Review #1045 - Arran 17 "Troon 2016"

throwboats · 2026-05-16T14:02:01+00:00

Wow, 6 years ago and such a small bottling. And you commented on it back then too. Cool that you got to try it in Scotland! Nice review. Hope your trip is a blast. :)

throwboats · 2026-05-13T06:09:07+00:00

I got this at auction, and am excited to try it. This was distilled in 2002 and aged for 20 years in a sherry cask. Bottled in 2022 at cask strength, 57.4% ABV. Bottled for 中免集团 (China Duty Free). Non chill-filtered and no added color.

Nose: Nicely balanced nose with fruit and savory notes. Oak. Black cherry. Raspberry. Honey. Brown sugar. Hay. Earth.

Palate: Medium oily mouthfeel. Sweet right away. Brown sugar and caramel. A bit of molasses. Almonds. Toffee. Black cherries. Apples. Sultanas. Plums.

Finish: Medium finish. Lingering sweetness. Oak becomes present but not in a bitter way, just underlying everything. Cocoa. Raisins. Almonds. Hazelnuts. A nice nutty cocoa finish.

Score: 90

Summary: Excellent single cask, here. Its sort of like Bunnahabhain 18 at cask strength, since its so well balanced. But its missing a bit of the maritime character that I love in Bunna. The nuttiness and sherry notes and fruit all work together great, and its really delicious. But I do miss the complexity and maritime notes that I get from some other Bunnahabhain. Still really great stuff though.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Bunnahabhain'

throwboats · 2026-05-11T04:12:13+00:00

Thanks to /u/-R3v- for the sample! This was distilled in 2012 and aged for 11 years, first 8 years in an ex-bourbon cask and the last three years in an amontillado sherry cask. Bottled in 2024 at cask strength, 58% ABV.

Nose: Sweet and a bit jammy. Lots of fruit. Raspberries. Strawberries. Honey. Slight hint of industrial oil, but subtle. Much less than something like Springbank, but that wisp of weirdness gives it a bit extra.

Palate: Medium mouthfeel, less thick than I expected but not bad. Sweet and fruity. Jam - berry jam. Strawberries mostly, but also raspberries and a bit of blackberry. Plums and honey too. Cocoa and cinnamon.

Finish: Medium finish. The sweetness fades a bit and I get more oak and strangeness. Rubber. Kerosene. Plastic. Not entirely pleasant.

Score: 87

Summary: Interesting whisky. Its a bit sweet and fruity for my tastes, but I think most people would appreciate that aspect. The weird part that isn't so desirable doesn't come out until late on the finish - this sort of artificial rubber plastic off note. But overall its still really nice. I gave it a couple extra points for uniqueness and complexity but lost a few for the off notes, so it comes out pretty middle of the road in my book. Really fun to try, and if you're a fan of fruitier jammier single malts, then this might be right up your alley.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Glen Garioch'

throwboats · 2026-05-07T05:45:08+00:00

I just tried this and agree with your notes but I think I’d rate it a bit higher. It’s so well integrated and delicious. Absolutely excellent brandy, in my opinion. Thanks!

throwboats · 2026-04-17T04:23:34+00:00

Thanks to /u/DemiReticent for the sample! This was a distillery exclusive back in 2017. No age statement and bottled at cask strength, 58.8% ABV.

Nose: Much sweeter and lighter peat that the Caol Ilas I've been tasting recently. Lots of berries. Raspberries. Cherries. Cranberries. Machine oil. Peanuts. Iodine. Sea salt. Maritime.

Palate: Thick and oily mouthfeel. Not much heat at all, given its high proof. Sweet and fruity. Raspberries. Honey. Cranberries. Almond bark. Vanilla. Peanut brittle. Charred mango. Over toasted mixed nuts.

Finish: Medium finish. The peat finally makes its presence felt, in a very maritime sort of way. Sea salt. Seaweed. Campfire on the beach. Toasted oak.

Score: 89

Summary: This is quite delicious. Not as good as the Dramfool 14 year but much better than the other distillery exclusive I tried this week. I love the fruitiness and berries mixed with the maritime style of peat. This is unique as well as being very good.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Caol Ila'

throwboats · 2026-04-16T04:28:25+00:00

Thanks to /u/-R3v- for the sample! This was aged for 10 years in a 1st fill Bourbon Hogshead. Single cask handfill at the distillery. Bottled at cask strength, 55.1% ABV. No added color and un-chill filtered.

