22/09/2026 The Creators Collection

They are making room on the shelves by hosting a tasting in which we can try entries from the various iterations of this collection. Tonight, we can taste them as part of a flight, just like any other outturn. To spice things up, the good folks at SMWS offer a few venue exclusives to try as well.

35.388 32yo b.2024 Homecoming: The essence of heritage with Shona Hardie -- Snug and toasty (53.9%, SMWS The creators collection, 2nd Fill ex-PX Hogshead Finish, 182b): nose: prunes, raisins, dried figs. Here is an archetypal PX cask at work. Sweet and elegant, it opens a jar of strawberry-and-blackberry jam, spreads said jam on plasticine, adds a spoonful of buckwheat honey, and serves that with a bowl of lychee and purple maracuja on a metal plate. The person serving is a mechanic who just applied grease to a cylinder block and wiped hands with a rag. The second nose is a pint of lukewarm chocolate milk with a dash of windscreen defroster. It is seconds until we find another fruit stash -- blueberries, purple maracujas, pink peaches, dark grapes, slightly-smoked mulberries. It has something pine-y too, and if it is not génépi, it is droplets of pine liqueur. Fruitier yet with water, it adds oranges and blush oranges to the plums. Bizarrely, something in the back feels almost butyric or akin to lactic acid. Mouth: spicier than anticipated, it has dried green-chilli flakes to impart a soft bitterness and heat. A second's chewing coats the tongue with plasticine, adds cut flowers in a vase (daffodils, tulips, irises) and brings us back to fruits, although it is almost only plums, this time. There is a hint of menthol or peppermint, rather subtle. The second sip sprays defroster onto plums and pine needles. Chewing conjures up images of the stale air trapped in a drawer one opens once a year at most, and cinnamon-flavoured cocoa. It acquires lukewarm orange juice, in the long run. With water, it ventures towards wood and plastic, with old chipboards, plastic buckets and hardened plasticine. Desiccated plums are here too. Finish: rancio, plums and prunes enhanced with a dollop of minty or mentholated toothpaste, then clay and chewy cinnamon sticks to accompany some flowers. It is really chewy -- imagine wet chamois leather. Perhaps it has ginger powder too, yet loudest are cinnamon and a peppermint paste. The second gulp gives a slap of fruits (unripe plums and nectarines) and woody notes: dried lemongrass, sawn chipboard and cinnamon yoghurt. Riper and riper plums slowly come back to prominence, however, supported by lovely mixed peel. The addition of water makes this very fruity again; plums, berries, grapes, discreet purple maracujas and a dusting of cinnamon powder. This is excellent. My score may be generous, but I love it. 9/10

149.15 9yo b.2026 Lovely lozenge (63.7%, SMWS In Celebration 28 Queen Street Exclusive Cask, ex-Bourbon Barrel, 196b): nose: sharp and strong, this nose presents eau-de-vie and industrial cleaning alcohol, if not surgical alcohol. Hot desert sand, a distant whiff of iodine, and something that promises to be earthy, but never quite delivers. Further sniffing catches incense, empty husks, bone-dry grist. That is it! It is extremely dry is what it is. The second nose takes a turn towards caramel flan served in a galvanised-iron bucket. Water fertilises the earth from earlier. It does not become muddy, but it is greasy earth alright, good for crops. Mouth: unexpectedly mellow, even juicy. We find plum juice and peach nectar, pressed cotton grapes, silky, sweet. That is quite a contrast with the nose! Chewing stirs that to bring earth to the surface, dried, crusty lumps of earth that make the whole drier again, yet especially numbing. This is one that leaves the tongue shaken as if hit with a lead pipe. Despite that, it still manages to serve some fruits -- greengages in the lead. The second sip is drier; sand, beach sand, quarry dust, shingles, crushed glass. It is not long before that is balanced with a spoonful of light-brown sugar. Water reveals wooden skewers, charred, oily, but with no food left on them. Finish: once past a heat slap on the tonsils, the finish presents comforting waves of warmth, fruity tones (baked greengages come to mind), and a blend of granite. Instead of being overly mineral and desiccating, that granite seems to add structure to the whole, which is nice. The second gulp feels more mineral. Nothing off the scale, but certainly quarry dust and residue on a flint knapper's outfit. It has virtually no fruit left; perhaps ground greengage stones is all. Adding water brings out oily prune syrup. The mineral profile turns earthier and richer. This is nice. I do not know if I prefer it with or without water. 7/10

149.21 9yo 2016/2026 The New Wave: A taste of our next-generation gems -- Machair medley (60%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-PX Butt, 666b): I make no notes on the night other than: "It is really good." I realise the following day that we tried this when it came out.

