Jura Distillery 1991 Artist #11 30 yo

 

 

 

54,1°

Distillery : Isle of Jura - Islands

Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By La Maison du Whisky

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

As part of the 11th Batch in the Artist range launched each year by La Maison du Whisky to coincide with the Whisky Live Paris event, this Jura has reached a very interesting age. The maturation process is very straightforward, and only 110 bottles are on sale, which is bound to attract connoisseurs of this highly underrated distillery. The label features the work of art Cinnamon Sugar by artist Catherine Ludeau.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Whiffs of yellow tea, vinous touches, sweet wine, quince and medlars, fluffy sand, a pinch of sea salt, ethereal vanilla, hints of camphor, lemon tart. Sesame seeds with walnuts and chickpeas, bubbles of liquid honey, crème caramel, marrons glacés. On the palate, orange marmalade, dashes of curry, cinnamon, coriander, cardamom. Chicken stock, cedar resin, dried raisins. Quite a powerful finish, but very well controlled, charcoal chips, soy sauce, macerated wheat, crème brûlée. Well-salted cashew nuts.

 

In Short, 

It's truly excellent, and I'm very close to classifying it as a classic. It's certainly the best Jura I've ever drunk, and in my opinion there aren't many that do it better. The price is obviously excessive, but given its age and the limited number of bottles produced, that's to be expected. To be reserved for those who are crazy about this distillery.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Yamma Ensemble - Apple of My Eye

Glen Toon 2012 Whisky Sponge Special Edition for the Campbeltown Malts Festival 11 yo

 

 

 

53°

Distillery : Glen Scotia - Campbeltown

1st Fill Bourbon Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Decadent Drinks  

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

I don't know how many Special Editions of Whisky Sponge there are. Its founder, Angus McRaild, promised to stop the series at 100 bottlings, but he's cheating a bit with all these Special Editions. So much the better, because they are generally very good. Here we have a Glen Toon, an affectionate expression generally given to Glen Scotia, specially prepared for the 2024 Campbeltown Malts Festival. Only 225 bottles are produced.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, coppery, woody notes, with some fruit and pastry cream. Dates, red plums, ripe apricots, hints of vanilla, fried bacon. Wax and melted butter, citrus. Toasted hazelnuts, along with a few cereals. On the palate, the fruit becomes more intense, mirabelle plums, reines-claudes, white grapes. A bit of honey to bind it all together, wood resin, not much spice, but it comes through in the finish, with a lovely explosiveness, groundnuts, cashew, peanut butter. Lastly, a very slight saltiness at the very end.

 

In Short, 

Really interesting and original, but not really representative of the distillery. That's what makes this bottling unique, but you shouldn't look for the typical Glen Scotia character in it. As is often the case with this bottler, it's a little too expensive to dare buy, but it's remarkable at the very least.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Conception - Feather Moves

Ben Nevis 1997 S Spirits Shop' Selection c. 698

 

 

 

47,6°

Distillery : Ben Nevis - Highlands

Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Spirits Shop' Selection

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

I don't know how they do it, but the people at Spirits Shop have lots of casks of Ben Nevis, including some exceptional ones distilled in 1996. This one was made in 1997, and is the only one with this vintage. It is included in the Dong Fang Ming Series, named after the founder of the company. The maturation is very straightforward, which promises an intense distillate. 252 bottles are put on sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Light smoke, apple compote, vanilla crumble, braised pineapple, juicy plums, warm brioche. A twist of lime. Baked pears, a drizzle of milk chocolate, a few drops of beeswax. Copper highlights, liquid honey. It's smooth on the palate, honey cakes, zlabia, candied grapefruit, almond paste, then the spices rise slowly, white pepper. Hazelnuts. Very long finish, quite powerful given the low alcohol content, syrupy caramel, waxed tinder, olive oil, peanuts, fresh dates. Liquorice stick.

