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May 5, 2025 |
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The Time Warp Sessions,
100 years apart, today indie Glenlivet: 2024 vs. 1924 |
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Distillery staff at The Glenlivet Distillery in 1924, one hundred years after
it was officially founded. It was these delightful people who produced
the 1924 we’re going to taste today. Only the managers didn’t wear caps! |
Alright, we’re cheating a bit – it’s a Glenlivet bottled in 2024 (and of course not distilled in that year), but the older one is indeed a 1924 from Harvey’s, sourced directly from the famous Dornoch Whisky Bar. We can still say there’s a hundred-year gap, can’t we? (Anyone who disagrees will be sternly reprimanded and banned from WF for life). |
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Glenlivet 17 yo 2007/2024 (64.7%, Signatory Vintage, Horsemen & Archangels, Kirsch Import, Archangel No.4, 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt, 1109 bottles) 
One suspects that two butts were blended here, given the rather murderous strength and the high outturn. The theme feels a bit ‘Russian mini-series on Netflix’, but there, let us bravely press on… Colour: dark amber. Nose: textbook stuff, with that rather bourbony side (I know), occasionally found in these ultra-high strength ex-sherries. Nail polish, hot mustard, slightly singed walnuts, candle wax, fresh paint... It’s a touch brutal, but what did we expect? With water: what a turnaround! Here come the little broths, poultry in mushroom sauce, Turkish coffee, soy sauce… In short, all the things we love in these Glenlivets from SV. Mouth (neat): let us pray... Okay, it’s rich, obviously extremely powerful, with those nail polish notes reappearing, kirsch straight from the still, chocolate… I shan’t mention Mon Chéri (too late, S.) but you get the picture. With water: again with the return of the chicken stock, parsley, nutmeg, European oak (but that’s probably American), marmalade… Finish: long, bordering on vinegary, with lashings of coffee and bitter chocolate. Comments: clearly not for the sworn enemies of oloroso, but still, utterly delightful. And not quite as lethal as one might have feared, dear Archangel.
SGP:561 - 88 points. |
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Smith’s Glenlivet 1924 ‘Superior Liqueur Whisky’ (John Harvey & Sons, Bristol) 
With a driven cork. We might assume this wee darling was bottled just after WWII, as the royal coat of arms doesn’t yet appear to be that of Elizabeth II, judging by the style of the banner at its bottom. There’s no ABV listed, but the distinguished proprietors of the Dornoch Whisky Bar have measured it at 44.85% ABV, which is rather high for a whisky this venerable that was presumably—though we cannot be certain—bottled at 80° proof. John Harvey & Sons, known for their sherry ‘Harvey’s Bristol Cream’, are still around today, though after a detour via Beam, the brand is now in Filipino hands. |
Colour: gold. Nose: that faintly mentholated and camphory side one often finds in the oldest Scotch bottles, though we can’t be entirely sure this isn’t simply bottle ageing at play. In any case, this is top-tier, streets ahead of many a modern behemoth, including the Signatory brute. Aromas of both vegetable and animal fats, fine rubber, fir smoke, tar, flint, and once again, fatty broth. An extraordinary journey one hundred years into the past! And yes, there are even traces of barley truly malted using peat. Mouth: sublimely focused on broths and soups (nettle, sorrel, leek, asparagus), with honeyed notes and not the faintest sign of weakness. Wonderful fine peat, unguents, camphor, and hints of fig jam. This Glenlivet could easily stand up to a fine foie gras, while there are also faint notes of very dry old gewurztraminer, by the way. Finish: the only moment when it pricks the nose ever so slightly, which was entirely expected. Comments: we readily understand why Professor Saintsbury, in his celebrated work ‘Notes on a Cellar-Book’ first published in 1920, extolled the virtues of a vatting of Glenlivet and Clynelish.
SGP:462 - 94 points (strictly for quality, not for rarity or historical interest). |
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To help us recover, a little bonus, since we’d just had a heavy sherry from SV (but the next one will be ten degrees lower) … |
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Glenlivet 17 yo 2006/2023 (54.8%, Signatory Vintage for Tiffany’s New York Bar and A.P.E. Hong Kong, first fill sherry butt, cask #900795, 153 bottles)
According to a very well-placed source at Tiffany’s New York Bar in Hong Kong, the label ‘reassembles the vibrant neon lights of Hong Kong within a Mong Kok street scene.’ Colour: deep gold. Nose: this is a less muscle-bound sherry than the Archangel’s, more elegant, fruitier, and perhaps even more complex. Beautiful notes of quince, mirabelle plums, figs, damp earth, roots, bergamot and liquorice. A true little jewel, this Glenlivet for Tiffany’s (now that’s clever, S.) and the rooty character is just lovely. With water: encaustic wax, beehive, old leather and aged orange liqueurs. Mouth (neat): even more roots, especially carrots, gentian, even celeriac, followed by the usual dried fruits, figs up front, then dates, candied citrus peels and prunes. With water: would you believe me if I told you certain elements remind me of the 1924 Harvey’s bottling? Perhaps it’s that very faint touch of mint sauce. Truly beautiful. Finish: long, creamy, honeyed, lightly salty, ending on citrus zest. Comments: a great Glenlivet, matured in a sherry of remarkable refinement. This is proper class in a glass…
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
Delighted with this session! |
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May 4, 2025 |
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A few rums to get ready for
the arrival of summer |
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| Dillon in Fort de France, Martinique (Dillon) |
What a smart headline! Sounds almost like cheap AI, don’t you think? Ah well, let’s move on and head to Guadeloupe… |
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Longueteau 3 yo ‘Souvenir La Tradition’ (45%, OB, Guadeloupe, agricole, +/-2024) 
An assemblage of blue and red cane, the white having undergone degassing in stainless steel for eight months before spending three years in a cognac cask. I must say I remain particularly impressed by Longueteau’s white rums. Colour: gold. Nose: this is clean as a whistle, with that lovely spicy side that clearly stems from the distillate itself rather than the wood. It gradually turns coastal, bringing sea breeze aplenty, then unfolds with honeysuckle and juniper, and this rather intriguing note of liquorice-tinged peach. Or perhaps peach-tinged liquorice, you’re quite right. Mouth: perhaps a little less precise than the nose, yet it’s still most charming. Hard to say whether there’s a tangible cognac influence—maybe that peach again? Still that liquorice, then a touch of earth and tobacco, with some aniseed and salty notes we often encounter in younger agricoles. Finish: fairly long, increasingly saline, with a spoonful of custard arriving late to coat everything. A hint of ginger too. Comments: this remains really jolly good, and it’s brilliant how they’ve managed to preserve a wee 'blanc' character throughout.
SGP:452 - 85 points. |
Let’s move on to dear Mawtinik… |
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Dillon 5 yo (43%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2024) 
Made at Depaz but aged at Dillon. Dillon is one of those brands you’ll often spot in French hypermarkets, which does somewhat tarnish its image. We’ve not had much hands-on experience with Dillon, truth be told. This one was aged in first fill white oak and ex-bourbon. Colour: deep gold. Nose: rather amusing and quite entertaining, with notes of leek, asparagus and balsa wood, gradually veering towards something reminiscent of cachaça. We’re no cachaça experts, but the few we’ve tried have certainly left a lasting impression. Mouth: still very curious, let’s say cabbage with cinnamon, lemon and caraway, all wrapped in honey and ginger. Finish: fairly long, heading toward orange marmalade and cedarwood. Comments: a funny little creature, surprising and, most importantly, never boring. A lovely surprise overall, and at under €40, it’s also a bit of a steal.
SGP:551 - 83 points. |
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Clément 7 yo 2016/2024 (54.5%, OB for Drinks & Spirits, Martinique, agricole)
Part of a lovely box set of rums agricoles, not available by the bottle. Colour: deep gold. Nose: you’d swear there’s a fair whack of esters here—glue, varnish, overripe banana and a pack of blond cigarettes, then more damp earth by the spadefuls. Quite charming, actually. With water: solvents, acetone, fir wood. We’re very much on board (indeed). Mouth (neat): oh yes, this is good—more citrus-forward, with liquorice aplenty and even some rather assertive notes of pastis, before things take a turn towards increasingly bitter lemon. A touch of acetic sharpness too, which is lovely and unexpected. With water: everything falls into place, now we’re getting tropical fruit—papaya and mango—with a bit of earthy green tea. Finish: long, fresh, mostly on salted liquorice and aniseed. Comments: we do like this Clément a great deal—it leans ever so slightly towards Jamaica, and I say that’s never a bad thing.
SGP:462 - 86 points. |
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Caribbean Premium Rum 12 yo (44%, The Duchess, Marine Life, 2024)
‘Marine Life’ indeed, though do they really have orcas in the Caribbean? Colour: pale gold. Nose: esters are leading the conga line here, and we shan’t complain. Acetone, then varnish, followed by hairspray, then overripe bananas, pear eau-de-vie, a little carbon dust and a splash of olive oil. We think it’s absolutely smashing. Mouth: this is frankly Jamaican in character—excellent stuff, saline, tarry, and brimming with olives and seawater. Marine Life indeed! Finish: long, softer perhaps, yet still briny to the end. Comments: I’m not entirely sure this is truly a blend, but whatever it is, it’s superb.
SGP:463 - 88 points. |
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Sipper’s Rum ‘Batch 1’ (49%, The Whisky Jury, blend, refill wood, 2025)
A blend ranging from ‘0 to 20’ years of age, hailing from South America, Asia and Jamaica. Truly ‘world’ in style, to say the least. Looks a bit like Colonel Sanders is on the label, doesn’t it? Help!... Colour: gold. Nose: Jamaica is loud and clear—it’s like Ardbeg, you can’t hide it no matter the measure. Charcoal, barbecued bananas, perhaps a guava-and-seawater cocktail, and a dab of mango espuma. Well, more or less. Mouth: starts out like mango and banana yoghurt—utterly irresistible—before smoothly sliding into the high-esters zone, and there’s not a thing you can do about it. Olives, soot, tar, liquorice, seawater—you know the tune. Finish: long, leaning towards sweet liquorice, though still salty. A bit of varnish and even some hand cream right at the end. Comments: in the end it’s a touch rustic, but really excellent stuff, Colonel Sanders notwithstanding. Any Fijian in there?
SGP:563 - 87 points. |
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Beenleigh 2014/2024 (64.2%, Transcontinental Rum Line for The Whisky Exchange, Australia, cask #AU14SB01, 400 bottles)
One really ought to start taking the Australians at Beenleigh more seriously—though you might say it’s a very old distillery. I believe so, anyway. Colour: gold. Nose: we’ve nosed a few like this before—gentle yet present esters, geranium, candied orange peel, a bit of saltpetre and soot, then half guava juice, half avocado purée. Mind the strength though—it’s very high and could easily distort everything. With water: (immense viscimetry!) now some rubber, paraffin, shoe polish, then quality triple sec. Mouth (neat): very much on pear and plum eau-de-vie, straight from the still, with a dainty coating of white chocolate and muesli. Quickly now… With water: the salty, liquoricy side emerges, along with gentian and little chunks of salted anchovy. Good fun for sure. Finish: long, and everything mingles gleefully, to the point you’re no longer sure where to turn. Some quince in the after-aftertaste. Comments: one extra point for originality—bravo, Downunda.
SGP:652 - 88 points. |
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Very Fine Old Caribbean Rum from La Morita Caribena 58 yo 1967/2025 (50.8%, The Whisky Agency, barrel, 359 bottles)
It’s tricky to find much about this one online—it appears to be Cuban rum, operated by a Spanish outfit, and bottled here by the crème de la crème of Germany’s indie bottlers. So absolutely nothing could go wrong. Colour: amber. Nose: wait a moment—this is like triple sec aged in an ex-old-genever cask, with a few smoky touches à la Islay and a slab of dark turrón. Delightful and very original. With water: now we’re wandering into the scented silence of an old Buddhist temple—cedarwood, incense, a swarm of bees tucked away in a corner, wax and all that. Mouth (neat): rich, clearly somewhat ‘composed’, slightly sweet but with a marvellous array of spices, very much in the Spanish style. Pine liqueur, ginger, rowanberry, cumin, coriander, orange, honey… With water: doesn’t change much, save that it remains a bit liqueur-like, akin to yellow Chartreuse. Finish: of medium length, still fresh, now edging into mentholated territory. Some coffee in the aftertaste. Comments: heaven knows what went on in Cuba in 1967 for this amusing little thing to be ‘conceived’, but it’s clearly been augmented here and there—still, the overall charm is immense. At WF, we do love Cuba.
SGP:640 - 90 points. |
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Diamond 23 yo 2001/2025 ‘SWR’ (48.9%, The Rum Cask, Guyana)
SWR stands for Skeldon William Ross, though Skeldon itself closed in 1960—this one was produced using the usual Coffey still, so we’re dealing with a sort of modern-day Skeldon facsimile. Colour: mahogany. Nose: chocolate, peonies, pipe tobacco, Corinth raisins, prickly pear juice and a few touches of crème de cassis. Great fun, quite light in texture on the nose, but with a toasty note slowly taking over, giving it a rather original edge. Mouth: but this is armagnac! I swear, it tastes like a good Ténarèze laced with chocolate and prune juice. Just like any self-respecting Ténarèze, you’ll say (only joking!) Then comes more cassis, maple syrup and those Corinth raisins again. Finish: full-on prune! Incredible… Comments: I’ve no idea how they ended up making armagnac in Georgetown, honestly. The mysteries of spirits… And the worst part is, it’s absolutely excellent.
SGP:751 - 88 points. |
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Skeldon 27 yo 1978/2005 ‘SWR’ (60.4%, Velier, Guyana, 3 barrels, 688 bottles)
Skeldon has become something of a magical name, and here we’ve got the distillate from the original Coffey still, which had been moved to Uitvlugt like many others before being decommissioned. So, this is ‘SWR’ from Uitvlugt, as opposed to the more recent D.D.L. versions (see above). For us, the 1973 Velier was magnificent when we tried it in 2016, though perhaps not totally and utterly transcendent (WF 90). Let’s see what the 1978 brings... After all, it was ‘just’ Coffey still output—let’s not forget. Colour: mahogany. Nose: prunes and pine sap, peppermint, natural tar liqueur, pipe tobacco, glacé cherries, rosewood. Honestly, this is soft and rather glorious. With water: tiny waxes, discreet ointments, those mysterious compounds… Mouth (neat): plenty of waxes, paraffin, polish, a rough edge almost like grape stalks or black truffles, then an utterly irresistible trio of liquorice + menthol + orange. As they say, this one talks and babbles. Mid-palate, you’re handed a ristretto espresso. With water: right, fair enough, we yield. You know what it reminds me of? Ardbeg ‘Provenance’. Finish: long, liquorice-laden, salty, admirably rubbery, even faintly medicinal. Could probably cure quite a few ailments. Comments: a fractal old rum. As a reminder, that means each aroma splits into sub-aromas, each of which divides again, and again, and again, until death do us part. And yet, it’s anything but deadly… Amazing.
SGP:572 - 93 points. |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far
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May 2, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos,
today Glen Spey young and old |
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A wonderful commercial postcard for Glen Spey Pure Malt Whisky,
aka 'all barley malt whisky', W&A Gilbey, UK, circa 1910. |
Not the most famous of distilleries today, but Glen Spey is still enjoyed from time to time – though it remains rather rare. It's a bit like, say, Gendullan. That said, one shouldn't forget that Glen Spey was quite actively promoted by its owners, W&A Gilbey, as early as the 19th century – a reminder that the notion Scottish single malts only began to be distributed from the late 1950s, spread all over the web like a bad meme with high staying power, is sheer nonsense. |
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Glen Spey 9 yo 2015/2025 (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof Edition #37, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt)
Always these very affordable series from Signatory, with that heavily worked sherry that perhaps doesn’t always let the character of the distillate shine through, but does its job very, very well. Colour: full gold. Nose: ah this is pretty, there's a touch of exhaust fumes (not pleasant in the street but sometimes rather charming in your glass), then green walnuts, cherry stalks, and peach leaves. A few hints of satay sauce, followed by pear cake. With water: marked saponification but it fades quickly, then comes a mix of Indian spices, think tandoori seasoning. Mouth (neat): surprising, on mustard, pepper, tar and dark chocolate, quite the unusual trio. With water: this time, beyond the Indian spices, there's candied ginger and fir bud. Really very unusual. Finish: long, and there's even a flavour of poppadums at the end. Comments: very hard to categorise, this isn't your typical sherry cask. In any case, it feels much more Indian than those super Indian malt whiskies, ha.
SGP:371 - 84 points. |
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Glen Spey 29 yo 1995/2024 (54.1%, Maltbarn, The 26, sherry cask, 42 bottles)
A rather demure label this time from Maltbarn, unless this fish happens to be extremely venomous, or ultra-rare, or capable of flight... you see what I mean. Colour: gold. Nose: it’s soft, floral, delicately waxy, with hints of freshly snapped twigs, dandelion blossom, a few puffs of cedarwood, and above all, bergamot sweets, the king of sweets. At least where they make them, in the city of Nancy, Lorraine, France. A tiny note of coconut. With water: Chablis with touches of menthol. Fresh barley in the background. Mouth (neat): ah this is lovely, taut, on herbal teas and citrus, with noticeable but delicate wood, which somewhat evokes old English cigarette tobacco. You’ll see what I mean if you’ve ever smoked untipped English cigarettes, like Senior Service or those red-pack Bensons. Not that I recommend doing that if you never have, mind you! (Smoking seriously harms your health and that of others around you). With water: still very elegant, this time on citrus cordials. Finish: medium length, on orgeat syrup and pistachio. Comments: rather impressed by the balance and poise of this old Glen Spey. A pity there aren’t more bottles.
SGP:451 - 89 points. |
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May 1, 2025 |
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A little Linkwood quartet
(3 from 2013 + 1 from 1978) |
We enjoy tasting Linkwood, which Michael Jackson once said had a rose-like aroma. But was he referring to the old distillery or the new one? In any case, both operated in tandem between 1972 and 1985, a situation that inevitably brings to mind Clynelish and Brora. The old one closed in 1985, so it’s quite possible that the 1978 we’re about to try today comes from it. |
Paul Bocuse's Soupe VGE (P. Rougereau) |
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Linkwood 11 yo 2013/2024 (46%, James Eadie, Small Batch, recharred hogshead, casks #301827, 301830, 301834)
Colour: straw. Nose: this is fresh as a daisy, on green apples and pink grapefruit, all draped over a bed of chalk and clay, with some grist humming in the background, the whole laced with custard but without a whisper of excess. A lovely nose, extremely natural. Mouth: the barley malt is given full stage here, with returns of chalk and grist, plus this time more like apple peelings, alongside a charming bitterness and even a surprising salty flick, as if one of the hogsheads had previously held an Islay – before being recharred, naturally. Finish: of medium length, fresh, leaning more towards fruit eaux-de-vie, even a touch of slightly soapy kirsch peeking through. The salty note comes back in the aftertaste. Comments: very pleasant, very ‘natural’.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Linkwood 11 yo 2013/2024 (54.8%, Dràm Mor, refill French oak oloroso hogshead, cask #900162, 325 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: quite the surprise, on fresh concrete, soot, walnut and a stack of glossy magazines, then ashes. One’s rather curious what a few drops of water might do. With water: rubber and tar, green walnuts, and a few dabs of mustard. Mouth (neat): it’s big stuff, all on chocolate and caramel stirred with ashes and a dusting of pepper. Quite striking, really. With water: that curious saline touch from the Small Batch edition pops back up, but otherwise it veers drier, more classically oloroso. Finish: long and dry, on bitter chocolate, ashes yet again, and a smoky, peppery edge. Comments: fascinating. I like it a lot, even if it leads you down an odd little path now and then. I wonder what Michael Jackson would have made of it – I suspect he wouldn’t have found a single rose petal.
SGP:352 - 85 points. |
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Linkwood 10 yo 2013/2024 ‘Edition #19’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage ‘100 Proof’, 2nd fill oloroso sherry butts)
Colour: full gold. Nose: and here we are, peonies and rose petals straightaway, then chocolate, a pack of Ricola originals, caramel, nougat, blood orange and walnut liqueur. With water: marzipan soaked in kirsch and a fine walnut cake. Mouth (neat): very good, textbook stuff from this recent series, on ginger, very black tea, peppermint, fruitcake and an ever-increasing grind of pepper. A touch of leather and tobacco to round it out. With water: back to a more classical sherry style, with prunes steeped in Armagnac. Finish: long, fairly rich, ever so slightly salty once again, ending on dates. Comments: no reason to give this lovely wee baby anything but the same score.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Linkwood-Glenlivet 17 yo 1978/1995 (55.5%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, sherrywood matured)
One does love that text on the back label: “This whisky has been bottled from a selected individual cask in its natural state and shows the character of that cask. It has not been diluted with water. It has not been treated to change its colour and is free from all additives. It has not been subjected to any filtration that might remove natural constituents and spoil its flavour. It is the authentic product of its distillery.” They really were pioneers, and of course this baby was ‘Matured in an Oak Cask’, as was only proper at Cadenhead’s, since chestnut and acacia had already been banned. Ahem. |
Colour: chestnut (ha!). Nose: this is old-school sherry all right, much more on game and hoisin sauce than today’s sherries, on ristretto coffee – fresh back from Italy, they really are the only ones who know how to make a proper espresso – and coal tar. Magnificent. With water: it’s the walnuts leading the charge now, along with a few pecans and a splash of beef stock with bone marrow and parsley. I even suspect there’s a shaving or two of truffle. Mouth (neat): unbelievable sherry, dry, meaty, smoky, salty, tarry and intensely chocolatey. With water: a glorious broth, in the style of Paul Bocuse. Finish: long and salty, more on citrus now (finger limes), but the walnuts remain firmly at the helm, and for a long time. Liquorice salted to the hilt in the aftertaste. Comments: what a sherry, what a beast! You simply don’t come across this sort of thing in modern production anymore, that’s for sure.
