A richly PX-driven whisky, packed with cooked and candied fruits, raisins, figs and dates, balanced by pumpernickel, pipe tobacco and light liquorice.
Fruity and charming, with ripe pears, apricots, apples and a signature touch of crushed slate, this young whisky is easy to like.
An unusually lactic, clayish whisky with green plums and berries, it’s hugely different from the great malts of the usual whisky nations.
Earthy, menthol and resinous at first, it develops into a peppery, chilli-like whisky with stewed fruits, damsons and a surprisingly long black-pepper finish.
Fresh, vigorous and oily yet taut, this whisky balances green fruit and mint with a slightly exaggerated bitter, herbal side.
A magical whisky of remarkable precision, layered with beeswax, mandarin, saline oiliness, chalk, pepper, and lingering bitters joined by lemon.
A beautiful marriage of Clynelish and Caol Ila, though Islay smoke dominates, making it excellent blended malt rather than true-tasting single malt.
A beautifully citrus-led Clynelish, balancing mandarin, chalk and seawater with a surprisingly fizzy, champagne-like character and a very dry palate.
A remarkable barley eau-de-vie, dominated by pear with floral, lemony and faint aniseed notes, while water reveals discreet beeswax and maritime character.
Magnificent cooked and overripe fruits meet honey and beeswax, while the palate brings mint, florals, cider and oranges with remarkable freshness.
Tremendous charm, with a dry, earthy profile of tobacco, old copper coins and green walnuts, finishing with peppery orange zest.
The sweet wine softens the distillate, but it finishes nicely with a lovely sweet, salty and sour profile and salted dried fruits splashed with balsamic…
A very different Ardbeg: thick and oily, balanced by salted citrus, with pepper and chilli emerging into a long, medicinal finish.
Magnificent aromas of camphor, tar, kumquats, bergamot and seaweed lead to a sharp, medicinal palate and a long, lemony finish.
A pure Ardbeg for Ardbeggites, delivering powerful tar, medicinal smoke, salty bitterness and a fresh, full-bodied finish.
A sublime, orange-led whisky with layers of citrus, orange blossom, panettone and resinous pine sap, maintaining remarkable balance throughout.
A sweet, floral nose gives way to a rough, spirity palate that genuinely needs water, leaving the reviewer good but disappointed.
The nose remains more or less acceptable, but the palate is fairly horrible, dominated by lavender, violet, soap and supermarket eau de toilette.
