No caramel colouring, no filtration, no rush. Deanston took the harder road and raised the strength at the same time — which is why the 12 year old tastes clearer than most in its class.

Expert description

Deanston 12 years is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 46.3% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The distillery sits in a converted cotton mill from 1785 by the village of Doune, where the River Teith supplies both water for production and power for the whole site. The malt is Scottish, the fermentation long, and everything runs through classic pot stills. The 12 year old is the core expression and the clearest picture of what Deanston is after: a soft, honeyed style with enough body to be felt.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honey from wildflowers, fresh apple and malt, with vanilla and a light cereal freshness.

Palate

Soft and full. Honey, ginger and malted barley, with pale fruit and a creamy mouthfeel. The 46.3% gives weight without turning hard.

Finish

Medium and dry, with malt, ginger and a soft honeyed warmth.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 12 years Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 46,3%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5029704217175

Flavour profile

Soft · Honeyed · Malty · Fruity · Creamy

Did you know?

The cotton mill at Doune was designed by Richard Arkwright, the man behind the industrial spinning frame. When textile production closed in 1965, the building stood empty for less than a year before the first whisky ran off the stills.

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Before Deanston raised the strength and dropped the filtration, the 12 year old stood at 40 percent. This is that bottle — the house style as it was before the change.

Expert description

Deanston 12 years Old Version is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 40%.

The release predates Deanston moving its core range to 46.3%, without chill filtration and without added colouring. The old version is lighter in body and more restrained than today's, but the underlying character is the same: honey, malt and apple from a distillery housed in a converted cotton mill by the River Teith. For anyone who knows the current 12 year old, it is a direct comparison of what the change meant.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft and light. Honey, apple and malt, with vanilla and a pale cereal note.

Palate

Round and restrained. Malt, honey and pale fruit, with a mild spiced warmth. The body is lighter than in the current release, but the balance is good.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and malty with a faint honeyed sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 12 years Old Version Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks
Edition: Old Version
EAN no.: 5013261150471

Flavour profile

Soft · Honeyed · Malty · Light · Unpeated

Investment potential

Medium. The old 12 year old is discontinued and replaced by the current one at 46.3%. Bottlings from before the change keep getting harder to find.

Did you know?

Deanston generates its own electricity from hydroelectric power on the River Teith and uses less than the plant produces. The surplus is sold to the grid — the distillery has been making money on electricity long before anyone called it sustainability.

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Organic barley for whisky sounds like marketing until you discover how few distilleries bother with the effort. Deanston has been doing it since the early 2000s.

Expert description

Deanston 15 years Organic is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky made from organic barley, matured in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 46.3% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

Organic whisky requires the whole chain to be certified — the field, the maltings, the distillery and the casks must be kept apart from anything conventional. That is the main reason so few do it. Deanston sits in a converted cotton mill by the River Teith, which drives the distillery's own hydroelectric plant, and the house has worked with organic production for over two decades.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean and pale. Malt, honey and green apples, with citrus peel and a light herbal note.

Palate

Soft and precise. Malted barley, honey and pale fruit, with vanilla from the cask and a dry spiced edge. The cereal character stands out more clearly than in the 12 year old.

Finish

Long and dry, with malt, citrus and a mild spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 15 years Organic Single Highland Malt Whisky 46,3%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Organic
EAN no.: 5029704218264

Flavour profile

Clean · Malty · Honeyed · Citrus · Herbal

Investment potential

Medium. Organic single malt with an age statement is a small category, and Deanston is one of the few distilleries producing it as a standing range.

Did you know?

For a whisky to be called organic, the casks must be too. In practice that means casks traced back to certified sources and kept physically separate in the warehouse — a logistical exercise that costs more than the barley itself.

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Vino de Naranja is an Andalusian speciality made from sun-dried orange peel and matured in solera. Putting it on a seventeen year old Highland malt is not something many had thought of.

Expert description

Deanston 17 years Orange Wine Cask Finish is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured fifteen years in ex-bourbon casks with a final finish in Vino de Naranja casks and bottled at 53.6% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

Deanston has occupied a converted cotton mill at Doune since 1966 and has never followed the crowd. The first fifteen years in bourbon wood give the honeyed depth and waxy texture the house is known for. The whisky is then moved into casks from Vino de Naranja, a Spanish orange wine made from sun-dried peel and aged in a traditional solera system.

Tasting notes

Nose

Orange peel and honey first, then dried apricot, vanilla and a warm spiced note. A lightly bitter citrus note sits under the sweetness.

Palate

Full and concentrated. Marmalade, honey and malted barley, with a dry orange edge from the finish and a peppery warmth from the strength. The wax from the bourbon casks is still clear.

Finish

Long and dry, with orange, spice and a faintly bitter peel note that lingers.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 17 years Orange Wine Cask Finish Single Highland Malt Whisky 53,6%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 17 years
ABV: 53.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks with a Vino de Naranja finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Orange Wine Cask Finish

Flavour profile

Orange · Honeyed · Spiced · Waxy · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. An unusual cask type on a seventeen year old whisky at cask strength. Vino de Naranja finishes barely exist elsewhere in Scotch whisky.

Did you know?

Vino de Naranja is made by steeping sun-dried orange peel in young wine for months before it enters the solera. It is an Andalusian farming tradition rather than an industrial process — which is why the casks exist only in very small numbers.

