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.

Glenfarclas 190th Anniversary

Glenfarclas 190th Anniversary 

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark amber
51.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, strawberry sweets, black pepper, cloves. With water, dark chocolate, raisins, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Honey, coffee, black pepper, strawberry sweets, nutmeg, raisins, hints of pomeloes. With water, nutmeg, dark chocolate, raisins, honey. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, coffee, black pepper, raisins, dark chocolate. 

Comments: 

Quintessential Speyside whisky, very representative of Glenfarclas, yet has a distinct strawberry flavour of its own. Well crafted and excellent dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Annandale 8yo Defender of the Crown

Annandale 8yo Defender of the Crown

Whiskyheroes, Brave New Spirits
Single malt - Lowlands
Amber gold 
52.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, germolene, raisins, sea salt, white grapes, smoke, leather, autumn leaves. With water, leather, raisins, cocoa nibs. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, volatile, hot, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Germolene, raisins, white grapes, honey, soot, smoke, hints of gentian. With water, smoke, germolene, cocoa nibs. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, white grapes, smoke, germolene. 

Comments: 

Quite sweet and delicate despite the peatiness of the distillate. It’s characteristic of Annandale in my view. Rather well aged, with layered complexity. Very well constructed whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

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.

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.

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.

SMWS 69.3 (Glen Albyn 16yo 1978/1994)

SMWS 69.3 (Glen Albyn 16yo 1978/1994)

1994, SMWS
Single malt - North Highlands
Straw
64.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, malted grains, fresh cut grass, cream, elderflower, hints of roast chicken. With water, honey, white pepper, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, lemon zest, cream, elderflower, honey, grapefruit, hints of vanilla. With water, elderflower, malted grains, honey, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Elderflower, honey, lemon zest, cream, hints of vanilla. 

Comments: 

Malty and citrusy, with a floral elderflower note (I find this to be quite unusual). There’s a slightly meatiness to it as well, especially prominent given the high strength. Water brings out more of that floral elderflower note.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

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. 

Dallas Dhu 17yo 1970/1987

Dallas Dhu 17yo 1970/1987

Sestante
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
58.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honeydew melons, honey, cinnamon, malted grains, white pepper, hints of green pepper, hints of camphor. With water, honeydew melons, fresh cut grass, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, hot, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honeydew melons, white pepper, fresh cut grass, honey, lemon zest, hints of camphor. With water, magic marker, camphor, leather, honey, honeydew melons. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, malted grains, honey, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Fruity and complex, lots of melon and honey notes. Water brings out some grassiness and citrus, and eventually some herbal bitterness. This is perfectly layered and constructed, an alluring, mouth watering whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Balvenie 29yo 1994+1996

Balvenie “Blended Malt Whisky” 29yo 1994+1996

Decadent Drinks
Teaspooned malt - Speyside 
Amber
53% ABV
Dram

Nose: Beeswax, cola nuts, honeycomb, malted grains, honey, foam shrimp, gooseberries. With water, honey, white pepper, sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Cola nuts, beeswax, honeycomb, gooseberries, nectarines, greengages, lemon zest. With water, nectarines, honey, beeswax. 
Finish: Long. Honey, greengages, sandalwood, nectarines. 

Comments: 

Very waxy, plenty of peach. If you’d asked me to taste blind I’d have said this was Clynelish and not Balvenie. But that’s what it is, and there’s some notes of greengageS that hint a little bit at its origins.

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.

Aultmore 15yo 2010/2026

Aultmore 15yo 2010/2026

Chorlton Whisky
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
58.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, white chocolate, foam shrimp, malted grains, white pepper, vitamin C tablets, fresh cut grass. With water, lemon zest, nectarines, white pepper, fresh cut grass. 

Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon zest, nectarines, clementines, malted grains, honey, white pepper, photocopy paper, vitamin C tablets. With water, malted grains, fresh cut grass, foam shrimp, clementines. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, photocopy paper, vitamin C tablets, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Quite citrusy and peppery, with a thick heavy body that sits on the tongue. Water brings out some malty sweetness, some additional grassiness to cut the ought h citrus.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Auchentoshan 20yo

Auchentoshan 20yo

Whisky Craft, Solasta Holdings
Single malt - Lowlands
Yellow gold 
55.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marmalade, lemon zest, lemon curd, cream, magic marker, green tea, malted grains, hints of brown paper. With water, fresh cut grass, lemon curd, malted grains, ume. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, astringent, slightly chalky. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Green tea, lemon zest, marmalade, dried apricots, fresh cut grass, white pepper, hints of chalk. With water, fresh cut grass, green tea, ume, leather.
Finish: Medium. Lemon curd, marmalade, fresh cut grass, cinnamon, hints of dried apricots. 

Comments: 

Citrusy and bright, lots of grassy notes with pepper. Slightly chalky (both in body and on the tongue). Water burns out more grassy florals, with fermented ume.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardnamurchan 6yo 2019/2026

Ardnamurchan 6yo 2019/2026

#24, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Western Highlands
Orange gold
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cedar, olive brine, smoke, peat, germolene, popcorn, honey, hints of dried apricots. With water, honey, dried apricots, magic marker. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, cool, astringent. 
Tasting: Sour salty. Cedar, popcorn, smoke, peat, germolene, lemon zest, grapefruit, hints of gentian. With water, honey, dried apricots, pears, germolene. 
Finish: Medium. Grapefruit, gentian, popcorn, smoke. 

Comments: 

Quite a smoky whisky as Ardnamurchan goes. Lots of bitter citrus alongside all that smoke and peat. Water opens up a fruitiness that is quite intense, dried apricots are especially prominent.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bowmore 22yo 2004/2026 (bottled for Bar Lotus)

Bowmore 22yo 2004/2026 (bottled for Bar Lotus)

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Islay
Golden
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoke, nori, soot, malted grains, golden syrup, sea salt, hints of cough syrup. With water, lemon zest, smoke, malted grains, hints of nori. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, astringent, thickens. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Golden syrup, nori, orange peel, lemon zest, smoke, peat, sea salt, hints of cough syrup, hints of toast. With water, smoke, lemon zest, orange peel, golden syrup, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Short. Golden syrup, orange peel, sea salt, smoke, hints of nori. 

Comments: 

A very decent Bowmore, sweet and smoky, with plenty of salinity to balance it. Great pick for this bar, one of the best in London. Plenty of smokiness too, once water is added.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

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.