Tag Archives: Bunnahabhain

2025 Whisky Show – Elixir offerings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Elements of Islay – Ma1 54.2%

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Once upon a time, my life revolved around flights between India and the rest of Asia. Nearly every month I would be flying – largely via Singapore – which is how it became almost like a 2nd home! Whilst in India, there were limited options to acquire more interesting whiskies… in Singapore the barrier was simply price! I look back at some of the hefty price tags we regularly shouldered to indulge our passion and sigh… Often we paid double or even triple in Asia vs acquiring in the UK or Europe.

Yet Singapore was in our backyard with easy direct flights from Mumbai and lots of work reasons to visit, so we simply tolerated the high taxes to fuel our whisky fancy. Hence my purchase in 2017 from Singapore’s La Maison du Whisky of this bottle – the 1st expression from Elements of Islay at a hefty $135 for a mere 500 ml! Fast forward nearly a decade with skyrocketing prices doubling dram costs all around the globe, you can still find this bottle from The Whisky Exchange for GBP 150.

Elements of Islay Ma1 54.2%

  • Nose – Curiously, it was a bit subdued on the nose. And yet, once one got past the shyness, there were a lot of briney maritime aromas! Loads of iodine too. Over time the saline gave way to some sweetness however would remind us of its maritime essence with sea spray. In the 2nd tasting, we really gave it time – so it shifted from a carbolic Lifebuoy soap to smoked meat, chipotle sauce with a bit of char.
  • Palate – Oh yum! Mellow peppery ashy with sweeter elements – think sugary water, backed by a vegetal peat
  • Finish – Nice long finish with “thick air”, light cinnamon, coconut shell, overall, an excellent chewy close

When I look back on the photo taken years ago vs when we opened, it was clear that despite being a sealed bottle, some liquid had evaporated. Hence what we tried nearly a decade after being bottled, may not be representative of what we would have experienced back in 2015.

We speculated this may be why the palate was far superior and much more interesting than the aromas. It also needed time in the glass – our revisit after nearly an hour was so much more fruity – both nose and taste. One of those drams, where a quick sniff and swish could be dismissed whereas it has a lot more going on.

So what is Ma1? In the Elements of Islay lexicon, Ma is also known as Bn, i.e., Bunnahabhain, with Ma being the “darker, smokier version of the heathery, briny, unpeated whisky from the distillery.” It was matured in four first-fill bourbon barrels in 2004 and bottled in 2015.

A few of us admitted that of the Islay whiskies, Bunnahabhain actually ranks pretty low. And yet this bottling from Elixir reminds us to keep an open mind!

Here is what the folks over at Elements of Islay had to say about their inaugural Ma expression:

  • Nose – The nose is delicate with a gentle spicy and a sweet undertone. Lightly salted walnut bread, the peatiness is subtle and with time and water releases a lot more zestiness. Warm flavours of peppery flapjacks and sweet charcoal. On the back, a light dustiness, polished furniture and chalk.
  • Palate – Stronger spiciness, black pepper and cumin oat cakes. Creamy, nutty texture with lots of roasted walnuts, brown bread and macadamia sweetness. Wet, damp, drift wood on the beach, Moroccan sweets made with dates, nuts and spices and a hint of chalk.
  • Finish – Lingering dustiness with a hint of 85% dark chocolate on the finish. The dirty smoke evolves into match box and ash.

The thinking behind Elements of Islay when originally launched was:

The medicinal, almost ‘elemental’ character of Islay malt whiskies was the inspiration for the laboratory-style bottle and element symbol/number naming system used across the Elements range (Lp1, Ar2, and so on). Coincidentally, even the 50cl bottle used throughout the Elements range is called ‘pharmacy’. Every Elements bottle also bears the signature of a whisky authority, so you can be confident of the quality of the liquid inside.

The approach has since evolved to anchor expressions around elements like Bourbon, Sherry, Cask Edits, and special festival editions like Fèis Ìle 2024 “Fireside” Exclusive. So whilst we knew without a doubt the liquid we tasted was from Bunnahabhain, if you tried an Elements of Islay expression today, you would not find an indication of which distillery/distilleries went into the bottle.

Remember I mentioned we may not be big Bunna fans? Yet somehow, over the years, we’ve actually picked up or sampled rather a lot of Bunnahabhain :

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A walk on the Islay side… with a trio of Bunnahabhains

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I’ve had a mixed relationship with peat. Once it was something I really enjoyed, then, largely in the heat of India, I found it less and less appealing. With the move to Europe, I then rediscovered in cooler climates just how perfect a good peaty dram can be!

