Tobermory 23 yo Oloroso Cask Finish

 

 

 

46,3°

Distillery : Tobermory - Islands 

Refill Bourbon Hogsheads and Gonzales Byass Supreme Quality Oloroso Finish

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2020

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

Distilled in June 1996 for the first Batch, and having undergone the same maturation as the 15yo, released as a limited edition in 2008, this whisky was first matured in Hogsheads, before being finished for 6 to 8 years in premium Oloroso casks. It is now included in the regular range, which is surprising, as it implies that the distillery has a good stock of over twenty years old in reserve.

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, custard, vanilla éclair, Paris-Brest, chouquettes, flaked almonds, sugar pearls, genoise. The Oloroso gives body and makes its mark, with dried fruits, raisins, figs, bananas, leather and caramel. Behind, some maritime elements, limestone, sandstone, iodine and sea spray. Very smooth on the palate, with spices, paprika, saffron, lemon, sea salt and a hint of vanilla. Yoghurt cake with orange blossom. Perfect finish, on cereals, a pinch of charcoal and earth, just right. A few ounces of kelp at the end.

In Short, 

Really excellent, without hiding the maritime notes typical of the distillery, very well-balanced, a great success. But once again, the price is a barrier to purchase. Isn't that a bit disproportionate? If I could afford to spend 300 euros on a bottle, I'm not sure I'd buy this one.

Score : 90

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Otis Taylor Band - Hey Joe

Bowmore 25 yo

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Bowmore - Islay

North American Bourbon and Spanish Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 1993

Unchillfiltered

Peated around 25 ppm

 

 

 

The Bowmore 25yo has been wandering the shelves of our wine merchants for twenty-eight years now, having been launched to replace the 21yo which disappeared the same year. This is the top of the distillery's regular range, and according to my research, it has had 4 different labels over its long career.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Light, creamy Sherry, red fruits, blackcurrants and gooseberries, dried grapes, dates, quince paste, delicate hint of smoke, fine iodine freshness, a few oysters and various shellfish, periwinkles, whelks. Behind, forest hints, humus, damp undergrowth, loose earth. Very fine balance. Pleasant and complex on the palate, with spices, paprika, pepper, cola, and raspberries, juicy plums. Full-bodied finish, long, very long, never-ending, but not very aggressive, charcoal and redcurrants, heather, ferns.

 

In Short, 

We have the quintessence of Bowmore in this little bottle. Sherry, iodine, smoke, forest notes, all superbly balanced and charming. No aggressive notes. Very pleasant. I'd recommend it straight away if it weren't for the price, which still seems very exaggerated. 

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Marianne Faithfull - Sister Morphine

Bowmore No. 1

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Bowmore - Islay 

1st Fill Bourbon Casks 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2017

Peated around 25 ppm

 

 

 

Launched in February 2017 to replace the Small Batch, No.1 is a very young whisky aged in first-fill bourbon casks. Along with Legend, it is the distillery's bottom of the range, its only advantage being a fairly low price. Its name refers to No.1 Vaults, the distillery's legendary warehouse.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Smoky, seafaring nose, like being on the quayside of a port, with fishing net, guano and even a little fuel oil. Limestone. It's still very much on the Bourbon, with lots of vanilla cream and citrus fruits, grapefruit, white plums. A hint of iodine. The palate is very light, though flawless. Some spices, but it has to be said quickly. Paprika and cola. Milk chocolate. The finish is rather short and inoffensive, but pleasant, with a hint of charcoal and earth. Ripe mirabelles.

 

In Short, 

The nose is quite good, with the hardness of the Legend but the softness of the 12-year-old. The palate and finish are uneven. Still, it's better than the Legend, which is sometimes rough. Personally, I don't see the point of such a whisky, perhaps to initiate those unfortunate enough to know nothing about this delicious beverage.

