Solera Session: another series full of blends


October 30, 2025

Solera Session: another series full of blends

There are quite a few of these blends that might seem a bit unlikely, yet they’re often branded with great seriousness. Still, we find them rather endearing – and sometimes, they’re even excellent! Right then, let’s start with an old-fashioned aperitif…

Ye Auld Toun 12 yo (86 proof, OB, John Gillon & Co., Edward & Edward, Italy, 4/5 quart, 1970s)

A brand that once fell under the sway of Ainslie/Clynelish, which can hardly be unwelcome news, can it. Amusing contradiction between the American-style proof and centilitre conversion, and the clearly Italian destination, but were the ways of Eduardo ‘Baffo’ Giaccone ever meant to be straightforward... Colour: gold. Nose: if memory serves, Coleburn was the base malt in this one, and that would track, as we’re immediately greeted by those plump oily phenolics of a good Royal Edinburgh bottling, wrapped in a blanket of outrageously ripe banana and a drizzle of mead. Quite lovely in fact, with charming little plumes of ancient toolbox and crankcase oil wafting about. Mouth: impeccable, rich and generous, rolling across the tongue with a salinity and fatness that recall old apples, dusty peppercorns, grapeseed oil, vintage cognac, herbal cough syrup and salted butter caramel. In short, one might be tempted to whisper the phrase 'super-blend'. Finish: rather long, properly fat and almost chewy, smoky and saline to the point of flirting with a kind of Thai broth. Comments: now that’s a blend! There’s something White Horse-esque here, though a notch less smoky and noticeably rounder on the fat side. It even flirts with the Glen Brora blend at moments.
SGP:562 - 88 points.

Alright, enough of the old stuff...

Dewar's 8 yo 'Portuguese Smooth' (40%, OB, blended scotch, +/-2025)

We do love Dewar’s, we cherish them, we’d almost consider marrying into the family, but really now, ‘Portuguese Smooth’? Right then, it’s a Port cask finish... Colour: gold. Nose: light, pleasant, rounded, with touches of damp earth and orange peel, and to be entirely fair, it doesn’t disgrace itself even after the rather splendid Ye Auld Toun. There’s a faint whisper of Campari (apologies) but no overt winey notes to speak of. Mouth: well, this is good. They’ve managed to preserve a certain tautness, mostly thanks to the oranges again, and while it does rather throw in the towel partway through, there’s precious little to grumble about. Finish: not short, slightly bitter. The return of the Italian bitters, brand names unnecessary. Comments: one imagines this would fare even better over ice.
SGP:461 - 78 points.

Woven 'Hemisphere' (51.4%, OB, world blend, +/-2024)

A blend involving New Zealand whisky smoked with manuka wood, along with a measure of Scottish malt. And why ever not? It rather sounds like a World Cup rugby fixture, doesn’t it. Colour: white wine. Nose: a lick of tarry smoke to start, followed by stewed fruits and an increasing sense of garden bonfire and even some hay burning quietly in the background. It’s charming. With water: fresh rubber – Nike, Puma, Adidas and the rest – followed by a very attractive note of proper farmhouse cider. Mouth (neat): the distillates come out swinging, rugged, herbal, rooty and earthy, bursting with youthful vigour. A touch of olive oil as well – did you know olive oil is going to save the world? With water: a rubbery smokiness returns, now with a sweeter edge of root vegetables, carrot purée springs to mind. Finish: long, quirky, unusual, with flickers of old vinyl and salsify. We did say it was unusual. Salty aftertaste, skirting smoked ham territory. Comments: well, we do like this oddball.
SGP:453 - 84 points.

Compass Box 'Brulée Royale' (49%, OB, blended Scotch, 2025)

Apparently this oddly named creature – particularly odd in French – contains Aberlour, Ardbeg, Clynelish and Speyburn. The real headline here, of course, is Speyburn, isn’t it Jon in Drumnadrochit? Colour: white wine. Nose: celery! Fennel! Sorrel! Turnip! What curious garden spell is this? Beneath all that, crème brûlée indeed, lemon drops, pear lozenges and coconut snowballs. It’s rather amusing. Mouth: everything comes together around the malt, could be mistaken for a slightly smoky Speysider, focused on sweetshop delights, jammy things, boiled sweets and a pint of something very hoppy. Finish: fairly long, leaning more into citrus now, quite robust and countryside-driven in the end. Plenty of youthful energy. A hint of sugar on the aftertaste. Comments: the youth shows, but a very fruity kind of youth, one happily conferred. A neat composition, as ever from Compass Box.
SGP:652 - 83 points.

