Peat smoke and oloroso are not an obvious pair. One wants to fill your mouth with ash and salt, the other with dried fruit and syrup. Elixir Distillers put them in the same bottle and let them work it out.

The expert description

Elements of Islay Sherry Cask is an Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill and refill sherry butts and hogsheads and bottled at 54.5%.

The range divides Islay by cask type, and this is the dark end. Where Bourbon Cask leaves the smoke standing free with vanilla underneath, the sherry wood here lays down a layer of figs, dates and dark chocolate that the smoke then has to climb through. The result carries more weight and more spice than anything else in the range.

The malt comes from several Islay distilleries and which ones is not disclosed. The 54.5% is chosen to hold both the smoke and the sherry together, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting notes

Nose

Tobacco lingering in an emptied sandalwood cigar box, smoked fish, and above it lemon oil, fresh ginger root and a hint of menthol.

Palate

Smoky, phenolic and slightly medicinal. Figs and dates arrive first as the smoke builds, with honey, orange marmalade and citrus underneath as counterweight. Further in: dark chocolate around candied orange, crystallised stem ginger and muscovado syrup over a sticky ginger cake.

Finish

Long, with a gentle smoke that lingers alongside dried autumn fruit.

Specifications

Name: Elements of Islay Sherry Cask
Distillery: Elixir Distillers
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 54.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill and refill sherry butts and hogsheads
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Elements of Islay
EAN no.: 5060880920459

Flavour profile

Smoky · Sherry matured · Spiced · Maritime · Cask Strength

Did you know?

A sherry butt holds around 500 litres, making it nearly twice the size of a hogshead. The larger the cask, the less wood each litre of whisky meets, which is why a butt can mature for longer before the whisky turns dry and the oak takes over.

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Small Batch is Elijah Craig's modern core expression, named after the father of bourbon.

Expert description

Elijah Craig Small Batch 94 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the distillery's core expression, blended from selected barrels for a balanced profile, bottled at 47%. Elijah Craig is named after the Baptist minister who, according to tradition, was the first to age his corn-based whiskey in freshly charred oak barrels in 1789 — a practice that has since become the very definition of bourbon. Historians still debate whether the story is entirely accurate, but the name lives on at Heaven Hill Distillery, which produces every major American whiskey style and is one of the leading champions of the Bottled-in-Bond tradition.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and lightly toasted oak.

Palate

The palate is full and rounded with caramel, honey and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Elijah Craig Small Batch 94 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery
Region/Country: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 47%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Caramel · Spiced · Rounded

See our full range of Elijah Craig

The father of bourbon cultivates rye's spicy side in this straight rye.

Expert description

Elijah Craig 94 Proof Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey is the brand's rye-based expression, bottled at 47%. Elijah Craig is named after the Baptist minister who, according to tradition, was the first to age his corn-based whiskey in freshly charred oak barrels in 1789 — a practice that has since become the very definition of bourbon. Historians still debate whether the story is entirely accurate, but the name lives on at Heaven Hill Distillery, which produces every major American whiskey style and is one of the leading champions of the Bottled-in-Bond tradition.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers spiced rye, pepper and a hint of fresh mint.

Palate

The palate is spicy and full with rye, caramel and a hint of citrus.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, spiced and lightly peppery.

Specifications

Name: Elijah Craig 94 Proof Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery
Region/Country: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 47%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Spicy · Rye · Pepper · Full-bodied

See our full range of Elijah Craig

Enghaven set out to make a Danish Single Malt Whisky that does not apologise for itself. No 1 is the opening chapter.

Expert description

Enghaven No 1 Single Malt Whisky is a Danish Single Malt Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 48.7%. It is the distillery's first whisky — carefully distilled and aged with a focus on quality over quantity. Single Malt means 100% malted barley from a single distillery. 50 cl bottle.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and oak with soft fruit notes and a hint of honey. Fresh and inviting.

Palate

Round and well-balanced at 48.7%. Malt, caramel and dried fruit with light oak. Pleasant sweetness and gentle spice.

Finish

Medium-length with vanilla and oak. Clean and elegant.

Specifications

Name: Enghaven No 1 Single Malt Whisky 50 cl
Distillery: Enghaven
Region/Country: Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48.7%
Size: 50 CL

Flavour profile

Fruity · Smooth · Oak · Sweet · Malty

Did you know?

The "No 1" in the name is not just a serial number — it marks the start of Enghaven's whisky journey and serves as a natural reference point for all future expressions from the distillery.

Young is not an apology. In Enghaven's Young Rye it is a description of freshness, grain and raw material that does not hide behind years in a cask.

Expert description

Enghaven No 1 Young Rye Whisky is a Danish Rye Whisky made from rye mash and bottled at 42.5%. "Young" in the name signals shorter ageing — delivering a fresher, more grain-forward profile than expressions that have sat in cask for many years. It is not a compromise, it is a deliberate style choice. Rye's natural spice takes centre stage. 50 cl.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and grain-forward with rye, light yeast and green notes. Simple and direct.

