Orkney (HP) 2010 100 Proof Edition #30 14 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Highland Park - Islands

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts 

Independent Bottling

By Signatory Vintage

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024 

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 20 ppm

This is the third bottling from the Isle of Orkney in the 100 Proof range launched in early 2024 by Signatory Vintage, and this time it is clearly stated to be a Highland Park, thanks to the initial HP in brackets. As with the others, the age is 14 years and the maturation is in Sherry Butts, but this is the first time that only 1st Fill Butts has been used. The number of bottles produced is not disclosed, but it is more than a thousand. 

Let's Taste It : 

Fruity heather, mountain honey, iodine freshness with a malty touch, some floral fragrances. Milk chocolate, and light peat in the background. Creosote. Caramelised roundness, nougatine, plump mirabelles. Quince jam. On the palate, it's very well-balanced, very suave, with cereals in the middle of the honey, roasted wheat, toasted barley, then spices make themselves felt, grey pepper, cumin. Pungent finish, cloves, fresh wheat, banana Frécinette, bamboo stalk, dry earth, shortbread biscuits. Churned butter.

 

In Short, 

The Sherry is not overpowering, on the contrary, there's a lovely balance between the influence of the cask and that of the distillate. It is sweeter than the 100 Proof #15, which also comes from Orkney, with less peat and rock, but the finish is less powerful. It's still a good bottling, very pleasant to drink, and quite round. At this price, it's worth buying.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory - Trouble

Bunnahabhain Staoisha 2013 100 Proof Edition #7 10 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Bunnahabhain - Islay

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 40 ppm

 

 

 

The seventh bottling in the 100 Proof range launched in early 2024 is a 10-year-old peated Bunnahabhain. Peated Bunnahabhains of this age are quite rare, and that's what interested me. What's more, the Sherry influence should give it a certain roundness. I don't know how many bottles were produced, but there were several thousand. 

Let's Taste It : 

Quite strong peat, both mineral and buttery, enticing smoke and quartz, slate, iron filings, cooked rice. A few notes of coal and earth. Strong iodine, foam, kelp, fish. A pinch of salt. Waves whip the face. Limestone stalactites, gypsum, clay. On the palate, seawater, oysters, pepper, coal and soot, lively spices. Shadow of white fruit. Citrus zest. Long, devastating finish, chalky, cola, a drop of caramel. Stretto coffee, hints of dark chocolate. Cold meat.

 

In Short, 

A bottling that will appeal only to fans of peat, as it lacks a little complexity. The Sherry has not particularly marked the distillate. This is interesting, as the distillery's maritime and mineral character is quite intense. However, the peaty Bunnahabhain reaches here its limits, with metallic notes and too much simplicity. Having said that, the price is rather advantageous, so there's nothing to lose by making a purchase if you're a fan of the profile.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           White Tygër - Midnight Lovers

Arran 2009 Private Cask Collection Foundations 14 yo

 

 

 

56,5°

Distillery :  Lochranza, Isle of Arran - Islands

Refill Sherry Hogshead

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

The Isle of Arran distillery has been in existence since 1995, but since 2019 it is no longer alone on the island, which is why it has changed its name. This one, distilled in 2009 and kept for 14 years, 7 months and 22 days in a Refill Sherry Hogshead, is full of promise. The Maison du Whisky has made no mistake, selecting this bottling to be part of the Foundations collection showcased at Whisky Live Paris 2024. 270 bottles have been crafted.

Let's Taste It : 

An oily, jammy Sherry, with apricot and raspberry, mirabelle plum, pear, but also airy, with traces of salt and iodine, cereals, puffed rice, barley, salted butter caramel, blood oranges, red carrots. A few malty hints. The palate is creamy, vanilla cream, caramel and candied lemon. Notes of liquorice and nuts, discreet spices, nutmeg, white pepper. Long, deep finish, exotic spices, hazelnuts, ginger, mint leaf, brown tobacco, with a delicate woodiness. Cashew nuts.

