Exotic fruits arrive straight away on the palate, followed by ashes, oils, seaweed and waxes, with maritime pepper, salt and a touch of bitterness lingering.
A smoky, waxy Mortlach with kerosene, wild mint and smoked meats, evolving into magnificent salted stewed strawberries and a long, unusual finish.
A taut, natural-style Mortlach with fresh apple, lemon zest and saline notes, though its unusual profile might suggest Benromach in a blind tasting.
Pure banana juice with oats and white chocolate on the nose, followed by elegant fruity notes, green banana, green tea, and a saline touch.
A very pretty whisky, combining small apples, mint, toasted sesame and gentle olive oil, with a long, creamy finish of mint, apples and lemon.
A fruity grain whisky with damp earth, geranium, pineapple and coconutty white chocolate, offering pleasant flavours despite its very light texture.
A magnificent young whisky, rich with fudge, roasted bananas and milk chocolate, leading to superb spices and a long, Christmas-style spiced fruitcake finish.
The palate is much better than the nose, offering unusual roasted banana, pepper, curry bread, cardamom and chilli notes with a long, dry finish.
A very pretty whisky with shortbread, damp earth, vanilla and fresh barley, evolving into bittersweet PX, salted butter and peanut butter.
Genuinely pleasant, with briny anchovy, manzanilla and capers, followed by a surprisingly saline finish and returning carrot notes.
Light and fleeting, with fresh wood, vanilla and apple juice on the nose and palate; the reviewer sees room for improvement.
A wood-dominated whisky with intense curry, hay and sawdust, but its extreme style is balanced by a long, reassuring finish of pear juice and fir buds.
An unusual whisky that works surprisingly well on the palate, with pepper, bay leaf, tomato and raspberry, followed by a long, vegetal finish.
A very good fruity malt, full of lemons, yellow plums, barley syrup and quince, though not especially distinctive and lacking much Chichibuness.
Razor-sharp freshness brings limes, ashes and zests, while water reveals fruitiness; the measured peat stays decorative, making this very good but not entirely…
A gentle, tropical fruit bomb with banana, guava and apricot notes—excellent, though it perhaps strays a little from the distillery’s DNA.
A rounded, soft, citrusy and tropical whisky with major fruitiness, discreet mizunara and a long, nicely defined citrus finish.
An explosive, extreme whisky: bitter, acidic and ultra-vegetal, with walnut skins, chilli, leather, green pepper and a very long, vinegary finish.
