Pulteney 2008 (Signatory Vintage)

“P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)”

Whisky Review # 1017

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Pulteney 2008 - Distilled: 27-05-2008

Bottled By: Signatory Vintage SWC Ltd, Pitlochry on 21-01-2022

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Bottle # 273 of 643 

Age: 13 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 55.5% (Cask Strength) 
Maturation: Refill Bourbon Barrels with 42 months Finish in Fresh Sherry Butt # 8 
Chill Filtration: No

Sample provided by Mauricio from Brazil. Many Thanks!

Average Price: US$ 135 (April 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😑 Borderline acceptable 

Buying Advice: 😑 It's not bad but a bit too young and rough to fully convince me

Color:

Dark Amber with shades of Orange and Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Be sure to give this Pulteney enough time in the glass before Nosing. And avoid to nose in the middle of your glass as the ABV is quite high. The Sherry Finish did its work and you will find lots of Dried Fruit and Nuts. You can feel the relative Youth of the Malt and there are hints of Sulphur and Metal around as well. Nothing serious though.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits and Buttered Croissants, Dried Fruit such as Raisins, Plums, Sultanas, Dates and Figs, Salted Nuts, Cooked Orchard Fruit, (Dark) Red Berries, Tobacco, Orange Liqueur, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Toasted Oak.     

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Wax, Straw, Leather, Wet Rocks, Dried Herbs, Pineapple, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Metal, Cloves and Pepper. 

 

Palate:

A chewy mix of Bitter, Sweet, Sour and Salty notes. There's a dirty and unfinished feel to it although it certainly has character when considering its relative youth. The Alcohol is quite strong. 

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Plums and Dates, Dark Red Berries and Cherries, Salted Nuts, Orange, Charred Oak, Milk Chocolate, Pepper, Cinnamon and Cloves.   

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Banana, Lemon, Cooked Orchard Fruit, Straw, Leather, Tobacco, Espresso, Nutmeg and Ginger.        

Finish:

Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet. Some Sour and Salty notes as well. It's a bit Young & Dirty and you're left with a light Metallic after-taste. The Alcohol is quite noticeable. I find Toasted Malt, Salted Caramel, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Nutella, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Dates and Plums, Honey, Citrus, Dirty Earth, Straw & Grass, Charred Oak, Ashes, Cigar-box, Red Berries, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves and Licorice.  

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and although it certainly helps to control the Alcohol it also robs this Malt of its original character. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7  

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is 8 or higher 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:

Pulteney was founded in 1826 by James Henderson in the town of Wick. It is owned by Inver House Distillers, a part of Thai Beverages Group. The distillery produces 1.3 million litres of alcohol annually. The core range consists of the 12, 15, 18 & 25 Years and the peated Huddart.

Certainly not an easy one to judge. On the one hand this relatively young Pulteney shows character albeit it a bit Rough and Dirty. On the other hand it can't hide its Youth and there's an immature feel to it. In my opinion it could do with a few years extra cask time and a lower ABV. As presented it's interesting enough to enjoy a sample but not quite good enough to justify buying a full bottle. At least not at the current price level.

Cheers 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                         April 18, 2024

Deanston 18 Years

“Bread and Butter”

Whisky Review # 1013

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Southern Highlands

Brand: Deanston

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46.4%
Maturation: Refill Ex-Bourbon barrels with finish in 1st Fill Bourbon barrels
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 80-110 (March 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay I guess

Buying Advice: 😐 I would taste a sample first as badges seem to differ a lot

Color:

Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Please give this Deanston enough time in the glass before nosing. Don't Nose in the middle of the glass to avoid the wafts of Alcohol and some Varnish. The Nose is quite timid for an 18 Year old Single Malt. It opens up slowly and initially I mainly get Malt, Yeast and Grass with a bit of Citrus. You will need some patience here to find the Floral and Fruity notes later on. A quite solid and mostly Sweet Nose but a bit unpretentious.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Bread, Yeast, Grass & Straw, Orange, Lemon drops, Green Apple, Pear, Dusty Oak, Chalk, Pepper, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Caramel, Bounty Bars, Floral Soap, Dusty Earth, Fresh Green Herbs, Green Grapes, Nectarine, Marzipan, Aniseed and a distant hint of Indian Spices.

Palate:

A bit on the Thin side despite the sufficient ABV. Mostly Sweet but with some Sour, Bitter and Salty notes for company.

Main Flavours:

Barley Sugar, Caramel, Vanilla, Buttered Bread, Yeast, Grass & Straw, Chalk, Wax, Dusty Oak, Green Apple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Floral Perfume and Soap, Lavender, Cinnamon, Pepper and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Nougat, Dirty Earth, Yogurt with Tutti-Frutti flavor, Nectarine, Pear, Resin, Tobacco, Nutmeg and Aniseed.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Tannic, slightly Hot & quite Dry in the end. Mostly Sweet but showing some Bitter, Sour and Salty notes for balance. Sturdy is a word that comes to mind. I find Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Caramel, Vanilla, Honey, Marzipan, Grass and Straw, Chalk, Yeast/Bread, Green Apple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Dusty Oak, Dirty Earth, Dried Herbs, Tobacco, Leather, Bitter Tea, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Ginger, Aniseed, Mint, Floral Soap, Lavender and Varnish.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water and the absence of Alcohol helps to distinguish the Fruity and Floral notes. It's easier to drink this Deanston this way although it becomes quite Malty and Nutty. It's also easy to imagine you're in a Perfume Shop. I advise you to try it both ways.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 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: Not bad but a tad Boring

 

Conclusion:

The Deanston Distillery was founded in 1965 and is located in Deanston, Pertshire. It closed in 1982 but was bought by Burn Stewart Distillers in 1990 and resumed production in 1991. In 2013 Burn Stewart was sold to the South-African Distell Group. Heineken took over Distell in 2021 but the Whisky activities were taken over by CVH Spirits. The core Single Malt now consists of the 12 & 18 Years, the Virgin Oak and the 15 Year Organic.

This Deanston 18 years is not an easy one to come to grip with. It requires a lot of patience to find Aromas and Flavors. It's Sharp in some places but Thin in others. I don't think I would have guessed it to be 18 years in a Blind tasting. At times I find it a bit unfinished. But it's got a sturdy character at the same time making it quite interesting to review. Sometimes I felt like being in a bakery or beer brewery while at times I thought I was smelling and tasting the Lavender fields in the Provence. I don't think I would buy a full bottle but I would accept a dram if offered.

Cheers 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                           March 7, 2024

Arran 21 Years

 “Such a Shame”

Whisky Review # 1010

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Highlands - Islands - Arran

Brand: Arran

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 21 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Mix of Sherry Butts
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 150-200 (January 2024)

Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers

Buying Advice: 👎 The older versions are said to be better but this recent bottling does not convince me at all.

Colour:

Golden Amber (Natural Colour)

Nose:

The Nose is Light, almost Shy, and a little Dusty and Musty as well. Probably 2nd and maybe 3rd Re-Fill casks in the mix. Disappointing for a 21 Year old Single Malt. There's a lot of Fruit to be found though but the Aromas are rather subdued and you'll have to dig them out. Mostly Sweet & Sour with a few Bitter and Salty notes.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Butter Biscuits, Salted Caramel, Dusty Oak, Dried Fruit like Plums, Apples, Apricot, Figs and Raisins, Lemon Peel, Seville Orange, Cinnamon and Mint.   

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Yogurt with bits of Melon, Pear and Banana, Mixed Nuts, Grass and Straw, Marzipan, Dunnage Warehouse, Fresh Herbs, Grapefruit Juice, Coconut Milk, Caffe Latte, Aniseed, Nutmeg, Wet Stones and a hint of Tobacco.  