 

In Short, 

A Ben Nevis that's a little unusual, but superbly good, that can be enjoyed until the end of the night. The only major flaw is a regrettable lack of strength, except in the finish. You really have to drink it first to get the full flavour. Launched nearly two years ago, it can still be found on several online sites. The price is high, but it's worth it.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           TTSSFU - I Hope You Die

Clynelish 1996 Sansibar 10th Anniversary 24 yo

 

 

 

54,8°

Distillery : Clynelish - Highlands 

Bourbon Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By Sansibar

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2020

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 8 ppm

 

 

 

Sansibar released half a dozen Clynelish with the same age in 2020, but this one is special, launched to celebrate the German bottler's 10th anniversary. Only 283 bottles have been put on sale. The label features a black and white drawing of the distillery, as it belongs to the Black White Art series, a set of 5 bottlings from different distilleries, each adorned with the same drawing of its place of origin.

 

Let's Taste It :  

Nice waxy fullness, beeswax and floor wax, candied lemon, sliced lime, a maritime touch, sea air, sea spray, discreet peat, exotic fruit and citrus, grapefruit and pineapple, maybe even mango. The whole remains very airy. Concentrated vanilla. It's very delicate and silky on the palate, with mirabelle plums and greengages, topped with olive oil, prickly pears, shortbread biscuits, very well-controlled spices. Very long and explosive finish, hazelnuts, syrupy honey, churned butter, wood varnish, chocolate chips, lovely power, incredible length, beer yeast, very ripe apricots, yellow peaches, bananas. Some cereals at the end, crunchy and greedy. A hint of bitterness, cola.

 

In Short, 

Pure Clynelish, an explosion of pleasure and complexity. We're approaching the very best that this distillery can give us here, with a very simple maturation process. A must-have if you're a fan, but the price is astronomical and it's practically sold out everywhere.

Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Irfan - More Ta Nali

Caol Ila 2014 100 Proof Edition #28 10 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay

1st Fill and Refill Oloroso Sherry Butts 

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

There are 6 different Caol Ilas in the 100 Proof collection, which was launched in January 2024, and I've only tasted three of them. It's not for lack of appreciation of this distillery, but I haven't had the chance. The #11 is aged in a Rum Barrel, which is original and well done, but I'm not a fan of this type of ageing. The #10 was aged in a blend of Bourbon Hogsheads and Sherry Butts, and I liked it, but it was a bit younger than this one, which is also the first to be aged entirely in Sherry Butts. The number of bottles filled is not specified, but it must be around several thousand.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Intense smoke, stuffed ashtray. Behind, soft caramel, dried banana, dates. Figs, brown tobacco, prunes. A touch of iodine, but very discreet. Black cherries. On the palate, thick, heavy, haunting peat and dark chocolate, mocha, dried fruits, fruit paste. Just the right amount of spice, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon. Very long, nicely tangy finish, roots, chocolate and coffee, a drop of tar, melting liquorice, asphalt softened by the heat. Cola, liquid honey, bay leaves.

 

In Short, 

It's exactly what you'd expect from a Caol Ila full of Sherry at this age. I have to admit that I really enjoyed it, it's nice to rediscover the profile of this distillery, which blends nicely with the Sherry influence. The only slight flaw was that the palate was a little flat, which prevented me from raising the note. But the rest is very good, and it's a bargain at this price. I've put it on my list of purchases to consider.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           The Vintage Caravan - Crossroads

Cameronbridge 2012 100 Proof Edition #1 Single Grain Scotch Whisky 12 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Cameronbridge - Lowlands

1st Fill Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage

Limited Edition 

Single Grain 

Bottled in 2025 

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Given the success of the 100 Proof range launched in January 2024, the gentlemen at Signatory had the idea of launching a brand new range, more or less the same, but with Single Grain Scotch Whisky. And so this Cameronbridge was launched last March. Cameronbridge is the oldest and largest grain distillery in Scotland and probably in the world. There is another Cameronbridge 100 Proof, Edition #3, but this one is 16 years old and aged in Oloroso Sherry casks.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It :  

Plenty of dry cereals, wheat, barley, bulgur, oily vanilla, wax with a medicinal touch. You can smell the freshness of ether, there's alcohol too, some fruits of the sun, pineapple and white plums, a drop of honey. On the palate, it's monochrome, warm cereals, crunchy, grainy, egg custard, breadcrumbs, earthy reflections, lively spices. A hint of almonds on the finish, more wax, an ounce of bitterness, corn dodger, cola nut, white nougat, egg yolk. Unrefined honey, puffed rice. A few hazelnuts.  

