Californian red wine and Scottish Lowland malt are not an obvious pairing. It works anyway: the wine cask supplies colour and dark fruit while the spirit holds on to its lightness.

Expert description

Bladnoch 17 Years Limited Edition is a Single Lowland Malt Whisky matured in bourbon casks and Californian red wine casks and bottled at 46.7%.

The whisky first matured in used bourbon casks, which lay down vanilla and pale grain, and was then transferred to Californian red wine casks. Those deliver the cherry, prune and dark colour that is unusual for a Lowland malt.

The release is a limited bottling from the distillery in Galloway and belongs to the run of wine cask experiments Bladnoch has worked with over the years. Seventeen years is a high age for the region, and the combination of time and wine wood gives a whisky with more weight than the profile normally allows.

Tasting notes

Nose

Rich and fruity with dried fruit, cherry, coffee, vanilla and toffee, closing with a hint of sweet, spicy oak.

Palate

Spiced oak meets marmalade, cherries and prunes, held in balance by liquorice and cinnamon.

Finish

Long and dry with dark fruit slowly giving way to oak and a final flick of cinnamon.

Specifications

Name: Bladnoch 17 Years Limited Edition Single Lowland Malt Whisky 70 cl 46.7%
Distillery: Bladnoch
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Lowland Malt Whisky
Age: 17 years
ABV: 46,7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks and Californian red wine casks
Edition: Limited Edition

Flavour profile

Fruity · Spiced · Wine matured · Dark · Elegant

Investment potential

Medium. A limited high-age release from a distillery whose production has been interrupted several times. Wine cask bottlings from Bladnoch exist only in small numbers.

Did you know?

Red wine casks take more work than sherry casks, because wine is lower in alcohol and leaves a wetter cask behind. Many distilleries dry and re-toast them before the whisky goes in.

See our full range of Bladnoch

Distilled in 1987, bottled in 1999. Between those two dates Bladnoch changed hands, fell silent and was restarted — and the whisky simply waited in the cask, none the wiser.

Please note: The bottle is sold without its original box.

Expert description

Bladnoch 1987/1999 Connoisseurs Choice 12 Years is a Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 40% by Gordon & MacPhail.

Connoisseurs Choice is Gordon & MacPhail's oldest and best known series of independent bottlings, and the early releases with the map label are sought after in their own right today. The series has historically been the route to whisky from distilleries that were either closed or released nothing themselves.

The 1987 Bladnoch spirit dates from the years under Bell's and later United Distillers, that is, before the modern rebuilding of the distillery. It is a pale, classic Lowland style that would hardly be made the same way now.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pale and clean with grain, hay and lemon peel. Given time, pear and a light waxiness come forward.

Palate

Soft and dry with malt, white fruit and a touch of almond. 40% keeps it light, but there is a maturity in the middle that only time provides.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and grainy with a trace of oak.

Specifications

Name: Bladnoch 1987/1999 Connoisseurs Choice 12 Years Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Bladnoch
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Distilled: 1987
Bottled: 1999
Edition: Connoisseurs Choice
EAN no.: 5020613209824

Flavour profile

Light · Grainy · Dry · Fruity · Classic

Investment potential

High. A vintage from a period that will not return, released in a series with collector value of its own. Older Connoisseurs Choice bottles with map labels have become a category in themselves.

Did you know?

Gordon & MacPhail began buying casks as early as 1895 and has stored whisky in its own warehouse in Elgin ever since. The company today also owns the Benromach distillery.

See our full range of Bladnoch
See our full range of Gordon & MacPhail

The label shows a map of Scotland with the distillery marked. It is a detail that now dates the bottle instantly — and makes it as recognisable to collectors as the whisky inside.

Expert description

Bladnoch 1987/1999 Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 12 Years is a Single Lowland Malt Whisky bottled at 40%.

The release carries the map label Gordon & MacPhail used on Connoisseurs Choice for a number of years and retired in the 2000s. The whisky was distilled in 1987 and bottled in 1999 after twelve years in cask.

Bladnoch was producing in that period under Bell's and United Distillers, and the spirit is made in the pale, classic Lowland style. After 1993 the distillery stood idle for long stretches, which has left the 1980s vintages thin on the ground.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean and grainy with hay, apple blossom and a pale citrus note.

Palate

Soft, dry and light. Malt, green fruit and a fine waxy texture typical of the period.

Finish

Medium and dry with grain and a faint suggestion of oak.

Specifications

Name: Bladnoch 1987/1999 Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 12 Years Single Lowland Malt Whisky 70 cl 40%
Distillery: Bladnoch
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Lowland Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Distilled: 1987
Bottled: 1999
Edition: Connoisseurs Choice

Flavour profile

Light · Floral · Dry · Grainy · Classic

Investment potential

High. The combination of a 1980s vintage, the retired map label and original packaging is exactly what collectors of Connoisseurs Choice look for.

Did you know?

Gordon & MacPhail runs its own cask programme and has for decades supplied casks to the distilleries it buys from. That is one reason the house's older bottlings often carry pronounced cask influence.

See our full range of Bladnoch
See our full range of Gordon & MacPhail

Eight years does not sound like much, but on a light Lowland spirit it is enough. The bourbon cask has had time to set vanilla and fudge in place without smothering the freshness that makes the style recognisable.

Expert description

Bladnoch 8 Years is a Single Lowland Malt Whisky matured in refill bourbon casks and bottled at 46%.

