Category Archives: Highland

Chorlton – Faemussach 21 year 56%

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One of the true joys of whisky tasting groups is the thrill of unveiling a bottle that’s anything but ordinary—something bold, maybe even a little controversial, guaranteed to ignite lively debate! This Faemussach, bottled by Chorlton, did exactly that. Whilst the distillery is likely BenRiach, the specifics of the cask (or casks) and its 21-year maturation remained a mystery.
With only 313 bottles in existence, unless you already bought this bottle or can track it down via an online auction, you’ll simply have to settle for experiencing vicariously through our impressions!

Faemussach 21 year (2020 / 2022) 56% 313 bottles

  • Nose – It began quite “fresh” – fresh mint, a hint of solventy-sweet glue-like aromas, a bit of rubber, then lemon dishwashing soap. As it opened, it became even sweeter – think juicy raisins, shifting into sweet jasmine flowers, Chinese white tea, more flowers like rajnighanda (tuberose), chrysanthemum, khus, vanilla pod… Every once and a while, out popped smoke, fish oil, and even socks!
  • Palate – What a contrast from the nose! Whilst at first there was a teasing gulkand (sweet rose petal preserve), we also found it quite umami with shitake mushrooms, bitter leaves – more accurately betel leaf – with its fresh, peppery and bitter taste. We also discovered malt extract, hints of smoky peat, resin, and milan supari, cloves and cardamom
  • Finish – Quite pronounced – strong, bitter then sweet paan
  • Water – Whilst it initially brought out even more of the wood character, it also highlighted sweet maple bacon, aniseed, mint, sultana raisins, and oranges
  • Revisit – We set it aside and returned to find it quite smoky, much more so than when initially poured!

This was the most divisive dram of the night! It was bold with diverse elements co-existing – from fresh to umami, sweet to peat, floral perfumes to fish oil. It was very dynamic, and many of our flavour references were specifically Indian, often having no easily translatable equivalent. For example, the best description of the aroma was khus – with its distinctive green, earthy smell.

I expect this will be a whisky that needs time… perhaps some deliberate oxidation. It was simply too active with the first opening and could do with a revisit in a few weeks or more!

What did David (the man behind Chorlton!) have to say? The following is an extract from his email…

So, first up we have Faemussach 21-year-old. This is peated single malt from an undisclosed distillery, which I’m told (although I can’t prove anything!) was Benriach. The slight air of mystery also extends to the cask. The colour suggests sherry, but it could be an unusually active bourbon cask. A few people have tried this now and opinions have been divided.

On the nose I find smouldering charcoal in a cast-iron stove, autumn leaves, mango chutney and orange jelly. Little Gem biscuits (do they still exist?), vanilla pods, leather, green walnuts and banana skins. It really is this shifting mixture of earthy/smoky and sweet/fruity, with “dark” notes of black cardamom, Pontefract cake and lapsang souchong in the background.

The palate is pretty massive, with a wave of fruit (orange, mango, sultanas) and earthy peat (much more resinous and phenolic than outright smoky), then wine cellars and a stroll down the spice aisle (liquorice root, anise, cloves, cassia) and some thick vanilla cream. The finish is really incredibly long, with scorched honey, malt extract and smouldering oily peat.

Adding water makes everything cleaner, a touch more citrussy, and adds some menthol and tar in the finish. It’s also noticeable how much fruitier this gets with time and air. Drams from my now-mostly-empty sample bottle are really different from the first few. Fascinating stuff!

This hogshead (I can say that much safely!) produced 313 bottles at a cask strength of 56.0% and they are available for £105 each.

I would agree with David – there is a real interplay between different elements and our Whisky Ladies with Bombay Malt & Cigar gents were equally divided on this one!

I purchased the Faemussach directly from Chorlton in May 2022, then another via a European distributor.

It closed our special Bold and Beautiful Chorlton quartet with:

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2025 Whisky Show – Decadent Drams Highland, Speyside + Orkney

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Decadent Drinks has become a favourite at whisky shows for great conversations, a fabulous range of new and rare whiskies. The 2025 London Whisky Show experience was no exception. Our first day began with them, and our last day closed there too.

Between the start and finish, we had a couple of pit stops. During one, we explored some of their non-dream dram “Decadent Dram” expressions with :

  • Highland (Deanston) 27 year (1997/2025) Refill Hogshead 50.4% (Decadent Drams) 2025 Whisky Show GBP 278
  • Speyside (Glen Moray) 10 year (2014/2025) 57.1% (Decadent Drams) 2025 Whisky Show GBP 95
  • Old Orkney (Highland Park) 25 year (1999 / 2025) 50.3% (Decadent Drinks) 2025 Whisky Show GBP 345

Without further ado, let’s get on with the whiskies, shall we?

Highland (Deanston) 27 year (1997 / 2025) Refill hogshead 50.4% 

  • Nose – A clear classic, all those lovely Highland notes, a real beauty!
  • Palate – Well-rounded, fruity, and balanced… everything in harmony
  • Finish – Nice with a gentle spice

Whilst I’m not always a Deanston fan, this expression was spectacular. Narry a hint of that slightly industrial element I sometimes find with Deanston. This was elegant, exceptional, and such a treat to taste!

