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February 6, 2026 |
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A Ben Nevis Solera, seven-by-seven,
part 5
I think this will be our last Ben Nevis session for a few weeks. You should never overdo a good thing…
Former Distillery Manager Colin Ross (Pop Art carnage, AI) |
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Ben Nevis 1996/2025 (45.7%, The Whisky Jury, refill hogshead, cask #1648, 260 bottles) 
The 1998 from the other day had been magnificent, but here we are in 1996. Keenly observed, wouldn’t you say? In fact, we’ve already tasted around ten Ben Nevis from these vintages bottled by The Whisky Jury, which is almost as many as the official releases. This is no joke... Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s always a bit of a nuisance to start this high, let’s admit it. Banana skins, a medley of vegetable oils, overripe apples, seawater, beeswax, a flick of mustard, a smidge of leather, a few grams of tobacco, three fresh walnuts, yada, yada, yada… Mouth: far more compact on the palate, and to be honest almost jarring in how tight, precise, and above all salty it is. What we’d call a clean line. Finish: very long, very elegant, very classy, saline and spicy yet also sublimely bitter. Comments: perfect, almost embarrassingly so. And psst, vastly superior, in my opinion, to most sherry butts (or sherry hoggies for that matter).
SGP:562 – 92 points. |
Appetite comes with eating, and thirst comes with tasting… (note: this isn’t an official saying). Anyway, we're carrying on with the Jury. Naturally… |
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Ben Nevis 1996/2025 (48.2%, The Whisky Jury, 6th Anniversary, refill hogshead, cask #348649, 270 bottles) 
Let’s keep it brief—six years isn’t exactly a vast stretch. No offence meant. Colour: gold. Nose: a fruitier version, thus very lovely but a touch less complete than the previous. Fruit salad, mango, papaya, banana, pears in syrup, a drop of acacia honey, a splash of fruity olive oil. Irresistible, perhaps even a tad too irresistible, if we’re being pedantic (as often, S.)… Mouth: it regains balance through the wood, sap, fir resin, herbal infusions and teas… Make no mistake, it’s marvellous, but cask #1648 lays down the law here. Finish: fairly long, on honeyed infusions and citrus peels. Slightly drying aftertaste—that’ll be the wood. Comments: it’s always the same tale, it’s only after tasting that you feel like changing the order of the line-up. For truly great spirits bend the whole sequence to their will, and once you’ve tasted them, there’s not much you can do except wait twenty-four hours and start all over again in a different order. At our current tasting rhythm at WF Towers FR or SCO, that’s nigh impossible, we beg your pardon.
SGP:661 – 89 points. |
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Ben Nevis 1996/2025 (54.6%, The Whisky Jury for The Antelope, refill hogshead, cask #1354, 187 bottles)
Still this killer series de la muerte (pleonasm alert). Colour: gold. Nose: we’re much closer again to the first one of this session—chalky and fatty, with seawater, mashed banana, argan oil, and a dab of fresh oil paint. With water: a touch of brioche dough, sourdough starter, and barley, always a delight. Mouth (neat): unstoppable, commanding, and yet elegant. Nothing to do with D.C., then. The salinity is remarkable, with wee green peppers, salted waxes, even kippers... With water: it all falls into place, becoming more than perfect, though it doesn’t quite scale the interstellar heights of cask 1648. Believe me, I’ve worked my way through a fair few cls of each before arriving at this carefully considered view. All in moderation, of course, Spitfire-style, or just about. Finish: long, leaning more on wax and citrus, with a slightly more herbal edge rather than outright bitterness. Lemon zest. Comments: perhaps a somewhat centrist 1996, if you catch my drift. Superb, naturally.
SGP:551 – 90 points. |
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Ben Nevis 28 yo 1997/2025 (48.1%, Sansibar, Jens’s Personal Choice, refill sherry cask, cask #11, 198 bottles)
There aren’t that many 1997s about, and let’s just say the vintage (indeed, quite the controversial concept in whisky) doesn’t carry quite the same lustre as 1996 or 1995. But the exception proves the rule, doesn’t it… Colour: white wine. Nose: this is fresh, chalky—more Sauvignon Blanc than Chardonnay—with gooseberries and green apples. This apparent acidity is lovely and almost makes you forget that the sherry’s rather absent here. Unless, of course, it’s refill fino or manzanilla, both of which we adore. That said, the clay-like and chalky side only builds, which is rather glorious. Mouth: the sherry, again, is fairly anecdotal, unless those notes of green walnut are stemming from it. The rest is classic—salty, maritime as anything—and I do wonder whether we couldn’t enjoy a wee glass of this alongside a platter of oysters next time in Paris, alright? Very pretty notes of lemon brioche, still just underbaked. Finish: long, with the arrival of our eternal friend, the good old family limoncello. Comments: it’s just so good!
SGP:552 – 89 points. |
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Ben Nevis 27 yo 1996/2023 (51.4%, The Whisky Blues, refill hogshead, cask #1333, 196 bottles)
Slightly awkward, really—there’s already a BN from The Whisky Blues leading this wee session by some margin (thanks in part to its marvellous label, which we’ll happily count for a tenth of a point. Well, a twentieth perhaps, but still enough to tip the scales). Colour: pale gold. Nose: balance through freshness. No fruit bomb, no hectolitres of oil, barely any paint, varnish or putty, just a reasonable number of shellfish, a touch of mustard and horseradish here and there, and some restrained citrus. In short, civilisation. With water: brings out the passion fruit, lovely! Mouth (neat): the cask is fairly thick and makes its presence known, straight onto salted and spiced citrus liqueurs. Then come lemon balm, marjoram, and quince paste. For us, quince paste holds the value of gold or platinum, though Wall Street doesn’t seem to have caught on. With water: not much change. Finish: of medium length but very well balanced. A heavy reduction leads to apricot liqueur, if you really want to know. Comments: softer and lighter, yet still quite full-bodied. And of course very, very, very good.
SGP:551 – 90 points. |
We're really staying within a handkerchief-sized space here, as we say here – truth be told, we wouldn't mind coming across a poor Ben Nevis, just to add a bit of contrast to this little multi-session. But we know those bottles are few and far between. Right, not that we're going to complain about it. |
Still, I reckon we're rather overdoing it with all these 1996s, aren't we? |
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Ben Nevis 28 yo 1996/2024 (51.8%, East Village Company, Whisky Maniac, sherry butt, 72 bottles)
Post-apocalyptic themes seem to be all the rage on our spirit labels these days. Between that and the cats, I must say my heart is torn... Colour: gold. Nose: rich, oily, gentle, on apple and banana coated in white blossom honey. Acacia, for instance. Then, rather than heading toward the usual markers such as tobacco, leather or brine, it veers off into tropical fruit territory, guava, papaya, mango, grapefruit… With water: it becomes soft and mellow, like fruitcake. Mouth (neat): an exotic fruit salad drizzled with lemon juice and mezcal. Works for you? With water: little change, save for some wee fruits and berries sneaking in, thinking grape in syrup. Finish: medium length, with the wee impression that adding water may have done it no real favours. Comments: a truly lovely Ben Nevis in any case, and for once we’ll just say it plainly—please, no water.
SGP:651 – 90 points. |
Careful now, we messed up our calculations, we only had six Ben Nevis on the table this time, not seven. Not a big deal, right? All in all, we’ll have tasted 34 different versions, which is pretty good going. And we’ve hovered around the 90-point mark the whole way through, just a little lower for the younger ones, which says a lot about the quality of these Ben Nevis/Nevisses — even the very young ones, in fact. |
So naturally, we can’t help but think of Colin Ross, who was undeniably the skipper of the whole thing. And who often saved us from ending up with all those wonderful casks ruined by ueberfruity port, PX, or Bordeaux rouge. Hasta la vista, Colin Ross — you were, well, you are, a star! |
A quick reminder of the cream of the crop, rated WF 92:
Ben Nevis 1996/2025 (45.7%, The Whisky Jury, refill hogshead, cask #1648, 260 bottles)
Ben Nevis 27 yo 1996/2023 (47.9%, The Whisky Blues, hogshead, cask #1638, 267 bottles)
Sister casks, purely by chance, eh… |
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February 5, 2026 |
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A Ben Nevis Solera, seven-by-seven, part 4 |
We carry on, plain and simple… There’s still a lot of Ben Nevis around, and all the better for it. Still in the lead: the Ben Nevis 52 yo 1973/2025 (40.1%, Thompson Bros., two refill hogsheads), for several reasons.
The director’s Jaguar at Ben Nevis (WF Archive, 2006) |
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Ben Nevis 11 yo 2012/2024 (54%, Brothers in Malt, octaves, 289 bottles) 
From several octaves. Given octaves are small casks, the wood-to-spirit ratio is of course higher than, say, in a hogshead – though a refill octave can be less active than a first fill or rejuvenated hoggie, naturally. Let’s see… Colour: full gold. Nose: active! Wood varnish and kirsch, orgeat, bitter almonds, praline cream and straight-up walnut liqueur. Very typical, and rather balanced for now. With water: it stands firm, no amount of water fazes it. Mouth (neat): very much in line with the nose but now with more ginger and cinnamon mints, which add quite a punchy edge to the whole. Very spicy. With water: there we go – it softens, with citrus zest and those classic BN notes of tobacco and mild mustard. The base distillate hadn’t been so apparent earlier. Finish: long, and this time the proverbial salinity arrives. Comments: truth be told, this young scrapper just kept improving.
SGP:362 - 85 points. |
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Ben Nevis 6 yo 2019/2025 (55%, The Whisky Exchange, Caoineag the Weeping Spirit, sherry butts, casks #416 & 423, 666 bottles)
A Highland witch tale here, which might well suit a 6-year-old BN at full strength. With a touch of Alsatian naivety, one wonders whether the bottle count was intentional or just luck. Colour: full gold. Nose: old walnuts and exhaust fumes, sulphur, leather, ashes, then coriander and pepper sauce, or something along those lines. With water: tobacco, cigar ash and pepper. Mouth (neat): a slightly unsettling brutality at first, but it rounds off with lemon marmalade and pickled lemons. It’s also noticeably peatier. With water: bitter herbs emerge, all very charming. Finish: long, briny, with a surprising young Ledaig character. Fair point – we’re not far from Mull, are we? Comments: very good, especially for just 6 years.
SGP:465 - 85 points. |
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Ben Nevis 13 yo 2011/2025 (56.6%, Le Gus’t, hogshead, cask #289, 303 bottles)
Featuring a lovely photo of dear Colin Ross, ex-Distillery Manager, on the label. He really ought to appear on every Ben Nevis bottle, even the official ones – there, I’ve said it. What a character! Deeply missed… Colour: white wine. Nose: we’re back to the (so-called) purity of the distillate, lightly wrapped in custard and perhaps a touch of white chocolate. Seawater, green walnut, carbon, ‘distillate sulphur’, paraffin, new leather, fresh concrete… With water: just goes on. Mouth (neat): quite different now, with a strong hit of damp earth, peanut caramel, then candle wax and plenty of cardamom. The candle notes edges toward pure paraffin, with even the faintest trace of soapiness – which fits this profile perfectly. Finish: long, with lovely lemony bitterness. One thinks of obscure regional Italian amari – though don’t ask me their names. Salted bitter almond and loads of pepper on the aftertaste. Comments: very original and very good.
SGP:462 - 88 points. |
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Ben Nevis 26 yo 1998 (43.2%, Lady of the Glen, Rare Cask, refill hogshead, cask #176, 276 bottles)
An interesting bottling strength, which might hint at a more complex and tertiary profile than some other releases from the same vintage… Colour: white wine. Nose: oh yes, this is spot on – clearer than expected but also more precise, on beeswax, lemon, seawater and a few hints of dill, before shifting into the realm of top-tier Burgundian chardonnays, with that distinctly chalky terroir. Though perhaps the robe of the malt already pointed us in that direction. Mouth: a little more fragile on the palate, with a more pronounced herbal infusion side, but I still find it excellent. Perfect salinity and lovely, mildly sweet pepper. Finish: not especially long, but the waxiness returns, and that’s always welcome. Very ripe banana and pear. Comments: one of its lesser qualities is that you could sip it in outrageous quantities without blinking. Not that we’re recommending that, naturally.
