Oban 12 yo Special Release 2025 Heart of the Harbour

 

 

 

54,7°

Distillery : Oban - Highlands

Ex-Bourbon American Oak Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

Last year, the Oban Diageo Special Release underwent a complex maturation process. This year, nothing of the sort, simple American Bourbon Oak Casks will allow the distillate to shine. Otherwise, the principles remain the same, a limited edition in Cask Strength, without chill filtration or colouring.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It is airy, with a slight hint of peat to give depth, juicy fruit, yellow peaches, squeezed lemon, white grapes, creamy fudge, candied vanilla, elegant woodiness with a waxy note, roasted hazelnuts. Perhaps a pinch of salt. On the palate, it is smooth, citrusy, with more pronounced wood and less ripe fruit. Green apples, sandy beaches, restrained spices. Drops of honey. The finish is slightly oily, salted butter caramel, shortbread biscuits, liquorice and toasted peanuts. Lime zest. 

 

In Short, 

It's really not bad at all. The character of the distillery comes through here, whereas it's often too discreet for my taste in other bottlings I've tasted. That said, it still lacks a little complexity to be truly impressive. All in all, it's just a pleasant experience. What's more, the price is really exaggerated, which is a shame. 

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Chris Stapleton - Joy of My Life

The Singleton Glen Ord 17 yo Special Release 2025 Into the Blue

 

 

 

55,5°

Distillery : Glen Ord - Highlands

Refill Bourbon Casks, 2d Fill Sherry and Mezcal Barrels Finish

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Also part of the Diageo Special Releases 2025, this 17-year-old Glen Ord is the result of blending two types of maturation. One was aged for 12 years in refill bourbon casks, then for 5 years in second-fill sherry casks, while the other was aged for 14 years in the same refill bourbon casks, then for 3 years in mezcal barrels. I'm not a big fan of mezcal and I'm very wary of this kind of atypical maturation. But curiosity gets the better of me and I try a quarter dram.  

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Airy freshness, light tropical humidity, evanescent fruits, persimmon, melon, ripe pears. Raisins, cinnamon, baked apples. Candied lemon, toasted agave, then vegetal notes, reeds, bamboo, a few lychees. On the palate, it is smoother, with honey and crushed apricots, white peaches and prickly pears, a pinch of salt and ginger. Discreet spices and earthy notes. Fairly long finish, dry earth, white pepper, tanned leather, dried fruit, macerated almonds. Crushed hazelnuts, orange zest, mint leaf.

 

 

In Short, 

Yes, it's quite interesting, and it has the merit of being original. It's not bad, but it doesn't have the classic characteristics of a whisky, the mezcal has a lot of influence here. I'm not very enthusiastic, to be honest, but I did like the finish, which makes up for the rest. The price is very high, however, so it's not worth buying. 

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Silvius Leopold Weiss - Ciacona in G Minor

Roseisle 14 yo Special Release 2025 Harmonic Grace

 

 

 

55,9° 

Distillery : Roseisle - Speyside

Refill and Rejuvenated Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

This is the third Roseisle included in Diageo Special Releases in as many years. The previous two were well received, so there is every reason to continue. But this time, Diageo plans to produce something older, so it will have spent 14 wonderful years in a refill bourbon cask that has been rejuvenated, meaning that the inside of the cask has been scraped to replace the old wood with new wood.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It is light and evanescent, but with beautiful complexity, rose petals, candied fruit, Turkish delight, cat's tongue biscuits, ethereal vanilla, apple tart, pastry cream, churned butter. Delicate herbaceous notes. On the palate, it is just as subtle, apricots and white peaches, lychees, butter cookies, hazelnuts, lemon candies, subtle spices. The finish is a little shy at first, then more intense, crunchy nuts, dried almonds, sunflower seeds, sweet peppery notes. Reeds, bamboo. Red apples.

 

In Short, 

I found it more remarkable than the previous Diageo Special Release from this distillery, and more nuanced too, with lovely notes of candied fruit and flowers. A little gem. The price, however, remains high. It's true that Roseisle original bottlings are very rare, but the quality isn't exceptional either. 

