Diageo Special Releases 2024 [Tasted #685 - 692]

A belated Happy New Year! What better way to get into the 2025 swing of things than with Diageo's "Special Releases" set (from uh, 2024, LOL). This year I'm trying something new with some quick-fire IG reel video reviews (the first here) which may well continue throughout 2025, but for those who like our lengthier written reviews, they'll continue too. Read on...

For those unfamiliar with Diageo’s Special Releases, they've been around since 2001, but have become somewhat different in recent years. Longer term whisky fans will recall the series being focused on well-aged examples of popular Diageo malts and grains, some from closed distilleries. However as the demand, scarcity (and of course price) for those rose - especially Brora and Port Ellen - Diageo took them out of the Special Releases in 2018 and put them into other series (like Prima & Ultima) and some one-off releases (like Port Ellen Gemini & Brora Triptych).

Hendy and I have covered Special Releases for a while now, having seen this evolution first hand (see our 2016, 2018/2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 articles), and at times we've even been lucky enough to try the rarer malts that are no longer in Special Releases, like this 41yo Port Ellen and this 40yo Brora. Despite the changes, we always get a thrill from new Special Releases, and it's always fun to see well-known (and not so well-known) whiskies in a new light.

So, what do we have in the 2024 lineup? 

8 whiskies, all from operational distilleries, spanning 8-21yo (and one NAS). We have mainstays of the collection (like Lagavulin 12 Cask Strength and more recently, Talisker 8yo) but some more unusual releases too, like a 21yo Benrinnes, the second ever release of Roseisle, and an unpeated Caol Ila!

(We even have a dram finished in "stone spun" casks, and no I had no idea what they were either...)

Let’s get into them…

Roseisle 12yo "Origami Kite II" (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (55.6% ABV, Single Malt, 12yo, Speyside, Scotland, $1,080HKD / £112.50)
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To be honest this was probably the one that interested me the most last year, as the inaugural release from this Speyside distillery that only opened in 2010. It didn’t disappoint (quality-wise) so I’m eager to see how this second release fares, especially as it shares age and cask types in common with 2023’s. I really appreciate that despite the focus of the range, Diageo have kept this one simple without fancy cask finishes.

Colour: Light honey.

Nose: Honied spice, slight hints of white pepper with a vanilla creaminess.

Palate: Consistent with the nose, with spice at the front of the palate, followed by a creamy sweet vanilla noteat the back. Very subtle tropical hints - mango mostly.

Finish: Med to long finish with notes of vanilla cream.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100 (Martin). Strong showing, like last year.

The Singleton of Glen Ord 14yo "Autumnal Walk" (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (54.7% ABV, Single Malt, 14yo, Highlands, Scotland, $1,215HKD / £110)
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Not everyone knows this, but Singleton is actually a brand rather than a distillery, and there are a few distilleries (Dufftown, Ord, Glendullan) sold under the label. Of the 3 Ord (which this is) is my favourite, with some amazing releases in the past (especially the 16yo Manager’s Dram). This one saw maturation in ex-Bourbon, ex-wine and refill casks with Pyrenean and Spanish Oak cask ends.

Colour: Orange marmalade.

Nose: Candied orange peel, stone fruits (pear mostly) and some hints of strawberry.

Palate: Retains the fruity confectionary notes of the palate, alongside some woodspice and sweet ginger.

Finish: Long, with subtle oak tannins and citrus.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 87/100 (Martin). 

Oban 10yo "Coastal Orchard" (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (58% ABV, Single Malt, 10yo, Highlands, Scotland, $890HKD / £108.33)
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From the first whisky distillery I ever visited! Part finished in new, freshly-charred Oloroso-seasoned American oak barrels and bottled at 58%.

Colour: Amber gold.

Nose: Slight cereal spice, with apricot hints. Breakfast in a glass!

Palate: The spice and apricot from the nose follows, with a more rounded, creamy mouthfeel with hints of custard, slight oak, and berry spice. I didn't find much sherry influence, despite the use of Oloroso-seasoned casks.

Finish: Oak spice.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 86/100 (Martin). Breakfast dram.

Mortlach “Midnight Dusk” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (57.5% ABV, Single Malt, NAS, Speyside, Scotland, $1,980HKD / £208.33)
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The only NAS in the lineup, this Mortlach deviates from the usual heavy, meatier, darker nature with a lighter, more youthful spirit, thanks to finishing in both red and white Italian wine casks. 

Colour: Yellow gold.

Nose: Youthful and grassy, with noticeable new oak.

Palate: Simple and straightforward, with stone fruits and subtle salty smoke, followed by apple, pineapple and salted caramel

Finish: Long with a slight oak astringency.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 86/100 (Martin). I always enjoy seeing whiskies presented in a different light, but if I’m honest I don’t see nearly $2,00HKD worth of value in this one...

