25/12/2025 Bunnahabhain

Bunnahabhain 43yo 1968/2012 (47%, The Whisky Agency, Refill Sherry Butt, 498b): nose: we have an enticing custard and baked fruits (peaches, apples), then a gentle flowery fragrance (honeysuckle, forsythia, and tagetes). It has something almost metallic, perhaps, the secateur used to prune the afore-mentioned plants more than razor blades. With a bit of breathing, it offers more and more fruits, starting with additional peaches (tinned, now) and touching persimmon and mint, before landing next to alphonso mangoes. The second nose seems even fruitier: tinned peaches, baked peaches, baked apricots. Next to those are passiflora. Mouth: urgh, it is very soapy, unfortunately. A sample gone off, without a doubt. One can guess that it used to be a fruity number, but it is now difficult to enjoy that, due to the litre of shampoo that floats in the way. Chewing stirs some custard and increases the spices, namely white pepper and ground cardamom. Is it really worth the trouble, when the whole is so clearly spoiled? The second sip (we might as well suffer until the bitter end -- for science, you know?) is like chewing on vine and plant stems, very bitter, shampoo-y. Finish: wood and fruit come out on top, which is good(ish) news. It has dried galangal slices, ginger shavings and dried apricot slices, even mango slices. The finish too, however, is mired with shampoo. The second gulp has more ginger, it seems, as well as cinnamon and ground cloves. What a pity! It almost convinces, but all that shampoo on the palate is a turn-off. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)

23/12/2025 Bowmore

Bowmore 34yo 1968/2002 (40.3%, Duncan Taylor Peerless, C#3819, 162b): nose: a little 'splosion of tropical fruits: persimmon, carambola, lychee, rambutan, pink passion fruit. Behind that is a light smoky note, more diesel fumes than burnt wood, and smoked seashells. In fact, it gives an impression of nacre or pearl. That said, it is all behind those juicy fruits. After a few minutes, those fruits travel in a white-plastic bin liner, fortunately clean. Then, the maracuja symphony resumes. The second nose is a tad quieter, though still very fruity. If anything, persimmon takes charge, now. It also has more wood: uprooted trees and dead branches covered in lichen, and a camp fire in the middle. Mouth: undeniably fruity, it has the acidity that comes along, yet also a rubbery aspect. Chewing increases that rubber feel, which is to say bitterness, and adds a droplet of shampoo. It is tolerable, but makes me wonder if the sample is spoiled. The second sip has more soap and the dreaded Parma violet. Chewing only increases that perception. It is easy to sense that the fruits are still there, but they are overwhelmed by shampoo and Parma violet. Damned! Finish: creamy, juicy, fruity. We have persimmon and smoked mango leading the fruity dance, followed by guava, carambola, maracuja and cherimoya. We detect a pinch of charred-wood gratings and a dash of shampoo again. That last bit is light in the finish; it only gives a mild bitter lick, but it is there. Retro-nasal olfaction picks up more and more burnt wood. The second gulp is similar, except it adds chocolate milk to its arsenal. Imagine this from an unspoiled bottle! 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)

3.213 18yo Fresh, inviting and energetic (56%, SMWS Society Single Cask): nose: this is very vegetal! It smells like a greenhouse at the start of spring or the end of autumn. Rubber boots, gardening tools, plastic watering cans, damp earth and juicy plant stems or shoots. A deeper sniff adds earth, moss, heaps of weeds, the result of earlier weeding, and a box of Turkish delights -- the gardener's reward for weeding, without a doubt. We also have bruised pears and peaches turning brown. That all transforms, after five minutes, and we discover juicy oranges instead. The second nose brings darker earth with a drop of ink and tapenade. It is still damp, borderline mushroom-y. Finally, we have a cup of lukewarm cappuccino -- or chocolate, really: the loud part is the whipped cream topped with cocoa powder, not the coffee. Later yet, it somehow bears that smell of the cafeteria on a CalMac vessel. Woah! Mouth: peaty and acidic, it propels smoked citrus to the fore. It is not acidic enough to be lime or grapefruit; rather Buddha's hand or calamansi, perhaps a slice of blush orange. To accompany that, we have the white smoke from a wood fire, smoked Seville-orange marmalade, and hot pieces of hardened tree bark. Following a fleeting note of plum eau-de-vie, the second sip has Mokatine replace the Turkish delights from the nose. In other words, it is sweet and bitter (though not bitter-sweet). Chewing pours sea water and crushed seashells on that, which is odd. The mouth grows warmer with time. Finish: there is a subtle maritime element at play, here, and we spot fleeting oysters or smoked haddock fillets sprinkled with lemon juice. The main act, however, is burnt wood in a clay-floored bothy. Salty fruits follow, tangerine slices splashed with sea water, and marmalade served with fleur de sel. The second gulp is akin to deglazing a cup of strong coffee with a dash of sea water and a drop of petrol. It leaves all sorts of bitter notes on the palate, while the sea salt is wrestling with sugar residue of the drunk coffee. Unpretentious, good. 8/10 (Thanks, OB)

22/12/2025 Glenburgie

Glenburgie 16yo 1997/2014 (57.2%, Hunter Laing The Sovereign, Sherry Cask, C#HL10522, 300b): nose: fruity and gamy, it conjures up images of lingonberry compote, or cranberry sauce, served with venison. Not sure to which extent the deer on the label suggest that image, but there we are. Steamed red cabbage gives a vegetative acidity, and there is a drop of red wine amongst all that. None of those is particularly pronounced, by the way; it is a relaxed nose, altogether. The second nose has a biscuit-y-cereal-y profile, with Horlicks, digestive biscuits, gravy granules. Then, we find stagnant water in a well whose level is much lower than average, possibly a drop of red ink, and pickled pearl onions, after a while. Perhaps strawberries in liqueur, coated in chocolate, and the skin of a skinned rabbit, with flesh tatters and all. Mouth: sweet and sour on the tongue, it is definitely steamed red cabbage and lingonberry compote over button mushrooms in a red-wine sauce. Chewing pushes the loudness to unexpected levels. It stirs up cured meat, game salted beyond recognition (is it pigeon?) and leather, black with a thick coat of patina. The second sip brings about liqueur-soaked strawberries with the tiniest amount of chocolate on top. It is a trifle too much for tOMoH, yet that is a but a matter of taste: it is not exactly overwhelming either. Further sips have a whisper of marzipan, soon overtaken by an earthy-winy current. Finish: more gamy meat, pastrami-ed boar, cured sausages, cured poultry or wild fowl, and a generous pour of heavy red wine. It is a long and warming finish, certainly adequate for the season, but not exactly subtle. The second gulp feels fleetingly sweeter, then turns salty (not just savoury: salty). Cured pheasant, roasted pigeon in a wine sauce, salt-crusted chicken, berries in a bath of caramelised liqueur and Grande Fine. Lots of breathing time does this a lot of good. It retains a pleasant sweetness, which helps berries (raspberries, strawberries) contain the salty, winy cured meat a little more convincingly. This is decent, but not my thing. 6/10 (Thanks, OB)

21/12/2025 Glen Phwoar!

The only dram from the big 2022 shindig we have not had since. Well, we had it in 2023 (from another bottle) and, therefore, postponed this rerun.