This is an older version of the distillery's eight year old, a bottle from before the current range was built. Refill bourbon casks were chosen precisely so as not to drown the spirit, and the result is soft and round with plenty of sweetness.

Bladnoch sits in Galloway and is Scotland's southernmost distillery. The house works with unpeated malt and a pale spirit style, where bourbon casks have traditionally formed the backbone of the range.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and fudge first, then fresh apples, a little coconut and a light grainy sweetness.

Palate

Soft and round with caramel, vanilla and white fruit. The 46% gives it enough body to keep the sweetness from flattening out.

Finish

Medium and light with vanilla, grain and a dry oak note at the end.

Specifications

Name: Bladnoch 8 Years Single Lowland Malt Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Bladnoch
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Lowland Malt Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill bourbon casks

Flavour profile

Soft · Vanilla · Fruity · Sweet · Light

Did you know?

US law allows a bourbon barrel to be used only once for bourbon. That is why Scotland has had access to inexpensive, nearly new oak casks for decades — and why vanilla is such a widespread note in Scotch whisky.

See our full range of Bladnoch

New oak is a risky thing to hand a light Lowland malt. Use too much and the spirit vanishes into sawdust. Liora finds the spot where oak adds spice instead of taking over.

Expert description

Bladnoch Liora is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Ex-Bourbon and New Oak and bottled at 52.2% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The combination of refill bourbon casks and new American oak is chosen to set the distillery's fresh apple character against toasted caramel and spice. New oak gives up considerably more tannin and vanillin than a refill cask, which is why it is usually used in smaller proportions.

Liora belongs to Bladnoch's named series, where the age statement is dropped in favour of the cask make-up. The high bottling strength is part of the concept and makes the whisky more concentrated than the Lowland style normally is.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh cut apples with toasted caramel and a floral note on top.

Palate

Caramelised apples with spice and freshly cut oak. The strength carries everything and gives the whisky a weight unusual for the region.

Finish

Long with a gently warming dryness where the oak gets the last word.

Specifications

Name: Bladnoch Liora Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 52.2%
Distillery: Bladnoch
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 52,2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-Bourbon and New Oak
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Liora
EAN no.: 857921006051

Flavour profile

Fresh · Spiced · Floral · Caramel · Powerful

Did you know?

New oak must be toasted on the inside before it can be used. The degree of toasting decides whether the cask gives vanilla and coconut or darker notes of caramel and smoke — one of the most precise levers a whisky maker has.

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Samsara means rebirth, and the name was chosen carefully. Bladnoch stood silent for six years before the distillery was started up again — this bottle belongs to the second round.

Expert description

Bladnoch Samsara is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in red wine casks and bourbon casks and bottled at 46.7% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky brings together malts where Californian red wine casks deliver dark fruit and the reddish tone, while bourbon casks build vanilla and pale sweetness underneath. The cask combination has been a running signature for the distillery since the restart.

Samsara is one of the named releases without an age statement, where cask history rather than maturation time is the pivot. That lets Bladnoch work with younger and older components in the same bottle.

Tasting notes

Nose

Plum and red berries with vanilla, orange peel and a light floral note.

Palate

Sweet and full with plum, vanilla and citrus, carried by a soft texture that owes much to the lack of chill filtration.

Finish

Medium and lightly dry with red fruit slowly giving way to oak and grain.

Specifications

Name: Bladnoch Samsara Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46.7%
Distillery: Bladnoch
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46,7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Red wine casks and bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Samsara
EAN no.: 0851370006044

Flavour profile

Fruity · Sweet · Floral · Wine matured · Soft

Did you know?

The word samsara comes from Sanskrit and describes the cycle of birth and rebirth. It is an unusual name for a Scotch whisky and a direct nod to the distillery's own history of closures and reopenings.

See our full range of Bladnoch

A refill bourbon barrel rarely promises much. This one kept its cards close for eleven years and then delivered a dram that tastes of far more than the paperwork suggests.

Expert description

Blair Athol 11 Years Dram Mor is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Refill Bourbon Barrel #308610, bottled at cask strength, 56%.

The bottler Dràm Mòr buys single casks and bottles them without blending. This cask gave 305 bottles, which fits a single barrel, so the entire run comes from the same wood and the same day at the distillery.

Blair Athol sits in Pitlochry in the Highlands and is best known as the backbone of the Bell's blend. The distillery's own spirit is heavy and lightly nutty, and it does well in a quiet refill cask where the house character has room to show.

Tasting notes

Nose

Very fresh with a surprising note of prunes. A trace of honey syrup, sweet green grapes, a hint of blue cheese and lilies.

Palate

Cool, syrupy and lightly spiced with a full mouthfeel that coats everything in spiced butter. Far more than a refill bourbon barrel normally offers.

Finish

Bright, soft and clean with a lasting play of honey, warmth and gentle bitterness.

Specifications

Name: Blair Athol 11 Years Dram Mor Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 56%
Distillery: Blair Athol
Bottler: Dràm Mòr
Region/Country: Highlands, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 56%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Bourbon Barrel #308610
Number of bottles: 305

Flavour profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Spiced · Full · Floral

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask bottling of 305 bottles from a smaller bottler, and single casks by definition cannot be repeated.

Did you know?

Blair Athol distillery draws on a spring called Allt Dour, Gaelic for the otter's burn. Water from it has been used in production since the distillery was founded in 1798.

