Four Independent Miltonduff Whiskies
We take a deep look at a Speyside blending workhorse for Chivas, with four independent Miltonduff whiskies.
Bottlers
Reviews of whiskies from independent bottlers
Glen Grant 2003 Royal Mile / 1998 Whisky Agency
We take a look… and a few sips at two Glen Grant in their twenties: a 1998 bottled by The Whisky Agency and a 2003 from Royal Mile Whiskies.
Linkwood 1979 & Two 30-Year-Old
We talk about Linkwood Distillery’s history, before tasting a Linkwood 1979 The Cooper’s Choice and two 30-year-old from SMWS and Signatory.
Pittyvaich 1979 Duncan Taylor
We review a Pittyvaich 1979 from Duncan Taylor, a single cask release from the short‑lived and now silent Speyside distillery.
Caol Ila From 10 – To 40-Year-Old
Continuing our birthday drams, we review four Caol Ila from 10 – To 40-Year-Old, from Signatory, The Single Cask, SMWS & Malts of Scotland.
Two 47-year-old Invergordon & Girvan
On the table today: a Girvan 1964 from Scott’s Selection and an Invergordon 1975 bottled in 2022 by Alambic Classique. I indulge in two 47‑year‑old single grains to mark a personal milestone. After another year quietly added itself to the tally – reaching a number that still feels implausibly large – what better way to acknowledge the passage of time than with a pair of whiskies that share the same depth and maturity (I’ll concede, in my case, nothing’s won yet)?
Three Clynelish Hunter Laing / Signatory
We compare three Clynelish: Hunter Laing’s 2009 15yo versus two Signatory 1996 bottlings, exploring age and cask influence of this waxy Highland distillery.
Two Speyburn 15-year-old (Official vs SMWS)
We take a close look at two Speyburn 15-years-old, with one official and one indy bottling (88.31) from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
Two 20-Something Tormore Boutique-y / Elixir
Tormore rarely steals the spotlight, yet these two 20-something Tormore from That Boutique-y Whisky Company and Elixir Distillers make a strong case for paying much closer attention. Together, they sketch a compelling portrait of modern indie Tormore: bright, characterful Speyside spirit, handled with a light enough touch to let the orchard and exotic fruits do the talking. So without further ado, let’s get to our tasting glasses.
Glen Moray Tequila / Berry Bros & Rudd
We explore three Glen Moray: two official bottlings and an independent one: the Glen Moray Warehouse 1 Tequila Cask Finish (peated and unpeated), and a 2007 bottled by Berry Bros & Rudd. Glen Moray Warehouse 1 series replaces the previous Cask Curiosity range. On the indy side, Berry Bros & Rudd, founded in 1698, stands as Britain’s oldest family-owned wine and spirits merchant. They operate from their iconic St James’s Street shop in London. The company holds a Royal Warrant and has supplied the British monarchy for centuries, evolving from grocery origins to a focus on fine wines and spirits.
Two 30-Year-Old Bowmore
We start the year with special drams that waited for too long for the right opportunity: two 30-Year-Old Bowmore from Silver Seal and Wemyss.
Jura / Glentauchers / Ben Nevis Macbeth Elixir Distillers
We explore three bottling from the Act Two of Elixir Distiller’s Macbeth series: the Jura 17-, Glentauchers 27 and Ben Nevis 28-year-old.