Category Archives: Speyside

Dream Drams in Dramatic Fashion – Macbeth’s Linkwood 31 year + BenRiach 31 year

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Our quest for “Dream Drams” at London’s Whisky Show 2023 included our target to taste a dram or two from Elixir’s new Macbeth series. With Five Acts, to be released annually until 2027, this is an incredibly ambitious project.

We are honoured to present the first nine bottlings in an ongoing series inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth. This landmark release is the culmination of a multi-year collaboration between Lexi Burgess, whisky writer Dave Broom and independent bottler Elixir Distillers.

Those who know me well would be aware my partner is an actor – with the Stage his first love. So anything that pays serious attention to the world of theatre – and the bard William Shakespeare no less – will get my attention. So when I saw the remarkable range featured, we simply had to try! Sukhinder Singh later shared how proud he is of this collaboration and collection – with very good reason!

No surprise, all of these whiskies were “Dream Drams” so we had the tough choice of picking what to try! As several were (deservedly) multi-token, our selection narrowed to just two which were for only one token. Before I share which we selected, here is a bit of an overview of the 2023 expressions.

From Macbeth Act One, there were… 

  • The Leads: Glen Grant 56 year “Old King Duncan” 48.2% for GBP 10,000
  • The Ghosts: Cambus 31-year Single Grain “First Ghost” 43.2% (Speyside) GBP 301
  • The Witches: Ardbeg 19 year “First Witch” 51.7% (Islay) GBP 550 
  • The Murderers: Ledaig 18 year “First Murderer” 50.5% (Island) GBP 220 

The Thanes:

  • Benriach 31 year “Menteith” 53.1% (Speyside) GBP 750 
  • Glen Garioch 31 year “Angus” 54.6% (Highland) GBP 750 
  • Linkwood 31 year “Lady Macduff” 48.2% (Speyside) GBP 750 

The Household:

We selected a pair of Thanes – wow!

The first of 12 noble thanes in the series are Angus and Menteith, who march to confront Macbeth in the play’s final act: portrayed respectively by a rich, complex Glen Garioch and a superbly fruity Benriach. Then we have the tragically fated Lady Macduff, who necessitated a particularly special whisky. ‘Linkwood is an all-time favourite distillery and it was a thrill to find a 31-year-old expression distilled in 1991 that worked so perfectly,’ Oliver explains. ‘Although I would probably have had to rewrite Macbeth if there wasn’t a place for this amazing whisky.’

What a wonderful way to explore some fine drams in such a dramatic fashion!

I selected the Linkwood – at a venerable 31 years of age – this was no lightweight! What did I think?

Linkwood 31 year “Lady Macduff” (1991 – 2023) 48.2% 

  • Nose – A beautiful light spice, a hint of heather, joyful and floral, joined by orchard fruits – from pear to white peach… as it opens more in the glass, it reveals deeper and more mature elements, elegant
  • Palate – Simply spectacular! Light and dark combine, concentrated fruits and wood, resinous with some spice, truly exceptional
  • Finish – Long lasting, dry with a citrus twist and light spice

What an incredible whisky! Truly something very special, worthy of attention. I hope there will be another opportunity to sit down and properly savor.

What more do we know? The bottle notes share a quote from Macbeth. 

Casting this role in Livingstone’s Macbeth series required whisky maker Elixir Distillers to find a single malt of rare elegance and beauty. This vatting of four ex-bourbon barrels from Linkwood distillery proves the perfect embodiment of the ill-fated Lady Macduff. The nose shows all the flowers, citrus and white fruit characteristic of Linkwood, while the palate harbours hidden depths suggestive of its inspiration’s strength and resolve. An exceptionally fine Speyside malt.

I would be inclined to agree.

My tasting companion chose the BenRiach – a bold and brilliant choice indeed!

BenRiach 31 year “Menteith” (1992 – 2023) 53.1% (Speyside) GBP 750 

  • Nose – Robust and seductive, there were berries, yet also a sweet floral topping in addition to the dark fruits, powerful yet balanced
  • Palate – Definitely mature, polished wood, nutty, toffee, some earthy elements
  • Finish – Long and strong

Oh, how I wish we had more than a mere “swish!” of this one! It was a tempting treat, teasing us with its rich and potent character.

