whisky tasting notes - BourbonSphere

Review | King’s Inch 8 years old

This Scotch whisky bottling is the first-ever age statement single malt in the core range of King’s Inch. The King’s Inch 8 years old has been created by owners Courageous Spirits, who have selected a Lowland single malt that has been matured in ex-bo…

This Scotch whisky bottling is the first-ever age statement single malt in the core range of King's Inch. The King's Inch 8 years old has been created by owners Courageous Spirits, who have selected a Lowland single malt that has been matured in ex-bourbon casks and ex-Oloroso sherry butts and then vatted them together. There are just 1,500 bottles available.

Courageous Spirits, who also produce the popular Glas We Gin, named their whisky range after an island that was found in the River Clyde. King's Inch Island is now part of the southern bank following an extensive dredging project. A king's inch was also an ancient measurement of barley. It is designed to be an urban whisky from a city steeped in industrial and artistic history. The origin of the liquid is not revealed, other than that it is distilled in the Lowlands.

The King's Inch 8 years old is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It is available via www.kingsinch.com and selected whisky retailers in the UK. A bottle will cost £49.

Our Tasting Notes

The colour is pale gold and the nose is sweet, sugary and fruity. A mix of green fruit (especially pear and apple) combine with some vibrant citrus (think of lemon and grapefruit peel) and are joined by further aromas of muscovado sugar, vanilla fudge and marzipan. Hints of hazelnut, milk chocolate and cocoa powder are also evident.

On the palate this whisky feels sweet and slightly richer than on the nose. There is also more peppery heat than the nose suggested. The sugary elements dominate now with crumbly brown sugar, golden syrup and honey-like notes to the fore. Then comes the fruit - imagine candied lemon, grapefruit zest and green apple again with some boiled peardop sweets and plump sultana. The combination creates a warming and vibrant mouth feel that is accentuated by a later note of fresh gingerbread that evolves. Hints of milk chocolate and cocoa powder also come through late on, as does a distinct bittersweet maltiness and further hints of oak spice and white pepper.

The finish is a touch on the short side. Once the sugary and fruity characteristics fade a little then the malt, oak and spices begin to dominate. This heats things up and also dries them out. A distinct gingerbread note develops late on that has more influence than on the palate.

What's The Verdict?

This is a decent whisky and one that is well priced. We remember finding the original King's Inch Single Malt bottling a little hot, youthful and feisty for our liking but this 8 years old is showing a clear development and progress. This still has some of these elements but they are significantly muted compared to the previous release and the whisky has clearly benefitted from a lovely marriage of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. With only 1,500 bottles available it would be worth grabbing one while you can.

Review | The Hearach

The Hearach is the first single malt to be released by the Isle of Harris Distillers Ltd. It is released in small batches with each batch showing a natural and subtle difference in colour, aroma and flavour. At the time of writing the latest release is Batch #16. The inaugural batch was bottled and released in September 2023. The first whisky was distilled in December 2015 and the decision was taken to make a lightly peated style of single malt. The name refers to a person from the Isle of Harris – Na Hearadh in Gaelic.

The Harris distillery was founded in 2015 by Anderson Bakewell. He joined forces with Simon Erlanger, a former Marketing Director of Glenmorangie, and the first spirit - the multi award-winning Harris gin - flowed from the stills in September that year. The distillery is located in the small town of Tarbert on the island of Harris in Scotland's Outer Hebrides. Despite its remote location, the distillery and visitor centre attract almost 70,000 visitors each year. The annual production capacity is 390,000 litres, although they are currently operating around the 200,000 litre mark.

The Hearach is always bottled at 46% ABV and each batch is non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It can be purchased in selected specialist whisky retailers in the UK and USA, from the distillery visitor centre in Tarbert and via www.harrisdistillery.com. A bottle will cost £65.

* Please note | our sample does not indicate which batch it is taken from.

