Last Wednesday, two friends and I hosted a second sherried whiskies session at Rennes Whisky Club, this time featuring three bottlings from Signatory Vintage’s 100 proof series: Tormore, Benrinnes, and Ardmore. After the tasting, I realised I had overlooked an Auchroisk from the same range—one I forgot about when I put together my earlier review of three indy Auchroisks. I decided to bring it along, turning the evening into a lineup of four Auchroisk, Tormore, Benrinnes and Ardmore Signatory 100 proof whiskies.
Auchroisk 2010 100 Proof #12 Signatory Vintage (2024) Review
We begin with an Auchroisk 2010 that I overlooked in my initial three independent Auchroisk reviews, as mentioned in the introduction. Signatory Vintage bottled this whisky in 2024 as the twelfth expression in their 100 Proof range. It matured for thirteen years in first fill Oloroso butts before Signatory bottled it at 57.1% ABV, without chill filtration or added colour. The whisky remains available in the UK for around £45 and costs approximately €47 in Europe, although stocks appear limited.
Colour:
Mahogany.
Nose:
Neat: The sherry influence is immediate, with cherries (yes, it’s not a typo), raspberries and blackcurrants, but also white grape. There’s a little sharpness but the nose is not that aggressive. Milk chocolate meets old leather, a little dunnage warehouse, fudge and apricot flavoured yogurt.
With water: Red fruits are still prominent, and the nose becomes slightly sharper. A light orange aroma appears, as well as plums.
Palate:
Neat: Good intensity, with caramel, spiced strawberry jam and a few metallic notes. A little pepper, fizzy orange drink, then a woody bitterness appears, a little tannic, with dark chocolate, leather and old tobacco. Dark cherries and herbs, brown sugar and a some coffee, with toasted hazelnuts.
With water: Some nice citrusy tartness appears after reduction, with a very light grapefruit bitterness. The mouthfeel, initially silky, becomes a bit thinner, and there is a light cardboard flavour appearing.
Finish:
Empyreumatic notes linger with coffee and chocolate, roasted nuts, charred wood and dark caramel, for a medium length.
Comments:
I thought this whisky would make a nice nightcap following the Rennes Whisky Club’s second sherry session, alongside three other 100 Proof releases I’m reviewing below. The dram is pleasant, but the sherry dominates the spirit, making it indistinguishable from other lesser-known distilleries. Rather than a true Auchroisk, it feels more like a straightforward first fill sherry whisky.
Rating: 6/10
Tormore 2015 100 Proof #45 Signatory Vintage (2025) Review
Our latest Rennes Whisky Club sherry session opened with this Tormore 2015, which Signatory Vintage bottled in 2025 after nine years in first fill Oloroso sherry butt and bourbon barrels. As with other whiskies in the 100 Proof range, Signatory released this one at 57.1% ABV, with no added colour or chill filtration. Shops in the UK still offer this Tormore for £44, while it costs €46 in Europe.
Colour:
Deep gold.
Nose:
Neat: The nose starts with apples and red fruits. Varnished wood follows, then ginger and lemon appear. With more time in the glass, vanilla rises and takes centre stage.
With water: Reduction intensifies the fruit and lemon notes.
Palate:
Neat: This Tormore greets the palate with astringency, quickly joined by varnished wood, pepper and ginger. Apple pie, stewed apples, Granny Smith apples (lots of apples!) and hints of dark chocolate and coffee play through.
With water: After reduction, lemon and pepper show greater presence.
Finish:
Spices linger, joined by nutty undertones, trailing for a medium length.
Comments:
A pleasant Tormore, though on the simple side. It improved noticeably with aeration—especially given that this tasting came from a freshly opened bottle. Time in the glass really let it breathe. The overall impression is positive, with the bourbon barrels only revealing their character after some aeration.
Rating: 6.5/10
Benrinnes 2012100 Proof #56 Signatory Vintage (2025) Review
Next, we opened a Benrinnes 2012 that Signatory bottled on the 11th of June 2025 as their 56th expression in their 100 Proof range, after 13 years of maturation in first fill and refill Oloroso butts. Like the others, Signatory bottled it at 57.1%, without chill filtration nor added colour. The price sits in the same range as the younger Tormore, about £44 in the UK and €45 in France.
Colour:
Deep gold.
Nose:
Neat: The nose comes across as shy, demanding patience. Tobacco, orange, green and red apples appear, followed by a return of dusty tobacco, pear eau de vie, and a hint of cinnamon.
With water: A pastry aroma develops, like a fresh pastry filled with cream, and the tobacco shifts to a lighter, blond note.
Palate:
Neat: Lemon, grapefruit and maracuja lead, bringing ginger and a generous shake of pepper alongside oak, dark chocolate, salt, and a notably thick mouthfeel.
With water: Chocolate intensifies and shifts towards hot chocolate, joined by notes of Jaffa cakes and malt.
Finish:
Dark chocolate, pepper, and lemon persist, stretching into a long finish.
Comments:
Several members of the Rennes Whisky Club chose this Benrinnes as their favourite of the three drams for the session, placing it above the Tormore and Ardmore just below. The nose reveals itself slowly, but the whisky brims with fruity and even tropical character, which stands out against the more straightforward sherry-matured flavours it also packs. At this price, it proves a real stunner.
Rating: 7.5/10
Ardmore 2010 100 Proof #4 Signatory Vintage (2023) Review
The final whisky of the second Rennes Whisky Club sherry session—and the last whisky in this review—is an Ardmore 2010, which Signatory bottled on 5 December 2023 as the fourth release in their 100 Proof range. The distillery matured it for 13 years in first fill sherry butts before Signatory bottled it at 57.1% ABV, without chill filtration or added colour. Unfortunately, collectors have already snapped up this older release, and it is now sold out.
Colour:
Deep gold.
Nose:
Neat: The nose opens with leather and tobacco, followed by raspberry, peach and apricot. Smoke remains subdued, while lightly toasted wood adds another layer. A sharp note lingers, and only after some time do peat and iodine appear.
With water: Hints of sulphur and cabbage emerge; but, fortunately, both stay subtle and avoid overwhelming the nose.
Palate:
Neat: Caramel, peat, salt and pepper take the lead. Dark chocolate stands alongside gentle ash and muddled stone fruits.
With water: Demerara sugar and vanilla show themselves, while light wood bitterness starts to creep in.
Finish:
Lemon, oranges, chocolate cigarette confectionery and a touch of smoke linger, drawing the experience to a delicate close.
Comments:
This Ardmore delivers a pleasing dram, though it carries less peat than typical for the distillery. The nose reveals light off-notes upon reduction, but these remain restrained and do not overwhelm the experience. The palate lacks some precision yet remains very enjoyable. Overall, it offers the familiar qualities expected from Ardmore, making for a commendable dram.