Convalmore 30yo 1962/1993

Convalmore 30yo 1962/1993

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenheads
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
46.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pencil lead, blackcurrant cordial, cherries, honey, malted grains, hay, vanilla, nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, vanilla, pencil lead, wet stones, honey, leather, brown sugar, hints of cherries, hints of dark chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, honey, leather, brown sugar, cherries. 

Comments: 

Sweet and luscious, rich malty sugary notes. There’s Black Forest cake (cherries and dark chocolate) in this, if I’m any judge. Alongside there’s also some minerality and leather. A very good dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenlochy 38yo 1965/2003

Glenlochy 38yo 1965/2003

Old and Rare, Douglas Laing
Single malt - West Highlands
Amber orange
42.3% ABV

Dram

Nose: Magic marker, pandan, orange peel, malted grains, molasses, black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Magic marker, molasses, barley sugar, malted grains, black tea, heather, pandan, hints of candle wax. 
Finish: Long. Heather, hay, black tea, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Rather herbal and grassy, not as many saline notes as I’d expect given what I found in other Glenlochies. No water, it’s a bit low in strength and rather drinkable as is.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Aultmore 37yo 1985/2023 Exceptional Cask

Aultmore 37yo 1985/2023 Exceptional Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside

Amber
42.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pencil lead, wet stones, malted grains, sandalwood, honey, toffee, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Hoppy beer, malted grains, pencil lead, burlap, white pepper, wet stones, hints of sandalwood. 
Finish: Medium. Brass polish, white pepper, burlap, pencil lead, honey. 

Comments: 

Certainly an exceptional cask, and there’s a lot of feintiness - beery notes, some musty dunnage and burlap, alongside minerality and floral fragrance. Layered and complex.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Brora 19yo 1981/2000

Brora 19yo 1981/2000

The Bottlers
Single malt - North Highlands
Amber
60.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, leather, lemon sweets, lemon zest, sea salt, menthol, honey. With water, menthol, cloves, lohan fruit, candied lemons. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Menthol, honey, wet stones, petrol exhaust, lemon sweets, cloves, orange juice, lohan fruit, hints of candied lemons. With water, lemon sweets, cloves, wet stones, candied lemons. 
Finish: Long. Wet stones, pear drops, leather, lemon sweets, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 1077. Lemony and saline, lots of leather and even some sense of petrol exhaust for smokiness. Quite lovely. Beautiful old menthol and mineral notes too. Always a pleasure to have a Brora.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Jura vatting - 1960s and 30yo

Jura vatting - 1960s and 30yo

Personal vatting
Single malt - Islands
Orange brown 
About 45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green tea, pencil lead, barley sugar, malted grains, honey, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Pencil lead, barley sugar, malted grains,  white pepper, black tea, cloves, milk chocolate. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, black tea, pencil lead, barley sugar. 

Comments: 

A vatting of several 1960s Jura and a 30yo, done at a tasting. Quite feinty and little of that lactic note that seems to characterise Jura for me. Not as good as the sum of its parts.

Verdict:

I like this.

Balvenie 46yo 1968/2016 DCS Compendium Chapter 1

Balvenie 46yo 1968/2016 DCS Compendium Chapter 1

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber brown
45.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, white flowers, lemon zest, molasses, pear drops, blackcurrant cordial, cherries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, cool, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Blackcurrant cordial, black pepper, lemon zest, pear drops, cloves, hints of dark chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, pear drops, magic marker, dark chocolate, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Cask 7293. Sweet and luscious, lots of complexity with pear drops and dark chocolate. Also highly floral on the nose. Absolutely excellent. I think this may be the most expensive dram I’ve ever drank.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

