Cask number 39 was filled in the first year the distillery ran after nearly a century of silence. Ten years later it has been emptied again: 239 bottles of the peated style Annandale named after a king who beat the English.

The Expert's Description

Annandale 10 Years Old Man O' Sword Cask 39 is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill ex-bourbon cask and bottled at 58.6% cask strength. Cask 39 was distilled in 2014 and bottled in 2025, yielding 239 bottles.

Man O' Sword is the distillery's peated range, named after Robert the Bruce, Scotland's warrior king and the seventh Lord of Annandale. The unpeated style is called Man O' Words after Robert Burns. Two Roberts, two entirely different whiskies, and it is the peated one in this bottle.

A refill bourbon cask is a more restrained choice than a first fill. The wood gives less vanilla and less sweetness, letting the smoke and the spirit’s own fruitiness come through more plainly across ten years. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured, and the colour is a pale clear gold precisely because the cask gave little.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet peat smoke first, mixed with dark syrup and soft butter. The smoke is present but restrained rather than overwhelming. Ripe apples and a drier cereal note sit behind.

Palate

Fresh and rounded at the same time. Apples and pears open with clear fruitiness, quickly followed by the smoke and a green grassy freshness that tells you the whisky comes from the Lowlands. The texture is oily and carries the flavours well.

Finish

Long, warm and persistent. Wood, spice and smoked malt in balance, where the smoke lengthens the experience rather than shouting over the finer nuances.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 10 Years Old Man O' Sword Cask 39 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 58.6%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 58.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill ex-bourbon cask, cask no. 39
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2014
Bottled: 2025
Number of bottles: 239
Edition: Man O' Sword

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Fruity · Fresh · Spiced · Cask Strength · Grassy

Investment Potential

Medium. The cask was filled in the distillery's first year of production, and only 239 bottles exist. Ten year old releases from revived distilleries are a one-off performance: once that vintage is emptied, it cannot be repeated.

Did You Know?

Annandale fell silent in 1918 and was later used as a production line for Provost porridge oats. The buildings stood decaying for decades until David Thomson and Teresa Church began a thorough restoration. The first spirit ran from the stills on 9 November 2014, and cask number one was filled six days later, in the original 1830s warehouse.

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Robert Burns was an exciseman in Annan before he became Scotland’s national poet. That is a pleasing detail to carry into a whisky named after him: the man who came to collect the duty has now given his name to a bottle at cask strength.

The Expert's Description

Annandale 10 Years Old Man O' Words Cask 121 is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill ex-bourbon cask and bottled at 59.7% cask strength. It is the first ten year old unpeated whisky from the distillery to be made available internationally, aimed at the trade and at enthusiasts.

Man O' Words is Annandale's unpeated range, named after Robert Burns. This particular bottling is atypical for the house because cask and spirit carry equal weight: neither the wood nor the distillate dominates. The refill bourbon cask has been allowed to work gently alongside the distillery's fruity new make across a full decade.

The distillery’s signature orchard aroma of apple and pear is clearly present and balanced by classic bourbon notes of vanilla, light spice and sweet oak. The whisky is non-chill filtered and bottled undiluted.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla, spices and juicy peaches first. Behind them sit crisp green apple and a touch of tropical fruit that lends the nose an exotic edge. Clean and inviting with no sharp alcohol note.

Palate

Soft and welcoming with creamy vanilla and a fresh green herbal note. Sweet wood and something close to marshmallow step forward mid-palate. The mouthfeel is light and complex at once, and Annandale’s unpeated character really gets room here.

Finish

Long, warm and persistent with spice, ripe fruit and a touch of cherry that slowly fades out.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 10 Years Old Man O' Words Cask 121 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 59.7%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 59.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill ex-bourbon cask, cask no. 121
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Man O' Words
EAN no.: 5060427430090

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Vanilla · Fresh · Spiced · Cask Strength · Creamy

Investment Potential

Medium. This is the distillery's first ten year old unpeated bottling on the international market, made for a limited audience. Firsts cannot be repeated, and a single cask yields only one outturn.

Did You Know?

Annandale was founded in 1836 by George Donald, an excise officer from Elgin. The distillery later passed through the hands of John Walker & Sons, yes, the Johnnie Walker ones, before production stopped around 1918. There is therefore a line running from a taxman, through the world’s biggest blend, to a Robert Burns label at cask strength.

