A very large bag of new cats from bonnie Scotland


May 29, 2024

A very large bag of new cats from bonnie Scotland

Indeed, I think it's time to once again savour some new kittens from Scotland

Eden Mill 'Bourbon Cask' (46%, OB, 2023)

Here we are in St Andrews, in the Lowlands. The days when only Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan were representing this region are long gone. This whisky has been fully matured in bourbon casks. So far, we had only tasted one expression from Eden Mill. Colour: white wine. Nose: pleasant and light, with notes of custard, eggnog, gooseberry, and honeysuckle. There's also a lot of apple (golden), with a hint of lily of the valley and acacia honey. It's light, easy, enjoyable, and rather not too simple. Perfect for this summer. There's a very slight metallic touch (aluminium) and some tapioca. Mouth: it's good, maybe not immensely unique, but pleasant. Bread, barley, beer, lemon, apple, and vanilla fudge. Perhaps a bit for the locavores, like some craft beers that are nothing special but are local and "just as good as the others." Finish: a bit short. Apple tart, vanilla, green tea. More of a herbal aftertaste. Comments: nothing to complain about, it's rather honest and straightforward. A pity they've opted for NAS.
SGP:451 - 81 points.

A bit of double-checking can't hurt...

Eden Mill 'The Guard Bridge' (46%, OB, blended malt, 2023)

Oops, this is a blended malt from Eden Mill that combines Eden Mill and other malts. To be honest, the label doesn't attribute it to the distillery, so this isn't a new case of 'Cardhu Pure Malt'. Anyway, I believe the Scots have learned their lesson by now. So, let's have a taste… Colour: white wine. Nose: more substance and depth, but that's probably to be expected. Chalk, sourdough, fresh brioche, then blooming wildflowers and canned peaches. Mouth: more vibrant, fresher, fruitier, with those ripe and canned peaches again, then honey and maple syrup, agave syrup 'loud and clear', some juicy little sultanas… This 46% ABV always works so well, regardless of the distillate style. Finish: medium length, honeyed, with lemon shortbread. Is there such a thing as lemon shortbread? Comments: there's a slight hint of young Glenmorangie in its natural state. I find it really good.
SGP:551 - 83 points.

We stay a bit in the Lowlands...

Annandale 2019/2024 (61%, OB, Private Cask for Hermann Brothers, Woodford Reserve double cask, cask #1179, 256 bottles)

We have already tasted some excellent Annandale and we don't mind this type of cask as long as it doesn't turn into a vanilla and ginger bomb. Colour: gold. Nose: another example of a malt with very pronounced and somewhat modern wood influence, but it works very well, leaning towards sweet spices, roasted banana, dark nougat, pancake syrup, cinnamon cake… All this at over 60% ABV. With water: the dough comes through, with a hint of truffle. White truffle from Piedmont, not black. The most expensive! Mouth (neat): very creamy, almost oily, sweet, modern, very spicy, with plenty of smoked bacon and lemon balm. It's very concentrated; I'm not sure if I should love it, but I must admit I rather do. A fine touch in the 'growing' of this cask. With water: same, just a bit gentler, with a few drops of the obligatory limoncello that we keep mentioning. By the way, where's the Ferrari, dear Limoncello Producers Association? Finish: similar, with a lovely length. It finishes fresh and very fruity. Comments: totally modern and very good. A young malt that defies nostalgia.
SGP:652 - 87 points.

Finglassie (Inchdairnie) 7 yo 2017/2024 (57.7%, James Eadie, refill oloroso quarter cask finish, cask #374469, 127 bottles)

You are right, after a stint in a quarter cask of oloroso, not much of the original character of the distillate should remain, but I would say that the key word here is 'refill'. And they do know what they're doing… Colour: pale gold. Nose: it is both soft and medicinal, almost reminiscent of a blend of young Laphroaig and Bruichladdich, let's say a 1/3 – 2/3 ratio. Camphor, bandages, liniments, then peaches and melons. I didn't find as much smoke in the previous Finglassie by James Eadie. With water: similar impressions. Mouth (neat): same sentiments. It's excellent, with a lovely body. Coastal citrus fruits, smoked with peat. The texture is not far off from the Annandale's. With water: the smoke recedes, and the candied citrus fruits take centre stage. Grapefruit, citron, sweet mint, fresh coriander. Finish: still as good, this time it's the Indian and Indonesian spices that dominate. Satay sauce in the aftertaste, which we adore. Comments: The oloroso was quite discreet – we told you, didn't we?
SGP:653 - 87 points.

