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| Hi, you're in the Archives, October 2025 - Part 1 |
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October 6, 2025 |
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Thirteen Craigellachie, backwards |
What I mean by that is that we’ll start by tasting a very old official bottling that’s relatively recent, then we’ll add a few indies that are noticeably younger and should be inevitably, or not, more lively and spirited. Well, we’ll see...
Craigellachie + AI |
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Craigellachie 37 yo (46.75%, OB, Small Batch, 3,012 bottles, 2022) 
Very amusing, the tasting notes on the label start with 'tarte tatin' and 'crème anglaise', but fear not, the remainder is in English. Mind you, we suspect this is going to be very good... Colour: straw, so a surprisingly pale hue. Nose: superb right from the off, no doubt thanks to a cask that’s kept itself to itself all these years. It's chiefly floral, led by blooming honeysuckle in full swing, then come little pink plums and absolutely glorious honeyed touches. Immense elegance, all the more so as arrive dainty notes of ancient apricots from the South Tyrol, in the style of Master Vittorio Gianni Capovilla. I’m barely exaggerating. Splendid almonds too. Wow. Mouth: superlative, lifted, not tired in the slightest, the very model of great distillate aged long and slow in a cask that’s really done nothing but hold it. Gorgeous orchard fruits, still plenty of flowers, and honey from meadows across several continents, as well as, since we must, a wee slice of tarte tatin. As for the crème anglaise, we’re still looking... Finish: probably not very long, but the arrival of small citrus notes ensures this whole lovely construction stays firmly on track. In the aftertaste, a touch of vanilla rice pudding. There you are. Comments: sheer beauty, a tribute to the 'slow whiskies'. No rush!
SGP:651 - 92 points. |
A short break before the indies, which are inevitably a bit disadvantaged after that real gem... … … … Right then, let’s go, and at random. |
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Craigellachie-Glenlivet 18 yo 2006/2025 (46%, Cadenhead, Original Collection, refill oloroso hogsheads) 
Colour: gold. Nose: we had a bit of a struggle with a Port-matured version two or three years back, but this one seems rather charming, much more traditional, reasonably firm and textured on the nose before branching off into bitter orange, proper marmalade, and fir tree honey with the faintest mentholated breeze. A few currants and a whisper of soap, though nothing remotely troublesome. Then a hint of pumpernickel and battelman—let us call that its Germanic leanings. Mouth: cracking acidity, lemons, slightly unripe grapes, gooseberries... And considerably less sherry than expected. Lovely tension, sprightly, riding above the distillate’s rather oily backbone. Adorable. Finish: very good length, with a taut character that holds steady. Comments: an absolutely delightful wee bottle, perky and refreshing in every possible way.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
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Craigellachie 2015/2024 (48.1%, Cask Masters, 1st fill Larose-Trintaudon barrique, cask #166, 320 bottles) 
Larose-Trintaudon is a vast cru bourgeois from the Médoc (over 200 hectares), working roughly half Cabernet and half Merlot. Let’s see if that shows... Colour: full gold. Nose: yes, the wine influence is evident, especially after the splendid little beasts we've just tasted. Cherries, raspberries, all resting on a fruity malt, with some blood orange notes layered over the top. Frankly, it’s not bad at all. Mouth: the wine influence is quite pronounced here, no doubt we’re well within winesky territory, but again, it’s not unpleasant. A light touch of strawberry jam, atop some cherry-flavoured Belgian beer (Kriek). Finish: medium in length, carrying the same notes through. Comments: like a tune one doesn’t care for much, but played very well indeed. In other words, those who enjoy red wine-finished malt—and I gather there are more of them each day—should like this more than I do. I'll add that we've also just sampled some other excellent malts from this distinguished company at the Whisky Show in London. A bit more crowd-pleasing...
