Review 258. Waving goodbye to 2025.

Some of the nicest people I ‘ve never met…

Looking back, I feel it’s safe to say 2025 has been a bit of a roller-coaster. It’s been a while now, well  over a year probably,  since it became crystal clear that the sky, as it turned out, wasn’t the limit after all, and it will likely have been a bit of a rude awakening for many. The optimism that once encouraged distilleries old and new alike to crank up production and, in many case, prices as well, has well made way for a firm and sometimes painful reality check. And if we’re to believe folk with inside knowledge, the descend is still going on, meaning the industry hasn’t reached rock bottom yet. As these things go, the pendulum seems to have been stretched so much one way, that the swing back towards the other end of the spectrum is correspondently severe. Seeing how Diageo has been making adjustments trying to minimize damage, it’s fair to assume that what happens to the Juggernaut affects a lot of other players as well.

And yet I maintain that whisky is thriving. Festivals are booming, and while the industry is facing many challenges (probably overly simplified to this: overproducing versus less disposable income amongst consumers+ a new generation coming of age who are less inclined to indulge in alcohol =  serious problems) we, the enthusiasts are still here.  Keen as ever, albeit critical and demanding as well. However companies and producers chose to respond to that, will go a long way. One way or the other. If Inver House, to name but one, are convinced that tinkering with Speyburn or AnCnoc in terms of presentation is the way to go, lowering ABV, likely filtering it as a consequence, I can only assume they’ve done their homework, studied their markets  and have read the room. Good luck to them. I hope they’ll succeed establishing themselves on those supermarkets shelves, because I know I will have very little problem ignoring them in the future.

But I don’t want to end this last post of the year with a rant or moan, rather I want to celebrate what we have here. Continue to celebrate, that is, as last week I already sung praise to the wonderful friends that have crossed my path in recent years.  I would very much like to dedicate this last post of 2025 to those people who have put, on numerous occasions, a big smile on my face, and have humbled me with their generosity. And who I am yet to shake hands and share a dram with.

I’ve often wondered if it is possible to call people friends if you haven’t actually met them. I’ve come to the conclusion that it is very much a possibility. So this one really is me saying thank you to all of you. I’m hesitant to name people as I might well oversee someone who deserves a mention, but I hope you know who you are.

Cameronbridge 30 yo single grain (1979- 2009). Duncan Taylor rare Auld series. Casknumber 3585, 206 bottles. 51.9% ABV, NC, UCF. Gifted to me by Glenn Duncan.

I can’t really put into words the feeling of gratefulness I felt when exactly one day before my birthday in September, a parcel made its way to my front door. Its content: a single grain whisky that was distilled in my birthyear and bottled 30 years later. The man responsible for this: Glenn Duncan, who, from all the way in Tasmania, put in a bid at an auction site in the Netherlands, won it and then had it shipped to me. Suffice to say I was chuffed to bits and lost for words. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion he teamed up with a certain Roy Duff to get the intel on my birthday and to ambush me. But never ever have I been more pleased to be ambushed! Seems only fitting that when paying tribute to our community, this whisky gets a review. In a year of focusing on samples, this will be the only actual bottle of whisky I’ll review all year, but given the circumstances one where I am more than happy to make an exception.

Nose

Sweet oranges. ‘Pink’ – as in candyfloss/cotton candy notes with a whiff of bubblegum.  More colours as I’m also getting ‘green’ notes  with some eucalyptus  and perhaps even some parsley before going full circle with sweet cereal and biscuits.

Palate

Fine mixture of those pink and green notes as that eucalyptus leans ever so nicely on those candy floss notes. The texture is viscous at first, but then mid palate it turns somewhat dry – introducing a gentle oaky note. This in turn provides a delicate bitterness countering the sweetness.

Finish

Long, sweet and then woody, warming and drying

Final thoughts

This brings everything you’d expect from a well-aged single grain whisky! It’s easy sipping but it carries depth and flavour. The balance is just spot on and is probably what makes this stand out. Just like last week’s 40 yo, there’s a lot to be said about careful cask management. Very likely the new make from this would have been all but neutral spirit, very high in ABV, but more or less inert in terms of flavour. Which puts a lot of ‘pressure’ on the cask(s) involved to make it shine  like it does 3 decades onwards. Overly active wood is seldom an issue when dealing with single grains, as active casks are (rightfully) deemed too valuable when maturing ‘base spirit’. Usually it’s the other way round and grain whisky is put in very tired oak, possibly 4^th fill even. And the result, it needs to be said, is that even after 2, 3 or even 4 decades, the whisky will still come across young or under aged. None of these issues, I am happy to say, are in play with this one. Sure, it likely won’t have been first fill bourbon, but it was by no means an exhausted cask either. The colour already was a good indication of that, and the nose and palate confirmed as much.

86/100

So Glenn, and all my  other ‘yet to meet’ whisky friends: thank you!! And to all of you: Have a wonderful holiday season,  a happy Hogmanay and I hope you get to enjoy the good company of family and friend and raise a glass of something truly wonderful.  Lang may yer lum reek!