notes, despite our best efforts...
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
Perhaps just one last one, as we’re already at 10 Craigellachiesand we mustn’t go overboard... |
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Craigellachie 16 yo 2008/2024 (59.9%, Alambic Classique, Special Vintage Selection, sherry cask, cask #24021, 192 bottles)
To be perfectly honest, one never really knows what things like ‘Special Vintage Selection’ are meant to signify, but it’s part of the game and rather charming. So here is our ultra-exquisitely selected tasting note for this one. Colour: gold. Nose: oh, this is lovely, the sherry cask was lovely, and the lovely fat and oily Craigellachie distillate is shining through beautifully. Lovely breads, brioches, panettones, sesame oil, sunflower oil, peanut butter and damp earth. Splendid. With water: simply top class. Mouth (neat): bang, the citrus leaps out at you, and we’re not complaining. Everything here is spot on. With water: impressive stuff. Figs and Earl Grey. Finish: yes. Comments: to keep being honest, well, we try, the sherry played only a tiny role here, and we’re not sorry about that. The labels may look like they were designed in Quark Xpress circa 1998, but this is just a very, very excellent Craigellachie. Aus Deutschland, natürlich.
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
Craigellachie really is the best whisky in its town these days, without the slightest shadow of a doubt. Right then, see you tomorrow. Wait, wait, wait — actually, here are some more... |
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Craigellachie 16 yo 2007/2023 (53.1%, Maltbarn, bourbon cask, 333 bottles)
Always those labels we’ve loved so much. Honestly, Maltbarn/Martin ought to issue numbered posters of them and sell them at a premium, framed in brushed aluminium. We’d like number 1/10,000, please. Colour: gold. Nose: just forget it, pure Craigellachie, all on fat, banana, vanilla, apple, sunflower oil, peanut butter, stalks and salted butter caramel. With water: same again. Mouth (neat): we could simply copy and paste what we wrote about the nose, and in fact, we shall, with no regret nor shame. Pure Craigellachie, all on fat, banana, vanilla, apple, sunflower oil, peanut butter, stalks and salted butter caramel. With water: ditto. Finish: ditto. Malt. Comments: but how good is this!
SGP:551 - 89 points. |
Right, I promise you this is the last Craigellachie of the year... Unless a new super-old official bottling happens to cross our humble path before Christmas. |
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Craigellachie 10 yo 2014/2024 (58.9%, James Eadie, cask finish, refill PX hogshead finish, cask #373077, 267 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: this is more on earthiness, curiously tighter and tenser than expected for a PX finish, narrower too, though the strength is certainly up there. So let’s add some water: still earthy, perhaps also showing some eau-de-vie of small berries, even a touch of bison grass vodka—Polish, of course. By the way, those old bottles of Zúubrówka from the 1970s and 80s have become quite splendid it seems, it just took patience. Ha. Mouth (neat): straight to the point, it bursts with orange zest and pink pepper, to the point where we’re wondering where all this is coming from. With water: just simple, just lovely—provided you don’t add too much water, as it’s not the strongest swimmer. Finish: oranges, green pepper, and so on. Comments: a faint Glen Wodka vibe perhaps, but all of this is very well done, just as we expected. In fact, we love it.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
This time, we’re really stopping. See you, stay tuned. |
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October 5, 2025 |
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A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace! |
Just a few more rums
Not quite the year-end new releases yet, but they won’t be long coming!
At Burdekin in Australia (Rumporter) |
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Ron Quorhum QRM 'Sistema Solera 15' (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2025) 
The ‘30 Aniversario Solera’ had been rather underwhelming last Sunday (WF 49) but perhaps we’ll be more fortunate with this ‘15’. Just a gentle reminder that the term ‘solera’ is used exceedingly liberally in the world of rum and generally has precious little to do with the genuine soleras of Jerez, for instance. Broadly speaking, anything involving fractional or ‘perpetual’ filling of casks tends to be dubbed solera. Colour: gold. One might applaud the relatively pale hue which could suggest minimal caramel colouring. Nose: well, this isn’t bad at all, rather fresh, on sugarcane with toasted hazelnuts, honey, vanilla, banana cake... Mouth: not a tidal wave of sugar, although it is fairly sweet, edging somewhat towards the style of a certain well-known Cuban brand. Nicely balanced, toasty again, honeyed, lightly burnt. It’s genuinely not unpleasant, nor even overly light. Finish: rather short yet still balanced, with pronounced notes of sugarcane honey. Comments: a thousand times better than the ‘30’, in my humble opinion, though still not quite Foursquare or Hampden (etc.)
GP:640 - 75 points. |
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XM 12 yo 'Special' (40%, OB, Guyana, +/-2024) 
A blend of rums from DDL/El Dorado that we had already tasted some ten years ago and found decent (WF 76) if decidedly sweet. Let’s see whether this one contains a generous helping of rums ‘sweetened at birth’. Colour: deep gold. Nose: much drier than expected, more toasted, with walnut cake and even roasted pecans, dried apricots, and a very faint maritime side, blending liquorice with seaweed. And why not? Mouth: ouch; there’s almost as much sugar as in the QRM, although here it’s more counterbalanced by the roasted nuts. A little tobacco and above all some coffee liqueur. The pecan pie also makes a comeback. The texture is rather narrow, yet not weak. Finish: long, more on orange liqueur and molasses honey. Liquorice returns in the aftertaste. Comments: it’s still good, shame the sweetness is so palpable on the palate.
SGP:651 - 78 points. |
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Burdekin 'Vintage Cane Spirit' (40%, OB, Australia, +/-2025)
Straight from the foot of Mt Elliot in the Bowling Green National Park, since 2020, this very rum was made from local canes and aged in ex-PX casks. I’ve no idea whether that PX was Australian too, though it’s quite possible given several estates seem to be cultivating it locally. Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is bursting with sugarcane, brimming with freshness, not in the least masked by the PX. Lovely herbal touches (oregano, sage), with a beautiful development on citrus fruits and the faintest tarry hints that round things out most elegantly. A light curry note too, which is absolutely charming. Mouth: it’s quite remarkable how much the richness of the whole manages to offset the modest bottling strength. Orange and fig liqueur, curry, pink pepper, exotic honeys, and a little sage once again. Very, very good. Finish: granted, not the longest, but rather oily, still fresh, with that utterly adorable sweet orange curry returning in the aftertaste. Comments: a lovely surprise, truly excellent.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
So, we're going to taste the cask strength version. By the way, as the excellent Mr Singh from London told us last weekend, British Navy rums certainly included Guyanese, Barbadian or Jamaican rums – but also Australian ones. |
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Burdekin 'Coral Sea Strength' (54%, OB, Australia, 600 bottles, +/-2024)
Still from northern Queensland, made from the 2024 harvest in the ‘agricole’ style. But whoops, it’s white – I’d meant to save the white rums for later. But since we’re here... Colour: white. Nose: touches of diesel fumes and rubber right at first, then pear, sugarcane juice, coriander seeds, damp earth and, above all, masses of fresh hay. Absolute hay galore. Mouth: even better on the palate, which is often the case with whites, especially agricoles, in fairness. Notes of ultra-ripe pineapple, solvent (hurray), dill, and then a few drops of brine, the kind you get from ex-olive jars. That’s a superb marker, no question. With water: no major changes, just a little more herbal, even edging towards pickled gherkins. Finish: rather long, drifting further into salinity and pickled fruit. Comments: no reason to score it differently from the previous one, it’s superb. That said, we’re quite looking forward to the next rugby match between Australia and France...
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
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Foursquare 11 yo 2009/2022 (64.4%, The Colours of Rum, Barbados, N°9, bourbon cask, cask #22, 282 bottles)
And who’s behind again? Whiskyfun! This familiar single blend of pot still and column spent 8 years ageing under the tropics, the rest somewhere in the wilder reaches of Western Europe. Colour: gold. Nose: well of course, at this strength, and with the London Whisky Show looming where we’ll be tasting blind, we’re not about to risk singeing the old olfactory bulb. So, with water: it’s very gentle, vanilla-led, almost a little syrupy, with a touch of grassy juice adorned with honey and coconut milk. Mouth (neat): seems excellent, dominated by the ex-column side, though perhaps that’s just the near-lethal ABV talking. With water: there we are, tamed at last, and now curiously easy-going, even lightly sweet. Most likely 75 or 80% column, and very low-ester. Finish: same story, all in softness. Though we did bring it down to around 45% vol., let’s be honest. Comments: among the lighter-profile Foursquares out there. Still classy.
SGP:541 - 87 points. |
Let’s move on to some harder rock... |
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Monymusk 10 yo 2012/2013 'MDR' (57.20%, Rest & Be Thankful for South Africa, Navigate World Whisky, Jamaica, 2 hogsheads, 719 bottles)
These two hoggies were ex-Bruichladdich, would you believe, so perhaps we ought to expect a few melon notes. Which, in Monymusk, wouldn’t surprise anyone, agreed. I don't seem to remember what the MDR designation actually refers to, though frankly I’m not sure I ever did. In any case, Monymusk never ventures particularly high up the ester ladder. Colour: white wine. Nose: low ester or not, this smells exactly like a brand-new Nike trainer. A big size too. Then comes fresh putty and of course, overripe banana... With water: same notes, just a little more restrained. Mouth (neat): very tight, very saline. A mix of lemon juice and seawater, infused with pine ash and fresh rubber. Still no sign of melon anywhere. With water: the seawater takes over. And the brine. Finish: fairly long and even saltier. You’d almost expect to find a small crab floating in your glass. Comments: very good, of course.
SGP:552 - 88 points. |
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Hampden 5 yo 2019/2024 'LROK' (60.5%, Habitation Velier, ex-sherry)
Angels’ share of 34% in just 5 years, and, cough, 1,584 gr ester/hlpa. Wish me luck. Only joking – we love these extreme bottlings; that’s our masochistic side speaking. Colour: gold. Nose: three litres of oyster brine with a vanilla pod and the juice of half a lemon thrown in. In short, very delicate! Right. Perhaps the sherry is to thank for that... With water: rather odd, becomes almost gentle, on linseed oil and fresh paint. Mouth (neat): same story, less petrol-driven than expected, and more saline and citrus-led before you even add water. But it’s excellent. With water: no, still elegant and almost tame, as though the sherry had managed to subdue the little beast. Finish: long and of course, still very Hampden, though more drawing room Hampden than wild outdoor Hampden. You know what I mean... Almond syrup, orgeat and so on. Comments: maybe there was a tiny hiccup with the label as far as ester count is concerned, though I rather doubt it. In any case, it’s excellent.
