The northern lights dance across the tin, while the whisky inside holds a full year of sherry maturation and a strength that bites back.

Expert's Description

Scallywag The Winter Edition 2023 is a Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Douglas Laing, fully matured in sherry casks and bottled at 52.5%.

With 6,000 bottles, the 2023 edition is one of the larger Winter Edition releases, and the tin's fox terrier under the northern lights has become a recurring signature of each year's winter drop.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisins and toasted nuts sit heavily over a sweet sherry character with a hint of dark marmalade.

Palate

Full and robust with sherry sweetness, walnut and a warm alcoholic edge lifted by the high strength.

Finish

Long and spiced with lingering dried fruit and a dry, slightly bitter close.

Specifications

Name: The Winter Edition 2023
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 52.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Sherry casks
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Number of Bottles: 6,000 bottles
Edition: The Winter Edition 2023
EAN No.: 5014218827941

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Spiced · Full-bodied · Nutty

Did You Know?

Douglas Laing deliberately limits how many bottles of each Winter Edition reach the Danish market, even though the total release is larger — a distribution strategy that makes the Danish batches especially sought after.

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Cocoa beans roasting slowly while a Speyside malt quietly matures in sherry casks nearby — that is where Scallywag's sweet winter indulgence begins.

Expert's Description

Scallywag The Chocolate Edition 2023 is a Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Douglas Laing, fully matured in sherry casks and bottled at 48%.

This is a small batch release of 4,200 bottles, composed entirely of Speyside malts chosen for their cocoa-rich cask character, without chill filtration or added colouring.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Roasted cocoa and brown sugar sit over a malty sweetness with a hint of dried fig.

Palate

Silky smooth with dark chocolate, caramelised nuts and a gentle spiced warmth from the sherry cask.

Finish

Medium length with lingering cocoa and a dry, slightly bitter close, like coffee after a meal.

Specifications

Name: The Chocolate Edition 2023
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Sherry casks
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Number of Bottles: 4,200 bottles
Edition: The Chocolate Edition 2023
EAN No.: 5014218827125

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Cocoa · Sweet · Smooth

Did You Know?

Douglas Laing selects the casks for the Chocolate Edition purely by nosing for cocoa and roasted notes — a method the team simply calls 'nosing for chocolate'.

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Glasgow's restless energy is poured into a glass. This edition celebrates the city with a finish that leaves a sparkling, tangy touch of cuvée wine.

Expert description

The Epicurean Glasgow Edition Ex-Cuvée Cask Finish is a Lowland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Douglas Laing, finished in Ex-Cuvée casks and bottled at 50.4% ABV.

The "Glasgow Edition" is a tribute to the city The Epicurean calls home, created as a marriage of some of the finest Single Malts from the Scottish Lowlands, assembled to capture the city's friendly and energetic spirit.

The Ex-Cuvée casks previously held cuvée wine, adding a lightly tangy, winey character to the blend that sets it apart from the house's other Epicurean expressions.

5,100 bottles of this edition were produced, with no added colouring and no chill filtration.

Tasting notes

Nose

Crisp apple, white flowers and a hint of ripe pear, lifted by a light, sparkling tanginess.

Palate

Citrus fruit, toasted almond and a fine winey sweetness that ties the blend together.

Finish

Medium, dry and refreshing, with a last hint of apple skin.

Specifications

Name: The Epicurean Glasgow Edition Ex-Cuvée Cask Finish
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Cask type: Ex-Cuvée Cask Finish
ABV: 50.4%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 5,100
Edition: Glasgow Edition
EAN: 5014218827934

Flavour profile

Winey tang · Apple · Citrus

Did you know?

Cuvée casks are typically used to age quality wine blended from multiple grape varieties, and when reused for whisky they often add a light, tangy, faintly sparkling character.

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Islay is known for its smoke, but "Williamson" is the name used when the distillery behind it prefers to stay hidden. This 16 year old from The Coopers Choice is a rare glimpse into the island's undisclosed side.

The expert's description

Williamson 2005/2021 Coopers Choice 16 år Secret Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 51% is a Secret Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Bourbon cask, cask no. #800100 and bottled at 51%.

The whisky was distilled in March 2005 and bottled in 2021 by the independent merchant The Coopers Choice, from a single bourbon cask, no. #800100, with an outturn of just 204 bottles. As a Secret Islay Blended Malt, the original distillery is not disclosed, but the style clearly carries Islay's characteristic signature.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Smoky seaweed and a hint of sea salt.

Palate

Full-bodied with citrus and a light medicinal tone.

Finish

Long and smoky with lingering maritime depth.

Specifications

Name: Williamson 2005/2021 Coopers Choice 16 år Secret Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 51%
Distillery: Williamson
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Secret Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 51%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask, cask no. #800100
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 03.2005
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 204
Edition: Limited Edition, Single Cask Release

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Maritime · Full-bodied

Did you know?

