The latest release in Diageo’s Orphan Barrel project, Orphan Barrel Castle’s Curse, is a limited edition 14 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Teaninich Distillery that’s been matured in European oak and bottled at 47.4% ABV.

Teaninich Distillery is located in the Highland region of Scotland and is currently under the ownership of Diageo, the parent company of Johnnie Walker and owner of over two dozen Scotch whisky distilleries, including Lagavulin, Oban, and Talisker. Teaninich is one the lesser known distilleries in Diageo’s portfolio, and that can be attributed to most of its output being used in blends. Outside of one-off limited releases in Diageo’s Flora & Fauna series and Diageo’s 2017 Special Releases, official Teaninich bottlings simply don’t exist. The only way to get your hands on the distillery’s single malt is to seek out occasional releases from independent bottlers.

I’ve never had a chance to taste the Teaninich Flora & Fauna or Diageo 2017 Special Releases, but I’ve sampled my share of independent bottlings over the years and have found the distillery’s spirit to be light, fruity, and easy drinking. Will Castle’s Curse be consistent with those experiences? Let’s find out!

Orphan Barrel Castle’s Curse 14 Year Old Specifications:

• Spirit: Scotch.
• Classification: Single Malt.
• Region: Highland.
• Age: 14 Years Old.
• ABV: 47.4% (94.8 Proof).
• Cask Type: Matured in European oak casks.
• Price Paid: N/A (Sample from Diageo).
• MSRP: $175.00 for 750 mL.

Elias’ Notes:

• Color: Amber.
• Nose: Light and fruity. Opens with aromas of apples, pears, and orange zest, followed by vanilla, oak, and baking spices.
• Palate: Semi-creamy mouthfeel, with notes of red apples, orange zest, cantaloupe, vanilla, oak, and baking spices.
• Finish: Short to medium length. The red apple, cantaloupe, and vanilla notes fade first. The orange zest on the palate turns to lemon zest on the finish, and lingers slightly longer alongside the oak and baking spices.

Orphan Barrel Castle’s Curse is an easy drinking, inoffensive whisky with a profile that’s in line with my experiences with Teaninich’s spirit. If you have access to independent bottlers, you may be able to find an independent bottling of Teaninich with a similar age and profile at a more affordable price point. However, if you don’t have access to independent bottlers and have been wanting to try a Teaninich single malt, you can’t go wrong with Orphan Barrel Castle’s Curse.

Rating: B- (80-82%).

Launched in 2017, Highland Park Valkyrie was the first of three limited edition whiskies released in Highland Park’s Viking Legend series. Valkyrie was followed by Valknut in 2018, and Valfather in 2019.

Highland Park Valkyrie celebrates the brand’s Nordic ancestry in Orkney. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries would descend onto the battlefields to find the best and bravest warriors and give them passage to Valhalla.

The packaging for the Viking Legend series was created by Jim Lyngvild, a Danish designer and artist whose great grandfather 36 generations ago was Ragnvald Eysteinsson, the first Earl of the Orkney Islands.

What of the liquid inside the bottle? Highland Park Valkyrie is an NAS (No Age Statement) Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry seasoned American and European oak casks, as well as ex-bourbon casks. It contains 50% fully peated stock, making it more heavily peated than the typical Highland Park. Valkyrie was limited to “just” 250,000 bottles. Can something produced in such large quantities really be considered a limited edition?

Highland Park Valkyrie Specifications:

• Spirit: Scotch.
• Classification: Single Malt.
• Region: Island (Highland).
• Age: NAS (No Age Statement).
• ABV: 45.9% (91.8 Proof).
• Cask Type: Matured in sherry seasoned American and European oak casks, as well as ex-bourbon casks.
• Other: Natural Color.
• Price Paid: N/A (Sample from a friend).
• Average Price: $79.99 for 750 mL.

