Friday, 29 August 2025

Caol Ila 2014 100 Proof Edition #28 10 yo

 
 
 
57,1° (100° Proof)
Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay
1st Fill and Refill Oloroso Sherry Butts 
Independent Bottling 
By Signatory Vintage 
Limited Edition 
Single Malt 
Bottled in 2024
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Peated around 35 ppm
 
 
 
There are 6 different Caol Ilas in the 100 Proof collection, which was launched in January 2024, and I've only tasted three of them. It's not for lack of appreciation of this distillery, but I haven't had the chance. The #11 is aged in a Rum Barrel, which is original and well done, but I'm not a fan of this type of ageing. The #10 was aged in a blend of Bourbon Hogsheads and Sherry Butts, and I liked it, but it was a bit younger than this one, which is also the first to be aged entirely in Sherry Butts. The number of bottles filled is not specified, but it must be around several thousand.
 
 
 

Let's Taste It : 
Intense smoke, stuffed ashtray. Behind, soft caramel, dried banana, dates. Figs, brown tobacco, prunes. A touch of iodine, but very discreet. Black cherries. On the palate, thick, heavy, haunting peat and dark chocolate, mocha, dried fruits, fruit paste. Just the right amount of spice, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon. Very long, nicely tangy finish, roots, chocolate and coffee, a drop of tar, melting liquorice, asphalt softened by the heat. Cola, liquid honey, bay leaves.
 
In Short, 
It's exactly what you'd expect from a Caol Ila full of Sherry at this age. I have to admit that I really enjoyed it, it's nice to rediscover the profile of this distillery, which blends nicely with the Sherry influence. The only slight flaw was that the palate was a little flat, which prevented me from raising the note. But the rest is very good, and it's a bargain at this price. I've put it on my list of purchases to consider.
Score : 87
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 
 
                                           The Vintage Caravan - Crossroads

Wednesday, 27 August 2025

Cameronbridge 2012 100 Proof Edition #1 Single Grain Scotch Whisky 12 yo

 
 
 
57,1° (100° Proof)
Distillery : Cameronbridge - Lowlands
1st Fill Bourbon Barrel
Independent Bottling 
By Signatory Vintage
Limited Edition 
Single Grain 
Bottled in 2025 
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Totally Unpeated
 
 
 
Given the success of the 100 Proof range launched in January 2024, the gentlemen at Signatory had the idea of launching a brand new range, more or less the same, but with Single Grain Scotch Whisky. And so this Cameronbridge was launched last March. Cameronbridge is the oldest and largest grain distillery in Scotland and probably in the world. There is another Cameronbridge 100 Proof, Edition #3, but this one is 16 years old and aged in Oloroso Sherry casks.
 
 
 

Let's Taste It :  
Plenty of dry cereals, wheat, barley, bulgur, oily vanilla, wax with a medicinal touch. You can smell the freshness of ether, there's alcohol too, some fruits of the sun, pineapple and white plums, a drop of honey. On the palate, it's monochrome, warm cereals, crunchy, grainy, egg custard, breadcrumbs, earthy reflections, lively spices. A hint of almonds on the finish, more wax, an ounce of bitterness, corn dodger, cola nut, white nougat, egg yolk. Unrefined honey, puffed rice. A few hazelnuts.  
 
In Short, 
Frankly, I didn't like it too much. Apart from the finish, which is beautiful and makes up for the rest a little, there's really nothing interesting in this whisky, which I find a little too simple and abrupt. 12 years must still be too young for a Single Grain, and the ageing in Bourbon casks doesn't help. I think it's the least good of the 100 Proof range that I've tasted, and I've tasted nearly 40 of them, so maybe it's better to try the other Cameronbridge 100 Proof, the Edition #3.
Score : 85
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 
 
                                           Cesair - The Ruin

Monday, 25 August 2025

Kilchoman 2007 Single Cask Release Selected by and Bottled for Bresser & Timmer 9 yo

 
 
 
56,2°
Distillery : Kilchoman - Islay
Bourbon Barrel
Original Bottling 
Limited Edition 
Single Cask 
Bottled in 2016
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength
Peated around 50 ppm
 
 
 
Bresser & Timmer is a Dutch online retailer and importer of cognac, whisky and other spirits, which opened in 1993. It was in their honour and for their exclusivity that Kilchoman released this bottling, a 9-year-old Single Cask, which was old at the time for this distillery, of which only 246 were made.
 