Black Bull 18 yo (50%, OB, blended Scotch, +/-2025)

We quite like the new minimalist labels. Not sure whether the brand is still under the wing of Duncan Taylor – we’ll need to look into that. Colour: white wine. Nose: this BB isn’t far off the CB, fruity, cheerful, lightly smoky and faintly earthy, with notes of windfallen apples and raw carrot. Quite a lot of carrot, actually. With water: turnips and celery glazed with honey. High-brow cuisine, you know. Mouth (neat): remarkable, it’s almost the same whisky as that oddly named Compass Box, not quite sure what’s going on there. Perhaps the art of blending smooths out all the quirks and jagged edges? With water: we’re a bit adrift, but it’s undeniably good. Finish: medium length, middle-of-the-road profile, nothing out of place. A lovely earthy note and a touch of pear. Comments: this Black Bull probably won’t turn the whisky world on its head, but one must admit it’s a well-made blend.
SGP:442 - 81 points.

Johnnie Walker 'Blue Label Ice Chalet' (43%, OB, blended Scotch, 2024)

A very pricey blend (£300), crafted by the superstar master blender, the fantastic and charming Emma Walker, who surely holds one of the finest jobs in the world. The story goes that this blend is built around malts from high-altitude Scottish distilleries – and to think we didn’t even know there were high-altitude distilleries in Scotland. Dalwhinnie, perhaps? Colour: gold. Nose: funny how the mind works – I’d swear this smells ‘fresh’! Pretty notes of earth, stone, roots (gentian), dandelion and gentle honeys. Mouth: this is very well done indeed, saline, malty, lightly smoky, with a coastal dimension (altitude, you say?) and a good spread of fresh exotic fruits – wee pineapples, pink bananas, even a dash of passion fruit. Finish: not overly long but fresh, fruity and nicely balanced. Comments: a very, very well-composed blend from a blue bottle that looks slightly out of place on a traditionalist's shelf, but we’re not here to talk about design...
SGP:632 - 88 points.

While we’re at Johnnie’s…

Johnnie Walker 'Blue Label Elusive Umami' (43%, OB, blended Scotch, 1l, 2023)

A blend crafted in collaboration with star chef Kei Kobayashi, in Paris, holder of three Michelin stars. Which doesn’t necessarily mean it all went sideways, nor that it’s all marketing fluff – let’s not be too cynical, please... Of course, the 43% vol. doesn’t exactly set the pulse racing, but one never knows. Colour: gold. Nose: not much umami to report so far, more along the lines of apple tart glazed with honey and sweet wine. In short, classic Johnnie Walker Blue Label, which remains a very good blend, to be fair. Perhaps the umami will show on the palate... Mouth: afraid the Ice Chalet is vastly superior here. A rougher, more rustic affair, rather uninspiring and not exactly inviting. No comprendo mucho. Finish: fairly long but frankly middling, and truth be told, one isn’t clamouring for it to linger. Comments: not quite to our taste, though we might still pop into Kei’s one day to see what the fuss is about. I wouldn’t trade a single half-bottle of Ice Chalet for a case of Elusive Umami, that’s for sure.
SGP:531 - 72 points.

Alright, one last one...

MacPhail's 40 yo (46%, Gordon & MacPhail, France, single malt, +/-2025)

MacPhail's 40 yo (46%, Gordon & MacPhail, single malt, +/-2025)

Not even under torture, nor under threat of a tête-à-tête with Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin, would anyone at G&M reveal what’s actually in MacPhail’s. Believe me, we’ve tried. Colour: deep gold. Nose: sublime raisins, honey, metal polish, old sweet wines, damp earth and ancient sherries. It’s simply splendid and – dare one say it – just a touch Macallan-esque. Merely an impression, fleeting and by no means conclusive. Mouth: bloody hell (oops), this is good! Perfect tension and freshness in spite of the age, overripe apples, plums and oranges, old passito or vin de paille, then just a shade too much old wood, manifesting as slightly oversteeped black tea. Finish: long, herbal, woody, that’s the wee Achilles’ heel right there. Strong mint and pepper. Not that it matters – it’s excellent. Comments: not that it matters indeed – it’s excellent indeed.
SGP:571 - 89 points.

(Thank you mucho, Stéphane)