Speyside (Glen Moray) 10 year (2014/2025) 57.1% 

  • Nose – Fruity, full yet not too much
  • Palate – Bold but not forceful, complex, juicy, rich, stewed fruits, sweet yet not cloying, creamy milk chocolate
  • Finish – Salty, sweet, with a bit of gentle, fragrant leaves

Again, whilst we aren’t always Glen Moray fans, this was way beyond expectations. For a distillery that pumps out the (relatively) cheap stuff, this was top shelf.

This wasn’t our first Old Orkney expression. We tried their 20-year-old expression at the 2024 Whisky Show, so we were curious to see what their 4th bottling in this series was all about!

Old Orkney (Highland Park) 25 year (1999 / 2025) 50.3% 

  • Nose – Heather, light leather, peat, and sweet with dark fruits
  • Palate – Yummy! Lovely rich sherry, backed by a gentle peat
  • Finish – Lovely and lingers

Practically in unison, we shared our impression that this was what Highland Park used to be!

What more do we know? This 25-year-old was mostly matured in refill wood, then its final six years, it was matured in a very old 1st fill, ex-bodega, oloroso sherry butt. 

And there you have it – another delicious trio from Decadent Drinks!

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2025 Whisky Show Exclusives – Kanosuke, Tormore, Clynelish

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All whisky shows have “exclusives” bottled just for the event. 2025 Whisky Show was no exception! There were many on offer – including a “Lost in Time” series that we didn’t get a chance to try!

So what did we experience?

Inspired by the St George spirit from The Heart Cut that we tried at a Mainstage session about the future of Independent Bottlers, we went straight for their show bottle! As he poured, Duncan shared that he’s become a big fan of The Heart Cut, bottling some good stuff! He especially enjoyed their Cotswold and Milk & Honey expressions, which were not available at the show. So what about what we could try?

Bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange’s Whisky Show 2025, this Kanosuke is the most recent expression from The Heart Cut.

Kanosuke 5 year (Nov 2019 / Apr 2025) Ex-Bourbon Quarter Cask 54% (The Heart Cut #21) 115 bottles

What did we think?

  • Nose – Fun, effervescent, fruity, apricot, a gentle honey, lightly herbal
  • Palate – Black tea, toasted marshmallows, delightful!
  • Finish – A lovely fragrant finish

This was a lovely dram – with the official tasting notes spot on! Here’s what they have to say about the liquid:

This whisky opens with big, ripe fruit – sun-warmed apricots that soften into honeycomb, lifted by a delicate, fragrant herbal note. On the palate, more apricots and juicy peaches layer with honeycomb that deepens into bittersweet caramel, reminiscent of the charred sweetness of toasted marshmallows, before easing into the refined bitterness of black tea. The finish carries the juiciness of stone fruit long and bright, with a whisper of lemon verbena to close.

Key Takeouts: Toasted Marshmallows, Honeycomb, Black tea, Lemon Verbena, Ripe Apricots.

A truly delightful treat to try!

We moved on to Sukhinder Singh’s distillery – Tormore. Our last experience was during an evening at my friend’s London home with Sukhinder, where we shared a Chorlton indie bottle – a Tormore 28 year. This wasn’t quite so old – more in the range of 15 years and was sampled from an official Pre-release for the 2025 Whisky Show.

Tormore Legacy Casks 2009 Vintage (May 2009 / May 2025) 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel Cask #4046 55.1% 210 bottles.

  • Nose – We found it bursting with orchard fruits – lots of crisp green apples and pears! Then it shifted to reveal red berries, warm oak, and then caramel custard! After some time in the glass, there was a light floral element on top – sweet!
  • Palate – It had lots of currents, raspberries… rich and rewarding!
  • Finish – A hint of smoke and black tea

Though it was only a wee sniff and swish, we quite enjoyed it!

I spotted the 29 year Clynelish and got excited! My festival pick from the 2023 Whisky Show was the Clynelish 12 year (2011/2023) 1st Fill Barrel #880297 56.4%.

Clynelish 1993 29 Year Old (20 Oct 1993 / 20 Dec 2022) Bourbon Barrel #11080 49.6% (Càrn Mòr)

Duncan warned me this might not be quite what I was expecting….

  • Nose – I expected something joyful and waxy; instead, there were apples, but slightly past their prime, sweet
  • Palate – Initially, it seemed like it would be an easy-going, well-rounded dram, yet, then amidst all the red apples, the prick of spice became sharper

And that’s when it dawned on me. What about that classic Clynelish waxy trait? Where was the honey and heather? Then I learned it is GBP 775 / bottle? What….?! Oh my! Somehow, I stopped evaluating the whisky on its own merit and couldn’t get past the price tag.

After this trio of show exclusives, we noticed that the throng around The Heart Cut stand had lessened slightly, so we decided to make our move next door to further explore!

As always, it is good to reconnect with folks and share a dram or two, kibbitz over this and that, and slow down to enjoy good moments! (Yes that’s me with my regular tasting companion and Duncan, late of The Whisky Exchange).