 
 

Let's Taste It : 
Swampy, sticky, oily peat. Fairly light white fruits, grapes, plums, redcurrants, soot, medicinal touch. Ether, gasoline, almonds, thick smoke. On the palate, it lacks complexity, but is powerful, limpid, smooth, rosewater, Turkish delight, explosive spices, white pepper, cloves, cumin, lychees. The finish is quite long and abrasive, mineral, limestone and quartz, half-melted icing sugar, sugar blossom, nougatine burnt with a blowtorch, cat's tongue biscuits dipped in orgeat syrup. Zest of lemon. White chocolate.
 
In Short, 
The liquid must have been in the sample for 9 years, so it's possible that the quality has suffered. But to be honest, I found it too little complex, even light, especially on the palate. This is a big difference from today's bottlings, which I find much better. This distillery has come a long way.
Score : 86
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 
 
                                           Liv Kristine - Amor Vincit Omnia

Sunday, 24 August 2025

Kilchoman Sanaig Cask Strength

 
 
 
57,8°
Distillery : Kilchoman - Islay
70% Oloroso Sherry Casks and 30% Bourbon Barrels
Original Bottling 
Limited Edition 
Single Malt 
Bottled in 2024
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength
Peated around 50 ppm
 
 
 
There have been several editions of Machir Bay Cask Strength, and so far they have been relatively successful. So it was obvious that the distillery's second Core Range expression would also be given a Cask Strength edition. This has now been done, and there may be other editions in the years to come. Sanaig was launched in 2016, and is a whisky aged mainly in Oloroso Sherry casks for around 5 years. Nothing changes for the Cask Strength version, except that the colour of the product is very dark, the Sherry casks are supplied by the José y Miguel Martín Bodega, and apparently the most colour-active ones have been chosen.
 
 
 

Let's Taste It : 
Intense, deep, heady sherry. Raspberry crumble, cinnamon. Thick, hazy, brutal smoke. Charcoal that scrapes, soot, fuel oil. Iodised notes, sea breeze. A few walnuts, redcurrant juice. Mineral freshness, limestone, quartz. Blueberries, lapping mud, half-flooded peat bog. On the palate, more piles of peat, lively spices, cumin, cloves, baked apples, cranberry jam. Very powerful finish, charcoal, tar, stalactites, salt crystals, dark chocolate, unrefined coffee. Acrid humidity, drops of caramel, a vegetal touch, elderberry. Hazelnut.
 
In Short, 
In my opinion, it's far superior to the Sanaig, they've certainly selected the best casks for this edition, and you can feel it. Despite the product's youth, the flavours are well-balanced and expressive. It's a success, and I'd recommend buying it, the price is more or less right.
Score : 88
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 
 
                                           Etran de l'Aïr - Amidinine

Wednesday, 20 August 2025

Kilchoman 2006 20th Anniversary Cask Series 18 yo

 
 
 
 
46°
Distillery : Kilchoman - Islay
Bourbon Barrels
Original Bottling 
Limited Edition 
Single Malt 
Bottled in 2025
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 
Peated around 50 ppm 
 
 
 
The first cask of whisky was filled on 15 December 2005 at Kilchoman. Therefore, it is truly exceptional to have a vintage expression from 2006. This is a blend of five casks, all Bourbon Barrels. And it's the first Kilchoman this old, it's 18 years old, the age of maturity. To celebrate the distillery's 20th anniversary, four bottlings were released, this one being the oldest. 1209 bottles went on sale, and it's almost sold out everywhere as I speak. 
 
