Month: October 2025

Auchroisk Boutique-y vanWees A.D. Rattray

Auchroisk Boutique-y / vanWees / AD Rattray

Coldorak

Auchroisk remains one of the most enigmatic names in the whisky world (and not the easiest to pronounce correctly). Its presence outside of blends is almost ghostlike – with not even a website anymore, worse even than when its official website offered barely more than a placeholder, as observed in our last review of an independent Auchroisk bottling back in 2019. Founded in the 1970s mainly to supply malt for J&B blends, this Speyside distillery has long flown under the radar, producing the bulk of its spirit for high-volume blended whiskies rather than shining as a single malt star. The latest official bottling I could find on Whiskybase is the 10-year-old in Diageo’s Flora & Fauna collection, but the latest one goes back to 2022. Fortunately, independently bottled Auchroisk expressions, such as these three Auchroisk from That Boutique-y Whisky Co, Van Wees, and A. D. Rattray, have allowed us to get glimpses into the character of this often-overlooked distillery.

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Tamdhu 8- and 10-year-old from the 1970s

Tamdhu 8- and 10-year-old (1970s)

Coldorak

Following Friday’s exploration of two vintage Aberlour-Glenlivet miniatures, the focus now shifts to a pair of Tamdhu miniatures from the 1970s: an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old. Today, Tamdhu emphasises sherry cask maturation, yet despite tasting several over recent years, the distillery has not appeared on More Drams until now. Admittedly, there is no Tamdhu bottle in my collection, nor have I acquired multiple samples for review or exploration. Until that changes, these two auction-acquired miniatures provide the opportunity to delve into Tamdhu’s old style and character.

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Two Aberlour-Glenlivet 9-year-old

Two Aberlour-Glenlivet 9-year-old

Coldorak

Last weekend I worked with Aberlour for the second year running at Whisky Live Paris. It is always a fantastic experience for several reasons. First, Whisky Live Paris itself is a whirlwind of an event, with far more exhibitors, stands, and tastings than you can possibly cover – even across three full days, including the trade-only session. Second, as with most whisky festivals, it is the perfect chance to meet old friends and make new ones. This year was no exception, and it was especially great finally meeting some Whiskybase contacts in person I had been chatting with for months (looking at you, Nate and Brent). Third, there are the endless drams to sample during breaks – far more than anyone could realistically manage, even over the full length of the show. And finally, though perhaps the simplest reason, I really enjoy working with Aberlour. It is a brand I connect with, one that I can talk about naturally and enthusiastically.

Those three lively days wrapped up on the evening of Monday, 29th September, leaving me with plenty of new memories. To mark the occasion, I opened a pair of Aberlour-Glenlivet 9-year-olds. As the name suggests, these are definitely not recent bottlings.

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Prakaan Select Cask and Peated Malt

Prakaan Select Cask & Peated Malt

Coldorak

Today’s review covers something quite new: the first single malts to emerge from Thailand, thanks to Prakaan Distillery. While Thailand already hosts several distilleries, including the long-established Red Bull Distillery founded in 1988, none have produced a Thai single malt whisky until Prakaan’s recent launch. A few months ago, Prakaan Distillery introduced Thailand’s inaugural three single malt expressions. We had a brief opportunity to sample all three at Whisky Live Paris a few days ago, but managed to sample only two: the Prakaan Select Cask and Peated Malt.

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