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June 15, 2025 |
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Today we're having a few more cognacs and armagnacs just for fun |
In short, a cheerful mix of grape-based drinks, starting with an old cognac as an apéritif, since we’d really enjoyed the Rémy Martin Centaure last Sunday. And then we’ll have a bunch of malternatives...
By the way, since more and more people are now using the term 'malternative', I’d like to remind everyone that originally, Michael Jackson—followed by the Malt Maniacs and thus Whiskyfun—used it to describe aged spirits of sufficient quality to rival top Scottish malts. It was never meant to refer to just any cognac, armagnac, rum or tequila! |
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Camus ‘Grand V.S.O.P.’ (40%, OB, La Grande Marque, cognac, +/-1980) 
This expression was said to be 100% Borderies, although such a claim is nowhere to be found on this old square-shouldered bottle. On its website, the still-independent house boldly declares, ‘We produce the finest cognac in the world, for those who savour the most refined things in life.’ We’re more than happy to take their word for it.
Colour: deep gold.
Nose: it’s certainly charming, rather natural too so no egregious adulteration, with a pleasant trio of soft apples, oranges and peaches, rounded off with the expected raisins and some rather fetching honeyed touches. It’s genuinely fresh and appealing, and it has held its own splendidly in glass these past 45 years.
Mouth:: a very faint caramelly note this time, along with more raisins than on the nose, a slightly syrupy corn sweetness, hints of coffee and orange liqueurs… Still quite attractive but it does seem a tad ‘boosted’. Who knows…
Finish: rather long yet still carried by caramel and those liqueur-like tones. A little aftertaste of pear lingering in the distance.
Comments: Perhaps a touch ‘too much’ by today’s standards, but it’s still genuinely good.
SGP:641 - 78 points. |
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Camus ‘V.S. de Luxe’ (40%, OB, cognac, +/-2000) 
A blend of Borderies and Fins Bois this time around. Despite the ‘De Luxe’ moniker, it was more of an entry-level offering, so expectations remain modest.
Colour: gold.
Nose: well, this isn’t bad at all, more on the herbaceous side, somewhat akin to a marc or grappa, with a marked vivacity leaning towards lemon and orange. Quite nice!
Mouth: the mysteries of old bottles! I actually prefer this one, it’s livelier and tauter, still on lovely citrus notes, a few touches of lime blossom, green tea, and even a slightly mineral edge. And it does feel distinctly stronger than the stated 40%.
Finish: rather long, almost a touch aggressive, would you believe. A bit chalky and still pleasantly grassy in the aftertaste.
Comments: a charming little surprise.
SGP:551 - 80 points. |
Let’s get back to our usual malternatives… |
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Maison Prunier 1992/2024 (56.4%, Art Malts, The Vintage Reserve, bons bois) 
What’s featured on the label bears more than a passing resemblance to a McLaren F1 from the same year—here’s hoping this little Bons Bois neither veers off track nor breaks down (S.!).
Colour: gold.
Nose: lovely tension straight away, varnish, lemon juice, cider, white peaches, with a faintly mashy yet curiously minty edge… With water: oh, the glorious medley of all kinds of mint…
Mouth (neat): I’m smitten! A flawless combination of strong liquorice, cider apples and grapefruit, with a bit of white nougat in the background adding a touch of softness. A superb Bons Bois. With water: truly magnificent, still with that vibrant tension, now on dainty, precious citrus fruits. Precious indeed…
Finish: long and just right, almost refreshing, which makes this little number all the more dangerous if you’re not careful (like that F1 I suppose). A return of varnish, even a touch of old kirsch in the aftertaste.
Comments: but crikey, only 36 bottles? Life can be terribly unfair…
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
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Garreau 32 yo 1992/2025 (52.6%, Liquid Treasures, Bas-armagnac, Collection du Chai Doré, Bar Arrangé 5th Anniversary, Korea)
Splendid label, most soothing in these turbulent times (truly).
Colour: deep gold.
Nose: oh bother, we’re flying very, very high again, with splendid varnishes and oil paint right off the bat, then an orchestration of peaches and apricots to make the botanical gardens of any European capital turn green with envy. Sort of. Well, you get the picture. Deeper down, faint notes of game and woodland mushrooms with a splash of balsamic remind us we are indeed in armagnac territory. With water: we drift towards manzanilla-like notes, quite incredible.
Mouth (neat): the oak is very pronounced but most glorious, assuming you’ve no quarrel with tobacco, buds, leaves, nuts, citrus peel, even a few salty touches. With water: what structure!
Finish: long and gently pastry-like. Butter cream with walnuts, and always that gorgeous old oak.
Comments: we bow down, this is eminently and thoroughly malternative.
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet 29 yo (49.9%, OB for Balkan Whisky Club, 28 bottles)
The joy of micro-bottlings. We do come across quite a few JL Pasquets in our cognac sessions, but as I often say, there are quite a few Porsches at Le Mans too. Oh, never mind… (and never drink and drive). I’m told this is a Fine Champagne.
Colour: deep gold.
Nose: rather oily on the nose, more elegant than showy, starting with sesame and grape seed oil, then unfolding into a fairly protracted fruity expansion—small apples first, then the expected apricots and peaches, followed by fresh almonds, orgeat, stone kernels and so on.
Mouth (neat): an amusing start on pear and rowanberry eau-de-vie, even something like undiluted marc de gewurz, before it shifts towards something a touch more honeyed and waxier. It hasn’t quite shed its youthful vigour. With water (just to see): a light touch of Swiss apricotine, still with that persistent stone kernel note. Beware apricot stones! (we digress) …
Finish: rather long, still quite ‘eau-de-vie’, which of course is a virtue if you’re Alsatian.
Comments: superb once again, just a tad more restrained.
SGP:551 - 90 points. |
.jpg "Domaine de Mouréou 1988/2025 (45.8%, Authentic Spirits, Bas-armagnac)")
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Domaine de Mouréou 1988/2025 (45.8%, Authentic Spirits, Bas-armagnac) 
100% Baco. We previously encountered a young and rather funky Mouréou 2011 from Authentic Spirits that was nothing short of a firecracker (WF 88). This one should—could—be a little more civilised.
Colour: amber.
Nose: I don’t mean to go all bargain-bin poetic on you, but the entire landscape fairly leaps out at you. Hay, mushrooms, pine, bark, the odd hedgerow fruit, especially plums… And then there’s a faint echo of rustic local white wine, the sort one downs by the hectolitre every evening in South-Western cafés—even in the capital.
Mouth: a proper country armagnac, rough-hewn, robust, almost tart (but delightfully so), still close to the grape despite all these years, and brimming with orchard fruits straight from the Gers. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine anything more ‘authentic’.
Finish: amusingly, it’s here that it starts to mellow out a touch, with even a few notes of vanilla and soft liquorice, beneath the thick plum jam. Buds and sprigs lingering in the aftertaste.
Comments: the extra 23 years make no difference—it stands shoulder to shoulder with last year’s 2011 at the same (very high) level.
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
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Marquestau 25 yo 1998/2024 (51.7%, Grape of the Art, Bas-armagnac, cask #225, 310 bottles)
100% Baco once again, and yet another domaine new to me (though I remain an eternal newcomer). They’re based in Hontanx, Landes.
Colour: amber.
Nose: it’s rich and woody, in a proper traditional style, what one might call ‘restaurant armagnac’. There’s a vinous edge to it, almost Pauillac-like in some respects, and heaps of prunes with little earthy touches throughout. Pine forest after the rain. With water: damp soil, woodland, pinecones, humus. And honestly, how could one be against any of that?
Mouth (neat): still rich, powerful, woody and traditional, very close to pipe tobacco, orange marmalade and coffee. You’d swear there were even garlicky cèpes in there. With water: a miracle! The clouds part and suddenly you’re handed a fantastical cocktail of chartreuse, Bénédictine and Verveine du Velay.
Finish: long, aromatic and herbal (with water).
Comments: the impact of just a few drops of water here is both maximal and spectacular.
SGP:461 - 90 points (only 87 without water, so do try it with!) |
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Hontambère 45 yo 1980/2025 (45.4%, OB, Selected by RAC Spirits, Ténarèze, cask #A10, 80 bottles)
A Pouchégu 100% Ugni Blanc with textbook ageing—starting in new Limousin oak before moving to ‘roux’ or ‘red’ oak, meaning refill. Exactly what our friends in whisky ought to be doing as well, rather than the other way round. I know, I know, here I go again…
Colour: dark red amber.
Nose: sublime balsamic notes, tinned prunes, black truffle, ripe banana and pipe tobacco. A marvel of compactness and coherence (indeed, even the ripe banana), not much else to add at this stage.
Mouth: ah, the old Ténarèze when they decide to seize control of your palate and your tastebuds! The oak is prominent again, but bolstered by soy sauce, crème de menthe glaciale, of course fir sap and bud, before it ventures into the realms of old oloroso, ancient madeira, mature Catalan rancio and even those very powerful black teas. This is all fairly explosive and we do advise a ‘drop by drop’ approach to tasting. Thank me later.
Finish: long, dry, concentrated on tea tannins and bitter chocolate, but rounded out with a splendid minty liquorice and a little orange marmalade to sign off.
Comments: a proper time machine, straight back to the days of The Stranglers, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, Pere Ubu, and since we’re in France, Gainsbourg and Bashung… Excessive and completely mad!
SGP:571 - 91 points. |
It's time to bring this celestial ride to an end (wait, what?). |
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Aurian 1930 (42.5%, OB, selected by Spheric Spirits, armagnac, bonbonne #D8)
It goes without saying how moving it is to taste such an old Armagnac.
Colour: reddish amber.
Nose: sheer delicacy from the outset, all on stewed fruits, medlars, apples, quinces, plums of every persuasion, peaches too, interwoven with old sweet wines, Marsala, Port, honeys and gentle resins, followed by faint yet elegant inklings of ham and mushrooms, though always with decorum and gentleness.
Mouth: I dare say whoever decided to house this venerable Armagnac in glass demijohns knew exactly what they were doing. It had begun to whisper somewhat, with a fruitiness leaning towards herbs, broths, a touch of hay, ancient waxes, the faintest suggestion of brine, and just a wisp of paper and cardboard… Yet it remains thoroughly beautiful, with an increasing profusion of raisins of all kinds, as though it were stirring anew after its long slumber.
Finish: not exactly protracted, but rather exotic nonetheless, reminiscent perhaps of a Thai broth laced with fruit. One even detects a little coriander and Thai basil.
Comments:: these very old spirits become utterly charming as age takes its rightful hold. Quite moving indeed… By the way this baby spent 70 years in wood and 23 years in a demi-john.
SGP:451 - 88 points. |
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June 13, 2025 |
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WF’s little Duos, today Caperdonich
30 years old |
Caperdonich has truly become a ‘lost jewel’ after all this time. Goodness, the distillery was shut down in 2002 by Pernod Ricard, sold off, and then demolished not long after. Fortunately, the stills are still in use elsewhere (last we heard).
(Geograph)
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Gone Grant 30 yo 1994/2024 (51.5%, Whiskyland, Decadent Drinks, Chapter 9, second-fill barrel, 215 bottles)
Some label! Also a characteristic touch of whimsy from the house, which refers to Caperdonich as ‘Gone Grant’, in reference to its former status as the twin of Glen Grant, also known as Glen Grant 2, and thus indeed the Glen Grant that is now departed, of the two. Well, you see what they’re getting at. Incidentally, we already adored their 31/1993 (Sponge).
Colour: pale gold.
Nose: do you know what? It takes me straight back to those early 1970s Caperdonichs bottled by Duncan Taylor, proper fruity bombs absolutely crammed to the rafters with papayas, guavas, mangos and bananas. All of which is steeped in honey and natural vanilla. With water: full of wee church candles, amen.
Mouth (neat): let’s be swift about it, this could easily pass for a 1960s or 1970s Balblair or Benriach. Bananas drizzled with honey, pollen, gentle mentholated glimmers, beeswax, a touch of praline, white clover… With water: same again, not much deviation, save for a touch more citrus and some far-off whispers of Grande Champagne. Or Petite.
Finish: gentle, fairly rounded, medium in length but growing ever fruitier than actual fruits. Cheeky jellybeans and babies in the aftertaste, which is rather unexpected at thirty years of age.
Comments: all the beauty of a good old refill! Still very partial to this style, must be our inner child speaking.
SGP:741 - 91 points. |
Let’s see what a sherry cask has brought out in the same spirit… |
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Caperdonich 30 yo 1994/2025 (52.6%, The Whisky Cask, sherry cask)
They’ve already had some truly splendid Caperdonichs at The Whisky Cask, and here comes another one.
Colour: full gold.
Nose: this time, it’s Earl Grey tea and sandalwood and cedar that lead the charge, with the fruitiness naturally taking a bit of a back seat. Plenty of herbal infusions, linden blossom, chamomile, rosehip becoming increasingly prominent, a touch of almond syrup... I suppose it’s the interplay between the fruit and the sherry that’s given rise to all this. It’s rather splendid! With water: a very faint smokiness emerges, no idea where from, though we do know that there were indeed peated Caperdonichs at one point. Lovely whiffs of blond tobacco as well.
Mouth (neat): the fruitiness is far more assertive on the palate, with passion fruit and mango appearing to take the upper hand over the sherry on this occasion. Very good, with a dash of lemon blossom honey to (somewhat) rein it all in. With water: no smoke to be found on the palate, I must have imagined it. At any rate, all this is excellent, veering off towards yellow fruit preserves (plums, apricots, pears) brightened up with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Finish: same again. Lovely length.
Comments: in the end, we’re terribly close to the Whiskyland version, particularly with water. I see no reason why the scores should differ at all.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
In short, a draw today, but what a cracking fight! |
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June 12, 2025 |
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Important Notice:
In a rare moment of benevolence, and seizing an unexpected wave of optimism, we’ve decided to test a major improvement to WF’s layout. Namely, making the different sections of our tasting notes (colour, nose, palate, etc.) more clearly distinguishable, as has been regularly requested for, oh, the past twenty years or so.
We’ll see in a few days whether this bold move is here to stay or quietly shelved with the other good intentions. Shall we chicken out or not?
Thank you for your understanding. |
WF’s Crazy Little Duo’s,
today Glen Garry vs. St. Magdalene |
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St Magdalene, Linlithgow (Historic Environment Scotland) |
| Not the sort of little tasting one can enjoy often, alas! We once did a Sandy Macnab versus Lochside thing, a long time ago, but I can’t even seem to get my hands on that mini session anymore. In any case, today it’ll be St. Magdalene ‘against’ its blend… |
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Glen Garry ‘Finest Scotch Whisky’ (John Hopkins & Co, 1950s-1960s)
This is an old bottle which shows neither ABV nor volume. Worth noting, there are ‘Glengarry’ whiskies around today which have nothing to do with this. This particular Glen Garry bottle explicitly cites St Magdalene as the malt of reference and gives one of the brand’s addresses as such, although this mention was later replaced—around the 1970s—by Oban or, in other versions, by Glen Elgin, both distilleries under DCL’s banner (The DCL had taken over John Hopkins before WWII). These distilleries were supposedly responsible for providing the main malt content for each batch, though there’s no shortage of rumours doing the rounds. What is certain is that John Hopkins was granted the licences for these DCL distilleries. Incidentally, their Oban single malts were sublime! No need to tell you that this ‘St. Magdalene’ version of this blend is much sought-after, although, as is sometimes the case, you might just stumble upon one for a few pennies if you stray outside the well-trodden paths of the connoisseurs. And to conclude this introduction—which is already far too long—I must admit I had absolutely no idea that John Hopkins at one point managed the licence for St. Magdalene.
Colour: gold.
Nose: sumptuously old-school with a puff of cigar smoke rolling through some rather earthy teas (think some stormy old pu-ehr), then a saucy shift towards marmalade jus, roast duck à l’orange style, ha, followed by those wonderfully evocative dusty old tomes and glossies banished in your attic. Drifts of wax and beehive honey appear too, as though a rogue swarm had taken up residence in the rafters half a century ago. Right…
Mouth: classically salty, metallic, loaded with chalk and concrete dust, and that familiar photolytic tang you sometimes get with some old bottles (taste of light). But here it's briskly corrected by a jolt of spicy beef broth, straight from a Bangkok street corner (that's enough two-penny travelogue, S.) With that lush oiliness you only find in those venerable blends where the malt content did the heavy lifting.
