Lagavulin 23 yo 1992/2016 ‘Selected by Boyao Zhao’ #5745 vs Lagavulin Feis Ile 1991/2015
So no waffling about. Everyone who tunes in onto whisky news knows how big a deal it is to have a cask of Lagavulin issued for you. Or a new issue … Continue reading
Highland Park 18 yo 1996/2014 Hunter Laing #10854 vs Highland Park 25 yo 1988 Signatory #716 vs Highland Park 24 yo 1988/2012 Mackillop’s Choice #716
Needs no introduction. Everybody knows Highland Park but go to a BYOB tasting or event and you won’t often find one – everyone’s got their other first choice. Not sure … Continue reading
Bruichladdich 1991/2015 Gordon & Macphail #2775 2776 2780 vs Kininvie Batch 2 23 yo 1990
So I don’t have a lot of Bruichladdich – I just happened to have had a few heavily wine finished ones early one and never looked back. Which is a … Continue reading
Springbank 10 yo 100 prood (70s) vs Springbank 1998 Malts of Scotland #15038 vs Springbank 2004Malts of Scotland #15039 vs Springbank Green 13 yo
Springbank doesn’t seem to be a whisky that people fall in love with first. I understand why because it is not an easy whisky, peatheads are just born peaty, everyone … Continue reading
Benriach 11 yo 1994/2005 peated #805 vs Benriach 28 yo 1984/2013 peated PX cask for ‘Independent Spirit’ #1050
More Benriach, a rather good whisky that ought to be drunk more than it is, especially the single casks editions. Benriach 11 yo 1994/2005 peated #805 46% Nose: Peated malt bins, … Continue reading
Brora 3rd Edition 2004 vs Brora 22 yo 1972 Rare Malts vs Clynelish 12 yo Ainslie & Heilbron Edward & Edward
I don’t think an introduction is needed. This is Clynelish – until 1968 when it closed in favour of the new distillery, a modernized copy of the older, opened under … Continue reading
Yoichi “Yoichi” NAS 45% vs Yoichi 10 45%
I was in Hokkaido holidaying recently, and saw an opportunity to visit the Yoichi distillery. The place is massive. I knew it was big but I was not prepared for … Continue reading
Clynelish 17 yo 1995 Signatory #12796 vs Clynelish 18 yo 1996/2015 Whiskybroker #11448 vs Clynelish 17 yo 1997/2015 Lady of the Glen #12363
Some 90s Clynelish. The vintages you commonly see are 1995, 1996 and especially 1997, so in a vertical: Clynelish 17 yo 1995/2012 Signatory #12796 ‘Ibisco Decanter’ 43% Nose: Classic! Starts with … Continue reading
Laphroaig 15 yo 1997 Director’s Cut vs Laphroaig 25 yo 1986 Old & Rare Douglas laing vs Laphroaig 25 yo 1990/2015 ‘The Oceans’ for Whisk-e Japan #5940
Laphroaig head to head, plus a special one on the fly: Some older Laphroaigs available today, which is always fun as heavy peaters at good age trade monstrous peat for elegance … Continue reading
Miltonduff 10 yo Gordon & Macphail vs Miltonduff 7 yo 2006/2014 Krugers No. 12
Since I had some Mosstowie the last session it seems only right that I should round it off with some regular Miltonduff. Since there are virtually no official releases this … Continue reading
Mosstowie 34 yo 1979/2013 Signatory #1305 vs Glenury Royal 36 yo 1970/2006
Two old one, both gone but for different reasons. Mosstowie is Miltonduff distilled in its Lomond stills – that’s a pot still base matched with a columnar neck in which three … Continue reading
Port Ellen 30 yo 1982 Fasszination Vom Fass vs Port Ellen 24 yo 1978 2nd Annual Release
Reopned in 1967, closed for good in 1983. This short period saw a number of important changes: When it reopened in ’67 it had been expanded to 4 stills heated by … Continue reading
Rum: Rhum St. Andrew’s, Branca vs Uitvlugt 16 yo 1998 #35 Duncan Taylor
Rum night: 2 rather obscure bottles, the first due to time, the second because it is from an ‘open’ closed rum distillery in Guyana. Rhum St. Andrew’s, Branca, 45% ~circa … Continue reading
Dalmore 26 yo 1986 #3101 Montgomerie’s vs Glenmorangie Lasanta. Also, Ballantine’s 30 circa 80s
Two highland neighbours nary half an hours drive apart. Both are players in the superpremium price range, both utilize sherry maturation heavily – in the case of Dalmore, sherry maturation … Continue reading
Benriach 16 yo vs Benriach 20 yo
Benriach is one of those distilleries you might see a date of founding (1898) but virtually no bottles till the early 70s. Once upon a time, it was dreamed Benriach … Continue reading
Whisky Agency Speyside Region 43yo 1973 vs Avonside 100 proof James Gordon
A lot of undisclosed malts being released of late. This one comes highly recommended, fortunately I have a sample of another young one from the 70s for purposes of comparison. … Continue reading
