After a couple of weeks being sick and not even drinking whisky or other spirits for 10 days, I’m taking a few days off. We should be back around August 11!
Thank you for your patience!
We’ll Be Back Soon
Author: Coldorak
Ben Nevis 2014 SMWS / 2012 The Duchess
It has been far too long – over three years, in fact – since we last indulged in the delights of Ben Nevis. Today, we remedy that oversight with a duo of recent independent bottlings, and we promise to delve into the half-dozen samples waiting patiently in our drawer very soon. On today’s menu: a Ben Nevis 2014 from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and a 2012 from The Duchess.
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1980s J&B and Long John Blends
In May 2024, I reviewed 8 old blends, ranging from the 1980s to one distilled before the Second World War, a splendid Ballantine’s 30-year-old. More recently, I reviewed a few modern blends, including another Ballantine’s, but this time it was a non-age statement, and it wasn’t as good as its ancestor. Far from it, and I’m sure the age of the components is not the only reason. Today, we return to old blends with a duo of 1980s J&B and Long John Blends. And since we reviewed recently the modern J&B, we’ll be able to see if it was better before!
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WhistlePig 10yo, 12yo & Farmstock Rye
WhistlePig Distillery produces rye whiskey on a 500-acre farm in Shoreham, Vermont. Raj Bhakta founded the company in 2007, and in 2015, WhistlePig introduced its first major release, a 10-year-aged rye whiskey (a sourced Canadian rye whiskey). The distillery helped revive interest in rye whiskey in the American market. It operates out of a converted barn and uses two 750-gallon copper pot stills. The farm grows rye grain along with other crops, and the company manages its own barrels and other production inputs. This vertical approach allows WhistlePig to control the raw materials and maturation process. Initially, the brand sourced a significant portion of its whiskey from Canada, with master distiller Dave Pickerell assisting in developing the early offerings. Currently, the in-house team manages distillation and blending. Today, we review two sourced whiskeys and one made in-house: the WhistlePig 10-year-old, 12-year-old, and Farmstock Rye Beyond Bond.
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Richard Delisle XO GC, Club Cigare & La Truffe
For France’s National Day, a return to cognac seems particularly fitting. Today’s focus shifts to Bourg-Charente, home to Famille Cabanne – the distillery responsible for that unforgettable and mesmerising 1924 100-year-old cognac. While they produce for renowned cognac and liqueur houses such as Grand Marnier, Courvoisier, and Otard, they also craft cognacs under their own brands: Richard Delisle and La Truffe. As we celebrate Bastille Day and contemplate cognac’s significance and tradition in France, we shall explore the Richard Delisle XO Grande Champagne, XO Club Cigare, and La Truffe XO cognacs.
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Ardnamurchan Mezcal, 08:18 & Cask 338 Adelphi
Returning to the young Ardnamurchan distillery – unintentionally continuing a theme of young distilleries on More Drams, following Strathearn and Ardnahoe this week – we explore another pair… in fact, let’s make that even a trio of whiskies. Today, we compare two official bottlings, including a single cask, with a semi-independent one, given that Adelphi, the independent bottler, owns Ardnamurchan distillery. We’ll discuss the trend of independent bottlers starting to distil as well before we dive into the Ardnamurchan AD/ Mezcal Cask Release and the Single Casks 08:18 #1060 and #338 Adelphi.
Strathearn Inaugural Bottling / Batch No.02
Strathearn Distillery is a small-batch single malt Scotch whisky producer located near Methven in Highland Perthshire, Scotland. Founded in 2013 by Tony Reeman-Clark and partners, the distillery operates within a historic 160-year-old stone farm steading, on the site of an earlier 18th-century distillery. Known as probably Scotland’s smallest distillery, Strathearn is distinguished by its artisanal approach, using Maris Otter Malt, small 50-litre casks (at least during the initial ownership) and a notably long fermentation time of up to 144 hours, which contributes to its uniquely fruity character. In 2019, the distillery was acquired by Douglas Laing & Co, a Glasgow-based independent bottler, which expanded its production capacity and launched new expressions such as “The Heart” in 2022. Strathearn manually handles every step from malt preparation to distillation, employing alembic-style stills imported from Portugal. We review the Strathearn Inaugural Bottling and Single Malt Batch No. 02.
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Ardnahoe Infinite Loch and Bholsa
Despite launching with an impressive Inaugural Release of 70,000 bottles, Ardnahoe, Islay’s newest distillery, has shown no signs of slowing down. Rather than resting on the success of its debut, the distillery has continued to build momentum and expand its presence in the whisky world. In addition to producing a handful of special bottlings for the annual Fèis Ìle festival, Ardnahoe has now introduced two permanent additions to its core range: Ardnahoe Infinite Loch and Bholsa.