Palate:

Quite Light for a 21 Year old Single Malt. Quite Fruity again but with this constant Musty and Dusty undertones. These can't have been the best casks around if you ask me. The Palate is mostly Sweet and Sour but a few Bitter and Salty notes pop up as well.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Plums, Pineapples,  Apples & Apricots, Seville Orange, Grass & Straw, Fresh Herbs, Musty Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger, Aniseed, Menthol and Licorice.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Toffee, Caffe Latte, Milk Chocolate, Almonds, Nectarine, Grapefruit & Lemon Juice, Pear drops, Dunnage Warehouse, Cinnamon, Cloves, Iron & Tobacco.     
Finish:

Middle-Long and Light. Sweet at the start but with increasing Bitter & Sour notes towards the Dry end. Quite Fruity again but with a rather Musty undertone. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Honey, Milk Chocolate, Seville Orange, slightly Sour Lemon & Grapefruit Juice, Cherry-Flavored Cough pastilles, Sour Wine, Dried Fruit like Plums, Raisins and Apricots, Pear Drops, Forest Floor, Mushrooms, Wet Paper, Cigar Ashes, Iron, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Cardamom, Coriander and Mint.   

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Arran.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 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:

Okay/Good

Conclusion:

The Arran Distillery was founded by Harold Currie in 1993 and started production in 1995. Business is going so well that the owners (Isle of Arran Distillers) opened a second distillery (Lagg) on the Southern part of Arran in 2019 that takes care of the peated expressions. The Arran core range now consists of the 10,18 and 25 Years as well as the NAS Whiskies Robert Burns, Sherry Cask The Bodega, Barrel Reserve,  The Bothy and the peated Machrie Moor. We visited this distillery in May 2017 and absolutely loved it. Great tour, very friendly people, a nice shop and a good lunch restaurant. I can fully recommend a visit!

Our visit to the distillery in 2017 was a great event that I will never forget but I can't say the same about this 21 Years unfortunately. It's quite Fruity but it's Musty and Dusty all along the way leading me to believe that the cask management has been rather indifferent. It is said that earlier versions are quite good but this recent edition, while not really bad, is quite disappointing. It's quite expensive as well and although that seems unavoidable at this age I'm really glad I bought a sample first. I would advise you to do the same!

Cheers! Jan. 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                      January 26, 2024

Dalmore The Trio

 “Dust in the Wind”

Whisky Review # 1004

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Dalmore The Trio

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with finish in a mix of First-Fill Ex-Bourbons casks, Aged (10Y) Tawny Port pipes and 30-year old Matusalem Sherry casks. 
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 75-85 (January 2024)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 A bit too expensive if you ask me despite nice presentation 

Buying Advice: 👎 Better stay with the regular 12 Years or 15 Years

Colour:

Chestnut with shades of Orange (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

The Port pipes and Sherry casks are quite present. There is Sulphur around so make sure to give this Dalmore some time in the glass before Nosing. The Nose is driven by Dark Berries, Orange and Dried Fruit. It presents Sweet and Sour notes but does smell a bit Musty & Dusty. Not too bad though!

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Caramel, Yeast, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Apricots, Prunes and Figs, (Dark) Red Berries and Cherries, Seville Orange, Dried Herbs, Cinnamon and Mint.  

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Vanilla, Straw, Mixed Nuts, Plum Jam, Cranberry Juice, slightly Sour Red Wine, Wet Leaves and Paper, Brown Sugar, Nutmeg and Polished Oak.   

Palate:

Too Thin & a little Hot. A mix of Bitter, Sweet and Sour notes that are in line with the Nose. Quite Dry.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Grain, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Figs and Plums, Seville-Orange, Dark Berries and Cherries, Espresso, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Menthol, Polished Oak and Leather. 

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Vanilla, Honey, Straw, Lemon, Grapefruit, Nuts, Bitter Chocolate, Licorice, Wet Leaves, Cardamom and Ginger. 

Finish:

Medium-Long with Sweet and Sour notes and a slight Bitterness towards the Dry end. It's on the Thin side though. I find Toasted Grain, Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Straw, Dried Herbs, Dried Fruit like Sultanas & Prunes, Dark Berries & Cherries, Seville-Orange, slightly Sour Red Wine, Dark Chocolate, Espresso, Mixed Nuts, Wet Leaves, Dusty Road, Polished Oak, Licorice, Menthol, Pepper, Cloves, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cardamom & Ginger. Slightly Hot after a while.   

Drinking Advice:

The Trio does not improve with added Water although it takes away a bit of the Heat. Since I got a full bottle as a gift I also tried it on the Rocks and that was quite okay. 

