Campbeltown Loch 2023

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Springbank, Kilkerran, Glen Scotia - Campbeltown

Bourbon and Sherry Casks 

Independent Bottling 

By Springbank Distillers Ltd. 

Limited Edition 

Blended Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

From time to time, these gentlemen from Springbank reactivate their trading company Springbank Distillers Ltd. to release a new Blended under the Campbeltown Loch brand. To do this, they always team up with other distilleries, which is why this bottling is considered independent. This one is a combination of the three Campbeltown distilleries, including the two owned by the Mitchell family, and Glen Scotia. The age of the product is unknown, as is the number of bottles produced.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Warm, friendly notes of brioche and gingerbread. The patina of wood, fatty wax, knobs of butter and speculoos. Leather, cinnamon shortbread biscuit, warm caramel. A touch of vanilla and flambéed bananas. After a while, we recognise the Springbank profile, with a zest of citrus. On the palate, a bit watery, malted cereals, puffed rice, raw wood, glazed with splinters, warm bread, just out of the oven, the crust shiny. Copper hints, light spices, cloves and cardamom. Fairly long, buttery finish, cola, warm croissant, vanilla cream, cut hay, sparkling lemon.

 

In Short, 

A pleasant whisky to enjoy with friends. You can recognise the Springbank profile, but the Kilkerran and Glen Scotia characters remain unnoticed as far as I'm concerned. The nose is really pleasant, impregnated with Sherry, but the palate is a bit light. It should be drunk quickly. The price is OK, I suppose it's something to reserve for fans of the region.

Score : 85

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Tropic Vibrations - Light it Up

Hazelburn 2008 Oloroso Cask Matured 15 yo

 

 

 

55,8°

Distillery : Springbank - Campbeltown 

Oloroso Sherry Cask 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

The first Hazelburn 15 Year Old was released in the late spring of 2022, and everyone thought it was outstanding. It was such a success that the distillery had no choice but to repeat the experience. This was done at the end of last year, with a new 15-year-old that had undergone exactly the same maturation, in Oloroso Sherry casks. Distilled in June 2008, it was bottled on 18 September 2023, and 9,000 bottles were sent around the world.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is more velvety, with soft caramel and sandalwood. Smoked bark, heather earth, saffron, melting candle wax. Quince jam, candied prunes, almond paste. Banana, a lemon zest. On the palate, the corduroy is still there, but the wood becomes more intense, with a roaring fire, golden bread crust, cinnamon, speculoos shortbread biscuits, soft gingerbread, light spices, cloves. Fairly long finish, but not very powerful. Amadou, Armenian paper, apple crumble, thyme. Liquorice.

In Short, 

You can't help comparing it with the previous 15 year old, and in fact I did a Face 2 Face with both of them. Many found this one a little less good, and that's true, the nose is woodier, more caramelised, in a word the Sherry is a little more intense, and therefore less complex. Apart from that, they're exactly the same. They are two excellent bottlings, sold a little too expensively because of the massive demand.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Blues 'n' Troublé - Blue Because of You

Allt-a-Bhainne 2000 Cask Strength Collection New Vibrations 23 yo

 

 

 

51,9°

Distillery : Allt-a-Bhainne - Speyside

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This is the third bottling among the 4 specially selected by La Maison du Whisky to be part of the Collection New Vibrations, which will therefore be distributed exclusively in France. This is an Allt-a-Bhainne, a little-known Speyside distillery, because it is recent and mainly devoted to blends. It was aged entirely in a first-fill Oloroso Sherry Butt, and 689 bottles were released. Some of Allt-a-Bhainne's production is slightly peaty, between 10 and 20 ppm, but this one was not reported to me as such, and I did not find any peat in it.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is very rich and really fermented, syrupy, morello cherries and amarena, blackcurrants, damsons, raspberries, dried grapes and candied figs, damp leather, prunes, earthy hints. Slightly full of iodine. On the palate, on the other hand, it's a little smooth, a dash of liquorice, mushrooms and caramelised cooked fruits, but not much else, until the spices kick in, quite violently. The finish is long and strong, with fudge, chocolate, brown tobacco, truffle flakes, apricot jam, ginger and cardamom.

