Waterford Peated Woodbrook

“Burning Bridges” 

Whisky Review # 1087

Country: Ireland 🇮🇪

Region: South-East

Brand: Waterford Peated Woodbrook - 74PPM

Type: Single Malt Irish Whiskey - Single Farm Origin Series - 8.000 Bottles

Age: Almost 4 Years (Distilled: 21-08-2019 / Bottled: 18-07-2023)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 50%
Maturation: Mixed Barrels (See Conclusion)

Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 65-85 (March 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive for what it offers
Buying Advice: 👎 You can buy f.i. an Ardbeg 10 for the same money

Colour: Pale Straw (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young, Yeasty and Medium-Sweet with a few Sour and Salty notes as well. The Sweetness is a bit Artificial. I also get a few Burnt & Chemical notes. Despite the high ABV, the Alcohol, while noticeable, does not really interfere with the Nosing procedures. There's more Peat than Smoke and it's less intense when compared to Islay Peat. The Nose is okay I guess considering its young age but it naturally misses depth and complexity.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Yeast, Dough, Straw & other Farm Yard Aromas, Earthy Peat, slightly Dirty Factory Smoke, Dried Fruit like Sultanas and Apples, Lemon, Sour Berries and Cherries, Burnt Rubber Tires, Ginger and a Floral Perfume.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Toffee, Honey, Wax, Slivovitz, Marzipan, Salted Meat on the BBQ, Ashes, Iodine, Burnt Heather, Herbs and Plastic, Dusty Track, Milk Chocolate, Bitter Tea, Pepper, Cinnamon, Mint, Varnish and Sweaty Feet.

Palate:

A mix of Sweet, Bitter, Sour and Salty notes. The Bitterness is above average and might not be to everyone's liking. The rather Thin Palate follows the Nose with lots of Dirty and Burnt notes. The Alcohol is more noticeable now.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Yeast, Mix of Straw & Cow Manure, Earthy Peat, Dirty Smoke, Ashes, Tar, Sour Berries & Cherries, Wet Sand, Lemon, Grapefruit, Fish & Bacon on the BBQ, Rubber, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Cloves, Nutmeg, Menthol, Mint and Floral Perfume.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Wax, Iodine, Dough, Green Apple, Bitter Orange, Slivovitz, Burnt Herbs and Plastic, Dark Chocolate, Stale Espresso, Leather, Tobacco, Licorice, Soy Sauce, Aniseed and Cinnamon.

Finish:

Thin, Young and a little Sharp. Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour and Salty notes. The Finish is Middle-Long but Ashes and Burnt Plastic stay in your throat for quite a while. Medium-Dry. I also find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Earthy Peat, Dirty Smoke, Tar, Iodine, Rubber, Burnt Straw and Herbs, Sour Berries, Lemon, Grapefruit, Green Apple, Dusty Oak, Stale Espresso, Licorice, Varnish, Menthol and Mint, Pepper, Ginger, Cloves, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Bitter Oranges & Floral Perfume.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water softens up the Palate and the Finish and removes some of the Sharp edges. My advise is to try it out both ways.

Rating: 6 (******)

Nose: 6.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 5.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 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: Bottom line okay

Conclusion:

The old and defunct Guinness Brewery Waterford is located in the town that bears the same name and was purchased in the year 2014 by Mark Reynier, the former co-owner of the Bruichladdich distillery. Mark had many ideas to produce Whiskey with complete traceability and a major roll for the Barley. In working with many local farmers he tried to create Terroir Whisky in the same way that famous Wines are produced. In the next years Waterford unfortunately was hit by the Pandemic, a USA distributor that went broke & too many expressions to handle economically. Energy prices went up as well and so was the level of debt. Finally in November 2024 production stopped and the distillery went into receivership. The receivers are since seeking a buyer for the distillery and the stocks.

The Single Farm Origin Series were made with Barley produced on a single farm. In this case the Barley was Sourced from the Woodbrook farm near Dublin. The Peated Woodbrook I'm reviewing today matured in a mix of First Fill Bourbon casks Heaven Hill (33%), Virgin US Oak (18%), Premium French Oak Chateau Talbot (20%) & French Sweet Wine Rivesaltes (Vin Doux Naturel) casks (29%).