Benrinnes 21yo “Grand Crescendo” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (55.4% ABV, Single Malt, 21yo, Speyside, Scotland, $3,625HKD / £283.33)
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The oldest and most expensive in the line up, Speyside’s Benrinnes has (as far as I’m aware) only featured in Special Releases twice since the start, also last time in a 21yo in 2014 with a heavy sherry influence. This time around it’s been matured in a mix of American and European Oak wine casks, interestingly with a finish that’s longer than the original maturation (13yrs vs 8yrs).

Colour: Dark orange gold.

Nose: Subtle, understated and elegant. Nutty hints, berry hints and some toffee.

Palate: Soft, elegant but still powerful. Sherry notes are there, but they're subtle, slowly growing. Cherries, baked pie crust, hints of strawberry.

Finish: Long, baked cherry pie.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100 (Martin). Probably my top pick of the lineup this year (just edging out the Roseisle).

Caol Ila 11yo “Ambrosial Feast” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (% ABV, Single Malt, 11yo, Islay, Scotland, $820HKD)

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As many of my whisky mates have heard me say, I reckon Caol Ila is one of the most versatile spirits out there. It can be delicious under 10yo, fantastic in its mid to late teens, beautiful in its 20s, and so on (and don’t get me started on early 1980s…beautiful spirit). What’s most interesting about this 11yo release however is it’s a rarely-seen unpeated Caol Ila! It’s not the first time we’ve seen one (there was one in 2015 and if I’m not mistaken, 2018 too) but it’s certainly not common, and for me is probably the most interesting “twist” we see in the lineup this year.

Colour: Yellow gold.

Nose: Oranges, pear, mango with an underlying nuttiness.

Palate: Less fruity than the nose, more hazelnut icecream, honey and oak (but with subtle hints of mango from the nose)

Finish: Long, with slight oak tannins

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 87/100 (Martin).

Talisker 8yo “Tidal Churn” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (58.7% ABV, Single Malt, 8yo, Islands, Scotland, $780HKD / £75)

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I’m always excited to try a new young Talker, mostly because the 8yo from 2018’s Special Releases still holds the title of best young Talisker I’ve ever tried - and probably best 8yo whisky I’ve ever tried! If you ever come across a bottle, do yourself a favour and try it - you won’t be disappointed. With that lofty benchmark set, we have this year’s 8yo which is said to be finished in “stone-spun” casks. Yep...."stone-spun". I like to think I’m pretty au fait with whisky terminology, but that was a new one for me. As best I can tell, it’s a method of decharring a cask using stones and water. Ok...

Colour: Straw

Nose: Saline, coastal, very slight peat but of a coastal/maritime nature, not iodine or BBQ-esque.

Palate: More peat than the nose suggests, with brine, nutty salted fish, and some noticeable camfourwood.

Finish: Medium in length, with strong salinity.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 86/100 (Martin). 

Lagavulin 12yo “Fireside Tails”(Diageo Special Releases 2024) (57.4% ABV, Single Malt, 12yo, Islay, Scotland, $1,250HKD / £129.17)
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The mainstay of the special releases - Lagavulin’s famed 12yo Cask Strength. One of the most consistent and enjoyable releases of the lineup in my opinion, this year’s release is back to more traditional cask types (1st fill ex-Bourbon, refill hoggies and refill European Oak butts) rather than the past two years which saw Virgin Oak and even ex-Añejo tequila casks.

Colour: Light yellow gold.

Nose: Fruity campfire smoke - apples, pears (toasted), bonfire smoke.

Palate: Creamy, salted BBQ notes - think a salted caramel or vanilla tart with a campfire-toasted crust.

Finish: Long, fruit smoke with a drying spice.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100 (Martin). The classic Laga 12 CS rarely disappoints, and this one continues that trend.

So there you have it, 8 drams from 8 different distilleries. A big thanks to MHDHK for setting aside a tasting kit for us.

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #657: 1959/1960 GlenDronach Gordon & MacPhail

It's no secret I'm a big GlenDronach fan, considering them to be one of the few remaining distilleries where value can still be found (even though the older single casks are a bit punchy these days..), and a distillery delivering quality well above some of their peers.

Between Hendy and I we've covered plenty of expressions on the blog, but for the most part they've been modern releases. On a few occasions I've been lucky enough to try some vintage bottlings, and they've almost always been spectacular, especially this 18yo dumpy for the Japanese market - one of my most favourite 'dronachs ever...until now.

As good as that dumpy was (along with the 70s single casks, excellent 1993s and other interesting IBs), they've all been overtaken - by this fascinating vatting of 1959 and 1960 distilled GlenDronach, bottled by G&M in 1986 to celebrate the marriage of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.

It wasn't that long ago you could pick up vintage miniatures for significantly less than they should've been (the market's cottoned-on now, unfortunately) and whilst miniatures are always a gamble, I'd say I'm at about a 95% success rate. This one held up perfectly, and I think cost me all of £20...

Gordon & MacPhail 1995/1960 GlenDronach (to commemorate the marriage of H.R.H Prince Andrew to Miss Sarah Ferfuson on 23rd July 1986) (40% ABV, Single Malt, NAS but ~28yo, Speyside Scotland)
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Colour: Dark copper-brown.