156.9 10yo 2015/2026 The spirit of five: An exploration of Scotland's whisky regions -- Breakfast in Seville (61%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 179b): nose: hot plastic! Oilcloth left in a conservatory on a sunny day, the yellow, corrugated-plastic container of that brand of cocoa, also left in the conservatory, plastic buckets and watering cans in the greenhouse... Until a galvanised-iron bucket appears too. Zinc gutters join rubber boots in the greenhouse, as does bird feed, a mix of sunflower seeds, peanuts, oats etc. It stays in the greenhouse, with hoses, planters and earth supplementing the cans, buckets and bird seeds. The second nose blows a whiff of cut flowers (narcissuses, crocuses, hyacinths) and minty almond lozenges. There is a hint of milk chocolate in the background, as well as gunpowder -- or paper gun caps for a toy gun, to be accurate, and that is most unexpected. Adding water renders this more breakfast-y, with lukewarm coffee or cocoa, and hot pains au chocolat, perhaps a couple of oranges not yet pressed. Mouth: hot and acidic, it peddles a heated lemon paste, turnover style. Chewing adds fudge, chewy, sweet and a little earthy, as if one had poured a spoonful of weak coffee onto vanilla custard. The second sip seems more welcoming; hot custard buns and citrus turnovers. Yes, chewing confirms the citrus in particular: it is a lovely calamansi paste in a puff pastry augmented with a generous dose of pepper. Adding water turns the palate into an earthy-fruit jam (elderberry) enhanced with smoked orange segments, which makes it a lot brighter. Finish: assertively metallic, this has a heated knife used to cut fudge into squares. The second gulp seems spicier: white pepper, ginger powder, ground mace. All the same, what dominates is hot citrus pastry and the metal tray it was baked on. Beautifully sweet with water, it has orange marmalade spread onto a pain au chocolat. This one too improves with water. Without it, it is a solid... 7/10

3.364 21yo 2004/2026 The spirit of five: An exploration of Scotland's whisky regions -- Smoked lavender (56%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 217b): nose: I want to say smoke, but it could just as well be old cardboard boxes in a dry basement. Past that (thirty seconds in), we spot crayons, chewy dried fruits (raisins). Oh! there is smoke, alright, coming up a few minutes later; the smoke of a thyme-twig fire next to which someone left a suede pouch. A minuscule amount of shoe polish becomes notionally perceptible, as does the recently-polished plastic dashboard of a newish vehicle. The second nose is less defined. We have dusty old glass bottles, empty for yonks, and musty warehouses, which is to say damp clay and stale air. Deeper nosing brings back some smoke. Mouth: shoe polish is a little more identifiable on the palate. Next to it is waterproofing spray. It is upon chewing that things change for the better: tropical fruits tumble out of a cornucopia, smoked mango, baked plantain, papaya cubes, and even timid yellow maracuja. The second sip has grilled and roasted fruits (mango, pineapple, plum, nectarine), a pinch of ash, charred-wood gratings (hazel) and the soft bitterness of unripe plums. There are smoked brambles too, but, again, the smoke factor is low on this one. Finish: although still fruity, it is cardboard boxes in the basement that catch one's attention. That clings to the tongue and the throat until the taste buds realise some of the fruits have not gone anywhere: papaya and plantain are still here, but not baked, now. The second gulp has crystallised berries and chewy sweets of the dark variety: blackberry, blackcurrant, elderberry in sweet format. It stops short of liquorice, thankfully, and only tickles cough drops. Perhaps it offers mango skins, yet the fleeting lush tropicality of the palate is nowhere to be seen. All the same, this is very good. 8/10

3.365 21yo 2004/2026 The spirit of five: An exploration of Scotland's whisky regions -- Sweet seduction (55.2%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Oloroso Hogshead, 211b): is it not crazy that one could try a different SMWS Bowmore every day of a non-leap year? They are wildly different too, so there would never be a dull day (although trends would undoubtedly surface). Nose: generous, greasy peat, fertile soil, dark earth. There is a (cattle-)farm-y aspect too, cow stables or pastures, that almost entirely hides juicy fruits. Indeed, we have plums and peaches trying hard to punch through a wall of leather and cattle hair. Cow dung has a small part too, and it is tempting to picture a horned ruminant taking a dump on a basket of fruits. Unless the cow ate the fruits, then shat them. But cows do not eat fruits, do they? The more we sniff, the closer we come to suede and shoe polish, which is odd, as no-one in their right mind would put shoe polish on suede. The second nose displays aromas of clay beads, crayons and a distant barbecue grille. A marsh-like note appears, lush vegetation growing in suffocating humidity. Mouth: silky and lukewarm, it is very comforting on entry. Warm honey, then the faint smoke of a gas stove, a jam or another, still warm from the cauldron it simmered in. Half-a-chew slaps one in the teeth with cut papaya, even if that pulls a discreet note of violet in its wake. Not to worry! Smoked comes to the rescue and turns the palate into a herbs marinade of the kind they sometimes put on lamb burgers and that holds mostly rosemary. The second sip is fruity, a little smoky and softly bitter. The smoke is reduced to that of a bramble fire, whereas dark wild berries now dominate. Finish: warm and comforting here too, this gives several waves of flavours. First is smoke; then come crayons, borderline waxy; finally, a mix of smashed berries settles, then becomes smoked berries -- smoked on a herbs fire, that is. Tropical fruits do a fleeting dance, for a tenth of a second. The second gulp has blackberry sweets, elderberry drops or liquorice-flavoured Haribo sweets. 8/10

