We're back with the Scotch Malt Whisky Societies September 2025 outturn review. This month features 26 new whiskies, including a few for the Gathering 2025. Quite a few of these seem to be re-releases from other markets, bottles from a few years ago. We'll let you theorise why that might be...
All the bottles from the outturn were available at the preview, but more will be released mid-month. 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...
1.295 - Glenfarclas Distillery
Name: Dance in the Air
Flavour Profile: Sweet, Fruity & Mellow
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 58.0%
Age: 13
Price: £92.00
The nose opens with a malty, biscuity aroma, stout cream biscuits, a little cooking chocolate, some rosewater and a synthetic cherry note. It’s quite floral too… almost like shower gel. The palate has more cherry jam, a handful of cocoa beans, overcooked meringue and crushed black pepper. There’s a touch of pineapple too, but it finishes with quite an astringent acidity, like a mix of citric acid and grapefruit peel. It’s fine: a little hot, a little acidic, not overly balanced.
Score: 6/10
Value: In line with the last Society release, although we thought that one was too pricey.
4.353 - Highland Park Distillery
Name: Lavender Honey and Chimney Lobsters
Flavour Profile: Lightly Peated
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 62.8%
Age: 13
Price: £77.00
The nose opens with cotton, lemon balm, bourbon biscuits, buttercream and fresh twigs sans green leaves. There’s more sweetness on the nose; it’s got a Dr Pepper-like almond aroma. The palate has a nice texture, vanilla syrup, more almond brittle, pear skin, a bit of cherry and then lots of bitter dark chocolate on the finish. There’s an acidic, cheddar cheese-like hit on the front palate, and a farmyardy finish. Not our style of whisky, but it’s not bad overall.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: A few pounds cheaper would have been nice, but we won't complain.
4.397 - Highland Park Distillery
Name: The Old Man and the Sea
Flavour Profile: Old & Dignified
Region: Highland
Cask Type: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
ABV: 59.5%
Age: 19
Price: £135.00
The nose has off-brand Nutella, hay bales, a leather-bound book, wet dog, caramel wafers and the aroma of unravelling a roll of sturdy black bin bags: a mixture of PVA glue and rubberiness. The palate has red berries up front, toasted hazelnuts, caulk, fresh firewood and golden syrup, with a bit of a metallic aftertaste. There’s also a spice here that’s a bit unexpected for the age. It’s quite interesting, unique; not loved, but also not hated… we’re not quite sure what to think.
Score: 7/10
Value: You can find better value "Secret Orkney" releases.
5.131 - Auchentoshan Distillery
Name: Blissfully Lost
Flavour Profile: Sweet, Fruity & Mellow
Region: Lowland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 52.8%
Age: 22
Price: £155.00
The nose has lots of tropicality. Tinned pineapple, sweet raspberry coulis, brioche dough, wet paper and sugar syrup: quite light aromas, but they jump out of the glass. The palate has a bit of a thin texture, but comes through with more tropical notes of pineapple and mango, some green apple, bread dough and pine needles. It’s got a good balance of alcohol, but it’s a little flat on the palate; some nice flavours, but a bit of a let-down.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: We’re not convinced a 22-year-old Auchentoshan really justifies this price tag.
6.83 - Macduff (Glen Deveron) Distillery
Name: Chewy-Textured Meanderings
Flavour Profile: Sweet, Fruity & Mellow
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill Spanish oak oloroso hogshead & 1st fill American oak oloroso hogshead
ABV: 53.6%
Age: 16
Price: £99.00
The nose opens with cherries, clove, a little funk, sultana cake and wild mint. There’s also a bourbon biscuit-like note, cocoa powder and red berries too. The palate has a thin texture, with blackberries, vanilla, chocolate cake and cherry jam. It’s a tad bitter towards the finish, like licking cinnamon bark. It’s got good alcohol integration and a decent-length finish. Very drinkable; some will really enjoy this, but it’s not the most interesting or complex whisky.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Just don't google Signatory Vintage and Macduff if you buy this.
8.51 - Tamdhu Distillery
Name: Go East
Flavour Profile: Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-PX butt
ABV: 59.5%
Age: 9
Price: £64.50
The nose has lots and lots of funk… leather, wet earth, a little sulphur, struck match, with a tinge of chocolate in the background. There’s also some fudge and chocolate-coated raisins here too. The palate has more meatiness and chocolate combined - think venison in a blackcurrant sauce, Mexican mole, wet dog, mushed sultanas and off-meat. It’s just a bit funky, not particularly inviting, although it does have a good alcohol balance and expressiveness on the nose. We’re torn: it’s a 6 for us, but you may enjoy it more if you’re into that sort of sherry cask.
