Nine years is a long time for a distillery that only fired up the stills in 2014. This is among the oldest single casks the house has let out: peated spirit in a first fill PX cask, bottled for a Danish importer’s twenty-fifth anniversary.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan 9 Years Old Single Cask No. 325 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a peated 1st fill ex-PX Sherry Hogshead and bottled at 57.8% cask strength. The cask gave 330 bottles, filled to mark FC Whisky’s 25th anniversary.

A first fill PX cask is among the most active you can give a whisky. Pedro Ximénez is the sweetest sherry style, and in a hogshead of around 250 litres it works fast and directly. Meeting peated spirit, the result is a clear contrast rather than a blend: sweetness and smoke stand beside each other the whole way.

Ardnamurchan was built by Adelphi on the peninsula of the same name on Scotland’s west coast and has been producing since 2014. The distillery makes both peated and unpeated malt, and this comes from the peated side of the house.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Smoky notes of charred wood and a trace of ash leaves first, immediately balanced by sweeter aromas of dried fruit, dark chocolate and spiced sherry.

Palate

Full and complex: smoke, dried raisins, figs and a touch of caramelised sugar. The sherry maturation adds a subtle sweetness of spice and oak, while the light smoke gives the whisky its characteristic depth. At 57.8% it carries well.

Finish

Long, with warm notes of spice and a light dryness that underlines the complexity.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan 9 Years Old Single Cask No. 325 Single Highland Malt Whisky 57.8%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 9 years
ABV: 57.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Peated 1st fill ex-PX Sherry Hogshead, cask no. 325
Number of bottles: 330
Edition: Single Cask No. 325
EAN no.: 5060383654363

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Sherry Matured · Sweet · Spiced · Cask Strength · Dark Fruit

Investment Potential

Medium. Nine years is among the oldest Ardnamurchan has released as a single cask, and there are 330 bottles from a cask chosen for a particular occasion. Early vintages from the distillery are already hard to find.

Did You Know?

Ardnamurchan runs its peated and unpeated production in separate periods of the year, and the casks are marked accordingly. Cask 325 is marked peated, so it is possible to know in advance which side of the house a single cask release comes from, something very few distilleries state so plainly.

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The batch number is gone. It sounds like a detail, but it is a statement: the distillery now considers the whisky consistent enough from one run to the next that you no longer need to keep track of which one you have.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan AD/ is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky composed of 65% ex-bourbon casks and 35% sherry casks and bottled at 46.8%. It is the first release without a batch number, marking the shift from numbered one-off releases to a permanent core expression.

The malt is split evenly between peated and unpeated. That is the distillery’s founding move: rather than keeping the two styles apart they bring them together, so the smoke becomes a floor rather than the main event. The split between bourbon and sherry gives vanilla, bright fruit and darker sherry fruit alike.

The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured, the carton is 100% recycled board, and every bottle carries a QR code giving access to blockchain-registered production data.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh malt and bright fruit first, pear and apple from the bourbon casks. Then raisins and orange peel from the sherry portion, and beneath it all a dry peat smoke, clear without dominating.

Palate

Soft and well balanced. Vanilla, honey and baked fruit open, then the sherry’s darker fruit and a lightly spiced warmth arrive. The smoke gathers it up towards the close. At 46.8% the body is good without weight.

Finish

Medium length. Malt, dark fruit and a dry smoky edge that lets go cleanly.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan AD Single Highland Malt Whisky 46.8%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 65% ex-bourbon casks and 35% sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: AD/

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Fruity · Vanilla · Sherry Matured · Balanced · Malty

Did You Know?

Dropping the batch number is a vote of confidence in your own craft. As long as a distillery numbers its releases, it is implicitly saying every run tastes different. When the number disappears, the message is that the same expression can now be hit again and again, and that is harder than it sounds when the casks are never identical.

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Madeira is the only wine in the world that improves by being heated. The wine matures at around fifty degrees for months on end, and the casks carry that treatment with them: a cooked, nutty sweetness you will not find in other wine casks.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan Madeira Cask Release AD is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in madeira casks and bottled at 52%. It combines the distillery’s craft approach and sustainable production with the distinctive influence of the madeira wood.

Madeira differs from other fortified wines in undergoing a heat treatment during maturation, where the wine is held warm for a long period. That gives a caramelised, nutty character not found in sherry or port, and the casks carry it on to the whisky.

At 52% there is body enough to carry both the madeira sweetness and Ardnamurchan’s own maritime character. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe stone fruit, candied orange peel and honey open the nose, joined by a light touch of sea breeze and spice. A nutty, almost caramelised note sits beneath it all, the fingerprint of the madeira cask.

Palate

Roasted nuts, dark caramel and dried fruit melting together with a light mineral character and a hint of smoke in the background. At 52% the texture is full, and the sweetness is dry rather than syrupy.