Palate

Light to medium-bodied at 42.5%. Spicy rye, grain and fresh herbs. Clear and clean.

Finish

Short to medium-length with dry rye. Clean and fresh.

Specifications

Name: Enghaven No 1 Young Rye Whisky 50 cl
Distillery: Enghaven
Region/Country: Denmark
Type: Danish Rye Whisky
ABV: 42.5%
Size: 50 CL

Flavour profile

Fresh · Grain-forward · Spicy · Light · Clean

Did you know?

Many of the world's most iconic whisky producers started by releasing young expressions — it gives enthusiasts a chance to taste the distillery's DNA without waiting years for cask ageing.

Where No 1 Young Rye shows the raw material, No 2 steps deeper into the cask. More oak, more complexity, still rye at its core.

Expert description

Enghaven No 2 Rye Whisky is the second expression in Enghaven's Rye Whisky series — a Danish Rye Whisky bottled at 45%. Aged longer than Young Rye, giving oak and cask complexity room to develop. Rye's spicy character is still clearly present, but now with deeper sweetness and a more nuanced profile. 50 cl.

Tasting notes

Nose

Spicy rye with oak, vanilla and light caramel. More mature than Young Rye.

Palate

Medium-bodied at 45%. Rye and oak with honey and dried fruit. Balanced spice and pleasant sweetness.

Finish

Medium-length with dry rye and oak. Warm and satisfying.

Specifications

Name: Enghaven No 2 Rye Whisky 50 cl
Distillery: Enghaven
Region/Country: Denmark
Type: Danish Rye Whisky
ABV: 45%
Size: 50 CL

Flavour profile

Spicy · Oak · Sweet · Fruity · Warm

Did you know?

The series numbers in Enghaven's lineup are not arbitrary — they tell a chronological story of how the distillery's products and expertise have developed over time.

Spanish malt whisky, selected by the same critical palates that made the La Bota series legendary.

Expert description

Equipo Navazos La Bota no 66 12 Year Single Cask Spanish Malt Whisky is a single-cask malt whisky matured for 12 years in Spain, bottled at 46%. Equipo Navazos started in 2005 as a group of Spanish sherry enthusiasts led by Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda, who found 65 casks of exceptionally fine, over 20-year-old Amontillado hidden away in a bodega in Sanlúcar. Together with a circle of friends, they bought one cask and released it under the name La Bota de Amontillado — the first in what is now the celebrated, chronologically numbered La Bota series. Since then, Equipo Navazos has expanded its repertoire to include white wine, brandy, rum and whisky, always with the same philosophy: finding and bottling exceptional, often overlooked casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers malt, dried fruit and a light sherry-driven sweetness.

Palate

The palate is round and full with malt, caramel and a hint of nut.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Equipo Navazos La Bota no 66 12 år Single Cask Spansk Malt Whisky
Bottler: Equipo Navazos
Region/Country: Andalusia, Spain
Type: Spanish Malt Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Age: 12 years, Edition: Bota no 66

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Malt · Sweet · Sherry

See our full range of Equipo Navazos

The sherry world's most respected bottler turns its attention to grain whisky.

Expert description

Equipo Navazos La Bota de Grain Whisky Bota No 89 is a single-cask bottling of grain whisky, selected and bottled with the same philosophy as the group's celebrated sherry series, bottled at 46%. Equipo Navazos started in 2005 as a group of Spanish sherry enthusiasts led by Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda, who found 65 casks of exceptionally fine, over 20-year-old Amontillado hidden away in a bodega in Sanlúcar. Together with a circle of friends, they bought one cask and released it under the name La Bota de Amontillado — the first in what is now the celebrated, chronologically numbered La Bota series. Since then, Equipo Navazos has expanded its repertoire to include white wine, brandy, rum and whisky, always with the same philosophy: finding and bottling exceptional, often overlooked casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is light and sweet with vanilla, grain and a hint of citrus.

Palate

The palate is soft and round with grain, vanilla and a light sherry-driven sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Equipo Navazos La Bota de Grain Whisky Bota No 89
Bottler: Equipo Navazos
Region/Country: Andalusia, Spain
Type: Grain Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Bota No 89

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Grain · Rounded

See our full range of Equipo Navazos

Malt whisky that has travelled overseas and back, bottled with the sherry world's precision.

