Rivesaltes is a southern French fortified wine from Roussillon that few people know and even fewer have seen in a whisky cask. That is exactly the kind of find Lady of the Glen has made their signature.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2012/2024 Lady of the Glen 11 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky finished in a Rivesaltes cask and bottled at cask strength, 59.2%. Cask no. 802860 gave 283 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Rivesaltes is made in Roussillon by adding alcohol during fermentation so that some of the grape sugar remains. That type of cask gives raisins, walnut and a dry oxidised note that sits closer to an old sherry than to ordinary red wine.

At 59.2% there is strength enough to carry both the finish and the spirit’s own fruit. Auchroisk was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend, and the lightness of the spirit leaves room for the fortified wine cask’s character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisins and dried apricot first, with a clear walnut note. Vanilla and apple from the base maturation sit beneath, and there is a dry, lightly oxidised note from the wine cask.

Palate

Powerful and concentrated. Dried fruit and walnut open, then spiced oak, a dry wine note and black pepper arrive. At 59.2% there is real strength, and the whisky takes water well.

Finish

Long and dry. Raisins, nuts and spiced oak that hold on and leave a lightly bitter edge.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2012/2024 Lady of the Glen 11 Years Old Rivesaltes Finish Single Speyside Malt Whisky 59.2%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Lady of the Glen
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 59.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in a Rivesaltes cask, cask no. 802860
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2024
Number of bottles: 283

Flavour Profile

Fortified Wine Cask · Cask Strength · Raisins · Nutty · Spiced · Dry

Did You Know?

Lady of the Glen is a family-run bottling house from Fife that Gregor Hannah started in 2012, named after his great-grandmother. The house is known for experimenting with unusual finishing casks, from Rivesaltes and Marsala to Tokaji, and for bottling everything at cask strength without filtration.

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In Edinburgh's Gorgie district, North British has been distilling grain whisky since 1885 – quietly, efficiently and without the fanfare grain whisky usually receives.

Expert's Description

North British 1987/2021 Coopers Choice 33 Year Old is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured for over three decades in a used bourbon cask and bottled at 43.5%.

The Coopers Choice series from The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. is known for sourcing exceptionally old grain casks. This North British has matured for more than 33 years, developing a beautiful golden colour and an exceptionally soft, rounded flavour, with only 240 bottles filled.

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is lightly spiced.

Specifications

Distillery: North British
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 33 years
ABV: 43.5 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask, cask #238570
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1987
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 240
EAN no.: 5024720861692

Flavour Profile

Soft · Creamy · Light · Elegant

Investment Potential

Medium. A single grain whisky over 33 years old is rare in itself, and with only 240 bottles of this Coopers Choice release, older North British bottlings have historically shown growing interest among grain whisky collectors.

Did You Know?

North British is today jointly owned by Diageo and the Edrington Group through the company Lothian Distillers – two competitors sharing one distillery.

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Not every great dram carries a famous name on the label — Laggan Mill is proof that quiet distilleries can still produce remarkable whisky. This particular release from Islay shows a side of the distillery worth slowing down for.

Expert's description

Laggan Mill 2021 Coopers Choice Cask No. 3353 Secret Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 44,5% is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured on american Oak & Port Wine Pipe, cask nr. 3353 and bottled at 44,5%.

This bottling comes from The Coopers Choice.

The whisky was bottled in 2021.

Only 600 bottles were produced from this cask, making it a limited release for collectors.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey, barley and a soft citrus lift.

Palate

Soft vanilla, malt and light spice.

Finish

Medium length, clean and lightly spiced.

Specifications

Name: Laggan Mill 2021 Coopers Choice Cask No. 3353 Secret Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 44,5%
Distillery: Laggan Mill
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Islay
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 44,5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American Oak & Port Wine Pipe, cask nr. 3353
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 600
EAN no.: 5024720861708

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Spiced

Investment Potential

Medium. With only 600 bottles from a single Port Wine Pipe cask, bottled under a secret Islay name, this is a release that will not appear again in the same form.

Did you know?

The Vintage Malt Whisky Co., the company behind The Coopers Choice range, was founded in 1992 by Brian Crook, who already had more than 20 years of experience in the whisky trade at the time.

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The Unexpected is the name the whisky itself has chosen to describe what a French sherry cask can do to Scotch malt over 10 years.

Expert's description

Michel Couvreur The Unexpected No. 2 is a Single Malt Whisky matured in a sherry cask and bottled at 50 percent.

The whisky was distilled in 2011 and bottled in 2022 after 10 years of cask maturation, and like the rest of the house range it's matured further via Michel Couvreur's fresh filling method in the cellars of Burgundy. The high strength of 50 percent gives the whisky a power that sets it apart from several of the house's milder bottlings.

