On the nose, The Gauldrons presents a delightful array of aromas, with hints of brine, sweet vanilla, and a touch of peat smoke. These aromas give way to a rich and complex palate, featuring notes of dark chocolate, dried fruit, and a subtle maritime salinity. The finish is long and satisfying, with lingering hints of spice and a gentle warmth. Hopefully, that doesn’t make you less interested. After all, each of the distilleries makes different styles of single malt. Springbank makes the unpeated Hazelburn, the semi-peated Springbank and the heavily peated Longrow. Glengyle Distillery makes a peated and a heavily-peated single malt. Glen Scotia makes both peated and unpeated malts. They have two different fermentation lengths as well. This means they could actually be making at least four different styles of whisky, so the whisky used to make Gauldrons may have merely come, at minimum, from two different distilleries. No matter what, it’s highly likely to be composed of different styles of single malts. The Gauldrons Batch 4 – Review The name “The Gauldrons” translates to “bay of storms,” and it is inspired by a small bay located near Campbeltown, which is said to have been the location of the final battle of Robert the Bruce, the famed Scottish king. The whisky itself, much like the bay it is named after, is a harmonious blend of strength, complexity, and mystery. Apparently, the spider served as inspiration to King Robert the Bruce. After having been defeated by his enemies, he saw a spider building its web with great patience, yet difficulty. It encouraged him to try and try again. Taste: Buttery shortbread and pastry. Wee touch of fresh mint. Sea salt and pepper. Smoky, slightly oaky finish.

The „bay of storms“, so the translation of the Gaelic name, means the west coast of Campbeltown where – according to a legend – the later King Robert the Bruce hid in a cave to escape his persuers (not to annoy the Scottish, but only to be honest: there is another version of this legend which sees the cave on the Irish Rathlin Island, west of Campbeltown…) The whisky is matured in oak casks, which contribute to its rich colour and flavour profile. The maritime climate of Campbeltown, with its salty sea air and cool, damp conditions, plays a crucial role in the maturation process, imparting unique characteristics to the whisky and adding to its complexity and depth.In autumn 2017 the first batch of The Gauldrons was released, now the second batch is available and it is also very limited. As the first one it was bottled at 46.2 % ABV, uncoloured and unchill-filtered. The aroma is characterized by notes of honey, brown sugar, vanilla, spice, salt, oak and light smoke. The story of Bruce and the Spider is almost certainly just that – a story. It first appeared in the writings of Sir Walter Scott, a man for whom gritty realism was never a high priority. Similar stories were told about other significant historical figures, including Bruce’s colleague, James Douglas. Still, just like the spider, these stories are designed to inspire and to teach us a lesson – in this case – “if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again”. So while the link between Bruce’s spider and the whiskies of Campbeltown may be rather tenuous (that’s being generous) we’ll give Douglas Laing some leeway since it’s a nice story and the spider looks good on the label. The decline of Scotland’s former whisky capital has left the Campbeltown region with only three single malt distilleries left. It would be easy to assume that this expression is composed of single malts from all three remaining operations, but Paul can only state with certainty that this is a blend of at least two distilleries.

The Gauldrons is a captivating blend of single malt Scotch whiskies from the Campbeltown region, known for its distinctive maritime character and complex flavour profile. It is a whisky that tells a story, capturing the essence of its region and the art of whisky blending in every sip. With its rich history, complex character, and the skill of the master blender behind it, The Gauldrons stands as a tribute to the whisky heritage of Campbeltown and a must-try for whisky enthusiasts and collectors alike. Nose: Quite cereal-y and sweet on the get-go, with some dough and baking spices, lemon and a wee tiny hint of peat. a faint brine-y touch, and more vanilla, a distant medicinal note (iodine, maybe) all in all light and sweeter than expected. The end brings on a very subtle barley tea, sugarless Frosted Flakes and lemon meringue. Conclusions: So there it is, the second batch of The Gauldrons. Within the Regional Malts of independent distiller Douglas Laing this whisky is the representative of Campbeltown. It’s not revealed which malts are married for The Gauldrons, but you count the active distilleries of the peninsula of Campbeltown on one hand – and won’t need all fingers… Thoughts: The Remarkable Regional Malts series offers exceptional value for money. For a start, they’re higher strength, un-chill-filtered and natural colour. The quality is high and the price, relatively speaking, is low.I have a minute complaint about the mouth. The initial sensation when this whisky touched my tongue contrasted sharply with the nose. It was very messy, so the close-to-perfect impression that emerged from the nose was ruined. Thankfully, the everlasting parade of flavors that remain make up for the mess. The Gauldrons, a unique and intriguing Scotch whisky, is steeped in history, tradition, and a hint of mystery. Produced in the Campbeltown region, one of the distinctive whisky-producing areas of Scotland, The Gauldrons stands out with its complex character and rich flavour profile, which are deeply influenced by the maritime climate and traditional distilling methods of the region. That said, The Gauldrons is a little steeper than the rest of the range and it’s been labelled as a limited release but that’s understandable, given the scarcity of Campbeltown whisky. There simply isn’t a lot of Springbank lying around and what is available, doesn’t come cheap. Then there’s Glengyle, which produces in such small quantities I can’t imagine there’s an abundance of that either. It seems safe to assume then, that the Gauldrons consists largely of Glen Scotia, with a small amount of the others added to make it a blended malt. This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services. The Gauldrons is often enjoyed neat or with a drop of water, which can help to open up the aromas and flavours, allowing the drinker to appreciate the complexity and nuances of this exceptional whisky fully. It is also a favourite among whisky connoisseurs and collectors, who appreciate its unique character and the sense of history and tradition that it embodies.