Our Tasting Notes

The colour is pale gold and the nose has an immediate freshness and vibrancy about it. Aromas of fresh green apple and peach lead the way but are quickly joined by further aromas of vanilla toffee and bonfire ash or embers. Some heather honey and a hint of gingerbread sit in the background.

On the palate this whisky is much more ashy and peppery than the nose suggests. The bonfire ember-like notes dominate the early part and add a charcoal dryness. The hit of white pepper gives heat with a hint of fiery green chilli also. As the smoke and heat soften, other characteristics are allowed to shine - a lovely sweetness leads the way with notes of vanilla fudge and butterscotch combining with some poached pear and fairground toffee apple. The savoury smoke is never far away and eventually balances well with the sweeter elements. Some golden syrup and heather honey notes come through nicely, as does a distinct maltiness and something reminiscent of hazelnut praline.

The finish is of decent length and the smokiness draws it out well. Once the sweet honeyed and fruity notes fade, the ashy peat really comes to the fore. This creates an earthy and woody dryness that comes with a mouthwatering peppery heat.

What's The Verdict?

This is a bright and lively whisky that shows plenty of promise. It is always interesting to sample the first release from a distillery and see what direction they are trying to go in. Some are better than other, naturally, but the Isle of Harris Distillers have done a great job here. The Hearach has plenty of character and it will also be interesting to see how the spirit, and particularly that peppery ashy peat smoke, develops with extra time in cask. But this is a lovely start.

Review | Glasgow 1770 Cognac Cask Finish & Tokaji Cask Finish (Batch 02)

The Glasgow distillery has announced the latest bottlings in its Small Batch Series of single malts – the Glasgow 1770 Cognac Cask Finish (pictured, above left) and Tokaji Cask Finish (pictured, above right). Both are the second batches of these whisk…

The Glasgow distillery has announced the latest bottlings in its Small Batch Series of single malts - the Glasgow 1770 Cognac Cask Finish (pictured, above left) and Tokaji Cask Finish (pictured, above right). Both are the second batches of these whiskies to be released, but the first ever from the distillery to carry an age statement. Both are bottled at six years old, natural cask strength, non-chill filtered and of natural colour.

The Cognac Cask Finish Batch 02 features just five casks - three containing unpeated spirit and two lightly peated spirit. They were initially matured in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred to ex-Cognac casks from France for the final three years and four months. The whisky is bottled at 58% ABV and there are just 2,250 bottles.

The Tokaji Cask Finish Batch 02 is a smaller run with just 1,300 bottles in the release. This features unpeated spirit that had initial maturation in ex-bourbon barrels. This was then transferred to ex-Tokaji sweet wine casks from Hungary for a further three years and six months. It is bottled at 54.8% ABV.

The Glasgow Distillery Co. began production in February 2015 and in doing so became the first distillery to produce single malt whisky in Glasgow in the modern era. The brand is named after the Dundashill distillery, which was Glasgow's first ever whisky distillery and was founded in 1770. The Glasgow Distillery Co. was founded by Mike Hayward, Liam Hughes and Ian McDougall, and is located in Hillington to the west of the city. The distillery has an annual capacity of 270,000 litres and initial reaction to the single malts has already led to an expansion being planned.

Batch 02 of the Glasgow 1770 Cognac Cask Finish and Tokaji Cask Finish are available from the Glasgow distillery website and selected specialist whisky retailers in the UK. Both will cost £59 for a bottle.

Our Tasting Notes

Glasgow 1770 Cognac Cask Finish (Batch 02)

The colour is coppery gold and the nose is packed with cooked green orchard fruit aromas - imagine poached pear and stewed apple especially. These are supported by further aromas of butterscotch sauce, milk chocolate and a hint of star anise. Everything is bound together with an underlying peat smoke, which has a somewhat bitter and herbal edge.

