Strathisla 25 Year Old Silver Jubilee Gordon & Macphail

Strathisla Royal Salute 21

I was a bit hesitant to try the Royal Salute 21, being wary of gimmicks and marketing led premium prices that dominate the upper end of the blends market. What I discovered was an excellent surprise! A fragrant and uncomplicated nose of pleasing aromas. The first thing you get is lemon and honey followed by a toffee sweetness. There is a faint...

Score 90/100

Strathisla 12 Year Old

Got Strathisla 12 here today. Not a well known, big time distillery. And with only a 12 year old as its core range, we can assume much of this goes into Chivas blends (Apparently it’s the Chivas Bros. “spiritual home”). This was never one that really attracted me, if I’m being honest. But it’s cheap and easily accessible where I live. We’ve gotta...

Score 79/100

Strathisla 22 Year Old 1972 G&M CASK

Gordon & Macphail is the bottelaar with the most Strathisla in its track record. If I remember correctly, this one was poured at one of Bert Bruyneel’s Wee Dram Masters, meaning it can no longer be obtained through regular channels. That might be right, as this one was released almost twenty years ago. Once you get past the alcohol, the nose...

Score 81/100

Strathisla 14 Year Old 2002 AD Rattray

Last year A.D. Rattray, independent bottler with HQ in Glasgow, released two sister casks from this Speysider: #100006 en #100007, both of them bourbon casks. I was able to secure a sample of the first one. The nose is rather flat, actually. Lime and hazelnuts, cold coffee and some Turkish Delight but little else. Fresh, but simple. Nicely oily...

Score 81/100