We're back with the Scotch Malt Whisky Societies March 2026 outturn review. This month features 28 new bottles, including the introduction of three new wave distilleries as part of the next Creators Collection - Clydeside, Torabhaig and Inchdarnie. There's also a heavy sherry theme this month, with half of the bottles spending some time in sherry casks.
We think we tried all of this months releases, but if there are any mid month surprises we'll attempt to review those as we get further into February. Check out our social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) to get updates on the mid-month bottles and heads up on our other reviews.
The scores below are based on our initial impressions. For full disclosure, we won't spend as much time with a dram as we usually do for a full review, but we hope you'll find the scores useful.
- 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.
Onto the bottles...
9.314 - Glen Grant Distillery
Name: Fine-dining exploration
Flavour Profile: Fragrant & Floral
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-sauternes barrique
ABV: 57.1%
Age: 17
Price: £95.00
The nose opens with a little struck match, fake fur, dried cranberries, cold air, and dry leather. There’s also a meatiness to this.. some dry aged beef coming through. The palate has a decent texture, with apricot brandy, pomegranate, black pepper and a bitter, astringent finish. There’s also a bit of creaminess towards the finish, but it’s a bit overshadowed by the acridity. The Sauternes has definitely given something to this whisky, but we’re not sure it’s the right thing.
Score: 6/10
Value: Not a bad price given the distillery, age and cask finish.
11.74 - Tomatin Distillery
Name: Sauternes me on
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-sauternes hogshead
ABV: 60.7%
Age: 11
Price: £65.00
The nose opens with raisins, red apples, almond, butterscotch and a few cranberries scattered in. There’s something quite weighty on the nose, a little funky, fermented perhaps. The palate has mulled wine and rotten red grapes, and is overly spicy - some aromatic spices, clove, cinnamon, but also a lot of heat coming through too. It’s a little dry and bitter towards the finish, and it feels like it loses its charm at that point.
Score: 6/10
Value: This feels quite good value given the age and cask type.
16.100 - Glenturret Distillery
Name: Mighty meaty punch peaty
Flavour Profile: Bold & Peaty
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-sherry hogshead
ABV: 63.1%
Age: 11
Price: £75.00
The nose opens with chocolate coated hazelnuts, Nutella, salt and vinegar crisps, bacon fries and raw brewers hops. The smoke is more of a deep, rich, slightly sour, charred tea leaf note for us. The palate has a decent texture, some raspberry jam, dark chocolate, rubber tires, and a little bit of floral hand soap. There’s a sweetness riding through the palate. There’s more of that nuttiness that appears after some time. It’s decent, the sherry has definitely had an impact in a fruity, nutty way.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Good price for some cask strength sherry and peat.
19.110 - Glen Garioch Distillery
Name: Sweet recollections
Flavour Profile: Toasted Oak & Vanilla
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon hogshead
ABV: 55.4%
Age: 22
Price: £155.00
The nose opens with custard cream biscuits, banana pudding, a little almond paste, pineapple chunks and buttery shortbread. The more you nose it, the fruiter and sweeter it gets. The palate has a lovely mouthfeel, and brings lots more of that banana, cream puffs, pineapple, guava and mango. It’s a bit warmer on the palate than the nose, but it’s a pretty classical early-20’s bourbon Glen Garioch. Good stuff.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: In line with other society 19 release at this age, but we still wish they were a little cheaper.
28.115 - Tullibardine Distillery
Name: A gardener's work is never done
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso butt
ABV: 61.1%
Age: 10
Price: £70.00
The nose opens with foosty Christmas pudding, red kola, date syrup, toffee crisp bars and plum jam. It’s very, very sherry forward, not aggressively so, but any semblance of spirit character has died. The palate has a nice texture, and lots of warm red cherries, chocolate torte, candied almonds and soft red fruits. It’s totally fine, a bit hot as the palate lingers on, but if you like the classic (we assume) American oak oloroso profile, you’ll like this.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: A few pounds cheaper would have been nice.