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A private bottling is not a marketing exercise. Somebody tasted their way through a row of casks in a warehouse in southern Scotland, pointed at number 836 and said: that one, the whole cask, for us. Two hundred and thirty-one bottles of conviction.

The Expert's Description

Annandale 2016/2024 Single Cask Private Release 8 Years Old is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a bourbon cask and bottled at 62.8% cask strength. Cask 836 was distilled on 3 November 2016 and bottled on 11 December 2024, giving 231 bottles released exclusively for The Norseman.

In a private bottling the buyer takes the whole cask, and there is no blending and no adjustment of strength. The whisky goes into the bottle as it came out of the wood, so 62.8% is not a choice but a result. The bourbon cask has laid in vanilla, coconut and cereal sweetness across eight years, and because Annandale’s spirit is fruity and fresh in itself, the profile ends up bright rather than woody.

The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured. Annandale sits at Annan in Dumfriesshire, only a quarter of an hour’s drive from the English border, which makes it one of the southernmost distilleries in Scotland.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and coconut macaroon first, clearly bourbon-driven. Behind them crisp green apple, pear and a warm cereal note like fresh bread. At 62.8% there is alcohol on the nose, so let the glass sit for a couple of minutes.

Palate

Powerful and concentrated. Custard and baked apple open, then white pepper, cinnamon and a drier oak edge. A clear sweetness runs underneath and keeps the strength in check. The texture is thick, close to syrupy.

Finish

Long and warm. Vanilla, spice and a dry cereal note that lets go slowly. The alcohol leaves a pleasant heat rather than a burn.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 2016/2024 Single Cask Private Release 8 Years Old Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 62.8%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 62.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask, cask no. 836
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 3 November 2016
Bottled: 11 December 2024
Number of bottles: 231
Edition: Private Release for The Norseman

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Fruity · Spiced · Cask Strength · Fresh · Creamy

Investment Potential

Medium. The cask was bought by one customer, and there are 231 bottles and nothing more. Private bottlings rarely resurface on the secondary market, precisely because they were distributed through a single channel to a small audience.

Did You Know?

Annandale lies so far south in Scotland that the distillery is closer to Carlisle in England than to the nearest Highland distilleries. Only a quarter of an hour separates it from the border. That was once an advantage: the whisky could be sent straight south to the English market without the long haul down the country.

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A cask already used twice in Kentucky gets a third turn in Scotland. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is made by moving finished bourbon into yet another freshly charred barrel. That barrel then came over here, with peated Scottish malt inside it.

The Expert's Description

Annandale Double Oaked Man O' Sword Cask 1437 is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an ex-Woodford Reserve Double Oaked cask and bottled at 61.1% cask strength. The cask was filled in 2017 and emptied in 2023, giving six years.

Man O' Sword is Annandale's peated range, named after Robert the Bruce. The combination of peat smoke and a double-charred bourbon barrel is unusual: the cask has already given up most of its bourbon character in Kentucky, but the extra char released fresh sugars in the wood, and it is those that meet the smoke here.

The result is powerful and full of character. At 61.1% there is nothing cautious in the bottle, and the whisky is non-chill filtered. Annandale sits in Dumfriesshire in the far south of Scotland and has run both peated and unpeated production since reopening in 2014.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Charred pineapple first, a note you do not meet often, alongside peat smoke and crisp biscuits. Behind them come burnt sugar and a warm, almost resinous wood note from the double-charred cask.

Palate

Black pepper and fire embers open, quickly followed by caramel and a thick sweetness from the wood. The smoke sits in the middle of it all rather than beneath, and the 61.1% gives a full, insistent mouthfeel. There are no soft edges here.

Finish

Long and warm. Smoke, spice and burnt sugar hold on for a good while, with a dry ash note right at the end.

Specifications

Name: Annandale Double Oaked Man O' Sword Cask 1437 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 61.1%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 6 years
ABV: 61.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-Woodford Reserve Double Oaked cask, cask no. 1437
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distilled: 2017
Bottled: 2023
Edition: Double Oaked Man O' Sword

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Spiced · Burnt Sugar · Cask Strength · Oaky · Powerful

Did You Know?

