Fukano 12, Total Wine Concierge #54, 42.6%
A Fukano 12-year-old Japanese rice whisky, bottled exclusively for Total Wine Concierge from single cask #54 at 42.6% ABV. Matured in a refill oak cask. Nose is sweet and quite oaky with brown sugar, toasted wood, vanilla, and some fresh apples. A touch of spice in the background. Taste is smooth and creamy with vanilla, caramel, lychee, and plenty of oak. Some light fruitiness balances the woody character. Finish is medium to long with lingering vanilla, oak, and some baking spices. Overall: An interesting and rather unusual Japanese rice whisky. Despite the substantial oak influence, the rice base makes it drink more like something between a very strong sake and a very nicely flavored grain alcohol than a traditional malt whisky. Quite enjoyable in its own way, though certainly a different experience. Value: Originally $125 retail, or around $110 through Total Wine Concierge. Interesting whisky, but rather expensive for what it offers.
Score: B
North British 34, K&L SP, Thompson (Redacted) Bros, 40.1%
A Thompson (Redacted) Bros. (IB) bottling of North British 34, distilled in 1991 and bottled at a natural cask strength of 40.1% ABV. A K&L exclusive selection of exceptionally old single grain Scotch. Nose is sweet and gentle with caramel, vanilla custard, ripe peaches, and some light fruitiness. A touch of oak and spice in the background. Taste is soft and velvety with honey, vanilla custard, stewed plums, and caramel. Some gentle oak spice adds a bit of character without overwhelming the sweetness. Finish is medium length with lingering vanilla, honey, light fruit, and a touch of spice. Overall: A rather enjoyable old grain whisky with a surprisingly creamy, velvety mouthfeel despite being barely above 40%. It’s gentle and well-balanced, with the oak nicely integrated rather than dominating after 34 years. Not particularly complex, but an interesting and very drinkable example of well-aged grain Scotch. Value: At $70 from K&L, an excellent deal for a 34-year-old whisky, even if it is grain rather than malt.
Score: B+
TB/BSW 9, Thompson (Redacted) Bros, 45%
A Thompson (Redacted) Bros. (IB) bottling of TB/BSW 9, a blended Scotch that’s essentially 15-year-old sherry-matured Speyside single malt with a tiny amount of younger grain whisky. Bottled at 45% ABV. Nose is rich and sweet with dried plums, raisins, orange peel, and caramel. Some roasted nuts and a touch of leather in the background. Taste is full-bodied and creamy with dark fruits, dates, chocolate, and almonds. The sherry influence is quite pronounced, with some cinnamon and oak spice balancing the sweetness. Finish is fairly long and warming with lingering dried fruit, dark chocolate, nuts, and gentle spice. Overall: A rather enjoyable, old-school sherried Scotch with plenty of character despite the modest ABV. Rich and fruity without being overly sweet, and surprisingly substantial for something technically labeled a nine-year-old blend. Value: At $65 from K&L, an excellent deal for what is allegedly a 15-year-old sherried single malt. Hard to complain about that.
Score: B+
Torabhaig 7, Thompson (Redacted) Bros, 48%
A Thompson (Redacted) Bros. (IB) bottling of Torabhaig 7, matured in a first-fill bourbon cask and released as part of the fourth US Mystery Malt series. Nose is smoky with wet cigar tobacco, sweet malt, and a heavily used smokehouse. Taste is bold and smoky with yellow citrus peel and ripe orchard fruits in the background. Sweet and slightly salty without becoming acrid, with assertive young malt character. Finish is medium to long with lingering smoke, citrus, and pepper, though the smoke is surprisingly less persistent than expected. Overall: A rather enjoyable young Torabhaig and my first experience with this distillery. A nice balance of fruit, sweetness, and substantial peat smoke. Youthful and straightforward, but plenty of character. Value: At $90 from K&L, rather steep for a seven-year-old whisky, but that’s the gambler’s folly of the Mystery Malt series.
Score: B-
Highland Park 21, Single Cask Nation #160803, Costco SP, 56.8%
A Single Cask Nation (IB) bottling of Highland Park 21, cask #160803, selected for Costco and finished for 4 years in a second-fill Oloroso sherry cask. Bottled at 56.8% ABV. Nose is rich with dried cherries, raisins, caramel, and roasted nuts. Some sweet malt, gentle smoke, and oak spice in the background. Taste is full-bodied with dried fruits, milk chocolate, toasted almonds, and some orange peel. A nice balance of sherry sweetness, malt, and gentle smoke, with a bit of pepper and oak spice. Finish is long and warming with lingering dried fruit, chocolate, and light smoke. Overall: An excellent mature Highland Park with a rich, nicely balanced sherry profile. Almost like drinking a smoky cake, with the second-fill Oloroso adding plenty of sweetness and complexity while keeping the distillery character intact. Fans of Highland Park’s signature style may appreciate this one even more than I do. Value: At around $170 from Costco, an absolute steal for a 21-year-old Highland Park single cask, especially considering that official single casks nearly a decade younger can sell for similar money.
Score: A-
Pinhook Collab #3, Starward Australian Malt, 2024, 57.4%
Imma gonna be brief here. A 2024 Pinhook Collaboration Series #3 bottling of Starward Australian single malt at 57.4% ABV. An unusual release from a primarily American whiskey bottler, blending 28 red wine casks across four different Starward styles. Nose is fruity and sweet with red berries, vanilla, and some oak spice. Taste is rich with ripe fruit, caramel, and a bit of spice. Finish is medium length with lingering sweetness and oak. Overall: It’s a batch-proof Starward. I like it, but despite the interesting collaboration, there’s really nothing here that makes it stand out from any other random single cask Starward I’ve tried. Perfectly enjoyable, just not particularly memorable. Value: At around $100 retail, rather steep for something that doesn’t offer much beyond a regular Starward. Get a single cask and skip this.
Score: B-
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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown