Annandale 2015 (North Star Spirits)

“Leaving Only Ash-Filled Ashtrays”

Whisky Review # 1082

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Lowlands

Brand: Annandale - Distilled: November 2015

Bottled By: North Star Spirits (NSS) - Cask Series 021

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky - Bottled: November 2022

Age: 7 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 54.9% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt - 458 Bottles 
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 70-120 (January 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Okay at max. US$ 80

Buying Advice: 😐 Very interesting but not for everybody. Try a sample first!

Colour:

Amber (Natural Colour)

Nose:

There's a Dirty feel to the Nose of this Annandale. It's not unlike Campbeltown but not as refined. It's very Earthy as well. In fact it's like smelling dirty factory smoke while standing on a muddy track after a long downpour. The Sherry influence is discrete. There is some Sulfur around though. This certainly isn't mainstream Malt and that's a plus in my book. This isn't for everybody though.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Demerara Sugar, Treacle, Yeast, Burnt Buttered Toast, Dirty Factory Smoke, Forest Floor after a Rain shower, Wet Earth, Grass and Mud, Musty Old Wood, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Plums and Prunes, Pork on the BBQ, Charred Casks, Unripe Berries, Cinnamon and Aniseed 

    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Caramel, Struck Matches, Wet Asphalt, Tar, Rubber Tires, Tobacco, Cooked Vegetables, Worn down Leather, Cigar Butts in a full Ashtray, Scottish Fruitcake, Dark Chocolate, Ginger and Mint. 

Palate:

Quite close to Campbeltown now but slightly Thinner. On the Palate we find a mix of Sweet, Bitter, Muddy and Burnt notes. There's still some Sulfur around and the Alcohol is a bit more noticeable. I would have liked a bit more Sherry influence.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Treacle, Burnt Buttered Toast, Oil, Factory Smoke, Forest Floor, Wet Mud & Straw, Matches, Cigar Ashes, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Plums and Figs, Charred Oak, Salted Pork on the BBQ, Cinnamon, Pepper, Cloves and Nutmeg.   

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Vanilla, Tobacco, Old Leather, Asphalt, Tar, Rubber, X-Mas Cake, Ginger and Dark Chocolate. 

Finish:

Middle-Long and Dirty. Sweet at first but with increasing Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. Burnt notes here too. After a while you feel like you've licked an Ashtray. My least favorite part of this Annandale. I also find Toasted Malt, Toffee, Caramel, Treacle, Wet Forest Floor, Wet Mud/Grass, Cigar Ashes, Factory Smoke, Sulfur, Rubber, Tar, Asphalt, Charred Oak, X-Mas Cake, Dark Chocolate, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Pepper, Aniseed and Ginger. A hint of Dry-rubbed Pork on a very smoky BBQ.  

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Annandale in my opinion.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7.5 - 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: 

Weird but interesting.

Conclusion:

Annandale was originally founded in the 1830's. It was owned by Johnnie Walker from 1895 to 1918 when it closed. Naturally the distillery ground was in a poor condition when it was bought by David Thomson and his wife. It was a huge task to transform the place into a working distillery but finally the first spirit saw the light in 2014. The distillery specializes in Single casks. The main whiskies are the un-peated Man O'Words and the peated Man O'Sword. A 10 Year old was released last year. North Star Spirits is an independent bottler founded in 2016 and located in Glasgow.

It's my first Annandale and for sure I will try to get more samples of this Lowland distillery. This expression by North Star is certainly interesting. It's dirty in the style of Campbeltown but it misses balance. I blame the cask for that. It does not provide sufficient Sweet Fruity notes to soften up the dirt. In fact while reviewing the Finish I had to think of a specific line from the song Homburg by Procol Harum that thus became the title of this review. But I certainly see the potential of this distillery and am looking forward to taste additional expressions. 

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                    January 31, 2026

GlenAllachie 2006 Cask 1845

“Whisky Sour”

Whisky Review # 1077

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: GlenAllachie 2006 - Distilled: 03-03-2006 - Bottled: 01-07-2020 

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky - Cask # 1845 - 494 Bottles

Age: 14 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 60.1% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Ruby Port Pipe

Chill Filtration: No

Price Average: US$ 120 (December 2025)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Borderline okay

Buying Advice:😐 Interesting only if you are into (fortified) Red Wine maturation 

Colour:

Amber with shades of Orange and Red (Natural Colour)

Nose:

The Alcohol is quite strong so please avoid sticking your Nose in the middle of the glass. There's also a bit of Sulphur around but nothing too serious. I find a clear Sour note that reminds me of Berries and Plums. The Nose improves over time so be patient.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Straw, Sour Fruit like Raspberries, Plums, Strawberries and Blackberries, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Apples, Orange Liqueur, slightly Sour Red Wine, Dusty casks in a Dunnage Warehouse, Pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Buttered Toast, Milk Chocolate, Brandy, Lemon, Sour Cherries, Leather Polish, Forest Floor after Rain, Mint and Espresso. 

