Lagg Kilmory Edition

Lagg Kilmory Edition

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

Nose: Germolene, peat, smoke, mint, pineapples, honey, lemon zest, hints of roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Germolene, menthol, pineapples, smoke, peat, sea salt, cedar, lemon zest, hints of peanuts. 
Finish: Medium. Menthol, pineapples, honey, smoke, peanuts. 

Comments: 

Fruity but with plenty of the peaty island medicinal pest character. Clearly quite young, but very promising stuff from Lagg.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Arran 11yo 2013/2026

Arran 11yo 2013/2026

Eldym Bottling Expressions, Lachlan Gillies
Single malt - Islands
Dark amber red
59.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, pears, white grapes, wet stones, orange peel, black pepper, thyme. With water, raisins, mint, wet stones, thyme, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, volatile, astringent, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, honey, cream, orange peel, black pepper, pears, black tea, hints of aluminium foil. With water, pears, honey, orange peel, black pepper. 
Finish: Short. Aluminium foil, black pepper, ginseng, black tea, honey. 

Comments: 

Really amazing whisky, especially for its age. Lots and lots of sweet honeyed notes, with a metallic edge especially on the tongue. Water brings out a peppery spiciness, which remains on the finish, which is short, intense and bitter.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Raasay 4yo 2021/2025 Marsala Cask

Raasay 4yo 2021/2025 Marsala Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Dark gold, hints of amber

50.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, cinnamon, honey, gooseberries, white grapes, dried apricots, toffee, hints of smoke. With water, menthol, dried apricots, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, cool, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Cinnamon, apples, smoke, dried apricots, leather, sourdough bread, toffee, vanilla, peat, smoke. With water, smoke, peat, leather, white grapes. 
Finish: Long. Peat, smoke, charcoal ash, apples, dried apricots. 

Comments: 

Sometimes sweet wine finishes clash with peat but for this whisky they are quite well integrated. The sweet notes are prominent on the nose and especially near, and once water is added the smoke comes to the fore.

Verdict:

I like this.

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.

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. 

Torabhaig Sound of Sleat Legacy Series Chapter 4

Torabhaig Sound of Sleat Legacy Series Chapter 4

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Pale orange 
60.2% ABV

Dram

Nose: Honey, roast pork, smoke, bacon, apples, barley sugar, sea salt, peat, tarry rope. With water, lemon curd, sea salt, barley sugar, germolene. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Bacon, dill, apples, smoke, tarry rope, lemon curd, apples, barley sugar, peat. With water, lemon curd, tarry rope, barley sugar, smoke. 
Finish: Short. Apples, smoke, barley sugar, dill, peat. 

Comments: 

Meaty, smoky and even slightly herbal, all over a core of apples and lemon curd. Water brings out more sweetness and more earthiness. A very unbalanced, interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Raasay Na Sia Peated Bordeaux Cask

Raasay Na Sia Peated Bordeaux Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Chinese tea
60.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, leather, roast beef, farmyard, honey, malted grains, hints of red grapes. With water, smoke, soot, roast beef, farmyard. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Leather, farmyard, honey, malted grains, sea salt, peat, soot, vanilla, hints of caramel. With water, malted grains, farmyard, soot. 
Finish: Medium. Soot, peat, smoke, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Winey, with grape notes, but it’s also meaty and a little gamey. Plenty of soot and ash as well. Water brings out even more gamey fall flavours, very earthy and almost vegetal.

Verdict:

I like this.

Highland Park 30yo 1985/2015

Highland Park 30yo 1985/2015

Whisky Is Nature, Silver Seal
Single malt - Islands
Pale gold
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, applesauce, peaches, yoghurt, cream, apple juice, marshmallows, hints of vanilla. With water, apples, honey, pears, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Leather, pears, apple juice, cream, ice cream soda, vanilla, leather, clay dust, hints of smoke. With water, leather, peat, vanilla, apple juice. 