On the palate it is this peat smoke that dominates to begin with. It begins in a soft and sweet manner, before becoming more bitter and acrid with a distinct ashy and herbal quality. This again binds everything as on the nose. With time sweeter and fruity notes are allowed to develop, and they push the peat smoke back a little. Poached pear and baked apple kick things off and then give way to honey and sugar syrup characteristics. Hints of vanilla and white chocolate sit in the background, as do suggestions of cocoa powder and malted biscuits. Some spicy notes, especially cinnamon bark, adds a warmth and depth. The final element to come through is some drying oak. This, combined with the smoke, gives even more dryness to the finish.

Glasgow 1770 Tokaji Cask Finish (Batch 02)

The colour is vibrant gold and the nose is sweet and fruit. Initial aromas are of caramelised tropical fruit - think of pineapple, peach and mango especially - and this is underpinned by further aromas of brown sugar, golden syrup and heather honey. Then comes a whiff of cocoa powder, milk chocolate and some warming spices - imagine gingerbread and cinnamon in particular.

On the palate this whisky has a luscious and fruity feel. It is packed with juicy and ripe tropical notes (think of pineapple, mango and peach again, with some apricot and papaya) plus some plump sultana and candied lime. The combination is delicious. Then comes further sweetness in the form of golden syrup and honey - the honey has more of a savoury edge than on the nose and is reminiscent of manuka. The second half of the palate is dominated by wood and spice. Warming notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger are complimented by some drying oak, which is reminiscent of pencil shavings, and bitter cocoa powder. A slightly burnt sugar characteristic also comes through towards the end.

Review | Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve

This is a new addition to the core single malt range of the north Highland distillery of Glenmorangie. The Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve has married three different cask types together to take the spirit in a different direction. These are ex-bourbon, charred new American oak and ex-rye whiskey casks. It has been created by Gillian Macdonald, Master Blender for Glenmorangie, and will be the new kick-off point for the core range and ahead of the recently released The Original 12 years old, which replaced the former 10 year old version.

Glenmorangie was founded in 1843 by William Matheson and is in the north Highland town of Tain. The distillery was originally named Morangie, and became Glenmorangie in 1887. It has an annual production capacity of six million litres. The stills are the tallest in Scotland standing at over five metres (16.5 feet) - the same height as an adult male giraffe. It also uses the hardest water of any Scotch whisky distillery in production, which comes from the nearby Tarlogie Springs. The distillery and brand are owned by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey.

Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve is bottled at 40% ABV. The whisky is initially available in selected world markets including France, Germany, the UK and USA. Other markets will be introduced later in 2024. A bottle will cost £33/ $US42.

Our Tasting Notes

The colour is a russet amber and the nose exhibits a lovely mix of sweet and warming spice. Aromas of stewed apple with pinches of cinnamon and ginger are followed by some milk chocolate, butterscotch and golden syrup. Hints of orange oil, freshly sawn oak and cocoa powder add further depth and complexity.

On the palate this whisky has a lovely mouthfeel with some soft woody spices hitting first - think of cinnamon stick, drying oak and pinches of nutmeg and clove. Then comes some biscuity and malty cereals. These have an earthy and chocolate-like quality and give a delicious bittersweetness. The sweetness builds with notes of golden syrup and fresh honeycomb, plus a hint of vanilla custard.

The apple characteristic from the nose comes next and mingle with the sweet and spicy notes. This is reminiscent of a spiced toffee apple or cinnamon-baked apple with butterscotch sauce. Further spiciness comes in the form of baked gingerbread, nutmeg and fresh vanilla pod. Final hits of clove oil, candied orange peel and a suggestion of dried tropical fruit round things off nicely.

The finish is softer and sweeter. The warming spices fade slowly to let the sweet and apple-like elements shine - think of that baked spiced apple from earlier and some honeycomb and toffee. This sweetness gives the finish decent length. A late hint of dried tropical fruit and vanilla cream also evolves.

What's The Verdict?

This new entry point into the revised Glenmorangie core range is a welcome one. It takes the famous Highland distillery's spirit in a slightly different direction thanks to the use of new American oak and ex-rye whiskey casks. This has added a delicious battle between sweet and spicy notes that compliment the classic Glenmorangie characteristics well. The chocolatey notes are also a nice addition and help to give a creamy smoothness. A decent whisky, especially considering the price.

