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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Caledonian sat in the middle of Edinburgh and was in its day the largest grain distillery in Europe. Today there are flats on the site, and the only thing left stands in bottles.

Expert description

Caledonian 1987/2018 Signatory Vintage 31 Years is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky bottled at 50.2% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky was distilled in 1987 and bottled in 2018 in a run of 249 bottles. Caledonian was founded in 1855 in Edinburgh's Dalry district and closed in 1988, which places this spirit among the final production years.

Grain whisky is rarely matured for three decades, because it is traditionally used young in blends. That is precisely why old grain bottlings have become a category of their own: the light, creamy character develops over time into vanilla, fudge and coconut with a velvet texture.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and cream caramel with coconut, ripe pear and a stroke of freshly cut oak.

Palate

Silky and creamy with toffee, honey and citrus oil. There is a fine grainy elegance that only long maturation delivers.

Finish

Long and warm with fudge, light spice and a pleasant dryness.

Specifications

Name: Caledonian 1987/2018 31 Years Signatory Vintage Single Grain Scotch Whisky 50.2%
Distillery: Caledonian
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 31 years
ABV: 50,2%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1987
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 249
EAN no.: 5021944097937

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Sweet · Elegant · Mature

Investment potential

High. The distillery is closed and demolished, the vintage comes from its final operating years, and the run is 249 bottles. Whisky from closed grain distilleries is a steadily shrinking group.

Did you know?

Caledonian was known as the Caley by Edinburgh residents, and its old chimneys were a landmark in the west of the city for decades. Only a single distillery building remains standing today.

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Cambus was for decades the quiet supplier nobody wrote about. The distillery closed in 1993, and only afterwards did people realise how good that old grain spirit had become with time.

Expert description

Cambus 1988 The Clan Denny 25 Years is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky from a Refill Hogshead, bottled at cask strength, 58.1%.

Clan Denny is Douglas Laing's series of single cask grain whiskies, and grain is a category the house has worked with extensively. The whisky was distilled in 1988, five years before Cambus closed, and spent 25 years in a quiet refill cask.

A refill cask does not dominate the spirit but lets the natural sweetness of the grain and its developed depth come through. At cask strength all the concentrated aromas from both grain and wood are preserved.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and cream caramel with light coconut, ripe pear and a soft, creamy sweetness. A trace of fresh oak and light spice sits underneath.

Palate

Full and rounded with toffee, vanilla pod, honey and citrus oil, carried by a grainy elegance.

Finish

Long, warm and silky with fudge, light spice and a pleasant dryness from the hogshead.

Specifications

Name: Cambus 1988 The Clan Denny 25 Years Single Grain Whisky 58.1%
Distillery: Cambus
Bottler: Clan Denny
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 58,1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Hogshead
Distilled: 1988
EAN no.: 5014218795585

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Sweet · Powerful · Mature

Investment potential

High. Cambus is closed and today functions only as a cooperage, the vintage comes from its final operating years, and single cask bottlings from the distillery are becoming harder to find.

Did you know?

Cambus was one of the distilleries that combined in 1877 to form the Distillers Company Limited, the forerunner of what is today Diageo. The distillery itself closed in 1993.

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Amarone is made from grapes left to dry before pressing. Casks that held that wine are concentrated, dark and slightly uncompromising — exactly the sort of contrast a thirty year old grain whisky can use.

Expert description

Cambus 1991 Coopers Choice 29 Years is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in a bourbon cask and finished in Amarone wine cask #9067, bottled at 46.2% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The Coopers Choice is the series from The Vintage Malt Whisky Company, founded in 1992 by Brian Crook. The house is known for experimenting with unusual finishes, and Amarone is among the more assertive it has worked with. The cask gave 336 bottles.

Cambus closed in 1993, so spirit from the early 1990s comes from its final operating years. After 29 years in bourbon wood the grain whisky has turned soft and creamy, and the wine cask lays a coat of dark fruit over the top without covering the sweetness.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin and dark cherry with vanilla, fudge and a stroke of dried fig.

Palate

Soft and round with toffee, plum and a light vinous acidity. The creamy grain character carries the fruit without struggling against it.

