Same cask type, different vintage — but never the same whisky. This 12-year-old Burgundy maturation shows just how much variation hides from cask to cask.

The expert's description

Edradour 2011/2023 Burgundy Casks 12 years old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill Burgundy hogsheads and bottled at 48.2%.

The whisky was distilled in March 2011 and matured for 12 years across eight 1st fill Burgundy casks, numbers 92 to 101, before being bottled in December 2023. The Burgundy casks' light, red fruit character gives the whisky a fresh, almost delicate profile that sets it apart from Edradour's sherry-matured releases. 2,840 bottles were released.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh red berries and a hint of rhubarb, with a lightly floral apple blossom scent underneath.

Palate

Fresh and fruity with raspberry and a touch of pepper, supported by Edradour's soft, honeyed malt.

Finish

Short to medium in length with a dry, lightly spiced finish and a lingering fruitiness.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 2011/2023 Burgundy Casks 12 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 48.2%
Distillery: Edradour
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 48,2 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill Burgundy hogsheads (cask no. 92-101)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: March 2011
Bottled: December 2023
Number of bottles: Only 2,840 bottles
EAN no.: 5021944125043

Flavour profile

Fruity · Fresh

Did you know?

Edradour still uses traditional worm tub condensers in production — an old-fashioned method that gives the whisky a heavier, more oily character than many modern distilleries achieve with shell-and-tube condensers.

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In Speyside, some distilleries never shout about themselves — they let the whisky speak. Linkwood is one of them.

Expert's description

Linkwood 2012/2023 Signatory Vintage 11 år Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in 1st fill oloroso sherry butts and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is distilled at Linkwood and independently selected and bottled by Signatory Vintage as part of the The Un-Chillfiltered Collection series.

It was distilled 25. juli 2012 and bottled Oktober 2023, giving it 11 years.

Only 1565 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma offers ripe pears, citrus peel and dried fig.

Palate

The taste unfolds with blossom, walnut and sherry toffee.

Finish

The finish is short but concentrated, with raisins and ripe pears.

Specifications

Name: Linkwood 2012/2023 Signatory Vintage 11 år Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Linkwood
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts (#102 og 103)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 25. juli 2012
Bottled: Oktober 2023
Number of bottles: 1565
Edition: The Un-Chillfiltered Collection
EAN no.: 5021944124701

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Rounded · Spicy

Did you know?

Linkwood was founded in 1821 just outside Elgin, making it one of the oldest working distilleries in Speyside.

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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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The rye field lies three hundred metres from the stills. That is not a romantic turn of phrase, it is an address. At Arbikie everything is sown, harvested, distilled, matured and bottled on the same farm running down to Lunan Bay, and that makes this whisky something very few Scottish distilleries can imitate.

The Expert's Description

Arbikie 1794 Batch 22 is a Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in new charred American oak casks and bottled at 48%. The batch yielded 2,490 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

The rye makes it a Single Grain rather than a Single Malt, since the term Single Malt is reserved for whisky made solely from malted barley. 1794 was the first rye whisky ever made in Scotland, and the name refers to the year distilling first took place at Arbikie. Maturation happens entirely in new charred oak, which is unusual in Scotland but entirely normal for American rye.

Every batch turns out differently, because weather, field and grain variety shift from year to year. Batch 22 carries a deep rich amber colour from the new wood and aromas of hedgerow berries, black tea and caramel. The Stirling family has been farming since 1660 and has been at Arbikie for four generations.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Hedgerow berries and black tea first, with a layer of warm caramel underneath. The rye reports in as dried dill and a peppery, almost green note. The new oak gives vanilla and a light resinous scent, more American than Scottish.

Palate

Spicy and dry from the start. The rye fills the mid-palate with pepper and a sweetish cereal character, while the charred oak lays caramel, cinnamon and burnt sugar on top. At 48% there is body enough to carry it without the whisky turning hard.

Finish

Long and spicy. Pepper, dried fruit and a dry woody close, where the rye hangs on longest.

Specifications

Name: Arbikie 1794 Batch 22 Highland Rye Single Grain Scotch Whisky 48%
Distillery: Arbikie
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: New charred American oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 2,490
Edition: Batch 22
EAN no.: 5060398440616

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Dry · Caramel · Berry · Peppery · Oaky

Did You Know?

The Stirling family has been farming since 1660, originally on the west coast. The land passed through seven generations before great uncle Bill moved to Lunan Bay on the Angus coast in the 1920s. The family has now worked that farm for four generations, and it is the same ground the rye for this whisky grows on.

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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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Thirty years in the same bourbon cask, no finish, no detours. It is the most honest way to show what time alone does to grain whisky — and why old Cambus casks have become hunted.

Expert description

Cambus 1991/2021 Coopers Choice 30 Years is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky from Bourbon Cask #29218, bottled at 49.5% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky was distilled in May 1991 and bottled in 2021 after thirty years in the same cask. The cask gave 300 bottles. The Coopers Choice is the series from The Vintage Malt Whisky Company, which buys and selects single casks from across Scotland.

Cambus stood in Clackmannanshire and was one of the classic Lowland grain distilleries. It closed in 1993, and the buildings today serve only for cask repair. With no wine or sherry finish, this bottling is a clean reading of what time and American oak can do.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla, coconut and white chocolate with ripe pear and a lightly toasted almond note.

Palate

Silky with vanilla custard, caramel and pale grain. The oak is present but never dry or sharp.

Finish

Long and creamy with fudge, coconut and a fine, warm dryness.

