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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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September 30, 2025 |
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The return of Bladnoch on WF
Bladnoch Distillery (Bladnoch) |
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The days when little Bladnoch was something of a companion to Rosebank among the 'lost' Lowland distilleries are long gone. However, restarting it took far less time than it did for Rosebank. There were some peated versions produced by the previous owners (lovely people), but it’s been a long while since we’ve come across any. Maybe today? We’re going to try a vertical tasting, though it’s always a bit tricky when there are NAS bottlings... |
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Bladnoch 'Dragon Series II -The Spirit' (48.3%, OB, Rare Release, 1st fill and refill bourbon casks, 2,000 bottles, 2023)
We had rather enjoyed The Field I earlier this year (WF 85). They say 'The Dragon Series is a tribute to the timeless power struggle between science and nature' An idea that's no doubt causing quite a stir over in Washington D.C. these days. Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: dry as a stick, showing plenty of grassiness, porridge, a fair few oatcakes and a touch of earthy roots. A smattering of very small pears over in the fruit department, which speaks of youth. Mouth: fruity notes of barley syrup and baked apples to start, then we're back on porridge and grains, the whole thing growing more malty and rather taut as it goes. A few fruits that haven’t quite ripened, but that's just how we like it. The texture is on the oily side. Finish: of medium length, returning to grassy tones with hints of lemon zest. Comments: the focus on nature is clearly present, it would have gone down well with J.J. Rousseau. I just find this simply very good.
SGP:561 - 85 points. |
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Bladnoch 'Dragon Series III -The Casks' (49.9%, OB, Rare Release, 1st fill sherry and bourbon, 2,000 bottles, 2023) 
Colour: gold. Nose: I’m finding a touch of shoe polish and of course a good deal of walnuts, green or aged, a classic sherry marker. It then veers towards bitter orange, always a development I enjoy, and also a bit of modelling clay that takes one straight back to childhood. A few hints of soot and dunnage, even a whiff of hessian. Could there be a little peat in this baby? Mouth: it’s a bit like the bourbon version, only drier still, properly on green walnut and even ashes. Still that very grassy, tight character, this certainly wasn’t a sweet sherry cask, or so it seems. That said, we don’t really find any peat on the palate, the impression on the nose seems to have been but a fleeting moment. Finish: long, still on those notes of green walnut and modelling clay. Comments: I think I slightly preferred the bourbon version, which was more direct and fresher, but this drier, more sherried take is also very good.
SGP:461 - 84 points. |
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Bladnoch 11 yo '2024 Release' (46.7%, OB, bourbon)
The first of the ‘new’ 11 year olds we tasted had been excellent in our humble opinion, WF 86 for the inaugural version and WF 87 for the 2020 edition. Has there already been a 2025 release? Colour: white wine. Nose: superb combination of exotic fruits, barley, chalk and wee herbs, precise and beautifully taut. Nothing to add, really. Mouth: delicious, easy, still a little oily, opening with a sharp yet utterly civilised medley of passion fruit, lime and apple. Then come the chalk, modelling clay and even a bit of damp ash, all singing backup in the choir (if you will). Finish: same elements and same manoeuvre holding on nicely, with the aftertaste lingering a touch longer, showing acacia honey and perhaps a little agave syrup, although the core remains fairly grassy. Comments: just very good. This nature-driven storyline seems to be resurfacing again.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
Perhaps two indie bottlings now?... |
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Bladnoch 1990/2014 (53.9%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #50.55, 'High Class Luxury', refill bourbon barrel)
The name 'High Class Luxury' rather brings to mind a distillery more glam and pushier, like M. or D., whereas Bladnoch always feels a bit more value-driven, doesn’t it? But of course, we’d never question the names bestowed by the honourable SMWS. By the way, the Queen Street restaurant has become even more excellent of late. But let’s move on... In any case, here’s a pre-closure Bladnoch, so distilled under the UDVumbrella, just three years before closure. Colour: full gold. Nose: fantastic, very fat, loaded with tobacco, leather, camphor, patchouli, and linden blossom, it almost smells like an ex-sherry and yet it’s refill bourbon. Stunning nose so far, quite reminiscent of a certain Rare Malt, though we’ve never taken any proper notes on that one. With water: zero change. That’s not something we see every day. Mouth (neat): absolutely beautiful, still fat, still brimming with tobacco, peppers, and all sorts of walnuts, even a wee touch of horseradish. Refill bourbon, really? With water: stunning development this time, exactly as expected, on all manner of citrus and finely chiselled spices. Still those peppers, and even a touch of star anise. Finish: long, curiously taut yet still rich and almost thick, not unlike what one sometimes finds in some great white wines. Certain Graves, for instance. Amusing notes of Williams pear in the aftertaste. Comments: magnificent. Not quite what we were expecting… And then there’s that ‘lost style’ feel which remains ever so charming.
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
This little gem also reminded us of the old official NAS for Italy — white label, 1970s — a sublime little creature despite its 70° proof. Go on then, one last dram from the UDV era... |
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Bladnoch 35 yo 1990/2025 (54.2%, WhiskyLand, Decadent Drinks, refill barrel, 212 bottles)
The labels at WhiskyLand are a bit like the SMWS names, but in picture form, aren't they? Anyway, 35 years old, that’s starting to count, isn’t it. Colour: gold. Nose: tell your friends, this thirty-five-year-old baby is clearly less knackered than a Windows PC after an update. Just like Sir Paul. Actually this is almost a carbon copy of the SMWS profile, only with a little more sweetness, freshness, honey and exotic fruits. I can’t wait to add a few drops of water. With water: in come the citrus fruits, and that’s it, resistance is futile. Exactly the profile from 25 years ago, back when Bladnoch and Rosebank were still neck and neck in this style. Mouth (neat): the freshness is such that it could have been distilled fifteen years ago. Seriously. That’s clearly a mark of quality, and if a few more oaky notes do show up, they’re more on the yew and thuja side of things. The rest is a whirlwind of citrus and tiny herbs, almost impossible to pick apart. With water: it folds in and tightens up, which is great fun. 'Lemoned' barley, I’d say. Finish: of good length, with the freshness of a young Japanese malt distilled near the end of the last decade. Seriously. Comments: I won’t deny there may be a touch of nostalgia behind my rather high score.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
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September 29, 2025 |
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A couple of Irish never hurt anyone...
Yep, I reckon we’re going to overdo it again… But to kick things off: The Boys are Back in Town... |
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West Cork 'Thin Lizzy' (40%, OB, Irish, bourbon, double-char, 2022) 
Whiskies released in partnership with rock franchises are always a bit on the improbable side, but we’ve always liked Thin Lizzy and even saw them live again around ten years ago. Without the late Phil Lynott, of course. But still, at 40%, it’s not exactly ‘Whisky in the Jar’, is it? Colour: straw. Nose: it’s light, more Gilbert O'Sullivan than Thin Lizzy to be honest, but it’s fresh, nicely fruity, on apple juice and honey. Mouth: not bad, fairly oily, with a faint note of paraffin and wax, the rest being softer, sweeter, back on apple juice. Honeyed herbal tea. Finish: rather short but clean, sweet, fruity. Hints of barley. Comments: perhaps not quite stadium-filling stuff, but it’s rather well made. I’d still have cranked the wattage up a notch under the circumstances. Come to think of it, the Pogues’ whiskey was much the same in that respect, if memory serves.
SGP:431 - 78 points. |
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Red Spot 15 yo (46%, OB, Irish single pot still, +/-2024)
The Gold Spot and the Green Spots, even those finished in highly unlikely wine casks, had been very good last time (WF 84-85) This Red Spot was matured/finished in bourbon, sherry and Marsala casks. Colour: gold. Nose: I find it a touch vague, rather a muddle if truth be told, although there's a persistent substratum of exotic fruits and honey that holds its own. A few fleeting whiffs of menthol and hints of chilled herbal tea lend some freshness. Mouth: that same ‘mixed bag’ feeling becomes even more pronounced here, with a cavalcade of waxes, woods, stewed fruits, leather, rubber, raisins, tobacco and various spices jostling for attention. It all sounds terribly complex on the surface, but the lack of cohesion makes it feel more chaotic than composed. The Marsala, one suspects, is the chief agitator in this affair. Finish: medium in length, and veering towards candied sugars, tea leaves and gentle herbal infusions. Comments: I must confess I couldn’t quite find my footing with this one, though it certainly reads well on paper.
SGP:541 - 79 points. |
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Bushmills 14 yo 'Malaga Cask Finish' (40%, OB, Irish single malt, +/-2024)
I do hope things go better here, though at 40% ABV, one does harbour some doubts... Colour: light gold. Nose: not many hands on deck here, it's extremely light, more of a murmur than a voice really, though if you lean in, you might just detect a faint trace of patchouli, banana and distant mango. Rather frustrating. Mouth: not dreadful, though it swings oddly between sugary and earthy, with faint notes of pineapple (more pineapple later in this session) and barley syrup doing their best to lift things. Quite a bit of green tea creeping in as well. Finish: fairly short and curiously sweet. Comments: very much a footnote. There are countless Bushmills bottlings that, in our most humble opinion, leave this rather timid Andalusian variant far behind. Feels like it's running on two cylinders. Out of eight.
SGP:530 - 77 points. |
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Jameson 23 yo (55.1%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, Irish blend, 2024)
Naturally, if TWE manage to get their hands on the very best from Pernod Ireland, one can only applaud. Let’s see what we’re in for...Colour: straw. Nose: seems a little locked in for now, despite some lovely notes of rose petal and wine gums. No time to waste, with water: it opens like a flower on a spring morning, exhaling nectar and coconut milk. Mouth (neat): there appears to be a fair dose of pot still in there, yet once again it remains fairly restrained. Coconut, apple and grapefruit. With water: the texture turns oddly creamier, the profile remaining along the same lines—coconut, vanilla, floral elements, and a touch reminiscent of Cuban rum. Don’t tell me they’ve chucked in a bit of Havana Club!? Finish: fairly short but rather pretty, very gentle… Comments: an amusing transposition of a brand more at home in JD Wetherspoon than among malt freaks. I must admit this inherent lightness isn’t quite my thing, but it’s damn well put together.
SGP:530 - 83 points. |
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Ardara '2025 Edition' (46%, OB, Irish single malt, 2025) 
Heavily peated and triple-distilled, which is rather amusing, hailing from Donegal. Their mascot appears to be a dragonfly, one of the most marvellous creatures in all of creation. Colour: white wine. Nose: coal juice, soot, black earth, mushrooms, tar... It’s the first time I’ve come across this very ‘black’ style—rather astonishing, and quite unlike any peated profile I’ve dared to try so far. Entirely a matter of earth. Mouth: well blast, I’m hooked. It’s an improbable mash-up of ultra-artisanal mezcal, pickle brine, ink, other tiny pickled things, ashes, mixed smokes, rollmops, lemon juice, olives... Finish: same story. Comments: this is exactly what’s needed for any jaded taster out there. In a way, it’s an Irish not so far removed from what some young Nordic distilleries are doing, especially further East. Very distillate-driven, which is right up our street. Honestly, I adore it, bravo.
SGP:357 - 88 points. |
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Teeling 17 yo (56.5%, OB, American Express Private Cask, cognac cask, cask #16578, 2022)
Quite why an Irish as well-regarded as Teeling would feel the need for a cognac cask is anyone’s guess. Colour: straw. Nose: it’s light, with notes of grain, coconut, maize, white chocolate... With water: even lighter. Mouth (neat): I think the cognac slightly dampens the tropical exuberance one usually expects from a Teeling of this age. Not that it’s bad—far from it—but it does feel a touch more vague. Still, there’s certainly passion fruit, banana, mango and the like. With water: it pulls itself together a bit, with a lovely lemony tension. Finish: not very long but more chiselled. Seems like the cognac has finally been shown the door. Comments: we feared the worst, but it all ended well.
SGP:641 - 87 points – less the usual Amex commission, that brings us to 84.6738754 points. |
Hang on, it probably gets worse... |
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Teeling 'Pineapple Rum Cask' (49.2%, OB, 18,000 bottles, 2022) 
Some presumably sane and rational mind decided there would be a market for 18,000 bottles of this Frankenstein’s creature of a spirit – just imagine. Rather worrying, isn’t it? More troubling still than a tequila-finished Lagavulin, which says it all really...Colour: straw. Nose: not unpleasant, but conceptually horrific. It simply adds more Teeling to Teeling, if you see what I mean. That sort of completely tautological move which, to borrow Lord Blackadder’s words, is about as useful as a tomato with wheels. Still, not unpleasant. Mouth: of course it’s quite good, and that’s precisely the problem—it feels a bit like cheating, although to be fair, it’s clearly stated in big letters on the label. Finish: fairly long, very liqueur-like, heavily on pineapple, naturally. Comments: the structure is actually a bit too light, more in the style of a young grain whisky, and that’s the real flaw of this thoroughly bizarre thing. Whiskey arrangé?
SGP:730 - 72 points. |
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Turntable 'Collaboration Drop #2' (52%, OB, blend, 2024)
Strictly speaking, it's considered Irish, by us, because it contains 41% Dingle – and we’re rather fond of Dingle – alongside some Balmenach, Blair Athol and Loch Lomond grain. Colour: gold. Nose: this sends poor Teeling Pineapple straight to the great beyond. Lovely malty pastries, scones and apricot muffins, panettone... and we’re delighted, as panettone season is just around the corner. With water: floury notes and slate join in, with a touch of light rubber. Mouth (neat): oh, this is very good! There’s a surprising sense of cohesion—plenty of malt, beer, stewed fruits, all without any overly flamboyant sweetness. With water: confirmed, unexpected coherence. Very pretty touches of cream and cinnamon yoghurt. Finish: not eternal, but nicely compact, with even more cinnamon. We love cinnamon. Comments: we were wary given this baby’s pedigree, but once again, we were wrong.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Paddy Milestone 13 yo 2011/2024 (54.4%, The Duchess, oloroso hogshead, cask #801396)
It can’t be! This is a ‘Paddy’ that isn’t actually Irish—it’s an Ailsa Bay—but we’d already poured it into our competition tulip glass, so we shall proceed, hoping you’ll forgive us. With just a hint of shame... Colour: gold. Nose: to be perfectly honest, there’s not much going on at the moment. A few puffs of bruised apples and a fairly distant whiff of garden bonfire. With water: no improvement. Mouth (neat): much better than the nose, very tight and ultra-vegetal, though it quickly dives into mercurochrome. With water: green apple juice, smoked fish, grass, citrus peels. One could probably do without all that. Finish: fairly long, but not exactly friendly—waxy and herbal. Comments: we’ve never really understood Ailsa Bay, and apparently that’s not about to change today. Our apologies, and vive la Duchesse! In 99% of the cases, she brings out marvellous spirits.