Finish

Long and rounded with dark fruit, caramel and a dry, lightly spiced tail.

Specifications

Name: Cambus 1991 Coopers Choice 29 Years Amarone Cask Finish Single Grain Scotch Whisky 46.2%
Distillery: Cambus
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 29 years
ABV: 46,2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask finished in an Amarone wine cask #9067
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1991
Bottled: 2020
Number of bottles: 336

Flavour profile

Creamy · Fruity · Wine matured · Soft · Mature

Investment potential

High. A closed distillery, 336 bottles and a cask history that will not be repeated. Coopers Choice bottlings with unusual finishes see steady demand.

Did you know?

Amarone della Valpolicella is made by appassimento, where the grapes dry on mats for months before pressing. The method concentrates sugar and acidity, which is why the casks leave so much dark fruit behind in whisky.

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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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264 bottles. That is everything that came out of thirty-two years in a single bourbon cask. Evaporation took the rest, and what remains is concentrated in a way young whiskies cannot imitate.

Expert description

Cambus 1991/2024 Coopers Choice 32 Years is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky from Bourbon Cask #79880, bottled at 47.5% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky was distilled in September 1991 at the now closed Cambus distillery and bottled in January 2024 as part of the Cooper's Choice series from The Vintage Malt Whisky Company. The cask gave 264 bottles.

After thirty-two years the strength sits at 47.5%, which tells you the cask lost some power along the way. That is typical of very long maturation in a quiet warehouse and gives a softer whisky than bottlings still above 50%.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla custard and coconut macaroon with ripe banana and a trace of pale oak.

Palate

Very soft and creamy with fudge, honey and white chocolate. The age reads as texture rather than as wood.

Finish

Long, soft and sweet with vanilla, grain and a fine, dry close.

Specifications

Name: Cambus 1991/2024 Coopers Choice 32 Years Bourbon Cask Finish Single Grain Scotch Whisky 47.5%
Distillery: Cambus
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 32 years
ABV: 47,5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask #79880
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: September 1991
Bottled: January 2024
Number of bottles: 264
EAN no.: 5024720862989

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Sweet · Very soft · Mature

Investment potential

High. Thirty-two years, 264 bottles and a distillery that no longer exists. The number of 1991 Cambus casks is severely limited.

Did you know?

The angel's share is the amount of whisky that evaporates through the cask each year. After thirty-two years more than half the contents can be gone, which is one reason very old whiskies exist in such small volumes.

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There are not many left who remember the sound of Cambus running. The distillery closed in 1993, and all that remains are the casks and the stories they hold.

Expert description

Cambus 1991/2025 Woodrow's of Edinburgh 34 Years is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky from 2nd Fill Puncheon #103260A, bottled at 52% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The bottle belongs to the Curators Cut Edition from Woodrow's of Edinburgh, an independent bottler based in Leith. The spirit was distilled on 29 November 1991 at Cambus, one of the large Lowland grain distilleries that closed for good in 1993. Today the old distillery site is reduced to a cooperage for Diageo, where nothing is distilled and only casks are repaired.

Thirty-four years is a long time for a grain whisky, but that is also what makes the bottle interesting: the cask has had plenty of time to work without drowning out the light, elegant character grain whisky is known for. The cask gave 275 bottles.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla fudge and white chocolate first, then caramelised sugar and ripe pear. Behind them sit toasted almonds and a trace of oak that never becomes too much.

Palate

Creamy, almost silky in the mouth. Toffee and vanilla custard glide across the palate with pale oak and a fine, dry grain note underneath.

Finish

Long and warm with fudge, almond and a pleasant dryness from the puncheon.

Specifications

Name: Cambus 1991/2025 Woodrows of Edinburgh 34 Years Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky 52%
Distillery: Cambus
Bottler: Woodrow's of Edinburgh
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 34 years
ABV: 52%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 2nd Fill Puncheon #103260A
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 29/11/1991
Number of bottles: 275
Edition: Curators Cut Edition

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Nutty · Soft · Very mature

Investment potential

High. Thirty-four years, a closed distillery and a run of 275 bottles. Old Cambus casks are among the most sought after in grain whisky.

Did you know?

