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March 1, 2026 |
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Rums make a triumphant return on WF
(Right.)
Shall we start by finding a little aperitif, if you don’t mind… Perhaps this one? ... |
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Savanna ‘Le Must’ (45%, OB, La Réunion, +/-2025) 
This is a traditional rum, therefore from molasses, partly grand arôme, therefore with plenty of esters; we do not, however, know the exact proportions, but we do know that the maturation took place in ex-cognac casks. Colour: gold. Nose: fresh, marked by liquorice flavoured with fruits, especially orange and orange blossom, with light petroleum and mineral touches, all kept in fine balance. A few gentle, softer notes and perhaps a handful of sultanas, no doubt stemming from the cognac wood. Mouth: rather rounded, in any case not at all a grand arôme ‘that tears your head off’, as I think you sometimes read on the forums, with a honeyed side, still liquorice-led, still on candied orange zest, with just a slight salinity in the background, which in fact only grows. Finish: fairly long, genuinely very good, even if the cask is a little assertive to my taste. A small liqueur-like touch of strawberry and cherry right at the end. Comments: very good, just a little cask-driven.
SGP: 651 - 83 points. |
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Maurice ‘Very Special Coffee Product’ (55.7%, Vagabond Spirits, Mauritius, +/-2024) 
Well then, here is a rum from Gray’s, infused with coffee beans. It probably has no real place in a session such as this one, but since we are here… Coffee, as you know, is in any case a perfect resetter of both nose and palate. Colour: gold, in no way dark like coffee. Nose: rather surprising, above all very floral, somewhere between rose and nuts, coconut and Brazil nuts… For the moment, however, no very obvious coffee that we can clearly detect. Yet it is rather pleasant indeed. With water: an explosion of buttery coconut. We could almost be on a beach in the Balearic Islands, circa 1970. Mouth (neat): we find exactly that toasted coconut character again, which is quite disconcerting. Some orange liqueurs as well. With water: the same profile remains, although the orange steadily takes on more prominence as we add water. Finish: of medium length, with no notable change. Comments: all that remains is to put Aphrodite’s Child or early Pink Floyd on the stereo. Do take my score with a pinch of salt, it is out of category in any case.
SGP: 630- 78 points. |
Since we were talking about the Balearic Islands… |
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La Palma Suave 17 yo (40.5%, Tres Hombres, Canary Islands, 2086 bottles) 
It is from Aldea, of course. The casks were brought back to France by boat, seasoned with PX and Pineau des Charentes. They call this dynamic ageing, how amusing! We wait to see what Elon M. will make of the idea… All this may sound a little improbable, but the truth lies in the glass, does it not. Colour: deep gold. Nose: well now, this is far more pleasant than the Aldeas we have already tasted, no doubt thanks to the casks, and perhaps to the ageing at sea. It is particularly the pineau that seems to assert itself, peaches, sultanas, dandelion, soft honey… Suave indeed. Mouth: the pineau returns, with white nougat, tobacco, peanut butter, gingerbread, ginger biscuits. It is genuinely very good, even if the ‘rum’ aspect sits somewhat in the background. Acacia blossom liqueur. Finish: not so short, and more or less on the same notes. Vanilla and pretty aniseed touches right at the end. Comments: a very good surprise for me, even if a few ice cubes might be welcome. This summer perhaps?
SGP:430 - 82 points. |
Since we stayed in Spain… |
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El Ron del Artesano 10 yo (57.6%, OB, Panama, Tobia Reserve Tinto Cask finish, cask #351-25, 150 bottles, 2026) 
This baby was only just bottled in February 2026. We are dealing with a finishing in a Rioja cask, therefore Tempranillo. As they say, it either works or it fails, and we do love great Rioja… I am not entirely sure that a little Panamanian can withstand such treatment, but perhaps that is precisely the good news… Colour: apricot gold. Nose: no marked vinosity, I repeat, no marked vinosity. Certainly there is candied cherry and clafoutis, but also sugar cane, honeys, a few earthy puffs, even zucchini flowers… With water: cherry pipe tobacco! Mouth (neat): rich, very smooth, very much on cherry and orange liqueurs, but also almond and maraschino… With water: fried doughnuts, elderflower liqueur, do prepare the Hugos… Finish: fairly long and, above all, not overly sweet, which is a blessing for us. Comments: you see, when you are a whisky chap and you taste rum, what I have learnt is that you need a much more open mind. Goodness me, I feel as though I am speaking like Frank Zappa. A very lovely rum, surprising and very well made.
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
We’d quite like some mineral rums, actually. Maybe this one? (no joke!) |
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Captain Flint 12 yo ‘Extra’ (52%, Famille Cabanne, Dominican Republic, cognac cask, 2025)
A brand bottled in France, in keeping with the age-old tradition of our harbours. We had rather a poor image of Dominican rums, owing to all those brands that fiddle extensively with their juice, but we have recently tasted a few versions from independent bottlers that were not bad at all. Colour: pale gold. Oh! Nose: of great softness, with a marked lightness, on vanilla, hay, herbal infusions, dried flowers, mandarin peel… In short, at this stage, we are rather taken with it. With water: a touch of metal polish and linseed oil, which is rather pleasant. Mouth (neat): a present yet fairly restrained sweetness, bagasse, hay, cold tea, lime blossom, a little mint… Truly nothing to complain about. With water: a few roots and a little earth, that too is pleasant. Finish: short but fresh and without a false note. Comments: perhaps not immense in expressiveness, but for once here is a Dominican that is balanced and not ‘doctored’ to the point of nausea, I may exaggerate again. In short, it is light, and it is good.
SGP:331 - 80 points. |
A little jaunt to South Africa… |
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Mhoba ‘Imbasha’ (61.5%, OB, South Africa, LMDW Foundations, bourbon cask, cask #WRD6, 289 bottles, 2024) 
We have already had ample opportunity, on many occasions, to say all the good we think of Mhoba. Colour: gold. Nose: forget it, I love it. Sea water, old leather, ointments, fresh paint, and myriads of other molecules. And what is more, I am sure that with water it will go fractal. With water: indeed it does, in a rather meta-Jamaican style. Mouth (neat): they are a nuisance, they were already beating us at rugby, now they are beating us at rum as well. Incredible freshness and razor-sharp precision, Sicilian lemons, brine and tar, salmiak… With water: magnificent. At 3°C, with proper caviar, alas no more Russian and no more Iranian… Finish: long, with plenty of little lemons coming to joust with all that brine and those notes of paint. Comments: enough said.
SGP:463 - 90 points. |
At that stage, you’re more or less obliged to turn to Jamaica… |
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Jamaica Blend 3 yo 2022/2026 (55.4%, Fadandel, new virgin oak, cask #RUM001, 390 bottles)
It is a blend of Clarendon and Long Pond, and the mere mention of ‘new virgin oak’ already makes us smile. If any distinguished linguists are kind enough to read Whiskyfun, then tell us, pleonasm or not pleonasm? Colour: very deep gold. Nose: this combination of pencil shavings, graphite and above all cedarwood, together with the varnished and briny side of the Jamaicans, works very well on the nose. A little coconut and peanut butter coat the whole. Goodness me, for the moment, it works. With water: we move towards new rubber, the Nike corner and a parcel from Temu. The worst of it is that we adore these aromas. Mouth (neat): you are drinking a pot of paint, loosened with varnish, sea water, almond milk, lemon juice and Ardbeg. That last part is important. With water: cedarwood and speculoos come in to seal the deal. Finish: long, with the arrival of orange marmalade with ginger and pepper. Salty aftertaste, as it should be, and candy sugar to finish. Comments: I love this little brute which, in the end, we managed to tame rather easily. Very high score to age ratio.
SGP:563 - 87 points. |
Given that we had some Long Pond… |
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Long Pond 26 yo 1998/2024 (58.3%, The Whisky Blues, Jamaica, barrel, cask #10272, 143 bottles)
Parrots rule the roost on many rum bottles, and that is perfectly fine. Colour: straw. Nose: this appears to be a very gentle version, almost cosmetic, with a mixture of almond milk, face cream, a few ashes of resinous wood, and lanolin. The esters here are extremely civilised. With water: what is this, apple juice? Dry cider? Perhaps a marque such as CRV or LRM. Mouth (neat): well now, that is quite something, there is far more punch on the palate, ashes mingled with lemon juice, cider vinegar, concentrated lemon juice, petrol… With water: it is bitter almond that comes along to settle the matter. Finish: long and soft. Amaretti, Campari and limoncello. It could hardly be more Italian. Comments: beware, water makes it snap, best avoided, or just a drop.
SGP:452 - 86 points. |
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Monymusk 25 yo 2000/2025 (53.5%, Thompson Bros., Jamaica, 126 bottles)
Well, we can already guess what is going to happen, can we not. As they say on the curling rink, it ticks all the boxes. Colour: white wine. Nose: who had the wild idea of smoking a mixture of pineapple and lemon juice over beechwood? With water: and of adding carbolineum and anti-rust? Mouth (neat): it is so good that you could almost forgive the design of the label. You will retort that at least the label makes it clear that it is what is IN the bottle that truly matters. You are quite right. With water: it fans out in all directions, on medicinal notes, mineral notes, smoky notes and fruity notes. We could attempt to list them all, but we do not have all day, do we. Finish: not especially long, almost discreet, in any case possessed of impeccable politeness now. A very fine soft brine and Atlantic water. Comments: very limited impact from the cask, infinite charm from the distillate. In short, it evolves like a quality Islay.