156.7 10yo 2015/2026 The spirit of five: An exploration of Scotland's whisky regions -- No mean confection (61.2%, SMWS The Creators Collection, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 198b): nose: powerful and metallic, the nose quickly opens up to reveal a mix of spring flowers (daffodils), cut yellow fruits (peach, apricot, nectarine) and plain crackers. It is the aromas that become loudest, fragrant and promise bitterness, which takes us back to metal. That swiftly makes way for sherbet and the smell of straw bales in a barn in a place with a cool and humid climate. The second nose is a wonderful mix of sherbet, flour and chalk or talcum powder. Perhaps it has cosmetic powder too -- it is powdery, at any rate. Adding water evokes a freshly-cleaned bedroom, with soft pot-pourri from the vacuuming, and clean sheets. A minute later, dark chocolate turns into mocha, then chocolate pudding. Mouth: fresh and indistinct at first, it is only seconds before it adopts the bitterness and sharpness of a stainless-steel blade -- pencil-sharpener blade, kitchen knives, that sort of things. Chewing immediately adds a note of milk chocolate and a drop of ink. It is noticeably powerful, without surprise. Straw is in the background, merely a backing dancer, while little of the fruits appear, other than that freshness, which could be associated with unripe nectarines. The second sip is drier. Straw comes back, backed by sherbet and candy necklaces. In other words, it develops a chalky touch, before pouring grenadine syrup on top. Soft and custard-y with water, it has the bitter-sweet taste of Seville-orange marmalade. Finish: it kicks bouteille without aggression. Cut unripe nectarines, flower stems and tons of metal. Cold steel, to be precise. It leaves the mouth throbbing and applies dried orange zest on the taste buds. The second gulp is softer, warm not hot, and peddles gingerbread-y flavours. Sourdough comes out albeit one slathered with apricot jam and a spoonful of marmalade. Water underlines orange marmalade spread on toasted sourdough. It improves with water, in this taster's opinion. Neat, it is... 7/10

Nice wee sesh.

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%, Signatory Vintage for the Quincentenary of the University of St Andrews Quaich Society, 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

10/08/2025 A few drams at the SMWS

The television at the hotel has a collection of German channels. One spends twenty minutes advertising for a ten-CD compilation of the work of Roger Whittaker, "unser Roger", "der Seigneur des Schlagers." It amuses me immensely. I will find out a few days later that said Roger, an Anglo-Kenyan man who died in France, did not even speak German. He learnt his songs phonetically.

More seriously, they were showing Party Zone and Chill-Out Zone on MTV, last night, shows I have not seen since the 1990s. The selection was a blast from the past too.

Party Zone

Age Of Love - The Age Of Love (Radio Version)

Cherry Moon Trax - In My Electric House

Talla 2XLC - The Eternal Mystery

Chill-Out Zone

Single Gun Theory - Fall

Electrotete - I Love You

Goldie - Inner City Life

Adam F - Circles

Carl Craig - Televised Green Smoke

Computerjockeys - How Fish Do

Wellington now wears a septuple cone-hat

Anyway, JS and I are still in Glasgow today, and the SMWS is open. Would be rude not to visit the cosy and spacious venue in a discreet basement across the street from The Good Spirits Co. But before that...

Everything Bagel, White Chocolate & Coconut Pudding
2 x Lemon Poppy Seeds

At the venue, as often, it takes a few exchanges for the staff to gauge (incorrectly) where we are on our whisky journey.

JS: "Where can we see what you have available?"
Waiter: "This booklet has the new outturn..."
tOMoH: "We have the same outturns in London. We are more interested in things we cannot find elsewhere."
Waiter: "So, this booklet has the new outturn, and if you tell me what type of profile you like, I will guide you."
JS: "Do you have 162.4?"
Waiter: "I *think* it is sold out by the bottle. perhaps by the dram... No, also sold out. I have .5 and .6."