Elias’ Notes:

• Color: Gold/Amber.
• Nose: Moderate smoke. Earthy. Heather, lemon, and green apples.
• Palate: Oily mouthfeel. Green apples, vanilla, heather, smoked lemon, milk chocolate, candied ginger, and spices.
• Finish: Medium length. More smoke, lemon, green apples, milk chocolate, and ginger. Licorice makes an appearance. The lemon note lingers while the rest fade slowly.

Despite being more heavily peated than the typical Highland Park release, Valkyrie comes across as only moderately peated compared to the super heavily peated single malts from Ardbeg, Bruichladdich (Octomore), and Laphroaig. As such, Valkyrie shouldn’t be a turn off for individuals averse to extreme peat.

In terms of flavor profile, Highland Park Valkyrie drinks like a slightly less refined version of Highland Park 15 Year Old Viking Heart. If you’ve had the 15 Year Old and are looking for something similar but more affordable, you may want to give Valkyrie a shot. And yes, you can still find a bottle of Valkyrie today – six years later – because Highland Park produced 250,000 bottles.

Rating: B (83-86%).

Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes is the first release in The Coastal Series, a collection of four limited edition whiskies that are set to be released annually through 2026. To create the series, Old Pulteney collaborated with spirit producers from coastal locations across the globe to source coastal casks for further maturing its whisky.

Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes was initially matured in ex-bourbon casks, followed by a secondary maturation in ex-Pineau des Charentes French oak casks. This release marks the first time Old Pulteney has matured its whisky in ex-Pineau des Charentes wine casks, a type of sweet fortified French wine.

Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes Specifications:

• Spirit: Scotch.
• Classification: Single Malt.
• Region: Highland.
• Age: NAS (No Age Statement).
• ABV: 46% (92 Proof).
• Cask Type: Matured in ex-bourbon casks, followed by ex-Pineau des Charentes French oak casks.
• Other: Natural Color, NCF (Non-Chill Filtered).
• Price Paid: N/A (Sample from Old Pulteney).
• MSRP: $79.99 for 750 mL.

Tasting Notes:

• Color: Amber.
• Nose: Opens with sweet oranges, apricots, white grapes, golden raisins, and honey, followed by spices – clove, with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg – vanilla, and salinity.
• Palate: Creamy mouthfeel. Sweet and salty. It opens with the maritime, briney quality that Old Pulteney is known for, leading into candied oranges, stewed apricot, golden raisins, balsamic glaze, honey, and caramel. Clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and peppercorn follow. There’s a pleasant oakiness and subtle floral quality in the background.
• Finish: Long. The caramel, apricot, and spices from the palate come together as a caramel infused, spiced apricot jam. It gets drier – but not too dry – as the finish trails off, concluding with minerality and salinity.

As discussed in my article, A Beginner’s Guide to Whisky Tasting, I prefer to try a whisky at least three times before casting final judgment. This allows me to become acquainted with it subtleties, and to account for the possibility of my palate being off on any given day. While sipping on Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes, I had to show serious restraint not to drink the entirety of the sample I was sent in one sitting. This is the definition of a dangerously drinkable whisky, and I can’t wait to try the rest of the expressions in The Coastal Series as they release over the next three years.

Rating: B+ (87–89%).

The Macallan Classic Cut is a series of annual releases that “celebrate The Macallan’s ongoing commitment to seek out the extraordinary and create whiskies of unique character.” The first release in the series – The Macallan Classic Cut 2017 Limited Edition – has been matured exclusively in sherry seasoned American and European oak casks from Jerez, Spain and bottled without an age statement at 58.4% ABV.

I purchased this bottle of The Macallan Classic Cut 2017 Edition at retail immediately upon release, and opened it the same day. That means I’ve been nursing this bottle since October 2017. That’s over five years. Yes, five years! After all this time, I figured I should put together a proper review. Here we go!

