Ardnamurchan 2018 AD/Madeira Cask Release 6 yo

 

 

 

52°

Distillery : Ardnamurchan - Highlands

Bourbon Barrels and Madeira Finish

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 16 ppm

 

 

 

The latest Ardnamurchan release to cause a stir is this one. A double maturation that began in Bourbon Barrels and ended in Madeira Casks, 6 years old. It's been on sale for just over two months now, and as I really liked the 10 year old that came out a little while ago, I wanted to try this one. This is a limited edition of 19598 bottles. It is the second one form this distillery to be finished in Madeira Casks, the previous one was launched in 2022. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Dried wheat, light breeze, some ripe fruits, pears, lychees. Hairspray, fresh tobacco leaves, a touch of peat, heather honey, mellow vanilla, a zest of lemon. Peach pits, young wood, cooked apples, greengage jam. On the palate, it's quite thick, honeyed, apple pie, cake pastry, well-inspired spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika. Quite a long finish, melted caramel, tobacco crumbs, hints of malt, royal jelly. Warm honey, treacle, smoke tea. A sugar cube dipped in wine sauce.   

 

In Short, 

I have to say I'm a little disappointed. It's a good quality, but given the price and the growing reputation of the distillery, I expected better. The Madeira flavour is quite discreet, and yet it's enough to take us away from the distillery's profile. On the whole, it's still too young, it should have waited a little longer. I'm not sure I'd recommend buying it. 

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Blauka - Wolta

Craigellachie 2014 100 Proof Edition #39 10 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Craigellachie - Speyside 

1st Fill Pedro Ximénez Hogsheads, 2d Fill Oloroso Butts, & Dechar/Rechar Hogsheads

Independent Bottling

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

So the 39th bottling in the 100 Proof range, launched in January 2024, is a Craigellachie that has undergone a fairly complex triple maturation process. Having spent 10 years in the casks and released several thousand bottles, it's always worth dipping your lips in. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Candied cherries, Morello cherries, varnished wood, soaked leather, very ripe mirabelles. Blueberry tart, shortcrust pastry, iced tea, mint leaves. Melted butter, palets bretons. A touch of salt. Very light smoke resulting from burnt wood. On the palate, waxed wood, liquorice stick, churned butter, fermented plum. Slightly strong spices, cumin, cloves, black pepper. Powerful, languorous finish, but not so long, charcoal, liquorice sweets, melting toffee, roasted nuts, cooked mushrooms. 

 

In Short, 

The burnt casks mean that the Sherry doesn't take up all the room, and the result is a well-balanced, pleasant bottling with a certain character. As always with this range, the price is rather attractive, and fans of this distillery can embark on a purchase with confidence. 

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Ellen Beth Abdi - Who This World is Made For 

Ben Nevis 2012 The Duchess 12 yo

 

 

 

54,7°

Distillery : Ben Nevis - Highlands

Bourbon Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By The Duchess

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

Bottles of young Ben Nevis are becoming more and more common, and I've noticed that they often undergo ageing or even finishing that is, to say the least, original. Most of the time it's Sherry, but recent bottlings have also included Montravel or American wine. And when it's simply Bourbon ageing, the distillate is more peated than usual. Why these experiments? Isn't Ben Nevis good enough in a simple Hogshead? That's what we're going to see with this one, which was aged very simply, but still lasted 12 years. 284 bottles came out of the cask, inserted in the Game & Wildlife Series range. I wasn't familiar with this bottler, who has only produced around 14 products in over 10 years of existence, but they mainly make rum. The label was designed by Hans Dillesse. 

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Brioche, ethereal vanilla, juicy exotic fruits, earthy peat, limestone, a pinch of icing sugar, almond paste, pineapple, grapefruit, cooked banana. Maritime fragrances, sea spray, kelp, foam, small shellfish. On the palate, candied citrus fruits, cannoli, with a touch of sparkle and wood, lively spices, pepper, paprika, nutmeg, lychees, duck fat. Long and almost explosive finish, crushed hazelnuts, beeswax, liquid honey, fine sand, bulgur. Roasted barley. A few grains of salt.  

 

In Short, 

I feel a little annoyed to say so, but this is an excellent Ben Nevis, not far removed from their legendary, much older productions. The intensity of the fruit is incredible, and the maritime touches are superb. And what's more, it's sold at a very low price. I hope that, by saying this, I'm not going to provoke a rush on this bottle, because I haven't bought it yet. So I'd strongly recommend buying it, but only when I've got mine. 

