Ben Nevis 34 yo 1966 / 2000 #3663 vs Ben Nevis 10 yo 2002 / 2013 #334 White Port Pipe matured
Ben Nevis often suffers the ignominy of being an ‘alternative’ Malt rather than a first go-to choice, but those who know recognize its potential for a full and big boned … Continue reading
Tamnavulin 20yo 1991 / 2011 Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice vs Tamnavulin-Glenlivet 1967 / 1986 “The Old Mill” #1456-1459
Tamnavulin is one of the newer distilleries built in the 60s with the idea of being a major blend component and therefore it’s 6 large stills were intended for a … Continue reading
Ord Over 16, 1998/2014, Selected by Simon & Phil vs Ord 40 yo 1965 / 2005 ‘Bouquet’ Samaroli
Glen Ord … somewhat ignored by it’s owners, somewhat looked over by enthusiasts, which is all a shame because it’s one of those distilleries that has a stellar (but spotty?) … Continue reading
Thompson Brothers: Glenlivet Solera drawn 1994, Springbank solera 1950-1978 drawn 1996, Glen Mhor 1937/1959
The Thompson brothers, Phil and Simon, proprietors of the Dornoch Castle Hotel Bar and new distillers operating the Dornoch Distillery, have in their various travels and searching, acquired three examples … Continue reading
Berlin 2018: Dalmore 35 yo 1965 Big Market, Glen Mhor 34 yo 1966 OMC, Fettercairn 30 yo 1972 #2895, Fettercairn 29 yo 1973 #1966, Glencadam 38yo 1974 The Admiral’s Cask, Port Ellen 26yo 1983 Thosop, Glen Ord 1975 Prenzlow, Brora 37 yo 2015 Special Release, Glen Grant 33 yo 1965 Big Market, Tamdhu 9 yo 1984 Big Market, Macallan 12 yo 1990 Big Market, Inverleven 21yo 1966 Cadenhead, Glentauchers 20yo 1965 Cadenhead, Port Ellen 24 yo 1978 2nd Release
So it was Limburg weekend just a fortnight ago. Those who follow the various Whisky groups on social media would know it was a wonderfully frenetic weekend of excess that … Continue reading
V.S.O Scotch Whisky (Glen Mhor) 1917 95 proof vs Glen Mhor 30 yo 1966 For the 30th Anniversary of Bar Metro
In what may turn out to be an ill-advised session, and because these are the only two Glen Mhor I have on hand. Glen Mhor is of course closed and … Continue reading
Ardbeg Twenty Something 23 yo 46.3% vs Ardbeg 14 yo 1994/2008 Cadenhead 58.3%
Brand new ‘groovy’ Ardbeg is out and I’m playing catch up with Twenty Something, which is really actually 23 years old… Ardbeg Twenty Something 23 yo 46.3% Pre notes conclusion: … Continue reading
Mezcal Siete Misterios Mezcal Espadin 48% vs Siete Misterios Mezcal Doba-Yej 2013 45.5%
Siete Misterios Mezcal Espadin 48% Espadin is a Agave varietal that is commonly used for Mezcal, most bottlers or distillers would have an Espadin offering in their line up. Nose: … Continue reading
Bunnahabhain 35 yo 1974/2009 A.D Rattray #7111 vs Bunnahabhain 39 yo 1976/2016 Cadenhead Small Batch
Some coincidence but a number of friends have opened some 70s Bunnahabhain recently, which is a happy thing to have as early 70s Bunnahabhain are usually excellent, and for some … Continue reading
Brora 40 yo 1972 59.1% for 13th March, a very special day
Wow would you look at the date. It’s been a busy and eventful couple of weeks, but today’s tasting is to mark a very special occasion. My family becomes four. … Continue reading
Balmenach 26 yo 1988 Signatory for The Whisky Exchange #3242 vs Balmenach 1979 / 2009 Berry Brothers #155 + 156
Balmenach is another distillery one does not hear much about, other than the very occasional independent bottling. There is no core range, no vintage focus, no great history, though it … Continue reading
