Batch 44: Fèis Ìle 2016 Part 1
Ardbeg, plus three each from Bowmore and Bruichladdich, in the first part of our festival special.
Ardbeg, plus three each from Bowmore and Bruichladdich, in the first part of our festival special.
Our festival special ends with Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Jura, Kilchoman, Lagavulin and Laphroaig.
Whiskies by Royal Salute and Johnnie Walker Ghost & Rare put lost distilleries into focus.
The new Balvenie Stories range leads a Glenlivet, a GlenDronach and The Moffat blend.
Festival part two, including Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Jura, Kilchoman, Lagavulin and Laphroaig.
The Islay Fest continues with Scarabus, Aerolite Lyndsay and a smattering of Fèis Ìle drams.
The first non-Scotch set of whiskies features five new Irish releases in time for St Patrick’s Day.
Islay whiskies to mark the start of Fèis Ìle, with peat to the fore – but not altogether dominating.
A collection of young Caol Ila bottlings meets Peat Chimney blended malt from Wemyss.
New whiskies include Douglas Laing’s Big Peat 2017 Fèis Ìle bottling and a trio of Strathmill malts.
Taking it easy with Highland Park Magnus, Dewar’s 25, Balvenie Peat Week and The Art of Whisky.
A Tamdhu trio vie with Glenlivet’s Winchester malt and Whisky Works’ newest releases.
Bowmore, Glenmorangie, Hazelburn and a ‘troika’ of Bruichladdich conclude 2016’s new whisky notes.
Five new Balvenie whiskies pay tribute to malt master David Stewart. But are they any good?
Three Bs – Balmenach, Benrinnes and Bowmore – and three Glens – Scotia, Moray and Glenlossie.
Our round-up of Islay Festival bottlings starts with Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bunnahabhain and Caol Ila.
Blends, grains and malts: Cadenhead, Cambus, Dufftown, James Eadie, Linkwood and Strathclyde.
Method and Madness’ acacia and cherry wood-matured whiskeys meet four Adelphis.
Our editors assess this year’s eagerly anticipated collection of Scotch whiskies from Diageo.
The verdict on Loch Lomond 50-Year-Old, and lots of peat: Bowmore, Caol Ila, Ledaig and Croftengea.
A smoky Islay special, including two single malts each from Caol Ila, Kilchoman and Peat’s Beast.
Dave Broom rounds out the year with a party of Pulteneys and Big Peat’s annual festive bottling.
An Irish special: Green Spot, The Irishman, Jameson, Midleton, Retronaut and Writer’s Tears.
Two single malts, two single grains, two blended malts: a mixed bag of new whisky releases.
Dave Broom reviews Glenmorangie Spìos, Tullibardine 1962 and Tomatin Metal and Water.
From Jura to Dalmore via Islay and Oban, six more new whiskies get the Dave Broom tasting treatment.
Dave Broom's tasting notes on a trio of indie bottlings, two Deverons and a supercharged Ardbeg.
Dave Broom pours out his thoughts on a ‘monster’ Mortlach and Cadenhead blended grain.
Bushmills and Redbreast from Ireland, plus Glenmorangie, Glen Scotia and Jura from Scotland.
Johnnie Walker’s White Walker and 2018’s Flaming Heart are joined by a gaggle of grains.
Dave Broom samples the 2017 John Walker Private Collection blend and a trio of Bladnochs.
Dave Broom returns from his hols with new Inchmoans, an old Invergordon and a sessionable Aultmore.
Age and time is the theme this week, with Ghost and Rare, Linkwood and a quartet of old Longmorns.
A venerable Benromach, two unusual Cù Bòcans and Glenmorangie’s new travel retail range.
This year’s series includes single malts from Bunnahabhain, Deanston, Ledaig and Tobermory.
Glenmorangie Grand Vintage 1989, plus two Aultmores, Bunnahabhain, Glen Garioch and Teaninich.
Dave Broom goes rummaging through some lesser-known distilleries (and Aberfeldy) this week.
