A Canadian bartender's winter cure grew into one of the world's best-selling spirit bottles.

Expert description

Fireball Cinnamon & Whisky Flavour Liqueur is a Canadian-based liqueur flavoured with cinnamon, bottled at 33%. The product was originally launched in the 1980s by Seagram as one of several flavoured schnapps, with the manufacturer's own origin story crediting a Canadian bartender trying to warm up after an Arctic cold snap. In 1989, the Sazerac Company bought the rights to the formula and initially branded it Dr. McGillicuddy's Fireball Whisky. In 2007 the product was rebranded to the Fireball Cinnamon Whisky most people know today, and a combination of social media, bartender-focused marketing and word of mouth sent sales from $1.9 million in 2011 to $61 million in 2013, briefly overtaking both Jameson and Patrón.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers cinnamon, sugar and a hint of grain.

Palate

The palate is sweet with burnt sugar and sharp cinnamon.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Fireball Cinnamon & Whisky Flavour Likør
Region/Country: Canada
Type: Cinnamon liqueur based on whisky
ABV: 33%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Spicy · Sweet · Warm · Cinnamon

Did you know?

Fireball's sales exploded from $1.9 million in 2011 to $61 million in 2013 — growth that briefly saw it overtake both Jameson Irish Whiskey and Patrón Tequila in the US market.

A Spanish whisky liqueur where Mallorca's peanuts meet Scotch malt.

Expert description

Five O'Clock Old Oak Peanut Butter is a Spanish Whiskey Liqueur, bottled at 35%, produced by Antonio Nadal Destilleries in Marratxí, Mallorca. Five O'Clock is built on Highland Scotch whisky, macerated with natural peanuts on Mallorca and blended with cocoa and caramel into a sweet, nutty liqueur.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers roasted peanuts, cocoa and caramel.

Palate

The palate is creamy with peanut butter, chocolate and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, nutty and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Five O'Clock Old Oak Peanut Butter Spansk Whiskeylikør
Bottler: Five O'Clock
Region/Country: Mallorca, Spain
Type: Whiskey Liqueur
ABV: 35%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Nutty · Creamy · Sweet · Chocolatey

See our full range of Five O'Clock

Out in the fields around Mellerup, rye sways in the wind while Ragna glides quietly past on her steady route across Randers Fjord. It's the same rye that forms the backbone of this whisky — angular, earthy, with a strength that matches the landscape it comes from.

Expert description

Fjord Rye Whisky 8 Year is a Danish Rye Whisky, distilled in 2018 and bottled eight years later in 2026 at Brænderiet Enghaven, at a strength of 45.4%.

The bottle belongs to the Fjord series, an exclusive trio created for Whisky.dk around the story of the ferry Ragna and the short crossing between Mellerup and Voer. The rye is grown in Enghaven's own fields on the north side of Randers Fjord, where the farm — owned by the Moestrup family since 1881 — works on a grain-to-bottle principle. Rye gives this whisky a different character than the softer single malt from the same distillery: sharper, spicier and with a distinct edge. Only 13 bottles were filled from this batch.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is sharp and spiced, with rye bread, black pepper and a hint of freshly cut hay, carried by a touch of oak.

Palate

The palate is dry and peppery, with notes of rye bread and caramel cut by a light tartness and a warm, spiced core.

Finish

The finish is long and peppery, with a dry, grainy aftertaste that lingers.

Specifications

Name: Fjord Rye Whisky 8 Year
Distillery: Brænderiet Enghaven
Bottler: Whisky.dk
Region/Country: Denmark (Randers Fjord, Jutland)
Type: Danish Rye Whisky
Age: 8 Year
ABV: 45.4%
Size: 50 CL
Distilled: 2018
Bottled: 2026
Number of bottles: 13

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Peppery · Grain-forward · Dry

Investment Potential

Medium — with only 13 bottles, this is the rarest release in the Fjord series, and Danish rye whisky remains a niche that collectors follow closely.

Did You Know?

The crossing between Mellerup and Voer dates all the way back to 1610, when it was originally sailed using a flat-bottomed barge known as a "kåg", rowed across the fjord by hand. Today, the modern Ragna covers the 470-metre crossing in just four minutes.

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On the banks of Randers Fjord, where the small ferry Ragna has crossed the water between Mellerup and Voer for generations, sits Brænderiet Enghaven. Here the grain grows in the fields outside, the water is drawn from the spring beneath the farm, and the whisky is born from the same unhurried rhythm that carries the ferry back and forth across the fjord.

Expert description

Fjord Whisky 8 Year is a Danish Single Malt Whisky, distilled in 2018 and bottled eight years later in 2026 at Brænderiet Enghaven, at a strength of 54.3%.

