Chorlton Whisky 14yo Ruadh Maor Refill Marsala Barrique (304 bottles) 57.3% 70cl

David Bennet, Chorlton Whisky:

"Lastly we have a 14-year-old Ruadh Maor. My first one since 2018, and sadly now an endangered species as production ceased in 2025. In this case the typical wildness of the distillate has been accentuated by maturation in a strangely misshapen old marsala barrique.

So, on the nose - cigars, peat-smoked chocolate raisins (someone please make these, I will buy them all), coal bunkers, grilled pears, BBQ meat with burnt lemon and herbs, green walnuts and a pinch of garam masala. It's a bit mad, but also quite warm and inviting, like being welcomed into the parlour of a kindly eccentric.

On the palate - fantastic sweet, chunky and herbal smoke, with coal tar, the blackest of black liquorice, black cardomoms, sticky hoisin sauce, oranges and coriander seeds. The body is huge, developing on smoky caramel, BBQ sauces, and salt & pepper ribs. The finish is long, salty, savoury and ashy.

Bursting with character, this, but with a nice background sweetness from the marsala that keeps everything fun and easy-going. There's no other whisky quite like Ruadh Maor and we should enjoy it while we can!"