Category Archives: Scotland

Gordon + MacPhail Discovery: Caol Ila 13 year 43% 

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Amongst the Islay distilleries, Caol Ila is generally known to be one of the lighter whiskies – both in terms of its peat and colour as they typically stick with ex-bourbon barrels for maturing. This leads to generally quite an approachable balanced peat dram. And for all those folks who love the light peat in Jonny Walker? Caol Ila is likely responsible!

All of this made it a perfect choice for our final whisky in our evening exploring different dimensions of single malts. I already sampled this particular Gordon & MacPhail Discovery series expression at Paris Whisky Live. It was just a teasing taste, yet enough to be confident in adding it as the “peat” element in our 1st Nurnberg International Whisky Tasting evening.

So what did we think?

Caol Ila 13 year 43% 

  • Colour – Old gold (0.6)
  • Nose – Initially greeted by wet wood and embers, then warmed into smoked pork belly, maple bacon, and cured sweetmeats. After some time, the fruit came more to the fore with glazed banana, roasted pineapple, sweet grass
  • Palate – Smoked meat, soft, gentle peat, fruity
  • Finish – Long sweet cinnamon and lightly smoky
  • Water – Personal choice – for some, this helps open up the whisky to enhance the fruitiness, for others, it was not needed at all!

We had a few peat skeptics in the room… many of whom were pleasantly surprised at the subtle sweet peat and balance of this whisky – cured meats glazed with fruit were much more approachable than some “in your face” bold peat “bonfire” and “iodine” whiskies!

For those of us familiar with the distillery – it is what we have come to expect – a balanced peat, the kind of dram that invites you to slow down, curl up into a comfy chair, put on some good music, and just relax, slowly sipping and savouring.

What do the good folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say about this expression?

Sweet vanilla and dry cured meat aromas. Peat smoke umdertones are complemented by banana and apricot.

Ripe banana, kiwi and vibrant hints of fresh citrus, leading to a long, sweet and smoky finish.

With this peat expression, we closed our inaugural tasting session in which we explored the impact of cask (ex-bourbon and ex-sherry) and peat in the Gordon & Macphail Discovery series!

Our evening explored a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

Around the room, we had slightly different preferences – however if you pushed me to rank, I would probably put the Miltonduff 1st, followed by the Aultmore, then this Caol Ila, finishing with the Glenrothes.

What additional Caol Ila tastings over the years? There have been a few – mostly from independent bottlers:

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Gordon + MacPhail Discovery: Glenrothes 11 year 43% 

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In our exploration of Gordon & MacPhail’s Discovery range, we had not one but two Sherry expressions. The Miltonduff was a sheer delight – sherry with lovely balance. So what about this 2nd Sherry expression from the Speyside distillery Glenrothes?

Known to typically mature in sherry casks, slowing down is one of their mantras – aware that their spirit tends to need more time in the barrel and also needs time in the glass to open up. What this means is that even an 11-year-old can come across as “young”, a bit brash and spicy along with the rich sherry notes.

What did we think?

Glenrothes 11 year 43% 

  • Colour – Tawny (1.4)
  • Nose – Quite spirited taking some time to settle down. Green grapes then started to reveal more typical sherry elements of toffee, dried fruits, some mocha
  • Palate – A bit aggressive, the fruits and berries were there but also had a spice kick with pronounced wood qualities too
  • Finish – Spicy with some cinnamon chocolate
  • Water – It helped! Brought the sherry elements more to the front – stewed plums, sweet spices, and some herbs too. Also a nice tobacco on the nose and hazelnut on the palate.

We would 100% recommend trying water with this one – certainly gentled some of the more forceful elements. There was none of the balance we absolutely loved in the 1st two whiskies sampled – the Aultmore and Miltonduff – however for all the intense top notes, it wasn’t as rich as I had expected.

It might be one to try again… What do the good folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say?

Rich toffee aromas mingle with stewed fruits, sherry influences mix with forest fruits, delicate cinnamon and chocolate.

Raspberry and blackberries complemented by cinnamon and charred oak, with a creamy milk chocolate and orange finish.

Nearly without fail, I find Gordon & Macphail’s tasting notes on point. In this case, I could understand where they were coming from, however, you can tell from our description we found a different character, even if some elements were in common.