Highland Park 27 yo 1974 / 2001 Silver Seal First Bottling vs Highland Park 18 yo 1976 / 1994 Cadenhead #4648
A funny thing I have found with Highland Park is that the official bottlings are blended with a specific house style in mind – which is normal – but the … Continue reading
Macallan 1977/1992 Samaroli ‘Matured in sherry wood’ vs Macallan 25 yo 1976/2001 Silver Seal First Bottling
The traditional house style of Macallan is dominated by sherry cask maturation. It is to these beautiful whiskies beloved of Michael Jackson that I turn to after a very interesting … Continue reading
Mezcal: Del Maguey Wild Papalome vs Del Maguey Wild Tepextate
Tequila and Mezcal are distilled from the crushed cooked and fermented Agave plant. But while Tequila must be made from the Blue Agave, Mezcal may be made from any variety. … Continue reading
60s Longmorn: Longmorn 38 yo 1968/2006 SMWS 7.35 vs Longmorn-Glenlivet 1966/1985 Moon Import
60s Longmorn are brilliant, but sadly also usually second fiddle to the other stunning whiskies distilled in the 60s. Longmorn 38 yo 1968/2006 SMWS 7.35 49.8% (Photo: whiskyonlineauctions) Nose: Massively … Continue reading
Inter war Glen Grants: Glen Grant 35 yo ‘straight neck’ Gordon & Macphail vs Glen Grant 42 yo Gordon & Macphail
Glen Grant is one of very few distilleries for which a ‘liquid record’ can be traced to early in the 20th century, thanks to the old independent bottlers like Gordon … Continue reading
Ledaig 9 yo 2004/2013 Old Malt Cask ref 10058 vs Ledaig 12 yo 2004/2017 The Whisky Lounge
Ledaig is an excellent heavily peated whisky that is bound to surprise those only familiar with Islay. We even have an accomplished Ledaig collector on our little tropical island, whose … Continue reading
Laphroaig 31 yo 1974 for LMdW 49.7%
As the Earth makes a full round and now continues in its orbit around the Sun, glad tidings to all mankind this new 2018! Just going to have a single … Continue reading
Brora 21 yo 1981/2003 Signatory #1422 vs Brora 24 yo 1972 Connoisseurs Choice 40%
Boxing Day Brora? Brora 21 yo 1981/2003 Signatory Un-Chillfiltered Collection #1422 46% Nose: Note this is a completely different style from early 70s Brora, this one is unpeated and much … Continue reading
Clynelish 28 yo 1965/1993 Signatory #666 50.7% vs Clynelish 23 yo 1965/1989 Cadenhead 51.7%
I’ve been itching to do 1965 Clynelish (ie old Clynelish, the one that was renamed Brora) head to head, unfortunately it is not easy to find these old ones. Ideally … Continue reading
Bowmore 35 yo 1968 Celtic Heartlands vs Bowmore 30 yo Sea Dragon
Bowmore 35 yo 1968 Celtic Heartlands 40.6% This was a range personally selected by Jim McEwan of some stunning old 60s whiskies, bottled at the Bruichladdich plant. The Bowmore naturally … Continue reading
Glen Ord 28 yo Special Release 2003 vs Glen Ord 30 yo Special Release 2005
I read with some interest that in Glen Ord’s long history of distilling, such was it’s quality that it was sold throughout the British Empire, including in Singapore, by the … Continue reading
Lagavulin Feis Ile 2013 vs Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2013
Feis Ile is an annual Islay Festival that draws crowds to an otherwise much quieter Islay to celebrate music, Scottish culture and especially in the last decade, the whisky of … Continue reading
Glen Scotia 37 yo 1972 / 2010 Malts of Scotland #1926 vs Glen Scotia 25 yo 1992 / 2017 The Whisky Agency & The Whisky Exchange
I don’t think we have ever seen a concerted push for Glen Scotia to rise from the third shelf.. Its owners seem to have a start and fizzle approach: revamped … Continue reading