Nose: Hugely expressive for 40%. Some OBE (Old Bottle Effect) but also rich coffee grounds, a sweet Vietnamese coffee note, varnish, leather, and overall so fresh and clean. Even some slightly herbal / grassy notes appeared, after some time.

Palate: Overripe oranges, crisp sherry, glazed orange slices, sherbert, cherry chews, marzipan and red apple. A mixed bag of fruity deliciousness.

Finish: Medium in length, with oak only showing to the end, alongside some sweet BBQ notes.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100 (Martin). Absolutely fantastic. Incredible this is only 40%!

Cheers,

Martin.

Glenmorangie "A Tale of Tokyo" [Tasted #656]

Glenmorangie’s recently dropped their latest release - “A Tale of Tokyo”, the fourth in the “Tale of” series which continues to explore the magic of Dr Bill Lumsden’s experimentations, initially popularised by the “Private Edition” series. The series kicked of with "A Tale of Cake" (tasting notes), then moved onto "A Tale of Winter", then last year's "A Tale of the Forest" (tasting notes).

This time Dr Bill has gotten his hands on some Mizunara casks (not an easy task), to explore the influence the fascinating and unique wood has on Glenmo’s spirit, in honour of one of his favourite places (I mean, can you blame him? Japan is a whisky lovers’ playground!)

Says Dr Bill:


“I partly matured a proportion of Glenmorangie spirit in rare Japanese mizunara oak casks, which I’ve been curious to experiment with for some time. The influence of this wood is incredibly complex and unusual; it required balance and softening with Glenmorangie matured in bourbon and sherry casks, and the result is a dram as full of delicious sensory contrasts as a trip to Tokyo.”

 

So...was this a Mizunara bomb like my all-time favourite Mizunara-matured whisky (or its close runner-up), a Mizunara-non-event like a certain blended Scotch with a turquoise label, or somewhere in between? Read on...

Glenmorangie "A Tale of Tokyo" (46% ABV, Single Malt, NAS, Highlands Scotland, $980HKD / AU pricing TBC / £63.29)
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Colour: Orange gold

Nose: Sharp, fresh oak, pencil shavings, orange flambé, flamed orange peel, and some vanilla.

Palate: Youthful and light, with citrus and oak spice, then hints of sandalwood, and some slight floral / herbal notes. Light throughout, with some honey and mandarin towards the end. With some time in glass (and later some airspace in the bottle) the mandarin becomes a bit sweeter, a bit more prominent.

Finish: Medium in length, with a slight oak astringency towards the end. 

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 87/100 (Martin). A perfectly enjoyable dram, and another successful attempt at matching up trademark Glenmorangie notes with something a bit left-field. Personally though (and I think I'm in the minority here) I preferred last year's "A Tale of the Forest" (tasting notes).

Thanks to Glenmorangie & Flare Communications for the review bottle.

Cheers,

Martin.

Glenglassaugh Coastal Series [Tasted #643 - #645]

Since joining the portfolio of The Benriach Distillery Company, the revival of Glenglassaugh has featured well as part of Benriach Company's reputation to revive old, forgotten distilleries. 

Dr Rachel Barrie, Brown-Forman Single Malts Master Blender noted that very few distilleries are situated by the beach with the sun, with rolling waves. The air and the high mineral water content all shape to influence the unique profile of Glenglassaugh. The minerality is derived from the geology and the landscape from where Glenglassaugh sits, with the distillery located by the beach, on the sea cliffs next to the village of Portsoy, Scotland.

Glenglassaugh has been around since 1875, during the 19th-century blend-led boom. It's been mothballed a few times, first in 1907, again in 1986 before finally being saved in 2007. Even then Glenglassaugh has always produced smaller volumes until 2010 before production started ramping up.

As Dr Rachel Barrie noted, 12 years on, the Glenglassaugh whisky from those years has finally come of age as it's reached the milestone age. She described it as the coastal awakening of Glenglassaugh. With the launch of Glenglassaugh's Coastal Series which will become their core range, the Glenglassaugh 12yo stands out as the flagship in the series.

The Glenglassaugh Coastal Series features three new expressions; a 12yo, Sandend and Portsoy. What's also apparent is the new bottle design which is said to have been inspired by the rippling sand tide at Sandend Bay and the overarching colour of the ocean.

The release of the flagship Glenglassaugh 12yo single malt embodies Glenglassaugh’s signature coastal style. The 12yo matured in bourbon, sherry and red wine casks and is akin to an evolution to Glenglassaugh Revival which also is a result of a mix of wine, bourbon and sherry casks.

Two other new whiskies, Sandend and Portsoy join the flagship 12yo. Sandend, inspired by the crescent beach of Sandend Bay, is matured in bourbon, sherry and manzanilla casks and Portsoy, the peated release, taking its name from the neighbouring harbour village, reflects the bold and deeply maritime flavour of this richly peated single malt, matured in sherry, bourbon and port casks. These three now represent Glenglassaugh's core range expressions.

As Dr Rachel Barrie noted:

“The new portfolio brings together all the key elements of Glenglassaugh’s spirit. Inspired by its truly unique coastal location, the new expressions transport us to a place where the spirit is awakened and soul invigorated, inviting us to stop, take a breath and appreciate our surroundings.”

“To taste Glenglassaugh Single Malt is to experience the coastal influence of Sandend Bay and the ancient harbour towns nearby. Shaped by the coalescence of land and sea, the senses are awakened by the imposing yet calming crash of waves and the sweet smell of gorse in the air.”

Glenglassaugh 12yo (45% ABV, Highland, Scotland, A$109.99)

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An evolution to the Glenglassaugh Revival with similar cask composition for the 12yo to the Glenglassaugh Revival. This flagship Glenglassaugh 12yo release carry the dry influence from the wine cask with the added richness from the bourbon and sherry casks. 

Nose: Lots of tropical fruits, passionfruit, sour pineapple and mixed with dark raisins, fig, Christmas cake and some dried fruits.

Palate: The palate is ladened with tannin, grape tannin - likely from the wine casks. The notes that follow are sweet, candied date like followed by some spices that come alive after a while.

Finish: Medium to long

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (Hendy)

Glenglassaugh Sandend (50.5% ABV, Speyside, Scotland, A$131.99)

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My pick of the three new releases from Glenglassaugh. This decadent malt from Glenglassaugh is beautiful, creamy, dessert like with burst of tropical fruit flavours. Many of the rich flavours I suspect have been derived from the manzanilla fino sherry casks which on its own is a remarkably rich sherry.

Nose: Almost ice cream like. The nose is beautiful and creamy with loads of vanilla, sweet vanilla slice, butter cookies, vanilla ice cries with a tinge of sea salt and peppermint.

Palate: The palate is equally as soft and beautiful with a tinge of slight spices, black peppercorns but with a persistent sweetness, vanilla ice cream like. The palate is lush, creamy, viscous and palate coating.

Finish: The finish is soft, gentle and slowly fizzles out.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100 (Hendy) 

Glenglassaugh Portsoy (49.1% ABV, Highland, Scotland, A$119.99)

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A lightly peated Glenglassaugh release that balances the rich notes derived from the sherry, bourbon and port casks with umami flavours. This is a rather interesting expression that reminds me of everything from seaweed crisps to salted caramel crumbles. The sherry and port wine casks does bring out the dark chocolate and spices with some light bonfire smoke notes coming through. Delicious.

Nose: Rich, maritime notes. Hints of seaweed, sea salted seaweed with salted caramel. The nose is reminiscent of Japanese seaweed sheet mixed with a bit of dark chocolate and cherries.

Palate: The palate is full bodied, has a bit of the salted caramel from the nose, sweet maple syrup with a light bonfire smoke coming through from the peated grain.

Finish: The finish is light and lingers for a while.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (Hendy) 

The new Glenglassaugh Coastal Series is an exciting release from this small Highland distillery. The three new Glenglassaugh expressions will be available nationwide from September 2023 at Dan Murphy and specialist whisky stockists. 

For limited time in September, the team at Brown Forman have partnered with Sydney Oyster Farm Tours to offer a 'Sea-to-Table' whisky and oyster experience. Now, of the three, I would have thought the Portsoy to be the most decadent pairing for any oyster tasting but this package offers pairing with all three releases.

So here's your chance to savour some of Hawkesbury’s finest oysters, during peak oyster season (which runs from September to March) while submerged in the tranquil waters of the Hawkesbury River indulging in both the Glenglassaugh coastal range and Hawkesbury's finest oysters.

Visit Glenglassaugh Whisky Immerse Yourself package to check on availability across September for this particular package.

Thanks to the Brown Forman and We Are Different teams for previewing the new Glenglassaugh Coastal Range with us.

Cheers
Hendy

Glenmorangie "A Tale of the Forest" [Tasted #615]

Glenmorangie, much like their LVMH counterpart Ardbeg, have become known for releasing annual special editions that actually have a point of difference to them, rather than just a different label and slightly different mixture of ex-sherry and ex-Bourbon whiskies. For years it was the Private Edition series (Ealanta, Spios, Bacalta, Milsean, Companta etc..) and more recently the "Tale of" series - first "A Tale of Cake", then "A Tale of Winter" and now "A Tale of the Forest".

A Tale of the Forest uses barley kilned with "woodland botanicals" - more specifically juniper berries, birch bark, heather flowers and just a hint of peat. I'm sure I'm not the only one who read this and thought "a gin-esque whisky!?"

My biggest question when it comes to interesting, unusually-made whiskies like this is - does the uniqueness actually shine through in the final product? Can you actually taste those woodland botanicals in the whisky? Let's find out...

 

Glenmorangie "A Tale of the Forest" (46% ABV, NAS, Highlands, $980HKD / $169.99AUD / £62.46ex-VAT)
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Colour: Honey gold

Nose: There really is an initial whack of pine needles and a touch of eucalyptus here. It's certainly an unusual nose for a Scotch. Freshly-cut grass, heather and herbal tea. If you'd told me it was a cask-rested gin, based on the nose, I'd believe you. 