What more do we know? Here is how it is described:

‘Revenges burn in them, for their dear causes would, to the bleeding and the grim alarm, excite the mortified man.’ The speaker of these immortal words is Menteith, a nobleman who marches to oppose Macbeth in the play’s final act. To portray this herald of battle, Elixir Distillers head blender Oliver Chilton selected bourbon barrels from Benriach distillery in the Scottish Highlands. At 31-years-old this is a deep, earthy dram that balances wild notes of hedgerow and forest floor with the nuttiness and rich vanilla characteristic of good-quality American oak.

What a thrilling and theatrical start! I just wish we could have explored more than just two! 

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That Boutique-y Whisky Co – New Core Range

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No Whisky Show is truly complete without the dynamic duo of Dave Worthington & Sam Simmonds. That Boutique-y Whisky Co is just a “must go”! 

At London’s 2023 Whisky Show, you could spend the entire day at their wee stall! This year, they introduced their new core range along with three different features:

  • Land of Oz
  • American
  • Cinema expressions

We somehow managed to stick with just a partial sampling of the Core Range, Oz, and Cinema… however that took rather a large amount of restraint!

Starting with the World Whisky Blend (fabulous and affordable!), the good folks at Atom Brands aka That Boutique-y Whisky Co, decided it was time to have something a bit more regular and dependable for fans. Shifting from 500ml bottles of unique expressions with sometimes only 100+ bottles in existence where you could “blink” and they are gone, their new core range can be found in “industry standard” 700ml bottles, all at a traditional strength of 45.8% in batches of approx 1,000 liters, with the intention of being much more accessible.

Naturally, there had to be something a bit cheeky about the approach with Emily Chappell’s labels! With a nod to traditional scotch whisky which often featured deer… in this case, the age of the deer was linked to the age of the dram… except of course for the Canadian whisky, it simply had to be a moose! Dave also shared the bottle colours are meant to reflect the northern lights too. 

Which was exactly where we began, the good Canuck that I am! 

Canadian Corn 8 year 45.8% (GBP 38)

Big bold and sweet aromas, caramel toffee sweetness, nutty, and more! And on the palate? Even more of that dramatic desert with some cracking ginger spice. Yet even with all the big bold aromas and flavours, it was in harmony and not overwhelming. A fun, fabulous sweet treat with a punch.

What more do we know? It was matured in 100% Oloroso casks. As for official tasting notes?

  • Nose – Fruity muffins, buttery oak, opening up into sherried goodness: raisins, prunes, dates, drizzles of runny toffee and toasted nuts.
  • Taste – Big, bold, and fruity! Toffee ripple ice cream, wafer, and popcorn join toasted almonds and cooked peach, white cracks of black pepper nestle in the depths.

Where did we go next? We then shifted to the oldest offering in this new core range – the 30-year-old blended grain!

Blended Grain 30 year 45.8% GBP 75

As bold and youthful as the Canadian corn was, we shifted to a genteel dame with the blended grain. On the nose, it was a friendly ‘breakfast dram’ with delicious buttery pastries, honey, and a hint of marmalade, some cream with vanilla. Then on the palate? Soft, even creamier, and far too easy to drink. This one was dangerous in its deceptively easy style. Yum!

What more do we know? It is a blend of refill casks of ex-Bourbon hogsheads and ex-Sherry octaves. As for tasting notes?

  • Nose – Honeycomb, red grapes, immensely buttery biscuits or shortbread, waxy orange peel, polished oak and a touch of floral spring breeze.
  • Palate –  Thick, textured with rich butterscotch, freshly baked cookies with still-soft chocolate chunks, hints of cedar and white pepper in the finish.

Next up was the Speyside….

Speyside 12 year 45.8% GBP 45

If the Canadian was big and bold, the Grain genteel and intoxicating, the Speyside was a sherry delight with substance!

On the nose, we found crunchy chocolate caramel with roasted nuts, some fruity sweetness too, and a puff of smoke. It had real substance on the palate – this was no lightweight! Warm and full of classic sherry dark fruits combined with a hint of salt. Far too drinkable too!

What more do we know? It is a combination of all-new Oloroso casks.. with the official tasting notes:

  • Nose – Caramelised nuts and chocolate mousse, flamed orange peel, cinnamon, earthy density, punchy cassia, and smoky oak.
  • Taste – Fruity, chewy and spicy. Tangy cranberry, salty jerky, oily walnuts, an absolute belter of a Speyside whisky. Complex and quaffable.

