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| Hi, you're in the Archives, August 2026 - Part 1 |
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August 14, 2026 |
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A trio of strange young Glenturrets
We shall taste them in ascending order of alcoholic strength. There has to be some order, right? |
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Glenturret 12 yo 2013/2025 (54.3%, Decadent Drams, re-charred hogshead, 291 bottles) 
Colour: pale gold. Nose: peat, mint, even a little lavender, antiseptic, in short, this very smoky and medicinal little Glenturret certainly isn't going to make you ill. With water: touches of turnip and celeriac. In short, roots. Mouth (neat): peat again, but this time coupled with limoncello, with a slightly coaly side and… hum, it’s rather tequila-ish. With water: the lavender is back, together with pink and grey peppercorns, which, seriously, gives this baby a wee 1980s Bowmore side. FWP and stuff. Finish: once it's there, it simply won't leave you. Comments: to be fair, this is very good, but it isn't my favourite style of peat. It reminds me a little of some peated Loch Lomonds. Hurray, I've finally found a Decadent Drinks that I don't like very much!
SGP:465 – 79 points. |
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Glenturret 8 yo 2010/2019 (58.5%, The National Choice, refill hogshead, cask #183, 336 bottles)
Another peated one, it seems. Has the word ‘peated’ remained a magic word in malt whisky, in 2026? To be discussed over an organic herbal tea or a glass of kombucha… Colour: deep gold. Nose: the impact of the cask is rather strong, refill or no refill, while some medicinal peat comes storming into your nostrils. Burnt walnuts, herbes de Provence, especially thyme. Thyme is brilliant, but you can have too much of a good thing. With water: this is all right. Carrots and ginseng. Mouth (neat): it’s good, but on top of the lavender that was already present in the DD, this time there’s also violet liqueur and touches of shampoo. I swear. With water: better, but this new Fanta side is really massive too. Some eau de cologne. Finish: long, on pepper, lavender, violet and apple-scented shampoo. Comments: it rather feels as though we’ve travelled twenty years back in time. You may say that makes you younger, but this really isn’t my favourite style of peat. Bowmore-style FWP, get out of this glass!
SGP:565 - 77 points. |
I think we’d be perfectly entitled to ask that all peated Glenturrets be labelled as Ruad Mor (whatever) rather than Glenturret, just to avoid any misunderstanding. Unless we’ve missed a mention somewhere, which is entirely possible. Right, let’s carry on with the third baby… And indeed… |
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Glenturret ‘Ruadh Maor’ 12 yo 2012/2025 (60.3%, Watashi Whisky, refill sherry octave, cask #1200003488)
These labels are so beautiful and funny! We are, of course, in Taiwan… Colour: gold. Nose: every bit as peaty as its predecessors, but more straightforward, direct, simple, no fuss. Caol Ila new-make. No, no Bowmore circa 1985. You may say that could come after adding water… With water: yeah, difficult to categorise, but do we even need to? Citrus eau-de-vie and a lavender-and-violet duo that’s virtually absent. H.u.r.r.a.y. Mouth (neat): we find the soapy side of the others again this time, the violet and the shampoo. Okay, violet shampoo, plus pink peppercorns and touches of glue. Come on, hang in there, water should be welcome on the palate… With water: wild raspberry eau-de-vie straight from the still and pink peppercorns. Finish: same. Some soap comes through again. Comments: octaves always scare us a little, but when they’re refill, things generally go better. Here’s a fairly good example, although it remains a little too tough for me. And ‘shampoo-y’.
SGP:565 - 78 points. |
Well, that wasn’t the easiest of sessions, especially since we weren’t expecting quite so much peat (and shampoo). We've already tried some superior Ruadh Maor I believe. Next time, we’ll do everything we can to taste some regular ‘turret, promise. Oh, and you’ll notice that those blasted Decadent Drinks still managed to bag the highest score today. |
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August 13, 2026 |
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WF's Little Duos: today some mandatory Springbank |
I know we’re repeating ourselves a little, but there are names that we simply have to taste from time to time, as they’re such an important part of the landscape. Like Springbank, of course… We’ll actually start with the older one, as it’s the one that was bottled at the lower strength of the two. |
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Springbank 15 yo (46%, OB, sherry, 2025) 
I believe this is the most recent batch of the 15-year-old. We had really enjoyed the 2024 (WF 88), although for me it had been eclipsed by the 10-year-old, which I still adore just as much (WF 91). By the way, we’ll have to revisit the 10-year-old, once a year is the bare minimum, isn’t it? Colour: gold. Nose: you can smell the shoe polish from twenty metres away. All right, two metres. Also soot, old walnuts, old tobacco (grandfather’s old pipe), then coffee. It then becomes rather more ‘Springbank’, with fresh cement, engine oil, lemon and menthol. Lovely two-stage nose. Mouth: superb, dirty just as much as it should be, very peppery and mustardy, with some rather flamboyant bitters if that’s your thing, although the whole does become just a wee bit stifling as a result. Bitter almonds, bitter oranges. Finish: long and simply carrying on with that very lovely bitterness. It’s rather like amontillado with a very pronounced flor character. Comments: as the 10-year-old wasn’t around to steal its thunder, we can happily add one point. You just have to enjoy your bitters…
SGP:462 - 89 points. |
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Springbank 12 yo 'Cask Strength' (56.6%, OB, batch #29, 2026) 
Pure ex-bourbon this time, so it should be sharper and, perhaps, more petroleum-driven. Like a certain orange entity, you might add. Colour: straw. Nose: indeed, we’re closer to the 10 here, with more oomph of course, damp earth, barley, old tweed, engine oil, but also more custard than expected, even a few jellybeans, now that’s unexpected. With water: plaster, grist, plasticine, seaweed, new rubber… It’s definitely Springbank, just in case you had any doubts. Mouth (neat): the bitterness is back, less ‘amontillado’ this time and more towards green pepper. Grilled aubergines. You can tell it needs water… With water: in come the oranges and lemons, with a lively tension that’s also rather fat, quite oily. What a texture! Finish: long and very Springbankesque. Wax, pepper, green walnut, salt and a wee oyster. Comments: perhaps a less complex 12-year-old CS than some others, but with a clearer line, and that we love. Perfect salinity.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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August 12, 2026 |
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WF's Little Duos: today Tamdhu, OB vs IB |
After yesterday's Macallans, here comes its former colleague within Highland Distillers, Tamdhu, with an official in a very limited edition, and a considerably older indie. Let’s see how this goes… |
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Tamdhu 2014/2025 (50.7%, OB for The Whisky Club Australia, oloroso sherry matured) 
A bottling released exclusively to the distinguished members of the Whisky Club a little earlier this year. Colour: deep gold. Nose: this is very classic, with chocolate, coffee fudge, walnut liqueur, roasted hazelnuts and even a touch of peanut butter. In the background, a little curry and nutmeg. With water: the spices tend to try to come to the fore, but the nuts are putting up some resistance. Mouth (neat): a very amusing Irish coffee at first, or rather Scottish coffee, and this time, the nutmeg and ras-el-hanout strike more quickly. Very lovely spices, really, also salted butter caramel and a return of the peanut butter, with a slightly mustardy touch. With water: it is the salted butter caramel that takes control, but the nutmeg holds its ground. Finish: rather long, this is a proper spice spiel, but all done with elegance and coherence. The walnut eventually wins the argument, as was to be expected. Comments: they really do have some top bottlings in this Club of the formidable Antipodes.
