Cut Your Wolf Loose Sextet
Six from the Independent Bottler | various ABV
Embracing Art and Independence.
Not sure if this is just the remnants of a rebellious streak from my late teens that never truly abated.
Fed by years of life on the road as a struggling musician, or suspicion against a corporate world that burned me multiple times; but after a period of drifting transition, the second half of my life has been defined by my choice to hang out a shingle, paddle my own canoe, “pick myself up by my bootstraps,” and start my own business.
It was sixteen years ago when I was laid off from a dead-end job at a software company in the depths of the Great Recession (a week before Thanksgiving and my birthday by the way… rude) and the six weeks’ severance I was given was the last paycheck I’ve ever received. I was 29.
I had started the job a few years earlier, originally working part time as a call center agent, then “moving my way up” to call center supervisor, and finally promoted to full-time in customer service on the software side of the company. It was a generic corporate gig dominated by spreadsheets, jargon-filled meetings, and dealing with a product I didn’t understand to people who felt compelled to talk to me. I didn’t have a college degree, or any previous software experience, but I could form two sentences on the phone, and that’s half the battle most of the time.
I certainly didn’t see this as a career. The job merely filled that “way-to-make-money” obligation we all must surrender to in order to survive in society. Much of the work I had done up to that point after high school was of the entry-level-part-time-mind-numbing-no-skills-required variety: manual labor, warehouse work, call-centers, door-to-door sales, etc. Each one ended the same: laid off, contract ended, fired, wouldn’t-let-me-take-weeks-off-at-a-time-to-pursue-my-rockstar-fantasy (how dare they!), position eliminated, let go, rightsized, downsized, pick a buzzword.
As a bonus, I did receive forklift certification, for which I’m immensely proud. Huge life event. “We did it ma!”
I took it all in stride. If rent was paid and there was enough left over for gas, smokes, a case of beer, and a handle of some bottom shelf whiskey, nothing else mattered.
Many people go through this phase of their life; mine just lingered a little longer than most.
Luckily at the time I was laid off from the software company - still living with roommates - the financial blow of losing this job was softened by my weekly unemployment checks and splitting expenses with five other dudes, one of whom lived in the garage. Ah! The golden years.
So, at just shy of my thirtieth birthday, I made the snap decision to enrol in college, pursue a degree, and “make something of myself” in a new field, with the vow to never take a paycheck again.
It was the best and worst decision I ever made - my own Dickensian “Tale of Two Cities” introduction to the second half of my life.
College was hard in the sense it was a lot of work, but easy in the sense that once I applied my time and prioritized it, I found I had a knack for it - excelled even. I graduated at the top of my class (I was thirty-two against a field of twenty-year-olds, so that’s not the feat it sounds like). Encouraged by my academic success, I decided to go further and pursue a master’s degree from a top school in my newly chosen field while performing freelance work as my unemployment benefits dried up.
As much as it made sense at the time to secure these degrees and prove my academic prowess, one of the unfortunate “school of hard knocks” lessons I learned while working my way up doing freelance and taking clients was… nobody cared. A lot of time, energy, brainpower, and money spent on pieces of paper that ended up being nothing more than a mountain of debt framed by fancy wood and glass, gathering dust on my wall. So it goes.
This isn’t a hit against college of course, merely a realization of my own life’s journey. Different for everyone.
Then I started a business. With a partner.
There were fits and starts, lessons learned, stresses and frustrations endured, scary uncertainty, and a lot of “fake it ‘til we make it” false confidence.
The working relationship was good at first, but deteriorated. We clearly had different priorities and I only realized later he had some mental health issues I was unaware of. He couldn’t be reached at crucial times, didn’t have the drive to grow the business, and wanted to be more selective in our clients. As a brand-new business with no client base, my view on new work was: whoever would hire us!
So, I started a new business. By myself.
More fits and starts, more stress and frustration, scary uncertainty underneath that same mask of false confidence. Every success was matched by an equally disappointing setback. It kept the lights on and allowed a modest living, but as the years went on and the business plodded and meandered where I hoped it would accelerate and focus – and despite my best efforts - timing, circumstances, dud clients, the tough nature of the field itself, and plain ol’ bad luck caught up with me. I ended at a crossroads. After fifteen mostly disappointing years of slog and toil, a reckoning was upon me.
I admitted failure and started applying for jobs.