The bottle belongs to the Fjord series, created exclusively for Whisky.dk as a tribute to the ferry Ragna and its short but unforgettable crossing between Mellerup and Voer. Enghaven has been distilling whisky since 2017 and runs its production on a soil-to-bottle principle, growing its own grain in the surrounding fields and drawing its water from the spring beneath the farm. The farm has belonged to the Moestrup family since 1881, and that same rootedness runs through this single malt: straightforward, grain-driven and without unnecessary polish. Only 24 bottles were filled from this batch.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose opens with ripe grain and light honey, a touch of fresh apple and a whisper of vanilla suggesting time spent in oak.

Palate

On the palate it is round and grain-forward, with notes of honey cake, malt and a mild spiced warmth that unfolds slowly.

Finish

The finish is dry and faintly nutty, with a lingering sweetness that echoes the Jutland grain it came from.

Specifications

Name: Fjord Whisky 8 Year
Distillery: Brænderiet Enghaven
Bottler: Whisky.dk
Region/Country: Denmark (Randers Fjord, Jutland)
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
Age: 8 Year
ABV: 54.3%
Size: 50 CL
Distilled: 2018
Bottled: 2026
Number of bottles: 24

Flavour Profile

Grain-forward · Honeyed · Lightly oaked · Round

Investment Potential

Medium — only 24 bottles were filled from this batch, it was created exclusively for Whisky.dk, and Danish whisky from small farm distilleries like Enghaven is steadily gaining recognition among collectors.

Did You Know?

The ferry Ragna, pictured on the label, has sailed the route between Mellerup and Voer since 1963 and is named after the leaseholder's wife. The crossing itself is far older — in 1740, the widow Sophia Seefeld was granted a royal charter to operate a ferry here, making the route one of Denmark's oldest of its kind.

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Ketill Flatnöse was a Norse chieftain who ruled the islands along the west coast of Scotland in the late 800s. Islay Boys have borrowed his name for a whisky rather lighter on its feet than the man himself is said to have been.

The expert description

Flatnöse Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a lightly peated blended malt bottled at 46% in small batch.

Behind the bottle stand Islay Boys, founded by Mackay Smith and Donald MacKenzie from the Rhinns peninsula on Islay. MacKenzie learned whisky production from Jim McEwan at Bruichladdich, and the firm has since built a set of brands around Norse island history.

This release is a blended malt, meaning malt whisky from several distilleries and not a drop of grain. The smoke is restrained and sits as an edge rather than as the main course, and 46% gives it body without making it hard. It is bottled without chill filtration in small batch, which means the contents can vary a little from run to run.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pear first, with a faint peach behind and a note of honey tying it together.

Palate

Pleasingly round, where walnuts and citrus blossom step forward and where the smoke registers without taking up room.

Finish

Medium and soft with malt, nut and a final touch of smoke.

Specifications

Name: Flatnöse Blended Malt
Bottler: Islay Boys
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN no.: 5060406110081

Flavour profile

Lightly smoky · Fruity · Soft · Nutty · Honeyed

Did you know?

Islay Boys bought the island only brewery, Islay Ales, in 2018 and have since been working to get their own distillery standing. They began as bottlers of other people whisky and have ended up wanting to make their own, which on Islay is the rule rather than the exception.

See our full range of Islay Whisky

The islands along the west coast of Scotland were governed from the sea, not from land. That is the world the Flatnöse name points back to, and the whisky has been given the same direct character to carry.

The expert description

Flatnöse Blended Scotch Whisky is a lightly peated blend bottled at 43% in small batch.

Where the Islay Boys blended malt sticks to pure malt whisky, this release is a proper blend with both malt and grain. The grain gives softness and a cereal sweetness that malt alone does not deliver, and the smoke therefore has a rounder base to stand on.

The name is taken from Ketill Flatnöse, the Norse chieftain who in the late 800s was king over the islands along the west coast. Bottling happens in small batch and without chill filtration, so the contents can vary a little from run to run.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malt and sweetness first, with an appealing note of smoke settling in underneath.

Palate

Pleasingly smoky, where pepper steps clearly forward alongside the smoke. The cereal sweetness sits below and holds it together.

Finish

Medium and dry with smoke, pepper and a final malty sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Flatnöse Blended Scotch Whisky
Bottler: Islay Boys
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN no.: 5060406110029

Flavour profile

Smoky · Malty · Spiced · Soft · Sweet

Did you know?

Very few blends are bottled without chill filtration. The process removes the compounds that can turn whisky hazy at low temperature, and it is used on almost every bottle at this level because haze gets mistaken for a fault. Islay Boys chose to skip it and explain why instead.

See our full range of Whisky

Rum casks and Scotch whisky have travelled together since the trading ships began running the same route both ways. Here that connection is made concrete: a lightly peated blend that has ended its life in Latin American rum casks.

The expert description

Flatnöse Rum Finish is a Blended Scotch Whisky finished in Latin American rum casks and bottled at 43% in small batch.