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Seventeen years is an awkward number for a whisky. It was chosen because the casks were ready — not because anyone thought it looked good on a label.

Expert description

Deanston 17 years Old Version is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 40%.

The release predates Deanston moving its core range to 46.3% without chill filtration and without added colouring. Seventeen years in cask is uncommon even today, and when this was bottled it was among the house's oldest releases. Deanston has distilled since the mid-1960s in a converted cotton mill by the River Teith, and the long maturations show a different side from the core range.

Tasting notes

Nose

Mature and restrained. Honey, dried apple and malt, with vanilla, nuts and a dusty note from the years in glass.

Palate

Soft and round. Malt, honey and candied fruit, with a warm spiced middle. At 40% it is light, but the seventeen years have given a depth the strength cannot hide.

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: Deanston 17 years Old Version Single Highland Malt Whisky 40%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 17 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Old Version
EAN no.: 5013261190453

Flavour profile

Soft · Malty · Honeyed · Nutty · Mature

Investment potential

High. The release is discontinued, and Deanston has not had a standing 17 year old in the range since. Older releases from the house keep getting harder to find.

Did you know?

Deanston is one of the few Scottish distilleries that uses no peat at all. All the malt is unpeated, and the smoke simply does not exist in the house — which is why long maturation here is about fruit and nuts rather than burning off smoke.

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Pinot Noir is the thin-skinned diva of grapes — hard to grow and harder still to get right. Putting Deanston's honey into a Pinot Noir cask was therefore a gamble that could have gone wrong.

Expert description

Deanston 2002 Pinot Noir Cask Finish 17 years is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in Pinot Noir casks and bottled at 50% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The whisky was distilled in 2002 and had seventeen years before it went into bottle. Pinot Noir does not give the heavy, dark fruit you know from sherry — it contributes acidity, light red berries and a dry tannic edge. On a spirit like Deanston's, already pale and honeyed, the result turns fresher rather than darker.

Tasting notes

Nose

Bright, crisp fruit notes with creamy vanilla and oak, leaving room for a suggestion of green grapes.

Palate

Dry and lightly malted with a tart edge and a rich hint of tannin. The 50% keeps the acidity up without making the whisky sharp.

Finish

Long and tart, with grape acidity, malt and a dry oak note.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 2002 Pinot Noir Cask Finish 17 years Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 50%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 17 years
ABV: 50 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Pinot Noir casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2002
Edition: Pinot Noir Cask Finish
EAN no.: 0502970400288

Flavour profile

Fruity · Tart · Vanilla · Dry · Wine Cask

Investment potential

Medium. A seventeen year old vintage with a cask type rarely used in Scotch whisky. Pinot Noir finishes exist only in very limited numbers.

Did you know?

Pinot Noir has thinner skins than most grapes, which is why the wine turns pale and fresh rather than dark and tannic. That very quality makes the casks interesting in whisky — they add freshness rather than weight, the opposite of what sherry does.

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New oak is whisky's hard school. The cask has never held anything before, so it gives everything it has at once — spice, vanilla and tannin, unfiltered.

Expert description

Deanston Virgin Oak 2023 Edition Cask Strength Batch 1 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks and subsequently in new American oak casks, bottled at cask strength of 58.5% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

Virgin oak means casks that have never held spirit or wine before. They give a far stronger cask influence than refills, which is why they are typically used only for a shorter finishing period. This release is the first batch of Deanston's Virgin Oak at cask strength, which makes both the spice and the house honey markedly more concentrated than in the standard version.

Tasting notes

Nose

Powerful vanilla and coconut, with cinnamon, honey and a warm note of freshly planed oak.

Palate

Dense and spiced. Vanilla, caramel and malted barley, with pepper and a dry tannic edge from the new wood. The cask strength pushes it all forward without turning sharp.

Finish

Long and warm, with spice, vanilla and a dry oak close.

Specifications

Name: Deanston Virgin Oak 2023 Edition Cask Strength Batch 1 Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 58,5%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 58.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks and new American oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Virgin Oak 2023 Edition Cask Strength Batch 1
EAN no.: 5029704221189

Flavour profile

Vanilla · Spiced · Oak · Honeyed · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. The first batch of Virgin Oak at cask strength, released as a 2023 edition. First numbers in a series usually become hard to find fastest.

Did you know?

New oak casks cost many times what a used bourbon cask does. That is why virgin oak is almost always used as a finish rather than for full maturation — few distilleries can afford to leave whisky for decades in wood nobody has used before.

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Deanston is known for pale honey and bourbon wood. Put the spirit in a first fill sherry cask for thirteen years and the house becomes almost unrecognisable.

Expert description

Deanston 2007/2021 Signatory Vintage 13 years is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a first fill sherry butt and bottled at cask strength of 64.5% without added colouring.

The cask carries the number 900146, was filled on 14 June 2007 and emptied on 12 March 2021. The outturn was 624 bottles. Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 by Andrew Symington and buys casks from distilleries across Scotland. Deanston rarely sells casks on, so an actively sherried version like this exists essentially only through independent bottlers.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark and concentrated. Raisin, fig and orange peel, with cocoa, walnut and a warm spiced note from the wood.

Palate

Massive but round. Dried fruit, dark chocolate and caramelised sugar, with Deanston's honey beneath the sherry and a peppery warmth from the strength.

