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| Hi, you're in the Archives, July 2025 - Part 1 |
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July 14, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Unlikely Duos, ex-Saladin box Glen Albyn and fitting guest
Times are tough for little WF. The days when we could line up four Millburns, five Coleburns, or even three Convalmore, or indeed, two Glen Albyn we’d never tasted before, seem to be long gone. |
Glen Albyn around the time when the 10 yo
was distilled (Diageo/SMD) |
But don’t worry, I’m not about to try to make you weep by saying we’re now reduced to tasting Speyside NAS whiskies dressed up in decommissioned red wine casks. Still, when we unearth, say, a rather irresistible Glen Albyn, as we have today, we have to do quite a bit of scheming to find it a worthy sparring partner. In this very case, we looked into which distillery was closest to the old Highlander and found that it was Ord—if we exclude Uile-bheist Distillery, which, having visited last year, still seems highly unpredictable for now. Will we ever get to taste it? We’ll see. But for the moment, feast your eyes on this likely little gem from Inverness… By the way, I thought I had some old Mackinlay blend that, indeed, used to include Glen Albyn, but I must have dreamed it. Anyway, let’s carry on… |
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Glen Albyn 10 yo (43%, OB, ‘Pure Highland Malt’, UK, bottled by John E. McPherson of Leith, clear glass, 75cl, +/-1970) 
This is not the one for Italy (D&C Import). Actually, I must humbly admit I’ve often had a tough time with these Glen Albyns ‘OB’, knowing full well that there have been some splendid batches, but also a few rather more troublesome ones. We’re not talking about the 10-year-old cask strength for Giaccone here, are we, clearly a different league. That said, I was told this particular batch we’re having now was top-tier, though I wouldn’t know how to recognise it myself, save for the fact that it’s not one of the Italian-bound versions. Colour: gold. Nose: how about a mix of cauliflower, farmhouse cider, slag, chunks of zamak, paraffin and slate? This is seriously old-school! Mouth: roots of all kinds, with lemon and salt, some quality green peppercorns, curious notes of underripe pineapple, a touch of kale and, above all, papier-mâché with quite an invasive minerality, tinged with hints of vinyl, olive oil and various other dry oils. Finish: oddly long, continuing on salted liquorice and modelling clay blended with apple juice. Comments: it’s almost like listening to Roamin’ in the Gloamin’ by Harry Lauder on an old gramophone. You try scoring that!
SGP:462 - 88 points. |
So, permanently closed in 1983 and demolished in 1988, Glen Albyn was already using malt from a Saladin box rather than traditional floor maltings at the time this 10-year-old was distilled. As was, incidentally, ta-da!... Glen Ord (nice segue, S.). Indeed, Ord upgraded its malting operations in 1961, replacing its traditional floor maltings with a Saladin box. How fitting, as we’re about to taste a 1962… |
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Ord 24 yo 1962/1987 (46%, Cadenhead, Aberdeen, black dumpy, 75cl)
These 1962 Ords can be notoriously variable, despite their legendary reputation, some utterly sublime (such as the CAD 1962/1989 at 55.4%, or the Bouquet by Samaroli…), others more… improbable. Of course, the geeks mainly remember the brilliant ones. Or the utter disasters. Everyone recalls Loch Dhu the black whisky, for instance, but who remembers Jackson’s Row the blond whisky?? Anyway… Colour: gold. Nose: ace! as they used to say at Loch Fyne Whiskies. The most glorious mix of beeswax, sesame oil, peanut oil, basalt and wee citrus fruits, bergamots, kumquats (hello Dutch dentists), leading eventually to a few glints of copper polish, a classic trait of this series, though here it’s nicely restrained. Mouth: unmistakably a black dumpy. It’s very fine, though one day we ought to let some of these old liquids being analysed to see whether they’ve remained drinkable and haven’t been slightly poisoned or tainted by their closures and/or old glass. But let’s drop the decadent and unreasonable hygiene talk—this waxy, salty, and indeed metallic profile is beautiful. This time, it’s grapefruit that takes the lead, followed by a faint hint of leek soup. The wax does return, unmistakably Ord. Finish: rather long, with wax, metal, and metal polish all well accounted for. Some slightly salted apple and grapefruit bring it all together in the aftertaste. Comments: these babies are never easy to score. I’d say the cask strength versions age a little more gracefully, not that anyone will be shocked. But what a stunning bottle!
SGP:462 - 89 points. |
The profiles of this Glen Albyn and this Ord were still remarkably similar. Pure old-school Highlands! |
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July 13, 2025 |
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A few more rums, though not all of them are malternatives |
I'm afraid so… At any rate, not the first we’ll have, as we're making another attempt with A.H. Riise, following the rather terrifying sugar bomb from a fortnight ago, which went by the thoroughly immodest name of "Non Plus Ultra Ambre d’Or Excellence" (WF 30).
('The Neighbours', AI slop) |
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A.H. Riise ‘Family Reserve Solera 1838’ (42%, OB, Virgin Islands, +/-2024) 
The solera trick propped up by a pseudo-ancient vintage always seems to work. Naturally, your brain knows it’s a load of old nonsense, but these brands don’t speak to your brain, they speak to your gut. Here, the rums are also said to be ‘aged up to 25 years in oak casks’. The key part, naturally, being ‘up to’. Colour: pale gold. Nose: let’s be fair, this nose is rather pretty, on a blend of tangerines and ginger not entirely devoid of elegance, even if there’s also a faint whiff of Dr Pepper and a touch of lavender toilet water that’s a tad awkward. Still, over ice, this nose kind of works. Mouth: a sugary bomb, as expected, and one gets the distinct impression we’re dealing with far more than the 100g/l measured here and there. Do bear in mind that the legal EU limit is 20g/l, so this is not rum, not even close. And frankly, it’s not good, it tastes like some concoction of fake Apérol mixed with LIDL’s own-brand cherry liqueur. No, no, do not try this at home. Finish: suffocating, cloying, quickly now, three large glasses of sparkling water… Comments: while there’s undoubtedly even worse out there, we’re not far off the lakebed here. In fact, this is more the Mariana Trench.
SGP:920 - 15 points. |
Quick, a reward for our efforts… |
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Clairin Le Rocher 41 mo 2019/2022 (49.10%, The Navigator, Haiti, cask LR17 JD-2-V2)
Bottled by Providence/Velier for Navigate World Whisky in South Africa. Sounds cool. This is clairin ‘ansyen’, Creole for ‘ancien’, which of course means ‘old’. Colour: pale gold. Nose: much like with mezcals, one tends to favour the ‘blancs’, yet here the wood influence after these 41 months remains very restrained, allowing full expression to notes of cider vinegar, antiseptic, cracked olives and furniture polish. Really lovely. Mouth: the oak is a touch more noticeable now, but it morphs everything into a great big parcel of salmiak. So, we’re talking liquorice, olive oil, salt, nutmeg and pine sap, with a bit of ash in the background, which does lean rather ‘Islay’, it must be said. Finish: and it’s also slightly mezcal-like, since we mentioned mezcal earlier. Comments: a blend of salted liquorice and olive oil—hmm, that’s giving me ideas, like a martini of the dead. By the way, we adore this South African clairin.
SGP:363 - 88 points. |
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Diamond 2014/2025 ‘Port Mourant’ (53.6%, The Whisky Jury, The Ester Hunter catch 3, Guyana, bourbon, cask #5, 280 bottles)
A young ‘Port Mourant’ from the John Dore pot still. It seems the ester level was very high… Colour: gold. Nose: oh yes, smoked praline over fir wood, puncture-repair glue, brand-new trainers from an improbable DNVB doing business via Facebook, and a whiff of fresh formica that only boomers would recall, though apparently that glorious material is back in vogue. In any case, this feels bone-dry. With water: hay smoke, very trendy with certain chefs. Mouth (neat): this is ultra-dry, like an intensely salty manzanilla aged in fresh cedarwood, or something along those lines. With water: same again, though now we’ve got green olives charging in en masse. Finish: same story, and it lingers for quite a while. Aftertaste: ultra-dry. Comments: packs quite a punch, and as they say, ‘probably not one for the neighbours’. A baby that is to rum what brut nature is to Champagne (S., please, will you stop talking about Champagne?)
