Category Archives: Highland

Whisky Ladies’s Organic+ with Benromach Organic 46%, Nc’Nean 46%, GlenDronach Peated 48%

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I totally admit it, I was exhausted. An extra-long set of three flights back from Canada – the last of which was nearly 14 hours on the plane! Yup! That’s what happens when flying during monsoon, needing to refuel in another city before finally touching down in Mumbai. And yet it was worth it to join the Whisky Ladies latest evening!

We began with a calibration dram – something already open to get us in the mood for the malts to come! And this was no mild, neutral dram… no siree! The name “Vengeance” alone was a pretty clear indication it would be a ‘wake-up’ call rather than gently ‘easing into’ our evening of tasting.

It was a new expression to me. Vengeance X is from the Wakatsuru Saburomaru Distillery in Japan, and is a collaboration of Saburomaru x Shin Megami Tensei V and is a blend with another undisclosed distillery, combining sherry and red wine casks with peat. In our mini pour, here is what we found…

Vengeance X Blended Whisky 46%

  • Nose – Heady! Heavy sherry, rum, and brandy… then shifted from a mix of alcohols to sweet Nescafe, dark molasses, super sweet, cherry candies
  • Palate    – Surprisingly prickly. Dark sherry, heavy wood, peat
  • Finish    – Lingers, rich and resinous

It was much more powerful than a mere 46% indicated. With a start like this, we were indeed awake for the coming attractions!

We then moved on to our featured trio. There was an organic element in the equation, with each bottle carefully chosen from recent trips.

  • Benromach 9 year (2014 – 2023) Contrasts Organic 46%
  • Nc’Nean Organic (lot BH08) 46%
  • GlenDronach Traditionally Peated 48%

We began with the Benromach… a twist on the traditional with their “Contrasts Organic” expression, which is matured in virgin American oak barrels with organic barley.

Benromach 9 year (2014 – 2023) Contrasts Organic 46%

  • Nose – Surprisingly light at first. Leafy, green peppercorn, dried ginger, vanilla, honeysuckle, wood, nutmeg, cloves, and then minerals
  • Palate – Wow! All the big bold flavours were on the palate – from chilli, to banana, coffee, and coconut, honey, and capsicum – a real mix and range of contrasting elements
  • Finish – Bitter aftertaste initially, some tobacco leaf, some even found a bit of sawdust

I found this Benromach expression differs from what I normally associate with this distillery. This is likely due to their use of virgin oak barrels instead of their normal ex-Bourbon and sherry casks – sometimes with a touch of peat too.

Next up, we shifted to a newer player with Nc’Nean. I first encountered Nc’Nean in Nürnberg, Germany, during the February 2020 “The Village” whisky messe as part of their early launch activities. I’ve since had a chance to sample a few different batches of their core Organic Single Malt expression and the Huntress expression – Orchard Cobbler plus their Quiet Rebels line with Gordon. I had even purchased a bottle in 2022 to bring back for the Whisky Ladies! As it turns out, that particular bottle became a gift for a friend before I could host a session. So I was delighted the ladies had a chance to try this whisky… which has a truly beautiful bottle!

Nc’Nean Organic (lot BH08) 46%

  • Nose – Cod liver oil, medicinal, overripe gruit, then became fruitier, some moss, honey citrus, hard round candies, orange peel… After considerable time, it opened up into light hay then gentle flowers
  • Palate – Initially also medicinal, fire, rough and raw – hot! It was young and brash. Then, as it sat in the glass, it began to morph… think a peppery candy…
  • Finish – Salty then candy sweet!

From fishy to fruity and then remarkably from fruity to floral! Whilst it wasn’t the top pick of the trio, it was worth trying!

We closed with GlenDronach – which I normally associate with rich sherry, not peat. In this case, the barley was peated and then matured in PX and Oloroso sherry casks, as well as Port.

GlenDronach Traditionally Peated 48%

  • Nose – Rich mocha,
  • Palate – Concentrated dry fruits, lots of dates especially. Molasses, a curiously “juicy” peat, and also very sweet. Cherry pits, loads of caramel and smoke, more of that mocha, apricots
  • Finish – Bitter, wood that fades, left a minty paan-like aftertaste

It had a wonderful flavour profile – full-bodied, rich, yet not overpowering. There was a really interesting quality to this expression – one described it as a smoky liqueur – given it was both incredibly sweet and most definitely peated!

