Another expression packed full with fruit, nut and spice, these are starting to feel much more integrated though there is still a touch of a youthful spiced and vaporous nature towards the end. 85/100
The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.4
Oxford Rye Whisky Batch 1
Delicious, not as spicy as anticipated, this is delivered with a lovely sweetness and plenty of cereal nature and is well textured on the palate. 85/100
New Make Rye Spirit 2019 Harvest
Very drinkable new make spirit when presented at 45% ABV.
The One Moscatel Wine Cask Finish
Light, sweet and fruity with lots of cake notes, quite light on the palate this has spirity and vaporous touches which prevent it from becoming cloying. 84/100
Redbreast 10 Years Old Cask Strength Batch 1
Rich and full Pot Still whisky expression, great depth of distillate here lending generous ‘heavy’ character, leathery spice offset by sweet and fruity cask influences. I can only guess at the historic 10 year old profile but this new re-imagining of the 10 year old expression certainly fits in my mind to what it could have been. 87/100
Paul John Christmas Edition 2020
Sweet and softly peated, I already suspected a mixture of peated & unpeated casks used in the mixture here similar to some of Paul John’s standard range, strikes a really lovely balance between sweet & peat. 88/100
Nantou 4 Years Old Batch 1
Lovely fruity aroma and also on the palate but much too spiced for my liking, quite sharp/prickly. 78/100
Langatun 5 Years Old Batch 3
A touch woody but with some lovely sweet and floral notes, also a little bit vegetal on the palate. 79/100
Starward Left-Field
Very drinkable and more influenced by the red wine than the French oak cask maturation. 85/100
Jim Beam Single Barrel
Intriguing on the nose but rather too spiced on the palate for my liking, thankfully not overtly sweet. 82/100