SGP:273 - 89 points. |
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Port Mourant 15 yo 2010/2025 (54.3%, Spirit of the Day, Guyana, bourbon, cask #5)
I’m rather fond of the very ‘IBM 1970’ style labels from these small French bottlers. Colour: gold. Nose: we’re extremely close to the previous one, so much so that I had to double-check I hadn’t poured the same rum into two different glasses. Let’s just say there are a few extra hints of dill and anise here, a touch more herbal freshness, but otherwise it’s much the same, which is of course excellent news. With water: it’s definitely that fresh rubber note that characterises these Port Mourant batches from Diamond. Mouth (neat): same story again, though this time there’s a little more pear, with the rest being conifer, olives, rubber and salted liquorice… With water: same comments again. Finish: likewise. Comments: excellent stuff, though still probably not one for the neighbours.
SGP:373 - 89 points. |
By the way, ‘the neighbours’ are absolutely lovely people, who won’t shy away from enjoying a good wine or spirit, though they don’t know the first thing about them, feel no need to learn more, and are perfectly happy with verdicts like ‘I like it’ / ‘I don’t like it’. Which, we quite agree, is far better than ‘it’s good’ / ‘it’s not good’ – the kind of judgement typical of people whose education has been a bit haphazard. That said, ‘the neighbours’ are truly charming people, who might even share our level of geekery, though rather in areas like politics, batik, gardening or country music. We all have our ‘neighbours’, don’t we. Now, let’s move on to Jamaica (the neighbours are also very fond of Bob Marley but they never heard of Sly and Robbie) … |
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Clarendon 24 yo 1999/2023 ‘JMM’ (53.4%, The Whisky Blues, Jamaica, barrel, cask #1, 238 bottles) 
Colour: pale gold. Nose: all the classic markers of a Jamaican, but delivered gently, it bridges the gap between olives, petrol and varnish on the one hand, and ripe bananas, slightly underripe mangoes and pineapples on the other. With water: a burnt and resinous side comes through, but the fresh fruit keeps things in balance. Some modelling clay. Mouth (neat): more intense on the palate, with lovely salty bitters, tar, sea water, fresh grass, and a few acetoney touches… With water: the esters really lift off, clearly more prominent than in the Port Mourant, which once again highlights the beauty of comparative tastings. Finish: long, just a touch drying, and a little oaky. Comments: we’re still a fair way off the most boisterous Jamaicans, yet this rather lovely Clarendon is already very typical, with a pronounced mango-varnish character.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
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Hampden 8 yo 2016/2024 ‘<>H’ (65%, Rest & Be Thankful, LMDW Foundations, Jamaica)
Between their Octomores and their Hampdens, one could say that the house of Rest & Be Thankful has truly carved out its own style, which isn’t all that common among independents. In short, we’re not dealing with chamber music here… I must admit I wasn’t familiar with the ‘<>H’ mark, but it seems it’s in the 1,000-gr ester/hlpa range, the equivalent of ‘<H>’. Geekier than that, you die. Colour: deep gold. Nose: Hampdens hit you like a freight train, instantly and without mercy. Diesel, olives, gherkins, acetone, a touch of ammonia, all wrapped in vanilla and banana cream, though with moderation. I do mean just the vanilla and banana cream. With water: enters the sea, or rather the docks of a northern port, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hamburg and the like… Mouth (neat): no prisoners taken, but no complaints either. Classic, unfiltered Hampden—salty, petrolic, and then veering more towards something like a mix of cane syrup and frosty mint syrup, just at 65% ABV. Assassins! With water: textbook Hampden, deeply salty and packed with hydrocarbons. Finish: same story, very long, though once again rounded out by that vanilla. Comments: of course it’s rather masterful, but don’t even think about trying to get your neighbours to taste it.
SGP:563 - 89 points. |
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Hampden 1 yo 2023/2025 ‘Fino’ (61.9%, The Colours of Rum for Catawiki, cask #147, 75 bottles) 
We’re in the 1,300–1,400 gr ester/hlpa range here, which would also correspond to the C<>H mark. See last week’s little brother which had seen some Madeira rather than fino. While we say our prayers, let us remember that Hampden is one of those very rare spirits that really don’t need long ageing. Colour: gold. Nose: I’m sorry to say, I adore this. Utter precision, zero external influence, with a fino that, in any case, is probably playing in exactly the same league. Pushing things a bit, one might even claim Hampden belongs to the fino category of rum. Gorgeous carbon, acetone, and tidal sea water. With water: no change whatsoever. I reckon you could drop this to 10% ABV and it still wouldn’t make much difference. Mouth (neat): insanely vinegary and crammed with brine and ultra-concentrated liquorice. With water: what a creature! A bit more on the plastic side, but it’s plastic that harms no planet. Finish: ultra-long and ultra-saline. We wonder whether the famed fino didn’t just further amplify the profile of this little C<>H. Anchovy in brine. Comments: could we perhaps get more details about that famous ‘fino’? I liked this ‘fino’ a tad better than the ‘Madeira’, which was already quite stellar.
SGP:364 - 90 points. |
These little Hampdens remind us of one of Confucius’s precepts: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away.” The trouble is, they’re also session killers, so, adios. |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far
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July 11, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today young
Glen Scotia for CMF |
Well, we’re two months behind. It’s always a bit of a challenge for a somewhat seasoned taster to rid themselves of the biases built up over decades of not always successful experiences with this or that brand or distillery. In any case, Glen Scotia has made great strides in recent years, as has the entire group by the way, starting with Loch Lomond.
(Bodega Vega Real, Castrillo de Duero, Valladolid) |
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Glen Scotia 9 yo ‘Heavily Peated’ (54.3%, OB, Campbeltown Malts Festival 2025, Ribera del Duero finish) 
Given the extreme makeover (unusual peatiness, Spanish red wine), I must confess I rather hesitated before approaching this baby, but then again, why not, let’s see whether it truly jars or how badly it does. Right, see if we’re in the realm of strawberry-coffee-mustard style... Or not. At any rate, Spanish red wine continues its invasion of Scotland. Colour: great maiden's blush (that’s a real colour). Nose: indeed, there’s something of the artificial strawberry sweet and cigarette ash about it, but also a coastal breeze that feels quite pleasant, along with some blood orange. With water: a chalky note emerges, orange peel, sourdough, bakery scents. Mouth (neat): very odd but not unpleasant, very taut, very much on grapefruit and lime, with some scratchy ash in the background only. It almost feels like a syrup-free Caledonian ti-punch. With water: rather nice, though we’re quite far removed from traditional malt whisky territory. The flavours remain clean, sharp, nervy, and still heavily on vivid citrus. Finish: fairly long, with no major changes save for a touch of brine atop citrus peels. Raspberry makes a late entrance in the aftertaste, together with some… cinsault rosé. Not sure they have cinsault in Ribera del Duero, have they? The vast majority is tempranillo anyway. Comments: there’s something both youthful and uninhibited in this concoction that, all things considered, I find rather endearing, even if, truth be told, it’s not exactly ‘my thing’. But love the great Riberas.
SGP:755 - 82 points. |
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Glen Scotia 8 yo 2014–2016/2025 ‘Glen Toon’ (57.1%, Decadent Drams for Campbeltown Malts Festival 2025, 1st fill hogshead and barrel, 430 bottles)
A blend of 2014 and peated 2016 composed with evident care, well, one imagines. Colour: pale gold. Nose: shock and awe, this one blasts the official bottling without the slightest hint of shame. Far more mineral, and not far from a fine Chardonnay, with chalk, dandelion flowers, flint in a most Chablis-like fashion, some lees, bread dough, and honeysuckle. With water: lovely vanilla emerges, strudel too, but above all, a good deal of stones and wet pebbles. Mouth (neat): the balance is rather clever between the peat and the citrus-driven tension. At this stage, it’s closer to a Sauvignon Blanc, though still packed with flint. With water: excellent, bitter oranges and ginger tonic, with a pinch of salt and one of white pepper. All this works beautifully. Finish: long and curiously refined for such a young stylistic blend. Italian bitters in the aftertaste, Campari direction—I do mean direction. Comments: clearly, some proper work went into this, whether in the lab or in the kitchen. It clicks together shockingly well considering the age.
SGP:464 - 88 points. |
Hold on, we've found a third one – let's taste it quickly… |
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Campbeltown Blended Malt 9 yo 2014/2023 (54.3%, Whiskyfacile, Black Cat, sherry hogshead, cask #23, 96 bottles)
Colour: amber. Nose: rather lovely sherry with a faintly ‘bourbony’ touch (pencil shavings), featuring delicate notes of game birds, dried figs, toffee, and cigar box. With water: fresh cement and equally fresh pumpernickel. We're getting closer to the raw ingredients here. Mouth (neat): cedarwood is quite forward, alongside salted butter caramel, fudge, millionaire’s shortbread, and raisins… Very nice texture. With water: out come the fruit loaves, crusty farmhouse bread sheltering bits of candied zest, raisins, figs, and apricots. Would you kindly pass the butter? This should go down a treat with foie gras. Truly. Finish: long, just a wee bit more ‘dirty’, ‘leafy’, with the tiniest flecks of ‘gunpowder’. Comments: really very, very good, though ever so slightly on the ‘adventurous’ side.