Glen Mhor 44yo 1966/2011 (52.1%, Gordon & MacPhail Reserve exclusively bottled for van Wees, Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#3690, 133b, b#79, AA/JGIF): nose: a robust Highlander for which aeons of ageing have eased the roughest edges. We have a thin smoke hovering over waxed furniture covered in patina, and cured fruits glazed with honey. On a wooden table, someone has drawn a line of gunpowder, ready for snorting, and the open wooden cupboard in the corner holds an oilcloth tablecloth for when the lady of the house paints her nails. Going back to the fruits, they mostly come from a local orchard, meaning apples, pears, quince, and they dry out with breathing time, even if recurrent additions of honey revives them somewhat (I am not adding honey, to be clear; it is a note that comes and goes is what I mean). The whole seems to converge towards a bunch of lilies-of-the-valley on the rustic, patina-covered wooden table. Incredibly, the second nose has farm paths and muddy farmyards, for a split second. We swiftly go back to orchard fruits, now sweeter than ever: roasted apples, stone-baked quince and lush honey spilled on a wooden cutting board. Meow! Is that caramelised puffed wheat, after a while? Aye. Mouth: enchanting from the word 'go'! Similar notes as what we had on the nose, with honey, orchard fruits and waxed furniture, but with so remarkable a balance that the repetition is welcome. The alcohol kick is modest, yet perfect -- exactly what one would expect of an old glory like this. Chewing unleashes a torrent of furniture polish and dials up the patina-ed wood, which imparts the whole a gentle bitterness, even if calling it bitter would be a stretch. No, it is a fruity, waxy number with a lick of wood and a veil of smoke that is now a tad more acrid than the nose suggested. The palate has some old, faded hard plastic too (think of that famous plastic-container brand), which is an interesting counterpoint to the more-dominant waxed wood. The second sip is thinner, for a moment, then soon stokes the fire under roasting orchard fruits. It offers a glass of cool apple juice augmented with a (wooden) spoonful of honey licked by a gentle acrid smoke from a coal hearth. Finish: quite the departure, here, as it has virtually no wood bitterness to show. Instead, it is a cup of chicory infusion, toned down with milk, and sweetened with dried apple slices, or tart quince jelly. Only after thirty-or-so seconds does one notice how numb the roof of the palate is, throbbing as if hit by a plank. Dark conifer-blossom honey spread onto a Biscotte, or, better, a charcoal cracker. That latter is our only reminder of the smoke from the nose and palate, it seems. The second gulp adds a (wooden) spoonful of cocoa to the chicory infusion, a pinch of mocha, and a sprinkle of caster sugar. It retains a certain acridity, one that generates warmth, rather than discomfort. The jig of orchard fruits, honey, wood, furniture polish and acrid smoke it outstanding. A whirlwind that increases speed and weaves those elements so tightly that they become more than the sum of their parts. What a dram! Magnificent. 9/10

HB, PC.

20/12/2025 Teaninich

Teaninich 45yo 1975/2021 (49.5%, Bartels Whisky Highland Laird, Bourbon Hogshead, C#14796, 35b, b#20): nose: last night, I found this overly muted and, today, I can see why: it is almost extinct a nose, even taken out of the brouhaha of a big gathering with fast-paced freestyling through drams. There is nowt wrong here, let me be clear. It does keep its cards close to its chest is all. Looking hard, we find rustic chairs covered in patina and dust, tangerine peels so dry they have lost nearly all fragrance, and peach skins in a similar condition. In fact, the latter are so quiet they may as well be a pair of Adidas tracksuit trouser from the early 1990s (if you get that reference, leave us a comment!) They then slowly awake to reveal a soft fruitiness. Still, nothing much to notice but for the hardcore speleologists of scents. The second nose has expired onion relish, still good to eat, but it has lost most of its smell and taste. Eventually, dusty wood reigns supreme. Mouth: furniture patina seems appropriate. It is a bit waxy, a bit woody, and more than a bit bitter. Chewing thankfully balances that bitterness with a luscious apricot compote. Frustratingly, that is soon overpowered when a bucket of ground white pepper lands, followed by plane shavings and wood chips. A nice sweetness comes and goes, alongside an acidic bitterness reminiscent of conifers -- imagine a honey-coated pine cone crushed in a wood chipper. Juicy yellow fruits in syrup appear at second sip: plum, physalis, peach. A bit of swirling around the mouth cranks up the sweetness and fruitiness, but also adds (pink) pepper, which is much less-well received. And then there is that sawdust... Finish: a lot sweeter than expected, this has apricot compote and manuka honey, at first. A woody, almost-plank-y note soon joins them. This is a 1970s bookshelf made with chipboards from the period (no MDF, at the time!) It makes for a spicy and woody, long finish that is not devoid of charm, yet it will not appeal to everyone. The second gulp has a delicious, sweet fruitiness for starters, quickly matched, if not submerged, by bitter wood. Dried galangal slices, dried lemongrass, ginger powder, chipboards. Difficult. "This one has a little too much wood, in my opinion," CBr warned last night. That is putting it mildly. If we contrast this with the forty-six-year-old by Sansibar we had in 2024, this here Bartels bottling is really not in the same league. It is easy to see why its recommended retail price was around twenty percent of the Sansibar's. It was probably bottled later than it should have been, at least according to my taste. A meak 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, CBr)

19/12/2025 DW's birthday bash at 3 Greek Street

Back at 3 Greek Street for DW's birthday event. Hard to accept it has been that long, even knowing we had an intermediary sesh in April.

A merry band of twenty-or-so meet in the tasting room, including CBr, PS, IH, BA, WhiskyLovingPianist, DW, YM, JS, cavalier66, TS, JL, SW.

This year, I am (unintentionally) sitting next to WhiskyLovingPianist from the start. Scribes stick together for a never-ending he-said-he-said joke.

It is a free-for-all, self-service affair, loud, sweaty, and hectic. As a consequence, I do not always know whose bottle I am trying, hence the lack of credit in places. Obviously, notes are sparse as a result.

My own contributions, which I do not try tonight:

Strathisla 1999/2010 Here Come The Rain Again (46%, La Maison du Whisky Belgique, C#45530, 247b) (notes here)

Pittyvaich 14yo 1986/2001 (43%, Ian McLeod Chieftain's, Hogsheads, C#9519-22, 1074b, L1212BB 3 11 58) (notes here)

Let us roll!

Springbank 18yo 1975/1994 (55.8%, OB for the , C#3594, 120b, b#, 94/996) (CBr)

Nose: it has a mineral sweetness, like confectionary sugar on limestone. That turns into cosmetic powder and honeysuckle.
Mouth: ooft! this is bitter. It has a mix of blotting and edible papers, crumpled paper bags and ink. Earthy fruits rise thereafter, slowly.
Finish: a sharp, earthy kick introduces fruits, though it remains a touch earthy too.
Comment: a great Springer from the past, and quite the rarity too. That may play a role in my score. 9/10

Caol Ila Cadenhead 31yo 1984/2015 (54.3%, Cadenhead London Exclusive 20th Anniversary, 168b)

Nose: fishing nets and whelks, a dash of diesel and sand. A textbook Caol Ila, in other words. It becomes sweeter at second nosing.
Mouth: diesel alright, tarry sands.
Finish: long, sandy, tarry, it also has a lot of ashes and dry smoke.
Comment: this is a bit too diesel-heavy for me. A good bottling, but I can see why I did not buy it, at the time. Cadenhead and others have released better expressions from this distillery since. 8/10

Teaninich 45yo 1975/2021 (49.5%, Bartels Whisky Highland Laird, Bourbon Hogshead, C#14796, 35b, b#20) (CBr)

Nose: prunes or cured plums, to be more accurate. Flowers descend onto the world shortly afterwards. It becomes more fragrant when given time, with flower petals (roses, tulips).
Mouth: chewy, almost chalky, though that is quickly overtaken by jasmine or similar small white flowers.
Finish: it is a bit plant-sap bitter, which spoils an otherwise-delicious custard.
Comment: good, not great. Considering the pedigree, I am disappointed. 8/10

WhiskyLovingPianist [to one of the whiskies]: "If my dog had a face like yours, I'd shave his butt and ask it to walk backwards."

