Hungarian oak is rarely seen in Scotch whisky, which is exactly why it is interesting that GlenAllachie dares to experiment with it. The result is a 7 year old sitting somewhere between spice and sweetness — a balance Hungarian oak is known for delivering.

Expert's Description

GlenAllachie 7 Year Hungarian Virgin Oak Finish is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky at 48%, where the finishing period has taken place in Hungarian Virgin Oak casks — virgin Hungarian oak casks that have not previously held spirit.

Hungarian oak is often considered a middle ground between American and French oak: known for a strong spice and vanilla character while retaining a certain finesse. That makes it an interesting choice for a distillery already known for experimenting broadly with cask types in its Virgin Oak series.

The whisky is part of an ongoing series in which GlenAllachie tests how different national oak traditions affect the same young, robust spirit.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Spiced vanilla and a light sweetness, supported by a distinct oak note from the Hungarian wood.

Palate

Vanilla and warm spices fill the mouth, while the spirit's fruity character shines through beneath the surface.

Finish

Spiced and dry, with a lingering oak note.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 7 Year Hungarian Virgin Oak Finish
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 7 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hungarian Virgin Oak Finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Spiced · Oak · Light Sweetness

Investment Potential

As part of the Virgin Oak series' more unconventional cask choices, this 7 year old appeals to collectors interested in experiments with rare oak types. Investment potential is rated medium, driven by the limited use of Hungarian oak in Scotch whisky production.

Did You Know?

Hungarian oak is traditionally used more in wine production than in whisky maturation, and its dense wood structure means it releases aroma more slowly than American oak, which can give a more balanced spice profile over time.

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While sherry and bourbon casks dominate most of the whisky world, GlenAllachie looked to the forest right outside its own door. This 8 year old expression is finished in virgin Scottish oak - a wood almost never used for whisky, simply because it rarely grows tall and straight enough for cask making. The result is a local, almost homegrown woodland character you will not find elsewhere in the range.

Expert's Description

GlenAllachie's 8 Year Scottish Virgin Oak is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in virgin Scottish oak casks and bottled at 48% ABV.

Scottish oak grows more slowly and often more gnarled than its American or European relatives, and the best trunks are traditionally claimed by furniture makers, shipbuilders and timber framing rather than coopers. Finding enough quality wood for full casks is therefore rare, making this one of the few whiskies matured in homegrown Scottish virgin timber.

The flavour reflects the denser, more tannic wood - a touch tighter and earthier than the other virgin oak variants in the series, while still carrying the signature GlenAllachie sweetness built up over long ageing.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh forest floor, lightly smoked oak and a trace of hay meet a gentle honeyed sweetness underneath.

Palate

Spiced pepper and dried herbs mix with brown sugar and a faintly nutty undertone from the dense, local wood.

Finish

Medium in length, dry and slightly firm, closing with a last note of oak tannin and a touch of sweetness.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 8 Year Scottish Virgin Oak
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Scottish Virgin Oak Finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Virgin Oak Series
EAN no.: 5060568326214

Flavour Profile

Earthy · Spicy · Nutty · Oak · Dry

Did You Know?

Scottish oak was historically rarely used for cask making, because the best trunks were claimed for centuries by shipbuilders and later by railway sleepers and furniture joiners. The whisky industry has therefore traditionally imported its oak from America and Spain, which makes GlenAllachie's use of homegrown Scottish virgin oak one of the most unusual cask choices in all of Speyside.

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Picture a Speyside malt spending its final months surrounded by four different red wines from southern Europe. That is exactly what happened to this 9 year old GlenAllachie from the Wine Cask Finish series. The result is a dram full of dark berries, cherries and a touch of espresso, carried by GlenAllachie's signature sweetness.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie 9 Year Old Cuvée Cask Finish is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky bottled at 48% ABV, finished in ex-Cuvée wine casks following initial maturation in American oak casks. The Wine Cask Finish series is the distillery's tribute to wine's influence on whisky, and this 9 year old expression draws its character from casks that previously held four types of European red wine: a Languedoc, a Recioto della Valpolicella, and two Premier Cru Classés whose identities the distillery keeps close to its chest.

