Whisky Reviews
Here you'll find honest opinions, thoughtful analysis and the occasional disagreement, because no two palates are quite the same. We review widely, score reluctantly and remain convinced that whisky is far more interesting than the numbers attached to it.
Agreement is optional; curiosity is encouraged.
Thompson Bros Mystery Malt Series 6 x2
This time around it’s Charlie’s turn to armour up and attempt a game of whisky guesswork. It’s the Thompson Brothers’ Mystery Malts Series 6 in the glass this time - two of them. How does our Chic do?
Glentauchers Duo
In his continued pursuit of everything he’s not yet tried, Charlie lands upon Glentauchers. In the absence of an interesting - or available - official release, he compares two indies from auction.
Little Brown Dog Duo
Charlie manages to attend only the very last day of this year’s Campbeltown Malts Festival, but still feels like it was very worth while - especially after picking up two Little Brown Dog bangers!
Miltonduff 11yo 2006
Over time, Ainsley thinks the Scotch whisky landscape builds into a mental whisky bell-curve where favourites lie to one side and lesser malts the other. But what about the in-betweeners, such as this Cadenhead’s Miltonduff?
Signatory Glentauchers 16yo
Three of the team hark back to Christmas vibes as they each, independently, happen upon a Signatory 100º Proof Exceptional Cask Glentauchers. As is typical with Dramface, it divides opinion.
Longmorn 12yo Signatory Vintage Cask Strength
Lamenting the disconnect between the whisky that’s made and the whisky that’s sold, Fergus discovers that - once more - it’s the indies that have our backs. A Signatory Vintage Longmorn is in the glass.
Cadenhead’s Glenburgie 13yo
Fergie wonders about his whisky personality; is he a hoarder, a collector or a rabbit-holer? A gifted whisky map from his dad confirms the latter and this Cadenhead’s Glenburgie offers up another.
Strathisla 40yo
Wally finally cracks open a bottle that’s been around for so long it became a burden of anxiety. Now that it’s open; how’s he feeling about having a 40yo Strathisla on the shelf?
Aberlour 12yo Double Cask
Fergus makes a case for the occasional entry-level bottle. Accepting his penchant for natural ‘enthusiast’ whiskies he find a comforting spot for an Aberlour 12 Double Cask, while watching 80’s movies, preferably.
Four Decades of Glentauchers
After a ‘day-off’ yesterday, due to our AWOL editor, Innes gets us back into things with a study of five different Glentauchers bottlings over four decades, including one that really shouldn’t exist…
Scapa 10yo
Tav and Wally wade in together on a brand new Scapa. Now there’s something we don’t read too often. This one is the affordable 10 year old, and they both agree on something. The fruit!
Glentauchers 1997
Murdo is invited to present interesting whiskies to a group of wine lovers, searching for bold flavours and hooks, he makes a slight error skips this beautiful Glentauchers from Signatory.
Tormore 20yo
Visiting a brick-and-mortar whisky shop, with best intentions, Broddy tries to use up some time while not using up any money. He fails and blows a fortune, but uncovers an absolute banger.
Glenburgie 2011 10yo
We all like intensity and focus, but what about when we just need something functional to ‘get it done’? Drummond makes the case for an under-the-radar Càrn Mòr bottling of Glenburgie he stole at auction.
Deanston 15yo Tequila Cask
Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. It’s one of Fletch’s favourites; Deanston. Looking for something that the Tequila cask has imparted, he compares it to a similarly insipid Tequila cask blend.
Glenlivet 12yo 200th Anniversary
Curiosity gets the better of Fletch. With Glenlivet marking 200 years, they’ve released a 12yo that looks identical to the standard. Only available through TWE, he dives in to compare the world’s best selling malt.
Glenlivet 12yo Double Oak
Glenlivet’s ubiquitous 12yo in its slightly more modern ‘Double Oak’ guise is gifted to Ogilvie as he departs for his newly relocated life. Exhaustion has him skip the bottle specs, forcing a blind sip and a surprise.
Aberlour Casg Annamh
Ogilvie admits that the enjoyment of a whisky - and the scoring of it - can all too easily be affected by emotion. And it should be.