The name Williamson is used by several independent bottlers as a shared label for releases from undisclosed Islay distilleries, making it one of the most recognisable "secret" names in the whisky world.

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Three distilleries, one region, and a shared handshake from Douglas Laing - The Gauldrons gathers the best of Campbeltown into a single bottle, named after the rugged terrain surrounding the town.

Expert Description

The Gauldrons Sherry Cask Batch 2 is a Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky composed of single malt from the region's distilleries, matured in sherry casks and bottled at 50%.

The range is part of Douglas Laing's newer output, gathering malt from Campbeltown's three remaining distilleries into a shared blend. Batch 2 stands out from the first release with a higher strength, lifting both the smoke and the sherry spice a notch further. The sherry casks bring a spiced, rounded character, kept in check by the region's typical salty, lightly smoky backbone.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisin-sweet sherry meets toasted nuts and a whisper of smoke, with a hint of salted caramel behind it.

Palate

Spiced and round with dark chocolate, dried fruit and a clear but balanced smoke note.

Finish

Warm and lightly salty, the sherry sweetness fading into a dry, smoky close.

Specifications

Name: The Gauldrons Sherry Cask Batch 2
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
Number of bottles: 5,580
Edition: Batch 2
EAN no.: 5014218825893

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Spicy · Lightly peated · Maritime

Did You Know?

The name Gauldrons refers to the rugged, rocky landscape around Campbeltown, which historically supplied both peat and good water to the town's whisky industry.

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In Vestkysten, Skotland, some distilleries never shout about themselves — they let the whisky speak. Adelphi is one of them.

Expert's description

Macleans Nose Blended Scotch Malt Whisky 70 cl 46% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in sherryfade and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is blended and bottled by Adelphi.

The whisky blends Ardnamurchan- og Campbeltown-malt, put together to highlight the west coast character.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose opens with fruit, spice and sherry toffee.

Palate

The palate delivers fruit, raisins and sherry toffee.

Finish

It finishes long and spicy, with stewed plums and malt.

Specifications

Name: Macleans Nose Blended Scotch Malt Whisky 70 cl 46%
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Vestkysten, Skotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherryfade
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060383653007

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Rounded · Spicy

Did you know?

Adelphi was founded in 1993 and traces its name back to a distillery of the same name in Glasgow that closed as early as 1902.

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From a vintage nearly three decades back comes this rare Old Perth Vintage Collection release, where time itself is the main ingredient.

Expert Review

Old Perth 1994/2022 Vintage Collection 28 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 44,6% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks and bottled at 44.6% ABV.

Old Perth is old-school blended whisky, named after the town of Perth, historically the epicentre of blended whisky in Scotland. The Vintage Collection gathers exclusive vintages, and this 1994 release was distilled and matured for 28 years in sherry casks before being bottled in August 2022.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is deep and sherry-driven, with dried fruit, walnut and a hint of old oak.

Palate

The palate is rich with fig, sherry sweetness and a warm, woody spiciness built up over the years in cask.

Finish

The finish is long and dry, with lingering oak and a final hint of dark chocolate.

Specifications

Name: Old Perth 1994/2022 Vintage Collection 28 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 44,6%
Distillery: Old Perth
Region: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 28 Years
ABV: 44.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: sherry casks
Distilled: 1994
Bottled: August 2022
EAN No.: 5060109229592

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Dried fruit · Oak · Complex

Investment Potential

With 28 years of maturation and a limited Vintage Collection series, this release appeals to collectors interested in older blended malt whisky with documented provenance.

Did You Know?

The name Old Perth honours the Scottish town of Perth, home in the 1800s to several of the country's most important whisky trading houses, long before Speyside and Islay became household whisky names.

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A honeycomb on the label, a hint of honey in the glass. The Hive is Wemyss Malts' sweet tribute to everything a Blended Malt can be when the family behind the bottle thinks more like wine merchants than traditional whisky blenders.

Expert description

The Hive Small Batch is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46% ABV by Wemyss Malts, assembled from carefully selected casks sourced from several Scottish distilleries.

The Wemyss family, whose name derives from the Gaelic word for "caves," has a background in wine merchanting and approaches whisky the way a negociant approaches wine: by seeking out and selecting the finest casks rather than focusing on a single distillery profile. The Hive is named for its character rather than its origin, and the bee on the label reflects that sweet, honeyed style.

This Small Batch release brings together a smaller number of carefully chosen casks, ensuring a consistent yet still hand-crafted character from batch to batch.

Tasting notes

Nose

Bright and inviting, with acacia honey, crisp apples and a touch of vanilla.

Palate

Soft and round with honeyed sweetness, ripe pear and a light, creamy vanilla note.

Finish

Medium length and sweet, closing with a hint of honey cake.

