Cardrona Just Hatched Sherry and Bourbon Cask

Cardrona Just Hatched Sherry and Bourbon Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Otago
Amber
64.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, honey, fresh cut grass, vanilla, cinnamon, vanilla sponge. With water, orange juice, limes, vanilla, white pepper, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slightly oily, loosens, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange juice, pears, fresh cut grass, honey, black tea, white pepper, vanilla. With water, honey, orange peel, black tea, fresh cut grass, limes. 
Finish: Medium. Orange juice, pears, fresh cut grass, black tea. 

Comments: 

Complex and robust dram, lots of citrus, honey, and pepper. It’s young, of course, but it’s matured compared to earlier versions. Very enjoyable indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Fuji Single Blended Whisky

Fuji Single Blended Whisky

Official bottling 
Single blend - West Honshu
Amber gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cloves, black tea, cooked rice, cotton sheets, malted grains, vanilla custard. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Sour cream, cooked rice, cotton sheets, chocolate, malted grains, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, cotton sheets, cooked rice, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Both grain and malt whisky blended from a single source. Unfortunately it’s not very distinctive - slightly tart, a little feinty and with a lot of vanilla and chocolate notes. Decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Fuji Gotemba Single Grain

Fuji Gotemba Single Grain

Offers bottling
Single grain - West Honshu 
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla custard, desiccated coconut, magic marker, corn syrup, white spirit. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Vanilla sponge, brown sugar, magic marker, fresh baked bread, lemon zest. 
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, vanilla, brown sugar, black tea. 

Comments: 

A decent, sippable single grain, lots of cereal and bread notes, along with the obligatory vanilla. It’s entry level for sure, but rarely seen in the UK.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Lakes The One Fine Blended Whiskey Moscatel Cask

The Lakes The One Fine Blended Whiskey Moscatel Wine Cask

The One, Lakes distillery
Blended malt
Golden
46.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, clay dust, sandalwood, cinnamon, cocoa powder, fresh baked bread, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, airy, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, cocoa nibs, cocoa powder, malted grains, hoppy beer, dark chocolate, honey. 
Finish: Medium. Hoppy beer, dark chocolate, raisins, honey, Demerara sugar. 

Comments: 

Nice chocolatey blend, the moscatel finish creates some lovely honeyed notes. The maltiness comes out beautifully on the finish. No water required. This is almost quaffable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Millburn 18yo 1975/1994 Rare Malts

Millburn 18yo 1975/1994 Rare Malts

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Straw

58.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cinder toffee, yoghurt, sour cream, green apples, hints of smoke, hints of leather. With water, honey, green apples, sour cream, cinder toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. White grapes, hoppy beer, sour cream, green apples, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, hints of gooseberries. With water, leather, gooseberries, malted grains, hints of celery salt. 
Finish: Short. Cinder toffee, honey, leather, clay dust, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Smoky, slightly lactic, and tart. Lots of spicy notes appear on the tongue. With a little water, it becomes fruitier, the old bottle effect appears, and the spice recedes. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Millburn 35yo 1969/2005 Rare Malts

Millburn 35yo 1969/2005 Rare Malts

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold, hints of bronze
51.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, vanilla, brass polish, roast chicken, hints of pineapples. With water, applesauce, roast chicken, brass polish, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, astringent, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, brass polish, white grapes, gooseberries, leather, celery salt, hints of magic marker. With water, white grapes, malted grains, hoppy beer, hints of leather. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, hoppy beer, ginseng, yoghurt, vanilla. 

Comments: 

I had this one years ago, but it was disappointing - probably a spoilt or fake bottle. So today I am remedying the situation. It turns out that it’s magnificent. Oily and deep, intensely flavoured whisky with classic Millburn flavours, and just a hint of old bottle effect.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mars Komagatake IPA Cask Finish 2021

Mars Komagatake IPA Cask Finish 2021

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Sunshine yellow
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dried pears, persimmons, honeysuckle, peaches, white grapes, aluminium foil, matches, sapodilla. With water, hoppy beer, cough syrup, honeysuckle, sapodilla. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, thick, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, matches, aluminium foil, persimmons, dried pears, fresh baked bread, white grapes. With water, honeysuckle, hoppy beer, malted grains, persimmons. 
Finish: Long. Sapodilla, white grapes, fresh baked bread, persimmons. 