Review | Kingsbarns Coaltown

Coaltown represents the third permanent whisky in the core single malt range of Kingsbarns, the Lowland craft distillery that pioneered the Fife artisan distilling revolution. It joins the ex-bourbon and ex-red wine cask Doocot and ex-Oloroso sherry cask matured Balcombe as permenant expressions. The name is inspired by Coaltown of Wemyss - a small coal mining village in Fife, located just north of Kirkcaldy, which has close links to the distillery's owners. The whisky has undergone full maturation in American oak casks that have previously held peated whisky. These have been sourced from an unnamed distillery.

The Kingsbarns distillery is located in the Kingdom of Fife near the town of St. Andrew's and was founded in 2014 by the Wemyss family. The family also own Wemyss Malts, an independent bottling and blending company, plus several other spirits brands. The distillery is in 18th century farm buildings and has a current annual production capacity of 200,000 litres, with potential to reach 600,000 litres. They only use barley grown in Fife for production. The first spirit was distilled and filled to cask in March 2015 with the inaugural release appearing in late 2018. Most bottlings to date have been small batch or single cask.

Kingsbarns Coaltown is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It is available via the Kingsbarns website and selected specialist retailers in the UK and Europe. This will spread to selected global markets as the year progresses. A bottle will cost £46.

Our Tasting Notes

The colour is pale lemon yellow and the nose is lively, bright and fresh. Aromas of heather honey, candied lime and vanilla toffee leap from the glass, and are quickly joined by a gentle waft of soft peat smoke. This goes on to provide the foundation. There are further aromas of green capsicum pepper, icing sugar and a pinch of white pepper.

On the palate this whisky continues the bright and vibrant theme. The sweetness hits first, especially the vanilla toffee and icing sugar. The soft and gentle peat smoke is not far behind - this now has a slightly mossy and ash-like quality that is reminiscent of dying charcoal embers. This elegant smoke proceeds to whisp around everything and bring them together. A hint of crisp green apple and that capsicum pepper and candied lime from the nose also sit in the background. The second half of the palate is all about the more savoury characteristics - think of damp chamoix leather, old cigar box and pinches of sea salt and white pepper.

The finish is of decent length and is long and warming. The smoke and savoury elements really come to the fore here, and create a spicy and drying feel. The sweet notes disappear rapidly, followed by the fruity and green characteristics. The gentle smoke really shines now and slowly drifts away with a peppery heat.

What's The Verdict?

This new whisky completes a lovely trio in the Kingbarns permanent core range. Each whisky pushes their fruity spirit in a different direction - Doocot is light, sweet and classic Lowland in style, Balcombe is richer and heavier, and Coaltown introduces elegant peat smoke.

The casking here seems to be key and shows what can be achieved with sympathetic use of ex-peated whisky barrels during maturation, rather than using peated malt to make a smoky spirit. This is lovely and would be great to introduce someone to the delights of peated whisky without throwing them in a the deep end. Hats off to Kingsbarns for this excellent bottling and for putting it at such an accessible price point.

Review | Elijah Craig Straight Rye

The American whiskey brand of Elijah Craig has announced the release of their rye expression into the UK market. We were invited to the launch event of the Elijah Craig Straight Rye. The spirits has a mash bill of 51% rye, 35% corn and 14% malted barley. This heavy reliance on corn as the secondary grain makes the spirit highly suited to long maturation, which has enabled this rye whiskey to reach eight years of age.

The brand is named after a baptist preacher from Virginia - the Reverend Elijah Craig. He migrated to Kentucky in the early 1780s and became a local entrepeneur. In addition to his religious work, his businesses included running wool and paper mills plus being the local fire chief in Georgetown, Kentucky. However, he is best known for being one of the early pioneers of the bourbon industry in the state and set up his distillery in 1789. The modern Elijah Craig whiskies are produced at the Heaven Hill distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky.

