We’ve already tried a few of the releases from the running Signatory Vintage 100 Proof series, but since they continue releasing many of those, let’s review seven out of the eight latest expressions in these series, with all the editions #70 to #77, with the exception of the #74 I couldn’t source. In our glasses today are whiskies from Caol Ila, Highland Park, Linkwood, Mortlach, Ben Nevis, Ledaig and Clynelish. We’ll go in release numbers ascending, so I guess I’ll need a pause in between some drams when going from potentially peated to unpeated!
Caol Ila 2012 100 Proof Edition #70 Signatory Vintage (2026) Review
This 13-year-old Islay single malt from Caol Ila was distilled in 2012, matured in first-fill oloroso sherry casks. It was bottled by Signatory Vintage on the 14th of January 2026 in their 100-proof series as Edition #70, at 57.1% ABV without chill filtration or colouring. It’s still widely available, about €50/£50 at many retailers from the UK and Europe.
Colour:
Burnished.
Nose:
Neat: Oily smoke leads with walnuts, raisins, candied orange and briny sea salt. Clean peat smoke, dried fruits, lemon peel and coastal sea spray add brightness.
With water: Peat smoke softens slightly, emphasising coastal brine, lemon zest and fruity sherry notes, at the cost of a slightly stronger sharpness.
Palate:
Neat: Dense and structured with ashy peat, figs, dark chocolate, sea salt and warm spices. Sherry sweetness brings dark fruit, strawberries, cracked pepper and gentle oak integration.
With water: Ashy peat balances with sweeter dried fruit and chocolate; spices mellow while sea salt persists.
Finish:
Long and powerful, glowing embers, dried fruits and lingering toasted oak. Smoky and savoury with salty sherry notes.
Comments:
A delicious 13-year-old Caol Ila for under €50? Yes, please! The vatting of first fill and refill oloroso sherry butts and refill hogsheads allows a lighter Caol Ila than it could have been if Signatory had stuck to their quite regular first fill Oloroso maturation in this series.
Rating: 7.5/10
Orkney (HP) 2011100 Proof Edition #71 Signatory Vintage (2026) Review
This 14-year-old Island single malt, very (very) likely a Highland Park (HP), was distilled in 2011, finished in first-fill oloroso sherry butts, and bottled by Signatory Vintage in 2026 at 57.1% ABV, un-chill filtered with natural colour.
Colour:
Rust.
Nose:
Neat: Soft heathery smoke with honeyed malt, golden syrup and dried fruits like figs, sultanas and orange peel. Polished oak, sea breeze and subtle briny peat add coastal depth.
With water: Heather peat smoke softens, revealing more caramel, orange marmalade and chocolate cream.
Palate:
Neat: Full and warming with oloroso richness: dark chocolate, dates, toasted walnuts and caramelised sugar. Sweet barley, gentle peat, a subtle salinity and stewed red fruits with sultanas. Some sherry sweetness, cracked pepper and creamy caramel emerge as well.
With water: Creamier texture with prominent caramel, orange marmalade and chocolate; the alcohol heat integrates better.
Finish:
Long and composed with lingering smoke, sherried fruit, cloves, nutmeg and dry spiced warmth. Smoky chocolate and heather peat fade pleasantly.
Comments:
Quite a classic sherried Highland Park, but this works well. A few drops of water soften it, making the alcohol more approacheable without adding wood nor sharpness. Really good.
Rating: 7/10
Linkwood 2011 100 Proof Edition #72 Signatory Vintage (2026) Review
This 14-year-old Speyside single malt from Linkwood was distilled in 2011, matured in a mix of first-fill oloroso sherry hogsheads and refill hogsheads, and bottled by Signatory Vintage on the 16th of January 2026 at 57.1% ABV, without chill filtration or added colour.
Colour:
Bronze.
Nose:
Neat: Spicy caramel leads, followed by vanilla, malt, citrus peel and gentle oak spice. Rich dried fruit sweetness, toasted almonds and warming sherry oak. Honey and toasted oak also appear, with a rounded, slightly polished character.
With water: Water softens the oak and brings out more orchard fruit, vanilla and citrus brightness, while the sherry notes become a bit more open.
Palate:
Neat: Rich and oily, with dried fruits, peppery spice and toasted nuts. Sherry influence shows as raisins, dark caramel and soft oak, while Linkwood’s fruity spirit keeps it lively.
With water: With dilution, the whisky becomes creamier and fruitier, with the pepper easing back and the dried fruit and nutty notes staying prominent.
Finish:
Long, warming and drying, with lingering dried fruit, oak spice and toasted almond notes. A gentle peppery edge carries through the finish, supported by sherried sweetness.
Comments:
Nice Linkwood. The palate is balanced, with sweetness and spice in good proportions, and so is the nose. The alcohol is well integrated; I really like it. Dangerously easy to drink, especially with this kind of price, no remorse to have.
Rating: 7.5/10
Mortlach 2014 100 Proof Edition #73 Signatory Vintage (2026) Review
Known as the “Beast of Dufftown,” this Speyside single malt was distilled in 2014, matured in first-fill oloroso sherry butts and refill hogsheads, and bottled after 11 years by Signatory Vintage on the 13th of January 2026, at 57.1% ABV, un-chill filtered with natural colour.
Colour:
Mahogany.
Nose:
Neat: Ripe dark fruits dominate with plump raisins, black plums and sticky figs, layered over walnuts, polished leather and warm baking spices. Subtle dark chocolate, orange peel and elegant oak provide lift and charm. Hints of sulphur appear but stay in check and intertwine with cured meat for a savoury nose.
With water: Water reveals brighter citrus zest and vanilla alongside softened fruit and spice, with oak becoming more integrated.