SGP:562 - 93 points. |
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April 2025 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Glendronach 1993/2024 ‘Hand-Filled’ (55.5%, OB, oloroso, cask #2463) - WF 92
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Benrinnes 19 yo 1971/1991 (55.3%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection) - WF 93
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
Talisker 10 yo (45.8%, OB, +/-2024) - WF 90
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Hontambère 26 yo 1997/2025 (53.8%, Grape of the Art, Ténarèze, cask #B4, 295 bottles) - WF 91
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Glen Scotia 8 yo 2016/2024 (59.1%, The Maclean Foundation, first fill bourbon barrel, 210 bottles) - WF 87
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Old Finil 3 yo (40%, OB, Italy, Licor S.R.L, +/-2024) - WF 20 |
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April 30, 2025 |
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A handful of sprightly young Glen Scotias
More from Campbeltown, as the Campbeltown Malt Festival is coming up soon, and what's more, we have a lovely Glen Scotia for the Maclean Foundation…
Charlie's sons Lachlan, Ewan and Jamie (The Maclean Foundation) |
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Glen Scotia 8 yo 2016/2024 (59.1%, The Maclean Foundation, first fill bourbon barrel, 210 bottles)
The 2nd release from the Maclean Foundation, a charity founded by our friend the brightest whisky expert Charles Maclean and his sons. It is sold through Royal Mile Whiskies, all profits supporting clean water projects in Madagascar, with each bottle helping provide clean water for one person for life. Colour: white wine. Nose: bright and breezy, opening on distillate-born pears and apples waltzing merrily with mangos and bananas that must have slipped in from the cask. The exuberant youthfulness is a real asset here and, thankfully, there's not a plank in sight. With water: hardly any change, it remains crisp and buoyantly fruity. Mouth (neat): truly a family-sized assortment of jelly babies, jellybeans, Jesuses and crocodiles, all courtesy of Maison Haribo. One hopes Haribo are chipping in to the Maclean Foundation! Lovely notes of banana cake and finger biscuits too – one could almost mix up a new cocktail with this. Charlie, what about a Maclean Spritz? Has a ring to it, doesn’t it? With water: same medley, all fruity charm and ease, even a dash of something Littlemill-esque – after all, they were once kin. Finish: in the same vein, with liquorice allsorts and jellybeans, plus a dollop of orange sponge. Comments: thoroughly fresh and fruity, though it does sing even better with a drop of water. Which is rather apt, considering the mission of The Maclean Foundation to bring clean water to Madagascar! I’ll drop the link again for good measure.
SGP:641 - 87 points. |
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Glen Scotia 9 yo (56.2%, OB, Campbeltown Malts Festival 2024, first fill bourbon and fino sherry finish)
You’ll say it was high time we gave this one a proper go, at least before the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2025! Colour: white wine. Nose: clearly in the same ballpark as the Maclean, though a little less defined and cheerful, showing more paraffin, modelling clay and leafy greenery. Could that be the fino influence? With water: bread dough, fresh sawdust, baker’s yeast. Mouth (neat): same general remarks, the casks do make themselves known, but the fruitiness persists. Plenty of apples and a slight earthy, twiggy side. With water: it takes water well, bringing out liquorice and lemon zest. Very nice bitterness too (liquorice wood, ginseng). Finish: fairly long, youthful, with the sherry rounding off the whole ensemble. Comments: very pleasant indeed, just lacking the Maclean’s sense of ‘clear line’.
SGP:651 - 84 points. |
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Glen Scotia 1992/2012 (40%, Samaroli, first fill sherry, cask #4, 600 bottles)
This is not Samaroli by Silvano Samaroli, as he had sold the company in 2008, but make no mistake, there were some excellent ‘Samaroli by Bleve’, even if 40% vol. might seem a touch odd these days. Colour: gold. Nose: this is lovely, gentle and polite, very civilised in fact, on apple juice with hints of natural vanilla, a little cinnamon, then tinned peaches and ripe yellow melon. Soft, pretty, calming… Mouth: light without being weak, though as so often, the lower strength does let a little more woodiness and dryness through. The melon and ripe peach are back, followed by a few drops of fruity beer – something like an IPA – and a touch of mint. Finish: short but charming, fresh and classic, with a hint of plum. Comments: a little gentleness in a brutish world. The 40% vol. really works here – all in all, very charming stuff.
SGP:541 - 85 points. |
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Campbeltown Distilleries 8 yo 2016/2024 (48%, Hogshead Imports, 1st fill barrel, 318 bottles)
Officially a blended malt, though one rather suspects – deep down (what?) – that it’s Glen Scotia in disguise. Colour: white wine. Nose: yes indeed, it’s soft, fruity and vanilla-led, all on apples, a touch of gentle honey (acacia – the trees are in bloom here just now), and warm brioche. Mouth: a little more presence on the palate, though still very much in the GS house style, with apples joined by a whiff of pineapple. Floral jelly too – dandelion and mullein especially – with vanilla, a touch of apricot, fruit pastilles and the like. Finish: similar again, with the cask pushing slightly forward now, adding a citric edge. Comments: very pleasant, flawless, right in the expected groove.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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Glen Toon 11 yo 2012 (53%, Whisky Sponge, Campbeltown Malts Festival 2024 exclusive, 1st fill bourbon hogshead, 225 bottles)
You can’t make a label more retro than this, short of scrawling directly onto the bottle in white paint like those old-school port or madeira jobs. RU Game, Decadent Drinks? Colour: light gold. Nose: perhaps not the brightest idea to line up a series of young ex-bourbon Glen Scotias in the same session. We’re back on apples, croissants, baker’s yeast, vanilla, sweets, melon, and the whole shebang. With water: a few hints of petrol, fresh concrete, and a touch of metal polish. Mouth (neat): banana, sponge cake (!) and an increasingly herbal character, just about held in check by mango and passion fruit. With water: fair enough, it’s pleasant, fresh, fruity, slightly minty. Finish: same again. Comments: honestly, it’s really good – it’s just not terribly thrilling to be tasting these babies back-to-back.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
So, shall we have one last dram and call it a night, yeah? |
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Images of Campbeltown (53%, Malts of Scotland, Davaar Lighthouse, cask #MoS 24015, 285 bottles)
In theory this is Glen Scotia – otherwise it would cost rather more. Colour: white wine. Nose: apples, pears, gooseberries, tinned peaches, Juicy Fruit chewing gum and fresh plaster. With water: fresh panettone, which is not half bad! Mouth (neat): a pretty fruit allsorts juice, though quite a bit of alcohol too – more or less a tutti-frutti eau-de-vie. Barley syrup. With water: green apple, barley syrup again, and a wee flash of blanco tequila. Finish: similar. Comments: still very nice indeed, though we are gently drifting off by this point…
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
Oh, hang on, there’s still a local bottling left to sample… |
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Campbeltown Blended Malt 7 yo 2017/2024 (57.1%, Watt Whisky, barrel, 246 bottles)
Attention, this was the 100th bottling from Watt Whisky aka Campbeltown Whisky Company Ltd.! That’s worth celebrating! As usual, we’re a bit late to the party, but bravo Kate and Mark! Colour: light gold. Nose: well now, this is more engaging – there’s a touch of engine oil, linseed oil, amaretti, pumpernickel spread with fresh butter, even a few tiny oysters, all layered atop the classic apple and pear base. With water: a brand-new Harris Tweed jacket. I swear. Mouth (neat): we’re back on oil, oyster shells, a few drops of petrol, a dab of light peat, and even hints of diesel and acetone, Jamaican style. Truly. With water: right, at heart it’s still apple, beer and barley. Finish: same again – apple, beer and barley – though there’s a persistent saline tang hanging in the background. Comments: absolutely lovely! Bravo!
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
Wait a sec, we could finish off with an older one… |
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Campbeltown Single Malt 32 yo 1992/2024 (45.8%, Vintage Bottlers, Secret Series #4, 60 bottles)
The number of bottles is very limited, but the geographical data is abundant – the distillery’s coordinates are given as 55°25'46.8"N 5°36'13.7"W. And these 1992s are known to be excellent, as previous examples from… Cadenhead have amply demonstrated. Colour: full gold. Nose: but of course. Candlewax, farmhouse cider, fresh croissants, sunflower, sesame and olive oil, sourdough, then more farmhouse cider alongside clay and chalk. Mouth: excellent again – salty and a tad acetic, on olives, marinière mussels, quince jelly, smoked meats, balsamic, peppers, beers… There's a lot going on here, bordering on ‘funky and dirty’. All rather unexpected, even a touch offbeat, but jolly good fun. Finish: long, on salty pasta, olive focaccia, amaro – one wonders whether there weren’t some Italians involved in this little one. Comments: this is ultra-fun, slightly punk, and even if it’s Glen Scotia, there’s a definite Longrow streak. Yes indeed, it’s true.
SGP:462 - 89 points. |
We've got more ‘Campbeltowns’ waiting in the wings, but this time we’re really calling it. CU. |
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April 29, 2025 |
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The Time Warp Sessions,
today Longrow IB vs. OB |
The Limburg Whisky Fair is always a chance to discover old bottlings we've never come across before – even in over twenty-five years. It's always quite surprising, and I reckon the most important word at Limburg isn't ‘whisky’, it’s ‘sharing’. In short, it's mad, but it always gives us the opportunity to do a few ‘Time-Warp sessions’, where we line up an old version and a more recent expression from the same distillery which can bet rather revealing. So, today it'll be Longrow, with two relatively young versions. Let’s get to it... |
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Longrow 17 yo 1990/2007 (56.1%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #114.6, ‘A Dragon’s Dram’, 583 bottles)
There were, back in the early 2000s, some rather challenging batches of Longrow, not because of the distillate itself, but due to a few wine casks that had been, let’s say, on the very odd side. Tokaji, anyone? Or something veering towards the style of that notorious Springbank ‘Spiritus Sulphuris Volatilis’. In short, the SMWS had the good sense to offer rather more ‘clean’ alternatives, not unlike those immaculate 1987s from Signatory/Samaroli. Colour: gold. Nose: extraordinary notes of brine, mutton suet, cigar smoke, cumin, mustard, flint, smoked salmon… With water: boot polish, beeswax and always that suet. Mouth (neat): brings Brora to mind, very saline, slightly acetic, resolutely mineral (clay, basalt), then getting tenser and tighter, with a most straightforward impression of smoked lemon. Excellent. With water: you’ve swallowed seawater while bathing in the ocean, then comforted yourself with a wee mezcal laced with lemon and salt. Nicely done. Finish: long, even fresher, salty, smoky… The kippers aren’t far off. Comments: we never truly understood why Springbank produced so little Longrow. There, it’s said.
SGP:466 - 92 points. |
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Longrow ‘100° Proof Batch 1’ (57.1%, OB, refill bourbon and refill pinot noir, 2025 release)
This is in fact the follow-up to the well-known ‘Red’ series which, generally speaking, had left us rather cold, as the combination of peat and red wine often evoked something like coffee and mustard mixed together – the sort of concoction we used to dish out to freshers when I was a boy scout. However, in this case, although it is pinot noir, the fact that it’s second fill does offer some reassurance. Let’s see… Colour: pale gold (victory!) Nose: no cherries, no blackcurrants, no raspberries, no woodland mushrooms, no hare pâté, and no Russian leather. Hurrah! This is more of a clean, taut Longrow, very much in the vein of those solid NAS entry-level bottlings, which are always rather good – something like a Campbeltown mojito. Lemon, seaweed, smoke, beach sand and fresh garden mint, along with a faint yeasty note (which likely betrays its youth). With water: amaretti and wood-fired white bread. Virgin wool and a touch of chalk in the background. Mouth (neat): some hints of cherry-stem herbal tea but well removed from the lees of chambertin or Bollinger. More pepper, lemon zest, a dash of tarragon, grapefruit (not even the pink kind!) With water: tinned sardines appear, along with lemon and even a splash of olive oil. Finish: fairly long, and highly maritime. One might as well be standing on a fishing quay. Comments: a great success, with the pinot noir element now little more than an anecdote. We’re rather pleased.