A puncheon typically holds around 500 litres like a butt, but is shorter and wider. The shape gives a different wood to liquid ratio, and the cask type is used more often for rum than for whisky.

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Europe's largest grain distillery holds bottles most people never spot. Cameronbridge runs spirit at industrial scale for Diageo's blends, but once in a while a single cask slips free and is left to stand for more than three decades.

Expert description

Cameronbridge 1992/2025 Cadenheads Original Collection 33 Years is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in Bourbon Hogsheads and bottled at 42.7%.

Cameronbridge sits in Fife in the Lowlands and was founded in 1824 by John Haig. It is Europe's largest grain distillery and supplies most of Diageo's grain spirit for blends such as Johnnie Walker and Bell's. Single grain bottlings from the distillery are rare in themselves, and one with 33 years behind it is a curiosity that mainly surfaces through independent bottlers.

The release belongs to Cadenhead's Original Collection, the series from Scotland's oldest independent bottler. The whisky matured fully in bourbon hogsheads — the cask type that lets the soft, creamy character of grain speak with vanilla, coconut and pale spice instead of being covered by heavy sherry.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and coconut with yellow fruit, pale caramel and a light pastry note.

Palate

Soft and rounded with fudge, honey and ripe pear. The lower strength makes it easy to drink without turning thin.

Finish

Medium and creamy with vanilla, grain and a stroke of oak.

Specifications

Name: Cameronbridge 1992/2025 Cadenheads Original Collection 33 Years Single Grain Whisky 70 cl 42.7%
Distillery: Cameronbridge
Bottler: Cadenhead's
Region/Country: Fife, Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 33 years
ABV: 42,7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon Hogsheads
Distilled: 1992
Bottled: 2025
Edition: Original Collection

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Sweet · Soft · Mature

Investment potential

Medium. Three decades of maturation from a distillery that almost never releases single grain under its own name, bottled by Scotland's oldest independent bottler.

Did you know?

Cameronbridge is where Robert Stein in 1827 and later Aeneas Coffey put continuous distillation into practice. Without that work neither blended Scotch nor modern grain whisky would exist.

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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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100 proof is an old British measure equal to 57.1 percent. Signatory has turned the number into an entire series, and it is not arbitrary: that is exactly the strength at which gunpowder soaked in spirit would still ignite.

Expert description

Cameronbridge 2009/2025 Signatory Vintage 16 Years 100 Proof Edition #3 is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in first fill and second fill Oloroso Sherry Butts and bottled at 57.1% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky was distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2025. Signatory's 100 Proof series is defined by its fixed bottling strength and by casks selected specifically for it. Combining first and second fill oloroso butts gives both power and balance.

Cameronbridge is Europe's largest grain distillery and sits in Fife. The distillery's grain whisky is typically described as smooth and approachable, and the sherry matured releases show a darker side than grain is usually associated with.

Tasting notes

Nose

Butterscotch and maple syrup with a delicate floral elegance on top.

Palate

Soft and creamy with chocolate cake, sultana raisins and roasted nuts. The sherry character brings velvet sweetness and depth.

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: Cameronbridge 2009/2025 Signatory Vintage 16 Years 100 Proof Edition #3 Single Grain Whisky 57.1%
Distillery: Cameronbridge
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 57,1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First fill and second fill Oloroso Sherry Butts
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2025
Edition: 100 Proof Edition #3
EAN no.: 5021944127948

Flavour profile

Sherried · Creamy · Sweet · Nutty · Powerful

Did you know?

The proof system comes from the Royal Navy, where rum was tested by pouring it on gunpowder and setting it alight. If the powder ignited, the spirit was strong enough — that was proof.

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Dumbarton no longer exists. The great red brick complex on the river Clyde was pulled down, and all that remains are the casks that made it out in time. This is one of them.

The expert description

Dumbarton 2000/2021 Coopers Choice 20 Years Old is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in a bourbon cask and bottled at cask strength 56.5%.

Hiram Walker built Dumbarton in 1938 as one of the largest grain distilleries in Scotland, and for decades it supplied the backbone of the Ballantine’s blends. Production stopped in 2002, the buildings came down, and the site has since become housing. That turns any bottling carrying the Dumbarton name into a time capsule, because no more is coming.