 

In Short, 

This is a very well-made Sherry. However, I was a little disappointed with the palate, which I found a bit insignificant after a very intense nose. Overall, it's more or less a Sherry monster, very intense, where the distillate is discreet. The price is high, but it's on special offer these days, and that's becoming decent.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Mike Morgan & The Crawl - Cold Wind

Benrinnes 2010 Cask Strength Collection New Vibrations 12 yo

 

 

 

57,6°

Distillery : Benrinnes - Speyside

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt Finish

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This is the second bottling I've had the chance to taste, among those specially released by Signatory Vintage for Whisky Live 2023, and which will be distributed by La Maison du Whisky via the Collection New Vibrations. This is a 12-year-old Benrinnes, and like its predecessor, it has been finished in an Oloroso Sherry Butt. Logically, the first maturation took place in a Bourbon Barrel. 683 bottles are on sale, exactly the same number as for the Linkwood, if this is a coincidence, it's a big one.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It :   

Quite dark and intense sherry, leather, red fruits, blackberries, bilberries, cranberries, and all that sort of things. Earthy hints, with bark and heather. Clove and chocolate. On the palate, fermented cherries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, vinous notes with muscat grapes and very mastered oakiness. Lively spices, nutmeg, pepper and cardamom. The finish is long, full-bodied and velvety, with cocoa powder, sandalwood, fruit jelly and ginger. Some charcoal notes to finish. Crushed chestnuts.

In Short, 

This time, the influence of the finishing cask is intense and masks the distillate a little. I don't know much about this distillery, but this bottling isn't going to help me with that. The Sherry is very well made, gourmand, deep and complex. It does lack a little originality and personality, though. The price is high without being outrageous.

Score : 88

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Buddy Whittington Band - Help me Through the Day

Ledaig 1999 Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength 23 yo

 

 

 

55,4°

Distillery : Tobermory - Islands

Refill American Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By Gordon & MacPhail 

Limited Edition

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 37 ppm

 

 

 

In fact, aged Ledaig is relatively rare, for the simple reason that Ledaig was not at all renowned 20 or 30 years ago. Back then, people didn't buy many of their casks. It turned out to be a good investment, because today Ledaig casks are snapped up. This one was distilled in 1999, and it has two advantages. Firstly, it's a simple Refill American Hogshead, which will let the so typical distillate express itself, and secondly, it's a cask that has previously held Islay whisky. But they didn't tell me which one, personally I'd tend to think it's a Laphroaig, yet I could very well be wrong. 202 bottles have been released and distributed exclusively by La Maison du Whisky via the Collection New Vibrations.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Perfectly smooth, and at the same time perfectly dirty. Chiselled iodine, all the way to limestone, apples and yellow plums, and at the same time, the terrible Ledaig peat, with scents of melted plastic, whitewash, mucky roots. Soft caramel, gentian, honey, a medicinal touch, with bandages and turpentine, disinfectant. Slight herbal hints, tall grass, reeds. On the palate, the vanilla becomes more present, disturbed by thick peat and candied lemon. Genoise and slate, crème brûlée and salty, even maritime notes, seaweed and shellfish. Controlled spices that touch on liquorice. The finish is long and truly explosive, with biscuit leaves known as gavotte, grated nutmeg and star anise, vanilla soft cake and fresh walnuts, ginger.

 

In Short, 

It really is a Ledaig at its best, where the beautifully executed maturation envelops a monstrously dirty distillate. I love contrasts in whisky, and this is one of the finest.  What's more, it's on special offer these days, at a really good price (it's a bit expensive the rest of the time), so it's going to be hard to resist.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Framed

Linkwood 2012 Cask Strength Collection New Vibrations 11 yo

 

 

 

