We’ll have the latest Maltbarn releases in one go, starting with a Blended Malt 1993 from a sherry cask. The other four whiskies are single malts with a clearly lighter colour.
Blended Malt 33 yo 1993 (49,3%, Maltbarn 2026, sherry cask, 98 btl.)
Nose: mature sherry, rather flawless. Lots of dried apricots, juicy plums, quinces and raisins, with a slightly floral counterweight. Hints of brioche. Then orange peels and orange cake, subtle leafy notes. Subtle oily / mineral notes in the background too.
Mouth: good strength. Honeyed notes, red berries, some brown sugar and hints of polished oak. Then some herbal tea, more orange peels and growing hints of dark chocolate. Also light impressions of coffee beans. The pleasant mineral side returns, along with drying tobacco notes.
Finish: quite long, with more coffee and tobacco coming out, along with dark cocoa and oak spice.
Supposedly one of these old Edrington malt bases, blended at birth. A great bottling, with vibrant fruitiness along with darker sherry influences. Excellent selection.
Glen Spey 24 yo 2001 (53,8%, Maltbarn 2026, sherry cask, 148 btl.)
Nose: malty cereals, some grassy notes and a layer of vanilla underneath. Touches of lemon yoghurt, some yeasty hints as well. Greenish fruit, I’d say apples and peaches, maybe unripe grapes. Comes accross younger than it actually is.
Mouth: quite sweet, with more green fruits, some grape pips, hints of Seville orange and raw barley. Then some leafy notes and walnuts, apple skins and rather bitter grapefruit zest. It becomes slightly austere at this point, with a truckload of grassy notes and a hint of quinine, although there is a nicer waxy hint as well.
Finish: quite long, still a bit yeasty and yoghurty with lingering bitterness.
It’s the whisky equivalent of a bitter lemon soda, so to speak. Nicely different but for grown-ups only. I’m sure it makes a very refreshing highball but it’s not the kind of profile I could empty an entire bottle of. Score: 83/100
Orkney Single Malt 20 yo 2006 (51,5%, Maltbarn 2026, bourbon cask, 144 btl.)
Nose: classic citrus, damp chalk, hints of beach sand and green apple. Then some oily notes, maybe a hint of paraffin, along with unripe mango. Very light earthy notes, some wet wool and only echoes of smoke. Everything it should be at this age.
Mouth: lively, on salted lemons, lime and a subtle sweetness of mirabelles perhaps. Nice brine as well. Then it steers towards grapefruit and crisp apples, along with ginger. Mineral notes and chalk in the background, along with some cooling herbs.
Finish: good length, on zesty citrus, mild oak spice and some green herbal notes.
Crystalline Highland Park. No surprises here, which is a good thing. Here the austerity is totally on point. Score: 87/100
Glen Garioch 16 yo 2010 (56,7%, Maltbarn 2026, bourbon cask, 150 btl.)
Nose: crisp, keeping the middle between drier austere notes (concrete dust, chalk, grasses) and green fruits. Apples, greengages, tangerine peels and lemon. Hints of naked barley and white pepper too, along with green walnuts.
Mouth: vibrant, sweet and peppery. A very pleasant fruitiness up front (Haribo bears, stewed apples, lemon candy). Then oily notes, mineral hints and a herbal bitter edge. More grassy notes, ginger and a light salty touch.
Finish: long, lemony and gingery, a little in the style of the Lowlands now.
So far all three whiskies have a certain austere side, almost becoming a house style. Characterful distillate, for sure, and enough vibrant fruits to keep it balanced. Score: 87/100
Caol Ila 19 yo 2007 (52,9%, Maltbarn 2026, bourbon cask, 131 btl.)
Nose: bread dough, wet hay smoke, a little petrichor and oyster shells. Perfect balance. A certain sourness as well, like sharp apple juice with an acetic edge. Linseed oil, light tarry notes and antiseptics. Just a hint of roundness in the background (sweetened lime juice, nice).
Mouth: still this vibrant lemon and lime juice, with a nice mentholated edge and perfect smokiness. Then a light waxy hint, minty elements, some green walnut and touches of chlorophyll. At some point it reminds me of Port Ellen. Oysters too, of course.
Finish: long, green and warmly smoked, with lingering brine.
Excellent really. Pristine smoke and the right balance. Now the biggest problem is the fact that younger (and cheaper) Caol Ila can easily reach the same level. Score: 90/100