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. 

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. 

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.

Oban 13yo Manager’s Dram Sherry Cask

Oban 13yo Manager’s Dram Sherry Cask

Official bottling

Single malt - West Highlands
Bright gold
62% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sandalwood, white pepper, lohan fruit, pears, gooseberries, blackcurrant cordial, toast, autumn leaves, hints of chicken stock. With water, autumn leaves, honey, gooseberries. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, astringent, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Ginseng, walnut skins, lohan fruit, autumn leaves, gooseberries, fresh cut grass, sandalwood, hints of smoke. With water, sea salt, chicken stock, leather, gooseberries. 
Finish: Long. Pears, gooseberries, white grapes, autumn leaves, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Oof.  Meaty, fruity, grassy, herbal with layers and layers of smokiness. Ware brings out more frightening on the nose but a savoury sweetness on the tongue. Rightly considered one of the best whiskies.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardnamurchan Sherry Cask 2024

Ardnamurchan Sherry Cask 2024

Official bottling
Single malt - Western Highlands
Amber brown
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Coffee, raisins, dark chocolate, orange peel, malted grains, hints of roast beef, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, driftwood smoke, roast beef, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, dark chocolate, orange peel, black pepper, fresh baked bread, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, coffee, dark chocolate, hints of roast beef. 
Finish: Long. Walnut skins, coffee, black pepper, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Deep spicy notes with a lick of salty smoke that intensifies when water is added. On the tongue, water brings out even more bitterness, and the fragrance of coffee and chocolate.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

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. 

Ardnamurchan 5yo 2019/2024

Ardnamurchan 5yo 2019/2024

Single Cask, Nickolls and Perks
Single malt - Western Highlands
Mahogany
59.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Kippers, smoke, black tea, raisins, blackberry jam, brown butter. With water, raisins, lemon sweets, black tea, brown butter. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Sandalwood, vitamin C tablets, black tea, blackberry jam, hints of cinnamon. With water, black tea, vitamin C tablets, brown butter. 
Finish: Medium. Brown butter, black tea, sea salt, blackberry jam. 

Comments: 

Cask 2080. Fragrant and smoky, lots of herbal incense notes. In the tongue it’s sweet with blackberry jam notes, and overlaying everything is an impression of nutty brown butter. Water brings this out even more.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oban 20yo 1984/2004 (2004 Special Releases)

Oban 20yo 1984/2004 (2004 Special Releases)

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands 
Very pale gold
57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green tea, grapefruit, lemon juice, yoghurt, sea salt, white grapes, malted grains. With water, green tea, white grapes, malted grains, wet stones. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Fresh cut grass, grapefruit, white pepper, green tea, leather, wet stones, pencil lead, hints of yoghurt. With water, wet stones, grapefruit, pencil lead, lemon juice. 
Finish: Short. Sea salt, lemon juice, leather, wet stones. 

Comments: 

Excellent, feinty, lots of minerally goodness, but this time with a lot of citrus and green tea. I love these complex, slightly saline whiskies.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oban 26yo 1996/2022 Prima and Ultima

Oban 26yo 1996/2022 Prima and Última

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands
Golden brown 
55.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, toffee, autumn leaves, wet stones, grapefruit, sea salt, hints of roast chicken. With water, toffee, grapefruit, candle wax, hints of roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, mouth coating, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Grapefruit, bay leaves, autumn leaves, sea salt, camphor, ginseng, lemon juice, hints of raisins, hints of toffee. With water, malted grains, bay leaves, lemon juice, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Bay leaves, lemon juice, sea salt, raisins. 

Comments: 

Layered fruity, feinty, mineral and very, very complex. Stuff makes it into the Prima and Última range for a reason, and this whisky fully deserves its place. Top 1% stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oban Private Cask 1989/2013

Oban Private Cask 1989/2013

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands 
Yellow bronze
47.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Aluminium foil, honey, lemon zest, wet stones, gooseberries, white grapes, smoke, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, cool, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Gooseberries, white grapes, winter melons, smoke, honey, wet stones, malted grains, dark chocolate, hints of peat. 
Finish: Medium. Leather, coffee, dark chocolate, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Minerally yet fruity, this has some age in it and good interaction with the cask. There’s plenty of chocolate bad coffee, especially on the finish. Very nice dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oban 14yo 200th Anniversary Special Edition

Oban 14yo 200th Anniversary Special Edition 

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands
Yellow gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, pears, honey, white pepper, applesauce, cinnamon, hints of toast. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, astringent, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Pears, gooseberries, white grapes, malted grains, cinnamon, vanilla custard, smoke. 
Finish: Medium. Smoke, vanilla custard, white pepper, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Fruity and intense, more intense than the regular Oban 14. Lots of custard notes, and the smoke is also more prominent. This is really great stuff, showcases the distillery character.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Allt a’Mhullin 15yo 2005/2021

Allt a’Mhullin 15yo 2005/2021

Roslin Distillers
Single malt - West Highlands
Light copper 
50.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Shortbread, aluminium foil, white grapes, malted grains, vanilla, butterscotch. With water, sandalwood, vanilla, butterscotch, shortbread. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, hot, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Butterscotch, malted grains, sandalwood, vanilla, shortcrust pastry, white grapes, hints of white pepper. With water, vanilla, butterscotch, chocolate, white grapes. 
Finish: Short. Shortcrust pastry, vanilla, white pepper, butterscotch, shortbread. 

