Ardlair is not a distillery. It is a name Ardmore uses when the smoke stays at home, the unpeated half of the house, named after a stone circle out in the surrounding landscape. Here it has spent eleven years in a sherry cask at 62.5%.

The Expert's Description

Ardlair 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 11 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill Oloroso Sherry Butt and bottled at 62.5% cask strength. Cask 900032 was distilled on 27 January 2011 and bottled on 11 January 2023 in Signatory's Cask Strength Collection, giving 597 bottles.

Ardmore is one of the few Highland distilleries with peat smoke as a core style, and Ardlair is the name given to the unpeated production. Without the smoke the spirit’s own fruitiness and malt sweetness step forward more clearly, which makes the whisky far more receptive to a sherry cask.

That the cask is refill rather than first fill matters here. A refill Oloroso Butt gives up less colour and less tannin, so the sherry settles as a layer on top instead of taking over. The whisky is bottled without filtration and without added colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisins and figs first, with roasted nuts and honey behind. There is dried ginger and spice in it, and beneath the sherry sits a bright apple fruitiness that tells you the spirit is unpeated.

Palate

Dark chocolate and walnut open, followed by sweet sherry and spiced oak. The vanilla arrives late. At 62.5% the concentration is considerable, and the whisky takes water well, turning rounder rather than thinner.

Finish

Long and warming with persistent sherry sweetness and elegant oak tannins that let go slowly.

Specifications

Name: Ardlair 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 11 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 62.5%
Distillery: Ardmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 62.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Oloroso Sherry Butt, cask no. 900032
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 27 January 2011
Bottled: 11 January 2023
Number of bottles: 597
Edition: Cask Strength Collection
EAN no.: 5021944121526

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Nutty · Spiced · Fruity · Cask Strength · Honeyed

Did You Know?

Ardlair is named after a stone circle near the distillery. Ardmore itself was built in 1898 by Adam Teacher to secure malt for the family blend, Teacher's Highland Cream, and the house has made peated whisky ever since. Ardlair is the exception, the half that never sees peat.

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

Expert's description

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

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

On the nose you meet beeswax, honey and walnut.

Palate

The taste unfolds with blossom, dates and sherry toffee.

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Rounded · Spicy

Did you know?

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

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The cask was filled by George Grant. It was emptied for his son John, who had spent fifty years in the trade by the time the bottle appeared. That is the kind of timeline only a family-owned distillery can deliver.

The expert's description

Glenfarclas 50 Year Old 50th Anniversary is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks and bottled at 50% in 836 bottles.

The bottling marks chairman John Grant’s fifty years in the whisky industry. The whisky was laid down by his father, George Grant, and was allowed to sit for half a century before bottling. The 50% is high for a whisky of this age and says something about how slowly the casks work in the Glenfarclas warehouses.

Fifty years in sherry casks is rare, but it is not unusual at Glenfarclas. The family has held back from selling its oldest casks over generations, and precisely for that reason the distillery can make a bottling like this without having to buy casks in from outside.

Tasting notes

Nose

Deep and concentrated. Dried fruit, dark syrup and old leather, with a dusty library note only decades in wood can create.

Palate

Full and dense. Raisin, walnut and dark chocolate over a base of aged oak, with a spiced depth that keeps unfolding. The 50% carries the whisky without being sharp.

Finish

Very long. Dried fruit, tobacco and oak drying slowly and lingering for many minutes.

Specifications

Name: Glenfarclas 50 Year Old 50th Anniversary Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 50%
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 50 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
Number of bottles: 836
Edition: 50th Anniversary - John Grant’s fifty years in the trade

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Nutty · Leather · Complex

Investment potential

High. 836 bottles for the whole world, fifty years in cask and an anniversary that will not come round again. Old Glenfarclas casks still sit in the family warehouses, but a bottling tied to a particular person and a particular year cannot be repeated.

Did you know?

The whisky was laid down by George Grant and bottled for his son John, marking fifty years in the whisky industry. A cask filled by one generation and emptied by the next is only possible when the same family name has been on the deeds the whole way.

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Miltonduff's malt usually ends up in Ballantine's blends, but the occasional cask is allowed to travel its own path to the bottle.

Expert's Description

Miltonduff 2006/2022 Let's Stay Together 16 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Uncharted Whisky Co., matured in a first fill Pedro Ximénez sherry cask and bottled at 50%.

The "Let's Stay Together" release is part of Uncharted Whisky Co.'s Two Quarter Cask concept, where the whisky spends the final part of its maturation in a Pedro Ximénez sherry cask, adding notable sweetness and a deeper colour than Miltonduff's typical style.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The glass first greets you with dried fig, quickly followed by raisin and a hint of dark chocolate.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied with sherry sweetness, dried fruit and brown sugar.

Finish

The finish is warm with a hint of oak.

Specifications

Distillery: Miltonduff
Bottler: Uncharted Whisky Co.
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 50 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First Fill Pedro Ximénez Sherry Cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2006
Bottled: 2022
Edition: Let's Stay Together

Flavour Profile

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

Did You Know?

Miltonduff sits on the Black Burn, the very same stream the monks of Pluscarden Priory reportedly used for brewing ale back in the 13th century.

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It is called Tapestry because three cask types are woven together rather than following one another. That is a different idea from the classic finish, where one cask gets the last word.

The expert description

Glen Elgin 2009/2022 Tapestry 13 Years Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oloroso sherry casks, Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and bourbon casks, bottled at 50%.

The whisky was distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2022 after thirteen years. Tapestry is a range from the Uncharted Whisky Company, founded by the Scot Jack Breslin and the Dutch-German Dana de Vos, who both worked in the whisky trade for many years before setting up on their own.