Already ashamed by what had been a disheartening number of years, I began the even more humbling process of attempting to trick AI programs into accepting my resume for review by a human. (This is what it means to look for jobs in the modern era. Truly a Brave New World.)
Maybe it was time to dust off that forklift certification…
But, as if fate decided my resilience in the face of rotten luck dubbed me worthy of a reversal, or whether it was through my own persistence - or just plain ol’ good luck - a call came in. Not an answer from the job application void I had been screaming into, but a recognition and acknowledgement from someone I knew, a large client in my field, with an offer. More than that, a lifeline. Not just financially, but psychologically.
Focused a lot on the negative and feeling discouraged, and stonewalled by setback after setback, I hadn’t realized I’d slowly been putting together a portfolio that placed me in the top of my field. It reframed my entire perception of myself and my business, now a part of my identity. I looked past the frustrations and immediate peril and saw that what had become my life’s work was actually quite good.
More than that, something to be proud of. I leaned into it.
After a brutal year of uncertainty, my legs grew beneath me again. False confidence replaced by genuine self-assurance, and with that, contentment and happiness.
Embracing independence throughout my life, whether as a musician, freelancer, or business owner, has taught me valuable lessons about resilience, but also given me a true appreciation for others who hang out their own shingle and fight the good fight on behalf of chasing passions and honing one’s craft.
Now my story isn’t unique. It’s the rule, not the exception. Every business has struggled. Every proprietor has been plagued by self-doubt and sagging confidence and the stresses of a bottom line not pencilling one too many times. Like farmers anxiously watching the weather, we realize if it doesn’t rain, the crops will fail.
My celebration of entrepreneurs, owner-operators, small businesses, and independents among us has given me a unique perspective, but also a drive to support them wherever possible. Not just because it’s the “right” thing to do (there’s no right or wrong way to spend our hard-earned money) but because I feel the struggle - and we never know when that hand out to help could be the one most needed at the right time.
As I’ve ventured forth in whisky enthusiasm, this drive has manifested itself as love for independent bottlers. A devotion that’s shown itself by the number of them I highlight within these pages. Not just those who are within the world of independent whisky bottling, but who follow that same ethos and support others, particularly the artists.
Dramface has elevated Thompson Bros and Decadent Drinks; IB’s who partner with artists for their unique labels and artwork, but it’s a crowded space, and there are others who are less well-known (and don’t have the same feverish rate of new releases) but are equally deserving of praise for what they do, whose colorful and original labels, as well as delicious whisky, warrant recognition.
I’m talking about the independent dram slingers, bar owners, and single cask whisky mongers at Brighton, England’s own Cut Your Wolf Loose.
From what I can tell, CYWL are well known in enthusiast circles. Their bar in Brighton, of the same name (and an Archie bucket list spot), is a bit of a whisky and cocktail mecca in the South of England. According to their website and social media, they regularly host tastings, partner with other independent bottlers and brands, have cask samples of whisky at the bar, arrange for guided blending parties (which looks like loads of fun), and engage in all sorts of clever and creative advertising. If the bottle art doesn’t cause pause, surely their ethos, commitment to community, and the whisky itself will.
Directly from their website:
“…Whisky need not be stuffy and red trousery!
Collaborations with genius whisky makers, super talented street artists and hard-core whisky lovers have transformed this 250-year-old shop into a cult destination.
Cut Your Wolf Loose is an institution for the modern-day whisky drinker with hundreds of whiskies to try by the glass, a stunning selection of single cask bottles to buy, and is, THE whisky destination of choice in Brighton, England.”
Seb Woolf, the owner of Cut Your Wolf Loose also owns independent bottler Artful Dodger. I first heard of them while perusing a retail site and the artwork stuck out to me. As a former struggling artist, I have a soft spot for the independent creators and those who support them. My first punt was well-rewarded – a single cask Caol Ila in bourbon called “The Postman” that has long been rinsed (RIP) – so of course that led to another and, well, another…
As a small outfit, the fact they don’t do regular, monthly, or quarterly releases is likely the reason they’re less well known, or maybe because they’re an English and not a Scottish bottler. Regardless, as I’ve assembled a bit of a collection in my corner of the Whiskyverse, I figured it was as good a time as any to discuss these bottles, having seen none in the vast Dramface archives.
Since I believe the art is very interwoven to the presentation, I’ve included the name of the artist and a link to their page or social media account within the review.