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See our full range of Dràm Mòr

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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Eleven years in a quiet refill hogshead, then almost three more in a sherry butt at the end. It is a cask history where the order matters: the spirit was allowed to be itself first, and the sherry came afterwards.

Expert description

Blair Athol 2007/2022 Signatory 14 Years is a Single Highland Malt Whisky from a Refill Hogshead finished for 35 months in a Sherry Butt and bottled at cask strength, 54.3%.

Signatory Vintage bought the Blair Athol spirit, distilled on 7 September 2007, and bottled it on 19 January 2022 as part of the house's Cask Strength Collection. The run is 670 bottles, which fits a butt, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Blair Athol's heavy, nutty spirit is good company for a sherry cask. Thirty-five months is a long finishing period, so the cask has had the chance to reach further into the whisky than a typical six to twelve month finish.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin and dark sugar with walnut, orange peel and a breath of leather.

Palate

Full and oily with dried fruit, cinnamon and roasted nuts. The sherry sits heavily, but the malty core of the spirit shines through.

Finish

Long and warm with nuts, dark chocolate and a trace of tobacco.

Specifications

Name: Blair Athol 2007/2022 Signatory 14 Years Sherry Butt Single Highland Malt Whisky 54.3%
Distillery: Blair Athol
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highlands, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 54,3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Hogshead finished for 35 months in a Sherry Butt, Cask No. 1
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 07/09/2007
Bottled: 19/01/2022
Number of bottles: 670
Edition: Cask Strength Collection

Flavour profile

Sherried · Nutty · Spiced · Dark fruit · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium. A bottling of 670 bottles from a series that is not repeated, with an unusually long sherry finish.

Did you know?

Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 and is based at Edradour in Pitlochry — less than ten kilometres from Blair Athol. The whisky did not have far to travel.

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See our full range of Signatory Vintage

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A screen-printed label from the 1990s, a classic Bowmore 12 Year and the unmistakable Islay identity. This is the bottle many people remember as their first real Islay malt — and as a collector's piece, it is now more sought-after than ever.

Expert's description

Bowmore 12 Year Old Version is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in ex-bourbon and sherry casks and bottled at 40%. This is the screen-printed edition from the 1990s — a format that has been discontinued and marks a specific chapter in Bowmore's design history. Screen printing directly onto the glass bottle was the standard for the export market at the time, and today it is a marker for collectors of historical whiskies. The contents are classic Bowmore 12 Year: matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and sherry casks in the iconic No. 1 Vaults, partially below sea level. At 40%, with light peat smoke, honey, citrus and sea salt — Bowmore from the ground up.

Tasting notes

Nose

Light peat smoke, honey and a little citrus. A salty sea breeze and a hint of vanilla. Inviting and accessible.

Taste

Soft and balanced. Heather honey and ripe fruit, the smoke drawing discreetly through and giving Islay character without overpowering.

Finish

Clean and medium length. A trace of honey and sea salt remain.

Specifications

Name: Bowmore 12 Year Old Version Screen Print Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Bowmore
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon and sherry
Edition: Old Version – Screen Print (1990s)
EAN no.: 5010496080818

Flavour profile

Peated · Fruity · Honey · Collector · Vintage

Did you know?

Screen printing directly onto glass bottles — as used on this edition — was a popular premium packaging method in the 1980s and 1990s, particularly for the export market. It was eventually replaced by adhesive labels as production volumes increased.

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A litre of Bowmore with a silk-screen printed label — the kind of bottle that no longer makes it onto the shelves, but that recalls a time when Islay whisky was presented with rather more character. A collector's bottle from an era when bottles had personality.

Expert's description

Bowmore 12 Year Screen Printed Old Version is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured on ex-bourbon and sherry casks and bottled at 43%. This is the old 100 cl format with a screen-printed label applied directly to the glass — a presentation that has since been discontinued. Screen printing directly onto bottles was standard on several of Bowmore's export markets and is today a hallmark collectors look for in older expressions.

The whisky inside is the classic Bowmore 12 Year from the distillery on the banks of Loch Indaal, founded in 1779. Matured on ex-bourbon and sherry casks at 43%, and developed in the distillery's iconic No. 1 Vaults — a warehouse that sits partly below sea level. That maritime environment leaves its mark on both nose and palate: salt breeze, a trace of smoke and honey from one of Islay's most storied distilleries.

Tasting notes

Nose

Light and inviting with heather honey, a little citrus and Bowmore's soft, gentle peat smoke. A trace of sea salt and vanilla.

Palate

Soft and creamy with ripe citrus, honey and a light, salted smoke. Discreet sweetness balances the peat nicely.

Finish

Medium-length and gentle. The smoke fades slowly with a dry, lightly peppery note and a final breath of honey.

Specifications

Name: Bowmore 12 Year Screen Printed Old Version
Distillery: Bowmore
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 100 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon and sherry
Edition: Old Version – Screen Printed (discontinued format)

Flavour profile

Smoky · Maritime · Honey-sweet · Fruity · Soft

Investment potential

Medium. The discontinued 100 cl format with screen-printed label is sought after by collectors, and older Bowmore bottlings in this presentation have been rising in price on the auction market.

Did you know?

Bowmore is the only Islay distillery that still produces a portion of its malt on its own floor maltings — a method that has all but disappeared from the wider industry, giving the distillery direct control over the peat levels in its production.

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Where Loch Indaal beats against the walls and part of the warehouse sits below the waterline, one of Islay's most recognisable drams matures. Bowmore 12 Year is where most people begin their journey into the island's peat smoke — and where many keep returning.

