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. 

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.

Heart Cut Barley

Heart Cut Barley

The Heart Cut
Blended malt
Amber, hints of red
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cinnamon, new plastic, strawberry jam, cream, vanilla, raspberries, hints of nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Strawberry jam, raspberries, cinnamon, orange peel, orange blossom, vanilla, black pepper. 
Finish: Short. Black pepper, orange blossom, raspberries, honey, strawberry jam. 

Comments: 

An English blend, and like anything from the Heart Cut, very flavour forward and intense. Lots of jammy notes, but also floral orange blossom and black pepper. Quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Thomson 5yo 2019/2025 (NZ Pinot Noir Cask)

Thomson 5yo 2019/2025 (NZ Pinot Noir Cask)

#19, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Auckland
Reddish pink
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, figs, toast, blackcurrant cordial, damson jam, honey, butter, hints of new plastic. With water, strawberry jam, honey, figs. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, expands, turns airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla, honey, strawberry jam, figs, damson jam, toast, white pepper, cloves, nutmeg. With water, strawberry jam, red wine, nutmeg. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, damson jam, toast, white pepper, cloves. 

Comments: 

This is among the better red wine finishes I’ve had. Lots of sweet red fruit notes, with toast and spices. Water brings out more jammy notes and something even sweeter. Rather delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Thomson 5yo 2019/2025 (Bourbon Cask)

Thomson 5yo 2019/2025 (Bourbon Cask)

#18, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Auckland
Golden orange 
50.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Charcoal ash, tyre rubber, canned pineapples, lemon zest, sandalwood, honey, black pepper. With water, canned pineapples, honey, sandalwood, hints of apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, turns syrupy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Charcoal ash, driftwood smoke, malted grains, tyre rubber, lemon zest, apricots, sandalwood. With water, lemon zest, vanilla, roast beef, soot. 
Finish: Medium. Charcoal ash, malted grains, driftwood smoke, soot. 

Comments: 

A very interesting nose, combined with a bitter ashy flavour on the tongue. It’s not intense smoke though, in fact it’s rather gentle, but the ashiness is quite pronounced. I do like canned pineapples, but this isn’t quite rhe barbecued pineapple, more heavily smoked in the tail end of a barbecue.

Verdict:

I like this.

Lochlea 5yo 2019/2025

Lochlea 5yo 2019/2025

#17, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Lowlands
Pale green gold
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, green apples, honey, limes, lemon zest, malted grains, hints of peat. With water, limes, lemon zest, cinder toffee, toast. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, loosens slightly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Limes, green apples, lemon zest, sourdough bread, malted grains, smoke, hints of charcoal ash. With water, sweeter, honey, toast, green apples, cinder toffee. 
Finish: Short. Smoke, charcoal ash, limes, green apples, sourdough bread. 

Comments: 

Quite tart and fruity. It’s an ex Islay cask, so the peat is gentle and light. Lots of bready notes underneath that sour fruit as well. Rather good, as all the Heart Cut bottlings are.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Starward 5yo 2019/2024

Starward 5yo 2019/2024

#14, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Victoria
Red
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, raisins, strawberry jam, magic marker, fresh baked bread, vanilla, white pepper. With water, strawberry jam, raisins, chocolate, hints of golden syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, loosens, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Strawberry jam, blackcurrant cordial, white pepper, fresh baked bread, raisins, apricot jam, hints of marzipan, hints of brown butter. With water, raisins, marzipan, golden syrup, hints of brown butter. 
Finish: Long. Strawberry jam, magic marker, marzipan, white pepper, blackcurrant cordial. 

Comments: 

Another red wine cask with high ABV, lots of fruit notes, but here it’s deeper, with flavours of butter and nuts. It takes water well, the buttery notes become more forward and intense. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Starward 6yo 2018/2024

Starward 6yo 2018/2024

#15, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Victoria
Red
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry laces, cherry blossom, fresh baked bread, lemon zest, black pepper, hints of raspberry jam. With water, malted grains, black pepper, cherry blossom. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon zest, blackcurrant cordial, cherry blossom, vanilla, cola nuts, fresh baked bread, mint, hints of raspberry jam. With water, blackcurrant cordial, black pepper, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Medium. Blackcurrant cordial, raspberry jam, strawberry laces, cherry blossom, mint. 

