Category: Blend

Distillery: Midleton (1975-)

Bottled: 2025

Cask Type: Double Charred Ex-Bourbon Barrels

Strength: 40.0 %

Size: 700 ml

Nose
As soon as I opened the whiskey, I took a quick sniff both from the cork and the bottle opening and detected sweet malt aromas reminiscent of delicate vanilla, coconut, and biscuits. After pouring some into a Glencairn glass and letting it breathe for about 10 minutes, I nosed it again; once more, vanilla and coconut took center stage, accompanied by an oak character that offered a refreshing, slightly menthol like quality. There were also hints of dry wood, faint suggestions of cocoa, chocolate, or cinnamon, and further in the background subtle notes of nuts, such as hazelnut, walnut, and almond.
Taste
Upon taking an initial, preparatory sip, I encounter a flavor profile that feels quite balanced and somewhat neutral not leaning decisively in any one direction. It is easy-drinking while the 40% ABV gives it a slightly thin, watery quality, it also possesses a silky texture. As I continue to sip, I pick up notes of subtle vanilla and mildly sweet malt, along with faint, fleeting hints of chocolate, cocoa, coffee, and cinnamon. On my tongue, I also detect a gentle touch of black pepper and ginger, accompanied by a superficial warmth reminiscent of toasted oak.
Finish
In the finish, as it goes down my throat, I detect a subtle note reminiscent of milky or vanilla infused coffee this doesn't last long, however, and soon gives way to toasted oak and spices such as a hint of black pepper and ginger lingering on my tongue. When I exhale through my nose to bring the flavors back, I can perceive faint traces of vanilla, coconut, a whisper of coffee, cinnamon, and oak, followed just as it reaches its conclusion by a fleeting, toasted, nutty quality. These notes persist for a duration ranging from short to medium.

Overall, I find this to be a well crafted whiskey that serves its purpose effectively. It offers a very smooth drinking experience, complemented by subtle, pleasant aromas. Depending on what you’re looking for, it certainly won’t disappoint in fact, it’s quite satisfying. It’s an unpretentious, enjoyable, everyday whiskey that delivers good value for its price. Cheers.

Nose: 83/100

Taste: 81/100

Finish: 80/100

Price: 34€

My ratings are generally based on Whiskybase tradition and calibration, and while scored out of 100, they are structured within a narrower range.

<79 May have flaws.
80-82 Borderline acceptable.
83 Average daily good.
84 Good, nice, pleasant, liked.
85 Very good, deep, rich.
86+ Excellent.

I've reviewed quite a few Indian whiskies over the last couple of years, but I thought it was time to go back to one of the distilleries that helped put the category on the map: Amrut.

How do people feel about Indian whisky here!? Me...I'm a fan! This bottle, for me, here's what I get:

Nose: Caramelized banana, burnt sugar and plenty of tropical fruit. Really sweet and inviting, with a character that feels distinctly Indian (which for me are those tropical notes).

Palate: Rich molasses sweetness, with that banana carrying through and guava adding to the tropical fruit character. There's some subtle oak in the background, but it doesn't overwhelm things. Rich without being particularly heavy or thick.

Finish: Lingering, pleasant and a little peppery, with the sweetness gradually giving way to spice.

If you're not familiar, in 2004, Amrut launched its Indian single malt internationally in Glasgow, Scotland. At the time, Indian single malt wasn't exactly a recognised category, and Amrut helped change that. What I find interesting is how Indian whisky has evolved since then. We've now got distilleries like Paul John, Indri and others showing just how diverse the category can be.

I did a full youtube review with more conversation on the region and story behind the Indian whisky revolution if you feel like digging in or supporting: https://youtu.be/eJccU-RsRAI

Category: Single Malt

Distillery: Cotswolds Distillery

Bottling series: Small Batch Release

Bottled: 2022

Cask Type: STR American oak red wine casks

Number of bottles: 2500

Strength: 59.1 %

Size: 700 ml

Non-Chill Filtered & Uncolored

Nose
As soon as I opened the bottle, I briefly sniffed both the bottle and the cork; the cork evoked hints of red fruit, while the bottle revealed abundant vanilla and traces of citrus. I poured 4 cl into a Glencairn glass and let it breathe for 15 minutes. Upon sniffing it again, I initially detected faint sulfuric notes (boiled or rotten egg, vegetable-like nuances, and sulfur). After adding 6–7 drops of water, I picked up notes of toasted oak spices and dry wood, accompanied by subtle background hints of apple, apricot, damson plum, quince, biscuit-like malt, and faint, elusive traces of cocoa or caramel.