Finish

Very long and dry, with nuts, dark fruit and a persistent spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 2007/2021 Signatory Vintage 13 years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 64,5%
Distillery: Deanston
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 64.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First fill sherry butt no. 900146
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 14/06/2007
Bottled: 12/03/2021
Number of bottles: 624
EAN no.: 5021944112265

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dried Fruit · Chocolate · Spiced · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. 624 bottles from one first fill sherry cask at high strength, from a distillery that rarely appears with independent bottlers.

Did you know?

Deanston's own range is almost exclusively bourbon matured. That makes the independent sherry bottlings the only place to taste what the house spirit does in dark wood — and they are therefore in more demand than the bottle count alone would explain.

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Sixty-six point eight percent after thirteen years. The cask has barely given up any alcohol along the way — and there is a very concrete reason for that.

Expert description

Deanston 2008/2022 Signatory Vintage 13 years is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a first fill sherry butt and bottled at cask strength of 66.8% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The cask is numbered 900076, was filled on 13 August 2008 and emptied on 11 March 2022 with an outturn of 574 bottles. The release belongs to Signatory's Cask Strength Collection. A strength that high after thirteen years means the cask lost more water than alcohol — which happens in dry, airy warehouses rather than in damp earth-floored cellars.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dense and dark. Raisin, date and orange marmalade, with dark chocolate, nuts and a warm spiced note.

Palate

Fierce but well balanced. Dried fruit, cocoa and burnt sugar, with a dry sherry edge and a peppery warmth. Deanston's honey sits underneath and keeps the sweetness natural.

Finish

Very long, dry and spiced, with dark fruit, nuts and a slowly fading warmth.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 2008/2022 Signatory Vintage 13 years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 66,8%
Distillery: Deanston
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 66.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First fill sherry butt no. 900076
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 13/08/2008
Bottled: 11/03/2022
Number of bottles: 574
Edition: Cask Strength Collection
EAN no.: 5021944117277

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dried Fruit · Chocolate · Spiced · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. 574 bottles at unusually high cask strength from a first fill sherry cask. Sherried Deanston is a rarity at any age.

Did you know?

Whether a whisky rises or falls in strength during maturation depends on the humidity in the warehouse. Where it is dry, water evaporates fastest and the strength climbs. Where it is damp, the alcohol goes first — which is why two casks filled the same day can end up in very different places.

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Sauternes exists because a fungus attacks the grapes and draws the water out of them. The result is one of the world's sweetest white wines — and a cask that does something quite particular to whisky.

Expert description

Deanston 2014/2024 Coopers Choice 10 years is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon wood with a final maturation in a Sauternes cask and bottled at 52.5% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The whisky was distilled in 2014 and bottled in 2024 from cask number 1149 by The Vintage Malt Whisky Company in Glasgow as part of the Cooper's Choice range. Sauternes comes from Bordeaux and is made from grapes affected by noble rot, which concentrates the sugar. On a honeyed Highland malt like Deanston it reinforces the sweetness rather than working against it.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honey, apricot and orange marmalade, with vanilla and a light floral note from the wine cask.

Palate

Full and sweet. Ripe fruit, honey and spice, with oak and a creamy texture. The Sauternes cask lays a layer of concentrated fruit sweetness over the house honey.

Finish

Long and warm, with fruit, spice and a dry oak note at the close.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 2014/2024 Coopers Choice 10 years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 52,5%
Distillery: Deanston
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 52.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask with a Sauternes finish, cask no. 1149
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2014
Bottled: 2024
EAN no.: 5024720863290

Flavour profile

Honeyed · Fruity · Spiced · Creamy · Wine Cask

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask with a Sauternes finish from a bottler working with individual casks. Wine cask finishes of this kind exist in small numbers.

Did you know?

Noble rot sounds like something that ruins a harvest, and most of the time it does. Only under very particular humidity does the fungus draw water from the grapes without spoiling them — which is what makes Sauternes both rare and expensive.

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Twenty year old Deanston is not something the distillery sells itself. That Boutique-Y Whisky Company found the casks, drew a story on the label and put it in a half bottle.

Expert description

Deanston That Boutique-Y Whisky Company 20 years is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 49.1% in a 50 cl bottle.

This is the house's batch 7 from Deanston and gave 450 bottles. That Boutique-Y Whisky Company was founded in 2012 by Ben Ellefsen and is known for its hand-drawn labels, where every bottle gets its own illustration. Deanston itself rarely releases whisky over eighteen years, and twenty years in cask shows a side of the house the core range never reaches.

Tasting notes

Nose

Marmalade first, developing into barley, vanilla, caramel, milk chocolate and a little coconut.

Palate

Fresh notes of ripe plums combined with mint leaves, with honey and malt underneath. The 49.1% gives good weight without drowning the finer notes.

Finish

Long and soft, with caramel, malt and a mild spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: Deanston That Boutique-Y Whisky Company 20 years Single Highland Malt Whisky 49,1%
Distillery: Deanston
Bottler: That Boutique-Y Whisky Company
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 49.1%
Size: 50 CL
Number of bottles: 450
Edition: Batch 7
EAN no.: 5025988178451

Flavour profile

Caramel · Fruity · Chocolate · Malty · Soft

Investment potential

High. 450 bottles from a batch of twenty year old Deanston — an age the distillery does not release itself. The Boutique-y labels are also collected in their own right.

Did you know?

That Boutique-Y Whisky Company bottles in 50 cl rather than 70 cl so rare casks can be shared across more hands. With twenty year old whisky from a distillery that does not release at that age itself, the decision makes rather good sense.