 
 

Let's Taste It : 
It's both pastry-like and very smoky, egg custard, a full ashtray, lemon and yellow plums. Mountain honey left in a chimney full of soot. Candied banana, pineapple, a drop of papaya. Mineral notes, stalactite, subterranean humidity, gravel. Litchi, vanilla flower, jasmine. On the palate, it's delicate, silky, floral, white fruit, then the spices rise, cumin, cloves, nutmeg. The peat returns in the finish, quite thick and chalky, it takes time to develop, redcurrants, tiger balm, pork fat, rind, small bacon, with cranberries, coloured berries. A little touch of iodine.
 
In Short, 
The nose and finish are really excellent, but I'm a little disappointed by the palate, which lacked expression for my taste. It's a high-flying product, with a certain ambition, and that's to be applauded. It's not quite a success yet, but I salute the effort. They're not far off the mark.
Score : 89 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 
 
                                           The Fynches - Heavy

Tuesday, 19 August 2025

Line Up #33 : Springbank Local Barley

15 August 2025. 
 
 
A bit of History : 
It was in the mid-1960s that the Springbank team came up with this totally revolutionary idea: what if we made whisky from local barley? It's both confoundingly simple and extremely sophisticated. Originally, all whiskies were made more or less from local barley, often on the very same farm that housed the distillery. But this practice had been lost for around a century when people from Springbank decided to return to it.
 
 
This idea implies one thing: the quality of the whisky depends on the quality of the barley, but also on where it comes from. Barley that is closer to the distillery will reinforce its identity. And so it is from its identity that a distillery derives its quality. This unstoppable equation has just brought us into the era of modern whisky.

 
The first Local Barley whisky of the 20th century did not bear the name Local Barley. It was distilled in 1967, bottled in 1988 and labelled: ‘A West Highland Scotch Single Malt’. The side of the label says: ‘Distilled in a Pot Still from Pure Barley Malt - only Single Campbeltown Malt’. This is the forerunner of the Local Barley series, and it is indeed made with local barley, but that's not explicit yet.

 
It took another two years for the Springbank team to realise the relevance of the Local Barley designation. They realised that using local barley enhanced the quality of the product, and they decided to advertise it. A brilliant idea: the Local Barley Old Series was born, and ran from 1990 to 2001, bringing together around fifty bottlings, all Single Cask, with the same vintages, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1970. Today, these legendary bottlings are sold at auction, often for 5-figure sums.

 
The series was discontinued in 2001, almost certainly due to a lack of stock. And for 15 years, the myth grew. Until 2016, when the rebirth was launched. But the house has made some concessions. Firstly, these are no longer Single Cask bottlings. Secondly, they are much younger. The Old Series included whiskies aged between 20 and 36 years, the New Series offers products aged between 8 and 16 years. The price will therefore be lower. However, stocks are often sold out in a matter of days, or even hours, and prices on the secondary market are dizzying.

 
The Line Up Concept
Within the new series, there are ten bottlings, released at the rate of one per year, between 2016 and 2025. I managed to get 6 samples out of these 10 nuggets, don't ask me how.

 
I had been planning this Line Up for a long time. It took me years to get all these samples. My initial idea was of course to see if the craze for Local Barley was justified. One question: is it really that good? Does Local Barley make the whisky special? Does it really add to its identity? And which is the best? Is it possible to make a classification, at least between the 6 that I have? What criteria can we use to assess this quality, or even anticipate it?

 
This is not only a discovery, but above all a complete scan of the series. I want to know it inside and out.

 
The Tasting :  
Springbank 2011 Local Barley 10 yo (out in March 2022) : Aged 100% Bourbon Barrels, 15,000 bottles released.
Candied lemon, lychee, a slightly astringent, mineral note, then it's the farm, hay, stable, pineapple, vanilla. Light peat, very earthy and slightly indulgent, brown sugar, baked apples, meringue, toasted cereals. On the palate, lemon and spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, an ounce of coal, mirabelle plums, sour pears. Very long and violent finish, marzipan, thyme rolls, balsamic vinegar, soft liquorice, caramel marshmallow. Score: 90

