Most distilleries talk about smoke and leave sweetness as a feeling. Ailsa Bay measures both. Twenty-two ppm of phenol, nineteen ppm of sweetness, and they print the figures on the bottle as though it were a lab report. Nerdy? Yes. It also makes sense in the glass.

The Expert's Description

Ailsa Bay 1.2 Sweet Smoke is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured first in small Hudson Baby bourbon casks and then in American white oak, bottled at 48.9%. It is the distillery’s second release and sits at 22 ppm of phenol and 19 SPPM of sweetness, where the first release measured 21 ppm and 11 SPPM.

Micro-maturation is the heart of it. The spirit goes first into casks of between 25 and 100 litres, Hudson Baby bourbon casks from the United States, where the small volume gives an extreme amount of wood contact per litre. It is then moved into standard American oak casks for the longer maturation. No other Scottish malt distillery uses the method.

One detail is worth holding on to: the 22 ppm is measured in the distillate rather than in the malt, which is the usual practice. The figure therefore cannot be compared directly with the ppm numbers on an Islay bottle. Ailsa Bay was built in 2007 by William Grant & Sons on the site of the Girvan distillery in South Ayrshire.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet smoke first, closer to burnt sugar than a bonfire. Behind it come vanilla, fudge and a note of toasted malt. There is salt and a little tar in the background too, a reminder of the coast where the whisky is made.

Palate

The sweetness arrives before the smoke. Caramel, honey and custard open, and only then does the peat report in as a dry, almost mineral floor. The 48.9% gives good body, and the texture is thicker than you would expect from a whisky this young. That is the small casks showing themselves.

Finish

Medium length. Smoke and sweetness let go at roughly the same time, with a dry ash note and a last touch of salt.

Specifications

Name: Ailsa Bay 1.2 Sweet Smoke 22 ppm Single Malt Scotch Whisky 48.9%
Distillery: Ailsa Bay
Bottler: William Grant & Sons
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Micro-maturation in small Hudson Baby bourbon casks, then American white oak
Edition: Release 1.2 Sweet Smoke
EAN no.: 5010327655697

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Sweet · Vanilla · Maritime · Caramel · Spiced

Did You Know?

SPPM stands for sweetness parts per million, and Ailsa Bay invented the term. No other whisky producer measures sweetness that way. Whether it is science or marketing is open to argument, but it is at least the first time anyone has tried to put a number on that half of the balance.

See our full range of Ailsa Bay

When a new Scottish malt distillery sends its very first whisky out into the world, it usually goes to Britain or the United States. Ailsa Bay chose Denmark. It is a detail that tends to please Danish whisky people rather more than it probably should.

The Expert's Description

Ailsa Bay 21 ppm is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured first in small Hudson Baby bourbon casks and then in American white oak, bottled at 48.9%. It is the distillery's very first release, and it had its world premiere on the Danish market.

The phenol content sits at 21 ppm measured in the distillate, giving a clear but restrained smoke, roughly on a level with a Bowmore if you compare the experience rather than the figures. Sweetness was measured at 11 SPPM, the distillery’s own sweetness scale, and that is markedly lower than in the later Sweet Smoke release. This is therefore the drier and more smoke-driven of the two.

The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured. Ailsa Bay was built in 2007 by William Grant & Sons at Girvan in South Ayrshire, where eight stills can run several different spirit styles side by side.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Smoky and slightly medicinal on first impression, like a muted Islay. Then honey, liquorice and a floral sweetness take the edge off. Dry cereal and a trace of seawater sit at the back.

Palate

Spicy and smoky from the start, with honey and liquorice underneath. Floral notes come mid-palate along with a drier mineral streak that keeps the sweetness at arm’s length. The 48.9% is well integrated: there is strength, but it does not push.

Finish

Short to medium with a firm bite at the close. Smoke and sweetness leave together, and a dry ash note lingers.

Specifications

Name: Ailsa Bay 21 ppm Single Malt Scotch Whisky 48.9%
Distillery: Ailsa Bay
Bottler: William Grant & Sons
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Micro-maturation in small Hudson Baby bourbon casks, then American white oak
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: First Release
EAN no.: 5010327405629

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Spiced · Honeyed · Liquorice · Dry · Mineral

Investment Potential

Medium. This is the first whisky ever released from the distillery, and this expression is no longer in production. First releases from new distilleries often become sought after once the distillery finds its feet, and the Danish world premiere gives the bottle an extra twist on that market.

Did You Know?

Ailsa Bay has eight stills, and they were deliberately built in different shapes and sizes. That makes it possible to produce several different spirit styles at one distillery, something most Scottish malt distilleries cannot do. Ailsa Bay was originally built to supply William Grant blends with malt in many different characters.

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Salt hangs in the air over the Akashi Strait, and the ferries have been drawing their lines across the water for as long as anyone can remember. Sake has been brewed on this shore since 1888. The whisky arrived almost as an afterthought and simply stayed — still shaped by the house around it, by small stills and by a toji's hand on the process.

The expert's description

Akashi Blue Label Blended Japanese Whisky is a Blended Japanese Whisky matured in American white oak shochu casks and finished in sherry casks and bourbon casks, bottled at 40%.

Behind the bottle sits Eigashima Shuzo in the town of Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture, better known in whisky circles as White Oak Distillery. The house was granted its whisky licence back in 1919, but only put it to serious use in the mid-1960s when the first small pot stills went in. Whisky is still only part of the year for them: sake through the winter, shochu in spring, whisky in June and July.

