http://www.whiskylifestyle.com/

Whiskylifestyle, Ederveen (2026)

29/05/2026

Tonight it's time for another family whisky tasting!

The theme, as you may have guessed already: Arran.

It's 33°C outside, there's a chance of severe thunderstorms later, and most sensible people are probably drinking ice-cold water (or a nice beer), but not us. We're committed to the cause. 😉

Tonight's line-up:

• Arran Barley 10yo (50%)
• Arran Private Cask 13yo – Whiskybase Exclusive (55.1%)
• Arran Signature Series Barrel Bonfire (50%)
• Arran Signature Series Duero Discovery (50%)

Looking forward to seeing which one comes out on top.

Cheers and happy weekend, folks! 🥃

27/05/2026

The Murray is a whisky series from Tullibardine, named after the historic Murray family connected to the Tullibardine area in Perthshire. Over the years, the range has included different styles and strengths, from wine cask finishes to bourbon cask-matured releases.

I’ve had a bourbon cask release from The Murray series before and really enjoyed that one, so I was very curious to try this newer 2013 edition as well.

TULLIBARDINE THE MURRAY TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Creamy vanilla and coconut, followed by a light floral note. Fresh green apples and pears add brightness, while honey and oats bring a gentle sweetness. There’s a touch of oak underneath it all, alongside a warm pastry-like note.

TASTE: Vanilla and coconut continue on the palate, joined by toffee, lemon zest and honey. The oak becomes more noticeable here, together with a hint of spices. With a few drops of water, more fruit appears, yellow apples and ripe pears in particular.

FINISH: finish with lingering vanilla and coconut. Kiwi appears subtly in the background, alongside the oak that adds a slightly bitter edge and a hint of mint.

I like it, although I personally preferred the 2022 edition just a little more. As the oak comes through much more prominently in this one. Still, all in all, a solid dram with a classic bourbon cask profile.

SCORE: 85/100

Bottle provided by Tullibardine

07/05/2026

It’s good to see Single Note releasing whisky again after such a long pause. Their latest release is a Glen Elgin distilled in 2013 and matured in a 1st fill bourbon barrel. Bottled at 55.5% ABV.

I already had the chance to taste this whisky before it was officially bottled and remember enjoying it quite a lot back then as well. Now that it is released, I am very curious to try it again.

GLEN ELGIN 12-YEAR-OLD TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Super fruity at first. Red apples and fresh pears, followed by hints of apricots and oranges. Vanilla and acacia honey. There’s also a lovely pastry-like note in the background.
GLEN ELGIN 12YO TASTING NOTES:

TASTE: Sweet and fruity, with a beautifully thick mouthfeel. Oranges and red apples, although the apples are less prominent than on the nose. Apricots again, together with sticky honey and a touch of vanilla. A little oak appears as well, along with pencil shavings, black pepper and cinnamon.

FINISH: Long and warming. The spices continue here together with the oak, while the fruity notes return once more.

Another lovely Glen Elgin. A beautifully fruity whisky with a full flavour profile. Maybe not the most complex dram out there, but it's quite tasty and enjoyable. I really like this one!

SCORE: 87/100

Bottle provided by Single Note.

30/04/2026

A souvenir from the always wonderful Whisky Fair. 🖤
Such a good weekend—great to see so many familiar faces again and taste some lovely whiskies!

I picked up this 17-year-old Bunnahabhain. I thought it was pretty nice when I tasted it there, so I’m curious to revisit it in a quieter moment.

Will open it soon. A review will follow.

09/04/2026

Compass Box returns with the 2026 edition of Hedonism, now released as part of its annual limited series. First introduced in 2000, Hedonism was one of the earliest blended grain Scotch whiskies to put grain whisky centre stage.

The blend brings together grain whiskies from Strathclyde, Cameronbridge and the closed Port Dundas distillery. The Strathclyde component reaches up to around 30 years old, while the others sit roughly in the 20 to 24 year range. A small portion of earlier Hedonism batches has also been included.

HEDONISM 2026 TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Crème brûlée and cappuccino. Ripe yellow apples, with a hint of oranges. Raisins in the background, along with a light touch of varnish.