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 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:

Okay/Good 

Conclusion:

The Dalmore distillery is located close to Alness and was founded in 1839 by Alexander Matheson. It is owned by Whyte & Mackay Ltd, part of Emperador Inc. During the last 15 years or so, Master Blender Richard Patterson did a lot to reposition Dalmore as a worldwide Single Malt. The distillery currently produces around 4 million litres but is increasing the capacity to 9 million litres. Everything should be ready by August this year. The core range exists of the 12, 12 Sherry Cask Select, 15, 18, 21, 25, King Alexander III, Cigar Malt Reserve and Port Wood Reserve. The current Travel Retail range introduced in 2019 includes The Trio, The Quartet and The Quintet.

Why is it that I'm having a hard time in connecting with some distilleries. Jura is one of them and Dalmore is an other. Dalmore certainly presents their products in a nice and distinctive way. But usually I find the whisky dull and dusty. Dust in the Wind is a perfect song to describe my feelings about The Trio. It's not really bad but it's forgotten within minutes after you have finished your dram. There are a few obvious flaws to mention as well. Too much added Caramel and an ABV of 40% that does not do justice to any Whisky and leaves this Trio with a very Thin profile. As written above the distillery is expanding and will become one of the 10 largest distilleries in Scotland. I do hope that quantity is not the only way forward for Dalmore though. In the meantime I will continue my quest to find a Dalmore that really satisfies me!

Cheers! Jan. 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                     January 9, 2024

Wolfburn Latitude

 “Mr. Peatyful”

Whisky Review # 1002

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Wolfburn Latitude

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: (First-Fill) Ex-Bourbon Casks

Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 60-90 (December 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😑 A little expensive for what it offers.
Buying Advice: 😐 Not bad but if you like the profile go for young Islay Malt.

Colour: Pale White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Light, a little Thin and relatively Young. There's a bit of Varnish and Nail Remover in the air. It's lightly peated with a cold bonfire in the background. Through it all some Sweet Yellow Fruit and Musty Farm notes can we found. The Alcohol is noticeable.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Dough, Yeast, Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, A mixture of Burnt Straw, Compost & Cow Manure, Ashes, Green Apple, Pear, Dusty Oak and Mustard.    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Caramel, Lemon Biscuits, Smoked Ham, Bell Pepper, Mixed Dried Fruit and Nuts, Slivovitz, Leather, Herbs and Pepper.

Palate:

Young, Medium-Dry, slightly Hot and a little Thin. A mix of Sweet, Sour and slightly Bitter notes. More Grass and less Manure on the Palate.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Dough, Yeast, Green Apple, Pear, Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, Grass, Burnt Heather, Charred Oak, Leather, Pepper, Ginger and Menthol.

    

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Vanilla, Ashes, Lemon, Grapefruit, Gooseberries, Dusty Road, Milk Chocolate, Tobacco, Nut Shells, Grilled Bacon and Pineapple, Tutti-Frutti Toothpaste and Plastic.

Finish:

Short/Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet & a little Hot. Some Sour Fruit developing towards the Medium-Dry end. I find Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Caramel, Honey, Yeast, Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Green Apple, Pear, Grapefruit, Dusty Oak, Nuts, Smoked Ham, Leather, Tobacco, Pepper, Ginger, Menthol, Licorice and Tutti-Frutti toothpaste. Hints of Plastic, Metal and Nut Shells.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water diminishes the Heat but you're basically left with a peated German Obstler (Fruit Brandy) or Slivovitz.

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 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 but quite Young and Rough.

Conclusion:

Wolfburn is a young distillery. It was founded in 2013 on the outskirts of Thurso, very close to the ruins of the old Wolfburn distillery that was founded in 1821 but closed down at the end of the 19th century. Wolfburn is owned by Aurora Brewing Ltd and has a current production capacity of 135.000 litres. The core range includes the 10 Year old, Northland, Aurora, Morven and Langskip. We visited the distillery in May 2019 and enjoyed it. Certainly worth a visit! The Latitude I'm reviewing today was launched at first for the Travel Retail market. In the meantime it's available on the Internet as well.