SGP:552 - 87 points. |
Another lovely little tasting session today. Even if, frankly, we could do without those red wine casks, which are starting to get quite tiresome. Soon enough, the guidebooks will be saying that Scotch whisky is distilled beer, aged in neutral oak casks, then flavoured with wine from Spain, Italy or France. Let’s quickly light a few candles to make sure that never happens… In any case, may no one accuse me again of talking too much about wine in our very modest and rather clumsy tasting notes! LOL (as we used to add B.I.C. - before the informational chaos). |
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July 10, 2025 |
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Some Aberfeldy and some red wine
The brand’s use of wine has become so massive it’s actually quite funny. The trick is to take it all with a pinch of salt. Look, here are two new examples today – both limited editions. |
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The cynics might say that’s actually the best news in all of this... I just hope these babies won’t overshadow the impression left by their recent and very excellent Aberfeldy 2014 ‘Exceptional Cask Scottish oak finish'. |
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Aberfeldy 15 yo ‘Finished in Bolgheri Red Wine Casks’ (46%, OB, Red Wine Cask collection, batch #2924/B, 2024) 
Now then, Bolgheri is the very place where those super-Tuscan Bordeaux-style blends hail from, which, truth be told, we rather struggle to finish (Sassicaia, Ornellaia and suchlike) The worst of Italy, really, despite their having so many other absolute marvels elsewhere. Imagine gleefully planting Sangiovese or Nebbiolo in France! Madness. Colour: gold. No rosé hue, thankfully. Nose: naturally it’s all right, it doesn’t reek of raw stave or new planks, but there’s a duo of pepper and green capsicum, along with blackcurrant bud, which always tends to set the nerves slightly on edge. It’s a layered nose, one might say, with a delayed and restrained arrival of raspberries and cherries. Mouth: decent, though not terribly charming, with a rather awkward and somewhat Janus-like split personality. Raspberry liqueur-filled chocolates, green pepper and cardamom, with cherry and black pepper stepping in a little later to help steady the ship. Finish: fairly long, though rather leafy. Comments: definitely an improvement over other, previous red-wined ones
SGP:561 - 77 points. |
Right, I’ve probably ruffled a few feathers again, I’m afraid. But wait, here comes a genuine Italian… |
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Aberfeldy 18 yo ‘Finished in Sangiovese Red Wine’ (46%, OB, Red Wine Cask collection, batch #2924/A, 2024)
Sangiovese is the noble grape of Chianti, responsible for some of the world’s greatest red wines. But in whisky, well, let’s see, though philosophically, we’ll take this over some dreary ‘Bordeaux blend’ any day. Colour: gold. Remarkable how little visual impact these wine casks actually have. Nose: phew, as expected, this is much better, more on Mediterranean scrubland herbs, myrtle, waxes, wild cherries, even olive oil and maraschino. Altogether a very Italian sort of Aberfeldy. Mouth: now that’s more like it indeed. Far more expressive, herbal, slightly acidic, jittery, with tart cherries and the kind of liqueurs our southern friends do so well, plus, predictably enough, a few pretty notes of grappa. Still not entirely Scottish malt whisky in soul, but the European flair is rather charming. Finish: long, and quite strikingly on bitter orange and pepper. I even get two or three black olives, though perhaps I’m dreaming. Comments: a lovely result from what sounded like a daft idea. Perhaps next time with the finest Gran Selezione?
SGP:561 - 85 points. |
Phew! Let’s move on to a young, naturally presented Independent, and that’ll be us done for today… |
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Aberfeldy 10 yo 2014/2024 (60.7%, Fragrant Drops, refill bourbon barrel, cask #252, 207 bottles)
This ought to be clean as a whistle. Colour: gold. Nose: new-make barley eau-de-vie, orange and banana peels, barley sugar, muesli, baker’s yeast, brioche dough… Exactly what one expected really, we’re firmly in raw ingredient territory here. With water: no real shift, save for a little vanilla and even more barley syrup showing up. Mouth (neat): rather like this, it’s all apples, pears and an assortment of little plums, with a fairly assertive farm-cider vibe. Nature at full throttle! With water: the beers come charging through, reminding us once again that whisky is, first and foremost, distilled beer. Finish: long, a touch more herbal, a notch more peppery. Comments: basic but very likeable, in a super-natural, very young, very rustic style.
SGP:551 - 82 points. |
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July 9, 2025 |
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Five Linkwood B and one Linkwood A |
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| Linkwood when A was still standing (geograph) |
There’s been quite a bit of Linkwood among the independents lately, and we’re certainly not complaining. Especially since we’ve also got a Linkwood from the old distillery up our sleeve – just wait and see… Let me remind you that Linkwood A was the original distillery, founded in 182, with production starting around 1824/1825. In 1971, a second facility, Linkwood B, was built next to it to increase production capacity. From 1971 to 1985, both Linkwood A and B operated in parallel. In 1985, the original distillery was permanently closed (and demolished around twelve years ago) and only Linkwood B remained active. Everything we’re going to taste, then, comes from Linkwood B, except the last one. |
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Linkwood 9 yo 2015/2025 (50%, Elevenses Whisky, Fairgound Delight, refill bourbon hogshead, 694 bottles) 
Some newcomers to the scene, I presume, as I’d never heard of Elevenses before. The bottle’s rather amusing, it’s a bit reminiscent of Spanish grapeseed oil, and the price is almost as reasonable as that of actual grapeseed oil in Spain. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: it’s fresh, youthful, very close to the distillate, with notes of gherkin brine, pear juice and sunflower oil. This is clearly all about the raw materials. With water: a touch of geranium blossom, some cake batter, and a slight saponification after dilution… Mouth (neat): curiously a tad saline, otherwise quite barley-forward with hints of fruit peelings, apples… With water: more malty and more floral, even slightly peppery but that’s probably just its youth showing. Finish: medium length, on pear and still that faintly saline edge. Comments: jolly pleasant and above all very natural.
SGP:551 - 83 points. |
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Linkwood 8 yo 2016/2024 (57.8%, Fragrant Drops, oloroso quarter casks, casks # 29791-29792, 294 bottles)
From the same parent company, it would seem. The whisky’s pedigree, however, is clearly heading in the opposite direction… Colour: amber. Nose: coconutty oak, walnut wine, dried figs, dates, sultanas… All very pleasant indeed. With water: tobacco and Thai broth. Mouth (neat): creamy, on candied ginger and coriander seeds (the oak again), orange marmalade, a touch of yellow curry, dates… With water: works a treat, a lovely spicy, peppery profile with sweet paprika and lemon-tree honey. Finish: long, spicier still, with a big gingery comeback. Comments: serious work with those quarter casks, you either like it or you don’t, but there’s no denying it’s been very well crafted and tightly steered.