Comments: 

High ABV red wine cask, usually a recipe for disaster but in this case, it makes a very floral sweet whisky. Lots of interaction between the wood and the spirit, creating fruity and vanilla notes. Complex and layered.

Verdict:

I like this.

Nc’Nean 4yo 2020/2024

Nc’Nean 4yo 2020/2024

#12, The Heart Cut
Single malt - West Highlands
Orange gold
54% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Raisins, vanilla ice cream, dried raspberries, dried blueberries, malted grains, magic marker, red grapes. With water, magic marker, wet stones, red grapes, hints of gentian. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, expands, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla ice cream, dried blueberries, shortcrust pastry, toffee, honey, hints of wet stones, hints of walnut skins. With water, wet stones, raisins, dried blueberries, hints of gentian. 
Finish: Medium. Dried blueberries, raisins, shortcrust pastry, wet stones, hints of walnut skins. 

Comments: 

Magnificent whisky, lots of body, almost chewy, with plenty of blueberry pie notes. There’s a pleasant bitterness that develops slowly on the finish, almost herbal. Everything I’ve had from this bottler is excellent.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Fielden 4yo 2019/2024

Fielden 4yo 2019/2024

#16, The Heart Cut
Single rye - Oxfordshire 
Amber brown 
56.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Salted caramel, vanilla, milk chocolate, toffee, milk powder, hints of pears. With water, milk powder, salted caramel, coffee, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Toffee, salt caramel, dates, Demerara sugar, black pepper, nutmeg, hints of pears. With water, nutmeg, salted caramel, brown paper. 
Finish: Medium. Toffee, vanilla, cream, milk powder, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Whisky that tastes exactly like Rolos. The salt caramel note is intense, almost overpowering. Lots of spicy flavours compete with it. Water tame it a little bit, bringing nutmeg and coffee to the fore. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Stork Club 5yo 2019/2024

Stork Club 5yo 2019/2024

#13, The Heart Cut
Single rye - Brandenburg
Amber
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, black pepper, rye bread, coffee, dark chocolate, sea salt. With water, roses, photocopy paper, white grapes, coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium, cool, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Coffee, dark chocolate, rye bread, honeysuckle, fresh cut grass, hints of black pepper. With water, coffee, photocopy paper, fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Long. Coffee, dark chocolate, photocopy paper, honeysuckle. 

Comments: 

Sweet and honeyed, with lots of dark chocolate and earthy coffee. It’s extremely fragrant, like a freshly made espresso. There’s a herbal element to it, something grassy and sweet underneath. Lovely dram, the Heart Cut releases are always good.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

White Peak 4yo 2020/2024

White Peak 4yo 2020/2024

#10, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Derbyshire
Copper
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, roast chicken, chicken stock, honey, peanuts, leather, raisins, cloves. With water, vitamin C tablets, cloves, black tea, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Roast chicken, chicken stock, vitamin C tablets, lemon zest, cloves, nutmeg, smoke, orange juice. With water, chicken stock, nutmeg, honey, hints of strawberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Vitamin C tablets, smoke, cloves, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Peated, with a great meaty feel, lots of roast chicken notes water increases the savouriness, and bring in jammy notes with smoke and cloves. Impressively layered.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

JJ Corry Irish Whiskey

JJ Corry Irish Whiskey

#11, The Heart Cut
Blended malt
Dark gold 
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, apricots, vanilla, raisins, copper pipes, aluminium foil, black tea. With water, strawberry jam, cream, shortcrust pastry. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Aluminium foil, copper pipes, chocolate, black tea, raisins, apricot jam. With water, strawberry jam, shortcrust pastry, cream, brown paper. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, sandalwood, apricot jam, aluminium foil. 

Comments: 

Four casks blended together, one of which is a pajarette cask (a first for me). It’s not a sherry bomb though, it’s delicate and complex, with plenty of feinty notes that prickle the nose. Lovely stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

St George Spirits 7yo 2016/2023 (New American Oak Cask)

St George Spirits 7yo 2016/2023 (New American Oak Cask)

#9, The Heart Cut
Single malt - California
Dark gold
52.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, jalapeños, malt vinegar, malted grains, chillies, fresh cut grass, white pepper, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Pear drops, jalapeños, fresh baked bread, white pepper, cinnamon, nopales, hints of chillies. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, white pepper, malted grains, malt vinegar. 

