PC6 is one of the early Port Charlotte releases, from a time when the series was still finding its shape. Distilled in 2001 and bottled in 2007, it shows the young, raw power that set the direction for the house's peated style.

Expert description

Port Charlotte PC6 is a peated Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Bruichladdich, matured for 6 years and bottled at 61.6%.

PC6 is one of the early numbered Port Charlotte releases, peated to 40 ppm and distilled in 2001, shortly after Bruichladdich was revived as a distillery. The whisky was bottled in 2007 after 6 years of maturation, at a high natural cask strength of 61.6%.

The young age combined with the high strength gives a raw, intense peat character, setting it apart from later, more rounded Port Charlotte releases with longer maturation.

Tasting notes

Nose

Direct peat smoke and sea salt, with a young, grainy sweetness and a hint of citrus beneath the smoke.

Palate

Powerful and raw with intense peat, black pepper and an oily, full texture carried by the high strength.

Finish

Long and smoky with a dry, ashy finish and a persistent warmth.

Specifications

Name: Port Charlotte PC6
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 6 years
ABV: 61.6%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2001
Bottled: 2007

Flavour profile

Smoky · Maritime · Spiced · Powerful

Did you know?

PC6 was bottled just six years after Bruichladdich was revived as a distillery in 2001, and is among the earliest Port Charlotte releases that set the course for the entire series.

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At the foot of Ben Rinnes two burns run together, and right there sits a distillery whose founder had his life motto printed on the label. Let the deed show. No grand words, just do the work. This bottle is the distillery’s most straightforward answer to what it can do.

The Expert's Description

Aberlour 12 Years Old Double Cask Matured is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in traditional oak casks and Oloroso sherry casks, bottled at 40%. The name says it: the whisky has rested in two different cask types, and the interplay between them is what the whole release is built on.

Aberlour's new make carries a distinctive crisp citrus character, and the sherry casks are there to complement rather than drown it. The bourbon and oak casks hold on to that freshness and a clear malt sweetness, while the Oloroso casks lay in raisins, orange and a soft spiced depth. The balance sits closer to Christmas cake than to a sherry bomb.

The distillery was founded in 1879 by the grain merchant James Fleming in the village of Aberlour, where the Lour Burn meets the River Spey. Every oak cask is chosen by the team behind the whisky, and the sherry casks are nosed through before they are filled.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Orange peel and honey first, over a clear malty floor. The sherry arrives as raisins and a streak of cinnamon, and a light nuttiness with a hint of soft caramel sits further back.

Palate

Soft and round from the first sip. Baked apples, malt and orange marmalade open, then dried fruit and a mild spiced warmth from the sherry casks. The 40% makes it easy to drink, yet there is still a decent layer of fruit to follow.

Finish

Medium length and soft. Malt, honey and a light dried fruit note that lets go calmly with no sharp edge.

Specifications

Name: Aberlour 12 Years Old Double Cask Matured Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Aberlour
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Traditional oak casks and Oloroso sherry casks
Edition: Double Cask Matured
EAN no.: 3047100017849

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Fruity · Malty · Soft · Spiced · Honeyed

Did You Know?

James Fleming spent much of his fortune on the village rather than on himself. He paid for the town hall, the local hospital and the Penny Bridge across the River Spey, which locals could cross for a penny. The bridge still stands, and his motto, Let the deed show, still appears on every bottle.

See our full range of Aberlour

Some whiskies shout to be heard. Then there is Black Bottle, which slips quietly into the room, lays a trail of smoke across the table and lets everyone else wonder where that depth came from.

Expert description

Black Bottle New Version is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 40%.

New Version refers to the relaunch, when the brand returned to black glass, the recipe was tightened and the smoky Islay character was pushed back to the centre. It is a blend where malt and grain work together and where smoke is structural rather than decorative.

The ambition from the start has been to let every Scottish whisky region speak in the same bottle, with Islay as the note that holds it all together. The result is an approachable blend that works as an everyday dram and as a gentle way into smoky whisky.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft peat smoke settles first, followed by malty sweetness, a brush of vanilla and a light maritime saltiness in the background.

Palate

Round and malty with caramel and honey, seasoned by pepper and a steady, earthy smoke that rolls across the palate without taking over.

Finish

Medium and warm with a gentle ash smoke that fades out alongside a last note of malty sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Black Bottle New Version Blended Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%
Distillery: Black Bottle
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: New Version
EAN no.: 5029704111442

Flavour profile

Smoky · Malty · Soft · Spiced · Maritime

Did you know?

When the brand was to be relaunched in its original black glass, no original bottle survived to work from. Only when an example from 1906 turned up could the shape be recreated.

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Under the name Old Ballantruan hides Tomintoul's peated alter ego – a heavily smoked Speyside malt from a distillery otherwise known for the opposite.