The base whisky is the same light, peated blend from Islay Boys that the rest of the Flatnöse family is built on. The difference lies in the closing period in rum wood, which among other things has contributed exotic demerara notes, the dark, almost molasses-like sweetness familiar from rum made on cane syrup.

The rum cask makes the whisky softer and rounder without the smoke disappearing. It is bottled without chill filtration in small batch, so the contents can vary a little from run to run.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft and sweet with demerara sugar, a light smoky edge and a note of ripe banana.

Palate

Lively and lightly spiced with vanilla and demerara in the background, while the malt and smoke keep it from turning too sweet.

Finish

Medium and soft with syrup, spice and a final touch of smoke.

Specifications

Name: Flatnöse Rum Barrel Finish
Bottler: Islay Boys
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in Latin American rum casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN no.: 5060406110227

Flavour profile

Sweet · Lightly smoky · Spiced · Vanilla · Soft

Did you know?

Demerara takes its name from a river in Guyana where the sugar cane grew along the banks. Today the word covers both a type of sugar and a style of rum, and it is the dark, molasses-like sweetness of that style the rum casks leave behind in the whisky.

See our full range of Whisky

Cask number one in an ongoing series of single-cask bottlings from Iceland's only distillery.

Expert description

Floki Icelandic Barrel 1 Iceland Single Malt Whisky is a single-cask bottling from Eimverk Distillery, made from 100% Icelandic barley, bottled at 47%. Flóki is produced by family-run Eimverk Distillery, Iceland's only whisky distillery, founded in 2009. It took the family four years and 163 trial distillations to perfect the recipe before the first batches of Icelandic whisky were ready for market in 2015. The whisky is named after Hrafna-Flóki, a brave Viking chieftain who, according to the sagas, carried three ravens with him and let them lead him to the island he named Iceland, where he became its first known settler. Flóki is made from 100% local Icelandic barley, a hardy strain that thrives during Iceland's short, intense summer.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers grain, honey and a hint of fresh fruit.

Palate

The palate is soft with malt, caramel and a hint of spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Floki Icelandic Barrel 1 Island Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Eimverk Distillery
Region/Country: Garðabær, Iceland
Type: Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 47%
Size: 50 CL
Edition: Barrel 1

Flavour profile

Malt · Soft · Sweet · Grain

See our full range of Flóki / Eimverk

Iceland's only whisky, matured in another selected cask from the same hardy barley.

Expert description

Floki Icelandic Single Malt Whisky Barrel 2 is a single-cask bottling from Eimverk Distillery, made from 100% Icelandic barley, bottled at 47%. Flóki is produced by family-run Eimverk Distillery, Iceland's only whisky distillery, founded in 2009. It took the family four years and 163 trial distillations to perfect the recipe before the first batches of Icelandic whisky were ready for market in 2015. The whisky is named after Hrafna-Flóki, a brave Viking chieftain who, according to the sagas, carried three ravens with him and let them lead him to the island he named Iceland, where he became its first known settler. Flóki is made from 100% local Icelandic barley, a hardy strain that thrives during Iceland's short, intense summer.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers grain, honey and a hint of fresh fruit.

Palate

The palate is soft with malt, caramel and a hint of spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Floki Icelandic Single Malt Whisky Barrel 2
Distillery: Eimverk Distillery
Region/Country: Garðabær, Iceland
Type: Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 47%
Size: 50 CL
Edition: Barrel 2

Flavour profile

Malt · Soft · Sweet · Grain

See our full range of Flóki / Eimverk

The whisky that put Iceland on the whisky map — Eimverk's first commercial release.

Expert description

Floki Young Malt Eimverk Distillery Whisky was the distillery's first commercial release, made from 100% Icelandic barley, bottled at 47%. Flóki is produced by family-run Eimverk Distillery, Iceland's only whisky distillery, founded in 2009. It took the family four years and 163 trial distillations to perfect the recipe before the first batches of Icelandic whisky were ready for market in 2015. The whisky is named after Hrafna-Flóki, a brave Viking chieftain who, according to the sagas, carried three ravens with him and let them lead him to the island he named Iceland, where he became its first known settler. Flóki is made from 100% local Icelandic barley, a hardy strain that thrives during Iceland's short, intense summer.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers grain, honey and a hint of fresh fruit.

Palate

The palate is young and soft with malt, caramel and a hint of spice.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Floki Young Malt Eimverk Distillery Whisky
Distillery: Eimverk Distillery
Region/Country: Garðabær, Iceland
Type: Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 47%
Size: 50 CL

Flavour profile

Malt · Soft · Sweet · Young

See our full range of Flóki / Eimverk

Five yeast strains, two mash bills, ten recipes — Four Roses' core range is the sum of the most complex bourbon approach in Kentucky.