The three cask types each pull in their own direction. The bourbon casks give vanilla and pale fruit, oloroso adds nut and dried fruit, and Pedro Ximenez brings the dark, almost syrupy sweetness. Put together they land on a profile none of them would have given alone. The whisky is bottled at 50% without chill filtration and without colouring.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin and dried apricot first, then vanilla and walnut, with a note of dark syrup in the background.

Palate

Full and layered. Yellow fruit and honey from the bourbon wood, dates and nut from the sherry, and a dark sweetness tying it together.

Finish

Long and warm with dried fruit, a touch of cinnamon and a dry oak close.

Specifications

Name: Glen Elgin 2009/2022 Tapestry 13 Years Old
Distillery: Glen Elgin
Bottler: Uncharted Whisky Company
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry casks Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2022
Edition: Tapestry

Flavour profile

Fruity · Sherry matured · Sweet · Nutty · Spiced

Did you know?

The Glen Elgin fruitiness is no accident. It comes from clear wort, long fermentation and slow distillation, which together clean the sulphur notes out of the spirit, and only afterwards does the whisky get its weight back from the distillery worm tubs.

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25 years is a long time to wait for a bottle, and Murray McDavid spent the last three of them on something unusual: a cask that previously held Guyanese rum. The result is a single grain that tastes more of the Caribbean than of the Highlands.

Expert's Description

Loch Lomond 1996/2022 Murray McDavid 25 Year Old is a Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon hogsheads with a rum finish and bottled at 55.9%.

The whisky was distilled in 1996 and spent 22 of its 25 years in bourbon hogsheads, before receiving a final finish in an SXG Diamond cask from the Guyanese Diamond rum distillery. Murray McDavid bottled the whisky in 2022 as part of its Mission Gold series, with only 391 bottles in total.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Exotic bouquet of pineapple, banana and mango, layered with vanilla, honey, sugarcane and a touch of oak and ginger.

Palate

Full-bodied and creamy, with waves of ripe tropical fruit, soft toffee, rum-soaked raisins and a hint of coconut.

Finish

Long, sweet finish with lingering tropical fruit and a warm rum tone.

Specifications

Name: Loch Lomond 1996/2022 Murray McDavid 25 Year Old Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 55.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon hogsheads, finished in a rum cask
Distilled: 1996
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 391
EAN: 5060353303505
Serving suggestion: Neat or with a few drops of water to tame the cask strength

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Sweet · Full-bodied

Investment Potential

High – a 25-year-old single grain with a rare rum finish and only 391 bottles makes this one of the most unusual and sought-after Loch Lomond releases for collectors of independent bottlings.

Did You Know?

The Diamond distillery in Guyana, whose casks were used for the finish, is one of the most celebrated rum distilleries in the Caribbean and uses several different historic still types in its own production – not unlike how Loch Lomond does with whisky.

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North British is today jointly owned by Diageo and Edrington and supplies the backbone of flavour to some of Scotland's best-known blends.

Expert's Description

North British 2007/2022 Murray McDavid 14 Year Old is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky finished in a Koval oat cask, bottled at 46%.

The cask comes from the American Koval distillery, known for its oat-based whiskey – an unusual choice for a Scotch grain whisky, giving this release a softer, creamier character with a touch of oatmeal and honey.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The glass first greets you with light oak, quickly followed by coconut and a hint of creamy vanilla.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied with mild pepper, light sweetness and delicate oak.

Finish

The finish is lightly spiced.

Specifications

Distillery: North British
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Koval Oat Cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2007
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 849
Edition: Limited Release – Select Grain
EAN no.: 5060353303659

Flavour Profile

Soft · Creamy · Light · Elegant

Did You Know?

Grain whisky like North British is distilled in column stills and typically develops flavour more slowly than malt whisky, making older vintages especially sought after.

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Grain whisky is rarely treated as something that deserves a fine cask. Murray McDavid did the opposite and put an eleven year old Girvan into a Ximenez-Spinola PX cask, and suddenly the cereal is no longer the dull part of the equation.

The expert description

Girvan 2011/2022 Murray McDavid 11 Years Old is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky finished in a Ximenez-Spinola PX cask and bottled at 46%.

Girvan was built in 1963 by William Grant & Sons on the Ayrshire coast and is today one of the largest grain distilleries in Scotland. This release was distilled in 2011 and bottled in 2022 by Murray McDavid, who rank among the bottlers working most deliberately with wood.

The PX cask is the decisive part. Pedro Ximenez is the sweetest of the sherry styles, almost syrupy, and on a soft grain whisky it lays down a layer of dark fruit that a malt would have had to supply itself. The release yielded 1228 bottles, bottled without chill filtration and without colouring.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin and dark syrup first, then vanilla and coconut from the grain character, and a note of fig behind.

Palate

Soft and oily with dates, muscovado and dark chocolate. The cereal sweetness sits underneath and keeps it from turning heavy.

Finish

Medium and sweet with dried fruit, a touch of oak and a light spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: Girvan 2011/2022 Murray McDavid 11 Years Old
Distillery: Girvan
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Lowland Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ximenez-Spinola PX cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2011
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1228
Edition: Limited Release Select Grain
EAN no.: 5060353303642

Flavour profile

Sweet · Sherry matured · Creamy · Fruity · Spiced

Did you know?

Murray McDavid is based at the old Coleburn distillery near Elgin, which has been closed since 1985. The buildings are used today for warehousing and cask work, so a distillery that no longer distils has become the workplace of a bottler.

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Pauillac is Bordeaux at its finest – Lafite, Mouton, Latour. When casks from one of the world's most celebrated wine regions meet Caol Ila's Islay smoke, something unexpected happens: the powerful wine residue in the wood gives a peaty and fruity note rarely found at the distillery.

