Indri Dru Cask Strength

Indri Dru Cask Strength

Official bottling
Single malt - Piccadily
Amber
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: New plastic, rye bread, black pepper, lemon zest, surgical spirit, hints of orange peel. With water, orange peel, honey, hints of surgical spirit. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, volatile, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Orange peel, white grapes, honey, vanilla, black pepper, malted grains, fresh baked bread. With water, honey, raisins, black pepper, hints of surgical spirit. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, orange peel, raisins, honey. 

Comments: 

Feinty to the point of plasticky, but has some caraway, seedy notes. The strength doesn’t contribute much in my view, just alcohol burn. Water brings out some more spirity notes.

Verdict:

I like this.

Einar’s Distillery 5yo

Einar’s Distillery 5yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Nordoyar
Straw 
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, malted grains, pears, fresh cut grass, eucalyptus, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens slightly, mouth coating, slightly oily. 

Tasting:  Sweet. Malted grains, raisins, pears, caramel, menthol, fresh cut grass, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Honey, pears, fresh cut grass, lemon zest, hints of eucalyptus. 

Comments: 

Grassy and mentholly, with herbal notes. There’s a smidgen of peat in this, but it’s very light, grassy rather than earthy. The natural sweetness of the whisky stands out.

Verdict:

I like this.

Blackwater 5yo 2019/2024 PMD II: Return of the Dragon

Blackwater 5yo 2019/2024 PMD II: Return of the Dragon

Official bottling
Single malt - Munster
Golden
59.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Limes, pears, leather, white grapes, honeydew melons, mint. With water, dried pears, dried pineapples, honeydew melons. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour. Honeydew melons, white grapes, peat, leather, lemon zest, pears, hints of smoke. With water, malted grains, white grapes, pears, hints of new plastic. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, mint, pears, white grapes, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Barrel BBL000052. Really quite fruity and flavourful for a young whisky. Irish whisky usually uses some pot still make to achieve this effect but there’s no hint of that here. Well made and delicious.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bonnington 5yo 2020/2025

Bonnington 5yo 2020/2025

Fruitful Spirits
Single malt - Lowlands
Amber
63.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Tires, honey, apricots, smoke, peat, limes, farmyard, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, smoke, peat, charcoal ash. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, volatile, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Tires, farmyard, malted grains, honey, burnt sugar, smoke, peat. With water, limes, smoke, peat, malted grains. 
Finish: Medium. Limes, fresh cut grass, smoke, peat. 

Comments: 

Unbalanced and sulphurous, quite grassy but also with a suspicious-tasting farmyard note. Water improves it, brings out some zesty citrus and a little ashy note that is more typical of peated whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Lochrann Aoire (Shepherd’s Lantern) 3yo Barrel No 1

Lochrann Aoire (Shepherd’s Lantern) 3yo Barrel No 1

Scaire Uisce
Single blend - Leinster
Amber gold
53% ABV
Dram

Nose: Caramel, barley sugar, black pepper, magic marker, strawberries, hints of cinnamon. With water, caramel, barley sugar, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, vanilla, milk chocolate, caramel, barley sugar, cinnamon, fresh baked bread, hints of black pepper. With water, milk chocolate, caramel, pears. 
Finish: Medium. Caramel, milk chocolate, cinnamon, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

This has a bit of pot still in it if I’m any judge - there’s that spikiness and barley sweetness that I associate with it. The malt contributes the chocolatey, creamy notes of course, along with the bread and cereal. Decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Arbikie 10yo The Signature

Arbikie 10yo The Signature

Official bottling
Single malt - East Highlands
Golden 
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, mangoes, orange peel, gooseberries, peaches, dunnage, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Peaches, orange peel, dunnage, malted grains, cinnamon, gooseberries, hints of black pepper. 
Finish: Short. Aluminium foil, peaches, gooseberries, mangoes, magic marker. 

Comments: 

Lots of peach notes, as well as very funky dunnage, although it doesn’t take over the whisky as much as some others. Other fruits are also present, with a sweet barley cereal core.

Verdict:

I like this.