Palate: A bit of the spice from the nose carries through, along with the pine notes. The eucalyptus too, but it's more prominent than on the nose. There's still Glenmo DNA though - soft yet flavoursome with noticeable citrus, vanilla cream & honey. Doesn't feel overly young either - there's not a lot of complexity here, but it's also not rough or under-aged.

Finish: Long, with residual resin, pine and grassy notes.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100 (Martin). This isn't a hugely complex whisky, but it 100% matches the name and purported character, and it's tasty too. Some distilleries use special release NAS whiskies to hide young whisky that (in my view) isn't quite ready. That's not the case here at all - this feels spot-on in terms of age and "meets the brief" in terms of character.

Thanks to MHDHK for the review bottle.

Cheers,
Martin.

The Whisky Exchange Ben Nevis 1992-2020 23 Year Old Cask #1709 [Tasted #614]

Given my love of Ben Nevis (and how often I post / talk about them on Instagram), I really should post a few more tasting notes on this blog. So in an attempt to pad out the Nevis quota before the end of the year, here's a Whisky Exchange bottling kindly donated by a Hong Kong whisky mate, the talented Damoo from The Whisky Journey (IG / FB).

Distilled in 1996 (of course), this one was bottled from a single Hogshead in 2020 at 23yo & 52.1% ABV. The Whisky Exchange have a number of whisky ranges through their Elixir Distillers company, but I've always had good ones from this label, so it came high expectations...

Ben Nevis 1996 - 2020 Cask #1709 bottled by The Whisky Exchange (52.1% ABV, 23yo, One of 205 bottles, Highlands, no longer available)
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Colour: Yellow straw

Nose: Lemon tart and butter menthols, followed by peach, pear and stewed apple.

Palate: Follows the nose, with an initial fruitiness, but more pear, heather, and a very slight grassy funk. I wouldn't call it tropical (though there is a little candied grapefruit) - more honey and stone fruits, but it's a wonderfully delicious dram.

Finish: Long, with heather, honey and orange slices.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (Martin). Up there with the better 1996s.

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #595: Glendronach 50yo (TimeforWhisky 10 Year Anniversary Dram)

Today's 10th Anniversary Dram comes courtesy of Hendy, in the form of one incredible GlenDronach...

My first foray with GlenDronach was back in 2016, at an Oak Barrel GlenDronach tasting where I fell in love with the distillery and in particular with its 15yo. Notwithstanding the fact that GlenDronach is Scotland's second oldest legal whisky producer, the distillery is also well known for its range of sherry-matured whiskies as well as its tumultuous history.

Everything from its quality, to its rich profile and value, are what separates GlenDronach from other similar distillers. Those that come to learn more about GlenDronach will quickly discover the two significant periods; the GlenDronach prior to its closing in 1996 (until 2002) and the rebirthed GlenDronach which was acquired by Chivas Brothers in 2005, subsequently purchased by BenRiach Distillery Co in 2008.

You can also think about its whiskies in similar ways, with those GlenDronach whiskies that have been distilled prior to its closure in 1996 and its newer releases that may have been distilled in recent times, following its reopening in 2002.

This brings me to the GlenDronach 50yo, a truly special GlenDronach which I thought was also fitting for our special 10-year celebration tasting round-ups. 

The GlenDronach 50yo is the distillery's oldest and rarest whisky to date. Distilled in 1971, the malt has quietly aged away since in one PX and one Oloroso sherry cask. Both casks from the bodegas of Jerez in Andalucia, Spain. It was then blended for final maturation for around one year in a single new Spanish oak PX cask. With only 198 bottles available worldwide, Rachel Barrie, GlenDronach's Master Blender said:

“The GlenDronach Aged 50 Years is the most prestigious expression of what this timeless, richly-sherried Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has to offer."

Bottle No. 1 of The GlenDronach 50yo is gone as it was proudly donated to the inaugural Distillers’ One of One Auction in December 2021, raising £40,000 in support of disadvantaged young people in Scotland.

I was provided with a small sample of the GlenDronach 50yo following its launch in Sydney. Here's what I thought...

The Glendronach 50yo (43.8% ABV, 50yo, Highlands, Scotland, A$39,500)
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Nose: Very alluring and fresh; with notes of dark fruits, plums, prunes, cherries, raisins and dark chocolate. There is a small hint of tobacco that is woven with the deep fruity and cocoa scent.

Palate: Luscious, viscous and with no oakiness. The palate carries the notes from the nose with stewed plums, mixed with cherries. There's a small hint of citrus but finely strung together by smooth fine Belgian chocolates. Truly delicious.

Finish: Not too long, it fades slowly though the remains of that fine cocoa slowly drift away.  

Rating: 95/100.

Thanks ever always to Stuart Reeves for providing us with the sample of the GlenDronach 50yo and also having us at the launch that featured Stewart Buchanan, the GlenDronach Global Malts Ambassador.

Cheers
Hendy.