Perhaps had we tried just the Glenrothes without the Miltonduff, we would have been perfectly satisfied. However side-by-side, the Glenrothes was simply outclassed by the gentler, more nuanced, and elegant Miltonduff for most of us – with one exception! This simply goes to prove – palate preferences are personal. What appeals to one may differ from others’ opinions. And that’s what makes tasting with others so much fun!

Our evening explored a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

And what about other experiences with Glenrothes? There have been more than a few!

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Gordon + MacPhail Discovery: Miltonduff 10 year 43% 

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After the delightful Aultmore10 year, we moved on to Miltonduff. A key element in Ballentine’s blend, increasingly, we see more and more Miltonduff standing on its own as a single malt. I’ve generally found my experience with Miltonduff positive – charming, elegant yet with enough substance to not be a total lightweight.

As for this ex-sherry expression? After twice sampling it at whisky shows (Singapore 2018, Paris 2022), I simply HAD to have a full bottle to experience at leisure!

So what did we think this summer in Nurnberg?

Miltonduff 10 year 43% 

  • Colour – Tawny (1.4)
  • Nose – Wow! Stewed fruits, dates, plums, Christmas pudding, sweet spices, rum raisins, over time a lovely marshmallow sweetness
  • Palate – What a delightful dry sherry! Some spice, dark fruits, creamy cocoa, a special cake, dry wood
  • Finish – Toffee, honey… over time shifting to a lovely honeyed citrus orange finish
  • Water – At 43% it may seem counter-intuitive to add, however, it really boosts the creamy caramel and treacle quality, amps up the sweet spices, goes from stewed fruits to juicy tropical fruits, dry to fresh wood

So wonderfully smooth, balanced with a truly lovely mouthfeel. Whilst a bit “dry” without water, a few drops of water transformed it.

For those newer to whisky tasting, the impact of just a little water was a revelation! How could just a few drops of water make such a difference? Yet it does!

Overall we were rather pleased with this one – most enjoyable! The more time in the glass, the more it delighted – a delicious dessert in a glass!

What do the good folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say about this expression?

Dry sherry aromas mingle with stewed raisin and roasted hazelnut, complemented by fresh citrus edge.

Creamy milk chocolate and orange zest flavours lead to spiced stewed fruits.

The finish is fruity with lingering citrus.

All in all, a great start to an evening exploring Gordon and MacPhail’s Discovery range.

Our evening explored a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

And what about other explorations of Miltonduff? Here are some tastings:

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Gordon + MacPhail Discovery: Aultmore 10 year 43% 

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We began our “proper” tasting with a distillery known for its lighter style – Aultmore.  Part of the Bacardi family, it is known for a lighter, fruity nose and more substantial palate, this Speyside distillery has both official bottlings and can be found in select independent bottlings – like this one from Gordon & Macphail.

So… what did we discover?

Aultmore 10 year 43% 

  • Colour – Yellow gold (0.5)
  • Nose – A lovely fresh green apple, later joined by a pear too. As it opened further, revealed soft French vanilla and cereals, lightly floral – especially jasmin, gentle lemony cream
  • Palate – Delightful crisp pears, fresh wood, some spice – primarily cracked black pepper, more of that cereal (lightly toasted?), then pineapple and apricot, creamy mouthfeel, very smooth and balanced
  • Finish – Sweetwood, fresh herbs, and light spice with a faintly bitter close
  • Water – No inclination to add! It was perfect exactly as it is!

A perfect fresh spring-like dram – a lovely balance, nuanced and most enjoyable. Even going back, it stood the test – remaining a delightful, fragrant, easy-sipping dram with just enough “oomph!” and depth going on to make it interesting.

This was a clear “hit” of the evening – as evidenced by more of a ‘dent’ made into this bottle than the others! And as we are in the summer months, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more occasions to dip into it again!

What do the good folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say about this expression?

Green apple, vanilla custard, and hints of jasmine, smooth and creamy flavours of ripe peach and pineapple.

A hint of cracked black pepper is followed by a finish of underlying herbal notes and fresh citrus lemon.

All in all, a great start to an evening exploring Gordon and MacPhail’s Discovery range.

Our evening explored a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

And what about other experiences with Aultmore? Check out the following:

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Calibration Dram – Glen Grant “The Major’s Reserve” 40%

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During our inaugural Nurnberg Whisky tasting group evening, my co-conspirator in setting up the event brought along his “Calibration” whisky… It was an easy-drinking dram that he consistently starts with – a brilliant idea!