Finish: Long. Leather, peat, vanilla, apple juice. 

Comments: 

A very fragrant, creamy Highland Park. It’s not as leathery or smoky as some, instead it’s gentle and complex. Not fiery despite the high ABV either. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Talisker 11yo 1988/1999

Talisker 11yo 1988/1999

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing

Single malt - Islands
Pale gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, peat, burning leaves, yoghurt, smoke, honey, fresh baked bread. With water, magic marker, fresh cut grass, acetone. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Malted grains, yoghurt, magic marker, burning leaves, honey, smoke, fresh baked bread. With water, acetone, peat, magic marker, burning leaves. 
Finish: Medium. Burning leaves, peat, smoke, honey, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Quite malty but laden with autumn flavours, burning leaves, smoke, and peat. Bitter and complex. A little more fruit would be good, I’m probably less of a nail varnish fan than most. Still, a rather good dram. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 163.1 (Harris 6yo 2018/2024)

SMWS 163.1 (Harris 6yo 2018/2024)

2024, SMWS
Single malt - Islands
Golden yellow, hints of green
58.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, white grapes, green tea, gooseberries, malted grains, sandalwood. With water, honey, white grapes, green tea, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Olive brine, green tea, white grapes, lemon zest, olive oil, leather, hints of diesel exhaust, hints of smoke. With water, white grapes, gooseberries, olive brine, hints of malted grains. 

Finish: Medium. White grapes, peaches, gooseberries, honey, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Savoury, lots of underlying complexity including green tea and stone fruit. Water brings out some maltiness, but mainly more fruit and that savoury olive brine. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Lochranza Castle (Arran 21yo)

Lochranza Castle (Arran 21yo)

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Golden, hints of pink

 47.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, parchment paper, honey, white pepper, orange juice, chamomile, green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Honey, orange juice, chamomile, malted grains, nutmeg, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, malted grains, parchment paper, orange juice. 

Comments: 

Fruity and slightly papery whisky. There are secondary notes of herbal tea, and spice on the tongue. It builds to a great, long, citrusy finish. Excellent dram indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Scapa 28yo 1993/2022 Distillery Exclusive

Scapa 28yo 1993/2022 Distillery Exclusive

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Sunshine yellow
57.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mangoes, peaches, winter melons, lemon zest, icing sugar, cinnamon. With water, raisins, honey, mangoes, hints of sandalwood. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Mangoes, peaches, lemon zest, peat, sea salt, cinnamon, white pepper, hints of malted grains. With water, lemon zest, icing sugar, sandalwood, hints of peat. 
Finish: Long. Lemon juice, icing sugar, cinnamon, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Citrusy and fruity, and with a dusty sweet note that reminds me of icing sugar. Water brings out spicy herbal fragrances, almost perfumed, but also peat. An excellent dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

The Hearach Batch 1.8

The Hearach Batch 1.8

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Golden bronze
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, sultanas, smoke, tyre rubber, olive brine, lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Soot, smoke, white grapes, sultanas, pencil erasers, olive brine, walnut skins, hints of diesel exhaust. 
Finish: Long. Soot, diesel exhaust, peat, smoke, sultanas. 

Comments: 

Sooty and smoky, yet fruity with savoury notes. It’s well integrated and delicately layered, excellent for its young age, and one of the first releases from this distillery.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Arran 21st Anniversary Limited Edition

Arran 21st Anniversary Limited Edition

Official bottling
Single malt - Islands
Amber bronze
52.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, pears, eucalyptus, menthol, raisins, malted grains, sea salt, hints of soot. With water, fresh baked bread, menthol, camphor, hints of pencil lead. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, mouth coating, astringent. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Pears, eucalyptus, camphor, menthol, raisins, dried apricots, black tea, sea salt. With water, fresh baked bread, dried apricots, menthol. 
Finish: Medium. Walnut skins, camphor, black tea, eucalyptus. 