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2025 Whisky Show – Gordon and MacPhail

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Over the years, I’ve looked forward to the Gordon & MacPhail stand at any whisky show. The folks there know their stuff and have remarkable stuff to share too! With 130 years in the business, one could count on both great insights and great liquid, making spending time there a real highlight.

And then came the announcement in 2023 that the team would cease independent bottling – stopping the purchase of new make spirit from 2024 – to focus on their distilleries: Benromach and The Cairn. Whilst they still have a prodigious amount of stock maturing, it was a clear signal of change. Backing this up, they were notably absent at London’s 2024 Whisky Show.

All to say – we were pleasantly surprised to see their return at London’s 2025 Whisky Show.

Having previously sampled the Auchroisk and Miltonduff from their Discovery line, and it being too early in the day for the peaty Ledaig, we went directly to the Connoisseurs Choice range. What did we try?

  • Linkwood 15 year (2009 / 18 Nov 2024) Batch 24/036 1st Fill Sherry Hogshead Cask #22605907 53.8% (G&MP Connoisseurs Choice – UK Exclusive) 329 Bottles, 2025 Whisky Show £127
  • Balblair 31 year (1993 / 29 Aug 2024) Batch 24/020, First Fill Sherry Puncheon Cask #1961 49.5% (G&MP Connoisseurs Choice) 549 Bottles, 2025 Whisky Show £710
  • Tamnavulan 31 year (1991 / 12 Dec 2022) Batch 23/002 Refill Sherry Puncheon Cask #9040502 51.79% (G&MP Connoisseurs Choice) 418 Bottles, 2025 Whisky Show £711
  • Glenrothes 16 year (2009 / 6 Jun 2025) Batch 25/016, 1st Fill Sherry Hogshead Cask #19602410 55.5% (G&MP Connoisseurs Choice) 2025 Whisky Show £138
  • Highland Park 17 year (2007 / 3 June 2025) Batch 25/017, 1st Fill Sherry Butt Cask #5358 59.9% (G&MP Connoisseurs Choice – UK Exclusive) 606 Bottles, 2025 Whisky Show £156
  • Benromach 40 year (1982 / 2022) Cask #3024413 59.9% (G&MP Private Collection) 2025 Whisky Show £1950

Our tasting notes are a bit light as this was a sniff, swish, and spit – my typical approach to remain standing at Whisky Shows! Where possible, I’ve added additional insights from the bottle…

Gordon & MacPhail calls Linkwood “An unsung hero in the world of single malts.” I would tend to agree that this Speyside distillery produces solid drams with less attention. At the show, we tried a UK exclusive…

Linkwood 15 year (2009 / 18 Nov 2024) Batch 24/036 1st Fill Sherry Hogshead Cask No 22605907 53.8% (G&MP Connoisseurs Choice, UK Exclusive) 329 Bottles

  • Nose – What a delight! It was bright and fruity on the nose – think red apples, ginger with a bit of orange zest, joined by cherries and cake
  • Palate – It was much more powerful than the aromas! Rich and full-flavoured, we found stewed apples, mocha, peppers, and something a bit nutty.
  • Finish – Dry, with a nice oak and spice tail. Yum!

What did the G&MP folks have to say? Their official tasting notes shared:

Fruit cake and marzipan aromas intertwine with cherry and strawberry liquorice. Stewed fruit combines with autumnal spice and milk chocolate. A full finish with forest fruits and toasted oak.

There is also a related expression available for worldwide distribution.

Next up was an offering from Balblair, with the folks at G&MP sharing:

As a single malt, Balblair heads into a sweet, buttery territory, working extremely well in a variety of casks – from refill hogsheads to more robust puncheons. Balblair proudly sits in ‘The MacPhail’s Collection’ range, it is considered as a top class Highland single malt whisky.

My tasting companion and I bonded over a Balblair 38 year, so what did we think of the 31-year-old?

Balblair 31 year (1993 / 29 Aug 2024) Batch 24/020, First Fill Sherry Puncheon Cask #1961 49.5% 2025 (G&MP Connoisseurs Choice) 

  • Nose – Outstanding! Orchard fruits, red berries, warming into dried fruits and dark chocolate
  • Palate – Fabulous! Wonderfully well-rounded, a touch of spice, very jammy, shifting into a delicious marmalade… I kept thinking of these marvellous
  • Finish – Strong, long, and mighty fine

Their official tasting notes from the bottle shared the following:

Roast coffee bean aromas lead to vanilla fudge and dried fruits. Sweet with light fruitcake, chocolate and Seville orange flavours balanced by charred oak. Full bodied, with a hint of pepper.

There is also a related expression available.

Next up was a less familiar Speyside. G&MP had this to say about the distillery:

Tamnavulin comes from the Gaelic meaning ‘mill on the hill’, it was built in 1966 as one of the newer distilleries during a period of several opening in the region. It was mothballed less than 30 years later in early 1995. The distillery has six stills and is completely computerised.

It is the only distillery positioned on the River Livet, from which the cooling waters are drawn. The distillery resumed production in 2007 and makes a whisky, which very much characterises the smooth, creamy qualities of the Speyside region.

The liquid we tried was distilled in 1991 – before it was mothballed.

