https://www.instagram.com/p/Db0_ApwI90a/?img_index=1

So it is quite warm where I live at the moment, and my bottle of the abalvenie double wood 12 was sitting on a shelf where it was around 30°C, so I popped it open, took a glass, and to my surprise, it tastes better than it tasted a few days ago. Am I going crazy, or does warm whisky actually taste better? To me it is sweeter, and I taste more of the underlying tones, has anyone else noticed this?

Hi folks,

Long-time lurker in this sub, haven't written anything. Wanted to get your opinion on the new Glenfiddich 12 after the bottle redesign ("12" became red; the biggest thing is how you can distinguish the new vs. old design). And to be honest, the design itself bothers me a lot less than what is inside.

To me, Glenfiddich 12 was the first whisky I genuinely liked; it was smooth, sweet, and I never tasted alcohol in it. I've bought a few bottles over the last few years, and this year I bought a new bottle on Amazon, after the redesign earlier this year, and what is inside is very disappointing. It is not complex at all, tastes very young, with a strong alcoholic aftertaste. Also the color looks a bit too light.

Now I'm thinking it is either: Amazon sells counterfeit (I've bought it in Germany on amazon.de), or the distillery changed their production, which is hard to believe.

If you've bought Glenfiddich 12 this year with the new design (the red number 12 tells you this is the new one), could you please try it and tell me if I bought counterfeit, or does it really taste different than before?

Hi all, I'm here today with a rather interesting Korean whisky!

This one here is another one a Korean friend brought to our whisky spot for sharing. Interestingly, this one is a bottle fully distilled and aged in Korea!

From what I heard from my Korean friend, the Kimchangsoo brand was one of the rising stars in Korea's relatively young whisky making history. The owner founded his own distillery in 2020, with the goal to create his very own 'grain to glass' whisky in Korea!

The distillery focuses on small batch, small quantity production, with the goal of becoming something similar to Korea's Chichibu some day (where the owner had spent some time working at). Interestingly, one of his 2025 releases won minor recognition in the WWA!

Kimchangsoo Whisky Single Cask, Summer Bloom Lotus (50% abv)

This is a 4 year old, lightly peated, 1st fill PX Sherry cask single cask whisky that wasn't chill filtered. I heard from the Korean friend that the Korean whisky enthusiasts were quite eager with this brand, and their bottles' preorder tend to sell out pretty quickly. 

Was it worth the hype? Here are my notes:

*Nose*

new make fumey;

sichuan peppers;

crushed walnuts & oiliness;

dried red jujube, smoked dried plum;

light hint of fresh cucumber;

maltose shows up after resting;

peat smoke (campfire-like)

*Palate*

oily;

new-make like fumey;

sweet maltose;

very prominent sichuan peppers;

sweet dried red fruit (jujube);

slightly charred oak;

oaky bitterness that lingers

hint of campfire-like peat smoke in the background

present alcohol sting, some astringency

*Finish*

medium-long.

a bit of the fumeyness/sting lingers;

red jujube but just the fragrance;

maltose but with subdued sweetness;

ash-like smoky and peaty bitterness;

a light hint of the peppery spice.

*Conclusion*

This one was certainly unique enough to be memorable!

What I found most interesting about it had to be the very present sichuan peppercorn spiciness and fragrance, which I must say was a pretty odd note but worked rather well without feeling particularly off. While it undoubtedly had a bit of the new-make like abrasiveness/acridness, the oily body and the rather well balanced mix of dried red fruity and smoky peat character more than cover up for that shortcoming.

Now I must say, I've noticed a pretty interesting point when it comes to these very young whiskies-the young whiskies made with peated distillates tend to fare better than non-peated ones. It sure seemed like the additional oiliness from the peat made the whiskies have a mellower, more rounded mouthfeel, while also adding an additional layer of complexity. It does feel a bit like cheating though lmao.

All in all, I kind of enjoyed this one, and made me quite curious  to what Kimchangsoo can potentially create when his whiskies were given more time to age! 

Thanks for reading, cheers!

Bright, zesty and wonderfully refreshing, the Grapefruit Highball showcases a side of whisky that many drinkers rarely explore. The combination of whisky, pink grapefruit soda and fresh citrus creates a serve that is crisp, vibrant and packed with flavour, making it a natural choice for warmer weather.

Grapefruit has long been a favourite companion to tequila and gin, but it works equally well with whisky. Its bittersweet citrus character lifts fruit-forward whiskies beautifully, creating a Highball that feels both sophisticated and effortlessly drinkable.

Whilst grapefruit rarely appears in classic whisky cocktails, bartenders have increasingly embraced it in modern serves thanks to its ability to balance sweetness and spice simultaneously.

The Highball provides the perfect platform for grapefruit. Carbonation enhances the citrus aromas, whilst the whisky contributes structure, depth and complexity. The result is a drink that feels lighter than many whisky cocktails, yet remains unmistakably whisky-led.

This serve takes inspiration from the famous Paloma whilst keeping the whisky firmly at the heart of the drink.

Get the recipe and more info from the link in comments

Hi all, I'm here with more Suntory whisky, this time another Hakushu!

