Laphroaig 33 yo Strong Characters Donald Johnston 1810-1847

 

 

 

43,8°

Distillery : Laphroaig - Islay

American Oak Bourbon Casks and European Oak Sherry Hogsheads

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 43 ppm

 

 

 

With this prestigious release, the distillery and its team aim to pay tribute to one of its founders, Donald Johnston. It marks the first chapter in a series dedicated to the artisans behind one of the finest distilleries in the world. For the occasion, an alliance of Bourbon and Sherry casks has been created, and the bottle is adorned with a luxurious packaging illustrated by Bill Bragg. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Crème brûlée, a variety of pulpy tropical fruits, candied lemon, which blends with an ethereal limestone, evanescent iodine and fine salt. Subtle vegetal notes, rosemary, eucalyptus, which harmonise with a liquorice-tinged smokiness, rhubarb tart, angelica, and a melt-in-the-mouth toffee, baked apples. Waxed wood, a dash of vanilla, dried blond tobacco. On the palate, it is onctuous, almond paste, lychees, seafood salad, a good layer of ash and seaweed, juicy white fruits and citrus, grapefruit, oranges, runny honey, very discreet spices, red pepper, cinnamon. An immensely long and deep finish, incredible given the low alcohol content, tall grasses, sliced lime, full ashtray, wood varnish, pine resin, coffee grounds, smoke delicately filthy, cured ham, crushed hazelnuts, dark chocolate. 

 

In Short, 

There’s not much else to say other than wow – everything is perfect, everything is just right, the briny, slightly medicinal notes and tropical fruits, the intense smokiness and the superbly balanced spices – all of this makes for something absolutely exceptional that will linger in your memory for weeks. I did, however, prefer the 34 yo, whose nose would have converted me to Laphroaigism, were such a religion to exist. As for the price, it’s a small sacrifice to make for the salvation of your soul. 

Score : 92

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                            To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                            Mono - Run On

Bowmore 100 Degrees Proof

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Bowmore - Islay

Original Bottling 

Travel Retail Edition 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2012

Unchillfiltered, Cask Strength

Peated around 25 ppm

 

 

 

In 2012, to replace the Bowmore Cask Strength, which had been available exclusively through travel retail since 2007, the distillery launched this expression. The bottles are 1 litre in size, the maturation is not specified anywhere, but I suspect a combination of Bourbon and Sherry casks. It is presented as being Cask Strength, but I doubt it, because how is it that every batch has exactly the same alcohol content? Perhaps it is like the Glenfarclas 105, which blends different Cask Strength casks to achieve exactly the desired alcohol content. What is certain is that it is non-chill-filtered. However, there are colourings present, given the colour, there’s no doubt about that. It was replaced in 2017 by a whole range of aged but diluted whiskies, and since then there has been no Bowmore Cask Strength in the Original Bottling range. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Methylated spirits, slightly pungent wood varnish, Reine-Claude plum jam, rocky peat, dried herbs, rubber, reeds, barley sugar, brown sugar, a spoonful of fuel oil, soot powder, a few almonds. Delicate smoke. On the palate, it is slightly oily, woody, with notes of olive oil, wood wax, mirabelle plums, blood oranges, mandarins, followed by very strong spices, cumin and black pepper. On the finish, wood splinters, scrambled eggs, burnt plastic, bitter chocolate, ginger, cola, braised walnuts, light floral notes.

 

In Short, 

I wonder if there’s something wrong with this bottle. When I opened it, the cork gave way, and the first few sips tasted more like petrol than my favourite tipple. I left it to rest for a few weeks, and it’s a bit better now, but there are plenty of flaws. That said, it matches what I’ve been reading here and there, the nose is too woody, it’s too spicy on the palate, and the finish is a bit harsh. Overall, it’s frankly not great, but I’m not giving it too harsh a mark in case the problem is a poorly stored bottle. I bought it at auction and I don’t know where it was kept before. For now, at any rate, it’s a disappointment, and confirmation that Bowmore often causes problems when it’s under 18 years old. 

Score : 83

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                              To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                              Sadness - In The Distant Travels

Laphroaig 25 yo Cask Strength 2022

 

 

 

53,4° 

Distillery : Laphroaig - Islay

Ex-Bourbon Barrels and Oloroso Sherry Butts

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Cask Strength

Peated around 43 ppm

 

 

 

Let’s compare the 25-year-old Ardbeg with its counterpart from Laphroaig. Laphroaig has been producing 25-year-olds for a very long time now. Since 2008, a Cask Strength version has been released nearly every year, and given that there was none in 2010, this one is therefore the 14th batch. It has been matured in a combination of Oloroso sherry butts and bourbon barrels. It is impossible to know whether it has been coloured or not, as no source specifies this, which generally means that it has been coloured. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A perfect balance between iodine notes, a dirty yet elegant peat, laced with soot and medicinal notes, and vibrant fruits, papaya, pineapple, flambéed banana, lychee, white grapes, mirabelle plums, lime, a whisper of vanilla, old wood. On the palate, thick honey, melting caramel, peaches, orgeat syrup, rose water, underpinned by a thick, vegetal peat that is, however, very well tamed. Subtle and varied spices. A superb finish, incredibly long, charcoal nuggets, soot here and there, lemon tart, bewitching smoke, balsamic vinegar, baked apples, rustic cereals. Dried seaweed, moistened ashes.