SGP:453 - 75 points. |
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Green Spot 10 yo 2013/2025 (56.6%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, bourbon cask, cask #239852, 237 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: the absence of any useless wine in this Green Spot is immediately apparent, it’s fresh and clean, close to barley, liquorice, fennel, and celery. Celery is, in my view, much misunderstood in the world of spirits, but it’s a marvellous ingredient, and in Alsace, a few distillers have produced a wonderful eau-de-vie of celery that you can serve chilled over caviar. A thousand times better than all those Russian vodkas. Remember Russia? Right, I hope they will not send drones over WF HQ. With water: little pears and greengages emerge. Mouth (neat): superb! This blows that Red Spot we tasted a few moments ago clean out of the water. Gorgeous little heritage pears, service tree berries, jujubes and sorb apples. With water: just very good, though the water is nearly redundant on the palate. Finish: fairly long, tight, precise, almost refreshing. Russet apples. Comments: right then, let’s pull ourselves together, but it absolutely flattened the Red Spot.
SGP:461 - 86 points. |
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Cooley 22 yo 2002/2024 (53.9%, The Whisky Blues, barrel, cask #2227, 126 bottles)
If there were awards for labels, this one would take the triple-gold-platinum-of-doom of the decade, no question. Now let’s see about the juice... Colour: straw. Nose: oils and apple juice at first, then fresh hay and fruit peelings. With water: proper fresh baguette! Mouth (neat): perfectly pitched fruity and herbal tension, though just a tad saturated—it sort of overruns the palate a bit. With water: brilliant, but it struggles slightly to push any further. Finish: same story. Comments: a curious example of a malt that’s hit its peak and stubbornly refuses to give you anything more.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Cooley 2001/2025 (50.4%, The Whisky Jury, bourbon, cask #2659, 149 bottles)
Let’s keep this one quick, shall we? Colour: light gold. Nose: mango and banana peels, with vanilla cream and acacia honey. With water: even softer on honeyed vanilla cream—crema catalana if you like. Mouth (neat): embarrassingly good, it’s so fresh, fruity, and bursting with citrus. Sublime, I’m afraid. With water: beautifully fruity. Finish: good length, though no real evolution. Comments: may I propose a trans-category blend idea? 50% good TDL batches, plus 50% of these Teeling/Cooley beauties? I genuinely think it could bring about world peace.
SGP:751 - 88 points. |
I think it’s mor than time to wrap things up… |
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Teeling 24 yo (51.5%, OB for The Nectar, 10th Anniversary, sherry, cask #6766, 270 bottles, 2016)
We absolutely loved being invited to the 10th anniversary back then—Dom Pérignon flowed freely, the shrimp croquettes were the best in the world, and the Cantillon and Westvleteren on tap instantly restored one’s faith in humanity. Belgian humanity, of course. Colour: deep gold. Nose: magically fruity and oily—mangoes, honey and sesame oil. With water: peanut. We love peanut. Mouth (neat): mad stuff. With water: incredible. Finish: ... Comments:... Seriously good, no doubt. The pinnacle of Ireland, even if there are millions of Teeling/Cooley casks drifting about. But to be fair, in our book there’s never been any connection between cask availability and actual quality, anywhere.
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
Fear not, there will be more Irish very, very soon on WF. |
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September 28, 2025 |
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In Alsace, temperatures have dropped by over 15°C in just one day, and now it’s raining cats and dogs - sadly not bottles. Thankfully, the rums are here to whisk us straight off to the tropics and warm our hearts. But let’s start with an aperitif or two from the lower shelves, as we often do... |
Ampov Distillery in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Ampov) |
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Ron Quorhum QRM '30 Aniversario Solera' (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2025) 
Everything is there, the grandiose '30' implying an age statement – gleefully adopted as a genuine age by a good number of retailers, naturally – the grandiloquent 'Old Vintage Rums' signature and all that jazz. All this for €70. What a state of affairs! Naturally, this is also a 'solera'. Colour: full gold. Nose: not the worst, it's not particularly expressive, with some coffee liqueur and corn syrup, we're mercifully spared the tenfold pineapple essence one fears in such cases. But we know the real action begins on the palate... Mouth: we're still somewhat teetering on the brink of overt sweetness, though that glucose edge is felt. Still, one can't shake the impression of a bargain-bin coffee liqueur, the sort peddled in (real) duty-free outlets for €5.50 a bottle. Finish: short, faintly bitter, with more of that syrupy character lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: we've nosed and sipped far worse this year. With copious ice or Coke, one could get away with this, it's acceptable.
SGP:620 - 49 points. |
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Matusalem 'Gran Reserva Original - Solera 15' (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2025)
We last sampled this well-known baby back in 2009 and found it rather good (WF 75) though we've since gained a little more experience. Here again, the '15' is just a number, not a true age statement, though most retailers – Amazon included, naturally – market it as a 15-year-old. In fact, the label reads 'Solera 15 Blender'. It also recalls that the house was originally established in Santiago de Cuba. Colour: gold. Nose: more on honey than the Quorhum, though conversely less on sugarcane. In short, very inoffensive... Mouth: somewhat similar to the Quorhum, albeit drier, and yet with a touch more orange liqueur this time. Finish: the finish is passable, short but not unpleasant. Comments: not a sipper either, that’s for sure. Let’s not trouble ourselves trying to rank them... In any case we were rather generous back in 2009, though perhaps that was a different batch altogether, especially as the livery has changed since.
SGP:520 - 49 points. |
Right then, time to shift up a gear... |
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Ampov 2023/2025 (45%, OB, Cambodia, ex-Porto cask)
Here we are in Phnom Penh, confronted with molasses and pot still rum. We do so love tasting spirits from new distilleries! All the more so as the sugarcane itself hails from the Phnom Penh region. Colour: pale gold. Nose: ah, how we adore these feral, fermentative distillates, bursting with vegetal notes and those briny touches we treasure so dearly, especially olives, with hints of acetone and other solvents that rather charmingly evoke... Jamaica. Or, let us say, the agricoles of Madeira rather than those of the French islands. There's also a coastal character, a whiff of sea water, and mercifully, not a clear jot of Port. Mouth: a bit of a masterstroke, really, all the more so as it feels utterly singular, with an earthy and tarry edge that’s quite unlike anything else. Still plenty of solvents, esters, olives, capers, brine, intensely fermented fruit, and still no Port in sight. Finish: long, somewhat petroly and salty, but quite manageable thanks to the reasonably low strength. And once again, no Port. Comments: what a relief not to have encountered any Port! An excellent young rum, faintly reminiscent of those new ‘French’ Thais. And of course, Jamaica.
SGP:473 - 87 points. |
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Long Pond 15 yo 2007/2023 'Queen Nanny' (57.1%, Precious Liquors, Jamaica, cask #5, 134 bottles)
This is an ITP marque, so low ester content (around 100g/hlpa). Queen Nanny, a Jamaican national heroine born in Ghana, was one of the most iconic figures of the Maroon resistance in the 18th century. Colour: deep gold. Nose: imagine someone cold-smoking orange zest after slathering it in honey and drizzling it with cough syrup and petrol. A stroke of genius really, this is a nose of splendid compactness and coherence, precisely balanced between fruit and fuel. With water: it leans a touch more towards the ocean. Mouth (neat): immensely powerful, on green pepper, varnish, and strawberry cream. Yes indeed, strawberry. With water: more ashes appear, even a hint of new plastic. Possibly some smoked oysters. Finish: long, still walking the tightrope between ultra-ripe fruit, brine, and diesel oil. Comments: there's a charming hesitation here, oscillating between the friendly and the feral sides of Jamaican rum. But you see what I mean.
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
Ah yes, we were also talking about Thailand... |
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Liberia & Thailand Blend (55.8%, The Whisky Jury, The Duo Chapter 3, 390 bottles)
Now what on earth is this? We know Thai rum well enough – there are some lovely examples (Chalong, Issan) and others that are more, erm, well, you know. But Liberia? Never tried a Liberian rum, I must admit, though we now learn that ‘Sangar’ exists – thank you, Google. Still, the notion that someone decided to blend aged Thai rum with white Liberian spirit does leave one rather dumbfounded. Hats off, Whisky Jury! Colour: gold. Nose: ace!, as they used to say at Loch Fyne Whiskies. What’s amusing is that we find these recurring strawberry notes, along with a wee procession of briny pickles and herbal reductions, all generously blanketed in exhaust fumes. Fortunately, only seasoned aficionados read WF, otherwise they’d think we’ve lost the plot. What’s that? You say they already do? With water: more brine and nail polish remover. Mouth (neat): it’s certainly unusual, and in some ways it brings to mind Ampov, though this is even more on pinewood smoke, scallops in Noilly (a double knockout), and – imagine that – a fino-like edge. En Rama, naturally. With water: seawater and resinous wood smoke. It gets more bitter now, perhaps just a tad too much so for me. Finish: this is where it grows more complex, with an increasingly austere bitterness in the aftertaste. This finish is a bit reminiscent of amateur jazz or rock bands who never quite know how to end a tune. We, for our part, can’t even manage to start one, you might say. Comments: there’s a mildly acrobatic and slightly WTF streak here, especially toward the end, but otherwise we’re fans. We’d love to try the Liberian on its own.
SGP:363 - 85 points. |
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Monymusk 24 yo 2000/2024 (62%, The Whisky Blues, Jamaica, barrel, cask #13908, 148 bottles)
Back in Taiwan again. We’ve tried some utterly marvellous Monymusk/Clarendons from these vintages in recent months, brimming with an unstoppable fresh fruitiness that cuts clean through the phenolic and petrolic barrage. Colour: white wine. Nose: well then, let’s say pink banana and mango steeped in a mix of motor oil, seawater, wild garlic, and crème de menthe. There you are. With water: splendid nose, fresh and philosophical, as if it had just wafted out of the House of Guerlain. Mouth (neat): sublime purity. Salted mango and peaches in camphor, or something along those lines. With water: I give up, it’s too good. Finish: oh yes. Comments: one could almost imagine a liberated blender, high on ketamine, having mixed four-fifths of very old Bushmills with one-fifth young Ardbeg. Plus a few drops of seawater.
SGP:652 - 91 points. |
Right then, let’s end by coming back to France, since we’re posting this from Whisky Live Paris. Even if all these rums didn’t come from Whisky Live Paris... |
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Le Galion 'Rhum Grand Arôme' (54%, Poh! Spirits, Martinique, ex-eau-de-vie-de-vin cask, 2025)
Now here’s a proper sugar refinery rum (rhum de sucrerie), so ‘traditional’ or ‘industrial’, which amount to the same thing, and not agricole. This is from molasses, with extremely long fermentations, a rum chiefly used to beef up blends. Worth noting, the rums from Baie du Galion do benefit from a GI, albeit not an AOC/AOP. Colour: gold. Nose: above all, this is immensely oily, nothing remotely ‘columny’, and it feels like you’ve just dunked your nose into twelve tonnes of extremely, and I mean extremely, ripe bananas. Alongside a generous dose of assorted fresh varnishes. With water: lovely now – tarmac, first rain, coal tar, new trainers, and parcels from Temu (straight in the bin). Mouth (neat): somewhere between Réunion and Jamaica, but for now it’s mostly just vast quantities of salted liquorice. With water: actually, I quite love it, even though the texture itself remains rather light, if pretty ‘schnitt’. Finish: fairly long, with a deeply marked coating around a lighter core. And again, shedloads of salted liquorice, followed by something more medicinal. Comments: truth be told, this is quite an unusual profile, though seemingly rather typical of Le Galion. We’ll dig a bit deeper into this matter later, if that’s all right with you...
SGP:632 - 87 points. |
Go on then, one last one... |
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Papalin 5 yo 'Jamaica High Esters' (57%, Velier, Jamaica, 2024)
A blend of three ‘pot still’ Jamaicans. This ought to be compact, with each of the three distilleries naturally cancelling out some of the others’ character. Or not – let’s have a look, especially as nowhere is it stated that the three distilleries are present in equal proportions. Colour: gold. Nose: dry-cured ham with dried banana and pistachio oil, plus some new plastics à la supermarket bag – alas those were banned here some years ago, so I’m relying on memory. In any case this feels more like ‘low esters’ than ‘high esters'. With water: go easy with the water or it drifts off into rainwater and silt. Not a great swimmer, then, but that doesn’t mean anything. Mouth (neat): now we’re talking – excellent, young, a little rough, sharp and dry, but with notes of rambutan in syrup. Really. With water: some floral touches. Finish: not very long, truth be told. Comments: excellent stuff, though it does feel a little as though the components have somewhat cancelled each other out indeed, yielding a rather light rum. Light for a Jamaican that’s not Appleton, of course. Wait, is there Appleton in here? Either way, this is the gentlest of the high esters we’ve tried in recent months.
SGP:441 - 84 points. |
Hold on, we’re also going to treat ourselves to a little monster as a final signature... |
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Hampden 1 yo 2023/2025 'C<->H Pedro Ximenez' (61.7%, The Colours of Rum for Catawiki, Jamaica, cask #146, 75 bottles)
A very young 1300–1400 g/hlpa thrown into PX – I doubt even Ivan the Terrible, Genghis Khan, or Vladimir Putin would have dared. Colour: deep gold. Nose: frankly, the poor PX has little to contribute, this is full-on carbon-and-bitter-chocolate, with even a few jabs of formic acid. With water: barbecuing in the rain and a brand-new scuba diving suit. Mouth (neat): of course it’s glorious, if you’re part of that 0.0001% of humanity who, like us, are into this sort of thing. An unbelievable creature, verging on the BDSM side of things, no kidding. A few shellfish well past their use-by date too. With water: like downing a bottle of ink in one go. Finish: pickle juice, ink, ashes, hellfire, damnation and despair. It’ll drive you mad. Comments: the PX is clearly just here for show, it’s had virtually no impact. I do wonder whether enjoying this, as we do greatly, isn’t a sign of serious psychological disorder.