Expert's description

Caol Ila 2014/2022 Murray McDavid 8 Years Benchmark Series is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Pauillac wine casks, bottled at 50% without chill filtration and with natural colour. 1,399 bottles.

Pauillac casks come from the Pauillac wine district in Bordeaux – home to Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild and Latour. The casks are laden with red Bordeaux wine and add tannin-rich, fruity and slightly earthy notes to spirits that have rested in them.

Murray McDavid's Benchmark Series puts the distillate's character at the centre and finds casks that lift it without overpowering it. Eight years and 50% in Pauillac casks give a Caol Ila with an unexpected winey depth.

Tasting notes

Nose

Smoke and dark fruit – blueberry and cherry from the wine cask, with Caol Ila's salty maritime smoke in the background. A hint of earth and tannins.

Palate

Smoke and wine sweetness in good balance. Dark berry fruit, salt and a touch of Bordeaux tannins. Good body at 50%.

Finish

Peat and fruit alternate in a medium-length finish with a light, dried fruit note at the end.

Specifications

Name: Caol Ila 2014/2022 Murray McDavid 8 Years Benchmark – Pauillac Wine Casks
Distillery: Caol Ila Distillery
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Pauillac wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2014
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1,399
Series: Benchmark Series
EAN no.: 5060353303567

Flavour profile

Peated · Winey · Dark Fruit · Fresh · Tannic

Did you know?

Pauillac is home to three of the world's five classified Premier Cru chateaux in Bordeaux. Casks that have held wines from these estates are rare and highly sought after in the whisky world.

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Murray McDavid calls their mysterious Speyside series 'Mystery Malt' — Juniper Hill is an Italian wine twist on a young but characterful dram.

Expert's Description

Strathdearn Juniper Hill 2015/2022 is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Murray McDavid, distilled in 2015 and bottled in 2022 after 6 years of maturation at 46%.

The whisky is matured in a Barolo wine cask, giving an unusual wine-like character to the young Speyside malt. The source distillery is not officially disclosed under the 'Mystery Malt' name. A relatively large run of 1,673 bottles was produced.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark berries and a light wine-like acidity meet malt and a hint of vanilla.

Palate

Fruity and lightly tannic with cherry, spice and a fresh acidity from the Barolo cask.

Finish

Medium length with lingering berries and a dry, wine-like close.

Specifications

Name: Juniper Hill
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 6 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Barolo Wine Cask
Distilled: 2015
Bottled: 2022
Number of Bottles: 1,673 bottles
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
EAN No.: 5060353303635

Flavour Profile

Wine-matured · Fruity · Young · Spiced

Did You Know?

Barolo is known as the 'king of wines' from Piedmont in Italy, and a Barolo cask is rare in Scotch whisky production compared to the more common port and sherry casks.

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Lennox is the old name for the land around Loch Lomond, and Murray McDavid has used it as the title for this young, heavily peated take on Croftengea – a whisky with no time for caution.

Expert's Description

Croftengea Lennox Peat 2018/2022 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 46%.

The whisky was distilled in 2018 under Loch Lomond's heavily peated Croftengea profile and, after four years of maturation, was bottled by independent bottler Murray McDavid in 2022 under the name "Lennox Peat" – named after the historic term for the land surrounding the loch. Murray McDavid always bottles at a minimum of 46% with no added colouring or chill filtration.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Coastal smoke meets sweet lemon sponge and a hint of freshly baked bread.

Palate

Medicinal, fresh peat with orange blossom and a creamy sweetness that keeps the smoke in check.

Finish

Gentle malt, sea spray and a hint of smoky peach in the finish.

Specifications

Name: Croftengea Lennox Peat 2018/2022 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 4 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2018
Bottled: 2022
EAN: 5060353303628
Serving suggestion: Neat or with a few drops of water

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Peated · Fresh

Did You Know?

"Lennox" is the historic name for the landscape surrounding Loch Lomond – a name that goes back several centuries and is still used in the area's history and heraldry.

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Hungarian dessert wine and Scottish malt whisky are not an obvious match. Yet a Tokaji barrique sat waiting in a Glasgow warehouse, and for the final months before bottling the whisky was allowed to stretch out in it. You can smell that somebody took a chance.

The Expert's Description

1770 Glasgow 2018/2022 Mac Y Selection Tokaji Finish is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill ex-bourbon casks and finished in a Tokaji barrique, bottled at 52%. Cask 18/968 was distilled on 3 February 2018 and bottled on 25 October 2022, giving 303 bottles for the Danish importer Mac Y.

Tokaji is a Hungarian sweet wine made from botrytised grapes, and its casks are used only very rarely for Scotch. Where a sherry cask brings dark fruit and nuts, Tokaji pulls towards apricot, honey and a tart marmalade note that leaves the whisky brighter and fresher than a typical finish. The bourbon wood underneath keeps the vanilla and cereal sweetness in place.

The whisky was distilled at Glasgow Distillery, where the mash ferments for over 72 hours before slow distillation in copper pot stills. Neither chill filtration nor colouring came anywhere near the bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried apricot and orange marmalade first, with honey and a little yellow plum behind. Then the bourbon cask brings vanilla and a light pastry note, close to a Danish. A fine acidity runs through it all and stops the sweetness turning sticky.

Palate

Sweet and juicy to begin: apricot, honeydew melon and candied lemon. Mid-palate the oak and white pepper tighten up and a faintly waxy texture appears. The 52% gives body without heat. After a few minutes in the glass a dried mango note steps forward.

Finish

Medium length. Honey and citrus peel first, then drier oak and a touch of ginger. The sweetness fades calmly.