This is why I knew my 2nd day at the Schottland Whisky Forum weekend getaway in October would close with an exploration of Islay drams.

Now, before you assume Islay automatically equals peat, let me remind you that both Bunnahabhain and Bruichladdich have ranges that do not use (much) peat. In fact, the bottle I brought was from Islay – a special Chorlton peaty release from Bunnahabhain. Spotting a few other Bunna’s, I decided that is exactly where my Islay journey should begin!

Bunn

When given a choice, I often like to start with a distillery’s Official Bottling (OB) before moving into special Independent Bottlers, especially cask strength options. 

Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair 46.3%

  • Nose – Clear sherry influence, yet not overwhelming. Joined by some maritime saline, then vanilla, spice, and fruits
  • Palate – Juicy dark fruits, some mocha, nuts, salty caramel
  • Finish – Spicy with dried fruits

Overall I quite enjoyed this. Like many of the milder and gentler Bunna’s this one did not have any major peat element. It was simply a lovely lightly sherry dram with a briney coastal tinge. 

The folks at Bunna share that Stiùireadair; pronounced ‘stew-rahdur’ means ‘helmsman’ in Scots Gaelic. It was matured in first and second fill sherry casks with spirits of varying ages and warehouse locations. 

I then moved on to a Signatory… 

Bunnahabhain / Staoisha 7 year (11 Sep 2013 / 26 May 2021) Dechar / Rechar Hogsheads 900186 + 900187 46% bottle 278 (Signatory)

  • Nose – Quite sweet, some citrus then peat, fresh with a subtle maritime sea spray and white pepper. The more it aired, the more pronounced the peat element was… interesting
  • Palate – Sweet peat with smoked meats, some oak
  • Finish – A nice cinnamon sweet peat finish

Bringing this down to 46% was perfect for this expression. It was full of character without being too forceful or harsh. It was also rather well received by my tasting companions.

Saving what I hoped would be the best for last, we switched gears to the cask-strength Staoisha from Chorlton… Just in case you didn’t figure it out from the earlier Signatory which uses BOTH names, Staoisha signals it is a heavily peated Bunnahabhain. Something we are starting to see more and more of – which isn’t such a bad thing.

Staoisha 8 year (2021) 59.9% (Chorlton)

  • Nose – Red delicious apple skins, sweetgrass
  • Palate – Dry, ashy yet for all its strength, it wasn’t overpowering
  • Finish – Pink peppercorns

I knew it would pack a punch – and that it did! My companions were not impressed – found it a bit too ashy for their taste. I knew I would have a chance to revisit it, so was happy to move on to the next dram and bring the bottle home for further consideration.

Overall what this reminded me is to NOT dismiss Bunnahabhain. Increasingly I’ve heard from more whisky adventurers that there are things going on at Bunna that belies its previous “granny” reputation. In fact, our Whisky Ladies in Mumbai recently spent an evening devoted just to Bunnahabhain!

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Chorlton – Staoisha 8 year 59.9%

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I will openly admit I have a mixed relationship with peat. In the heat of India, I tend to shy away from peaty drams, preferring something lighter and more in keeping with the summery warm climate. Whereas in the cool of a Nurnberg fall or Winnipeg winter, a dash of peat can just hit the spot… or not!

This particular dram – the Staoisha 8 year (2021) 59.9% – was sampled with different companions and also solo, in three different places. Showing context can be everything!

1. Germany’s Schottland Forum Whisky Weekend Getaway

  • Nose – Red delicious apple skins, sweet grass, some maritime elements
  • Palate – Dry and ashy, yet not overpowering
  • Finish – Pink peppercorns

My tasting companion was not impressed. I was a bit more open however agreed that next to the dizzying array of fine drams sampled over the weekend, this one did not shine.

2. A quiet evening in Nurnberg, Germany just me, myself, and I

What a difference a different environment makes! I brought this home and splashed a little in a glass one cool rainy Nurnberg evening.

  • Nose – Buttery banana bread – like straight from the oven then slathered in butter, joined by some salty maritime breeze
  • Palate – Very dry, smokey with initially some sharpness, then mellows into the glass with a briney almost minerally element, underneath grew a hint of mocha
  • Finish – Still ashy, yet sweetens
  • Water – Oh yum! Yes, this makes all the difference! Softens the peat, and amps up the sweetness…starts with some citrus joining the nose, the ash subdued, the fires banked, and now there is a lovely cinnamon finish too!

Would this be my “go to” dram? No. But I could see how those who enjoy different peaty styles could gravitate towards it.