SGP:274 - 90 points |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted
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September 27, 2025 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
Two old Talisker plus alliterative bonus
Continuing with tasting these assorted old bottles as mentioned a couple of weeks ago. Because, well, I'm sure you understand.
It's Talisker's turn this week. |
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Bottle actually tasted 
Example of label in a better shape |
Talisker 1954/1966 (70 proof, Berry Brothers & Rudd) 
This series sheltered some stunning drams, although the lower bottling strength could be an issue after many years I've found on occasion with this range. 1954 was also my parents’ vintage and on my father's side our family hails originally from Skye, so a wee toast to my dad with this one. Colour: pale gold. Nose: a gorgeous medley of soft exotic fruit notes, gentle medicines, old liqueurs of many varieties, old metal tools covered in old oils, pure beeswax, hessian bung cloth and delicate dried herbs. Exquisite but with a sense of fragility, and also the impression the peat as subdivided into many more complex, tertiary aromas over the decades. Mouth: true there is some OBE, true it is also on the soft side and true, at cask strength it would probably have been mind-meltingly good. That being said, you are still left with a poetically beautiful old distillate full of crystalised fruits, delicate traces of bone-dry peat smoke, old honey liqueurs and cask-aged mead and also wonderfully subtle waxy and medicinal complexities. Finish: medium, rooty, herbal, honeyed and with sense of dried fruits, camphor and herbal teas sweetened with honey. Comments: a fragile but nevertheless exquisite old Talisker. This with just a few extra degrees of alcohol would probably jump immediately up to 93+ point territory, an observation made endlessly about such old bottlings with old fashioned bottling strengths to go with them.
SGP: 552 - 90 points. |
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Talisker 1959 (70 proof, Gordon & MacPhail, -/+ 1970)
Colour: pale amber. Nose: much richer and more evidently sherry matured. Wonderful notes of prunes in armagnac, old Claquesin tar liqueur, gentian root, dandelion and burdock cordial and sweet liquorice. A generally sweeter, rounder and richer level of peat I would say. Also the impression of one or two notches more power, which is great. Mouth: as on the nose, the peat is more up front and more elevated in strength, but here it is much drier, closer in style the Berry's and more herbal, rooty and earthy. The sherry is also drier, more rugged and saltier. All that being said, you feel the bottling strength-induced softness more on the palate than on the nose with this one. Lots of fir wood resins, camphor, eucalyptus and medicinal balms. Finish: longer, earther, more medicinal, more peaty and saltier. Comments: superb old Talisker once again. Overall a little more power and oomph than the Berry's and perhaps a few notches peatier too. Although, the fruity / honeyed elegance of the 1954 was arguably missing here. Nevertheless...
SGP: 463 - 91 points. |
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BONUS! Because we are doing old style, we are doing islands and we are doing the letter T. (Is that a good enough excuse, Serge?) |
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Bottle actually tasted 
Example of label in a marginally better shape |
Old Tobermory Scotch Whisky (OB,
John Hopkins & Co. Ltd, -/+ 1920s)
A bottle I found at auction relatively recently and opened for our big party weekend a few weeks ago. It was sealed with a long driven cork which usually indicates a pre-1930s bottling era. It should be noted that Tobermory Distillery was still operational up until the early 1930s and that there are advertisements (from the 19th century admittedly) which state Old Tobermory as a pure malt whisky brand. There was also Old Mull at this time, which we've tasted some amazing old versions of on Whiskyfun in the past, and which was very evidently a blend. So I was always very curious about this brand and whether it might be 100% malt from the old Tobermory Distillery. Colour: amber. Nose: the first thing to say is it is extraordinarily peaty. Not just the intensity of the peat aroma, but also the character of it. It's much darker, more organic, drier, richer and more emphatically herbal than modern peat profiles. You don't have the intense ashiness, medicine or blade-like purity of modern heavily peat makes here, this is much broader, fatter and complex in the way it presents. It's also hugely liqueurish, with nods towards very old Benedictine, yellow Chartreuse and Drambuie profiles. Loads of herbs, natural tar resins, camphor, paraffin, ointments, hessian and mechanical oils. It is honestly an absolutely magnificent and profoundly old school nose. Mouth: incredible peat intensity! Pure, earthy, herbal-rich, tarry old style peat flavour. Hugely textural, fatty and almost greasy in texture. Also mineral oils, toolbox rags, beeswax and metal polish. It also becomes quite heathery too, heather honey and heather ales galore. Then a more umami and salty profile begins to emerge, with impressions of miso, salted liquorice and rugged old dry sherry. Finish: a long, deep and lasting, dry peat smoke flavour, with some magnificent impressions of very old dry sherry, pure tar, camphor and Maggi! Comments: I have no laboratory to prove anything, but to my palate this is malt whisky. What is most striking is the immense character, intensity and richness of the peat profile. A key hallmark of very old-style malt whisky that I am not sure anyone nowadays would quite know how to re-create. What a wonderful drop of history this wee pre-Ledaig Ledaig is.
SGP: 467 - 94 points. |
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September 26, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today Glenlochy
vs. Convalmore
A short session that doesn’t necessarily make much sense, except that it’s becoming increasingly difficult for us to organise full sessions featuring only whiskies from one of those distilleries closed in the 1980s that we haven’t yet tasted. Such is life… |
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Glenlochy 1979/2012 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail, Rare Old, refill sherry hogshead, Lot No R0/12/04, 460 bottles)
Here we are not far from Ben Nevis, and you might say we could have taken the opportunity to taste some Ben Nevis instead, especially since Glenlochy also once belonged to Joseph Hobbs, but there we are, we’ve already planned quite a massive new Ben Nevis session very soon on WF. In any case, in 1983 the Glenlochy distillery was definitively closed, like so many others. Colour: gold. Nose: the malt from Glenlochy makes a big impression when you taste it for the first time, and I think it’s one of those profiles that you remember afterwards, such is the balance between the candied fruits—especially citrus—and the meadow honeys, which is just perfect. Granted, many malts show similar profiles, but rarely with this kind of utterly perfect balance, based on mandarins and citrons and wildflower honey containing a little hint of fir, which brings a very light mentholated and smoky touch. Mouth: same remarks, point for point, including the wee smoky and minty touches. The oak remains fairly discreet as well, and the whole remains very fresh. Marvellous and the 46% work perfectly. Finish: not very long but still on that perfect balance. Touches of Earl Grey in the aftertaste. Comments: a bit more power would have taken it even higher. G&M released another 1979 last year, but we haven’t tasted it.
SGP:541 - 90 points. |
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Convalmore 1978/1993 (63.5%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #83.4)
Here we are in Dufftown, where the Convalmore distillery was closed two years after Glenlochy. Let’s see whether these remarkable 63.5% alc/vol are still holding strong after more than thirty years in bottle, bearing in mind that twice the age in cask under glass has often struck us as the ideal combination, as it is here—roughly 15 plus 30 years. Colour: dark gold. Nose: not so easy to compare at this stage, as this baby has stayed rather massive—almost brutal on the nose—with clear notes of dark chocolate and damp earth. Let’s add water straightaway... With water: a real revelation, it opens like a chrysalis and reveals a fruitiness not too far removed from that of Glenlochy. Still lots of citrus, but a little less honey, and it leans a bit more towards a directly floral side. And it’s glorious. Mouth (neat): a very powerful sherry, in the amontillado style, with more chocolate and slightly bitter walnuts, some nocino and candied chestnuts. But it seems excellent... With water: indeed, it is, and now the citrus really steals the show, in the form of marmalade, preserved fruits or citrus liqueurs. There’s still a little trace of dark chocolate, which pairs splendidly with the citrus in any case. Finish: long, continuing on citrus and a splendid nectar-like quality. Comments: a bottle that supports our theory of bottle-ageing, so often verified with the top malts. Obviously, with The Claymore, it doesn’t work.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
Hang on, we’re going to make the most of an open bottle—one we’ve already tasted—to round things off. Just to check one or two things… |
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Convalmore 28 yo 1977/2005 (57.9%, OB, 3,900 bottles)
We’d written a tasting note for this baby right when it came out, back in 2005 (WF 89). So, let’s quickly see whether twenty years in bottle have done it any favours. Colour: gold. Nose: less cask impact, more waxiness, a bit like those not-very-waxy-yet-still-waxy vintages of Clynelish. There’s still citrus too, especially oranges. We’re almost veering closer to Glenlochy territory, fancy that. With water: I rather get the impression the years in bottle have mellowed and rounded it out a bit—for the better. Lovely notes of tiny herbs, borage and orange blossom, though all in moderation. Mouth (neat): hasn’t lost an ounce of power, still very lively, very natural and above all, full of pink grapefruit, chartreuse and verbena—all things I happen to like very much. With water: just a few drops do the trick, in fact it doesn’t change much on the palate and too much water will dry it out. I know, that’s rich. Finish: long, a little more herbal, bordering on austere. Some peach skin and apricot too. Comments: I rather think it’s gained a point over twenty years. Well then, let’s just say I’ve decided it’s gained a point in twenty years, for what it’s worth.
SGP:551 - 90 points. |
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September 25, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today Aberfeldy |
Dewar's Aberfeldy! A lovely spot, very touristy, of course, but even the seasoned enthusiast will find something to enjoy. In any case, today we’ll be sampling some indie Aberfeldies, and the good news is that they’re natural malts, not the dolled-up versions boosted with sangiovese or tempranillo. In short, it’ll be a refreshing change...
(Dewar's) |
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Aberfeldy 12 yo 2013/2025 (52.5%, James Eadie, Distilleries of Great Britain & Ireland, bourbon cask, 644 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: barley, malt, hay, stewed apples, yellow flowers, lemon tart (with meringue!) and butter croissants. With water: a few touches of vegetable oils, sunflower, a little rapeseed, then a few drops of olive oil. Mouth: more on citrus fruits, assorted apples, herbal infusions, riesling or perhaps sauvignon blanc... With water: fruitier still, more on fruit jellies, lemon drops, jelly babies and Haribo beans, that sort of thing. Finish: not exactly endless, to be fair, but the fruity freshness is spot on. More lemon drops. Comments: it’s the sheer obviousness of it all that strikes you. A malt whisky crafted by nature, entirely unadulterated, thoroughly self-evident and almost disarmingly so.
SGP:641 - 86 points. |
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Aberfeldy 10 yo 2014/2025 (55.5%, Milroy's Soho Selection, dechar-rechar hogshead)
This type of rejuvenated hogshead generally enhances the fruitiness of whiskies, so let’s see whether that holds true here. In any case, it’s a joy to see Milroy’s in full swing again, especially in terms of quality—Wallace must be pleased up there. Colour: light gold. Nose: well then, it’s essentially the same whisky as the one just above, give or take, just a touch tauter and more focused on citrus, though we’re already splitting hairs. With water: am I dreaming or are there the faintest touches of petrol and even a hint of chlorine, swimming pool style? Or am I imagining it? Mouth: it’s as good as proper bread, quite literally. In fact, there’s not much to analyse, it’s simply excellent, fresh, fruity, spirited, joyful and positively vibrating (really?). With water: same again. Finish: likewise, with lovely length and perfect fruitiness. Comments: a draw. Leave the sangiovese in Tuscany and the tempranillo in Rioja.
SGP:641 - 86 points. |
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September 24, 2025 |
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To be honest, we hardly see any official Auchentoshan releases on our own little radar these days. It used to be a great brand—distinctive, likeable—and back in the 1990s, it even seemed to be massively successful. |
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Apart from Springbank with their Hazelburn, Auchentoshan is the only distillery in Scotland to do triple distillation, aside from a few intermediate regimes or experimental cases elsewhere. (Auchentoshan) |
But now, only the indie bottlers seem to have taken up the torch, at least among the top decile (that’s supposed to be you and me). So, let’s wipe away our tears and enjoy a few independent releases, keeping hope alive.... |
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Auchentoshan 1998/2024 (43.4%, Malts of Scotland, Rare Casks, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 24011, 166 bottles)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: heaps of stewed fruits and gallons of sweet wine, pineau, ratafia and all that sort of thing. Then come old kirsch and marzipan, Mozart kugeln, and finally plum eau-de-vie. There’s wood too—balsa, cedar, sandalwood—but it’s all rather discreet. Mouth: a lovely balance between finely integrated yet very present oakiness, and those stewed fruits just mentioned above, all rounded off with cappuccino, macchiato, and above all a very fine pu-ehr tea, which is quite the rarity in a Lowlander. Except perhaps at St Magdalene… Finish: good length, increasingly on teas and herbal infusions, especially rosehip. Comments: a very interesting and entertaining dialogue between cask and distillate, most successful though just ever so slightly... fragile, still.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Auchentoshan 2000/2022 (52.9%, Malts of Scotland, Rare Casks, bourbon barrel, cask #MoS 22040, 183 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: much simpler, much purer, but we are simple folk and our soul is pure, so we rather prefer it this way. Blackcurrant juice, cranberry and pomegranate, all rounded off with acacia honey. Tempted? With water: fresh sugarcane juice and even a hint of pineapple. Mouth (neat): pure Auchentoshan from the house of Auchentoshan & Sons. Wonderfully fruity, with majestic blackcurrant in the lead and mirabelle plums in tow. With water: even fresher, this time with prickly pear and a wee hint of pink grapefruit. Finish: not very long, but pristine and fruity. Comments: a style that’s vanishing—give it twenty years and we’ll mourn its passing.
SGP:641 - 88 points. |
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Auchentoshan 26 yo 1997/2024 (47.3%, The Whisky Blues, refill barrel, cask #101749, 135 bottles)
Colour: chardonnay. Nose: a sharper version, more citrus-led, on sauvignon blanc, sorrel, and also sourdough, bitter almonds, even button mushrooms. Picture a carpaccio of Paris mushrooms drizzled with lemon and olive oil. Magical, despite the faintest whiff of coconut that emerges after a few seconds. Mouth: close to the previous one, the fruitiness is perfect—refined, fresh, outrageously elegant, enriched with fresh hazelnuts and macadamias, then just a hint of lemon balm. All very ‘Auchentoshan’. Finish: not very long, but the fruit is of great finesse. A little melon appears. Comments: we ought to start a petition against the disappearance of this style. The official releases turbo-charged with wood would make a brick weep.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Auchentoshan 2007/2024 (54.1%, Maltbarn, sherry cask, 172 bottles) Sherry! It’s true that there once were some older official ‘sherried’ versions that were downright superb—but those were distilled back in the 1960s. That was a while ago. Colour: gold. Nose: pâtisseries, scones, almond croissants, raisin rolls, streusels, rhubarb tart. There you have it. With water: no major changes, quite the opposite—it folds in a little, back towards the wood. But gently so. Mouth (neat): grated orange zest, grated lemon zest, cédrat liqueur and limoncello spritz with honey. There. With water: no, best not, perhaps a single drop. It starts to come apart a little. Finish: now we’re back, fruity, fresh, with a little more liquorice. As with honey and citrus, liquorice rescues many a whisky from the sink. But that’s not the case here, this is a very fine young Auchentoshan, so long as you don’t add water. Comments: this sensitivity to dilution is quite striking, but all the same it’s a superb Lowlander. The sherry is merely incidental.
