SMWS 50.54 – 88 points (well made, nice sherry influence and fruitiness)

SMWS 59.50 – 88 points (acidity and big fruit in good balance)

SMWS 76.117 – 89+ points (reminds me of a 1970ies Laddie in moments, banana, tropical fruits, wine gum, berries, really nice but atypical for the distillery)

SMWS 123.8 – 83 points (young, garden fruit in an orchard, sherry aromas)

SMWS 127.39 – 89 points (deep, spicy, amazing, a big dram, yet mild)

SMWS 3.208 – 84 points (fwp in here, a flowery and ferny Bowmore with lilac perfume, you have to like this profile)

SWMS 3. 225 – 88 points (a bit sharp, spicy, but nice plums, sherry, typical, green elements)

SMWS 9.84 – 77 points (Mezcal, anyone? youngish and slightly off)

SMWS 4.186 – 89 points (mature and nice Highland Park)

SMWS 53.207 – 85 points (typical, but not special)

SMWS 7.85 – 85 points

SMWS 73.62 – 88 points (a great and dry Speyside Malt from a sherry cask)

SMWS 73.64 – 89 points (intense, brine, nice sherry influence, dates, figs, plums, maraschino, spices)

SMWS 35.101 – 89 points (mature, orchard, blue cheese, good dram, some wood is there but kept at bay, this has lots to tell)

SMWS 35.108 – 87 points (raisiny and modern sherry influence, gorse, a bit closed at first, tea, cigarette tobacco, smoke, fresh and better on palate)

SMWS 121.70 – 88 points (pistacio, honey, peaches, fresh and round, sweet and modern whisky)

SMWS 29.153 – 84 points (after so many great Laphs, this is too tame and a bit thin, not very complex, but good overall)

SMWS 29.157 – 89+ points (sherried, fresh and maritime, pine needle, sulphur, well balanced)

SMWS 48. 35 – 90 points (grapes, quince, peaches, vanilla, mature dram)

SMWS 2.89 – 88 points

SMWS 118.3 – 91 points (my favourite, an old Irish with amazing complexity, fruit intensity, cassis, berries, tea, spices,herbs, wine gum, all unusual but great … expensive though)

SMWS 66.51 – 90 points (deep, maritime, leather, spice, moss, nori, peat, iodine – nice)

SMWS 72.38 – 89 points (modern, peaches, toffee, oak, vanilla, tinned pears, citrus fruits, spices)

SMWS 93.59 – 91 points (mature, spicy, salty, discrete peat and smoke, iodine, gorse, beach BBQ, super)

Burnside 24 y.o. Whisky-Fässle 1989 – 2014, Hogshead, 51,1%

Comment: This one noses like a Riesling Auslese from the Mosel area. Overall, there is minerality and a fruity sourness with grapefruit, passion fruit, pineapple, peaches and citrus-like aromas (tangerine), all this in good maturity (dextrose starting to unfold). Traces of coconuts, almonds and balancing spice (chili, white pepper) complete the nose. It tastes like the nose, very round, then it adds floral compounds and malt. The finish is long on vanilla and lovely fruit, only the oak leaves a little woody bitterness I could do without – but that is the only ‚flaw‘, so to speak, and maybe a personal thing.

Score: 89+

Littlemill 23 y.o. Whisky-Fässle 1990 – 2014, Hogshead, 51,2%

Comment: Many bloggers embraced this already legendary Littlemill and scored high – I can follow, wow, what a dram, although it isn’t above many other killers from there, it is right on spot with them. Littlemill is amazing. I keep this shorter: grapefruit, lime, lemon, aprcot jam, gooseberry, wine gum, green tea, marzipan and almonds, cake glace and what not, accompanied by big vanilla, creme brulee, white chocolate and a hint of oak, all in great balance. A must-have for Littlemill fans.

Score: 91

Irish Malt 10 y.o. Whisky-Fässle 2003 – 2014, Hogshead, 49,5%

Comment: Not sure where this is from, Jens doesn’t know either, he said. Let’s nose: A fruity, sour and grassy aroma with big toffee and fudge, tinned pears, Thai curry soup wine gums and Haribo peaches (sorry), lemons, gooseberries, elderflower, grass, hay, white pepper, oak and vanilla at first. Then pistacio, almonds, honeysuckle, apple juice and more. It has moments when it reminds me of ‚orange wine‘ (Sauvignon Blanc). It tastes just like that, nice.

Score: 87

Ben Nevis 18 y.o. Whisky-Fässle 1996 – 2014, Hogshead, 50,8%

Comment: I love Ben Nevis with its funky and unusual profile – and this one is really one of the best ones that were released in the recent past. It takes you along on a walk in the forest (pine needles, resin, earth, ferns, etc.) and adds various citrus fruits and grapefruit, curry, milk chocolate and a splendid acidity that balances everything to perfection. A fat Ben Nevis, gentle though. My recommendation!

Score: 90+ (on a personal level, maybe 91)

Tomatin 17 y.o. Whisky-Fässle 1997 – 2014, Hogshead, 48,3%

Comment: Somehow an old style Tomatin a la 5/10 y.o. from the 1970ies (I prefer the 5) with licorice, garden fruit pits, apples, white peach, pineapple, summer earth, leather and pepper plus the wonderful Tomatin maltiness. It continues to be a classic und old fashioned whisky in good balance.

Score: 89-

Diamond Demerara Rum 10 y.o.  2003 – 2014, Barrel, 51,1%

Comment: Rum is on the rise and now in style more than years before, deservedly so. This Guyana specimen (I think it is Jens‘ second rum) has all the typical features of this still but lacks the power on the palate to be great. It is good though, a good starter for getting into heavier rums.

Score: 85

Brora 32 y.o. OB Special Release 2011 (Annual Release No. 10), 1500 btl., 54,7%

Comment: Very austere, maritime and mineral, a typical old Brora, but a bit less farmyardy in the nose than usual. It almost strikes me as mild with notes of waxed apple, herbs, discrete vanilla, camphor, diesel and a put-out bonfire (coal smoke, soot ashes) on a stony beach with storm clouds rolling in. More on elegance than power altogether, so you have to be into austerity to go nuts for this one. This profile totally changes in the mouth, it literally explodes on the palate without becoming too sharp. This Brora just went from mild to wild while keeping a great balance. It now unfolds the breathtaking 1972-ish peat-soot-farmyard combo and also reminds me of the Talisker-esque bite (here on black pepper). There are some sweet milky-vanilla-licorice moments that get wiped out by the powerful elements in the finish. The traces of lemony fruits and leather can hold on though and counter the sooty ash and peat. A dram that screams for another glass. It is between the recent releases and a legendary 1972. No water is necessary but the Brora 32 can swim well. I am afraid this one will become very expensive in a few years.

Score: 92