 
Springbank 2010 Local Barley 13 yo (out in February 2024) : Aged 60% Bourbon Barrels, 40% Sherry Casks, 8400 bottles released.
It's even more farmy, with hay, straw, sheep full of wool, young wood, almond paste. Numerous crunchy cereals, pralines, rolling tobacco, warm croissants, green apples. Slightly spicy, velvety palate, orchard fruits, powerful spices, reines-claudes. Slight acidity, then a relatively long, very well controlled finish, burnt butter, viandox, condiments. Score: 89

 
Springbank 2011 Local Barley 11 yo (out in February 2023) : Aged 55% Sherry Casks, 35% Bourbon Barrels, 10% Rum Casks, 15,000 bottles released.
The rum casks bring barley sugar, candied angelica, and behind it is hay, reeds, rhubarb, green apples, white gooseberries. Smooth on the palate, juicy lemon, corn, egg custard, almonds, fiery spices. Very long, interminable finish, plantains, sap, birch bark, soft caramel, tobacco, dried raisins. Score: 90

 
Springbank 2010 Local Barley 10 yo (out in March 2021) : Aged 100% Oloroso Sherry Casks, 8500 bottles released.
Sherry well present, fig jam with bits, light smoke, cinnamon crumble, chocolate powder, crushed blueberries. There's still some hay and earth, stable, straw bale, but in the background. Luscious palate, raspberries and redcurrants, prunes, aubergines, it's velvety, slightly candied and suave, light spices, peaty thickness. Very long, powerful finish, liquorice, brown tobacco, melting dark chocolate, damp bark, cola. Score: 90

 
Springbank 2009 Local Barley 9 yo (out in December 2018) : Aged 80% Bourbon Barrels, 20% Sherry Casks, 9700 bottles released.
Cloud of lemon, pineapple, candied banana, vaporous peat, crystalline iodine, plump yellow plums. Melted butter, olive oil, Chasselas grapes. Wild flower honey. Airy palate, evanescent vanilla, angelica, green apples, assertive spices. Caramelised apples. Extremely long finish, just powerful enough, asparagus, crème brûlée, hot fudge. Score: 90

 
Springbank 2016 Local Barley 8 yo (out in February 2025) : Aged 50% Bourbon Barrels, 50% Sherry Casks, 13500 bottles released.
The nose is just as evanescent, vaporous and subtle, but very pulpy, with ripe quinces and apricots, greengage jam, light farmy peat, caramelised hay, earthy stable. Fresh carrots. Palate full of melted butter, viandox and bacon, creamy vanilla, crunchy endives, very fierce spices. Long, creamy, jammy finish, crumble, peppers. Score: 90

 
What I gain from it
  • This really is the quintessence of the Springbank identity, first and foremost the farm, hay, stable, straw, young wood, earth, and even a touch of tobacco and angelica, vegetal nuances, reeds, tall grasses, yes, we're in it, there's no doubt about it.

 
  • But that's not all, I detect a light peatiness, a very mineral iodine, even limestone and quartz. The distillery is close to the sea and you can feel it. The peat used doesn't resemble that of Islay, it's drier, more country-like. 
 

  • Finally, ageing plays its part. The Bourbon Barrels bring a lovely fruitiness, reinforcing the farmhouse character, with melted butter and almonds. It's not for nothing that almost all the bottlings are marked by Bourbon. Having said that, the Sherry casks add something extra, a velvety, suave quality and a lovely roundness that further enhances the quality of the product.
 

  • Of course, local barley is an important asset! The farmyard character is reinforced, and we also get wonderful cerealy, greedy, crisp nuances. It's impossible to forget here that whisky is a grain spirit.


Conclusion
Of the 6 expressions, I'll give my personal ranking. The best is the 9 yo 2018 in my opinion, followed by the 8 yo 2025, the very latest. Then 10 yo 2021 - 10 yo 2022 - 11 yo 2023 - 13 yo 2024.

 
You can see that the youngest are the best, and the oldest the least interesting. I deduce from this that age is important, it has to be a relatively young whisky, so that the distillate retains its character and is not rounded, tamed by the wood.

 
Apart from this year's 8-year-old, the best are also the most ancient. It seems logical to me that the editions are less good over time. The pressure of success, and constantly shrinking stocks, no doubt.

