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After the Barrel Reserve made an impression, I was keen to dig deeper into Arran. The 10 year old sits at the heart of the range and brings sherry casks into the mix — supposedly their signature style. It's fresh and herbal: green apple, pear and lemon zest over sweet malt, with cinnamon and hazelnut on a clean medium finish. A real step up — and quintessential Arran?
Laphroaig divides people like few others — you love the medicinal peat or you stay well clear. The standard 10 has converted thousands; this cask-strength version cranks everything up. Expect a wall of bonfire smoke, TCP, iodine, seaweed and tar at a hefty 58.5%, with a long, gloriously smoky finish. The classic turned up to maximum volume — brave or foolish?
Sometimes a whisky takes you by surprise. I thought I had Speyside figured out — sweet and fruit-forward — but Benromach 10 is a throwback to an older, increasingly rare style of the region. Toffee apple and sherried dried fruit meet a lovely oily texture and a whisper of smoke, finishing dry and gently spiced. Classic Speyside with a characterful twist — and a real bargain.
I was gifted this vivid orange bottle and went digging online, only to find Loch Lomond 10 oddly missing from the specialist retailers — yet on every supermarket shelf. Curious. Happily the liquid's good: crisp orchard fruit and citrus, creamy toffee and sweet malt, with a smooth, honeyed finish. The £40 ticket looks steep until the supermarkets discount it — so is it a bargain?
A few months ago I reviewed Talisker Skye, one of three entry-level whiskies from this renowned distillery. Today we're diving into the 10 year old — another foundational offering, and despite the trio, the one that's remained Talisker's flagship for decades. Tasting it might just explain why they price the Skye, Storm and 10 Year Old at the same level.
If you enjoy peated whisky is there a better place to start than the classic ten year old from Ardbeg? Personally I prefer unpeated whisky but there is so much to love about this whisky from the south coast of Islay. The Ardbeg distillery shares just two miles of this coastline with the Lagavulin and Laphroaig distilleries and stands as one of these three peat powerhouses renowned around the world.
Welcome, Whisky Centurions, to Benriach's The Original Ten — a Speyside single malt where tradition meets a touch of innovation. It's an easy, approachable dram: subtle orchard fruit and vanilla on the nose, honeyed ripe-apple sweetness with gentle oak and malt, and a moderate, lightly spiced finish. At under £40 it's a steady, reliable choice away from the high-street names — if not the most complex.
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