SGP:551 - 89 points. |
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Ben Nevis 28 yo 1996/2025 (44.8%, Casky & One or Two, hogshead, Two Cities, One Spirit, cask #953, 256 bottles)
A Ben Nevis from the emblematic vintage, offered as a link between Hong Kong and Melbourne. We’re all for it! Colour: white wine, perfect. Nose: we’re squarely in Côte de Beaune blanc territory here, somewhere around Puligny or Chassagne. It starts out almost simply – banana, chalk, vanilla and toast – but quickly livens up with herbs, flowers and fruit showing with lovely restraint. I adore those whitecurrant touches with a bit of beeswax. Mouth: a relatively soft 1996, likely due to a pronounced angels’ share. Perhaps a touch more fragile than on the nose, and thus less commanding, but still a tremendous Ben Nevis – complex, increasingly citrussy and, naturally, ever more saline. Finish: now that’s perfectly taut, very saline, very lemony, with a splendid and layered bitterness. Comments: funny how this one kept bouncing between 91 - 90 - 89 - 88 - 89 - 90 - 91 in my overall score. No, it’s superb. Incidentally, I’m heading back to Hong Kong soon, but I’ve never been to Melbourne and I rather regret that.
SGP:652 - 91 points. |
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Ben Nevis 27 yo 1996/2023 (47.9%, The Whisky Blues, hogshead, cask #1638, 267 bottles)
Sublime label, as always. I honestly think they have the most beautiful labels in the entire world of spirits – tied, perhaps, with LMDW’s Artist series. Colour: white wine. Nose: an ultra-precise 1996 BN – I don’t think I even need to say more. You’re right, it’s a welcome break. Mouth: same story on the palate – nothing further required. So instead, I’ll retell the one about the Scottish chef who always cooks with whisky and, occasionally, even adds some to the food. You brought this on yourselves. Finish: long, characterful, lemony, chalky, waxy, saline, in short, very ‘BN’. Comments: a splendid bottle, very different from the ‘Hong Kong – Melbourne’ one in that this is just so immediate and direct. Truly, I don’t think it’s possible to do much better in this style.
SGP:562 - 92 points. |
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Ben Nevis 1996/2025 (47.3%, Malts of Scotland for The Whisky Dreamers FPC, bourbon hogshead, cask #Mos 25013, 188 bottles)
A very Belgo-Dutch affair, judging by the little flags on the label – though of course the bottler is German. Vive l’Europe! In truth, I don’t really see what could go wrong here… Colour: gold. Nose: macerated chalk in banana and mango juice with a dash of sesame oil – that’s what we’ve got. Add three ripe mirabelles for garnish. Joking aside, this is a fruitier ’96 BN than the previous ones. Mouth: utterly charming when the wood plays its hand a little, creating a balance that’s perhaps slightly fragile but refined, like the veiled marble of Raffaele Monti (right, that’s a bit much, S.) Finish: not very long but highly complex, with tremendous finesse, showcasing all the little classic BN bits – ashes, tobacco, oils – and a touch of honey in the aftertaste. Comments: such exquisite softness.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
Right then, after twenty-eight Ben Nevis, it’s the 27 yo 1996/2023 by The Whisky Blues that’s taken the lead, with a WF score of 92. But it’s not over, we should have more Ben Nevis next time. That’s right, tomorrow if all goes well. |
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February 4, 2026 |
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A Ben Nevis Solera, seven-by-seven,
part 3
Right then, so far we've had several ’91s, but the most miraculous was the 1973 from the Thompsons, so we’re arbitrarily deciding that it’s the front-runner. Let’s keep going…
Untitled, 2022, Sthenjwa Luthuli (with Ben Nevis 10 yo Artist #15 LMDW.) |
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Ben Nevis 10 yo ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ (58.3%, La Maison du Whisky, Artist #15, 1st fill sherry finish, cask #202, 655 bottles)
Colour: Nose: straight into shoe polish and gun oil, all rather military, then increasingly on pencil shavings with a mix of citrus zest, curry and ginger. The cask was active. With water: it folds back slightly onto cedarwood. Mouth (neat): very powerful, spicy but not over the top, very citrussy too, veering more and more toward bergamot and the usual mustard. It’s quite something to witness the battle between cask and distillate, with the latter gradually winning out. What a beast! With (Roger) water(s) – yes, another daft joke, even here: again not much change, though a saltier edge emerges. Finish: same again for quite a while. Comments: these Ben Nevis are just brilliant. And yes, you did catch the two-penny pun – Dark Side of the Moon, Roger Waters… Sorry!
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
And since we’re in Paris… |
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Ben Nevis 2018/2025 (46%, Whisky Live Paris Edition, 1st fill oloroso butt, cask #209, 856 bottles)
Eight hundred and fifty-six bottles from a single butt, even at 46% vol., is a fine result. But I believe this was a finishing, so the angels’ share would’ve been lower. And yes, WLP was in September, and yes, we’re late again. Colour: full gold. Nose: as expected, very close to the Dark Side, especially now that the latter has been reduced. Perhaps a touch more chocolate toffee here, and some roasted chestnuts. Mouth: same elements on the palate. Chocolate, cedarwood, a hint of malt extract, salted nuts. Finish: much the same. A touch more peppery. Comments: excellent of course, we’re just docking one point for that rascal Roger Waters, hoping he won’t charge us royalties.
SGP:562 - 86 points. |
Right then, let’s head back to the 1990s… |
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Ben Nevis 1998/2025 (48.3%, The Whisky Jury, refill hogshead, cask #1562, Belgium Exclusive, 92 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: the balance between apple, banana and peach on one side, and salty, waxy, almost coppery notes on the other, with old walnut, mint, tobacco and leather acting as referees. There’s a faint lean into light Jamaican rum territory, which frankly doesn’t surprise us coming from The Whisky Jury. Mouth: tricky, this – it’s like the rev counter of a sports car hitting the limiter, climbing fast into the 90s and settling there almost instantly. Sour apple, leather, pepper, salami, chlorophyll, thyme, salt… Finish: it’s almost like chewing a cigar, then it lands on a classic salty and peppery combo. Comments: superb of course, perhaps just a shade less ‘obvious’ than some others. Top class, nonetheless.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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Ben Nevis 28 yo 1996/2024 (52.8%, Douglas Laing Xtra Old Particular for The Whisky Exchange, refill butt, 208 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: long story short, the joy of fresh walnuts, humus, dried morels, leather and tobacco. Chestnut honey rounds off the set. With water: gentle waxy and soapy puffs, perfectly placed in this context. Mouth (neat): magnificent, ultra-powerful, brutal – far more so than the ABV would suggest. Oily, packed with walnuts, smoked fish, oyster sauce, bitter orange and tobacco. Utterly impressive. With water: extraordinary bitterness. If you don’t like bitterness, move along; if you do, try to snag a case – if there are any left in London or beyond. Finish: very long, oily, bitter, enveloping, saline. Comments: marvellous, 91 plus. Just austere enough, and perhaps not the best advert for malt whisky in general. Still, definitely for the seasoned drinker, I’d say, with only the faintest touch of immodesty.
SGP:462 - 91 points. |
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Ben Nevis 1998/2025 (54.3%, Liquid Art, cask #1560, 140 bottles)
No doubt a very artistic liquid inside this bottle – though the label itself certainly doesn’t fall short. Colour: full gold. Nose: here in this 1998 we find that slightly rounder, more civilised Ben Nevis character than in the 1996s, even more floral, with bursts of rose petals and oriental pastries. Even viognier! But it’s really lovely… With water: we drift back a little toward leather and mustard. Mouth (neat): absolutely excellent, positioned squarely between west coast and east coast styles (somewhere west of Tomintoul, where there’s virtually nothing at all), on wax, palo cortado, walnut wine and brine. With water: leather, tobacco, pepper, salted lemon juice, tequila, juniper, beer bitters… Finish: long, bitter-leaning. Comments: absolutely superb, perhaps just a shade less coherent than some of its brethren.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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Ben Nevis 1997/2024 (53.3%, Delia’s Whisky Shop and The Whisky Agency, Christmas Series 2024)
There’s scarcely any point in noting we’re late again, it’s become a given, and we do apologise. Colour: light gold. Nose: it’s true there isn’t much 1997 about, and here we’re faced with a civilised, gentle version of BN, on milk chocolate and even white chocolate, before veering more towards fino sherry, small oysters and petrolic riesling. It’s really very lovely, leaning ever further towards the east coast, which we certainly won’t complain about. With water: a pine needle bed, moss, pinecones… Mouth (neat): this time it’s full of bitters – aubergine, leeks, artichoke, bitter orange, rocket, Fernet Branca, Noilly Prat… The problem is, we adore all that. Not a tenth of a gram of sweetness. With water: the wax arrives, along with candied lemon. Finish: long and bitter, very fine. Salty aftertaste, as expected. Comments: excellent.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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Ben Nevis 28 yo 1996/2024 (49.6%, The Antelope & Kanpaikai, refill hogshead, cask #1324, 192 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: we have the honour and privilege of announcing the return of mango, banana, copper coins, damp earth and, more broadly, the gentler, more civilised Ben Nevis style. Mouth: quite the opposite – immediately firmer, taut, lemony, even acidic, with those beloved bitters we find so often in Ben Nevis. Small pears and green apples, service tree fruit, jujubes, plus wax and chlorophyll. Finish: long but even ‘greener’, concentrated, acidic and bitter. Green and black propolis. This one doesn’t hold back, even at 28 years of age, but it’s a delight to be wrestled by it. Comments: all these 1996–1998 BNs are markedly different, yet they cluster tightly in terms of scoring. A very fine bottle.
SGP:462 - 89 points. |
Right, that makes three Ben Nevis sessions, there’ll definitely be a fourth, and maybe even a fifth. Stay tuned… |
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February 3, 2026 |
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A Ben Nevis Solera, seven-by-seven, part 2
For now, the youthful 2001 from Whisky-Doris is in the lead (WF 89). Shall we carry on at random, if you're happy with that…? The first one today will be our 400th. |
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Ben Nevis 10 yo 2014/2025 (48%, Wilson & Morgan Barrel Selection, Signature, sherry, cask #178/179)
A vatting of refill PX and oloroso. Colour: light gold. Nose: we’re instantly back with tobacco, chalk and slate, joined by the faintest hints of mustard and a dry, elegant sherry from which emerge notes of dried raisins and equally dry figs, all handled with great restraint. It’s really very elegant – a Ben Nevis glancing ever so slightly towards the little town of Craigellachie, one might say. Mouth: a much more ‘Ben Nevis’ Ben Nevis on the palate, if you see what I mean, very close to the sherry-led official releases, fairly packed with leather, tobacco, salted almonds and bitter orange. Excellent. Finish: very long, more peppery, more on nut-and-honey biscuits, and the ever-quoted Italian nocino liqueur. Comments: thoroughly classic, excellent. The reduction to 48% has worked a treat.
SGP:552 - 88 points. |
Another young one probably heavily influenced by sherry… |
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Ben Nevis 2013/2025 (54.7%, Taste Still by Corman Collins, Blurred Lines, 1st fill oloroso, 234 bottles)
Apparently, the name of this baby comes from a Pharrell Williams song. And there we were thinking it was a nod to the layout of our little website (very immodestly, I admit). Colour: dark red amber. Nose: between millionaire’s shortbread and honey cake to begin with, then straight into Xmas cake and its Italian cousin we so adore, panettone, and finally malted coffee and toasted malt… With water: it doesn’t shift much. Light tobacco, very Ben Nevis. Mouth (neat): lovely sherry, thick, concentrated, between pepper and Corinth raisins. A little Nescafé in the background. With water: the salty side emerges, mustard, stock cube… But all done with restraint. Finish: long, much more bitter. Leather and tobacco. Slightly earthy aftertaste. Comments: rather a handsome bottle.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
Since we’re on a youthful streak… (forget about total randomness — we never quite manage it anyway…) |
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Ben Nevis 2018/2025 (58.7%, Bedford Park, 1st fill oloroso sherry hogshead, cask #3148, 311 bottles)
Always interesting to try a very young version… Colour: rosé amber. Funny colour. Nose: extremely compact and rounded, on honey, caramel, toffee and prunes. There’s even a faint touch of Bailey’s, and we’re all for that. And even Guinness. With water: curious notes of new rubber and fresh putty join the mix – must be the distillate reacting. Mouth (neat): same compactness, but much more malty on the palate. Malt-and-honey chocolate, Maltesers… With water: I’d have said 15 years old. Chocolate, malt drink, café latte, then the usual suspects – tobacco, leather, mustard, stock cubes… Finish: long, on similar notes, just with a bit more leather. Comments: very high quality-to-age ratio, that’s for sure.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
Another youngster, but from a very different type of cask… |
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Ben Nevis 12 yo 2012/2025 (56.4%, Single Cask Nation, 1st fill heavy char hogshead, cask #170023, 241 bottles)
In theory, Ben Nevis with its heft should be able to handle heavy char… Colour: dark amber. Nose: it’s got a recharred sherry feel to it, and everything clicks into place with precision – it’s simple (and simplicity is a virtue here) and compact (same comment), taking us close to a tin of assorted caramels from Rowntree Mackintosh. Remember those? For now the distillate stays a little shy, though water might coax it out. With water: no, still leaning on fresh wood and one can’t deny a hint of young bourbon about it. Mouth (neat): oh this is good! Much livelier than expected, all on oranges, pepper, salt and bitter almonds. Hints of cedarwood, pencil shavings etc., as expected. Excellent. With water: the distillate unfurls, though the whole remains pleasingly dry and bitter, the Ben Nevis DNA taking over once more. Finish: long and very dry. Cold black tea and pepper. Comments: there’s an old amontillado edge at the end, which is amusing. And very good of course – it’s from a cracking house.