Comments: 

Wow - refill bourbon cask aged malt, already richly fruity and malty, finished in a beer cask. It’s stunning. Honeyed and luscious, the fruit notes sit over malt and spicy little sulphurous pinpricks. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Copperworks 3yo Batch 2

Copperworks 3yo Batch 2

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Washington
Amber
62.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, blackcurrant cordial, brown paper, black tea, raisins, cloves, menthol. With water, vanilla, strawberry jam, menthol, oatcakes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, expands, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Strawberry jam, black pepper, sourdough bread, menthol, raisins, cotton candy, blackcurrant cordial. With water, black tea, sourdough bread, raisins, strawberry jam. 
Finish: Short. Oatcakes, sourdough bread, raisins, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Highly peppery and sweet, good level of cereally notes. Tasty whisky from a distillery that I know very little about, would like to find out more.

Verdict:

I like this.

Smögen 10yo 2013/2023

Smögen 10yo 2013/2023

Selection, Adelphi
Single malt - Bohuslän

Amber pink 
58.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pine needles, grapefruit, lemon zest, wet stones, malted grains, leather, smoked bacon, hints of smoke, hints of red grapes. With water, farmyard, fresh cut grass, wet stones, grapefruit. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Germolene, caraway seed, lemon zest, pine needles, wet stones, hints of smoke. With water, grapefruit, lemon zest, wet stones, pine needles. 
Finish: Medium. Pine needles, caraway seed, lemon zest, red grapes, hints of rhubarb and custard sweets.  

Comments: 

Cask 58. Very nice and complex Smögen, loads of pine and caraway over a good layer of smoke. It’s also the oldest Smögen I’ve ever had. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oxford Rye The Dissertation

Oxford Rye The Dissertation 

Official bottling 
Single rye - Oxfordshire
Amber red 
47.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black pepper, raisins, tyre rubber, apricot jam, photocopy paper, toast, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, mouth coating, cool, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Raisins, honey, lemon zest, photocopy paper, toast, aluminium foil, hints of butterscotch. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, honey, vanilla, oatcakes, apricot jam. 

Comments: 

English rye whisky, unusual in terms of not being very sweet. Lots of feinty notes, but it’s a little bit harsh and unbalanced.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glentauchers 8yo

Glentauchers 8yo

Chorlton Whisky
Single malt - Speyside
Pink
61.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, chocolate, raisins, honey, strawberry jam, hints of malted grains. With water, vanilla, chocolate, cream, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Malted grains, strawberry jam, chocolate, golden syrup, honey, black pepper. With water, cream, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry jam. 
Finish: Short. Golden syrup, malted grains, cinnamon, strawberry jam. 

Comments: 

Chocolatey and sweet, lots of complexity over a good malty spine. I’m less enamoured of finished whisky in general, but this is good - well integrated, cask strength and complex.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Knockdhu 16yo 2006/2022

Knockdhu 16yo 2006/2022

Hidden Spirits Whisky Company
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Demerara sugar, peat, smoke, cinnamon, orange peel, carrot cake, hints of vanilla ice cream. With water, pineapples, toast, malted grains, carrot cake. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Peat, smoke, orange peel, yoghurt, vanilla, toast, cocoa nibs, hints of cinnamon. With water, smoke, peat, autumn leaves, pineapples. 
Finish: Long. Peat, smoke, orange peel, vanilla, Demerara sugar. 

Comments: 

Cask KN0622. Sweet and fragrant, lots of sugary spicy notes, but all under a light blanket of peat. Opens up with water to become quite pineappley.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Highland Peated 18yo

Highland Peated 18yo

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Unknown
Dark gold
45.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, chocolate, leather, peat, driftwood smoke, coffee, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, pineapples, leather, driftwood smoke, malted grains, lemon zest, honey, sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Leather, peat, honey, malted grains, smoke. 

Comments: 

Secret distillery dram that is now part of the new TBWC core range. My guess is Balblair. Anyway, it’s well peated and well integrated, tastes of smoky chocolate covered pineapples.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kornog 6yo PX Butt (Whisky Exchange Exclusive)

Kornog 6y PX Butt (Whisky Exchange Exclusive)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Brittany
Straw
60.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, white spirit, autumn leaves, petrichor, peat, oak chips, hints of yoghurt. With water, peanuts, tyre rubber, petrichor, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. White spirit, autumn leaves, petrichor, sultanas, lemon zest, hints of smoked bacon. With water, cream, petrichor, yoghurt, hints of tyre rubber. 
Finish: Medium. Peanuts, germolene, autumn leaves, lemon zest, petrichor. 

