Miltonduff 2007 (Gordon & MacPhail)

“Sherry Oh Baby”

Whisky Review # 1076

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Speyside

Brand: Miltonduff 2007

Bottled By: Gordon & MacPhail on 06-10-2021 - Connoisseurs Choice Series

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky - Cask #  18603501 - 329 Bottles
Age: 13 Years 

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 59.7% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: First-Fill Sherry Hogshead Cask 

Chill Filtration: No
Price: Around US$ 100 (December 2025) - Not easy to find though

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Borderline Okay
Buying Advice: 🤔 If you're into Sherry Bombs with a high ABV then go for it! 

Colour:

Deep Gold (Sherry) - Natural Color

Nose:

Dark, Full and Sweet. Clear Sherry cask influences. Lots of Dried Fruits and Nuts. Perhaps a very faint Sulphur note but it's nothing serious and it fades away quite quickly. The Nose is not bad by all means but a bit one-dimensional. The ABV is quite high so please refrain from sticking your Nose in the middle of your glass.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Caramel, Butterscotch, Straw, Dried Fruit like Apples, Plums, Raisins, Prunes and Figs, Dark Red Berries like Blackberries, Dusty Oak, Mixed Nuts, Dark Chocolate, Orange Liqueur, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.  

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Dark Honey, Toffee, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Buttered Toast, Dough, Nectarine, Lemon, Apricot Jam, Dairy, Pepper, Cloves, Leather and a Floral note.

 

Palate:

Quite Creamy, Sweet, Dry and Mouth-Coating. The Palate follows the Nose with Caramel, Dried Fruits & Nuts leading the way. The Alcohol is quite strong. A good after-dinner Palate.  

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Toffee, Butterscotch, Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Dried Fruit like Apples, Figs, Raisins & Apricots, Mixed Nuts, Straw, Brandy, Orange Liqueur, Blackberries, Dark Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Polished Leather, Pepper, Nutmeg and Cloves.     

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Dark Honey, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Molasses, Gooseberries, Dark Tea, Tobacco, Wet Rocks, Cinnamon, Ginger, Aniseed, Menthol and Licorice.        

  

Finish:

Middle-Long and quite Sweet. The Alcohol is very strong & this Miltonduff certainly needs some Water. Quite Dry towards the end. The Dried Fruits/Nuts/Caramel combo remains the driver of this Single Malt. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Toffee, Butterscotch, Salted Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Vanilla, Dark Honey, Dried Fruit like Apples, Figs, Raisins and Apricots, Toasted Nuts (Almonds), Blackberries and Gooseberries, Polished Leather, Dusty Oak, Orange-Flavored Dark Chocolate and Spices like Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Cinnamon & Ginger. Some Licorice & Menthol as well. 

Drinking Advice:

Added Water is a must in this case. It vastly improves your drinking experience while maintaining the original Aroma and Flavour profile.  

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2) 

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7  

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good. It needs some added Water though.

Conclusion:

This distillery was founded in 1824 and is located in Elgin. A huge reconstruction of the distillery took place in 1974 and another one is going on right now. It changed hands various times over the years but ever since 2005 it is owned by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard). Most of the production is destined for the Chivas blends. More specifically, Miltonduff and Glenburgie form the heart of Ballantine's. The capacity of the reconstructed distillery will increase to a stunning 16 million litres making it one of the 3 largest malt distilleries in Scotland. The only official bottling is a 24 Years old that is part of the Secret Speyside Collection.

The Miltonduff 2007 is a special release on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Van Wees, a Dutch independent bottler. If you like Sherry Bombs with a high ABV you might give this a go. The Cask influence is very strong and I doubt if anybody would guess this Single Malt to be a Miltonduff in a Blind Tasting. Could just as well be Aberlour, Glenfarclas, Mortlach, Tamdhu or any other sherried Speysider. I am not a huge fan of this type of Whisky but it's certainly well-made albeit one-dimensional. Strictly for fans!    

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                 December 17, 2025

Eden Mill St.Andrews 2023

“Run Of The Mill”

Whisky Review # 1075

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Lowlands

Brand: Eden Mill - (Art of) St. Andrews 2023 Release 

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky  
Age: NAS 

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46.5%
Maturation:A mix of Oloroso and PX hogsheads and Ex-Bourbon barrels
Finish: Ex Grande Champagne Cognac casks

Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 150-190 (December 2025)

Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers
Buying Advice: 😒 Not really bad but there are better alternatives at this price level

Colour:

Light Gold (Natural Color)

Nose:

Young, Light, Malty and Yeasty. A mix of Sweet, Sour and Bitter notes. It's lightly peated and that enhances the Aroma profile. The Sherry influence is there but not overpowering. Not too much depth here. No Off-notes to speak of. It's okay. 