Enough already! Get to the whisky (in ascending order by age statement)!
All of CYWL’s releases are bottled at cask strength and with no coloring.
Review 1/6
Tamnavulin 13yo, “Zombie Squeege Release”, Bottled by Cut Your Wolf Loose, Finished in a Moscatel Port Pipe, 51.2% ABV
$75 paid, now sold out online
Artist: “ZombieSqueegee” AKA Ben Rider AKA The Fluoro Mindbender
Not my first CYWL release, I think my second or third. On first pass I didn’t connect with this one and thought it a little casky, unbalanced, and hot. I decided to pull it out for this write-up and see if some time in a dark corner of the Dunlop closet had settled it a bit.
Tamnavulin is not a distillery I necessarily reach for and I’m not the only one of the writers to feel this way. I only found two bottles in the Dramface Depository.
A Speyside workhorse for Whyte and Mackay that mainly feeds their blends, Tamnavulin does have some official bottlings and NAS releases that have made their way over here, including a new-ish “Sherry Cask Release,” but most of the expressions I’ve seen are from independent bottlers.
This release was finished for two years in a “Moscatel Port Pipe.”
Score: 6/10
Good stuff.
TL;DR
Fruity, sweet, and very drinkable
Nose
A little tight at first and closed. Eventually opens up with some pleasant sugary sweetness. Orange candy. Creamsicle. Pink Starburst. Better with time, which adds pleasant and fragrant floral notes like a herb garden. Orange blossom. Mint. Cloves. Red velvet. Honey. Blood orange. Herbal tea. Fruitiness eventually develops with cherries jubilee and jelly rolls. Water opens this up further and brings balance with brighter fruits, red table grapes, rose wine, more citrus like pink grapefruit and some Summery saccharine fizziness like a Berry Truly (don’t judge me.) Enjoyed more with water as it revealed deeper fruitiness within the dram.
Palate
Sweet heat hits right away. Tartness. Sugary candy still. Candy bracelet. Valentine Hearts. A little one-dimensional. Acai berry. Tangerine. Orange Otter Pops. Definitely more cask forward on the palate. Water brings licorice and some baking spices I wasn’t expecting and like the nose adds some balance. Watermelon candy. Mango smoothie. Orange Julius. Silkier with water. Pastry Cream. Citrus tart.
The Dregs
I do think this one improved with a little time, and I ended up liking it a bit more on subsequent sips, the orange citrus notes are pleasing and enjoyable. It’s solidly good stuff, but to me it never quite leaps to the next next level.
Easy to drink however, I’ll give it points for that, especially with a little water.
Overall solid, and good notes, but I don’t see myself rushing out to stock up on more Tamnavulin’s. Although I’d like to try something without a finishing cask, the distillate was a little hidden here. The value of this was very good as well so I’m not upset by the purchase by any means.
Score: 6/10
Review 2/6
Bruichladdich 14yo, “Mike Boyd Release”, Bottled by Cut Your Wolf Loose, First Fill Bourbon Barrel, 62% ABV
$170 paid, sold out online
This one is the beast of the bunch. That 62% ABV was staring at me throughout.
Bruichladdich is not uncommon among indies, but they tend to be priced higher than other distilleries. I’ll admit I was excited for this one upon receiving it despite the higher price. Honestly, I was surprised bottles were still available at the time I ordered it last year; it’s since sold out from what I can tell.
Bruichladdich’s core spirit is known to have a very maritime, earthy, funky, lactic backbone to it that they tend to soften with wine casks and other finishings to deliver that delicious presentation we all enjoy, but a single-cask release in first-fill bourbon at a high ABV is an entirely different animal.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
Dirty Islay Magic that packs a wallop
Nose
Opens with Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster. Dirty, earthy, and maritime-like tide pools at low tide. Following that, waves of fatty creaminess. Lemony citrus. Oyster shells and brine. Wet newspaper. Didn’t feel super-hot on the nose, and the alcohol seems well integrated - especially with a little time in the glass.
As it settles, the funky earthiness subsides to big, sweet fruitiness. Browned apples, apricots, pears, lots of fresh pineapple. Salted butter. Trail mix. Biscuit flour and pastry sheet. Salt crystal hints dry the back of the throat like steak seasoning. Damp beach.