SGP:641 - 83 points. |
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Craigellachie 11 yo 2012/2023 (52.9%, Tri Carragh, palo cortado barrique, 298 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: palo cortado works a treat, and here’s yet another fine example, with a taut and lively Craigellachie, very malty, textured on the nose, almost waxy, and packed with lemon marmalade and damp earth. With water: out comes the paraffin, and even more moist earth. Mouth (neat): excellent! Fat, oily, dry, showing green walnut, pink grapefruit and bitter orange. With water: touches of honey rounding things out, though kept in check. Some lovely pepper building in... Finish: and here comes more pepper, top-grade stuff, along with some ale. Andalusian ale, naturally. Comments: Cadenhead-level quality, so excellent. In my humble opinion, as ever...
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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Craigellachie 15 yo 2009/2024 (54.2%, Whisky Age, ex-Caol Ila hogshead, cask #305228, 283 bottles)
Right, we’re not the world’s biggest fans of in-cask blending in general, but we do adore Caol Ila, so perhaps... Colour: white wine. Nose: now, this is a lovely blen... single malt, with the distinct impact of both components, though let’s say they’re dancing the tango with grace. It seems the fattiness of Craigellachie marries well with the fresh peat from Caol Ila. With water: no idea what proportion of CI is in there, perhaps 10%? But as usual, the peated malt takes the upper hand. Mouth (neat): let’s call it peated pear. The Islay influence is even stronger here than on the nose. We like it. With water: it becomes very peaty, slightly reminiscent of, say, peated Benriach. Apple and ashes. Finish: same story. Comments: a very lovely blende... single malt, fresh, though quite disorienting if you’re looking for clear markers. Luckily our friends announce the manoeuvre on the label!
SGP:564 - 84 points. |
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Craigellachie 13 yo 2009/2023 (51.5%, DramCatcher, hogshead, cask #5005)
Colour: straw. Nose: I think we may have overlooked Craigellachie’s distillate all these years—it’s really quite beautiful, always oily, always highly textured on the nose (yes, that is possible). Aromatically it leans towards barley and apple. No issues whatsoever, quite the opposite. With water: same again, one might say it’s like a great beer, just distilled. Not BrewDog... Mouth (neat): very straightforward, still oily, malty, with orchard fruits and a touch of sourdough. It’s certainly more textured than its more famous neighbour. With water: it shifts toward more softness, but the profile stays firmly in place. Finish: long, still oily, though gentler, and almost a little sweet. Comments: all natural, very lovely, very simple, very very good.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Craigellachie 16 yo 2009/2025 (55.2%, Signatory Vintage, Cask Strength Collection, 1st fill Madeira hogshead finish, cask #205, 303 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: the very faint mustardy touch from the Madeira adds nicely to the distillate’s fattiness, with an increasingly earthy edge that’s also typical of Craigellachie. Notes of metal polish and dried flowers in the potpourri vein. With water: damp floors after the first rain, a flower vase, and an old teapot. Really! Mouth (neat): far more individuality than on the nose, with devilled sauce, kumquats (yes), and paprika... With water: quite the oddball, and it’s one that opens your chakras. Rock sugar, fat, goulash, pepper, honey... Finish: same again, and it goes on. Comments: there’s absolutely nothing routine about this wee thing, and that’s precisely its strength.