 
But on the whole, they're really excellent products, and wildly original. Springbank is one of the best distilleries in the world, because it's one of the most creative. With Local Barley, they introduced the notion of terroir in whisky, the notion of a distillery's identity in relation to its region and its environment. Of course, there is also an ecological interest, with local trade, but that's not the main thing.

 
The main thing is that, thanks to them, whisky is once again the story of a region, a land, a geological and climatic environment, a culture, with its know-how and rituals, in the same way as wine. It's no longer just a whisky to be drunk, it's a character to be discovered. It's a culture that expresses itself.


Thursday, 14 August 2025

Line Up #32 : Tobermory without Peat

31 July 2025. 
 
 
A bit of History  :
Tobermory is the only distillery on the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides. It is located in the small village of the same name, a village so typical and pretty that it was chosen as the setting for a famous children's series.  

 
Founded in 1798 by local kelp merchant John Sinclair, the distillery was one of the first to take out a distilling license in 1823. But at that time it was named Ledaig. Then John Sinclair closed the distillery in 1837 and tried to sell it, without success. It was not sold until 1876, and it took another two years for production to resume in 1878. This first closure lasted 41 years.

 
In 1887, the owners went bankrupt and the distillery changed hands again. Distillers Company Limited finally acquired it in 1916. But production ceased again in 1930 due to the fall in demand caused by the Prohibition. This second closure lasted 42 years, until 1972. During this period, the premises were used as a power station or as a canteen.

 
In 1972, a new start was made, a group bought the distillery and production began again, under the name of Ledaig. But this only lasted three years. Another bankruptcy and another closure, between 1975 and 1979. The distillery was bought again in 1979, but failed again, and closed between 1982 and 1989. The warehouses were then sold and converted into housing or used to store cheese. In all, the distillery remained closed for 96 of its 227 years of existence.

 
The miracle came in 1993, when Burn Stewart Distillers bought the distillery. Then, in 2013, this company was bought by Distell Group Ltd, a South African firm, which carried out a number of renovations, resulting in a further closure between 2017 and 2019. In its hands, Tobermory finally became a distillery to be reckoned with. In 2010, the alcohol content was increased to 46.3°, just like the other distilleries in the group, Bunnahabhain and Deanston. Cold filtration has also been abolished, which is excellent news.

                                           Julieann Fernandez, the distillery's current Master Blender 
 
In 1996, the Ledaig brand was revived to market the peated malt from the Tobermory distillery. It is made differently, with shorter fermentation, slower toasting and a different water ratio. Apart from the fact that it is peated whisky and Tobermory is not, it really isn't the same whisky. Today, the distillery produces about as much Ledaig as Tobermory.  

 
The Line Up Concept : 
I may be biased in this regard, as a peat fan, but it seems to me that today the distillery is much better known for its Ledaig brand than for the liquids it produces under its own name.

 
So, for several years now, I've been wondering what Tobermory is really worth as a label, not as a distillery.

 
Tobermory is the name of both the brand and the distillery, and that's saying something. With a longer fermentation time of over 60 hours, the distillate is of high quality. I don't think it's a waste of time to take an interest in what Tobermory does without peat. 

 
What is Tobermory's profile? Are there any differences with Ledaig other than the absence of peat? Does the distillate have a distinctive character? To answer these questions, I've put together a selection of samples from both original and independent bottlings.

 
The Tasting
Tobermory 12 yo : Launched in 2019, this is the only expression of the Core Range bearing the Tobermory name. It succeeds the Tobermory 10yo, which ceased production shortly before.
Rich, full-bodied nose, a little grassy, chamomile, green tea, chlorophyll, candied angelica. Slight hint of iodine. Velvety but still vegetal on the palate, with a long finish of reeds, rhubarb, a hint of exotic fruit, crushed chestnuts. Score: 86

 
Tobermory 18 yo 2016 : This is a limited edition released in 2016. While there is a Ledaig 18yo in the Core Range, there is no Tobermory 18yo.
Very light lemon, pulpy, crystalline iodine, seaweed, mint leaf, lime slice. Vanilla glaze. Meringue. Slightly vegetal palate, almond milk, lively spices, long, explosive finish, parsley, honeysuckle, kumquat, green olives. Score: 90