162.5 5yo d.2019 Invigorating and refreshing (61.1%, SMWS Society Cask Whisky Wanderers Festivals 2025, 1st Fill Chinkapin Oak Barrel, 269b): nose: deep and wide, it is also pretty woody. Dark-wood planks, seasoned pine cone, heady mahogany or teak oil. It is ester-y and goes to one's head quite quickly. Mouth: woody indeed! Wood oil, carbonyl and polished mahogany cabinets. It is also hot. Chewing brings out some toffee, but it remains a hot and warming number. In the long run, we find fierce citric powder, Fizzy Cola Bottles (the sweets) and chilli powder. Finish: hot cola alongside polished shelves. There is a hefty dose of polished wood, in fact, and hints of shoe polish, more esters and other volatile compounds associated with wood-treatment agents. Also cola. Very-strong cola. 7/10

162.6 5yo d.2019 A Hebridean idyll (61.4%, SMWS Society Cask Whisky Wanderers Festivals 2025, 1st Fill Chinkapin Oak Barrel, 234b): nose: similar, yet different in that it is more toasted. Toasted wood, toasted brown bread and Tabasco splattered over shelves. Only later do we perceive volatile wood oil and wood polish. The second nose brings baked plums. Mouth: cola in this one too, cinnamon cream and freshly-oiled shelves. The second sip has cured candied papaya cubes. Finish: clean and more precise than its sibling. It is less woody, has as much, if not more cola, more cinnamon pastry and liquorice sweets. In fact, it is a little numbing in a pleasant way. It dies in a puff of pine-tree honey. They both play in the same ballpark, but we prefer this one. 7/10

When we visited Raasay, the girl doing the tour told us that the proprietor liked chinkapin oak, as if it were a slightly-eccentric but completely-understandable personal preference. Based on these two, it would appear that chinkapin helps whisky mature more quickly than quercus alba or quercus robur. Those woody notes after only nine years...

JS asks for any expression of Glasgow. They have one -- by the dram only.

156.5 9yo d.2015 A glass full of summer vibes (62.1%, SMWS Society Cask, 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 207b): nose: flower stamens, confectionary sugar, powder puffs, cotton-candy -- ho! ho! ho! This is very appealing. It has lukewarm custard slathered onto birch shelves, and chocolate éclairs. The second nose raises ironed linen. Mouth: milky, sweet and mellow, it still has some kick (look at the ABV!). Numbing custard, cream of Tartar. Chewing enhances the creamy-pastry aspect, Bourbon cream, or even toffee and fudge. The second sip has less personality at first, but quickly wakes up: warm milk cereals sprinkled with herbs. Finish: toffee to the max, including the slight earthy bitterness of caramel. It has burnt sugar at second gulp, but shakes off most of the bitterness to focus on a delicious hot sweetness. Perhaps it adds torched coconut shavings to the lot. 7/10

105.44 35yo d.1988 Honey jam (48.1%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 218b): nose: we dial up the complexity, of course. All sorts of flowers, starting with roses and carnations, continuing with black tulips and pansies, ending with cherry blossom and berry flowers. There is even a hint of jasmine at play. Mouth: oh yeah! Flowers in a bath of prune syrup, lychee juice... The power of suggestion tells me honey-glazed apricots and fruit tartlets too. Finish: long, fruity, it has plums, peaches and apricots augmented with a lick of Verdigris, a layer of bone-dry lichen and saxifrage. This is in a different league altogether, of course. 9/10

Uhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuh!

The staff recommend a few things.

12.80 34yo 1989/2023 Heaven in a leather hammock (59.2%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, Oloroso Butt + 1st Fill Ex-PX Butt Finish, 452b)

Nose: Sherry, prune syrup, dark grapes soaked in brandy.
Mouth: leather, rancio, elderberry. It heats up the palate with burning mixed peel.
Finish: very sweet finish, it has jams and candied raisins.
Comment: lovely drop, but more Sherry than we would like. 8/10

94.51 27yo d.1997 Whispers of Spring: A journey of reawakening -- Verdant reawakening (55.8%, SMWS The Creators Collection, Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead, 247b)

Nose: in pure Fettercairn fashion, this is weird and loaded with hay. Metal too?
Mouth: jellied lime peel. What!?
Finish: surprisingly sweet and vibrant, it has more candied and jellied lime goodness.
Comment: I find it appealing to a degree, but it is so unique others will undoubtedly disagree. 8/10

115.29 32yo 1991/2024 Visions of the Basque Country (47.4%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel, 152b): nose: cut lychee, cut greengage, jasmine, lilac, nectar-filled honeysuckle, cherry blossom and flowers from some kind of berry tree. We do have primrose too, syrupy pear liqueur and lemon foliage. The second nose is similarly ethereal. Mouth: sweet-citrus foliage, chalk gratings. The second sip has firmer fruits, mandarines and clementine zest. Finish: big, flowery and mildly chalky. It is fairly strong and has lingering flowers intertwined with citrus. The second gulp slaps refrigerated marmalade onto the gob to match a rather-assertive alcohol. JS adores this. 8/10

