That's it for now - but check back again in a few months because this list is updated constantly with my most recent discoveries.
On the Hit List you can find an overview of my all-time favorites, but you shouldn't take (just) my word for it. You can find fresh tasting notes on WhiskyFun every day while the Malt Maniacs Matrix provides and overview of more than 3,000 different whiskies that were sampled and scored by at least four different malt maniacs. One of the great things about the matrix is that it sometimes allows us to see 'trends' in a certain direction over the years, because we try to distinguish between various batches. However, on most official bottlings, the bottling year isn't specified - so it's not exactly an exact science...
 

Springbank 35yo 1971/2007 (59%, The Whisky Fair, Sherry, 239 Bts.)
Nose: Light and a little floral. Then fruity complexities and organics emerge. Whiff of citrus? Great development over time.
Taste: Smooth start, growing big and fruity. Passion fruit? Tannins start very early on. Sweetness and wood. Quite lovely.
Score: 90 points - this one needs water...

Talisker 10yo (45,8%, OB, Bottled 2009)
Nose: Fruity and sweaty. Some organics. A malty component as well. Opens up after some breathing.
Taste: Sweet. Some smoke and organics, evolving into peat. Very subtle fruits in the finish.
Score: 83 points - but it needed time to reach this score; a few points below earlier batches of this old favourite.

Tamdhu NAS (40%, OB, Bottled +/- 2008)
Nose: Starts off fruity, followed by grain attick and dust. Fresh dough. A beautiful round profile.
Taste: Fairly weak start, needs some time. A little chalky. Nice, solid centre - but weaker in the finish.
Score: 75 points - which is a bit below the ordinary 'Hot List' bandwidth, but the great price puts it on this list. 

Tullibardine 1975/2007 (52,7%, OB, Hogshead #1009, 194 Bts.)
Nose: Sweet, big and sherried. Some oil in the background? Yeah, but here it doesn't bother me so much.
Taste: Big on fruits and woods. Sweet centre - very enjoyable. Passion fruit? Something herbal in the smoky, tannic finish.
Score: 86 points - A great mouth feel. The only thing that bothers me is the faintest hint of perfume...

Tyrconnel 10yo Sherry Finish (46%, OB, Bottled +/- 2008, Ireland)
Nose: Big and fruity - and surprisingly complex. Shoe polish? Too subtle in the background on a bad nose day.
Taste: Sweetish start, big solid centre. Fairly harsh, 'bourbony' finish. Big, spirity burn.
Score: 81 points - the Irish are moving up in the world...

Suntory Yamazaki 25yo (43%, OB, Bottled +/- 2007, Japan)
Nose: Smoky, fruity richness. Cinnamon cookies. Aged fruits. Raisins. Honey sweetness in the background. Hint of rubber?
Taste: Wobbly start, before growing extremely smoky & woody. Hint of soap perfume? Bitterness & tannins in the finish.
Score: 88 points - teetering on the brink of destruction by wood, but if you give it time to grow on you, it's magnificent. 

Laphroaig 10yo 1998/2008 (62.2%, Blackadder Raw Cask, Cask ref 700214, 272 Bts.)
Nose: Loads of organics, but some fruits as well - making it a lovely balanced dram. Some meaty notes. Surprisingly complex.
Taste: Peaty, sweet and fruity - just how I like it. More and more smoke and leather in the centre. Fairly harsh, dry finish.
Score: 90 points - some water breaks up the nose, before releasing more light fruits (water melon).

Octomore 5yo '2nd Edition' (62.5%, OB, Bottled 2009, 15000 Bts.)
Nose: Sharp peat with a hint of rubber and some citrus in the distant background. Anthracite and smoke. Some meaty notes.
Taste: Surprisingly sweet start, followed by loads of tar and smoke. Dry, salty and phenolic centre and finish. Rubbery.
Score: 88 points - I'm not always a fan of extreme whiskies, but this is right up my alley. More industrial than organic.