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Auchentoshan 1999/2024 (52.1%, The Whisky Agency, barrel, 149 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: rose petals, Turkish delight, coconut balls, quince, this is all so unmistakably ‘Auchentoshan’! With water: pure multivitamin fruit juice. Especially white peach and mango. Mouth (neat): magnificent. There’s an old-school leaning here, reminiscent of pure pot still Irish. Honestly, had you said Redbreast, I’d have said bravo, one point to you and a free beer at a festival. Or a family-sized daiquiri. With water: now we’re veering towards Alsatian late-harvest riesling. Sadly, those are almost extinct. Finish: continues in the same vein but beware, water should be used with extreme moderation here as well. Comments: one does wonder why the overwhelming majority of independent Auchentoshan bottlings come from Germany. Any idea? Just a matter of distribution channels? At any rate, this one is utterly excellent, but then again, we expected nothing less.
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
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September 23, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos, today grandiose old indie Cragganmore
Two mid-aged, old-style distillations, fancy that? There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of new releases from Cragganmore these days, it seems, so let’s make the most of these independent bottlings to keep the flag flying high on WF for this somewhat misunderstood distillery, while we wait for any potential official novelties.
(One of Cragganmore's flat-top spirit stills, a bit reminiscent of Dalmore's - or is it the other way round). How about we talked a bit more about stills and a little less about woods and wines, generally speaking? Just like in the good old days? |
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Cragganmore 20 yo 1985/2006 (53.5%, Weiser, bourbon cask)
Here’s a version for Germany from quite a few years back. Weiser is a well-known merchant from across the Rhine (from here, that is, naturally). Colour: white wine. Nose: pure class in its natural state, tons of mandarins and, brace yourselves Dutch friends, kumquats too, but all resting on a rich, oily base, very textured even on the nose. It’s absolutely lovely, especially the near-total lack of overt cask influence, a style that’s all but vanished today, sadly. They simply don’t let time take its time anymore. With water: not a jot of change, save perhaps for a touch of freshly cut hay. Mouth (neat): truly excellent, still oily, still packed with citrus fruits, to the point one might mistake it for an old Rosebank, though those were perhaps a touch lighter. With water: even more lemony, chalkier too, and shifting towards pink grapefruit, all carried by a beautifully sharp edge. Finish: very long, no major changes except a return of that fatty character, almost waxy, but not quite. Comments: you know what? Certain facets, not all but some, remind me of early 1980s Clynelish. Especially the oiliness and those mandarins. It brings to mind the McEwan method, as once described in the French press when he was still at Bowmore: fill the casks and wait a long time, all while praying daily. Of course, that’s theory versus practice… I’d also say that the rarity of this glorious style today only increases its appeal. So then...
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
Let’s rewind about twenty years... You might find it a bit odd to sample an old G&M CC after a cask strength, but take a closer look, it was actually a cask strength CC as well, much like today’s CCs, just forty years earlier... |
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Cragganmore 18 yo 1966 (52.2%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, old brown label, +/-1984)
A rare version, its same key characteristics, including the ABV, also appeared on another bottling under the famous ‘Cask Strength’ label. Worth noting, there was a 1966/2006 edition under G&M’s ‘Secret Stills’ label that was outrageously superlative (WF 93). Colour: gold. Nose: a touch of fine OBE at work here, in the form of metal polish and paraffin, followed by a splash of light Asian-style broth—coriander, soy sauce, coconut and so on—with, once again, wee candied mandarins over the top. It’s all immensely delicate yet the structure is remarkably solid, if not outright robust. With water: magnificent, but don’t tell G&M or they’ll think we’ve been banging on for years about them cranking up the watts, when in fact we now prefer this very version reduced. By ourselves. I love the touches of chervil and sage interwoven with citrus, and especially that whiff of bergamot. Mouth (neat): much more extroverted, back comes that Thai broth character but this time far spicier and more honeyed, while practically every citrus fruit on our little planet gathers mid-palate. Except kumquats. Just kidding—even kumquats. With water: same again, just a tad softer, leaning more towards citrus jams and honey. Finish: long, with soft peppers working wonders alongside the citrus. Comments: it’s worth knowing that within Diageo and its predecessor companies, Cragganmore has always been held in very high regard, yet oddly, that never quite translated into widespread acclaim among the thirsty and demanding masses. A real injustice!
SGP:651 - 92 points. |
I haven’t checked exactly when Cragganmore switched from direct firing to steam heating, but the short stills, doubled from 2 to 4 in 1964, are probably the reason behind the distillate’s superb oily character, especially those famous ‘flat-top’ spirit stills. |
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September 22, 2025 |
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A mini verticale of Strathmill
The disappearance of the big names among the indies—at least under their original labels—has, in recent years, allowed a number of previously overlooked distilleries, often unfairly so, to gradually step into the spotlight. Strathmill is one of them, and I’d wager that before long, people will be talking about Strathmill at dinner parties. Care to bet on it? |
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Strathmill 13 yo 2011/2025 (55.6%, James Eadie, WhiskyBrother exclusive, Cask Finish, cask #373081, 249 bottles)
Finished in Malaga for 20 months. I couldn’t say whether it was dry or sweet Malaga, so let’s see… By the way, PX ‘seco’ from Malaga is dirt cheap and can be superb, better value for money than a Citroën 2CV back in the day. Colour: gold. Nose: it’s getting annoying how successful they are, 99% of their finishes work. Each time I brace myself, and each time I’m caught off guard by the freshness and clarity of the aromas. Here: crisp green apple and honeysuckle that would make a top Pinot Noir Champagne blush, so to speak. And probably the best of dry PX from Malaga. With water: it doesn’t change. Which is not very annoying. Mouth (neat): three parts lemon, one part green apple, and one part chalk and wax. Yes, that’s more than 100%, but it’s genuinely excellent. With water: no real change, except a faint undercurrent of vin jaune-style savagnin. Which, sadly, we adore. Finish: fairly long, refreshing, driven by citrus. Comments: honestly, with stuff like this, if they gave the name of the wine, it would be brilliant advertising for the (poor) winemakers. If they even know it, that is. The whole thing is decidedly irritating…
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
Let’s move on to some older Strathmills... |
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Strathmill 28 yo 1996/2025 (55.3%, Halcyon Spirits, oloroso sherry, cask #2053, 132 bottles)
It’s certainly less common to come across old malts like this one that have been finished. At least openly—of course, plenty of official brands do it without ever saying so. Colour: full gold. Nose: if it’s good, it’s good, as Monsieur de La Palice might have said. The finishing side shows in a few pencil shavings, but they blend in fairly quickly with the rest, which is gloriously Jerezian, one could easily imagine standing in a real bodega. And I do mean a proper Jerez bodega, not one north of Hadrian’s Wall, if you follow me. Bitter oranges, jamon iberico, old walnuts, camphor, saltpetre, tobacco, sea breeze… We’re practically on the banks of the Guadalquivir. With water: in comes new leather, a packet of Spanish cigarettes (obviously), and some manzanilla—manzanilla the tea, mind you, so chamomile and not the wine from Sanlúcar. Mouth (neat): same setup on the palate, some cedar and fir wood right at the start, then it unfurls into bitter oranges, pepper and walnuts. With water: now we’re talking, everything comes together beautifully, the saline, citric, taut sides... We adore all this. Finish: still a little cedar, but the rest plays out as expected. Very lovely. A slightly more tannic aftertaste, on green tannins... Comments: very good.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
Let’s join the S.A.S.! Not the Special Air Service—it’s the Strathmill Appreciation Society. All that’s left is to set it up, I suppose. |
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Strathmill 32 yo 1992/2024 (48.8%, Maltbarn, The 26, sherry)
Hey, whatever happened to the creative labels? Is this a nod to Mongiardino or Moon Import? The godfathers of that delightful ‘whatever works’ aesthetic we started seeing on our bottles thirty years ago, with cars, fish, birds, spanners, kings, queens, insects, flying saucers, American presidents, monkeys, parrots… Colour: light gold. Nose: the age shows more clearly here, we’re deep into old beehive territory, with nectar and pollen, aged fir wood, beeswax, honey, farmhouse cider, then soft nougat and even a touch of white chocolate… not forgetting dandelion and mulleins in bloom. Mouth: firmer and more compact, with the citrus and white and grey pepper returning. There’s a slight fragility from the age, but let’s admit—it’s charming. One could liken it to ageing actresses, but let’s not. Finish: not very long, still a bit fragile, though the honeyed character saves the day. Bees—the gods’ foot soldiers—will save the world, did you know? Comments: full of charm.
SGP:541 - 86 points. |
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September 21, 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! |
It’s a cognac kind of Sunday, taking us from 1993 back to 1946
We’ll start this little session with one or two old bottles as an apéritif, dating from a time when neither single cask releases nor bottling strengths above 40% ABV were the norm. That’s why, generally speaking — apart from very old vintages like those from the 19th century or the very early 20th — older bottles tend to be of limited interest when compared to some of the small or very small batch offerings produced by today’s artisanal Cognac houses. Progress isn’t always a bad thing… |
Mid-1970s French advert for Camus Natoléon. 'Si l'on vous offre un Camus Napoléon, sachez qu'on vous honore.' (To be offered a Camus Napoléon is a mark of honour.) |
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Prince H. de Polignac ‘*** Prince Hubert’ (40%, OB, driven cork, +/-1960)
A rather recent marque, having been founded in 1947 by Prince Hubert de Polignac, a diplomat. These days they act as négociants and assemblers, working with over a hundred vine growers and some eighty distillers. So, what we have here is a cognac from the early days of the house. Colour: gold. Nose: immediately rather metallic, which isn’t unpleasant in the slightest, though it may point towards a problematic bottle, we shall see. See Angus’s article dated 13 September 2025 concerning OBE and glass or light taint… Beyond this metallic aspect, we find a simple yet utterly charming duet of stewed peaches and raisins. Mouth: it’s light but it’s good, thankfully free from metallic notes, rather a gentle touch of liquorice coating the aforementioned stewed peaches and sultanas. A shame it feels slightly tired on the alcohol front, one gets the impression it’s drifted down towards 35% vol. Worth noting the level was at high shoulder. Finish: short but pleasant. A lovely little trio of chartreuse, liquorice and pastis in the aftertaste. Comments: another bottle might well have been superior, who knows after more than sixty years in glass.
SGP:320 - 78 points. |
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Camus ‘Napoléon’ (40%, OB, La Grande Marque, +/-1975)
The designation ‘Napoléon’ is supposed to indicate older cognacs, though in this case the age seems to have been just six years or thereabouts, which did indeed match the legal requirements back then. Bottlings from the 1970s also tend to be regarded as a solid step down from those of the 1960s. Nowadays, Napoléons are usually younger than XOs and tend to be fresher and fruitier. Colour: amber. Nose: this is very toasted while remaining rather vinous, with walnut and pecan cakes, peach and melon skins, and a faintly grapey note. Mouth: quite rich, possibly with a fair bit of caramel, a light liqueur-like sweetness, always some baked peach and apricot, and a clearly postprandial profile that would have been familiar to every household at the time this little one was launched. It's really not unpleasant. Finish: not exactly short, with the toasted and caramelised sides lingering nicely. A little quince jelly and some orange marmalade. Comments: really not expensive at auction, and there’s plenty of it about. I find it very decent.
SGP:530 - 79 points. |
Let’s turn to the independent malternatives… |
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Navarre 1993/2025 (48.4%, OB for Authentic Spirits, Grande Champagne)
The domaine Navarre isn’t located in Navarre (that wouldn’t be cognac, would it) but rather in Gondeville, Charente, just next to Jarnac. Colour: deep gold. Nose: very lively, fresh, fruity, and tremendously aromatic, unusually forward with citrus, and those liqueurs and cordials some people insist on making. Orange, citron, mandarin... A touch of fruity varnish, which only serves to bolster the very zesty character. Mouth: the oak gives a tiny little nip at first but it’s not the slightest bother, especially as an avalanche of plum, damson, mirabelle and apple tartlets follows swiftly, escorted by lemon and liquorice. Very good. After a few seconds, a pleasant rush of pepper, pipe tobacco and a teeny black olive shows up – always a jolly good sign. Finish: on liquorice and pipe tobacco, growing drier and even slightly salty. Comments: a rather captivating cognac to follow as it shifts about a lot, but do take care not to get lost in it.