Finish

Long, warm and silky with an elegant sweetness from the madeira casks and a final dry nutty note.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan Madeira Cask Release AD Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 52%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 52%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in madeira casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Madeira Cask Release AD
EAN no.: 5060383654325

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Nutty · Caramel · Spiced · Maritime · Lightly Smoky

Did You Know?

Madeira is matured by heat because the wine was historically carried as ballast in ships crossing the tropics. It was discovered that the wine improved on the journey, from the heat and the movement. Today the effect is reproduced artificially, but the cooked, nutty character still comes from something that began as an accident at sea.

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Mezcal and peated whisky have more in common than you might think. Both get their smoke from something that has lain in the ground and burned: agave hearts in a stone-lined pit in Oaxaca, peat under a malting floor in Scotland. Here they meet in the same cask.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan Mezcal Cask Release AD is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky first matured in traditional bourbon and sherry casks and then finished in used mezcal casks from Mexico, bottled at 55%.

Mezcal is known for its smoky, earthy character, which comes from agave hearts roasted in earth pits over embers. The casks add a depth and complexity distinct from classic Scottish malt whiskies, a mineral structure not found in wine casks.

The release is part of the distillery’s continuing work with unconventional cask types. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet malt and a lightly medicinal peat smoke open, quickly followed by characteristic mezcal notes: green agave, citrus, white pepper and toasted oak. It is all rounded off by a subtle spiced undertone.

Palate

Green apples and fresh lime meet a finely balanced peat smoke and a lightly saline character. Warm notes of vanilla, honey and a touch of cinnamon and clove sit in the middle. The texture is full, and the minerality from the mezcal casks gives structure without drowning the fruity base.

Finish

Long and mineral. Smoke, citrus and a dry, almost stony close where the agave lingers longest.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan Mezcal Cask Release AD Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 55%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 55%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon and sherry casks, finished in used mezcal casks from Mexico
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Mezcal Cask Release AD

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Mineral · Citrus · Spiced · Cask Strength · Fruity

Did You Know?

Mezcal is made by roasting agave hearts in a pit in the ground, covered with stones and glowing wood, for several days. That is where the smoke comes from, not from the cask or the distillation. The method resembles Scottish peat firing more than anything else in the spirits world, which is probably why the two work together.

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Sauternes casks are expensive and rare because the wine itself is. The châteaux in Bordeaux need their barriques and do not readily sell them on. When one nonetheless ends up on a west Scottish peninsula, it is worth noticing.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan Sauternes Cask is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky first matured in bourbon casks and then finished in selected Sauternes wine casks, bottled at 50% in 2024.

Sauternes is the sweetest of the white wines of Bordeaux, made from grapes affected by noble rot. The casks add a subtle sweetness and a complexity that settles over the classic Highland malt profile without drowning it: honey, dried fruit and a lightly spiced close.

The natural colour and unfiltered character preserve the whisky’s authentic flavour, and at 50% there is body enough to carry both the wine cask sweetness and Ardnamurchan’s own maritime edge.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Nectarines and sweet pastry first, with honey and candied citrus peel behind. A rich waxiness sits beneath it all, and a light peat smoke and saline maritime note push through.

Palate

Rich notes of honey and dried fruit open, then a lightly spiced warmth and a dry oak note arrive. The sweetness is balanced rather than dominant, and at 50% the texture is full and nuanced the whole way.

Finish

Medium to long. Honey, spice and a dry close where the maritime salinity lingers beneath the sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan Sauternes Cask Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 50%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks, finished in Sauternes wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: 2024
Edition: Sauternes Cask
EAN no.: 5060383653946

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Sweet · Spiced · Maritime · Waxy

Did You Know?

In Sauternes the harvest is among the most labour-intensive in the wine world. The grapes are picked berry by berry over several passes as the noble rot spreads unevenly through the vineyard. Some estates reckon on a single glass of wine per vine. That is why the casks rarely leave Bordeaux.

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There is something quiet about a 20 year old bottled at 43 %. No shouting, no cask strength — just two decades allowed to work in peace on a pair of hogsheads in Signatory's warehouse in Pitlochry.

Please note: there is wear and rust on the cap.

The expert's description

Benrinnes 1997/2018 Signatory Vintage 20 years is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in hogsheads and bottled at 43 %.

Cask no. 9410 and 9428 were filled on 17 October 1997 and bottled on 21 February 2018. Signatory has neither chill filtered nor coloured the whisky, and the 43 % is a deliberate choice: a strength where the long maturation steps forward instead of the alcohol.

Benrinnes sits in Speyside at the foot of Ben Rinnes, but the distillery is also classified as Highland — the region covers Speyside, and bottlers choose the label themselves. The distillery's worm tubs give a heavy, almost meaty spirit, softened here by twenty years in oak.

Tasting notes

Nose

Baked apples, sweet malt and a little dried apricot. Beneath the fruit lies a hint of an old library — dusty oak and leather binding.

Palate

Soft and rounded with honey, vanilla and a light mineral tone. The fruit is ripe rather than fresh, and a fine bitterness from the oak sits in the middle.