Comments: 

Well, it must be a refill PX butt. Lots of smoky creamy lactic notes, not much of the raisins or red fruits that one might reasonably expect. Good level of complexity, nicely stripped back dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

JP Wiser’s Dissertation

JP Wiser’s Dissertation

Official bottling 
Single malt - Ontario
Amber
46.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, brown paper, wheat beer, oatcakes, sandalwood, honey, sea salt, blackcurrant cordial. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, mouth coating, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Blackcurrant cordial, sandalwood, fresh baked bread, cinnamon, butterscotch, raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, raisins, wheat beer, fresh baked bread, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Decent, wheaty, oaty dram, lots of black fruit and deep cough syrup notes.  There’s a little spice on the finish. Very pleasant indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bowmore 26yo 1997/2023

Bowmore 26yo 1997/2023

Limited, Adelphi
Single malt - Islay
Dark amber
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, roast beef, roast, raisins, matches, coffee, honey, hints of white paper. With water, honey, leather, matches, smoked bacon. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, honey, salt caramel, apple sauce, coffee, toast, tarry rope, peat. With water, coffee, raisins, smoke, tarry rope, matches. 
Finish: Medium. Matches, coffee, white pepper, tarry rope. 

Comments: 

Cask 2410. Quite lovely, although rather expensive. Good Bowmore is clearly in demand. It’s got a lovely gentle smoky, meaty blanket of flavour, punctuated by pinpricks of sulphur and phosphorus. There’s an undertone of tar that is also very well integrated. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Caol Ila 38yo 1984/2023

Caol Ila 38yo 1984/2023

Connoisseur’s Choice Cask Strength, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Islay
Bright gold
53.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Photocopy paper, sandalwood, smoke, peat, green apples, raisins, cloves, nutmeg. With water, green apples, soy sauce, cloves, nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Sandalwood, photocopy paper, soy sauce, autumn leaves, smoke, cloves, raisins, hints of honey. With water, peat, smoke, soy sauce, raisins, cloves. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, smoke, soy sauce, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 3122. ‘The best whisky released in 2023’ it was said. I can believe it. It’s Caol Ila like I’ve never had (and it’s always a pretty decent dram). Intense and complex, waves of peat and smoke roll off a fruity, earthy, even floral base. The glass still smelled amazing the next morning

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Highland Park 26yo Søren Solkjaer Photography

Highland Park 26yo Søren Solkjaer Photography

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Amber gold
40.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Aluminium foil, raisins, cinnamon, lemon juice, honeydew melons, nutmeg, hints of wet stones. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Honey, sultanas, white grapes, cinnamon, nutmeg, hints of bananas, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Long. Bananas, white grapes, green tea, fresh cut grass, hints of white pepper. 

Comments: 

A cask that the angels took a lot from, and bottled not a moment too soon. It’s quite spicy, but in a gentle, restrained way, almost as if the cask was tired. Quite a delicious dram. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

The Hearach Batch 1.1

The Hearach Batch 1.1

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Bright gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black olives, olive oil, sea salt, green apples, raisins, hints of basil. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Black olives, olive oil, lemon juice, nutmeg, sultanas, basil, peat, hints of autumn leaves. 
Finish: Short. Autumn leaves, peat, green tea, olive oil, black olives, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Quite a savoury dram, reminds me of a great pizza. Olives are a slightly sulphurous flavour profile, and it’s not very common. The two Harris whiskies I’ve tried have heaps of it though. .

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Jura 34yo 1977/2012 Juar, The Yew Tree

Jura 34yo 1977/2012 Juar, The Yew Tree

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apricots, gooseberries, sour cream, peaches, creme fraiche, fresh cut grass, hints of raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Gooseberries, raisins, blackcurrant cordial, creme fraiche, cream, hints of palm sugar. 
Finish: Long. Palm sugar, cream, creme fraiche, blackcurrant cordial. 

Comments: 

A very restrained and gentle Jura. The butyric note, often described as ‘baby sick’ 😂 is not as obvious, it’s more like sour cream or creme fraiche. The floral sweet notes that are in Jura get a chance to come to the fore.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Talisker Distillery Exclusive #2

Talisker Distillery Exclusive #2

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Silvery gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoke, fresh cut grass, autumn leaves, sea salt, lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Smoke, fresh cut grass, sea salt, green peppers, lemon juice. 
Finish: Long. Lemon juice, green apples, green peppers, sea salt, smoke. 