This Peated Woodbrook is certainly completely different from your average smooth Irish Whiskey. It's anything but smooth actually. It's Young, slightly Hot & Edgy. It contains Burnt, slightly Chemical & Artificial Elements and even some Sweat pops up in places. So it's definitively not boring & mainstream. But it's also simply too Young. I do feel that the addition of the French Sweet Wine casks brought some Fruity Sweetness and that's a plus. But it's not enough to save the day for this Waterford Expression. And certainly not at this price level. It's simply way too expensive for such a Young, Unfinished Single Malt. I hope a buyer will appear to try and revive Waterford with a simpler business model. I wish them all the luck in the world.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                      March 12, 2026

Bladnoch 14 Years

“The Old Fashioned Way”

Whisky Review # 1086

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Lowlands

Brand: Bladnoch

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 14 Years - 2021 Release

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46.7%
Maturation: Oloroso Sherry Casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 105-120 (March 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😟 A bit expensive in my opinion

Buying Advice: 👍 Especially when you like "Old Style" sherried Whisky

Colour:

Deep Amber with shades of Orange and Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Sweet and Sour with deep Sherry Aromas like Dark (Dried Fruit) and Marzipan. I detect some Sulfur but it doesn't feel out of place here. The Alcohol is there but does not interfere with the Nosing procedures. The Nose is a bit comparable to Cognac. It's a bit Meaty and Earthy as well and I like it.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Treacle, Butter Biscuits, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins, Figs & Plums, Smoked Almonds, Dark Chocolate, Dark Red Fruit like Currants and Berries, Orange Peel, Marzipan, Dusty Charred Oak, Brandy, Grass, Dusty Earth & Fresh and Dry Herbs.

    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Vanilla, Dark Honey, Butterscotch, Dairy, Nougat, Leather, Tobacco, Cigar Box, Black Tea, Sour Cherries, Baked Pineapple sprinkled with Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.

Palate:

The Palate basically follows the Nose with Sweet, Sour and Salty elements, It is a bit Thinner than I expected. Still not bad at all and reminiscent of a Liquid X-Mas Cake. Some Sulfur again but it's not aggressive. Quite Dry.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Treacle, Dark Red Fruit, Dark Honey, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins, Dates and Figs, Sour Plums, Orange Peel, Dusty Book Shelf, Marzipan, Dark Chocolate, Dusty Earth, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Clove, Nutmeg and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Vanilla, Grass & Straw, Nougat, Nuts & Nut Shells, Polished Leather, Damp Cellar, Tobacco, Wet Sand, Black Tea or Strong Espresso, Licorice, Indian Spice Mix and Mint. A Hint of Rubber.

Finish:

Middle-Long. A mix of Bitter, Sweet and Sour notes. A pinch of Salt perhaps. It's quite Dry. A bit of Ashes, Sulfur & Metal in the aftertaste. The Alcohol is there but I am comfortable with it. I also find Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Dark Honey, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Apricots, Dates and Figs, Blackcurrants, Orange Peel, Marzipan, Baked Apple, Polished Leather, Tobacco, Licorice, Dusty Charred Oak, Dark Chocolate, Ash, Nuts & Nut Shells, Dried Herbs, Black Tea, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cloves and Mint. A hint of Rubber.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Bladnoch. Much better when enjoyed neat.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 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:

Bladnoch was founded in 1817 by Thomas and John McClelland. Over the years the ownership of the distillery changed many times and on many occasions the distillery was closed temporarily until it was finally liquidated in 2014. David Prior bought it in 2015 and brought life back to Bladnoch. Production restarted  in 2017 and amounted to around 1.5 million litres in 2025. A visitor centre was opened in 2019. The core range includes the Vinaya, Samsara, Alinta, Leora and the recent Galloway Collection consisting of the 8, 13, 16 and 19 Years.

Bladnoch is on the way back and I'm glad for it. It's good that there are still a few Lowland distilleries that maintain a certain "old style" profile. This 14 Year old is not perfect as it's a bit too Thin on the Palate. There are also a few Funky notes in the aftertaste that might not be for everyone. But in general I like this Bladnoch as it is interesting, something that can't be said of a lot of modern mainstream Malt. It is a bit expensive and it's not a dram for everyday. But after a nice dinner or on special occasions this Bladnoch is certainly recommendable!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                        March 5, 2026

Port Askaig 8

“Tarman”

Whisky Review # 1085

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Islay

Brand: Port Askaig

Bottled by/for: Elixir Distillers Ltd., London

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 8 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 45.8%
Maturation: Mix of American and European Oak
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 40-60 (February 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Good

Buying Advice: 😃 Nice alternative if you like Young Islay Malts

Colour:

Light Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose:

There is a bit of Alcohol around so avoid nosing in the middle of your glass. The Nose is Young and Medium-Sweet with a few Salty, Sour and Green notes for the necessary balance. All the ingredients of a Young Islay are here. No surprises but quite nice if you're into this type of Whisky.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Salted Toffee, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Grass & Straw, Coastal Peat, Bonfire Smoke, Tar, Hospital, Burnt Herbs, Shell Fish and Bacon on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon, Apple-Vinegar, Pepper and Ginger.