Specifications

Name: 1770 Glasgow 2018/2022 Mac Y Selection Tokaji Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky 52%
Distillery: Glasgow Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 4 years
ABV: 52%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill ex-bourbon and finished in a Tokaji barrique, cask no. 18/968
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 3 February 2018
Bottled: 25 October 2022
Number of bottles: 303
Edition: Mac Y Selection
EAN no.: 5714772001978

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Fresh · Spiced · Cask Strength · Vinous

Did You Know?

Tokaji was for centuries the most sought-after wine in Europe. Louis XIV is said to have called it Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum, the wine of kings and the king of wines. Casks like these almost never turn up in Scottish warehouses, and when they do it is usually because a small distillery fancied trying something the big ones cannot be bothered with.

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Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily most people know from a veal sauce rather than from whisky. BenRiach put it in as the third cask type anyway, and it is decisions like that which make the range worth following.

The expert's description

BenRiach The Smoky Twelve 12 years is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky matured in bourbon casks, sherry casks and Marsala casks and bottled at 46 %.

The whisky is built on the peated spirit of the distillery and matured, somewhat unconventionally, in three cask types. Bourbon gives vanilla, sherry gives dark fruit, and the Marsala wood adds a nutty sweetness different from both sherry and port.

The combination has given the whisky an almost creamy, soft structure with layers of ripe fruit, aromatic smoky sweetness and warming oak spice. The two extra years over the Smoky Ten read as more depth rather than as more smoke.

Tasting notes

Nose

Powerful smoky notes with vanilla, toasted orange peel and roasted almond.

Palate

Dark chocolate, fruit, brown sugar, smoke and cocoa. The structure stays creamy and soft despite the smoke.

Finish

Persistent with a full smoky flavour and warming oak spice.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach The Smoky Twelve 12 år
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks, sherry casks and Marsala casks
Edition: The Smoky Twelve 12 år
EAN no.: 5060716140259

Flavour profile

Smoky · Creamy · Dark fruit · Nutty · Spiced

Did you know?

Marsala comes from the town of the same name on the west coast of Sicily and was developed by English merchants in the 1700s as an alternative to port and sherry. The casks remain rare in Scotch whisky.

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As piece A7 in a series of 32 unique chess-piece bottlings, this 19-year-old Old Pulteney represents one of Scotland's maritime distilleries on the unusual whisky chessboard.

Expert Review

Old Pulteney 19 år The Chess Malt Collection A7 Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 59,6% is a Single Highland Malt Whisky matured in a single selected cask and bottled at 59.6% ABV.

The Chess Malt Collection is a series of 32 different bottlings from various distilleries, where each bottle represents a piece on a chessboard. This 19-year-old Old Pulteney, piece A7, is bottled from a single selected cask at full cask strength, without filtration or added colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is intense with salted caramel, citrus and a distinct alcohol strength.

Palate

The palate is powerful and saline, with orange, honey and a warm spiciness.

Finish

The finish is long and salty, with lingering citrus.

Specifications

Name: Old Pulteney 19 år The Chess Malt Collection A7 Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 59,6%
Distillery: Old Pulteney
Region: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 19 Years
ABV: 59.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: a single selected cask
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Edition: The Chess Malt Collection A7

Flavour Profile

Cask Strength · Maritime · Single Cask

Investment Potential

As part of a series of just 32 different chess-piece bottlings from various distilleries, this 19-year-old Old Pulteney appeals to collectors of the Chess Malt Collection.

Did You Know?

The Chess Malt Collection brings together 32 single-cask bottlings in total, one for each piece on a chessboard, with every bottle coming from a different Scottish distillery.

See our full range of Old Pulteney

Picture a Speyside malt spending its final months surrounded by four different red wines from southern Europe. That is exactly what happened to this 9 year old GlenAllachie from the Wine Cask Finish series. The result is a dram full of dark berries, cherries and a touch of espresso, carried by GlenAllachie's signature sweetness.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie 9 Year Old Cuvée Cask Finish is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky bottled at 48% ABV, finished in ex-Cuvée wine casks following initial maturation in American oak casks. The Wine Cask Finish series is the distillery's tribute to wine's influence on whisky, and this 9 year old expression draws its character from casks that previously held four types of European red wine: a Languedoc, a Recioto della Valpolicella, and two Premier Cru Classés whose identities the distillery keeps close to its chest.

The combination of American oak and the varied wine casks produces a spirit with a wide expression of red fruit and spice, where garden herbs and ripe cherries meet a touch of wild truffle at the more complex end.

Tasting notes

Nose

Red fruits and sweet spices unfold alongside a touch of garden herbs, while ripe cherries add depth to the aroma.

Palate

Coconut and liquorice meet raspberry coulis and blackcurrant in an interplay that drifts toward a lightly roasted espresso.

Finish

Long and spiced, with a hint of wild truffle tying fruit and oak together.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 9 Year Old Cuvée Cask Finish Single Speyside Malt Whisky 48%
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 9 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak, finished in Cuvée wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Wine Cask Finish
EAN number: 5060568325422

Flavour profile

Red fruit · Sweet spices · Cherry · Coconut · Liquorice · Espresso

Investment potential

Medium. The Wine Cask Finish series has earned a steady following among collectors chasing less common cask types, and a finish across four different red wine casks makes this expression one of the more curious in the range.

Did you know?

The two Premier Cru Classé casks in this release come from vineyards whose names GlenAllachie deliberately keeps secret – a small puzzle that comes with every bottle.

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In a region crowded with famous names, Tobermory has quietly gone about its business for generations. This particular release from Isle of Mull shows a side of the distillery worth slowing down for.

Expert's description

Ledaig Rioja Cask Sinclair Series Single Malt Whisky Mull 46,3% is a Single Isle of Mull Malt Scotch Whisky matured on finish på Rioja-vinfade from Spanien and bottled at 46,3%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh malt, orchard fruit and a light floral note.