Those small stills matter. A smaller pot produces a spirit lower in fusel alcohols, which makes the new make gentler from the outset. That is why Akashi can get away with shorter maturation without the whisky tasting raw.

The cask history is the unusual part. The blend of malt and grain whisky first rests in American white oak casks that previously held shochu — that is where the dry, faintly herbal thread comes from. After that it spends time in sherry casks and bourbon casks, which layer vanilla, dried fruit and spice on top. Blue Label is a permanent part of the Akashi range and carries no age statement.

Tasting notes

Nose

Orange peel and marmalade first, then honey and vanilla. Warm oak sits behind it with a small scattering of white pepper.

Palate

Ginger, cinnamon and black pepper up front. Toasted oak follows, with dried apricots and a citrus brightness. A faint wisp of smoke in the background — closer to the smell of a bonfire than to peat.

Finish

Long for the strength. Spicy and sweet at the same time, with dry oak lingering at the very end.

Specifications

Name: Akashi Blue Label Blended Japanese Whisky
Distillery: Eigashima Shuzo
Region/Country: Akashi Hyogo Japan
Type: Blended Japanese Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American white oak shochu casks, finished in sherry casks and bourbon casks
EAN no.: 4969265722156

Flavour profile

Fruity · Spicy · Vanilla · Sherry-matured · Gentle

Did you know?

Eigashima Shuzo received its state whisky licence in 1919 — four years before Yamazaki even broke ground. The paperwork then gathered dust for almost half a century before the house properly started making whisky.

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In the small coastal town of Akashi, closer to the sea than any other Japanese distillery, White Oak has brewed spirits since 1888 and whisky since 1919.

Expert Description

Akashi Meisei is a Blended Japanese Whisky, bottled at 40%.

The whisky comes from Eigashima Shuzo, known under the White Oak whisky brand, which in 1919 became the first Japanese distillery to be licensed to make whisky - years before both Yamazaki and Yoichi. Meisei, meaning "fame" in Japanese, matures across a combination of bourbon, shochu and virgin oak casks.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Apple and light honey with a salty, maritime undertone.

Palate

Soft and gently sweet with caramel and a fine spice.

Finish

Short to medium, mild and clean.

Specifications

Name: Akashi Meisei
Distillery: White Oak
Region/Country: Akashi, Japan
Type: Blended Japanese Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 50 CL
EAN no.: 4969265728189

Flavour Profile

Soft · Sweet · Maritime · Light

Did You Know?

Eigashima became the very first Japanese distillery to be officially licensed to make whisky in 1919 - years before both Yamazaki (1923) and Yoichi (1934).

See our full range of Akashi White Oak

On the coast at Akashi, where the Seto Inland Sea meets Hyōgo Prefecture, sits Japan's only whisky distillery built right on the water. From here comes an easy-drinking blend that carries centuries of sake craftsmanship into a Scottish-style whisky — made to be poured often, not just admired.

Expert's Description

Akashi Red is a Japanese Blended Whisky made from 30% malted barley and 70% grain whisky, matured in bourbon casks with a finishing period in sherry casks, and bottled at 40%.

The whisky comes from White Oak Distillery, run by Eigashima Shuzo — a brewer that has been making sake since 1679 and picked up one of Japan's earliest whisky licences back in 1919. It wasn't until 1984 that Mikio Hiraishi, great-grandson of founder Hyokichi Urabe, built a dedicated Scottish-style malt distillery and named it White Oak. The distillery still sits right on the Seto Inland Sea, making it the only whisky distillery in Japan located directly on the coast.

Akashi Red is the entry point into the range — an approachable blend that shows what Japanese "ji-whisky" (small, local distilling) can do without costing a fortune. It drinks easily on its own and really comes alive in a highball.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet cereal notes meet candied citrus, ripe peach and a touch of almond and grape, backed by a hint of spiced wood.

Palate

Brown sugar and ginger biscuit sit alongside soft milk chocolate and dried apricot — round and gently sweet through the middle.

Finish

Oaky vanilla and a light dusting of pepper drift into a soft, short finish.

Specifications

Name: Akashi Red Japanese Blended Whisky
Distillery: White Oak Distillery
Region/Country: Japan
Type: Japanese Blended Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks, finished in sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: No
Natural colour: No
EAN no.: 4969265773134

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Cereal-sweet · Light sherry note · Spiced · Soft

Did You Know?

White Oak Distillery is the only whisky distillery in Japan built directly on the coast — a setting the distillery says lends a faint, maritime edge to some of its casks.

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Boshu is the name of one of the 24 traditional Japanese seasonal periods - a reminder of how closely Akkeshi's whisky is tied to the rhythm of nature.

Expert Description

Akkeshi Boshu 2021 is a Peated Single Malt Japanese Whisky, bottled at 55%.

Akkeshi Distillery is located on Hokkaido and was founded in 2016 with a clear ambition to create a Japanese counterpart to Islay whisky. Each release in the Kanreki series is named after one of the 24 sekki, traditional Japanese solar calendar periods, and Boshu marks the time when the grain is ripe for harvest.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Peated smoke, sea salt and ripe grain fields.

Palate

Intense with smoke, pepper and a hint of sweetness.

Finish

Long and peaty with lingering spice.

