Nikka Taketsuru 21 yo

 

 

 

43°

Distilleries : Yoichi, Miyagikyo - Japan

Bourbon and Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Blended Malt

Launched in 2001

Slightly Peated 

 

 

 

It is important to know about Masataka Taketsuru's life if you are even remotely interested in whisky. How this eager and hard-working young man went into business, how he left for Scotland just after the First World War, the Scottish woman he married who died prematurely, leaving him forever bereaved and throwing himself into his work. The two distilleries he founded, Yoichi and Miyagikyo, are the ones used for this Blended Malt created in his honour. He died in 1979, so the first Taketsuru 21 yo, launched in March 2001, was probably distilled during his lifetime. It is considered one of the best blends in the world, having been crowned the world's best whisky in its category four times at the World Whisky Awards. There is also the Taketsuru 25 Year Old, the 17 Year Old and the non-age-statement, but it is the 21 Year Old that is most easily remembered by the public and which fuels the legend. These three aged Taketsuru whiskies were discontinued in March 2020.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Pastry cream and peanut butter, apples cooked with a pinch of cinnamon, dried fruit, raisins, prunes, apricots, candied lemon, grapefruit zest, melting caramel, toffee and dark chocolate, a few coffee beans. In the background, a hint of coarse salt, mineral notes, limestone, gypsum, light and captivating peat, soot, dry earth. On the palate, sour oranges, salty notes and green liquorice, ginger, elegant but slightly insistent wood. Discreet spices, nutmeg, black pepper. Fairly long finish, chocolatey, with a trace of charcoal, walnuts and hazelnuts, a mint leaf.

 

In Short, 

The nose is the most interesting aspect, but it lacks a little depth and balance. The palate and finish are good but not particularly original. Another one of those overrated Japanese products that have reached ridiculous prices. Sure, it's good, but it's not that balanced, and there are some minor flaws. It is indeed much better than the vast majority of blends, but it is not as good as a good single malt. Perhaps, in the end, it would have been better not to taste it, dreaming of a great blend is always better than experiencing this disappointment.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

                                           Band-Maid - Thrill

The Macallan 18 yo Double Cask 2020

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : The Macallan - Speyside

Sherry Seasoned American and European Oak Casks  

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2020

Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

There are several 18-year-old Macallans, first the Sherry Oak Cask, then the Fine Oak, the Colour Collection, and finally the Double Cask, which we are focusing on here. That's not counting the simple 18-year-old vintage, which was still being sold at the beginning of the century, but no longer exists. The Double Cask is aged in two types of cask, as its name suggests, American and European oak casks. Both come from the city of Jerez de la Frontera, the capital of sherry, where the distillery owns several bodegas. Unfortunately, it is chill-filtered and reduced to 43%, but at least there are no colourings.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose strikes me as exceptional right away, with notes of salted butter caramel, soft toffee, prune clafoutis, macerated grapes, strawberry coulis, creamy vanilla, fermented cherries, a zest of blood orange, a slice of lime, dried tobacco leaves, acacia honey, beeswax, pine resin, dark chocolate and candied ginger. On the palate, it is a little light but perfectly balanced, on the one hand with dried apricots, mellow banana, pomegranate seeds and cooked apples, and on the other with measured spices, nutmeg, cloves and grey pepper. Rich and creamy woodiness, very honeyed, egg custard, pastry cream. The finish is long, powerful, even explosive, full of dried fruit, shortbread biscuits, citrus fruit and Turkish delight. Olive oil, one or two coffee beans, cashew nuts, cinnamon, very slight woody bitterness. A pinch of salt, a hint of cereal.

 

In Short, 

The nose and finish completely enchanted me. Tasted blind, I found it to be an exceptional whisky, with a cask quality that is almost impossible to find anywhere else. On the palate, however, it is very balanced but a little light, which is a shame. With a few more degrees of alcohol and no chill filtration, it would be a magnificent whisky. As it is, it is just a very good product, with a nose you could spend hours enjoying, and a frankly outrageous price.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Thievery Corporation - Lebanese Blonde

Cadenhead's Peated Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 2025

 

 

 

57,7°

Distilleries : Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain and others - Scotland

Independent Bottling 

By William Cadenhead Limited 

Limited Edition

Blended Malt 

Launched in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Heavily Peated

 

 

 