Expert Review

Old Ballantruan 10 år Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50% is a Peated Single Speyside Malt Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 50% ABV.

Tomintoul Distillery sits in the beautiful Cromdale Hills in the Speyside-Glenlivet region, near the source of the River Avon, and is known as one of Scotland's highest-altitude distilleries. While the core spirit is soft and light, the name Old Ballantruan is used for the distillery's peated expressions, where peated malt gives an entirely different, smoky character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers peat and caramel, with a hint of oak and a light vanilla sweetness.

Palate

The palate is round and sweet with clear smoke, supported by caramel and a mild spiciness.

Finish

The finish is soft and medium-long, with lingering peaty smoke and a final hint of sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Old Ballantruan 10 år Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50%
Distillery: Tomintoul
Region: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Peated Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 10 Years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: bourbon casks
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
EAN No.: 5021349701842

Flavour Profile

Peated · Caramel · Sweet

Did You Know?

Old Ballantruan is named after an old settlement near Tomintoul and is used exclusively for the distillery's peated bottlings, while the Tomintoul name is reserved for the soft, light core range.

See our full range of Tomintoul

Some bottles tell an entire story in the name alone. Mannochmore 1991/2004 Signatory 35 cl African Sherry Butt Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43% is one of them.

Expert's description

Mannochmore 1991/2004 Signatory 35 cl African Sherry Butt Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43% is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in south african sherry butt and bottled at 43%.

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

It was distilled 7. november 1991 and bottled Februar 2004, giving it its cask maturation.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma offers floral notes, green apples and sherry toffee.

Palate

On the tongue you find lemon zest, raisins and stewed plums.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with dried fig and lemon zest.

Specifications

Name: Mannochmore 1991/2004 Signatory 35 cl African Sherry Butt Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Mannochmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 35 CL
Cask type: South African Sherry Butt (#16589)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 7. november 1991
Bottled: Februar 2004

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Rounded · Spicy

Did you know?

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

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"Ileach" simply means "a person from Islay" in Gaelic, and the name is the whole point: a whisky that isn't meant to represent one particular distillery, but the character of the island itself. Behind it stands a distillery kept deliberately secret, while the peat does all the talking.

The expert's description

Ileach Peaty Single Islay Malt Whisky is a Single Islay Malt Whisky from an unnamed distillery, matured in oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The whisky is bottled by The Vintage Malt Whisky Company, an independent bottler founded in 1992 by Brian Crook, who is also behind brands such as Finlaggan and Islay Storm. Which distillery supplies the spirit for Ileach has never been officially confirmed, giving rise to countless guesses among whisky enthusiasts over the years, but without an age statement or a named source, the bottle lives entirely on its own flavour.

The style is classic Islay: robust, peaty and maritime, without sacrificing a certain softness that makes it an easy whisky to return to as an everyday dram.

Tasting notes

Nose

Smoke, ash and a light medicinal note meet sea salt and seaweed, with a touch of soft vanilla in the background.

Palate

Oily and robust, with peat, brine and a hint of citrus that cuts through the heavy smoke.

Finish

Medium length, dry and lightly spiced, with a persistent ashy sensation reminiscent of a beach fire just put out.

Specifications

Name: Ileach Peaty Single Islay Malt Whisky
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Single Islay Malt Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5024720700007

Flavour profile

Smoky · Maritime · Salty · Robust

Did you know?

The name Ileach is pronounced "ee-lakh" and is used locally on Islay to describe a person born and raised on the island; an honorary term that the whisky has borrowed to signal its belonging to the place rather than to any single distillery.

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Some kings are remembered for their wars. Harald is remembered for his army, and the most feared of them all — the berserkers — who went into battle with bloodied shields. Highland Park has poured that story into a bottle where strength and sweetness meet without compromise.

Expert Description

Highland Park Harald The Warrior Series is a Single Orkney Malt Whisky matured in a generous share of European and American oak and bottled at 40%.

Harald is named after the Orcadian Viking chieftain who, according to saga, could muster an army of berserkers — warriors so fearless their reputation reached far beyond the islands. The shield that marked his men is also the motif on the bottle's box. The whisky is part of The Warrior Series, a collection of six releases, each honouring a central figure from Orkney's Viking history.

The style is full-bodied and spiced, built on a high share of both European and American oak casks, giving the whisky a robust, oak-driven character with sweetness underneath.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and ginger root meet dried strawberries and a calm, faintly smoky peat, with a hint of sandalwood underneath.

Palate

Full-bodied and lightly sweet, like sponge cake with grated nutmeg and a discreet hint of lavender.

Finish

Complex and spiced, with a dry finish of orange peel and lingering warmth.