The Macallan Classic Cut 2017 Limited Edition Specifications:

• Spirit: Scotch.
• Classification: Single Malt.
• Region: Speyside.
• Age: NAS (No Age Statement).
• ABV: 58.4% (116.8 Proof).
• Cask Type: Matured exclusively in sherry seasoned American and European oak casks.
• Other: Natural Color, NCF (Non-Chill Filtered).
• Price Paid: $82.99 for 750 mL.

Tasting Notes:

• Color: Burnished orange.
• Nose: Sweet. Leads with aromas of vanilla, oak, cinnamon, and red grapes, followed by ginger and a hint of orange zest. After a couple minutes, aromas of milk chocolate, caramel, toffee, and a sweet, nutty, honeyed note reminiscent of baklava appear.
• Palate: Medium bodied – not thin, but not excessively creamy or oily either. The sweetness from the nose carries through on the palate with a ton of sherry influence, leading with cinnamon, nutmeg, and red grapes, followed by ginger and orange zest. The nutty/honey/baklava note from the nose makes its presence on the palate, alongside the milk chocolate and caramel notes and a pleasant oak influence.
• Finish: Lingers with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and red grapes. The orange zest note from the nose and palate turns into lemon zest and the milk chocolate note turns into a semi-bitter dark chocolate. More oak. Transitions from sweet to dry as it trails off.

Upon release, The Macallan Classic Cut 2017 Edition received a mixed reception from fans of the distillery and the whisky community as a whole. Whisky enthusiasts that were expecting this to be a sherry bomb similar to The Macallan Cask Strength were disappointed, whereas those that went in without expectations and an open mindset generally reacted more positively. Having never tasted The Macallan Cask Strength releases, it was easy for me to go into The Macallan Classic Cut without bias.

Being fully matured in sherry seasoned American and European oak casks, The Macallan Classic Cut 2017 Edition naturally exhibits a ton of sherry influence. However, I wouldn’t consider it to be a sherry bomb as it doesn’t have the intense, dark sherry character (think raisins, prunes, dark chocolate, etc.) typically associated with that style of whisky. The Macallan Classic Cut 2017 Edition is a harmonious balance between the underlying spirit of The Macallan Distillery and the sherry seasoned American and European oak casks in which that spirit was matured.

Of The Macallan Classic Cut releases I’ve tried to date, the 2017 Edition is my favorite, with the 2022 Edition coming in a close second. At the time of writing, The Macallan Classic Cut 2017 Edition is reselling for between $650-$1,000 on auction sites and through other channels. While it’s a lovely whisky, I can’t recommend spending that much on a bottle (assuming you’re going to drink it) when the 2022 Edition, which is almost as good, can currently be obtained at retail for around $150.

Rating: B+ (87–89%).

The eight and final expression under review from the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection is Game of Thrones The Night’s Watch – Oban Bay Reserve, a single malt Scotch whisky from the Oban distillery, located in the Highland region of Scotland.

Game of Thrones The Night’s Watch – Oban Bay Reserve Specifications:

• Spirit: Scotch.
• Classification: Single Malt.
• Region: Highland.
• Age: NAS (No Age Statement).
• ABV: 43% (86 Proof).
• Cask Type: Matured in a combination of refill and double-charred ex-bourbon casks, as well as European oak.
• NCF (Non-Chill Filtered)? No.
• Natural Color? No.
• Price Paid: $53.54 for 750 mL.

Tasting Notes:

• Color: Amber.
• Nose: Fresh squeezed orange, apricot, plum, and floral tea intermingle with barrel char, saline, and a wisp of campfire smoke.
• Palate: Light-moderate body. Sweet and malty. The orange, apricot, and plum notes from the nose carry on through the palate and command your attention. Behind the fruit, we find heather, lavender, black tea, and baking spices, as well as vanilla, mild oak tannin, barrel char, light smoke and some salinity.
• Finish: Short. The fruit and floral notes fade quickly, allowing the barrel char, smoke, vanilla, and oak notes to briefly take the spotlight, accompanied by very faint herbal notes of menthol and spearmint.