Expert's description

Bowmore 12 Year is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in ex-bourbon and sherry casks and bottled at 40%. The flagship expression and first step in the core range from Bowmore, Islay's oldest distillery, founded in 1779. A classic permanent expression — not a limited edition, but a whisky that has stood the test of time and defined what an accessible Islay malt tastes like. Bowmore is one of the few distilleries still running its own traditional floor maltings, where barley is peated to around 25 ppm — notable but never as aggressive as Ardbeg or Lagavulin. This moderate smoke level is a major reason why Bowmore 12 Year is often called the ideal entry point to Islay. The whisky matures in a combination of ex-bourbon and sherry casks in the legendary No. 1 Vaults, one of the world's oldest maturation warehouses.

Tasting notes

Nose

Light and inviting. Honey and citrus at the front, wrapped in Bowmore's characteristic mild peat smoke. A touch of vanilla and fresh flowers.

Taste

Well-balanced with warm honey, plum and a restrained peat smoke. The sherry cask contributes dark fruit and gentle spice; the bourbon cask provides sweetness and vanilla.

Finish

Medium length, clean and lightly smoky. Honey and sea salt linger — a satisfying, classic Islay finish.

Specifications

Name: Bowmore 12 Year Single Islay Malt Whisky
Distillery: Bowmore
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Single Islay Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon and sherry
EAN no.: 5010496080818

Flavour profile

Peated · Fruity · Honey · Maritime · Balanced

Did you know?

Bowmore still operates its own traditional floor maltings — one of fewer than ten distilleries in Scotland to do so — producing a portion of its own peated malt on site.

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Eighteen years below Islay's surface, in No. 1 Vaults where the Atlantic rolls past the walls. What starts as light peat and bourbon sweetness slowly transforms into something darker — salt and dark berries, oak and a restrained smoke. This is Bowmore at full maturity.

Expert's description

Bowmore 18 Year is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in ex-bourbon and sherry casks and bottled at 43%. One of the distillery's core expressions, showing what happens when Islay's oldest distillery gives whisky enough time in combined bourbon and sherry casks. Eighteen years softens the youthful peat into something deeper — dark fruit, sea breeze and gentle bitterness from extended oak contact. Bowmore has produced whisky since 1779 on the shores of Loch Indaal. At around 25 ppm, the moderate peating level and maturation in the legendary No. 1 Vaults give this 18-year-old its characteristic balance between restrained smoke and layered complexity.

Tasting notes

Nose

Subdued and elegant smoke. Orange and raisins, a hint of sea salt and dark chocolate. Cinnamon and steady oak.

Taste

Dark berries, orange marmalade and warming spice. The sherry casks bring depth — dried fruit, gentle earthiness and a trace of leather emerging after the initial sweetness.

Finish

Long, warming and gently smoky. Chocolate and dark fruit linger alongside a faint coastal breeze that keeps the maritime identity alive.

Specifications

Name: Bowmore 18 Year Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Bowmore
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon and sherry
EAN no.: 5010496001400

Flavour profile

Peated · Sherried · Dark fruit · Maritime · Spiced

Did you know?

Bowmore's No. 1 Vaults, where part of this whisky matures, sits partially below sea level — making it one of the few warehouses in the world where the tide literally rolls past the walls during storms.

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Nine years is not long, but this is Islay — and Bowmore at that. It gives you a whisky that tastes more mature than most 9-year-olds from anywhere else. Smoke, coast and a layer of honey that needs no more time to convince.

Expert's description

Bowmore 9 Year is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon and sherry casks and bottled at 40%. A discontinued bottling from the distillery on the shores of Loch Indaal — a shorter, more youthful take on Bowmore's characteristic profile. Matured in carefully selected bourbon and sherry casks in the iconic No. 1 Vaults, which sit partially below sea level. The maritime climate leaves its mark here: salty air, stable temperatures and the constant presence of the Atlantic. As an Islay whisky from the island's oldest distillery, Bowmore 9 Year carries the characteristic balance between peat smoke and sweetness — just in a lighter register than the older expressions. An interesting tasting experience for those who want to see what Bowmore does with younger casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and open with peat, honey and a touch of caramel. Sea salt present behind a light fruity note.

Taste

Medium body with peat smoke, honey and dark chocolate. The bourbon cask brings clean sweetness; the sherry adds a gentle dark fruit undertone.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and lightly smoky with a lingering honey warmth.

Specifications

Name: Bowmore 9 Year Single Islay Malt Whisky
Distillery: Bowmore
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Single Islay Malt Whisky
Age: 9 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon and sherry
Edition: Discontinued bottling
EAN no.: 5010496006191

Flavour profile

Peated · Honey · Light · Maritime · Discontinued

Did you know?

Bowmore's No. 1 Vaults — where this whisky matured — have been in use since the distillery was founded in 1779, making them among the oldest continuously used maturation warehouses in Scotland.

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British precision meets Islay peat. Bowmore and Aston Martin — two brands rooted in craft, pace and tradition — found each other in a limited edition that tastes better than it sounds.