Michel Couvreur travelled to Scotland himself to find the casks he believed in, then let them mature further in his own Burgundy cellars - a process that still sets the house apart from almost everyone else in the market today.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is intense with sherry, dark chocolate and dried fruit, spiced with a hint of cinnamon.

Palate

The palate is powerful and warm, with sherry and caramel up front, supported by a dry, oaky undertone.

Finish

The finish is long and spicy, with lingering notes of raisin and a last peppery warmth.

Specifications

Name: The Unexpected No. 2
Distillery: Michel Couvreur
Region/Country: France
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 50 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2011
Bottled: 2022
Edition: The Unexpected No. 2

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Powerful · Spicy · Cask strength

Did you know?

The name 'The Unexpected' hints at how the whisky's intensity and strength often surprise even seasoned tasters familiar with the house's milder bottlings like The Unique.

Cask Strength. PX. 2024. Thy Whisky PX Cask Strength 2024 is the powerful version of the distillery's Pedro Ximenez finish: a single malt bottled directly from the PX cask without dilution and with the full concentrated sweetness intact.

Expert description

Thy Whisky PX Cask Strength 2024 Limited Edition is a Danish Single Malt Whisky bottled at cask strength 58.3% in a 70 cl bottle. Distilled and matured at Thy Whisky Distillery in Thy. The whisky is finished on Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and bottled at cask strength without dilution, chill filtration or colour addition. The 2024 Limited Edition is a limited vintage batch and complements the standard-strength PX & Oloroso 2024 edition.

58.3% with PX influence is a fascinating combination. The sherry sweetness dampens the alcohol perception in a pleasant way, and the uncut bottling preserves all the nuances from the PX cask.

Tasting notes

Nose

Intensely sweet PX with raisin, fig, dark honey and a light wine note. Concentrated and inviting.

Palate

Powerful and sweet with dark dried fruit, chocolate and a soft warmth. The PX character carries the strength beautifully.

Finish

Long and sweet with persistent PX notes and a soft aftertaste. Lasting and satisfying.

Specifications

Name: Thy Whisky PX Cask Strength 2024 Limited Edition
Distillery: Thy Whisky
Region/Country: Thy, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 58.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in PX sherry cask
Cask strength: Yes
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes

Flavour profile

PX Sherry · Cask strength · Raisin · Sweet · Concentrated

Did you know?

Pedro Ximenez and cask strength is a rare combination in Danish whisky. The PX cask, normally used to soften and sweeten, combined with full cask strength, gives a product that is unique in Thy Whisky's portfolio – and remarkably different from Scottish PX expressions that are typically made on heavier and older casks.

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Lavender and incense on an otherwise unforgiving Islay coastline, as if the distillery has for once thrown open the chapel door and let something entirely new inside.

Expert Review

Ardbeg Spectacular is an Islay Single Malt Whisky matured in ex-bourbon and port casks and bottled at 46%.

The bottle was released as Ardbeg's official Ardbeg Day whisky, and for the first time ever the distillery let part of the spirit mature entirely in casks that previously held port wine. The rest rested in ex-bourbon casks, and the two are married together so the fruit sweetness of the port can speak alongside Ardbeg's usual peat and smoke without drowning it out. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Lavender and incense candles mingle with a rich, almond-like nuttiness, while damp peat and woodsmoke sit as a deep base underneath.

Palate

Sweet leather and dark chocolate meet a cool, almost minty freshness, before the soft port fruit steps forward.

Finish

Salted caramel and ripe pear in a long, smoky finish that never turns too sweet.

Specifications

Name: Ardbeg Spectacular
Distillery: Ardbeg
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon and port casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Fruity · Creamy · Floral

Did You Know?

Spectacular is the first release in Ardbeg's history matured entirely in port casks, and it was celebrated as the year's big reveal on Ardbeg Day itself.

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In December 2009, new make spirit ran into a bourbon hogshead at Caol Ila. The cask sat for thirteen years, and when Signatory Vintage opened it again in May 2023, only 276 bottles came out. That kind of bottling is a reminder that whisky is time.

Expert's description

Caol Ila 2009/2023 Signatory Vintage 13 Years is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky from a single bourbon hogshead (cask no. 322858), bottled at cask strength 57.5% without chill filtration and with natural colour. 276 bottles.

Signatory Vintage is one of Scotland's most experienced independent bottlers and has operated Edradour Distillery since 2002. The Cask Strength Collection is the purest line – single casks bottled directly without dilution. 276 bottles is all this cask gave.

Caol Ila supplies its distillate primarily to Diageo's blends, which is precisely why single-cask bottlings like this are rare and sought after. Thirteen years in bourbon oak have produced a Caol Ila with more concentration and depth than the official range.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sea salt and seaweed open, followed by vanilla and honey from the bourbon wood. Smoky toffee and citrus peel underline the age.

Palate

Rich and concentrated. Smoke, salty liquorice and fruity sweetness – apricot and papaya – alternate with soft oak. Cask strength calls for a drop of water.