The combination of American oak and the varied wine casks produces a spirit with a wide expression of red fruit and spice, where garden herbs and ripe cherries meet a touch of wild truffle at the more complex end.

Tasting notes

Nose

Red fruits and sweet spices unfold alongside a touch of garden herbs, while ripe cherries add depth to the aroma.

Palate

Coconut and liquorice meet raspberry coulis and blackcurrant in an interplay that drifts toward a lightly roasted espresso.

Finish

Long and spiced, with a hint of wild truffle tying fruit and oak together.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 9 Year Old Cuvée Cask Finish Single Speyside Malt Whisky 48%
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 9 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak, finished in Cuvée wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Wine Cask Finish
EAN number: 5060568325422

Flavour profile

Red fruit · Sweet spices · Cherry · Coconut · Liquorice · Espresso

Investment potential

Medium. The Wine Cask Finish series has earned a steady following among collectors chasing less common cask types, and a finish across four different red wine casks makes this expression one of the more curious in the range.

Did you know?

The two Premier Cru Classé casks in this release come from vineyards whose names GlenAllachie deliberately keeps secret – a small puzzle that comes with every bottle.

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Some whiskies celebrate the past. This one celebrates the direction the distillery was heading. GlenAllachie Billy Walker 50th Anniversary Future Edition pays tribute to the distillery's very first peated distillation ever – a young, powerful dram pointing forward.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie Billy Walker 50th Anniversary Future Edition 4 year old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky distilled from the distillery's first ever peated distillation, bottled in August 2022 at 60.2% ABV.

The series was created to mark Billy Walker's 50 years in the whisky industry, with each release in the range looking in its own direction – some back at history, others forward. Future Edition belongs to the latter category: it points toward a new branch of GlenAllachie's production, which later led to the peated Meikle Tòir series.

Putting a peated spirit from GlenAllachie into the world is no small thing – the distillery is far better known for its sherry-matured, unpeated single malts. This release is therefore a small piece of distillery history in its own right, young and direct in its expression.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Smoky and lively, with fresh peat mingling with sweet malt notes and a hint of citrus.

Palate

Powerful and direct, where the smoke drives forward alongside spicy pepper and an underlying sweetness from the malt.

Finish

Dry and smoky, with a lingering warmth from the high strength.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie Billy Walker 50th Anniversary Future Edition 4 Year Old Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 60.2% 50 CL
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 4 years
ABV: 60.2%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: First Peated Distillation cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 10,000
EAN no.: 5060568325439

Flavor Profile

Peat smoke · Spicy pepper · Malt sweetness · Citrus · Powerful

Investment Potential

Medium. As part of a limited anniversary series and the distillery's first ever peated distillation, the bottle carries historical value for collectors, though the larger bottle count keeps rarity at a moderate level.

Did You Know?

Future Edition marks one of the most unusual moments in GlenAllachie's history: a distillery best known for its unpeated, sherry-matured single malts took on its very first peated distillation – a decision that later paved the way for the peated Meikle Tòir series.

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Some releases look backward without turning nostalgic. GlenAllachie 16 Year Old Past Edition does exactly that — a look back at Billy Walker's early years in the whisky industry, poured at full sherry-driven strength.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie 16 Year Old Past Edition is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in sherry casks and bottled at 57.1% ABV.

Past Edition is the first release in the same anniversary trilogy as the Present Edition, and where the latter looks ahead to new cask experimentation, this one turns to the past — to the classic sherry casks that have defined GlenAllachie's style since Billy Walker took over the distillery.

The sherry casks the whisky has rested in lend it depth and weight, reinforced by its high strength. Bottling without dilution keeps the cask's character in its rawest form, and the result is a whisky that demands — and rewards — patience in the glass.

The whisky was bottled in August 2022 in a run of 4,000 bottles worldwide, making it the more widely available, though still limited, chapter of the anniversary series.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark sherry, cane sugar, orange and dark chocolate meet dried figs, while the high strength adds a touch of spiced warmth.

