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03 Jun 23

Pog an Dragon 2013, The Whisky Chamber, 58.2%, B:2021, Port Cask 10554. Price:
Colour: Amber
Nose: Very peaty, maritime, smoky, phenolic, meaty, rather syrupy, on dark fruits, maritime and medicinal peat smoke, iodine, leather, fudge and light winey flavours. Very intense and good.
Taste: Very peaty, maritime, smoky, medicinal, slightly meaty, with some iodine, peat smoke, seaweeds, light winey flavours, toffee and leather.
Impression: A very smoky Islay single malt distilled at Lagavulin, rather medicinal and nice moderate syrupy flavours coming from the Port Cask. I liked it very much.
Rating: 16/20 FP:G6

30 May 23

Filey Bay for Whisky Bibliothek 2018, OB, 53.6%, B:2023, Madeira cask 950. Price:
Colour: Red-amber
Nose: Fresh, floral, winey, with some fresh barley, grapes, light and round oaky flavours and grape sugar.
Taste: Fresh, smooth to very smooth, on smooth winey flavours, grape sugar, sweet winey flavours, some dried and black fruits, as well as some tannins and burnt sugar.
Impression: A very smooth and rather sweet fresh and malty whisky, slightly floral, and with a nice and well-integrated influence from the Madeira cask. Impressive for a whisky at such an young age.
Rating: 14/20 FP:G1

28 May 23

Fettercain 18 YO, OB, 46.8%, B :2023, finished in Scottish oak. Price:
Colour: Old gold
Nose: Oaky, floral, on humus, freshly sawn wood, wood polish, lots of cinnamon from Magadascar, some vanilla, and fresh pears.
Taste: Minty, floral, slightly malty, with some varnish, freshly sawn wood, spearmint, toasted wood and vanilla. The finish is medium, oaky, fresh, minty, slightly malty, rather round, on toasted and fresh wood.
Impression: A very atypical Fettercairn, fresh and with fresh wood and minty flavours. A whisky that evolves markedly in the bottle over time. More enjoyable when freshly opened.
Rating: 13/20 FP:A1

27 Mai 23

Big Peat Islay Single Malt 2006, Douglas Laing, 48.4%, B:2022, cask 15594. Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Round, maritime, peaty, smoky, with nice round maritime and medicinal peat smoke, some sultanas, meaty flavours. hemp rope and a few drops of orange and dates. Rather round.
Taste: Maritime, salty, smoky, moderately peaty, slightly sweet, on dried fruits, soot, tar, peat smoke, iodine, some candied orange, soot, tar and smoked bacon. The finish is medium, rather mellow, medicinal, smoky, peaty and with some dried fruits.
Impression: A nice mellow and maritime smoky Islay single malt, slightly citric, with some dried fruits and light meaty flavours. Enjoyable.
Rating: 15/20 FP:D5

16 May 23

Lefort Augustin, OB, 42%, B :2022. Price:
Colour: Old gold
Nose: Creamy, malty, rather sugary, slightly winey, on sugar grapes, vanilla, vanilla custard, and round malty flavours. Nicely balanced.
Taste: Rich, malty to very malty, sugary, moderately winey, on grape sugar, sweet winey flavours, rich malty flavours and a nice balanced. The finish is medium, sweet, sugary, malty, and  with nice sweet sugary, winey and malty flavours.
Impression: A nice round and sweet French whisky, easy and enjoyable to drink. Matured in ex-Cognac casks.Very good value.
Rating: 13/20 FP:C1

14 May 23

Clynelish 1997, 23 YO, The Whisky Cask Company, 53.3%, B:2021. Price:
Colour: Pale gold
Nose: Complex, mustardy, farmy, slightly smoky and citric, on stable, wax, some light smoky notes, citrus, flintstones and a touch of coastal flavours. Very balanced.
Taste: Crystalline, waxy, mellow, citric, with some heather, candied citrus, flinstone, some mineral wax, and a touch of stable. Very complex. The finish is long and on the same aromas. Diluted, it becomes slightly more citric and smokier.
Impression: An excellent mineral, complex and very well balanced Clynelish, with a lovely balance between the waxy, mineral and citric flavours. One of the best recently bottle Clynelish I have tasted these last years.
Rating: 17/20 FP:A1

