Reviews

The Observatory 20 years is from the signature series of the bottler of the same name. Belonging to the Bacardi Group, this Single Grain Scotch whisky was created by the master blender of the Aberfeldy distillery Stephanie Macleod.It is believed that the single grain was distilled at the MacDuff distillery in the Scottish Highlands near the lighthouse in Banff Bay. The whisky was stored for 20 full years in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. The long storage period is said to make the whisky particularly soft and pleasantly complex.

The Speyburn 18 year is currently the oldest standard bottling from Speyburn, located in the Speyside region of Scotland. As one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland, the bottlings fly under the radar for many. That should change.This year, the Speyburn distillery celebrates its 125th anniversary. Instead of an anniversary bottling, the website features some cocktail recipes specifically for Speyburn whisky. We just hope that no one sinks the multi-award-winning 18-years single malt in a cocktail.

KÖ13 in Paderborn is actually known for its large selection of food and delicatessen. The restaurant also sells a small number and especially some of its own single malts. Today we have a whisky from Paderborn in our glass.The whisky from Paderborn was first matured for two years in an ex-bourbon cask and for another two years in an ex-port wine cask. We are impressed by the deep, strong red colour.

In addition to the three distillery standards - 12 years, 18 years and 21 years - Aultmore from Scotland's Speyside has a number of bottlings from independent bottlers, such as the Aultmore 13 Years Red Wine Barrique from 82 Chapters to Newcastle's Creatures of Cask Strengt series.Matured for 13 years from a single red wine barrel, this single malt is striking for its intense colour. Among bottlers, both red wine casks and rum casks are considered to be the cask types with the greatest risks as far as the quality of the final result is concerned. Minor spoiler: Everything worked out here.

KÖ13 in Paderborn is actually known for its delicious food. However, the restaurant also sells luxury condiments and, in particular, its own single malt. Today we have a whisky from Paderborn in our glass.Locality and transparency are at the forefront of Patrisbrunna. Local barley and spring water are brewed with an original wort of 15.2° and distilled four times. It was bottled after about 5 years of ageing.

Ardbeg's Committee Release 2021 was the Scorch. The malt was stored in extremely burnt out ex-bourbon barrels. The associated story tells of a dragon that was resident in Ardbeg's Warehouse 3.As usual for Ardbeg, this Committee Release Malt is only available for purchase directly from Ardbeg on Ardbeg Day. Probably, very few bottles actually make it to the tasting - most will probably stand locked in collector's cabinets.

The Lochlea distillery plans four special bottlings a year. The Fallow Edition follows the Harvest Edition and is intended to embody an autumnal-winter profile.The single malt Scotch whisky was matured 100% exclusively in Oloroso sherry butts. There are a number of whiskies on the market that have also undergone such ageing - will the Lochlea distillery manage to stand out once again?

The Glenturret 30 years was bottled as part of the XOP (Xtra Old Particular) by the independent bottler Douglas Laing. The XOP bottlings come from the rarest and best stocks of the bottler and are always bottled from a single cask at natural cask strength. Unfiltered and uncoloured - just as natural as a whisky has to be.As befits a unique single malt, the packaging is correspondingly elaborate. In addition to the handwritten bottle number (40 of 229), the bottle comes in a magnetically closing, high quality wooden packaging.

Since 1991, the Rare Breed has been part of the core range of the Wild Turkey distillery. The Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon is a blend of 6, 8 and 12 years whiskeys, and gets bottled uncut.The mashbill contains 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley - which leads us to expect a sweetish, slightly spicy whiskey. Like all bourbons, the Wild Turkey must also mature in a new, freshly burned out Virgin Oak barrel. The barrel was burned out to Char 4 level, also called Alligator Char. Char 4 is the highest char level.

The Kentucky Straight Bourbon Wild Turkey 101 from the distillery of the same name in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky is a cornerstone of American bourbon culture. Without an age statement on the label, it is known to be bottled as a blend of 6-8 years bourbons. We take a closer look at the US classic.The mashbill is composed of 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley - which leads us to expect a sweetish, slightly spicy whiskey. Like all bourbons, Wild Turkey has to mature in new, freshly burnt-out Virgin Oak casks. 101 stands for American proof alcohol, which translates as 50.5% ABV.

The Readbreast 12 from the Midleton distillery in County Cork in Ireland is a single pot still. This means that not only malted but also a proportion of unmalted barley is used in the mash. Malting barley produces enzymes that enable the yeast cultures to convert sugar into alcohol.Like all the other whiskeys in the Redbreast series, the 12 years was also triple distilled in copper stills. The Single Pot Still was matured in Spanish sherry casks and American bourbon barrels.

Until 1983, the distillery was called Cardow, named after a nearby village. Nowadays known as Cardhu (Gaelic: Black Rock), the distillery produces the significant share for the Johnnie Walker blends. Of course, there are also their own bottlings, of which we have the 12-years standard bottling in the glass today.The Cardhu 12 Single Malt Scotch Whisky belongs to the Classic Malts of Scotland and is supposed to represent the character of the Speyside region of Scotland.