SGP:571 - 87 points. |
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Tamdhu 34 yo 1989/2023 (54.8%, Gourmet Pool, bourbon hogshead, cask #8144, 144 bottles)
After Australia, Germany, with ex-bourbon this time, and an age that is beginning to count. Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is lively and fresh, as the colour already suggested, with whitecurrants, yellow melon, rather aromatic apples and some very lovely floral notes, lilies, jasmine… And a few very, very light touches of medicinal alcohol, which is quite incredible after 34 years. With water: broken branches, green tea, still some melon… Mouth (neat): excellent, with walnuts that might have suggested sherry, although this is bourbon, then barbecued marshmallows and bergamot and lemon liqueurs. I really like this freshness. With water: grape pips and fruit skins are now coming through, in any case the tannins are ripe, if we can indeed speak of tannins. Finish: racy, elegant length, still with that slight greenness that we always enjoy. It’s got a little vinho verde side, if you like. Comments: this liveliness, at such a venerable age, may be a little disconcerting, but it is a style I’m particularly fond of. Just imagine, there’s even some… barley.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
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August 11, 2026 |
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WF's Little Duos: today two Macallans that could hardly be more different |
Macallan is one of those brands, sorry, one of those distilleries that we simply cannot leave fallow for too long on WF. So here are two… |
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Macallan ‘Organic Cherrywood Lapsang Tea’ (44.9%, OB, The Harmony Collection, 2025)
All this is merely ‘inspiration’, you understand, there is of course neither cherrywood nor even lapsang souchong involved, that would probably be illegal. So, we’re now awaiting a beluga caviar, Piedmont white truffle or Brittany blue lobster version, since just about anything is probably allowed, as long as it remains inspiration. 0f course we’re joking, there have been some lovely versions among these very humble NAS from the Harmony Collection. Colour: amber. Nose: amontillado-style sherry, rather pronounced, indeed with wild cherry and rosehip, although I cannot find any lapsang souchong whatsoever… but it is a very charming nose. Mouth: very much driven by the wood, smoky indeed, burnt in any case, with coffee dregs, a feeling of old samovar, cinnamon, and above all dark chocolate. And dark chocolate filled with… kirsch. Finish: quite long, more peppery, with touches of cumin and juniper. Comments: I must admit I’m rather impressed by the way they’ve managed to flavour this young Macallan without ever lapsing into vulgarity or inelegance. In theory, I ought to hate this, in reality I rather like it.
SGP:461 - 85 points. |
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Macallan 34 yo 1991 (51.8%, DH Global Spirits, William, sherry hogshead matured, cask #8192, 2026)
We have a good feeling about this one, not because it’s a decanter, but because we’ve already tasted some of the house’s offerings and they had been excellent. Colour: amber with reddish hues. Nose: this is full-on currants, clafoutis, fig jam, and simply fruitcake soaked in kirsch. But who could possibly be against that? With water: earth, mushrooms, old red Burgundy, leather, in short, all those wonderful things. Mouth (neat): even better on the palate, closer to old-skool Macallan, with teas and herbal infusions, tobacco, small berries, prunes, a little umami and quite a lot of crushed black pepper. And, naturally, dark chocolate. With water: properly ‘old Macallan’, perhaps just a little more marked by raisins and dried figs. An amusing tiny saline touch in the background. Finish: not extremely long but very elegant, with top-quality sherry singing all the way through, until the walnuts and black pepper return, together with their magnificent bitterness. Comments: all that’s missing now is a Chesterfield, Duke Ellington and some excellent company. Who would, of course, be equally fond of Duke Ellington and fine old Macallan.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
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August 10, 2026 |
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today wee indie Brackla |
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| Always a pleasure to taste two or three little Royal Bracklas, if only to keep the flame alive for them on this little website. The opportunities don't come along all that often... |
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Royal Brackla 11 yo 2014/2025 (57.2%, Watt Whisky, hogshead, 288 bottles)
Everything ought to run like clockwork here. Colour: white wine. Nose: one of those utterly natural malts, packed with earth, chalk, fresh barley, bread dough, baker's yeast and tiny wild apples, delightful to nose although rather less enticing to bite into. With water: lovely brioche scented with orange blossom. Who doesn't enjoy brioche with orange blossom, I ask you? Mouth (neat): little fruit sweets, lemon drops, honey pastilles, green tea and lime juice, almost like a ready-made daiquiri, only sharper, drier and altogether more chiselled. Properly razor-sharp. With water: it really comes into its own, with delicate touches of violet liqueur weaving through everything else we've already mentioned. Finish: fairly long, increasingly on grapefruit liqueur, with a pleasing return of chalk in the aftertaste. Comments: an excellent young malt, properly mature despite its age and gloriously natural, just the way we like them. Thoroughly uplifting stuff, many thanks to the Watt mafia.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
Let's head to the opposite end of the spectrum... |
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Cawdor Springs 10 yo 2015/2025 (56.6%, Fragrant Drops, matured in a fresh Margaux barrique, cask #319, 281 bottles)
Remember that Cawdor Springs is a trade name for Brackla, we've already tasted one here before. Also note that this isn't a mere Margaux finish, probably cabernet sauvignon-led as expected, but a full maturation. I must confess we were rather curious... Colour: full gold, not pink in the slightest, which is quite astonishing unless the cask had been thoroughly rinsed and steam-cleaned beforehand. As a reminder, there is no such thing as white Margaux. Well, they do make white wines in Margaux, but they do not (yet) enjoy the appellation. Anyway, let's move on, this isn't winefun. Nose: an extremely pronounced vinosity, with pink peppercorns, green capsicum, blackcurrant buds, then Swiss cheese and juniper. Quite astonishing. With water: Swiss fondue, naturally with plenty of kirsch. It's rare indeed to find quite so much cheese in the nose of a single malt. Also, a distinct gym socks side, wonderfully bacterial... Mouth (neat): much better on the palate, full of blood oranges, pink grapefruit and properly ripe strawberries with just the right amount of pepper. There's also a touch of grenadine. With water: even better! Pink grapefruit liqueur, almost like Sarti Rosa, practically ready for a spritz. Finish: fairly long, amiable and decidedly unusual. Comments: this is very odd and rather wayward, yet certainly not without interest, nor indeed quality.
SGP:651 - 78 points. |
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August 9, 2026 |
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Just eight Cognacs, vertically
We’re taking advantage of some slightly kinder weather to taste a few recent beasties, but as usual we’ll start with a decidedly older apéritif… (1960s) |
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Rémy Martin ‘V.S.O.P. Special Reserve’ (80 US proof, OB, USA, Fine Champagne, +/-1975) 
Imported by Rémy Amérique in NYC, probably alongside the famous Macallans, which they also imported.. Colour: amber. Nose: very much on liquorice and slightly burnt raisins, overbaked fruitcake, dark nougat, and a little burnt wood. Mouth: rather resinous, with tobacco, and once again those burnt raisins. Not exactly easy, but these old bottles at low strength (80 US proof = 40% vol. as you know) are fragile and, quite frankly, were probably never really built for keeping. Finish: eventually of medium length, but rather on broths, which is not very pleasant. Overcooked leek, a salty touch. Comments: not without its good sides, but far too fragile for a modern palate. Modern like ours, right…
SGP:441 - 60 points. |
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Château de Montifaud ‘XO’ (40%, OB, Petite Champagne, +/-2025) 
These 40% are a bit of a shame for an XO, but the house has a good reputation, which may make up for that. Colour: deep gold. Nose: rather dry, with black teas and, once again, slightly burnt cakes and tarts, but then some honeyed and resinous notes come along to brighten the whole thing up. Fir honeydew. Mouth: very lovely arrival, broad, rather rich, almost Muscat-like, once again with a little fir-bud liqueur, before heading straight towards sweet wines, PX, Rivesaltes, and of course Pineau des Charentes. That’s rather nice. Finish: good length, very much on sultanas. The aftertaste is a little woody, but not excessively so. Black tea, dark chocolate with rum… Comments: right, one point more than for their already very good Napoléon.