SGP:561 - 85 points. |
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Linkwood 10 yo 2013/2023 (57.1%, The Whisky Exchange, Seasons: Spring, refill bourbon barrels, cask # 307180)
Colour: white wine. Nose: pure pears and cherry clafoutis. With water: a drop of barley syrup. Mouth (neat): pretty superb, taut as a bowstring and bursting with fruit. Pear eau-de-vie straight off the still, with a few dashes of vanilla for good measure. With water: no major changes. Finish: long, same story, clean and fresh. And very much on the pear. Comments: slightly reminiscent of the Elevenses but with a bit more bite. Lovely bottle.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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Linkwood 15 yo 2009/2025 (56.2%, Signatory Vintage, Symington’s Choice, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt, cask #8, 683 bottles)
They’ve really become the emperors of sherry at Signatory over the past couple of years, haven’t they, with some rather prime space left vacant by certain major Speyside distilleries. Colour: mahogany. Nose: this is the expected style, cedarwood, touches of graphite, chocolate, umami notes, a lovely meaty character, and some proper Corinthian raisins… With water: in come mentholated and camphory touches, though the cedar stays firmly in place. Pencil shavings. Mouth (neat): oh, very good, more on the earthy side, black pepper, liquorice, walnut liqueur (big time) … With water: even more powerful, loaded with spices and wood extracts, yet oddly enough, balance has been struck. Finish: long, almost thick, still on pepper and cedarwood. Comments: this one really speaks volumes. Definitely a bottle to cellar for, say, thirty years, just to smooth out the corners.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
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Linkwood 16 yo 2008/2025 (58.7%, Signatory Vintage, The Whisky Exchange exclusive, Bourbon Cask Series, cask # 800064, 174 bottles)
Now this, this is surely a clever one… Colour: gold. Nose: it’s oily yet bright, with a touch of fusel oil, but also splendid yellow citrus and wild wee apples, service tree berries, jujubes and the like. All this on a panettone fresher than a daisy at dawn. Gorgeous vanilla cream, plus a sheet of carbon paper. Okay, Gen Z? With water: in comes motor oil and even a bit of Bakelite. Boomer territory, barely. Mouth (neat): oh yes, fresh, rich, yet fresh, yet rich, on vanilla cream, sunflower oil, granny smiths and golden delicious. With water: lemony, fatty, very good, fresh, beautiful apples. Finish: fairly long, still on green apples, malt, and a very discreet vanilla + coconut combo. Rather brilliant. Comments: yes, very good, really taut.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
It’s already time to wrap things up… |
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Linkwood 12 yo 1959 (43%, OB, for Samaroli Silvano, 2 litres, +/-1971)
Here comes Linkwood ‘A’! One of the very first imports by Silvano Samaroli! And bottled in a two-litre format no less, hence a ‘super magnum’. There were other vintages in this ‘black label’ series, 1958, 1960… But not in super magnum, I believe, those are exceedingly rare. Colour: gold. Nose: wait a moment, I was mistaken, this is Sicilian olive oil blended with a few drops of moped fuel mix. Ex-Malaguti, perhaps? This kind of opulent fatness could only come from an old-school distillery, here ‘old’ Linkwood indeed. Lovely little hints of charcoal, setting spray, ink, grated lemon zest… It’s the fatness and texture on the nose that truly impress. Mouth: to be honest, there’s a hint of soapiness, a touch of light-struck flavour, but the rest unfolds on plasticine, apple peel, walnut and almond skins, and above all that famously saline manzanilla character. Finish: same again, textured, oily, not showing its age in the slightest. The barley itself remains as well – just imagine, likely harvested in 1958! Comments: let’s be honest, this is clearly an old malt for die-hard geeks, but here’s to you, Silvano-in-the-sky!
SGP:352 - 89 points (though emotionally, much more). |
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July 7, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today middle-aged Longmorn OB vs IB |
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| We’re about to get the latest of the official 18-year-olds, which I believe followed the famous 16-year-old that somewhat alarmed enthusiasts at the time, due to its very high price compared to the previous 15-year-old. In short, we’re going to compare this latest 18-year-old with an IB of a similar age, randomly selected from the sample library at WF HQ. |
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Longmorn 18 yo (48%, OB, +/-2025)
Aged in American oak and traditional hogsheads. Careful, not to be confused with the Annual Releases 2023 or 2024, which are cask strength. Colour: gold. Nose: this strikes me as much better than the recent 16s (circa 2022) which rather lacked oomph, now this one’s quite rounded and soft, and clearly more on the pâtissier side than the fruity, especially if one compares it to bottlings from the 1980s. Custard, warm scones, shortbread, dandelion blossoms, notes of orange liqueur, touches of redcurrant and apple, then white chocolate and a little coconut, all with due restraint… In short, everything's ticking along nicely. Mouth: more malty on the palate, a touch rougher after that very civilised nose, more on candied oranges and lemon zest, then baked apples with a good bit of cinnamon. Stewed peaches. Finish: fairly long, more citrus-forward, with orange, pear, honey, and also a few grassy touches. A bit of panettone then turns up, especially on the aftertaste. No complaints whatsoever. Comments: what one might call a perfect allrounder, I don’t see who wouldn’t like this (barring a few fierce competitors). It does better than simply stand in the shadow of its cousin at Glenlivet.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
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Longmorn 17 yo 2007/2024 (43.8%, Whisky-Doris, barrel, 132 bottles)
A small and thoroughly trustworthy German outfit, warmly recommended. Worth noting this is genuine cask strength, no reduction whatsoever. Colour: chardonnay. Nose: exactly what one hopes for from a slightly old-school independent bottler, meaning a malt close to the distillate yet with its own character—here we’re treated to some lovely notes of chalk and apples which, to be honest, bring to mind a good champagne made purely from pinot meunier. Those are all the rage these days, by the way. In short, I adore this nose. Mouth: getting closer to the fine official bottling, but even though it’s 5 degrees lower in strength, this one feels punchier, more lemony, with a touch of wax and those endlessly fascinating chalky or even limestone notes still very much in play. Even if this isn’t a malt of immense complexity. Finish: fairly long, on lemon, apples and beeswax. We shan’t bang on about champagne again, but still, I’m thinking of Boizel’s Brut Ultime or Drappier’s Clarevallis, both extra brut yet rather different. Comments: sorry for harping on about champagne instead of this truly lovely natural Longmorn. Entschuldigung.
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
In short, none of them disappointed. Promise, we’ll do a big Longmorn session very soon. |
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July 6, 2025 |
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Rums of all kinds, in the shade
Since it’s summer! Granted, rum isn’t – or shouldn’t really be – particularly associated with summer, but it’s probably hard to erase two hundred years of advertising built around parasols, daiquiris, and wide-eyed tourists spending the day in their swimsuits or Hawaiian shirts (white dinner jackets in the evening). Note that this time we’ll be steering clear of those 'apéritif' rums sweetened to a near-fatal degree, so as to maintain a touch of grace (excuse me?) this first weekend of July. Well, you know what I mean.
(Magazine ad, mid-1980s) |
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Isautier 10 yo (40%, OB, La Réunion, agricole, +/-2024)
We’ve already had a go at this baby, albeit in a previous guise. It wasn’t half bad, though those 40% will always be something of a handicap unless your distillate is truly big, big, big. Colour: gold. Nose: we’re in light agricole territory here, I’d say. A touch of rubber, a sprinkle of caraway, herbal orange liqueur, three drops of banana liqueur, then simply some cane syrup. Rather lovely nose, let’s just hope it doesn’t collapse on the palate. Mouth: not too far from some of the agricoles from Madeira, with a rather distinctive herbal side, a wee bit of burnt hay, some charming citrus and a discreet salty edge. Finish: not the longest but agreeably saline, herbal and spicy. The caraway’s back in the aftertaste, along with quite a bit of aniseed and black pepper. Comments: real pity about the 40% vol. All the more so since we’ve tasted quite a few high-voltage Isautiers (LMDW, Velier) that had been absolutely superb.
SGP:551 - 80 points. |
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Papalin 6 yo (54 .1%, Velier, Haitian blend, pot still only, ex-sherry, 2023)
This is a blend of three Haitian rums, matured at Distillerie de Port au Prince/Providence. Since it’s pot still only, I would suppose there’s no Barbancourt. Colour: amber. Nose: smells like there’s quite a bit of clairin in there, it’s very briny, very much on a mix of gherkins and lemons, with some cracking whiffs of bicycle inner tube (what with the Tour de France just about to kick off as we write this). With water: a freshly opened pouch of pipe tobacco. Or a box of Dunhills. Mouth (neat): I find the sherry behaves impeccably, first-rate salty liquorice all over the place, then throat pastilles made with lemon and eucalyptus. One feels instantly revived, doesn’t one. With water: some fresh walnuts, delightful acidity, a charmingly sharp and full profile all at once. Finish: long, still very saline. Comments: totally dominated by the clairin. No complaints, we adore that stuff. The sherry itself was characterful, possibly not only ‘seasoned for the business’.
SGP:563 - 88 points. |
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Agitator ‘Chestnut Reserve’ (40%, OB, Sweden, +/-2024) 
Molasses-based rum, distilled and aged in chestnut casks in Sweden. All of this makes perfect sense, doesn’t it. Worth noting, chestnut wood was once used in wine, notably in Burgundy, as it was cheaper and easier to work than oak. It was mostly used for transport (hence all those chestnut casks once found in Scotland) or for modest table wines. It’s notably more tannic, which also helped to mask flaws in the wines, though I don’t believe that was the aim of the excellent folks behind Agitator. Colour: gold. Nose: again, rather odd to have bottled this at 40%. We’re getting some burnt tones, pine, cloves studded into oranges, a few whiffs of geranium and fig leaves… In short, it’s quite the curious thing. Mouth: quite an improbable combo of coffee and peppermint liqueur, rock candy sugar, myrtle liqueur, and a few touches of honey… Finish: fairly short and rather sweet. Cumin and coffee liqueur. Comments: it’s amusing stuff, though rather anecdotal for me. Not very ‘rum’ either, but then again, that figures—we are in Sweden. Personally, I much prefer their whiskies.
