Reviews

If whisky bottles could talk, the Royal Brackla 10 years from James Eadie would probably whisper in a charming Highland accent: ‘Try me, you won't regret it!’.

When you taste a whisky from Islay, you expect a smoky, maritime explosion - and that's exactly what the Caol Ila 9 Years 2015/2024 from James Eadie delivers, with an enormous elegance that inspires. This distillate takes us on a journey to the wild coasts of Islay.

The Scottish Speyside is known for its diverse and complex whiskies, but the Craigellachie 2013/2024 Margaux Cask sets new standards. This exclusive bottling from the independent bottler Berry Bros & Rudd combines the striking characteristics of the Craigellachie Distillery with the sophistication of a Margaux cask.

The Single Malt Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast Edition 2022 from the renowned Miyagikyo Distillery in Japan brings an extraordinary nuance to the world of Japanese whisky. Developed with a specialised research team and special attention to the fermentation process, this whisky is characterised by the use of a special yeast and a longer fermentation - a process that is intended to create exciting flavours.

Nikka The Grain Whisky was an exciting new release from Japan that is making whisky fans around the world sit up and take notice. This experimental special edition, which was launched in 2023, is a blend of seven different whiskies and, at 48% ABV, offers a powerful yet smooth flavour journey.

Anyone wanting to enter the world of Japanese whisky should have the Yoichi single malt on their list. The Yoichi Distillery on Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, produces this whisky using a particularly exciting technique: it is still distilled in the traditional way, directly over a coal fire! This not only gives the Yoichi single malt its unmistakable character, but also a certain ‘campfire’ flavour - with a moderate smoke content of around 15 ppm.

The Four Roses Single Barrel is a bourbon that presents whisky lovers with an interesting challenge. With no age statement, but matured for at least seven years in freshly charred American oak barrels, this whisky has a remarkable depth. With an alcohol content of 50% by volume, it immediately shows that it is aimed more at connoisseurs who prefer stronger, spicier bourbon notes.

The Glen Moray 19 Years from Malts of Scotland is a drop that falls into the category of intense single malts with its 54.8% vol. Matured in a sherry hogshead from 1998 to 2017, this whisky promises a multi-faceted experience. We are excited!

An unusual whisky is born near the traditional Scheibel Mühle, an old grain warehouse in the heart of the Black Forest: Emill Kraftwerk. This German whisky with no age statement comes from a small distillery that boldly ventures into unusual flavours and a strong bottling of 58.7 % vol. For newcomers to the world of whisky, this drop gives an insight into the experimental side of German distilleries.

The Glenlivet distillery engages in a fierce battle year after year with Glenfiddich for the crown of the best-selling Single Malt Scotch. Especially in the USA, The Glenlivet enjoys extremely high popularity. The distillery in Scotland's Speyside region is owned by Pernod Ricard and is therefore also included in their blend products such as Chivas Regal. Today, we have the Glenlivet 12 - arguably the most prolific bottling from the core range - in our glass.

The Lindores MCDXCIV (1494) is a single malt with no age statement, bottled at a strong 46% vol. and comes from the up-and-coming Lindores Abbey Distillery. The distillery, known for its love of experimentation, uses an interesting combination of cask types for this whisky: Bourbon, sherry and wine barrique casks provide an exciting spectrum of flavours that arouses curiosity.

As part of the release in early May 2024, St. Kilian presented two different single cask bottlings that stand out for their special focus on smokiness and peatiness. For the Turf Tail Distiller’s Cut, only the spirit from a very specific point in the distillation process is used. According to their own statements, it is the last 250 liters of the heart of the second distillation. They say that at this temperature, the smoky character of the single malt develops particularly intensely. Let’s see how we like this exciting and experimental bottling.