Tasted #591: 1980 Brora "Prima & Ultima II" 40 Year Old (TimeforWhisky 10 Year Anniversary Dram)

As I wrote last week, this month sees us celebrate 10 years of TimeforWhisky.com, and to mark the occasion Hendy and I decided to write our tasting notes for 5 epic drams, in the lead up to the actual anniversary (22nd Oct).

..then we decided, "hold on...it's a tenth anniversary, we should make it ten posts!"

So that's what we're doing. One post a day from today until 22nd October, each suitably epic, each tasted by either Hendy or myself. Without giving too much away, we'll have:

• Four whiskies in their 50s
• Two whiskies from the 50s
• Some crazy Bowmore
• Whiskies from closed distilleries; and
• A 30yo Japanese single malt from a distillery which most people don't realised produced a 30yo

It should be acknowledged that these are whiskies we've tasted (and taken notes on) over the past 3-4 years - and just never gotten around to uploading onto the blog. 

It should also be acknowledged that many of these whiskies came from very generous whisky folk who provided them freely - simply to share great whisky with other whisky lovers! 

So without further ado, let's kick things off with a 40 Year Old Brora OB, distilled in 1980 and bottled in 2021 as part of Diageo's "Prima & Ultima II" collection.

It's been a while since we've tried a Brora on this TimeforWhisky. Brora Distillery closed in 1983 (but re-opened in May 2021) and in that time has attained legendary status. This particular release is comes from the last of the 1980s casks (3 refill American Oak hogsheads), bottled 18th Jan 2021, and will be the last OB 1980s release. 

Any Brora is sought-after (and expensive) these days, but a 40yo is a unique thing indeed...

1980 Brora "Prima & Ultima II" 40 Year Old (49.2% ABV, 40yo, 1 of 505 bottles, Highlands, Scotland, $13,400SGD)
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Colour: Golden straw.

Nose: Orchard fruits, with subtle wisps of smoke. There's a breadiness, a slight nuttiness, some beeswax, a floral smokiness that lingers through.

Palate: Big and oily, with more orchard fruits, marzipan, peaches and cream - no peach pie, with a freshly baked crust. Slight caramel notes follow, with more of that toasted oak breadiness.

Finish: Very, very long - following the palate with residual fruit, toasted oak and caramel notes.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Not my favourite Brora to date (it's a high bar, to be fair) but a lovely dram regardless.

A very big thanks to Kam Daswani of Dram Good Stuff for the taste of this Brora.

Cheers,

Martin.

Ben Nevis 1996-2020 (The Whisky Agency) TWA Spring 2020 Release [Tasted #584]

If you follow us on @TimeforWhisky on Instagram, you might know I'm a massive Ben Nevis fan, especially casks from the mid to late 1990s. For some reason I haven't posted many on the blog, but when reading through some old tasting notes (at least 400 of which I've never gotten around to posting!), I came across this 1996 Ben Nevis from The Whisky Agency, which ticked all the right boxes for me.

TWA releases are usually pretty high quality (sadly with price tags to match on the secondary market), so I was pretty confident this 1996 Ben Nevis (from a Hogshead) would be too, despite the lower ABV of 47.6%.

I wasn't disappointed...

The Whisky Agency Ben Nevis 1996-2020 (TWA Spring 2020 Release) (47.6% ABV, 23yo, 1 of 264 bottles, Highlands, Scotland, no longer available)

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Colour: Light yellow gold

Nose: Oooh yes, this is what I love in a Nevis. A tropical fruitbomb (or "Tropic Thunder" / "TT") Nevis! Peach, pear, rockmelon, overripe apples and bananas. Just awesome.

Palate: Passionfruit, peach and plum. A slight herbal-spiced earthiness, with some waxed Apple. Very much a typical 1996 Nevis, with a good dollop of tropical fruit on top.

Finish: Passionfruit and peach continue, with a residual vanilla cream. No residual oak tannins.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Just absolutely delicious.

I really need to get onto these as they're released more often...

Cheers,

Martin.

Diageo Special Releases 2021 [Tasted #569 - 576]

Just like Christmas, the eagerly anticipated Diageo Special Releases Collection has arrived in Australia. Though it should be said that we do get things six months later than our Northern Hemisphere friends. The 2021 Diageo Special Releases Collection 2021 dubbed 'Legends Untold' features similar malt set to last year's collection and no, there's no sign of any ghost distillery malts such as Port Ellen or Brora. Those rare malts are now part of the Rare & Exceptional Collection.

The Diageo 2021 Special Releases Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection feature:

• The darkly robust and rich Mortlach 13yo from the Speyside Dufftown distillery
• A briny, bold fire-breathing sea monster of malt with smoky undertones in the Talisker 8yo
• A rare Highland expression of the Royal Lochnagar with a nimble springtime freshness
• Two unique and enchanting expressions of the Lagavulin, ‘The King of Islay’: A fiercely intense, yet perfectly balanced sweet and salty 12yo and, 
• The ultimate jewel in the set, a 26yo, finished in first-fill PX/Oloroso casks

I couldn't make the event that Diageo put together in Sydney but they did send the collection. I must say, when I received the package, I was blown away by the overall design and details. 