38.42 31yo d.1992 Cigars in sweetie jars (50.3%, SMWS The Vaults Collection, ex-Bourbon Hogshead + 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel Finish, 189b): nose: freshly-cleaned pillows move towards warm sofa cushions in a warm living room in the autumn. The second nose sees pineapple, which is less folkloric, perhaps. Mouth: chocolate milk tainted with citrus juice (pomelo, calamansi). This is both creamy and fruity, a little sparkly too. The second sip brings soda to the scene, citrus-y soda, augmented with citrus foliage. Quite peppery and numbing, even now, though not overly so. Finish: ooft! Tropical fruits rise, mango, persimmon and maracuja, all joined by cherimoya and citrus at second gulp. This is exquisite. 9/10

Funny how the staff insists on helping us choose based on flavour profiles, then consistently recommend bottlings in their own favourite style, only for us not to like them as much as they do. We choose one and bang! Success. :-)

It is the end. A couple of guys just arrived in our little space wearing too much cologne. The kitchen smells were a little distracting, but temporary, and I was fine putting up with them. Cologne, on the other hand, is more durably intrusive. Anyway, it is otherwise a great venue. Time for the train.

09/08/2025 Whisky Fringe 2025

JS and I are back in Edinburgh (after an eight-year hiatus) for the Whisky Fringe (after a ten-year hiatus). The whisky world has changed more than Auld Reekie, in that time. Not that we will notice the latter much: Oasis are playing in town tonight, which means everything is fully-booked and/or delayed. We have had to stay in Glasgow as a consequence, and will have virtually no time for the whisky shops tourism.

Glasgow first, then. Despite a late arrival last night and a busy day ahead, despite even the morning rain, we head for an earlyish run towards Clydeside distillery. We will turn around before, because we do not want to jeopardise our breakfast or risk missing our train.

Boston Cream, Crème Brûlée, Everything Bagel

Chai latte (JS)

Hot chocolate (me)

Good thing we were reasonable with the doughnuts: we have a 12:00 reservation at L'Escargot Bleu, a restaurant we have not visited in a decade or almost. We reach there fifteen minutes early, which does not buy us enough time to climb the Royal Mile. Instead, we call at the grocery shop across the road, kill the fifteen minutes, then enter our eatery. It has been open for a couple of minutes only, yet a customer is already sitting. It is AMcR. Lolle. I exchange a few texts with OB about the chance encounter before we order.

The food is its usual outstanding. 

Talonmore & apple (me)

Lost Orchard Cider (JS)

Lobster Bisque (me)
Waitress: "When I say 'lobster bisque', I mean it.
It is made with real lobster."
It is unclear what we are supposed to believe
lobster bisque is usually made of.

Steamed Shetland mussels, squid & courgette sauce (JS)

Ayrshire duck breast & black pudding w/ cabbage & girolles Sce.
Best duck breast I have had

Plaice fillet w/ monkfish cheek, squid & carrot pure (JS)

Beetroot Salad to share

Duck egg crème brûlée (me)

Griottines in Kirsch (JS)

It is time to make our way to Mansfield Traquair, which is conveniently located in the same street. The queue is long already. A bloke just ahead of us distributes lanyards to the others in his group who are incredulous. Incidentally, I pull mine out at the same time; one registers it and makes a comment.

tOMoH: "Trust me, you'll look like an idiot, but, in ten minutes, you'll think: 'this is fucking genius! Where was this during the rest of my life?'"
Him: "Sounds like we'd look like idiots and amateurs without them!"

The doors open, and despite the length of the queue, which certainly costs us fifteen minutes, we are in swiftly and easily.

In all its grandeur

I remember being a little underwhelmed with the quality of the selection, last time, so our strategy today is different.

Firstly, we will plan our half-time orange dram more carefully to avoid disappointment when the time comes. For memory, that is the local version of the dream drams: every stand has one, and they will pour it at 16:00 in exchange for the coupon that everyone gets with their entry ticket. Naturally, the most in-demand drams disappear quickly.

Secondly, we (I, at least) will spend the rest of the time exploring the New Kids On The Block. The late-1980s-early-1990s boyband from Boston is not here, so that means distilleries or bottlers I have not yet tried (or very little thereof).

Good. Let us start. Festival conditions, hence short notes.

Daftmill 12yo 2012/2025 Summer Batch Release (46%, OB, 23 x First Fill Barrels, 5250b)

Nose: lemon-y cereal and custard, or whichever way around.
Mouth: quite thin, it feels like a boozy custard. Then, it offers nice flowery tones, in the back.
Finish: lovely finish, creamy and cereal-y.
Comment: good start. 7/10

Daftmill 15yo 2009/2024 Fife Strength (56.3%, OB, 19 x First Fill ex-Bourbon Barrels + 1 x ex-PX Cask, 3840b)

Nose: rich, fruity custard topped with smoked berries. It is jammier at second nose.
Mouth: there is a slight bitterness akin to berry pips spread on toast.
Finish: long, bold, acidic and bitter in equal measure. It is also fairly nutty.
Comment: fruity dram. 7/10

Glasgow 1770 10yo 2015/2025 Sauternes Cask Matured (53%, OB Limited Edition Release hand selected by Royal Mile Whiskies to celebrate 10 Years of Whisky Making at The Glasgow Distillery, Refill Sauternes Barrique, C#15/97, 340b)

Nose: it is fairly woody, with mostly sandalwood. Some fruits emerge, such as cured apple. It becomes quite leather at second nose.
Mouth: drier than expected, light but almost grassy.
Finish: boozy toffee, brandy and birch oil.
Comment: Glasgow Distillery turns 10 this year, and this is the first I try them. Kwazy. 7/10

Glasgow 1770 Triple Distilled (46%, OB, ex-Bourbon & Virgin Oak Casks, d. ca. 2025)

Nose: this one is super fruity and ethereal, choc-full of candied pineapple and papaya cubes.
Mouth: yes, this is candied fruit cube galore -- papaya, mango, pineapple, Chinese gooseberry.
Finish: mellow, floral, delicate and elegant.
Comment: a proper Lowlander and a standout, really. 8/10

Glasgow 1770 6yo b.2024 Cognac Cask Finish (58%, OB Small Batch Series, 5 x First Fill ex-Bourbon Casks + French Cognac Casks Finish, B#2, 2250b)

Nose: briny smoke in the style of smoked ham drying in a barn by the sea.
Mouth: ash, chargrilled sardines, cigarette ash. It is pretty punchy and peddles burning hay.
Finish: hot and very smoky, ashy. It balances that out with timid smashed strawberries.
Comment: only an undeniable youth prevents a higher score. This was dubbed a lightly-peated dram, with 3 of the five casks filled with peated spirit. 7/10

Family picture

Ballindalloch 8yo 2017/2025 (62.7%, OB Single Cask bottled exclusively for UK, Virgin Oak Hogshead, C#69, 330b)

Nose: it has a mix of buttery pastry and white-wood oil (acacia, birch). The second nose adds apricot jam.
Mouth: pastry it is, with choux dough, faded tinned peaches and stale custard turning into cardboard paste.
Finish: very good, it has white wood and a huge associated bitterness. In fact, in the long run, that bitterness is a little bothersome, hardly made up for by pineapple gratings on a worn-out wooden cutting board.
Comment: from a refill virgin oak cask, the festival booklet tells us -- ha! ha! It is not exactly a winner in my view. 6/10

I try the oatcakes that are provided at almost every stand. They taste like sweat.

Springbank 12yo Cask Strength (56.5%, cask sample)

Nose: delicate and floral, it gains melted toffee at second nosing.
Mouth: woody, drying, yet also fruity. We spot cut fruits with their slightly-scarred stones.
Finish: dry, woody. Sawdust and ground spices.
Comment: JS asked for a Hazelburn and got this decent unreleased Springer. 7/10

Springbank 5yo 100° Proof (57.1%, OB)

Nose: toasted bread turns strongly perfume-y.
Mouth: soft (!), light, then furiously peppery (black pepper). It keeps a fresh touch nevertheless.
Finish: juicy and woody, it has a sprinkle of white pepper.
Comment: alright. 7/10

There is a tent?

Hi ST!

ST: "What would you like to try?"

Torabhaig 7yo 2018/2025 (57.1%, The Dornoch Distillery Co. for Thompson Bros., 1st Fill Bourbon Barrels)

Nose: smoky earth, dark earth, toasted barley and peat smoke grow alongside citrus (bergamot).
Mouth: it is very peaty, here, and big. We have hot tar, greasy earth and tarry sand.
Finish: chargrilled sausages, charred pineapple, char and coal. It is cloying.
Comment: my first Torabhaig, despite having been to the distillery. I like the label better than the whisky, but it is good enough. 7/10

Hi PT!

PT: "Is your glass empty?"
tOMOh:"No, but JS's is..."

J. & G. Grant from the Glenlivet District 12yo (40%, Grant Bonding imported and distributed by Girolamo-Luxardo, b. ca. 1970s)

Nose: very vinous, sherried, which, in this case, means extra fruity. (Rehydrated) prunes and dried figs are particularly impressive. Maraschino cherries are not far behind.
Mouth: syrupy, it is thick and coating, yet also rather fruity.
Finish: currants, prunes, figs.
Comment: "70% paxarette, 20% Sherry, 10% whisky," says PT (or something similar). Quite right! A strange undisclosed Glenfarclas by the proprietors. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, PT)

It is almost 16:00. We position ourselves strategically for the mid-point. In a way we are wasting fifteen minutes; in another, it is not a minute too soon: some of the stands have huge queues in front of them. "Queue" is an orderly word to describe the blobs of punters, really. Where I am is a shapeless mass of enthusiasts that, as the bell tolls, quickly degenerates into a free-for-all, full with freeloaders jumping the queue using their elbows. It is a miracle it does not descend into fisticuffs. JS, for comparison, will wax lyrical about the well-oiled organisation at the stand she is queueing at, with assembly-line responsibilities, queue management and all. Bah!

TAKE MY TOKEN!

We both get what we are after; that is the most important.

Tomatin 45yo b.2023 (41.5%, OB Travel Retail Exclusive, Oloroso Sherry Cask, B#1, 225b)

Nose: this is on a different planet -- nay! In a different galaxy. To everything that preceded it. It rolls out an incredible depth of grapes, lychees, ripe peaches... Rhaaaa! The second nose may bring tame coffee in amongst all that fruit. Considering it is an Oloroso cask, that coffee is firmly under control.
Mouth: mellow and super-fruity here too, with (Mirabelle) plums, greengages and lychees. Chewing unearths more fruits, with only a minute bitterness. The whole is mouth-coating. "Tasty!" says JS, channelling her inner TM.
Finish: long, juicy and fruity again. Plump plums of all kinds, ripe apricots and all sorts of jams.
Comment: right? The context does not do this justice. It is amazeboulanger. By far the best dram so far. 9/10

Rosebank 31yo b.2022 Release 2 (48.1%, OB Limited Release, 4000b)

Nose: honeysuckle, lilac, jasmine... This is as floral as can be! It has cut orchard fruits too. The second nose brings honey-glazed apricots.
Mouth: mellow, juicy and drying all at once. We have apricot juice and quarry chippings competing for attention. Kumquat and bergamot round all that off.
Finish: sweet jams simmering in a hot tin pot, a dollop of melted milk chocolate, just a sprig of a herb or another -- tarragon, rosemary or sage, perhaps?
Comment: phwoar! 9/10

Back to our regular programme.

Inchdairnie The KinGlassie 8yo 2017/2025 Raw (46.3%, OB, ex-Bourbon Casks)

Nose: TCP, hay so dry it is falling to dust, a mix of ashes and cereals.
Mouth: creamy, custard-y, yet also smoky. Shall we call it ashy custard?
Finish: ashy custard indeed, although the ashes are loud, here.
Comment: I was eager to try this distillery, after pat gva commented about it, earlier this week. Based on this sole expression, I am less enthusiastic than he was. 7/10

Gone Grant 30yo 1994/2025 Chapter Eighteen (51.2%, Decadent Drinks Whiskyland for WhiskySponge, 26 Years in a Refill Barrel + 4 Years in a First Fill Sherry Hogshead, 230b)

Nose: a slap of nectarine on the olfactory organ. Then, it becomes ridiculously floral, with pink flowers that flirt with pink wafers from Champagne.
Mouth: soft and floral again, it ends up slightly drying in a vegetal way.
Finish: spellbinding. This has fruits, cosmetic powder and confectionary sugar.
Comment: love it. Excellent Caperdonich. 8/10

I try the other type of oatcakes on offer. They are bursting with chilli. Who had this terrible idea?

Secret Wigtownshire 6yo 2018/2025 Lemon sherbet, anyone? (50%, Keeble Cask Company Elevenses Whisky, 2 x 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrels, 565b)

Nose: it Is pretty mute, initially. Mild and soft-spokenly floral, it has little to say.
Mouth: the distillery is recognisable, here. Bold pastry, sugar and lovely fruits.
Finish: sweet, with a dusting of sugar, poached pears and baked shortcrust.
Comment: excellent undisclosed Bladnoch from a lesser-known bottler. 8/10

Benriach 17yo 2007/2025 (47.3%, Keeble Cask Company Fragrant Drops, Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, C#700204, 278b)

Nose: a lot of wine smothers faint orchard fruits.
Mouth: fruits and gravel. I am not seduced. It gets juicier and a little more to my liking at second sip.
Finish: it is a fruitier finish than foreseen, but not enough to win me over.
Comment: no picture of this one, and it is not mentioned in the festival booklet. As for my feedback: meh. 6/10

Ah! It is that time of the festival when it starts smelling of fart.