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Virgin Oak was Deanston's first attempt at doing something unexpected with the house honey. This bottle predates the redesign — same idea, older packaging.

Expert description

Deanston Virgin Oak Old Version is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in traditional oak casks with a final maturation in new American oak casks and bottled at 46.3% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The release comes from an earlier version of Virgin Oak, which Deanston later gave a new design. The idea is unchanged: fresh, untreated casks lift the pale, fruity and naturally honeyed house style with spice and vanilla sweetness. Deanston has distilled in a converted cotton mill by the River Teith since 1966 and uses no peat at all.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean, fresh and inviting. Citrus, malt, vanilla and lightly spiced oak, with touches of honey, fresh apples and a mild nutty note.

Palate

Soft but lively. Vanilla, caramel, citrus and pale fruit, where the virgin oak casks contribute warm spice, a hint of pepper and a creamy sweetness.

Finish

Medium and lightly spiced, with vanilla, oak and a soft honey note.

Specifications

Name: Deanston Virgin Oak old version Single Highland Malt Whisky 46,3%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks with a new American oak finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Virgin Oak Old Version

Flavour profile

Vanilla · Citrus · Spiced · Honeyed · Creamy

Investment potential

Medium. A discontinued bottle design from a range still in production. Older versions of a running series become interesting precisely because they can be dated by appearance.

Did you know?

Deanston sends surplus electricity from its own hydroelectric plant out to the grid. The distillery uses nowhere near everything the River Teith can deliver, and the money from the sold power goes back into production.

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Most distilleries use casks somebody else used first. Virgin Oak does the opposite at the end — fresh casks that have never held anything but air.

Expert description

Deanston Virgin Oak is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in traditional oak casks with a final maturation in new American oak casks and bottled at 46.3% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The whisky builds on Deanston's pale, fruity and naturally honeyed house style and then takes a lift of spice and vanilla sweetness from the untreated wood. Deanston has distilled since 1966 in a converted cotton mill by the River Teith, which also drives the distillery's hydroelectric plant. The house uses no peat at all, so all the warmth in the whisky comes from the casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean, fresh and inviting. Citrus, malt, vanilla and lightly spiced oak, with touches of honey, fresh apples and a mild nutty note.

Palate

Soft but lively. Vanilla, caramel, citrus and pale fruit. The virgin oak casks contribute warm spice, a hint of pepper and a creamy sweetness that balances the fresh house style.

Finish

Medium and lightly spiced, with vanilla, oak and a soft honey note.

Specifications

Name: Deanston Virgin Oak Single Highland Malt Whisky 46,3%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks with a new American oak finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Virgin Oak
EAN no.: 5029704217458

Flavour profile

Vanilla · Citrus · Spiced · Honeyed · Creamy

Did you know?

Bourbon must by American law mature in new, charred oak casks. Scotch has no equivalent rule, which makes new wood an exception rather than the norm — Virgin Oak therefore borrows an American idea and puts it on a Scottish malt.

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The Cromdale hills rise behind Balmenach like an old spine of heather and granite. Whisky has been made here since 1824, and the distillery has never been in any hurry to shout about it. Deerstalker takes casks from this quiet place and lets them speak at their own pace.

The expert description

Deerstalker 12 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Balmenach, matured in oak casks and bottled at 43% without chill filtration.

Balmenach sits beside the village of Cromdale, right on the line where the Highlands slip into Speyside. James MacGregor founded the distillery in 1824, and it is owned today by Inver House. Almost all of the spirit disappears into blends, which is why so few bottles carry the Balmenach name on the front.

The Deerstalker range comes from Aberko in Glasgow, a house that has held on to one principle throughout: the whisky is bottled without chill filtration. It is a small decision with a large consequence, because the oils that would otherwise be filtered out stay in the bottle and give the whisky a fuller texture.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and gently tart. Green apple and peach arrive first, then a dusting of vanilla underneath and a dry, almost powdery grain note reminiscent of the air inside an old warehouse.

Palate

It opens tight and sour, then unfolds into pale fruit, pear and lemon peel, while a soft sweetness of vanilla and demerara sugar settles beneath.

Finish

Fuller and longer than 43% would suggest. Spice, toasted bread and a final dry note of oak.

Specifications

Name: Deerstalker 12 Years Old
Distillery: Balmenach
Bottler: Deerstalker
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
EAN no.: 5030748100347

Flavour profile

Fresh · Fruity · Soft · Lightly spiced · Malty

Did you know?

Balmenach belongs to the small handful of Scottish distilleries still condensing their spirit in worm tubs, long coiled pipes submerged in cold water outside the stillhouse. The method is slow and takes up space, but it produces a heavier, meatier spirit than any modern condenser can deliver.

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Some whiskies you can simply go out and buy. Others required you to be standing in a particular room on a particular evening. Douglas Laing turned 70 in 2018, and for the celebration a single sherry butt was emptied. Seventy bottles. Every one of them signed by hand.

The Expert's Description

Douglas Laing 70th Anniversary 20 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a single Sherry Butt and bottled at 52%. It was created for the importers and staff who attended the company’s 70th anniversary celebration, never reached a retail shelf, and that alone explains a great deal about how few exist.

The Speyside distillery behind the whisky is undisclosed. That is standard practice when Douglas Laing bottles single casks sourced from distilleries that will not lend their name, and it is why the label reads Single Speyside Malt rather than a distillery name. The style, however, is unmistakable. Twenty years in Spanish sherry oak has pushed dark fruit and depth into the spirit without flattening Speyside's brighter malt sweetness. The cask yielded 70 bottles, hand filled and numbered, each label carrying the signatures of both Fred and Cara Laing.

Douglas Laing has been bottling whisky since 1948 and the firm remains in the family's hands. The 70th Anniversary was their own birthday present to themselves, and one of the rarest pieces of whisky history the family has ever released.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark ripe fruit leads: prunes, figs and long-steeped raisins. Behind that sit honey, orange peel and a dry nuttiness from the sherry oak. Give the glass fifteen minutes and vanilla arrives, along with a whisper of old leather.

Palate

Full and close to oily. Caramel and baked apple meet cinnamon and a touch of clove, with oak tannin keeping the sweetness on a short leash. The 52% reads as warmth rather than heat. A few drops of water do not break it apart, they round it out.

Finish

Long and dry. Dark chocolate, pipe tobacco and a nutty bitterness that hangs around well after the last sip. Right at the end the honey comes back.

Specifications

Name: Douglas Laing 70th Anniversary 20 Years Old Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 52%
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 52%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry Butt
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 70
Edition: 70th Anniversary

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Fruity · Spiced · Nutty · Full Bodied · Oaky

Investment Potential

High. One cask, 70 bottles, never released for general sale and signed by the family behind the firm. That combination makes the bottle genuinely hard to track down, and it has climbed considerably in value since 2018.

Did You Know?

Douglas Laing was founded in 1948 by Fred Douglas Laing. That year Scotch was still rationed after the war, and most of the whisky bottled in Scotland was shipped abroad to earn foreign currency for the British Treasury. The firm was born into a market where whisky was treated almost as a trading commodity, on a par with coal.

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

The expert description

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

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

Did you know?

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

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A recipe said to have travelled with a prince in flight, an inn on Skye and a Gaelic phrase about a dram that satisfies. Drambuie has had almost three hundred years to embroider its own story, and it has used them well.

The expert description

Drambuie is a Scotch Whisky Liqueur built on malt whisky from the Isle of Skye, sweetened with heather honey and seasoned with herbs and spices, bottled at 40%.

The story starts in July 1746. Prince Charles Edward Stuart was in flight after the defeat at Culloden, and on his way to the Isle of Skye he was helped by John MacKinnon of Clan MacKinnon. In return, the prince is said to have handed MacKinnon the recipe for his personal liqueur. By 1873 it could be had at The Broadford Hotel on Skye, where guests called it an dram buidheach, the dram that satisfies. The Ross family registered the name as a trademark twenty years later, and The Drambuie Liqueur Company was founded in 1914.

In 1916 Drambuie became the first liqueur admitted to the House of Lords, and it reached Buckingham Palace the following year. Prohibition in the United States and the Second World War came close to killing the brand off, but it survived. Drambuie is owned today by William Grant & Sons.

Tasting notes

Nose

Orange peel and honey first, then aniseed, saffron and a dry herbal edge that keeps the sweetness in check.

Palate

Oily and full. Honey, toffee and citrus settle first, then the malt whisky pushes through with spice and a clean acidity that lifts the whole thing.

Finish

Warm and long with nutmeg, clove and a final bitter orange note.

Specifications

Name: Drambuie
Producer: Drambuie
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Scotch Whisky Liqueur
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5010391100703
Serving suggestion: Neat over ice or in a Rusty Nail with Blended Scotch Whisky

Flavour profile

Sweet · Spiced · Honeyed · Citrus · Herbal

Did you know?

The name Rusty Nail only appeared in the 1960s at a club in New York, but the drink had been around for decades under other names, among them BIF, D and S and Little Club No. 1. It was only once bartenders settled on a single name that it truly caught on.

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1999 was a year when Edradour distilled whisky that, 21 years later, would meet Italian Barolo wine — the result is a discontinued rarity many collectors seek out.

The expert's description

Edradour 1999 Vintage Barolo Cask Finish 21 years old is a Single Highland Malt Whisky finished in Barolo casks and bottled at 54.8%.

The whisky was distilled on 9 August 1999 and, after a long primary maturation, received a finishing period in casks that previously held Barolo, a powerful Italian red wine from Piedmont made from Nebbiolo grapes. The whisky was bottled on 21 October 2020 after 21 years of total maturation and is today a discontinued vintage release.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried cherries and rose petals, with a tannic undercurrent of tar and a hint of fresh malt.

Palate

Dark berries and a lightly bitter tannic grip, where the malt keeps a soft, honeyed base beneath the wine's intensity.

Finish

Long with dry tannins, black pepper and a finish of dark cherries and leather.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 1999 Vintage Barolo Cask Finish 21 years old Single Highland Malt Whisky 54.8%
Distillery: Edradour
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 54,8 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Barolo cask finish
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 09/08/1999
Bottled: 21/10/2020
Edition: Vintage 1999

Flavour profile

Fruity · Spicy

Investment potential

This release is assessed to have high investment potential, largely due to the 1999 vintage, 21 years of maturation and a rare Barolo cask finish from a discontinued bottling. This is a general assessment based on available information about rarity and demand, not a guarantee of future value growth.

Did you know?

