Tomatin Cù Bòcan, Creation #8, 2026, 46%, WB300819

I would never have bought this because it's not my wheelhouse. But I was influenced by Roy, the famous influencer from Aqvavitae. So there you go, another tragedy and I'm no wiser. This Tomatin, by the way, is an experimental bottling with some interesting cask finishes, such as Canadian Ice Wine and Spanish Verdejo white wine casks — both formidable drinks. How do they influence this bottle?

Nose: There's an intense maltiness, an extremely sweet aroma and tropical fruits, reminiscent of the juices found in countries around the

equator, such as papaya, maracuja, mango and lychee influenced by the tropical climate. It's similar to the cheap, sweet multivitamin juice from Aldi that's been found guilty of influencing diabetes a, b, c, d and the rest of the alphabet. There are sweet Haribo gums with lots of tropical fruits, but lots of artificial flavours. Speaking of artificial and superficial things, there's a hidden youth with bad character and a bad influence, underficial some alcohol burning sneakily underneath. If you change glasses, you'll find grilled pineapple, bananas, hints of coconut, and of course the vanilla armada: butterscotch, crème brûlée, Balsen butter cookies, café latte, and bubble gum. Hey, wait! Those last two are sneaky influencers...

Palate: Forget the palate; just focus on the nose. No, I must endure this procedure even though it's not my target profile. There are hints of bitter seeds, like those from oranges or grapefruits, and a citrusy orange peel flavour. It's very watery yet sharp and alcoholic, and somehow young and superficial. Maybe I can see the intention: to create an easy-drinking, sweet summer whisky. Not on my watch! This is another example of how tastes can differ; some people may find this very appealing, but it doesn't work for me. Despite its watery nature, sharpness and bitterness influence the mood. It's like artificially sweetened, young, thin, bad grappa.

Finish: Short and sharp, with a lingering aftertaste similar to white pepper. The influence is gone if you turn off YouTube; it disappears rapidly if you swallow it down, but the guilt remains — a guilty conscience due to wasting money again for nothing. 'I longed for him. Got him. Shit.' ― Margaret Atwood

87/81/80

Lammerlaw, Willowbank, 1988-1992, van Wees, 46%, 2025, WB289472

Where to start? I came across this bottling while randomly scrolling through the Whiskybase pages. Obviously, this isn't a Scotch, but a single malt from New Zealand, produced by the New Zealand Malt Whisky Company and sold under the Milford brand. The distillery has already been dismantled. Do not confuse it with the Lammerlaw Distillery in Scotland, which closed a long time ago. The whisky is named after the spring that provides the distillery with its main ingredient; however, according to various resources, it is also said to be named after the mountains in Dunedin. This is a marriage of first fill barrels from 1988 and 1992.

The nose is bold and rich with notes of manuka honey and ripe pineapple. Waves of candy aromas and fruity notes: cotton candy, lots of vanilla, like a cloud of sweet vanilla custard powder. Ripe peaches and apricots. Hints of herbal notes make this an interesting olfactory experience.

Palate: Spices, mustard and candied ginger. There is a hint of wood spice, perhaps sandalwood. Some tannins. The sweetness is profound, but the richness retreats in favour of low, waxy, oaky notes.

Finish: Perhaps the low ABV of 46% results in a thin, short finish. Some waxiness lingers in the mouth. There is dryness in the cheeks.

93/89/88