Palate

Honey, pear and a mellow barley character.

Finish

Crisp and drying with a gentle spice.

Specifications

Name: Ledaig Rioja Cask Sinclair Series Single Malt Whisky Mull 46,3%
Distillery: Tobermory
Region/Country: Isle of Mull
Type: Single Isle of Mull Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46,3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finish på Rioja-vinfade from Spanien
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Sinclair Series
EAN no.: 5029704220243

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Spiced

Investment Potential

Medium. Rioja casks are rarely used for whisky maturation in Scotland, and as part of Tobermory's experimental Sinclair Series this combination is not necessarily repeated.

Did you know?

The Sinclair Series is named after the Sinclair family, historically linked to Tobermory distillery, and is used to try unconventional cask types on Ledaig and Tobermory.

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Two casks, filled on the same day, with numbers running back to back. They are still not the same — this one held on to an extra percent and carries a different edge on the palate.

Expert description

Braeval 2000/2021 Signatory Vintage 21 Years is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky from Refill Butt #6393, bottled at cask strength, 60.3%, with natural colour.

Distilled on 16 February 2000 and bottled on 18 February 2021, twenty-one years later almost to the day. The cask gave 591 bottles, and the whisky is bottled without dilution and without added colour.

Braeval sits high in the Braes of Glenlivet and supplies almost entirely to blends. The spirit is light and floral, and a quiet refill cask lets exactly that character show rather than wrapping it in sherry.

Tasting notes

Nose

Green apple and hay with lemon marmalade, pale oak and a stroke of almond.

Palate

Sharp and fresh with green fruit, honey and grain. The 60.3% brings a dry intensity that calls for water.

Finish

Long and dry with oak, grain and a lightly bitter citrus note.

Specifications

Name: Braeval 2000/2021 Signatory Vintage 21 Years Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 60.3%
Distillery: Braeval
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 60,3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Butt #6393
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 16/02/2000
Bottled: 18/02/2021
Number of bottles: 591
EAN no.: 5021944111930

Flavour profile

Fresh · Fruity · Dry · Floral · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask of 591 bottles with a twenty year old vintage from a distillery without official bottlings.

Did you know?

Signatory Vintage numbers its casks consecutively, and casks bought in the same lot often carry numbers back to back. That makes it possible to taste through sister casks from the same day.

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The Kylver Stone from Gotland carries the oldest known complete runic alphabet, and Wolfburn has borrowed exactly those symbols for its most experimental series. This release carries the rune ᚢ, uruz.

The expert's description

Wolfburn "N" Kylver Series Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50% is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky and bottled at 50%.

The whisky is part of The Kylver Series, Wolfburn's most experimental release line, where each bottle is named after a rune from the old futhark alphabet. Wolfburn is one of Scotland's most northerly distilleries, located near Thurso in Caithness, producing an unpeated style built from scratch with a clear focus on craftsmanship.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh citrus, grain and a hint of honey.

Palate

Full and spiced with vanilla and a touch of oak.

Finish

Long and warm with lingering spice.

Specifications

Name: Wolfburn "N" Kylver Series Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50%
Distillery: Wolfburn
Region/Country: Thurso, Caithness, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: The Kylver Series, rune symbol ᚢ

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Full-bodied · Fresh

Investment Potential

Medium. The Kylver Series is a sought-after collector series where each rune release is limited and often in demand, which has historically kept interest in earlier releases high.

Did you know?

Wolfburn takes its name from a burn running through the distillery grounds, and the name comes from a historic distillery on the same site that closed in the 1860s, long before the current Wolfburn was reborn in 2013.

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The label looks like something lifted from an old pharmacy, and that is deliberate. Elixir Distillers built the whole range around the idea of Islay as an element you could extract and bottle in its pure form.

The expert description

Elements of Islay Bourbon Cask is a Blended Islay Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill and refill bourbon barrels and bottled at 54.5%.

The range began in 2008 with small apothecary bottles and a code in place of a distillery name. Bourbon Cask is one of the core releases and brings together malt from several Islay distilleries, where the heavy barbecue smoke of the south coast meets the lighter, zestier style of the north. Elixir Distillers does not disclose which distilleries are involved.

The bourbon wood was chosen because it lets the smoke stand clearly in front. Where a sherry cask would lay dark fruit over the top, American oak contributes vanilla and coconut that push the peat forward instead of covering it. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured, and the 54.5% was chosen to give it full weight.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sugar and vanilla pod first, then tropical fruit, mango and pineapple, and behind it a thin ribbon of chimney smoke drifting in and out.

Palate

Cappuccino dusted with cocoa, warm vanilla brioche and fruit poached in maple syrup, while a peat fire builds underneath it all.

Finish

Long and sooty with salt, lemon peel and a dry ash note that stays well after the sweetness has gone.

Specifications

Name: Elements of Islay Bourbon Cask
Distillery: Elixir Distillers
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Blended Islay Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 54.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill and refill bourbon barrels
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Elements of Islay
EAN no.: 5060880920435

Flavour profile

Smoky · Maritime · Fruity · Vanilla · Cask Strength

Did you know?

Elixir Distillers was founded by brothers Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh, the pair behind The Whisky Exchange. They are now building on Islay themselves with the Portintruan distillery, so a range that started by bottling other people’s whisky will end up with its own.

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Apples, pears and a whisper of honey in a whisky that has followed Glasgow drams since the 1800s.

Expert description

Teacher's Highland Cream is a Blended Scotch Whisky from William Teacher & Sons, bottled at 40% ABV in a generous 100 cl bottle.