Double Oaked is a bourbon technique, not a Scottish one. Woodford Reserve takes fully matured bourbon and moves it into another new charred oak barrel for an extra spell. When that barrel is later shipped to Scotland it arrives with two layers of char and has already given up most of its bourbon sweetness, which produces a very different cask influence from a standard ex-bourbon barrel.

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Fino is the sherry nobody uses for whisky. It is pale, bone dry and matured under a living film of yeast. Putting a young, fruity Lowland malt into a cask like that is either reckless or precise. Here it is the latter.

The Expert's Description

Annandale Man O' Words Cask 397 is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an ex-Fino Sherry Butt and bottled at 60.4% cask strength. The cask was filled in 2018 and emptied in 2023, giving around five years.

Man O' Words is the distillery's unpeated range, named after Robert Burns. Fino is the driest and palest of the sherry styles, so an ex-Fino cask delivers something entirely different from the classic Oloroso: no raisins and dark fruit, but salted almonds, green apple acidity and a dry, almost bakery-like nuttiness.

That suits Annandale’s spirit unusually well, being fresh and fruit-driven already. Instead of laying a heavy coat of fruit over the top, the Fino cask tightens the whisky and gives it more edge. The whisky is non-chill filtered.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green apple and pear first, then salted almonds and a dry yeasty note that is the Fino cask’s fingerprint. Citrus peel and something close to white bread sit at the back.

Palate

Dry and taut to begin, unusual for a whisky from a sherry cask. Apple acidity and almond open, then a mild spiced warmth and a light sweetness from the spirit itself. The 60.4% brings power, yet the whisky stays lean rather than full.

Finish

Medium length and dry. Nuts, green fruit and a saline mineral note that lingers. No sweetness at the close.

Specifications

Name: Annandale Man O' Words Cask 397 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 60.4%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 5 years
ABV: 60.4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-Fino Sherry Butt, cask no. 397
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distilled: 2018
Bottled: 2023
Edition: Man O' Words
EAN no.: 5060427430793

Flavour Profile

Dry · Fruity · Nutty · Fresh · Cask Strength · Saline

Did You Know?

Fino matures under flor, a living veil of yeast that settles like a blanket over the wine in the cask and keeps it from meeting the air. That is why Fino stays pale and dry, where Oloroso, matured without flor, turns dark and nutty. That difference carries straight into the whisky.

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2015 was the distillery’s first full year of production. The stills had been fired up the previous November and everything was still new: new equipment, new people, new casks. Cask 821 comes from that year, and it is one of the earliest pieces of evidence of what Annandale can do.

The Expert's Description

Annandale Man O' Words Cask 821 is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an Oloroso Sherry Butt and bottled at 60.7% cask strength. The cask was filled in 2015, the distillery's first full year of production after reopening.

Man O' Words is the unpeated range, named after Robert Burns, and Oloroso is the classic sherry style for whisky: matured with air contact, dark and nutty, without the flor veil that keeps Fino pale. A full butt of around 500 litres works slowly, which is why the whisky has gained depth without being smothered in wood.

The combination of Annandale’s fresh, fruit-driven spirit and an Oloroso cask gives a whisky where dark fruit and bright fruit sit alongside each other rather than one taking over. The whisky is non-chill filtered and bottled undiluted.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisins and orange marmalade first, with walnut and a dry sherry note behind. Underneath sits the distillery’s own fruitiness, green apple and pear, pushing through the sherry rather than disappearing into it.

Palate

Full and dark to begin. Dried fruit, caramel and bitter chocolate open, then spice and a firm oak tannin arrive. At 60.7% there is plenty of concentration, and a fresh acidity beneath the sweetness keeps the whisky in balance.

Finish

Long and spiced. Raisin, walnut and dry oak, with a final warmth that lingers. No bitterness.

Specifications

Name: Annandale Man O' Words Cask 821 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 60.7%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 60.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso Sherry Butt, cask no. 821
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distilled: 2015
Edition: Man O' Words

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Dark Fruit · Nutty · Spiced · Cask Strength · Fresh

Investment Potential

Medium. The cask comes from the distillery's first full year of production after a break of nearly a century, and no more 2015 whisky will ever be made at Annandale. Early vintages from reopened distilleries are the kind of bottle collectors go looking for afterwards.

Did You Know?

Cask number one was filled at Annandale on 15 November 2014, six days after the first spirit ran from the stills. It was laid down in the original 1830s warehouse, which still stands on the site. Cask 821 comes from the following year, still right at the beginning of the distillery’s new life.