Oban Bay Reserve is an easy drinking, fruit forward single malt that has all the characteristics that fans of the distillery have come to enjoy. However, it’s a lighter and less complex experience than Oban 14 Year Old, and is more in line with the likes of Oban Little Bay. I don’t mind a simple whisky when it’s executed well, but Oban Bay Reserve suffers from its light mouthfeel and short finish, which bring down the overall experience. I’m a sucker for citrus and stone fruit notes and this whisky has them in spades; it’s such a shame that they disappear almost immediately on the finish.

If you can find this on closeout for under $50 a bottle, it may be worth picking up as an alternative to Oban Little Bay. However, I wouldn’t recommend Oban Bay Reserve at full MSRP ($62.99). At that price, you’d be better off spending a little bit more and stepping up to Oban 14 Year Old.

Rating: C+ (77–79%).

The seventh expression under review from the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection is Game of Thrones House Lannister – Lagavulin 9 Year Old, a single malt Scotch whisky from the Lagavulin distillery, located on the Isle of Islay in Scotland.

Game of Thrones House Lannister – Lagavulin 9 Year Old Specifications:

• Spirit: Scotch.
• Classification: Single Malt.
• Region: Islay.
• Age: 9 Years Old.
• ABV: 46% (92 Proof).
• Cask Type: Matured in 100% ex-bourbon casks.
• NCF (Non-Chill Filtered)? No.
• Natural Color? No.
• Price Paid: $55.24 for 750 mL.

Tasting Notes:

• Color: Amber.
• Nose: Sweet and smoky. Medicinal (iodine) and slightly vegetal peat. Caramel, milk chocolate, Graham crackers, orchard fruit, and stone fruit. After resting in the glass for some time, dark roasted coffee bean aromas start to develop.
• Palate: Strong smoke and iodine, followed by burnt caramel, dark roasted coffee, milk chocolate, graham crackers, vanilla, and baked banana. Buried beneath all that is a hint of cinnamon, slightly bitter apples, and a sweet, almost syrupy stone fruit note that comes and goes with each sip.
• Finish: Long. Smoke and iodine linger, accompanied by a ton of vanilla, burnt, salted caramel, and dark roasted coffee, with a hint of cinnamon in the background.

Lagavulin 9 Year Old sits in a somewhat odd middle ground between the more youthful and assertive Lagavulin 8 Year Old, and the older, more elegant Lagavulin 16 Year Old, failing to best or even match either whisky. If I want a big and brash Lagavulin, I’d rather reach for the 8 Year Old, and if I want a more refined experience, I’d rather reach for the 16 Year Old.

That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy Lagavulin 9 Year Old. Quite the contrary. It’s just that my expectations for Lagavulin are high, as I know they can do better. In fact, they have done better. Since Lagavulin 9 Year Old was released, the distillery has put out several limited releases under the Lagavulin Offerman Edition series, all of which are more unique and enjoyable.

Lagavulin 9 Year Old can still be found on closeout for under $50 in some markets, and at that price it’s worth picking up as a good bang for your buck daily driver. However, if you live in a market where the Lagavulin 8 Year Old can also be obtained for under $50, as I do, then I’d recommend the latter.

Rating: B- (80-82%).

The sixth expression under review from the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection is Game of Thrones House Greyjoy – Talisker Select Reserve, an NAS (No Age Statement) single malt Scotch whisky from the Talisker distillery, located on the shores of the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

Game of Thrones House Greyjoy – Talisker Select Reserve Specifications:

• Spirit: Scotch.
• Classification: Single Malt.
• Region: Island (Highland).
• Age: NAS (No Age Statement).
• ABV: 45.8% (91.6 Proof).
• Cask Type: Matured in extra-charred and refill ex-bourbon casks.
• NCF (Non-Chill Filtered)? No.
• Natural Color? No.
• Price: $38.24 for 750 mL.