Specifications

Name: Akkeshi Boshu 2021
Distillery: Akkeshi
Region/Country: Hokkaido, Japan
Type: Peated Single Malt Japanese Whisky
ABV: 55%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 4573479360358

Flavour Profile

Intense · Smoky · Salty · Spicy

Investment Potential

Investment perspective

Akkeshi Distillery is relatively young but has already gained great international recognition, making early Kanreki releases like Boshu attractive to collectors.

Did You Know?

Akkeshi sits at the same latitude as Scotland and has a similar coastal climate with peat nearby, which was decisive in choosing this exact location for the distillery.

See our full range of {'da': 'Akkeshi whisky', 'en': 'Akkeshi whisky', 'sv': 'Akkeshi whisky'}

An approachable Tennessee bourbon, named after America's national bird.

Expert description

American Eagle Bourbon 4 Year Old Tennessee Bourbon Whiskey is matured for at least 4 years, bottled at 40%. The name refers to the American bald eagle, a symbol often used for American whiskey rooted in the country's history and identity.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is soft with caramel, vanilla and a hint of grain.

Palate

The palate offers brown sugar, honey and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and round.

Specifications

Name: American Eagle Bourbon 4 år Tennessee Bourbon Whiskey
Bottler: American Eagle
Region/Country: Tennessee, USA
Type: Tennessee Bourbon Whiskey
Age: 4 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Round · Caramel

See our full range of American Eagle

The second release in the Double Cask series followed the same recipe as the first, but with its own pair of casks and its own story: 6-7 years of maturation under the tropical sun.

Expert's description

Amrut Double Cask 2016 Release India Single Malt Whisky is a Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in ex-bourbon cask #3452 and PX sherry cask #3803 for 6-7 years, bottled at 46%.

The peated Scottish barley was distilled in June 2009 (bourbon) and May 2010 (PX sherry) and bottled in June 2016 in just 1,050 bottles worldwide. The two cask types give a whisky where vanilla and coconut from the bourbon cask meet rich fruitiness from the sherry cask.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is sweet with vanilla, coconut and a hint of peated malt.

Palate

The palate offers rich fruitiness from the sherry cask, caramel and a peaty undertone.

Finish

The finish is long and warm with a fine smoky note.

Specifications

Distillery: Amrut
Region/Country: Bangalore, India
Type: Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky
Age: 6-7 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Ex-bourbon cask #3452 and PX sherry cask #3803
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Distilled: Juni 2009/maj 2010
Bottled: Juni 2016
Number of Bottles: 1,050
Edition: 2016 Release, 2nd Edition
EAN No.: 8901193333338

Flavour Profile

Peated · Sherry-matured · Fruity · Rich

Investment Potential

Medium – The second release in the Double Cask series, discontinued and limited to 1,050 bottles. Earlier releases in the series have historically seen growing collector interest once discontinued.

Did you know?

Amrut Double Cask 2016 is the second release in the series and, like the following 2017 release, was bottled in just 1,050 bottles worldwide.

See our full range of Amrut

Two casks, one whisky. Amrut Double Cask 2017 is the third instalment in a series where bourbon and port wine casks each contribute their own chapter to the flavour.

Expert's description

Amrut Double Cask 2017 Release 3rd Edition Indian Single Malt Whisky is a Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in bourbon cask #3189 and Port Pipe #2715 for 5 years, bottled at 46%.

The peated Scottish barley was distilled in May and March 2012 and bottled in June 2017 in just 1,050 bottles worldwide. The combination of the two cask types delivers a balance of sweet vanilla and coconut from the American oak and rich fruitiness from the port cask.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is rich with sweetness of vanilla, coconut and a hint of peated malt.

Palate

The palate offers ripe red fruit, caramel and a peaty undertone that ties the two cask types together.

Finish

The finish is long with a fine balance between sweetness and smoke.

Specifications

Distillery: Amrut
Region/Country: Bangalore, India
Type: Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky
Age: 5 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Bourbon cask #3189 and Port Pipe #2715
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Distilled: Maj/marts 2012
Bottled: Juni 2017
Number of Bottles: 1,050
Edition: 2017 Release, 3rd Edition
EAN No.: 8901193502956

Flavour Profile

Peated · Sherry-matured · Fruity · Rich

Investment Potential

Medium – A discontinued vintage release limited to 1,050 bottles worldwide. Limited Amrut releases are typically sought after by collectors in growing numbers as they become harder to find.

Did you know?

Amrut Double Cask 2017 was bottled in just 1,050 bottles worldwide, making it one of the most sought-after releases in the Double Cask series among collectors.

See our full range of Amrut

Fusion is where it all began for Amrut internationally, a merger of Indian and Scottish barley that put Bangalore on the whisky map.

Expert's description

Amrut Fusion Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in new and used American oak casks and bottled at 50%.

The name Fusion refers to the whisky uniting two types of barley: Indian barley from the foothills of the Himalayas and lightly peated Scottish barley. The two malt types are distilled separately at the Amrut distillery in Bangalore and then married, letting east meet west in the same glass.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is all-round fresh with clean barley, blood orange, brown sugar and a very gentle hint of peat.

Palate

The palate offers orange and vanilla, good oak character, mocha and peat that grow stronger in the glass.

Finish

The finish is long and rich with a fine balance between sweetness, spice and a touch of smoke.

Specifications

Distillery: Amrut
Region/Country: Bangalore, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 50 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: New and used American oak casks
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
EAN No.: 8901193004122

Flavour Profile

Lightly peated · Fruity · Spicy · Round

Did you know?

