Sakurao Sherry Cask

“残念” (Isn't It A Pity)

Whisky Review # 1099

Country: Japan 🇯🇵

Region: Sakurao (Hatsukaichi - Hiroshima)

Brand: Sakurao Sherry Cask - Stillman's Selection Series

Type: Single Malt Japanese Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 50%
Maturation: Sherry Hogsheads
Chill Filtration: No

Average Price: US$ 115 (July 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers

Buying Advice: 👎 Too Young, Too Edgy and Too Bland

Colour:

Golden Amber (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young and a bit Thin. I get an immediate Varnish Aroma, something I often find in Whisky that (partly) matured in New Oak. That does not seem to be the case here however. The Sherry influence is limited and it looks like a large part of indifferent Refill casks was used to mature this Single Malt. The Alcohol is noticeable as well. The Nose is a mix of Bitter, Sweet, Sour, Salty and Perfume-like notes. There's a bit of Peat Smoke in the background as well. All in all I'm not impressed!

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley Sugar, Salted Caramel, Brown Sugar, Sour Dark Cherries & Berries, Dried Fruit (Apples & Sultanas), Grass, Cacao Powder, Orange Liqueur, Tangerine, Damp Dunnage Warehouse, Tobacco, Varnish, Old Nuts, Burnt Toast & Margarine, Pepper, Mint, Cloves and Cinnamon.

    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Toffee, Honey, Raspberry Jam, Perfumed Soap, Smoke from a distant fire, Dirty Earth, Wet Sand, Caffe Latte, Soy Sauce, Bitter-Lemon, Fresh Herbs, Cigar Box, Metal, Plastic, Fake Leather, Stale Coffee, Soot and Chemicals.

Palate:

The best part of this Sakurao in my opinion. A mix of Bitter, Sweet, Sour & slightly Smoky notes. The Alcohol remains present. The Sherry Cask influence is limited but the Peat and Smoke are more present here which I like.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Brown Sugar, Orange, Dark Berries and Cherries, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Apples and Plums, Dark Chocolate, Citrus Peels, Damp Oak, Dirty Earth and Smoke, Pepper, Cinnamon and Cloves.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Vanilla, Buttered Cake, Resin, Soot, Hospital, Plastic, Varnish and Metal, Smoked Meat, Tobacco, Aniseed, Mint and Ginger.

Finish:

Medium Long & mostly Bitter-Sweet. Quite Tannic and very Dry towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Burnt Sugar, Vanilla, Honey, Dirty Peat and Smoke, Damp Oak, Dark Berries, Citrus Peels, Sultanas, Dark Chocolate, Soy Sauce, Nougat, Herbs, Tobacco, Cigar Ashes, Soot, Metal, PVC Pipes, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger and Cloves. A hint of Smoked Meat.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water kills this Sakurao. Add only a few drops at a time if you prefer it with Water.

Rating: 6 (******)

Nose: 5.5 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 5.5

*** 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: 

Borderline Okay

Conclusion:

The Sakurao distillery was founded in 2018. It is owned by Chugoku Jozo a liquor company established in 1918 that also produces Sake, Mirin, Shochu and various liqueurs. They started making bottom shelf Whisky in 1938 but that changed in the year 2018 when their own Distillery started producing Single Malt. The brand name Togouchi is used for imported Whisky. The distillery produces both unpeated and peated Whisky.

The location of Sakurao is known for the large temperature difference between the Summer and the Winter with warm winds blowing from the sea and cold winds from the mountains. As a result the Whisky matures quite rapidly.

It's quite clear from the above that I'm thoroughly disappointed with the Sakurao Sherry Cask. First of all I would expect more Sherry influence given the name of this Single Malt. But the casks used were not very active I'm afraid. Secondly this is a Young Whisky with a very high ABV and this combination does not work out in this case. It's too Edgy and Nervous for my taste. The Peat Smoke is slightly dirty but could work well in a fully matured Sakurao. All in all this Sherry Cask does not do the job for me and I advise you to try a sample first before buying a bottle. I do like the presentation though. Very nice bottle and packaging.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                       July 16, 2026

Dalmore 16 Luminary No. 2 2024 Edition

"Dalmore Or Less”

Whisky Review # 1098

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Dalmore Luminary No. 2 2024 Edition

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age:16 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48.6%
Maturation: White Oak Bourbon casks with a finish in Graham's Tawny Port Pipes and 30 Year old Apostoles Sherry casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 240-330 (July 2026)

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

Buying Advice: 👎 Better stick with the regular 12 and 15 Years

Colour:

Copper with shades of Orange and Brown(Natural Colour)

Nose:

Rather shy on the Nose. Give it time in the glass. There is a bit of Sulfur there but it stays within limits. There's (Dried) Fruit but I also find some Metallic and Burnt notes. The Peat Smoke is a mere hint in the background. The influence of the Port casks is limited which works well here. The Nose is okay but a bit on the Light side despite the adequate ABV.
 
Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley Sugars, Vanilla, Bahlsen Butter Biscuits, Burnt Toast, Dried Fruit like Apricots and Figs, Dusty Earth, Black Berries & Cherries, Dusty Charred Oak, Wet Newspaper, Seville-Orange, Milk Chocolate, Licorice, Nutmeg, Cloves & Menthol.     
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Honey, Grass, Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup, Dusty Peat, Smoke from a distant Fire, Smoked Ham sprinkled with Lemon-Herbs, Car Scrapyard, Polished Leather Upholstery, Pepper, Cinnamon and Ginger. 

Palate:

The delivery is a bit weak, something I would not expect at almost 49%. The Sulfur is somewhat stronger now. The Palate follows the Nose with a random mix of Sweet, Bitter, Sour, Burnt & Musty notes. The Port Finish is also more noticeable at this point. It's really a bit of a mixed bag if you ask me and I would like to see more balance.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Burnt Toast, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Figs & Dates, Black Berries/Cherries, Red Wine, Seville-Orange, Dusty Earth, Charred Oak, Milk Chocolate, Burnt Matches, Old Metal, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves and Licorice.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Caramel, Honey, Apricot-filled Puff Pastry, Smoked Ham with Lemon, Wet Paper, Stale Nuts, Herbal Tea, Tangerine, Cinnamon, Ginger, Menthol, Rubber, Espresso & Soot.

Finish:

Middle-Long and Tannic. A mix of Sweet, Bitter and slightly Sour notes. Quite Dry in the end. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Honey, Vanilla, Black Cherries & Berries, Red Wine, Seville-Orange, Lemon, Herbal Tea, Dusty Charred Oak, Stale Nuts, Cacao Powder, Light Smoke, Dirty Earth, Burnt Matches, Dried Fruit, Pepper and Nutmeg, Cloves and Mint. A bit of Licorice, Soot, Metal and Espresso after a while.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not really improve this Dalmore although the mouthfeel is a bit better this way. Try it out both ways.

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. At this Price Level I expected way more.

Conclusion:

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, Master Blender Richard Patterson did a lot to reposition Dalmore as a worldwide Single Malt. The distillery currently produces around 5.4 million litres The core range consists of the 12, 12 Sherry Cask, 15, 18, 21, 25, King Alexander III, Cigar Malt Reserve and Port Wood Reserve.

I'm not the biggest fan of Dalmore although I really admire their presentation and Bottles. And the basics are good this time. Natural Colour, No Chill-Filtration and a very decent ABV. But somehow it doesn't click with me. It's Dirty but not in a good Springbank or Ledaig way. I get a lot of Burnt, Metallic and Musty notes and the end result is a rather unbalanced Single Malt. That would perhaps be okay at say US$ 75 but not at this price level. So if you like the Dalmore style leave this one alone and stay with the core range.

Cheers! Jan. 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                          July 8, 2026

Benrinnes 15 Flora & Fauna

“Blend It”

Whisky Review # 1097

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Benrinnes Flora & Fauna

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 15 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Most likely a mix of mostly Refill Ex-Sherry casks & Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 50-70 (July 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Okay/Good

Buying Advice: 😐 Better try out a Sample before buying a full bottle

Colour:

Dark Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Young despite its 15 Years. The Refill Sherry casks are quite noticeable and there's a bit of Sulfur around. Nothing serious though. A mix of Sweet, Sour, Salty, Yeasty and Burnt notes. Quite Buttery as well. The Spirit clearly got some balls making it good for Blending. But it misses Finesse and Balance, something I would expect of a 15 Year Old Single Malt.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Honey, Yeast, Dirty Earth, Apple Vinegar, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Sultanas, Citrus (Orange and Mandarin), Ripe Banana, Dusty Charred Oak, Leather, Pepper, Aniseed and Menthol.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Nutella, Farmyard, Cocoa Powder, Grapefruit, Cooked Vegetables, Tobacco, Cigar Box, Wet Sand, Rubber, Polish, Raw Meat, Sour Berry, Herbal Tea, Cinnamon, Licorice and a Floral note. A hint of Ashes perhaps.

Palate:

Quite Salty and Meaty. I also find Sweet, Sour and Bitter notes. It's not really bad and certainly different from your average mainstream stuff but in this case that alone is not sufficient for me to really enjoy it a lot.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Honey, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Plums and Raisins,  Apple Vinegar, slightly Sour and Bitter Citrus like Grapefruit, Mandarin, Lemon & Orange, Cocoa Powder, Raw Meat, Leather, Herbal Tea, Dusty Charred Oak, Walnuts, Pepper, Aniseed, Ginger and Menthol/Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Sour Berries, Tobacco, Cigar Box, Espresso, Dirty Earth and Wet Sand, Cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Licorice and a Musty note.

