Keep an eye on Glencadam. In my opinion, it's one of the most underrated distilleries nowadays. This 15 year-old is an excellent soft and fruity malt, full of barley sugar sweetness and fruit (citrus zest, sweet apples). Highly recommended - very similar to the 10 year-old but with an extra layer of depth. I suspect … Continue reading In Brief: Glencadam 15 (46%, OB 2020)
Author: Alex
Benromach 10 (43%, OB 2015)
The distillery is refreshingly honest about the maturation of their 10 year-old: it spends its first nine years in 80% bourbon and 20% sherry casks, before being married for a year in sherry casks. Ever since I first tried it in 2011, the Benromach 10 has remained one of my go-to whiskies both in terms … Continue reading Benromach 10 (43%, OB 2015)
Glenfiddich 15 Solera (40%, OB 2014)
This is from a litre bottle bought in 2014, but opened just recently. Glenfiddich have since changed the bottle and label design, but the liquid has stayed the same. I suppose this is especially true of this 15 year-old because of its relatively unique (for Scotch whisky) use of the Solera vat, where whisky from … Continue reading Glenfiddich 15 Solera (40%, OB 2014)
Glenfiddich 12 (40%, OB 2017)
It's fashionable in some whisky circles to dismiss Glenfiddich 12 as a 'beginner's whisky'. It's understandable for two reasons: first, it's an exponent of the soft, fruity Speyside style that a lot of people recommend to whisky newbies (personally I think the idea of a soft, fruity style for beginners and a heavy, smoky or … Continue reading Glenfiddich 12 (40%, OB 2017)
Glenmorangie Midwinter Night’s Dram (43%, OB 2016)
A fancy name and a story behind it, where have we seen that before? This Glenmorangie was first released in 2015 and is a mixture of bourbon and oloroso sherry matured whisky. The name refers to the tradition in which the Glenmorangie master distiller would give the sixteen men of Tain a special whisky over … Continue reading Glenmorangie Midwinter Night’s Dram (43%, OB 2016)
In Brief: Edradour 10 2004 (46% Signatory Un-chillfiltered collection, cask 402)
A single sherry cask by Edradour is never going to be boring. This is full of nutty, earthy sherry cask flavours that mingle perfectly with the slightly dirty nature of the spirit. Perhaps not the most refined whisky, but punchy and full of character. Score: 85/100
Bladnoch 22 1992 (51.6%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams)
This is from a sample bottle bought from Master of Malt, the full-sized bottle unfortunately is no longer available. Bladnoch's current range is still getting up to speed after the new owners restarted production in 2017. They did some unlikely wine finishes, but there now is a new 10 year-old - somewhat overpriced perhaps, but … Continue reading Bladnoch 22 1992 (51.6%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams)
In Brief: Glenburgie 18 1995 (43%, Signatory, Casks 6447 & 6448)
Unfortunately there's an overpowering rancid mushroom note along with some mustiness that can only indicate a faulty seal. Pity, because some fruit in the background indicate what could have been. Sadly this isn't the Glenburgie I know - the sample was spoiled. By no means should this be taken as a fair representation of the … Continue reading In Brief: Glenburgie 18 1995 (43%, Signatory, Casks 6447 & 6448)
In Brief: Westport 17 1997 (46%, Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited)
Sweet vanilla and orchard fruits - typical Glenmorangie Westport. Quite sweet but not overwhelmingly so, this is balanced by a subtle zestiness in the palate and dryness in the finish. This reminds me a lot of some natural Balblairs, as well as the Glenmorangie 10 - with a few more years in the cask. Perhaps … Continue reading In Brief: Westport 17 1997 (46%, Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited)
In Brief: Glen Grant 20 (43%, Signatory, Casks 88170 & 88171)
A marriage of two sister casks. This is very soft, with restrained fruity notes. It feels very fresh and young, despite its 20 years. If this was tasted blind, I would've guessed around 12 years old. The cask influence is minimal - on the one hand I approve of this, on the other it's just … Continue reading In Brief: Glen Grant 20 (43%, Signatory, Casks 88170 & 88171)
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