35.412 - Glen Moray Distillery
Name: Layers of Intrigue
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill Spanish oak ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 61.4%
Age: 11
Price: £64.50
The nose opens with a host of wood spice, lots of cinnamon and clove, dark fruits, blackcurrant cordial, black cherry jam, very rich indeed. There’s a peppery alcohol also peeking through. The palate has a good texture, and continues down the dark fruit path.. it reminds us of a dark fruits cider - lots of blackcurrant, black cherry and plum, but with a certain acidity in the background. For 11yo, and for 61%, this is actually really good.. it’s a specific profile that some may love/hate, but it’s a well integrated dram.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: Not a bad price given the age, distillery and cask type.
36.233 - Benrinnes Distillery
Name: Open sesame
Flavour Profile: Fragrant & Floral
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill French oak ex-Jamaican rum barrique
ABV: 56.0%
Age: 16
Price: £87.00
The nose opens with torched banana, pineapple juice, sawn wood, vanilla sponge and something a little flinty, not sulphur but like a struck match. There’s also a bit of salinity too. The palate has more of a sweet shortbread note, more banana, ginger spice, white chocolate mice and some vanilla. It’s softer than we’d expect from Jamaican rum, and really quite pleasant.
Score: 7/10
Value: This feels quite good value given the age and cask type.
39.302 - Linkwood Distillery
Name: Party pleaser
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 56.2%
Age: 13
Price: £73.50
The nose opens with sugar puffs, peach syrup, light orchard fruit notes, it’s very confectionery forward and actually has a really good balance of alcohol - although it perhaps feels a little thin on the nose. The palate has a burst of fruits, more apples, peaches, and tangerine - infact there’s a fair bit of orange coming through now. As suspected, the palate is thinner than we’d like, but it’s still got some texture. Going back, there’s waffle cones, mango and white chocolate. Actually really solid Linkwood, the first in a while for us.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: Not a bad price when compared with other indie releases of Linkwood.
39.323 - Linkwood Distillery
Name: Sophisticated cinema kiosk
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill European oak ex-PX butt
ABV: 56.8%
Age: 12
Price: £75.00
The nose opens with the aroma of freshly opened black bin bags, new leather, toxic waste sweets (without the citric acid), but also a little lime peel. It’s a little plastic-y too. The palate has more of a malty, chocolatey note, lots of freshly zested lime, fresh pear and cola cubes, and even a little cherry chouffe beer flavour. Intriguing, we’re a little torn. It’s good, more of a palate-dram than a nose-dram.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Like this month's other 39, not a bad price especially given the cask type.
41.189 - Dailuaine Distillery
Name: Torched meringue tart
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bodega oloroso butt
ABV: 58.1%
Age: 15
Price: £85.00
The nose opens with … old school sherried sulphur. We actually confused this with the Craigellachie (based on previous trauma). There’s beef bovril, black pepper, mouldy socks, and a little fresh cherry right in the background. The palate has more of a rounded profile, there’s lots of worn leather, chocolate coins, dark fruits and flint. There’s a real funk in the background and on the finish, with a few roasted nuts and a bit of blue cheese too. This is very much old, sulphury sherry and some people will absolutely adore this. We’re too sensitive to sulphur personally, but we’ll go with a 6/10.
Score: 6/10
Value: We'd have liked this to be a few years older for this price.
44.197 - Craigellachie Distillery
Name: Bark side of the prune
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 57.1%
Age: 19
Price: £135.00
The nose opens with soft red fruits, a mixture of strawberry and cherry jam, fresh lime, currants, and some vanilla frosting too. You can tell there’s an initial bourbon maturation here - the sherry is sitting on top of the whisky. The palate has honey cured bacon, vanilla syrup, almond paste, milk bottle sweeties, a little butyric acid but very faint - and we’re quite sensitive to that. For our crimes, this is a really solid Craigellachie, the sherry hasn’t fully integrated but it’s quite a tasty dram.