SGP:562 - 86 points. |
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Craigellachie 12 yo 2013/2025 (60.5%, Lady of the Glen, refill oloroso butt + oloroso finish, cask #300805, 332 bottles)
I’ve just noticed the distinguished owners are calling this a ‘Scottish’ whisky rather than a ‘Scotch’ whisky. I know, a rather pointless observation... Colour: amber. Nose: double oloroso, no less! So here we have more walnut cake and a healthy dose of Nescafé. Behind that, nargileh tobacco and fresh leather—think a stopover in Turkey during a Mediterranean cruise. Yup. With water: out comes the damp earth, yet again. Mouth (neat): it’s very creamy, it’s very rich, it’s very good, and it’s already deep into Christmas spices, along with a hefty pour of honey. For once, we’re early... With water: now it’s excellent, rich, jammy, thick, with bags of candied fruits and just the lightest touches of cedarwood and fir. Finish: same again, but with a lovely reappearance of citrus, which is fantastic. Comments: rather brilliant, this double oloroso.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Craigellachie 16 yo 2008/2024 (66.7%, Milroy's Vintage Sherry Reserve, second-fill sherry butt, cask #80900934) 
Right then, did you catch the ABV? Another attempted assassination of a poor whisky blogger, it’s going to cost them dearly. We’ll be alerting Interpol forthwith. And possibly Mossad and the FSB. Unless... Colour: deep amber. Nose: probably thanks to the strength, we’re more in young bourbon territory. No complaints there, though there’s quite a bit of pencil shavings and corn syrup for now. The only cure, with water: an onslaught of chocolate in every form imaginable. Mouth (neat): seems excellent. The key word being ‘seems’. Pepper, candied oranges, pepper, candied oranges, pepper... right, we’re going in circles. So, with water: civilisation at last. In fact, it’s excellent, rich and oily once again, but with a kind of lift brought in by notes of oranges and all manner of citruses. That said, we’re still hovering close to the idea of a very, very high-quality young bourbon. So much for ‘sherry’. Finish: same vibe, a tart of fig, orange and caramel. Or something along those lines. More black pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: a bit of a mad thing, honestly. But then, we’re a bit mad ourselves, aren’t we.
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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Craigellachie 20 yo 2005/2025 (58.3%, Decadent Drams, Decadent Drinks, refill hogshead + 1st fill sherry, 251 bottles)
A toolbox on the label, that rather sets the tone, doesn’t it. Colour: deep gold. Nose: fairly elegant, still oily on the nose, but showing a touch of austerity. Scones, crème de menthe, beeswax, a fresh pack of Camels, and indeed a trace of engine oil. With water: more earth and potting soil coming through. Mouth (neat): not far at all from that excellent Milroy’s, just a tad spicier, but ultimately less extreme. With water: rather high-end, jammy, and full-on with Christmas spices. Yes, we're early, but that’s entirely Decadent Drinks’ fault. We'll punish them accordingly as soon as the opportunity arises. Finish: long, rather rich and spicy. Very peppery fruitcake. Comments: top-tier stuff once again from DD. It’s just that we didn’t find any proper toolbox notes, despite our best efforts...
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
Perhaps just one last one, as we’re already at 10 Craigellachiesand we mustn’t go overboard... |
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Craigellachie 16 yo 2008/2024 (59.9%, Alambic Classique, Special Vintage Selection, sherry cask, cask #24021, 192 bottles)
To be perfectly honest, one never really knows what things like ‘Special Vintage Selection’ are meant to signify, but it’s part of the game and rather charming. So here is our ultra-exquisitely selected tasting note for this one. Colour: gold. Nose: oh, this is lovely, the sherry cask was lovely, and the lovely fat and oily Craigellachie distillate is shining through beautifully. Lovely breads, brioches, panettones, sesame oil, sunflower oil, peanut butter and damp earth. Splendid. With water: simply top class. Mouth (neat): bang, the citrus leaps out at you, and we’re not complaining. Everything here is spot on. With water: impressive stuff. Figs and Earl Grey. Finish: yes. Comments: to keep being honest, well, we try, the sherry played only a tiny role here, and we’re not sorry about that. The labels may look like they were designed in Quark Xpress circa 1998, but this is just a very, very excellent Craigellachie. Aus Deutschland, natürlich.
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
Craigellachie really is the best whisky in its town these days, without the slightest shadow of a doubt. Right then, see you tomorrow. Wait, wait, wait — actually, here are some more... |
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Craigellachie 16 yo 2007/2023 (53.1%, Maltbarn, bourbon cask, 333 bottles)
Always those labels we’ve loved so much. Honestly, Maltbarn/Martin ought to issue numbered posters of them and sell them at a premium, framed in brushed aluminium. We’d like number 1/10,000, please. Colour: gold. Nose: just forget it, pure Craigellachie, all on fat, banana, vanilla, apple, sunflower oil, peanut butter, stalks and salted butter caramel. With water: same again. Mouth (neat): we could simply copy and paste what we wrote about the nose, and in fact, we shall, with no regret nor shame. Pure Craigellachie, all on fat, banana, vanilla, apple, sunflower oil, peanut butter, stalks and salted butter caramel. With water: ditto. Finish: ditto. Malt. Comments: but how good is this!