09 May 23

Secret Highland Single Malt 2013, Sansibar, 52.5%, B:2022. Price:
Colour: Pale gold
Nose: Clean to very clean, waxy, on lemon peel, vanilla, flintstone, some green apple, light stable flavours and a fair amount of candle wax.
Taste: Young, fresh, oaky, citric, waxy, on lemon peel, candle wax, green apples, sea brine, as well some vanilla. Diluted, it becomes smokier. The finish is medium, citric, waxy, slightly austere, on candle wax, bitter lemon, oak spices, vanilla,  some green apples, flintstone and seabrine.
Impression: A young, sharp, clean and waxy single malt distilled at Clynelish. A very good one, still rather youngish.
Rating: 14/20 FP:A1

07 May 23

Highland Park 2007 for World of Whisky.ch, 13 YO, OB, 61.7%, B:2021, cask 4938. Price:
Colour: Old gold-amber
Nose: Round, slightly mellow, smoky and peaty, on heather honey, a nice light round peat smoke, some orange, leather and a touch of fudge. Nicely balanced and rather complex.
Taste: Dry, smoky, round, on leather, burnt heather, some old meaty peat smoke, orange, figs, candied orange, and high grade old rubber, The finish is rather long, dry, smoky, on old leather and rubber, peat smoke, candied orange, some heather and honey. Diluted, it becomes more fruity but also more on tannins and slightly bitter.
Impression: A very good expression of Highland Park, rather smoky and reminding me of the Highland Park bottled in the early 2000s. I like this style very much.
Rating: 15/20 FP:D3

02 May 23

Dornoch for Caora, 5 YO, OB, 59.2%, B:2023, cask 8. Price:
Colour: Pale gold
Nose: Oaky, dirty, slightly musty, fresh, on orchards fruits, light floral flavours, some yeast, grist and light vanilla flavours. With an old style of “dirty” nose.
Taste: Young, smooth, dirty, moderately spicy, on wet wood, oak spice, vanilla, some toffee, yeast broth, grist and wet woodlands. The finish is medium, spicy, dirty, gristy, on wet wood, yeast broth and some orchards fruits. Diluted, it becomes more on fresh pears.
Impression: A young whisky showing some nice complexity and on old style of whisky, oily, gristy and “dirty”, which offers a wide range of flavours. A nice one and I am looking for tasting more matured single malts from that distillery. Well crafted.
Rating: 13/20 FP:A2

30 Avr 23

Teaninich 2008, 14 YO, The Whisky Chamber, 50.1%, B :2022, PX QC cask. Price:
Colour: Old gold-amber
Nose: Very smooth, round, malty, slightly green and grassy, with nice round dried fruits, dates and candied orange. The sherry flavours are mild and very well-integrated.
Taste: Green, grassy, malty, floral to very floral, with some freshly cut grass, green malt, soft spices, fudge, dates, some nice round leather and candied oranges. The finish is rather long, very round, green, moderately malty and floral, on fudge, green malt, some soft leather and dried fruits.
Impression: A surprising expression of Teaninich, matured in an ex-PX casks, that has a very pleasant and round mouthfeel. Not extremely complex, but easy drinking and enjoyable. More interesting and satisfying than most single malts coming from that distillery.
Rating: 15/20 FP:G1

19 Apr 23

Ardmore 2009, Liquid Treasures, 54.2%, B :2022. Price:
Colour: Pale gold
Nose: Peaty, round, tarry, on a dry aromatic peat smoke, some wine and sugary flavours. The rum is well noticeable.
Taste: Peaty, dry, tarry, on sweet sugary flavours, some varnish, aromatic peat smoke, light winey and sugary flavours. The finish is medium to long, elegant, peaty, smoky, slightly dry and aromatic, with a light winey and sugary flavours.
Impression: The distillate is very good, peaty and aromatic, with very limited oaky influence, but a rather pronounced influence from the Rum cask, too much to my liking.
Rating:14/20 FP:D1

