Oxford Rye Heritage Grains

 

 

 

40°

The Oxford Artisan Distillery - England

American Oak Casks 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition

Rye Spirit

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

The Oxford Artisan Distillery, also known as TOAD, was founded in 2017 in Oxford. They make gin, vodka, and Rye Whisky. It is the first certified totally organic distillery in United Kingdom. In 2021, they weren't making real whisky yet, so the sample I was given was about two years old, their first real Rye Whirsky coming out a few months later. It is made exclusively from rye, 20% of which is malted and 80% unmalted. The distillery closed last April, because they now want to move to Yorkshire to increase their production. I wonder if they'll change their name.

Let's Taste It : 

Quite strong turpentine, with some chemical violet. Crushed blueberry, mint candy. Behind, a certain cereal freshness can be detected, but it's not sufficient. Ethereal vanilla, lemon coulis, melting caramel, floral and honeyed fragrances. Light palate, wheat grains, rough rye, well peppered spices, acceptable finish, more or less long, almost crisp corn, a touch of alcohol, green wood, still young, cola nut, dry earth, tall grasses. Bay leaves, honeysuckle. 

In Short, 

Perhaps there was a problem with the conservation of the sample, which must have been lying around somewhere waiting for someone to get rid of it by giving it to me. As a result, the nose was severely degraded. This may have affected my tasting note, but one thing's for sure: this isn't a great spirit, because the palate and finish aren't great either. Be that as it may, since then this distillery has released some real whiskies, so we'll have to start by tasting that before forming a definitive opinion.

Score : 79

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Silky Roads - Out of Mind

Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2018

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Kilchoman - Islay

19 Oloroso Sherry Butts

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 50 ppm

 

 

 

This edition of Loch Gorm is the sixth, since the name was launched in 2013, and, by reputation, it's one of the best. It's a blend of 19 Oloroso Sherry Butts, distilled in 2007, 2008 and 2011. The blend must therefore be between 6 and 11 years old, but what's certain is that it has given 15,000 bottles.. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The smoke is fine, ashy and grainy, charcoal balls with a knob of soft caramel, fig jam, tinder wood, a hint of raspberry, sultanas. Pellets of peat in the background, foresty and earthy. Acorn, bark and clay, in a damp clearing. A pinch of salt. Cashew nuts, dark chocolate. On the palate, it's silky, honeyed, with a big pile of peat, then fairly well managed spices, nutmeg, ginger, cayenne pepper, cocoa powder. The finish is wonderfully long, close to explosion, then languorous, with thick caramel, candied quince, cloves, black radish, roots, brown tobacco, more chocolate.

 

In Short, 

It's true that the nose is rather marvellous, with very nice smoke and magnificent balance. If I'm trying to be objective, this is certainly the best Loch Gorm I've ever tasted. On the other hand, if I stick to my personal tastes, I wonder if I didn't prefer other versions that were fruitier. It's all a question of taste. But it's still a very good product. 6 years after its release, it has become a collector's item, yet it's still relatively easy to find, but you have to put a disproportionate price on it.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Oh Land - Wolf & I

Tullibardine 2015 100 Proof Edition #2 8 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Tullubardine - Highlands 

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts

Independeent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated 

Second release in the new 100 Proof range launched by Signatory Vintage, this expression has been declined in 2949 bottles. It is a Tullibardine aged in first-fill Sherry Butts, and it appeared at the very beginning of 2024. 100 Proof is the old traditional measure of alcohol content in the UK, and is precisely 57.1°.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The Sherry is very much present, fermented grapes, morello cherries, caramel, leather, red fruits that are no longer of the first freshness, raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries, a touch of woody varnish. It becomes more balanced with a drop of water, and is slightly earthy and spicy. Amadou, prunes, it gets much more interesting after a while. On the palate, it's syrupy, black cherry, peppermint, sage leaf, melting caramel. The spices are discreet. The finish is longer than I expected, woody liquorice, vegetal notes and cola.

 

In Short, 

At first, I thought the Sherry was really too strong. You need to add a bit of water and wait a few minutes. Then a pleasant woodiness appears, and spices add complexity. It's a good whisky, but you need to give it time to breathe. As for the price, it's very reasonable, and anyone with a taste for this profile should try to buy it.

Score : 87

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Ripoff Raskolnikov - Toll-Gate Blues

Caol Ila 2015 100 Proof Edition #10 8 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts and Hogsheads

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 35 ppm 

Signatory Vintage launched this series last year, which consists of limited editions of several thousand bottles each of a low-priced vintage single malt. For this one, I don't know the exact number, but I do know that we're approaching 4,000 bottles. To reach such a figure, they had to buy a whole load of casks. This is the 10th in the series and it's a Caol Ila matured in Sherry.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A creamy, pastry-like Caol Ila, but the smoke is still very strong. Milky vanilla, ripe mirabelle plums, sticky soot. Nice fullness, with light maritime touches. Seafood, sprinkled with lemon zest. After a while, the smoke becomes bewitching. On the palate, it's velvety, woody, mussels and scallops, thick peat, then violent spices, cumin and pepper, lead to a not very long but explosive finish, liquorice and caramel, peach pit, bark, eucalyptus, rosemary, cola, nutmeg.