Palate

Rich and full-bodied, with raisins, toasted almonds, dark marmalade and a peppery spice bite, carried by classic sherry tones.

Finish

Long, warm and spiced, with a dry, faintly tannic finish that lingers.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 16 Year Old Billy Walker 50th Anniversary Past Edition Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 57.1%
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry Casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 4,000 (worldwide)
Edition: Past Edition – 50th Anniversary
EAN no.: 5060568325101

Flavour Profile

Sherry · Dark chocolate · Raisin · Spiced oak · Marmalade

Investment Potential

Investment potential is rated Medium. With 4,000 bottles released worldwide and a central place in Billy Walker's anniversary series, this release remains limited, though more widely available than its sister releases in the series.

Did you know?

Did you know Past Edition is bottled at cask strength, meaning no water is added after it leaves the cask — the strength you find in the bottle is exactly what the whisky arrived at on its own?

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Some releases never travel far from home, yet still turn out exotic. GlenAllachie Moscatel Finish 12 Year Old was created specifically for the European market and draws its sweetness from Moscatel casks, giving the whisky a golden hue and a fruit-driven character.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie Moscatel Finish 12 Year Old is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky, finished in Moscatel casks, bottled at 48% ABV.

The release is part of GlenAllachie's Only for Europe series, created specifically for the European market, where the distillery experiments with cask types rarely seen across the wider range. The Moscatel cask, originally used to age the sweet Spanish dessert wine of the same name, gives the whisky its distinctive golden colour.

The Moscatel finish adds layers of ripe fruit and honey on top of the spirit's underlying Speyside character, and the result is a whisky that stays approachable without giving up complexity.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Peaches and cinnamon meet honey, raisins and sweet grapefruit in an aroma that feels both fresh and mature at once.

Palate

Honey and pineapple unfold alongside orange peel, cinnamon and a light aniseed spice.

Finish

Medium length and gentle, with a final hint of sweet fruit and spice trailing quietly away.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie Moscatel Finish 12 Year Old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 48%
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Moscatel (finish)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060568326580

Flavour Profile

Honey · Peach · Moscatel sweetness · Citrus · Spiced aniseed

Investment Potential

Investment potential is rated Medium. As a regional Only for Europe release built around a rarely seen Moscatel cask, it stands apart from GlenAllachie's more widely available range.

Did you know?

Did you know Moscatel casks are originally used to age a sweet, aromatic Spanish dessert wine made from Muscat grapes — and that this wine heritage is exactly what gives the whisky its golden colour and fruit-driven sweetness?

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A blended whisky that has been given time to become more than the sum of its parts. White Heather 21 Year Old is built on casks that each matured separately for eighteen years before being brought together for a final marriage in PX and Oloroso puncheons alongside Appalachian Virgin Oak. Only 2,000 bottles have been released.

Expert's description

White Heather 21 Year Old is a Blended Scotch Whisky, married in Pedro Ximénez puncheons, Oloroso puncheons and Appalachian Virgin Oak casks, bottled at 48% ABV.

The first eighteen years of the whisky's life were spent in used first-fill American barrels, sherry butts and second-fill barrels/hogsheads — a wide spread of cask types, each contributing its own character to the different whiskies in the blend. Only afterwards were they brought together and left to marry in three types of specialist casks, rounding off the story with one final layer of sweetness and spice.

The White Heather brand traces back to Campbell Distillers in the 1950s and was relaunched in 2021 with GlenAllachie and Billy Walker at the helm, giving this 21 year old one foot in tradition and one in present-day craft.

Tasting notes

Nose

A layered aroma where mature sherry sweetness meets notes from American oak and a hint of the fresh, robust character of Appalachian Virgin Oak.

Palate

Round and full-bodied, with sherry spice up front and an underlying sweetness from the puncheons that ties the many cask types together.

Finish

Long, warm and lightly tannic, with a closing dryness from the Virgin Oak casks.