SGP:551 - 89 points. |
Right, I promise you this is the last Craigellachie of the year... Unless a new super-old official bottling happens to cross our humble path before Christmas. |
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Craigellachie 10 yo 2014/2024 (58.9%, James Eadie, cask finish, refill PX hogshead finish, cask #373077, 267 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: this is more on earthiness, curiously tighter and tenser than expected for a PX finish, narrower too, though the strength is certainly up there. So let’s add some water: still earthy, perhaps also showing some eau-de-vie of small berries, even a touch of bison grass vodka—Polish, of course. By the way, those old bottles of Z?ubrówka from the 1970s and 80s have become quite splendid it seems, it just took patience. Ha. Mouth (neat): straight to the point, it bursts with orange zest and pink pepper, to the point where we’re wondering where all this is coming from. With water: just simple, just lovely—provided you don’t add too much water, as it’s not the strongest swimmer. Finish: oranges, green pepper, and so on. Comments: a faint Glen Wodka vibe perhaps, but all of this is very well done, just as we expected. In fact, we love it.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
This time, we’re really stopping. See you, stay tuned. |
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October 5, 2025 |
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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! |
Just a few more rums
Not quite the year-end new releases yet, but they won’t be long coming!
At Burdekin in Australia (Rumporter) |
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Ron Quorhum QRM 'Sistema Solera 15' (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2025) 
The ‘30 Aniversario Solera’ had been rather underwhelming last Sunday (WF 49) but perhaps we’ll be more fortunate with this ‘15’. Just a gentle reminder that the term ‘solera’ is used exceedingly liberally in the world of rum and generally has precious little to do with the genuine soleras of Jerez, for instance. Broadly speaking, anything involving fractional or ‘perpetual’ filling of casks tends to be dubbed solera. Colour: gold. One might applaud the relatively pale hue which could suggest minimal caramel colouring. Nose: well, this isn’t bad at all, rather fresh, on sugarcane with toasted hazelnuts, honey, vanilla, banana cake... Mouth: not a tidal wave of sugar, although it is fairly sweet, edging somewhat towards the style of a certain well-known Cuban brand. Nicely balanced, toasty again, honeyed, lightly burnt. It’s genuinely not unpleasant, nor even overly light. Finish: rather short yet still balanced, with pronounced notes of sugarcane honey. Comments: a thousand times better than the ‘30’, in my humble opinion, though still not quite Foursquare or Hampden (etc.)
GP:640 - 75 points. |
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XM 12 yo 'Special' (40%, OB, Guyana, +/-2024) 
A blend of rums from DDL/El Dorado that we had already tasted some ten years ago and found decent (WF 76) if decidedly sweet. Let’s see whether this one contains a generous helping of rums ‘sweetened at birth’. Colour: deep gold. Nose: much drier than expected, more toasted, with walnut cake and even roasted pecans, dried apricots, and a very faint maritime side, blending liquorice with seaweed. And why not? Mouth: ouch; there’s almost as much sugar as in the QRM, although here it’s more counterbalanced by the roasted nuts. A little tobacco and above all some coffee liqueur. The pecan pie also makes a comeback. The texture is rather narrow, yet not weak. Finish: long, more on orange liqueur and molasses honey. Liquorice returns in the aftertaste. Comments: it’s still good, shame the sweetness is so palpable on the palate.