 

In Short, 

Frankly, I didn't like it too much. Apart from the finish, which is beautiful and makes up for the rest a little, there's really nothing interesting in this whisky, which I find a little too simple and abrupt. 12 years must still be too young for a Single Grain, and the ageing in Bourbon casks doesn't help. I think it's the least good of the 100 Proof range that I've tasted, and I've tasted nearly 40 of them, so maybe it's better to try the other Cameronbridge 100 Proof, the Edition #3.

Score : 85

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Cesair - The Ruin

Kilchoman 2007 Single Cask Release Selected by and Bottled for Bresser & Timmer 9 yo

 

 

 

56,2°

Distillery : Kilchoman - Islay

Bourbon Barrel

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2016

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 50 ppm

 

 

 

Bresser & Timmer is a Dutch online retailer and importer of cognac, whisky and other spirits, which opened in 1993. It was in their honour and for their exclusivity that Kilchoman released this bottling, a 9-year-old Single Cask, which was old at the time for this distillery, of which only 246 were made.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Swampy, sticky, oily peat. Fairly light white fruits, grapes, plums, redcurrants, soot, medicinal touch. Ether, gasoline, almonds, thick smoke. On the palate, it lacks complexity, but is powerful, limpid, smooth, rosewater, Turkish delight, explosive spices, white pepper, cloves, cumin, lychees. The finish is quite long and abrasive, mineral, limestone and quartz, half-melted icing sugar, sugar blossom, nougatine burnt with a blowtorch, cat's tongue biscuits dipped in orgeat syrup. Zest of lemon. White chocolate.

 

In Short, 

The liquid must have been in the sample for 9 years, so it's possible that the quality has suffered. But to be honest, I found it too little complex, even light, especially on the palate. This is a big difference from today's bottlings, which I find much better. This distillery has come a long way.

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Liv Kristine - Amor Vincit Omnia

Kilchoman Sanaig Cask Strength

 

 

 

57,8°

Distillery : Kilchoman - Islay

70% Oloroso Sherry Casks and 30% Bourbon Barrels

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 50 ppm

 

 

 

There have been several editions of Machir Bay Cask Strength, and so far they have been relatively successful. So it was obvious that the distillery's second Core Range expression would also be given a Cask Strength edition. This has now been done, and there may be other editions in the years to come. Sanaig was launched in 2016, and is a whisky aged mainly in Oloroso Sherry casks for around 5 years. Nothing changes for the Cask Strength version, except that the colour of the product is very dark, the Sherry casks are supplied by the José y Miguel Martín Bodega, and apparently the most colour-active ones have been chosen.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Intense, deep, heady sherry. Raspberry crumble, cinnamon. Thick, hazy, brutal smoke. Charcoal that scrapes, soot, fuel oil. Iodised notes, sea breeze. A few walnuts, redcurrant juice. Mineral freshness, limestone, quartz. Blueberries, lapping mud, half-flooded peat bog. On the palate, more piles of peat, lively spices, cumin, cloves, baked apples, cranberry jam. Very powerful finish, charcoal, tar, stalactites, salt crystals, dark chocolate, unrefined coffee. Acrid humidity, drops of caramel, a vegetal touch, elderberry. Hazelnut.

 

In Short, 

In my opinion, it's far superior to the Sanaig, they've certainly selected the best casks for this edition, and you can feel it. Despite the product's youth, the flavours are well-balanced and expressive. It's a success, and I'd recommend buying it, the price is more or less right.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Etran de l'Aïr - Amidinine