Today we’ve picked three refill barrels from the recent bottlings by Decadent Drinks. They’re all part of the Whiskyland series. Casks are coming from the defunct Imperial distillery, the soon to be revived Tormore and Bladnoch distillery.
Imperial 26 yo 1998 (49,8%, Decadent Drinks ‘Whiskyland’ 2025, refill barrel, 134 btl.)
Nose: waxy fruits – always a safe bet when it comes to Decadent Drinks releases. Melons, (slightly green) bananas and dried pineapples, white and yellow flowers, as well as some natural vanilla and a whiff of varnish. Then citrus oils (grapefruit) and peach skins with subtle hints of summery grass and canvas too.
Mouth: excellent fruitiness with a creamy texture and a subtle acidity. More green bananas, apples, mirabelles and plenty of mineral oils. Candle wax, obviously. Then it moves towards citrus peelings, herbal honey, lemongrass and some leafy hints. Vanilla, ginger and a subtle hint of wood. Pineapple and grassy green tea towards the end.
Finish: medium to long, on the same elements. Floral fruits, a subtle green edge and waxy notes.
Quintessential Imperial from the last year of production. Highly drinkable (medium complexity) but not too soft – this is a naturally low strength after all. I could have this any time, especially with the summer around the corner. Available from Decadent Drinks or retailers like Master of Malt.
Tormore 33 yo 1992 (53,7%, Decadent Drinks ‘Whiskyland’ 2025, refill barrel, 157 btl.)
Nose: beautiful waxy notes, with hints of blossoms, a little sage and lemon oils. Hints of apricot. After a while it moves towards chiffon leather, hay and hints of chalk. A few fragrant touches. Then light furniture polish, along with white grapes and cinnamon in the background.
Mouth: initially hints of sweet fruits (apples, apricots) and Frisian sugar loaf. It rapidly turns to sharper herbs. Aniseed, juniper and peppercorns, alongside zingy citrus peelings. Then some resinous notes and grains too. It gets more austere, with a light bitterness and hints of green tea.
Finish: long, on herbal tea, floral notes, waxes and apple acidity.
Quite zesty, slightly austere at times, even showing a light funky edge. A very interesting profile though, can’t wait to see more Tormore on the market. Available from Decadent Drinks or The Whisky Exchange for instance. Score: 89/100
Bladnoch 35 yo 1990 (54,2%, Decadent Drinks ‘Whiskyland’ 2025, refill barrel, 212 btl.)
Nose: very seductive. Clearly more rounded and buttery than the Imperial for instance, with more vanilla and pastry notes. Then sweet apricots, polished furniture, whiffs of chalk and linseed, along with light hints of tobacco leaves. Also sweet lemons and custard notes.
Mouth: a mix of sweet and zesty fruits. Lemons, honeysuckle and yellow plums, along with lime and a hint of leather. More of this bourbonny pastry sweetness before it develops more leafy notes, with mineral oils, ginger and citrus zest. Hints of bittersweet physalis too.
Finish: long and lemony, with some honey, sweet grass and drying oaky notes.
We’ve been spoiled by a decadent selection of Bladnoch from this bottlers (see this and this). It’s still true to its Lowlands grassiness but the luscious fruitiness makes this great. Available from Decadent Drinks or Royal Mile Whiskies among others. Score: 90/100