This cask, number 211097, was filled in November 2000 and bottled in 2021 after twenty years. The Coopers Choice is The Vintage Malt Whisky Company’s range of single cask bottlings, and as usual they have neither chill filtered nor coloured it. The cask gave 234 bottles.

Tasting notes

Nose

Coconut and vanilla pod settle first, then buttery pastry, ripe banana and a faint note of sawdust off the active bourbon wood.

Palate

Sweet and oily in spite of the high strength. Caramel, corn sweetness and creme brulee, with a growing spice of nutmeg and white pepper.

Finish

Long and warm. Toffee, toasted oak and a dry, almost powdery close that is typical of well-aged grain whisky.

Specifications

Name: Dumbarton 2000/2021 Coopers Choice 20 Years Old
Distillery: Dumbarton
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Lowland Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 56.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: November 2000
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 234
EAN no.: 5024720861357

Flavour profile

Sweet · Creamy · Vanilla · Spiced · Single Cask

Investment potential

Medium. Dumbarton closed in 2002 and the remaining stock only ever shrinks. A silent distillery, twenty years in wood and just 234 bottles from a single cask is the kind of release that tends to disappear from shelves and prove difficult to find again.

Did you know?

Dumbarton housed its own malt whisky production inside the complex under the name Inverleven, and for decades a giant Ballantine’s sign stood on the roof, visible from the motorway. The sign came down with everything else.

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Twenty-three years is a long time for a grain whisky. Long enough that the cereal stops tasting of cereal and starts tasting of a bakery, and just short enough that the cask has not taken over.

The expert description

Dumbarton 23 Years Old Dram Mor is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in a refill bourbon barrel and bottled at cask strength 57.1%.

Dumbarton on the river Clyde closed in 2002 and was later demolished. The distillery supplied grain whisky to some of the largest blends in Scotland, and only rarely did any of it appear in its own right. With every year that passes, the remaining casks grow fewer.

Dram Mor selected cask number 211885, a refill bourbon barrel that still stood at 57.1% after twenty-three years. The whisky is bottled without chill filtration and without added colour, and the cask gave 182 bottles. The name Dram Mor means big dram in Gaelic.

Tasting notes

Nose

Creamy vanilla with a hint of cherry tart and sweet, buttery shortcrust pastry.

Palate

Sweet and buttery with a surprisingly three-dimensional depth for a single grain. Delicate spices tie it together and keep the sweetness in place.

Finish

Warming and more robust than you might expect, in the best possible way, closing with oak and dried fruit.

Specifications

Name: Dumbarton 23 Years Old
Distillery: Dumbarton
Bottler: Dram Mor
Region/Country: Lowland Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 23 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Bourbon Barrel
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 182

Flavour profile

Sweet · Creamy · Vanilla · Pastry · Single Cask

Investment potential

Medium. Dumbarton is closed and demolished, the bottling comes from one cask, and only 182 bottles exist. Old grain whisky from silent Lowland distilleries has drawn considerably more collector attention in recent years than it did a decade ago.

Did you know?

Grain whisky matures more slowly than malt because the spirit is cleaner and carries fewer heavy compounds for the wood to work on. That is why an age statement like twenty-three years is unremarkable here, while the same years on a malt would often leave the cask in charge.

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In 1963 William Grant & Sons found themselves without access to grain whisky and built their own distillery in nine months. Girvan is the result, and these twenty-five years are what happens when you leave that plant to get on with it for long enough.

The expert description

Girvan Patent Still 25 Years Old is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks with some sherry wood and virgin oak, bottled at 42%.

The distillery was raised in 1963 on the Ayrshire coast in answer to a trade dispute with the large blending houses of the day, and it has supplied the backbone of the William Grant blends ever since. The Patent Still range was the first serious attempt by the house to sell grain whisky under its own name, and the twenty-five year old opened the series.

The composition is a marriage of whisky from 1st fill and refill bourbon casks with a smaller share from sherry wood and virgin oak. The bourbon casks carry the creamy vanilla character, while the others lay darker fruit and spice underneath. The 42% is pitched low enough to let the texture do the carrying.