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A triple distilled whisky is light in body from birth. Leaving one in cask for twenty-four years and still having something left requires the wood to have been gentle, and somebody to have had the patience not to empty it too early.

The Expert's Description

Auchentoshan 1999/2024 Signatory 24 Years Old Symingtons Choice is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky distilled in 1999 and bottled in 2024 at 55.6% cask strength. It belongs to Signatory’s Symingtons Choice range, created as a tribute to the house founder Andrew Symington.

Auchentoshan is the only Scottish distillery that consistently distils everything three times. That gives a silky, elegant spirit which with age has developed a complex and refined character rather than turning heavy. Twenty-four years is a long time for that particular style.

The whisky is bottled at cask strength without chill filtration and with natural colour. Auchentoshan sits at Dalmuir outside Glasgow and was founded in 1823.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Delicate notes of honey, ripe stone fruit and fresh citrus open, beautifully balanced by vanilla and a light nutty tone from the maturation. At 55.6% the alcohol is up front, but the aromas carry it.

Palate

Full and harmonious with layers of caramelised malt, dried fruit, orange peel and subtle spice. The high cask strength gives intensity while Auchentoshan’s characteristic softness is preserved. There is no harshness despite the strength.

Finish

Long, warm and silky with persistent notes of oak, chocolate and a wisp of tobacco, testimony to the whisky’s long maturation.

Specifications

Name: Auchentoshan 1999/2024 Signatory 24 Years Old Symingtons Choice Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 55.6%
Distillery: Auchentoshan
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 24 years
ABV: 55.6%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Triple distilled
Distilled: 1999
Bottled: 2024
Edition: Symingtons Choice

Flavour Profile

Honeyed · Fruity · Nutty · Soft · Cask Strength · Oaky

Investment Potential

High. Twenty-four year old Lowland releases are rare, because the region has few active distilleries and because the light style does not always survive such long maturation. On top of that, Symingtons Choice is a named tribute range of limited scope, and the cask cannot be recreated.

Did You Know?

Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 by Andrew Symington, and the Symingtons Choice range carries his name. The company today also owns the Edradour distillery in Perthshire, and Signatory’s warehousing and bottling sit right beside it. Naming a range after the founder is not unusual; doing so while he is still active in the business is rather more so.

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The name is pronounced roughly ock-un-tosh-un and is Gaelic for the corner of the field. That says something about how modest the site was when the distillery was built. Today the suburbs of Glasgow surround it.

The Expert's Description

Auchentoshan Three Wood is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in three cask types, bourbon casks, Oloroso sherry casks and Pedro Ximénez casks, and bottled at 43%. Combining the three gives a markedly more complex profile than the distillery’s brighter core expressions.

Auchentoshan distils everything three times, which gives a light, silky spirit with less oily body than a double distilled malt. That is precisely why the heavy sherry casks can be used so freely here: there is no forceful spirit character for the wood to fight against.

The order matters. The bourbon casks lay the foundation with vanilla and citrus, Oloroso adds nuts and dried fruit, and PX rounds things off with raisins and a thick sweetness. The distillery sits at Dalmuir outside Glasgow and was founded in 1823.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark fruit and raisins first, far fuller than you expect from a Lowland. Vanilla and citrus from the bourbon casks sit beneath, and there is a nutty tone from the Oloroso.

Palate

Full and sweet. Raisins, dates and toffee open, then nuts and a lightly spiced oak arrive. The triple distillation is still felt in the texture, which is softer than the sweetness would otherwise suggest. At 43% it drinks easily.

Finish

Medium and soft. Raisins, nuts and a final vanilla sweetness that lets go calmly.

Specifications

Name: Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Lowland Malt Whisky 43%
Distillery: Auchentoshan
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Three cask types: bourbon casks, Oloroso sherry casks and Pedro Ximénez casks
Distillation method: Triple distilled
Edition: Three Wood
EAN no.: 5011333150824

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Sweet · Nutty · Soft · Dark Fruit · Vanilla

Did You Know?

Auchentoshan has been a landmark on the Scottish west coast for over a hundred and eighty years. The name is Gaelic for the corner of the field, which fitted precisely when the distillery was built in 1823, as it then stood in open country. Today Glasgow has grown out around it and the distillery sits within the city’s suburbs.

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Amontillado is the dry sherry that has been allowed to oxidise. It does not bring sweetness but nuts, salt and a dry edge — an interesting counterweight to the natural softness of grain whisky.

Expert description

Cameronbridge 2007/2023 Coopers Choice 15 Years is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in American Oak and Amontillado Sherry Casks #462894, bottled at cask strength, 56%, without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky was distilled in November 2007 and bottled in 2023 in a run of 306 bottles. The Coopers Choice is The Vintage Malt Whisky Company's series for single casks, often with unusual cask combinations.

Fifteen years is young for grain, but the high bottling strength and the amontillado cask give the whisky more edge than the soft thirty year olds have. It is a different kind of grain experience: drier, spicier and less creamy.

Tasting notes

Nose

Toasted almonds and dried apple with pale caramel, salt and a trace of orange peel.

Palate

Dry and spiced with nuts, grain and a fine bitterness from the sherry cask. The 56% gives good concentration.

Finish

Long and dry with almond, oak and a lightly salted close.

Specifications

Name: Cameronbridge 2007/2023 Coopers Choice 15 Years Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky 70 cl 56%
Distillery: Cameronbridge
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 56%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American Oak and Amontillado Sherry Casks #462894
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: November 2007
Bottled: 2023
Number of bottles: 306
EAN no.: 5024720862583

Flavour profile

Nutty · Dry · Spiced · Salty · Powerful

Did you know?

Amontillado begins as fino under a veil of yeast and continues as oxidative ageing once the veil dies. The sherry therefore carries both a fresh and a nutty character, and that transfers to the casks.

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Francis Cuthbert built a distillery in a farm building in 2005 and then waited twelve years before selling a single bottle. This is the first one. There is no earlier.

Expert description

Daftmill 2005 Inaugural Release 12 years is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in three first fill ex-bourbon barrels and bottled at cask strength of 55.8%.

The release gave 629 bottles and marks the beginning of Daftmill as a whisky distillery. The farm sits near Cupar in Fife, where brothers Francis and Ian Cuthbert grow their own barley and distil only in the periods when the fieldwork allows it — summer and winter. With an annual production of around 20,000 litres, Daftmill is among Scotland's smallest distilleries, and waiting twelve years for a first release is close to unheard of in the trade.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and fruit-driven. Orchard apple and pear, with tropical notes of pineapple and mango behind.

Palate

Lively and precise. Orchard fruit, honey and pale malt, with a gentle spiced note from the oak rounding it off. The cask strength carries the fruit without drowning it.

Finish

Long and clean, with apple, cereal and a mild oak warmth.

Specifications

Name: Daftmill 2005 Inaugural Release 12 years Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 55,8%
Distillery: Daftmill
Region/Country: Lowlands Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 55.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Three first fill ex-bourbon barrels
Distilled: 2005
Number of bottles: 629
Edition: Inaugural Release

Flavour profile

Fruity · Fresh · Tropical · Honeyed · Cask Strength

Investment potential

High. The very first bottle from a distillery that has since become one of the most sought after in Scotland, in an outturn of 629 bottles. An inaugural release cannot by definition be repeated.

Did you know?

Daftmill distils only when farming leaves room for it. The plant runs in summer after sowing and in winter after harvest — the rest of the year the Cuthbert brothers are farmers. That is why production stays at around 20,000 litres a year.

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They only distil when the fields can spare the people. The winter batch comes after harvest, when the grain is in and there is time to fire up — and it tastes different from the summer one.

Expert description

Daftmill 2006/2018 Winter Batch Release is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in five first fill ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 46%.

The whisky was distilled on 16 December 2006 and bottled twelve years later in 2018, in an outturn of 1,265 bottles. Daftmill splits its releases into summer and winter batches because the distillery only runs in the periods when the farm work allows. Winter spirit is generally reckoned to be slightly fuller than summer spirit, because cooler water and lower temperatures change the way the spirit condenses.

Tasting notes

Nose

Warm and baked. Rhubarb compote, honey, citrus and pancakes with maple syrup. After a while in the glass, fresh pears and crisp apples appear.

Palate

Round and silky with shades of vanilla, almond and citrus, accompanied by a lightly waxy texture.

Finish

Long and spiced with hints of nutmeg, wood and sweet stone fruit.

