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Right now, we’re setting off round |
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| The Chuan, Eimeishan, Sichuan, China (The Chuan) |
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There actually are an unbelievable variety of new whiskies from everywhere in the world, it is genuinely thrilling, even when it’s kind of laborious to maintain up with, one has to confess… We’re ranging from France, as traditional. |
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Tchankat ‘Classique’ (43%, OB, France, +/-2025)  A whisky from the land of Armagnac, down in Gascony. Thoughts you, this isn’t malt, fairly 80% maize, 10% barley and 10% rye. It’s been matured for 3 years in re-toasted Saint-Julien casks, so the cabernet affect ought to stay considerably restrained. Color: deep gold. Nostril: not half unhealthy, and fortunately it doesn’t reek of cassis or strawberry from fifty yards away, as an alternative we’re extra in shortbread and damp stones territory. Even the maize doesn’t appear to be overdoing it on the sweetness entrance, no less than not on the nostril. Briefly, it’s fairly likeable. Mouth: properly completed, the French oak brings alongside a fair proportion of spices however that truly creates a fairly sensible fashion right here, re-toasting the casks was clearly a shrewd transfer. Cherry tart dusted with cinnamon and gray pepper, though the feel is only a tad on the sunshine facet. No concept whether or not they’ve used their Armagnac stills (that is the Samalens home pulling the strings right here) but it surely works a deal with. We’re veering increasingly more in the direction of kirsch and even guignolet. End: medium in size, nonetheless spicy, with a contact of woodiness persisting. Feedback: little doubt about it, that is properly crafted and doesn’t go off in all instructions. You couldn’t even name it ‘winey’. SGP:541 – 82 factors. |
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Let’s head to Brittany and Burgundy whereas we’re at it… |
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Eddu ‘Carnet de Voyages – fûts de Bourgogne’ (46%, OB, France, 650 bottles) A ending of buckwheat whisky in Corton Grand Cru casks. That stated, we’ve by no means been ready, empirically talking, to determine a direct organoleptic hyperlink between the status of a wine and the standard of a whisky completed in its casks. Frankly, between a Corton and a passetoutgrain, you’re unlikely to note an actual distinction if the cask high quality is comparable. Now admittedly, it not often is… Color: gold. Nostril: that is distinctly earthy, barely gamey, a contact madeira-like, with even a faint foxiness that’s not essentially misplaced on this context. The much-anticipated blackcurrants and stewed cherries solely make a late look. Mouth: we’re properly off the overwhelmed path of malt whiskies right here, edging nearer to sure cask-aged gins actually, with some fairly sudden citrus notes layered with wild mushrooms. It’s jolly amusing and even fairly good, if one is sport for an journey. End: lengthy, spicier, once more largely steered by citrus and forest flooring. Feedback: I’d say this sits roughly in the identical league because the earlier one. SGP:551 – 82 factors. |
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Tanaka (40%, OB, Vietnam, +/-2025)  Right here now we have a rice whisky, produced by a Japanese gentleman in Vietnam. Hooray, it’s our very first Vietnamese whisky! Color: pale gold. Nostril: it’s exceedingly mild, leaning on vanilla, inexperienced tea, natural infusions, a contact of rock sugar, and slightly extra vanilla… Because it’s all very light, it will probably’t probably offend – and certainly it doesn’t. Mouth: it’s candy, mild, missing in texture, with faint hints of roasted hazelnuts, corn syrup, then a number of tea-like tannins. End: very quick. A splash of gray pepper. Feedback: it’s likeable sufficient however I’d say it completely requires ice. Which, after all, we didn’t use. SGP:320 – 65 factors. |
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The Chuan (40%, OB, China, Pure Malt, +/-2025)  Right here’s the final launch from this splendid distillery in Sichuan (courtesy of Pernod Ricard), which we had the pleasure of visiting in Could. We’d already loved two particular editions, and right here comes essentially the most broadly accessible model, most likely essentially the most approachable too, bottled at a pleasant 40% vol. Beware, there’s Chinese language mizunara oak inside! Color: gold. Nostril: we’re getting that Far-Japanese Speyside character once more, a broadly basic malty construction uplifted by fairly ‘Chinese language’ notes, akin to dried citrus peels (chen-pi), which we’re fairly keen on, particularly in older variations twenty years and up. There’s additionally a peculiar fermentary observe that immediately remembers the place itself, notably their plum wine. Salted butter toffee ties all of it collectively properly. Mouth: very sensible. The saline, resinous oak brings fir bushes to thoughts, the plum comes again with gusto, as does the toffee, then a well-mannered array of spices joins in. That stated, that is miles away from the hyper-spicy Sichuan delicacies fashion – of which we sampled some fairly… outstanding examples, let’s say. Because the locals put it, ‘it punches’. This pure malt, nevertheless, is way gentler… End: again into extra basic territory with espresso, chocolate, prunes and richly malty darkish beer. The 40% vol. by no means posed an issue. Feedback: one usually avoids utilizing the time period ‘entry stage’, and on this case, that will’ve been a mistake certainly. SGP:551 – 87 factors. |
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Let’s fly to Australia… |
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Amber Lane 4 yo 2020/2024 (61%, Fact & Consequence, Australia, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #94, 107 bottles) Naturally, they took house gold on the IWSC. They use a pot nonetheless and practise double distillation, so a fairly intermittent course of, let’s say. Angus tried an Amber Lane some time in the past – and fairly preferred it – however I’ve by no means had one in my glass, I’m afraid. The distillery is positioned in New South Wales. Color: gold. Nostril: inevitably a bit scorching at this energy, the ethanol is sort of ahead however nothing out of the atypical. Wee liqueurs, sugar-coated eggs, candy African bread… We’ll be needing water. With water: fairly a little bit of saponification at first, then it settles down and heads in the direction of contemporary ginger, after which the entire thing begins to enhance steadily. Orange cake, baklavas, varied different Levantine pastries… Mouth (neat): a bit eau-de-vie-like at first, with a plum core and citrusy flashes on high. I consider water is important right here, because it so usually is (properly completed, S.) With water: very good now, mainly on citrus zest, nonetheless with some contemporary ginger clinging on. End: medium size, nice, with plum jam and ginger. Feedback: I believe it is a correct success, even when the youth is displaying. SGP:641 – 82 factors. |
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Hellyers Highway 21 yo ‘Peated’ (52.5%, OB, Australia/Tasmania, cask #20FO5c01, 2025)  This one’s a double maturation with 4 years spent in peated whisky casks. So it’s not a peated distillate per se however do observe the second maturation befell in casks that had held peated malt additionally produced by Hellyers Highway. So it’s self-double maturation, if that’s even a time period. Color: pale gold. Nostril: simply image this, you’re smoking mango and cassata in peat smoke, then including grapefruit juice and white Sancerre. Or Australian sauvignon blanc if you happen to desire. With water: in come the wilder touches, mud, uncooked wool, bread dough, grist, however the mango and banana nonetheless maintain the place so as. Mouth (neat): completely pure and exact, the smokiness is assertive but wonderful (should’ve been a really closely peated cask) whereas a myriad of white and yellow fruits, each grand and humble, frolic within the background. The oak is ever so barely noticeable. With water: wonderful stuff, saline, completely poised, with as soon as once more the character of a tremendous white wine. With oysters! End: lengthy, on lemon, ashes, smoked fish and focaccia. Feedback: nothing specific so as to add, that is basic Hellyers Highway proper the place we anticipate it. That stated, attaining such a peaty profile from a mere ending, nevertheless prolonged, reveals as soon as once more simply how dominant, and even invasive, these molecules may be. However that’s simply how we prefer it… SGP:645 – 90 factors. |
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Since we’re within the Commonwealth, right here’s one other one ‘peated by the cask’… |
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Spirit of Yorkshire 6 yo 2018/2025 (57.1%, Decadent Drams, England, 2nd fill ex-Islay Barrel, 249 bottles)  In different phrases, that is Filey Bay, which we’ve already sampled a number of instances. We had nice enjoyable earlier this yr with their fairly good ‘Orange Wine Barrique’. Color: white wine. Nostril: clearly, until you’re a seasoned Filey Bay knowledgeable, it’s difficult to find out what comes from the distillate and what from the ex-Islay barrel. In any case, we’re close to bread, grist, oil, chalky white soil à la albariza, and even, I child you not, Alsatian flammekueche (flatbread, fromage blanc, bacon, onions). Hints of paraffin, moist chalk… With water: edging even nearer to cereals and ashes. Mouth (neat): exact, peaty, lemony, yeasty. There are, albeit with much less depth and complexity after all, sure resemblances to Tasmanian whisky. With water: the entire turns into extra built-in, citrus stands out, there’s even a medicinal facet (ha-ha!) and, shall we embrace, a contact extra gentleness. It’s very properly completed. End: fruits and some drops of crème de menthe take over, virtually pushing out the Islay peat. Feedback: to be trustworthy, we had our doubts, however as we went alongside and stored including slightly Vittel (Nestlé, we didn’t discover the cheque) this beautiful composition got here collectively fantastically. No, no politics. SGP:655 – 88 factors. |
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Go on then, one final one, let’s head again to the Far East… |
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Nantou Omar 2015/2024 (53.8%, OB for HNWS, The Antelope & Kanpakai, Taiwan, virgin oak, cask #01180385, 187 bottles) Only a reminder that these Omars are produced by TTL, a Taiwanese state-owned firm. We’ve already tasted some cracking ones and in reality, we’re planning a full ‘Omar’ session quickly with an excellent dozen or so. God keen… Color: gold. Nostril: that is all about barley purity and closely charred oak, so suppose croissants, vanilla, banana and the like. Briefly, it’s easy but rendered in high-def. With water: contemporary herbs emerge, basil, mint, oysterplant, lemongrass, watercress… Mouth (neat): in my humble opinion, Omar leans nearer to the Japanese in fashion when in comparison with its compatriot Kavalan (which we’re additionally fairly keen on) whose strategy is arguably extra ‘worldwide’. Anyway, this opens with a stunning, forthright assault, extraordinarily near yeast and barley, and due to this fact beer. It follows that very same line. With water: notes of ginger, turmeric, ginseng, together with yellow peaches. End: pretty lengthy, on natural infusions, vanilla and contemporary oak. Feedback: maybe not ultra-distinctive, however the high quality stays very excessive in my most humble opinion. SGP:561 – 87 factors. |
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World malt whiskies simply carry on bettering, I get the sensation fewer and fewer fall into the sub-75-point class as of late. Until it’s the state of the world with its quite a few predators that’s making us need to paint every part in a rosier mild. |
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July 2025 |
| Serge’s favorite current bottling this month: Outdated Orkney Malt 25 yo 1999/2025 (50.3%, Decadent Drinks, HHD + sherry butt) – WF 91 Serge’s favorite older bottling this month: Serge’s favorite bang on your buck this month: Serge’s thumbs up this month: Serge’s Lemon Prize this month: |
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Secret Orkneys and Highland Park We’re not able right here to verify with full certainty that it is the identical factor, are we. Nevertheless, the distinction between Scapa and Highland Park is not all that arduous to identify. Let’s get into it and let’s begin by going to Frankfurt — however not Frankfurt, Kentucky, proper? St Magnus in Kirkwall, Britain’s most northerly cathedral (AI slop) |
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Orkney Single Malt 18 yo 2006/2024 (53.2%, Whisky Spirits for Whisky Time Frankfurt 2025) With the town of Frankfurt printed the wrong way up on the label! Fortunately, the distillery stays the precise approach up. Color: white wine. Nostril: unmistakable, with these maritime and mineral tones, adopted by tart apples, lemon and olive oil we so adore but which are likely to elude the official expressions. With water: soot and paraffin, then model new engine oil. Mouth (neat): squarely on the hallowed HPCBBNS axis (HP -> Clynelish -> Benromach -> Ben Nevis -> Springbank). Immensely saline! With water: how completely pleasant! Pure waxes, lemons, inexperienced apples and seawater. End: extra of the identical, and for an excellent whereas at that. Feedback: it begins with a bang. SGP:462 – 90 factors. |
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Orkney 11 yo 2013/2025 (63.6%, Girl of the Glen, 1st fill bourbon, cask #10001, 203 bottles) They are saying it’s cask energy, good to know, realizing that until I’m flawed, HP fill at 63.5% vol., which implies we’ve earned some extra-0.1% inside eleven years! Color: white wine. Nostril: a reasonably comparable fashion, although leaning extra in the direction of yellow fruits and pollen, with fewer coastal and mineral components, however as an alternative we do discover some virgin wool. Just a few touches of vanilla and coconut, virtually definitely from the first fill bourbon cask. With water: orange peel, or fairly mandarin zest. Mouth (neat): straight into acidic fruits, contemporary rhubarb, lemon, not-very-ripe gooseberry, then a contact of liquorice and vanilla, although the coconut is nowhere to be discovered this time. In truth, we will not complain. With water: veering again in the direction of the basic profile, coastal and mineral. Wonderful. End: lengthy, with the arrival of inexperienced pepper, waxes and hints of indeterminate petroly derivatives. The White Home would possibly be capable to enlighten us… Feedback: performs extraordinarily properly following the fairly superlative 18-year-old from Frankfurt. SGP:562 – 88 factors. |
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Replace: HP appear to really fill at some uncommon 69.5% vol. (Thanks, Tim) |
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Orkney (HP) 14 yo 2010/2024 ‘Version #30’ (57.1%, Signatory Classic, 100 Proof, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt)  I dare say the ‘HP’ on the label would possibly stand for extra than simply ‘excessive potential’. Color: amber. Nostril: the everyday sherry of this collection, with roasted nuts and chocolate, hints of truffle, meatball soup, Maggi seasoning, toffee… With water: mushrooms and ferns, however above all lashings of chocolate fudge, even edging in the direction of mole sauce. Mouth (neat): a marked oloroso sherry fashion, dry but brimming with orange liqueur, heaps of black pepper and earth, and some stouty touches. With water: in the identical vein however more and more dominated by outdated walnuts, whereas the salty edge turns into extra pronounced too. End: lengthy, on leek and hen soup, grated darkish chocolate and nonetheless loads of pepper. Feedback: excellent, even when we have drifted from the cleaner fashion of the earlier ones. A closely sherried profile inevitably dials again a little bit of distillate character. SGP:461 – 84 factors. |
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Secret Orkney 14 yo 2010/2024 ‘Version #23’ (57.1%, Signatory Classic, 100 Proof, 1st & 2nd fill oloroso sherry butt) Not fairly the identical designation right here, we have gone from ‘Orkney (HP)’ to ‘Secret Orkney’. Relatively mysterious, wouldn’t you say… Color: gold. Nostril: clearly straddling each worlds, the truffle and leek have vanished, changed by extra orange and leather-based, the entire showing more energizing, fruitier, and unmistakably extra ‘HP’. Beeswax and a faint trace of camphor. With water: edging ever nearer to the ocean, with seaweed and saline manzanilla… Mouth (neat): touches of ginger and turmeric, spiced orange peel… With water: I like this an amazing deal, it’s vigorous regardless of the sherry, properly taut, all on citrus, pepper and heather honey after all. This feels nearer to the officers. End: a medicinal flip within the end, cough syrup laced with black pepper, orange liqueur and honey. A stunning concoction that should treatment something. Wax within the aftertaste. Feedback: refill actually is a splendid factor. SGP:562 – 86 factors. |
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Orkney 10 yo 2013 (57%, The Whisky Change, Seasons: Winter, sherry hogshead) Winter? Oops, appears to be like like we’ve missed sherry monster season. Color: darkish amber. Nostril: a cleaner, fruitier form of sherry, maybe extra on the ‘PX’ facet, with Corinth raisins, dried figs, Mars bars, bursts of forest flooring (moss, outdated stumps) and fir honey. We completely adore fir honey at WF Towers. With water: pure official fashion, however official from the Nineties. Mild smoke, dried fruits, woodland notes, honeys, every part’s in place. Effectively completed! Mouth (neat): pretty wealthy, caramelised, loaded with three tonnes of raisins and a full lorry of figs and dried dates, plus a number of glacé cherries. And but it by no means goes ‘an excessive amount of’, which is close to miraculous. The distillate, quietly buzzing within the background, retains its saline and mineral body intact—maybe that’s why. With water: good, saline, smoky, mineral, but wealthy and honeyed on the identical time. End: lengthy, extra on black pepper, wealthy however curiously contemporary. We didn’t say refreshing, thoughts you. Feedback: a sensible transfer, that is fairly flawless—I do hope they gained’t thoughts that I tasted this child in summer season. SGP:552 – 88 factors. |
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Secret Orkney 17 yo 2004/2022 (53.1%, Whisky-Doris, twentieth Anniversary, sherry butt, cask #13, 240 bottles) We’re slightly late to the celebration, although we’ve already tasted some splendid HPs from Whisky-Doris prior to now… And in the event that they celebrated their twentieth in 2022, then they’re the identical age as little Whiskyfun! Hurray! Color: gold. Nostril: although it’s a butt once more, we’re proper again into extra conventional HP territory, with each softness and firmness, wax, honeys, baked apples, smoked paprika, crushed pepper… In a nutshell, it’s beautiful stuff. With water: a number of wafts of walnut pores and skin, spent matches (simply the one, worry not) and chocolate. Oddly, the water has introduced out extra sherry than distillate. Mouth (neat): excellently fruity and taut, smoky, saline, wealthy but elegant, characterful, all on candied fruits and all method of citrus. It’s wonderful, I consider we’re in high-score nation. With water: leather-based and tobacco, however all in tremendous steadiness. The salinity shines by way of. End: pretty lengthy, elegant, agency and but fairly wealthy. A sensation of smoked sultanas and seawater within the aftertaste. Beware, it wakes up! Feedback: very, very charming and fairly fascinating to comply with, particularly if you happen to practise progressive discount (not a brand new neo-eco-Trotskyist political idea, relaxation assured). SGP:652 – 89 factors. |
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Outdated Orkney Malt 25 yo 1999/2025 (50.3%, Decadent Drinks, HHD + sherry butt) Aged first in refill hogshead then completed in a sherry butt. Decadent Drinks now personal the ‘Double O’ or ‘O.O.’ marque, as soon as held by Stromness Distillery and later by Gordon & MacPhail. It’s genuinely a part of Scotland’s, and significantly Orkney’s, whisky heritage, so hats off to D.D. for preserving O.O. alive! And who is aware of, possibly in the future they’ll unearth an outdated cask of Stromness, lengthy forgotten in some derelict warehouse? That would properly be the plot of ‘The Angel’s Share 2’, no? Somebody ought to say it to Ken Loach… Color: deep gold. Nostril: rooted within the earth, with final yr’s fruits, pipe tobacco, Thai broth, a field of Cuban cigars, and the exhaust of a sports activities automobile (so, no Tesla), extra mead than honey. With water: leather-based and bay leaf coming to the fore. Mouth (neat): firmer than anticipated, roasted and grilled, virtually barely burnt, all on chocolate and frivolously salted espresso, with a shock look from prunes in Armagnac. Effectively, fancy that… With water: again to dry sherry, virtually mustardy, and significantly on damp earth, dried meat, black pepper and pine needles. End: we’re now within the realm of very outdated Madeira, Marsala or dry sherries. Feedback: it’s not the vacation spot that issues, it’s the journey, and right here’s an ideal illustration. That stated, I think about this bottle could divide opinion slightly; it’s like free jazz, not everybody’s cup of tea (least of all ‘the neighbours’). SGP:463 – 91 factors. |
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NB: The 2 Signatory bottlings which can be closely sherried might sound barely under the others at first look, however that’s not likely the case. First, we all the time are likely to favour the cleaner variations, and secondly, these SigVs are provided at way more accessible costs than the others. So hats off to them, they’re wonderful HPs! |
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It’s Highland Park’s flip, again on WF Cautious now, there’ll be no Whitlaw, no Magnus’s Personal Stuff, nor any Secret Orkney right now, however we may have some quickly… For now, let’s see what we’ve acquired beneath the right label, chosen a bit at random for the sake of, shall we embrace, enjoyable. Nonetheless, these Brownian periods all the time find yourself falling into the precise order ultimately… |
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Highland Park ‘The Dolphins 2nd Launch’ (40%, OB, 2018) An expression that’s an formally licensed product for the Royal Navy Submarine Service. At a modest 40% vol., Her/His Majesty’s submariners aren’t precisely liable to descending into delirium tremens mid-dive. Simply jesting after all, although we do know that HP can gracefully deal with very low energy and nonetheless shine, which isn’t one thing all malts can declare. Color: pale gold. Nostril: properly then, it’s definitely very mild, however removed from disagreeable, fairly it’s fairly charming truly, with a whisper of faintly smoked hay and delicate honey, a splash of Bellini (Champagne with peach purée), the faintest demitasse of lapsang souchong, and a satchel of liquorice wooden. Pretty nostril, simply exceedingly light, although not with out a sure quiet complexity. Proper. Mouth: the low energy does let it down considerably, fairly on the dry facet, with the lapsang souchong abruptly pushing to the fore. Not fairly what we had been hoping for. Wee salty touches and a chew of toasted bread. End: quick, practically incidental. Feedback: I dare say at 46% vol., this might need made fairly the splash, however because it stands, it fairly dives off into the depths on account of a scarcity of… propulsion. The nostril is 100 instances higher than the palate, in my most humble opinion. SGP:452 – 80 factors. |
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Highland Park 21 yo ‘2024 Launch’ (46%, OB) This isn’t but the brand new livery, the one which’s supposedly extra ‘natural’. Fairly the frilly recipe all the identical, as this child was assembled from, and I quote, ‘48 casks: 25 first-fill, sherry-seasoned American oak quarter casks, 15 refill butts and eight first-fill, sherry-seasoned European hogsheads, all hand-selected and laid down in 2001 and 2002’. Proper then, let’s dive in. Color: full gold. Nostril: straightaway these hallmark notes of polish and honey (they are saying heather honey, although one’s not solely sure) that are actually beautiful, then we’re onto pecan pie drizzled with maple syrup. Delicate minty glimmers flicker within the background. A really enticing nostril, not overly advanced however distinctly ‘HP’. Mouth: there may be peat right here, and a drier profile than on the nostril, extra alongside the traces of chocolate, tobacco and black tea, with surprisingly restrained fruit, whereas the entire shifts steadily in the direction of salted liquorice. Maybe that’s the Viking fringe of HP displaying by way of. End: not significantly lengthy however displaying charming notes of walnut cake. The aftertaste holds faint touches of gunpowder and artichoke, plus a whisper of violet candy. Feedback: not monumental, but it’s nonetheless fairly lovely. We will see whether or not the following batch veers in the direction of the ‘fruit and honey’ facet, presumably beneath that much-talked-about new label, ‘much less Viking and extra natural’ (my phrases). SGP:562 – 87 factors. |