 
Ledaig Unpeated 1995 Hidden Spirits 25 yo : It's not Tobermory, it's Ledaig, but it's not peated. So the fermentation is shorter, the toasting is slower, it's not the same whisky. This is a curiosity from the Italian bottler Hidden Spirits.
The nose is very basic, vegetal, grassy, fresh, iodine, icing sugar, angelica, lime. Slightly cereal on the palate, malted barley, toasted wheat, light spices, mellow vanilla. Long, alkaline finish, vine leaf, ginger, nutmeg, cola nut. Score: 88

 
Tobermory 1996 East Village Whisky 25 yo : East Village Whisky Co. is a little-known but respected German bottler. This is an opportunity to discover a real 25-year-old Tobermory, aged in a Bourbon Hogshead.
The nose is very well balanced, with woody lemon and the recognisable character of the distillery, liquid honey, bread spread with semi-salted butter, soft cereals and a very discreet iodine. The palate is also honeyed, with just the right amount of lemon, mirabelle plums and reines-claudes. Very long, well-crafted finish, liquorice stick, walnuts and cola, papaya. Score: 89

 
Tobermory 2008 A Single Cask Collection : Coasts & Shores 16 yo : This is a limited edition launched by Berry Bros. & Rudd, aged 16 years in a Sherry cask.
The Sherry is powerful and very fruity, raspberries, wild strawberries, exotic woods, redcurrants, pomegranate seeds, blackberries and blackcurrants. Very rich on the palate, once again a deluge of red fruit, dried fruit, figs, dates and intense spices. Long finish, earth and charcoal, chocolate, coffee beans, cake batter. Score: 88

 
Tobermory The Cooper's Choice Sherry Bomb : No age, but a rather high alcohol content, and a promising Sherry intensity.
The Sherry is deeper, darker, damp exotic wood, red fruit jam, pastry cream. Quite indulgent on the palate, fruit tart, candied cherries, rose liqueur, quite strong spices, long, explosive finish, more jam, stuffed figs, melting chocolate, with bits of walnut. Score : 88

 
What I gain from it
  • You can recognise the effects of the long fermentation, with a honeyed, oily distillate that is fairly rich and consistent, fruity and floral. There are hints of almond, liquorice and sometimes exotic fruit.

 


  • But the environment also plays its part. It's an island distillery, so there are traces of iodine and various minerals. You can smell the rock, the sea air. That gives it breadth and character. In that respect, it's close to Bunnahabhain.

 


  • But what I find most interesting is this herbaceous, planty edge. It's not farmy like Springbank, or like a vegetable garden such as some Speyside distilleries, it's really green, reminiscent of angelica, tall grass, reeds and bamboo. It's a very special touch, which I can't find in any other distillery.

 

                                            Tobermory stillhouse

  • With this profile, it seems to me that ageing in Bourbon casks is preferable. It enhances the floral notes, and even the iodine. And it goes quite well with the vegetal character. On the contrary, I've noticed that many limited editions are finished and even matured quite boldly in wine or Sherry casks. It's not so often that Tobermory presents itself with a straightforward maturation.

     
 
Conclusion
It seems to me that Tobermory is an interesting distillery, even without peat, and that it is not appreciated for its true worth. It really has its own identity, and rare qualities. Incidentally, just a few days after I made this Line Up, I received a sample of this Tobermory 1994 Alambic Classique 30 yo , and it's a real doozy. I thought I should mention it here, because it's probably the best Tobermory I'll taste for a long time. Just goes to show that exceptional quality is very possible with Tobermory.
 

So Tobermory doesn't need peat to exist, but Ledaig peat is obviously a plus. The problem I would raise is that the finish is sometimes surprising and not very attractive, particularly in red wine or Madeira casks. I'm not sure that this is the best option for this distillate. I'd recommend a Refill Sherry or a 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel. But who am I to decide? Apparently the distillery's fans welcome these bold finishes, so much the better if everyone is happy with them.