Lochlea 2018 6 yo

 

 

 

50°

Distillery : Lochlea - Lowlands

1st Fill Bourbon Barrels and Oloroso Sherry Butts

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

As the distillery opened its doors in 2018, this is the oldest whisky to have left its warehouses so far. It is a blend of six casks, three 1st Fill Bourbon Barrels, and three 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts. The result is 2,500 bottles, reduced to 50°. This is the distillery's 2nd aged bottling, after a 5yo released last year. And it seems that a 7-year-old is already planned for the very near future.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It's very sweet, with the Sherry predominating, dried figs and redcurrants, pomegranate seeds and potimarron. But behind it, the Bourbon brings a certain rusticity, young wood, vanilla and honey, crispy cereals. Milk chocolate, melon, blood orange peel. On the palate, the red fruits become thicker, treacle, brown sugar, malted biscuits, intense spices, cinnamon, paprika. A decent finish, with character and a little length, melting caramel, lemon zest, panna cotta. Crushed peanuts, a drop of papaya juice.

 

In Short, 

It's not bad at all, the Sherry is intense, but it's not a Sherry Bomb either, the Bourbon influence gives citrus, cream and exotic fruit, which tempers the Sherry. That said, it's still young, and still lacks a little character and presence on the palate. For this reason, the price seems to me to be very exaggerated, it does not yet have the consistency to make it a sought-after whisky. 

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Lila Grace & Lowdown Shakes - Walkin' Beside Me

Aultmore 2009 Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength 15 yo

 

 

 

57,3°

Distillery : Aultmore - Speyside

1st Fill Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By Gordon & MacPhail

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Aultmore is a relatively little-known distillery, and that's probably unfair. Most of its production goes into blends, but it nevertheless has a regular range. That said, nothing beats the pleasure of tasting a Single Cask, Cask Strength expression, aged in 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel. That's where you'll find the very essence of the whisky's personality. This one is therefore ideal, with the added bonus of an attractive age. 200 bottles are on sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Various cereals, toasted oats, honeyed wheat, muesli. Lovely woodiness, young wood with a touch of wax. Creamy vanilla with a hint of lemon, but also herbaceous, pastoral notes, hay, tall grass. Oak leaf, cloves, apricot jam. On the palate, it moves towards yellow fruits, mirabelle plums and apples, with a touch of exoticism, pineapple and pastry cream. Discreet spices. The finish is long, a certain strength, dried banana, Liège waffles, whipped cream. Cashew nuts, corn kernels. 

In Short, 

This distillery deserves to be better known, it has a real identity, it's bucolic, lively, pleasant, light without being insipid, mildly subtle. It's typical of Speyside, and lovers of the region should give it a try. As for the price, it varies from site to site and from country to country, so it's best to take advantage of any special offers.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Soda Blonde - Dream Big

Tomatin 1993 Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength 30 yo

 

 

 

58,4°

Distillery : Tomatin - Highlands 

1st Fill Sherry Puncheon

Independent Bottling 

By Gordon & MacPhail 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

Who could refuse a 30-year-old Tomatin, aged entirely in a 1st Fill Sherry Puncheon Cask? This really is the top of the Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength range, and is included in the Upper series. 502 bottles have been released.

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Thick red fruit coulis, forest aromas, undergrowth, ferns, bark, chestnuts in its bogue, vegetal moss. Pink pralines, melting toffee, cooked wine, elastics, soggy leather, candied figs, acacia honey. A subtle woodiness brings a fine balance, vanilla custard, citrus zest, grapefruit. On the palate, it's syrupy, intense, roasted hazelnuts, blueberry and blackberry tarts, redcurrant jelly, shortbread biscuits, sautéed potatoes. Discreet spices mingle with pastry notes, flaked almonds, nougatine, cinnamon. The finish is extremely long and powerful, touching on the sublime, tarte Tatin, glazed chestnuts, Agen prunes, burnt bark, dark chocolate, a pinch of ground coffee, quetsche fondant, mint leaf.