Finish

Medium to long, dry and malty with a puff of nutmeg. It fades slowly and without hurry.

Specifications

Name: Benrinnes 1997/2018 Signatory Vintage 20 years old Single Highland Malt Whisky 43%
Distillery: Benrinnes
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 43 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogsheads, cask no. 9410 and 9428
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 17/10/1997
Bottled: 21/02/2018
EAN no.: 5021944095391

Flavour profile

Soft · Malty · Ripe fruit · Honey · Dry

Did you know?

Signatory almost never releases two casks filled on the same day as separate bottlings — here no. 9410 and 9428 are vatted together because the two casks had developed almost identically across twenty years.

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Four casks, the same day at the distillery, the same treatment. Signatory shaved off the old layer of wood and toasted the casks again — and the whisky has had eleven years to get used to it.

Please note: There is wear and rust on the cap.

Expert description

Blair Athol 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 11 Years is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky from four Dechar/Rechar Hogsheads, bottled at 46% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky was distilled on 30 September 2011 and bottled in January 2023. Casks #306899, #306905, #306911 and #306913 all went through the same treatment, where the innermost layer of wood is planed away and the cask charred anew. The method recharges a used cask and returns vanilla, caramel and pale spice.

Blair Athol's spirit is heavy and malty, and the re-charred casks add sweetness without laying sherry or wine over it. The result is a clean reading of the distillery's own style.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and baked apple with malted grain, cinnamon and a lightly toasted note.

Palate

Malt and caramel with pale oak, honey and a stroke of white pepper. The texture is full for 46%.

Finish

Medium and dry with grain, vanilla and a toasted oak note.

Specifications

Name: Blair Athol 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 11 Years Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Blair Athol
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highlands, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Dechar/Rechar Hogsheads #306899, #306905, #306911 and #306913
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 30/09/2011
Bottled: January 2023
EAN no.: 5021944121700

Flavour profile

Malty · Vanilla · Spiced · Sweet · Toasted oak

Did you know?

Dechar/rechar means planing the charred layer from the inside of a used cask and burning it again. The cask then behaves almost like new, but without delivering the same fierce tannin.

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A bourbon smuggled in cans during Prohibition, revived 168 years after its birth in Kentucky.

Expert description

Chicken Cock The Famous Old Brand 90 Proof is an American Bourbon Whiskey, bottled at 45%. Chicken Cock was founded in 1856 by James A. Miller in Paris, Kentucky, and was one of America's oldest bourbon brands until it closed after Prohibition. During Prohibition, the whiskey became a fixture in speakeasies, including the famous Cotton Club in Harlem, where it was often smuggled in tin cans to avoid detection — earning it the nickname 'The Famous Old Brand'. The label lay dormant until spirits entrepreneur Matti Anttila revived it in 2011 using original bottles and promotional materials. Since 2018, the whiskey has been produced at Bardstown Bourbon Company through a collaborative distillation program.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and a hint of toasted nuts.

Palate

The palate is round with brown sugar, spice and oak.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Chicken Cock The Famous Old Brand 90 Proof American Bourbon Whiskey
Bottler: Chicken Cock
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Caramel · Spicy · Warm · Nutty

Did you know?

During Prohibition, Chicken Cock was often smuggled in tin cans rather than bottles to avoid detection during raids — hence the nickname 'The Famous Old Brand', which still graces the label today.

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Filled in May 1997, emptied in February 2018. Twenty years and nine months in a warehouse where nobody was in a hurry — and a distillery few people know by name.

Please note: Wear to the tube and rust on the cap.

Expert description

Dailuaine 1997/2018 Signatory 20 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in two hogsheads and bottled at 46% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The casks carry the numbers 7223 and 7224. Dailuaine sits at Carron in Speyside, was founded in 1852 and has throughout its history supplied malt for blends rather than for its own bottles. Signatory Vintage, founded in 1988 by Andrew Symington, is among the bottlers who systematically bring distilleries like this forward — and with twenty years in bourbon wood, Dailuaine's heavy, malted core stands clearly.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malt and baked apple first, then honey, vanilla and a dry nutty note from the many years in cask.

Palate

Full and malty. Cereal, honey and candied citrus, with a layer of spice and an oily texture the 46% carries well.

Finish

Long and dry, with malt, nuts and a mild oak warmth.

Specifications

Name: Dailuaine 1997/2018 Signatory 20 years Single Speyside Malt 46%
Distillery: Dailuaine
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogsheads no. 7223 and 7224
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 21/05/1997
Bottled: 28/02/2018

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Nutty · Fruity · Dry

Investment potential

Medium. Twenty years in cask from a distillery with very few official bottlings. Dailuaine from the 1990s steadily gets harder to find as the casks are emptied.

Did you know?

In 1884 Dailuaine became the first Scottish distillery to get a pagoda roof over its kiln — the pointed cap that is today the very symbol of a whisky distillery. The architect Charles Doig drew it, and everyone else copied it afterwards.