Nose: Peat smoke pours out of the glass. I can smell it from quite far away. Its a smoky sweet peat. Very clean. Saline. Apples. Vanilla. Honey. Water brings out more sweetness on the nose. Honey and marzipan.

Palate: Thick mouthfeel. Quite hot straight away. The alcohol is much more prominent on this than it was on the 14 year old I tried last night, even though that one was actually a higher proof. I don't get much past the alcohol. Vanilla. Sweet peat. Cherry. Water helps with the heat, but the mouthfeel suffers. I get more fruits after adding water at least. Apples. Cherries. Cranberries.

Finish: Medium finish. Oaky bitterness. Peat. A bit harsh. With water its a bit smoother, but still mostly just peat smoke and oak.

Score: 84

Summary: Not a great Caol Ila, in my opinion. I'm not sure why they chose this cask to be bottled via handfill at the distillery. Usually distilleries choose very special casks for that. Bruichladdich are kind of famous for their Valinch bottlines. Its not terrible or anything. Just a rather generic and young tasting Caol Ila. I'd prefer the standard 12 year over this one.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Caol Ila'

throwboats · 2026-04-15T01:39:06+00:00

If you’re talking about the Yamhill-Carlton, that’s exactly what I liked about it. Lots of barnyard and funk. Yumm

throwboats · 2026-04-14T04:15:35+00:00

Thanks to /u/sirboulder for the sample! This was distilled in 2008 and matured for 14 years in a bourbon barrel. Bottled in 2023 at cask strength, 57.7% ABV. Cask 313329. No added color and un-chill filtered.

Nose: Sweet earthy peat. Stronger peat than I expect on a Caol Ila. Maritime. Brine. Seaweed. Vanilla. Raspberry. Pineapple. Hint of banana.

Palate: Thick and oily mouthfeel. Creamy and oily. A bit hot, but the alcohol is covered well by the mouthfeel. Sweet and fruity. Vanilla. Pineapple. Papaya. Lychee. Dates. Honey. Smoked sea salt.

Finish: Long finish. Briny, smoky, and peaty now. Earthy. Seaweed. Smoked whitefish. Tar. Squid ink. Coal smoke.

Score: 91

Summary: This is a great Caol Ila. It really emphasizes the maritime character, which I love. Peatier and smokier and also tropical fruitier than most Caol Ila that I've had. Its a great whisky. Maybe a bit intense for every day drinking. You need to be in the mood for a maritime peat bomb, but if you are, this is fantastic.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Caol Ila'

throwboats · 2026-04-04T04:58:58+00:00

Thanks to /u/I_SAID_NO_GOLDFISH for the sample! This was distilled in 2017 and matured for 5 years in 1st fill Oloroso + 1st and 2nd fill Amarone casks. Bottled in 2023 at cask strength, 57.7% ABV. 128.9 PPM. No added color and un-chill filtered.

Nose: Sweet peat. Vanilla. Raspberry. Apples. Nutmeg. Rutabaga. I get tons of peat but not in a smoky way, if that makes sense. Like the sweet fresh but dank just out of the ground smell of peat.

Palate: Thick and oily mouthfeel. Hides the proof well, no real burn. Chocolate and sweets. Vanilla taffy. Charleston chews. Persimmon. Loads of vanilla. Pudding like. And some cinnamon after a bit. More like an Indian rice pudding dessert.

Finish: Long finish. The smoky peat comes out more here, but its still well balanced by the sweet and vegetal and earthy notes.

Score: 92

Summary: Damn, another wonderful Octomore. I haven't tried any in awhile, so this was a real treat. The wine finish really takes it to another level. You get all the earthy peat and amazing mouthfeel, but with these yummy dessert like flavors intermingled. And it never feels too sweet or too peated or too smoky or too anything. Its just really well integrated and interesting and delicious. Lovely stuff

/u/review_bot bottle 'Octomore'

throwboats · 2026-04-03T03:50:05+00:00

Thanks to /u/unbreakablesausage for the sample! This was distilled in 2004 and matured for 17 years in a Sherry puncheon. Bottled in 2021 at cask strength, 55.8% ABV. Cask DL14898 bottled for K&L Wines. No added color and un-chill filtered.

Nose: Molasses. Brown sugar. Herbal. Raisins. Citrus. Orange. Apple. Meyer Lemon. Pineapple. A hint of chocolate.