Amrut Fusion was created by Rakshit Jagdale, who got the idea for the whisky after a period of study in Scotland, and the name reflects exactly that meeting of east and west.

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There is a reason Indian whisky has moved from curiosity to cult status among enthusiasts, and Amrut Indian Single Malt Whisky is part of the proof.

Expert's description

Amrut Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in American oak casks and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is a blend of different vintages of the same Indian single malt, composed to give a soft and elegant character that shows the Amrut style without any extra cask finish or peat.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is soft with ginger, pepper and a touch of salt.

Palate

The palate combines sweetness, vanilla and burnt caramel with an edge of dusty malt and peat.

Finish

The finish is long and mild with notes of citrus.

Specifications

Distillery: Amrut
Region/Country: Bangalore, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: American oak casks
EAN No.: 8901193007765

Flavour Profile

Spicy · Round · Soft · Elegant

Did you know?

Amrut was the first Indian brand to truly break through with international whisky critics, paving the way for the entire Indian single malt category.

See our full range of Amrut

Amrut at cask strength is not for the faint of heart, 62.8% turns up both the smoke and the intensity in this edition of the peated Indian classic.

Expert's description

Amrut Peated Cask Strength Indian Single Malt Whisky is a Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in used bourbon casks and bottled at cask strength, 62.8%.

The high strength draws extra character out of the peated malt: sweetness, vanilla and leather from the bourbon casks followed by a solid dose of smoke. The whisky has scored 92 points in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible, underlining its standing.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is intense with peat smoke, leather and a sweetness of vanilla.

Palate

The palate is powerful with smoke, caramel and a touch of black pepper from the high alcohol strength.

Finish

The finish is long, warm and persistently peaty.

Specifications

Distillery: Amrut
Region/Country: Bangalore, India
Type: Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 62,8 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Used bourbon casks
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
EAN No.: 8901193002531

Flavour Profile

Peated · Cask strength · Spicy · Intense

Did you know?

Amrut Peated Cask Strength has scored 92 points in Jim Murray's respected Whisky Bible, one of the highest ratings an Indian whisky has received in that publication.

See our full range of Amrut

From Paul John's distillery in Goa, where the sea air mingles with the heat of the warehouses, comes Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky.

Expert's description

Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky is a Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in American oak casks and bottled at 46%.

Unlike Fusion, the entire barley content here is peated, giving a more consistent smoky character while still carrying the signature Indian fruitiness underneath.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers peat smoke, toasted malt and a sweetness of honey.

Palate

The palate is warm and spicy with smoke, caramel and a touch of tropical fruit.

Finish

The finish is long and peaty with a closing sweetness.

Specifications

Distillery: Amrut
Region/Country: Bangalore, India
Type: Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: American oak casks
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
EAN No.: 8901193003828

Flavour Profile

Peated · Spicy · Round · Fruity

Did you know?

The tropical climate means up to 10-12% of the whisky evaporates from the cask each year, far more than the roughly 2% typically seen in Scotland.

See our full range of Amrut

Some whiskies are never made again. Amrut Port Pipe Peated LMDW Cellar Book is one of them, a single cask bottling created for a French specialist retailer.

Expert's description

Amrut Port Pipe Peated LMDW Cellar Book Indian Single Malt Whisky is a Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky from single cask #2713, matured in a used port wine cask and bottled at cask strength, 62.8%.

The whisky is distilled from peated barley and was bottled in 2017 in just 420 bottles exclusively for the French whisky retailer La Maison du Whisky. Firm and powerful in style, with a depth that comes from the high alcohol strength and the long Indian maturation.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers camphor, cayenne pepper, liquorice and dark chocolate.

Palate

The palate delivers great fullness with vanilla, apricot, black pepper and menthol.

Finish

The finish is long, spicy and warm.

Specifications

Distillery: Amrut
Region/Country: Bangalore, India
Type: Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 62,8 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Used port wine cask, single cask #2713
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Bottled: 2017
Number of Bottles: 420
Edition: LMDW Cellar Book, single cask #2713
EAN No.: 8901193502932

Flavour Profile

Peated · Sherry-matured · Spicy · Intense

Investment Potential

Medium – An exclusive single cask bottling for the French retailer La Maison du Whisky, limited to just 420 bottles. This type of LMDW exclusive is known to rise in value as it goes out of production.

Did you know?

Amrut Port Pipe Peated LMDW Cellar Book was bottled from a single cask in just 420 bottles for the French retailer La Maison du Whisky, making it exceptionally limited in supply.

See our full range of Amrut

The distillery is called Knockdhu. The whisky is called anCnoc. The reason is mundane, another distillery had a name too close to it, but the upshot is that one of the Highlands most quietly capable distilleries has spent decades living under a borrowed name.

The Expert's Description

anCnoc 18 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in second fill Oloroso sherry casks and second fill bourbon casks, bottled at 46%. That both cask types are second fill is a deliberate choice: the wood gives less, but it gives it more slowly, and over 18 years the result is balanced rather than forceful.

The spirit from Knockdhu is bright, floral and lightly waxy, a style easily drowned by aggressive casks. Using second fill wood leaves room for the distillate's own character throughout the maturation. That is why the 18 year old does not taste markedly darker than the 12, it tastes deeper.

Knockdhu was founded in 1894 by John Morrison, who had bought the Knock Estate from the Duke of Fife two years earlier. The distillery stands near Knock Hill in Banffshire and is officially in the Highland region, though it is often mislabelled as a Speyside. It closed in 1983, was bought by Inver House Distillers in 1988, and production resumed in February 1989.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey, lemon peel and pale flowers first, very much the house signature. Behind them a light waxy note, candied orange and a trace of dried apricot from the sherry wood. Clean and precise with nothing heavy about it.