Isle of Raasay 'Dùn Cana First Edition' (52%, OB, 2023)

A blend of peated and unpeated Raasay, first matured in American rye then finished in PX and oloroso quarter casks. Where have we already seen that last part? I remember we've had a superb 'Peated Ex-Rye' last year (WF 88). Colour: gold. Nose: it appears juicy, with notes of very, very ripe mirabelles, freshly distilled kirsch, baker's yeast, and artisanal amber beer. Overall, it's rather yeasty and fermentative. The peat seems quite discreet. With water: not much different. It's like wood-fired pizza dough (doused with whisky, ha). Mouth (neat): quite unusual. It feels like ale aged in peated whisky casks, as you sometimes encounter. Then there's plenty of curry, caraway, ras-el-hanout, pepper… And always those very, very ripe mirabelles. Basically, you could distil them straight away, if you catch my drift. With water: the rye cask remains in control. The peat wavers a bit, coming and going. Finish: rather long, still on ferments, beer, and mirabelles that have seen better days. Some chocolate from the casks in the aftertaste. Comments: a very good Raasay, but perhaps not my favourite. I prefer more purity, more singularity, if you will. Here, it feels a bit like a jigsaw puzzle.
SGP:653 - 83 points.

Ardnahoe 'Feis Ile 2024' (59.4%, OB)

I think it's Ardnahoe Day today at Feis Ile! So, we celebrate this from afar, as we have the special release in hand. Colour: chardonnay. OK, perhaps a not too pale white wine. Nose: it seems gently peated and rather soft, but let's be cautious, as water can change things significantly, as we well know. Fresh bark, twigs, celery, and gentian, with a hint of wasabi or horseradish, and a touch of sea water… With water: the peated malted barley comes through first, followed by crushed and wet slate, then a fluid, maritime peat, with quite a bit of ash. Mouth (neat): pure lemony and earthy peat. That's what you get at this high strength. Both rich and vertical, one might even dare to compare it to a grand chardonnay. Though we're not quite at the level of a great vintage Meursault… With water: very classic, more mentholated, with touches of green chartreuse, beyond the lemon and oysters. Finish: long, fresh, almost refreshing. Comments: the refreshing side is, of course, a trap, so beware, let's all beware, it goes down very easily once reduced to, say, 50% ABV. What I also find extremely clever is offering such a pure and natural version for Feis Ile, while quite a few other distilleries have ventured, for many years now, into weird casks. Let's say it's on par with the Inaugural Release, though we're not in a position to compare as we've drunk all we had of the latter. It wasn't a double magnum, rest assured. It might even be a bit better still, fresher, more vibrant…
SGP:567 - 89 points.

A probably very different style now...

Dalmunach 6 yo 2013/2022 (56.4%, North Star Spirits, ruby Port barrel finish, 285 bottles)

Ruby Port, how to put it... On the other hand, who can precisely describe the distinctive style of Dalmunach's distillate? Colour: crushed old strawberry. Sorry, I couldn't come up with anything else. Nose: yes, strawberry tart, strawberry wine, PX, malmsey… Let's say it's quite different. With water: fresh cement, chalk, old damp wood, mosses… Mouth (neat): this isn't whisky anymore, but it works. Strawberry liqueur fortified with marc de Bourgogne, rouge-cassis (red wine with blackcurrant syrup), then loads of dried figs and Smyrna raisins. All this is certainly not very Portuguese, but it's definitely not Scottish either. With water: same, we've left the whisky universe, but the result is really good. Long live strawberry jam! Finish: long and on strawberry muffins drizzled with honey. No, there is no such thing as strawberry honey. Comments: the kind of good bottle you should take with a pinch of salt, or in Champagne. So, who could explain the 'distillery character' of Dalmunach to me?
SGP:741 - 84 points.

