Tullibardine 20

“It’s Alright But It’s Okay”

Whisky Review # 1095

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Highlands

Brand: Tullibardine

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 20 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation:1st Fill Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 150-300 (June 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers

Buying Advice: 👎 At this price level better go for Glengoyne or GlenDronach

Colour:

Dark Gold with shades of Orange and Brown (Probably not Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

On the Shy side. It takes some time to open up a bit. It's quite unpretentious and even a bit simple. It's not bad but I would expect more from a 20 Year old Single Malt. It's Sweet but not overly so. Some Sour, Salty and Dusty notes as well. The Alcohol is noticeable but does not interfere with the Nosing procedures. The Oak is there of course but I would not give it 20 Years in a blind tasting. It's still quite Fresh with some Fruit coming through. All in all okay but nothing special.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salty Caramel, Buttered Toast, Straw, Puff Pastry filled with warm Apricot Jam, Cooked Baby Fruit Puree (Apple, Banana, Pear), Coconut, Wet Paper, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Wax, Honey, Syrup, Walnuts, Citrus Fruit (Orange, Grapefruit and Lemon), Nougat, Bounty Bar, Wood Polish, Tobacco and Licorice.

Palate:

The best part of this Tullibardine although it's still on the simple side. The arrival is on the Thin side on account of the modest ABV. A 20 Year old Single Malt deserves more! Despite this low ABV the Alcohol still feels a little Sharp. Bitter-Sweet and on the Dry side. Some Sour and Salty notes can be found as well. Not bad but very straightforward.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Wax, Bounty Bars, slightly Sour Orange & Grapefruit, Apricot Jam, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Grass and Straw, Walnuts and Almonds, Dried Herbs, Dried Apple & Banana, Cigar Ashes, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cardamom and Licorice.

Finish:

Quite Long and Bitter-Sweet. Some Sour and Salty notes as well. The Bitterness increases towards the Dry end. Wood and Wood Spice remain with you for quite a while. There's a slight Alcohol kick as well. I find Toasted Malt, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Salted Caramel, Honey, Buttered Toast, slightly Sour Grapefruit and Orange Juice, Mandarin, Banana Bread, Bounty Bars, Walnuts and Almonds, Dried Apple and Apricot, Dusty Charred Oak, Wet Rocks, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom, Aniseed and Licorice.

Drinking Advice:

A little added Water takes out a little bit of the Alcohol heat. The general profile does not really change though. A few drops are sufficient.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 8 - 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 although I expected a lot more!

Conclusion:

The Tullibardine Distillery was founded in the year 1949 by the architect William Delmé Evans & is located in Blackford (Perthshire) on the site of a former Brewery. In 1994, Tullibardine was mothballed by Whyte & Mackay, the owners at that time. Production was resumed in the year 2003 when the distillery was sold to the Tullibardine Distillery Ltd. consortium In 2011, the French Maison Michel Picard from Chassagne Montrachet became the new owner. The 20 Years I'm reviewing today was launched in 2013 but the current core range consists of the Sovereign, 225 Sauternes Finish, 228 Burgundy Finish, 500 Sherry Finish, the 15 & the 18  Y. In 2025 the distillery produced around 3 million litres of Spirit.

I bought this bottle during our visit to the distillery in 2017 so it took me a while to open it! Unfortunately the cork broke when I tried to open the bottle but I still managed to remove it without ending up with cork in the whisky. Was the waiting worth the while? It was not I'm afraid. The Tullibardine 20 Years is not a bad Malt but it misses the Wow factor. It's totally unpretentious and I can see why it's not a part of the core range anymore. I will try to get a sample of the new 18 years to see if anything changed over the last ten years or so. Forget about this 20 Years though. It's too simple and way too expensive for what it offers!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                         June 18, 2026

Ailsa Bay Release 1.2 Sweet Smoke

“The Scientist”

Whisky Review # 1094

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Lowlands

Brand: Ailsa Bay Release 1.2 Sweet Smoke

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Micro Maturation Series - 9800 Bottles

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48.9%
Maturation: Hudson Baby Ex Bourbon Small Casks (6-9 months) followed by a mix of Virgin American Oak, 1st Fill and Re-Fill Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price: Around US$ 60-75 (June 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Border line okay

Buying Advice: 😐 Not great but different and sufficiently interesting

Colour:

