Berry, caramel and milk chocolate notes give way to bittersweet caramel, cocoa and pepper, but the whisky remains sharp and drying.
Rich raisins, figs and prunes meet caramelized brown sugar and apple tart, but the whisky is ultimately a little rough and unbalanced.
A thick, sweet whisky with heavy breakfast-cereal notes, but very active virgin oak brings wet pinewood, vanilla, glue and even a hint of plastic.
A delicious, oily whisky with ripe peach, pineapple and grapefruit, balanced by waxy notes, citrus zest and a pleasant yeasty austerity.
A very savoury Ardnamurchan, mixing barbecue smoke, lacquered meat, peppery chocolate, tart berries and dried mushrooms, though it may not suit every palate.
A very intense and savoury Caol Ila, packed with dark smoke, brine and cured meat, while astringency adds an appealing edge.
Chalky, salty and ashy with mint, marzipan and green fruit, it delivers oily Campbeltown funk, vegetal peat smoke, brine and impressive complexity.
A coastal, austere dram with citrus, pears and green apples balancing mineral notes, herbs and salt; its spirit-driven character feels especially rewarding in…
A funky, coastal and slightly austere Balblair, pairing fruity sweetness with vegetal notes, firm pepper, hay and a surprisingly salty finish.
Tasty whiskey with green apples, citrus, vanilla custard and pepper, though the reviewer finds it a little on the safe side.
Precise and intense, this whisky delivers deep sootiness, sour lemon, tar, glazed ham and herbs, finishing long and warming with charred meat and spice.
Green vegetal peat mingles with surprising sweetness, lemon and herbal notes; not the most complex whisky, but the combination works well and should make a…
A nice experiment, but its syrupy side is undermined by a lack of body and sour, bitter notes.
An elegant, balanced whisky with herbal liqueur, tobacco, dark nuts and dried prunes, remaining fresh with a long finish of dark tea and sweetness.
A very rich whisky with excellent balance, old-style sherry character, dried fruits, tobacco, chocolate and a long, drying finish.
An elegant, fruity nose of lime, pineapple and green apple leads to a lightly peated palate with coastal notes, mocha, lemon and stewed apple.
A warm, waxy and honeyed whisky with ripe tropical fruit, vanilla cake and zesty citrus; seductive on the nose, though tighter on the palate.
A very solid Ben Nevis, balancing a pronounced green and leafy character with a good dose of fruity notes.
It finds the sweet spot between medicinal Islay notes and sweetness, with a long, smoky finish of salty grapefruit.
A nice late-1990s Springbank, rich in blackberries, prunes, dried meats and chocolate, though perhaps a tad too focused on umami for the reviewer’s taste.