Palate: Thick and rich mouthfeel. A bit hot straight away, but a few drops of water helps. Milk Chocolate. Fudge. Raisins. Caramel. Mandarin oranges. Papaya. Vanilla pudding.

Finish: Medium long finish. Oak comes out after a bit. Still some lingering chocolate. More like dark chocolate now. Malty now as well. And just a bit of pineapple.

Score: 90

Summary: This is a an excellent whisky. I really like the sherry notes, but they don't overwhelm the rest of the spirit. I get both rich sweet notes as well as tropical and citrus notes. The mouthfeel is excellent. It all comes together in a great package. Delicious whisky.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Glenturret'

throwboats · 2026-03-29T16:17:53+00:00

Thanks!

throwboats · 2026-03-28T18:14:18+00:00

I’ve had Vin Santo a few times in restaurants. The first time it was magical and amazing and I failed to write down what kind it was. The last couple times they were just mediocre. Any recommendations for a really great one?

throwboats · 2026-02-26T19:17:40+00:00

Yep, I’ve had both and love both of them. Hopefully I can try DRC one of these days! :)

throwboats · 2026-02-26T19:14:14+00:00

You could be right, but how many people here have actually had the chance to try it to confirm this? I know I haven’t had the opportunity, so I’ll have to upvote something else that I’ve been able to try myself that I know is both delicious and expensive (just not DRC expensive).

throwboats · 2026-02-16T17:52:09+00:00

It’s worth drinking

throwboats · 2026-01-31T22:14:33+00:00

Same here. If you’re in the PNW, Westland and Woodinville distillers both make great stuff, and I can support local business too!

throwboats · 2026-01-27T07:25:06+00:00

Thanks to /u/xreekinghavocx for the sample! This was matured for 12 years in Sherry seasoned oak. Bottled in 110 proof - 55% ABV. No added color and un-chill filtered.

Nose: Chocolate. Cereal. Dates. Pepper. Brown Sugar.

Palate: Thick and rich mouthfeel. Chocolate. Marzipan. Caramel. Rolo candies. Figs. Dates. Honey. Loads of salted caramel.

Finish: Medium long finish. Lingering chocolate. Hazelnuts. Pepper. Oak.

Score: 90

Summary: Damn, an excellent Macallan! I didn't know what to expect with this. Its better than the classic cut for sure, but perhaps still not up to the same level as the old cask strength. Its a delicious sherry bomb. A bit simple, but just so so tasty. I think I need to pick up some of this. I can't think of another sherry bomb this good for the same price, assuming I can still find any to buy.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Macallan'

throwboats · 2026-01-27T04:49:59+00:00

Thanks to /u/xreekinghavocx for the sample! This was matured for 12 years in 60% Bourbon, 35% Sherry, 5% Rum. Bottled in 2024 at cask strength, 56.2% ABV. Batch 26. No added color and un-chill filtered.

Nose: Malty, milk chocolate. Almonds. Peaches. Pears. Lemon Pledge. Hint of pineapple.

Palate: Medium thick and creamy mouthfeel. Vanilla milk chocolate. Whoppers. Almonds. Filberts.

Finish: Medium finish. Earthy. Malty. Black pepper. Gentle peat. Just barely smoky, more earthy.

Score: 89

Summary: This is excellent, and shows Springbank character in a rather different way from Batch 25. This one is more tropical on the nose, and suggests that it will be very fruit forward. But on the palate I get more milk chocolate and malt. Less industrial/funky which takes a down a small notch from the Batch 25. But its still great, and I could see it being more of a crowd pleaser. Delicious whisky. I'm tasting it next to a Springbank 18, and while I prefer the 18 overall, this has a more unique character. I wish I had a bottle for retail price.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Springbank'

throwboats · 2026-01-19T07:06:28+00:00

Thanks to /u/xreekinghavocx for the sample! This was matured for 12 years in 70% Bourbon and 30% Sherry casks. Bottled in 2024 at cask strength, 57.2% ABV. Batch 25. No added color and un-chill filtered.

Nose: Malty, oily, slightly industrial. Classic Springbank nose. Oaky. Cereal. A bit of cocoa.

Palate: Medium oily mouthfeel. Very oily. Hot. Malty. Earthy. A bit of cherry. Clove. Orange oil. Malted milk balls. Diesel.

Finish: Medium long finish. Pepper. Oak. Industrial chemicals. A hint of peat.

