RMW Stocking Filler 21yo (Highland Single Malt)

RMW Stocking Filler 21yo (Highland Single Malt)

Region: Highlands

ABV: 46.0%

Price: £74.95 

An RMW exclusive from an undisclosed Highland distillery, bottled for the 2025 Stocking Filler release. This 21-year-old was matured in bourbon barrels, with an outturn of 932 bottles.

Nose

The nose opens with lemon confit, soft vanilla sponge cake, old dusty shelving, tangerine, and a little grapefruit too. There's a florality to this, lime leaves, white flowers, with all of these aforementioned aromas melding well together. The alcohol is nicely integrated, balanced and the dram definitely has an air of age to it. Time and air brings out an earthiness, a little bit of must, playing further into that older Highland whisky character.  

Palate

The palate opens with a burst of citrus and cream, like a lemon posset, coconut milk, chewy apple sweets, sweet bread dough and malt loaf. It's got bags of flavour, even though it's a soft and gentle palate overall. The mouthfeel is a tad thin, but time and air brings out more fruits, a little mushy pineapple, tinned mango, moving into a drier, oakier finish. Again, there's an old-style whisky feeling here that's quite pleasant. 

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose feels a bit more cask forward, soft vanillas, coconut shavings and sponge cake, and a bit mustier too, more earthy and dunnagey. The fruit is still there, but it's right in the background. Personally we're not a big fan of the amount of musty aromas coming through now, it felt better balanced before water was added. 

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate loses a bit of texture but has lots of upfront citrus still, however the mid palate and finish feel bitter, like dark chocolate and coffee grounds with some earthy wooden staves and a bit of black pepper spice lingering. Again, we don't think this needs water.

Conclusion

Well balanced, well integrated, characterful Highland malt. Lots of sweet, fruity, citrusy aromas and flavours mixing with dustier and maltier counterparts making it quite a complex but approachable dram. A tad thin on the palate and short on the finish, but quality whisky nonetheless.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

Excellent value, though we would have paid extra if it had been bottled at cask strength.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

If you like what you’ve read then check out our social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) to get notifications of when we post a new review or just to chat about whisky with us.