Laphroaig 2004 Old Particular 18 yo

 

 

 

49,3°

Distillery : Laphroaig - Islay

Refill Bourbon Barrel 

Independent Bottling 

By Douglas Laing & Co. 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 43 ppm 

In 2022, La Maison du Whisky selected this Laphroaig cask for an exclusive sale as part of its Antipodes collection, and 270 bottles were released. Ageing in a Bourbon Refill cask will leave plenty of room for the distillate.

Let's Taste It : 

It's quite a dirty profile, with a big peat that's not shy at all, medicinal, but also mineral, wet dog, limestone, bandages, a touch of salty iodine, seaweed, kelp, cough syrup. Slate and quartz. On the palate, on the other hand, it's very fruity and creamy, with white fruits and a hint of vanilla, cloves and nutmeg. It's true that there's a good layer of peat too. The finish is destructive, long, salty and oily, with powerful spices, charcoal, coffee, soot, chicory, a pinch of salt and sticky asphalt.

In Short, 

Pure Laphroaig, with a rare violence despite its 18 years. I would have given it fewer years in a blind tasting. Not recommended for those who are not die-hard fans of the distillery, like me. Not as subtle as you might think, but very intense and uncompromising. I wish I could recommend it, but the price is astronomical.

Score : 89

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Cabaret Nocturne - Blood Walk

Ledaig 2007 Old Particular Collection New Vibrations 14 yo

 

 

 

51,9°

Distillery : Tobermory - Islands

Pedro Ximénez Sherry Butt

Independent Bottling 

By Douglas Laing & Co. 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 37 ppm 

Still within the Old Particular range, this Ledaig has been selected by La Maison du Whisky to be part of the Collection New Vibrations, which means it will be sold exclusively on the French market. Distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2023, it should be at least 15 years old, but is only 14, so it has spent some time out of cask, probably several months. Anyway, the influence of this Pedro Ximénez Sherry cask must have done it good. 261 bottles were produced.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Faded flowers, mineral peat, gypsum, limestone, quite powerful, red fruits and apricots tinged with soot, blood orange, oil and fuel, then it drifts towards exotic fruits with a bit of humus, dead leaves, ointment. Very fruity on the palate, with vegetal notes. From mango to quince and pear. Peat is in the background, chalky, but also oily, especially motor oil. Rich but not aggressive spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper. The finish is long and explosive, with hints of chocolate, chicory and Arabica coffee. Cloves, mushrooms, seaweed, damp black earth. A drop of gas oil. Slightly medicinal.

 

In Short, 

Excellent, this Ledaig. I was particularly impressed by the finish. But the nose is also magnificent. Ledaig is often associated with Bourbon, which allows it to retain all its specificity. Here, it lives very well with Sherry. It's a success on every level, it has its own personality, somewhat autumnal, a tad melancholic, and with a beautiful, intense and powerful mineral peat. Despite the very high price, I recommend it for those who can afford it.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                            Fiedls of the Nephilim - Last Exit for the Lost

Bunnahabhain 2004 Old Particular The Midnight Series 18 yo

 

 

 

48,4°

Distillery : Bunnahabhain - Islay 

Refill Sherry Butt

Independent Bottling 

By Douglas Laing & Co. 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 40 ppm

Within Old Particular, The Midnight Series sub-range brings together whiskies aged in a Sherry Single Cask. I've heard it's a tribute to the darkest hour of the night, we've seen worse ideas for launching a collection. Be that as it may, this is a peated Bunnahabhain, which is not specified on the label, aged in a Sherry Butt single cask for 18 years and 4 months, and released in an edition of 588 bottles. It's a single cask, but a reduced one.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It :

Original nose, with dates, dried apricots, liquorice stick and a enticiing smoke. Leather, red fruit jelly in the background. Already some spices, nutmeg and cloves, melting caramel. The palate is pleasant without being exceptional, full of chocolate and American tobacco, some nice spices that aren't too strong, cinnamon, white pepper. More quinces and apricots, I didn't taste any red fruit. Nice balance at the end. Long, syrupy finish, the red fruits return, toasted raspberries, meat juice, hot chestnuts. Some woody hints.