Palate

Soft opening with honey and malt, then spice and a drier orange note. There is a fine waxy texture carrying the flavour well, and the 46% gives body without taking over. The sherry sits underneath as depth rather than as fruit.

Finish

Long and clean. Honey, dried fruit and a lightly spiced oak dryness that lets go slowly with no bitterness.

Specifications

Name: anCnoc 18 Years Old Single Highland Malt Whisky 46%
Distillery: Knockdhu
Bottler: Inver House Distillers
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Second fill Oloroso sherry casks and second fill bourbon casks
EAN no.: 5010509880039

Flavour Profile

Honeyed · Floral · Fruity · Waxy · Spiced · Sherry Matured

Did You Know?

The argument over the name concerned Knockando, a Speyside distillery owned by a far larger group. The two names were close enough that Knockdhu had to find an alternative, and from 1993 the whisky was sold as anCnoc, Gaelic for the hill. Independent bottlers, however, still happily use the original name on their labels.

See our full range of anCnoc

A discreet name conceals one of the Orkney Islands' best-known distilleries.

Expert description

An Orkney Distillery 2004/2020 is a Single Island Malt Scotch Whisky, distilled in 2004 and bottled in 2020 after 16 years of maturation, exclusively for the Danish whisky community Smagning.com. The name 'An Orkney Distillery' is a designation independent bottlers traditionally use when the source distillery doesn't want its name used officially on third-party bottlings. Orkney has historically had only a handful of distilleries, and 'Orkney' as an anonymised origin is typically associated with the island's most prolific distillery.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers honey, heather and a hint of smoke.

Palate

The palate is round with dried fruit, malt and light salt.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and lightly smoky.

Specifications

Name: An Orkney Distillery 2004/2020 Smagning.com 16 år Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottler: An Orkney Distillery
Region/Country: Orkney, Scotland
Type: Single Island Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
Distilled: 2004
Bottled: 2020

Flavour profile

Honeyed · Smoky · Salty · Round

Investment potential

Medium — a rare, exclusive single-cask bottling made specifically for the Danish whisky community Smagning.com, with an anonymised but well-known Orkney origin.

Did you know?

The practice of labelling a bottling 'An Orkney Distillery' rather than naming the distillery is a widespread tradition among independent bottlers, used when the source distillery doesn't want its name used commercially by a third party.

See our full range of An Orkney Distillery

Some whiskies want to impress. This one just wants to be good company. Bright, honeyed and without a single hard edge, the kind of bottle you open on a Wednesday evening without feeling you have used something up.

The Expert's Description

anCnoc 12 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 40% from the Knockdhu distillery in Banffshire. It is the house core expression and the best place to meet the spirit: bright, floral and with a light waxy texture that is the distillery’s clearest signature.

Knockdhu works with a clean, pale spirit, and that puts demands on the casks. Let them get too active and the house style disappears. The 12 year old is therefore built to keep the distillate up front, with the wood as a frame rather than a lead role. The result is often described as a dessert malt, sweet without turning syrupy.

The distillery was built in 1894 by John Morrison near Knock Hill, where barley, spring water and peat were all within reach. It closed in 1983, was taken over by Inver House Distillers in 1988, and since 1993 the whisky has been sold under the anCnoc name.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Soft and aromatic. Honey and lemon set the tone, with pale flowers and a touch of green apple behind. A fine malty floor runs underneath it all, close to white bread.

Palate

Sweet to begin with honey, vanilla and ripe pear. Then a lightly spiced note arrives along with that characteristic waxiness, which lends more body than 40% would promise. Clean and straightforward the whole way, with no bitterness.

Finish

Short to medium. Honey and malt linger, with a dry citrus note at the close. It disappears neatly.

Specifications

Name: anCnoc 12 Years Old Single Highland Malt Whisky 40%
Distillery: Knockdhu
Bottler: Inver House Distillers
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5010509427067

Flavour Profile

Honeyed · Floral · Fruity · Soft · Malty · Light

Did You Know?

Knockdhu was the first distillery Distillers Company Limited ever built from scratch. It was completed in 1894 and so formed part of the great whisky boom of the late nineteenth century, a boom that collapsed a few years later. The distillery survived, though it later closed in 1983 and stood silent for six years before Inver House got it running again.

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Cask number 39 was filled in the first year the distillery ran after nearly a century of silence. Ten years later it has been emptied again: 239 bottles of the peated style Annandale named after a king who beat the English.

The Expert's Description

Annandale 10 Years Old Man O' Sword Cask 39 is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill ex-bourbon cask and bottled at 58.6% cask strength. Cask 39 was distilled in 2014 and bottled in 2025, yielding 239 bottles.

Man O' Sword is the distillery's peated range, named after Robert the Bruce, Scotland's warrior king and the seventh Lord of Annandale. The unpeated style is called Man O' Words after Robert Burns. Two Roberts, two entirely different whiskies, and it is the peated one in this bottle.

A refill bourbon cask is a more restrained choice than a first fill. The wood gives less vanilla and less sweetness, letting the smoke and the spirit’s own fruitiness come through more plainly across ten years. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured, and the colour is a pale clear gold precisely because the cask gave little.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet peat smoke first, mixed with dark syrup and soft butter. The smoke is present but restrained rather than overwhelming. Ripe apples and a drier cereal note sit behind.