Specifications

Name: White Heather 21 Year Old
Distillery: White Heather
Bottler: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First 18 years in first-fill American barrels, sherry butts and second-fill barrels/hogsheads, then married in Pedro Ximénez puncheons, Oloroso puncheons and Appalachian Virgin Oak casks
Number of bottles: 2,000
EAN no.: 5060568320731

Flavour profile

Sherry sweetness · American oak · Spiced puncheon finish · Virgin Oak dryness · Layered complexity

Investment potential

With only 2,000 bottles of a 21 year old blended whisky from a respected name like GlenAllachie and Billy Walker, this release sits at the high end of investment potential. It combines age, a limited run and a relaunched historic brand — a combination collectors rarely tire of.

Did you know?

The White Heather brand originally dates back to Campbell Distillers in the 1950s and was only relaunched in 2021 — so this 21 year old carries the name forward from an era when blended whisky ruled the Scottish market.

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It does not say which distilleries are in the bottle, and that is deliberate. Glenalmond is a marriage of Highland malts, and who supplied what is a trade secret at The Vintage Malt Whisky Company. What you are told is how it tastes.

The expert's description

Glenalmond is a Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, bottled at 40%.

A blended malt is not the same as a blended whisky. There is no grain whisky in the bottle — only single malt from several distilleries married together. That lets the blender build a profile no single distillery could deliver alone, and it is exactly what Glenalmond is meant to be: an approachable Highland style with no sharp edges.

The bourbon casks lay vanilla and bright fruit in, while the sherry casks add the darker sweetness. At 40% the whisky is light and round rather than powerful, and the bottling carries no age statement, which allows the profile to stay consistent from batch to batch.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla fudge and sweet malt, with cinnamon and a trace of honey. Bright and welcoming rather than complex.

Palate

Fruity sherry notes and fresh pale stone fruit, with candied citrus and soft vanilla. The body is light, and there are no sharp edges anywhere.

Finish

Mild and warming. Malt and vanilla ebbing away quietly with no bitterness.

Specifications

Name: Glenalmond Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks and sherry casks

Flavour profile

Soft · Vanilla-sweet · Fruity · Light · Malty

Did you know?

Brian Crook founded The Vintage Malt Whisky Company in 1992, having been a director at Morrison Bowmore. Glenalmond was one of the very first brands the company put on the market, and it has been there ever since.

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Glenborrodale is not a distillery. It is a village on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, and Adelphi has borrowed the name for the range where they marry malts from several distilleries rather than bottle a single cask. Batch 8 is the eighth release in the run.

The expert's description

Glenborrodale 11 Year Old Batch Release no 8 is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Adelphi, bottled at 46% in 1,404 bottles.

Adelphi is known first and foremost for single cask bottlings at cask strength, so a blended malt at 46% is a deliberate step to one side. The idea behind Glenborrodale is to build a whisky where the blend does more than the individual parts, and where the strength is set so the bottle can be drunk without ceremony. Batch 8 is an 11 year old — the oldest in the run so far.

The range belongs to Adelphi's Dales releases, where the names are taken from places in Ardnamurchan and Morvern. It is the same country where Adelphi built the Ardnamurchan distillery in 2014, and where the centre of gravity of the firm now lies.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sherried fruit and malt, with dried apricot and a trace of candied orange. Behind it sits a touch of smoke that only just shows itself.

Palate

Full and malt-driven. Dark fruit and nuts from the sherry casks, with a spiced middle and a light smoke note underneath. The 46% gives the body firmness without making it sharp.

Finish

Medium. Malt and dried fruit first, then a dry spiced close with a final wisp of smoke.

Specifications

Name: Glenborrodale 11 Year Old Batch Release no 8 Adelphi Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Number of bottles: 1,404
Edition: Glenborrodale Batch Release no 8
EAN no.: 5060383651508

Flavour profile

Sherried · Malty · Dark fruit · Lightly peated · Spiced

Did you know?

Glenborrodale is part of Adelphi's Dales range, where the releases are named after places in Ardnamurchan and Morvern on Scotland's west coast. The names point to the country rather than to the distilleries, precisely because the contents change from batch to batch.