SGP:661 - 90 points. |
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Prunier 1991/2025 (59.8%, Art Malts, Vintage Reserve, Petite Champagne)
Colour: full gold. Nose: this is much drier, earthier, more brutal even, though I’m always a touch wary of cognacs or armagnacs bottled at such high strengths – wine brandies tend to behave rather differently from malts, and under these conditions, can become much more closed. The only solution… With water: well, it remains a touch austere but also becomes rather elegant. Liquorice wood, acacia blossom, sandalwood, and perhaps a few tiny seaweed strands… Mouth (neat): knocks you out straight away, with a blast of eau de cologne loaded with lemon and vetiver, leaving you little choice but to… With water: there, we’ve cracked it open – it veers towards honey, mirabelle and apricot preserves, but also milk chocolate. Yuzu follows. Finish: long, slightly saline too, with liquorice and menthol, which is great fun. Comments: to dilute or not to dilute before bottling, the eternal dilemma. In short, this one demands some work but it’s well worth the effort.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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La Chaleur ‘Lot 79’ (54%, Malternative Belgium and Art Malts, Grande Champagne, 2022)
An old cognac from a bouilleur de cru in Angeac-Champagne. Colour: golden amber. Nose: very compact, very expressive, utterly splendid, and absolutely up my alley. Cross my heart, it really brings old-school Macallan to mind. Brioche, orange blossom, a touch of earth, light tobacco, leather, and a wee bit of menthol… In short, we’re smitten, even if it may not boast unfathomable complexity. With water: no evolution, forget the water. Mouth (neat): yo-ho-ho, rose petals, gewürztraminer, Turkish delights, tinned lychees… I’d say this would pair brilliantly with dim sum. With water: still rather extroverted, though remains compact in the end, perhaps a tad more rustic while staying composed, yet certainly handsome. Finish: rather long, on orange and a slightly earthy edge. Comments: in short, a cognac that tells you everything straight away, then wanders off into a bit of a ramble. Rather reminds us all of someone, doesn’t it. Still magnificent, of course. Oh, and like the cats at WF HQ, it’s not terribly fond of water.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Laurichesse ‘Lot 75 - Le Lion Sage’ (50.4%, Malternative Belgium, Grande Champagne, 396 bottles)
Here we are in Segonzac, with a small but very well-regarded house. All this takes place in what’s really no more than a postage stamp of a region. And 1975, of course, is Physical Graffiti. Colour: full gold. Nose: yellow fruit jams and all sorts of honey, with soft spices carried by cinnamon. There we are… With water: out come very ripe mango and vineyard peaches. One bows. Mouth (neat): it’s embarrassing how good this is – so clear, so easy, fruity, spicy, rich, yet fresh, and fresh, yet rich. Shall I tell you a wee joke? Ever heard this definition? “Cognac is sunshine in a bottle, meant to be drunk in the shade.” Yes, yes, I know… With water: truly embarrassing. Finish: not massive, but dazzlingly fruity, with mangoes, peaches, apricots, blood oranges, and honey… The signature is a touch more rustic, fairly grapey in fact, but that only adds another dimension. Comments: simply and unquestionably perfect. Make no mistake, simplicity is a major strength. But take care, it slips down far too easily, and as people sometimes say, they really ought to print a warning on the label.
SGP:651 - 92 points. |
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François Voyer ‘Lot 46’ (48.3%, OB, Grande Champagne, 2025)
At the time of tasting this baby, I believe we’ve yet to see a photo of the label or the bottle, but that won’t stop us, will it. So instead, here’s a portrait of the extraordinary Stan Kenton who, in 1946, released his marvellous album Artistry in Rhythm. Narrow escape really, since 1946 was also the year Agent Orange was born... Colour: deep gold. Nose: of course, this baby spent its final years in demijohn, which no doubt helped preserve that sublime citrussy and floral freshness – it’s quite the stunner. Aromatic lacework, led by mandarin but branching out in fractal form into orange blossom and perhaps twenty different types of honey. Almost like a grand perfumer’s cognac, delicate and finely chiselled. Mouth: striking power, almost miraculous, with sweet wine notes, manseng, small muscat, sémillon... Then vanilla and liquorice, along with tiny brushstrokes of coffee and tobacco, nearly dotted in like pointillism. And let’s not forget those yellow peaches... Finish: fairly long, slightly jammier and more honeyed, yet always utterly elegant. Comments: inhabits the same Himalayan territory as that Laurichesse 1975.
SGP:651 - 92 points. |
One last one, and let’s stay in 1946 then… |
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Le Temps Retrouvé ‘Lot 46’ (49.5%, Passion for Whisky, Fins Bois, 252 bottles, 2025)
Ugni blanc and colombard from a bouilleur de cru. Let us recall that a bouilleur de cru is an individual in France permitted to distil their own fruit harvest, usually tax-free, grapes included, as was the case here. They’re often confused with travelling distillers, by the way. And of course, Le Temps Retrouvé is the final volume of A la Recherche du Temps Perdu (In Search of Lost Time) by Marcel Proust. Colour: full gold. Nose: frankly, this is extremely close to the François Voyer, just a little less exuberant, and therefore a touch more austere, and thus slightly more elegant, but the molecules are very much the same, both in their individual quality and overall structure. Quite. Mouth: I wouldn’t want to give the impression I’m neglecting this baby – really, we’re closer to the Voyer than Jagger to Richards. Perhaps just a tad more earthy and rooty? Finish: the finish is a little more ‘different’, with a touch more resin, more dryness, as if the demijohn stage had been a bit shorter here and the wood ageing slightly longer. But perhaps that’s just the imagination wandering... Comments: 1946 also saw the invention of the first electronic digital computer, a device that would slowly lead humanity to barbarism and ultimately its downfall, according to what’s being muttered here and there lately. Hmm, not so sure about that... But let’s not descend into pub-level philosophising, what splendid cognacs these are.
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
Wait, we have a last-minute entry... |
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Famille Cabanne ‘Lot 79’ (62.5%, OB, Bons bois, 256 bottles, 2025)
Take note, it seems this 1979 baby spent its entire life in cask, most likely an ultra-refill one, in a hot and dry environment, judging by the astonishing bottling strength. And Bons Bois can be refreshingly unvarnished, so let’s not dally... Colour: golden amber. Nose: sacrebleu! My British friends love saying sacrebleu when trying to sound French and a bit cheeky, but psst – no one actually says sacrebleu in France. The last one who did was Captain Haddock, a... fictional character. Anyway, this Bons Bois is for now simple, direct, all on honey, stewed peaches, cinnamon and candied orange, almost nothing else. But don’t be misled, here we adore this kind of precise, flawless simplicity. With water: incredible in its simplicity, compactness, and what can only be described as seduction. Just toss in a small crate of fully ripe apricots. Mouth (neat): exactly the same glorious sense of simplicity, only now with quite a bit of liquorice joining in. So, honey, stewed peaches, ripe apricots, cinnamon, candied orange and liquorice. With water: takes water like Léon Marchand slicing through the pool but doesn’t develop any further. Nor does it ‘fall apart’. Finish: not especially long, always simple, almost easy – and utterly lovely. A touch more cinnamon and pepper in the aftertaste, and that’s it. Comments: amigos, this compact Bons Bois is an absolute belter and could seriously challenge a fair number of old malts. Who said all of them, who? Come forward!
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
Wait, we also have a last second entry... |
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Le Cognac de Charles 'L.98' (52.7%, Jean-Luc Pasquet, Petite champagne, 648 bottles, 2025)
Here comes a fully organic Petite Champagne, which remains a rare thing indeed in vintages over twenty-five years old. Colour: golden amber. Nose: this is very different from the older Cognacs we’ve just been tasting, being both more floral and more herbaceous, with a livelier tension and perhaps even more of that... terroir. Admittedly it’s no greenhorn, but in contrast with the older ones, one could easily imagine having this Cognac de Charles as an apéritif and even, picture it now, as a fine à l’eau, in the manner of our good friends Hideo and Jon who sip their Port Ellen in highball form. Yes, really. In any case, on the nose, I like it a great deal, it’s very cheerful, frisky, lifted and aromatic in just the right measure. Of course, peaches remain at the heart of the show. With water: it tightens up just a little, with the emergence of a touch of menthol. No problemo. Mouth (neat): excellent! Adorably firm yet clearly fruity, compact, on peaches and apricots stewed in honey, with a touch of liquorice and a hint of pepper. The liquorice ensures that never, absolutely never, do we veer into anything remotely schmaltzy. With water: bingo on the palate, it’s a real liquid sweet, and one might even detect faint impressions of spirits from other lands, such as a little rum and a little mezcal. It recalls those Mexican mezcal lollies with a fat worm tucked inside. Rest assured, nothing of the sort in this magnificent Cognac. Finish: rather long, rather nervy, which almost makes it refreshing. That slightly herbaceous note from the nose returns here and, together with a bold liquorice, ensures everything stays perfectly in balance. Comments: incredible how this youngster stood up to a 1979, a 1975 and even two 1946s. That said, 1998 was also the year of Fantaisie Militaire by Alain Bashung. Incredible album, if you don’t already know it.
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
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September 20, 2025 |
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13 Ballechin to celebrate 200 years of Edradour
(and my own birthday) |
Serge is standing in for Angus this Saturday, just this once. We hope you’ll forgive us. |
We love Edradour, it’s truly one distillery that proved, not just on the paper but through nose and palate, that not everything is going downhill in the world of single malt Scotch. We still remember the 10-year-old bottling from the previous owner, Campbell Distillers, which was, let’s say, a trifle soapy and rather a little feinty in the late 1990s. Yet, and this is not widely known, Edradour’s malt had actually been the most expensive among blenders back in the 1960s.The distillery was taken over by Andrew Symington of Signatory Vintage in 2002, and as the new distillates — post-2002 — began to make their mark, the quality shot up dramatically. In our humble rankings, it moved consistently from the 60–69 point bracket to the 85–89 point range, if not higher. Incredible! Well, perhaps not that surprising. |
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That said, there’s one variant that has always stood out, not least because it wasn’t produced under the previous owners, and that’s the peated version, Edradour's Longrow, named Ballechin, in tribute to a very old distillery from the region that closed in 1929. Even when matured in casks that might seem improbable, including some wine casks, in my book Ballechin always holds its own. |
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We’re going to put that to the test once again today, with versions bottled quite recently or over the past few years.
Just a heads-up: Ballechin typically comes in at 50ppm peat!
I nearly forgot, Edradour is celebrating its 200th anniversary today, and as for me, I’m turning 35 on this very day too. Okay, add another 30 to that. So really, these little Ballechins are my own birthday present to myself.
There will certainly be quite a few versions matured in wine casks, but it's true that this technique is perfectly mastered at Edradour – at least, that’s what we found at tastings. And while they may be rather 'creative', they are at the very least true connoisseurs of wine. Let’s dive in, randomly, as we like to do. We’ll kick things off with an indie bottling… |
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Ballechin 18 yo 2003/2022 (48.5%, Whisky Sponge, refill sherry butt, No47, 353 bottles)
A cask sourced from… Signatory Vintage! So, this is a semi-official, or semi-independent, depending on how you look at it. Colour: amber. Nose: this smells like greedy peat, a concept we’ve just now invented for my birthday. As if someone had walked some cakes through a fireplace. There’s also strong cough syrup laced with honey and an ashtray brimming with fat cigar butts. Feels a bit capitalist, but all in all, I’m very much into it. Mouth: it’s fairly massive and, more importantly, very different from all the other celebrated peaters, except perhaps for a few stray Ledaigs. Balsamic touches, mixed peppers, soot, smoke, ashes, and then more and more of those… meat-stuffed cabbage rolls, even Brussels sprouts. So yes, there’s a rather farmy side to this one, which we like a lot, although it’s quite different from the farmy notes of Brora, for example. Finish: long but balanced, almost elegant. Leather and pepper, some bitter oranges, and salted liquorice as the final flourish. Comments: this is fairly spectacular. It was clever to reduce it to 48.5%, it’s made it almost civilised. ‘Almost’, we said.
SGP:567 - 88 points. |
Right, after that introductory malt, let’s try to pick up the pace, with another 18/2003… |
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Ballechin 18 yo 2003/2021 (51.3%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, refill hogshead, cask #165, 285 bottles)
Colour: chardonnay. Nose: fine and precise, on chalk and other white soils, flint, and just a hint of ham fat. That too could very well be a Ballechin marker. With water: toasted sesame oil! Love that. Mouth (neat): not much sherry, rather a chiselled profile, on old aluminium army pans and green apple, gradually rounding out with smoked honey and even a touch of vanilla. Considerably simpler, but at least as charming as the previous one. With water: turns more mentholated. Some green Chartreuse. Finish: long and saline, though narrow, which works in its favour here. Comments: a slightly gentler version, despite the higher wattage. Excellent overall.
SGP: 556 - 88 points. |
Just a reminder, 2003 was Ballechin’s first vintage. A fine debut! Let’s carry on with 2004… |
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Ballechin 18 yo 2004/2022 (49.7%, OB, Port Cask Matured, cask #202, 257 bottles)
Port and peat—that, in my modest experience, is often where things start to go wobbly. Colour: amber. Nose: let’s just say it screeches a little, but it’s fine, we’re not entirely in that dreaded mix of blackcurrant and raspberry jelly with cigarette ash, especially since the age here seems to have softened and rounded things out rather nicely. All those clashing aromas have started to merge, which is not usually the case with the countless ‘finished’ versions out there. I mean generally, across Scotland. Mouth: actually rather good, the red and black berries are very much present, but more in the form of slowly stewed preserves bubbling away in a copper cauldron (really?). Let’s say a little berry tart served with a cup of very tarry lapsang souchong. Finish: arrival of a few citrus fruits, especially blood oranges. Comments: not quite my thing stylistically, but probably one of the best peated + Port combos I’ve tried over the past twenty-five years. Now back then, stuff like this didn’t quite exist, ha.
SGP:756 - 85 points. |
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Ballechin 16 yo 2005/2022 (57%, Whisky Sponge, exclusive for Edradourian Knights, 2nd fill Sauternes barrique, cask #337, 238 bottles)
Once again, a semi-official—or perhaps the other way round. Sauternes can work with peat, especially in second fill. It can also be a complete disaster. Colour: amber. Nose: the miracles of second fill, here a delicate finesse of peach aromas, fresh pineapple and quince, all blended into a fully integrated smokiness and a touch of soft garden mint. With water: a few petals of dried rose, let’s say three of them—the rest stays very much in line. Hints of wormwood. Mouth (neat): who’s been running apricots through the smoker again? Joking aside, this really feels like the invention of a new aroma, more like a fruitier cough syrup than a simple layering exercise. With water: a slight two-step effect, hints of lychee and rose in lapsang souchong. We’re moving more clearly into oriental territory. Finish: long, with the return of the key players—the apricots. Smoked, of course. Comments: a faint touch of rose cake in the background, but this is very good indeed.
SGP:656 - 87 points. |
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Ballechin 14 yo 2007/2021 (56%, OB for Les Amis du Cask, 40 months Vouvray matured, cask #801, 298 bottles)
First time I’ve heard of Les Amis du Cask, but I’ve no doubt they’re lovely people. Something quite interesting here: the juxtaposition of ‘matured’ and ‘40 months’ clearly shows that once you go beyond 3 years—so, 36 months—you’re allowed to call it a maturation rather than a finishing. So, when a label says, ‘matured in sherry cask’, for instance, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s been ‘fully matured’. Many Speyside distilleries play that game, for example. Here, it’s crystal clear! But then again, they make dry wines as well as sweet, even fortified, and even sparkling wines in Vouvray, so which is it? Colour: white wine. Nose: it’s less fused than the Sponge Sauternes, livelier, almost herbal, with notes of liquorice wood and a hint of coconut. Quite intriguing. With water: damp earth, chalk, fresh cement—love that. Mouth (neat): sweeter at first, more ‘chenin blanc’, peatier too, with a touch of rather tense aggression coming through after a few seconds, all on grapefruit. With water: the grapefruit remains, and salinity starts to build. Finish: citrus peels, amaro, ginger tonic, Noilly. All in all, something of a ready-made Scottish martini. Comments: very nice indeed.
