31/12/2025 One last one and I'm outta here

To round off this prolific year, we will have a dram from a distillery that we had to stop ignoring, in 2025.

Ben Nevis 26yo 1998/2025 (43.2%, Hannah Whisky Merchants Lady of the Glen Rare Cask, Refill Hogshead, C#176, 276b): nose: blimey! It is a fruity one, overflowing with orchard fruits and berries; Golden Delicious apples, Comice pears, golden raspberries, cloudberries and rehydrated dried strawberry slices. With a bit of time, it even supplies timid tropical fruits: dragon fruit, mangosteen, breadfruit, cherimoya -- phwoar! Have we got a winner, here, or what? It has an extremely-discreet metallic note too, and, in typical Ben Nevis fashion, a whisper of mud and a drop of heady wine. With intent, one may detect a pinch of ash, or a dusty ball of modelling wax. Fruits completely dominate the conversation, though. Tilting the glass strangely pushes sugo al ragù (or Bolognese sauce, as non-Italians tend to call it), fennel seeds and all. The second nose is even fruitier. It is augmented with nail varnish (of the edible kind, if that exists), plasticine and a dash of pink-grapefruit-and-pineapple juice. That makes for a lovely pastry. Mouth: funky fruits is the short answer. Wine-cured apples and quinces, apricots being dried, perhaps papaya. This time, those fruits have competition, however: the palate takes us to Roland Garros, all clay court and crushed bricks. Chewing unleashes a torrent of exotic fruits, papaya and mango first, snakehead fruit, chikoo and breadfruit in tow. There is something bitter to this as well -- thankfully not shampoo: something closer to windscreen defroster. The second sip confirms: it is modestly stripping, more squeegee than industrial cleaning agent. However, it takes but a microscopic movement for fruits to come back all guns blazing. We welcome citrus into the mix, this time, satsuma, shaddock, calamondin and sweet lemon meet papaya, longan and chikoo. Finish: more fruity debauchery. A custard-y yoghurt with cherimoya, sugar apple, mango, papaya, longan, dragon fruit all blended in. It takes a little imagination to find minute cigarette smoke, scented plasticine and clay. Actually, it is Tartan track or another rubber surface more than clay court, now. In any case, it is a medium-long finish with just a little (enough) warmth, a subtle yoghurt-y texture (coconut yoghurt, for accuracy) and just a milky lick of white wood. The second sip adds chocolate milk or cocoa made with coco to make one cuckoo. Satsumas are also present, as are golden kiwis. Mud makes a tentative re-appearance, probably clay, in fact, as it is borderline rubbery, but it is very tame indeed, soon forgotten, behind a river of tangerine pulp and smashed mango, rectified with a drop of pressed kumquat. Phwoar again! 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

30/12/2025 Lochside story

Lochside 44yo 1967/2011 (41.5%, The Vintage Malt Whisky The Cooper's Choice, Sherry Butt, C#807, 354b): nose: it has been in the glass for a while already, which may be why it is not particularly explosive, but it is fruity anyway. Cranberries, cherries, Cape gooseberries, cloudberries, whitecurrants. Warming up the glass a little bit results in more-tropical fruits rearing their heads, yellow passion fruit in particular, but also dragon fruit, mangosteen or rambutan. Blowing on the whisky (to warm it up) adds a pinch of cigar ash (tOMoH does not smoke, before you jump to conclusions). That dissipates quickly to focus on those tropical fruits -- they become more and more prominent, never shouty. Suddenly, we enter a dunnage warehouse heavy with scents of damp clay floor and lichen on stave. That somehow converges to form freshly-oiled wooden shelves (the posts, to be precise) and a whiff of rancio. The second nose continues the work of the first, with fruits, dunnage warehouse and heavy wood dust mixed with ashes. Mouth: we continue the dunnage-warehouse tour with wood dust, lichens and damp clay floor. Sadly, that is eclipsed by a strong shampoo taste. Another sample gone off! It is strippingly acidic and bitterly soapy. One can still guess the beauties underneath it, which makes the experience even sadder. Repeated sipping does not improve -- on the contrary! Newly-found pieces of fruit float in a bitter shampoo bath. Finish: it reclaims a lot of its appeal, with plums, grapes and purple passion fruits, and little of the horrible shampoo that spoiled the mouth. A medium-long finish with touches of dunnage warehouse again, more staves and lichens than clay floors, at this point, and that ends with a lingering note of rancio. The second gulp puts the spotlight on a lovely fruit paste, passion fruit, pineapple, or even mango, albeit prevented from shining too brightly by a drop of shampoo. Pity about the mouth. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)