The blend was registered as a trademark in 1884 and built its reputation as a robust, malt-heavy blend, with the Ardmore distillery in Aberdeenshire, founded by the Teacher family in 1898, forming the backbone of the whisky ever since. The brand is now owned by Beam Suntory, yet the recipe still follows the tradition of a full-bodied, malt-forward blend.

The character is defined by a deep maltiness up front, which softens into a sweeter profile of fruit and honey, helping make Teacher's one of the best-selling blends in the UK for decades.

Tasting notes

Nose

Apples, pears and a sweet hint of honey over a solid malt base.

Palate

Deep maltiness up front, developing into sweeter notes of ripe fruit and honey.

Finish

Medium length, with warm sweetness and a hint of dried fruit.

Specifications

Name: Teacher's Highland Cream
Distillery: William Teacher & Sons (core malt from Ardmore)
Region/Country: Highland/Scotland (blended)
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 100 CL
EAN no.: 5010093210007

Flavour profile

malt-forward · fruity · honeyed

Did you know?

William Teacher started out selling whisky from his wife's grocery shop in Glasgow in 1830, long before the Highland Cream name was registered in 1884.

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For more than a century nobody distilled malt whisky inside Glasgow. The city had shipyards, cranes and a proud industrial past, but no copper stills. This bottle is the one that broke the silence, and it comes from an industrial estate rather than a glen.

The Expert's Description

1770 Glasgow The Original is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill ex-bourbon and Virgin Oak casks and bottled at 46%. It is the distillery flagship and carries the subtitle Fresh & Fruity, the bottle everything else in the range is measured against.

The malt is unpeated and the spirit is distilled twice in traditional copper pot stills after a fermentation of more than 72 hours. That long fermentation is no accident: it develops fruity esters, and those are what you meet as pear and apple in the glass. First fill bourbon casks add vanilla and coconut, while a smaller proportion of Virgin Oak lays in spice and structure.

The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured. The water comes from Loch Katrine, and there is no age statement, as the distillery bottles when the casks say so.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh pear, green apple and a touch of melon. Vanilla follows along with toasted coconut and a soft cereal sweetness, close to white bread straight from the oven. Clean and inviting, with no hard edges.

Palate

Soft and lightly creamy, with baked apple and custard first. Mid-palate the new oak tightens things with cinnamon, nutmeg and a drier wood note. The 46% gives enough body that the whisky handles a few drops of water without turning watery.

Finish

Medium length. Vanilla and malt linger, and a dry, lightly spiced oak note arrives at the end.

Specifications

Name: 1770 Glasgow The Original Fresh & Fruity Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Glasgow Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill ex-bourbon and Virgin Oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled in copper pot stills
EAN no.: 5060411501201

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Fruity · Vanilla · Soft · Malty · Spiced

Did You Know?

The distillery sits in Hillington, an industrial area in the west of Glasgow, between warehouses and businesses. There are no whitewashed walls, no pagoda roof and no burn running past. That was a deliberate decision: the whisky was to be made in the city, not in a postcard version of Scotland.

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A third of the production year goes to this style. It is not a side project or a trial, it is a deliberate decision to use a technique almost every other Scottish malt distillery has put down.

The Expert's Description

1770 Glasgow Triple Distilled is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill and refill ex-bourbon casks plus Virgin Oak and bottled at 46%. The distillery calls it Smooth & Vibrant and runs triple distillation for a third of the year.

The malt is Concerto, a barley variety widely used in Scottish distilling, and the water comes from Loch Katrine. The third distillation removes the heavier oily compounds so that only the lightest and purest part of the spirit is collected. Most of the maturation happens in bourbon casks, while a smaller share, around five to eight per cent, comes from new American white oak barrels supplied by Kelvin Cooperage in Kentucky.

The result is a whisky with less fat and more clarity. Neither chill filtration nor colouring is involved, and there is no age statement.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Shortbread and light honey first, then double cream and a hint of lemon peel. There is a fine bakery quality to it, close to freshly baked biscuits, and a warm drier wood note sits at the back.

Palate

Round and lightly creamy, with honey, vanilla and juicy apple. The body is lighter than in a double distilled malt but it is not thin, and a warm spicy wood edge arrives mid-palate. Clean and well balanced the whole way.

Finish

Medium and soft. Honey and malt linger, and a warm oak spice note closes things quietly.

Specifications

Name: 1770 Glasgow Triple Distilled Smooth & Vibrant Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Glasgow Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill and refill ex-bourbon casks plus Virgin Oak
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Triple distilled in copper pot stills
EAN no.: 5060411501225

Flavour Profile

Soft · Creamy · Fresh · Honeyed · Light · Spiced

Did You Know?

The new oak barrels for this whisky come from Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville, Kentucky, a cooperage originally founded in Glasgow in 1963 that later moved to the United States. The casks therefore travel from Kentucky back to the city where the business began. It is a coincidence, but it makes a good story.

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Smoke from the Lowlands is a rarity. For decades the region stood for the light and floral while peat was left to the islands. Glasgow Distillery decided to do it anyway, and laid the smoke down in Pedro Ximénez casks where it found sweetness to lean against.

The Expert's Description

1770 Glasgow Peated is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Virgin Oak and PX Sherry casks and bottled at 46%. The distillery calls it Rich & Smoky, and it is their peated core expression, made from peated malt during part of the production year.

The cask choice is what makes it. Virgin Oak gives spice, cinnamon and a drier wood edge, while the PX Sherry casks lay in a thick, almost syrupy sweetness: raisins, dates and dark sugar. The smoke sits between the two and comes out rounder for the company than it would have on neutral wood.

The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured, and bottling at 46% was chosen to keep the body intact. The water comes from Loch Katrine and fermentation runs beyond 72 hours.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet smoke first, closer to singed raisins than a bonfire. Behind it come dates, dark sugar and a note of burnt orange. There is a layer of cinnamon and dried ginger from the new oak as well.