SGP:463 - 90 points. |
Inevitably, some Hampden… |
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HD 2019/2025 ‘HGML’ (65.8%, The Whisky Jury, Jamaica, The Ester Hunter Catch 6, refill barrel, cask #HG-ML-8, 231 bottles)
Okay, HGML means 1000 to 1300 grams of esters per HLPA, so that guarantees aromas of puncture repair glue and acetone. Colour: gold. Nose: puncture repair glue and acetone. No, seriously. Behind that, oysters perhaps not of the first freshness and a sort of ammoniated peach juice. I know this may sound highly improbable, even off-putting, but in reality it is very beautiful. With water: small glues and varnishes, a medium-sized IKEA warehouse, and all that. No, not the meatballs, oh no. Mouth (neat): a Tyson of rum. Forget it, we are not reckless, we add water immediately, given that our lawyer is still unreachable and probably on a golf course where ‘there is no signal’. Yeah, right. With water: carbon, ashes, pure lemon juice, varnish and glue. No compromise, no mercy. Finish: long and taut, very saline and petroleum-like. Comments: to think that some marques from Hampden are even more ester-driven. This one is already quite extreme, to be honest… But we love it.
SGP:364 - 90 points. |
Right then, just one more, no point overdoing it (right)… |
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Hampden 41 yo 1983/2025 (55.1%, The Colours of Rum & Absolutely Nuts, Jamaica, This Time No Colours, Edition No.1)
This is what is terrifying about spirits such as Hampden, there is absolutely no guarantee that a very old version, such as this one, will be superior to a very young one, or even to a white simply rested with care for a few months in stainless steel. That is both the fate and the glory of the very greatest distillates. Colour: gold. Nose: let us be frank, at this stage it could be 10, 20, 30 or indeed 40 years old. This distillate defies time. Bitter almonds and varnish, sea water, lemon zests, linseed oil, shoe polish, olive oil. With water: add wafts of beeswax polish, old libraries, a brand-new vinyl record, let us say Bad Bunny… Mouth (neat): frankly, this is marvellous. Not a gram of fatigue, superlative bitters, though you must enjoy that style, and a mixture of olives, capers, samphire and ashes. With water: simply incredible. A cold soup of miso, chervil, parsley, oregano and parmesan. Indeed, parmesan. Finish: an incredible dryness, you might think of one of the very greatest finos. Comments: it would be extraordinary were Hampden to team up with Equipos or Tradicion to fino-ise some of these rums. But I do not wish to meddle in what is not my business.
SGP:373 - 92 points. |
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February 28, 2026 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
Benthreeach
As you can see, the quest for silly titles at Whiskyfun knows no bounds!
This weekend, a trio of Benriach, if you please. We'll be looking out for fruits of all shades and variety... |
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Benriach 15 yo 2008/2023 'Summer' (51.9%, The Whisky Exchange 'The Seasons', hogshead, cask #47387) 
Colour: bright straw. Nose: pretty straight, modern and classical Speyside profile, with some nice up-front notes of mashed banana, runny honey, flower nectars and soft cereal qualities. With water: goes towards shoe leather, cooking oils and clay, even a slightly ashy component emerging. Also a little quinine and orange zest. Mouth: lovely arrival, full of easy charms, natural sweetness, barley sugars, sweet wines, custard and some background waxy notes. The easiness is pretty disarming. With water: as on the nose, it gathers a little oiliness and a slightly fatter, drier and earthier profile. Some cereals, sunflower seed oil, putty and muesli. Finish: medium, slightly drying, pressed flowers full of pollen, some miso, some butterscotch. Comments: very pleasurable, perhaps thanks to the slightly lower bottling (cask?) strength, also entertaining in the way it goes from sweeter to drier with water.
SGP: 552 - 85 points. |
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Benriach 31 yo (53.1%, Elixir Distillers 'Macbeth Act I - The Thanes', bourbon barrels, 650 bottles) 
Colour: deep gold. Nose: plasticine, brake fluid, agricole rhum and flower honey - go figure! It certainly feels like a fusion of a classically honeyed, mature Speyside profile with some funny mechanical aspects. With some time, it's the honeys and fruits that take the lead, with green banana, gooseberry and lemon curd emerging. With water: hothouse flowers, dried fruits including mango, banana chips and apple rings. Also some slightly sharper impressions of fruit eau de vies (kirsch and mirabelle). Mouth: a richer and slightly drier than expected profile. Some lovely waxiness, some cedar wood, dried flowers full of pollen, dried mint, subtle impressions of herbal liqueurs and herbal teas, along with a slightly spicy and sappy element from the wood. I like it a lot. With water: again, it becomes drier, more sappy, slightly more astringent, piney, waxy, more bitterly herbal, along with camphor and feelings of dried out old dessert wines. Finish: quite long, maintaining these themes of dried flowers, pollens, cedar wood, along with light sappy and herbal combinations. Comments: for me, the fact that it deviates from this more common (but usually lovely) modern, mature Speyside profile of green fruits and honeys, is really an asset here. It plays with being woody, without every actually tipping over into being too woody. A rather compelling dram to follow.
SGP: 561 - 89 points. |
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Benriach 28 yo 1997/2025 (58%, Auld Alliance '15th Anniversary', 59 bottles)
A special anniversary bottling selected by the Auld Alliance's amazing bar chief in Singapore, Natasha! Colour: deep orangey gold. Nose: a far more concentrated profile than the previous two, really on orange oils, tangerine liqueur, sweet muscat, hardwood resins and flower honeys. Even so, it also retains and slightly tight and compact profile at full strength. With water: green fruits and altogether a more luscious and classical profile now, with bergamot, aged orange peel (cheng pi) and hints of quince jelly. Mouth: very spicy! This is what happens when you only have 59 bottles left in a cask! Orgeat syrup, top class marzipan, varnished hardwoods, camphor, bay leaf, tiger balm and beeswax. I'd also add some rather extractive and exotic teas. With water: lovely tension between the spices and the waxier textures of the spirit itself. Some juniper, pineapple jelly and cedar wood. Finish: long, spicy, lots of concentrated citrus oils and zests, fruit liqueurs and spiced fruit teas. Comments: an excellent selection and an unusually powerful profile that teeters on the brink of being too woody but always manages to pull back. I love the overall sense of concentration and intensity. Happy 15th birthday Auld Alliance (even if I am late!).
SGP: 661 - 88 points. |
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February 2026 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Ben Nevis 1996/2025 (45.7%, The Whisky Jury, refill hogshead, cask #1648, 260 bottles) - WF 92
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Highland Park 20 yo 1966/1986 (86° US Proof, Duthie for Corti Bros., USA) - WF 92
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
Secret Lowland 11 yo (57.1%, Dràm Mor, refill oloroso sherry hogshead finish, cask #105, 324 bottles, 2025) - WF 88
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Vallein Tercinier ‘Grande Rue 34’ (42%, OB, bottled in 2014) - WF 93
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Orkney Island Distillery 25 yo 1999/2025 (51.5%, Scotch88 & Scyfion, Ukrainian Troyanda Karpat Barrique from Château Chizay, cask #Z20/07061, 187 bottles) - WF 90
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
None (phew!) |
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February 27, 2026 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today: young Tamnavulin in red wine
A Speyside distillery and brand that seems to have become more discreet, it strikes us. Not that it was ever particularly flamboyant. But we have tasted some truly excellent ones from it in the past. (Tamnavulin) |
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Tamnavulin ‘Port Cask Edition’ (40%, OB, +/-2024)
A version finished in tawny port. Why, I do not know, I confess, but I do know that it is very much ‘budget’, at under 30 euros just about everywhere. Colour: apricot. Nose: a little sour at first, yet on rather pretty notes of fruit brioche dough and, above all, a vast bag of tiny jellybeans and jelly babies in shades ranging from pale pink to deep violet. Strawberry, cherry, blackcurrant, raspberry, you name it. In short, it is slightly ueberfruity on the nose, but not unpleasant, we ought to be able to turn it into some sort of spritz. Mouth: glacé cherry cake and orange loaf, with a few drops of triple sec and blackcurrant liqueur. Finish: fairly short, still fruity and slightly fermentary. That Belgian ‘Kriek’ beer that we mention from time to time. Comments: really not too bad if you enjoy red fruits and sweets. And cherry beer! Very light salinity.
SGP:641 - 78 points. |
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Tamnavulin 10 yo (46%, Living Souls, ex-Chianti wine cask, 2025)
I confess that we are rather fond of Sangiovese, though not necessarily in our whiskies, so let us see about this one. Colour: very ripe apricot. Nose: more malt than in the little ex-Port, cassata, guignolet (cherry liqueur), poppy sweets, geranium (the flower, not the stems or leaves) … Mouth: I find this rather good, it starts with a little Thai broth, with a touch of chilli, quite a lot of salt, some coconut milk, coriander… Then it tilts more and more towards blood orange. Everyone likes blood oranges, do they not? Finish: fairly long, with touches of cranberry juice and once again that little Thai broth in the aftertaste. Comments: more presence and complexity than in the official ex-Port. Lovely tension brought by the blood orange.