Del Maguey Vida Mezcal vs Del Maguey Espadin Especial Mezcal
The more I drink this stuff the more I am convinced on the overall quality of single origin Mezcal. Del Maguey Vida Mezcal 42% Nose: This is about as friendly … Continue reading
Bunnahabhain 1974 / 2014 Samaroli Infinity #604 vs Bunnahabhain 1968 / 2002 Auld Acquaintance
Bunnahabhain always seemed to want a bit of age to me. It could just be me, but upwards of 30 seems to be the sweet spot for where Bruichladdich is … Continue reading
Glendullan 1997 Connoisseurs Choice vs Glen Keith 1993 Connoisseurs Choice
The Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice series is an old one that’s been refreshed many times over. We’ve seen the original brown paper label iteration under which many old 60s and … Continue reading
Del Maguey San Pedro Taviche Mezcal vs Del Maguey Minero Mezcal
Mezcal is the distilled product from a mash made from the agave plant in Mexico. The better known Tequilla is therefore technically a Mezcal but can only be made in … Continue reading
Rosebank 21 yo 1992 Directors Cut Douglas Laing #10146 vs Rosebank 22 yo 1991 Mackillops Choice #271
For a while now I’ve wondered why Rosebank never rose to the same level of desirability as Brora and Port Ellen. It could be because Rosebank’s later style is one … Continue reading
Laphroaig 34 yo 1975/2010 Gentle Noses #1035 Jack Weibers vs Laphroaig 20 yo 1965 Intertrade ~ 1985
I know people who can’t handle any peaty whisky but when I give them a 70s Laphroaig, they discover they do like it very much after all. Is it just … Continue reading
Clynelish 30 yo 1972 Murray McDavid 46% vs Clynelish 37 yo 1972/2009 The Whisky Exchange ’80 proof’ ‘Ten Years Online’ 46%
A recent discussion: Whisky does not need to be at cask strength to be great. So true. I find it’s the quality of the distillation that matters. And the wood … Continue reading
Ardbeg 14 yo Cadenhead 80 proof vs Ardbeg 11 yo 1975/1986 Corti Brothers 86 proof
2 hard to find Ardbegs from the early 70s, so I suspect going to be very good, but just how good: Ardbeg 14 yo Cadenhead 80 proof A mini, though … Continue reading
Royal Brackla 18yo 1993/2012 Signatory #6755 vs Royal Lochnagar 23yo 1973/1997 Rare Malts
For want of sufficient samples of both royal distilleries, I’ve gone and put them together. Not sure it’s really a good idea as we know Royal Brackla is prime blending … Continue reading
Glenlivet ‘An Unbended All Malt’ Baretto import vs Glenlivet 1966 Gordon & Macphail
First Glenlivet post, I can’t believe it myself, took long enough. (slmaonline.com) Plenty of ‘famous’ distilleries now, but up to the 1980s many single malts were labelled with the ‘ … Continue reading
Laphroaig 21 (200th Anniversary 2015) vs Laphroaig 17 yo 1987 for Monnier Trading
Laphroaig 21 yo, 200th Anniversary 2015 48.4% Nose: After a fruity 15 yo and a rather sweet 18 yo, what cloth is the 21 cut from? A cleaner less loud … Continue reading
Bruichladdich 1970 vs Bruichladdich 15 yo 1965 Moon Import decanter ‘Royal Wedding’
I quite like the Bruichladdichs from the independents, distilled in the early 90s and ONLY those matured in refill bourbon. Fresh, elegant and fruity, and very honest. Older Bruichladdichs are … Continue reading
‘Old Highland Cream’ Special Reserve 24 yo ‘Xmas 1950’ vs Ardmore 20 yo 1968/1988 Dun Eideann #5490+5491
I love Wednesdays… that are also National Days… ‘Old Highland Cream’ Special Reserve 24 yo, dated Xmas 1950, for the Directors of Teachers The suspicion is that this is a … Continue reading