Score : 82 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Cindy Lauper - Money Changes Everything

Octomore 2015 12.3 The impossible Equation 5 yo

 

 

 

62,1°

Distillery : Bruichladdich - Islay

1st Fill American Whisky Casks and 1st Fill Pedro Ximénez Sherry Butts

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 118,1 ppm

 

 

 

The third version of Octomore's 12th Batch was made from Concerto barley harvested in 2014 at Octomore Farm on Islay. The juice was then distilled in 2015 and aged 75% in American casks and 25% in Fernando de Castilla Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks. The number of bottles is not specified, which makes me think that there will probably be several editions.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Fine pearls of iodine. Thick wisps of smoke. We're in the middle of a forest fire. Fruity hints of gooseberry, pomegranate, raspberry, blackberry and Haribo candy. In the background, charred and chalky peat, earthy and stony. Limestone. After a long time, the nose really takes off, with a pinch of salt. On the palate, it's really famous, with iodine, salt, it's like drinking seawater, but very good, slightly caramelised, then the spices come in, it's full-bodied and warm, paprika, chilli, pepper, cumin, ginger, mustard. A touch of liquorice. Cola, a little curl in the bubbles, and the typical Bruichladdich cereal touch. The finish wades through peat, soft earth, clay, quicksand, and always those lovely spices tingling on the tip of the tongue. Wine lees, fig, crushed strawberries. Rather long.

 

In Short, 

For me, this is probably the best Octomore in Series .3. First of all it's an excellent one, the equivalent of which I can only find in the 6.3, and in addition the maturation in Pedro Ximénez casks, which is not at all invasive, gives the whisky more body and thickness. The first Octomore in the .3 series that I think I should have picked up several bottles of. 

Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Rammstein - Rammstein

Ardbeg Blaaack Committee 20th Anniversary Limited Edition

 

 

 

50,7°

Distillery : Ardbeg - Islay 

Ex-Bourbon Casks and Pinot Noir from New Zealand Finish

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 54 ppm

 

 

 

For the 20th anniversary of the Ardbeg Committee, something special was needed. Since finishing in Sherry, Rum and Toasted casks as much as possible had already been done several times, they went all the way to New Zealand to make this whisky, finished for 5 years in Pinot Noir casks. It was released in early 2020, well before the 2nd limited edition, reduced to 46°.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

First, mild, vinous fragrances - you can really smell the Pinot. Then smoke makes its entrance, powerful, enticing, slightly sweet, like cotton candy, with blackcurrant and gooseberry. Behind, the typical Ardbeg iodine, beautiful fullness, foam and sea spray in the face. And at the end, the peat crushes everything, I love it. Liquorish on the palate, with figs and red fruits, raspberries, blackberries, with spices in the background. Paprika, saffron, turmeric. I like the fact that the spices stay in the background. It's well wooded, with solid oak. Cloves, holly, a few shovelfuls of peat, a hint of strawberry gariguette. More lovely earthy peat in a fairly long finish, slightly bitter dark chocolate, a coffee bean crunch.

 

In Short, 

Another very nice experiment, making a change from the usual range of this fine distillery. On the other hand, I went to see the prices on the second market, because this bottle is out of stock everywhere, and oh my God, it's crazy.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Skin - Kill Everything

Glenmorangie Tùsail

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Glenmorangie - Highlands

1st Fill and Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2014

Unchillfiltered

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

In 2009, the distillery launched the Private Edition, a range of limited editions with experimental attempts at maturation that are always different. In 2014, for Private Edition n°6, Tùsail, which means Native in Gaelic, the novelty lies in the barley. It's Maris Otter, a winter barley that has been widely grown since the late 1960s and fell into disuse in the early 1990s. This barley was harvested in 2004, malted by hand in the traditional way and then distilled. The result was aged for around ten years in Bourbon casks. The whisky produced went on sale at the very beginning of 2015. Today, it seems that this range has been abandoned, after ten experiments. The last one was released at the beginning of 2019, and nothing since.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Hay, vanilla, and an appealingly salty-iodised touch. Malted cereals, dry earth and crisp corn. Some floral, violet hints. Salted butterscotch. Fairly clean stable, with the smell of wood wafting about. A whiff of smoke. Rose Loukoum with icing sugar. Limestone. On the palate, it's immediately spicy, full of character, with pepper, some white fruits and banana. Behind, a pinch of salt. Prickly pear. The finish is sweet, with candy sugar, quite long, cereal-like, but a little dry at the end. Slight bitterness.