Arran 14yo vs Arran The Bothy Batch 1
The Isle of Arran distillery is new. Production started in 1995 so the oldest there is anywhere will be from that vintage – though there is likely to be little … Continue reading
Laphroaig 26yo 1968 Hart Brothers 43%
It’ll be a single bottle night. But what a bottle. A number of distilleries have non-regular distillation regimes. Laphroaig, with it’s 7 stills, also does something different, but here it … Continue reading
Ardbeg 1975 43% vs Ardbeg 1972/2001 First Bottling Silver Seal 43%
This session proved to be a bit of a surprise. I had chosen these 2 because they were both pre-77 distillate, and produced during the period of semi joint ownership … Continue reading
Caol Ila 18yo Sestante 57% Sherrywood (circa 1978) vs Caol Ila 14yo Sestante for Novocento 64.3% (1978)
This is whisky from a closed distillery. No, Caol Ila is very much open for business. But this Caol Ila was distilled at the old distillery before it’s 1972 complete … Continue reading
Glendronach 18yo Allardice vs Glendronach 21yo Parliament
By now the news is long out, and apologies, if this was a news blog it’ll be a disaster. Billy Walker and partners have sold Benriach Distillery Company, and with … Continue reading
Benriach 25yo Authenticus Peated vs Ardmore 19yo 1992/2011 Single Malts of Scotland
Right so these are 2 non-Islay, non-island but peated whiskies. Generally we know that certain scents and flavours are attributable to the kind of peat. Islay peat is island peat, … Continue reading
Macallan 2002 Speymalt G&M vs Macallan 19yo 1987 Premiers Choice vs Macallan 26yo 1966
Well I am a few minutes late. This is meant for 4th May oh well… I’ll start regular but end with something special today, because it is quite a special … Continue reading
Clynelish: 1982/2011 28yo Silver Seal 30th Anniversary vs 18yo 1984/2003 Silver Seal
Something of a special weekend, good and bad in parts. And so in selecting what to taste, I find myself drawn back to the 80s. This Clynelish distillery is itself … Continue reading
Glen Scotia 1991/2006 MacPhail’s Collection vs 21yo 1991 Duncan Taylor #710394 vs Kilkerran WIP6 Bourbon wood
I feel a little sorry for Glen Scotia. While neighbour Springbank is beloved by many, hoarded by more, and has a long check list of legendary issues that anyone serious … Continue reading
Laphroaig 32yo 2015 vs Lagavulin 37yo 1976/2013
It’s great that Laphroaig has enough old stock to be able to issue specials like this <fairly> recent 32 year old. We will just have to accept the pricing that … Continue reading
Benromach 10yo 100 proof vs 21yo vs 35yo
Funny how some distilleries have always been owned by the same owner, and others seem to live the cycle of death and rebirth. Benromach is one such resuscitated distillery that … Continue reading
Lochside 1981 Gordon & Macphail RO/15/07 vs Littlemill 24 yo 1990/2015 Cadenhead Small Batch 53.7%
This session is for lost and gone fruity malts that show maybe less fruit but allow more individual characteristics to surface. Lochside 1981 Gordon & Macphail Rare & Old RO/15/07 … Continue reading
Lagavulin Feis Ile 2013 51% vs Laphroaig 15yo 1998/2013 Signatory for The Whisky Exchange 60.8%
It is International Whisky Day 27th March, the one and only genuine whisky day because it was not birthed from the grey goo of commercial intent mixed with a less … Continue reading
Springbank 15yo ~2005/7 vs Springbank 16yo 1999/2015 Local barley
Springbank has had so many variations in its core range, I find it extremely difficult remembering which were the earlier labels and what their production years were. For instance this … Continue reading
Paul John Classic vs Peated and Ardmore for Whiskyonline 1993/2015 #5750
Amrut is the name most think of when you say Indian Single Malt, but there’s another distilled at John Distilleries’ Goa plant called Paul John. The parent company has been around … Continue reading
Bowmore Jug 1955 vs Samaroli Bouquet 1966
End of the week and feeling like something absolutely first-rate? It’s a no-brainer then, back to Bowmore we go. The way I do this blog seemed great at the beginning: … Continue reading
Karuizawa 1984 #3663 vs Kavalan Fino Solist #SO60814013
Karuizawa I feel saying Karuizawa can be really good is like preaching to the choir. Well. It can. But it can also be overwoody and overly ‘sulphurous’. Of course many … Continue reading
Laphroaig 18yo ~2015 vs Cairdeas Origin 51.2%
