A touch spirity at Cask strength but manages to water well, highlighting the balance achieved here using Tawny Port casks. Jammy fruit and rose petal influences but not too sweet or overpowering. 85/100
Spey Tenne Cask Strength Batch #3
Spey Royal Choice
Quite a closed or tight expression on both the nose and palate, often a feature of long maturation, there is depth here but it needs time and perhaps a little water to loosen it out. Some lovely woody and herbal notes present too present in layers over their fruity distillate. 85/100
Spey Trutina
A cleaner expression which is still remarkably fruity with tonnes of apples and pears across the nose and palate. 84/100
Spey Chairman’s Choice
A very easy drinker, has some nice complexity with a backdrop of Spey’s light spirit. Full of plenty of fresh fruits tempered by oak wood maturation. 84/100
Ben Nevis 15 Years Old 1997 (Pearls Of Scotland)
Very sherried, I suspect a 1st fill perhaps? This one is actually a little too intense at cask strength but with water this releases a lot of dark fruits and relaxes the tannins on the palate. 85/100
Bonnington New Make Spirit (peated)
Bonnington peated new make spirit, heavy and full-bodied in mouthfeel and retains the creamed barley nature, the sweetness here is paired with nuttiness and dry peat smoke.
Bonnington New Make Spirit (unpeated)
Bonnington unpeated new make spirit, heavy and full-bodied in mouthfeel but with a lovely creamed barley nature, sweet but not overtly fruity. A distinct signature/character for Bonnington distillate.
Springbank 12 Years Old
This is a touch more closed initially than the 10yo but full of similar notes. Interestingly this batch (Batch 21, May 2021, 55.4%) has been constructed from 50:50 bourbon:sherry casks whereas previous editions have been reported at 35:65. There is more baked fruits here and some tarter citrus and earthier cranberry present. 86/100
Springbank 10 Years Old
Yum, a super expression with salt, smoke, sherry and barley malt influences throughout. A complex classic Campbeltown. 86/100
Dalmore The Quartet
Another complex and cask driven creation but building on Dalmores solid foundations, my favourite of the tasting. 85/100
The Whiskyphiles 