Specifications

Name: The Hive Small Batch
Bottler: Wemyss Malts
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NA
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN: 040232144936

Flavour profile

Honey · Fruity · Soft

Did you know?

The Wemyss family home, Wemyss Castle in Fife, sits just a few miles from the Cameron Bridge distillery, and the family has had close ties to the whisky industry since John Haig built his first distillery on their land in the 19th century.

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Turn the strength down to standard, and the spices become more approachable without losing their character — Small Batch is Spice King's everyday edition.

Expert's Description

Spice King Small Batch is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Wemyss Malts, bottled at 46% with no fixed age statement.

Unlike the Batch Strength editions, Small Batch is reduced to a more approachable strength, making it the range's most everyday-friendly release without compromising the spiced core character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Spiced malt meets a light sweetness of honey and dried fruit.

Palate

Soft and spicy with pepper, ginger and a hint of citrus.

Finish

Medium length with lingering spice and a dry, clean close.

Specifications

Name: Spice King Small Batch
Distillery: Wemyss Malts
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN No.: 04023214495

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Soft · Approachable · Clean

Did You Know?

The Small Batch edition is the most widely available in the Spice King range and acts as the series' 'base model', from which the Batch Strength releases diverge with higher strength.

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The name says it all – Peat Chimney is Wemyss Malts' tribute to the smoke rising from peat-fired malting kilns across the country.

Expert Review

Peat Chimney Small Batch Wemyss Malts Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46% ABV.

Peat Chimney is a small batch blended malt from the independent whisky house Wemyss Malts, composed of peated malt whiskies from several Scottish distilleries. The name refers directly to the characteristic peat smoke at the core of this blend.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is smoky with peat, caramel and a light maritime tone.

Palate

The palate is full with peat, toffee and a mild spiciness.

Finish

The finish is medium-long with lingering smoke.

Specifications

Name: Peat Chimney Small Batch Wemyss Malts Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Wemyss Malts
Region: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN No.: 040232144943

Flavour Profile

Peated · Toffee · Maritime

Did You Know?

Wemyss Malts names many of its whiskies after descriptive, imaginative flavour images – Peat Chimney is among the most literal in the range.

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Somewhere between the wash still and the warehouse, Haddock built a reputation few casual drinkers ever hear about. This particular release from Islay shows a side of the distillery worth slowing down for.

Expert's description

Haddock 2007/2020 Wilson & Morgan 13 Year Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46% is a Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky matured on oloroso Sherry-fad and bottled at 46%.

This bottling comes from Wilson & Morgan.

The whisky was distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2020.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark chocolate, dried figs and a warm sherry depth.

Palate

Sultanas, cocoa and a rounded sherried sweetness.

Finish

Long and warming with a lingering spiced oak note.

Specifications

Name: Haddock 2007/2020 Wilson & Morgan 13 Year Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Haddock
Bottler: Wilson & Morgan
Region/Country: Islay
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso Sherry-fad
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2007
Bottled: 2020
EAN no.: 8033749407115

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Rounded · Smoky · Spiced

Did you know?

Wilson & Morgan was founded in Italy in 1992 and was among the first independent bottlers to introduce Italian drinkers to Scotch single malt and blended malt whisky in a serious way.

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With no water between itself and the cask, this edition of the Glasgow spirit stands razor-sharp and unfiltered, ready to be tamed with a few drops of water.

Expert description

The Epicurean Glasgow Edition is a Lowland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Douglas Laing, bottled in limited numbers and at full cask strength, 56.8% ABV, without dilution before bottling.

Like the house's other Epicurean expressions, this is a tribute to Glasgow and built on a marriage of Single Malts from several Lowland distilleries, but here without the smoothing a normal reduction to drinking strength would provide.

Due to the high strength, we recommend adding a few drops of water, which opens up the characteristic citrus and caramel notes Epicurean is known for.

Tasting notes

Nose

Intense citrus peel, warm caramel and a tangy hint of green apple, concentrated by the high strength.

Palate

Powerful, with burnt sugar, exotic fruit and a peppery spice that softens with a few drops of water.

Finish

Long, warm and lightly bitter, with a closing sweetness of honey.

Specifications

Name: The Epicurean Glasgow Edition
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 56.8%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Glasgow Edition, cask strength

Flavour profile

Cask strength · Citrus · Caramel

Did you know?

Because this edition is bottled at full cask strength without dilution, you can adjust the strength and flavour yourself with water and experience how the whisky changes character drop by drop.

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Without any water added, The Gauldrons shows its most intense side - a cask strength edition that gathers Campbeltown's character with nothing filtered between cask and glass.

Expert Description

The Gauldrons Cask Strength is a Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky composed of single malt from the region's distilleries and bottled at cask strength, 53.4%.

As the cask strength edition in Douglas Laing's The Gauldrons range, this whisky is produced in a limited run of 3,120 bottles, offering a well-balanced, smoky and sweet character lifted by the high strength. The label glows in the dark, a small extra detail underlining the range's playful take on Campbeltown's heavy heritage.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bold smoke meets salted caramel and a hint of dried fruit.