Expert description

Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the flagship of the core range, a blend of several of the house's ten recipes, bottled at 40%. Four Roses was founded in 1888 by Paul Jones Jr. The story behind the name has it that Jones proposed to a Southern belle who said yes while wearing a corsage of four roses — hence the brand's name. The current distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, was built in 1910 in an unusual Spanish Mission style and has been on the US National Register of Historic Places since 2000.

Four Roses is known in the bourbon world for using no fewer than 10 different recipes, combining the house's five yeast strains with two different mash bills. Each yeast strain brings its own character — from spicy and floral to fruity and herbal — giving the distillery an unusually broad flavour palette to blend from.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is light and floral with caramel, fruit and a hint of spice.

Palate

The palate is soft and balanced with caramel, ripe fruit and light spice.

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Four Roses
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Floral · Fruity · Lightly spiced

See our full range of Four Roses

One barrel, one recipe, no blending — Single Barrel is Four Roses unfiltered.

Expert description

Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey comes from a single barrel and uses only the OBSV recipe, one of the house's ten yeast-and-mash-bill combinations, bottled at 50%. Unlike the core range and Small Batch, there's no blending of recipes here. Four Roses was founded in 1888 by Paul Jones Jr. The story behind the name has it that Jones proposed to a Southern belle who said yes while wearing a corsage of four roses — hence the brand's name. The current distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, was built in 1910 in an unusual Spanish Mission style and has been on the US National Register of Historic Places since 2000.

Four Roses is known in the bourbon world for using no fewer than 10 different recipes, combining the house's five yeast strains with two different mash bills. Each yeast strain brings its own character — from spicy and floral to fruity and herbal — giving the distillery an unusually broad flavour palette to blend from.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers ripe fruit, caramel and a light spicy sweetness.

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is long and warm with a spicy, lightly peppery close.

Specifications

Name: Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Four Roses
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Caramel · Spicy · Rounded

See our full range of Four Roses

Four selected recipes instead of ten — Small Batch is the tighter, more focused version of Four Roses.

Expert description

Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is blended from four selected recipes among the house's ten, bottled at 45%. The Small Batch range is meant as a more concentrated and spicier take on the core range. Four Roses was founded in 1888 by Paul Jones Jr. The story behind the name has it that Jones proposed to a Southern belle who said yes while wearing a corsage of four roses — hence the brand's name. The current distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, was built in 1910 in an unusual Spanish Mission style and has been on the US National Register of Historic Places since 2000.

Four Roses is known in the bourbon world for using no fewer than 10 different recipes, combining the house's five yeast strains with two different mash bills. Each yeast strain brings its own character — from spicy and floral to fruity and herbal — giving the distillery an unusually broad flavour palette to blend from.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, honey and light spice with a hint of fresh fruit.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied with caramel, vanilla and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Four Roses
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Spicy · Caramel · Full-bodied · Warm

See our full range of Four Roses

Five yeast strains, two mash bills, ten recipes — Four Roses' core range is the sum of the most complex bourbon approach in Kentucky.

Expert description

This 100 cl edition of Four Roses' core range is a Travel Retail Exclusive, sold mainly at airports and duty-free stores. Same recipe and strength as the standard 70 cl bottle. Four Roses was founded in 1888 by Paul Jones Jr. The story behind the name has it that Jones proposed to a Southern belle who said yes while wearing a corsage of four roses — hence the brand's name. The current distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, was built in 1910 in an unusual Spanish Mission style and has been on the US National Register of Historic Places since 2000.

Four Roses is known in the bourbon world for using no fewer than 10 different recipes, combining the house's five yeast strains with two different mash bills. Each yeast strain brings its own character — from spicy and floral to fruity and herbal — giving the distillery an unusually broad flavour palette to blend from.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is light and floral with caramel, fruit and a hint of spice.

Palate

The palate is soft and balanced with caramel, ripe fruit and light spice.

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Travel Retail Exclusive, 1 liter)
Distillery: Four Roses
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 100 CL
Travel Retail Exclusive

Flavour profile

Soft · Floral · Fruity · Lightly spiced

See our full range of Four Roses

Once a year, Four Roses gathers its rarest barrels into one limited release — the 2020 vintage is the kind whisky fans wait for.

Expert description

Four Roses Small Batch 2020 Limited Edition is an annual, limited bottling blended from selected, older barrels across several of the house's ten recipes, bottled at cask strength, 55.7%. This release is blended from two recipes, OBSV and OESK, with barrels aged 11 to 16 years. Four Roses was founded in 1888 by Paul Jones Jr. The story behind the name has it that Jones proposed to a Southern belle who said yes while wearing a corsage of four roses — hence the brand's name. The current distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, was built in 1910 in an unusual Spanish Mission style and has been on the US National Register of Historic Places since 2000.

Four Roses is known in the bourbon world for using no fewer than 10 different recipes, combining the house's five yeast strains with two different mash bills. Each yeast strain brings its own character — from spicy and floral to fruity and herbal — giving the distillery an unusually broad flavour palette to blend from.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is complex with ripe fruit, caramel, oak and a hint of spice.