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Highland Park 2013/2024 (65.5%, OB, Ten Years of the Highland Park Appreciation Society, first fill European oak sherry puncheon, cask #3655, 663 bottles) At this energy, right here’s an HP that would properly take our heads off like Thor together with his hammer. Sure, one does alter to model environments, as you may see… Color: wealthy gold. Nostril: maple syrup, maple syrup and maple syrup. That’ll be the energy at play. So, with water: the maple syrup stays entrance and centre, however we’re now joined by all method of honey muffins, jams (apricot, mirabelle plum), after which, regularly, a rising smokiness, led as ever by its devoted emissary, lapsang souchong tea. Additionally flint, and some puffs of brake pad. Mouth (neat): this appears wonderful—smoky, candied, salty, smoky once more, with some excessive grilled bacon… However we shan’t probe any additional with out including water. With water: every part calms down a contact, fortunately. Chestnut jam, and even onion jam, then more and more extra ashes. One does wonder if these ashes come from closely charred casks (come on!) or from an particularly peaty distillate. Or each, maybe… End: lengthy, fairly on tobacco, leather-based, a touch of spent matches, and a few candied orange peel. Feedback: a little bit of a brute, however we’re very keen on it. Many whisky lovers are ever so barely masochistic, do you know? SGP:562 – 88 factors. |
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Since we’re already taking a little bit of a beating… |
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Highland Park ‘Cask Energy Launch No.4’ (64.3%, OB, 2023) And bang, we’re behind once more. In any case, it’s amusing, don’t you discover that some manufacturers appear to consider that so long as they’re bottling at very excessive energy, within the fashion of ‘farclas 105 again in its glory days, they will merrily abandon age statements? And ‘Sturdy and Intense’, that’s what the wee label says. No kidding… Color: gold. Nostril: the alcohol is sort of distinguished, naturally, but it surely’s a lot cleaner than the earlier one, with far much less smoke and fairly extra on cooked fruits, jams, smooth honey, orange marmalade, candy sherry (maybe PX) and even a touch of patchouli… With water: it’s clear, finally fairly straightforward, properly balanced, on raisins, jams and roasted peanuts. Mouth (neat): ah certainly, rustic stuff, clearly very younger, malty and blazing scorching. Relatively like moonshiner’s eau-de-vie from some forgotten valley the place the state by no means units foot ‘as a result of they’ve neither the time nor the funds’. With water: fairly good! Candy roots, spices, varied honeys, and a mild saline smokiness pushing by way of… End: lemon jam splashed with only a hint of pine liqueur takes the helm. The aftertaste stays faintly smoky and salty. Feedback: we discovered batch #3 a bit middling (WF 83) however this #4 is clearly an enchancment. SGP:651 – 85 factors. |
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Let’s transfer on to the indies, their casks are typically a bit cleaner… |
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Highland Park 19 yo 2004/2024 (54.7%, Duncan Taylor, Single Cask Assortment, sherry cask, cask #50171094, 311 bottles) Color: gold. Nostril: this one’s extra mineral, extra on chalk and crushed limestone, but in addition contemporary bread, raisin rolls, brioche with sultanas… It feels virtually like a extra old-school HP than the current OBs we’ve simply tried. With water: chalk and clay marls after a summer season thunderstorm (what?) then a contemporary baguette at six within the morning. Mouth (neat): a lot tauter and extra nervous than the OB C/S #4, lemony, on pink grapefruit, sharp riesling, lime, and ginger tonic… We’re large followers of all that, let’s not faux in any other case. With water: good—contemporary but full-bodied, with a really discreet and splendidly elegant sherry, giving full expression to a distillate firmly pushed by citrus. We’ve stated it earlier than, citrus—and honey—will save the world. End: lengthy, flawless, exact, not a single off-note, and heading straight in the direction of that almost all conclusive of flavours: beeswax. Feedback: that is surprisingly wonderful, although I’m not stunned. I do know precisely what I imply. An impressive cask, offered you let it breathe and discover simply the correct amount of water. SGP:651 – 90 factors. |
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Highland Park 2015/2024 (58.3%, Swell de Spirits, Pop’ Collection, for Inter Caves France, first fill tawny porto butt, cask #560, 424 bottles) Cautious now, that is full maturation in a port cask, not only a low cost two-month ending job (in French, ‘porto’ means ‘Port’). Color: gold. Nostril: I remorse to tell you that the nostril is magnificent, one even wonders whether or not this might need been an outdated white port cask from Niepoort or different good ones (S., they are saying tawny, t.a.w.n.y.) . Wild mirabelles and bergamots, then clover honey. With water: out come mineral components, flint, crushed slate, after which bread dough. Mouth (neat): basic younger HP, with all the standard attributes, citrusy and mineral stress, varied honeys, peach skins, apple and pear peel, after which a burst of gray pepper abruptly taking cost… With water: every part falls into place, tremendous peat, citrus, exact honeys, smooth spices, raisins… In truth, the gentler facet of the port is now starting to make itself identified. End: as is commonly the case, it’s the dry notes (leather-based and tobacco) that deliver steadiness and forestall it veering too far into jammy territory. Not that now we have something towards jam. Feedback: a spherical of hearty applause. Not even ten years outdated, thoughts you! SGP:652 – 89 factors. |
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Highland Park 10 yo 2014/2024 (51.5%, The Home of McCallum, Auld Alliance, bourbon and Margaux, cask #279, 343 bottles) We assume this underwent a ending in a Margaux cask, so purple Bordeaux. There are certainly white Margaux wines, however they’re exceedingly uncommon and as but not granted the Margaux blanc designation. That stated, Médoc blanc is reportedly within the works… Color: pale gold. Nostril: no blackcurrant, no cherry, the Margaux retains its distance, save for a number of tell-tale inexperienced pepper notes typical of cabernet. The remaining is sort of enticing, with orange liqueur and people ‘mineral maritime citrus fruits’. A splash of barley syrup. With water: it turns extra coastal and even medicinal. A faint contact of iodine tincture and a few small oysters. Mouth (neat): as soon as once more, the wine stays discreet, although there may be some blood orange. Fruity brioche, panettone, marmalade, a number of salty and earthy touches, and liquorice. With water: more energizing, extra lemony, and extra saline. End: lengthy and refreshing, with bitter almond notes. Tiny drops of seawater within the aftertaste. Feedback: we went in search of the Margaux, however reality be advised, it was properly hidden. That is probably not such a nasty factor. SGP:562 – 86 factors. |
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Highland Park 18 yo (57.1%, Dràm Mor, fifth birthday launch, refill hogshead, cask #3535, 292 bottles) Is it pure affectation that they’ve chosen to not point out the classic? We think about so, and we fairly like that. Color: white wine. Nostril: a stunning concept to attract from casks fairly completely different to the standard official home fashion, right here we’ve acquired a profile that’s very contemporary, vertical, maritime, on sourdough bread, seaweed, grist, floor almonds, and cooked whelks… How pleasant. With water: ink seems, together with a pile of books and magazines, then baker’s yeast. Somebody actually ought to determine an aroma conservatory, as a result of on the fee issues are going, quickly every part will odor like plastic, cocaine and gunpowder (come on!) Mouth (neat): agency, highly effective, candied, citric, salty, peaty, compact. Will that do? With water: as wonderful because it will get, salty, contemporary, maritime, like a plate of smoked cockles drizzled with lemon juice. End: pretty lengthy, nonetheless contemporary and saline. A really coastal HP, splendidly austere into the cut price. Feedback: who may probably object to this fashion, which catapults you straight to the sting of the North Sea? SGP:563 – 88 factors. |
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I believe one final wee dram will do for right now… |
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Highland Park 18 yo 2006/2024 (59.2%, C. Dully Choice, bourbon hogshead, cask #3571, 232 bottles) Color: white wine. Nostril: the magic of true refill, near the distillate, which makes good sense once you’re coping with an outstanding make like HP. High 5 materials, with out query. That stated, it’s a discreet, delicate nostril—summer season rain, foliage, I virtually need to say cucumber—the very definition of fragrant understatement. A porcini carpaccio just like the one I had at L’Ambroisie in Paris, one in every of my best gastronomic recollections. However I digress. With water: contemporary plaster, a rain-dampened wool jumper, and small cider apples. Mouth (neat): this time we’re near newmake—you virtually really feel like there’s been little or no maturation over these 18 years. Uncommon and completely charming! However cautious—it’s nonetheless 59.2% vol. Yup. With water: fantastically balanced, apple, pear, barley, inexperienced melon, faint ashes… End: pretty lengthy, extra on herbs. Artisanal kirsch within the aftertaste, and the best kirsch belong among the many best spirits on Earth! Feedback: filled with appeal, but it surely’s an austere kind of appeal, unadorned, pure, most likely not one for ‘the neighbours’. SGP:462 – 88 factors. |
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Heads up, the ‘Secret Orkneys’ are coming quickly, and I can inform you there are some actual beasts amongst them. Keep tuned. |
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A wee duo, or maybe is it a trio of Daftmill There’s this unbelievable ‘Mission 1927’ by James Eadie, which brings collectively six newmakes from some fairly avant-garde younger Scottish distilleries. Regardless of their modernity, all of them had been eager to experiment with manufacturing strategies from the Nineteen Twenties—yeasts, fermentation strategies, and so forth. Proof, if ever it had been wanted, that custom may be forward-thinking, don’t you suppose? |
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Unnamed Farm Distillery within the Coronary heart of the Kingdom of Fife 2023-2024/2024 (63.4%, James Eadie, Mission 1927, spirit drink) This one was distilled from homegrown Golden Promise barley, floor-malted on web site and fermented for approx. 100 hours utilizing brewer’s yeast. Color: white. Nostril: explosive certainly, way more estery than anticipated, with an instantaneous slap of inexperienced olive (a considerably uncommon creature within the Kingdom of Fife) and copper polish. The intensely fermentary facet is, after all, properly to the fore as properly, bringing ideas of sourdough bread, however care should be taken as that is critically potent stuff that would very quickly incinerate our nostrils. With water: now we enter the world of small fruits, all both within the means of fermentation or lately caught within the act. Cherries, plums, raspberries, little berries of indeterminate origin, and even a glimmer of shochu. Mouth (neat): with due warning, pear eau-de-vie comes as no shock, nor does the limoncello, however the damp earthiness, salty flashes and contemporary woodland mushrooms are fairly sudden in a newmake. With water: this calls to thoughts wild cherry eau-de-vie as produced by the best Alsatian distillers, akin to Marcel Windholtz in Ribeauvillé. Which is to say, ‘they might bottle this as is’. End: lengthy, now correctly salty, although there can’t be a gram of precise sodium within the dram. Clearly, it’s a query of sure papillae being activated, presumably by ions or some such, however we’ll admit the chemistry of the palate is just not fairly our area. Feedback: sure, they might completely bottle this and I’m sure it could make smashing martinis. We will take a look at that idea forthwith this very night. SGP:662 – between 85 and 90 factors (we don’t actually rating newmakes, in spite of everything). |