Finish: curiously persistent, as if someone had sneakily boosted it to 45% vol., with the orange bouncing back to tango with the mineral notes and bouillon spices.
Comments: a thunderous old blend, but then again, quite a few of them are when you catch them today. Case in point, the old Johnnie Walker Black – just saying… In any case, I’d wager there’s indeed quite a bit of St. Magdalene in there, along with that telltale ‘ancient’ peat. As for the grain – nowhere to be found.
SGP:463 - 90 points. |
In short, if you come across such a bottle at a small provincial auction, snap it up! Right then, for a clever, or at least entertaining, comparison, let’s taste a St. Magdalene distilled around the time this Glen Garry was released, or perhaps a bit later… |
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St. Magdalene 1965/1991 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, ‘Old Map Label’, 75cl)
We’ve already tasted some St. M. 1964 Connoisseurs Choice bottlings from G&M, utterly sublime despite their modest strength, but never a 1965. This high calibre is no doubt partly due to the fact that, in the mid-1960s, St. Magdalene was still performing its own floor maltings (reportedly ceased in 1968) and still using direct-fired stills (phased out in 1971). You might say, well, that didn’t stop the Rare Malts 19yo 1979 from being dazzling either, and you’d be right.
Colour: gold.
Nose: I would have loved to come off clever and claim that the blend outshone the malt in the tasting, but that’s gone straight out the window – this bottle brings back all the hallmarks of the 1964s, most notably that mind-blowing tropical fruit salad, dressed with honey and sesame, leading into a development of great complexity, with a scatter of camphor, eucalyptus, sandalwood, returning tobacco smoke, patchouli, amusing hints of mothballs, then aged citrus liqueurs and a few fine slivers of well-mannered Iberian ham. A dazzling nose, reminiscent of the Broras 1972 from the same series and years of bottling.
Mouth: very close to the old blend on the palate, which might well support the idea that there was indeed a hefty helping of St. Magdalene inside it. A thing of beauty, with citrus, waxes, gently spiced broths still leaning Thai, a touch of peat dryness, and then a parade of tiny herbs and mineral touches, tricky to tell apart but wonderfully orchestrated.
Finish: perhaps the weak spot, as is often the case at this age and strength, with a slight edge towards the cardboardy, one might say. But then again, we’re hardly going to moan, are we.
Comments: we often fret over changes to kit and process at the distilleries but rarely consider what goes on at the independents. The vats, the pipes, the filters, the warehouses, the cask selection for fillings, and so on. Still, no need to badger G&M with all that, particularly given how fruitful the early 1990s were on this front!
SGP:562 - 92 points. |
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June 11, 2025 |
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A wee trio of peated Glenturrets |
Is the market still so heavily focused on peated expressions, especially for mainland distilleries, even the coastal ones? And careful, if you mention Brora, that’s a bit unfair (ha). That said, we’ve already tasted some excellent peated Glenturrets, aka Ruadh Maor, aka Ruad Mhor… |
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Glenturret 10 yo ‘Peat Smoked 2024 release’ (48.4%, OB)
The 2020 bottling ‘Maiden Release’ at 50% vol. had left us somewhat underwhelmed (WF 81), one would imagine they've had the time to refine things since then. Colour: gold. Nose: a nose that feels slightly sour, with whiffs of smoked cider, a fair bit of leather, bay leaf, barbecue smoke, perhaps a hint of mashed turnip… What it isn’t is ‘coastal’, even if there are also touches of iodine tincture. Mouth: here we are leaning towards something coastal, albeit faintly mustardy and vinegary, possibly the influence of sherry casks. More tar, lemon juice, brine… That’s really not bad at all. Finish: rather long, salty and lemony, with a growing ashiness. A trace of horseradish in the aftertaste. Comments: I do think this marks an improvement over the 2020 and I particularly enjoy the finish.
SGP:456 - 82 points. |
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Ruadh Mhor 2011/2024 (52.7%, Malt Universe, China, Modern Time, refill hogshead, cask #25, 367 bottles)
Colour: pale white wine. Nose: once again, it’s the independents who are entrusted with offering the distillates in their most natural state, unembellished by excessive wood or wine influence. This is a stellar example, it’s precise, compact, fresh, showcasing peated barley, ashes, lemon juice, chalk and a good dose of mercurochrome. We really could be on Islay. With water: we’re inside an old kiln in full operation! Mouth (neat): perfect, acetic, fresh, verging on acidic, with superb ashes and plenty of green pepper, with a mezcal-like edge that we’re very fond of. Any closer to the raw distillate and you’d be chewing a bushel of fresh-smoked barley, ha. With water: an A. quality emerging, not far off the K. Cross on the island of I. (well done, that’s subtle, S.) Finish: long, fresh, perfect, of high definition. Comments: simply lo-ve-ly. Superb clarity of line.
SGP:557 - 88 points. |
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Ruadh Maor 2011/2024 ‘Jack the Ripper’ (55.6%, Malts of Scotland, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 24016, 313 bottles)
We do get a sort of premonition… In any case, as someone who isn’t British, whenever I hear “Jack the Ripper” I think of Blue Öyster Cult. I know, that was Reaper, not Ripper, but back then, my English was even more rudimentary than it is now. Apologies for the digression… Colour: full gold. Nose: a slightly awkward union of peat and sherry at first, as so often happens, but things quickly settle down, with fruits emerging (quince), alongside honey and mint, then a little mustard, camphor and tobacco. It works! With water: amusingly, there’s now a faint whiff of horse. Mouth (neat): coherence is immediate on the palate, once again very camphory, very smoky, with a fairly thick texture, pink pepper, salt, heather honey, rather spicy Thai sauce… There’s a lot going on… With water: swims beautifully, becoming nearly exotic, somewhat in the spirit of a Caroni rum. I do mean in the spirit. Finish: long, rich, rather multidimensional. A little ginger and nutmeg from the cask. Comments: if there’s one thing this Glenturret is not, it’s boring. In short, we love it, just as we’d suspected.
SGP:667 - 88 points. |
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June 10, 2025 |
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The Return of the Glentauchers (Part 5) |
We’ll stop after these last few, promise – cross my heart and hope to die… |
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Glentauchers 10 yo 2011/2022 (62.6%, The Single Malts of Scotland, Kirsch Import exclusive, sherry butt, cask #900247, 492 bottles) 
Colour: pale gold. Nose: we’re not in deep sherry territory here, rather we’re getting vanilla cream, white chocolate and proper Czech pilsner. But at this strength, one ought to proceed with caution… With water: barley syrup, soft honeys, stewed apples, it’s remarkable how water utterly takes control, though entirely to the whisky’s benefit. Mouth (neat): very fruity but also distinctly youthful, with very dominant pears at this stage, and even some Black Forest kirsch. Quite a bit of lemon too – although not from the Black Forest. With water: now beautifully balanced, fruity, orchard-driven, and pleasantly uncomplicated. Finish: long, gentle, with candied sugar and those pears still hanging about. Comments: the strength is daunting at first, but water tames it in no time. In the end, it’s a gentle, docile wee baby.
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
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Glentauchers 15 yo 2008/2023 (59.6%, DH Global Wine, Connoisseurs Dram, 1st fill amontillado, cask #900337, 339 bottles)
Amontillado, that does speak to us, doesn’t it. Colour: deep gold. Nose: quince jelly drizzled with maple syrup and honey, with the drier amontillado tones playing in the background – cigar boxes and pinecones. With water: old furniture newly varnished, and a touch of thuja… Mouth (neat): oh splendid, wildly expressive, medicinal, saline, with mustard and horseradish layered atop bitter oranges and a spice medley that feels most ‘Sichuan’, if you ask me. Though be warned, it’s a bit bonkers. With water: I believe Glentauchers serves as a perfect base for this kind of rather mad maturation. Amontillado squared. Finish: same ballpark. Salt, mosses, tobacco, pepper, leather, mustard, walnuts and the rest. Comments: I loathe to say this, but I do think this isn’t for everyone, and that it requires a rather sharp palate to fully enjoy this sort of beastie. I’m deeply – and humbly - sorry.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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Glentauchers 13 yo (54.8%, Morisco Spirits, Marble Collection, oloroso sherry, 2022)
Let me quote them, ‘The label is a detail of the pavement present in the church of Santa Prassede, Rome.’ In a world increasingly steered by uncultured halfwits, one can only applaud, wouldn’t you agree? Colour: gold. Nose: here we have a classic GT profile, with very ripe apple, banana and melon, alongside the subtlest touches of raspberry jam. So be it! With water: oh, a bit of old-school polish, even some seaweed and mint – we could almost believe ourselves on the northern coast way north of Inverness. Mouth (neat): fresh, fruity, with notes of fruity, lemony beer, and truth be told, the oloroso is very discreet at this stage. No problem at all. With water: now showing very nicely, more complex, with fruits in all manner of forms, juices, compotes, jams… Finish: same story. Fruit stewed with honey and sweet wine. Oranges lingering on the aftertaste. Comments: a very, very well-mannered oloroso.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
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Glentauchers 13 yo 2009/2022 (53.8%, Whiskyjace, Art Edition #5, bourbon barrel)
We can’t help but be deeply fond of the 1950s/60s jazz vibe of the label. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: pure fruit, resting on chalk and grist. Apples, pears, small berries, yellow melons, gentle beer. With water: we edge closer to the earth, to the barley itself… Mouth (neat): utterly barley-forward with yellow fruits, and just two drops of Chartreuse. With water: faint touches of pencil shavings, perhaps even pencil lead. Now that’s amusing. Finish: medium length, leaning towards apple and soft, fruity beer. Comments: right where we expected it to land.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Glentauchers 10 yo 2013/2023 (58.6%, The Whisky Exchange, The Seasons: Spring, barrel, cask #800435)
Well done, London, apples in springtime, that’s truly a city-dweller’s notion. At least if we go by the label, but of course we adore London and the Londoners, as all Frenchmen do. Colour: pale white wine. Sylvaner (ha). Nose: simple, pinpoint-precise, on chalk and apples, with a few hints of pistachio. You couldn’t be closer to the distillate, it almost feels like the barrel was made of stainless steel. With water: same story. Chalk, sourdough, lemon, cider apple. Mouth (neat): oh, taut and perfectly fruity. Rhubarb, green apple, lime. I’m telling you, there’s no arguing with this. With water: little pears descend en masse, like a flock of gulls on sardines (copyright Eric Cantona). Finish: medium in length but pure, brimming with barley, honey and apples. Comments: malt whisky as Nature intended. For a wee ten-year-old, it’s superb.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Glentauchers 1996/2018 (52.3%, Or Sileis, Legends, The Arthurian Tales, bourbon, cask #618, 199 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: oh, here’s a delightful soft mustard with yellow melon and sweet woodruff. It’s unusual and utterly charming. With water: faint touches of natural rubber, jasmine, perfumed sticky rice – all things we absolutely adore. Mouth (neat): sheer beauty, tangerines and citrus peels (also a whisper of soap – absolutely no issue at this stage). With water: a hint of salinity, waxes, paraffin, lotus blossom… Finish: not particularly long but beautifully fermentary. Floral wine and tiny berries. Comments: I’d genuinely love to know whether our Taiwanese friends selected this cask for its ‘Far Eastern’ inflections. What I’m saying may well be total nonsense, but I stand by it. A superb Glentauchers, in any case.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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Glentauchers 20 yo 1996/2016 (49.1%, Single Cask Collection, bourbon barrel, cask #3620, 173 bottles) 
We are admittedly very late to this one, but here we are in Austria! Colour: straw. Nose: here we find the gentle, balanced character of bourbon cask maturation on a malt whisky with, shall we say, a moderately expressive personality. Apple, vanilla, the faintest touches of glue, melon, banana… With water: hints of sourdough, muesli… Mouth (neat): not much to add, fruity beers, almost young calvados, a very slight touch of cedarwood and rosewater… With water: it’s soft, simple, honeyed and malty. Finish: medium in length, on fruity beer and mead. Comments: not quite Mozart, but it’s very good.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
Right then, it’s probably high time we enjoyed one last Glentauchers, for this year at least, and perhaps even beyond. It’s a fine malt, one that the best indie bottlers can really get the most out of, but can we truly say it has a bold, distinctive character? Then again, tasting forty of them more or less back-to-back probably doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. In any case, it’s probably all my fault. Come on then, let’s pick an old bottle to finish with… |
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Glentauchers 21 yo 1975/1997 (55.69%, Signatory Vintage, cask #8888, 306 bottles) 
Naturally, this was ‘matured in an oak cask’ and so forth. In other words, the good old days, when everyone cared more about distillates than about those blasted casks we’ve been hearing about ad nauseam for the past fifteen years or more. That said, you’ll have noted the splendid cask number, #8888. Colour: pale gold. Nose: much more austere than expected, leaning on grape must, banana skin and apple peelings, with a hint of dark ale and two squares of chocolate. Aromatically speaking, it’s on the restrained side at this stage. With water: same again. I fear we may have missed our window, at least as far as these Glentauchers are concerned. Mouth (neat): rather improbable, patchouli, rosewater, cigarettes, rosehip tisane… With water: no, it’s quite alright, with some nice figs for instance, but it’s frankly lacking in character. There’s even a faint dustiness. Finish: something of a downward spiral, the strength drops away, and it becomes a touch cardboardy. Slightly stale apple juice. Comments: this one might have become a bit passé, there’s not a great deal of joy left to be had here, though of course it’s still a proper old malt whisky.
SGP:441 - 75 points. |
Right then, no regrets, we’ll move on to something else as of tomorrow. Don’t worry, that’s it for the Glentauchers, for quite some time. After all, we’ve had 43 of them in just a few days, I think that’s more than enough. |
Ah indeed, the little podium, as foolishly promised: |
WF91 |
| Glentauchers 33 yo 1993/2024 (51.9%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, Lost in Time, refill American oak barrels, cask #5218, 108 bottles) |
| WF90 |
| Glentauchers 15 yo 2008/2023 (59.6%, DH Global Wine, Connoisseurs Dram, 1st fill amontillado, cask #900337, 339 bottles) |
| WF89 |
| Glentauchers 19 yo 2002-2005/2024 (57.1%, Decadent Drams, 1st fill bourbon and 1st fill sherry, 138 bottles) |
| Glentauchers 24 yo 1996/2020 (49.7%, Asta Morris, bourbon, cask #AM139, 186 bottles) |
| Glentauchers 23 yo 1997/2021 (53.2%, The Single Malts of Scotland, barrel, cask #401, 157 bottles) |
| Glentauchers 15 yo 2009/2025 (54.6%, Whisky Age, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #800647, 233 bottles) |
| Glentauchers 2008/2024 (51.7%, Liquid Art, 10th Anniversary, sherry oak, 96 bottles) |
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June 9, 2025 |
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The Return of the Glentauchers (Part 4) |
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I couldn't tell you why we’ve accumulated so many Glentauchers over the past months or years, I imagine some distinguished brokers have unloaded quite a few cask lots onto the market. Not that we’re complaining; some of them are excellent. And once we’re done, we’ll put together a little ranking for the number crunchers. Right then, let’s carry on at random...