Speyburn 10yo (40%, OB, Bottled +/-2008)
Nose: Light but solid. Melon and 'Rang' citrus sweets. Grows more lemony and expressive after a few seconds.
Taste: Watery start, quickly powering up. Very smooth; solid sweet centre. Loses steam after a few minutes, though.
Score: 78 points - a perfect summer whisky; not particularly complex, but you can keep drinking it all night.

Singleton of Glen Ord 12yo (40%, OB, Bottled 2008)
Nose: Subtle sherried character. Faint organics. Vague farmy notes in the distant background. Something rotten?
Taste: Quite weak. Sherried, but only marginally so. A little fruity. Feels thin on the palate. Caramel? Coffee in finish?
Score: 79 points - improves after some breathing. Needs time...

Highland Park 25yo (48.1%, OB, Bottled +/- 2008)
Nose: Polished with subtle fruits and a hint of spices. Settles down after a minute, losing complexity. Emerging subtleties.
Taste: Powerful, solid, woody. Tannins. Very pleasant, although it grows a tad harsh in the finish. Smoky too - but not peaty.
Score: 87 points - the sweetness on the palate is just a little cloying. But there's a touch of something medicinal too.

Highland Park 12yo 'Hjärta' (58.1%, OB, 3924 Bts., Bottled 2009)
Nose: Sweet and malty. A little smoky with a hint of organics now and then. Some meaty notes after five minutes.
Taste: Sweet & solid start, quickly evolving into a dry, fruity & smoky centre. Dry, hot and gritty finish with a flash of sweetness.
Score: 84 points - despite a hint of something medicinal, the fairly harsh finish keeps it from the upper 80's.

Karuizawa 12yo Pure Malt Whisky (40%, OB, Bottled +/- 2008, Vatted malt, Japan)
Nose: Round, sweet and fruity with a faint whiff of smoke in the background. Distant meaty notes. Gunpowder. Spices.
Taste: Soft and smooth start, with a very solid centre. Sweet. The smoke dominates the fruit here. Smoky rather than peaty.
Score: 83 points - and that's just because the finish was slightly thin and underwhelming.... The friendly price is great!

Lagavulin 16yo (43%, OB, Bottled +/- 2009)
Nose: Leather and smoke with some subtle fruits in the background. Whiff of diesel?
Taste: Sweet and peaty. Smokier in the centre. Hint of liquorice. Pretty smooth, growing drier in the finish.
Score: 88 points - actually the most recent batches are slightly better than those from a few years ago.

Suntory Hakushu NAS (43%, OB, Bottled +/- 2008, Japan)
Nose: Deep & sherried. Polished wood and old fruits. Hint of cinnamon? My kind of profile, but fairly harsh on the nose.
Taste: Becomes very smoky with salmiak in the centre. Liquorice. Chewy tannins in the finish.
Score: 84 points - uncompromising and quite extreme - I like it...

Imperial 18yo 1990/2008 (52.2%, DT Rare Auld, C#358, 226 Bts.)
Nose: Polished and fruity with subtle citrus overtones. Pleasant & complex. After ten minutes loads of spices emerge.
Taste: Seems like a grain whisky for a few seconds. Malty and fruity tones. Complex woody notes. Beautiful tannins.
Score: 87 points - an enigmatic whisky; hardly the definitive example of Imprerial, which makes it interesting.

Karuizawa 1971/2008 (64.1%, OB for The Number One Drinks Company, C#6878, Japan)
Nose: Roasted nuts. A lot of development over time. Meaty? Well, maybe more fishy. Some organics too. A tad dusty.
Taste: Passion fruits and gooseberries. Great mouth feel. A touch of smoke in the finish. Strong tannins too. Beautiful!
Score: 91 points - a perfect example of the possibilities of patience...

Lagavulin 21yo 1985/2007 (56.5%, OB, 6642 Bts.)
Nose: Sharp, 'green' peaty notes. Great complexity, although it earns most points on the palate.
Taste: Smoke and liquorice. Wonderful sweetness. Touch of liquorioce. Brilliant balance with loads of smoke in the finish.
Score: 91 points - pretty good news all around; a great whisky that's not a real 'limited edition' - so you can find a bottle.

