Polished antique mahogany in the glass hints at what's coming: dark chocolate, gingerbread and raisin caramel in a 30 year old whisky that's become something of a masterwork in Billy Walker's hands.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie 30 Year Old Billy Walker Batch #4 is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in a mix of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, bottled at 49.1%.

Batch 4 is composed of two oloroso sherry casks and three PX sherry casks — a precise balance chosen to highlight both the dark fruit sweetness and the spiced depth that 30 years of maturation brings. This release comes in a highly limited Danish bottling.

The colour alone tells a story of decades of contact with the sherry casks: polished antique mahogany, deep and clear, with no added colouring.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark chocolate and gingerbread meet raisin caramel and muscovado sugar. Plum syrup adds a preserved depth, while glazed almonds round off the nose with a lightly toasted sweetness.

Palate

Cocoa and heather honey lay the foundation, before chocolate-covered raisins and baking spices take over. Molasses adds weight, and a hint of Black Forest cake suggests both chocolate and berries at once.

Finish

Long and juicy, with grape must and ripe orchard fruit that slowly settles into a dry, spiced close.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 30 Year Old Billy Walker Batch #4 Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 30 years
ABV: 49.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: PX, Oloroso Casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Batch #4

Flavour profile

Mahogany-dark · Cocoa · Caramel · Baking spices · Molasses · Orchard fruit

Investment potential

30 years of maturation combined with a highly limited Danish bottling makes this batch a rare find. Billy Walker's precise cask composition — two oloroso and three PX sherry casks — sets it apart from the other batches in the series, which alone makes it interesting to collectors.

Did you know?

The "polished antique mahogany" colour isn't added — it comes purely from 30 years of contact with the sherry casks, one of the clearest visual proofs of just how much time the whisky has actually been given.

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Second fill after Islay. Two words that say a great deal: the cask has held bourbon, then a heavily peated Islay, and now Ardmore for thirteen years. There is not much force left in the wood, and that is exactly the point.

The Expert's Description

Ardmore 2009/2023 Signatory Vintage 13 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in second fill bourbon casks after Islay whisky and bottled at 46%. It was distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2023 in Signatory’s Un-Chillfiltered Collection.

The difference from a first fill is marked. A second fill cask gives up less vanilla, less colour and less tannin, so Ardmore’s own peated character gets far more room. What Islay phenols remain in the staves are correspondingly muted, sitting as a suggestion rather than a layer.

Thirteen years is a long time for a cask that gives little. The result is a whisky where the spirit stands at the front and the wood keeps to the background. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dry smoke and toasted malt first, with honey and a light citrus peel behind. The vanilla is subdued, and a clean cereal note runs through it all. This is the spirit talking, not the cask.

Palate

Malty and dry. The smoke arrives early and stays, with honey and baked apple underneath. There is a light saline undercurrent from the cask’s Islay past and a dry, peppery turn mid-palate. At 46% the body is good without being heavy.

Finish

Medium and dry. Ash, malt and a lightly bitter oak note that lets go cleanly.

Specifications

Name: Ardmore 2009/2023 Signatory Vintage 13 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Ardmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Second fill bourbon casks after Islay whisky
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2023
Edition: The Un-Chillfiltered Collection
EAN no.: 5021944121717

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Malty · Dry · Honeyed · Spiced · Clean

Did You Know?

Ardmore was the last Scottish malt distillery to use coal-fired stills. Only in 2001 did it switch to steam heating. Direct fire gives a slightly more scorched, meaty spirit, so whisky distilled at Ardmore before the turn of the millennium has a different character from what is made today.

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The harbour sits a couple of hundred metres from the distillery, and the name is not chosen at random. This is the most straightforward Glen Scotia in the range — 40%, lightly peated, and with the salt of Campbeltown Loch as the thing you remember afterwards.

The expert's description

Glen Scotia Harbour Classic is a lightly peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill bourbon casks and bottled at 40%.