18 Apr 23

Aberlour  2012, The Whisky Chamber, 57.6%, Ruby Port Cask 0296. Price:
Colour: Ruby red
Nose: Rich, thick, syrupy, winey, on rather thick and syrupy Ruby Port, some oak spices, leather, grapes, some round flavours, vanilla and honey.
Taste: Rich, oaky, winey, syrupy, rather thick, on syrupy Port, sultanas, grapes, some vanilla, oak spice and winey flavours. Diluted, it becomes fresher, lighter, and more on Port. The finish is rather long, thick, syrupy, winey, on thick and syrupy winey flavours, sugary Port, vanilla and light floral flavours.
Impression: An original Aberlour, with a strong and syrupy Port influence coming from its full maturation in an Port Cask. The distillate is nice and clean, and should appeal to anyone who enjoy Port matured whiskies.
Rating: 14/20 FP:F1

17 Apr 23

Blended Scotch, 50 YO, The Maltman, 44.5%, B:2023. Price:
Colour: Amber
Nose: Rich, mellow, moderately grainy, on leather, cooked cereals, leather, orange, cinnamon, dried fruits, sultanas, and some other ripe fruits. Well balanced and rather complex.
Taste: Rich, spicy, grainy, mellow, rather rich, with nice spicy flavours, cinnamon, dried fruits, leather, some lacquer, orange blossom, some toffee and ripe exotic fruits. The finish is long, bold, rich, grainy, moderately spicy, on leather, fudge, nice spices, some exotic fruits, cooked cereals, orange and some lacquer. Nicely balanced.
Impression: A very nice balanced Blended malt, complex and with a very nice mouthfeel, without any woody flavours. A very good value whisky.
Rating: 16/20 FP:G2

13 Apr 23

Caol Ila 40 YO, Elixir Distillers, 49.1%, B:2022, 108 bottles. Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Woaww, an explosion of mellow, complex, old fashioned medicinal peat smoke, with some tar, seaweeds, camphor, iodine and a touch of soot. A delicious nose.
Taste: Maritime, medicinal, smoky, on citrus, old mild and mellow maritime and medicinal peat smoke, iodine, seaweeds, some camphor, soot and bonfire smoke. Complex. The finish is long, maritime, medicinal, smoky, with mellow peat smoke, seaweeds, iodine, camphor, bonfire smoke, some citrus, soot and ashes.
Impression: An excellent Caol Ila, with a mellow peat smoke, on iodine, camphor, medicinal flavours, some citrus and soot. With a very long and lingering medicinal peat smoke.
Rating: 17/20 FP:A4

 

09 Apr 23

Jura 18 YO, OB, 44%, B:2022. Price:
Colour: Old gold-amber
Nose: Oaky, rather fresh and malty, with some winey flavours, straw, vanilla and nuts.
Taste: Salty, oaky, juicy, fresh, rather malty, with nice round floral flavours, orange, quince, some grapes, oak spices and grassy flavours. The finish is medium, oaky, floral, spicy, slightly bitter, on marmalade, oak spices, liquorice roots and some sea brine. Diluted, it becomes slightly more bitter.
Impression: A whisky with a nice fresh nose, rather oaky and intense on the palate. A nice and modern whisky, with a rather present influence from the wood.
Rating:14/20 FP:C1