TASTE: A lovely creamy mouthfeel. Crème brûlée and oranges return, joined by toffee. A fresh note of pine needles, some oak, and a pinch of black pepper. That slight hint of varnish lingers in the background.

FINISH: Short to mid-long. Crème brûlée fades slowly, with orange and a gentle note of pine needles.

An elegant and approachable grain blend. Well balanced, with a lovely creamy mouthfeel.

SCORE: 86/100

Sample provided by Bresser & Timmer

07/04/2026

I'm back with the final three samples from Tri Carragh.
A nice mix to finish things off: an older grain, a young Ardmore, and a very interesting Lochindaal.

NORTH BRITISH 34YO TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Green apples and fresh pears lead the way, followed by oatmeal porridge. Plenty of vanilla and coconut, with a hint of nail polish in the background.

TASTE: Crème brûlée and coconut upfront. Then green banana and pear. A slightly sharper edge appears as well, with notes of nail polish and a touch of resin. Some light oak towards the end.

FINISH: Rather short. Vanilla and that slightly solvent-like note linger, with hints of green apple, grapefruit and a bit of oak.

Dessert-like and easy to drink, but ultimately a bit too one dimensional.

SCORE: 84/100

-----

ARDMORE 11YO TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: A gentle layer of smoke, with fresh lemon, pears and green apples. Vanilla and a soft pastry note give it a slightly sweet edge.

TASTE: The smoke becomes more present here. Lemon again, alongside green grapes and a lightly bitter, green note. The sweetness leans towards pastry, with pear, apple and vanilla as well.

FINISH:Long and increasingly smoky. Ash, lemon and vanilla stay present, joined by a mineral edge, white pepper and a touch of mint.

A well-balanced dram where the smoke gradually builds and ties in nicely with the fruit and sweetness.

SCORE: 85/100

-----

LOCHINDAAL 16YO TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Very nice! A clear layer of peat, combined with brine, seaweed and a hint of green olives. There’s also smoked ham. Followed by fruits like apples, lemon and a touch of peach.

TASTE: The peat steps slightly back, allowing the coastal notes to come forward. Brine and green olives are more pronounced now. At the same time, there’s a nice sweetness from peaches and candied lemon, with a light honey note underneath.

FINISH: Long, with peat and iodine taking the lead. The fruit lingers quietly in the background.

This is a beautiful balance between peat, coastal influence and soft fruit. The layers work well together and give it real depth. This is just very good.

SCORE: 90/100

Samples provided by Tri Carragh

29/03/2026

Well… that was a forced break I didn’t ask for. 🙄

Finally back after a nasty flu, and easing in with this Living Souls 7 yo from Torabhaig.
First dram in days and honestly, a very good one to come back to.

Also, really nice to see Torabhaig showing up with indie bottlers. Curious where this will go in the coming years.

TORABHAIG 7YO TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: There’s a lovely layer of smoke, with lemon juice and fresh pears. A bit of chalk, and something like vanilla cake in the background.

TASTE: Creamy, almost like crème brûlée with peat smoke wrapped around it. A touch of salt, a hint of iodine, then back to vanilla cake and lemon. That chalky note lingers nicely.

FINISH: Mid-long, with peat smoke, vanilla, salt, a tiny bit of pepper, and some lemon zest.

It’s just really well put together. Balanced, easy to drink, but still interesting.
And honestly, it feels older than 7 years. Torabhaig just never seem to disappoint. 🥃

SCORE: 87/100

03/03/2026

Today, Dutch indie bottler Hogshead is in the spotlight! I’ve got 6 samples to review, but I’ll start with the first 3 — Instagram has its limits. 😉

Among them is a 5-year-old Chain Pier, from the now-closed Edinburgh pilot distillery (2018–2019) that produced just 39 casks (!)

CHAIN PIER 5YO TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Plenty of vanilla and oak upfront, with cinnamon and oats. A touch of honey, while a hint of lemon lingers quietly in the background.

TASTE: Resin on arrival, then rye bread, vanilla and a firm presence of oak and cinnamon. Followed by a wave of mint and aniseed.

FINISH: Mid-long. The oak returns once more, joined by black pepper and cinnamon.