Laphroaig 1998/2008 (61.2%, Jean Boyer for Whisky Forum, 260 Bts.) 
Nose: Quite mellow with some sharp peat in the background. Medicinal notes and organics emerge as well over time.
Taste: Very sweet start, with salty notes coming forward in the centre. Great mouth feel. Long finish.
Score: 87 points - this one barely made it into the upper 80's at first, but it kept climbing upwards as it opened up.

Lochnagar 21yo 1986 (50%, The Whisky Agency / The Whisky Fair)
Nose: Round and classic. Essences of old fruits. Growing complexity; beautiful but you have to pay attention. Some bubblegum.
Taste: Smooth with subtle fruits that match the nose. The finish is just a tad too short and dry to reach high into the upper 80's.
Score: 86 points - despite what I said about the palate the complexity dragged the score into the upper 80's eventually.

Macallan 17yo 1991/2008 (46%, Hart Brothers, Finest Collection, First Fill Sherry Butt)
Nose: Old fruits, shoepolish and a hint of smoke. My type of profile, but fairly weak. Some organics join the party later.
Taste: Sweet, big and round - feels much bigger than the nose would suggest. Nice combination of sweet & smoky.
Score: 88 points - A little leathery in the long, sweet finish with a touch of spices and celery in between the smoke.

Longrow 7yo 2000/2008 (55.8%, OB, Gaja Barolo finish, 12120 Bts.)
Nose: Complex. Some subtle 'green' peat. Some farmy notes beneath a layer of fruits. Perhaps not perfectly integrated.
Taste: Solid with a fair dose of peat. I seem to recall Longrow being considerably less peaty; did they 'beef up' the recipe?
Score: 84 points - too bad the Springbank distillery closed just when they were improving again after some weak years.

Mortlach 1954/2008 (43%, G&M Rare Old)
Nose: Passion fruit and other lovely deep fruits. Some citrus too. Dried apples? Emerging spices - a LOVELY nose.
Taste: Fruity and smooth with a touch of something medicinal in the background. Hint of pine too? Fruity evolves to floral.
Score: 86 points - a combination of an (almost) gold nose and a bronze palate. Did they use more peat in the distant past?

Tobermory 35yo 1972/2008 (49.4%, Whisky Doris, First fill dark sherry, 191 Bts.)
Nose: Wood, but balanced with fruit and some organics. Very special. Apple syrup. Organics growing stronger. Very complex.
Taste: Sweet and peaty with loads of organics. Leathery. Serious, but with a playful undercurrent. Perhaps just a tad weak.
Score: 89 points - too woody for the 90's. A surprising touch of liquorice and salmiak after fifteen minutes.

Longmorn 30yo (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, Bottled +/- 2009)
Nose: Big and sherried with a fair dose of wood. Cinnamon. Great balance. Not a lot of development over time though.
Taste: Sweet start, quickly growing woodier. Like the nose, the balance is near perfect. Excellent tannins in the finish.
Score: 88 points - the balance in the nose and the tannins in the finish are just about the perfect level for me.

Glenmorangie NAS 'Signet' (46%, OB, Bottled +/-2008)
Nose: Big and expressive start. Fruits, organics and some wood. Settles down quickly though. Grows sharper and a little sour.
Taste: Hmmmm… Starts much weaker than I expected, but powers up to a lovely fruity centre. Medium long, modest finish. 
Score: 82 points - a little underwhelming given the steep price.

Glenugie 31yo 1977/2009 (58.1%, Signatory Vintage, Oloroso finish for 84 months in cask#7, 577 Bts.)
Nose: Smoke, wood & fruits - classic profile. A quick burst of rubber. Sulphur? New balance after ten minutes with more organics.
Taste: Cassis. Woody notes. Fairly harsh finish at first, but more fruit and tannins emerge after a while. Meaty notes & Buysman.
Score: 89 points - very faint medicinal notes emerge in the nose after fifteen minutes.