Tasting Notes:

• Color: Amber.
• Nose: Sweet and smoky. Brine and salinity. S’mores (milk chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers), red apples, and caramel.
• Palate: Medium bodied. Upon taking a sip, it’s immediately clear that this is sweeter and smokier than Talisker 10 Year Old, which I attribute in part to the usage of extra-charred casks. However, Talisker’s signature maritime quality still comes through with brininess and salinity upfront, followed by seaweed and a wet campfire/wood smoke. This is accompanied by an intense sweetness of S’mores and vanilla, followed by red apples, a touch of lemon, and a hint of black pepper.
• Finish: Medium-long. The sweet and smoky notes from the palate continue on through the finish, lingering for a while alongside notes of caramel, toffee, and oak.

Talisker Select Reserve reminds me of Talisker Dark Storm, an expression originally released for Global Travel Retail markets. Dark Storm was matured in heavily charred oak casks and was similarly sweeter and smokier than Talisker 10 Year Old, a whisky that has become a staple for me due to its exceptional balance between sweet, smoky, and maritime notes.

I only had one complaint with Talisker Dark Storm, and I find myself sharing the same complaint with Talisker Select Reserve: lack of balance. The brininess and salinity I expect are here, but the intense black peppercorn note that I love so much in Talisker 10 Year Old is practically being drowned out by the intense sweetness and smoke in Select Reserve.

If given a choice, I would be more likely to reach for Talisker 10 Year Old over Select Reserve. However, for times when I’m craving something sweeter, Talisker Select Reserve would make an excellent dessert dram, something to pour after a meal and enjoy by a cozy fire. Talisker Select Reserve has all the flavor of a S’mores treat, with none of the mess.

Rating: B- (80–82%).

The fifth expression under review from the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection is Game of Thrones House Tyrell – Clynelish Reserve, an NAS (No Age Statement) single malt Scotch whisky from the Clynelish distillery, located in the Highland region of Scotland.

Game of Thrones House Tyrell – Clynelish Reserve Specifications:

• Spirit: Scotch.
• Classification: Single Malt.
• Region: Highland.
• Age: NAS (No Age Statement).
• ABV: 51.2% (102.4 Proof).
• Cask Type: Matured in a combination of refill and American oak ex-wine treated casks.
• NCF (Non-Chill Filtered)? Yes.
• Natural Color? No.
• Price: $50.99 for 750 mL.

Tasting Notes:

• Color: Amber.
• Nose: Waxy. Fruit forward with aromas of red apples, mango, papaya, and red grapes, followed by notes of allspice, milk chocolate, and oak.
• Palate: Creamy, waxy mouthfeel. It begins with an explosion of fruit – baked red apples, green apples, mango, papaya, lychee, strawberry, and red grapes, followed by hard lemon candies and assorted spices – allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper. There’s a hint of milk chocolate and a light but pleasant oak influence.
• Finish: Short to medium length and slightly bitter. The orchard and tropical fruit notes fade first, allowing the lemon, spice, and milk chocolate notes from the tail end of the palate to take over before it all fades away, leaving you wanting more.

I have a few more Game of Thrones single malts to review, but I’ve already tasted through all of them and I’ll tell you right now that the Clynelish Reserve is easily my favorite unpeated expression among the bunch. The aromas on the nose carry on through the palate and to the finish, delivering a pleasant experience rich with fruit and spice notes. My only complaints are with the finish – it’s shorter than I would like and lacks the balance of the nose and palate, with the fruit notes fading quickly and the bitter lemon note taking over. That being said, this is still a lovely single malt and a great value at under $60, should you still be able to find a bottle floating around.

Rating: B- (80–82%).