 

In Short, 

The peat is not very strong, which is to be expected after 18 years, and the sensation is one of a very well-balanced and pleasant whisky that is not too aggressive. It's very well made, but lacks a bit of quality to be sold at this price, in my humble opinion.

Score : 88

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Coma - Ride

Clynelish 1997 Xtra Old Particular The Black Series 25 yo

 

 

 

47,5°

Distillery : Clynelish - Highlands

Refill Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Douglas Laing & Co. 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 8 ppm 

 

 

 

The Black Series is the pinnacle of what Douglas Laing can normally produce, when they're not celebrating a birthday. It appeared in 2019 and brings together around 30 exceptional bottlings that are very old and very limited. Here we have a 25-year-old Clynelish, aged in a Refill cask, which will give the distillate plenty of latitude. Only 129 bottles were produced and sold exclusively on the French market as part of the Collection New Vibrations.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Thick, sticky, honeyed wax, parquet cira. Very sweet yellow plum, mirabelle and white grape. Slightly fermented. A lovely, enticing smoke develops slowly. Burnt hay, toasted cereals. Dash of vanilla, green apple. Perfect balance. The palate continues in the same vein, smooth, fruity, wax and honey, dates and quinces, rich, lively spices, nutmeg, pepper. Long, woody finish, cinnamon leaf, bay, humus, hot chestnuts, damp earth, vegetable moss, cola, hazelnuts, a zest of lemon.

 

In Short, 

A Clynelish that is very Clynelish, intense, very waxy, fruity, lemony, remarkably smoky and instantly recognisable. Perfectly bodied. It would be a great opportunity to own it, but it requires a substantial budget.

Score : 91

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Brandi Carlile - Madman Axross the Water

Speyside's Finest 1967 Xtra Old Particular Celebrating 75 Glorious Years of Whisky 55 yo

 

 

 

52,5°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Speyside

Sherry Butt

Independent Bottling 

By Douglas Laing & Co. 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

To celebrate the company's 75th anniversary, Douglas Laing & Co. is launching 6 absolutely exceptional bottlings, all Single Cask, all delivered with a hand-cut crystal tasting set by renowned glass-cutter Richard Brendon. Here we have a Whisky from Speyside aged 55 years and 9 months. Distilled in November 1967, it was bottled in July 2023. I certainly haven't tasted anything older, and I'm not even sure it exists. What's more, these 55 years were spent in a Sherry Butt, which promises a very expressive distillate. 310 bottles went on sale. The demonstrator made us promise secrecy as to the identity of the distillery, and I shall respect that oath, but I can say in any case that this is a distillery that uses only Sherry casks and is famous for that. It's also famous for storing a lot of old casks, which makes sense after all.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, soft prunes, dates and filled cherries, dried bananas, melting caramel, all set off by woody spices, grated nutmeg, cloves and cardamom. Liquorice and chocolate milk, after eight, a few leafy hints and forest berries. It's extremely complex. On the other hand, the palate is a tad light and drying, with more red fruits, blueberries, blackberries and gooseberries, even cranberries, and once again very lively and intense spices. The finish is long and woody, notes of coffee, cloves, chai, tall herbs and holly leaves. Not very explosive.

 

In Short, 

To be honest, I'm slightly disappointed. Of course, it's better than 99% of the whiskies on the market, but at this age, I was expecting more. Which proves that age isn't everything. It remains an excellent product, subtle and deep, with a recognisable Sherry profile, even a little overwhelming. The price is that of a small second-hand car, so it's up to you whether you prefer to travel or stay at home this winter. Public transport has its charm, it's true.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Peter Hammill - In The End

Port Dundas 1978 Xtra Old Particular Celebrating 75 Glorious Years of Whisky 45 yo

 

 

 

49,9°

Distillery : Port Dundas - Lowlands

Refill Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By Douglas Laing & Co. 