I'm really curious to taste the Wolfburn 10 years as it probably will show what some maturation can do to the Fruity Wolfburn spirit. Because Maturation is exactly what this Latitude lacks. It's not bad and the spirit is indeed quite Fruity. But without the proper maturation it reminds me more of a peated Obstler than anything else. I think that this Distillery is on the right track and in time will produce very nice Malt Whisky. But if you like this Aroma/Flavour profile you're better off with a young Islay Malt for the time being.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                   December 14, 2023

Speyburn 18 Years

“Cheap Thrills”

Whisky Review # 1001

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Speyburn

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Anniversary Edition - 9000 Bottles 

Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: A mix of American - and Spanish Oak (Bourbon + Sherry)

Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 75 -100 (December 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Good Price/Quality ratio
Buying Advice: 😐 A good alternative if you like Oloroso driven Single Malts

Colour: Dark Amber with shades of Orange and Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Be sure to give this Speyburn enough time in the glass before Nosing as it opens up rather slowly. There's a bit of Sulphur around as well but it stays within acceptable limits. The Oloroso casks are quite noticeable as Toffee, Dried Fruit, Nuts and Spices lead the way. It's mostly Sweet and a little Dusty. The Alcohol is noticeable as well. It's a rather typical Medium-Dry Oloroso nose without too many surprises. 

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Toffee/Caramel, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Dates, Figs & Plums, Wax, Nougat, Milk and White Chocolate, Dark Red Fruit, Charred Oak, Espresso, Cloves, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Apricot-Filled Puff Pastry, Marzipan, Tropical Fruit-flavored Candies, Orange, Lemon, Candied Apple, Red Grapes, Nectarine and Peach, Polished Leather, Tobacco, Grass, Dusty Road, Curry and Mint.   

Palate:

The profile follows the Nose but the Alcohol is even more noticeable. It's basically a Bitter-Sweet palate but Sour and Salty notes can be found as well. Quite Dry and a little Dusty. Like the Nose it's not bad but a bit predictable. 

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Toffee, Salted Caramel, Molasses, Dark Red Fruit, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins, Apricots, Plums, Figs and Dates, Nuts, Charred Oak, Orange and Lemon, Dark Chocolate, Espresso, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves and Menthol    

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Dried Herbs, Polished Leather, Tobacco, Red Grapes, Gooseberry & Grapefruit, Nectarine, Wet Paper, Grass, Licorice, Coconut Meat, Ginger, Cinnamon and Cardamom.   

Finish:

Middle-Long and mostly Sweet. A few Bitter and Salty notes towards the Dry end. The Alcohol remains a factor to be considered. I find Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Dark Honey, Dark Chocolate, Nuts, Espresso, Dark Red Fruit, Dried Fruit (Sultanas, Apricots, Plums, Dates), Charred Oak, Polished Leather, Tobacco, Grapefruit, Gooseberry, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Curry, Nutmeg and Menthol.  

Drinking Advice:

Added Water helps to control the Alcohol. You will also get Peach-Flavored Yogurt on the Nose. In general the Fruitiness improves in this department. The Palate also benefits from a little Water but don't overdo it. The Finish becomes a little Thin and Watery with tons of Menthol. But a few drops really improve this Speyburn.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 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:

The Speyburn Distillery is located in Rothes and was founded in 1897 by the Hopkin Family. Today it is owned by Inver House Distillers, part of Thai Beverage PLC. The distillery is quite popular in the USA, mostly because of the low price I suppose. Next to the Bradan Orach, the core range includes a 10, 15 and 18 Years old. Most of the production goes into Blends like Inver House. This year the distillery opened to the public.

The Speyburn 18 Years was bottled on August 21, 2021 to commemorate the 18th Anniversary of Bobby Anderson as Distillery Manager.

This Speyburn offers good value for money if you like Oloroso driven Single Malts. It does not present major flaws but it is quite predictable. I enjoyed my sample but I'm glad I don't have to finish a full bottle. But if you like Glenfarclas, GlenDronach and/or Glengoyne you should give this Speyburn a chance! 

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                     December 7, 2023