The bottling works as the entry point to the distillery range. 1st fill bourbon casks lay vanilla and bright fruit in, and the light peating gives a smoke note that sits as a breath rather than a layer. The 40% makes the whisky easy to drink, but it also makes it less concentrated than the rest of the line-up.

Glen Scotia is a small distillery with only one pair of pot stills. Capacity is modest by modern standards, so the entire output has to cover the standard range, the festival bottles and the casks sold on to independent bottlers.

Tasting notes

Nose

Briny sea spray and sea breeze first, with floral violet notes and soft vanilla behind.

Palate

Ripe peach and crisp apple, with chewy fudge and a bright sweetness. The peat arrives late and settles as a dry, tangy edge beneath the fruit.

Finish

Short to medium. Tangy peat and maritime smoke that clears cleanly without hanging on.

Specifications

Name: Glen Scotia Harbour Classic Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill bourbon casks
Edition: Harbour Classic
EAN no.: 5016840161219

Flavour profile

Maritime · Lightly peated · Fruity · Floral · Soft

Did you know?

Glen Scotia runs only one pair of pot stills. That makes it one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland by capacity, and it is a large part of why whisky from this house turns up less often than from the big Speyside plants.

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Port wine and dark chocolate is a classic pairing — Douglas Laing tries the same combination in liquid form with this year's Scallywag release.

Expert's Description

Scallywag The Chocolate Edition 2024 is a Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Douglas Laing, finished in port wine casks and bottled at 48%.

Unlike the 2023 edition, matured fully in sherry, the 2024 edition is finished in port casks, giving the whisky a fruitier, more wine-driven character, still limited to 4,200 bottles.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Brown sugar and dark berries mingle with dried figs and a warm spice note.

Palate

Round and sweet with port-driven fruit, vanilla and a hint of ginger.

Finish

Medium length with lingering berry sweetness and a slightly dry, wine-like close.

Specifications

Name: The Chocolate Edition 2024
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Port wine casks
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Number of Bottles: 4,200 bottles
Edition: The Chocolate Edition 2024
EAN No.: 5014218830033

Flavour Profile

Port-finished · Fruity · Sweet · Spiced

Did You Know?

The 2024 edition is the first Chocolate Edition where Douglas Laing uses port casks instead of sherry for the finishing stage — a deliberate shift in the range's profile.

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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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Cnoc na Mòine means 'the hill of peat' – and the name was not chosen at random for the third chapter of Torabhaig's Legacy Series.

Expert's description

Torabhaig Cnoc na Moine The Legacy Series Chapter 3 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46% is a Isle of Skye Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American bourbon oak, Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks and bottled at 46%.

Cnoc na Mòine is the third chapter in The Legacy Series and matured in a combination of American bourbon oak, Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks, in a run of as many as 90,000 bottles.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Muted peat smoke, orange peel, tart fruit and dying embers.

Palate

Bbq peat, pepper, light balsamic acidity and cedar.

Finish

Long and harmonious with integrated smoke and spice.

Specifications

Name: Torabhaig Cnoc na Moine The Legacy Series Chapter 3 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Torabhaig
Region/Country: Isle of Skye
Type: Isle of Skye Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American bourbon oak, Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 90,000
Edition: Legacy Series Chapter 3 – Cnoc na Mòine

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Sherry-matured · Maritime · Fresh

Did you know?

The name Cnoc na Mòine refers to a hill in Knoydart, visible across the Sound of Sleat from the Torabhaig distillery itself.

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Eighteen is the age at which a whisky either finds its shape or loses itself in too much wood. GlenAllachie 18 Year Old New Edition belongs firmly in the first camp: a whisky in which bourbon and sherry casks have been allowed to work together for close to two decades, without either ever drowning out the other.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie 18 Year Old New Edition Single Speyside Malt Whisky is matured in a combination of Bourbon, PX and Oloroso Sherry casks and bottled at 46% ABV.

The blend of cask types is Billy Walker's signature: the bourbon casks contribute lightness and sweetness, while the PX and Oloroso Sherry casks add depth and spiced complexity. The result is an 18 year old that shows just how much balance can be achieved when cask selection is treated as a craft rather than a formula.

