Tomintoul 2010 Hidden Spirits 14 yo

 

 

 

52,2°

Distillery : Tomintoul - Speyside

Sherry Cask 

Independent Bottling 

By Hidden Spirits 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This is the 4th bottling of Tomintoul made by Hidden Spirits, an Italian house inaugurated in 2013, and it's also the oldest. Like two of the other three, it is aged in Sherry casks. The number of bottles produced is unknown.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A pinch of salt, some meaty and leafy notes, it's airy, iodised, fresh. Moist leather. Behind, light and pleasant white fruits, grapes, plums, peaches, pears. Dried fruit too, dates, apricots, figs. It's quite mellow, and even indulgent. On the palate, the fruit becomes stewed, with a touch of liquorice, freshly cut wood, resin, and a few spices that carry through to the finish, pepper, cloves. Finally, it becomes pastry-like, with filled cakes, génoise, vanilla icing and hazelnut shavings.

 

In Short, 

I see here and there that the critics are not very enthusiastic about this one, which seems a bit unfair to me, I found it very good, I like the salty character on the first nose, which evolves into a more classic Speyside, full of dried fruit and sweetness. That said, I have to admit that the price is high for what it is. Fans of the profile can wait for a promotion.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Widespread Panic - Trashy

LG 2019 The Whisky Jury 5 yo

 

 

 

48,88°

Distillery : Lagavulin - Islay

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Finish

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Jury 

Limited Edition 

Blended Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 38 ppm

 

 

 

This is a strange bottling, It seems to be a very young teasponned Lagavulin, aged for three years in Scotland, then two years in Belgium in a 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Cask. As a result, it has lost its Blended Malt Scotch Whisky appellation, and is now only a Blended Malt Whisky. In any case, 335 bottles are on sale. The alcohol content is very low for a Cask Strength of this age, which leads me to believe that there is also much older whisky in there.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is airy and ethereal, but the peat is very present, smoky and thick, and the costal character is powerful. Gypsum cliffs above foamy white waves, sea breeze, iodine, salt, and also crème fraîche, a dash of vanilla, peaches, lychees. The influence of Sherry can then be detected, sultanas, red fruit coulis and milk chocolate. It's oily on the palate, still fruity, with white peaches and bananas, pronounced mineral, peaty and charcoal notes, and the right amount of spice. Long finish, brown sugar, charcoal, figs and dates, warm chestnuts. Chocolate fondant.

 

In Short, 

The nose is sublime, but on the palate the Sherry is barely detectable and it's light. The finish is very good. It's a curiosity, I'd love to know the exact composition of this Blend, but certain seals have a hard life. The price is really low, it's a bargain, and that's probably why it's sold out everywhere, a few days after its release. Fortunately, there are still friends who share.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           New York Dolls - Frankenstein

Ledaig 2009 Hidden Spirits La Maison du Whisky 65th Anniversary 12 yo

 

 

 

54,2°

Distillery : Tobermory - Islands

Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By Hidden Spirits 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 37 ppm 

Since it was founded in 2013, Hidden Spirits has released a few bottlings of Ledaig, half a dozen to be precise. This one is the highest rated on Whiskybase, it was selected by La Maison du Whisky to celebrate their 65th anniversary, which is why it's mainly found on the French market. No indication has been found of the type of cask used, but the colour suggests that it is a Bourbon Barrel, probably Refill. The distillate will therefore be given pride of place. It's a shame we don't know how many bottles were produced.

Let's Taste It : 

Quite dirty smoke, coaly, earthy, with layers of tar and gravel. Very light vanilla, but it has to be said quickly. Iodine, limestone and guano. Whitewashed pebbles. With water, white grapes and olives. A squeeze of lemon. Salt-coated quartz, greyish soot, a medicinal touch. Essence, coconut oil. Haribo banana. Smooth and silky on the palate, incredibly ethereal and airy - what a contrast with the nose! But very quickly, metallic shards, rusty nails and tin cans, fairly strong pepper and cloves. Further on, creamy vanilla, butter sauce, lychees. Quite violent finish, full of cloves and charcoal, dry earth, more petrol, but with wood shavings, chestnut crumbs, hazelnuts. Rose water.
 