SGP:552 - 89 points. |
We’re finishing with a very old Trinidadian... |
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TDL 33 yo 1991/2025 (58.4%, Decadent Drams, Trinidad, 168 bottles)
I rather think the person who designed this quite hallucinatory label ought to seek help without delay. We’re also still awaiting an apology, since having to rotate one’s MacBook to read the label online does carry a certain amount of risk, let’s be honest. And it does make you look a bit of a prat. Colour: gold. Nose: this is truly all about softness, giving the impression of nosing an old Invergordon. Almond croissants, soft honeys, custard, streusel, mirabelle jam, coconut macaroons... You get the picture. Not a trace of esters here. With water: the tiniest touches of putty. Mouth (neat): somewhere between an old Scottish grain and a bourbon, genuinely. Very surprising. Vanilla, nougat and coconut reign supreme. With water: it just gets even softer. Finish: medium in length and full of gentleness and composure. An entire biscuit tin and a few notes of English tea. Comments: utterly unexpected – you could easily slip this delightful thing into a grain whisky session (soon on WF) and it would most likely come out on top.
SGP:541 - 89 points. |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted
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October 3, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today Glenmorangie with extra-wood and wine
Simply the latest 'A Tale Of' and a refined version of last year's Decadent Drams, released under his pen name 'Westport'.
Ras-el-hanout |
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Glenmorangie ‘A Tale of Spices’ (46%, OB, 2025)
There, hang on tight, this one’s been finished in Moroccan red wine casks, plus new charred oak, plus PX, plus STR. It’s a bit like throwing Keith Jarrett, Jimmy Page, Flea and Ringo Starr together on the same stage. In short, improbable… Having said that, there are some excellent Moroccan wines, I do recommend S de Siroua, 100% syrah. Colour: gold. Nose: I must confess, it does start off a bit planky and vinous, with notes of strawberry, rose, peach, apricot, and Fanta… And perhaps, given Morocco’s involved, a hint of ras-el-hanout, that famous spice blend found in many a local dish. On the other hand, all of this merges after a few minutes and becomes much prettier, even the planky notes retreat somewhat. Phew. Mouth: same story, the arrival’s on cherry liqueur and sawdust, but it does mellow and turn more enjoyable, even though the wood remains quite assertive. Finish: long, spicy and fruity. Comments: still a touch improbable and it does feel a bit concocted, but in the end it’s genuinely good. That said, it remains quite a way off the excellent ‘A Tale of Tokyo’ from 2023 (WF 88).
SGP:661 - 81 points. |
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Westport 21 yo 2003/2024 (51.8%, Decadent Drams, 217 bottles)
Ex-refill hogshead + 1st fill oloroso sherry for two years. Colour: gold. Nose: well now, this is more Glenmo than Glenmo itself, rather fresh and verging on the ethereal, with a sherry influence that leans more towards sultanas than drier elements, along with sesame cream, orange marmalade, apricot jam, quince jelly, and the faintest hint of Turkish delight. With water: spices surge forward en masse upon dilution, dominated by cinnamon, before everything rather amusingly snaps back to the distillate like an elastic band. Mouth (neat): much more spice-led now, with ras-el-hanout making a triumphant return, plus black pepper, turmeric and ginger, quite surprising for a DD in fact, but there you have it. With water: the distillate reclaims centre stage, offering candied lemons, only for the sherry to counter with touches of mustard and green walnuts, then honey and dried figs sweep in to restore order. Finish: long, and certainly spicy by this point. Comments: this Glenmorangie rather enjoys a game of hide and seek with the taster, who ends up happily taken for a bit of a ride. Right, right...
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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October 2, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today two Fettercairns and French pink oak
Two new official Fettercairns unearthed during a hugely successful new edition of Whisky Live Paris last weekend, ahead of The Whisky Show in London and Whisky Live Hamburg — followed by a much-needed few days of hibernation. Or so we like to think… Just kidding.
Aside from that, we absolutely love what (Old) Fettercairn has become over the past few years. |
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Fettercairn 'Vanguard 1st Release' (46.3%, OB, 2025)
This small batch was first matured in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in barrels composed of staves made from American oak and heads fashioned from toasted Scottish oak. Scottish musicians Kathryn Joseph and Mogwai even composed a special piece after being exposed to the global project (check 'Lorica Pink', it’s very charming). Colour: pale gold. Nose: I wouldn’t go so far as to claim I’m detecting the Scottish oak—which I wouldn’t pretend to recognise in any case—but I do find the customary notes of exotic fruits accompanied by green spices, cardamom in particular, which may well be a gift from the wood. Light touches of confectionery as well, along with half a coconut ball and a wee spoonful of green oak honeydew. Mouth: still very much a conversation between distillate and fresh oak, with notes of green tea and orange and lemon sweets, the whole coming together rather well. The usual faintly mustardy and leathery notes we so enjoy in Fettercairn arrive next and help bind the whole together. Finish: fairly long, notably drier, with a rather green tannicity reminiscent of walnut skin. Comments: really good for a malt that leans quite heavily on its casks. Only the finish is a tad less ‘easy’.
SGP:461 - 85 points. |
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Fettercairn 29 yo 1995/2025 'Vanguard' (48.3%, OB, 99 bottles)
25 years in a refill hogshead, the remainder in French pink oak. I humbly confess to never having heard of ‘pink oak’ before, it would seem it’s not truly a distinct variety, but rather the heartwood of a French oak tree with a more ‘rosy’ hue, said to be a sign of superior wood maturation as compared with the paler white or yellow oak. so, nothing to do with American pink oak aka Quercus palustris. Colour: gold. Nose: there’s a clear lineage with the NAS, the oak’s influence being quite present, though gently so, with soft vanilla and white chocolate infused with strawberry and grated coconut. Pâtissiers sometimes use freeze-dried strawberry powder to evoke a similar effect. The firmer, slightly austere side of Fettercairn only whispers from the background, but whisper it does (spices, mustard, walnuts). The official notes spoke of strawberry aromas, which I initially thought might be a stretch, but it’s entirely true! Mouth: lively, fresh, more on blood orange on the palate, and that pink hue seems to linger in the mind’s eye... As with the NAS, the oak plays a central role, alongside those freeze-dried strawberry, cake, pistachio, citrus, and thus the wood leading the ensemble. Not a style we usually warm to, but I must admit the solo is very well performed here. Finish: medium in length, more on peach and apricot skins, with the lively tannicity one might expect and a very, very faintly mentholated, mustardy and peppery signature... Comments: it’s the aftertaste that feels most ‘Fettercairn’, which is quite unusual for malts in general. An old malt that simply does everything differently—and that, naturally, we love!
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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September 2025 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Smögen 10 yo 2014/2025 (59.1%, WDC, Sweden, 1st Fill Four Roses barrel, cask #13, 198 bottles) - WF 92
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Talisker 1957 (53.5%, Gordon & MacPhail, Natural Cask Strength, +/-1975) - WF 94
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
World Peat Highball Premix 8 yo (50%, Decadent Drams, bourbon barrel, 2025) - WF 88
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
François Voyer ‘Lot 46’ (48.3%, OB, Grande Champagne, 2025) - WF 92
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Ardara '2025 Edition' (46%, OB, Irish single malt, 2025) - WF 88
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Ron Quorhum QRM '30 Aniversario Solera' (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2025) - WF 49 |
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October 1, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today Talisker 10 and SR |
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| Talisker Distillery (Diageo) |
This year’s Special Releases have arrived very quietly, without fanfare. We’ll be tasting the Talisker first, and as for the others, we’ll see later. Indeed, I know, there’s been a lot of Talisker on WF lately, but we can’t help ourselves – we’re die-hard Talisker lovers. |
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Talisker 10 yo (45.8%, OB, +/-2025)
Indeed, we follow Talisker 10 religiously, year in, year out, and it remains one of the rare malts for which we actually do. We do it if only to confirm that no, the quality isn't dropping. Colour: gold. Nose: nothing doing, we still adore this expression, which conceals great finesse beneath a more imposing, even rather brutal façade. Velvet gloves inside an iron gauntlet, well, you know what I mean. A seafood platter, lemon, seaweed, damp earth and wet beach sand, olives, a barbecue lashed by an unexpected shower, tiny touches of oregano and dill... It's simply a flawless nose. Mouth: it's quite annoying how consistent this is, I think from now on I'll just copy and paste last year's notes each time. Brine and ashes, green pepper, lemon, sauvignon blanc, grapefruit, lapsang souchong, the faintest hint of honey... Did I mention the pepper? Finish: long, very fresh, magnificent. Comments: this admirable consistency is becoming a bit of a nuisance, but a delightful nuisance at that! Of course it is...
SGP:456 - 90 points. |
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Talisker 14 yo (53.9%, OB, Special Releases 2025)
You understand, this new baby was matured in bourbon and then 'finished in American oak casks toasted by the heat of volcanic rocks from Skye'. And to think it isn’t the 1st of April. 'Wilder frontiers of flavour for fearless explorers', they add, but are we fearless explorers, what do you say? In any case, we’re in stitches, so there’s that. Colour: white wine. Nose: zero chance after the 10-year-old, but let’s admit it, this is a very fresh, very narrow, almost surgical nose, and curiously closer to barley and... a hospital, with bandages and Mercurochrome, elements one generally finds more often on Islay. With water: becomes more austere and even abstract once water is added. Mouth (neat): if the idea was to move closer to Lagavulin, I have the honour and privilege to confirm it’s rather successful, even if the toasted wood feels a tad too prominent for my liking. It does suffer a bit after the splendid 10-year-old. With water: it edges nearer to the 10, which is excellent news, though with slightly less poise. A touch of cold ashes mid-palate. Finish: good length, but more drying, a little curled up around the ashes. Curry in the aftertaste, which is quite amusing. Comments: the storyline would make a Sicilian widow burst out laughing (apologies), but I confess the result is lovely. We now await with bated breath a Talisker 'Lagavulin finish' and, naturally, the reverse. But indeed, zero chance of catching up with the 10.
SGP:566 - 86 points. |
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September 30, 2025 |
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The return of Bladnoch on WF
Bladnoch Distillery (Bladnoch) |
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The days when little Bladnoch was something of a companion to Rosebank among the 'lost' Lowland distilleries are long gone. However, restarting it took far less time than it did for Rosebank. There were some peated versions produced by the previous owners (lovely people), but it’s been a long while since we’ve come across any. Maybe today? We’re going to try a vertical tasting, though it’s always a bit tricky when there are NAS bottlings... |
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Bladnoch 'Dragon Series II -The Spirit' (48.3%, OB, Rare Release, 1st fill and refill bourbon casks, 2,000 bottles, 2023)
We had rather enjoyed The Field I earlier this year (WF 85). They say 'The Dragon Series is a tribute to the timeless power struggle between science and nature' An idea that's no doubt causing quite a stir over in Washington D.C. these days. Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: dry as a stick, showing plenty of grassiness, porridge, a fair few oatcakes and a touch of earthy roots. A smattering of very small pears over in the fruit department, which speaks of youth. Mouth: fruity notes of barley syrup and baked apples to start, then we're back on porridge and grains, the whole thing growing more malty and rather taut as it goes. A few fruits that haven’t quite ripened, but that's just how we like it. The texture is on the oily side. Finish: of medium length, returning to grassy tones with hints of lemon zest. Comments: the focus on nature is clearly present, it would have gone down well with J.J. Rousseau. I just find this simply very good.
