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| Hello, that is one in all our (virtually) each day tastings. Santé! |
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June 19, 2025
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A small bag of unknown malts
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After all, we all know what they’re by way of the home fashion or model, however we’ve no thought what they really include, what with the true and faux blended malts, and people mysterious names that appear designed purely to wind us up a bit. Between ourselves, twenty years in the past the buzzwords have been ‘traceability’ and its sidekick ‘origin’. A way of the place, as they used to say. However by no means thoughts, let’s cease moaning and dive in at random…
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Distilled within the Speyside 13 yo (56.7%, A Dream of Scotland, 1st fill sherry butt, 596 bottles, 2020) 
Color: amber. Nostril: massively sherried, as clearly hinted at by the label, with baggage of spent matches, gunpowder, chocolate, a whiff of fermented tofu (fortunately not fairly natto, let’s not be dramatic) and loads of pipe tobacco. These bottlings are usually extra Macallan than Glenfarclas today, although I dare say there isn’t any actual likelihood of pinpointing the distillery right here. With water: touches of carbon mud, black tea, and a splash of brake pad powder. Mouth (neat): thick and assertive, stuffed with sulphur, yellow mustard, beef bouillon, espresso, darkish chocolate and orange marmalade. There’s additionally a candy edge not in contrast to corn syrup. With water: veering ever nearer to these wildest younger hyper-sherried (M)s from Signatory. End: lengthy, with rubber coming unmistakably to the fore.
Feedback: it’s kind of mad, slightly full-on, however definitely pleasing should you’re in the appropriate mind set. Which, thankfully, we’re.
SGP:562 – 84 factors. |
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Speyside Area 43 yo 1973/2017 (52.1%, The Whisky Company for Water of Life Japan, cask #8) 
Angus has tasted this one and adored it, although I haven’t. I imply, I haven’t tasted it. Most probably a Glenfarclas, chosen by our Japanese buddy Hideo, who kindly introduced a bottle to Limburg this yr. Huzzah!
Color: straw.
Nostril: ah sure, that gloriously fats fruitiness, these ripe mangos, citrus peels, unmistakably within the fashion of these marvellous refill GF casks from the Sixties. With water: completely gorgeous.
Mouth (neat): an unimaginable fruitiness, candied and honeyed to the core. Chic, nothing extra so as to add. With water: totally elegant, a divine throwback to Glenfarclas’ golden age.
End: pretty lengthy, changing into far waxier, with citrus zests and a medley of tiny herbs.
Feedback: if Hideo’s nonetheless acquired bottles of this, do pester him into parting with one or two (simply don’t say I put you as much as it, fairly please). Far superior to something from the newer ‘OB’ bottlings, which they wouldn’t dare allow us to style anyway.
SGP:661 – 93 factors. |
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A Highland Distillery 12 yo 2011/2023 (59.1%, Watt Whisky, Denmark unique, bourbon barrel, 246 bottles)
As ever with these little chaps, there are whispers it is perhaps Clynelish, although we haven’t the faintest.
Color: straw.
Nostril: wax, chalk and tangerine. Slightly punchy too, however that is all the way down to the power. With water: damp limestone, church candles (amen) and a wee satchel of tangerines.
Mouth (neat): however in fact. Excessive-definition tangerine with heather honey and beeswax. Do be careful, Glen Ord can generally produce one thing alongside related traces. With water: splendid stuff, taut, waxy, mineral and—dare we are saying—only a tad Meursaulty. We do love our barbarisms at WF HQ.
End: lengthy, zestier, sharper, extra on inexperienced apple and lemon peel.
Feedback: I’d like a quote for 3 pallets of this wee dazzler, shipped straight from Denmark to Alsace, should you please.
SGP:562 – 90 factors. |
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Highland Single Malt 22 yo 1996/2018 (54.7%, C. Dully Choice, refill bourbon barrels, cask #CDI18, 342 bottles)
There is a map on the again label that leaves completely little question as to this malt’s origin—someplace on the east coast between Inverness and Wick. Simply to be clear, it is neither Glenmorangie nor Pulteney. It was excessive time we tasted this wee chap, particularly because it’s not a sherry cask. You already know what I imply.
Color: pale gold.
Nostril: barley in its purest kind, with very ripe apples and furnishings polish, all stored delightfully easy for now. With water: each wax within the identified world, and each citrus too.
Mouth (neat): totally beautiful, splendid waxiness, tiny citrus fruits… However it’s slightly compact with out water. Nonetheless, we all know roughly what’s going to occur when water’s added, don’t we? With water: fast lift-off, grapefruit, Sauternes, previous Chenin blancs from the Loire, assorted natural teas, cold-brewed inexperienced tea, and even a wee grassy contact that lightly brings you again to earth.
End: lengthy, waxy, contemporary, simply good.
Feedback: it’s great, in fact, although it’s putting how remarkably shut it’s to that Watt Whisky regardless of the fifteen-year age hole.
SGP:561 – 91 factors. |
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Secret Highland Distillery 14 yo 2008/2022 (44%, Acla Choice, tenth Anniversary, sherry butt #452, 120 bottles) 
These labels, that includes animal pictures by Claudio Gotsch, have been among the many most good-looking ever utilized by any spirits bottler.
Color: pale gold.
Nostril: it’s much less easy right here to guess the distillery, with notes of nougat, toffee apples, farmhouse cider, and chilly natural infusions.
Mouth: excellent certainly, exhibiting fudge, vanilla cream, a touch of paraffin, curious touches of lavender, a slight salinity, and an general profile not in contrast to that of younger official HPs from sherry wooden. Very ripe apples too.