Specifications

Name: Highland Park Harald The Warrior Series
Distillery: Highland Park
Region/Country: Orkney Islands, Scotland
Type: Single Orkney Malt Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: European and American oak
Edition: The Warrior Series, silver box
EAN: 5010314300340

Flavour Profile

Peated · Spicy · Full-bodied · Soft

Did You Know?

The Warrior Series consists of six releases, each honouring a central figure from Orkney's Viking history — Harald is just one of the six warriors.

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In the shadow of Balmoral Castle sits one of Scotland's smallest distilleries, whose 12-year-old core release remains its best-known calling card.

Expert Review

Royal Lochnagar 12 år Single Highland Malt Whisky 40% is a Single Highland Malt Whisky matured in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 40% ABV.

Royal Lochnagar 12 Years Old is the distillery's classic standard release, a distillery bottling used as the benchmark for the style. The whisky is matured in a combination of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks, giving a round, balanced character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is soft with honey, dried fruit and a lightly spiced oak.

Palate

The palate is round with caramel, orange peel and a mild spiciness.

Finish

The finish is medium-long and soft, with lingering honey.

Specifications

Name: Royal Lochnagar 12 år Single Highland Malt Whisky 40%
Distillery: Royal Lochnagar
Region: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks
EAN No.: 5000281004686

Flavour Profile

Soft · Honey · Balanced

Did You Know?

Royal Lochnagar earned its royal name in 1848, after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert personally visited the distillery from nearby Balmoral Castle.

See our full range of Royal Lochnagar

No age on the label, no cask story, no named series. Just a distillery, a region and forty per cent. There is a certain honesty in a bottle that does not try to say more than it can back up.

The expert's description

BenRiach Heart of Speyside is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky without an age statement, matured in oak casks and bottled at 40 %.

This is the younger of the two Heart of Speyside bottlings, the other carrying twelve years on the label. Without an age statement the distillery had a freer hand to assemble casks by taste rather than by number, which gave a profile held steady across the life of the range.

The range belonged to the period under Billy Walker, who bought BenRiach in 2004 and turned the distillery into a brand in its own right after decades of mainly supplying malt to blends. Heart of Speyside was phased out after the 2016 change of ownership.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pale cereal, honey and apple with a suggestion of vanilla. Simple and easy to read.

Palate

Soft and malty with honey and a touch of pear. No edges, and that is the intention.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and clean.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach Heart of Speyside
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Edition: Heart of Speyside

Flavour profile

Light · Soft · Honeyed · Malty · Fresh

Investment potential

Medium. The range was discontinued along with the rest of the Billy Walker portfolio, and bottlings from that period grow gradually harder to find. The version without an age statement is less sought after than the twelve year old.

Did you know?

For decades BenRiach sent virtually all of its production into blends and released almost no single malt under its own name before 2004. That is why the distillery is far less known than its neighbours in the Speyside, despite existing since 1898.

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FC Whisky Denmark's eighth single cask is a cask strength release with a markedly different temperament from the earlier casks in the series — a fresh bourbon spirit that received a short but distinct sherry finish.

Please note: this bottle is supplied without a box.

Expert's description

Kilchoman 2008/2013 Single Cask FC Whisky Denmark 8 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 5 years old from a single cask and bottled at cask strength, 60.2 %.

The whisky was distilled on 12 September 2008 and matured for just under five years in a fresh bourbon cask, before receiving a finishing period in an Oloroso sherry hogshead and being bottled on 16 September 2013. Only 266 numbered bottles exist in total from this cask.

Kilchoman's then manager, John MacLellan, described the cask himself as an appealing combination of peat, fruit and spice, underscored by the mild sweetness of the sherry finish — a profile that still holds true in the glass today.

Tasting notes

Nose

Peat smoke meets dark fruit and spice, with a mild sweetness from the Oloroso finish tying the aromas together.

Palate

Rich and round, an ideal combination of bourbon-matured Kilchoman character and deep sherry tones, with spice, smoke and a sweetness of raisin and ripe plum.

Finish

Clean and long, with a maturity that feels older than the five years on the label.

Specifications

Name: Kilchoman 2008/2013 Single Cask FC Whisky Denmark 8 Islay Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Kilchoman
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 5 years
ABV: 60.2 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon Cask with Oloroso Sherry Finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 12 September 2008
Bottled: 16 September 2013
Number of bottles: 266 bottles
Edition: Single Cask Release, FC Whisky Denmark 8

Flavour profile

Peated · Cask strength · Sherry finish · Spicy · Fruity

Investment potential

Medium to high. Only 266 bottles exist of this cask from a now-discontinued series of single casks for the Danish market, making it hard to find again.

Did you know?

Kilchoman's then manager, John MacLellan, described this cask as "clean and long" with a finish that felt older than its five years — an assessment that still holds up in the glass today.