SGP:561 - 85 points. |
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Bladnoch 'Dragon Series III -The Casks' (49.9%, OB, Rare Release, 1st fill sherry and bourbon, 2,000 bottles, 2023)
Colour: gold. Nose: I’m finding a touch of shoe polish and of course a good deal of walnuts, green or aged, a classic sherry marker. It then veers towards bitter orange, always a development I enjoy, and also a bit of modelling clay that takes one straight back to childhood. A few hints of soot and dunnage, even a whiff of hessian. Could there be a little peat in this baby? Mouth: it’s a bit like the bourbon version, only drier still, properly on green walnut and even ashes. Still that very grassy, tight character, this certainly wasn’t a sweet sherry cask, or so it seems. That said, we don’t really find any peat on the palate, the impression on the nose seems to have been but a fleeting moment. Finish: long, still on those notes of green walnut and modelling clay. Comments: I think I slightly preferred the bourbon version, which was more direct and fresher, but this drier, more sherried take is also very good.
SGP:461 - 84 points. |
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Bladnoch 11 yo '2024 Release' (46.7%, OB, bourbon)
The first of the ‘new’ 11 year olds we tasted had been excellent in our humble opinion, WF 86 for the inaugural version and WF 87 for the 2020 edition. Has there already been a 2025 release? Colour: white wine. Nose: superb combination of exotic fruits, barley, chalk and wee herbs, precise and beautifully taut. Nothing to add, really. Mouth: delicious, easy, still a little oily, opening with a sharp yet utterly civilised medley of passion fruit, lime and apple. Then come the chalk, modelling clay and even a bit of damp ash, all singing backup in the choir (if you will). Finish: same elements and same manoeuvre holding on nicely, with the aftertaste lingering a touch longer, showing acacia honey and perhaps a little agave syrup, although the core remains fairly grassy. Comments: just very good. This nature-driven storyline seems to be resurfacing again.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
Perhaps two indie bottlings now?... |
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Bladnoch 1990/2014 (53.9%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #50.55, 'High Class Luxury', refill bourbon barrel)
The name 'High Class Luxury' rather brings to mind a distillery more glam and pushier, like M. or D., whereas Bladnoch always feels a bit more value-driven, doesn’t it? But of course, we’d never question the names bestowed by the honourable SMWS. By the way, the Queen Street restaurant has become even more excellent of late. But let’s move on... In any case, here’s a pre-closure Bladnoch, so distilled under the UDVumbrella, just three years before closure. Colour: full gold. Nose: fantastic, very fat, loaded with tobacco, leather, camphor, patchouli, and linden blossom, it almost smells like an ex-sherry and yet it’s refill bourbon. Stunning nose so far, quite reminiscent of a certain Rare Malt, though we’ve never taken any proper notes on that one. With water: zero change. That’s not something we see every day. Mouth (neat): absolutely beautiful, still fat, still brimming with tobacco, peppers, and all sorts of walnuts, even a wee touch of horseradish. Refill bourbon, really? With water: stunning development this time, exactly as expected, on all manner of citrus and finely chiselled spices. Still those peppers, and even a touch of star anise. Finish: long, curiously taut yet still rich and almost thick, not unlike what one sometimes finds in some great white wines. Certain Graves, for instance. Amusing notes of Williams pear in the aftertaste. Comments: magnificent. Not quite what we were expecting… And then there’s that ‘lost style’ feel which remains ever so charming.
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
This little gem also reminded us of the old official NAS for Italy — white label, 1970s — a sublime little creature despite its 70° proof. Go on then, one last dram from the UDV era... |
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Bladnoch 35 yo 1990/2025 (54.2%, WhiskyLand, Decadent Drinks, refill barrel, 212 bottles)
The labels at WhiskyLand are a bit like the SMWS names, but in picture form, aren't they? Anyway, 35 years old, that’s starting to count, isn’t it. Colour: gold. Nose: tell your friends, this thirty-five-year-old baby is clearly less knackered than a Windows PC after an update. Just like Sir Paul. Actually this is almost a carbon copy of the SMWS profile, only with a little more sweetness, freshness, honey and exotic fruits. I can’t wait to add a few drops of water. With water: in come the citrus fruits, and that’s it, resistance is futile. Exactly the profile from 25 years ago, back when Bladnoch and Rosebank were still neck and neck in this style. Mouth (neat): the freshness is such that it could have been distilled fifteen years ago. Seriously. That’s clearly a mark of quality, and if a few more oaky notes do show up, they’re more on the yew and thuja side of things. The rest is a whirlwind of citrus and tiny herbs, almost impossible to pick apart. With water: it folds in and tightens up, which is great fun. 'Lemoned' barley, I’d say. Finish: of good length, with the freshness of a young Japanese malt distilled near the end of the last decade. Seriously. Comments: I won’t deny there may be a touch of nostalgia behind my rather high score.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
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September 29, 2025 |
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A couple of Irish never hurt anyone...
Yep, I reckon we’re going to overdo it again… But to kick things off: The Boys are Back in Town... |
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West Cork 'Thin Lizzy' (40%, OB, Irish, bourbon, double-char, 2022)
Whiskies released in partnership with rock franchises are always a bit on the improbable side, but we’ve always liked Thin Lizzy and even saw them live again around ten years ago. Without the late Phil Lynott, of course. But still, at 40%, it’s not exactly ‘Whisky in the Jar’, is it? Colour: straw. Nose: it’s light, more Gilbert O'Sullivan than Thin Lizzy to be honest, but it’s fresh, nicely fruity, on apple juice and honey. Mouth: not bad, fairly oily, with a faint note of paraffin and wax, the rest being softer, sweeter, back on apple juice. Honeyed herbal tea. Finish: rather short but clean, sweet, fruity. Hints of barley. Comments: perhaps not quite stadium-filling stuff, but it’s rather well made. I’d still have cranked the wattage up a notch under the circumstances. Come to think of it, the Pogues’ whiskey was much the same in that respect, if memory serves.
SGP:431 - 78 points. |
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Red Spot 15 yo (46%, OB, Irish single pot still, +/-2024)
The Gold Spot and the Green Spots, even those finished in highly unlikely wine casks, had been very good last time (WF 84-85) This Red Spot was matured/finished in bourbon, sherry and Marsala casks. Colour: gold. Nose: I find it a touch vague, rather a muddle if truth be told, although there's a persistent substratum of exotic fruits and honey that holds its own. A few fleeting whiffs of menthol and hints of chilled herbal tea lend some freshness. Mouth: that same ‘mixed bag’ feeling becomes even more pronounced here, with a cavalcade of waxes, woods, stewed fruits, leather, rubber, raisins, tobacco and various spices jostling for attention. It all sounds terribly complex on the surface, but the lack of cohesion makes it feel more chaotic than composed. The Marsala, one suspects, is the chief agitator in this affair. Finish: medium in length, and veering towards candied sugars, tea leaves and gentle herbal infusions. Comments: I must confess I couldn’t quite find my footing with this one, though it certainly reads well on paper.
SGP:541 - 79 points. |
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Bushmills 14 yo 'Malaga Cask Finish' (40%, OB, Irish single malt, +/-2024)
I do hope things go better here, though at 40% ABV, one does harbour some doubts... Colour: light gold. Nose: not many hands on deck here, it's extremely light, more of a murmur than a voice really, though if you lean in, you might just detect a faint trace of patchouli, banana and distant mango. Rather frustrating. Mouth: not dreadful, though it swings oddly between sugary and earthy, with faint notes of pineapple (more pineapple later in this session) and barley syrup doing their best to lift things. Quite a bit of green tea creeping in as well. Finish: fairly short and curiously sweet. Comments: very much a footnote. There are countless Bushmills bottlings that, in our most humble opinion, leave this rather timid Andalusian variant far behind. Feels like it's running on two cylinders. Out of eight.
SGP:530 - 77 points. |
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Jameson 23 yo (55.1%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, Irish blend, 2024)
Naturally, if TWE manage to get their hands on the very best from Pernod Ireland, one can only applaud. Let’s see what we’re in for...Colour: straw. Nose: seems a little locked in for now, despite some lovely notes of rose petal and wine gums. No time to waste, with water: it opens like a flower on a spring morning, exhaling nectar and coconut milk. Mouth (neat): there appears to be a fair dose of pot still in there, yet once again it remains fairly restrained. Coconut, apple and grapefruit. With water: the texture turns oddly creamier, the profile remaining along the same lines—coconut, vanilla, floral elements, and a touch reminiscent of Cuban rum. Don’t tell me they’ve chucked in a bit of Havana Club!? Finish: fairly short but rather pretty, very gentle… Comments: an amusing transposition of a brand more at home in JD Wetherspoon than among malt freaks. I must admit this inherent lightness isn’t quite my thing, but it’s damn well put together.
SGP:530 - 83 points. |
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Ardara '2025 Edition' (46%, OB, Irish single malt, 2025)
Heavily peated and triple-distilled, which is rather amusing, hailing from Donegal. Their mascot appears to be a dragonfly, one of the most marvellous creatures in all of creation. Colour: white wine. Nose: coal juice, soot, black earth, mushrooms, tar... It’s the first time I’ve come across this very ‘black’ style—rather astonishing, and quite unlike any peated profile I’ve dared to try so far. Entirely a matter of earth. Mouth: well blast, I’m hooked. It’s an improbable mash-up of ultra-artisanal mezcal, pickle brine, ink, other tiny pickled things, ashes, mixed smokes, rollmops, lemon juice, olives... Finish: same story. Comments: this is exactly what’s needed for any jaded taster out there. In a way, it’s an Irish not so far removed from what some young Nordic distilleries are doing, especially further East. Very distillate-driven, which is right up our street. Honestly, I adore it, bravo.
SGP:357 - 88 points. |
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Teeling 17 yo (56.5%, OB, American Express Private Cask, cognac cask, cask #16578, 2022)
Quite why an Irish as well-regarded as Teeling would feel the need for a cognac cask is anyone’s guess. Colour: straw. Nose: it’s light, with notes of grain, coconut, maize, white chocolate... With water: even lighter. Mouth (neat): I think the cognac slightly dampens the tropical exuberance one usually expects from a Teeling of this age. Not that it’s bad—far from it—but it does feel a touch more vague. Still, there’s certainly passion fruit, banana, mango and the like. With water: it pulls itself together a bit, with a lovely lemony tension. Finish: not very long but more chiselled. Seems like the cognac has finally been shown the door. Comments: we feared the worst, but it all ended well.