Lochside 1981/1998 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Rare Old, no screen print) (cavalier66)

Comment: we had this one previously, so I take no notes. It is still excellent, even in this hectic environment. 9/10

Blair Athol 26yo d.1976 (46%, Direct Wines First Cask, C#7601, b#224) (CBr)

Nose: wonderful, lush fruitiness. We have prunes, peaches, cured dried apricots.
Mouth: quite biting for the ABV, it has cured fruits too, a faint lick of cork, and wine gums. There are a few splinters, but it is not woody per se.
Finish: I want to say gravadlax, for some reason (it is such a cool word, after all!) It has a touch of gravy, which starts with the same four letters and may explain, thickened wine sauce, glazed button mushrooms...
Comment: bloody hell, First Cask! Never seen a bad one. 8/10

WhiskyLovingPianist: "It's just a thing. It's its own thing."

Blended Scotch Whisky 1979/2016 (53.3%, Berry Bros. & Rudd exclusive to Royal Mile Whiskies, Sherry Butt, C#4, 385b)

Nose: cherry turnovers and berry-flavoured sweets.
Mouth: initially fruity, it quickly turns woody and spicy, with galangal paste, crushed ginger and all. Then, it goes back to lovely berries and even lychees.
Finish: mango custard, smashed rambutan, unripe blueberries. This is delicious. It even has a blast of mango at the death.
Comment: the nice surprise of the evening. I would go to 9, were it not for that woody bitterness. 8/10

Glen Garioch 27yo 1998/2025 (57.1%, Thompson Bros. for East Coast Whisky, 2nd Fill Bourbon Barrel, 97b) (DW)

Nose: very fresh and clean, citrus-y, it has lemon mint and even menthol.
Mouth: ah! It is a slightly astringent number, not soapy, but pointing in that general direction. It stays on the right side of what is acceptable. Chewing brings a spicy custard, with vanilla, chocolate and ginger powder -- lots of it.
Finish: powerful, pungent, spicy, yet also custard-y in texture, and a tad acidic. There has to be a lot of calamansi and Sicilian lemon in this, foliage included. That competes with a soft earthiness.
Comment: great act. I preferred it the previous edition, though. 8/10

Irish Single Malt 28yo 1989/2018 (45.1%, The Whisky Agency Ten Years TWA, Barrel) (Cavalier66)

Nose: P.E.A.C.H.! Cured persimmon too.
Mouth: well, it is ridiculously fruity.
Finish: more fruity debauchery.
Comment: I tell PS this is Allison Doody in The Last Crusade. How topical: Irish inside, German outside, just like this bottling by The Whisky Agency. Ha! Ha! It is as good as the first time, if not better. 9/10

The Arran Malt 10yo 2008/2018 Fourth Release (55.4%, OB White Stag, Bourbon Barrels, 875b, b#640)

Nose: fudge, custard and a nut paste or another (probably chestnut). It may even have soft smoke.
Mouth: a little spice and a lot of chocolate. White pepper, smashed rocks and chocolate custard.
Finish: lots of cracked black pepper and the same nut paste as before that still appears to be chestnut.
Comment: pretty good. 8/10

Burnside 1993/2017 (54.6%, Spirits Shop' Selection imported by Sansibar, Bourbon Hogshead, C#1796, 209b)

Nose: initially a little mute, it wakes up to medlar and unripe chestnut, (not quite) green hazelnut and unripe almonds. There is plasticine in the background.
Mouth: lots of waxy plasticine, here, and chewy fruit sweets. They are not Starburst, but it is a similar in texture as when one lets Starburst melt on the tongue. There are also berries of some kind.
Finish: long and fruity, in a way. This is smoked berries and crushed bay leaves.
Comment: good effort, despite the weird use of an apostrophe. 8/10

Kildalton 22yo 2003/2025 Chapter Twenty (53.7%, Decadent Drinks Whiskyland, 2nd Fill Barrel, 247b) (DW)

Nose: crushed seashells, mud patties, inky cuttlebones, tarry sands.
Mouth: woah! this is inky. Ink, diesel, petrochemicals in a water puddle, seashells after a black tide, and sea water.
Finish: surprisingly soft, custard-y, it has smoky fudge, smoky chocolate custard, yet also seashells full of diesel and cracked black pepper. The death brings souped-up vase water, which is interesting, after all that sea water action.
Comment: good. 8/10

Glasgow 1770 8yo 2017/2025 (54%, OB Bourbon Cask Matured, First Fill ex-Bourbon Barrels, B#1, C#17/264 + 17/269 + 17/272 + 17/674 + 17/676 + 17/699, 1400b)

Nose: it feels a tad spirit-y, but we still find apples, followed by a soft earthiness. Does it peddle washing-up liquid, in the long run?
Mouth: bubble gum cranked up to 11, black pepper. The main picture is that of strawberry bubble gum, though.
Finish: bigger than expected, in line with the mouth, which is to say: bubble gum and pepper.
Comment: another nice surprise that deserves a generous 8/10

Ben Nevis 12yo 2012/2024 (53%, Stillwater, Oloroso Barrique, 300b)

Nose: blueberries fallen into the mud. It is not as dirty as party sludge (remember that?), but it is not clean either. Prunes, blueberries, and also an oaken shield.
Mouth: ooh! This is fruity on the palate. Lots of berries, currants and black pepper.
Finish: super creamy, now, custard-y. It has hints of chocolate and buttery fudge.
Comment: annoyingly, this is very good. As it turns out, it is yet another distillery to keep an eye on, ha! ha! 8/10

Millburn 22yo 1969/1992 (51.7%, Cadenhead Authentic Collection 150th Anniversary Bottling, Oak Cask) (SW)

Nose: peach stones, polished wood, cured fruits.
Mouth: rehydrated raisins and a lot of drying wood spices.
Finish: woody, it also has Cognac, which means fruity shenanigans.
Comment: not my favourite Millburn. The label fell off in a flood. One wonders if more than the label was damaged and that is why the whisky, if decent, is a little underwhelming (for a Millburn). 8/10

DW: "I almost drew a cock-and-ball on your notebook."
tOMoH: "I think you'll find it's a cock-and-balls. Or did you want to draw a Hitler?" [who famously only had one bollock]
DW: Yeah, a Hitler."