Palate:

Bitter-Sweet, Sour and Oily. The Alcohol is very strong and added Water is a must. The Palate basically follows the Nose. A little Sulphur is still noticeable. Sour Fruit and Caramel lead the way. Quite Dry and Astringent.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Demerara Sugar, Treacle, Sour Red Fruit like Raspberries, Strawberries, Cherries and Plums, slightly Sour Red Wine, Dried Fruit like Apples, Raisins and Sultanas, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.  

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Butterscotch, Heather-Honey, Milk Chocolate, Toasted Almonds, Banana, Orange Liqueur, Lemon, Slivovitz, Cognac, Wet Paper/Rocks, Espresso, Aniseed, Leather Polish and a trace of Tobacco.

Finish:

Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet with additional Sour notes towards the Dry end. The Alcohol is strong so added Water is a must. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Sour Red Fruit like Raspberries, Strawberries and Cherrie, Slivovitz, Treacle, Toasted Almonds, Milk Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint, Aniseed, Leather Polish, Wet Paper, Espresso and traces of Metal and Rubber. 

Drinking Advice:

Added Water is a must in this case. The ABV of over 60% is too strong to enjoy neat. With Water the Finish becomes quite Peppery though! You will loose some of the Sour Fruit on the Palate as well. Malt and Spice come to the forefront. Just add a little Water at a time to find your preferred settings.

Rating: 7 ( *******)

Nose: 7 - 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 but the Alcohol is very strong

Conclusion:

The GlenAllachie Distillery is quite new and was founded only in 1967. It is located on a hill above Aberlour, close to Ben Rinnes. It closed from 1987 to 1989 when it was purchased by Pernod Ricard who in turn sold it to The GlenAllachie Distillers Company in 2017. Most of the Spirit disappeared in Blends like Clan Campbell, House of Lords, White Heather & Chivas Regal until 2018. At that time a core range was launched by the new owners that currently includes the 10 Years CS, the 12, 15, 18, 21 CS and 30 CS. The annual production currently amounts to around 1 million litres.

This is not an easy Single Malt to review. It's certainly not a Mainstream Whisky. In fact I'm glad I bought a sample because a full bottle would be a bit too much. The Cask influence is quite strong and so is the Alcohol. You need to add Water to enjoy this GlenAllachie although in doing so you will lose some of the Flavors and Aromas. In any case this is a Whisky to enjoy occasionally. Certainly not a day-to-day dram.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                               December 25, 2025

I would like to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2026!

🎄

Miltonduff 2007 (Gordon & MacPhail)

“Sherry Oh Baby”

Whisky Review # 1076

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

Brand: Miltonduff 2007

Bottled By: Gordon & MacPhail on 06-10-2021 - Connoisseurs Choice Series

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky - Cask #  18603501 - 329 Bottles
Age: 13 Years 

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 59.7% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: First-Fill Sherry Hogshead Cask 

Chill Filtration: No
Price: Around US$ 100 (December 2025) - Not easy to find though

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Borderline Okay
Buying Advice: 🤔 If you're into Sherry Bombs with a high ABV then go for it! 

Colour:

Deep Gold (Sherry) - Natural Color

Nose:

Dark, Full and Sweet. Clear Sherry cask influences. Lots of Dried Fruits and Nuts. Perhaps a very faint Sulphur note but it's nothing serious and it fades away quite quickly. The Nose is not bad by all means but a bit one-dimensional. The ABV is quite high so please refrain from sticking your Nose in the middle of your glass.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Caramel, Butterscotch, Straw, Dried Fruit like Apples, Plums, Raisins, Prunes and Figs, Dark Red Berries like Blackberries, Dusty Oak, Mixed Nuts, Dark Chocolate, Orange Liqueur, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.  

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Dark Honey, Toffee, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Buttered Toast, Dough, Nectarine, Lemon, Apricot Jam, Dairy, Pepper, Cloves, Leather and a Floral note.

