Aberlour is one of my favourite distilleries. It was where it all started for me; I fell in love with whisky following a tour of the quaint old distillery whilst on a road trip of Scotland many, many years ago. I love the bottle designs, the flavours, the distillery buildings themselves - I’m a fanboy. The most contemporary addition to the Aberlour core range is the Aberlour 14 which was added to the 12, 16 and 18 back in early 2021. I’m eager to find out how much I love it(!) and how it completes the family…

In our last review, we delved into the world of whisky with the somewhat underwhelming Glenlivet 12 year old. Today, we venture just a stone's throw away from Glenlivet to explore another distillery with a shorter history but a distinctive identity: Tomintoul. Established in 1964, Tomintoul has made its mark in Speyside as "the gentle dram." Interestingly, despite having no affiliation with Glenlivet, Tomintoul upholds the convention of incorporating "Glenlivet" in its name — a practice dating back to the 1860s when rival distilleries such as Macallan, Aberlour, Glen Grant and many more claimed the term had become synonymous with the style of whisky from the area. But does the Tomintoul 14 bare any resemblance to The Glenlivet 12? Let’s find out…

There's a certain mystique surrounding Clynelish 14 Year Old - a whisky that has always left me feeling torn. On one hand, there's an undeniable allure to its image and bottle design, drawing me in with an irresistible pull. Yet, on the other hand, there's a lingering doubt—a feeling that perhaps this isn't a whisky meant for me, that our tastes may not align. It's a perplexing sensation, one that I struggle to rationalise and articulate. For months, this bottle has sat on my shelf, untouched, as if waiting for the right moment to be uncorked and explored. And now, at long last, that moment has arrived as I embark on this journey to uncover the true essence of Clynelish 14 Year Old.