May 2025 - part 1 <--- May 2025 - part 2 ---> Current entries


May 22, 2025

Tastings de la Muerte: Glentauchers part 2

Shall we carry on at random, moving along fairly quickly, if that’s alright with you…?

Glentauchers 10 yo 2010/2020 (46%, Hepburn’s Choice, Hunter Laing, wine barrels, 581 bottles)

Wine casks, always a tad alarming. Colour: gold. Nose: malt, bread, banana and strawberry jam. Fairly laden with stewed red berries and assorted confitures. Mouth: it’s cheerful and fruity, still very much on strawberries, rose jelly and raspberry sorbet, yet the malt keeps a firm hold of the reins and prevents the whole thing from veering too far into ‘Beaujolais’ territory. Finish: medium in length, now with more cherry, ham and leafy touches. Comments: not bad at all, we’re far from the disaster we feared, strawberries notwithstanding.
SGP:641 - 80 points.

Glentauchers 2005/2019 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, Distillery labels)

We’d really enjoyed the 2008/2023 but that one had been bottled at 46% vol. Colour: white wine. Nose: pears and apples, gooseberries, sourdough bread. Nothing much to complain about at this stage. Mouth: nice profile, though less precise than the nose, with cherry stems, apples, sour cherries, witbier and a touch of fresh ginger. Finish: medium length, same aromas, turning a little more herbal. Then green tea. Comments: nothing to add really, a good, clean malt whisky with no major faults. Just a little… yawn…
SGP:551 - 80 points.

Glentauchers 21 yo 1992/2014 (52.7%, Duncan Taylor, Dimensions, cask #6045, 283 bottles)

Not sure this series is still active at DT. Colour: white wine. Nose: taut, on green pears, apples, grass and grapefruit zest. With water: the barley emerges beautifully. Beeswax, orgeat, and a faintly earthy honey. Mouth (neat): lovely, with demerara sugar, lemon tart and orangecello. With water: back to barley, limoncello and orgeat syrup. Hints of plaster. Finish: medium length, wax still hanging around, discreet hint of aniseed. Orange marmalade and a saline note in the aftertaste. Comments: it was a lovely bottle, but that was over… ten years ago. My apologies.
SGP:651 - 84 points.

Glentauchers 22 yo 1997/2020 (48.1%, The Whisky Baron, Renaissance, bourbon barrel, cask #3884, 124 bottles)

A cracking series, these Whisky Barons. Colour: greenish white wine. Some nails? Patches? Nose: no metallic notes in sight, rather peaches and apples, greengage jam, quince jelly, mirabelles, fougasse, patchouli and maple syrup… All very, very charming. Mouth: excellent, taut, mineral and mentholated, then back to those splendid greengages and some fir honey. Unexpected and very good indeed. Finish: medium length but with complex spices, then heaps of fir sap and black pepper. Comments: that green hue was a little unsettling, but the whisky far less so. A very pretty bottle, and something to have fun with in good company, thanks to its rather striking verdant robe.
SGP:551 - 87 points.

Glentauchers 8 yo 2013/2021 (62.6%, Franco Gasparri, The Art Collection, refill bourbon, Caol Ila finish, cask #800550, 221 bottles)

Warning, this little monster spent 36 months (they write ‘mounts’, but let’s assume they meant ‘months’) in ex-Caol Ila wood. Colour: white wine. Nose: mercurochrome, ashes, lime juice and green apples. Nothing to criticise, really. With water: same again. Fresh, peaty, coastal and citrusy. Mouth (neat): very explosive and to be honest, it’s much more Caol Ila than Glentauchers. With water: even more so, it’s a lovely Caol Ila. Finish: long, peaty, lemony, herbal and medicinal. Comments: one assumes the cask was still very ‘wet’ before its final fill. All in all, a very charming in-cask-blended malt.
SGP:464 – 85 points.

Glentauchers 6 yo 2014/2020 (53.9%, Boogieman Import, Scottish Warrior, 199 bottles)

A rather frightening bottle, but our soul is pure and our heart brave, so let’s go. Colour: full gold. Nose: metal polish and… metal polish, then cumin, menthol and walnut liqueur. With water: waxed fir wood, beeswax polish, even a touch of solvent. Mouth (neat): rich, thick, modern, spicy and heavily cask-driven. Ginger and cinnamon at 300 miles per hour. With water: everything calms down, almost turns gentle. Hints of paint and paraffin, plus service tree berries and holly eau-de-vie. If you’ve never tasted anything like this, you really should. Finish: long, slightly drying, on speculoos, black tea and aubergine. Quite a bit of bitterness in the aftertaste. Comments: ultra-dry, a bit loco-loco, but we rather like it.
SGP:272 - 84 points.

Glentauchers 8 yo 2012/2021 (61.3%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #63.75, 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel, ‘Ett Tropiskt Party I Svenskt Norrsken’, 238 bottles)

An exclusive bottling for Sweden, hence the utterly incomprehensible name—unless you’re thoroughly sloshed, or a distinguished Swede, naturally. Even Ikea wouldn’t have dared. Colour: white wine. Nose: cold coffee, and not much else. With water: small apples, jujubes, service berries—not terribly expressive, but elegant nonetheless. Mouth (neat): hits hard, like uncut tutti-frutti straight off the still. Quick, quick… With water: still a bit brutal and rustic, but there are some lovely honeyed notes too. Finish: long, simple, robust, on green and white fruits. Comments: you’d be speaking near-fluent Swedish after two or three drams of this little monster, which could also double as antifreeze for your Volvo or that old Saab convertible (with leather seats, mind). But honestly, we quite like it.
SGP:461 - 82 points.

Glentauchers-Glenlivet 12 yo 2007/2019 (60.0%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, hogshead, 252 bottles)

Is this baby also going to try and rip our heads off? Colour: pale white wine. Nose: very simple, on apple spirit and green bananas. Pleasant enough, but nothing that’s going to win a prize in San Francisco at this stage. With water: frankly, these batches are tricky—we’re not far off antifreeze here. Mouth (neat): well now, this is nice, if simple, all on limoncello and apple spirit. With water: indeed, it’s fruity, very simple, clearly defined. Apple and lemon, with a pinch of salt. Finish: long but a bit more rustic. Comments: probably not the most dazzling single malt ever bottled by humankind, but not without its uses. Could serve nicely as a muscular decongestant or in a cocktail with exotic fruit juices.
SGP:361 - 77 points.

Glentauchers 21 yo 1997/2019 (54.5%, The Whisky Exchange, barrel, cask #402, 182 bottles)

Here we have a kind of positive premonition. Colour: light gold. Nose: this one’s far oilier, more austere, more on sunflower oil and grape seed oil. It’s also more elegant, one might say. With water: ink, slag, fruit peelings—heavens, how charmingly austere! Mouth (neat): linseed oil, grapefruit zest, grass juice. With water: modelling clay and those bitter herbs, with an austerity verging on the Spanish Inquisition. Finish: long, entirely herbal. Comments: rare to find a profile this herbal and austere that remains so compelling; next to it, Stockhausen was Céline Dion (what?)
SGP:261 - 85 points.

One last one for today (cross my heart, there won’t be another this time, I mean not today) …

Glentauchers 27 yo 1996/2024 (51.1%, The Antelope Macau & Kanpakai Japan, refill barrel, cask #8003966, 181 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: we’re landing squarely in old fruity Speyside territory, with bananas, fully ripe Williams pears, orange cake and mead, then quite a bit of custard. With water: not much change, just a few extra herbs and even more custard. Mouth (neat): this is simply excellent, the influence of time is clear, with white pepper, honey and black tea, though the tannicity is steadily creeping up. In short, not a done deal yet. With water: veers into dried fruit territory—longans, jujubes, dried mulberries, goji berries… But there’s also quite a bit of rather drying wood. It all feels a tad undecided in the end. Finish: medium in length, herbal, fairly dry and a little drying. Comments: not the easiest customer in the end, unless we’ve somehow missed the point (though I doubt it). Still, this remains a very, very good, properly dry old Speysider.
SGP:351 - 85 points.

Check the index of all Glentauchers we've tasted so far


May 21, 2025

Tastings de la Muerte: Glentauchers

Glentauchers Distillery (Anne Burgess / geograph.org.uk)

The principle is simple: one single distillery, loads of versions, chosen entirely at random, over several days, not necessarily in a row, until we throw in the towel or move on to something else.
Actually, I ought to explain the situation: you may already know that we make a point of regularly tasting malts from all Scottish distilleries, though of course the number of expressions of each we receive varies wildly. This means that for the more ‘abundant’ distilleries—especially from the indies—like Glentauchers in this case, the stocks tend to pile up much faster than our tasting pace can keep up with. Which is why, from time to time, we have to do a bit of a ‘clear-out’ with some of them. But alas, we’ll never manage to taste everything, very sadly…

Glentauchers 15 yo 2008/2023 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail, Distillery Label)

G&M really have done a great deal to raise the notoriety of Glentauchers, they ought to be awarded a medal for their efforts! Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s gentle, on garden apples and pears, groundnut oil, a little white nougat and some baker’s yeast. This may not be of extraordinary complexity, but yes, it’s genuinely charming. Mouth: it’s good, actually rather rich in the end, with a touch of sherry, some orange, still those apples and pears, and a wee note of liquorice. Finish: fairly long, fairly soft, malty, very fruity, apples and oranges, with cinnamon and pink pepper. Comments: bang in its lane, very, very pleasant, flawless, really.
SGP:641 - 85 points.