SGP:760 - 72 points. |
Let’s head back to la Réunion… |
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Savanna 2019/2024 (63%, The Nectar of The Daily Drams, for LMDW, La Réunion, finished in ex-Pineau des Charentes)
What’s the link between rum from La Réunion and Pineau des Charentes? Simple: they’re both French products. I know, it’s a bit of a stretch. Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: rose liqueur, pineapple liqueur and nail polish remover, 33/33/33. With water: a slight mousey note, then brand new trainers and acetone. High-ester. Mouth (neat): utter madness, it’s so crazy you end up loving it. Esters, hairspray, varnish, glue, peach liqueur, rosewater, grilled aubergines, even charred ones. With water: the spices charge in, Timut pepper, cumin liqueur, still glue, tar, then an oyster and a dash of lemon. Finish: liquorice takes over, as it often does. So do cough syrups. Bonkers. Comments: it’s not so much the end result (which is excellent) that fascinates me, but the sheer thought process behind it. A rum for the lunatics among us, in the best way.
SGP:663 - 88 points. |
We’re still in weird territory… |
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MacNairs ‘Exploration Jamaica Rum’ (46%, Glenallachie, Jamaica, peated, +/-2024)
Some Clarendon matured at Glenallachie, probably for a short period of time. It was actually finished in some ex-peated Glenallachie wood. Yeah, why not, other brands did this stunt, such as HSE in Martinique. What’s amusing is that this baby already seems to have scooped more medals than a retired Russian field marshal. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: on the nose, the Jamaican rum clearly takes the lead. Seawater, basalt, charcoal, acetone, lemon, petrol. Mouth: the peat must be there, no doubt, but what stands out most is the lime, the glue, the ashes (hey!), the seawater and all the expected ‘funk’ that comes with this idea. Finish: fairly long, a touch sweet, but the balance holds, especially as some amusing notes of pear and pineapple now appear. Salty aftertaste. Comments: terrifying idea, successful execution. Better that way round, I should think.
SGP:652 - 85 points. |
Now then, regarding Clarendon… |
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Clarendon 29 yo 1995/2025 ‘EMB’ (61.5%, The Colours of Rum, Jamaica, N°16, 148 bottles)
23 years in the tropics, mind you! And yet it’s paler than an Americano coffee in an airport lounge. The EMB mark suggests an ester level of 250g/HLPA, which is already not half bad. Colour: tea in some airport lounge (right). Nose: stop right there! This is pretty astonishing—passion fruit, mango, both gros and petit manseng, fresh mint, elegant glues and varnishes, plus a wee touch of new tyre. And it all remains remarkably compact and fresh. With water: just beautiful! Glorious exotic fruits with a little rubber and tar, all 100% natural. Mouth (neat): of course it’s a tad aggressive, and yes, it does feel like swallowing five litres of pine sap, but at 61.5%, hardly surprising. I’d be curious to know whether the casks were topped up during ageing in Jamaica (one cask nourishing the others, etc., which the Scots don’t and can’t really do, for example). With water: let’s admit it, it’s a bit ‘woody’. That said, unless you’re allergic or intolerant to conifer saps and resins, it’s utterly beautiful. Finish: long, ultra-mentholy and resinous. Comments: the nose takes you straight to the stars, and the rest remains top-notch too.
SGP:572 - 91 points. |
Since we're with Wealth Solutions, let’s wrap things up by trying the likely opposite… |
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Hampden 1 yo 2023/2025 ‘Madeira’ (62.2%, The Colours of Rum, Edition Green for Catawiki, Jamaica)
1,300–1,500 gr ester/HLPA, that’s the C<>H marque, right? At such a young age, they still managed to give it a Madeira cask finish, and judging by the colour, it wasn’t white Madeira. Let’s see, in any case we trust the Catawiki crew. And CoR, of course. Colour: Provence rosé wine, or partridge eye. Nose: careful, this does unscrew your nose and perhaps your whole head. Burning tyres, one might say. Or rather, tyres actively burning. Yet the background seems subtler, peach skins, gentle glues, sun lotion… With water: a staggering gangster vibe, submachine gun, cartridges… And heaps of glue. Mouth (neat): even at this extreme, Hampden remains one of the world’s greatest distillates, quite simply. Earth, chalk, petrol (yes, we once had petrol in the mouth back when we used to siphon tanks with mates, given how thirsty our cars were), and indeed this one’s colour does rather remind you of petrol. Also lots of black olives. With water: in come the brined fish—anchovies, sardines, mackerel… And lashings of salt. Finish: very long, on acetone and salt. Comments: perhaps the most discreet Madeira wine influence we’ve ever encountered, and yet it was clearly there, judging by the colour of this baby. In any case, we adore this baby Hampden.
SGP:464 - 89 points. |
Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far |
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July 5, 2025 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland |
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New old Irish
and old old Irish
Irish whiskey is no doubt going through a challenging time, although I will also admit, I have been terrible at keeping up with everything that has been going on there in recent years. It seems that the category has sort of exploded, but very quickly found itself in increasingly uncertain waters. It's not hard to see why when the fortunes of much of the industry are tied closely to the American market. |
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One of my ambitions is still to go on a proper whiskey trip to Ireland, hopefully before too long I'll make happen. Until then, we have an assortment of some very interesting Irish drams on the tasting table today. But first, a rather melancholy pair of aperitifs... |
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Waterford ‘Heritage Goldthorpe’ (50%, OB, 6,500 bottles, 2024) 
Distilled using a heritage malt called 'Goldthorpe' apparently, which is immediately appealing to my inner geek (who am I kidding, I'm all geek really). Colour: straw. Nose: a combination of soft yellow and green fruits, mingling with many variations of freshly baked breads, beer trub, meadow flowers and ripe melon with a touch of fir wood. I always associate this kind of profile with a very modern, craft character that you find in many European whiskies these days. With water: juniper and caraway, with a slightly more spicy / bready focus. Mouth: a little more accented towards green fruits, more melon, lemon curd and lemon barley water, and also a notably oily and viscous texture in the mouth. It's a sense of weight and body I often find in whiskies made using non-distilling malts, which is to say: heritage grains with a better balance of proteins and starches that give lower yields but more character. With water: more peppery but also overall softer in the mouth, more lemony notes (limoncello) and more green melon and soft herbal notes. Finish: quite long, on herbs, wildflowers, geraniums, olive oil and hints of hessian canvas. Comments: It's one of the growing numbers of evidential drams that go to show that these kinds of heritage varieties can make extremely good, very textural malt whiskies. I wonder if this sense of body and oiliness will sustain into greater age...
SGP: 561 - 88 points. |
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Waterford ‘Biodynamic Cuvée Luna’ (50%, OB, 2024) 
Colour: bright straw. Nose: very pure and precise, much more focussed on spicy pumpernickel bread, young rye whiskies, crystalised citrus fruits, flower honey and even a wee hint of mandarin. With water: an impression of pure barley eau de vie, youthful in the best sense. Mouth: quite a departure from the Goldthorpe, a fruitier profile that's still oily but perhaps not with quite the same textural oomph. Still, the fruitiness, that specific spicy bready charisma and those notes of honeys and crystalised fruits are still pronounced. With water: the spices take centre stage now, a real and assertive pepperiness, with curry leaf, aniseed, hints of chamois leather and salt and pepper crisps! Finish: good length once again, with bitter lemon, muddled herbs and grassy notes. Comments: At times it is brilliantly pure and precise, at others it perhaps stumbles ever so slightly. But this is still excellent, I just prefer the rich and emphatic textural heft of the Goldthorpe by a notch.
SGP: 551 - 87 points. |
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Now let us time travel... to the 1970s |
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John Power & Son 'Gold Label' (70 proof, OB, 1970s) 
This one would have been distilled at the old John Lane Distillery in Dublin, which closed in 1974 whereupon production moved to the Midleton Distillery. This should be pure pot still, if I'm not mistaken... Colour: pale gold. Nose: a freshly opened tin of varnish, some wood glue and all manner of 'old toolbox' aromas. Steel wool, coins, ink, lashings of boot polish and a tiny sprig of mint. It's actually a super fun nose, even if it is probably at tad rough or extreme at times. Although, another way of saying that is that it retains a surprising amount of freshness. Mouth: you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a cheap molasses column still rum. Indeed, it goes a bit funky and overly gluey here. Clearly a product intended for some variation of mixing. Although, you do wonder how much these funkier, gluey and rather extreme varnish notes were magnified by time in bottle? Finish: medium, on candied caraway seeds, sour honey, asparagus, cheap rum, brake fluid - we are in a new dimension now... Comments: always fun to taste these old oddities. This one really drills into these metallic and old toolbox vibes, although I wouldn't say it was 'really bad', but it's certainly whacky and extreme.
SGP: 571 - 77 points. |
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Old Comber 7 yo (70 proof, OB, 1960s)
Colour: bright reddish amber. Nose: hold moly! Another galaxy! A stunning medley of old waxes, hessian cloth, boot polish, camphor, paraffin, pine needles, bone marrow and pristinely preserved, rather fruity old cream sherry notes. Another one that oozes with a sense of fatness, oiliness and texture in the best and most classical 'pure pot' style. What a brilliant nose! Mouth: doesn't quite hold up to the promise of the nose, you feel the bottling strength has hobbled it slightly, and possibly some caramel? But that being said, there's still wonderful notes of waxes and shoe polishes once again. Herbal medicines, wintergreen, old ointments, long-aged green Chartreuse, dried mint, eucalyptus oil and more 'forest' stuff, like chestnut mushrooms and petrichor. Finish: medium length, but beautifully herbal, with a gentle bitterness, some cloves, more herbal cough syrup vibes, even a delicate salty and umami quality creeping in. Comments: amazing Old Comber, a world away from that pretty disappointing OB 30yo bottled around 1990. One of those old bottles that raises many more questions than it answers: what's the true age, what casks were used, was caramel involved? Only the slight softness on the palate will prevent me going to 90, but the nose along was 91-92 territory.
SGP: 561 - 89 points. |
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Dunville's Special Liqueur Whisky 'Three Crowns' (70 proof, OB, c1920s) 
Colour: pale gold. Nose: a gentler and more refined version of the Comber perhaps? Quite a classical old pure pot still profile with this combination of sooty coal scuttles, metal polish, old coins, ink and hessian. This also has a lovely sense of oiliness about it too, with a touch of grassiness and some bone marrow vibes. Mouth: still nicely within this old school, pure pot profile, with the associated oiliness, sooty and slightly bready characteristics, but there's also quite a bit of old bottle effect in evidence here, with these notes of baked vegetables, sweetened porridge and slightly stale camphor. In time it develops an even funkier side, with these wee notes of brake fluid and cider apple that recall from a distance that Power's. Finish: quite long, on aniseed, cooking oils, marrow, roast turnips and mineral oil. Comments: always fun and a privilege to taste these old historical drams. I think this one has probably declined somewhat in the bottle over many decades, but it remains extremely 'Irish' and full of character.
SGP: 471 - 84 points. |
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Samuel Gelston's 28 yo Single Malt Irish Whiskey (49.1%, OB, bourbon casks) 
Most likely Bushmills, I am told, so don't take my word for it. Colour: pale gold. Nose: pure fruit salad territory, that particular profile that so many of these wonderful modern Bushmills and Cooley possess. Pina colada, pineapple pulp, passion fruit, guava, all the pure exotic fruits in vivid focus. In the background that also familiar crisp, NZ sauvignon blanc sharpness. Mouth: pristinely and exuberantly tropical, towards early 1970s Bowmore or Longmorn, with crystalised honeys, lemon icing, crushed nettles, tiny menthol notes that go towards green herbal characteristics. So different from the old pure pot whiskeys, but also extremely 'Irish'. Finish: long, sharp, green, tense and riddled with fruits. Comments: it's arguably simplistic, but you could just drink litres and litres of such whiskey. Another deadly Irish fruitbomb!
SGP: 741 - 90 points. |
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Red Spot 31 yo 1991 (57.6%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, cask #50768, bourbon barrel with marsala finish, 516 bottles)
Single, pot still, triple distilled Irish whiskey from the Midleton Distillery. Colour: deep reddish amber. Nose: different again. This goes more towards a subtle, yet old school sherry cask profile - which, indeed, is a character that old Marsala can possess and I suppose transfer to a malt whisky. Some lovely aromas of roasted nuts, leaf mulch, very old cigars in a humidor, pine sap and birch beer. It's an unusual whiskey that manages to be simultaneously earthy and syrupy. With water: it gathers fruitiness now, some pomegranate, date molasses, fig jam etc. Mouth: superb concentration and power upon arrival. This really sits closer to the old pure pot whiskeys, it's no latter-day fruit bomb, but rather full of leafy notes, earthiness, breads, tobaccos, lime leaf, tiny hints of curry powder, subtle medicinal touches and a very particular sharp, tangy dark fruit character that no doubt comes courtesy of the marsala. With water: again a tad fruitier, going towards jams and preserves, quince jelly, bramble jam and some very old Fernet Branca. Finish: long, bitterly herbal, more preserves and tangy dark fruit chutneys. Comments: a distinctive and fascinating dram. It doesn't quite conform to either of the production styles or eras we tasted before, but it still feels thoroughly Irish. Also, what a success that marsala finish appears to have been. Complex, at times challenging, but highly detailed and rewarding whisky.
SGP: 661 - 91 points. |
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Check the index of all Irish we've tasted so far |
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July 4, 2025 |
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WF’s Little duos, today AnCnoc OB vs IB |
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I must admit I don't see them around much anymore; I remember that 20 years ago AnCnoc or Knockdhu were much more prominent, for example when they started producing peated whisky. Speaking of peated... |
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AnCnoc ‘Peatheart Batch 3’ (46%, OB, 2023)
This is interesting, they state on the label that there were 34ppm of peat in the malt, then 13.3ppm in the distillate. That said, we had found the first Peatheart rather uninspiring (WF 79), although there had also been a ‘Peatlands’ which, in our view, was somewhat better (WF 80). Colour: white wine. Nose: we’re finding again the style of certain other peated mainland malts, a fairly light profile, more on firwood or beech smoke than on straight peat, which imparts a medicinal side that’s not at all unpleasant—on the contrary—but it leans more towards lapsang souchong than, say Laphroaig. Mouth: soft, still somewhat resinous, with notes of smoked apples, indeed some lapsang souchong, then lemon and green pepper. A nice saline touch but overall, the whole is very mild and certainly not ‘heavily peated’ as proclaimed by the elegant black bottle. Finish: of medium length, on smoked lemons and chewing gums flavoured with chlorophyll and spearmint. Comments: definitely better than batch 1. Batch 2 never made it past the gates of Château Whiskyfun.
SGP:555 - 81 points. |
By the way, just a reminder of the story: the new name An Cnoc, or AnCnoc, or anCnoc was supposedly chosen to avoid confusion between Knockdhu and Knockando. |
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Knockdhu 11 yo 2013/2024 (52.9%, Valinch & Mallet, Young Masters, cask #45, 339 bottles)
We’re so pleased to see an independent Knockdhu again! Colour: gold. Nose: this is a pure, rather fatty malt, thick, with notes of candle wax, oils, overripe apples, hay and beer. There are also hints of walnut oil, possibly pointing to a refill sherry cask. With water: amusing whiffs of tar and old briar pipe. Mouth (neat): ah, very good, still thick, concentrated, liqueur-like in the best sense, and indeed showing a clear sherry influence. Bread dough, wax, pepper, hints of curry. With water: a lovely little beast, genuinely thrilled to be tasting a young Knockdhu again (I know, I do go on). What I especially like is the texture of the whole, which isn’t very common, I grant you. Finish: long, curiously salty and peppery. All in all, you could practically use this to season a mayonnaise. Honestly, I swear, it would work with prawns or langoustines. A touch of rubber in the aftertaste. Comments: we jest, but I’m genuinely a big fan of this young, robust and rather different malt.
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
I admit, this mini line-up wasn’t very fair to the little official NAS. We’ll take it easier next time. |
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July 3, 2025 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today a fairly stupid session
My fault, naturally, the very distinguished distillers have nothing to do with this choice. Indeed, we're going to compare two very young distilleries from the West that we really like, and whose names, moreover, both start with ‘Ardna’, which more or less means ‘high point’ in Gaelic, or summit, hill, that sort of thing. Indeed, I know, this doesn’t make much sense, but at WF we do what we like, capeesh? And this is almost Friday… |
A field of cultivated espadin
agaves in Mexico (Taqueria) |
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Ardnamurchan 2017/2025 ‘Mezcal Cask Release’ (55%, OB, 4968 bottles)
Frankly, they’re already chucking Lagavulin into tequila casks, so why shouldn’t others give mezcal a try? Especially since we’re rather keen on the great mezcals, whose aromas we occasionally stumble upon in certain malts or rums. That said, this is only a finishing, but then again so are those famous Lagavulins. Colour: white wine. Nose: very earthy malt, surprising at first, though things begin to settle, even if the whole remains slightly off-kilter, oddly medicinal for now (Alka-Seltzer-style). The idea struck me as brilliant, but for the moment we remain cautious. Some celeriac. With water: washing powder, new jumper, button mushrooms, fresh plaster, sourdough. Mouth (neat): rather a little clashing, to be honest. Peat plus mezcal sounds like a clever idea, but in the glass, it turns a bit dirty, oddly medicinal indeed, with an unusually styled salinity. With water: hold on, not so fast, the water really helps and seems to unite the two spirits, with candied lemon and gentian at the core. That’s more like it. Finish: much better indeed, salty, fresh, earthy, rooty and of course smoky. Comments: my free advice, just add water straightaway and bring it down to 45% vol. Give or take…
SGP:454 - 85 points. |
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Ardnahoe ‘Bholsa’ (50%, OB, oloroso, 2025)
I mean, it’s matured ‘predominantly’ in oloroso, which does feel a tad lord Black Adder, does it not? A ‘bholsa’, in Gaelic, seems to mean a bag, it may stem from the French word ‘bourse’, or perhaps from the Spanish ‘bolsa’, also meaning bag. Who knows, the ways of distillers are impenetrable… Colour: gold. Nose: but of course. Ardnahoe has been remarkably quick to express its Islayness (aye?) and to make sure its whisky oozes (aye again?) the island. Very fresh, with a nod to its neighbour across from the Paps of Jura, offering peated grist, virgin wool and soot. With water: grapefruit and chalk. Mouth (neat): rather perfect, though absolutely crammed with ashes. With water: the oloroso still sits high, though it’s true there’s only some of it, and only ‘predominantly’. From 51% upwards, that’s predominant, isn’t it? This terminology may go down in the annals of malt whisky history, I tell you (right?) Finish: fresh, long, uplifting and, indeed, exuding Islay. Pears, lemons, oysters and tar in the aftertaste. Comments: I think this is very well done, even if one tends to still lean toward the ‘predominantly natural’ versions.
SGP:456 - 87 points. |
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July 2, 2025 |
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Williamsons, as if they were falling from the sky, part 2
Alright then, we’ll try to speed things up… |
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Williamson 10 yo 2014/2024 (57.1%, Whisky Sponge, hogshead, Laphroaig butt finish, 100 bottles)
Some Williamson finished in Laphroaig, that’s funny and rather tautological, ha. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: lovely! Zesty and lively, very medicinal, but wrapped in sesame and pistachio oil, giving it both richness and lift. With water: nice touches of fresh rubber and gentian, this is a young Laphroaig both fresh and classic. A few more notes of walnuts, probably from the sherry. Mouth (neat): very lemony and very medicinal. Camphor solution, Mercurochrome etc. plus green pepper. With water: the salt and ashes come rushing in. Finish: long, taut, still very saline and medicinal. Comments: a very dry and tight young Laphroaig, fairly demanding. In short, perhaps not for the neighbours.
SGP:367 - 88 points. |
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Williamson 16 yo 2006/2023 (51.5%, Casky & The Antelope, barrel, Ferry Ticket Series 1, cask #800128, 198 bottles)
A bridge between Hong Kong and Macau, in a way. Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: very close, just with a little more roundness and fruitiness, also more almonds and olives. That’s a martini right there! With water: a slight retreat into natural rubber and sourdough bread. Mouth (neat): excellent, if you’re into ashy olives and slightly rough mezcal. With water: arrival of minty and camphory notes. Finish: long, bright, precise, very smoky. Comments: ultra-precision here, same top league as the Sponge, though the extra 6 years do make themselves felt a bit.
SGP:467 - 89 points. |
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Laphroaig 7 yo 2014/2021 (48%, The Single Malts of Scotland, Reserve cask, Parcel No.1, USA exclusive)
We almost forgot this little one which is not, as you’ll have noticed, a Williamson. Well, yes, it is. That is to say, no it isn’t (you’re being tiresome, S.) … Colour: pale gold. Nose: fruitier, closer to apples and pears, easier going if you like. Lovely bitter almonds, kirsch, lemonade… Mouth: very good, but a little fatter than the others, slightly less precise, with more vanilla, though still very good. Finish: long, saline, with youthful pear in support. Comments: now this one’s for the neighbours!
SGP:556 - 85 points. |
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Williamson 9 yo 2012/2022 (60.5%, Whisky Picnic Bar Taiwan, Just Dram It, refill butt, cask #SI 2022-02, 267 bottles)
Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: a bit of burnt rubber this time, some salsify, lemon zest, eucalyptus syrup, and quite a bit of ethanol. With water: back come the new wool and damp chalk, with touches of pickled gherkins. Mouth (neat): young Laphroaig, earthy and fruity. Powerful and spicy. With water: becomes more approachable, easier going. Nice lemon, salt and eucalyptus sweets. Finish: long, salty, medicinal to the max at this point. Comments: truth be told, it cuts you up a bit, as they say on the rugby pitch (in France, that is).
SGP:467 - 86 points. |
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Williamson 17 yo 2006/2023 (58.7%, The Whisky Blues, barrel, cask #800135, 193 bottles)
A great many of these #800*** casks seem to have made their way to the Far East, where our friends clearly have good taste. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: rather gentle, on lanolin, modelling clay, almond milk and kirsch. The ash and seawater notes are definitely there, though more in the background. With water: new basket and linoleum. Who remembers linoleum? Mouth (neat): malted barley eau-de-vie blended with ash, lime and seawater. It’s really quite beautiful, very lively. With water: now it’s perfect, more subtle, yet still with a rather stunning body. Finish: superb salinity, oysters, clams… Comments: a much livelier palate than the nose suggested. In the end, a magnificent Islay.
SGP:467 - 89 points. |
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Williamson 12 yo 2010/2023 (54.2%, The Whisky Agency for Taiwan, refill sherry hogshead, cask #4795, 118 bottles)
Colour: chardonnay. Nose: gold. Mouth: ultra-classic, very peaty, very close to the OBs. Ashes, apples, lemons, seawater, menthol, camphor. With water: very nice, with well-roasted pistachios and salted butter caramel. Mouth (neat): oilier, heavily citrusy and medicinal, yet wrapped in a bit of honey and barley syrup, which makes it oddly sweet. With water: back to earthy and rooty notes. Gentian, wild carrots, green asparagus… Finish: long, again more saline and maritime, as it should be. Three olives in the aftertaste and plenty of brine. Comments: another rather terrific young indie Laphroaig.
SGP:466 - 87 points. |
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Williamson 12 yo 2010/2023 (54.2%, Morisco Spirits, refill sherry butt finish, 150 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: now this is different, and that surely comes from the sherry, with walnut wine, cologne, grenadine syrup, and lavender cordial… It’s true, some aspects recall 1980s Bowmore or Glen Garioch, but with a more garden-like side, more floral greenhouse. Indeed. With water: five-star hotel soap. Mouth (neat): those ‘funny’ notes return, with perfume, violet, geranium… But what’s really amusing is seeing the massive and very saline peat come in to balance the whole thing. With water: still very unusual, and now edging even closer to, say, a 1985 Bowmore. Finish: long, very salty. Salt and green orange cologne (Hermès). Comments: there may have been some form of contamination (tape?), but in the end this is very pretty. And what’s more, it makes us smile.
SGP:656 - 85 points. |
Right then, one last young Laphroaig from the old stocks to wrap up this tasting series, during which we must have got through at least 25 kilos of peat. |
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Laphroaig 11 yo 1992/2004 (57.8%, Douglas Laing, Old Malt Cask Advance Sample for Alambic Classique Germany, refill butt, cask #1080)
A very likeable series from back in the day, with 70cl bottles but also 20cl minis that had one major flaw: the Bakelite screw caps would undo themselves, so you had to give them a twist every now and then. Colour: gold. Nose: very nice indeed, though perhaps a little less precise than the more recent vintages we’ve just sampled. That said, there’s something we really like in some peaters: whiffs of strawberry yoghurt. Lovely blood oranges too. With water: classic stuff appears, hessian, Islay mud, fresh tweed (from Islay’s Woollen Mill of course), a few coffee beans, liquorice… Mouth (neat): this is good, unusually floral and marked by varnish. In that sense, it’s not far off the previous one, without going full Bowmore either. With water: arrival of orange zest, salted to boot. Finish: long, softer than recent vintages, a little ‘jammier’ but that’s probably the butt talking. Orange liqueur. Comments: a very entertaining style of Laphroaig, one we don’t come across very often these days.