Almost four years ago, I started reviewing the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection. I made it through three whiskies before I stopped. A LOT has happened since that last review, including personal and professional changes and a global pandemic. However, I believe in finishing what I start, no matter how long it takes, so I’m back with my long overdue fourth review in the series. Game of Thrones House Baratheon – Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old is a single malt whisky from the Royal Lochnagar distillery, located in the Highland region of Scotland.

Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old is new to the United States, but has been available in select European markets for quite some time. Much like Game of Thrones House Targaryen – Cardhu Gold Reserve, Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old has simply been repackaged for the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection.

Game of Thrones House Baratheon – Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old Specifications:

• Spirit: Scotch.
• Classification: Single Malt.
• Region: Highland.
• Age: 12 Years Old.
• ABV: 40% (80 Proof).
• Cask Type: Matured in ex-bourbon casks.
• NCF (Non-Chill Filtered)? No.
• Natural Color? No.
• Price: $55.24 for 750 mL.

Tasting Notes:

• Color: Amber.
• Nose: Orchard fruits (apples and pears), melon (cantaloupe), and orange zest. Light honey. Grassy. Chalky. Oak. A hint of vanilla.
• Palate: Thin mouthfeel. Apples, cantaloupe, and lemon. Light honey. Baking spices and black pepper. English breakfast tea. Milk chocolate. Oak. Chalk. A hint of vanilla.
• Finish: Short and dry. The apple and cantaloupe notes fade and the baking spices and black pepper become more pronounced. More English breakfast tea, lemon, oak, milk chocolate. A hint of vanilla and tobacco.

Despite being an entry level whisky bottled at only 40% ABV, Game of Thrones House Baratheon – Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old delivers more complexity than expected and makes for a pleasant sipper. With that being said, it would have benefited from being bottled at a slightly higher 43% or 46% ABV to allow all its aromas and flavors to really pop. If Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old was priced lower, I’d be able to overlook the low ABV, but it was averaging $65-$75 at retail upon release. In that price range, it doesn’t present a great value when compared to other entry level single malts. Game of Thrones House Baratheon – Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old may be worth a purchase if you’re able to pickup a bottle on closeout, but at full retail price there are better options.

Rating: C+ (77–79%).

The third expression under review from the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection is Game of Thrones House Stark – Dalwhinnie Winter’s Frost, an NAS (No Age Statement) single malt Scotch whisky from the Dalwhinnie distillery, located in the Highland region of Scotland.

Game of Thrones House Stark – Dalwhinnie Winter’s Frost Specifications:

• Spirit: Scotch.
• Classification: Single Malt.
• Region: Highland.
• Age: NAS (No Age Statement).
• ABV: 43% (86 Proof).
• Cask Type: Matured in rejuvenated ex-bourbon casks.
• NCF (Non-Chill Filtered)? No.
• Natural Color? No.
• Price Paid: $39.99 for 750 mL.

Tasting Notes:

• Color: Amber.
• Nose: Light and sweet. Fruity (apples, plums). Floral. Baking spices. Slightly malty.
• Palate: Slightly thin mouthfeel. Sweet and fruity. Concentrated apple juice, pineapple. Vanilla. Floral (lavender, heather) and herbal (menthol) notes. Honey. Artificial candy from my childhood – think candy cigarettes and chalky pink bubble gum. Baking spices.
• Finish: Short to medium length. Sweet and malty. More fruit, floral, herbal, and honeyed notes. Milk chocolate, cinnamon, bitter oak.

Game of Thrones House Stark – Dalwhinnie Winter’s Frost leans toward the light and sweet side of the flavor spectrum, much like Game of Thrones House Targaryen – Cardhu Gold Reserve. The Dalwhinnie’s complexity gives it a slight edge over the Cardhu, but it prominently features the same concentrated apple juice note across the palate and finish, one that I could do without. When it comes to fruit notes, I prefer the fresh orchard fruits exhibited in whiskies such as Glenlivet and Glenfiddich over the sweet, concentrated fruit juice notes that I detect here and in blends by Crown Royal and Hibiki.

Rating: C (73–76%).