Palate

Fresh and rounded at the same time. Apples and pears open with clear fruitiness, quickly followed by the smoke and a green grassy freshness that tells you the whisky comes from the Lowlands. The texture is oily and carries the flavours well.

Finish

Long, warm and persistent. Wood, spice and smoked malt in balance, where the smoke lengthens the experience rather than shouting over the finer nuances.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 10 Years Old Man O' Sword Cask 39 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 58.6%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 58.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill ex-bourbon cask, cask no. 39
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2014
Bottled: 2025
Number of bottles: 239
Edition: Man O' Sword

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Fruity · Fresh · Spiced · Cask Strength · Grassy

Investment Potential

Medium. The cask was filled in the distillery's first year of production, and only 239 bottles exist. Ten year old releases from revived distilleries are a one-off performance: once that vintage is emptied, it cannot be repeated.

Did You Know?

Annandale fell silent in 1918 and was later used as a production line for Provost porridge oats. The buildings stood decaying for decades until David Thomson and Teresa Church began a thorough restoration. The first spirit ran from the stills on 9 November 2014, and cask number one was filled six days later, in the original 1830s warehouse.

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Robert Burns was an exciseman in Annan before he became Scotland’s national poet. That is a pleasing detail to carry into a whisky named after him: the man who came to collect the duty has now given his name to a bottle at cask strength.

The Expert's Description

Annandale 10 Years Old Man O' Words Cask 121 is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill ex-bourbon cask and bottled at 59.7% cask strength. It is the first ten year old unpeated whisky from the distillery to be made available internationally, aimed at the trade and at enthusiasts.

Man O' Words is Annandale's unpeated range, named after Robert Burns. This particular bottling is atypical for the house because cask and spirit carry equal weight: neither the wood nor the distillate dominates. The refill bourbon cask has been allowed to work gently alongside the distillery's fruity new make across a full decade.

The distillery’s signature orchard aroma of apple and pear is clearly present and balanced by classic bourbon notes of vanilla, light spice and sweet oak. The whisky is non-chill filtered and bottled undiluted.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla, spices and juicy peaches first. Behind them sit crisp green apple and a touch of tropical fruit that lends the nose an exotic edge. Clean and inviting with no sharp alcohol note.

Palate

Soft and welcoming with creamy vanilla and a fresh green herbal note. Sweet wood and something close to marshmallow step forward mid-palate. The mouthfeel is light and complex at once, and Annandale’s unpeated character really gets room here.

Finish

Long, warm and persistent with spice, ripe fruit and a touch of cherry that slowly fades out.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 10 Years Old Man O' Words Cask 121 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 59.7%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 59.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill ex-bourbon cask, cask no. 121
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Man O' Words
EAN no.: 5060427430090

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Vanilla · Fresh · Spiced · Cask Strength · Creamy

Investment Potential

Medium. This is the distillery's first ten year old unpeated bottling on the international market, made for a limited audience. Firsts cannot be repeated, and a single cask yields only one outturn.

Did You Know?

Annandale was founded in 1836 by George Donald, an excise officer from Elgin. The distillery later passed through the hands of John Walker & Sons, yes, the Johnnie Walker ones, before production stopped around 1918. There is therefore a line running from a taxman, through the world’s biggest blend, to a Robert Burns label at cask strength.

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Risen from ruin — Annandale carries the Lowland peat tradition forward, one cask at a time.

Expert description

Annandale 2015 Bourbon Cask 224 Single Lowland Malt Whisky is a single-cask bottling from Annandale Distillery, matured in a bourbon cask, bottled at cask strength, 60,5 %. 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 offers smoke, peat and an underlying fruitiness.

Palate

The palate is smoky and full with peat, caramel and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 2015 Bourbon Cask 224 Single Lowland Malt Whisky
Distillery: Annandale Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 60,5 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask number: 224, Distilled: 2015

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peated · Full-bodied · Spiced

Investment potential

Annandale's single-cask bottlings are produced in limited numbers and can hold collector interest, especially given the distillery's dramatic revival story.

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Risen from ruin — Annandale carries the Lowland peat tradition forward, one cask at a time.

Expert description

Annandale 2015 Bourbon Cask 537 Single Lowland Malt Whisky is a single-cask bottling from Annandale Distillery, matured in a bourbon cask, bottled at cask strength, 59,3 %. 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 offers smoke, peat and an underlying fruitiness.

Palate

The palate is smoky and full with peat, caramel and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 2015 Bourbon Cask 537 Single Lowland Malt Whisky
Distillery: Annandale Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 59,3 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask number: 537, Distilled: 2015

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peated · Full-bodied · Spiced

Investment potential

Annandale's single-cask bottlings are produced in limited numbers and can hold collector interest, especially given the distillery's dramatic revival story.

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Risen from ruin — Annandale carries the Lowland peat tradition forward, one cask at a time.

Expert description

Annandale 2016 Founders Selection Cask 002 Single Lowland Malt Whisky is a single-cask bottling from Annandale Distillery, matured in a selected Founders Selection cask, bottled at cask strength, 59,2 %. 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 offers smoke, peat and an underlying fruitiness.