In Short, 

Very nice Arran, the Sherry is perfectly integrated, the fruit is expressive but doesn't hide the distillery's profile, it's really pleasant. What's more, the price is more or less acceptable, which is rare enough to be worth mentioning. Enthusiasts can try a purchase.

Score : 89

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Cindy Lee - Dracula

Old Pulteney 2004 Single Cask Collection Foundations 19 yo

 

 

 

56,7°

Distillery : Pulteney - Highlands 

1st Fill Bourbon Barrel 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

The Pulteney distillery is contributing to the Whisky Live Paris 2024 festivities by launching this 19-year-old single cask as part of the Foundations collection managed by La Maison du Whisky. The very simple maturation process will allow the distillate to express itself fully. 204 bottles have been released from the cask.

Let's Taste It : 

It's very salty, sea salt, samphire, big fat oysters, slightly herbaceous, lichen, celery, reeds, then the barrel plays its part, juicy yellow plums, bananas, melted butter, a zest of lemon. Iodised fullness, foam, kelp. It's oily on the palate, sunflower, argan, with a dash of vanilla, salted butter caramel, cereals sprinkled with flour, maritime notes linger in the background, spices under control. The finish is perfectly mastered, long, wide and powerful, chalky and limestone, the tide is rising, but it leads on to orchard fruits, green apples and Conference pears. Peanut chips.

In Short, 

A perfect Pulteney, giving access to all the typicality of the profile, it's a very good example of what the distillate has to offer. The nose and finish are really very good, but on the palate it's slightly underwhelming, more under the influence of the cask. It's going to sound surprising, but I would have liked to taste it a little earlier, to get an even more authentic distillate, at 19 years old it has mellowed a little though. The price is a bit high for my taste.

Score : 89

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Tigran Hamasyan - Markos and Markos

Benromach 2003 Artist #14 20 yo

 

 

 

56,7°

Distillery : Benromach - Speyside 

1st Fill Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling

By La Maison du Whisky

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 12 ppm

 

 

 

Among the Benromachs released by La Maison du Whisky as part of the Artist #14 series, this 20-year-old has been aged exclusively in a 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, before being transferred to 181 bottles. The label features a work by Logovarda entitled Untitled 3. The cask number being 666, we can expect something devilish.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is more cereal-like, fatter, with puffed rice, semolina with milk, lemon zest, creamy vanilla, light peat. A pinch of salt, herbal touches, hay and speculoos. Honeyed freshness. On the palate, it's barely fruity, lime, mirabelle plum, then smooth and mineral vanilla, a hint of peat and a few spices, nutmeg, cardamom, a mint leaf. Long, delicately maritime finish, with mushy cereals, oats, millet. It's vaguely woody, with whiffs of barnyard. Nuts, chestnuts.

 

In Short, 

The difference is very slight with the 25 year old, perhaps because I drank them one after the other. The 25-year-old is sunnier, while the 20-year-old is fatter and milder. But both are very interesting and pleasant to drink. The price is a little less crazy for this one, but it's still exaggerated.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                            Car Seat Headrest - High to Death

Benromach 1998 Artist #14 25 yo

 

 

 

50,3°

Distillery : Benromach - Speyside

1st Fill Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By La Maison du Whisky

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 12 ppm

 

 

 

A whole section of the 14th Batch in the Artist range is devoted to Benromach, a Speyside distillery reopened in 1998 when it was bought by independent bottlers Gordon & MacPhail. So a series of 5 bottlings is released into the wild, and the oldest is this one, a 25 year old, distilled in the same year that the distillery returned to operation. The ageing is classic, with only 160 bottles produced. The label features a work entitled Sans Titre 5 by Logovarda.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is excellent, pure elegance, mellow, warm brioche, butter soufflé, wheat semolina, egg cream, a few speculoos crumbs, frangipane, exotic fruits in the background, banana, kumquat, a touch of grapefruit, mirabelle plums, greengages, quetsches, whipped cream. On the palate, as fruity as ever, pine honey, milk chocolate coulis, vanilla pastry cream, discreet spices, candied ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, noble and delicate woodiness. The finish is very long, powerful and distinguished at the same time. The chocolate becomes dark, almost earthy, and is accompanied by cereals, toasted wheat, shortbread biscuits, hints of menthol then herbaceous, but very delicate.

