Mortlach 9 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2004, Refill Hogshead, 46%

Comment: This pale and malty dram tastes exactly like a raw peppered steak with spinach on the side. We also got apricot and peach, morello cherry and sandalwood aromas. Steely Dram (sorry, Steely Dan!)

Score: 84

Longmorn 11 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2003 – 2014, Bourbon Barrel, 46%

Comment: Their best release so far! What a fruitbasket with incredible maturity after these years (it already displays dextrosity). Coconut, vanilla, pineapple, passion fruit, gooseberries, pear, lemons, elderflower combined with white chocolate, tinned milk, honeysuckle and toffee. Creamy and voluptuous mouthfeel, a sour-fruity and baroque Longmorn, Speyside goes Caribbean.

Score: 90

Glengoyne 7 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2007 – 2014, Refill Sherry, 46%

Comment: This dram is somewhat tragic because it has great potential but was bottled way too early (baby murder, so to speak) as it is very green, mashy and close to a new make. Nevertheless there is complexity and some weight already: apple compote, sour apple mash (like in a cider factory), autumnal flowers, kiwi, Haribo peach gums, honey, pistachio and candy floss – this would have been amazing some years in the future. Now it is interesting but not there yet.

Score: 76

Miltonduff 7 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2007 – 2014, Refill Butt, 46%

Comment: This one stands like a champion for its young age, especially on the palate. A wonderful sherry influence on a medium dry and flowery base. Don’t rush this Miltonduff! One can detect dried flowers, hay, blood oranges, bergamotte, lit sandwood sticks, tinned coffee cream, some oak and good acidity. The finish leaves you craving for more.

Score: 88

Auchroisk 12 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2001, Refill Hogshead, 46%

Comment: A very unsusual whisky, in parts it reminds me of mezcal (agave, white pepper) and steely gins (juniper). Quite dry and austere, lots of hay, celeriac, wet earth, chili, leather and peaches. Malt for Mexicans. Bring out the Mariachi.

Score: 80

Caol Ila 5 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2008 – 2014, Refill Hogshead, 414 btl., 46%

Comment: A typical and fresh Caol Ila that surprises me (only five years old) – peat, twig smoke, olive oil, juniper, lemon, chalk, mint, nettles, pepper and spice in the nose. Only the taste reveals its youth with greener elements ans some mash. Nice finish.

Score: 86

Laphroaig 11 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2002 – 2014, Refill Hogshead, 151 btl., 46%

Comment: It is one of these green-banana-like Laphs (like original bottlings these days, which often perform less good than indie bottlings), limestone, green tea, peat smoke and old port aromas. Some might love this more than I do. A solid Islay dram though.

Score: 86+

There also is a Talisker 6 y.o. from 2008 in the new range – it is not a green as one would think, already a typical maritime beach-BBQ dram, way better than Storm (86 points).

Tamdhu 25 y.o. Whisky-Fässle 1988 – 2013, Bourbon Hogshead, 50,7%

„Kirschschnapps with cereals“ I’d call it. This dram reveals a nice cherry aroma on a solid malty core, also dried flowers, hay straws, scorched earth, gentian, ginger, chili, lemon zest and peach liqueur. There is a good balance between the Bourbon wood and the fruit. Enjoyable! 88 points.

Auchroisk 22 y.o. Whisky-Fässle 1990 – 2013, Sherry Cask, 49,8%

„A bright version of a Christmas Cake“ is my reference here. Ruben said he didn’t get this dram completely. Let’s try it for ourselves: There is a well-integrated sweetness of sherry-related aromas just like in a soaked chocolate cake (with Port and Sherry) plus the dried fruits like raisins, dates, figs, cherries etc. I like the blood orange and cinnamon in the second row. It tastes not too dry for a sherry-matured dram with earthy and peaty undertones (discrete though) and wonderful Asian spices in the finish. Good stuff for under the tree! 89 points.

Glen Keith 20 y.o. Whisky-Fässle 1992 – 2013, Bourbon Barrel, 51,8%

Can this one follow its 90-point predecessor from 2012 (Duck series)? Yes it can, it is a fat and oily woodworm on vanilla, coconut and loads of Bourbon character (Willett?). Baileys Irish Whiskey Creme and creme brulee, almonds, macadamia, pineapple, peaches and other tropical fruits chime in. But you have to like oak. The fruit oils and coconut taste plus so much more are amazing on the palate. As mentioned before, I love how Glen Keith translates the Bourbon character into the Scotch realm, they must have had great casks back then which fitted the dram perfectly. 90 points.

Bunnahabhain 22 y.o. Whisky-Fässle 1990 – 2013, Sherry Cask, 52,0%

„Aldi chocolate-gingerbread hearts with cherry-filling“ – another one for under the tree. It starts off on leather, sherry and raisins. The sherry aromas are big, a touch too much for my personal taste as it bulldozes the salty and maritime distillery character a bit. Maraschino cherry, cardamom, white pepper, dates and figs stand in second row, but this dram is not overly complex altogether, a bit plump. Not bad though. 86 points.

Clynelish 16 y.o. Whisky-Fässle 1996 – 2013, Sherry Cask, 53,3%

A leafy and leathery (tannic) Clynelish with medium-strength sherry influence, not very typical at first, but then getting more ’normal‘ on beeswax, Atlantic depression and apples. I am also getting sea air, soy sauce, peaches, pears, spices, caramel and gentle smoke in fine balance. 88+ points.

Bowmore 18 y.o. Whisky-Fässle 1995 – 2013, Sherry Cask, 54,9%

„Beachfront BBQ with high class seafood at the Mediterranean sea“ – these words characterize the dram best. This amazing Bowmore displays aromas of grilled crayfish (langostin), lobster butter, oysters, green herbs, freshly cut cactus, cabbage (cole slaw) by the sea, pine needles, leather, cedar wood, peat smoke, childrens steam train, struck matches, English gunpowder tea and quite some soot. The sherry notes are maybe not too integrated but ride on top beautifully (morello cherry) and match the profile that is rounded off by smells of a walk in the woods close to the sea. What a great dram with impeccable balance and adventurous spirit! This could the best cask out of the series. 91+ points.