Specifications

Name: Cambus 1991/2021 Coopers Choice 30 Years Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky 70 cl 49.5%
Distillery: Cambus
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 30 years
ABV: 49,5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask #29218
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: May 1991
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 300
EAN no.: 5024720861623

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Coconut · Soft · Elegant

Investment potential

High. Thirty years in one cask from a distillery closed for more than three decades, in a run of 300 bottles.

Did you know?

The large grain distilleries ran column stills around the clock. Cambus could produce far more spirit than a malt distillery, but the whisky was rarely bottled under its own name.

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Mortlach distils 2.81 times – neither two nor three – through six stills of wildly different shapes and sizes, producing a malt unlike anything else in Speyside.

Expert's Description

Mortlach 16 Year Old The Chess Malt Collection is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured 100% in refill hogsheads and bottled at 52.1%.

The Chess Malt Collection consists of 32 unique releases, each bottle representing a piece on the chessboard – 2 kings, 2 queens, 4 bishops, 4 knights, 4 rooks and 16 pawns. This Mortlach is the pawn on F7, number 18 in the series, with only 283 bottles and no added colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers chestnut honey, dark chocolate and raisin.

Palate

On the palate there is walnut and spiced oak, while brown sugar adds a final twist.

Finish

The finish is long and spicy.

Specifications

Distillery: Mortlach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 52.1 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: Marts 2007
Bottled: Maj 2023
Number of bottles: 283
Edition: The Chess Malt Collection – Pawn F7, No. #18

Flavour Profile

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

Investment Potential

Medium. As a numbered part of a completed 32-bottle collector series, with only 283 bottles of this specific release, the Chess Malt Collection has attracted interest from collectors aiming to complete the set.

Did You Know?

Mortlach's six stills each have their own nickname, and the three spirit stills are notably smaller than the wash stills, contributing to the distillery's heavy, sulphury character.

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Organic whisky sounds like something invented last week. Benromach started in 2006, and the entire chain from barley to bottle is certified — something nobody had done before them.

The expert's description

Benromach Contrasts Organic 2013/2022 is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in virgin American oak and bottled at 46 %.

The whisky was distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2022 after nine years in virgin American oak casks. It is neither chill filtered nor coloured, and the entire production is accredited by the British Soil Association from field to bottle.

Benromach launched the world's first fully certified organic single malt in 2006. The Contrasts range is the distillery's playground, where they push one variable at a time — here both the organic barley and the completely new wood.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet malt, banana and creamy vanilla. Virgin oak gives a clear sawdust freshness and a hint of coconut.

Palate

Malt rich and creamy with pepper, coffee and cocoa. The new oak pulls the whisky towards a carpenter's workshop and toasted sugar rather than the soft bourbon vanilla most people know.

Finish

Medium long, dry and spicy with cocoa, oak and a warm peppery close.

Specifications

Name: Benromach Contrasts Organic 2013/2022 Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Benromach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 9 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Virgin American oak
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2013
Bottled: 2022
Edition: Contrasts: Organic
EAN no.: 5020613091160

Flavour profile

Creamy · Spicy · Vanilla · Cocoa · New oak

Did you know?

Virgin oak is almost never used for Scotch whisky, because it can overwhelm the spirit in a few years. Benromach could use it here because their distillate is powerful enough to stand up to fresh wood.

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Twenty-one years is rare for a blend. Time settles here as a quiet layer of honey and old oak over every drop.

Expert description

The Antiquary 21 Year Old is a blended Scotch whisky in which Highland and Speyside malt whisky is married with Lowland grain whisky for at least 21 years before bottling at 43% ABV.

This bottling carries no additional cask finish, letting the long maturation alone shape the character, a counterpoint to the house's finished expressions in Claret and Port casks.

The Antiquary was founded by the Hardie brothers in Edinburgh in the late 19th century and now belongs to Tomatin Distillery Co, which carries on the Victorian blending tradition.

Tasting notes

Nose

Beeswax, dried apricot and a touch of toasted almonds over a deep, malty base.

Palate

Soft caramel, old oak and a hint of orange peel gliding easily across the tongue.

Finish

Long and dry, with a last suggestion of spiced honey.

Specifications

Name: The Antiquary 21 Year Old
Bottler: The Antiquary
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
EAN: 5018481217003

Flavour profile

Honey · Old oak · Spice

Investment potential

As an age-stated 21 year old blend from a respected Edinburgh brand, this bottle holds appeal among collectors of aged classic Scotch blends.

Did you know?

The Antiquary was one of the first blends to market itself directly on its high age, at a time when most blends carried no age statement at all.

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Two first fill hogsheads, 12 years, and a distillery rarely seen alone — Signatory adds another chapter to Strathmill's independent story.

Expert's Description

Strathmill 2009/2021 Signatory Vintage is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, distilled on 2 July 2009 and bottled on 3 August 2021 after 12 years of maturation at 43% from two first fill hogsheads, cask no. 805070 and 805096.

The whisky retains its natural colour and, as an independent bottling, offers an alternative view of Strathmill's character compared to the official Flora & Fauna release.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Malt and green apple meet a light vanilla sweetness from the first fill casks.

Palate

Round and fruity with honey, pear and a lightly spiced warmth.

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: Strathmill 2009/2021
Distillery: Strathmill
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: 1st Fill Hogsheads, cask no. 805070 & 805096
Distilled: 02/07/2009
Bottled: 03/08/2021
Natural Colour: Yes
EAN No.: 5021944113958

Flavour Profile

Elegant · Fruity · Natural colour · Rare

Did You Know?

First fill casks give a more pronounced cask influence than refill casks, resulting here in a clearer vanilla and oak note compared to Strathmill's more neutral official release.