    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Soot, Iodine, Seaweed, Wet Rocks & Sand, Forest Floor, Charred Oak, Leather, Rubber/Plastic, Banana Bread and Floral Soap.

Palate:

Young & mainly Bitter-Sweet. Some Sour & Salty notes as well. It's pretty straight forward Young Islay in the style of Caol Ila and Bunnahabhain. If you're into that you can't go wrong with this Port Askaig. It's a little on the Thin side and it would certainly benefit from a few extra years in the casks. The Alcohol is noticeable.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel/Toffee, Apple-Vinegar, Smoldering Embers, Coastal Peat, Tar, Soot, Ashes, Burnt Herbs/Straw, Shell Fish and Bacon on the BBQ with added Herbs and Lemon, Hospital, Iodine, Wet Rocks/Paper, Pepper, Licorice and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Nuts, Floral Soap, Charred Oak, Dark Cacao Powder, Wax, Dairy, Forest Floor, Rubber, Nutmeg, Cloves, Cardamom, Mint and Metal.

Finish:

Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet. Some Sour and Salty notes as well. The Alcohol stings a little and there's a light Metallic off-note. The Finish is a bit of a let down. I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel/Toffee, Vanilla, Smoldering Embers, Coastal Peat, Tar, Soot, Ashes, Hospital, Iodine, Bacon on the BBQ, Charred Oak, Lemon, Apple-Vinegar, Nut Shells, Burnt Pine Needles/Herbs, Wet Rocks, Licorice, Cloves, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cardamom and Licorice. Some Rubber and a hint of Cocoa at the end. After a few minutes the Soot returns as well. Medium-Dry.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Port Askaig.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 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/Good. The Finish could be better!

Conclusion:

Caol Ila is the distillery closest to Port Askaig so it's likely that the Port Askaig 8 Years was distilled there. It's in the same style at least and different from Ardbeg and Laphroaig.

The Port Askaig 8 Years is an easy Single Malt to review. It's a straight forward & pretty consistent Young Islay malt. There are a few flaws such as the slightly Thin mouth feel and the Metallic off-note. The Alcohol is also pretty noticeable. Still, if you like this type of Whisky the Port Askaig 8 is a good proposition with a positive Price/Quality ratio. Enjoy!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                   February 19, 2026

Tobermory 12

“Tobermoorish”

Whisky Review # 1084

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Highlands - Islands - Mull

Brand: Tobermory

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky 

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46.6% 
Maturation: Mix of 1st-Fill Ex-Bourbon casks and Virgin Oak
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 40-55 (February 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😊 Excellent P/Q ratio

Buying Advice: 👍 Nice, Fresh Island Malt

Colour:

Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose:

The Virgin Oak influence is modest and that's a good thing. The Nose is actually quite Clean. It's mix of Sweet, Salty, Sour, Yeasty and Musty notes. A few slightly Bitter tones from the Oak. The Alcohol is there but doesn't bother me. All in all a pleasant Nose. 

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Yeast, Wax, Grass and Straw, Apples & Pears, Apricot-Filled Puff Pastry, Banana Bread, Slightly Sour Red Berries, Lemon, Orange, Musty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon and Mint.    

    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Golden Syrup, Toffee, Porridge, Dirt Track, Floral Notes, Wet Sand and Rocks, Red Grapefruit Juice, Caffe Latte, Marzipan, Nuts & Nut Shells, Cocoa,  Cooked Vegetables, Herbs and Nutmeg. Very light hints of Metal and Leather.    

Palate:

Oily & Waxy but still with this Clean, Fresh feeling. The Alcohol is certainly more noticeable now. The Palate basically follows the Nose. Medium-Dry at this point.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Yeast, Grass & Straw, Banana Bread, Pear and Apple, Apricot-Filled Puff Pastry, Lemon, Musty and slightly Bitter Oak, Herbs, Cacao, Licorice, Mint, Pepper, Ginger and Nutmeg. 

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toffee, Butter, Wax, Dusty Track, Slightly Sour Red Berries, Nuts & Nut Shells, Milk, Wet Sand and Stones, Grapefruit, Cinnamon, Cloves and a hint of Vanilla-Flavored Pipe Tobacco.    

Finish:

A bit Thin and on the Short side unfortunately. Otherwise this Tobermory would have been a great entry Single Malt. It's still Good Value for Money though! The Alcohol is more noticeable at this point. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Nuts and Nut Shells, Salted Caramel, Heather-Honey, Wax, Grass and Straw, Sweet Apples & Pears, Banana Bread, White Wine with Bourbon Cask Finish, Grapefruit, Lemon, Dusty Track, Metal, Musty Oak, Wet Paper and Sand, Cooked Vegetables, Cacao, Apricot-Filled Puff-Pastry, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Licorice, Mint, Herbs. After a while your Mouth fills with some Dry Ash. Interesting!