Light Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young. The Sweetness is a bit Artificial. Lots of Cold Smoke and Burnt notes. Not really bad but a bit Funky, Mineral & Yeasty. Medium Dry. The Alcohol is noticeable but does not interfere with the Nosing procedures.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Yeast, Cold Campfire Smoke, Dirty Peat, Soot, Tar, Cold Cigar Ashes, Burnt Grass, Heather and Straw, Stewed Fruit and Vegetables, Bacon on the BBQ, Charred Oak, Dried Herbs, Pepper & Ginger.    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Brown Sugar, Artificially-flavored Candy (Banana, Lemon, Orange and Tangerine), Dark Chocolate, Rye Biscuits, Farmyard, Hospital, Wet Stones, Toasted Almonds, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Plastic, Metal, Tobacco, Green Olives, Mint & Garam Masala.

Palate:

Young, Light, Medium-Dry & Sweet with additional Bitter, Salty & Sour notes. The Alcohol is noticeable.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Burnt Buttered Toast, Cold Smoke, Dirty Peat, Soot, Tar, Ashes, Burnt Grass and Straw, Yeast, Charred Oak, Herbal Tea, Bacon on the BBQ, Wet Rocks, Metal, Pepper, Mint and Garam Masala.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Hospital, Artificially Flavored Candy (Orange, Lemon, Grape, Pear, Peach), Cooked Apple, Grapefruit, Toasted Almonds, Cacao, Tobacco, Leather, Plastic, Chemicals, Floral Soap, Licorice and slightly Musty Asparagus.

Image Credit: Whiskysaga.com

Finish:

Young, Light, Medium-Long, slightly Hot & Bitter-Sweet. A few Sour notes as well. Medium Dry. I find Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Burnt Grass and Straw, Cold Smoke, Dirty Peat, Soot, Ash, Tar, Hospital, Lemon, Grapefruit, Sugared Toasted Almonds, Charred Oak, Metal, Plastic, Paint Thinner, Cacao, Artificially-flavored Candy (Tropical Fruit), Herbal Tea, Ginger & Garam Masala. After a while your mouth is filled with a Soapy, Artificial Sweetness that stays for a while.

Drinking Advice:

Addes Water does not improve this Ailsa Bay

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 6

*** 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/Good

Conclusion:

The Ailsa Bay distillery was founded in 2007 by William Grant & Sons on the same site as the Girvan Grain Distillery. Grant needed additional Malt capacity for the Blend production. Ailsa Bay produces both peated and un-peated Malt. Only a very small percentage of the 10-12 million production capacity is used for Single Malts like the 10 Year old Land Cask and the Sweet Smoke launched in 2018 that I'm reviewing today. 

The Sweet Smoke is made by trying to achieve the scientifically ideal blend of Smoke & Sweetness according to the Master Blender. (Respectively 22 PPM and 19 SPPM in this case). Micro Maturation is also used to accelerate the aging process. It's innovative although I think that a lot of people might find this expression a bit too Sweet. Personally I think it's within limits.

This is my first Ailsa Bay and I'm not disappointed. Of course it's very Young and on the Thin side and there's a bit too much Metal around. But it's interesting and that can't be said of many of today's Single Malts. I do hope that Grant & Sons will allow some Spirit to mature naturally so that we can enjoy a proper matured 12 or 15 years Ailsa Bay in the years to come.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                         June 11, 2026

Glen Scotia Crosshill

“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”

Whisky Review # 1093

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Campbeltown

Brand: Glen Scotia Crosshill

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 56.5% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: First Fill Bourbon casks with 6 months Finish in Oloroso Sherry casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price: Around US$ 70-90 in Duty Free Shops (May 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay at around US$ 75

Buying Advice: 👎 I would skip this one and go for the 15 Years instead

Colour:

Golden with shades of Orange (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young. A mix of Sweet, Bitter, Sour, Salty, Musty and Dirty notes. And there's also a note that sits somewhere between the smells I find when I bring my car to a service center and some sort of Chemicals. Perhaps a very slight touch of Sulfur as well. In the Lowlands and Campbeltown Single Malts you would expect some of the more "Funky" notes but in this case it smells a bit Artificial to me. The Alcohol is present. The Sherry cask Finish is noticeable but I'm not too impressed with the quality of those Sherry casks.

Main Aromas:

Malted/Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Grass and Straw, Dirty Earth, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Apricots, Seville Orange, Warm Applesauce, Hazelnut Chocolate, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Ginger and Espresso.