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Dead Island 2 Irish Whiskey is a unique collaboration bottle between the video game Dead Island 2 and the Irish distillery Dunville – the bottle glows in the dark.

Expert Review

Dead Island 2 Irish Whiskey is a Blended Whiskey, bottled at 40%.

The game Dead Island 2 has received a truly unique addition, namely its very own whiskey – the Dunville distillery in Ireland has created a unique bottle that glows in the dark. The whiskey is a mix of pot still-distilled spirit, malt whiskey and grain whiskey, matured in used bourbon casks, with delicious notes of vanilla, fruit and biscuits.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and fruit.

Palate

Biscuits and fruity sweetness.

Finish

Soft and rounded.

Specifications

Name: Dead Island 2 Irish Whiskey
Distillery: Dunville
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Blended Whiskey
Cask: Used Bourbon Casks
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Other: Limited Edition, glow-in-the-dark bottle

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Fruity · Sweet · Rounded · Soft

Did You Know?

The Dead Island 2 Irish Whiskey bottle glows in the dark, as a tribute to the game's universe.
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Twenty years is a round number, and Signatory waited for it. The casks were filled in October 1997 and not emptied until February 2018, two decades in which the only things that happened were evaporation and time.

Please note: wear on the tube and rust on the lid.

The expert description

Fettercairn 1997/2018 Signatory Vintage 20 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in two hogsheads and bottled at 46%.

The bottling belongs to The Un-Chillfiltered Collection, the Signatory range where the whisky is never chilled and filtered but bottled at 46% in natural colour. The casks, numbers 5604 and 5605, were filled on 10 October 1997 and bottled on 28 February 2018.

Twenty years is a long time for the light Fettercairn spirit, and yet the oak has never become dominant. That is down to the hogshead format, where the ratio of wood to liquid is gentle enough for the whisky to mature at length without drying out.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe orchard and vanilla first, then waxed wood, lemon peel and a dusty cereal note underneath.

Palate

Malt and pale caramel do the carrying, while yellow fruit and a touch of coconut rise out of the oak. The spice is dry and restrained.

Finish

Long and dry with mineral, white pepper and a final note of honey on toast.

Specifications

Name: Fettercairn 1997/2018 Signatory Vintage 20 Years Old
Distillery: Fettercairn
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogsheads no. 5604 and 5605
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 10 October 1997
Bottled: 28 February 2018
Edition: The Un-Chillfiltered Collection
EAN no.: 5021944093755

Flavour profile

Malty · Fruity · Waxy · Mineral · Mature

Did you know?

A cask loses roughly two per cent of its contents to evaporation every year, what the trade calls the angels share. After twenty years only about two thirds of what went in is still there, and that is one of the reasons old bottlings are few.

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Rye casks are not something you run into in Speyside. Bourbon yes, sherry yes, port maybe — but casks that have held American rye whiskey remain a rarity. Glen Moray brought some over from Kentucky and let spirit from 2016 finish in them.

The expert's description

Glen Moray Elgin Curiosity Rye Cask Finish is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in Kentucky rye whiskey casks and bottled at 46.3%.

The spirit dates from 2016 and had its final maturation in casks that previously held American rye whiskey. Rye behaves differently from corn: where bourbon casks lay vanilla and coconut into the whisky, rye casks bring pepper, cinnamon and a drier spice note. The outturn is 1,637 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Curiosity is the range where Glen Moray tests limits rather than repeats itself. The distillery has run cask trials as a standing part of the work for years, and the Curiosity releases have included casks from Chenin Blanc wine and rhum agricole. The rye casks here belong to the more successful end of those experiments.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft vanilla met by fresh lemon peel and a clear peppery note. The rye registers immediately — there is something sharp and dry sitting on top of the soft Speyside base.

Palate

Caramel and oak first, then forest fruit and a peppery middle. The rye character gives the whisky an edge it would not otherwise have had, and the citrus note keeps things fresh.

Finish

Medium and spiced. Pepper and cinnamon drying out slowly, with a final hint of caramel.

Specifications

Name: Glen Moray Elgin Curiosity Rye Cask Finish Speyside Single Malt Whisky 70 cl 46.3%
Distillery: Glen Moray
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in Kentucky rye whiskey casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2016
Number of bottles: 1,637
Edition: Elgin Curiosity - Limited Edition
EAN no.: 5060116324495

Flavour profile

Spiced · Peppery · Caramel · Fruity · Fresh

Did you know?

The Curiosity range has not only been about rye. Glen Moray has also put out releases using Chenin Blanc wine casks and rhum agricole casks under the same name, and at one point the three were sold together as a tasting set so the cask types could be lined up side by side.

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The number 57.1 is no accident. It is exactly 100 degrees on the old British proof scale, and the whole of Signatory’s 100 Proof range is built around that single figure. Same strength, different distilleries — number 22 in the run came from Glen Ord.