Expert description

Equipo Navazos Single Cask La Bota de Malt Whisky Bota 88 Overseas is a single-cask malt whisky around 12 years old, with a cask history involving maturation overseas, bottled at 46%. Equipo Navazos started in 2005 as a group of Spanish sherry enthusiasts led by Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda, who found 65 casks of exceptionally fine, over 20-year-old Amontillado hidden away in a bodega in Sanlúcar. Together with a circle of friends, they bought one cask and released it under the name La Bota de Amontillado — the first in what is now the celebrated, chronologically numbered La Bota series. Since then, Equipo Navazos has expanded its repertoire to include white wine, brandy, rum and whisky, always with the same philosophy: finding and bottling exceptional, often overlooked casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers malt, dried fruit and a sherry-driven depth.

Palate

The palate is round and full with malt, caramel and dried fruit.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Equipo Navazos Single Cask 12 år La Bota de Malt Whisky Bota 88 Overseas
Bottler: Equipo Navazos
Region/Country: Andalusia, Spain
Type: Malt Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Age: approx. 12 years, Edition: Bota 88 Overseas

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Malt · Sweet · Sherry

See our full range of Equipo Navazos

The world's second best-selling Kentucky Straight Bourbon, named after one of the state's earliest distillers.

Expert description

Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the brand's core expression, bottled at 40%. Evan Williams is named after the Welshman who, according to tradition, opened Kentucky's first commercial distillery on the banks of the Ohio River in 1783. When the Shapira brothers founded Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown in 1935, shortly after Prohibition ended, they chose to honour Williams' name for their flagship bourbon in 1957. Today Evan Williams is the second best-selling Kentucky Straight Bourbon brand in the world, second only to Jim Beam, and is made from a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley.

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

The palate is round and sweet with caramel, honey and lightly spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery
Region/Country: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Caramel · Rounded

See our full range of Evan Williams

In Bardstown, Kentucky's self-declared bourbon capital, a thirteen-metre copper still runs around the clock. Here, at Lux Row Distillers, a recipe dating back to 1957 gets to be raw, undiluted, and completely unapologetic.

Expert description

Old Ezra 7 Year Barrel Strength is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey bottled straight from the barrel with no water added, at a barrel strength of 58.5%.

Where many barrel strength bourbons turn harsh and bracing at high proof, Old Ezra does the opposite. It's aged for seven years in new, charred American white oak barrels, and the result is surprisingly rounded even at 117 proof. The mash bill runs 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye, distilled according to a recipe tracing back to the birth of the Ezra Brooks brand in Kentucky. The whiskey is charcoal filtered after distillation for its trademark smoothness, but it's neither chill filtered nor coloured, so what lands in the glass is as close as it gets to what came out of the barrel.

Old Ezra 7 isn't an anniversary release or a one-off drop. It sits in Ezra Brooks' permanent lineup, and it's earned its keep, landing at number 7 on Whisky Advocate's Top 20 Whiskies list and picking up several double gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition along the way.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet caramel and vanilla meet toasted oak and brown sugar, with a hint of dark chocolate and baking spice underneath.

Palate

Rich and spicy, with brown sugar, cinnamon, and dried fruit carried by oak and a touch of black pepper that bites just enough without taking over.

Finish

Long and warm, with caramel, oak, and a last flicker of citrus that lingers as the alcohol fades.

Specifications

Name: Old Ezra 7 Year Barrel Strength
Distillery: Lux Row Distillers
Bottler: Ezra Brooks
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: 7 years
ABV: 58.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: New, charred American oak
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Mash bill: 78% corn, 12% malted barley, 10% rye

Distillery: Lux Row Distillers
Bottler: Ezra Brooks

Flavour profile

Spicy · Caramel · Oak · Full-bodied · Barrel strength

Did you know?

There has never been a real person named Ezra Brooks. The name was invented in 1957 by businessman Frank Silverman as a rival to Jack Daniel's, at a time when a name on the label signalled heritage and authenticity, whether or not the story behind it was true.

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Seven years in a single barrel — Ezra Brooks' rye whiskey at its most concentrated.

Expert description

Ezra Brooks 7 Year Mac Y Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey comes from a single, hand-selected barrel and has matured for 7 years, bottled at 57%. Ezra Brooks was founded in 1957 by Frank Silverman and was originally distilled at the Hoffman Distilling Company by two of Kentucky's most respected distilling families, first the Ripy family and later the Medley family. The brand changed hands several times over the years, most recently to Luxco in 2006, and since 2018 Ezra Brooks has been distilled at the family's own distillery, Lux Row Distillers, in Bardstown, Kentucky — known as the capital of bourbon.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is intense with spiced rye, pepper and caramel.

Palate

The palate is powerful and spicy with rye, caramel and pronounced oak spice.

Finish

The finish is long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Ezra Brooks 7 år Mac Y Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey
Distillery: Lux Row Distillers
Region/Country: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 57%
Size: 70 CL
Age: 7 years

Flavour profile

Powerful · Spiced · Rye · Warm

See our full range of Ezra Brooks

Classic Kentucky bourbon with roots back to 1957.