Comments: 

Quite herbal, with refreshing notes of menthol and eucalyptus, like liniment. But it’s also sweet and savoury, and water brings out dried fruit and cereally notes. Complex, layered, delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Whitlaw 2019 (Private Cask Sample)

Whitlaw 2019 (Private Cask Sample)

Private cask sample
Single malt - Islands
Amber
64.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, fresh cut grass, malted grains, toffee, white pepper, hints of smoke. With water, peat, raisins, orange juice. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Peat, autumn leaves, malted grains, toffee, orange juice, cucumbers, hints of smoke. With water, autumn leaves, clay dust, toffee, peat. 

Finish: Medium. Toffee, malted grains, orange juice, peat. 

Comments: 

Thank you SM. Citrusy, and slightly smoky, with an earthy layer that I like in Highland Park. There’s some dustiness as well, which is surprising given the age, that improves with water. Very nice indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

An Orkney Distillery 8yo 2012/2021

An Orkney Distillery 8yo 2012/2021

Watt Whisky, Campbeltown Whisky Company
Single malt - Islands
Pale gold 
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, lemon sweets, yoghurt, vanilla, cream, cardamom, cinnamon. With water, toast, yoghurt, cardamom, cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, warm, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinder toffee, cardamom, toast. With water, toast, cinnamon, lemon sweets. 
Finish: Short. Cinder toffee, cardamom, lemon juice, toast, autumn leaves. 

Comments: 

Heavy and citrusy, lots of semi toasted notes that waft like a haze of smoke over the whisky. Not a very usual Scapa in my experience, but a very good one.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Torabhaig Cnoc na Moine Chapter 3

Torabhaig Cnoc na Moine Chapter 3

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

Nose: Smoke, peat, leather, tyre rubber, tarry rope, vanilla, applesauce, apricot jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Leather, peat, smoke, tyre rubber, raisins, vanilla, applesauce. 
Finish: Short. Applesauce, cinnamon, smoke, vanilla. 

Comments: 

My word, this tastes more and more like Islay whisky every time I try it. It’s smoky and peaty, even sulphurous, but all that covers a light distillate that carries notes of apple and vanilla.

Verdict:

I like this.

Talisker 44yo Forests of the Deep

Talisker 44yo Forests of the Deep

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Amber
49.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh baked bread, blue cheese, leather, raisins, damson jam, chocolate, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Raisins, orange peel, malted grains, damson jam, camphor, oolong tea, chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Coffee, chocolate, camphor, oolong tea, blue cheese. 

Comments: 

Really sweet and savoury, a throwback to Talisker of the late 2000s. There are some floral, slightly tannic notes that remind me of the best oolong tea. Magnificent dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Talisker 1974 Golden Eagle

Talisker 1974 Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle label, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Islands
Bronze
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ginseng, camphor, white grapes, roast chicken, white pepper, cinder toffee, hints of butterscotch. With water, white grapes, honey, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Toffee, petrol exhaust, smoke, camphor, roast chicken, cinder toffee, butterscotch, Chinese angelica. With water, smoke, camphor, white grapes, honey, butterscotch. 
Finish: Long. Leather, roast chicken, smoke, Chinese angelica. 

Comments: 

A really good dram that I’ve been chasing for some time. It’s meaty and rich, bitter and herbal, with some smoky petrol flavours. I’m really happy I got the chance to taste this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Hearach First Fill Oloroso Cask Matured Batch 1

Hearach First Fill Oloroso Cask Matured Batch 1

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islands
Copper
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, olive brine, malted grains, leather, brown sugar, hints of farmyard. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sour. Aluminium foil, malted grains, olive brine, honey, raisins, cocoa nibs, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, honey, cocoa nibs, malted grains, hints of cinnamon. 

Comments: 

The sherry cask is evident here, but it’s probably refill. There’s plenty of stripped back raisiny, chocolatey notes, but the characteristic olive brine and slightly metallic feinty notes are front and centre. 

Verdict:

I like this.