Tamnavulan 31 year (1991 / 12 Dec 2022) Batch 23/002 Refill Sherry Puncheon Cask #9040502 51.79% (G&MP Connoisseurs Choice) 

  • Nose – Elegant, orchard fruits, caramel sweet, mmmm…. a dark chocolate fudge
  • Palate – Surprisingly dry! Tannins, good body, full and rich. And yes – blackcurrants, black pepper – exactly as we later read as tasting notes on the label!
  • Finish – Carried through

We were entranced – particularly the fabulous aromas caught our fancy! It may seem like a contradiction, however, it was “creamier” on the nose than the palate – for us at least.

What a treat to try this! I’m curious if the new avatar re-opened in 2007 will produce such liquid? Whilst I had purchased pre-COVID a bottle from their new stock, it was gifted to a dear whisky connoisseur in Mumbai to replenish depleted stocks in a time of shortage!

What did their official tasting notes on the bottle say?

Autumnal spice intertwine with aromas of apple and hazelnuts, vanilla fudge combines with blackcurrant flavours, balanced by black pepper. A full finish with lingering herbal influences.

Currently, there are no Tamnavulin expressions listed as available directly from G&MP, however, The Whisky Exchange still has a few bottles of this one!

We followed with an expression from The Glenrothes distillery… Here’s what G&MP share about this distillery:

This single malt has become something of a cult whisky in the past decade or so, famed for its Battenburg cake flavours, and has grown decade after decade between the 1960s and 2000s, seemingly swerving all the pitfalls of the industry. Clearly a blessed spirit indeed.

What did we think?

Glenrothes 16 year (2009 / 6 Jun 2025) Batch 25/016, 1st Fill Sherry Hogshead Cask #19602410 55.5% (G&MP Connoisseurs Choice) 

  • Nose – All the expected dark fruits, Christmas cake chock full of dried fruits, raisins, was in competition with an apple crumble with brown sugar and cinnamon
  • Palate – Hmm… not so balanced. Fruity, sweet, but somehow was a bit “much”

What was a playful interplay on the nose, just didn’t come together on the palate. Simply put, there was just too much going on and not enough harmony.

And the official tasting notes?

Fruitcake aromas combine with raspberry and cinnamon, stewed apples and raisin flavours complement demera sugar and a hint of aniseed. A full and long finish with forest fruits and spice.

Ahhh, the Orkney Islands and the venerable Highland Park! What do the G&MP folks have to say?

From its blustery home in Kirkwall, the distillery still utilises a small traditional floor malting set up to supplement its production and the peat is cut from Hobbister Moor, where due to the unforgiving weather conditions, no trees grow, meaning the peat has taken on a distinct floral character from the low lying plants and heather.

As a whisky, Highland Park is rich and honeyed, with a delicate-yet-dry smoky fragrance. A characterful and highly distinctive malt which is utterly adored by the global whisky community.

Highland Park 17 year (2007 / 3 June 2025) Batch 25/017, 1st Fill Sherry Butt Cask #5358 59.9% (G&MP Connoisseurs Choice – UK Exclusive)

  • Nose – Yum! Salty peanuts, mocha with a hint of citrus too
  • Palate – Peat and sweet and fun!
  • Finish – Light spice and everything nice!

Whilst perhaps not as complex as my memories of the old Highland Park 18 year, this was a lovely example of what a Highland Park whisky can be!

What did the folks at G&MP have to say?

Fragrant raisin aromas complement peanuts and tangerine peel. Apple and raspberry are followed by fudge and a hint of coffee bean. A medium length finish with lingering spice.

We closed with a special dram from Gordon & Macphail’s own distillery – Benromach – with whisky distilled before their purchase in 1993.

Benromach 40 year (1982 / 2022) Cask #3024413 59.9% (G&MP Private Collection) 

  • Nose – Rich, complex, plums, coffee, cloves, ginger, zest of an orange peel
  • Palate – Bold, heavy, tannins, cherry, and black pepper spice… this is one serious dram! Just let it roll around, enveloping with full flavours!
  • Finish – Spicy, smoke, and very, very long…

Wow! This was one powerful dram. We drained our wee sample to the last drop and enjoyed the remaining aromas in our glasses.

What a brilliant finish to a fabulous line-up from Gordon & MacPhail. Whilst I’m glad they still have a decade or more of stock, I still hope that in a few years, there is a renewed commitment to maturing and bottling the best the whisky industry has to offer!

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BMC’s Nc’Nean Night: Original, Huntress Orchard Cobbler, Quiet Rebels Gordon

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A few years ago, at Nürnberg’s The Village whisky fair, I was introduced to a new Highland distillery – Nc’Nean. The ladies were passionate about their venture – committed to crafting an organic whisky in harmony with the environment, aiming to make a big impression with a small footprint. In a short time, their founder Annabel Thomas and team have made their mark.

Here’s how the folks at Nc’Nean introduce their distillery:

Hello, we’re Nc’nean. A small team of eco-conscious drinks fanatics on a mission to change the way the world thinks about whisky from Scotland. To create delicious, experimental spirits which can exist in harmony with this planet we call home.