 

Palate:

Quite Creamy, Sweet, Dry and Mouth-Coating. The Palate follows the Nose with Caramel, Dried Fruits & Nuts leading the way. The Alcohol is quite strong. A good after-dinner Palate.  

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Toffee, Butterscotch, Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Dried Fruit like Apples, Figs, Raisins & Apricots, Mixed Nuts, Straw, Brandy, Orange Liqueur, Blackberries, Dark Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Polished Leather, Pepper, Nutmeg and Cloves.     

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Dark Honey, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Molasses, Gooseberries, Dark Tea, Tobacco, Wet Rocks, Cinnamon, Ginger, Aniseed, Menthol and Licorice.        

  

Finish:

Middle-Long and quite Sweet. The Alcohol is very strong & this Miltonduff certainly needs some Water. Quite Dry towards the end. The Dried Fruits/Nuts/Caramel combo remains the driver of this Single Malt. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Toffee, Butterscotch, Salted Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Vanilla, Dark Honey, Dried Fruit like Apples, Figs, Raisins and Apricots, Toasted Nuts (Almonds), Blackberries and Gooseberries, Polished Leather, Dusty Oak, Orange-Flavored Dark Chocolate and Spices like Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Cinnamon & Ginger. Some Licorice & Menthol as well. 

Drinking Advice:

Added Water is a must in this case. It vastly improves your drinking experience while maintaining the original Aroma and Flavour profile.  

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2) 

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7  

*** 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. It needs some added Water though.

Conclusion:

This distillery was founded in 1824 and is located in Elgin. A huge reconstruction of the distillery took place in 1974 and another one is going on right now. It changed hands various times over the years but ever since 2005 it is owned by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard). Most of the production is destined for the Chivas blends. More specifically, Miltonduff and Glenburgie form the heart of Ballantine's. The capacity of the reconstructed distillery will increase to a stunning 16 million litres making it one of the 3 largest malt distilleries in Scotland. The only official bottling is a 24 Years old that is part of the Secret Speyside Collection.

The Miltonduff 2007 is a special release on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Van Wees, a Dutch independent bottler. If you like Sherry Bombs with a high ABV you might give this a go. The Cask influence is very strong and I doubt if anybody would guess this Single Malt to be a Miltonduff in a Blind Tasting. Could just as well be Aberlour, Glenfarclas, Mortlach, Tamdhu or any other sherried Speysider. I am not a huge fan of this type of Whisky but it's certainly well-made albeit one-dimensional. Strictly for fans!    

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                 December 17, 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

Glen Elgin 2004 (Lady of the Glen)

“Orange Blossom Special” 

Whisky Review # 1068

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

Brand: Glen Elgin 2004 - Distilled: 04-03-2004

Matured and Bottled by: Lady of the Glen (LotG) on 15-03-2021

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky - Cask # 801298 
Age: 17 Years - Limited Edition -  240 Bottles

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 55.7% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Hogshead with Ex Ruby Port Barrique Finish
Chill Filtration: No
Price: Around US$ 120,00  (July 2025)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😏 Borderline acceptable
Buying Advice: 👍 Nice Fruity Speysider that benefits from the Port Finish

Colour:

Golden Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

Mainly Sweet with additional Sourness from the Port cask. The Nose is Soft and slightly underwhelming. Lots of Citrus and Green/Grassy notes. It's okay but i had expected a bit more to be honest.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Honey, Yeast, Dough, Citrus Peel (Orange, Tangerine & Mandarin), Dried Fruit like Apricot, Figs, Banana and Raisins, Grass and Straw, Fortified Red Wine, Fresh Green Herbs, Dusty Oak, Aniseed, Mint and Cinnamon. There are notes of Chocolate as well but I can't make up my mind. Sometimes I get Dark Chocolate and sometimes Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate.  

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Wax, Cake with Cream and Strawberries, Vanilla, Toffee, Lemon, Berries, Apples and Pears, Tobacco, Leather, Varnish, Peanut Butter, Nougat, Nutmeg & Pepper.  

Palate:

For me the best part of this Glen Elgin. The Alcohol is more present now and Oak and Spices come to the forefront. It remains pleasantly Fruity though with both Sweet and Sour notes. A very light Bitterness. Medium-Dry. I like it. 😃

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Honey, Buttery Cake with Cream and Strawberries, Grass & Straw, Citrus Peel (Orange, Tangerine, Mandarin, Grapefruit, Lemon) Dried Fruit (Figs, Apricot, Raisin, Apple, Pineapple), Fresh Green Herbs, Dusty Oak, Cinnamon,  Pepper and Nutmeg.    