The Elijah Craig Straight Rye is bottled at 47% ABV (94 Proof) and is now available from selected specialist whisky retailers in the UK. A bottle will cost £45.

Our Tasting Notes

The colour is deep coppery gold and the nose full of toffee, vanilla and caramel aromas. These are quickly joined by further aromas of milk chocolate, candied orange peel and a hint of maraschino cherry. There is a kick of peppery warming spices that also evolves - think of cinnamon, clove and black peppercorns.

On the palate this whiskey is immediately peppery and spicy. The warming spices from the nose combine with some drying freshly sawn oak notes to present an initial challenge. But things quickly resolve themselves as sweeter notes begin to evolve. Caramel, toffee and golden syrup lead the way and are followed by creamy vanilla fudge and sweet cocktail cherry. There are also hints of milk chocolate and vanilla patisserie custard. These notes compliment the spice and drying characteristics well, which begin to dominate again towards the end. Further hints of bitter orange, fresh mint and eucalyptus oil also come through late on.

As a result the finish becomes quite earthy and woody. The peppery heat returns, specially once the sweeter elements fade. The bitter orange and cinnamon linger longest. The clove, mint and eucalyptus are not far behind. But the oak wins out and leaves a delicious tannic dryness right at the close.

What's The Verdict?

Rye whiskey is pretty hot at the moment, but not many carry this sort of age. At eight years old this shows that Elijah Craig was well ahead of the curve in developing a rye - something that many large brands have done after seeing the popularity of the style enjoy a renaissance thanks to the craft and artisanal distilling scene. This is a classic rye whiskey, being super spicy and woody. This makes it perfect for such iconic American whiskey cocktails as the Manhattan and Old Fashioned, as well as sipping neat or over ice. Grab a glass, sip and savour.

Review | Fettercairn 16 years old (2024 Edition)

The Highland distillery of Fettercairn has refreshed its core domestic and travel retail ranges to coincide with its 200th anniversary celebrations this year. Part of this has been to announce the permanent addition of this Fettercairn 16 years old expression to its revamped domestic range. It joins the flagship 12 years old, with a 24 years old expression completing the set. The new travel retail range offers 14-, 17- and 25 years old whiskies.

The 16 years old was previously an annual limited edition, which saw the whisky released in small batches and feature differing cask maturations. We reviewed the inaugural bottling from 2020 here - this featured rare chocolate malt with initial maturation in ex-bourbon casks before finishing in ex-Port and ex-sherry barrels. This permanent addition for the new 2024 range is purely matured in ex-bourbon barrels and is described by the brand as being 'the epitomy of Fettercairn'.

The Fettercairn distillery is located near in the village of Fettercairn, near Laurencekirk in the east Highlands. This sits between the towns of Montrose and Stonehaven. It was founded in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay but he sold it to Sir John Gladstone in 1830. He was the father to four times UK Prime Minister William Gladstone and it remained in the Gladstone family for nearly a century. It is currently owned by Whyte & Mackay and is considered a prized malt within blending circles. The current annual capacity is 3.2 million litres.

The Fettercairn 16 years old is bottled at 46.4% ABV and is available now via specialist whisky retailers worldwide. It is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. For further information, please visit www.fettercairnwhisky.com. A bottle will cost US$110/ £87.

Our Tasting Notes

The colour is vibrant gold and the nose is sweet, fresh and expressive. Uplifting aromas of fresh coconut, vanilla pod and white peach mingle with white chocolate, cocoa powder and white pepper. The vanilla aroma evolves towards crème anglaise and vanilla patisserie with time in the glass.

On the palate this whisky feels buttery and creamy - it is a superb sensation in the mouth. The vanilla notes are again to the fore and is reminiscent of good vanilla ice cream. This sits alongside plenty of creamed coconut and juicy over ripe tropical fruit - think of mango and pineapple especially. The pineapple note becomes more like caramelised or grilled pineapple with time. Other fruity notes come through well also. These included notes of peach compote and apricot tart.