SGP:551 - 83 points. |
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Michelet ‘Lot 16’ (63%, Piacere Rinato, Grande Champagne, 2026)
Here we are in Segonzac. From the very high bottling strength, we gather that this must be a 2016 rather than a 1916, but we’ve already seen all manner of utterly preposterous things in the world of spirits, haven’t we. Colour: gold. Nose: indeed, it’s young, with berries and grape stalks, fully ripe pips, pear and yellow peach, plus a slightly alcoholic side that’s hardly surprising at this strength. With water: a little prickly, but this rustic side takes us straight to the countryside, and as it happens, we’ve had quite enough of overcrowded, concrete-covered cities. We’re exaggerating again… Mouth (neat): with souls nobly born, worth does not await the passing of the years, as they say. In short, here is a magnificent spirit… of Williams pear. With water: the spectrum broadens, the pear remains but plums and cherries join in, as do roots, especially celeriac, which we absolutely adore. Finish: long, straightforward, very ‘eau-de-vie’. Mint and liquorice in the aftertaste. Comments: quite a beastie for your solid silver hip flask bearing your family’s coat of arms. Yeah, right…
SGP:461 - 85 points. |
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Vallein-Tercinier ‘Lot 2015’ (61.8%, OB for Piacere Rinato, Bons Bois, 2025)
There is at VT (Vallein-Tercinier, okay) this predictable side that you only find at a handful of small Cognac houses, which you could count on the fingers of one hand. One day, AIs will write tasting notes in cases like this without us even having to dip our noses and lips into the liquid. God protect us! Joking aside, Bons Bois are fairly rare, while Bois Ordinaires, for their part, reach us… never. Colour: gold. Nose: quite simply, apples, plums, quince, sweet roots, camomile, a little ginger… With water: same. Mouth (neat): excellent, figs and oranges, lemongrass, verbena, genepy, grapefruit… With water: we’re more accustomed to VT’s old vintages, their rookies are less familiar to us. I must admit I’m quite impressed, most young cognacs from the biggest houses (VSOP, XO etc.) generally have far less personality. Admittedly, the bottling strength here, rather unusual in Cognac, does help a little when it comes to winning over lovers of… malt. Indeed, like us. Finish: long, clean, on fully ripe green fruits. Comments: for a ten-year-old (+/-) and with no obvious contribution from active wood, this really is very successful.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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François Voyer ‘Lot 19.89 – Gastronomic Waves #3’ (57.7%, Malternative Belgium, Grande Champagne, 2026)
We are of course at cask strength here. Colour: full gold. Nose: very aromatic and beautifully simple, with plenty of orange marmalade, mirabelle jam and quince jelly, followed by orange blossom honey. Very seductive. With water: a few herbal teas and herbs, some mint too, but it remains compact. Mouth (neat): very compact and coherent indeed, this time more on vineyard peach and apricot liqueurs. A little toffee, dark tobacco and black pepper in the background, that’s the wood. With water: the dark tobacco starts to take over a little, and that works perfectly. Finish: very long, with the marmalade and apricot jam making a comeback. Black pepper and spiced honey in the aftertaste. Comments: nothing to add, this is excellent.
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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Laurichesse ‘Lot 19.76 – La Souveraine’ (45.1%, Malternative Belgium, Grande Champagne, cask #215, 382 bottles)
La souveraine more or less means the Queen in French. Colour: amber. Nose: a real sin, an absolute delight, with great Sauternes, mirabelles and apricots, citron liqueur and some wonderfully expressive honeys. Magnificent and ‘obvious’. A more floral side soon joins in as well (dandelions, buttercups, elderflower, honeysuckle) Mouth: magnificent balance between teas and herbal teas on the one hand, and some utterly splendid honeyed apple and pear juice on the other. A little mango. Finish: quite long, more resinous, almost a little mentholated. Eucalyptus and a little earth in the aftertaste. Comments: not that far from the Voyer, really, but softer and almost easier. We like easy things, don’t we. There is also a 19.75, but we’ll taste that one next time.
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
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Prunier 1976/2026 (59.4%, OB, Fins Bois, 90 bottles)
What a beautiful bottle! We really mean the bottle itself, very Grand Siècle or, you're right, Beyoncé style. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: and what a beautiful nose! Headily aromatic, with jasmine, hibiscus, honeysuckle, orange blossom, a little cedarwood, peaches in syrup, lychees, gewurztraminer, fresh bark, fresh walnut skins, toasted touches… With water: it does not budge, which is excellent news given how beautiful the nose was at cask strength. Mouth (neat): incredible! All the mints, all the black teas, all the flowers, and an assortment of Turkish delights such as even President Erdogan could not obtain (sorry, Mr President). Incredible rose fruit paste. With water: utterly sublime in its freshness, fruits, gentle spices, and toasted hazelnuts and almonds coated with honey. Roasted chestnuts. Finish: sublime earths and roots, then mints. Comments: the epitome of a great Fins Bois, with that superb rusticity adding incredible backbone, even to a very aromatic and almost ‘sweet’ cognac. We should perhaps remember that 1976 was a very hot year, almost as hot as… 2026.
SGP:651 - 92 points. |
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Mauxion ’19.38’ (43%, OB, The Rare Cask, Grande Champagne, 120 bottles, 2026)
Here we are, transported back to before the last true world war. We hope Trump, Putin et al. won’t end up making that expression obsolete. Colour: full gold. Nose: I don’t know whether this very old cognac has been reduced or whether it is at cask strength/from a demijohn, but what is certain is that the result is magnificent, rather waxy (furniture polish) and floral, with very light touches of gentian and verbena over the usual (if we may say so) ripe peaches and apricots. Splendid touches of camphor too. Mouth: I love this, especially those notes of sage at the start, which give it an almost Italian side, then that fattiness that almost glues your lips together, with argan oil, and finally old herbal liqueurs, antique yellow Chartreuse etc. And triple sec, equally antique. Finish: not very long but coherent and never frustrating, quite the opposite. The fruity and floral fatness remains, as does the yellow Chartreuse. Comments: we remain at the summit. Deciding which is better, between the Prunier 76 and this Mauxion 38, would be an act of inexcusable vulgarity.
SGP:561 - 92 points. |
It is time to put an end to what eventually turned into a vertical, a configuration that quite often seems to take shape on the WF tasting table, almost against our will. There must be elves around here… |
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August 7, 2026 |
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A little lineup of Highland Parks
of various ages |
After Bowmore (709), and well behind Caol Ila (935), Highland Park should be the next distillery for which we will have published seven hundred different tasting notes. We're currently sitting at 688, although we imagine that sort of detail is of interest only to the tiny handful of number crunchers among WF's ever-so-distinguished readers. So, let's get on with it...
The first HP we'll try can only bring to mind that well-worn joke: "I know a chef who always cooks with Highland Park whisky. Sometimes, he even puts some in the food." (Jim Henson + AI) |
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Highland Park 16 yo ‘Between You and I’ (48%, OB, 2025)
A rather eclectic and inventive mix of casks, including Virgin Swedish oak, although we have to confess its purpose rather escapes us. Another Viking saga, perhaps? What's more, the price strikes us as rather steep for a 16-year-old that's not bottled at cask strength (€150), but that certainly won't stop us continuing to adore Highland Park. Besides, this baby appears to have been created in collaboration with a renowned Swedish chef, not the one from the Muppets mind you. As long as it wasn't the fellow who invented Ikea's Huvudroll meatballs... Colour: full gold. Nose: no meatballs here, rather fudge, peanut oil, touches of camphor and embrocation, the sort that's supposed to soothe sprains and the assorted aches of active people, lightly smoky salted caramel, modelling clay, and the faintest coastal edge. Go on then, a wink of common periwinkle. A lovely nose in any case, rather subtle. Mouth: beautifully coherent, although more assertive, with dry sherry and peat taking the lead, a salinity that's more obvious on the palate than it was on the nose, then a curious touch of oil paint and even a drop of turpentine. Plenty of deeply toasted walnuts in the aftertaste. Finish: fairly long, firmly in a peaty, peppery register that, truth be told, has absolutely nothing to do with Talisker. Just to put those rumours to bed, you understand. Comments: we still prefer Highland Parks that stay closer to the distillate, but we have to admit that this baby, chef or no chef, is very well put together indeed. In the end, there's even the faintest Laphroaig-esque whisper.
SGP:462 - 85 points. |
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Highland Park 8 yo ‘Old Orkney’ (47%, Decadent Drinks, bourbon and sherry refill hogsheads and butts)
Remember that Old Orkney, aka O.O., was Stromness before the war, then Gordon & MacPhail, and is now Decadent Drinks. It's an emblematic name, and since we had the singular pleasure of tasting two or three Stromness bottlings over the years, let's see whether this young new O.O. has taken any inspiration from them whatsoever. Colour: pale gold. Nose: the first piece of good news is that it's pleasantly saline and mustardy, not smoky like Stromness, but with a little imagination we can spot a few family resemblances. Above all, it's pure, with seaweed and earthy roots taking centre stage. Pickled samphire, Chinese mushrooms, flint and gentian. Mouth: it's on the palate that this youngster gives that famous Swedish chef the hardest time, much livelier, sharper, saltier and more maritime, packed with little smoky aromatic herbs. The sherry, refill or otherwise, has contributed pepper and walnuts, as it so often does. Finish: long, slightly oily, with a faint engine oil note, but also plenty of lemon, grapefruit and, above all, salt. Comments: we think this is a splendid success. There are echoes of the excellent 10-year-old the distillery used to make a few years ago. A very strong contender for BFYB of the month (£50).
