Living Souls 25yo Dumbarton

Southport Whisky Club has held regular tastings with Jamie and the different brands he supports.

Living Souls is his own brand and we got to try some of Jamie's bottlings at Southport Whisky Festival.

A new indie bottler from the founder of Kilninian Drinks Co, Jamie Williamson.

"At Living Souls, we capture the mysterious art of whisky making, where beyond the science of  production lies the inexplicable creation of flavour, and release limited edition, small batch spirit masterpieces."

We visited Jamie in August 2024 at his warehouse in Glasgow to try a few interesting drams, fast forward to July 2025 and Jamie was at Southport showcasing his wares.

Bottler info:

This release is drawn from two exceptional casks of 25-year-old single grain whisky from the closed Dumbarton distillery, a rare treasure distilled in 2000.

Imagine stepping into a vibrant sweetie shop in a tropical paradise, where the air is filled with the delicate sweetness of pick ‘n’ mix, creamy coconut, and soft vanilla.

Each sip evokes a sense of nostalgia and indulgence, capturing the elegance of Dumbarton’s legacy in every drop.

Refill Barrels, 50.5% ABV, Batch #1

My thoughts:

Appearance: Pale gold in the Glencairn, swirls cling as a thin line, then take an age to bead up and fall as slow thin legs.

Nose: rum & raisin ice cream drizzled in caramel sauce, popcorn and some vanilla. Coconut milk, white chocolate, Dolly Mixture and some floral notes.

Palate: thick sweet arrival - some surprisingly tropical fruit to start before the grain notes from the nose assault the tongue: rum & raisin ice cream, vanilla, popcorn and shaved coconut. There's a lime fizz left on the tongue as the liquid disappears. A few more sips offer honey, icing sugar and toffee pennies.

Finish: lingering ice cream, white chocolate and a little dry spice.

Overall : An old grain with lots of  complexity and mouthfeel. Yummy!