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There are moments in the life of a whisky lover that give you pause. Moments when the glass in your hand doesn't just contain a drink, but tells a story that is so different from anything you expected. The Caol Ila 11 Years Ambrosial Feast from the Diageo Special Releases 2024 is just such a moment.
Some whiskies are for drinking, others for savouring - and then there are the whiskies that simply go perfectly with a good cigar because they hardly differ from it in taste.
Teaninich is one of those Scottish distilleries that rarely appear as an original bottling - making the releases from independent bottlers all the more exciting. Zanzibar has taken on Teaninich, which was distilled in 2016 and bottled in 2023, and bottled it at a whopping 60.2 % ABV.
The Allt-a-Bhainne 2006 A Dreamy Nighttime Drink (Cask 108.34) from the renowned Scotch Malt Whisky Society encapsulates the quintessence of the Speyside region in an impressive single malt matured for 14 years. With a powerful alcohol content of 64.4% ABV, this whisky is not for the faint-hearted, but an experience for connoisseurs who want to engage with complex worlds of flavours.
Young whiskies with over 60 % ABV can either be real insider tips or completely impetuous alcohol clubs. The Glen Spey 2015/2023 from Sansibar with 60.1% ABV lies somewhere in between. Sometimes it is round and pleasant, sometimes you wonder whether it could have done with a few more years in the cask.
Australian whisky has received more and more attention in recent years - and for good reason. The climatic conditions ensure accelerated maturation, which often leads to intense and unique flavour profiles.
Do you remember how we used to talk about "sherry bombs"? If you've been around the whisky world for any length of time, you'll remember when a really sherry-heavy whisky was automatically considered a flavour grenade. The Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 12 with its 58.2% vol. is such a whisky that makes me think - not because it's bad, but because it perfectly shows how our perception has changed over the years.
Who says that royal whiskies always have to be meek and polite? The Royal Brackla 12 years from the Scottish Highlands region thoroughly dispels such prejudices. This bottling from the traditional distillery in Cawdor proves that even with an alcohol content of just 40%, there can be plenty of steam in the kettle.
The whisky landscape of the 21st century is increasingly characterised by producers from outside the traditional whisky nations. Israel, a country that could hardly be more different from Scotland or Kentucky in terms of climate and culture, is establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with on the global whisky scene. At 61.2% vol., the M&H APEX White Wine from the Milk & Honey Distillery presents itself as a fascinating object of study for analysing how Mediterranean conditions and innovative cask maturation influence the sensory characteristics of whisky. The M&H Distillery in Tel Aviv operates under completely different climatic conditions than traditional whisky producers. The average temperatures of 20-30°C and the low humidity significantly accelerate the maturation process. This leads to a more intensive exchange between the distillate and the cask, which is reflected in the high viscosity and flavour complexity observed.
Sometimes you come across a whisky that literally takes you back to the Stone Age - in the very best sense. The Talisker 8 Years Tidal Churn from the Diageo Special Releases 2024 is just such a candidate. It invites you on a geological expedition where every sip tastes like an open history book. The name "Tidal Churn" says it all. Tidal churn describes the wild churning of the sea by the tides - exactly what this whisky does in the glass and later on the palate.
Imagine it's the year 2010, Barack Obama is president, the iPad has just been invented and somewhere in the Scottish Speyside, a young GlenAllachie New Make is slumbering away in an American bourbon cask. 14 years later, in 2024, this whisky comes back to life - at 62.4% vol. and with a story to tell that takes us on a journey between continents and worlds of flavour.
Regional exclusives often hold a special charm. The Glenlivet 13 Years 1st Fill American Oak, crafted specifically for the French market, showcases how even within the classic Speyside style, intriguing variations can arise. Matured in first-fill American oak casks and bottled at 40% ABV, this whisky promises an easy-drinking experience. But what makes it stand out?