12yo

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
Thumbnail image for Glenlivet 12 yo Unblended All Malt

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

Knockando 1996 Managers’ Choice

June 24, 2012
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An unusual Knockando sherry monster from a very active cask. There is lots going on here, but the wood is already too strong to make this a truly great one. – Rating: 86/100

Ledaig 1998/2010 Malts of Scotland

June 7, 2012

Some rather unusual flavours can be found here, this is a whisky with the potential of dividing opinions. But I can’t make up my mind which side to take. – Rating: 83/100

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