SGP:641 - 87 points – less the usual Amex commission, that brings us to 84.6738754 points. |
Hang on, it probably gets worse... |
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Teeling 'Pineapple Rum Cask' (49.2%, OB, 18,000 bottles, 2022)
Some presumably sane and rational mind decided there would be a market for 18,000 bottles of this Frankenstein’s creature of a spirit – just imagine. Rather worrying, isn’t it? More troubling still than a tequila-finished Lagavulin, which says it all really...Colour: straw. Nose: not unpleasant, but conceptually horrific. It simply adds more Teeling to Teeling, if you see what I mean. That sort of completely tautological move which, to borrow Lord Blackadder’s words, is about as useful as a tomato with wheels. Still, not unpleasant. Mouth: of course it’s quite good, and that’s precisely the problem—it feels a bit like cheating, although to be fair, it’s clearly stated in big letters on the label. Finish: fairly long, very liqueur-like, heavily on pineapple, naturally. Comments: the structure is actually a bit too light, more in the style of a young grain whisky, and that’s the real flaw of this thoroughly bizarre thing. Whiskey arrangé?
SGP:730 - 72 points. |
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Turntable 'Collaboration Drop #2' (52%, OB, blend, 2024)
Strictly speaking, it's considered Irish, by us, because it contains 41% Dingle – and we’re rather fond of Dingle – alongside some Balmenach, Blair Athol and Loch Lomond grain. Colour: gold. Nose: this sends poor Teeling Pineapple straight to the great beyond. Lovely malty pastries, scones and apricot muffins, panettone... and we’re delighted, as panettone season is just around the corner. With water: floury notes and slate join in, with a touch of light rubber. Mouth (neat): oh, this is very good! There’s a surprising sense of cohesion—plenty of malt, beer, stewed fruits, all without any overly flamboyant sweetness. With water: confirmed, unexpected coherence. Very pretty touches of cream and cinnamon yoghurt. Finish: not eternal, but nicely compact, with even more cinnamon. We love cinnamon. Comments: we were wary given this baby’s pedigree, but once again, we were wrong.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Paddy Milestone 13 yo 2011/2024 (54.4%, The Duchess, oloroso hogshead, cask #801396)
It can’t be! This is a ‘Paddy’ that isn’t actually Irish—it’s an Ailsa Bay—but we’d already poured it into our competition tulip glass, so we shall proceed, hoping you’ll forgive us. With just a hint of shame... Colour: gold. Nose: to be perfectly honest, there’s not much going on at the moment. A few puffs of bruised apples and a fairly distant whiff of garden bonfire. With water: no improvement. Mouth (neat): much better than the nose, very tight and ultra-vegetal, though it quickly dives into mercurochrome. With water: green apple juice, smoked fish, grass, citrus peels. One could probably do without all that. Finish: fairly long, but not exactly friendly—waxy and herbal. Comments: we’ve never really understood Ailsa Bay, and apparently that’s not about to change today. Our apologies, and vive la Duchesse! In 99% of the cases, she brings out marvellous spirits.
SGP:453 - 75 points. |
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Green Spot 10 yo 2013/2025 (56.6%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, bourbon cask, cask #239852, 237 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: the absence of any useless wine in this Green Spot is immediately apparent, it’s fresh and clean, close to barley, liquorice, fennel, and celery. Celery is, in my view, much misunderstood in the world of spirits, but it’s a marvellous ingredient, and in Alsace, a few distillers have produced a wonderful eau-de-vie of celery that you can serve chilled over caviar. A thousand times better than all those Russian vodkas. Remember Russia? Right, I hope they will not send drones over WF HQ. With water: little pears and greengages emerge. Mouth (neat): superb! This blows that Red Spot we tasted a few moments ago clean out of the water. Gorgeous little heritage pears, service tree berries, jujubes and sorb apples. With water: just very good, though the water is nearly redundant on the palate. Finish: fairly long, tight, precise, almost refreshing. Russet apples. Comments: right then, let’s pull ourselves together, but it absolutely flattened the Red Spot.
SGP:461 - 86 points. |
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Cooley 22 yo 2002/2024 (53.9%, The Whisky Blues, barrel, cask #2227, 126 bottles)
If there were awards for labels, this one would take the triple-gold-platinum-of-doom of the decade, no question. Now let’s see about the juice... Colour: straw. Nose: oils and apple juice at first, then fresh hay and fruit peelings. With water: proper fresh baguette! Mouth (neat): perfectly pitched fruity and herbal tension, though just a tad saturated—it sort of overruns the palate a bit. With water: brilliant, but it struggles slightly to push any further. Finish: same story. Comments: a curious example of a malt that’s hit its peak and stubbornly refuses to give you anything more.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Cooley 2001/2025 (50.4%, The Whisky Jury, bourbon, cask #2659, 149 bottles)
Let’s keep this one quick, shall we? Colour: light gold. Nose: mango and banana peels, with vanilla cream and acacia honey. With water: even softer on honeyed vanilla cream—crema catalana if you like. Mouth (neat): embarrassingly good, it’s so fresh, fruity, and bursting with citrus. Sublime, I’m afraid. With water: beautifully fruity. Finish: good length, though no real evolution. Comments: may I propose a trans-category blend idea? 50% good TDL batches, plus 50% of these Teeling/Cooley beauties? I genuinely think it could bring about world peace.
SGP:751 - 88 points. |
I think it’s mor than time to wrap things up… |
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Teeling 24 yo (51.5%, OB for The Nectar, 10th Anniversary, sherry, cask #6766, 270 bottles, 2016)
We absolutely loved being invited to the 10th anniversary back then—Dom Pérignon flowed freely, the shrimp croquettes were the best in the world, and the Cantillon and Westvleteren on tap instantly restored one’s faith in humanity. Belgian humanity, of course. Colour: deep gold. Nose: magically fruity and oily—mangoes, honey and sesame oil. With water: peanut. We love peanut. Mouth (neat): mad stuff. With water: incredible. Finish: ... Comments:... Seriously good, no doubt. The pinnacle of Ireland, even if there are millions of Teeling/Cooley casks drifting about. But to be fair, in our book there’s never been any connection between cask availability and actual quality, anywhere.
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
Fear not, there will be more Irish very, very soon on WF. |
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September 28, 2025 |
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In Alsace, temperatures have dropped by over 15°C in just one day, and now it’s raining cats and dogs - sadly not bottles. Thankfully, the rums are here to whisk us straight off to the tropics and warm our hearts. But let’s start with an aperitif or two from the lower shelves, as we often do... |
Ampov Distillery in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Ampov) |
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Ron Quorhum QRM '30 Aniversario Solera' (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2025) 
Everything is there, the grandiose '30' implying an age statement – gleefully adopted as a genuine age by a good number of retailers, naturally – the grandiloquent 'Old Vintage Rums' signature and all that jazz. All this for €70. What a state of affairs! Naturally, this is also a 'solera'. Colour: full gold. Nose: not the worst, it's not particularly expressive, with some coffee liqueur and corn syrup, we're mercifully spared the tenfold pineapple essence one fears in such cases. But we know the real action begins on the palate... Mouth: we're still somewhat teetering on the brink of overt sweetness, though that glucose edge is felt. Still, one can't shake the impression of a bargain-bin coffee liqueur, the sort peddled in (real) duty-free outlets for €5.50 a bottle. Finish: short, faintly bitter, with more of that syrupy character lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: we've nosed and sipped far worse this year. With copious ice or Coke, one could get away with this, it's acceptable.
SGP:620 - 49 points. |
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Matusalem 'Gran Reserva Original - Solera 15' (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2025)
We last sampled this well-known baby back in 2009 and found it rather good (WF 75) though we've since gained a little more experience. Here again, the '15' is just a number, not a true age statement, though most retailers – Amazon included, naturally – market it as a 15-year-old. In fact, the label reads 'Solera 15 Blender'. It also recalls that the house was originally established in Santiago de Cuba. Colour: gold. Nose: more on honey than the Quorhum, though conversely less on sugarcane. In short, very inoffensive... Mouth: somewhat similar to the Quorhum, albeit drier, and yet with a touch more orange liqueur this time. Finish: the finish is passable, short but not unpleasant. Comments: not a sipper either, that’s for sure. Let’s not trouble ourselves trying to rank them... In any case we were rather generous back in 2009, though perhaps that was a different batch altogether, especially as the livery has changed since.
SGP:520 - 49 points. |
Right then, time to shift up a gear... |
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Ampov 2023/2025 (45%, OB, Cambodia, ex-Porto cask)
Here we are in Phnom Penh, confronted with molasses and pot still rum. We do so love tasting spirits from new distilleries! All the more so as the sugarcane itself hails from the Phnom Penh region. Colour: pale gold. Nose: ah, how we adore these feral, fermentative distillates, bursting with vegetal notes and those briny touches we treasure so dearly, especially olives, with hints of acetone and other solvents that rather charmingly evoke... Jamaica. Or, let us say, the agricoles of Madeira rather than those of the French islands. There's also a coastal character, a whiff of sea water, and mercifully, not a clear jot of Port. Mouth: a bit of a masterstroke, really, all the more so as it feels utterly singular, with an earthy and tarry edge that’s quite unlike anything else. Still plenty of solvents, esters, olives, capers, brine, intensely fermented fruit, and still no Port in sight. Finish: long, somewhat petroly and salty, but quite manageable thanks to the reasonably low strength. And once again, no Port. Comments: what a relief not to have encountered any Port! An excellent young rum, faintly reminiscent of those new ‘French’ Thais. And of course, Jamaica.
SGP:473 - 87 points. |
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Long Pond 15 yo 2007/2023 'Queen Nanny' (57.1%, Precious Liquors, Jamaica, cask #5, 134 bottles)
This is an ITP marque, so low ester content (around 100g/hlpa). Queen Nanny, a Jamaican national heroine born in Ghana, was one of the most iconic figures of the Maroon resistance in the 18th century. Colour: deep gold. Nose: imagine someone cold-smoking orange zest after slathering it in honey and drizzling it with cough syrup and petrol. A stroke of genius really, this is a nose of splendid compactness and coherence, precisely balanced between fruit and fuel. With water: it leans a touch more towards the ocean. Mouth (neat): immensely powerful, on green pepper, varnish, and strawberry cream. Yes indeed, strawberry. With water: more ashes appear, even a hint of new plastic. Possibly some smoked oysters. Finish: long, still walking the tightrope between ultra-ripe fruit, brine, and diesel oil. Comments: there's a charming hesitation here, oscillating between the friendly and the feral sides of Jamaican rum. But you see what I mean.