Finish:

Medium-Long but a bit on the Thin side. This should have been bottled at 46% at least. It's also a little Dirty and Bitter notes develop towards the very Dry end. I find Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Honey, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Apple, Sultana and Plums, slightly Sour and Bitter Citrus like Grapefruit & Seville Orange, Herbal Tea, Hazelnuts and Walnuts, Cocoa Powder, Dirty Earth, Raw Meat, Tobacco, Espresso, Dusty Charred Oak, Leather, Pepper, Aniseed, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Licorice, Menthol/Mint, Ashes and something Musty.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not really improve this Benrinnes.

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

Nose: 7 - 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 Neat:

Okay

Conclusion:

Benrinnes was founded in 1826 by Peter MacKenzie. It was completely rebuilt in 1956 and is currently owned by Diageo. The annual capacity is 3.5 million litres. Almost all of the production is destined for the JW Blends. The Flora & Fauna 15 that I'm reviewing today is currently the only official distillery bottling.

I'm always looking forward to try a 15 Year old Scottish Single Malt as I often find that this is the perfect maturation time before the wood influence becomes a bit too powerful. I'm not overly impressed by this Benrinnes though. I'm not too sure about the quality of the casks and it might be that the middle cut was stretched a bit. In any case the end result is a different but not very balanced and a bit Dirty Single Malt. It is not very expensive but nevertheless I'm glad I bought a sample rather than a full bottle. I advise you to do the same!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                           July 2, 2026

Macaloney's Siol Dugall

                                                “Time”

Whisky Review # 1096

Country: Canada 🇨🇦

Region: Vancouver Island

Brand: Macaloney's Siol Dugall - Medium Peated (27 PPM) - Signature Selection

Type: Canadian Island Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks (65%), Ex-Portuguese Red Wine casks (10%) and American Virgin Oak (25%)

Sample provided by: Graeme from Canada. Many Thanks!
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 65-75 (June 2026)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Acceptable

Buying Advice: 😑 Better go for the Peated Mac Na Braiche

Colour:

Golden with shades of Red and Orange (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young but not unpleasant. A bit understated. The Peat and Smoke are there but remain in the background. The Nose is a mix of Sweet, Sour, Salty & Burnt notes. It's quite Dry actually and there's a light sharpness of the Alcohol. But it's not bad considering its Youth.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Sugar, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Grass, Fresh Herbs and Flowers, Salted Pork on the BBQ, light Coastal Peat, Distant Campfire Smoke, Ash and Soot, Charred Banana, Lemon, Charred Oak, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger.     
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Syrup, Butterscotch, Cranberry Juice, Sour Apple Cider, Puff Pastry filled with Sweet Walnut puree, Burnt Pine Needles, Fruitcake, Pepper, Cloves, Tea and new Cigar boxes.

Palate:

It's Young, a bit Thin and a little Sharp but it's still my favorite part of this Single Malt. In my opinion it just needs more cask time to become really good. But time is money as you know and that's a burden for all starting distilleries. The palate is following the Nose with a mix of Sweet, Bitter, Sour, Burnt and Salty notes. Quite Dry.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Sugar, slightly Burnt Caramel, Vanilla, light Coastal Peat & Distant Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Bacon, Roasted Nuts, Lemon Tea, Charred Oak, Red Berries, Pepper, Ginger and Nutmeg.

 

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Orange, Burnt Straw, Fresh Herbs and Flowers, Fruitcake, Tobacco, Dark Chocolate, Banana, Cinnamon, Cloves, Virgin Oak and a light Metallic note.

Finish:

Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet. Some Sour and Salty notes as well. The Bitterness increases towards the very Dry end. I find Toasted Grains, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted slightly Burnt Caramel, Charred Oak, Light Peat and Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Burnt Straw, Dark Chocolate, Raspberry, Lemon, Salted Bacon, Dusty and Charred Oak, Roasted Nuts, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves and Cinnamon.

Drinking Advice:

No need to add Water to this Siol Dugall.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7 - 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:

Okay/Good

Conclusion:

This Island Distillery is equipped with a one ton semilauter Mash Tun, 7 stainless steel wash-backs, a 5500 litre wash still and a 3600 litre spirit still. The first Single Malt was released in December 2020. Part of the Barley is malted on site and the complex also includes a craft beer brewery called TWA Dogs.

Potstill whiskies are traditional Irish-Style triple distilled whiskies. Dr. Macaloney, the founder, is a Scot of Irish Heritage who attended the Midleton Irish Whiskey Academy and learned traditional Irish methods a.o. with ex Master Distiller Brian Nation. Back in Canada he then learned to optimize the traditional whisky process following Dr. Jim Swan's methods. The New Make Spirit won many global awards.

Siol means Seed and Dugall is a Scottish clan. The name serves to underline the link between Scotland and Macaloney's. And you can certainly smell & taste these links. Therefore it's fair to say that the future might bring even more praise for this Canadian Island distillery. In my opinion the Spirit only needs more time in the casks to bring out the full potential of this Spirit. Because despite all modern maturation methods nothing beats time and a good cask to produce an excellent Single Malt. Let's hope Macaloney's will walk this path one day!

Cheers, Jan 🥃                                                                            June 25, 2026

 

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