Glen Elgin, 2009, 2026, 17 yrs, TCaH, 56.8 %, WB300572

Another sought after worm-tub distillery. Some Glen Elgins were notoriously hard to find—especially those with sherry influence; I am speaking, of course, from my own experience searching for them. Others may have had better luck. But what is the situation today? I get the impression that many Glen Elgins are once again appearing on the "whisky dance floor" as independent bottlings.

Nose: Mmh, Very elegant, some shy sweetness, not too overpowering, Icing sugar, some powderily Vanilla, some vanillic milkshake, some shaky coconut cocktails. Interestingly no fruit notes whatsoever. Some dough though. A bit of a confectionary but too far away. From the same direction: honeysuckles. Acacia honey in the vicinity.

Palate: Bitterness like from rockets or other root flavor, ginseng? Ginger?  Candied ones for sure. Rich, not that dense, light and floral. But viscous, chewy and oily.

Finish: A bit short indeed, camphoric, but not that much minty, interesting bitterness, a bit grassy.

Water reveals more herbs, more Vicks VapoRub, eucalyptus. Not so sweet cough drops. Fascinatingly attractive, different from the ordinary.

“Never love anyone who treats you like you're ordinary.”― Oscar Wilde

89/88/88

1770 Glasgow, 2017, 2025, 8 yrs, 55%, WB285966 or WB286260

Glasgow 1770 does a lot of experimenting—much like Holyrood in Edinburgh—using different casks, yeasts, doing finishes with exotic casks, peated and unpeated, and double, triple, x-iple distillation (I’ve lost count). Different barley? I don't know, I guess it's just concerto.

Nose: So sweet—creamy hard candies like Werther’s Original, toffee, burnt caramel (but not *too* burnt, just a light brown note). Syrupy; reminiscent of "Spaghetti-Eis" (vanilla ice cream pressed into noodle shapes) and candied walnuts. It’s like bathing in vanilla pudding powder—delightful. Banana and honeydew melon bobbing along like pool toys.

Palate: Creamy pudding, vanilla pudding, rice

pudding with vanilla sauce, a touch of cinnamon, and candied ginger. In the background—and slowly moving to the fore—are the varied juices of overripe yellow fruits. Fruit gums featuring assorted tropical flavors: banana, melon, pineapple, etc.

Finish: Unsurprisingly short, given its youth. Toffee notes, lingering candied ginger, and a hint of white pepper. A fair bit of the action takes place at the back of the palate. What I mean is

that no experimentation is needed here. This one is perfect as it is, despite how simple it is.

“The search for something can prove as interesting as finding it.”— Paulo Coelho.

91/90/89

Bowmore, NSS, 2015, 2026, 11 yrs, 57.9 %, WB296705

It's not my place to say it, but I will anyway: it's a real shame what Bowmore is doing with its spirit. Caramel colouring, chill filtering and all the other things you shouldn't do with Scotch are common practice (the same is true of many other distilleries; only independent bottlers showcase the spirit in its purest form). This spirit has so much potential: for me, it has a very appealing peat aroma and a very nice maturing behaviour. It works with bourbon, sherry and other wine casks. Bowmore was not really affordable for me independently; it was either too expensive or scarcely available. But recently, I've noticed, just a feeling, plenty of Bowmore flooding the market.

Nose: Nice, with bonfire and campfire notes producing umami together

with grilled meat and perhaps grilled vegetables. There is a slight minty freshness that produces the impression of a nice summer ocean breeze on the shore. Speaking of briny, maritime freshness and youthful vibrancy, I hate to say it, but I will anyway: 'summer whisky'. Incidentally, in summer I like young, peated, bourbon-matured Scotch whiskies. Everything is fine somehow, with no wars going on and everyone peacefully enjoying this whisky together without any deep thoughts. Now, vanilla notes together with sweet candy floss and Turkish delight spread across the room. In the background, there are hints of exotic fruits, such as honeydew melon and grilled pineapple. Wow, I can smell some herbs: basil? Thyme? Eucalyptus? There's a citrussy freshness — mandarins, perhaps?

Palate: A confectionary explosion of vanilla custard, smoked vegetables, smoked salmon, almonds, marzipan and other nuts, as well as other smoked dishes — but not ham or dark meat, rather white meat — together with grilled aromas from the barbecue. There are hints of a white wine, such as Pinot Gris, but with a distinctive sweetness. The sweetness is sherbet-like, with hints of fruit, such as pineapple juice. There are hints of lychee and starfruit, with a slightly lemony flavour and bitterness in the background.

Finish: Bitter, but not unpleasantly so. It is reminiscent of rocket or dandelion flavour, and is aromatic and fresh. It is herbaceous, but not overpowering. It's similar to the finish of a medium-complex, dry, summer white wine with a slightly mineral quality. Adding water brings out more sweet aromas and makes the palate more briny. The aftertaste is much more pleasant.

“Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”– Elie Wiesel

90/90/89