Palate

The palate is full and layered with caramel, dried fruit and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is long, warm and spicy with a dry, oak-driven close.

Specifications

Name: Four Roses Small Batch 2020 Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Four Roses
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 55.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Strength

Flavour profile

Spicy · Full-bodied · Oak · Dried fruit

Investment potential

Four Roses' annual limited releases are often sought by collectors and can rise in value after selling out, especially when the vintage is praised by reviewers.

See our full range of Four Roses

Once a year, Four Roses gathers its rarest barrels into one limited release — the 2021 vintage is the kind whisky fans wait for.

Expert description

Four Roses Small Batch 2021 Limited Edition is an annual, limited bottling blended from selected, older barrels across several of the house's ten recipes, bottled at cask strength, 57.1%. This release is blended from four recipes with barrels aged 11 to 17 years. Four Roses was founded in 1888 by Paul Jones Jr. The story behind the name has it that Jones proposed to a Southern belle who said yes while wearing a corsage of four roses — hence the brand's name. The current distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, was built in 1910 in an unusual Spanish Mission style and has been on the US National Register of Historic Places since 2000.

Four Roses is known in the bourbon world for using no fewer than 10 different recipes, combining the house's five yeast strains with two different mash bills. Each yeast strain brings its own character — from spicy and floral to fruity and herbal — giving the distillery an unusually broad flavour palette to blend from.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is complex with ripe fruit, caramel, oak and a hint of spice.

Palate

The palate is full and layered with caramel, dried fruit and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is long, warm and spicy with a dry, oak-driven close.

Specifications

Name: Four Roses Small Batch 2021 Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Four Roses
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Strength

Flavour profile

Spicy · Full-bodied · Oak · Dried fruit

Investment potential

Four Roses' annual limited releases are often sought by collectors and can rise in value after selling out, especially when the vintage is praised by reviewers.

See our full range of Four Roses

Once a year, Four Roses gathers its rarest barrels into one limited release — the 2022 vintage is the kind whisky fans wait for.

Expert description

Four Roses Small Batch 2022 Limited Edition is an annual, limited bottling blended from selected, older barrels across several of the house's ten recipes, bottled at cask strength, 54.5%. This release is blended from four recipes with barrels aged 12 to 17 years. Four Roses was founded in 1888 by Paul Jones Jr. The story behind the name has it that Jones proposed to a Southern belle who said yes while wearing a corsage of four roses — hence the brand's name. The current distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, was built in 1910 in an unusual Spanish Mission style and has been on the US National Register of Historic Places since 2000.

Four Roses is known in the bourbon world for using no fewer than 10 different recipes, combining the house's five yeast strains with two different mash bills. Each yeast strain brings its own character — from spicy and floral to fruity and herbal — giving the distillery an unusually broad flavour palette to blend from.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is complex with ripe fruit, caramel, oak and a hint of spice.

Palate

The palate is full and layered with caramel, dried fruit and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is long, warm and spicy with a dry, oak-driven close.

Specifications

Name: Four Roses Small Batch 2022 Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Four Roses
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 54.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Strength

Flavour profile

Spicy · Full-bodied · Oak · Dried fruit

Investment potential

Four Roses' annual limited releases are often sought by collectors and can rise in value after selling out, especially when the vintage is praised by reviewers.

See our full range of Four Roses

A Berlin community of craft distillers gives Germany's best rye whiskeys a stage, cutting out the middleman.

Expert description

Freimeisterkollektiv Straight Rye Organic Whiskey is a German rye whiskey, bottled at 48.2%. Freimeisterkollektiv was established in 2016 in Berlin as a platform for craft distilleries, formed by a group of distillers and bartenders who joined forces to offer high-quality spirits without middlemen, at reasonable prices. The collective works with German and Austrian distillers, including the family-run Rüdiger Sasse distillery in Münsterland, in the family's hands for 15 generations since 1707, and the J. Haider distillery, founded in 1995 and led since 2016 by Jasmin Haider-Stadler.

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

The palate is spicy with rye grain, pepper and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, dry and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Freimeisterkollektiv Straight Rye Økologisk Whiskey
Bottler: Freimeisterkollektiv
Region/Country: Germany
Type: Rye Whiskey
ABV: 48.2%
Size: 50 CL

Flavour profile

Spicy · Rye-forward · Dry · Citrus-forward

Did you know?

Freimeisterkollektiv serves as a shared stage for some of Germany's most skilled craft distillers, including a family distillery in Münsterland that has distilled continuously since 1707 — across 15 generations.

See our full range of Freimeisterkollektiv

Delicate, unpeated rye matured in both bourbon and French oak casks — Targaryen's other face.