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Somewhere between the wash still and the warehouse, Laphroaig built a reputation few casual drinkers ever hear about. This particular release from Islay shows a side of the distillery worth slowing down for.

Expert's description

Laphroaig PX Cask Triple Matured Single Islay Malt Whisky 100 cl 48% is a Single Islay Malt Whisky matured on pedro Ximénez sherry casks as part of a triple maturation and bottled at 48%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried raisins, toasted almonds and a rich sherry sweetness.

Palate

Toffee, dark fruit and a layer of warming spice.

Finish

Rich and sweet with a slow fade of dark fruit.

Specifications

Name: Laphroaig PX Cask Triple Matured Single Islay Malt Whisky 100 cl 48%
Distillery: Laphroaig
Region/Country: Islay
Type: Single Islay Malt Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 100 CL
Cask type: Pedro Ximénez sherry casks as part of a triple maturation
Edition: PX Cask Triple Matured
EAN no.: 5010019637291

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Smoky · Spiced

Investment Potential

Medium. As a discontinued PX-matured 100 cl edition no longer part of Laphroaig's range, this combination of intense smoke and sherry sweetness becomes harder to find over time.

Did you know?

Pedro Ximénez is a Spanish sherry style made from sun-dried grapes, giving an unusually concentrated sweetness when the casks are reused for whisky maturation.

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From the era before Diageo, when United Distillers stood behind the bottle, this is an original bottling from a distillery that today exists only in the history books.

Expert Review

Port Dundas United Distillers Original Bottling Single Grain Scotch Whisky 40% is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky bottled at 40% ABV.

Distillery: Port Dundas. Bottler: United Distillers. This original bottling dates from before Diageo took over the United Distillers name, and represents an early, official release from the now-closed grain distillery in Glasgow.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is light with grain, vanilla and a mild sweetness.

Palate

The palate is soft and simple, with toffee and a light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is short and soft, with lingering grain.

Specifications

Name: Port Dundas United Distillers Original Bottling Single Grain Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Port Dundas
Bottler: United Distillers
Region: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Original Bottling

Flavour Profile

Light · Sweet · Classic

Investment Potential

As an original distillery bottling from the now-defunct United Distillers, and from a distillery that no longer produces spirit, this bottle ranks among the rarer official Port Dundas releases.

Did You Know?

United Distillers existed only for a short period in the 1990s, before the company became part of Diageo in 1997 – bottles carrying this name on the label are therefore a window into a specific period of whisky history.

See our full range of Port Dundas

A glimpse of whisky history, from when strength was measured in proof rather than percent. This bottle is a rare relic of a bygone era.

Note: This is an old edition of The Antiquary De Luxe, bottled under the old British proof system, and the bottle may carry natural signs of age such as light label wear or variation in fill level.

Expert description

The Antiquary De Luxe Old Scotch Whisky is a blended Scotch whisky from an earlier edition of the brand, bottled at 40% ABV, equivalent to 70 UK proof under the old British proof system.

The proof system was used to measure the alcoholic strength of spirits until 1980, after which it was replaced by the percentage-based ABV we use today; 70 proof equals roughly 40% ABV.

The bottle holds 26 2/3 fluid ounces of whisky, equivalent to roughly 75 CL, a detail that reveals the bottle's age, since modern bottlings are typically 70 CL.

The Antiquary was founded by the Hardie brothers in Edinburgh in the late 19th century and today belongs to Tomatin Distillery Co, though this edition dates from an earlier period of ownership.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dry sherry, old oak and a hint of cigar box, typical of the blending style of its era.

Palate

Nuts, dark honey and a faint smokiness that speaks of an earlier blending style.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and lightly spiced, with a last hint of old wood.

Specifications

Name: The Antiquary De Luxe Old Scotch Whisky
Bottler: The Antiquary
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: De Luxe Old Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40% (70 proof)
Size: 75 CL
Edition: Older edition

Flavour profile

Dry sherry · Old wood · Nuts

Investment potential

As a discontinued edition carrying the old proof labelling and a rarer 75 CL bottle format, this bottle holds appeal among collectors of historic Scotch blends.

Did you know?

The British proof system was abolished in 1980 in favour of the international ABV system, so any bottle labelled with "proof" is automatically at least 45 years old in its bottling style.

See our full range of The Antiquary

Before the current label found its place on the shelf, The Hive looked a little different. This release is a glimpse of Wemyss Malts' earlier design, carrying exactly the same honeyed soul that has made The Hive a fixture of the range.

Please note: this bottle carries the older label design of The Hive, prior to Wemyss Malts updating the packaging. The contents follow the same recipe and quality as the current release.

Expert description

The Hive is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46% ABV by Wemyss Malts, assembled from selected casks sourced from several Scottish distilleries.