Expert's description

Bowmore Aston Martin 10 Year Masters Selection is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Spanish sherry casks and hogsheads and bottled at 40%. The product of a collaboration between Islay's oldest distillery and the iconic British car manufacturer Aston Martin. The Masters Selection series is presented in 1-litre bottles, matured for 10 years in a combination of Spanish sherry casks and classic hogsheads — a mix that delivers unusual depth for the age. The sherry-led character and the Islay peat that is always present in Bowmore create an interplay between dark fruit and coastal air that works well. At 40% and 1 litre, this is not a cask strength collector's bottle — it's a whisky made to be drunk.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruit and chocolate, peat and a light medicinal note. Behind it, dusty oak, bonfire embers and toffee.

Taste

Fruity and silky textured with light peat smoke. Citrus, dark chocolate and sherry from old casks, alongside a hint of hazelnut and caramel.

Finish

Medium length, warming and gently smoky. A touch of dark coffee and dried orange peel.

Specifications

Name: Bowmore Aston Martin 10 Year Masters Selection
Distillery: Bowmore
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Single Islay Malt Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 100 CL
Cask type: Spanish sherry casks and hogsheads
Edition: Aston Martin Masters Selection (Limited Edition)
EAN no.: 5010496006566

Flavour profile

Peated · Sherried · Fruity · Smooth · Maritime

Did you know?

The Bowmore and Aston Martin collaboration began in 2017 and has produced several exclusive releases linking the two British heritage brands — centred on shared values of craftsmanship, tradition and precision.

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Some distilleries never become household names on the shelf. They work quietly, supply malt for other people's blends, and only rarely let a single bottle out on its own. Braes of Glenlivet is one of them.

Expert Description

Braes of Glenlivet 1979/1995 Signatory Vintage 15 Year Old is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in sherry casks and bottled at 43%.

The whisky comes from the Braes of Glenlivet distillery, today known as Braeval, rarely seen bottled as a single malt since most of its production traditionally goes into blends. This release was distilled on 6 June 1979 and bottled by the independent bottler Signatory Vintage in May 1995 from two sherry casks (cask no. 16042 and 16043), after 15 years of maturation. Only 1,200 bottles were released in Signatory Vintage's classic dumpy bottle, making it a sought-after collector's item from a distillery rarely seen in this form.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark amber with a reddish tint, and an aroma of roasted nuts, dark berries, raisins, leather and old orange peel, in a complex and harmonious sherry nose with a hint of tobacco and herbs.

Palate

Soft and full with dates, raisins, old oak and black pepper, carried by leather, a light sulphur note, tobacco, menthol and a touch of liquorice.

Finish

Long and warm with dark fruit and a lingering sherry character.

Specifications

Name: 1979/1995
Distillery: Braes of Glenlivet (Braeval)
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 Years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry Casks, cask no. 16042 and 16043
Distilled: 06.06.1979
Bottled: 05.1995
Number of bottles: 1,200 bottles
Edition: Signatory Vintage Dumpy Bottle

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Full-bodied · Spiced · Old-school

Investment Potential

High. Braes of Glenlivet, today Braeval, is very rarely bottled as a single malt, and a vintage bottling from 1979 with only 1,200 bottles is exactly the kind of release that rises sharply in demand among collectors of closed or rarely seen distilleries.

Did You Know?

Braes of Glenlivet officially changed its name to Braeval in 1994, precisely to avoid confusion with The Glenlivet, yet bottles like this one, released before the name change had fully taken hold, still carry the original name.

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Braeval was once called Braes of Glenlivet and sits so high in the hills that it is Scotland's highest distillery. Whisky from it is rarely seen — and almost never carries the distillery name from the owners themselves.

Expert description

Braeval 2018 That Boutique-Y Whisky Company 23 Years is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky bottled at 44.6% in 50 cl.

The release is Batch 3 from That Boutique-Y Whisky Company and appeared in 2018 in a run of 600 bottles. The series is known for its cartoon labels, where each bottle tells a story about the distillery in comic form, and for bottling in half bottles.

Braeval was built in 1973 by Chivas Brothers and has never carried a permanent official single malt. The spirit is light, floral and grassy in the classic Speyside sense, and after 23 years the cask has had plenty of time to lay honey and oak over it.

Tasting notes

Nose

Heather and apple blossom with honey, pale oak and a trace of dried pear.

Palate

Soft and malty with vanilla, grass and baked fruit. The age reads as a round, waxy texture rather than heavy oak.

Finish

Medium and dry with grain, honey and a lightly spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Braeval (Braes of Glenlivet) 2018 That Boutique-Y Whisky Company 23 Years Single Speyside Malt Whisky 50 cl 44.6%
Distillery: Braeval
Bottler: That Boutique-Y Whisky Company
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 23 years
ABV: 44,6%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Batch 3
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 600

Flavour profile

Floral · Honeyed · Fruity · Soft · Mature

Investment potential

Medium. A batch bottling of 600 bottles from a distillery with no official range, and the That Boutique-Y labels have a following of their own.

Did you know?

Braeval sits in the Braes of Glenlivet at around 350 metres above sea level. For many years the distillery was unmanned in the sense that it was operated remotely from neighbouring Allt-a-Bhainne.

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Twenty-one years in a refill sherry butt does not sound like much on paper. But a used cask works slowly, and when it finally lands, it is the distillery you taste — not the wood.

Expert description

Braeval 2000/2021 Signatory Vintage 21 Years is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky from Refill Sherry Butt #6392, bottled at cask strength, 59.2%, with natural colour.

The whisky was distilled on 16 February 2000 and bottled on 13 August 2021. The cask gave 592 bottles, which fits a butt of around 500 litres, and the whole run comes from the same day's production at Braeval.