Clynelish 22 yo 1989/2011 The Whisky Agency ‘Moody Lions’ vs Clynelish 27 yo 1982/2010 The Perfect Dram
As far as whisky goes, I am convinced Clynelish, together with it’s silent alter ego, are clearly the jewels of the Northern Highlands. Will the new Dornoch distillery – whose … Continue reading
Glen Keith 20 yo 1992/2013 Master of Malt Single Cask #120598 vs Glen Keith 20 yo 1995/2016 Douglas Laing Old particular #DL11169
Glen Keith is another ‘new’ distillery, if you just for a moment ignore the plethora of distilleries planned and opened this boom side of the 2010s. Construction started in 1957 … Continue reading
Bowmore 38 yo 1957 #216-220 vs Bowmore ‘Sherriff’s’ 7 yo Cogis import
Two not just old Bowmore, but proper old old, distilled in the later bit of the 50s. While the 60s is still more or less obtainable if you are willing to … Continue reading
Kilchoman Machir Bay vs Lagavulin 8 yo ‘200th Anniversary’
Young peated Islay. Kilchoman is still the newest distillery on Islay, built 2005, last time anyone tried to do so was some 120 year prior. The trend is not lost … Continue reading
Laphroaig 10yo Mario Rossi import vs Laphroaig 10yo Filippi Fausto import
2 old Laproaig 10 year old Italian imports, what’s with all these names? They were the importer companies in their respective periods, which may in fact overlap! Laphroaig 10yo Mario … Continue reading
Lim Eiling 27yo Single Malt Irish Whiskey 1989/2016 vs Lim Eiling 22yo Single Malt Irish Whiskey 1991/2014
Thanks to Lim Eiling, beloved wife of Luc Timmermans, and also first independent bottler in Malaysia, we in Asia now have a great range of well presented whiskies that’s somewhat … Continue reading
Tomatin Legacy vs Tomatin 18 yo
There’s an old theory the whisky companies tried to perpetuate some years ago, that people come to whisky through the gentle lowlanders first and then take baby steps before arriving … Continue reading
Jura 8 yo 70 proof 26 2/3 fl. oz. vs Jura 26 yo Stillman’s Dram 1965 45%
The Isle of Jura distillery can be found on the South Eastern end of Jura overlooking Small Isles Bay and that nearly 10km of Atlantic that separates it from mainland … Continue reading
Hakushu 18yo vs Hakushu 25 yo
With Japanese whisky soaring in popularity, I don’t think any introduction is required for Hakushu. Just a reminder of the sibling relationship to Yamazaki, something you might notice in the … Continue reading
Glen Garioch 40 yo 1971/2011 for The Whisky Exchange #2038 vs Glen Garioch 30yo 1978/2009
Glen Garioch is another distillery we can thank for some fantastic stuff distilled in the 70s. Very much worth searching out in my view. We know Glen Garioch was producing … Continue reading
St. Magdalene 30 yo 1982/2013 Douglas Laing Old & Rare vs St. Magdalene 25 yo 1982/2008 Blackadder butt # 2180
Out of action following a very busy season, followed by a severe nose killing flu. Back now, and looking for a challenge, so St. Magdalene it is. I know some … Continue reading
Caol Ila 17 yo 1995/2013, The Whisky Agency vs Caol Ila 33 yo 1979, Malts of Scotland, #12022
Caol Ila is another old faithful on Islay. Everybody knows the scale of production here, yes it’s huge, some say industrial. You know in perusing whisky related content online, I … Continue reading
Inchmurrin That Boutique-y Whisky Company Batch 1 vs Inchmurrin 31 yo 1966/1997 Scotch Malt Whisky Society 112.1
Inchmurrin is peated Loch Lomond, or rather one of Loch Lomond’s peated variants. It was supposed to be a medium peated and aperitif style, but who knows really, I haven’t … Continue reading