 

In Short, 

It’s a bit like the 25 yo in 2020, which I’m talking about here, in other words, the qualities of youth, vigor and a peaty intensity, combine here with the qualities of age, subtlety, complexity and the influence of the cask, to create a well-rounded whisky. Except that with this one, it’s even better, there’s a fairly high alcohol content that gives it a certain intensity, and fruity, exotic flavours that take you to heaven. I could go on talking about it for ages, but I must get to the price. It’s half the price of the Ardbeg, which is actually the same age, but it’s still a bit too expensive for me, unfortunately. Perhaps with a bit of luck at auction, I’ll one day have the privilege of getting my hands on a bottle. 

Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Child of Night - Unafraid

Ardbeg 25 yo 2022

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Ardbeg - Islay

Bourbon Casks 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 54 ppm

 

 

 

I didn’t know that the Ardbeg 25 Year Old was an annual limited edition; if the hostess hadn’t explained it to me, I would have missed it. I thought it was part of the Core Range, but that wasn’t a well-considered thought. As the 19-year-old is itself an annual release, there’s no reason why an older bottling shouldn’t be too. This one, bottled in 2022, is therefore Batch 3. There was a Batch 4, and even a Batch 5, but Batch 6 is apparently still a long way off. I gather the series has ended, unless it has become a biennial release. However, if this was bottled in 2022 and is 25 years old, then distillation must have taken place in 1997. Precisely the year Glenmorangie bought the distillery and it resumed production after six years of inactivity. The spirit is therefore exactly 25 years old, and not a day older. Apparently, they still managed to produce 6,000 bottles of it.  

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Very ethereal peat, with a vaporous iodine note, oysters, drizzled with a splash of lemon zest, delicate vanilla, custard dusted with a pinch of salt, flecks of limestone, candied pears, bread fresh from the oven, a sun-kissed crust, and very subtle smoke. Smooth, oily palate, argan oil, runny honey, very elegant woodiness, a beach in spring, a slice of pineapple, pebbles and lychees, waxy cereals, almost undetectable spices. Very long, full-bodied finish, mineral, even rocky, sweetly charred, dark chocolate and coffee, metallic notes, hazelnuts and icing sugar, kelp and Guérande salt. Smoked salmon. 

 

In Short, 

Typically, quintessentially Ardbeg, instantly recognisable from the very first whiff, yet very subtle, balanced and not at all harsh. A refined experience, truly enjoyable, the bottling is truly exceptional, but is it worth the price? Absolutely not, even at half the price, it would still be too expensive. 

Score : 90 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Woodkid - The Golden Age

Decadent Drams' The Teuchter 18 yo Batch 3

 

 

 

47,2°

Distillery : Tomatin - Highlands

Sherry Wood Casks

Independent Bottling 

By Decadent Drinks

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2026

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

A few months ago, Angus MacRaild and his friends launched this small series, The Teuchter, to showcase products representative of the Highlands. This is because ‘teuchter’ is a common nickname for the inhabitants of the northern part of Scotland. The first batch was released at the end of last year; it was a Tomatin. Then came Batch 2, a Clynelish, which proved a great success. And now here is Batch 3, another Tomatin, it is a blend of two or three casks, Angus told me, all of which previously contained sherry, and they have kept the precious Highland spirit for 18 years. Only 436 bottles have been produced, so you’ll have to be quick to get your hands on one. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A well-structured sherry, perfectly smooth and oaky. Slightly smoky exotic wood, polished parquet flooring, fruit jellies, damson plums and blackberries, creamy liquorice, fresh fig pulp. Dark chocolate, Agen prunes. On the palate, the fruit is more intense and juicy, blood oranges, perhaps mandarins, plums of every colour, accompanied by a rich, pulpy, jammy, honeyed texture and pronounced spices, pepper, cumin, cloves. A fairly long finish, very well balanced, the fruit is drier, dates and apricots, hazelnuts, black tea, cachous. Earthy and fruity nuances.

 

In Short, 

It’s a very fine sherry, not too overpowering, nicely fruity, but without any of that rancio flavour, that note of macerated dried fruit, which some people find off-putting. I tasted it with a friend who doesn’t like sherry-cask-aged whiskies at all, and he really enjoyed this one. What’s more, the price seems quite reasonable to me. To be honest, I fully intend to pick up a bottle myself. 