SGP:566 - 86 points. |
By the way, sometimes we don’t mention the peat when it’s obvious. Just check the SGP index at the end — when the P is high, it means it’s very peated! |
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Ballechin 14 yo 2008/2022 (61%, OB, Grand Arôme Cask Matured, cask #226, 480 bottles)
A rather burly little bird with a fine moustache told me this was an ex-Savanna cask—which is good news, of course. We've often dreamt of peated malt + high-ester rum blends, and here comes just such a configuration. Colour: white wine. Nose: very disappointing, precisely because we were expecting it. I know, that makes no sense, but there are zero surprises here, the combo just works perfectly. It’s both brutal and refined, very smoky and heavy on varnishes, all brought together with glorious bitter almonds and olives. With water: same but now with mosses, ferns and pine needles. Mouth (neat): perfect. Sublime tension, freshness, majestic peppers… and those acetone-and-ash-laced olives! With water: it slaps you twice and you ask for more. It’s the worst. Finish: long, taut as a fishing line that's just hooked some salmon, not far from Pitlochry. Well then… A drop of limoncello in the aftertaste. Comments: yes, this is a totally implausible trans-genre premix on paper. But my, is it good.
SGP:566 - 89 points. |
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Ballechin 16 yo 2005/2022 (54.4% Dramcatcher, 2nd fill sherry hogshead, cask #342, 255 bottles)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: a little medicinal at first, like a glass of, say, Berocca, then moving more towards sticking plasters, with marzipan and damp hay as well. It’s interesting and different. With water: fir resin and, above all, very dark, moist potting soil. And mushrooms, naturally. Mouth (neat): more precise, peatier, more on bitter oranges, gentian, pepper, lemon zest, clove… With water: orange cake, smoked, peppered, salted. Or something of that ilk. Finish: fairly long, on savoury Bahlsen-style snack biscuits. Comments: does the job perfectly, though perhaps without the flourish of some of the earlier ones. Excellent, nonetheless.
SGP:555 - 85 points. |
Right then, a brand new one… |
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Ballechin 12 yo 2012/2025 (57.2%, Signatory Vintage, Cask Strength Collection for LMDW Itinéraires, 1st fill oloroso butt, cask #421, 564 bottles)
This one’s just out, being released for Whisky Live Paris at the end of the week. Colour: amber. Nose: 1st fill perhaps, but it’s very lively, on bitter almond, equally bitter orange, green walnut, and a firm whiff of metal polish. It’s also very medicinal. With water: herbal teas, eucalyptus, walnut husk, and a packet of bidis—got a light? Mouth (neat): reminds one of some youthful old-school Ardbegs in this style, but this Ballechin is a touch more brutish, thicker than on the nose, spicy, on leather and especially dark chocolate. With water: like an orange marmalade, only more complex, brighter, spicier, and, above all, more liquid. Ha. Excellent. Finish: long and spicier still, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, fir wood… Comments: this heavy-hitting, spicy, almost domineering side might feel intimidating, but we surrender. Gladly.
SGP:467 - 87 points. |
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Ballechin 12 yo 2013/2025 (48.2%, OB for LMDW Itinéraires, 1st fill Monbazillac hogshead, cask #802, 355 bottles)
A very traditional sweet wine, rather old-fashioned, some are middling, but the best can be quite superb. Colour: gold. Nose: honey, mandarin, and English cigarette smoke. I say English because I don’t believe Scotland ever had its own cigarette brands, did it? That’s all, and that’s plenty. Mouth: killer. Smoked mandarins, heather honey, orange liqueur, pipe tobacco, coriander seeds. Finish: same, just a tad more peppery. Comments: dangerously charming, it goes down far too easily. Sublime fruity peat, not a phrase we use lightly. The sort of thing that might just re-boost Monbazillac’s reputation.
SGP:765 - 89 points. |
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Ballechin 12 yo 2013/2025 (48.2%, OB for LMDW Itinéraires, 1st fill Jurançon hogshead, cask #810, 341 bottles)
Sweet Jurançons belong among the greatest dessert wines in the world, provided you pick the right estates—though there’s not much rubbish around. We could make recommendations, but this is neither the time nor the place. Colour: gold. Nose: very close to the Monbazillac version. Perhaps just a tad more floral? We’re already nit-picking… Mouth: forget it, it’s just plain excellent. Sublime citrus over finer peat than expected. Unless the two elements have softened one another. Apricots and lemons, wow. Finish: long and a little more rooty than the Monbazillac’s, but still in the same ballpark. Comments: you could pour yourself a double magnum of each and still not decide whether the Jurançon or the Monbazillac wins. Life can be hard sometimes.
SGP:655 - 89 points. |
In short, Edradour shows great mastery indeed in using sweet or dessert white wine casks. Even if the word ‘hogshead’ might sound a bit funny — after all, no one in France uses hogsheads. Not even whisky distillers, ha. But Scottish coopers are smart and skilled. |
Let’s keep going; after all, it’s a double celebration… |
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Ballechin 10 yo 2013/2023 (57.7%, OB, LMDW New Vibrations, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #20, 223 bottles)
Here we should be closer to the distillate itself, without wine—great or otherwise—blocking or diverting the path. Colour: pale gold. Nose: here we are, nature in its purest form, delicate, chiselled, on grist, chalk and ash, with lemon and apple lingering in the background. With water: zero (zero + zero) change. Mouth (neat): terrifyingly compact. Lemon, rubber, lapsang souchong. That said, the rubber might be a touch heavy, no? With water: actually not, the water relaxes it all and brings out salted lemon juice mixed with Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. Since we were speaking of white wine… Finish: fairly long but narrow again. A real comet. Lemon and grist. Comments: not the most complex, even slightly stripped back aromatically, but there’s nothing out of place either. Tricky to score, especially after those improbable yet superb Jurançon and Monbazillac bombs.
SGP:566 - 86 points. |
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Ballechin 15 yo ‘Second Secret Edition’ (48.5%, Whisky Sponge, 121 bottles, 2021)
A label quoting Paul McCartney—that’s not something you see every day, but reliable sources say The Sponge was a fan of Sir Paul. As are his new impersonators. Colour: Nose: fir needles and honeydew, alum stone, small apples from an old orchard. Mouth: now this is very good. Apples, roots, sea water, green olives, oysters… This time there’s clearly an Islay accent, though I’ve no idea where it’s coming from. I could ask the Sponge, but the Sponge no longer exists. Finish: long and perfect, like a Russian symphony (pre-Putin). Comments: what can one say, it’s rather magnificent and crosses Scottish regional lines, from Islay to Mull with a detour through Campbeltown.
SGP:467 - 89 points. |
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Ballechin 2010/2022 (59.1%, OB for Navigate World Whisky, 2nd fill Marsala, cask #288, 255 bottles)
A version for South Africa. We really must head to South Africa one day. Since visiting the south-west of Sicily, mind you, our regard for Marsala wines has risen sharply—especially those from Marco de Bartoli. Colour: white wine. Nose: seems to be a Marsala in the fino, or perhaps vin jaune style, tight, dry, on flint, limestone, green apple… The combination with Ballechin works, no question. With water: washing powder, wet slate, paraffin, and so on. Mouth (neat): simply very good, very powerful, full-throttle, though just a touch austere at this stage. With water: bitter-salty almonds, natural white wine, drops of seawater… Finish: long, very close to raw materials—barley and dry wine and such. Comments: let’s make a vintage 1980s-style remark, just for fun: it’s not quite as sexy as Brigitte Bardot, but it’s as alluring as a voluptuous Ferrari fresh from the factory. Shame on us.
SGP:466 - 87 points. |
We’ll stop here, that makes 13 Ballechins, and 13 is the perfect lucky number. Here’s to the next 200 years of Edradour! |
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September 19, 2025 |
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All the extremes of Talisker |
Opposition to the demolition and reconstruction of the Carbost distillery appears to continue stirring local communities, who — according to The Herald — still seem firmly against it. Let’s hope the owners won’t tear down the old distillery before being 100% certain they’ll be able to build the new one. But we doubt they’d be quite so short-sighted, wouldn’t you agree On a different note, the gastro restaurant project with The Three Chimneys still seems to be on track, although we could be wrong about that.
It remains to be seen whether Talisker’s current production capacity is being fully utilised these days. That could potentially change things on a broader scale, but again, it’s all pure speculation, even if we do know there have been quite a few “pauses” here and there, globally. Especially considering that whisky stocks in maturation have apparently increased by 40% over the past five years for the group as a whole. |
Classic magazine ad, France, 2001 |
Anyway, we’ll see. In any case, we’d much rather enjoy their whiskies than speculate about the inner workings or future of one brand or another. So, let’s get to it, shall we? |
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Talisker 'Skye' (45.8%, OB, +/-2025)
It's been seven years since we last tasted this little NAS from the entry-level shelf. Fair to say that the last time, back in 2018, I found it rather underwhelming (WF 77), especially when compared with the stunning 10yo (WF 90) that we tend to follow almost every year. Angus liked it even less than I did (WF 76). Colour: gold. Nose: it’s fairly rough, salty, but also a tad vinegary and acidic, with an odd combo of smoke and apple juice, soon joined by a vaguely sour sort of vanilla coconut. Really quite strange, almost a bit flat or stale on the nose. Mouth: clearly not as dramatic as in 2018, perhaps they’ve tweaked the recipe a touch. Loads of seawater, still a drop of vinegar, then a note of soaked sawdust and, eventually, custard that clashes somewhat with the briny smoke. Finish: the ‘plank’ comes to the fore, but the sea and the smoke remain firmly in place. Comments: not entirely my cup of malt, but it does seem a notch better.
SGP:365 - 78 points. |
In any case, this Skye was only ever meant as an aperitif… |
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Talisker 'Storm' (45.8%, OB, +/-2025)
A vatting of casks meant to reinforce Talisker's classic character. We rather enjoyed the last version we tried back in 2022 and certainly found it much better than ‘Skye’ (WF 84). Colour: gold, paler than the Skye. Good sign. Nose: more austere, more rigorous, more precise, yet not without some slightly acidic touches, such as... acidic seaweed. But the roundness from what’s likely new and possibly deep-charred oak soon kicks in, even bringing hints of pineapple that, oddly enough, marry quite well with the peat. A faint medicinal side too, bandages, discreet camphor... In the end, this nose is far more articulate than that of the Skye. Mouth: there’s a bit of fresh oak at first, but it settles down quickly and heads straight for the classic Talisker combo of seafood, smoke, seaweed, lemon, pepper... Finish: good length, with a bit of all that, the aftertaste being faintly honeyed and even a little liqueur-like. Comments: I do like this NAS, though I’d still happily trade a case of it for a single bottle of the 10yo.
SGP:556 - 84 points. |
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Talisker 'The Wild Blue 2025 Edition' (48.2%, OB)
A version bottled in 100% recycled glass, in partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation. The juice was finished in an 'Atlantic coastal wine cask', which could mean anything from France to South Africa, Argentina to Canada, more or less. And I’m not even counting the Kent coast! Should I? Colour: deep gold. Nose: ah but this is lovely! Lemon-driven, very fresh, very coastal too, with green apple and a few touches of kippers or even anchovies. Quite different from Skye and Storm, much cleaner—whatever that may mean. Mouth: yes, this is rather excellent, more on rooty notes this time, acidic apple, samphire, and indeed a great deal of freshness. Not sure if they were going for a ‘splash’ effect, but if so, they’ve nailed it. Finish: limoncello shows up, salty, peppery, and mingled with seawater. Throw in a few whelks and you’ve got the next trendy cocktail—just don’t forget to remove the shells. Hints of honey and apple liqueur in the aftertaste, even a wee drop of tequila. Tequila? Comments: bluewashing or not, I think it’s very well done. Here’s hoping they release more editions in years to come.
SGP:555 - 87 points. |
Let’s move on to the independents… |
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Talisker 14 yo 2011/2025 (54.8%, Douglas Laing Old Particular for LMDW Itinéraires, refill hogshead, cask #19975, 227 bottles)
Brand spanking new! We’d already tried a fair few of these vintages from the Laings, though usually at much younger ages. Their razor-blade sharpness always won us over, but let’s see how things have evolved after fourteen years of (presumed) mellowing. Colour: white wine. Nose: gasp, still cuts you clean in half. Was this matured in sandstone? Clay? Porcelain? But we shan’t complain, we adore this surgical style that would make a master’s katana weep with envy. Seawater, iodine tincture, lime, eucalyptus ashes, pure clear line. With water: the austerity of a Zurich banker, paired with the poise of a Greek philosopher. I know, I know... Mouth (neat): certain aspects do echo the best batches of the official 10, particularly that sense of oneness and laser precision. Lemon and pepper-infused seawater. With water: immaculate, and in the end even rather approachable. Hints of wee green bananas. But take care, don’t overdo the dilution, it might snap back. Finish: long, still razor-sharp, perhaps now with the return of a few tiny exotic fruits, like that banana we mentioned earlier. Comments: these vintages don’t budge an inch. One wonders whether they’ll still be like this at 50 years of age, a question for the younger whisky generation. Urgently to be tasted at Whisky Live Paris next weekend.