06 Apr 23

Bunnahabhain 2008 For Ramseyer’s whisky connection, 12 YO, Signatory, 57.8%, B:2020, cask 1175. Price:
Colour: Old gold
Nose: Nicely round and fruity, maritime, coastal, on sea brine, yellow fruits, light floral flavours and some exotic fruits. Very nicely balanced and with lovely fruity flavours.
Taste: Fruity, floral, floral, round, salty, moderately maritime, on juicy yellow fruits, some exotic fruits, vanilla custard, dried fruits, toffee, dried fruits and underlying sea brine flavours. Well balanced and rather complex. Diluted, it becomes more winey. The finish is long, complex, balanced, elegant, fruity, moderately floral and maritime, on mixture of yellow, exotic and dried fruits, some leather and toffee.
Impression: A very nice unpeated Bunna, with lovely fruity flavours, dried fruits and the salty flavours from the West Coast of Islay. Remarkably complex.
Rating: 16/20 FP:D1

01 Apr 23

Inchgower 2008 For Switzerland, 14 YO, The First Editions, 59.6%, B:2022. Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Salty, creamy, round, intense, on vanilla custard, sea brine, oak spices and a nice balance. With time, it becomes more and more on nice exotic fruits. Very good.
Taste: Intense, round, balanced, slightly floral and salty, on vanilla, vanilla custard, light creamy flavours and some exotic fruits, such as papaya. The finish is long, bold, creamy, slightly salty, on vanilla, vanilla custard, some sea brine and
Impression: A very good expression of Inchgower, round, intense, bold, rather creamy and with nice sea brine flavours. I enjoyed it very much.
Rating: 15/20 FP:A2

30 Mar 23

Inchgower 1997 for Whisky & Music Zurich, 23 YO, C. Dully, 59.9%, B:2023, cask 8788. Price:
Colour: Old gold
Nose: Round, intense, salty, mellow, fruity, on sea brine, dried fruits, peach, a light smokiness, some mango, papaya and vanilla.
Taste: Salty, intense, austere, rather complex, with a mixture of salty, citric and fruity flavours, as well as a light smokiness. The finish is medium to long, salty, citric, fruity, rather complex, on citrus, papaya, vanilla, sea brine and light smokiness.
Impression: A nice mature Inchgower combining salty, citric and slightly fruity flavours. Diluted, it becomes more maritime and with a touch of liquorice roots.
Rating: 15/20 FP:C2

22 Mar 23

West Cork Single Malt, OB, 40%, B :2022. Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Soft to very soft, smooth, on honey, heather, some vanilla, oak spices and green orchards fruits.
Taste: Light, fresh, smooth to very smooth, green, on freshly cut grass, green apples, juicy oak and some liquid honey. The finish is medium, smooth, grassy, green, grassy, on green orchards fruits, freshly cut grass and some juicy oak. Diluted, it becomes slightly spicier.
Impression: A nice, smooth, fresh, green and grassy Irish whiskey, pleasant and easy drinking.
Rating: 13/20 FP:A1

21 Mar 23

Old Rhosdhu 1990 The Exquisite Casks, 30 YO, Whisky Hood, 47.8%, B:2022. Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Mellow, soft, floral, on hay, some yeast, vanilla, and broth.
Taste:  Light, rich, juicy, floral, on hay, on light floral favours, some juicy oak, broth and light yeasty flavours. The finish is long, mellow, smooth, on light floral flavours, juicy oak, some vanilla and yeast.
Impression: A very nice and smooth whisky, elegant, mellow and with nice light fruity flavours.
Rating: 14/20 FP:B1

20 Mar 23

Craigellachie 2007 For Switzerland, 15 YO, The  First Edition, 57.9%, B:2022. Price:
Colour: Amber
Nose: Round, floral, balanced, moderately fruity, smooth, on high grade leather, soft leather, round floral flavours, sultanas, some orange peel, and a touch of heather. Very nice.
Taste:  Complex, smooth, floral to very floral, on precious wood, lacquer, rich smooth floral flavours, sultanas, worn leather, orange, cinnamon, nutmeg, heather and a touch of high grade rubber. Diluted, it becomes smoother and with some slightly more high grade leather and rubber. The finish is long, smooth, rich, floral, complex, on old leather, some precious wood, lacquer, orange and cinnamon.
Impression: A delicious sherry version of Craigellachie, rich, elegant and well balanced.
Rating: 16/20 FP:G1