A refill cask has already given most of its sherry character to an earlier filling. The whisky therefore does not turn dark and heavy but keeps Braeval's light, floral style with a quiet sherry note underneath.

Tasting notes

Nose

Baked apple and heather with a layer of dried apricot, almond and pale oak.

Palate

Concentrated and malty with honey, nuts and a fine fruit acidity. The alcohol is high, but the fruit keeps pace.

Finish

Long and dry with nuts, grain and a last sweetness from the sherry cask.

Specifications

Name: Braeval 2000/2021 Signatory Vintage 21 Years Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 59.2%
Distillery: Braeval
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 59,2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Sherry Butt #6392
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 16/02/2000
Bottled: 13/08/2021
Number of bottles: 592
EAN no.: 5021944114368

Flavour profile

Fruity · Nutty · Floral · Sherried · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask bottling of 592 bottles of a spirit almost never released officially, from a vintage now more than twenty years back.

Did you know?

Braeval was built in 1973 alongside another Chivas distillery, Allt-a-Bhainne, for the single purpose of supplying more malt to blends. Neither has ever carried a permanent official range.

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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 last of three sister casks from the same February day in 2000. This one was left two years longer than the others, and the difference shows: more spice, more depth, less hurry.

Expert description

Braeval 2000/2023 Signatory Vintage 23 Years is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky from Refill Oloroso Sherry Butt #6391, bottled at cask strength, 60.4%, without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky was distilled on 16 February 2000 and bottled on 3 April 2023 as part of Signatory Vintage's Cask Strength Collection. The cask gave 603 bottles.

Braeval, formerly Braes of Glenlivet, sits high in Speyside and is one of those distilleries found almost only in independent bottlings. High age combined with a quiet oloroso cask gives fruity complexity rather than heavy sherry sweetness.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruit and toffee apples with clove and lime zest on top.

Palate

Flower honey and baking spice with dried apricot, walnut and a firm oak core. Powerful, but never coarse.

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: Braeval 2000/2023 Signatory Vintage 23 Years Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 60.4%
Distillery: Braeval
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 23 years
ABV: 60,4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Oloroso Sherry Butt #6391
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 16/02/2000
Bottled: 03/04/2023
Number of bottles: 603
Edition: Cask Strength Collection

Flavour profile

Sherried · Spiced · Fruity · Nutty · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium. 23 years, a single cask and 603 bottles from a distillery that does not release single malt itself. Signatory's Cask Strength Collection sees steady demand from collectors.

Did you know?

Oloroso sherry is aged oxidatively, that is, in contact with air, which gives nut and dried fruit rather than fresh grape notes. That is why oloroso casks are the most widely used sherry type for whisky.

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62 percent is not a number you hand anyone unprepared. In return nothing has been filtered out, no colour added and no water poured in — you get the contents of the cask as they were when the bung came off.

Expert description

Braeval 2009 The First Edition 14 Years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky from a Refill Oloroso Butt, bottled at cask strength, 62%, without chill filtration and without added colour.

The First Edition is the series from Andrew Laing and Edition Spirits, where single casks from across Scotland are selected and bottled without compromise. Andrew Laing is the son of Stewart Laing and carries the family tradition of independent bottling forward under his own name.

Braeval is a high-lying Speyside distillery whose spirit is light and floral. Fourteen years in a refill oloroso butt adds nut and dried fruit without covering the spirit, and the high strength makes the profile dense and concentrated.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried apricot and walnut with pale honey, cinnamon and a stroke of freshly cut oak.

Palate

Dense and spiced with raisin, almond and baked apple. The alcohol is pronounced, but the fruit holds its ground.

Finish

Very long and dry with nuts, spice and a warm oak note.

Specifications

Name: Braeval 2009 The First Edition 14 Years Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 62%
Distillery: Braeval
Bottler: The First Edition
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 62%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Oloroso Butt
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Edition: The First Edition

Flavour profile

Sherried · Spiced · Nutty · Fruity · Very powerful

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask bottling from a smaller series and a distillery without an official range. Releases from Edition Spirits appear in small volumes.

Did you know?

The Laing name runs through three generations of independent bottlers in Scotland. The family businesses have been divided several times over the years, and today different branches of the family each run their own company.

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White port in a whisky cask is a rarity. As a full sixteen year maturation it is close to unheard of. The colour alone tells you somebody took a chance here.

Expert description

Braeval 2010 Little Brown Dog 16 Years is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky fully matured in a White Port Barrique and bottled at cask strength, 57.3%.

The whisky was distilled on 2 February 2010 and bottled on 11 February 2026. Unlike most wine cask releases, the spirit spent its whole life in the port cask rather than taking a short finish, and that changes the result fundamentally: the fruitiness of the cask is woven into the whisky rather than laid over it.

Little Brown Dog has made experimental cask types its calling card. The bottler describes the colour as Jurassic Park Amber, which says something about both the hue and the house tone.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honeydew melon and clear jelly sweets with fresh hay. Bright, summery and almost playful.

Palate

Green apple peel, tarte aux poires and quince jelly in fine balance. The white port cask brings a refined fruitiness and a vinous elegance.

Finish

Long and fruity with quince, pear and a dry, lightly spiced tail.

