The 2026 High End Tasting

As the summer came to an end, it was time again for the Toronto Whisky Society High End Tasting. It tends to be one of the most popular events every year.

This year we opted to highlight both teaspooned whiskies and a pair of 19-year-old Ardbeg releases. Plus, some great sherried single malts to fill out the lineup.

The planned lineup had 6 scotch whiskies planned, but a representative from a store out west was in town and offered to show off one of their new releases in the tasting.

Dram #1: Cadenhead Enigma Blended Speyside 27 Year

• Blended malt/teaspooned malt (rumored to be Glenfiddich)

• 27 years

• bourbon hogshead

• 51.8%

Notes: Apples, sweet oat biscuits, honeycomb, nutmeg, gooseberries. The whisky had some of the typical Glenfiddich notes, though it drinks younger than you would expect for 27 years old. Still, not a bad way to open up the palate for the lineup to come.

Dram #2: Cairn CRN 57 25 Year

• 25 years

• likely sherry casks

• 43%

Notes: Sweet notes of rum and raisin and brown sugar together with ripe fig, maple syrup and a hint of liquorice. The lower ABV held this whisky back from what it could have been. The concept behind this whisky is an odd one. Cairn is a new distillery owned by G&M and this whisky is a blend created to represent what they feel the Cairn distillate will taste like in over two decades from now. After this we moved onto some bigger, bolder sherry cask whiskies.

Dram #3: G&M Linkwood 2001 24 Year Single Cask

• 24 years

• first fill sherry hogshead 

• 51.9%

Notes: Toffee and date flavours give way to baking spices and toasted oak. Linkwood continues to be a “hidden gem” when it comes to well aged, sherry matured single casks. This Canada exclusive single cask is no exception.  Keep an eye out for releases like this!

Dram #4: Decadent Dram Marketing Malt 17 Year BSW Cask Pick

• 17 years

• Macallan – also known as Marketing Malt

• 53%

• first fill sherry hogshead

Notes: The classic nutty Macallan profile shines here. Lots of fruit and leather, good balance of oak and spice. Think plum pudding and chocolate. This bottle was brought on behalf of BSW, and we have very thankful they shared this store-pick bottling with us.

Dram #5: Signatory Glenlivet 19 Year Single Cask:

• 19 years

• 1^st fill Oloroso sherry butt

• 58.7%

Notes: Nutty, chocolate, dark fruits. A little bit dirty on the sherry profile. Lots of red fruits and leather. Some mineral notes/playdoh notes from the spirit profile.

And now on to the final 2 whiskies – Both apparently 19-year-old Ardbegs (or mostly Ardbeg)

Dram #6: Living Souls Kildalton 19 Year

• 19 years

• refill sherry butts

• 42%

– Kildalton is the name of a parish on Islay, and often associated with the Ardbeg distillery, which is its closest neighbour

Notes: A more mellow version of Ardbeg. The peat is still present though much lighter than you would expect from Ardbeg. Brine, honey, apricots and waxy round out the profile. This was a little muted for my preference for a whisky from Ardbeg.

Dram #7: Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Batch 7

• 19 years
• 50.3%
•  ex-Bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks

Notes. The final release of Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year series. Big peat. Lemon, orange peel, nutmeg, dark chocolate and espresso. Big bold notes, reminds me of a longer matured version of Ardbeg Uigedail.

This tasting was an afternoon of great company and whisky and we enjoyed a variety of well aged scotch whiskies, highlighting a variety of different styles. Can’t wait to see what the lineup is next year.

Cheers!