We're back with the Scotch Malt Whisky Societies September 2026 outturn review. This month features 22 new bottlings, including a few lesser seen distilleries such as Glendronach, Clydeside and even an unpeated Ardmore.
We've heard there may be a few mid month surprises so we'll attempt to review those as we get further into the 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...
4.404 - Highland Park Distillery
Name: A tugboat smokery in the Orkney mist
Flavour Profile: Smoky & Fruity
Region: Highlands
Cask Type: 2nd fill #4+ char puncheon
ABV: 59.4%
Age: 21
Price: £170.00
The nose opens with barbecued pork, meaty sausages, a little cheddar cheese, some brown sugar, candied almonds and cinnamon spice. There’s still a bit of a honeyed sweetness in the background, it’s actually quite interesting. The smoke is subtle, but appears more as you get deeper into the dram. The palate has sour cherries, earthy peat smoke, grilled strawberries, toffee coins, cracked black pepper and a fudge sweetness that continues through to the finish. It’s a tad peppery in places but actually the integration is good and the flavours are really well balanced. This is a really solid Highland Park, the charred cask has lifted the original (presumably dead) sherry cask to make something really tasty.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: There are similarly aged Secret Orkney releases available for significantly less, so £170 still feels expensive.
8.58 - Tamdhu Distillery
Name: Honey or caramel blonde?
Flavour Profile: Ripe Fruits & Honey
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 59.8%
Age: 10
Price: £65.00
The nose opens with… not a lot. This feels incredibly restrained. We’re trying to get past the alcohol but it’s just ethanol and not much else. Perhaps we have nose fatigue already. There’s maybe some breadiness and light orchard fruits, bookshelve dust and char? The palate has a little upfront citrus, it’s fairly zingy, but there’s an acridity that puckers up our jaws straight away. The finish is mostly ethanol and bitter oak. We genuinely may revisit this as this is not what we’d expect from a bourbon Tamdhu. There’s some sweet sugar syrup on subsequent sip but it’s not saving it. What went wrong?
Score: 4/10
Value: A little pricey for bourbon Tamdhu when recent 9yo Society releases have been around £55.
10.305 - Bunnahabhain Distillery
Name: Smoky wasabi
Flavour Profile: Bold & Peaty
Region: Islay
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-bourbon hogshead
ABV: 57.3%
Age: 12
Price: £87.00
The nose opens with crushed hazelnuts, burnt rubber, sour candies, aluminium foil, fish oil tablets, stale sponge cake, caramelised vanilla and soot. The peat is punchy, aggressive and expressive. There’s also some charred meat coming through after time and air gets into the dram. The palate has an initial caramel sweetness, werthers originals, moving into candied nuts, salted liquorice and cough syrup. The peat engulfs the mouth, it’s heavy, oily, thick and punchy. This drinks more like a 6 year old Stoisha to be honest, but that’s a profile a lot of people love. We can respect it.
Score: 7/10
Value: The price is in line with what most other indie bottlers charge.
36.237 - Benrinnes Distillery
Name: The village patisserie at dawn
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 58.7%
Age: 14
Price: £75.00
The nose opens with quite a bit of funk, more savoury and meaty than expected, moving into orange peel, honey, caramac, raspberry, apple pie with a dash of cinnamon. There’s a bit of peppery alcohol on the nose too. The palate has a nice oily texture, more pepper but moving into vanilla, runny honey, toffee and a little bit of butter. We’re also finding mandarins, pomegranate and something a bit metallic. It’s fairly one note, not overly interesting but a drinkable dram.
Score: 6/10
Value: Fair price for a 14yo Benrinnes.
41.184 - Dailuaine Distillery
Name: The perfumer's mixologist
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 55.7%
Age: 16
Price: £80.00
The nose opens with cherry cola, cinnamon sticks, candied apples, toffee sauce and a bit of blueberry syrup. It’s a really well balanced sherry finish on the nose. The palate has quite a sweet arrival, more cola, cherry jam, a bit of raspberry, mixed with light milk chocolate and cinnamon spice. There's some onion powder that appear on the end of the palate. The palate is really well integrated, the spice isn’t overpowering although there’s definitely some alcohol in the background. This is a really solid sherry cask finish, it’s integrated nicely and you can still get some of the thicker Dailuaine spirit in the background.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: This feels like good value for a 16yo sherried Dailuaine.