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           In Inertia - Of All Things I Yearn For

Teaninich 8 yo Special Relase 2025 Daring Rye

 

 

 

60,3°

Distillery : Teaninich - Highlands

Ex-Bourbon Casks 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition

Single Grain

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

This distillery is about to close, if it hasn't already done so, as it was announced last September. One of its last original bottlings will therefore be this one, which has the distinction of being a Single Grain, whereas the distillery usually produces Single Malt. It is a blend of malted barley and malted rye, and is called a single grain because it contains less than 51% malted rye, otherwise it would be called rye whisky. All of this has been quietly aged for 8 years in Bourbon casks before being released as part of the Diageo Special Releases. Distillation probably took place in 2016.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It :    

On the nose, roasted bread spread with a generous layer of butter, toasted cereals, particularly rye, which is really recognisable, puffed rice, muesli, rustic honey. Country bread, wood chips, freshly cut wheat, lemon sweets, thick caramel. On the palate, it is creamier, with delicate vanilla and various citrus fruits. It is slightly tart, but the spices quickly come to the fore. Light woody and herbaceous notes. Medium-length finish, but powerful, with charcoal, peach pits, dried apricots, coconut. Roast corn, Ovaltine.

 

In Short, 

Overall, this product disappointed, it is poorly rated on Whiskybase, and even Ruben gave it less than 80 points. As for me, I find it an interesting experience, it has character and depth, and I like the strong presence of cereals. Admittedly, there's nothing exceptional about it, but I think it's not bad. However, I agree that the price is too high. 

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Lili Refrain - Nagal

Ledaig 2001 The Whisky Jury 24 yo

 

 

 

53,4°

Distillery : Tobermory - Islands

Refill Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Jury

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 37 ppm

 

 

 

Ledaig, as a special brand for peated whisky from Tobermory, has only been around since the 1990s, so bottlings over 20 years old are not that common. That's why this one caused something of a stir when it was released, especially as it was launched by The Whisky Jury, a highly reputable Belgian independent bottler founded in 2019. Having matured for 24 years and 9 months in a single Refill Hogshead, the distillate is very little influenced by the cask. Only 248 bottles are available for sale. It is written Heavily Peated on the label, yet it can only be faded after all this time. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Misty peat, the weather is damp, with a gentle minerality, the tide, nougatine, caramel, light floral notes and honey crystals. Yellow fruits and tobacco leaves, crushed banana, and gradually the peat becomes more insistent, maritime and rocky, full-bodied. Quartz, slate, gypsum. On the palate, slightly oily rose water, then powerful spices, cumin, clove, black pepper. A few lychees. A sufficiently long and intense finish, notes of charcoal, soot, mineral-rich earth, gently bitter wood. Asparagus and coffee. A zest of lemon.

 

Let's Taste It : 

Even after all these years, Ledaig has lost none of its subversive character. There is very little peat, but the mineral character is intense and the maritime notes are harsh. This does not prevent a slight creaminess and some welcome fruitiness. But overall, it is austere, distinctive, even a touch monochrome. Nevertheless, the price is quite low for a whisky of this age and from a bottler of this reputation, making it a unique opportunity to try a malt of great quality and with a unique profile. 

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Gealdyr - Drui

Hazelburn 10 yo

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Springbank - Campbeltown

Bourbon Barrels 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2014

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

Hazelburn 10 Year Old was my biggest gap in knowledge. Among the classics of the whisky world, it is certainly the most remarkable one that I had not yet mentioned. It appeared in 2014, first as a limited edition, then it was added to the Core Range. At that time, there was a real regular range for the Hazelburn brand, which included an 8-year-old and a 12-year-old, as well as an unaged one, the CV. All of this disappeared fairly quickly once the 10-year-old became established. Matured 100% in Bourbon Barrels, it reveals a distillate coated in yellow fruit. This bottling was so successful that it became increasingly difficult to find in recent times. In fact, no new batch had been released for two years. This is the one I am tasting, launched at the end of 2025, but I have no doubt that I will have the opportunity to complete my opinion on this bottle with older batches. I have one at home that has been waiting for me to open it for years. The first editions came with a box, but this is no longer the case. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It :  

