Category Archives: Scotland

Glenglassaugh Octaves Classic 44%

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Our Nurnberg Whisky Explorers’ April evening was a mix of offerings. We began our explorations with a curiosity – a Glenglassaugh Octaves Classic. We then moved on to a trio of cask strength single cask expressions from Taiwan – specifically the Kavalan Solist Trio of Sherry, Vinho Barrique, and Port. We closed our tasting with The Six Isles Scottish blend, comparing their standard expression with their special Port edition.

So… why was the Glenglassaugh a curiosity? I’ve shared below my mixed experience with this distillery. From a stellar example of the original spirit from 1965 with a remarkable 40 year to a lasting impression of the early expressions from the new distillery, that they were brought out just a little too, well, early! 

A fellow whisky explorer in Nurnberg also had similar mixed experiences. Which is exactly why he purchased this special edition Octaves Classic, to see what Rachel Barrie could do with smaller batches with higher spirit / wood contact possible with Octaves.

The result? Read on…

Glenglassaugh Octaves Classic Batch 2, 44%

  • Nose – A distinctive metallic edge, followed by some exotic fruits, then chocolate and vanilla. Some sulfur too.
  • Palate – Harsh at first, tingling and prickly, peppery, quite wood forward, then as it settled, it revealed fruits – mostly tropical – becoming a bit sweeter and smoother the more time it spent in the glass
  • Finish – A bit bitter initially like coffee, then warmed up

Let’s just say that we weren’t exactly won over!

What more do we know? Not much. Whilst this expression is no longer on the official Glenglassaugh Distillery site, it was a combination of Bourbon, Pedro Ximénez, and Amontillado Sherry Cask Octaves.

Whilst I’m happy to have a chance to revisit this revived distillery a decade after my initial experience, it still isn’t a priority for future explorations.

What about other Glenglassaugh experiences? Read on…

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Canadian stash – Benjamin Kuentz, 6 Isles, Clynelish 14, Balblair 16

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In October 2024, I found myself in Winnipeg, enjoying a relaxing evening with friends, cracking open the Whisky Warehouse No 8 quartet – sweet! Talk turned to how our open whisky bottles sit in our respective cupboards for years – with our infrequent imbibing. This led to an offer to refill the 20 ml bottles emptied from our tasting with a few “take-home” presents.

I perused the familiar drams in their well-stocked whisky cabinet, selecting whiskies all previously tried… The concept was simple – consider ones where I could easily craft an interesting compare and contrast experience with related expressions.

From France, Benjamin Kuentz’s Aveux Gourmands 46%. And my pairing choice? My 2024 London Whisky Show pick was from Woven with their Homemade expression. It was appealing because its salty butterscotch reminded me of the Aveux Gournands – or at least that was my impression at the Show!

My actual tasting experience? Interesting! Beginning with the Woven, I got the salty caramel element that first triggered the link between these two whiskies. However, when contrasted with the delicious, sweet, salty yumminess of the Aveux Gournands, the Woven Homemade was a touch bitter.

Six Isles 43% – literally a blend of whiskies from six Scottish Islands – Orkney, Skye, Mull, Jura, Islay, Arran. As it is a blend, I initially planned to try with a different Woven blend. However, the whisky universe had other plans, and instead it featured in a lovely evening comparing this standard expression with a special Port finish one!

I then picked a Highland with the lovely Clynelish 14 year 46% to compare with the 12 year old 2023 London Whisky Show Festival bottling! Whilst the fest bottle has been opened in India, the mini has yet to reach Mumbai…

The Balblair 16 is such a classic! And no longer available. For this one, I have my eye on comparing it with David’s 2025 spring Chorlton release – also a 16-year-old bottled at cask strength. As the Chorlton is in London and not prioritised for bringing to India for another year or so, this pairing will simply have to wait too!

Curious to learn more? You will simply have to be patient til the pairing opportunities occur!

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Scottish Regions – Whisky Broker’s Highland Park 57.9%

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It took being back in Bombay on a break to catch up, sharing tasting notes about the “bonus” dram from our January Scottish Regions explorations. Whilst I had anchored the evening with the standard “four” aka Campbeltown, Highland, Islay and Speyside, we were joined by a gent who had a perfect addition from the unofficial 5th whisky region – Island!