SGP:362 - 87 points. |
Let’s move on to some older ones… And speaking of oldies… |
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Ben Nevis 52 yo 1973/2025 (40.1%, Thompson Bros., two refill hogsheads)
We really do enjoy these pastiche-style bottle designs – always great fun. But still, a 52-year-old Ben Nevis that isn’t housed in a crystal decanter inside a mahogany chest, nor endorsed by a fading Hollywood star – what a statement! Colour: gold. Nose: on one hand, that pedigree and the low strength could be worrying, the sort of “we bottled this because it had been sitting for over 50 years.” On the other hand, we know the Thompson lads a bit. And so, what we have is an exotic fruit salad lightly adorned with herbal teas and infusions – verbena, woodruff, even genepy. In short, the freshness of it all is genuinely impressive, if unexpected. But of course, the palate will have the final say… Mouth: what is this sorcery? Sutherlandian witchcraft? Indeed, there are those tisanes that hint at the whisky’s age, but never does it become drying, papery or dusty, quite the opposite. Gorgeous little berries (rowan eau de vie, holly and the like) joined by hints of guava (really) and those wee bananas that always work wonders in our spirits, young or old. Finish: obviously, the finish isn’t long, and it shifts more and more towards herbal teas and very old white wines, but it never truly falters. The most astonishing thing is that right at the very end, the original distillate sends forth its leather, tobacco, bitter orange and even a wisp of seawater. It must have had superpowers. Comments: had this very old Ben Nevis been kept in some sort of time capsule?
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
It had to happen, this 1973 has now taken the lead in our multi-session. Right then, let’s carry on… |
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Ben Nevis 29 yo 1996/2025 (48.5%, The Whisky Firm, bourbon hogshead, cask #406, 186 bottles)
We’re in those rather legendary vintages of the late 1990s. There’s a glut of casks… and a glut of quality, as everyone knows. Colour: gold. Nose: mineral oils, vegetable oils, brake dust and walnut liqueur, then cigars and a drop of seawater flavoured with menthol (who on earth would do such a thing?) We are swimming in full-on Ben-Nevisness. Oh, and a few tiny figs. Mouth: absolutely excellent, on mineral dust, green walnuts, brine, leather and tobacco. Then comes bitter orange. The texture and power are pitch perfect. Finish: long and gloriously saline, bordering on mezcal. Comments: firmly in its place, which is right up at the top of the ladder. Its only flaw is the lack of surprise, but that’s also its greatest strength. Well, you know what I mean, of course.
SGP:552 - 91 points. |
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Ben Nevis 28 yo 1996/2024 (48.6%, Maltbarn, The 26, bourbon)
Maltbarn and Archives seem to be locked in a fierce battle for the title of quirkiest fish labels, it’s all rather amusing. If you collect all their bottles, you’d nearly end up with a full encyclopaedia of aquatic life. That said, I’ve yet to spot any sardines or mackerel… Colour: gold. Nose: a touch more restrained, though by no means shy, more on vegetable oils and lemons at first, but beware, it gathers pace in the glass, gains complexity and begins to reveal some beautiful fruits, peaches in particular. All in all, a rather gentle Ben Nevis 1996. Mouth: a different beast on the palate, here we’re extremely close to the previous bottling, practically indistinguishable. Finish: long and spot-on, salty, earthy and rooty, with that classic duo of leather and mustard lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: be warned, at this strength these Ben Nevis are like velvet-trousered baby Jesuses, as we say, so do keep an eye on your pour rate when tasting, such is the quality.
SGP:652 - 91 points. |
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February 2, 2026 |
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A Ben Nevis Solera, seven-by-seven |
There are distilleries that end up in virtually every independent bottler’s line-up, often in frankly astonishing quantities. Ben Nevis is one of them – there are millions of Ben Nevis bottlings out there right now. I’m barely exaggerating. Well, alright, I am, but around here we’re absolutely swamped with Ben Nevis. There’s only one solution: kick off a ‘solera’ session, where we add a random tasting note every time we have five spare minutes. Okay, ten. Fifteen, even… Right, off we go, at random, noses to the wind, in batches of six… No, seven. Oh and we too love Ben Nevis. |
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Ben Nevis 29 yo 1996/2025 (48.9%, Royal Mile Whiskies, cask #408, 227 bottles)
1996 is of course the legendary vintage at Ben Nevis, which means we’re off to perhaps the most ludicrous session start imaginable. We are the culprits, naturally. Colour: white wine. Nose: orchard apples and linseed oil, grand sauvignon blanc – I daresay we’ll be referencing Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé quite frequently in this solera session – then slag and chalk. Mouth: earthy, waxy, spicy perfection. Peppers, fruit peels, green walnuts, mustard (yet another hallmark), green pepper, then along come papayas and passion fruit, all neatly flanked by green pepper. Finish: long, lively, fresh, with a sudden appearance of lemon and also white peach. Oilier aftertaste, which is very much ‘BN’. Comments: we’re diving straight into a cracking 1996, even if it does show a smidgen of restraint.
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
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Ben Nevis 25 yo 1999/2024 (51.2%, Liquid Treasures for The Antelope Macau, refill bourbon hogshead, 232 bottles)
Colour: reddish amber. Nose: we’re much more in classic 1996 territory here, akin to a fine sweet wine that’s fully digested its sugars, with lashings of vineyard peaches, sultanas, fresh figs and beeswax. This nose is rather marvellous. With water: sublime old-hive beeswax, positively brimming with honey, pollen and propolis. Because of course, there’s beeswax and then there’s beeswax. Mouth (neat): superb. Peaches, white pepper, liquorice, the whole ensemble synchronised like a team of Danish alpine troopers on manoeuvres in Greenland. With water: perfect, complex, very Ben Nevis. Ben Nevis truly is a malt apart, is it not. Finish: long, a tad more unruly and leaning bitter/herbal, but nothing untoward. Comments: only the finish is a touch less assured, otherwise we were well on our way to perfection.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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Ben Nevis 28 yo 1996/2025 (51.8%, Milroy’s, hogshead, cask #1583)
Colour: gold. Nose: frankly, this one is near-identical to the previous, just a touch more honeyed and rounded, with a tiny bit more of those overripe apples. The rest is similar. With water: faint notes of beer. Mouth (neat): waxes, peppers, small green fruits, cider apples, white pepper. And a good few litres of mature white Burgundy from a grand vintage. Love these guys but they have been a little full of themselves for years, but I assure you that’s starting to deflate rather swiftly, the old equation of one hectare = one Porsche is beginning to lose, err, a bit of traction. With water: herbal infusions. Finish: fairly long, more candied, more caramelised, yet still quite rustic. Comments: very good of course, though it doesn’t quite lift us skyward or coax us into kinship with the eagles and condors §what?). But you get my drift.
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
We’ve rather fetishised the 1996s, but perhaps it’s time we tried a more recent vintage… |
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Ben Nevis 15 yo 2010/2025 (52.8%, Hogshead Import, refill hogshead)
Colour: white wine. Nose: very much on varnish, hairspray, apple juice, sourdough and roots – celery, carrot, turnip… With water: same again. Hints of nail polish remover. Mouth (neat): excellent on the palate, far more so than on the nose. A mezcal and juniper side, 50/50, plus a sooty touch reminiscent of Caol Ila. I know, it sounds odd, but it’s brilliant. With water: cucumber juice, oyster juice. Finish: long, taut, saline, increasingly on seawater. Comments: forget the nose, dive straight into the palate. Seriously, isn’t this some sort of undercover mezcal? Whatever it is, it’s excellent.
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
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Ben Nevis 12 yo 2012/2025 (53%, Decadent Drams)
A double maturation, with the final five years spent in a sherry cask. Colour: light gold. Nose: this isn’t a funky BN at all, we’re more in the realm of soft fats, baked apples and greengage jam. But water could change all that… With water: we’re back at birth, with porridge, beer, even vegetables (Brussels sprouts) and freshly knocked-down walnuts. Mouth (neat): far more presence than the nose suggested without reduction, much more on mustard, leather, green walnut and tobacco. It’s almost as if the secondary maturation in sherry had far more influence on the palate than on the nose. Funny, that, isn’t it? With water: we land on amontillado, walnut liqueur, devilled sauce, even oregano. Finish: long, very dry, very taut, veering towards Noilly Prat. Comments: chef’s tip, use it to flambé scallops.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
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Ben Nevis 11 yo 2013/2025 (58.6%, Dramfool, bourbon barrel, cask #551, 205 bottles)
The burning question among the wide cohort of Bennevissophiles remains: has Ben Nevis lost its funk in recent years? Especially since the beginning of the post-dear-Colin-Ross era? Only plentiful, consistent and serious tastings will allow us to settle this seminal matter, one that also exists, to a lesser extent, across Scotland at Clynelish. But today we’re in Fort William… Colour: pale gold. Nose: well the answer would appear to be “no”, as we find the requisite doses of mustard, tobacco, seawater, carbon and leather. With water: not the slightest change, still just as austere. Mouth (neat): no, this is excellent, with a fierce lemon joining this salty, tarry and mustardy ensemble. The bitterness is also splendid, though as they say, “it’s perhaps not for everyone”. With water: we’re in extreme fino territory, like those superb limited Lustau releases in their “Puerto” guise. Ultra-cutting, with less sweetness than a shard of granite. Finish: much the same. It’s like you’ve just swallowed a litre of Mediterranean seawater. Comments: seriously, it’s definitely not for everyone, it’s for us! In short, a very extreme BN and, in its own way, rather reassuring.
SGP:372 - 88 points. |
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Ben Nevis 13 yo 2001/2014 (52.6%, Whisky-Doris, The Nose Art, bourbon hogshead, cask #1289, 131 bottles)
Granted, this isn’t a particularly recent bottle, but we hold Whisky-Doris in the highest regard and hope to see the ever-charming Mr and Mrs Debbeler again in Limburg this year. Colour: light gold. Nose: this Ben Nevis leans towards the fruity side this time – think quince-apple-banana compote, for instance. Very pretty. Flint remains watchful in the background. With water: it folds back into leather, bay leaf and slightly green tobacco. Mouth (neat): oh, perfect! Smoked tea, mustard, tobacco, seawater. Superb poise. With water: lovely bitterness, Seville orange, tobacco, coriander, cardamom. Not a single gram of compromise or commercial gloss, it’s wonderfully refreshing. Finish: and here comes the petrolic riesling, from the finest slopes of Ribeauvillé and Bergheim. Gorgeous richness enveloping it all. Comments: a wine malt. That’s meant to be a compliment.
SGP:363 - 89 points. |
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February 1, 2026 |
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The Rum Sessions, no rum today but rum will be back |
Well, I was planning to share a few more rums this Sunday, but something unexpected caught my eye: a large forum — which I won’t name, out of simple goodwill — rather reminiscent of the old Usenet or Yahoo groups in their lively days. There, a handful of anonymous posters had taken the opportunity to express some fairly critical, and at times rather sharp (right, insulting), opinions about this small website and one of our humble rum posts. |
| Honestly, it isn’t such a bad thing. A fully commercial web filled only with praise or even neutrality or consensus would hardly be something to strive for, and a little disagreement is part of what makes independent spaces interesting. Plus, as Courteline once suggested, though expressed in far harsher terms, being judged foolish by someone lacking perspective can almost feel like a quiet compliment. |
| Still, I’ll admit it did leave me feeling a touch deflated reading those remarks. More importantly, it put me slightly off enjoying another glass of rum today — a fortiori five or seven of them — though I’m sure the pleasure will return soon enough. |
| In any case, let’s all take a breath, stay kind, and send a little warmth even to those poor anonymous souls. |
| Hugs and kisses to everyone. |
| See you tomorrow with more whisky... hopefully. |
| Yours, |
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P.S. I've just realised that this January may well have broken a record — or so it seems, though I don’t really keep an eye on our stats, as I firmly believe the quality of our readership matters a thousand times more than its size (which only really concerns those with something to sell — if that).