Expert description

Ezra Brooks 80 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the brand's classic core expression, bottled at 40%. Ezra Brooks was founded in 1957 by Frank Silverman and was originally distilled at the Hoffman Distilling Company by two of Kentucky's most respected distilling families, first the Ripy family and later the Medley family. The brand changed hands several times over the years, most recently to Luxco in 2006, and since 2018 Ezra Brooks has been distilled at the family's own distillery, Lux Row Distillers, in Bardstown, Kentucky — known as the capital of bourbon.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and lightly toasted grain.

Palate

The palate is soft and rounded with caramel, honey and a hint of spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, soft and lightly sweet.

Specifications

Name: Ezra Brooks 80 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Lux Row Distillers
Region/Country: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Caramel · Rounded · Sweet

See our full range of Ezra Brooks

The same Kentucky heritage, extra strength — 99 Proof shows Ezra Brooks with more bite.

Expert description

Ezra Brooks 99 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a stronger version of the brand's core expression, bottled at 49.5%. Ezra Brooks was founded in 1957 by Frank Silverman and was originally distilled at the Hoffman Distilling Company by two of Kentucky's most respected distilling families, first the Ripy family and later the Medley family. The brand changed hands several times over the years, most recently to Luxco in 2006, and since 2018 Ezra Brooks has been distilled at the family's own distillery, Lux Row Distillers, in Bardstown, Kentucky — known as the capital of bourbon.

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

The palate is powerful with caramel, honey and pronounced oak spice.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Ezra Brooks 99 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Lux Row Distillers
Region/Country: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 49.5%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Powerful · Spiced · Caramel · Warm

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Ezra Brooks' classic profile gets a sweet, fruity lift from the port cask.

Expert description

Ezra Brooks Port Cask Finish Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the brand's core expression finished in port casks, bottled at 49.5%. Ezra Brooks was founded in 1957 by Frank Silverman and was originally distilled at the Hoffman Distilling Company by two of Kentucky's most respected distilling families, first the Ripy family and later the Medley family. The brand changed hands several times over the years, most recently to Luxco in 2006, and since 2018 Ezra Brooks has been distilled at the family's own distillery, Lux Row Distillers, in Bardstown, Kentucky — known as the capital of bourbon.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers red berries, caramel and a hint of port sweetness.

Palate

The palate is fruity and full with berries, caramel and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, sweet and lightly wine-toned.

Specifications

Name: Ezra Brooks Port Cask Finish Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Lux Row Distillers
Region/Country: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 49.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in port casks

Flavour profile

Fruity · Sweet · Full-bodied · Wine-toned

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Some bottles are bought for a particular evening. This one is bought because it needs to be there. The litre bottle is Famous Grouse in household format, the one that keeps on standing when guests turn up unannounced.

The expert description

Famous Grouse 1 Litre is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 40% in a 100 cl bottle.

The blend was created in Perth in 1896 by Matthew Gloag, who named it after the red grouse. The bird became the company mark, the whisky was known locally as Gloag’s Grouse, and when the family incorporated Matthew Gloag & Son in 1905 they made the nickname official: The Famous Grouse. The brand left the family in 1970 and has been owned by William Grant & Sons since July 2025.

The style has not moved much. Malt whisky from Scottish distilleries, with Highland Park historically among those giving the blend its character, is bound together with grain whisky into a soft and rounded blend with no sharp edges. The litre bottle holds the same whisky as the standard size and speaks to those who go through it steadily.

Tasting notes

Nose

Harmonious and calm. Dried fruit and honey first, then vanilla, nuts and a touch of citrus.

Palate

Unusually soft and round with clear fruit. Ripe undertones and a lightly spiced edge that keeps it from turning dull.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and lightly sweet with malt at the close.

Specifications

Name: Famous Grouse 1 Litre
Distillery: The Famous Grouse
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 100 CL
EAN no.: 5010314101015

Flavour profile

Soft · Fruity · Honeyed · Malty · Lightly spiced

Did you know?

The red grouse on the label was not drawn by an advertising artist. The image came from Philippa Gloag, a daughter of the family, who painted the bird in the late 1800s. It has followed the bottle ever since and become one of the most recognisable marks in Scotch whisky.

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Four and a half litres of whisky is not a bottle you lift with one hand. That is why it comes with a cradle, and why it ends up being the centrepiece of the evening rather than something standing on a shelf.

The expert description

Famous Grouse 4.5 Litre is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 40% in a 450 cl bottle.

The bottle is supplied with a metal pouring cradle so it can be served without being lifted. That is a practical necessity rather than an accessory, since a full bottle at this size weighs far too much to handle freehand at a table.

The whisky inside is the classic Famous Grouse, created in Perth in 1896 and owned by William Grant & Sons since July 2025. Malt whisky from Scottish distilleries, with Highland Park historically among those providing the character, is bound together with grain whisky into a soft blend with no sharp edges. The format is aimed at parties, bars and collectors with shelf space.