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Slightly Burnt Toast with a Butter/Margarine Spread, Yeast, Dough, Earthy Peat, Bonfire Smoke, Dried Fruit like Apricots, Plums & Dates, Green Apple, Pear, Lemon, Dusty Oak, Nuts and Nutshells, Pepper, Mint and Ginger.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Caramel, Grain Biscuits, Bread, Milk Chocolate, Caffe Late, Grapefruit, Wet Paper, Damp Cellar and Cinnamon. Hints of Metal, Raw Meat and Varnish.

 

Palate:

Young, Light and a little Hot. A mix of Bitter, Sweet & Sour notes. Nothing special but a lot better than the 2019 Release I reviewed earlier this year.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Toasted Grains, Slightly Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Bread, Dough, Yeast, Biscuits, Earthy Peat, Bonfire Smoke, Nectarine, Lemon, Grapefruit, Green Apple, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Plums, Nuts and Nutshells, Dusty Oak, Bitter Herbs, Pepper and Ginger.       

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Wax, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Orange, Milk Chocolate, Caffe Latte, Wet Paper, Metal, Damp Cellar, Raw Meat, Tobacco, Peanuts, Varnish and Cinnamon.    

  

Finish:

Young, slightly Rough/Hot and on the Short side. A mix of Sweet, Sour and Bitter notes. The Bitterness increases towards the Medium-Dry end. The Alcohol is quite present here. Easily the weakest part of this Eden Mill. I find Sweet Barley, Grains, Salted Caramel, Yeast, Dough, Demerara Sugar, White Wine mixed with Sparkling Water, Grass, Honey, Lemon, Grapefruit, Green Apple, Dried Fruit like Bananas & Plums, Earthy Peat, Bonfire Smoke, Charred Dusty Oak, Nutshells, Milk Chocolate, Pepper, Cinnamon and Ginger. Hints of Varnish, Humid Paper and Cold Wet Steel.  

Drinking Advice:

This Eden Mill does not improve at all with added Water. Better sip it neat.  

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 5.5  

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay except for the Finish.

Conclusion:

Eden Mill was founded in 2012 in Guardbridge close to St. Andrews. It started as a Brewery but a distillery was added in 2014. In March 2022 the plans for a new and larger distillery were approved and in April 2025 the first Spirit was produced. The large investments and the general challenges of the whisky market caused financial problems and in the second half of 2025 Eden Mills was placed into the hands of administrators. Fortunately an Investment Group called Ruby Capital acquired the business and assets of Eden Mill in late November. Let's cross fingers that Eden Mill will have a bright future.

This is only my second Eden Mill and although better than the 2019 release (see Palate) I'm not really impressed with this distillery so far. This St. Andrews is not really bad but it has all the flaws of an immature Single Malt. Good whisky needs time and that's often a huge (financial) problem for starting distilleries. Let's hope  that the new owners will allow the distillery to produce at least some fully matured Single Malts in the future. I'm certainly looking forward to that!   

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                 December 10, 2025

Le Breuil Origine

“Allez Le Breuil”

Whisky Review # 1074

Country: France 🇫🇷
Region: Normandy

Brand: Le Breuil Origine

Type: Single Malt French Whisky - Double Pot Still Distillation  

Age: NAS (Probably 5-6 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46 %
Maturation: Mix of small (200-250 Litres) French Virgin and American Oak casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 40-55 (December 2025)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay
Buying Advice: 🙂 It's certainly worth to give it a try. One of the better French Single Malts I have tried so far!

Colour:

White Wine (Natural Colour) 

Nose:

Light and Fruity. The Virgin Oak is clearly recognizable. A mix of Sweet and Sour notes. Not very complex but not unpleasant. No off-notes. It's quite Malty as well. The Pastry department of a Bakery came to my mind. 

Main Aromas:

Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Breakfast Cereals, Dried Apple and Pineapple chips, Bread Dough, Puff Pastry filled with Peach Jam, Virgin Oak, Mix of Apple Juice & Sparkling Water, Sugared Almonds, Coconut, Wet Stones and Cinnamon.  

