TRENDS AND GREAT WHISKIES FOR 2023

TRENDS FOR 2023

One trend clearly visible in the whisky world is rising prices. As the whisky industry continues to expand at a rapid clip, that trend is unlikely to reverse. In fact, the global whisky market is expected to be valued at 100 billion by 2029! That should provide the impetus to delineate some nuanced trends in 2023. This article is a follow-up to an earlier post on this link.

Making Whisky Accessible: The industry is eager to attract a new generation of drinkers. One result of this is new releases of budget-friendly malt whiskies promoted as ‘accessible’, easy and enjoyable to drink for a beginner while still retaining some degree of complexity. William Grant’s new Aerstone malts are a great example, as well as the new ‘Discover’ selection from the revamped Gordon & Macphail range.

The Beginning Of A Scotch Rye Craze: 

As rye whisky in the United States enjoys a boom, Scotch whisky producers are beginning to experiment with rye whisky in production and maturation. The Glenmorangie Spios was aged entirely in American rye whisky casks, and some Johnnie Walker releases have also featured rye cask maturation. On the production side, a couple of distilleries are trying their hand at working with the notoriously tricky grain. Microdistillery Arbikie recently released a limited edition rye spirit (raising funds for charity), and Islay-based Bruichladdich began producing rye whisky with grain from the island. At the London whisky show, one of the highlights of the festival for me was that you could try for the first time ever the first Scottish rye whisky, made at the Inchdairnie distillery.

Microdistilleries: Loads of new microdistilleries have been popping up across Scotland, and they are just now beginning to release new products. Though some of these can’t yet be legally called whisky, many of their first single malts will be on the market soon, and the whisky world will be watching their development closely. For example, the Fife distilleries of Eden Mill and Kingsbarns have seen an enormous demand for their budding young malts, while Ncn’ean and Lindores have produced a new whisky/gin hybrid, infusing their malt spirit with botanicals until their stock ages long enough so it can legally be called ‘whisky’.

More Maturation Experiments: Scotch distilleries are incorporating more casks outside of the traditional bourbon or sherry into maturation. With the launch of its Captain’s Reserve a couple of months ago, Glenlivet may be the first Scotch whisky distillery to have a core range bottle involving Cognac maturation.

              Whisky aged in wine and port casks are also not too hard to find these days. One interesting recent experiment was the Glenfiddich Winter Storm, aged in Canadian ice wine casks made from French oak. By bringing in new and unusual casks, distilleries are looking to stand out from what is ‘usually done’, so these new releases often have a fair amount of promotion behind them too.

Focus on Sustainability: Millennial and Gen-Z consumers have now firmly established that they are willing to pay more for sustainably produced goods. These groups gravitate toward locally-sourced ingredients, which accounts for the rising interest in grain-to-glass distilleries. For a generation that is younger, it is less about quantity and more about quality. The idea of better ingredients that are also produced through a responsible process is a priority and a must for the younger generations who are more educated about carbon footprints.  Premiumisation, or the rise of higher-priced spirits (another trend we’re likely to see continue in 2023), will ease the pressure on producers who face rising costs as sustainability initiatives demand additional investment.

Investment in Social Media: 

Whisky distilleries will continue to expand their reach through collaborations with social media influencers. Bartenders at on-premise restaurants will serve up new whisky cocktails that take visuals into account, opting for creative, social media-ready presentations. As brand storytelling gains momentum in the marketing world, opportunities will arise for whisky producers to share stories of their distillers, bartenders, and other team members. Short-form video tends to outperform other types of social media content, and the creative marketers in the whisky world are sure to serve up some poignant stories in 2023.

Diversity: Many whisky brands are already taking strides to create more diverse workplaces and combat the stereotype of whisky drinkers only looking a certain way. This momentum will pick up steam in 2023. Diversity just makes good business sense. If you want a business that will be relevant in 20 years, you’ve got to recognise that this country is changing, and has changed, and the younger generation wants a product that reflects their values.

Innovation Through Barrel Finishing:  Also known as secondary maturation, barrel finishing is a tool that distillers use to fine-tune the flavours of their finished whiskies. After ageing in one barrel, the whisky is transferred to a different, previously-used barrel to take on some of its flavours and aromas. This practice is not new, but as consumers continue to demonstrate a taste for more complex flavours, the technique will increase in popularity. Some experts warn that too much barrel finishing could be dangerous for the industry because it can be used to mask the flavour of an inferior product. But for distillers who have mastered their craft, barrel finishing an established product is a sophisticated way to appeal to the most discerning whisky lovers.  

More American Single Malts: 

Single malt whisky has historically been synonymous with Ireland and Scotland. But in the last few years, distillers from around the world have begun to experiment with the spirit, giving it a new, modern twist. In particular, the American single malt is starting to make its mark. American whisky producers are currently advocating for the establishment of a legal definition for single malt (like those on the books in Ireland and Scotland). Over 200 American distillers are already producing single malt using the guidelines proposed for this legal distinction, and it won’t be long before we see this niche elbow its way firmly onto the scene.

After years of such lobbying by distillers, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has officially set proposed standards for American single malts, aiming to put them into effect in April 2023. “The mash is 100% malted barley,” states TTB documentation. “It must also be distilled and aged at a single distillery in the U.S. at a distillation proof of 160 or less and stored in oak barrels at a maximum size of 700 litres.”