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Daftmill 2009/2025 (55%, OB for Aquavitae, bourbon cask, casks #03+055/2009, 362 bottles) This can be a ‘double single cask’, you perceive. Oh, and he-ha, the Daftmill label does certainly specify that they’re positioned ‘within the Coronary heart of the Kingdom of Fife’, which certainly can’t be mere coincidence. That stated, a number of new distilleries now reside inside the Kingdom of Fife however allow us to transfer on… Color: pale gold. Nostril: usually very taut, mineral, and uncompromisingly herbaceous, as if it had been infused with grapefruit peel, which fits us marvellously as we’re fairly a fan of such aromas. There’s additionally woodruff, lashings of it, together with slightly lemon verbena. With water: just about unchanged, save for the looks of slate and chalk, each delightfully pulverised. Mouth (neat): splendidly pure and textural for an ex-bourbon, all vanilla, lemon, and exceedingly vigorous wee herbs, with the hovering class of the driest white wines. One would possibly even say it’s ‘Sauvignoning’. With water: it takes a flip for the rootier, now evoking candy gentian, celery stalk… All the time a cheerful place in my ebook. End: lengthy, pure, indefatigable but by no means fatiguing (if that is sensible). A fairly startling umami high quality proper on the finish. Feedback: it borders extra on watchmaking than mere distilling, so exact it’s. SGP:661 – 90 factors. |
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Please extra of the identical… |
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Daftmill 2011/2024 (56.3%, OB for the Milano Whisky Pageant, first fill bourbon barrel, cask #094-98-99/2011, 615 bottles) There’s additionally a primary fill oloroso model from an earlier Milan competition, however let’s keep centered on the bourbon right now… Color: white wine. Nostril: naturally it’s very shut, although this one’s a tad cleaner, a contact fruitier, however every part else is near-identical. Let’s say we’ve moved from Sancerre’s Sauvignon to Chablis’ Chardonnay. With water: ah, a number of faint petroly notes, however we quickly return to a much more civilised lemon custard. Mouth (neat): fairly fatty, even oily, with limoncello making a triumphant comeback (Italy, after all), together with a correct chalkiness. And it’s simply so good, it’s frankly getting slightly embarrassing. With water: touches of pine liqueur, orange blossom and a pinch of paprika, all layered over the basic chalk-vanilla-lemon-fresh bread combo. End: beautiful, pure, and downright moreish. One other bottle that basically ought to come back with a warning label. Feedback: completely excellent, albeit with only a fraction much less of the earlier one’s surgical precision. Nonetheless flying very excessive certainly. SGP: 661 – 89 factors. |
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In any case, right here’s hoping Daftmill has laid down a little bit of that ‘James Eadie-style’ newmake for ageing! As freshwater anglers prefer to say, good issues come to those that wait. We merely can’t wait… |
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(Merci, Martin and because of The Whisky Lodge) |
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Six Broras – or practically – for Whiskyfun’s twenty third anniversary A tasting session with all of the sluggish build-up of a climb up the steps—if you happen to catch my drift. You’ll see. |
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So certainly, it’s right now, twenty eighth July. (A part of the field from a 5-year-old Outdated Clynelish/Brora, that includes the amusing “additional mild” point out, which we’ll come again to shortly…) |
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Brora 23 yo 1981/2005 (46%, Signatory Classic, Un-Chillfiltered Assortment, refill sherry butt, cask #05/372, 314 bottles) We’ve all the time had a smooth spot for this Un-Chillfiltered Assortment, which introduced some fairly treasured malts inside attain of the fanatic’s pockets, by no means compromising on high quality. Even when a number of sister casks of this very one weren’t fairly stellar, if reminiscence serves, definitely not superior to their cousins from the identical period simply throughout the road up there, although they might resemble them fairly so much. By 1981, Brora’s ‘Islay-style’ years had been already historical past… Color: straw. Nostril: that good outdated porridge is again, one thing sorely missing in most of right now’s malts, together with hints of ink, barely overripe apples, saltpetre and soot, paraffin, hay, and correct farmhouse cider (not that pub-dispensed fizz, thoughts you) … No peat, or barely any, however a mode that already feels bygone, which seems to be fairly transferring in spite of everything these years. Briefly, none of that trendy jiggery-pokery in these bottlings. Mouth: the sherry cask’s slightly extra vocal right here, bringing alongside our outdated pals, aged walnuts and oxidised apples, alongside inexperienced banana, a number of touches of bay leaf, a salty tang and a contact of seaside white plonk that, as they are saying, requires oysters. Hints of edible flowers too—pansies, borage… End: not the longest, barely dusty and ashy, however beautiful and trustworthy, with a salty amontillado-like high quality rising proper on the finish. Maybe it’s within the end that it shines the brightest. Forgot to say mandarins, which is fairly Clynelish from these years too. Feedback: scoring these Broras is turning into fairly like making an attempt to rank Jimmy Web page, Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck. You all the time find yourself trying a bit daft, don’t you? SGP:453 – 88 factors. |
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Brora 23 yo 1981/2005 (46%, Chieftain’s Alternative, sherry butt, cask #1514, 846 bottles) Clearly a correct butt, given the beneficiant outturn! We may virtually recycle the remarks made concerning the SigV UCF for this Chieftain’s Alternative by Ian Macleod. By the best way, do keep watch over their outdated Springbanks at public sale now that the air’s slightly clearer in that significantly peculiar market. Color: gold. Nostril: the sherry’s extra assertive right here, so we’re getting walnuts, even candy mustard, autumn leaves, with a slight metallic contact main us to paraffin oil, hay as soon as once more, hearth smoke, a lit pipe, extra beeswax, then these good outdated apples, farmhouse cider and wee notes of patchouli. Mouth: very beautiful, earthier, fuller-bodied, that was clearly a tremendous butt. Hints of mandarin peel, wax, even olive oil, a number of touches of aged white wine veering in the direction of dry Madeira, then a fantastically Jerez-like interaction of mustard and tobacco, which is sort of charming certainly. End: turns into more and more ‘Brora’, one would possibly even be reminded of barely older vintages akin to 1975. Porridge ‘with a nip’ within the aftertaste, which takes us proper again to… 1981. Feedback: Brora beloved sherry, and the sensation was mutual. And maybe these vintages even wanted it, come to think about it. SGP:564 – 89 factors. |
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Brora 1981/2004 (58.2%, The Dalriada Whisky Co., Trendy Masters of Scotland, for Japan, butt, 239 bottles) The Dalriada Whisky Co. was a now-defunct outfit based by David Croll. This occurs to be one of many bottles I had the toughest time monitoring down again in my Brora-hoarding days, would you consider. And but, I by no means tasted it till now, although one suspects a ‘SigV’ origin. Simply to make clear, the ‘Trendy Masters of Scotland’ moniker refers, after all, to not the whisky, however to the painter who illustrated the label. Color: gold. Nostril: we’re truly exceedingly near the Chieftain’s, with that agency dry sherry profile, walnuts, mustard, dried leaves, backyard bonfire smoke, paraffin, soot… Let’s see if slightly water stirs issues up. With water: hints of braised cabbage, maybe a contact of sulphur… however certainly, it leans increasingly more in the direction of spent matches. Mouth (neat): solely and squarely within the Chieftain’s camp, solely cranked up a notch, which manifests in a bolder, extra pronounced plug tobacco character. Certainly. With water: bitter chocolate and gunpowder, heading in the direction of salted truffle. In reality, not my favorite. End: lengthy, very dry, with an assertive observe of gunpowder that shifts into tar and leek. Over-infused lapsang souchong and a leathery new-shoe observe within the aftertaste. Feedback: harking back to these sherried Clynelishes that generally additionally veered into the sulphury zone. To suppose we bent over backwards to pay money for a bottle! SGP:475 – 82 factors. |
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Proper, no extra messing about now… |
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Brora 13 yo 1982/1995 (60.4%, Cadenhead, Genuine Assortment) One of many earliest Broras, together with that Blackadder model provided at a fairly underwhelming 43% vol.; beforehand, there had solely been the SMWS, together with the extremely lauded 1976 61.1 launched as early as 1989. We’d already tasted this 1982 CAD however had by no means truly penned any notes. Think about, that was earlier than the daybreak of WF! At any fee, excessive time to place this flawed to rights… Color: white wine. Nostril: completely within the fashion of that period’s output from this collection, with wealthy texture and pure energy displaying right away, adopted by a fairly beautiful minerality (moist pebbles, first rain in a giant metropolis, so petrichor, limestone) and a few barely underripe unique fruits, banana pores and skin, then the proverbial Clynelish wax. With water: rapid lift-off! Attractive contemporary unique fruits, coriander, Thai basil, beeswax, nectar, pollen, straw smoke… Mouth (neat): it’s like olive oil combined with grapefruit and freshly reduce grass. The octane stage is excessive, thoughts you. With water: excellent, and to be trustworthy, very Clynelish certainly. There have been fairly a number of Clynelishes within the early ’70s that felt fairly ‘Brora’, and several other Broras from the early ’80s that felt fairly ‘Clynelish’. End: identical story, good, saltier. Feedback: I think that twenty-five years in the past or extra, I’ll have tasted this with out water, however I truthfully don’t recall. Because the outdated joke goes, there are three issues I wrestle to recollect: the whiskies I’ve tasted, individuals’s names, and the whiskies I’ve tasted. SGP:565 – 92 factors. |
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Talking of which, simply maintain on a sec… |
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Clynelish 5 yo (43%, OB, Di Chiano, lengthy golden cap, Italy, +/-1970) After all we’ve already tasted this little chap with the ‘cumbersome neck’ and people charming particular person yellow cartons (we do love yellow at WF, certainly it’ll come again into vogue in the future), however right here’s a contemporary bottle, and what’s extra, the label printing is finer than on some others. Sure, I do know, any excuse will do in such instances. I consider—although can’t say with absolute certainty—that that is pre-floor maltings decommissioning distillate, so pre-1965. Briefly, much more so than with the 12-year-olds beneath the identical label, one may argue that is the seminal Outdated Clynelish/Brora. Color: white wine. Nostril: ink and soot, chilly ashes within the fireside of an outdated bothy, ham fats, apple peelings, motor oil, some new plastics and outdated books from the cellar or the attic. And an oyster and a langoustine. Mouth: impossibly maritime in purity, but in some way as fats as a monk. This richness and breadth are spectacular in a five-year-old, simply because it was in these outdated Springbank 5s of the period. However had been they actually solely 5 years outdated? A sticky candy thriller… Anyway, the remainder shall stay between this wee one and me. End: unbelievable size, fats, lemon, ashes, soot, seawater, seaweed… Feedback: completely on par with the 12-year-olds, barring the Giaccone 100° proof variations, which lived in a category of their very own. As for the feel, it’s one thing that’s plainly vanished from just about all trendy malts, irrespective of their origin. SGP:462 – 93 factors (verging on 94). |