Palate

Full and intense, with smoke and spice kept in check by an underlying sweetness.

Finish

Long and warming, with a lingering smoke that slowly gives way to a dry, salty close.

Specifications

Name: The Gauldrons Cask Strength
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 53.4%
Size: 70 CL
Number of bottles: 3,120
Edition: Limited Edition

Flavour Profile

Peated · Cask strength · Spicy · Maritime

Did You Know?

The label on The Gauldrons Cask Strength glows in the dark - a detail that gives the bottle a distinct look on bar shelves and in whisky collections.

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The journey to Islay begins on the ferry from Kennacraig, where the sea air starts to smell properly of seaweed and smoke. Islay Journey is the Laing family's take on exactly that crossing, a bottle built entirely from the island's own distilleries, assembled by the people behind Ardnahoe.

The expert's description

Hunter Laing Islay Journey Series is an Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, composed of malt whisky from several Islay distilleries and bottled at 46%.

The whisky belongs to Hunter Laing & Co.'s Journey Series, a range of regional blended malts in which Islay Journey represents the island's characteristic peated style. Behind the bottle stands Hunter Laing & Co., a family-owned bottler founded in 2013 by Stewart Laing together with his sons Andrew and Scott, and since 2018 also owner of Islay's newest distillery, Ardnahoe. The malt behind Islay Journey has matured in bourbon hogsheads before being married together for this no-age-statement release.

Islay Journey is designed as an accessible introduction to the island's whisky style, with several distilleries contributing to the overall character rather than letting a single signature dominate.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dry smoke, ash and tar settle like a blanket over the aroma, with a touch of salted caramel behind it.

Palate

Robust peat meets sea salt and seaweed, with an oily texture that ties the different distilleries together.

Finish

Medium length and dry, with lingering smoke and a light ashy note that fades like a burnt-out beach fire.

Specifications

Name: Hunter Laing Islay Journey Series
Bottler: Hunter Laing & Co.
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon hogsheads
Edition: Journey Series
EAN no.: 5060354263181

Flavour profile

Smoky · Maritime · Salty · Robust

Did you know?

Hunter Laing & Co. was founded by Stewart Laing, who previously ran sister company Douglas Laing together with his brother; the two split the business in 2013, and Stewart established his own family firm with sons Andrew and Scott.

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Watt Whisky operates from Campbeltown, the same town home to two of Scotland's most respected distilleries. This 19 year old blended malt shows what the house can do when the cask is given a long time to speak.

The expert's description

Watt Whisky 19 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 44,9% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Sherry butt and bottled at 44.9%.

The whisky was distilled in 2001 and bottled in 2020 by Watt Whisky from a sherry butt, with an outturn of 630 bottles. The long maturation has given a deep, full-bodied blended malt, unchill-filtered and with natural colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark fruit, sherry and a hint of toasted wood.

Palate

Full-bodied with raisin, caramel and spiced oak.

Finish

Long and warm with lingering sherry tones.

Specifications

Name: Watt Whisky 19 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 44,9%
Distillery: Watt Whisky
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 19 years
ABV: 44.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry butt
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2001
Bottled: 2020
Number of bottles: 630

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Full-bodied · Spiced

Did you know?

Watt Whisky was founded by siblings Mark and Kate Watt and is based in Campbeltown, a town once called the whisky capital of the world with more than thirty distilleries in operation.

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Bottled at full cask strength after a quarter century in wood, this 1996 vintage is one of the most powerful releases in the Old Perth Vintage Collection.

Expert Review

Old Perth 1996/2021 Vintage Collection 25 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 55,8% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky matured in selected casks and bottled at 55.8% ABV.

Old Perth 1996/2021 Vintage Collection Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is another exclusive vintage in the series, distilled in 1996 and only bottled 25 years later in 2021, at a high natural strength of 55.8%.

The long maturation time and high strength give the whisky an intensity that sets it apart from the younger releases in the Old Perth range.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is intense with dark sherry, raisin and a warm clove spiciness.

Palate

The palate is powerful with dark fruit, caramel and a distinct alcohol warmth that carries the flavour far.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with lingering spice and dark fruit.

Specifications

Name: Old Perth 1996/2021 Vintage Collection 25 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 55,8%
Distillery: Old Perth
Region: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 Years
ABV: 55.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: selected casks
Distilled: 1996
Bottled: 2021
EAN No.: 5060109228427

Flavour Profile

Cask Strength · Sherry-matured · Spicy · Powerful

Investment Potential

25 years of maturation, cask strength and a limited vintage series make this release interesting for collectors of older blended malt whisky.

Did You Know?

Old Perth's Vintage Collection is released unfiltered and in natural colour, meaning each vintage varies in both colour and strength depending on the casks used.

