Tastes

Nose: Quite a gentle combination of fruity aromas (apples, peaches, pears) with a hint of vanilla and oak spice. Water releases sweet orange and fresh-milled barley grist. Fresh, soft and relaxing overall. Palate: Easy on the arrival with sweet cereal and citrus notes, it turns spicy in the development with a wave of cinnamon, nutmeg and a sprinkling of white pepper. It does not become sharp, but there is a soft tannic presence that turns bitter/sour towards the finish. The texture is nothing special. Adding water greatly improves the palate by developing sweetness and knitting everything together. It also brings out more spices - cloves, allspice and anise (but quite mild). Finish: Short. Dry malty notes when neat. With water the finish is more gradual (but still short) and the aftertaste is sweeter and creamy with a hint of citrus. The official tasting notes here are accurate, but I wouldn't score this whisky quite as highly. Initially I thought this was a pretty average malt with little of interest happening, but it improved over time, particularly with the addition of a teaspoon of water. Tasted from a 30ml sample. Until recently this was just under $100 here, but now it is around $135 and at that price it is outclassed by the competition and I would not recommend it. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)

Nose: Orange water, dilute honey, malt and vanilla. The nose is very shy when first poured but gains quite a bit of weight after it has rested for a while. Warm malty notes emerge together with a well-integrated sherry and leather quality that is very pleasant. With more time a definite waxiness appears. [The dry-glass aroma is hefty sherried honey and malt with a wisp of smoke]. Palate: A very soft, sweet, silken and luxurious arrival with gallons of sweet orange juice and some leathery sherried malt. The development is meagre when first poured due to the low proof and the whisky needs time to open in the glass before the development's full potential is realized. Once it has opened there are sultana, red cherry, raisin, plum and grassy notes and the same waxiness that is detectable on the nose appears in the palate. The excellent initial texture fades and turns slightly oily but thin. Finish: Medium/short. Honeyed malt and herbal notes with a breath of spice that quickly disappears. The nose is very good indeed but the palate, whilst delightful, is cruelly hamstrung by the low proof and the finish is sadly abbreviated. It is a subtle malt, however, and it needs a surprising amount of time to open. The nose (which is elegant and fine to begin with) improves markedly after 20 minutes gaining depth and fullness. The palate also improves but this expressionis criminally weak. If it was released at 46% abv (or more) it would be a magnificent dram that could rival Highland Park 18 and the better Old Pulteneys. What a crying shame. As it stands it's a very good malt but it doesn't quite make it to excellent. If it was priced below AUD$200 I'd say it was a reasonable buy, but the current price of $250 it is simply too much for what it is. However, if it was bottled at 46% it would probably challenge anything else in the $250 bracket and become a recommended buy. "Very Good" : 85/100 (4 stars)

Nose: Very light honey, pollen, beeswax, cereal. A hint of weak orange herbal tisane and a little background oak as it opens. Palate: The palate is very much the same as the nose. Sweet and soft on the arrival, which is mostly mildly spiced honey and light malt. Nothing new emerges in the development - the spicy, dry mead-like character expands briefly then subsides into the finish. The texture has a dilute creamy nature, but the honey tones are crisp. Finish: Short. Mild citrus and honey. The palate fades away until suddenly you notice it has completely vanished. A soft, slightly sweet malt that is very easy to drink. It's certainly well made and there are no off notes anywhere but it lacks complexity and the finish is short. You certainly don't need water either - it tastes a little thin to me and I cannot help but wonder how delightful this profile could be at 46%. If you want a very approachable whisky as a nightcap, or if you are just starting out and looking for something that is rewarding but not challenging, then you could do a lot worse then Aberfeldy 16. However if you are an experienced whisky drinker who is only interested in assertive whiskies that offer a challenge then give this a miss. "Above Average" : 81/100 (3 stars)

