GLENURY ROYAL 88/100

...... CLOSED 1985
........ yet another closed distillery from the eastern highlands, this well regarded Malt is now only available as old, and expensive bottles which are not worth the money, however, if you get to taste this whisky, you can expect a stumbling aromatic, sweet-malt, spice-breezed, age-complex oak-suffused veteran !!!!!!

GLENUGIE 88/100

...... CLOSED 1983
....... an east-coastal highland distillery with a varied pedigree
it is somewhat ironic that, after various owners failed to make a success of the distillery, it is the 'vintage malt' drinkers of today who are impressed at how good many of the surviving old stocks are. Perhaps, any surviving whisky was saved in good casks which have kept well, perhaps it's just luck.
Whatever it is, this whisky is fruity, malty, layered and rewarding.

GLENTURRET 88/100

..... a substantial highlander of some history!
..... allegedly the oldest Distillery in Scotland (maybe!)
this excellent malt is more or less invisible behind the all-dancing, all-singing, sparkle-fest event that is the "Famous Grouse Experience", a family friendly Mcwhisky-ville devoted to Scotland's most over-rated Blend.
It's really so odd, you would hardly know that a great Malt was in production at all!
Malted honey, cream-barley and peppery spice with varied nutty tones circulating, older versions are rare but show old-fashioned gravitas.
Glenturret 21 y.o (Cask Signatory) 91/100

GLENTAUCHERS 86/100

.... complex and beguiling speysider which contributes a little brulee to Chivas Regal Blends.
This is less well known than the other Chivas malts mainly due to it not being officially bottled or promoted as a single malt in recent years.
It has been up to some of the Indies to 'carry the torch!'
It take a bit of familiarization, however this is a rewarding whisky of substance and both sweet and biscuity with maple, scented nuts, vanilla and barley-drops.
Lovely!!
Glentauchers 12 y.o. (Old Malt Cask) 87/100

GLEN SPEY 87/100

..... underrated, colourful speysider owned by Diageo, and doing it's little bit for blended whisky, '..........cos it's not got much of a profile in the Whisky Shops.
Shame really, 'cos this is a decent, juicy, honeyed Malt with smoke, nuts and exotic tea.
Glen Spey 12 y.o. 87/100

GLEN SCOTIA 86/100

......... a mystery Campbeltown Malt that isn't Springbank, or generally as good as Springbank, but standards seem to have been raised recently by the Loch Lomond Distillery Company.
Briney, aromatic and substantial with a fresh peaty glow, this Malt is well worth a perusal, and even outshines their Campbeltown rivals who have been 'distracted' recently.
Glen Scotia 12 y.o. 86/100 .... if this had been 'craft instead of being branded, 92/100.

Feb'10 - Exclusive Malts Cask 1247 85/100 ( an odd malt-grappa-rum thing !

GLENROTHES 76/100

........... complex speysider with a lot of spicy soft energy, and allegedly, in big demand by Blenders.
Rarely have I ever come across such an over-processed, disfigured Malt in all my life.
E150 perma-glow and savage chill-filtration have effectively neutered this whisky.
Any bottles with 1970-something will be expensive but fine, but after that, you take a chance.
...... an exercise in style over substance.

The owners of this whisky should hang their heads in shame!
Glenrothes 1989 64/100

Feb'10 - have recently tried 4 Glen Rothes at the Advanced Whisky Course and discovered 1994/12yo 87/100, 1991/14yo 87/100, 1987/15yo 89/100 and 1985/20yo 90/100 ... which shows a big improvement on past experiences with this Malt. ... good stuff !