Ready-To-Drink Category: 

Ready-to-Drink (RTD) cocktails are having a moment, with sales up over 225 per cent since 2016. Consumers are displaying a sustained openness to unique flavours, and Bevsource reports a 46 per cent increase from 2017-2021 in canned cocktails that contain botanical extracts. Expect to see such producers take advantage of this niche by spicing up the old classics. 

            Data analyst IWSR projects that it will maintain a compound annual growth rate of +21.8% up to 2025. What is more, these pre-mixed drinks are predicted to steal market share from beer, not spirits – so there is less chance of 'cannibalisation', where one brand iteration simply steals sales from another.

           There are multiple reasons why RTDs are popular with consumers, not least their sheer convenience: just open, pour and drink. They're also usually low in alcohol, calories and portion size (typically 35cl or smaller) – all attractive attributes for consumers who are increasingly concerned about health and wellness. And cans – the dominant packaging format – are better for the environment than glass bottles.

            Not only are these aspects a draw for consumers, but they're also a draw for millennial consumers in particular – an audience with which Scotch sometimes struggles to connect. And here is the point of RTDs: they offer an approachable, low-risk (in terms of expense) entry point into the world of Scotch whisky. In pre-mixed cocktail form, they can also showcase Scotch's mixability, priming Covid consumers for a time when the bars of the world can reopen. 

Winding Down

Single malts are the current mode in Scotch. Rightly or wrongly, they have garnered a reputation as being higher-quality spirits than their blended cousins and now in Scotch, it is the master distiller who reigns. This trend is evidenced in most bestselling lists, where at least two thirds of the top dozen are single malts.

Drinks International publishes The Annual Brands Report, the results of which are the culmination of a survey of 100 bars from thirty diverse countries around the world which have been nominated or won international awards. The report offers a picture of the buying habits of the world’s best bars – not only which brands sell best, but also what’s trending to indicate the brands that are hot right now.

That said, we could look at my selections in Scotch Whisky. These are mine-you could make up your own list if you so desire.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS YEAR

1.   BRUICHLADDICH PORT CHARLOTTE PC 10

This Port Charlotte 10-year-old has been conceived, distilled, matured and bottled on Islay alone. We are a young team with deep-rooted values, and an ambition to make the ultimate “Islay” Islay whisky. A whisky made by people, not software; a whisky watched over every day of its maturing life by those who made it; a whisky born of a community with a vision and a mission to kick start a single malt whisky revolution, this Port Charlotte 10 year old is who we are. This is where we’re from.

Port Charlotte whisky gets its name from the village of Port Charlotte, a white-walled and windswept sort of place just a couple of kilometres down the road from Bruichladdich. This release, Port Charlotte 10, is distilled from 100% Scottish barley peated to 40 ppm. Ppm stands for parts per million phenol, a common method for gauging the smokiness of malted barley that isn’t always useful for consumers. The distillate ages at least 10 years on Islay in a mix of first- and second-fill American whiskey casks, and second-fill French wine casks. It’s bottled at 50% ABV and, like all of Bruichladdich’s whiskies, without colouring or chill filtration.

The Bruichladdich Distillery produces three different labels. There’s the eponymous Bruichladdich, which is entirely unpeated. There’s Octomore, which is extravagantly peated (and unconventional in other ways). And there’s Port Charlotte, which offers what’s probably closest to the canonical Islay style: robustly smoky whiskies with a maritime tinge. A focus on island-grown barley and barley provenance, on-island warehouses, and environmental sustainability remain an unconventionally central component of Bruichladdich’s operations.

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10 Year is a readily available and award-winning 10-year-old Islay Scotch. The breakdown of the blend is

  – 65% 1st fill American whiskey casks (probably bourbon)

  – 10% 2nd fill American whiskey casks (probably bourbon)

  – 25% 2nd fill French wine casks (unclear if it’s red or white wine)

When it comes to peated Scotch, Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10-year-old is a drastic change. It’s a more delicate smoke with some mesquite, dried mushrooms, and charcoal with proportionally more bright honey, flowers, vanilla, and grapefruit. A floral peated whisky with something dark underneath that’s tough to identify, maybe it’s the wine influence. The nose overall is round with a lot of character and not much heat; this Bruichladdich is not big, but more subtle and delicate.

Nose: Swirling brings out a tad more alcohol prickle, but also a bright, sweet, and floral nose with less smoked wood and mushroom this time as the peat provides gentle smoke, barbeque, and fungal sensations. There’s bright honey, vanilla, ripe peach, green apple, a squeez of citrus and a bouquet of flowers.

Palate: The PC 10 initially has slightly ashy and smoky honey, vanilla, citrus, and lightly toasted wood flavours that are equally balanced between the peat and sweetness. The peat does not take over at any point: it’s very much a supporting actor. The mouthfeel is also quite viscous and nice (probably because it's non-chill filtered), and without a ton of heat.

“Chewing” still provides lightly smoky and very sweet flavours of honey, pear, apple, vanilla, a little oak, char, and dried mushroom, with just a little bit of fresh spring greens from the peat. The peat is not very vegetal or ocean-y, but instead earthy and barbeque-y.

Even without all the heft behind it, Port Charlotte 10 is still round and flavourful, especially the fruity splash. It’s more bright, lively, and savoury, and less dark and smoky.