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Seven years is young for a blend. There is not enough cask time to smooth everything out, and that puts demands on the malts going in. Batch 4 is the fourth release in the Adelphi Glenborrodale range, and it shows what the house can do without age as a safety net.

The expert's description

Glenborrodale 7 Year Old Batch Release no 4 is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Adelphi, bottled at 46% in 1,484 bottles.

A young blended malt depends entirely on the selection. There are no decades in wood to pull the whisky together, so the blend has to work first time. That is exactly the kind of work Adelphi has built its name on, and their selection standards are the same whether a cask ends up as a single cask or in a blend like this one.

Adelphi tastes far more casks than it bottles. Alex Bruce and the whisky writer Charles MacLean taste the samples together, and under four per cent of the casks offered are approved. It is an unusually hard sift, and it is the whole basis of the firm’s reputation.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh malt and bright fruit, with vanilla and a trace of honey. The youth registers as a cereal sharpness behind the sweetness.

Palate

Direct and malt-driven. Apple, pear and pale caramel, with a dry spiced edge from the cask. The 46% gives it enough weight not to feel thin.

Finish

Medium and dry. Malt and a touch of oak closing cleanly.

Specifications

Name: Glenborrodale 7 Year Old Batch Release no 4 Adelphi Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 7 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Number of bottles: 1,484
Edition: Glenborrodale Batch Release no 4

Flavour profile

Malty · Fruity · Dry · Spiced · Young

Did you know?

Under four per cent of the casks Adelphi is offered are approved for bottling. Alex Bruce and Charles MacLean sit together and taste the samples, and most casks are sent back — including casks that would be perfectly saleable at other bottlers.

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Batch 2 is early in the run. Adelphi was still working out what Glenborrodale should be at that point, so the early releases carry a different character from the later ones — more straightforward, less polished.

The expert's description

Glenborrodale 8 Year Old Batch Release no 2 is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Adelphi, bottled at 46%.

Eight years is the age Adelphi returned to several times in the early releases of the range. It is long enough for the cask to have rounded the spirit off, and short enough for the malt character still to lead. The whisky is a marriage of single malts from several Scottish distilleries, with no grain whisky.

Adelphi has an unusual history. The distillery was founded in 1826 by the Clyde on the edge of Glasgow and closed in the early twentieth century. The name lay dormant for almost a century until a descendant of one of the former owners revived it in 1993 — this time as an independent bottler rather than a distillery.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malt and baked apples, with vanilla and a dry cereal note behind. Simple and direct rather than layered.

Palate

Firm and malt-driven. Honey, apple and pale caramel, with a spice that arrives late. The body is good at 46%, and there is a dryness running the whole way through.

Finish

Medium. Malt and dry oak, with a lightly peppery close.

Specifications

Name: Glenborrodale 8 Year Old Batch Release no 2 Adelphi Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Glenborrodale Batch Release no 2

Flavour profile

Malty · Fruity · Dry · Spiced · Direct

Did you know?

Adelphi began as an actual distillery by the River Clyde in Glasgow in 1826. It closed in the early twentieth century, and the name lay unused for almost a hundred years until a descendant of the old owners started it up again in 1993 — as a bottler, not as a distillery.

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At the far edge of the Ardnamurchan peninsula, where the Atlantic washes over Scotland's westernmost point, lies the valley of Glenborrodale.

Expert description

Glenborrodale 8 Year Old Batch Release No. 3 from Adelphi is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks and bottled at 46%. The whisky is the third release in Adelphi's ongoing Glenborrodale series, in which several Scotch single malts are combined into one blended malt built around a firm sherry core. Batch Release No. 3 is bottled with no chill filtration and no added colour, with only 1,014 bottles made of this particular release. The name Glenborrodale comes from the small valley on the Ardnamurchan peninsula where Adelphi's owners built their own distillery in 2014 — the blended malt is thus named after the land the company would later come to distil on. Adelphi itself dates back to 1826, when the name was first used for a distillery in Glasgow's Gorbals district. It closed in 1907, but was revived in 1993 as an independent bottler, and since 2004 Keith Falconer and Donald Houston have led the company.