So exactly 930,570 unique visitors in January, talk about a Dry January! (official figures from our provider - and not visits, hits, extrapolations by third parties, or what have you). Screen copy on request.
Update: A thorough analysis led some talented tech boys and girls to detect significant traffic coming from bots, scrapers, crawlers and the like — totalling the equivalent of 107K visitors, no less. This would bring the actual number of unique visitors in January down to 823,000.
I must humbly admit, that does warm the heart a little. After all, we could even have savoured a few rums today, but it's too late. See you. |
Hold on a second, since you're here, we might as well publish a couple of wee whiskies, even if it is Sunday. Why not these ones… |
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WF's Little Duos,
two very young Auchentoshan to ease into spring, plus bonus |
Alright then, there are still a good six weeks to go before spring arrives here in the northern hemisphere – although, according to the new orthodoxy from D.C., we now talk about eastern and western hemispheres rather than north and south. I suppose the Earth will be flat any day now. Anyway, all the more reason to enjoy two young Auchentoshans… |
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Auchentoshan 9 yo 2016/2025 ‘Waiting for the Sun’ (46%, Uncharted Whisky Co., 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #UC0149, 617 bottles) 
Have you seen the name of this baby? If that’s not a whisky for the times… That said, 617 bottles from a single cask, even at 46% vol, that’s jolly robust. Must be a vatting of two or even three barrels. Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: extremely youthful, very spirity indeed, but also fresh as a daisy and nicely fruity, this is truly classic Auchentoshan of yesteryear, when the triple distillation profile was still front and centre. Haribo jellybeans and the like, limoncello, banana foam, touches of cologne water, citronella... In short, I’ve no idea whether it keeps mosquitoes at bay, but it’s remarkably faithful to the raw distillate and we’d take that any day over oodles of oak or clumsy wine seasoning. Mouth: splendid bitterness, and above all, lashings of fruit eau-de-vie—damson, mirabelle, pear, kirsch, rowanberry and such. Right, and barley too, the whole thing having seemingly aged in a demijohn for ten years or so. But you see, we do love our fruit spirits, so we’re entirely on board with this naked Auchentoshan. Finish: of moderate length, stems and leaves bobbing back up to the surface. In short, fairly herbaceous and bitter. Comments: pure, unvarnished young Auchentoshan, in its birthday suit. It’ll surely climb the ladder once it packs in a few more years…
SGP:660 - 84 points. |
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Auchentoshan 13 yo 2011/2025 (60.6%, Single Cask Nation, Online Exclusive, 4-years in 2nd fill peated bourbon barrel, cask #160463, 198 bottles)
Online exclusive? That’s cool, we are online, aren’t we. That said, we’re awfully curious to see how peat, even just a trace, behaves on something as lean-bodied as Auchentoshan. Shall we? Colour: gold. Nose: how amusing, it initially noses like smoked rosewater, but what’s even funnier is how rapidly the distillate—slightly fattier than usual here—drives off that smoke by brute force, leaving only the faintest wisps. Still, that’s enough to garnish the Juicy Fruit chewing gums, fresh fruits and sweeties, especially... raspberry. Mind you, that raspberry note may well stem from the lofty ABV, so beware… With water: smoked raspberry eau-de-vie, that’s the one. Mouth (neat): borderline virulent, and unmistakably peaty, yet it works a treat. No dissonance whatsoever—in fact, it’s a superb in-cask blended malt. Well, you know what I mean. At any rate, it’s far peatier on the palate than on the nose, and it does faintly evoke cousin Bowmore. With water: it’s uncanny how natural this feels, ticking all the right boxes and showing the coherence of a proper single malt. Oranges, smoked salmon, lemon, three drops of seawater… Finish: long, fresh, elegant, lemony, peppery and smoky, much like a Talisker in fact. Comments: seriously though, Auchentoshan’s markers are present and correct here too. Could we get a thousand palettes of precisely this malt?
SGP:564 - 88 points. |
PS: pour that one blind, no one will believe it is what it is. Hang on, while we're at it, a little bonus... |
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Secret Lowland 11 yo (57.1%, Dràm Mor, refill oloroso sherry hogshead finish, cask #105, 324 bottles, 2025)
In theory, it’s Glenkinchie, several anonymised casks of which seem to have made their way onto the open market. The snag, as ever, is that Glenkinchie is so scarce it’s rather tricky to pin down any clear markers or to define a proper style, unless of course one happens to be one of Diageo’s master blenders. Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s fairly full-bodied, leaning towards sourdough and soft white bread dough, even brioche, with porridge not far behind, then a gentle waft of fresh aniseed and spearmint, with wee white and yellow fruits chiming in quietly. The sherry influence is restrained. With water: little change, though orange drops do appear, along with a rather Auchentoshan-esque brightness. Well well! Mouth (neat): more obvious sherry-led nuttiness, plus preserved citron and candied angelica. Notes of Thai bouillon, coconut milk, and coriander lift it nicely. Even a touch of soy shoots and a mild bitterness that adds welcome tension. With water: very good. Splendid balance, oranges, pink pepper, and still that Thai bouillon showing through... Finish: rather long, heavily orangey, with persistent Thai inflections. Comments: very excellent, and a perfect sparring partner for the second Auchentoshan.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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January 2026 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Pulteney 25 yo 2000/2025 (53.9%, Casky’s Finest Selection and The Antelope, refill barrel, cask #100239) - WF 92
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Caol Ila 16 yo (40%, Gordon & MacPhail for Sestante, 75cl, +/-1985) - WF 93
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
Caol Ila 10 yo 2014/2024 ‘Edition #28’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 100 proof, 1st fill & refill oloroso sherry butt) ) - WF 87
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Hampden 15 yo (50%, OB, Jamaica, 2025) - WF 91
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Kornog 2018/2025 (56.9%, OB, selected by Wu Dram Clan, bourbon barrel, cask #01861, 229 bottles) - WF 91
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Dos Maderas ‘Atlantic’ (37.5%, Williams & Humbert, blend, +/-2025) - WF 50 |
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January 30, 2026 |
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WF's Quirky Little Duos,
over around Inverness
(Dallas Dhu vs Glen Albyn) |
We’ve only got one Dallas Dhu and one Glen Albyn left untasted in the stash, so here’s the perfect opportunity to try them both—especially as these old legends were only about 28 miles apart. Both distilleries fell silent in 1983.
(Google/AI) |
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Dallas Dhu 18 yo 1977/1995 (59.7%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, USA)
Note that Angus has just tasted this wee baby from Forres for WF and liked it a lot; we couldn’t lag behind. Rumours of Dallas Dhu restarting, mothballed since 1983 I remind you, keep swirling about, but for now the distillery appears to remain a museum, or a ‘Heritage Distillery’ as they call it. We’ll have to go there sometime, we’ve read some excellent reports… Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is quite a magnificent nose, half-pastry-like and half-industrial, combining fresh concrete and engine grease with walnut cake and groundnut oil. But the very high strength still stands in the way a little, even after thirty years in bottle, so water will be welcome. With water: well it tightens up on fresh barley, damp earth, putty and paraffin. Mouth (neat): much more vivid on the palate, very lemony, chalky, reminiscent of a fat yet sharp sauvignon blanc from the east of the Loire. The expected notes of slightly salted grapefruit, and even mezcal, are here too. With water: perfect, very old-school in texture, almost a little sulphury à la Mortlach. Notes of fresh mushrooms and a light dustiness that calls to mind an antiques shop. This is certainly an antique malt! Finish: long, oily, almost thick, you almost feel like you’ll need a wee spoon to scoop out the rest of your glass. The discreet salty touch in the dying moments signs off the whole with flair. Comments: well, we’re 100% with Angus on this one.
SGP:462 - 91 points. |
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Glen Albyn 42 yo 1980/2023 (51.1%, Gordon & MacPhail, The Dram Takers, Book of Kells label, refill sherry puncheon, 75 bottles)
So then, the distillery was closed in 1983 and demolished in 1988. Personally, I’ve often had trouble with Glen Albyn, a malt I’ve always found rather unpredictable, though I must admit I’ve tasted very little from its final years, the early 1980s. In any case, I’ve only tried about thirty Glen Albyns all in all, but hats off to Gordon & MacPhail for managing to share another drop with us, and at such a charming bottling strength too… Colour: gold. Nose: what’s truly striking is that we find that same wax, especially the paraffin that was already present in the Dallas Dhu, though here it’s joined by fruity jams, between fig—clearly dominant—and a rather unexpected mango. The whole is adorned with menthol and pine sap, a classic feature of these malts, along with just a smidgeon of soap, or rather hand cream, which I also find fairly typical. With water: mosses, ferns and cedarwood. Mouth (neat): that wonderful ‘old wood’ note shows up straight away, utterly delightful as it’s not drying in the slightest, think thin mints, so dark chocolate and mint in unison. A few drops of pine bud liqueur round off the profile. Meanwhile, the mango whispers faintly in the distance. With water: I must admit I feared the water might bring out more tannin, but no such thing occurred. Green tea, mint, chocolate, coffee and pine resin instead. Finish: rather long, on similar notes, but guess who pops their head round the door again? Mango jam. Comments: well, it’s a draw, which is quite an achievement on both sides, indeed.
SGP:461 - 91 points. |
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January 29, 2026 |
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A few Glen Scotia and wine
There are also many secret Campbeltowners, which we can assume aren’t Springbanks, but today we’re focusing on a small selection of disclosed Glen Scotias. |
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Glen Scotia ‘Double Cask’ (46%, OB, Bordeaux red wine cask finish, 2025) 
Frankly, for us, these NAS finishes in Bordeaux are the bottom of the malt whisky barrel, only tequila finishes fare worse. But one might stumble upon the odd pleasant surprise… Colour: white wine. Nose: despite the pale hue, it goes straight for strawberry yoghurt and muesli. The rest wanders off into bread dough and brioche territory. Why not? Mouth: the premix character is obvious, with strawberry making a comeback alongside a proper cherry clafoutis. It’s fair enough, especially with a touch of orange cake rounding things out. Finish: rather long, fairly fermentary, youthful, quite yeasty. A splash of blood orange gives the whole thing a bit of a lift on the aftertaste. Comments: it’s all right, but we’ll have forgotten about it by tomorrow morning.
SGP:561 - 77 points. |
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Glen Scotia 12 yo (46%, OB, 1st fill bourbon, +/-2025)
The last time we tasted the 12, it was back in 2006, it was a different batch, a whole different livery, and we rather liked it (WF 83). Colour: gold. Nose: vastly superior to the Bordeaux finish, much closer to cereal, to the field, the soil, the yeast, the beer, and perhaps even the peninsula itself. Lovely stewed apples, charming cultivated mushrooms, and a very pretty touch of candlewax. Mouth: fruity barley, cakes, scones, muffins and pancakes, all laced with a fine dollop of orange marmalade and that light maritime saltiness which is so delightful. Finish: rather long, on Belgian beer (why not indeed) and apple juice with cinnamon. Apple juice with cinnamon is one of humankind’s finest inventions, in our humble opinion. Comments: this is an average and perfect malt, and we mean ‘average’ in no pejorative sense whatsoever. We’ll stick with our old score.
SGP:551 - 83 points. |
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Glen Scotia 10 yo 2015/2025 (53.3%, Thompson Bros. for The Whisky Exchange, tawny Port, 317 bottles) 
More red wine, though to be fair this time it’s fortified red wine. Colour: gold. Nose: there are herbal infusions here that bolster the red fruit character, which isn’t overdone for once, though cherry still takes the lead, followed by raspberry jelly and, above all, wafts of peony and wild rose. With water: a little more on the herbal side, and indeed more wild rose. Mouth (neat): heavily marked by these red fruits, in jam or liqueur form, especially cherry cake. In short, it’s vanilla and cherry, entirely unchained. With water: it’s good, it’s fresh, it’s fruity, it’s just not really whisky to my mind. Finish: same feelings. Comments: what one might call a cruel dilemma. As a ready-made concoction, it’s impeccable and even very good. As a malt whisky, it’s rather off topic, in my very humble opinion.