Finish

Long and warming. Smoke persists with dried herbs and a hint of dark chocolate in the tail.

Specifications

Name: Caol Ila 2009/2023 Signatory Vintage 13 Years
Distillery: Caol Ila Distillery
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 57.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Single cask – bourbon hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 08/12/2009
Bottled: 24/05/2023
Number of bottles: 276
Series: Cask Strength Collection
EAN no.: 5021944123209

Flavour profile

Peated · Maritime · Toffee · Fruity · Powerful

Did you know?

Since 1988, Signatory Vintage has bottled over 4,000 single casks from more than 20 Scottish distilleries. They have owned Edradour – the smallest distillery in the Scottish Highlands – since 2002.

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The label looks like something torn out of a 1960s action comic. The whisky behind it is rather more restrained: sixteen years in one bourbon cask from a Speyside distillery that cannot be named.

The expert's description

Adventures In The Meadow is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky from a single bourbon hogshead, bottled at cask strength 54.7%.

The cask carried number 48 and gave 308 bottles after sixteen years. The whisky is non-chill filtered and of natural colour, so what is in the glass comes from the cask and nothing else.

The bottling comes from Whiskyheroes, a range by the Glasgow-based company Brave New Spirits. The series consists of single casks and small batches matured in classic bourbon and sherry casks, and the labels are drawn from vintage action comics. Read the full story behind the series in our blog post.

Tasting notes

Nose

Gooseberry and baked apples with a fresh menthol note. Rosemary and a touch of baking powder behind it.

Palate

Dry and citrus-fresh with white fruit, vanilla and a grassy edge. The cask strength gives bite without drowning the light spirit.

Finish

Medium length and dry with green apples, herbs and a hint of peppery oak.

Specifications

Name: Secret Speyside Distillery 16 Year Adventures In The Meadow Whiskyheroes Single Speyside Malt Whisky 54.7%
Distillery: Undisclosed Speyside distillery
Bottler: Whiskyheroes / Brave New Spirits
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 54.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon hogshead, cask no. 48
Number of bottles: 308
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Colour: Natural

Flavour profile

Fresh fruit · Herbal · Vanilla · Dry · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. 308 bottles from one cask, and the series is new enough that the first releases can still be found. Single casks from undisclosed distilleries move more slowly than named ones, but the outturn is small enough to count.

Did you know?

Brave New Spirits was granted planning permission in 2023 for its own distillery, Witchburn in Campbeltown. It is not an everyday move for an independent bottler to go the other way and start distilling.

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Miltonduff has stood just outside Elgin since 1824, supplying Ballantine's with its soft, floral malt.

Expert's Description

Miltonduff 13 Year Old An Eerie Silence is a Single Speyside Scotch Whisky from the Whiskyheroes series, matured in an oloroso sherry hogshead and bottled at 53%.

The An Eerie Silence series from Brave New Spirits draws its visual inspiration from classic 1950s and 60s horror and superhero films, but behind the eye-catching label sits a serious single cask release with only 324 bottles from cask #60.

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is warm with a hint of oak.

Specifications

Distillery: Miltonduff
Bottler: Whiskyheroes / Brave New Spirits
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 53 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso Sherry Hogshead, cask #60
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 324
Edition: An Eerie Silence

Flavour Profile

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

Did You Know?

Miltonduff was built on the site of the old Pluscarden Priory brewery from 1233, where monks reportedly brewed ale using water from the Black Burn.

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An 8-year-old Lowland malt, bottled under the Whiskyheroes series and named after a historic defender title.

Expert description

Annandale 8 Year Defender Of The Crown Whiskyheroes Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky has matured for 8 years and is bottled as part of the Whiskyheroes series, bottled at 52.9%. Annandale Distillery was founded in 1836 as one of Scotland's first legal distilleries, but closed in 1918 while owned by none other than Johnnie Walker. The distillery lay derelict for nearly a century, until Professor David Thomson and Teresa Church read about it in the book 'Scotch Missed: Lost Distilleries of Scotland', tracked down the ruined building, bought the site in 2007 and reopened the distillery in 2014 after extensive restoration. The distillery produces two main expressions: the unpeated Man O'Words and the peated Man O'Sword, continuing the distillery's historic tradition of smoky whisky.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is full with caramel, fruit and spiced oak.

Palate

The palate is round and powerful with caramel, honey and a hint of spice.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 8 år Defender Of The Crown Whiskyheroes Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Annandale Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 52.9%
Size: 70 CL
Age: 8 years, Series: Whiskyheroes

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Powerful · Caramel · Spiced

Investment potential

The Whiskyheroes series is known for themed, often limited releases, which can make this 8-year-old Lowland malt interesting to collectors.

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Loch Lomond has its own depths, and the independent series WhiskyHeroes plays right into that with this Inchmurrin release. "Deep Creatures Of The Lake" is the name – cask strength and a single bourbon barrel are the substance.

Expert's Description

Inchmurrin 10 Year Old Deep Creatures Of The Lake is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a first-fill bourbon cask and bottled at 58.1%.

The whisky is distilled under the Inchmurrin profile at Loch Lomond and spent 10 years in a single first-fill bourbon cask, before being selected and bottled by the independent series WhiskyHeroes from Brave New Spirits as part of the series' first release. Only 425 bottles were filled from this one cask.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Full vanilla and ripe pear, with a light honeyed sweetness and a touch of oak.

Palate

Powerful and fruity with peach, apple and creamy caramel, carried by the high cask strength.

Finish

Long, warming finish with lingering fruit and a spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Inchmurrin 10 Year Old Deep Creatures Of The Lake Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Bottler: WhiskyHeroes
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 58.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First-fill bourbon cask
Number of bottles: 425
Serving suggestion: Neat or with a few drops of water to tame the cask strength

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Full-bodied · Spiced

Investment Potential

Medium – as a single-cask, cask-strength release from WhiskyHeroes' first series, with only 425 bottles, it is already sought after among collectors of independent bottlings.

Did You Know?

WhiskyHeroes won a gold medal at the Global Scotch Whisky Masters for its first series of releases, of which this Inchmurrin expression was part.

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The label could have been torn from a 1960s comic. Behind it sits something considerably more serious: a single first fill bourbon cask from Blair Athol, bottled without filtration.

Expert description

Blair Athol 12 Years Agent Ivy Trapped is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky from 1st Fill Bourbon Hogshead #308050, bottled at 55.1% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The Whiskyheroes series comes from Brave New Spirits and takes its visual language from old comics and B-movies. Behind the colourful labels sit single cask bottlings from Scottish distilleries, chosen for the character of the cask rather than the name value of the distillery.

A first fill bourbon cask gives more wood than a refill, and it shows: vanilla, maple syrup and pale fruit take up more room than they would in a used cask. All 257 bottles come from the same hogshead.

Tasting notes

Nose

Green apples and evening meadow, with maple syrup and a pale, sweetish grain note.

Palate

Papaya, thick honey and ripe bananas, cut through by white peppercorns and a clear oak edge.

Finish

Long and sweet with honey and pepper slowly drying out.

Specifications

Name: Blair Athol 12 Years Agent Ivy Trapped Whiskyheroes Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 55.1%
Distillery: Blair Athol
Bottler: Whiskyheroes
Region/Country: Highlands, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 55,1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st Fill Bourbon Hogshead #308050
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 257
Edition: Agent Ivy Trapped

Flavour profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Spiced · Tropical · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask bottling of 257 bottles from a series with clear collector appeal thanks to the label artwork.

Did you know?

Blair Athol closed in 1932 and stood silent for nearly twenty years until Arthur Bell & Sons reopened the distillery in 1949 to secure malt for their blend.

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The name points to Andalucía, where the sherry comes from. It is one of the few places in the world where casks are still produced specifically for the whisky industry, and Glencadam has brought oloroso from there to finish this release.

The expert's description

Glencadam Reserva Andalucia is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky built from sherry and bourbon casks with a finishing period in oloroso casks from Andalucía, bottled at 46%.

The build is different from the other finish releases. Here sherry casks are selected from the Glencadam warehouses and married with bourbon casks before the whole batch gets its finishing period in oloroso. That gives a more thoroughgoing sherry character than a straight finish would. The whisky is non-chill filtered and carries natural colour.

Oloroso is the dry sherry type. It matures in contact with air and develops nuts, dried fruit and a firm bitterness rather than the syrupy sweetness of PX. On the fruity Glencadam spirit that gives a balance between the brightness of the house and the depth of the sherry.

Tasting notes

Nose

Rich sherry with sultanas and sweet spice, over a base note of bright Glencadam fruit. There are nuts and dried apricot behind.

Palate

Full and sherry-forward. Dried fruit, nuts and spice, with the distillery fruitiness as a counterweight. The balance between the two is the whole point of the release.

Finish

Medium to long. Nuts and dried fruit ebbing away into a dry, lightly spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Glencadam Reserva Andalucia Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Glencadam
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry and bourbon casks with a finishing period in oloroso casks from Andalucía
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Reserva Andalucia
EAN no.: 5021349704126

Flavour profile

Sherried · Nutty · Dried fruit · Spiced · Fruity

Did you know?

Glencadam sits in the Eastern Highlands, a part of Scotland that once held a string of distilleries but has very few left today. The other distillery in Brechin, North Port, closed in 1983 and was demolished.

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A rare Fèis Ìle release, created for Islay's annual whisky festival.