3. A wintery white evening in Winnipeg, Canada with The Cabinet lads

Was I a bit trepidacious in bringing this offering? Certainly.  Whilst I knew these gents enjoy coastal styles and peat, one simply never knows what will be considered a “hit” and what will be considered a “miss.”

  • Nose – Banana, or more precisely banana bread, quite coastal, as it opened, the smoke gave way to sea breeze and sweeter fruitier elements. Then after some time, I found salted roasted peanuts. Yum.
  • Palate – Ashy? Yes. Dry? Yes, that too. But also so much more. There is full flavoured reward with every sip.
  • Finish – Mmmmm a lovely cinnamon close
  • Water – Take your pick! I prefer it with, others without. Either works!

After the remarkable Ardmore 12 year old, I even more feared this Staoisha would pale by comparison. Nope. It more than held its own. Brilliant! It was even the pick of the evening for one Cabinet lad. Which made bringing the wee 200ml sample bottle worth it!

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

And next we have an 8-year-old Staoisha – this is peated spirit distilled at Bunnahabhain on Islay, and matured in a first-fill barrel.

On pouring you get such a distinct aroma of banana bread (albeit peat-smoked banana bread…), it’s really quite something! As it settles in the glass that recedes into the background, leaving a clean, coastal smokiness: pine smoke, herbs, sea air and a touch of vanilla from the cask. Fruitiness develops too, with lemon sweets and a tinned pineapple cube. Just the one.

The palate is bigger and smokier than the nose: ashy peat, barbecue smoke, salt & pepper, and maybe a kipper. Just the one. There’s very definite sweetness too, and quite a creamy mouthfeel. It develops on almond paste and lemon cream, before a long, smoky finish with little bits of tangerine fruitiness. With water it’s lime-clean, fruity and smoky – perfect!

Lovely spirit, this. It even reminded me of the recent Lochindaal in a few places which is no bad thing. I’m happy to have some younger stock for future years, and I hope at least some is being put into refill wood for the long haul so we’ll all have something to entertain us in our dotage!

Whilst this was from his December 2021 releases, I missed being able to purchase directly from David. So was delighted in June 2022 when it finally became available in Europe from Whisky.base (NL) for EUR 79 plus shipping and tax.

Here are a few more from La Nouvelle Vague series:

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The Cabinet “Alt Islay” Evening

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Winnipeg is where I grew up. It is also where I was first introduced to whisky. So it is fitting that in my wintery November trip home, I took some time out to enjoy a dram or two with Winnipeg whisky aficionados – aka having a small guest appearance at The Cabinet.

Whilst the lads normally sample 3 to 4 whiskies, I kind of derailed that plan by bringing three! I also disrupted the theme by bringing a lightly peated Highland into the mix of Islays – however, the Ardmore was just too special and simply had to be shared!

What did we try?

Waiting in the wings was an open Laphroig, however, we were clearly not up for the challenge of a 6th whisky! Which is a good thing – as moderation in malts is best.

Over the course of two hours, we made our way through the five whiskies and cheese, giant grapes, and taco chips. The conversation flowed with tales of travel adventures, film, and fiction, and as the whisky glasses clinked, time slipped away in the sheer enjoyment of a good dram or two with fellow appreciators.

And just like that, our wintery Winnipeg evening over whisky was over. Thanks again for the hospitality!

PS – Check out The Cabinet‘s take on our evening together here: Alt Islay. Thanks again gents!

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A dash of Islay – Bunnahabhain 10 year + Staoisha 5 year

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My explorations from a 2019 Whisky advent calendar are picking up pace! Each dram from this calendar was from a single cask, each unique, one-of-a-kind. This time I picked a pair of Bunnahabhains from Islay.

I decided to begin with the Bunnahabhain 10 year – anticipating that it would be without peat followed by the Staoisha 5 year. Named after Loch Staoisha on the Isle of Islay, when bottled as Staoisha, it is a signal that there is peat added to the mix.

Bunnahabhain 10 Year Old 2008 (cask 12663) 48% (Clan Denny, Douglas Laing)

  • Nose – That typically sweet, sour, and saline quality that greets you with most Bunnas! Alongside the fresh sea breeze comes sweet cake, a drizzle of honey, and a faintly nutty undertone with vanilla
  • Palate – Gentle and approachable, light spice joins tinned pineapples and more of that salt – quite pronounced
  • Finish – Continues with the sweet, spicy, and salty character…

A promising start and time to shift to the next expression…

Staoisha 5 Year Old 2013 (cask 940) 59.3% (The Single Cask) 258 Bottles

  • Nose – Now there is the peat! Smokey, fruity – especially the pineapple – which transforms from tinned to grilled – yum! Some bananas there too, opening into a medley of stewed fruits. Return to the nose again to discover that peat, sweet, with cinnamon, and spice. Also with a health dash of salt. Lovely!
  • Palate – Initially a mild bonfire of spice and peat that swiftly gentled. It was delicious – like warm sweet bread.
  • Finish – Cinnamon spice

There is no mistaking the peat in this one. It was really rather fabulous – a warm embrace.