44.201 - Craigellachie Distillery
Name: Gingerbread space-time continuum
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 58.4%
Age: 20
Price: £135.00
The nose opens with meat, foost and funk. There’s a fair amount of baby sick, sour cream, charred oak and orange marmalade. This is very much the profile of Craigellachie that we struggle with, and we’ll be the first to admit it. The palate has more babysick, copper coins, milk chocolate and mouldy cherries. There’s also some cola bottles on the finish. It’s less foosty on the palate, especially as the palate develops, but it’s still too far in that sickly territory for us.
Score: 6/10
Value: Still feels expensive, although a bit cheaper than the last one.
46.167 - Glenlossie Distillery
Name: See the wood for the trees
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bodega px barrique & 1st fill ex-ruby port barrique
ABV: 58.1%
Age: 12
Price: £65.00
The nose opens with dark berries, blackcurrants and really dark treacle. There’s a bit of meatiness, but it’s more of charred pork skin with some funkiness in the background. There’s also some oxidised port aromas coming through. The palate has a fairly thin palate, some fizzy strawberries, blackcurrant cordial, and a bit of bitter oak on the finish. It’s got more berries and cherries as the finish develops. This just feels a little confused, we’re not sure if it’s quite integrated properly. Not really one for us.
Score: 6/10
Value: Good value for a 12yo with both PX and port cask influence.
53.618 - Caol Ila Distillery
Name: The ashy brunch club
Flavour Profile: Smoky & Fruity
Region: Islay
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 59.1%
Age: 14
Price: £98.00
The nose opens with Irn Bru, copper coins, smoked mackerel, burnt newspapers and salty sea air. It’s like a day at the beach. There’s also some dried spices, a fair bit of cinnamon and sweetened ginger. The palate has a nice texture, quite oily and thick, and the peat is much more prominent - to the point of being burnt and acrid. The fish are overcooked, charred skin and there’s some burnt out charcoal too. The sherry feels like it’s accentuated some of the roasted, burnt notes of the Caol Ila and put it slightly out of balance, but some will vibe with that profile. For us it feels a tad out of balance.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: In line with recent sherried Society Caol Ila releases, although we'd still like to see it a few pounds cheaper.
64.173 - Mannochmore Distillery
Name: A crisp classic
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-bourbon hogshead
ABV: 56.1%
Age: 14
Price: £70.00
The nose opens with a handful of boiled sweeties, apple, pears, caramel wafers, nougat and a little clove too. There’s some citrus appearing as we go back, more orange and grapefruit. The palate has more confectionery, those candied flavours move into a thick vanilla custard and a bit of malt loaf on the finish. We’re also getting peach syrup and green apple skin. The alcohol is a bit hot, it hits you mostly on the finish with cracked black pepper and chili spice. Decent bourbon cask but fairly forgettable.
Score: 6/10
Value: A little pricey for a second-fill bourbon Mannochmore.
66.263 - Ardmore Distillery (Ardlair)
Name: Sip Manzanilla in an orange grove
Flavour Profile: Toasted Oak & Vanilla
Region: Highlands
Cask Type: refill american oak ex-px hogshead
ABV: 59.2%
Age: 9
Price: £58.00
The nose opens with a vegetal aroma of dried herbs and pistachios. There’s a light sweetness coming through after with more of a sponge cake, banana bread, and ginger biscuit aroma. It’s fairly weighty, with quite an interesting profile. The palate has a good texture, caramac bars, orange pith, aniseed, white chocolate and sour berries. There’s a lingering pepper on the finish, it feels a little harsh, but it’s not taking too much away from the dram. The finish unfortunately dissipates a bit too quickly. No peat in sight here, we assume this is Ardlair, and a decent expression of it - some earthy herbal aromas mixed with sweeter bourbon flavours.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Good price for a cask-strength 9yo.