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Three regions, one cask — St. Bridget's Kirk brings together Highland, Speyside and Islay in a single, well-balanced dram with 20 years of maturity behind it.

Expert's Description

St. Bridget's Kirk Cask no. 2 is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, bottled on 21 March 2022 after 20 years of maturation at 45.1% from cask no. 2.

The whisky is composed of single malts from Highland, Speyside and Islay, giving a complex profile that draws on the best of several Scottish whisky regions. Only 281 bottles were produced.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bergamot orange and candied ginger meet a light smoky backdrop from the Islay component.

Palate

Honey and vanilla upfront, supported by a full, layered malt character.

Finish

Medium length and warm with lingering spice and a lightly smoky close.

Specifications

Name: St. Bridget's Kirk Cask no. 2
Bottler: St. Bridget's Kirk
Region/Country: Highland, Speyside and Islay, Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 45.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Cask no. 2
Bottled: 21/03/2022
Number of Bottles: 281 bottles
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Edition: Limited Edition

Flavour Profile

Complex · Spiced · Lightly smoky · Rare

Investment Potential

Medium. With only 281 bottles and 20 years of age drawing from three different whisky regions, it is of interest to collectors of rare blended malts.

Did You Know?

The name St. Bridget's Kirk refers to a historic church in Scotland, giving the whisky a story rooted in Scottish local history rather than a single distillery.

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Sherry and salt is a classic pairing in Campbeltown, and The Gauldrons Sherry Cask shows exactly why that combination still works - simple, well balanced and true to the region's roots.

Expert Description

The Gauldrons Sherry Cask is a Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky composed of single malt from the region's distilleries, matured in Spanish sherry casks and bottled at 46.2%.

As part of Douglas Laing's The Gauldrons range, this edition gathers the best of Campbeltown's distilleries into a blended malt with a clear sherry character. The sherry casks bring a spiced, rounded sweetness, well balanced against the region's signature smoky, salty backbone.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sherry-sweet raisin and toasted nuts meet a light smoke note and a hint of salinity.

Palate

Round and spiced, with dark fruit and a soft smoke kept in balance by the sherry sweetness.

Finish

Warm and lightly salty, the sherry sweetness fading quietly into a dry close.

Specifications

Name: The Gauldrons Sherry Cask
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
Number of bottles: 2,125
Edition: Limited Edition
EAN no.: 25014218821899

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Spicy · Lightly peated · Maritime

Did You Know?

The Gauldrons Sherry Cask is bottled in a limited run of 2,125 bottles, making it one of the smaller releases in the otherwise widely available Gauldrons range.

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Meet the beast behind the mouse. Meet The Beast is Douglas Laing's rawer take on Timorous Beastie, where cask strength sets the pace and spice runs free.

Expert's description

Timorous Beastie Meet The Beast 13 år Douglas Laing Highland Blended Malt Whisky 52,5% is a Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky matured in single cask single malts from the Highland region and bottled at 52,5%.

With only 3,000 bottles filled, this 13-year-old Meet The Beast is one of the rarer expressions in Douglas Laing's Timorous Beastie family.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Spiced oak with a touch of dried fruit.

Palate

Rich spice and a distinct cask strength that fills the mouth.

Finish

Warm and persistent with late sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Timorous Beastie Meet The Beast 13 år Douglas Laing Highland Blended Malt Whisky 52,5%
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 Years
ABV: 52,5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: single cask single malts from the Highland region
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 3,000
Edition: Limited Edition – Meet The Beast
EAN no.: 5014218821963

Flavour Profile

Round · Spiced · Rich

Did you know?

Meet The Beast is composed entirely of single cask single malts from the Highland region and bottled without chill filtration at a robust cask strength of 52.5%.

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Two landscapes, one Scottish and one Swedish, meet in a single glass. The Sandebud is Adelphi's own experiment: a blended malt where a spirit from their own Ardnamurchan distillery marries a spirit from Sweden's High Coast.

The Expert's Description

The Sandebud by Adelphi is a Blended Malt Whisky combining Ardnamurchan and High Coast, bottled at 58.9%.

Adelphi owns the Ardnamurchan distillery, the westernmost distillery on the Scottish mainland, and with The Sandebud has paired a spirit from there with a spirit from Sweden's High Coast. The result is an unusual fusion that bridges two landscapes and two distilling traditions in one bottle.

The whisky is neither chill-filtered nor coloured, and with 1,136 bottles it is the most accessible of Adelphi's special series, without compromising the cask-strength intensity the bottler is known for.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A combination of freshly cut oak and a hint of smoke, hinting at the two spirits' different origins.

Palate

Full-bodied and complex with caramel, malt and a light salty, maritime undercurrent that ties the two styles together.

Finish

Long and warm with a dry, smoky close that lingers for a good while.