Tasting notes

Nose

Calm and harmonious with dried fruit, honey and vanilla, and nuts plus a touch of citrus underneath.

Palate

Soft and round with clear fruit, ripe undertones and a lightly spiced edge.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and lightly sweet with malt at the close.

Specifications

Name: Famous Grouse 4.5 Litre
Distillery: The Famous Grouse
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 450 CL
Edition: Supplied with a metal pouring cradle

Flavour profile

Soft · Fruity · Honeyed · Malty · Lightly spiced

Did you know?

Large bottles do not mature differently from small ones, since whisky does not develop in glass, but they do last longer once opened. The less air there is relative to liquid, the slower the oxidation, so a nearly full large format is better off than a nearly empty standard bottle.

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In 1896 a whisky merchant in Perth needed a name for his new blend. He chose the bird out on the moor. A hundred and thirty years later it still stands on the label, and the whisky behind it has never felt any need to reinvent itself.

The expert description

Famous Grouse is a Blended Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 40%.

Matthew Gloag created the blend in Perth in 1896 and took the red grouse as his mark. Customers started asking for the famous grouse, and in 1905 the family took the hint and named it The Famous Grouse. The family sold up in 1970, and since July 2025 the brand has been owned by William Grant & Sons.

The recipe rests on malt whisky from Scottish distilleries, with Highland Park historically setting much of the tone, bound together with grain whisky. The malt delivers fruit and spice, the grain delivers the softness, and the balance between them is why the bottle has been the best selling blend in Scotland for decades.

Tasting notes

Nose

Deep gold in the glass. A harmonious aroma of dried fruit and honey, with vanilla, nuts and citrus behind it.

Palate

Exceptionally soft and round with a pleasing fruitiness. Beneath it sit ripe, lightly spiced undertones that give it more to work with than expected.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and lightly sweet with malt at the close.

Specifications

Name: Famous Grouse
Distillery: The Famous Grouse
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5010314700003

Flavour profile

Soft · Fruity · Honeyed · Malty · Lightly spiced

Did you know?

Famous Grouse has held a royal warrant since 1984, but the connection reaches back further: Matthew Gloag’s business in Perth supplied wine to Queen Victoria when she visited Scotland in 1842, more than fifty years before the first Grouse was blended.

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Port casks leave a clear mark. They tint the whisky reddish, pull it towards berries and plums, and can easily end up drowning everything else. Ruby Cask stays on the right side of that line.

The expert description

Famous Grouse Cask Series Ruby Cask is a Blended Scotch Whisky finished in ruby port casks and bottled at 40%.

Cask Series is the name for the releases where the classic Grouse blend gets an extra period in a cask with a past. Here it is ruby port, the fresh and fruity style rather than the nutty tawny, and the difference registers immediately. The base whisky is still soft and rounded, but the port wood lays a layer of red fruit and baking spice over the top.

The finishing period is short enough that the blend underneath still comes through. This is not a port whisky but a Famous Grouse with the port cask as an added voice.

Tasting notes

Nose

Baking spice first, soft vanilla, cinnamon and clove, and beneath it red berries, a touch of oak and a light sweetness.

Palate

Ripe stone fruit and red berries, plums and caramel, with light tannins from the port wood keeping the sweetness in check.

Finish

Medium to long, soft and sweet with fruit that lingers.

Specifications

Name: Famous Grouse Cask Series Ruby Cask
Distillery: The Famous Grouse
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in ruby port casks
Edition: Cask Series
EAN no.: 5010314306540

Flavour profile

Fruity · Sweet · Soft · Spiced · Berry

Did you know?

Ruby and tawny port come from the same grapes but are handled entirely differently. Ruby is aged briefly in large vessels and keeps its fresh, deep red fruit, while tawny spends years in small casks and turns nutty and brown. That is why a ruby cask pulls whisky towards berries rather than towards walnut.

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Five centilitres is enough to form an opinion. That is what the miniature is for, as a sample, as a place setting gift, or as the bottle that goes in a pocket when carrying a full one makes no sense.

The expert description

Famous Grouse Miniature is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 40% in a 5 cl bottle.

The contents are identical to the full size bottle: the classic Grouse blend that Matthew Gloag created in Perth in 1896 and named after the red grouse. The brand has been owned by William Grant & Sons since July 2025.

Miniatures like this get used for three things, trying a whisky without committing, setting one at each place at dinner, or taking one along where a full bottle would be absurd. Malt whisky, with Highland Park historically among the load bearing names, bound together with grain whisky, gives the same soft profile in small format.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruit and honey, with vanilla, nuts and a touch of citrus underneath.

Palate

Soft and round with a fruitiness that carries all the way, and ripe, lightly spiced undertones.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and lightly sweet with malt at the close.