Tasting notes

Nose

Rich and malty with layers of fresh sherry, condensed milk and biscuit sweetness, while a hint of citrus cuts through in the background.

Palate

On the palate you meet chocolate-dipped wafers, rum-and-raisin fudge and a mild, coastal peat smoke that can just be glimpsed behind the red fruit.

Finish

The finish is medium-length with prunes and sugared almonds, slowly turning into a dry, lightly smoky tail.

Specifications

Name: Glenborrodale 8 år Batch Release nr 3 Adelphi Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 1,014
Edition: Batch Release No. 3

Flavour profile

Sherried · Fruity · Lightly smoky · Spicy

Did you know?

The name Glenborrodale roughly means 'the fortified valley' — and the valley sits just a short drive from where Adelphi today distils its own Ardnamurchan malt. The blended malt was on shelves long before the distillery itself was even finished.

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Cask number 159, 332 bottles, and that was that. Valinch & Mallet are two Italians who bought a bourbon cask of Glenburgie in 2010 and left it alone for eleven years before emptying it. No finish, no adjustment — just the cask as it was.

The expert's description

Glenburgie 11 Year Old Valinch & Mallet 2010/2021 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky from a single bourbon cask, bottled at cask strength 52.6%.

The cask was filled in 2010 and emptied in 2021 — bourbon cask number 159, which gave 332 bottles. A single bourbon cask with no finishing period is the most honest way to show a distillery: there is no sherry to cover anything and no blending to smooth out the cask’s quirks. What you taste is what those eleven years ended up giving.

Valinch & Mallet was founded in 2015 by two Italians, Davide Romano and Fabio Ermoli, who wanted to carry the Italian tradition of whisky bottling forward. Italy has had access for decades to Scottish casks that never reached the British market, and a number of the most talked-about bottlings of the 1970s and 80s arrived exactly that way.

Tasting notes

Nose

Bright and clean. Green apple, pear and lemon peel, with vanilla and coconut from the bourbon cask. A cereal malt note sits under the fruit.

Palate

Powerful and fruit-sweet. Honey, ripe pear and vanilla, with a peppery edge from the 52.6%. The soft, fruity Glenburgie style comes through clearly with nothing to hide behind.

Finish

Long and warm. Vanilla and apple first, then a dry close of American oak and white pepper.

Specifications

Name: Glenburgie 11 Year Old Valinch & Mallet 2010/2021 Highland Single Malt Whisky 52.6%
Distillery: Glenburgie
Bottler: Valinch & Mallet
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 52.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask no. 159
Distilled: 2010
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 332

Flavour profile

Fruity · Vanilla-sweet · Cereal · Spiced · Cask Strength

Did you know?

Valinch & Mallet was started in 2015 by two Italian friends who wanted to return to the tradition of whisky bottling Italy was known for in the 1970s and 80s. Back then Italian importers had access to casks the rest of Europe never got to see.

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Exceptional Cask is Signatory's way of saying a cask stands out. Here it is 1st fill oloroso sherry butts that have been allowed to work on a Glenburgie for fifteen years. That is far more sherry than the distillery is normally subjected to.

The expert's description

Glenburgie 2008/2024 Signatory Vintage 15 Year Old Exceptional Cask 100 Proof Edition #2 is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill oloroso sherry butts and bottled at 57.1%.

The spirit went into cask in 2008 and was bottled on 25 March 2024. 1st fill sherry butts are the heaviest tools in the box — a butt holds around 500 litres, and when it is filled with oloroso for the first time it gives everything it has. On a bright, fruity spirit like Glenburgie’s that is a direct confrontation. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

The 57.1% is no accident. Signatory's 100 Proof range holds every bottling at exactly 100 degrees British proof, and the Exceptional Cask mark is used when the casks sit above the normal level of the range in Signatory's own judgement. Edition #2 is the second release under that mark.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruit and dark syrup, with fig, raisin and walnut. Behind it sits a layer of leather and a dry, almost dusty spice note.