Following a Bunnahabhain and a Bowmore, That is the third sample from the same provider that is likely best poured down the drain. We do not have enough empirical evidence or scientific data to draw a conclusion other than: it is very frustrating.

Lochside 18yo 1991/2010 (50%, Douglas Laing The Old Malt Cask 50°, Refill Hogshead, C#DL6303, 289b): nose: this one is even quieter. It has dried pineapple chunks and haybales -- a strange combination, but why not? Deeper nosing reveals more herbs, from the herbs garden, now: oregano, marjoram, faded thyme, sage roots (the leaves, not so much). It also has a whisper of suede so faded that it hardly smells. Behind that, we sense some tropical fruits, very faint and probably baked, and an empty drinks carton. The second nose sees straw, grist, dried meadow flowers, desiccated yellow fruits and blueberries, virtually unrecognisable, in a wicker basket. A drop of lemon juice later revives those. Perhaps it is lemon custard instead of juice, actually, since it is much subtler. Tilting the glass offers a wave of dry earth too, an unexpected addition. Mouth: woah! this is peculiar. A broth of hay, garden fertiliser, potting granules, lime and pomelo peels, and an infusion that is neither tea, nor coffee, nor really chicory. But what is it? We will see later that the official tasting notes talk about old-fashioned hairdressing (for the nose); is that it, perhaps? There is a bitterness at play that is difficult to identify, and something fresh at the same time... lemon thyme in yoghurt? The second sip does, indeed, have lemon-thyme twigs (no leaves) that were once covered in honey but no more, and preserved lemons. Chewing stirs that up to a point one may be convinced to find shampoo in this too (nooooo!), but that is not really the case. It is only a vegetal bitterness that has no common measure with the abomination of the previous dram. Finish: well, it has fruits frolicking with dryish grass, spilled on a Bulgomme table protector. It is extremely singular. Not particularly long, it leaves the palate feeling as if one had been chewing clay. The second gulp is immensely more custard-y. Vanilla-and-lemon custard augmented with a little thyme, or even some lovage seeds, and desiccated pineapple chunks. Of course, it is very different from the beauties from 1981, but it is also another style than what was being made only two years earlier. Honestly, if is difficult to decide what to make of it. It is at least interesting, I suppose. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)

Happy birthday, adc.

29/12/2025 A pair of Pulteney

Old Pulteney 2000/2012 Flotilla (46.4%, OB bottled for Tonnerre de Brest 2012, ex-Bourbon Casks): nose: certainly lives up to its name as the maritime malt: this is saline indeed, with added pastry for good measure. Vanilla custard with a dusting of sea salt, doughnuts eaten by the seaside, Langues de Chat, salted caramel and fudge, calamansi with a sprinkle of salt. It has a fruity side that brings a smile to one's face. The second nose does away with the seaside and focuses on pastry instead, chiefly shortbread, now. It has a spray of lemon juice too. Over time, the lemon turns into chewy citrus-flavoured sweets. Mouth: ooh! It is now clearly fruity, with calamansi, tangerine, sweet lemon and calamondin showing their wares. The tongue perceives a slight bitterness, probably that of the citrus' peels. Chewing increases the acidity that one would expect from citrus, and adjoins a heaped tablespoon of fine salt. Chewing some more sees the appearance of pink grapefruit, and the salt mixes with their skin to somehow come across as rubber. The second sip is bitterer, as if the rubber touch had found a new lease of life. Citrus peels, rubber seals... and, out of nowhere, crisp sweet citrus (Cara Cara orange, yuzu, Ugli fruit), maybe even mixed peel. Finish: a modest kick delivers pastry, salt and distant rubber. Soft, moist madeleines sprinkled with salt, Langues de Chat, all-butter cake. The rubber note is limited to water in which liquorice bootlaces have soaked. It is barely worth mentioning. Repeated quaffing further dials down the rubber and introduces moist lemon cake to replace it. That goes very well with a glass of orange-infused water and a pinch of salt. This is a solid, unchallenging dram. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)