Comments: 

A very unusual, vegetal whisky. Jalapeños are very unusual in whisky in my experience, they might even be unique to this whisky. It’s almost like hot sauce, and I’d absolutely eat this sprinkled over a steak. Smooth and quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

St George Spirits 7yo 2016/2023 (Californian Ale Cask)

St George Spirits 7yo 2016/2023 (Californian Ale Cask)

#8, The Heart Cut
Single malt - California 
Amber gold
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apricot jam, sage, shortcrust pastry, white grapes, chamomile, lime zest, golden syrup, hints of damson jam. With water, pears, magic marker, damson jam, sage. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, slippery, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apricot jam, butter, butterscotch, white grapes, blueberry jam, golden syrup, hints of shortcrust pastry. With water, pears, damson jam, fresh baked bread, shortcrust pastry, chamomile. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, white grapes, butterscotch, sage. 

Comments: 

A really unusual whisky from the Heart Cut, an amazing bottler. This one is herbal and sweet, lots of buttery goodness with heaps of jammy notes. A very intense whisky (so unusual it’s labelled as an ‘experimental malt’). 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Milk and Honey 4yo 2019/2023

Milk and Honey 4yo 2019/2023

#4, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Tel Aviv
Red
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pomegranate molasses, raisins, dried cranberries, blackcurrant cordial, allspice, dates, black pepper. With water, honey, cocoa nibs, blackcurrant cordial. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, mouth coating, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Pomegranate molasses, dried cranberries, maraschino cherries, salt caramel, butterscotch, allspice. With water, blackcurrant cordial, cocoa nibs, dried cranberries, strawberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Maraschino cherries, dates, dried cranberries, strawberry jam, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Really fruity and sweet. Excellent whisky, absolutely delicious and flavourful. Lots of cherry and cranberry notes, and water opens it up to something really jammy and chocolatey. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Stauning 5yo 2017/2022

Stauning 5yo 2017/2022

#1, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Midtjylland
Dark yellow
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, blackberry jam, driftwood smoke, orange peel, golden syrup, black pepper, camphor. With water, fresh cut grass, camphor, driftwood smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Brown paper, black pepper, camphor, raisins, rye bread, golden syrup, coriander, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, camphor, black tea, black pepper, rye bread. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, coriander, camphor, hints of blackberry jam. 

Comments: 

Slightly smoky, jammy sweet Stauning. There’s a rye bread note, but the label says single malt, which is interesting. I don’t think they’re as strict in Denmark as in Scotland.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kyrö 4yo 2018/2023

Kyrö 4yo 2018/2023

#3, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Southern Finland 
Dark amber
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, black pepper, rye bread, vanilla, honey, cloves, white grapes. With water, blackcurrant cordial, black pepper, rye bread, parchment. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Strawberry jam, white grapes, gooseberries, parchment, black pepper, honey. With water, black tea, parchment, coffee, strawberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, parchment, wet stones, black pepper, coffee. 

Comments: 

Very jammy for a Kyrö, but the dry parchment and bready notes are also much in evidence. There’s plenty of spice, and with water it turns bitter and tannic. A chameleon of a whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Westward 5yo 2018/2023

Westward 5yo 2018/2023

#7, The Heart Cut
Single malt - Oregon
Dark gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vitamin C tablets, orange peel, raisins, lemon zest, almonds, passionfruit, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Oatcakes, passionfruit, almonds, raisins, brown paper, cedar, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Sea salt, oatcakes, cedar, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Rather salty and citrusy, with a slightly astringent and metallic tinge. Nevertheless it’s got a lot of flavour for something that is just 5 years old. Thins out to a bit of wood on the finish, but that doesn’t hurt it at all.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

FEW Spirits 6yo 2016/2023

FEW Spirits 6yo 2016/2023

#5, The Heart Cut
Single rye - Illinois
Amber red
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, golden syrup, honey, vanilla, dried raspberries, hints of milk chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, expands, loosens slightly, tingly.
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Peaches, brown butter, vanilla, brown paper, cloves, milk chocolate, cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Cream, golden syrup, milk chocolate, black pepper. 

Comments: 

Rather sweet and milky, lots of buttery chocolate notes. Very lactic especially on the finish, but it’s not sour, rather creamy instead. Enjoyable distillate, a good couple of layers of flavour.

Verdict:

I like this.