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Wax, Vanilla, Toffee, Sugar, Bounty Bars, Pear, Floral notes, Tea with Milk, Dark Chocolate, Tobacco, Leather, Cloves and Ginger.  

  

Finish:

Middle-Long. Mostly Sweet & Sour notes with a very light Bitterness for balance. Dry in the end. The Alcohol is more noticeable now. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Wax, Citrus Peel (Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Tangerine), Red Berries, Green Apple, Cream, Nougat, Dark Chocolate, Hazelnuts, Herbal Tea, Floral notes, Red Wine, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Mint, Aniseed, Ginger and Cloves.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water that enhances the Barley and brings some juicy Peach to the Nose. On the Palate and in the Finish the Alcohol is controlled & the added Water guarantees a smooth drinking experience. I like it both ways.  

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7.5 

*** 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:

The Glen Elgin distillery is located four miles south of Elgin in the small village of Fogwatt close to the A 941. It was founded in 1898 by James Carle and William Simpson. It had its ups and downs but was finally bought by DCL in 1930. Today it's part of the Diageo Group and became one of their Classic Malts range in 2005. Most of the Spirit is destined for Blends like White Horse. The only official bottlings are the 12 Years and the limited 18 Years Edition I reviewed earlier.

As you all know I'm usually not that keen on Red Wine cask finished Single Malt. But in this case it works and the result is a very Fruity Glen Elgin that combines both Sweet and Sour notes with a slight Bitterness for balance. The Nose is a bit shy but Palate and Finish are quite pleasant and invite you to have another sip. It's not cheap of course but other than that I can recommend this Elgin if you like the Aroma/Flavour profile.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                         July 10, 2025

Auchroisk 2008 (Pendulum Spirits Ltd)

“Thin As a Brick”

Whisky Review # 1066

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Auchroisk 2008 - Distilled: 10-04-2008

Bottled By: PSL (Pendulum Spirits Ltd) - Fable Chapter Nine Storm on 18-10-2021

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky

Age: 13 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 59% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Hogshead - Cask # 806196 - 264 Bottles
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 80-90 (June 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 It's not worth your money

Buying Advice: 👎 Not good enough for a 13 Year old Single Malt

Colour:

White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Not a lot going on here. Very underwhelming for a Single Malt. The Nose is Sweet and a little Dirty and Rough. You have to be extremely patient to dig up some faint notes. Mostly slightly Sour Fruits, Malt, Herbs and Nuts.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Toast with Margarine, slightly Sour Gooseberries, Grapefruit and Plums, Seville Orange, Lemon, Nuts, Ginger and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Caramel, Apples and Pears, Cooked Cabbage, Wet Paper, Car Repair Shop, Herbs, Plastic, Pepper and Cinnamon.

Source: Whisky.Com

Palate:

Young, Thin, Dirty and Nervous with mostly Sugary Sweet and Sour notes. It's not your average mainstream Malt. I usually like that but not in this case. It's just not good enough.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Sugar, Sour Gooseberries, Grapefruit, Apple, Seville Orange and Plums, Oak, Nuts, Pepper, Ginger & Menthol. The slightest hint of Factory Smoke.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Caramel, Straw, Obstler, Pear, Lemon, Cloves & Licorice.

      

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Hot, Dirty & Spicy. I find Sugar, Malted Barley, slightly Sour Gooseberries, Grapefruit, Plums and Citrus, Caramel, Nuts, Heather-Honey, Apple, Pear, Oak, Pepper, Cloves, Ginger, Menthol and Licorice.

    
Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water & that helps bringing some fresh Orchard fruit to the Nose. It doesn't do a lot of good to the Palate and Finish though. Less Alcohol of course but also less flavor. This Auchroisk does not perform both with or without Water.

Rating: 6 (******)

Nose: 6 - Taste: 6 - 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: Borderline acceptable. No serious off-notes.

Conclusion:

Auchroisk was founded in 1972 by Justerini & Brooks and became part of Diageo in 1997. The annual production arounds to 5.8 million litres. Almost all of it goes into the Diageo blends. The only official bottling is the 10 Year old Flora & Fauna.

Almost six million litres of Auchroisk Spirit disappear in the Diageo blends every year. I wonder why though. It doesn't bring much to the table apart from lots of mostly Sour Fruit. I will try to get a sample of the 10 Year old Flora & Fauna to check if it's interesting enough as a Single Malt. Based on this expression made by PSL I'm not too optimistic though. My advise is to leave this kid alone!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                         June 30, 2025