12yo

Springbank 2000/2012 Calvados Wood

May 22, 2014
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The apple flavours are a perfect match for the briny Springbank house style. Even though the whisky has matured in Calvados casks for 6 years, the distillery character is not overpowered in any way. – Rating: 87/100

Old Pulteney Flotilla 2000

December 18, 2013

It has a nice and fresh nose, but on the palate it feels still somewhat immature. The rather sharp spiciness is not balanced by the other flavours. – Rating: 79/100

Dimple Pinch 12 yo – Comparing Old And New(-ish)

November 12, 2013
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I was lucky enough to get hold of a fairly old bottle of Dimple 12 yo and a rather recent one. Needless to say a head to head comparison is appropriate here

Buchanan’s 12 yo from 1960s/70s Italian Import

November 5, 2013
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There is a lot to discover in this old blend, the complexity is amazing. It would even scratch the 90 point mark if the sweetness was a tad less prominent. – Rating: 88/100

Oban 12 yo Unblended Highland Malt

November 3, 2013
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A very gentle but also very refined dram with that old fashioned “they don’t make them like this anymore” taste profile. – Rating: 86/100

Tullamore Dew 12 yo

September 5, 2013
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Unusually sweet and with a syrupy mouthfeel, this is not really what you would expect from an Irish blend. Fortunately the sweetness is backed by a healthy dose of spice. – Rating: 82/100

Aberlour 12 yo Non Chill-Filtered

May 31, 2013
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This is a very decent daily dram with nice rich flavours though it is not not overly complex.
– Rating: 83/100

Yellow Spot 12 yo

May 27, 2013
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This is another ‘decrescendo’ dram: Fantastic nose and good early palate, then fading away rather quickly. – Rating: 81/100

Port Askaig 12 yo

February 25, 2013
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There is an element of dirtiness in this whisky that adds a wickedly intriguing dimension. The spices in this are delightful. – Rating: 87/100

Benrinnes “Stronachie” 12 yo Batch 02/12

January 6, 2013
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There are some quite nice flavours in this dram, but palate and finish are a bit too weak to really convince me. – Rating: 80/100

Blair Athol 12 yo 1998/2011 Single Cask Collection

January 6, 2013
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Don’t be fooled by the pale colour, this is a very flavourful dram. It needs a little time to open up but it is a lovely whisky. – Rating: 85/100

Glengoyne 12 yo

January 1, 2013
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Despite being 12 years old, this dram feels a bit immature to me, the taste profile is not unpleasant but rather generic. – Rating: 72/100

Arran 12 yo 1999/2012 Single Cask Nation

December 7, 2012
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Not really the aromas you would expect from a pinot noir cask, but this does not devalue this dram at all. Good fruit and nice spice, well balanced and enjoyable. – Rating: 85/100

Connemara 12 yo

September 16, 2012
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The ‘old’ Connemara has a distinctive sweet fruitiness not found in the NAS expressions Another unique dram from Cooley. – Rating: 85/100

Powers John’s Lane 12 yo

September 14, 2012
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Less fruity than I expected from a pot still whiskey, it is rather delicate and light bodied but shows quite a bit of wood spice and driness. A very enjoyable Irish alternative. – Rating: 84/100

Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 yo

September 12, 2012
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This is a big bold bourbon that does not hide its age. The other flavours are potent enough to keep the strong wood notes in check.
– Rating: 87/100

Glenfarclas 12 yo

September 9, 2012
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A wonderfully rich sherried malt that combines youthful freshness with maturity. – Rating: 86/100

Tomintoul 12 yo Oloroso Sherry Finish

September 1, 2012
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The label doesn’t lie: it is a gentle dram, not a smack into your face, a well-behaved fruity malt for easy sipping. – Rating: 81/100

Glenlivet 12 yo Unblended All Malt

August 26, 2012
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Very dense flavours here that are difficult to dissect. This is rather different from today’s 12 yo, much drier and a little less fruity. Very good stuff. – Rating: 86/100

Glenfiddich Millennium Vintage

August 12, 2012
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Very delightful on the nose, the palate suffers a bit from the low bottling strength. It certainly is a step up from the regular 12 yo, though. – Rating: 81/100

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