Water brings more seashells and fresh lemonade - sour lemon instead of sweet. Seafood buffet. Still creamy and buttery. Earthy, but there’s a dirty vegetal outline like russet potatoes before they’re washed. Pink peppercorns. More pineapple. Savory and brothy like Hot Pot. Hints of light floral notes.
Palate
Wow. Creamy, salty, and fruity all at once. Hot and punchy. The high ABV reveals itself like a flavor explosion on the tongue. Straight pineapple juice from the can. Apple pancakes. Lemon bars. Dessert fruitiness. Orange sherbet. Baklava.
Water tamps the heat and adds sweet juiciness without losing that salty intensity. Spicy like peppered chicken, curry, and egg drop soup broth. Buttered shrimp and oysters. Alternates between sweet, salty, and spicy. Just lovely. Medium-long finish that lingers with that buttery biscuity maltiness returning, the heat sticks around and there’s hints of spicy beef as the finish subsides.
What a journey. What a dram.
The Dregs
A stunner. The last single cask Bruichladdich I discussed was from my Tri Carragh piece and was a Lochindaal, also in bourbon, that I also called “Dirty Islay Magic” and scored an 8. This is the unpeated version of that.
Make no mistake, this is a beast of a whisky. It’s primal, savage, and raw and I love it. I don’t fault a whisky for being punchy, especially at 60%+ ABV. I’m a patient man and can let a dram rest and have no problem adding a few drops of water.
However, single cask Bruichladdich’s do come at a bit of a premium as I mentioned so the value isn’t there as much on this one, my only knock, but that could be said for many Islay whiskies bottled by independents.
There’s higher demand and therefore a higher price, free market and all that. Still, this wasn’t ridiculously priced but I’m in no rush to finish this bottle. Well worth the price paid.
This one deserves to be wrestled and savored anyway.
Score: 8/10
Review 3/6
Ardmore 15yo, “This Is Lost Boy Release” UK exclusive, Bottled by Cut Your Wolf Loose, Finished in a refill PX hogshead, 57.1% ABV
$120 paid, still some available
Artist: “ThisIsLostBoy” AKA Sam Pickett
I had a few friends growing up that were graffiti artists and was amazed at what they could create with markers, spray paint, colored pencils, or whatever was at their disposal. I’m generally a fan of public art and am happy that murals adorn the neighborhoods in my city.
Having that history caused this one to jump at me and I think even in the lineup of colorful labels this one stands out. The palate of colors and starkness of the design is rarely seen in the whisky world; a word I’d choose is “bold.” This artist has a mural that adorns the back of the bar.
The finishing cask on this is a “refill of a refill” PX Hogshead that still had enough character to add some notes, but was by no means an active cask. Another Ardmore to add to the Dramface heap and my second Ardmore in a row (clearly a fan).
Score: 7/10
Very good indeed.
TL;DR
Distillate-led Ardmore that’s fun and sweet
Nose
Clean, earthy woodsmoke, burnt leaves, and charred logs. Big red chewing gum. Spiced mulled cider. Wet tree bark. There’s syrupy sweetness tucked nicely behind the smoke that gives caramelized apples, burnt sugar, and hints of fruity dessert notes. Red velvet. Orange marmalade. Fig jam. Toasted marshmallows. Faint whiffs of grilled Pollo Asado. Water brings more fresh fruits like apple peels, some acidic grapefruit citrus, then mellows into malted milk balls, blondies, dry oak, and buttered popcorn straight from the microwave.
Time and water open this up into a pleasant malty-sweet dessert dram and less a crackling campfire. Enjoy the balance and contrast here.
Palate
Charcoal and chocolate chips. Restrained despite the high ABV. Welcoming on the palate. Brown sugar cheesecake. Oily and creamy mouthfeel. Water brings candy cane peppermint sweetness and Christmas cookies. The finish is sweet and sugary. Cinnamon toast. The smoke is more subdued at the end. S’mores. Charcoal and ashy embers faintly flash briefly again right at the end. Lightly drying.
The Dregs
A unique and very good Ardmore that I also shared at a tasting and was collectively met with approval. Due to this bottle, I’ve sought out other Ardmore in PX, but I think this one balances distillate and cask extremely well and in a way I’ve yet to see duplicated by other IB’s; another shout out to the CYWL crew and their cask management.
I’m getting dangerously low on the levels here so will have to savor this one (especially to keep that awesome bottle art). This was the second CYWL expression I punted on, and the engagement here caused me to continue to seek them out, which as one can tell by the length of this tome, that search has been fruitful.
This was a UK exclusive, so I had to jump through some hoops to land this one. The price was fair, especially for the cask type, distillery, and “exclusiveness” of it all. I didn’t have to overpay to land this bottle, for which I’m grateful.
Shout out to the good retailers out there as well! Without them none of these bottles would be in my possession.
Score: 7/10
Review 4/6
Pulteney 16yo, Brighton Whisky Weekend Festival Exclusive Release, Bottled by Cut Your Wolf Loose, matured in a refill bourbon barrel, 48.5% ABV
$110 paid, still some available
Artist: Chloe Batchelor aka Chloe Studios
I’ll admit I was a little late to the Pulteney game. My local shop has some official bottlings that didn’t thrill me and there always seemed to be something else ahead of the line as my whisky journey zigged and zagged.
But they got me with “mid-teens in refill bourbon.” That’s my sweet spot as an enthusiast for both price point and engagement and this one has both, especially for a festival exclusive release.
Formerly used entirely for blends, Pulteney was purchased by Inver House in 1995 who shifted to them being bottled and marketed as a single malt with a new core range launched in 2018. Apparently, they’re the best-selling single malt from Inver House, which was surprising to me.
Everything should be there for me with Pulteney, as someone who typically enjoys coastal and maritime whiskies and worm tubs. It’s a shame it’s taken me this long to find an OP worth exploring
The reviews for Pulteney have been mixed on this site - mostly solid, but some complaints about price for the higher-age statements. This one was bottled exclusively for the Brighton Whisky Festival, which happened in June 2026 and according to social media was a great success. We love to see it! This is the most recent of the bottles in this lineup.
Score: 7/10
Very good indeed.
TL;DR
Fruit bomb with a side of candy and salt
Nose
Lots of Fizzy Lemon or sparkling lemonade to start. Old fashioned lemon drops. Dots candy. Waves of fruitiness arrive also like ripe cantaloupe, orange slices, and canned pineapple. A tinge of something metallic like aluminum foil. Mineral-ey. Hints of saltiness at first but it develops more over time. Pineapple Daiquiri and slushy beach drinks with salted rim. Lemon fun dip. Juicy Fruit chewing gum.
Water brings more orchard fruits to the forefront, ripe pears and green apples, Minute Maid lemonade, simple syrup. The deeper I got into this nose the more I really enjoyed it.
Palate
Mmm. Saltier, somehow fruitier, but also fresher and juicier. Great texture, fun to roll around the mouth. Very drinkable. Some hints of dry woodiness. A little doughy like puff pastry. More maritime and slightly dirty saltiness with pronounced mineralic notes. Nerds candy. Lemon custard. Vanilla pudding creaminess. Sea-saltiness and gummy lemons are strong again on the finish. Water lightens the dram without sacrificing that nice salted-lemon (sweet not sour) profile.
The Dregs
Such a fun, easy-drinking whisky. I love the artwork on this as well and as someone who also lives by the beach, the colors and photos captured that vibe perfectly. I even got “beach drinks” on the nose and was transported to my favorite beach vacations from years past.
The artist for this one is a Brighton native, and I thought that was a great touch as it was bottled for their new and local whisky festival in Brighton. And another well-priced release; good value here.
Thanks to this, Pulteney now has a welcome place in the Dunlop whisky closet and I’m excited to explore more from this distillery.
Score: 7/10
Review 5/6
Caol Ila 17yo, “Ricky Also Release” Bottled by Cut Your Wolf Loose, matured in a refill bourbon hogshead, 49% ABV
$95 paid, sold out online
Everything about this bottle was a no-brainer to me. As this will be my third independently bottled Caol Ila write-up, our readers can see a pattern that this is a distillery near-and-dear to ol’ Archie’s heart.
As I mentioned, my first Cut Your Wolf Loose purchase was also a Caol Ila in bourbon called “The Postman” that was 12 years matured and had a quite punchy 59.9% ABV. I really liked that bottle. It was not long for this world sadly and had been rinsed before I started writing for Dramface or it would’ve made the cut for a cameo here. This one doesn’t quite have that oomph but has more maturity and depth.
The artwork for this features some colorful letters that say, “Sound of Islay,” which is simply the name of the distillery translated from Gaelic, and the stretch of water that it looks over on the North East of the island. Clever.