Wemyss Malts runs its business on a philosophy borrowed from the wine trade: the family acts as a negociant, seeking out the finest single casks from across Scotland, which are then tasted and selected by a nosing panel chaired by whisky writer Charlie Maclean. The casks are not named after the distillery but after their characteristic flavour profile, which is how The Hive name became synonymous with a soft, honeyed style.

This "Old version" represents an earlier chapter in The Hive's history, carrying a label design different from what is found on today's shelves.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honey cake and ripe apricots, lifted by a light, floral scent of white honey.

Palate

Sweet and full-bodied with caramelised sugar, golden raisins and a silky texture.

Finish

Short to medium, with a warm close of honey and a hint of spiced oak.

Specifications

Name: The Hive
Bottler: Wemyss Malts
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NA
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
EAN: 0040232144936

Flavour profile

Honey · Raisin · Silky

Did you know?

Wemyss Malts' nosing panel is chaired by Charlie Maclean, author of more than eight books on whisky, and the panel only selects casks good enough to stand alone as a Single Cask or join one of the named blends such as The Hive.

See our full range of Wemyss Malts

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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Tall and slim instead of low and broad. The bottle shape alone says this 105 comes from another time — today’s release arrives in a short, squat bottle, while the older ones were filled into tall bottles.

Please note: There is a white band around the bottle neck and light scratches on the top of the box.

The expert's description

Glenfarclas 105 Old Version is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at cask strength 60% in a 75 cl bottle.

The bottling appears to date from the 1980s. The 75 cl was the European standard until 70 cl took over in the early 1990s, and the tall bottle shape was later replaced by the low, broad one Glenfarclas uses today. The whisky carries the white band around the neck.

The contents follow the same idea as the current 105 — sherry-matured Glenfarclas at full strength with no age statement. But spirit from the 1970s and 80s has a reputation for being heavier and oilier than what is made today, and for many collectors that is exactly why the older bottles are interesting.

Tasting notes

Nose

Complex and oaky, with apples, pears and a sweet, dark toffee. There is a dusty depth that older bottles often develop.

Palate

Dry and assertive. It develops quickly to reveal a rich spiciness combined with a hint of oak and sherried fruit. At 60% there is a lot at once, but it is warming rather than sharp.

Finish

Amazingly smooth for the strength. Warming and with a lingering smokiness, yet gathered and round.

Specifications

Name: Glenfarclas 105 Old Version Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Whisky 60%
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 60%
Size: 75 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
Bottled: 1980s
Edition: 105 Old Version - tall bottle with white neck band

Flavour profile

Sherried · Oaky · Spiced · Lightly smoky · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. Both the 75 cl format and the tall bottle left Glenfarclas during the 1990s, and a 105 from the 1980s cannot be made again. Older cask strength bottlings from the distillery are collected precisely because they represent a period when the category was still new.

Did you know?

Glenfarclas runs six pot stills, the largest in Speyside, and they are fired directly with gas rather than heated by steam. It is an approach almost every other distillery has abandoned, and it produces a heavier spirit.

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Dallas Dhu stopped production in 1983 and was never demolished. The distillery stands today as a museum with all the equipment in place — but without a drop of new spirit since the Thatcher years.

Expert description

Dallas Dhu 12 years Gordon & MacPhail is a Highland Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 40%.

The distillery sits near Forres and closed in 1983 during the great wave of closures, when overproduction brought a string of Scottish houses to their knees. The buildings were preserved and are run today as a museum, which makes Dallas Dhu one of the few places you can walk through a complete distillery that no longer produces. Gordon & MacPhail in Elgin has bottled whisky from across Scotland since 1895 and is among the most important sources of bottles from closed distilleries.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft and malty. Honey, dried apple and cereal, with a dusty note from the years in glass.

Palate

Round and light. Malt, honey and pale caramel, with a touch of spice and a mild oak note. The 40% keeps it easy to approach.

Finish

Medium and dry, with malt, nuts and a faint herbal warmth.

Specifications

Name: Dallas Dhu 12 years Gordon & MacPhail Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 40%
Distillery: Dallas Dhu
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Region/Country: Forres Scotland
Type: Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Old Version

Flavour profile

Soft · Malty · Honeyed · Nutty · Unpeated

Investment potential

High. The distillery has not produced since 1983, and all existing Dallas Dhu is already in cask or bottle. Supply can only fall.

Did you know?

Dallas Dhu is the only Scottish distillery preserved complete as a museum with the whole production plant intact. You can walk from malting floor to warehouse without anything missing — apart from the spirit.

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Five centilitres is enough for two proper sips and an opinion. That is the whole idea behind a miniature: you find out whether the whisky is for you without a full bottle standing there afterwards as a reminder that it was not.

The expert's description

Ben Nevis 10 years Miniature is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46 % in a 5 centilitre bottle.