Score: 7/10
Value: Feels more than a little expensive to us.
53.523 - Caol Ila Distillery
Name: Dirty martinis at low tide
Flavour Profile: Smoky & Fruity
Region: Islay
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 59.4%
Age: 11
Price: £78.50
The nose opens with a real salty, cheesy, milky note. It’s.. weird for a Caol Ila. There’s malt vinegar, whitening cleaning product, and a slightly off milk aroma - the smoke here is very soft and far into the background. The palate has more of a milky note - hazelnut gelato, salted liquorice, tire treads, a bit of blackcurrant and some sour milk into the finish. This isn’t like any Caol Ila we’ve had - it leans into a Bruichladdich style profile with more of a saline, fishy finish. Weird, we sort of like it…
Score: 7/10
Value: Good price for some Islay peat.
59.102 - Teaninich Distillery
Name: Tipsy tawny trifle
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 55.7%
Age: 13
Price: £80.00
The nose opens with raspberry sherbet, toffee, mild sulphur and cherry cough sweets. There’s a nuttiness here, sweet almonds and hazelnuts. The palate has more of a candied feel, liquorice, cherry and strawberry, alongside more of a synthetic cranberry and peach note. There’s also a cola syrup note too. Very sweet, very artificial, but it’s not too bad. It’s a decent sherry cask, maybe a 7, we’re hovering between 6.5 and 7, but a good dram nonetheless.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: This definitely feels on the pricier side.
71.116 - Glenburgie Distillery
Name: Tropical paradise beach bar vibes
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 57.0%
Age: 14
Price: £85.00
The nose opens with candied banana, ginger juice, smarties, coconut shavings, and something a little metallic. There’s a good solid backbone of orchard fruits here too, and decently balanced alcohol. The palate is a bit thin, but moves into chocolate and peanuts, very reminiscent of a snickers bar. Most of the fruit has gone, a little red apple in the background, it’s very rich and chocolatey now. Not bad at all, if you like your snickers bars you’ll like this.
Score: 7/10
Value: A few pounds cheaper would have been nice.
72.129 - Miltonduff Distillery
Name: Sip sherry in a cigar smokeasy
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill Spanish oak ex-PX butt
ABV: 58.1%
Age: 11
Price: £69.00
The nose opens with burnt tyres, a little overdone caramel, asphalt, black pepper and harbour side aromas - think boat engines and fresh paint. The reminds us more of a Ben Nevis than Miltonduff. The palate has more sweetness, red kola, chocolate, copper coins, a little fishiness, rubber and wood polish. It’s all over the place, the cask has really done a number on the spirit and brought some real funk here. We’re not the biggest fans.
Score: 6/10
Value: This feels a little pricey given the distillery.
80.66 - Glen Spey Distillery
Name: Granny's makeup mambo
Flavour Profile: Fragrant & Floral
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 59.1%
Age: 16
Price: £79.00
The nose opens with sponge cake, used coffee grounds, smashed mint leaves, and some watery lemonade. It’s not overly expressive, but it’s ok. The palate has a bit of a plastic note, more chocolate - darker in nature this time, more of the sponge cake and a handful of cherries/raspberries. It’s a little boring and one dimensional, but drinkable whisky.
Score: 6/10
Value: Good price given the age, distillery etc.
93.227 - Glen Scotia Distillery
Name: That fizzy bubbly feeling
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Campbeltown
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 59.4%
Age: 9
Price: £65.50
The nose opens with a coastal sea breeze, lemon water, chlorine, fresh linen and aloe vera. There’s a definite Campbeltown quality to this, but not too much else - maybe a little apple flesh too. The palate has a reasonable texture, and more of a vanilla and sponge cake sweetness, mild toffees, caster sugar and salted caramel. It’s a very bourbon led Glen Scotia, not bad but also not carrying enough weight to keep our attention in comparison to some other bottles from this distillery.