Score: 7/10
Very good indeed.
TL;DR
A high-teen Caol Ila in bourbon, ‘nuff said
Nose
Very inviting. Sweet and creamy. Fresh squeezed lemon. Sea-salt. Clean wood smoke. Honey cough syrup. Rolled up newspaper. Cracked pepper potato chips. Saltines. Cured meats and cold cuts. There’s a breezy ocean air quality to this, maritime, but less funky and vegetal and more clean and crisp like wind over water. Sea spray. Lemon Meringue. Very easy to nose with a lot of that classic Caol Ila in bourbon. Rock saltiness hits the back of the throat. Hints of brininess. Some nuttiness in there too. Honeydew.
Water brings more balance and some dry hay grass, Lemon pepper chicken, Honey tea or a toddy. Lemon tea. A quite-high quaffable quotient.
Palate
Yum. Salt and pepper. Sweet smokiness. Salt and vinegar chips. Kosher pickle juice. Lemon cheesecake or Lemon Posset. Great texture and mouthfeel that’s also slightly oily and medicinal. More saltiness with time. Menthol tobacco. Eucalyptus. Not super complex but it doesn’t have to be, just classic Caol Ila through and through. Ashy smokiness. Mussels.
Water brings sweet and sour sauce. Juicier, still not super complex, but balanced and well-integrated. Less smoke that’s more of a light tingle with water. Hints of fresh green apples. Crackers. An easy sipper and a good age-stated Caol Ila with Meyer Lemons, white pepper, sea-salt, and ashy smoke right on the finish. A delightful dram.
The Dregs
CaoI Ila that’s been left for 17 years in refill wood? That’s a 7 from me dog.
Not much else to say and another cracking whisky from the “Drammers Distillery” on Islay. What this lacks in overt complexity it makes up in depth and moreishness. Fans of Caol Ila will enjoy this bottle and those who aren’t should try this bottle.
And that price, are you kidding? I got this for $95. Unbelievable. It should be an 8 at that price.
By keeping their expressions affordable, Cut Your Wolf Loose has proven they’re by punters and for punters where not all independent bottlers are. It comes through in their enthusiasm at the bar, (which unfortunately I’ve only witnessed on social media), the casks they choose, and ultimately their pricing.
Speaking of… on to our grand finale
Score: 7/10
Review 6/6
Speyside Distillery 28yo, “Codo Release” Bottled by Cut Your Wolf Loose, matured in a refill Bourbon Hogshead, 45% ABV
$170 paid, still some available
There’s a lot to unpack on this one before diving in. Speyside Distillery is technically a ghost distillery that closed last year after an issue over the building lease. It was never a large operation. Opened in 1990, Speyside only produced whisky for 35 years and the owners prioritized exports to Taiwan under the “Spey” label, where most of the spirits flowed in blends or single malts.
Following its closure the equipment is now being relocated to a new site a few miles away, but on the grounds of Speyside, a new distillery, Glen Tromie, is being constructed, so one is becoming two.
The Cut Your Wolf Loose crew says this cask was purchased from an Australian woman who inherited it from her late husband. It was stuck in the back of a warehouse behind multiple other barrels, making its extraction “something of a mission” that took over a year to complete. All the while this whisky kept quietly maturing in one refill hogshead, its spectacular contents, they said: “was in no hurry to leave home.”
Also, as I mentioned in the Tri Carragh piece when I discussed that beautiful 30-year Braeval (that I still dream about), I’m but a humble punter and have little experience with high age statements. Aside from a couple splurge bottles and some discount deals, 95% of the bottles in the Dunlop whisky hoard are sub-20 years old. I find plenty of engagement in teenage whisky and don’t need to be dropping $3-400+ (or higher) for a few extra years in oak. The price on high age statement bottles has left Earth’s orbit unlikely to return. The fact this bottle exists for just $170 makes it quite the bargain.
But I will say, like that Braeval, nosing and sipping this whisky, I get it. I get the whole decades-in-wood thing. This is marvelous.
Score: 9/10
Exceptional.