Glentauchers 7 yo 2014/2021 (51.7%, SingleMalt.pl, PX sherry octave, cask #142)

Colour: gold. Nose: oily to the nose, also chalky, yeasty and mineral. Lovely notes of turrón, PX (but of course). With water: a little malt extract, onion jam, fig preserve, a touch of Nescafé. Mouth (neat): big PX, in a cappuccino and toasted hazelnut style, which works very, very well. With water: slight meaty hints, orange marmalade, cracked pepper, sultanas, young rancio. Finish: long, spices rolling in, tamed by the dried fruit. Comments: cracking little creature from Poland. We’re just a bit late to the party, yet again.
SGP:641 - 86 points.

Glentauchers 16 yo 2008/2024 (46%, Royal Mile Whiskies, sherry butt, cask #900255, 885 bottles)

Even reduced to 46%, nearly 900 bottles from a single butt, that’s not bad at all. Colour: gold. Nose: a wee marvel of pecan pie drizzled with honey sauce, alongside a glass of Sauternes and a few Turkish delights. Mouth: same story, we’re very, very close to the G&M style, tarte Tatin, crema catalana, peanut butter and baked apples. Finish: long, on orange zest and a sauce of caramel and honey. Comments: this feels very ‘Elgin’, it’s really very good, nothing to complain about.
SGP:641 – 86 points.

Since we’ve come this far…

Glentauchers 23 yo 2000/2023 (55.8%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice for Kensington Wine Market, 1st fill sherry hogshead, cask #16602001, 329 bottles)

Colour: amber. Nose: lovely sherry, with a little gunpowder to begin, then bags of black nougat, very dry currants, a touch of crème de menthe, proper old oloroso, and hand-sliced pata negra—never machine-cut, heavens no! With water: whoof, gas, truffle, charcoal… Mouth (neat): that modelling clay quality returns alongside the gunpowder, clearly a touch of sulphur, then fig marmalade of the interstellar kind. The presence of this sort of sulphur can trigger debates of galactic proportions, as we know. With water: water only boosts the sulphuric side. It’s like with some mineral waters, some love the sulphur, others loathe it. Finish: long and even more sulphury. The worst part is, it’s all terribly coherent. Leather and bitter almonds in the aftertaste. Comments: very hard to score, it really is a sulphur story.
SGP:362 - 83 points.

Glentauchers 33 yo 1993/2024 (51.9%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, Lost in Time, refill American oak barrels, cask #5218, 108 bottles)

Chivas and TWE at the helm here. Colour: pale gold. Nose: we’re in complex territory here, poetic even, bordering on nostalgic—old meads, honeys, farmhouse ciders… It’s truly very, very beautiful, delicate, almost Proustian (is it not?). With water: oh yes, almond milk, honeys, precious green teas, tanning oil, blond tobacco... Mouth (neat): it’s reminiscent of the 1972s. But why does 1993 so often echo 1972, across all Speyside distilleries? Honeys and waxes, bruised apples, tiny floral and herbal notes, hay, borage, pansies… With water: an unexpected arrival of faint maritime touches. Finish: not very long but outrageously elegant, with a woodiness more discreet than a cat stalking a mouse. Comments: an ode to time. And 33 years—the age of you-know-who!
SGP:551 - 91 points.

Glentauchers-Glenlivet 14 yo 2009/2023 (50%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogshead, 264 bottles)

Colour: pale white wine. Nose: it’s immaculate, the cask was probably as idle as a particularly militant French railway worker, but there’s a lovely lemon nougat drizzled with honey and scattered with bits of toasted pistachio, atop the usual apple and pear combo. With water: lovely—let’s forget about French railway workers, they’re a bit too demoralising. Mouth (neat): it’s very good, fresh, close to barley, green apples, lemon, meringue and stewed rhubarb… With water: not much need for it on the palate, it gets a bit too grassy, nearly lawn-like. Best skip the water. Finish: medium length, taut, herbaceous indeed. Comments: better to shelter these babies from water, though that may not be the orthodox approach.
SGP:451 - 82 points.