Specifications

Name: Braeval 2010 Little Brown Dog 16 Years White Port Barrique Single Speyside Malt Whisky 57.3%
Distillery: Braeval
Bottler: Little Brown Dog
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 57,3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: White Port Barrique, full maturation
Distilled: 02/02/2010
Bottled: 11/02/2026

Flavour profile

Fruity · Wine matured · Fresh · Elegant · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium. Full maturation in a white port barrique is an unusual cask history, and Little Brown Dog releases appear in very small runs.

Did you know?

White port is made from white grapes and fortified in the same way as the red. It is rarely used for whisky maturation, partly because the casks are hard to source in the sizes the whisky industry works with.

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On Islay, they say some casks simply wait for the right moment. This is one of them — 18 years in the dark, ready to be celebrated alongside the island's biggest news.

Expert description

Bruichladdich 18 Year Old The Kinship 2023 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Hunter Laing, matured in a single cask and bottled at cask strength, 61.5%.

The whisky is part of Hunter Laing's Kinship series, which in 2023 arrived at its seventh and final edition. The series was created to mark the opening of Hunter Laing's own distillery, Ardnahoe, on Islay, and the name Kinship refers to the closeness Ardnahoe shares with the island's other distilleries. The Bruichladdich bottling is the youngest in the closing edition, which otherwise spans whiskies as old as 33 years from names like Bowmore and Bunnahabhain.

The whisky comes from a single cask and is bottled at its natural cask strength, with no colouring or chill filtration. Only 245 bottles were drawn from this particular cask, making it one of the rarer releases in Hunter Laing's Islay portfolio.

Tasting notes

Nose

Black pepper and caramel, combined with a hint of macerated red berries. A richness runs through it all, hinting at the long maturation.

Palate

Baked apples, nutmeg and a distinct hint of French oak. The cask strength gives a solid bite, but never overpowers the fruit.

Finish

Long and spiced, with a lingering oak warmth that lingers on the palate long after the last sip.

Specifications

Name: 18 Year Old The Kinship 2023
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Bottler: Hunter Laing
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 61.5%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2005
Number of bottles: 245
Edition: The Kinship 2023
EAN: 5060354284032

Flavour profile

Spiced · Fruity · Creamy · Oaky

Investment potential

Medium — this is the final edition in a now-completed and sought-after series from Hunter Laing, with only 245 bottles from a single cask bottled at cask strength. Being the youngest and most accessible bottling in the Kinship series, however, interest is somewhat more muted than for the series' older releases.

Did you know?

The Kinship series was created to celebrate Hunter Laing finally opening its own distillery, Ardnahoe, after decades as a pure independent bottler. Ardnahoe sits on Islay's north-east coast, overlooking the very distilleries many of the series' bottles come from.

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2010 Islay Barley is a tribute to local farmers. The grain is grown on Islay itself, and the whisky shows what terroir means when the land is allowed to speak through the glass.

Expert description

Bruichladdich 2010 Islay Barley is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, distilled from locally grown barley and bottled at 50%.

The grain for this release is grown by local farmers on Islay, part of Bruichladdich's ongoing work to show how the island's own soil shapes flavour. The whisky is matured in a combination of American and French oak casks.

The result is an unpeated single malt where the grain's earthy character and the sweetness of the casks play off each other with no peat to complicate the picture.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh barley and apple, with a light honeyed sweetness, an earthy base and a touch of vanilla oak.

Palate

Round and malty with notes of pear, citrus and a gentle spiciness from the French oak.

Finish

Medium length and softly rounded, with a finish of honey and lightly toasted grain.

Specifications

Name: 2010 Islay Barley
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American and French oak casks
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2010
EAN no.: 5055807407120

Flavour profile

Fruity · Grainy · Soft · Spiced

Did you know?

Bruichladdich was the first Islay distillery to make locally grown barley a serious, permanent part of its range, long before terroir became a widespread concept in the whisky world.

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Eight farms, one island, one whisky. Islay Barley 2012 brings together grain from across the west and centre of Islay in a single unpeated malt, letting eight years give the grain's own character room to unfold.

Expert description

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2012 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured for 8 years and bottled at 50%.

The barley comes from eight different farms across the west and centre of Islay, combined into a single unpeated release. The whisky is matured in a combination of American whiskey casks and French wine casks, together giving a full yet still fresh character.

Distilled in 2012 and matured for eight years, it shows how Bruichladdich lets barley from several farms meet in the same bottle without losing its local, earthy identity.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh barley and apple juice, with a sweet vanilla note from the bourbon casks and a hint of grape from the wine casks.

Palate

Round and full-bodied with honey, toasted malt and a light tart fruitiness that keeps the palate lively.

Finish

Medium length with soft grain, honey and a light winey finish.

Specifications

Name: Islay Barley 2012
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American whiskey casks and French wine casks
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2012
EAN no.: 5055807414562

Flavour profile

Fruity · Grainy · Soft · Wine cask finish

Did you know?

The Islay Barley series deliberately combines grain from several different farms in one bottle, unlike Bruichladdich's single-farm releases, where only one field lies behind the whisky.

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Another vintage, same philosophy. Islay Barley 2013 continues Bruichladdich's work of combining grain from several Islay farms into one unpeated bottle, this time with a year more behind it than the 2012 release.

Expert description

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2013 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured for 8 years and bottled at 50%.

Like its 2012 predecessor, this release is built on barley from eight different farms across the west and centre of Islay. The whisky is matured in a combination of American whiskey casks and French wine casks.

