Year 2016 highlights!

Let's establish the tradition to tamp the results of each year and name TOP-5 in 3 categories. 

Balmenach 14 yo Sestante 57.5%

Repetition of a New Year and second antique Italian bottling in a row...

Miltonduff trio: 1963 G&M 40%, 25 yo Maltbarn 51.2% and 14 yo Sestante Pluscarden Valley 57.4%

Gradually 3 bottles of Miltonduff gathered on shelf, so why not taste them together?..

Benriach quartet: 16 yo Virgin oak cask 3269, 18 yo Rum Barrel cask 1644, 32 yo Refill Bourbon Barrel cask 7512 and 18 yo Oloroso Butt cask 7353

Tonight we'll retaste set of 4 single cask Benriachs bottled for Ukrainian Whisky Connoisseurs Club.

Longmorn 20 yo 1992/2013 DL Director's Cut 53.6%

One of the recent facts I discovered about this distillery was one Japanese guy working there on probation in 1919. His name was Masataka Taketsuru and you might have heard something about Nikka distillery.

Ukrainian Whisky Connoisseurs Club - December 2016 tasting

Last tasting in 2016 was including the best malts we've met during this year. And also some new expressions bottled exclusively for UWCC and Whisky Corner. 

Littlemill 1990/2013 22 yo BR cask #16 46%

Distillery was stopped in 1996, the remains were destroyed by fire in 2004. Possibly one of the oldest Scottish distilleries with roots going back to 1750 (at least Littlemill bottles are still more or less available on the shelves). 

Friday tasting part 2 (mainland): Mannochmore 10 yo 59.1%, Auchroisk 9 yo 60.6%, Glendullan 13 yo 58.7% and Clynelish 20 yo LMDW Artist #5

Now we move from the islands of Scotland to the mainland and take a set of Manager's choice releases. 

Friday tasting part 1 (islands): Arran 16 yo Private cask, Bunnahabhain 25 yo 46.3%, Ardbeg Auriverdes 49.9%, Caol Ila 19 yo Maltbarn 52.8%

New Year is coming, only two weeks left and too many samples are looming. But let it be our biggest problem to solve :)

Laphroaig 10 yo CS batch 008 59.2%

Haven't tasted the most medicinal Islay spirit for quite a long time... 

Ledaig 18 yo 46.3% and Ledaig 21 yo Cadenhead 53.6%

A pair of Ledaigs tonight. Winter is coming... 

Highland Park 25 yo 48.1% vs Tobermory 32 yo 49.5% vs Fettercairn 35 yo 53.5%

Three great whiskies standing on a wall... Quite spontaneously Sergii and me decided to make tough contest among the malts that really impressed us this year. They are the champions already, but which one is the best?..

Islay tasting: Cask Islay, Bunnahabhain 1997 van Wees, Kilchoman 10 yo Private cask, Caol Ila 2003 Potstill, Laphroaig 23 yo (1991 vintage)

Nice Islay tasting took place on 07.12.2016. Four bottles from independent bottlers and one official release. 

Kilkerran 12 yo 46%

First official release from Glengyle distillery being founded in 1872, closed in 1925 and restarted in 2004 as a sister distillery of Springbank. It doesn't happen often when you taste first core release of a new distillery :) 

Highland Park 15 yo 40%

Discontinued and often neglected bottling. Still available on the web or small shops.

Benriach 11 yo single cask for Whisky Dram, Hazelburn 9 yo Barolo Cask and Springbank 12 yo CS batch #13

TGIF. And Friday evening is a perfect time to have a couple of new drams in Goodwine whisky location.

Ledaig 10 yo Artist #5 cask 900179 60.4%

Hello, my little malty-mono-Mull maniacs! Tonight we have quite unusual Mull inhabitant - Ledaig 10 yo dressed in the height of latest Paris fashion.