Overview
In years past, some of us whisky enthusiasts have sometimes had a bit of a moan when a whisky came in a 50cl vessel instead of a 70cl bottle. Lately, though, whisky producers have been playing around with smaller bottle sizes to keep up with demand and increase equitable distribution of their liquid, e.g. Springbank, Dornoch, etc. Good things in small packages? Pick your preferred metaphor.
All of the whiskies in this lineup are from 50cl bottles.
Basically, this is an excuse to:
- Open a couple of excellent whiskies from Dornoch
- Showcase my favourite Australian single malt distillery (Kinglake), which is rarely seen outside of southeast Australia
- Experience an objectively interesting but perhaps divisive expression of a rarely seen single malt from Japan's oldest whisky distillery, bottled by an indie bottler rarely seen in the UK (Blackadder)
The Lineup
This tasting is comprised of 6 drams in 20ml measures.
Dornoch 6yr 2018 52.6% Cask #106
1st-fill bourbon octave
Barley is floor-malted Plumage Archer
Single cask #106
Filled 13th July, 2018 and bottled in July 2024
Kinglake "Full Noise" 3yr 2019 61% Australian single malt
Australian single malt whisky, produced in rural Victoria (well east of Melbourne)
Kinglake is my favourite Australian whisky distillery
Kinglake is completely unavailable outside of Australia, but this bottle was very kindly sourced by Australian whisky pal Joe Bizjak (thank you, Joe!)
Ex-bourbon, batch 127/171/152
Bottle #152 of 215
Distilled 11th Sept, 2019 and bottled on 11th July, 2023 (3 years and 10 months old)
Eigashima 3yr 2014 61.5% Japanese single malt from Blackadder
Japanese single malt whisky from White Oak Distillery in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture
Founded in 1919, Eigashima Shuzo / White Oak Distillery is technically Japan's oldest whisky distillery
From inception, the distillery has primarily focused on producing sake and shochu
Production of whisky only became regular in 1984
Parent company Eigashima Shuzo Co. Ltd. was established in 1888
Recent whisky releases from the White Oak Distillery are normally bottled under the "Akashi" brand
Matured in a 1st-fill oloroso sherry butt
Bottled by indie bottler Blackadder in November 2017
Cask #101474
One of 847 bottles
Ardnamurchan 4yr 2021 57.5% peated hand-fill
Peated (rare for an Ardnamurchan hand-fill)
American oak PX octave
Cask 2430p AO PX
Distillery exclusive hand-fill (filled on 4th Nov, 2025)
Bruichladdich 11yr 2014 57.5% hand-fill
Fully matured in 2nd-fill sherry cask
Cask #706
Bottle #283 of 372
Distillery exclusive hand-fill (filled on 21st Sept, 2025)
Dornoch 5yr 2019 57.5% blended malt
Blend of two ex-Islay quarter casks
Barley is Marris Otter
Fermentation used R/Rr for 9 days
Filled 13th Dec, 2019 and bottled in Jan 2025
Ethos
My tastings are geared for whisky enthusiasts, but they're also intended to be fun, unintimidating, and inclusive of a diverse group of nice people. I just want to bring people together and open some silly whiskies that would otherwise be hoarded or flipped for profit.
Event Schedule
The tasting will start at 7pm. I recommend you arrive 15-20 minutes before the scheduled start time so you can grab a pint, have a blether, and make yourself comfortable, etc.
The Venue
The Belfry is near Tollcross and Bruntsfield in Edinburgh. Sister pub to the legendary The Ensign Ewart, The Belfry has quickly become an important space in the local Edinburgh whisky scene, hosting many enthusiast-targeted events and whisky gatherings. The whisky selection is extensive, consisting mostly of indies and fun older bottlings. The rotating beer selection is great, the staff are knowledgeable and friendly, and there's even a wee beer garden hidden in the back.
