Le Breuil Origine

“Allez Le Breuil”

Whisky Review # 1074

Country: France 🇫🇷
Region: Normandy

Brand: Le Breuil Origine

Type: Single Malt French Whisky - Double Pot Still Distillation  

Age: NAS (Probably 5-6 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46 %
Maturation: Mix of small (200-250 Litres) French Virgin and American Oak casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 40-55 (December 2025)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay
Buying Advice: 🙂 It's certainly worth to give it a try. One of the better French Single Malts I have tried so far!

Colour:

White Wine (Natural Colour) 

Nose:

Light and Fruity. The Virgin Oak is clearly recognizable. A mix of Sweet and Sour notes. Not very complex but not unpleasant. No off-notes. It's quite Malty as well. The Pastry department of a Bakery came to my mind. 

Main Aromas:

Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Breakfast Cereals, Dried Apple and Pineapple chips, Bread Dough, Puff Pastry filled with Peach Jam, Virgin Oak, Mix of Apple Juice & Sparkling Water, Sugared Almonds, Coconut, Wet Stones and Cinnamon.  

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Buttered Toast, Hay, Pear, Lemon & Orange Peel, Grapefruit, Herbal Tea, Beer, Ginger, Pepper, Iron and Mint.  

Palate:

Light, mainly Sweet and a little harsh. A few Sour & Bitter notes for balance. Not  bad. It reminds me a bit of Irish Pot Still Whiskey.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Crème Brûlée, Fruit Candy (Pineapple, Pear & Peach), Apple Juice, Sugared Almonds, Bread Dough, Coconut, Green and Floral notes, Cinnamon and Mint.            

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Caramel, Honey, Butter Biscuits, Herbal Tea, Grapefruit, Virgin Oak, Cardamon & Pepper. A light Metallic note after a while.  

Finish:

Light, Creamy, a little Edgy and Middle-Long. Mainly Sweet but with some Bitter and Sour notes for company. Dry towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, Caramel, Vanilla, Apple Cider, Citrus Peel, Grapefruit, Coconut, Pear Drops, Pepper, Virgin Oak, Mint and hints of Metal and Licorice.

Drinking Advice:

When adding a little Water the harsh notes on the Palate and in the Finish almost disappear. But the Nose gets very "Bready" & Malty and you will lose a lot of Fruit on the Palate. Better drink it neat.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

Le Breuil Origine is produced by La Spiriterie Française in Le Breuil en Auge in the Normandy. The company was founded around 1954 as a distiller of Calvados. More recently Rum and Whisky (2015) were added to the product range. The Origine was bottled in 2021 (6000 Bottles) and was made using Golden Promise Barley.

I was pleasantly suprised by this French Single Malt. The producers appear to be on the right track. Natural Colour, a good ABV and decent casks. This Origine is a bit on the Light side still and it could do with a longer maturation. Let's hope they have the cash to mature their whisky for 10-12 years as the Spirit would benefit for sure. I'm looking forward to taste a fully matured Le Breuil and I wish them all the success in the world. Allez Le Breuil! 😃

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                 December 3, 2025

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2026

 

“If You Like Whisky You Will Love This Book”

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2026

As you all know the purpose of Best Shot Whisky Reviews is to give my personal opinion on Whiskies from all around the world. As it's important to maintain my independent position, I'm not engaged in any commercial activity. But, as I have done over the last 12 years, I would like to make an exception to be able to share with you the 21st edition of The Malt Whisky Yearbook by Ingvar Ronde that has been released every year since 2005. 

As always, the Malt Year Book is packed with highly interesting stories, this time amongst others considering Faith in the Future, Beyond the Bog, China In Your Hand, The Sherry Impact, Premium Whiskies and Sherry and Scotch. The writers include Ian Wisniewski, Kristiane Westray, Gavin D. Smith, Nick Morgan, Jonny McCormick and Justine Hazlehurst.

The most important part of the book remains the detailed description of Scottish Distilleries and more compact presentations about Single Malt Whisky Distilleries in the rest of the world. All in all, a total of 930 Malt distilleries are presented with updated facts.

And there's more such as a new item called Exceptional Designs, an overview of more than 150 of the best Whisky Shops in the world, a comprehensive summary of the past whisky year & a chapter about the world's most important independent bottlers.