SGP:651 - 83 points. |
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Whisky and Red Wine
(oh, no, not again!) |
There are so many new expressions finished in red wine casks that we’re receiving more and more questions — perfectly legitimate ones, of course — about why we don’t particularly care for these combinations, even though our friends among the distillers and bottlers are making them better and better. All the more so as we also profess a love of wine, red wine included. |
| So indeed, given that we’re very fond of red wine, why is it that we generally don’t much enjoy whisky finished in red wine casks? |
| First of all, it is, of course, as always, a matter of personal taste. But for my part, I would answer with an analogy: I adore coffee and I adore mustard, but I can assure you that mustard in coffee is, frankly… rather vomit-inducing. Or take this: I love Led Zeppelin and I love Gustav Holst, like everyone does, but I can’t imagine Led Zeppelin playing Holst. What’s that you say, they’ve actually done it? |
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February 26, 2026 |
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A new Highland Park craze, part three
And last. Old ones, young ones, old bottles...
(Any resemblance to Hägar the Horrible is, naturally, purely coincidental. And sorry about the accents.) |
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Old Orkney 21 yo 1999-2003/2024 (52.9%, Decadent Drinks, bodega sherry butt and refill hogshead, 300 bottles)
Another O.O. and possibly another ooh… Colour: deep gold. Nose: we can clearly feel the complementarity, rather than any fight between the two casks, with on one side chocolate, coffee and tobacco, and on the other lemon, chalk and waxes. This duality is adorable, I do not believe I have ever truly experienced two malts eyeing each other quite like that, almost suspiciously, within a blend. With water: new wool, earth and paraffin come along and reconcile the whole crowd. Mouth (neat): we find that same sense of duality again, but it is as though the pepper, rather assertive here, were playing the diplomat this time, indeed bringing everyone together around the table. I mean, in the glass. With water: and there we are, the distillate has the last word. A great deal of fun in this proposition. Finish: long, more waxy, even rather oily, yet lemon and seaweed step in to temper it all. Bitter beer and dark chocolate in the aftertaste. Comments: a proper puzzle in your glass.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
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Old Orkney 20 yo 1997-2005/2025 (55.5%, Whiskyland, Decadent Drinks, refill and 1st fill sherry hogsheads, 332 bottles)
All right then, the owners have just rid themselves of all their Viking paraphernalia, and Whiskyland promptly puts it back in the saddle on their label. Even if we are rather more in the territory of Hägar the Horrible here. At least he did not, unlike Olaf the Hairy, order 10,000 battle helmets with the horns on the inside. Colour: full gold. Nose: we are closer here to the old-style OBs, including the famous 12-year-olds with the screen-printed bottles. The celebrated heather honey appears at once, followed by dried figs, beeswax and purée of quince and apple. This is classic HP and we are certainly not complaining. With water: just perfect, luminous, all on citrus marmalades and seaweed. Quite beautiful. Mouth (neat): gentle, almost sweet at first, before utterly unbridled citrus fruits stage a veritable coup d’état, you-know-whom-style. A superb duo of citrus and honeys. With water: magnificent freshness, salinity, with touches of angelica and verbena, then bitters of extraordinary elegance. Finish: long, citrus-led, almost refreshing. A magnificent saline after-finish. Comments: this really does feel like one of the top single cask OBs from fifteen or twenty years ago.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
Here you are, a little something we’ve had sitting on the shelves for twenty years or more… |
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Highland Park 8 yo (43%, De Young’s, +/-2000)
A bottle for the Netherlands, I must confess I have not seen many of these about. Colour: gold. Nose: pretty, gentle, light, on hay and beeswax, fir wood, heather honey indeed, and figs… To be honest, we might well think this was an official young bottling from that era. Mouth: truly soft, yet lifted by small oranges and a touch of Campari. The famous heather honey does the rest of the job. Finish: not very long, it falters a little at this stage, yet there is a pleasing pepperiness and some lovely orange zest. And a touch of mentholated peat, or perhaps peaty mint. Comments: probably a vintage from the late 1970s or the early 1980s. Really very, very lovely.
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
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Secret Orkney 21 yo 1999/2021 (54.7%, PK Spirits, Four Seasons, sherry cask, 68 bottles)
A lovely little micro-bottling, perhaps an octave? In any case, a very handsome label, straight from Vietnam. Colour: straw. Nose: at last, we are back to the pure distillate, even if this was a sherry cask, doubtless a very lazy one, to our greatest delight. Waxes, oils, small garden apples, tiny citrus fruits that are lively and slightly defiant, plaster and chalk… all of this is more than perfect. With water: new wool, bread dough, lemon peel, all of it riiiiiiiight up my alley. Mouth (neat): but how good this is! Lemon as sharp as a blade, oysters, liquorice wood… I find this absolutely perfect, I know, I do go on. With water: touches of eucalyptus and mentholated tobacco. Finish: yes, alas, herbaceous, bitter, perfect. Comments: seriously, this is a killer bottle, but what an absolute scandal that there are, or rather were, only sixty-eight of them. When is the next Vietnam Airlines flight from Paris to Hanoi?
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
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Secret Orkney Distillery (HP) 25 yo 1999/2025 (50.9%, Wu Dram Clan, American oak hogshead, cask #120)
Colour: white wine. Nose: this is virtually the same whisky as the PK, only even sharper. In short, even more on lime, a veritable bayonet. Well, not entirely certain about that descriptor, but there we are, onwards… With water: twenty-five years of maturation in a cask more motionless than a French customs officer assigned to DHL have, here, worked wonders. Absolute freshness and unfathomable maritime aromas. Mouth (neat): perfection, seawater, lemons, seaweed, oysters, fresh mint leaf, grey pepper… With water: more perfect than perfection, this is Michelangelo. Finish: a very great sake, that is rather what it resembles at this stage. Comments: this is probably a whisky that would frighten 99% of humanity, including cats, dogs, horses and all the wretched staff currently in power you-know-where. It’s probably also one of the reasons why we love it so much – it’s our malt whisky hermit side.
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
Oh, tell you what, we could quickly revisit some Highland Parks we tasted nearly twenty years ago, couldn’t we? We could call it, as architects say, “gaining a bit of historical perspective”, sounds alright to you? |
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Highland Park 37 yo 1966/2003 (41.3%, Duncan Taylor Peerless, cask #4644, 135 bottles)
Date of last tasting, 6 August 2008 (WF 87). Colour: gold. Nose: these bottles do grow a little tired, it has to be said. The notion that a whisky in bottle no longer moves is a dangerous myth, it may improve, but it may just as well deteriorate, especially at these lower strengths. Metal polish, banana, apple juice, dust, old furniture wax and not much else. Mouth: no, it has not improved, it has lost a little stamina, become slightly cardboardy, yet behind all that the heather honey and beeswax continue to charm us. A little. Finish: short, dusty and cardboardy, yet there are pleasant honeys and some orange that keep it afloat like an American aircraft carrier, if you please. Comments: let us say it has been losing its fruit at great speed.
SGP:452 - 82 points. |
Go on then, shall we do this sort of thing again? … |
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Highland Park 20 yo 1966/1986 (86° US Proof, Duthie for Corti Bros., USA)
Date of last tasting, 15 March 2006 (WF 89). Let us say that the Corti brothers in Sacramento are legendary… Cadenhead/Duthie’s as well, of course. Colour: white wine. Nose: wait, here the opposite occurs, we are faced with an immense sauvignon blanc, fresh tar, equally fresh concrete, chalk of great beauty, almost Champagne-like, along with bandages and embrocations. It is beautiful, very beautiful, and the passing years have had no hold over it, quite the contrary. Mouth: incredibly Asian in style, on very great sake and aged wild pu-ehr tea from even before Mao Zedong. Quite. This is grand, very grand indeed, even if austere and almost philosophical. Finish: extraordinarily long, packed with carbon, liquorice, tar and small salted lemons. Do not resist, it would be futile. Comments: this time we are raising our score, with joy, delight and confidence. What a creature! Corti Bros., that truly was something. For us, that was America before you-know-who, before the great cultural decline, before the advent of vulgarity, before the exclusive rule of money (S., that will do, perhaps?) But it’s temporary, they’ll be back in dazzling form eventually, to our delight.