Our small distillery is located in the village of Drimnin on the Morvern peninsula on the West Coast of Scotland, and our copper pot stills are powered by 100% renewable energy. B Corp certified and verified net zero carbon emissions for scopes 1 and 2, we put the planet first. Using only organic Scottish barley, long mashing and fermentation times, and playing with yeasts not always used in whisky distilling, we produce elegant unpeated whiskies which are fruity on the palate, and are bottled in 100% recycled glass bottles.

The Nc’Nean whiskies selected by our Bombay Malt & Cigar club host were:

  • Nc’Nean Organic Single Malt Original 46% £51.75
  • Nc’Nean Huntress – Orchard Cobbler (2019 / 2024) 3rd Release 48.5% £85.71
  • Nc’Nean Quiet Rebels – Gordon (2018 / 2023) 3rd Release 48.5% £71.55

Nc’Nean Organic Single Malt Original 46%

  • Nose – Delicate, floral, fresh farm to apples and honey. It was fruity and fun, with loads of fresh apple juice, with the florals fading as it opened up. Over time, it was joined by sweet lemon barley water
  • Palate – Initially a bit spicy, with a debate whether it is more cayenne or black pepper. It settled down into a warm apple pie
  • Finish – A long, peppery finish
  • Water – We added just to see what it would do. It enhanced the bitterness, tempering the sweetness, so that the apple sauce morphed into the apple core with seeds
  • Revisit – With the revisit, the lemon barley became more pronounced than the apple cider

It was described as being like walking through a garden into an orchard… It was a pleasant, easy-going dram, making it a rather good start to our explorations.

What more do we know?

This is our flagship whisky – elegant and fruity with flavours of citrus, peach, apricot and spice. Those lovely citrus and peach flavours come from our spirit, the spice from our STR casks and the signature body and texture comes from our 100% organic barley. Find out more about what casks we’ve used for which batch, the source of the barley, the yeast used or the date it was bottled using the dropdown menu below. You’ll find the batch number or code on the back of the neck label.

Unfortunately, I didn’t catch a glimpse of the batch, so didn’t want to guess any further details!

The Huntress series is an annual limited release. The team at Nc’Nean introduces this Huntress – Orchard Cobbler expression as follows:

This particular Huntress release is incredibly unique, in that the spirit used is only produced once a year when the distillers cross over from one distillation recipe to another.

We run two different spirit runs each year, one for whisky set to be released at a younger age, and one set to be released after ten plus years. The spirit matured for Huntress Orchard Cobbler comes from the distillation in the week after this spirit recipe is switched over – a time where cut points are changed and unusually high fruity compounds flood into the spirit. So fruity, that the whisky is named after one of the team’s favourite desserts.

What did we think?

Nc’Nean Huntress – Orchard Cobbler (Aug 2019 / March 2024) 3rd Release 48.5%

  • Nose – Quite active to start, unripe plums, some ginger spice, lots of candied apples, toffee that was nearly fudge, banana peel, ripe fruits
  • Palate – Warm apple sauce, toffee sweetness. Think of an apple mille-feuille with vanilla custard!
  • Finish – A nice peppery finish
  • Water – Amps up the spice, then settles nicely

We found this interesting – youthful yet with enough going on to work.

Casks make all the difference; this Huntress expression is a product of three casks: STR (66%), ex-Bourbon (31%), and Oloroso (3%).

Nc’Nean calls their team the Quiet Rebels. Hence, it is only fitting that they have a series devoted to key members of their team!

Our bottle? We tried “Gordon” for Gordon Wood, distillery manager, described as having:

Spent 23 years with one of the giants of the industry. Loves the West Coast. Bringing it all together at Nc’nean. Has a life goal to get to work by boat one day.

And what about the whisky expression?

Nc’Nean Quiet Rebels Gordon (2018/2019 – Aug/Sep 2023) 3rd Release 48.5%

  • Nose – Very different than both the Original and Huntress! Instead of apples, we were greeted with lemon drops, an evolved floral, vanilla, and yellow fruit blend – particularly yellow plum, lemon custard pie, apple compote, candied ginger, lightly milky, and dulce de leche. Yum!
  • Palate – So smooth, buttery, a great mouthfeel, candied orange rind, gentle spice, oak, vanilla, ripe orchard fruits… all in great balance!
  • Finish – Lovely
  • Water – Not necessary; however, if you want to add, it enhances the wood element
  • Revisit – After remaining in the glass for some time, it was even creamier. A delight!

We really enjoyed this one. It was by far our favourite! For me, this was the dram to settle down with for the rest of our evening!

What more do we know? It is made from a trio of casks filled between September 2018 and July 2019, and a third undisclosed cask from an earlier period: 74% STR red wine casks, 19% ex-sherry, and 7% ex-Rivesaltes (French fortified wine). Bottled between August to September 2023, it is unfortunately sold out.

There you have it – a nice leisurely exploration of a trio from Nc’Nean!

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2025 Whisky Show – Arbikie’s Field to Bottle Rye

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Our 2025 London Whisky Show tastings were beginning to pick up pace! From a ‘breakfast dram’ to our Lochside Dream Dram, Elixir’s Single Malts of Scotland offerings to a remarkable flight with Glen Grant’s core expressions – including the more mature drams, then a short pit stop in our home country India with Amrut… it was time to delve into something new!

