I taste it first. Then I write it down.

Whisky reviewer and collector. Every note on this site comes from a bottle I’ve poured myself.

Tasting card · No. 00

Deepak Bali

Role: Whisky reviewer & collector
Notes public: From 2026, plus a weekly video
Connected with: Scotch Whisky World · Highland Vault (disclosed)
Looks for: Balance over fireworks

My story

I started writing tasting notes for myself. This site is where they live now.

It started as a notebook. What I poured, what I found in the glass, and whether I’d buy the bottle again. The notebook got longer, friends started asking for it, and this site is the result.

I look for balance over fireworks — a whisky that tells you where it’s from and still has something to say on the third sip. When a bottle doesn’t deliver, I’ll say so, and I’ll tell you who might enjoy it anyway.

I’m connected with Scotch Whisky World and Highland Vault. Where a review links to either, it’s labelled — and it never changes the verdict. Read the full disclosures.

Along the way

The notebook
Every bottle written down — what I poured, what I found, and whether I’d buy it again.
The collection
Bottles kept to compare side by side and year on year — opened, not stored.
The connections
Scotch Whisky World & Highland Vault — disclosed on every review that links to them.
deepakbali.com
The notebook made public: original tasting notes and a weekly video, from 2026.

The method

Five steps on every bottle

The same tasting card on every review, so a 9 here means the same as a 9 anywhere in the archive.

The tasting card

Used on every review

Bottle identity
Exact expression, age, release, strength and tasting date.
The glass
Nose, palate, finish and overall balance — neat first, then with water.
The viewpoint
One surprising observation and one honest criticism.
Collector’s verdict
Who will enjoy it, whether it’s worth keeping, and a score out of 10.
Evidence
Original bottle photography and on-camera commentary.

The scale — every score, in words

9.5–10Exceptional
9–9.4Outstanding
8.5–8.9Very good
8–8.4Good
Under 8Not for me

The Cabinet

What’s on the shelf

Every bottle I review stays in the cabinet — marked open or sealed, with how much is left and when it was opened.

Bottle	Status	Opened
Lagavulin Distillers Edition	Open	24 Oct 2026
Macallan Harmony — Inspired by Fresh Coconut	Open	10 Oct 2026
Tullibardine 500 Sherry Finish	Open	2 Sep 2026
Lagavulin Distillers Edition (sealed)	Sealed	Kept for next year’s comparison

Questions

Asked over a dram

Yes. Every note here comes from a bottle I have poured and tasted myself, with the tasting date and my own photographs.

Media & collaborations

Distilleries, fellow reviewers and press — let’s talk.

Hosted tastings, interviews and side-by-side comparisons. I only review what I’d pour myself.

Contact Deepak

The Tasting Letter

Taste along with me.

One bottle, one discovery and one of your questions, every Sunday.