Highland Park Fire, two Wemyss Batch Strength whiskies and a trio of Tomatin travel retail releases.
Glendronach, Laphroaig, Macallan and Springbank – they’re all included in the latest new releases.
New year, new whiskies, including a 23-year-old Ardbeg and a trio aged in Ukrainian wine casks.
A mixed bag including Ballantines’ trio of single malts, The Gauldrons and two from Wemyss.
A Gordon & MacPhail quartet, GlenDronach’s Boynsmill and Highland Park’s Twisted Tattoo.
Wemyss’ latest blended malts meet single casks from BenRiach, GlenDronach and Craigellachie.
Another marvellous medley from Dave Broom featuring BenRiach, Timorous Beastie and Tullibardine.
Glen Moray, Glen Scotia, Auchroisk, Longrow and Springbank, with some fascinating finishes.
BrewDog’s Boilermaker Series joins bottlings from Thompson Brothers and The Whisky Agency.
Jameson Bow Street 18, Jura One For You, Method & Madness Hungarian Oak and Wolfburn Langskip.
A Black Friday special, with malts from Orkney, Campbeltown, Glen Moray and Glentauchers.
Indie bottlers Cadenhead and Asta Morris duke it out with Tomatin and Writers’ Tears.
New whiskies including Highland Park Valkyrie and a trio of bargain-priced Lidl single malts.
Five blended malts and one blend do battle as Dave Broom leaves single malts behind for a week.
A sweet theme unites malts from Glen Moray, GlenDronach, Glengoyne, Glenmorangie and Pulteney.
In a battle of the retailers, Royal Mile Whiskies goes head-to-head with The Whisky Exchange.
Dave Broom on Consortium of Cards II, indie Glentauchers and new bottler North Star Spirits.
Two Balblair vintages, Dalmore 45, Cadenhead Creations plus two Mossburn blended malts.
Dave Broom samples six truly venerable whiskies totalling an impressive 316 years old.
This week is split between two trios, as venerable G&Ms meet experimental Bruichladdichs.
A round-up of 2019’s official Islay Festival whiskies, including Ardbeg, Bowmore and Octomore.
Dave Broom burns through a smoky Islay quartet, a Sherried Benromach and Wolfburn’s new release.
Compass Box’s Calvados-Scotch blend, plus the first releases from the Whisky Sponge.
A quartet of whiskies from Deanston and Tobermory are bolstered by an elder Tomatin and Mortlach.
Three fruity, mature old grains, a 1980s Coleburn plus a bold new Benromach.
A chocolatey Springbank, meaty Ledaig, plus Rock Island’s new maritime blended malts.
Smoky drams from Ledaig, Bunnahabhain, Elements of Islay and Rock Oyster, plus Jura and Strathmill.
Auchroisk, Brora, Cambus, Caol Ila, Glenkinchie, Lagavulin, Linkwood, Port Ellen and more.
Another eclectic selection of whiskies this week, including Bruichladdich, Dalmore and Talisker.
Linkwood, Dailuaine, Inchgower and Tamdhu from Speyside, plus a lone interloper from Arran.
It’s a feast this week with Octomore 10, Rosebank Jealousy and a Sherried single grain.
From Ardbeg Drum to Littlemill 40, this week’s reviews run the length and breadth of Scotland.
This week Becky Paskin gets acquainted with four new Wemyss Malts releases plus two peaty drams.
Teeling’s first release, Red Spot, Prince Charles’ Royal Lochnagar and that Amazon Bowmore.
Editor Becky Paskin delivers her verdict on the much-anticipated Game of Thrones single malts.
In a year of discovery, there were three whiskies that really captivated our street-wise novice.
Dave Broom selects an eclectic trio of whiskies as his top drams of 2017.
A sublime trio: Glenmorangie Astar redux, ethereal Brora and Midleton from the archives.
Smoke is the overriding theme as our magazine editor picks his three stand-out whiskies of 2016.
Our editor’s top whiskies include an Irish revival, an ageing Ardbeg and dram with no name.