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                              To Be Listened While Sipping : 

                                              Concrete Blonde - Joey

Ardbeg 2005 Traigh Bhan 19 yo Batch 6

 

 

 

46,2°

Distillery : Ardbeg - Islay

Bourbon American Oak and Oloroso Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 54 ppm 

 

 

 

The Traigh Bhan range was originally announced as a series of five bottlings, so everyone assumed it would end after Batch 5, but no, Batch 6 was released in late 2024, and there’s even a Batch 7, which I haven’t had the chance to taste yet. The blend of Oloroso sherry casks and American oak bourbon casks is a tried-and-tested recipe dating back to Batch 1 in 2019, which adds fruitiness to the spirit without masking it.  

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is very fruity at first, with plums, citrus fruits and pears, though it remains somewhat light. There’s a hint of minerality, limestone, iodine and eucalyptus, along with a very subtle vanilla note. Behind this lie charcoal, heady peat, vegetal notes and a touch of something medicinal. On the palate, red apples, juicy pears, goji berries and mountain honey. Almond paste, a pinch of salt, mild spices. The peat is subtle, and drifts along with a few fish. A very long finish, though not explosive, very peaty, shortbread biscuits, dried seaweed, glasswort, waxed wood, charred dark chocolate, a zest of lemon, liquorice. 

 

In Short, 

There are some really good qualities to this, but I’m not entirely convinced. The nose struck me as pleasantly fruity, with a nice balance between peat and mineral and iodine notes, but it lacked a bit of power to really impress me. The finish is lovely, almost the opposite of the nose, with more pronounced peat, very mineral and maritime, but here it’s the fruity notes that are a bit lacking. On the palate, it’s very solid, but not expressive enough. This makes for an interesting, pleasant whisky, but not quite a success in my view, certainly not the best in the series (some say it’s Batch 1, for me it’s Batch 3). What’s more, the price is too high for my liking.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                            To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                            Daarling - Slow

Bruichladdich 2010 Micro-Provenance 14 yo c. #0808

 

 

 

58,8°

Distillery : Bruichladdich - Islay

2d Fill Virgin Oak Cask

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Among the countless Micro-Provenance releases, a range of diverse curiosities launched by the distillery in the 2000s, this one is reserved for the French market. It has been matured in a second-fill virgin oak cask that previously contained whisky from Bruichladdich. The barley used is Optic, which is rare enough to be worth noting. This is a winter barley variety created in 1989, which was dominant in the 1990s but has now fallen somewhat out of favour. As the spirit was distilled on 14 April 2010 and bottled on 31 March 2025, it is almost 15 years old, give or take 14 days. I wonder why it took over a year to put it on sale. 292 bottles have been produced, distributed exclusively to the 14 French shops that are part of the Laddie Crew.  

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A slightly minty, evanescent nose, yet it is quite fruity too, mirabelle plums and bananas, iodine and sea salt, toasted bread, drops of caramel, vanilla extract and floral honey in the background, beaten eggs, parsley, coconut. A dash of citrus. The palate is rich and smooth, lychee, pastry cream, butter brioche, lovely spices. Bread dough, malt biscuits. A long, explosive finish, full of grains and cooked fruit, particularly wheat, light wax, young and freshly cut wood, dried flowers.   

 

In Short, 

I really liked it, the Optic barley imparts more subtle, fruity and honeyed flavours, whilst the influence of the cask emphasises the wood and the grains. It’s just what this spirit needs, as it’s already very grainy and delicately briny. A fine achievement. That said, I found the price a bit steep, so I opted for another bottle, which I’ll only be allowed to talk about from tomorrow onwards. Having said that, if I hadn’t had to choose, I might have ended up giving in to temptation after all. 

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                             To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                                   Mandrake Handshake - The Change and The Changing

Ardbeg Anthology 15 yo The Beithir's Tale

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Ardbeg - Islay

Charred Bourbon Casks 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 

Peated around 54 ppm

 

 

 

From what I’ve been reading here and there, the Ardbeg Anthology series has now come to an end. It consists of three distinct bottlings – aged 13, 14 and 15 years – released at one-year intervals. This is the last one, dating from 2025, and it was created using casks that were air-aged, then heavily toasted and charred. There is no indication of the number of bottles produced. The beithir is a Scottish mythological creature resembling a dragon or a huge snake, and it possesses a venomous sting. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It :  

A nose typical of the distillery, thick smoke, iodine and limestone, with a hint of wax and white fruits, juicy pears, peaches and honey. Greasy charcoal, campfire, but also lemon zest and sweet vanilla, it’s actually quite well-balanced. Buttery bread, pine needles. On the palate, the peat is thick, counterbalanced by raisins, angelica, pears in syrup, pastry cream, warming spices, ginger and a pinch of cinnamon. A fairly powerful and long finish, coffee, cola, dark chocolate, soot and dried apricots, dried tobacco leaves, cake batter, roots, aniseed. 

 

In Short, 

From what I can tell, it’s already better than the first Anthology, which I tasted here. However, I’m not entirely convinced. It’s more balanced than the younger Ardbegs, but not necessarily more subtle. It’s just gentler, more approachable, and I find it lacks a bit of punch. What’s more, the price is still quite high, so it would be nice to be offered something that’s really good. 

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                 To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Ductape - Sevmiyor