The contents are the same as the standing ten year old from the distillery, its best known release and one of the purest expressions of the Ben Nevis style. The Fort William spirit is heavy and slightly waxy, and the 46 % keeps the texture intact even in a bottling this small.

The miniature is made for tastings and for those who want to try the distillery before buying a full bottle. It is also one of the few formats where you can line up five different distilleries side by side without emptying the shelf.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honey, citrus and cream toffee with a floral note on top.

Palate

Spiced at the start, then honeyed sweetness and an oily middle. Fuller than the five centilitres suggest.

Finish

Long and powerful with dark chocolate and spice.

Specifications

Name: Ben Nevis 10 år Miniature
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 5 CL

Flavour profile

Full bodied · Honeyed · Spiced · Waxy · Fruity

Did you know?

Five centilitre miniatures were originally made as sample bottles for travelling salesmen who needed to show a range without hauling full bottles around. Today they have become a collecting field with clubs and auctions of their own.

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A blend with twelve years in cask is rare enough on its own. Finding it in five centilitre format is rarer still, since miniatures are usually made from the entry expressions in a range, not from the ones carrying an age statement.

The expert's description

Dew of Ben Nevis De Luxe 12 years Miniature is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 40 % in a 5 centilitre bottle.

De Luxe is the age stated expression in the blend range of the distillery. Twelve years in cask give it more weight and a clearer malt core than Blue Label and Special Reserve, and the malt component comes from Ben Nevis in Fort William.

Ben Nevis is one of the few Scottish distilleries that distils, blends and bottles at the same address. That makes the Dew range an unusually direct link between a single distillery and a blend, where most blends draw malt from many different houses.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malt, honey and dried apple with a light note of oak.

Palate

Round and malty with caramel and a hint of nut. The twelve years read as depth rather than as edge.

Finish

Medium, dry and warm with malt at the end.

Specifications

Name: Dew of Ben Nevis De Luxe 12 år Miniature
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 5 CL
Edition: De Luxe
EAN no.: 5026673000074

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Soft · Nutty · Dry

Did you know?

Dew of Ben Nevis was launched as far back as the 1800s and was for a period far better known than the single malt from the distillery. The name refers to the dew on the mountain at whose foot the distillery sits.

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Special Reserve is the one people in Fort William actually drink. Not the bottle anyone photographs, but the one behind the hotel bar that gets poured without ceremony when someone comes in out of the rain.

The expert's description

Dew of Ben Nevis Special Reserve Miniature is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 40 % in a 5 centilitre bottle.

Special Reserve sits between Blue Label and De Luxe in the blend range of the distillery. It carries more body and malt character than Blue Label but no age statement, and it is meant as the broad everyday expression of the house rather than as a gift bottle.

The malt component comes from Ben Nevis in Fort William, where both blending and bottling take place at the distillery. The miniature makes it possible to meet the range without committing to a full bottle.

Tasting notes

Nose

Cereal, vanilla and a touch of dried apple. The malt sits just under the surface.

Palate

Medium bodied with caramel, malt and a lightly spiced edge. More body than you expect from a blend in this size.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and malty.

Specifications

Name: Dew of Ben Nevis Special Reserve Miniature
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 5 CL
Edition: Special Reserve
EAN no.: 5026673000265

Flavour profile

Malty · Soft · Cereal · Lightly spiced · Dry

Did you know?

The Ben Nevis distillery fell silent several times in the 1980s and was at one point close to closing for good. The Nikka purchase in 1989 secured operations and got the plant running again.

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Same malt, smaller bottle. This miniature offers a quick taste of Tomatin's best-selling 12-year-old.

Expert's description

Tomatin Miniature 12 år Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 5 cl 43% is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 43%.

This 12-year-old miniature is bottled at 43% and offers the same sherry-toned, easy-drinking character as the full-size bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sherry and fruit sweetness, raisins and orange.

Palate

Toffee and spice, creamy.

Finish

Short with a soft malt sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Tomatin Miniature 12 år Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 5 cl 43%
Distillery: Tomatin
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 43%
Size: 5 CL
Non-chill filtered: No
Natural colour: No
Edition: Miniature

Flavour Profile

Round · Spiced · Fresh

Did you know?

The 5cl miniature format is popular among whisky collectors wanting to build a broad tasting collection without opening full bottles.

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Mahogany in the glass. Warm spices in the air. Macallan Sienna carries its colour with pride — not a choice, but a promise of what sherry oak can do when given time to leave its mark.

Expert description

Macallan Sienna 1824 Series is a discontinued Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured exclusively in Spanish sherry casks — European and American oak — and bottled at 43%. It was part of Macallan's 1824 Collection, which used colour as a guide to intensity: Gold, Amber, Sienna and Ruby. Sienna was the third most intense expression in the series, and its deep terracotta hue reflects a long and richly sherried life in cask.

