Oak heavy and perhaps a touch bourbon-esque in terms of wood influence with an added cereal depth from the malt. Ginger and orange predominate, a classic taste combination but with added complexity from both spirit and wood. Yes easily the equal of scotch single malt but with it’s own unique Westland or North-Pacific DNA very present here. 82/100
Good balance and approachable sherried Islay malt. Pleasant but could be so much more! At 40% this is a bit soft and a bit safe for me I’d like a touch more intensity to these flavours and experience.
A very sweet and dessert-like expression from Teaninich, still a touch spirity and feisty but this adds a little interest to the palate and to the overall enjoyment. 82/100
Another interesting and very different beer-cask finish from Hinch. The Rye Export Stout has imbued some earthy dark chocolate and coffee notes. 82/100
Solid, sweet and malty and some good fruity and floral notes too. Not too spirity and a touch spicy and drying at the end to keep it interesting. 82/100
Very sweet and with plenty of range and intensity of flavours. Perhaps a little too sweet for my palate? 82/100
Mackmyra’s 100 Swedish expression including full maturation in Swedish oak. Full of orange zest and woody spices I found this one pleasing but a little challenging in places, perhaps a dash of water may help here? 82/100
Lighter than I had hoped on the nose and palate but very pleasant, comes into it’s own later with some deeper and darker wood-derived flavours. 82/100
Soft and gentle rye spices, much less sweet and more vaporous and spirit, perhaps displays more tropical fruit nature from the distillate. 82/100
Quite light & vanillic a nice mixture of sweet and spiced from the grains without being overly oily/buttery. I’m relishing what this will be like with a little more time in the cask. 82/100
The Whiskyphiles 