SGP:555 - 90 points. |
We’ll finish with an old legend de la muerte... |
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Talisker 1957 (53.5%, Gordon & MacPhail, Natural Cask Strength, +/-1975)
We rather like the mention of the owners on the label here: Dailuaine-Talisker Distillers Ltd. Let’s admit it, we had already tasted this baby once before, but that was another bottle and twenty years ago. Alright, nineteen. May I be allowed a revisit? In any case, this juice was produced before the still house was destroyed by fire in 1960, and the barley was in all likelihood still floor-malted on site and distilled using direct fire. In short, there isn’t one Talisker distillery, there have been several, and if the owners’ current plans come to fruition, there’ll soon be one more. That said, why not return to the 1957 methods while they’re at it? Colour: deep gold. Nose: adios. Far oilier, thicker even on the nose, camphory yet less peaty—though that may simply be the wear and tear of time—certainly peppery (a constant), and much more on cooked fruit, including exotics. Even after over fifty years in bottle, it still packs an almighty punch! With water: it tightens up marvellously, all on waxed cloth and old oil cans gathering dust at the back of the garage—or if you prefer, ‘vintage British car’, the connoisseurs will get the picture. Mouth (neat): an incredible maelstrom of all sorts of things, spices, pepper, oysters, bananas, cough syrup, liquorice, camphor, mint, sloe, olive oil, pine honeydew, tar, smoked fish, pipe tobacco, and heaven knows what else. Wow wow wow. With water: it’s like a very old Sauternes from a highly botrytised year. Finish: alas. Comments: another league entirely, sadly not one often visited by more ‘modern’ malts. Nothing more to add.
SGP:564 - 94 points. |
Angus quite rightly pointed out the other day here that some of these marvels released in the 1960s, 1970s, and even the 1980s may be starting to show signs of fatigue, bringing malt whisky ever closer to the world of wine. This could well lead collectors and aesthetes to rethink their strategies, and to consider that, after a certain point, it might actually be better to start... drinking some of those bottles. I know, shocking. |
(Merci vielmal, Olivier!) |
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September 18, 2025 |
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Around the world once more
(Although French, WF is staying on the job!) |
Naturally, we’re going to leave from France, as usual, despite the strikes and demonstrations we’re putting on today for the tourists and the international press – just like we do every year at this time… If you happen to be visiting us, do take the opportunity to come and admire the finest our country has to offer in action, and even take some photos for your children. But be warned: there are also black bloc groups forming, made up of individuals who’ve come from all over Europe. Do they count as tourists too? In any case, it seems to work, according to wikipedia the most visited country in the world remained France in 2023, with about 100 million international tourist arrivals. |
In the UK too, there are tourists arriving at the moment. |
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BM Signature 15 yo (46%, OB, France, +/-2024)
BM is Bruno Mangin, one of the whisky distillation gurus in France, based in the Jura at the Rouget de Lisle distillery. He had stopped his operations for a while but according to the latest news, things are back on track. We had tried a very good 8-year-old back in January. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: straight away, this heads towards aged kirsch and young Armagnac, while also displaying touches of varnish and fresh paint, then marzipan. The whole ensemble, although unusual, works perfectly well, no issues there. Mouth: the almond paste side remains prominent, but a hefty vinous character quickly takes control, nicely dovetailing with the kirsch and almond. A dark beer note brings Säntis in Switzerland to mind. Finish: long, increasingly focused on maraschino and guignolet, then brown tobacco and perhaps just a pinhead of mustard. Comments: we are not really in cereal territory here, but it is very well made, nonetheless. I believe we slightly preferred the freshness and fino-like profile of the 8-year-old.
SGP:561 - 84 points. |
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Armorik 11 yo 2013/2025 (51.4%, Spirit Paradise, France, refill bourbon peated, cask #4075, 96 bottles)
A wee single cask that ought to have quite a bit to say, judging by the general word on the street. Colour: white wine. Nose: smoked green apples and crabs, somewhat in the Caol Ila vein. Then a bonfire in the garden and a stack of old newspapers. With water: hints of fresh paint, even anti-rust treatment, how amusing is that. Mouth (neat): a rather splendid peaty fruitiness, truly surprising in fact, it's almost as if someone had smoked and salted an enormous fruit salad. Only the texture is lighter than that of most Islays. With water: the fruits, notably banana and pineapple, fire back. The whole remains coastal, nonetheless. Finish: long, fruity, smoky, salty. Comments: such a well-achieved balance between fresh fruits and peat is not all that common (aside from citrus). We like this a lot.
SGP:645 - 86 points. |
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Belgian Single Malt 3 yo (46%, Bottles & Legends, Race 2, Belgium, single malt, 400 bottles)
A Belgian malt and a nod to the world of motor racing. Perhaps a tribute to the great Jacky Ickx? Or to Thierry Boutsen? Colour: very pale, nearly white. Nose: we’re finding porridge, fresh bread, slightly overripe apple, hints of fresh cement, then it rounds off on raisin bread, perry and mead. Nothing to complain about, it’s fresh and charming. Mouth: the palate is a little more unruly, also more brutal, with spices and chalk, a tannic edge akin to strong tea, followed by ginseng and a very faint soapy note, though never excessive. On the fruity side, some greengage. Finish: lovely length, a continuation of the palate but with more pronounced pear eau-de-vie, which is nearly a hallmark of very young whiskies. Comments: one can’t help wondering whether this would go well with shrimp croquettes, naturally. A lovely whisky at only 3 years.
SGP:451 - 83 points. |
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Lanchals ‘Batch 1’ (43%, OB, Belgium, 2024)
Here we are in Bruges with a single malt matured in ex-bourbon, oloroso and pinot noir casks. Now, we know that pinot noir in malt maturation can be a bit of a tightrope act, can’t it, so let’s have a look. Colour: gold. Nose: good malt whisky is being made all over the world these days, and this one is even quite distinctive, very much on the candied zests of various citrus fruits, with just a wee touch of cherry clafoutis, which might well be the pinot noir showing itself. Beyond that, some orange blossom and brioche. Nice stuff. Mouth: once again, less structured than on the nose, slightly earthy, though the core remains on lovely candied citrus fruits, with a few honeyed touches. Finish: same. Comments: very different styles, but the quality level is much the same as that of the B&L.
SGP:541 - 83 points. |
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Slyrs ‘Bavarian Malt Whisky’ (46%, OB, Germany, +/-2024) 
One of the pioneers of whisky in Germany, not counting Der Falckner, of course. The distillery is very handsome—we visited it some fifteen years ago. Colour: gold. Nose: this is what we’d call an all-purpose nose, which is by no means a criticism. Vanilla, cereals, malt, overripe apples, honey, roasted peanuts and charcoal. Mouth: similar impressions, with quite a clear sense of youth and now more wood influence. Here too, pear plays a central role. Finish: not very long but soft and well-balanced, with a faint bitter edge as a signature, reminiscent of charcoal. Comments: not loads of individuality, but everything works like clockwork.
SGP:552 - 82 points. |
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St. Kilian 2020/2024 ‘Ex Champagner vin clair’ (60.9%, OB, Germany, cask #5473)
An unpeated version drawn from a Champagne ‘vin clair’ cask. Note that by definition, all Champagne casks are from ‘vins clairs’, these being the wines produced after first fermentation and later bottled for the second fermentation, or champagnisation. All clear? Anyway, one never gets bored with St. Kilian. Colour: gold. Nose: the Champagne influence is very pronounced, which is good news as far as we're concerned. Acidity, fermenting notes, overripe yellow fruits, quince, honeysuckle, acacia blossom, even vanilla yoghurt… So far, so good. With water: the barley crashes in and jostles the Champagne aside. Loads of porridge, soot… Mouth (neat): quite brutal and very wine-forward, perhaps not wise to push our luck at this point. I mean without water. Curious hints of pineapple. With water: now we’re sorted, blood oranges appear, brioche, flowers, and even—fancy that—ladyfingers. Finish: long, still fairly fermentary, a bit like a brut nature Champagne. In any case, the dosage comes long after the vins clairs are racked. Grey pepper. Comments: a rather lively creature, just as they like them at St. Kilian. For our part, we like it a lot too.
SGP:561 - 85 points. |
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Myken 5 yo 2016/2021 (57.15%, OB for Three Whiskyteers, Norway, sherry cask, cask #R035, 64 bottles)
Bottled for ‘Merete, Kenn and Ivar’, proper connoisseurs from the north, seasoned and steady. Colour: deep gold. Nose: very pretty, full-on raisin rolls and heather honey, with both patisserie and foresty touches in the background. And quite a bit of fresh mint to boot. With water: earth, beer, mosses, nutmeg, and a very faint hint of ginger… Mouth (neat): cracking wee beastie, on northern firs and citrus, rounded out by milk chocolate and both juniper and coriander seeds. With water: even better, spicy, fermentary and very much on multigrain bread with all manner of seeds. Very lovely pepper. Finish: long with no major changes. Aftertaste on peppery chocolate, that’ll be the cask. Comments: it’s modern, it’s spicy, it’s craft—I think it’s excellent. And the sherry, even from a small cask, held its ground.
SGP:561 - 88 points. |
We’ll finish by staying in the north… |
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Teerenpeli 10 yo (58.5%, OB, Finland, Port cask, cask #19072011B, 379 bottles, 2021)
Colour: rosé gold, quite. Nose: strawberries, olives, orange marmalade and fresh bread. That sounds utterly implausible, and yet it’s rather lovely. With water: more paraffin, more smoke, more soot. It would seem the Port has bowed to the distillate, which does suggest a certain class, no? Mouth (neat): powerful, peppery, on marmalade, dark chocolate and kirsch. It’s certainly not the most delicate at this point, but let’s give it time... With water: a slightly fragile balance between red berries and a bit of smoky brine, though the whole remains very good. Finish: long, pretty, on raspberry and pepper liqueur chocolate. If such a thing were to exist, that is. Comments: a quirky malt, sometimes doing the splits between Finland and Portugal, but hey, long live Europe.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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September 17, 2025 |
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A second little mix of slightly mysterious malts and blends
Carrying on where we left off yesterday. We don’t really know what they are, except that they’re Scottish. All in all, a little game of hide-and-seek that can be fun – and even reveal some pleasant surprises, as always. |
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Coleburn Selection 12 yo ‘Batch #2’ (46%, Aceo, blend, PX Sherry & Port casks, +/-2025)
These cask combinations are always a tad worrying, but you never know. Naturally, this isn't a ‘proper’ Coleburn, but the brand does indeed belong to Aceo, and if memory serves, they own the site as well. Mind you, this one’s a blend, not a malt, as we’ve just noted. Colour: deep gold. Nose: the wines are doing all the heavy lifting, to the point of being rather overpowering, with a massive surge of musts and caramel, even a touch of yeast, before shifting towards raspberry eau-de-vie. Mouth: someone must have nodded off during the fortification of a Pedro. In short, this is PX pushed to the limit. An avalanche of raisins, cherry jam and dried goji berries. Finish: same affair, very wine-led, and it does go on for a good while. Just a whisper of oak in the aftertaste. Comments: it’s a bit much for me, to be honest, but I’m certain it’ll appeal to a fair share of the public. And it’s very affordable. Truth be told, I found yesterday’s Parkmore vastly superior.
SGP:751 - 78 points. |
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Peallach 2015/2024 (56.1%, Malts of Scotland, bourbon barrel, cask #MoS 24009, 250 bottles)
Well then, it’s written in small print on the label—this is peated ‘Tobermoray’. That ‘a’ is rather puzzling, though one assumes it’s not some kind of Ledaig-Glen Moray blend à la Ardbeg’s Serendipity, is it now. Colour: white wine. Nose: a chalky and fermentary peat that rings a bell. It does remind one of Tobermory, though not quite Ledaig, and yet it’s peated. Curious… With water: more maritime freshness, a faint touch of rubber. New diving suit, ha. Mouth (neat): powerful, earthy, still fermentary, very smoky, slightly tarry, with a fair bit of bacon as well. With water: that same rather singular profile, tar, bacon, sea water, ashes. Finish: same story. Comments: it would appear to be peated Tobermory indeed, but not Ledaig. So be it, it’s very good.
SGP:356 - 85 points. |
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Blended Malt 18 yo 2007/2025 (45.3%, Liquid Treasures, Love & Peace series, 2nd fill oloroso sherry butt, 545 bottles)
Made entirely from Speysiders. We do of course love the motto ‘Love & Peace’—in fact, twenty litres of this wee baby ought to be force-fed at once to all those leftover dictators of humanity who are causing the deaths of hundreds, even thousands of children just to cling to power. Let them burn in hell, with all those new angels relieving themselves upon their ashes. But let’s focus, shall we… Colour: deep gold. Nose: far too lovely for dictators! Oils, toasted sesame, roasted pine nuts, brown ale, rancio, mirabelle jam, quince jelly… Absolutely delightful! Mouth: it’s really very good, even more toasted now, heading towards chocolate, raisin cake, slightly peppery marmalade, mint tea, figs… Finish: not very long but spot-on in balance, almost fresh considering the profile. Comments: what a ridiculous idea to waste this on tyrants! Give them each fifty litres of The Claymore instead. All at once, naturally.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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Nc Noch Organic Blended Malt 5 yo (45.5%, Thompson Bros., 377 bottles, 2023)
Running a bit behind here, apologies. This is a blend of NcNean and Dornoch, hence Nc Noch. Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it. Colour: white wine. Nose: everything we like—thick distillate, very much on malt and grist, warm bread, then toffee apple and marshmallows. It’s joyful and celebratory. Mouth: tighter and sharper, with a lovely bitterness and even a touch of acidity, yet always this ocean of fresh malt and a gentle peppery kick. Finish: long, carrying through the same flavours. Comments: ever so slightly reminiscent of distilled beer. You’ll say whisky is distilled beer, but here we’re talking about actual hopped beer. Anyway, it’s very good.
SGP:562 - 85 points. |
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Isle of Skye 21 yo (40%, OB, Blended Scotch, +/-2024)
Bottling a 21-year-old at 40% really does feel Fleetwood Mac, doesn’t it? I mean, the idea seems to date back to the Fleetwood Mac era. Not the Peter Green years, let’s not exaggerate, but you see what I mean—boomer stuff, anyway. Colour: deep gold. Nose: seems better than the 18-year-old, oilier, on walnuts, peanuts, cashews, with a lovely wood smoke, more like chimney smoke. It’s admittedly a little shy, but the aromas make up for it, for now. Mouth: this is a nice blend, the smoke is quite present and markedly different from what one usually finds, here particularly wood smoke, though sadly it collapses quickly. A real shame. Even at 43%, it would be vastly improved. Finish: fleeting, leaving only that discreet wood smoke, and a hint of lapsang souchong. You know what they use to smoke lapsang souchong with? Comments: quite frustrating in the end—I think I preferred the 18-year-old (WF 80).