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Pedro Ximénez is the sweetest and darkest of all sherry styles — a wine so thick with sun-dried grapes it's almost spoonable. Kilchoman let it work all the way through their spirit, resulting in the distillery's first ever release fully matured in PX casks.

Expert's description

Kilchoman 2023 PX Sherry Cask Matured is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, fully matured in ex-PX Sherry casks for a minimum of five years and bottled at 50 %.

Pedro Ximénez, or simply PX, is made from sun-dried grapes pressed into a thick, dark and intensely sweet wine. The casks that held it give the whisky a markedly different character to drier sherry styles like Fino or Amontillado — here it's all about deep sweetness, dried fruit and an almost syrupy texture.

Because the spirit spent its entire maturation in the PX casks rather than just a short finish, the sweetness is woven deep into the whisky from the start. That makes it one of the darkest and most dessert-like Kilchoman releases to date, with Islay's peat smoke having to work its way through layer upon layer of raisin and caramel.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisins, prune blossom and dark molasses pour out, backed by toasted walnuts and a deep, sweet peat smoke.

Palate

Intense sweetness from the start — syrup, dates and dark chocolate — before the smoke slowly takes over, bringing balance with a dry, ashy edge.

Finish

Long, sweet and smoky at once, with a final trace of liquorice and toasted oak.

Specifications

Name: Kilchoman 2023 PX Sherry Cask Matured Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Kilchoman
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: Min. 5 years
ABV: 50 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-PX Sherry Casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Bottled: 2023
Edition: Limited Edition
EAN no.: 5060210707019

Flavour profile

Peated · PX-matured · Sweet · Fruity · Full-bodied

Did you know?

PX grapes are sun-dried for up to two weeks before pressing — a process that concentrates the sugar so much the wine can contain over 400 grams of sugar per litre, far more than even the sweetest dessert wines.

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Kilchoman was founded in 2005, so a 16 year old bottling isn't just an age statement — it's basically the distillery's entire lifetime captured in one glass. It's the oldest official Kilchoman ever to leave the warehouse.

Expert's description

Kilchoman 16 Year Old is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured for 16 years and bottled at 50 %.

The whisky is built from 21 selected casks, mainly ex-bourbon with a smaller proportion of ex-oloroso sherry casks that add depth and a hint of darker fruit. At 16 years old, it's the longest maturation Kilchoman has ever put its name to, and a rare chance to taste what happens when the distillery's young, energetic style is allowed to mature far beyond most of the house's other releases.

The long maturation in Kilchoman's warehouses by the Atlantic has given the spirit time to settle and round out, without losing the citrus-fresh smoke that defines the distillery. The result is a whisky that's both deeper and more complex than the younger core range, yet unmistakably Kilchoman.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe apples and honey meet dried apricot and a deep, earthy peat smoke, with a hint of vanilla and old oak underneath.

Palate

Full and round, with caramel, toasted nuts and a warm spice note that slowly lets the smoke take over alongside a light sherry sweetness.

Finish

Long and dry, with lingering smoke, dark chocolate and a final, gentle sweetness from the sherry casks.

Specifications

Name: Kilchoman 16 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Kilchoman
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 50 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Oloroso Sherry Casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: Limited Edition
EAN no.: 5060210707149

Flavour profile

Peated · Full-bodied · Fruity · Spicy · Oaked

Investment potential

Medium. This is the oldest official age statement Kilchoman has ever released, from a limited number of casks — the kind of release that historically becomes harder to find as the years pass.

Did you know?

When Kilchoman was founded in 2005, several in the industry doubted whether such a small farm distillery would ever produce a double-digit age statement. Sixteen years later, the answer speaks for itself.

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The month code has gone from the name. From 2023 the series is called simply by the year, and it is the same kind of decision as when the batch number disappeared from AD/: the distillery has stopped numbering its way out of things.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan Cask Strength AD 2023 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 58.1% full cask strength by Adelphi. It was composed from forty peated bourbon barrels and ten unpeated casks, bottled on 2 October 2023 in an outturn of 13,683.

Ardnamurchan makes both peated and unpeated malt, and both styles go into this series. Cask strength means the whisky has not been diluted with water before bottling, giving more concentration and a clearer cask character than the house standard at 46.8%.

The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured, and every bottle carries a QR code giving access to blockchain-registered production data. The distillery sits at Glenbeg on the westernmost mainland peninsula in Scotland.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Peat smoke and maritime salinity first, then vanilla and coconut from the bourbon wood. A clear cereal sweetness runs beneath it all, and at this strength the alcohol is up front, so let the glass rest a couple of minutes.

Palate

Powerful and oily. Vanilla, honey and baked fruit open, then the smoke arrives with weight along with black pepper and a dry oak note. The cask strength gives concentration, yet the whisky is not harsh.

Finish

Long and dry. Smoke, salt and spice, with a final malt sweetness lingering beneath it all.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan Cask Strength AD 2023 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 58.1%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 58.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Forty peated bourbon barrels and ten unpeated casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: 2 October 2023
Number of bottles: 13,683
Edition: Cask Strength AD 2023
EAN no.: 5060383653328

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Cask Strength · Maritime · Vanilla · Spiced · Malty

Did You Know?

The bottling date is 2 October 2023, and it appears on the bottle. Ardnamurchan consistently states this sort of thing, the date, the cask split and the outturn, where most distilleries settle for a year. It makes it possible to compare two releases on something other than taste.

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Where the Kintyre peninsula runs into the sea and the waves still roll into Campbeltown Loch, the story of Scotland's smallest and once most famous whisky region lives on. This bottle gathers that story into a single glass - the three distilleries still keeping Campbeltown alive.