Palate

Full and sweet. Raisins and molasses open, then the smoke steps in as a dry earthy floor. The spices arrive last: cinnamon, clove, a touch of chilli. The texture is thick and slightly clinging, which is the PX cask signature.

Finish

Long. Smoke and dark sweetness go hand in hand, and a drier, almost coffee-like bitterness lingers at the end.

Specifications

Name: 1770 Glasgow Peated Rich & Smoky Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Glasgow Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Virgin Oak and PX Sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060411501218

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Sherry Matured · Sweet · Spiced · Full Bodied · Dried Fruit

Did You Know?

Glasgow Distillery launched Makar Gin long before the first whisky was ready. It is a common strategy at new distilleries: the gin can be sold immediately and pays the bills while the whisky sits maturing for years. Without the gin, 1770 would probably have had a harder time reaching 2018.

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Every single drop from Auchentoshan is distilled three times. Not some of it, not in special series, all of it. No other Scottish distillery does this consistently, and it is the whole reason the whisky is as bright as it is.

The Expert's Description

Auchentoshan 12 Years Old Double Cask is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon and sherry casks and bottled at 40%. It combines the distillery’s characteristic triple distillation with maturation in two cask types.

The third distillation removes the heavier, oily compounds and collects only the lightest and purest part of the spirit. The result is a soft, bright and fruity malt with less body than a double distilled whisky, but with far more clarity in the fruit.

The Double Cask maturation adds depth and warmth without the whisky losing the light, silky style Auchentoshan is known for. The distillery sits at Dalmuir just outside Glasgow and was founded in 1823.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and bright citrus first, with toasted nuts and a light honeyed sweetness behind. There is a fine clean malty floor, and the sherry casks give a suggestion of dried fruit without taking up room.

Palate

Soft and silky. Vanilla sweetness and citrus open, then nuts and a touch of spiced oak from the sherry portion. At 40% it drinks easily, and the triple distillation is clearly felt in the light texture.

Finish

Medium length. Vanilla, malt and a light nutty dryness that lets go cleanly without bitterness.

Specifications

Name: Auchentoshan 12 Years Old Double Cask Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Auchentoshan
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks and sherry casks
Distillation method: Triple distilled
Edition: Double Cask
EAN no.: 5010496001769

Flavour Profile

Soft · Fruity · Vanilla · Nutty · Light · Spiced

Did You Know?

Auchentoshan sits at Dalmuir on the Clyde, practically within the suburbs of Glasgow. The distillery was bombed during the Second World War when German aircraft targeted the shipyards along the river, and one of the warehouses burned. The story goes that the whisky ran down into a pond on the grounds. That pond is still there.

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Some releases look backward without turning nostalgic. GlenAllachie 16 Year Old Past Edition does exactly that — a look back at Billy Walker's early years in the whisky industry, poured at full sherry-driven strength.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie 16 Year Old Past Edition is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in sherry casks and bottled at 57.1% ABV.

Past Edition is the first release in the same anniversary trilogy as the Present Edition, and where the latter looks ahead to new cask experimentation, this one turns to the past — to the classic sherry casks that have defined GlenAllachie's style since Billy Walker took over the distillery.

The sherry casks the whisky has rested in lend it depth and weight, reinforced by its high strength. Bottling without dilution keeps the cask's character in its rawest form, and the result is a whisky that demands — and rewards — patience in the glass.

The whisky was bottled in August 2022 in a run of 4,000 bottles worldwide, making it the more widely available, though still limited, chapter of the anniversary series.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark sherry, cane sugar, orange and dark chocolate meet dried figs, while the high strength adds a touch of spiced warmth.

Palate

Rich and full-bodied, with raisins, toasted almonds, dark marmalade and a peppery spice bite, carried by classic sherry tones.

Finish

Long, warm and spiced, with a dry, faintly tannic finish that lingers.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 16 Year Old Billy Walker 50th Anniversary Past Edition Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 57.1%
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry Casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 4,000 (worldwide)
Edition: Past Edition – 50th Anniversary
EAN no.: 5060568325101

Flavour Profile

Sherry · Dark chocolate · Raisin · Spiced oak · Marmalade

Investment Potential

Investment potential is rated Medium. With 4,000 bottles released worldwide and a central place in Billy Walker's anniversary series, this release remains limited, though more widely available than its sister releases in the series.

Did you know?

Did you know Past Edition is bottled at cask strength, meaning no water is added after it leaves the cask — the strength you find in the bottle is exactly what the whisky arrived at on its own?

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Dark chocolate, dried fruit and spiced oak come together in a 30 year old release, personally selected by Billy Walker. Three decades of patience, gathered in one glass.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie 30 Year Old Batch #2 is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks as well as virgin oak and Rioja barriques, bottled at 50.8%.

The whisky belongs to GlenAllachie's older range, where Billy Walker himself selected the casks for the composition. Batch #2 was bottled in 2022, with 2,000 bottles produced of this exact combination.

Three different cask types have worked on the whisky across 30 years: the sherry casks provide classic depth and sweetness, while the Rioja barriques and virgin oak add a layer of spice and structure that only really unfolds after such a long maturation.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark chocolate and dried fruit arrive first, followed by raisins and figs. Toasted nuts and spiced oak add depth, while a hint of tobacco hints at the many years of maturation.

Palate

Sherry sweetness sits centre stage, supported by dark berries and a coffee-like bitterness from espresso. Honey and orange peel break through before the spices take over towards the end.