Expert description

Big Peat Feis Ile 2024 The Thropaigeach is a limited edition of the Islay blend, created specifically for the 2024 Fèis Ìle festival, bottled at 48%. Big Peat was launched in 2009 by independent bottler Douglas Laing & Co as the first in the company's 'Remarkable Regional Malts' series. The idea was to create the 'ultimate distillation of Islay' by blending single malt whisky from several of the island's distilleries, including Caol Ila, Bowmore and Ardbeg, without using grain whisky. Big Peat is non-chill filtered, with no colouring added. Each year Douglas Laing releases a Christmas Edition of Big Peat at natural cask strength, and at Islay's Fèis Ìle whisky festival, special limited editions are regularly released.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers smoke, peat and a hint of sea salt.

Palate

The palate is smoky and spiced with peat, caramel and a hint of citrus.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and lightly salty.

Specifications

Name: Big Peat Feis Ile 2024 The Thropaigeach Fèis Ìle Blended Islay Malt Whisky
Bottler: Douglas Laing & Co
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Fèis Ìle 2024

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peated · Salty · Spiced

Investment potential

Fèis Ìle releases of Big Peat are often produced in limited numbers and can become sought after by collectors after the festival.

See our full range of Douglas Laing

On the banks of Scotland's most famous loch sits a distillery that isn't afraid to play with fire. Loch Lomond Steam & Fire comes from the same curiosity that drives the distillery's own on-site cooperage, where barrels aren't just aged but re-charred until they give the whisky something entirely its own.

Expert's Description

Loch Lomond Steam & Fire is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American oak and bottled at 46%.

The whisky begins its life in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels and American oak, before moving into casks that are heavily re-charred at the distillery's own cooperage – a process staff call "steam and fire". Ten months of finishing on these hard-charred casks gives the whisky its signature depth of toasted wood and burnt sugar, without ever losing Loch Lomond's fruity, light house style.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Toffee and ripe apples meet a sweet caramel aroma with a touch of cinnamon and a light, tangy citrus edge.

Palate

Silky on the palate with orange, peach and marmalade, sliding into toasted marshmallow and melted brown sugar – finishing with a hint of dark chocolate.

Finish

Medium to long, dry finish with smoky dark chocolate and a gentle wisp of smoke from the charred casks.

Specifications

Name: Loch Lomond Steam & Fire Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak and bourbon casks, finished in heavily charred American oak casks
EAN: 5016840230212
Serving suggestion: At room temperature, or with a few drops of water to open up the toasted notes

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Sweet · Toasted · Smooth

Did You Know?

Loch Lomond has its own cooperage on site – one of the very few Scottish distilleries that re-chars and repairs its own casks in-house, instead of sending them to an external cooperage.

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A bourbon engineered with molecular technology as a shortcut to the classic flavour.

Expert description

Stateless American Blended Bourbon Whiskey is an American blended bourbon, bottled at 40%, from Kentucky. The Stateless brand launched in 2023 from Milestone Beverages and markets itself on an unconventional approach: using molecular technology and data analysis to recreate classic whiskey flavour nuances while using less water, grain and barrel-ageing time than traditional production. Stateless is positioned as a more accessible alternative to traditionally long-aged bourbons.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers cherry, cedar and a hint of anise.

Palate

The palate is round with berries, spice and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and fruity.

Specifications

Name: Stateless American Blended Bourbon Whiskey
Bottler: Stateless
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Blended Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Fruity · Spicy · Round · Sweet

Did you know?

Stateless uses machine learning and chemical analysis to map which compounds give classic bourbon its flavour, then aims to recreate that profile using fewer resources than traditional long ageing.

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Cream and Irish whiskey meet in a soft, dessert-like liqueur from the Boyne Valley.

Expert description

The Whistler Boann Distillery Irish Cream Liqueur combines Irish whiskey with cream for a soft, sweet liqueur, bottled at 33%. The Whistler is named after Pat Cooney, whose whistling can be heard through Boann Distillery, founded by the Cooney family in 2015 in the Boyne Valley, County Louth — the first distillery in the Drogheda area in over 160 years. The family has over 40 years of experience in the Irish drinks industry through their bottling company Gleeson Group.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is sweet with cream, caramel and a hint of whiskey.

Palate

The palate is soft and creamy with caramel, vanilla and light whiskey warmth.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: The Whistler Boann Distillery Irsk Cream Likør
Bottler: Boann Distillery
Region/Country: Boyne Valley, Ireland
Type: Cream Liqueur
ABV: 33%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Creamy · Sweet · Soft · Caramel

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Midgard is the realm of humans in Old Norse mythology — the one we know ourselves, connected to the other realms via Bivrost, the rainbow bridge.

Expert description

Bivrost Midgard Arctic Single Malt Norwegian Whisky is part of the distillery's series named after the Nine Realms of Old Norse mythology, bottled at 46%. Bivrost is distilled at Aurora Spirit Distillery in Lyngen, northern Norway, 69 degrees north of the equator, making it one of the world's northernmost distilleries. Construction began in 2016, and the name Bivrost comes from Old Norse mythology, where it denotes the rainbow bridge between heaven and earth — a nod to the Northern Lights often seen above the distillery. Local botanicals and glacial meltwater are used in production.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is clean and mineral with a hint of citrus and grain.