One last one for today…

Glentauchers 11 yo 2011/2023 (51.5%, Club Qing, Kraken Go with the Flow, fino hogshead, cask #800436, 179 bottles)

Now then, Hong Kong. Colour: deep gold. Nose: slightly metallic, with tobacco, medlars, frozen sorbs, bread dough, a few ashes and green walnuts… The fino must be the culprit behind all this. It’s forgiven at once. With water: a hint of compost, paraffin oil, a bit of papier-mâché… Unusual but charming. Mouth (neat): quirky combo—leather, resinous oil, pepper, bitter chocolate, walnut liqueur, nocino, pumpkin seed oil… With water: same again. Slight touches of damp cardboard. Finish: medium length, rather earthy, really lovely but the fino leaves an unusual footprint. Comments: great finos are mythical beasts, but their influence on our whiskies might be, pure speculation of course, a bit uncontrollable. We saw the same with some Ardbegs, a good twenty years ago.
SGP:461 - 84 points.

By the way, loads of Ardbeg coming up soon on WF, as we should be doing our usual remote Feis Ile sessions, but in the meantime, there’s still plenty of Glentauchers to come, so stay tuned.

Check the index of all Glentauchers we've tasted so far


May 20, 2025

A Germanic little trio of new Braeval

One of those distilleries that’s rarely talked about, but which we make a point of tasting as often as possible – for the glory, indeed, but also because they can be excellent. And Braeval handles wine well; its kind of profile doesn’t clash as often as others in my view.

Braeval 10 yo 2014/2025 (65.4%, Alambic Classique, Bordeaux red wine barrel, cask #25012, 266 bottles)

The invasion of red Bordeaux casks continues in Scotland. Colour: gold with a faint orangey hue. Nose: the wine is immediate, as are the wood spices and the high-dose ethanol. With water: we head into cherry cake territory, clafoutis, stone fruit spirit with a touch of soap… We’re drifting a little into the land of old plum eau-de-vie from a rough still. We’re quite far from malt here, but it’s by no means unpleasant. Mouth (neat): it’s all right, though the strawberry yoghurt spiced with pepper and kirsch is rather overwhelming. With water: back come the ‘trans’ notes—peppery, stony, with fruit tree leaves and a faint hint of shampoo... Finish: very long, salty and peppery, very much eau-de-vie aged in wood. Comments: more of an adventure than a malt, really. I do think we could create a special category for these transgenre/premix malts. We don’t dislike them, actually.
SGP:471 - 80 points.

Braeval 16 yo 2009/2025 (50.9%, The Whisky Agency, tawny Port barrique, 280 bottles)

Are we heading in the same direction? It’s not Bordeaux, but it’s still a red wine cask... Colour: partridge eye, or onion skin. Nose: Port on very classic, fairly neutral malts can work nicely—as seen here, this nose isn’t nearly as alarming as the colour might have suggested. Notes of strawberry cake, watermelon syrup… and young Port, quite simply. With water: the malt wakes up a little—bread dough, brown ale... Mouth (neat): clearly more vinous. Cherry, pepper, blood orange, cherry stalks, rosehip… With water: pink pepper, soapy touches, kirsch, trail mix. Finish: long, fairly vinous and peppery. A little touch of rancio. Comments: this little winesky also goes down very nicely. As far as red wine cask malts go, it’s well done.
SGP:561 - 80 points.

Careful, the next one’s going to shake things up…

Braes of Glenlivet 30 yo 1994/2024 (48.9%, Maltbarn, ‘The 26’, bourbon cask, 51 bottles)

Beginner 101: Braeval and Braes of Glenlivet are the same distillery. Colour: gold. Nose: almost shy after the winey ones, with whispers of mint and anise, fennel, dill, celery stalks—all set on a bed of chalk and brioche dough sprinkled with shards of pear and orange sweets. Ite Missa est. Mouth: very consistent with the nose, just a bit more on the sweets and the grist, baker’s yeast, scones and muffins. A lovely green tea note in the background, the whole continuing to display a rather charming fragility. Finish: medium length, more malty, with a touch of bitterness, and even a hint of cherry stem herbal tea. Comments: let’s admit it—we knew this would be a dead cert.
SGP:451 - 88 points.

Check the index of all Braeval we've tasted so far


May 19, 2025

Time

The Time Warp Sessions,
today Macallan 2 x NAS + 1961

This isn’t the first time we’ve done this with Macallan, and it’s probably not the last either. The idea here isn’t to determine which period is the best — that would be too obvious, even a bit far-fetched — but rather to try and trace a kind of lineage in the style of the famous Speysider. You’ll note that the idea came to me as I was walking past the unmissable Macallan shop at Shanghai airport last week, with its striking candy-pink neon lights…

Macallan ‘Green Meadow’ (40.2%, OB, The Harmony Collection, travel retail, +/-2023)