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
Well, victory without peril brings no glory, does it? So, let's have another little 8-year-old... |
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Highland Park 8 yo (100 proof, Gordon & MacPhail, UK, +/1970)
We have already tasted quite a number of these 8-year-olds from various eras, but we have to admit that the 100 proof versions have generally been magnificent. As you will have gathered, the idea is not really to compare this genuine legend with the excellent young O.O. Although perhaps we may uncover a thread of kinship after all... Colour: amber. Nose: utterly magnificent, with the proverbial heather honey, mango preserve, tobacco, earth freshly soaked by the first summer rain, a little maple syrup, and a veritable cavalcade of tiny spices and herbs, all displaying astonishing complexity. An absolutely majestic nose, although that hardly comes as a surprise. With water: smoky honeys and saline earth. The well-mannered taster will bow right down to the ground. Mouth (neat): simply unbelievable and, would you believe it, there really is a family resemblance with the saline peatiness of the young O.O. Seriously, we're not joking, nor are we currying favour with D.D. Promise. Cross our hearts. If we're lying, we deserve to go straight to hell. Sublime preserved lemons, wonderful umami and glorious mushrooms. Citrus zests of every description. Right, let's move on... With water: little mint leaves, embrocations, noble citrus fruits and seaweed, with an extra touch of honeyed sweetness. Finish: very long, more rooty, smoky and lightly caramelised, with breathtaking elegance. Comments: one of the greatest young malt whiskies of all time, alongside a select few others such as the Samaroli Glen Garioch. Absolutely. We should add, since that was the whole point of the exercise, that there really is a common thread running through these two 8-year-olds. A thread stretching back well over fifty years...
SGP:563 - 94 points. |
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Secret Orkney (HP) 25 yo 2000/2026 (52.6%, Sansibar & The Whisky Agency, cream sherry butt)
Our friends have thoughtfully specified 'HP' on the label, just in case anyone might mistake it for Scapa. Incidentally, it's rather a shame that independent Scapa has all but disappeared these days. Colour: full gold. Nose: Highland Park really is a remarkable malt when it's not dressed up a little too heavily. Here it's magnificently earthy, rooty, lemony, maritime and gently medicinal, before becoming increasingly waxy over time. Splendid. With water: oops, we hadn't even noticed how discreetly that famous cream sherry had slipped into the background... Mouth (neat): this is lovely, simply delicious! Green pepper and lemon to begin with, then seawater and ashes, followed by toasted walnuts and a few shellfish. The whole affair is beautifully steered towards elegant bitters. With water: very little changes, apart from a little more citrus and a few extra earthy notes. Finish: long, drier and more peppery, with green walnuts making a late appearance. Still not much sign of any obvious 'cream', should we really regret that? Comments: simply excellent, only the finish is just a shade less perfectly balanced, but once again we're really splitting hairs...
SGP:462 - 89 points. |
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Highland Park 22 yo 2003/2026 (55.9%, Thompson Bros., refill sherry wood, 336 bottles)
Lovely label, with a distinctly Italian flair. Colour: full gold. Nose: this time we're heading more towards mirabelle and apricot preserves, quince jelly and acacia honey, while the camphory, earthy and smoky elements have been pushed rather into the background. Still, there's really no reason to lodge a complaint with the Malt Whisky Police, is there. With water: beer, wort and yeast come bubbling back to the surface here, gently reminding us of the origins of this wonderful spirit. Flint and basalt. Mouth (neat): much livelier, sharper, smokier and pepperier, almost acidic, with delicate touches of aniseed alongside camphor lotion. All in all, it's the most medicinal of the line-up. With water: the salinity and rooty character move firmly back to centre stage. Finish: long, lively, earthy and consistently rooty. Comments: this is probably not the sort of friendly Highland Park for mothers-in-law and grandfathers. They'd be better off sticking with the official bottlings. As for us, we love it.
SGP:462 - 88 points. |
Highland Park is probably one of those distillates where, whatever you do and whatever you say, the casks will always play second fiddle to the spirit itself. While as it happens, we could indeed have reached our 700th Highland Park today, but let's not overdo things, that milestone can wait until next time. Right then, one last wee dram, and let's pick a cask of suitably venerable age.. |
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Highland Park 35 yo 1988/2024 (50.1%, Aquavitae & Shinanoya, Divine Beasts, hogshead, 150 bottles)
The label rather reminds us of those gung fu cha tea trays adorned with little bronze or cast-iron toads that are ceremoniously doused with the first rinsing waters to bring good fortune, happiness and, perhaps above all, to provide a respectable destination for those first infusions that nobody would really know what to do with anyway. At least, that's our interpretation, that of a poorly brought-up Westerner. Colour: gold. Nose: a lovely marriage of peanut oil and mango juice, joined by hints of rose, jasmine, heather and apricot liqueur, before damp slate quietly enters the scene. The cask has behaved impeccably, everything remains wonderfully fresh, almost youthful. With water: bruised mint leaves, proper tweed, grist and sourdough. Finding sourdough after 35 years in oak fills us with quiet delight. Mouth (neat): splendid, taut, spicy and absolutely packed with citrus, then becoming increasingly mineral, exactly as the nose had suggested. Chalk, clay and crushed slate. Beyond that, mango and apricot return, now accompanied by pink grapefruit. The liveliness is just perfect, and so is the balance. With water (just a drop): essentially the same composition, with earthier pepper and the fruits taking a slight step backwards. No real issue, although frankly, you may as well leave these old creatures alone once they're hovering around 50% vol. Finish: fairly long, surprisingly fermentary despite all those years. Comments: it rather lost a point or two after we added water. We probably should have resisted. In any case, a wonderful bottle, and certainly no toad. We mean a toad as viewed by Westerners, of course. Mind you, we do seem to have a chief toad in D.C., you know, a yellow-tinted specimen...
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
Right then, just for a little historical perspective... |
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Highland Park 18 yo (43%, OB, +/-2005)
We were just having a score for this one (WF 88) and no tasting notes, so it was more than time to add some tasting note, for the cause, since we were having a bottle. Quite a few people seem to miss these older labels, or so it appears to us. Then again, they also miss Jefferson Airplane, don't they... Colour: gold. Nose: a little dry, but certainly peaty and earthy, with dried herbs, aniseed, a touch of horseradish and another of lavender. The 43% vol. is beginning to show its age after twenty years, at least on the nose, but let's see what the palate has to say... Mouth: decidedly peatier than we remembered, pepperier too, drier, edging closer to a fino sherry style, with old walnuts, plenty of humus, lavender, pepper, bitter oranges and mint. The 43% vol. is no longer an issue here. Finish: almost long, distinctly earthy and floral. We would lean more towards lavender than the proverbial heather, although the pepper in the aftertaste sweeps much of that aside anyway. Comments: we shouldn't romanticise old bottles too much, and time can also leave its mark on whisky in bottle, but this remains an excellent malt, rather less civilised than expected.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
After this enjoyable little session, we're left thinking that Highland Park is rather like certain rums, age seems to matter rather less to the overall quality of an expression than it does with many other malts and whiskies. We could almost coin the following little equation, if we dared: HP = HD. Mind you, people usually say HD = Ardbeg... Oh, never mind, just forget all that... Next time, we should have our 700th HP. |
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August 6, 2026 |
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No grain, no gain:
continuing from yesterday and the day before…
I promise this will be the last grain whisky session for quite some time. Thank you for your patience. But first, here's a lesser-known practice... |
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About fresh oak and grain whisky
Back when highly active casks weren't considered essential for maturing malt whisky, as they so often are today, it was not uncommon practice to fill first-fill or new oak casks with cheaper grain whisky first. This helped tame the more aggressive characteristics of fresh oak before entrusting them with precious malt spirit. |
Here's a perfect example: a photograph taken at Lagavulin in 2005. These empty Cambus 1992 casks (from Cambus's penultimate year of distillation), having spent around twelve years shedding the less desirable aromas and flavours imparted by fresh wood, were finally ready to be filled with Lagavulin's powerful yet pretty complex new make spirit.