SGP:651 - 78 points. |
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Burdekin 'Vintage Cane Spirit' (40%, OB, Australia, +/-2025)
Straight from the foot of Mt Elliot in the Bowling Green National Park, since 2020, this very rum was made from local canes and aged in ex-PX casks. I’ve no idea whether that PX was Australian too, though it’s quite possible given several estates seem to be cultivating it locally. Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is bursting with sugarcane, brimming with freshness, not in the least masked by the PX. Lovely herbal touches (oregano, sage), with a beautiful development on citrus fruits and the faintest tarry hints that round things out most elegantly. A light curry note too, which is absolutely charming. Mouth: it’s quite remarkable how much the richness of the whole manages to offset the modest bottling strength. Orange and fig liqueur, curry, pink pepper, exotic honeys, and a little sage once again. Very, very good. Finish: granted, not the longest, but rather oily, still fresh, with that utterly adorable sweet orange curry returning in the aftertaste. Comments: a lovely surprise, truly excellent.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
So, we're going to taste the cask strength version. By the way, as the excellent Mr Singh from London told us last weekend, British Navy rums certainly included Guyanese, Barbadian or Jamaican rums – but also Australian ones. |
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Burdekin 'Coral Sea Strength' (54%, OB, Australia, 600 bottles, +/-2024)
Still from northern Queensland, made from the 2024 harvest in the ‘agricole’ style. But whoops, it’s white – I’d meant to save the white rums for later. But since we’re here... Colour: white. Nose: touches of diesel fumes and rubber right at first, then pear, sugarcane juice, coriander seeds, damp earth and, above all, masses of fresh hay. Absolute hay galore. Mouth: even better on the palate, which is often the case with whites, especially agricoles, in fairness. Notes of ultra-ripe pineapple, solvent (hurray), dill, and then a few drops of brine, the kind you get from ex-olive jars. That’s a superb marker, no question. With water: no major changes, just a little more herbal, even edging towards pickled gherkins. Finish: rather long, drifting further into salinity and pickled fruit. Comments: no reason to score it differently from the previous one, it’s superb. That said, we’re quite looking forward to the next rugby match between Australia and France...
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
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Foursquare 11 yo 2009/2022 (64.4%, The Colours of Rum, Barbados, N°9, bourbon cask, cask #22, 282 bottles)
And who’s behind again? Whiskyfun! This familiar single blend of pot still and column spent 8 years ageing under the tropics, the rest somewhere in the wilder reaches of Western Europe. Colour: gold. Nose: well of course, at this strength, and with the London Whisky Show looming where we’ll be tasting blind, we’re not about to risk singeing the old olfactory bulb. So, with water: it’s very gentle, vanilla-led, almost a little syrupy, with a touch of grassy juice adorned with honey and coconut milk. Mouth (neat): seems excellent, dominated by the ex-column side, though perhaps that’s just the near-lethal ABV talking. With water: there we are, tamed at last, and now curiously easy-going, even lightly sweet. Most likely 75 or 80% column, and very low-ester. Finish: same story, all in softness. Though we did bring it down to around 45% vol., let’s be honest. Comments: among the lighter-profile Foursquares out there. Still classy.
SGP:541 - 87 points. |
Let’s move on to some harder rock... |
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Monymusk 10 yo 2012/2013 'MDR' (57.20%, Rest & Be Thankful for South Africa, Navigate World Whisky, Jamaica, 2 hogsheads, 719 bottles)
These two hoggies were ex-Bruichladdich, would you believe, so perhaps we ought to expect a few melon notes. Which, in Monymusk, wouldn’t surprise anyone, agreed. I don't seem to remember what the MDR designation actually refers to, though frankly I’m not sure I ever did. In any case, Monymusk never ventures particularly high up the ester ladder. Colour: white wine. Nose: low ester or not, this smells exactly like a brand-new Nike trainer. A big size too. Then comes fresh putty and of course, overripe banana... With water: same notes, just a little more restrained. Mouth (neat): very tight, very saline. A mix of lemon juice and seawater, infused with pine ash and fresh rubber. Still no sign of melon anywhere. With water: the seawater takes over. And the brine. Finish: fairly long and even saltier. You’d almost expect to find a small crab floating in your glass. Comments: very good, of course.