Palate

The palate offers grain, light honey and a fresh, mineral note.

Finish

The finish is medium-length and clean with a dry close.

Specifications

Name: Bivrost Midgard Arctic Single Malt Norwegian Whisky
Distillery: Aurora Spirit Distillery
Region/Country: Lyngen, Northern Norway
Type: Single Malt Norwegian Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 50 CL

Flavour profile

Mineral · Clean · Grainy · Fresh

Did you know?

Some of the maturation takes place in Aurora Spirit's underground vaults, which were formerly part of a Cold War-era NATO base tunnel system.

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No dilution, no shortcuts. Batch Strength is Kilchoman's answer for those who want the house's core profile delivered at full strength, straight from a selection of chosen casks.

Expert's description

Kilchoman Batch Strength is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, bottled at cask strength, 57 %.

Where Kilchoman's core releases like Machir Bay and Sanaig are bottled at 46 %, Batch Strength is bottled straight from a selection of chosen casks with no water added. That gives a markedly more intense and concentrated version of the distillery's classic style, where fruit, spice and smoke all step forward more clearly.

Because it's a batch, made up of several casks rather than a single one, it retains the consistency that defines Kilchoman's standard releases — just at a strength that gives the whole flavour profile extra weight.

Tasting notes

Nose

Juicy cherries and delicate heather blossom meet a deep, intense peat smoke, more concentrated than at standard strength.

Palate

Full and powerful, with caramel, spice and creamy vanilla uniting with the peat smoke in layer upon layer of intensity.

Finish

Long and warm, with a soft, silky finish where hints of butter and honey add an extra dimension.

Specifications

Name: Kilchoman Batch Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Kilchoman
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 57 %
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
EAN no.: 5060210707637

Flavour profile

Peated · Cask strength · Full-bodied · Spicy · Intense

Did you know?

The difference between a single cask and a batch release is that a batch brings together several selected casks into one bottling — giving a more consistent flavour profile from bottle to bottle, but still at full, undiluted strength.

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Oloroso. The dry, nutty sherry classic. Thy Whisky Oloroso Shared Cask No 442 is a Danish single malt finished in an Oloroso sherry cask and bottled directly from the cask without dilution.

Expert description

Thy Whisky Oloroso Shared Cask No 442 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky bottled at cask strength 60.1% in a 50 cl bottle. Distilled and matured at Thy Whisky Distillery in Thy. Oloroso is one of the classic dry sherry types with characteristic nutty aromas, oak and dark fruit. Cask No. 442 is a Shared Cask – bottled for a group of private co-cask owners.

The Oloroso cask and the north Jutland distillate meet in an interesting contrast: the distillate's fresh, malt-based character confronted with the sherry cask's dry, nutty depth. The result is a more complex and structured whisky than the distillery's un-cask-influenced expressions.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dry and nutty with walnut, light chocolate, a little oak and a soft fruitiness in the background. The Oloroso character is clear.

Palate

Complex and structured with dry nuts, malt base, light pepper and the sherry cask depth. Drier than the PX variant. Very satisfying.

Finish

Long and nutty with light dryness and oak. Striking and persistent.

Specifications

Name: Thy Whisky Oloroso Shared Cask No 442
Distillery: Thy Whisky
Region/Country: Thy, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 60.1%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Finished in Oloroso sherry cask
Cask strength: Yes
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes

Flavour profile

Oloroso Sherry · Cask strength · Nutty · Dry · Complex

Did you know?

Oloroso is one of the oldest and most well-known sherry types. The name means "fragrant" in Spanish, and Oloroso sherry oxidises during maturation – unlike Fino and Manzanilla, which mature under a protective layer of yeast. This gives the dry, nutty and complex character that whisky enthusiasts love in Oloroso casks.

Over three decades in cask lie behind this rare blended malt, which independent bottler Signatory Vintage has assembled from several Scottish distilleries.

Expert Review

Old School Malt Signatory Vintage 31 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 43,5% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 43.5% ABV.

Old School Malt's 31 Year Old is a blended malt Scotch from Signatory Vintage, containing whisky from several different distilleries, all matured for at least 31 years. The long maturation gives the whisky a deep, woody complexity rarely found outside the most exclusive collector releases.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is deep and woody, with dried fruit, leather and a hint of old oak.

Palate

The palate is complex with fig, walnut and a warm, woody spiciness.

Finish

The finish is long and dry, with lingering oak and a final hint of dark chocolate.