Island – Highland Park 14 Year (23 Oct 2003 / 1 Nov 2017) Hogshead No 739 57.9% (Whisky Broker). Bottle 54 of 237. ~GBP 60

  • Nose – Wet leaves and sea spray, there was no doubt this was a maritime style dram with a hint of peat. We found it quite vegetal – reminiscent of a rural setting with cow dung patties baking in the sun. There was also wet stone, mineral… and yet as it continued to open, new elements came to play. We then found heather, lavender, a potpourri with oregano, rosemary… It then shifted further into chargrilled lemon rind. What remarkably interesting and evolving aromas!
  • Palate – After some time, we went in…. A LOT is happening here! It is delicious, sweet, balanced peat, tannins, tobacco, even a minty leafy herbal quality.
  • Finish – Carries on in the same vein, with the tobacco joined by herbal influences.

What a dram! It was so good to be reminded why Highland Park was once such a favourite. And if this is any indication of what Whisky Broker bottles, I should keep an eye out for more!

What else did we try?

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Whisky Lady – January to March 2025

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Rewind the clock a few months to when we rang in the new year on our farm in India. It was an opportunity to escape Mumbai’s hustle and bustle, the pollution and population, to relax and reflect, thinking back on different experiences and explorations.

Whisky-wise however, all the adventures were urban! In Mumbai, we brought together the Whisky Ladies and Bombay Malt & Cigar gents in January, after a few years of hiatus. It was such fun to gather, consider, and enjoy. We selected a trio of easy-drinking Welsh Penderyn’s followed by a new American entrant – 10th Street STR Dragon. Whilst we didn’t specifically intend it to be an exploration of Port, it turned out to be a clear theme.

We decided then and there to revive our annual combined session, and I offered to supply the Whisky Ladies side in 2026 with a quartet of gorgeous Chorltons. I mean, who could resist? (PS I still need to confirm which will make the final cut!)

It was also my turn to host the Bombay Malt & Cigar gents’ whiskies, for which I decided to go for a Scottish whisky regions theme :

Also, before leaving India in January, I cleaned and re-organised my whisky cabinet, putting together tasting set options for future evenings.

Back in Germany, we revived the Nurnberg International Whisky Tasting group with a late January 2025 session. It was a nice distraction from the cold, grey weather, exploring 3 blends and a special Finnish single malt! Dewar’s Japanese, Woven Homemade, Green Spot Bordeaux, Teerenpeli 10 year. 

Later in March, we joined a special charitable event of delicious Ethiopian feed and African whiskies, organised by the good folks at Hawelti. It was such an interesting variety of spirits, grains, and single malts – what a treat!

  • Projekt 3 Ethiopian Beer spirit
  • Project 4 Acacia barrel, rum finish
  • Boplas 5 year Single Grain 43.6%
  • Heimer 2021 grain 43%
  • Three Ships 12 year Single Malt 46.3%
  • Ondjaba triple grain 54.8% from Namibia
  • Bains 18 year Oloroso 50.5%
  • Projekt 01 10 year Strathmill 65.7%

I also took time to continue to catch up on tasting experiences from the 2024 London Whisky Show – largely from Day 2 – September 8, 2024. Here are a few stalls we visited:

  • Glenfarclas 15 year – a perfect calibration dram!
  • Whisky Auction – for our Dream Drams of Brora 1981 and Glen Grant 12 year from the 1970s
  • Decadent Drinks – Whisky Sponge, Solstice & Equinox, Notable Age Statements and more!
  • Ichiro’s Malt blends – a nice wander through their collection
  • Ardnahoe – Welcome to Hunter Laing’s Islay Distillery
  • Hunter Laing – First Editions and Old Malt Casks from Auchroisk, Ardmore, Craigellachie to a Glen Grant 25!
  • Mainstage with festival picks
  • Introducing a new English distillery with Wire Works 
  • Woven Blends – What a fabulous experience with a special blend made just for my tasting companion and I!
  • Cardrona – A couple whiskies and the most wonderful Vodka – The Reid!

Plus a couple of stragglers from Day 1 that were published in 2025:

It was well worth the trip to London! And we have already bought our tickets for 2025!

As for what next? Let’s see what unfolds…

Curious to know more? Check out a few more summaries:

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Whisky Show 2024 – Woven Whiskey Makers

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My father was a chemistry professor. Growing up, we regularly visited him at the University of Manitoba’s chemistry lab. The smells, the beakers and flasks, bunsen burners and goggles, white lab coats, and more. These things were all familiar friends by association. 