The whisky is both non-chill filtered and free of added colour, and the eighteen years in wood are clearly felt in both aroma and finish.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe pears and honey meet warm spice and a hint of dark chocolate, underpinned by a light nuttiness from the bourbon casks.

Palate

Sherry sweetness and dried apricot weave together with cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of toasted almond.

Finish

Long and warm, with a lingering spiced sweetness and a slightly bitter chocolate note that rounds the experience off beautifully.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 18 Year Old New Edition Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon/PX/Oloroso Sherry Casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: New Edition
EAN no.: 5060568320083

Flavour profile

Honey · Apricot · Spice · Almond · Chocolate

Investment potential

Medium. An 18 year old core release with a carefully considered cask mix is a whisky that builds its reputation over time rather than through one-off rarity - and with GlenAllachie's rising standing under Billy Walker, it is a solid addition to any collection of age-stated Speyside whisky.

Did you know?

The New Edition designation reflects the fact that GlenAllachie continuously fine-tunes the cask composition of its core releases as new vintages and cask combinations become available - so while the name stays the same, the style evolves from release to release.

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There is a reason 15 year old GlenAllachie keeps coming up when collectors talk about sherry-matured Speyside whisky done right. The deep reddish-brown colour hints at what is coming: a whisky shaped by PX and Oloroso Sherry casks, where sweetness and spice settle into an unhurried, well-balanced whole.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie 15 Year Old Single Speyside Malt Whisky is matured in a combination of PX and Oloroso Sherry casks and bottled at 46% ABV.

Fifteen years on sherry gives the whisky its deep reddish-brown colour and a character with clear roots in traditional Spanish-influenced maturation. Under Billy Walker's stewardship, GlenAllachie's cask programme has become one of the most talked-about in Speyside, and this 15 year old is one of the clearest examples of what carefully selected sherry casks can bring to a distillate over time.

The whisky is both non-chill filtered and free of added colour, allowing the full influence of the sherry casks to come through.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fudge and Christmas spice wrap around a sweetness of raisin, giving the aroma a warm, homely character.

Palate

Sherry sweetness weaves together with Christmas spice, ripe banana and orange peel, before a dark, slightly bitter chocolate emerges.

Finish

Softly fading with a lingering spiced sweetness, where dark chocolate and the depth of the sherry linger longest.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 15 Year Old Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: PX/Oloroso Sherry
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060568321080

Flavour profile

Sherry · Christmas spice · Banana · Orange peel · Dark chocolate

Investment potential

Medium. A well-established 15 year old backed by a solid sherry programme is rarely a passing fad - GlenAllachie's rising reputation under Billy Walker makes this age-stated core release a steady addition to any collection.

Did you know?

PX and Oloroso Sherry casks are often treated differently within GlenAllachie's cask stock - some casks are reused several times, while others hold only a single fill of whisky before being retired. This 15 year old is composed of a carefully selected combination of both types to achieve its particular depth.

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Some whiskies play it safe, and then there is this 12 year old from GlenAllachie, where sherry casks take the lead from the first drop to the last. Cream toffees and honey meet roasted coffee, and throughout you can feel the distillery's devotion to slow, patient maturation.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie 12 Year Old New Edition is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky matured predominantly in sherry casks, bottled at 46% ABV. The New Edition expression builds on the distillery's core profile, where PX and Oloroso sherry casks are complemented by Virgin Oak casks that add extra vanilla and spice beneath the sherry sweetness.

The result is a dram that leans into classic sherried Speysiders, while carrying a clear GlenAllachie signature of nutty and banana-like tones that tie the whole thing together.

Tasting notes

Nose

Cream toffees and honey settle like a blanket, while raisins and roasted coffee add depth to the aroma.

Palate

Honey and marzipan meet ripe bananas in a mouthfeel that is sweet without tipping into cloying.