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What’s actually humorous is that certainly, on the field of this 5-year-old Clynelish, there’s the point out “EXTRA LIGHT”, which is after all utterly at odds with the fashion of the whisky. However now we have to keep in mind that on the time, “mild”, identical to “easy”, was an enormous promoting proposition for spirits. In truth, very younger age statements, whether or not real or made-up, that’s to say lowered on the label, served the identical function, because the public believed that the older and darker a whisky was, the extra full-bodied and wealthy it could be. It’s value realizing that some had been even artificially decolouring their whiskies. Effectively that is what we have heard on quite a few events. As Japanese cooks would say, O tempora, o mores! (yeah like, that is humorous, S.) |
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So, thanks on your consideration! We’re beginning to consider how we’ll rejoice our twenty fifth anniversary in 2027—offered the numerous Gods of Spirits allow us to reside that lengthy. Hasta la vista! |
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(Thanks mucho, KC and Massimo!) |
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A phrase of warning Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are completed from the standpoint of a malt whisky fanatic who, what’s extra, is aboslutely not an knowledgeable in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or every other spirits. Thanks – and peace! |
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Much more rums on WF, incuding a 1834, for our twenty third anniversary (simply barely early) |
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Tomorrow marks the twenty third anniversary of this pitiful little ultra-advanced web site, and we’re getting ever so barely forward of ourselves with a really particular rum we had put aside for the event. We’re even going to take pleasure in it as an ‘apéritif’, as a result of it merely wouldn’t do to have it after these sickly-sweet sugar bombs adopted by high-ester bazookas from Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana… or Fiji. Are all of us agreed on that? Latest photograph of the previous Bellows headquarters simply south of the New York Inventory Change. |
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Jamaica Rum 1834 (+/-40%, M.E. Bellows‘ Son of New York through The Colors of Rum, Guyana) |
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Let’s transfer on to newer issues… |
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Banqero ‘Copper’ (40%, OB, Switzerland, +/-2023) Sure certainly, girls and gents, Swiss rum has landed on WF for the very first time. Effectively, we’re not solely sure it’s genuinely Swiss—one web site claims it’s truly of Cuban origin and the results of a ‘quadruple distillation in a column nonetheless’, which is fairly amusing until we’re speaking about tiny pot stills linked to some kind of tray system, although I fairly doubt it. Color: golden straw. Nostril: a contact odd, someplace between genepy, vanilla yoghurt, and a faintly dusty cabinet, but it surely’s all fairly entertaining. Mouth: not too positive what to make of this, with mild molasses, inexperienced pepper, pear eau-de-vie, and caramel displaying up right here and there… there’s clearly a sugariness lurking beneath the entire affair. End: quick and earthier, this time bringing in notes of curry and plum spirit. Feedback: amusing and trustworthy, hoppla. SGP:730 – 60 factors. |
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Rivière du Mât ‘Grande Réserve’ (40%, OB, La Réunion, +/-2024)  We’d already tried this one a few years in the past and it was fairly good. This can be a conventional rum, so molasses-based fairly than pure cane juice. Color: gold. Nostril: beautiful freshness, virtually maritime in nature, with liquorice and anise making an look, in addition to a floral contact (honeysuckle), and above all, gallons of freshly squeezed oranges with a drizzle of multifloral honey. From La Réunion, after all. Their pink peppercorn honey is splendid, by the best way. Mouth: nonetheless candy, with spices that clearly evoke the area, virtually like a really, very delicate rougail. This then veers in the direction of one thing drier, with a contact of chocolate and chilli, a splendid mixture. End: alas, it’s fairly quick—I worry the 40% actually doesn’t do it justice, which is a pity. Feedback: very nice juice, however their barely stronger variations, such because the XO, have way more oomph. SGP:640 – 78 factors. |
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Mhoba ‘Bourbon Cask’ (48%, OB, Navigate World Whisky, South Africa, 300 bottles, +/-2024) Let’s maintain this transient as everyone knows Mhoba is superb. Color: gold. Nostril: no surprises right here, it’s excellent certainly, brimming with these hallmark wafts of waxed cardboard, contemporary tar, seawater, then hints of acetone and polish. A contact of caraway provides a stunning idiosyncratic twist. Mouth: essentially the most Jamaican of African rums, and fairly probably the best. An ideal concord of liquorice and tar, mingling with citrus and wee petroly and basaltic touches. It then shifts in the direction of saltiness, which is solely pleasant. End: lengthy, with each black and inexperienced olives making a proud look. Feedback: finest loved whereas listening to Abdullah Ibrahim. We like this rum—and the nice Abdullah Ibrahim aka Greenback Model each bit as a lot. SGP:452 – 89 factors. |
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Fiji 23 yo 2001/2024 (51%, Planteray for LMDW Foundations, Status Cellar, 258 bottles) A juice from Rum & Co. of Fiji (aka South Pacific Distillery), completed for 4 years in Ferrand cognac casks. One hopes the affect was minimal, naturally. Color: amber. Nostril: image mango juice, peach liqueur, seawater, a drop of rose liqueur, and a splash of furnishings polish all shaken collectively—and in some way, it doesn’t conflict in any respect. With water: oh, it shuts down. That’s uncommon, and we’re certainly utilizing our official Vittel water (Nestlé, the place’s that cheque?) Mouth (neat): that is charming, the cognac stays discreet and lets unique fruits preserved in liquorice, olive oil, and Nordic fir tar liqueur take centre stage. With water: a lot the identical, only a contact brinier. A stunning drop, and a cognac cask that knew methods to behave. End: lengthy, saltier, and extra on petrol. Feedback: actually excellent, and it appears just a bit oilier than your common South Pacific. SGP:553 – 87 factors. |
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A Panama Distillery 2004/2017 (61.6%, L’Esprit, cask #BB 71, 256 bottles) About time we gave this child a go, we’re all the time on the hunt for excellent Panamanians. And we achieve this love when bottlers inform us, at 61.6% vol., that it’s cask energy. Don’t we simply. Color: gold. Nostril: textbook stuff, corn syrup, a bag of sweets, hay, contemporary grass, and cane syrup. With water: beautiful pure vanilla and a number of natural teas, together with the compulsory chamomile. Mouth (neat): the sweetie facet is much more pronounced on the palate. Honey lozenges and maple syrup galore. Plus a good bit of ethanol, let’s be trustworthy. With water: smooth, sugary, syrupy, with banana and pear liqueurs entrance and centre. End: a lot the identical. A bit of pepper creeps in. Feedback: not precisely my most popular fashion, removed from it, however inside this considerably ‘hole’ profile, I’d say it’s top-tier. SGP:640 – 82 factors. |
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Effectively now, let’s return to the Fiji Islands… |
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South Pacific Distillery 21 yo 2001/2023 (47.3%, The Colors of Rum, Fiji, cask #17, 222 bottles) No discount right here, so one would possibly presume both the ageing befell past the Arctic Circle—which we fairly doubt—or the cask was a contact, let’s say, porous. Usually the supply of nice surprises, as we have seen with many a sublimely aged Scottish malt. Color: gold. Nostril: properly now, olive oil with a contact of acetone and almond milk. Within the background, a curious mixture of ink, saltpetre, soot, and guava juice. And I’m afraid to say all of it comes collectively fairly completely. Mouth: rather less exact on the palate, a contact rougher (like a Fijian rugby prop), but naturally nonetheless wonderful. The wooden feels extra current than traditional, which is likely to be right down to the (comparatively) low energy. End: lengthy, salty, austere, pretty dry. Feedback: not the best of drams… however nonetheless high class, very similar to Fiji’s nationwide rugby staff. SGP:463 – 87 factors. |
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Clarendon 17 yo 2004/2022 (57.1%, Treasured Liquors, Jamaica, cask #433877) Color: amber. Nostril: at first sniff, it is a smooth and fruity Monymusk/Clarendon, low-ester, leaning in the direction of hazelnut oil and hay. There’s one thing fairly enigmatic about it. A pronounced observe of mint as properly. With water: resinous woods start to push ahead, significantly thuja, evoking the scent of a Moroccan vacationer souk—Marrakech, Agadir… Mouth (neat): extra assertive on the palate, however the cask was pretty aggressive, with loads of fir resin, inexperienced pepper, and albeit, plenty of inexperienced tannins. With water: we’ve managed to tame it considerably, guiding it in the direction of citrus peel and budding shoots. However what a wild beast it’s. End: lengthy, inexperienced, astringent. Feedback: goodness, what a battle. We prefer it an amazing deal, however that is actually a Clarendon for individuals who take pleasure in a correct scrap. SGP:272 – 85 factors. |
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Enmore 1991/2024 ‘KFM Versailles’ (48.3%, The Colors of Rum for LMDW Foundations, Guyana) Lovely label, very MoMA, and we’ve little doubt the substance will match the fashion. As for the acronym KFM, I’m afraid we’ve forgotten what it stands for. Color: mahogany. Nostril: we’re stepping right into a fifth dimension right here, with rosewood and amourette, almond milk, toasted pine nuts, nectarines, Dior magnificence lotions (no matter, neglect), prickly pear liqueur… all of that is sublimely lovely and vintage, as if one had wandered into outdated Florence. A large shock for me, I had by no means tasted this unbelievable child earlier than. Mouth: cease every part, that is Coltrane. To suppose America gave us each John Coltrane and Donald Trump. The oak could be very pronounced, but it surely’s a most elegant kind of woodiness, veering into the realm of the noblest conifers. Douglas fir, maybe? End: lengthy and intensely fir-driven. Feedback: completely unbalanced and deeply non secular on the identical time. Let’s be trustworthy, that is just about liquid wooden, however the aesthetic is faultless. SGP:272 – 90 factors. |
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Let’s see if we will discover one other top-notch rum that’s not so closely wooded… |
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Clarendon 15 yo 2007/2022 ‘Early Landed’ (57.1%, Rum Sponge, Jamaica, refill barrel, 262 bottles) As soon as once more we’re very late to the celebration. I confess, we’ve way more rum than we will probably style at our traditional tempo. Color: full gold. Nostril: properly blast, that is spot on—diesel, seawater, apricot and mango all enjoying collectively fantastically. With water: in come the Ikea plywood and brand-new Adidas trainers. Mouth (neat): razor sharp—olives, capers, tar and pink grapefruit, with simply two drops of orange blossom water. With water: the salt and polish cost in and take over your palate. However warning—add an excessive amount of water and all of it falls aside. Three drops, no extra. End: at +/-45%, it’s pure, contemporary, saline, maritime, and prepared for oysters or caviar. No want to relax it, not like these vodkas. Feedback: magnificent Clarendon—I’d guess an ‘MLC’ marque, however I’m no knowledgeable. SGP:563 – 90 factors. |