Nose(neat): A commanding and warmly aromatic combination of oak, oloroso sherry, blackstrap molasses and dark chocolate with big spice notes of exotic origin rumbling in the background - curry spices, freshly ground cardamom, coriander, cumin and cinnamon. There is a spirity tightness and strong prickle from the alcohol volume, which is to be expected, and it makes the nose difficult to penetrate at first. Over time it opens to reveal a little vanilla and some citrus hints. Nose (watered): Much softer with the addition of just a dash of water. Orange juice, red berries, dried apricots and a hint of anise appear. Over time the oak notes re-assert. [The dry-glass aroma is maple syrup toffee]. Palate (neat): Whip-crackingly spicy with effervescent white pepper and sharp dark fruit notes. As the alcohol subsides it develops into a rounder and even more fruit-driven dram featuring a whole packet of mixed dried fruits soaked in oloroso sherry. The palate expands in the direction of bitter marmalade sprinkled with coffee crystals and the texture is well-poised, never venturing anywhere near cloying sweetness. Palate (watered): Delicious semi-sweet sherried fruits, roasted nuts and marzipan. Tropical fruits, gingerbread and warm soft spices. The texture gains creaminess but there is always the reassuring grip of really good oak casks holding everything together. Over time as it evolves it gains more sweetness. Masterfully constructed. Finish (neat): Medium/long. Warming and juicy with milder spice and sherry notes. There is a slightly flinty hardness in the aftertaste and a dark cacao flavour which eventually gives way to juicy dark fruit. Finish (watered): The only substantial differences are the disappearance of the flinty note and appearance of juicy fruit flavours, with an accompanying sweeter aftertaste. This is the first Tamdhu I've tasted that I've really enjoyed, and I enjoyed it a lot. The previous expressions I've tasted have seemed lazy, shy, unbalanced and lacking in presence, but there is none of that here. This is a big, hulking, dry sherry-monster - but an elegant one as well. He is easily tamed with a dash of water and then shows his more sensitive and subtle side. It has a very interesting and engaging progression and responds to dilution very well. It is also sparkling clean and the cask selection was impeccable - if you told me this was from a single cask I'd believe you. The nose is formidable and even when tasted neat the palate is not hot, although certainly intense. However I did prefer it with the addition of just half a teaspoon of water. This lost nothing of the assertive character but allowed a host of very agreeable sweeter and more delicate tones to also emerge. This is a delightful whisky that repays lengthy and thoughtful tasting. Tasted from a purchased 30ml sample. At the asking price it is excellent value and I've just ordered a full-size bottle. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars)

Nose: Sweet apple cider, pear juice, baked banana, fruit-flavoured bubblegum. Some light floral marshmallow-like notes but this is overwhelmingly a sweet fruity nose. Over time it tends to become more like cider vinegar. Palate: The arrival is light and slightly sweet with some fruity notes but a good deal of hard, gritty tannin. This gives way to more distinct apple flavours and pear in the development together with warmer spice notes. Apple and cinnamon muffins! It is crisp, but leaning towards harshness, and there is a cardboard note. It tastes like the cut was feinty and the texture is austere. Finish: Medium/short. Sweet but tannic and veering toward metallic. Cold overbrewed tea and a bitter/sour ale-like note in the aftertaste. This is young malt whisky intended for mixing. I think it is being blended from a younger selection of barrels now than when the expression was first released five years ago, and those barrels are from tired stock. I last had a bottle of this in 2016. It made a more positive impression then and my old tasting notes are similar to the majority of those on this site. There is less of the touted vanilla presence, particularly for bourbon casks, and I didn’t find it to be creamy in texture - sweet, yes, but more like apple juice. Adding water improves it by glossing over the faults but it’s fragile and a drop too much makes it fall apart. The best thing to do with this is mix it with cola, dry ginger or lemonade. The hard cereal and spice notes help it to cut through sugary soft drinks in the same manner as blended scotches that have a hard finish, and the result is a pleasantly balanced fruity/whisky flavour. I bought this on special but the normal retail price here is $72 and for that money there are a lot of much better malts. Glen Moray Classic Elgin or Crabbie's Yardhead are both considerably cheaper but knock this out in the first round. "Average" : 76/100 (2.5 stars)