Finish

Fudge and raisins linger alongside a final touch of coffee.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 12 Year Old New Edition Single Speyside Malt Whisky 46%
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: PX/Oloroso Sherry & Virgin Oak Casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: New Edition
EAN number: 5060568320076

Flavour profile

Sherry · Honey · Fudge · Marzipan · Banana · Coffee

Investment potential

Medium. The New Edition bottling stays close to GlenAllachie's recognised sherry profile, making it a solid pick for collectors building a vertical line-up of the distillery's core range.

Did you know?

The pairing of PX and Oloroso sherry casks with Virgin Oak is one that GlenAllachie's distiller Billy Walker himself highlights as especially character-building for the distillery's core range.

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This elusive Speyside distillery is almost never released as an official bottling – and even among independent releases, it's a rarity. Wilson & Morgan has captured a young, sherry-toned expression that shows a different side of Glenlossie.

Expert's Description

Glenlossie 2013/2023 Wilson & Morgan 10 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46%.

Distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2023 by Wilson & Morgan, from a refill hogshead with a 2-year finish in a first-fill Oloroso sherry butt, Cask No. 131-32/135-36, yielding 1,423 bottles. The influence of the two years in sherry cask is clear in the wine-toned, faintly tart note on the nose.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Wine-toned and faintly tart, with raisin and a hint of dried blackcurrant over the cereal Glenlossie base.

Palate

Round and sweet, with caramel and dark fruit, carried by a soft sherry tone that never turns heavy.

Finish

Medium length, with a faintly tannic close and a last hint of raisin.

Specifications

Name: Glenlossie 2013/2023 Wilson & Morgan 10 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70cl 46%
Distillery: Glenlossie
Bottler: Wilson & Morgan
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill hogshead with a 2-year finish in a first-fill Oloroso sherry butt (Cask No. 131-32/135-36)
Distilled: 2013
Bottled: 2023
Number of bottles: 1,423

Flavour Profile

Sherry-toned · Wine-like · Round · Faintly tart

Did You Know?

Glenlossie is so rarely seen as an official bottling that even seasoned whisky collectors often only know the distillery from independent releases like this one – the name mostly lives a hidden life inside blends.

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Three years in a first fill Pedro Ximénez cask is not a finish, it is a rebuild. Fabio Rossi let the cask work until the whisky had ended up somewhere entirely different from where it started — dark, mature and almost wine-like in its sweetness.

The expert's description

Benrinnes 2009/2023 Wilson & Morgan 14 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill hogshead, finished in a Pedro Ximénez cask and bottled at 57 %.

Cask no. 306993 was filled in 2009, first rested in a refill hogshead and then spent 36 months in a first fill Pedro Ximénez cask before being emptied in 2023. It produced 267 bottles in the Barrel Selection range.

Wilson & Morgan was founded in 1992 by Fabio Rossi in Treviso, and the Rossi family has traded in spirits in the Veneto since the 1920s. The house's signature is long secondary maturation in active casks — an Italian approach where whisky is handled with the same logic as wine.

Tasting notes

Nose

Very organic and almost farmyard at first, with overripe plums, fig and raisin on top. A clear wine streak runs across the whole thing.

Palate

Rich and dark with Pedro Ximénez up front: dates, dark syrup and pumpernickel. The meaty core of the spirit pushes back against the sweetness, and the 57 % gives the whisky a warm, spiced middle.

Finish

Very long and sweet with raisin, dark chocolate and a lightly bitter oak note at the end.

Specifications

Name: Benrinnes 2009/2023 Wilson & Morgan 14 years old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 57%
Distillery: Benrinnes
Bottler: Wilson & Morgan
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 57 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill hogshead, finished for 36 months in a 1st fill Pedro Ximénez cask, cask no. 306993
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2023
Number of bottles: 267
Edition: Barrel Selection
EAN no.: 8057760350953

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Rich · Sweet · Cask strength · Ripe fruit

Did you know?

Pedro Ximénez grapes are dried in the sun before pressing, which is why PX casks deliver such concentrated sweetness. A first fill PX cask can turn a whisky almost black in under three years.

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

Expert's description

Linkwood 2010/2023 Old Malt Cask 13 år Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in canasta butt and bottled at 50%.