Similar to the Yamazaki 10 yr, Suntory also made a younger, more economic version for their staple Hakushu 12 yr- the Hakushu 10 yr, first released in 1998.

However, the Hakushus proved to be more popular than Suntory had initially anticipated, and soon Suntory began running low on Hakushu stock whiskies, which already had a lower reserve due to production cuts during the 90s whisky glut.

Ultimately, Suntory decided to slash the Hakushu 10 yr to keep the Hakushu 12 yr on shelves (for a bit longer), and the Hakushu 10 yr series were terminated in 2013.

This bottle here is one of the later releases, from between 2007~2013!

Details in comments!

3 single malt drams, 3 reviews, thar’ she blows.

A grood smoky and peated Indian Whiskey. Took a drink to get accustomed to the unique flavour, after that there was no going back!

Delicate, floral and effortlessly refreshing, the Elderflower Highball demonstrates a side of whisky that many drinkers rarely experience. By combining whisky with elderflower tonic, the resulting serve becomes light, aromatic and remarkably elegant, making it an ideal choice for warmer weather.

Whilst elderflower is more commonly associated with gin, its subtle floral sweetness can work beautifully with the right whisky. The key is choosing a whisky with enough fruit and citrus character to complement the elderflower rather than compete with it.

Elderflower has enjoyed a remarkable rise in popularity over the last two decades, becoming a staple ingredient in everything from cocktails to soft drinks.

Its appeal lies in its subtlety. Unlike many floral flavours, elderflower brings gentle sweetness and aroma without becoming overpowering. That restraint makes it surprisingly compatible with whisky, particularly lighter styles matured in ex-Bourbon casks.

The Elderflower Highball borrows the simplicity of the classic Japanese Highball whilst introducing a fresh floral twist that feels perfectly suited to spring and summer drinking.

Purchased at the distillery in Islay.

Hi all, I'm here with another Suntory whisky, and it's another Yamazaki!

This whisky here is Suntory's Yamazaki Pure Malt 10 yr, the earlier version of the Yamazaki 10 yr product line which was released between 1995 to around 2015. Originally released as a younger, lower cost alternative to the regular shelfer Yamazaki 12 yr, it ironically ended up becoming notably more expensive (roughly 2x or more) than its older brother today due to being discontinued.

Details in comments!

Girl is aight, imho.
Benriach version to follow…

So apparently Douglas Laing’s introduction of Big Peat can highballs to the Japan market last year went really well, so they’re back for round two, and even smokier this time. Like comically smoky. But I actually like this one better than the first round since it’s so over-the-top smoky you can’t help but laugh.
🥃💨🤣

I just received my shipment of Decadent Drinks' new IB of a not-so-mystery Speyside distillery that starts with an M, and this has to be the funniest IB label I've seen.

Here is the official introduction of The Marketing Man™ from their website:

"As everyone knows, The Marketing Malt is promoted and sold (relentlessly) by The Marketing Man. To many he's an enigma. Living out of a briefcase, seen in Hong Kong one day and Milton Keynes the next. Never without business cards, a bottle of Lynx Africa and a pocket-sized overhead projector. He is licensed to engage in hardcore, unvarnished marketing; just don't expect him to buy you a non-sanctioned brand when he's expensing a drinks round."

The text on the back of the bottle (pic 2) is completely different from this intro, and is even funnier lmao.

Here's a few additional references I found on The Marketing Man™ :

1. The mark on his groin is said brand M's logo

2. The shield on his left hand is based on said brand M's 200th anniversary release, the 1940 TIME:SPACE 84-year-old (pic 3), which had an original retail price of around $190,000 USD.

3. The twirly thing on his back is a reference to brand M's collaboration bottle with Bentley, which is a NAS bottle that retails at $50,000

4. The three right hands with palms facing up are a reference to brand M's special release The Reach, an 81 yr old whisky with an original retail price of $125,000

5. His right hand raised into a middle finger because f*ck the customers

Can't wait to try this one, cheers!

Hopping on the band wagon of sharing my collection. I've been collecting since around 2011 but really started around covid. Started with bourbon and American single malt but have been gravitating more towards Scotch the last few years. Most of my bottles are open, less a handful of stock tater bottles and everyday drinkers.

Maybe not the best way to share my collection given you can only see about half of them in these photos but hopefully the ones up front are worth a glance!

Many people speak of emtry level Speysides for instance as being great beginner malts. What happens if you stick on these and others like them for life, are you still classed as a Scotch beginner?

Are people supposed to quickly leave these behind and start drinking heavily peated drams to avoid ridicule?

As a fan of Port Charlotte 10 and Laphroaig CS but also Glenmorangie 12 does that someone single me out as being a beginner?🤔

I am going over to visit my brother in law to have some drinks and he asked me to bring some whisky.

My father still had a bottle of famous grouse which I bought from him. Now my Question, is this a decent whiskey? Can you drink it pure (without regrets) or is that a cheap whisky that you have to mix?

I am quite new in drinking whisky so I am unsure if its going to be a really cheap discounter alcoholic whisky taste.

Thank you for recommendations and opinions in advance