Glen Grant 1955/2008 (50%, G&M for LMW, First Fill Sherry Hogs, C#844, 88 Bts.)
Nose: Touch of chloride. Opens up to a wonderful spicyness after some breathing, with subtle fruits slowly moving forward.
Taste: Woody start with a sweetness moving in and out of focus. Extremely woody in the finish as well. Some organics pop up.
Score: 89 points - another wood monster. Some salt liquorice and smoke on the palate too.

Glengoyne 21yo Sherry Matured (43%, OB, Bottled +/- 2008)
Nose: Woody and oily - an unusual combination. Organics. Maggi? More subtleties and fruits emerge.
Taste: Very sweet start - is this a finished whisky? Very smoky centre & finish. Something feels artificial.
Score: 87 points - almost too extreme at first sight, but the character really grew on me over time.

Glengoyne 'Billy's Choice' 18yo 1989/2007 (54,1%, OB, Amontillado Hogs C#1202, 249 Bts.)
Nose: Woods and dark fruits and a wonderful sweetness. Asian spices. Celery & organics. Hint of tea leaves?
Taste: Fits the nose like a glove; fruit and wood - and some tea. Grows smokier towards the finish.
Score: 92 points - responds very well to a few drops of water, pushing it from 91 to 92. Smidgen too extreme for some?

Glenglassaugh 23yo 1984/2007 (46%, Wilson & Morgan 'Barrel Selection', Butt, Cask #187)
Nose: Shoe polish. A little musty. Organics. Lovely farmy & fruity profile, but it needs some time to develop.
Taste: Second of weakness, then the woods and fruits power up. Big sweet fruity centre with some toffee. Hint of smoke.
Score: 88 points - a great Glenglassaugh with strong tannins on the palate. Needs time to get to 88 points though.

Glen Albyn 33yo 1974/2008 (58.9%, The Clydesdale Company, C#0016/1601, 248 Bts.)
Nose: Grain & bakery aroma's. Subtle medicinal notes after a minute, evolving into organics. Quite unique.
Taste: Medium start, growing very fruity - but the fruits feel somehow fake. Hint of pine? Powerful tannins take over the finish.
Score: 85 points - Odd, but it grew on me over time... 

Glen Elgin 32yo 1976/2008 'Green Elgin' (40.8%, The Whisky Exchange, C#3544)
Nose: Classic profile like a whisky bottled in the 1970's. Wood & furniture polish. Coffee; more complex after some breathing.
Palate: Very subtle peat. Beautiful balance between fruit, wood and smoke. Liquorice. Touch of peat? Perfect finish too.
Score: 91 points - lovely bakery aroma's in the nose. I also found loads of lemon during a second try.

Glendronach 33yo (40%, OB, Oloroso Sherry, Bottled +/- 2008)
Nose: Big, smoky, woody and fruity. Raisins. Some lighter notes emerge over time, but they remain in the background.
Palate: Fruits, wood & smoke just like the nose suggests. Strong woody notes.  Touch of liquorice in the finish.
Score: 89 points - a great mouth feel after some 'acclimatisation' - smooth despite the powerful notes.

Glenfarclas 30yo (43%, OB, Bottled +/- 2008)
Nose: Fruity and spicy. Raisins. Touches of smoke and wood too. Classic. A well-balanced profile. On the edge...
Palate: Brilliant mouth feel - at least initially. Fairly weak, though. Lovely persistent fruits after a few minutes..
Score: 89 points - it powers up on the palate after some breathing.

Glan Ar Mor NAS 'Kornog' (57.1%, OB, Peated whisky, Britanny France, Bottled 2009)
Nose: Mellow start with sweet orange and lemon notes after a few seconds. Honey. A little rough, but very expressive.
Taste: Surprising blast of peat - the nose didn't prepare me for that. Wait, it's not so much 'organic'; rather smoke & anthracite.
Score: 84 points - this has a grain whisky smoothness. Harsh but pleasant finish.

Glendronach 15yo 'Revival' (46%, OB, Oloroso cask matured, Bottled +/- 2009)
Nose: Lovely fruits with some spices in the background. Heavily sherried. Hints of horse radish and rubber?
Palate: Rich & fruity; not overly sweet. Much woodier in the hot centre. A little smoky. Loads of tannins in the dry, woody finish.
Score: 89 points - feels just a tad harsh though. Would have reached the 90's with a more balanced palate and finish.