Specifications

Name: Daftmill 2006/2018 Winter Batch Release Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Daftmill
Region/Country: Lowlands Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Five first fill ex-bourbon casks
Distilled: 16/12/2006
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 1,265
Edition: Winter Batch Release
EAN no.: 5010493050098

Flavour profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Vanilla · Waxy · Fresh

Investment potential

High. 1,265 bottles from a distillery where demand consistently outstrips production. Daftmill's early batches have become noticeably harder to find since release.

Did you know?

The difference between summer and winter batches is not marketing. Water temperature in the condensers changes with the season, which affects how much copper contact the spirit gets — enough that a winter distillate tastes different from a summer one made in the same plant.

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A bottle named after a Nirvana song and a distillery that may not be named. Uncharted Whisky Co. makes a virtue of not taking itself too seriously.

Expert description

Dalrymple Come As You Are 2012/2023 Uncharted Whisky Co. 11 years is a Lowlands Blended Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an ex-oloroso sherry butt and bottled at cask strength of 55% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The cask carries the number UC026, was filled in July 2012 and emptied in October 2023 with an outturn of 687 bottles. Dalrymple is the name the bottler uses for malt whisky from the Lowlands where the source may not be disclosed. The Lowlands is Scotland's gentlest region, and eleven years in an active sherry cask gives that light style a depth it otherwise rarely reaches.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark fruit and cereal. Raisin, orange peel and a light herbal note, with cocoa and spice underneath.

Palate

Full for a Lowland malt. Dried fruit, malt and dark chocolate, with a dry sherry edge and a peppery warmth from the cask strength. The region's lightness is still there under the sweetness.

Finish

Long and dry, with nuts, dark fruit and a warm spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Dalrymple Come As You Are 2012/2023 Uncharted Whisky Co. 11 years Lowlands Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 55%
Distillery: Lowlands Distilleries
Bottler: Uncharted Whisky Co.
Region/Country: Lowlands Scotland
Type: Lowlands Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 55 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-oloroso sherry butt no. UC026
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 07/2012
Bottled: 10/2023
Number of bottles: 687
Edition: Come As You Are

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dried Fruit · Malty · Spiced · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask at cask strength in 687 bottles from a small-scale bottler. Lowland malt in active sherry wood is an unusual combination.

Did you know?

Uncharted Whisky Co. names its releases after songs. Come As You Are is Nirvana from 1991 — the same decade the whisky in the bottle was heading towards, if you count a few years from the record to the cask.

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Twenty-three years is a long time for a grain whisky. Long enough that the cereal stops tasting of cereal and starts tasting of a bakery, and just short enough that the cask has not taken over.

The expert description

Dumbarton 23 Years Old Dram Mor is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in a refill bourbon barrel and bottled at cask strength 57.1%.

Dumbarton on the river Clyde closed in 2002 and was later demolished. The distillery supplied grain whisky to some of the largest blends in Scotland, and only rarely did any of it appear in its own right. With every year that passes, the remaining casks grow fewer.

Dram Mor selected cask number 211885, a refill bourbon barrel that still stood at 57.1% after twenty-three years. The whisky is bottled without chill filtration and without added colour, and the cask gave 182 bottles. The name Dram Mor means big dram in Gaelic.

Tasting notes

Nose

Creamy vanilla with a hint of cherry tart and sweet, buttery shortcrust pastry.

Palate

Sweet and buttery with a surprisingly three-dimensional depth for a single grain. Delicate spices tie it together and keep the sweetness in place.

Finish

Warming and more robust than you might expect, in the best possible way, closing with oak and dried fruit.

Specifications

Name: Dumbarton 23 Years Old
Distillery: Dumbarton
Bottler: Dram Mor
Region/Country: Lowland Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 23 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Bourbon Barrel
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 182

Flavour profile

Sweet · Creamy · Vanilla · Pastry · Single Cask

Investment potential

Medium. Dumbarton is closed and demolished, the bottling comes from one cask, and only 182 bottles exist. Old grain whisky from silent Lowland distilleries has drawn considerably more collector attention in recent years than it did a decade ago.

Did you know?

Grain whisky matures more slowly than malt because the spirit is cleaner and carries fewer heavy compounds for the wood to work on. That is why an age statement like twenty-three years is unremarkable here, while the same years on a malt would often leave the cask in charge.