St Magdalene 39yo 1982/2021

St Magdalene 39yo 1982/2021

Private Collection, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Lowlands
Golden
54.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: White pepper, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, honey, marigolds, malted grains, nutmeg, hints of cinnamon. With water, honey, lemon zest, barley sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon zest, candle wax, nutmeg, malted grains, pears, gooseberries, cream, golden syrup. With water, honey, gooseberries, barley sugar, lemon zest.
Finish: Short. Icing sugar, golden syrup, gooseberries, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Cask 2094. Superb. Complex, layered with that lovely delicate malty, honeyed St Magdalene note. Lots of gooseberry fool on the tongue too. Delicious whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Old Pulteney 18yo 1970/1988

Old Pulteney 18yo 1970/1988

Sestante, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - North Highlands
Golden
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cookie dough, sea salt, kippers, fish sauce, cardboard, chillies, wet stones. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Glue, sea salt, kippers, wet stones, pears, chillies, blue cheese, lemon zest, hints of peaches. 
Finish: Medium. Wet stones, glue, blue cheese, lemon zest, hints of pears. 

Comments: 

Lots of saline notes, as befits a coastal whisky. There’s other notes, maybe something reminiscent of rancio, like glue and blue cheese. Unusual and rather good.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 14.15 (Talisker 15yo 1989/2004)

SMWS 14.15 (Talisker 15yo 1989/2004)

2004, SMWS
Single malt - Islands
Pale yellow
59.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Charcoal ash, peat, lemon zest, autumn leaves, clay dust, watermelon rind, fresh cut grass. With water, menthol, autumn leaves, clay dust, soot. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, hot, volatile. 
Tasting:  Salty sour. Lemon zest, autumn leaves, charcoal ash, tobacco leaf, clay dust, watermelon rind, gooseberries. With water, soot, tobacco leaf, charcoal ash, menthol. 
Finish: Long. Charcoal ash, soot, clay dust, gooseberries, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Thick layers of peat, smoke and ash overlay a delicate, grassy spirit. Lots of saline diary notes that may come from the age (including the bottle aging). A delicious dram in a style which is rarely seen nowadays.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Balvenie 29yo 1974/2004

Balvenie 29yo 1974/2004

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside
Light amber
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, toffee, molasses, maraschino cherries, honey, pears. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, astringent, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Pears, strawberry jam, honey, cinnamon, molasses, white chocolate, maraschino cherries, nutmeg. 
Finish: Long. Pears, molasses, strawberry jam, white chocolate. 

Comments: 

Fruity and chocolatey, lots of sweet preserved fruit notes. There’s a big heaping note of almond maraschino on the tongue that threatens to overwhelm everything. But doesn’t quite. Lovely whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Benrinnes 44yo 1979/2023

Benrinnes 44yo 1979/2023

Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
42.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Kiwifruit, starfruit, candle wax, lemons, sandalwood, fresh cut grass, honey, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Starfruit, candle wax, white pepper, fresh cut grass, Buddha palm fruit, peppermints, cotton sheets. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, Buddha palm fruit, peppermint, cotton sheets, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Cask 62. Quite a vegetal Speyside, with big notes of peppermint, grass and Buddha palm fruit. There’s also something that reminds me of fresh laundry, or rather scented laundry detergent. A very interesting whisky that wears its age lightly.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Old Vatted Talisker (1910s blend)

Old Vatted Talisker (1910s blend)

GF Heublein & Co
Blend
Golden brown 
c35% ABV
Dram

Nose: Tarry rope, peat, menthol, cough mixture, lychees, wood smoke, autumn leaves. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, mouth coating, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, charcoal ash, honey, menthol, lychees, watermelon rind, cardamom, autumn leaves. 
Finish: Short. Menthol, cardamom, white pepper, charcoal ash. 