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
Ah yes, we were also talking about Thailand... |
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Liberia & Thailand Blend (55.8%, The Whisky Jury, The Duo Chapter 3, 390 bottles)
Now what on earth is this? We know Thai rum well enough – there are some lovely examples (Chalong, Issan) and others that are more, erm, well, you know. But Liberia? Never tried a Liberian rum, I must admit, though we now learn that ‘Sangar’ exists – thank you, Google. Still, the notion that someone decided to blend aged Thai rum with white Liberian spirit does leave one rather dumbfounded. Hats off, Whisky Jury! Colour: gold. Nose: ace!, as they used to say at Loch Fyne Whiskies. What’s amusing is that we find these recurring strawberry notes, along with a wee procession of briny pickles and herbal reductions, all generously blanketed in exhaust fumes. Fortunately, only seasoned aficionados read WF, otherwise they’d think we’ve lost the plot. What’s that? You say they already do? With water: more brine and nail polish remover. Mouth (neat): it’s certainly unusual, and in some ways it brings to mind Ampov, though this is even more on pinewood smoke, scallops in Noilly (a double knockout), and – imagine that – a fino-like edge. En Rama, naturally. With water: seawater and resinous wood smoke. It gets more bitter now, perhaps just a tad too much so for me. Finish: this is where it grows more complex, with an increasingly austere bitterness in the aftertaste. This finish is a bit reminiscent of amateur jazz or rock bands who never quite know how to end a tune. We, for our part, can’t even manage to start one, you might say. Comments: there’s a mildly acrobatic and slightly WTF streak here, especially toward the end, but otherwise we’re fans. We’d love to try the Liberian on its own.
SGP:363 - 85 points. |
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Monymusk 24 yo 2000/2024 (62%, The Whisky Blues, Jamaica, barrel, cask #13908, 148 bottles)
Back in Taiwan again. We’ve tried some utterly marvellous Monymusk/Clarendons from these vintages in recent months, brimming with an unstoppable fresh fruitiness that cuts clean through the phenolic and petrolic barrage. Colour: white wine. Nose: well then, let’s say pink banana and mango steeped in a mix of motor oil, seawater, wild garlic, and crème de menthe. There you are. With water: splendid nose, fresh and philosophical, as if it had just wafted out of the House of Guerlain. Mouth (neat): sublime purity. Salted mango and peaches in camphor, or something along those lines. With water: I give up, it’s too good. Finish: oh yes. Comments: one could almost imagine a liberated blender, high on ketamine, having mixed four-fifths of very old Bushmills with one-fifth young Ardbeg. Plus a few drops of seawater.
SGP:652 - 91 points. |
Right then, let’s end by coming back to France, since we’re posting this from Whisky Live Paris. Even if all these rums didn’t come from Whisky Live Paris... |
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Le Galion 'Rhum Grand Arôme' (54%, Poh! Spirits, Martinique, ex-eau-de-vie-de-vin cask, 2025)
Now here’s a proper sugar refinery rum (rhum de sucrerie), so ‘traditional’ or ‘industrial’, which amount to the same thing, and not agricole. This is from molasses, with extremely long fermentations, a rum chiefly used to beef up blends. Worth noting, the rums from Baie du Galion do benefit from a GI, albeit not an AOC/AOP. Colour: gold. Nose: above all, this is immensely oily, nothing remotely ‘columny’, and it feels like you’ve just dunked your nose into twelve tonnes of extremely, and I mean extremely, ripe bananas. Alongside a generous dose of assorted fresh varnishes. With water: lovely now – tarmac, first rain, coal tar, new trainers, and parcels from Temu (straight in the bin). Mouth (neat): somewhere between Réunion and Jamaica, but for now it’s mostly just vast quantities of salted liquorice. With water: actually, I quite love it, even though the texture itself remains rather light, if pretty ‘schnitt’. Finish: fairly long, with a deeply marked coating around a lighter core. And again, shedloads of salted liquorice, followed by something more medicinal. Comments: truth be told, this is quite an unusual profile, though seemingly rather typical of Le Galion. We’ll dig a bit deeper into this matter later, if that’s all right with you...
SGP:632 - 87 points. |
Go on then, one last one... |
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Papalin 5 yo 'Jamaica High Esters' (57%, Velier, Jamaica, 2024)
A blend of three ‘pot still’ Jamaicans. This ought to be compact, with each of the three distilleries naturally cancelling out some of the others’ character. Or not – let’s have a look, especially as nowhere is it stated that the three distilleries are present in equal proportions. Colour: gold. Nose: dry-cured ham with dried banana and pistachio oil, plus some new plastics à la supermarket bag – alas those were banned here some years ago, so I’m relying on memory. In any case this feels more like ‘low esters’ than ‘high esters'. With water: go easy with the water or it drifts off into rainwater and silt. Not a great swimmer, then, but that doesn’t mean anything. Mouth (neat): now we’re talking – excellent, young, a little rough, sharp and dry, but with notes of rambutan in syrup. Really. With water: some floral touches. Finish: not very long, truth be told. Comments: excellent stuff, though it does feel a little as though the components have somewhat cancelled each other out indeed, yielding a rather light rum. Light for a Jamaican that’s not Appleton, of course. Wait, is there Appleton in here? Either way, this is the gentlest of the high esters we’ve tried in recent months.
SGP:441 - 84 points. |
Hold on, we’re also going to treat ourselves to a little monster as a final signature... |
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Hampden 1 yo 2023/2025 'C<->H Pedro Ximenez' (61.7%, The Colours of Rum for Catawiki, Jamaica, cask #146, 75 bottles)
A very young 1300–1400 g/hlpa thrown into PX – I doubt even Ivan the Terrible, Genghis Khan, or Vladimir Putin would have dared. Colour: deep gold. Nose: frankly, the poor PX has little to contribute, this is full-on carbon-and-bitter-chocolate, with even a few jabs of formic acid. With water: barbecuing in the rain and a brand-new scuba diving suit. Mouth (neat): of course it’s glorious, if you’re part of that 0.0001% of humanity who, like us, are into this sort of thing. An unbelievable creature, verging on the BDSM side of things, no kidding. A few shellfish well past their use-by date too. With water: like downing a bottle of ink in one go. Finish: pickle juice, ink, ashes, hellfire, damnation and despair. It’ll drive you mad. Comments: the PX is clearly just here for show, it’s had virtually no impact. I do wonder whether enjoying this, as we do greatly, isn’t a sign of serious psychological disorder.
SGP:274 - 90 points |
Check the index of all rums we've tasted |
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September 27, 2025 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
Two old Talisker plus alliterative bonus
Continuing with tasting these assorted old bottles as mentioned a couple of weeks ago. Because, well, I'm sure you understand.
It's Talisker's turn this week. |
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Bottle actually tasted 
Example of label in a better shape |
Talisker 1954/1966 (70 proof, Berry Brothers & Rudd) 
This series sheltered some stunning drams, although the lower bottling strength could be an issue after many years I've found on occasion with this range. 1954 was also my parents’ vintage and on my father's side our family hails originally from Skye, so a wee toast to my dad with this one. Colour: pale gold. Nose: a gorgeous medley of soft exotic fruit notes, gentle medicines, old liqueurs of many varieties, old metal tools covered in old oils, pure beeswax, hessian bung cloth and delicate dried herbs. Exquisite but with a sense of fragility, and also the impression the peat as subdivided into many more complex, tertiary aromas over the decades. Mouth: true there is some OBE, true it is also on the soft side and true, at cask strength it would probably have been mind-meltingly good. That being said, you are still left with a poetically beautiful old distillate full of crystalised fruits, delicate traces of bone-dry peat smoke, old honey liqueurs and cask-aged mead and also wonderfully subtle waxy and medicinal complexities. Finish: medium, rooty, herbal, honeyed and with sense of dried fruits, camphor and herbal teas sweetened with honey. Comments: a fragile but nevertheless exquisite old Talisker. This with just a few extra degrees of alcohol would probably jump immediately up to 93+ point territory, an observation made endlessly about such old bottlings with old fashioned bottling strengths to go with them.
SGP: 552 - 90 points. |
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Talisker 1959 (70 proof, Gordon & MacPhail, -/+ 1970)
Colour: pale amber. Nose: much richer and more evidently sherry matured. Wonderful notes of prunes in armagnac, old Claquesin tar liqueur, gentian root, dandelion and burdock cordial and sweet liquorice. A generally sweeter, rounder and richer level of peat I would say. Also the impression of one or two notches more power, which is great. Mouth: as on the nose, the peat is more up front and more elevated in strength, but here it is much drier, closer in style the Berry's and more herbal, rooty and earthy. The sherry is also drier, more rugged and saltier. All that being said, you feel the bottling strength-induced softness more on the palate than on the nose with this one. Lots of fir wood resins, camphor, eucalyptus and medicinal balms. Finish: longer, earther, more medicinal, more peaty and saltier. Comments: superb old Talisker once again. Overall a little more power and oomph than the Berry's and perhaps a few notches peatier too. Although, the fruity / honeyed elegance of the 1954 was arguably missing here. Nevertheless...
SGP: 463 - 91 points. |
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BONUS! Because we are doing old style, we are doing islands and we are doing the letter T. (Is that a good enough excuse, Serge?) |
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Bottle actually tasted 
Example of label in a marginally better shape |
Old Tobermory Scotch Whisky (OB,
John Hopkins & Co. Ltd, -/+ 1920s)
A bottle I found at auction relatively recently and opened for our big party weekend a few weeks ago. It was sealed with a long driven cork which usually indicates a pre-1930s bottling era. It should be noted that Tobermory Distillery was still operational up until the early 1930s and that there are advertisements (from the 19th century admittedly) which state Old Tobermory as a pure malt whisky brand. There was also Old Mull at this time, which we've tasted some amazing old versions of on Whiskyfun in the past, and which was very evidently a blend. So I was always very curious about this brand and whether it might be 100% malt from the old Tobermory Distillery. Colour: amber. Nose: the first thing to say is it is extraordinarily peaty. Not just the intensity of the peat aroma, but also the character of it. It's much darker, more organic, drier, richer and more emphatically herbal than modern peat profiles. You don't have the intense ashiness, medicine or blade-like purity of modern heavily peat makes here, this is much broader, fatter and complex in the way it presents. It's also hugely liqueurish, with nods towards very old Benedictine, yellow Chartreuse and Drambuie profiles. Loads of herbs, natural tar resins, camphor, paraffin, ointments, hessian and mechanical oils. It is honestly an absolutely magnificent and profoundly old school nose. Mouth: incredible peat intensity! Pure, earthy, herbal-rich, tarry old style peat flavour. Hugely textural, fatty and almost greasy in texture. Also mineral oils, toolbox rags, beeswax and metal polish. It also becomes quite heathery too, heather honey and heather ales galore. Then a more umami and salty profile begins to emerge, with impressions of miso, salted liquorice and rugged old dry sherry. Finish: a long, deep and lasting, dry peat smoke flavour, with some magnificent impressions of very old dry sherry, pure tar, camphor and Maggi! Comments: I have no laboratory to prove anything, but to my palate this is malt whisky. What is most striking is the immense character, intensity and richness of the peat profile. A key hallmark of very old-style malt whisky that I am not sure anyone nowadays would quite know how to re-create. What a wonderful drop of history this wee pre-Ledaig Ledaig is.