(WF Archive)
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Invergordon 58 yo 1965/2025 (50%, Duncan Taylor, Signature Reserve, Frank McHardy 60th Anniversary bottling)
It is obviously rather fascinating that such a towering figure of malt whisky as Frank should have taken an interest in grain whisky, although it helps to remember that he began his career at Invergordon in the early 1960s, are we still allowed to mention that, Frank? Colour: gold. Nose: a delightful marriage of melon, apricot and acacia honey, does that sound tempting? Add farmhouse cider, ripe mangoes and a few chalky touches. In truth, we are firmly in the territory of an excellent malt here, and we struggle to accept that this is grain whisky, even if it is Invergordon, and even at the grand age of 58 years. With water: the most delicate of Wulong teas, straight from the heart of Taiwan. Mouth (neat): oh my, this is beautiful! It might almost have held its own after yesterday’s magnificent Hazelwood, after all. Ripe banana, maple syrup, fresh vanilla, hay jelly, wild carrot, sweet woodruff and mullein syrup. It is perhaps only missing the tiniest touch of muscle, but then again, according to the label, it is grain whisky. With water: a cocktail of exotic fruits softened with coconut milk yet enriched by waxes and roots. Finish: this is usually the point where grain whiskies begin to lose lift, but here it skims through in perfect low flight. Comments: I know I am frightfully late, as always, but sixty years in the business deserves nothing less than a proper Roman triumph, Mr Frank McHardy! Awesome old grain.
SGP:641 - 90 points. |
We are coming gently back down to earth, with even more North British… At this rate, we shall end up emptying the warehouses! |
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North British 20 yo 2005/2025 (54.9%, Dràm Mor, refill bourbon barrel, cask #602953, 184 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: vanilla, turnips, nougat and a faint wisp of smoke from who knows where. With water: milk chocolate and café macchiato. Now that is very much grain whisky territory. The smoke, meanwhile, has vanished. Mouth (neat): as fruity and rooty as they come. Carrot cake splashed with lemon juice, or something along those lines. With water: the root vegetables become even more prominent, celeriac, gentian and swedes. Incidentally, swede eau-de-vie, as our dear neighbours across the Rhine make it, really is quite something. Finish: not all that short and, thinking about it again, very much on swede and perhaps Jerusalem artichoke. A touch of coffee in the aftertaste. Comments: good fun, good earth.
SGP:651 - 83 points. |
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North British 32 yo 1992/2025 (47.9%, Dramfool, bourbon barrel, cask #320, 188 bottles)
The sheer quantity of North British around these days is quite extraordinary, although when you have to keep Diageo’s and Edrington’s blends flowing, you do need some serious capacity. Well, mostly Diageo’s, to be fair. Colour: white wine. Nose: gentle, even more so on tinned sweetcorn than any of the others, with white chocolate, vanilla dessert cream, Danette, Mont Blanc, and suntan lotion made with shea butter and coconut milk. Happy holidays at the seaside, everyone! Mouth: camomile infusion, orange blossom water, a little Japanese roasted tea, hojicha, together with soft, fragrant oak. Sandalwood. Finish: much the same, though earthier and more herbal. Fairly short all the same, but some lovely citrus notes lift the aftertaste and earn it an extra point, there. Comments: simply very good.
SGP:551 – 84 points. |
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North British 31 yo 1993/2025 (44.3%, Lady of the Glen, refill bourbon barrel, cask #52734, 113 bottles)
It is only because this is Whiskyfun that we are not even going to suggest there might be ‘rather a little too much’ of North British in our independent friends’ bottling portfolios. I promise you, we are holding up remarkably well… Colour: pale white wine. Nose: we cannot really claim there is a great deal of substance here. It is chiefly on tinned sweetcorn, vanilla and soft nougat. At least we have escaped the coconut this time. Mouth: ah, this is a little on the skinny side, diaphanous, transparent and gently sweet. This baby is going to set us a rather low benchmark, and perhaps we needed one. Finish: short and rather hollow. Comments: in a cocktail rather than neat, if you please. Mind you, there is plenty worse out there, malt whiskies included.
SGP:631 - 78 points. |
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North British 34 yo 1991/2025 (43.5%, Tri Carragh, refill bourbon barrel, 165 bottles) 
I do not think that when we started WF, twenty-four years ago, we ever imagined we would one day end up tasting more than a dozen North British in a single session. We would probably have devoted ourselves instead to growing cyclamens, tuning Porsche flat-twins or settling the eternal Clapton versus Page debate. Not forgetting Jeff Beck and Hendrix, of course. Colour: white wine. Nose: much like the previous one. Tinned sweetcorn, herbal infusions and apple juice. Mouth: quite pleasant, thanks to those nicely ripe apples setting the rhythm. Sweet cider, herbal infusions, barley syrup, yes indeed, and popcorn caramelised with lemon blossom honey. I may be gilding the lily ever so slightly, but it is for a good cause. Finish: not especially long, though gently lemony and pleasantly earthy. Comments: the balance is there, and so is the freshness.
SGP:551 - 80 points. |
You must be joking, more North British… |
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North British 29 yo 1995/2025 (49.9%, James Eadie, Distilleries of Great Britain & Ireland, refill hogshead, 361 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: now this is interesting, with echoes of white wine somewhere between Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, followed by wheat beer. Quite a shift, you must admit! In short, a remarkably fermentary grain whisky, something we encounter only very rarely. The cask has probably had a hand in this… Mouth: grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, this time more aromatic white wines, Viognier and Gewürztraminer, alongside floral syrups, mullein and acacia. This is really rather good, despite the fragile structure that so often comes with grain whisky. Finish: not all that short, nicely focused and almost oily, with some lovely bitter notes that are themselves rather unusual in grain whisky. Comments: this is clearly a very good North British, but we have simply had enough North British for the time being. I think we shall declare a ban until at least 2030.
SGP:651 - 84 points. |
You know what, I think it is time we brought this madness to an end. We still have quite a few grain whiskies waiting in the wings, but they can have their turn another day. Instead of yet another North (gulp) British (gulp), let us finish by digging out something a little more unusual. Assuming we can find such a thing… |
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De Lepelaar 2021/2024 ‘Seaweed Tricolore Smoked Grain Whisky’ (45%, OB, palo cortado, 240 bottles)
Straight from the island of Texel. Judging by the language spoken by the owners, we are either in the Netherlands or Belgian Flanders. I hope I am not ruffling any feathers here, but above all I wanted to break away from the admittedly rather wearisome procession of Scottish grain whiskies produced by the million litres every year. Some are good, some decidedly less so, but on the whole, they are about as exhilarating as a Bergman trilogy or a speech by Pete Hegseth. It is ‘Hegseth’, is it not? Right then, Pete Hegseth… Colour: gold. Nose: at last, some action! Bread, yeasts, beers, squashes and pumpkins, bitter oranges, bitters, Cynar, Fernet-Branca, Noilly Prat and the like. This is really rather lovely. Mouth: earth, spices, roots, bitters, ginseng, ginger, turmeric, bitter oranges and cumin. Finish: long, with pronounced yet very attractive bitters, plus a salty touch in the aftertaste. Comments: this really is a splendid little creature, one I did not know at all. Nor, for that matter, had I ever heard of ‘De Lepelaar’. Bravo, Mr or Mrs Lepelaar, assuming they actually exist. BTW this is probably not ex-high column.