Something tidy please…

Ardnamurchan AD/CK.371-30/07/15 (59.2%, OB, bourbon barrel, 2020, 5cl)

I think they did this wee bottling during the Covid pandemic. Now that we're certain we have no (visible) after-effects, we can taste it... Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: varnish, acetone, green apples, charcoal, barley syrup, porridge, and petrol. It's all happening quickly. With water: bandages, chalk, and fresh rubber. Mouth (neat): very good, tense, earthy, with lime zest. It gives your palate a bit of a scrub, but that's likely just an impression. At least, I hope so. With water: melon rind at the forefront, then green pepper and especially cough syrup. I find a lot of eucalyptus in it. Finish: long, still on varnish, green pepper, smoke, and that disinfectant note (but of course, Covid time whisky). Comments: probably a bit rough, but perhaps that was necessary to fight the nasty virus. To be honest, there's a slight hint of hand sanitizer, but it's still Ardnamurchan, and we love Ardnamurchan. As for the names of their cuvées, I do wonder how enthusiasts without at least a PhD manage to decipher them.
SGP:565 - 85 points.

Dornoch 5 yo 2018/2022 (60.53%, OB, 1st fill bourbon octave, cask #5, 77 bottles)

We know the place, the brothers, their environment, the parents, the pets and everything else... Honestly, we have no idea how they've managed to produce whiskies like these. Colour: gold. Nose: incredible pine resin, mint, nutmeg, rye bread, and lemon blended to perfection. What is this stuff? With water: a lot of damp wood after a heavy, wild downpour. Plenty of little herbs, leaves, mushrooms, bark, mosses... Mouth (neat): once again, I find an American touch in this juice; it must be the casks they've used. Oh, we're not talking about Maker's Mark, we're talking about Westland and a few others. It's perfect. With water: a bit of ginger liqueur, ginseng, candied oranges... Finish: long, with wood essences but it's never becoming 'woody'. Comments: and it's one of the first casks, isn't it? I take my hat off to them, once again.
SGP:561 - 88 points.

Dornoch 5 yo 2017/2023 (58.2%, OB, cask #33, 1st fill bourbon octave, 88 bottles)

Dornoch 5 yo 2017/2023 (58.2%, OB, 1st fill bourbon octave, cask #33, 88 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: it's much purer, straightforward, and Scottish, and frankly, it reminds me of Daftmill. I fear I may never be able to wander around the Dornoch area again from now on. With water: a bit more marked by the cask, with sweet ginger, cinnamon cake, and sweet woodruff... That's the thing with octaves, everything is magnified. Mouth (neat): magnificent lemony tension. It's narrow yet rich, all while being ultra-precise. If this means anything to you, it's like a Pouilly-Fumé from Dagueneau's great vintages. Really. With water: it becomes even more a treat. Lemon meringue pie with grated zest. Delicious. Finish: long but spicier. Perhaps just a tiny a tad too spicy for me. Comments: only the slightly marked wood prevents me from going to 90. Dura Lex, sed Lex, but this is a superb little Dornoch, in any case.
SGP:651 - 89 points.

How about we try to find a 90, what do you say?

Dornoch 4 yo 2019/2024 (58.6%, OB for Limburg, bourbon octaves, cask #180, 103 bottles)

I suppose that's two octaves. Colour: gold. Nose: it is much less expansive than the others, even though there's summer Comté cheese combined with bananas and dried pineapples. This cheesy note is quite exceptional, in the sense that it is unusual. Rest assured, we are very far from gym socks, a rugby locker room, or Trump's bedroom. With water: even more cheese. Caraway Gouda, truffle Brie. Mouth (neat): exceptional. White pepper, pink pepper, cardamom, rose petal jelly, paprika, sesame oil, blood oranges, Manzanilla. Unfiltered Manzanilla, of course. They have a knack with these octaves; why doesn't it work quite as well elsewhere? With water: it's almost like Vosges fir bud liqueur. Finish: same. Comments: quite sublime, but it's a notch too deviant to reach 90. Close, but no cigar.
SGP:572 - 89 points.

