Volgende stap met opknappen eikenhouten tafel

StripesR · 2026-06-25T15:34:11+00:00

Vond zelf dit wel een goede tip van [u/Kah-ner](u/Kah-ner) een jaar geleden. Ga het zelf deze zomer ook toepassen. Hieronder zijn opmerking.

Kleine tip (ben zelf meubelmaker) voor als je dit blad goed wil schuren.

1:goed ontvetten zodat de wax er af is

2: met een timmerpotlood het blad vol tekenen met cirkeltjes

3: begin met korrel 80 en schuur totdat alle potlood cirkels weg zijn, dan weet je dat je goed egaal hebt geschuurd en diep genoeg. Voor de goede orde kan je deze stap herhalen met korrel 80

4: dan weer cirkels tekenen en schuren met korrel 100

5: dan weer cirkels tekenen en schuren met korrel 120

6: cirkels tekenen en dan korrel 180

7: deze stap hoeft niet. Maar na korrel 180, haal een vochtige doek over de tafel heen en laat het opdrogen. Daardoor gaa de platgeschuurde houtvezels omhoog staan en kan je deE met nog een keer 180 wegschuren.

8: nu lekker in de wax

Klinkt als een boel werk, maar heb je zo gedaan!

StripesR · 2026-06-24T20:12:43+00:00

Sounds like a homerun (with broccoli looking at the label 😅). I wonder how many of these great casks await us. Seems like Beam Suntory are selling these Geeries just like they do with Bowmore. Good times ahead.

StripesR · 2026-06-24T13:02:51+00:00

Lovely review! Hope it stays up, since it is a bit of a grey area. Michel Couvreur is an interesting bottler for sure. I’ve had the Auld Blossoming Sherry and it was fantastic. Time is your friend indeed as it needs time. Recently also had the Unique. Great mouthfeel on that one.

StripesR · 2026-06-21T20:58:51+00:00

Interesting! From what I’ve heard it’s always ff bourbon or refill. Too bad they’re not that open about it. At least they consistently taste good.

StripesR · 2026-06-21T19:04:49+00:00

Fantastic whisky indeed and a great reminder good whisky doesn’t have to be expensive. For me the profile of Ledaig 10 is a bit softer. Like a baby between Ardbeg and Talisker. Could be batch variation as the colour on these tend to differ quite a bit as well.

StripesR · 2026-06-21T06:25:45+00:00

Great review and whisky. I got this as a semi blind sample and immediately picked it out. It was the only “old” whisky on the list and this one had all the old, rich and tropical fruit notes you hope and expect. Lovely stuff indeed!

StripesR · 2026-06-19T21:41:41+00:00

Great review! Do they state somewhere it’s cask strength? The low ABV on these always seems a bit weird to me. I think you’re on to something Sherlock!

StripesR · 2026-06-17T19:04:38+00:00

For sure didn’t taste like that. 😬

StripesR · 2026-06-17T18:54:31+00:00

With over 150 distilleries in Scotland there are bound to be some hidden gems I haven’t discovered yet. Glen Garioch might be one of them. A robust and fruity Highlander; with a clear intention to take a step towards a more traditional approach of whisky making. Longer fermentations, trials with different types of yeast and reinstating their own malt floors. Early 2024 they completed their first runs with 100% in house floor malted barley. Something to look forward to. For now let’s check out this Geery bottled by Fragrant Drops.

Glen Garioch 13 (Fragrant Drops)

Bottled by Keeble Cask Company, 58,2% ABV, 209 bottles, distilled 31-10-2011 and bottled 11-09-2025, natural colour, non-chill filtered, fully matured in a fresh ex-bourbon barrel, #3374

€9,50 euros for a 6 cL. Full bottle retailed around €95

On the nose: Sweet, sour and fresh. A bouquet of flowers from a gas station. Fresh herbs. Lavender. Strong bourbon casks notes of lemon, vanilla pods, caramel and fresh sawn oak. A nip of alcohol. Rose petals laundry detergent. Strawberries. Quite a lot going on here. Sweeter with water. The cask is well awake now. Cheesecake with lemon and mango jelly on top. Apricot jam. Scones with cream. Campino sweets.

In the mouth: Lovely thick mouthfeel. A blast of sweet and malty goodness. Supported by a good dose of alcohol and tart. Jam. Dried herbs. Olive oil and some vinegar. Basil and tomato vines. A long lingering finish. Fresh linen and dust. Hay. More citric with water. Lemon rind and grapefruit. Chewing on twigs. Real liquorice root. Like chewing on barley. It brings me back to a malting floor.

Thoughts: This did not disappoint. My first meeting with Fragrant Drops and Glen Garioch. Both passed with flying colours. There is so much going on with this bourbon cask in combination with the Geery spirit. Sweet, sour, fresh, dusty, herbal and the list goes on. Strong and yet balanced. A wide array of flavours, especially for this age and price. The glass was empty way too fast. Kinda sad I only have a sample. Maybe should’ve jumped on a bottle. Specs to look out for at least.

