Specification: Made from Punjabi malted barley, this single malt, characterised by spices and ripe fruit, is matured in casks previously used for bourbon. Style: Spicy and gourmand. Nose: Complex and rich. Ripe fruit. Palate: Smooth. Malted barley. Honey and spices. Finish: Long. Tobacco and pine resin. Torrefaction.
Specification: One of two releases from the anCnoc range launched in the first half of 2015, the Black Hill Reserve is an impressive single malt Scotch whisky which has been allowed to mature in first fill ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 46% ABV. The name of this release comes from the name of the distillery, Knockdhu, which means Black Hill in Gaelic.
Specification: Pronounced ‘Oog-a-dal’, it’s a special vatting that marries Ardbeg’s traditional deep, smoky notes with luscious, raisiny tones of old ex-Sherry casks. Ardbeg Uigeadail was voted by the 120,000+ strong Ardbeg Committee as their favourite Ardbeg.
Specification: Machrie Moor is a peated single malt from the Arran distillery. Bottled at 58.5% at natural cask strength and limited to 9000 bottles, this is the 3rd release in this popular series. Wonderful flavours of vanilla, toffee, citrus, and a little grassy character. Extra strength adds a charred flavour to the peated notes.
Specification: Auchentoshan is the world's best selling lowland malt whisky. The distillery producing Auchentostan spirit is the only Scottish distillery to distil the spirit three times. As such, making Auchentoshan the smoothest, most delicate-tasting single malt scotch whisky.
Specification: The BenRiach Septendecim is the latest edition to the BenRiach Peated range. This 17 year old peated whisky has been matured in ex-bourbon casks and is a real robust heavyweight. Septendecim is non chill filtered and bottled at natural colour. Sweet concentrated peat flavours dominate from the start. Bold and intense. The peaty heart is united with honey-infused raisins, roasted nuts and a luxurious leather impression. Full-bodied with fantastic length.
Specification: An 8 year old single malt from Islay's Bruichladdich distillery, originally released for the Travel Retail Market. The Laddie Eight was created by Head Distiller Adam Hannett, with an aim to capturing the fantastic floral notes along with Bruichladdich's coastal elements.
Specification: As if it wasn’t spectacular enough, 25 year old has also been re-introduced as an unchill-filtered spirit, with natural colour and a higher strength of 46.3%. Its new story is being told through updated packaging including a smoked-oak glass bottle with labelling on aged parchment, all displayed in an Alder wooden box lined with Hessian and closed with solid brass fittings.
Specification: Cardhu 12 Year Old palate is well balanced and smooth; starting sweet and fresh, and finishing with a lingering sweet smoke, drying aftertaste. The light character of the 12 Year Old Cardhu is an excellent starting point for anyone starting on their whisky journey. The smooth, honeyed flavours of a 12 Year Old Cardhu shine best when served neat or over ice. This award winning Whisky gained a Silver outstanding award at the 2014 International Wine & Spirits Competition and Gold at The Scotch Whisky Masters 2014. The bottle is distinctive and elegant, making it a great gift for drinkers of sweet Malts. Beautifully presented in gold luxurious packaging, Cardhu 12yo makes the perfect gift for any whisky lover.
Specification: The Dalmore 12 year old, with its intricate aromas and flavours, is recognised as a whisky with character far beyond its age. This was Andrew Mackenzie’s original masterpiece and stood apart from the norm of the day. Matured for an initial nine years in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, the spirit is then divided for its final flourish. One half remains in the bourbon barrels, while the other is transferred to exclusive 30 year old Gonzalez Byass Matusalem oloroso sherry butts before they are reunited to create this phenomenal whisky.
Specification: Originally released for the Travel Retail market, the Dalmore Luceo is part of a selection of releases finished in different types of Sherry casks. This one was finished in first fill Apostoles Sherry casks, resulting in decadent waves of sweetness.
Specification: A blended Irish whiskey from Quintessential Brands, matured in bourbon casks. Oak devil plays on the fact that the Liberties, the somewhat raucous traditional home of distilling in Dublin, having been known as 'hell' back in the 18th century. An oak devil once met those entering the area but is said to have mysteriously disappeared, legend claiming that he oak found its way into whiskey casks...
Specification: Glencadam 15 has gone from strength to strength since a packaging facelift in 2009, at which time the strength was upped to 46% by owners Angus Dundee, who took over the distillery from Allied in 2003. An undersung distillery that is now starting to stretch its wings with some very good value for money whiskies.
Specification: A special edition Glenfiddich. This 15 year old is non chill filtered and has been bottled at higher strength. This is classic Glenfiddich, but with added complexity and character.
Specification: Released as a Travel Retail exclusive alongside two other Glenfiddich Cask Collection bottlings, the Reserve Cask focusses on the Sherried side of this Speyside distillery's output. This rich, handsomely sweet expression is matured in Spanish Sherry casks before being married in a Solera vat.