 

In Short, 

At first I thought it was just another superb Sherry, but then came the final. This one is magnificent, never-ending, very impressive. This is a product of rare beauty, to be reserved for Sherry lovers of course. The price is obviously gigantic, but I'm sure your banker will give you credit for it.

Score : 91  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           WasXGone - Tappavasilmä

Tomatin 1990 Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength 34 yo

 

 

 

42,6°

Distillery : Tomatin - Highlands 

Refill American Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Gordon & MacPhail

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Among the countless treasures preserved by Gordon & MacPhail in their vast warehouses, this Tomatin is 34 years old, having been bottled on 23 April 2025. It belongs to the Upper series within the Connoisseurs Choice range, as it is a rarity. The ageing is quite classic, and will allow the distillate to thrive. Only 106 bottles have been released from the cask.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Beeswax, delicate woodiness, pulpy yellow fruit. Acacia honey, milk chocolate, white peach, mashed banana. Green apples, Conference pears, and a few floral hints behind. Shortbread biscuits, zest of lemon and vanilla, egg yolk diluted in fresh cream. On the palate, yellow plums, mirabelles, generous cereals, rye bread, varnished wood. Salted butter caramel, subtle notes of exotic fruit, slowly invading spices, black pepper, nutmeg. Very long finish, quite powerful despite the low alcohol content, candied fruit, liquid honey, rosemary, dill, crushed chestnuts, sweet almonds.

 

In Short, 

At this age, it is obviously a monster of balance and subtlety. The honey is thick, the fruit intense and the oak bewitching. Having said that, you can find something just as good for much less, because the price is astronomical. To be reserved for the very wealthy amateurs.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Gisli Gunnarsson - Andlitin I Berginu

Enigma 2006 Single Malt Irish 10 yo

 

 

 

44,3°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Ireland

1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrels

Independent Bottling 

By William Cadenhead Limited 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This new Enigma bottling has everything to intrigue. For a start, it's officially 10 years old, but it's actually much older, having been distilled in 2006. Except that in 2016, it was imported to Scotland and re-racked into fresh Bourbon Barrels. It therefore spent 8 years in casks in Scotland, but that doesn't count, because an Irish Whiskey can only be aged in Ireland, otherwise it is downgraded and becomes an Irish Spirit. So the gentlemen at Cadenhead can only put on the bottle the number of years spent maturing in Ireland, and that's 10 years. But it's really an 18-year-old, which explains the low alcohol content, as it appears to be Cask Strength. I think I'm authorized to reveal that it's a Cooley, as I guessed it myself, the demonstrator only nodding when I said the name of the distillery. Only 726 bottles are on sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It's fresh and fruity, a good slice of vanilla, freshly harvested cereals, pineapple and passion fruit, a zest of lemon, dry hay and coconut. A very fine pinch of salt, earthy notes, orchard fruits and delicate floral touches. On the palate, it's honeyed, smooth, sweet butter toast, pastry cream, woven rattan rolls, shortbread biscuits, mellow spices but with character, cinnamon, cloves. The finish is long and woody, with a return to fruit and flowers, thistle blossom, dried banana, nettle infusion, roasted wheat, slivered almonds, sourdough bread.       

In Short, 

A very good Irish Whiskey, fruity, full of vanilla and floral as we like it, very complex and bursting with character. It's a golden opportunity, because we've got an 18-year-old for more or less the price of a 10-year-old, and what's more, it's a perfect success. Given the small number of bottles available, I think you'd better hurry. 