Score : 89 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Rùnahild - Fylgja

Islay Single Malt 2009 Royal Mile Whiskies 14 yo

 

 

 

46°

Distillery Officialy Unknown - Islay

Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By Royal Mile Whiskies 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Heavily Peated

 

 

 

On the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, there's a world-famous shop where you can find all the whiskies you need. And occasionally, they bottle their own. This is the case here, with this 14-year-old Islay nectar, aged in a simple Hogshead. The identity of the distillery is kept secret, but the shop's website indicates that the flavours are close to Caol Ila and Lagavulin. 384 bottles have been put on sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The climate is harsh, with sprays of foam crashing against the slate and gypsum cliffs, dried seaweed and a good pinch of salt. Fortunately, we have a good vanilla custard and a few crushed almonds. Smoky, not too strong, fairly mild, with a slight medicinal touch. On the palate, green apples, Conference pears and white grapes, but the peat is close by, thick and soft. Lime, grapefruit and charcoal balls. Perennial spices. Long, rustic finish, burnt kindling, tar and sea spray. Almond paste with a pinch of salt.

 

In Short, 

The profile is indeed reminiscent of Caol Ila and Lagavulin, very coastal, maritime, even mineral. But I'm leaning towards the latter, because at the same time it's elegant and has a certain finesse that can only be found in Lagavulin. It's a very good whisky, I just regret that it's reduced to 46°, if it were cask strength, it would be magnificent. The price is a bit high in my opinion, but I have to believe that it's deserved, because these days it's all sold out, it's totally impossible to find, except perhaps at auction, but that takes luck and persistence.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Atlas - Scottish Islands

Daftmill 2009 Double Single Bottled Exclusively for Aqvavitae 15 yo

 

 

 

55° 

Distillery : Daftmill - Lowlands

1st Fill Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

It's been 20 years now that the distillery has been gracing us with its Single Farm bottlings, made entirely in-house, from growing the barley to bottling. Their undeniable expertise is beginning to shine through, with this one in particular, a blend of two 15-year-old 1st Fill Bourbon casks, giving 362 bottles to savour. Aqvavitae is a YouTube channel run by a great whisky fan, and this is one of the first bottlings in his honour.   

Let's Taste It : 

A dash of vanilla and citrus fruits galore, but also angelica, olives, reeds, crushed walnuts, marshmallow and crème fraîche. A few discreet mineral touches, and if you go that way, rustic, raw cereals too. But it's still very herbaceous, with green fruit, greengages, mirabelle plums, peach pits. On the palate, it's silky and limpid, with spring water, rose loukoum, chestnut leaves, almond paste, light spices, cloves. The finish is very long, pleasant, once again, very herbal, leeks, celery, two drops of balsamic vinegar, charcoal and earth.

 

In Short, 

There's a lot more personality in this one than in any other Daftmill I've tasted. This one really has the character of the distillery and it's impressive. For me, this is a very good bottling, but the price is high, so you have to make sacrifices.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Vega Trails - Largo

Octomore Edition 03.1 5 yo

 

 

 

59°

Distillery : Bruichladdich - Islay 

American Oak Bourbon Barrels 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2010

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 152 ppm

 

 

 

Back in the early days of Octomore, the brand's communications were less polished. No subtitles like Dialogos or The Impossible Equation. Just the age, the casks used and the ppm level. Personally, that's enough for me. A lot of people say that the first Octomore were much better, and I'm happy to verify that today. This one is a limited edition of 18,000.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A wall of herbaceous peat, granite, tall grass, reeds, with a dash of vanilla and rocky smoke. After a few minutes, bubbles of icing sugar, fresh lychees, mashed banana, white peaches. Rosewater, Turkish delight, it's all very delicate, strangely enough. On the palate, solid and  thick peat, but also mirabelle plums, airy, iodised notes, citrus fruit, grapefruit, pineapple, lime. Angelica. The finish is long and explosive, typical of Octomore, destroying everything in its path, but at the same time quite supple, charcoal, damp earth, dark chocolate, marrons glacés. It's slightly velvety.

