Tamdhu 10 YO, 40 % Tamdhu is a relatively unknown distillery to me, and I have previously only reviewed independent bottlings from this SPeyside distillery. Tamdhu was established in 1897, and lived on until 2010 when it was closed. Then in 2011 Ian Macleod Distillers bought the distillery, and it was re-opened in 2013. This Tamdhu […]...

Yamazakura 16 YO, 40% So, I come back with some short tasting notes here on Whisky Saga, and through nefarious means I’ve managed to nab a sample of this Japanese whisky before Thomas did. Yamazakura 16 YO is a blended whisky from the Sasanokawa Shuzo liquor company. They’ve produced sake and shochu since 1765, and from 1946 […]...

Glenmorangie Milsean Private Edition, NAS, 46 % The Glenmorangie Milsean Private Edition is the seventh release in the Private Edition range. Here at Whisky Saga HQ only the Astar has previously been reviewed. This release was initially matured in ex-bourbon casks and then received a six months finish casks that had previously held Portuguese red wine. The name “Milsean” […]...

On april 1 I was in Malmö, Sweden, on a very special mission. I was invited to taste the oldest whisky in the world – the Mortlach Generations 1939 75 YO from Gordon & MacPhail. This unique whisky was launched last Autumn, and is limited to only 100 crystal decanters. At the Whisky Exchange Whisky […]...

Vingården Lille Gadegård Bornholmsk Whisky Nr. 3, 5 YO, 51,5 % I have now worked my way up to release number three from the small Danish distillery Vingården Lille Gadegård. This whisky was distilled in 2007 and bottled in juli 2012. The product is two years older this time, compared to the two previous releases (see reviews […]...

Aberfeldy 12 YO, 40 % Today I will review the Aberfeldy 12 YO, from the Highland distillery by the same name. I find it a bit exciting that Bacardi (the owners) finally in 2014 decided to launch a broad range of whiskies from their five distilleries  (Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, The Devron, and Royal Brackla). These are […]...

Vingården Lille Gadegård Bornholmsk Whisky Nr. 2, 3 YO, 53,0 % Last week I reviewed the first release from Danish distillery Vingården Lille Gadegård. Now I will take a closer look at their second release. The Vingården Lille Gadegård Bornholmsk Whisky Nr. 2 was distilled in december 2006. It was matured in an unspecified oak […]...

Tomintoul 1969 42 YO The Perfect Dram, 53,1 % This rare gem from Tomintoul Distillery, in the Speyside region, was released by independent bottler The Whisky Agency. It was distilled in 1969, matured in a bourbon cask, and bottled in 2011, with a total outturn of 182 bottles. You will be hard pressed to find […]...

Karuizawa 17 YO, 40 % Here’s a special treat, at least it was a special treat for me. A good friend gave me a sample of this Karuizawa 17 YO. Noit sure when this was released, but it sells online for fantasy prices now. Master of Malt had one bottle for sale at one time […]...

Vingården Lille Gadegård Bornholmsk Whisky Nr. 1, 3 YO, 43 % The whisky I am reviewing today is actually the first Danish single malt, since C.L.O.C. closed down in 1974.  The distillery Vingården Lille Gadegård (Vingård = vineyard) is located on the island Bornholm in Denmark. They started production in december 2005, and this particular release, […]...

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, NAS, 55,65 % The Maker’s Mark Cask Strength was first released in oktober 2014. This is a batch product, so there will be slight variations from batch to batch. I tried batch 15-01, with an ABV of 55,65 % (111.3 proof). This is a No Age Statement (NAS) whiskey, but it […]...

Intro On mars 9 this year I was in Glasgow, Scotland, attending a very special Kininvie tasting hosted by Kevin Abrook.  Kevin works as a Global Whisky Specialist – Innovation at William Grant & Sons, and has more than 20 years experience in the drinks industry. William Grant & Sons is an independent family-owned distiller and was founded […]...

Kininvie 17 YO Batch 001, 42,6 % The Kininvie 17 YO Batch 001 is a Travel retail exclusive from the ‘hidden distillery’ that is located more or less in the backyard of Balvenie Distillery. This whisky consists of single malt where 80% has been matured in 1st fill ex-bourbon casks, and 20 % in sherry […]...

Teerenpeli Distiller’s Choice KARHI, 6 YO, 43 % Time for another new release from Teerenpeli distillery in Finland. This is the fourth new release from them in just a few months. The Teerenpeli Distiller’s Choice KARHI has matured for 5-7 years in bourbon casks, and was then finished for 1 year in 1st fill Madeira […]...

Kininvie 23 YO Signature, 42,6 % With this brand new release William Grant & Sons, the owner of Kininvie Distillery, have decided to move away from numbered batches of their 23 YO. The Kininvie 23 YO Signature is the first core expression from the distillery. They have previously released three numbered batches of the 23 YO (see […]...

Highland Park Ice Edition, 17 YO, 53,9 % Just last week Highland Park distillery on Orkney launched their new whisky; the Highland Park Ice Edition. This is their first special release since they finished the The Valhalla Collection with the great Odin. The Valhalla bottlings came in wooden cradles shaped like longships. The Highland Park Ice Edition […]...

World Whiskies Awards 2016 World’s Best Single Malt: Old Pulteney Vintage 1989 World’s Best Single Malt Single Cask: Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength World’s Best Blended: Suntory Hibiki 21 Years Old World’s Best Blended Limited Release: Glen Alba 22 Years Old World’s Best Blended Malt: Reference Series III.2 World’s Best Bourbon: Abraham Bowman […]...

Talisker Skye, NAS, 45,8 % The Talisker Skye is the latest NAS addition to the core range from Talisker Distillery. It was released around one year ago. Talisker Skye has been matured in a combination of refill American oak ex-bourbon casks and rejuvenated (freshly charred) casks. We are told this cask selection will give us a whisky […]...

Glen Grant The Major’s Reserve, 40 % The Glen Grant The Major’s Reserve is an entry level whisky with no age statement from Glen Grant Distillery in Speyside. From what I gather it was released first time around 2010. It is matured exclusively in bourbon casks, and that is about the only information on this whisky on […]...

Box Whisky The Archipelago Baltic Sea 2016, 3 YO, 56,5 % At the Cinderella Whisky Fair 2016 in mid-januari 1000 bottles of the limited release Box Whisky The Archipelago Baltic Sea 2016 were sold. Last year Box Whisky also released a special bottling for the Cinderella Whisky Fair. That was an unpeated release and the […]...