A little NAS in collaboration with Stella and Mary McCartney. These collaborations sometimes make about as much sense as a tomato with wheels, as Lord Blackadder might have said, but let’s be honest, we’ve a soft spot for the whole McCartney clan and there is, indeed a 'story'. Oh, and if you thought all the meadows were necessarily green, think again—there was also an ‘Amber Meadow’ we rather liked back in the day (WF 85). Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is discreet, rather elegant, on nougat, praline and herbal tea, say chamomile, then fresh hay and a touch of sherry, with walnuts and raisins. It’s truly elegant, and the very low strength isn’t bothersome (even though that extra 0.2% does make us chuckle). Mouth: this is where it turns a bit thin, grassy—but we can’t really fault it, as it’s called Green Meadow—and lightly dusty. Unsweetened herbal tea, no honey, a little tobacco, marzipan, orange zest, pink grapefruit peel, but all this merely whispers. Finish: a little short, with a few raisins and still those herbal teas. Comments: it’s not bad at all, there is a certain elegance, but everything comes in little dabs, which is a tad frustrating, especially north of €200.
SGP:441 - 83 points.

Macallan ‘Vibrant Oak’ (44.2%, OB, The Harmony Collection, 200th Anniversary, 2024)

Another rather unlikely collaboration, this time with Cirque du Soleil, though I’ve heard very favourable opinions about this baby raised in sherry. Colour: gold. Nose: this is lovely, with polish, beeswax, black tea with vanilla and wafts of liquorice and violet, then a pack of menthol cigarettes. Truly a lovely nose, rather complex, very well put together. I fear it casts quite a long shadow over poor little Green Meadow. Mouth: good presence, less precise than the nose but still well built, rather on green peppercorns, grape pips, dark chocolate and very oaky tisanes, quite marked by cinnamon. A few bits of walnut, then it turns more herbal, a touch bitter but in a good way. Raw cocoa powder. Finish: medium length, still rather dry. Liquorice wood, black tea, cinnamon, fir honey, lemon marmalade and green pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: I think this is a very successful composition this time.
SGP:451 - 87 points.

So, let’s now take a leap back more than 50 years…

Macallan-Glenlivet 15 yo 1961 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, Pure Highland Malt, Co. Import, Italy)

We did, of course, rather adore the 1960 and 1962 versions by Campbell, Hope & King for Rinaldi, but this wee 1961 from G&M doesn’t immediately ring a bell. For now... Mind you, these bottles can be heavily forged, but this one’s entirely authentic—we’ve our ways of telling, you see. Colour: pale gold. Nose: best remain seated! We’re immediately greeted by that grandeur—those delicate smokes, citrus jams, every kind of honey one could dream of, this nose of bee pollen, then the fractal development, on camphor, furniture polish, a hint of tar and natural rubber, overripe apples, sultanas, dried figs, and old Sauternes... Must have been pure golden promise. Mouth: menthol, praline, sultanas and honey, then all the variations and developments of those four major flavour groups. We’ll stop there, if you don’t mind, even though the 43% vol. pose no issue here, as it’s the ‘congeners’, not the ethanol, that brings the power. Finish: almost long, on tobacco, mint, maple syrup and honey, then it dries out with elegant restraint in the aftertaste, with returning hints of polish, that famous chamomile, and even verbena and white pepper. Comments: always a joy to taste these Macallan vintages that helped make the name what it’s become.
SGP:551 - 93 points.

In conclusion, the Vibrant Oak really held its own next to the 1961 and was far from looking out of place. We’ll be doing more Time-Warp Sessions with Macallan very soon, that’s a promise.

(Thank you mucho, Yuan)

Check the index of all Macallan we've tasted so far


May 18, 2025

A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace!

A wee Cognac verticale spanning 50 years, from 2015 to 1965

Starting with a ‘petit’ apéritif before we tackle the little big cognacs – or big little cognacs – from the F1 teams currently leading the race to the World Championship. Hope you see what I mean.

'It's Hine! It's dry!
A lovely twilight. The setting sun. A dry air filled with memories. For truly unforgettable moments, that rare and precious taste that warms the heart. Hine Cognac — acclaimed as the finest Cognac by connoisseurs the world over, because it is… dry.'
(Magazine ad, USA, early 1960s).

Hine ‘Homage to Thomas Hine’ (40%, OB, Grade Champagne, +/-2025)

Here we have a rather top-tier XO (100€+) The ‘Antique’ version didn’t quite win us over a few years ago, but this Homage has a fine reputation… It’s a blend of cognacs aged in England—thus early landed—and very old cognacs matured in Jarnac. Let's see if it§'s 'sec'... Colour: amber. Nose: rather light, fairly dry, with a touch of sandalwood and hints of incense and eucalyptus lending it a distinctly Far Eastern character. Mouth: more assertive on the palate despite the low strength, with fruit peels, hints of lightly burnt caramel, liquorice, pistachio cream, then a touch of triple sec, candied zest, lemon liqueur, melon, peach… All of it becomes increasingly lively and fresh, it’s really very pleasant. Finish: nice length considering the strength, with those citrus elements still present, a touch of menthol, and a slight hint of green tea and fresh hay. Comments: I really like this Hine, it’s a fine house in any case. One might note the English spelling ‘Homage’ rather than the French ‘Hommage’. But then, Thomas Hine was indeed English…
SGP:551 – 85 points.