The expert's description

Glen Ord 2012/2023 Signatory 100 Proof Edition #22 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill bourbon barrels and bottled at 57.1%.

The spirit went into cask in 2012 and was bottled in 2023 after eleven years. 1st fill bourbon barrels and a strength above 57% make a powerful combination on a spirit of that age — there is plenty of vanilla and wood, but the malty core of Glen Ord is robust enough to carry it. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Signatory has run the 100 Proof range for many years as its most recognisable format. The idea is simple: the same fixed strength every time, so it is the distillery and the cask that change, not the frame. That makes the range one of the more useful tools if you want to compare Scottish distilleries directly.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla, coconut and freshly cut apple. Behind that sits a malty, cereal tone and a trace of pine that the high strength pushes forward.

Palate

Powerful and sweet. Vanilla, caramel and pear, with a peppery middle and a clear oak note. The malt holds its ground underneath and gives the whisky a dryness that balances the sweetness.

Finish

Long and warm. Vanilla and oak giving way slowly to pepper and a dry, cereal close.

Specifications

Name: Glen Ord 2012 11 Year Old Signatory 100 Proof Edition #22 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 57.1%
Distillery: Glen Ord
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill bourbon barrels
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2023
Edition: 100 Proof Edition #22
EAN no.: 5021944126590

Flavour profile

Vanilla-sweet · Spiced · Cereal · Powerful · Oaky

Did you know?

The British proof scale was abolished in 1980, but it lives on on whisky labels. 100 degrees British proof equals 57.1% alcohol, and the figure comes from an old test in which spirit was mixed with gunpowder and lit to see whether it would burn.

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Picture an afternoon where the light slants low through a window, carrying the scent of orange peel and heather honey. That is how GlenAllachie 10 Year French Oak Finish greets you — a whisky given extra time on a cask it rarely visits.

Expert's Description

GlenAllachie 10 Year French Oak Finish is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky at 48%, matured in American oak casks and finished in French Virgin Oak casks — virgin French oak that has never previously held spirit. It belongs to the distillery's Virgin Oak series, where experimentation with different oak origins takes centre stage.

French oak lends the whisky a different spice character than American or European sherry oak — more restrained, yet carrying a clear sweetness that plays against the spirit's natural fruitiness. The colour is golden bronze, a sign the cask has released some of its colour without any help from caramel.

Behind the bottle stand Billy Walker and the GlenAllachie team, known for an almost stubborn insistence on letting the casks speak. This 10 year old is a limited edition, and as such a snapshot of what a single cask choice can do to an already characterful spirit.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Orange peel and heather honey meet a mild spiced aroma, while caramel and mocha settle underneath as a deeper base.

Palate

Heather honey and mocha continue from the nose, joined by brittle toffee and a touch of grapefruit. Cinnamon and earthy tannins give the whisky structure.

Finish

The finish is warm and lightly spiced, with ginger lingering long after.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 10 Year French Oak Finish
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak, finished in French Virgin Oak
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Limited Edition

Flavour Profile

Honey · Spiced · Mocha · Citrus · Oak

Investment Potential

As a limited release from a sought-after series, this 10 year old carries a cask profile that will not be repeated indefinitely. Investment potential is rated medium, driven by limited availability and GlenAllachie's rising reputation among collectors.

Did You Know?

French Virgin Oak casks are used far less often in Scotch whisky production than American or European casks, partly because the dense French oak requires a different toasting process to unlock its aromatic compounds.

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Some whiskies shout their pedigree from the label. This one from Jura prefers to let the liquid do the talking. This particular release from Island (Isle of Jura) shows a side of the distillery worth slowing down for.

Expert's description

Jura 2009/2022 Adelphi Selection 13 Year DK EDTION Single Island Scotch Whisky 55,1% is a Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured on sherryfad, fad ref. 700072 and bottled at 55,1%.

This bottling comes from Adelphi Selection, released as part of the Adelphi Selection, Exclusively Bottled for Denmark range.

The whisky was distilled in 23 January 2009 and bottled in 11 October 2022.

Only 293 bottles were produced from this cask, making it a limited release for collectors.

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: Jura 2009/2022 Adelphi Selection 13 Year DK EDTION Single Island Scotch Whisky 55,1%
Distillery: Jura
Bottler: Adelphi Selection
Region/Country: Island (Isle of Jura)
Type: Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 55,1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherryfad, fad ref. 700072
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 23 January 2009
Bottled: 11 October 2022
Number of bottles: 293
Edition: Adelphi Selection, Exclusively Bottled for Denmark

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Spiced

Investment Potential

Medium. As an exclusive Denmark-only edition with only 293 bottles, personally selected by Adelphi's manager and Charles MacLean, this is a rare bottle for Danish Jura collectors.

Did you know?

This Jura was bottled specifically for the Danish market, making it one of the most locally exclusive Adelphi releases whisky.dk has carried.

