.spey - 18yo

Close to the A9 near Kingussie, when Google maps tells you you are in Drumguish, you can find one of the most hidden away distilleries of the Speyside area, which is probably the furthest away from the centre of the Speyside area - the Speyside distillery. Releasing their whiskies under the "Spey" label, they have an 18yo in their modest portfolio, limited to only 1.500 bottles. We took a sample with us for the designated driver (me), so, here we go...

46% abv, €80
single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, dried fruit, raisins, sour berries, gooseberries

Palate: sweet, dried fruit, raisins, apricots, figs, slightly creamy, a hint of malt, biscuits

Finish: medium long, medium dry, slightly malty, biscuits again, dried fruits, apricots
Mark: ++/+++ 

Conclusion: I am not getting too many notes here, which is too bad. I would really like to re-visit this dram at some point, but am also afraid there just is not much left to be found anyway. I would strongly recommend not to add water though, mine just got iffy after adding a splash, so I cannot complete the note.

.spey - tenné

The most secretive (and out of the area) distillery of the Speyside area, is probably the distillery with the same name. The distillery has added a bourbon matured whisky to their portfolio, which has matured for an additional six months in freshly emptied ex-Tawny casks, hence the name Tenné, which we heard pronounced as "Tawny"

46% abv, €35
single malt

Nose: sweet, heather honey, vanilla, floral, heather, red wine (the port, probably), berries, cranberries, gooseberries, wood chips, a hint of pipe tobacco

Palate: sweet, honey, floral, heather, honeysuckle, fruit, fresh unripe berries, cranberries, gooseberries, citrus, oranges, freshly tanned leather, a touch of tobacco leaves

Finish: creamy, sweet, honey, berries, cranberries, gooseberries, medium dry, medium long, citrus, orange peel
Mark: +++/++

Conclusion: They could also have named this whisky after my uncle Ben, who was a painter, sculptor, poet, port drinker, pipe smoker, young at heart, the prototype epicurean. Although you have not known the good man, you probably have the correct image in mind already, of both man and whisky.

More info: This release is limited to 18.000 bottles, no age has been provided.

.speyside - 17yo - douglas laing - old particular 0034

48,4% abv, €115, single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: wood, sweet, toffee, fruit, citrus, blood-oranges, HUGE amount of red grapefruits, dried fruits, prunes, wood, old book stores (which I love)
Palate: sweet, toffee, gingerbread, candied ginger, spicy, jalapeños, dried fruits, raisins
Finish: sweet, dried fruits, raisins, tannins, wood, metallic
Mark: +++/++