Jean-Luc Pasquet 8 yo 2015/2024 (57.8%, C. Dully Selection, Grande Champagne, folle blanche, cask #338, 214 bottles)

From a few rows of folle blanche planted by the Pasquet family in the 1970s. Cognacs made exclusively from folle blanche remain rare—though they were of course far more common before phylloxera. Colour: gold. Nose: now this is distinctly off the beaten track, more textured right from the start, heavily camphory, marked by eucalyptus and massage balms, then we move into more classical notes—maple syrup, natural vanilla, oranges and peach. Lovely aniseed notes bide their time in the background, along with hints of white and yellow flowers. With water: a few earthy touches, otherwise it stays the course—it swims like a champion. Mouth (neat): that same firmness and tension on the attack, liquorice with menthol, almost a whiff of smoke (let’s say something Ben Nevis-ish), even a saline edge. Citrus zest. With water: we dive into the heart of the grape, though if one yields to it, one is swept off to both Scotland and Martinique. Finish: long, with a cavalry charge of candied citrus. Liquorice and fir bud in the aftertaste. Comments: I wouldn’t say I’m surprised, but it’s not often that such young cognacs come across as this ‘complete’, if you see what I mean. We’re already brushing up against perfection, proof that the finest cognacs, too, don't necessarily need long ageing.
SGP:662 – 89 points.

Domaine du Chêne ‘XXO d’avant 1992’ (48.4%, Art Malts, Bons Bois, Series of Art 6, L’Or de Jo, barrique, casks #7100–7108, 2024)

Colour: deep amber. Nose: cider apple and wood varnish, then natural rubber and myrtle, the whole thing wrapped in a fine marmalade of orange and grapefruit, then misted with vineyard peach liqueur. Very handsome woodiness, slightly resinous, very elegant. Mouth: all this translates onto the palate in a most charmingly rustic fashion, almost ‘non-commercial’ if you see what I mean, with constant nods towards its Armagnac cousins. I hope I’m not offending anyone by saying that. Fir, black tea, fennel, lime, liquorice wood etc. Finish: long, with these rather green tannins and still plenty of lime. It just tickles a bit. Comments: a Domaine du Chêne version with a slightly more country-house style than others we’ve already tried, yet still obviously of very high calibre. The young folle blanche may have overshadowed it a touch, I shall have words with whoever assembled this line-up. Right.
SGP:561 - 88 points.

Voyer ‘Lot 85’ (53.7%, Grape of the Art, Grande Champagne, 295 bottles)

A nice example of a very fine house that used to offer some truly charming cognacs, though they could have lacked a bit of oomph, simply due to the customary 40% vol. One imagines the thirsty horde of indies (love you guys) must have encouraged them to release higher-strength bottlings, with results that now seem quite self-evident. Colour: full gold. Nose: a magnificent lemony cavalcade, very lively, almost acidic on the nose, though swiftly rescued by chalk and a touch of honey. Lovely. With water: candle wax, damp earth, shoe polish. Mouth (neat): very, very compact. Mint, liquorice, lemon, chalk, basta cosi. With water: the water draws out even more citrus, we find blood orange, bergamot and so on. Finish: long, slightly earthier, with a touch of ‘dunnage’. Comments: nothing to add, it’s singular, so it’s perfect (what?)
SGP:651 - 90 points.

Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘L.53.y Le Cognac de Limburg Whisky Fair 2025’ (51.4%, OB, Confluences, Fine Champagne, 1 bottle)

Don’t bother reading this tasting note, it’s entirely pointless since there was only one bottle. You’ve been warned. Right, we’ll be quick about it… Colour: amber. Nose: it’s a dialogue between vineyard peaches stewed in honey and fir liqueur enriched with a touch of liquorice. With water: mint tea wraps it all up. Mouth (neat): sandalwood, cinnamon stick, bergamot, sultanas, a whisper of muscat. With water: orange salad dressed with honey, olive oil and mint. Killer stuff. Finish: this is the worst bit, it’s the bottom of the bottle, and now not a single drop remains. In the entire world! Comments: one really shouldn’t score such a unique flask, but let’s say somewhere bang between 90 and 92.
SGP:661 - /points.