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Five years after Kilchoman was founded, this cask was filled with spirit that had barely settled into its own style. It is a bottle from the distillery's earliest years, back when nobody yet knew how big Kilchoman would become.

Expert's description

Kilchoman 2007/2010 Single Cask FC Whisky Denmark 1 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 3 years old from a single bourbon cask and bottled at cask strength, 62.4 %.

The whisky was distilled on 30 May 2007 and bottled on 21 July 2010 from bourbon cask number 118/07. It is the very first release in the former FC Whisky Denmark series, where Kilchoman selected individual casks specifically for the Danish market during the distillery's earliest years.

Tasting this whisky today is like tasting the story of a distillery still finding its own voice — young, raw and intense, but already carrying the citrus-fresh peat smoke that would later define Kilchoman's style.

Tasting notes

Nose

Young, sharp peat smoke meets green apple and citrus peel, with a hint of vanilla custard and freshly cut wood from the bourbon cask.

Palate

Powerful and spiced at cask strength, with peppery smoke, honey and a distinctly oily texture that shows the spirit's youthful energy.

Finish

Long and intense, with lingering smoke and a dry, mineral finish reminiscent of Islay's maritime character.

Specifications

Name: Kilchoman 2007/2010 Single Cask FC Whisky Denmark 1 Islay Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Kilchoman
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 3 years
ABV: 62.4 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon Cask No. 118/07
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 30 May 2007
Bottled: 21 July 2010
Edition: Single Cask Release, FC Whisky Denmark 1

Flavour profile

Peated · Cask strength · Young · Citrus-fresh · Maritime

Investment potential

High. This whisky comes from Kilchoman's earliest production years and was the first in a now-discontinued series of single casks for the Danish market — a combination that makes it a rare taste of the distillery's early history.

Did you know?

This cask was filled while Kilchoman was still one of the youngest distilleries in Scotland — just two years after its 2005 founding, before the distillery's now-iconic Machir Bay had even been created.

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Behind Balvenie's walls sits a distillery few people know by name. For decades, Kininvie has supplied whisky for other William Grant & Sons bottles — without ever appearing on the label itself.

Expert description

Kininvie 17 Years Old Batch 001 is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 42.6%. Batch 001 was, in 2016, the very first single malt Kininvie ever released under its own name, after decades in which the spirit was used exclusively in blends. It is matured in ex-bourbon casks, which highlight Kininvie's soft, fruity base character — a style closer to Balvenie than to Glenfiddich.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe pears, honey and a light nutty aroma of almonds.

Palate

Soft and round, with tropical fruit, vanilla and a hint of spiced oak.

Finish

Medium, soft and lastingly fruity.

Specifications

Name: Kininvie 17 Years Old Batch 001 Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Kininvie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 17 years old
ABV: 42.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks
Edition: Batch 001 - Kininvie's first official single malt
EAN no.: 5010327457031

Flavour profile

Fruity · Soft · Rare · Round

Investment potential

Medium. Batch 001 was the very first single malt William Grant & Sons ever released from Kininvie, and debut releases like this tend to grow more sought-after over the years.

Did you know?

Kininvie distillery has no malting floor of its own — the grain is processed at neighbouring Balvenie before being sent on to Kininvie's still house.

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Linkwood sits tucked behind tall hedges outside Elgin, and the distillery is known for a style many call underrated. This 13 year old from Signatory shows exactly why.

The expert's description

Linkwood 2008/2021 Signatory 13 år Single Speyside Malt Whisky 46% is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Hogshead and bottled at 46%.

The whisky was distilled in March 2008 and bottled in August 2021 by the independent bottler Signatory from a single hogshead, giving a clean and unfiltered expression of the distillate.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Linden honey, green apples and a hint of fresh-baked bread.

Palate

Creamy malt, pear and a mild nutty tone.

Finish

Medium length with dry grain and a lightly spiced finish.

Specifications

Name: Linkwood 2008/2021 Signatory 13 år Single Speyside Malt Whisky 46%
Distillery: Linkwood
Bottler: Signatory
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 31.03.2008
Bottled: 17.08.2021

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Fruity · Soft

Did you know?

Linkwood is one of the distilleries where the manager once insisted that not even spiderwebs should be removed from the still house, believing they affected the character of the spirit.

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In the shadow of the famous names, Linkwood quietly does its work — consistent, without fanfare.

Expert's description

Linkwood 2012/2023 Signatory Vintage 10 år Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in oloroso sherry butt and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is distilled at Linkwood and independently selected and bottled by Signatory Vintage.

It was distilled April 2012 and bottled 2023, giving it 10 years.

Only 1127 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

On the nose you meet beeswax, honey and walnut.

Palate

The taste unfolds with blossom, dates and sherry toffee.

Finish

The aftertaste is short but concentrated, with raisins and blossom.

Specifications

Name: Linkwood 2012/2023 Signatory Vintage 10 år Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Linkwood
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso Sherry Butt
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: April 2012
Bottled: 2023
Number of bottles: 1127
EAN no.: 5021944120338

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Rounded · Spicy

Did you know?