There is something about Woven’s approach to whisky blends that reminded me of my father tinkering in the chemistry lab. Leading enquiring young minds through the mysteries of chemical equations.

In terms of experience, hands down, the folks at Woven Whisky Makers were at the top at the London Whisky Show 2024. A year earlier, they were already making waves, however, their approach to the 2024 show fully lived up to their ambition to create fun experiences!

It was a treat to explore a few of their blends. Clearly, they are enjoying the journey too! 

Woven Homemade (2024) 46.4%

I had tried their 2023 avatar and quite liked it, however, it did not make even close to the same impression as what I tried in 2024.

It was fun and fruity on the nose with toffee and something else. The palate was super balanced with a long finish – sweet and salty caramel – think salty butterscotch – yum! In some ways, it reminded me a bit of a brighter and slightly sharper Benjamin Keuntz’s Aveux Gourmands 46%.

Woven Hemispheres 50.4% GBP 55

Look up into the night sky on the prairies and one becomes keenly aware of just how small and insignificant we are… The immense sky seen from the flat land can inspire awe – especially on nights when the northern lights dance overhead.

The thinking behind this blend is simple – just two ingredients from two different hemispheres – 26% Thomson Distillery Manuka Smoked Single Malt and 74% North British Single Grain. So what was the result? We found it lightly medicinal, a puff of smoke… curious and contradictory. Citrus and herbs, and sweet wood. Interesting. 

What do they have to say?

HEMISPHERES is a blend of two whiskies, worlds apart. 
 
A tiny New Zealand maker of Manuka smoked Single Malt meets one of Scotland’s largest distilleries; urban, yet elegant.
 
When we tasted the herbal, smoky single malt being produced by Thomson Whisky at their tiny site just outside Auckland, we knew we had found something special. Their Manuka-smoked distillate is a living response to their unique natural environment, and as we connected with these good folks and their fresh perspective on smoke, we realised we’d found kindred spirits.

HEMISPHERES brings these different worlds of whisky together; Scotland and New Zealand. Tradition and modernity. But it’s also a reminder that no matter what the distance or perceived differences, in whisky and in life, there’s much more that connects us than separates us. 
 
This is an oily, smoky and herbal Blended World Whisky with notes of orange, clove and honey that celebrates ever-expanding horizons of flavour. 

Woven Superblend (2022) 46.1% GBP 50

Inspired by BNJ, this blend brings together distilleries from around the world. 

We found it very light, whilst a bit hard to pin down to something specific, it was warm and welcoming. On the palate, there was delightful spice, well balanced and enjoyable, an oily element. and closed with a gentle sweetness.

This is the story about Superblend:

Superblend is a blend of whiskies of different origins. We start with whisky from Scotland. But that’s not where this journey ends. 
A new breed of distillery from England. Germany’s largest Single Malt Distillery. An experimental project in the USA. A maverick Irish producer with rebellious spirit. Each cask chosen solely on flavour. This is whisky, free from all geographical constraints. Blended across borders.
The result is a rich, textured. blended world whisky that is so much greater than the sum of its parts.
 
I’ve included the composition here – with its fascinating mix of different geographies and distilleries. 
 
  • SCOTLAND MALT: Loch Lomond Single Malt (6 Years) 23.9%, Campbeltown Single Malt (5 Years) 6.52%, Speyside Blended Malt (Peated) (9 Years) 4.35%
  • SCOTLAND GRAIN: Highland Grain (Wheat Base) (3 Years) 21.74%, Highland Grain (Malted Barley) (3 Years) 15.22%, Loch Lomond Organic Grain (Wheat) (22 Years) 4.35%
  • WORLD WHISKY: The English Distillery Co. Single Malt (9 Years) 2.17%, George Dickel Sour Mash (USA) (11 Years) 2.17%, MGP Indiana Bourbon (USA) (7 Years) 6.52%, St Killian Single Malt (Germany) (3 Years) 5.43%, Irish Whisky (undisclosed distillery) (13 Years) 7.61%
That’s quite a mix making for a rather interesting Woven blend.

Woven Experience N.20 “Friends in the North” (2024) 47%

What a remarkable blend – it was full of fresh pine and cedar on the nose. Quite frisky on the palate with a clean clear style that I have come to associate with Scandinavian whiskies. The finish was straightforward with a hint of saline.