Expert description

Game of Thrones x Kyro Whisky of Blood Finnish Malt Rye Whisky is made from 100% malted rye, matured in ex-bourbon and French oak casks, bottled at 46%. Finnish distillery Kyrö partnered with HBO's Game of Thrones universe to create two whiskies inspired by House Targaryen's motto 'fire and blood'. Kyrö is known for using exclusively rye as its grain, an unusual approach in the whisky world.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers cereal, apple and apricot, layered with tonka bean, chestnut and beeswax.

Palate

The palate is sweet and fruity with rye spice, chestnut and a hint of crème brûlée.

Finish

The finish is medium-length with toasted cereal notes.

Specifications

Name: Game of Thrones x Kyro Whisky of Blood Finsk Malt Rye Whisky
Distillery: Kyrö Distillery
Region/Country: Isokyrö, Finland
Type: Rye Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Game of Thrones – Whisky of Blood

Flavour profile

Fruity · Sweet · Spiced · Delicate

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Fully smoked rye, matured in bourbon and rum casks — Kyrö's tribute to House Targaryen's fiery motto.

Expert description

Game of Thrones x Kyro Whisky of Fire Finnish Malt Rye Whisky is made from 100% smoked malted rye, matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in rum casks, bottled at 46.6%. Finnish distillery Kyrö partnered with HBO's Game of Thrones universe to create two whiskies inspired by House Targaryen's motto 'fire and blood'. Kyrö is known for using exclusively rye as its grain, an unusual approach in the whisky world.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers light smoke, toasted rye and spiced apple jam.

Palate

The palate is complex with smoke, mineral notes, sweet grains and a hint of blackberry.

Finish

The finish is medium-length with a light menthol close.

Specifications

Name: Game of Thrones x Kyro Whisky of Fire Finsk Malt Rye Whisky
Distillery: Kyrö Distillery
Region/Country: Isokyrö, Finland
Type: Rye Whisky
ABV: 46.6%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Game of Thrones – Whisky of Fire

Flavour profile

Smoky · Spiced · Complex · Fruity

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Gelstons 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a hand crafted whiskey, finished in former bourbon casks for a creamy, tropical character.

Expert Review

Gelstons 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a Single Malt Whiskey, bottled at 40%.

The whiskey has completed its maturation in former bourbon casks, which has contributed to its creamy, tropical and fresh character. It carries the name of Samuel Gelston and the historic "Gelston’s Old Irish Whiskey" heritage, and is hand crafted throughout the process.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Tropical fruit and creamy sweetness.

Palate

Fresh and rounded with vanilla notes from the bourbon casks.

Finish

Soft and light.

Specifications

Name: Gelstons 10 Year Old
Distillery: Gelston
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
Age: 10 years
Cask: Bourbon Casks
ABV: 40%
Other: Hand crafted whiskey
EAN no.: 5011166059271

Flavour Profile

Tropical · Creamy · Fresh · Soft · Rounded

Did You Know?

The Gelston name traces back to Samuel Gelston, one of the historic Irish whiskey families.
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Gelstons 12 Year Old Port Cask Finish is a hand crafted single malt from the historic Samuel Gelston distillery, finished in port casks for extra fruit depth.

Expert Review

Gelstons 12 Year Old Port Cask Finish Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a Single Malt Whiskey, bottled at 43%.

The whiskey has completed its maturation in former port casks, which has contributed to the fresh fruit flavour and notes of exotic spices. It is hand crafted following recipes rooted in the Samuel Gelston distillery, carrying forward one of the old Irish whiskey traditions.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh fruit and exotic spices.

Palate

Sweetness from the port casks with spiced depth.

Finish

Fruity and warm.

Specifications

Name: Gelstons 12 Year Old Port Cask Finish
Distillery: Gelston
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
Age: 12 years
Cask: Port Casks
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Other: Hand crafted Whiskey
EAN no.: 5011166056898

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Spiced · Sweet · Rounded · Warm

Did You Know?

The Gelston name traces back to Samuel Gelston, one of the historic Irish whiskey families.
See our full range of Irish whiskey

Gelstons 12 Year Old Rum Cask Finish is a hand crafted single malt from the Samuel Gelston distillery, finished in former rum casks for a sweeter, tropical profile.

Expert Review

Gelstons 12 Year Old Rum Cask Finish Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a Single Malt Whiskey, bottled at 43%.

The whiskey has completed its maturation in former rum casks, which has contributed to the fresh fruit flavour and notes of exotic spices. It is hand crafted following recipes rooted in the Samuel Gelston distillery.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh fruit and exotic spices.

Palate

Tropical sweetness with spiced depth from the rum casks.

Finish

Sweet and warm.

Specifications

Name: Gelstons 12 Year Old Rum Cask Finish
Distillery: Gelston
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
Age: 12 years
Cask: Rum Casks
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Other: Hand crafted Whiskey
EAN no.: 5011166056904

Flavour Profile

Tropical · Spiced · Sweet · Rounded · Warm

Did You Know?