The beauty of this approach is to be able to discern immediately whether one is truly in the mood for a tasting. If something that normally is appealing and amiable doesn’t suit you – chances are it isn’t the whisky, it’s you! As let’s face it, every night is NOT whisky time! 🙂

By easing the palate into each tasting in a consistent way – with a straightforward accessible dram – he’s already tuned in to aromas. And with a low alcohol count (only 40%), one’s palate adjusts to spirits, ready to interpret flavours beyond the initial hit of alcohol. Genius.

So what did he bring?

Glen Grant “The Major’s Reserve” 40% 

  • Nose – Honey, fruit – mostly apples and pears – then also a nuttiness, shortbread, vanilla cream, hint of tobacco leaf, a lovely floral perfume
  • Palate – Gentle spice, creamy butterscotch, fruit, oak
  • Finish – Slightly bitter and astringent, tobacco and spice

Overall an affable, accessible, and exceedingly affordable dram. In Germany, you can find it for only Eur 18!

I was lucky to have just a few drops remaining in the bottle to linger over with most of my tasting notes from that later revisit.

My previous experience with Glen Grant has been at more sociable gatherings where no tasting notes were taken or venerable drams like a 60 year old or 64-year-old. It was quite interesting to glimpse a significantly younger avatar – perhaps as little as just three years!

After our palate calibration dram, we continued with a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

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Wilkommen to our Nurnberg International Whisky Tasting group!

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Wilkommen in unserem neuen Internationalen Nurnberg Whisky-Verkostungsclub!

Why “new”? Well, there exists already a well-established Whisky Club in Nurnberg. And the “international”? This is a clear reflection of our wee group – a mix of nationalities and international orientations – many of whom met via an International social “Meetup” group.

We kicked off our explorations together in July 2023 with a set I had been waiting to open for quite some time! Thinking initially to bring to India, it was a delight to open instead in Deutschland.

Before we began, one guy pulled out a nearly empty bottle of Glen Grant – with the brilliant idea to have a sip of a palate “calibration” dram! Something that he shared he does consistently before sitting down to a tasting – what a great alternative to spitting out the 1st sip!

We then got on with the “main course” with a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

Two I already had a fair idea of what to expect from a brief brush in Paris, two were new expressions from familiar distilleries. If you are curious to dive deeper, detailed tasting notes are available in the above links!

Our evening was a mix of experienced whisky explorers and those simply curious to learn more. I thought a couple of “reference points” could help make it easier to spark a creative conversation.

One was a colour chart from the Single Malt Amateur Club (SMAC) from Bangalore and Pune which provided a range of points for judging the whisky colour with a description. Why consider colour? In the case of all four whiskies, we understand they are without “added” colour, hence colour was a helpful way to illustrate the impact of an ex-Sherry cask vs ex-Bourbon cask on the whisky.

Another tool we used was a Tasting Wheel – courtesy of Whic.de (via SWRI). The reaction to some of the descriptions was amusing.

Do you really find “Speck, festiges Fleisch” (bacon, fatty meat) in whisky? How can that be a good thing???

As we wandered through our quartet, we did indeed find several standard whisky aromas and tastes…. including bacon in our peaty Caol Ila!!

We concluded it was a good start and can’t wait to see where we go next!

PS – If you are curious about my sampling of the Miltonduff and Caol Ila from Paris Whisky Live, check this out:

Paris Whisky Live – Gordon + Macphail Discovery Tomatin, Miltonduff, Caol Ila

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Time to explore a new Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes 46%

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We all have our favorites – particular distilleries that we are simply partial to… I’ll fully admit that Old Pulteney falls into this category for me! So when a “new” expression was released, I thought, why not?

New to the Old Pulteney range, this limited expression kicks off Old Pulteney’s new Coastal Series with plans to release new expressions each year – beginning with a no-age-statement finished in ex Pineau des Charentes wine casks.

I had originally intended to bring it from Deutschland to India, however, after an interesting tasting of several minis one May evening in Nurnberg, decided it would be nice to try an Old Pulteney! Happy I did….