For decades, most of Linkwood's output went straight into blends such as Johnnie Walker and White Horse, and official single malt releases have historically been rare.

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In the shadow of the famous names, Mannochmore quietly does its work — consistent, without fanfare.

Expert's description

Mannochmore 2008/2025 Signatory 16 år Symingtons Choice Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 54,4% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in px sherry butt and bottled at 54,4%.

The whisky is distilled at Mannochmore and independently selected and bottled by Signatory Vintage as part of the Symington's Choice series.

It was distilled 17. september 2008 and bottled 17. februar 2025, giving it 16 years.

Only 351 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

On the nose you meet lemon zest, green apples and dates.

Palate

The taste unfolds with green apples, walnut and dark chocolate.

Finish

It finishes long and warm, with stewed plums and pear.

Specifications

Name: Mannochmore 2008/2025 Signatory 16 år Symingtons Choice Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 54,4%
Distillery: Mannochmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 54,4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: PX Sherry Butt (#1)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 17. september 2008
Bottled: 17. februar 2025
Number of bottles: 351
Edition: Symington's Choice

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Rounded · Spicy

Investment potential

Medium. 16 years of maturation at full cask strength and only 351 bottles from Signatory's new Symington's Choice series make this Mannochmore a rare bottle from a distillery seldom seen as a single malt.

Did you know?

In the 1990s Mannochmore was the source spirit behind the notorious 'Loch Dhu – The Black Whisky', whose near-black colour from heavy cask charring and caramel made headlines and is now a cult collector's item.

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Mannochmore sits quietly behind its sister distillery Glenlossie in Speyside, spending most of its life supplying malt for Diageo blends rather than standing in the spotlight. When it does step out under its own name, it is worth paying attention.

Expert's Description

Mannochmore 2012/2024 Signatory Vintage 100 Proof Edition #13 is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a first fill oloroso sherry butt and bottled at 57.1%.

Signatory Vintage's 100 Proof series gathers single casks from across Scotland, bottled at the old-fashioned strength once known as "100 proof", translating to 57.1% on today's scale. The cask has given this Mannochmore a dark, sherry-driven character that contrasts with the distillery's usually light, floral house style.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose opens with dark chocolate and raisin, chestnut honey and a touch of orange peel, tying the sherry sweetness to the malt's underlying cereal note.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied with brown sugar, dried figs and spiced oak, while the cask strength adds a warm, almost peppery bite that holds everything together.

Finish

The finish is long and spicy, closing with a last trace of dark marmalade and toasted almond.

Specifications

Name: Mannochmore 100 Proof Edition #13
Distillery: Mannochmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 26/03/2024
Edition: 100 Proof Edition #13
EAN no.: 5021944125623

Flavour Profile

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

Did You Know?

Mannochmore was built in 1971 right next to sister distillery Glenlossie, and the two still share the same water source to this day.

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A wedding gift for a son grew into one of Canada's best-selling whisky brands.

Expert description

Seagram's V.O. Blended Canadian Whisky is a Canadian blended whisky, bottled at 40%. Seagram's was founded in 1857 in Waterloo, Ontario, and Joseph E. Seagram became sole owner in 1883. V.O. was originally made in limited quantity in 1913, when Joseph's son Thomas asked the distillery's blender, William Hortop, to prepare a special whisky for his own wedding to Dorothy Pearson. Joseph was so taken with the result that he insisted on putting the blend on general sale — it went on to become one of the company's biggest successes. The letters V.O. are said, by family tradition, to stand for 'Very Own', though others claim 'Very Old'.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers grain, caramel and a hint of rye.

Palate

The palate is soft with vanilla, honey and light spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and round.

Specifications

Name: Seagrams VO Blended Canadisk Whisky
Bottler: Seagram's
Region/Country: Ontario, Canada
Type: Blended Canadian Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Grainy · Sweet · Round

Did you know?

The meaning of the abbreviation V.O. was never officially written down — family tradition says 'Very Own', but no one knows for certain today.

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Signatory Vintage knows what it's doing. When they select a cask from one of Speyside's most iconic distilleries and let it rest for 12 years in Oloroso sherry casks, the result is predictable in the best possible sense.

Expert's Description

Speyside (M) 2011/2024 Signatory Vintage 12 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky distilled in 2011 and bottled in 2024 by independent bottler Signatory Vintage. Matured in Oloroso sherry casks and bottled at 48.2% as part of Signatory's Small Batch series, Edition #11. The distillery behind the malt is Macallan — one of Speyside's most acclaimed names, whose fruity and sherry-driven character here expresses itself on Signatory's own terms.

An independent bottling like this provides access to an expression that does not necessarily follow the distillery's own brand or house style. This is the Macallan character seen from the outside — a different experience from opening a bottle from the official range.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A textbook sherry bomb with bags of raisins, figs, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. Dark sugar, walnut and golden syrup. Bright cherry top notes.

