Macduff 10 Years Old Batch 8 Whisky Review: A lovely rich and dark chocolatey expression with a surprise hit of salinity / coastal influence. 87/100
Macduff 10 Years Old Batch 8 (50.2%, That Boutique-Y Whisky Company, 1160 Bottles, 2019)
Royal Lochnagar 2019 Distillery Exclusive (48%, OB, 5004 Bottles, 2019)
Royal Lochnagar 2019 Distillery Exclusive whisky review: Rich and malty, gently spiced throughout – a pretty fair representation of Lochnagar’s output, if you’re a fan (like me) then you wont be disappointed with this one. Also this is likely the forerunner for their 175th anniversary celebration in 2020, another good reason to make the trip to Royal Lochnagar distillery this year!
Ben Nevis 23 Years Old Batch 10 (48%, That Boutique-Y Whisky Company, 558 Bottles, 2019)
Ben Nevis 23 Years Old Batch 10 Whisky Review: A simply wonderful Ben Nevis expression! I found this one much grubbier and sweaty and full of Ben Nevis’s industrial funk than the Amber Light bottling. 89/100
The GlenDronach Traditionally Peated (48%, OB, 2019)
The GlenDronach Traditionally Peated Whisky Review: This is sweet first from the cask maturations then a dry peat smoke emerges, these interchange on the palate regularly during the course of this dram giving it a wonderful complexity as varying levels of sweetness and smoke combine. This would make a great introduction to heavy (but non-isaly/overtly phenolic) smoke influenced whisky. I really like this one! 85/100
The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 8 (61%, OB, 2019)
The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 8 Whisky Review: Another great Cask Strength expression from GlenDronach, perhaps erring on the side of PX casks in this mixture which makes it all the more appealing to me. 86/100
Royal Brackla 12 Years Old Batch 1 (47.9%, That Boutique-Y Whisky Company, 1472 Bottles, 2019)
Royal Brackla 12 Years Old Batch 1 whisky review: Fruity limes, nutty and spicy with an odd minerality, flavours and colour suggest another refill cask vatting reduced to drinking strength – I’m not sure this one ticked my boxes too much.
Blair Athol 8 Years Old 2009 Fidra (57.7%, Lockett Bros, Sherry Butt, 200 Bottles, 2017)
Blair Athol 8 Years Old 2009 Fidra whisky review: Very young, spirity and hot, definite sherry influence present here (tasted blind to cask type) with dried fruits, blackcurrant and after a while hints of treacle. 73/100
Glen Marnoch Highland Single Malt Sherry Cask Finish (40%, Aldi, 2017)
Glen Marnoch Highland Single Malt Sherry Cask Finish whisky review: Oh dear, I was hoping for an improvement here as I love sherry influence, however that cask finishing really hasn’t removed the funk from this whiskies initial maturation (most probably) here mint is joined with some really herbal and vegetal notes that I really didn’t enjoy too much. 72/100
Glen Marnoch Highland Single Malt Bourbon Cask Finish (40%, Aldi, 2017)
Glen Marnoch Highland Single Malt Bourbon Cask Finish whisky review: Many positives, lots of chocolate and waxy but with an odd soapy and spicy nature on the palate that just didn’t fit right for me. 74/100
Blair Athol 21 Years Old Batch 5 (51.5%, That Boutique-Y Whisky Company, 2019)
Blair Athol 21 Years Old Batch 5 Whisky Review: Everything gently whispers refill sherry cask from this Blair Athol expression, mostly full of luscious subtleties though a little spice can become dry and overpowering if you let it. 87/100
