Lagavulin 18 yo Feis Ile 2018

 

 

 

53,9°

Distillery : Lagavulin - Islay

Refill and Rejuvenated American Oak Hogsheads, Ex-Bodega European Oak Butts

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 38 ppm

 

 

 

It had been a long time since I’d had a good Lagavulin, and I needed to make up for lost time. This distillery, which first introduced me to whisky, sometimes strikes me as a bit too smooth for my taste, and I’ve gradually been moving away from it. Here, we have one of those bottlings specially produced for the Feis Ile, the music and whisky festival held every year on the island of Islay. The maturation is complex, blending refill and rejuvenated American oak hogsheads as well as ex-bodega European oak butts. It’s of a respectable age, so this should make for a fine dram. 6,000 bottles have been released for sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Tall pine trees with their needles, wood resin, melodious smoke, a square of dark chocolate. With a little time, the fruit notes develop, particularly citrus, grapefruit and lime, but also candied mirabelles and Reine-Claudes. Country bread crusts, grainy cereals. Freshly cut hay, green apples. On the palate, it is smoother, more balanced, slightly oily. A dash of vanilla, dried banana, dark tobacco, elegant oak, a few drops of runny honey. Deep and medicinal spices. A very long finish, explosive at first, then seeming to blow away. Liquorice, pine cones, lumps of charcoal, fatty leaves, melting toffee, braised hazelnuts, toasted bread, melted butter.

 

In Short, 

Perhaps this is what was missing from the other bottlings I’ve tasted, an elegant, delicate oakiness that lends a certain patina to the overall flavour profile, and there’s plenty of it here. It’s a very well-crafted whisky, subtle and classy, with that little ‘dirty’ touch in the background, just to remind you where it comes from. All of this is extremely satisfying, what a shame the price isn’t quite right, but is that really surprising? It was released eight years ago, and the few remaining bottles are being snapped up by enthusiasts. 

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                    To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                                    Deaf Radio - No Place Like Home

Ardnamurchan 2018 AD/Heritage Barley Release

 

 

 

59,2°

Distillery : Ardnamurchan - Highlands

Ex-American Oak Bourbon Barrels 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

The small distillery in Ardnamurchan is constantly experimenting. This time, it’s a limited edition of 10,290 bottles, crafted from unpeated Golden Promise barley. This type of barley piques the interest of any self-respecting whisky enthusiast, as it was the barley used to make whisky right up until the 1990s. It was subsequently phased out as it was not profitable enough. Reviving this barley is a commendable initiative, and I simply had to give it a try. The whisky was matured for at least six years in perfectly traditional ex-American oak bourbon casks. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

An abundance of dried cereals, barley, maize, wheat and millet, enveloped in a veil of vanilla and honey. Mineral and briny notes to give a touch of depth. Orchard fruits, apples and pears, freshly tedded hay, limestone, ointment. Lovely oak. After a while, a fine balance emerges. Peanut butter. On the palate, it is oily, honeyed, lemony, hazelnut milk, very ripe yellow plums, royal jelly, spices that gradually become very powerful. A long finish, not too violent, crisp biscuits, milky vanilla. Shortcrust pastry, waffles drizzled with maple syrup, cinnamon and cloves, nutmeg. Walnut shells. Coconut pearls.

 

In Short, 

It’s very interesting, you can really tell that the Golden Promise barley brings a cereal-like intensity that you don’t usually find in whisky. What’s more, it pairs beautifully with the honey and citrus notes of the Bourbon, resulting in this well-crafted whisky. The only flaw – but it’s a significant one – is that it’s still too young to be truly good, you can sense a certain roughness, a lack of subtlety, which is a bit of a shame. With a few more years’ ageing, it would be much better. But as the price is quite low, it’s worth buying a bottle all the same, if only to satisfy your curiosity. I think it’s best to add a few drops of water to it. 

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

                                           Slomosa - Dune

Glen Garioch 1990 Artist #7 Over 25 yo

 

 

 

52,3°

Distillery : Glen Garioch - Highlands

American Oak Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By La Maison du Whisky

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2017

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

A friend generously introduced me to this one, it was a bottle he’d been saving for a special occasion, and that occasion finally arrived in the form of a promotion. As this distillery uses the majority of its production for blends, even independent bottlings are not that common, and this one, which has been aged for at least 26 years in a single Hogshead, promises to reveal the very essence of the spirit. Only 180 bottles were drawn from the cask. The label features a work of art by Lino Di Vinci.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A superb burst of fruit, bananas, mandarins, mirabelles, Reine-Claude, a dash of vanilla, grapefruit and lime. Mineral depth, delicate limestone, a subtle pinch of salt. Tension between bitter oranges and dried mango, underpinned by rustic oak and earthy, vegetable-like notes, courgette flower fritters, aubergine caviar. It finishes with floral touches that enhance the whole. On the palate, it is mellow, supple, oily, lovely viscosity, though the flavours are more understated, the citrus notes are more prominent, candied lemon peel, orange zest, light spices. Very long finish, dried fruit, shortbread biscuits, green apples, a hint of pear, crunchy nuts, rich herbs.