SGP:552 - 88 points. |
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Hampden 5 yo 2019/2024 'LROK' (60.5%, Habitation Velier, ex-sherry)
Angels’ share of 34% in just 5 years, and, cough, 1,584 gr ester/hlpa. Wish me luck. Only joking – we love these extreme bottlings; that’s our masochistic side speaking. Colour: gold. Nose: three litres of oyster brine with a vanilla pod and the juice of half a lemon thrown in. In short, very delicate! Right. Perhaps the sherry is to thank for that... With water: rather odd, becomes almost gentle, on linseed oil and fresh paint. Mouth (neat): same story, less petrol-driven than expected, and more saline and citrus-led before you even add water. But it’s excellent. With water: no, still elegant and almost tame, as though the sherry had managed to subdue the little beast. Finish: long and of course, still very Hampden, though more drawing room Hampden than wild outdoor Hampden. You know what I mean... Almond syrup, orgeat and so on. Comments: maybe there was a tiny hiccup with the label as far as ester count is concerned, though I rather doubt it. In any case, it’s excellent.
SGP:552 - 89 points. |
We’re finishing with a very old Trinidadian... |
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TDL 33 yo 1991/2025 (58.4%, Decadent Drams, Trinidad, 168 bottles)
I rather think the person who designed this quite hallucinatory label ought to seek help without delay. We’re also still awaiting an apology, since having to rotate one’s MacBook to read the label online does carry a certain amount of risk, let’s be honest. And it does make you look a bit of a prat. Colour: gold. Nose: this is truly all about softness, giving the impression of nosing an old Invergordon. Almond croissants, soft honeys, custard, streusel, mirabelle jam, coconut macaroons... You get the picture. Not a trace of esters here. With water: the tiniest touches of putty. Mouth (neat): somewhere between an old Scottish grain and a bourbon, genuinely. Very surprising. Vanilla, nougat and coconut reign supreme. With water: it just gets even softer. Finish: medium in length and full of gentleness and composure. An entire biscuit tin and a few notes of English tea. Comments: utterly unexpected – you could easily slip this delightful thing into a grain whisky session (soon on WF) and it would most likely come out on top.
SGP:541 - 89 points. |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted
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October 3, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today Glenmorangie with extra-wood and wine
Simply the latest 'A Tale Of' and a refined version of last year's Decadent Drams, released under his pen name 'Westport'.
Ras-el-hanout |
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Glenmorangie ‘A Tale of Spices’ (46%, OB, 2025) 
There, hang on tight, this one’s been finished in Moroccan red wine casks, plus new charred oak, plus PX, plus STR. It’s a bit like throwing Keith Jarrett, Jimmy Page, Flea and Ringo Starr together on the same stage. In short, improbable… Having said that, there are some excellent Moroccan wines, I do recommend S de Siroua, 100% syrah. Colour: gold. Nose: I must confess, it does start off a bit planky and vinous, with notes of strawberry, rose, peach, apricot, and Fanta… And perhaps, given Morocco’s involved, a hint of ras-el-hanout, that famous spice blend found in many a local dish. On the other hand, all of this merges after a few minutes and becomes much prettier, even the planky notes retreat somewhat. Phew. Mouth: same story, the arrival’s on cherry liqueur and sawdust, but it does mellow and turn more enjoyable, even though the wood remains quite assertive. Finish: long, spicy and fruity. Comments: still a touch improbable and it does feel a bit concocted, but in the end it’s genuinely good. That said, it remains quite a way off the excellent ‘A Tale of Tokyo’ from 2023 (WF 88).