In a number of Cadenhead shops, you can find demijohns filled with whisky. There are three of them: one for Bourbon, one for Sherry and one for Peated. It is impossible to know exactly what is inside them, as the contents change depending on what is added over the months. You can have a bottle filled by hand, either 20 cl or 70 cl. So I was able to taste a sip of Peated Blended Malt from a bottle that had been filled in 2025, with an alcohol content of 57.7%. I was assured that the two distilleries most used are Caol Ila and Bunnahabhain, but nothing is known about the others.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Quite oily peat on the nose, with hints of the sea, silt, seaweed, kelp, and a good dose of sea spray, whelks, razor clams, oysters, mussels, limestone and quartz, chalky rock, tar, creamy vanilla, and a vague zest of lemon. On the palate, it is rough, the peat becomes earthy, a little drier, dark chocolate and coffee, bottarga, Morteau sausage, lots of pepper and cloves. Banana, perhaps lychee. Quite a long and powerful finish, chalk and fuel oil, some subtle fruit, yam, black radish, a few drops of citrus.

 

In Short, 

For me, it's the perfect daily dram. The alcohol content is a little strong, admittedly, but it has character and lovely contrasts between the peaty, mineral and maritime notes and the fruits that linger in the background. It's powerful and intense, which is just how I like it. I admit it lacks a little subtlety, but that's why it's a daily dram. It offers good value for money and is worth trying. 

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Frankie and The Witch Fingers - Empire

Auchentoshan 20 yo Whisky Craft Season Two

 

 

 

55,1°

Distillery : Auchentoshan - Lowlands

2d Fill Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By Whisky Craft

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Whisky Craft is a very young Scottish bottler that came into being just this year. They are now on their fifth bottling, an Auchentoshan that spent 20 years in a second-fill hogshead, yielding 225 bottles. The distillation date has not been disclosed, but it is definitely a single cask, most likely cask strength, included in the company's second release, called Season Two.

Let's Taste It : 

It is fresh and lemony, with salty and mineral notes that give it character, chalk, gypsum, limestone. But very quickly, juicy fruits come through, Williams pear, mirabelle plum, and cotton candy, strawberry chewing gum, with a lovely caramel coulis and pastry cream. On the palate, grapefruit and mountain honey, orange zest and ripe banana. The spices are very subtle. On the finish, shortbread dough, a pinch of salt, then it becomes herbaceous, mint, sage, reeds. A very light peppery touch, oak leaf, walnut.

 

In Short, 

I am still unfamiliar with this distillery, but I have been told that it fits the profile of a very good Auchentoshan perfectly, and I am inclined to believe it. I enjoyed the fruit, citrus and cotton candy notes, but what surprised me most was the mineral character that gives it such a distinctive personality. This is definitely a whisky worth exploring, and it offers very good value for money. A bottler to keep an eye on.

Score : 89 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Röyksopp - Stay Awhile

Ledaig 2009 The Art of Maturation Benchmark Collection Itinéraires 16 yo

 

 

 

50,4°

Distillery : Tobermory - Islands

1st Fill Amontillado Octave Sherry Cask

Independent Bottling 

By Murray McDavid

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 37 ppm

 

 

 

Part of the Collection Itinéraires, this Ledaig has been aged in Amontillado sherry casks, a fairly dry sherry. Only 81 bottles have been produced, which is very few, and they are reserved for the French market.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is fruity and airy, coastal and cereal-like. Candied lemon, pomegranate and redcurrants, ripe pears overwhelmed by medicinal and salty peat, full of sea spray and seaweed. Evanescent iodine, and in the background, muesli and almond milk, beeswax. On the palate, a strong dose of peat at first, then quartz, salt, and gradually, pastry cream, citrus coulis, passion fruit. Discreet spices. Quite a long finish, almost explosive, liquorice, blond tobacco, ash and seaweed, unrefined sea salt. Mussels and rice powder.

 

In Short, 

Despite the strong influence of sherry, this Ledaig retains its character, softened only slightly by a parade of ripe, sometimes candied fruits. There is a beautiful balance and variety of flavours between the sweetness of the fruit and the mineral roughness. This will appeal to any self-respecting fan of the distillery, without being a masterpiece. It is neither quite as assertive nor as subtle as that. But it is still an enjoyable experience. The price is quite high, as evidenced by the fact that it is not yet sold out despite the small number of bottles available. 