While the palate is tropical and luscious, everything is underpinned by a distinct malty cereal note. This adds an earthy depth to the palate and accentuates the sweeter elements. This is also backed up by some delicious warming spice - imagine a combination of cinnamon stick, clove and star anise, with a pinch of white pepper. The white chocolate and cocoa powder from the nose appear towards the end, as does a hint of drying oak.

The finish is soft and long. The creaminess of the palate seems to drag this out, as does the depth of flavour. The tropical fruit notes fade first and this allows the warming spices and oaky characteristics to pull the finish out further. A hot, peppery kick rounds things off nicely and leaves the mouth watering and wanting more.

What's The Verdict?

This is a fine whisky from Fettercairn and a great permanent addition to their core domestic range. While we have enjoyed previous incarnations of the 16 year old, this one really hits the spot and feels very traditional. It is refreshing to see full maturation in ex-bourbon barrels - this is a style of Scotch whisky that we absolutely adore - and this allows the fruity Fettercairn spirit to shine superbly. Ex-bourbon barrels offer no hiding place and this has resulted in a sublime whisky.

Review | Glenmorangie The Original 12 years old

The north Highland distillery of Glenmorangie has reimagined its classic and well-loved The Original single malt whisky. The bottling, which was previously bottled at 10 years old and has remained largely unchanged since the 1950s, is the cornerstone of the Glenmorangie core range and will remain so. It is the whisky that all others in the range are based around. The new iteration has seen the age increase to 12 years old with the cask make up (100% ex-bourbon barrels) and strength (40% ABV) remaining the same. It is essentially the same whisky but two years older.

The new Original has been several years in the making. Ever since Dr. Bill Lumsden, the Director of Whisky Creation at Glenmorangie (pictured, below), tasted it as one of his first ever Scotch whiskies in the 1980s he has been thinking on "how to improve on perfection". Along with Gillian Macdonald, Master Blender and Head of Whisky Creation, they embarked on creating numerous options. These were then presented to a senior tasting panel and refined over the last couple of years. The new whisky received a unanimous vote and is now ready to be introduced to the world. It has already won a Gold medal at the World Whisky Awards.

"I will never forget my first magical sip of Glenmorangie Original in 1984 and how I became beguiled by its complex range of flavours. I have always aimed to keep the whisky true to my memory of that first taste. However, recently we started to wonder whether we could reimagine our flagship expression, The Original, for even more deliciousness. The result is The Original 12 years old."
Dr. Bill Lumsden.

Glenmorangie The Original 12 years old is bottled at 40% ABV. It is available now from www.glenmorangie.com and the distillery visitor centre in Tain, and will be available through specialist whisky retailers and supermarkets in the UK from August. A worldwide release will then follow. The new Original will cost just slightly more than the previous bottling at £40.

Our Tasting Notes

The colour is a bright and vibrant gold, and the nose is uplifting, fresh and zesty. Initial aromas of mandarin orange and vanilla fudge are quickly joined by juicy ripe peach, honey and butterscotch sauce. Underneath are hints of green apple and coconut plus evolving spices - think of warm gingerbread, cinnamon and drying oak spice.

On the palate this whisky feels soft, silky and creamy. Notes of vanilla custard and creamed coconut lead the way. Other sweet notes come through and include heather honey, butterscotch and that juicy ripe peach from the nose. A hint of milk chocolate and dried apricot also sit in the background, as does a note of fairground toffee apple. There is a distinct zestiness that grows - think of orange fondant and mandarin, plus a hint of lemon oil later on. An underlying drying and spicy character slowly builds to add extra depth, complexity and structure to the whisky. There is a lovely warming gingerbread note (similar to that detected on the nose), cinnamon bark and some freshly sawn oak shaving. A pinch cocoa powder and some white pepper heat round things off nicely.

The finish is of decent length. It begins with the sweet and fruity elements before turning drier and woodier. The creamy mouth texture is superb and seems to elongate the finish and make the whisky grip the taste buds. The oak and warming spices come through well as other notes fade to give a dry, peppery end. It makes you want to take another sip.