Old Pulteney Coastal Series – Pineau des Charentes 46%

  • Nose – Yellow fruits, grassy meadow, warm honey, peach, soapy candle wax, tinned pineapple, and a bit of white wine spritzer
  • Palate – Also quite fruity, but then had a nice butter almond nuttiness, smooth with a piquant spice at the end… as it rolled around the palate, was even a hint of tobacco leaf
  • Finish – Slightly bitter, reminded of an Earl Grey tea

Not an everyday dram, but interesting. After the 1st tasting, I revisited it again a few weeks later… it grows on you however I have to admit I prefer the “classic” – give me an Old Pulteney 12 year or 17 year any day!

What do the folks at Old Pulteney have to say?

Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes is a limited edition expression that has been created by firstly maturing in hand-selected American oak casks, before being transferred into ex-Pineau des Charentes casks, which have been handcrafted by using French oak.

Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes offers a lighter, sweeter taste layered on the classic Old Pulteney base. The result is a beautiful sweetness that perfectly complements Old Pulteney’s signature salty flavour, delivering a wonderful dram.

And their official tasting notes?

  • Colour – Bronz with a pink hue
  • Nose – Fragrant and rich with honey sweetness and vanilla at the base. Intense fruitiness starts jammy and stewed and develops into candied oranges and sticky balsamic raisins. Hints of toasted spices and power pepper complete this stunning profile.
  • Taste – A lingering finish showcases notes of caramelized hazelnuts and ground spices, broadening in sweetness, and then drying ever so slowly towards a savoury finale of coastal minerality.

I purchased this bottle in November 2022 from WhskyFass for EUR 95.

Curious about other brushes with Old Pulteney

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TBWC Macduff 10 year 52%

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Now I will admit to having a mixed experience with Macduff Distillery. Whilst normally Bacardi uses Macduff in blends, you can also find Macduff under the label Glen Deveron or just The Deveron – named after the nearby Devon River. Specifically under the brand Glen Deveron, they are known to have more affordable age statements. However, every time someone says “Oh wow a 20-year-old whisky for only xyz?!” I remind them of the old adage – typically you get what you pay for!
That shared, I trust the folks at That Boutique-y Whisky Company, so when this bottle was on sale from Whic.de, thought why not try?? Especially as 50 cl bottles means you can bring 3-4 bottles into India instead of just 2!

Macduff 10 year Batch 10, 52% (TBWC – Single Malt Scotch Whisky) Bottle108 of 1024, 50ml

  • Colour – Bright golden straw
  • Nose – Initially quite sour, then reminded a bit of Grappa, quite vegetal, some agave or Mescale, capsicum… is that also a whiff of sulfur?? Yikes! That’s much more than a whiff. Egads.
  • Palate – Was that pudina (mint)? It coats the tongue with a texture a bit like ghee, was it like eating sourdough starter, barley, or something a bit bitter? Not very pleasant at all.
  • Finish – Licorice bark, a bit malty
  • Water – Reminded one lady of sniffing oregano oil
You can tell the nose was described as anything but a typical whisky. Remarks such as heartburn, acid reflux, etc were bantered about. The palate was also filled more with questions than answers…
Which is part of why we enjoy tasting together. It is such fun to experience the unexpected and have both very pleasant surprises along with a few duds. You can tell which category this one fell into!
There is also something to be said for the whisky-tasting order. I struggled a bit with this set as initially thought to begin with the Macduff before the Cotswold and English. However in the end decided to go with a simple age progression. Which didn’t do the Macduff any favours…
Let’s just say after the remarkably good Cotswolds, we were again reminded age does not necessarily make it better… In this case, a mere 3-year-old clearly outclassed a 10-year!

What more do the good folks at That Boutique-y Whisky Co have to say? A few words about the distillery but alas not this particular batch!

The Macduff distillery was founded in the 1960s and is kitted out with five stills, four of which have lyne arms that are rather oddly arranged, with one of the wash stills’ lyne arms being U-shaped too, just so they’ll all fit in the still room! They don’t release whisky themselves under their own name – they release it under the name The Deveron. This is why the name Macduff might be more familiar to you from Shakespeare’s play, ‘Macbeth’. We’ve even put one of the deleted scenes from the play on the label of our Macduff bottling. Press the stopper down to hear the director’s commentary from Shakespeare himself (probably a lie).

I picked up this bottle in Germany from Whic.de for Eur 51 during a whisky sale – yes these do exist! But back to my starting comments… sometimes a “deal” is a “deal” for a reason!