Barolo is often called 'the king of wines' in Italy because of its power and ageing potential — qualities that make the cask particularly well suited to finishing older, already complex whiskies like this one.

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Same vintage, same age — but a completely different wine world. Where its sister bottle got Barolo, this 1999 distillate instead met Bordeaux.

The expert's description

Edradour 1999 Vintage Bordeaux Cask Finish 21 years old is a Single Highland Malt Whisky finished in Bordeaux casks and bottled at 55.7%.

The whisky was distilled on 12 October 1999 and, after its primary maturation, received a finishing period in casks that previously held Bordeaux red wine. The whisky was bottled on 21 October 2020 after 21 years of total maturation and, like its Barolo sibling, is a discontinued vintage release.

Tasting notes

Nose

Blackcurrant and cassis, with a lightly cedary undercurrent and a hint of tobacco.

Palate

Dark berries and plum, where the Bordeaux cask's tannins meet Edradour's soft, honeyed malt.

Finish

Long with dry tannin, cedar and a finish of dark chocolate.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 1999 Vintage Bordeaux Cask Finish 21 years old Single Highland Malt Whisky 55.7%
Distillery: Edradour
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 55,7 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bordeaux cask finish
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 12/10/1999
Bottled: 21/10/2020
Edition: Vintage 1999

Flavour profile

Fruity · Spicy

Investment potential

This release is assessed to have high investment potential, largely due to the 1999 vintage, 21 years of maturation and a rare Bordeaux cask finish from a discontinued bottling. This is a general assessment based on available information about rarity and demand, not a guarantee of future value growth.

Did you know?

Bordeaux casks are used more rarely for whisky finishing than sherry and port, because French wine casks are traditionally sold on for other purposes rather than ending up with Scottish distilleries — making this cask type a genuine rarity in Scotch whisky.

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There's a quiet confidence to a whisky that's been allowed to rest for 21 years in a single sherry cask. No rush, no shortcuts — just time and good wood.

The expert's description

Edradour 2001/2023 Oloroso Sherry Butt 21 years old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill ex-bourbon hogshead and Oloroso sherry butt and bottled at 52.1%.

The whisky was distilled in 2001 and matured for 21 years, split across cask no. 2413, 2414 and 2504, before being bottled in July 2023. The Oloroso sherry has given the whisky a deep, reddish-brown colour and a rich, nutty sweetness that balances Edradour's light, unpeated character. With 1,919 bottles, this is one of the rarer releases from the distillery's core range.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisins, walnut and a hint of orange peel sit over a soft malt aroma, with a deep, sherry-dark sweetness underneath.

Palate

Rich and rounded with dried apricot, dark chocolate and a lightly spiced oak. The sherry gives the whisky body without ever drowning out the malt's character.

Finish

Long and warm with lingering notes of dark caramel, walnut shell and a dry, elegant finish.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 2001/2023 Oloroso Sherry Butt 21 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 52.1%
Distillery: Edradour
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 52,1 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead and Oloroso Sherry butt (cask no. 2413, 2414 and 2504)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2001
Bottled: 03/07/2023
Number of bottles: Only 1,919 bottles
EAN no.: 5021944123575

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Fruity · Spicy · Smooth

Investment potential

This release is assessed to have medium investment potential, largely due to 21 years of maturation, sherry influence and a bottle run under 2,000. This is a general assessment based on available information about rarity and demand, not a guarantee of future value growth.

Did you know?

Edradour sits so close to Signatory Vintage's bottling facilities in Pitlochry that the two companies practically share a home — Signatory has owned the distillery since 2002.

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Some of Edradour's finest moments come when the distillery keeps it simple: good grain, good casks and plenty of time. This 21-year-old bourbon cask maturation is one of them.

The expert's description

Edradour 2003/2024 Bourbon Barrel 21 years old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon barrels and bottled at 54.3%.

The whisky was distilled in 2003 and matured for 21 years across seven selected bourbon casks, numbers 67 to 73, before being bottled in 2024. The long maturation in American oak has given the whisky a warm, vanilla-led sweetness, while Edradour's light, floral core character is preserved throughout. 1,126 bottles were drawn from this maturation.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla, honey and ripe pears, with a lightly nutty undercurrent and a hint of fresh oak.

Palate

Soft and rounded with caramel, toasted almonds and a fine acidity from tropical fruit that keeps the palate fresh despite the age.

Finish

Medium length with lingering vanilla, lightly spiced oak and a dry, elegant finish.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 2003/2024 Bourbon Barrel 21 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 54.3%
Distillery: Edradour
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 54,3 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon barrels (cask no. 67-73)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2003
Bottled: 2024
Number of bottles: Only 1,126 bottles
EAN no.: 5021944127115

Flavour profile

Fruity · Smooth · Creamy

Investment potential

This release is assessed to have medium investment potential, largely due to 21 years of maturation and a comparatively small run from seven selected casks. This is a general assessment based on available information about rarity and demand, not a guarantee of future value growth.

Did you know?

Edradour still uses old, open-topped mash tuns and wooden washbacks for fermentation — a production method most other Scottish distilleries abandoned decades ago.

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Six bourbon casks, brought together into one batch — that's the recipe behind this 13-year-old, which shows Edradour in one of its most classic and direct forms.

The expert's description

Edradour 2007/2021 Bourbon Cask 13 years old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 59.1%.