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Rosebank 21-year-old Innocence Specialty Drinks
Rosebank Distillery’s official founding was in 1840 by James Rankine, a local Falkirk wine merchant and tea blender. Situated on the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal, the distillery thrived throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, earning a reputation for producing some of Scotland’s finest Lowland single malts. Rosebank distinguished itself through its traditional triple distillation process – a rarity in Scotch whisky production – which imparted a delicate, floral, and fruity character to its whisky, complemented by a thick palate texture thanks to its unique worm tub condensers.
After operating continuously for over 150 years, Rosebank closed in 1993 due to the prohibitive cost of upgrading its effluent treatment facilities and logistical challenges, despite the high regard for its whisky. The site remained dormant for three decades until Ian Macleod Distillers acquired the distillery and trademarks in 2017. Following an extensive restoration that faithfully replicated the original distillery’s layout and equipment, production resumed in 2023 and the distillery reopened to visitors in mid-2024. Obviously, the new spirit flowing from Rosebank stills is not whisky yet, so we’ll review a Rosebank 21-year-old ’Innocence’ bottled by Specialty Drinks (The Whisky Exchange).
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London Distillery The Golden Union #1
We’re back already with the revived London Distillery, but this time not for a single malt. Following the recent Renascence release, London Distillery has already introduced something new: an English blended malt. The London Distillery ‘The Golden Union’ combines whiskies from both London Distillery and Adnams. Without further ado, let’s pour it into our glass and discover what it has to offer.
London Distillery The Golden Union: Release No. 1 – A Field In England (2025) Review
When GM Spirits acquired and relaunched London Distillery Co, with Matt McKay stepping in as CEO, they also took ownership of the cask stock accumulated during the distillery’s initial operating period (but their second era, as we discussed previously). However, the number of casks remains limited – around seventy, all filled between 2011 and 2020, and all distilled from heritage barley. Since two of those casks went into the Renascence release and the new make distilled since the revival still requires several years to mature into whisky – likely more than the minimum of three years – London Distillery Co must manage its remaining stock with great care and strategic foresight to avoid running out before the new whisky reaches maturity.
Matt McKay’s background as an independent bottler and whisky maker, notably through his involvement with The Dava Way, the indie branch of Dunphail known for its excellent bottlings, proved invaluable in navigating this challenge. He wisely chose to blend some of London Distillery’s limited stock with malt whiskies from other English distilleries to create a series of blended malts. This approach allows London Distillery Co to continue releasing new whiskies and maintain a presence in the minds of whisky enthusiasts without depleting their precious casks too rapidly. This strategy gave rise to the Golden Union series.
The inaugural release in the London Distillery’s The Golden Union series, Release No. 1, combines malt whiskies from Adnams Distillery and London Distillery Co, matured in a mix of hogsheads and barrels. Named ‘A Field in England’, this expression bottles at 50% ABV, without added colour or chill filtration. The release is limited to 973 bottles, priced at £49.95, and available on the distillery’s website.
Colour:
Pale gold with a grey hue.
Nose:
Neat: Apples appear first, soon giving way to yellow orchard fruits and buttery, slightly caramelised popcorn. The apples return, joined by notes of straw.
With water: White sugar emerges, along with peach-flavoured petit-suisse and lukewarm custard.
Palate:
Neat: The mouthfeel feels syrupy, with a spicy and fruity arrival. Apples dominate once more, accompanied by a generous pinch of pepper and slices of pickled ginger. Mustard notes surface, alongside some oak – suggesting the use of first-fill casks – while lemon and grapefruit add tartness, and grassy bitterness develops. Hints of salted liquorice also come through.
With water: Lemon becomes more pronounced, joined by pine needles, quince, extra spices, and subtle tropical fruit notes.
Finish:
The finish remains short, with lingering dry bitterness, pepper, and echoes of pickled ginger. A touch of astringency appears, followed by strong coffee accented with a few drops of pink grapefruit juice.
Comments:
London Distillery’s The Golden Union stands amongst the first English blended malts, alongside releases from Compass Box and Woven. This blend succeeds in delivering an easy-drinking, summery character, yet the whisky offers more than straightforward simplicity. Golden Union Field in England (this really is a lengthy name) reveals a pleasing medium complexity that sets it apart from ordinary blends. With its appealing profile and a price of £50 per bottle, this whisky presents excellent value and deserves a place on any shelf.
Rating: 7/10
Sample and lead picture provided by London Distillery. Want another opinion? My friend Brian @MaltMusings reviewed it a few days ago, as well as the chaps from Honest to a Malt (highly recommended whisky podcast): here on YouTube.