Annandale 6yo 2019/2025 (60.2%, Gleann Mór Rare Find, Seasoned Oloroso Barrique, C#14201, 334b)

Nose: kippery AF, briny. It then develops smoked earth.
Mouth: ooft! Very drying, it is soon earthy and smoky, with crushed stones and abrasive sand.
Finish: very smoky and hay-like, this is also ember-hot.
Comment: second peaty Annandale that impresses me. 7/10

Random bloke: "CALLUM!"
JS: "Five hundred people turn around."

Glen Garioch 16yo 2008/2025 (55.4%, Gleann Mór Rare Find, Ribera del Duero Red Wine Finish, C#108, 309b)

Nose: winy and gamy, this may as well be a Mortlach. Or anything, really. It is overcome by the wine maturation.
Mouth: thick, winy, it has lots of tannins and mud patties. It is very chewy in texture.
Finish: huge, even after the colossal Annandale. This is earthy, with burnt mud and hay.
Comment: not my thing. 6/10

We (I) do not resist commenting on the logo that
looks grubby on the boxes.
We are assured it is not the founder's thumbprint
and it is not an easy way to crack into his phone

ST: "What can I pour you?"

Sutherland 5yo b.2022 (48.5%, Thompson Brothers celebrating 20th anniversary of whiskyfun.com, 590b)

Nose: lots of cosmetic powders and sherbet. Tickly!
Mouth: rather mellow and fruity, with apricots other turnovers, yet also ground apricot stones.
Finish: dry and fruity, reminiscent of peach and citrus juices poured onto rocks.
Comment: a blend of Clynelish, Dornoch and Brora (from a bottle), this is pretty good. 7/10

Glen Garioch 10yo 2014/2025 (56.2%, Little Brown Dog, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrels, 337b)

Nose: sand and crusted mud.
Mouth: blackberry-flavoured cough drops and earth.
Finish: yeah, earthy berries which never reach elderberry stages.
Comment: same as the one MR poured in June? Yes. Same score. 7/10

I confirm with PT and ST that the guy I do not know behind their stand is French and proceed to introduce myself. Shortly after, he offers...

An Islay 33yo 1991/2025 (49.1%, Thompson Bros. specially selected and bottled to celebrate the Thompson Family's 25th anniversary at Dornoch Castle Hotel, C#2681, 244b)

Nose: muddy fruits.
Mouth: beautiful smoked fruits augmented with a spoonful of mud.
Finish: mud, ink, crushed seashells and fruits.
Comment: excellent. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, Shalil)

Ben Nevis 26yo 1999/2025 (50.5%, Little Brown Dog, Bourbon Hogshead)

Nose: concentrated and potent, it displays mild fruits only.
Mouth: mineral and fruity at once, which is pretty nice.
Finish: it is a little too hot for me in the finish, not to mention funky (it is a Ben Nevis, after all). That distracts from the subtle fruitiness.
Comment: too funky for me to give a higher score. 7/10

It is getting sweaty and blurry in that tent!

Lochlea Our Barley (46%, OB, Bourbon + Sherry + STR Casks, b. ca. 2025)

Nose: fresh and crisp, full of cut apples and candied fruits.
Mouth: fresh, candied fruit cubes -- lots of them! Mango and papaya first in line.
Finish: creamy, here are milk chocolate and more candied papaya cubes.
Comment: remarkable. Their basic bottling, at 46%, at the end of a festival, after several 60+% drams, and it still shines. 8/10

Secret East Highland 46yo d.1978 Half Time Orange (40.6%, Little Brown Dog for Whisky Fringe Edinburgh)

Nose: phwoaaaaaar! An explosion of candied tropical fruits, topped with colour-crayon shavings.
Mouth: watery candied fruits, which tastes better than it reads, probably. Even though it is less explosive than on the nose, it remains outstanding. In an odd sequence of flavours, it adds oysters and shrimps at second sip.
Finish: it is in the same vein, super-fruity and fresh, adding smashed strawberries to an-otherwise full roster.

Comment: yet another Glen Garioch, albeit an undisclosed one. They made only two or three bottles of this just for the half-time orange. What a belter to finish with! 9/10

There are fifteen minutes left, but exhibitors are packing up and everyone is leaving. I wish they had rung last pour a few minutes prior. We tried more and better than we bargained for, but I feel stopped in my track, with this surprise festival end. Ah! well.

Outside, Mary_Poppins / Strawberry_Shortcake / Nana_Smith picks us up in her automobile. We drive to The Fishmarket Newhaven, where we have supper before taking a digestive walk during which we see four herons over the space of a few metres.

Crispy Squid and Chips

Battered Scallops

Haggis Bon Bons

The Forth Bridges in the distance.
We spot three, but cannot see the Forth
*cough*

From there, Poppins takes us to S. Luca for an ice cream. The Black Hawaii flavour impresses us much and helps us overlook the noise from the Oasis concert which we hear in the distance.

Time to say goodbye, though.