Finish

Long and complex, with a lingering sherry sweetness that slowly gives way to dry oak and a final hint of spiced tobacco.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 30 Year Old Batch #2 Billy Walker Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 30 years
ABV: 50.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: PX, Oloroso and New Oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 2,000
Edition: Batch #2
EAN no.: 5060568324821

Flavour profile

Dark chocolate · Dried fruit · Espresso · Spiced oak · Tobacco · Sherry depth

Investment potential

With 30 years of maturation and only 2,000 bottles of this batch, the whisky ranks among GlenAllachie's rarer releases. The combination of high age, Billy Walker's personal selection and a limited run makes it a natural collector's item, where the rarity speaks for itself.

Did you know?

Rioja barriques are relatively rare in Scotch whisky production — they're used far more often for wine than whisky, making this cask combination something of a curiosity even within GlenAllachie's experimental range.

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Campbeltown was a harbour town before it was a whisky town. The ships that carried whisky out came home with other things in the hold, and rum was part of that trade. Putting a Campbeltown malt into demerara casks is therefore less contrived than it sounds.

The expert's description

Glen Scotia Double Cask Rum Cask Finish is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks with a finishing period in demerara rum casks, bottled at 46%.

Demerara rum comes from Guyana and is heavier and more molasses-driven than the light rum of Barbados or Cuba. The casks therefore add dark sweetness and a clear syrupy note rather than bright tropical fruit, and that suits the oily Glen Scotia spirit well. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured and carries no age statement.

Rum and whisky share more than you might think. Both mature in oak, both take colour and spice from the cask, and a used rum cask has already given up most of its sharpness by the time the whisky moves in. What remains is sugar cane as a warm undertone rather than a dominant flavour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark melted sugar and molasses, with banana, toasted coconut and ripe peach. The maritime note sits under the sweetness and only becomes clear after a couple of minutes.

Palate

Full and oiled. Caramel, brown sugar and tropical fruit, balanced by a light peat smoke and a touch of spice. The sweetness is warm rather than cloying.

Finish

Short to medium. Maritime nuances take over as the sweetness falls away, and the close is dry and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Glen Scotia Double Cask Rum Cask Finish Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks with a finishing period in demerara rum casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Double Cask Rum Cask Finish
EAN no.: 5016840261216

Flavour profile

Tropical · Sweet · Maritime · Lightly peated · Spiced

Did you know?

West Highland Malt Distillers bought Glen Scotia in 1919 and went bankrupt around five years later. The distillery changed hands several times in that period, and each new owner inherited a plant that was harder to run than the year before.

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Portuguese red wine casks are rare guests in Scotch whisky. Casado 2022 Release is Kilchoman's take on what happens when classic Islay peat gets company from deep, red-wine-tinged fruit out of Iberia.

Expert's description

Kilchoman Casado 2022 Release is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and Portuguese red wine casks and bottled at 46 %.

The release is the result of carefully selected casks, brought together to create a harmonious flavour experience. Combining ex-bourbon casks with Portuguese red wine oak casks achieves a deep and complex flavour profile, where the red wine's fruit sweetness layers on top of Kilchoman's classic peated character.

The result is a soft, round whisky where notes of peated smoke, caramel, vanilla and dried fruit dance in a different balance to the distillery's more familiar sherry and port-matured releases.

Tasting notes

Nose

Enticing smoke, sweetness and spice meet dark berry fruit and a light winey acidity from the red wine casks.

Palate

Soft and round, with notes of peated smoke, caramel, vanilla and dried fruit gliding elegantly across the palate.

Finish

Long-lasting, with a pleasant warmth and a final trace of dark fruit and oak.

Specifications

Name: Kilchoman Casado 2022 Release Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Kilchoman
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-Bourbon and Portuguese Red Wine Casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: Casado 2022 Release, Batch No. 12,900
EAN no.: 5060210706029

Flavour profile

Peated · Red wine-matured · Fruity · Spicy · Soft

Did you know?

Portuguese red wine casks are used far less often in Scotch whisky production than sherry or port casks, making Casado one of the more unconventional cask choices in Kilchoman's catalogue.

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Glen Elgin does not make peated whisky. But a cask that has held Islay malt remembers what it contained, and that is the detour Murray McDavid has taken to get smoke into a Speyside malt.

The expert description

Glen Elgin Murray McDavid Craft Cask Peated Finish is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a bourbon cask and finished in a bourbon cask from Islay, bottled at 44.5%.

The release belongs to Cask Craft, the Murray McDavid range where the wood is the entire starting point. The series is put together by the house Head of Whisky Creations, Dean Jode, and this edition carries the subtitle Smoke & Citrus.

The method is simple and effective. The whisky sits first in an ordinary bourbon cask and is then moved into a bourbon cask that previously held peated Islay malt. The cask gives up the peat smoke it has absorbed, and the result is a Speyside fruitiness with a smoky edge it would never have had on its own. The whisky is bottled in natural colour as batch number PEAT-01.

Tasting notes

Nose

Citrus peel and ripe pear first, then a dry smoke note that creeps in, and vanilla beneath it all.

Palate

Fresh and fruity up front with orange and yellow fruit, while the smoke builds slowly and lays an ash and pepper note underneath.

Finish

Medium with citrus, dry smoke and a final malty sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Glen Elgin Murray McDavid Craft Cask Peated Finish
Distillery: Glen Elgin
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 44.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask finished in a bourbon cask from Islay
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Cask Craft Smoke and Citrus batch PEAT-01

Flavour profile

Lightly smoky · Citrus · Fruity · Vanilla · Spiced

Did you know?

Glen Elgin was in its time one of the few Diageo malts to get an official bottling in the Flora & Fauna range. For most malt drinkers that was where they first met the distillery, and for many the only time, before the independent bottlers took over.

See our full range of Glen Elgin
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