The whisky was distilled on 16 November 2007 and matured for 13 years across six selected bourbon casks, numbers 382, 383, 384, 386, 387 and 388, before being bottled in May 2021. The relatively high cask strength preserves the bourbon cask's vanilla sweetness in an intense, concentrated form, while Edradour's light, floral core character comes through clearly. 1,290 bottles were released.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and honey, with a hint of green apple and pale oak.

Palate

Spicy and full-bodied with caramel, citrus peel and a fine peppery warmth.

Finish

Medium to long with lingering vanilla and a dry, spicy finish.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 2007/2021 Bourbon Cask 13 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 59.1%
Distillery: Edradour
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 59,1 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks (cask no. 382, 383, 384, 386, 387, 388)
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 16/11/2007
Bottled: 19/05/2021
Number of bottles: Only 1,290 bottles
EAN no.: 5021944113279

Flavour profile

Spicy · Fresh

Did you know?

Edradour is one of the last Scottish distilleries to still run its entire production through a single, very small pair of copper stills — a scale that's almost closer to home distilling than most other Highland distilleries.

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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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Barbaresco casks are a rare sight in Scottish warehouses. This 12-year-old is a small experiment where Italian red wine meets Highland malt.

The expert's description

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

The whisky was distilled in March 2011 and matured for 12 years across eight 1st fill Barbaresco casks, numbers 51 to 58, before being bottled in July 2023. The Italian red wine has left a tannic, almost wine-like character in the whisky, which contrasts with Edradour's usually light and floral style. 2,921 bottles were released.

Tasting notes

Nose

Red cherries and dried rose petals, with a faintly tannic undercurrent from the wine cask and a touch of fresh malt.

Palate

Juicy red berries meet a light tannic grip, while the malt keeps a soft, honeyed base beneath the wine's intensity.

Finish

Medium length with dry tannins, a touch of pepper and a finish of dark cherries.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 2011/2023 Barbaresco 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 Barbaresco hogsheads (cask no. 51-58)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: March 2011
Bottled: 03/07/2023
Number of bottles: Only 2,921 bottles
EAN no.: 5021944123568

Flavour profile

Fruity · Spicy · Fresh

Did you know?

Edradour is one of the few Scottish distilleries actively experimenting with Italian wine casks such as Barbaresco — a cask type far more common in cognac and rum than in whisky.

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Ten years in bourbon casks at an unusually high natural strength — this release is a good example of just how intense a relatively young Edradour can become.

The expert's description

Edradour 2012/2022 Bourbon Cask 10 years old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 59.6%.

The whisky was distilled on 8 February 2012 and matured for 10 years across eight selected bourbon casks before being bottled in February 2022. The relatively young age combined with a high natural cask strength gives the whisky a fresh, intense character, where the bourbon cask's vanilla and sweetness come through clearly. 1,783 bottles were released.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh vanilla and green apple, with a hint of honey and pale oak.

Palate

Intense and spicy with citrus peel, caramel and a fine peppery warmth from the high strength.

Finish

Medium length with lingering vanilla and a dry, spicy finish.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 2012/2022 Bourbon Cask 10 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 59.6%
Distillery: Edradour
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 59,6 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: bourbon casks (cask no. 47, 50, 53, 54, 55, 57, 61, 63)
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 08/02/2012
Bottled: 28/02/2022
Number of bottles: Only 1,783 bottles
EAN no.: 5021944117086

Flavour profile

Spicy · Fresh

Did you know?

Edradour's whisky has traditionally had a heavier, more oily texture than many other Highland malts — a result of the slow, old-fashioned distillation methods the distillery still uses.

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One cask, 651 bottles, and Signatory Vintage's guarantee of quality — this 10-year-old sherry butt release is a small but concentrated look into Edradour's character.

The expert's description

Edradour 2012/2022 Signatory Vintage 10 years old Sherry Butt is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a single sherry cask and bottled at 58.9%.

The whisky was distilled on 22 June 2012 and matured for 10 years in a single sherry butt, cask #304, before being bottled by Signatory Vintage on 28 September 2022. As a single cask bottling, the whisky shows the sherry cask's full, undiluted influence, with a rich and concentrated flavour profile. Only 651 bottles were drawn from this one cask.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin and dark chocolate, with a full, nutty sweetness and a hint of old oak.

Palate

Rich and spicy with dried fig, caramelised sugar and a warm peppery edge from the high strength.

Finish

Long with lingering dark fruit and a dry, elegant finish.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 2012/2022 Signatory Vintage 10 years old Sherry Butt Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 58.9%
Distillery: Edradour
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 58,9 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry butt (cask no. 304)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 22/06/2012
Bottled: 28/09/2022
Number of bottles: Only 651 bottles
EAN no.: 5021944120451

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Spicy · Creamy

Investment potential

This release is assessed to have medium investment potential, largely due to single cask status from Signatory Vintage, with only 651 bottles from one sherry cask. This is a general assessment based on available information about rarity and demand, not a guarantee of future value growth.

Did you know?

A single cask bottling means the entire bottle run comes from one and the same cask — unlike most commercial whiskies, which are blended from many casks to ensure consistency year after year.

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A leap year for the distillation date, twelve years later bottled on the exact same date — there's something pleasingly symmetrical about this Madeira cask maturation from Edradour.

The expert's description

Edradour 2012/2024 Madeira Cask 12 years old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill Madeira hogsheads and bottled at 48.2%.

The whisky was distilled on 29 February 2012 and matured for 12 years across ten 1st fill Madeira casks, numbers 110 to 119, before being bottled on the exact same date in 2024. The Madeira's characteristic, lightly oxidised sweetness has given the whisky a warm, dried fruit character that complements Edradour's light, floral core style nicely. 3,987 bottles were released.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried apricot and caramelised sugar, with a lightly nutty aroma and a hint of honey.

Palate

Soft and rounded with raisin, toasted almonds and a fine acidity that keeps the sweetness fresh.

Finish

Medium length with warm caramel and a dry, lightly spiced finish.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 2012/2024 Madeira Cask 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 madeira hogsheads (cask no. 110-119)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 29/02/2012
Bottled: 29/02/2024
Number of bottles: Only 3,987 bottles
EAN no.: 5021944125487

Flavour profile

Fruity · Smooth · Creamy

Did you know?

Madeira casks were originally attractive to whisky producers because the heavily fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira could withstand long sea voyages without spoiling — a historical detail that today makes the cask type a sought-after rarity.

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The second release in Ballechin's Madeira Cask number series once again brings sun-warmed cask sweetness together with the distillery's signature peat.

The expert's description

Edradour Ballechin # 2 Madeira Cask is a Single Highland Malt Whisky matured in a Madeira cask and bottled at 46%.

This release is number two in Ballechin's ongoing series of Madeira cask maturations and continues the line from earlier releases in the style. The Madeira cask's warm, lightly oxidised sweetness sits over Ballechin's earthy peat smoke and creates an approachable, yet still characterful whisky at a moderate strength of 46%.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried apricot and caramel, with a lightly earthy smoke and a hint of honey.

Palate

Sweet and rounded with raisin and toasted nuts, before a gentle, warm smoke emerges.

Finish

Medium length with lingering smoke and a dry, lightly sweet finish.

Specifications

Name: Edradour Ballechin # 2 Madeira Cask Single Highland Malt 46%
Distillery: Edradour Ballechin
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Madeira cask
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: # 2

Flavour profile

Peated · Fruity · Smooth

Did you know?

Ballechin numbers several of its recurring releases (# 1, # 2 and so on) rather than using vintage designations — a practice that makes it easy for collectors to follow the series over time.

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Ballechin's most approachable expression is also one of its most characterful — a solid peated Highland whisky without unnecessary fuss.

The expert's description

Edradour Ballechin 10 years old Peated Cask is a Single Highland Malt Whisky bottled at 46%.

This 10-year-old release is one of the more approachable bottlings in the Ballechin series and serves as a solid introduction to the distillery's peated style. At a moderate strength of 46%, the whisky shows Ballechin's earthy, powerful smoke in an accessible and well-balanced form, without compromising on character.

Tasting notes

Nose

Earthy smoke and fresh malt, with a hint of citrus and a touch of tar.

Palate

Full-bodied smoke meets a soft sweetness of honey and caramel, with a lightly salty undercurrent.

Finish

Medium length with lingering smoke and a dry, spicy finish.

Specifications

Name: Edradour Ballechin 10 years old Peated Cask Single Highland Malt 46%
Distillery: Edradour Ballechin
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Double distilled
EAN no.: 5021944087846

Flavour profile

Peated · Fresh

Did you know?

Ballechin takes its name from a small distillery near Edradour that closed in the 1920s — Edradour revived the name in 2003 for its own peated series as a tribute to local whisky history.

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In a green Perthshire valley, Edradour's tiny copper stills have been distilling whisky since 1825. But there's another, smokier side to this quiet farm distillery. Ballechin takes its name from a neighbouring distillery that closed nearly a century ago, and the name now lives on in these heavily peated bottlings.

The expert's description

Edradour Ballechin 13 years old SFTC 2004/2018 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a port cask and bottled at 53.3%.

The whisky belongs to the Straight From The Cask series, where every bottling comes from a single cask with no filtration and no added colour. This particular release was distilled in April 2004 and matured for 13 years in cask no. 199, a port cask that has given the whisky a deep reddish-brown hue and a wine-like sweetness that meets Ballechin's signature peat smoke head-on. The series has long been discontinued, and only 396 bottles were drawn from this one cask.

Tasting notes

Nose

Red berries and dark chocolate arrive first, quickly followed by pecans and damp oak. The port cask lends a sweet, almost wine-like depth that melts into a heavy, earthy peat smoke.

Palate

Strawberries and dark brown sugar sit in layers over the peat, which is present without ever taking over. Spiced oak, caramel and a touch of dried herbs round things off.

Finish

Long and lingering, with flamed orange peel, dark smoke and black pepper, closing on warm spice and a sweetness that takes its time to fade.

Specifications

Name: Edradour Ballechin 13 years old SFTC 2004/2018 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 53.3%
Distillery: Edradour Ballechin
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 53,3 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Port cask (cask no. 199)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 15/04/2004
Bottled: 15/01/2018
Number of bottles: Only 396 bottles
Edition: SFTC
EAN no.: 5021944093960

Flavour profile

Peated · Sherry-matured · Fruity · Spicy

Investment potential

This release is assessed to have high investment potential, largely due to the discontinued SFTC series, only 396 bottles and a single cask bottled at cask strength. This is a general assessment based on available information about rarity and demand, not a guarantee of future value growth.

Did you know?

The Ballechin name comes from a small distillery near Edradour that closed in the 1920s — today it lives on as the name for Edradour's peated bottlings.

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