Here is what they have to say about their Nordic blend:

We’d heard the stories. Scandinavian whisky makers, each crafting their own vision of excellence, creating flavours and lore. Our journey began with a question: Is there a ‘Nordic Style’? But what we found was something richer, something profoundly more human, and more delicious than we ever imagined. 

Each distillery told its own tale of remoteness, isolation, and invention. After polite introductions, we geeked out on mind blowing stories delivered in a cool, matter of fact fashion – ‘it’s just how we do it’. 

Four countries, countless flavours. Not one single thread, but a tapestry of warm welcomes, proud traditions, experimental whisky making, and unexpected delights.

We set out to craft a whisky. What we created were friends, and we can’t wait for you to meet them. 

This is Experience N.20 // Friends in the North – composed of:

  • Kyrö Distillery (FIN) Rye (Alder Wood Smoke) 20.58%
  • High Coast Distillery (SWE) Unpeated Malt 4.80% 
  • Agitator Distillery (SWE) Chateau Margaux 10.43%
  • Agitator Distillery (SWE) Lightly Peated 6.86%
  • Feddie Ocean Distillery (NOR) Ex Islay Qtr Cask 9.33%
  • Feddie Ocean Distillery (NOR) Ex Bourbon13.72%
  • North British (SCO) Single Grain 34.29%
There were a few familiar distilleries like Finland’s Kyrö, Sweden’s High Coast (previously Box) and Agitator, however, North British and Freddie Ocean Distillery are new to me! A most intriguing blend and well worth exploring!

And then our super special blends – made just for us! Like the shelves of the chemistry lab’s “store” of my childhood, behind a curtain was an array of different bottles filled with different elements.

We were invited to share answers to various questions which revealed our distinct whisky preferences before a blend was made based on these choices.

My festival pick for 2024 was Woven’s Homemade. After inquiring, I learned that it would become available in Germany later in October, so if I was a bit patient, I could have it conveniently delivered to my door for a few bobs less. Sign me up!

What else did we try from Woven?

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Whisky Show 2024 – Hunter Laing

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After exploring Hunter Laing & Co‘s Ardnahoe distillery, we focused on exploring what put these folks on the map since 2013 – their independent bottles and blends! It was Day 2 of the 2024 Whisky Show in London and we were primed to explore something truly special.

Scarabus 10 year 46%

We were directed to first explore Scarabus – a series dedicated to Islay malts and a guessing game between Caol Ila and Lagavulin. It is a mix of re-fill, ex-bourbon, and virgin American oak casks. As I’d sampled it relatively recently, I passed, however, my tasting companion enjoyed it!

First off was an expression from their First Editions series….

Auchriosk 25 years (1996 / 2022) PX Sherry Butt HL19727 48%  (Hunter Laing – First Editions) 

  • Nose – Fruity, strawberries, a cornucopia of different berries, making a luscious fruit compote, sweet spice, and cream, it continued to evolve the more time it spent in the glass to have the fruits and berries joined by chocolate and nuts
  • Palate – Spicy, black pepper and strawberries, soft and understated, incredibly balanced and smooth, complex, nuanced
  • Finish – Mmmmm…. raisins, spice, caramel, and all things nice

This was a lovely dram – well worth the wait for 25 years.

We then moved on to their Old Malt Cask series… Typically bottled at 50%, a new cask is bottled each month.

Craigellachie 16 year Sherry Butt HL21170 50% (Hunter Laing – Old Malt Cask) 

  • Nose – Vanilla, sweet like milky mathai, a hint of dried fruits 
  • Palate – Starts soft then builds up, chocolate-covered ginger spice, sherry
  • Finish – Surprisingly hot finish, even a bit salty at the close

Not bad but also not outstanding. However, I will admit I’m not always a big Craigellachie fan, so it wasn’t surprising that I was a bit middling about this one.

Ardmore 12 year (July 2010) Refill Barrel HL21172 50% (Hunter Laing – Old Malt Cask) 

  • Nose – Now we are talking! Very sweet on the nose, honey, hibiscus, very bright, shifting into glazed ham with a citrus twist
  • Palate – Wonderfully well-rounded, fruit and peat in terrific balance
  • Finish – Subtle and lingers

This Ardmore was much more to my taste – quite enjoyable!