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The label salutes the Barrowland Ballroom, the old dance hall in the East End of Glasgow whose neon stars above the entrance have lit the way for just about every band that ever passed through the city. The whisky inside is every bit as local, and about as loud.

The expert description

Glasgow Distillery 2017 Little Brown Dog is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill oloroso hogshead and bottled at cask strength 55.7%.

Little Brown Dog buys single casks from distilleries across Scotland and bottles them under its own label with the little brown dog on it. Here they got hold of a cask from The Glasgow Distillery, the first malt distillery in the city in over a century, which opened in 2015 and makes whisky under the name 1770.

The cask is a highly active oloroso hogshead that has been working on the spirit since 2017. That gives a young whisky with far more colour and body than the vintage suggests, and the cask strength of 55.7% holds it all together. The cask yielded only 339 bottles, neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark cherry and raisin first, then cocoa and a touch of leather, with the young malt sweetness poking up underneath.

Palate

Powerful and juicy. Sherry fruit and muscovado in front, then orange peel, clove and a dry oak edge from the active cask.

Finish

Long and warm with dried fruit, dark chocolate and a peppery close.

Specifications

Name: Glasgow Distillery 2017 Little Brown Dog
Distillery: Glasgow Distillery
Bottler: Little Brown Dog
Region/Country: Lowland Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 55.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill oloroso sherry hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2017
Number of bottles: 339
Edition: Single Cask

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Fruity · Spiced · Cask Strength · Single Cask

Investment potential

Medium. One cask, 339 bottles and a distillery still young enough that its early vintages can be counted. Single cask releases from new Scottish distilleries have in recent years been among the most sought after by collectors following a house from the start.

Did you know?

The Glasgow Distillery opened in 2015 and was the first malt distillery in the city since 1902. Glasgow had otherwise been a centre of Scotch whisky for more than a century, but it was trading, blending and bottling the city lived on, not distilling.

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See our full range of Little Brown Dog

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Lindores Abbey Thiron 2024 Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 49,4%

Lindores Abbey Thiron 2024 is a Limited Edition Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, representing the first in a series of annual releases from the Lindores Abbey Distillery.

It boasts a rich and complex flavor profile, blending notes of vanilla cake, caramel, baking spices, and fruity undertones such as plums. The maturation takes place in a combination of French virgin oak casks, first fill Bourbon casks, and red wine barriques, adding depth and character to the taste. The silky smooth finish makes it a perfect representation of Lindores Abbey's tradition and craftsmanship.

Distillery: Lindores Abbey
Age: NA
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 49,4%
Bottle Count: NA
Un-chillfiltered
Natural Colour
70 cl
Other: Limited Edition

Lochlea 2018/2023 is an exceptional 5-year-old single malt whisky from the Lowland region, distilled in 2018 and bottled in 2023. With an alcohol strength of 50% and non-chill-filtered, it retains its natural richness and complexity. It offers fresh notes of vanilla, ripe fruit, and honey, complemented by spicy undertones of cinnamon and nuts. The finish is long and full-bodied, with a pleasant warmth and hints of oak. This whisky has been aged in a meticulously chosen selection of five casks, handpicked by Production Director John Campbell, including two from the original filling back in 2018.

The casks include:

Lochlea 2018/2023 is an excellent choice for whisky enthusiasts looking to explore a younger Lowland malt with great depth and character.

Distillery: Lochlea
Age: 5 Years Distilled: 2018 Bottled: 2023
Type: Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky
Region: Lowland
Cask Type: First-fill Bourbon & Sherry Casks
ABV: 50%
Non-chill-filtered
Size: 70 cl
Other: Crafted from 5 selected casks | Limited Edition

Macleod’s Lowland 8 Years Single Malt is a refined and delicate whisky from Ian MacLeod Distillers, bottled at 40%. It embodies the classic Lowland style with soft floral notes, gentle fruit, and a clean, rounded character—ideal for those who appreciate a lighter dram.

This whisky is part of the MacLeod’s Regional Malts series, where each edition reflects the flavour profile of its region. The Lowland bottling is distinguished by its triple distillation, which lends a silky texture and subtle elegance. While the exact origin is not disclosed, the style echoes traditional Lowland distilleries like Auchentoshan or Glenkinchie.