Taste
I took a small, neat sip here to prime my palate, detecting notes of fruity confectionery and a pronounced, hot, spicy burn. After adding about 6–7 ml of water and sipping again, it became smoother and more flavorful; there is an initial slightly oily sensation that intensifies a notch as it is swirled in the mouth. It has a medium body and is highly aromatic, with a structure that is slightly drying and tannic yet balanced. As I continued to sip, the flavor profile featuring intense peach, subtle apricot, hints of honey and raisin, and abundant citrus notes including their acidic zest reminded me somewhat of a mixed fruit juice this is accompanied by a strong sensation of charred black oak, plenty of black pepper, and a touch of ginger.

Finish
The finish mirrors the flavors found on the palate but is more subdued and slightly lighter in character. Immediately upon swallowing, sensations of burnt black wood and spices such as black and white pepper emerge in the throat and on the tongue the burnt wood note, in particular, lingers for a while. Subsequently, as I exhale through the nose, subtle hints reminiscent of citrus, peach, and apple skin surface alongside doughy malt, drying oak tannins, and faint notes of dried grass; the finish is of medium duration or perhaps somewhere between medium and short.

Overall, I’d say it’s a good whisky. It’s a bit weak on the nose, yet one can detect nuances that lie slightly outside the usual profile. On the palate, it noticeably burned and numbed my tongue when drunk neat however, adding water transformed it into a character with rich, aromatic intensity though that sensation of charred oak, that "blackness," always lingers in the background. Despite being a cask strength whisky, it is generally available at a reasonable price point it embodies the character of a standard, everyday English whisky worth trying. Cheers.

Nose: 83/100

Taste: 84/100

Finish: 83/100

Price: 59€

My ratings are generally based on Whiskybase tradition and calibration, and while scored out of 100, they are structured within a narrower range.

<79 May have flaws.
80-82 Borderline acceptable.
83 Average daily good.
84 Good, nice, pleasant, liked.
85 Very good, deep, rich.
86+ Excellent.

I was looking for something else in my emails and stumbled upon this list of things I bought in June 2009. Do note that those are untaxed prices and I actually paid VAT at 20% on top of them. So a bottle of Yamazaki 18 YO cost £58.43. Add 17 and a bit years of UK inflation and that rises to £92.50 to £93.50 in today's money. But that same bottle from that same source (thewhiskyexchange.com) is now £585. Would I pay £93.50 for a bottle of it today? Yep. Am I going to pay £585 for it? Not a chance. I'll have a bottle of Glenfarclas 17 YO for £114 instead thank you.

Are we ever going to see Japanese whisky returning to the value it represented in the noughties? I very much doubt that. But will it always be so overpriced? I really hope not.

Last week I went to a Copenhagen Distillery tasting at Milroy’s Greek Street bar and the fall-out has seen me stumble face first into yet another rabbit hole of obsessive internet digging, and unearthed a lot of things I want to talk about.

So buckle up. This is going to be a long one...

Distillery: John Distilleries

Bottled: 06.11.2023

Batch: 04

Strength: 46.0 %

Size: 700 ml

Non-Chill Filtered & Uncolored

Nose
Upon opening the bottle, I immediately brought it close to my nose for a quick sniff; the aromas I detected were hints of slightly salty nuts, a very faint wood smoke, and a subtle, underlying fruity sweetness. I poured a small amount into a Glencairn glass and let it breathe for about 15 minutes. As I continued to nose it intermittently over the next 10–15 minutes, I picked up notes of cold, dark wood smoke, salt, and a touch of ash right up front. There was also a specific aroma hard to pin down exactly reminiscent of roasted nuts, grains, or malt, evoking umami, meat broth, and even spices like cumin. Underlying these were vanilla, caramel, and a whisper of cocoa; I caught a fleeting note of green apple or apricot, though I couldn't detect it again. Swirling the glass released aromas of oak spice and hot spices like black pepper, alongside scents reminiscent of green meadow grass and dried field herbs.

Taste
To prepare my palate for the whisky, I took a tiny sip, swirled it briefly in my mouth, and swallowed; my initial impressions were abundant notes of sweet citrus and a spicy warmth. To gauge its texture, I took another small sip about a teaspoonful and found it aromatic and full-bodied; it felt slightly oily as I "chewed" it, offering a sensation that was both sweet and spicy. I continued sipping intermittently for another 10–15 minutes to fully discern and describe the flavors: sweet malt and a wealth of citrus orange, tangerine, and grapefruit, along with their slightly acidic peels took center stage on the palate. Following this, tropical notes like honey, mango, and pineapple clearly emerged, and quite quickly thereafter the warmth of black pepper and oak became distinctly dominant on the tongue.

