Intro

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Today we’re looking at Ardnamurchan, more particular the Ardnamurchan Sherry Cask. Ardnamurchan being a fairly new distillery but have already built up quite a reputation for themselves. Let’s find out if this bottling is any different?

Review

Tasting notes

On the nose, you get instant plums, some dry nuts and a light whiff of smoke. Going back to it again, there are also wood spices that mingle quite playfully with that gentle smoke.

On the palate, there’s a soft tickle of smoke – light and slightly heathery rather than heavy. Then the sherry influence starts to show up, bringing thick syrupy textures and classic sherry fruits like cherries and plums. Towards the end, the dry nuts come back again and round it all off nicely.

The finish is medium long, leaving you behind with the taste of the peat intermingled with those wood spices.

Wrap up

Ardnamurchan is such an interesting distillery who just can do no wrong it seems. This release is no different, it’s very tasty with various layers leaving you wanting for another dram. At an interesting price and 50% ABV this is a whisky I would definitely recommend!

Score: 87/100

Arran 10 Local Barley

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Intro

We’re all familiar with local barley varities of our favorite brands. Today we’re visiting the Isle of Arran with their 10 year old local barley. It’s made with Optic barley.

Review

Tasting notes

On the nose, there’s plenty of white fruits together with ripe apples and some honeycomb sweetness. There’s also a cereal note lingering in the background, giving it a slightly malty character.

The palate starts with a little pepper before moving back into those apples once more. It’s creamy and buttery, with cereals returning again. Towards the end there’s a small bitterness from the oak, but nothing overpowering or unpleasant.

The finish is medium long, leaving behind honey together with some gentle oak spices.

Wrap up

The first Arran local barley is a very enjoyable dram which sits well at it’s 50% ABV. It’s one that can be enjoyed on various occasions, I’ve even enjoyed it in an Old Fashioned. It’s not a very complex whisky, but it’s a nice and smooth whisky that you can just sit and enjoy!

Score: 86/100

The GlenAllachie 2026 Spirit of Speyside Single Cask

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Intro

For World Whisky Day, I felt it was the ideal occasion to have a dram of this festival bottling! Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend in person and instead ordered it online from the distillery website. At the moment of writing, it’s still available. At €252 without shipping, it’s not the cheapest whisky, but for a 22-year-old single cask bottling matured in a PX cask, I feel it’s a fair price.

Review

Tasting notes

On the nose, it’s unmistakable that this whisky has some heavy Pedro Ximénez influence! Boy, what a treat! There are dark ripe fruits, some dark brown sugar syrup, with honey hiding in the background. I even get some Turkish Delight.

The palate continues with all the sugary goodness. There are dates, dried raisins, thick syrup and plums, and while you’re enjoying all those typical PX influences, there’s also some coffee. Coffee, but as if I’ve dipped some chocolate in it and I’m savouring that chocolate while sipping my hot coffee.

The finish is long, leaving behind sweetness, coffee, honey and dark chocolate. It’s inviting me to take another sip!

Wrap up

This Spirit of Speyside bottling from The GlenAllachie hit the nail right on the head. It’s a phenomenal PX cask that delivers exactly those notes we expect from this style of maturation. The master of maturation has once more delivered a stunning sherry-influenced bottling.

Score: 90/100

Springbank 18

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Intro

Today’s whisky needs little introduction: Springbank 18. Each annual release brings a new cask composition, and the 2026 edition is drawn from 50% bourbon casks, 45% sherry casks, and 5% rum casks.

Getting hold of Springbank is never straightforward, so I feel genuinely fortunate to have secured this bottle, especially at a very reasonable price.

Review

Tasting notes

On the nose, I’m greeted by orange zest and chocolate, instantly bringing to mind Pim’s cakes—those small sponge cakes filled with orange marmalade and topped with chocolate. There’s also a gentle floral note of heather, alongside hints of old, crackled leather, adding depth and maturity.

The palate leans further into those citrus notes, but here they begin to evolve. Orange gives way to more tropical flavours, with a distinct suggestion of pineapple custard. Dark chocolate emerges again—closer to a 70% cocoa style slightly bitter, yet well-balanced and thoroughly enjoyable.

The finish is medium in length, lingering with a satisfying interplay of chocolate and fruit, leaving you immediately tempted to go back for another sip.