With the revisit after some time, it had a delightful ‘roasted’ quality, shifted into a delicious maple bacon / smoked meats dimension that many of us really enjoy in our peaty drams.

For most of the ladies, the GlenDronach was the clear favourite, followed by the Benromach, with the Nc’Nean lagging behind.

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2025 Whisky Show – Deanston

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In our original Mumbai Whisky tasting group, we had a die-hard Deanston fan! It was one of the initial distilleries he visited – impressed with the devotion to quality, craft, and the people. Above all, he just absolutely loves their whiskies – the waxy, sometimes almost industrial edge, combining sweet with substance.

My experience has been mixed. I’ve had a few I really enjoyed, and others that simply weren’t “my cup of tea”. So whilst I dont tend to acquire for my own collection, I remain happy to continue to taste when opportunities present themselves.

What better than checking in at 2025 London Whisky Show! Especially when our whisky guide was none other than Andrew Waite, head of distilleries Deanston, CVH.

Here is what we did a brief sniff and swish with:

  • Deanston 12 year old 46.3% – 2025 Whisky Show GBP 40.75
  • Deanston 18 year old 46.3% – 2025 Whisky Show GBP 90.75
  • Deanston 20 year old 2002 Organic American Oak 49.3%– 2025 Whisky Show GBP 181

Overall, I would say this certainly helped tip the scales to the positive side! Here is what we discovered…

Deanston 12 year 46.3%

  • Nose – Orange sherbert, cream popsicle, waxy, vanilla, green apple, cereals, butterscotch
  • Palate – Balance between sweet and spice, fruity, full-bodied
  • Finish – Lingers with a sweet close

The overall impression was orange marmalade – nice! Andrew shared they use a mix of 1st fill and 2nd fill ex-bourbon casks for their 12 year.

Deanston 18 year 46.3%

  • Nose – Even more of that sweet orange marmalade, amped up with fresh orange zest
  • Palate – Full and fruity with more orange rind, heavier than the 12-year, joined by cinnamon, ginger, and a dash of pepper
  • Finish – Long-lasting with more of that ginger

This was delicious! And yes, it had that Deanston signature waxy quality too.

Deanston 20 year 2002 American Organic Oak 49.7%

Andrew shared that for this special edition, they used organic barley, small batches, and matured the spirit in re-charred American Oak barrels for 20 years.

  • Nose – Cereals, light citrus, fruity, toffee
  • Palate – Bright and youthful despite the age! Delicate, yet also rich and creamy, jam on toast
  • Finish – Spicier, hint of mocha

What an unexpected treat! This quick zip through was with a rather nice trio – most enjoyable.

Curious about other Deanston experiences? Check out:

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Battle of the Blends – 18 years Timourous Beastie vs Rock Oyster

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It was a quiet Sunday late afternoon before Mumbai’s Mahindra Blues Festival. My tasting companion and I were interested in just a light taste or two before we caught the evening’s entertainment.

I thought it would be fun to try side by side a couple of Douglas Laing blends – both 18 year years, both limited edition expressions.

My tasting companion was skeptical – he wasn’t so impressed with the NAS options. So what did we think of the 18 year olds?

Timorous Beastie 18 year Blended Malt 46.8%

  • Nose – Big! Lots of cereals with hay and barley. A sweet lemon curd, honey, settling into lemon pie with a hint of white pepper, vanilla, caramel biscuits
  • Palate – Spicy, yet balances out, red macintosh applies, which then shifts into strawberries and cream
  • Finish – A touch bitter
  • Water – Wonderful! brought out a Tutti Fruitti sweetness with a chocolaty close

The Timorous Beastie is a limited edition malt made with Highland whiskies with the youngest 18 years.

Next up, we shifted to the Islands….

Rock Oyster 18 year Blended Malt 46.8%

  • Nose – It began with a lovely lemon sherbert, joined by a saline, mineral, heavier undertones – like a heavy rye sourdough, then sweet capsicum, candied lemon rind, vanilla ice cream
  • Palate – Vegitative peat, miineralic, lovely mouthfeel
  • Finish – A proper finish, long and strong – like a Highland Park 18 year – sweet peat with subtle saline
  • Revisit – After some time, we revisited the whisky and found it had shifted into cotton candy with a lovely minerality, having both depth and character

Douglas Laing’s Rock Oyster Island blended malt from the islands – Arran, Jura, Islay and Orkney.