Sweet 48yo 1972/2021 (46%, J.G. Thomson)

Nose: bah! Full-on baking scents, marzipan and baked choux dough.
Mouth: soft and sweet, it is a pastry attack alright, with custard and apple turnovers.
Finish: lots of blackcurrants. There must be a good proportion of Invergordon, in this. There may be a drop of grape juice too, which presents a tiny bitterness.
Comment: delicious. 8/10

Talisker 25yo b.2008 (54.2%, OB Natural Cask Strength imported by Diageo Greece, Refill Casks, 9708b, b#0104) (cavalier66)

Comment: I finish JS's glass who has had enough. I take no notes, convinced I have had it before, but apparently not. The closest is the version from the following year. This one is good too. 8/10

Glen Scotia Victoriana b.2025 (54.2%, OB, Bourbon + First-Fill ex-Pedro Ximénez + Deep Charred American Oak Casks, L1 148 25)

Nose: rubber, black liquorice bootlaces, but also cotton candy and a shoemaker's workshop, which spells polish and sole glue.
Mouth: apple juice, then fresh green grapes. There is quite a bit of horsepower on display too.
Finish: "a butyric candy" (WhiskyLovingPianist). It is very sweet and very fruity, full of apples and grapes pressed into a delightful juice.
Comment: totally unlike my memory of the Victoriana expressions I tried between 2016 and 2019, which, as I remember them, were very-smoky affairs. This is super welcoming. Another nice surprise. 8/10

Glen Garioch 19yo b.2025 (48%, Whisky Souls Living Souls, First Fill Sherry Butts) (SW)

Nose: clay and plasticine, some herb or another.
Mouth: plasticine juice, peach and clay.
Finish: a little soft and shy, this most certainly suffers from the sequence.
Comment: we will try this again another time. 8/10

We are all kicked out at 22:00. JS and I manage to escape, while others hit the bar downstairs.

Survived another one!

I think the only things I did not try were a Scallywag and BA's White Peak 7yo 2018/2025 (52.4%, Elixir Distillers The Whisky Trail, 4 x New Bourbon Barrels, 1254b), which we tried in October.

Oh! And cavalier66's Caol Ila 30yo 1984/2014 (52.8%, The Ultimate Rare Reserve, Hogshead, C#6261, 228b, b#42) (already tried) and his Imperial 20yo 1995/2015 (46%, The Ultimate, Hogshead, C#50234, 281b, b#44, L15/1482) (he breaks the cork and cannot open it; we had it last year).

BA worked in the shop, today. :-D

19/12/2025 A, B, D, E, but not C

Aberlour 16yo b.2014 (59.1%, OB Hand Filled at the Distillery, Sherry Cask, B#A14): nose: oily exotic woods (mahogany, teak, iroko), shoe polish (dark brown), and a nutty chocolate liqueur. The next sniff brings dark furniture wax, tar-black honey and more shoe polish, soon joined by super-dark raisins, dried blackcurrants and dried mulberries. It is elegant, but very dark. Only the smell of cloves is missing to suspect this was distilled by Goths. All that wood polish ends up unveiling woodworm-riddled rustic chairs. The second nose has purple ink and pencil erasers. That spells a gently-chemical fruitiness, probably, a fruitiness that is soon joined by blackberry jam on dull toast served on tarmac. Mouth: woody, teeming with furniture polish (in a spray, this time). It is not exactly bitter, yet the huge waxiness has definitely gone beyond the gentle yellow-fruit stage. Chewing reminds us of all the raisins and currants from the nose, but, here, they sport a cloak of furniture polish. Dried mulberries, dried blackcurrants, dried cherries, raisins, a spoonful of dark wax and lots of polish for dark-wood furniture. The second sip is a tad more winy, with rancio, clay floors and a generic musty wood dust presenting elderberry and a blackcurrant paste of sorts. It gains a dose of ginger powder too. Finish: fleetingly dry and somewhat reminiscent of a beef-stock cube, it quickly unleashes a cascade of dried berries and currants more in line with the nose and palate. The alcohol bite is remarkably limited, yet, when its effect dissipates, one realises how strong this whisky is thanks to the prominence of tar, a note that was completely hidden to begin with. The second gulp adds spices (ginger powder, ground cloves, amchur) to chunky dark-berry jam. It makes for a gently-bitter-mostly-fruity finish that is hard to disagree with. This is well made. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)

Abhainn Dearg b.2023 (61%, OB X Cask Type, PX Cask): nose: to say it is an entirely-different beast would be the understatement of the week, at least! This is not merely rustic; it is farm-y, today. Moist earth and grass in an orchard, field fertiliser (yes: muck, albeit discreet), geranium plants, but also lichen on penny walls built to enclose pastures. Back to the orchard, there is a faint fruitiness at play, part tart apples, part unripe greengages, and that paves the way for crayons, followed by chewy sugar-coated, acidic cola sweet. Tilting the glass gives shoe-polish vapours on top of that. The second nose has a more-decipherable muck scent that mingles with caramel-flavoured breakfast cereals -- or is it a spoonful of chocolate paste, augmented with a few drops of Marmite? It promptly takes us to crayons and pencil erasers, however, with sappy plants in the background, chilling in a vase, and choux dough in the next room. Mouth: this too seems surprisingly mild an attack, with purple sweets and blueberries in a muffin form. Chewing pumps bitterness into the mix: crayons, scented erasers. That is supported by Tubble Gum, some kind of flexible, synthetic insulation (not rubber) and unripe berries (cranberries, blueberries, bilberries). It takes on a note of burnt baking parchment, at some point, which is unusual. The second sip is firmly in the camp of pencil erasers. It may add a succulent plant or two for a bitter freshness, and a rough ball of wax. Lengthy chewing sprays furniture polish on the lot. At a push, one may detect orchard-fruit eau-de-vie poured on caramel-flavoured cereals. Finish: big and shifting, it presents a rotating tapestry of flavours, like a kaleidoscope. Membrillo, pressed raisins, 45%-cocoa-content chocolate, blueberries, chewy sweets (huckleberry flavoured), but also diesel fumes and hot berry pies coming out of the oven (oooh!) After the palate, one may know to look for a burnt note, in which case, one may find it. Nothing exuberant; just parchment whose corners are blackened by an extensive period in the oven. The second gulp has dusty wax kept on a metal plate, a flower or three on the worktop upon which someone made sandwiches with chocolate spread, and a piece of fruit coated in chocolate -- my hunch is greengage. In any case, it provides a comforting warmth, as would the kitchen of a grandmother's home in the countryside. This is really unique and fascinating. Not easy, perhaps. 8/10

18/12/2025 Lochside

Lochside 37yo 1981/2018 (48.6%, The Whisky Agency, Butt): nose: it is immediately fruity, but actually not as much as I expected. We have lychee and rambutan complemented by paint (for some reason, the green uniforms of Britains Deetail U.S. Infantry come to mind, which, at Humbrol's, would be closest to Bright Green, AA0037) and other volatile esters, such as carbonyl, and apple peels. That does progress towards mangosteen and dragon fruit, but it is not solely fruity, although breathing time calmly increases the fruitiness, what with mango slices and tinned peaches joining the parade. Let us put the emphasis on the word 'tinned', here: it is tinny alright. Tinned white-grapefruit segments, tinned apricots, if such a thing exists, tinned cantaloupe (yup). The second nose is more-clearly citric, with citrus peels and leaves, and, sadly, fewer of the tropical fruits. Some may find Sugus or Starburst too (lime flavour), and just a vague reminiscence of dragon fruit and cherimoya, as well as reddish grapes (Flame) on the vine. Mouth: acidic and woody upon entry, it timidly develops a fruity side. with pineapple bark, honeydew melon and guava. Chewing transforms this into full-on fruity debauchery, with carambola, unripe pineapple, pomelo and even lime. It is somewhat green and bitter, but oh! so good. Next, we have frosted glasses (a cut lime segment helps the sugar stick to the rim of the glass), cucumber peels and unripe clementines. The second sip is just as acidic and potent, yet it becomes creamy over a short period of time. Cherimoya, unripe banana and yellow kiwi meet yellow peaches and cucumber peels. Indeed, it keeps a bitter touch, which it displays once the acidic main act has done its thing. Further sips deploy a lovely dark honey spread onto Ryvita Original Crackerbread, with but a sprinkle of ginger powder. Finish: refreshingly fruity, it takes only ten seconds to radiate a comfortable tropical heat, akin to sipping a cocktail by the pool. A long, pleasant finish with a lasting fruity bitterness -- lime zest, citrus leaves (tangerine, maybe?) and crushed mint. The second gulp seems bolder from the get-go, with a kick of wood (oiled acacia), but also cured apples and apricots. That is right: there is something remotely wine-y in this, even if it is not a loud, vulgar Sherry cask. It is fruitier and creamier again over time. That said, if it is decidedly elegant, it is not the ridiculous fruit bomb that Lochside from this vintage can be; this has other things to offer too, and that is equally marvellous. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, OB)