SGP:751 - 82 points. |
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Glen Scotia 10 yo 2014/2025 (55.9%, The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show exclusive, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #1961, 226 bottles)
Colour: straw. Nose: obviously, this is so much prettier, so much more natural, much closer to barley, fresh wood, soil, humus, mosses, fresh almonds and hazelnuts, and yes, humus again… With water: a brand-new jumper (XL, colour of your choice) and damp earth from the west coast. Mouth (neat): beautiful young malt, very close to the raw ingredients, with just a few lemony touches adding extra spark. With water: yes, very good, quite sharp, salty and lemony, just the way we like them. Finish: long, fresh, incisive and edgy, invigorating. Very faint smokiness. Comments: this sends the wine casks back to the depths where they rightly belong, never to be seen again. Very excellent.
SGP:562 - 87 points. |
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Glen Scotia 8 yo 2016 (56.5%, Lady of the Glen, Tawny Port finish, cask #892-4, 231 bottles)
It really is hard to dodge red wine these days, you see, but we hold Lady of the Glen in high regard, so you never know… Colour: somewhere between partridge eye and onion skin. Nose: the Port takes centre stage, mostly in the form of raspberry, strawberry and cherry cakes. All in all, it’s more of a very young whisky for our five o’clock tea. And one can’t help but think of those famous blueberry muffins. With water: a brand-new box of cigars, Cuban of course. Cedarwood is very much calling the shots here. Mouth (neat): it’s no longer malt whisky, we’re nearly into PX from Málaga territory to be honest, yet oddly enough, I quite like it. You just have to accept that it’s no longer Scotch whisky, and there you are, psychologically unshackled. Lovely pepperiness too. With water: little cherry cakes, and one must admit that’s rather good. Finish: long, on candied red fruits and pepper. Comments: that’s probably the trick, just forget it’s meant to be a Scottish malt, and your chakras open on the spot.
SGP:651 - 83 points. |
Perhaps we’ll still return to classicism to finish. After all, this is whiskyfun, not cherryfun. |
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Glen Scotia 1992/2003 (62.1%, Gordon & MacPhail, Cask series, refill sherry hogshead, cask #89.92) 
We’ve had a lot of trouble with this malt over the past few decades, but now that plenty of whisky has flowed under the bridge, let’s give it one last go, once and for all. Colour: gold. Nose: not easy, dominated by spruce and washing powder. It’ll likely need a good shake to wake it up… With water: no luck, it feels like strolling through a warehouse at AliExpress or Temu, or Amazon for that matter. Glues and improbable chemical compounds, Scotch tape, but also some rather lovely caramel. Mouth (neat): a very strange mix of orange zest and extremely, extremely resinous notes, to the point where the whole thing becomes truly bitter. With water: best to abandon ship, as ultimate glue barges in and things turn hazardous, I’d say. Finish: long and very difficult, you’ll need two litres of Perrier to make it out alive (Nestlé, by the way, where’s the cheque?) Comments: no, no, no and no, forever. So very un-G&M, but maybe there was an accident in the first place, more than twenty years ago. Even G&M can fail, imagine that.
SGP:271 - 55 points. |
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January 28, 2026 |
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Storm and fury: seven Breton whiskies
Fierce storms have battered Brittany in recent days – perhaps it's time to lift our spirits with a few Breton whiskies, old and new, picked at random from the shelves. |
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Eddu 'Carnet de Voyages – fûts de Bordeaux’ (46%, OB, France, 1,500 bottles, +/-2025)
A finish in château Rol-Valentin casks (I swear I’m not making this up), a rather smart grand cru from Saint-Emilion. But as you can see, red wine finishes are now a global affliction upon whisky production. That said, the version finished in Burgundy casks was genuinely quite good in our opinion (WF 82). Do note, Eddu is made from pure buckwheat. Colour: pale gold. One would imagine the casks were very thoroughly rinsed. Nose: gentle and very well balanced, it’s almost as if the Bordeaux casks had transmuted buckwheat into malted barley. That said, a fruity freshness with something faintly coastal starts to slip in, together with the most minuscule hints of violet. Mouth: about-turn, this time the finishing takes us towards lightly peppered Williams pears, while some more pronounced bitterness follows, cinnamon mints, green pepper and the like. Finish: medium in length, balanced between sweetness and bitterness. The pear remains in the aftertaste. Comments: pear often signals youthfulness, but I’m not entirely convinced that’s the case here. No matter, I think this is really rather good once again.
SGP:551 - 82 points. |
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Eddu 'Carnet de Voyages – fûts de la Vallée du Rhône Nord’ (46%, OB, France, 1,560 bottles, +/-2025)
The finishing took place here in casks from the excellent house of Gangloff, though I couldn’t say whether it was their famed Côte-Rôtie. Syrah and whisky, even buckwheat whisky, is rather an unlikely pairing... Colour: pale gold, with the faintest suggestion of apricot. Nose: more forceful, leaning towards bitter almonds, rubber, and above all black cherry, kirsch, and marzipan... with kirsch. The rest is decidedly pastry-like. Mouth: once again a little pear, but far more kirsch, even plum eau-de-vie. We don’t get the expected barrage of spicy dark and red berries. Hints of bitter orange and blood orange. Finish: fairly long, again more on spice and pepper, though that’s also intrinsic to Northern Rhône. Comments: it’s not out of the question that buckwheat whisky takes to red wine casks better than barley does. Very pretty altogether, and more austere than the Saint-Emilion.
SGP:561 - 83 points. |
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Glann ar Mor 2014/2025 (55.3%, Kirsch Import, Journal des Kirsch, bourbon barrel, cask #20025, 224 bottles)
In general, our friends at Kirsch Import in Germany place this lovely series under Cognacs and Armagnacs, but here comes a malt whisky! Just a reminder that Glann ar Mor is the unpeated version of Kornog, which is better known, while Kornog is the peated version of Glann ar Mor (S., that’s three seconds of our lives lost forever, thanks). Colour: pale gold. Nose: rich and gentle. Groundnut oil, elderflower and acacia blossom, slightly overripe apples, fresh hazelnuts and muesli. Sounds good? With water: a walk through an orchard by the sea, in Brittany of course. Mouth (neat): big fruity character, let’s say in the Littlemill style, with also a slight pure pot still Irish touch. Lovely fruity and earthy texture, small apples, melons, serviceberries, cornflakes, tutti-frutti eau-de-vie. With water: lemons and smaller related citrus fruits take over. Finish: long, fresh, taut, excellent. Light menthol on the aftertaste, finger lime, citron caviar… Comments: no one will shout at you if you place this adorable bottle on the shelf among your Scottish malts (let’s hope the SWA no longer reads WF these days).
SGP:561 - 88 points. |
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Armorik 11 yo 2013/2025 (60.2%, OB, France, LMDW Itinéraires, bourbon barrel, cask #4076, 209 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: on pure barley, lightly smoky muesli, sea breeze and shellfish – one could almost believe oneself transported to the north-east coast of Scotland, only with a little less wax. With water: green apple joins the festivities, along with a few drops of artisanal beer, naturally Breton. Mouth (neat): excellent, far more peaty, lemony and peppery than the nose suggested – this time we’re more or less on the north-east coast… of Islay. It’s just a touch hot/alcoholic, though water should sort that. With water: they sometimes say Armorik, alongside Glann ar Mor/Kornog, is the most Scottish of French whiskies. That’s probably quite true, and in any case we’re firmly on Celtic ground here. Lovely edge, clean-cut profile, lemony peat, green pepper, oysters and the rest. Finish: long and fresh, taut and pure, nothing to add. A wee wink to Bowmore at the very end. Comments: simply excellent.
SGP:565 - 87 points. |
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Armorik Yeun Elez 5 yo (59.6%, OB, for LMDW Itinéraires, ex-sherry hogshead, cask #8280, 329 bottles, 2025)
This is the confidentially very peated version (50ppm phenols) of Armorik. Colour: dark reddish amber. Nose: I find this more impressive than the early Yeun Elez ‘Jobic’ editions from a few years back, it’s extremely rich on the nose, packed with cherry liqueur, black soil, porcini and pipe tobacco. Latakia. Or wait, I’m reminded of ‘Borkum Riff’, though I haven’t seen a pack in thirty years. And thirty years since I last smoked a pipe—well, aside from once last year in Limburg with a very knowledgeable Italian friend. But why am I telling you this? With water: speculoos spread with cherry jam, anyone? And still a few mushrooms. Mouth (neat): extremely rich, it’s almost like smoked and peppered black cherry jam. Beneath that, a touch of thyme honey and juniper. With water: at 45% vol. it turns soft as a lamb, and as mellow as an excellent peated yet soft malt. This is where I really like it. Finish: very long, beautifully balanced between peat, cherry and pepper. A salty edge follows, plus a few pencil shavings. Comments: very good indeed. We’ll need to try an old Armorik matured in third-fill, though that might be a little premature.
SGP:666 (diabolical!) - 86 points. |
Have we mentioned Kornog yet? … |
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Kornog ‘Taouarc’h an Hanv’ (58.7%, OB, 1st fill bourbon barrel, 263 bottles, 2012)
An official version of Kornog from the founders themselves, which ought to be of interest after more than twelve years in bottle. About time we tried it… Colour: white wine. Nose: still a touch raw and not fully rounded, despite all those years in glass, though the malted and smoked barley is clearly felt, as if one were standing inside a kiln. Broadly speaking, we remain very close to the barley at this stage. With water: doesn’t totally work, maybe, it loses a bit of precision and turns perhaps a little too earthy, though on the other hand there’s a rather lovely fatness that may not be so apparent in more recent Kornogs. Mouth (neat): ah, that famously clean-cut profile is already there—lemon, iodine, green pepper, massive ashes and wee oysters. The background, however, still feels a tad hot. With water: the water works much better on the palate than on the nose. Green apple, pumpkin seed oil, ‘green’ ashes, and perhaps a slight touch of fusel oil. Finish: long, pure when undiluted, a bit more uncertain once watered down. Comments: don’t make me say what I haven’t said—it’s still excellent.
SGP:466 - 85 points. |
Let’s round off this Breton getaway with a much more recent Kornog… |
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Kornog 2018/2025 (56.9%, OB, selected by Wu Dram Clan, bourbon barrel, cask #01861, 229 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: let’s just say it, and God knows we’re terribly fond of both Bushmills and TDL in Trinidad, but at this stage it really does come across as a 50/50 blend of old Bushmills malt and TDL rum (from the better batches), all steeped for hours in candle wax, ashes and mint leaves. Sounds unlikely? Perhaps, but I’m telling it as I find it. With water: well, passion fruits now? Really? Mouth (neat): this is frankly superb; I actually find it better than the Kornog bottled for the 20th anniversary of that wretched website you’re reading right now. What I said about Bushmills and TDL holds even truer on the palate, even 120% valid, it’s mad. Sublime blood oranges, by the way. With water: where else are you going to find notes of wild blueberries and freshly unwrapped gauze? Year after year, Kornog’s peculiarities shine through and it’s endlessly fascinating. Finish: long, fresh, taut, hugely fruity, with peat playing a strong yet ultimately seasoning-like role rather than dominating. Just the tiniest bit of saltiness in the aftertaste. Comments: a truly great European malt whisky, every fan of peated malt should have a bottle/a case/a pallet of this in their private stash. And I mean it, there.
SGP:566 - 91 points. |
Right then, some say Kornog is the best French peated single malt whisky. I wouldn’t necessarily argue with such a bold claim. In fact, I’d put Kornog on par with Smögen in this style (which, let’s be honest, is our favourite). And vice versa. Good night/good day. |
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January 27, 2026 |
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A quartet of young Torabhaig
We’ve got a few ultra-rare Taliskers in the pipeline, but since we had plenty towards the end of last year, we’ll be tasting some young Torabhaig today instead. You’re right, they must be young, as the new Skye distillery only started operating in 2017.
