Author Archives: Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer
Tomatin 10, bottled in the 1970s, 43%
Tom (van Engelen) recently won this in an auction and the bottle-share group wouldn’t be the bottle-share group if it hadn’t gotten bottle-shared. So, a sample made its way to my shelf and, contrary to semi-random samples like this, wasn’t … Continue reading
Secret Speyside 17, 2005-2023, First Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt, 58.1% – Signatory Vintage
According to everyone on the internet, this is a Macallan. The little (m) on the label also suggests that, since there’s not too many distilleries with an M out there. Macallan, Macduff, Mannochmore, Miltonduff and Mortlach. Of course, four of … Continue reading
Posted in Macallan, Undisclosed
Tagged 2005, Macallan, Secret Speyside, Sherry Cask, Signatory Vintage, Speyside, Undisclosed Distillery
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Benrinnes 10, 2013-2023, Refill Bourbon Hogshead 300745, 57.5% – Dràm Mòr
For a refill bourbon cask whisky, this one has a rather dark hue to it. Without tasting it I would have guessed this to be a sherry cask. If you ever wonder why information on labels is important, here is … Continue reading
Posted in Benrinnes
Tagged 2013, Benrinnes, Bourbon Cask, Diageo, Dram Mor, Speyside
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Caol Ila 30, 1981-2011, Bourbon cask, 52.9% – Liquid Sun
So, ages ago when I got a bunch of bottles in that were scoring well different than you’d expect by checking the label and bottler, I also got this 30 year old Caol Ila. Early eighties Caol Ila is a … Continue reading
Burnside 1999-2023, Oksamyt Wine Finish, 57.9% – Berry Bros. & Rudd
Where Fiddichside is obviously Glenfiddich, Burnside is their neighbouring distillery of Balvenie. As with many distilleries nowadays, they don’t want their distillery name on the label, and on top of that things have to be bottled as a blended malt. … Continue reading
Posted in - Blended Malt, Balvenie, Burnside
Tagged 1999, Balvenie, Berry Brothers and Rudd, Blended Malt, Burnside, Kirsch Import, Speyside, Tea spooned, Wine cask
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Fiddichside 31, 1989-2021, 1st Fill Oloroso and PX Finish, 47.5% – Murray McDavid Mission Gold
Fiddichside, hmm… What could it be? I don’t know of any other distillery with ‘fiddich’ in its name, so I guess this will always be a guess. It does say that it’s a blended malt, so it might be a … Continue reading
Posted in - Blended Malt, Glenfiddich
Tagged 1989, Blended Malt, Drambo, Fiddichside, Glenfiddich, Mission Gold, Murray McDavid, Sherry Cask, Speyside
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Mannochmore 13, 2010-2023, Bourbon Hogshead 3088, 54.8% – Dràm Mòr
After a couple of weeks of holidaying in France, and bringing quite a bag of samples with me that I barely (barley?) touched, let’s get right back to reviewing some fine drams! The first one of which is another one … Continue reading
Laphroaig 13, 1992-2005, Bourbon Cask 3407, 59.5% – Signatory Vintage
Back when I started my whisky adventure I used to visit De Whiskykoning on a very regular basis (some say a too regular basis). After discovering Islay whiskies and cask strength independent casks, so fairly quickly, I was doubting between … Continue reading
Posted in Laphroaig
Tagged 1992, Bourbon Cask, De Whiskykoning, Islay, Laphroaig, Signatory Vintage
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Speyside Single Malt 24, 1998-2023, 53.2% – Thompson Brothers
If you want older scotch malt whisky these days, you either have to go for undisclosed distilleries or blended malts. Or teaspooned as they like to call it. That is, if you want to keep things at least a little … Continue reading
Posted in Speyside, Undisclosed
Tagged 1998, Dornoch, Dramtime, Phil and Simon Thompson, Phil Thompson, Simon Thompson, Speyside, Thompson Bros, Undisclosed Distillery
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Bruichladdich 22, 1991-2014, Hogshead 2270, 55.9% – Whiskybroker
I was going to start this review by stating that I really like trying Bruichladdichs from before their restart in 2001. That would have been too much information in a way, since I like trying Bruichladdichs no matter what. Maybe … Continue reading
Posted in Bruichladdich
Tagged 1991, Bourbon Cask, Bruichladdich, Islay, Whiskybroker
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Malt Fascination 