Expert Description

Campbeltown Loch is a Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky composed of single malt whisky from all three of the region's distilleries and bottled at 46%.

Behind the bottle stands J&A Mitchell & Co, the owners of Springbank Distillery, who blend malt from Springbank, Glen Scotia and Glengyle into a shared tribute to Campbeltown. Springbank itself contributes three different styles to the overall character - the lighter Hazelburn, the medium-peated Springbank and the heavily peated Longrow - matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks. The result is a blend that gathers the region's maritime salinity, cask fruit and a whisper of smoke into one glass.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Soft peach and apricot meet honey and a touch of citrus zest, while a hint of salty soot lingers in the background.

Palate

Oily in texture with herbaceous notes creeping in beneath sweet vanilla caramel and juicy baked fruit. Salty sea spray and baking spice keep it balanced, with a whisper of peat poking through.

Finish

Long and warming, with smoked almonds, oak and a maritime salinity that never quite lets go - a dry, earthy close.

Specifications

Name: Campbeltown Loch Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottler: J&A Mitchell & Co
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon and sherry casks
EAN no.: 610854005016

Flavour Profile

Maritime · Fruity · Spicy · Lightly peated

Did You Know?

Campbeltown once housed more than 30 distilleries and was known as the whisky capital of the world - today only Springbank, Glen Scotia and Glengyle remain, and Campbeltown Loch is the only blend to gather malt from all three.

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Some whiskies exist because a distillery can do something others simply can't. Loch Lomond Distiller's Choice is proof of that – a single grain made entirely from malted barley, run through a Coffey still few other distilleries even own.

Expert's Description

Loch Lomond Distiller's Choice 2023 Coffey Still is a Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 48.8%.

Although made entirely from 100% malted barley, it is classed as single grain because it is distilled on the distillery's continuous Coffey still rather than traditional pot stills. Master Blender Michael Henry has selected whisky aged between 5 and 12 years and combined 70% first-fill with 30% second-fill bourbon casks. It is neither chill-filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Deep floral and fruit notes of rose and violet, alongside peach, pear and blackcurrant.

Palate

Silky on the palate with tart fruits – blackberry and green apple – woven together with honey and malt.

Finish

Long finish of vanilla fudge sweetness and warming cinnamon spice.

Specifications

Name: Loch Lomond Distiller's Choice 2023 Coffey Still Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks (70% first-fill, 30% second-fill)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Coffey still (continuous distillation)
EAN: 5016840210207
Serving suggestion: In a tulip glass at room temperature, ideally with a few drops of water

Flavour Profile

Floral · Fruity · Sweet · Smooth

Did You Know?

Loch Lomond is one of the only Scottish distilleries producing both malt and grain whisky on the same site – and does so using several different still types under one roof.

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The cask has crossed the Atlantic twice. First as a bourbon barrel from Kentucky down to the Caribbean, where it held rum for a few years, and then on to a west-facing peninsula in Scotland. Three continents in one piece of wood.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan Rum Cask Release AD is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky first matured in bourbon casks and then finished in Caribbean rum casks, bottled at 55% in 2023.

Rum casks are not an obvious partner for peated whisky, but they work better than you might expect. Rum lays in a dry, almost green sugar cane sweetness quite different from sherry’s raisins or port’s red fruit. Together with Ardnamurchan’s saline maritime character the result reads tropical rather than sweet.

The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured. Ardnamurchan sits at Glenbeg on the westernmost mainland peninsula in Scotland and has been distilling since July 2014.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Salted cashews and vanilla extract first, with a coastal breeze behind. Beneath sit dry sugar cane sweetness and a light peat smoke, along with a note of toasted coconut from the bourbon maturation.

Palate

Dry sweetness to begin, sugar cane rather than syrup. Vanilla and baked banana follow, then the smoke arrives along with a saline minerality. At 55% the texture is oily and full, and the rum cask gives direction rather than weight.

Finish

Long and dry. Salt, smoke and a final sugar cane sweetness that lets go slowly.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan Rum 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 casks, finished in Caribbean rum casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: 2023
Edition: Rum Cask Release AD
EAN no.: 5060383653311

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Tropical · Sweet · Maritime · Cask Strength · Vanilla

Did You Know?

The great majority of rum casks in the whisky world were originally bourbon barrels. Kentucky may only use its casks once, so they are sold on, first to the Caribbean for rum, then to Scotland for whisky. A single oak cask can therefore hold three different spirits across three continents before ending up as garden furniture.

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Five years is a short time. But Murray McDavid knew what they had – a young, vibrant Caol Ila distillate that needed a pivot point. Justino Madeira casks from the Atlantic island provided it: a sweet, slightly oxidised wine sweetness meeting the young smoke halfway.

Expert's description

Caol Ila 5 Years Murray McDavid Benchmark Series Justino Madeira Cask Finish is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky distilled in 2018, bottled in 2023 at 51.5% with a Justino Madeira cask finish, without chill filtration and with natural colour.

Murray McDavid is a Scottish bottler with a long history and a clear philosophy: find interesting casks, experiment with unexpected combinations and bottle with respect for the distillate's character. The Benchmark Series is the line of larger batches – this batch yielded 1,803 bottles.

Justino Madeira's casks – from the Portuguese Atlantic island – are known for their sweet, nutty and lightly oxidised profile. Caol Ila's young smoke meets it and produces an expression both fresh and surprisingly complex for its age.

Tasting notes

Nose

Young, fresh Caol Ila smoke meets sweet, nutty Madeira notes. Dried fruit, a warm spice note and a hint of salt.