78.102 - Ben Nevis Distillery
Name: Panko's popcorn
Flavour Profile: Ripe Fruits & Honey
Region: Highlands
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 60.8%
Age: 9
Price: £58.00
The nose opens with a real foostiness, Ben Nevis funk here we come. It’s fairly industrial, glass cleaner and concrete. Behind this sits apples, lemon, limes, angel delight, and light honey notes. There’s some ginger here too. The palate has more of that meaty Ben Nevis, chocolate coated venison, burnt caramel and orange towards the finish. It’s got a nice texture, and is fairly lively. If you’re into your Ben Nevis with a side of funk, this is for you.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Good price for young cask-strength Ben Nevis.
79.17 - Deanston Distillery
Name: Let the springtime flourish
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Highlands
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 60.1%
Age: 9
Price: £64.00
The nose opens with citrus peel and pith, orange mostly, alongside a thick, waxy texture. There’s quite a lot of fruit hiding behind this, apricot and flat peaches. It’s quite lively whilst being rich and oily. The alcohol also feels really quite balanced too. The palate has a lovely texture, thick and oily, with more orange peel, ginger snaps, malt loaf and chocolate sprinkles. There’s a fair bit of oak here but it’s of the sweeter variety, vanilla custard and maybe a little salted caramel too. Really solid bourbon Deanston, quite impressive for the age and it drinks much better than 60% ABV would usually suggest.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: In line with recent Society Deanston releases.
89.25 - Tomintoul Distillery
Name: Library cafe in Autumn
Flavour Profile: Toasted Oak & Vanilla
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 59.8%
Age: 11
Price: £68.00
The nose opens with grated ginger, some carrot juice, green apple skin, a little leather, and oak tannin. There’s also wafer cones and green grapes. The palate has a fine texture, vanilla cake, condensed milk, brioche, mild toffee, malt, cinnamon and some crushed peppercorns on the finish. The spice is a bit too much for us, but it’s a fine dram, nothing to really write home about.
Score: 6/10
Value: Fair price for an 11yo cask-strength bottling.
95.117 - Auchroisk Distillery
Name: Perfumed fruits and cherry blossoms
Flavour Profile: Ripe Fruits & Honey
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 56.3%
Age: 18
Price: £92.00
The nose opens with some white grapes, Schloer, apple skins, poached pears, its very light, orchard fruits and vineyards. Fairly one note, but pleasant. The palate has more of the same, lots of those apples and pears, green grapes and a bit of melon towards the finish. It’s got a bit of pepperiness on the finish, but it doesn’t detract too much from the dram. Solid fruity whisky, nothing wrong with that.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Good value for the age.
96.44 - Glendronach Distillery
Name: Panpetato party starter
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Highlands
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 59.1%
Age: 15
Price: £105.00
The nose opens with dark cherries, blackcurrants, treacle toffee, cooked strawberries and overdone caramel. It’s really dark, rich and viscous on the nose, the sherry finish has really had an impact here, especially for 2nd fill. The nose also has a nice balance of alcohol. The palate has 85% dark chocolate, black cherry, chocolate sponge cake, coffee granules and soil on the finish. It’s a bit of a sherry bomb, and most Glendronach fans will appreciate that so they’ve done a good job in that regard. It’s tasty, but a bit ove sherried for us.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Not cheap, but it feels reasonable for sherried indie Glendronach.
100.52 - Strathmill Distillery
Name: Balsamic glow
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 56.6%
Age: 19
Price: £110.00
The nose opens with red berries and currants, milk chocolate, sour cherries and something a little floral, strawberry leaf and soft vanilla toward the latter part of the nose. It has relatively well balanced alcohol and a decently expressive nose. The palate has more of a rose and cherry profile, but the alcohol is beautifully integrated and we’re getting a big bowl of fresh strawberry and raspberries. It’s very fruity now. There’s a bit of citrus poking through as the palate develops. Actually not too bad, the sherry finish has worked well here, and it’s quite balanced. Tasty.
Score: 7/10
Value: Fair for a 19yo sherried whisky.