Score: 7/10
Value: In line with other society releases of the distillery.
100.51 - Strathmill Distillery
Name: Emergency gravy replacement
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill American oak ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 59.6%
Age: 13
Price: £75.00
The nose opens with candied orange, chocolate shavings, runny caramel, brown sugar and toffee crisp bars. There also a slight meaty funk in the background, reminiscent of unsmoked bacon coated in maple syrup. The palate has caramel waffles, sour cherry, menthol sweeties, pink peppercorns and a little mace too. Like the theme of this month, it’s a lot of sherry-forwardness.. there’s a bit of meatiness here too, and overall it’s totally fine (and a bit forgettable).
Score: 6.5/10
Value: A good price for the distillery.
122.82 - Loch Lomond (Croftengea) Distillery
Name: A melody divine
Flavour Profile: Ripe Fruits & Honey
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 59.3%
Age: 9
Price: £59.00
The nose opens with a Cadburys fudge bar, red currant jelly, candied ginger, jasmine tea, sweet caster sugar, and a lot of orangey goodness - it’s got a bit of a chocolate orange theme going on. The palate has a kick of chili and black pepper heat, following into coca nibs, orange oils, brown sugar cubes, worn leather and some malt. It’s flavourful and aromatic, but there’s a lot of heat here. Solid bourbon cask, just too much alcohol for us.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: A few pounds cheaper would have been nice.
122.86 - Loch Lomond (Croftengea) Distillery
Name: Brine and pine
Flavour Profile: Bold & Peaty
Region: Highland
Cask Type: Refill American oak ex-PX hogshead
ABV: 58.9%
Age: 9
Price: £64.50
The nose opens with a real smoked fish note, Arbroath smokies, kelp, bonfire remnants, pipe tobacco, iodine, along with some smoked strawberries, and freshly shelled almonds. It’s a soft smoke, but the coastal, salty notes are really taking over. The palate has a decent texture, more of those red fruits from the sherry cask, salted caramel, fish sauce and dark chocolate with a bit of cherry. Hmmm, the sherry is a bit disjointed but overall it’s decent dram.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Good price for a hit of peat.
135.75 - Loch Lomond (Inchmoan) Distillery
Name: The autumnal vineyard
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill Spanish oak ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 53.1%
Age: 20
Price: £149.00
The nose opens with smoked strawberries, aniseeed, rosemary, shoe polish, sweet relish, and rusted metal. It’s a little funky, also a little lactic in places too - like a raspberry yoghurt drink. The palate has more of those red fruits, lots of strawberry juice and raspberry compote, along with fresh earth (and lots of it), car exhaust and new leather. We think there may be a smidge of peat in here for those who don’t love that note, but it’s not too bad. It’s a marmite dram, we kinda like it and kinda don’t at the same time.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: This feels a little pricey given the distillery.
149.21 - Ardnamurchan Distillery
Name: Machair medley
Flavour Profile: Coastal & Maritime
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-PX butt
ABV: 60.0%
Age: 9
Price: £89.00
The nose opens with sweet vanilla, honeycomb, hazelnuts, caramel wafers, sea salt and toffee bon bons. There’s a very coastal, salty, sweet, bourbon driven nose here. The fact this is possibly full maturation 1st fill PX amazes us.. it’s so very bourbon forward. The palate has a decent texture, and continues with caramel, toffee and salty sea air, maybe some black pepper too as it progresses into the finish. There’s a coffee note too - sweetened, and nougat. There’s also some nutmeg on the finish. If we bought this thinking it was a sherry bomb, we’d be disappointed. Saying that, it’s a solid Ardnamurchan, probably better than if it was a huge sherry bomb.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: Price in line with other indie releases.