Palate

Light and fresh with a sweet Madeira frame around Caol Ila's smoke. Toffee, light citrus and a slightly medicinal edge showing the distillate's youth.

Finish

Relatively short but fresh. Smoke and Madeira sweetness close with light saltiness and a little pepper.

Specifications

Name: Caol Ila 5 Years Murray McDavid Benchmark Series Justino Madeira Cask Finish
Distillery: Caol Ila Distillery
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 5 years
ABV: 51.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in Justino Madeira casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2018
Bottled: 2023
Number of bottles: 1,803
Series: Benchmark Series
EAN no.: 5060353304618

Flavour profile

Peated · Fruity · Sweet · Fresh · Nutty

Did you know?

Justino Madeira is one of the oldest wine houses on Madeira, founded in 1870. Their casks carry flavour and aroma from decades of dessert wine – that is the heritage they lend to whisky finishes.

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Ximénez-Spinola is a small sherry house in Jerez working only with the Pedro Ximénez grape. Their casks rarely end up in whisky — but when they do, you can taste it.

Expert description

Dalmunach 7 years Murray McDavid PX Sherry Finish is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in Ximénez-Spinola PX casks and bottled at 48.5% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The release belongs to Murray McDavid's Benchmark Series and was made in 2,062 bottles. Murray McDavid was founded in 1996 and has made cask finishing its signature — the house buys casks from named wine and sherry producers rather than settling for generic sherry wood. Dalmunach opened in 2015, so everything that exists from the distillery is young.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark and sweet. Raisin, date and dark chocolate, with a layer of young malt and cereal under the concentrated fruit.

Palate

Round and syrupy. Dried fruit, caramel and cocoa, with a lightly spiced edge from the oak. The 48.5% keeps the sweetness from turning heavy.

Finish

Medium and sweet, with raisin, nuts and a dry spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Dalmunach 7 years Murray McDavid PX Sherry Finish Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 48,5%
Distillery: Dalmunach
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 7 years
ABV: 48.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ximénez-Spinola PX cask finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 2,062
Edition: Benchmark Series
EAN no.: 5060353304625

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dried Fruit · Chocolate · Sweet · Young

Did you know?

Murray McDavid names the sherry and wine houses their casks come from. It sounds like a detail, but it is rare in the trade — most simply write sherry cask and leave the customer to guess at the quality.

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Lady of the Glen sticks to one simple rule: casks from silent distilleries, or rare, tightly limited parcels. This Glenlossie is another reason the Scottish bottler has built such a following among collectors in recent years.

Expert's Description

Glenlossie 10 Year Old Lady of the Glen is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at full cask strength, 56.6%.

Distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2023 by the independent bottler Lady of the Glen, run by Hannah Whisky Merchants, the whisky comes from a single cask, No. 5308, a refill hogshead finished in an ex ruby port cask. Lady of the Glen always bottles single cask, non-chill filtered and with no added colour, so what lands in the glass is the whisky exactly as the cask left it.

Glenlossie rarely appears as a standalone single malt, since most of its output feeds blends such as Haig's and Dimple – every independent Glenlossie release is a small look behind that curtain.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe red berries and a touch of port-wine sweetness sit over Glenlossie's cereal base. There's a hint of dried apricot and a light, spiced warmth from the high strength.

Palate

Full and powerful, with red-wine berries, caramel and a clear cask-strength bite. The malt still comes through, carried by a faintly sweet, wine-toned note from the port cask.

Finish

Long and warm, with lingering berry and spice notes that slowly settle into a dry, faintly tannic finish.

Specifications

Name: Glenlossie 10 Year Old Lady of the Glen HHD First Fill Ex Ruby Port Finish Rare Cask Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 56.6%
Distillery: Glenlossie
Bottler: Lady of the Glen
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 56.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill hogshead, ex ruby port finish (Cask No. 5308)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2013
Bottled: 2023

Flavour Profile

Sherry/port-toned · Fruity · Full-bodied · Spiced

Did You Know?

Lady of the Glen's name comes from a private memory held by founder Gregor Hannah, who started the company in 2012 – so behind the name isn't a historical figure, but a small personal nod to Scottish folklore.

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North British 1992/2023 Lady of the Glen 30 Year Old Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky 70 cl 47.7%

Lady of the Glen is an independent whisky merchant and bottler specializing in releasing small batches of high-quality whiskies from carefully selected casks. They focus on creating unique and exclusive releases, often from lesser-known distilleries or special cask types. Here, they have found a unique cask from the grain distillery North British, with only 188 bottles available.

Distillery: North British
Bottler: Lady of the Glen
Vintage: Distilled: 1992 Bottled: 2023
Age: 30 years
Type: Single Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Cask number/type: Rare Cask
Non-chill filtered
ABV: 47.7%
70 cl

Eighteen years in two types of oak. Macallan's Double Cask philosophy is straightforward: let American and European oak work together to shape the final whisky. Then give it enough time for the two systems to find each other.

Expert's Description

Macallan 18 Year Old Double Cask 2023 is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured for 18 years in sherry-seasoned American and European oak casks, bottled at 43%. The two cask types complement each other: American sherry oak lends citrus, vanilla and butterscotch, while European sherry oak provides gentle spice and depth. The 2023 release is the current vintage of one of Macallan's most classic age-stated expressions.

For many collectors, Macallan 18 Year Old is a benchmark — not because it surprises, but because it consistently delivers on its promise. That's no small thing.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit and ginger with toffee and rich orange. Hints of clove and nutmeg.

Palate

Rich raisins and sultanas with caramel, vanilla and ginger. Balanced by wood spice and zesty citrus.