Specification: This is the first chance to try whisky produced by the recently re-opened Glenglassaugh Distillery. It was closed in 1986 but resumed production in 2008. Matured in a mixture of first and refill bourbon casks, this was finished for 6 months in first-fill oloroso sherry butts.Revival is a copper coloured scotch whisky. Sweet caramel and toffee with notes of nutty sherry, milk chocolate and honey. Ripe plums, red berries and oranges. Caramelised sugar and earthy, charred oak on the nose. Sweet, rounded and creamy.
Specification: Introduced in early 2014, this is a 25 year old single malt from the Glengoyne distillery - an addition to their core range. The Highlands distillery uses unpeated malt for this whisky, which is then matured for a quarter of a century in Sherry casks.
Specification: Great to see French casks that actually complement a whisky - so rare! An exercise in outrageously good sweet-dry balancing" It is here, in hand selected wine barriques from Sauternes: the most famous and ancient sweet wine growing region of France, that this whisky develops its rich, spicy and dessert-like flavours. Non chill-filtered for additional aroma and mouthfeel.
Specification: The Duthac comes from Glenmorangie's range of expressions originally released for the Travel Retail market. This particular single malt, name after St. Duthac whose resting place sits at the centre of the Royal Burgh of Tain, has been part finished in Pedro Ximénez Sherry and virgin oak casks before being bottled at 43% ABV. Plenty of rich, mellow elements throughout this one (as you'd expect from Glenmorangie), with touches of sticky PX sweetness and herb-y spiciness.
Specification: Mellowed drop by drop through 10-feet of sugar maple charcoal, then matured in handcrafted barrels of Jack Daniels own making. And Tennessee Whiskey doesn’t follow a calendar. It’s only ready when tasters say it is. Distiller judge it by the way it looks. By its aroma. And of course, by the way it tastes. It’s how Jack Daniel himself did it over a century ago.
Specification: Unleash the bold spirit of Jim Beam Devil’s Cut, a premium bourbon with depth and complexity that comes from liquid extracted from inside the barrel wood. All great bourbons have a magic to them, an element of mystery. As bourbon ages and matures, a portion is lost from the barrel due to evaporation. Many believe it’s angels claiming their dues. That’s why it calls the “Angel’s Share”—gone forever. After aging, when the bourbon is dumped out of the barrel, some liquid stays trapped deep inside the wood. This is the “Devil’s Cut.”
Specification: Kilbeggan is named after St Bécán, one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland who founded a monastery in the area in the 6th century. Smooth and malty.
Specification: A lighter style Macallan with flavors of citrus, vanilla and coconut. The addition of American oak bourbon seasoned barrels imparts aromas and flavors slightly drier and more oaky than the american oak sherry casks, with more pronounced aromas and flavors of coconut, but still with the lighter colors and sweetness associated with American oak. Colour: Pale Straw. Nose: Complex with a hint of fruit and heather honey. Palate: Soft and malty balanced with oak and fruit. Finish: Lingering with hints of oak and fruit.
Specification: Crafted to showcase complexity and depth, Rare Cask is drawn from the broadest spectrum of casks, 16 different types, ever identified by the master Whisky Maker. Far less 1% of those casks maturing at the distillery have been identified as fitting to bestow the Rare Cask name. With rarity at its core, this is a whisky crafted from casks so rare they will never again be used in any Macallan whisky. Combining Spanish and American sherry seasoned oak casks, a high proportion of them first fill, gives rise to an exquisite whisky with a splendidly rich hue, and an unmistakably woody whisky. Soft notes of opulent vanilla and raisin on the nose, give way to apple, lemon, and orange. Balanced by a spicy quarter of root ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Oak resonates, timeless, polished and rich. Vanilla and chocolate lead the finale along with a light citrus zest. The finish is full, warming and woody.
Specification: From the Japanese distillers Nikka comes their blended whisky, the Nikka Blended Whisky. Yep, that's it. A simple name, a minimalist bottle, a refined label - the focus here is on the expertly-made blend, brimming with intense fruit and vanilla notes, all very well balanced. Excellent stuff.
Specification: Jim Murray scored different batches of Pure Malt Black with 92 and 95 points respectively. This is a great dram, a blended malt made up of whisky from Nikka's Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. Full of fruit, balanced oak, peat and toffee.
Specification: A combination of rich sweetness with a smoky dryness and appetising spice distinguishes this lovingly-matured Highland malt. Oban 14 Years Old is best served neat in a tumbler, perhaps with a little cool spring water. Oban 14 Year Old works well as an accompaniment to seafood like oysters or smoked salmon, and discover new depths of flavour.
Specification: The Nantou Distillery in central Taiwan is one of a number of distilleries owned by the state, but the only one making whisky. They began to produce whisky back in 2008, and now we can finally get a taste of their single malt! This particularly expression was aged in Sherry casks, resulting in classic chocolate-coated raisin notes.
Specification: It is said that William Teacher would not give his name to his blend until he had found perfection. Highland Cream is that whisky. It uses fully smoked peat single malt whisky from The Ardmore distillery as its fingerprint whisky. This gives it incredible depth and smoothness combined with a rich smokey undertone.