Two maybe, just maybe, slightly less intense Laphroaigs. We know the rule of thumb that the more time a peated whisky spends in the cask the less peated it will … Continue reading
Caroni: Carribean XO Berry Bros vs Caroni 1997 The Rum Swedes #106 vs Caroni 12 yo 1996 Krugers Whiskygalerie #1107
This is the first rum head to head, I think Caroni would be an excellent subject. The Caroni Distillery, founded 1918, produced rum in Trinidad until it closed in 2002, leaving … Continue reading
Clynelish 19yo 1995/2014 Liquid Library vs 17yo 1995/2013 Signatory The Whisky Exchange #12794
When I drove up to Highland Park (ferry ride in between), one of the must-stop gawking highlights along the way was Clynelish. And gawk I did. This site is holy … Continue reading
Glenfarclas 40yo vs 47yo 1966 Fino #4194, 4195, 4197 vs 1969/1989 Signatory Vintage #52-54
A trio of vintage Glenfarclas: An well aged official, then an even older one from the premium Family Casks range, and finally a youngish but long bottled independent. Sounds about … Continue reading
Rosebank 21yo 2011 Special Release vs 21yo 2014 Special Release
Rosebank survived the big kill off of the 80s and really did make it over to the optimistic side of the 90s, but was unceremoniously mothballed in 1993. The city location … Continue reading
Springbank 17yo 1989 ACEO #145 vs Batch 1 That Boutique-y Whisky Company vs 15yo 1996 Director’s Cut #8700
Out of the veritable graveyard of distilleries that is Campbeltown comes mankind’s last best chance for peace hope future traditional whisky. And its true too. The only place in Scotland … Continue reading
Glenmorangie – 10yo (1970s) vs 1963 Official vs ‘Traditional’ 100 proof
Here’s a trio of very different Glenmorangie. The first is an old official 10 year old, Singapore import. From back when postal codes were single digits: Fitzpatrick’s Food Supplies, 300 … Continue reading
Yamazaki Puncheon 2013 vs Miyagikyo 12 yo
Yes about time for something from somewhere else, and entry level for a change of pace. Japanese Malts are certainly popular now. People forget they used to have a bargain … Continue reading
Glen Grant: 1990 G&M vs 25yo George Strachan vs 1955/2005 G&M
Glen Grant is one of those malts that seems to really shine with extended aging. Long and extended aging. Not many malts can take 40 or 50 years in a … Continue reading
Mortlach 15yo G&M 43% vs 46yo 1936 G&M 40% vs 32yo Official 1971 2004 Special Release 50.1%
Merry Christmas and a mega Mortlach do. I was very blessed to fill the last 3 days of festivities with friends, family and food, lots of food. Beef, turkey, ham, … Continue reading
Ardbeg 26 yo 1974 Douglas Laing OMC vs Ledaig 22 yo 1972 Lost Bottlings
So its been peat peat peat recently, why not continue? Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin are often compared to each other as the holy triumvirate in their peaty domain. Less appreciated … Continue reading
Port Ellen 25yo 1982 Berry Bros #2469 46% vs Caol Ila 29yo 1984 Hunter Laing 50.2%
Sister distilleries, one survived and the other didn’t. But why? That Port Ellen stopped distilling in 1983 is a great tragedy most today will agree on. That Port Ellen was only … Continue reading
Legendary Laphroaig: 1970 Samaroli vs 1967 Samaroli
This particular pairing is a long time coming. Even now I don’t feel really prepared for it. It’s an understatement to say these are sought after bottles, so good luck … Continue reading
Bowmore, 3 decades: 17yo Cooper’s Choice 1995/2013, Official 1965, 12yo Jewels of Scotland 1989
The slenderness of the spirit stills is a little surprising no? So the order for this line up is a bit strange. That’s not unexpected because Bowmore is one … Continue reading
Talisker: 30yo 2011release vs 27yo 1985 2013 Special Release
Back to the beautiful Isle of Skye. For nature buffs, I cannot recommend this stunning island enough, but you have to drive out to the remote corners of the island … Continue reading
Glendronach 19yo #3326 vs Glenfarclas 20yo ‘105’
Well now that whiskylive is over, and those who passed the weekend in a malty haze might start to think about what next to drink… Why these 2 in particular? … Continue reading
Caperdonich Boutique-y Batch 4 vs 20yo 1992 Berry Bros #121125
If you need any proof that the whisky making process is not fully understood consider the strange case of Caperdonich. Built next to Glen Grant, and at one time even … Continue reading
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