Palate:
Neat: Muscular and broad with intense sherry-driven sweetness of dark berries, fig jam and treacle, backed by cured meats and peppery heat. Toasted oak, walnuts and bitter cocoa add savoury depth and structure. Dark caramel, orange marmalade and sweet soy sauce.
With water: Creamier and more balanced, emphasising sherry fruit and nutty notes while taming the pepper and meatiness for smoother sipping.
Finish:
Long, warming and chewy with persistent dark fruits, spicy oak and a faint saline edge lingering amid cocoa and clove
Comments:
A somewhat typical Mortlach, though not as meaty as it usually is. Nonetheless a very good and slightly dirty speysider, muscular and quite intense.
Rating: 7/10
Ben Nevis 2019 100 Proof Edition #75 Signatory Vintage (2026) Review
This young Highland single malt from Ben Nevis is a heavily peated expression, distilled in 2019, matured in oloroso sherry butts, and bottled after 7 years by Signatory Vintage at 57.1% ABV, un-chill filtered with natural colour.
Colour:
Burnished.
Nose:
Neat: Intense dry peat smoke dominates with a smoky barbecue, charred nuts and phenolic medicinal notes. Sherry sweetness brings dried fruits like apricots and raisins, plus subtle vanilla and citrus peel underneath.
With water: Peat smoke softens to reveal more herbal notes, creamy vanilla and subtle sherry fruits; metallic edge recedes.
Palate:
Neat: Robust and powerful with strong peat smoke, malt sugar and spice; sherry adds nutty depth and grilled fruit. Hints of agave, mezcal-like earthiness and metallic youth emerge, balanced by sweet caramel and wood spice.
With water: Smoother and more approachable at around 52%, emphasizing peat smoke, spice, sweetness and nutty sherry influences.
Finish:
Medium-long with persistent dry peat, woody spice, ginger and lingering sherry sweetness.
Comments:
This Ben Nevis is nice but it still seems to lack something to be very good. Maybe its young age was insufficient to hide the youth and add enough depth, and the peat is not completely balanced with the spirit itself.
Rating: 6.5/10
Ledaig 2020 100 Proof Edition #76 Signatory Vintage (2026) Review
This young peated single malt from Tobermory’s Ledaig still was distilled in 2020, matured for 6 years in refill oloroso sherry hogsheads and refill bourbon barrels, and bottled by Signatory Vintage in 2026 at 57.1% ABV, un-chill filtered with natural colour.
Colour:
Amber.
Nose:
Neat: Bonfire smoke and coastal peat lead strongly, mingling with lemon zest, green apple, vanilla cream and salted caramel. Cold ash, toasted nuts and subtle sherry fruit like raisin add smoky sweetness.
With water: Smoke softens to emphasize herbal freshness, vanilla, citrus and lighter sherry fruit; the coastal brine becomes more prominent.
Palate:
Neat: Oily and robust with bonfire ash, toasted oak, cracked black pepper and sea salt upfront. Honeyed malt, citrus peel, pear eau de vie, sweet toffee and gentle sherry sweetness balance the peat intensity.
With water: Creamier texture highlights smoky sweetness, honey, apple and caramel while easing the pepper and ash for better balance. The youth still shows through pears, however.
Finish:
Long and warming, with lingering peat smoke, sea salt, gentle spice and soft vanilla sweetness.
Comments:
The youth comes through in this Ledaig, giving it a new-make character. Even so, it’s genuinely enjoyable and holds together very well. It might have benefited from a couple more years in wood, though.
Rating: 6/10
Clynelish 2016 100 Proof Edition #77 Signatory Vintage (2026) Review
This 10-year-old Highland single malt from Clynelish was distilled in 2016, matured in refill oloroso sherry and new wood hogsheads, and bottled by Signatory Vintage on the 9th of March 2026 at 57.1% ABV with no chill filtration or added colour.
Colour:
Burnished.
Nose:
Neat: Classic Clynelish wax opens first, joined by honeycomb, orange zest, vanilla cream and baked apple. Behind that sits a light sherry layer with dates, sultanas, toasted almond and some polished oak bringing some harshness.
With water: Water tends to open the fruit and soften the oak, bringing more citrus, honey and vanilla forward while reducing heat. The waxy Clynelish character remains, but the sherry notes become a little muddier.
Palate:
Neat: The palate is creamy and textured, with beeswax, malted barley and honey running through the middle. Oloroso and new wood contribute raisin sweetness, caramel, but also quite some spice and a slightly dry oak frame, while the distillery’s citrusy fruit keeps it lively. The cask influence is quite assertive, but the waxy fruit core still comes through.
With water: Dilution brings creamy sweetness, and orchard fruit and honey take the lead over the wood spice. However, the palate becomes now quite plankish. The raisin and caramel notes remain, but the overall impression does not improve with water.
Finish:
Medium-long to long, warming and dry-sweet, with waxy honey, citrus peel, soft sherry fruit and lingering oak spice. The aftertaste stays polished rather than heavy, with a clean Highland lift.
Comments:
Well, a shame Signatory used new wood hogsheads in this vatting, as they really bring assertive oak notes that ruins the balance of this Clynelish. First fill or refill bourbon casks would have probably been a better choice to go with the refill Oloroso hoggies. If you’re into wood, however, you might like it a lot. I had this Clynelish at 6 out of 10 the first time I tried it neat, reduction docked half a point as it makes the whisky even more woody and flawed, but a second tasting session worsened the note even more, as aeration in the sample bottle reinforced the plankish wood even more.
Rating: 4/10
Pictures courtesy of Whiskybase. I bought samples of all these on whiskysite.nl.