 

15 Mar 23

Dingle 4th Release Single Pot Still, OB, 46.5%, B:2022. Price:
Colour: Pale gold
Nose: Light, fresh, smooth, on vanilla and orchards fruits, with light fragrant and floral flavours.
Taste: Fresh, light, fragrant, slightly grassy, on fresh green flavours, some freshly cut grass and flowers, as well as vanilla and some green pears. The finish is medium, fresh, on green malt and orchards fruits.
Impression: A nice fresh and smooth Irish Pot Still that tasted slightly young.
Rating: 13/20 FP:A1

14 Mar 23

Nagahama Heavily Peated 2018, OB, 61.2%, B:2022. Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Very peaty, dry, aromatic, on a dry and aromatic peat smoke, tar, stables and soot. Very good.
Taste: Young, smooth, on vanilla, dry peat smoke, grilled bread, some soot and light bitter and aromatic herbs. The finish is medium, dry to very dry, peaty, tarry, light and on a dry aromatic peat smoke.
Impression: A heavily peated whisky from a new Japanese distillery, with a  very dry and aromatic peat smoke. A very promising young Japanese whisky.
Rating: 13/20 FP:A5

19 Feb 23

Isle of Jura 21 YO Fide, OB, 46.7%, B:2022. Price:
Colour: Old gold
Nose: Round, mellow, slightly maritime and winey, on seabrine, light round winey flavours, some grapes, honey, toffee and nice malty and orchards fruits. Complex. Very good.
Taste:  Very round, mellow, slightly salty and winey, on seabrine, dry winey flavours, grapes, some nutmeg and seaweeds. The finish is medium to long, maritime, slightly salty and yeasty, with nice winey flavours, sea brine, rubber and a touch of nutmeg. Diluted, it become more winey, salty and rubbery.
Impression: A nice maritime, mellow and rather complex Isle of Jura, rather winey.
Rating: 15/20 FP:G1

17 Feb 23

Distillerie de Paris single malt, OB, 43%, B:2022. Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Very fragrant, soapy, perfumy, on tar soap, lavender, fur tree sap, wood spices, and fragrant hand wash. Taste like a fragrant soap shop. Very unsual.
Taste: Sappy, soapy, woody, fragrant, perfumy, slightly smoky, on fur tree sap, tar, lavender and slightly fragrant dried flavours. 
Impression: Maturation includes malt matured in Accacia and Chestnut casks, this single malt has a very unique flavour profile, very different from almost any whiskies that I tasted. Not a style that I like, but you might want to give it a try to experience something special.
Rating: 08/20 FP:D2

14 Feb 23

Ardmore 2009, 12 YO, DramCatcher, 51.4%, B:2022, cask 2624. Price:
Colour: Pale gold
Nose: Intense, smoky, aromatic to very aromatic, slightly waxy and grassy, on intense peat smoke, vanilla, oak spices, lemon peel, some stable and other light citrusy flavours.
Taste :Intense, aromatic, waxy, floral, citric, smoky, sightly malty, on citrus, vanilla, oak spices, aromatic herbs, aromatic peat smoke, and some bitter aromatic herbs. Diluted, it becomes more on liquorice, tobacco quid and bitterer. The finish is rather long, intense, smoky, aromatic, moderately citric, slightly waxy, on aromatic peat smoke, vanilla, light floral flavours and lots of aromatic herbs, with some austere flavours
Impression: Another very good Ardmore, very intense, smoky and aromatic. A very intense and punchy Ardmore, with a very nice mixture of aromatic peat smoke and citrus. An excellent value single malt.
Rating: 15/20 FP:A5