    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Treacle, Floral Soap, Lemon, Grapefruit, Herbs, Sour Berries, Metal (Iron), Cinnamon, Nutmeg and distant hints of Leather and Raw Meat.

Palate:

Young & Dry. Bitter-Sweet with additional Sour, Salty & Musty notes. The Alcohol  is quite strong. I normally enjoy "dirty" Malts like Springbank or Ledaig but this Glen Scotia was not made for me I'm afraid. It smells and tastes like a rush job to me.

Main Flavours:

Malted/Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Straw, Dried Fruit like Apricots Mango, Raisins and Apple, Seville-Orange, Dark Chocolate, Musty Charred Oak, Dirty Earth, Metal (Iron), Pepper, Cinnamon, Mint and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Treacle, Nuts, Lemon, Grapefruit, Sour Berries, Herbs, Floral Soap, Strong Espresso, Nutmeg, Cloves and a hint of Raw Meat.

Finish:

Middle-Long. Sweet at first but with increasing Bitterness towards the notably Dry end. A few Sour and Salty notes as well. Quite Tannic. The Alcohol is present as is a Metal Off-Note that stays for quite a while. I find Toasted Cereals, Treacle, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Straw, Dirty Earth, Dried Fruit like Apricots, Raisins and Pineapple, Seville Orange, Grapefruit, Honey, Dark Chocolate, Dry Herbs, Musty Charred Oak, Sour Berries, Bourbon, Espresso, Pepper, Clove, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Mint/Menthol and hints of Leather and Raw Meat.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water helps to calm down the Alcohol of course. And I did find some tinned Peach on the Nose. The Finish becomes quite Spicy and Sharp though. Better try it out both ways.

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 6.5 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 6

*** 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 at most. I didn't really enjoy this Tasting session. I bought a full bottle in the Travel Retail shop and that's a pity. Better try a sample first!

Conclusion:

The Glen Scotia Distillery was founded in 1832 and is located in Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsular. It's one of the only 3 surviving distilleries in Campbeltown along with Springbank & Glengyle. The current owner is The Loch Lowmond Group (Hillhouse Capital Management). The new core range includes the 10, 12, 15, 18 and 25 Years and the NAS Expressions Double Cask and Victoriana. The Crosshill I review today is part of the Duty Free range. We visited the distillery in May 2017. We were lucky and got a private Tour and Tasting.

Crosshill Loch is the Water source for the Campbeltown distilleries.

I'm really disappointed by this Glen Scotia. I usually enjoy "Dirty" Malts but the Crosshill has too many flaws. It's too Young, too Sharp and too Edgy. I also don't like the Metallic off-note and the strange Funky note on the Nose. Perhaps a longer cut and indifferent casks are to blame for all this. I would advise you to leave this one alone and go for the regular Glen Scotia 12 Years or, even better, the 15 Years.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                         May 28, 2026

Longmorn 2005 Distillery Labels (Gordon & MacPhail)

“Go Your Own Way”

Whisky Review # 1091

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Longmorn 2005

Bottled By: Gordon & MacPhail, Elgin - Distillery Labels  Series - Bottled: 2020

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 14-15 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Mix of First-Fill Sherry Hogsheads and Refill Bourbon Barrels
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 75-90 (April 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍

Buying Advice: 👍 Longmorn almost always is a safe choice. Slightly Old Style!

Colour:

Golden - Natural Colour

Nose:

Pleasantly Sweet and Waxy with a slight "Old Style" touch. The Alcohol is present so please avoid nosing in the middle of your glass. A bit of Sulfur/Burnt Matches but nothing substantial. The Sherry casks are noticeable but not overpowering creating a nice balance. Lots of Fruity and Nutty notes. It's got Character!

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Grass, Wax, Dough, Warm Apple Pie with Raisins, Walnuts, Nutella, Dusty Charred Oak, Lemon, Nectarine, Pepper, Aniseed and Cinnamon.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Caramel, Orange-Flavored Dark Chocolate, Strawberry, Fruitcake, Beer, Nougat, Marzipan, Farmyard, Leather, Tobacco, Wet Stones, Nutmeg, Clove and Licorice. Something like Musty & Stale Dried Fruit as well.

Palate:

Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour notes. English Orange Marmalade springs to mind. It's not mind-blowingly complex but sufficiently interesting. And it clearly steers away from today's Mainstream Malt Madness. And that's a good thing!

