Inchmurrin 11yo 2014/2025

Inchmurrin 11yo 2014/2025

Cask Masters, Brave New Spirits
Single malt - South Highlands
Golden orange
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, peaches, roses, honey, mangoes, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, thick, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Orange peel, honey, black tea, malted grains, lemon zest, mangoes, passionfruit, golden syrup. 
Finish: Medium. Golden syrup, black tea, molasses, peaches. 

Comments: 

Fruity, floral, lots of malty notes. Quite intense, and surprisingly heavy bodied despite the lower ABV. Rather sweet, and gets sweeter on the finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glengoyne White Oak

Glengoyne White Oak

Official bottling
Single malt - South Highlands
Pale gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, milk chocolate, black tea, molasses, malted grains, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, milk chocolate, orange peel, apricot jam, vanilla, fresh baked bread, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Cola nuts, raisins, milk chocolate, fresh baked bread, apricot jam. 

Comments: 

Sweet and fruity, lots of chocolate covered raisins, like all other Glengoynes. It’s delicate and rather delicious, and very winters.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.  

Loch Lomond “Croftengea” 17yo 2007/2024

Loch Lomond “Croftengea” 17yo 2007/2024

Whisky Jury
Single malt - South Highlands
Golden
59.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Winter melons, lemon zest, peat, oranges, smoke, gooseberries, hints of cinnamon. With water, oranges, tyre rubber, charcoal ash, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Lemon zest, malted grains, leather, soot, charcoal ash, winter melons. With water, malted grains, leather, smoke, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, winter melons, malted grains, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Smoky, yet fruity, some ashy cinnamon especially on the nose. Water brings out some more citrus, with smoke too. It builds to a nice malty finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Port Dundas 21yo 2000/2022

Port Dundas 21yo 2000/2022

Fragrant Drops, The Marble Cask Co
Single grain - South Highlands
Amber
62.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla ice cream, coconut cream, milk chocolate, nutmeg, raisins, honey. With water, oats, magic marker, sea salt, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, hot, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Vanilla, milk chocolate, raisins, honey, desiccated coconut, oats, hints of white pepper. With water, oats, fresh baked bread, white pepper. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, milk chocolate, oats, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Cask 305291. Fudgy honey and ice cream, lots of cereal and a little salt. It’s luscious, but bottled at too high a strength. Port Dundas seems to come into its own around 20 years old, and the older bottles are starting to appear.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glengoyne 15yo 2007/2023

Glengoyne 15yo 2007/2023

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - South Highlands

Very pale gold
48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, fresh cut grass, walnut skins, vanilla, caramel, cream, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Orange peel, lemon sweets, strawberry jam, caramel, cream, milk chocolate, hints of malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Milk chocolate, caramel, raisins, orange peel, hints of malted grains. 

Comments: 

Cask DL17235. Sweet and juicy, with rich notes of chocolate covered raisins. There’s also a good strong citrusy note, oranges and slightly savoury lemon sweets. Very nice whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Inchfad 17yo Secrets of Bonnie Banks

Inchfad 17yo Secrets of Bonnie Banks

A Cask Noir Production, Brave New Spirits
Single malt - South Highlands
Copper red
48.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberries, brown paper, leather, cream, aluminium foil. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Strawberries, leather, cinnamon, sandalwood, driftwood smoke, vanilla, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Medium. Leather, aluminium foil, white pepper, hints of driftwood smoke. 

Comments: 

Cask 430, a Pinot Noir cask. Sweet and winey, with feinty notes, some spice and a little smoke. I’ve tended to drink the smoky end of Loch Lomond, it’s interesting to explore other expressions.

Verdict:

I like this.

Port Dundas 18yo 2004/2022

Port Dundas 18yo 2004/2022

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single grain - South Highlands
Straw
48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butterscotch, lemon sweets, vanilla, honey, molasses, hints of cinder toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Butterscotch, sea salt, vanilla custard, shortbread, molasses, lemon sweets, cough syrup, hints of toffee apples. 
Finish: Medium. Toffee apples, shortbread, cinder toffee, vanilla, butterscotch. 

Comments: 

Cask DL 16483. Like salty Werthers originals, with a hint of lemon sweets. It’s been a while since I had a Port Dundas, it’s a bit obscure and for a long time since the distillery closed, I didn’t encounter any in the wild, as it were. Nevertheless this whisky is a decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Loch Lomond “Croftengea” 11yo 2010/2021

Loch Lomond “Croftengea” 11yo 2010/2021

The Hidden Spirits Whisky Company
Single malt - South Highlands
Straw
51.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, peat, lemon zest, jasmine, smoke, hints of tobacco leaf. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Pickle brine, lemon zest, smoke, leather, tobacco leaf, peat, autumn leaves. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, peat, tobacco leaf, smoke, autumn leaves. 

Comments: 

Cask LL1021. Sour, slightly spicy, and a long earthy finish. I’ve not had a lot of Croftengea, but the ones I’ve had have been generally intense and floral, yet smoky. This one has less of these floral notes, instead a lot more herbal and vegetal notes.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glengoyne 10yo 2008/2019

Glengoyne 10yo 2008/2019

Hepburn’s Choice, Langside Distillers 
Single malt - South Highlands
Pale silvery gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemon zest, cooked rice, cream, hints of leather, hints of vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Malted grains, cooked rice, sultanas, cream, green apples, hints of rhubarb. 
Finish: Short. Walnut skins, leather, malted grains, green apples. 

Comments: 

Now it’s unusual to have an unsherried Glengoyne, and this one is young to boot. But it’s got a decent level of complexity, with grain and cereally flavours predominating. The finish is leathery, tart and bitter, brief but intense.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glengoyne Teapot Dram Batch 7

Glengoyne Teapot Dram Batch 7

Official bottling 
Single malt - South Highlands
Mahogany
59.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, chocolate, grape must, coffee, honey, hints of anise. With water, honey, coffee, walnuts, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, hot, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, coffee, walnuts, grape must, black tea, hints of aluminium foil. With water, bitter, coffee, candied orange, black tea, walnuts. 
Finish: Medium. Walnuts, coffee, anise, aluminium foil.

Comments: 

I’ve been meaning to try a Teapot Dram for the longest tome. Finally managed to get my grubby paws on Batch 7. Highly sherried of course, but not too sweet. Not as raisiny as Glengoyne normally is, more bittersweet dark chocolate and coffee. Young, yet complex. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glengoyne Cask Strength (Batch 7)

Glengoyne Cask Strength (Batch 7)

Official bottling
Single malt - Sout Highlands
Green gold
58.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, raisins, lime curd, fresh cut grass, chocolate, honey. With water, butterscotch, lemon juice, honey, hints of rhubarb and custard sweets. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Black tea, lemon juice, fresh baked bread, vanilla, sponge, chocolate, raisins. With water, chocolate, raisins, rhubarb and custard sweets, lemon juice. 
Finish: Long. Chocolate, mint, vanilla sponge, fresh baked bread, lime curd. 

Comments: 

Not quite your usual Glengoyne, I've gotten very used to those chocolate covered raisin notes, which were present in the very first Glengoyne I ever had. This one still has those chocolate covered raisins, but these are muted behind fruit, some tartness, and even some tannic black tea.

Verdict:

I like this.

Port Dundas 13yo 2004/2018

Port Dundas 13yo 2004/2018

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single grain - South Highlands
Pale gold
48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, pear drops, barley sweets, desiccated coconut, chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, slippery, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Cocoa powder, vanilla, desiccated coconut, black tea, honey. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, honey, chocolate, barley sweets. 

Comments: 

Cask DL 12465. This is perhaps the 'classic' grain whisky profile, lots of vanilla, coconut and sugar. It's barley sugar though, which is a tad perplexing. Rather enjoyable, and as with all closed distilleries, best taste them when you get the chance.

Verdict:

I like this.

Croftengea 12yo 2006/2018

Croftengea 12yo 2006/2018

Cooper's Choice, The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Single malt - South Highlands
Golden
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, peat, tobacco leaf, smoke, cream, malted grains, hints of toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, slightly slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Raisins, walnut skins, toffee, honey, preserved lemons, chocolate, smoke, cream, hints of leather. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, toffee, chocolate, smoke, hints of condensed milk. 