What's the verdict?

This whisky is a triumph for Glenmorangie. It is not an easy thing to do to reinvent a classic such as The Original, but they have done it skillfully and in a sympathetic way. Some may think Glenmorangie have taken a risk to change such an influential and big-selling whisky. But the whisky is in good hands with the likes of Bill and Gillian behind the reins.

Ultimately, everything is the same as the previous version - casks, strength, packaging etc - apart from two extra years in the ex-bourbon barrels. They have done well to not dramatically increase the price also, literally by a pound or two, and it sits well in line (if not cheaper) with its 12-year-old competitors. Some consumers may not even notice the change but the aroma and flavour rpofiles are definitely elevated. This is a great reimagining of a classic and we wish it every success.

Review | Glenmorangie 23 years old: Dr. Bill Lumsden x Azuma Makoto

This limited edition whisky is a premium release from the north Highland distillery of Glenmorangie. It marks a collaboration between Dr. Bill Lumsden, the Director of Whisky Creation for the brand, and renowned botanical artist Azuma Makoto. The partnership has seen the pair use a shared love of landscape and the natural world (a concept know as shinra bansho in Japan) to create a unique whisky and living art installation. This follows a visit to Glenmorangie and the surrounding Highlands by Makoto, with Lumsden as his guide.

The whisky is released at 23 years of age and consists of classic Glenmorangie long-aged in ex-bourbon casks, which was distilled in 1998. This has been married with a small pocket of maturing stock that was transferred in 2006 to French oak ex-Chardonnay white wine casks sourced by Lumsden from the Meursault region of Burgundy in France. It is Glenmorangie's first ever bottling to feature such casks.

In his Tokyo studio, Makoto drew similar inspiration from his visit to the distillery and Highlands to conceive a one-ff piece of botanical sculpture. This has been named Shinra Bansho after the Japanese concept of appreciating nature. This included flora indigenous to both Scotland and Japan plus tree bark, moss and roots. The living masterpiece was then recreated for a two-day exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London to celebrate the whisky's launch.

The Glenmorangie 23 years old: Dr. Bill Lumsden x Azuma Makoto is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. The whisky will be available in selected world markets including China, India, Japan, Taiwan, the UK and the USA. It will also be available via the distillery shop, www.glenmorangie.com and Glenmorangie's boutique store in London Heathrow Terminal 2. A bottle will cost €1,250/ £1,050/ US$1350.

Our Tasting Notes

The colour is coppery gold and the nose is elegant and uplifting. It is vibrant and fresh for its age. Highly perfumed and floral aromas rise from the glass - think of honeysuckle, jasmine or orchid - and are joined by some sweet toffee, vanilla fudge and twist of bitter orange peel. Hints of oaky spice and cocoa powder are also evident.

On the palate this whisky is silky and soft with a luxurious feel. A distinct note of milk chocolate appears first and is quickly joined by other fruity and floral notes. Fresh white peach and apricot give way to something more tropical - imagine dried pineapple and papaya especially. Then comes that bitter orange peel from the nose, some white grape and a hint of candied lime. Some heady lemon verbena and jasmine-like notes also make an appearance.

Underpinning all of these characteristics are notes that add a savoury aspect. There is something dry, earthy and mossy in the background. These are accentuated by hints of mocha, bitter cocoa and gingerbread. The oak and woody spices then build up to give incredible depth and balance. Cinnamon bark and oak shavings are detected and this gives a pleasant tannic dryness. This increases towards the finish with a peppery heat also building.

The finish is long and warming. The sweet, fruity and floral elements fade to leave the oaky and warming spices to play. The gingerbread leads the way and is supported by oak tannins and a distinct peppery heat. This has the effect of making the mouth water and elongate the finish. It makes you want to take another sip.

What's The Verdict?