 

In Short, 

I liked the nose, with a nice balance between light fruits and iodine, floral fragrances and a sweet touch. On the other hand, the palate seemed too spicy, and the slightly bitter finish wasn't to my taste either. That said, it remains a curiosity, and it's interesting to taste it. However, I would never invest the asking price for this bottle.

Score : 84 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Tanita Tikaram - Twist in My Sobriety

Mortlach 16 yo Distiller's Dram

 

 

 

43,4°

Distillery : Mortlach - Speyside

1st and 2d Fill European Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt

Launched in 2018

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This 16yo has nothing to do with the 16yo Flora & Fauna launched in 1992, which for a long time was the distillery's only single malt. Released three years after this first bottling was discontinued, it nevertheless pays tribute to it. Aged exclusively in Sherry casks like its predecessor, it has a higher alcohol content. The distillery distinguishes itself by using two and a half distillations, the last of which does not count in its entirety as only the heads and tails of the distillate are reused. This is one of the elements that give Mortlach its special character.

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is still very intense, with wood and smoked meat, but also softer and sweeter. More body and thickness too. Still good marmalade, this time quince marmalade. Thicker, more candied. Ripe greengages. The palate is both smooth and robust, very well done, red meat and blood oranges. Duck à l'orange, with a few spices, cloves, cumin, saffron. The finish is quite long, powerful just as it should be, woody, on figs. Loose earth, humus, small mossy plants.

In Short, 

You can't help but appreciate the work well done, the balance and the mastery of the different flavours. However, I prefer the 12 Year Old, where I find more character. Here, it is certainly more complex and deeper, but less assertive; the whisky is less itself in this bottling, in my humble opinion.

Score : 87

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping  :

  

                                          Beach House - Somewhere Tonight

Mortlach 12 yo The Wee Witchie

 

 

 

43,4°

Distillery : Mortlach - Speyside 

American Ex-Bourbon and European Ex-Sherry Casks 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2018

Totally Unpeated

For years, Mortlach had just one original bottling, a 16-year-old within the Flora & Fauna range. Then Diageo realised the distillery's potential and in 2015 launched an initial range that didn't make much of an impression, a NAS called Rare Old, an 18 and a 25 year old. Deemed too expensive, the range was redesigned in 2018, with a 12-year-old, a 16-year-old and a 20-year-old. And today, it's a huge success. Curiously, it took years for this product to become available in France. The name The Wee Witchie refers to a tiny still that sits in the distillery and is said to give the distillate its special richness - the Little Witch of the place.

Let's Taste It : 

At first, it's very woody, with the varnished cherry wood giving the impression of grooves in the wood, followed by meaty notes, like smoked meat. Finally, fruits, apricot marmalade, blood oranges, yellow fruits, dried raisins, dates. Earthy hints. On the palate, heather, ferns and lemon, on the pulp, vanilla, spices, ginger, cumin, paprika. Lychee, banana. Astonishing finish, initially strong, then long and smooth. Slight acidity, dried fruits. Oak bark.

 

In Short, 

I really enjoyed it, and found it to be full of character and originality, complex, fruity and quite intense. That said, when bottled independently, the distillery often reveals an even stronger character. The price is a little high, but I'd still recommend buying it, it's worth discovering. 

Score : 86

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Mountains of the Moon - Caterpillar

Glenfiddich 21 yo Gran Reserva Batch 35

 

 

 

43,2°

Distillery : Glenfiddich - Speyside 

American Bourbon Barrels and Rum Finish

Original Bottling 

Limited Edtion 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2011

Totally Unpeated

Glenfiddich is one of the last three great family distilleries in Scotland, and for that reason it deserves special attention. Here we have a 21-year-old aged in American casks before a 4-month finish in Caribbean rum casks. When the first batch was made at the end of the 1990s, it was called 21 YO Havana Reserve, but the blockade of Cuba posed a problem. The name was changed to Caribbean Rum, and then to Gran Reserva, which seemed to sell relatively better. Today, it's called La Reserva, and we're on batch 82. Batch 35 is unique in that it is sold at an alcohol content of 43.2°, whereas almost all the others have a minimum alcohol content of 40°.

Let's Taste It : 

First, there's a hint of spring countryside, with vegetables, courgettes, pumpkin, and floral scents, daisies, dahlias. Then the freshness of the rum takes over, with cane sugar, delicately minty, and we have a beautiful marriage, a certain depth. That said, it's not that complex. A few white plums. Coconut. Banana leaf. Nice fullness. A little vanilla, mirabelle plums. Icing sugar on the palate, lemony, with some light spices. Paprika, saffron. Cereals and a gentle bitterness. Malty finish, light tobacco, dry earth, cooked ham. Loukoum. Sesame seeds. Not so long. Steamed rice.

 

In Short, 

For a 21-year-old, frankly, it's not great. I suspect that cold filtration erased a good part of the aromas. The whole is rather shy, not very original, the only interesting note is due to the rum finish, but in 4 months you can't do anything very impressive. Finally, it's really expensive for what it is. To be avoided in my humble opinion.

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Tony Joe White - Polk Salad Annie

BenRiach Smoke Season First Edition

 

 

 

52,8°

Distillery : The BenRiach - Speyside

1st Fill Ex-Bourbon and American Virgin Oak Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 45 ppm

Released in early 2021, this ageless whisky is here to defend a certain idea of peat. Made entirely from peated barley, cask strength, without chill filtration, this is arguably one of the rare Speyside Peat Bombs. From what I've read, the whisky is 8 to 10 years old, and with a double maturation, you can estimate that it is more or less refined. This is a limited edition, and we can expect a new batch each year.

Let's Taste It : 

Right from the start, the nose is full of country peat, sweet, earthy and vegetal. Hay, dry straw, even a little manure, all mingling with a very pleasant vanilla, candy sugar, candied rhubarb, genoise, dried banana and mirabelle plum. On the palate, it's more lemon pulp, a dash of salt and spices, pepper, cumin and ginger. Brown sugar in the background. Finally, a strong, well-managed finish, charcoal and humus, loose earth, fertiliser, cereals, some dried fruits.

In Short, 

It's very pleasant, very robust without being a slap in the face, there's a bit of subtlety, it's fruity and pleasant too, easy to drink. That said, I found it a bit monochromatic, very bourbony, it's slightly below the Smoky Twelve which I found much more complex and deep. So, not sure I'd recommend buying it even though it's good.

Score : 86

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Earthside - Crater

BenRiach The Twenty One 21 yo

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : The BenRiach - Speyside

Bourbon, Virgin American Oak, Pedro Ximénez Sherry and Bordeaux Wine Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 40 ppm

 

 

 

Launched after the new 10 and 12 year olds of the previous year, the 21, 25 and 30 year olds follow the same principle, even more complex, with quadruple maturation, an alcohol level of 46°, the same design and, above all, the expertise of Master Blender Rachel Barrie. The barley is highly peated, at 40 ppm or more, but after more than 20 years of maturation, the effects are barely noticeable. In fact, the distillery had already released the same 21-year-old in 2017, with the same quadruple maturation, but without peat.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, rich red wine and fruits that melt under the tongue, blueberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, mirabelles and damsons. Behind, light farm peat that gives thickness and body to the whole. Humus, roots, it's earthy, stony. Fresh winter breeze. Quite sweet on the palate, genoise, icing sugar, pastry cream, then the spices rise, very tasty, paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ginger, cumin. The finish is also excellent, very deep, on charcoal and fresh earth, but also fruits, prickly pear, lemon zest, lychee.

 

In Short, 

I have to admit that I had a very pleasant time in the company of this fine work. The peat is very light, but it's really fruity, balanced and, above all, original. Quite a success. Unfortunately, the price makes me cringe a bit, so I don't know if I'd really want to buy it. It's probably best reserved for enthusiasts.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          The Claypool Lennon Delirium - Southbound Pachyderm

Peat Peak

 

 

 

43°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Speyside

Bourbon Casks and Sherry Finish

Independent Bottling 

By Jean Boyer

Core Range 

Blended Malt 

Launched in 2016

Unchillfiltered 

Although it comes from a single distillery, the fact that this whisky was bottled in France would not allow it to retain its Single Malt designation. Another example of these absurd regulations in the world of spirits. In any case, the distillate comes from a great Speyside distillery, the peat is neither smoky nor iodised, and I wouldn't be able to guess its origin. It does, however, seem to me to bear a slight resemblance to Benromach or Loch Lomond.

Let's Taste It : 

Vanilla on the nose, quite honeyed, soft and delicate, buttery, the peat is not at all overpowering. This is definitely Speyside peat, country peat, even farmland peat. Some orchard fruits and vegetables, but it remains austere overall. Smooth and balanced on the palate, with hazelnuts and other nuts, cashew nuts and a few white plums. Light spices but with character, turmeric and cloves. Warm chestnuts. Good but rather short finish, charcoal and earth, undergrowth, a pinch of cola.

 

In Short, 

In my humble opinion, it's not bad at all. It's a typical Speyside peat, which gives it a certain originality, it's not too young despite the absence of any mention of age, and it's decent overall. The price isn't outrageous, so you could say it's affordable.

Score : 84

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          The Twelve Bar Bluesband - Life Is Hard (When You Play The Blues)

BenRiach The Smoky Twelve 12 yo

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : The BenRiach - Speyside

Bourbon Barrels, Sherry and Marsala Wine Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2020

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 20 ppm

 

 

 

Launched at the same time as Smoky Ten, this twelve-year-old has also undergone a full triple maturation, and is also the result of a blend of peated and unpeated whisky. It is the creation of Master Blender Rachel Barrie, who was recruited by the Brown-Foreman group in 2017, which had recently acquired the distillery.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is not very peaty, country-like above all, with earth, hay and hints of stables. The Marsala gives lovely gooseberry notes, and the Sherry adds body and thickness, with leather, dried fruits, quince and apricot. The palate is very tasty, a very successful blend of blueberries and peat, with the addition of candied damsons and a few spices, paprika, nutmeg and saffron. The finish is also a success without being too flashy, on charcoal and earth, chocolate with grains of puffed rice. Cola.

 

In Short, 

As far as I'm concerned, it's an excellent success, going much further than the Smoky Ten, more solid, more structured and fruitier. The price is still affordable, and I think we've got a future classic, a must-have for all lovers of countryside peat. 

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Popa Chubby - Nobody Loves Me Like I Love Myself

Mortlach 2010 Cask Strength Collection 11 yo c. 16

 

 

 

57,8°

Distillery : Mortlach - Speyside

Bourbon Refill Hogshead and Sherry Butt Finish

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask  

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

It is rare for a Single Cask to follow a double maturation, but it can happen. Here, we have a Mortlach that spent around ten years in a Hogshead before being finished off for 15 months in a sherry cask. As a result, 697 bottles rushed to the shelves.

Let's Taste It : 

The Sherry intensifies the meatiness on the nose, and to be honest, it works. Viandox, rare meat, barbecue juice, pork fat, all combined with fairly rich red fruits, damsons, muscat grapes, blueberries. A touch of pastry cream on the background, it's a bit sweet really. Very slightly smoky. Rich and fat on the palate, with Morteau sausage, gooseberries, smoked ham and blackberries. Heather earth, it's a little vinous. The finish is coaly and powerful, turning fairly quickly to a fruit basket of apples, clementines and conference pears. Finishes on a note of sandalwood. A hint of chocolate.

 

In Short, 

The sherry cask finish is really effective and blends very well with the Mortlach profile, giving a nice fleshy, fruity touch to our palate. The price is high, but enthusiasts can buy it safely. 

Score : 88

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Sully Erna - Until Then

Linkwood 2013 Cask Strength Collection Selected by La Maison du Whisky 8 yo

 

 

 

53,8°

Distillery : Linkwood - Speyside

Bourbon Hogsheads

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage for La Maison du Whisky

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

A blend of two Bourbon Hogsheads, this young Linkwood has everything to delight. As this distillery is almost exclusively dedicated to Diageo's many blends, it's not often that you get the chance to taste a cask strength sample. 411 bottles were crafted.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A varied basket of fruits, from bananas to apples, mangoes, papayas, dates, Comice pears and even a few vegetables, Brussels sprouts and pumpkins. White grapes. The palate is of the same ilk, very pleasant and easy-drinking, slightly vinous, and still this cascade of fruits that falls on you with each sip. Discreet spices. Very good finish, on charcoal, dry wood, a pinch of brown sugar, mountain honey with fern. Gingerbread. Fruit cake.