Specifications

Name: Famous Grouse Miniature
Distillery: The Famous Grouse
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 5 CL
EAN no.: 50792511

Flavour profile

Soft · Fruity · Honeyed · Malty · Lightly spiced

Did you know?

Miniatures are a collecting field of their own. Some collections run to tens of thousands of bottles, and old miniatures from closed distilleries can be the only way to taste whisky that was never bottled at full size in that particular year.

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The black label signals what has happened here: somebody has laid peat smoke underneath the soft Grouse profile. The result is not an Islay whisky, but it is not the same bird as before either.

The expert description

Famous Grouse Smoky Black is a Blended Scotch Whisky made with peated malt, bottled at 40% in a 5 cl bottle.

The release was originally called The Black Grouse and was later renamed Smoky Black. The recipe takes the classic blend and raises the proportion of peated malt whisky, so the smoke becomes a load bearing element rather than a seasoning. The underlying honey and fruit are still there, but they now sit behind a sooty foreground.

The miniature is a sensible way to settle whether the style is for you. Smoky blends divide opinion, and 5 cl is enough to answer the question without committing to a full bottle.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dry smoke and bonfire ash first, then honey and dried fruit working their way up through it.

Palate

Soft and sweet at the base with the smoke as a clear frame. Malt, vanilla and a touch of dark chocolate as the peat builds.

Finish

Medium and sooty with a dry, almost peppery close.

Specifications

Name: Famous Grouse Smoky Black
Distillery: The Famous Grouse
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 5 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Edition: Smoky Black
EAN no.: 5010314302481

Flavour profile

Smoky · Soft · Sweet · Malty · Peaty

Did you know?

The change of name from The Black Grouse to Smoky Black was not incidental. The black grouse is a threatened species in Scotland, and for years the brand supported conservation work with a share of the proceeds, but a name describing the flavour sells better on a shelf than one describing a bird.

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Most whiskies go cold and close up. This one was made for the opposite. It belongs in the freezer until it turns thick, and only then does it make sense.

The expert description

The Snow Grouse is a Blended Grain Scotch Whisky bottled at 40% in a 2 cl bottle.

Where the rest of the Famous Grouse family builds on malt bound together by grain, Snow Grouse is grain whisky throughout. That is a deliberate choice, because grain whisky is softer, sweeter and carries fewer sharp edges, which is precisely why it can be served ice cold without the flavour disappearing the way it would in a malt.

The producer recommends keeping the bottle in the freezer and pouring it straight from there. The cold makes the whisky syrupy in texture and pushes it towards vanilla and cream. It is a different way of drinking whisky from the usual one, and that is the entire idea.

Tasting notes

Nose

Discreet and clean. Vanilla, pale caramel and a touch of green fruit, more restrained still when the bottle comes straight from the freezer.

Palate

Soft, sweet and almost creamy. Vanilla and cream in front, cereal sweetness underneath, with no sharp alcohol edge.

Finish

Short and clean with a final sweetness of malt and vanilla.

Specifications

Name: The Snow Grouse
Distillery: The Famous Grouse
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 2 CL
Edition: The Snow Grouse

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Creamy · Vanilla · Light

Did you know?

Grain whisky accounts for the great majority of all Scotch whisky produced, yet it is almost never sold on its own. It disappears into blends where nobody names it. Snow Grouse is one of the few cases where it gets to stand alone on the label.

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Glenturret is the oldest working distillery in Scotland, and it almost never makes peated whisky. Almost. The handful of casks that do get made end up here, and that is the entire reason Smoky Black tastes the way it does.

The expert description

Famous Grouse Smoky Black is a Blended Scotch Whisky made with peated malt, matured in oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The blend launched in 2015 as the successor to The Black Grouse and is built around a rare peated expression of Glenturret. This is not an Islay whisky poured into a blend. It is malt from a Highland distillery that carries its peat smoke from home, and it gives a different kind of smoke: drier, more bonfire-like and less medicinal than the west coast style.

Beneath the smoke sits the classic Grouse profile of honey and fruit, bound together with grain whisky. The master blenders select both malt and grain casks with enough character to carry the smoke rather than vanish behind it. The brand has been owned by William Grant & Sons since July 2025.

Tasting notes

Nose

Bonfire smoke and dry ash come through first, but honey, dried fruit and a note of toasted malt sit behind them.

Palate

Sweetness and smoke in the same mouthful. Vanilla and pale caramel carry it while the peat builds and lays dark chocolate and soot over the top.

Finish

Medium, dry and sooty with a final touch of pepper.

Specifications

Name: Famous Grouse Smoky Black
Distillery: The Famous Grouse
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Edition: Smoky Black
EAN no.: 5010314302504

Flavour profile

Smoky · Sweet · Soft · Malty · Peaty

Did you know?