SGP:433 - 78 points. |
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Woven ‘Experience 15 Shindig’ (45.8%, OB, blended Scotch, 2023)
This one brings together Glen Garioch, Tullibardine, Glasgow, Benrinnes and Loch Lomond, the latter also supplying the grain. The bottles themselves are rather charming. Colour: white wine. Nose: very fresh and joyful, floral, on yellow and green fruits, with a clear nod to gooseberries. Like a small garden visited just after heavy rain. Mouth: firmer on the palate, more malty, with green apples and pears, clay, bread dough, green bananas—it’s very much my kind of thing and feels wonderfully close to nature, whatever that might mean. Finish: fairly long, slightly spicier. Green pepper, otherwise identical. A whisper of smoke, then a mildly bitter aftertaste. Comments: a beautiful, natural-feeling blend, very much about barley and bread. It crushes the Isle of Skye.
SGP:452 - 84 points. |
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Speyside 26 yo 1991/2018 (48.9%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogshead, 324 bottles)
Woops, and there it is—a malt from the Speyside Distillery that we’d previously filed under the secret Speysides. Not the first time that’s happened. In any case, we’re seven years late, which is but a trifle. Colour: pale gold. Nose: rustic, on barley, green melon, apple peelings, pilsner beer, mashed banana and cassava. Mouth: unusual, very much on eau-de-vie, rowan, holly, gentian, celery spirit, then pepper and bruised apples, and finally cane syrup. Finish: medium in length, on apple tart dusted with cinnamon and pepper. Comments: there are some fine aspects here, quite singular, but it does come across as a little disjointed. Well, indeed, we’re seven years late, so we’ve no right to complain.
SGP:441 - 81 points. |
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TB/BSW 6 yo (46%, Thompson Bros., blended Scotch, 366 bottles, 2023)
Colour: full gold. Nose: strawberry tart with custard and whipped cream, roasted figs, cinnamon cream, hints of Iberico ham. I’ll let you guess the number of bellottas. Mouth: very much on petit manseng, fresh sultanas, raisin rolls, rum baba and marzipan. Very light pepper. Finish: rather long, more on teas, tannins, dark chocolate, peppers and salted liquorice, though all in moderation. Comments: very pretty and lively. That said, the grain whisky part is as discreet as Billie Eilish at a Bach or Handel oratorio. All the better for it.
SGP:452 - 85 points. |
Ding-a-ling, one last little one… |
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Peated Highland 19 yo 2004/2023 (48%, Hogshead Imports, refill barrel, 295 bottles)
This is a single malt. Colour: pale gold. Nose: almost unidimensional—and that’s precisely what one enjoys in this kind of malt, that kitchen-knife quality, sharp and precise to the millimetre. Wood-fired pizza dough, ashes, that’s it, basta cosi. Mouth: but how good is this! In the immortal words of Talking Heads, qu’est-ce que c’est? What is it? Who’s doing Caol Ila in the Highlands? Lemon, green apple, ashes, smoked fish, and a wee green olive. Finish: same again. Comments: the last malt of a session, unless it’s meant to be the grand finale, is always the one that gets rushed. Especially when the whisky is so frightfully appetizing, you end up ravished with hunger like a wolf, even if you’re pacing yourself with the precision of a well-compensated Swiss surgeon. Well, well…
SGP:467 - 89 points. |
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September 16, 2025 |
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More blends and secret droplets from Scotland
You don't know what it is, but you give it a try anyway, out of curiosity. It’s a bit like when you hire a car from Hertz or Avis – you never really know what model you’re actually going to get, but you’re just glad to have a set of wheels. |
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Parkmore Selection 6 yo (46%, Aceo, bourbon cask finish, +/-2025)
We do somewhat doubt this could be genuine Parkmore, especially at six years of age, ha. Remember Parkmore distillery, although still standing, was mothballed in 14931. Still, it's single malt, and we do find the notion of a bourbon cask finish rather amusing. Colour: white wine. Nose: crikey, this is rather charming, all on ripe kiwis, apples, pears and gooseberries. In the background, a half pint of IPA and a little mead. Well well, this is a most delightful nose, fresh and breezy. Mouth: it's good, sweet, malty, fruity, honeyed, without any jagged edges and therefore without flaws. I must say I find this very good indeed. Finish: medium in length, on honey and fruit syrups. One thinks of mirabelle plums. A lovely splash of orange liqueur in the aftertaste, with a wee salty edge. Comments: the use of the Parkmore name, a mythical distillery that no living soul has ever tasted, did raise a few eyebrows but honestly, who actually remembers Parkmore?
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
That said, tasting a real Parkmore remains one of our goals at WF… Well, they say it’s good to have goals in life, so we carry on… |
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World Peat Highball Premix 8 yo (5%, Decadent Drams, bourbon barrel, 2025)
A blend of peaters from Scotland, Germany and Sweden. We would suppose that Smögen and St. Killian had a hand in this improbable yet rather amusing creation. As for the Scot, no idea, perhaps there were several involved? Colour: white wine. Nose: we’re in a chemist’s shop, but under cheerful circumstances. Loads of mercurochrome and iodine, but also green apple and walnut stain, with ashes of all kinds, pine, coal, peat, barbecue charcoal… With water: surgical tape and camphor, though in a tempered, measured way. Mouth (neat): this is superbly rooty, with gentian, mezcal and Islay-style peat in carefully composed proportions. No doubt whatsoever. With water: I reckon there’s no need to add any, you might tear it apart a little. Finish: long, fresh, medicinal, perfect. Comments: the question is, can this be replicated? Or was it at least partly the result of sheer luck? At any rate, I do adore this United Nations side of things. You’ll note we didn’t try it as a highball.
SGP:556 - 88 points. |
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Delta Cephei II 8 yo 2013/2021 (56.2%, Scotch Universe, 1st fill ruby Port wine barrique)
Well well, dreaded ruby Port strikes again. It’s said to be Dailuaine in disguise, and this rather galactic way of naming malts might well appeal to Elon M. A welcome change from ketamine, wouldn’t you say? Colour: white wine, not pink. Nose: it does smell a little like cheap plonk, but it's not as unpleasant as that may sound. I believe a little water should help bring out subtler shades… With water: more on dough and fruit brioche generously packed with glacé cherries. Mouth (neat): it’s good now, very fruity, slightly peppery and earthy, otherwise on grenadine. With water: the glacé cherries return, along with a dash of raspberry liqueur. Finish: long, on red fruit liqueurs. Comments: this is frankly a fine spirituous drink. I also think it could well convert those friends and companions who ‘don’t like whisky’.
SGP:741 - 82 points. |
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Secret Highland 2013/2023 (52.4%, Whiskyjace, Edition #8, bourbon hogshead)
A Warholian label, rather nice. Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: ultra-tight, on grapefruit skin, chalk and fresh bread. With water: tangerines and beeswax come barging in. Mouth (neat): excellent, earthy, chalky, waxy, citrusy, salty. With water: same again, only deeper and even more taut. Finish: long, perfect, pure, waxy, saline, citrusy. Comments: superb distillate, but no name guessing please. Although I’m struggling to hold back…
SGP:562 - 88 points. |
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Speyside Region 25 yo 1993/2018 (51.7%, Whisky-Fässle, sherry cask)
Let’s say it — we do miss the ducks a bit, where have they gone? … But once again, we’re rather late to the party… Colour: amber. Nose: classic walnut cake, chestnut purée, roasted peanuts, pecan pie and slightly earthy raisins. With water: turrón, nougat, blond cigarettes, potting soil. Mouth (neat): oh, but this is very good, more complex than the nose suggested, with meats, mushrooms, leather, tobacco, dried fruits, cured ham, beef broth, coriander, parsley… It’s top notch. With water: in comes honey and sweet wine to smooth out the edges. Finish: long and full-on dried figs and dates. Comments: as we often say, we’ve no idea what this is but if we were the distillery, we’d be proud to slap our name on such a bottle. The exact opposite of the previous one, and yet…
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
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Blended Scotch 29 yo 1995/2025 (44.1%, St Bridget’s Kirk, refill butt)
They say this is ‘Speyside & Island single malt blended with Lowland grain’ and that does rather sound like a bit of Edrington stock, doesn’t it? Colour: straw. Nose: apple juice, waxy touches, mirabelle tart, quince paste, yellow fruit jellies (apricot, peach, pear) and the like. A wee trace of coconut, nothing troubling. Very pretty nose, that’s for sure. Mouth: very fruity, in proper Haribo style, with quite a lot of orange, lemon and grapefruit syrups, plus a clearly sweet undertone. In short, the fruit jellies are firmly in charge. Finish: very much on fruit jellies and syrups. Tiny sugared eggs. Comments: very good, you just shouldn’t overdo it, or that ‘sweet’ side may come crashing in. I do wonder where that’s coming from, could it really be just the grain?
SGP:740 - 85 points. |
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Blended Scotch Whisky ‘Ninety-Nine & One’ (46.3%, Living Souls, ‘Mostly Heavily Peated’, bourbon & sherry, 2024)
1991 — that does feel very Laphroaig, doesn’t it? Colour: full gold. Nose: fresh tar, tarmac, smoked hams and sausages, garden herbs, parsley, a hint of chicken broth… All wonderfully dry. Mouth: much more punch on the palate, with smoked oranges, mussels in white wine, honey biscuits, grapefruit liqueur… The salty side, courtesy of the mussels, is absolutely lovely. Finish: long and fresh, superbly coastal. Comments: should be tasted aboard a boat, seriously, to heighten the mood. This charming wee fellow wins you over in moments. As for the grain, if there is any, it’s purely incidental.
SGP:655 - 89 points. |
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Blended Scotch Whisky 40 yo ‘Batch #2’ (45.1%, Living Souls, refill sherry butt, 514 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: extremely resinous, we’ve stepped into another dimension here, this really smells like tar liqueur, or pine bud liqueur, or both. In short, we’ve left the whisky galaxy entirely. Mouth: we do return to whisky land a little, but only just. Verbena liqueur, chartreuse, rose syrup, pine bud liqueur again, aquavit… In truth, this is very good, it’s just not terribly ‘whisky’. Finish: same again, with added genepy and elderflower liqueur. Comments: ready for a top-class spritz, I’d recommend a splash of Henri-Giraud or perhaps Boizel, and a modest pour of Perrier. And quite a bit of ice, naturally. Great fun.
SGP:770 - 87 points. |
Go on then, one last one, nice and peaty… |
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Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 27 yo 1997/2025 (55.6%, Murray McDavid, The Peat Chronicles, for Germany, 229 bottles)
This one’s a ‘Premier Cru Bordeaux Cask Finish’, not sure such an appellation exists ‘as such’. What we do know is that it’s a blend of Ardbeg and Laphroaig, so if the Bordeaux cask was virtually dead, all should be well. If not, brace yourself, unless it was a Sauternes… Colour: gold. Nose: I believe the Bordeaux is under control, the Islays are doing their job, and all things considered, it’s not the trainwreck we feared. According to our own gospel, mixing peated Islays with red Bordeaux is worse than pairing oysters with strawberry jam. With water: not so sure… Mouth (neat): there’s a kind of cheerful mêlée, like a village fête, with jams and seawater, ham and chocolate, grapefruit and coffee. In short, it clashes all over the place but does so gleefully. With water: no, the fruitiness fades and the rest doesn’t quite know what to do with itself. Smoked strawberry jam? Finish: fairly long, on cherry stem herbal tea and grapefruit liqueur à la Sarti Rosa, which isn’t terribly good, if we’re honest. Something had to be said. Comments: structurally it’s rather monstrous, but at the same time, there’s probably an educational value to it, and that’s well worth a good handful of extra points.
SGP:755 - 80 points. |
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September 15, 2025 |
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Contrasting styles in the Lowlands: old Littlemill versus St. Magdalene |
It’s true that the St. Magdalene Rare Malts—particularly the 19-year-old release—had left a strong impression on us due to their power and complexity, a combination not so commonly found in the (then rather few) Lowland whiskies. By contrast, the Littlemills, especially the older releases from around three to six years ago, had proven to be incredibly fruity explosions, quite the opposite of the St. Magdalene style. But let’s see whether that impression was truly justified, shall we…
St Magdalene/Linlithgow (Historic Environment Scotland + AI) |
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St Magdalene 1982/2001 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Rare Old)
Of course, there's no question of expecting the devastating power of the Rare Malts, but still, even at this now thoroughly unfashionable 40% vol., the tiger can still let out a little roar, let’s have a look. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: truth be told, the near-absence of cask influence more than makes up for the lack of wattage here, and reveals a magnificent balance, on herbs and flowers, but also those greases and oils one finds in an old garage, which is fairly typical of St Magdalene in our modest experience. A few autumn leaves and old apples round off the delicate ensemble, along with a few mandarins. Very pretty nose, it’s almost a white wine. Premier Cru, naturally. Mouth: oh, this is lovely, it brings to mind that Campbeltown distillery beginning with an S., it’s saline, a little on pencil lead and paraffin oil, with a faint touch of soot but also those familiar mandarins and old apples already found on the nose. Strikingly, it never nosedives, that’s the elegance of the distillate speaking. Finish: certainly not everlasting, but always classy, saline, and rather ‘West coast’. That Campbeltown distillery springs to mind once more. Comments: magnificent and just a tad frustrating. You know why.
SGP:452 - 89 points. |
But what if this Littlemill were instead a much older distillation, aiming to explore a more austere style, one perhaps closer to that of St. Magdalene? Like this one, for instance… |
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Littlemill 25 yo 1966/1992 (53.5%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection)
Naturally, this expression was ‘matured in an Oak Cask’. We had previously tasted a 1966 from CAD in their ‘black dumpy’ line, but that one had been bottled earlier, in 1984 (WF 87). Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is absolutely not one of those very fruity Littlemills, quite the opposite in fact, we’re firmly in straw and hay territory here, with ski wax, turpentine and paraffin, pine needles, and a touch of dust… Truth be told, it’s not that far off certain aspects of St Magdalene in fact, though perhaps one should have seen that coming. There’s just a touch less class. With water: a stroll through a pine forest after the first summer rain. You see? Mouth (neat): on resinous woods and mineral oils, liquorice wood, green pepper, citrus peels… This is most definitely not a fruity or cheerful Littlemill, but it carries that rather rugged character we often found in this series at the time and always had a soft spot for. With water: the fruit does return but more in the grapefruit register, complete with peel. Finish: fairly long, with no major shifts. A touch of coffee in the aftertaste. Comments: this really is Littlemill just as it was back then. It also explains why those glorious fruity vintages distilled in the late 1980s and early 1990s had come as such a surprise.
SGP:451 - 85 points. |
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