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Orange Marmalade, Sweet Fruit-Flavored Candy (Mandarin, Strawberry, Apple, Pineapple) Wax, Beer, Grapefruit, Caffe Latte, Wet Stones and Sand, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Licorice and Menthol.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toffee, Mixed Dried Fruits and Nuts, Leather, Tobacco, Nectarine, Nutmeg and Cloves.

Finish:

Middle-Long. Mostly Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour notes for company. Quite Dry. A quite clear Tutti Frutti Bubble Gum note right at the end. I also find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Bitter Orange, Nectarine, Grapefruit, Mixed Nuts, Caffe Latte, Pear Obstler, Charred Oak, Herbal Tea, Tobacco, Pepper, Licorice, Nutmeg, Cloves, Menthol and a little Sulfur.  Beer returns after a while.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water & that only benefits the Palate strangely enough. The Nose becomes very flat and the Finish a bit too Spicy. The Palate however softens up a bit. Try it out both ways but only add a little Water. Too much Water will kill this Longmorn.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 8  - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7.5

*** 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:

Good

Conclusion:

The Longmorn Distillery is located in Longmorn, Morayshire and was founded in 1893 by John Duff, George Thomson & Charles Shirres. In 1897 John built the BenRiach Distillery quite close to Longmorn. Duff and Company went broke and ownership changed hands various times. In 1978 the distillery was bought by Chivas Brothers which in turn were acquired by Pernod-Ricard in 2011. Part of the production is used for blends like Chivas Regal, Something Special the new Queen Anne and Royal Salute. Efforts to launch Longmorn as a Single Malt have not been very successfull so far. The core range consists of the 18, 22 and 30 years. Good territory for Independent Bottlers!

Nowadays it's not easy to find an interesting 15 Year old Single Malt at US$ 80. And while this Longmore is not mind-blowing it's interesting enough, got character and a bit of an Old Style feeling to it. In other words it's worth the money. It's a pity that this distillery is still very focused on producing Spirit for Blends. Because in my opinion Longmorn checks all the boxes to become a successful Single Malt in its own right.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                         April 14, 2026

Aultmore 10 (Gordon & MacPhail)

“In the Summertime”

Whisky Review # 1089

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Aultmore

Bottled By: Gordon & MacPhail, Elgin - Discovery Series - Bottled 02-06-2021

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 10 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 45-55 (April 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍

Buying Advice: 👍 Easy going and consumer friendly. A bit on the Thin side.

Colour:

Chardonnay (White Wine) - Natural Colour

Nose:

Light, Grassy, Floral, Yeasty and mildly Sweet. A Bakery in a meadow!

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Yeast, Grass & Straw, Floral notes,  Warm Apple-filled Puff Pastry, Lemon, Nectarine, Milk Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Mint and Cinnamon.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Wax, Herbal Tea, slightly Sour Gooseberries, Pear, Orange, Banana Bread, Caffe Latte, Corn Flakes, Sweet Almonds and Wet Stones.

Palate:

Mainly Sweet with a little Bitterness & Sourness for balance. It's a bit on the Thin side and probably should have been bottled at around 46%. It basically follows the Nose but adds Spices, Oak and a few Earthy notes.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Grass and Straw, Wax, Tropical Fruit Salad, Dusty Track, Dusty Oak, Banana Bread, Milk Chocolate, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Herbal Tea, Corn Flakes, Sweet Almonds, Apricot/Apple filled Puff Pastry, Gooseberry, Bitter Lemon, Orange Marmalade, Nutmeg, Cloves and Licorice.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Light, Bitter Sweet and a little Hot. Medium-Dry. A slight Metallic off-note. I also find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Butter Biscuits, Grass and Straw, Wax, Milk Chocolate, Sweet Almonds, Warm Puff Pastry filled with Apple and Banana, Caffe Latte, Bitter Lemon, Herbal Tea, Orange, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Licorice, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger and Mint.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Aultmore at all. Better enjoy it neat.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 7.5 - 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:

Good with the exception of the Metallic Off-Note in the Finish. Very easy to drink!