Finish: A light smokiness follows into the finish with honey, grapefruit, flower, and peach. Slightly fungal mushrooms appear after some seconds, making it a barbeque-y and floral finish. “Chewing” culls out sweet barbeque sauce

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10 Year tastes like a smoked and oaked white wine, but a little darker with a hint of dark fruit, so maybe an extra-aged Fino sherry. This really isn’t that peaty, but just adequate. Peat can be easygoing, letting the softer honey and fruit notes shine instead. With honey, peach, onion powder, garlic powder, smoke, and wood char, it’s a savoury yet sweet finish that leaves a nice tingle on my tongue and also provides some spring green-like vegetal hints after a minute as everything fades. The smoke and wood tannin build with each sip, which is very pleasant. 

This Port Charlotte 10-Year-Old has the right mix of bourbon-aged Scotch and peat that can convert people to peated Scotch. Doing some reading after the fact, Bruichladdich mentions that their Scotches are very floral, something easily confirmable.     

2.  BENROMACH 10 YO

When it came under Gordon & MacPhail’s ownership, the firm decided that Benromach should make an older style of Speyside malt – one with a little touch of smoke, medium in body and fruity – with the new equipment they had installed.

Distillery building started in 1898, but the distillery didn’t start making whisky until 1900. Its production was intermittent after that, with the distillery passing through a number of hands: Macdonald Greenlees, Joseph Hobbs, National Distillers of America and, finally, DCL. The industry giant kept it running until 1983, when it was closed, one of a large number of distilleries which were shut as a result of an industry-wide stock surplus.

After 11 years of silence – during which its interior had been cannibalised for parts by Diageo – it was bought by Elgin’s Gordon & MacPhail. The firm then set about building what was effectively a new distillery in the shell of the old. It took the firm five years of trials before the first spirit was made.   

Benromach 10 is the starting point in the Benromach range. It is aged mostly in ex-bourbon American oak barrels and some Sherry barrels for 9 years. Later on, it is married for a year more in Sherry barrels. It is bottled at 43% ABV. Benromach is a traditional Speyside distillery owned by a family of whisky-lovers intent on making single malt the right way with true character. This is done by keeping things simple. A handful of distillers relying entirely on their expertise and senses to make the finest handmade whisky; Speyside single malt matured exclusively in first-fill casks, with a subtly smoky character. It takes just four ingredients – barley, water, yeast and a human touch. No artificial colouring is added.

All casks are hand-filled, individually weighed, stencilled by hand and stowed in their traditional dunnage warehouses. This is because Benromach believes making whisky by hand guarantees genuine character. Recalling the Speyside tradition of topping up fires with cuts of peat when coal ran low, Benromach’s Scottish barley is grown locally and malted with a little peat smoke to exact specifications before being ground into grist in their 120 year-old four-roller Boby Mill. A a lightly peated barley is specified (12ppm), giving the whiskies their distinctive Speyside character. In the mash, they mix the grist with water drawn from the same source used by Benromach for 120 years. Their pure soft water rises in the Chapelton Spring in the Romach Hills, just a couple of miles behind the distillery. 

Despite the stills being smaller, Gordon & MacPhail’s new make bears a striking resemblance to that made under DCL’s stewardship. Quite how this happened is one of the mysteries surrounding Scotch and goes some way to adding to the belief that there is something about a distillery’s own microclimate which influences the character of the spirit.

Since then, it has appeared in peated guise, as an organic release, a 100% Golden Promise release, and in a succession of finishes in fortified and wine casks. With more time under its belt extra weight is now being shown by the maturing spirit. 

The Benromach represents the best Speyside whisky for beginners. You will find Benromach 10 stocked in most supermarkets at an attractive price. It also has a lot of complexity compared to other Speyside whiskies while still maintaining the light and fragrant character.

Double distillation through two bespoke copper pot stills creates a medium bodied spirit suitable for variable lengths of maturation. The wash still is settled by hand, using the expertise and experience of their distillers and a traditional water test used to gauge purity. The skill of their dedicated distillers is especially critical when it comes to cutting the spirit, the moment when they consider the new spirit to be of the highest quality. This ‘sweet heart’ of the run goes to spend years maturing in their first-fill casks.

Benromach is easy to drink with a range of fruits from summer berries to apples and citrus. Don’t expect much barrel influence as the sherry casks are only used for a short finish. The Benromach carries all of the warm spice one would expect of whisky aged in oak barrels.

It also has a very slight peaty quality, making it the perfect gateway to Highland Park or the Islay distilleries for those apprehensive about smoke. Benromach is emerging from the shadows of a lesser-known distillery and is finding its feet in the whisky market with a number of rebrands under its belt, all of which are better than the previous. It is likely to reach the upper tiers soon. 

This is a good, semi-sweet and earthy malt that puts on a good show through the senses. The aroma starts subtle and mostly sweet, luring the consumer into a false sense of light, flighty, malt security. The palate though is waiting around the corner with an earthy-smoky punch that shocks the senses. 

Finish drifts off into the night on a smoky ashy trail leaving the drinker wondering what exactly happened… on first sniff and sip that is. Once you know what to expect and settle in, this whisky shows a nice complexity and the ride becomes less jarring, more even and more enjoyable. The Benromach 10 YO is a great sipping malt.