Glen Elgin 16yo (58.5%, OB, Bottled +/- 2009)
Nose: Balanced but not very expressive. Whiff of something farmy. Powers up in a few minutes; organics in the background.
Palate: Soft start, powering up in the centre. Not a lot of definition. Gritty finish.
Score: 82 points - this one grows bigger and bolder over time, even though the profile is not terribly expressive.

Glenmorangie NAS 'Nectar d'Or' (46%, OB, Sauternes Casks Extra Matured, Bottled +/- 2009)
Nose: Malty and quite sweet. Some spices too. A little sweaty. Some farmy aroma's.
Taste: Sweet start, softening up. Light fruits and cheesecake. The fruits grow stronger towards the hot finish.
Score: 82 points - the finish feels a little like plywood. Very heavy legs.

Glenury Royal 36yo 1973/2009 (46.2%, Blackadder Raw Cask, Cask#6863, 148 Bts.)
Nose: Not peaty, but quite medicinal. Leather. This opens up very nicely. Austere with a hint of antiquity.
Taste: Like the nose, it's not especially 'peaty', but quite smoky and medicinal. Sweetness too. Very surprising!
Score: 91 points - it has taken almost four decades, but it has now evolved into a brilliant example from this obscure distillery.

Cambus 18yo 1991/2009 (51.9%, Signatory Vintage, cask#55883, 664 Bts.)
Nose: Very peculiar - in a good way! Spices (clove? Nutmeg?) with lemon in the background. Fried fish. Farmy.
Taste: Sweet start, growing fruitier and smoother within seconds. Passion fruit. Long, soft finish.
Score: 85 points - not terribly expressive, but it shows a lot of subtle development over time.

Connemara NAS (40%, OB, Peated, Bottled +/- 2008, Ireland)
Nose: Subtle peaty start with light fruits. Evolves into candy sweetness. Raspberry fruit cake glazing?
Taste: Sweet and peaty. Excellent balance, but a tad weak. Peaty burn in the finish.
Score: 83 points - not too complex, but an excellent dramming whisky for peat lovers.

Caol Ila 27yo 1981/2008 (53.8%, Duncan Taylor Rare Auld, C#2932, 502 Bts.)
Nose: Restrained and a little veggy. Opens with more meaty notes. Unusually expressive for a Caol Ila.
Palate: Solid, nutty and malty. Beer? Some sweetness beneath the surface. Peat en smoke emerge in the dry finish.
Score: 85 points - an interesting alternative for the various official bottlings.

Bowmore 10yo 'Tempest Batch #1' (55.3%, OB, First Fill Bourbon casks, Bottled 2009)
Nose: Toffee & Caramac sweetness. Some organics evolving in the background. Spices? Very nice medicinal aftertaste.
Taste: Solid, feisty, smoky start with some sweetness in the background. Hot, smoky centre and finish.
Score: 83 points - proof that Bowmore has found the way up again after a 'perfumy' decade.

Bruichladdich 1992/2009 'Sherry Edition 2' (46%, OB, PX cask finish, 6000 Bts.)
Nose: Rich and oaky. Cough syrup. Growing complexity after some breathing. My kind of profile.
Taste: Woody start with sweetness marching to the foreground. Cough syrup in the sweet centre. Some smoke.
Score: 87 points - it finally earned an extra point with a hint of organics in the finish.

Bunnahabhain NAS 'Toiteach' (46%, OB, Peated, Bottled 2009)
Nose: Feisty. Chloride. Farmy. Dry. Sweetens out a bit over time. Not terribly complex, but it's the sort of profile that I enjoy.
Taste: Sweet for a few seconds, growing peatier after a second. Diesel, anthracite - 'industrial' phenols rather than organic ones.
Score: 80 points - I liked this fractionally better than the 'Darach Ur'.

Benromach 10yo (43%, OB, +/- 2009)
Nose: Sweet and balanced with some spices in the background. Lightly sherried profile. Some organics. Something farmy.
Taste: Sweet and smooth start with a surprising pinch of peat after a few seconds. Grows weaker towards the finish.
Score: 82 points - surprisingly complex and actually quite pleasant. 

