cask strength

Tomintoul 45 yo 1967/2012 Exclusive Malts

April 18, 2013
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The fruity flavours in this old malt are outstanding, but the tannic wood notes are on the verge of getting out of control. – Rating: 84/100

Caol Ila 16 yo 1995/2012 Whisky Doris

April 18, 2013
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More medicinal and “dirty” than your usual Caol Ila, this is an excellent and complex peaty powerhouse. – Rating: 87/100

Bowmore 15 yo 1997/2012 Whisky-Fässle

April 16, 2013
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A rather typical and Bow-moreish dram that is a bit on the peatier side. Especially the palate is quite complex. – Rating: 88/100

Chichibu The First 2008/2011

April 16, 2013
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The maturity of this barely legal whisky is amazing. Don’t hesitate to add water, it swims well. – Rating: 85/100

Benrinnes 13 1998/2012 yo A.D. Rattray

April 15, 2013
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I am not sure if it is just the sulphur, but somehow I don’t find this heavily sherried dram very compelling. It lacks a certain “roundness” I expect from a really good whisky. – Rating: 80/100

Littlemill 22 yo 1990/2012 Whisky Agency

April 13, 2013
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The sherry is not very obvious here, but who cares because this is an immensely fruity and delightful whisky. – Rating: 92/100

Glendronach 40 yo 1971/2011 Cask 1248

April 12, 2013
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Some excellent “rancio” flavours and a near complete absence of wood tannins could have made this spectacular. But the finish feels a bit too shy to warrant a 90+ score. – Rating: 89/100

“Lochranza” 16 yo 1996/2012 Blackadder

April 12, 2013
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A smooth nose and a rather punchy but fruity palate make this undisclosed malt (probably from the Isle of Arran) a pleasant sipping experience. – Rating: 86/100

Ben Nevis 15yo 1996/2012 for Canada

April 10, 2013
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An enjoyable straightforward bourbon cask whisky, nothing less and nothing more. – Rating: 83/100

Glengoyne Teapot Dram

April 9, 2013
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This is Glengoyne’s answer to Aberlour A’bunadh, and it is a good one. There still is a youthful edge to it but the first fill sherry aromas are wonderful. – Rating: 88/100

Glenlivet Nadurra 16 yo Batch 0911P

April 8, 2013
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Like so often the nose promises more than the palate can deliver. The intriguing sweet and fruity aromas are somewhat buried in wood spice. – Rating: 82/100

Tomintoul 43 yo 1969/2012 Liquid Sun

April 7, 2013
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The fruity flavours of this old malt are wonderful but the wood has already left a noticeable footprint. – Rating: 87/100

Rosebank 21 yo 1990/2011

April 7, 2013
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On one hand this whisky is very light and floral, on the other hand it has quite a robust spiciness which gets a bit into the way. – Rating: 85/100

Glenury Royal 40 yo

April 4, 2013
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A very good old-style bourbon cask whisky. There is quite a bit of wood, but the spirit still shines through. – Rating: 87/100

Karuizawa 29 yo 1983/2012 for LMDW

April 3, 2013
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Maybe the smokiest Karuizawa I have tasted so far, wonderfully stripped down to basics by the bourbon cask. Just the finish is a bit short. – Rating: 88/100

Glenrothes 24 yo 1988/2012 Whisky Doris

April 3, 2013
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It has a lovely nose, but palate and finish are disappointing, a rather anticlimactic dram. – Rating: 76/100

Glenrothes 21 yo 1990/2011 Wilson & Morgan For Taiwan

April 1, 2013
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There is a tiny amount of sulphur that enhances more than it disturbs. The profile is very much on sweet dried fruits. – Rating: 87/100

Dufftown 29 yo 1982/2011 Riverstown

April 1, 2013
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Quite an enjoyable dram, a bit on the spicy side. The age does not really show. – Rating: 84/100

Glendronach 17 yo 1995/2013 PX Puncheon 4682

March 25, 2013
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Sherry bombs are the speciality of Glendronach and this is no exception. Interestingly this is not as sweet as you might expect from a PX cask. It is not as complex as the oldies but delicious. – Rating: 86/100

Laphroaig 25 yo (Cask Strength Version)

March 23, 2013
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It is amazing how medicinal this old whisky still is. The complexity in this epic dram is enormous. – Rating: 90/100

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