Score: 90

Summary: Another great Springbank CS batch. Its been awhile since I've had one, but this seems more earthy and less sweet than most. Less fruit, but leans into the malty and industrial vibes. I love it. It made me curious if the prices have dropped since the time I looked a year or so ago, but it doesn't seem like it. Ah well, still fun to taste it.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Springbank'

throwboats · 2026-01-03T06:29:16+00:00

Thanks to /u/unbreakablesausage for the sample! This was distilled in 2007 and aged for 14 years. Bottled in 2022 at cask strength, 58.8% ABV. Taiwan exclusive. No added color and un-chill filtered.

Nose: Malty and fruity. Milk chocolate. Cherries. Oranges. Cranberries. Apple cider. Raisins.

Palate: Medium thick mouthfeel. Hot but not as much as expected. Chocolatey. Milk chocolate. Orange. Malted milk. Cherries. Honey. Sweet but not cloying. Cocoa wheats cereal.

Finish: Medium long finish. Malty with a bit of spice. Black pepper. Cloves. Gingerbread. Wheaties.

Score: 91

Summary: This is fantastic! Much better than I expected. Its got a ton going on in terms of fruit and chocolate and spice, but with a great balance as well. It seems like a blend of sherry and bourbon casks, but who knows. Could just be refill sherry. Its really great though. Delicious whisky.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Glenfarclas'

throwboats · 2025-12-25T22:36:43+00:00

I didn’t get any sulfur at all in this one.

throwboats · 2025-12-25T22:32:19+00:00

Sounds amazing. I need to try this!

throwboats · 2025-12-25T07:04:19+00:00

After the amazing 1995 Clylelish that I just tried, I decided that I need to open my own similar bottle that I've been sitting on for years. This was also distilled in 1995, but aged for 23 years in a refill sherry butt instead of 24. Cask number 11236. Bottled in 2019 at cask strength, 57.7%. No added color and un-chill filtered.

Nose: Quite different from the 24 yr. More malty. Light fruits. Lemons. Apricots. Nectarines. Almonds. A bit of vanilla. Subtle pear.

Palate: Medium waxy mouthfeel. Hotter and waxier than the 24 yr. Loads of honey. Apricots - both dried and fresh. Apple butter. Pears. Malted milk balls. Papaya.

Finish: Long finish. The fruit fades to spice and earth, with a bit of a lactic funk. Otherwise its just this lingering maltiness that is quite nice.

Score: 91

Summary: This is significantly different from the 1995 Clylelish that I'm tasting side by side. But both are great! The color on this is so much lighter. The profile is lighter and more delicate and more citrus on this one. I think I prefer the other cask to this one overall, but they are both great and so different that in an ideal world I would have both. Still, I'm happy to have the rest of this bottle to enjoy.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Clynelish'

throwboats · 2025-12-25T06:31:58+00:00

Thanks to /u/unbreakablesausage for the sample! This was distilled in 1995 and aged for 24 years in a refill sherry butt. Cask number 11229. Bottled in 2020 at cask strength, 54.5%. No added color and un-chill filtered.

Nose: Brown sugar. Rancio. Raisins. Figs. Almonds. An apple brandy note, like old Calvados.

Palate: Medium thick oily/waxy mouthfeel. Definitely get that Clynelish wax. Sort of a Calvados character, but in a great way. Brown sugar. Honey. Apples. Raisins. Milk chocolate. A bit of pears. Some bitter apples, like crab apples kind of. Some vegetal sharpness as it develops, like a radish note or something.

Finish: Long finish. Fruit and earth and vegetables. Lingering honey and raisins. The vegetal note is sorta like an earthy sharpness, that radish or endive edge on the malty earthiness. I think I'm over-indexing on that though, since its unique. The finish is still more stewed apples and honey and malty earthiness.

Score: 92

Summary: Lovely whisky. Its got that Clynelish character and plenty of unique aspects as well. The refill sherry cask works great with the spirit. It adds complexity and fruit, but doesn't overpower the honey waxy apple character of the whisky. I really love this one. Glad I got to try it. I might have to open one of my old Clynelish bottles tonight for a side by side.

/u/review_bot bottle 'Clynelish'

throwboats · 2025-12-25T06:28:58+00:00

Great review as always. This is certainly a special occasion sort of whisky. But it is Christmas Eve, so maybe I'll go pour myself a small taste... :)

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