Specifications

Name: Old School Malt Signatory Vintage 31 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 43,5%
Distillery: Signatory Vintage
Region: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 31 Years
ABV: 43.5%
Size: 70 CL
EAN No.: 5021944124947

Flavour Profile

Complex · Woody · Dried fruit

Investment Potential

31 years of maturation make Old School Malt one of the oldest blended malt whiskies in the range. Age alone, combined with the limited availability of whisky at this level from Signatory Vintage, makes the bottle interesting for serious collectors.

Did You Know?

Signatory Vintage founded its own distillery, Edradour, in 1988, but remains best known for exactly this kind of older, independent bottling, such as Old School Malt.

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Another round of spice from Wemyss Malts — Batch No. 2 turns the strength up slightly and lets the spice fill even more of the glass.

Expert's Description

Spice King Batch No. 2 is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Wemyss Malts, bottled at batch strength of 58% in a run of 9,000 bottles.

As the follow-up to Batch No. 1, this release continues the series with an even larger run, where spiced intensity and a robust character remain the core.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Black pepper and clove meet a deep malty sweetness.

Palate

Full and spicy with ginger, cinnamon and a warm alcoholic edge.

Finish

Long and spiced with lingering pepper and a dry close.

Specifications

Name: Spice King Batch No. 2
Distillery: Wemyss Malts
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 58%
Size: 70 CL
Number of Bottles: 9,000 bottles
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Edition: Batch No. 002
EAN No.: 811929030180

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Powerful · Batch strength · Intense

Did You Know?

At 9,000 bottles, Batch No. 2 is the largest run in the Spice King Batch Strength series to date, reflecting growing demand for Wemyss's spiced blend.

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There is no age on the label, and that is deliberate. Gold Reserve is about what toasted wood does to Cardhu's honey, not about how many winters have passed.

Expert description

Cardhu Gold Reserve Cask Selection is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in toasted oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The casks were chosen for their toast rather than their age. Toasted oak draws out caramel and baked fruit, and that is exactly what lifts Cardhu's pale, honeyed core into something deeper. The result is a malt with more dark chocolate and ripe orchard fruit than the 12 year old, but with the same soft mouthfeel. Without an age statement the distillery is free to pick casks by flavour rather than by calendar.

Tasting notes

Nose

Baked apple and honey first, then caramel and a warm, toasted note from the wood. A light floral sweetness sits behind.

Palate

Soft and round. Caramel, ripe pear, honey and a touch of dark chocolate. The toast brings a dry warmth towards the end that keeps the sweetness from turning dull.

Finish

Short to medium, soft and lightly spiced, with cocoa and malt at the close.

Specifications

Name: Cardhu Gold Reserve Cask Selection Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%
Distillery: Cardhu
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Toasted oak casks
Edition: Gold Reserve Cask Selection
EAN no.: 5000267125497

Flavour profile

Soft · Caramel · Fruity · Honeyed · Unpeated

Did you know?

Toasting and charring are not the same thing. A toasted cask is heated slowly so the sugars in the wood caramelise, while a charred cask gets a blackened layer inside. Cardhu uses toasting to pull out sweetness rather than smoke.

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There is something raw and untamed about Mortlach's house style, turning every bottle into an experience rather than a formality.

Expert's Description

Mortlach 15 Year Old Gordon & MacPhail Distillery Labels is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks and bottled at 46%.

The Distillery Labels series is Gordon & MacPhail's tribute to the long-standing relationships the company has built with Scottish distilleries since 1895, often with access to new-make spirit matured in their own casks according to their own philosophy.

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is warm with a hint of oak.

Specifications

Distillery: Mortlach
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry Casks
Edition: Distillery Labels
EAN no.: 5020613079274

Flavour Profile

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

Did You Know?

Mortlach distils its spirit 2.81 times through six stills of varying sizes – a method no other Scottish distillery has dared to copy.

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From Virginia's first legal distillery since Prohibition comes a rye that honours the state's whiskey roots.

Expert description

Catoctin Creek Single Barrel Roundstone Virginia Rye Whisky is an American rye whisky, bottled at 40%. Catoctin Creek was founded in 2009 by Scott and Becky Harris and was the first legal distillery since Prohibition in Purcellville, Loudoun County, Virginia. Roundstone Rye, the distillery's flagship, is made from 100% rye, grown locally, milled, fermented and distilled on site in copper pot stills. Virginia is often considered the birthplace of American whiskey, as rye whiskey was distilled here as far back as Jamestown in 1607, long before bourbon became Kentucky's signature spirit.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers rye bread, pepper and a hint of citrus.

Palate

The palate is spicy with rye grain, honey and light spice.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, dry and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Catoctin Creek Single Barrel 80 proof Roundstone Virginia Rye Whisky
Distillery: Catoctin Creek
Region/Country: Purcellville, Virginia, USA
Type: Rye Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Single Barrel

Flavour profile

Spicy · Rye-forward · Dry · Peppery

Did you know?