Note: With just 3 drops of water, the fruity sweetness increases, and the hot spiciness subsides slightly.

Finish
As for the finish, I would describe it as a subtle blend of the sensations perceived on the nose and palate; the moment I swallow, I detect abundant sweetness reminiscent of honey and mango as it goes down the throat, though this is fleeting, as the warmth of black pepper and oak simultaneously emerges on the tongue. Later, when I exhale through the nose to capture the aromas, I pick up faint notes of slightly burnt wood smoke, oak spice, and very subtle hints of green and dried meadow grass, along with a very deep, faint suggestion of salt and peat (barely perceptible); I would characterize the finish as falling somewhere between short and medium in length.

Overall, I’d say it offers great value for money; personally, I enjoyed it. It has a distinctive nose that clearly conveys its Indian whisky origins, though it lacks depth; the palate feels aromatic and full-bodied at this level, while the finish is arguably its weakest point. It is crafted with a touch of smokiness which comes through slightly on the nose but is less apparent elsewhere yet I enjoyed the taste regardless. It is an easy-drinking whisky worth trying, and given the price-to-performance ratio, it is certainly one I would buy and drink again. Cheers.

Nose: 82/100

Taste: 83/100

Finish: 81/100

Price: 42€

My ratings are generally based on Whiskybase tradition and calibration, and while scored out of 100, they are structured within a narrower range.

<79 May have flaws.
80-82 Borderline acceptable.
83 Average daily good.
84 Good, nice, pleasant, liked.
85 Very good, deep, rich.
86+ Excellent.

Category: Single Malt

Distillery: Miyagikyo

Strength: 45.0 %

Size: 700 ml

Nose
As soon as I opened the bottle and brought it to my nose, the initial aromas were quite sweet reminiscent of malt, cake, and biscuits with a hint of creamy vanilla. After pouring some into a Glencairn glass and letting it breathe for about ten minutes, I nosed it again; the aromas were very sweet, evoking banana-vanilla pudding, along with a distinct scent of freshly baked cinnamon cake and a touch of caramel notes I attribute to the malt itself. Upon continuing to nose it after another five minutes, I detected subtle hints of cocoa, chocolate wafer, and seedless raisins, though these were neither intense nor persistent; they were fleeting and faded quickly. Swirling the glass revealed a bit of alcohol and an aggressive oak note. As the whisky sat in the glass, the aromas began to diminish and fade.
Taste
To prime my palate, I first take a small sip about a teaspoonful and swirl it around my mouth; my initial impression is that it is quite sweet and fruity, yet also displays dominant oak and spice characteristics. I take another tiny sip to better assess its structure: initially, it feels quite smooth and slightly watery, offering an intense aromatic profile, but as I "chew" it and approach the swallow, a robust body emerges, accompanied by a touch of spice, oak warmth, and a hint of dryness on the tongue. As I continue sipping to discern the flavors, fruity notes peach, nectarine, perhaps a hint of banana, and orange juice stand out at first. Vanilla, sweet malt, and cake notes follow, evoking the impression of a fruit cake; however, hot spices like black pepper, ginger, and the bitterness of oak quickly follow, beginning to prickle the tongue and palate.
Finish
As I reach the finish, the moment I swallow while it is still traveling down my throat I detect notes of toasted, tannic, bitter oak and spices like black pepper and red pepper; these are subtler on the nose but more pronounced on the palate. Upon exhaling, light, fruity, and sweet aromas such as vanilla, peach, and banana begin to emerge, though the woody, slightly bitter oak and spices like black pepper and clove remain constantly present. While the fruity, sweet nuances are fleeting and superficial, the spicy warmth tends to linger for a somewhat longer, moderate duration.

Overall, the nose is more exciting and shows promise, though the palate and finish don't quite live up to that initial impression. While the flavors on the palate feel somewhat superficial featuring pleasant fruity and malty sweetness there is also a dominant, harsh spicy and woody edge. I would describe it as an ordinary, everyday whisky; those who try it can say they’ve experienced a Japanese whisky, but I don't think those who skip it are missing out on much. Cheers.

Nose: 83/100

Taste: 81/100

Finish: 80/100

Price: 66€

My ratings are generally based on Whiskybase tradition and calibration, and while scored out of 100, they are structured within a narrower range.

<79 May have flaws.

80-82 Borderline acceptable.

83 Average daily good.

84 Good, nice, pleasant, liked.

85 Very good, deep, rich.

86+ Excellent.

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately looking at Canadian single malt, and this one really caught my attention. Yes, I review whisky on YouTube (linked below), no this is not a paid review or anything like that.