SGP:466 - 88 points. |
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April 28, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today Kilkerran from Glengyle
Back in the Wee Toon, listening to Andy Stewart and awaiting David Stirk’s new book on Campbeltown’s whiskies, titled in the style of Fritz Lang: Whiskyopolis.
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Kilkerran 16 yo (46%, OB, 2024)
Matured in bourbon, sherry and just the tiniest dash of rum (5%) We shan’t be asking, at that dose, what sort of rum it was. Just imagine, it seems this might be the first time we’ve tasted one of these sixteen-year-olds, which have existed since 2020. Naturally, since Glengyle first started speaking up back in 2004. Colour: straw. Nose: one rather gets the feeling of undergoing an inhalation of lemon and apple juice, quickly followed by crushed chalk, sourdough and a smidgen of paraffin oil, very much in the modern Springbank style. Extremely delicate hints of aniseed and cumin float just above this elegant and mineral-driven structure. A minute dab of salted fresh mango somewhere in the distance. Mouth: I’ve always found it quite amusing that Glengyle positioned itself in Springbank’s slipstream rather than opting for something entirely different. Then again, you might say, when the recipe works, why meddle? This is immediately salty, chalky, with that ‘good sulphur’ you’ll often find at Springbank, along with boot polish, ashes, that well-known artisanal mezcal note, some clay, olive brine, and even a few white asparagus tips nudging their way in. Finish: similar again, of fine length, with lemon returning as a kind of house signature. Comments: it’s elegant, it’s charming, it’s mineral and very salty, and it’s jolly lovely. Just what we were expecting.
SGP:452 - 88 points. |
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Kilkerran ‘Heavily Peated Batch 11’ (57.9%, OB, 2024)
Both batch 9 (WF 86) and batch 10 (WF 85) were excellent, though perhaps ever so slightly immature, a tad on the rough side for my taste, but let’s admit it, we were nitpicking. Colour: straw. Nose: it’s the 16-year-old, only younger, livelier, and above all far more medicinal. With gallons of iodine tincture and mercurochrome, sea water and a splash of lemon balm infusion, one could almost use this as a balm, an anaesthetic or indeed as a repellent against mosquitoes and, more crucially, midges. Well, no guarantees there. We like it. With water: well now, it rounds out and softens completely, but also brings seaweed and, above all, plenty of sage and tarragon. Worth trying in a béarnaise sauce. Mouth (neat): this slaps you twice across the face, a proper one-two. Brimming with salt, ashes, camphor, iodine tincture, lime, oysters and smoked fish. With water: a more classical peater, though still immensely salty, with notes of machine oil and even penetrating oil. Could come in handy. Finish: very long, with salt, lemon and bitter almonds. Black pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: hey, we’re moving forward! A fine beast, really. We should set up a blind tasting, twelve young Longrows versus twelve young Kilkerrans. Who do you reckon would win?
SGP:455 - 87 points. |
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April 27, 2025 |
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Today is a great Cognac Sunday
In theory, we should have nothing but good things! In fact, we're planning to increase the number of “malternatives” on WF over the coming months, in order to give more prominence to less ‘industrial’ spirits... |
The harbour of Chenac-Saint-Seurin-d’Uzet, in Charente-
Maritime... And within the Bons Bois appellation
(Mairie de Chenac). |
In particular, authentic cognacs, distilled from grapes grown very locally – if not from the producers’ own estates – matured on site in virgin or ex-cognac French oak casks, and bottled in the region where they are produced. That’s a far cry from a spirit distilled from imported raw materials, then casked and aged elsewhere in barrels from the other side of the world, which may have previously held a completely unrelated beverage – though that certainly doesn’t rule out high quality, as we've seen on thousands of occasions. It’s really a matter of philosophy, you see… |
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Symphonie des Terroirs N°2 ‘L.40Y’ (48.8%, OB, Jean-Luc Pasquet, Confluences, 255 bottles, 2025)
A blend with an average age of forty years, comprising 15% Grande Champagne, 50% Fins Bois and 35% Borderies. Symphonie N°1 was rather magnificent back in 2023 (L.31, WF 89). If Maison Pasquet is playing the role of Mozart, then in theory they ought to craft forty-one symphonies over time, and to think we’re only on the second. Colour: full gold. Nose: very lovely. Sicilian cassata, honey-packed nougat, oriental biscuits scented with orange blossom, then some wonderfully ripe peaches that seem to have tumbled to the ground, with a charming earthy edge softened by a few drops of Sauternes, mostly sémillon. Mouth: warning—danger ahead! All sorts of stewed fruits, sweetened with honey, vanilla and liquorice, with just a dusting of cinnamon. I don’t mean to sound smug, but this really does feel ‘composed’. Lively oranges arrive next, adding even more sparkle. Finish: perfect length, not too short, not too long, and above all, incredibly moreish. An amusing note of cracked pepper dances in the aftertaste. Comments: malt freaks, if you’ve never tasted great Cognac before, start here—it’s outrageously good and ‘easy’ (and yes, that’s a compliment!).
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘Le Cognac d’Annick L.92’ (45.9%, OB, Grande Champagne, 152 bottles, 2025)
A Grande Champagne from Criteuil-la-Magdeleine. Any beverage bearing that first name, from St Magdalene in Scotland to Château Magdelaine in Saint-Émilion, really ought to be of high quality. Colour: full gold. Nose: even more oriental, bursting with honey, orange blossom and dried figs, before rolling out the full parade of peaches and nectarines—vine peach, yellow peach, nectarines, spring ladies, babcocks, redhavens (I think they’ve got the idea, S.) … A splendid nose, and once again, both effortless and seductive. Mouth: exceptional attack, firmer and even tauter than expected, almost mineral or even saline, more floral than fruity, with violets arriving and even a whisper of lavender. Then come mandarin and apricot liqueurs (like that great one from Roulot, if you must know). Finish: long, fresh, mineral, surprisingly more complex than the finish of the L40 blend. Comments: rather masterful, and it’s quite brilliant to compare a blend and a single cask like this, both of very high standing. Beware though, this is precisely the sort of bottle that’s criminally prone to evaporation, if you catch my drift.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
That’s it, we’ve already gone too high. Blame JL Pasquet. |
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Pierre de Segonzac ‘Lot 76’ (47.2%, Art Malts, Le Grand Final, Grande Champagne, dame-jeanne #D80, 2025)
Once again some Belgian friends at the helm, which is of course a good sign. What we have here is a Cognac distilled on its lees, so not just a distillate from ‘clear wines’, which should bring extra body and complexity—let’s see… Colour: light amber. Nose: despite being fifty years old, or nearly so, this is quite a fresh Cognac, very classic on the aromatic front, all about overripe apricots and mirabelles, honeyed sultanas, honeysuckle and white clover, nougat, and since May Day is just around the corner, genuine woodland lily of the valley. Add to that a few wee touches of curry and liquorice. Mouth: very ripe peaches and orange cake, orange drops, triple sec and Muscat of Alexandria. Careful—yet again, this is seriously seductive and thus dangerously easy to drink. Also notes of liquorice allsorts and a hint of green tea bringing balance to the ensemble. Finish: medium in length, very fruity. Apricot liqueur and sultanas, with honey and liquorice lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: honey and liquorice, that’s scandalously tasty and ‘easy’, so this is another one that’s a bit of a menace in bottle form.
SGP:641 - 89 points. |
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Gousseland ‘Lot 72 La Dernière Goutte’ (40.2%, Art Malts, Series of Art #5, Bons Bois, barrique, cask #3, 60 bottles, 2022)
‘The last drop’ may sound a bit sombre, but the label is really quite lovely, if sad. We’re in Chenac-Saint-Seurin-d'Uzet, practically on the Gironde estuary, a place once apparently famed for producing… caviar. And ‘bons bois’ Cognac too, of course. Colour: amber. Nose: we’re getting that quieter, more restrained character typical of bons bois, but it’s not rustic in the slightest, and the great age here doesn’t translate into any weakness. Lovely notes of small herbs and spices—sage, coriander, oregano, myrtle, rosemary—it’s almost like a walk through the maquis, and it’s all very elegant, subtle, and ultimately complex. Mouth: absolutely no reason to fear the low alcohol level, it’s still full of life, if not exactly booming. Sweet baby tomatoes, dates, sweet wine, pineau, apricots, a bit of vin cuit… Finish: naturally not very long, but gracefully soft, heading towards rosehip jam, with a few notes of sultanas and floral jelly. Comments: a charming old Cognac of great gentleness.
SGP:541 - 89 points. |
I’ve just seen that some websites, which automatically steal and aggregate external data, are showing a WF score of 91 for the baby that follows – but I can confirm I’ve never tasted it until now. Things are starting to stink pretty badly on Web 3.0, don’t you think? |
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Petite Champagne 53 yo 1969/2022 (59.8%, Michiel Wigman, Precious Moments)
Colour: amber. Nose: well, the trouble is I might very well agree with my ‘false self’, and we’ll all end up with serious psychological issues thanks to this post-truth world driven by mass delusion, DJT-style. At any rate, this Cognac is perfectly tight and compact, all on nougat, fudge and raisin bread. But given that rather surprising strength, water is absolutely required… With water: in comes mint tea, bergamot, Earl Grey, light nougat, mirabelle jam… Mouth (neat): powerful, edgy, jammy, honeyed, and fairly hot. Quickly now… With water: spicier, still powerful, hearty, and full-on rustic. Apples, peaches, raisins, damsons and cinnamon. Finish: long, on the same notes, with an extra turn of pepper. Comments: excellently rustic.
SGP:551 - 89 points. |
Same here – I’ve never tasted the next one either, yet it's showing a score of 91 on those nauseating pirate sites that do nothing but steal content. If only they didn’t also tamper with it! As we say back home in Alsace, 's’esch necht mehr scheen’ – “it’s just not nice anymore.” Anyway, just joking (sort of), we don’t really care… but still, we kind of wish a million fleas would eternally itch those folks’ backsides – as our Chinese friends would say (I think). |
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Petite Champagne 55 yo 1968/2023 (59.1%, Michiel Wigman, Precious Moments, 132 bottles)
Colour: amber. Nose: take one third Rosebank, one third Balvenie and one third Glenmo, then stir in a dash of proper PX. With water: perfect, with rather surprising notes of garden cress. I’m not joking—I adore garden cress. Mouth (neat): excellent, just a little… strong. Fig spirit and dried raisins. With water: yes, excellent again, even if reducing this sort of spirit properly on your own isn’t exactly a breeze. Blood oranges, white pepper, Thai basil, pomegranates, and those peppery watercress-like notes return. Incredible—and I’m in love. Finish: long, with a light touch of brown sugar, candy sugar and such. Very curious slightly salty aftertaste, like in a Cognac from Ré or Oléron. Comments: fifty-five years in cask and not a wrinkle! One imagines—without being entirely certain—that it was a well-used cask from the start, back in 1968.