 

In Short, 

As an Octomore fan, I can confirm that the oldest are the best. I have the 04.2 at home, and it's my favourite. And this one is without doubt the best of the .1 series that I've tasted. Those of today are less fruity, less sweet, they have a more classic profile with the basic elements of Bourbon. Fortunately, those from the .2 and .3 series are more complex. The .1s of the old days are worth the .2s and .3s of today. On the other hand, now you have to spend a hell of a lot of money to find one from that era, I don't think it's worth it any more.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Supping :

 

                                           Mùr - Heimsslit

Port Ellen 1979 Gordon & MacPhail Cask 20 yo

 

 

 

60,7°

Distillery : Port Ellen - Islay 

Independent Bottling 

By Gordon & MacPhail 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2000

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

This is my first foray into the world of this legendary distillery, which closed in 1983 and was recently reopened. This bottling is a blend of two casks, so it's not quite a Single Cask. At the time, it was barely a year before the release of Port Ellen 1st Release, which would reveal to the world the incredible quality of this hitherto unknown distillery. So, at the time of its release, this bottling was nothing exceptional, it was a curiosity.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Delicately farmhouse peat, but also sweet, raw wheat, fruit paste, pistachio loukoum, waves of fine smoke that gradually envelop the nose, white grapes, braised almonds, green apples, white peaches, ripe pears. Notes of gypsum, slate and limestone, with a medicinal touch in the background. It's very smooth on the palate, the peat becomes discreet, various white fruits, cereals galore, muesli cake, almond and coconut milk, white chocolate, barely perceptible spices. Very long, interminable finish, digging into gypsum, icing sugar, white currants, rice powder, creamy vanilla, liquorice stick.

 

In Short, 

The legend is justified, this is indeed an exceptional bottling, and far from the best, if the experts are to be believed. Subtle but full of character peat that doesn't mask a deluge of fruits and rustic cereals. Intense mineral notes, incomparable mellowness, a gourmet edge... I'm probably getting carried away, but this one has everything you need to make a great whisky. As for the price, it is of course astronomical, but you have to take into account the rarity of the product. Even if the distillery is here again, it will never be the same. It's a nectar lost forever.

Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           A Tergo Lupi - Furia

Bowmore Cask Strength Glass Printed Label

 

 

 

56°

Distillery : Bowmore - Islay

Ex-Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in the early 1990s

Unchillfiltered, Cask Strength

Peated around 25 ppm

 

 

 

Another fine piece of history we have here. Bowmore's first Cask Strength bottlings appeared in the early 1990s. I know they were around in 1995, and I presume it was around before that as well. I assume it's Cask Strength, even though it's still the same exact alcohol content, they must have combined the casks so that it makes exactly 56°, like Glenfarclas 105. It's probably non-chill filtered too, as their regular range was. On the other hand, there must surely have been colouring. According to a website I found, it was aged in Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry Casks. The 1990s was the period when Bowmore was still affected by French Whore Perfume, so you have to be careful. Some bottles are completely destroyed by this bad smell of violet perfume, certainly those dating from the first half of the 1990s. Others are saved from this disaster, and the one I tasted had escaped it.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Mellow vanilla, nougatine, light smoky and medicinal notes, fine powdery peat, and on top a delight of exotic fruits, papaya, pineapple, prickly pear, candied banana, orange slices, sweet potatoes, ripe lemon. A hint of iodine in the background, fresh limestone, sea spray, guano, green seaweed. On the palate, it's both powerful and delicate, almond milk, whitewashed peat, very discreet floral touches, soft vanilla cake, salted butter caramel, hot fudge, discreet spices. The long and powerful finish returns to the costal character, sea foam, saline touches, puffed rice, almond paste, vanilla blossom, Turkish delight.

 

In Short, 

I think the bottle I tasted 1cl of dates from the very early 2000s, the FWP problem was solved in 1994, and a few years later the whisky from Bowmore is excellent again. The exotic fruits are intense, and the smoke is incredible, powdery and subtle as diamonds. It's superb, but that's the problem. You have to avoid the bad bottles full of violet disinfectant, and stumbling across the good ones is a lottery. These bottles are very old and extremely expensive. So I'm not sure I'd recommend buying them, especially if there's a 50/50 chance you'll come across something that's no good. The life of a whisky fan is really complicated sometimes.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Cosmic Garden Project - Olympus Mons