SGP: 467 - 94 points. |
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September 26, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today Glenlochy
vs. Convalmore
A short session that doesn’t necessarily make much sense, except that it’s becoming increasingly difficult for us to organise full sessions featuring only whiskies from one of those distilleries closed in the 1980s that we haven’t yet tasted. Such is life… |
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Glenlochy 1979/2012 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail, Rare Old, refill sherry hogshead, Lot No R0/12/04, 460 bottles)
Here we are not far from Ben Nevis, and you might say we could have taken the opportunity to taste some Ben Nevis instead, especially since Glenlochy also once belonged to Joseph Hobbs, but there we are, we’ve already planned quite a massive new Ben Nevis session very soon on WF. In any case, in 1983 the Glenlochy distillery was definitively closed, like so many others. Colour: gold. Nose: the malt from Glenlochy makes a big impression when you taste it for the first time, and I think it’s one of those profiles that you remember afterwards, such is the balance between the candied fruits—especially citrus—and the meadow honeys, which is just perfect. Granted, many malts show similar profiles, but rarely with this kind of utterly perfect balance, based on mandarins and citrons and wildflower honey containing a little hint of fir, which brings a very light mentholated and smoky touch. Mouth: same remarks, point for point, including the wee smoky and minty touches. The oak remains fairly discreet as well, and the whole remains very fresh. Marvellous and the 46% work perfectly. Finish: not very long but still on that perfect balance. Touches of Earl Grey in the aftertaste. Comments: a bit more power would have taken it even higher. G&M released another 1979 last year, but we haven’t tasted it.
SGP:541 - 90 points. |
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Convalmore 1978/1993 (63.5%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #83.4)
Here we are in Dufftown, where the Convalmore distillery was closed two years after Glenlochy. Let’s see whether these remarkable 63.5% alc/vol are still holding strong after more than thirty years in bottle, bearing in mind that twice the age in cask under glass has often struck us as the ideal combination, as it is here—roughly 15 plus 30 years. Colour: dark gold. Nose: not so easy to compare at this stage, as this baby has stayed rather massive—almost brutal on the nose—with clear notes of dark chocolate and damp earth. Let’s add water straightaway... With water: a real revelation, it opens like a chrysalis and reveals a fruitiness not too far removed from that of Glenlochy. Still lots of citrus, but a little less honey, and it leans a bit more towards a directly floral side. And it’s glorious. Mouth (neat): a very powerful sherry, in the amontillado style, with more chocolate and slightly bitter walnuts, some nocino and candied chestnuts. But it seems excellent... With water: indeed, it is, and now the citrus really steals the show, in the form of marmalade, preserved fruits or citrus liqueurs. There’s still a little trace of dark chocolate, which pairs splendidly with the citrus in any case. Finish: long, continuing on citrus and a splendid nectar-like quality. Comments: a bottle that supports our theory of bottle-ageing, so often verified with the top malts. Obviously, with The Claymore, it doesn’t work.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
Hang on, we’re going to make the most of an open bottle—one we’ve already tasted—to round things off. Just to check one or two things… |
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Convalmore 28 yo 1977/2005 (57.9%, OB, 3,900 bottles)
We’d written a tasting note for this baby right when it came out, back in 2005 (WF 89). So, let’s quickly see whether twenty years in bottle have done it any favours. Colour: gold. Nose: less cask impact, more waxiness, a bit like those not-very-waxy-yet-still-waxy vintages of Clynelish. There’s still citrus too, especially oranges. We’re almost veering closer to Glenlochy territory, fancy that. With water: I rather get the impression the years in bottle have mellowed and rounded it out a bit—for the better. Lovely notes of tiny herbs, borage and orange blossom, though all in moderation. Mouth (neat): hasn’t lost an ounce of power, still very lively, very natural and above all, full of pink grapefruit, chartreuse and verbena—all things I happen to like very much. With water: just a few drops do the trick, in fact it doesn’t change much on the palate and too much water will dry it out. I know, that’s rich. Finish: long, a little more herbal, bordering on austere. Some peach skin and apricot too. Comments: I rather think it’s gained a point over twenty years. Well then, let’s just say I’ve decided it’s gained a point in twenty years, for what it’s worth.
SGP:551 - 90 points. |
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September 25, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today Aberfeldy |
Dewar's Aberfeldy! A lovely spot, very touristy, of course, but even the seasoned enthusiast will find something to enjoy. In any case, today we’ll be sampling some indie Aberfeldies, and the good news is that they’re natural malts, not the dolled-up versions boosted with sangiovese or tempranillo. In short, it’ll be a refreshing change...
(Dewar's) |
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Aberfeldy 12 yo 2013/2025 (52.5%, James Eadie, Distilleries of Great Britain & Ireland, bourbon cask, 644 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: barley, malt, hay, stewed apples, yellow flowers, lemon tart (with meringue!) and butter croissants. With water: a few touches of vegetable oils, sunflower, a little rapeseed, then a few drops of olive oil. Mouth: more on citrus fruits, assorted apples, herbal infusions, riesling or perhaps sauvignon blanc... With water: fruitier still, more on fruit jellies, lemon drops, jelly babies and Haribo beans, that sort of thing. Finish: not exactly endless, to be fair, but the fruity freshness is spot on. More lemon drops. Comments: it’s the sheer obviousness of it all that strikes you. A malt whisky crafted by nature, entirely unadulterated, thoroughly self-evident and almost disarmingly so.
SGP:641 - 86 points. |
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Aberfeldy 10 yo 2014/2025 (55.5%, Milroy's Soho Selection, dechar-rechar hogshead)
This type of rejuvenated hogshead generally enhances the fruitiness of whiskies, so let’s see whether that holds true here. In any case, it’s a joy to see Milroy’s in full swing again, especially in terms of quality—Wallace must be pleased up there. Colour: light gold. Nose: well then, it’s essentially the same whisky as the one just above, give or take, just a touch tauter and more focused on citrus, though we’re already splitting hairs. With water: am I dreaming or are there the faintest touches of petrol and even a hint of chlorine, swimming pool style? Or am I imagining it? Mouth: it’s as good as proper bread, quite literally. In fact, there’s not much to analyse, it’s simply excellent, fresh, fruity, spirited, joyful and positively vibrating (really?). With water: same again. Finish: likewise, with lovely length and perfect fruitiness. Comments: a draw. Leave the sangiovese in Tuscany and the tempranillo in Rioja.
SGP:641 - 86 points. |
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September 24, 2025 |
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To be honest, we hardly see any official Auchentoshan releases on our own little radar these days. It used to be a great brand—distinctive, likeable—and back in the 1990s, it even seemed to be massively successful. |
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Apart from Springbank with their Hazelburn, Auchentoshan is the only distillery in Scotland to do triple distillation, aside from a few intermediate regimes or experimental cases elsewhere. (Auchentoshan) |
But now, only the indie bottlers seem to have taken up the torch, at least among the top decile (that’s supposed to be you and me). So, let’s wipe away our tears and enjoy a few independent releases, keeping hope alive.... |
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Auchentoshan 1998/2024 (43.4%, Malts of Scotland, Rare Casks, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 24011, 166 bottles)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: heaps of stewed fruits and gallons of sweet wine, pineau, ratafia and all that sort of thing. Then come old kirsch and marzipan, Mozart kugeln, and finally plum eau-de-vie. There’s wood too—balsa, cedar, sandalwood—but it’s all rather discreet. Mouth: a lovely balance between finely integrated yet very present oakiness, and those stewed fruits just mentioned above, all rounded off with cappuccino, macchiato, and above all a very fine pu-ehr tea, which is quite the rarity in a Lowlander. Except perhaps at St Magdalene… Finish: good length, increasingly on teas and herbal infusions, especially rosehip. Comments: a very interesting and entertaining dialogue between cask and distillate, most successful though just ever so slightly... fragile, still.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Auchentoshan 2000/2022 (52.9%, Malts of Scotland, Rare Casks, bourbon barrel, cask #MoS 22040, 183 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: much simpler, much purer, but we are simple folk and our soul is pure, so we rather prefer it this way. Blackcurrant juice, cranberry and pomegranate, all rounded off with acacia honey. Tempted? With water: fresh sugarcane juice and even a hint of pineapple. Mouth (neat): pure Auchentoshan from the house of Auchentoshan & Sons. Wonderfully fruity, with majestic blackcurrant in the lead and mirabelle plums in tow. With water: even fresher, this time with prickly pear and a wee hint of pink grapefruit. Finish: not very long, but pristine and fruity. Comments: a style that’s vanishing—give it twenty years and we’ll mourn its passing.
SGP:641 - 88 points. |
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Auchentoshan 26 yo 1997/2024 (47.3%, The Whisky Blues, refill barrel, cask #101749, 135 bottles)
Colour: chardonnay. Nose: a sharper version, more citrus-led, on sauvignon blanc, sorrel, and also sourdough, bitter almonds, even button mushrooms. Picture a carpaccio of Paris mushrooms drizzled with lemon and olive oil. Magical, despite the faintest whiff of coconut that emerges after a few seconds. Mouth: close to the previous one, the fruitiness is perfect—refined, fresh, outrageously elegant, enriched with fresh hazelnuts and macadamias, then just a hint of lemon balm. All very ‘Auchentoshan’. Finish: not very long, but the fruit is of great finesse. A little melon appears. Comments: we ought to start a petition against the disappearance of this style. The official releases turbo-charged with wood would make a brick weep.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Auchentoshan 2007/2024 (54.1%, Maltbarn, sherry cask, 172 bottles) Sherry! It’s true that there once were some older official ‘sherried’ versions that were downright superb—but those were distilled back in the 1960s. That was a while ago. Colour: gold. Nose: pâtisseries, scones, almond croissants, raisin rolls, streusels, rhubarb tart. There you have it. With water: no major changes, quite the opposite—it folds in a little, back towards the wood. But gently so. Mouth (neat): grated orange zest, grated lemon zest, cédrat liqueur and limoncello spritz with honey. There. With water: no, best not, perhaps a single drop. It starts to come apart a little. Finish: now we’re back, fruity, fresh, with a little more liquorice. As with honey and citrus, liquorice rescues many a whisky from the sink. But that’s not the case here, this is a very fine young Auchentoshan, so long as you don’t add water. Comments: this sensitivity to dilution is quite striking, but all the same it’s a superb Lowlander. The sherry is merely incidental.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Auchentoshan 1999/2024 (52.1%, The Whisky Agency, barrel, 149 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: rose petals, Turkish delight, coconut balls, quince, this is all so unmistakably ‘Auchentoshan’! With water: pure multivitamin fruit juice. Especially white peach and mango. Mouth (neat): magnificent. There’s an old-school leaning here, reminiscent of pure pot still Irish. Honestly, had you said Redbreast, I’d have said bravo, one point to you and a free beer at a festival. Or a family-sized daiquiri. With water: now we’re veering towards Alsatian late-harvest riesling. Sadly, those are almost extinct. Finish: continues in the same vein but beware, water should be used with extreme moderation here as well. Comments: one does wonder why the overwhelming majority of independent Auchentoshan bottlings come from Germany. Any idea? Just a matter of distribution channels? At any rate, this one is utterly excellent, but then again, we expected nothing less.