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
A final little one – the latest from one of the current stars of independent cognac bottling – and I must say, truly bravo to them… |
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Ma Cerise ‘Lot 68’ (50.3%, Malternative Belgium, Petite Champagne, 364 bottles, 2025)
A Cognac from a bouilleur de cru in Réaux-sur-Trèfle, Charente-Maritime, not far from Jonzac. I must admit I’d never heard of most of these villages, and I’m most grateful to independent bottlers for helping me discover them. Talk about being a French citizen—I’m even a little ashamed… Then again, we do have thirty-six thousand communes in France, all feeding into an administrative mille-feuille that would make even the most ambitious Los Angeles pastry chef weep with envy. Colour: orangey amber. Nose: a lovely little fruity gem, straightforward and uncomplicated, on mirabelles, liquorice, quince and honey. It’s absolutely precise. With water: mirabelle liqueur, apricot liqueur, quince liqueur, pine liqueur—amen. Mouth (neat): I don’t quite know why they called this ‘ma cerise’ (my cherry), though I do indeed find hints of kirsch and Calvados here, with a clear ‘bouilleur de cru’ character. We’re miles away from the high-volume, big-brand style. With water: the florals and spices burst wide open—borage, fennel, liquorice, caraway, chamomile, poppy, little lemons, all manner of citrus zests… Boom, that’s three more points right there. Finish: medium length, with a slight herbal liqueur touch—chartreuse, verbena, genepy… Leaves the palate feeling perfectly fresh. Comments: splendid, once again. But who is this Cerise anyway? In French, Cerise is a woman’s name.
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
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April 26, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today Aberlour
Always a pleasure to taste Aberlour. The old bottles you come across in Limburg are always exceptional – ah, the ’64 – but here we’ll be sampling more recent offerings. |
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Roseanna Smith, Eggshells on White
with Orange Leaf, 2018 |
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Aberlour 18 yo 2002 (54.8%, OB, for The Whisky Lodge, sherry butt, cask #3266, 612 bottles, 2025?)
I believe this baby only came out this year, for reasons I couldn’t explain. Colour: deep gold. Nose: this is absolutely textbook Aberlour, and while we’re at it, rather evocative of some older-style bottlings too. A beautiful sherry, elegant yet taut, closer to amontillado, faintly smoky – or almost – and above all dominated by pecan pie, always a deadly delight. Gorgeous notes of salted toffee, or shall we say salted Breton caramel, the kind you really shouldn’t eat more than one of at a time. With water: earthen floors, dunnage warehouses, ancient casks, warm wash, copper pots… it does take you on a tour of the distillery, in a way. Mouth (neat): punchy, unmistakably Aberlourian again, salty, tarry, then veering completely towards toffee and dark nougat. Hints of cherry liqueur and blackcurrant cordial. With water: ah perfect, no half-measures here, a dry, devilishly oxidative sherry, saline, with mounting notes of old walnuts and pipe tobacco. Boom. Finish: long, unwavering, merely handing your tongue back to you in slow motion. Sixty caudalies at the very least. Comments: now that is chatty, as they used to say in those old 60s French films.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
Independent Aberlour bottlings are generally more focused on orchard fruits — let’s see if that holds true here… |
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Aberlour 22 yo 2003/2025 (52.7%, Maltbarn, A dram is born, sherry cask, 193 bottles)
These conceptual labels are quite something, Maltbarn will soon be able to exhibit their bottles at Art Basel or the Armory Show in New York (assuming that fair hasn’t been banned by you-know-who by then). Colour: gold. Nose: this one’s different, more polished, showcasing almond or pistachio cream at first, then modelling clay and a kind of chilled soup made from woodland mushrooms and double cream. Something along those lines. A lovely earthy profile, with humus, damp woodland, mosses… how could anyone resist such things, I ask you? With water: ah, splendid sherry! Walnuts, mustard, seawater, shellfish, mint, soy sauce – a proper coastal pantry. Mouth (neat): blimey, we’re back in official territory – tar, toffee, salt, walnuts, orange marmalade, coffee, oloroso… With water: quite a bit of black pepper muscling its way in, along with generous notes of bitter orange. It settles down a touch here – we had it at 91 before. Finish: long, dry, leaning towards bitter chocolate, still carrying that pinch of salt. Comments: we’re forced to lower the score, you see, but in doing so we land on what amounts to a very elegant stalemate.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
Well then, these two drams turned out to be much closer to each other than expected! |
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April 25, 2025 |
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Having a bit of fun all over the world (for a change) |
| People often ask me what has changed in the world of whisky over the past twenty-five years. Quite a lot, of course, but the main thing—unsurprisingly, I’d say—is the wave of new whiskies emerging from all over the world, including places like Mexico and Cambodia. |
We’ve spoken about this often already; it’s no longer breaking news, but still, at the most recent festivals I attended—in France, where there were dozens of new French whiskies I’d never come across before, and in Switzerland, where exactly the same trend was happening—it was clear this was a real movement. And no doubt Limburg, where we’re heading in a few days (as we write this), will be just as revealing.
Although many of these new distilleries and brands are quite small, I believe Queen Scotland made a major strategic error: putting far too much emphasis on the casks used, both in maturation and in finishing, and as a result, significantly downplaying the role of their actual distillate and its environment. “The wood makes the whisky,” they used to say, but while it’s extremely difficult to produce something like Ardbeg or Macallan in Outer Mongolia, it’s very easy to use exactly the same highly active casks as those two famous distilleries. Which means it’s entirely possible to achieve something increasingly close to their style—and this can be demonstrated ‘glass in hand’.
We’ll soon be heading to China to take a closer look at all this, but for now, let’s focus on what we’ve got on the tasting table today, starting—as usual—with little France… |
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Évadé ‘Maple Cask Finish’ (47%, OB, France, single malt, +/-2025)
A creation by ‘Whiskies du Monde’, somewhat alarming at first glance, although I must admit to having already sampled it informally. Still, it’s amusing to encounter ‘in the flesh’ many of the descriptors we so often bandy about. At this rate we’ll soon be seeing finishes in limoncello, Earl Grey tea or indeed… tar casks. Ha. At any rate this wee ex-pot still number, presumably sourced, first spent four years in bourbon casks, 1st fill and refill. Colour: gold. Nose: mounds of stewed apples and overripe pears to begin with, but soon enough the maple syrup comes marching in and utterly overpowers the nose, eventually giving you the impression that you’re sniffing neat maple syrup. Now, the trouble here is that we happen to adore maple syrup, and so what we have is an almost regressive nose, against which resistance is frankly futile. A touch of grilled bacon and smoked ham then puts in an appearance, which doesn’t hurt. Mouth: frankly, this is a whisky that puts a smile on your face. It’s completely improbable, but unless you happen to harbour a deep-seated aversion to maple syrup – or indeed to goulash drenched in coffee liqueur – it’s a real treat, even if it does start to feel ever so slightly suffocating. Finish: long, much more on oak, with a bitterness that attempts to restore some semblance of balance. Just about manages, perhaps. Lingering notes of gently burnt caramel. Comments: yes, they do maple syrup whiskies in Canada and the USA too (Koval!) but this little French number (apparently from Hepp in Alsace) really tickled me. Well done, it’s genuinely fun.
SGP:751 - 85 points. |
Let’s be honest—more flexible regulations than those in Scotland in some areas (and less flexible in others, such as the origins of the barley) can offer real advantages to ‘outsider’ nations. |
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Distillerie du Mont Blanc 2019/2024 (50%, LMDW Version Française, Vermouth cask, single grain, 300 bottles)
An assemblage of barley and wheat distilled in an Armagnac-style still (petite colonne). I’ve little experience with this wee distillery, I must confess, though they’re brewers first and foremost, and I have indeed already enjoyed their rather good beer, ‘Brasserie du Mont Blanc’. The sort of thing one drinks while skiing. Colour: gold. Nose: this is fresh, firm – not your average grain – with citrussy notes and the inevitable hints of genepy (but of course) and verbena. The vermouth certainly plays a part, yet never takes over, it’s not overtly ‘winey’. With water: very light sulphur. Mouth (neat): the same profile unfolds on the palate, practically note for note. Lemon, herbs, gooseberries… That said, it does veer slightly more wine-forward this time. With water: that faintly sulphurous note returns, along with a fermentary edge, natural wine style… Must be the vermouth. Finish: fairly long, even more on fermentation. We do enjoy that side. Comments: you do get a bit of that whisky + wine character in the end, but it’s rather nice.
SGP:451 - 80 points. |
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Tchankat ‘Brut’ (47.3%, OB, France, +/-2024)
A new maize-based Gascon whisky by the famous Armagnac house Samalens. Now they rather used Charentais stills here (Cognac stills) and matured their spirit in recharred – not STRised – ex-Gruaud Larose barriques, a Second Cru Classé of Saint-Julien. Colour: deep gold. Nose: one gets the impression it’s really the casks that have done the heavy lifting here, but then again, Gruaud is Gruaud and it all works rather well, with heaps of vineyard peaches, green peppercorns, blackcurrant buds and button mushrooms. A few glimmers of strawberry jam, though one wouldn’t exactly say it smells like red wine. Nor would one call it faint or weak, quite the opposite in fact, especially given it’s maize-based, which might’ve suggested otherwise. Mouth: has something of a ‘fine de Bordeaux’ vibe, so not terribly whisky-like, but we’re not complaining at all – quite the contrary. Grapes, zest, cherries, buds, pips, leaf matter… Finish: same style, with lovely length. Comments: this is quite a ‘cross-category’ spirit, and honestly, this profile suits the south-west of France down to the ground. Best enjoyed after some goose foie gras followed by confit de canard with ceps, and a generous helping of pommes sarladaises. You’ll tell me that’s also the domain of Armagnac… Well, I’m thoroughly into it.
SGP:561 - 83 points. |
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Stillhead ‘Vancouver Island Rye’ (62.2%, OB, for Switzerland, Canada, 108 bottles, 2024)
We recently tasted another Stillhead and it had been very good indeed. At this strength, be warned, the Canadians can turn fierce – and not just on the ice rink. Colour: full gold. Nose: powerful yet refined, with elegant wood spices, curry, ginger, and a lovely medley of artisan bread notes (poppy seed, sesame, maize, caraway, barley of course…) With water: touches of sawdust, as one might expect, but also hints of polish and even a whiff of natural tar. Perhaps they slipped in a dash of Port Ellen, ha. Mouth (neat): ultra-potent, with a creamy texture, absolutely loaded with caraway and… maple syrup. I kid you not. With water: oh yes, this is excellent, earthy, very ‘rye’. Notes of bitter orange. Finish: same register, then more peppery citrus, nutmeg, and a touch of honey. Spruce honey, I’d wager, something very local. Comments: I like this a great deal, it’s nearly on par with their marvellously superlative ‘Garry Oak’.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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Bimber ‘Dickens The Novelist’ (58.3%, OB, England, Shoulders of Giants, bourbon, cask #398, 259 bottles, 2024)
Bimber in bourbon is generally a bit of a showstopper. And well, Dickens, that’s about as British as it gets… Colour: gold. Nose: oh yes indeed, nothing terribly complicated here but absolutely spot on. Vanilla, orange cake, banana loaf, a wee touch of papaya, a dusting of chalk and a small basket of freshly baked morning croissants. With water: honeysuckle and mullein. Mouth (neat): liqueurs of yellow fruits, dandelion syrup, vanilla, American oak, banana, pear. With water: triple sec rounds it all out nicely. A whisper of gluey notes in the far distance. Finish: long, clean, rounded, deceptively easy-going if you’re not paying close attention. Comments: none of this really feels all that Dickensian, truth be told, but then again you might say we’re not British ourselves. At any rate, it’s excellent and nudges close to the Canadian style, even if the two are miles apart.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Newborn ‘Collaboration Double Malt’ (55.4%, OB, South Korea/Japan, 402 bottles, 2025)
We often dream of this kind of transnational collaboration, though they’ve been rather rare to date. Here we have a ‘vatting’ of one-year-old Korean Craftbros (2024/2025) aged in ex-first-fill oloroso and new American oak, blended with a 2020 Japanese Nagahama matured in an ex-Islay quarter cask and red wine cask right up to 2025. So yes, it’s quite the concoction, but we love this bold idea which, if anything, seems designed to show just how daft it would be for any country to turn in on itself. Anyway, let’s taste… Colour: apricot gold. Nose: rather incredible, really, every component is distinct and clearly perceptible, starting with the red wine, then sherry, and finally the peat, which remains subtle. It all stays in a fermentary register, with notes of cherry clafoutis. I reckon water might shake things up a bit. With water: back to the brewhouse – yeasty, sourdoughy, unfermented wort… All of that, which we love. Mouth (neat): peated kirsch (the peat really comes through on the palate), artichoke liqueur, ultra-dark chocolate, bay leaf, green pepper, blackcurrant… With water: yes, this is great – green pepper, blackcurrant buds, blood orange, bitter beer… Finish: long, on similar notes, though those smoky whisky-soaked cherries do bid a proper farewell in the aftertaste. Comments: a true puzzle of youthful and highly dynamic flavours, miles away from yet another safe Speysider lazily PX'd into oblivion. Well done, Craftbros (and Nagahama too, naturally).