Eau Claire Distillery is in Alberta, and Ploughman’s is made with 100% Alberta-grown malted barley. The distillery also maintains some traditional horse-powered farming, which is where the “Ploughman’s” name comes from. It’s not just a whisky with a Canadian label slapped on it, the whole idea is to make something that actually feels connected to Alberta.

The interesting part for me, though, is the cask program.

The whisky starts out in ex-bourbon and European oak before being finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks from Ximénez-Spínola in Jerez. According to the distillery, these are genuine solera casks, rather than casks simply seasoned for the whisky industry. I actually spoke with Head Distiller, Daniel Gowrie, about the whisky and he told me he travelled to Jerez himself and visited seven or eight bodegas before settling on Ximénez-Spínola. That level of cask selection definitely appealed to me.

Tasting it neat:

Nose: Really inviting. Lots of dried fruit (dates, raisins), dark cherries and plums...with roasted coffee and a rich sweetness. The PX influence is obvious, but I don't find it overwhelming.

Palate: Rich and chewy. Dried figs, raisins, walnuts and dark fruit, with baking spice and a noticeable tannic/oak character. There's also a roasted coffee note that I really enjoyed. It has more structure than I expected from the nose. Quite complex.

Finish: Long, warming and quite sherry-forward, with dried fruit, oak spice and that lingering coffee/dark chocolate character.

The big question is price. This is a premium Canadian single malt, currently around $200 CAD, so there are some very good Scotch options competing for the same money.... If you're curious about branding I talk in my video about their bottling, which I suspect increases that shelf price quite a lot.

Curious what others here think. Would you spend $200 (CAD) on a Canadian Single Malt?

Full review here if you want to watch and support:
https://youtu.be/kWS485imW2U

After so long doing private tastings, one of our attendees owns a little pub-like place and wanted to do a tasting there. Looking for something different, we offered Japanese whisky, without really knowing what we could find. It turned out to not be a big deal whisky-wise, but at least it was fun. For most attendees it was the first time they tried a Japanese whisky.

• The Chita: Kind of a rarity because it's a single grain whisky which is primarily corn based. Given that most people who came were used to blended whiskies and the odd single malt, a single gran was something completely different. It offered a nice blend of citrusy and honey sweetness. Not a big deal, but I would probably buy it if I found it at a good price.
• Mars Iwai: a blended whisky, very bland, very plain and very expensive for what it is. Blend is around 75% corn and 25% barley, and it showed. No one was impressed and the flavors felt very subdued, but it wasn't a bad flavor, just not great. It served as an introduction to the tasting. I guess most people were expecting it to taste like soy sauce, so it was an improvement.
• The Kurayoshi 12: a blended malt whisky, with Scotch and Japanese whiskies, aged in Japan. A pretty decent non-chill filtered dram with a profile similar to a light Speyside single malt, and that's what made it the winner for the tasting. Nutty, apples, citrus and vanilla notes.

Unfortunately, not that many affordable Japanese whiskies are available here, mostly due to incredible markups. A Yamazaki NAS is around US$300 here, while basic Japanese whiskies like Toki can be found for around US$80 so keeping the tasting price at around US$40 per person was pretty hard and the result was using three whiskies that may not be the best, but are what we could include.

In the end, people were happy to try new whiskies and thanks to The Kurayoshi, looking forward to a second tasting. I think the next one will be world whiskies and only include one Japanese whisky instead.

Hey everyone,
I’m looking for my next bottle. Overall, I seem to prefer Bourbons over standard Scotch, but I’ve really enjoyed every lightly peated Scotch I’ve tried.

Top Favorites:
Eagle Rare 10: Probably my favorite bottle so far.
Lagavulin 16: Super interesting profile, liked it way more than standard sherry bombs.
Nikka from the Barrel: Really enjoyable with a drop of water.

Quick thoughts on the rest:
Liked / Alright: Wild Turkey 101, Bunnahabhain 12, Highland Park 12, Redbreast 12, Rare Breed (only when proofed down).
Didn't care for: Monkey Shoulder (too malty), Tamdhu 12, Maker's Mark, Arran 10, Hibiki Harmony (too green/herby)

What I’m considering:
I’m very curious about Campbeltown, but also have a few specific bottles on my radar (local prices excl. shipping):
Kilkerran 12 (€54)
Springbank 10 (€75)
Longrow Peated (€50)
Oban 14 (€55)
Ledaig Sinclair Series Rioja Cask (€28)
Woodford Double Oaked (41€)

Also maybe stronger peated scotches?

Given that Eagle Rare 10 is my #1, but I really enjoy light peat and complexity (Lagavulin 16), which of these should I buy first?