Finish

Warm oak spice with ginger that softens into sweet orange. Long and well-integrated.

Specifications

Name: Macallan 18 Year Old Double Cask 2023
Distillery: Macallan
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry-seasoned American and European oak casks
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Annual 2023 Release
EAN no.: 5010314309862

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Fruity · Soft · Elegant

Investment Potential

Medium — Macallan 18 Year Old Double Cask in its vintage-limited 2023 release is attracting growing interest on the secondary market as retailer stocks are depleted. The Macallan 18 Year Old series is generally sought-after given the distillery's reputation and the documented complexity that age brings.

Did you know?

Macallan uses exclusively small copper pot stills — among the smallest in Scotland. They are designed to maximise contact between vapours and the copper surface, contributing to the distillery's characteristically fruity and soft house style.

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Two whiskies from the same distillery that were never meant to meet. One peated and finished in Bordeaux red wine casks. The other triple distilled and finished in Ruby Port. Somebody opened both and poured them together, and what came out makes more sense than it should.

The Expert's Description

1770 Glasgow 2018/2022 Red Wine & Ruby Port Cask 4 Years Old is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in Bordeaux red wine casks and Ruby Port casks, bottled at 57.5%. It brings together two different malt whiskies, both made at Glasgow Distillery, released in the distillery’s Small Batch Series at 1,925 bottles.

The first part is peated and took its finish in casks from Bordeaux, which lays dark berries and a drier tannic edge into the smoke. The second is triple distilled and unpeated, finished in Ruby Port, giving red fruit, sweetness and a fuller texture. Because every drop comes from the one distillery, the whisky is still a Single Malt.

The water comes from Loch Katrine, the mash ferments for more than 72 hours, and distillation runs slowly in copper pot stills. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark berries first, blackberry and preserved cherry, and behind them a dry earthy smoke closer to cold ash than a bonfire. There is vinous sweetness too and a streak of liquorice. The smoke is clear but it does not fill the whole glass.

Palate

Sweet and full to start: raspberry, redcurrant and a little dark chocolate. Then the smoke arrives from the side along with black pepper and a drier tannin from the red wine wood. At 57.5% the body is generous, and a pleasant tension between sweet and smoky runs the whole way through.

Finish

Long and in two halves. The fruit lingers first, then a drier note of ash and pepper takes over and releases slowly.

Specifications

Name: 1770 Glasgow 2018/2022 Red Wine & Ruby Port Cask 4 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 57.5%
Distillery: Glasgow Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 4 years
ABV: 57.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in Bordeaux red wine casks and Ruby Port casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Traditional and triple distillation in copper pot stills
Distilled: 2018
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1,925
Edition: Small Batch Series
EAN no.: 5714772002074

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Fruity · Vinous · Spiced · Cask Strength · Full Bodied

Did You Know?

Glasgow Distillery runs peated, unpeated and triple distilled production within the same year. Most Scottish malt distilleries stick to one style, but here the recipe is deliberately switched so there is something different to build with when the casks are brought together. This bottle is a direct result of working that way.

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One cask, 114 bottles, and a Danish importer who sat and waited for seven years. The spirit ran off the stills on a July day in 2016 in an industrial park in the west of Glasgow, and exactly seven years and ten days later the cask was emptied. Timing like that is rarely an accident.

The Expert's Description

1770 Glasgow 2016/2023 Mac Y Selection 7 Years Old is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a 1st fill ex-bourbon cask and finished in Virgin Oak, bottled at 55.8%. Cask 16/844 was distilled on 17 July 2016 and bottled on 27 July 2023, yielding 114 bottles selected by the Danish importer Mac Y.

Just over three years went by in the first fill bourbon cask, where the spirit picked up vanilla, coconut and a light cereal sweetness. Then came almost four years in new charred American oak. Virgin Oak has never held spirit before, and it works fast and hard: cinnamon, nutmeg, burnt sugar and a drier tannic edge shift the whole profile. Seven years does not sound like much, but in virgin oak seven years can do more than twice that in a refill cask.

Glasgow Distillery uses malted barley and water from Loch Katrine, ferments for more than 72 hours and distils slowly in traditional copper pot stills. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Freshly planed oak and warm cinnamon bun first. Behind that come vanilla, toasted coconut and a hint of yellow fruit, mostly pear with a little pineapple. There is also a drier pencil shaving note that virgin oak casks tend to give.

Palate

Sweet and spicy at once. Burnt sugar, nutmeg and baked apple meet a firm oak tannin that tightens things up mid-palate. At 55.8% it runs warm but the body holds. A few drops of water draw out more honey and calm the wood a little.

Finish

Long and woody, with pepper, toasted oak and a faintly bitter cocoa note. The sweetness lets go slowly.

Specifications

Name: 1770 Glasgow 2016/2023 Mac Y Selection 7 Years Old Virgin Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky 55.8%
Distillery: Glasgow Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 7 years
ABV: 55.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill ex-bourbon and finished in Virgin Oak, cask no. 16/844
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 17 July 2016
Bottled: 27 July 2023
Number of bottles: 114
Edition: Mac Y Selection
EAN no.: 5714772002067

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Vanilla · Oaky · Fresh · Cask Strength · Fruity

Investment Potential

Medium. A single cask with only 114 bottles, released into one market, is hard to find again once it has gone. Bottlings from Glasgow Distillery’s early years have also drawn steadily more attention as the distillery has established itself.

Did You Know?

The water for 1770 comes from Loch Katrine in the Trossachs, the same loch that has supplied Glasgow with drinking water since 1859. The city built an aqueduct system running more than 50 kilometres to fight cholera, and today that same water runs through a malt distillery on the western edge of town.