Pulteney 13yo 2012/2025 (58.9%, Hannah Whisky Merchants Lady of the Glen Rare Cask, Refill Barrel, C#800134, 241b): nose: noticeably sibylline, this one has fudge, vanilla custard and shortbread of one kind or another. Where the other one had clear salt, this is more metallic. Instead of a sprinkle of sea salt, it takes dusty oxidised metal, heats it, then grates it. The filings thereof are what we smell here. Soon enough, lemon cake rises up to the challenge and overtakes all, fresh, fruity, moist and a little salty, after all. In fact, it turns fruitier and fruitier as the lemon turns to lime, the calamansi to pomelo. The second nose has citrus-flavoured Turkish delights, candied lemon or calamansi slices, and clementines living their best life on a stovetop, and slowly turning dry as a result. It still has a whiff of cake, yet that is less obvious, now. At a push, one might find daffodil stems too. Tilting the glass belatedly gives a whisper of dry earth from a farm path. Mouth: of course, it is stronger than its predecessor, but it remains totally acceptable. Pretty bitter, albeit a fruity bitterness -- citrus peels and pith, hardly any foliage. Chewing increases the heat and a pleasant warmth settles, akin to sitting in a heated car seat: the feeling is clear, yet it is difficult to pinpoint where it comes from. Citrus peels transform into heated cucumber peels and the citrus sees the addition of kumquat, which brings the acidity down a notch. The second sip has dishwater, lukewarm and made foamy with a dash of citrus-scented detergent. Oh! it is not soapy per se -- it is more an impression of freshness and cleanliness with a minute rubbery bitterness. Lemon cake makes a comeback, in which ground green chilli was blended with the flour. Original and delicious! Finish: lukewarm marmalade with a pinch of salt. Beside that sweet-acidic fruitiness, a wonderful warmth puts one at ease. It has a green touch too, and it is lukewarm butterhead lettuce, rather than citrus foliage, which results in a reduced bitterness. The second gulp seems to offer a warm cup of something part chicory infusion, part citrus juice, part pouring custard, part honey (yes). It weaves sweet, acidic and bitter notes with brio and still provides this welcome, comforting warmth. That feeling stays long after the medium finish has given all the flavours it had in stock. That is comparable to chilli which keeps the palate tingling, even though no other flavour subsists. Good drop. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

Happy birthday, FN.

28/12/2025 A Campbeltonian duo

Kilkerran 8yo b.2019 (57.1%, OB, Re-Charred Oloroso Sherry Casks, B#4, 15000b, 19/354): nose: initially fairly muted, with Verdigris and lichen on limestone, at a push. That slowly and timidly opens up to reveal chocolate-flavoured whipped cream and a dash of apricot nectar. Mind you, that apricot nectar is a little stained by the fruits' stones -- unless it is nuts? It may well be: oily macadamia or Brazil... soon joined by hemp and nut shells. The second nose is suddenly very tertiary, exploding with potting soil and wild mushrooms. We find mushroom-cooking water augmented with a few drops of pressed-prune juice and, at last, a minute sweetness that seems to come out of a spoonful of hoisin sauce. Mouth: punchy and winy, this has oxtail broth, Bovril, strong beef stock, Maggi sauce. It is as concentrated as tamarind concentrate, but savoury, at least to a point. Keeping it on the tongue for long enough adds melted chocolate, very concentrated again, which makes for a rather intense sensory experience. Chewing releases woody notes, oily exotic woods and Kluwak-nut broth. The second sip insists on those oily-wood notes; iroko, ebony, black walnut, African blackwood. It is a leeeeeeedle drying in the long run, yet surprisingly balanced, all things considered. Finish: a big, heavy Sherry maturation in the finish as well, with more melted dark chocolate mingling with beef stock, oxtail stew and tamarind concentrate. It is a warming finish, the kind one cannot shake off, which, once again, reminds me of Kluwak-nut broth. The second gulp, again, balances the darkness of nuts (Brazil, Kluwak) and wood (ebony, black walnut) with the gentle sweetness of prunes, now accompanied by raisins. It retains an earthy dryness without being desiccating. For those who like this sort of profile, this is hard to beat. Others will be entirely unmoved by it. I will have another dram to decide where I stand on the question. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)

Springbank 8yo 2017/2025 (54.7%, OB Springbank Society, Fresh Madeira Cask, 1761b, 25/169): nose: well, the type of cask is not trying to pass for something else, here! We have a blast of grape juice, yellow wine, orange wine, but also cured peaches. It has whispers of rambutan trying to compete with a rising scent of magnolia and pink-grapefruit peels, followed by cured lychees and ethereal pickled pearl onions. Somehow, it then musters up memories of the men's changing room at a sports club, an indescribable mix of shower gel, deodorant, acrylic fabrics and leather from the trainers and kit, and sweat. In a way, this reminds me of the wave of Glengoyne bottlings at the SMWS that were all from Sherry gordas (even the pink colour points in that direction!), fruity, winy and oxidised, somehow. It is also remarkably different from the first time we had it: no farm-y note to speak of, today. The second nose is überperfume-y -- an explosion of magnolia, enriched with dried meadow flowers in a flower foam block. In a way, one may find this rustic, probably. 'Farm-y' or 'earthy' would be a dozen steps too far. Three drops of water increase the cured-lychee and magnolia scents, and add a faint whiff of hipster coffee -- the kind they describe on blackboards as having notes of lychee and peach. Mouth: soft and fruity, very much in the same vein as those Glengoynes again, it has grapes soaking in wine that is slowly turning into vinegar, pickled pearl onions, a pinch of earth at last, and cured lychees left in booze far too long. It is potent and softly astringent, yet that is not really a distraction. Chewing long enough adds a pinch of chalk, a trowelful of loamy soil, confirms the orange wine and magnolia, and pumps Bourbon-stave vapours via retro-nasal olfaction. The second sip is mellow and pillow-y at first, then develops a mineral aspect -- mostly limestone dust. It quickly returns to fruity acidity, with pink grapefruits, this time the flesh as well as the peels and pith, and cured peaches or nectarines, with perhaps a bit too much wine involved. Adding water somehow injects a micro-dose of cereals into this (toasted barley, toasted wheat puffs) and still allows lychee to come out on top, even if tempered by a minute bitterness. Finish: pretty winy again, this remains very pink. More magnolia and lychees, this time supported by white peaches (some cured, others not), wine-soaked pineapple, pink-grapefruit peels. Pearl onions, if present at all, are in the far back of the bus, and there is no mention of earth or peat whatsoever, interestingly enough. The second gulp has a boozy-pastry note, rum baba, crème caramel with a dash of liqueur, or liqueur chocolates. It is nowhere as sickly as Edle Tropfen; probably closer to milk chocolate with a Cointreau syrup core. One can even feel the bitter orange bark, in the long run. There is also a certain spiciness at play, likely cracked black pepper, that could be mistaken for a pinch of dry earth. However, it is syrup or liqueur that sticks to the gob, though it may as well be wine. In any case, it is balanced enough for tOMoH, who is not usually a big fan of wine or liqueur notes in his whisky. A few drops of water tone down the wine to help focus on fruits, it seems -- cured blush oranges join the peaches and lychee. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, SOB)