 

In Short, 

This really is the perfect expression to discover this distillery. Firstly, it’s of a very high quality, and secondly, all its character and distinctive traits really come through. That’s when I realised this was yet another of those underrated distilleries, it might well be worth keeping an eye out for its independent bottlings. Here, the price is a bit on the high side, but there’s no doubt we’ll find something to our liking among their more recent releases. 

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                               To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                              Shye - If Today Was Yesterday

Ardnamurchan 7 yo Living Souls

 

 

 

50°

Distillery : Ardnamurchan - Highlands

1st Fill Bourbon Barrels 

Independent Bottling 

By Living Souls 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2026

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated from 15 to 18 ppm

 

 

 

As I’d really enjoyed this Bowmore launched by Living Souls, I decided to explore this distillery a little further, especially as they have bottlings that interest me. Like this one, from the young Ardnamurchan, aged just 12 years. Made from 50 per cent peated barley and 50 per cent unpeated barley, it has a light peat profile, is matured in first-fill bourbon casks, and has a respectable age. I would have liked to know how many bottles were produced, but this has not been disclosed.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It :  

It’s lemony and mineral, with rich honey and a slight astringency. But it’s also briny and floral, which lends it lovely depth, and a sumptuous fruitiness, mirabelle plums, not-quite-ripe bananas, icing sugar, Haribo sweets, and sweet butter. A few cereals in the background, all of this combines to create a superb balance. On the palate, lychees, vanilla, a couple of drops of honey, a pinch of salt, barely detectable peat, light spices. A fairly long, syrupy finish, citrusy, liquorice, wheat germ, rice pudding, corn cakes, young and untreated wood. Cauliflower.

 

In Short, 

Once again, this is a real success, the nose is excellent and the finish is very long, there’s a lovely fruitiness that blends beautifully with the distillery’s character. It’s both very approachable and full of personality, though of course it’s still a little young. The price is a bit on the high side, but fans of the distillery might want to give it a go.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                               To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                              @ - Autosmile

Bowmore 1997 NS Cask Series 015 10th Anniversary Sansibar 24 yo

 

 

 

52°

Distillery : Bowmore - Islay

Refill Sherry Cask 

Independent Bottling 

By North Star Spirits

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 25 ppm

 

 

 

I’ve always said that I’m very interested in North Star Spirits, this bottler founded in 2016 in Glasgow by Iain Croucher, but I’ve just realised that this is only the second product I’ve tasted from their warehouses. It’s true, though, that they’re a bit of a hidden gem and don’t make many appearances at whisky fairs. At the same time, they don’t need to, as their reputation is second to none. Here we have a 24-year-old Bowmore matured in a refill sherry cask, 326 bottles have hit the shelves. Sherry-cask Bowmores are rarer these days, this one is here to show us just how much of a shame that is. It was released to pay tribute to another bottler, a German one, Sansibar, which was celebrating its 10th anniversary at the time. Now that North Star Spirits is also 10 years old, I hope Sansibar returns the favour. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Monstrously balanced sherry, with a touch of ash and charcoal, intoxicating smoke, crushed red fruits, a hint of fermentation, cherries, blueberries, visciole, varnished mahogany, raisins and acacia honey. Slight medicinal and mineral notes. Bay leaf, tannins. On the palate, it is almost viscous, syrupy, amarena, fiery spices, apricot stones, orange marmalade, lemon zest, lychees. The finish is quite oaky, powerful, flint, smoky bark, slices of grapefruit, chunks of granite, baked apples, cinnamon, coffee grounds. Black and damp earth, mushrooms.

 

In Short, 

I have a friend who told me that Bowmore whiskies matured in sherry casks shouldn’t even exist, he really ought to try this one, where the sherry brings out some distinctive characteristics of the distillery. The smoke and charcoal become more pronounced, the oak even more elegant, the herbaceous notes more pronounced, and the fruit is balanced by delicate mineral notes. It’s truly top-class. Although it was released nearly five years ago, you can still find it here and there at a prohibitive price, but perhaps die-hard fans will find a way to get their hands on it, and they won’t regret it. 