15/12/2025 Mickey Mouse

Timorous Beastie 40yo b.2016 (54.7%, Douglas Laing, 1080b, L13 0816): because the timorous beastie in question looks like (and probably is) a mouse. Nose: nostril-tickling marzipan and a dash of grape juice. Behind that are flower petals (lily-of-the-valley, jasmine) and the flowers' delicate scent, perhaps a tapenade of green olives, and jellied pistachios. That all dissipates to leave woody tones, part acacia shelves, part honey. In fact, it is very much a cough-relief infusion with honey and cinnamon, maybe a pinch of herbs somewhere between thyme leaves and hawthorn. Nothing shouts, nothing is in one's face. The nose unveils its charms calmly, confident in its qualities. The second nose has more fruits, with dried apple slices, stale candied papaya cubes, and raisins that have lost all fragrance. We also have a cardboard box, the like of which one finds as cereal packaging. Only when tilting the glass does grape juice make a comeback and provides some vitamins. Mouth: measured, the attack has conifer honey to start with, and pine needles in a clearing growing in intensity. They make for an interesting palate that balances the acidity of pine needles with the spices of the tree bark. Chewing pumps chocolate into the mix, milky, a notch bitter, and comforting. It is kept intriguing thanks to its interplay with the citrus-y acidity of pine needles. It is as if someone had blended chocolate milk with a dash of génépi, a drop of lemon juice, and stuck a cinnamon stick in it. The second sip pops open a couple of jars of jams: one is a blackberry jelly (no pips), one is a lemon marmalade. It blends a lush sweetness with acidic and bitter components, bakes half of it and blends it back with the unbaked half. The result is delectable. It feels woodier in the long run, with cassia bark and ground cloves joining the berries from earlier (remember the jams). Finish: it kicks harder than one would anticipate and makes for a good breakfast: citrus juice, honey, chocolate milk. If looking with intent, one would find pine-needles-coated banana chunks, or a nutty granola augmented with blackcurrants. Indeed, it marries nutty-woody notes, caramelised cereal clusters and a berry bitterness. That makes for a lasting, if gentle, chalk impression that accompanies a dryish mouth. The second gulp may well be sweeter. Its berries or currants are certainly riper and, therefore, less bitter, if not entirely devoid of bitterness. Blackcurrants, blackberries, mulberries, some fresh, some in jam form, all served in a dunnage warehouse. This suddenly has dusty clay floors and stacks of old staves. And dried-pineapple shavings, of course -- one finds that in any warehouse. Not. Mind you, it also has a slice of panettone, with yeast and booze-soaked raisins. Delicious! 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, OB)

14/12/2025 Brackla

Royal Brackla 30yo 1984/2015 (54.1%, Cadenhead Single Cask, Bourbon Hogshead, 192b, 15/120): nose: a little indistinct, initially, with tired wood and stale biscuits. A few minutes' breathing do not seem to wake this up -- there is nothing wrong with it; it simply does not say much. Another minute and, suddenly, that changes: as if it was hurt by my observation, it slaps me in the face with a huge clementine segment. And it withdraws again, as if nothing had happened. Perhaps there are dried orange peels, but it is really, really a plain nose, today, apart from that periodic (because it is periodic) fleeting outburst of fresh citrus. The second nose has more wood, and it is more-clearly defined too. Oiled birch shelves, ginger powder, then, an enormous spoonful of honey. Even further, we have stem ginger, Hobnobs and ginger snaps kept in the pocket of an oilskin. It has something waxy to it alright, almost rubbery. From there, it seems to finally awaken: candied apples, baked grapes and candles dunked in thick custard make an entrance. Mouth: blend-like and bland for a couple of seconds, it start playing the trumpet quickly. Notes of clementine, mandarine and tangerine jostle with ground pepper. Chewing adds recently-oiled oaken planks, and stokes the citrus fire. It has a pinch of asafoetida as well as a crushed bay leaf. Tangerines have the upper hand, however. Come to think of it, with their pronounced acidity, they are probably tangelos, after all. The second sip is more yellow. Not only do we have pouring custard, we also find physalis, Mirabelle plums and nectarines. One chew releases bitterness, likely that of unripe fruits (pineapple, carambola, canary melon). The texture is velvety, akin to a nice vanilla-flavoured oat milk -- one that would be complemented with fruits and pepper. Finish: magnificent! Wood oil, rubbed mandarine peel, tangerine, tangelo, clementine, and a generous sprinkle of white pepper from the mill. It is comfortable and warming, rolls out a procession of those orange citrus fruits, and adds a groovy note of artichoke. Amazingly, that works a treat. In the long run, it brings back a stronger wood influence, which leaves the tongue a tad dry, despite the back of the mouth salivating. The second gulp is fruitier, meaning it peddles more types of fruits. We have carambola, cantaloupe (especially the skin) and unripe papaya to supplement the citrus from earlier -- citrus that actually seems more acidic and bitter than before. It is never lime or lemon, but unripe Meyer lemon or yuzu certainly. This could or should reach a higher score, but the first nose was a tough nut to crack, today. More so than the first couple times we had this (here and here). 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, OB)

13/12/2025 Port Ellen

A Raasay would be the most adequate today: during the night, I dreamt that I was meeting PT and ST on Raasay. ST had closely-cropped hair, which should have made me realise it was a dream. Anyway, I woke up to pictures of PT on social media: he had just spent a few days... on Raasay! Eerie, or what?

No Raasay available at tOMoH Tower, though.

