Timorous Beastie 24, Sherried Edition 46.8%
A Douglas Laing production of the Highland blended malts no less than 24 years old, this one was aged in sherry. Components unknown but are all from Highland as per the theme. The nose is black currant berry, some alcohol, dark tea. Palate is sweet, cocoa-forward, yet not overwhelming and surprisingly thin in texture. Some cinnamon and orange peel round off the palate. The aftertaste is medium long with more or less whatever was in the palate rounded off and finished by the sweet vanilla and a malt hug with an absolute miniscule touch of ashy smoke in the very tail end. Overall: Enjoyable and mouth-watering, this is an imminently-consumable pour that is deceptively complex, but at the same time doesn’t quite evoke my need to dissect its layers that are perhaps too jammed together to be dissectable. It’s enjoyable for what it is nonetheless. Value: Picked up at $109… I’ll say yes, value’s there for the age for sure
Score: B+
Benrinnes 12, Mahler-Besse, Rum Cask 56.2%
A plantation rum cask bottling of Benrinnes… Color-wise is very pale straw which suggests the cask was at least once refilled. Likely ex-bourbon to age rum, then this. The nose is very sweet apples and tropical fruit compote with a note of apple brandy weaving through. WIth a bit of time the palate settles down yet still keeps few notes around the edges. The palate got marzipan, vanilla cake, surprising amount of chili heat and baking spices leaning towards peppers and chilies. Aftertaste is more enjoyable than the palate for me, with orchard and tropic fruits again and gently fading heat. Overall: For a 12 year old in rum cask this is by no mean a slouch on the flavor department but it doesn’t quite move a needle on the ‘remarkable’ or ‘must have’ sort of bottling. Value: Acquired at 80… Not a bad value for the price.
Score: B
Compass Box Myths and Legends 1, Balblair, 46%
The nose got some light honey and orchard fruits, with a touch of melons in the mix, quite floral. The palate isn’t very complicated. Light vanilla, toasted grain, good dollop of white pepper. The same light flowers and melon notes underpin the palate experience. Aftertaste lingers for a while with light oak, more peppers and rounded maltiness. A touch of savoriness rounds off the experience. No water needed here. Overall: Efficiently executed, this draws unfortunate comparisons to balblair 2005 i have on the shelf as they are very similar to each other. Functional, drinkable, enjoyable, if a touch too green-wood oak forward in the blending this a quality pour for a casual conversation. Value: ~150 msrp when it got released originally … Pretty bottle but overpriced.
Score: B+
Craigellachie 15, Old Malt Cask, K&L SP, 52.2%
Cask #HL20936, Old Malt Cask. Hunter Laing, distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2024 for K&L wines, refill sherry hogshead. Sherried speysider? Yup! Dark chocolate and very toasty caramel on the nose. Palate is very clearly chocolate covered raisins, and perhaps some other dark berries covered in chocolate, blueberries perhaps while dusted on top with chili powder. Medium length aftertaste that’s both pleasant yet lacking any distinct character from the aforementioned notes. The dark chocolate berry notes fade first, then the chili and baking spices. Overall: A competent and a confident bottling with all the earmarks of the modern whiskey profile, this doesn’t disappoint across the board by lacking flavor or having bad notes in it. This isn’t a subtle pour that hides in the layers, but an impact on the palate. At the same time, I’m feeling that it lacks some of the complexity to elevate it beyond that. That being said, it’s just fine, an enjoyable sherried, generic, speysider at cask proof with nothing to really complain about. Value: Sold at $109 from K&L it’s a reasonable value these days to fill a spot for sherried malt in your collection.
Score: B+
Talisker 18, 45.8%
An original Talisker bottling… Thank you friend Mark. If I’m reading the laser code right it’s from ‘22. Smoked red fruits on the nose, cherries, and perhaps a touch of prune, a note of tobacco. The peat isn’t overwhelming the palate with lots of fruits still showing through. It alternates between sweet and nutty to somewhat smoky and drying depending on the sip and timing. The palate flip-flop always pulls towards the other side of the spectrum from where it started on a particular sip. Notes of pepper and a salty-sweet composition round off the experience. The long aftertaste with slightly numbing pepperiness follows without being too spicy. Couple of drops of water make it slightly sweeter to round off the somewhat salty peat and peppery character. This is very welcome as I was wishing it was just a touch less dry out of the bottle. Overall: A classy and somewhat old-school dram, this is akin to being on an average-ish old time sailboat. There’s nothing wrong with a classic but there are better options that offer more. Value: $180 at total wine. I’m not paying it. Get it at a bar if the price is right.
Score: B
—
Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown