Top 5 • 25 January 2025
The ‘Fourth Ten’ of the Whisky Centurion Journey
Well, here we are again for a check-in on my journey towards becoming a Whisky Centurion. It's nice to look back every so often and reflect on what I've tried — following the first, second and third tens, here's the fourth set.
This batch had a distinctly Loch Lomond flavour — five of the ten came from that one underrated distillery, which quietly became one of the stars of the whole journey. Throw in an English wildcard, an experimental Speysider and a couple of old reliables, and it made for a varied, rewarding ten. Here's how it went.
Cotswolds Reserve
A wildcard to kick off the fourth ten, picked up on a distillery tour. This young English single malt impressed me with genuine craftsmanship and character well beyond its years — a reminder that exciting whisky isn't confined to Scotland.
Glen Moray Phoenix Rising
An experimental Speyside that punches above its price. Elegant vanilla and caramel meet a real kick of ginger and peppercorn spice — and all for under £30. Proof that 'good value' and 'interesting' aren't mutually exclusive.
Aberlour 14 Year Old
A rare disappointment from a distillery I adore. The 14 is pleasant enough — silky sweetness, orange peel and gentle clove spice — but at 40% and nearly double the price of the excellent 12, I struggled to see the point.
Singleton 12 Year Old
One of the odder bottles of the journey — 'Singleton' spans three Diageo distilleries, and this is the Dufftown version. Polished wood, toasted hazelnuts and citrus make for an easy sipper, but it's not especially complex, and a touch overpriced at around £40.
Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old
A traditional, dependable Highlander. Honeyed and gently spiced, the Dalwhinnie 15 offers solid value under £50 — comfortable and well made, if not the most thrilling dram on the shelf.
Loch Lomond 10 Year Old
A supermarket-exclusive surprise. This 10-year-old is a remarkably good spirit for the money, especially when it dips on offer. The first of a run of Loch Lomonds — a distillery that kept impressing me through this batch.
Loch Lomond Inchmoan 12 Year Old
The favourite of this batch. The Inchmoan 12 brings a distinct but well-judged smokiness — present and characterful without ever overpowering. A genuinely accomplished peated dram from Loch Lomond.
Loch Lomond 14 Year Old
Full of warm, almost Christmassy flavours — dried fruit and spice — at reasonable value around £50. Another strong showing from Loch Lomond's core range.
Loch Lomond Cooper's Collection 2024 — Spanish Oak
A special release that shows off Loch Lomond's versatility. The Spanish oak lends extra richness and depth, and at around £43 it's an interesting step up for anyone who's enjoyed the core range.
Loch Lomond 12 Year Old
The dependable heart of the range. The 12 delivers consistent quality at roughly £40 — a solid, middle-of-the-road Loch Lomond that rounds out an impressive run from the distillery.
And that's forty down, sixty to go — well on the way now. This fourth ten won't be remembered for a single show-stopper, but it was a consistently enjoyable run, with Loch Lomond proving the real revelation and the Inchmoan 12 my pick of the bunch. If you're catching up, you can revisit the first, second and third tens, or read about where it all began. See you for the fifth ten — slàinte!
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The ‘Third Ten’ of the Whisky Centurion Journey
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