Wrap up

The Springbank 18 is a well balanced and characterful expression, showcasing why Springbank is so popular and sought after. From it’s evocative nose to it’s evolving, chocolate-laced palate and inviting finish. This is a whisky that rewards time and attention. It’s one that is as satisfying to savour as it is hard to come by

Score: 88/100

Tomatin Spirit of Scotland

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Intro

In front of us is a Spirit of Scotland bottling from Tomatin Distillery. Distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2026, it’s a 12-year-old expression that has spent its entire maturation in a refill bourbon barrel, before being released at 58.1% ABV.

Back in the 1970s, Tomatin was the largest distillery in Scotland, operating 23 stills and reaching a production capacity of around 12 million litres per year. Let’s see how all of this translates in this single cask bottling!

Review

Tasting notes

When nosing this whisky, I’m presented immediately with orchard fruits, apples, pears and some peach. Brown sugar, almost caramelized, like you have a hot pancake and pour brown sugar on it.

On the palate we get more of caramel, honey and some light gentle cinnamon spice. A slight hint of crème brûlée is also present. The white fruits are also there in the end, a big juicy red apple! The finish is medium, leaving is with more of the caramel notes

Wrap up

This Tomatin bottling had several layers to it and was easy to enjoy. The alcohol was perfectly integrated making it for a very enjoyable drink. This is a drink you can easily enjoy on your own, with friends. However the latter would most likely leave you with not much left at the end of evening…

Score: 86/100

Glen Spey Spirit of Scotland

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Intro

Today we’re looking at Spirit of Scotland’s third single cask release. Once again matured in a refill bourbon barrel, this time for 11 years, it comes in at a robust 57.4% ABV—just shy of the 60% mark.

Glen Spey Distillery began life as an oatmeal mill (the Mill of Rothes) in 1878 before being converted into a distillery. Today, the vast majority of its production is destined for J&B blends.

Review

Tasting notes

The nose is giving me a bit of a funky note, reminding me of wet cardboard. Caramel, vanilla pudding reminding us about the bourbon cask influence. There is also a herbal touch, reminding me of fresh cut grass.

In the mouth we get some lemon zeste, then there is the feeling I had a big gulp of caramel in my mouth. Both from the taste and mouthfeel! It feels very thick and syrupy. I’m getting white fruits, almost like a pear tart. The finish is quite long and full of honey and caramel.

Wrap up

I think this was my first Glen Spey and I was pleasantly surprised! It had some character and depth to it. Despite being at a high alcohol percentage, but it was perfectly drinkable at cask strength.

Score: 84/100

Strathmill Spirit of Scotland

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Intro

Following Following on from the Glendullan release, today we have a Strathmill Distillery bottling from Spirit of Scotland.

This 14-year-old expression comes in at 56.8% ABV and has spent its entire maturation in a refill bourbon barrel. Strathmill, part of the Diageo portfolio, produces the majority of its spirit for use in blends.

Review

Tasting notes

The nose present us with a lot of bourbon influences this time. Sweet butter cookies, crème brûlée. The alcohol is present, but it’s well integrated; no nose prickles!

On the palate the crème brûlée continues, as well as honey comb. There is a bit of a pink pepper present too. It’s quite thick and oily, however the finish is short and only leaving us with the bourbon influences of honey and some vanillines.

Wrap up

This dram was already a step up from the Glendullan, as that to my personal taste was too woody, despite being “only” 12 years old. It’s a dram I’d recommend if you don’t want an overly complex whisky, to enjoy but not spend too much time thinking about it.

Score: 83/100

Glendullan Spirit of Scotland

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Intro

Spirit of Scotland released their second batch of their Cask Strength, Single Casks at competitive prices recently. Today we’re having a look at Glendullan, a distillery not widely known yet it produces 3.7 million litres per year. However, most of it goes into blends for Diageo. This bottling is a 12 year old, bottled at 55.3% ABV.

Review

Tasting notes

The nose has a freshness to it, a bit of sour reminding me of green apples like Granny Smith. Pencil shavings are also present. A little bit of sweet vanilla tart notes are present intermingled with the pencil shavings.

On the palate we get more of the pencil shavings and some heavy roast coffee, a bit of the tart notes are presenting themselves in the finish but the taste is dominated by the wood notes.

Wrap up

I’m wondering if this cask was re-charred before refilling it and the char level was a bit too intense and therefore the predominant taste. I’m also not familiar with the Glendullan spirit, but I think it’s a quite delicate spirit, being overpowered a bit by the cask possibly.

Score: 82/100

Springbank 100 proof (2025 batch)

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Intro My first review is one from Springbank, that mythical distillery everyone raves about… Luckily this bottle is relatively easily to pick up compared to other of their bottlings. It’s a bottle I didn’t mean to pick up at first, as I was quite hesitant to pick up such a young Whisky. But after having … Read more