There has been talk for some time of Rye’s revival. Certainly, Canada and the US remain dominant players. New craft distilleries are popping up all over – particularly in the US and Europe. More recently, we’ve enjoyed meeting the Finnish gents behind Kyrö Malt Rye, Denmark’s Stauning Rye, Germany’s Stork Club Rye…

In the midst of all of this, is there also a “Rye-naissance” in Scotland? Technically, a “Scottish Rye” doesn’t exist as a separate category and falls under “Grain” whisky. A pioneer in bringing a focus specifically on Rye is Arbikie.

Now, I must admit, before we stopped by their stand, we knew very little about this new Highland distillery – Arbikie.

Now, I must admit, before we stopped by their stand, we knew very little about this new Highland distillery – Arbikie. Their philosophy is straight-foward yet challenging with a Field to Bottle approach:

Today, our distillery sits a stones throw from our fields with an incredible Distillery Experience overlooking them.

We’ve always farmed with absolute respect for the land. The addition of a distillery has not changed our commitment to minimising any environmental impact. Provenance and traceability at Arbikie doesn’t stop with just our crops and water. We use juniper in our spirits – so we grow our own juniper. We use honey – produced by the bees on our farm. We use solar power, and our distilling from start to finish uses negligible miles for its production. The primary waste product from distilling is recycled wherever possible as feed for cattle.

We explored most of the Ryes on offer, skipping over the Chilli Vodka and Artists Edition… Whilst not confirmed, these are all likely 2025 editions.

The lovely lass at the booth led us through the expressions – beginning with their starting point – The Original.

Arbikie The Original Highland Rye 1794 48%

What did we find?

  • Aroma – Lots of cereals, black tea, some tight berries, a bit feinty, quite unique
  • Palate – Rather nice, peppery, more of the cereals – lightly roasted this time – joined by fruits, like apple in a crumble
  • Finish – Follows through, whilst not very long, it worked well

And that chocolate that they had to accompany the Rye’s? Perfection! It paired very well and brought out a hint of marmalade in the Rye too.

Here’s what they have to say:

We combine our unique use of rye with new charred American oak, and leave this lively oak to do its magic. The result is a highly original whisky that fires the imagination and the senses with exciting flavours and aromas. The new charred American oak barrel complements the flavours of the rye, wheat and malted barley grains-imparting rich colour and deep flavour.

What more do we know? From the bottle, they shared that they use a Winter Rye (60%), Spring Malted Barley (25%), and Winter Wheat (15%) from their own fields.

Next up, we shifted into their sherry expression – more specifically with a PX cask.

Arbikie The PX Highland Rye 1794 48%

What did we think?

  • Aroma – Remember those cereals with The Original that had a hint of marmalade hiding? Well, it was quite pronounced with the PX, joined by some sweet spices like cloves, dark honey, or perhaps maple syrup?
  • Palate – Warm fruity and really rather nice
  • Finish – Not much but nice

Here’s what the Arbikie folks shared about their PX Rye:

As with THE ORIGINAL, we combine our unique use of rye with new charred American oak, and leave this lively oak to do its magic. With THE PX we don’t stop there. The spirit is then matched with PEDRO XIMÉNEZ casks, a traditional Andalusian Sherry Wine, adding an exciting flavour dimension to our characterful and rich Original 1794.

What more do we know? It has the same grain/malt break-up as The Original with Winter Rye (60%), Spring Malted Barley (25%), and Winter Wheat (15%). Basically, it was The Original with a 6 month PX finish!

We were enjoying our experience so far, but what about their Peated expression? Whilst a bit early in the day for peat, our guide explained that they used an ex-Laphroig cask rather than peated barley for a lighter approach.

Arbikie The Peated Highland Rye 1794 48%

What was our experience?

  • Nose – How is this possible? There is EVEN MORE marmalade here! Think a heavy had with orange rind joining the cereals and some salted caramel
  • Palate – Softer than expected, a subtle peat, cereals remain with spice
  • Finish – Carries through with a puff of smoke

Exactly like The PX, they use The Original as their base for The Peated expression:

The journey of The PEATED Rye begins in our fields. We sow the crops from our land and this blend begins with Winter Rye (60%), Spring Malted Barley (25%), and Winter Wheat (15%)…

The spirit is then matched with casks previously used to mature PEATED ISLAY whisky, adding an exciting flavour dimension to our characterful and rich Original 1794.

I’ve come to really appreciate the influence of an ex-peaty cask over peated barley. And, again, – the dark chocolate is a great combination with the Rye!

We closed our flight with their Distiller’s Edition No 1.

Arbikie Distillers Edition  No 1, 5 year Cask Strength #53, 73, 76, 77 59.7%

What did we find?

  • Nose – Subtle, that consistent cereal quality, is there also a hint of peat too? And that lovely marmalade, roasted caramelised pineapples and oranges, sweet spices
  • Palate – Sweet, spice, think black tea with cardamon, cloves, and black pepper with loads of milk and sugar, joined by a hint of peat
  • Finish – To be honest, I didn’t make a note!