Distilled in 2013 and matured for eight years, it offers a slightly different balance than the 2012 release, shaped by that specific vintage's weather and harvest.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet grain and ripe apples, with a light nutty note and a hint of grape from the wine casks.

Palate

Soft and malty with honey, citrus fruit and a gentle spiciness that builds slowly.

Finish

Medium length with a touch of winey sweetness and soft toasted grain.

Specifications

Name: Islay Barley 2013
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American whiskey casks and French wine casks
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2013
EAN no.: 5055807415460

Flavour profile

Fruity · Grainy · Nutty · Soft

Did you know?

Because Islay Barley is released vintage by vintage, two consecutive releases like 2012 and 2013 can taste noticeably different, even though the barley comes from the same eight farms.

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Before Port Charlotte had its own name, it was called Loch Indaal. This bottling from Blackadder is a raw, unfiltered trip back to Bruichladdich's early peated style, drawn straight from a single cask.

Expert description

Bruichladdich Loch Indaal 2007 from Blackadder is a peated Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured for 10 years and bottled at 63.3%.

Loch Indaal is the name the peated Bruichladdich spirit carried before Port Charlotte became its own brand. The whisky was distilled in 2007 and bottled in August 2018 from a single hogshead, cask number 3413, by independent bottler Blackadder as part of their Raw Cask series.

Only 244 bottles were drawn from this single cask, with no cold filtration and no added colouring, giving a raw and undiluted taste of the peat straight from the wood.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raw peat smoke and sea salt, with a young, grainy sweetness and a touch of tar.

Palate

Powerful and direct with intense smoke, black pepper and an oily, full texture from the high cask strength.

Finish

Long and smoky with a dry, ashy edge and a lingering salty note.

Specifications

Name: Loch Indaal 2007
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Bottler: Blackadder
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 63.3%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2007
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 244
Edition: Blackadder Raw Cask, hogshead cask no. 3413

Flavour profile

Smoky · Maritime · Spiced · Powerful

Did you know?

Loch Indaal was the original name for Bruichladdich's peated spirit, before Port Charlotte launched as its own standalone brand in 2001.

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The Classic Laddie is where most people meet Bruichladdich for the first time. No peat, no age statement, just Scottish barley, distilled and matured on Islay from start to finish.

Expert description

The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Bruichladdich, matured in American oak casks and bottled at 50%.

The whisky is the distillery's flagship without an age statement, blended from several vintages to keep a consistent, unpeated profile. The barley is Scottish, much of it grown on Islay itself, in line with Bruichladdich's terroir philosophy.

Maturation in American oak gives a light sweetness and a full body, without overpowering the bright, floral character that defines the house's unpeated style.

Tasting notes

Nose

Barley, honey and fresh citrus, with a light maritime undertone and a touch of freshly cut grass.

Palate

Soft and creamy with vanilla, green apples and a gentle spiciness that keeps the palate fresh throughout.

Finish

Medium length with honey, soft grain and a lightly salty finish reminiscent of Islay's coastline.

Specifications

Name: The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
EAN no.: 5055807416948

Flavour profile

Fruity · Floral · Soft · Maritime

Did you know?

The Classic Laddie is the only whisky in Bruichladdich's range without a vintage or age statement, precisely because it's designed as the house's permanent, recurring expression.

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Some bottles are made to be drunk. This one is made to be seen. The Classic Laddie display bottle is an empty, 42-centimetre magnum, built for the shop window and the collector's shelf rather than the dram.

Expert description

Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Display Bottle is an empty 4.5-litre magnum bottle with no content, designed purely as a display and decoration piece.

The bottle is a full-scale replica of The Classic Laddie's packaging, but entirely without whisky. It's typically used in retail settings or bars, or in a private collection, as a visual centrepiece showing Bruichladdich's classic label and bottle shape at large scale.

At around 42 centimetres tall it's hard to miss, and that same display quality makes it popular among whisky collectors who want Bruichladdich's look on a grand scale without opening an equivalent-sized bottle of actual whisky.

Specifications

Name: The Classic Laddie Display Bottle
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Display bottle, no content
Size: 450 CL

Did you know?

Large display magnum bottles like this one are often used by bars and whisky shops to signal a brand in the window, without tying up capital in a filled bottle of that size.

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Gordon & MacPhail has traded in whisky since 1895, and their Discovery Range is meant as a straightforward way into their vast stock of casks – no detours required.

Expert's Description

Bunnahabhain 11 Years Old Gordon & MacPhail The Discovery Range is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks and bottled at 43%.

The Discovery Range is Gordon & MacPhail's accessible entry point into their archive of Scottish single casks, and this 11 Years Old Bunnahabhain was chosen for its sweetness and easy drinking style. The sherry casks have given the whisky a warm caramel hue and a full sweep of spice.

It's a mild, unpeated take on Islay – a fine place to start if you want to understand why Bunnahabhain is often called the island's quiet exception.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sherry, citrus peel and a hint of milk chocolate.

Palate

Sweet and round with nuts, spice and a light citrus tang.

Finish

Short to medium, soft and gently sweet.

Specifications

Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Region/Country: Scotland (Islay)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 Years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Sherry Casks
Distillation Method: Double Distilled
Edition: The Discovery Range
EAN No.: 5020613067509

Flavour Profile

Sherry-Matured · Fruity · Soft · Approachable

Did You Know?

Gordon & MacPhail started life as a grocer's shop in Elgin in 1895, long before the firm grew into one of the world's largest independent whisky bottlers.

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