Dornoch 4 yo 2018/2022 (57.9%, OB, bourbon, cask #129, 75 bottles)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: this one is truly pure. Fresh sawdust, natural vanilla, peaches, melons, quince... everything is natural this time. With water: it's the same. Sawdust, vanilla, even a hint of grated coconut. You might think you were in a massive Diageo or Pernod warehouse, that's how 'un-Dornoch' this nose is, in some way. Mouth (neat): no, wait, there's a lot of pine resin, vegetal tar, cloves, freshly ground pepper... It doesn't seem like a simple barrel, does it? Or was it bought at IKEA in Inverness? (Do they even have an IKEA in Inverness?) With water: the spices, the resins, and the conifer woods take over completely. Finish: long but really focused on pine, pine needles, and the liqueurs made from them... Comments: nose and palate amazingly dissimilar. Very good, but there are better ones (no we didn't overthink that last part).
SGP:471 - 84 points.

Well, that means we must continue our quest for a 90...

Dornoch 4 yo 2020/2024 (54.3%, OB, for Dornoch Castle Hotel, ex-Koval cask, cask #207, 178 bottles)

It's not Koval bourbon, it's Koval 4-grains. Doesn't that include millet? Colour: white wine. Nose: well yes, it works, with lovely vanilla, muesli and porridge, peaches, apricots and tinned pears, then a slight maritime touch, saline, or rather like pickle brine and garlic. It's very amusing and somewhat Provençal. With water: lots of porridge. Mouth (neat): pronounced woodiness, Koval being necessarily a very young whiskey. This means the ex-Koval casks remain very active, in theory. Here, you can feel it. With water: I get the impression that the cask has somewhat neutralised the lovely Dornoch distillate. Green bananas, plantain, polenta, vanillin, porridge… Finish: medium length. Barley, beer, vanilla, oak, tobacco, chocolate in the aftertaste. Comments: blimey, and firecrackers!
SGP:551 - 85 points.

Nothing will resist us...

Dornoch 5 yo 2019/2024 (63.1%, OB, for Chichibu Matsuri, cask #136)

Floor malted organic Marris Otter, second fill Koval rye and spent local brewers yeast. Colour: pale gold. Nose: you can tell immediately when it works. Here, it works. Lemon, bread dough, fresh croissants, Szechuan pepper. The feeling is quite good at this stage. With water: it's a razor-sharp blade. It's like a great white Bordeaux from a slightly cool vintage. Admittedly, there aren't many of those cold vintages left, perhaps 2024? Let's pray together… It's worth noting that in theory, the Scots don't need to care much about vintages, since they can import barley from anywhere in the world – unless they're part of the new wave of own-estate distilleries or only use local grain, that is. Crikey, I might need to rehire a few bodyguards… Mouth (neat): 90 points, easily. Lemon, smoke, white asparagus, gentian, manzanilla, sea water, white pepper. With water: bingo. Ultra-precise, like a true Swiss watch work. It's just a tad sweet, but that's fine. Finish: indeed sweet, but still highly precise. Blind, we could have said it's one of those new authentic craft Japanese whiskies. Chichibu-y indeed. Comments: joking aside, we've found a 90, so we can end this seemingly endless tasting session with peace of mind.
SGP:662 - 90 points.

Wait! We still don't have a real slot for Kininvie, which we still somewhat consider a new distillery. Yes, it's silly, but since there's so little of it...

Aldunie 25 yo 1997/2023 (54.5%, WhiskyFacile, Black Cat series, blended malt, bourbon barrel, 171 bottles)

Aldunie is the trade name for William Grant's Kininvie when it is supposedly teaspooned, but since absolutely no one knows Kininvie (except a few mad enthusiasts like you and me), this makes no sense whatsoever. Or am I missing something? Colour: gold. Nose: lovely, fresh, somewhat in the style of its cousin, Balvenie's Burnside. Vanilla, oak shavings, a bit of grated coconut, quince tart, touches of patchouli and rose petals… Not bad at all. With water: fresh oak, sesame, pleasant nougat… Mouth (neat): rather very good, firm, with wood spices, plums, but also plenty of vanilla and coconut. Granted, you have to like vanilla and coconut. With water: softer, almost syrupy. Abundant honey and cane syrup. Finish: medium length, oak, a touch of tobacco, tea with milk as our dear English friends drink it, and honey… Comments: not many edges and asperities in this well-aged Kininvie, but the level remains high. It was some rather very good filler for rather very good old blends, was it not?
SGP:641 - 85 points.

We'll stop here! Bravo Ardnahoe and bravo Dornoch! Well done to all the others!