SGP:563 - 88 points. |
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Vardberg 4 yo (48%, OB, Norway, oloroso sherry hogshead, cask #66, +/-400 bottles, 2024)
I rather liked Vardberg’s ‘Born’ (which, amusingly enough, seems to mean ‘born’ in Norse) back in 2023. This one’s made by Berentsens Brygghus, where they dabble in all manner of liquids – gin, of course, and aquavit too, naturally. Colour: gold. Nose: how utterly delightful! In truth, this doesn’t smell much like whisky – more like smoked fish, pine smoke, tiny forest berries, pistachio nougat, fir honey (again), and, hold on tight… maple syrup! I swear it. Mouth: again, we seem to be in an alternate flavour universe, with bud notes, cumin, orgeat, woodland honeys, pine sap, coriander seeds… To be honest, in this setting the oloroso barely gets a word in, save for a few green walnuts tossed into the mix. Smoked salmon with dill. Finish: rather long, with those flavours one might lazily label ‘Nordic’ from over here. Lovely honey and chocolate in the aftertaste. Comments: right, does it actually resemble malt whisky? The answer is ‘No’. But is it any good? The answer is most certainly ‘Yes’. Best enjoyed lightly chilled alongside smoked salmon. And did you notice? We didn’t even mention genever…
SGP:661 - 84 points. |
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Kavalan 2017/2024 (59.4%, OB, Taiwan, Solist, OBE/Club Bâtard Exclusive, Madeira cask, cask #D170314035A, 210 bottles)
We always approach Kavalan with a touch of hesitation, the issue being that the Solist bottlings are invariably very, very good. That said, we’re quite intrigued by this Club Bâtard affair – one imagines it’s closer to Bâtard-Montrachet than to some ‘pure bastard’ from the backstreets (apologies, if needed). Colour: dark amber. Nose: boom, this is pure old Malmsey – or Bual – or Sercial, take your pick. Fig jam, dates, peach liqueur and the most precious of precious sultanas. Not a foot wrong. With water: on the move the raisins – Corinth and otherwise – storming the stage and claiming command without a fight. Mouth (neat): in-cred-i-ble. Monumental Madeira, massive, almost overpowering, but it seems all top gear, and honestly, one could mistake this for a glorious old cask. Basically, it’s as if someone fortified a grand old Madeira with Kavalan. With water: in comes a barrage of chocolate and hazelnut liqueur. Finish: long, creamy, irresistible. Comments: this is truly excellent and impeccably controlled from start to finish. People sometimes say Kavalan is very ‘technical’, but at this level, three cheers for technique!
SGP:751 - 90 points. |
Well, since we're already tasting Madeira at Kavalan – or the other way around… |
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Kavalan 2017/2024 (61%, OB, Taiwan, Solist, Crown Cellars Exclusive, JP’s Choice, Madeira cask, cask #D170317055A, 196 bottles)
Back to Canada for this one, specifically to Calgary, Alberta. Colour: dark amber. Nose: clearly very close to the ‘Bâtard’ (either you master the technique, or you don’t), though this one feels a tad less rounded and jammy, and with a slightly more mineral and dry profile – though by no means a ‘dry’ Kavalan. Whiffs of damp forest floor, followed by a box of little Cuban cigars, the sort JFK supposedly enjoyed post-embargo. With water: you’re wandering through an old bodega… Mouth (neat): oh lord, this is good! But watch out – it’s mighty powerful, with a rather head-snapping tendency (rather like a few Canadian hockey players, come to think of it). Glorious walnuts, tobacco and earthy notes. With water: honeys, figs, raisins, and some balsamic touches all jockeying for attention. Finish: long, almost saline. Bone marrow hints with a dash of marc or grappa. Madness! Comments: one would love to have a word with this ‘JP’. Then again, best leave him in peace…
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
Not much could top this Taiwanese-Canadian-Portuguese Kavalan, so let’s call this session to a close. |
That said, we should point out that while this selection of world whiskies was quite exciting—largely thanks to their unconventional character—we could easily see ourselves buying a whole case of any Clynelish, but I don’t think we’d do the same with any of the whiskies we tasted today. See you. |
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April 24, 2025 |
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T.T.T. (Three Times Tamdhu)
A cheap little headline meant as a tribute to the T.T.T. (Twelve Tone Tune) by the great jazz pianist Bill Evans. A few days ago, we were talking with a very disheartened American friend about the state of his country, and it seems I rather lifted his spirits by saying, “America is also the music of Bill Evans” even though the latter left this world forty-five years ago.
Right, anyway, we do like Tamdhu, that’s a fact, even if we’re generally wary of the little NAS expressions like the first one we’re about to taste. Perhaps the last survivors of the ‘high-tide’ period the market went through for a good fifteen years, right up until the immediate post-Covid months… |
Bill Evans, 1929-1980
(publicity photo Steve Schapiro) |
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Tamdhu ‘Cuatro Reserva’ (41.2%, OB, +/-2024) 
Not wildly fond of those slightly daft ABV decimals that seem designed to lull your subconscious into believing this was bottled at natural strength, but let’s not dwell… Colour: light gold. Nose: rather charming, malty and leaning towards brown ale, walnut wine, lightly singed cake, a touch of menthol, dark chocolate, and instant coffee granules… Really quite pleasant, honestly. Mouth: good start, with notes of orange and walnut, more beer, preferably Belgian if you please, even a nod to stout, but the strength is too timid and it lacks a bit of backbone because of that, tending to nosedive and becoming a touch bitter and flattish. Finish: fairly short and dry. Coffee grounds, scorched nuts, dried parsley. Comments: it’s good stuff but a shame really, this would’ve been better even at 43%. Fine, 43.2% if you insist.
SGP:351 - 81 points. |
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Tamdhu 12 yo (43%, OB, +/-2024)
We rather liked this one the last time, back in 2021. Colour: gold. Nose: drier than the Cuatro and the like, less expressive perhaps but showing greater elegance, closer to barley, fruit, apples, quinces, stewed fruit, wholemeal bread, bitter chocolate, farmhouse cider and a touch of baker’s yeast. Forgot to mention some Oloroso-esque touches as well. Mouth: very much old-school Speyside in natural form, sherry clearly involved here, with walnut cake, orange marmalade, a discreet dab of mustard, gingerbread, a whisper of ginger ‘with elegance’, cider again, and crème brûlée… In short, nothing to complain about, really good stuff in my modest opinion. Finish: pleasantly long, with more spices, ginger, nutmeg, brown ale, a hint of green wood, and yeast. Comments: dry and exactly as I remembered it. That said, I’ve always preferred the 10-year-old, though sadly it’s not on the tasting table this time.
SGP:451 - 84 points. |
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Tamdhu 10 yo 2013/2014 (57.9%, Alistair Walker’s Infrequent Flyers, PX puncheon, cask #800069, 698 bottles)
No need to panic, it’s only a light PX finish. Frankly, I suspect there’s more PX in our whiskies these days than in all the actual Pedro Ximénez bottles on earth. Well, almost, and to be fair, some of these PX finishes are rather good. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: ah, clever stuff—PX nicely integrated, veering towards almost saline notes, walnut cake, dried bananas and figs, turrón, chicory-laced coffee, and roasted pecans. A pleasant surprise. With water: not a massive change, perhaps a slightly savoury, meaty edge, verging on glutamate, with some very dark, damp earth. Mouth (neat): oh yes, that’s good—dark chocolate with fleur de sel, dark tobacco, a splash of coffee liqueur spiced with pepper, a touch of mole sauce… Cleverly done and structurally sound. With water: roasted walnuts and yet more salt. Impeccable. Finish: long, full-bodied, saline, malty, leaning towards brown ale. Comments: this talks. A lovely range I’m not well acquainted with, though I really ought to pay more attention to it. Good to have goals in life, isn’t it.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
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April 23, 2025 |
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Wine and single malt whisky from Tomintoul |
With certain malt brands, we who came to single malts from the world of wine now find ourselves on something of a backwards journey, as these brands are simply leading us… back into the world of wine. Tomintoul is a good example: many of their recent releases have been finished in wine casks of all sorts and from various origins. The names of these wines, in fact, now appear on the labels in place of age statements. Should we regret this shift? Not necessarily. |
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On the one hand, it seems the Scots have improved their finishing techniques—at least, that’s how it seems to us—and on the other hand, one has to have a bit of fun with it all... I do wonder, though, whether young malt enthusiasts, after tasting, say, a Tomintoul ‘Tempranillo’, will go on to take an interest in that great Spanish grape and perhaps even buy a few bottles of wine made thereof. |
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Tomintoul ‘Tempranillo Wine Cask Finish’ (40%, OB, Small Batch, 2024) 
This isn’t sold at a high price, roughly €45. Quite a few prestigious Spanish wines made from tempranillo, such as certain Riojas or Ribera del Dueros, go for considerably more, though I doubt those are the types of casks used here. You’ll tell me, why not? Colour: white wine. Rather odd, as tempranillo is usually very red. Nose: it’s absolutely crammed with redcurrants and cherries, then comes a little vanilla and some apple juice. All in all, it’s fresh, light, not unpleasant, and not too vinous either. Increasing notes of toffee apple and barley sugar follow on. Mouth: I suspect these kinds of casks are notoriously difficult to balance, things tend to veer off quickly into bitter herbal teas, grape skins, even the stems. But here it stays reined in, the cherry keeps leading the dance, with just a few hints of strawberry jam chiming in. In short, it’s still quite unmistakably ‘tempranillo’. Finish: short and light, not unbalanced. Comments: I find this better than last year’s Pinot Noir version.
SGP:451 - 79 points. |
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Tomintoul ‘Amarone Wine Cask Finish’ (40%, OB, Small Batch, 2024)
From Spain we cross over to Italy, though Amarone della Valpolicella isn’t a grape variety like tempranillo, rather a style of dry red straw wine, with grapes that have been concentrated by drying before pressing. It’s typically made from corvina and rondinella grapes and enjoys a loyal following, particularly in... Scotland. No names mentioned. Colour: white wine. Once again, oddly pale. Nose: more rustic than the tempranillo, less daintily fruity, leaning more towards very ripe plums, blackberries, tobacco and wine cask notes. So, more vinous overall. Mouth: similar impressions but it fares better on the palate, even though the red wine presence is rather strong—something you wouldn’t expect just by looking at the colour. Maraschino, hints of pepper, budding vines, cherry clafoutis. Finish: not very long, but more on ginger, chlorophyll and a touch of pink pepper. Comments: not bad, this little ‘winesky’, though I found the tempranillo to be rather better balanced.