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A journey to Bolgheri hides inside this 10 year old GlenAllachie. After its time in American oak, the spirit was allowed to rest in wine casks from Grattamacco, one of Tuscany's oldest and most respected wine producers, and the result is a honeyed elegance with a well-rounded finish.

Expert's description

Glenallachie 10 Year Old Grattamacco Wine Cask Finish is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky bottled at 48% ABV, matured in American oak casks and finished in wine casks from Grattamacco in the Bolgheri area of Tuscany, Italy. Grattamacco is considered the second-oldest wine estate in the area and is known for its powerful, earthy red wines, whose character now carries through into the whisky's casks.

Only 15,600 bottles of this release exist globally, without individual bottle numbering, making it one of the more limited expressions in the Wine Cask Finish series.

Tasting notes

Nose

A honeyed sweetness settles first, supported by a light earthy depth from the Italian wine casks.

Palate

The elegance from the nose carries through to the palate, where honey and a warm cask spice balance one another neatly.

Finish

Well-rounded and gentle, closing without rushing or fading too quickly.

Specifications

Name: Glenallachie 10 Year Old Grattamacco Wine Cask Finish Single Speyside Malt Whisky 48%
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 Grattamacco wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 15,600
Edition: Wine Cask Finish
EAN number: 5060568326962

Flavour profile

Honey · Elegance · Earthy depth · Cask spice · Gentle finish

Investment potential

Medium. The collaboration with a renowned Italian wine producer like Grattamacco, combined with a limited global bottle count, makes this release interesting for collectors with an eye for rarer cask partnerships.

Did you know?

Grattamacco helped put the Bolgheri area on the wine map long before the region became known for its so-called "Super Tuscans" – a story the whisky's wine casks now carry forward.

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A small whitewashed warehouse on the Islay shore, salt in the air, and a batch that exists only until the next one takes its place.

Expert Review

Ardbeg 19 Year Old Traigh Bhan Batch 5 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American oak and Oloroso sherry casks and bottled at 46.2%.

Traigh Bhan means white beach, named after the small bay just below the distillery. The series is released in a new batch every year, and each one is its own irreplaceable blend that disappears from the shelf once the next arrives. Batch 5 brings together casks that give the whisky a depth not always found in Ardbeg's more widely available releases, without losing the distillery's trademark backbone of peat and smoke.

The whisky is non-chill filtered, so everything the casks gave it along the way is still in the glass.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green peppers and a hint of smoked mango open things up, quickly followed by guava and a sweet whiff of maple syrup over crisp bacon.

Palate

Peat arrives first, warm and earthy, before the sherry casks unfold with dark fruit and a lightly salted caramel.

Finish

Long and smoky, with a finish of toasted nuts and a last trace of sea salt.

Specifications

Name: Ardbeg 19 Year Old Traigh Bhan Batch 5
Distillery: Ardbeg
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 19 years
ABV: 46.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak and Oloroso sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Batch 5
EAN no.: 5010494980943

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Sherry-matured · Fruity · Salty

Did You Know?

Traigh Bhan takes its name from a small white beach right below the distillery, a name mostly known only to the locals.

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128.9 ppm. That number says most of it: the malt is peated far beyond what almost any other whisky ever sees. Yet Octomore 14.2 is not just raw smoke. Sherry and red wine casks have layered red fruit, coffee and dried fruit over the peat, and the two end up pulling in the same direction.

Expert Description

Octomore 14.2 Edition is a 5 year old Islay Single Malt Whisky matured in Oloroso and Amarone casks, finished in Pauillac wine casks and bottled at a cask strength of 57.7%.

Octomore is Bruichladdich's range of extremely peated whiskies, and 14.2 is the middle release of the 14 series, known as The Impossible Equation. Release 14.1 is the backbone of the series and was matured in American oak. 14.2 goes in another direction entirely, with sherry and wine casks and no bourbon in sight.

The barley is 100% Scottish mainland Concerto, harvested in 2016 and malted to 128.9 ppm. The spirit was distilled in 2017 and spent four years maturing, split between 40% first fill hogsheads that held Oloroso sherry, 16% first fill Amarone casks and 44% refill Amarone casks. The fifth and final year went into casks that once held red wine from Pauillac in Bordeaux. Everything happened on Islay.

The casks give the smoke company. Oloroso brings nuts and dried fruit, Amarone adds red fruit and a dry edge, and the Pauillac casks finish with darker fruit and structure. It was bottled in 2023, non chill filtered and with no added colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Smoke arrives first, dry and heavy, with burnt heather and a hint of pipe tobacco from the oak. Underneath sit leather, prunes and redcurrants, plus malt and something close to warm porridge. Pepper, cinnamon and a green apple turn up a little later.

Palate

The oak takes a lot of space at first, dry and spicy, with black pepper and roasted coffee. Then the sweetness opens, a bit like glazed meat off the barbecue, followed by fruit cake and dried fruit, with the smoke lying over everything. A few drops of water pull out apple and pear and turn up the wine fruit.

Finish

Long and clean smoke. Burnt malt, scorched oak and an edge of sea salt that stays long after the last sip.

Specifications

Name: Octomore 14.2 Edition Bruichladdich 128.9 ppm Islay Single Malt Whisky 57.7%
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Whisky
Age: 5 years
ABV: 57.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill Oloroso hogsheads (40%), 1st fill Amarone casks (16%), refill Amarone casks (44%), finished in Pauillac wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2017
Bottled: 2023
Edition: Octomore 14.2, The Impossible Equation
EAN no.: 5055807416504

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Red fruit · Spicy · Coffee · Wine cask

Did you know?