Tasting notes

Nose

Masses of buttery vanilla, fresh apple and cinnamon stick, with dark peel and chocolate pralines behind.

Palate

Creamy and unctuous with white chocolate, citrus and lime, chewy caramels and pineapple, while soft American oak sits underneath.

Finish

Vanilla, ground cinnamon and a final cool note of mint.

Specifications

Name: Girvan Patent Still 25 Years Old
Distillery: Girvan
Region/Country: Lowland Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 42%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill and refill bourbon casks with sherry wood and virgin oak
Edition: Patent Still
EAN no.: 5010327445038

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Fruity · Sweet · Mature

Investment potential

Medium. Twenty-five year old single grain with an age statement from an official distillery has become noticeably harder to find as the old grain stocks have been drawn down. The Patent Still range was also the first of its kind from the house, which gives it a place in the record.

Did you know?

Inside the Girvan complex also stood the malt distillery Ladyburn, which ran only from 1966 to 1975 and is today one of the most sought after silent addresses in Scotland. On the same ground Ailsa Bay opened in 2007, so the site holds both a closed and a new malt distillery alongside the grain plant.

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Invergordon 1987/2024 Coopers Choice 33 Year Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky 46.5%

Invergordon 1987 vintage from independent bottler Coopers Choice, aged for 33 years. This Single Grain Scotch Whisky is bottled at 46.5% ABV, with only 360 bottles available worldwide. Enjoy this Bourbon Cask Matured expression with a few drops of water.

Distillery: Invergordon
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Vintage: 1987/2024
Age: 33 years
Type: Single Grain Whisky
Cask number/type: cask ref. 88794
Alcohol strength: 46.5%
Number of bottles: 360
Un-chillfiltered
Natural Colour
Other: 70 cl
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Invergordon 2017 Little Brown Dog 7 Years Small Batch High Rye Scottish Spirits 70 cl 58.8%

This release needs a bit of background to fully understand its uniqueness. For everyone except SDVS and the SWA, this would essentially be considered a Scottish bourbon. The spirit was created at Invergordon by an American bourbon producer who was instructed to do everything exactly as they would in the United States. And they did – down to the smallest detail.

Here we encounter a classic example of how legislation can shape the identity of a spirit. During fermentation, enzymes were added to increase yield, a completely normal practice in American bourbon production but not permitted in Scotch whisky. As a result, this spirit can be classified neither as bourbon nor as single grain Scotch. Instead, it has been labelled High Rye Scottish Spirit Drink – high rye due to the mash bill, and because its style and character sit much closer to bourbon than to rye whisky.

A small nod to its American soul appears on the label, where bourbon biscuits are subtly referenced in the background.

Why LBD chose to bottle it
Because they are nerds. Because the diversity of the whisky world is wonderful. And because this spirit tells a story that few would dare to release. It challenges the boundaries of how rules and traditions define a category – and shows how exciting things become when you explore the grey areas.

LBD knows their customers share the same curiosity and understanding of the process. And most importantly: the liquid is excellent. This is a rare opportunity to taste what a bourbon‑inspired spirit, distilled in Scotland, can actually be like – and at a very attractive price.

Distillery: Invergordon
Bottler: Little Brown Dog
Region: Lowlands, Scotland
Age: 7 years
ABV: 58.8%
Cask type: Virgin Oak Barrel
70 cl
Non‑chill filtered
Natural colour
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Invergordon 25 years The Sovereign Single Grain Scotch Whisky 42%

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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On the banks of Loch Lomond, where Scotland's lowlands meet the highlands, sits a distillery that refuses to play by the rules. Here, peated malted barley runs through a column still instead of traditional copper pots — and the result is a whisky that behaves like neither malt nor grain, but insists on its own path.

Expert's description

Loch Lomond Grainstorm Peated is a Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is made exclusively from heavily peated malted barley, but because it's distilled in Loch Lomond Distillery's continuous column still rather than traditional pot stills, it's classified as single grain rather than single malt — a quirk that makes this bottle something of a genuine anomaly in Scotch production.

