Reviews

Ten years - that's quite a milestone for a young distillery like Wolfburn. Since its foundation in 2013, Scotland's northernmost mainland distillery has made a name for itself with consistent quality and characterful small-batch releases. The 2023 10th anniversary whisky is more than just an anniversary statement - it's a kind of assessment: what can Wolfburn do if given time - and rest?

The Vibrant Stills Bourbon Barrel 2015/2023 edition by Wolfburn is a small batch release made exclusively for the German market. Aged for 8 years in fresh bourbon barrels and bottled at a robust 50% ABV, this Single Malt Scotch Whisky presents both the gentleness of the Highlands and a surprisingly pronounced smoky tone. Non-chill filtered and bottled in its natural colour, it feels pure – and delightfully complex.

For the first time ever in the history of the Glen Garioch distillery, located in the Scottish Highlands, a single malt has been launched that was created in partnership by the independent bottler Wu DRAM Clan from Germany and the distillery. The Wu DRAM Clan is known for exquisite bottlings and so it is not surprising that the bottling was sold out within a few minutes.

When a whisky comes with 135 ppm phenol content and the malt comes exclusively from Glen Esk - a Scottish malting estate that doesn't deliver this kind of extremism to anyone else - then you can expect great things. And this 6-years single malt from an Oloroso sherry hogshead delivers.

The Ardmore 2010 ‘A Dream of Scotland’, exclusively bottled by the Brühl Whisky House, is aimed at connoisseurs and explorers who appreciate whiskies with a strong character and unadulterated flavour.

Those who love Islay are often looking for the perfect interplay of smoke, complexity and character. The independent bottling from Brühler Whiskyhaus, the Distilled at South Islay 2024 13 Years The Tasteful 8, promises exactly that - and more. With a whopping 56.9% ABV, this whisky comes with power and intensity.

With this limited edition, St. Kilian pays tribute not only to one of the most iconic metal bands in history, but also to one of its most polarising albums - ‘Turbo’ from 1986. More electronic, more colourful, more freaky than anything before it. And that's exactly what this unpeated, four-years single malt delivers: a quirky but delicious journey through sweet wine, fruit and oak.

Whisky is often a play on tradition - but Nc'Nean takes a different approach. The young distillery from the Scottish Highlands focuses on sustainability, organic ingredients and a modern approach to whisky production. Its Nc'Nean Organic Batch 20, bottled in 2023, exemplifies this approach. With no age statement, 46% ABV and an exciting cask combination of ex-bourbon, sherry and red wine casks, it arouses curiosity.

When an independent bottler grabs a Highland Park, it can either be grandiose or risky. But The Tasteful 8 from Brühler Whiskyhaus shows that they know exactly what they are doing.

A single-barrel bottling with plenty of oomph (53.5 % ABV), matured for 8 years, straight from Kentucky - the home of bourbon. Imagine if Jim Beam had a favourite son who wasn't constantly in the spotlight like Booker's (e.g. Bookers Small Batch 2019 01E), but secretly brought home the best scores. Voilà: Baker's 7. By the way, it has even been available with an online traceable barrel code since 2023. Nerd factor present!

Whisky from a champagne cask? St. Kilian has once again dug deep into the cask game - and delivered a real nerd piece with this handfilled bottling from an ex-champagne vin clair cask. This is not an easy sipper for an after-work dram, but a real flavour experiment with 60.9% vol. on tap. No clouds of smoke, no flood of caramel - but a sensory balancing act between fruity sweetness and dry white wine structure. A bit like a grappa with a whisky bypass.

Young whiskies can be exciting - if they are well made. Unfortunately, there are also candidates that taste more like an experiment than a pleasure. The Glen Moray 2015/2023 from Sansibar with a whopping 62% ABV belongs to the second category. What begins as a fruity Speyside dram ends in a questionable cask fiasco.

Mysterious bottlings have their own appeal - and when a whisky from Speyside comes along with 17 years of maturation and a whopping 53.7% ABV, it's worth taking a closer look (and a sip). The Secret Speyside (M) 2024 from ‘The Tasteful 8’ series from the Brühl whisky house is mysterious, but there are indications that a famous name is involved here ...

If Jack Daniel's and rye were to meet for a cask ale in a Franconian distillery, the result would probably be exactly this whisky: the St. Kilian Handfilled Rye & Jack Daniel's. This hand-filled speciality is so atypically typical that you don't know whether to put it in the rye or bourbon drawer - or rather in both.

Sometimes you get a whisky in your glass that feels as if it has just come out of the cask. The Inchgower 2010/2023 from Sansibar with 57.6% ABV is just such a case: young, fresh, straight from nature - but also a little unfinished.

When you take the Balblair in your hand, you can literally feel the history that lies dormant in this glass. Bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and with a strong alcohol content of 62.30 % after more than three decades, this Highland whisky offers an experience that you won't soon forget. But what makes this drop so special?

Neither finish nor distillery can be found on the label of the ‘Bohemian Schnapsidee’ from the German independent bottler VAME Malts from Munich. The website states: ‘A Wee Scottish beastie, matured in a cask that previously contained another famous Scottish drink.’ They refer to the finish as ‘Special Brew’. If you add up 1:1 here, you will quickly recognise the Ardbeg distillery with the Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 Years and what can the Scottish speciality brew be other than Irn-Bru?Peat meets pop culture. And now ask yourself: Is this genius or madness? We are more than curious!

Anyone who associates ‘Speyside’ with fruity, sherry-accentuated malts is in for a surprise. This 15-years Speyside Distillery whisky has an unexpected but wonderfully subtle smokiness - and also brings a pleasant maritime note into play. A whisky that combines a gentle campfire atmosphere with warming elegance.

Sometimes, it takes just one moment to capture the essence of a whisky. The Tomatin 2006/2024, aged for 17 years and bottled at 46% ABV, transports you to a world of deep aromas and classic sherry cask intensity. From the moment the bottle is opened, it’s clear that this single malt is a true Highland spirit through and through.

The Tobermory Distillery may not be as well-known as the big names from Scotland, but its whiskies have a charm all of their own. The Tobermory 12 years, released in 2017, is an exciting representative of the distillery. With its 46.3% ABV and no chill filtration, it promises an honest, natural bottling.

Japanese whisky has long since established itself as a serious competitor to Scottish and American bottlings. Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky takes a slightly different approach: 100% barley, but distilled in a coffey still - a traditional column still that is usually used for grain whisky.

Sometimes you come across a whisky that immediately captivates you - and sometimes you come across a bottling that makes you wonder. The Port Charlotte 2004/2023, an 18-years Islay representative from the renowned Bruichladdich Distillery, is just such a case.

The third release from the St. Kilian Whisky Solera system, this time as the second smoky bottling, impressively demonstrates what is created when patience, cask expertise and vision come together.

The Westfalian TW40 is one of the first 10-years whiskies from Germany, presented by the renowned Northoff Feinbrennerei in cooperation with the The Westfalian. This Single Corn Whisky is matured in a fresh cask and boasts an impressive high proof of 69.60% ABV—almost a hazmat experience—despite its relatively mature age of 10 years.