Nose (neat): The scent of caraway seed cake baking as you walk through a pine forest. Surprisingly bright and resinous to start with and there is a distinct alcohol prickle, but that resolves into nutty and woody aromas over time. There's some toffee and leathery malt as well but this is crying out for dilution - the neat nose is wrapped as tight as can be. Nose (watered): Oh, that's better - waaaay better. Honey and the aroma of sweet flowering herbs. The leathery, spicy and toffee notes all sew together into a complex and very satisfying whole. Give this enough time and it veers towards the style of a north-east coast highlander. Palate (neat): Sweet grass and a lot of citrus (grapefruit especially) on the arrival. The high alcohol has to dissipate before the development kicks in and when it does it brings toasted bread, walnuts, and something like a high-proof sour-fruit liqueur. I've never actually tasted marine varnish (although I've painted enough of it) but if I had done so I imagine it would have tasted like this. There's a lot of various sharp spice notes swimming about as well - it's an unrelentingly powerful and busy palate. Palate (watered): Delicious - unrecognisable as the same whisky. Dried fruits, ripe bananas and earthy sherry underscoring a beautifully structured malt character. The spice is now much better managed and acts in a balancing and supporting role instead of shouting. As it develops, previously hidden coffee and dark chocolate notes emerge together with rough-cut Dundee marmalade. The texture is greatly improved. Finish (neat): Medium/long. More varnish and edgy spice notes, fading to a very slightly tannic aftertaste. Finish (watered): Medium/long. The varnish has disappeared and has been replaced by stewed pears. The overt tannic notes have retired and the aftertaste is a mild buzzy spice with cinnamon and clove apparent. Insane without water, lovely with it. I took this down a few drops at a time to what I'd estimate was somewhere in the 46% range. Once watered, give it time to sit and recompose and after 20 minutes or so it is most enjoyable. The palate, like the nose, moves much more towards a north-east character, somewhere between the townships of Wick and Brora. It is supposedly un-chillfiltered but the louche is minimal, so it must have aggressive barrier filtration. It continues to develop and open over time. I have to confess to not being a great fan of Glengoyne. I don't hate their whiskies at all, they just don't do much for me. This was certainly one of the better ones I've tasted but I prefer the 18 or the 21 year old expressions. They are both polished and refined from long maturation whereas this is a bit of a young thug. Still, for what it is the asking price is very reasonable and if you are a fan of the house style I can recommend this. Tasted from a purchased 30ml sample. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars) (but only when diluted)

Nose: A crisp, malty biscuit/cereal nose with fruit notes (mainly apple and a little lemon), some vanilla and a hint of mint. It's not particularly deep but it is clean and has no faults. When first poured there is the faintest possible rubbery note, but it dissipates very quickly. Palate: The arrival is cereal led, and like the nose is predominantly cereal/malty in character. There are fruit notes and these amplify in the development, gaining sweetness. The texture is neutral and has a good balance between light sweetness and faint spice. Finish: Medium/short. The finish shows some richer, buttery notes and more rounded fruit characteristics than the initial palate, but does not last long. The aftertaste is slightly sweet with a touch of apple juice. John Crabbie & Co is a resurrected whisky company. The name was bought in 2007 by Halewood Wines & Spirits which also owns Whitley Neill gin. The company ran spirit from their pilot distillery at Chain Pier in Granton in late 2018 which was the first distillery to be built in the Edinburgh area for 93 years. A new much larger facility is currently under construction in Leith. The company has released a range of whiskies, but of course everything so far is sourced and the distilleries of origin are not revealed. As for this expression, which is named after John Crabbie's original premises at Yardheads in Leith, I'd wager it is from Speyside. There is something very familiar about the profile but I can't quite put my finger on it - maybe it's Glenfarclas but it could just as easily be from several other distilleries. There's nothing at all wrong with this - it's quite pleasant as a daily sipper or session whisky and it mixes very well. It compares favourably with Monkey Shoulder or Naked Grouse, or with any number of introductory malts, and at the asking price it is good value. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)

Nose: Initially the nose is spritzy and very like apple cider with lots of orchard notes (pears and red apple skins). Over time, as it rests in the glass, grassy and cereal notes emerge together with some vanilla, a little oak and soft honey. Overall it brings to mind the smell of freshly baked apple pies, with grain being harvested in the distance. [The dry-glass aroma is cereal/fruity and very slightly smoky] Palate: Sweet, creamy arrival with a mild dusty malt note. Lots of sweet apples in the development (again, rather like apple cider) and a touch of very soft ginger spice. There are further orchard fruit and nutty flavours as it progresses and the texture is slightly creamy with the faintest taste of smoke. Finish: Medium/short. Fruity/sweet and fading into an aftertaste of weak black tea and golden syrup. A straightforward, unassuming malt that makes up for a lack of complexity by virtue of its disarming approachability. When it used to be available, the Royal Lochnagar Distiller's Edition was my whisky of choice for introducing novices to scotch single malt or as the first malt in a tasting flight. This is not as good as that expression, but it is still arguably better as a starter than the usual choices of Glenfiddich 12 or Glenmorangie Original. At the price it is reasonable value as an everyday dram. Along with Strathisla 12 it is also one of my favourite nightcap drams when I'm in the mood for something particularly sweet, easy and relaxing. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)