SGP:462 - 85 points. |
Mind you, in Scotland and in other places they tend to call ‘grain whisky’ anything that is not purely malt batch-distilled twice or more in proper pot stills. |
… But come on then, one last North British for a good long while. After all, that famous Diageo and Edrington distillery has rather set the tempo over the past three days. After this, though, I promise, no more grain whiskies, and none for a veeeeery long time… |
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North British 30 yo 1993/2023 (48.9%, Volpe & Castello, Stonyhurst, Hong Kong Exclusive, cask #48668)
They certainly seem like rather nice people. Colour: chardonnay. Nose: custard, English breakfast tea, nougat, Chardonnay, quite specifically, blancmange and caramelised popcorn. In short, as gentle as a lamb. With water: roughly three tonnes of marshmallows. Mouth (neat): plenty of white nougat and vanilla fudge, with a generous splash of orgeat syrup. With water: a little orange syrup, pistachio syrup, milk chocolate and orange blossom infusion. It all feels rather ‘Dubai’, truth be told, one of the contemporary world's lower depths (hey, we're only joking). Finish: not especially long, sweet and a little syrupy. Comments: within this very rounded, sweet style, it ranks among the better examples. Even if that is not saying all that much…
SGP:630 - 81 points. |
We really must s-t-o-p now, okay? |
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August 5, 2026 |
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No grain, no gain:
continuing from yesterday…
And we shall try to pick up the pace a little, as there are really rather a lot of them still waiting in the wings… |
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North British 33 yo 1991/2024 (43.3%, Tri Carragh, refill barrel, 163 bottles)
… and North British is made from… maize, well done, you were paying attention yesterday. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: very attractively lemony, bringing to mind lemon pie, perhaps even rhubarb tart, with just a little vanilla cream. It comes rather close to some old Lowland malts, Bladnoch, Rosebank… Mouth: we notice the alcohol a little, alongside sweets, gelatine and a touch of eau de Cologne, yet it remains nicely balanced. Also, a little lemon vodka, much like in one of yesterday’s drams, though I cannot quite remember which one. Finish: not especially long and without any major developments, leaving a small measure of limoncello in the aftertaste. Comments: this really is a matter of… the cask. Yesterday’s Morisco 1991 had rather more texture.
SGP:651 - 82 points. |
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Invergordon 47 yo 1977/2025 (43.6%, Exquisite Casks, refill bourbon barrel, cask #7, 204 bottles)
Ah, here is one of those famous old Invergordons, and not dressed up in sherry. All the better, we ought to be rather closer to the distillate itself… Colour: pale gold. Nose: clearly fresher, tauter, more herbal and earthier, before gradually moving towards pastries, scones and croissants. Mouth: it retreats a little towards plain ethanol, even at this venerable age, yet the texture and its gentle porridge-like character are sufficient to carry it through the journey that eventually leads us to… column-still rum. Finish: medium in length, with hay, coconut and vanilla. Comments: we rather miss the sherry, but this remains a very good old grain whisky in my opinion.
SGP:451 - 83 points. |
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North British 15 yo 2010/2025 (43.7%, Jean Boyer, Gifted Stills of Scotland, 2nd fill Port finish, 356 bottles)
Well now, in this context, a Port finish might actually make rather good sense, let us find out… Colour: gold. Nose: Iindeed, it does, adding a welcome layer of complexity without taking anything away from a grain whisky that is, by nature, not exactly the most complex creature. Tomato vine, peonies, freshly cut grass and strawberry soup, all without drifting into an excess of red fruits. No doubt the refill cask has played its part… Mouth: it continues to work rather well, with blueberry muffins and perhaps a few drops of crème de cassis. It would make a rather good kir. Finish: fairly long, with a slightly rough edge, but we rather like rough-edged grain whiskies, it makes a pleasant change from endless coconut. Comments: a thoroughly charming little baby, and a very good idea from the house Jean Boyer.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Strathclyde 30 yo 1994/2025 (44.2%, Tri Carragh, 1st fill bourbon barrel, 204 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: wonderfully gentle, with white chocolate mousse, a few touches of pineapple, nougat and popcorn. In the background, a faint hint of aniseed. Mouth: we find that utterly gentle profile once again, a little fruitier this time, with little sweets, Jell-O and apricot, yet remaining beautifully balanced and, above all, free from the intrusive ethanol notes encountered elsewhere. Finish: not especially long, though still balanced and… wonderfully gentle, as smooth as cream. Various herbal infusions linger in the aftertaste. Comments: did I mention that this is a grain whisky full of kindness?
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
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Cambus 31 yo 1993/2025 (50.9%, James Eadie, sherry butt, cask #48088, 349 bottles)
I do not think we have ever been quite so delighted to stumble upon a fine old sherry cask! Colour: full gold. Nose: and there is hardly any gunpowder, struck matches, truffles or cabbage soup to be found! Instead, plenty of chocolate, praline, chestnut cream, pepper and espresso, make that a double, if you please. With water: a little artichoke and aubergine emerge all the same. Mouth (neat): really very good, just slightly earthy at first, then becoming pepperier before turning properly chocolatey. Dark chocolate filled with cherry liqueur. With water: the chestnut cream returns, joined by three drops of kirsch and a generous helping of whipped cream, if you please. Finish: fairly long, still on chestnut cream, though this time laced with rum. Comments: the texture remains just a little lean for the malt enthusiast, yet this is still an excellent grain whisky.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
We are not dipping much below the 80-point mark, are we? That is surely an encouraging sign for the quality of the single grains being offered by the independents these days… |
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North British 26 yo 1998/2024 (56.5%, Lady of the Glen, oloroso hogshead, cask #596158, 142 bottles)
I can already hear you, ‘Another North British!’ Indeed, but this one comes from an ex-sherry cask… Colour: reddish amber, or partridge eye, or onion skin… Nose: lovely oloroso, full of tobacco, soy sauce, potting soil, coffee dregs and walnut wine. With water: a pack of dark cigarettes. I shall leave you to choose the brand. Mouth (neat): a little less straightforward on the palate, very much on stone fruit eau-de-vie before it has quite settled down. Mind you, that reddish hue was rather unusual for oloroso, could this not actually be Port? Not on the nose, certainly, but on the palate… (None of that makes the slightest sense, S.) With water: we come back to the grain, with a few faint soapy notes that may well come from the water we have added, a touch of saponification perhaps, but we have no time to wait for them to disappear, assuming they ever do. Finish: not especially long, with kirsch to the fore. Pink grapefruit in the aftertaste. Comments: slightly bewildering, but there is certainly plenty happening here, and that is worth an extra point or two.
SGP:641 - 83 points. |
This is turning into a full-blown North-British-a-thon… |
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North British 32 yo 1991/2023 (45.6%, Zn09, Cyberpunk, first fill barrel, 244 bottles)
We do rather enjoy Zn09, aka Zero Nine Spirits, and their delightfully post-apocalyptic labels, all the more so since they do not even appear to have been churned out by some vulgar AI. Magic! Colour: white wine. Nose: now this is a first, a medicinal single grain with distinct touches of acetone. There is a little nail varnish all the same, alongside asparagus and hairspray. In short, this is enormous fun. Very little vanilla or coconut for a first fill cask, bravo. Mouth: highly entertaining indeed, with the asparagus returning alongside eucalyptus and even a little camphor. We would never have guessed first fill, rather an ex-lightly peated cask. Finish: surprisingly long, with celeriac and carrots before gentian takes over. Comments: what on earth is this thing?
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
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Dumbarton 25 yo ‘Batch 1’ (50.5%, Living Souls, refill barrels, 2025)
Most likely distilled in 2000, remember that Dumbarton closed its doors in 2002. Colour: white wine. Nose: once again, good fun, Maggi seasoning, umami, oyster sauce and fermenting fruits. In short, all manner of things we rarely encounter in grain whisky, and this is not even ex-sherry. With water: back to the cereals, pancakes and cornflakes, in other words, breakfast. Mouth (neat): going all in on coconut liqueur, Malibu and certain Irish whiskeys, Midleton springs to mind, with a little glue and almond milk alongside. With water: it regains its footing somewhat, moving towards sweet root vegetables, sweet potato in particular. Finish: no longer than the others, though once again it drifts slightly towards arranged rum, vanilla-flavoured, for example. Comments: at the end of the day, this is certainly a very good grain whisky, provided light textures are not an issue for you.