Palate

The palate is smoky and full with peat, caramel and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 2016 Founders Selection Cask 002 Single Lowland Malt Whisky
Distillery: Annandale Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 59,2 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask number: 002, Distilled: 2016

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peated · Full-bodied · Spiced

Investment potential

Annandale's single-cask bottlings are produced in limited numbers and can hold collector interest, especially given the distillery's dramatic revival story.

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A private bottling is not a marketing exercise. Somebody tasted their way through a row of casks in a warehouse in southern Scotland, pointed at number 836 and said: that one, the whole cask, for us. Two hundred and thirty-one bottles of conviction.

The Expert's Description

Annandale 2016/2024 Single Cask Private Release 8 Years Old is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a bourbon cask and bottled at 62.8% cask strength. Cask 836 was distilled on 3 November 2016 and bottled on 11 December 2024, giving 231 bottles released exclusively for The Norseman.

In a private bottling the buyer takes the whole cask, and there is no blending and no adjustment of strength. The whisky goes into the bottle as it came out of the wood, so 62.8% is not a choice but a result. The bourbon cask has laid in vanilla, coconut and cereal sweetness across eight years, and because Annandale’s spirit is fruity and fresh in itself, the profile ends up bright rather than woody.

The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured. Annandale sits at Annan in Dumfriesshire, only a quarter of an hour’s drive from the English border, which makes it one of the southernmost distilleries in Scotland.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and coconut macaroon first, clearly bourbon-driven. Behind them crisp green apple, pear and a warm cereal note like fresh bread. At 62.8% there is alcohol on the nose, so let the glass sit for a couple of minutes.

Palate

Powerful and concentrated. Custard and baked apple open, then white pepper, cinnamon and a drier oak edge. A clear sweetness runs underneath and keeps the strength in check. The texture is thick, close to syrupy.

Finish

Long and warm. Vanilla, spice and a dry cereal note that lets go slowly. The alcohol leaves a pleasant heat rather than a burn.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 2016/2024 Single Cask Private Release 8 Years Old Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 62.8%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 62.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask, cask no. 836
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 3 November 2016
Bottled: 11 December 2024
Number of bottles: 231
Edition: Private Release for The Norseman

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Fruity · Spiced · Cask Strength · Fresh · Creamy

Investment Potential

Medium. The cask was bought by one customer, and there are 231 bottles and nothing more. Private bottlings rarely resurface on the secondary market, precisely because they were distributed through a single channel to a small audience.

Did You Know?

Annandale lies so far south in Scotland that the distillery is closer to Carlisle in England than to the nearest Highland distilleries. Only a quarter of an hour separates it from the border. That was once an advantage: the whisky could be sent straight south to the English market without the long haul down the country.

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Risen from ruin — Annandale carries the Lowland peat tradition forward, one cask at a time.

Expert description

Annandale 2017 Founders Selection Cask 307 S.T.R. Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a single-cask bottling from Annandale Distillery, matured in an S.T.R. cask (Shaved, Toasted, Re-charred), bottled at cask strength, 60,4 %. 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 offers smoke, peat and an underlying fruitiness.

Palate

The palate is smoky and full with peat, caramel and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 2017 Founders Selection Cask 307 S.T.R. Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Annandale Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 60,4 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask number: 307, Cask type: S.T.R.

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peated · Full-bodied · Spiced

Investment potential

Annandale's single-cask bottlings are produced in limited numbers and can hold collector interest, especially given the distillery's dramatic revival story.

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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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A cask already used twice in Kentucky gets a third turn in Scotland. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is made by moving finished bourbon into yet another freshly charred barrel. That barrel then came over here, with peated Scottish malt inside it.

The Expert's Description

Annandale Double Oaked Man O' Sword Cask 1437 is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an ex-Woodford Reserve Double Oaked cask and bottled at 61.1% cask strength. The cask was filled in 2017 and emptied in 2023, giving six years.

Man O' Sword is Annandale's peated range, named after Robert the Bruce. The combination of peat smoke and a double-charred bourbon barrel is unusual: the cask has already given up most of its bourbon character in Kentucky, but the extra char released fresh sugars in the wood, and it is those that meet the smoke here.

The result is powerful and full of character. At 61.1% there is nothing cautious in the bottle, and the whisky is non-chill filtered. Annandale sits in Dumfriesshire in the far south of Scotland and has run both peated and unpeated production since reopening in 2014.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Charred pineapple first, a note you do not meet often, alongside peat smoke and crisp biscuits. Behind them come burnt sugar and a warm, almost resinous wood note from the double-charred cask.

Palate

Black pepper and fire embers open, quickly followed by caramel and a thick sweetness from the wood. The smoke sits in the middle of it all rather than beneath, and the 61.1% gives a full, insistent mouthfeel. There are no soft edges here.

Finish

Long and warm. Smoke, spice and burnt sugar hold on for a good while, with a dry ash note right at the end.

Specifications

Name: Annandale Double Oaked Man O' Sword Cask 1437 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 61.1%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 6 years
ABV: 61.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-Woodford Reserve Double Oaked cask, cask no. 1437
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distilled: 2017
Bottled: 2023
Edition: Double Oaked Man O' Sword

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Spiced · Burnt Sugar · Cask Strength · Oaky · Powerful

Did You Know?

Double Oaked is a bourbon technique, not a Scottish one. Woodford Reserve takes fully matured bourbon and moves it into another new charred oak barrel for an extra spell. When that barrel is later shipped to Scotland it arrives with two layers of char and has already given up most of its bourbon sweetness, which produces a very different cask influence from a standard ex-bourbon barrel.