Aberlour 18yo (43%, OB, +/- 2009)
Nose: Rich & fruity; seems quite sherried. Expressive, almost like a cognac in style. Some spices emerge; cinnamon & nutmeg.
Taste: Fruity. Quite some tannins in the finish. Very nice, but not quite as 'thick' as the nose suggests.
Score: 86 points - this needed around fifteen minuten to reach the upper 80's.

Amrut NAS Cask Strength 'Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky' (62.78%, OB, Bottled 2008, India)
Nose: Round and dark with hints of roasted coffee beans. Not a great deal of depth initially, but an amazing profile. Rubber?
Taste: Sweet and salty start; and amazing burn. Fudge. Glue? Smoky finish with an unexpected whiff of salt liquorice.
Score: 88 points - nice development too - if all was better integrated it might have approached the 90's.

Ben Nevis 34yo 1975 (63%, Prestonfield for La Maison du Whisky, Bourbon cask#7439, 146 Bts.)
Nose: Peculiar. Silly Putty? Hard to define but very interesting! Some subtle organics behind the wood. A real teaser.
Taste: Big, woody and chewy. Toffee and smoke. The smooth centre is dry and sweet at the same time. Feels quite hot.
Score: 87 points - the smoothness suggests this is a grain whisky. It has a fairly harsh finish though...

Ballechin NAS '4th Release' (46%, OB, matured in Oloroso Sherry Casks, Bottled 2009, 6000 Bts.)
Nose: Solid and malty with diesel and peat emerging after a few seconds. Industrial oil; like the repair area of a garage.
Taste: Dry, leathery start. Explosion of freshness in the centre, dry again in the finish.
Score: 82 points - excellent stuff; this is by far the best Balblair I've ever sampled - although it's 'on the edge'.

Ardbeg NAS 'Corryvreckan' (57.1%, OB, +/- 2009)
Nose: Hint of wet dog. Fresh peat. Over time more organics emerge, quite subtle. Whiff of rubber? Band aids? Iodine?
Taste: Feisty start with quite a lot of liquorice - I usually find that in the finish. Dry with decent amounts of peat and smoke.
Score: 85 points - one of the few recent official bottlings of Ardbeg that impressed me; much better than Blasda.

Benriach 13yo 'Maderensis Fumosus' (46%, OB, heavily peated, Madeira Finish, +/-2008)
Nose: Coastal, smoky, a little farmy and some subtle oatmeal sweetness. Fruits & creosote too. Wonderful development.
Taste: Softly peaty start before a strong, salty centre. Loads of liquorice and smoke. Strong tannins and rubber in the dry finish.
Score: 89 points - which is really quite impressive for a finished whisky in its teens. 

Benriach 23yo 1984/2008 (54.2%, The Single Malts of Scotland, C#194, 214 Bts.)
Nose: Clean with light peaty notes. A crisp 'coastal' profile. Emerging organics too. Grows heavier, peatier and more complex.
Taste: Solid and much peatier than the nose suggests. Good mouth feel with a decent amount of fruits in the centre and finish.
Score: 88 points - I found some intereresting 'diesel' notes in the nose after a while. 

Bowmore 36yo 1972/2008 (48.8%, The Prestonfield, refill sherry butt, C#3881, 565 Bts.)
Nose: Antique, exquisite profile. Celery. Maggi. Organics. Unique - smells like something bottled at least two decades ago.
Taste: Smooth, growing more powerful. Great mouth feel. Very strong tannins.
Score: 92 points - they don't make 'em like this anymore... 

Dufftown 25yo 1984/2009 (57.5%, Signatory Vintage, Sherry Butt #80, 455 Bts.)
Nose: Rich, big and sherried. Spices come to the foreground, along with something vaguely phenolic. Very fragrant.
Taste: Round and fruity. Oak and smoke. A lovely heavily sherried profile. Excellent tannins in the finish.
Score: 90 points - which makes it my favourite expression of Dufftown by far.