Not that we have anything against young whiskies. To nudge you in the right direction, Scotchwhisky.com’s Dave Broom rounds up six worth a taste. Ranking highest, with 90 points: Glenmorangie’s Allta single malt. “Their own yeast, their own barley,” Broom says. “This is not just a great whisky, it is also a really important one.”
We keep thinking about another single malt, the Just Hatched three-year-old ex-bourbon-cask offering from New Zealand’s Cardrona Distillery (84 points). The nose on this antipodean upstart? “Very fresh and lightly grassy with light-green grape and cucumber, then lemon sherbet and floral honey.”
On the palate, Cardrona’s whopping 66.7% ABV delivers “sweetness and some light fruit syrups, but also considerable heat.” Broom’s final word: “A hugely welcome and high-quality addition to the whisky world.”