Four time Olympic chamion Kjetil André Aamodt (olympics.com) |
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Glentauchers 15 yo 2008/2022 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail, Distillery Label)
We had sampled the 2008/2023 the other day and quite enjoyed it (WF 85). In theory, this ought to be very similar… Colour: pale gold. Nose: again we find a rather lively edge, citrusy and on apple peel, in any case brisker than its elder sibling (by a year). A few tiny whiffs of geranium blossom, then candied apple, as it rounds out over a few seconds. Mouth: it’s fairly firm again, at least initially, still on citrus fruits, lemon fondant, then an amusingly authentic kir profile, thus with Burgundian aligoté and blackcurrant cream from Dijon. It’s really good and approachable, but without ever tipping into the simplistic. Finish: medium in length, a touch of limoncello. And indeed, blackcurrant cream. Comments: it is livelier than the 2005/2023, and of the same high calibre.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
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Glentauchers 25 yo 1997/2022 (49.1%, Single Malt Dreams, bourbon barrel, cask #3870, 165 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: here we’re treated to a Chablis-like character, with limestone, apple, grapefruit, a touch of fresh cement, a few tiny blossoms (honeysuckle), a hint of blackcurrant bud… In short, it’s perfect. Mouth: indeed, a very pretty fruitiness on oranges and melons, that slightly chalky side, some fruit bonbons, again a little blackcurrant, and rather touches of… white Sancerre this time. How amusing. Finish: fairly long, fruity and fresh, slightly jammier in the aftertaste. A whisper of aniseed. Comments: this is superb and goes down effortlessly. And since it’s a Glentauchers for Norway, we shall thus call it ‘Kjetil André Aamodt’.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Glentauchers 14 yo 2009/2023 (54.4%, Maltbarn, bourbon cask, 155 bottles)
Maltbarn have had some superb 1997s. Colour: white wine. Nose: we find again that chalk, dough, apple, lemon and yeast combo we’re so fond of. Lemon cream, delicate green tea. With water: a few mint leaves, chalky soil, cider apples. Mouth (neat): lovely taut fruitiness, with more spice this time, around candied ginger, with some rather unexpected sultanas for an ex-bourbon. Then again… With water: the water relaxes the barley and citrus; we drift towards grapefruit in barley syrup and light honey. Finish: medium length, returning to orchard fruits, apples and pears. Comments: excellent young GT, fresh and classic.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Glentauchers-Glenlivet 10 yo 2009/2019 (59.9%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogshead, 330 bottles)
Colour: straw. Nose: it’s the same whisky as the Maltbarn. Of course it’s not exactly the same, but I assure you, you’d be hard pressed to tell them apart. Which is by no means a bad thing. With water: same again. Mouth (neat): same again, identical profile, perhaps just a little more lemony, tangier. With water: same again. Finish: same again. A faint touch of English ‘Champagne’, full of grapefruit. Comments: I think if you added some sugarcane syrup, you could fashion yourself a top-class ‘limoncello’. But don’t take that as a recommendation, mind.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Glentauchers 24 yo 1996/2020 (49.7%, Asta Morris, bourbon, cask #AM139, 186 bottles)
I must admit we slightly dithered with their 8-year-old last time, but this ought to be a different story. Colour: gold. Nose: fruit salad, including exotic fruits, drizzled with a little runny honey. Bananas, mangoes, apples, pears… All this is exceedingly charming, which, in these times, becomes all the more a rare virtue globally, no? Mouth: magnificent, with a few drops of Sauternes from a fine château joining in, a touch of quince and mirabelle liqueur (they often go together), the rest consisting of that very same fruit salad and, let’s be honest, a very faint Clynelish-esque note, with beeswax. Finish: the citrus fruits make a comeback, tightening everything up at just the right moment. Comments: magnificent, brushing up against perfection. Bravo, master of the little frogs!
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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Glentauchers 11 yo 2013/2024 (57.2%, Hogshead Imports for Chichibu Whisky Matsuri 2025, refill barrel)
Colour: straw. Nose: very, very faint smoky and medicinal touches that perhaps stem from the cask’s previous contents, with a slight Ardmore-like character, then apple, rhubarb, pear and greengage compotes, along with ferns and mint… An amusing profile. With water: the banana, pear and pineapple trio emerges, hence amyl diacetate. Be cautious if you’re out in nature; bees perceive these molecules as threats (I’ll explain one day), so best to avoid. Mouth (neat): this time we’re almost entirely immersed in the extravagant fruitiness of young Glentauchers. A family-sized bag of jellybeans, with a predominance of the lemon ones. With water: pear Williams liqueur in full swing and still tonnes of jellybeans. Finish: long, ultra-fruity. Juicy Fruit. Comments: a cracking creature, this young Glentauchers. As for the cask’s previous contents, I’m still pondering…
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Glentauchers 19 yo 2002-2005/2024 (57.1%, Decadent Drams, 1st fill bourbon and 1st fill sherry, 138 bottles)
The bi-vintage Whisky Sponge version was very good last time. It wouldn’t surprise me if we were in similar territory here, as the same vintages were used. Amusing surrealist label, slightly Dali-esque, or Chirico. Colour: gold. Nose: rather more complex than the others, you can sense that the blending has brought another dimension, even if perhaps a bit of precision has been traded for complexity. One must know what one wants in life, mustn’t one? Cigarette tobacco, ripe plums, a touch of leather, furniture polish, Brazil nuts, peppermint, rumtopf, bergamot… But do note, all of this remains fresh and lively. With water: fermentary notes emerge, bread, scones, a very slight trace of tar, mint… Mouth (neat): on the palate we’re much closer to a purer fruitiness, on citrus, rhubarb, whitecurrant, pink peppercorn (Timut)… With water: now all soft and gentle, on meadow honey. Finish: same. Lovely little pears and nicely ripe plums. Comments: both versions are ultimately quite close, even very close when tasted side by side, but I have a preference for this one. Hey, that’s my prerogative!
SGP:661 - 89 points. |
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Glentauchers 17 yo 2005/2023 (55%, Whisky Sponge for La Maison du Whisky, Decadent Drinks, New Vibrations, 1st fill sherry, cask #900402, 300 bottles)
The Arc de Triomphe on the label can only spur on this French taster further. Colour: gold. Nose: inevitably more compact than the multi-vintage bottlings, but we also enjoy these more serene profiles, on sultanas, mirabelle jam and papaya juice. And that’s it. There’s even a surprising bourbon-like side for a 1st fill sherry, though it’s certainly not the first time that’s happened. With water: dandelion honey. Yes, truly. Mouth (neat): if you like mirabelles and pears, this one’s for you. With water: the Williams pear takes even more of a lead. Which is fine, it’s one of the kings of fruits (not just durian, ha). A little raisin roll provides some welcome support. Finish: good length, lovely stewed fruits, Alsatian-style fruitcake of the ‘beerawecka’ sort… well, you might see what I mean. Comments: there’s an easy, obvious charm here, which of course we greatly enjoy (as we too are easy and obvious, oh yes).
SGP:641 - 88 points. |
Next time, one final flight of Glentauchers before moving on to something else. |
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June 8, 2025 |
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A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace! |
A few cognacs and armagnacs just for fun
For once, we’re going to mix cognacs and armagnacs, it’ll save us from waiting too long for certain new releases. But to start with, a little aperitif…
Rémy Martin advertisement, mid-1960s – back when there was still an effort to educate the consumer a little. |
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Remy Martin ‘V.S.O.P. Qualité du Centaure’ (40°, OB, Fine Champagne, +/-1965)
Let’s see whether the 40%, or rather 40°, managed to help this charming bottle hold its ground all these years. Let us remember that ‘fine champagne’ is a blend of the two champagnes (grande and petite). Colour: amber. Nose: still very fresh, very classical in style, essentially on dried grapes and a few stalks, honey, and here some notes of mint tea that may have come from bottle ageing. A few touches of vegetable stock bolster that impression. Mouth: it’s really become quite dry on the palate, a bit like an old sweet wine that has eaten up its sugars. It’s not unpleasant, provided one likes black tea, liquorice wood and dark chocolate. Finish: not so short after all, still mentholated and even slightly salty. A bit of pear eau-de-vie in the aftertaste. Comments: an interesting old Rémy to taste, the famous centaur seems to have had rather decent taste.
SGP:361 - 81 points. |
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Cognac ‘Lot 74’ (40.64%, Malternative Belgium for Passion for Whisky, 2024)
An old demijohn from a bouilleur de cru in Criteuil-la-Magdeleine, near Segonzac. Should be a grande champagne. Colour: amber. Nose: entertaining start on pistachio cream and fresh strawberries, before the more expected peaches and figs start to make themselves heard. Small touches of rosehip and hawthorn, as well as two or three drops of chicory coffee, slightly caramelised. It isn’t tired at all despite the very low strength, though I’d almost swear there’s a tiny bit of old bottle effect. Mouth: it’s true that you do find the style of old Rémy Martin here, only with more complexity and fruit that still feels... alive. A few touches of old honey, slightly fermented, black tea, bitter chocolate, a hint of clove… Finish: stewed fruits, honey, a little cinnamon, and notes of old wood and pine needles. Comments: delicate, a little ‘in its own juice’ like a vintage car. Loads of charm, really.
SGP:461 - 87 points. |
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Darroze ‘Domaine de Busquet’ 1999/2025 (49.5%, Journal des Kirsch, Kirsch Import, bas-armagnac)
This one’s pure baco. Colour: dark red amber. Nose: it’s always interesting to taste a fine armagnac after a good cognac—here it’s more earthy, more on tobacco and undergrowth, but also freshly sawn fir wood, dry-cured ham, and prunes (which pair splendidly with the ham, naturally)… Mouth: same thoughts, word for word, only with a little more strong liquorice and a firmer tannic backbone that makes the whole thing more rustic, which suits us just fine. I’d have rather said an older Ténarèze with rather pretty acidity. The coniferous side is quite prominent too, and that’s very much to our liking. Finish: long, fairly resinous, and above all deeply country-style. Comments: all in all, this is an armagnac that’s very ‘armagnac’. Why would we complain, it’s excellent and therefore… authentic (excuse me?)
SGP:461 - 90 points. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet 53 yo ‘Lot 71’ (55.5%, Maltbarn, grande champagne, 2025)
JL Pasquet, among the malternative cognacs, is a bit like the Porsche of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Do with that comparison what you will (Mr and Mrs Pasquet, I’m available for comment). Colour: honey amber. Nose: here comes that famously precise fruitiness, with peaches and honey-poached pears, honeysuckle, sweet liquorice, quince paste, and the faintest mentholated touches… With water: earthy soils, greenhouse, grape must… Mouth (neat): it’s brilliant to find this kind of bottling strength in a fine cognac; believe me, it’s not that common in France. Stewed fruits enhanced with marc, vineyard peaches of course, dark tobacco, a slightly waxy edge… With water: liquorice returns, along with soil, pine nuts… Finish: long, more mentholated, but raisins stand watch in the aftertaste. Comments: a magnificent counterpart to the Darroze/Kirsch, at the opposite end of the spectrum, yet at the same level of quality. Well, in my view.
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
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Domaine Saint Martin 1992/2025 (54.5%, Le Passeur, bas armagnac, cask #63)
From the oldest mobile still in the entire Armagnac region! This is pure baco from the ‘fauve sands’, which date back to the Middle Miocene, if you really want to know. Colour: deep gold. Nose: this acts a little like a bridge between the great cognacs and the great armagnacs, and it’s quite beautiful. There’s that fruity ham note again, a few ashes (cigar), candlewax, fresh mushrooms, undergrowth, and some marc de Bourgogne… With water: a little cooked wine, walnut wine… Mouth (neat): it’s powerful, quite mentholated and herbal, spicy, almost a tad rough (peach skin), with fine tannins and always that slight touch of marc. We’ll have to do a little marc session one day. With water: not much change, still very rustic and country-style. Finish: rather long and, as usual, fairly liquoricy. Comments: we had a sister cask at WF 90, and this one’s very close. Top-notch armagnac, though I must admit it actually gets trickier when you start mixing armagnacs and cognacs in the same session.
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
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Armagnac du Collectionneur 1870/1986 (42.8%, Ryst-Dupeyron)
That’s right, 1870—it’s not a typo. The house of Dupeyron or Ryst-Dupeyron, négociant-maturers based in Condom in the Gers, has long specialised in vintage armagnacs, sometimes remarkably ancient ones such as this. Note that it was already 115 years old when bottled, though who knows how much of that time it actually spent in wood. It’s impossible to say, but according to the house, the ‘du Collectionneur’ range gathers the firm’s single casks. Colour: dark amber. Nose: it’s entirely ‘transcategory’, with notes of palo cortado, armagnac of course, very old calvados, old Speyside, walnuts, pecans, aged plums, boot polish, encaustic wax, dried dates, antique coffee liqueur, puffs of long-forgotten attic, balms, cherry stems, hints of brine… Isn’t the whole world in there? All that’s missing is gunpowder. Mouth: the same joyful jumble returns, though it’s drier now and more clearly on old solera wines—amontillado, Madeira, Marsala… There’s even some ancient passito that’s turned salty, and old Catalan rancio too… Then it becomes slightly dusty, which oddly reassures one of the vintage’s authenticity, harvested in the midst of the Franco-Prussian War and perhaps distilled just after it (19 July 1870 – 28 January 1871). Finish: fairly long, magnificent, saline, with superb resinous and brothy notes, and quite pronounced parsley with a majestic umami. Comments: and meanwhile we Alsatians were being conquered by Otto von Bismarck and the German Empire, only to become French again in 1918. At any rate, what an extraordinary bottle.
SGP:472 - 92 points. |
Come on now, you're either Alsatian or you're not… After all, this too is a proper ‘French brandy’: |
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Marc de Gewurztraminer 1976/2016 (63.1%, Léonard et Olivier Humbrecht à Turckheim, 370 bottles)
You know what a marc is: it’s the grape skins and pips (and some remaining juice) left after pressing, fermented then distilled. Typically, the spirit is kept white (often aged in demijohns), but sometimes it’s matured in oak casks, or much more rarely in other woods like chestnut or even ash (I believe). Colour: amber with red hues. Nose: this is explosive, full of tar, berries and seeds, natural rubber, fresh ginger, varnishes, essential oils, and even, let’s say it, eau de cologne. But I don’t think this baby should really be tasted at its full 63.1%. With water: very distinctive indeed, bringing out rosewater from the gewurztraminer, but also plenty of wood extract and heaps of varnish. Mouth (neat): this is extremely extreme, frankly, on intensely herbal and peppery olive oil, glue, peppered rosewater, cumin… Water is absolutely essential. With water: it’s now a kind of Alsatian amaro, heavy on fir bud extract, mustard, walnut stain and tobacco. Peppery chocolate, still an extreme profile. Finish: very long, while glue and varnish do return. Comments: guess how many times we’ve used the word ‘extreme’ in this note. In short, it’s barely scoreable, and clearly off-category. 'For the record’.
SGP:372 - / points.
Update: too difficult to score in this line-up context, it’s just too different. The only thing that’s certain is that it’s magnificent — we’ll be tasting it again soon in a session of high-quality wood-aged marcs. |
All in all, we’ll have tasted some rather unusual tipples today, and that’s exactly what we love to do at Château Whiskyfun. Promise, we’ll be sampling more weird and wonderful things over the coming Sundays… |
Hold on, here’s a last-minute bonus: |
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Jean Fillioux 1965-1970/2025 (45.3%, Journal des Kirsch, Kirsch Import, Cognac Grande Champagne, 162 bottles)
Ugni blanc. From a well-regarded house, this is a blend of vintages from the heyday of the Yardbirds—what could possibly go wrong? That said, it seems to be Cardinal de Richelieu on the label, though best not mention that to Dumas’ three musketeers! Though in real life, they weren’t actually enemies, quite the opposite. Colour: amber. Nose: loads of stewed fruits—peaches, pears, apricots, plus more furniture polish than in a dusty old library from Richelieu’s time (!) Then come finer spices from the wood, notably black pepper with a shaving of dark chocolate and the tiniest whiff of menthol. Parsley. Currants round off the bouquet nicely. Mouth: the wood takes the lead, which is far from unusual, with firm liquorice, cracked pepper, nutmeg, coriander seeds, that same menthol, and fir buds… It all then shifts toward more fruity softness, more on peach and apricot preserves, with a few hints of violet sweets. Finish: wonderful duality, with both woodiness (tobacco) and fruitiness (marmalade) dancing in step, let’s call it an Argentine tango. Why not? Comments: very much in the house’s polished woody style, it must take quite a bit of finesse to achieve this level of balance, particularly with the tannins. In short, the epitome of the style, and something every proper enthusiast should have on their shelf. Magnificent ‘woody’ beast.
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
(A thousand mercis to Angus for the incredible 1870!) |
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June 7, 2025 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
Two quick Caol Ila
Seeing as I've been pretty poor at writing notes lately, and missed all of Feis Ile week (once again, alas) this year, let's very modestly compensate with what should be two pretty dependable Caol Ila. If you cannot rely on well-aged, refill matured Caol Ila, I fear we might be doomed. |
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Caol Ila 17 yo 2006/2023 (55.1%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogshead, 204 bottles) 
Colour: pale straw. Nose: I find it a little on the softer side of Caol Ila, with a nice easy balance of mineral salts, aromatic coastal qualities, seawater, citrus rinds and background medicinal aspects such as bandages and TCP. With water: sootier, on coal scuttles, muted peat smoke, coal tar soap and bacon crisps. Mouth: a little simpler than the nose, on smoky wort and gristy vibes, salted porridge, rather a lot of chalky beach pebble and ashy mineral impressions. Also some hay and cider apple vibes. With water: I find it simplifies a little with water, becoming a bit dry, austere and salty, but some interesting herbal tea notes emerge. Finish: good length, back on citrus - preserved lemons in brine - seawater and mineral salts. Comments: I prefer this one without water, a tad simple but irrefutably dependable.