In Short, 

All this deluge of fruits is really pleasant to drink. It's a shame this little nectar isn't bottled at a more affordable price, as the price here is harder to swallow than the liquid, given its young age.

Score : 88

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Supertramp - Don(t Leave Me Now

Caol Ila 2015 Cask Strength Collection Selected by La Maison du Whisky 5 yo

 

 

 

60°

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay 

Bourbon Hogsheads 

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage for La Maison du Whisky 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 35 ppm 

 

 

 

This young Caol Ila is a blend from two Hogsheads that have been marinating for just over 5 years. Only 578 bottles have been released, apparently exclusively for the French market.

 

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Very mineral nose, rocky, calcareous, coarse salt, tide, kelp, sea spray, foam, waterlogged sand. Gypsum cliffs, shaken by the swell. We crawl on the rocks. At the same time, it's honeyed, crystalline, very slightly fruity, with hints of plum and mirabelle. Quite explosive but pleasant on the palate, still on the rocks, with a hint of vanilla, lemon zest, mountain honey and Guérande fleur de sel. The finish is almost endless, explosive, needless to say you can feel it coming through: spring water, granite, charcoal, figs and prunes.

 

In Short, 

This is an excellent bottle of Caol Ila, admittedly very young, but also very expressive. I'd buy it if I didn't already have several more or less as good at home. On the other hand, the price is a bit problematic in relation to its age. 

Score : 89 

                                            To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                            Interpol - Stella was a Diver

Glenfarclas 105

 

 

 

60°

Distillery : Glenfarclas - Speyside

1st and 2d Fill European Oloroso Sherry Casks 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2016

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

The Glenfarclas 105 was first launched in 1968. More than an institution, it is a museum in itself. At the time, it was labelled 8 years old. It then became 10 years old in the 1970s. In 2014, the 8 year old label came back, and finally, in 2016, all mentions of age disappeared from the labels. I read somewhere that Glenfarclas didn't bottle whisky under 8 years old, but I'm not sure that's true, otherwise why remove the mention? Although it has been at exactly 60° for 53 years, it is a cask strength whisky. The different casks are blended to balance each other at exactly that strength, which can't be an easy task. The name 105 comes from the fact that 105 Proof in British measure used to correspond to 60°, but this has now changed.

Let's Taste It : 

Cream nose with candied cherries, morello cherries and amarena. Despite the total absence of peat, it is very smoky, no doubt due to the barrels that are particularly burnt. Intense, dark chocolate, almost bitter, varnished wood, damp leather, slightly acid strawberries. On the palate, it lacks a bit of flavour for 60°, some blood oranges, apricots, but it's intensely spicy, pepper, cumin, ginger, paprika. Wine lees, heather. Pure cocoa. Quite explosive finish, of course - a real kick! Vegetals, fresh earth, old marc.

 

In Short, 

This is indeed an absolute reference, the first Cask Strength and the first Sherry Bomb in the history of whisky. A must-have. Essential for any collection, especially as the price is very reasonable for what it is. 

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Slowdive - Golden Hair

Glenfarclas 25 yo

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Glenfarclas - Speyside

1st Fill European Oloroso Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Glenfarclas 25 Year Old already existed in the 1970s, but in a very different version. The current bottle design dates from 2007. It is not yet the oldest whisky in the official range, as there is still a 30-year-old and a 40-year-old.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A very pastry nose, pastry cream and candied raspberries, opera, mille-feuilles, religieuse, you get the feeling you're breaking into a bakery. But there are spices too, cardamom, ginger and star anise. On the palate, it's still very creamy, but also malty, with hints of cereals, earth and a bit of sunshine, amidst red fruits, blackcurrants, cherries, blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries and so on. The finish is powerful, spicy, heathery and delicately peppery. Robust oak and soft earth.

 

In Short, 

This whisky is a veritable festival of fruits and sweetness. But that's not all: there are also forest and cereal notes. The whole is very complex and pleasant. For a 25-year-old, the price is ridiculously low, but it has to be said that we're not at the level of a normal 25-year-old. Enthusiasts can treat themselves by buying it. 

