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Clynelish 10yo Special Release 2023
We’ve been very lucky to have sampled the Diageo Special Releases from the past three years. And everytime the beautiful packed samples arrive, we speculate about which one will earn the title of our favourite. When the Clynelish name appears, it automatically rises to the top of our speculative...
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Balblair 12yo
Today, we’re revisiting an old friend with a new face – the Balblair 12. If you’ve been following our whisky adventures, you may remember our previous encounters with Balblair’s 1999 3rd Release and the 1989 3rd Release. Both were delightful in their own right, but thanks to De Monnik...
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Talisker X Parley: ‘Wilder Seas’
A week ago, we were delighted to receive this handsome bottle of whisky. And not just any whisky, but a product of an inspiring collaboration between Talisker and Parley for the Oceans, an organization dedicated to the preservation of our world’s oceans. The result is the Talisker X Parley:...
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The Glenturret 10yo Peat Smoked 2022
During a live tasting hosted by @monnikdranken in the heart of Twente at the beginning of this year, we got to taste peated Glenturret new make. It was such a good spirit, that I wouldn’t mind them bottling this as is. I couldn’t get enough of it really. A...
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Cardhu 16yo Special Release 2022
Whenever we get tired looking for easter eggs, we get a little bit naughty and wonder what more the Easter bunny has to offer. We must say, every year it’s at it again. This year it surprised us with this absolute beauty, the Cardhu 16 years old, part of...
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Teeling Renaissance Series 5
What do we have here? It seems we have stumbled upon something quite special during an online tasting – the Teeling Renaissance series 5. And not just any bottle, mind you. It’s an 18 years old one that has been finished on ex-Calvados casks, after an initial maturation on...
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Mortlach Special Release 2022
A few weeks ago we got to taste the entire Special Release 2022 series by Diageo. A tough job, we know… We went into every sample blindly, only knowing the distillery, age and maturation. Focussing on taste, what we mostly tend to do. Previous year had a somewhat different...
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The Gauldrons by Douglas Laing
It is a stormy night in October, going on a walk in the forest during these conditions isn’t one of your best ideas but you are determined to keep going, you are not a quitter! As conditions are getting worse you eventually need to seek shelter and you notice...
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Mac-Talla Strata 15yo by Morrison
It’s been 1,5 years since we got introduced to Morrison’s Mac-Talla. A series of independently bottled Islay malt(s) that reflect the Morrison’s family’s ties with Islay. One of the best places to be, if you ask us. This 15 years old Mac-Talla Strata is a single malt bottling of...
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The Epicurean Glasgow Edition by Douglas Laing
Meet the Epicurean, traveling from town to town, storyteller at heart. Charming and a little bit cheeky. We meet him for the second time already. As the night settles he pours us a dram of his own blend of malts. And then he starts telling… He’s full of stories...
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Smokehead Twisted Stout
Smokehead’s newest release brings us back to our time on Islay. At the table of the Ardview Inn at Port Ellen to be specific. At the end of a long day of travelling from distillery to distillery and tasting wonderful whiskies, drenched in peaty flavours, there was only one...
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Ben Nevis 2015 6yo by Roger’s Whisky Company
We’re an absolute sucker for Ben Nevis malts, so I’m glad a couple of our favourite indies do an expression from time to time. It’s an instant buy for us! The one we have right here is a banger by Roger’s Whisky Company. Just look at that label for...
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Clynelish & Ardbeg 1996-2021 25yo Horizon Sunset & Horizon Nightfall by My Name is Whisky
At the @whiskyconsutants.nl HQ, we like to broaden our horizons every now and then and luckily we happen to have friends in very, very powerful places. For example, Simon Paul and Francesca Murat from @mynameiswhisky_official who has been extremely kind to us in the past and once again provided...
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Octomore 12.3
Last november we took part in another great virtual tasting hosted by Bruichladdich’s Nick Bayens. This time we were up to the task of tasting the latest Octomore trio. I’m still in love with the Octomore 7.1 which I killed just a few weeks ago. But Bruichladdich has arrived...
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Cardhu 14yo Diageo Special Release 2021
Let’s be honest, Diageo knows what they’re doing when it comes to marketing. We received an incredible package a while ago, containing samples of all of the 2021 Special Release expressions. It is safe to say that we were speechless, and that’s a rare thing. This Cardhu 14 years...
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Old Pulteney 12yo
We can’t deny it any longer, autumn has definitely arrived here in the Netherlands. Leaves are falling, rain is pouring from dawn to dusk and the temperature is dropping massively day by day. We get a little sad every year when summer ends but these weather conditions make us...
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Glen Moray 10yo 2008-2019 #5584 Adelphi
My first ever single malt was a Glen Moray 12yo. And it was a great start. Years later I still enjoy a Moray from time to time. They are dangerously drinkable though. Sometimes you just need that little punch. And that’s where this 10yo Glen Moray by Adelphi comes...
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Smokehead Islay Single malt
From a lot of whisky worldwide, you can not see what is hiding inside. The looks of the bottle doesn’t give anything away about the character of the dram. This Ian Mcleod’s Smokehead clearly isn’t one of those, one glance at the frightening exterior gives you an idea of...