Here’s what they have to say:

This series adds a unique element to our 1794 Highland Rye Single Grain Scotch Whisky. It will feature limited releases of inspiring and deeply flavoured editions of our rye whisky, chosen by our expert distillers. Each edition will possess its own nuanced flavour and character.

This first edition of our Distillers Cask Strength Series features a hand-picked combination of four 5-year-old casks, chosen to accentuate the complexity and depth of our estate grown rye coupled with the influence of the selected casks.

This original meld creates aromas of chai tea, baked oranges, crème brûlée and smoke.
On the palate are complex layers of chai tea, caramelised pears, baked oranges and smoke. A truly unique experience not to be missed – with only 966 bottles created.

What more do we know? The 4 casks were also a combination of ingredients too: Magnifico Scottish Rye, Zulu Scottish Wheat, and Concerto Scottish Malted Barley.

Overall, these four expressions were a rather good introduction. And whilst I’m still not a major Rye fan, it is nice to see a single farm estate pull together quite credible results with everything local!

Curious about other Rye tasting experiences? Here are a few notable ones over the years:

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Chorlton’s Balblair 16 year (2025) 55.8%

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The Bombay Malt & Cigar club began over a Balblair 38 year from 1966… and continues to have a soft spot for special drams from this Highland distillery. When my most recent purchase from Chorlton arrived in Mumbai in time for my October 2025 hosting, I simply had to include it in my session!

Balblair 16 year (Spring 2025) hogshead 55.8% 271 bottles

  • Nose – Honeysuckle, peaches, bananas, sweet pastry, a “French Fancy” in a glass, joyful and bright, a hint of mineral, then moves more into berries and herbs
  • Palate – Starts off a bit prickly, quite active, and calls out for some water
  • Water – Do please add, it then became a marvelous mess of Madeira cake, marmalade, joined by minerals in a lovely way – delicious!
  • Finish – Dry, very wood forward

This too was another beautiful Balblair. It was “dessert in a glass”! Bright, fruity, classic, more than able to hold its own.

Here’s what David shared on his website about this Balblari:

I’m delighted to present the first Chorlton bottling from one of my favourite distilleries! Reliably the fruitiest Highlander this side of Hector McDram.

The nose is enticing and a little idiosyncratic, with honey, dessert wines, rose petals, blackcurrant branches and fruit cordials. The texture on the palate is remarkable – chewy and dense, while somehow also light and lively. Taste-wise I find cherries, Gewürztraminer, oranges and limes, and a blackberry pie with cinnamon and brown sugar. A drop of water has green apple sweets and citrus popping out.

This is a wonderfully fruity, floral and complex whisky. What a spirit!

I bought this whisky online in the UK directly from David in April 2025 for £95 + 8 shipping (Eur 120). Which puts this into a pricier category for me, except for special treats. 

Curious about other Balblair experiences? Read on…

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2025 Whisky Show – Elixir offerings

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Once upon a time, London’s Whisky Show was synonymous with both The Whisky Exchange and Sukhinder Singh & team. With the mega sale, Sukhinder has shifted focus to his distilleries and Elixir brands, providing several different ranges like The Elixir Trails with cross-country explorations, Elements of Islay, Port Askaig, Macbeth, and more.

We managed to catch up with Sukhinder early Saturday morning and exchanged the usual pleasantries. He shared his tips for the show and then led us to his booth, suggesting a few drams we really must try as “value” expressions from The Single Malts of Scotland range.

Where did he point us to? No surprise, Linkwood led the pack!

Linkwood 11 year (2014/2025) Small Batch 48% (The Single Malts of Scotland)

  • Nose – Juicy and joyful. What a treat for early in the day! Lots of orchard fruits – green apples and pears, lightly floral, warming into caramel with vanilla ice cream
  • Palate – Easy drinking with just enough substance to make it interesting, well-balanced
  • Finish – Lasts

Over the years, I’ve generally found Linkwood to be good value for its quality. Mostly decently priced and fairly consistent in delivering a good dram. Alas, we couldn’t get our preferred pick – the Linkwood – either at the show or even the Whisky Exchange – as it was sold out! Pity.

We moved from Speyside to the Highlands with Blair Athol – known for its bold flavours.

Blair Athol 18 year (2006 / 2025) PX 47.6% (Elixir – The Single Malts of Scotland)

  • Nose – Delightful sherry yet not heavy-handed, all those sherry dried fruits, nuts, and spice – sweet and sultry
  • Palate – Coffee spice and everything nice, lovely fruits, and again exceedingly well-balanced
  • Finish – Cosy up by a warm fire, closing with more mocha, dark fruits, and spice

Sukhinder shared how this expression was an absolute hit at Paris Whisky Live 2025. With our little sniff and swish, we could see why! Like the Linkwood, it seems to be sold out, and was last seen retailing for approx Eur 135.

In a bit of a departure so early in the day, we shifted into peat. I’ve often admitted to a certain skepticism about Bunnahabhain – I’ve had a few clunkers over the years, yet equally a few gems too! So, we were curious to see how this young 6 year stacked up!