Whisky Statistics, Best Whisky Web Sites (including Best Shot Whisky Reviews 😃), Distilleries per Owner, Closed Distilleries, New Distilleries and Maps complete this Book that also contains more than 500 color photos and over 200 Tasting Notes.

Year after year, this book not only manages to inform you in depth about the Malt distilleries all over the world but it also gives you solid background info that gives you an idea of the state of today's Whisky market. That's basically all you need if you want to buy one book on Whisky. And that applies to Whisky enthusiasts and people that work in the Whisky industry.

On top of that, this book is certainly not expensive for what it offers (US$ 21) and is sold in Whisky Shops, International Book Stores, Distillery Visitor Centers and of course at the editor's website:

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2026

I wish you lots of fun with the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2026!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan

Laphroaig 10 Sherry Oak Finish

“Smells Like Sweaty Teen Spirit”

Whisky Review # 1073

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Islay

Brand: Laphroaig Sherry Oak Finish

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky  

Age: 10 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48 %
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with Oloroso Sherry European Oak Finish 
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 60-75 (November 2025)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Perhaps a bit too expensive
Buying Advice: 😐 I prefer the regular 10 but in any case do try to find a sample first before buying a full bottle

Colour:

Dark Reddish Brown with shades of Orange (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

The Peaty and Medicinal aspects of Laphroaig are still there of course but they are substantially softened by the Sherry Finish. That makes it more approachable but it also affects the distillery profile. Perhaps a shorter Finish or less active Sherry casks would have been more appropriate. I also get a light off-note that I can't exactly define. It's a weird mix of  Rubber, Metal and Sweat. I also find the Nose on the Thin side despite the adequate ABV for this expression. That's a bit odd. In any case I advise you to give this Laphroaig enough time in the glass before you start Nosing. Certainly not my favorite Laphroaig nose though.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Molasses, Soft Coastal Peat, Salt Water, Burning Embers, Hospital, Iodine, Tar, Ashes, Dark Chocolate, Nuts, Dark Berries & Cherries, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Figs and Plums, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ with a sprinkle of Citrus & Herbs, Leather, Metal, Cars Burning their Tyres on the Asphalt & Cloves. 

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Plastic, Rubber, PVC Pipes, Pepper, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Licorice, Tobacco, Cigar Box, Charred Oak, Espresso and Bitter Oranges. 

Palate:

It does not happen a lot but I like the Palate more in this case. It's a nice balance between the various casks and the distillery character. I find some additional Sour notes and they combine well with the Sherry Sweetness and the Peaty and Herbal spirit. My favorite part of this expression. It does get a bit dry at this point.  

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Soft Coastal Peat, Cigar Smoke, Ashes, Tar, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Nuts, Dark Berries and Cherries, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ, Cigar Box, Charred Oak, Dark Fruit like Raisins, Figs and Prunes, Leather, Pepper, Licorice and Nutmeg.          

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Molasses, Wax, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Cocoa Powder, Dark Espresso, Hospital, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Cloves, Aniseed, Rubber, Metal, Bitter Orange and Spiced Sweet & Hot Red Wine.     

Finish:

The Finish is on the Short side and a bit Thin as well. After the Palate I was hoping for more here. It's rather Dry and a little on the Bitter or Tannic side. I find Sweet Malt, Caramel, Vanilla, Honey, Toffee, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Nuts, Espresso, Soft Peat, Smoking Embers, Iodine, Salt Water, Hospital, Iodine, Ashes, Bitter Burning Herbs, Dark Berries and Cherries, Grapefruit, Bitter Orange, Wet Stones and Clay, Rubber, Plastic, Metal, Licorice, Leather, Tobacco, Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves and Aniseed.  

Drinking Advice:

No need to add Water to this Laphroaig but it does calm down the Nose a bit. So please try it both ways.