SGP:661 - 81 points. |
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Westport 21 yo 2003/2024 (51.8%, Decadent Drams, 217 bottles)
Ex-refill hogshead + 1st fill oloroso sherry for two years. Colour: gold. Nose: well now, this is more Glenmo than Glenmo itself, rather fresh and verging on the ethereal, with a sherry influence that leans more towards sultanas than drier elements, along with sesame cream, orange marmalade, apricot jam, quince jelly, and the faintest hint of Turkish delight. With water: spices surge forward en masse upon dilution, dominated by cinnamon, before everything rather amusingly snaps back to the distillate like an elastic band. Mouth (neat): much more spice-led now, with ras-el-hanout making a triumphant return, plus black pepper, turmeric and ginger, quite surprising for a DD in fact, but there you have it. With water: the distillate reclaims centre stage, offering candied lemons, only for the sherry to counter with touches of mustard and green walnuts, then honey and dried figs sweep in to restore order. Finish: long, and certainly spicy by this point. Comments: this Glenmorangie rather enjoys a game of hide and seek with the taster, who ends up happily taken for a bit of a ride. Right, right...
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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October 2, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today two Fettercairns and French pink oak
Two new official Fettercairns unearthed during a hugely successful new edition of Whisky Live Paris last weekend, ahead of The Whisky Show in London and Whisky Live Hamburg — followed by a much-needed few days of hibernation. Or so we like to think… Just kidding.
Aside from that, we absolutely love what (Old) Fettercairn has become over the past few years. |
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Fettercairn 'Vanguard 1st Release' (46.3%, OB, 2025)
This small batch was first matured in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in barrels composed of staves made from American oak and heads fashioned from toasted Scottish oak. Scottish musicians Kathryn Joseph and Mogwai even composed a special piece after being exposed to the global project (check 'Lorica Pink', it’s very charming). Colour: pale gold. Nose: I wouldn’t go so far as to claim I’m detecting the Scottish oak—which I wouldn’t pretend to recognise in any case—but I do find the customary notes of exotic fruits accompanied by green spices, cardamom in particular, which may well be a gift from the wood. Light touches of confectionery as well, along with half a coconut ball and a wee spoonful of green oak honeydew. Mouth: still very much a conversation between distillate and fresh oak, with notes of green tea and orange and lemon sweets, the whole coming together rather well. The usual faintly mustardy and leathery notes we so enjoy in Fettercairn arrive next and help bind the whole together. Finish: fairly long, notably drier, with a rather green tannicity reminiscent of walnut skin. Comments: really good for a malt that leans quite heavily on its casks. Only the finish is a tad less ‘easy’.
SGP:461 - 85 points. |
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Fettercairn 29 yo 1995/2025 'Vanguard' (48.3%, OB, 99 bottles)
25 years in a refill hogshead, the remainder in French pink oak. I humbly confess to never having heard of ‘pink oak’ before, it would seem it’s not truly a distinct variety, but rather the heartwood of a French oak tree with a more ‘rosy’ hue, said to be a sign of superior wood maturation as compared with the paler white or yellow oak. so, nothing to do with American pink oak aka Quercus palustris. Colour: gold. Nose: there’s a clear lineage with the NAS, the oak’s influence being quite present, though gently so, with soft vanilla and white chocolate infused with strawberry and grated coconut. Pâtissiers sometimes use freeze-dried strawberry powder to evoke a similar effect. The firmer, slightly austere side of Fettercairn only whispers from the background, but whisper it does (spices, mustard, walnuts). The official notes spoke of strawberry aromas, which I initially thought might be a stretch, but it’s entirely true! Mouth: lively, fresh, more on blood orange on the palate, and that pink hue seems to linger in the mind’s eye... As with the NAS, the oak plays a central role, alongside those freeze-dried strawberry, cake, pistachio, citrus, and thus the wood leading the ensemble. Not a style we usually warm to, but I must admit the solo is very well performed here. Finish: medium in length, more on peach and apricot skins, with the lively tannicity one might expect and a very, very faintly mentholated, mustardy and peppery signature... Comments: it’s the aftertaste that feels most ‘Fettercairn’, which is quite unusual for malts in general. An old malt that simply does everything differently—and that, naturally, we love!
