Today indie Allt-A-Bhainne


December 12, 2025

	WF's Little Duos, today indie Allt-A-Bhainne
Another one of those little-known Scottish distilleries owned by a major group and mainly used to supply blends, even though there have been two or three official releases in recent years. There was even a small official NAS, said to be a little peaty, bottled at 40% ABV about seven or eight years ago, styled like a bourbon bottle, but we never dared to try it. On the other hand, the official ‘Lost in Time’ 32-year-old edition for TWE was of very high quality (WF 88). Just goes to show, it's not a distillery’s fame that determines the quality of a whisky (pointless comment, S.)
This wee Allt-a-Bhainne NAS OB had been launched in 2018 to ‘shake up’ single malt Scotch. Not quite sure that worked a treat. >>>

Allt-A-Bhainne 16 yo 2008/2025 (63.4%, Milroy’s Vintage Sherry Reserve, third-fill sherry butt, cask #80900249)

Milroy’s had an excellent 27-year-old last year, but this time, third fill and at 63.4%, it’s clearly no laughing matter. Strap in, this isn’t a casual affair… Colour: apricot amber. Nose: rather explosive, on aged kirsch matured in oak and a fairly flinty sherry. Just between us, water seems absolutely necessary here. Also a few touches of slivovitz or Alsatian damson eau-de-vie. With water: much more civilised, on blond cigarettes and walnut cake, some rather coarse honey and a little leather, then straight-up apple. It is sherried, but this is third fill, so the impact remains relatively modest, let’s say. Mouth (neat): slightly old-school, fiery, still very heavy on the kirsch and even some bitter almond, the two being quite closely linked, truth be told. Honestly, it’s pretty wild. With water: if you bring it down to around 45%, you’ll land on walnut cake with kirsch and honey, generously dusted with cinnamon. Finish: rather long, again a bit rustic, a little eau-de-vie-ish, but also featuring some lovely bitter oranges and a rather peppery, more bitter aftertaste. Comments: a fairly wild little Allt-A-Bhainne indeed.
SGP:461 - 84 points.

Allt-A-Bhainne 28 yo 1997/2025 (58.8%, Scout Drinks, Taiwan, hogshead, cask #3498, 127 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: not wildly different at first nosing, but it quickly veers into fruity territory, with citrus, honey-glazed pecans, white peaches, and a fairly pronounced yet delicate oakiness, along with a touch of pine bud. This one too would benefit from a drop of water. With water: slight metallic edge (old copper coins), and more nuts, making one wonder if it might actually be a refill sherry hogshead. Light whiffs of mint tea with pine nuts, in the Tunisian style. They say there are three essentials for making that tea: time, embers, and friends. Mouth (neat): again, not worlds apart from the 2008 in terms of profile. Green apples, a touch of tobacco, some bay leaf, and kirsch... With water: those extra eleven years do make themselves known as there’s more complexity, with infusions, herbs, citrus peels, while it gently mellows, becoming increasingly charming and lemony. Finish: long, rather refreshing. Comments: this baby just kept improving all throughout the tasting. You could as well simply add water straight away and move directly to the palate, which is quite lovely. Ha.
SGP:551 - 88 points.

Check the index of all Allt-A-Bhainne we've tasted