Rating: 7 (*******) 

Nose: 6.5 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 6.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good but with flaws on the Nose

Conclusion:

Laphroaig is located a few miles outside Port Ellen on the island of Islay and was founded in 1815 by Alexander & Donald Johnston. It was bought by Beam Suntory in 2014. Since, the distillery has launched a number of NAS Whiskies that received mixed critics. I find this a pity as I used to consider Laphroaig one of my favorite distilleries. The 10, the discontinued 18 and the old 15 Years are some of my all time favorites. I also love to visit the place and the people. The annual production currently amounts to 2.9 million litres but will be expanded to around 4.8 million of which 70% is destined to be bottled as Single Malt. The core range consists of Oak Select, the 10, the 10 CS, the 10 with Sherry Oak Finish that I'm reviewing today, the Quarter Cask, Lore and a 25 years CS. The Travel Retail Range includes The Four Oak, Cask Legacy, Port Wood and PX Cask.

The Sherry Oak Finish was released 2021. Laphroaig and Sherry can be good pals but the Sherry influence should be discrete in my opinion. In this case however the Sherry tends to overpower the Spirit and that's not a good thing as far as I'm concerned. It makes this Laphroaig easier to drink for beginners but the distillery character gets somewhat lost in this way and that's a pity. It could be I'm having a bad day at the Whisky office but there's a weird aspect to the Nose. Smells Like Teen Spirit was the first song that came to my mind but in a Sweaty way. All in all a bit of a mixed bag this Laphroaig. Good in places, strange in others. Better try a sample first before buying a full bottle. 

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                November 17, 2025

Auchentoshan Bartender's Malt (Edition 2)

“Leave a Tender Moment Alone” 

Whisky Review # 1072

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Lowlands

Brand: Auchentoshan Bartender's Malt - Annual Limited Edition # 2

Type: Single Malt Whisky  
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 50%
Maturation: Mix of a/o Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks and Sherried Wood
Chill Filtration: No 
Price Range: US$ 70-90 (August 2025)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😑 Borderline okay at around US$ 70.
Buying Advice: 👎 Not interesting enough as a Single Malt. Sir Mix-a Lot might like it given the high ABV

Colour:

Dark Golden(Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Relatively Young and Light. There's Fruit around both Sweet and Sour. Some of it is Fresh while another part is Dried. The Alcohol is there but stays within the limit. It's different from your average Scotch whisky. Almost like a mix of Irish Whiskey and a German Obstler. 

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, German Butter Biscuits, Grass & Straw, Orange, Dried Fruit like Apples and Plums, Banana Ice Cream, Slightly Sour Cherries, Cinnamon and Pepper.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Butterscotch, Resin, Peach or Nectarine in Syrup, Oak, Caffe Latte, Milk Chocolate, Apricot Jam, Lemon, Nougat, Green Tobacco Leaves, Mint and light hints of Acetone and Burnt Herbs. 

 

Palate:

Again relatively Young. It's mostly the Fruit that stands out. It's mainly Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour notes as well. The Sweetness is slightly Artificial both on the Palate and later on in the Finish. I find it rather dull and boring. The Alcohol is more noticeable now. 

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Mixed Dried Fruit and Nuts, slightly Sour Cherries, Seville-Orange, Caffe Latte, Banana Ice Cream, Pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon.        

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Caramel, Butter Biscuits, Mandarin in Syrup, Lemon, Milk Chocolate, Oak Char, Burnt Herbs and Green Wood, Acetone, Ginger, Mint, Nutmeg & Cardamom.      

Finish:

Middle-Long & mostly Bitter-Sweet. A few Sour notes as well. The Alcohol is more noticeable now and leaves the Finish a bit Harsh. Quite Dry in the end as well. I also find Sweet Barley, Toasted Grain, Honey, Vanilla, Caramel, Mixed Dried Fruit and Nuts, Seville-Orange, slightly Sour Berries, Lemon, Charred Oak, Banana Ice Cream, Mandarins in Syrup, Caffe Latte, Milk Chocolate, Pepper, Nutmeg and a hint of Acetone or Varnish and Raw Meat. 

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Auchentoshan

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 6 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion:

The Auchentoshan distillery was founded in 1823 by John Bulloch and is located in Dalmuir, close to Glasgow. It exchanged hands various times before being bought by Morrison (Bowmore) in 1984. Morrison was bought by Suntory from Japan in 1994. From then on the distillery has become very popular again. It's one of the few remaining Lowland distilleries and it's the only Scottish one that maintains triple distillation. The core range includes American Oak, 12 Years, Three Woods, 18 Years, 21 Years and 24 Years. The annual production amounts to 2.2 million litres.