Brenne 10yo Limited Edition (bottled 2017)

Brenne 10yo Limited Edition (bottled 2017)

Official bottling
Single malt - Poitou-Charentes
Straw
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, honey, honeydew melons, mint, lemons, hints of bubble gum. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Photocopy paper, spearmint, fresh cut grass, bubblegum, pineapples, mangoes, honey, lemons, hints of green tea. 
Finish: Short. Honey, lemons, fresh cut grass, spearmint. 

Comments: 

Still fruity, but with other flavours, mainly herbal and a little floral. It’s now recognisably whisky, whereas in its early days this distillery made something deeply weird.

Verdict:

I like this.

Maker’s Mark London Edition No 3

Maker’s Mark London Edition No 3

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Chinese tea
55.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Blackcurrant cordial, brown paper, popcorn, magic marker, raisins, honey. With water, raisins, magic marker, blackcurrant cordial, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, mouth coating, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Blackcurrant cordial, brown paper, popcorn, cloves, sea salt, hints of fried eggs. With water, raisins, blackcurrant cordial, popcorn, cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Pears, magic marker, raisins, popcorn. 

Comments: 

Sweet and spicy, lots of estery, blackcurrant notes. A decent buttery bourbon, lots of popcorn notes but also complex. There’s even a hint of fried egg on the tongue, slightly sulphurous.

Verdict:

I like this.

Pokeno Triple Distilled 3rd Edition

Pokeno Triple Distilled 3rd Edition

Official bottling
Single malt - Waikato
Golden
49% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cooked rice, butter, pears, cantaloupe melons, honey, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns syrupy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Cooked rice, cream of wheat, malted grains, honey, magic marker, pears, cantaloupe melons. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, pears, malted grains, honey. 

Comments: 

Quite fruity with a creamy base. Plenty of delicate cereal notes underlying that fruit, and it’s still layered and complex enough for those notes to come through. Rather good.

Verdict:

I like this.

Boann Single Pot Still Madeira Cask

Boann Single Pot Still Madeira Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Leinster
Dark gold
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black pepper, magic marker, pears, pineapples, malted grains, hints of cardamom. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, thickens, slightly chalky. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. White pepper, honey, pear drops, caramel, cardamom, malted grains, hints of pears. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, cardboard, honey, caramel, magic marker. 

Comments: 

Fruity with a spiky edge, that’s the pot still. Pineapples and some cardamom make it interesting but it’s let down on the finish with slightly bready cardboard note.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kavalan Lan

Kavalan Lan

Official bottling
Single malt - Yilan
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, sandalwood, black pepper, nutmeg, vanilla, hints of soot. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, mouth coating, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. White pepper, raisins, prunes, vanilla, blueberries, sandalwood, dark chocolate. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, dark chocolate, aluminium foil, raisins. 

Comments: 

Fruity, with some spicy notes, but overlaid with a woody, floral scent. The finish is short, intense and bitter. Some metallic notes too. Interesting whisky, certainly a decent entry level bottling.

Verdict:

I like this.

Masthouse Single Estate Vintage 2018

Masthouse Single Estate Vintage 2018

Official bottling
Single pot still - Kent
Golden

45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, lemon zest, honey, white grapes, cinnamon, wet stones, clay dust. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Magic marker, pear drops, green apples, lemon zest, wet stones, clay dust, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, pear drops, lemon zest, hints of wet stones. 

Comments: 

Quite an unusual pot still whisky. That bristliness is still there by its overlaid with tart notes of green apples and lemon zest, and something earthy and flinty - clay dust and wet stones. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bluegrass Distillers Blue Corn High Rye

Bluegrass Distillers Blue Corn High Rye

Official bottling
Single rye - Kentucky
Amber red
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cough syrup, corn syrup, cola nuts, brown paper, oak chips, honey, hints of black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, astringent, thickens. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Black pepper, honey, corn syrup, cola nuts, leather, cherries, hints of sawdust. 
Finish: Medium. Cola nuts, cherries, cough syrup, honey, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Quite sweet and luscious, as a whisky with a high corn content would be expected to do. Some light spiciness from the rye but it’s not as prominent as one would expect.

Verdict:

I like this.

Hakushu 1991/2005 Suntory Furudaru Shiage

Hakushu 1991/2005 Suntory Furudaru Shiage

Official bottling 

Single malt - Chūbu
Amber red
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black pepper, leather, rancio, camphor, caramel, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black pepper, raisins, honey, cherries, leather, burnt sugar, sandalwood, hints of smoke.
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, cherries, honey, leather, hints of soot. 