162.8 - Raasay Distillery
Name: Cruising on custard
Flavour Profile: Coastal & Maritime
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 58.8%
Age: 6
Price: £69.00
The nose opens with buttery sweet new make - it’s pleasant but noses very young presenting. It continues with banana bread, sweet white sugar, almond, custard cream biscuits, a little salt, and is fairly expressive but a bit youthful and green. The palate has bit more spice, lemon curd, melon balls, spiced carrot cake and green herbs. It’s just a bit too youthful for us.. 4-6 more years in the cask might have yielded a much more refined dram - rough around the edges.
Score: 6/10
Value: In line with the market price for Raasay.
166.1 - Torabhaig Distillery
Name: Toasted almond fruit tea
Flavour Profile: Smoky & Fruity
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 61.4%
Age: 7
Price: £65.00
The nose opens with green mango, menthol, honey, rosemary, and sage. The smoke here is very herbaceous, but also quite soft. There’s a bit of MDF and new furniture smell coming through. There’s also a bit of vanilla sweetness but it’s quite far in the background. The palate has a good texture, beginning with some lemon pepper seasoning, buttery almond biscuits, wet earth, vegetation, carrot tops and maybe even a handful of broccoli florets. There’s also a fishiness, something cod-like, along with pea pods too. Interesting, it’s fine, a little funky, some will enjoy it more than us.
Score: 6/10
Value: Good price for a point one.
166.2 - Torabhaig Distillery
Name: Hawaiian skewers
Flavour Profile: Smoky & Fruity
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 61.9%
Age: 7
Price: £65.00
The nose opens with fish oil, cardboard, salty cured fish fillets, pine, chewed bubblegum and the faintest hints of butterscotch. The smoke is mellow, slightly sweet but also slightly acidic. The palate has a hit of salty liquorice, charcoal, hot metal and hickory smoke - it’s slightly sweet and meaty. If you’re Dutch, you’ll love the salty liquorice note - but for us, we prefer sweet liquorice.
Score: 6/10
Value: Good price for a single cask from the distillery.
167.1 - Clydeside Distillery
Name: Well-fired and mouthwatering
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Lowland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 61.2%
Age: 7
Price: £65.00
The nose opens with cherry menthol, freeze dried raspberry, lime zest, cotton air freshener, oak furniture and a little bit of meatiness.. hotdogs perhaps. The palate has a good texture, lots of raspberry jam, buttercream, popcorn, strawberry syrup, copper, nougat and rose. It’s a little metallic on the palate, but also has a really nice texture and weight to it. There’s a creaminess, mostly from the spirit, like cranachan. We have a fond spot for Clydeside, their new make is good and it does come through in this dram.. we’re fans.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: Good price for a point one.
168.3 - Finlaggan Distillery (Peated Inchdarnie)
Name: Barbecue cure
Flavour Profile: Bold & Peaty
Region: Lowland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 58.0%
Age: 8
Price: £65.00
The nose opens with cheese and onion kettle chips, lemon verbena, freshly cut grass, and a little rye spice. There is an almonds marzipan sweetness and mild tobacco. The palate has a thin texture, and has a fair bit of upfront acidity, it’s a weird mixture of smoke and sour without too much more. Going back, we’re getting hairspray, salt beef, mustard, charred oak and metal door fittings. It’s.. a bit of a letdown. Not because of the flavours, some will love those, but the overall quality, texture, spice, finish.. not great.
Score: 6/10
Value: Good price compared to other IBs.
SMB - SMWS Small Batch
Name: Pineapple bananza
Flavour Profile: Small Batch
Region: N. Ireland
Cask Type: Triple distilled - 1st fill bourbon & oloroso casks
ABV: 50.0%
Age: 10
Price: £75.00
The nose opens with lots of fruit upfront - of course pineapple, but we’re also getting kiwi and lots of freshly zested lime. It’s not suffered as much as we’d expect from the reduction, it’s still quite expressive on the nose. The palate has less of a texture, but brings forward a fruit bowl of pineapple, mango, banana, with a drizzle of sweet red kola syrup on top. There’s actually a little bit of spice here.. it’s sweet, fruity, a little floral, and totally fine to drink.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: We also feel these small batches should be cheaper.
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