Palate

Powerful and dry sherry. Dark chocolate, dried figs and nuts, with a firm bitterness from the cask. The Glenburgie fruit sits underneath and fights its way forward towards the end.

Finish

Very long. Cocoa, tobacco and dried fruit giving way slowly to a dry, nutty close.

Specifications

Name: Glenburgie 2008/2024 Signatory Vintage 15 Year Old Exceptional Cask 100 Proof Edition #2 Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 57.1%
Distillery: Glenburgie
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill oloroso sherry butts
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2008
Bottled: 25 March 2024
Edition: Exceptional Cask - 100 Proof Edition #2
EAN no.: 5021944125586

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Nutty · Spiced · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. The Exceptional Cask mark is only used on casks Signatory itself judges to sit above the normal level of the range, and 1st fill oloroso butts on a fifteen year old Glenburgie is an unusual combination. The range has a fixed format and is collected as a series by people who follow Signatory.

Did you know?

Glenburgie has been one of the backbones of Ballantine's for decades. The distillery supplies large volumes of malt to the blend, and precisely for that reason only a fraction of production is bottled as single malt — most bottles with Glenburgie on the label come from independent bottlers.

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An oloroso sherry hogshead is a mid-sized cask with a heavy payload. Càrn Mòr put a Glenburgie into one in 2010 and emptied it eleven years later. It produced 1,795 bottles, which is a lot for one cask — hogsheads hold around 250 litres.

The expert's description

Glenburgie 2010/2022 Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited 11 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an oloroso sherry hogshead and bottled at 47.5%.

The whisky was distilled in 2010 and bottled in 2022 with an outturn of 1,795 bottles, non-chill filtered and with no added colour. A hogshead gives faster than a butt because there is more wood per litre, and over eleven years the oloroso cask has managed to lay dark fruit and nuts in without taking over the brighter Glenburgie character.

Strictly Limited is the Càrn Mòr range for younger casks, and the strength is fixed at 47.5% throughout. Behind the range stands Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, where the fourth generation of the Morrison family runs the business from Aberargie in Perthshire.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark fruit and malt, with raisin, walnut and a trace of orange peel. Beneath the sherry the appley Glenburgie fruit sits and waits.

Palate

Round and spiced. Dried fruit, honey and nuts, with a light bitterness from the cask towards the end. The 47.5% gives the whisky firmness without making it sharp.

Finish

Medium to long. Malt, dark fruit and a dry, nutty close.

Specifications

Name: Glenburgie 2010/2022 Càrn Mòr 11 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 47.5%
Distillery: Glenburgie
Bottler: Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 47.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2010
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1,795
Edition: Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited
EAN no.: 5060109229424

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Nutty · Malty · Spiced

Did you know?

Glenburgie was built in 1810 by William Paul, making it one of the older distilleries in Speyside. It has changed owner and name several times along the way, but has been distilling almost without interruption for more than two hundred years.

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Càrn Mòr bottled two Glenburgies from 2010 in the same year. One sat in oloroso, the other — this one — in Pedro Ximénez. Same spirit, same vintage and almost the same age, but two different sherry types, and the difference is clear in the glass.

The expert's description

Glenburgie 2010/2022 Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited 12 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a Pedro Ximénez sherry hogshead and bottled at 47.5%.

The whisky was distilled in 2010 and bottled in 2022 with an outturn of 1,418 bottles, non-chill filtered and with no added colour. PX sherry is made from sun-dried grapes and is far sweeter than oloroso. The casks give raisin, fig and dark syrup rather than the dry nuttiness oloroso lays in, and on a bright spirit like Glenburgie’s that means a noticeably rounder whisky.

The Glenburgie style is fruity, soft and elegant, with juicy apples, pears and bright malt notes. Càrn Mòr bottlings are known for letting that clean profile through, and here the PX cask gives a balance of sweetness, freshness and lightly spiced depth.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin and fig first, with dark syrup and a warm spice note. Beneath the sweetness sit ripe fruit, vanilla and a trace of citrus.