SGP: 466 - 85 points. |
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Caol Ila 31 yo 1983/2014 (48.7%, Signatory Vintage, hogshead, cask #5300, 248 bottles) 
Colour: pale gold. Nose: in the words of a Mr S V of Turckheim: the peat has 'transmuted'! In other words, it's one of those wonderful old Caol Ilas that, after three decades in refill wood, has become poetically complex and detailed. One of those profiles that makes you think of very delicate herbal and fruit teas, old dried out ointments, very old herbal and honey liqueurs and various things as diverse as honey-roast root vegetables, beach pebbles, strop leather, sandalwood and dried flowers. Beautiful and utterly charming. Mouth: a perfect and harmonious collusion of peat smoke influences, medicinal and coastal qualities, and these underlying dried citrus fruit notes, matcha, verbena, very old dry riesling and heavier, textural aspects that turn your mind towards camphor and furniture waxes. Finish: quite long, and still on these combinations of old dried out honeys, herbal medicinal things, distant peat smoke, delicate mineral impressions. The freshness and vibrancy of the whole thing is really wonderful. Comments: we shouldn't wax lyrical too much, you only need to try two or three of these older late 70s early 80s Caol Ilas to know that they are amazing whiskies with seemingly immutable freshness and stamina of character. This is another great one, made even more deadly by a natural strength that's so effortlessly quaffable.
SGP: 555 - 92 points. |
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June 6, 2025 |
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The Return of the Glentauchers (Part 3) |
We sampled plenty of Glentauchers in May, then took a break for various reasons, so it's time to get back to it, as we've so many yet to try. Once again, we're going about it a bit randomly, just for the fun of it. Thank you for your understanding. |
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Glentauchers 23 yo 1997/2021 (53.2%, The Single Malts of Scotland, barrel, cask #401, 157 bottles)
Attention, we know these batches can be little marvels… Colour: straw. Nose: well, this is practically pure mandarin juice! Honestly, it’s rather bonkers. Granted, there are smaller elements in the background (cassata, candied fruits, white beer) but the mandarin reigns supreme. No problem, we’re happy to go along with it. With water: fruity beer, IPA with a heavily mandarin-forward hop. Mouth (neat): honey, nougat, and guess what? Bravo, you've nailed it, mandarin liqueur (Corsican, ideally). With water: a touch of vineyard peach, which makes for a pleasant change. Finish: long, fresh, all on citrus with a dash of honey. Comments: stunning aromatic purity. The trade-off is that it's not outrageously complex, but who cares, we’re smitten.
SGP:641 - 89 points. |
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Glentauchers 10 yo 2014/2025 (61.8%, Alambic Classique, 1st fill Bordeaux red wine barrel, cask #25011, 294 bottles)
I fear we’ll never again escape the clutches of red Bordeaux… That said, we do enjoy what Alambic Classique produces, and let’s be honest, the company name does sound rather French. Colour: gold (not rosé). Nose: oh yes, this leaves a mark, full throttle on blood orange and cherry clafoutis. With water: cherry tart, plain and simple. Mouth (neat): I do wonder whether this qualifies as an utterly bizarre concept, but one executed with disarming precision. At this stage we’ve left malt whisky far behind; we’re deep in marc de Bordeaux territory, all aged in ex-whisky casks. The worst part? It works, which is frankly a bit unsettling. Granted, one must enjoy blood oranges, but I most certainly do. With water: it’s worse, it’s even better. Now we’re fully on cherries. Finish: long, fruity, starring the current chart-toppers, blood oranges and cherries. Comments: I’m not entirely sure what to say. Perhaps the trick is simply to go all-in, and that might just be the secret here. But it was a cracking cask in any case, in my view very wet and very clean.
SGP:741 - 87 points. |
Isn’t it something, I’m starting to scare myself… Quick, a barrel of bourbon… |
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Glentauchers 15 yo 2009/2025 (54.6%, Whisky Age, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #800647, 233 bottles)
Lovely label done by Taiwan’s Hong Fu-Tian. Let us support the true artists and refuse the slop! Colour: white wine. Nose: we’re back in similar territory to the first one, only this time it’s not mandarin-led but rather built around apple, small green pears, jujubes, rowan berries, and just a fresh baguette from the nearest French bakery. I’m quite sure they’ve got those in Taiwan too. With water: lemon and chalk come into play… Mouth (neat): pure barley eau-de-vie, rounded out with distillates of tiny berries, holly, rowan, service tree, and again that rather specific apple character à la Rochelt’s Gravenstein from Tyrol. With water: oh excellent, ultra-precise, apples and small berries accented with a bit of lime. It’s almost refreshing, which is exactly where the danger lies. Finish: fresh and fruity like a proper homemade lemonade. Comments: blimey, we’re flying high again!
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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Glentauchers 2008/2024 (51.7%, Liquid Art, 10th Anniversary, sherry oak, 96 bottles)
Colour: white wine. So not exactly a sherry bomb, one presumes. Nose: fair enough—cassata, fresh butter, all sorts of candied fruits, and some proper fresh panettone. May I take this moment to urge our Italian friends to make top-tier panettone all year round, not just at Christmas. Thank you for your understanding. With water: freshly pressed orange juice. Mouth (neat): we’re back with orange blossom, Belgian mandarin liqueur (the liqueur is Belgian, not the mandarins), and fruitcake aplenty. With water: a little tighter, fresher, all on citrus with a few honeyed notes. Finish: long, fruity, and absolutely charming. Comments: citrus rules the world, and this has nothing to do with the Bilderberg club, the Rothschilds, Musk, the Illuminati, Putin, Taylor Swift or whoever else. Long live citrus!
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
Right then, time to tease the red wine again… Spanish, this time. |
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Glentauchers 25 yo 1996/2022 (51.8%, The Whisky Cask Company, Torres Red Wine, cask #2007847, 197 bottles)
Attention, we have the utmost respect for Torres, and we do enjoy their Sangre de Toro when holidaying down that way—worth far more in your glass than its meagre 6 to 7 euros, frankly. Colour: partridge eye. Nose: red wine whisky, with mint, tomatoes, grenadine, fresh strawberries—a very modern profile, and I dare say on the rocks (and on holiday) it could work rather well. With water: sangria, plain and simple. Mouth (neat): vinous, but not bad at all. Bitter orange, black pepper, strawberries, and a tisane of linden and thyme. With water: not unpleasant… Finish: here’s where it starts to unravel a bit, far too red wine-forward for me. Strawberries in red wine. Comments: pure winesky. We’re fond of TWCC at WF, but this one’s flirting dangerously with full-blown winesky. The good news is it loves water. That said, I know there are die-hard fans of this style, and you know what? They’re absolutely right.
SGP:651 - 78 points. |
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Glentauchers 12 yo 2012/2024 ‘100 Proof Edition #18’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: walnut cake, a little Thai beef broth, hints of gun smoke, fig leaves, elastic bands, and a slab of chocolate. With water: walnut cake with a splash of marc from Burgundy—or Jura—or Bordeaux—or Champagne. Mouth (neat): of course it works, it’s a lovely sherry, balanced, still all on walnut cake, tobacco, chocolate, and Americano coffee (which many would claim isn’t real coffee at all) … With water: orange liqueur and ginger. Finish: fades ever so slightly. Comments: I adore this series, well done, bravo, spitzenklasse, but on the other hand the distillery character is just a bit buried. Then again, that’s always been the way with active sherry since the 1980s—one or the other, never both. No half measures.
SGP:561 - 84 points. |
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Glentauchers 18 yo 2002-2005/2023 (53%, Whisky Sponge, 1st fill sherry butt and 1st fill bourbon barrel, 250 bottles)
I think the artwork was stunning here. It is a multi-vintage expression, but those vintages are so close to each other that that shouldn’t change much. Now indeed the casks were different. Colour: pale gold. Nose: classic and austere, on apples, green pears, little berries and garden fruits past their prime, then melon and watermelon rinds. All very restrained. With water: full of tiny vegetal touches of all sorts, you rather get the impression you’ve wandered into an experimental greenhouse. Mouth (neat): this is very good, more on citrus and even green banana, otherwise your usual orchard fruits—apples and all that. A slight white grappa note. With water: marzipan comes in, and even some olives sweetened with honey. Ever tried that? Finish: medium length, more on herbs and teas, even a bit of hay. Comments: honestly, it’s quite experimental in terms of cask composition. But that’s probably where the charm lies in this baby that does leave you a little adrift—but with much pleasure.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
Go on then, there's still room for one last one… |
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Glentauchers 12 yo 2010/2023 (56.3%, Milroy’s, Soho Selection, 1st fill manzanilla hogshead finish, cask #11125, 251 bottles)
The shop on Greek St has gone a bit strange—or at least it had the last time I was there, back in April—though I suppose one can’t exactly rope in Charles Maclean to run a wee bar-bottle shop in central London. Anyway, the place may be a little pricey these days, but the brand’s whiskies remain jolly decent… Colour: gold. Nose: yes, very clean, on Canadian apple ice wine and sultanas. Apricot liqueur (Swiss, of course) and mirabelle liqueur (Lorraine, naturally). With water: shifts towards quince, which is excellent news. Mouth (neat): those mandarins from the first TSMOS reappear, but this one’s hotter, a touch rougher around the edges. With water: no worries, all’s well—it’s a nicely balanced fruitiness we’ve got here. Finish: fairly long though a little less precise. Overripe apples. Comments: the nose is a thousand times better than the palate. Still, a very good young Glentauchers.
SGP:541 - 83 points. |
Come on, we’ve got a good ten minutes… |
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Glentauchers 8 yo 2009/2017 (52.5%, Asta Morris, Timeless & Tasty, Whisky & More, Hong Kong, 90 bottles)
You really do find the oddest things in the WF sample library, frogs included. Colour: full gold. Nose: quite jammy, on quince jelly, mirabelle jam, then a lovely glass of late-harvest Pinot Gris. Alsatian, naturally. With water: delightful—quince, chamomile, pistachio syrup… Mouth (neat): very surprising smoky side, perhaps from a previous occupant of the cask. At this point we’re lost; this doesn’t feel like one of our babies—what is this? With water: all panic stations—sharp edges, dissonance, smoke and burn. Finish: long but rubbery, smoky, tarry, and all layered over cider. Comments: I can’t make it work, so we’ll go with a provisional score and think again about this young Glentauchers. And about and the state of the world while we’re at it (but of course, S., but of course…)
SGP:563 - 80 points. |
| There will be many more soon |
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June 5, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today Tamdhu OB vs IB |
Not the first time we’ve done this, but it’s always a pleasure. We also appreciate that Tamdhu seems to avoid maturing all its younger or mid-aged malts in unlikely wine casks, as has become the norm elsewhere—much to our dismay at times. |
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Tamdhu ‘Quercus Alba Distinction Batch 1’ (48%, OB, 2021)
Here we are once again a little behind the times; I now realise we’ve already tasted more recent batches of this variant matured in ‘American Oak Oloroso Sherry Cask’. I’ll take the opportunity to remind that the vast majority of sherry casks used in actual sherry production (not whisky seasoning) have been made of American oak since the 18th century, and that Spanish or European oak remains the exception to this day (I believe it’s still under 10%). Colour: gold. Nose: very much on cider and apple juice to start, then drifting towards walnuts, buttered popcorn, nougat, and once again very ripe apples, almost apple compote. One might toss in a blueberry muffin for good measure. Mouth: rather more sherried than on the nose, fairly soft for an oloroso, but green spices, bay leaf, cherry leaves and a touch of rosehip infusion all provide definition before it veers into classic green walnut liqueur (nocino) territory, and hence some unmistakably ‘oloroso’ notes. Finish: rather long, pleasantly sour, still focused on fresh walnuts with little sparks of sorrel and English mustard. Comments: I get the impression each batch of this expression shows a distinctly different personality. Cracking level for a modest NAS.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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Tamdhu 16 yo (51.4%, A Dream of Scotland, Space Girls, 1st fill ruby Port finish, 268 bottles, 2025)
People sometimes think that oxidative sherry is a red wine (it’s dark indeed but in fact it’s made from white grapes), and therefore assume there’s little real difference between sherry and port, when in truth, there’s rather a lot, especially when it comes to ruby port. Ruby is a young style, often matured in stainless steel to preserve its fresh fruitiness, quite unlike the more oxidised tawnies. Oh, and we do enjoy the pin-up artwork, it brings back the good old days, doesn’t it (ha). Colour: salmon or onion skin. Nose: strong impressions of red fruit jams and liqueurs, but nothing vulgar, mind you. It leans notably towards well-mannered cherries, shall we say. There’s also plenty of strawberry jam, blackberry jelly, and a touch of cranberry sauce that would pair nicely with a bit of venison. With water: little change, though a combo of cinnamon, mild bell pepper and cherry stalks gently emerges. Mouth (neat): spicy red fruit jam galore—green pepper, cinnamon, clove, caraway… With water: citrus bursts from the woodwork, bitter orange, pink grapefruit, a dab of green oak honey… Finish: fairly long, always led by the young port, but the meeting seems to have been carefully arranged. Comments: in the end, the clash we half-expected never quite arrived. But ruby, my dear! (well, that was clever, S…)
SGP:561 - 84 points. |
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June 4, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos,
today glen Ord once more |
We love Ord, we have great memories of Ord, especially visiting the maltings (the current ones, the drums, not the Saladin boxes that were dismantled in 1968 – WF is not that old). Well, we’ll only have two today, we need to let the machine cool down a bit…
(2006, WF Archive)
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Glen Ord 14 yo 2009/2023 (49.2%, James Eadie, for the Ensign Ewart, refill hogshead, cask #310777, 152 bottles)
The Ensign Ewart is a well-known little pub in Edinburgh, located at 521-523 Lawnmarket on the Royal Mile. One would expect them to have chosen this little Ord with care… Colour: white wine. Nose: as naked a malt whisky as one could hope for, beautifully composed of celery stalk, fennel, green apples, damp chalk, dill, pink grapefruit, and freshly harvested barley. Mouth: powerful, almost cutting, more herbaceous and spicy on the palate (green pepper), with a rich texture and plenty of small, semi-wild apples. Then come limoncello, sticks of rock, and honey pastilles, which gently round things off. Finish: long, a little waxier, with some lovely bitter tones. Comments: a fine little Highland beast. In any case, we love these Highland malts that are ‘not quite fully rounded yet’.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
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Glen Ord 10 yo 2012/2023 (60%, Animal Spirits, ‘When Days Are Cold 1’, 3rd Anniversary, barrel, cask 200260, 232 bottles)
Animal Spirits? I simply cannot help but think of Animal, the drummer from The Muppet Show, particularly his legendary performance in ‘Fever’ with Rita Moreno, which makes me laugh out loud every single time. Yes, like the rest of the planet. But let’s get back to our sheep as we say in French—I mean, to this young Ord… Colour: chardonnay. Nose: chardonnay. I am not joking, this is a good young Chablis on the nose. Just the right amount of vanilla, soft oak, limestone, and buttercream, then a touch of yellow melon and barley sugar. With water: we’re veering towards an IPA with a hint of washing powder. Mouth (neat): a little paraffin, slightly soapy at first, but we know that part will settle. Otherwise, lemon zest and green apples. With water: oh yes, even if the slight soapiness remains (I was wrong once again), the rest is nicely fruity, youthful, rather oily, lemony, and peppery. Finish: long, with a faint tonic water note. Some roots and a bit of modelling clay. Comments: a very good Ord, just a little unusual on the palate.