Specifications

Name: The Sandebud by Adelphi Fusion of Ardnamurchan and High Coast Blended Malt Whisky
Distillery: The Sandebud
Bottler: Adelphi Selection
Region/Country: Scotland and Sweden
Type: Blended Malt Whisky
Age: 6 year(s)
ABV: 58.9%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 1,136
EAN no.: 5060383652307

Flavour Profile

Cask strength · Smoky · Maritime · Full-bodied · Oaky

Did You Know?

Adelphi was founded in 1826 by the River Clyde in Glasgow, closed in the early 1900s, and was reborn in 1993 when a grandson of one of the original owners relaunched the company as an independent bottler.

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Six small bottles, six Scottish regions. This is about as close to a tour of Scotland as you can get without leaving the kitchen table, and Douglas Laing has packed it into a box worth leaving out on display.

The expert description

Douglas Laing Remarkable Regional Malts is a set of six Blended Malt Scotch Whisky in 5 cl bottles, bottled between 46% and 46.8%.

The range is Douglas Laing’s attempt to translate the geography of Scottish whisky into six bottles. Each release draws malt from a single area, so the difference between a Lowland and an Islay becomes something you taste your way towards rather than read about. All six are bottled at a minimum of 46% and without chill filtration.

The set holds The Epicurean from the Lowlands at 46.2%, Timorous Beastie from the Highlands at 46.8%, Scallywag from Speyside at 46%, The Gauldrons from Campbeltown at 46.2%, Rock Island from the Islands at 46.8% and Big Peat from Islay at 46%.

Tasting notes

Nose

The range is the entire point. From the bright citrus and cut grass of The Epicurean, through the sherry sweetness of Scallywag, to the tar, smoked ham and sea salt of Big Peat.

Palate

Timorous Beastie gives honey and heather, The Gauldrons salted caramel and apple, Rock Island a soft smoke with seaweed underneath. Tasted side by side, regional character stops being an abstraction.

Finish

Short and clean at the pale end, long and sooty at the smoky one. Order matters here. Begin with Big Peat and the rest of the evening tastes of peat.

Specifications

Name: Remarkable Regional Malts
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46-46.8%
Size: 6 x 5 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Remarkable Regional Malts
EAN no.: 5014218817362

Flavour profile

Smoky · Sherry matured · Fruity · Fresh · Maritime · Soft

Did you know?

Douglas Laing was founded in 1948 and has never owned a distillery in the conventional sense. The firm bought casks from others and grew large by choosing well. Big Peat, named after a fictional Islay fisherman, is now in such demand that the Christmas edition sells out in hours.

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There is a calm to MacNair's that only truly reveals itself once you give it time in the glass.

Expert's description

MacNair's Lum Reek 10 år Small Batch Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 55,4% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in sherry and bourbon casks and bottled at 55,4%.

The whisky is blended and bottled by MacNair's under the name Small Batch, Cask Strength Batch 1.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma offers grain, smoke and spice.

Palate

The taste unfolds with smoke, spice and light oak.

Finish

The aftertaste is long and spicy, with light oak and malt.

Specifications

Name: MacNair's Lum Reek 10 år Small Batch Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 55,4%
Bottler: MacNair's
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 55,4%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Small Batch, Cask Strength Batch 1
EAN no.: 5060568324760

Flavour profile

Fruity · Soft · Classic

Did you know?

The name Lum Reek is Scots slang for chimney smoke, a small nod to the smoky character hidden in this blended malt.

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The 12-year-old release in Old Perth's Aged Collection is the series' starting point, showing clearly what old-school blended malt can achieve when time is allowed to work.

Expert Review

Old Perth Aged Collection 12 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry and bourbon casks and bottled at 46% ABV.

Old Perth is old-school blended whisky. The name refers to the town of Perth, which was originally the epicentre of the blended whisky trade in Scotland. The Aged Collection 12 Year Old is matured in a combination of sherry and bourbon casks, giving a balanced style with both fruit and sweetness.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers honey, dried apricot and a mild oak.

Palate

The palate is soft with caramel, apple and a lightly spiced finish from the sherry casks.

Finish

The finish is medium-long, with lingering honey sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Old Perth Aged Collection 12 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Old Perth
Region: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: sherry and bourbon casks
EAN No.: 5060109227604

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Honey · Soft

Did You Know?

Old Perth was created by the whisky house Morrison & Mackay as a tribute to the town of Perth's forgotten role as one of the 19th century's most important centres for Scotch whisky trading.

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A hundred distilleries in one bottle. Not as an arithmetic exercise, but as an attempt to draw a map of the whole of Scotland — Islay, Speyside, Highlands and Lowlands in the same glass.

Expert description

Chivas Century Of Malts is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky built from 100 Scottish single malts and bottled at 43% in a 75 cl bottle.