Comments: 

Highly complex and sweet, loads of warming spices and dried fruit. A little thin on the mouthfeel but that just makes it easier to drink. Probably the youngest “old-style” sherried whisky that I’ve had.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Braeval 16yo 2010

Braeval 16yo 2010

Little Brown Dog Spirits
Single malt - Speyside
Bright gold
57.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, peaches, honey, cloves, caramel, hints of carrot cake. With water, honey, peaches, malted grains. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, mouth coating, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon zest, orange peel, honey, peaches, malted grains, vanilla, hints of cinnamon. With water, honey, orange peel, cinnamon, hints of malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Cloves, cinnamon, peaches, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Malty and sweet Braeval, with plenty of peach and nectarine notes. Quite a spicy whisky, and water brings out more orange and cinnamon.

Verdict:

I like this.

Westland 9yo

Westland 9yo

The Whisky Trail, Elixir Distillers
Single bourbon - Washington
Amber
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, roast pork, honey, magic marker, dried apricots, marmalade, hints of surgical spirit. With water, sandalwood, leather, dried apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, astringent, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon zest, marmalade, surgical spirit, leather, honey, cloves, sandalwood. With water, sandalwood, lemon zest, surgical spirit, marmalade. 
Finish: Short. Sandalwood, lemon zest, cloves, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Rather herbal and floral for bourbon. Plenty of jammy notes too (not raisins or blackcurrant). Quite unusual, in that it’s still spirity after 9 years. Water brings out some more citrus.

Verdict:

I like this.

Lindores Abbey 5yo 2021/2026

Lindores Abbey 5yo 2021/2026

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Lowlands
Amber red 
55.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Prunes, strawberries, raspberries, raisins, dunnage, leather, red grapes, hints of cloves. With water, malted grains, raisins, strawberries, hints of dunnage. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, raspberries, strawberries, leather, photocopy paper, white pepper, cloves. With water, raisins, strawberries, malted grains, cloves. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, red grapes, leather, raspberries. 

Comments: 

Sherry cask of course, rather sweet and malty despite all that the raisin and dried fruit characteristics are prominent, with some feinty notes too. With water, it turns spicy and sweet again.

Verdict:

I like this.

Akashi 5yo Bourbon Cask 1356

Akashi 5yo Bourbon Cask 1356

Official bottling
Single malt - Kansai
Amber orange
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, lemon zest, malted grains, green tea, gooseberries, hints of white pepper. With water, golden syrup, magic marker, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, lemon zest, gooseberries, white grapes, fresh baked bread, hints of white pepper. With water, malted grains, golden syrup, green tea. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, fresh baked bread, lemon zest, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Cask 1356. Rich, slightly tannic and very cereally. Water brings out even more cereal, alongside some floral notes and slightly caramelised sweetness.

Verdict:

I like this.

Whisky Galore Macallan 1989

Whisky Galore Macallan 1989

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black pepper, leather, cream, dark chocolate, hints of oak chips. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, dark chocolate, leather, cream, photocopy paper, black pepper, hints of lemon zest. 
Finish: Short. Cream, prunes, raisins, dark chocolate, hints of photocopy paper. 

Comments: 

Slightly lower strength, but still quite delightful. Again, very classic Macallan, lots of leather and dark chocolate and raisins to make me enjoy whisky from this distillery again.

Verdict:

I like this.

Allt-a-Bhainne 17yo 2008/2025

Allt-a-Bhainne 17yo 2008/2025

Vintage Sherry Reserve, Milroys of Soho
Single malt - Speyside
Amber copper red
62.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, strawberry jam, clay dust, black tea, malted grains, black pepper, orange peel. With water, raisins, cola nuts, black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Strawberry jam, fresh baked bread, shortcrust pastry, black pepper, raisins, orange peel, malted grains. With water, strawberry jam, orange peel, cola nuts. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, shortcrust pastry, black pepper, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Cask 80900249. Sweet and laden with heaps of dried fruit, and a tangy cola taste. It’s also a little dusty, something that is reminiscent of old style sherried whiskies. With water brings out a tinge of black pepper.

Verdict:

I like this.