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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September 23, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today grandiose old indie Cragganmore
Two mid-aged, old-style distillations, fancy that? There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of new releases from Cragganmore these days, it seems, so let’s make the most of these independent bottlings to keep the flag flying high on WF for this somewhat misunderstood distillery, while we wait for any potential official novelties.
(One of Cragganmore's flat-top spirit stills, a bit reminiscent of Dalmore's - or is it the other way round). How about we talked a bit more about stills and a little less about woods and wines, generally speaking? Just like in the good old days? |
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Cragganmore 20 yo 1985/2006 (53.5%, Weiser, bourbon cask)
Here’s a version for Germany from quite a few years back. Weiser is a well-known merchant from across the Rhine (from here, that is, naturally). Colour: white wine. Nose: pure class in its natural state, tons of mandarins and, brace yourselves Dutch friends, kumquats too, but all resting on a rich, oily base, very textured even on the nose. It’s absolutely lovely, especially the near-total lack of overt cask influence, a style that’s all but vanished today, sadly. They simply don’t let time take its time anymore. With water: not a jot of change, save perhaps for a touch of freshly cut hay. Mouth (neat): truly excellent, still oily, still packed with citrus fruits, to the point one might mistake it for an old Rosebank, though those were perhaps a touch lighter. With water: even more lemony, chalkier too, and shifting towards pink grapefruit, all carried by a beautifully sharp edge. Finish: very long, no major changes except a return of that fatty character, almost waxy, but not quite. Comments: you know what? Certain facets, not all but some, remind me of early 1980s Clynelish. Especially the oiliness and those mandarins. It brings to mind the McEwan method, as once described in the French press when he was still at Bowmore: fill the casks and wait a long time, all while praying daily. Of course, that’s theory versus practice… I’d also say that the rarity of this glorious style today only increases its appeal. So then...
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
Let’s rewind about twenty years... You might find it a bit odd to sample an old G&M CC after a cask strength, but take a closer look, it was actually a cask strength CC as well, much like today’s CCs, just forty years earlier... |
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Cragganmore 18 yo 1966 (52.2%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, old brown label, +/-1984)
A rare version, its same key characteristics, including the ABV, also appeared on another bottling under the famous ‘Cask Strength’ label. Worth noting, there was a 1966/2006 edition under G&M’s ‘Secret Stills’ label that was outrageously superlative (WF 93). Colour: gold. Nose: a touch of fine OBE at work here, in the form of metal polish and paraffin, followed by a splash of light Asian-style broth—coriander, soy sauce, coconut and so on—with, once again, wee candied mandarins over the top. It’s all immensely delicate yet the structure is remarkably solid, if not outright robust. With water: magnificent, but don’t tell G&M or they’ll think we’ve been banging on for years about them cranking up the watts, when in fact we now prefer this very version reduced. By ourselves. I love the touches of chervil and sage interwoven with citrus, and especially that whiff of bergamot. Mouth (neat): much more extroverted, back comes that Thai broth character but this time far spicier and more honeyed, while practically every citrus fruit on our little planet gathers mid-palate. Except kumquats. Just kidding—even kumquats. With water: same again, just a tad softer, leaning more towards citrus jams and honey. Finish: long, with soft peppers working wonders alongside the citrus. Comments: it’s worth knowing that within Diageo and its predecessor companies, Cragganmore has always been held in very high regard, yet oddly, that never quite translated into widespread acclaim among the thirsty and demanding masses. A real injustice!
SGP:651 - 92 points. |
I haven’t checked exactly when Cragganmore switched from direct firing to steam heating, but the short stills, doubled from 2 to 4 in 1964, are probably the reason behind the distillate’s superb oily character, especially those famous ‘flat-top’ spirit stills. |
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September 22, 2025 |
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A mini verticale of Strathmill
The disappearance of the big names among the indies—at least under their original labels—has, in recent years, allowed a number of previously overlooked distilleries, often unfairly so, to gradually step into the spotlight. Strathmill is one of them, and I’d wager that before long, people will be talking about Strathmill at dinner parties. Care to bet on it? |
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Strathmill 13 yo 2011/2025 (55.6%, James Eadie, WhiskyBrother exclusive, Cask Finish, cask #373081, 249 bottles)
Finished in Malaga for 20 months. I couldn’t say whether it was dry or sweet Malaga, so let’s see… By the way, PX ‘seco’ from Malaga is dirt cheap and can be superb, better value for money than a Citroën 2CV back in the day. Colour: gold. Nose: it’s getting annoying how successful they are, 99% of their finishes work. Each time I brace myself, and each time I’m caught off guard by the freshness and clarity of the aromas. Here: crisp green apple and honeysuckle that would make a top Pinot Noir Champagne blush, so to speak. And probably the best of dry PX from Malaga. With water: it doesn’t change. Which is not very annoying. Mouth (neat): three parts lemon, one part green apple, and one part chalk and wax. Yes, that’s more than 100%, but it’s genuinely excellent. With water: no real change, except a faint undercurrent of vin jaune-style savagnin. Which, sadly, we adore. Finish: fairly long, refreshing, driven by citrus. Comments: honestly, with stuff like this, if they gave the name of the wine, it would be brilliant advertising for the (poor) winemakers. If they even know it, that is. The whole thing is decidedly irritating…
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
Let’s move on to some older Strathmills... |
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Strathmill 28 yo 1996/2025 (55.3%, Halcyon Spirits, oloroso sherry, cask #2053, 132 bottles)
It’s certainly less common to come across old malts like this one that have been finished. At least openly—of course, plenty of official brands do it without ever saying so. Colour: full gold. Nose: if it’s good, it’s good, as Monsieur de La Palice might have said. The finishing side shows in a few pencil shavings, but they blend in fairly quickly with the rest, which is gloriously Jerezian, one could easily imagine standing in a real bodega. And I do mean a proper Jerez bodega, not one north of Hadrian’s Wall, if you follow me. Bitter oranges, jamon iberico, old walnuts, camphor, saltpetre, tobacco, sea breeze… We’re practically on the banks of the Guadalquivir. With water: in comes new leather, a packet of Spanish cigarettes (obviously), and some manzanilla—manzanilla the tea, mind you, so chamomile and not the wine from Sanlúcar. Mouth (neat): same setup on the palate, some cedar and fir wood right at the start, then it unfurls into bitter oranges, pepper and walnuts. With water: now we’re talking, everything comes together beautifully, the saline, citric, taut sides... We adore all this. Finish: still a little cedar, but the rest plays out as expected. Very lovely. A slightly more tannic aftertaste, on green tannins... Comments: very good.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
Let’s join the S.A.S.! Not the Special Air Service—it’s the Strathmill Appreciation Society. All that’s left is to set it up, I suppose. |
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Strathmill 32 yo 1992/2024 (48.8%, Maltbarn, The 26, sherry)
Hey, whatever happened to the creative labels? Is this a nod to Mongiardino or Moon Import? The godfathers of that delightful ‘whatever works’ aesthetic we started seeing on our bottles thirty years ago, with cars, fish, birds, spanners, kings, queens, insects, flying saucers, American presidents, monkeys, parrots… Colour: light gold. Nose: the age shows more clearly here, we’re deep into old beehive territory, with nectar and pollen, aged fir wood, beeswax, honey, farmhouse cider, then soft nougat and even a touch of white chocolate… not forgetting dandelion and mulleins in bloom. Mouth: firmer and more compact, with the citrus and white and grey pepper returning. There’s a slight fragility from the age, but let’s admit—it’s charming. One could liken it to ageing actresses, but let’s not. Finish: not very long, still a bit fragile, though the honeyed character saves the day. Bees—the gods’ foot soldiers—will save the world, did you know? Comments: full of charm.
SGP:541 - 86 points. |
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September 21, 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! |
It’s a cognac kind of Sunday, taking us from 1993 back to 1946
We’ll start this little session with one or two old bottles as an apéritif, dating from a time when neither single cask releases nor bottling strengths above 40% ABV were the norm. That’s why, generally speaking — apart from very old vintages like those from the 19th century or the very early 20th — older bottles tend to be of limited interest when compared to some of the small or very small batch offerings produced by today’s artisanal Cognac houses. Progress isn’t always a bad thing… |
Mid-1970s French advert for Camus Natoléon. 'Si l'on vous offre un Camus Napoléon, sachez qu'on vous honore.' (To be offered a Camus Napoléon is a mark of honour.) |
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Prince H. de Polignac ‘*** Prince Hubert’ (40%, OB, driven cork, +/-1960)
A rather recent marque, having been founded in 1947 by Prince Hubert de Polignac, a diplomat. These days they act as négociants and assemblers, working with over a hundred vine growers and some eighty distillers. So, what we have here is a cognac from the early days of the house. Colour: gold. Nose: immediately rather metallic, which isn’t unpleasant in the slightest, though it may point towards a problematic bottle, we shall see. See Angus’s article dated 13 September 2025 concerning OBE and glass or light taint… Beyond this metallic aspect, we find a simple yet utterly charming duet of stewed peaches and raisins. Mouth: it’s light but it’s good, thankfully free from metallic notes, rather a gentle touch of liquorice coating the aforementioned stewed peaches and sultanas. A shame it feels slightly tired on the alcohol front, one gets the impression it’s drifted down towards 35% vol. Worth noting the level was at high shoulder. Finish: short but pleasant. A lovely little trio of chartreuse, liquorice and pastis in the aftertaste. Comments: another bottle might well have been superior, who knows after more than sixty years in glass.
