Recently I got an advent calendar from That Boutique-y Whisky Company, the independent bottling branch of Master of Malt. It includes 24 samples of their bottlings, in a wide variety of styles. I don’t have the patience to stick to one dram a day, so I decided to go through the selection and focus on the bottles that are still available. Even though we’re only halfway in December, it turns out that only a few are still on sale.
World Whisky Blend (41,6%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company +/- 2024)
Nose: grainy and slightly metallic, with honeyed sweetness underneath. Pears and simple ethanol. Then hints of coconut, a little varnish and synthetic vanilla.
Mouth: light, still very neutral with alcohol noticeable. Grainy notes, more pear. Then some caramel and echoes of marzipan.
Finish: not too long. Some pepper, vanilla and this metallic edge again.
Nothing to get excited about – this is Johnnie Walker level, more or less. The grain spirit is easy to notice and there’s limited flavour overall. Mind that this is marketed as a whisky that works well with cola or ginger ale, but that’s not how we do things around here. Of course it’s fairly cheap, check Master of Malt.
Blended Grain Whisky 30 yo (45,8%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company +/- 2024, refill bourbon + sherry octave finish)
Nose: musty oak shavings come out first, followed by toffee notes and buttered popcorn and shortbread. Light hints of red berries and oranges, some hints of bubblegum as well. Then back to sugared breakfast cereals.
Mouth: a fairly lightweight grain, even a little watery. More sweetened cereals, some vanilla and cookie dough. Just a little pepper and aniseed. Later hint of green apple, but otherwise hardly any fruits. Some toffee and a vague sherry element (sultanas and cloves).
Finish: medium length, still a little thin, with herbal notes and a whiff of glue, along with honeyed oats.
A decent grain whisky. You shouldn’t feel ashamed to gift it to someone if you insist on having an impressive age on the label. For myself I would pick a different grain whisky though. The price is very reasonable, check Master of Malt. Score: 82/100
Auchentoshan 10 yo (47,1%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company 2025, 764 btl.)
Nose: a lot of dusty hay up front, with freshly cut grass, some lemongrass and a faint hint of acetone. Then some apple notes, orange peels and some floral hints. Soft vegetal touches and whiffs of wet cardboard. It kinda opens up over time, but never becomes exciting.
Mouth: still immature. Lots of lemon notes, with vanilla and barley sugar. Sweet grains, along with green bananas, some pear eau-de-vie and hints of pepper. This leads to plankish oak shavings after a while.
Finish: short, quite neutral, with hints of wood dust and pears.
A very young and rough Auchentoshan with a vague personality. In my opinion the purpose of independent bottlers is to stand surety: even though it’s young, we vouch for the cask we selected. That’s not the message we’re getting here. Available from Master of Malt. Score: 71/100
Tormore 22 yo (47,1%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company 2025, Batch 5)
Nose: ah, this is a very inviting fruitiness. An interesting mix of unripe mango, pink grapefruit and green apple. Kind of a Sauvignon with tropical notes. Underneath there’s natural vanilla, some sunflower oil and mild chalk. Soft dried herbs and a pinch of salt as well. Really nice.
Mouth: still fruity, still some mango, green apple and zesty citrus, or even lemon pith. Some grassy and flinty notes as well, with mineral oils. Then minty notes and a wee hint of varnish, before the herbal side becomes louder. A little aniseed and hints of Frosties too.
Finish: medium long and quite zingy. Half fruity, half spicy, on citrus, clay and grassy notes.
Now we’re talking. A lovely dram, perhaps slightly intellectual but also offering lots of simple pleasures. The wee tropical note is a delight. Great stuff, but this batch seems to be sold out. Maybe next time. Score: 88/100
Aultmore 21 yo (47,8%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company 2024, Batch 14, 37.5 cl)
Nose: sweet barley with hints of heather honey and toffee, as well as creamy hints of coconut. Some vanilla cake and orange juice. Then minty notes and some dandelions, as well as a vague waxy touch and oak shavings.
Mouth: more fruity sweetness now. There are oranges and nectarines, along with tinned pineapple and stewed bananas. Good combination with the moderate oakiness, which adds a lot of warmth and just enough spices. Candied ginger, a hint of white pepper and good vanilla.
Finish: good length, with zesty citrus, more vanilla and a balanced grassy side.
Also good – less unique than the Tormore and less complex too, but a very enjoyable and balanced dram. Apparently TBWC has a separate line of small 37.5 cl bottles which can only be shipped to the USA. I’m not sure why this is the case, and I find it a little strange to include samples of these bottlings in a European advent calender. After trying a sample people may want to buy a bottle but they’ll realize they don’t have that option. Score: 86/100
Westport 21 yo (49,7%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company 2021, Batch 1, 330 btl.)
Nose: lots of stewed red apples with light hints of milk chocolate and caramelized nuts. Then sunflower oil and a wee earthiness. Christmas spice, like ginger and nutmeg. Maybe not as elegant as I expected from Glenmorangie, perhaps the sherry had more to say. Oranges and a leathery note as well.
Mouth: more sherry influence. There’s a a roasted, almost meaty side to it, along with pepper, earthy honey and barley sweetness. Poached pears – now the expected fruitiness comes out more. Lemon rind, more nutmeg and dusty barley.
Finish: medium long, with more baking spice and caramelized notes.
The first bottling of Westport blended malt Scotch whisky from That Boutique-y Whisky Company. Not a very typical one, I’d say, and the sherry influence is not as fresh as I hoped. Too expensive for what it has to offer, considering it’s a 50 cl bottling. Still available from Master of Malt. Score: 84/100
Glenrothes 25 yo 1997 (50%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company 2023, Batch 12, refill hogshead, 407 btl.)
Nose: surprising. There’s a lot of vanilla marshmallow and waffle dough, along with creamy latte and stewed apples. A little custard. Then honeyed notes, buttery pastry, some stewed apricots and a little caramel, with marzipan and ripe peach in the background.
Mouth: still in this vanilla / malt / buttery oak corner. Sweet oaky notes. Then pastry notes again, with biscuits, some nutmeg and milk chocolate. The malty sweetness is the main element here, and the spicy oak is well balanced. Fresh bready notes with a very subtle bitter edge towards the end.
Finish: medium length, still sweet and spicy, with a gentle dryness of the oak.
A rich Glenrothes, with good complexity and a nice balance between the weighty spirit and a rounded oak influence. Still available from Master of Malt. Score: 86/100