The collection has been discontinued, making Sienna a sought-after bottle for collectors and Macallan enthusiasts. The powerful sherry-driven flavour notes are undeniable.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruit and orange marmalade with prunes, dates and dark chocolate. Rich sherry with cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint of smoke.

Palate

Full and sweet with fig, raisin and caramelised orange. Warm spice with ginger, clove and dry oak.

Finish

Long and warm with dark chocolate, dried fruits and a soft oak bitterness. Sherry sweetness carries through to the last.

Specifications

Name: Macallan Sienna 1824 Series
Distillery: Macallan
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Spanish sherry casks (European and American oak)
Edition: 1824 Series (discontinued)
EAN no.: 5010314101206

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Rich dark fruit · Spiced · Discontinued collector's bottle

Investment potential

High — Macallan Sienna is from the discontinued 1824 Series and is no longer available from the distillery. Collectors and Macallan enthusiasts actively seek these bottles, and secondary market prices reflect the series' rarity and prestige.

Did you know?

The 1824 Series used the colour of the whisky as a sort of menu for intensity — no age statement, just colour as the guide. Sienna represented the second deepest shade in the series, and the colour came entirely from sherry cask maturation, not from colouring.

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Machir Bay is the beach right outside the distillery's door — wide, white and forever whipped by the Atlantic. The whisky that carries its name is Kilchoman's public face: fresh, smoky and unmistakably Islay.

Expert's description

Kilchoman Machir Bay is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry casks and bottled at 46 %.

Machir Bay became Kilchoman's standing standard release in 2012 and today represents the house style better than any other bottle. It rests mainly on ex-bourbon casks, with a portion of the casks receiving a finishing period in used sherry casks, giving a balance of citrus freshness, sweetness and spice.

Kilchoman was founded in 2005 as Scotland's only true farm distillery, where barley is grown, floor malted, distilled and bottled in the same place — a philosophy that still runs through even the most accessible release in the range.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh citrus notes and sea breeze meet light peat smoke, vanilla and tropical fruit.

Palate

Creamy and balanced, with honeyed sweetness, citrus and butterscotch, spiced by undertones from the sherry casks.

Finish

Medium to long, with lingering smoke, salted caramel and a dry, pleasant close.

Specifications

Name: Kilchoman Machir Bay 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 Casks with Sherry Finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
EAN no.: 5060210700522

Flavour profile

Peated · Fresh · Citrus-fresh · Balanced · Maritime

Did you know?

Machir Bay won the title of Scotland's malt of the year in 2013, just a year after launch — an unusual achievement for such a young standard release.

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Behind every well-balanced blend sits a master blender who has tasted more casks than most drinkers will in a lifetime. This Johnnie Walker release carries that philosophy into every glass.

Expert's description

Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Blended Whisky 40% is a Blended Scotch Whisky and bottled at 40%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Malt, toffee and a whisper of peat.

Palate

Honey, malt and a light peppery spice.

Finish

Medium length with a soft smoky close.

Specifications

Name: Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Blended Whisky 40%
Distillery: Johnnie Walker
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Gold Label Reserve
EAN no.: 5000267117560

Flavour Profile

Rounded · Spiced

Did you know?

Gold Label Reserve was kept out of public reach for more than 70 years after it was first blended in 1920, before it finally became available outside the company.

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In Bordeaux, a 225-litre wine cask is called a barrique, and that number gives this release its name. Tullibardine 225 is the distillery's tribute to the sweet French dessert wine cask.

The expert's description

Tullibardine 225 Sauternes Finish Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 43% is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Ex-bourbon casks with a 12-month finish in 225-litre ex-Sauternes casks from Château Suduiraut and bottled at 43%.

After a long maturation in ex-bourbon casks, the whisky is transferred to 225-litre ex-Sauternes casks from the renowned Château Suduiraut, a Premier Cru Classé. A further 12 months of maturation follows, creating an elegant, golden whisky with no added caramel colouring, true to Tullibardine's philosophy.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Citrus, grain and a good measure of vanilla.

Palate

Sweet with a hint of pineapple and orange.

Finish

Long with lingering citrus and a light sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Tullibardine 225 Sauternes Finish Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 43%
Distillery: Tullibardine
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks with a 12-month finish in 225-litre ex-Sauternes casks from Château Suduiraut
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060074861308

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Sweet · Elegant

Did you know?

Château Suduiraut, which supplied the casks for this whisky, is one of the most respected Sauternes wine houses, classified as Premier Cru Classé as early as 1855.

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Where the Sauternes edition draws its sweetness from wine, this sister release draws its depth from sherry. A butt is the largest of the classic cask sizes, a full 500 litres, and the name is no accident.

The expert's description

Tullibardine 500 Sherry Wood Finish Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 43% is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Ex-bourbon casks with a 12-month finish in 500-litre ex-sherry butts and bottled at 43%.