SGP:641 - 82 points. |
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Invergordon 36 yo 1988/2024 (57.8%, Dramfool, Middle Cut, bourbon barrel, cask #1486, 156 bottles)
Can we really speak of a middle cut when dealing with spirit distilled continuously? A matter for debate… Colour: gold. Nose: we find broken twigs and vanilla pods once again, alongside white chocolate, blancmange, meringue and buttercream. With water: fresh hay. Mouth (neat): a complete about-turn. Most attractive, now edging surprisingly close to a rather high-ester, grand arôme-style rum, although I have not the faintest idea where that might be coming from. Acetone, varnish, petrol and capers. With water: the varnish remains, although the whole becomes rather gentler after dilution. Finish: not especially long, both soft and herbal at the same time. Little bananas. Comments: this baby certainly kept us on our toes, and that alone is worth an extra point.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
Now then, trumpets and drums if you please, unfurl the banners, for here comes… something entirely different. |
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House of Hazelwood 1968/2022 (49.2%, OB, The Cask Trials, single grain, 303 bottles)
Every Hazelwood by William Grant that we have tasted has been magnificent, and we rather suspect this Girvan, because I suppose it can only be Girvan, built in 1963, may well prove no exception, despite the ‘Black Barrel’ adventures that failed to convince us all those years ago. But that was a long time back indeed and a great deal of Balvenie has flowed under the bridge since then, has it not? Colour: amber mahogany. Nose: let us say it plainly, if every single grain were like this, we would launch singlegrainfun.com on the spot and set off to evangelise the world. In short, this is magnificent, displaying gloriously ripe exotic fruits, papayas and mangoes in abundance, alongside a breathtaking collection of honeys, from thyme to manuka. In the background, a few little figs and dark nougat. A dazzling nose, and I find it hard to believe this is grain whisky. And yet, it most certainly is… Mouth: sublime, extraordinarily complex, brimming with long-forgotten herbal liqueurs, Arquebuse, for one, and honeys unknown even to seasoned beekeepers. Then come the tobaccos and teas, so many of them that we would need an entire day simply to list them all. Finish: not eternal on the palate, perhaps, but eternal in spirit, with every conceivable nuance of conifer. I shall spare you the full inventory. Comments: This is no longer grain whisky, it is meta-spirit, they are all here, Cognac, rum, whisky, tequila, Armagnac, brandy and pisco. A genuine masterclass in cask maturation.
SGP:662 - 93 points. |
… There is one drawback with drams of this calibre: it becomes quite pointless even to contemplate tasting any other grain whisky after such a session-killer. Which simply means we shall be back tomorrow, with yet more grain whiskies. |
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August 4, 2026 |
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No grain, no gain:
an avalanche of North British and other grain whiskies, Part 1 |
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| North British Distillery (North British) |
Quite a few years ago, we were rather having the impression that many single grains were being bottled chiefly because that highly marketable little word ‘single’ might tempt enthusiasts. At times it all felt a little borderline, at least to my humble mind. Over the past few years, however, things have improved markedly, perhaps thanks to a broader selection of well-aged casks becoming available. In short, the grain whiskies now reaching the market seem rather less ‘empty’ than they once did, unless, of course, I am simply growing softer with age… Anyway, let us dive in at random… |
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Strathclyde 12 yo 2013/2025 (43.5%, Jean Boyer, Gifted Stills of Scotland, small batch, 1st fill St Estèphe, 2153 bottles)
Saint-Estèphe is a fairly powerful Bordeaux wine, situated in the northern part of the Médoc, so we may expect, for instance, deep cassis. Colour: gold, with no reddish trace whatsoever. Nose: we do indeed find the cabernet very close at hand, with green pepper, vine leaf and fig leaf, alongside a few earthy touches that are not at all unpleasant. The wine almost invades the little grain whisky, yet the balance has somehow been preserved, and therefore it remains interesting. A pleasant peppery note as well. Mouth: it is truly very marked by the wine, yet with a successful balance. The combination is unexpected, but it works, almost creating a kind of spirit reminiscent of tequila, with that vegetal, slightly earthy profile intertwined with cassis and spice. Finish: good length, fairly earthy and quite spicy, with blackcurrant in the background. Comments: a lovely surprise, I must admit, I was not expecting this at all.
SGP: 551 - 84 points. |
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North British 30 yo 1995/2026 (41.6%, Lady of the Glen, refill bourbon barrel, cask #55185, 216 bottles)
There seems to be an awful lot of North British about at the moment, both youthful expressions and rather older ones such as this. North British, as you know, is a joint venture between Diageo and Edrington. Its production capacity stands at 2.5 billion (no typo) litres of pure alcohol per year. In short, this is no Daftmill… Colour: pale white wine. Nose: gentle little touches of camomile, coconut milk, dulce de leche, blancmange, corn syrup and white chocolate. In short, it whispers, but it whispers rather beautifully, with admirable delicacy. Mouth: it settles itself very nicely indeed, the alcohol making itself just slightly felt despite the modest strength, yet this remains comfortably superior to the vast majority of grain whiskies we have tasted. Very much on herbal infusions, with white chocolate returning alongside a few hints of bison grass vodka. Finish: short, still focused on the herbal infusions… after a second sip. Comments: a thoroughly charming old grain, all about delicacy, elegance and effortless lightness…
SGP:441 - 82 points. |
There are some genuinely ancient ones among them… |
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North British 43 yo 1982/2025 (52.6%, Milroy’s of Soho, Vintage Reserve, 2nd fill hogshead)
Remember, North British is made entirely from maize. Colour: full gold. Nose: fairly taut, with lemon meringue pie to the fore, alongside caramel-coated popcorn. Very lovely indeed. With water: a very faint touch of rubber. Mouth (neat): nicely lemony once again, in short, it is still all about lemon pie. The texture remains light, though rather less frustrating than in many grain whiskies, no doubt thanks to the age. Lovely notes of rhubarb and vanilla cream emerge as well. With water: coconut comes through. Finish: respectably long, though still very gentle. The lemon lends it a welcome little burst of energy all the same. Comments: grain whiskies are almost always a touch frustrating for malt lovers, especially on the palate, yet this baby has acquitted itself rather well. Forty-three years old, after all…
SGP:341 - 83 points. |
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North British 34 yo 1991/2025 (40.1%, Thompson Bros. for The Whisky Exchange)
At this strength it ought to be whispering ever so softly but let us see what secrets it has been keeping… Colour: pale gold. Nose: apple juice, vanilla milk, white nougat and popcorn. The fact is, there is not a single false note here and, above all, no overbearing coconut. That is so often what rather spoils grain whisky, at least to my humble mind. Mouth: we are very close to the 1982, only with just a little more punch. We did say just a little. Herbal infusions, coconut, vanilla, muffins and scones, then a little diluted orange juice. Finish: not especially long, but elegant. A few jellybeans and a coconut that knows its place. Comments: very likeable indeed, and not quite as fragile as we might have expected.
SGP:431 - 83 points. |
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Port Dundas 35 yo (50.5%, Living Souls, refill bourbon barrel, 2025)
Port Dundas was closed by Diageo in 2011 in favour of Cameronbridge. And yet, Port Dundas was where D.C.L. originally began. Colour: light gold. Nose: a lovely little oily side, with sunflower oil, beeswax and a few touches of rosehip infusion. With water: pine nuts and still plenty of oil, perhaps rapeseed this time? Mouth (neat): ah, this is very pleasant, richer and more energetic than the North Britishs, showing little cider apples and angelica. With water: a few hints of malt whisky, just imagine that! A faint touch of rubber. Finish: fairly long, with a pleasing texture, staying on oils and ripe apples. Comments: a very good old grain whisky, with a few knowing nods towards malt.