Port Ellen 28yo 1983/2011 (58.9%, Malts of Scotland, Bourbon Hogshead, C#MoS 11011, 267b, b#60): nose: even before putting one's nose in the glass, the room fills up with the smell of bacon rashers sizzling in a pan heated on a campfire at the beach. Burnt driftwood, dried kelp and bacon. Finally dipping the olfactory organ in the vessel adds earth (mud patties) and wet sands (sandy castles), a drop of black ink, and charred razor clams turned on the grille with tongs that have a Bakelite handle (it is actually closer to rubber than Bakelite, but that would make little sense from a thermal-insulation perspective). Then, we find charred jackfruit, charred pineapple rings, and smoked shrimps served in baked apricot halves. All that has a tail of sooty charcoal and, maybe, there is a sprinkle of lemon juice on a hot, dusty engine. The second nose has something a touch medicinal, more hospital-surface cleaning agent than disinfectant for human tissues, and more fruits. This time, we have fresh (unripe) pineapple chunks, then smoked-fruit yoghurt. Slowly, in the background, ink and dried freshwater algae become perceptible that cling to a vase. The ink is winning this race, clawing the space one cubic centimetre at a time. Mouth: soft and sweet at first, it is like biting into a pineapple ring for many a second, juicy, welcoming. Soon enough, the heat fires up and, if it does not hit the roof, it is warm on the tongue and palate. Mild chewing releases molluscs (cockles, clams, whelks, limpets, barnacles) and adds a dash of sea water. Indeed, this is pretty salty. More-aggressive chewing injects some shoe polish and a pinch of soot, or boiling caramel. That takes us back to chargrilled pineapple, surely. The second sip is even sweeter, brimming with a cotton candy that leaves smoke behind. Little by little, molluscs return, moving sea water on their way, and it is fascinating and unusual to see such sweetness displaced by such saltiness. Not that unusual for someone used to drinking margaritas, I suppose: a pinch of salt, smoked-orange segments and tequila are more or less in line with this, here. Finish: big and assertive, this warms up one's soul and oesophagus. Shiny warm copper introduces earth in a sieve, wet sands slowly baking, inky whelks and smoked calamansi. It is, of course, a long finish, integrated to a point nothing shines brighter than the rest, and it leaves the mouth in a similar state as after smoking fruity tobacco, or so one would imagine. Retro-nasal olfaction picks up tobacco smoke and dried citrus peels, so it does not require too much imagination. Subsequent gulps brings forth peat bogs, stagnant water, heaps of freshwater algae, vase water reminiscent of the Tyrone spirit, albeit much more powerful, if controlled. What lingers, however, are juicy slices of smoked oranges with a pinch of salt on the side, and mould starting to form. This comes close to perfection, today. 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, OB)

12/12/2025 For the connoisseurs

Linkwood 23yo 1998/2021 (53.3%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength exclusively bottled for TyndrumWhisky.com, Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#13808, 267b, 21/214): nose: an enticing chocolate-y-caramel-y aroma coming out of prunes and raisins. It has a spoonful of (cold) apple sauce, smashed pineapple and a drop of coffee. Deeper nosing brings that all closer and spills it on oilcloth, which is a little surprise. The second nose sees pressed sultanas, piña colada (no rum, no coconut), maybe one bright-red candied cherry, and, belatedly, a heap of oiled wood planks waiting to be burnt in the fireplace. Mouth: sweet and fruity, it has sultanas, honey-glazed pecans and macadamias, and dried dates. Chewing adds marzipan to the equation, tones down the initial heat, and pours a blend of pineapple juice, hot chocolate and bitter coffee (thankfully, only a drop of that one). Say! This is brilliant. The second sip is fruitier yet, with a mix of pineapple, apple, nectarine and apricot, augmented with a fistful of sultanas. Ridiculously good. Finish: hot and warming without being spicy, this exudes oiled wood furniture, toasted bread slathered with honey, rehydrated sultanas, perhaps Mirabelle plums in a tart filling, and piping-hot pineapple rings straight out of the oven (oooh!) It is powerful and leaves the tongue a bit stunned, but, all in all, it is gorgeous. The second sip is sweeter, if that is possible. It is a procession of sultanas, dried dates, smashed pineapple, dried mango slices, and dried apricots. Naturally, there is still some honey to coat all that, though it is less obvious than earlier. Delicious. I can see this getting an additional point in other circumstances. 8/10

Caol Ila 15yo 2005/2021 (57.5%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength selected by The Whisky Exchange, Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#301507, 266b, 21/022): nose: how ashy this is! Cigarette ash, the ash box of a fireplace insert, an extinguished campfire the morning after. That opens up to give drying fishing nets and smoked seafood (shrimps, squid, smelt), as well as tarry sands soaked with sea water. In fact, the tar recedes and the water turns cleaner. The second nose seems a tad drier, still brimming with ash, now spread onto scorched earth. Much of the seafood has disappeared, making room for a whiff of rubber. Mouth: surprisingly sweet, after all that ash and seawater on the nose. The palate has honey-glazed scallops, and cockles coated in caster sugar. Chewing merely amplifies those, maybe adding a ladle of sea water. Indeed, it is alternating between sweet and salty. After a minute-or-so, it suddenly acquires a bold dose of black pepper, yet shortly does an about-face and settles for mocha chocolate -- ha! The second sip is just as sweet, or so it seems. Confectionary sugar, those pink-and-white marshmallows, fish in a caster-sugar crust, and cockles wrapped in candyfloss. Finish: ashy, salty and incredibly sweet. We have molluscs glazed in honey, then rolled in ash to form a batter. The second gulp has a mix of wood oil or walnut stain, flat cola at room temperature, hot coffee and smoked honey. It works. The ever-reliable Caol Ila! 8/10

08/12/2025 Tomatin

Tomatin 27yo 1987/2014 (46.3%, Morrison & Mackay Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask imported by The Stillman's, Hogshead, C#495, 187b, b#10): nose: boldly fragrant, the nose offers boiled cabbage, lingonberry compote, but also a delicious blackcurrant liqueur. It takes a turn for the darker and sees berries black as night. Blackberries, elderberries, chokeberries, huckleberries, mulberries are brightened up with stewed cranberries. It has a soft touch of pickled red onions too, or a drop of red-wine vinegar. That is but fleeting, however; soon, we are smelling a warm bilberry tart and concentrated tamarind paste on toast. The second nose has black ink and jelly of some kind. Jellied spinach, perhaps? As a parting gift, the nose gives us a whiff of cork. Later on, that transforms into raisins dripping with syrup, which takes us close to Sherry -- probably Pedro Ximénez. Mouth: very oily in texture, it appears shy in taste, initially. Nectarine juice? Chewing stirs up a strange concoction, part cardboard, part smashed cranberries, part chocolate, part vinegar. It works, but it is unusual. More chewing releases a dollop of Marmite on an onion beigel. The second sip has a faint tea-like bitterness that comes and goes. Squid-ink pasta with a creamy sauce and burgundy nail varnish. Retro-nasal olfaction spots bread baking in the oven. This is a funny one! Finish: silky, it has Madeira wine, a hint of chocolate, and onion relish. Is that jellied smelts? It certainly feels gelatinous, in any case, and somehow a trifle fishy. Jellied pistachios and dried dates rock up in the second gulp, still with Madeira wine. Repeated quaffing makes all converge towards pressed raisins coated in melted chocolate (55% cocoa content). We may well distinguish a spoonful of caramel coulis to be poured on top of that. This is good, but I am not sure we hear much from the distillate. I reckon the cask does most of the talking. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)

07/12/2025 Lagavulin

Lagavulin 8yo (48%, OB Limited Edition 200th Anniversary, Refill American Oak Casks, 20,000b): nose: gently-toasted barley, dry hay stacks, haybales stored in a barn, and a delicate waft of manure -- insofar as such a scent can be delicate. There are some crystals in there too, perhaps quartz, augmenting a layer of smoked yellow stuff -- straw now comes into focus. It is not complex in the slightest, but it plays its couple of notes adequately. The second nose has oily tobacco followed by an overheated room in which one smokes a lot. Mouth: punchy, it turns blue and petrolic, reminiscent of petrol drops in a puddle of rain water: pretty, but not good to drink. This, here, is less harmful, and it actually feel diluted, which is quite rich, at that strength. We have got straw set alight, cereals toasted beyond caramel (and teasing char), and petrol. The second sip is fresher; it even has apple slices. They are soon cloaked in cigarette smoke, as if someone ruined one's dessert by smoking at the dinner table. Finish: it is sweet cereals, for a second, then a frank lick of an ashtray. It has charred paper, burnt cereals, straw ashes and cigarette ashes -- thankfully not the butts. tOMoH's grandparents (on both sides) had push-down ashtrays, and this finish is strongly reminiscent of that. For nostalgia value, that makes this whisky worthwhile. Otherwise, it is for smokers only, really. Or for those who are cold, because this is warming. The second gulp is sweeter, with custard and lukewarm fruit yoghurt. And smoke. This is young, simple, yet efficient -- for those who like this profile. Me? Just the one dram, thanks. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)