SGP:561 - 82 points. |
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June 3, 2025 |
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A mini verticale of Glen Grant from the 1930s up to 1998, in no particular order
We'll start by tasting a well-aged Glen Grant, entirely natural, from a top indie bottler (official bottlings, whichever they may be, always tend to ‘enhance’ their malts more). Then we’ll move on to a few old vintages, that’s the main aim today, after all, and finally the new G&M, which is the real reason for this little session. |
Mr George Urquhart (G&M) |
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Glen Grant 26 yo 1998/2024 (53.5%, The Whisky Agency, hogshead, 150 bottles)
Rumour has it that the people on the label are Mr & Mrs Carsten Ehrlich on holiday in Monte Carlo. But you know we don’t put much stock in rumours, don’t you… Colour: white wine (bingo) Nose: splendid tension, bursting with lime and green apple, then hints of damp chalk, followed by that classic rhubarb and gooseberry duet. Luminous and utterly decisive. With water: fresh barley, then grist and wort in full swing. One could scarcely be closer to the raw material, and that's after 26 years. Mouth (neat): totally coherent, grapefruit, limestone, wee berries, rowan… It's nearly a young Chablis. With water: cracking ale, flawless maltiness, fresh bread, and apple cake drizzled with lemon juice. Finish: long and piercingly vertical. A touch of aniseed in the aftertaste. Comments: indeed, a radiant malt with not a jot of cosmetic fluff. We’re on the same page.
SGP:551 - 90 points. |
Here we are, ready for the old legends... |
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Glen Grant 8 yo (70° Proof, Gordon Graham & Co. Aberdeen, 1930s)
Gordon Graham & Co. is a merchant firm best known for their Black Bottle blend. The bottle itself clearly points to a pre-WWII edition. Colour: white wine Nose: this is where it gets rather unsettling, and why I picked this wee chap—we’re strikingly close to the 1998, same profile, same tension, same minerality at first, before it goes all fractal and veers off in several directions, notably towards stewed fruits (quince, medlar), unguents (camphor, eucalyptus, mint essence), and absolutely bonkers levels of aromatic herbs. Tarragon, chervil, watercress, oyster leaf, coriander, basil, lemongrass, and heaps of others. An utterly mind-blowing nose—so complex yet so pure. Mouth: terrifyingly powerful, mineral, and textured—practically barley oil. There's a very medicinal streak again, all things chalky and broadly earthy, lemon zest, and those herbal essences and reductions all the top chefs are so fond of nowadays. Including goutweed, which I stumbled upon at the Burehiesel in Strasbourg just last Saturday. Warmly recommended, by the way! Finish: long, with a perfect balance of medicinal notes, citrus, and chalkiness. Only the aftertaste is ever so slightly soapy, as sometimes happens with very old bottles. Comments: bonkers, this little 8-year-old—nearly hypnotic.
SGP:562 - 92 points. |
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Glen Grant-Glenlivet 23 yo 1964/1988 (46%, Cadenhead, Aberdeen)
The final years of those famous ‘black dumpies’ (no, that’s not the name of some forgotten yet dazzling RnB outfit). Full-on sherry here, it would seem. Colour: mahogany Nose: oh indeed, total sherry, with an old Malaga vibe supercharged by vintage crème de menthe, prune juice, and morels stewed in vin jaune. Implausible? Hardly—it’s marvellous, especially with those classic metal polish touches so typical of this legendary series. Mouth: ooh, this is magnificent, far more so than other GG 1964s that may have been more erratic according to my notes, though some were wonderful. Sublime combo of broths, chocolate, coffee, and minty liquorice, before we drift into old citrus liqueurs from Sicily or Sardinia (or perhaps Corsica). These 46%/80°proof bottlings really hit the sweet spot. Finish: long, almost thick, with a slightly tardy but very welcome arrival of sun-dried muscat grapes, origin irrelevant. Comments: the perfect foil to the old 8-year-old. For the record, this baby was distilled in November 1964 and bottled in February 1988.
SGP:661 - 93 points. |
Let’s head over to Berry Bros…. |
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Glen Grant 1948/1960 (70°proof, Berry Bros. & Rudd, 3, St. James’s St.)
Remember, Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchant, and this bottle (filled the year someone (guess who) was born) certainly looks properly antique. For this vintage, it’s said that coal and coke were scarcer in the immediate post-war years, so peat was sometimes reused for malting. That’s why, generally speaking, post-war malts were often ‘smokier’, as at Macallan for instance, at least in my humble experience. Anyway, always a pleasure to revisit these antique marvels… Colour: gold Nose: believe it or not, this feels like a blend of the previous two, capturing the tension of the old 8-year-old and the majestic heft of the 1964, which, after all, was only distilled 16 years later. Sublime damp earth, mushrooms and mosses, citrus liqueurs, very old sweet wines, then honeys of every persuasion, furniture waxes, ancient beeswax (proper old hive stuff), and even the scent of old books. Books about whisky, of course—or better yet, old philosophical tomes. Mouth: bone marrow and honey broth, vintage Cointreau, sultanas, aged fermented teas, earthy pipe tobacco… It’s beginning to lose a bit of steam, but that’s totally expected. Well, I’ve made a blunder, I should have tasted this baby before the Cadenhead (what a muppet, S.!). Finish: slightly short, but of unfathomable complexity. A touch of Iberian ham, assorted honeys, ancient meads, and venerable pear ciders… Comments: astounding for this strength and after 65 years in a bottle.
SGP:551 - 91 points. |
Let’s finish with the new (and final) Mr George Legacy from G&M, if you don’t mind… |
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Glen Grant 70 yo 1954/2025 'Mr George Legacy Final Edition' (50.5%, Gordon & MacPhail, first fill sherry puncheon, cask #1823, 130 bottles)
This likely little marvel certainly pays homage once more to George Urquhart, but it also marks the 130th anniversary of the famous house. I believe that, following the already historic vintages we’ve just tasted, we are now fully ready to appreciate this 70-year-old at its true worth. May I remind you that we consider context and, above all, comparison to be very important in tasting. Colour: dark amber. Nose: as almost always with these old G&Ms, what’s most striking is the combination of an almost unnatural freshness with all the complexity that only such ages can truly deliver. I’m not sure if that’s entirely clear (smile). What really stands out here is also just how close we are to a very old Cognac or a very old rum, or indeed a very old sherry of course, which once again lends weight to the theory of convergence among old spirits. We find all the dried grapes imaginable (chenin, muscats, PX and all the others), then an incredible trio of blood orange and peaches + honeys + mints and old cumin liqueur. With water: we delve into the depths of a spice cellar, discovering peppers, cinnamons, vanillas, and also tobaccos. A touch of varnish too. Mouth (neat): what power! Fir honey blended with cinnamon, mint, myrtle and caraway, then tobacco and, brace yourselves, tiny touches of old Moutai, of Nuits-St.-Georges (George <–> Georges, naturally) and of very dark chocolate. With water: the oak becomes just slightly more evident (ginseng, black teas, nutmeg, cinnamon, cocoa) but everything remains perfectly in order, we’re still in heaven. Finish: the little herbs emerge, rather like in the old 8-year-olds from the 1930s. Sorrel, wild garlic, woodruff… It’s always magical when extra dimensions appear in the finish, which is firmer, yet also more beautiful without water, incidentally. Very dark chocolate, mint and fir buds in the aftertaste. Comments: Gordon & MacPhail are truly the kings of long maturations that succeed brilliantly. I wonder whether we oughtn’t call them the Clint Eastwoods of whisky (I do hope I’m not ruffling any feathers by saying so, at least not in Scotland).
SGP:561 - 93 points. |
At the risk of sounding a bit crude (as usual, S.), I’ve put together a quick overview of my thoughts on the previous Glen Grant ‘Mr George’ editions, and the final ranking would be as follows: |
The 1958/2023 4th Ed., 95 points
The 1953/2021 1st Ed., 94 points
The 1954/2025 Final Ed., 93 points
The 1959/2023 3rd Ed., 93 points
The 1956/2019 Cent. Ed., 93 points
The 1957/2021 2nd Ed., 92 points |
As you can see, it’s all rather rock and roll. Thanks, and well done to Gordon & MacPhail. |
(Merci Angus, merci Patrick) |
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June 2, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today Strathisla |
The distillery itself is perhaps the most famous of all whisky distilleries in the world, thanks to its traditional charm – undeniable and frequently photographed. However, it's equally undeniable that its single malt production is becoming increasingly rare, or at least that’s the impression one gets. |
Strathisla Distillery (Chivas Brothers) |
It’s rather a pity, if you ask me. Fortunately, G&M are keeping a close eye on things, so to speak... |
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Strathisla 2009/2024 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail, Distillery Label)
I believe the foundation of this label, with its inimitable Victorian lettering, is better known than any official version, although it’s true it has always remained, shall we say, ‘semi-official’. In the past, we used to call them ‘licensed bottlings’. Colour: gold. Nose: bruised apples with a touch of wax polish, which seems fairly typical to me. Very pretty notes of fresh barley, some very, very lightly smoked tea, and rhubarb compote sweetened with honey. A rather charming antique side, one must admit. Mouth: lovely power, still on apples with a dash of lemon juice, then fig appears, both fresh and dried, along with very malt-rich beer, followed by heaps of multi-floral honey, with a clear dose of fir. In essence, mountain honey. Then some spiced touches, though nothing excessive, cinnamon rolls, clove-studded oranges, a trace of ginger... Finish: fairly long, remaining fresh, on oranges and honeyed apples then vanilla cream. Comments: very classic, with a ‘super-Chivas’ side that probably won’t surprise anyone.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Strathisla 22 yo 2001/2023 (50.4%, The Whisky Blues, STR barrel, cask #28944, 191 bottles)
It is ex-STR but fear not! Lovely neo-naive label by Shingo Iwasa. Colour: light gold. Nose: well, it’s the same whisky as the G&M, just with a few extra watts! The STR may have brought in some very light touches of redcurrant, but that’s truly the only thing that might set it apart in terms of profile. Of course, there’s absolutely no reason to complain. With water: brioche dough, honeyed muesli, delicate notes of stewed peaches preserved in vanilla syrup... Mouth (neat): still that gentle malt, those apple, banana and orange compotes with cinnamon and honey... Hard to imagine anything more classical than this. With water: soft, fruity and malty, even more classical if that’s possible. Nougat, apple compote, cinnamon, figs, sandalwood and a very light blond tobacco, mullein syrup and woodruff... Finish: fairly long, fruity and malty, rather on stewed fruits and always those mullein nectars. Slight paraffin in the aftertaste. Comments: I insist, one probably couldn’t get more traditional than this. The STR? What STR?
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
We're wondering whether G&M's decision, made around two years ago, to eventually exit the independent bottling market will also affect the 'Distillery Labels'. We certainly hope not! |
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June 1, 2025 |
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A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace! |
Eight rums for this lovely first Sunday in June
Just a few rums, chosen a little at random, with a free spirit and the wind in your face. After all, summer is nearly here…
(Poster: most sadly only AI slop)
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J.Bally 7 yo (45%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2024)
The famous triangular bottle, or rather pyramidal, which we had tasted—and adored (WF 88)—last time from a 2018 batch. Since 1996, Bally has been produced at Saint James. Colour: gold. Nose: this is a rum with tension, an earthy mentholated edge, somewhat austere but to us that's a virtue. A little leather, undergrowth, black tea, tobacco, fresh sugarcane, and a generous bundle of salted liquorice straight from Schiphol. Mouth: the palate is very coherent, always marked by that salted liquorice, with a fairly thick texture, then evolving into kirsch and bitter orange, walnut, and a mere droplet of pastis. The 45% works flawlessly. A faint touch of cane honey. Finish: long, slightly more oaky, with dark honey, liquorice, and mint. Aftertaste once more rather austere, more on dry wood. Comments: still magnificent. We always greatly enjoy what comes out of Saint James.
SGP:462 - 88 points. |
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Dominican Republic 11 yo (55%, Jean Boyer, Rum Bullion, 2025)
The Dominican rum on its natural side, without a massive dose of added sugar or other slightly dubious concoctions. We tasted a rather good one from Bristol the other day. Colour: gold. Nose: this is very close to sugarcane, even straw and hay, with a slightly alcoholic edge but also a lovely elegance, just a little diaphanous. A tiny note of Nutella (sorry). With water: little change. Mouth (neat): it’s gentler now but all of this feels natural, with orange liqueur, banana, aniseed, tea and even some praline, though it keeps a slightly alcoholic, high-column side. With water: a hint of coconut liqueur joins in. Finish: fairly long, a touch of fruit brandy and wood. Comments: for something from the Dominican Republic, I find this great despite the lightness of structure that’s inherent in this very rectified style of rum.
SGP:631 - 82 points. |
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El Salvador 17 yo 2006/2024 (54.9%, Valinch & Mallet, The Spirit of Art)
Probably from Cihuatán. We’ve had very mixed results with these juices, so let’s see… Colour: deep gold. Nose: we’re in a world extremely close to that of the Dominican, with a light texture even on the nose, though featuring some lovely honeyed touches, cane, banana and coconut, though never overdone. A slight note of maple syrup aged in oak casks. With water: the expected vanilla turns up, otherwise not much change. Mouth (neat): very fruity, reminiscent of candyfloss, again maple syrup, coconut liqueur, and roasted peanuts coated in caramel. With water: it’s almost the same rum as the Dominican, just a tad sweeter. Finish: a touch more complex, with a lovely note of pink pepper. Comments: a rather amusing arrival of pepper on the finish, with something of an Indonesian side, whatever that means. In short, very good considering the profile, though not quite a darling at WF HQ.
SGP:740 - 83 points. |
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Isautier 16 yo 2005/2022 (65%, Velier, La Réunion, rhum traditionnel, 546 bottles)
Traditional, so molasses-based. We tried its agricole counterpart last year and rather loved it (WF 87). Colour: reddish amber. Nose: this is incredibly agricole for something traditional, loaded with liquorice, fresh sawdust, varnish… and ethanol. So, with water: it doesn’t budge an inch, virtually immovable, though some praline and roasted hazelnuts do manage to show up. Mouth (neat): very thick, sweet, full of varnish and fruit-flavoured liquorice, plus a note of incense liqueur—if such a thing existed. With water: it retains all that, but a little pineapple eau-de-vie, black soap and clove appear as well. The oak is pronounced. Old-style genever. Finish: long, still thick, slightly medicinal but one gets the impression that all of this comes from the wood. Comments: not so easy, this little monster. I believe we preferred the agricole version, which will probably surprise no one.
SGP:461 - 84 points. |
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Very Fine Old Caribbean Rum distilled in Cuba 56 yo 1968/2024 (49.7%, The Whisky Agency, Cuba, barrel, 145 bottles)
This little beauty was of course distilled, but also aged in Cuba, most likely in one of the distilleries nationalised by Fidel, perhaps at Bacardi’s, who had begun producing… Havana Club after 1960. Oh, it’s complicated. The 1967 we tasted not long ago was rather superb (WF 90). Colour: red amber. Nose: sublime mocha, roasted hazelnuts, orange zest, pistachio praline and, above all, maple syrup reigning supreme. Nothing to add. Mouth: oh, how beautiful this is! More praline, but now bathed in honey and maple syrup, rose liqueur and 19th century Grand Marnier. Okay, early 20th. If anything, it’s a little simple, but in the most perfect way. Finish: long, slightly sweet but, as so often, led by liquorice. Soft liquorice and gentle pepper. Comments: it’s hard to tell whether there haven’t been a few ‘additions’ over time—something like honey, perhaps—but it hardly matters, this is magnificent, a true ode to the… revolution.
SGP:751 - 92 points. |
Let’s stay in Cuba, since we were just talking about Havana Club… |
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Cuban Rum 76 yo 1948/2025 (48.9%, Chapter 7 Ltd, Spirit Library for Figee Fine Goods Switzerland, 108 bottles)
The original Havana Club distillery, aka Vizcaya, was located in Cárdenas, close to Varadero on the north coast. Following the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro's government nationalised it, closed the distillery in 1960, and moved the production to ex-Bacardi facilities that had just been nationalised too, before transferring it to a new plant in Santa Cruz del Norte in 1977. Worth noting, the Vizcaya brand is now produced in the Dominican Republic, where it is marketed as a ‘Cuban Formula’, but what we’ve tasted hasn’t convinced us. Bear in mind, what I’m telling you here is purely anecdotal, it absolutely does not mean that what we are about to taste now is necessarily from the original Vizcaya or Havana Club, of course not. Even if, oddly enough, the dates line up… Colour: dark amber. Nose: what a surprise to find olive oil and even black olives, very old balsamic from Modena (inevitably), the most precious old varnishes and the most exquisite oil paintings, then an incredible array of glacé cherries, pipe tobacco and chocolate truffles. Totally mind-blowing, with a varnish-and-olive tandem that’s truly superlative and absolutely no fatigue on the nose whatsoever, despite the 76 years. Mouth: are we absolutely sure this isn’t a very old amontillado instead? That striking character really highlights the Spanish influence on old Cuban rums, which were often in the hands of families of Spanish origin, such as, in this particular case, the Arechabala family. Or so we assume. So then, we’ve got ancient walnuts from an old hessian bag, liquorice, dark tobacco, coffee, olives, a touch of seawater, sherry vinegar, and even a faintly mustardy note. Quite extraordinary, let’s say it plainly, and once again, not a jot of tiredness in any of it. Bonkers. Finish: unbelievably fresh, as interminable as one of Fidel’s speeches, salty, still on amontillado, walnut wine, morels, rare vinegars, then a very faint trace of wood glue. Comments: this splendour leaves you speechless, and that’s probably not the least of its virtues. And let’s be honest, what a coup from Chapter 7! I tip my hat to them.