Nose: Initial honeyed tones followed closely by earthy, farmyard aromas and wildflowers (calliopsis). A slightly sour fermented-hay note and cooking oil in the background. There is a nutty ale-like aroma as well. There's a lot going on here but it takes a while to open. Palate: The arrival is faintly spicy together with herbal honey - rather like spiced mead - and it has a tannic, woody character that expands in the development. Sour/bitter malt with a metallic astringincy reminiscent of quince or unripe persimmon. The texture is both lightly oily and slightly gripping. Finish: Medium. The flinty fruitiness of the palate fades into an unusual herbal flavour that is what I would imagine chewing dandelions would taste like. An unusual malt that I disliked at first, then eventually came to appreciate, but never really enjoyed. It is a confused and confusing dram. The nose is basically floral in character but not in any manner that is typically encountered. It's not honeyed nor freshly floral, not light nor heavy. It's more acrid herbal, like the aroma of crushed daisies and there is an agricultural quality. I hesitate to use the word "funk" as it has become so deplorably overused in the last year or so that it has become a cliché, but yes - there is a sense of that here. The palate was inferior to the nose, being sharper and lacking heft. It's not what I'd call a balanced malt. Adding water did nothing for the nose - it muted what character was there into insignificance. I thought it did improve the palate, however, by plastering over the less agreeable notes. This was a hard one to rate. It does have individuality and character but while it is not actually flawed I didn't think it was very pleasant. I tasted it from a 30ml commercial sample and I'm thankful I don't have to regret having bought a whole bottle. When I was last in Edinburgh I had an opportunity to visit the distillery but did not do so. I went to the Scottish National Gallery with Mrs Cascode instead. It was the right choice. "Average" : 75/100 (2.5 stars)

Nose: Lemon, orange and mandarin, but not bright or sharp - more like the smell of old-fashioned home-made lemonade. Mango, pineapple and other tropical fruit and later a more floral aspect emerges with honeysuckle, frangipani and vanilla blossom aromas. Gentle oak, some musky sandalwood and coconut in support. Palate: A silky, deliciously sweet and creamy entry with crème brûlée and juicy sweet citrus in tandem. In the development a warm glow of mild sweet ginger and tropical fruits in natural juice comes forward edged by oatmeal cookies and a faint note of salt. The texture is glistening and satiny right through. It's not a particularly complex palate, but what is there is very good indeed. Finish: Long. Honey and fruit juice tail out into a creamy oak aftertaste. I buy around a dozen SMWS bottlings each year but although I usually have a bottle open I've never reviewed one here before. I'm not quite sure why - I guess it's a niche of a niche, and many of the bottles are local to specific areas, so it doesn't seem relevent. However in this case I'm reviewing the heels of this bottle as I ceremonially kill it off just so I have one representative SMWS review posted, and because I particularly liked this 9 year old expression of Linkwood. The name the SMWS tasting panel gave this bottle is 100% on target. It's a full-on tropical breakfast (on a sunny balcony overlooking a pristine beach, with a partner who has just applied sunscreen) and it's quite wonderful. The tasting notes I've given are for the neat dram, but apart from one quick neat taste for the experience I never drink these whistle-clean single-cask whiskies neat. In my opinion they don't reach their full potential without water, whether that is literally just a few drops or a good solid splash. In this case I found through trial and error (that's all part of the fun) that reducing it from 59.9% to just under 50% was the perfect spot for my tastes. Doing so lost none of the neat character, but on the contrary expanded it and added extra creaminess to the texture while removing the inevitable high-proof "nip". A very enjoyable whisky, now sadly finished but not to worry - the next SMWS bottle I open will be just as good, or maybe better (and occasionally not quite this good, but meh, c'est la vie). I've never had an SMWS bottle that I've rated less than 83/100, which for me is 3.5 on the 5 star scale here. "Very Good" : 87/100 (4.25 stars)