SGP:320 - 78 points. |
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Camus ‘Napoléon’ (40%, OB, La Grande Marque, +/-1975)
The designation ‘Napoléon’ is supposed to indicate older cognacs, though in this case the age seems to have been just six years or thereabouts, which did indeed match the legal requirements back then. Bottlings from the 1970s also tend to be regarded as a solid step down from those of the 1960s. Nowadays, Napoléons are usually younger than XOs and tend to be fresher and fruitier. Colour: amber. Nose: this is very toasted while remaining rather vinous, with walnut and pecan cakes, peach and melon skins, and a faintly grapey note. Mouth: quite rich, possibly with a fair bit of caramel, a light liqueur-like sweetness, always some baked peach and apricot, and a clearly postprandial profile that would have been familiar to every household at the time this little one was launched. It's really not unpleasant. Finish: not exactly short, with the toasted and caramelised sides lingering nicely. A little quince jelly and some orange marmalade. Comments: really not expensive at auction, and there’s plenty of it about. I find it very decent.
SGP:530 - 79 points. |
Let’s turn to the independent malternatives… |
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Navarre 1993/2025 (48.4%, OB for Authentic Spirits, Grande Champagne)
The domaine Navarre isn’t located in Navarre (that wouldn’t be cognac, would it) but rather in Gondeville, Charente, just next to Jarnac. Colour: deep gold. Nose: very lively, fresh, fruity, and tremendously aromatic, unusually forward with citrus, and those liqueurs and cordials some people insist on making. Orange, citron, mandarin... A touch of fruity varnish, which only serves to bolster the very zesty character. Mouth: the oak gives a tiny little nip at first but it’s not the slightest bother, especially as an avalanche of plum, damson, mirabelle and apple tartlets follows swiftly, escorted by lemon and liquorice. Very good. After a few seconds, a pleasant rush of pepper, pipe tobacco and a teeny black olive shows up – always a jolly good sign. Finish: on liquorice and pipe tobacco, growing drier and even slightly salty. Comments: a rather captivating cognac to follow as it shifts about a lot, but do take care not to get lost in it.
SGP:661 - 90 points. |
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Prunier 1991/2025 (59.8%, Art Malts, Vintage Reserve, Petite Champagne)
Colour: full gold. Nose: this is much drier, earthier, more brutal even, though I’m always a touch wary of cognacs or armagnacs bottled at such high strengths – wine brandies tend to behave rather differently from malts, and under these conditions, can become much more closed. The only solution… With water: well, it remains a touch austere but also becomes rather elegant. Liquorice wood, acacia blossom, sandalwood, and perhaps a few tiny seaweed strands… Mouth (neat): knocks you out straight away, with a blast of eau de cologne loaded with lemon and vetiver, leaving you little choice but to… With water: there, we’ve cracked it open – it veers towards honey, mirabelle and apricot preserves, but also milk chocolate. Yuzu follows. Finish: long, slightly saline too, with liquorice and menthol, which is great fun. Comments: to dilute or not to dilute before bottling, the eternal dilemma. In short, this one demands some work but it’s well worth the effort.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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La Chaleur ‘Lot 79’ (54%, Malternative Belgium and Art Malts, Grande Champagne, 2022)
An old cognac from a bouilleur de cru in Angeac-Champagne. Colour: golden amber. Nose: very compact, very expressive, utterly splendid, and absolutely up my alley. Cross my heart, it really brings old-school Macallan to mind. Brioche, orange blossom, a touch of earth, light tobacco, leather, and a wee bit of menthol… In short, we’re smitten, even if it may not boast unfathomable complexity. With water: no evolution, forget the water. Mouth (neat): yo-ho-ho, rose petals, gewürztraminer, Turkish delights, tinned lychees… I’d say this would pair brilliantly with dim sum. With water: still rather extroverted, though remains compact in the end, perhaps a tad more rustic while staying composed, yet certainly handsome. Finish: rather long, on orange and a slightly earthy edge. Comments: in short, a cognac that tells you everything straight away, then wanders off into a bit of a ramble. Rather reminds us all of someone, doesn’t it. Still magnificent, of course. Oh, and like the cats at WF HQ, it’s not terribly fond of water.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Laurichesse ‘Lot 75 - Le Lion Sage’ (50.4%, Malternative Belgium, Grande Champagne, 396 bottles)
Here we are in Segonzac, with a small but very well-regarded house. All this takes place in what’s really no more than a postage stamp of a region. And 1975, of course, is Physical Graffiti. Colour: full gold. Nose: yellow fruit jams and all sorts of honey, with soft spices carried by cinnamon. There we are… With water: out come very ripe mango and vineyard peaches. One bows. Mouth (neat): it’s embarrassing how good this is – so clear, so easy, fruity, spicy, rich, yet fresh, and fresh, yet rich. Shall I tell you a wee joke? Ever heard this definition? “Cognac is sunshine in a bottle, meant to be drunk in the shade.” Yes, yes, I know… With water: truly embarrassing. Finish: not massive, but dazzlingly fruity, with mangoes, peaches, apricots, blood oranges, and honey… The signature is a touch more rustic, fairly grapey in fact, but that only adds another dimension. Comments: simply and unquestionably perfect. Make no mistake, simplicity is a major strength. But take care, it slips down far too easily, and as people sometimes say, they really ought to print a warning on the label.
SGP:651 - 92 points. |
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François Voyer ‘Lot 46’ (48.3%, OB, Grande Champagne, 2025)
At the time of tasting this baby, I believe we’ve yet to see a photo of the label or the bottle, but that won’t stop us, will it. So instead, here’s a portrait of the extraordinary Stan Kenton who, in 1946, released his marvellous album Artistry in Rhythm. Narrow escape really, since 1946 was also the year Agent Orange was born... Colour: deep gold. Nose: of course, this baby spent its final years in demijohn, which no doubt helped preserve that sublime citrussy and floral freshness – it’s quite the stunner. Aromatic lacework, led by mandarin but branching out in fractal form into orange blossom and perhaps twenty different types of honey. Almost like a grand perfumer’s cognac, delicate and finely chiselled. Mouth: striking power, almost miraculous, with sweet wine notes, manseng, small muscat, sémillon... Then vanilla and liquorice, along with tiny brushstrokes of coffee and tobacco, nearly dotted in like pointillism. And let’s not forget those yellow peaches... Finish: fairly long, slightly jammier and more honeyed, yet always utterly elegant. Comments: inhabits the same Himalayan territory as that Laurichesse 1975.
SGP:651 - 92 points. |
One last one, and let’s stay in 1946 then… |
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Le Temps Retrouvé ‘Lot 46’ (49.5%, Passion for Whisky, Fins Bois, 252 bottles, 2025)
Ugni blanc and colombard from a bouilleur de cru. Let us recall that a bouilleur de cru is an individual in France permitted to distil their own fruit harvest, usually tax-free, grapes included, as was the case here. They’re often confused with travelling distillers, by the way. And of course, Le Temps Retrouvé is the final volume of A la Recherche du Temps Perdu (In Search of Lost Time) by Marcel Proust. Colour: full gold. Nose: frankly, this is extremely close to the François Voyer, just a little less exuberant, and therefore a touch more austere, and thus slightly more elegant, but the molecules are very much the same, both in their individual quality and overall structure. Quite. Mouth: I wouldn’t want to give the impression I’m neglecting this baby – really, we’re closer to the Voyer than Jagger to Richards. Perhaps just a tad more earthy and rooty? Finish: the finish is a little more ‘different’, with a touch more resin, more dryness, as if the demijohn stage had been a bit shorter here and the wood ageing slightly longer. But perhaps that’s just the imagination wandering... Comments: 1946 also saw the invention of the first electronic digital computer, a device that would slowly lead humanity to barbarism and ultimately its downfall, according to what’s being muttered here and there lately. Hmm, not so sure about that... But let’s not descend into pub-level philosophising, what splendid cognacs these are.
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
Wait, we have a last-minute entry... |
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Famille Cabanne ‘Lot 79’ (62.5%, OB, Bons bois, 256 bottles, 2025)
Take note, it seems this 1979 baby spent its entire life in cask, most likely an ultra-refill one, in a hot and dry environment, judging by the astonishing bottling strength. And Bons Bois can be refreshingly unvarnished, so let’s not dally... Colour: golden amber. Nose: sacrebleu! My British friends love saying sacrebleu when trying to sound French and a bit cheeky, but psst – no one actually says sacrebleu in France. The last one who did was Captain Haddock, a... fictional character. Anyway, this Bons Bois is for now simple, direct, all on honey, stewed peaches, cinnamon and candied orange, almost nothing else. But don’t be misled, here we adore this kind of precise, flawless simplicity. With water: incredible in its simplicity, compactness, and what can only be described as seduction. Just toss in a small crate of fully ripe apricots. Mouth (neat): exactly the same glorious sense of simplicity, only now with quite a bit of liquorice joining in. So, honey, stewed peaches, ripe apricots, cinnamon, candied orange and liquorice. With water: takes water like Léon Marchand slicing through the pool but doesn’t develop any further. Nor does it ‘fall apart’. Finish: not especially long, always simple, almost easy – and utterly lovely. A touch more cinnamon and pepper in the aftertaste, and that’s it. Comments: amigos, this compact Bons Bois is an absolute belter and could seriously challenge a fair number of old malts. Who said all of them, who? Come forward!
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
Wait, we also have a last second entry... |
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Le Cognac de Charles 'L.98' (52.7%, Jean-Luc Pasquet, Petite champagne, 648 bottles, 2025)
Here comes a fully organic Petite Champagne, which remains a rare thing indeed in vintages over twenty-five years old. Colour: golden amber. Nose: this is very different from the older Cognacs we’ve just been tasting, being both more floral and more herbaceous, with a livelier tension and perhaps even more of that... terroir. Admittedly it’s no greenhorn, but in contrast with the older ones, one could easily imagine having this Cognac de Charles as an apéritif and even, picture it now, as a fine à l’eau, in the manner of our good friends Hideo and Jon who sip their Port Ellen in highball form. Yes, really. In any case, on the nose, I like it a great deal, it’s very cheerful, frisky, lifted and aromatic in just the right measure. Of course, peaches remain at the heart of the show. With water: it tightens up just a little, with the emergence of a touch of menthol. No problemo. Mouth (neat): excellent! Adorably firm yet clearly fruity, compact, on peaches and apricots stewed in honey, with a touch of liquorice and a hint of pepper. The liquorice ensures that never, absolutely never, do we veer into anything remotely schmaltzy. With water: bingo on the palate, it’s a real liquid sweet, and one might even detect faint impressions of spirits from other lands, such as a little rum and a little mezcal. It recalls those Mexican mezcal lollies with a fat worm tucked inside. Rest assured, nothing of the sort in this magnificent Cognac. Finish: rather long, rather nervy, which almost makes it refreshing. That slightly herbaceous note from the nose returns here and, together with a bold liquorice, ensures everything stays perfectly in balance. Comments: incredible how this youngster stood up to a 1979, a 1975 and even two 1946s. That said, 1998 was also the year of Fantaisie Militaire by Alain Bashung. Incredible album, if you don’t already know it.
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
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