Reviews

For the first time ever in the history of the Glen Garioch distillery, located in the Scottish Highlands, a single malt has been launched that was created in partnership by the independent bottler Wu DRAM Clan from Germany and the distillery. The Wu DRAM Clan is known for exquisite bottlings and so it is not surprising that the bottling was sold out within a few minutes.

When a whisky comes with 135 ppm phenol content and the malt comes exclusively from Glen Esk - a Scottish malting estate that doesn't deliver this kind of extremism to anyone else - then you can expect great things. And this 6-years single malt from an Oloroso sherry hogshead delivers.

The Ardmore 2010 ‘A Dream of Scotland’, exclusively bottled by the Brühl Whisky House, is aimed at connoisseurs and explorers who appreciate whiskies with a strong character and unadulterated flavour.

Those who love Islay are often looking for the perfect interplay of smoke, complexity and character. The independent bottling from Brühler Whiskyhaus, the Distilled at South Islay 2024 13 Years The Tasteful 8, promises exactly that - and more. With a whopping 56.9% ABV, this whisky comes with power and intensity.

With this limited edition, St. Kilian pays tribute not only to one of the most iconic metal bands in history, but also to one of its most polarising albums - ‘Turbo’ from 1986. More electronic, more colourful, more freaky than anything before it. And that's exactly what this unpeated, four-years single malt delivers: a quirky but delicious journey through sweet wine, fruit and oak.

Whisky is often a play on tradition - but Nc'Nean takes a different approach. The young distillery from the Scottish Highlands focuses on sustainability, organic ingredients and a modern approach to whisky production. Its Nc'Nean Organic Batch 20, bottled in 2023, exemplifies this approach. With no age statement, 46% ABV and an exciting cask combination of ex-bourbon, sherry and red wine casks, it arouses curiosity.

When an independent bottler grabs a Highland Park, it can either be grandiose or risky. But The Tasteful 8 from Brühler Whiskyhaus shows that they know exactly what they are doing.

A single-barrel bottling with plenty of oomph (53.5 % ABV), matured for 8 years, straight from Kentucky - the home of bourbon. Imagine if Jim Beam had a favourite son who wasn't constantly in the spotlight like Booker's (e.g. Bookers Small Batch (2019) 01E), but secretly brought home the best scores. Voilà: Baker's 7. By the way, it has even been available with an online traceable barrel code since 2023. Nerd factor present!

Whisky from a champagne cask? St. Kilian has once again dug deep into the cask game - and delivered a real nerd piece with this handfilled bottling from an ex-champagne vin clair cask. This is not an easy sipper for an after-work dram, but a real flavour experiment with 60.9% vol. on tap. No clouds of smoke, no flood of caramel - but a sensory balancing act between fruity sweetness and dry white wine structure. A bit like a grappa with a whisky bypass.

Young whiskies can be exciting - if they are well made. Unfortunately, there are also candidates that taste more like an experiment than a pleasure. The Glen Moray 2015/2023 from Sansibar with a whopping 62% ABV belongs to the second category. What begins as a fruity Speyside dram ends in a questionable cask fiasco.

Mysterious bottlings have their own appeal - and when a whisky from Speyside comes along with 17 years of maturation and a whopping 53.7% ABV, it's worth taking a closer look (and a sip). The Secret Speyside (M) 2024 from ‘The Tasteful 8’ series from the Brühl whisky house is mysterious, but there are indications that a famous name is involved here ...

If Jack Daniel's and rye were to meet for a cask ale in a Franconian distillery, the result would probably be exactly this whisky: the St. Kilian Handfilled Rye & Jack Daniel's. This hand-filled speciality is so atypically typical that you don't know whether to put it in the rye or bourbon drawer - or rather in both.