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                              To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                             Grace Cummings - Fake

Octomore OBA Redux Rock'Ndaal 05.2 Feis Ile 2026

 

 

 

54,2°

Distillery : Bruichladdich - Islay

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2026

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Heavily Peated

 

 

 

In honour of Feis Ile 2026, the distillery has launched this new release, about which very little is known. It’s the OBA concept – Octomore Black Art – where you’re not supposed to know anything about the bottle’s contents, neither the age, nor the maturation, nor the blend. And this lack of transparency is presented as a selling point. The most surprising thing is that it works, the bottles flew off the shelves, and now it’s sold out, with prices on the secondary market reaching dizzying heights. I’d also love someone to explain the significance of the code number 05.2 to me. 2,500 bottles were released onto the market. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Creamy honey, very ripe mirabelle plums, mineral notes, iodine, prickly pears, white grapes, candied bananas, it’s beautifully full-bodied. Vicks Vaporub ointment, ether, the peat is powerful, almost suffocating, yet it leaves room to breathe. Rich cereals, a hint of lemon zest, green apples. On the palate, it’s very well-balanced at first, juicy pears and lychees, followed by quite strong spices, cloves and pepper, a pinch of charcoal, generous vanilla. A very long finish, blond tobacco, brown sugar, not too overpowering, almonds, egg yolk, more honey, fried apple fritters, light woodiness, tinder leaf, a touch of acidity.

 

In Short, 

You have to admit it’s excellent, and even a little more than that. It’s of a very high standard, although it’s true that my rating is a tad generous. Since we know nothing about this elixir, I’m going to play along a bit and try to imagine. As for the age, I’d say it’s older than a classic Octomore because the peat isn’t very strong, let’s say 8 to 11 years. The profile reminded me of the 10.2 and 06.2 editions, so I’d say there are Bourbon casks, but also sweet white wine casks, perhaps Sauternes, or even brandy, though that last possibility seems unlikely to me. Probably Bourbon and white wine, perhaps a few virgin casks. In any case, that’s what it reminds me of. The price has reached astronomical heights, everyone’s clamouring to guess what it really is, it seems to me that the distillery’s marketing department has achieved its objectives. 

Score : 91 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                    To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                                    Chelsea Wolfe - Death Is Not The End

Orkney (HP) 2011 100 Proof Edition #58 14 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Highland Park - Islands

1st Fill Amontillado Sherry Finish

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 20 ppm

 

 

 

Yet another Highland Park from the 100 Proof range, launched by Signatory Vintage in January 2024. There are seven, and this is the fifth one I’ve tasted. Contrary to what one might think, they do differ from one another, take this one, for example, which has been finished in first-fill Amontillado sherry hogsheads. However, we know nothing about the initial maturation. It’s becoming something of a trend to mention only the finish and keep quiet about the initial maturation. Even though it’s almost certainly Bourbon casks, it would be better to specify this. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A whisper of peat, raw wood, followed immediately by a mellow cloud of fruit, mirabelle plums, redcurrants, heather honey, creamy vanilla, candied apricots. A medicinal drop, turpentine, perhaps mercurochrome. A touch of iodine and sea foam. On the palate, very apricot-like, orange marmalade, then virulent spices, cloves, cumin, black pepper. A fairly long finish, though not extremely powerful, semi-salted butter, resin and runny honey, elegant oak, scrambled eggs, thyme and rosemary, vanilla ice cream.

 

In Short, 

Although the finish in Amontillado Sherry hogsheads lends a pleasant fruitiness, the rest is rather unremarkable, with a few recognisable notes from the distillery and a robust oakiness. That’s why I would have liked to know about the initial maturation, although I doubt it was in refill bourbon casks, as these failed to give this whisky sufficient personality. It’s still a pleasant and powerful product with a certain character, but there are better whiskies in this range, I can guarantee you that. 

Score : 87 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                              To Be Listened While Sipping :  

 

                                                    Automatic - Black Box

Bowmore 2001 The Character of Islay Whisky Company 18 yo c. 11714

 

 

 

55,4°

Distillery : Bowmore - Islay

Refill Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By The Character of Islay Whisky Company 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2020

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 25 ppm

 

 

 

This independent bottler’s existence was short-lived, four years at most, but each of its releases is legendary. This is particularly true of the Bowmore whiskies, which alone account for a third of the company’s production. This 18-year-old whisky was matured in a single refill bourbon cask, with a total of 184 bottles produced.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Iridescent iodine, sculpted limestone, with a lovely sea breeze, seaweed and exotic fruits. Dried hay, very fine and light peat, marine character, accompanied by oysters and razor clams. A very subtle trace of vanilla. Damp rock, sea foam, surf. Grapefruit and pineapple. On the palate, the fruit is more pronounced, citrus, banana, yellow plums, white peaches, but the maritime character remains strong, scallops, mussels, a few spices, varnished wood. The finish is long and gradually builds in intensity, lime zest, bamboo, nutmeg, dried tobacco, lumps of charcoal, beach sand, a pinch of bitterness.

 

In Short, 

It’s obviously excellent, and I’m actually convinced that it’s thanks to bottlings like this that Bowmore has once again become a leading distillery. It used to rely too heavily on original casks, sherry, wines of all kinds, and people had forgotten the quality of its spirit. In my view, it was this company that released these Bowmores in simple refill bourbon casks and restored the distillery to its former glory. That said, the price is still high for what it is, making it suitable only for die-hard fans and the very wealthy. 

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                     To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                                     Milton Andersen - Lilac Flowers