The 128.9 ppm is measured in the malted barley, before anything has been mashed or distilled. A large share of the phenols disappears along the way, so the figure in the bottle is far lower. That is why two whiskies with the same ppm in the malt can taste completely different, and why the number sounds wilder than it always tastes.

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Forest berries and sweet spices open the door, then cocoa powder and gingerbread take over. This is GlenAllachie at full strength — Batch 11 poured straight from the cask, no water added.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie 10 Year Old Cask Strength Batch 11 is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, red wine barriques and virgin oak casks, bottled at cask strength of 59.4%.

The Cask Strength series has become something of a signature since Billy Walker took over the distillery in 2017. Where the core range tells the story at a gentler strength, here you get the whisky exactly as it left the cask — no water added to tame the intensity.

Batch 11 builds on the sherry and virgin oak combination that has become GlenAllachie's trademark: Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks bring depth and sweetness, while red wine barriques and virgin oak casks add spice and structure. The result is a 10 year old malt that tastes well beyond its years.

Tasting notes

Nose

Forest berries and sweet spices greet you first, quickly followed by cocoa powder and a hint of gingerbread. Orange peel adds a fresh edge, while heather honey ties it all together with floral sweetness.

Palate

The sherry unfolds on the palate with the same forest-berry sweetness from the nose, this time closer to dark chocolate. Spices take over midway, and heather honey returns alongside a touch of orange peel.

Finish

Long and spiced, with cocoa powder and a lingering sweetness from the gingerbread that stays with you well after the last sip.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 10 Year Old Cask Strength Batch 11 Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 59.4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry, virgin oak & red wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Batch 11
EAN no.: 5060568326788

Flavour profile

Sherry-sweet · Spiced · Forest berries · Cocoa · Gingerbread · Cask strength

Did you know?

Cask strength means the whisky is bottled straight from the cask without any water added to adjust the strength — 59.4% is exactly what it measured on leaving the warehouse.

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A bar, a band and a casino — Brave New Spirits builds a speakeasy story around McKintyre's The Game, three 10-year-old releases each in its own cask.

Expert's Description

McKintyre's The Game 10 Year Old is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Brave New Spirits, matured in a bourbon cask and bottled at 46%.

The range consists of three editions, each matured in unique oak casks, all 10 years old and bottled at the same strength, connected by a theme drawn from a fictional Prohibition-era speakeasy.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Malt and light sweetness meet a hint of vanilla from the bourbon cask.

Palate

Round and approachable with caramel, apple and a hint of spice.

Finish

Medium length with lingering malt and a lightly sweet close.

Specifications

Name: McKintyre's The Game
Bottler: Brave New Spirits
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Bourbon Cask
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
EAN No.: 5060909040069

Flavour Profile

Approachable · Round · Caramel · Themed

Did You Know?

The 'The Game' series is one of three parallel McKintyre's releases from Brave New Spirits, each built around a speakeasy narrative and matured in its own unique oak cask.

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Torabhaig bid farewell to the Allt Gleann chapter at full cask strength – one last, powerful full stop before the series moved on.

Expert's description

Torabhaig Allt Gleann The Legacy Series Batch Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 61,1% is a Isle of Skye Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill bourbon and refill whisky casks and bottled at 61,1%.

The Batch Strength release marks the closing bottling of the Allt Gleann chapter and is matured in a combination of first-fill bourbon and refill whisky casks at 61.1%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Intense peat smoke and spiced oak.

Palate

Powerful at full cask strength with smoke and sweetness.

Finish

Very long and smoky.

Specifications

Name: Torabhaig Allt Gleann The Legacy Series Batch Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 61,1%
Distillery: Torabhaig
Region/Country: Isle of Skye
Type: Isle of Skye Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 61,1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill bourbon and refill whisky casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Legacy Series Chapter 2 – Allt Gleann Batch Strength
EAN no.: 5060033848111

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Maritime · Spiced · Rich

Did you know?

Torabhaig is part of Mossburn Distillers, an independent bottler with roots dating back to 1992, which also stands behind several other Scotch whisky projects.

See our full range of Torabhaig

Burgundy casks are known for their finesse in the wine world, and that same finesse shows up in this 17-year-old Ballechin, where the smoke gets company from something more delicate.

The expert's description

Edradour Ballechin 2005/2023 Burgundy Cask 17 years old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill Burgundy hogsheads and bottled at 53.5%.

The whisky was distilled in November 2005 and matured for 17 years across two 1st fill Burgundy casks, numbers 327 and 334, before being bottled in July 2023. The Burgundy cask's delicate red fruit character meets Ballechin's peat smoke and gives the whisky a surprisingly elegant, almost delicate profile for a peated whisky. 2,103 bottles were released.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raspberry and blackcurrant sit finely over an earthy smoke, with a hint of violet and fresh forest floor.

Palate

Delicate and fruity with red berries and a touch of pepper, before a soft, warm smoke emerges underneath.

Finish

Medium length with dry fruit acidity, light smoke and a fine, spiced finish.

Specifications

Name: Edradour Ballechin 2005/2023 Burgundy Cask 17 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 53.5%
Distillery: Edradour Ballechin
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 17 years
ABV: 53,5 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill Burgundy hogsheads (cask no. 327 and 334)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: November 2005
Bottled: 05/07/2023
Number of bottles: Only 2,103 bottles
EAN no.: 5021944123605

Flavour profile

Peated · Fruity · Fresh

Did you know?

The Ballechin name is used only for Edradour's peated bottlings — the unpeated core range is simply called Edradour, even though both whiskies come from the same stills.

See our full range of Edradour Ballechin

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