We tried it together in Mumbai with the Whisky Ladies in April 2023 together with more bottlings from That Boutique-y Whisky Co:

Curious about other Macduff whisky experiences? Read on:

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Lindores Abbey Masterclass

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Years ago in Dubai, I had the opportunity to try a new make spirit – enthusiastically shared by a whisky fan. Interesting but filed it away in the category of many upcoming distilleries which need time to develop their whisky ways. Fast forward to 2023 The Village whisky festival in Nurnberg, and Lindores Abbey was the one and only Masterclass I was able to attend.

Elliott Higgins was our Masterclass host – sharing up front that his style is focused more on storytelling, enjoying the whiskies along the way rather than dissecting and diving deep into every technical detail. Suited us just fine!

He shared how the family was unaware of the history of the Lindores Abbey ruins in their backyard til one rainy night in the 1990s Michael Jackson came calling… prompted by finding documentation of whisky distilling by the monks in 1494. Fast forward many years, and they created a distillery next to the ruins, just on the edge of the Lowlands. You can read more about their story here.

So what about the whiskies? Read on…

Lindores Abbey MCDXCIV (1494) 46%

  • Nose – Fruity, initially a touch acidic, then vanilla cream honey, warming into a soft buttery caramel, at the end was that a touch of sweet peat or grass? Goes back to warm vanilla sponge cake, which is then smothered in a red berry compote
  • Palate – Sweet, elegant creamy with dry fruits with a spicy woody undertone, quite a mouthfeel for its early age – oily and a bit waxy
  • Finish – The spicy wood undertone lingers

Elliott shared how their blender Lorena Baez Subiabre was part of crafting something to bring back a Lowland “style” of spirit that is balanced and elegant. Their 1494 is aged for 3.5 years with a blend of three casks: ex-Old Forrester bourbon, Red wine STR, and Olorosso Sherry. We sampled their 1st release from 2021.

I really enjoyed this one – particularly the nose. This was a perfect “starter” whisky, approachable, enjoyable and one I would like to return to enjoy again. I didn’t finish my entire sample all at once…. instead set it aside to return to juicy red gummy bears on the nose, red apples with a dash of cinnamon spice on the palate, carrying through in the finish.

What more do they have to say?

  • Colour: Golden
  • Nose: Elegant, soft, mellow vanilla, caramel notes playing with orchard fruits and sweet pear drops. Reminiscent of toffee apples!
  • Palate: Smooth with a creamy texture and a perfect balance of mellow vanilla, dried fruits, citrus touches with a hint of spice.
  • Finish: Medium length, delicate but lingering finish.

This expression retails in the UK for GBP 41.

We then moved on to the 2nd expression, which was also their 2nd release. Elliott shared it is part of a “cask deconstruction” series of limited editions, showing off the different dimensions of the three different casks that go into their 1494 expression. In this case, a vatting of old Forrester casks.

  • Lindores Abbey – The Casks of Lindores Bourbon 49.4%
  • Nose – Very clean, lots of hay, then a bit of lemon, followed by apples and a bit of vanilla marshmallow
  • Palate – Smooth and waxy, red apples with quite a decent spice kick!
  • Finish – A spicier finish than I had expected

Not quite as balanced as Lindores’ 1494 expression, however, it was still a satisfying dram. I recall my tasting companions at the Masterclass were also rather pleased with this one.

What more do they have to say?

The first “Casks of Lindores” bottling featured exclusively bourbon barrels, one of the three core cask types used at Lindores, and was limited to 11,000 bottles. We believe that the Lindores spirit goes extremely well with bourbon casks and helps showcase its early maturing characteristic. The very long wash fermentation period in our Douglas fir washbacks, coupled with our “Sister Spirit stills distillation” helps create a spirit that matures early but we also believe will continue to develop over time.

And their official tasting notes are:

  • Colour – Pale gold
  • Nose – Mellow vanilla, fruity, vibrant and buttery with citrus touches and a hint of pepper from the wood
  • Palate – Vanilla mixed with orchard fruits like green apples, then peppercorns, lingering with a long finish.

We then moved on to their 2nd Casks of Lindores expression, with an STR Red Wine Barrique. In case you’ve missed a major trend in the whisky world – there are two clear camps: Those who are fans of “Shaved, Toasted, Recharred” red wine barrels as an alternative to Sherry cask scarcity and those who are purists, eschewing such novelties. I’m a little in the 2nd camp only as I’ve found the results mixed. However, I keep an open mind and am always open to try so… what did I find with Lindores?