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Rocket - Another Second Chance

Bowmore 2014 Old Particular 11 yo

 

 

 

62,4°

Distillery : Bowmore - Islay

Refill Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By Douglas Laing & Co. 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 25 ppm

 

 

 

This Bowmore yielded only 220 bottles and spent 11 years in a single refill bourbon barrel, ensuring that the distillate is showcased to its best advantage. It was added to the Collection Itinéraires for Whisky Live Paris 2025 and is therefore reserved for the French market.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Very intense nose, creamy, fruity, mirabelle and greengage plums, vanilla, abundant citrus fruits, coated in rich, salty peat. Dried fruit, pineapple and banana, liquorice, under a shower of ashes and sea spray. Iodine gradually balancing out. Very pleasant on the palate, with the fruit slightly overwhelming the peat, it's pulpy, citrusy, even exotic, lychee, grapefruit, papaya, with pear and apple. The spices are restrained. The finish is quite long, iodine and oily, with shortbread biscuits, herbaceous notes, reeds, bamboo, a mineral background, slate, quartz, sleet and, of course, cold ashes.

 

In Short, 

A very pleasant Bowmore, intensely fruity, where iodine and peat are a little more discreet, but still very present in the background. That said, I find it lacks a little body or authenticity, I've come to expect better from this distillery. But excellence breeds high standards. In any case, despite the price, which I find high, it is already completely sold out.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Orvak - Only You

Talisker 2011 Old Particular 14 yo

 

 

 

54,8°

Distillery : Talisker - Islands

Refill Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By Douglas Laing & Co. 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 22 ppm

 

 

 

Independent bottlings of Talisker are rare, which is why this one deserves attention, especially since it is aged 14 years to the day (it was bottled on the anniversary of its distillation), matured in a Refill Hogshead that will bring out the best in the distillate, and only 227 bottles exist. It has been included in the Itinéraires collection designed by La Maison du Whisky on the occasion of Whisky Live Paris 2025.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Fresh and coastal nose, lemony and mineral, with oysters, whelks, a good dose of iodine and sea spray, seaweed, rough smoke, spongy peat, slate and quartz shards. Coarse sea salt. Behind that, creamy vanilla, apples and pears, perhaps even lychee and almonds. It's fine and chiseled on the palate, liquorice and salicornia, light citrus, grapefruit, a dash of English custard, still vanilla, a little milky, spices full of character, black pepper, cloves, cumin. Chalky, salty finish with a hint of cereal, limestone and scallops, olive oil, a zest of lemon.

 

In Short, 

So typical. It's Talisker through and through, nothing more, nothing less. Absolutely nothing exceptional, but with a distinctive identity, a unique character, deeply marine and mineral, with a noticeable peatiness that is never overpowering. It's the dream bottling for all fans of the distillery, but nothing remarkable for those who are not particularly fond of it. The only problem is the price, which is very high, but it must be said that independent Taliskers are so rare that it is entirely in line with the market.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Remina - Silence and the Silver Sea

Benromach 2014 Single Cask Collection Itinéraires 10 yo

 

58,3

Distillery : Benromach - Speyside

1st Fill Sherry Hogshead 

Original Bottling

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 12 ppm

And the last Benromach selected by La Maison du Whisky to be part of the Itinéraires Collection is this one, a young and spirited whisky that matured in a first-fill sherry hogshead, for a total of 304 bottles. Made with Concerto barley and produced using a long fermentation process, this is a pure old-school bottling.

Let's Taste It : 

Very mellow on the nose, with greengages, juicy mirabelle plums, but also mineral, quartz, salt and chalk. The peat is discreet. Dried fruit, figs, pineapple, apricots, fresh walnuts and cashews. Some citrus fruit, damp leather and apple compote. On the palate, beautiful finesse, lovely woodiness, floor wax, milk chocolate, creamy vanilla, liquorice and ginger. Intense spices, salted almonds, orange peel. Long and elegant finish, creamy and herbaceous, dried mandarins and Conference pears, shortbread biscuits with fine sea salt, brewer's yeast, cooked egg yolk.

 

In Short, 

It's not that old school, it's a beautiful, intense sherry without being overpowering. The distillery retains its mineral profile, but I found little cereal or cut hay. It's nicely fruity and spicy, yet smooth and balanced at the same time. The price is more or less decent, so it's worth considering a purchase.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Leif de Leeuw Band - Small Town