Reviews

Bottles from the independent bottler Dràm Mòr have been discussed on this page several times before. With great dedication and expertise, Dràm Mòr strives to preserve the tradition of Scotch whisky. They describe their cask selection process as open and open-minded. From the summer selection of 2023, today we have a 12-years Ruadh Maor. Behind this name, which is probably completely unknown to the mass market, lies the smoky distillate of the Glenturret distillery. This cask, with the number #9002123, received additional maturation in a First Fill Bourbon Hogshead.

Sebastian Büssing aka The Spirits Alchemist is known for his experimental barrels. Here - for the first time? - a sugar beet barrel was used for the 12-month finish after the single malt was allowed to mature for four years in an ex-bourbon barrel. We are more than excited!

The Welsh Penderyn whisky called Myth from the Dragon series was matured in ex-Buffalo Trace casks and finished in ex-red wine casks. Seems very promising.

The Welsh Penderyn whisky called Legend from the Dragon series was matured in ex-Buffalo Trace casks and finished in Madeira casks. An exciting fusion of two worlds of flavour.

The Welsh Penderyn whisky named Celt from the Dragon series was matured in ex-Buffalo Trace casks and finished in ex-Laphroaig casks. An exciting combination.

The German Independent Bottler Anam na h-Alba from Oberhausen proudly labels itself as "The Soul of Scotland." Hence, it was quite surprising when we stumbled upon a Kentucky Straight Bourbon bottled by them. The label promises a just shy of four years old Single Barrel bottling from Owensboro, seemingly distilled by Green River Distilling from Owensboro, Kentucky. Let's dive into what this cask-strength whiskey has to offer.

Balcones use several types of rye in the mash for their Texas Rye. These include Elbon rye from the north-west of Texas as well as crystal, chocolate and roasted rye.

Founded in 2017, Torabhaig is only the second distillery on the Isle of Skye, alongside the famous Talisker distillery. Built by the independent bottler Mossburn, it produces peaty single malt whiskies. Since 2021, small batches have been released as part of the Legacy Series. The Allt Gleann Legacy Series is only the second of these bottlings. Torabhaig demonstrates its integrity here: no filtration, no coloring, and a wonderful 46% ABV.

The Gutshofbrennerei Begatal has been producing whisky hyperlocally since 2016. Only raw materials from the Lippe region are used. The family tree of the family business can be traced back to 1284 - the building in which the distillery was built has been standing since 1535.

The distillery Loch Lomond, named after the famous lake it resides by, is nestled in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. Renowned for its versatility, it produces a wide range of whiskies: from smoky single malts distilled in pot stills, grain whiskies produced on Coffey stills, to even the "Glen's Vodka". Today, we sample the Loch Lomond 18 Year Single Malt, one of their flagship releases.

The distillery Springbank is one of the few remaining Scottish distilleries that have not been acquired by any major corporation. Additionally, it is one of the few distilleries in the historic region of Campbeltown. Known for its traditional production methods and its distinctive, artisanal heritage, Springbank has been hard to overlook recently. Today, we're tasting the 15-years expression.

The 10-years single malt whisky from the Springbank distillery in Campbeltown, Scotland, has been the talk of the town in recent years and has experienced a real hype - unfortunately also in terms of price. In the meantime, the hype is slowly dying down and you can now and again get hold of a bottle at the RRP (yes, that's also high).