Score: 6/10
Value: The price of these 9-year-old Tamdhus is starting to creep up. The last release was £60.
10.286 - Bunnahabhain Distillery
Name: Viking on the Rampage
Flavour Profile: Peated
Region: Islay
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon hogshead
ABV: 55.1%
Age: 11
Price: £78.50
The nose opens with roasted nuts, honeycomb, burnt vegetation, sweat, fish oil and shortbread. There’s also some fresh-cut grass and apple-scented shampoo. The palate has a real herbal quality: lots of green plants, fresh earth, sweet honey, apple strudel, mustard, burnt tyres and over-toasted pine nuts. There have been much better Stoishas; this is a bit thin and lacking in complexity.
Score: 6/10
Value: The price is in line with other Society 10s of this age, but could be more competitively priced against other bottlers.
11.69 - Tomatin Distillery
Name: Pass the Parcel
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Sweet
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 61.9%
Age: 9
Price: £55.00
The nose opens with candied sweets, a little tropical fruit cocktail, butter biscuits, sour sweets, apple strudel and pear drops. Very fruity, with a hint of creaminess in the background. The alcohol is a bit hot, but manageable. The palate has a lot of up-front acidity: lemon, pineapple, cider vinegar and a bit of cookie dough. The later palate shows more of a sherbetty sweetness, but the acidity is out of balance. We enjoy these younger Tomatins, but it’s not their strongest showing.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Good price for the cask and distillery, we were just hoping for more.
13.114 - Dalmore Distillery
Name: A Hansel and Gretel Gingerbread House
Flavour Profile: Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bodega PX barrique
ABV: 59.6%
Age: 15
Price: £198.00
The nose has copper coins, eucalyptus, orange peel, artificial cherry and a bit of rose in the background. There’s also a bit of raw cacao here too. A bit of ground ginger and cardamom appears after time. The palate has Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments, menthol, synthetic American grape flavouring, burnt toffee, raisins without the sweetness and overbrewed tea. There’s a black pepper spice that’s sitting on the later palate… it also tastes a bit like what we imagine red food colouring to taste like. It’s not our favourite whisky.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: We can only assume the price is a typo.
19.92 - Glen Garioch Distillery
Name: Illicit Toast
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Sweet
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 55.6%
Age: 20
Price: £125.00
The nose has bread dough, pineapple jelly sweets, synthetic sugar, a little lemon peel, sherbet and classic Glen Garioch character with a good amount of cask influence. There’s also a slight salinity, like wet pebbles and petrichor. The palate has a good silky texture, lots of vanilla bean, overripe mango, green apple skin, freshly cut pineapple and freshly made fudge. It’s hard to argue with this; it’s a solid whisky, maybe not the most interesting of these older Glen Gariochs, but tasty nonetheless.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: Nice to see the price on these start to come down a little.
24.188 - Macallan Distillery
Name: Flamenco Fruitcake
Flavour Profile: Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 62.5%
Age: 16
Price: £135.00
The nose opens with burnt toast, fresh salty popcorn, rich berry coulis, sherry vinegar, cherries, dark chocolate segments, warm orange peel, tinned lychees and a little grape must too. The palate has cherry jam, Milka milk chocolate, a little spent coffee grounds, Big Red cinnamon chewing gum and raspberries too. Very sherry-forward, very stereotypical Macallan. The texture is nice; it’s a solid whisky, a bit of a sherry bomb.
Score: 7/10
Value: A good price for Society 24.
36.204 - Benrinnes Distillery
Name: Truly an Outlander
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Sweet
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-rum barrique
ABV: 57.5%
Age: 13
Price: £76.00
The nose opens with brown sugar, ginger cake, crushed biscuits, lemon peel, artificial pineapple, a little dunnage funk and white flowers. The palate has a hit of tropicality, dark brown sugars, sponge cake, menthol cherries and cookie dough, with well-balanced alcohol, a nice texture and a bit of Honey Nut Cheerio flavour moving into the finish. Rum finishes can go pretty funky, but this manages to be restrained whilst showing the cask influence well. Great dram, we ended up with a bottle at the end of the night.
Score: 8/10
Value: Not a bad price for the distillery, cask type and age.
53.484 - Caol Ila Distillery
Name: Burn a Sprig of Rosemary
Flavour Profile: Peated
Region: Islay
Cask Type: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
ABV: 56.8%
Age: 14
Price: £95.00
The nose has saltwater, kippers, wet newspaper, chip-shop vinegar, croissants, salted almonds, burnt caramel and burnt oats. The palate has sweet dill pickles, burnt newspaper, squid ink, cinnamon sticks, cherry jam, then back into black pepper on the finish. It’s got the coastal quality of Caol Ila with something that’s verging on sherry, even with only being matured in bourbon wood. There’s a bit of caramelised or burnt coconut on the finish. A sweeter, more approachable Caol Ila; it will disappoint die-hard fans, but it’s a solid dram.