 

In Short, 

It's not a great whisky, but it's well made nonetheless. The quality is there. The value for money is interesting, without being exceptional. It's a classic Caol Ila, without much originality, but also without flaws. It's not a must-have, but if you buy it you won't regret it.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Afghan Whigs - I'll Make you see God

Lagavulin 8 yo

 

 

 

48°

Distillery : Lagavulin -Islay

Ex-Bourbon American Oak Cask

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2017

Unchillfiltered

Peated around 38 ppm

 

 

 

A new addition to the Core Range, this 8yo was first released as a limited edition to celebrate the distillery's 200th anniversary, and I talked about it here. The advantage is that it is very different from the iconic 16 Year Old, very Bourbon while the 16 Year Old is very Sherry. The two expressions complement each other well.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

An earthy, marshy peat, loamy earth and fatty herbs, softened by a nice layer of vanilla. It's well-crafted, fairly balanced, full-bodied with hints of iodine and sea spray, and a pinch of icing sugar. The palate is full-bodied, chalky, fat, with salt crystals and gelatine, just the right amount of spices, cumin, nutmeg, and some white fruits. Quite powerful finish, full of cloves, heather, smoked bark, dark chocolate, cola, pepper, balsamic vinegar, truffles. Gentle minerality.

 

In Short, 

I really liked it. The nose is well-crafted, powerful, just the right amount of dirty, but still pleasant. The palate is solid and the finish is beautiful. Honestly, I preferred it to the 2016 limited edition, although everyone says that it is much worse, so I'll have to make a serious comparison. Anyway, if you can find it at a good price, it's a bargain.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Hangwire - Stockholm Syndrome

Caol Ila 2009 Artist Collective #3.2 9 yo

 

 

 

57,2°

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay

3 Refill Sherry Butts 

Independent Bottling 

By La Maison du Whisky

Limired Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 35 ppm 

Part of the 3rd batch of Artist Collective, a range launched by La Maison du Whisky in 2017, this Caol Ila was aged for 9 years in 3 Sherry Butts, before giving birth to 1888 bottles. This is the 2nd Caol Ila in the range, out of the 8 available in the 6 Artist Collective batches.

Let's Taste It : 

Well-crafted nose, mainly focused on iodine, to which is added fairly thick peat, traces of icing sugar, white fruits, the tide and the sea breeze of course, lychee, Chasselas grapes, soft banana. A note of sweetness, perhaps whipped cream. Gresil, green wood. On the palate, a little alcohol, still icing sugar and lychees, then spices, rather strong, grey pepper, cumin. The finish isn't quite so devastating, I was expecting stronger, a bit vegetal, full of unctuous fruits, apricots, medlars, slightly overripe, quite long nonetheless. Drops of caramel. Varnished wood.

 

In Short, 

It's a successful Caol Ila, very iodised, but also fruity and maritime. Nothing exceptionally original, but very pleasant, and quite full-bodied. Rumour has it that it's very peaty for a Caol Ila, but I didn't find that to be the case. It can still be found on certain websites at a fairly high price, let's say it's a bottle for collectors.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           She Past Away - Kasvetli Kutlama

Raasay Ex-Bordeaux Red Wine Unpeated Cask Sample 36 Months

 

 

 

63,5°

Distillery : Isle of Raasay - Islands

1st Fill Ex-Bordeaux Red Wine Cask

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

At a tasting in 2023, the demonstrator discreetly placed this vial in my hand. This is a juice aged for 36 months in first-fill Bordeaux red wine barrels. This is one of the three types of casks used for the famous Nia Sia recipe, which is elaborated for the production of Raasay Single Malts, in its unpeated version. Here it's just a 5cl sample, the alcohol content is not indicated, but on their website they specify that all their samples have approximately the same alcohol content, around 63,5°. In September 2022, the first 700ml bottling was made from the same barrel, in Single Cask. I assume that the sample I tasted is very close to this bottling, as the difference in ageing is only a few months. The alcohol content of the bottle is 61.8°.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Sweet, cereal-like, astringent, dry hay, hints of sea iodine, velvety fruits, creamy vanilla. Peanut butter, oily honey, sweet almond milk. Tide and sea breeze, sea spray. A crust of salt. A few citrus fruits in the background. Silky on the palate. The smoothness of the wine, very liquid honey, then rather strong spices, cumin, black pepper, another trail of salt. Woody hazelnuts. Explosive finish, banana, cola, roasted corn, vanilla ice cream, milk chocolate. 

In Short, 

It's not bad at all, the alcohol isn't too noticeable, nor is the youth of the product. The influence of the red wine is very slight, adding only a velvety and fruity character to this rather costal and cereal distillate, which makes for a good blend. On the distillery's website, samples of the same type are for sale, so don't hesitate to take a few, it could be interesting.

Score : 87

                                           To Be Listened While Sippinng :

 

                                           Thurisaz - Years of Silence

The Ardmore 12 yo Port Wood Finish

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : The Ardmore - Highlands

American White Oak Bourbon Barrels and European Port Pipes Finish

Original Bottling 

Core Range

Single Malt 

Launched in 2015

Unchillfiltered

Peated around 12 ppm

 

 

 

This one is the only aged version in the distillery's Core Range. First released in 2015, it has now become its most important reference. It is not chill-filtered, but it is coloured and reduced to 46°.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Red fruits with a hint of smoke, raspberry jam, the smoothness of Port. A touch of liquorice and chocolate, perhaps a bit of tobacco. Damsons, gooseberries, muscat grapes, a pinch of cinnamon. After a while, the fruit becomes deeper, almost complex. Notes of honey and mirabelle plums. On the palate, there's a lovely suave woodiness, blueberries and strawberries, olive oil, it's liquorous, with traces of undergrowth and black berries. Then the spices rise, quite strong, cumin, pepper and cloves. Brown tobacco. Long finish, the caramel comes through, fudge, liquorice stick, cola, bark, black tea. Coal and chocolate.

 

In Short, 

I have to say that it's much better than I expected. The Port is very well brought out and deep, complex and bewitching. The downside is that it lacks the typical profile of this distillery, but you can't have everything. As for the price, it's more than fair, in my opinion you can go for it without hesitation.

Score : 87 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Kiki Rockwell - Syrena