This is a stunner from Glenmorangie. The whisky is so uplifting and fresh for its age, and the ex-Chardonnay casks must have played a role in this. It is a whisky perfect for the warm Summery weather. The highly perfumed floral and fruity top notes are elegant and delightful. The sweet notes compliment these well and further structure is added by the distinctive oak and spice characteristics.

The whisky is superbly balanced and was a pleasure to sample, especially at the London launch event in the presence of Dr. Bill Lumsden and Azuma Makoto. It has to be added that Makoto's Shinra Bansho living botanical sculpture was spectacular and so incredibly detailed when viewed close up. The texture, smell and look was a true joy. What a great collaboration.

Review | Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection Vat 01

The Perpetual Collection is a series of whiskies created by the famous Speyside distillery of Glenfiddich. The series is exclusive to the travel retail market and are therefore only available in selected airports worldwide. The final whiskies are taken from huge marrying solera vats at the distillery. These have never been emptied, hence the 'perpetual' tag, and are said to contain some very old whisky.

The Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection Vat 01 is the entry point into the range and has seen maturation predominantly in American oak, both virgin oak and ex-bourbon barrels. There is also a small percentage of European oak and ex-red wine casks also. Vat 02 is matured entirely in European oak ex-sherry casks, while Vat 03 carries a 15 years old age statement and has been matured in a combination of American virgin oak, ex-bourbon and European oak ex-sherry casks. Vat 04 is 18 years old and has seen maturation in ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry barrels.

Glenfiddich is located in the Speyside town of Dufftown - this is the unofficial capital of the region and boasts six distilleries. It was constructed by William Grant and his children in 1886 and 1887. Glenfiddich remains owned by William Grant & Sons today, making it one of the last family owned distilleries in Scotland. The first spirit famously flowed off the still on Christmas Day 1887.

The name is taken from the Fiddich glen, the valley through which the River Fiddich flows and in which the distillery lies. This translates as 'valley of the deer' from Gaelic. The distillery is massive, especially since a large recent expansion was completed, and now has a capacity of 21 million litres per year. This makes Glenfiddich one of the largest single malt distilleries in Scotland.

The Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection has been created by Brian Kinsman, the Master Blender for Glenfiddich. Vat 01 is bottled at 40% ABV and is available in selected airports around the world. We purchased ours at London Heathrow and paid £52 for the one litre bottle.

Our Tasting Notes

The colour is vibrant gold and the nose light, bright and uplifting. Fresh aromas of green pear and orange blossom kick things off and are quickly joined by vanilla, cocoa and toffee apple. Hints of ripe tropical fruit and white chocolate sit underneath and add depth. A further hint of woody spice, like cinnamon, sits in the background.

On the palate this whisky is fresh and vibrant. Luscious fruity notes lead the way - think of crisp green pear, guava, pineapple and a hint of white peach. Sweeter notes then evolve to join. These are reminiscent of butterscotch, white chocolate and icing sugar, with a hint of marshmallow also. There is also a hint of that fairground toffee apple note from the nose. Some more savoury notes sit underneath - imagine cinnamon and bitter cocoa powder, plus some freshly sawn oak. Hints of bitter orange zest and oat cookies are also evident.

The finish is of decent length with the fruity and sweet characteristics holding together well. These slowly fade to reveal more of the spicy and woody elements, especially the drying oak and a pleasant peppery warmth. A hint of ground ginger appears right at the very end.

What's The Verdict?

We have always been fans of Glenfiddich but have not revisited it for a while. This bottling was delicious and we cannot wait to sample the others in the series now. Vat 01 is light, sweet and refreshing. Perfect neat or over ice. We also tried it with soda water as a highball type drink and it worked well too. The Perpetual Collection seems to be well and truly re-establishing Glenfiddich in the travel retail sector, which has taken time to recover after the Covid pandemic.

We had a specific criteria in mind when looking in the travel retail store at Heathrow - we needed a light whisky for a hot climate, predominantly ex-bourbon cask and something that would hold our interest for the entirity of our trip and be versatile. Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection Vat 01 fitted each one and was the perfect choice, despite what the salesman tried to tell us.