Héritage ‘Lot 74’ (44.7%, Authentic Spirits, Grande Champagne, 2024)

Héritage ‘Lot 74’ (44.7%, Authentic Spirits, Grande Champagne, 2024)
Pure ugni blanc, single-origin though undisclosed. That’s quite all right. Colour: amber. Nose: we’re in slightly old-school territory here, with caramel, toffee, buttercream, tobacco, then a lovely burst of peppermint and a few puffs of lavender, all with fine elegance. We’re now rather curious about the palate… Mouth: it opens with something almost medicinal, yet also saline, then shifts towards mint, orange and eucalyptus, with a touch of black tea providing the tannic backbone. After all, this baby is fifty years old! Finish: medium in length, earthier, with touches of mushroom, peppermint, cedarwood… and still that… let’s say darjeeling tea. Comments: my grandfathers and my father would have absolutely adored this magnificent slightly old-skool cognac and I’m certainly not going to contradict them.
SGP:451 - 88 points.

La Prenellerie ‘Lot 73’ (52.6%, Authentic Spirits, Bons Bois, 2025)

Here we are at the mouth of the Gironde, then, in a setting that’s almost maritime. Colour: amber. Nose: oh, the honeys! And fudge with touches of pink pepper and mint chocolate. With water: mint tea with a mocha spoonful of fir honey, and a hint of sauna oil. Mouth (neat): very fine tension, on citron, eucalyptus and myrtle. We wonder whether this baby wasn’t in fact distilled in Corsica. We love Corsica at WF – Bons Bois too, of course. With water: a very lovely fruity simplicity, heading towards all kinds of plums, the whole sprinkled with a bit of ground cinnamon. Finish: not eternal but certain aspects do recall old agricole rums. Comments: let’s not forget that old spirits tend to converge – and tannicity to become a bit more talkative.
SGP:451 – 89 points.

Jean-Luc Pasquet 1972/2025 (54.5%, Maltbarn, Grande Champagne)

Jean-Luc Pasquet 52 yo 1972/2025 (54.5%, Maltbarn, Grande Champagne)

1972, that’s so rock and roll! Colour: dark red amber. Nose: it’s almost brutal, a bit blurry, not terribly orderly, a touch ‘cooked’, stewed, with rubber… And it ends up being dominated by damson, vieille prune from Souillac and the like. This is really one of those cases where you tell yourself you ought to add a few drops of water straight away. With water: total old bachelor’s jam and vintage mint liqueur. And I swear there’s an old Bunnahabhain vibe in there (with my profuse apologies). Mouth (neat): the opposite of the nose, precise from the outset, old bourbon, varnish, tinned peaches, overripe apples, hints of natural tar. With water: it slips the leash so to speak, heading into fern, vintage orange liqueur, blond tobacco, hay… Finish: long, with rising tannicity, but as it veers towards liquorice wood, everything remains just perfectly fine. Comments: who said rock and roll? We’re bordering on Captain Beefheart here, nothing in particular makes sense, yet the whole exudes undeniable, immense charm. In other words, a bit of organised chaos – love it.
SGP:561 – 90 points.

A last one, from another discreet house we’re very fond of…

Rémi Landier ‘Lot 72-73-74 Les Champs Fruités’ (50.13%, Malternative Belgium, Fins Bois, 350 bottles, 2025)

Colour: deep gold. Nose: the exact opposite of the previous one, because even if this baby is multi-vintage, we’re in the realm of precision here, of near-simplicity – this is almost Bauhaus cognac. Chamomile, very ripe vineyard peaches, heather honey, and that’s it. All right then, let’s say these are different heather honeys, especially white and ling. In short, it’s magnificently compact, I’m almost afraid. With water: arrival of balms and ointments, camphor and the like. Mouth (neat): cedar and balsa, then oranges and honey, followed by a light maritime oloroso side and a touch of Iberian ham. Indeed, that’s also the oak ‘rising’. With water: it’s even more noticeable once you’ve added water, as almost always. That familiar mint tea and bitter chocolate note. Finish: it’s an amusing sensation, the tannicity slightly closes in on the spirit, almost like a door. Doesn’t stop a few classic touches of peach, orange and sultanas from continuing their patrol, but the whole becomes dry if not drying. Comments: one wonders whether there’s any real point in declaring the ABV to the hundredth of a degree, but maybe it makes it even more ‘distinctive’. A magnificent ‘seco’ cognac, at any rate.
SGP:461 – 89 points.

But who said the previous one was going to be the last, who?...

Les Grandes Jouberteries ‘Lot 65’ (49.6%, Authentic Spirits, Fins Bois, 2025)

Les Grandes Jouberteries ‘Lot 65’ (49.6%, Authentic Spirits, Fins Bois, 2025)
Ugni blanc and full maturation in wood. We tasted a sister bottling last year and it was sublime (WF 91). Colour: amber. Nose: this is pure fudge, mixed with pistachio nougat, the whole bound with toasted sesame oil laced with a touch of orange peel essential oil. So, what are we listening to from 1965? Why, of course, The Zombies and Rod Argent with ‘She’s Not There’. Or Santana’s version, on Moonflower. Right then, let’s press on… Mouth: splendid fir honey, and to be fair there’s very nearly only that, in the end, the question is whether or not you like fir honey. I agree, who doesn’t. All right, that’s an exaggeration, there are apples and oranges too, then peaches and dried apricots, and quite a bit of cinnamon. It’s splendid and it’s… 60 years old, give or take. Finish: long, with inevitably more marked tannins, black tea, dark chocolate and mint, thyme tisane, tobacco, a few Corinth raisins and black pepper in the aftertaste… The finish may not be the most dazzling aspect of such an old spirit, but the whole ‘holds up’ perfectly. Comments: a mighty beast!
SGP:461 – 91 points.

Another fine selection today, or a real little treasure trove of cognacs. Au revoir, CU.

Check the index of all cognacs we've tasted so far


May 16, 2025

We're back
Back from a short but truly dazzling trip to Sichuan, which combined whisky (remarkable The Chuan), people of disarming kindness and elegance, and a few giant pandas. More on that later, tasting glass(es) in hand, but in the meantime and while we get our thoughts together, it’s back to business as usual.

A new trio of Glendullan

It's one of those distilleries that tend to fly a little under the radar and which, as a result, we enjoy tasting from time to time. There is an official range available at the moment, but the main brand, Singleton, somewhat sidelines the distillery's name. One day, perhaps, we'll understand the thinking behind this strategy, which has now been going on for—what—twenty years?

Danse de St Guy (manie dansante, dancing mania)
in France, early 19th century (France Pittoresque)

Singleton of Glendullan ‘Classic’ (40%, OB, Sweet Vibrancy, 1l, +/-2024)

I believe there aren’t many NAS versions, apart perhaps from a ‘Master’s Art’ that wasn’t half bad at all, nearly twenty years ago. This ‘Classic’ has appeared under various different outfits, though it’s not certain the profiles were ever the same. Colour: gold. Nose: very much on lemon and tart apple, concentrated lemonade, then hints of plaster and flintstone. Almost feels like an old-school Lowland, at least on the nose—it’s a style you don’t encounter very often these days. A touch of honey and stewed fruit then come in to add a little softness. Mouth: youthful, slightly bitter, especially on apple peel, with a few raisins making a late appearance. Considerably less distinctive on the palate than on the nose. Some bitter orange. Finish: medium length, still quite bitter, it could almost stand in for the bitter liquid in a Spritz. Comments: it’s genuinely decent.
SGP:461 - 78 points.

Glendullan 11 yo 2012/2024 ‘100 Proof Edition #32’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 1st fill oloroso butt)

One gets the sense that Signatory has turned this successful series into something of their own A'bunadh, in a way. Imagine—batch #32! We had rather enjoyed some Glendullans from the Signatory UCF series. Colour: amber. Nose: well then, metal polish, dark chocolate, roasted hazelnuts, tar, toffee, instant coffee, burnt raisins... In short, textbook sherry. With water: the arrival of unsurprising old walnuts. Mouth (neat): remarkable how much this brings to mind that other series we mentioned a few lines above. Bitter marmalade, chocolate, tobacco, leather and a pepper note that grows increasingly assertive. With water: there we go, it loosens up, though there’s even more spice—juniper, cloves, burnt sugar, pipe tobacco... Finish: very long, still on similar notes, with added pumpernickel. Comments: bone-dry oloroso, marching in step, just a little on the forceful side. No, this is very good...
SGP:461 - 86 points.

Glendullan 12 yo 2011/2024 (59.8%, Berry Bros. & Rudd, Glens & Valleys, hogshead, cask #310542, 292 bottles)

Always a pleasure to see that little detail on the label— ‘Finish: none’. Though it’s quite mad that this now needs to be stated, given how finishing has crept into nearly every corner of Whiskydom, becoming almost the norm. Colour: pale white wine (yay). Nose: there we are—paraffin, green apple, gooseberry, slate and sourdough. Perfect. With water: lime kicks in forcefully, along with freshly mown grass. No messing about here (in the best sense of the phrase). Mouth (neat): creamy texture, a lemony and herbal arrival balanced out by barley syrup and mountain honey. Wax and plasticine in the background. Perfect. With water: all manner of pepper varieties doing a mad little jig (dancing mania, perhaps?) Finish: long, with properly lovely bitterness. Green Chartreuse, but without all the sugar. Comments: really excellent, this very austere yet highly expressive young Glendullan from BB&R.
SGP:361 - 87 points.

Check the index of all Glendullan we've tasted so far