SGP:562 - 92 points. |
We might as well stop there, with an old HP that, as it happens, we’ve never actually tasted before… |
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Highland Park 16 yo 1970/1986 (53%, Intertrade, 258 bottles)
But what a marvel! It should be noted that Nadi Fiori, the head of Intertrade, is undoubtedly the most elegant, the most refined and the best-mannered of all the figures in the whisky world. An absolute star, a modesty alas gone out of fashion, and simply someone we would miss terribly if he did not exist. In short, we love him with a deep and sincere affection, he is the Major Italian. And on this occasion, we are reminded that whisky is, in the end, merely a matter of people, the rest is sheer trumpery. Well then, shall we taste this little HP?... Colour: full gold. Nose: as elegant as its proprietor, waxy, laden with overripe and less overripe apples, bergamots and kumquats, mead and cider. There is a rustic side of great beauty. With water: honeys of every stripe and slightly sharp dried fruits take command. Mouth (neat): grand, still rustic, bitter, combative, rugged, full of chlorophyll and… seawater. In truth, this is not exactly playing about. With water: waxes and polishes, farmhouse ciders, unexpected touches of strawberries, yet strawberries do often surprise us during tastings, even in the heaviest of peat monsters. Herbal infusions. Finish: long and more earthy. One would gladly drink this with Parma ham. The strawberry refuses to yield in the aftertaste. Comments: this sort of rich and slightly improbable profile, not so easily placed within a modern aromatic cluster, puts texture to the fore, a dimension that does seem to be fading somewhat from contemporary whiskies.
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
Bye-bye, that’s quite enough Highland Parks. See you soon with something else… |
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February 25, 2026 |
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A new Highland Park craze, part dos
After all, no one can make do with just seven HPs, can they?
Château Chizay, Transcarpathia, Ukraine (Château Chizay) |
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Orkney (HP) 14 yo 2010/2024 ‘Edition #30’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt) 
At 50€, this may well be a serious contender for the title of best Bang-For-Your-Buck of the month on Whiskyfun. I would add that the definition of ‘100 proof’ does not seem entirely precise to us, as we have seen plenty at 57%, at 57.1% as here, but also at 56.9%, as with Giaccone a few decades ago. Might we obtain a firm and definitive opinion from the British Crown? Colour: deep gold. Nose: walnut liqueur, bitter orange liqueur, sweet pepper, paraffin oil, lapsang souchong, roasted chestnuts. And there we are. With water: it does not move a millimetre. Perhaps a few dried flowers? Mouth (neat): perfect lemon honey, pepper liqueur, ras el hanout, fresh turmeric, wasabi and marmalade. With water: despite being first fill, this is no sherry monster that would have absorbed, indeed erased, all the HP markers. Including the famous heather honey, but also the shellfish. Finish: long and distinctly spicier. Ginger and turmeric rather lay down the law, yet the saline touches in the aftertaste are perfect. Black pepper too. Comments: superb young HP, slightly rustic but in these times, is the future not in the meadows and the fields?
SGP:562 - 86 points. |
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Old Orkney 19 yo (52%, Decadent Drinks, refill hogsheads married in 3rd fill butt, 375 bottles, 2025)
What troubles us slightly here is that we know, by hearsay, that this little OO is excellent. Colour: gold. Nose: yes, of course, the fatty sharpness, if you see what we mean, of the distillate is there from the very first sniffs, with, to put it briefly, an obvious kinship with Clynelish, early 1980s style. Waxes and citrus peels. With water: a notable emergence of virgin wool, chalk and cement. Mouth (neat): forget it, it is simply magnificent. White pepper, citrons, oysters, horseradish, pistachio oil… And what is more, it wakes you up, should you ever have needed it. With water: the little waxes, candle, pollens, mandarins… Finish: of good length, yet without any marked change, it has already told us what it had to say. A very, very slight toothpaste side. Comments: pointless. It is our favourite style of malt.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
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Whitlaw 2003/2025 (46.6%, The Whisky Jury, refill hogshead, cask #981, 268 bottles)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: sublime, right on the magical path that runs from Orkney to Campbeltown. You know, HP-Cly-BR-BN-Spr. Paraffin, banana liqueur, custard, sesame oil, beeswax, pollen, apricots and quinces. It is a profile that would suit a great rum, or a cognac, perfectly. Since when have they been cultivating folle blanche on Orkney? Mouth: if our friends at the Jury have bottled an HP here rather than a mid-1990s Ben Nevis, of which they are great specialists, it may be because it rather fiercely resembles a mid-1990s Ben Nevis. Finish: same comments, word for word, it is almost unsettling. Are we dreaming? Comments: to be honest, it is rather brutal, even at 46.6%. Yet a few drops of Vittel (cheque from Nestlé unlikely ever to arrive) will reveal even more resemblance to a BN 1996, for example. We have just tasted a good dozen of them, if not more. Granted, it is a little softer. We mean, this HP.
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
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Pride of Orkney 12 yo (57%, Gordon & MacPhail, twist cap, 1980s)
Adorable label with a small engraving of St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall. To us, the label forms an integral part of a whisky, it is sometimes a promise, sometimes a threat, yet it always carries great importance, whatever the wretched street drinkers of the forums may say. Obviously, one is left to wonder whether Pride of Orkney was HP or Scapa, given that even bound hand and foot and forced to listen to a complete speech by DJT, thus the most vicious form of torture, the charming people at G&M would never, ever spill the beans. Colour: deep gold. Nose: so much honey allied to such gentle minerality and such a maritime edge could hardly mislead us. With water: as very often, once diluted, G&M malts become as cloudy as the aforementioned speeches of poor DJT. Superb little herbal infusions, mint, lime blossom, thyme, wormwood… Mouth (neat): magnificent lemons, angelica, peppermint and honeys. A superb creature, clean-lined, neither complicated nor complex, simply perfect. With water: richness, herbal infusions, mandarins, earth and salted seaweed. It is still very, very ‘HP’. Finish: same again. Comments: those 100 proof were really something. ‘Pride’, indeed.
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
Right then, let’s try handing over to the proprietors… |
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Highland Park 33 yo 1974/2009 (44.8%, OB, The Ambassador’s Cask #3, cask #9035, 372 bottles)
They were half-bottles, actually. Well then, we know it is going to be very good, so this is purely for the glory… Colour: full gold. Nose: varnishes and glues, quinces, almond milk, acacia and chestnut blossom, green melons, multiflower pollen, rice pudding, double-cream milk chocolate and whatnot from Rodolphe Lindt… But how beautiful this is! Bravo Mr Ambassador, bravo Martin, you are the brand, at 100%. Mouth: oh the little honeys and the little flower and citrus jellies, all of it of a quite mad simplicity and elegance. There is of course, behind all that, a whole procession of secondary and tertiary flavours, including a superb minerality, yet in a moment of empathy and kindness almost incongruous in these times, we shall refrain from listing them now and here. Finish: not so long perhaps, yet of just perfect elegance and breeding. Medicinal touches. Comments: I have just noticed that we had already tasted this baby in May 2008. Re-reading my notes, it had been a little more cheerful, let us say, yet at a wholly equivalent level. We like to calibrate ourselves from time to time, generally by chance, for if one wishes to remain consistent, it is of course important. In any case, a superb HP from the greater years.
SGP:652 - 92 points. |
And now, let us also commemorate the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine and celebrate the resilience of the Ukrainian people! |
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Orkney Island Distillery 25 yo 1999/2025 (51.5%, Scotch88 & Scyfion, Ukrainian Troyanda Karpat Barrique from Château Chizay, cask #Z20/07061, 187 bottles)
This baby was first matured by Berry Bros. in a bourbon hogshead, then in some sweet Ukrainian white wine made from ‘pink traminer’, not entirely sure whether that might in fact be gewurztraminer. Ukraine? 99 points! Quite. Colour: it is actually rather pink, which may suggest macerated traminer, though we are not entirely certain. Nose: very pretty peppers, raisins, goji berries, mosses, peonies, strawberry white chocolate, rosehips, then increasingly Orkneyish notes, mineral and waxy, if not yet saline. With water: much more on the distillate, even lemon, chalk, oyster shells, with touches of lovage. Mouth (neat): well, it withstands the sublime 1974 remarkably well, much as the Ukrainians withstand the poor hordes of V.P.. Pink peppercorns, grey pepper, blood oranges, cough syrup, herbal syrups, leeks… With water: sweetness holds the reins this time, while candied ginger makes an appearance. Finish: long and more bitter, also more saline, while the peppers, mints and dried fruits sign off the whole. A touch of fudge. Comments: it is truly different yet very, very good, quite independently of the context. And I find it splendid that our Ukrainian friends continue to make this kind of selection and finishing, that too is a graceful two fingers to the barbarians. Slava Ukraini!