It is smooth and velvety, with notes of rubbed hay, dry straw, wildflower honey, and perhaps a coastal touch, a hint of salt. Mirabelle plums and greengages, very slight acidity, soft banana, nougatine. Dry earth. On the palate, it is woody, spicy, rose water, yellow fruits, apples and pears, rustic cereals. Fairly long finish, not far from being powerful, walnuts, white grapes, a zest of lime, bread dough, an ounce of bitterness. Rough hazelnuts. Pine bark, red sand, beeswax.

 

In Short, 

Despite triple distillation and the total absence of peat, it has a strong character, complemented by a beautiful, delicate fruitiness and some woody notes. Frankly, it is very well made and rounds off the Springbank range, which offers a truly varied but complementary selection of expressions. The identity of the distillate is immediately recognisable. Unfortunately, prices are rising with Springbank due to frenzied demand. I would therefore say that this bottle is now reserved for fans, as the value for money is no longer there. 

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                            To Be Listened While Sipping : 

                                            ZionRay featuring Shea - Wrong Direction

Craigellachie 2008 Fàire - Orizzonti di Riccardo Furini 16 yo

 

 

 

60,9°

Distillery : Craigellachie - Speyside

Sherry Cask

Independent Bottling 

By Hidden Spirits 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

The third and final release in this small series launched this year by Hidden Spirits, combining the work of Riccardo Furini with whisky. Here we have a Craigellachie that has spent 16 years in a sherry cask, yielding only 105 bottles, exactly like the other two. The artwork chosen to illustrate the label is entitled I Cani abbaiano si agitano i Cavalli.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A nose typical of the distillery, both robust and indulgent, dates, dried bananas, cherries in brandy, cranberry jam, dark chocolate filled with orange, soft caramel, old leather, apple crumble sprinkled with cinnamon. On the palate, it is thick and silky, purée of red berries, of quinces, apricots and raisins, cloves, cocoa powder and compote. The finish is more cereal-like and woody, with wood chips, damp hay, hazelnuts and chestnuts, biscuits stuffed with red berries, light coffee, earthy notes.

 

In Short, 

There is a beautiful complexity and character, the sherry blends very well with the distillery's profile. It is rich but not overly so, with a slightly rustic, farmhouse feel, woody and forest-like. It has a beautiful depth that can be appreciated over time. However, I find the price too high, I understand that the design is expensive, but it is above all the whisky that we are buying. 

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           mercury - Special

Macduff 2008 Fàire - Orizzonti di Riccardo Furini 16 yo

 

 

 

53,5°

Distillery : Macduff - Highlands

Sherry Cask 

Independent Bottling 

By Hidden Spirits 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

A new addition to this series launched in 2025 by Hidden Spirits, which brings together three bottlings that illustrate the works of Riccardo Furini. This time, it is a Macduff that has spent 16 years in a sherry cask and yielded only 105 bottles. The artwork featured on the label is entitled Orizzonte. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The sherry is stronger, more intense, forest berries, deep spices, soft bark, black earth, chocolate fondant, heather honey, raisins, braised nuts, a zest of blood orange. In the background, a few discreet mineral notes. Elegant woodiness, mahogany. On the palate, it is rich and balanced, red fruit jam, dates, stuffed figs, soft toffee and a slight pinch of salt. Warm, spicy finish, cocoa powder, hazelnuts and cashews, roots, cooked mushrooms. Filled cabbage. Cinnamon.

 

In Short, 

I really liked it, it has a certain personality, ranging from forest notes to a slight coastal saltiness. The sherry gives it a lovely fruitiness, but also enriches the character of the distillate. However, it is still a little expensive, so I'm not sure if I would recommend buying it. 

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Möng - Ohilen