Our editor covers all bases with her favourites of 2016: a single malt, single grain and a blend.
Tasting a fascinating ‘70s Aberlour, a historic ‘40s Kilbeggan and a surprising ‘80s Fettercairn.
Three spirit-driven 1970s single malts from Ardmore, Glen Garioch and Glenlivet.
Three 1960s blends take Angus MacRaild from a soapy stupor to waxy, peated pleasure.
A mixed bag of single malts, regions and styles, including Glenlossie, Jura and Laphroaig.
Three more affordable old bottlings: a mysterious malt, a rare Inverleven and a thumping Lagavulin.
Three less heralded whiskies, including single malts from Ardmore, Glendullan and Millburn.
An impressive, well-matured 1960s trio of single malts from Jura, Springbank and Tamdhu.
Tasting three 1970s and 1980s Sherried beauties from Aberlour, Bowmore and Bruichladdich.
Exploring more affordable rare whiskies with 1980s Dalwhinnie, Glenkinchie and Longmorn.
Three modern-era ‘legends’ are reviewed, from Balblair, Bunnahabhain and Springbank.
An ‘80s Ballantine’s, ‘60s Glen Albyn and ‘70s Glenlivet deliver impressively high scores.
Three legendary (and rightly so) SMWS bottlings, including the very first from the society.
A 1940s White Horse bottled for the US joins a rare Aultmore and an ‘austere’ Clynelish.
Three old bottlings that demonstrate the variety available in whisky’s back catalogue.
A Karuizawa triptych illustrates the enduring excellence of this cult Japanese single malt.
Three blends from the 1920s-50s have Angus MacRaild dreaming of a bygone era.
Head back in time with a 1960s Glenugie, 1950s Balblair and a rare 1930s Glamis single malt.
An elegant post-war Glen Grant, an opinion-dividing ’70s Ledaig and waxy ’60s Tullibardine.
Angus MacRaild visits Balblair, Pulteney and Tomatin with three drams distilled in the 1960s.
A ‘thrilling’ 1980s Dailuaine joins a ‘60s Bruichladdich and an unusual Caperdonich.
Angus MacRaild samples a trio of 1970s whiskies from Dallas Dhu, Macallan and Scapa.
A royal pair – Highland Queen and King's Ransom – are attended by a millennium blended malt.
A high-octane tasting of Auld Niblick, Macallan ‘As We Get It’ and MacPhail’s Pure Malt.
A trio of 1960s and ‘70s Signatory malts from Campeltown, Islay and the Highlands.
Two Scotch and one Japanese, featuring a 1971 North of Scotland, 1949 Strathisla and 1979 Yamazaki.
Verdicts on a release from mothballed Convalmore, a cult Bowmore – and a Talisker Oddbins special.
A 1970s trio featuring a Cardhu 12-year-old, Glen Ila 5-year-old and Strathconon 12-year-old.
From the vaults Dave Broom has chosen a 16-year-old Convalmore, plus 10- and 30-year-old Laphroaigs.
Two peated treats from Port Ellen and Talisker, plus a ‘funky’ but fine Glen Grant.
A 10-year-old Army & Navy Glen Grant, 27-year-old Glen Grant and 1969 Longmorn.
Three of the somewhat less heralded ‘Glens’ this time: Glen Garioch, Glen Elgin and Glengoyne.
All Ardbegs, including two 27-year-old Old Malt Cask bottlings, plus a 32-year-old release.
Dave Broom gets to know three rare whiskies: a 1990 Ardbeg, 1977 Brora and 1967 Highland Park.
In preparation for the Speyside whisky fest, Dave has chosen three rare Speysiders from the vault.
An early Aberlour bottled for the Italian market, plus ‘ghost’ malts from Brora and Lochside.
Including an aged double act from Islay’s Kildalton coast, plus a venerable Whyte & Mackay blend.
A 10-year-old Laphroaig, 12-year-old Springbank and a 1930s Whyte & Mackay 10-year-old blend.