Comments: 

Smoky, tarry, but surprisingly delicate and floral. There notes of lychees and watermelon rind, that are still obvious beneath the layer of ash and smoke. It’s now quite a low ABV, in the mid to low 30s, but it still packs quite a punch. Remarkable whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Milroys Heavily Peated Virgin Oak Batch VO1

Milroys Heavily Peated Virgin Oak Batch VO1

Heavily Peated, Milroys of Soho
Single malt - Lowlands
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, peat, smoke, dark chocolate, peaches, pear drops, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Smoke, pears, dark chocolate, lemon zest, lemon juice, sea salt, peanuts, hints of malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, lemons, limes, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Peated Lowlands whisky from Bonnington. It’s quite gentle on the back palate and the finish, would probably has been quite intense at cask strength. Rather citrusy.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Storyteller Bourbon Batch 1 5yo

The Storyteller Bourbon Batch 1 5yo

The Story Of
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber
54.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cooked rice, vanilla, malted grains, brown paper, white pepper, caramel. With water, malted grains, vanilla, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Vanilla, malted grains, brown paper, honey, caramel, hints of nutmeg. With water, honey, white pepper, dried apricots, nutmeg. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, nutmeg, brown paper, honey, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Bardstown distilled. Rather cereally, but also with many malty toasty vanilla and caramel notes. Water brings out some more pepper and dried apricot notes. Dried apricots seem to be a theme.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Bootzamon Wheated Bourbon Batch 1

The Bootzamon Wheated Bourbon Batch 1

The Story Of
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber brown
56.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Popcorn, dried apricots, white pepper, honey, damson jam, hints of cloves. With water, popcorn, dried apricots, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, evaporates, mouth coating, astringent. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. White pepper, vanilla, honey, ink, pear drops, hints of damson jam. With water, popcorn, dried apricots. 
Finish: Medium. Pear drops, damson jam, vanilla, honey, dried apricots. 

Comments: 

Bardstown distilled. Quite cereally, with notes of buttered popcorn. Cask strength and high intensity, makes it hard to discern the layers of flavours. Water brings out more dried apricots and pepper. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

The Roggenwolf Rye Batch 1 6yo

The Roggenwolf Rye Batch 1 6yo

The Story Of
Single rye - Kentucky
Amber copper
63.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Eucalyptus, strawberry jam, black pepper, peppermint, vanilla, lavender, foam shrimp, cream. With water, dried apricots, cream, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, volatile, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Strawberry jam, foam shrimp, black pepper, eucalyptus, dried apricots, vanilla, honey. With water, dried apricots, eucalyptus, black pepper, honey. 
Finish: Long. Black pepper, rye bread, dried apricots, honey. 

Comments: 

Bardstown distilled. A herbal, peppery rye, with a strong eucalyptus note. It’s also sweet and jammy with notes of foam shrimp and strawberry jam. Water brings out even more eucalyptus.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

The Whistler Mosaic Marsala Cask

The Whistler Mosaic Marsala Cask

Official bottling 
Single grain - Leinster
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, honey, peaches, ice cream soda, desiccated coconut, hints of nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Desiccated coconut, raspberry jam, vanilla, honey, cola nuts, cloves, nutmeg. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, molasses, honey, cola nuts, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Fruity and fragrant, lots of honeyed notes and plenty of ja. The Marsala cask sweetens what is already quite a delicate and sweet whisky. I’d have gone a little gentler with the wood but it’s a decent dram nonetheless.

Verdict:

I like this.

East London Liquor Co Radikon Merlot

East London Liquor Co Radikon Merlot

Official bottling
Single malt - London
Orange brown 
47.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, malted grains, vanilla, honey, plums, strawberry jam, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, orange juice, lemon zest, damson jam, strawberry jam, cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Damson jam, malted grains, barley sugar, orange juice. 

Comments: 

Cask 485. Orangey and sweet sour, there are some clear hints of the wine cask finish. Lots of damson jam notes especially on the tongue and the finish. On the nose it’s plums.

Verdict:

I like this.