SGP:661 - 90 points. |
More HP right tomorrow, stay tuned... |
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February 24, 2026 |
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About twenty Highland Park, split over three sessions |
With so many new releases and whiskies from every corner of the globe – not to mention the more obscure Scottish distilleries we love to sample as often as possible – we might end up overlooking the heavy hitters, the safe bets, the big names if we’re not careful. That’s why today we’re embarking on a large-scale ‘Highland Park’ operation, throwing in, from time to time, that ingredient we’re so fond of: chance. Because at Whiskyfun, the only thing we’re truly afraid of is boredom… |
OB vs G&M: Can you spot the differences? |
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Highland Park 8 yo (70°proof, OB, James Grant for Hepburn & Ross, Malt Scotch Whisky, UK, cork stopper, +/-1970)
The famous ‘official’ label also used by Gordon & MacPhail. This was before the ‘view of Orkney’ label but after the ‘St. Magnus’ label with its lovely vivid yellow. We do adore vivid yellow at WF. Colour: amber. Nose: caramel, earth, tobacco, mosses, mushrooms and camphor in perfect synchronisation. All of this murmurs rather gently, yet without being weak or in any way frustrating, at least for now. Mouth: initially very much a mirror of the nose, then the saline and smoky notes begin to assert themselves, with more richness than expected, although we could hardly call this baby a heavyweight wrestler. Finish: long and even more coastal, while damp earth returns to try to sign off the whole, but a touch of caramel and powdered coffee remains in the aftertaste. Comments: almost the power of an old white wine, truth be told. We begin to dream of a 100° proof version, which we know did exist, did it not…
SGP:462 - 89 points. |
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Highland Park 8 yo (70°proof, OB, Gordon & MacPhail, Scotch Malt Whisky, UK, +/-1975)
The attentive observer will have noticed that the proprietors’ version stated, ‘Malt Scotch Whisky’, whereas this G&M version declared ‘Scotch Malt Whisky’. Do we not say that all these details are useless, yet when they are removed, everything collapses? Colour: amber. Nose: we are less close than we had expected, this one is livelier, tauter, fruitier, packed with candied oranges and the proverbial heather honey, before moving towards blond tobacco, chalk and slate. Easier, more seductive, and more… for us. Mouth: same impressions, it feels more ‘80° proof’, oranges, honey, beeswax, all delivered with rare elegance yet without forgetting its coastal origins, as a few notes of seaweed appear, three drops of seawater, and even, perhaps, a small oyster. Finish: rather long and now frankly peaty, with magnificent bitters, on ale and amontillado. Comments: here we are already very high indeed. Bravo to everyone at G&M, or rather, to their predecessors.
SGP:563 - 91 points. |
Let’s return to more recent expressions… |
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An Orkney Distillery 12 yo 2006/2019 (48%, The Single Malts of Scotland, Elixir Distillers, US exclusive, Parcel No.1)
A vatting of five casks. And yes, we are terribly late. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: lovely sherry, lovely fresh walnuts, lovely tobacco, impeccable new leather, wafts of mosses and pine needles, hints of citrus zest, in short everything is well and truly in its place here and now. Bitter almond and orgeat… Then chalk and fresh country bread. Mouth: smoked brown bread and rather salty seaweed. There is truly a sense of place. Finish: long, smoky, citrus-led, jammy, yet nervy. Comments: a rather dominant HP, but in a way that commands respect. Excellent, and it held up very well after the old 8-year-olds. I have absolutely no idea why I had not tasted it before.
SGP:563 - 87 points. |
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Highland Park 9 yo 2015/2025 (50%, The Cooper’s Choice, The Golden Cut Collection, Malaga finish, 342 bottles)
What type of Malaga are we dealing with? Very sweet PX or, on the contrary, bone dry as a truncheon blow, which we rather adore… Colour: deep gold. Nose: it is rich and it is rounded, this is sweet Malaga, all maple syrup and sultanas gone wild. The cask’s impact is significant, yet that does not mean it fails to work. It continues towards Cointreau further enriched with honey… With water: the honey takes flight and joins forces with lime blossom infusion. Mouth (neat): strictly identical to the nose, Cointreau, honey, candied oranges, raisins etc. etc. etc. With water: pretty herbal infusions and little earthy touches join in and increase the overall complexity. Finish: of medium length, a little less demonstrative, it settles down somewhat. Comments: rounded and ultimately all about softness. A lovely bottle, assuredly.
SGP:641 - 84 points. |
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Old Orkney 15 yo ‘For Auld Reekie‘ (48.5%, Decadent Drinks for Royal Mile Whiskies, sherrywood, 396 bottles, 2025)
An old brand redolent of Stromness and then G&M, recovered in a very clever fashion by Angus’s Decadent Drinks. Roots matter, do they not. Auld Reekie is of course one of the nicknames of Edinburgh, while we are also great admirers of these rather Spinal Tap-esque decimal bottling strengths: 48.5% is not 48%, is it. Colour: full gold. Nose: oh that is clever indeed. Remarkable how it recalls the two 8-year-olds we tasted at the start of this little session, earth, mead, walnut, also tobacco, Iberian ham and even marrow broth. And as so often, orange then comes along to bring order to this joyful chaos, an ultra-positive term in our mouth. Mouth: sulphur from the distillate, paraffin, green walnut, gunpowder, aubergine, bitter orange… It almost makes me think of the copyists at the Louvre who reproduce, some a Van Gogh, others a Renoir. Finish: long and bitter, earthy, antique. Comments: formidable, you simply have to love bitters and gunpowder as much as your humble servant does.
SGP:372 - 87 points. |
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Whitlaw 10 yo 2015/2025 (56.9%, Brothers in Malt, refill sherry butt, cask #22, 550 bottles)
Whitlaw is HP. Colour: gold. Nose: the exact opposite of the OO, it is packed with bubblegum and coconut milk, hairspray, banana foam, stewed rhubarb… It is genuinely very cheerful and playful for HP. In any case, for now, one might think it was first-fill bourbon. With water: much the same, more lemongrass and lemon balm water. Mouth (neat): limoncello at full throttle and little assorted fruit sweets. Including lemon, of course. With water: much the same, plus plenty of barley syrup and, at last, a few more maritime touches. Finish: rather long, still incredibly fruity yet balanced by green tea and seaweed. And beeswax. Comments: an HP that makes one think of Littlemill, that is quite something, is it not? Or of Scapa? In theory, no. But it is tremendous fun, spectacular and very good. It is simply not very ‘HP’…
SGP:751 - 85 points. |
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Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Orkney 8 yo 2016/2025 (57.5%, Cadenhead, Enigma, bourbon barrels, 888 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: this is astonishing, here we are headlong into chervil and tarragon, bay leaf, then sauna oils and lemons. It is most unusual, very much in a clear-line style, very cold-brew green tea in fact. And I find it simple, yet magnificent. With water: fresh barley joins the festivities. Mouth (neat): ex-bourbon to the hilt, lemon, green pepper, vanilla, all in that order. And nothing else, yet that is quite enough for us. With water: always that very beautiful lightness which, to tell you the truth, does not feel terribly ‘HP’ either. Finish: of medium length, fresh, almost floral at this stage. Shortbread. Comments: it should not be Scapa, yet it could be Scapa. And so it might not be HP, but that was also the case with the previous one, truth be told, even if it was called Whitlaw.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
We may have had enough of these ‘secret’ single malts, haven’t we? Can’t the EU compel distillers to allow the use of the original single malt names, if only in the interests of transparency? Ah well, perhaps not. In any case, see you soon — seven HPs or near-HPs per session is quite enough; we’ll have more tomorrow. Promise. |
(Thanks ever so much, Angus, Morten and Olivier) |
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February 23, 2026 |
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Young Tamdhu in wine vs old Tamdhu al natural
You’re going to tell me the fight will be very one-sided, but that’s not so certain… And besides, isn’t the important thing simply to take part? (Tamdhu) |
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Tamdhu 9 yo 2015/2025 (50%, The Cooper’s Choice, Golden Cut Collection, Marsala finish, cask #044, 396 bottles)
The fact is that we know Marsala can work just as well as sherry, it is simply a matter of knowing which type of Marsala was involved. Colour: deep gold. Nose: oh lovely! Mirabelles and apricots, both tinned and in jam form, coated in caramel and honey and followed by a few very juicy sultanas. With water: finger biscuits and little sponge cakes filled with orange and mandarin jam (Marsala, Sicily, get it?) Mouth (neat): very good, on walnut cake and bitter orange, preserved lemon, earthy vegetal notes… With water: we could almost believe we are in Marsala, right at the far western tip of the southern coast. A wonderful place, I warmly recommend it. Finish: long, fresh, with a slightly tangy edge that perfectly balances the whole. Comments: excellent and therefore perfectly balanced, at this age and with this treatment.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Tamdhu 10 yo 2013/2024 (57.9%, Infrequent Flyers, Pedro Ximenez puncheon finish, cask #800069, 698 bottles)
I was about to begin by saying that PX is more traditional than Marsala, but in truth, not that much. And it may not be entirely easy after the very fine Cooper’s Choice. Colour: ripe apricot. Nose: fudge, soft molasses, pancake syrup, chestnut cream, honey. Nothing to add. With water: well yes, stewed figs and fig jam. Mouth (neat): more or less at the same level as the 2015, simply more peppery and even slightly spicy, with additional tension provided by lemon and Seville orange. With water: it rather loves water, which brings out small herbs, herbal teas, and even a few oven-roasted vegetables in a gentle sauce. Courgettes, for example. And while we are at it, syrup of courgette flowers and elderflower. I assure you. Finish: long, a little more earthy and on notes of leather, therefore less sweet and syrupy. Comments: I am afraid it is impossible to choose between the Sicilian and the Andalusian. Both kind of reconcile me with finishes.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Tamdhu-Glenlivet 13 yo 1981/1995 (59.9%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection)
In what type of cask was this baby matured? That’s right, ‘an Oak Cask’, as stated on the label. That mention has already made several generations of Scottish malt enthusiasts chuckle, it must be said. Colour: amber. Nose: this time there is flint and sulphur from the outset, brake pads (after a few laps of the Nürburgring, as we used to say in those days), cooked aubergine and artichoke… In short, it is not easy, even if there are also some very pretty notes of tobacco. Wafts of fig leaf, not entirely easy either. With water: rice pudding, shortbread, maple syrup, Barbour grease and ski wax. As the Olympic Games are drawing to a close… Mouth (neat): much fruitier, still a little dirty but the sulphur has vanished, while candied oranges and peppery marmalades now reign supreme over this blessed little beast. Touches of salmiak. With water: dried and candied fruits come charging in, first dates and figs, I was about to say as usual. Then all manner of raisins, though never excessively sweet. Finish: rather long but perhaps very slightly dusty, even faintly cardboardy. Comments: perhaps not one of the stars of this magical series, but it was nonetheless very, very beautiful.