Comments: 

Vanilla, pastry, butter, lots of delicious things that appeal, but it doesn’t have the fruity intensity of the usual Ben Nevises. Water brings some fruit to the fore, but it’s still unusually buttery. Very interesting.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oban 11yo Handfilled Exclusive Batch 5

Oban 11yo Handfilled Exclusive Batch 5

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands
Dark gold
57.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Photocopy paper, cotton sheets, lemon juice, cinder toffee, sea salt, hints of apricot jam. With water, peaches, pear drops, lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon juice, peaches, cinder toffee, leather, cotton sheets, white grapes. With water, malted grains, white grapes, apricot jam, rye bread. 
Finish: Long. Lemon juice, cinder toffee, white grapes, white pepper, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Feinty, but with that salty marine lemony flavours. Water brings in apricot jam and more cereal, on the tongue, and leads to a nice long slightly smoky finish. Again, great whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oban Distillery Exclusive Batch 3

Oban Distillery Exclusive Batch 3

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands
Bronze
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, malted grains, white pepper, photocopy paper, sea salt, white grapes, hints of yoghurt. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Leather, malted grains, white pepper, gooseberries, white grapes, cinder toffee, hints of soot. 
Finish: Long. Leather, malted grains, soot, white grapes, cinder toffee. 

Comments: 

Light, fresh and saline, perfectly Oban so far, but at the end, at the back of the mouth, there’s a small wash of dirty soot. It’s very interesting, and almost catches in the mouth. Great whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oban 19yo The Manager’s Dram (bottled 1995)

Oban 19yo The Manager’s Dram (bottled 1995)

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands
Yellow bronze
59.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mint, chalk, honey, camphor, gooseberries, malted grains, fresh cut grass. With water, leather, roast chicken, honey, gooseberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, cool, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Honey, camphor, gooseberries, leather, celery salt, strawberries, hints of yoghurt. With water, leather, honey, chalk, gooseberries. 
Finish: Long. Leather, gooseberries, strawberries, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Bitter and herbal on the nose, and more than a little grassy. Once on the tongue it turns sweeter, with a bit of old bottle effect. Water brings out even more sweetness, and fruity notes too. Very decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oban 8yo 2000/2009 The Manager’s Choice

Oban 8yo 2000/2009 The Manager’s Choice

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands
Light amber
58.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, gooseberries, camphor, fresh cut grass, dark chocolate, blueberry jam. With water, dark chocolate, gooseberries, blueberry jam. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, volatile, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Roast chicken, camphor, leather, parchment, dark chocolate, blueberry jam. With water, camphor, chocolate, hay, blueberry jam. 
Finish: Long. Parchment, toffee, leather, camphor. 

Comments: 

Cask 1186. Herbal, even a teensy bit smoky, but mostly laden with jam and chocolate. On the tongue it’s quite meaty, and water creates more jam and even floral notes. Very nice whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardnamurchan 9yo 2014/2023

Ardnamurchan 9yo 2014/2023

Limited, Adelphi
Single malt - Western Highlands
Amber gold
56.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, cloves, barley sugar, lemon zest, brown sugar, hints of strawberry jam. With water, strawberry jam, vanilla, honey, barley sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, warm, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Strawberry jam, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, bubble gum, barley sugar, raisins, hints of tarragon. With water, cinnamon, strawberry jam, raisins, honey. 
Finish: Short. Barley sugar, raisins, cocoa nibs, cloves, hints of tarragon. 

Comments: 

Very jammy and spicy Arnamurchan. It’s the oldest I’ve ever had from this distillery, and it does fulfill its promise. I’d say that the cask influence (sherry) is predominant, but there’s some herbal hints that are from the distillate.

Verdict:

I like this.

Nc’Nean Single Malt Batch 3

Nc’Nean Single Malt Batch 3

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands
Yellow gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cinnamon, orange juice, lemon sweets, malted grains, nutmeg, hints of rhubarb and custard sweets. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon sweets, rhubarb and custard sweets, orange juice, malted grains, vanilla, lemon zest, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, cinnamon, rhubarb and custard sweets, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Fruity, quite tart, but has a hint of salt in all the sourness. The cereal appears largely on the finish, but is a good counterpoint. Decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Nc’Nean Huntress Orchard Cobbler

Nc’Nean Huntress Orchard Cobbler

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands
Yellow
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, nectarines, orange juice, cinnamon, rhubarb and custard sweets, lemon sweets, hints of butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, mouth coating, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon sweets, apples, nectarines, malted grains, cookie dough, vanilla, green tea. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, green tea, cookie dough, apples. 

Comments: 

Lots of apples and stone fruit, together with sweet vanilla and tannic green tea. Definitely an orchard vibe here, makes for tasty whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Nc’Nean Quiet Rebels - Gordon

Nc’Nean Quiet Rebels - Gordon

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Highlands
Yellow gold
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, lemon sweets, rhubarb and custard sweets, raisins, butterscotch, cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, warm, tingly.
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Butterscotch, cinnamon, raisins, cocoa nibs, lemon sweets, vanilla, hints of green tea. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, lemon sweets, vanilla, cinnamon, hints of green tea. 

Comments: 

Gentle, subtle whisky, with some creaminess and butterscotch. There’s a bit of spice, but it’s mostly fruit flavoured sweets. Enjoyable dram.

Verdict:

I like this.