Lindores Abbey – The Casks of Lindores STR Wine Barrique 49.4%

  • Nose – Melons, appricots, caramel, butter brioche, vanilla pudding
  • Palate – There were a lot of juicy red berries, and plums, chased by a gentle spice
  • Finish – The spice carried through with woody cinnamon bark with a drizzle of honey

Now, I gotta admit when I was sniffing in Nurnberg, this was my least favorite. However, when I brought it home to properly taste, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the palate – quite a sipping dram. I was also amused at how close my tasting note scribbles were to their official tasting notes.

PS with a pairing tip – this whisky goes fabulously with milk chocolate.

Here’s what they have to say:

The second “Casks of Lindores” bottling features exclusively STR Wine Barriques. Matured exclusively in Shaved, Toasted and Recharred Red Wine Barriques from Spain.

And their official Tasting Notes:

  • Colour – Dark Chestnut
  • Nose – Mellow fruity apricot jam, toffee notes and a hint of cinnamon combined with butter and custard
  • Palate – Sweet and spices. Mellow plums and red berries, treacle, cinnamon spice and a pleasant woody smoky note. Very smooth, silky texture
  • Finish – Medium to long with spices, honey and caramel notes

Clearly getting into a rhythm here, I expected the last whisky to be the 3rd “Casks of Lindores” expression with Olorosse Sherry. Nope! Instead, we were treated to a surprise Germany-exclusive single-cask, cask-strength whisky, aged for 3.5 years,… and yes it was from an ex-Sherry cask!

Lindores Abbey Single Cask 59.1%

  • Colour – Rich dark red oak wood
  • Nose – Sweet, coppery, espresso coffee, earthy undertone, rich plum, and dark fruits
  • Palate – Spicy, intense dark fruity flavours, then creamy
  • Finish – Nice creamy finish with a dash of spice for good measure

Well, this was one powerful dram – full-force, don’t be mistaken, sherry! I particularly enjoyed the plummy quality and must admit a few drops of water opened this up in a lovely way. My only complaint was my sample was too small! However, this is also a “less is more” kinda dram where a little goes a long way.

We also were teasingly told about the Friar John Cor Cask Strength Congregation Chapter 1… my friends checked it out at their booth and instantly fell in love, purchasing a bottle!

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Chorlton’s Tullibardine 29 year 47.5%

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Last in our “Swansong” trio celebrating drams of days gone by was a Tullibardine from Chorlton‘s  La Nouvelle Vague series…And why would this whisky qualify for such inclusion? It was completely “mothballed” back in 1995 and wasn’t re-opened for production until 2003. And this particular expression came from 1993!

What did we think?

Tullibardine 29 year (1993) 47.5% 

  • Nose -Shy. waxy crayons, lots of sweetness, could immediately tell this was a well-aged whisky, light caramel, bananas, quite subtle, berries – especially strawberries with pepper, pink Amul strawberry ice cream, Maltese-chocolate creamy fruity filling
  • Palate – On the 1st sip, we found ice cream, some wood, simply delicious, by the 2nd sip we discovered some marvelous spunk and character chased by sweetness – when I later read David’s notes could completely understand where he found the gingerbread & rye… yet still with pastries
  • Finish – Balsa wood finish, dry

What a marvelous malt! There was a delightful combination of indulgent desserts with elements of much greater substance. A truly interesting dram – inviting, enjoyable, and unique. Fabulous.

What did David have to say? The following is an extract from his website…

A characterful but easy-drinking example of this distinctive Highland make. The nose has banana bread, caraway and rye, peanut brittle, honey, olive oil and apricot jam. The palate takes us to a bakery somewhere in central Europe with gingerbread, rye bread, baking spices and honeyed pastries, plus orange cream and sweet Frisian tea.

This hogshead produced 181 bottles at a cask strength of 47.5% and was released for £160 back in the summer of 2022. Thanks to Brexit, I couldn’t purchase it directly, so instead impatiently waited for it to make its way to Whisky.base, where I purchased it in November 2022 for EUR 200 + 18% tax + shipping.

We tried it together in early January 2023, in a Mumbai evening spent exploring “Swansong” drams:

As for other Chorlton bottles from La Nouvelle Vague series? I’ve had the pleasure of exploring a few expressions:

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