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Risen from ruin — Annandale carries the Lowland peat tradition forward, one cask at a time.

Expert description

Annandale Man O'Sword Cask 342 Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a single-cask bottling from Annandale Distillery, matured in cask no. 342, bottled at cask strength, 61 %. 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 offers smoke, peat and an underlying fruitiness.

Palate

The palate is smoky and full with peat, caramel and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Annandale Man O'Sword Cask 342 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Annandale Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 61 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask number: 342

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peated · Full-bodied · Spiced

Investment potential

Annandale's single-cask bottlings are produced in limited numbers and can hold collector interest, especially given the distillery's dramatic revival story.

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Risen from ruin — Annandale carries the Lowland peat tradition forward, one cask at a time.

Expert description

Annandale Man O'Sword Cask 772 Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a single-cask bottling from Annandale Distillery, matured in cask no. 772, bottled at cask strength, 60,4 %. 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 offers smoke, peat and an underlying fruitiness.

Palate

The palate is smoky and full with peat, caramel and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Annandale Man O'Sword Cask 772 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Annandale Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 60,4 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask number: 772

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peated · Full-bodied · Spiced

Investment potential

Annandale's single-cask bottlings are produced in limited numbers and can hold collector interest, especially given the distillery's dramatic revival story.

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Fino is the sherry nobody uses for whisky. It is pale, bone dry and matured under a living film of yeast. Putting a young, fruity Lowland malt into a cask like that is either reckless or precise. Here it is the latter.

The Expert's Description

Annandale Man O' Words Cask 397 is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an ex-Fino Sherry Butt and bottled at 60.4% cask strength. The cask was filled in 2018 and emptied in 2023, giving around five years.

Man O' Words is the distillery's unpeated range, named after Robert Burns. Fino is the driest and palest of the sherry styles, so an ex-Fino cask delivers something entirely different from the classic Oloroso: no raisins and dark fruit, but salted almonds, green apple acidity and a dry, almost bakery-like nuttiness.

That suits Annandale’s spirit unusually well, being fresh and fruit-driven already. Instead of laying a heavy coat of fruit over the top, the Fino cask tightens the whisky and gives it more edge. The whisky is non-chill filtered.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green apple and pear first, then salted almonds and a dry yeasty note that is the Fino cask’s fingerprint. Citrus peel and something close to white bread sit at the back.

Palate

Dry and taut to begin, unusual for a whisky from a sherry cask. Apple acidity and almond open, then a mild spiced warmth and a light sweetness from the spirit itself. The 60.4% brings power, yet the whisky stays lean rather than full.

Finish

Medium length and dry. Nuts, green fruit and a saline mineral note that lingers. No sweetness at the close.

Specifications

Name: Annandale Man O' Words Cask 397 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 60.4%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 5 years
ABV: 60.4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-Fino Sherry Butt, cask no. 397
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distilled: 2018
Bottled: 2023
Edition: Man O' Words
EAN no.: 5060427430793

Flavour Profile

Dry · Fruity · Nutty · Fresh · Cask Strength · Saline

Did You Know?

Fino matures under flor, a living veil of yeast that settles like a blanket over the wine in the cask and keeps it from meeting the air. That is why Fino stays pale and dry, where Oloroso, matured without flor, turns dark and nutty. That difference carries straight into the whisky.

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2015 was the distillery’s first full year of production. The stills had been fired up the previous November and everything was still new: new equipment, new people, new casks. Cask 821 comes from that year, and it is one of the earliest pieces of evidence of what Annandale can do.

The Expert's Description

Annandale Man O' Words Cask 821 is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an Oloroso Sherry Butt and bottled at 60.7% cask strength. The cask was filled in 2015, the distillery's first full year of production after reopening.

Man O' Words is the unpeated range, named after Robert Burns, and Oloroso is the classic sherry style for whisky: matured with air contact, dark and nutty, without the flor veil that keeps Fino pale. A full butt of around 500 litres works slowly, which is why the whisky has gained depth without being smothered in wood.

The combination of Annandale’s fresh, fruit-driven spirit and an Oloroso cask gives a whisky where dark fruit and bright fruit sit alongside each other rather than one taking over. The whisky is non-chill filtered and bottled undiluted.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisins and orange marmalade first, with walnut and a dry sherry note behind. Underneath sits the distillery’s own fruitiness, green apple and pear, pushing through the sherry rather than disappearing into it.

Palate

Full and dark to begin. Dried fruit, caramel and bitter chocolate open, then spice and a firm oak tannin arrive. At 60.7% there is plenty of concentration, and a fresh acidity beneath the sweetness keeps the whisky in balance.

Finish

Long and spiced. Raisin, walnut and dry oak, with a final warmth that lingers. No bitterness.

Specifications

Name: Annandale Man O' Words Cask 821 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 60.7%
Distillery: Annandale
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 60.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso Sherry Butt, cask no. 821
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distilled: 2015
Edition: Man O' Words

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Dark Fruit · Nutty · Spiced · Cask Strength · Fresh

Investment Potential

Medium. The cask comes from the distillery's first full year of production after a break of nearly a century, and no more 2015 whisky will ever be made at Annandale. Early vintages from reopened distilleries are the kind of bottle collectors go looking for afterwards.

Did You Know?

Cask number one was filled at Annandale on 15 November 2014, six days after the first spirit ran from the stills. It was laid down in the original 1830s warehouse, which still stands on the site. Cask 821 comes from the following year, still right at the beginning of the distillery’s new life.

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