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Dora Jar - Spell

Enigma 2008 Speyside Single Malt 16 yo SPY.1.B

 

 

 

51,9°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Speyside

Bourbon Casks and Pineau des Charentes Wine Finish

Independent Bottling 

By William Cadenhead Limited 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This one is the successor to SPY.1.A, bottled in 2024. Both come from the same distillery, were distilled in the same year and are the same age. But they did not mature in the same way, and were bottled a year apart. This means that they were not distilled in the same month. The second one has been finished in barrels of Pineau des Charentes wine since 2020, a French liqueur wine. Only 714 bottles are on sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Mellow brioche, marzipan, pastry cream, floating island, Italia grapes, ripe mirabelles. Roasted walnuts, minty notes, rye bread, dry hay, semi-salted butter. In the background, it's a little herbal, candied ginger, laurel, reeds. On the palate, the butter softens, mingling with honey, vanilla wafers, red berries. Mastered spices, nutmeg, green pepper. Quite long finish, but not so powerful, wood charcoal, dark chocolate, tannins, gingerbread. Hot chestnuts, coffee and blueberry muffins.

 

In Short, 

It's quite different from the SPY.1.A, so it's interesting, but I found it a little light on the palate, with a grassy character that may not appeal to everyone. That said, it has personality and depth, and is always interesting to discover. This distillery works a lot with Sherry casks, so it's refreshing to discover an original expression. As for the price, I think it's right for its age. 

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Cornelia - Half Way

Cardhu 12 yo Wine Cask Matured 200 Anniversary Limited Edition

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Cardhu - Speyside 

Red Wine Barrels

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

The distillery was officially founded in 1824 by John and Helen Cumming, and Helen became the first known woman to run a Scottish distillery when her husband died. But in truth, the distillery existed long before that date, except that it was illegal. It was only in 1824 that it obtained an official licence to operate. This bottling was launched to celebrate the distillery's 200th anniversary, even though it was founded around 1810. What's more, the bottling was released at the end of 2023, so go figure. This whole 200th anniversary thing is confusing. Here, the whisky has been aged entirely in red wine casks, which is both worrying and appealing. 

Let's Taste It : 

The wine brings a coppery tone, with exotic spices, cinnamon and saffron, pulpy yellow fruit, a pleasant and rough woodiness, a few mentholated touches, candied ginger, caramelised apples, brown tobacco, forest undergrowth. On the palate, it's a little oily but very watery, yet there are hints of lychee, vanilla, candied orange peel and a few more peppery spices. White peaches. Fairly long finish, but nothing exceptional, dark chocolate, slight woody bitterness, dried red fruit, goji seeds, cherries. Coffee grounds, damp clods of earth.

In Short, 

The influence of the wine is not too strong, adding flavour and character to this usually very light distillate. On the palate, however, there's a lot of water, which is a shame. On the whole, it's passable. I've heard that this product can be found in some supermarkets at a very modest price, so fans of the profile can give it a try.

Score : 83

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Algor Mortis - Belonging Somewhere

Cardhu 15 yo The Cummings of Cardhu

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Cardhu - Speyside

Bourbon and Sherry Casks 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2013

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

The Cardhu 15yo appeared in 2011, at the same time as the 18yo, but the subtitle The Cummings of Cardhu, in tribute to the family who founded the distillery, appeared a little later, in 2013. The recipe certainly didn't change though. It's reduced to the max, chill-filtered and coloured, but don't despair, it's still whisky.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Creamy, spring-fresh nose with mustard seeds, quince jelly and rose loukoums. Light vanilla, soft brioche, lemon zest and baked apples. Wood varnish, heather, caramel and dark chocolate. On the palate, yoghurt, or rather fresh cream, mixed with honey, macadamia nuts, dried raisins, bitter oranges, vanilla extract, decent spices, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg. Finish not very long, but acceptable, grainy cereals, dry hay, wood shavings, oak bark, fresh walnuts, cola.

 

In Short, 

Honestly, I expected worse. I found it just as good as the 18yo, which I tasted for the second time immediately afterwards, and it even seemed a little more appealing. Nevertheless, it's still far too expensive for what it is, sold at the price of a normal 15yo even though it's low quality.

Score : 84  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Waxahatchee - Where's your love now