SGP:462 - 85 points. |
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Tamdhu 20 yo 1981/2002 (56.2%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #8.32)
Colour: mahogany/chestnut. Nose: incredible, it smells exactly like its colour, chestnut purée and precious wood freshly sawn by a talented cabinetmaker. Then toffee, hot chocolate and café latte. Very, very beautiful. With water: a slight touch of sulphur this time again (Brussels sprouts, aubergine) but absolutely nothing troublesome, quite the contrary. We find ourselves somewhat in the territory of old Mortlach, or indeed, since it just comes to mind, Pittyvaich. Who remembers Pittyvaich? Mouth (neat): superb, on dark chocolate and orange marmalade, then crushed pepper and brown tobacco. Also chestnut honey. Magnificent. With water: the honey takes the upper hand, and it is superb. Finish: long, drier, slightly mentholated, still on dark honey and high-quality black tea. No milk in this tea! Also a little propolis, some resin… Comments: in the end, and despite the magnificent honeyed notes, the whole remains rather dry. A very fine bottle in any case.
SGP:461 - 90 points. |
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February 22, 2026 |
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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! |
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Twelve cognacs, with a strong thought for the producers |
Yet more incredible flooding and massive damage in Charente and Charente-Maritime. More than ever, we must support the people of Cognac, who are currently being battered by several kinds of ‘hurricanes’, including political ones. And yet they continue to offer us such wonders! That said, to gain a little more perspective than usual, we shall begin with one of the cheapest cognacs we have, the sort that normally lurks on the lower shelves of our supermarkets here in France… |
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Cognac casks half-submerged at Hine in Jarnac
this week. Perhaps these cognacs will become
even more extraordinary than Hine’s usually are!
(Xavier Rousseau, Sud Ouest) |
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Courcel ‘VS’ (40%, OB, Fine Cognac, 2025)
Fine Cognac, that really means nothing at all, and should not be confused with Fine Champagne, which is a blend of Petite and Grande Champagne (at least 50% Grande). In this instance, we have a very youthful little assemblage of Ugni Blanc drawn from the Fins and Bons Bois. Colour: caramel gold. Nose: blast, it is rather prettier than I had expected, with that fairly typical medley of sultanas and fresh mint. It is certainly not complex, yet on the nose it does the job perfectly well and does not ‘reek of alcohol’. Mouth: it does not even collapse on the palate, although pear is somewhat dominant, caramel too. It is genuinely very drinkable, the blending of this small VS seems to have been handled with due care. Finish: not especially long, yet still fairly fresh and clean. Comments: not so much a Cognac for cocktails as I had anticipated. But right, it is neither Pasquet nor Vallein-Tercinier.
SGP:530 - 77 points. |
Come on then, an old bottle of Fine Champagne… |
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Larsen ‘T.V.F.C.’ (40%, OB, Fine champagne, +/-1990)
TVFC stands for ‘Très Vieille Fine Champagne’, although some sources claim it means ‘The Veritable Fine Champagne’, while the box of this bottle even declares it to be ‘The Cognac of The Vikings’. This is historically intriguing, since the Vikings reached the region in the 9th century, which rather challenges the theory that cognac was created in the 16th century by merchants from northern Europe. But no, this is simply marketing… Colour: full gold. Nose: more on walnuts, walnut liqueur, damp earth and liquorice. In any case, it is very pretty, with no obvious OBE. Mouth: yes, little OBE, rather dried fruits, once again a touch of dried pear, some old PX, tobacco and crushed pepper… It is charming and at no point do the 40% vol. feel weak. Finish: rather long, jammier, with walnut liqueur returning and touches of leather. Aftertaste earthier once more, with a faint hint of strawberry jam. Comments: one never quite knows what to expect with these old bottles, but here, a pleasant surprise! The brand is of Norwegian origin, so let us take the opportunity to congratulate their Winter Olympic team on their incredible haul of medals. Now they did not seem to have been doped with any Larsen cognac.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
That prompts us to try a much more modern Larsen… |
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Larsen ‘Aqua Ignis’ (42.3%, OB, Cognac, +/-2025)
A small batch without age statement that was matured in ‘triple steam brasero toasted French oak barrels’. I must confess I have no clear idea what that entails exactly, but it appears to soften the casks and avoid ‘undesirable’ notes (smoke, tannins…). Here too we have a blend of Fins Bois and Bons Bois. Colour: amber. Nose: strong liquorice, café latte, dark turrón, Darjeeling, vanilla pods. Mouth: bold caramel, rum, custard, caramel flan, cane syrup. One could almost be fooled and believe it is rum. Finish: fairly long, with little change save for a touch of green apple bringing a very slight and most welcome acidity. Comments: we have found the answer, the cask is plunged into hot water and then charred, three times in succession. It is pleasant and indeed rather very good.
SGP:641 - 82 points. |
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Château de Montifaud ‘Napoléon’ (40%, OB, Petite Champagne, +/-2025)
A well-known house from Jarnac. The designation ‘Napoléon’ in fact characterises a cognac whose components must all be at least six years old (thus between VSOP and XO), although this rule only dates from 2018. In practice, all the components of this Montifaud appear to be considerably older than the minimum required. Colour: full gold. Nose: much more classical, softer and rounder than the Larsen, leaning more towards honeyed herbal infusions too, camomile, Earl Grey, lime blossom, rosemary… And quite a lot of apple and very ripe peaches. A lovely nose. Mouth: same impressions, but the orchard fruits lead the way and are then joined by fruit sweets, honey lozenges and finally those same herbal teas. Finish: of medium length, with a few more bitter notes that are pretty pleasant (black tea, tobacco). Comments: in the end, a rather versatile cognac.
SGP:541 - 82 points. |
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Château de Montifaud 2006/2026 (43%, OB, Petite Champagne)
A proper vintage cognac, which is rather uncommon, as the regulations are draconian since the cask is sealed by the supervisory body and cannot be opened before bottling. Without this, no vintage is possible, only more or less tolerated ‘suggestions’ in the form of codes, such as, here, ‘Lot 06’ or ‘L 06’ or ‘Y06’ and so on. Colour: full gold. Nose: very beautiful, very elegant, much closer to a malt whisky, rich, waxy, with liquorice and wildflower honey, pine sap and eucalyptus. In short, it is very malternative. Mouth: very fine herbaceous notes, fruit peelings, candle wax, fresh and dried herbs, fir buds, then it moves towards citrus fruits, especially orange zests, which is always a delight. Finish: rather long, focused, with a very fine tannicity intertwined with those famous orange zests and the customary liquorice. Comments: after all, it is probably 19 years old. Excellent.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
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Seguinot ‘Réserve de la Famille’ (40%, OB, Grande Champagne, 300 bottles)
Here we are in Segonzac, yet one wonders why so many houses continue to present their very fine cognacs at 40%, it is a pity, it does feel a little cheapish. Colour: amber. Nose: oh, magnificent, with varnish and pine needles to begin with, pipe tobacco, dried mushrooms (morels), then a superlative liquorice and even a drop of olive oil. Superb. But on the palate, the 40% can truly be a handicap, let us see… Mouth: no, it is very beautiful, with pronounced oak yet of great elegance, showing coffee, brown tobacco, dark chocolate and finally orange zests that come to correct the slight dryness of the whole. Finish: long, more mentholated and more marked by very black tea. Chocolate and mint in the aftertaste. Comments: an admirably rustic style. We are rather rustic too, so we quite adore it.
SGP:561 - 88 points. |
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Du Peyrat 2011/2025 ‘Folle Blanche’ (45.6%, OB, Fins Bois, 823 bottles)
At last a bottling strength that actually means something! This baby was distilled on its lees and is organic. Colour: full gold. Nose: folle blanche is quite something indeed. This one too is very malternative, with a distinct armagnac side (don’t shoot) and an initial development on verbena, wormwood and mint, before apples, pears and apricots come rushing in, followed by dried and candied fruits settling more comfortably. Sultanas, zests, dried pears… Mouth: excellent, almost a Highlander, herbaceous, almost rugged, in any case very rustic. Liquorice wood, melon skin, peach and apricot peel, earthy tobacco, menthol, pine sap… Finish: long, more focused and even more herbaceous. Mentholated tobacco rules the roost. Comments: for your hip flask. Antique and in solid silver, of course.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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Richard Delisle ‘XO’ (40%, OB, Grande Champagne, +/-2025)
A cognac by Famille Cabanne, who have already supplied our favourite independent bottlers with casks and demijohns of simply interstellar level, let that be said… Colour: gold. Nose: herbal infusions, dried apricots, fir honey, sultanas, English breakfast tea. It is extremely classical and gentle. Mouth: a little drying, in any case chocolaty and marked by black tea. Finish: of medium length, very much on black tea and coffee. Comments: perhaps a little elementary, but in the end I quite like it. Did we mention English breakfast tea?
