The Balvenie 15 Years Old Single Barrel
Single Malt - Scotland - 50.40% 8 Certainly robust. Perhaps a little harsh?

Compass Box Hedonism
Blended Grain - Scotland - 43.00% 8 Someone knows what they are doing. Who would have thought grain whisky could taste so good?

Living Cask Volume XI
Blended - Scotland - 57.00% 7 A loud lad whose tone needs softening.

Old Malt Cask Clynelish 1971, 30 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 50.00% 7 There's more in the nose than in the finish. A really characterful malt. Interesting. This is one of the more medicinal expressions of Clynelish I have come across.

Blackadder Caol Ila 1990
Single Malt - Scotland - 58.50% 8 Light in the middle, and delicate throughout, but lovely Islay flavours.

Littlemill 1984, 18 Years Old, Chieftain's Choice
Single Malt - Scotland - 46.00% 7 The rum finish is very sympathetic towards the natural flavours of Littlemill, but the combination never quite delivers what it promises.

Celtique Connexion Speyside 1989, Sauternes Wood Finish
Single Malt - Scotland - 43.00% 7 Which Sauternes? The flavours of childhood, rather than sophistication.

Rare Old St Magdalene 1982
Single Malt - Scotland - 40.00% 7 Livelier, fresher, less "difficult" flavours than in most bottlings.

Rare Old Highland Park 1970
Single Malt - Scotland - 40.00% 8 Disappointing. Where is the richness, and especially the island character?

Celtic Heartlands Bowmore 1968
Single Malt - Scotland - 40.60% 8 Fresh, very drinkable. Doesn't remotely taste it's age.

Miyagikyo 10 Years Old
Single Malt - Japan - 45.00% 7 Nose is more attractive than the palate. Lacks elegance and cohesion.

Dewar Rattray Longmorn 1990 14 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 55.30% 7 I loved the aroma. After that the stern, impenetrable palate was frustrating but in keeping with the mood. A good, old-fashioned Speysider.

The Macallan 18 Years Old, Fine Oak
Single Malt - Scotland - 0.00% 8 A lovely, elegant yet large whisky. Why would you ever use sherry wood?

Bushmills 16 Years Old
Single Malt - Ireland - 40.00% 7 Triple distilled whiskey drawn from bourbon, sherry and port wood...what a balancing act. It usually works a treat, but this time the elements are strangely out of kilter.

Gordon & MacPhail Glen Calder
Blended - Scotland - 40.00% 7 On the sweet side, although the finish brings out a more assertive note. A good winter warmer.

Matisse 12 Years Old
Blended - Scotland - 40.00% 7 Quite a complex blend but it takes time to deliver. Well-balanced. Again it would have displayed more at a higher strength.

The Glenlivet 15 Years Old French Oak Reserve
Single Malt - Scotland - 40.00% 8 Complex. Entrancing.

Provenance Braeval 1996, 8 Years Old, Sherry finish
Single Malt - Scotland - 46.00% 7 More attractive on the nose than on the palate. Water spreads it thin.

Old Masters Glentauchers 1990 14 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 58.80% 7 Serve as an aperitif. Chilled?

The Dalmore Cigar Malt
Single Malt - Scotland - 43.00% 7 Oak calls the tune but does not drown out the choir. A classic afterdinner dram.

Old Pulteney 12 Years Old
Single Malt - Scotland - 40.00% 8 Forget about the first nose and enjoy that luscious exotic profile. But no water, thank you.

Old Masters Girvan 15 Years Old, Cask 110636
Single Grain - Scotland - 60.40% 7 Astonishingly full in both body and flavour for a grain whisky.

Canadian Mist Original
Blended - Canada - 40.00% 7 The nose is more elegant than the palate. Water washes that whisky out.

Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila 1969
Single Malt - Scotland - 45.00% 3 Surprisingly, the distillery character resists in this oldie. And peat “revisits” the aromatic palette. Integration again but no fusion.

Pappy Van Winkle 15 Years Old, Family Reserve
Bourbon - U.S.A. - 53.50% 8 A big guy. On a frosty Christmas Eve maybe, waiting for Santa Claus by the fireplace. No risk of falling asleep with this fellow!