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Glenmorangie is a name even non-drinkers recognise, and the Quinta Ruban is their port-finished Highlander — now 14 years old after extending its time in ruby port pipes to four years. Port finishes can be hit or miss, so does this one earn its benchmark reputation? Expect dark fruits, chocolate-covered cherries and a silky, non-chill-filtered texture, with gentle spice keeping the sweetness honest.
Oban sits in an interesting spot — a Highland distillery with west-coast salt in its veins, often called a bridge between the gentler Highland malts and the bigger island styles. The 14, its flagship, is gently coastal: sea spray and salt air, a smooth, surprisingly light palate, and a medium finish of lingering smoke and salt. Elegant and pleasant — but is pleasant enough?
I've a real soft spot for Fettercairn — they tread the line between classy and affordable rather well, and drew one of the biggest crowds at Whisky Live. The 16 is a step up, and a fine showcase of the distillery's signature tropical fruit: pineapple sweetness, stewed orchard fruit and a long finish of winter berries and ginger. Little wonder it's since joined the core range.
GlenDronach has been on a rollercoaster — closures, reopenings, big-name distillers, lauded old stock giving way to new. The sherried 15, the 'Revival', carries a lot of expectation. It delivers: an intense, fresh fruitiness of orange and cherry, an oily palate layered with peppercorn, clove and nutmeg, and a long marmalade finish. A benchmark 'sherry bomb' — does it justify the hype?
One glance tells you this is meant to be a 'fine' whisky — royal-blue foil, classy label, rich colour, all trading on a regal history out on the Cawdor Estate. Royal Brackla has the look, and the 12 has the depth too: Christmas-pudding dried fruit, syrupy plum and cherry, warm spice and a touch of chocolate. But at nearly £70, does it back up the price?
Ardnamurchan is one of Scotland's young 'challenger' distilleries, with an almost obsessive commitment to transparency — every detail of your dram is a QR code away. Happily, the whisky lives up to the principles: elegant smoke wraps around orchard fruit, creamy vanilla and a sharp peppery kick, with a long, warming finish. Complex and characterful for under £50 — one I genuinely loved.
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 (not Inchmoan or Inchmurrin, confusing I know). As I covered a few weeks ago, the core range blends a little sweetness with just a hint of smoke. So how does the entry point hold up?
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.
Further down the Loch Lomond rabbit hole: the 14 year old, 'Spiced Apple and Soft Smoke'. The Inchmoan 12 and the 10 both impressed me, so I'm starting to suspect this distillery is quietly excellent. Stewed apple and toffee — almost a sweet tarte tatin — meet warm Christmas spice and a gentle, lingering smoke. Lovely stuff at around £50; is Loch Lomond the journey's dark horse?
Loch Lomond makes a bewildering variety of whiskies, and the Inchmoan is their peated strand. The 12 turned out to be a real highlight: a gentle, syrupy nose gives way to a bolder palate of smoked bacon, black pepper and bonfire embers over creamy malt, with a long, warming finish touched by dark chocolate. Smoke and sweetness in fine balance — and keenly priced.
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?
From one of my favourite distilleries to visit comes this 15-year-old — the big brother to the quirky (and previously reviewed) Dalwhinnie Winter's Gold, but a far more straightforward dram. Where Winter's Gold has its gimmick of being served ice-cold from the freezer, the 15 is a regular, run-of-the-mill age statement. But is that a good thing? Let's find out.
GlenDronach has earned a cult-like following since its revival under the legendary Billy Walker. My own encounters have been limited, so this richly sherried 12 — born of a tumultuous, much-changed history — feels overdue. Expect a wave of syrupy sherry sweetness, a silky, buttery palate and a drier finish laced with nutmeg and ginger. A proper sherry bomb, but does it earn the hype?
There's something enchanting about Fettercairn's 12 year old that has captivated me for as long as I can remember — I'm drawn to it like Gollum to his treasure, albeit more wholesomely! And the distillery's unusual emblem, an elegant unicorn emblazoned on the bottle, only adds to the allure: said to represent purity and strength, which bodes well for the whisky.
Clynelish 14 has always left me torn — irresistible image and bottle on one hand, a nagging doubt on the other. This famously waxy Highlander is a whisky of contradictions: aged citrus and caramel meet a briny, oily texture, a whisper of peat and a short but intense peppery finish. Distinctive, certainly — but at around £50, does it earn its devoted following?
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 a four-mile walk through driving rain to Dalwhinnie, Scotland's highest distillery. Winter's Gold is built for exactly that kind of weather — honeyed sweetness and golden syrup, soft vanilla and a gentle spice, designed to be served ice-cold from the freezer. A cosy winter warmer, then — but does it deliver enough at room temperature?
All of Scotland's distilleries (around 140 and growing) are organised into traditional whisky-producing regions. The five classic regions are Highlands, Speyside, Islay, Lowlands, and Campbeltown, though many people split the Highlands into two — Highlands and Islands — which is the classification I use here.
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 River Dee in the Highlands, Royal Lochnagar is the smallest distillery by volume in Diageo's vast portfolio. Just a stone's throw from Balmoral Castle, the Royal Family's Scottish residence, it has a heritage dating back to the 1840s — its proximity to Balmoral made it the favoured whisky of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, earning its regal moniker.
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