Glen Grant 25 year (1998 / 2023) 50% (Hunter Laing – Old Malt Cask) 

  • Nose – A classic nose – honey, subtle floral, followed by a citrus tang… we immediately dubbed this a “sniffing” whisky – the kind you just want to come back to again and again to take a whiff
  • Palate – Lovely! We found it best to just leave on your tongue for a bit – it was sweet yet with just enough spice to not be a push-over.
  • Finish – Long and lingering – just right! With a nice oily lemon close

They say it is good to leave the best to last so it can be fully appreciated. I think the folks at Hunter Laing delivered here! Elegant and beautiful – this was a clear class act.

Confession time – I did indeed leave this in the glass for as long as I could to enjoy the aromas. It kept shifting between honey, floral, and citrus most delightfully.

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Whisky Show 2024 – Ardnahoe

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Ardnahoe distillery in Islay was founded in 2018 by the folks behind Hunter Laing & Co. We decided to explore their offerings on Day 2 of the 2024 Whisky Show in London. They took their time with their first releases in 2024, matured for 5 years.

The Ardnahoe  5 year Inaugural Release 50% GBP 70 (sold out)

We began with the inaugural release which is a mix of 50% ex-Bourgon, 25% Sherry Oloroso, and 25% Sherry PX.

  • Nose – Peat and sweet, you think it will be quite neat!
  • Palate – Big but then surprises you by becoming more and more approachable – orchard fruits joined by a sweet peat, ginger, and a citrus twist
  • Finish – Smoky

Not a bad start at all – quite enjoyable.

The Ardnahoe  5 year Infinite Loch 50% GBP 55

We then moved on to Infinite Loch which is another combination of 85% ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks.

  • Nose – Oh yum! Citrus with baked pineapple, chased by peat and a touch of sea salt
  • Palate – Nice and approachable, loads of tropical fruits, spice with a light peaty smoke, hint of chocolate
  • Finish – A nice ginger spice

Very promising!

The Ardnahoe 5 year Feis Ile 2024 59.3% 

We closed with a special Feis Ile 2024 release at cask strength. Our guide shared it is a mix of four ex-Bourbon casks.

  • Nose – A hint of what is to come
  • Palate – Young, sour yet more chey spice
  • Finish – Loads of prickly spice

I have a feeling this dram would do well with a splash of water. However, as we were on a sniff, swish, and spit approach, did not try.

Overall, we quite enjoyed this introduction to Ardnahoe and look forward to seeing where they go next!

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Whisky Show 2024 – Decadent Drinks

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London’s Whisky Show brought many delights. One was time spent at Decadent Drinks – the folks behind the irreverent Whisky Sponge – which has “retired” as a brand! We didn’t quite get through the full range – yet we definitely covered a gamut from light to heavy moderately aged to mature!

Glen Garioch 21 year (2003 / 2024) 1st fill bourbon hogshead 55.1% 1 of 248 bottles (Decadent Drinks)

Our explorations began in the highlands… 

  • Nose – Fruity, juicy, then shifts into hazelnut chocolate nougat
  • Palate – Lovely fruits n spice n everything nice! Waxy, with a roll around the palate kinda substance
  • Finish – Almost a hint of copper 

What a wonderful way to begin with fruity fabulousness. Yum!

Aberlour 33 year (1989 + 1991 / 1999) Ed No 29, Refill Hogsheads 49.7% (Whisky Sponge) GBP 365

  • Nose – Gorgeous sherry! Unlike some heavy sherry drams – this was not “in your face” – instead just beautiful dark fruits
  • Palate – More elegant and refined than your typical Abelour, lovely balance
  • Finish – Sweet and long

A proper “grown-up” whisky! Sometimes Aberlour with its devotion to full-on sherry can be a bit much – this was incredibly nuanced and complex. Just wow!

Glen Grant 31 years (1993 / 2024) 52.7% 129 bottles (Decadent Drinks – Whisky Land Chapter 3)  GBP 595

  • Nose – Surprisingly strong – rich fruits and how!
  • Palate – What fun! Prickly ginger spice, buttercream
  • Finish – Sponge cake

If the Glen Grant 12 year old from the 1970s was elegance and refinement, this was the crazy cousin showing very different colours!

Notable Age Statements Blend 17 year 53% (Decadent Drinks) GBP 95

As a play on NAS – No Age Statement – the folks at Decadent Drinks have a series of Notable Age Statement whiskies!

  • Nose – Classically elegant
  • Palate – So balanced, sherry berry 
  • Finish – Don’t laugh – but my tasting companion dubbed this quite a “bitchy” finish!