After a long maturation in ex-bourbon casks, the whisky is transferred to 500-litre ex-sherry butts for a further 12 months of maturation. This has created a deep, dark brown whisky with notes of malt sweets and green apples, tied together with vanilla, dates and spice.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Malt sweets, green apples and vanilla.

Palate

Dates and spice with a creamy, fruity impression of red summer fruits.

Finish

Long and lasting with lingering vanilla and chocolate tones.

Specifications

Name: Tullibardine 500 Sherry Wood Finish Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 43%
Distillery: Tullibardine
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks with a 12-month finish in 500-litre ex-sherry butts
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060074861285

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Full-bodied · Fruity

Did you know?

A sherry butt is by far the largest cask type used in the whisky industry, holding roughly twice as much as a standard hogshead, giving the spirit more time to gently meet the wood.

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Sovereign is Tullibardine's entry point into its own world, a whisky built purely on the clean character of the bourbon cask. No finish, no detours, just the spirit meeting good wood.

The expert's description

Tullibardine Sovereign Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 43% is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in 1st fill bourbon casks and bottled at 43%.

The whisky is matured in 1st fill bourbon casks and presents a lovely, balanced dram full of juicy pears, creamy chocolate and barley malt that slowly develops on the palate. The pale colour reflects Tullibardine's philosophy of never adjusting colour with caramel.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Juicy pears and creamy chocolate.

Palate

Barley malt that slowly develops with gentle sweetness.

Finish

Long and lasting with a soft finish.

Specifications

Name: Tullibardine Sovereign Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 43%
Distillery: Tullibardine
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill bourbon casks
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060074861247

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Soft · Elegant

Did you know?

The name Sovereign references Scottish royal history, which Tullibardine also celebrates through its location near the old brewery where King James IV once bought beer.

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An otter on the label and a distillery few people could name. The Flora & Fauna series was the first attempt to give the workhorses behind the big blends a bottle of their own.

Expert description

Blair Athol 12 Years Flora & Fauna is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 43%.

The series was launched in 1991 by United Distillers, today Diageo, and gathered 26 different single malts from distilleries that otherwise supplied only blends. The aim was to show the differences between Scotland's whisky regions. Most were bottled at 43%, while a few appeared at cask strength or in wooden boxes.

Blair Athol in Pitlochry has been the spirit's home since 1798. The style is heavy and nutty with a syrupy sweetness that makes the whisky recognisable among the other Highland malts in the series.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malty sweetness with raisin, brown sugar and a nutty, almost meaty note underneath.

Palate

Full and syrupy with dried fruit, dark sugar and a stroke of spice. There is real weight through the middle.

Finish

Medium and dry with nuts, malt and a lightly bitter oak note.

Specifications

Name: Blair Athol 12 Years Flora & Fauna Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Blair Athol
Region/Country: Highlands, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Flora & Fauna
EAN no.: 5000389405318

Flavour profile

Malty · Nutty · Sweet · Spiced · Full

Investment potential

Medium. The Flora & Fauna series has become a collecting field in itself, and several releases have already been discontinued. Demand has risen as the series has been cut back.

Did you know?

The animal on the label is not chosen at random. Every bottle in the series shows an animal or plant from the area around the distillery, and Blair Athol's otter refers to the Allt Dour spring, the otter's burn.

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A distillery's rebirth told in a single glass, the culmination of a journey that began with a shuttered distillery and ended in one of Islay's most loved names.

Note: There is minor wear on the box.

Expert Review

Ardbeg Renaissance 1998/2008 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky distilled in 1998, bottled in 2008 after 10 years of maturation in ex-bourbon casks, non-chill filtered at cask strength, 55.9%.

The whisky marks the distillery's rebirth following its reopening in the late 1990s and was released as the culmination of the "Path to Peaty Maturity" series. Today it stands as a collector favourite and an icon of modern Ardbeg history.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bold smoke meets a fresh sea breeze, citrus and spiced sweetness from the bourbon casks.

Palate

Full and complex with layers of peat, pepper, salted caramel and ripe fruit.

Finish

Long, lingering and intense, with a finely tuned balance of smoke, spice and sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Ardbeg Renaissance
Distillery: Ardbeg
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 55.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distilled: 1998
Bottled: 2008
Edition: Path to Peaty Maturity – Renaissance
EAN no.: 5010494294286

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Salty · Spiced · Fruity

Investment Potential

Medium. As the culmination of a historically important series for Ardbeg, at cask strength and non-chill filtered, Renaissance is regarded by many as one of the most significant releases in the distillery's modern history.

Did You Know?

Renaissance was the final and most anticipated release in the "Path to Peaty Maturity" series, which followed Ardbeg's whisky year by year from the reopening until it reached its full potential.

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