SGP:461 - 78 points. |
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Tomintoul ‘Merlot Wine Cask Finish’ (40%, OB, Small Batch, +/-2022)
Merlot’s grown just about everywhere these days, but this one hails from Bordeaux. You’ll say it’s found all over Bordeaux too, not only in Pétrus, and I think it’s even the number one grape there, ahead of the cabernets. Colour: white wine. Same comment as before. Nose: it’s rather fun to spot the differences among these major red grapes, and here we do indeed get cherry, but also some damson jam and a few violet touches, alongside a whiff of floral perfume (jasmine, almond blossom). A wee hint of stalks and leaves as well. Mouth: it’s drier, less sweet, more peppery, less fruity, more herbal, and not as immediately charming, though there is some fig tucked away. Finish: long and fairly herbal indeed, though the aftertaste is softer, with notes of marzipan. Comments: one wonders whether the grapes were destemmed or not. Also, it would have been nice to know the vintage. A shame it couldn’t be 2022, such a glorious year!
SGP:461 - 77 points. |
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Tomintoul ‘Seiridh’ (40%, OB, Limited Edition, fist fill oloroso sherry cask finish, 6,000 bottles, 2022)
A limited edition bottled at 40% vol., which is a bit daring, though with oloroso, we’re on familiar ground. Colour: gold. Nose: reassuring stuff, calm and composed, with walnut cake and currants, followed by dates, a few touches of Easter chocolate (why Easter?) and even a Mars bar. Mouth: yes, this works, not as light as one might expect, nicely balanced, very much ‘dry sherry’, and unmistakably oloroso. Caramelised pecans—a killer—and a lovely drier sort of honey. Finish: not very long once again, but with a fine note of black tea. English breakfast tea rather than Scottish breakfast whisky, ha. Comments: I think this is really well done. At 45/46%, it would positively sing.
SGP:551 - 82 points. |
Let’s turn to bourbon for a change… |
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Tomintoul ‘Tundra’ (40%, OB, bourbon, 1l, +/-2020)
Never tried this little beast before, bottled—judging by the name—prior to the tragic events in Ukraine. You’ll say there’s tundra up north across all continents, be it America, Europe or Asia. Fair enough, let’s see if we can sniff out any moss or lichen... Colour: pale gold. Nose: no moss to report, rather pear, pineapple, vanilla and grist, plus a basket of this morning’s croissants. Mouth: this one fully lives up to Tomintoul’s slogan, ‘The Gentle Dram’. Scones and muffins, Earl Grey, barley, a little green tea, then a reprise of nicely ripe pear and apple. It whispers more than it shouts, but it’s charming. Finish: short but soft and fresh, without any misstep, save for a faint dusty note in the aftertaste. Comments: very honest and loyal, no needless fuss. Yep ‘tundra’ is truly a Russian name, apparently.
SGP:441 - 80 points. |
Right then, let’s try to seek out something a bit more refined, from the indies of course, and then we’ll call it a day. |
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Tomintoul 2010/2024 (58.2%, Malts of Scotland, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 24023, 243 bottles)
We’ve got a rather good feeling about this one… Colour: full gold. Nose: starts off like a campfire where marshmallows are toasting, then moves toward fig tree and even a bit of tomato bush, before getting into all sorts of roots—maybe even some moss and lichen, ha. The fruits are playing hard to get at first, it seems, though we’ve got our secret weapon… With water: yes, cassata and a fruit salad of pale and yellow orchard fruits. Mouth (neat): boom, an orchard avalanche—plums of every kind, apples, pears, peaches, apricots… No worries, I shan’t list them all. A leafy touch helps rein it in just a bit. With water: here comes melon, quince, prickly pear, jujube… Finish: long and delicate, on a fruity Wulong tea. Comments: a very fine example of a malt that really deserves a few drops of H2O.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
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April 22, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today young Balblair
Are we going to come across some fruit bombs?
The forests of Limousin cover nearly 600,000 hectares (around 400 million trees), including almost 200,000 hectares of pedunculate oak. (Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière) |
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Balblair 10 yo (46%, Living Souls, ex-Limousin oak Cognac finish, 2024)
A rather pleonastic idea from some new Glasgow-based indie bottlers, given that Balblair in and of itself can sometimes already nod towards a rather fruity Cognac. It should be noted that Cognac is generally matured in pedonculate French oak from the forests of Tronçais or Limousin, the latter being the more tannic of the two. Colour: white wine. Nose: the oak spices are quick to leap out, followed by citrus peels and hints of fir sap, alongside a touch of stewed rhubarb. A charming nose, it must be said, though rather than amplifying the fruitiness, the finishing seems to have capped it somewhat, rendering this baby rather more on the herbal side. Mouth: similar feelings, loads of spices on a fairly creamy texture, then green apples and once again citrus zests, even some bitter orange. Pine needles. Finish: fairly long, even spicier and more herbaceous still, but it wears it well. Comments: indeed, there are also some nice echoes of quality oak throughout. I find the whole thing a tad curious, but genuinely enjoyable.
SGP:461 - 83 points. |
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Balblair 12 yo 2011/2024 (53.4%, Valinch & Mallet, Young Masters Edition, 2nd fill oloroso, cask #800197, 331 bottles)
Colour: straw. Nose: the sherry cask remains fairly discreet, allowing the distillate to fire off loads of green apples and lemon straight up the nostrils, with a few aniseed-y touches adding to a Sauvignon Blanc-esque freshness we’re particularly fond of around here. With water: not much change, and that’s just as well. A pure and vibrant nose, as the saying goes, perhaps just a few walnut skins, most likely from the sherry wood. Mouth (neat): green apple liqueur mixed with lemon juice and a dab of honey. I dare say this combo could soothe all our springtime ailments – sinuses, throat, bronchi and beyond. With water: perfect, extremely Balblairian. Lovely notes of pink pepper joining the apples and lemons. Finish: long and properly zesty. Comments: a rather lovely bottle, with perfect tension.
SGP:661 - 88 points. |
After these youthful new releases, let’s take the opportunity to quickly sample a couple of Balblairs from our old stock, never formally tasted until now. |
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Balblair 20 yo 1990/2011 (54.2%, Friends of Malt, finished in Port Charlotte cask)
I must admit I’d been a little hesitant to taste this rather oddball baby… Colour: white wine. Nose: I confess it’s quite amusing, with ashes blanketing tinned pineapple, the whole lot served in a hefty silver salad bowl. There’s also loads of rhubarb again, along with strawberries and radish tops. It’s quirky but oddly coherent. With water: arrival of apples. Mouth (neat): more classically peaty here, a bit like some of those mainland peaters such as Benriach or Tomintoul. With water: apples and lemons now, with touches of passion fruit helping to balance things out. Finish: long, tense, with returning ashes and smoke. Comments: I think it worked, though one wonders whether this Balblair might not have been even better before being Portcharlotted like this.
SGP:563 - 86 points. |
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Balblair 18 yo 1990/2008 (58.7%, Villa Konthor)
Villa Konthor is one of the hallowed grounds of Limburg an der Lahn, see you there very soon! Colour: white wine. Nose: quite similar to the previous one, minus the Port Charlotte, which should in theory help us answer our question. Essentially, remove the peat and add a touch of honey and vanilla. With water: ripe apples. Mouth (neat): creamy, very fruity, with peaches, apples, bananas, and indeed a bit of pineapple. With water: same again. Finish: same again. Comments: not entirely sure we’ve actually solved our little conundrum, to be honest.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
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April 21, 2025 |
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Back with the bad, and the much better
Not exactly the kind of thing we actively seek out, but over the years and through our travels, a few of them inevitably find their way to Château Whiskyfun — and it's always fun to taste them, especially as some are very cheap. Take this one, for instance…
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Old Finil 3 yo (40%, OB, Italy, Licor S.R.L, +/-2024) 
A strange little bottle, simply labelled as ‘whisky’, with no indication of origin. That said, it is promoted as ‘a distillate with intense and persistent flavour, crafted artisanally in Italy’. Elsewhere, it is stated that ‘This whisky is handcrafted in the distilleries of the Old Finil Udue company, located in the verdant valleys of the Dolomites.’ However, we unearthed our bottle in Sicily, with the price for 70cl hovering between €6 and €8. Oh, and we’ve absolutely no idea why there’s a papal tiara on the label as we do have our doubts about the Vatican having made this little one its official whisky. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: comes across like entry-level vodka, flavoured with artificial vanillin and oak chips. Not utterly disgusting, though the raw woody alcohol notes soon seize control. One gets the impression it would be inconceivable to taste this baby without a heap of ice cubes. Mouth: same story, tutti-frutti eau-de-vie sold by the jerrycan, bargain-bin limoncello, a dash of fake vanilla, and something resembling wood extract. Now I don’t think it would render you blind. Finish: none to speak of, which may in fact be one of its more commendable features. Comments: at this price, one can’t really complain, can one? Let’s say it’s just about drinkable, but it certainly isn’t good. According to Mr Massimo R. of Formigine, it also doubles as a pipe cleaner.
SGP:310 - 20 points. |
Update: We were saddened to learn, barely an hour after publishing this woeful tasting note above, of the death of Pope Francis. We have decided not to make any changes to it, as His Holiness had, on many occasions, demonstrated a rather marked sense of humour. May he rest in peace. |
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The Old Choice (40%, OB, Blended Scotch whisky, +/-2025)
This one goes for €8.49 a bottle (70cl) in Italy, though we spotted it on an Australian site for $49.00, which works out to over €27! To be fair, it is a proper Scottish blend, distributed in Italy by the firm Dilmoor. Colour: white wine. Nose: certainly not grand, but far better than that poor Old Finil, with traces of malt, fudge, overripe apples and English tea. Not miles away from the big-name blends—Johnnie Red, Black & White, and so on—with even a fairly charming touch of caramel. Yep. Mouth: as anticipated, it rather falls apart on the palate, with a harsh and even burning edge from the alcohol. The caramel manages to claw things back a little, and the bitterness isn’t overly assertive. Not utterly dreadful in the end. Finish: very short, with a few fleeting hints of pear that help boost the score a notch or two. Comments: I’m not saying it wouldn’t win a prestigious international award in the under-€10, 3-year-old blend category, now am I…
SGP:310 - 30 points. |
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The Glen Glover 3 yo (40%, OB, Blended Scotch whisky, 2024)
The back label tells us this baby hails, like The Old Choice for that matter, from a company in Bologna, where quite a lot seems to be happening in the world of whisky! The price is similar, around €8.50 for a 70cl bottle. Colour: straw. Nose: very close indeed—vanilla, fudge, white chocolate, a powdery note, bottled apple juice, even a whiff of apple tart. One could almost go so far as to say it’s not an unpleasant nose. Mouth: same sort of juice as The Old Choice, not good, with dusty touches, cardboard, sawdust, and also hints of pear liqueur and caramel attempting to soothe the pain a little. Finish: very short, identical to The Old Choice. Comments: truth be told, this is the kind of whisky they use in cocktails at all-inclusive holiday clubs all around the Mediterranean basin, from Marbella to Bodrum and far beyond.