Glenturret has been distilling since 1763, making it the oldest continuously working distillery in Scotland. For decades it also housed The Famous Grouse Experience, where visitors walked through the story behind the blend, and where many discovered for the first time that there was a distillery behind the bird on the label at all.

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Alpha Edition was made for airport shelves and disappeared from them again. It is the heaviest of the Black Grouse family, the same starting point with every dial that has anything to do with smoke turned up a notch.

The expert description

Famous Grouse The Black Grouse Alpha Edition No 1 is a Blended Scotch Whisky made with peated malt and bottled at 40%.

The release originally appeared as a travel retail exclusive and has since been discontinued. It builds on The Black Grouse, but where the original draws its smoke from a rare peated expression of Glenturret, Alpha Edition turns the volume up by letting peated Islay malt take up far more of the blend. The result is denser, darker and less compromising than anything else in the Grouse family.

Behind the smoke sit the malts that have defined the brand, Highland Park among them, bound together with grain whisky. The number on the label suggests more were planned for the series, but it is the first that has held on as a collector item.

Tasting notes

Nose

Heavy bonfire smoke and soot, with seaweed and a touch of iodine underneath. The honey sweetness is still there, but you have to look for it.

Palate

Powerful and oily. Peat smoke, dark chocolate and toasted malt, while a syrupy sweetness holds the whole thing together.

Finish

Long, dry and ashy with pepper and a final salted note.

Specifications

Name: The Black Grouse Alpha Edition No 1
Distillery: The Famous Grouse
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Alpha Edition No 1
EAN no.: 5010314095000

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peaty · Maritime · Sweet · Spiced

Investment potential

Medium. The release is discontinued, was only ever sold in travel retail and will not be made again. It is also the heaviest bottling the brand has produced, which makes it interesting for anyone collecting the Grouse family in full.

Did you know?

Travel retail has been the whisky industry laboratory for decades. Because airport shelves sit outside the ordinary distribution chain, producers could try heavier and stranger expressions there without risking the brand at home, and a number of the ones that worked later reached the regular trade.

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In the small village of Farre in central Jutland, time is not measured in quarterly reports. It is measured on the cask. Fary Lochan let this single malt wait for twelve years — and what came out carries patience in every sip, from the first breath to the long, slow finish.

Expert description

Fary Lochan 12 Year XII - Bourbon 2011/2023 Batch 01 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky matured in 1st fill bourbon barrels and bottled at 52.2% Vol. Distilled on 12 March 2011 and bottled on 9 October 2023, this release represents twelve years of Danish whisky history from one of the country's pioneer distilleries.

Fary Lochan Distillery was founded in 2009 in the village of Farre near Silkeborg and is widely regarded as one of Denmark's first dedicated Single Malt craft distilleries. The XII series focuses on extended cask maturation — this Batch 01 was drawn from 1st fill bourbon barrels and released in a strictly limited edition of just 322 bottles. No chill filtration, no colouring added.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clear vanilla and buttery caramel from the bourbon barrel, with ripe apple and honey biscuit. A subtle floral note and a gentle hint of beeswax in the background.

Palate

Creamy and rounded. Vanilla and baked apple lead, followed by lightly spiced oak and dried citrus peel. 52.2% brings good body without overwhelming the subtleties.

Finish

Medium-long and warm with oak sweetness and a gently dry edge. Vanilla and citrus linger on the palate.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan 12 Year XII - Bourbon 2011/2023 Batch 01
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Farre, Central Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 52.2%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 12 March 2011
Bottled: 9 October 2023
Number of bottles: 322
Edition: XII Batch 01

Flavour profile

Fruity · Vanilla · Cask matured · Creamy · Lightly spiced

Did you know?

Fary Lochan is one of the very few distilleries in the world to smoke malt using dried stinging nettles rather than peat — giving a gentle, herbal character quite unlike the Scottish style. The XII Bourbon release carries none of that nettle smoke, instead showcasing pure, slow bourbon cask maturation: two very different sides of the same distillery.

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Twelve years in cask is long for Danish whisky. And the PX sherry finish delivers exactly what long maturation asks for: depth, sweetness, and dark fruit.

Expert description

Fary Lochan 12 Years XII PX 2011/2023 Batch 02 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky matured for 12 years and finished in PX sherry casks, bottled in 2023 at 59.1%, 50 cl. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, uses locally grown grain and seasonal distillations as its foundation. PX – Pedro Jiménez – is one of the sweetest sherry styles, leaving deep raisin and dried fruit imprints on any whisky it touches. The XII series from Fary Lochan is dedicated to 12-year expressions. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisins, dark chocolate, dried figs and soft caramel.

Palate

PX sherry dominates with plums, gooseberry and a warm spice roundness.

Finish

Long and dark-fruited with a hint of pepper and oak.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan 12 Years XII PX 2011/2023 Batch 02
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 59.1%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: PX sherry casks (finished)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2011
Bottled: 2023

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Dark fruit · Sweet · Spiced

Did you know?