This year's collection takes inspiration from the fable world and is represented by the brilliant pop-culture designs by Digital Illustrator Ken Taylor. His striking signature style and interpretation of the mythical creatures take cues from his portfolio of pop culture artwork. The designs incorporate ancient fables and mythical creatures that are linked to Scotland's heartland. The 2021 ‘Legends Untold’ collection like all the previous Special Releases collections is there to represent the diversity of Diageo's malt portfolio.

Master Blender Dr Craig Wilson selected each of the whiskies and he commented:

“We have delved into the core characteristics of several classic distilleries for the ‘Legends Untold’ collection. Taking inspiration from this year’s mythical creatures, we have revealed new depths of flavour and embraced the essence of each whisky’s unique profile, unveiling the legend it brings to life. The 2021 Special Releases Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection is just the very beginning of the story.”

What's also unique this year is the use of the QR code that is found on the bottle. On the sample kit, the QR code was printed on the box that also told the tale of the legends. Diageo is using the QR code to give people the ability to dive deeper into each of the releases and promises a multi-sensory experience as well as details behind the cask-strength Single Malts’ tale. All from the comfort of people's homes.

Mortlach 13yo (55.9%, Speyside, Scotland, A$243) 

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Nose: Light, freshly cut grass, vanilla granolas, there's some orange marmalade, lemon and honey lozenges.

Palate: Creamy, floral, vanilla, there's some tannin, quite tarty followed by some sweet ginger heat.

Finish: Long remnants of tannin, chalky and the spices remain for a while. 

Rating: 91/100 

Lagavulin 12yo - The Lion's Fire (56.5%, Islay, Scotland, A$234) 

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Nose: Iodine, sea salt with lemon zest. It's pleasant despite the slightly peaty, briny influence. There's a hint of vanilla and chocolate.

Palate: There's the smoke, bonfire smoke. The brine from the nose follows on the palate. There is lemon zest and seaweed. Simple pleasure, very Lagavulin.

Finish: Long, the smoke and lemon citrus notes lingers, as well as the brine note.

Rating: 94/100 

The Singleton of Glendullan 19yo - The Siren’s Song (54.6%, Speyside, Scotland, A$252)

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Nose: The nose is fruity, with apples and licorice and currant

Palate: The palate is smooth, with peppermint, fresh mint, a hint of fresh malt, popping candies, sour cherries and quite herbaceous

Finish: The finish is sweet, light, 

Rating: 91/100 

Oban 12yo - The Tale of Twin Foxes (56.2%, Highlands, Scotland, A$189) 

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Nose: The nose is herbaceous, sweet maple syrup, grassy, toffee apple, green apple, 

Palate: The palate is rich, elegant, and lightly spiced, oranges, warhead sour lollies, spices, and nutmeg hit the back of the palate

Finish: The finish is long zesty and salty (in a delicious way)

Rating: 94/100 

Cardhu 14yo - The Scarlet Blossoms of Black Rock (55.5%, Speyside, Scotland, A$216) 

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Nose: Deliciously sweet, berries, strawberries and cream, plenty of dessert, icing sugar, caramelised apply to candy, vanilla and coconut shavings

Palate: The palate follows the nose, the sweet strawberries and cream, there are some fruit tingles, raspberry candy, slight sourness, popping candy perhaps?! but it's sweet through and through.

Finish: The popping and buzz from the popping candy remain along with the berry notes. Delicious.

Rating: 93/100 

Talisker 8yo — The Rogue Seafury (59.7%, Islay, Scotland, A$162) 

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Nose: There's the Talisker, bold smoke with loads of unashamed peats. It's briny, there are sea salt remnants, and you can smell the ocean.

Palate: The bold peat and smoke follow through to the nose. It's charred and it hits you big time. There's some vanilla amongst the brine and ash.

Finish: Long, the smoke lingers for a while and there are some spices, peppery. The finish is also chalky with lots of tannins left behind. It's a delicious Talisker.

Rating: 92/100

Royal Lochnagar 16yo — The Spring Stallion (57.5%, Highland, Scotland, A$360) 

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Nose: Fresh and fruity, honey, vanilla custard, subtle notes of mandarin.

Palate: Very surprising and different to the subtle notes. Creamy, orange and lemon zest, popping candy or is it orange juice. There are spices that develop gently, black pepper mixed with a drizzle of lemon.

Finish: Long with a chalky finish, the spices fizzle out first before leaving a sweet fruity finish.

Rating: 93/100

Lagavulin 26yo — The Lion's Jewel (44.2%, Islay, Scotland, A$2,971) 

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The grandeur of the lot, the Lagavulin 26yo - dubbed the Lion's Jewel. The King of Islay guarded a gem of precious worth that has been won through decades of fire and ferocity. As the legends have it, this was truly a nice drop.

Nose: The smoke and ash hit you, in a nice way. There are raisins and stone fruits, and some berries. There is also some sweetness, honey glazed smoked ham?! 