SGP:462 - 95 points. |
Right then, just as a nightcap, let’s find the exact opposite of that incredible aged Cuban… |
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Worthy Park 8 yo 2015/2023 (64%, OB for the Whisky Exchange, Jamaica, calvados finish)
To be honest, one isn’t quite sure what a Calvados cask is doing in Jamaica, but then again, Willie Nelson did release a reggae album too (Countryman, 2005). Right, fair enough, all comparisons have their limits… Colour: gold. Nose: well bravo, here comes that vinegary tang of old Cuban rum, with seawater, and yes, cider vinegar too. And quite a lot of ethanol to boot. With water: this rather goes off-piste now, with notes of scallops flambéed in calvados, some possible king scallops as well, and even a most unlikely hint of Noilly Prat. But we do adore Noilly. Mouth (neat): I find it rather worrying that I like this, especially the sharpness of the apple slicing right through the young rum. Surprising stuff. With water: it’s doing windscreen-wiper things between petrol and sharp apple, a curious feeling, not unpleasant but enough to send your taste buds into a bit of a flap. Finish: similar and lasting rather a good while. Comments: I’m not quite sure what to make of this. But of course, we love Worthy Park, The Whisky Exchange, and Calvados in general. Just perhaps not all together…
SGP:663 - 84 points. |
So, let’s quickly find something else to wrap things up — we’re never going to top that old Cuban anyway… |
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Jamaican Rum 18 yo 2007/2025 ‘WP’ (56%, Liquid Treasures, Love & Peace Series)
Let’s see if this wee Worthy Park leans more, shall we say, orthodox. They do state, after all, that ‘The new bottling series is dedicated to more peace, love, awareness, more together and against dictators, haters, populists, splitters and warmongers.’ One can hardly disagree, especially if that includes anyone harming children, regardless of their 'excuses',. Colour: gold. Nose: this is a rounder WP, more civilised, more peaceable in a word, with some very pretty maritime notes, smoked anchovies, oysters, a hint of diesel and a lovely vanilla that gently smooths it all out. With water: here come the olives in full force, with seawater and a touch of carbon. Mouth (neat): ah, very good, with that typical WP clarity, grilled sesame, citron and lemons, smoked fish, a touch of camphor… With water: marvellous maritime and tarry purity. Finish: similar, with some rather bitter lemon peel that neatly ties everything together. Comments: a true blade, utterly beautiful. We’re wholeheartedly behind this most peaceful series; if you agree with them as much as we do, you simply must support them and buy up all their stock im-me-di-ate-ly.
SGP:363 - 90 points. |
They are bl**dy right, let’s make Peace & Love! |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far
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May 2025 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Port Ellen 39 yo 1982/2022 (53.9%, Douglas Laing for DH Global Wine, China, Xtra Old Particular, The Black Series, refill butt, cask #DL16283, 120 bottles) - WF 93
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Clynelish 27 yo 1965 (51%, Scotch Malt Sales, Japan, 500ml, +/-1992) - WF 95
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
Jean-Luc Pasquet 8 yo 2015/2024 (57.8%, C. Dully Selection, Grande Champagne, folle blanche, cask #338, 214 bottles) - WF 89
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Skeldon 27 yo 1978/2005 ‘SWR’ (60.4%, Velier, Guyana, 3 barrels, 688 bottles) - WF 93
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Glentauchers 33 yo 1993/2024 (51.9%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, Lost in Time, refill American oak barrels, cask #5218, 108 bottles) - WF 91
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
None in May |
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May 31, 2025 |
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Our remote Feis Ile 2025, today at Ardbeg
It’s always been an absolute nightmare, we've never managed to attend Ardbeg’s Open Day because I’ve always had to leave the island either on the day itself or the day before, for various reasons. But of course, there were private parties in the week leading up to it... Right then, we’ll taste two legends, and then we’ll head towards ‘Kildaltons’ if we’ve got the time and the inclination… |
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Ardbeg 1974/2006 (48%, OB, bourbon, cask #4547, 133 bottles)
We’ve never tasted this little 1974 before! At least not formally. What’s more, there were only 133 bottles, and back then, some enthusiasts had rather odd relationships with their bottles: they were drinking them! Right then, we’ll try not to go overboard… Colour: light gold. Nose: it’s utterly mad how this smells like ‘home’. Brand new rubber boots, fresh trainers, low tide on a Hebridean shore, turpentine, engine oil, whelks, preserved lemons, camphor, cough syrup, hints of retsina… These vintages were the most beautiful ever known on Islay, and perhaps even in Scotland. Mouth: such remarkable compactness, coherence and pedigree. Let’s say preserved lemon smoked with rubber, augmented by coal tar, seawater, wakame and tar liqueur. It’s simply exceptional and we rather expected that. Finish: long, with the proverbial lapsang souchong and ever that majestic rubber, with a marmalade curiously salty and camphory, and smoked almonds. Comments: only the very slight lack of beefiness keeps me from going even higher. But what splendour!
SGP:566 - 94 points. |
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Ardbeg 13 yo 1975/1988 (54.2%, Gordon & MacPhail, Special Selection, Intertrade, 543 bottles)
Bit of a cheat, this one—we’ve already tasted this baby, the last time being in March 2007. Will you grant us, in your boundless generosity, the indulgence of revisiting it? Note, there were two versions, 54.2 and 54.8%, but no worries, both were rather special. Colour: full gold. Nose: the G&M style is quite evident, with a cask influence slightly more assertive yet highly elegant, leading to greater austerity, rigour, perhaps even a whiff of intellectualism (what?). Seaweed, beach bonfire, grapefruit peel, iodine tincture, ink, mint, eucalyptus, Islay soil post-rainfall (so, always), fresh concrete… With water: wet dogs, Provençal herbs, that old tweed jacket that’s weathered many a Scottish winter, those unbelievable little citrus fruits… Might be time to summon the AMB? That’s it, the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade. Mouth (neat): of utterly astonishing compactness. Citron, smoke, salt, myrtle, tar. With water: we’ll say no more, other than to caution you about diluting these peaty drams. Water, yes of course, but in moderation, lest they collapse. Seriously. Finish: unforgettable. Comments: just a hair below the OB, which was ultimately more compact and coherent, while also more immediate. In any case, it’s absolutely splendid.
SGP:466 - 93 points. |
We're now going to have a few independent Kildaltons, while avoiding any pointless comparisons with the two stars we've just tasted. Rest assured, we won’t be adding any modern official NAS bottles, let’s keep this classy. |
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Secret Islay 2009/2023 (52.5%, The Roots, hogshead, 179 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: you can clearly sense the difference from the mid-1970s—this is more acetic, medicinal, taut, fermentative, smoky, also greener, and less compact, less rubbery. Truth be told, it’s absolutely lovely too. With water: one edges closer to peated malt, sourdough, metal polish, and seawater. Mouth (neat): believe it or not, we’re not so far from the 1975, which was roughly the same age, give or take, except here we’ve far more olives, mezcal, earth, and a slightly simpler profile—salty, lemony, with ashes. No complaints whatsoever, we’re thoroughly enjoying it. With water: how delicious! Salty rubber, lemon zest, wild thyme, and an entire crate of oysters. Finish: long, saline, taut, increasingly maritime. Seawater with plenty of old ship diesel. Comments: one can’t really say we weren’t expecting this, but honestly, this un-doctored ‘beg is simply superb. Bravo, The Roots.
SGP:467 - 91 points. |
We’ll say it again, if we were the distillery, we’d be proud to have our name on such a bottle. What a waste. |
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Kildalton 15 yo 2009/2024 (52.2%, The Whisky Cask, sherry cask)
What could possibly go wrong—sherry, perhaps? Colour: amber. Nose: how amusing this is! Concentrated chicken stock, fir needles, all-purpose balm, kumquats, and, well, Marlboros. The worst part? It’s lovely. With water: and here comes the proverbial rubber, new boots and all that. Mouth (neat): a magnificent little monster, with zest, Jägermeister, leather, mentholated tobacco, baijiu, seawater, and leather again. It’s explosive and we love it, even if it’s a touch lacking in finesse. Who cares. With water: another bottle to cellar for twenty or thirty years (a note to younger whisky enthusiasts). Finish: long, though a bit more rustic. Leaves, leather, and slightly bitter nuts. Comments: the sherry probably posed a slight handicap here, but it’s still very lovely indeed, no doubt about it, despite a rather bitter finish.
SGP:477 - 88 points. |
Let’s return to the pale crowd… |
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Secret Islay 14 yo 2009/2023 (49.3%, DramCatcher, hogshead, cask #1201)
What’s this old double-kiln on the label? Rings a bell... Colour: white wine. Nose: a stroll through a meadow thick with wildflowers, with a campfire smouldering in one corner while a few ageing millionaire hippies in brand-new wellies puff away on… You get the picture—it’s simple, but it works. Mouth: very simple, very lovely, very compact. Paraffin and smoked sesame oil, lemon, seawater, oysters… Finish: just the same, with an extra twist of pepper. Comments: perhaps not the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, but it’s got its charm. A fine simplicity.
SGP:466 - 88 points. |
Let’s bring back the sherry… |
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Islay Single Malt 15 yo 2009/2024 ‘Supernova’ (57.5%, Connoisseurs Dram, 1st fill oloroso sherry, cask #200000114, 422 bottles)
There’s little doubt as to the origin of this wee dram. But shall we survive yet another Supernova? Colour: gold. Nose: ultra-precise, mentholated, lemony, with green apple and the proverbial rubber, and an oloroso that only manifests through green walnut, which we find most pleasing. You get the drift. With water: virgin wool, sourdough, old tweed and suchlike. Mouth (neat): immaculate, compact, on smoked marmalade, seawater and tarred rubber. Or rubbery tar, whichever you prefer. Arrival of bitter liquorice wood, essential mint oil and salt. With water: I wouldn’t say it’s been tamed, but we’re edging closer to lemon and grapefruit zest. Finish: long, more medicinal, and frankly rather uncompromising. Notes of green walnut and eucalyptus in the aftertaste. Comments: when you give something like this to beginners and tell them all of it was in the malt from the start, they usually don’t believe you. A fine beast.
SGP:467 - 90 points. |
There’ll be more to come soon. Adios Fèis Ìle 2025 — see you next year, hopefully in person and not virtually. |
(Merci to Fuji, KC, Thierry and The Golden Promise) |
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May 30, 2025 |
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Our remote Feis Ile 2025, today at Bunnahabhain
It's Friday – it's Bunnahabhain day! We'll try to steer clear of the peated ones for now; there'll be time for those later, promise – Moine, Staoisha and so on… As for Jura, which also has its day today, we'll skip it this time as we only had some a few days ago. |
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Bunnahabhain 21 yo ‘Port Wood Finish’ (48.1%, OB, 272 bottles, 2013)
We’ve never tasted this intriguing finishing from twelve years ago, so let’s say it’s about time... Colour: dark amber. Nose: this was probably quite a long finishing, with loads of chocolate and dried raisins, placing it much more in the style of a fine PX (assuming such a thing exists) than a Port. Some notes of orange liqueur and even Fanta, with tobacco and leather... All this is fairly classic on the nose. Mouth: powerful, rather peppery, with leather and still plenty of tobacco, then black nougat and a rather woody and austere side. These 48% feel more like 58! Finish: long, still on pepper, tobacco and leather, with a good deal of very black tea suggesting marked oakiness. Aftertaste on burnt walnuts and clove. Comments: not the easiest creature, the Port cask must have been hyperactive, in the Elon M. vein. But of course, it’s good.
SGP:461 - 84 points. |
In a style probably quite similar… |
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Bunnahabhain 20 yo 2004/2024 (61%, Signatory Vintage for LMDW, Foundations, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt, cask 800190, 510 bottles)
Colour: coffee. Nose: now this is amusing, it’s fruitier, less of a ‘dry sherry’ style than the official Port-matured version, yet remains thoroughly classic, on walnut cake, dark chocolate, a touch of candied cherry and orange zest… and quite a bit of ethanol. So then… With water: struck flint, a little charcoal, shoe polish, and mountains of walnuts. We do love walnuts. Mouth (neat): very rich, spicy, creamy, on ginger, clove, cumin, espresso and cracked pepper. With water: a few mineral touches (cement), then a superb combo of green pepper, black pepper, very dark chocolate and Turkish coffee. Finish: long, dry, rather herbal, with walnuts still calling the shots. Mint chocolate in the aftertaste (After Eights). Comments: this is really very oloroso, very dry, very classic, flawlessly executed.
SGP:361 - 88 points. |
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Bunnahabhain 31 yo 1991/2023 (45.4%, Casky, Finest Selection Series I, 5th Anniversary, hogshead, cask #5400)
Colour: amber. Nose: oh lovely, the fruitiest of the lot at this stage, with a beautiful combination of honey, maple syrup, milk chocolate and dried goji, plus the faintest touch of wood varnish in the background. The whole thing just clicks perfectly. Mouth: we’re edging towards the Signatory style, but with added sweetness, raisins, assorted fruit liqueurs, orange and cherry liqueur, then back to maple syrup and honey as on the nose. It all comes together quite effortlessly, which of course is a virtue in itself. Finish: fairly long, drier, slightly saline, chocolatey, with black tea, but the orange and raisins (and goji) set things back on track. Spot on. Comments: stunning sherry, no question, all the more so as it’s been quite some time since I last tasted one of these splendid 1991s. Perfect, meaning...
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
A little fourth to finish off… square. |
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Bunnahabhain 15 yo 2008/2024 (54.6%, Duncan Taylor, Single Cask Collection, sherry, cask #38551198, 711 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: a lighter style of sherry, and thus more Bunnahabhain character, on citrus, honey and a discreet coastal breeze. Plenty of praline and blond turrón. With water: malt, ale, oranges, honey – what more could one ask for? Mouth (neat): very, very good, distinguished, on citrus and honey, with those maritime touches returning. No need for literary flourishes (literary?), this is just excellent. With water: superb, with very subtle salty and coastal nuances, not far from tinned sardines. After all, there is a fisherman on the official label, isn’t there? We agree, perhaps he’s not a fisherman but rather any sailor ‘westering home’... Finish: long, even saltier, quite remarkable. Comments: to be honest, it also feels like there’s a wee touch of peat, though I wouldn’t bet the house on it. In any case, an excellent selection by Duncan Taylor.
SGP:552 - 89 points. |
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May 29, 2025 |
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Our remote Feis Ile 2025, today at Kilchoman
We closely followed Kilchoman at the beginning — we were there for the distillery’s inauguration and so on — but since then, I’m afraid we’ve rather lost track. Are they doing well? Anyway, it's become another great Islayer... |
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Kilchoman 11 yo 2012/2024 ‘Legacy’ (54.5%, OB, LMDW Foundations, bourbon barrel, cask #623)
Colour: straw. Nose: precise, smoky and rooty. Celery, carrots, even turnips, with added honeysuckle and acacia honey. Frankly, it’s oddly gentle at this stage. A touch of iodine tincture. With water: the water nearly wipes the nose clean, which is most surprising. Let’s say there are whispers of lemon and seaweed. Mouth (neat): light yet very precise indeed, sweet roots, cassava, mezcal, and rowan. With water: it gathers itself somewhat, revealing a rather medicinal peat that finally decides to make an entrance. Finish: of medium length for a super-peated dram, rather dry, yet marked by a distinct saline signature. Comments: playing a bit of hide and seek, this sweet, lovely baby.