SGP:461 - 80 points. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘Lot 88’ (43.8%, Art Malts, The Vintage Reserve, Grande Champagne, 2025)
Let us see whether we find on the nose the aromas of an old Jag, as the label may suggest… You know, old leather, old varnished wood, oil leaks… Colour: amber. Nose: a complex and irresistible fruitiness, varnish, fir buds, mint, blond tobacco, liquorice, all in perfect synchronisation. Mouth: the pressure of mint and wax, then pink grapefruit totally unleashed, finally linseed oil and a very present ‘oakiness’, in the manner of an old samovar. Finish: always that oak, those fir notes, yet all of it balanced to the nearest micron by citrus fruits and various herbal infusions. Comments: the fir is very marked, but this foresty (and tannic) side remains very pretty. A stroll through a Vosges forest.
SGP:371 - 88 points. |
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Grande Champagne Lot 97 ‘Le Frimas’ (53.9%, Malternative Belgium, 2025)
A cognac made from pure colombard, sourced from a bouilleur de cru in Mainxe-Gondeville. The name ‘le frimas’ fits perfectly with the weather we are currently enduring at WF Towers and in France in general. Colour: bright amber. Nose: honey and wood varnish, Earl Grey tea, paraffin and shoe polish, potting soil, old calvados, and in any case a beautifully firm earthiness. Even if it does not exactly joke around… With water: even more austere, woody, bitter… One has to like that, but we rather do. Mouth (neat): fairly brutal, very woody, very rustic, very peppery, marked by 100% cocoa chocolate and a touch of glue. Still not exactly playful… With water: there we are, it loosens up a little, yet the gluey side remains. A mix of dark chocolate, fir sap, green mint and strongly infused black tea. Finish: long and very peppery. Comments: a rather bitter, extreme cognac, perhaps for the wild ones. In short, rather a bruiser.
SGP:371 - 85 points. |
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Delamain ‘TV RES Founder’s Reserve’ (44.8%, Malternative Belgium, Grande Champagne, 2025)
From a demijohn of pure ugni blanc from Grande Champagne, in Verrières, hailing from the paradise of the famous house of Delamain, of Jarnac. I think that suffices in terms of pedigree, at least for a cognac. Colour: deep gold. Nose: elegant, earthy, on nuts of all kinds, pecans, peanuts, Brazil nuts, macadamia… All of this is rather magnificent and there is here a quite relentless old amontillado side. Perhaps dry as a truncheon blow, yet in this context rather magnificent. Mouth: the dried fruits reappear, but waxes, saps and resins do too, small apples as well, and it increasingly drifts towards an old Domfrontais. We may almost wonder whether it was not an old calvados, labelled by an intern. Finish: we remain on this pattern. Calvados, mint, resins, an old bottle of Jägermeister or Unicum, even Underberg. Comments: magnificent bitterness, but a proper no-fruit beast.
SGP:371 - 88 points. |
We’ll end with something intriguing and rather fun… |
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Strictly Confidential ‘Secret #1’ (62%, Navigate World Whisky, Unspecified Spirit, French oak cask, 100% South African aged, 160 bottles, 2024)
A mysterious spirit, yet drawn from pot stills, while the label tied around the neck displays bunches of grapes… It should therefore be a wine brandy, or perhaps a marc, we shall see… Colour: dark amber. Nose: hummus, praline, caramel, tobacco, large raisins and pepper. Caution, at 62% vol., this is no time for frivolity… With water: light cheesy touches, mushrooms, castor oil, rubber. Not the most classical of noses. Mouth (neat): Mars bars and above all an explosion of glues and varnishes. With water: a sort of vegan fudge, shall we say. Finish: long, unconventional, marked by vegetable oils and lemon zest. One thinks of a fine from regions where fines are not the main production. Alsace, for example… Or the Cape region in South Africa, where the same grape varieties were planted. Riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot noir… Comments: difficult to compete with great cognacs, but the level is certainly high. To whomever this concerns, kudos!
SGP:371 - 83 points. |
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February 20, 2026 |
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Ben Nevis, a short catch-up session
with a wee trio |
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…even though we’ve already sampled thirty-four Ben Nevis whiskies this month. That’s just how we are, we love Ben Nevis… |
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Ben Nevis 6 yo 2018/2025 (50%, Spirits Beast, ex-peated refill sherry, cask #149, 360 bottles)
Here we are in Italy, always a pleasure. Colour: full gold. Nose: the DNA of BN is entirely present, with that wild edge, ham with mustard, black earth, old walnuts, a touch of ginger, leather and tobacco, and a peatiness that is ultimately quite present yet rather discreet alongside this powerful, oily BN. With water: fresh putty and a brand-new pair of Nike trainers emerge. Mouth (neat): the peat makes itself felt much more on the palate, yet as the two aromatic territories are closely related, there is zero dissonance or contradiction. A very fine lemony and maritime sharpness. With water: excellent, even peatier and more thoroughbred, remaining pure Ben Nevis indeed. Finish: long, with the very fine customary bitters. Comments: it comes out punching for a six-year-old, yet it feels like twelve. The peat works like caviar on smoked salmon (what?) A slight Ledaig side.
SGP:464 - 88 points. |
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Ben Nevis 2013/2024 (53.1%, The Maltman, refill sherry butt, cask #3344, 407 bottles)
Here we are in Taiwan. Colour: pale gold. Nose: much softer, much more on beeswax and lanolin, but also brake pad and paraffin. It evolves very quickly in your glass and moves increasingly towards green walnut, which will surprise no one. Three drops of olive oil. With water: a brand-new pullover from House of Bruar. In no way from one of those cheap DNVBs one sees on Facebook, all drop shipping, and that entire circus. Mouth (neat): magnificent Ben Nevis marrying the sherry to the very molecule, with once again touches of peat (from the distillate?) and a lemon tango with grapefruit that is just perfect. It then becomes increasingly salty and we see a few mussels and oysters arriving. With water: archetypal, just avoid drowning it, that can flatten it slightly. But we are not falling into the trap, are we… Very pretty salted citrus fruits and a few drops of mezcal. Finish: long, with the walnuts returning and that slight mustardy note. Comments: we are once again very high indeed. How good this is, one could taste nothing but Ben Nevis, every day, on this miserable little website.
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
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Ben Nevis 26 yo 1997/2023 (50.9%, Whisky Lockhart, sherry butt, cask #116, 78 bottles)
Here we are in Hong Kong to conclude. Colour: straw. Nose: more elegance, vegetal oils in abundance, fresh hay, fruit peelings (melon, apple) and the arrival of medicinal notes, especially eucalyptus and rather gentle camphor. Increasingly a side of soft olive oil, more Italian or Provençal than from the Iberian Peninsula. Anyway, that is merely my view… With water: virgin wool returns. That famous new pullover… Mouth (neat): more vigorous on the palate, with pine needles and white pepper, a touch of horseradish, then lemon marmalade of the sort that wakes you instantly. Very fine salinity as well. With water: the nuts of the distillate and the nuts of the sherry mingle in a wild tango, refereed by crushed pepper. Finish: long, more bitter, as it should be. Touches of aubergine, a more saline aftertaste. Comments: the only slightly irksome thing with these vintages is that their reputation is such that rather than seeking the qualities, one looks for flaws. In this case, there are none that I can detect. Very fine Hong Kong bottle.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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February 19, 2026 |
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The World Sessions,
A new little trip from Tasmania to the Netherlands |
To tell the truth, it’s generally at festivals or trade fairs that we come across many of these so-called “world whiskies”, which, in the Scottish fashion, are defined as whiskies that are neither Scottish, nor Irish, nor Japanese, nor American. Nor French either, since we’re French (go figure). These days, that amounts to quite a lot of different countries – and hundreds of whiskies to taste… Right then, let’s just pick one at random… |
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| Dried elephant dung, as they use it at Ondjaba, Namibia. We’re not so far removed from Islay peat, are we… (WF) |
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Collington Mill ‘El Sol’ (46%, OB, Tasmania, ex-sherry barrel, +/-2025)
Here we are in Oatlands. It is rather amusing that they call this a ‘cool climate single malt whisky’ since hot climate ones seem much scarcer to me. The sherry casks in which this batch was matured apparently encompassed more or less every style of sherry according to their website. Colour: red amber. Nose: a nose of raisin loaf, fruitcake, dried figs and damp topsoil, all complemented by a touch of amaro, ginger, rye bread and aniseed. It is a pretty nose, most pleasantly earthy. Mouth: the casks are doing a fair portion of the work, yet I rather enjoy this very unusual aniseed and earthy side, with a coffee plus pastis combination that could seem really too much yet works rather well here. Finish: long, on peppered caramel, or caramelised pepper, then bitter orange liqueur. Or Campari and orange, if you prefer. Comments: genuinely a lovely surprise, even if it is probably very young.
