Here are the Decadent Drams that were part of the December 2025 outturn from Decadent Drinks. There’s also a Glen Toon (Campbeltown single malt, from neighbours of Springbank) which I believe to be a little older.
Balblair 17 yo 2008 (56,5%, Decadent Drinks ‘Decadent Drams’ 2025, first-fill bourbon barrel, 172 btl.)
Nose: typical Balblair orange sweetness, along with lime and toffee apples, some beer notes and light candy floss. Hints of gorse and mulched leaves as well. Then also a slightly ethereal / floral note, like jasmine but also a subtle cidery edge. More coastal and less easy-going than I expected.
Mouth: the fruity and sweet side takes the lead, but it’s coupled to vegetal notes, firm pepper and hay. Prickly pears, lemon rind, hints of kumquat. Hints of tomato vines and bitter herbs in the middle. Even a pickled note and some chestnut, quite an unusual combination. Later it becomes frankly salty.
Finish: fairly long, on salted apple, more beer notes and heavily steeped green tea.
Quite a funky, coastal and slightly austere expression of Balblair, which doesn’t match the far easier official profile (granted, we’ve only tried one or two in the past five years or so). Interesting choice but maybe not enough to justify the price. Available from Decadent Drinks or partners like Abbey Whisky.
Pulteney 23 yo 2002 (57,2%, Decadent Drinks ‘Decadent Drams’ 2025, refill barrel, 176 btl.)
Nose: mineral start, with some oily and slightly metallic hints, lemons aplenty (juice and zest) and paraffin. Then wet beach stones, some clover and chalky notes. Herbal elements, maybe pine needles. Subtle hints of apple cake in the background.
Mouth: bursts open beautifully, with just enough fruits (citrus, pears, green apples) to balance the mineral notes. Green herbs and grasses, some aniseed and plenty of salty notes. Austere and tight, with lots of (rubbed) lemon peels and a distinct oiliness.
Finish: quite long, with more mineral notes, zesty lemon, chalk and salt.
This is presented as a sibling of the Balblair, hence the similar label. I once visited both distilleries on the same day, maybe it all makes sense. Both are spirit-driven drams with a coastal and austere side. I think it just feels more rewarding and far more in place in the Pulteney. Available from Decadent Drinks or Royal Mile Whiskies for instance. Score: 89/100
‘Glen Toon’ 8 yo 2014 + 2016 (57,1%, Decadent Drinks ‘Decadent Drams’ for Campbeltown Malt Festival 2025, first-fill peated + first-fill unpeated, 430 btl.)
Nose: chalky, salty and ashy, with great hints of band aids and mint. Then also rounder notes of marzipan, lime and green fruits. Wet ropes, wet pebblestones and very subtle leafy notes. Perfect balance.
Mouth: oily, with a good dose of Campbeltown funk. It’s not Springbank but it’s coming close. Kippery notes, thick vegetal peat smoke, some leafy notes and green herbs. Then hints of ginger and grass, more lemon zest (perhaps slightly bitter grapefruit) and brine.
Finish: long, quite sharp and bitter but also offering great smoky notes and some fruitiness in the distance.
Good complexity (multi-vintage again) and intensity. This is a proper Campbeltown malt offering great value for money. A bit older but still available from Decadent Drinks or Master of Malt among others. Score: 88/100
Caol Ila 15 yo 2009 + 2010 (57,1%, Decadent Drinks ‘Decadent Drams’ 2025, refill + first-fill sherry hogsheads, 252 btl.)
Nose: quite heavy and tarry. Sooty smoke, hints of dark liquorice and smoking kippers. Then lots of bonfire ashes, burnt bell peppers and burnt herbs, hints of dark brew soy sauce and freshly roasted coffee beans. It comes with a fresh coastal breeze and some light berry acidity as well.
Mouth: very punchy, with plenty of camphor and iodine, along with smoked bacon, truckloads of sea salt and just a hint of berry jam. Acrid, rather burnt herbs again along with some rubbery hints.
Finish: long, with more brine, lots of savoury notes and some cured meat.
A very intense and savoury Caol Ila, with plenty of dark smoke and a certain astringency that works well. A follow-up of the Caol Ila 2012 from a few months ago, but that one impressed me even more. Available from Decadent Drinks or Royal Mile Whiskies among others. Score: 89/100
Ardnamurchan 10 yo 2015 (55%, Decadent Drinks ‘Decadent Drams’ 2025, first-fill sherry hogshead, 327 btl.)
Nose: a savoury style of sherry again, this time with a subtle sulphuric touch (fireworks for New Year). Barbecue smoke and asphalt, lacquered meat, some caramelized walnuts and a fresher layer of pine wood and coastal notes. Light menthol and heather too. Then sweaty leather, smoked paprika and some of the famous beef jerky I tried in Macau.
Mouth: a nice mix of pepper- or ginger-filled chocolate pralines, some tart lemon / cranberry and bacon. Sweet and salty, with a firm hint of capsicum. Then earthy smoke, something lightly chemical, a dark hint of PX (figs), dried mushrooms and hints of a salty chutney.
Finish: rather long, on cinnamon, meaty smoke and a faint hint of sour berries.
Decadent Drinks claim this is the second-best cask in Ardnamurchan’s warehouse, but we can never know whether that’s true. It’s a very savoury style that we’ve seen from this distillery before, and that isn’t always what we’re after. Available from Decadent Drinks. Score: 85/100