Palate: Sweet at first but the smoke continues on the palate and continues to grow. There are ash notes that are mixed with dried fruits, and raisins. The smoke is followed by some spices, black pepper and oak spice. Overall, very creamy and complex.

Finish: Long, the peat lingers and the bonfire is still alive, you are yearning for more of that smoke. A beautiful Lagavulin rendition.

Rating: 95/100

Cheers
Hendy

Thank you to Diageo and Example for sending us the Diageo Special Releases 2021 Collection kit for us to spend some time with.

Tasted #512 - 513: Sherried Ben Nevis showdown

Whilst whisky might not "follow vintage" the same way that wine does, there are definitely some whiskies distilled in certain periods which, in my view, stand out - be it due to changes in production methods, wood policy, cask sourcing/availability, or just plain old luck. 

Mid 1960s Bowmore is a well-known example. 1993 GlenDronach too. Late 2000's Caol Ila (ex-Bourbon) is a more recent one...and in my opinion, late 1990s Ben Nevis (1996 gets all the love, but don't look past 1995 and 1997).

I recently had two samples of Ben Nevis - one a 1996 "Small Batch" 21yo bottled for La Maison du Whisky, the other a 1997 Single Cask 19yo bottled by SMWS. What do you do when you have two similar, delicious whisky samples? Try them side-by-side of course!

Ben Nevis SMWS 78.41 "A Real Sherry Monster" 1997-2017 (57.1% ABV, 19yo, IB, Highlands, Scotland)
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Colour: Deep orange gold.

Nose: Rich creamy coffee grounds and red currants, followed by nutty chocolate Florentine. With water: more creaminess with hints of white chocolate.

Palate: Toffee, marzipan sweetness, then slightly metallic herbal notes and musk sticks. With water, the herbs become more pronounced.

Finish: Long, slightly tannic. Herbal mouthwash. With water, there are slightly less tannins but more herbs.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100. A real mixed bag, with a lot going on. I liked it, but didn't love it the way I have some 1990s Ben Nevis.

Ben Nevis 21yo "Small Batch" for LMdW 1996-2018 (55.5% ABV, 21yo, OB, Highlands, Scotland)
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Colour: Dark copper-brown.

Nose: Deep rich sherry notes - dirty old leather books, herbal musk, dunnage warehouse. With water: some cola notes emerge.

Palate: Rich, velvety deep sherry notes - more of the leather and herbal musk, but adding raisins, coffee grounds and the tiniest hint of sulphur. With water: cola, more raisins and herbs.

Finish: Long, dark chocolate cherry.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. A bit more up my alley but I'd prefer to see a little less cask influence and a bit more spirit.

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasting Glenmorangie's little-discussed "Truffle Oak Reserve" 26yo [Tasted #510]

Back in 2019 Glenmorangie quietly released "Truffle Oak Reserve", a 1000 bottle release of 1993 Glenmorangie, matured for 26 years (16 of which were in "Truffle Oak").

("Truffle Oak" you might rightly ask? In a nutshell, a porous oak sourced from Germany's Black Forest.)

Interestingly, this wasn't the first release of this liquid, with the distillery first releasing a 12yo (with a 2 year Truffle Oak finish) in 2005, limited to 886 bottles. The remainder of the 4 original casks was set aside, matured for an extra 14 years, and the result is what you see here.

Little has been written about this bottle, and I might know why. It seems the marketing is focusing on private clients and high-end events, rather than press release saturation and seeding samples out to bloggers and other media. Understandable, given the limited release and significant price tag. Thanks to good friend of this site Eddie Nara, I was able to attend one of those events (held in the Tatler Suite at Hong Kong's Upper House, no less) and try the whisky.

It's a shame most won't get to try this, as it's an absolutely stunning Glenmo - possibly one of the best I've had (definitely up there with the earliest Signets, which I adore, and the 1963). You can find my full tasting notes below, but it's a hugely complex dram with the Truffle Oak clearly having a significant influence (as you'd expect after 16 years of "finishing").

With exclusivity and quality though, comes cost, with Truffle Oak tipping the scales at $21,500HKD (or over $3,500AUD). Compared to the 1991 grand vintage (also 26yo) at $5,795HKD, it's not a cheap dram...but it is an incredible one. Only 12 bottles came to Hong Kong, and given I tried this a few months ago now, they may well all be sold.

Glenmorangie "Truffle Oak Reserve" (55.7% ABV, 26yo, Highlands, Scotland, $21,500HKD)
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Colour: Vibrant orange gold.

Nose: Initial hit of spiced oak, then an earthy nuttiness comes to the fore. More damp earth eventually involving into intriguing, mossy, mushroom notes. There's vanilla, but for me it's more of a rich, intense vanilla essense note.

Palate: Spicy at first, but rich and juicy at the same time. There's still some of that musty damp earth (in a good way, trust me) and huge mouthfeel thanks to the 55.7%, but it's never harsh. With a bit of time, peach and raspberry notes begin to emerge and complement the earthy notes.

Finish: Hugely long, with red berries, peach and some melon notes.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100. This...this is very good.