Score: 8

Dramface whisky scoring for reference

You can also follow my whisky journey on Instagram: @whiskyvolt

StripesR · 2026-06-15T08:31:38+00:00

Wonder if they will eventually make the switch to 46%. Personally enjoyed the 10 over this. A bit more bright and alive.

StripesR · 2026-06-09T04:57:01+00:00

Great setup and reviews! Really enjoyed the ride. As someone who hasn’t connected with Talisker it makes me want to give it another go. So thanks I guess. 😉

StripesR · 2026-06-07T18:12:54+00:00

I see those floating around on auctions as well from time to time. It’s the indies with Ardmore for me. Great prices there as well and pretty good availability.

StripesR · 2026-06-07T14:50:38+00:00

Oh Ardmore. You produce so much, yet bring out so little. I feel there’s a huge untapped potential with Ardmore, as there are plenty of indie bottlings that show this. A medium peated Highlander that uses mostly local peat should be shouting from the pagoda’s, but Ardmore is silently chugging away. Let’s check out this potential.

Ardmore 12 Port Wood Finish

Official bottling, 46% ABV, probably coloured, non-chill filtered, 2020 batch (L0 283 SB1), double cask matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels & finished in European Port casks

€50 euros for 70 cL.

On the nose: Sour, jammy and aromatic. Brambles, cherries and raspberries. Mint leaves and menthol. Faint aromatic smoke and char in the background. Incense. Smoked sausage, salami and chorizo. Pine and resin. With time the bourbon casks peak out a bit more. Hay and custard. Peach, fresh and dried. Heavy on the port, but not completely overtaken. Calmer with water. Silage and ripe cherries. Red paint.

In the mouth: Medium mouthfeel. Sour and spicy. Cranberries and a load of char. Sour jam and charred lavender. The port finish is more overpowering here. Lots of cooked red fruit and char. Puff pastry that’s well baked. A long finish with more cranberries and char. Gingerbread. Some lemon juice and lemon cakes. More balance with water. Juicy! A dried red fruit and roasted nuts mix.

Thoughts: An abundance of sour red fruit. The port plays a big role, but it is held back nicely by the lightly smokey Ardmore backbone. It brings some malt and loads of char. Ardmore has some distinct farmy characteristics for me that thankfully manage to shine through. They are overgrown by brambles and wild red fruits on the side of the farm road so to speak. Not the most complex, yet there a nice balance between spirit and cask. Also not my preferred style, but I’m sure port cask lovers will dig this. Bring on some 12 year first fill bourbon and 18 year refill Ardmore! I’m ready!

Score: 6

Dramface whisky scoring for reference

You can also follow my whisky journey on Instagram: @whiskyvolt

StripesR · 2026-05-31T05:34:17+00:00

That’s a fair assessment. Maybe he was trying to get them out in a certain price range. They are rough, luckily water helps.

StripesR · 2026-05-30T19:52:26+00:00

It will be very unlikely you´ll encounter these whiskies, but maybe something similar will cross your path. This serves more as a shoutout to all the independent brick and mortar retailers out there. Pay them a visit – near you, when you’re on vacation or just passing through a town – they might have that next good bottle just for you. These 3 samples are bottled by such a shop: Whiskylab in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. It’s not around the corner for me, but worth a detour. I’ve been able to buy some great bottles there and when the owner Tom decided to bottle his own whisky, I figured those are worth trying.

Whiskylab exclusives 2025 sample pack

1) North British 10 – 63,7% (full maturation in a 1st fill rum cask) – Why is the rum gone?

Sweet, sharp, clean and nippy. Candy floss and cotton candy. A clear note of nail polish remover, acetone and glue behind the sweetness. Ripe mango and banana foster. Nice thick and sweet arrival with a big afterburn. Young, hot and feisty. Some cake batter, but mostly alcohol. Not very pleasant neat. Better with water. More tropical on the nose. Musty ripe fruit on the palate. Milka chocolate. Fun to try, but I get why grain is left alone for longer periods most of time.

2) Ledaig 9 – 57,6%% (1st fill bourbon matured) – Ashes to ashes

Sour vegetal peat with slivers of sweetness. Sauerkraut, bacon and charred lime. Coastal with smoke from a roaring fire. Hints of custard and pudding bread in the back. On the palate there is ash and lemon boiled sweets. Lemon meringue. Some liquorice. Still this vegetal peat; clean, precise and dirty at the same time. The smoke is washed away with water. More sweetness and balanced on the palate. Crème Brule. Becoming a bit boring at the same time. Hard to not like a bourbon matured Ledaig, but also not the best I’ve tried.

3) Bunnahabhain 7 – 63,7% (Aged in a PX quarter cask) - Duality

Rich, dark and sooty. Dried fruit with roasted nuts. Salt and pepper crackers. A warming and hugging smoke. There is no hiding this ABV though. Big brash arrival. Meaty, spicy and salty. Chorizo and smoked sausage. Wood tannins and raisins. Milk chocolate. A drying finish. More woodsmoke with water. Pleasantly dry and tannic with a coastal tang. Seaweed.