27/12/2025 Ardnamurchan

Ardnamurchan 5yo b.2022 Second Release (53.2%, The Whisky Exchange April Fool, First Fill Bourbon Casks, 1575b): nose: strangely enough, this has something reminiscent of an old blend, tonight, somewhere between cardboard and stale pickle brine. That passes, and we are treated to cured apricots and a drinks cabinet, augmented with a pinch of earth and chopped peppers (green capsicum moving to red chilli). It then progresses towards walnut stain and polished chestnut shells. Cola and plasticine-y shoe polish team up to smother the brine, which is a good thing; surely, one would not want a repeat of Ardnagherkin. Instead, they lead the way for fortified wine spilled on earth. And it is earthier by the minute, too. The second nose juxtaposes that earth with dark-grape skins and a minute amount of juice. That seems to increase the impression of plasticine, and that is always a good thing, in tOMoH's opinion. We find a discreet whiff of hard-boiled eggs, almost not worth mentioning, and pencil shavings, followed by discreet pu'er. Mouth: woah! It is a lot peatier than the first time, with dry, crusty earth, mud patties turned into dusty briquettes, and the whole has its lot of spices too: grated cinnamon bark, ground cloves, chilli powder, spearmint, grated ginger. It is both heavy and refreshing, which illustrates the interplay of earth and spices, I suppose. There is a bunch of grapes in the background, but it is easy to miss, behind the earth and spices, really. The second sip is sharp and bitter; it combines bay leaves and cloves, and splashes them with a dash of fortified wine. It remains a spicy, earthy mouth, yet it has more to unveil than just that. Cedar-wood sheets, pencil shavings, crushed bay leaves, and a spoonful of blackberry jam to sweeten a cup of tea -- with milk at first, though that dissipates. Finish: velvety as a dark-berry jam, but also earthy and spicy. We have smoked-blackberry jam, pips and all, peat set alight, bay leaves fallen into dusty earth, peppermint and ginger. As was the case in the mouth, the finish has an interesting battle of fresh, lively notes of spices and the heaviness of dry earth and dark fruit, although the latter spells jams rather than wine, here. The second gulp is very much in line. It seems to shake off the sharpest outliers and corral all flavours towards a balanced middle ground. It keeps but a mild bitterness, likely berry stems or vines, to support the much-louder jams (blackberry, blackcurrant). Yet another delicious Ardnamurchan. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)

Happy birthday, LS.

26/12/2025 Glen Garioch

Glen Garioch 19yo b.2025 (48%, Whisky Souls Living Souls, First Fill Sherry Butts): nose: oh! hello. Here are lacquered jewel cases, brown shoe polish and teak oil with a spoonful of earth in the middle. Further nosing adds a ball of modelling wax, leather sofas (or faux leather), leather polish in a spray can, and prune syrup. It is increasingly fruity in that dried-fruit way, with dried figs and prunes easily dominating dark shoe polish applied on leather boots. The second nose is a bit more plastic-y, with empty saffron capsules, an oilcloth stored in the cupboard for decades, and burlap gone all stiff. Perhaps there is a little plasticine stained with bright-colour ink -- unless it is grapevine blended into a paste. In any case, tilting the glass revives the earth and adds syrup-glazed ginger. Mouth: sultanas, dried figs, prunes, fig relish augmented with jellied jalapeños (jelly-peños?), a dollop of shoe polish, and even pressed grapes. It is sweet and earthy, with a few spices such as amchur and asafoetida. In the long run, it gains some ink too, from a ballpoint, to be precise. The second sip is fruitier and the fruits are fresher. We find honey-coated Mirabelle plums, stem ginger in tinned half-peaches, and cinnamon sticks dunked in prune syrup. It is a smidge bitter, with tangerine foliage, albeit coated in honey, as well as mixed peel. Finish: fruity here too, it has raisins, a kind of blueberry paste, dried figs and dark grapes. If there is any earth at this stage, it is heavily seasoned with grape juice. It has soft spices too, a blend of cassia bark, cloves and cured ginger. The second gulp has a big, sweet note and a gentle bitterness. Again, I think of stem ginger, but also candied chilli, and, now, candied angelica. Another very good Garioch with a pleasant Sherry maturation. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)

Happy birthday, FH, MD and JPH.

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 bottled for Qwine.ch, 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 for the dram, JS)

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