Palate

Dried fruits lead with raisins and dried plums. More oak than the nose with notes of charcoal and dark chocolate. Cherry and sherry-soaked orange zest.

Finish

Medium to long finish with dark fruits and gentle oak bitterness. The sherry cask's deep imprint lingers for a considerable time.

Specifications

Name: Speyside (M) 2011/2024 Signatory Vintage 12 Year Old
Distillery: Macallan
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 48.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2011
Bottled: 2024
Edition: Small Batch Edition #11
EAN no.: 5021944125555

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Fruity · Full-bodied · Spiced

Did you know?

Signatory Vintage was founded in Edinburgh in 1988 by Andrew and Brian Symington. They have owned Edradour Distillery since 2002 — but that doesn't stop them from continuing to release whisky from other distilleries whenever an exceptional cask comes along.

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100 Proof is an old British measure of strength — Signatory keeps the tradition alive with a series that never compromises on intensity.

Expert's Description

Strathmill 2012/2025 Signatory Vintage 100 Proof Edition #36 is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky, distilled in 2012 and bottled on 24 February 2025 after 12 years of maturation at 57.1%, corresponding to exactly 100 British proof.

The whisky is matured in first fill Oloroso sherry butts, giving a pronounced sherry character, neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark sherry sweetness with raisin, toasted nuts and a hint of spice.

Palate

Full and powerful with sherry tannin, dried fruit and a warm alcoholic edge.

Finish

Long and spiced with lingering sherry sweetness and a dry close.

Specifications

Name: 100 Proof Edition #36
Distillery: Strathmill
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 24/02/2025
Edition: 100 Proof Edition #36
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
EAN No.: 5021944127887

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Cask strength · Powerful · Spiced

Did You Know?

'100 Proof' is a historic British strength measure equal to 57.1% ABV — a standard dating back to the old British measurement system, before the modern ABV scale was introduced.

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Thirteen years of quiet rest in a Highland warehouse have given this Teaninich a maturity that only truly unfolds once the cork comes out.

Expert description

Teaninich 2008/2021 from Signatory is a 13 year old Single Highland Malt Whisky at 46%, distilled on 9 October 2008 and bottled on 23 November 2021 by the Scottish independent bottler Signatory Vintage.

The whisky matured in hogsheads, the mid-sized cask type often used for a steady, controlled maturation that lets the spirit lead. The result is a whisky that shows Teaninich's characteristic light, elegant style clearly.

The bottling is part of Signatory's extensive single distillery catalogue, where the company has specialised since 1988 in sourcing and bottling outstanding casks from across Scotland.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe apple and pear mingle with light honey and a hint of freshly baked bread.

Palate

Round and gently creamy, with notes of caramel, malt and a faint touch of nutmeg.

Finish

Medium length, dry and lightly spiced, closing on a last trace of oak.

Specifications

Name: Teaninich 2008/2021 Signatory Vintage 13 Year Old
Distillery: Teaninich
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogsheads
Distilled: 09/10/2008
Bottled: 23/11/2021

Flavour profile

ripe · creamy · lightly spiced

Did you know?

Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 and was one of the first independent bottlers to print both the distillation date and the bottling date directly on the label - a practice that has since become an industry standard.

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From the north of Scotland to the Italian vineyards and back - this Teaninich has picked up an unexpected wine-inspired dimension from casks that once held one of Tuscany's most sought-after red wines.

Expert description

Teaninich 2009/2023 from Signatory is a 13 year old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky at 46%, bottled under Signatory's The Un-chillfiltered Collection range.

The whisky matured in four first-fill hogsheads (cask no. #9, #13, #14 and #15) that previously held Bolgheri - a celebrated Italian red wine from the Tuscan coast. This unusual cask history gives the whisky a subtle, wine-touched dimension layered over Teaninich's classic light style.

Distilled in September 2009 and bottled in March 2023 after 13 years of maturation, the whisky is non-chill filtered and naturally coloured. 701 bottles were released of this edition.

Tasting notes

Nose

Red berries and a hint of dried herbs, backed by soft vanilla and lightly toasted malt.

Palate

Mild and round, with notes of raspberry, cherry and a delicate tannic structure from the wine casks.

Finish

Medium length with a lingering, lightly tart berry note that fades into dry oak.

Specifications

Name: Teaninich 2009/2023 Signatory The Un-chillfiltered Collection
Distillery: Teaninich
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Series: The Un-chillfiltered Collection
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st Fill Bolgheri Hogsheads / Cask No. #9, #13, #14 & #15
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 09/2009
Bottled: 03/2023
Number of bottles: 701
EAN no.: 5021944121731

Flavour profile

berry-toned · wine-touched · mild

Did you know?

Bolgheri is a small but world-famous wine region on the Tuscan coast, known for its 'Super Tuscans' - powerful red wines blending Italian and French grape varieties, which here have left a unique imprint on a Scotch whisky.

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