SGP:445 - 85 points. |
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Kilchoman 10 yo 2013/2023 ‘100% Islay’ (55.5%, OB, Kensington Wine Market, ScotchGuy’s 20th Anniversary, bourbon, 243 bottles)
Angus already tried this baby. Colour: white wine. Nose: iodine tincture, sea water, coconut and vanilla. The cask speaks! With water: once again, the water simplifies things, which is rather surprising. Still, it remains lovely, clean, smoky and vanilla-laced. Green banana. Mouth (neat): sharp as a blade, though the cask makes itself known rather forcefully here, with pineapple, grapefruit and mango. The thing is, we just love it – pure high-end wood teknohlôgy. With water: splendid now, saline, lemony without excess, with oysters in… oh well, let’s say mango vinegar. Finish: long, straightforward and effective. A cracking cask, that’s for sure. Comments: a strikingly good match between a very active distillate and an equally vigorous cask.
SGP:656 - 88 points. |
Three Kilchomans — that’s good. |
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Kilchoman 14 yo 2006/2021 (59.1%, OB, for Mikhail Selivanov, bourbon, cask #123, 209 bottles)
This one ought to be very good, as Mikhail is a well-known and particularly exacting connoisseur. Colour: gold; Nose: wonderfully fresh, all on pink grapefruit and smaller citrus fruits, with bursts of banana, guava and papaya that are typical of a fine cask, lending the whole affair a faint touch of early 1970s Bowmore. I swear. With water: boot polish and brass polish emerge. Mouth (neat): fairly creamy, a little more herbaceous (dill, chervil), though still heavily citrus-driven, the palate coming across as slightly rougher than the nose. Some green tannins and a hint of mint. With water: no real change, except for a green tea note sneaking in. Finish: long, saline, slightly austere, but we do enjoy a dry finish. Comments: I find these young Kilchomans a bit tricky to reduce, perhaps an AI-powered pipette (European, of course) would be needed. Alright then, time to put out a call for tenders...
SGP:566 - 88 points. |
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May 28, 2025 |
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Our remote Feis Ile 2025, today at Bowmore
This is Wednesday. We're keeping things reasonable, due to bottleneck issues at WF HQ. But we'll start with the obligatory wineskies… We could have called this session BB. Bizarre Bowmore. BTW It’s also Ardnahoe Day but alas! we’ve nothing new to hand. Next time. |
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Bowmore 14 yo ‘Bordeaux cask Finish’ (43%, OB, travel exclusive, 2024)
Mon Dieu, not Bowmore! Don’t tell me they’ve done that dreadful ‘Claret’ thing from twenty-five years ago all over again! Colour: gold – no pinkish hues, thank goodness. Nose: pata negra ham with redcurrant jelly, patchouli, bay leaf, and the usual saline Bowmore peat. In any case, it's not the calamity we had feared so far, at least for the moment. Mouth: they’ve shown a bit of tact here, it doesn’t burst into red fruit jelly sweets, and even the blackcurrants and cherries have been kept in check. No real clashes to speak of, just that odd sweet-and-savoury pudding note which remains a little baffling. Increasing amounts of crushed peppercorns too. Finish: fairly long, teetering on that tightrope between saline peat and the red fruits from Bordeaux – assuming it really is red Bordeaux, of course... Comments: at this rate, one wouldn’t mind knowing which vintage went into the wine casks, since in Bordeaux, vintages can be wildly different from one another. That would make sense, wouldn’t it? Anyway, this is far from a disaster.
SGP:554 - 83 points. |
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Bowmore 16 yo ‘Ruby Port cask Finish’ (43%, OB, travel exclusive, 2024)
In a way, we have to admire the sheer nerve it takes to lob 16-year-old Bowmore into Ruby Port. I daresay that requires a certain leap of faith. Colour: ripe apricot. Nose: well now, this isn’t half bad either; this time we’re veering more towards PX territory. Black pepper and plump black grapes, geranium, sandalwood, lonzo sausage, and very dark potting soil... Mouth: naturally it’s been crafted with great care, the cherry, blackcurrant and blackberry are all present and accounted for, though they’re nicely woven into that beloved salty and smoky malt base. Still, it does lean rather sweet... Finish: fairly long but the red fruits begin to take over, veering into smoked cherry jam with hints of fir wood. Or something along those lines. Comments: this one gave us a chuckle, which is quite the thing in these times. It’s a bit like the Eurovision Song Contest.
SGP:654 - 82 points. |
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Bowmore 19 yo ‘Pinot Noir cask Finish’ (43%, OB, travel exclusive, 2024)
Take cover, it’s Pinot Noir! We adore great Pinot Noirs, especially here in Burgundy – though they rarely belong in whisky, do they... Colour: reddish amber. Nose: oh well I’ll be, this is my favourite of the trio. That dirty, tertiary side of Pinot Noir actually seems to be working this time, I’d say the person behind this vatting’s done a cracking job given the odds. Cherry and blackcurrant, naturally, but in jam form with cane sugar, laced with faint touches of ferns and mushrooms. No hare pâté or ‘old priest’ to be found, we understand each other, don’t we. Mouth: this has been put together very neatly indeed, there’s none of that ‘Fiat Multipla’ or ‘Tesla Cybertruck’ feeling. This is squarely vinous with morello cherries, herbal infusions, prunes, crème de cassis... Yet the ‘Bowmore’ distillate still manages to rise to the surface, which is quite the achievement in this sort of get-up. Finish: lovely length and almost balanced, even if there’s a note of blood orange and cask-aged guignolet. Guignolet = cherry liqueur. Comments: I rather like this baby, even if I wouldn’t quite spring for a double-magnum. If they made double-magnums...
SGP:654 - 84 points. |
We’re in agreement, we can’t just leave it at that. But anyway, let’s stick with the probably bizarre... |
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Bowmore 16 yo 1985 (50%, Silver Seal, sherry wood, 480 bottles)
This is Silver Seal from the Sestante era, and a vintage we’ve been taught to approach with caution. Colour: white wine. Nose: tells us one thing, not all batches were cursed with that infamous ‘FWP’ profile that once spilled oceans of ink and kilobytes across the whisky world. This is clean, fresh, highly briny, with elegant maritime peat, oysters, black rye bread, and… champagne. With water: even more champagne, veering toward Bollinger. Right, pinot noir again, in a way. Mouth (neat): sheer perfection, taut yet oily, earthy and smoky, with a good dose of currants from the sherry, blood oranges and pink grapefruit, all very reminiscent of certain vintages from two decades prior. With water: I must admit, there are a few subtle lavender and violet sweet notes, but we’re mercifully miles away from the old over-the-top disasters of the past. Finish: same story, that facet becomes a touch more obvious now, but all remains calm. Yay. Sea water in the aftertaste. Comments: a miracle bottle.
SGP:564 - 88 points. |
We’re in agreement, we can’t just leave it at that. But anyway, let’s stick with the probably bizarre... |
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May 27, 2025 |
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Our remote Feis Ile 2025, today at Laphroaig
and Port Ellen
Because Tuesday is Laphroaig and Port Ellen day, believe it or not... It's worth remembering, by the way, that until around the late 1960s, Laphroaig was the only Islay whisky that was fairly widely available as a single malt. |
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Laphroaig 10 yo (43%, OB, ‘Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky’, cork, 1l, +/-1990)
A pre-royal warrant 1l bottle, UK version, cardboard tube. Remember the Royal Warrant was granted in 1994. These bottles aren't rare, but since they're excellent, they're highly sought after (makes sense, doesn't it, S. ?) Colour: gold with an orange tinge (caramel). Nose: good grief, we’re off to a roaring start. New tyres, passion fruit, mangoes, almond milk and smoked oysters, all in flawless synchrony. Worth noting, a medicinal side much more restrained than usual, and a peat that's been beautifully 'digested'. Or 'transmuted', as was occasionally said. Mouth: this time, the peat arrives both bright and bold, the saltiness as well, and we move even further away from the overtly tropical style of the 1960s and 1970s. A faint Sauvignon Blanc edge, chalk, pink grapefruit and, this time again, a wee touch of mercurochrome mingled with seawater. Finish: rather long for 43% vol., downright salty, even to the point of playing with your lips, as in… a salty kiss. Ahem. Comments: still extremely, extremely grand. And it was a full litre. No wonder Prince Charles granted a Royal Warrant a few years later.
SGP:555 - 92 points. |
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Laphroaig 10 yo ‘Càirdeas Cask Favourites’ (52.4%, OB, 2024)
Apparently, it’s a mix of ex-PX and ‘Triple Wood’, which frankly sounds a little alarming. But it’s meant to celebrate 30 years of the F.O.L., and I really ought to go and pick up the miniatures waiting for me at the distillery—it’s been ten solid years since I last went, alas! Just a reminder: a proper sweet PX carries around 500g of sugar per litre of wine. Yes, really. Colour: deep gold. Nose: the casks are very present—ginger, curry, cinnamon, fir wood, raisins… But not to the point of making the nose unpleasant, not at all. With water: eucalyptus wood, thuja, pine, fir bud liqueur, chartreuse… You get the picture. Mouth: the casks speak loudly, it’s nearly sweet, very spicy, practically jammy. With water: much the same, almost like ras-el-hanout in a bottle. Also some fir honey. Finish: again, similar notes, with a few Laphroaig markers finally turning up—peat, seaweed, iodine… Comments: of course it was going to be hard to follow the old 10-year-old, but still, this is very, well, botoxed. Not bad, though… I much preferred the 2023 (WF 85).
SGP:456 - 79 points. |
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Laphroaig 10 yo 'Cask Strength Batch 17' (58.3%, OB, Nov 23)
Always ahead of the curve, S. Right. In any case, we’d quite liked Batch 16 (WF 88). Colour: gold. Nose: this one buries the Càirdeas straight off, it’s much cleaner, more focused, firmly on the distillery’s DNA—sea spray, surgical bandages, ointments, campfire smoke on the beach, and the like. With water: a few touches of fresh wood plank but it’s nothing, we’re not in a Swedish flat-pack emporium either. Mouth (neat): superb, flawless, don’t touch a thing. A bit on the brutal side perhaps, yet there’s a cracking acidity, loads of lemon, oysters, ashes, plaster… With water: and as always, it loves water, with blood oranges and even a sliver of underripe mango, which nicely links it to the glorious days of yore. Finish: long, lemony, smoky, peppery, with a lovely acidulous bitterness. Kirsch-soaked marzipan. Comments: a touch hot and maybe just a tad too oaky, but that’s the fate of many a modern dram. Twenty years in the cellar ought to sort it out.
SGP:557 - 87 points. |
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Laphroaig ‘Elements L 2.0’ (59.6%, OB, 2024)
A longer fermentation here, supposedly ‘up to 115 hours’. It’s only a NAS, but the price is steep. Colour: white wine. Nose: no, this is rather nice, more on farm cider, iodine tincture, oysters as ever, perhaps a hint of wasabi, plasticine, pine sap and a touch of turpentine. Fair enough, if it’s fermenting in Oregon pine, after 115 hours you’d expect to smell something. Just joking! With water: laundry detergent, new jumper, plaster, fresh plastic. Mouth (neat): fruitier on the palate than usual, mostly citrus. Throw in some limoncello, tinned gherkins and samphire. Lovely salinity. With water: plasticine again, but it pairs well with the seawater and lemon showing up here. Finish: long, with a more prominent peatiness emerging. Comments: no, I haven’t checked whether Laphroaig really use Oregon pine washbacks. Very charming Laphroaig, not too far off the 10 C/S.
SGP:656 - 87 points. |
While we're on the subject of the young ones... |
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Laphroaig 10 yo 2013/2024 (61.9%, LMDW Artist#14, Rothes Glen, bourbon, cask #132162, 237 bottles)
Very pretty label, a bit Wilfredo Lam-esque. Frankly, if I were to start a whisky bottle collection anew, I’d go with the ‘artistic’ labels—none of those hideous crystal decanters in faux-rosewood or mahogany that still pop up here and there. Colour: white wine. Nose: now why do the indies manage their casks better? I ask you! Perfect young Laphroaig, full of chalk and seaweed, damp ashes, lime and fresh olive oil grissini. With water: iodine tincture, oysters, ashes, Muscadet. Mouth (neat): sheer power, ultra-lemony and crammed with chalk and mercurochrome. Surely it cures everything. With water: it softens, showing pistachio and marzipan. Mozart Kugeln. Finish: back to sourdough, ashes and all things smoky. Comments: racy. Exactly what one modestly expects from a young Laphroaig.
SGP:567 - 89 points. |
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Laphroaig 11 yo (53.8%, Dràm Mor, Fifth Anniversary, refill bourbon barrel, cask #26976, 300 bottles, 2024)
Ah, Ibiscos! And in theory, this profile should absolutely work… Colour: white wine. Nose: a slightly more fermentary version, yeasty, closer to the barley, but also more medicinal still—camphory, even a touch ‘kiln-esque’ (yes, yes) … I admit, I adore this, it smells exactly like ‘the distillery’. With water: fresh concrete, paint, brine and engine oil. Mouth (neat): there we go, it splits you cleanly in two, samurai-style (in the ways of Uma Thurman). Lime, chalk, ashes, sea water, shells, and basta cosi. With water: spot on. Finish: long, with just a hint more softness, with orgeat and lemony vanilla, smoked fish and fir ash. Comments: a little gem, better get it into the cellar quickly if there’s any left.
SGP:467 - 90 points. |
To finish, let’s move on to a blatant attempted murder… |
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Laphroaig 8 yo 2015/2024 (66%, The Whisky Exchange, The Seasons, Winter, hogshead)
Of course we love The Whisky Exchange, and these labels are awesome, but between us, if they’re finding cherries, raspberries and blackberries in winter (as per the label), they’re absolute wizards. Short of blowing a fortune at Borough Market, that is. Colour: deep gold. Nose: there might be nougat, fudge and marzipan, but at this strength, honestly, nothing makes much sense. With water: fresh plywood, bitter almonds, sauna oil, maraschino, glue, cherry liqueur, and finally a bit of soil and peat. Phew. Mouth (neat): burns like young, undiluted Jamaican rum. Still a long week ahead… With water: now that’s better, a lovely texture, very oily, on toasted sesame, whelks, farmhouse bread, and buckets of ashes of every kind. Finish (with water): ashes, pickled gherkins, kirsch, sake, sea water, lemon. Comments: I don’t say this often, but honestly, don’t even bother tasting this one neat. Dilute it straight down by 30%. Two-thirds spirit, one-third water. You’re welcome.
SGP:457 - 86 points. |
Right, let’s carry on with two Port Ellens. There have been a lot of new ‘old’ Port Ellens over the past three or four years, but now that the distillery has been rebuilt and is speaking again, it seems to me that there are hardly any left. Unless some are slipping under our radar, which is quite possible. So we’ll start with an older version we haven’t yet tasted, if that’s alright with you… |
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Port Ellen 1970/1986 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail for Meregali Import, Italy, Celtic label)
We already tasted a very superlative 1970/1987 from the same series (WF 94) some fifteen years ago (good heavens!) but never this 1986 edition. Don’t be afraid of the 40%, Port Ellen remains Port Ellen… Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is embarrassingly beautiful, immaculate, on tar and clams, then lemon juice and oysters. There’s nothing more to say, really, we may as well move on to the palate… Mouth: infinite, poetic, resinous, tarry, the kind of thing that could induce an aesthetic shock and instant hospitalisation. We’re approaching Stendhal syndrome here, I fear, as we’re somewhere between Botticelli and Caravaggio, had they been distillers instead of painters, that is. Incredible soft salinity, oils, paraffins, petrol, engine oil, tiny candied citrus fruits… and on and on and on. Finish: like a little comet with a very long tail, if you see what I mean. Comments: in a way, we’re glad this baby was bottled at 40% vol., because anything higher might have been too much. Sublime early vintages of Port Ellen following the previous reopening, some facets even remind me of the ‘Queen’s Visit’ version.
SGP:466 - 95 points. |
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Port Ellen 39 yo 1982/2022 (53.9%, Douglas Laing for DH Global Wine, China, Xtra Old Particular, The Black Series, refill butt, cask #DL16283, 120 bottles)
We’d previously tasted a sublimely magnificent sister cask (#DL17554) for Christmas 2023. Colour: mahogany. Nose: oh, oil paint, game, fresh coal tar, strawberry eau-de-vie, myrtle and chestnut liqueurs, figs smoked over pinewood, pipe tobacco, you name it, it’s here, and better. With water: smells like an old hearth, plus truffled chicken stock and old Armagnac. Mouth (neat): the finest sulphury style imaginable in a whisky, a bit like some venerable Mortlachs (you’re right, some young ones too). In short, it’s the opposite of a flaw in this context. The rest splits itself between black pepper, Scandinavian fir tar liqueur, bitter oranges and cigar tobacco. With water: a shift in direction, as citrus arrives, then all things medicinal, cough syrup, liquorice and tar, mentholated and camphory notes, followed by dates; mustn’t forget the dates. Finish: very long, with coffee, ashes, marrons glacés, and the curious return of oil paint, dark chocolate and truffle. Comments: what can I even say!