(Torabhaig) |
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Torabhaig ‘Sound of Sleat’ (46%, OB, Legacy Series, Chapter No.4, 2025)
Colour: white wine. Nose: we’re back on that rather fatty peat, brimming with iodine and seaweed, which we found most appealing when we first tried Torabhaig’s inaugural vintage that was a 2017. This one carries on with oyster shell and damp chalk, nothing too complex really, but then again, complexity isn’t always what one’s after, is it. Mouth: a touch of new oak makes an entrance, bringing along pepper and curry notes that slightly throw off the malt’s freshness, though the rest falls neatly into place with sooty, ashy, and coastal touches. Finish: long, saline and extremely peppery, inevitably calling to mind that other nearby malt beginning with T. Comments: the new oak’s a slight misstep, but overall, this remains most charming. I did much prefer ‘Cnoc Na Moine’ though.
SGP:466 - 84 points. |
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Torabhaig 2018/2023 ‘Club Reserve Release No.5’ (60.7%, OB, Barbados rum barrel, cask #1056, 293 bottles)
Rum, why not. It’s become quite common, but I remember the days when those very, very rare Springbanks matured in rum casks had everyone clamouring for a bottle. Colour: white wine. Nose: lamp oil and graphite grease. That’s all for now, but we’re rather fond of it. With water: flint and basalt, plus a touch of fresh rubber. Is that the rum speaking? Mouth (neat): I don’t believe the rum’s really brought much to the conversation, and overall this feels rather brutal at cask strength. Huge brine and a splash of cologne—it surely can’t stay that way, fancy a wager? With water: there we are, we’ve landed back on the malt’s DNA, sea water, seaweed, pepper, all carried on a fairly oily base. Finish: long, with a nice peppery bitterness, while the ashes firmly take over the aftertaste. Comments: a lovely wee creature, with a rum influence that’s probably rather incidental.
SGP:457 - 87 points. |
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Torabhaig 7 yo 2018/2025 (56.7%, Dràm Mor, 1st fill bourbon, cask #1160, 241 bottles)
I always think it’s excellent news when respected independents choose your malt—and vice versa. You know what I mean. I do think the more insular brands (love you all) tend to get it wrong, sooner or later. Colour: white wine. Nose: this is fresher, more floral (dandelion) and fruitier (apple) than the official bottlings, at least at first nosing. Possibly more elegant too… Hints of beeswax, which is always splendid news. With water: we’re back to the source—peat, smoke, a working kiln, virgin wool… Mouth (neat): clean cut lemon and ashes, absolutely spot on. The barley comes through more clearly too. With water: a burst of lime and sea water, just what we’d been waiting for. Slight mercurochrome. Finish: long and as sharp as a blade. Comments: lovely wee creature, that’s all I’ve got to say.
SGP:457 - 87 points. |
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Torabhaig 7 yo 2018/2025 (60.4%, Hannah Whisky Merchants, Samhain Series, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #1137, 215 bottles)
This should be close to the previous one. By the way, I was just thinking recently that, given how often we taste coastal Scottish malts, how is it we’re still not speaking Gaelic? Anyway, Samhain would apparently mean ‘the first day of November, celebrated by the ancient Celts as a festival marking the beginning of winter.’ And there we are, running late again… Oh, and the name of this bottle is ‘The Quiraing, Playground of The Giants’. One can only bow in respect. Colour: straw. Nose: very close to the previous one, but a tad rounder, a little oilier, and just a touch softer. With water: apple and pear juice coming to the fore, in balance with the brine, but it remains quite close. Mouth (neat): virtually the same whisky on the palate, which of course is splendid news. Very nicely incisive, with heightened salinity, ashes, lemon… With water: sea water! Finish: very long, salty and full of green pepper. It gains surprising vigour. Comments: I slightly, very slightly prefer this version to the previous one, but not enough to alter the score. No, we’ll never do half-points, let alone decimals.
SGP:567 - 87 points. |
We’re eagerly awaiting the first 10-year-old Torabhaig, so we can compare it to one of our favourite ‘core’ malts, the most serene majesty (what?) Talisker 10! |
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January 26, 2026 |
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Four Glen Elgin and a hint of wood
We believe that Glen Elgin should retain its place among the great historic malts, rather than sinking to the depths of the latest loch. In our view and perhaps in an ideal world, it's the best malts that should rise to the top — and that has absolutely nothing to do with marketing budgets or tequila finishes. And let’s not even mention the ubiquitous mizunara. Come on then, let’s have a few Glen Elgin... |
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Glen Elgin 16 yo 2009/2024 (56.1%, The Whisky Blues, STR barrel, cask #801780, 236 bottles)
An STR barrel, which suits us nicely—we imagine it’s simply what one would have called, just five years ago, a ‘rejuvenated barrel’. Colour: straw. Nose: this fatness on ripe apples, barley and muesli. Very Glen Elgin (and very complementary to Lagavulin, but let’s move on, although where is Lagavulin, by the way?…) With water: I swear you can smell the old White Horse. Truly, I swear. Mouth (neat): the perfection of a ‘central’ malt, thick and fat, but all on oils and orchard fruits. With water: damp soils, stewed apples and pears, grapeseed oil. It’s not here to amuse, but that’s probably not the goal anyway. Finish: long, even more bitter. Comments: we’re absolutely fond of this extremely austere style, but to be honest, it’s still rather niche. Still, we kind of adore it…
SGP:361 - 83 points. |
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Glen Elgin 29 yo 1995/2025 (44.6%, The Whisky Blues, refill hogshead, cask #3256, 254 bottles)
Do you believe in premonitions? We certainly do… Colour: straw. Nose: this is an old malt, marked by the wrinkles of time—old apples, damp chalk, beeswax, dusty books, vintage polish... In short, on the nose it rather bids us farewell, but of course it’s the palate that matters most… Mouth: an unsuspected vigour on the palate, even though age does show, via slightly overripe apples and gently tired spices. Or faded herbal teas. Or old, lightly salted broths. Finish: fairly short, a touch drying, though honey and pollen kindly come to the rescue. Comments: not an easy old malt, that much is certain. It likely calls for a little intellectual effort, which isn’t always in abundant supply at WF HQ, ha. Still, it’s really very good—and besides, 1995 was the year of ‘Confide in Me’ by Kylie Minogue! No, forget the Cranberries…
SGP:361 - 82 points. |
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Glen Elgin 13 yo 2012/2025 (56%, Watashi Whisky & Le Sens, 1st fill Sauternes barrique, cask #806484)
First fill Sauternes can be a tad unsettling, not just because of the sulphur these casks tend to harbour once emptied (coz of the way they quickly go off due to all that sugar if you don’t ‘treat’ them), but one never knows—it can also work wonders. As ever, the truth lies in the glass… Colour: gold. Nose: well, this one does work, with apricot liqueur, mirabelle eau-de-vie, vanilla sponge, orange blossom and candle wax. It all holds together rather nicely. With water: becomes very much about assorted herbal teas. Mouth (neat): Sauternes can work, and here’s yet another example, not unlike the early Glenmorangies of old. That said, the wood is quite vocal here, very ‘green’, peppery, almost as if it came from fresh French oak. With water: a faint touch of menthol, that’ll be the oak. Finish: it fades while becoming ever drier and more bitter. The mirabelle and muscat do bring a little cheer to the aftertaste. Comments: we really do quite like it, but it’s probably not the easiest bottle out there, the cask influence being rather assertive.
SGP:461 - 81 points. |
Last chance, dear Glen Elgin… By the way, we haven’t seen many official bottlings. I mean, since around 2010. |
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Glen Elgin 17 yo 2007/2025 (57.5%, Single Cask Nation, double maturation in oloroso hogshead, cask #173287, 230 bottles)
Colour: full gold. Nose: here come the roasted peanuts, charred wood, malt and walnut liqueur. This is much more classic than the previous ones, and we’re rather delighted by that. With water: quality grey pepper and a few old papers. We do love the scent of old papers. Mouth (neat): almost an onslaught of spices and citrus—green pepper, zest, bitter orange and clove. Classic and modern at the same time, so that’s spot on. With water: it improves further still, on orange, coriander and shochu. White pepper and yellow curry in the aftertaste, the cask clearly having been rather active. Finish: long, more peppery, spicier still. Comments: super stuff, just very oak-driven, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
SGP:461 - 83 points. |
Right, we'll leave it there, and hope to find some Glen Elgin in its purest form over the coming months. |
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January 25, 2026 |
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The Rum Sessions,
Topping up with a bit more sugarcane spirit |
The days stretch out slowly, as if still reluctant to let go of winter. The cold lingers, biting and familiar, greeting our flushed cheeks each morning. And yet, now and then, the sky shows a touch of mercy: a few rays of sunshine, rare and precious, break through the grey and gently brush our faces. They warm the body as much as the spirit, casting a soft, almost hopeful light, and bringing with them that priceless dose of vitamin D that stirs something long dormant. With this new brightness comes a hazy, comforting, almost tropical yearning: the urge to travel without moving, to summon far-off places in a few glasses of rum.
I know, I know, what a pitiful and utterly pointless introduction. My bad, we won’t do that again… |
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Depaz ‘VSOP’ (45%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2025)
The core range Depaz expressions are generally very much to our liking and the extra 5% bottling strength, compared to other brands, works very well indeed and avoids the slightly limp character some others can display. Except the pot still ones, which sometimes don’t need that boost… These days, Depaz belongs to La Martiniquaise, alongside Saint James, J.Bally and Dillon. In short, some very respectable houses… Colour: gold. Nose: a touch of glue and varnish to start with, always a good sign for me, then we dive into ultra-ripe tropical fruits and sweet spices, bringing to mind a banana and cinnamon salad. It’s very classic, it’s very pretty. Mouth: we’re back with the glue, now joined by liquorice, then quite a hefty dose of rock sugar and caramel, the latter quickly taking the upper hand, supported by sugarcane, fermented fruits and a little pine resin. It works very well. Finish: long, on varnish and liquid caramel, the kind that’s sold already runny to home bakers for drizzling over cakes or flans. Comments: I find it superior to a version that preceded this one by about ten years.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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Dominican Republic 17 yo 2018/2025 (60.8%, La Maison du Whisky, Flag Series, Collection Itinéraires, Madeira cask, cask #DR08MD01, 225 bottles)
We’ve always dreamt of finding one or several rums from the Dominican Republic that weren’t just pure ethanol from monstrous multi-column stills, later aromatised with some sort of who-knows-what. Well, we know the story… I must confess, Bristol had sourced some truly excellent ones in the past, so hopes are high here… Colour: very dark amber. Nose: instantly brings to mind some of the better Cubans, such as certain Santiago bottlings one can enjoy locally. Perfect toffee and roasted nuts, hints of cedarwood and cinnamon rolls, but also quite a lot of alcohol. With water: a family-sized pack of honey and molasses-coated roasted peanuts. A faint earthy edge too, which is most pleasant. Mouth (neat): very probably my favourite DomRep to date. Granted, it’s a wee bit sweet, but the woodiness delivers a welcome bite, and the sheer abundance of roasted or even burnt oily nuts works a treat. Also a few drops of pineapple liqueur. With water: good news, the water doesn’t make it feel thin, even if the structure itself reveals a certain lightness. Again those lovely varnishy notes and super-ripe fruits—mango, banana—with a whiff of acetone… Finish: of medium length, more on molasses. Comments: probably from AFD (Alcoholes Finos Dominicanos). No sugar added here, or at least nothing detectable.
SGP:531 - 85 points. |
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Bellevue 2016/2025 (64.3%, Bedford Park, Marie-Galante, bourbon barrel, cask #417, 236 bottles)
Marie-Galante! Let me remind you that administratively it’s part of Guadeloupe. And in terms of flavour, Bellevue sits among the best distilleries in the world, across all categories. Colour: white wine. Nose: chiuso, fermé, closed, geschlossen, cerrado, fèmé. Well, almost, and that’s down to the high strength. Only two remedies exist—either wait three hours or add water. We’ll go for the latter. With water: it remains surprisingly light in structure, you’d think it was a traditional rum rather than an agricole. But it’s very pretty, elegant, now distinctly more vanilla-led. Mouth (neat): this really is a bridge between the French Caribbean and Jamaica, in terms of profile. Salty but close to the cane, tarry, varnished, yet also soft and almost amiable. But once again, nearly 65% vol. So… With water: the effect of water on the nose doesn’t quite carry over to the palate as strongly, there’s still a trace of funk, some esters, very ripe fruit, and even a drop of acetone. Finish: thin, long, again with that ‘cross’ character. A touch of lemon or limoncello, sugarcane syrup. Comments: a Guadeloupean that still feels a bit mysterious to an eternal layman like me.