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Buttered Toast, Hay, Pear, Lemon & Orange Peel, Grapefruit, Herbal Tea, Beer, Ginger, Pepper, Iron and Mint.  

Palate:

Light, mainly Sweet and a little harsh. A few Sour & Bitter notes for balance. Not  bad. It reminds me a bit of Irish Pot Still Whiskey.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Crème Brûlée, Fruit Candy (Pineapple, Pear & Peach), Apple Juice, Sugared Almonds, Bread Dough, Coconut, Green and Floral notes, Cinnamon and Mint.            

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Caramel, Honey, Butter Biscuits, Herbal Tea, Grapefruit, Virgin Oak, Cardamon & Pepper. A light Metallic note after a while.  

Finish:

Light, Creamy, a little Edgy and Middle-Long. Mainly Sweet but with some Bitter and Sour notes for company. Dry towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, Caramel, Vanilla, Apple Cider, Citrus Peel, Grapefruit, Coconut, Pear Drops, Pepper, Virgin Oak, Mint and hints of Metal and Licorice.

Drinking Advice:

When adding a little Water the harsh notes on the Palate and in the Finish almost disappear. But the Nose gets very "Bready" & Malty and you will lose a lot of Fruit on the Palate. Better drink it neat.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

Le Breuil Origine is produced by La Spiriterie Française in Le Breuil en Auge in the Normandy. The company was founded around 1954 as a distiller of Calvados. More recently Rum and Whisky (2015) were added to the product range. The Origine was bottled in 2021 (6000 Bottles) and was made using Golden Promise Barley.

I was pleasantly suprised by this French Single Malt. The producers appear to be on the right track. Natural Colour, a good ABV and decent casks. This Origine is a bit on the Light side still and it could do with a longer maturation. Let's hope they have the cash to mature their whisky for 10-12 years as the Spirit would benefit for sure. I'm looking forward to taste a fully matured Le Breuil and I wish them all the success in the world. Allez Le Breuil! 😃

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                 December 3, 2025

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2026

 

“If You Like Whisky You Will Love This Book”

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2026

As you all know the purpose of Best Shot Whisky Reviews is to give my personal opinion on Whiskies from all around the world. As it's important to maintain my independent position, I'm not engaged in any commercial activity. But, as I have done over the last 12 years, I would like to make an exception to be able to share with you the 21st edition of The Malt Whisky Yearbook by Ingvar Ronde that has been released every year since 2005. 

As always, the Malt Year Book is packed with highly interesting stories, this time amongst others considering Faith in the Future, Beyond the Bog, China In Your Hand, The Sherry Impact, Premium Whiskies and Sherry and Scotch. The writers include Ian Wisniewski, Kristiane Westray, Gavin D. Smith, Nick Morgan, Jonny McCormick and Justine Hazlehurst.

The most important part of the book remains the detailed description of Scottish Distilleries and more compact presentations about Single Malt Whisky Distilleries in the rest of the world. All in all, a total of 930 Malt distilleries are presented with updated facts.

And there's more such as a new item called Exceptional Designs, an overview of more than 150 of the best Whisky Shops in the world, a comprehensive summary of the past whisky year & a chapter about the world's most important independent bottlers.

Whisky Statistics, Best Whisky Web Sites (including Best Shot Whisky Reviews 😃), Distilleries per Owner, Closed Distilleries, New Distilleries and Maps complete this Book that also contains more than 500 color photos and over 200 Tasting Notes.

Year after year, this book not only manages to inform you in depth about the Malt distilleries all over the world but it also gives you solid background info that gives you an idea of the state of today's Whisky market. That's basically all you need if you want to buy one book on Whisky. And that applies to Whisky enthusiasts and people that work in the Whisky industry.