The Gelston name traces back to Samuel Gelston, one of the historic Irish whiskey families.
See our full range of Irish whiskey

From a German immigrant's distillery in Cascade Hollow comes one of Tennessee's two great whiskey brands.

Expert description

George Dickel No. 8 Tennessee Sour Mash 80 Proof Whisky is an American Tennessee Whiskey, bottled at 40%. George Dickel was born in Germany in 1818, emigrated to the US and settled in Nashville, Tennessee, in the 1850s. In 1884 he bought into the distillery at Cascade Hollow, originally founded in 1877, drawn by the pure spring water from the local limestone shelf. Like its better-known Tennessee neighbour, the whisky undergoes the Lincoln County Process, filtered through maple charcoal before barrel ageing, which gives it its signature smoothness.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers grain, caramel and a hint of smoked wood.

Palate

The palate is soft with vanilla, honey and light spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, dry and soft.

Specifications

Name: George Dickel Nr. 8 Tennessee Sour Mash 80 Proof Whisky
Distillery: George Dickel
Region/Country: Tullahoma, Tennessee, USA
Type: Tennessee Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Grainy · Sweet · Smoky

Did you know?

George Dickel deliberately spelled his name 'whisky' without an 'e', in the Scotch style, to signal quality at a time when Irish and American 'whiskey' with an 'e' was seen as inferior.

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Grain whisky is rarely treated as something that deserves a fine cask. Murray McDavid did the opposite and put an eleven year old Girvan into a Ximenez-Spinola PX cask, and suddenly the cereal is no longer the dull part of the equation.

The expert description

Girvan 2011/2022 Murray McDavid 11 Years Old is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky finished in a Ximenez-Spinola PX cask and bottled at 46%.

Girvan was built in 1963 by William Grant & Sons on the Ayrshire coast and is today one of the largest grain distilleries in Scotland. This release was distilled in 2011 and bottled in 2022 by Murray McDavid, who rank among the bottlers working most deliberately with wood.

The PX cask is the decisive part. Pedro Ximenez is the sweetest of the sherry styles, almost syrupy, and on a soft grain whisky it lays down a layer of dark fruit that a malt would have had to supply itself. The release yielded 1228 bottles, bottled without chill filtration and without colouring.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin and dark syrup first, then vanilla and coconut from the grain character, and a note of fig behind.

Palate

Soft and oily with dates, muscovado and dark chocolate. The cereal sweetness sits underneath and keeps it from turning heavy.

Finish

Medium and sweet with dried fruit, a touch of oak and a light spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: Girvan 2011/2022 Murray McDavid 11 Years Old
Distillery: Girvan
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Lowland Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ximenez-Spinola PX cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2011
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1228
Edition: Limited Release Select Grain
EAN no.: 5060353303642

Flavour profile

Sweet · Sherry matured · Creamy · Fruity · Spiced

Did you know?

Murray McDavid is based at the old Coleburn distillery near Elgin, which has been closed since 1985. The buildings are used today for warehousing and cask work, so a distillery that no longer distils has become the workplace of a bottler.

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

The expert description

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Fruity · Sweet · Mature

Investment potential

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

Did you know?

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

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The label salutes the Barrowland Ballroom, the old dance hall in the East End of Glasgow whose neon stars above the entrance have lit the way for just about every band that ever passed through the city. The whisky inside is every bit as local, and about as loud.

The expert description

Glasgow Distillery 2017 Little Brown Dog is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill oloroso hogshead and bottled at cask strength 55.7%.

Little Brown Dog buys single casks from distilleries across Scotland and bottles them under its own label with the little brown dog on it. Here they got hold of a cask from The Glasgow Distillery, the first malt distillery in the city in over a century, which opened in 2015 and makes whisky under the name 1770.

The cask is a highly active oloroso hogshead that has been working on the spirit since 2017. That gives a young whisky with far more colour and body than the vintage suggests, and the cask strength of 55.7% holds it all together. The cask yielded only 339 bottles, neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark cherry and raisin first, then cocoa and a touch of leather, with the young malt sweetness poking up underneath.

Palate

Powerful and juicy. Sherry fruit and muscovado in front, then orange peel, clove and a dry oak edge from the active cask.

Finish

Long and warm with dried fruit, dark chocolate and a peppery close.

Specifications

Name: Glasgow Distillery 2017 Little Brown Dog
Distillery: Glasgow Distillery
Bottler: Little Brown Dog
Region/Country: Lowland Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 55.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill oloroso sherry hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2017
Number of bottles: 339
Edition: Single Cask

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Fruity · Spiced · Cask Strength · Single Cask

Investment potential

Medium. One cask, 339 bottles and a distillery still young enough that its early vintages can be counted. Single cask releases from new Scottish distilleries have in recent years been among the most sought after by collectors following a house from the start.

Did you know?