Comments: 

Peated Loch Lomond, something quite hard to find nowadays. This one is bitter and uncompromising, with a thick layer of smoke, peat, and walnut skins over chocolate, preserved citrus and dairy. It's intense, not many whiskies can follow this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glengoyne 18yo

Glengoyne 18yo

Official bottling
Single malt - South Highlands
Amber red
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Milk chocolate, raisins, red grapes, vanilla, honey, hints of black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, raisins, butterscotch, vanilla, coffee, cream, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Long. Coffee, cream, red grapes, butterscotch. 

Comments: 

I was struck by the similarity to the old 17yo official bottling, then by a different similarity to the 15yo official bottling. In the end, this is somewhere in between, luscious and sweet, very chocolatey, and raisiny, but less sweet than the older expressions. There's a great bitter note, like a very rich dark chocolate, or excellent espresso.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glengoyne Legacy Chapter One 2019

Glengoyne Legacy Chapter One 2019

Official bottling
Single malt - South Highlands
Amber, tinge of green
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemons, raisins, brass polish, white chocolate, leather, hints of salt caramel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loose, watery. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Raisins, lemons, oranges, white chocolate, pears. 
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, raisins, pears, hints of lemons. 

Comments: 

A new series of expressions from Glengoyne. This one is somewhat atypical, at least for me. It's not raisin-sweet and chocolatey, rather, the chocolate is less bitter, and there are clear notes of citrus. Nice whisky, and I look forward to trying the other expressions.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glengoyne 12yo

Glengoyne 12yo

Official bottling
Single malt - South Highlands
Light gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, milk chocolate, malted grains, apple juice, hints of fig jam. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, static, chewy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Milk chocolate, raisins, prunes, dried figs, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Short. Cola nuts, coffee, red grapes, milk chocolate. 

Comments: 

Same old Glengoyne, chocolatey and raisiny, but this time with additional fruit and even a hint of tartness. I really enjoyed this, such a wonderful trip down memory lane.

Verdict:

I like this.

Port Dundas 28yo 1988/2017 "The Crackerjack"

Port Dundas 28yo 1988/2017 "The Crackerjack"

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single grain - South Highlands
Dark gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, bananas, caramel, green tea, kiwi fruit. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, cool, slightly airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Green tea, bananas, kiwi fruit, white grapes, vanilla. 
Finish: Short. Green tea, peaches, bananas, strawberries. 

Comments: 

Cask DL 11693. It's been a while since I encountered a Port Dundas! This one is tannic, fruity and light. It's not as sharp and bright as most grain whiskies, perhaps it's been in the cask a little too long. Nice finish, slightly confusing nose.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glengoyne 15 yo

Glengoyne 15 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - South Highlands
Dark gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, chocolate, orange juice, plums, peanuts, hints of pineapples. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loose, turns watery, expands. 
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Chocolate, malted grains, raisins, orange peel, orange juice, plums, hints of red grapes. 
Finish: Medium. Red grapes, raisins, orange juice, plums. 

Comments: 

Lots of chocolatey Glengoyne oomph. But this whisky is really fruity and jammy, with slightly tart and slightly bitter notes in among all that raisins and chocolate. Nice grapey finish, although this isn't overly sherried in character.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 123.10 (Glengoyne 9 yo 2005/2014)

SMWS 123.10 (Glengoyne 9 yo 2005/2014)

2014, SMWS
Single malt - South Highlands
Brass
57.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, milk chocolate, white grapes, pears, amaretto, marzipan, hints of sandalwood.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns syrupy, chewy.
Tasting: Sweet sour . Vanilla, white grapes, strawberries, honey, marzipan, pears, hints of lime, hints of milk chocolate.
Finish: Medium. Milk chocolate, pears, limes, white grapes, hints of honey.

Comments:

Sweet, fruity, lovely and drinkable. This is Glengoyne without any sherry influence, and it's equally good. Very, very nice indeed, delicious at this high strength, no water required.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Inchmurrin 12 yo

Inchmurrin 12 yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - South Highlands
Amber gold
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Salt caramel, orange peel, honey, pears, lemons, orange blossom, hints of leather.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, slippery.
Tasting: Sweet sour . Orange peel, orange blossom, lemons, salt caramel, peanuts, hints of leather, hints of peat.
Finish: Medium. Peanuts, salt caramel, lemon zest, hints of ginseng.

Comments:

Lightly peated whisky made at Loch Lomond's famous Lomond stills. This is very floral and sweet, with a tart edge. The peat adds a little salt and savoury note. Nutty in the finish, very enjoyable. Easy sipping whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.