It's matured in a combination of first-fill and refill American oak bourbon casks under the eye of Master Blender Michael Henry, delivering a soft, fruity character with creamy vanilla and a whisper of smoke. The whisky sits in the distillery's permanent range and was relaunched under the Grainstorm name in late 2024.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clove and blackcurrant sit alongside citrus peel and a touch of freshly cut grass, with vanilla running underneath as a sweet current throughout.

Palate

Sweet, tangy peat meets green apple and lime citrus on the tongue, with aniseed in the mix. The smoke stays in the background here — more spice than bonfire.

Finish

The finish is crisp and dry, with a distant trace of peat smoke lingering long after the last sip.

Specifications

Name: Loch Lomond Grainstorm Peated
Distillery: Loch Lomond Distillery
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks (first-fill and refill American oak)
Distillation method: Continuous distillation (column still)
Edition: Grainstorm
EAN no.: 5016840260219

Flavour profile

Smoky · Fruity · Spiced · Vanilla-sweet

Did you know?

Loch Lomond is one of only two Scottish distilleries able to produce both single malt and single grain whisky under one roof. Their Coffey-style column still is shared with only one other whisky house in the world — Japan's Nikka.

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Not all whisky from Loch Lomond comes from traditional pot stills. Grainstorm is the distillery's answer to what happens when malted barley runs through a Coffey still – and the result is far fruitier than most expect from a grain whisky.

Expert's Description

Loch Lomond Grainstorm is a Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in American oak and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is distilled entirely from malted barley on the distillery's continuous Coffey still, making it a single grain rather than a single malt, even though the grain is the same. Maturation takes place exclusively in American oak, which gives the whisky its bright, fruity and slightly sweet character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Citrus peel and fresh applesauce meet vanilla and sweet spice, with a hint of freshly cut grass in the background.

Palate

Sweet fruitiness with green apple and star anise, growing softer and more floral towards the finish.

Finish

Short to medium finish with a fleeting hint of smoke.

Specifications

Name: Loch Lomond Grainstorm Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak
Distillation method: Coffey still (continuous distillation)
Serving suggestion: Neat, on ice, or as a base in a light highball

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Sweet · Fresh

Did You Know?

Grainstorm is made entirely from malted barley – the same grain used in a traditional single malt – but because it is distilled on a continuous still, it is still called a single grain.

See our full range of Loch Lomond

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Peat and grain sound like an unlikely pairing, but at Loch Lomond that kind of experiment is business as usual. Peated Single Grain is proof that smoke and lightness can happily share the same bottle.

Expert's Description

Loch Lomond Peated Single Grain is a Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in American oak and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is distilled from peated malted barley on the distillery's continuous Coffey still, giving it a light, grain-like body combined with an earthy, medicinal smoke. The whisky is neither chill-filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Clove, vanilla and blackcurrant, with peat leaning towards bandages and a touch of iodine, alongside fresh lemons and pears.

Palate

Sweet, tangy peat with green apple, lime citrus and aniseed, followed by vanilla and a note of lemongrass.

Finish

Crisp, dry finish with distant peat smoke and a short but clear peaty impression.

Specifications

Name: Loch Lomond Peated Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Coffey still (continuous distillation)
EAN: 5016840260219
Serving suggestion: Neat or on ice

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Peated · Fruity · Fresh

Did You Know?

Even though the whisky is made from heavily peated malt, it is classed as grain rather than malt, because it is distilled on a continuous Coffey still rather than a pot still.

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North British 1991/2023 Signatory Vintage – 31-Year-Old Single Grain in a Class of Its Own
An impressive 31-year-old single grain whisky from North British, bottled by the renowned Signatory Vintage. This rare release comes from a single cask and is bottled at natural cask strength of 54.3%, with no additives and non-chill filtered – just as nature intended.

A great choice for collectors – and for those looking to explore the refined world of well-aged grain whisky.

Distillery: North British​
Bottler: The Cooper’s Choice​
Distilled: June 2006​ | Bottled: January 2024​
Age: 17 years​
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky​
Region: Lowland​
Cask Type: American oak and Oloroso sherry cask
Cask Number: #4358​
ABV: 52%​
Bottles Produced: 246​
Un-chillfiltered​
Natural Colour​
70 cl