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.

This may well be the strangest bottle of whisky I’ve come across so far on my journey. The Singleton brand is owned by Diageo and is actually made up of whiskies from three different distilleries: Glen Ord, Glendullan and Dufftown - confusing already! We’re tasting the Dufftown version here which is extremely widely available in the UK but confusingly, Diageo’s own website (Malts.com) says it only exists at 43% - I can’t find it available at anything other than 40%. Not a straightforward start - let’s take a look at the whisky though.

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…

The last month of 2023 saw the release of this new, no-age-statement whisky from Glen Moray. The distillery is famed for its good value whisky available at very reasonable prices and this is no different - available (if you can find it) for around £30. The unique selling point of this expression is the ‘unusual’ way it is matured. The ‘Phoenix Rising’, a reference to the mythical bird that rises from the ashes, is a nod to the fact that the whisky is finished in new, heavily-charred oak barrels with the intention of adding spice to the classic Glen Moray whisky; let’s find out if it delivers…

A few months ago I visited the Cotswolds Distillery and heard all about owner Dan Szor’s passion for whisky and locally-sourced barley. As with many other new English distilleries when they started distilling in 2014 they needed to produce gin alongside their whisky in order to have something to sell while the whisky lay dormant, maturing. Their gin was what first propelled them into the mainstream, winning multiple awards and is arguably what they are best known for, but whisky is truly at the heart of this distillery. Let’s find out if it’s any good…

A few months ago I tasted and reviewed Talisker Skye, one of the three entry whiskies from the distillery. Today we are tasting one of the other two - the 10 year old bottling. Despite there now being three entry whiskies from Talisker, the 10 year old expression is their flagship bottling and has been for decades. Maybe tasting this will help explain why Talisker has chosen to put the Skye, Storm and 10 year old all at the same price point.

Over the last few months I’ve sampled and reviewed nearly thirty whiskies on this site in my ongoing journey to become a Whisky Centurion. The whiskies I've tried range in price from around £27 to over £70, sparking my curiosity about value for money in a bottle of whisky. Value is highly subjective—what one person sees as valuable may differ entirely from another’s perspective. Sometimes, a cheap, easy whisky suffices, even if it means compromising on quality. Other times, splurging on a more expensive bottle can be gratifying, even if the extra cost doesn't equate to a proportionate increase in value. But it made me wonder, is there a way to quantify this and will it help?…

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.

Greetings, fellow Centurions! This week, we embark on a journey through the flavourful charms of Tamdhu 12 Year Old whisky. Originating from a quaint yet resilient distillery established in 1896, Tamdhu has quietly forged its legacy before being embraced by Ian Macleod Distillers in 2011. Intriguingly, it rose from a period of closure by its former owners, emerging under new stewardship with a distinct bottle shape and presentation that stands out from the crowded marketplace of Speyside whiskies.