Score: 7/10
Value: In line with what most other IBs are charging for Caol Ila.
55.87 - Royal Brackla Distillery
Name: The Stage is Set
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Dry
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bodega oloroso butt
ABV: 56.3%
Age: 16
Price: £106.00
The nose opens with pencil shavings, leather, strawberry shortcake, pear skin, menthol and crushed biscuits. The palate has Cheerios and cornflakes, caster sugar, menthol, lemon essence and a disappointingly thin palate. The finish lasts a while and goes into rich honey, but it takes too long to get there. It’s fine; it’s a breakfast dram, not because it’s light, but because it literally has all the flavours of breakfast inside.
Score: 6/10
Value: This definitely feels on the pricier side.
59.95 - Teaninich Distillery
Name: The Candlemaker's Workshop
Flavour Profile: Juicy Oak & Vanilla
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill American oak oloroso hogshead & 1st fill American oak PX hogshead
ABV: 55.0%
Age: 14
Price: £80.00
The nose has brown sauce, not as tangy, but there’s a rich maltiness there. There are also fried beer-batter scraps, freshly harvested potatoes and a little sugar paper. It’s fairly savoury and earthy, but not overly salty or off-putting. The palate has a good mouthfeel with orange peel and rind, grapefruit, tea leaves, raisin cake and gingery spice on the finish. It’s quite fresh and vibrant on the palate, but goes a bit bitter afterwards. Unique, a bit different; not bad, but a few odd notes for us.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: We'd have liked to have seen this at £75.
64.160 - Mannochmore Distillery
Name: Dusky and Mysterious
Flavour Profile: Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 54.6%
Age: 16
Price: £92.50
The nose opens with raspberry, chocolate, caramel logs, toffee apples, petrichor and a little mustiness, but overall quite soft and pleasant. There’s well-balanced alcohol and a fruitiness that jumps out of the glass. The palate is a tad thin, though bursting with fresh raspberry and lemon; it’s like raspberry lemonade. There are some truffles, chocolate and a bit of sugar paper. It’s really quite pleasant, a tad warm and not overly complex, but just incredibly drinkable.
Score: 7/10
Value: You'll find better value if you look at other bottlers.
68.131 - Blair Athol Distillery
Name: A Shilling in the Study
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Sweet
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 2nd fill toasted barrique
ABV: 54.0%
Age: 16
Price: £88.00
The nose opens with mint chocolate, menthol cherry, copper, redcurrant jam and orange marmalade. There’s a nice toasty sweetness here, but it’s not overly complex or interesting; pleasant, though. The palate has a bit of a thin mouthfeel, but bursts open with lots of black fruits, rye bread with butter, a continuation of orange marmalade, kefir and sugar syrup. It’s perfectly pleasant, reasonably well balanced and tasty.
Score: 7/10
Value: Not bad for the age and cask type.
73.171 - Aultmore Distillery
Name: Shimmering Shapeshifter
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Sweet
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 54.4%
Age: 13
Price: £73.50
The nose has a herbaceous note, fresh rosemary mixed with caster sugar, light fudge and some peach syrup too. It’s quite tight and restrained, hard to get much out of the nose. The palate has a flat texture, with not a lot up front: a bit of apple, peach and warm oak towards the finish. It’s got a bit of aloe vera there too, but it’s just a bit hollow overall.
Score: 6/10
Value: It feels like this should be in sherry for the price.
82.55 - Glencadam Distillery
Name: Satisfying and Comforting
Flavour Profile: Sweet, Fruity & Mellow
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill HTMC barrel
ABV: 60.3%
Age: 14
Price: £84.00
The nose opens with lavender, Love Hearts sweets, tree sap, sugar syrup, Turkish delight and light cherry aromas. It’s quite well balanced; all the aromas are melding together well. The palate has a nice up-front acidity with lemon balm and vanilla cream coming through, moving into oak spice, rose, lots of fresh raspberry and a bit of chalk. There’s also some apple and a bit of sweetened dough. A tad spicy on the palate, but overall quite a pleasant dram.
Score: 7/10
Value: Competitively priced against other bottlers.
