Reviews

Some time ago, we had the pleasure of tasting the blended malt "Dumbarton Rock" from the Independent Bottler Dràm Mòr. The company's primary focus lies in bottling individual single malt casks. They showcase a seasonal selection of special releases quarterly – of course uncolored and unfiltered. Today, we savor a 10-years Ben Nevis from the Summer Collection 2023, featuring a finish of undisclosed duration in Palo Cortado Sherry Hogsheads.

The Pulteney distillery from the Scottish Highlands offers a relatively broad and high-quality core range at acceptable prices. In today's review, we have "The Maritime Malt", matured for 18 years in ex-bourbon casks and Spanish oak casks. Spoiler: A really nice Christmas whisky!

Buffalo Trace is undoubtedly one of the most respected distilleries in Kentucky, perhaps even in the entire USA. They present different variations of their Kentucky Straight Bourbon under various brand names. Today we're looking at Eagle Rare's 10-years whiskey, which is based on their secret "Mash Bill #1", which is thought to contain less than 10% rye.

When travelling to Scotland and visiting local distilleries, it is almost a must to fill at least one bottle yourself. This is usually offered on site. On our last trip to Scotland, we visited the Oban distillery, among others. As Oban does not have the wide range of core bottlings and is also rarely chosen by independent bottlers, it made sense to fill a bottle there ourselves at cask strength. The question is: Is it actually worth it? We take a closer look at the Oban Hand Filled Distillery Exclusive 11 Years Batch 1.

For several years now, a selection of longer-matured releases has enriched Glenmorangie's core range, including the Quinta Ruban. This single malt matures for a minimum of 10 years in former bourbon casks before undergoing additional maturation in port wine casks, elevating its total age to 14 years. It's noteworthy that this whisky is bottled without chill filtration. While the design of Glenmorangie's packaging recently underwent a complete overhaul, we still have a bottle from the older series, the contents of which are purportedly unchanged.

The Swiss from Freespirited have proclaimed the "Cheers Revolution" with their 0.0% Malt Blend, an initiative for alcohol-free alternatives to popular spirits, ideal for festive occasions when the desire for alcohol is lacking. This cutting-edge concept pursues absolute individual freedom in beverage selection. The noble aim of creating an alcohol-free option for "whisky-based long drinks" is intriguing, even though it's not a whisky but rather an innovative alternative with malt distillate.

The Gauldrons is bottled by independent bottler Douglas Laing and promises a journey through the Campbeltown region of Scotland. We take a closer look at the blend today.

High above Castle Rock, amidst the Scottish capital, majestically stands Edinburgh Castle. This historic landmark is cared for and preserved by Historic Environment Scotland (HES). It is there that Edinburgh Castle 10 was created, a single malt whisky paying homage to Scotland's most significant attraction. Today, we take the time to explore its taste.

The Glen Moray distillery is located in the vicinity of Elgin in the Speyside region of Scotland. In recent years, they have steadily expanded their production capacity. Today, Glen Moray offers an impressive variety of releases under their own name, with different age statements and cask finishes, all at highly competitive prices. In this review, we delve into the world of the 15-years expression from the Elgin Heritage Collection.

The independent bottler Dràm Mòr, run by Kenny and Viktorija Macdonald, is mainly known for its unique single cask bottlings. They regularly release not only single malts, but also rum and armagnac. Starting this year, they additionally offer the blended malt Dumbarton Rock. Today we take the time to taste this blend, which consists of five different single malts.

We've had Irish whiskeys with the iconic robin logo in our glasses time and time again in the past. And the Redbreast releases from the Middleton distillery have consistently won us over. As part of the Iberian Series, we now have the Redbreast Tawny Port, following a well-established recipe. This Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey aged in Bourbon and Oloroso casks, followed by a final 14-25 month finishing period in Tawny Port Hogsheads. The end product, however, is bottled without specifying its age.

The Midleton Distillery markets its most popular product under the name Jameson, a blended Irish whiskey that enjoys great popularity due to its quality and high demand. This unique whiskey is created by skillfully marrying a Single Pot Still whiskey (which also serves as the foundation for Redbreast whiskeys) and a Single Grain Irish whiskey. Over the years, Jameson has continually adjusted and expanded its range. Today, let's take a look at Jameson Black Barrel. The distinct difference from classic Jameson lies in its maturation in double-charred barrels.