On top of that, this book is certainly not expensive for what it offers (US$ 21) and is sold in Whisky Shops, International Book Stores, Distillery Visitor Centers and of course at the editor's website:

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2026

I wish you lots of fun with the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2026!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan

Laphroaig 10 Sherry Oak Finish

“Smells Like Sweaty Teen Spirit”

Whisky Review # 1073

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Islay

Brand: Laphroaig Sherry Oak Finish

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky  

Age: 10 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48 %
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with Oloroso Sherry European Oak Finish 
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 60-75 (November 2025)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Perhaps a bit too expensive
Buying Advice: 😐 I prefer the regular 10 but in any case do try to find a sample first before buying a full bottle

Colour:

Dark Reddish Brown with shades of Orange (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

The Peaty and Medicinal aspects of Laphroaig are still there of course but they are substantially softened by the Sherry Finish. That makes it more approachable but it also affects the distillery profile. Perhaps a shorter Finish or less active Sherry casks would have been more appropriate. I also get a light off-note that I can't exactly define. It's a weird mix of  Rubber, Metal and Sweat. I also find the Nose on the Thin side despite the adequate ABV for this expression. That's a bit odd. In any case I advise you to give this Laphroaig enough time in the glass before you start Nosing. Certainly not my favorite Laphroaig nose though.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Molasses, Soft Coastal Peat, Salt Water, Burning Embers, Hospital, Iodine, Tar, Ashes, Dark Chocolate, Nuts, Dark Berries & Cherries, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Figs and Plums, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ with a sprinkle of Citrus & Herbs, Leather, Metal, Cars Burning their Tyres on the Asphalt & Cloves. 

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Plastic, Rubber, PVC Pipes, Pepper, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Licorice, Tobacco, Cigar Box, Charred Oak, Espresso and Bitter Oranges. 

Palate:

It does not happen a lot but I like the Palate more in this case. It's a nice balance between the various casks and the distillery character. I find some additional Sour notes and they combine well with the Sherry Sweetness and the Peaty and Herbal spirit. My favorite part of this expression. It does get a bit dry at this point.  

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Soft Coastal Peat, Cigar Smoke, Ashes, Tar, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Nuts, Dark Berries and Cherries, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ, Cigar Box, Charred Oak, Dark Fruit like Raisins, Figs and Prunes, Leather, Pepper, Licorice and Nutmeg.          

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Molasses, Wax, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Cocoa Powder, Dark Espresso, Hospital, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Cloves, Aniseed, Rubber, Metal, Bitter Orange and Spiced Sweet & Hot Red Wine.     

Finish:

The Finish is on the Short side and a bit Thin as well. After the Palate I was hoping for more here. It's rather Dry and a little on the Bitter or Tannic side. I find Sweet Malt, Caramel, Vanilla, Honey, Toffee, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Nuts, Espresso, Soft Peat, Smoking Embers, Iodine, Salt Water, Hospital, Iodine, Ashes, Bitter Burning Herbs, Dark Berries and Cherries, Grapefruit, Bitter Orange, Wet Stones and Clay, Rubber, Plastic, Metal, Licorice, Leather, Tobacco, Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves and Aniseed.  

Drinking Advice:

No need to add Water to this Laphroaig but it does calm down the Nose a bit. So please try it both ways.

Rating: 7 (*******) 

Nose: 6.5 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 6.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good but with flaws on the Nose

Conclusion:

Laphroaig is located a few miles outside Port Ellen on the island of Islay and was founded in 1815 by Alexander & Donald Johnston. It was bought by Beam Suntory in 2014. Since, the distillery has launched a number of NAS Whiskies that received mixed critics. I find this a pity as I used to consider Laphroaig one of my favorite distilleries. The 10, the discontinued 18 and the old 15 Years are some of my all time favorites. I also love to visit the place and the people. The annual production currently amounts to 2.9 million litres but will be expanded to around 4.8 million of which 70% is destined to be bottled as Single Malt. The core range consists of Oak Select, the 10, the 10 CS, the 10 with Sherry Oak Finish that I'm reviewing today, the Quarter Cask, Lore and a 25 years CS. The Travel Retail Range includes The Four Oak, Cask Legacy, Port Wood and PX Cask.

The Sherry Oak Finish was released 2021. Laphroaig and Sherry can be good pals but the Sherry influence should be discrete in my opinion. In this case however the Sherry tends to overpower the Spirit and that's not a good thing as far as I'm concerned. It makes this Laphroaig easier to drink for beginners but the distillery character gets somewhat lost in this way and that's a pity. It could be I'm having a bad day at the Whisky office but there's a weird aspect to the Nose. Smells Like Teen Spirit was the first song that came to my mind but in a Sweaty way. All in all a bit of a mixed bag this Laphroaig. Good in places, strange in others. Better try a sample first before buying a full bottle. 

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                November 17, 2025