SGP:541 - 84 points. |
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Réunion 2019/2025 (67.7%, Bedford Park, bourbon barrel, cask #42, 255 bottles)
Have you seen the strength? That’s pure provocation! And to think our lawyer remains unreachable—they claim he’s sorting out international tariff issues, but I know full well he’s actually out on the golf course… Right, in theory this should be Savanna, let’s see if it’s grand arôme… Colour: white wine. Nose: splendid. Wood glue, curry, near-rotten bananas, fromage blanc, puncture repair glue, eucalyptus, paraffin, aged Gouda, and linden tisane. What an improbable mix, and what a beauty! With water: same notes, just rearranged in a different order. Mouth (neat): unbelievably medicinal, fermentary and spicy. It’s as if someone had added loads of pepper and orange peel to cough syrup, along with a few drops of wild strawberry liqueur. Glorious madness. With water: let’s say coriander seed up front, then an obvious gin-like character, followed by peppers and chillies, all wrapped in a tropical honey of great charm. Finish: extremely long—which is useful if you’re still waiting for your lawyer to call you back. A saline touch right at the very end. Comments: I’m completely in love with this improbably wonderful rum that’s almost certainly rather a little ‘bacterial’. See what I mean.
SGP:563 - 90 points |
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TDL 22 yo 2003/2025 (57.5%, The Antelope, Trinidad, refill barrel, cask #R002, 220 bottles)
Ten years in the tropics, the rest on the continent—though what exactly ‘the continent’ means these days is anyone’s guess. Right then, let’s see if this is an exotic fruit bomb or a jerrycan of petrol… I do hope the NSA isn’t reading this… Colour: gold. Nose: definitely a fruit bomb, though the hydrocarbons are lurking in the shadows. Think old Redbreast or Bushmills, with 5% 1970s Ardbeg chucked in for good measure. You get the picture… With water: it all integrates further, absolutely splendid. TDL Major. Mouth (neat): an incredible parade of pink bananas, mango, papaya, fresh rubber, liquorice and olive oil. With water: not even worth continuing, it’s that good. Finish: long, saltier and more peppery now, with more olives and salmiak, yet the super-ripe fruits still hold the fort. Comments: there's an almost slightly aggressive streak to this, which seems to be all the rage these days, globally speaking. Only joking—it’s splendid.
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
I think we’ll finish with a couple of Jamaicans—perhaps some Monymusk?
Yes, I know, there’s “Musk” in Monymusk, but please, let’s not dwell on that… Oh and, you’re right, also ‘Mony’. But Monymusk is no Don Tesla, is it. |
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Monymusk 27 yo 1998/2025 ‘MMW’ (60.1%, Thompson Bros., Jamaica, 174 bottles)
MMW—I believe we’re looking at around 300 g esters/HLPA here. Just a reminder that, like ppm peat, none of that behaves linearly once it’s in your glass. I should also add that the price of this bottle is about the same as a cold calzone and a lukewarm pint somewhere around Covent Garden, and you don’t even need to leave a tip. Madness. Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s the brisk Atlantic freshness that strikes first, the elegance of the whole, seaweed, little green olives, small lemons, oysters, and freshly bought pullovers straight from The House of Bruar… It’s a bit like what Caol Ila is to Ardbeg (compared to Hampden, if you see what I mean). With water: not the slightest change, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Mouth (neat): precise to the millimetre, on mentholated liquorice and shellfish, with tar and rubber added in manageable quantities. With water: the salinity comes to the fore, somewhere between seawater and brine. Finish: there are ‘almost’ a few anchovies. Comments: if you enjoy very saline spirits as much as I do, this one’s for you (too). Never mind the calzone and pint in central London.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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Monymusk 24 yo 2000/2024 (62%, The Whisky Blues, Jamaica, barrel, cask#13908, 148 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: it’s the very high strength that takes charge here, with notes of seawater and lime hovering in the background while ethanol keeps a firm grip on the reins. No worries… With water: even with plenty of dilution, we’re still firmly in that chemical, rubbery territory… Mouth (neat): ultra-powerful, it gives you three slaps and leaves you flat on the mat. Seriously, it’s extremely full-on, you get the impression you’re sipping jet fuel for an F-35 (or Gripen, or Rafale, or Eurofighter etc.) With water: ah, now it’s a little more civilised, though it still feels like you’re north of a kilo of esters/HLPA, which I didn’t think even existed at Clarendon/Monymusk, right? Finish: a bit burning, very long, more acidic, more vinegary. In short, very ‘pickled’. Comments: this one’s a brute, really, and demands a fair bit of resistance. Pretty surprising.
SGP:364 - 85 points.
PS: Actually, I’d already tasted this little number in very different circumstances — after a blend of rums from Liberia and Thailand — and it had really stood out a lot more than it did after the brilliant Monymusk from the Thompsons. Which just goes to show how important line-ups and comparisons are, something we tend to do more often with whiskies. I'm afraid we keep treating rums a bit like tourists, ha. |
Best to leave it there… but stay tuned. |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted
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January 24, 2026 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland |
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Two Celebratory Highland Park
Why celebratory? Well, because it has been a pretty hectic but overall very good week here at WF Scotland HQ (we're moving house!). In such circumstances, you tend to feel motivated to reach for the good stuff. Stuff such as old Highland Park! We have two, but I think it would be remiss not to find time for a wee aperitif... |
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Highland Park 8 yo (70 proof, Gordon & MacPhail, dark vatting, -/+ 1978) 
The 100 proof versions justifiably carry mighty reputations, but these slightly more 'under the radar' 70 proof versions could also be superb in my experience... Colour: light amber. Nose: straight away we're in classical HP territory. Soft, dry peat, mushroom powder, walnuts, earthy potting shed, clay, dried out herbs, verbena, some old funny cocktail bitters. Add to all that wet leaves and unlit cigars! It's just so very complete, humble and pleasing! Mouth: it even works well at only 40%, the weight of the distillate is such that you still get body, the peat comes through with more drying, peppery characteristics, black tea, dried mint, treacle with sea salt, miso, Scotch broth and fir wood full of resins. Simply but again the feeling of a cohesive, fully formed and rather beautiful profile is impossible to escape. Finish: good length, resins and heather honey with very delicate peat going into the aftertaste. Comments: one word: deadly! SGP: 563 - 90 points. |
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Highland Park 1971/1985 (56%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 4.4)
A bottle I opened last September to mark my 40th birthday. Like me, it was also 'bottled' in Edinburgh in July 1985! Colour: white wine. Nose: it would be hard to be further away from the 8yo without being made at a different distillery (what?). This is all wet rocks, plaster, lemon rind, sheep wool, wonderful mineral notes all jangling together, beach sand, driftwood, crushed seashells, coastal flowers... one of those whiskies that compels me to write the word 'evocative'. With time it gets even more focused on these lemony aromas, preserved lemon, lemon tea etc. With water: pure seawater, dried seaweed, tiny briny notes, more flinty minerals and crushed shells. An almost brittle sense about it. But overall, totally beautiful. Mouth: amazing purity and at also a breadth of flavours at work, the peat comes through, with smoked sea salt, olive oil, seawater, old cough medicines, tiger balm, more of these oily sheep wool impressions, white miso, dried tarragon, lime. It's a brilliant example of what a masterful distillate Highland Park can be, the way it can juggle and express so many facets simultaneously and with subtlety. With water: thicker, saltier, peatier, just more rugged and grizzly. It's also much fatter and waxier, with more of these wonderful smoked olive oil impressions, more medicines and hints of eucalyptus and mint. Finish: wonderfully long, drying, salty, delicately smoky, bone-dry peat smoke coming through, along with more savoury and coastal beauty. Comments: a modest masterpiece of distillate. A simple 14-year-old, probably refill cask, that is just effortlessly elegant, expressive, complex and brilliant. I'll leave the jokes about which of us has lasted best up to you. SGP: 453 - 93 points. |
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Highland Park NAS 'Saint Magnus' (100 proof, OB, early 1970s)
These are very hard to find nowadays, there also licensed versions by G&M with this livery as well. Colour: gold. Nose: it's funny that it would sit somewhere between the 8yo and the 1971, it's clearly from an earlier production era with this overall much fatter, greasier and slightly dirtier profile, but it's also much more powerful, peatier, earther, more mechanical and full of things like honey roast parsnip, tar, bone marrow, camphor, paraffin, beeswax and cough syrup. No less impressive! With water: suet, squid ink, peat smoke in a kiln, coal scuttles and cow sheds! Mad stuff! Mouth: amazing power, concentration and intensity. The peat is really dialled way up here, massive, thick, drying, herbaceous and rooty in the way that only old HP seems to be able to deliver. All manner of putty, miso, dried herbs, medicinal herbs and roots, umami broths, camphor, seawater, engine oil. The list could really go on and on. With water: the peat softens slightly, we're left with glowing embers, hints of seawater, anthracite, putty, miso, mushroom stock, mineral oil and really fat notes of wax, camphor, resins and boot polish. Finish: very long, elegantly peaty, drying, salty, mineral and with an oily impression. Comments: hard not to get carried away with such bottlings, the peat profile and flavour is utterly distinctive and seemingly indigenous to these very old school Orcadian malt whiskies. I had it neck and neck with the 1971, but the palate and the peat really elevated it that wee bit higher. SGP: 465 - 94 points. |
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January 23, 2026 |
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A session with no interest or meaning whatsoever — just three old Glenfiddich.
It’s true that, little by little, through increasingly excessive branding, Glenfiddich is drifting away from the small world of the “learned” and becoming more and more of a “quasi-blend”. Still, we continue to hold the brand in the highest regard and do our utmost to keep featuring it on these miserable pages as often as possible. Even if, to be honest, we now have to resort to rather unorthodox tactics to do so, given that the current production is, let’s admit it, far from inspiring. But we solemnly take the bet that Glenfiddich can still move us… |
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‘Nature created water; Scotland did the rest.’ French ad, circa 2000. If you’ve made any sense of it, please let us know. |
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Glenfiddich 15 yo ‘Solera Reserve’ (40%, OB, pure single malt, +/-2002) 
We’ve tried this wee baby several times before but never quite felt inspired enough to pen a full set of notes. The time has come, especially as it’s one of those famed ‘pure single malts’, no less… Colour: gold. Nose: ah yes, one is reminded of dead leaves, peonies, potpourri, ripe apples and the faintest whiff of damp cardboard. I’m not convinced this style is bound to survive, anywhere in Scotland really. Mouth: charming malt, though the structure is extremely light and a tad drying. Over-brewed tea, bitter chocolate, cardboard again, old walnuts… Finish: very dry indeed. Cold black tea and more of that bitter chocolate. Comments: perhaps a style somewhat out of fashion, or maybe this bottle has simply seen better days? Time passes, relentlessly… (you alright, S.?)
SGP:351 - 74 points |
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Glenfiddich 8 yo (43%, OB, ‘Straight Malt’, Gancia, Italy, +/-1970)
We’ve already tasted a few of these well-known 8-year-olds, usually with rather pleasant results, but here comes another bottle. Any excuse will do, won’t it. Colour: white wine. This one hails from the days when ‘pale meant light’, and ‘light meant better’. Perhaps that trend is making a comeback… Nose: hay and wax paper, a touch of beer, old apples, and frankly, not much else. Mouth: a little better than on the nose but there’s still that taste of light exposure, stale herbal teas, a faint touch of old varnish… Frankly, we’re publishing this for glory and posterity’s sake, though this bottle has clearly seen brighter days. Caution at auction: this type of risk is becoming increasingly common, and you probably need to buy two bottles of this ilk (malt, 1960s or 1970s, 40–43%) just to find a good one. No luck today. Finish: short, drying, not great. Comments: adios, so long, see you in paradise.
SGP:251 - 45 points. |
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Glenfiddich 1979/1993 (46%, Moon Import, The Sails in the Wind)
Independents have seldom fared well with Glenfiddich—some were epic (1956 Intertrade!) but others quite middling (1979 Samaroli). Yet I believe this is the first time we’ve dipped our lips into this rare Moon Import with its majestically magnificent label… Colour: straw. Nose: slightly fragile, with notes of damp cardboard and hay, but also a fairly high-grade farmhouse cider. It’s a little hesitant, the apples are nice, but we’re nowhere near Port Ellen or Brora. Nor Mortlach or Balvenie, if we’re talking ‘Dufftown’. As usual, it’s the palate that will speak the truth… Mouth: no, not much charm here I’m afraid—cardboard, overripe apples of the blettest variety, and little else, sorry. Finish: a touch better, with a bit of lemon perking things up, but it all ends on flat Heineken. Heineken, indeed. Comments: immense respect to Moon Import, so let’s remain measured, but this has probably become more of a display bottle than something for your glass.