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Eaglesburn Distillery 2017-2021 Double Wood
Living under the smoke of Arnhem, how could we not have tasted the whisky that was founded in Arnhem by Bart Joosten? He might have thought the same, because he kindly sent us a bottle of the 2017-2021 Eaglesburn single malt, that had matured on bourbon casks, topped off...
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Mortlach 1997-2019 22yo Giorgio D’Ambrosio by My Name Is Whisky
Like it’s meant to be. It was my birthday 2 weeks ago and my brother in law presented me with a Mortlach 12yo, my wife gave me an 11yo bottled by Signatory and as a cherry on top, we received a mystery package by the Italian bottler My Name...
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Caol Ila 12yo 2008-2021 by Single Note
At the beginning of this year, we’ve covered a wonderfully sherried 5yo expression of Caol Ila by the fairly new Dutch bottler Single Note. Now they’re back with another Caol Ila, but this time it’s 12yo and has been matured on fresh bourbon barrels. We like the sound of...
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Ben Nevis 1998 17yo by Claxton’s
In our quest for the most delicious bottle, there are no certainties. Every whisky you buy, is some kind of guess. A quick taste before you pull out your wallet is great, but sometimes a dram falls short, just because it’s not the right moment and/or your palate isn’t...
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Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength Batch 011
It happens every now and then that we really dig a dram, but it lacks a bit of a punch. The whisky could be even better when it is bottled on a somewhat higher abv, but certainly not every bottle has a cask strength version, which is something we...
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Tomatin 2008 12yo Rivesaltes Casks
Last month, we got the opportunity to take part on the live tasting for the launch of The French Collection by Tomatin. As a fan of Tomatin, we were thrilled! The French Collection is a four part series, the whisky is distilled in 2008 and has initially matured on...
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Port Charlotte MRC: 01 2010
If there is one distillery who releases whisky for all tastes, it must be the Bruichladdich distillery. Who doesn’t know about Octomore or the classic Laddie? We have to say, the ‘regular’ expressions are somewhat tame in our eyes, but they’re doing a fantastic job when it comes to...
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Ardbeg Corryvreckan
When the weather is hot, like it is right here right now, I like myself an Ardbeg. The 10yo is always a solid pour, but I tend to rotate between editions. At the moment, Corryvreckan sits in my cabinet and from the regular CS expressions, I maybe like this...
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Àlainn 27 Year Old 1989 – The Vatting by Murray McDavid
What we have here is a very special and dangerously drinkable Islay blended malt by Murray McDavid. A vatting of Bowmore and Laphroaig from 1989, having matured for at least 27 years. My guess, based on the taste, is that it’s predominantly Bowmore, there are some hints of Laphroaig,...
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Ben Nevis 10 Year Old Cask Strength 2008 Batch 1
Ben Nevis came on my radar just 3 years ago. When I bought the regular 10yo I was sold. It was still widely available and fairly priced. Not anymore… Luckily there are plenty of independent bottlers to fill my needs for Ben Nevis. I’ve tasted some wonderful examples, which...
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Mac-Talla Mara by Morrison
Being an independent bottler seems like a difficult job to me. You’re dependent (oh the irony) of what distilleries or cask brokers have to offer, so you’ll have to carefully pick a cask that suits your brand. And there’s the consumer, who is heavily influenced by brands they know...
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Lagavlin 9yo House Lannister
I’m a huge fan of Game of Thrones, but wasn’t so sure about the themed whisky releases by Diageo. And here I am, I just couldn’t resist buying the cask strength Clynelish and this 9yo 46% ABV Lagavulin. I’m happy I gave in, because I thoroughly enjoy this dram....
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Rock Island by Douglas Laing
We think there is truly something magical about whisky, the craftsmanship, the community, it almost feels like a fairytale. Everytime we visit a distillery, we feel like we’re time travelers. Distilleries often do have some amazing stories behind their releases and that is, in some cases, what can make...
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Dailuaine 7yo 2011-2019 ex-Islay Octave Finish by Scotch & Tattoos
We’ve got to know a lot of people with the same ‘hobby’ through Instagram. Everyday we are thankful to have gained so many friends in this lovely whisky community. It is a wonderful community to be part of. One of our friends, whom many of you guys may know,...
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Caol Ila 2012-2020 8yo by Golden Drops Danmark
I took this photo in the morning, when golden drops of sunshine entered my office. Fitting for this bottle that was gifted to us by Golden Drops Danmark. With the elegant white label, stating one of our most beloved Islay distillery: Caol Ila and the glorious words ‘Oloroso 1st...
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Caol Ila Distillers Edition 2003/2015
When it comes to peated whisky, there are several drams that quench our thirst. But the Caol Ila distillery always feels a bit special for us. The strange thing is, we can’t give you valid reasons for that. Yes, they’ve released some beautiful expressions over the years, and indeed,...
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Caol Ila 5yo by Single Note
This dark 5yo Caol Ila is inspired by the maker’s passion: Jazz. Jazz is like whisky, it’s about experimentation, passion and interpretation. It’s the first release of the new Dutch independent bottler Rick van Diepen, the brand has been given the name Single Note. How high or low the...
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