Reviews

The Tullibardine 225 is based on the Tullibardine Sovereign and undergoes a 12-month finish in Sauternes barrels (225 litre capacity). Sauternes is a French wine-growing region known for its noble sweet white wine.

Tullibardine Sovereign is the entry into the core range of whiskies from the distillery in the Scottish Highlands. At the same time, it also forms the basis for further core range bottlings, each of which receives a 12-month finish in a different type of cask than the bourbon cask.

The 8 years Tullibardine - # 2 in Signatory Vintage's 100 proof series - was distilled in 2015, bottled in winter 2023 and sold out within hours, as did the other 2 bottlings in the series. And rightly so? At 57.1% ABV, the alcohol content of the bottlings corresponds exactly to the minimum level at which gunpowder soaked in alcohol ignites - or 100 British proof.

Go Out Ride Find Happiness (GORFH) – that's the name of the three-years whiskey aged in pre-filled 600-liter White Burgundy oak casks at the Distillery in Merdingen. After a triple distillation of the corn-barley-mash and refinement in small, new 20-liter casks, the water of life was bottled and adorned with a label featuring a stag with magnificent antlers drinking from a spring. We had the privilege of tasting the first bottling from the first cask – Bottle number 24 out of a total of 56.

Scotch Universe is a German independent bottler based in Dülmen. In collaboration with their office in Glasgow, they offer special releases under various brands. The "The Old Friends" series showcases single cask bottlings at cask strength - unfiltered and with no added coloring. The marketing approach revolves around presenting these exceptional malts as gifts for old friends. Today, we have a Blair Athol in the glass, matured for 11 years in a red wine barrique cask.

The youngest release from Chivas Brothers, the Chivas Regal 12, is an indispensable component of any well-stocked spirits department. Since the early 20th century, this bottling has enjoyed widespread popularity, especially among non-experts who delight in savoring it on special occasions. The primary malt in the blend is notably sourced from the Strathisla Distillery on the Speyside. Today, we take the time to see how it presents itself from our perspective.

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.