Comments: 

Quite a stripped back, straightforward Talisker, plenty of sea brine and interesting vegetal notes. It’s laden with earthy peat, prevalent on the nose more than anywhere else. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Isle of Skye 18yo (bottled 1980s)

Isle of Skye 18yo (bottled 1980s)

Ian Macleod Distillers
Blended malt - Islands
Bronze
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, desiccated coconut, lemon juice, cucumbers, peat, autumn leaves, hints of malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Desiccated coconut, white chocolate, autumn leaves, peaches, peat, lemon juice, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Long. Lemon juice, peaches, white chocolate, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Great blend, contains a lot of ‘60s Talisker. Less complicated than I thought it would be, also a lot less smoky. It’s still quite earthy and peaty though, and delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlivet 42yo 1974/2017

Glenlivet 42yo 1974/2017

Exceptional Casks, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside
Bright gold
53.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, eucalyptus, wet stones, leather, cloves, sultanas, apricot jam. With water, menthol, eucalyptus, pears, apricot jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Wet stones, leather, gooseberries, orange juice, menthol, eucalyptus, sea salt, clay dust. With water, wet stones, apricot jam, gooseberries, leather. 

Finish: Medium. Orange juice, gooseberries, menthol, wet stones, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Cask 8170. Lovely old Glenlivet, rather citrusy and herbal. Quite unlike the Glenlivet of today, which tends to be more apple than orange. Unusual and definitely an ‘experience’ whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Santa Fe Spirits 5yo Batch 1

Santa Fe Spirits 5yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - New Mexico
Amber red 
65.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Camphor, sandalwood, vanilla, pears, black tea, cream, hints of nutmeg. With water, cream, vanilla, aluminium foil, hints of marzipan. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Sandalwood, cream, vanilla, black tea, butter, pears, pear drops, sea salt, hints of milk chocolate. With water, pear drops, cream, vanilla, brown paper. 
Finish: Short. Pears, milk chocolate, cream, butter. 

Comments: 

Floral and woody, lots of esters as well. Water opens it up, and the whisky becomes fruity and feinty. Very promising, takes a lot of water very well.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Corowa 4yo Batch 2

Corowa 4yo Batch 2

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - New South Wales
Amber
46.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, blueberry jam, honey, brown paper, cloves, cocoa nibs, hints of black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Blueberry jam, honey, salt caramel, cocoa nibs, black pepper, hints of matches. 
Finish: Short. Matches, cocoa nibs, salt caramel, raisins. 

Comments: 

Sweet, clearly from a wine cask of some sort. Very jammy but there’s a little sulphur peeking through. It’s a little young, perhaps a little age would integrate the flavours more.

Verdict:

I like this.

Linlithgow 26yo 1975/2001

Linlithgow 26yo 1975/2001

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Lowlands
Golden yellow
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, lemon zest, vanilla ice cream, malted grains, pears, cough syrup, hints of toast. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands slightly, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, hoppy beer, vanilla ice cream, peaches, cough syrup, honey, pears, hints of celery salt. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, malted grains, pears, peaches, honey. 

Comments: 

Beautiful old St Magdalene, lots of malted, stripped back fruit, exactly the style I love. There’s just a hint of old bottle effect, which offsets the maltiness and sweetness. Delicious.  

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

New Riff Straight Rye Whiskey

New Riff Straight Rye Whiskey

Official bottling
Single rye - Kentucky
Amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, photocopy paper, leather, white pepper, blackcurrant cordial, oatcakes, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Blackcurrant cordial, fresh baked bread, cherries, white pepper, leather, photocopy paper, cloves. 
Finish: Long. Photocopy paper, blackcurrant cordial, raisins, cherries, white pepper. 

Comments: 

A flinty, feinty, spicy rye. Lots of cereal notes too, and there’s a bit of barley in this, if I’m any judge. Lots of fruity cough syrup notes as well.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Micil Earl’s Island

Micil Earl’s Island

Micil distillery
Single malt - Leinster
Pale amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: White pepper, yoghurt, cinder toffee, malted grains, lemon zest, hints of green peppers. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, chalky, loosens slightly, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Yoghurt, lemon zest, malted grains, wheat, fresh cut grass, hints of hoppy beer. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, lemon zest, malted grains, hints of tyre rubber. 

Comments: 

Spicy and butyric, with a vegetal undertone. The mouth feel is gritty and chalky, rather odd. There’s also some sulphur on the finish. This has been sourced from the Great Northern Distillery.

Verdict:

I like this.

Filey Bay Peated Finish Batch 2

Filey Bay Peated Finish Batch 2

Official bottling
Single malt - Yorkshire
Golden 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, wet stones, lemon zest, honey, hay, driftwood smoke, hints of toast. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Honey, leather, peanuts, hay, lemon zest, wet stones, cinnamon, driftwood smoke, ginseng. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, sultanas, wet stones, peat, hints of toast. 