Limted Edition 

Single Grain 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This year, Douglas Laing is 75 years old. Not the person, but the trading company, of course, now firmly established as one of the benchmarks for independent bottling. To celebrate this magnificent occasion, some equally magnificent casks have been brought out of storage. This one in particular came from the famous Port Dundas distillery, which passed away in 2010, but produced 39 million litres of pure alcohol a year in its heyday. It only produced grain whisky, which is why this bottle, of which I was lucky enough to taste a drop, is a Single Grain. Produced in a very limited edition of 106 bottles, it comes in a luxury box with decanter, tumbler and other goodies. Given the colour of the liquid, it's reasonable to assume that there were a few staves from a Sherry cask in the Refill Hogshead that held the precious liqueur for 45 years.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Intense cereals, cracked wheat, crispy maize, honeyed barley, flavoured with vanilla millet. A wonderful muesli set with fruits. Caramel and red plums, spicy wood, cinnamon, dried fruits, banana, apricot, goji. Quince jelly. Syrupy on the palate, very balanced, the maturation has done its work. Caramelised wood juice, toffee, slightly drying lingonberry and gooseberry juice, discreet but very broad spices, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves. The finish is truly superb, extremely long, peppery, intense, earthy, humus, chestnut, mushrooms, relatively fat and charred. Molasses, dark chocolate, a hint of coffee, squid ink.

 

In Short, 

It's very impressive. It's not the profile I love, but I'm blown away here. Everything is perfect and lives up to expectations, from the nose to the finish. Especially the finish, which I adored. The price too is impressive, it's the median salary for a month's work in France. Is it worth it? There are many other things you can do with the money you spend on this bottle. Buy a dozen very good bottles, almost as good but much cheaper, for example.

Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Chris Beard - All Night Long

Bunnahabhain 2013 Hidden Spirits 10th Anniversary 10 yo

 

 

 

54,1°

Distillery : Bunnahabhain - Islay 

1st Fill Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By Hidden Spirits 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 40 ppm

 

 

 

Third and final gem unearthed by Hidden Spirits on the occasion of its tenth anniversary. This is a Bunnahabhain Staoisha, which means it's heavily peated, although it doesn't say so on the bottle. It was aged in a single first-fill Bourbon cask, resulting in a total of 260 bottles.

Let's Taste It : 

Quite strong peat, very mineral and chalky. Diffuse iodine, sea breeze and foam. Damp cellar, soot, soggy wood. Some white fruits but it has to be said quickly. Crystalline vanilla. The fruit returns on the palate and is much more present, plum, banana, lychee, mirabelle, violent spices, nutmeg and pepper. A cloud of cotton candy. Very beautiful finish, very powerful and full-bodied, with cereals, honey, chestnuts, a pinch of salt, thick peat, a shower of lemon juice and almond paste. Genoise.

In Short, 

The nose and palate are fine without being sublime, but the finish is. It seemed really incredible to me, but it's true that Hidden Spirits has this knack of pushing the capabilities of many distilleries to the limit. If my impression is confirmed, then this would be the best peated Bunnahabhain I've ever tasted. At the same time, nothing surprising, it's also the oldest.

Score : 89

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Gathering - On Most Surfaces

Ardmore 2013 Hidden Spirits 10th Anniversary 9 yo

 

 

 

53,2°

Distillery : The Ardmore - Highlands

Refill Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Hidden Spirits 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Heavily Peated

 

 

 

Second tasted by myself among the three special bottlings launched to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the trading company founded by Andrea Ferrari in 2013, this Ardmore was aged in a single Refill Hogshead, but it is announced as particularily peated, for an Ardmore. The peat content is not specified, but I would say around 30 ppm, maybe a bit less. 266 bottles were put on sale. 

Let's Taste It : 

It's more peaty, with a mineral, rocky peat, silica, slate and coarse sea salt. The fruits are simpler, white plums, vanilla, lemon zest, all with a certain astringency. Chalk, iodine. Lighter on the palate, vanilla cream, peach, I can no longer smell the peat. Fairly broad spices, nutmeg, curry. Nice finish, chiselled, relatively powerful and long, lemony, fresh citrus, and perhaps even some exotic fruits. Cereals, chestnuts, hazelnuts. A certain woodiness.

In Short, 

It's very interesting and pleasant, but not entirely coherent. The nose is peaty, but not at all on the palate. The fruit, on the other hand, is everywhere. It's a bit young, Ardmore probably needs more time to mature. Anyway, this is a nice bottling full of character, but the price is a bit high.

Score : 88

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Tori Amos - Cornflake Girl