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The final one — properly, we needed to end someplace… |
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TDL 22 yo 2002/2025 (56.1%, The Whisky Jury, The Many Faces of Rum, Trinidad, refill barrel, cask #16, 229 bottles) As our associates on the Jury remind us on the label, it’s not simply Trinidad—it’s Trinidad and Tobago. Color: deep gold. Nostril: good heavens, mirabelles, mangoes, and apricots, drenched in light varnish and the softest, fruitiest pink olive oil. One merely bows earlier than such magnificence and purity. With water: sandalwood and cedar rise above all the remainder we’ve simply talked about. Mouth (neat): this could virtually be outlawed. Citrus juice and focus. Let’s press on… With water: who slipped within the toasted sesame oil? Fact be advised, water’s solely pointless; don’t trouble, this one’s terribly laborious to dilute correctly. Finest is to spritz the faintest droplets utilizing an atomiser. I imply it. End: very salty, citric, petroly, excellent. Liquorice reigns within the aftertaste. It has grown increasingly more excessive, frankly. Feedback: if reminiscence serves, there was as soon as one other distillery doing fairly tremendous issues in Trinidad (and Tobago!) Cirano? Carino? (hey, José Feliciano) … Ah sure, proper, Caroni. SGP:573 – 90 factors. |
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(One thousand mercis to The Colors of Rum) |
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Indie Allt-A-Bhainne in a duo |
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We actually take pleasure in these little low-key periods, and this time we’ll steer properly away from any debates or controversies concerning the varied spellings of this very trendy distillery’s identify. Effectively, it was trendy when it was constructed by Seagram again within the Seventies. |
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Allt-A-Bhainne 7 yo 2016/2024 (61.7%, DH International Spirits, 1st fill oloroso octave, cask #1031738C, 57 bottles) A small outturn, very younger, however which means nothing. I imply it might be excellent… Color: purple macassar (if such a hue actually exists). Nostril: straight onto prunes in Armagnac and orange liqueur, then chocolate leaning in the direction of artisanal Nutella (if such a factor exists). We’re then onto millionaire’s shortbread and a cashew tart doused in maple syrup. You see the place that is going. With water: pecans and roasted peanuts, slathered in chestnut honey. Mouth (neat): purple fruits cooked in honey and Spanish mandarin liqueur, all on a mattress of chocolate sauce. With water: we’re again with all method of roasted oily nuts glazed in honey and caramel, the whole thing splashed with triple sec. End: lengthy, extra chocolatey. Feedback: you might say this little Allt-A-Bhainne is doggedly ploughing its personal furrow! We do take pleasure in this fashion of younger little beast, very properly put collectively… SGP:641 – 85 factors. |
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Allt-A-Bhainne 27 yo 1995/2024 (52.6%, Milroy’s, Classic Reserve, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel) It’s not every single day one will get to style a reasonably outdated Allt-A-Bhainne, and allow us to hope, no less than, that it’s near the distillate. Color: gold. Nostril: that is very a lot ‘pure Speyside’, think about baked apples and pears gently positioned atop a mattress of custard. Truthful sufficient, you could add a little bit of meringue if you happen to like. With water: banana foam of the best pedigree and marshmallow, with even a faint whiff of Seventies Jell-O – I swear I’m not making this up. Mouth (neat): that is beautiful, fairly ‘excessive definition’, curiously however charmingly mentholated, then we’re off with lemon balm and a complete medley of wee citrus fruits, beginning with bergamot. We a.d.o.r.e. bergamot at WF. With water: extra contemporary malt now and a really citrus-forward hop character. Briefly, it’s like a top-notch, high-ABV IPA. Has somebody distilled and aged an IPA already, or am I dreaming? Maybe our Californian associates? End: lengthy and brimming with freshness, which is likely to be barely harmful, all issues thought of. Feedback: these two Allt-A-Bhainnes had been fairly completely different, but they each had this shared fruity vibrancy. Truthfully, I swear, we actually should go and have a phrase about A-A-B’s home fashion with the blenders at Pernod Ricard. SGP:641 – 88 factors. |
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Quite a lot of very completely different Bowmores on the desk, until ’69 Bowmore firmly holds a spot in our high 5 when it comes to the variety of completely different expressions we have tasted, and right now we will combine issues up a bit. As an illustration, we talked about the partnership between Aston Martin and Glenfiddich the opposite day, so it’s now time to pattern a Bowmore that additionally occurs to be the results of a collaboration with this iconic automobile model. We’ll simply keep away from mentioning any points with electronics, clutches, overheating, or sluggish gearboxes. Proper… |
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Bowmore 21 yo ‘Aston Martin’ (51.4%, OB, Grasp’s Choice Version 4, 2024) The 22-year-old from 2022 had been respectable (WF 83). The difficulty with this current 21 is that it was hurled into some Tawny Port, which doesn’t precisely scream ‘Aston Martin’ if you happen to ask me. However let’s put aside all prejudice and press on… Color: bronze gold. Nostril: hmm, inventory dice, mead, spent fireworks, boot polish, leather-based, stewed purple fruit, buds, and dried raisins… With water: the extra ‘Bowmorian’ traits emerge—sea water, peat, oysters, liquorice… Briefly, it’s higher with water. Mouth (neat): within the vein of these early wine-finished Bowmores, beginning with the inexpressible ‘Claret’. It clashes in a Miles Davis circa 1970 form of approach—the resemblance ends there, alas for this Bowmore. Smoked prunes, scorched orchard leaves, and lashings of umeshu as served in a sushi joint. With water: once more, barely improved, although there’s lavender and violet poking by way of. Oops, identical to the outdated days. End: medium in size, on smoked purple fruit jam with a barely soapy edge. Feedback: one actually wonders whether or not it wasn’t the Aston Martin mechanics who cobbled this collectively, a serviceable dram, however solely far-fetched. Not for us, actually, they should strive Toyota subsequent time… SGP:664 – 78 factors. |
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Fast, let’s attempt to pull ourselves collectively—with a barrel… In spite of everything, with regards to casks, based on our idea, much less is extra, isn’t it? |
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Bowmore 26 yo 1997/2023 (51.1%, The Whisky Company, fifteenth anniversary, The Good Dram, barrel, 124 bottles) Color: pale gold. Nostril: beautiful age, splendid classic, pristine purity, attractive unique fruits, and a powerful coastal profile—it couldn’t have turned out any higher, particularly after the 21 AM. With water: about three litres of Loch Indaal water, lemons, clams, pinewood smoke, and a splash of Sauvignon Blanc… Mouth (neat): on these creamy citrus notes Bowmore does so properly, each contemporary and oily, with a lemony, salty peat of the best order. And allow us to not neglect the oysters. With water: identical once more, it’s completely pleasant. End: likewise, solely even saltier, as is commonly the case in the direction of the top. Feedback: even earlier than our nostril hovered over the tulip glass, we knew this was going to be a 90. There should be some form of power at play… SGP:565 – 90 factors. |
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Bowmore 2002/2025 (58.2%, Malts of Scotland, Uncommon Casks, for The Whisky Dreamers, bourbon hogshead, cask #MoS25014, 146 bottles) Color: white wine. Nostril: we’re again within the extra tropical, fruitier, and downright seductive vintages, but the entire stays very pure and taut—in brief, it’s beautiful, virtually effortlessly so, and in the absolute best sense. However do watch these watts (ha, as much as 59.9% we inform ourselves it’s manageable, previous 60.0% and it’s enjoying with fireplace). With water: the mango bursts broad open. Mouth (neat): this one meets the 1997s in sheer readability and precision, very ‘clear line’ fashion, although with added iodine and a sense of petrichor. With water: Bowmore in excessive definition—mango, lemon, sea water, beechwood-smoked salmon, and do cross the Riesling, please. End: no actual shift, which is an effective factor, although as soon as once more, it will get a tad saltier. Feedback: we went in trying to find flaws and got here again empty-handed. So, based on our patented system stretching so far as Kamchatka and past, this might be, as soon as extra… SGP:655 – 90 factors. |
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How about revisiting some previous glories? No heatwave in Alsace as of late, so let’s take advantage of it, we’ve acquired a transparent run forward… |
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Bowmore 30 yo 1990/2020 (53.7%, Kingsbury for Membership Qing, hogshead, cask #3971) Angus has already tasted it. And naturally, he preferred it so much, however let’s not permit ourselves to be swayed, eh… Color: pale gold. Nostril: there’s a whiff of paraffin oil, or a parcel from Temu to start out with, although on this context, that’s not essentially a nasty omen, as regularly contemporary fruits start to sneak in, particularly wee citrus ones, then metallic polish, varnish, glues, and increasingly more oyster juice, petrol, rhubarb, inexperienced tomatoes… In truth, the complexity solely grows from there. With water: nonetheless slightly chaotic, as if the cask had sprung a leak or been on a number of escapades. Wool, chalk, sourdough, and the like. Mouth (neat): salty pear eau-de-vie, in an outdated Bowmore? Water should straighten out all these molecules… With water: ah sure, there we’re, all of it falls into place, a 90% manzanilla mix with 5% seawater, 5% lemon juice, and 5% pear juice. I do hope these figures add up… maybe not. End: lengthy, very barely acetic, all the time very salty, maritime, and nonetheless a tad unruly. Feedback: fairly a unique outdated Bowmore, maybe with some discreet remnants of the Eighties, and one thing of an enchanting puzzle piece. However do put aside a while if you are going to deal with it… SGP:565 – 89 factors. |
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Largiemeanoch 20 yo 1974 (50.6%, The Whisky Connoisseur, Arthur J.A. Bell, cask #2087, +/-1995) No want, certainly, to remind anybody that these Bowmore/Largiemeanoch bottlings belong within the pantheon of malt whisky, ever since that head-turning 12-year-old 1967. So, let’s stay humble… Color: white wine. Nostril: the early Largiemeanoch had been loaded with intergalactic sherry, however right here we’re confronted with one thing of unfathomable purity—ardour fruit, peanut butter (pure, naturally), and gently salted pink grapefruit. Dazzling. With water: that outdated tweed jacket, the one which’s seen numerous downpours and tempests, and sure, even a moist canine. A really small canine, a Yorkshire. Mouth (neat): please summon the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade sofort! By no means earlier than had we imagined smoked and salted bergamot jelly. With water: the austerity returns, citrus peels and high-grade Italian bitters. Neglect something too crimson in color… End: lengthy, with the emergence of meaty and fishy notes that solely serve to amplify the general complexity. There’s even a drop of nuoc-mam and a touch of bitter almond proper on the demise. Feedback: none, besides that we not recall what turned of The Whisky Connoisseur. Should dig into that in the future. Reminder, the Largiemeanoch 1967/1979, credited to Howgate Wine Co., was WF 97. Not that it issues within the slightest, after all. SGP:666 – 93 factors. |
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We proceed, going again by way of the years, with one last dram… |