The idea behind it was simple and rather bold: gather so many different malt whiskies that no single distillery signature could dominate. The whole was meant to give a picture of Scottish malt whisky as such. The bottle contains no grain whisky, which sets it apart from the house's ordinary blends. The release has long been discontinued, and both the 75 cl format and the 43% belong to an earlier era.

Tasting notes

Nose

Broad and layered. Heather, honey and dried fruit first, then malted cereal, a touch of sea salt and a distant peat smoke in the background.

Palate

Soft, but never flat. Malt, honey, apple and orange peel, with spice and a lightly smoked edge appearing towards the middle. No single note takes over, which is precisely the point.

Finish

Medium and dry, with malt, nuts and a last trace of smoke.

Specifications

Name: Chivas Century Of Malts One Hundred Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Chivas Brothers
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43 %
Size: 75 CL
Edition: The Century Of Malts
EAN no.: 5000299203101

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Fruity · Lightly Smoked · Complex

Investment potential

High. A discontinued release in a format no longer produced, and a concept nobody has repeated since. Collector interest has grown as the bottles have left the market.

Did you know?

Scotland had roughly a hundred working malt distilleries when this bottle was put together. Several have since closed and a few have been demolished, so the bottle is now also a snapshot of an industry that no longer looks like that.

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Some whiskies tell the story of a single cask. Apogee XII tells the story of a distillery unafraid to blend its own craft with the best of Scotland.

Expert's Description

Bimber Apogee XII is a 12 Year Old Pure Malt Whisky, composed of selected single malts from the Highlands and Speyside and finished in ex-bourbon casks that had previously matured Bimber's own spirit, bottled at 46.3% ABV.

Bimber Distillery sits in the heart of London and was founded in 2015 by whisky enthusiasts with Polish roots – the name "bimber" is Polish slang for homemade moonshine, a nod to the founders' own journey from home experiments to an acclaimed distillery. With the Apogee series, they step outside their own distillate and show a deep understanding of vatting and cask management in the more classic Scottish tradition.

The name Apogee means "highest point," a tribute to the oldest and most developed malts used in the blend. It's a whisky that bridges two whisky cultures: Scottish heritage and Bimber's own London craft.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Nutmeg and honeycomb meet brown sugar and soft oak, while cooked orchard fruit and a touch of orange blossom honey give the nose a warm, baked character.

Palate

Syrupy pears and stewed peaches roll into crushed pepper and menthol, while caramel settles beneath a cool, gentle cedar note.

Finish

White pepper and lightly charred oak provide contrast to the sweet fruit, which slowly fades into mint and a hint of peach candy.

Specifications

Name: Bimber Apogee XII
Distillery: Bimber Distillery
Region: Scotland/England (blend)
Type: Pure Malt Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70cl
Cask Type: Ex-bourbon (previously used for Bimber's own spirit)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: 2021
EAN no.: 5060444431322

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Spicy · Round

Investment Potential

Medium. The Apogee series is among the more sought-after corners of Bimber's output among collectors, combining mature Scottish malts with the distillery's own casks in a way not replicated elsewhere in the range.

Did You Know?

The ex-bourbon casks used to finish Apogee XII previously matured Bimber's own London spirit, meaning this bottle literally carries a piece of the distillery's own history into a Scottish composition.

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Boann Distillery blends campfire, herbs and malt in this smoky release from The Whistler brand, made for those who love smoke but won't compromise on balance.

Expert Review

The Whistler The Good, The Bad and The Smoky is a Blended Irish Malt Whiskey matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in smoky quarter casks, bottled at 48%.

The whiskey is a characterful release from the innovative Boann Distillery, where the base maturation in ex-bourbon casks is followed by a smoky finish in quarter casks that previously held heavily peated whiskey. The combination gives a pronounced yet balanced smoke profile that sets it apart from most other Irish whiskeys. The whiskey is non-chill filtered.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fine, rounded smoke with sweetness and a hint of salt.

Palate

Warm campfire embers, fresh herbs and malt sweetness, rounded off with a touch of caramel.

Finish

Long and persistent, with distinct smoke notes and spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: The Whistler The Good, The Bad and The Smoky
Distillery: The Whistler / Boann Distillery
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Blended Irish Malt Whiskey
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon & smoky quarter casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
EAN no.: 5391528252435

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Spiced · Herbal · Malt-sweet · Balanced

Did You Know?

Boann Distillery is located in the Meath area north of Dublin, named after the River Boyne, and is among the newer Irish distilleries experimenting with unconventional cask profiles such as smoke finishes.

With a name that conjures images of apple orchards and late summer, Orchard House shows how Compass Box turns blended malt into an art form.

Expert Review

Orchard House Compass Box Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46% ABV.

This blended malt from Orchard House has a lovely aroma of apple and pear, with hints of pineapple, lemon and lime zest. Compass Box is known for composing its whiskies from selected malt components sourced from several distilleries, rather than focusing on the character of a single one.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is fruity with apple, pear and a touch of citrus.