Comments: 

Lightly peated, the whisky has a savoury edge to it, but it’s also minerally and citrusy. It’s gentle and subtle, quite an enjoyable dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

A Ross-shire Distillery 12yo 2011/2023

A Ross-shire Distillery 12yo 2011/2023

Thompson Brothers 
Single malt - North Highlands
Sunshine yellow 
55.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, apricots, peaches, vanilla, hoppy beer, honey, hints of sultanas. With water, vanilla, honey, peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, mouth coating, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apricots, peaches, hoppy beer, malted grains, vanilla, cotton candy, hints of bubble gum. With water, malted grains, apricots, hoppy beer, sultanas. 
Finish: Medium. Bubble gum, malted grains, cotton candy, apricots. 

Comments: 

Lots of stone fruit notes. It’s a malty giant, but also floral with other slightly chemical esters. As a rule I don’t like bubble gum flavours in my whisky, but here it’s a nice little accent on the flavour profile.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Stauning Sweet Wine Cask Rye Whiskey

Stauning Sweet Wine Cask Rye Whiskey

Official bottling
Single rye - Midtjylland
Golden brown
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, black pepper, blackcurrant cordial, fresh baked bread, raisins, hints of strawberry jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands slightly, slippery, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Black pepper, blackcurrant cordial, cough syrup, raisins, cherries, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Short. Cough syrup, raisins, cherries, orange peel, black pepper. 

Comments: 

Straightforward rye whisky from Stauning. The ‘sweet wine’ cask seems to have given it some cherry and cough syrup notes, so it tastes quite medicinal. And pleasant, actually, like it will do you a power of good. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Bivrost Vanaheim

Bivrost Vanaheim

Official bottling
Single malt - Nord-Norge
Silvery gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, white wine, creme de marron, apple juice, raisins, cloves, hints of lychees. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Leather, oak chips, weetabix, butterscotch, creme de marron, cloves, lychees, hints of tyre rubber. 
Finish: Long. Hay, raisins, oak chips, cloves, creme de marron. 

Comments: 

Teak casked whisky. It’s chestnutty and woody, with a big wheaty cereal spine. Quite delicious for a world whisky, unusual and interesting. New year, new distillery, new wood finish. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glencadam 11yo 2011/2022 Parcel No 10

Glencadam 11yo 2011/2022 Parcel No 10

Reserve Casks, Single Malts of Scotland
Single malt - East Highlands
Silvery gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, yogurt, lemon juice, fresh cut grass, sultanas, hints of cinder toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, astringent, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Yoghurt, wet stones, cinder toffee, cinnamon, fresh cut grass, malted grains, hints of toast. 
Finish: Short. Wet stones, cinder toffee, cinnamon, clay dust, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Malty and light, some grassy notes, but in the main it’s flinty and slightly toasty. Somewhat low on the complexity front. Very much a session dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benriach 22yo 1999/2021

Benriach 22yo 1999/2021

Connoisseur’s Choice Cask Strength, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
57.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, apple juice, honey, vanilla, nutmeg, hints of white grapes. With water, hoppy beer, apple juice, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon zest, hoppy beer, nutmeg, white grapes, clay dust, vanilla, hints of gooseberries. With water, hoppy beer, ginseng, vanilla, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Clay dust, lemon zest, lemon sweets, apple juice, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Cask 29257. Citrusy, yet malty and slightly dusty, lots of layers of complexity, and subtle shifts of flavours on the tongue. They’re deep rather than wide though. Enjoyable and tast dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Daftmill Winter Release 2008 (bottled 2020)

Daftmill Winter Release 2008 (bottled 2020)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Lowlands
Bright gold
46% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Peaches, white wine, hoppy beer, apricot jam, leather, hints of autumn leaves. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Hoppy beer, vanilla, apricot jam, peaches, marshmallows, cotton candy, hints of tea tree oil. 
Finish: Medium. Cotton candy, vanilla, hoppy beer, apricot jam. 

Comments: 

Lovely, floral, fruity Daftmill. It’s not so herbal, instead being very heavy on the stone fruit and other sweet notes. Complex and tasty.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Hudson Whiskey NY

Hudson Whiskey NY

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - New York

Amber brown 
46% ABV

Bottle

Nose: Raisins, milk chocolate, cocoa nibs, maraschino cherries, brown paper, salt caramel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, tingly, oily. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Brown paper, white pepper, sandalwood, oak chips, salt caramel, vanilla. 
Finish: Short. Oak chips, salt caramel, milk chocolate, white pepper. 

Comments: 

I’ve had the earlier versions of this bourbon several years ago. They’ve improved quite a lot - much more complexity and character. But perhaps I’m judging unfairly, my own palate has improved too! Decent dram. 

Verdict:

I like this.