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Bowmore 36 yo 1969/2006 (44.0%, Duncan Taylor, Peerless, cask #6090, 233 bottles) There have been many elegant Bowmores from the Nineteen Sixties within the shares of Abe Rosenberg/Duncan Taylor, and right here’s an instance, seemingly a correct fruit bomb. Color: white wine. Nostril: a real fruit bomb. One nonetheless wonders why Bowmore (and Laphroaig too) threw away the recipe! It’s actually simply an astonishing fruit salad from each continent, with mango, ardour fruit and people dainty pink bananas taking the lead, earlier than—barely fashionably late, we should say—mineral and ashy touches stroll in ‘for the glory’, because it had been. There’s additionally contemporary mint, lavender honey, a contact of candle wax, and a whisper of recent cloth. That’ll do, we’ve not acquired all day, however simply to notice, the minerality builds in stature, although it by no means dares unseat the fruit salad, which sits proudly on the throne… Mouth: that is getting embarrassing. We’re transferring into citrus overload territory, layered with all types of ashes and people splendidly salty Bowmore notes stated—after a number of drams—to come back from the barrels having been rolled by way of Loch Indaal to achieve the puffers after they couldn’t dock on the pier. Aye properly, take that as you’ll. End: lengthy, even saltier, with a contact of ultra-premium margarita, grapefruit and salt within the dying embers. Feedback: should dig out these outdated Malt Maniacs articles that, if reminiscence serves, spoke of peat ‘transmuting’ into tropical fruit with age. That is proper up there with the stellar Largiemeanoch. Price mentioning although, a number of the sister casks had been much less strong, much less spectacular, probably right down to pure ABVs nudging nearer to 40%. SGP:754 – 93 factors. |
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Now that was what you’d name a correct tasting session at WF. |
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(Thanks, KC and Steffen) |
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It had been some time since we final tasted Glenfiddich! Arduous to consider that after I first sampled single malts – in an “American-style” bar in Burgundy – the one ones accessible had been Cardhu (with the white label) and Glenfiddich; the remainder had been nonetheless just about unknown! However I do know, that was ages in the past… Anyway, right now we’re going to style a current model of the well-known 12-year-old, adopted by a extra prestigious launch that did come out final yr. Sound good? By the best way, no Wardhead (teaspooned Glenfiddich) within the stash in the mean time, are they nonetheless circulating? Oh and Glenfiddich are apparently sponsoring Aston Martin in F1 as of late, they’ve even simply launched a celebratory co-branded 65 yo 1959 into Harrods, 79,000.00 £GB (I imply a bottle of whisky, not a automobile). After Bowmore, it could appear Aston Martin have taken fairly a liking to a broad number of whisky manufacturers recently… |
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Glenfiddich 12 yo ‘Our Authentic Twelve’ (40%, OB, +/-2025) We final sampled this humble 12 again in 2018, and it wasn’t unhealthy in any respect (WF 83). Color: gold. Nostril: maltier and greener than anticipated, with sharp wee inexperienced apples far and wide—completely unmistakable. Then come the anticipated pears, melon rind, buttery croissants (mais bien sûr), and a contact of freshly reduce grass. Hints of younger oak and a whisper of liquorice wooden flicker within the background. All very nice, actually, with a fairly charming Proustian high quality about it. Mouth: sure, contemporary once more, with a pleasant wee acidity, fairly tremendous mild oak, and as soon as extra these just-under-ripe apples and pears. These add a welcome brightness, lifting the entire and preserving any sluggishness properly at bay. A dainty shard of shortbread too. End: not precisely the longest of finishes, however on this case the modest 40% vol. isn’t an excessive amount of of a handicap. Just a few zesty notes assist bridge the hole left by the lacking watts. Some clear peppermint within the aftertaste. Feedback: I see no purpose to downgrade this contemporary and chirpy little malt—completely easy-going and faultless in its personal proper. Nonetheless very happy with it, even… a long time on from my first ‘fiddich! SGP:551 – 83 factors. |
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Simply as an anecdote, on my first journey to Scotland, I used to be additionally served Glenfiddich, however on the time it was virtually necessary to drown it in ginger tonic or different questionable fizzy drinks. Anyway… |
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Glenfiddich 31 yo ‘Grand Château’ (47.6, OB, 2024) Roughly 2,000 bottles, based on an AI—I do know, I do know. Oddly sufficient, this aged wee creature was completed in Bordeaux rouge casks for no fewer than 9 years, so technically we’re taking a look at correct double-maturation. At practically 2,000 Euros a bo’, one sincerely hopes stated Bordeaux—labelled ‘uncommon’ by the model—was from a 1st Grand Cru Classé. Color: someplace between salmon and apricot. Nostril: the wine’s affect makes itself identified right away, with winery peaches, upmarket sangria (however after all), blackcurrant jelly and blackberry jam, all neatly draped over a tray of pastries, scones, blueberry muffins and the like. Mild touches of liquorice and mint lend a civilised air to the entire. It’s very a lot a winesky, however one of many haute-couture form on the nostril, little doubt. However when, oh when, will the invasion of purple fruits in malt whisky lastly come to an finish? Mouth: right here we drift slightly nearer to the malt once more, with blood oranges, a contact of gunpowder (presumably from a little bit of S******, fairly unobtrusive), harking back to many an ex-sherry. Then come cherry pie with honey, pepper, cinnamon, and one thing frankly akin to mulled wine, with brown sugar, star anise, cloves, and extra cinnamon. End: rounded and pâtissier, with a shocking rum-raisin and outdated ratafia character within the afterglow. Feedback: there’s clearly a broad blended facet right here, and even one thing mildly trans in character, however one can not deny it’s very properly put collectively, and naturally a little bit of open-mindedness goes a good distance. Now then, which Grand Château was it actually? SGP:651 – 86 factors. |
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The query, naturally, stays: is a bottle of Grand Château actually value forty-five bottles of the 12-year-old? I’ll allow you to determine… Oh and after thorough analysis, it seems that the identify of the Bordeaux château used to complete the Glenfiddich 31-year-old “Grand Château” has not been publicly disclosed, neither by the model, nor by the château. |
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Deanston, now we have an issue… Certainly, yet one more severe contender for the SHOTY Award in San Francisco (Stupidest Headline Of The 12 months). In any case, the problem is that we don’t have sufficient Deanston, though unbelievable variations have been multiplying over the previous few years, however nonetheless, it’s a reputation that’s virtually come again from the lifeless inside these years. We like Deanston, let’s see what we’ve acquired… (AI slop) |
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Deanston 17 yo 2002/2020 ‘Natural PX End’ (49.3%, OB, 3,102 bottles) A ending in natural PX, do admit that’s fairly amusing. You would possibly say we’ve taken 5 years to lastly crack open this child. Color: gold. Nostril: it’s not earth-shattering, but it surely’s well-balanced, on cake, walnuts, sultanas and amber ale. Some toasted hazelnuts and dried goji berries. Nothing additional to declare. Mouth: a notch greener, slightly wobblier, with a bitterness one wouldn’t fairly anticipate from an ex-PX—maybe that’s the natural angle at work (solely teasing, thoughts). A faint observe of bell pepper and inexperienced walnut sneaks in unannounced. End: lengthy, leaning in the direction of a dry bitterness, Noilly Prat, Fernet Branca, bitter chocolate, and a contact of rubber… The aftertaste is barely astringent. Feedback: we didn’t begin with the best dram, that a lot is obvious, but it surely does have its deserves. As an illustration, the natural character of the wine, although aren’t all the nice wines natural these days? SGP:461 – 80 factors. |
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Deanston 15 yo ‘Tequila Cask End’ (52.5%, OB, 2023) I do know, yet one more tequila end, however I implore you, allow us to not be afraid! Thoughts you, the ending did certainly happen in casks sourced from the highlands of Jalisco, which had beforehand held 100% blue agave tequila produced from vegetation aged 7 to eight years. Mentioned casks had already been used 4 to 5 instances prior. Proper, we all know the lot now, don’t we? Color: white wine. Nostril: not a lot in the best way of tequilaness or agaveness at this level, fairly a malty malt, leaning in the direction of bruised apples and candlewax. With water: hints of paraffin and a delicate observe of olive oil. We fairly like that. Mouth (neat): odder, pretty rubbery, with lime peel and a distinctly offbeat edge. The addition of water ought to do it a world of fine. With water: certainly, a lot improved, turning into saltier, the olive oil makes a comeback, a faint smokiness emerges (suppose pine wooden smoke), and the tequila lastly begins to point out itself. End: medium in size and a tad extra earthy. Inexperienced walnuts. Feedback: we’re not precisely doing cartwheels, but it surely’s not unhealthy in any respect. I practically added a ‘caramba!’ (it’s getting worse, S.) SGP:551 – 81 factors. |
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Let’s transfer on to the indies, if you happen to don’t thoughts… |
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Deanston 17 yo 2008/2025 (50.3%, The Whisky Company, ruby Port barrel, 164 bottles) Hurrah, The Whisky Company! However oops, ruby Port? What occurred there? Let’s take a look… Color: reddish amber. Nostril: frankly, I’ve no concept the place that is coming from, however there’s a tomato sauce facet (a severe case of synaesthesia?) combined with shoe polish and a touch of peat that… properly, truly works. Do you consider in miracles? These little blackberries and that salted butter caramel go collectively fairly splendidly, it jogs my memory of one of many most interesting puddings ever served by the late André Parra on the Ermitage de Corton in Chorey-les-Beaune, although I actually don’t know why I’m telling you that. With water: extra polish and cherry eau-de-vie. Mouth (neat): that is correct supercharged Port, critically. Blackberries and candied cherries, each preserved and jammy, together with stewed bell pepper and a good quantity of blackcurrant bud. With water: the blackcurrant bud takes centre stage. End: comparable story. Bitter oranges and blood oranges within the aftertaste. Cherry clafoutis proper on the very finish. Feedback: completely unbelievable, but it really works. I used to be bracing for catastrophe, however it’s The Whisky Company in spite of everything! SGP:561 – 83 factors. |
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Deanston 2008/2023 (60.2%, Douglas Laing, Outdated Specific, the Midnight Collection, refill butt, cask #DL1854, 662 bottles) Why Midnight Collection, I’m not solely positive. Maybe barely darker casks than traditional? Color: gold. Nostril: there’s slightly rubber right here, probably from the sherry cask, however largely it’s all about chocolate and Ethiopian mocha. That stated, at this energy one had higher add water immediately. With water: this leans a bit in the direction of outdated plum brandy, even a contact of rustic Armagnac. Mouth (neat): very a lot younger eau-de-vie, tutti-frutti straight from the nonetheless, or certainly plums, particularly after a second run by way of. Briefly, it’s a tad ‘scorching’… With water: not a lot growth, actually, we stay in plum and cherry jam territory. Could I like to recommend the one from Itxassou within the Basque Nation? End: good size, nonetheless plummy and, above all, that rubbery observe we already encountered earlier on this session. Feedback: in brief, I believe that is fairly good, however maybe not fairly important. SGP:551 – 81 factors. |