In Short, 

For fans of Ledaig, this is an absolutely prodigious bottling, in which the distillate appears in all its purity and depth. Ledaig's famous dirtiness is evident here, with nothing to dress it up, as is that rocky, salty minerality. Just some delicious fruit in the background, in stark contrast to the rest. I've tasted Ledaigs as good, if not better, but they were older, more nuanced. This one is really rough, in all its youthful ardour, and I love it. To my great surprise, I see that it can still be found on some less popular sites. The price is a bit high, but if you're a fan of the distillery, it's a must. As far as I'm concerned, I got mine on special offer.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Dahlia - Castle of Glass

Williamson 2012 Single Cask Collection Foundations 12 yo

 

 

 

59°

Distillery : Laphroaig - Islay 

Bourbon Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By Berry Bros. & Rudd

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 43 ppm 

Bessie Williamson is the only woman to have run a distillery in the 20th century in Scotland. And that, of course, was Laphroaig. In her honour, some independent bottlings are named Williamson, on the pretext of keeping the name of the real distillery a secret, but everyone knows, apart from a few newbies, that Williamson is Laphroaig. In general, Williamsons are rather young, but this one is nonetheless 12 years old, it grew up in a Bourbon Hogshead, and 278 bottles were crafted. It was selected by La Maison du Whisky to be part of the Collection Foundations, and reserved in priority to the French market. 

Let's Taste It : 

A pure Laphroaig in all its splendour, powerful peat full of gravel, coal nuggets, dizzying smoke bursting with iodine, sea spray and nails, patches of tar, sticky fuel oil, and pronounced medicinal notes. In the background, white fruit, grapes, plums, bananas. Lemon pulp. Nice balance. The palate brings out the fruit, which is quite sweet despite the pungent peat, pepper and cloves, metallic and mineral sparkles, a very slight dash of vanilla. Limestone, quartz, tin. Powerful finish, like a tidal wave of charcoal and metallic rubble, concrete, on a beach whipped up by the sea breeze, greenish foam, with a few herbaceous touches behind, aniseed, honeysuckle, ginger. Crushed chestnuts.

 

In Short, 

This should be reserved for lovers of heavy peat and fans of Laphroaig, but it reaches a level of excellence rarely achieved with a 12-year-old. The balance is there, between the distinctive Laphroaig aromas and the lovely iodine and fruit notes. The peat and gravel still have the upper hand. But the nuances are subtle and the flavours deep. For me, it's a must-have, even if the price is quite high, but I was able to find it on special offer.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                          Darkher - Lowly Weep

Caol Ila 2010 Single Cask Collection Foundations 14 yo c. 311752

 

 

 

57°

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay 

Hogshead and Oloroso Sherry Finish

Independent Bottling 

By Berry Bros. & Rudd

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

Caol Ila is, as everyone knows, the largest distillery on Islay, and independent bottlings abound, with the prestigious house of Berry Bros. & Rudd being no exception. But this one has been selected by La Maison du Whisky to be part of the Foundations Collection, so there must be something special about it. Aged in a Hogshead, it was then finished in an Oloroso Sherry cask, resulting in 265 bottles reserved in priority for the French market.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

This is a fine, classic Caol Ila with a strong, creamy sherry. Red fruit, amarena cherries and candied raspberries, a slice of bacon and a hint of iodine, enhanced by woody notes, leather and dates, figs. The palate is expressive but a little dry, with redcurrants, liquorice and a pinch of salt. Lively spices, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, mixed with hot toffee and a few cereals. Long finish, where the peat finally comes through, thick, ashy, notes of earth, iodine, loamy charcoal, elastic, but also some blueberries, blackberries.

 

In Short, 

There's nothing really special here, it's a rather classic Caol Ila but very well made, with good balance and subtle nuances. I did find it a little gentle, though, as I only felt the power of the peat in the finish. It will appeal to those who prefer very well-integrated peat. On the other hand, the price seems a bit high to me,  so it's better to wait for a promotion, it's still available at La Maison du Whisky, but not for long I think.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Solarcycles - Moonblind