06/12/2025 Littlemill

Littlemill 23yo 1990/2013 (54.8%, Silver Seal, C#33, 290b, b#286): nose: the wonderful smell of custard, Madeira biscuits and ripe fruits. It starts with peaches and nectarines, and ends with kakis, papayas and mangoes. It being a Littlemill, it has a mild mineral touch, of course, closer to setting grout than to crushed Aspirin. That all plays second violin to pastry, though, fruit turnovers, choux dough, profiteroles, custard, flan. The second nose is shier: indistinct fruits bathing in chocolate milk, geraniums in a greenhouse, marzipan in the making, caramelising in the pot and sticking a bit. There is a whiff of flowers too, not sure which, and homemade gingerbread. Mouth: a nice, fruity attack brings peaches and mangoes. Five seconds on the tongue help spot caramel poured on lukewarm flan, and custard. One chew -- yes, just one -- stirs the magic pot, which triggers a bolt of mango to hit the stage. Hot on its heels are cherimoya and persimmon, ripe papaya and a drop of cherry liqueur. Those who are sensitive to it may complain about a pinch of grated Aspirin; that would be nitpicking, tOMoH says. Besides, it is closer to mocha grounds from a hot tin pot. The second sip has a slightly-more-pronounced note of Aspirin, but it remains hard to detect, overwhelmed as it is by fruits. Mango custard, baked cherimoyas, steamed papayas. It is a creamy number, overall. Finish: perfect heat and intensity. It blows up like a firecracker, then dissipates quickly to allow a myriad of tropical fruits to do a little gig. Mango, persimmon, kaki, papaya, cherimoya -- they are all here, supported by a rivulet of melted milk chocolate, or chocolate custard. It still has the minute bitterness of mocha, if not limestone dust (I believe they call it chalk). The second gulp puts more emphasis on mocha: it feels akin to a sip of lukewarm coffee into which a pinch of mocha grounds found its way. A second later, the fruit brigade has restored its own dominance. We have mango melting on the tongue, ripe peach, mushy persimmon, baked cherimoya all doused in warm pouring custard. Is it pineapple, in the back? If it is, it has come with coconut milk and chocolate in tow. Only in hindsight do I realise that the palate had grilled pineapple itself. Ha! 9/10 (Thanks for the dram JS, and thank you St Nicholas)

05/12/2025 Benrinnes

36.75 17yo Curried butternut soup (58.9%, SMWS Society Single Cask): nose: strangely quiet, it has a whisper of balsa wood, not much else. Let us give it a moment to breathe... That does the trick. Now, it is a typical 'rinnes, with pine-tree branches, pine planks, resin and dark honey in the making. Deeper sniffing adds a rubber hose, or liquid tape, which is nothing else than rubber in liquid form, and tar. In fact, that rubber stretches its wings so much that I am made to think of some rums -- is it not Enmore that reeks of rubber in that way? Here, that is soon punctuated by fresh apple slices, and bitumen applied as top dressing of a felt roof. The second nose sprinkles dried lime zest on conifer branches, and serves that with a pine-cone stew. A fistful of meadow grass or hay completes the picture. Mouth: a departure from the nose, this feels fresh and fruity, if quickly lively too. It has apples again, with ginger gratings scattered on top. Chewing invites a pronounced acidity; at first, it appears to be citrus, however it is soon evident that it is actually conifer branches, sap and cones. Suc des Vosges and Ice Blue mint sweets laced with galangal to spice up the freshness. The second sip prolongs the acidity, adds the coldness of a metal blade (the one used to cut citrus, probably), and charges the whole with a sweetness unnoticed until now. It is strikingly fresh and warming, as a good cocktail can be -- for some reason, the minty citrus makes me think of a Major Bailey, even if this does not taste like gin, of course. That rallies under the conifer banner, however. Each sip presents bolder citrus, lime zest and Shaddock pomelo peels. Finish: Ice Blue mint sweets, Suc des Vosges, spearmint (yes, it is spicy) are joined by galangal paste, then crushed cloves. It is a trifle anaesthetising. It leaves the gob cool, but dry at the same time, which makes no sense whatsoever, like yoghurt in a wooden bowl. The second gulp gives fleeting chocolate, then a bold wave of minty-zesty freshness, before it all calms down with ginger peels and cassia bark. As it was on the palate, it is sweeter over time, hinting at calamansi and tangerine, without reaching their intensity: mint sweets never allow. Pretty good. 7/10 (Thanks, OB)

04/12/2025 December outturn preview at the SMWS

Once again, we join Tm, PS, DW and JS to try the new outturn. It is a quietish night for a preview night, and tOMoH is not complaining.

149.18 9yo 2015/2025 La vida es sueño (61.7%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 218b): nose: lamb marinated in herbs and oil, then grilled. It also has smoked haystacks. There are brambles behind those, a bunch of flowers from a smoky environment, and plasticine. Perhaps there is a hovering scent of laundry detergent, in a nice way. Mouth: sweet wax, lots of wax, actually. Chewing releases more and more smoke, reminiscent of dried-out Christmas-tree branches thrown on the fire in early January. It does not lose the waxiness, though. The second sip sees grilled carambola with a dusting of grated chalk. Finish: hot, this has barbecue and lots of hot wax. It has a bitter side too, cucumber-peel style. The second gulp has a strong note of silt, augmented with tart Comice pears. Pretty good. 7/10

PS [to tOMoH, about DW's Christmas shindig]: "We'll need to co-ordinate."
tOMoH: "I'll be there at 18:30, gone by 21:00. You can arrive at 21:30."

9.312 32yo 1992/2025 When orchards dream (48.8%, SMWS Society Cask, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 102b): nose: flowery, it is teeming with cosmetic powders. Then, we have Turkish delights, face paint and beads of dried resin. The second nose welcomes moist papier mâché, strangely combined with chewy fruit sweets. Mouth: fresh, juicy, it has lots of plasticine and dental-plaster, which gives a clear bitterness, on top of being chewy. The second sip is sharper: plant sap, a pinch of quarry dust and green plants, with just a handful of timid berries in the back. Finish: long, coating, it feels like biting into a hot pastie. The second gulp is as warm and a tad greener, with succulent plants (sedum, sempervivum). It is only at the death that we perceive fleeting unripe Mirabelle plums and physalis. This is good. At £345 a bottle, it is hard to relate the quality to the price, however. 8/10

3.359 21yo 2004/2025 Jelly in a limestone sauna (56%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Bodega PX Barrique, 262b): nose: smoke, shoe polish and blackcurrants, then dark earth. There are hints of purple passion fruits, chewy blackcurrant cough drops and a nostril-singeing heat akin to sticking one's nose on the corroded bonnet of a blue tractor whose engine has been overheating. The second nose draws cut mango, some slices of which have fallen in the mud. Mouth: Chinese food, with soy sauce, sesame oil and chilli crisp. Chewing unleashes a relentless wave of dark berries -- blue-, black-, currants, maybe elder-. The second sip brings up a hot radiator, though no dust. Finish: long, purple, it has a little earth and lots of fruits: dark grapes, blueberries, blackberries, myrtles, dark cherries. The second gulp is a tad warmer. This is excellent. My favourite, so far. 8/10

DW: "Are you a Stranger Things person?"
tOMoH: "No."