Distillery Tasting Notes

Colour: Golden Amber

Aroma: Sweet green apple and pear complement creamy dark honey. Soft vanilla develops alongside gentle smoke.

Palate: Smooth flavours of malted cereal and stewed fruit combine with warm toffee and a hint of black cherry.

Finish: Full-bodied finish with malted cereal and soft smoke.

Benromach Contrasts: Limited Edition Peat Smoke Sherry Cask Matured Single Malt

Only ever produced in limited runs, Benromach Peat Smoke Sherry Cask Matured Contrasts 46% ABV uses the finest Scottish barley malted with high levels of peat smoke at 67ppm at the kilning stage, reducing to 55 ppm at the bottling stage. Laid down in 2012 before being bottled in 2021, this expression is natural in colour and non-chill filtered. It has been matured exclusively in first-fill sherry hogshead casks which results in cinnamon and ginger aromas with rich dark chocolate and stewed red berry flavours. This leads to a full finish of peat smoke and sweetness.

This small-batch vintage expression has been created in a style which is deliberately different to the subtle smokiness Benromach is well-known for. This is only the second time they’ve released a heavily sherried peat smoke expression and are very proud of its unique flavour profile. Although it is different from the first sherry-matured peat smoke expression released in March 2019, given the enthusiasm received from whisky fans this release is expected to be very popular.

Benromach Contrasts: Peat Smoke comes in two versions, one matured in 100% first-fill ex-bourbon casks and this one, matured in 100% first-fill Oloroso sherry casks. There is no age statement, but we do get a distillation date of 2012 and a bottling date of 2021. Therefore, it is safe to assume this is either eight or nine years old. It’s peated to 55ppm, which, for reference, is similar to Ardbeg.

Colour: Rusty.

On the nose: Rich, creamy toffee, demerara sugar and bonfire smoke, with one of the biggest smoked bacon notes in a whisky for some time; rub a little on your hands for the full effect! Judged blind, one could easily think one was trying a sherried Caol Ila. There’s a bit of a medicinal nature to the peat influence, with deep heat and sticking plasters. It’s not all sweet toffee and smoke, it’s fruity too, with peaches along with caramelised banana and citrus. A hint of rubber and damp hay.

Palate: In the mouth, more of the rich toffee from the first fill sherry, with a luxuriously thick mouth feel. It’s a very fatty, estery spirit, and the addition of just a few drops of water turn the whisky lovely and cloudy. Bonfire smoke and ash, which builds in its ashiness through the development. Sour cherries, red apple, charred barbecue meats and peppery spice, which soon moves to warming ginger and wintergreen. There’s also cinder toffee and a stony pebble earthiness.

Finish:  Increasingly ashen, with toffee apple, vanilla cream and salt.

Conclusions: Funky and a little bit dirty, which is a fantastic combination of sherry and peat. It’s sweet, but not as sweet as expected on the palate from the first fill sherry, with the sour fruit, meaty flavours, and salt giving it a nice balance.

Previous incarnations of this under the old branding have been bottled at cask strength, don’t let it hold you back from buying a bottle if that is the only reason. This is a very good whisky at the lower ABV and is priced right, too.

3. JOHNNIE WALKER SWING 

Johnnie Walker Swing is an exceptionally smooth Scotch whisky created in the early part of the twentieth century by Alexander Walker, the world-renowned whisky master blender and connoisseur. This bottle of was named Swing after the rocking motion the bottle makes when pushed. Naturally then, this is a collectable. 

Johnnie Walker Swing is one of the lesser-known offerings in the Johnnie Walker brand product line.  This no-age-statement blended Scotch whisky was first launched in 1932.  While Swing Superior was certainly one step better than this one, it has gone off the Johnnie Walker inventory.

Usually only available through Duty-Free shops at airports around the world, this particular bottling is available at diverse brick-and-mortar stores.   

The Name: Swing

Legend has it that Alexander Walker (grandson of John Walker), on one of his transatlantic voyages, noticed in the bar how the bottles would move and shift due to the movement of the ocean liner upon the seas.  The bartender struggled to keep the bottles in racks in an effort to prevent breakage.  Sir Alex got to thinking that there had to be a better way. So, he ordered his minions to design a bottle that would not be caused to fall over in such a nautical setting.

The solution was simple. The base of the Swing bottle was made convex.  So, it rocked back and forth, if there was any movement of the surface it was resting upon and remained upright. 

The Blend: 75 Cl 40% ABV

Nose (neat): Invitingly floral with gentle sherry notes, followed by a wisp of smoke. There is also some mild smoke and spice.  The nose has an old-world malty feel to it. Hints of dried fruits, tobacco and leather.

Palate (neat): Sweet wild honey smeared on dark toast.  Light sherry notes (think dark red fruit) make an appearance before a transition to spiced vanilla and butterscotch. Very smooth and quite oily.  Spicy notes balance the sherry sweetness. There are notes of smoke and faint peat, probably from the Caol Ila.

Finish (neat): Long and rich. Sherried. Some oak comes to the front before fading to a final dark red fruit note (due to the sherry influence). It ends in rich notes of spice and oak with a hint of cloves.

Overall: Swing is an easy-drinking whisky. The Johnnie Walker Swing is a blend of 35 whiskies with a high proportion of Speyside malts. Unmistakably Cardhu. These are complemented by malts from the northern Highlands and Caol Ila. There are also whiskies matured in sherry casks. A simple but solid 12-year-old single malt, if there ever was one. As the core malt of this blend, Cardhu really dominates the palate.

Johnnie Walker Swing is sweet and smooth, with some honey and sherry accents.  A taste a bit of old oak, and wonder how great the selection of casks of the single malts making it into this blend was. Highly quaffable and not offensive in the least, targeting a very mainstream, non-connoisseur whisky segment.  Best had neat at its low 40% ABV.

Cost: Value for money. ~$50 for this bottle.  In terms of blended Scotch whisky comparisons, Johnnie Walker Swing is similar in taste to Dimple Pinch 15 and Chivas Regal 18. A must-have. A good gift for someone who likes blends a lot, and does not enjoy the taste of peat, big smoke and other classic Islay flavours.

BUY IT WHENEVER AND WHEREVER YOU SEE IT.   

                   

4. LEDAIG 18 YO

Tobermory is a dark horse of a distillery. Sitting on the seafront in the town of Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, it has historically suffered from financial troubles and long periods of closure. However, under current owners, the South African giant Distell, Tobermory’s fortunes have totally changed.

Ledaig (pronounced "led-chig") is Gaelic for "safe haven," and refers to the natural harbour around which Tobermory Distillery is built. Whisky drinkers around the world have embraced the distillery’s two very different whiskies produced there – the fruity yet coastal Tobermory and the powerful, smoky Ledaig.

Ledaig, the peated alter ego of Tobermory single malt, is owned by the Distell Group, which also brings in Bunnahabhain and Deanston. The peated expression produced at Tobermory is heavily peated, with Ledaig becoming a brand of its own in 2007. Tobermory’s malt whisky is being used for blends Scottish Leader and Black Bottle. The latter is core Bunnahabhain malt, but peated Ledaig is also in the recipe. That’s because they all belong to Distell. Even so, it's a delicious heavily peated whisky that gives the Islay heavyweights a real run for their money.

It may be placed ahead of Laphroaig 10 & Lagavulin 16 thanks to the low bottling strengths of the pair, especially if you also factor in pricing. Actually even without prices factored in it is still from the enthusiast's perspective, given the Ledaig being bottled at 46.3% without chill filtration or added colouring, aspects that only a couple of the entry-level Islays can boast about, and only Ardbeg is at a similar price point. Ledaig can be just as medicinal and peaty as most of the Ileachs, and more so than Talisker, but it's still very much the underdog compared to both its Hebridean neighbours to the south & north.

There are only two Ledaig official bottlings that are reasonably easy to get: the 10 and 18YOs, although the latter now seems to be getting more scarce. There are no non-age statement expressions to fill the gaps, and the price difference between the two is very substantial which certainly wouldn't help. The distillery looks to be pumping out a lot of new limited releases at the moment, both of un-peated Tobermory & Ledaig, and all with age statements (which is impressive). That's partly because of the pending shortages since the distillery is currently not producing any spirit, and won't be for almost another two years while the site undergoes substantial refurbishment. Strangely though, that does not include any steps to increase production capacity, with the visitor's centre being the main recipient of the renovations.

The Ledaig 18-year-old has spent most of its life in ex-bourbon casks, before being finished in Oloroso sherry casks. There are no official figures on how long it spent in those sherry casks, but a good guess would be around 12 months. It's bottled at 46.3%, without chill filtration or added colouring. Like at least 99% of Ledaig & Tobermory whisky, it was matured on the Scottish mainland, since the distillery's warehouse was sold off and converted to apartments during a downturn in the 1980s, although it's still a noticeably coastal whisky despite that.

This Ledaig was tricky but after a while, it managed to deliver the quality hoped for. Remember to let it rest in your whisky-nosing glass – to really open up and give off that renowned smoke. It’s surprising that a peated whisky this old still has a fiery peat and smoke flavour. The peat of other 18-year-old peated whiskies usually mellows down to nuttier notes.

Colour: Gold copper

Nose: A rich sherry nose. Dark chocolate and raisins. Smells like a baked apple with mango and apricots all baked in an oat crumble. More oats with granola and some dried cranberries. Big sherry blast in this glass. Some damp wood and moss. Smoke and brine are for sure taking a step back, but it’s a little refined. Mint leaves are in the mix. Stone fruit juiciness. Cola cube hard sweets, like an artificial cola. Back end you can find cinnamon spice and dry roasted peanuts.

Palate: Vanilla custard. Parma violet sweets. Floral taste on the initial sip. A much dryer peat smoke coats the tongue nicely. There’s some charred oak here. The finish and flavour last so much longer on this dram and comparing it to the 10 YO. Velvety dark chocolate and a hint of cherry. Some delicious stroopwafel. Smoked ham and fried Brussels sprouts with hazelnuts. A wee hit of redcurrant bitterness develops after a while.

Finish: Starts with crispy smoke. Stingy and fruity. Drops of water add more smoke and make the aftertaste peppery.

Overall: A few drops of water make this Ledaig much better. Water takes some edge off and gives room for the sophisticated smoke. Tasty dram if you let it breathe and give it some water.

This award-winning whisky was first matured for 16 years in ex-bourbon casks before being finished for 2 years in the finest sherry casks, giving the whisky delicious sweet and fruity notes. Like all the whiskies produced at Tobermory Distillery, this is non-chill filtered and natural colour.  Bottled at 46.3% ABV, this sits in the Ledaig (peated whisky) core range, alongside Ledaig 10-Year-Old and Ledaig Sinclair Series: Rioja Cask Finish.  

5. THE GLENALLACHIE 15YO SCOTTISH VIRGIN OAK

Scottish Sessile oak, so-named because its acorns are not held on stalks like those of the English (Pedunculate) oak, but are attached directly to the outer twigs, is incredibly challenging to work with at all stages of production; growing, milling and coopering. Its rarity, costliness and tendency to knot mean it is scarcely used for whisky maturation. GlenAllachie has mastered this art.

GlenAllachie released Batch One of 12 YO bottlings in its Virgin Oak series in 2021. These were the Spanish, French and Chinquapin Virgin Oak expressions released as coming-of-age bottlings to add to their core range and three special expressions In celebration of Master Distiller Billy Walker’s half-century-long career in the whisky industry, The Past, Present and Future Series, including two 16 YOs and a peated 4YO, their first ever peated expression. These proved to be highly popular and prompted the makers to release another batch of their Virgin Oak Series, Batch 2, which comprised two 10 YO and one 15 YO edition. This last one is worth the while and the money.

This single malt was matured for 13 years and 6 months in ex-bourbon American Quercus Alba oak barrels. The remaining 18 months were spent in specially selected Scottish Sessile oak barrels. This very rare single malt gets its sophisticated taste from this Scottish Sessile Oak (Quercus Petraea), sourced from the Atlantic coast. The legendary Billy Walker oversaw the entire production and maturation process. This is a limited edition; only 2,250 bottles were produced. The whisky comes in a very nice gift box.

Before being filled, the wood was air-dried for 36 months, then toasted and charred to a medium level. Using just a handful of casks, the resulting spirit delivers a truly exceptional drinking experience, oozing with vanilla and butterscotch, perfectly balanced with rich notes of cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Bottled at 48%, natural colour and non-chill filtered.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Golden Sunset.

Nose: Bursting with honeycomb, vanilla pods and citrus fruits, with butterscotch, orange zest and white chocolate.

Palate: Lashings of heather honey, caramelised pine nuts, cinnamon and toffee, followed by orange peel, lemon zest, banana and ginger.

Finish: A little crushed raspberry and red apple peel; medium in length, with some coffee grounds and a little fruity funk.

6. THE GLENDRONACH REVIVAL

The name Glendronach derives from the Scottish Gaelic Gleann Dronach which means ‘valley of the brambles’ or ‘valley of the blackberries’. Founded in 1826 by James Allardes (referred to often as Allardice) Glendronach was the second distillery to apply for a licence to legally produce whisky under the Excise Act of 1823, which allowed for the distilling of Whisky in Scotland. Silent in 2016, it returned in triumph as The Revival in 2021

Big, bold and most commonly Sherried, Glendronach is an old-style whisky which echoes the substantial Victorian buildings in which it is made. The distillery draws its water from the Dronac burn within the distillery grounds. It has its own floor maltings and two wash stills in addition to two spirit stills. 

Inside the distillery are a traditional rake and plough mash tun, wooden washbacks and four stills which were coal-fired until 2005, the last in Scotland to be heated in this way. Today there is just a quiet susurration of steam in the stillhouse, but the oddly shaped wash still and the plain sides of the spirit still cut back on reflux, helping to build weight in the spirit.

These days, ex-Sherry casks are the distillery’s signature style. Some are 100% Sherry matured, and some started in ex-Bourbon casks to pick up vanilla sweetness before being racked into ex-Sherry.

Part of Benriach, it was purchased by Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey producer Brown-Forman in 2016, when it fell silent for five years, supposedly for lack of maturing stocks before coming back into a welcoming market as The Glendronach Revival 15 YO. Some Glendronach 15 YO bottles were available in and through 2017, created with older malts, yet sold as a non-chill-filtered 15 YO at 46% ABV.

The smooth scotch embodies The GlenDronach’s signature style of Spanish Sherry Cask maturation in fine Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks from Andalucía, quietly growing in stature for 15 years in the darkness of dunnage warehouses.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Vivid coppery orange

Nose: Big sherry aromas, along with cocoa powder, malt, and slightly savoury honey. Water brings out a bit of sharpness to the nose as well as damson jam and raisins.

Palate: The mouthfeel starts off dry and acrid, but it’s a mixture of oak types creating this sensation. Black peppercorn heightens the palate before moving forward to make way for bold roast espresso beans. Sweet, jammy fruit turns drier the longer it’s held on the tongue, allowing rich, nutty PX sherry notes to come to the fore. Spice, citrus, and leather lurk deep in the background. With water, more nuttiness and some additional baking spice.

Finish: Sweet malt, oak, almonds, and a bit of dried fruit, all of which linger, linger, and linger some more. Ends with cocoa nibs lingering on the tongue. Water adds some lemongrass, anise, and a touch of baked apples. A very long and pleasant finish.

Overall: The GlenDronach 15-Year-Old is a straight-up representation of the distillery. Once you nose and taste it, you’ll realise why it had a cult following and couldn’t keep up with demand. You get the sherry, but most importantly, you get a specimen that shows off the patience of maturity. Revival 15 is a better whisky than GlenDronach’s previous 15-year-old expression, and it’s a step up from its 12-year-old as well. It holds up well both flavour and price-wise compared to other sherried malts of similar age.

GlenDronach’s 15-year-old expression returned in 2020 with a new twist: Whereas it previously had been aged entirely in Oloroso Sherry casks, it’s now aged in a mix of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks, with the PX casks imparting a bigger and sweeter fruitiness to the whisky. For newbies and lovers of sherried malts alike, this is one of the best whiskies around for under $100.

It also shows what a difference three extra years of cask ageing can make. GlenDronach’s 12-year-old expression is also aged in the same types of cask, but Revival has a bigger, deeper, and richer flavour in comparison. The Revival is consistent, deliciously so. A few drops of water won’t totally destroy this whisky; some may find it enhancing the profile, but, all in all, they’re not needed. The flavour is full, but not overly spicy or hot. There’s no need to dull it down.

THE STANDARD PORTFOLIO

7. CAOL ILA 18 YO

The highly anticipated reopening of Caol Ila Distillery on the Isle of Islay finally took place last August. The island venue which has been closed since 2019 has seen an extensive renovation throughout its premises, welcoming guests back for the first time to its global visitor attraction, hampered as it was by the global pandemic.

Caol Ila's distillery character manages to combine a fresh pear note, grassiness, a hint of juniper and distinct notes of the seashore – lobster shells, crab creels and gentle smoke. Maturation for the single malt is in refill casks. The unpeated variant is equally delicate, with a fresh, estery and almost floral lift. Its importance for blends meant that malt lovers had to wait for and seek out independent bottlings. The brand was a must-have in Diageo’s blends, every Johnny Walker blended Scotch below 18 years. Now there is a range including no-age-statement Moch, 18-year-old and 25-year-old, a finished Distiller’s Edition and annual special releases.

When the downturn came in the 1980s, Caol Ila began running unpeated ‘Highland style’ for blends. Not only did it have the capacity, but doing so allowed the distillery to stay open. Unpeated is still made every year, with volumes dependent on the forecasts of Diageo’s blending team. A powerhouse it might be in terms of volume, but Caol Ila always seems to manage to hit the perfect balance between maturity and distillery character, no matter whether it is in official or independent bottlings.

This blender’s pet (and the largest-capacity distillery on tiny Islay) only became available as an official distillery-bottled single malt in a regular lineup in 2002, although it was founded in 1846. Caol Ila was actually demolished and rebuilt by owner DCL (now known as Diageo) in 1974. Its success as a blending component and its less “in-your-face” style has won it a reputation as a “milder” peated Islay malt, although the ppm phenols of its malted barley is the same as that used by Lagavulin (both come from the maltings at Port Ellen). Something about Caol Ila’s stills (or its distillation processes) tamps down the peaty character and renders it less smoky. The distillery, which is on the eastern coast of Islay, gets its water from a loch in the hills called Loch Nam Ban. Unlike the water that flows into the southern Islay distilleries over hard quartzite hills, Loch Nam Ban’s source rises out of limestone and glacial deposits, which give the water a vibrant minerality that sets Caol Ila’s whisky apart from its southern contemporaries. The linked video focusses on the much-awaited reopening.

Most of Caol Ila’s output is peated and most of it (95%!) ends up in various blends, as it’s the go-to standard for adding smoke to blended malts these days because of its inherent softness and willingness to play with others. This being a Diageo malt, there is essentially no information online. It’s clearly been aged in ex-bourbon casks for its 18 years of maturation, but were they refill casks? First-fill? Probably refill. Was the whisky chill-filtered or did it receive colouring agents? Probably yes. What is clear is that you have stepped into the Diageo-owned brand’s upper tier. Maturity and a developed sense of style are present throughout the 18 Years Old, which are more reflective of the wood in which they are aged than its younger siblings. (Matured in refill American oak hogshead casks). It’s a rich, fruitier offering than generally expected from Caol Ila. Smoke plays throughout its profile, beginning subtly on the nose and palate and then comes storming back through the finish.

Nose: Smoke-forward vanilla-laden Caol Ila peat, like a fragrant just-snuffed candle. Sandalwood, blanched almonds, and butterscotch pudding. Downright elegant.

Palate: Medium-weight, almost oily mouthfeel. Sweet upfront (more pudding), with a sedate tongue burn. Sweetwood, pungent peat smoke with herbal notes.

Finish: Long. Caramel or nougat, charcoal, bitter herbs (like cocktail bitters) that linger for basically ever, along with the remaining wisps of smoke.

With Water: The addition of a few drops of water seems to initially mute the aroma, requiring a rest in the glass. After, the aroma seems unchanged by the water. The palate might be thinner and offers slightly more tongue burn. The water adds a menthol note to the finish. Skip the water with this one.

Overall: 18 years in oak has not seemed to dull the Caol Ila peat like it does in other Islay malts. That same vanilla-laden peat smoke is accompanied by a greater amount of wood sugars and caramel notes than younger Caol Ilas, and they meld harmoniously. That sandalwood note on the aroma, the vanilla throughout, and the oily mouthfeel are highlights. The finish could have a little less of that bitter herb flavour, but it is really a problem easily solved by taking another sip. Deserves a higher ABV, as 43% is timid for an 18-year-old release. That said, the price is not outrageous.  