I’m no stranger to this distillery… here is a sampling of other Bunnahabhain‘s sampled over the years…. many of which have age statements:

And a few more “modern” expressions without an age statement:

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LMdW Artist Series #12 – The Bunnahabhain 40+ year

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At approx 44 years, every element of this whisky expressed its age…. it was a treat to have this wee teasing taste! All I could wish is perhaps one of these years to have a focused evening of just LMdW Artist Collection whiskies, not mixed in as mere sniffs and sips with hundreds of other experiences!

Here is what the folks at LMdW have to say (courtesy of how Google translates)….

  • Nose : ample, deep. Incredibly fresh, the initial nose is at once vanilla, lemony, minty and honeyed (acacia). After aeration, a green and rural landscape emerges. Dandelion flowers, scents of buttercup and honeysuckle divinely perfume the surrounding atmosphere. Farther away from the aromatic palette remains the imprint of a diaphanous peat. Wonderful.
  • Appearance : old gold with green reflections
  • Palate : rich, concentrated. Remarkably saline, the attack on the palate is marked by flavors of glasswort and green liquorice. Slender, the mid-palate reveals an invigorating malty bitterness. Then, spices (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg) spread voluptuously on each side of the palate. Gradually, fine particles of soot and dust appear.
  • Overall : long, fresh. Adorned with a delicate exoticism (pineapple, plantain), the start of the finish recalls the liquorice stick glimpsed on the attack, which closely links these two tasting sequences. Infused with plants (chamomile, sage), the aftertaste takes on bright green hues. Resplendent with maturity, the retro-nasal olfaction evokes blocks of dry peat rich in silt and algae. From the empty glass escape aromas of precious wood, hemp and dark chocolate.

Curiously I didn’t mention much peat influence in my notes, however, with a quick sniff and swish, this isn’t surprising to miss certain elements – particularly when in a “mass” tasting environment.

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Birthday Chorlton – Bunnahabhain 18 year 53.4%

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In many ways, this was the most interesting whisky we tried in an extra special Chorlton birthday quartet. This was exactly why it was the 1st expression that led to acquiring three additional bottles and several evenings of tastings – from London to Mumbai – where we sniffed, swished, and savoured our way through these unique bottles.

Bunnahabhain 18 year (28 Feb 2002 / 2021) Sherry Butt 53.4%

What was our impression from London in October 2022?

  • Nose – Initially very ‘fresh’ yet shy, red delicious apple skins, a hint of sherry, dry wood, a bit of tobacco leaf, something a touch sharp, then started to open up further with banana cake and brown sugar, shifted again to sour cream
  • Palate – 1st sip was harsh then it mellowed into a spicy fruity smoothie, caramel, oily with substance, then roasted nuts
  • Finish – Spice and smoke that gradually sweetens

It was full of contrasts – shy on the nose but forceful on the palate, kept shifting and changing. It is also one of those whiskies you need to spend a bit of time with… try only once and you would miss its quirky chameleon character.

The longer we spent with the Bunnahabhain, the more we appreciated it. For one London-based Whisky Lady, this was the clear favourite.

We also thought it would go well with cheese… which is exactly what I tried later in Mumbai – definitely works – particularly a nice sharp old cheddar.

How did this contrast or compare with our Mumbai tasting experiences just a month later in November 2022?

  • Nose – Lemon, mint, vanilla, asparagus, mushrooms, stewed cherries… though a bit shy it kept moving around and revealing different elements the longer it was in the glass… next was camomile, waxy, biscuits, tinned peaches, marscapone
  • Palate – Honey, apples, some forest moss and more mushrooms, pine, green chillies, milk chocolate, nutty… take too large a sip and you would be greeted with a brushfire!
  • Finish – Cloves, star anise, pine needles, green chillies, very dry, edging towards smoke

Just like our 1st experience, this Bunnahabhain is not to be underestimated. It captivated us with its curiously shifting character. For most, this was the favourite and our only regret was having to split 100ml between 8 ladies! We would have loved to add a bit more to our glass and settle down with it, see if it continued to morph or rested on a few elements.