End: pretty lengthy, leaning into pear territory.
Feedback: the sherry makes it slightly difficult to find out the distillery, so we shan’t hazard a guess—particularly since we nonetheless get pleasure from a sure fame within the village. Not less than in our avenue. Or so I hope… Not Clynelish.
SGP:551 – 85 factors. |
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Peated Highland Single Malt 19 yo 2004/2023 (48%, Hogshead Imports, refill barrel)
You’ll discover such oddities lurking within the WF Library! Whoever is aware of what this actually is, communicate now or ceaselessly maintain your peace.
Color: white wine.
Nostril: it’s so very Ardmore! That fermentary edge, with bruised apples, cigarette and pipe ash, balms and cough syrups, contemporary white bread…
Mouth: that peculiar steadiness so typical of Ardmore certainly. A contact of sweetness, ashes, wee herbs, a fino-like high quality (sure sure, it’s a barrel), mild olive oil, mild resins, a pinch of salt…
End: similar story, for fairly a stretch, even heading in direction of seawater and lemon.
Feedback: it’s slightly beautiful, only a contact perplexing and onerous to pigeonhole. You already know what I imply.
SGP:553 – 85 factors. |
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Inexperienced glass is best |
| Inexperienced glass is mostly extra recycling-friendly and will be extra sustainable in lots of methods. White/clear/flint glass requires very pure recycled materials, which implies contamination from colored glass is a a lot larger subject. |
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Speyside Blended Malt (45%, Samaroli, bourbon, 810 bottles, 2023)
A most elliptical proposition—principally we all know nothing, and the white fox on the label isn’t about to disclose rather more. That stated, I do love this little bit of label prose, which I’ve translated to your delight: ‘A princely malt in bloom, whisking our nostril throughout a large number of realms: the aroma is Moorish, maybe Latin, or slightly Byzantine… evoking the stone partitions of Otranto, that bridgehead of Italy and what remained of the Western Empire, dealing with luxurious Constantinople.’ We slightly must bow, have we not?
Color: gold.
Nostril: certainly, bitter almond liqueur, fougasse, overripe apples, sesame and olive oils, a dab of houmous, half a drop of rosewater and one other of orange blossom water… Clearly Japanese in fashion, although maybe I’ve been swayed by the blurb. Disgrace on me.
Mouth: the difficulty is it’s jolly good, with waxes, citrus zests, gentle honeys and wee infusions.
End: similar once more, even veering in direction of shellfish (presumably from the Strait of Otranto, proper).
Feedback: I’d have sworn there was some Clynelish within the combine, however Clynelish isn’t in Speyside, final time we checked. No provenance, no age, no classic, but it is undeniably excellent.
SGP:561 – 87 factors. |
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Proper then, let’s spherical off this sequence with just a little Compass Field…
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Chez Lion (46%, Compass Field, bespoke launch, blended scotch, 1710 bottles, 2024) 
Ouch, it’s a blended scotch, not a blended malt. By no means thoughts, let’s stick with it should you’re recreation… It seems to be a customized creation for a well known bar in Hamburg. One hopes our pals in Hamburg are feeling slightly thirsty—1710 bottles is a good haul.
Color: gold.
Nostril: mild and easy-going, with the grain exhibiting however not overstepping—vanilla, coconut, macaroons—and a textural maltiness evocative of Ord, Glen Elgin, Clynelish or suchlike. There’s even a contact of the freshness you’d discover in a younger Glenkinchie, although there’s a 99% likelihood I’m mistaken. Fearless, as ever.
Mouth: really, I fairly prefer it—pistachio, sesame, with once more that grain part, although stored comparatively in examine (a whiff of coconut water, hmm). The grain simply provides a faint sugary softness we’d have executed with out. Let me remind you, our gang was known as the Malt Maniacs, not the Mix Maniacs.
End: loses a little bit of drive right here, changing into a contact candy and skinny, with maybe a shade an excessive amount of grain within the combine, if I’ll say so.
Feedback: and but, it began off slightly promisingly. It was little question an important mistake on our half to put it in any case these marvellous malts; we’re terribly sorry.
SGP:631 – 78 factors. |
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Come on then, let’s attempt to raise our spirits…
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Highland Malt 38 yo 1983/2021 (51.4%, Maltbarn, The 26, #2, sherry cask)
Clearly, I need to admit, that is the heavier artillery.
Color: gold.
Nostril: nicely then, we’re greeted with just a little coconut and vanilla, hints of avocado, hay, wicker, previous magazines, ink, and barely stale tobacco… As they are saying, the jury’s nonetheless out. With water the waxy tones start to steer you in direction of the small city of Brora and its, pardon me, their famed distilleries, although what we’ve here’s a whispering model, light-footed, not precisely weary however a tad delicate.
Mouth (neat): far cleaner and higher outlined on the palate, with a stunning salinity, roasted apricot, verbena, pine nuts… But there’s that very same fragility, marked this time by rising notes of overripe apples. With water slight alcoholic notes emerge first, then waxes, pollens, fruit compotes, deeply ripe plums… What we’re lacking for a transparent Sutherland signature are citrus fruits, mandarins, bergamots…
End: not very lengthy, a bit delicate, fading like the ocean because it withdraws with the ebbing tide. Neglect that.
Feedback: very, very beautiful, however a tad irritating.
SGP:541 – 86 factors. |
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We’d greatest depart it there. See you tomorrow?
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