Reviews

Redbreast 21 Years Old is considered one of the most expressive bottlings in the Irish whiskey tradition. It is referred to as an Irish masterpiece, and for good reason.

This whisky offers a multifaceted tasting experience that combines earthy and fruity notes, complemented by a pleasant spiciness. The harmonious balance of mineral saltiness and sweet accents creates an elegant finish that underscores the complexity and accessibility of this Speyside.

Immerse in a tasting experience that begins with a seductive variety of tropical fruits and fine vanilla, while complex spices caress the tongue and provide unexpected depth. Let the clear freshness in the finish carry you away, leaving a lasting impression despite its restraint and prompting reflection.

Some whiskies do not captivate you loudly, but with quiet confidence. The Teeling 21 Years Rising Reserve No. 4 belongs precisely to this category. This Irish single malt tells a story of patience, cask craftsmanship and bold curiosity. In a short time, Teeling Distillery has earned a reputation for innovative maturation while consciously reconnecting with Ireland’s great whiskey heritage. After 18 years in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, this whisky received a three-year finish in white wine casks. This combination sets high expectations for elegance, depth and balance. Bottled at 46 percent ABV, it promises intensity without harshness and invites you to slow down and listen closely to what this cask has to say.

The Caol Ila distillery on Islay is known for its accessible, clear smoky style – a welcome alternative to the island's more intense representatives. Independent bottler Malts of Scotland has selected a fascinating single cask with this 11-years bottling from 2011, which was released in 2023.

The traditional distillery in Dufftown, located in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, has always been considered an insider tip among connoisseurs. Its robust, meaty malts often form the backbone of great blends. But when an independent bottler like Gordon & MacPhail patiently waits a quarter of a century for perfection, the result is more than just whisky.

This Speyside distillery, rooted in the heart of Scotland's whisky region since 1821, has never distinguished itself with a loud market presence. Instead, it prefers to leave the talking to independent bottlers such as Gordon & MacPhail, who have understood the craft of giving casks time and space for over a century.

While most Speyside malts exercise elegant restraint in their fruitiness, BenRiach dares to dance with peat smoke. Founded in 1898 and known for its experimental maturation methods, this traditional distillery presents a single malt that, at 46 per cent alcohol by volume, is unfiltered and undiluted, embodying the essence of a quarter of a century of cask maturation.

There are moments in the life of a whisky lover when you stand in front of a glass and know that you will never experience this again. Glenfarclas 21 years is just such a moment - a whisky that is no longer produced and has therefore become a liquid time capsule. Like an old friend that you can only visit in memories.

Following the previously released unpeated and peated Mizunara full maturations, this bottling is the last from a single virgin Mizunara cask for the time being. To be honest, we were sceptical: can a German distillate really harmonise with the legendary Japanese oak?

With 46% ABV, uncoloured and non-chill filtered, this bottling promises honest craftsmanship. But can a NAS whisky, which was first matured in bourbon casks and then finished in Oloroso sherry butts, really convince? Or does the delicate Glencadam spirit disappear under the powerful sherry wave?

What am I, actually? You experience a similar existential crisis with St. Kilian Handfilled 2025 ex Dry Gin Heimat Distillers. This whisky, available exclusively as a hand-filled edition only at the distillery in Rüdenau, is the result of a daring experiment in which a Franconian single malt was matured in a former gin cask from the Swabian Heimat Distillers. What happens when whisky is transferred to a cask that previously contained Mediterranean botanicals, fresh apples and juniper? The answer is a wonderfully confusing identity crisis.