Caol Ila 2003 Distillers Edition whisky review: A deliciously sweet and peaty Caol Ila Distillers Edition with a burst of well-integrated fruits adding to the heady malt and smoke mixture. 84/100
SMWS 29.249 Sweet black tea in the surgery whisky review: OK so it is a finished whisky and my conscience still tells me that doesn’t sit right with the old ‘Product of a single cask’ statement the bottles used to carry. Finishing is not only here to stay within SMWS, but has apparently been around since 1991 according to John. So here’s to there being a little more explicit information or openness around finished casks. It only occurred to me after the tasting, but I wonder if finished casks have previously failed the tasting panel so badly they get sent for finishing? Whatever the history of this cask, it is undeniably tasty and drinkable now – in case a 21 year old PX sherry finished Islay malt hadn’t piqued your curiosity… 89/100
Cask Islay single malt scotch whisky review: A delicious Islay expression which at first nose suggested Caol Ila distillery, later a hint of gun oil had my mind drifting towards Lagavulin but the beauty of these is we don’t really know where it came from (or if each release hails from the same place). The best thing to do is not care and just enjoy this for what it is – a really great peated Islay expression, powerfully evocative phenols paired with sweet vanilla from ex-Bourbon casks. 89/100
Bruichladdich 32 Years Old 1984 Rare Cask Series Bourbon: All In whisky review: Slightly reminiscent of Calvados with both fresh and baked apple flavours paired with old oak wood in a perfect combination. Slightly drying and spicy on the palate with ginger prominent but also a big dollop of vanilla cream and lots of mature tropical fruits. 92/100
Bunnahabhain 11 Years Old Discovery Islay single malt Scotch whisky review: A lot more balanced – of course, classic Gordon & MacPhail’s pairing of spirit and cask. I’d have loved much more sherry influence, but this excels in its balance. A rather reminiscent nose led to initially quite closed palate, but given time it opens up to its own wonders. This is the sort of dram you could drink all night and keep finding new flavours. 85/100
Laphroaig Cairdeas Madeira Cask whisky review: A long sweet twist on your standard Laphroaig, the Madeira cask finish certainly isn’t dominant but the sweetness pervades both the smoke and spice. Undulates across the palate as flavours fight for dominance but overall quite harmonious and very enjoyable. 87/100
SMWS 3.307 A journey into joy whisky review: Quite harsh, over matured, too woody and tannic and far too strong cask influence – the peat is almost non-existant. Once the tannins have beaten your palate the end result is like licking a bar of lavender impregnated coal tar soap. A less joyful journey than the name implies. 80/100
SMWS 10.141 Indulgence by the sea whisky review: Sweet, fruity and spicy, fizzy and a little waxy, quite an unusual cask this one with plenty of bite. With a mix of salt and sweet this reminded me a lot cookie dough. 85/100
SMWS 29.244 Weaving wondrous dreams whisky review: A deliciously smooth and malty dram from Laphroaig with their characteristic medicinal peaty nose and malty body. 87/100
Caol Ila 12 Years Old Whisky Review: A wonderful expression full of mossy and earthy peat, which not only brings smoke but also accentuates an earthiness on the palate which is really the highlight for me. 84/100
