Scotch

Laphroaig 2005 “PX I Love You” Loch & Key This was distilled in 2006 and aged in ex-bourbon cask for 4.5 years, then switched to a Pedro Ximenez Hogshead for 9.5 years. It was selected by and bottled for Loch and Key. Let’s see how it holds up. ABV: 54.4 % Nose: Brash, Bacony Peat, black pepper, […]

This is the first general release from Wolfburn, Scotland’s northernmost distillery. It is 3 years old, and was partially aged in Islay quarter casks. Non Chill Filtered and no color added. ABV: 46% Nose: Hay, Shortbread, allspice, Oak Spice. Palate: Medium Mouthfeel. Shortbread, oak spice, tart apple, heavy cinnamon Slight Greenwood. Finish: Short, vanilla, some lemon zest, pepper. Rating: 4/10

This is a Bunnahabhain offering from IB Blackadder form their raw cask series. This was aged for 10 years with a sherry cask finish. Let’s see how it tastes. ABV: 61.4% ABV Nose: Malty, oily, slight dark chocolate, Brine, slight fig. Palate: Medium oily mouthfeel. Brine, slight malt, dark chocolate. Fig. Slight Plum. Allspice Finish: Medium length, malt, dark

This is a release from an undisclosed Islay distillery. It was matured in a Sherry cask and bottled at natural cask strength with no color added and non chill filtered. ABV: 58% Nose: Dark Plums, Slight oil, light honey. Heavy Smoke, Blackberries. Palate: Medium mouthfeel. Rotting fall vegetation, oil, plums and berries. Iodine Finish: Medium length, warm, Rotting leaves,

This is a peated offering from Bunnahabhain, sold under the Staoisha name. This is a heavily peated spirit, aged for 6 years in a FF Bourbon Barrel. This bottling was bottled exclusively for The Whiskey Barrel and produced 235 bottles. ABV: 59.7% Nose: Malty, Cereals, Hay, Sweet Strong Peat, Toffee, Shortbread, Palate: Medium Mouthfeel. Malty, Cereals, slight ash.

This is a Laddie Microprovence, aged for 14 years and aged in Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Calvados barrels. It was picked for the Laddie UK Crew. ABV: 60.8% Nose: Malty, Apples, Vanilla, Allspice, slight lemon zest, black pepper. Palate: Medium mouthfeel. Tangy, heat, malty, slight vanilla. Finish: Medium Length. Black Pepper, Cereals, Apple, tartness, vanilla. Rating: 7/10 This is really different from

This is one of the Octomore offerings from Bruichladdich. It was Malted to 107 ppm, distilled in 2013 from 100% Scottish Grown Barley. It was matured for 5 years on Islay and aged entirely in 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon barrels. It was bottled Non Chill Filtered and no color added. Let’s see how this release holds

Duncan Taylor Brora 25 This is a bottling from the Brora distillery, which closed it’s doors and was mothballed in 1983. This bottle was distlled in November of 1981 and Bottled in Feburary of 2007. It was matured in an ex-bourbon barrel, Non Chill Filtered, No Color added. Bottle 336 of 682 ABV: 56.5% Nose: Honey, slight

SMWS Big Swirl and Exotic Cargo Side by Side This is a side by side comparison of two bottles from SMWS, both blended malts aged for a period of time in different finishing casks. Neithier of these were bottled at Cask Strength, as the SMWS stated they felt the 50% was the best proof for

S.V. Clynelish 23 yr K&L Exclusive 1995 This is a single cask, picked by K&L. It was aged in a 2nd fill Sherry butt and bottled at cask strength and with no chill filtering. This is a birth year bottle for me (young, young I say!) so let’s see if its as awesome as I