Tag Archives: #speyside

Glen Keith 25 Year Old

Our April 2025 taster was quite the interesting dram, and one that’s a little more rare and hard to find here in Ontario. This is the Glen Keith 25 Years Old single malt whisky distilled in the Speyside region. This is a bottle of their “Special Aged Releases” series that was bottled in March of 2023. This is one of 1460 bottles from this version that indicates it was matured in 1st fill American oak barrels and comes in at 43% abv.

From the landmark distillery Glen Keith ,which was the first to be built in Speyside region in the 20th century. The tall copper stills used to distill this twenty five year old Whisky imparts distinctively Speyside flavours. On the nose there is a syrupy sweetness; akin to toffee apples and spiced ginger marmalade. This is followed by tangy gooseberry jam and vanilla custard on the palate. The finish is long, smooth and sweet. Tasting Note by The Producer Nose Notes of toffee apple with spiced ginger marmalade. Palate Tangy gooseberry jam and vanilla custard. Finish Long, smooth, and sweet.

Tasting Notes

Nose: A delicate bouquet of ripe orchard fruits, honeycomb, and soft vanilla, underpinned by gentle floral notes and a whisper of oak.

Palate: Lusciously smooth with layers of stewed apples, toasted almonds, and creamy toffee. Hints of citrus zest and nutmeg add a refined spice, while the oak maturation lends depth and structure.

Finish: Long, warm, and impeccably balanced, with lingering notes of dried fruit, vanilla bean, and a soft malt sweetness.

This bottling was easy on the palate and packed some great flavours! I would highly recommend sourcing out a bottle of this for one of the best values in a 25 year old single malt available in Canada.

Carn Mor Glen Keith 1992

Glen Keith is another Speyside distillery that is new to us, and what a treat at 28 years old! Such a lovely presentation and an even lovelier bourbon barrel aged whisky inside, offered as part of the Carn Mor “Celebration of the Cask” series. Vanilla, caramel, apples and peaches, oh my! Thoroughly enjoyable and one I wish I could find again. Cask Strength at 55.6%. Sourced from Alberta and long sold out.

Tamnavulin 1991

This whisky is one of my personal favourites, and I wish it was mass produced so it could be on my bar at all times!


It is a most impressive dram, the colour is a wonderful pale gold.  But folks, I’m hear to tell you not let the paleness fool you, because what it lacks in clout it makes up in flavour and soul. The nose of this whisky is peaches and warm brown sugar and the palate is all spice. Pepper general spice and warm citrus  notes lead the way to the long warm finish. Overall 12 out of 10. – Josh C.

Craigellachie 23 Year Old Single Malt

The club recently celebrated our 11 Year Anniversary and this was bottle #2 in our tasting range for the evening, notes by member Adam Buchholtz.

Craigellachie 23 Year Old Single Malt

Specs: Speyside Scotch Whisky

Matured in: American Oak Cask

Alcohol: 46%

Our Purchase Price: $535.85 (LCBO in Ontario)

Nose: The first impression on the nose of this whisky is quite complex. I picked up some peppery notes, with an aromatic spice blend, along with something akin to sulphur. It seemed like quite a pungent smell, with a hint of sea salt mixed in. Absent for me were the fruity notes that are mentioned in many a review of this whisky, however I was so excited to taste it, that it may not have had the requisite time in the glass to fully envelope my senses.

Taste: Immediately I got an old leathery taste, almost rawhide-esk, to go along with a very oily mouthfeel. I was surprised at how different this expression is from their younger age statement bottles. With the taste also came a range of fruits, mostly tropical and citrusy in nature, like pineapple, orange, or even grapefruit. It meshed surprisingly well with the leathery flavours and made for a complex dram.

Finish: Again the oiliness was evident on the finish, with some heat from pepper notes, but also sweet citrus, with a touch of honey. It lasted quite a while, with a dryness to it that allowed it to linger.

Overall: The Craigellachie 23 is a complex scotch, as should be expected from anything that has been matured in American Oak for 23 years. However at the price point, it isn’t a bottle that I would strive to add to my personal collection. It is definitely worth a taste if you should be able, but I would not go out of my way for another dram