Conclusion:

The Aultmore Distillery was founded in 1896 by Alexander Edward. He had to sell it in 1923 to John Dewar & Sons. Dewar now belongs to the Bacardi Group who bought it from Diageo in 1998. Most of the Aultmore's Spirit goes into the Dewar's White Label and William Lawson. In 2014 the whole core range was reviewed and nowadays consists of the 12, 18 and 21. We almost managed to visit the distillery during our tour in Scotland in 2019 but in the end it didn't work out. We did get to sample a few Aultmores during a fine dinner in the village of Oldmeldrum, home to the Glen Garion Distillery.

This Aultmore is the perfect Malt to drink outdoors on a summer evening. It's very easy-going and will please almost everyone. Don't expect depth & complexity. It is a bit on the Light side as well and should have been bottled at around 46%. But apart from that and the light Metallic off-note in the Finish this Aultmore by G&M is a vefry nice Party malt. 🎉

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                          April 2, 2026

Bladnoch 14 Years

“The Old Fashioned Way”

Whisky Review # 1086

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Lowlands

Brand: Bladnoch

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 14 Years - 2021 Release

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46.7%
Maturation: Oloroso Sherry Casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 105-120 (March 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😟 A bit expensive in my opinion

Buying Advice: 👍 Especially when you like "Old Style" sherried Whisky

Colour:

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

Nose:

Sweet and Sour with deep Sherry Aromas like Dark (Dried Fruit) and Marzipan. I detect some Sulfur but it doesn't feel out of place here. The Alcohol is there but does not interfere with the Nosing procedures. The Nose is a bit comparable to Cognac. It's a bit Meaty and Earthy as well and I like it.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Treacle, Butter Biscuits, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins, Figs & Plums, Smoked Almonds, Dark Chocolate, Dark Red Fruit like Currants and Berries, Orange Peel, Marzipan, Dusty Charred Oak, Brandy, Grass, Dusty Earth & Fresh and Dry Herbs.

    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Vanilla, Dark Honey, Butterscotch, Dairy, Nougat, Leather, Tobacco, Cigar Box, Black Tea, Sour Cherries, Baked Pineapple sprinkled with Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.

Palate:

The Palate basically follows the Nose with Sweet, Sour and Salty elements, It is a bit Thinner than I expected. Still not bad at all and reminiscent of a Liquid X-Mas Cake. Some Sulfur again but it's not aggressive. Quite Dry.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Treacle, Dark Red Fruit, Dark Honey, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins, Dates and Figs, Sour Plums, Orange Peel, Dusty Book Shelf, Marzipan, Dark Chocolate, Dusty Earth, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Clove, Nutmeg and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Vanilla, Grass & Straw, Nougat, Nuts & Nut Shells, Polished Leather, Damp Cellar, Tobacco, Wet Sand, Black Tea or Strong Espresso, Licorice, Indian Spice Mix and Mint. A Hint of Rubber.

Finish:

Middle-Long. A mix of Bitter, Sweet and Sour notes. A pinch of Salt perhaps. It's quite Dry. A bit of Ashes, Sulfur & Metal in the aftertaste. The Alcohol is there but I am comfortable with it. I also find Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Dark Honey, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Apricots, Dates and Figs, Blackcurrants, Orange Peel, Marzipan, Baked Apple, Polished Leather, Tobacco, Licorice, Dusty Charred Oak, Dark Chocolate, Ash, Nuts & Nut Shells, Dried Herbs, Black Tea, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cloves and Mint. A hint of Rubber.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Bladnoch. Much better when enjoyed neat.

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:

Bladnoch was founded in 1817 by Thomas and John McClelland. Over the years the ownership of the distillery changed many times and on many occasions the distillery was closed temporarily until it was finally liquidated in 2014. David Prior bought it in 2015 and brought life back to Bladnoch. Production restarted  in 2017 and amounted to around 1.5 million litres in 2025. A visitor centre was opened in 2019. The core range includes the Vinaya, Samsara, Alinta, Leora and the recent Galloway Collection consisting of the 8, 13, 16 and 19 Years.

Bladnoch is on the way back and I'm glad for it. It's good that there are still a few Lowland distilleries that maintain a certain "old style" profile. This 14 Year old is not perfect as it's a bit too Thin on the Palate. There are also a few Funky notes in the aftertaste that might not be for everyone. But in general I like this Bladnoch as it is interesting, something that can't be said of a lot of modern mainstream Malt. It is a bit expensive and it's not a dram for everyday. But after a nice dinner or on special occasions this Bladnoch is certainly recommendable!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                        March 5, 2026