Hazelburn 10yo 2025 Release
Official Bottling | 46% ABV
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
A very enjoyable, smooth and creamy dram
New Years, New Resolutions?
It’s official, I am sending out a warning klaxon. Don’t fall into the New Year’s resolution trap – it’s not worth it.
As the end of the year rolls around, we all gaze back at the twelve months that have been - and look forward to the twelve still to come. We plan; we aim to better ourselves. Resolutions are created – and ultimately, not kept. Across the globe.
You may be doing this yourself at this time. You may want to learn a new language, in which case, Hola! Szia! Bonjour! You may be planning to look more like Arnold Schwarzenegger by the time your holiday in Tenerife rolls around. Perhaps, maybe, your resolutions are a little more liquid – and I’m not talking about steroid injections…
Whisky resolutions are wonderfully adaptable - soft, malleable things. They come in all shapes and sizes: to explore more, drink less, drink better; uncover a new region; fall down a rabbit hole; or climb out of another.
Maybe 2026 is the year you finally get your WhiskyTube channel off the ground … or simply the year you drop to your knees and pledge your forever loyalty to Campbeltown.
It may not even be about the liquid itself - it might be about the people who surround it. Maybe 2026 is the year you attend your first whisky festival… or join a club… maybe even start one.
This, my friends, is where I ask you to proceed with trepidation.
I had no whisky resolution in 2025 - that was supposed to be reserved for 2026, complete with a mission statement and accompanying budget. But that plan has now been thrown firmly out of the window, landing with a satisfying splatter.
I did have a resolution for 2025 – it just didn’t involve whisky.
This year was aimed squarely within the world of wine. Specifically, aiming to fill what felt like a gaping hole in my personal knowledge of the drinks landscape - French wine.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with all I’ve learned about carbonic maceration, vin jaune or the plateau of Pomerol. However, I do want to talk about what I did – and why I won’t be repeating the feat in 2026.
Mastering the vast and complicated world of French wine in twelve months would be impossible - but I wanted to learn as much as I could and properly plant a foothold in the region. So, I did what any normal, well-balanced person would do: I read books, watched documentaries, sat online exams… and decided to drink 52 bottles of French wine. One per week. For a year.
It sounded perfectly reasonable at the time. Sensible, even.
With 52 bottles spread across the regions and styles, surely, I’d have a solid grounding of French wine by December… right? It was a smart, measured, plan.
All I had to do was invest in a bigger recycling bin…
If only!
Smash cut to July, where my ‘sensible’ plan had long since collided at high speed with reality. One Google search for “buy quality Champagne” and your bank card will need to lie down in a dark, quiet, room. It’s a fact – and something you should consider – a challenge like this can very quickly mutate into a budgetary black hole, spitting out fancy corks and tannins.
And while the financial hit was predictable; what really blindsided me was the non-financial cost… It was the opportunity cost.
First, let’s take a moment’s silence for my poor, neglected whisky cupboard.
Given I was a new father this year, whisky tastings and other extraneous events were thin on the ground for me in 2025 anyway. However, unexpectedly, the whisky cupboard soon followed suit.
Not because I didn’t want to crack open a stumpy bottle of cask strength, but simply because every time I reached for a Speyside, a little voice in the back of my head whispered, “But Ally, it’s sunnier in the south of France…”
However, this was just the first symptom of a wider virus.
Spontaneity? It was gone. Extinct.
The thrill of being able to follow my personal whims – half the joy of being a drinks enthusiast – had evaporated. There was now a guilt that came with picking a random bottle off the shelf. Anything but French vino felt like a missed opportunity, a lack of commitment to the grander plan.
Instead of wandering wherever my palate felt like going, I was marching in circles from Bordeaux to Burgundy – and nothing kills the romance of a quiet drink on the sofa quite like a spreadsheet.
So take heed from this lesson – as once your resolution starts telling you what to drink, it’s probably time to sit it down for a difficult conversation. Which is why, come 2026, I’ll be leaving grand resolutions to those of us whose hobbies haven’t yet staged a quiet coup d’état.
Review
Hazelburn 10yo, Official Release, 2025 edition, 46% ABV
£59 paid, patchy availability
I dropped to my knees and pledged myself to Campbeltown long ago - so, unsurprisingly, I recently found myself wandering through the whisky-soaked streets of the town. A wonderful coastal town that somehow feels like our own personal secret, even though half the whisky world makes a regular pilgrimage there.
Naturally, while in the neighbourhood, we made a beeline for Springbank Distillery. Even though the distillery was partially closed to the public, there were still tours running - and any disappointment about the cordoned-off areas was quickly soothed over by extra drams provided in their stead. Honestly, that felt like a perfectly reasonable exchange to me...
If you’ve met me before, you’ll probably know that I have a particular soft spot for Hazelburn releases. There’s just something about that triple-distilled smoothness that hits exactly the right part of my brain. It’s the whisky equivalent of a beloved ‘house only’ cosy jumper: comforting, reliable, and just a touch off-centre compared to the usual choices…
What I do not love, however, is that Hazelburn remains as difficult as always to get hold of. It’s like Oasis tickets – and with arguably even more sibling squabbles in their history.
And here’s the real kick: despite my recent trip, I didn’t even manage to pick a bottle of Hazelburn up in the Wee Toon itself. I had to continually refresh whisky sites to nab this one - just like the rest of you!
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
A very enjoyable, smooth and creamy dram
Nose
Primarily, there’s something noticeably clean and refreshingly bright on the nose. A fruity, citrus-led note greets you - mainly orange peel, but delivered in a way that’s relaxed rather than overbearing. There’s also a hint of pear drops quietly adding a subtle sweetness in the background.
Behind that initial fruitiness sits a noticeable minerality, reminiscent of rock moss and saltwater; classic Campbeltown DNA for me. Rounding things out is a soft touch of vanilla custard. It’s present, but far less dominant than the other elements - more of a support act.
Palate
The first thing that strikes me as the whisky hits my palate is the mouthfeel – it’s incredibly creamy. Seemingly expanding on the tongue, almost like cream straight from a can.
But after that initial hit, the sweetness never steps into becoming overpowering. The whisky remains smooth and well-balanced. The fruit from the nose carries through, with apple joining the already present pear and orange notes.
The length isn’t particularly long, but it never feels shallow.
The Dregs
I won what felt like the whisky lottery and managed to snag a bottle of this year’s Hazelburn 10 release – and it did not disappoint.
From a nose that’s bright, fruity and coastal, to a palate that is smooth, creamy, and quietly confident: if you’re a fan of elegant, simple, unpeated whiskies that don’t try too hard but still deliver, you’re in for a treat.
So, maybe, if you’re set on a resolution for 2026, it should be something like picking up one of these. If you can find one.
Score: 8/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. AM
-
Dramface is free.
Its fierce independence and community-focused content is funded by that same community. We don’t do ads, sponsorships or paid-for content. If you like what we do you can support us by becoming a Dramface member for the price of a magazine.
However, if you’ve found a particular article valuable, you also have the option to make a direct donation to the writer, here: buy me a dram - you’d make their day. Thank you.
For more on Dramface and our funding read our about page here.
Other opinions on this:
Got a link to a reliable review? Tell us.