SGP:541 - 85 points. |
Well, let us be honest, unless we stumble upon very old grain whisky from an exceptional sherry cask, as with certain Invergordons, it is probably going to be rather difficult to stray outside the 78 to 85-point corridor. Still, let us keep trying… |
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North British 32 yo 1993/2025 (52.2%, Corman Collins, Taste Still, 1st fill PX, cask #49576)
The second name here is ‘I Will Always Love You’, a declaration that goes straight to our hearts. Colour: red amber. Nose: plenty of cherries in eau-de-vie, liquid caramel, dark turrón and toffee. Well, you get the picture. With water: gentle pipe tobacco, alongside roasted hazelnuts and peanuts. Mouth (neat): very good indeed, somewhere between an old Cuban rum and a liqueur made from fir and coconut, if such a thing were ever to exist. With water: it comes surprisingly close to an Irish pure pot still, while also recalling a fine café latte. Finish: fairly long, now becoming decidedly macchiato-like. Comments: I must admit I find this really rather excellent. And it seems we have finally broken the curse.
SGP:641 - 86 points. |
Well, much as the dreadfully lazy assertion that ‘in whisky, the cask does everything’ tends to irritate us, I must admit that in the rather particular case of grain whisky, it may actually be true… |
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Cambus 35 yo 1990/2025 (48.2%, Fadandel, refill hogshead, cask #93601, 217 bottles)
Colour: white wine, remarkably pale for a 35-year-old. Nose: a family-sized bar of white chocolate studded with desiccated coconut, followed by vanilla cream, chestnut purée and barley syrup. Hang on, could there actually be some barley in this one? Mouth: the very epitome of grain whisky, with a light texture yet an appealing combination of sweetcorn cream, coconut milk and vanilla that works rather well. Finish: fairly short, though with lovely notes of Wulong tea. That will be the oak speaking. Comments: If you ever have the chance to visit Cambus Cooperage, it is well worth the trip!
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
So far, it would appear that we are remaining firmly in top-grain territory… |
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Dumbarton 23 yo 2000/2024 (57.1%, Dràm Mor, refill bourbon barrel, cask #211885, 182 bottles)
Dumbarton was closed and almost entirely demolished in 2002, so we are dealing here with one of the very last vintages. Is that not rather moving? Colour: pale gold. Nose: dried flowers, a touch of rubber, little notes of caraway, green pear and pine needles. This is fairly unusual and rather attractive so far. With water: peach syrup. Mouth (neat): most amusing, with limoncello and tutti-frutti eau-de-vie, displaying a fine sense of vigour. Lemon vodka. With water: very little change, still that lemon vodka, rather in the Polish style. Finish: not especially long, though pleasantly fresh and lemony, really quite agreeable. Comments: a very good Dumbarton, but as they say in Sutherland, it is still no Brora.
SGP:451 - 81 points. |
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North British 33 yo 1991/2025 (43.1%, Morisco Spirits, Wunderkammer, refill bourbon barrel, cask #204407, 160 bottles)
Wonderful label, as always. And love, love, love the cabinets of curiosities, let us see whether we have a worthy new member here… Colour: pale white wine. Nose: yep. Fats and oils, with no obvious clue as to where they come from, yet it works perfectly. Roasted pumpkin seeds, sesame and rye bread… All things that, in theory, have very little to do with grain whisky. Mouth (neat): we plunge straight into the earth and every seed under the sun. That said, the structure remains a little fragile and reminds us that this is, after all, grain whisky. Lovely brut cider, nonetheless. Finish: an earthy edge adds welcome dimension, and we rather like that. The cold café latte in the aftertaste is not bad either. Comments: another very fine grain whisky.
SGP:451 - 85 points. |
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Strathclyde 31 yo 1993/2025 (54.6%, Lady of the Glen, The Ghosts of Dumbarton Castle, refill oloroso hogshead, cask # 243367, 145 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: lovely floral notes of lavender, violets and pansies, alongside plum eau-de-vie and damsons. The damsons are especially prominent here. With water: as so often, the rubber decides to make an appearance. Barbour grease. Mouth (neat): rich and almost thick, this is nearly malt whisky, lemony, with plenty of hops and green apples. With water: a faint dustiness emerges, but all remains perfectly in order. Finish: not quite its strongest point, as it loses a little definition, though it remains perfectly respectable. A little lavender returns in the aftertaste. Comments: still a thoroughly charming grain whisky, without a doubt.
SGP:441 - 82 points. |
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Carsebridge 25 yo 1979/2005 (56.4%, Duncan Taylor, Cask #32901)
Let us admit it, we have already tasted this baby, but that was back in 2005 and we absolutely a-do-red it. So, more than twenty years later, let us see whether it can single-handedly lift the standard of this modest little session… Colour: pale gold. Nose: wonderfully lively, taut and lemony, going all in on verbena and limoncello. I rather suspect it was this razor-sharp simplicity that we had fallen for back then. We are simple folk at Whiskyfun, you see. A few touches of coconut, almost inevitable. With water: geranium, fig leaf and cherry tomatoes. Mouth (neat): above all, remarkably creamy for a grain whisky. We shall mention limoncello for the umpteenth time, then citron liqueur and lime. All this is bordering on the miraculous for grain whisky. With water: I can only confirm it, though do avoid adding too much water, as with so many grain whiskies it can collapse rather suddenly. Finish: not especially long, though no grain whisky ever truly has a long finish anyway, and perhaps just a wee bit too coconut-driven. Comments: apart from the finish, this really is a great grain whisky, even if I am just a little less enthusiastic than I was twenty years ago. Time flies.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Strathclyde 19 yo 2005/2024 (61.1%, James Eadie, first fill European oak oloroso finish, cask #367502, 315 bottles)
A finishing period of 28 months is almost double maturation, is it not. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews and toasted sesame seeds. Now, who could possibly object to that? With water: lovely umami, soy sauce, hardwood and thuja. Mouth (neat): there we are, the cask doing all the talking. Nescafé, pepper, lemon, liquorice and dark nougat. With water: the roasted nuts return, together with plenty of citrus zest. Mind you, as is so often the case, I insist, water can make it burst like a balloon and wipe away all sense of structure. At 61% vol., that is always a tricky balancing act… Finish: medium in length, though very much on dark nougat and Nescafé now, perhaps even Ricoré. Coffee and chocolate. Comments: excellent, provided you preserve its rather fragile structure.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
We shall stop here for now, though we may well be back tomorrow with yet more grain whiskies. |
July 2026
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Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Longmorn 56 yo 1968/2025 (54.3%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice Heritage Collection, first fill sherry butt, cask #5833, 200 bottles) - WF 94
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Longmorn 30 yo 1964/1995 (53.2%, Signatory Vintage, oak cask, cask #51, 208 bottles) - WF 92
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
Kornog (46%, OB, France, Brittany, +/-2026) - WF 87
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Galion 2025/2026 ‘Grand Arôme’ (63%, Landier & Vingtier, Les Fontaines du Chai 27, Martinique, cask #15) - WF 90
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Glen Garioch 52 yo 1973/2026 (53.8%, WhiskyLand, Decadent Drinks, 1st fill sherry butt, 240 bottles) - WF 94
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Bonpland ‘Blanc VSOP’ (40%, OB, Germany, blended rum, +/-2020) - WF 50 |
We would like to remind you
that we do not take prices
into account, except for the
“bang for your buck” category. |
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Best spirits Serge tried those weeks, 90+ points only
Highland Park 8 yo (100 proof, Gordon & MacPhail, UK, +/1970)
Highland Park 35 yo 1988/2024 (50.1%, Aquavitae & Shinanoya, Divine Beasts, hogshead, 150 bottles)
Macallan 34 yo 1991 (51.8%, DH Global Spirits, William, sherry hogshead matured, cask #8192, 2026)
Springbank 12 yo 'Cask Strength' (56.6%, OB, batch #29, 2026)
Tamdhu 34 yo 1989/2023 (54.8%, Gourmet Pool, bourbon hogshead, cask #8144, 144 bottles)
House of Hazelwood 1968/2022 (49.2%, OB, The Cask Trials, single grain, 303 bottles)
Invergordon 58 yo 1965/2025 (50%, Duncan Taylor, Signature Reserve, Frank McHardy 60th Anniversary bottling)
Mauxion ’19.38’ (43%, OB, The Rare Cask, Grande Champagne, 120 bottles, 2026)
Laurichesse ‘Lot 19.76 – La Souveraine’ (45.1%, Malternative Belgium, Grande Champagne, cask #215, 382 bottles)
Prunier 1976/2026 (59.4%, OB, Fins Bois, 90 bottles)
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