Dining

Fruity, sweet and smoky: I taste The Whisky Exchange Seasons Spring whisky series

Spring Collection whiskies from The Whisky Exchange

It’s time to celebrate spring with the fourth and final instalment in The Whisky Exchange’s Seasons series. Sweet, floral and smoky, The Seasons: Spring is a trio of limited-edition single malts which encapsulate the lightness and vibrancy of the season through expertly selected casks from Glentauchers, Linkwood and Caol Ila.

Following a year-long journey through flavour and time, The Whisky Exchange’s Seasons series has showcased 12 beautifully designed bottlings inspired by the moods and profiles of each season. With Spring, the curation concludes on a bright, floral note.

Let’s take a closer look at the three single malts that define this eagerly awaited outing…

The Whisky Exchange’s Seasons series has showcased 12 beautifully designed bottlings inspired by the moods and profiles of each season…

Glentauchers 2013 10 Year Old – The Seasons: Spring, £73

This Glentauchers was matured in a single barrel for a full decade, giving it a depth of flavour while retaining its characteristic lightness. The colour of pale, summer sun, and bottled at 58.6% ABV, it offers cut grass and green fruit on the nose, with crisp conference pear, apples, vanilla and tinned fruit cocktail on the palate. The mouthfeel is indulgent and creamy. A surprisingly protracted finish rewards with a flourish of floral notes.

Linkwood 2013 10 Year Old – The Seasons: Spring,  £68 

Linkwood has long been prized by blenders and single malt fans alike; this independently bottled release stays true to the distillery’s signature floral style. The dram is the colour of baled hay, and subtle on the nose. Those with patience to spare will be rewarded by a modest floral perfume. An easy drinker, the palate is a nostalgia fest of candy bracelets, sweet liquorice and sherbet fountains. The finish is clean and citrusy. It’s bottled at 57.7% ABV.

Caol Ila 2014 9 Year Old – The Seasons: Spring, £75 

A smoky outlier, this young Islay whisky brings a peated perspective to the Spring series, indicative of that first tentative garden BBQ of the year. The colour of scorched lawns, there’s the smell of bacon sizzling in the pan on the nose, while the palate is sweet with a citrus twang and medicinal smoke. The mouthfeel is delightfully oily, while the finish long and peaty. It’s bottled at 59.9% ABV.

The Seasons: Spring and Summer Tasting Set, £45
Can’t decide which whisky to try first? Experience all three with this special Spring and Summer Tasting Set. It includes all six whiskies from the final two seasonal drops, offering a guided journey through zesty, fruit-laden and floral expressions, perfect for sipping with friends as the days grow longer.

The Seasons: Spring collection and the Spring and Summer Tasting Set is exclusively available from The Whisky Exchange.

Bruichladdich pushes the boundaries of peat with Octomore 17 Series whiskies

Bruichladdich Distillery has unveiled the latest chapter in its Octomore experiment, with three super-heavily peated single malts exploring Scottish barley, Islay provenance and a diverse selection of casks. The Octomore 17 Series, now in its 17th year, examines the relationship between barley origin, peat and maturation, with limited quantities created from specific harvests and cask…

Glendronach 14 Year Old Boynsmill House Edition is a sherry-matured whisky with a claret twist

The Glendronach is celebrating its 200th anniversary with a limited-edition, three cask single malt inspired by the Highland home where the distillery’s story began. The 14 Year Old Glendronach Boynsmill House Edition pays tribute to Boynsmill Estate, where James Allardice founded The Glendronach in 1826. The distillery sits in the Valley of the Brambles in…

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About Steve May

Creator of Home Cinema Choice magazine, and Editor of The Luxe Review, Steve muses and reviews for Trusted Reviews, T3, Home Cinema Choice, Games Radar, Good Housekeeping, Louder Sounds, StereoNet and Boat International. He’s also the editor of professional home cinema website Inside CI. He's on Twitter/X, Tiktok and Instagram as @SteveMay_UK