The Glasgow Distillery opened in 2015 and was the first malt distillery in the city since 1902. Glasgow had otherwise been a centre of Scotch whisky for more than a century, but it was trading, blending and bottling the city lived on, not distilling.

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Some bottles tell you everything about where they came from. This one tells you nothing, and lets you spend the time on what is in the glass instead.

The expert description

Glen Andrew is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky with clear sherry influence, bottled at 40%.

The whisky comes from an undisclosed Highland distillery. It is an entirely ordinary arrangement where a distillery sells casks on without wanting its name on the label, and the buyer bottles them under a brand name of their own.

The result is an approachable and uncomplicated single malt that has become a standing recommendation for anyone finding their way into the style. There is no smoke and there are no sharp edges, and 40% means it asks for neither water nor practice. The colour is deep gold and the sherry influence runs all the way through.

Tasting notes

Nose

Baked apple and caramel first, with floral undertones and a lightly nutty sherry note behind.

Palate

Soft and round with malt sweetness, light spice and a touch of oak. The mouthfeel is pleasant and balanced with no bite to it.

Finish

Medium with warmth and sweetness, and a final dry malty note.

Specifications

Name: Glen Andrew
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5024720620008

Flavour profile

Soft · Sherry matured · Fruity · Malty · Lightly spiced

Did you know?

A distillery can have good reasons for not wanting to be named. Often it is about protecting the price of the house own bottlings, and just as often the casks were sold on in large parcels decades ago, long before anyone imagined single malt would become something people collected.

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This bottle was filled while single malt was still something few people outside Scotland had heard of. The label, the cork and the 75 cl belong to another era, and that is the whole reason it is interesting now.

Please note: this is an old bottling from the 1970s in a 75 cl bottle.

The expert description

Glen Deveron 12 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky from MacDuff, bottled at 40% in a 75 cl bottle.

MacDuff stands near Banff on the north coast where the river Deveron meets the Moray Firth, and the distillery was built in 1962. Glen Deveron was for decades the name on the official house single malt, while the MacDuff name was left to the independent bottlers. The range has since been replaced by The Deveron, which makes any Glen Deveron bottle a closed chapter.

This one dates from the 1970s and holds 75 cl, the standard European format before 70 cl came in during the 1990s. The bottle size alone dates it, and for a collector that is part of the point.

Tasting notes

Nose

Old fashioned and restrained. Wax, dried apple and malt, with a dusty note like the inside of an old cupboard.

Palate

Soft and malty with pale caramel and nut, and the oily texture the spirit of that era so often had.

Finish

Medium, dry and mineral with a final sweetness of honey.

Specifications

Name: Glen Deveron 12 Years Old
Distillery: MacDuff
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 75 CL
Edition: Old bottling from the 1970s
EAN no.: 5010752000802

Flavour profile

Malty · Waxy · Soft · Mineral · Mature

Investment potential

Medium. An official bottling from the 1970s under a brand name that no longer exists cannot by definition be recreated. Old bottles from this period also carry a different production reality behind them, and that is exactly what collectors of vintage bottlings are after.

Did you know?

The 75 cl format was the European standard until the 1990s, when 70 cl became the common measure across the EU. Bottle size is therefore one of the quickest ways to date an old European whisky bottle, long before you start reading the label.

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Adelphi picks casks by tasting their way through and saying no to most of them. It is an old fashioned way to work, and it is the reason their labels are so plain, because there is no room for anything except what is actually in the cask.

The expert description

Glen Elgin 13 Years Old Adelphi Selection is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a single bourbon cask and bottled at cask strength 54.6%.

The cask, number C802276, gave 302 bottles. Adelphi Selection takes its name from a Glasgow distillery that closed in 1907, and the name was revived in 1993 for an independent bottling house. Every release is a single cask at cask strength, without chill filtration and without colouring.

Glen Elgin is one of the distilleries Adelphi returns to. The house fruitiness is clear and stands up to high strength, and a bourbon cask lets it show without being wrapped in dark fruit.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pineapple and ripe melon first, then vanilla custard and a touch of green banana from the American wood.

Palate

Concentrated and sweet. Tropical fruit and honey in front, then a creamy middle and a growing note of white pepper.

Finish

Long and dry with oak, malt and a final cool note of mint.

Specifications

Name: Glen Elgin 13 Years Old Adelphi Selection
Distillery: Glen Elgin
Bottler: Adelphi Selection
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 54.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask no. C802276
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 302
Edition: Single Cask

Flavour profile

Fruity · Tropical · Creamy · Spiced · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. Adelphi bottles single casks in small runs and has a settled international collector following, and at 302 bottles this is among the smaller releases. Glen Elgin also appears rarely as a single malt, which keeps the field narrow.

Did you know?

Glen Elgin has for decades been the backbone of White Horse, one of the great Scottish blends. Most of the production disappears in that direction, which is why the distillery is far better known among blenders than among malt drinkers.

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