The whisky is distilled at Linkwood and independently selected and bottled by Hunter Laing as part of the Old Malt Cask series.

It was distilled September 2010 and bottled Oktober 2023, giving it 13 years.

Only 762 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma offers beeswax, citrus peel and light oak.

Palate

The taste unfolds with beeswax, spice and mild sweetness.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with light oak and beeswax.

Specifications

Name: Linkwood 2010/2023 Old Malt Cask 13 år Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50%
Distillery: Linkwood
Bottler: Hunter Laing
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Canasta Butt
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: September 2010
Bottled: Oktober 2023
Number of bottles: 762
Edition: Old Malt Cask
EAN no.: 5060354285558

Flavour profile

Fruity · Soft · Classic

Did you know?

When the distillery was rebuilt in 1962, manager Roddie Mackay insisted on copying the old stills down to the last detail, and reportedly refused to have cobwebs removed from the old still house because he believed they were part of the character.

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

The expert's description

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Fruity · Fresh

Did you know?

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

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

Expert's description

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

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

The taste unfolds with blossom, walnut and sherry toffee.

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Rounded · Spicy

Did you know?

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

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From the north of Scotland to the Italian vineyards and back - this Teaninich has picked up an unexpected wine-inspired dimension from casks that once held one of Tuscany's most sought-after red wines.

Expert description

Teaninich 2009/2023 from Signatory is a 13 year old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky at 46%, bottled under Signatory's The Un-chillfiltered Collection range.

The whisky matured in four first-fill hogsheads (cask no. #9, #13, #14 and #15) that previously held Bolgheri - a celebrated Italian red wine from the Tuscan coast. This unusual cask history gives the whisky a subtle, wine-touched dimension layered over Teaninich's classic light style.

Distilled in September 2009 and bottled in March 2023 after 13 years of maturation, the whisky is non-chill filtered and naturally coloured. 701 bottles were released of this edition.

Tasting notes

Nose

Red berries and a hint of dried herbs, backed by soft vanilla and lightly toasted malt.

Palate

Mild and round, with notes of raspberry, cherry and a delicate tannic structure from the wine casks.

Finish

Medium length with a lingering, lightly tart berry note that fades into dry oak.

Specifications

Name: Teaninich 2009/2023 Signatory The Un-chillfiltered Collection
Distillery: Teaninich
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Series: The Un-chillfiltered Collection
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st Fill Bolgheri Hogsheads / Cask No. #9, #13, #14 & #15
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 09/2009
Bottled: 03/2023
Number of bottles: 701
EAN no.: 5021944121731

Flavour profile

berry-toned · wine-touched · mild

Did you know?

Bolgheri is a small but world-famous wine region on the Tuscan coast, known for its 'Super Tuscans' - powerful red wines blending Italian and French grape varieties, which here have left a unique imprint on a Scotch whisky.

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Five centilitres is enough to work out whether a distillery is for you. This small bottle holds the Glasgow Distillery house style in undiluted form: bright, fruity and bottled at 46% with no filtration and no colouring. An honest sample, not a splash in a plastic cup.

The Expert's Description

1770 Glasgow The Original is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill ex-bourbon and Virgin Oak casks and bottled at 46% in 5 cl format. It is the distillery’s core release and carries the subtitle Fresh & Fruity, which describes what happens in the glass rather accurately.

The whisky is unpeated and double distilled. The bourbon casks give vanilla, coconut and a soft cereal sweetness, while the Virgin Oak lays in spice and a drier edge so the profile never turns cloying. There is no age statement; the distillery bottles when the casks are ready rather than when the calendar says so.

The mash ferments for more than 72 hours and distillation runs slowly in copper pot stills using water from Loch Katrine. Neither chill filtration nor colouring is involved.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Pear and green apple first, clear and fresh. Beneath sit vanilla, desiccated coconut and a light honey note. There is a fine cereal thread too, close to warm porridge oats.