SGP:556 - 86 points. |
This baby wraps up our Laphroaig series, whether those were supposedly secret or supposedly blended. Still, it’s one hell of a malt whisky, clearly among the stars of the category alongside three or four other distilleries. Hasta la vista, keep in touch. |
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July 1, 2025 |
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So, many Williamsons, as promised and as if they were falling from the sky
Williamson is pure Laphroaig. Apparently, the so-called “teaspooning” never actually happened in real life (no joke, S.?). Ah well, it doesn’t really matter, even with a golden spoon, it wouldn’t change a thing. Right then, let’s dive in at random, they’re all more or less young anyway, and all technically single malts… Oh wait, here you go, an official aperitif to set the stage…
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Bessie Williamson (1910-1982) in 1964.
Legendary owner and manager of
Laphroaig Distillery from 1954 to 1972,
although sher sold her shares in the 1960s. |
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Laphroaig 16 yo (48%, OB, 1st fill bourbon, 11,500 bottles, 2019)
We're very late once more. The previous 16 at 43% for the bicentenary had been merely agreeable in my humble opinion (WF 82) but Angus, who is our in-house Mr Laphroaig, was very fond of this present version (WF 88). Colour: white wine – good news. Nose: it’s refined, not ultra-expressive but that’s not a requirement, rather on wax, lanolin, green apple, fino sherry, green walnut, seaweed, a touch of boot polish… Mouth: despite the colour, the wood is a little forward, and it’s certainly much more smoky/peaty than all the older ones we’ve tasted in recent days. There’s a bit of that sensation of ‘eating the ashtray’ but if you’re into peat, that’s obviously part of the charm. Also, tart apples, a bit of wheat beer, and above all, no more exotic fruit than you’d find at the North Pole. Finish: fairly long, still packed with ashes and a good deal of pepper. Slightly astringent. Comments: we shan’t be fussy, this is a very, very fine modern Laphroaig. Angus was right.
SGP:467 - 87 points. |
Right then, let’s get stuck into the Williamsons. They’re all labelled as ‘blended malts’ on paper and on the labels, but, well, you see… |
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Williamson 12 yo 2010/2023 (58.4%, A.D. Rattray for WhiskyFacile, refill bourbon barrel, 156 bottles)
Another elegant label. Colour: gold. Nose: cider, brine, olives, ashes… What more could the people ask for? With water: cider apples and hints of caviar. Go on then, make it Iranian caviar, since we’re talking about the people. Mouth (neat): lovely, on waxes, varnish, olives, seawater, peat and lemon peel. A fine bitterness, which comes as no surprise from our Italian friends. With water: perfect, with immaculate olives. It’s sharp and taut, yet oily at the same time. Smoked salmon with lemon. Finish: same again. Comments: exactly the same quality as the official 16-year-old. Perfect, we wanted a bridge, and we got one.
SGP:467 - 87 points. |
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Williamson 15 yo 2006/2021 (58.4%, Dickson So & Mandy Ng, barrel, cask #800133, 208 bottles)
Here we are back in Hong Kong, where a large part of the malt scene now resides, along with Taiwan and Singapore. Amusing that they added Ardbeg-style dogs to the label, but it’s true the Ardbeg mascot passed away a loooong time ago. No, it wasn’t marketing that killed the beastie, last we heard. Colour: white wine. Hurray etc. Nose: lovely, simple, efficient, on rubber, boot polish, paint, Mercurochrome and cider apples. With water: graphite! Mouth (neat): the cask was rather passive, it doesn’t feel its fifteen years, it’s mostly on polish, paraffin oil and rubber, with just a touch of green apple juice from the fruit aisle. With water: seawater, samphire, capers and green olives. Not a papaya in sight (ha). Finish: little change, but no complaints, this is ‘pure’ as they say. Comments: you’ll scream but it reminds me of a blend of gentian eau-de-vie and celery juice. No, we fear nothing.
SGP:467 - 86 points. |
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Williamson 13 yo 2010/2023 (52.3%, Jack Wiebers, Old Train Line, sherry hogshead, 239 bottles)
Ah, the old trains! Here, let me quickly tell you an anecdote. My grandfather, a proud Alsatian, knew Albert Schweitzer (Nobel Prize and all that). One day, local journalists asked the good doctor why he always travelled third class by train despite his fame. Yes, third class – that was still a thing back then. Schweitzer’s reply: “Because there’s no fourth class.” They don’t make them like that anymore! Cheers Lars-Goran! Colour: straw. Nose: just forget it, this is perfect, close to a good recent batch of the official 10yo C/S, so quite hi-def, medicinal, saline, with citrus and seaweed. With water: arrival of rain-soaked Islay soil (in short, Islay mud) and engine oil. Mouth (neat): perfect, pure Laphroaig, flawless and above all, a sherry hogshead of Olympic calibre. Walnuts, lemon, apple… With water: the seaweed and olives arrive, with salted liquorice. Finish: long, waxier and on ashes. Mint and liquorice in the aftertaste. Comments: ausgezeichnet at 10 years old.
SGP:467 - 89 points. |
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Williamson 10 yo 2012/2023 (48.9%, North Star Spirits, Obscurities & Curiosities, sherry hogshead, 63 bottles)
It’s very ‘micro’, but it’s a good laugh. Colour: gold. Nose: boot polish, ashes, menthol, hessian, liquorice, seaweed, camphor and overripe apples. Nothing to fault. Mouth: lovely, taut, earthy and rooty, then smoky and heavily ashy, to the point of becoming slightly astringent. No worries. Finish: keeps going down that rooty path, into turnips and celery, along with a good dose of salt. Much better than it might seem. Comments: a whisky of the wild, heavily peated, no frills, best enjoyed outdoors with sincere and loyal friends (yep). The sherry was even more discreet than a Sylvaner from Baden (our dear neighbours).
SGP:467 - 86 points. |
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Williamson 12 yo 2012/2024 (59%, Berry Bros. & Rudd for LMDW, Foundations, hogshead, cask #226, 278 bottles)
Colour: pale white wine. Nose: oh, it’s fresh, reminiscent of meadow herbs, discreet little plums, greengages, an extinguished kiln (an old kiln, in short) and fresh almonds. Charming and delicate. With water: it stays delicate, with notes of young Sancerre from a top-notch house. Mouth (neat): nothing to do with the nose, here comes wild lemon and half the Mediterranean Sea. With water: it’s been tamed a bit, but it’s still razor-sharp, very salty rather than merely saline, and garnished with a dozen plump oysters. We love it. Finish: same again. Comments: it’s not often the nose and palate are so diametrically opposed. But overall, this is a proper razor blade on the tongue, much more enjoyable than it might sound.
SGP:477 - 89 points. |
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Williamson 14 yo 2010/2024 (61%, Whisky Age, 2nd fill oloroso quarter cask, cask #1038, 150 bottles)
Alright, a 2nd fill oloroso quarter cask! Not sure we wanted to know. Just kidding. Colour: gold. Nose: smoked coffee and peanut butter. That’s the cask talking. With water: some pencil shavings and salted butter caramel. Mouth (neat): frankly, this could be a ‘Cairdeas’, whatever that’s supposed to mean. Salted coffee and salty walnut cake. The worst part is, it kind of works, but by this point it feels like someone dumped five kilos of sea salt into the infamous quarter cask. With water: as usual, water fixes everything, though the cask still feels like it had the upper hand. Finish: long and still loaded with salt. Comments: we all know that in theory, there can’t be salt in whisky, but there certainly can be in the cask. I’ve no idea what else to say, it’s a bit too much, but it’s Laphroaig.
SGP:467 - 85 points. |
One last one, this isn’t exactly easy to taste one after the other. Right then, let’s do it with Bessie firmly in mind… |
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Williamson 16 yo 2006/2023 (57.5%, The Whisky Blues, Mid-Autumn Festival, barrel, cask #800136, 209 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: it reeks of olives and brine from fifty kilometres away, or nearly. No complaints, especially as it’s joined by varnish and a million clams and mussels. Perhaps I’m exaggerating just a tiny bit. With water: carbon, pencil shavings, charcoal, raw wool, laundry detergent… Mouth (neat): very pure, very saline, slightly tarry. Grapefruit peel and ultra-salty pesto. With water: pear eau-de-vie with salt and olive oil. Finish: long, with far heavier ashes. Also linseed oil, leading to a faintly rubbery aftertaste. Comments: not the easiest of drams, this one, like many Williamsons. Would Bessie have approved?
SGP:467 - 85 points. |
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Best spirits Serge tried those weeks, 90+ points only
Clarendon 29 yo 1995/2025 ‘EMB’ (61.5%, The Colours of Rum, Jamaica, N°16, 148 bottles)
Hampden 1 yo 2023/2025 ‘Fino’ (61.9%, The Colours of Rum for Catawiki, cask #147, 75 bottles)
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