85.79 - Glen Elgin Distillery
Name: A Drop of Dessert
Flavour Profile: Spicy & Sweet
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-sauternes barrique
ABV: 57.7%
Age: 14
Price: £80.00
The nose has some metallic aromas, orange essence, honey on toast and bran flakes… there’s a meatiness here; we’re getting the worm tubs showing through. There are also more yellow fruits, dried apricots too. The palate has a good texture, fresh and zingy, lemon sherbet up front, but moving quickly into more hefty, meatier flavours - think gammon and pineapple. There’s the faintest hint of sulphur: it’s like the burnt edge of a fried egg, quite manageable. This is pretty solid, well-made whisky.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: A few pounds cheaper would have been nice.
112.138 - Loch Lomond (Inchmurrin) Distillery
Name: A Warm Fuzzy Crowd Pleaser
Flavour Profile: Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bodega PX barrique
ABV: 57.2%
Age: 17
Price: £115.00
The nose opens with peach rings, caramel wafers, vanilla ice cream, fudge, apple slices and brown sugar sweetness… lovely. The alcohol is apparent but balanced… we’re able to get quite deep into the dram. The palate has more toffee, caramel, sultana, ginger juice and peach juice on the finish. There’s something a bit nutty: toasted almonds and peanuts, warm brown toast lathered in butter, and lime pickle in the background. Sometimes cask finishes on Inchmurrin can go rogue, but this has really worked; a tad warm, but it’s bursting with fruitiness, with a bit of sherry on the side.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: £100 would have felt like a better price point.
115.38 - Knockdhu (anCnoc) Distillery
Name: The Seven Ages
Flavour Profile: Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bodega PX barrique
ABV: 61.2%
Age: 10
Price: £70.00
The nose opens with freshly baked shortbread, stroopwafel, melted caramel, blackcurrant cordial, sweet milky coffee and sharp lemon juice. The palate has a thin, slightly milky texture, with fresh strawberry, apple cider with fresh blackcurrant cordial, fresh wood shavings and some walnut too. It’s quite a vibrant dram, fresh and lively, with some candlewax on the finish. A surprising find.
Score: 7/10
Value: Not a terrible price given it’s a sherry cask, but we’d still have liked to see it come in a bit cheaper.
122.79 - Loch Lomond (Croftengea) Distillery
Name: Unapologetically Wild
Flavour Profile: Heavily Peated
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-PX hogshead
ABV: 59.3%
Age: 9
Price: £60.00
The nose opens with Highland peat, pickling spice, fresh dirt, menthol, eucalyptus, pink peppercorn, carpet cleaner, shoe polish and rubber. The palate has milky water with lemon, lots of Highland peat, warm fires, a little vanilla essence and char. There’s a sweaty coastalness to this dram too… interesting. It’s zingy and funky, not unbalanced, but also not particularly revolutionary. Solid but uninspired.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Good price for some peat.
153.4 - Thy Distillery
Name: An Epicurean Epic
Flavour Profile: Lightly Peated
Region: Denmark
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 58.8%
Age: 7
Price: £135.00
The nose opens with wet cardboard, salty pebbles, peanut skins, pistachio gelato, fresh green grass, pine air freshener, lemon zest and salty chips. The palate has lemon water, hand-cleaning wipes, fresh dirt, brownie batter without the sugar, cocoa nibs, pear skin, wet cardboard and burnt plastic. Interesting, but not our favourite whisky; some nice aromas and flavours, but too much bitterness coming through.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Expensive, but in line with what we'd expect from the distillery.
RW3.7 - New York Distilling Co.
Name: Chocolate Habanero
Flavour Profile: American Rye Whiskey
Region: New York
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-stout barrel
ABV: 58.2%
Age: 5
Price: £65.00
The nose is heavy on menthol, sweet toasted oak, cinnamon spice, orange bell peppers, herbaceous notes, and a bit of vanilla and coconut in the background. The palate has a good texture, freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly grated ginger, Bakewell tarts, French Fancies, lemon syrup and overboiled broccoli. It’s actually a solid rye, less overly spicy and more balanced. A little dry on the finish, but solid.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: The price is in line with other single cask releases.
BATCH 33
Name: Scrumptious!
Flavour Profile: Heresy Range
Region: Lowland
Cask Type: 2nd fill bourbon barrels & 1st fill STR Calvados seasoned Barriques
ABV: 50.0%
Age: 17
Price: £75.00
The nose opens with fish-oil tablets, wet lettuce, buttercream, meringue and lemon oils. There’s a bit of funky fermented apple going on too. The palate has a watery yet oddly pleasant mouthfeel, with lots of apple brandy, coffee cake, brown sugar and cucumber water. There’s a nasal pepperiness in the background. It’s totally fine, forgettable, a good introduction to whisky.
Score: 6/10
Value: Not bad given the funky cask type and age.
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