Reviews

A German whisky from an Islay cask? Sounds like a wild ride at first ... But we'll see whether we're surprised in a positive or negative way.

The Nc'Nean Distillery, nestled in the Scottish Highlands, is renowned for its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and the exploration of new flavors. Their Huntress series, inspired by Neachneohain—the "Queen of Spirits" from Gaelic mythology—embodies this spirit. The Nc'Nean Huntress Lemon Meadow 2019/2025 continues this journey: a single malt whisky without age statement, bottled at a robust 48.5% ABV, and free from coloring or chill filtration.

The Caperdonich Distillery is one of the vanished legends of the Scotch whisky world. Closed in 2002 and finally demolished in 2011, its bottlings are now coveted rarities.

Black Sabbath. Judas Priest. Heavy riffs. Flamethrowers. And now also: whisky. With the limited Heavy Metal Edition ‘Birmingham - Home of Metal’, St. Kilian is bringing a single malt to the stage that is just as uncompromising as the music to which it is dedicated. No smoke, no age statement, but 60.6% cask strength by volume and a load of virgin oak.

The Allt-a-Bhainne Distillery, more of a hidden champion of the Speyside region, surprises time and again with unique bottlings. The Scottish Roadsign Edition No. 11 from independent bottler Flickenschild brings an exciting side of this distillery to light - raw, powerful and surprisingly nuanced at the same time.

With the Signature Edition FOURTEEN, the St. Kilian Distillery is launching a single malt on the market that is deliberately dedicated to the influence of fine French cask art. This limited bottling combines distillates that have matured for between three and seven years in a selection of exceptional casks - including Rhum Agricole, Armagnac, Cognac, Sauternes, Margaux red wine and Champagne Vin Clair.

Octomore - the name is legendary. A synonym for peaty-smoky excesses and at the same time proof that smoke is not just smoke. Year after year, fans wait for new bottlings, experiments with cask maturation, ageing and intense phenol power.

Nc'Nean is a young distillery from the Scottish Highlands that is known for its sustainable and modern approach. But what happens when an independent bottler like Best Dram takes the distillate and puts it in an STR (Shaved, Toasted, Re-charred) cask?

Sometimes you come across a whisky that makes you wonder: ‘Why exactly was this bottled?’ The Glen Elgin 2008/2020 from Zanzibar is such a case. With a whopping 58.7% ABV, it comes across as a powerhouse - but unfortunately there is little substance behind the impressive figure.

Ledaig - the smoky, wild brother of the Tobermory Distillery on the Isle of Mull.Anyone who knows Ledaig knows that there are no half measures here.The whisky is often intense, maritime and dirty - a kind of Islay alternative with its very own twist. The Ledaig 2005/2022 from Signatory Vintage takes this to the extreme.16 years of maturation and a stable 66.1% ABV - this is no gentle introduction to the world of peated whisky, but a real monster.The question is: does it deliver what the figures promise?

The Craigellachie Distillery is known for its strong, malty whiskies with plenty of structure and character. But in the hands of the independent bottler Signatory Vintage, it often becomes even more intense. At 67.4% ABV, this is a whisky that challenges connoisseurs, but also rewards them - with intense sherry flavours, dark fruits and impressive depth.

The Glenallachie Distillery is located in the Speyside region of Scotland and was founded in 1967. While for a long time it mainly produced blended whiskies, in recent years it has made a name for itself with independent bottlings and its own single malts. Glenallachie has gained a higher profile, particularly due to the influence of Billy Walker, and is known for its fruity, often sherried whiskies.