8. BRUICHLADDICH THE CLASSIC LADDIE

Their signature bottling and the definitive Bruichladdich. Showcasing the classic, floral and elegant Bruichladdich house style, The Classic Laddie is made from 100 per cent Scottish barley, trickle distilled, non-chill filtered and artificial colour free. They proudly retain their ancestry as progressive Hebridean distillers.

LOOKING INWARDS AT LOCH GORM

There are many attributes Bruichladdich shares with their distant Gaelic forefathers: stubborn, resolute, self-sufficient, hard-working, enduring, straight-talking, passionate and philosophical, albeit with a certain roguish quality. They are proudly nonconformist, as has always been the way in these Western Isles. Oirthir Gaidheal, the Coast of the Gaels, the 'land of the outsider'. They passionately believe in terroir - in authenticity, place and provenance, and ultimate traceability.

Bruichladdich seeks to produce the most natural, thought-provoking and enjoyable spirits possible. But if all you want is generic spirit, the world is awash with the stuff. They are Progressive Hebridean Distillers. This isn't just a form of words. It is who, what and where Bruichladdich is.

Unlike neighbouring distilleries from the island of Islay, the Bruichladdich range is made without peat. Without the influence of smoke, they expose the brilliance of the raw ingredient – barley. Stepping further outside of whisky tradition, they have traced ingredients from origin to bottling, embracing every growing season, the subtlety of changing barley varietals and the methods applied in growing them.

With the same vigour, they are patient and purposeful in the distilling process; with a slow fermentation in wooden washbacks, trickle distillation through tall, narrow-necked stills before filling this 100% Scottish barley distilled spirit into an ever-evolving suite of top-quality casks.

As a final commitment to quality and community, Bruichladdich bottles its whisky unchill-filtered and colour free, inside the distillery gates, using Islay spring water. For over two decades now, they’ve stowed their warehouses with these high-provenance single malts, all the while guarding the quality of the ageing Bruichladdich stocks made by a previous generation of distillers.

The Bruichladdich mission has evolved in this passion project. What started as a pursuit of flavour, bringing terroir to whisky, has evolved into a deep understanding of how whisky and agriculture are intrinsically linked. On their journey, they’ve learned how whisky can be a force for positive change, as they continue to reconnect land, community and dram.

The foundation for the Classic Laddie is not a recipe set in stone, but a distilling philosophy. Bruichladdich professes no interest in precise uniformity, instead - year by year - the variety and provenance of their barley shape their spirit, and an ever-increasing range of casks are sourced to evolve the variety of flavours in our warehouse. Never striving for absolute consistency, each batch of The Classic Laddie will, by nature, be unique and subtly different.

In its flagship Bruichladdich single malt range, the infinite possibilities of what whisky can and should be are explored. In a mission to uncover flavour at every opportunity, their bottlings have become a liquid embodiment of unrelenting curiosity. The depth of the range is complex yet rewarding, in celebration of the variety and nuance of every fruitful drop.

Creating the Classic Laddie is one of the most complex and demanding responsibilities bestowed upon their Head Distiller, who curates this assemblage of our finest spirits by hand to achieve our signature fruity and floral Bruichladdich house style. Composing each unique recipe is a rigorous process. He must systematically sample and evaluate every spirit by nose, taste and mouthfeel. 

It is painstaking and difficult work, requiring a clear head and many checks, pauses and re-evaluations over many weeks. The final formula is decided in the quiet of the sample room.

The suite of casks selected for each batch of The Classic Laddie has been filled with the spirit distilled from 100 per cent Scottish-grown barley. It is undeniable that there is a romantic element in the determination to source their core ingredient from Scotland; after all, there is no requirement to make it so. But this is not simply sentiment; the unique combination of an ideal climate, high latitude and the soil types found in Scotland makes the Scottish barley crop perfect for creating the optimum flavour profile during distillation.

Bruichladdich bottles their Classic Laddie at 50% ABV as opposed to the average of 40-46%. The flavour of our spirit at 50% ABV is barley forward, meaning you taste more of the Scottish malt they have worked hard to trace. They will not stretch their spirit and compromise on quality for the sake of profit.

Official Tasting Notes

CHARACTER: Clean, fresh and lively. The oak and the grain work in perfect harmony.

COLOUR: Summer barley

NOSE: Barley sugar and a hint of mint open before moving into freshly cut wild flowers; buttercup, daisy, meadowsweet, myrtle, primrose and cherry blossom. Delicate zephyrs of spindrift and sea pinks are a reminder that this spirit is matured exclusively beside the sea. Over time, and with the addition of a little water, caramelised fruit notes come to the fore, with hints of lemon drops, honey, tangerine and tablet.

PALATE: Refined and refreshing, sweet oak and barley notes come together in perfect harmony. Ripe green fruits, brown sugar and sweet malt follow, showcasing the remarkable flavour of the Scottish barley used in this single malt.

FINISH: Smooth and well-rounded, the finish showcases the elegant balance between the sprightly, vibrant fruit and the subtle sea-spray notes.

BARLEY PROVENANCE: 100% Scottish barley; mainland, Islay and organically grown.

MALTING: Unpeated.

DISTILLATION: Recipe specific.

AGE: Minimum age dependent on individual recipe.

MATURATION PROFILE: The recipe varies from batch to batch and has no set maturation profile.