57,4°

Distillery : Linkwood - Speyside

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt Finish

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

Signatory Vintage, a trading company founded in 1988 by Andrew and Brian Symington, and La Maison du Whisky have been working together for decades. At Whisky Live 2023, a number of casks were reserved for the Collection New Vibrations that was to be released, announcing an exclusive sale in France. This Linkwood was finished in a first-fill Oloroso Sherry Butt. It is reasonable to assume that the first part of its maturation took place in a Bourbon Barrel. 683 bottles were released from the cask.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A fairly rich sherry, apricot jam, apple crumble sprinkled with cinnamon, the blood orange reveals a slight acidity, quickly covered by the various spices. Gingerbread, discreet notes of chocolate and coffee, grated ginger. Well-balanced on the palate, between creamy, honeyed fruits and lively spices. It becomes exotic after a while, with melon and mango. The finish is long, close to explosion, where the coffee comes through, woody and liquoriced, dried fruits, dates, figs, chestnuts. Tangerines and lemons.

 

In Short, 

Because of the influence of the Sherry Butt, it's not the explosion of fruits we usually get from this distillery. But that doesn't detract from the quality, with a fine balance between strong spices and yellow fruits. It's very successful, without being overwhelming. The price is more or less affordable, so fans of the profile can consider a purchase without blushing.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Carolyn Wonderland - She Wants to Know

Macallan 2003 Speymalt 19 yo c. 13603611

 

 

 

58,5°

Distillery : The Macallan - Speyside

1st Fill Sherry Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Gordon & MacPhail 

Limited Edition

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

The links between Gordon & MacPhail are so close that they have inaugurated a range just for the two of them. This is Speymalt, dedicated entirely to the Macallan casks acquired by Gordon & MacPhail. Here we have a 19-year-old aged in a first-fill Sherry Hogshead. 149 bottles are available exclusively from La Maison du Whisky in France, via their Collection New Vibrations.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The Sherry effect is huge, full-bodied, with syrupy red fruits, fruit jellies, dates and dried figs, hazelnuts, almonds and peanuts, intense woody spices, cloves, turmeric, paprika, blood oranges topped with caramel, melted chocolate, quince jam, candied apricots, taut leather and hints of rhubarb. On the palate, a salad of stewed fruits, red fruits of course, but also pineapple, mango and passion fruit. Unctuous, with watermelon, cherry, blueberry, gooseberry and amarena. Milk chocolate chips, harmonious spices, cumin and nutmeg, as well as liquorice, blond tobacco and saffron. Very well-crafted finish, slightly earthy, coffee, chocolate, cinnamon, marzipan, very long, vanilla bean, cardamom, semi-salted butter, braised chestnuts. Ginger.

 

In Short, 

We came for a good ladleful of Sherry and we weren't disappointed, it's extremely varied, complex, with lots of fruits, spices and other multiple flavours. It's very balanced, very noble, very Macallan. Not a drop of rancio or sulphur, the Sherry is well handled by the wood, spices and chocolate. A jewel of a Sherry, but unfortunately the price is too high, which is a shame.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Smokin' Gun - Nothin' Good to Say     

Glenlossie 2012 Signatory Vintage La Maison du Whisky Exclusive Bottling 11 yo

 

 

 

63,5°

Distillery : Glenlossie - Speyside

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncolored, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This bottling is part of the Plume Collection, which brings together editions aged in Sherry casks. It comes from Glenlossie, a little-known distillery used almost exclusively for blends, and was aged in an Oloroso Sherry Butt that produced 720 bottles. To mark the occasion, Signatory Vintage has teamed up with La Maison du Whisky, which is distributing the product exclusively in France under its New Vibrations label.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is heavy with syrupy Sherry, fermented red fruits, blueberries, gooseberries, bilberries and blackcurrants, crushed walnuts, cashews, amarena. Leafy notes in the background, laurel, eucalyptus, wisps of coffee. On the palate, candied and spicy fruits, topped with caramel and milk chocolate, citrus, grapefruit, blood orange, then the spices become quite violent, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, curry. The finish is long and tumultuous, with fruit purée, a touch of wood and charcoal, dried figs and dates, peanuts, parsley and rosemary.

 

In Short, 

You have to like Sherry, that's for sure. It's very good, but I found that the Sherry saturated the aromatic palette a bit. I'd say it's a rather successful Sherry Bomb, relatively complex and deep. However, I think the price is too high.

Score : 89 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           ChakSeng Lam - Sandalwood