New Riff 4yo 2021/2025

New Riff 4yo 2021/2025

#22, The Heart Cut
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber brown
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Walnuts, toffee, coffee, molasses, cough mixture, cherries. With water, walnuts, toffee, molasses. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, volatile, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Mint, cherries, cough mixture, blackcurrant cordial, walnuts, marmalade, hints of coffee. With water, cherries, vanilla, cough mixture, popcorn. 
Finish: Medium. Cough mixture, walnuts, cherries, marmalade. 

Comments: 

Love me a new Heart Cut when they come out. This one is like walnut praline, with lots of mint and cough mixture on the tongue. It’s quite intense, not much of the brown paper note that so many bourbons have.

Verdict:

I like this.

The English Heavily Smoked Cask Fusion

The English Heavily Smoked Cask Fusion

Official bottling
Single malt - East Anglia
Amber gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, smoke, raisins, honey, lemon sweets, hints of coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Lemon sweets, raisins, coffee, autumn leaves, smoke, germolene, peat. 
Finish: Long. Autumn leaves, smoke, peat, germolene. 

Comments: 

Smoky and peaty, some medicinal antiseptic notes. There’s also an earthiness that is quite prominent in the tongue. Plenty of salty lemon sweets, a bit like some Caol Ilas.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ludlow Cider Brandy Cask

Ludlow Cider Brandy Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Shropshire 
Dark gold
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, mushrooms, malted grains, fresh cut grass, coffee, lemon sweets. With water, apples, toffee, lemon sweets. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, syrupy, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Molasses, apples, cinnamon, lemon sweets, toffee, vanilla, caramel. With water, apples, malted grains, caramel. 
Finish: Medium. Toffee, apples, cloves, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Some slightly odd mushroom notes at the first nose, but these pass to reveal toffee apples and cinnamon flavours on the tongue. It’s a nicely bodied whisky too, oily and substantial without being too heavy.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wireworks Port Wine LBV

Wireworks Port Wine LBV

Official bottling 
Single malt - Derbyshire 
Orange gold
53.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, orange juice, malted grains, vanilla, strawberry jam, white chocolate, honey. With water, orange juice, malted grains, dried apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, volatile, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, orange juice, white chocolate, black tea, red grapes, honey, golden syrup. With water, dried apricots, malted grains, honey. 
Finish: Medium. Golden syrup, malted grains, orange juice, white chocolate. 

Comments: 

Fruity, sweet and rich, lots of buttery white chocolate notes. It enriches everything up to and including the finish. Water brings out pleasing notes of dried apricots.

Verdict:

I like this.

Adnams 9yo Sauternes Finish

Adnams 9yo Sauternes Finish

Official bottling
Single malt - East Anglia
Copper orange
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Coffee, raisins, pear drops, magic marker, molasses, carrots, cinnamon, hints of mushrooms. With water, magic marker, applesauce, carrots, coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Magic marker, pear drops, orange blossom, coffee, molasses, cloves, peaches, hints of carrots. With water, pear drops, applesauce, cloves, cinnamon. 
Finish: Long. Golden syrup, molasses, pear drops, cloves, hints of carrots. 

Comments: 

This whisky tastes like carrot cake, plenty of that sweet vegetal note with lots of pear drops and various other estery flavours. Water brings out more spice notes.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Masthouse Distillery Exclusive

Masthouse Distillery Exclusive

Official bottling
Single malt - Kent
Orange amber
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sea salt, nori, black pepper, malted grains, rye bread, rubber bands, hints of new plastic. With water, new plastic, rye bread, hints of rubber bands. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, hot, evaporates quickly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, cooked rice, black pepper, nori, rye bread, honey, hints of strawberry jam. With water, cooked rice, raisins, nori, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Long. Cooked rice, honey, raisins, strawberry jam. 

Comments: 

Quite a lot of rye-like spice, with a plasticky note. Might be my sample bottle (which would be a shame) but somehow I don’t think so. I’ve encountered the same note before in Masthouse whisky.  I must say I like the cereally starchy note that comes out when you add water.

