Tastes

Douglas Hyde, the 1st President of Ireland, serves as namesake of this independently bottled single malt from Cooley distillery - and he'd be proud! Hibernia Distillers presents Hyde 10 as unmistakably Irish whiskey that delivers an intense nose of ripe peaches, creamy vanilla and grassy/floral notes. The sherry finish adds chocolate and hints of spices. Fresh and substantial in the arrival, the taste develops fruity, honeyed and bittersweet before finishing with well-measured oak influence. What's missing? Well, a more affordable price tag and real character. RATING: 3.5/5.0 stars ≙ 84 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE

What happens when a 'blend filler' distillery starts to bottle single malts? Right, they get a problem with the caliber of their casks (mainly refill ex-bourbon). Luckily, Tomintoul 16 is more sherry-influenced than its 10-year-old brother. On the nose, you get dark fruits with hints of walnuts and marzipan, heather honey and very distant peatiness. The taste is light and sweet with grainy citrus, cornflakes and some crisp oak. Vanilla, spices and mild tannins accompany the modest finish. An easy sipper that appears younger than the age statement suggests. RATING: 3.2/5.0 stars ≙ 81 pts → AVERAGE [+]

Eimverk distillery named their young malt after Flóki Vilgerðarson, the first Norseman settler who came to Iceland. Too young to be called 'whisky', this spirit spent about 1-2 years in virgin American oak casks, which are then used to mature their older stock. The aroma is minty-fresh with hints of juniper, vanilla and newly assembled furniture (IKEA). Young, crisp and oily on the palate, there is a delightful herbal freshness that migrates into the mineral and resin-bitter finish. Flóki is definitely an unusual dram that unfortunately comes with a hefty price tag. RATING: 2.9/5.0 stars ≙ 78 pts → AVERAGE [-]

As workhorse of the blend industry, Tomintoul is one of the lesser-known Speyside distilleries. The nose of this 10-year-old expression is simple, muted and primarily fruity. Grapes, banana and hints of refined sugar intermingle with distant floral notes. Tasting thin, fragile and almost watery, this dram behaves like a blended Scotch. Mildly bitter spices, fudge and grainy citrus give way to a modest, nutty and refill cask-dominated finish that is still the best part of the experience. Not quite sure what to make of it. Was this whisky meant to be sold as a single malt? RATING: 2.7/5.0 stars ≙ 76 pts → SUBPAR [+]

Islay's youngest distillery (ESTḌ 2005) presents its 'Machir Bay' NAS expression with 46% ABV, natural color and non-chill filtered. Fairly simple on the nose, you get earthy, dusty peat smoke with lime juice and honey. The arrival is fresh, slightly spirity but well-composed with sweet spices, dry peatiness and some salted peanuts. Tasting briny, peppery and aromatic in the development, the finish is clean with slowly fading notes of dark chocolate and smoked ham. Kilchoman is definitely getting there, though rather expensive for such a young whisky. RATING: 3.5/5.0 stars ≙ 84 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE

Why do you bottle a rather expensive 18-year-old single malt at thin 40% ABV, add E150a colorant and chill-filter it? Big question mark! Light but subtle in the aroma, there is a dominating note of overripe apples with some cinnamon, vanilla cream and hints of Oloroso casks in the background. Orange zest and a touch of cider characterize the aromatic arrival, followed by restrained fruitiness and a medium-length finish with mildly bitter wood spices. Altogether somewhat boring and without big complexity, Glenfiddich's 15yo Solera Vat is a better value. RATING: 3.4/5.0 stars ≙ 82 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE [-]

The Classic Laddie comes in a stylish turquoise bottle with strong 50% ABV, natural color and no chill-filtration. That's a good start. On the nose, you get rich barley sugar, toasted bread and baked apple intermingled with heather honey, candy floss and floral notes. After a minty-fresh, astringent and zesty arrival, the taste develops bland and one-dimensional. Young, spirity and lacking body, Bruichladdich's NAS expression disappoints with a swift, aromatic and unpleasantly bitter finish. It's not a bad Islay whisky, but where are age and substance? RATING: 3.2/5.0 stars ≙ 81 pts → AVERAGE [+]

From time to time, it can be useful to 're-calibrate' our sense of smell and taste with a simple, easy blended Scotch. Famous Grouse features a light and fuzzy nose with some toffee sweetness, coal smoke and hints of citrus fruits. On the palate, the use of exhausted, old casks becomes quite obvious. Thin, malty and dominated by grain whisky, there are faint notes of brown sugar, maple syrup and ash that lead into a plain, uninspiring and honey bitter finish. It's not the worst blend there is, but a strong reminder why I am a single malt aficionado. RATING: 2.5/5.0 stars ≙ 74 pts → SUBPAR

If you are on a malt treasure hunt, watch out for the word 'discontinued'. GlenDronach 15 was easily the best whisky of the distillery's core range. The nose is overwhelmingly complex with balsamic vinegar, overripe berries, raisins, maraschino cherries and a touch of mint. A rich and powerful sherry arrival underscores the caliber of the casks used in maturation. Notes of coffee, dark chocolate, cinnamon and walnuts mingle with dried fruits, herbs and tannins. Substantial, savory and pleasantly spicy in the finish, this bottling is a real beauty of a single malt! RATING: 4.5/5.0 stars ≙ 91 pts → SUPERB

Oh. My. God. On our whisky journey, there eventually comes a moment where we instantly realize: this is it. The one single malt we have always been looking for. Caol Ila 30 is the crown of the distillery's OB (bottle no. 0181, 55.1% ABV). Smoldering bonfire smoke, zesty citrus fruits and notes of an old, earthy salt cellar enchant the nose. On the palate, the sweet and sour arrival migrates towards vegetal peatiness with well-balanced, mildly bitter wood spices. And the finish? Excellent. Intense, aromatic and slowly abating. Dare I say perfect? Slàinte! RATING: 5.0/5.0 stars ≙ 95 pts → PERFECT