SGP:310 - 25 points. |
Let’s try to be a bit more serious now — that’s quite enough of the los cheapos for today… |
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Dewar’s ’White Label’ (40%, OB, Blended Scotch, +/-2024) 
One of the best-known blends in the world. Generally speaking, and even if it doesn’t exactly set the heather alight, we rather like it. Colour: light gold. Nose: cleaner and smoother, slightly more malty, with notes of bread, porridge, beer and brioche. A touch of orange blossom too. Mouth: a simple blend, free from the flaws of the earlier suspects—no burning edge, no cardboard, no overly spirity mess—but that doesn’t mean you’ll be whisked away to the fruit section of Fortnum’s or La Grande Épicerie either. It remains basic. Finish: short, very simple, with a trace of what the public likes to call ‘smokiness’. Probably not peat though… The aftertaste is more charming, with hints of nougat and dried fruits. Though it comes a bit late… Comments: already a big step up!
SGP:331 - 60 points. |
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William Peel (40%, OB, France, +/-2024)
This one was ‘patiently matured’, if you please. William Peel is a massive brand in France, but it leans rather heavily on the budget end of things. Colour: pale gold. Nose: not much going on, frankly. The Italians had more flaws, but at least they showed a bit of character. Perhaps some vanilla-flavoured black tea, at a stretch. Mouth: not much here either—Dewar’s is clearly far superior. That said, there’s an oddly amusing little note of lavender and salt, which is rather fun. Finish: short, and hooray, that salty lavender note sticks around. Some liquorice too, though sadly it all arrives a bit too late… Comments: better than some William Peels we’ve braved in the past—for the cause and the cause alone, mind you. Alas, it has nothing to do with Emma Peel (that was stoopid, S.).
SGP:331 - 50 points. |
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Chivas Regal 13 yo ‘Extra - Tequila Cask Finish’ (40%, OB, Blended Scotch, +/-2024)
After so much lamenting over these improbable finishings that practically scream ‘WTF’, it was only fair that we actually taste a few. Like this Chivas, the epitome of a traditional brand and still somewhat ‘prestigious’, here behaving like an unsupervised heir from a good family who’s gone astray by messing around with tequila. What an idea! Colour: pale gold. Nose: not far off William Peel, which is frankly baffling. It seems the tequila has added a dirty, earthy side to what might once have leaned more towards a lovely, fresh panettone. What an idea indeed. Mouth: same feeling. Some Chivas, mixed with rustic gentian, celery root, earth, and perhaps a touch of tequila. I’m afraid this doesn’t really tango well together, sorry. Finish: herbal and earthy. Roots that perhaps oughtn’t be there. Comments: might well have worked better at 45 or 46%, but as it stands… yes, it’s dirty to me. A shame, we do enjoy agave—but still, we’d take the classic Chivas Regal 12 over this one a thousand times.
SGP:341 - 50 points. |
Right then, let’s have a rummage through the stash and dig out a couple of old bottlings… |
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Stalker & McLellan ‘Special Reserve’ (No ABV, OB, Scotch Whisky, +/-1910-1920)
Not much is to be found online about this Glaswegian brand, but our thanks go to our friend Morten for having sourced it. Colour: opaque gold. Nose: very typical of extremely old, low-strength bottles, with notes of chicken broth, old books, cocoa, lamp oil and dusty old tea tins… All of this is utterly charming, antiquated, old-fashioned, and even rather romantic. Mouth: it has clearly seen better days, no doubt about that, but there remain some lovely touches of pu-ehr tea, liquorice wood, roots, even a dash of powdered ginseng. Finish: not very long but very elegant, salty, ‘like a precious broth’. Comments: it’s always tricky business assigning a score to such an ancient dram. In any case, this Stalker & McLellan from the silent film era still has some fine remnants of glory…
SGP:221 - +/-80 points. |
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Old Mac 5 yo (40%, OB, Blended Scotch, 1980s)
This blend was bottled for Italy by the house of Thomas Mac & Sons of Glasgow. We do love that little note on the label— ‘100% Blended Scotch Whisky’—what would it be otherwise, one wonders? Colour: light gold. Nose: it’s light, rather grain-forward, with hints of castor oil, sunflower oil, perhaps even a touch of polenta… But all of it remains in whisper mode… Mouth: ah, not bad at all on the palate, with peat and a pleasant minerality, a bit of rubber, crème de menthe and chlorophyll, broth again, and salt… These wee blends can be full of surprises, even if there’s not much fruit to be found in this one. Finish: medium length, salty, like vegetable soup, tobacco, salted liquorice… Comments: one wonders if this Old Mac came out around the time of the very first Apple computers. I know, a pointless remark, but all told, this is really not bad at all.
SGP:242 - 85 points. |
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His Excellency 5 yo (43%, OB, 100% Pure Scotch Whisky, for Italy, Ditta Paglia Ivo, 1980s)
This 5-year-old was offered by Bartels, Rawlings & Co. There were plenty of young whiskies around back then, as youthful age statements were associated with lightness, something the public actively sought. Colour: straw. Nose: here we find those slightly smoky aromas that long led the public to believe all Scotch whiskies were ‘smoky’, and here we are. Rubber, new trainers, brine, engine oil, mint tea. Practically no fruit to speak of. Mouth: here too it’s rather full-bodied, oily and salty, with notes of cabbage soup and orange wine. There’s a curious fermentary side after all these years… Finish: fairly long, again with salted liquorice and a strong maritime character—almost as if it had been used to marinate… sea urchins? Comments: His Excellency clearly had good taste, as one would expect. This was before the era of cowboy diplomats. Not to be confused with oligarchic thugs, mind you!
SGP:342 - 83 points. |
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Teacher’s Highland Cream (86 US proof, OB, Blended Scotch, USA, Schieffelin New York, 1930s)
‘Perfection of Blended Scotch Whisky’, claims the old label. And there’s little doubt about that—these immediate post-Prohibition Teacher’s could be absolutely fantabulous; let’s have a look at this one. Colour: gold. Nose: just as one would hope, with a glorious arrival full of honeyed notes and a faint whisper of smoke (Ardmore perhaps?) which soon veers off toward sultanas, old sweet wines (old Malmsey), dried lychees and longans. It’s absolutely beautiful—who kept the recipe? Mouth: very much in the vein of White Horse, let’s say. Dry smoke at first, followed by a medley of herbal teas and infusions, with a dry fruitiness reminiscent of old liqueurs whose sugars have long since faded. A truly great Scotch whisky that transcends any simplistic blend-versus-malt dichotomy. Finish: long and elegant, almost like an old Meursault. Quite astonishing. Comments: I wonder whether we don’t spot crates of this very Teacher’s in the original version of Whisky Galore… Am I wrong? Thank you, Tomas.
SGP:452 - 90 points. |
Let’s get back to more modern things… |
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The Antiquary 15 yo (43%, OB, Blended Scotch, 6,000 bottles, +/-2022) 
Tomatin’s blend, and most certainly brimming with Tomatin, so one would expect it to be fruitier than a fruit salad. We tried the version finished in Bordeaux casks last year—it was a bit of a let-down (WF 74)—but here, things ought to fall back into place… Colour: gold. Nose: a mix of crushed chalk and blood orange to start, then prickly pear and melon. Rather unusual, even surprising, but a fermentary edge kicks in to balance things out, and it all becomes genuinely pretty. Mouth: this is very unusual—much drier than expected, with earthy notes, blackcurrant buds, even a splash of cabernet, then more and more green pepper… Finish: long, on bell pepper and aubergine. Comments: sorry, I bailed… Did they release the ‘claret’ under two different labels? Were there several batches? Superb nose, but the palate is tough going, for me at least.
SGP:351 - 76 points. |
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Isle of Skye 18 yo (40%, OB, Blended Scotch, +/-2024)
By Ian Macleod. We’ve never been especially enthused by the younger Isle of Skyes, but at 18 years old, perhaps this will be different… Even if the 40% vol. doesn’t exactly inspire high hopes. Colour: gold. Nose: this is a discreet blend on the nose, slightly earthy, slightly maritime, slightly sandy, with some nuts and a touch of dried seaweed, along with a smoke that’s… well, discreet. The choice to bottle it at minimum strength feels rather baffling. Mouth: it’s more acidic and saltier than the nose suggests, with a pleasing ‘fino’ aspect at first, then it flows into herbal teas and seaweed, but the ever-present frustration of the low bottling strength lingers throughout. A shame really, as it’s a lovely composition, but of course, when one sees ‘Skye’, Talisker inevitably comes to mind—and here… no cigar. Finish: short to medium, more on fermentation. Comments: a pity, as it’s sorely hampered by the bottling strength. Yes, I insist. It’s like Jimmy Page playing his double-neck Gibson, but without plugging in the amp. You get the idea…
SGP:343 - 80 points. |
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St Bridget’s Kirk 35 yo 1988/2024 (41.5%, OB, Blended Scotch, refill barrel, 248 bottles)
We’d already tasted another cask of this ‘blended when young’ style (ex-Edrington in theory) by Hannah Whisky Merchants, which had been very, very good (WF 87). Colour: full gold. Nose: tricky to pin down, but that’s not the point—here there’s glue, smoke, bitter almonds, maraschino, lanolin, pistachio cream (we’ve just come back from Sicily), and rich, black potting soil. All of it is rather lovely. Mouth: almonds and pistachios take the lead, though a pronounced salinity and a good helping of black tobacco add a fine contradiction, rounded off with a bit of coconut (grain component?) It’s an intriguing profile, certainly unusual. Finish: medium length, but saltier still. A faint tequila-like touch. Comments: these are very unusual whiskies, the sort that no master blender could ever hope to replicate. That sense of rarity adds undeniable charm to the whole affair.
SGP:552 - 88 points. |
Time to move on to the last one — perhaps a very old blend. What do you say? |
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The Antique Blended Whisky 48 yo 1976/2024 (49.1%, Sansibar, Blended Scotch, hogshead, 145 bottles)
A truly intriguing bottle, and according to the label, a very ‘American’ one. Then again, 1976 was the bicentennial, wasn’t it? Colour: deep gold. Nose: lovely—on stewed fruits, medlars, sangria, oranges, papaya, a pack of blond cigarettes, orange cream, rum-filled chocolate, and raisins… What’s particularly amusing is a note of old grain whisky that comes and goes, as if it might seize control, then vanishes entirely. One rather wishes certain politicians behaved the same way, wouldn’t you say? Mouth: the refinement of a very old cask, with fats, orange marmalade, smoked fish (really?), unguents, papaya, passion fruit and rowanberry eau-de-vie (a personal favourite), followed by more classic malty tones. The mysteries of time, the mysteries of age. The cask itself behaved with great elegance, leaning into almonds and honey. Finish: fairly long though more restrained, more compact. Mint tea with a drop of lemon and a hint of smoke, drifting into old amontillado. Only the aftertaste feels a little rougher. Comments: the boss is the whisky, not you—whether you’re younger or older than this magnificent old malt. I mean, this very mysterious old blended Scotch, perhaps ex-Edrington too – or not, who knows.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
I’ve got a feeling we’ll be doing another session like this one very, very soon — stay tuned… |
(Thank you, Morten and Tomas) |
A quick new note about the distribution of our scores: this little session, although unusual, shows that we really do use the full scale out of 100—so actual percentages—even if the single malts we usually taste tend to fall within the 75–95 range. This is perfectly normal given their average quality compared to the global production of whiskies, which of course includes the mass-market blends sold for under 20, or even 10 Euros. If we were to take all volumes produced into account, we estimate that the average would probably be around 40 to 45 points out of 100.
See you. |
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