Drinking Advice:

No need to add Water to this Tobermory. 

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)                )   

Nose: 8 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 6.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 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. Could be even better but for the slightly disappointing Finish.

Conclusion:

The Tobermory Distillery is located on the Hebridean Island of Mull. It was formerly named Ledaig and was founded in 1798 by John Sinclair. Today it is owned by CVH Spirits. The Distillery produces unpeated Malt under the name Tobermory (30%) and peated Malt under the old Distillery name Ledaig (70%). The annual production almost reached one million litres in 2025. The whisky is mainly used in blends like Black Bottle and Scottish Leader. But more attention is given to their Single Malts as well. The core range consists of the Tobermory 12 and 21, the Ledaig 10 and 18 and a NAS Ledaig Sinclair Rioja Finish. The distillery and the isle of Mull are both beautiful and well worth a visit.

This Tobermory 12 Years is a pleasant surprise. It's quite consistent although not very complex. It would have been great even if not for the lackluster Finish and the slight Metal off-note. But it's still a very good entry Whisky and gives you good value for money. So despite the few flaws I can fully recommend this Tobermory. 

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                   February 12, 2026

Nikka Miyagikyo Peated

“Price Tag”

Whisky Review # 1083

Country: Japan 🇯🇵

Region: Sendai - Miyagi Prefecture

Brand: Nikka Miyagikyo Peated

Type: Single Malt Japanese Whisky - Nikka Discovery Series

Age: NAS - Bottled: 2021

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48% 
Maturation:  Mix of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry casks  
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 150-250 (February 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers

Buying Advice: 😒 No way at this price level. Would be okay at around US$ 75

Colour:

Light Amber (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

Light and Crisp. The Alcohol is noticeable. The Sherry influence is rather limited. It's only very lightly peated as well. It's modern but not really memorable. At this price-level I would have expected more. The Nose is mainly Sweet but not overly so. 

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Toast with Butter/Margarine Mixture, Vanilla, Grass & Straw, Yeast, Apple and Pear, Milk Chocolate, Lemon, Musty Oak, Cinnamon and Ginger.  

    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toasted Grains, Honey, Salted Caramel, Very light Smoke, Dry Earth, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Figs, Artificially flavored Candy (Banana, Pineapple, Cherry), Wet Stones, Floral Soap, Licorice and Mint. The slightest hint of Raw Meat.   

Palate:

Light, Thin and Bitter-sweet. The Alcohol is noticeable despite the reasonable ABV. Hardly any Smoke and Peat to speak of. Not really bad but no need to wake me up for this. 

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Grass and Straw, Apples & Pears, Lemon, Milk, Wet Stones and Paper, Dried Herbs, Musty Oak, Licorice, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger & Mint.     

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Light Peat & Smoke, Ashes, Dusty Earth, Salted Nuts, Dried Herbs, Dried Fruit like Black Cherries, Raisins and Prunes, Floral Soap, Tobacco, Gasoline and Grilled Pineapple. A touch of Oriental Spices. 

Finish:

Middle-Long. Sweet at first but with increasing Bitter notes towards the moderate dry end. The Alcohol is more noticeable at this point. A few Metallic and Gasoline notes that I could do without. I also find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, mild Peat & Smoke, Vanilla, Salted Nuts, Wet Newspaper, Musty Oak, Dark Chocolate, Mint, Dark Prunes, Grass and Straw, light Oriental Spices, Pepper, Ginger, Licorice and Dry Herbs.   

Drinking Advice:

I added some Water and you will get additional Floral and Fruity notes on the nose while Palate and Finish become less harsh. You will lose some other Aromas so best try it out both ways.

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 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 at best.

Conclusion:

The Miyagikyo distillery is owned by the Nikka Group and was founded in 1969. In 2015 Nikka discontinued the entire Miyagikyo range. It was replaced by one new NAS Expression only that comes in 3 expressions i.e. Un-Peated, Peated and an Un-Peated with Apple Brandy Wood Finish.

This Nikka Miyagikyo Peated won't stay in my memory for a long time. First of all it's very lightly peated. Secondly the Sherry influence is very limited. And thirdly I find some moderate off-notes here and there. Nothing really bad but enough to be noted. The Alcohol is really noticeable as well. All this would still be okay at a price of around US$ 75. But the Price range for this Nikka is between 150 and 250 US-Dollars. And that's not acceptable for such an average Single Malt. Therefore I can't recommend this Japanese Single Malt.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                    February 6, 2026