 

In Short, 

It's truly magnificent, with great subtlety and a beautiful variety of flavours and fragrances. At once delicate and very assertive, fruity and creamy, the Bourbon is perfectly integrated into the distillery's profile. In short, it's a delight. Unfortunately, the price is grotesquely high.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Gold Connections - Icarus

Highland Park 2003 Artist #14 Rothes Glen Over 20 yo

56,9°

Distillery : Highland Park - Islands 

Sherry Butt 

Independent Bottling 

By La Maison du Whisky

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 20 ppm

 

 

 

The 14th edition of the Artist range pays tribute to the architect Charles Doig, who drew up the plans for some fifty Scottish distilleries, and in particular designed their pagoda-shaped roofs, which are now the hallmark of whisky distilleries all over the world. Charles Doig was also behind the construction of Glen Rothes Castle, a nineteenth-century manor house, hence the subtitle of this Batch. This Highland Park is one of 6 whiskies to bear this subtitle, and the engraving of the manor house on the label. The label also features a painting by Victor Ekpuk entitled Child. 435 bottles are on sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Quite dark and racy sherry. Blackberries, raspberries, redcurrants, delicate and damp woodiness, rather exotic wood, sultanas, fig, and a drop of balsamic vinegar. Fresh iodine, a pinch of salt, liquorice, chocolate fondant. Very light smokiness. On the palate, blackberries and morello cherries, but it glides along very easily, it's not thick like some Sherries, resin, fat brown tobacco, copper tints, rich and varied spices, curry, saffron, cinnamon, walnut cake. Long, deep, earthy finish, dark chocolate, chicory, roots, ginger, sweet potatoes. Brown sugar, heather, delicate floral touches.

In Short, 

The Sherry is very present, but it complements the distillery's profile in a very subtle way, which remains however in the background. It's extremely well done, and fascinating to discover for a lover of this distillery like me, the profile is as if transfigured by the Sherry, but it's still there. Unfortunately, the very high price puts a stop to the desire.

Score : 90

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Celeste - This is Who I am

Glenrothes 1995 Artist #12 Over 25 yo

 

 

 

55,5°

Distillery : Glenrothes - Speyside

1st Fill Sherry Butt 

Independent Bottling 

By La Maison du Whisky 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

As part of the 12th release in the Artist range launched in 2011 by La Maison du Whisky, this Glenrothes at least 26 years old is intriguing. Aged in a 1st Fill Sherry Butt, it provided 448 bottles and was included in the Antipodes collection, which is a selection of bottlings showcased by La Maison du Whisky at Whisky Live Paris 2022. It doesn't appear to be a Cask Strength, as it's labelled as such on only one website, and the others are silent, so I've deduced that it isn't, as at such a high alcohol content, a slight reduction is possible.The artwork featured on the label, as on all the Artist bottlings, is entitled Il Giardino segreto della Giapponese, and is produced by Gesine Arps, a German artist. But she lives in Italy.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The Sherry is obviously present, but very balanced, rich and unctuous, with everything you need in a good Sherry, chocolate, red and dried fruits, blood orange, thick caramel, a few notes of cinnamon and ginger, an ounce of rancio. On the palate, it's more nuanced, the Sherry is there, but more vinous, blueberries and blackberries, heather, and in the background we find cereals and coffee. The spices are measured. The finish is long, well-crafted, very fruity with grapes of all colours, tannins, ginger, earth and sandalwood. Brown tobacco.

 

In Short, 

A very fine Sherry, very well balanced but lacking a hint of originality and complexity for my taste. It's very well made, though, and will delight fans of the genre, but the price is so ridiculously high that I wouldn't recommend buying it.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Lucky Lloyd - I Feel the Pain