Virginia is considered by many to be the true birthplace of American whiskey — rye whiskey was distilled here as early as 1607 at Jamestown, nearly 200 years before Kentucky bourbon truly took off.

See our full range of Catoctin Creek

Nicknamed the "Kohinoor of single malts" after India's famous diamond, Rampur Vintage Select Casks is a tribute to the legacy of the Maharajas, matured at the foot of the Himalayas.

Expert's description

Rampur Vintage Select Casks 2023 Limited Edition Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky bottled at 43%.

This release is composed of carefully selected casks and pays homage to India's rich Maharaja-era heritage. The whisky has won several international awards, including a double gold medal in San Francisco, USA, underlining its standing among the world's single malts.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is complex with notes of dried fruit, honey and a touch of spice.

Palate

The palate is rich and layered with caramel, spice and ripe fruit unfolding slowly.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with a closing sweetness.

Specifications

Distillery: Rampur
Region/Country: Uttar Pradesh, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 43 %
Size: 70 CL
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Edition: Vintage Select Casks 2023, Limited Edition
EAN No.: 811272022832

Flavour Profile

Spicy · Fruity · Rich · Elegant

Investment Potential

Medium – Limited edition status and internationally awarded releases like this have historically shown a solid rise in value on the secondary market.

Did you know?

Rampur Vintage Select Casks 2023 won a double gold medal at an international spirits competition in San Francisco, one of the most respected judging panels in the industry.

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Asava means "grape juice" in Sanskrit, and the name is no coincidence. For the first time in whisky history, Rampur has rested a single malt on Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks, and the result stands apart.

Expert's description

Rampur Asava Single Malt Indian Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in American bourbon barrels and then finished in Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks, bottled at 45%.

The wine cask finish is the first of its kind from Rampur and gives the whisky a wine-like, almost fruit-forward character that balances the classic bourbon sweetness from the first maturation.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers red berries and a hint of grape, underpinned by vanilla from the bourbon barrels.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied with dark berries, a touch of tannin from the wine cask and an underlying caramel sweetness.

Finish

The finish is long, with a flawless balance between wine-like acidity and soft vanilla.

Specifications

Distillery: Rampur
Region/Country: Uttar Pradesh, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 45 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: American bourbon barrels finished in Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
EAN No.: 8902147004168

Flavour Profile

Wine-influenced · Fruity · Soft · Spicy

Did you know?

Rampur Asava is the first Indian single malt to be finished in casks that previously held Indian Cabernet Sauvignon wine, a cask type barely used anywhere else in the whisky world.

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At the foot of the Himalayas, where the air is thin and the temperature swings are dramatic, Rampur ages a whisky that refuses to choose between America and Europe. Double Cask is the result of that decision.

Expert's description

Rampur Double Cask Single Malt Indian Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in both American bourbon barrels and European oak sherry casks and bottled at 45%.

The two cask types mature separately before being married, so the vanilla and sweetness from the bourbon barrels meet the dried fruit and spice of the sherry casks. The result is a round, approachable whisky that shows what the high-altitude Himalayan climate does to maturation.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers delicate, almost balsamic vanilla notes mingling with caramel and a hint of dried fruit.

Palate

On the palate, rich caramel, dark dried fruit and spice unfold, tying the two cask types together.

Finish

The finish is soft and lingering, with a last touch of spiced oak.

Specifications

Distillery: Rampur
Region/Country: Uttar Pradesh, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 45 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: American bourbon barrels and European oak sherry casks
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
EAN No.: 8902147004052

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Fruity · Spicy · Round

Did you know?

The Rampur distillery sits more than 1,000 metres above sea level at the foot of the Himalayas, where the swing between day and night temperatures pushes the whisky through the wood far faster than a Nordic or Scottish maturation ever would.

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A tribute bourbon with a name that conjures up swing jazz and cocktail glasses.

Expert description

Swinging Dean Tribute American Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an American Straight Bourbon Whiskey, bottled at 42%. As the name 'Tribute' suggests, the bottle is intended as a nod to the classic era of American bourbon rooted in the swinging bar and cocktail culture of the mid-20th century, made from a corn-based mash and matured in new charred oak casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers vanilla, caramel and a hint of toasted nuts.

Palate

The palate is round with brown sugar, honey and spiced wood.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, warm and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Swinging Dean Tribute American Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Region/Country: USA
Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 42%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Sweet · Spicy · Warm · Round

A bourbon that gets straight to the point — clean, simple, no frills.

Expert description

Just Bourbon American Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an American Straight Bourbon Whiskey, bottled at 42%. The name signals the brand's philosophy: a straightforward bourbon without extra cask finishing or complicated backstories, made from a corn-based mash and matured in new charred oak casks in line with the US regulations for Straight Bourbon.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers vanilla, caramel and a hint of grain.

Palate

The palate is round with brown sugar, honey and light spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Just Bourbon American Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Region/Country: USA
Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 42%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Sweet · Grainy · Round · Soft

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