What more do we know? This is what the folks at Decadent Drinks have to say:

This bottling is composed of a 1st fill sherry butt of 2001 blended malt and a 1st fill sherry butt of 2006 Aultmore. The resulting, multi-vintage mix was bottled with slight reduction at 53%.

This is our attempt to create an older style, sherry matured malt whisky profile. Designed to be easy, fruity and highly drinkable with plenty of classical, earthy and elegant sherry character.

Ardnamurchin 7 year Ed No 100 57.9% (Whisky Sponge – final edition)
  • Nose – Sherry joined by glazed maple with a hint of peat
  • Palate – Sweet and a bit sharp – young and brash, then it settled down to become super fruity and juicy, stewed fruits
  • Finish – Quite active
This was a whisky of contrasts – active and sharp then balanced, vacillating in between quite different characters. It was almost as though it had a kind of identity crisis!
 
It all made sense when I looked up more details. Here is what they had to say: 

This is Whisky Sponge Edition No.100. It’s a 2016 and 2017, 7 year old Ardnamurchan small batch.  It’s a potion that Angus cooked up in collaboration with the good folk at Ardnamurchan Distillery. It’s a mix of 1st fill and 2nd fill, peated and unpeated sherry octaves. We mixed them all together and married them in a refill sherry butt for over six months until the whole potion turned 7 years old, then we bottled it with slight reduction at 57.1%. For those of you that deify transparency, here’s the recipe…  

  • 2017 – Unpeated 1st Fill Sherry, Peated 1st Fill sherry, Peated 1st Fill Sherry, Peated Refill Sherry 
  • 2016  – Unpeated Refill sherry, Unpeated Refill Sherry, Unpeated Refill Sherry, Unpeated 1st Fill Sherry 

We wanted to celebrate and mark the final edition of Whisky Sponge with a whisky that was excellent quality, one that was collaborative and that we’d had a role in creating and making unique to us, and that was modern in the best sense and looked to the future. We feel we have succeeded in this – we hope you agree.  

It was quite an interesting experience!

Ledaig 29 year (1995/2024) 52% (Decadent Drinks – Westie Sponge 4)

  • Nose – Coffee, cinnamon, sweet spices, cakey
  • Palate – “I’m here now!” Big, bold, brilliant flavours! Sherry and coffee, cherry, chewy… lightly peated
  • Finish – Long and strong

Westie Sponge is a series devoted to the Western Highlands and Islands – which naturally needed to include this Ledaig from Tobermory distillery from Isle of Mull. 

Bowmore 20 year (2004) 53.3% 171 Bottles (Decadent Drinks – Whiskyland Chapter Two)

  • Nose – Fresh and bright, a delightful sea breeze, perfume then dark fruits, lush
  • Palate – Sweet peat, fruity in perfect harmony, elegant and well-rounded
  • Finish – Lingers

What more do we know? It is a refill hogshead from 2004. In some ways it was an un-Bowmore-like Bowmore – less forceful and more restrained. Lovely.

Ardmore 22 year (1997 + 2000) 53% (Decadent Drinks – Whisky Sponge – Equilibrium 3rd Edition) GBP 215

  • Nose – Love it! Peat and sweet
  • Palate – Perfect balance of peat and sherry, unctuous mouthfeel, meaty yet soft too
  • Finish – Marshmallows and cherry

The deep ruby hues (without any added colour!) means there has been some serious contact with an ex sherry cask! Here’s what else they have to say:

For this final bottling in the Equilibrium series, we took a refill matured 1997 and sherry finished 2000, medium peated highland malt and married them together in a 2nd fill sherry hogshead. That mix was then bottled as this 22 year old with a few degrees reduction at 53%. 

The result is the softest of the three Equilibrium bottlings in terms of peat level, and probably the richest in terms of sherry character. But overall, this is a wonderful, complex and beautifully quaffable sherry and peat influenced dram, one where age and time have also worked some pretty delicious tricks…  

Mortlach 16 year (2007) 48.5% (Decadent Drinks – Equinox & Solstice Summer Edition)

  • Nose – How extraordinary? There was a distinctive chaat masala aroma of black salt! Tangy, tropical fruits
  • Palate – Sherry edge, no lightweight at all. Oily, big and bold. Fruity and full. More of that chaat masala too!
  • Finish – Coffee

It was muscular without being heavy-handed. 

