Mannochmore 15yo Equinox & Solstice
Decadent Drinks release | 48.5% ABV
Score: 6/10
Good stuff.
TL;DR
Sweetness galore
The size of the vessel matters
My friend went to Leith and all I got was this half bottle of whisky.
Of course, this is a tongue in cheek reference to the famous world-over souvenirs, those t-shirts, mugs, placemats, tote bags etc… Usually it has the adjective ‘lousy’ printed in front of the applicable shirt, cup or whatever. But I would never - OK, almost never - say that about a bottle of whisky. Especially one suggested to me as a bottle split, from an indie bottler we don’t get to see a lot of where I’m at.
Said friend, let’s call him ‘Joe’, recently visited the Independent Spirits Festival at Leith back in March and, as one does when immersing oneself completely in whisky for a weekend, picked up a bottle or two. This one, if memory serves me right, he picked up at Royal Mile Whiskies. Just a week or so earlier, we met for some whisky and banter, and possibly my appreciation for the under-many-peoples-radar distillery of Mannochmore may have been mentioned.
When he returned from Leith and offered me this to split, I didn’t hesitate. Joe and I started splitting bottles a while ago. It helps soften the financial blow on this still rather expensive hobby, but also - and at least of equal importance - it significantly helps finishing bottles.
Being the whisky-curious, whisky-promiscuous and whisky-responsible folk we are, opening bottles is hardly ever the problem. Finishing them often is. Add to the equation, if you will, the fact that I’m a bit of an opinionated bugger with an urge to share thoughts, so very soon I find myself with dozens and dozens of half-finished bottles.
And, of course, there are those that are hard to reach past which do get rinsed (all too) swiftly, while also occasionally those that are easy to push aside, who’ll likely remain unfinished for years and years. The vast majority, however, sit somewhere in between: good and pleasant to be enjoyed on a regular basis, but even then they’ll still take a year or longer to end up in the glass bin.
Another benefit of bottle splitting, is that it helps to broaden the horizon and allows me to try even more whiskies. Because not only is the cost lower while they’re getting finished quicker, the threshold to ‘take a punt’ on something more unknown, or more expensive, or more under the radar, off the beaten track, or all of the above, is also lower. With 35cl you still get plenty of opportunity to get up, close and personal with a whisky. And if it doesn’t live up to expectations, you’re not looking at another bottle that will be mostly gathering dust and taking up space. If it exceeds the expectations, you’ll probably kick yourself for not having more available, but let’s be honest: that really is a first world problem if ever there was one.
Review
Mannochmore 15yo, Decadent Drinks ‘Equinox & Solstice’ Autumn 2025 release, 48.5% ABV
£76 / £38 split & still a little availability
Mannochmore is arguably one of the easiest to overlook distilleries in the whole of Scotland. You can’t visit it, you can’t even really ‘see it’, as it lies somewhat hidden on the same premises as Glenlossie. In terms of official bottlings, there’s not much out there so it’s often invisible on the shelves too.
Built in 1971 by Haig to cater for blends first and foremost, Mannochmore only really gained some attention with the (in)famous Loch Dhu, or ‘black whisky’ releases back in the late nineties. To top it all off, the distillery is anything but a looker, as it really is a post-World War Two modern booze plant.
Despite the odds running against them, and provided the conditions are right and it has been treated with all due care and attention, in my opinion it produces some quite lovely spirit.
Score: 6/10
Good stuff.
TL;DR
Sweetness galore
Nose
Sweet oranges and confectionary notes. Marzipan-like sweetness on top of that. A hint of a creamy – lactic note. Grainy-cereal and roasted nuts. Some ‘lighter’ aromas too as it has this gentle floral-perfumy note, like rosewater. Not super complex but quite rich and lush, just at the brink of almost becoming a bit much. But all remains in check.
Palate
A bit sharp and peppery initially, but also crisp and clear. Dried oranges and a grainy note, now more bready than cereal. A soft oaky touch adds a subtle and very gentle bitter element to things. The mouthfeel is medium and somewhat drying. Throughout everything that sweet confectionary note shines through. Adding water accentuates everything – the dry mouthfeel, the pepper notes and especially the sweetness. The finish is dry and quite sweet, almost sickly sweet, even.
The Dregs
I have a soft spot for Mannochmore. One of my first ever reviews for Dramface was one from a Single Malts of Scotland release – matured in a refill bourbon cask and that is where I feel it shines best. I have since reviewed another from Finn Thomson, which was probably on the other side of the flavour spectrum, seeing a lot of PX cask influence. This one came from a hogshead, although we don’t know what its original contents were. I would presume bourbon, but given the fact that there’s an awful lot of confectionary sweetness in this one, I’m not 100% sure and it may well be from a refill sherry hogshead.
Hogsheads are one of those great examples of how you can leave it to the Scots when it comes to cost efficiency. Dating back to the 15th century, they weren’t initially (solely or mostly) meant to store liquid, but other types of food and commodities (like tobacco and sugar) as well. These days the idea remains simple yet brilliant, with benefits to match.
Take five barrels, usually ex-bourbon casks (but sherry hogsheads are not uncommon either), break them up and reassemble them into four ‘new’ casks. They’re bigger yet take up less space than the original five. They are more stable too and because the liquid-to-wood ratio is altered (the wood being less impactful as the casks are now bigger), not only is the maturation more subtle, the life expectancy of the wood is extended as well. For the Scots and their climate, it’s win, win, win.
So in theory, a ‘hoggie’ should serve as an ideal vessel to mature a spirit as light, fruity-floral and delicate as this Mannochmore.
And yet, don’t get me wrong: this is good, but… To be honest, at times the sweetness is a bit much for me. At the back of the palate and throughout the finish it turns almost sickly sweet, and that’s the only little thing that stops me from slapping a 7/10 on this otherwise quite lovely, lush and rich - yet still well in-check and nicely balanced - whisky.
So, good stuff in the Dramface scoring, and just an inch away from ‘very good indeed’.
Score: 6/10
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At the point of this article’s publication, Mannochmore doesn’t appear in the Dramface Top 40.
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