Palate

Soft and lightly creamy. Vanilla and baked apple arrive first, then a brief spicy tightening from the new oak, cinnamon with a little white pepper. The 46% gives good body for a bottle this size.

Finish

Short to medium. Vanilla, malt and a dry oak note that lets go cleanly without bitterness.

Specifications

Name: 1770 Glasgow The Original Fresh & Fruity Single Malt Scotch Whisky 5 cl 46%
Distillery: Glasgow Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 5 CL
Cask type: 1st fill ex-bourbon and Virgin Oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060411500952

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Fruity · Vanilla · Soft · Malty · Spiced

Did You Know?

The number 1770 is not the founding year of the current distillery but of the original Glasgow Distillery, which opened that year. When the modern distillery was built it became the first malt distillery inside Glasgow itself for more than a century, and the name was chosen to tie the two together.

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

The Expert's Description

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

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

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Dry · Caramel · Berry · Peppery · Oaky

Did You Know?

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

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Amontillado is the dry sherry that has been allowed to oxidise. It does not bring sweetness but nuts, salt and a dry edge — an interesting counterweight to the natural softness of grain whisky.

Expert description

Cameronbridge 2007/2023 Coopers Choice 15 Years is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in American Oak and Amontillado Sherry Casks #462894, bottled at cask strength, 56%, without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky was distilled in November 2007 and bottled in 2023 in a run of 306 bottles. The Coopers Choice is The Vintage Malt Whisky Company's series for single casks, often with unusual cask combinations.

Fifteen years is young for grain, but the high bottling strength and the amontillado cask give the whisky more edge than the soft thirty year olds have. It is a different kind of grain experience: drier, spicier and less creamy.

Tasting notes

Nose

Toasted almonds and dried apple with pale caramel, salt and a trace of orange peel.

Palate

Dry and spiced with nuts, grain and a fine bitterness from the sherry cask. The 56% gives good concentration.

Finish

Long and dry with almond, oak and a lightly salted close.

Specifications

Name: Cameronbridge 2007/2023 Coopers Choice 15 Years Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky 70 cl 56%
Distillery: Cameronbridge
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 56%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American Oak and Amontillado Sherry Casks #462894
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: November 2007
Bottled: 2023
Number of bottles: 306
EAN no.: 5024720862583

Flavour profile

Nutty · Dry · Spiced · Salty · Powerful

Did you know?

Amontillado begins as fino under a veil of yeast and continues as oxidative ageing once the veil dies. The sherry therefore carries both a fresh and a nutty character, and that transfers to the casks.

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

Expert description

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Coconut · Soft · Elegant

Investment potential

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

Did you know?

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

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

Expert's Description

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

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers chestnut honey, dark chocolate and raisin.

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is long and spicy.

Specifications

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

Flavour Profile

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

Investment Potential

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

Did You Know?

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

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

The expert's description

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Creamy · Spicy · Vanilla · Cocoa · New oak

Did you know?

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

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

Expert description

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Honey · Old oak · Spice

Investment potential

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

Did you know?

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

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

Expert's Description

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

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour Profile

Elegant · Fruity · Natural colour · Rare

Did You Know?

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

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

Expert's description

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

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

Did you know?

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

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

Expert's description

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Peated · Full-bodied · Fruity · Spicy · Oaked

Investment potential

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

Did you know?

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

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

The Expert's Description

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

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

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour Profile

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

Did You Know?

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

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

Expert Description

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

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour Profile

Maritime · Fruity · Spicy · Lightly peated

Did You Know?

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

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

Expert's Description

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

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

Long finish of vanilla fudge sweetness and warming cinnamon spice.

Specifications

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

Flavour Profile

Floral · Fruity · Sweet · Smooth

Did You Know?

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

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

The Expert's Description

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

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

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan Rum Cask Release AD Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 55%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 55%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks, finished in Caribbean rum casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: 2023
Edition: Rum Cask Release AD
EAN no.: 5060383653311

Flavour Profile

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

Did You Know?

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

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

Expert's description

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Peated · Fruity · Sweet · Fresh · Nutty

Did you know?

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

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