The Bartender's Malt is a New Malt Order contest whereby 12 bartenders from five different countries selected the malt. The youngest in the mix is 6 years and the oldest more than 40. A whole range of casks from five different decades was used that might include the above mentioned Ex-Bourbon casks & Sherried Wood but also some Red Wine and German Oak casks.

Bartenders are used to mixing drinks and as such the high ABV and the Fruit of this Auchentoshan might appeal to them. As a Single Malt however I find I to be rather dull and also a bit too expensive for what it offers. It is said that there are some old Malts in this mix as well but the young sharp Spirit leads the way. I'm glad I only had a sample and I strongly suggest you follow my example before venturing in a full bottle.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                     August 14, 2025

Dalmunach 6 (Claxton's)

“Blame It On My Youth”

Whisky Review # 1071

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Speyside

Brand: Dalmunach - Distilled on 15-06-2015 - Bottled on 06-10-2021

Matured & Bottled by: Claxton's Spirits, Dumfries & Galloway - Exploration Series

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky  
Age: 6 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 50%
Maturation: 2nd Fill Red Wine Barrique (Chateau Leovilles - St. Julien)
Chill Filtration: No
Price Average: US$ 65 (August 2025)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😑 Borderline Acceptable
Buying Advice: 👎 Too Sour, slightly Harsh and Immature

Colour:

Light Gold with shades of Orange (Natural Color)

Nose:

Young and Light. A mix of Bitter, Sweet, Sour & slightly Burnt notes. The Red Wine cask influence is not overpowering. It does not do a lot for me I'm afraid.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, lightly Burnt Toast with a mixed spread of Butter & Margarine, Sour Red Wine, Sour Cherries, Dark Red Berries and Currants, Dried Fruit like Apricots, Dates and Plums, Yeast, Mixed Nuts, Lemon, Seville-Orange, Plastic, Cinnamon & Pepper. 

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Vanilla, Honey, Syrup, Raisins, Cooked Vegetables, Green Leaves, Wet Sand, Herbs, Ginger, Nutmeg, Tobacco and Wood Chips.         

Palate:

Young and Edgy. A mix of Bitter, Sweet & Sour notes. Quite Dry. No need to wake me up for this. 

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Yeast, Dark Red Berries & Currants, slightly Sour Cherries, Sour Red Wine, Creme de Cassis, Lemon, Seville-Orange, Pepper, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.        

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Dried Fruit like Dates, Plums, Figs and Apricots, Honey, Wood Chips, Mixed Nuts, Cocoa, Tobacco, Coconut, Wet Sand, Ginger, Licorice and a hint of Raw Meat.  

  

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, a little Harsh & quite Dry. The Alcohol is noticeable and the Spirit can't hide its Youth. I find Malted Barley, Syrup, Honey, Caramel, Mixed Nuts, Sour Red Wine, Dark Red Berries & Currants, Lemon, Seville-Orange, Burnt Grass, Coconut, Green Leaves & Herbs, Cooked Vegetables, Espresso, Cinnamon, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Licorice, Wood Chips and a hint of Raw Meat.  

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Dalmunach.

Rating: 6 ( ******)

Nose: 6 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 6 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Borderline okay

Conclusion:

Chivas Regal bought the old Imperial distillery (1897) in 2005. In 2012 Chivas it was decided to break down Imperial (with the exception of Warehouses) & built a new distillery on the same spot in Carron. It was ready in 2015. The first official release of Dalmunach was a 4-Year old CS that was presented in 2019. The 6-Years old I'm reviewing today was matured and bottled by Claxton's, an Indie bottler. Their beautiful office is located within the Dalswinton Estate. Their Bonded Warehouse and Bottling facility are situated at the Dalswinton Bond. It contains both traditional dunnage as well as modern racked storage.

The influence of the Red Wine cask is not overpowering but it is enough to mask the intrinsic quality of the young Dalmunach spirit. Therefore I think I've not met the real Dalmunach as yet. For sure I will be looking out for other expressions of this young distillery. This specific expression by Claxton's does not give me a lot of satisfaction. It's yoo Young and immature and slightly too Sour for my likings. I can't really recommend this. 

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                       August 7, 2025