Interesting to try once — especially considering the story behind it — but it’s not for me. The oak feels very dominant, and overall, it lacks balance.

SCORE: 79/100

-----

TEANINICH 10YO TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Rather sweet, with notes of apple beignet, orange peel, raisins and dried apricots. Caramel and hazelnuts.

TASTE: Sweet dates, dried apricots and raisins. Caramel and acacia honey, but also baked apples with cinnamon and hazelnuts. Followed by white pepper and nutmeg.

FINISH: Mid-long and dry. Oak, a hint of walnut skins, white pepper, nutmeg and a touch of caramel.

Rather tasty, but clearly cask-driven, with not much distillery character left, but enjoyable nonetheless. Yes, it’s quite sweet on both nose and palate, but in a pleasant way.

SCORE: 85/100

-----

LAPHROAIG 13YO TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Islay peat right away. Iodine, plasters and a briny note come through first, alongside wet rope. There’s also a fresh lemony edge and a note of grilled pineapple.

TASTE: More of the peat smoke. Iodine and plasters return, and that briny note. Ash follows, and a touch of caramel. Vanilla. The grilled pineapple reappears, though more subtly this time.

FINISH: Mid-long with lingering peat, ash, wet rope and that medicinal note. A hint of vanilla, too.

Classic Laphroaig, exactly as we love it! What a treat. 👌

SCORE: 88/100

22/02/2026

Today in the glass: another single malt from Ardnamurchan, a distillery I genuinely enjoy following. They’ve been quietly building a strong reputation, and for good reason! As they continue to release consistently well-made whisky.

This bottle is a 7-year-old single cask from 2018, released exclusively for the Netherlands. It was distilled from Golden Promise barley, a traditional Scottish variety introduced in the 1960s and far less common today due to its lower agricultural yield compared to modern strains. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 58.9% ABV.

Ardnamurchan 2018 TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Bright and fruity. Apple juice and canned apricots lead the way, followed by vanilla custard and soft caramel. There’s a gentle pastry note in the background, reminding me of cookie dough.

TASTE: A lovely creamy mouthfeel. Crème brûlée and acacia honey form the sweet core, with red apples and fresh oranges bringing lift. This is followed by salted caramel and a subtle mineral edge, white pepper and a touch of nutmeg.

FINISH: Mid-long. The mineral note lingers alongside white pepper and vanilla. Fresh orange zest and apple fade slowly in the background.

A very enjoyable dram. Plenty of flavour, nicely layered, and well-balanced. Another strong release from Ardnamurchan! 👌🥃

SCORE: 87/100

19/02/2026

Is it time for a review of the latest Kilkerran Heavily Peated? Yes. It’s that time again. 😉 Batch 13 already — and I can safely say this is one of those bottles that keeps finding its way back into my whisky cabinet.

This release was matured in 90% ex-bourbon casks and 10% sherry, and bottled at a firm 58.6% ABV. A familiar recipe by now, and one that usually works very well. Let's find out if that's still the case with this latest release.

KILKERRAN HEAVILY PEATED TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Peat leading the way. Then a hint of marzipan and vanilla, followed by caramel. There’s a fresh lift of lemon zest and a clear chalky minerality running underneath.

TASTE: Peat again, and plenty of it. Crème brûlée sweetness follows. Fresh lemons and sweet oranges brighten things up. That chalk note returns, alongside spices like black pepper and a touch of nutmeg.

FINISH: Mid-long. Lemons and caramel linger, with chalk and black pepper giving it a dry, slightly spicy edge towards the end.

It's nice, a solid dram and unmistakably Kilkerran Heavily Peated. That said, I do think the previous batch was better. If I remember correctly, that one showed a bit more fruit, adding an extra layer of complexity and flavour. Batch 13 feels a touch more straightforward in comparison. But overall? Still a bottle I’m happy to have in my cabinet. 🥃

SCORE: 86/100

Whiskylifestyle

29/05/2026

27/05/2026

07/05/2026

30/04/2026

09/04/2026

07/04/2026

29/03/2026

03/03/2026

22/02/2026

19/02/2026

Adres

Website

Meldingen

Contact

Snelkoppelingen

Delen