We held off on checking out the Highland 18 year and Islay 8 year. I’m sure they are equally worth checking out. Our overall conclusion for the trio we tried is that each is, in its distinctive way, simply too easy to drink. Which I supposed is exactly what they were aiming for with this more accessible range – bravo!

What next? Well… join me as we dive into a selection from Australia!

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Whisky Show 2023 – Show Bottles Loch Lomond, Clynelish, Orkney

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This year, I decided in advance to purchase a “festival pick” at London’s Whisky Show 2023. I set myself a maximum budget and even put together a shortlist. This is exactly why I made a “beeline” to the Whisky Show “Festival” Bottles early Sunday morning and zeroed into the Clynelish immediately. 

However, as always, I enjoy being guided through explorations. So when they recommended we start with the Loch Lomond, we were happy to oblige!

Loch Lomond 14 year Cask no. 22/709-1 55.6% (2023 Whisky Show Bottle)

What an intriguing bottle! It was initially quite shy and a bit funky on the nose, gradually easing into yogurt, it then burst open with dried fruits and cream, and generous dollops of dark honey. On the palate, it was dangerously drinkable and delicious. All those lovely fruity flavours coming together, well balanced and most enjoyable.

Whilst Loch Lomond (under many labels) has a huge range of styles, I personally prefer ones like this – un-peated, uncomplicated, and friendly (once you get to know each other a bit!). This one needs a wee bit of time in the glass, then absolutely rewards you with a treat!

What more do they say?

One of Scotland’s most versatile distilleries, Loch Lomond produces an astonishing range of different styles and flavour profiles. This cask of un-peated single malt showed such a perfect balance of fruity spirit character and oak influence that we knew we had to have it for Whisky Show.

  • Nose: Runny honey, golden syrup, wine gums, buttercream, orange flower water, sultanas, vanilla.
  • Palate: Thick-cut marmalade, apple juice, chewy flapjacks, digestive biscuits, fresh baguettes, rice pudding, more wine gums, and yellow fruit pastilles. There’s a leafy peppermint note that keeps the sweeter elements from getting out of balance.
  • Finish: Fruity and creamy with oak spices and a touch of pencil shavings.

From curious to most enjoyable, I then turned my attention to my potential festival pick…

Clynelish 12 year (2011/2023) 1st Fill Barrel #880297 56.4% (2023 Whisky Show Bottle) GBP 120 / EUR 142

I will admit it, just reading about this bottle put it in the front-runner position. I was not at all disappointed! It was full of gorgeous fruity aromas, chased by warm lemon, sponge cake, a hint of floral honey, and enough beeswax elements to make it interesting. On the palate it rewarded with more fruit – I definitely found the pineapple, elegant and well-rounded. There really is something distinctive about Clynelish – the more I explore, the more I want to explore further.  

What do the Whisky Show folks have to say?

A real whisky drinker’s whisky distillery, Clynelish has made single malt on Sutherland’s east coast for more than 200 years. Its characteristic waxy, fruity, mineral profile is quite unlike anything else being produced today. We’ve found these 2011 casks to be of excellent quality overall, but we thought this one was particularly good and a fitting addition to our Whisky Show lineup this year.

  • Nose: Gummy bears, nectarine, yellow plum, and lemon oil. There’s also a floral side with irises, blossoms and wildflower honey.
  • Palate: All the Clynelish hallmarks are present and correct: candlewax, beeswax, olive oil. Then more stone fruit and candied pineapple with seashells, chalky white wines and Yellow Chartreuse. The influence of that first-fill bourbon barrel grows over time with toffee, crème anglaise and honey granola.
  • Finish: Sweet anise, gentian, vanilla.

An excellent example of 2010s’ Clynelish from a particularly good first-fill barrel. I happily snapped it up for Eur 139 / GBP 120 and sent it home to India with my hubby for a future-future-future tasting session!

We were then steered towards the Orkney…

Orkney 22 year (2000/2023) Refill Hogshead #41 52.7% (2023 Whisky Show Bottle)

Obviously, this was Highland Park… and for 22 years, it greeted us with a fresh (though slightly shy) nose, light sea breeze, fresh leaves, and just the slightest hint of peat. On the palate, the peat was unmistakable – that lovely non-Islay peat that warms gently without overpowering the fruits and cinnamon sweet. The finish continued in the lightly sweet peat vein, lingering. Really rather nice!

Again, it is worth checking the further details about this Show Bottle here:

The first of our three bottlings for Whisky Show 2023 comes from a venerable distillery in the Orkney islands. We can’t say which one, but the keen-nosed will be able to make an educated guess. Full maturation in a refill hogshead means that the oak influence is nicely restrained, allowing the quality of the underlying lightly smoky spirit to really shine.

  • Nose: Heathery peat, beeswax furniture polish, linseed oil, white pepper and sackcloth. Brilliantly old-fashioned and probably a great example of whatever Orkney distillery this happens to be.
  • Palate: Nicely mineral at first, with oil lamps, polished brass, copper coins, peat kilns and brick dust. Then green apples, pears, lime juice, wood sorrel, brown butter, dandelion leaves and roasted green peppers.
  • Finish: That grassy, floral smokiness lingers along with a sense of earth and stones.

Our journey then continued with an amusing and educational exploration with Dave Worthington and fellow Canadian Sam Simmonds at That Boutique-y Whisky Co!

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Dream Dram – Adelphi’s Miltonduff 40 year old 50.4%

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We were on the quest for a “Dream Dram” at London’s Whisky Show 2023… which meant we simply had to prioritize getting to the folks from Adelphi. 

Folks who know me well, know that I have a soft spot for several independent bottlers. I appreciate the hard work that goes into creating a whisky, yet equally appreciate those who aspire to pre-select unique, sometimes quite rare special bottles. Before they opened their Ardnamurchan distillery, these folks were known for bringing out some exceptionally rare remarkable drams.

This is why I knew I was in good hands with my top choice for Dream Dram – the Miltonduff 40 year old!  Our guide shared how it was matured in refill Bourbon hogshead, enabling the flavours to slowly ease into the liquid gold.

Miltonduff 40 year (1982) 50.4% (Adelphi) GBP 700

Incredibly elegant with a beautiful, delicate nose, lightly floral with orchard fruits. And on the palate? It was effervescent, almost sparkling like a bubbly champagne! Bright, oaky spice, with more apples & pears, creamy and even a hint grassy….. The finish was equally elegant, though from our simple light sips, not so long.

We didn’t even notice the relatively high cask strength for a 40 year old! Only later did I observe this must have meant very little escaping into the angel’s share. Perhaps that contributed to the sparkling quality we found!

I had planned to return to explore whiskies from their distillery – Ardnamurchan – however, alas we didn’t manage to make it back! One simply can’t do everything at a show!

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Speyside Sherry Bombs! Glenfarclas, Aberlour x 2, Glendronach

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Our Nurnberg International Whisky group is on a roll! After kicking off with the delightful Gordon & MacPhail’s Discovery series, and then exploring the impact of cask finishes with Glenmorangie and Cragganmore, we decided to go big and bold with a focus on sherry bombs!

We didn’t have a calibration dram, so the remainder of the Gordon & Macphail’s Aultmore 10 year 43% made the rounds of the table… I may need to pick up something simple and affordable to keep on hand for future sessions!

And then we got down to sherry business! We decided to start with a special Germany-exclusive Glenfarclas 12 year before moving on to the Aberlour 16 year, then taking a small peat and sweet detour with the cask strength Benromach, before closing with another cask strength whisky – the Aberlour A’Bunadh. It was a good choice to anchor with a pair of Aberlour’s and contrast with two additional distilleries.

Curious to read what we discovered? Read on here….

And what is next for our Nurnberg tasting group? In October, we plan to focus closer to home with a few drams from Germany – I can’t wait! Then in November, we’re tentatively thinking of checking out a few Indian whiskies, nicely timed around Diwali. Fun fun fun to come!

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Speyside Sherry Bombs! Benromach 2010 58.5%

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Our Nurnberg International Whisky spent an evening devoted to Sherry whiskies – including this Benromach Peated expression! Over the years, I’ve quite enjoyed a few Benromach expressions – with the Gordon & MacPhail team’s commitment to quality with their distillery, consistent with their independent bottles.

Benromach (2010) Cask Strength, 1st Fill Sherry Batch 1, 58.5% 

  • Nose – Campfire, burnt wood, stone cottage next to the sea, heavy wet clothing, star anise then you could catch hints of sherry notes
  • Palate – Has a punch to start – a bit brash and sharp, then shifts into dark chocolate, smooth, sweet, spicy, and a bit savory too
  • Finish – Cinnamon spice
  • Water – Yes! Brings out the dark berries and chocolate even more, much nicer and in better harmony
  • Revisit – We returned after some time to find loads of meat, smoked ham, and crispy bacon, quite umami… where were you hiding earlier??

We found the peat sweet stronger on the nose than the palate. Our bottle contributor confessed that when it was 1st opened, the peat was a bit overwhelming and unbalanced – described as “chaotic.” Interestingly, what we found long after setting the dram aside was more in keeping with the freshly opened bottle – with the meaty elements.

Which just goes to show how important it is when tasting more complex or challenging whiskies to give it time to open in the glass and perhaps also revisit it in different settings.

Curious about more Benromach experiences?

Our evening exploring sherry whiskies also explored:

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Speyside Sherry Bombs! Aberlour 16 year + A’bunadh Batch 77

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In our newly formed Nurnberg International Whisky tasting group, one member is a total Aberlour fan! So much so that he enthusiastically and very generously offered to “anchor” an evening dedicated to Sherry with two Aberlour expressions!

  • Aberlour 16 year (AB16 2-22) 40%
  • Aberlour A’Bunadh Batch 77 (22 March 2023) 60.8%

For those not familiar, Aberlour is known for its consistent use of ex-Olorosso sherry casks.

The last time I had a 16-year-old Aberlour, it was a very special evening featuring whiskies hand-filled at the distillery by our host, who was a brilliant whisky brand ambassador in India for some select Scottish distilleries. So it was a treat to finally try the standard 16-year, which is a blend of American oak casks and Sherry oak casks.

Aberlour 16 year Double Cask Matured (AB16 2-22) 40% 

  • Colour – Deep dark amber, almost ruby!
  • Nose – Gentle at first, very juicy with generous dark ripe fruits – think warm dates
  • Palate – A sparkle of sweet spices! Some cinnamon, cloves and a hint of ginger.. this was soon joined by rich chocolate with a hint of salted caramel, delicious!
  • Finish – Slight bitter cacao

It was simply delicious! Rich yet not overwhelming, utterly enjoyable just “as is!”. This led us to remark how astounding it is to have such robust flavours at a “mere” 40%. For those who are accustomed to cask strength or at the lower end a “connoisseur” strength of 46%, whiskies at 40% can come across as a bit insipid. Not this one! Even though the label did not specify 1st Fill, it was clear this must be the case – at least for the Sherry part of the ex-Bourbon / ex-Sherry cask combination.

Depending on where you buy and which batch, you can still find an Aberlour 16-year in Germany for between Eur 61 – 78.

As for the next? For years, Aberlour’s A’Bunadh was a favoured cask-strength sherry bomb, readily available at Changi International Airport in Singapore. It was also quite affordable – great value for a superb dram – typically quite an intense sherry “bomb!”

Fast forward a decade, and Aberlour is still producing different batches of their cask strength A’bunadh – known to be sherried and intense! However, it has been joined by a spin-off expression A’bunadh Alba for those who are after an intense ex-Bourbon cask experience instead.

What did we think of the “Original” sherry expression?

Aberlour A’Bunadh Batch 077 (22 March 2023) 60.8% 

  • Colour – Dark burgundy with bright amber and ruby gem tones
  • Nose – There is no question this whisky was matured in sherry casks, however, it was surprisingly mild! In addition to the standard sherry elements, there was creamy milk chocolate, joined by a dusting of bitter cacao, some nougat and chocolate ganache, topped with caramel vanilla ice cream… beneath all of this sweetness was a rum-like coffee liqueur
  • Palate – Mmmm…. simply marvellous! Soft and divinely dessert-like, rich and robust, yet not too intense – a perfect balance. Some marinated jammy dark fruits, raisins, nuts, mocha, creamy buttery biscuits, dessert in a glass!
  • Finish – Sooo good! A delightful spice, chocolate, joined by cinnamon, berries and closes with a nutty element
  • Water – For many, it made the whisky even more accessible

What a treat! I was so happy to revisit this Aberlour expression. In many ways, I think this is even better than some of the ones I tried a few years ago!

One described it as an Opera torte – once mentioned, the description stuck! Why? As every element in the cake fit! From the layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup to the ganache and coffee French buttercream slathered between the layers, and then covered in a chocolate glaze.

What about the official tasting notes? Here you go!

  • Nose – Aromas of mixed spices, praline and spiced orange harmonising with rich, deep notes of Oloroso Sherry
  • Palate – Orange, black cherries, dried fruit and ginger spiked with dark bitter chocolate and enriched with Sherry and Oak. Full-bodied and creamy
  • Finish – Robust and intense with bitter-sweet notes of exotic spices, dark chocolate and oak

And what would this expression set you back? Currently, it can be purchased in Germany for Eur 75.

Curious about other tasting experiences with Aberlour? Read on:

Our sherry evening also featured:

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Glenfarclas 12 year (2009) 46%

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It has been a while since I picked up a Glenfarclas – one of those familiar friend whiskies that are a staple of any well-stocked bar. Now I will admit to having a soft spot for Glenfarclas – as they have remained a family-owned independent distilllery – across several generations – six and counting! So when I spotted this special release just for Germany I was lucky to get a bottle before it sold out!

Glenfarclas is known for using sherry casks and has kept a consistent range of expressions over the years – not veering into wild experimentation – instead sticking to tried and true traditional methods and maturation approaches.

This is why I thought it fitting to include this expression in our sherry evening in Nurnberg… and where we started our tasting evening!

Glenfarclas 12 year (2009/2021) 46% (Whisky.de Clubflasche)

  • Nose – Unmistakable sherry nose yet balanced, caramel, figs, dates, some sweet spices, raisins, a bit of sulfur/rubber with licorice, some maritime elements with a salty touch… overall light spice, sherry sweet with enough other elements going on to make it interesting
  • Palate – Much subtler than expected, nutty, and most enjoyable, perhaps even a hint of fresh tobacco leaf, it isn’t heavy yet quite well-rounded, and there is some oak joining the slightly salty nuts
  • Finish – A bit of spice lingers
  • Water – Not necessary but opens up nicely with!

While sometimes Glenfarclas can have an edge (especially the 105!), this one was smooth and satisfying. The longer it spent in the glass, the more enjoyable it became. With the revisit after sampling other sherry drams, we concluded it is simply a solid performer.

I purchased this whisky in October 2021 from whic.de for Eur 60.

Curious about other Glenfarclas experiences?

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A pair of single casks – Glen Spey and GlenAllachie

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A few years ago, I enthusiastically purchased a Whisky advent calendar – all single casks, each unique. This was my special “welcome to Germany” gift. Slowly but surely over the years, I’ve opened a couple more, typically a pair at a time.

After a bit of a break, it was high time to crack open a few more… this time a pair from Speyside…

Glen Spey 21 Year Old (Jan 1997/Nov 2018) cask 12952, 51.1% (Douglas Laing Xtra Old Particular), 256 bottles

  • Nose – Waxy, coconut oil, raw banana peels, barley mash, light spice… after some time, a hint of salty toffee
  • Palate – Started off with a real spicy chili kick, a bit sweet and sour
  • Finish – Bitter with the spice lingering, tapering into sweetness
  • Water – Brings out a spicy fruity mix – jackfruit

Not sure what I was expecting, however, the more I sipped, the more I enjoyed it.

Douglas Laing tasting notes:

The nose is sweet and lively with chocolate covered coconut, juicy barley and gentle spice. The palate reveals layer on layer of vanilla alongside creamy toffee and warm sponge cake, and the long finish has a mellow oak quality, with marshmallows and caramelised sugar.

Remarkably, Master of Malt still has it in stock – for a ‘mere’ Eur 220!

GlenAllachie 13 year (25 Oct 2005 / 13 Jun 2019), Cask 901062, 65.1% (Lady of the Glen) 368 bottles

  • Nose – Such a bouquet! Fruity, floral, then creamy, nutty, malty, yummy! Reminded me of juicy fruit gum! Then shifted into old over-ripe fruits, mascarpone
  • Palate – Resinous, herbal, then chocolaty, nutty, buttery, stewed fruits
  • Finish – Long, strong with a bit of nutty bitterness
  • Water – Definitely add! Brightens and lightens without losing the spike kick

What a character! There is something also a bit different about this one. I’m not sure if it was the Marsala finish or something else, but it’s tough to pin down… and that’s what makes it fun.

What more do we know? It was matured in a single bourbon hogshead and then finished in Marsala Wine Butt from Sicily.

The folks at Master of Malt had this to say:

  • Nose: Floral malt, vanilla biscuits, and milk chocolate Maltesars, with caramelized nuts.
  • Palate: Apricot jam on fresh toast with lots of melted butter, vanilla cream, and nougat.
  • Finish: Dried fruit, namely more apricot, with toasted walnut and vanilla pod.

Would I agree? Certainly!

Once upon a time, this whisky retailed for Eur 96, however suspect you won’t find it so easily now.

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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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