Palate

The palate is light and fresh, with pineapple, lemon and a mild sweetness.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, fresh and citrus-driven.

Specifications

Name: Orchard House Compass Box Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Compass Box
Region: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
EAN No.: 5060632880574

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Fresh · Citrus

Did You Know?

Compass Box was founded in 2000 by American John Glaser and was among the first whisky houses to fully disclose the composition of its blends – a practice that was highly unusual in the industry at the time.

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A whole island is folded into this bottle. Not as a claim on the label, but as a note that lingers after the glass is empty. Black Bottle with a heart of Islay — that was the promise, and it held.

Expert description

Black Bottle "With A Heart Of Islay" 10 Years is a Finest Blended Islay Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 40%.

This is the green bottle from the years before the relaunch, when Black Bottle still carried the Islay line straight on the label. The recipe drew malt from every Islay distillery operating at the time, tied together with grain whisky and a running seam of peat smoke. The expression has since been discontinued, which has made it one of the more sought-after older Black Bottle releases.

Ten years of maturation settles the blend. The smoke is still there, but it has had time to sink into the malt sweetness rather than stand apart from it. The Aberdeen house of Gordon Graham & Co. created the blend in 1879, and this release sits closest to the smoky style the house built its name on.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and lightly fruity at first, with yellow apples and a twist of lemon peel. Underneath sits a clear but unhurried peat smoke and a hint of wet seaweed.

Palate

Honey and malt fill the palate first, soft and almost round, until the smoke rises from behind with soot, black pepper and a touch of salt.

Finish

Long and warming. The Islay character arrives last and stays put alongside dried grain and ash.

Specifications

Name: Black Bottle "With A Heart Of Islay" 10 Years Finest Blended Islay Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Black Bottle
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Finest Blended Islay Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5029704111466

Flavour profile

Smoky · Malty · Soft · Maritime · Honeyed

Investment potential

Medium. A discontinued bottling in the original green glass with an age statement, and demand for older Black Bottle releases has climbed steadily since the range was reworked.

Did you know?

The black bottle the brand is named after was supplied from Germany. When that supply stopped during the First World War, the Graham brothers switched to green glass — and green it stayed for close to a century.

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Naked Malt stripped the name The Naked Grouse of its bird and kept only what the whisky was really about: two of Scotland's best-known single malts, sherry-matured and blended together.

Expert's Description

Naked Malt is a Blended Malt Whisky matured in sherry casks, combining Macallan and Highland Park, bottled at 40%.

The whisky draws its balance from the two celebrated single malts, creating a rich and intense flavour with clear hints of sherry, caramel and ripe berries – an accessible introduction to the sherry style for newcomers and enthusiasts alike.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The aroma opens with toasted nuts and orange marmalade, while dark chocolate lingers in the background.

Palate

The palate delivers muscovado sugar and brown sugar, with a hint of spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is rounded off with dark sweetness.

Specifications

Distillery: Naked Malt (William Grant & Sons)
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
Edition: Tidligere kendt som The Naked Grouse
EAN no.: 5010314304904

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Spicy · Full-bodied · Dark fruit

Did You Know?

Naked Malt is a blend of Macallan and Highland Park – two of Scotland's most celebrated sherry-matured single malts – and is the newer, malt-only successor to the earlier The Naked Grouse.

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Ketill Flatnöse was a Norse chieftain who ruled the islands along the west coast of Scotland in the late 800s. Islay Boys have borrowed his name for a whisky rather lighter on its feet than the man himself is said to have been.

The expert description

Flatnöse Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a lightly peated blended malt bottled at 46% in small batch.

Behind the bottle stand Islay Boys, founded by Mackay Smith and Donald MacKenzie from the Rhinns peninsula on Islay. MacKenzie learned whisky production from Jim McEwan at Bruichladdich, and the firm has since built a set of brands around Norse island history.

This release is a blended malt, meaning malt whisky from several distilleries and not a drop of grain. The smoke is restrained and sits as an edge rather than as the main course, and 46% gives it body without making it hard. It is bottled without chill filtration in small batch, which means the contents can vary a little from run to run.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pear first, with a faint peach behind and a note of honey tying it together.

Palate

Pleasingly round, where walnuts and citrus blossom step forward and where the smoke registers without taking up room.

Finish

Medium and soft with malt, nut and a final touch of smoke.

Specifications

Name: Flatnöse Blended Malt
Bottler: Islay Boys
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN no.: 5060406110081

Flavour profile

Lightly smoky · Fruity · Soft · Nutty · Honeyed

Did you know?

Islay Boys bought the island only brewery, Islay Ales, in 2018 and have since been working to get their own distillery standing. They began as bottlers of other people whisky and have ended up wanting to make their own, which on Islay is the rule rather than the exception.

See our full range of Islay Whisky