Reviews

The Westfalian Cask 256 is a single rye whisky (100% rye) that matured in a first-fill ruby port cask from 2019 to 2023. With 59.1% alcohol by volume, it is a powerful drop that was bottled without chill-filtration and without colouring.

Well, do you know Tormore? If not, you're in good company – this Speyside distillery tends to lead a rather shadowy existence in the whisky universe. Founded in 1958, Tormore now belongs to Chivas Brothers and mainly produces for blends. But every now and then, a few casks make it onto the market as single malts.

The Highlands are renowned for their distinctive single malts, and for over a century, the Ardmore distillery has been synonymous with powerful, smoky whiskies with unmistakable character. When a renowned independent bottler such as Signatory Vintage brings its expertise to bear, the result is often a true treasure. This 12-years Ardmore from 2012, bottled at a proud 60.70% ABV after maturing in bourbon barrels, promises an exciting journey through history, combining Highland tradition with American influence. Can this dram live up to the high expectations and reconcile the distillery's characteristic 'dirty' profile with the mild elegance of a bourbon barrel?

The Lowlands are known for their smooth, elegant whiskies, but the Mystic Lowlands 2011/2024 from Malts of Scotland proves that this region can also produce intense and complex character.

Sometimes you discover a whisky that surprises you with its simple honesty. Turntable Spirits Unplugged is one such candidate – a Scottish blended whisky with no age statement, bottled at 46% ABV, whose name says it all.

In the rolling hills of the Scottish Lowlands, where mist settles over the fields like a silky veil, something extraordinary is created at the InchDairnie Distillery. James Eadie's Finglassie 8 Years 2017/2025 can easily compete with the much more expensive Lagavulin Single Casks.

The Aberfeldy 40 Years 1983/2023 from Malts of Scotland is a whisky that makes connoisseurs' hearts beat faster. As a genuine Highland whisky, it not only carries the typical elegance of this region, but also embodies the deep, mature experience of four decades of cask maturation. At 47.20%, it displays an impressive balance between strength and finesse, which is reflected in every sip.

The northernmost mainland distillery of Scotland returns with a whisky that radiates both groundedness and finesse: the Wolfburn 12 Years. Matured in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry casks, it presents itself as a classic Highlander with a modern twist. Bottled at 46.0% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural in color, it steps into the glass without disguise. But what does this really mean in practice? Let’s take a closer look.

The Old Pulteney 12 years is a single malt whisky from the Scottish Highlands, more precisely from the Pulteney Distillery in the coastal town of Wick. With a maturation period of 12 years and an alcohol content of 40% vol., it is considered an accessible classic that is particularly interesting for whisky newcomers.

Och Aye the Coo – the name alone makes you smile. While other whiskies boast grandiose names such as "Royal Salute" or "Macallan Rare Cask", this little Scot comes across like a friendly farmer from the Highlands who has made his cow talk. "Och aye" means "oh yes" in Scottish Gaelic – and "the Coo"? That's simply the Scottish way of saying cow. So you could say: "Oh yes, the cow!" What a charmingly down-to-earth way to name a whisky.

There are whiskies that invite reflection, others that astonish. And then there are those that smile at you sweetly – only to throw a ginger bomb onto your palate a second later. The Glen Moray 2007/2021, bottled by Malts of Scotland, belongs to this third category – a surprising and exciting release from the Glen Moray distillery, located in the Speyside region near the Highlands. Aged for 14 years in a bourbon cask, bottled at a bold 56.3% ABV, non-chill filtered, natural colour – just the way we purists like it.

Whiskies tell stories. Some shout, with drums and fanfare. Others whisper – and yet their echoes linger in memory. Oban The Macleans Young Teddy (2023) belongs to the latter. A limited edition from the storied Oban Distillery in the Scottish Highlands – boldly bottled at 50.8% ABV, but without an age statement. And perhaps that’s the first clue: this whisky doesn’t aim to impress with numbers but with character.