Speyside

  • BenRiach 20 Years Old

    A simply stunning expression, made all the better thanks to the sensible pricing. This really is a well constructed dram redolent of the festive period and Christmas-time. A Dessert of a dram. 90/100 Continue reading

    BenRiach 20 Years Old
  • SMWS 24.128 Posh ladies on the prom!

    For me this was a perfect example of a whisky aged to the point of extinction. Undoubtedly beautiful spirit but likely a tired cask after 29 years, strangely little tannic or wood influence was discovered leaving the whole dram like… Continue reading

    SMWS 24.128 Posh ladies on the prom!
  • SMWS 35.139 Punchy spice explosion

    Wow, a stunning Glen Moray expression. The toasted cask has worked to perfection here with a massive infusion of caramelised sugars and beautiful complimentary spices. A culinary delight! 88/100 Continue reading

    SMWS 35.139 Punchy spice explosion
  • Ben Bracken 28 Year Old Speyside

    Some superb qualities from the aged tropical fruit medley to the masses of honey and beautifully complimentary spice from those ex-bourbon casks. 89/100 Continue reading

    Ben Bracken 28 Year Old Speyside
  • SMWS 37.67 Tongue tingling treasure

    Beautiful, my absolute favourite of the tasting! A perfect blend of spirit and wood character really shows off this Cragganmore at its finest! 89/100 Continue reading

    SMWS 37.67 Tongue tingling treasure
  • SMWS 54.36 Pocket rocket

    A little underwhelming, I found this quite one-dimensional ‘fruity’ and was a little disappointed – though that may have been partly due to my expectation of Aberlour to be much more entertaining than this. I guess despite the quality of… Continue reading

    SMWS 54.36 Pocket rocket
  • anCnoc 22 Years Old

    A spicier and slightly smoky dram, much more contemplative this one. Rich and with plenty of body, flavour and character, this really displays wonderful cask maturation on a light honeyed base spirit. A real indulgent pleasure! 86/100 Continue reading

    anCnoc 22 Years Old
  • Tomintoul 12 Year Old Portwood Finish

    Slightly unusual this one, not as sweet and jammy as I was hoping. There was a slightly chalky and salty note in here that I couldn’t shake off the association with shellfish meat (albeit nice and sweet). The port finishing… Continue reading

    Tomintoul 12 Year Old Portwood Finish
  • Macallan 15 Years Old PX Finish Darkness!

    I found this much more heavily sherried than the official Macallan bottlings I have sampled recently (mostly from the 1824 (colours) range and the younger age statements), but not over-poweringly so. We really enjoyed this, many thanks again to Tom and Maverick… Continue reading

    Macallan 15 Years Old PX Finish Darkness!
  • Glenfiddich 19 Years Old Age Of Discovery Bourbon Cask

    A reasonably enjoyable and simple Bourbon-cask matured Glenfiddich, worthy of inclusion into their 19 year old Age of Discovery series, sits nicely as a comparator for the Madeira Cask and Red Wine Cask expressions. A nice example of how ex-bourbon… Continue reading

    Glenfiddich 19 Years Old Age Of Discovery Bourbon Cask