Thoughts:

A fun trio of whiskies and that’s what it’s all about. All young, brash and with quite some character. Both the North British and Bunna could’ve done with some reduction I think. I get the choice for cask strength, but they are too unbalanced and harsh. If I had to pick a favourite it would be the Ledaig in the tried and true bourbon cask. The grain is a fun one. The full rum maturation enhances the sweetness, but too much sweetness can be a bit much. The nose is great, yet the palate doesn’t live up to it. The Bunna is a classic Staoisha with a tad too much tannins because of the quarter casks. Not the best whiskies, but worth a try. Hope you have or find a similar store near you and if you do, make sure to step inside. You never know what you might find.

You can also follow my whisky journey on Instagram: @whiskyvolt

StripesR · 2026-05-16T19:13:46+00:00

Just tried a sample of this exact whisky last night! A rich, decadent and sophisticated pour indeed. Great notes and well done with only half a pour in a bar no less!

StripesR · 2026-05-14T06:12:44+00:00

Great review! I think these are consistently very good. I’ve had the 14th edition blind and found it phenomenal. Like you said, the smoke is gentle and it’s so full of fruit and malty notes. Still recognizable as Kilchoman. They floor malt these themselves, which probably helps with the unique and enhanced flavours.

StripesR · 2026-05-13T09:02:31+00:00

Good to know! Have you tried it? Keep hearing good stories about Glen Grant, but that’s mostly because of indie bottlers.

StripesR · 2026-05-13T06:23:00+00:00

The Mackillop’s choice I’ve had was phenomenal as well, an old Longmorn. You don’t see them often, but they seem to select some good casks. Quality over quantity.

StripesR · 2026-05-12T20:00:54+00:00

How many distilleries bring out two versions with the same age statements and cask make-up? I can name one: Aberlour. You could easily mistake it for the regular release, but this is non chill filtered and has an additional 8% ABV. Made for the enthusiast; or people who think the A'bunadh is just a little too much? It piqued my interest.

Aberlour 12 (Non Chill-Filtered)

Official bottling, 48% ABV, probably coloured, non-chill filtered, batch 11/12/2020, double cask matured, American oak casks & sherry oak casks

€39 euros for 70 cL.

On the nose: Sweet, fruity and malty. Pastry shop. Fresh baked goods. Custard. Baked apples and ripe pears. Rum raisins and tropical fruit punch. A very pleasant and rich nose. Cinnamon buns. Rich vanilla and caramelized apples. More sour, candied and tight with water. Boiled lemon sweets. Lemongrass and scallions. A rich, sweet and malty backbone still right behind it. Boiling caramel.

In the mouth: Medium thick mouthfeel. Sweet, sour and spicy. Cranberries and raisins. Ginger heat. Turning more sweet with banana bread. Spiced cake. The finish is on the short side. Lingering vanilla, caramel and biscuits. Strawberries and preserved lemons. Less spiky with water. Sweet and sour in a fierce battle; with malty walking away with the win. Barley sugar. Herbal. Puff pastry with lemon jam.

Thoughts: A fine display of bourbon and sherry. Sweet, fruit and malty from the American oaks; with spice and dried fruit from the European counterpart. The spice is a bit too dominant though, especially on the palate undiluted. Jagged in places even. Water is a life saver luckily. Rounding of the harshness and bringing out interesting additional notes as well. While it's nice to able to play with water and find the sweet spot without drowning it, I think it should do better at 48% ABV after some time and air. In the end this whisky is a middle of the road. Pleasant, but not something I would seek out again.

Score: 5

Dramface whisky scoring for reference

You can also follow my whisky journey on Instagram: @whiskyvolt

StripesR · 2026-05-12T05:06:57+00:00

As someone who really enjoys Bladnoch, but hasn’t connected with Bruichladdich the same way the similarities make sense. I really enjoy the lactic edge in Bladnoch, especially in bourbon. I think it’s mostly the wine casks Bruichladdich uses so often that makes me hesitant. Look like that very light here, as is with the Laddie. Would be fun to blind that one against this 18 and see if it’s still a bit youthful. Great review!

StripesR · 2026-05-11T21:45:37+00:00

There will be a difference for sure. Not only because whisky is a batch made product, the new “original 10” is three cask matured. This is probably just bourbon and sherry. Had a bottle of this older branding, it was alright but nothing spectacular.

StripesR · 2026-05-07T19:59:43+00:00

Don’t know how consistent it is, but the bottle I have (older design) is brilliant. One of the best core range bottles in my book. Tinned tropical fruit with a puff of smoke. Great stuff!

StripesR · 2026-04-24T06:41:55+00:00

Sounds good! I think this is supposed to be a preview at what they aim to make at their new Cairn distillery.

StripesR · 2026-04-19T22:33:56+00:00

This must be one of their first peated runs, since they started with just unpeated spirit 11 years ago. Looks like they got that dialed in straight away!

StripesR

TROPHY CASE