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Omnimar - Out of My Life

Glenfarclas 21 yo

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Glenfarclas - Speyside

1st Fill and Refill European Oloroso Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This expression dates back to the 1970s, when it must have been one of the oldest on the market. Today, still aged in Oloroso sherry casks, it stands out for its low price. The current bottle design dates from 2006.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Very creamy nose, almost liquorous, pungent honey, from conifers, with a hint of anise. Red fruits, of course, but rather on jam, or even syrup, than natural. Gooseberries, blackcurrants, cranberries. The mouth is still as creamy, cherry pie, or is it a raspberry one? Rather both. Spices rise, paprika, saffron, nutmeg, a pinch of clove and pepper. The finish is up to the challenge, oaky, on cereals and heather, long enough, dry earth, chestnuts. Jelly. 

In Short, 

Still very enjoyable, but I'm moderately disappointed this time, it's more discreet, less deep and intense than the 15yo in my humble opinion. However, the excess age makes the palate softer and more engaging. The price is really attractive for a 21yo, a purchase would be wise. 

Score : 87

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Emma Ruth Rundle - Heaven

Ardbeg Scorch

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Ardbeg - Islay 

Heavily Charred Ex-Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 54 ppm

 

 

 

On the occasion of Ardbeg Day 2021, a special day of festivities taking place during Feis Ile, the distillery is offering this umpteenth limited edition, aged in particularly charred and toasted Bourbon casks. This had already been done with the Alligator in 2011 and the Grooves in 2018, but this time it seems that the casks have been charred to the point of 'near destruction'. The edition was limited to 42,000 bottles. Not to be confused with Ardbeg Scorch Committee Release, which is 51.7°, whereas this version is reduced. The name comes from a curious legend, according to which a dragon lives in the distillery's Warehouse 3. Fortunately, this dragon doesn't drink alcohol, which leaves us with some to savour.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

On the first nose, vanilla, marshmallow and molasses, followed by smoke, coaly, sooty, but also very subtle. Then iodine and peat come into play. It's very balanced, almost mild, which is surprising from this distillery. It's very fresh, with a hint of aniseed. Then it's that gooey marshmallow that comes back, it's sweet, you can lick your fingers of it. Vanilla cream, pistachio, chocolate shavings. On the background, you can smell burnt wood, the aftermath of a forest fire. The palate is a bit light, lemony, but unctuous, creamy and soon spicy, with pepper and cumin, cloves, nutmeg and fine ash. Bitter ginger, asparagus. Coarse salt. Flame-thrown peat. Very long finish, lignite, breaking your teeth on a lump of coal, sparkling water, cola, nuts, hazelnuts, cashew. The sensation is of a little electricity on the tongue, like licking the two poles of a battery. Slightly bitter.

 

In Short, 

Yes, this limited edition is definitely the best since Dark Cove. There's a nice balance between the very delicious taste and that charred nuance you can feel in the background. The spices are also very pleasant. On the other hand, the palate is not so good, light and a little bitter. I'd love to try the Committee Release, but the price of a 46° sample is high enough as it is.

Score : 89

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Jeff Healey - As The Years Go Passing By

Glenfarclas 15 yo

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Glenfarclas - Speyside

1st Fill and Refill European Oloroso Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

In 1973, Albert D. Mackie listed all the Scottish Single Malts for sale, and the 15-year-old Glenfarclas was not among them. We do know, however, that it already existed in 1975. It was therefore launched between late 1973 and early 1975, certainly the last year, as in 1960 the distillery doubled its production capacity to support the production of Single Malts. It has been part of the regular range ever since, and has established itself as a veritable institution, and one of the benchmarks for Speyside whiskies. The current bottle design appears to date from 2007.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Intense and spicy sherry, gingerbread, cloves, fruitcake. Light meaty hints, morello cherries, blackberries, candied plums, dried raisins, cashew nuts, apricots and bananas, wine lees, hints of caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar. Very smooth on the palate, easy to drink, cherries, gooseberries, grenadine syrup, then the spices rise, paprika, turmeric, saffron. Very warm. The finish is very clean and long, with wood and heather, a return to the forest, with red berries and blackcurrants. A bit of charcoal at the end.

 

In Short, 

Next to this little monster, the 12-year-old seems very shy. What we have here is something intense and very enjoyable, which will delight us on autumn evenings. It's an indestructible classic that should be bought as soon as possible.

Score : 86 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Maria Daines - Ain't You The Man