Verdict:

I like this.

Arbikie Highland Rye 1794 The Peated

Arbikie Highland Rye 1794 The Peated

Official bottling
Single rye - East Highlands
Dark gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, lemon zest, black pepper, rye bread, coriander, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, volatile. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Vanilla, lemon zest, black tea, black pepper, coriander, smoke, sea salt, peat. 
Finish: Short. Peat, smoke, black pepper, coriander, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Quite herbal, plenty of that peppery rye note, but also married to peat, smoke, lemons and rye bread. Quite balanced, peated rye whisky definitely works. More please.

Verdict:

I like this.

Arbikie Highland Rye 1794 The PX

Arbikie Highland Rye 1794 The PX

Official bottling
Single rye - East Highlands
Dark amber 
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black pepper, turpentine, raisins, pear drops, rye bread, orange blossom, hints of pine needles. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, mouth coating, expands. 
Tasting:  Salty sour. Turpentine, rye bread, orange blossom, sea salt, marmalade, honey, vanilla, black pepper. 
Finish: Short. Orange blossom, black pepper, sea salt, rye bread. 

Comments: 

Quite a chemical tasting whisky, the spicy rye note has been transmuted to oily turpentine and maybe some pine. It’s surprisingly salty, lots of rye bread and sea salt come to the fore in the mouth.

Verdict:

I like this.

Pokeno Discovery

Pokeno Discovery

Official bottling
Single malt - Waikato
Amber pink
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, roses, nashi pears, malted grains, molasses, coffee, hints of burnt sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, slightly volatile. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Strawberry jam, raspberry jam, honey, wine gums, molasses, hints of burnt sugar. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, molasses, cloves, coffee. 

Comments: 

Very jammy but also laden with bitter, caramelly notes. The two (berry jam and bitter notes) clash a little, they fight for supremacy on the tongue. Who wins is a little dependent on what you had before.

Verdict:

I like this.

Virginia Distillery American Single Malt Cider Cask

Virginia Distillery American Single Malt Cider Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Virginia
Pale gold
46.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, vanilla, white wine, nutmeg, peaches, pears, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, cool, astringent.
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Barley sugar, white grapes, pears, green apples, white wine, hints of malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, hoppy beer, white wine, barley sugar. 

Comments: 

Quite an appley whisky, but with a high level

Of maltiness and even some fermented grape notes. A very Scotch like single malt, which actually makes it quite unusual for American whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ben Nevis 10yo 2015/2025

Ben Nevis 10yo 2015/2025

Single Cask, Carn Mor
Single malt - West Highlands
Amber copper
54.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, smoke, rubber bands, bacon, fresh baked bread, cinnamon, cinder toffee. With water, pear drops, cinder toffee, bacon, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Rubber bands, raisins, fresh baked bread, orange peel, cinder toffee, hints of nutmeg. With water, raisins, cinder toffee, cream, smoke. 
Finish: Long. Golden syrup, orange peel, raisins, cinder toffee. 

Comments: 

Quite a smoky sulphurous dram, but it’s paired with sweet orange peel notes, lots of raisins and bread. Water brings out even more smokiness, with the same long sweet finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Philharmonia Macduff 16yo 2008/2025

Philharmonia Macduff 16yo 2008/2025

Milroys of Soho
Single malt - Speyside
Dark amber
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Figs, dates, raisins, honey, cloves, fresh baked bread, orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla sponge. With water, orange peel, vanilla sponge, cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, expands, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Dates, raisins, cloves, orange peel, coffee, black pepper, black tea, vanilla sponge. With water, orange peel, coffee, cinnamon, vanilla sponge. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, black pepper, raisins, cloves. 

Comments: 

Cask 130900362. A really decent sherried dram, bottled by Milroys for the London Philharmonic. Lots of bready raising notes, with the obligatory dried fruit. Water brings out some spicy coffee notes, almost like a tiramisu.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.