Loch Lomond 16YO Cognac Finish.

THE VIDEO

A distillery that I’ve admired for quite a long time is Loch Lomond. They seem to be able to do everything without the smallest hint of being a try-hard. Whether it’s powerfully peated options, delicate Highland single malts, or something matured in outrageous casks with heaps of complexity. They’ve got it.

This is the first release in a series of bottles that focuses on location and travel. This sixteen year old single malt is matured in ex-bourbon casks for most of its life before being finished in ex-Cognac casks for a whole year. The Waypoint Series will showcase a vast wealth of cask influences across a few different releases and will also highlight some incredible areas within Scotland. This first release is named Falls of Falloch. An incredible waterfall featured within the Trossachs of Scotland. The country is a place of incredible beauty, some of the finest in the UK, as well as the world itself.

A bottle that is dominant with light, floral freshness. Elderflower, golden sultana, green apple, and fresh pear run through the liquid transporting you to spring and summer – you can almost feel the tingle of sunshine on your skin from it. The finish is a little heavier with charred wood, caramelised sugars, and a few dashes of Angostura bitters. Overall, it is an outstanding bottle when it comes to age, value, and storytelling.

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Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 554: Distilled In Ireland for The Nectar

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries two single cask Irish whiskeys. After the fantastic trio of Irish whiskeys with the famous Maria labels, The Nectar of the Daily Drams treated us last year to another fantastic duo, again with beautiful labels. ‘Distilled in Ireland’ was proudly displayed on the label. A 22-year-old from 2002 and a 23-year-old from 2001 were presented at a very attractive price. This shows just how good the relationships are that The Nectar maintains with former Cooley boss Jack Teeling. Mark is more than happy to taste them head-to-head.

Whisky Ramblings 554

Welcome to this week’s episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at some whiskies bottled by the Campbeltown Whisky Company under their Watt Whisky label. The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum

Episode 585 – Possible Unexpected Consequences..?!

Filmed in The Study Nottingham

Featuring

Watt Whisky A Speyside Distillery 15 year old 54.9%
Watt Whisky Glen Moray 11 year old 54.6%
Watt Whisky Peat Smoke on Gorgie Blended Scotch Whisky 5 year old 57.1%
Watt Whisky Loch Lomond (Croftengea) 6 year old 57.1%
wattwhisky.com

THE REVIEW

Meikle Toir 5YO Turbo

THROW ALL OF YOUR OCTOMORE AWAY!

Well, this was a long time coming! I’ve finally got my hands on a bottle (albeit not mine) of Meikle Toir The Turbo!

A five year old single malt with incredible attention to the spirit. Taking a cut within the hearts/middle cut of the distillate coming form the still, Billy Walker has managed to produce this super direct, turbocharged, fuzzy style of peated Speyside that focuses on all of the right things in the best way possible.

Matured in virgin American casks and refill Oloroso hogsheads, coming off the stills at 70ppm – this bottle delivers culinary, BBQ style peat and some of very decadent pecan, chocolate and cinnamon notes that I’ve ever had on a bottle of whisky before. Even as someone who isn’t a fan of cinnamon, it works on this in ways that I wouldn’t have believed before. There is also a wealth of other cooking spices, toffee, caramel sweet oak, a slight touch of youthful spirit and other tasty, candied things.

I’ve given this a big score, the biggest score I’ve given to a whisky in quite a while without actually owning it. You best believe that this is the only bottle on my 2025 list at this point. It’s time to buy less but better as the year pulls on.

An absolutely outstanding bottle of whisky that deserves all of the attention that it has received.

ralfy review 1068 Extras – There’s been a ‘spat‘.

Clan Colla 7 Year Old Single Grain Rum Finish 46% 70cl

A deliciously light and bright single grain whiskey here from Ireland’s Ahascragh, which holds the claim of being Ireland’s first zero-emissions distillery. This tasty single grain was initially aged in ex-bourbon barrels, ahead of a finishing period in Panamanian rum casks. The results are vibrantly mouthwatering.

Official tasting notes:

Nose: Christmas in a glass with vanilla and banana

Palate: Light and buttery with dried fruits and baking spices like nutmeg and cinnamon

Finish: Smooth and warming with spicy cereal

£49.96

ralfy review 1068 – Wireworks English Whisky @53.4%vol:

The Good Dram Show – Episode 584 ‘Holyrood Distillery’

Welcome to this week’s episode of the show, in which I’ll be taking a look at the new Holyrood distillery based in Edinburgh. Episode 584 It Would Be Rood Not To Do This Episode..! Filmed in The Study Nottingham.

THE REVIEW

Glenalllachie 17yo Oloroso & Mizunara

Quite the spot of decadence this week. A Glenallachie matured in ex-Oloroso and ex-Mizunara barrels. Bottled at 50% ABV with all of the other good natural stuff that comes with it.

Billy Walker dominates the world of sherry in a way that no other person or brand can really even touch. Macallan get close, don’t get me wrong. But when it comes to a positive element of cult of personality. Billy Walker is your go to man!

Billy never distilled this liquid so I’m unsure of it was in ex-bourbon prior to this and re-recked into sherry and Japanese oak, but that’s bye the bye when it comes to flavour. The dominance of the sherry on this liquid is so big bit also so subtle at the same time. You get all of these cocoa nib, orange oil, gentle tobacco notes from all of these huge sherry casks. However, the Mizunara element of this whisky takes a while to come through on the nose. You feel it significantly more on the taste.

Mizunara for me is always dominant with white and black pepper notes. It still has some natural sweetness to it with candied apple, but given the power of these sherry barrels the Mizunara is playing second fiddle to when it comes to aroma. The pepper notes contrast the massive sweetness of the liquid, also providing some wonderfully contrasting dryness that rounds off the taste.

All in all this is a very impressive whisky with loads of appeal. The only real downside is the price that comes along with it. Around that £250+ mark for a seventeen year old liquid is quite a push. A few years ago you would never see a limited edition Glenallachie sat n shelves, how ties are changing.

If you see this in a bar or if you’re in a whisky club with a few friends, this would make an incredible bottle to focus on. I also think the Mizunara could become more dominant the longer it’s open, but that will have to be tested another time.

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ralfy review 1067 Extras – independentspirits.co.uk