Did this contrast much with the gents? For the most part, we agreed, adding a few further observations from our experience:

  • Nose – Began with very light iodine that one gent described as what he typically expects from a Bunna – iodine without the heavy peat of other Islay whiskies – then shifted into fruits like pomegranate, then a cantaloupe, a hint of rye bread, some raisins, followed by a camomile-based herbal tea (think Sleepy Time!)
  • Palate – Incredibly sweet, well-rounded and well-balanced, loads of different kinds of honey, milk shocolate bars
  • Finish – Very long, subtle spices

There was no doubt this is a complex whisky, well worth taking time so that could evolve through its different dimensions.


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

And, lastly, we have the official festive special – an 18-year-old sherry cask Bunnahabhain. Please note that this is available to pre-order (see note below), and that my tasting notes aren’t super-considered as I’m just going off my brief notes from the cask sample.

So, the nose on this starts with sea air, light wax and mandarin, before richer notes of buttery brioche, praline and milk chocolate covered raisins appear. Just a touch of smoke too: cigar and joss stick.

For the palate I see I’ve written “Lovely!” in my notes… Again it starts in a very clean and crisp way (red apple, pink grapefruit) before the richer development (toasted nuts, honey, Daim bars, cinnamon pastries). Slight smokiness and orange marmalade in the aftertaste.

This is proper Bunna, a great example of the distillery style, and the sherry is beautifully integrated. We got 322 bottles from this sherry butt at 53.4% and they’re available for £150 each.

I purchased this in June 2021 from Master of Malt for GBP 151 as had missed the original Chorlton direct offer in December 2020.

We’ve enjoyed exploring Chorlton’s La Nouvelle Vague series:

Here is the full set of Chorlton‘s sampled til date from the L’Ancien Régime series:

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Chorlton Birthday Drams – Glen Elgin, Tormore, Orkney, Bunnahabhain

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This Chorlton quartet was the birthday gift that just kept giving! It began as a single bottle purchased as an extra special 60th birthday gift. Then the other Bombay Malt & Cigar gents offered to ‘chip in’, so I purchased another 2 bottles. The trio was then augmented with an additional bottle to become a remarkable quartet!

All four were from the La Nouvelle Vague series:

The quartet was originally opened in June 2022 in London during a special evening with Sukhinder Singh (Elixir, The Whisky Exchange) and two Bombay Malt & Cigar gents (naturally including the “birthday boy!). As I missed it, we rescheduled for October 2022, also in London, sharing with a former Bombay Whisky Lady and other friends.

However, our tastings with these bottles weren’t done! Two sets of 100ml samples were re-bottled and dispatched to Mumbai for two evenings:

  • Whisky Ladies on November 1 as a special joint birthday treat for myself and one other Whisky Lady (sharing the same birthday) who flew in from Hyderabad… the only challenge here was splitting 100ml between 8 ladies!
  • Bombay Malt & Cigar gents on Nov 6 to share with the others who were intended to be part of the original 60th birthday celebration that inspired the whole set! Which just so happened to also be my partner’s birthday (who joined us for dinner)

It was so interesting to see the commonalities and differences between the tasting sessions! Different settings, different personalities, and different whisky style preferences meant we could experience different dimensions. What an incredibly rewarding way to experience such lovely and varied whiskies!

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Remarkable Gordon + Macphail Whisky Ranges

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Gordon & Macphail is in a class of their own – with a 125-year history – they are no mere “indie bottler”… With long-term relationships with distilleries, an impressive set-up of their own casks, legendary warehouses with an exceptional range of old and very rare whiskies, this is one area at any whisky show you shouldn’t miss!

So what did we try at the London Whisky Show?

We began with the Discovery range, a newer series launched to introduce accessible, affordable single malts to the world:

  • Green for ex-bourbon casks – Glenallachie 14 year 43% – This ex-bourbon cask was a nice contrast to the current GlenAllachie sherry or cask finish styles
  • Purple for ex-sherry casks – Bunnahabhain 11 year 43% – A solid expression
  • Grey/off-white for smokey/peaty – Caol Ila 13 year 43% – Skipped as was a bit early for peat!

We then progressed to the Gordon & Macphail’s Distillery Labels with Ardmore with a whiff of sea breeze, soft peat, and sweet!

From there, we got serious with their Connoisseurs Choice range, which has been a consistent series from Gordon & Macphail since 1968. We’ve tried many remarkable drams in this series which showcases various distillery spirits matured in Gordon & Macphail’s own barrels. At Whisky Live 2022, we tried:

We thought this would be the end of our journey…. however then our fabulous Gordon & Macphail’s guide shared a pair from their exceptionally rare Private Collection with:

Wow, wow, wow! What an amazing journey through some fabulous whiskies! And a very clear reminder of why Gordon & Macphail are worthy of slowing down and spending time exploring…

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