TL;DR
A superb fruit bomb, exactly what well-aged whisky should deliver
Nose
Heaven. Deep, rich, and sweet. A fireworks show of aromas. A whole bushel of tropical and orchard fruits. Big peaches and pineapples. Melon fruits and cantaloupe. Mangoes. Juicy green table grapes. Delicate lemon-ey citrus and grapefruit. Kiwi. Apricots. With each pass a new fruity note leaps forward like a long fruit platter at a buffet line. Sandalwood shavings and whispers of light wood spice. Behind that, layers of dessert fruits and vanilla creaminess like mango vanilla ice cream. Lemon custard. Tapioca. With time there’s more airy, grassy meadow notes amid a floral bouquet that peaks through.
Water brings peaches and cream, lemongrass, green juice, melon rinds, deck lumber, and the floral notes morph into a lovely light jasmine. I could sit with this nose all day.
Palate
Wow. Thick, mouth coating, and elegant. Slightly oily mouthfeel. The fruit bomb continues to explode. Grandma’s creamy fruit salad. Juicy lemon tart. Creamsicle. Orange Otter Pops. More peaches. Apple cobbler. Herbal tea. Slightly waxy. Some caramel-honey sweetness thrown in. Just tons of complexity here. Water brings even more bright juiciness and decadent fruits on a loaded, long finish that delivers more table grape sweetness at the end.
The Dregs
I shared this at a tasting last month, and it was the pick of the bunch from a few of the folks. I called it a “bargain” above, but one of my guests called it a “steal.” To me, this is the standard for what a 28-year-old whisky should be. Rich and layered, everything “lingers” from those deep notes on the nose to a palate and finish that “sticks.” It’s an eye-closer and an “mmm” whisky that just causes deep contemplation about all that is good in the world.
Some people have stress balls or other items on hand at work or during the day when the frustrations of daily life cause teeth-grinding agitation, channeling all that anger into squeezing something soft. I imagined instead having a small pour of this on hand, because the nose on this just transports. There can be no negative thoughts when this whisky is being enjoyed.
The only other whisky I’ve scored a 9 (so far) was a Springbank 12-year cask strength from my trio write-up that to me stood above even its special competition. A “best-of-the-best.” I’m comfortable with the score here and I hope others get to enjoy this whisky.
Well done folks!
Score: 9/10
The Final Dregs
Support your local artists and dram slingers! Put it on a bumper sticker.
I only noticed as I worked my way through this lineup - which I’ll admit turned into quite the Herculean Task as I tackled multiple work projects (hooray for work!), while trying to type this up and ensure I got the most notes out of each - that aside from the Tamnavulin and Ardmore, these are all bourbon cask whiskies. No issues there obviously as I am a fan of bourbon matured expressions and really letting that distillate shine, especially at cask strength, but it doesn’t offer as much variety to our readers, ‘suppose that’s just the way the cookie crumbled on this one, or that’s the way the whisky spilled? (To try another shot at that idiom, or is it a metaphor?) I digress.
Whisky aside, before I do final thoughts, I just wanted to point out that one thing I appreciate is the variety of artwork that’s on display with this bottler. Graffiti and tattoo artists, graphic designers, illustrations and characters, street art, all vividly displayed through the diversity of colors and styles on display. Whisky production is as much an art as it is a science so there’s no reason why more of this can’t exist in the world of both official and independent bottling. Not every label needs to be austere and one-dimensional.
I recognize that each enthusiast appreciates whisky differently and some may prefer the more Spartan approach to whisky labels. Abstemious and restrained to match someone’s personal aesthetic -- not everyone wants graffiti art at the forefront of their whisky shelf. But for those looking for a little vibrancy and want to support local artists in the process, this is a bottler to explore.
In terms of the whisky, my notes here (hopefully) speak for themselves. It’s hard to go wrong with well-aged cask strength whisky, but each of these bottles are worth a look. My favorite of this bunch is obviously the Speyside, which I’m very lucky to have scored a backup, but also that Bruichladdich and the Ardmore, hard to say. Despite four of them all having a similar cask profile, they’re all extremely unique. Another wonderful window into how a simple refill barrel or bourbon cask can let distillery character really shine, exemplifying the diversity of different producers.
If you made it to the end here, huge thanks! To me, independence is important, and I channel that in my whisky journey through embracing the independents I discover along the way.
Tried these? Share your thoughts in the comments below. AD
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Other opinions on these:
Whiskybase:
Tamnavulin
Bruichladdich
Ardmore
Pulteney
Caol Ila
Speyside
Got a link to a reliable review? Tell us.