13 Feb 23

Ardmore 1998, 24 YO, Acla Selection, 49.3%, B:2022. Price:
Colour: Pale gold
Nose: Smoky, aromatic to very aromatic, complex, on citrus, aromatic peat smoke, aromatic herbs, some lemon peel, bonfire smoke, vanilla and light slightly austere floral notes. Very good!
Taste: Floral, malty, smoky, complex, austere, aromatic to very aromatic, with a very nice complex aromatic and slightly austere peat smoke, some lemon peel, grapefruits, flintstone, vanilla and aromatic herbs. The finish is long to very long, smoky, complex, austere, aromatic to very aromatic, on aromatic peat smoke, some liquorice tablets (Cachou), aromatic herbs, wax and citrus. Diluted, it becomes more citric and with some bitter aromatic herbs.
Impression: Ardmore is often an underrated distillery, but the quality of the whisky is generally very good. This is a very nice expression of a rather peaty style of this distillery with some delicious smoky and aromatic flavours that I enjoy very much.  I enjoyed this malt very much.
Rating: 16/20 FP:A4

02 Feb 23

Ledaig 2001 for LMDW, 20 YO, Signatory, 58.8%,  B :2022, cask 860106. Price:
Colour: Amber
Nose: Heavy, peaty, smoky, meaty, maritime, on dried fruits, old meaty peat smoke, slightly aromatic, on orange, sultanas, some old leather and rubber, marmalade, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Taste: Rubbery, meaty, peaty, maritime, smoky, on iodine, smoked ham, tar, peat smoke, some iodine, seaweeds, orange, dried fruits, leather, lacquer and old worn rubber. The finish is medium to long, rubbery, meaty, smoky, peaty, medicinal, with some leather, orange, tar, dried fruits and liquorice.
Impression: A nice, peaty, meaty and maritime Ledaig, with some rather pronounced rubbery flavours, not on burnt rubber, but more on old worn rubber,
Rating: 15/20 FP:G5

31 Jan 23

Moon Harbour Dock 1, OB, 45.8%, B :2022. Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Young, smooth, winey, malty, slightly creamy, with moderate sweet winey flavours, custard, and a touch of spice and seabrine.
Taste: Light, smooth to very smooth, creamy, winey, slightly spicey, on sweet wine and some oak spices. The finish is medium, creamy, winey, slightly spicy and maritime, slightly syrupy as well, on oak spices, vanilla and winey flavours.
Impression: A nice smooth, creamy, easy drinking  and rather winey single malt.
Rating: 11/20 FP:D1

30 Jan 23

Moon Harbour Dock 3, OB, 45.8%, B :2022. Price:
Colour: Old gold
Nose: Smoky, peaty, maritime, salty to very salty, on seaweeds, iodine, maritime peat smoke, kelps, sea brine and some seashells. Very maritime, salty and smoky.
Taste: Smoky to very smoky, maritime to very maritime, on seaweeds, kelp, smoke, some seashells, tar and soot, with some peat-like flavours. The finish is rather long, smoky to very smoky, on seabrine, iodine, seaweeds, maritime smoke and sea tang.
Impression: A very nice whisky, with a light maritime smoke, on seaweeds, iodine and some tar, as well as some light peat smoke-like flavours. The smoky flavours are not coming from peat smoke, but from the smoke of burnt seaweeds, giving a very maritime aspect to this whisky, with a nice smoothness, Very good and enjoyable.
Rating: 15/20 FP:A5

22 Jan 23

Imperial 32 YO, Elixir Distillers, 42.2%, B :2022. Price:
Colour: Gold
Nose: Mellow to very mellow, complex, on nice summer floral flavours, pollen, vanilla, some ripe yellow fruits, heather honey, quince, aromatic and slightly austere herbs, and a touch of smoke
Taste: Mellow, delicate, grassy, moderately aromatic, on slighly austere aromatic herbs, vanilla, some yellow fruits, light grassy flavours and a hint of smoke. The finish is medium to long, complex, delicate, rather aromatic, slightly austere, with some vanilla, custard, aromatic herbs and a dash of smoke and citrus. Diluted, it becomes more on citrus.
Impression: A very nice, mellow, delicate and rather aromatic expression of Imperial. A whisky to savour.
Rating: 16/20 FP:A1

 

 

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