These miniatures were shared by the fabulous Whisky Flu – his blog is a must-read for spirits – often going deep into the process of making malty (or other) magic!

Related blends from Douglas Laing previously sampled:

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Royal Lochnagar 12 year 40%

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Our whisky host shared how they were touring other sites and practically stumbled upon Royal Lochanagar. They simply had to make a short detour for a distillery tour!

And why not? There is a royal precedent to touring this distillery! Neighbouring Balmoral Castle, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were invited for a whisky tour in 1848. Post this experience, the Prince issued a royal warrant! Which was continued by King Edward VII and King George V.

Today, Royal Lochangar is the smallest whisky distillery in the Diageo stable, with a reputation for being a bit of a conundrum. Why? The two stills and worm tubs would tend to lend themselves to a ‘heavy’ style, but instead, great efforts are made to produce a ‘light’ new make spirit.

Bought on site for ~£50, the 12 year is part of their core range. What did we think?

Royal Lochnagar 12 year 40%

  • Nose – Incredibly sweet at first, a rich rumtopf full of soaked juicy fruits, lots of plums, cherries… then it shifted, revealing fresh grass with the heavy fruity aromas fading, instead we found a growing carmalized onion – almost like a sweet bacon jam, a bit sweet and salty, then oak, vanilla, marmalade with pronounced orange rind, even some apple cider vinegar or turpentine, and a shandy beer/sprite mix!
  • Finish – Woody, salty black licorice (a Nordic lakris style), some white pepper, a bit earthy, umami, sweet roasted vegetables, betel leaf, apples
  • Revisit – Astringent, dry

Many of our Whisky Ladies thought this expression might be much more interesting at 46% rather than 40%. It seemed a bit, well, too watered down.

Overall, we found it was a fairly easy-drinking dram. However, whilst it was relatively innocuous, there was nothing truly exceptional either.

Interestingly, they’ve kept many similar elements in their current official tasting notes vs those shared nearly a decade ago – right down to the turpentine!

  • Nose – A relatively closed nose. Planed wood, light toffee, boat varnish. Linseed oil behind, even putty, and later a lychee-like acidity. With water, the acidity comes up (acid drops), and the nose sweetens. Still a pleasant fresh woodiness or leatheriness, the varnish now supported by artists turpentine. Warm sand. After a while, coffee dregs with brown sugar. Not an obvious nose, however.
  • Body – Medium-bodied with a smooth mouthfeel.
  • Palate – This delicate malt offers fruits, planed wood, and light toffee. The palate is sweet before gaining in acidity.
  • Finish – Dry; medium-length, with an attractive lingering sandalwood aftertaste. Sharp and well-balanced.

Full disclosure, I had previously sampled this expression ~ 9 years earlier. We concluded it was a sharp varnish until it settled down and became more approachable. This time, I didn’t find the sandalwood aftertaste; the impression remained of something ordinary rather than extraordinary.

What else did we sample that evening?

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Whisky Ladies Scottish Whisky Trail: Royal Lochnagar, Berry Bros + Rudd Sherry, Lum Reek

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Patience is a virtue. And in this case, with our February 2026 Whisky Ladies session, it required 1.5 years of patience from both our host and her spouse! Each whisky was carefully selected from their Scottish Whisky trail. Then waited and waited and waited to be first opened for the ladies,  before our hosts could enjoy at their leisure!

We were introduced to the following:

From Royal warrant to an undisclosed single malt to a blend, it was a good reminder: never assume a previous experience will be the same in a different environment, a different decade, and a slightly different expression!

For many of us who find the heat of Mumbai and peat incompatible, it could simply be the style of peat one is trying! This MacNair blend converted more than a few to peat!

What is wonderful about tasting in a diverse group is that we have a range of reactions to the whiskies sampled. This particular evening was surprisingly unanimous and quite clear in our ranking: Lum Reek was the winner by far! Followed by Royal Lochnagar with Berry Bros & Rudd’s Sherry Cask lagging in last place…

As to why this was the case? You will simply need to click on the whisky links to read detailed tasting notes!

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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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