Miltonduff 11 year (2012)  1st Fill Sherry Hogshead 48.5% (Decadent Drinks – Equinox & Solstice Winter Edition) GBP 110

  • Nose – Rich yet not overpowering, juicy fruits then shifts into a mocha sundae, creamy eggnog 
  • Palate – Think of a delicious black forest cake with dark cherries, yet restrained too
  • Finish – Beautiful

A clear Speyside hero in its best form. 

Thank you Elise from Fredericton New Brunswick for making our time with Decadent Drinks so rewarding!

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Whisky Show 2024 – Dream Drams Brora + Glen Grant

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At London’s Whisky Show, one receives a “dream dram” token each day. This is an opportunity to try something well outside the normal “affordability” range!

I was very clear about my choice – as the crowd around Whisky Auction can be thick – the plan was to go there 1st thing. Or more precisely, immediately after our calibration dram of the day – the reliable and most enjoyable Glenfarclas 15 year!

I had my eye on a Glen Grant from the 1970s whereas my tasting companion was after something extra special and fancied the Brora 1981. As his choice was 2 tokens and we had only 2 tokens, we decided to go with his choice. The gent had overheard our debate and made an offer we couldn’t refuse – both!

Brora 23 year (1981 / 2005) First Cask 1556 43% Bottle 756 ~GBP 625

  • Nose – Shy at first then hay
  • Palate – A bit more substance, a hint of spice, sweet, subtle digestive biscuits
  • Finish – Pleasant

Overall I found it pleasant but nothing particularly special. My tasting companion was completely disappointed – felt the hype and the price tag were simply not worth it!

We need to remind ourselves that we are sampling a slice of history – a distillery that had its moment in time before being mothballed. Once known as Clynelish, the style we reputed to be quite different – for some time quite heavily peated then a lighter peat. In this case, to be honest we didn’t catch any peat!

So what about my choice? If the Brora was a bit of a bust, the Glen Grant was a complete hit! 

Glen Grant 12 year (1970s) 43%

  • Nose – Ahhhh….. An absolute delight! Bright and cheerful character, joined by some dark dried fruits topped with honey sweetness… after some time I found a lovely lemon custard pie. Delicious!!
  • Palate – Smooth and soft, then woke-up with pronounced sherry, yet still balanced
  • Finish – Long, strong and lovely

It was the perfect breakfast dram – sweet, classic style. The kind of whisky that will be companionable, joining you on a nice rambling journey. I was entranced and in love!

What followed? We neatly stepped next door to Whisky Sponge. Much like Whisky Auction, every time I passed by the previous day, the throngs were so thick I feared it would be impossible to have the kind of leisurely chatty experience we enjoy. How fabulous to be proved wrong!

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Nurnberg Whisky Explorer’s 2025 kick off!

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In 2025, our Nurnberg Whisky Explorers group abandoned all pretense of mostly monthly gatherings and opted for the more realistic goal of quarterly connects.

Our first session had no designated theme – the choice was entirely up to our four contributors. The result was a terrific combination of distinct drams, each bringing their unique voice to the chorus, with no competition or unfavourable comparisons.

So what did we explore?

  • Dewar’s 8 year Japanese Smooth 43%
  • Woven Homemade 46.4%
  • Green Spot Château Léoville Barton Bordeuax Finish 46%
  • Teerenpeli 10 year 43%

Interestingly, three were blends – two of Scottish origin and one Irish – closing with a special Finnish single malt. For me, it was an evening of mostly revisits – albeit nearly a decade later! Which made it such fun to experience anew!

Dewar’s 8 year Japanese Smooth Mizunara Wood Finish 43% ~Eur 21

Dewar’s is such a well-known blend. And yet, joining the standards are a few expressions that play with different elements – enter the Dewar’s finished in Japanese Mizunara Wood. What did we find?

  • Nose – Warm, honey with a hint of vanilla, shifting into a fresh citrus
  • Palate – It had a prickly spice, oak, a dash of sweet dry spices like cinnamon, and lots of vanilla
  • Finish – Hint of wax or a touch of salt depending on who you asked, quite dry

With a name like “Japanese Smooth”, we anticipated something silky soft with a nuanced floral element, maybe even a bit of light fruit? The mizunara wood finish certainly made this an interesting Dewar’s expression, however, was it floral or fruity? Not so much.

Setting aside preconceived notions, it was just the right way to start our evening and well worth trying. Even with the revisit, after sampling the other three, it held its own.