SGP:351 - 70 points. |
No luck today, better luck next time, I hope. Forza Glenfiddich! |
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January 22, 2026 |
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A quintet of independent Mortlachs |
Mortlach's stillhouse, with the spirit still No.1, known as Wee Witchie, at the far left. (Robert Karlsson, Malt Maniacs) |
Some say a whisky enthusiast is getting on a bit when they can no longer clearly remember Mortlach’s distillation system—or even the exact role of the Wee Witchie. Well, I’m pleased to report that this is absolutely not the case for us, as we can still recall with great precision that the whole setup is, quite simply… byzantine. So, to mark the occasion properly, let’s have another go at a few Mortlachs—arranged in a somewhat… byzantine fashion. |
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Mortlach 10 yo 2014/2025 ‘Small Batch Edition #15’ (48.2%, Signatory Vintage, 1st fill PX hogshead finish)
‘From Pitlochry to the World’, it says. And indeed, at times it feels like the entire world converges on Pitlochry, at least during tourist season. Colour: amber. Nose: shoe polish, raisins, dark chocolate and beef jerky (teriyaki flavour) in perfect synchronicity. In short, it’s all tight and tidy. With water: notes of artichoke and roasted aubergine, with that sulphury, rubbery and oily side of the distillate still very much in place, the meaty aspect too, though softly handled. Mouth (neat): firm and rich, with nuances reminiscent of the beloved Flora & Fauna, some gently smoky chocolate, smoky tea too, touches of violet sweets, and Zan liquorice... It’s really very distinctive, very Mortlach, very lovely. With water: unnecessary. Finish: artichoke in honey (ideas, ideas). Comments: I absolutely adore this ultra-classic little Mortlach in the end.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
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Mortlach 19 yo 2005/2024 (52%, Decadent Drams, bourbon barrel, 181 bottles)
And here we are, the wee witchie shows up on the label again (that’s J., isn’t it?) Mind you, this is quite an unusual ex-bourbon version, so let’s see whether we’ll find all the sulphur of the distillate... Colour: straw. Nose: you bet! Yes, sulphur, grapeseed oil, basalt, chalk, fatty ham, shortbread, dandelion syrup… It’s lovely! If we were any closer to the distillate, we’d be pot stills ourselves. You see what I mean? With water: glorious fatness, all in elegance. Faux leather, shoe polish, enamel paint. Mouth (neat): oh the class! Lemon, oils, chervil, beeswax, mandarin… With water: mandarin takes over, with a faint coastal breeze alongside. Finish: rather long, saltier, very elegant, oily, waxy… Comments: pure distillery expression, bravo, I love it. I honestly believe we should each own one bottle from every distillery that expresses, with the greatest possible precision, the true profile of its distillate. Indeed. Magnificent Mortlach.
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
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Mortlach 17 yo 2007/2025 (56.9%, Signatory Vintage, Symington’s Choice, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt finish, cask #202, 680 bottles)
Indeed, we do adore the ex-bourbon versions, but one mustn’t forget that Mortlach and a great sherry share a love affair, sometimes even in the form of a humble finish like this one... Colour: amber. Nose: we’re in a cabinetmaker’s workshop here, with all sorts of sawn wood, but also in a Mediterranean spice shop, with dates, figs, oils and unidentifiable unguents, not to mention a 25-kilo sack of Corinthian raisins. With water: drier now, a little more resinous. Thuja wood. Mouth (neat): oranges studded with cloves and pink pepper, followed by Agen prunes, roasted pistachios and pipe tobacco. More or less. With water: the prunes take the lead and steer us towards the world of rustic, old-family Armagnacs. Finish: long, a touch of leather, cardamom, pepper, bitter chocolate… Comments: excellent. To me, it’s in the same family as the Small Batch, though rather a little different.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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Mortlach 18 yo 1975 ‘Auchindoun’ (61.3%, The Whisky Connoisseur, cask #6249, +/-1992)
Here we meet again with Arthur J A Bell and his improbably named malts, often of superb quality. Apparently, Auchindoun also features in World of Warcraft. Living the dream, aren’t we? … Joking aside, it’s also the name of a 15th-century castle whose ruins lie just outside Dufftown. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: the connection with the 2005 from Decadent etc. is striking, despite the thirty-year gap. Same mineral and oily profile, same citrus, same almost animalic fat, same sulphur from the distillate, same citrus peels, superb. Nothing to do with burnt sulphur from wine casks (wicks or candles and such). With water: a general retreat into waxes and citrus essential oils. Mouth (neat): fabulous citrus wrapped in waxes, oils and spices. One almost imagines a dish from the early Renaissance. But careful now, even after thirty years, 61.3% packs a punch. With water: a gentler wave rolls in, fruitier, more honeyed, with mirabelle jam leading the charge. Finish: superb, long, very well balanced between waxes and citrus peels. Comments: magnificent. I hesitated for a long time between WF 92.
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
What superb Mortlachs! Mind you, the next one shouldn’t be half bad either… |
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Mortlach 59 yo 1965/2024 (44.1%, Gordon & MacPhail, The Dram Takers, Book of Kells label, refill American hogshead, 63 bottles)
G&M are indeed great Mortlach specialists. One fondly remembers those pre-war 50yos you could once find in miniature form for not very much in Scottish tourist shops, nestled between the Celtic jewellery and tartan scarves. Don’t bother looking, that was at least 25 years ago. Colour: gold. Nose: waxes, beehives, pollen, rapeseed oil, unfiltered Camels. We shall refrain from elaborating on that last one, though it’s vividly present for me – might land us in court one day, which seems likely enough given the visible success of the hygienist lobbies and Facebook’s current moves. Ha. Mouth: marvellous arrival of a resinous oak, strongly marked by pu-ehr style tea, breaking down into thuja, fir, spruce and cedar. The distillate’s oils hold it all together, and at no point does it feel ‘too’ woody. Fruit skins, apple, banana, grape stalk, hashish oil. Finish: long, with all those rather fruity resins now taking over. Lots of oak, but it never becomes overly oaky – it’s true sorcery. The real miracle comes in the aftertaste, with sublime pink peppers (Timut and the like) suddenly asserting themselves, almost as if to flick the comet’s tail back up, if you see what I mean... Comments: this single old Mortlach could easily warrant its own Netflix series – eight seasons minimum, twelve episodes per season. What’s Andie MacDowell up to these days?
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
Last minute—we nearly forgot this fine little gem… |
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Mortlach 21 yo 2003/2025 (58.3%, Signatory Vintage for The Whisky Exchange, Bourbon Cask series, cask #800225, 186 bottles)
These simple labels are rather lovely. I’ll just add that we’re getting a bit of a hunch here… Colour: chardonnay. Nose: a gentle Mortlach but full of honey and beeswax, quince, mirabelle plums, dandelion, Arabic gum… Not overly meaty or sulphury at this stage, but then not all Mortlachs are, in our modest experience. With water: resins and sap, apples and prunes. Nothing extravagant, but it works. Mouth (neat): good heavens, what a distillate! Tremendous presence, firm yet rounded, lemon mint, loads of white pepper, candied zest, citronella… Still no meatiness. With water: indeed, citrus takes the lead here, more lemony than orangey, but the whole remains rich and oily. Finish: very long, quite bright, yet fat, yet bright, yet fat… and so on. Comments: Mortlach remains the most full-bodied malt in Dufftown, even in its ‘lighter’ versions. So to speak. This baby's doing very well, especially after the superstars we've just enjoyed.
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
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January 21, 2026 |
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Tasting six rather unpredictable American whiskies and bourbons |
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January 20, 2026 |
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A quartet of magnificent Pulteneys (three recent and one old)
According to our modest experience and, ultimately, our conclusion, Pulteney—despite being one of the ‘kings of reflux’—turns out to offer a rather delicate malt despite its coastal character, which can make it somewhat fragile when exposed to casks that are too active or heavily wine-influenced (or flavoured with something else). But when that’s not the case, it can in some respects resemble its southern neighbour—you know, the distillery that starts with a C and ends with an H. At times, it even becomes sumptuous, whether in very young expressions or extremely old ones, like the official 38-year-old released for China last year. So then, let’s see what we have today... |
(Old Pulteney) |
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Pulteney 17 yo 2008/2025 (49.8%, Dràm Mor, 1st fill Maker’s Mark finish, cask #Z082, 295 bottles)
Could a finishing in a first fill bourbon barrel help a Scotch whisky dodge (a small) part of those American import tariffs? You’ll probably tell me I’m dreaming, or even raving mad… Colour: apricot, which is rather unusual. Nose: the nose is just as unusual, with a surprisingly vinous character for an ex-bourbon cask. Something of a blend of Sauternes, late-harvest gewurztraminer, honey and apricot liqueur indeed. Definitely apricots... Still, the whole is elegant, very ripe, with even hints of mashed banana and touches of mango peeking through later on. So many riddles! Mouth: swift about-turn back to bourbon territory, and all things coastal and saline, plus lightly salted orange drizzled with a drop of olive oil. The whole remains rather surprising. Finish: rather long, gradually shifting from salted fruits to peppermint tea, then to bitter orange. Comments: what an unusual Pulteney! I’m very fond of it, but blind, it would surely lead you astray.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
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Pulteney 23 yo 2002/2025 (57.2%, Decadent Drams, refill barrel, 176 bottles)
Lovely label, looks a bit like… hang on, Greenland? Is that meant to be some sort of statement? Colour: gold. Nose: a nose that confirms the 2008 was indeed ‘different’, here we’re back on a clean, almost surgical line, with vanilla pod and whiffs of sea air, flint, and crushed oyster shells. Hard to imagine anything more ‘terroir’, if you see what I mean. With water: castor oil and metal polish begin to show. Mouth (neat): even cleaner, a mix of bread dough, lemon juice, sea water and green pepper. This could easily replace Tabasco on a platter of forty-eight oysters. Or six. With water: I don’t think there’s much to add, perhaps just a drop of pepper liqueur and maybe a faint touch of peat smoke. Finish: long, more bitter, perhaps simpler. Comments: a true Pulteney au naturel. Adorable and a little more full-bodied than expected after all.
SGP:452 - 89 points. |
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Pulteney 25 yo 2000/2025 (53.9%, Casky’s Finest Selection and The Antelope, refill barrel, cask #100239)
Careful now, we know these small batches from 2000 can be stratospheric... Colour: gold. Nose: mango, sea water, chalk, fresh paint and clams. That’s it, comrade. With water: add a few touches of shiitake. Mouth (neat): everything is spot on here, the edge, the salinity, the earthiness, the citrus, the medicinal aspects (eucalyptus, camphor), and of course the shellfish, oysters leading the charge. I don’t think one can do much better in Wick. With water: pepper joins in, the rest stands firm. Finish: long, beautifully bitter. Comments: I offer my formal apologies to all concerned parties for the brevity of this tasting note. Pulteney in hi-def.
SGP:452 - 92 points. |
Let’s finish with a former glory… |
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Old Pulteney 1970/1988 (56%, Sestante, 75cl)
I don’t believe the distillation regime at Pulteney has changed all that much since 1970. In any case, last time I was in Wick, the whole charming little town looked as if it had been frozen in 1970, and if memory serves, they were playing Slade on the jukebox. Or was it Nazareth? Anyway, these 1970s are almost certainly G&M stock. Colour: straw. Nose: blimey, it chats with the 2000 like two old army mates, their profiles remarkably close, though this 1970 seems a little fatter and more oily (mineral oil). Perhaps a purifier on/off affair, like at Ardbeg. Touches of mutton suet and linseed oil. With water: limestone, chalk, marl and rain-soaked clay. Mouth (neat): magnificent in its fat, salty, very mineral side, with a bit more citrus this time, one can’t help but think of our friends the limoncellos. With water: a few ultra-ripe bergamots and plums add a touch of sweetness to this marvellous ensemble. Finish: long, on precisely the same notes, the whole simply lingers on… There is just, as is often the case, a little more pepper on the aftertaste, along with a faint fizzy note (ginger tonic). Comments: it would be rather vulgar to try to rank this against the 2000.
SGP:551 - 92 points. |
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