Glendronach is a distillery that has been on a bit of a rollercoaster over the last few decades. Closures and re-openings, changes in high profile master distillers and excellent quality old stock followed by different, but also excellent, quality new stock. Its spirit has been used for blends as well as won Whisky of the Year (which this 15 year old did in 2020). The price has, consequently risen, and at around £80 it is now a pretty expensive dram. Perhaps this is why it seems to have fallen out of favour of late. This certainly isn’t to knock the whisky itself though, which still draws a smile from nearly every whisky enthusiast.

A mere glance at this bottle tells you that it should be a ‘fine’ whisky. The opulent, royal blue neck foil, classy label and rich coloured spirit all speak to the royal history that this distillery proclaims. Nestled in the countryside of the Cawdor Estate in the Scottish Highlands (right on the border with the Speyside region) lies the distillery which claims royal heritage back to the early 1800s when it was granted a royal warrant by King William IV. The distillery has been closed and re-opened several times since then but retains its traditional, regal style into the modern age. I can’t wait to try it.

Ardnamurchan is one of the new breed of young, ‘challenger’ distilleries in Scotland, both in age (having only been built in 2014) and approach. With an admirable, sometimes incredulous, focus on transparency, they make all of the details of your whisky available online via a QR code - how long the mash was fermented, the percentage at which the cut is taken for the new make and even the cask origins for your particular bottle of whisky. For many whisky drinkers, this is like peaking behind the curtain and unnecessary but, for the most nerdy of drammers, it is exactly the transparency that many wish was more commonplace. But what does the spirit taste like?…

I’m rounding out my little ‘side quest’ through Loch Lomond’s whiskies with arguably their base expression - the 12-year-old from the core range (ie. not Inchmoan or Inchmurrin - confusing, I know). I covered the different ranges in this post a few weeks ago but essentially the core Loch Lomond range has a mixture of sweetness (accentuated in the Inchmurrin range) and just a hint of smoke (which is heavier in the Inchmoan range).

I was very grateful to have received this 20cl bottle as a gift (along with the Loch Lomond engraved glencairn glass) and it seems like a fitting way to round out my foray into some of the Loch Lomond expressions by finishing up where it starts. I’m sure this won’t be my last Loch Lomond whisky!

As we start 2025, the first bottle I’m opening is another first for me - a special edition. All of the bottles that I have tried so far on this journey have been from core ranges from readily available distilleries. However, as I’ve gone down this rabbit hole with Loch Lomond today’s whisky is their 2024 Cooper’s Collection expression, the annual release from Master Blender Michael Henry.

As I fall down this rabbit hole of Loch Lomond’s whisky, the next stop for me is the 14-year-old “Spiced Apple and Soft Smoke”. I’ve been so impressed by the last two bottles I’ve tried (Inchmoan 12 yr and Loch Lomond 10 yr) so I’m really looking forward to this. I’m coming to the realisation that Loch Lomond is a pretty unique distillery. Their selection of expressions is vast and in addition to their pot stills, they also have Coffey and column stills giving them so much variation in the spirit they produce. Let’s take a closer look.

Loch Lomond is surely the Scottish distillery producing the widest variety of whiskies. Their whiskies fall into one of three ranges each with its own subtlely different brand. So Loch Lomond’s core range comes in a few options. There are three 12-year-olds and today we’re diving into arguably the most beloved - the peated Inchmoan 12-year-old.

I was recently gifted this vivid orange bottle of Loch Lomond 10-year-old. I went to do a little research online and was surprised, and a little confused, to find that it is not available in any of the usual specialist whisky retailers (in the UK at least). It is, however, available through all the major supermarkets (Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsburys, etc). I think this is the first time I’ve ever come across, what I would consider to be, a core range product that is only available through high street retailers. I am intrigued! And is it any good?

From one of my favourite distilleries to visit, comes this 15-year-old expression. It’s the big brother to the quirky (and previously reviewed) Dalwhinnie Winter’s Gold and is a much more straightforward whisky. Where Winter’s Gold has its unusual marketing gimmick of being served ice cold, straight from the freezer (read about my experience with this here), today’s whisky is a regular age statement, run-of-the-mill whisky. But is that a good thing? Let’s find out.

Welcome, fellow Centurions, to our latest whisky exploration featuring the Glendronach 12 year old. While my encounters with Glendronach have been somewhat limited, it's undeniable that this distillery has garnered a cult-like following since its revival under the legendary Billy Walker nearly two decades ago. Through its tumultuous past, changing hands multiple times in the twentieth century, Glendronach finally found its footing under Walker's guidance, refocusing on aged statement single malts and stepping out of the shadows from its role in blends, most notably Teacher’s.

There's something enchanting about Fettercairn's 12 year old whisky that has captivated me for as long as I can remember. It's like being drawn to a treasure, akin to Gollum's obsession in Lord of the Rings, albeit in a more wholesome manner! And speaking of magic, the distillery's unusual emblem — an elegant unicorn — proudly emblazoned on the bottle, adds to its allure. It is said to represent purity and strength, which bodes well for the whisky…

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.

Last week I opened, tasted and posted my review of a bottle of Dalwhinnie Winter’s Gold. Having previously shared my initial thoughts on the whisky, I was intrigued by the suggestion to try it straight from the freezer. Skeptical yet curious, I decided to give it a shot, challenging my preconceived notions about the "recommended" way to enjoy this renowned spirit…

One of my favourite distillery adventures was to Dalwhinnie, many years ago. This small town in the heart of the Highlands, is the highest distillery in Scotland, where it experiences some of Scotlands most harsh weather. My own experience was walking four miles in driving rain to get to the distillery, only to find we were too late for the tour. We did, however, manage the tasting with chocolates which was incredible and a habit I have stuck to since!

All of Scotland’s 142* distilleries are organised into one of five traditional whisky producing regions - Highlands, Speyside, Islay, Lowlands and Campbeltown. But what do these regions mean and are they useful? The regions group all of Scotlands distilleries by geography and historically meant that flavour profiles could be expected to be similar within each region due to similar processes and use of local barley. Let’s find out more…

For our next stop on this adventure through the world of whisky, we set our sights on Tomatin 12. A Highland single malt from a distillery that has spent much of its history providing whisky for blends. Only relatively recently (since around 2000) has the distillery switched some of its focus to growing its single malts such as this one…

Nestled along the banks of the River Dee in the picturesque Highlands, the Royal Lochnagar distillery holds the title of the smallest distillery (by production volume) in Diageo’s extensive portfolio. Situated just a stone’s throw away from Balmoral Castle, the Scottish residence of the Royal Family, Royal Lochnagar has a rich heritage dating back to the 1840s. Its proximity to Balmoral made it the favoured whisky of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, earning the distillery its regal moniker…