Nose: Light and floral with hints of green apple, citrus, vanilla, and fresh barley
Palate: Smooth and rounded with notes of pear, honey, grain, and a touch of oak
Finish: Short to medium with a clean, lightly spiced finish
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Series: MacLeod’s Regional Malts – Lowland
Age: 8 years
ABV: 40%
Origin: Not specified, but stylistically from the Lowland region
Bottler: Ian MacLeod Distillers

Tune in to our podcast to explore the finesse of Lowland whisky and MacLeod’s interpretation of the region.

Rosebank 1990/2011 Chieftains 20 Years Single Lowland Malt Whisky 55.7%

Rosebank 1990/2011 Chieftains 20 Years Single Lowland Malt Whisky 55.7% is a rare and elegant whisky from the iconic but now closed Rosebank distillery in the Lowlands. Distilled in 1990 and matured for 20 years, this single malt is bottled at cask strength, offering an intense and complex experience with the classic Rosebank character at its core.

In the glass, the whisky shows a clear golden amber color. The aroma is aromatic and inviting with notes of honey, ripe fruits, melon, and baked berries, complemented by subtle floral tones and a lightly spiced background of cinnamon and roasted nuts. With some time in the glass, softer floral nuances emerge clearly, creating an elegant aromatic experience.

The taste is full-bodied, warm, and oily with a pleasant sweetness, where honey, caramel, and vanilla meet the ripeness of the fruits. Gentle spices from the cask, such as cinnamon and cloves, balance the sweetness and add depth to the mouthfeel. A few drops of water enhance the complexity and bring both fruit and spice further into focus.

The finish is long, refined, and persistent with notes of dried fruit, dark chocolate, and light oak, leaving an elegant, dry, and harmonious conclusion.

This 20-year-old Rosebank is a perfect representative of the Lowlands style, with a focus on finesse, floral and fruity nuances, and historical weight. It appeals to collectors and whisky enthusiasts who appreciate rare, complex, and classic single malts.

Distillery: Rosebank
Bottler: Chieftains
Vintage: Distilled: ??/12/1990 - Bottled: ??/09/2011
Age: 20 years
Type: Single Lowland Malt Whisky
Cask number/type: Butt #3616
Alcohol strength: 55.7%
Number of bottles: 619
Un-chillfiltered
Natural Colour
Other:
70 cl.
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St Magdalene Linlithgow 1982/2009 Chieftains 26 Years Single Lowland Malt Whisky 55%

St Magdalene 1982 Whisky is a rare and elegant whisky from the now closed St Magdalene distillery in the Lowlands. Distilled in 1982 and matured for 26 years, this single malt is bottled at cask strength with 55% alcohol and retains its natural color, offering an intense and complex tasting experience.

In the glass, the whisky appears golden with deep amber tones. The aroma is refined and floral with subtle notes of ripe fruits, citrus, and light herbs, combined with hints of leather and a gentle malt character. The taste is full-bodied and oily with an elegant balance of flowers, dried fruit, citrus, and dark chocolate. Spices and herbs emerge discreetly, adding depth and complexity, while the natural strength ensures a warm and lasting sensation on the palate.

The finish is long, refined, and persistent with nuances of fruit, spice, and floral tones, delivering a classic Lowland experience with timeless elegance. This 26-year-old St Magdalene appeals to collectors and enthusiasts who value rare and complex whiskies from closed distilleries, where every sip rewards patience and attention.

Distillery: St Magdalene - Linlithgow
Bottler: Chieftains
Vintage: Distilled: ??/10/1982 - Bottled: ??/05/2009
Age: 26 years
Type: Single Lowland Malt Whisky
Cask number/type: Butt #2219
Alcohol strength: 55%
Number of bottles: 348
Un-chillfiltered
Natural Colour
Other:
70 cl.
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Watt Whisky 2012/2024 Dalrymple 11 Years Old Lowland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 57,1%

Watt Whisky presents this rare Lowland blended malt from Dalrymple, aged for 11 years and bottled at a robust 57,1%. This whisky features a rich and delicate flavor profile, with a balance of sweetness and nutty notes. Hints of toffee apples and marzipan meet the creamy sweetness of honeycomb and roasted peanuts, along with fruity undertones of peaches and crème brûlée. A well-balanced and elegant dram, perfect for those who appreciate a whisky with depth and sweetness.