DW: "You should. It's really good."

tOMoH: "I try to avoid things I may find addictive."
PS: "And yet he talks to us!"

19.104 22yo 2003/2025 Something for the sweet-toothed (54.3%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 147b): nose: a punch of leather and fruit paste (membrillo or fruit jellies). Then, it is a black- and blueberry paste augmented with fragrant rosemary. How strange! The second nose goes further and unveils purple-tulip petals. Mouth: yes, this is a slightly-chalky fruit paste, with blueberry and blackcurrant shining brightest, followed by bright-red Montmorency cherries. It is another chalky number that presents a discreet metallic bitterness too. The second sip stings a little more and announces a spicier profile. Finish: warm, it has plant stems and lots of waxy fruit paste. Again, we are talking about membrillo or blackcurrant paste. Strangely, the second gulp seems softer, lush as dark-flower petals, this time accompanied by yellow petals too, and a dash of fruit juice (part grapefruit, part apricot). Solid. 8/10

Tm and PS scan PS's collection for distillery 69.

PS: "69.14 Complex and delightful. Oh! They named it after me."

89.24 17yo 2008/2025 Hip hip hooray! (60.4%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 252b): nose: a slap of animal scent that hints at a Sherry maturation (and, indeed). Rabbit pelt, soaking hides, and maybe a cigar dunked in the same preparation. A minute later, we get cured fruits, apples in a leather pouch, then suede and cured plums. Water increases the leather impression and adds a wood-panelled room. Tilting the glass adds hints of scarlet cherries. Mouth: pickled fruits, tawed hides, and, finally, berries rise -- cranberries, lingonberries, bilberries, blackcurrants... and wine. The second sip is like licking sheepskin, roughness and all. Water rubs very-dry leather that comes close to smoke. It is a wineskin made of camel leather that someone is drinking from while smoking a hookah. Finish: long and fruity with a touch of wood. Cloves macerating in red wine, prunes and blackcurrant. Water improves this one: it makes it noticeably fruitier, with both cherries and berries parading on the back of a camel. tOMoH's first SMWS Tomintoul, he reckons. It is a bit of a vulgar Sherry maturation, in his opinion. Not really a success. Then again, others like it. It just about reached 7, but the second sip is less interesting -- the novelty value wears off, probably. 6/10

70.67 17yo 2008/2025 Through the window, brambles (57.7%, SMWS Society Cask, ex-Bourbon Hogshead finished in 1st Fill Toasted-Oak Barrique Finish, 181b): nose: herbs and lamb burgers, incredibly-seamlessly integrated. It then offers pears poached in wine. All of those are presented on a zinc plate. The nose opens up to reveal a waxy, marzipan-y fruit paste sprayed with droplets of wine. Mouth: thick, rich and rancio-y. Here are elderberry, lichen forming on dark grapes, grape skins (implying a soft bitterness) and a ball of compressed resin. It has a few tree-bark shavings too, hazel or similar. The second sip has grape paste -- nay! raisin paste, with cassia bark to spice it up. And it is brilliant! Finish: dark grapes, elderberries, currants and a pinch of dark-porcini powder to keep things interesting. The wood is subtle in this finish, while the emphasis is firmly on fruits turning mouldy in a dunnage warehouse. The second gulp introduces ground cassia bark and cloves to support raisins, dark grapes and blueberries. We even spot a whiff of cigarette smoke at the death. This is good. 8/10

PS talks about auctions.

tOMoH: "Well, before you auction anything, send a list, will you?"
PS: "There won't be any Glen Albyn in it, let's face it. It wouldn't the first 69 you get from me, though..."

115.37 15yo 2009/2025 It's a knockout! (57.6%, SMWS Society Cask, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 194b): nose: sweet, it has flour and confectionary sugar in equal measures. It develops to unveil pastry, with fruit syrup caramelised on the baking parchment. That morphs into some kind of leather belt, which is unexpected. The second nose brings a nut paste taken over by lichen (itself turning dry). There are peach skins and tobacco too. Mouth: preserved cucumber, jellied pistachios and a savagely-drying dusty wind. It is as desiccating as lichen on the sides of an empty vase, without the taste of stagnant water and sphagnum moss. Perhaps we have a drop of ink too? The second sip is soft and velvety, with hints of baked apricots or tinned peaches. It keeps a healthy kick, peppered with red-chilli flakes. Finish: yes, ink. It is no 1960s Ardbeg, but is has a drop of ink indeed that wets marzipan or kaju katli. It is quickly drying as a red wine spilled on a lichen-covered stone. The second gulp is more traditional, perhaps, warm with apricot turnovers and a spoonful of confectionary sugar on top of a hot metal plate. 7/10

tOMoH: "Hey! Is that an octopus, or is it Cthulhu?"
him: "It's Cthulhu."

JN: "Tm! Here is the IPA you ordered. Oh! You didn't order an IPA? My mistake!" [takes a swig]

I try a droplet of 58.62 14yo 2010/2025 Honey hi! (53.5%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 214b) -- not enough for notes, but a score will do. 8/10

Solid outturn. And we have only scratched the surface.

Aight, we found ourselves the Loveraft Überfan!
\(;,;)/

01/12/2025 The GlenDronach

The GlenDronach 19yo 1994/2013 (58.4%, OB Single Cask, Oloroso Sherry Butt, C#101, 628b, b#396): nose: same distillery, bottler and supplier as yesterday's, yet it could hardly be more different a dram. This is full-on drinks cabinets, mahogany cases, teak chests, polished dashboards and walnut stain. It is an elegant Sherry maturation, to put it in other words. Behind all that are a pinch of quarry dust and a brush still wet with varnish for scale modelling. Whoever is building those plastic aircrafts is sipping flat cola and munching dried figs and oily chestnuts, from time to time. The second nose adds dark tree bark, mulch and beef-stock cubes. There is not enough camphor or liquorice to call cough syrup; instead, the lasting impression is that of Oloroso and coffee poured on potting soil and prunes. Further nosing unveils dark fruits and berries stored in a black plastic container. Mouth: coating, vinous in a fortified-wine way. Mushroom water, or water used to rehydrate dried mushrooms and raisins. It is dark and earthy, yet keeps a certain sweetness too, closer to currants than to prunes. A soft bitterness emerges (the earthy side, certainly), that could be associated with mocha, or a frying pan of mushrooms deglazed with a dash of Oloroso. The second sip welcomes dried dates in a cup of coffee, sultanas and dried apricots. The earthy coffee is thinned with a generous dose of plum liqueur. Then, we find pearl onions, poached and coated in tar-black honey. Oddly, it works. Finish: a big earthy kick of Oloroso, here. It is a tad overwhelming at first, cloying. Treacle, prune syrup, old Corinth raisins clustered together, mocha custard so thick one could plant a spoon in it and it would stand vertical, and a pinch of cocoa powder. The second gulp is earthier still; caffè corretto rectified with liqueur rather than grappa, pressed raisins augmented with a pinch of soot-y earth, ground cloves sprinkled on dried dates, and cocoa powder dusted on a bowl of beef stock. We find a similar dark-honey tinge as we did on the palate, towards the death. Black sesame seeds coated in dark amber honey round all that off. Wow! This is not necessarily my preferred profile, but it is very well made. I like it better than the first time. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, OB)