108.78 - Allt-a-Bhainne
Name: If I had a hamper
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 59.5%
Age: 19
Price: £115.00
The nose opens with a florality, lavender, honey, mixed with some white bread and honeydew melon. The alcohol is punchier than we’d expect for the age, but there’s a nice depth to the dram. The palate has an initial sweet and sour thing going on, simple syrup mixed with lemon juice, some oak tannins, candied nuts, thick caramel, digestive biscuits and cracked black pepper. Like the nose, the alcohol is a bit punchy. It’s not really bringing anything too exciting, and we’d expect more from a 19yo.
Score: 6/10
Value: Not terrible, but perhaps a tad pricey for this distillery.
149.27 - Ardnamurchan Distillery
Name: Popcorn by the old pier
Flavour Profile: Coastal & Maritime
Region: Highlands
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 60.5%
Age: 8
Price: £75.00
The nose opens with salt water, caramel wafers, chlorine, mild toffee and vanilla. Fairly classic Ardnamurchan, coastal, salty and sweet. There’s also a slight bit of savoury chicken aroma coming through. The palate has lots of lemon, like sweeter lemonade, orange oil, but a fair bit of salt water too. There’s caster sugar, artificial vanilla and some rum and raisin fudge coming through on the finish. It’s a tad warm on the palate, but it’s a fairly standard Ardnamurchan in bourbon. It’s fine.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Good price for cask-strength Ardnamurchan.
167.6 - Clydeside Distillery
Name: A tropical treat
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Lowlands
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 61.6%
Age: 7
Price: £58.00
The nose opens with esthery sweetness, foam bananas, sweetened yoghurt, pineapple chunks, light vanilla and some dried mango. Very sweet, but with that light and esthery fermented profile which keeps it interesting. There’s also some lemon zest and juice appearing. The palate has a nice texture, a little upfront spice but moves into nougat, candied almonds, vanilla beans and some buttery biscuits. It leaves a lingering custard sweetness with a hint of chocolate and pineapple in the background. It’s a profile that you don’t see often, and it’s a really well done bourbon barrel.
Score: 7/10
Value: Good value for a cask-strength Clydeside
168.4 - InchDairnie Distillery (KinGlassie)
Name: A foodie's dream dram
Flavour Profile: Bold & Peaty
Region: Lowlands
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-oloroso hogshead
ABV: 57.2%
Age: 9
Price: £62.00
The nose opens with sweetened condensed milk, hazelnuts, toffee pennies, orange essence, copper and something a little herbal too. The profile says bold and peaty but it’s actually quite light and balanced on the nose - the smoke is a background actor here. The palate has much more sherry, caramelised nuts, toffee, charred newspapers, herbal tea and fresh cinnamon sticks. The oak gives a sweeter profile to what is quite a sherried and peaty dram on the palate, but actually it works well together. Pretty solid actually.
Score: 7/10
Value: Very good price compared with other indie Kinglassies.
G15.41 - Loch Lomond (Rhosdhu)
Name: A summer landscape
Flavour Profile: Ripe Fruits & Honey
Region: Highlands
Cask Type: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
ABV: 64.7%
Age: 10
Price: £50.00
The nose opens with rose water, Turkish delight, raspberry and vanilla sweeties, and icing sugar. A really pleasant nose, floral, fruity, really quite balanced. The palate has boiled sweeties, orange juice, eucalyptus, fresh green apple, Danish pastries, with a bit too much of a harsh peppery spice bringing up the rear. The texture is nice and it has a good balance overall, it’s not too bad.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Good value as always with the G15s.
Batch 43 - Noble Drop
Name: Noble Drop
Flavour Profile: Small Batch Single Malt
Region: nan
Cask Type: 1st fill Tokaji seasoned barrique
ABV: 50.0%
Age: 15
Price: £68.00
The nose opens with dried mango, sugar syrup, orange peel, a little caramel, ladyfingers, nutmeg, and a little funk in the background. It’s fairly sweet, fruity and syrupy, with a little cough syrup in the background. The palate has a lot of zingy citrus upfront, a mixture of lemon and orange, some white pepper spice and candied ginger. It’s warmer than we’d expect for the ABV, but it’s fairly sweet and pleasant. There’s also white chocolate mice, grenadine and manuka honey. It’s perfectly drinkable, albeit a little boring.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Good value for a 15yo small batch, although we'd still prefer these releases closer to cask strength.
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