SGP:661 - 83 points. |
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Carpathian Single Malt ‘Peated’ (46%, OB, Romania, bourbon, cask #2975, 321 bottles, 2024)
First Romanian whisky for me! Colour: full gold. Nose: a nose reminiscent of ale matured in a peated whisky cask; in any case we have encountered this sort of thing on Islay before. Very light soapiness, mastic, shoe polish, farmhouse bread and eucalyptus. It is amusing, though not exactly easy. Mouth: a thousand times better on the palate than on the nose, already fruitier (citrus), then with lovely white and pink peppercorns. It is the fate of many very young whiskies; one could almost skip straight to the palate. Finish: long, with a pleasing sourdough note, smoked lemon, and Swedish crispbread with pumpkin seeds. A touch of chilli afterwards (rougail). Comments: a curious little beast, the nose genuinely gave us pause, yet the palate, including its honesty if one may put it that way, very nearly won us over.
SGP:673 - 80 points. |
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Ondjaba ‘Classic’ (46%, OB, Namibia, triple-grain, +/-2025)
We have already tasted one of those improbable whiskies smoked with elephant dung (indeed) and believe it or not we rather liked it (WF 83). Besides, the people are utterly charming, the elephants too of course, so let us taste this recent version with no prejudice whatsoever. One does enjoy that mention on the back label, ‘Alcohol reduces driving ability’. Seriously! Well then, the bottle also comes with gold from the World Spirit Competition in San Francisco, but nothing too alarming, let us not hold it against them if you please. Colour: full gold. Nose: frankly, I quite like it, the elephant dung having been reduced to its dry vegetal components, there is no, well… you see what I mean. Sake, geranium potting soil, pot-pourri, umeshu, green cigars as found in Indonesia, even a Gudang Garam cigarette… lit. Splendid. Mouth: it is chiefly on the palate that it impresses, with a very unusual spicy and earthy side, yet really rather pretty. One thinks of nutmeg and coriander seed, and of a whole array of African spices that we would not even begin to name, let alone describe. It is truly very good, very unusual, yet eminently ‘whisky’. Finish: good length, with a slightly aniseed freshness. Comments: our compliments to the elephants, I do hope they will remember (very clever, S.).
SGP:563 - 84 points. |
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Säntis ‘Edition Kamor’ (48%, OB, Switzerland, +/-2025)
I have already written many times how much I enjoy the wildly improbable fun of Säntis, with their maturations in former beer casks. And of course, Appenzell… As it happens, I do have a secret lasagne recipe in which I use Appenzell cheese, but this is neither the time nor the place to go into that, is it. Colour: deep gold. Nose: somewhere between burnt plastic and roasted chestnuts, then kirsch, pumpernickel and the exhaust fumes of an old Mercedes-Benz. It may sound utterly unlikely, but believe me, it works… rather like an old Mercedes-Benz. Tip top. Mouth: on the palate it is even more unusual at first, then little by little it edges back towards proper malty orthodoxy, thanks to bitter oranges and small sharp cherries. I find it excellent. Finish: long and ultimately more classical, chiefly on oranges, earth and white pepper. Comments: but what on earth does ‘Kamor’ mean?
SGP:562 - 86 points.
Update: Kamor is a rather small mountain in Appenzell, reaching exactly 1,751 metres in height. That’s quite a lot, but still rather modest for the Switzerland we love so much. Thanks, James! |
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Kinglake 2019/2022 ‘In the Blood’ (61%, OB, Australia, batch #1TB2, 76 bottles)
We had already tasted another ‘In the Blood’, though at a much gentler strength. All these things are excellent yet frankly improbable. Life is too short to be bored, in any case… Colour: reddish amber. Nose: strawberry jam spread thickly over a large slice of rye bread, then glacé cherries and gingerbread, in the Dijon manner. Nonnettes. With water: everything relaxes, the cereals emerge in a Fruit Loops fashion, the strawberries express themselves as artisanal yoghurt, while a very fruity beer takes then control. Mouth (neat): the strawberry and cherry jam side is even more pronounced, all the more so as it is bolstered by pink peppercorn. The trouble is it works. And life really is too short. With water: extreme fruitiness, almost litchi, but no matter, it works, and life is too short. Finish: pink pepper, strawberry liqueur and Aperol take charge. In short, everything is red or pink here. Comments: to be entirely honest, we would not forgive this from a large and arrogant Scottish distillery swollen with ‘lifestyle’ branding, but here one surrenders with trust and curiosity. And I swear we rather love it; life is too short.
SGP:761 - 86 points. |
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Starward 2017/2024 ‘Botrytis Cask’ (48%, OB, Australia) 
Botrytis cask, the best of the year, mention it to your horse and it will kick you. It appears to be semillon, thus very probably a Bordeaux wine cask, think Sauternes, but also Cérons, Cadillac or a few others. Or even Bergerac, or indeed the Hunter Valley in Australia. Quite. By the way, botrytis is what one calls noble rot. Colour: red amber. Nose: it is pretty, it is simple, it is packed with vine peach liqueur and sweet muscat. That is more or less the whole story, yet it is pleasant enough. Mouth: good news, we avoid the Schweppes Agrum’ side, yet it remains rather monolithic, somewhat ‘manufactured’, very far from other Starward expressions that we have greatly enjoyed. Finish: fairly long and rather on Aperol Spritz. Comments: not entirely our cup of tea, but if you are an Aperol Spritz enthusiast, do try this baby. You could always add prosecco, San Pellegrino and a slice of blood orange.
SGP:661 - 76 points. |
We’ll stop there for this time, and we won’t take any chances, okay? |
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Millstone 9 yo 2016/2025 (54.2%, Dràm Mor, Netherlands, PX butt, cask #B0309, 688 bottles)
A reminder that we hold Millstone/Zuidam in rather high esteem. And Dràm Mor too, of course. Colour: golden amber. Nose: somewhere between a rugby changing room, a maturing cellar of cooked-curd cheeses (Gouda of course, Comté, Gruyère), and fresh gingerbread. With water: it softens a little, moving towards candied ginger and fresh turmeric, but also raisins. After all, there is Pedro involved. Mouth (neat): it gathers itself around orange marmalade and raisins of every persuasion, with fruit loaves in the background, wavering between apricot, hazelnut and fig. All that is missing is a slice of truffled Alsatian goose foie gras. With water: black pepper takes back control and rebalances the whole, yet we never quite leave that fruitcake territory. I had forgotten to mention the apricot, by the way. Ah no, you are quite right. Finish: fairly long, marked by raisins. Comments: a splendid little beast, even if some Millstone can be far more extreme. Then again, the world news is extreme enough as it is, is it not.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
All right then, just one last one… |
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Millstone 27 yo 1998/2025 ‘Special #38’ (48.58%, OB, Netherlands, oloroso, 467 bottles)
Special 38, that rather sounds like the name of a handgun, does it not. So let us proceed filled with peace and understanding… Oh and we do so admire here the coquettish precision of the strength stated to the hundredth of a degree. Colour: dark red amber. Nose: here is irrefutable proof that they were already producing great distillates in the last century. Geraniums, gingerbread, caraway and poppy seeds, black and grey pepper, clove, juniper, dried morels, treacle honey. Will that do? Mouth: we have rarely come so close to proper old-fashioned gingerbread. Magnificent cumin, old walnuts, fir honey, hoisin sauce and pepper liqueur. Also plenty of coniferous saps, which then lead the whole towards becoming perhaps a little drying in the end. That is typical of these distillates and these hyperactive casks when they reach great age, I would say, modestly. Finish: probably the less obvious part, as it dries somewhat and becomes a little too bitter for my taste. Nothing will rescue it thereafter, not even orange zest… bitter. Comments: rather like a Madonna concert, it does not necessarily end brilliantly. But that too is a matter of age…
SGP:372 - 82 points. |
Come on then, adapting is surviving, isn’t it? And persevering as well… |
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Millstone 20 yo 2005/2025 (48.8%, OB, Netherlands, virgin American oak, cask #693, 135 bottles, 2025)
Colour: dark red amber. Nose: bourbon from Holland, and not just any. Magnificent ‘Saturday morning at Ikea’, though without the toxic meatballs, more lavender biscuits, varnish and glue, vanilla, bergamots, fresh oil paint (come on, Van Gogh since we are in Holland), fig leaves… I was almost about to mention tulips, but that would have been pushing it. In short, on the nose it is a rather grand bourbon. Mouth: magnificent on the palate. Glues, varnishes and banana extract, all in total abandon. I am not entirely sure this is legal, yet here we adore this almost chemical side. Vanillin and geranium syrup attempt to round it all off, yet it ends up on strawberry and cherry. Well then. Finish: very long, spicy, still ‘chemical’, yet ultimately very beautiful. Rye bread in full majesty. Comments: hateful and brilliant at the same time, this is contemporary whisky art. One does not judge in the end, one can only witness it. … Since great spirits converse with the gods… Do you disagree?
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
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