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Promise, subsequent time we’ll have some ex-bourbon or ex-refill hoggie Deanston. Within the meantime, see you quickly, keep tuned. |
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A bit of trio from Dufftown |
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We’re speaking concerning the Dufftown distillery right here, not the small city of Dufftown itself, which, as and so far as I’m conscious, is house to Glenfiddich (William Grant & Sons), Balvenie (William Grant & Sons), Mortlach (Diageo), Dufftown (Diageo), Glendullan (Diageo), and Kininvie (William Grant & Sons). Convalmore and Pittyvaich are not operational, as you’ll additionally remember. |
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Singleton of Dufftown 12 yo ‘Luscious Nectar’ (40%, OB, +/-2025) It’s curious, this current want amongst distillers to tack names onto age statements, as they’ve completed right here with ‘Luscious Nectar’, which does sound slightly like ‘slop’, doesn’t it? Color: gold. Nostril: mild and nice, within the fashion of its same-aged neighbour whose identify ends in ‘fiddich’. Malt, bruised apples, multifloral honey, a contact of custard. A slight sense of überblend, if you happen to see what I imply. Mouth: totally constant, mild, malty, faintly natural, in any other case on properly ripe apples and a touch of Earl Gray tea. End: pretty quick, on fruity beer. Feedback: woosh, it virtually slipped by with out discover. Nectar, I’m not so positive. Luscious, definitely not. SGP:441 – 76 factors. |
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Singleton of Dufftown 18 yo ‘Sublimely Clean’ (40%, OB, +/-2025) The final time we tasted the 18 was again in 2013, and it hadn’t precisely blown us away (WF 79). Let’s see if there’s been any progress, though the phrase ‘easy’ tends to ship half the malt aficionados working for the hills. However not ‘the neighbours’… Color: gold. Nostril: nonetheless fairly light, although seemingly a notch fuller than the 12, with discreet touches of beeswax, candied orange peel, and the subtlest solutions of coriander seed and garden-fresh mint leaves. It’s a sexy nostril, not precisely a bomb, however undeniably charming in its soft-spoken approach. Mouth: alas, the 40% energy not fairly does the trick, even when the profile holds along with notes of orchard apples and Valencia oranges frivolously steeped in honey, together with a barely-there trace of delicate Espelette pepper. One would possibly dream of this elegant association being issued at a extra conversational 45% vol. End: shortish however certainly not hole, with beautiful, warming spices and a fairly endearing finale on lemon and orange marmalade toast. Feedback: seems to have fared higher than final time, although after twelve years, such judgments inevitably carry a touch of speculative romance. SGP:451 – 80 factors. |
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Come on, let’s name on the nice outdated days… |
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Dufftown-Glenlivet ‘Over 8 Years Outdated’ (80° proof, OB, Arthur Bell for Sposetti Genoa, cork stopper, Nineteen Sixties) Consideration, there have been sublimely stellar variations of this 8-year-old, such because the one for Ghirlanda in Italy round 1968 (WF 92). 80° UK proof equates roughly to 46% vol., as . Color: gold, very barely bronzed. Nostril: and right here we’re, metallic polish, bone marrow quenelle soup, braised chicory, top-flight mead, vintage orange liqueur and the faintest, most discreet hint of cork, virtually imaginary. Mouth: a touch of peat smoke, outdated raisins in a tin field that clearly predate the moon touchdown (they do final without end), historic natural liqueurs, and doubtless a contact of tiredness that veers into pine resin territory greater than it should. End: lengthy, although barely bitter, remaining on fir bud liqueur and resinous notes all through. The aftertaste leans in the direction of salted honey. Feedback: it’s all the time a little bit of Russian roulette with these outdated bottles, and timeworn corks not often do favours, however there’s nonetheless a transparent glimmer right here, after sixty years or extra, of the intergalactic calibre this juice as soon as possessed, even when it’s now re-entered Earth’s ambiance. Proper. SGP:571 – 85 factors. |
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Just a few extra rums, some excessive First, the standard apéritif, and doubtless fairly a little bit of sugar… |
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Dictador 16 yo (40%, OB, Colombia, +/-2024)  Fruit of the inexpressible ‘solera system’. They advised me this 16 wasn’t too unhealthy, however let’s stay cautious… Color: deep gold. Nostril: properly, this isn’t dreadful, it’s acquired a developed edge but stays fairly contemporary, on lifeless leaves and bay, nori, then praline and ginger liqueur. It’s that latter ingredient that’s a bit troubling, reality be advised. Mouth: oops, that is nonetheless terribly candy, even when it doesn’t instantly set off rejection, even at room temperature. Nonetheless, it’s not good, the flavours are disagreeable, with burnt sugar and rubber. End: pretty lengthy, and that’s exactly the problem. Very ‘burnt sugar’. Feedback: disagreeable at 20°C, although I think about it would go down extra acceptably at 5°C. A fairly poor wee factor, actually; the ‘Capítulo I’ we tasted final time was much better, in our opinion. SGP:720 – 39 factors. |
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TDL 2006-2008/2024 ‘Concord’ (57%, Vagabond Spirits for Takumi Spirit, ex-bourbon, Trinidad) TDL, basically, is the brand new Caroni, isn’t it? Color: amber. Nostril: it’s fruity, the feel feels of the ‘mild’ form, with orange liqueur, acacia honey, candyfloss, and a complete bag of sugary Easter eggs. With water: tar and shoe polish come out first, then wafts of contemporary plywood and a decidedly Ikea-like character. Mouth (neat): there’s a tough, bagasse-like edge to it, gritty but candy on the identical time, with fairly hanging acidity. Belize does spring to thoughts… With water: every part appears to collect round preserved lemons, olives, and honey. It’s very sweet-salty and gently bitter-sweet directly. End: identical. Feedback: not straightforward to pigeonhole, however I fairly take pleasure in this gently unbelievable ‘self-blend’. SGP:552 – 85 factors. |
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Saint James 12 yo 2010/2023 (45%, La Maison & Velier, Magnum Collection #2, Alex Webb Version, Martinique, agricole) That is the Magnum Collection linked to the well-known photograph company, although these aren’t magnums. I believe that is going to be good. Color: full gold. Nostril: oh sure, cassata, strawberry muesli, white clover honey, contemporary turmeric, fennel and star anise. Vivid because the lens on an outdated Leica (eh?). Mouth: terrifyingly lovely and distinguished, it actually resembles nothing else. Delicate hints of coconut cream, then all these spices we simply talked about, particularly the aniseed. It’s uncommon to seek out this a lot anise, even chez Pernod Ricard (ahem), however because it occurs we love anise. Briefly, it is a true Martiniquan pastis. End: very lengthy and now very bitter. Excessive liquorice and excessive anise. Feedback: adore it or detest it – your name. There’s one thing correctly bonkers about it. SGP:471 – 89 factors. |
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T.D.L. 8 yo 2016/2025 (67.5%, The Colors of Rum, ex-bourbon, Trinidad, cask #4, 314 bottles) One more blatant assassination try at 67.5% – the place are the authorities once you want them? Color: gold. Nostril: at this stage, we’re not removed from the Vagabond, each estery (glues) and contemporary and fruity (pineapple, pear, amyl diacetate and so forth). With water: fairly outstanding the way it falls into line, turning into smooth and fruity (pear liqueur), but in addition displaying beautiful and chic touches of contemporary tyres, engine oil, plus honeysuckle, iris, jasmine… All of that is fairly fascinating to comply with. Mouth (neat): it hits laborious, all glue and pear certainly, so let’s not linger – water, rapidly… With water: bang on, fairly superb how water smooths every part out, even when some notes of sticking plaster begin to emerge, alongside lemons and lemon balm. End: lengthy and surprisingly salty. Feedback: an actual treasure hunt, as one regularly tames it down from 67.5% to round 45%. SGP:562 – 88 factors. |
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We’re heading straight to Jamaica… |
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HD 9 yo 2015/2025 ‘DOK’ (68.9%, The Colors of Rum, Jamaica, Version #17, cask #2, 297 bottles) I belief that in rum, ‘HD’ doesn’t stand for Harley-Davidson, proper? However ‘DOK’ means 1,500 to 1,700 gr esters/hlpa, which is roughly the ‘eleven’ on Nigel Tufnel’s Spinal Faucet scale. Color: deep gold. Nostril: at such energy, there’s barely something perceptible, one merely needs to save lots of her/his nostril and olfactory bulb. Let’s say there’s a little bit of acetone, Formica, and balsa. With water: dried pears, jujubes, bicycle patches, an outdated moped, worn tyres, and a real heap of dried flowers, which is fairly uncommon. Mouth (neat): properly, this isn’t actually ‘pleasant’ at this energy, it’s virtually, say form of vulgar (Everclear is close to) and ‘industrial’. Let’s transfer on… With water: significantly better, although it stays a contact odd, jumbled, rounded, curious, and never all that ‘DOK’ ultimately. These beasts are actually troublesome to deliver right down to a super consuming energy, it appears we fairly failed right here, to be completely trustworthy. End: identical. Feedback: I believe we considerably botched this one, frankly. Mea Culpa. SGP:552 – 82 factors. |
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Hampden 1 yo 2023/2025 ‘Oloroso’ (62.3%, The Colors of Rum for Catawiki, Jamaica, cask #135, 75 bottles) 1,300–1,400 gr esters/hlpa right here, so a correct C<>H. One should say, the ultra-young HDs from this collection we’ve tasted to this point have been nothing in need of interstellar. Color: full gold. Nostril: UHU glue, formic acid, gherkin brine, and garlicky mussels in white wine. With water: extra petrichor, contemporary tar and black garlic. I discover it completely sensible, I worry. Mouth (neat): as for the oloroso, who is aware of, however the remainder – glue and salted liquorice galore – is completely attractive. One simply must take pleasure in this fairly, let’s say, extreme fashion. With water: excellent saline stress, marked by whiffs of acetone and ammonia. It’s completely mad, actually. End: huge salty and ‘chemical’ bitterness, which inevitably pushes the drinker right into a bout of introspection, one thing alongside the traces of, do I actually like this, and if that’s the case, why do I prefer it, am I regular, will society choose me, and many others, and many others, and many others. Feedback: pure insanity, the sort you merely gained’t discover in malt whisky; bacterial fermentation has clearly turn into the flavour of the day. Simply saying… SGP:374 – 90 factors. |
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HD 15 yo 2009/2025 ‘DOK’ (55.9%, The Whisky Jury, The Ester Hunter, Jamaica, refill cask, cask #3, 173 bottles) Simply to remind you, that’s 1,500 to 1,700 gr esters/hlpa. Octomore appears to be like like a lemonade as compared. Color: pale gold. Nostril: it’s fairly immaculate but removed from easy, on seawater, citrus, oysters, tyres, clams, cigarette ash, seaweed, and peat smoke… Peat smoke? With water: you’ve got simply opened a large jar of pickled gherkins – congratulations! Mouth (neat): huge certainly, mezcal and burnt tyres, cocoa, ashes, hyper-intense espresso… With water: quite a lot of salinity, which barely upsets the remainder, although we occur to adore saline (previously ‘mineral’, previously ‘salty’, sometimes ‘vertical’) wines and spirits. End: very lengthy however slightly mad, let’s be trustworthy. It feels a bit such as you’ve simply drunk the whole Mediterranean Sea, from Gibraltar to the Gulf of Iskenderun. Feedback: what a magnificence, that is the manzanilla of rum! However beware, if ultra-salty spirits aren’t your factor, step apart and go away the bottles for these of us who’re into it. Us, for example. SGP:364 – 91 factors. |
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