Nose: Very intense - sweet and floral. Butterscotch and creamy caramel. A bit of citrus and parma violets lurking around. Sharpens slightly over time.Palate: More of the same although Parma Violets and…

Three years ago I went on a whirlwind tour of Islay. Starting at Bowmore, they had a glamorous "clean" looking modern visitor's centre and reception greeting you straight from the street. We finished at…

Introduced a few years ago as a replacement for the legendary Airigh Nam Beist. It's got big shoes to fill so let's see how it does.Tasted with water and allowed to open up for a few minutes.Nose: Do I…

Nose: Warming and smooth, yet with a sharp edge. Sultanas, Apples, Cinnamon. Treacle, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Dark Chocolate yet tempered by acidic notes. This is gorgeous and intense!Palate: Much more…

Very pale coloured for an 18yo malt; somewhat of a testament to Signatory's commitment to releasing natural whisky.Nose: Vanilla with aniseed. Caramel laden with pepper. Fudgey Ice-Cream but strongly…

It's that time of year again - the annual Cairdeas release is upon us. This will be the third one in a row I've tried. And I've got a brand new 'Friends of Laphroaig' glass for this.With a few drops of…

Little seen. Little heard of but this is "the other 'vulin distillery". Normally the only bottles available are expensive relics of the 70s and 80s, but sometimes the UK's Whisky Exchange website gets…

Nose: Soft yet tangy berries. Vanilla and Honey, a very slight whiff of smoke. Floral but not overpowering. Maybe a slight touch of spice. This is mellow and relaxing, yet satisfyingly complex.Palate:…

Nose: Wow - this is intense even by Laphroaig's standards. A whack of barbecued orange immediately hits, followed by oaky astringent dried fruit. As we delve further wood smoke starts emanating mixed…

This is the 1995 edition, not 1990.The nose starts off as sweet soft maltiness with a very subtle whiff of smoke. It then gradually reveals some notes of blackcurrants and plums. Even more fruit flavours…