Bunnahabhain 6 year (2009 / 2018) Small Batch 48% (The Single Malts of Scotland)

  • Nose – Warm with that elusive bacon maple sweep aromas, some salt joining the sticky smoked sweetness
  • Palate – Tasty! Cinnamon toast, chai tea, clearly peaty yet was balanced with the sweet
  • Finish – Long and lovely

Bunnahabhain was known as the “ladies” Islay with minimal peat. By contrast, this expression from a refill hoggie was heavily peated. And yet you don’t find that ashy iodine style, instead, it was more of a warm wood smoke.

Unlike the others, depending on where you live, you may be able to track down a bottle – currently retailing for approx GBP 52.

We returned to Speyside with an undisclosed distillery (ahem! Macallan “style”)…

Speyside 15 year (2009) 57.5% (The Single Malts of Scotland)

  • Nose – Big sherry, big red fruits, juicy plums, generous smattering of sweet spices
  • Palate – Spice, big, bold, and beautiful, loads of ripe fruits, including juicy blood red oranges, chocolate, bit nutty too
  • Finish – Strong, flavourful finish

There was no mistaking that this is a “BIG” whisky! From start to finish, it delivered. If this is your style, it is a great example. If you prefer something a bit more reserved, this isn’t for you. And yet, even though it was “BIG”, it wasn’t too big! We understand this bottle retails for around GBP 100.

We closed our flight with a lesser-known distillery from Speyside. This particular small batch expression is notable for being matured in two sherry butts, one sherry hogshead, and a heavily charred barrel, making for an interesting result.

Dailuaine 12 year (2011) Small Batch 48% (The Single Malts of Scotland)

  • Nose – Mellow and fruity – veering more towards berries like raspberry or blueberry, biscuits
  • Palate – More of a spicy kick than we anticipated from the aromas, peppery, taking time to settle in the glass before the fruits came to the fore. With a bit of time, the biscuits were back – this time covered in chocolate
  • Finish – There, yet nothing particularly notable

Where the Speyside was bursting with bold red fruits, the Dailuaine was fruity with a subtler hand.

Overall, our “The Single Malts of Scotland” flight delivered the goods and was a terrific exploration early in our 2025 Whisky Show wanderings.

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Dream Dram – Lochside 46 year from 1964

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A highlight of London’s Whisky Show is access to 1000+ whiskies – including rare and old! For our first Dream Dram of 2025, we decided to splurge and go for something both! Lochside shut many years ago, making its liquid increasingly rare. And at 46 years of age, this dram indeed qualified as something mature.

I’m often asked… “Which is your favourite distillery?” Of course, that’s patently unfair as it depends on the mood, maturation, and so much more. However, whilst I’ve only had a few experiences with Lochside, it shot way up to the top and has remained there ever since.

This bottle was incredibly unique – a single blend – where both grain and malt were produced at Lochside. Even more unusual, the grain and malt were not put together later in life. Instead, from 1964 they co-mingled in the same cask, maturing for 46 years, leading to an outrun of only 139 bottles.

We found this bottle at The Whisky Exchange’s Old & Rare booth for three Dream Dram tokens, which puts it in the GBP 2,000 – 2,999 range per bottle.

Lochside Single Blend 46 year (1964) Cask 8790 42.1% (The Whisky Exchange) 

  • Nose – Sweet, green leaves, fresh, aloe, soft and nuanced, faintly floral, candy floss, growing fruitier as it opened, joined by caramel, and then behind came a creamy nutty nougat. As it further evolved, the aromas shifted into strawberries and cream, topping a fluffy angel food cake
  • Palate – Prickly initially, then the strawberries came out… the next sip was warm, gentle, and utterly lovely
  • Finish – Incredibly long, simply stunning

I fully admit to being biased; however, this will be another treasured Lochside moment!

This yet again reinforces my pre-disposition towards anything from this closed distillery – including when the malt is combined with the grain!

If you are curious about my other brushes with Lochside check out the following posts:

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BMC Scottish Classics – Royal Brackla 16 year 40% + Glen Grant 15 year 50%

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After exploring a trio from South Africa, our Bombay Malt & Cigar evening closed on a classic note. Whilst I thoroughly enjoy exploring whisky experiments and drams from many lands, there is simply nothing like a good classic Scottish single malt.

Knowing this, our whisky host added two well-known standards:

  • Royal Brackla 16 year and
  • A new batch strength Glen Grant 15 year expression

Both were Original Bottlings… Both true treats!

What did we think?

Royal Brackla 16 year “The Cawdor Estate” 40% 

  • Nose – Oh yes! Those lovely orchard fruits you can count on with a Royal Brackla! Crisp green apple, juicy with a drizzle of honey
  • Palate – Soft, well-rounded, fruity, enveloping one in a delicious warmth
  • Finish – Simply dripping with honey

Such a perfect classic, easy drinking dram.

Glen Grant 15 year Batch Strength 50% 

  • Nose – Happiness! A delightful, sweet, and fruity aroma with lemony high notes, morphed into a delicious lemon custard, dessert in a glass! The more it opened, the more joyful it became! Ice cream sandwich, cookies and cream, malty biscuits, lemon sorbet with vodka!
  • Palate – Same vein as the nose, nicely rounded, a good mouth feel, very approachable for 50%, just enough kick to make it interesting
  • Finish – Lovely
  • Water – Just adds a bit of spice

What can one say? Really rather nice!

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