The first 2026 releases from The Whisky Jury are out there. On the whisky front we see three particularly well-aged whiskies: a Miltonduff 1998, one of these teaspooned Balvy releases (more commonly known as Burnside) that are quite popular at the moment, and a mature Ledaig 2001. Check their website for partner shops.
Miltonduff 26 yo 1998 (48,3%, The Whisky Jury 2025, refill hogshead #1, 260 btl.)
Nose: pretty great. Waxy notes up front, with tangerine, green banana and warming apples. Hints of hay, dandelions, a hint of fresh butter, but also a lightly dusty hint of potatoes. Then some vanilla cake and biscuits. Nice complexity, not the most assertive profile ever but simply a seductive aroma.
Mouth: now a mix of white fruits and green melon, maybe a little guava. The buttery vanilla side is taking center stage again, along with almond paste, a little dough and hints of candied ginger. Then more hay and light mineral oils towards the end, as well as a hint of mocha.
Finish: medium, mixing old oak with mild toffee, bruised apple and grassy spice.
Complex whisky, you keep peeling off its layers. Now it’s never a fruit bomb, nor an intense whisky as such, but it has a unique touch that kept me interesting. Still a few bottles out there.
‘Balvy’ Blended Malt 35 yo 1989 (52%, The Whisky Jury 2025, refill hogshead #681R, 278 btl.)
Nose: old Speyside character. Dusty malt up front. Slowly this makes place for faint mirabelles and yellow berries, as well as stewed apples. Subtle dried herbs. A hint of old (unpolished) cupboards. Then acacia honey, buttercups and old leather in the background. Light waxy hints after a while.
Mouth: oh, now it makes a u-turn, so to speak. There’s a sharpness to it, a mix of grapefruits, eucalyptus but also an unexpected coastal edge. Some green spice, even tobacco leaves and a whiff of ashes. The typical warmer fruits are replaced with citrus peels and just a hint of sour wood. Late hints of (dark) sweetness.
Finish: medium length, slightly greener, with herbal notes, citrus zest and green tea, along with woody notes.
This surprised me. No shortage of Burnside / Balvy releases these days but this stands out. Slighty more austere, lacking the typical honeyed note, especially on the palate. Interesting selection. Score: 87/100
Tobermory / Ledaig 24 yo 2001 (53,4%, The Whisky Jury 2025, refill hogshead #202, 248 btl.)
Nose: not as heavily peated as stated on the label, but showing lovely farmy touches right away. Brora on a budget? Some saddle leather and extinguished bonfire ashes, with hints of blackberry tea and tobacco leaves. Then also a nice yellow fruitiness underneath, as well as some caramel sweetness and vague hints of driftwood.
Mouth: this is where the peat comes out. Very maritime, slightly medicinal peat, with plenty of oily notes, a subtle fragrant touch and roasted herbs. Peach sweetness too, overtaken by rosemary, pepper and hints of pine resin. Charcoal, light camphor and a subtle hint of coffee in the very end.
Finish: medium to long, more of this mocha theme, with slightly sooty peat and lingering maritime sharpness.
Bonus point for the farminess, but other than that it’s simply an excellent Ledaig. Great herbal and medicinal elements, the right amount of dark sweetness and power. Score: 90/100