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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September 2025 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Smögen 10 yo 2014/2025 (59.1%, WDC, Sweden, 1st Fill Four Roses barrel, cask #13, 198 bottles) - WF 92
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Talisker 1957 (53.5%, Gordon & MacPhail, Natural Cask Strength, +/-1975) - WF 94
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
World Peat Highball Premix 8 yo (50%, Decadent Drams, bourbon barrel, 2025) - WF 88
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
François Voyer ‘Lot 46’ (48.3%, OB, Grande Champagne, 2025) - WF 92
Serge's thumbs up this month:
Ardara '2025 Edition' (46%, OB, Irish single malt, 2025) - WF 88
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Ron Quorhum QRM '30 Aniversario Solera' (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2025) - WF 49 |
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October 1, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today Talisker 10 and SR |
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| Talisker Distillery (Diageo) |
This year’s Special Releases have arrived very quietly, without fanfare. We’ll be tasting the Talisker first, and as for the others, we’ll see later. Indeed, I know, there’s been a lot of Talisker on WF lately, but we can’t help ourselves – we’re die-hard Talisker lovers. |
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Talisker 10 yo (45.8%, OB, +/-2025)
Indeed, we follow Talisker 10 religiously, year in, year out, and it remains one of the rare malts for which we actually do. We do it if only to confirm that no, the quality isn't dropping. Colour: gold. Nose: nothing doing, we still adore this expression, which conceals great finesse beneath a more imposing, even rather brutal façade. Velvet gloves inside an iron gauntlet, well, you know what I mean. A seafood platter, lemon, seaweed, damp earth and wet beach sand, olives, a barbecue lashed by an unexpected shower, tiny touches of oregano and dill... It's simply a flawless nose. Mouth: it's quite annoying how consistent this is, I think from now on I'll just copy and paste last year's notes each time. Brine and ashes, green pepper, lemon, sauvignon blanc, grapefruit, lapsang souchong, the faintest hint of honey... Did I mention the pepper? Finish: long, very fresh, magnificent. Comments: this admirable consistency is becoming a bit of a nuisance, but a delightful nuisance at that! Of course it is...
SGP:456 - 90 points. |
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Talisker 14 yo (53.9%, OB, Special Releases 2025)
You understand, this new baby was matured in bourbon and then 'finished in American oak casks toasted by the heat of volcanic rocks from Skye'. And to think it isn’t the 1st of April. 'Wilder frontiers of flavour for fearless explorers', they add, but are we fearless explorers, what do you say? In any case, we’re in stitches, so there’s that. Colour: white wine. Nose: zero chance after the 10-year-old, but let’s admit it, this is a very fresh, very narrow, almost surgical nose, and curiously closer to barley and... a hospital, with bandages and Mercurochrome, elements one generally finds more often on Islay. With water: becomes more austere and even abstract once water is added. Mouth (neat): if the idea was to move closer to Lagavulin, I have the honour and privilege to confirm it’s rather successful, even if the toasted wood feels a tad too prominent for my liking. It does suffer a bit after the splendid 10-year-old. With water: it edges nearer to the 10, which is excellent news, though with slightly less poise. A touch of cold ashes mid-palate. Finish: good length, but more drying, a little curled up around the ashes. Curry in the aftertaste, which is quite amusing. Comments: the storyline would make a Sicilian widow burst out laughing (apologies), but I confess the result is lovely. We now await with bated breath a Talisker 'Lagavulin finish' and, naturally, the reverse. But indeed, zero chance of catching up with the 10.
SGP:566 - 86 points. |
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Best spirits Serge tried those weeks, 90+ points only
Craigellachie 37 yo (46.75%, OB, Small Batch, 3,012 bottles, 2022)
Craigellachie 16 yo 2008/2024 (59.9%, Alambic Classique, Special Vintage Selection, sherry cask, cask #24021, 192 bottles)
Talisker 10 yo (45.8%, OB, +/-2025)
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