SGP:566 - 93 points. |
(Merci to Fuji, KC, Thierry and The Golden Promise) |
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May 26, 2025 |
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Our remote Feis Ile 2025, today at Caol Ila, including our 900th
We have plenty of Caol Ila to sample, but on this occasion, we’ll only have a few — just enough to mark our 900th CI in style. |
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Caol Ila 2013 (43%, Signatory Vintage, Very Cloudy, La Maison du Whisky, Navigate World Whisky, two hogsheads, 710 bottles)
Not quite sure when this baby was bottled, we’ll mention it as soon as we find out. This rather amusing series is usually bottled at 40% vol, but here we are at 43. Colour: white wine. Nose: textbook linseed oil, seawater, crabs and prawns, seaweed and mentholated smoke. Nothing to quibble about, it’s precise and very charming. Mouth: soft and rounded for a Caol Ila, but how we do enjoy those extra 3%! It’s like acacia honey smoked over fir and beechwood, to which one might have added a splash of lemon juice, a touch of oyster brine and bits of smoked salmon (with beechwood again, naturally). Finish: lovely length, excellent freshness, and above all these distinctly coastal notes. The smoked honey makes a welcome comeback in the aftertaste. Comments: very fine bottle for South Africa.
SGP:556 - 87 points. |
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Caol Ila 9 yo 2014/2023 (59.9%, The Whisky Exchange, Seasons: Spring, first-fill bourbon barrel, cask #831)
Supposed to be ‘refreshing’, though at nearly 60%, one had better tread carefully, no? Colour: white wine. Nose: a touch of sunflower oil laced with iodine tincture and green apple juice, clearly calling for a dash of water. With water: there, we’re greeted by a fresh, fruity, fairly easy-going Caol Ila, faintly medicinal, very pleasant, with bandages and embrocations. The only situation where bandages are actually enjoyable, ha. Mouth (neat): extremely powerful, very oily, concentrated, truth be told a tad aggressive. With water: everything softens, even drifts towards something a little sweet. A whiff of white tequila, quince and green pear. Then it grows ever more saline. Finish: long, taut, very pretty, no fuss. Comments: here’s one that did the job perfectly but do ready your pipette.
SGP:556 – 85 points. |
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Caol Ila ‘Smoking Sherry’ (55.5, The Cooper’s Choice, oloroso sherry butt finish, vat #233, 762 bottles, 2021)
No vintage stated, so presumably a multi-vintage batch. Colour: dark red amber. Nose: this works a treat, orange marmalade and currants holding a smoky peat conference, resulting in one of the finest cough syrups I know. Figs in the background, leather, pipe tobacco, liquorice allsorts… With water: a few soapy notes appear; the saponification is fairly pronounced here. Paraffin, polish, modelling clay… Mouth (neat): pure polish mingled with honey, salt and tar. It’s not uncommon, though not guaranteed, that oloroso should dance quite so gracefully with big peat. With water: pepper, tobacco, triple sec, old white wine, olives, pickled samphire… Finish: long, very much in continuity. Lovely green pepper. Comments: a slightly enigmatic composition, but it worked a charm, just as expected.
SGP:566 - 87 points. |
Let’s head to the other extreme for our 899th CI… |
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Caol Ila 11 yo 2013/2025 (56.6%, Lady of the Glen, refill hogshead, cask #319952, 123 bottles)
Word has it this hoggie was leaking, which the bottle count seems to confirm, so let’s see what came of it. Colour: white wine. Nose: perhaps a touch softer and more civilised, though that could just be the mind playing tricks. Blind, you wouldn’t have shouted ‘ah, a leaking cask!’ Classic mercurochrome, iodine, lemon and green apple, seawater, shellfish, seaweed… With water: plasticine and clams. Mouth (neat): a textbook Caol Ila, rounded and lemony, not complex at this stage but utterly charming in its smoky, taut salinity. You get the idea. With water: water performs miracles here, ushering in a flood of seafood, seaweed, lemon and a drop of Tabasco. Finish: long, with our old friends sardines and anchovies in brine turning up, while the aftertaste is loaded with peppered lemon. Comments: it loves water. Toss it into the pool during the Paris Olympics and it would’ve nabbed a gold medal. Superb CI, well done Hannah W.M. But does this mean we should start prioritising leaky casks?
SGP:566 - 88 points. |
Right, it’s time to choose our 900th… I suggest we go with an older version, okay? |
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Caol Ila 15 yo 1980 (40%, Sestante, +/-1995)
The 15yo Caol Ilas from Sestante in the 1980s are often sought after, especially when drawn from pre-1974 distillate—but that’s not the case here. What is certain, though, is that at 40% vol and after thirty years in bottle, it’ll need some substance to hold up. Colour: straw. Nose: it whispers rather than shouts, but it’s elegant; off we go with rose petals, dried orange peel, Sicilian pistachio syrup, night cream from Dior (or whatever), and those tiny flat oysters you find at the ends of the earth. I mean the Finisterre. The peat has likely been fully digested. Mouth: wait, it still has plenty to say—naturally saline and resinous, with hints of ink, furniture polish, curious shellfish (cockles, razors), a slightly petrolic side along with something faintly cardboardy, and a soft, resinous brine. Finish: not eternal of course, but it keeps spinning tales. It reminds us that in 1980, times were hard in Scotland and on Islay... Comments: this really is like an old white wine, to be honest.
SGP:454 - 90 points. |
Might as well have our 901st to wrap things up… |
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Caol Ila 21 yo 1974/1996 (43%, Dunn Eideann, Signatory Vintage for Donato, Italy)
This baby was distilled on 27 December 1974, smack between Christmas and New Year. You could imagine that, owing to the holiday lull, fermentation times might’ve stretched a little—say, three good days from the 23rd to the 27th—but that’s pure speculation, of course. At any rate, this was already from the ‘new’ Caol Ila, just built or rebuilt. Colour: Sylvaner white. Ha. Nose: smoked rhubarb, cider apples, crème de menthe, aniseed, genepy and seaweed, plus a wee sachet of Gummi Bears. Incredibly precise, razor-sharp, unstoppable. Mouth: a quick note that not all 1974s were glorious—some bottlings were quite debatable. That said, here we have very nice purity, almonds, marzipan, sesame oil, and what one might fairly call a salty peat… Finish: medium length, touches of boot polish, apple, lemon and seawater. It trails off a little, shall we say… Comments: the nose is superb, the palate very lovely though perhaps a touch imprecise and, above all, extremely salty. But after all these years, who really minds? Still, I find the Sestante superior, if you ask me.
SGP:455 - 85 points. |
(Gracias a bunch, Aaron and Boris) |
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May 25, 2025 |
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Our remote Feis Ile 2025, today at Bruichladdich
It's Sunday, let’s try to find some melon and a touch of sea spray today… |
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Bruichladdich 2003/2025 (56.7%, Caora, refill barrel, cask #132, 273 bottles)
No doubt already an unpeated Laddie, although let us not forget that the very first batches post-2000 had been lightly peated, around 5ppm if memory serves, under the influence of one Mr Jim McEwan. Colour: straw. Nose: these batches tend to be rather fat on the nose after more than twenty years, with plenty of candied citrus, cassata and limoncello... Yet the whole remains very clean, almost fresh. With water: I do seem to detect a little melon indeed, a wee chalky side with aspirin tablet and a few drops of yellow Chartreuse. Mouth (neat): citrus and linden infusion, and again this very textured, oily feel throughout. Perhaps even a faint saline touch. With water: eminently Bruichladdich. Melon, salt, mandarin, lime blossom, a tiny oyster and some lemon. You know what other malt it brings to mind? Pulteney! Finish: long, citrusy, waxy, with a splash of sea water. Comments: one does not so often encounter such coastal character in B, despite past mantras, if you see what I mean. At any rate, these refill barrels handily beat any other cask combination, in my view.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Bruichladdich 33 yo 1991/2024 (41.5%, Sansibar, Fazzino series, bourbon hogshead, 233 bottles)
Caution here, this may well have turned fragile, even though they were mostly filling into ‘very refill’ casks back then. Colour: very pale white wine. You see! Nose: it whispers, it speaks softly, sending you little apples, a touch of acacia honey, quince paste, a hint of damp earth, some dried flowers, potpourri... Mouth: a young lady Laddie (?!). Light, delicate, not tired in the slightest, mostly on apple and light beer, cedar wood, tiny plums, wild cherries, tisanes... One might almost call this an afternoon whisky. It is most lovely, very delicate, refined... Finish: not very long but firmer, fruity, mostly on yellow fruits, with quince returning for an encore – nature’s little wonder. You’ll tell me you’ve never seen a quince tree on Islay, not even in the wooded bit in the middle of the island. Comments: zero fatigue here, but this is truly delicate and quite beautiful, though you’d perhaps do well to wear sunglasses when reading the very shiny label. No, love you Sansibar.
SGP:541 - 89 points. |
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Bruichladdich 22 yo 1965 (48.8%, OB, Riserva Veronelli, Rinaldi import, Italy, 2400 bottles)
A fairly well-known official bottling from the golden vintages of the 1960s. Not to be confused with the superb 1966 Riserva Veronelli imported by Moon (WF 91). Colour: gold. Nose: Bruichladdich, like Bunnahabhain, was still peated up until the very early 1960s, and one would swear there’s a touch of peat here too, a bit of ash, whiffs of campfire smoke... It’s also rather earthy, with humus, old stumps, mushrooms, an old tin of mint tea, and even a good helping of pine nuts. Old herbal liqueurs, Bénédictine, Verveine du Velay... Mouth: yes, still some peaty notes, earthy, metallic, with ham, marrow, orchard leaves, Italian bitters (naturally), smoked ham, ashes... This is absolutely not your usual fruity old Bruichladdich. Finish: long, still on those old herbal liqueurs, salt, pepper, ashes... Comments: it may not be sexy as such, but these damp earthy tones are of great beauty and the saline notes are rather stunning. Perhaps a wee touch of OBE.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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May 24, 2025 |
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Our remote Feis Ile 2025, today at Lagavulin
This year, we're getting back into the good habit of organising our own little Islay Festival at Château Whiskyfun, tasting the malts on the very day of their open days. But it's still a symbolic gesture—we're a bit behind schedule, so no lengthy sessions this year, just duos and trios. Well, we’ll see… Today, we thought it would be fun to feature just two very young independent Lagavulin, so naturally, not labelled as ‘Lagavulin’, but their origin is unmistakable. Watch out, things could get lively as we're heading to Taiwan and Germany… |
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Secret Islay 9 yo 2013/2023 (53.9%, Whisky Picnic Bar and Cuckoo, hogshead, cask #13000581)
Here we are back in Taiwan. Colour: white wine. Nose: we’re firmly in the world of the 12 official C/S bottlings, though this one’s a tad drier, leaning more towards ashes, charcoal, dried seaweed, smoked ham, and even a hefty ashtray brimming with lit cigars. In the background, a hint of vanilla and a splash of cough syrup. With water: conifers in all their forms, pine and fir needles, wood smoke, buds, balms, sauna oil… we’ve drifted from an Islay beach to a Finnish forest. Mouth (neat): it’s charmingly austere, salty, smoky, loaded with ashes, with a touch of heather honey bringing just enough sweetness to round it out. With water: what class in this distillate! A burst of small citrus fruits, fresh herbs and spices, rosemary, and a suggestion of ground cumin… Finish: long, coming across as richer by this stage. Fabulous bitterness and pepper. Comments: an incredible little hogshead au naturel, the best style for Lagavulin, naturally.
SGP:477 - 90 points. |
In theory, since the next one has been mixed with wine (in one way or another), things might not turn out as hoped… |
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Steel Cookers Railway 6 yo ‘Tripple Cask’ (62.1%, Jack Wiebers Whisky World, bourbon, sherry and wine, 2025)
A most improbable, yet thoroughly entertaining bottling involving 3D printing, some sort of glass sandblasting, and a 1938 steam locomotive. And wine! I do find the whole affair has a faint whiff of Mad Max about it, but come on now, let’s be brave and hold on tight… Of course I jest, the wee Lagavulins from JWWW can be superb… Colour: amber. Nose: well, this is massive, no doubt about that, yet curiously elegant too, very compact, packed with massage balms, thyme oil, bay leaf, leather, black olives in brine, and bitter oranges. I’d almost call it balanced, yes really. With water: it turns much more medicinal, deeply camphory, to the point where you wonder whether it’s not better suited for external application. Mouth (neat): extremely powerful, very salty, full of salted liquorice and tobacco, with a thick glob of tar that insists on taking centre stage. A lovely wee monster! With water: some fruity glimmers now, Lagavulin is often fruity, especially with strawberry eau-de-vie, though here you’ve also got cherry. The worst part is that it works. The rest remains very salty, and of course very peaty. Finish: long, still compact, massive, with a touch of ouzo. I assure you, you can dilute this down to 1/3 whisky, 2/3 water. Comments: there’s a comic edge to this formidable and explosive ultra-young Islay that, as they say, takes no prisoners. Highly recommended, it’s pure fun.
SGP:567 - 89 points. |
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May 23, 2025 |
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Two Dalwhinnie, vintage vs. NAS
Not the most useful of sessions, I’m afraid, especially as it will feature two ‘finished’ versions, but we’re rather fond of Dalwhinnie. In fact, we warmly recommend the ‘chocolate + whisky’ tastings they organise at the distillery. |
Dalwhinnie's 'Whisky & Chocolate
Tasting Experience' (Diageo) |
One mustn’t forget either the crucial role Dalwhinnie played in educating budding malt enthusiasts, being one of the key players in the early days of the very, very – and I mean very – seminal ‘Classic Malts of Scotland’. I say they should restart the consumer club too and resend their lovely, very educational printed newsletters, especially since there's a significant revival in the popularity of print magazines. And remember that it is largely paper that helps maintain (you can see just how important this is) and replant forests, as well as store much more carbon as long as it is recycled. But we digress once again... |
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Dalwhinnie 2004/2019 'Distiller's Edition' (43%, OB, D.SA.313)
Finished in ‘oloroso-seasoned casks’. One appreciates Diageo’s honesty in not trying to make you believe, by omission, that these are genuine oloroso casks from authentic bodegas. Others could take note, we think. Colour: gold. Nose: lovely, soft, chocolatey indeed, malty, with hints of stout, roasted nuts, and caramelised apples. There’s a certain freshness. Mouth: it’s good, showing walnut wine and coffee, then orange marmalade before moving further into toasted malt, Ovaltine, and praline. To be honest, I find it superb, especially with the malty side so much to the fore. Finish: not immensely long, but still beautifully malty. A dry aftertaste of earth, nuts, and oloroso, with a very faint touch of wood smoke. Comments: there you have it. Perhaps the best of the Distiller’s Editions when compared to their non-finished counterparts (think recent Lagavulin DE vs. Lagavulin 16).
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Dalwhinnie 'Distiller's Edition' (43%, OB, 2022)
Adieu to vintages and thus to age statements. Remember, NAS doesn’t mean there’s no age, it means the age is concealed. Every whisky has an age. One imagines that in this case, the age has been reduced. Colour: gold. Nose: it does indeed feel younger, more straightforwardly fruity, with less pronounced oloroso influence, and a slightly more herbal and yeasty edge. Frankly, it’s still rather good, but definitely simpler. Mouth: closer to the 2004/2019 edition, but a bit rougher and less complex. There’s less development, with a touch more toffee, less toasted malt, Ovaltine, and the like. Finish: leaning more towards coffee, though the nuts remain present. No surprise to find a hint of Guinness here too, I’d imagine. Comments: the differences are quite notable when comparing the two versions, though it’s doubtful they’d stand out as much if tasted only days or weeks apart.
SGP:551 - 83 points. |
Starting tomorrow, we're holding our own Remote Islay Festival here on WF, get ready! |
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