Woven Homemade 46.4% ~Eur 38 8120 bottles (500 ml)

Imagine entering an apothecary shop… or bringing together a couple of chemist with a wild array of options.. all about crafting an interesting experience. That’s what you can expect with a Woven whisky blend.

  • Nose – Began with lemon custard and butter, warm biscuits, green apple, slightly sour apple sauce
  • Palate – Start creamy, buttery, some rosehip, nutty oil, then shifts into becoming very dry
  • Finish – From lemon drop candy, to nutty butter, increasingly bitter over time

Very distinctive and unique. One described it as “effervescent” reminding him of a children’s fizzy medicine – brausetabletten. For all of us, it was remarkable how its character changed, Really quite interesting from an Apple martini to creamy nutty to dry and bitter. This was no “easy” blend – instead, it challenged us – in a good way. With the revisit, it also retained its specific character.

What more do we know? Only that it is a blend of two Speyside whiskies  (41.78% and 29.99%) and a Lowland grain (28.23%), likely blended 14 May 2023 with 70 days “marrying” period. In character, it was evaluated by the folks at Woven as somewhere between Balanced and Complex. And yes – we appreciated the other options – Fresh and Exploratory. And finally, it has a clear “nod” to BNJ – a bit of a cult whisky blend in some circles that also boasts a high malt portion.

You can find more details here: Woven Homemade.

Green Spot Château Léoville Barton Bordeaux Wine Finish 46% ~Eur 55

We then moved from Scotland to Ireland. This was no ordinary Green Spot! A year ago, our contributor brought the standard edition — a pleasure to revisit! This time, it was the Green Spot expression finished in Bordeaux casks…

  • Nose – It began with melted caramel, tobacco leaf, and tannins, warm and heavy, the longer it remained in the glass, the more prominent the brown sugar aroma became
  • Palate – Very pronounced red wine influence! There was an interesting undertone of oak and tannins, rich, rolling around in your mouth
  • Finish – Long finish, dry

The red wine cask was so prominent, that we speculated they must have finished in a rather “wet” cask, leaving a fair amount of Château Léoville Barton to mingle with the whiskey. Or as one whisky aficionado quipped “This is how wine should taste!”

Truth be told, as we tasted, I didn’t immediately remember being introduced to this expression some six years earlier at an Irish evening in Mumbai! This Is why it is such fun to have random evenings – you never know what will turn up and with it a fresh perspective too.

Teerenpeli 10 year 43% ~Eur 73

For me, the true treat of the night was an opportunity to revisit the Teerenpeli 10 year. It captivated my fancy in 2016 during a Whisky Ladies European focused tasting. How did I discover it? Its launch was at the 2015 London Whisky Show and came to me as a strong recommendation from the lads at TWE. What did we think?

  • Nose – Fruity, with a dusky, earthy element, a puff of smoke, a hint of coastal sea air, chased by vanilla
  • Palate – Incredibly smooth – like sliding into silk pajamas, then being enveloped in a soft velvet lightly peaty embrace, it has a subtle citrus peat, rich and well-rounded with a light heat of pepper
  • Finish – Carries on the warm embrace, with a touch of sea salt

This bottle was purchased by our contributor during a memorable trip to Finland nearly a year ago – just for our wee group to try. And it did not disappoint.

There was such a lot going on – so rewarding! The kind of single malt that evokes an emotional connection, memories of a special lebkuchen with citrusy sugar glaze, or enjoying a sunset outdoors from a porch on a cool fall evening, kept cozy and warm in a fuzzy blanket.

Above, for me, it was such a special treat to revisit – thank you!!

What more do we know? It gains its specific character from Finnish barley malt matured in 85% bourbon and 15% sherry casks. Since I last tried it, they not only refreshed the packaging, Teerenpeli also updated their official tasting notes to:

  • Nose – Butterscotch, vanilla, slightly oaky
  • Palate – Rich maltiness, fruity, smooth vanilla 

Would we agree? Certainly! You can find out more here: Teerenpeli 10 year.

PS Our contributor also highly recommends another Finish spirit – Artic Blue gin.

And there you have it – an evening exploring four distinct drams. Unlike some evenings, all were “hits” with narry a “miss”. Each brought something interesting to expand and challenge our collective tasing journeys. And that is exactly why such tasting evenings are so much fun!

Are you in the area? Interested in joining our Nurnberg Whisky Explorer events? Just comment here with the best way to reach you.

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