PX sherry is made from Pedro Jiménez grapes sun-dried before pressing – the concentration of sugar and flavour is significantly higher than in most other wine styles used for whisky casks.

Fary Lochan's first autumn distillation. Bottled as early as 2013 – just three years after distillation. An early snapshot from a distillery still finding its voice.

Expert description

Fary Lochan 2010/2013 Autumn Batch 01 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky from the autumn 2010 distillation, bottled in 2013 at 48%, 50 cl. It is one of the earliest bottlings from Fary Lochan in Give, Jutland, founded in 2009 by Jeff Callaway. Three years of maturation is at the minimum legal threshold for whisky, but reflects a period when the distillery was experimenting with early releases. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Young malt, fresh oak, light floral notes and vanilla.

Palate

Malty, lightly fruity, fresh oak and a young spirit note.

Finish

Short to medium, fresh and light with a mild oak dryness.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan 2010/2013 Autumn Batch 01
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 50 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2010
Bottled: 2013

Flavour profile

Young · Fresh · Malt · Light

Investment potential

Medium. An early bottling from Fary Lochan with an older distillation vintage and limited supply. Rare older batches from Danish micro-distilleries have historically increased in value once they are no longer available.

Did you know?

A three-year single malt is technically at the legal minimum threshold for whisky in the EU. Fary Lochan bottled these early releases as part of the distillery's experimental phase – and they tell a unique story of a distillery in its formative years.

2010 was an early year for Fary Lochan. The distillery had only been running a short time, and the spring distillation was among the first batches ever released. These are the bottles that are hard to find again.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Spring 2010/2014 Batch 01 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky from the spring 2010 distillation, bottled in 2014 at 47%, 50 cl. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, works with seasonal distillations – spring, summer, autumn, and winter – as a core principle. Each season gives the malt a slightly different character, and the spring 2010 distillation is one of the earliest bottlings from one of Denmark's first single malt distilleries. Bottled non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Lightly fruity, honey, warm oak and a delicate floral note.

Palate

Creamy malt, fresh fruit, vanilla and mild oak.

Finish

Medium length, fresh and gentle with a light oak dryness.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Spring 2010/2014 Batch 01
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 47%
Size: 50 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2010
Bottled: 2014

Flavour profile

Fruity · Honey · Smooth · Delicate

Investment potential

Medium. An early bottling from Fary Lochan with an older distillation vintage and limited supply. Rare older batches from Danish micro-distilleries have historically increased in value once they are no longer available.

Did you know?

Fary Lochan works with four seasons as a core production principle – spring, summer, autumn, and winter – under the philosophy that temperature and environment influence fermentation character and, in turn, the soul of the distillate.

Eleven years in Danish oak, then a journey through French cognac casks. A bold finish that takes Fary Lochan malt in a new direction.

Expert description

Fary Lochan 2012/2023 Cognac Cask 11 Years Batch 01 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky distilled in 2012, finished in French cognac casks, and bottled in 2023 at 59%, 50 cl. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, was founded by Jeff Callaway in 2009. The base maturation is in traditional oak casks, but the finish in cognac casks brings a fresh, fruit-driven complexity that defines this expression. Batch 01 is the first bottling of this expression. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla, dried apricot, cognac sweetness and light oak.

Palate

Ripe fruit, white chocolate, light floral notes and a warm alcohol roundness.

Finish

Medium length with fruity sweetness and a hint of oak spice.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan 2012/2023 Cognac Cask 11 Years Batch 01
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 59%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Cognac casks (finished)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2023

Flavour profile

Fruity · Smooth · Cognac finish · Vanilla

Did you know?

Using cognac casks for whisky finishing is rare in Denmark – Fary Lochan is one of the few distilleries actively experimenting with French brandy casks as a finishing vessel.

Distillery Edition is Fary Lochan on home turf. The expression they send out as a calling card – accessible, well-balanced, and carrying the hallmarks of the distillery.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Distillery Edition 04 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky bottled at 46.8%, 50 cl. It is the fourth edition of Fary Lochan's Distillery Edition series, which serves as the distillery's standard line. Fary Lochan in Give, Jutland, uses locally grown grain and works with a combination of traditional oak casks. Bottling at 46.8% ensures body without dilution, and the series is consistently non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh fruit, vanilla, honey and light oak.

Palate

Creamy malt base, light nuts, apple and mild sweetness.

Finish

Medium length, smooth and fruity with warm oak in the background.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Distillery Edition 04
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 46.8%
Size: 50 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: Distillery Edition 04

Flavour profile

Fruity · Creamy · Smooth · Honey

Did you know?

The Distillery Edition series is Fary Lochan's way of giving new whisky drinkers and distillery visitors a reliable and representative encounter with their style.