Palate

Round and sweet. Ripe fruit, honey and vanilla, with cereal malt underneath and a lightly spiced depth towards the end. The PX cask takes up room, but the appley freshness gets through.

Finish

Pleasant and medium. Raisin and vanilla drying slowly into a lightly nutty close.

Specifications

Name: Glenburgie 2010/2022 Càrn Mòr 12 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 47.5%
Distillery: Glenburgie
Bottler: Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 47.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Pedro Ximénez sherry hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2010
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1,418
Edition: Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited
EAN no.: 5060109229608

Flavour profile

Sherried · Sweet · Fruity · Malty · Spiced

Did you know?

Glenburgie is one of the largest distilleries in the Chivas Brothers portfolio, yet it is almost never released as an official single malt. Nearly all of it goes into blends, which is why independent bottlers account for the great majority of bottles carrying the name.

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Nine years in a bourbon cask and nothing else. It is the shortest route to finding out what a distillery actually makes, and Càrn Mòr has not laid a layer of sherry on top to dress the result up. 800 bottles, and then the cask was empty.

The expert's description

Glenburgie 2012/2022 Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited 9 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a bourbon cask and bottled at 47.5%.

The whisky was distilled in 2012 and bottled in 2022 after nine years, with an outturn of 800 bottles, non-chill filtered and with no added colour. Nine years is young, but the Glenburgie spirit is soft enough to manage without many years of cask time, and a bourbon cask lets the bright fruit stand forward rather than covering it.

Strictly Limited is the range in the Càrn Mòr family where the younger casks get their space. Over the years the run has held whisky from Ardmore, Glen Ord, Bunnahabhain, Benrinnes, Ben Nevis, Caol Ila, Mortlach and a long list of other distilleries, always at the same fixed strength of 47.5%.

Tasting notes

Nose

Bright and fresh. Bitter grapefruit and almond, with Danish pastry and vanilla custard behind. A cereal malt note sits under the fruit.

Palate

Clean and direct. Vanilla custard and bright fruit, with a bitter citrus edge that keeps the sweetness from turning dull. The youth registers as a dry sharpness rather than as rawness.

Finish

Medium. Vanilla and grapefruit peel ebbing away into a dry, lightly almondy close.

Specifications

Name: Glenburgie 2012/2022 Càrn Mòr 9 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Whisky 47.5%
Distillery: Glenburgie
Bottler: Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 9 years
ABV: 47.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 800
Edition: Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited
EAN no.: 5060109228977

Flavour profile

Fruity · Citrus · Vanilla-sweet · Dry · Young

Did you know?

Glenburgie sits on a side road off the A96 between Forres and Elgin, with no signage to draw attention to it. For all its size, it is one of those distilleries people drive past without knowing what is in there.

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Thirty-two bottles, one for every piece on a chessboard. That is how The Chess Malt Collection is built, and each bottling carries a square name. D7 is a pawn’s starting square, and behind that particular piece sits a refill hogshead of Glenburgie from February 1998.

The expert's description

Glenburgie 23 Year Old The Chess Malt Collection D7 is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky from a refill hogshead, bottled at 54% in 238 bottles.

The cask was filled in February 1998 and emptied in October 2021 after twenty-three years. A refill hogshead gives slowly, and over that length of time the result is a whisky where the distillery takes up more room than the wood. The bottling is non-chill filtered and carries natural colour.

The series consists of thirty-two different bottlings from different distilleries, split evenly between black and white: two kings, two queens, four bishops, four knights, four rooks and sixteen pawns. It is a collecting project as much as a whisky range, and several of the squares are already hard to find.

Tasting notes

Nose

Tropical fruit and old oak, with pineapple, mango and a trace of wax. There is a light smoky note under the fruit and a nuttiness that twenty-three years has laid in.

Palate

Full and oily. Tropical fruit and nuts first, then a dry, lightly smoky edge and a firm spiced middle. The 54% gives the whisky weight without hiding the age.

Finish

Long. Nuts, dry oak and a final wisp of smoke that lingers well after the fruit has gone.

Specifications

Name: Glenburgie 23 Year Old The Chess Malt Collection D7 Speyside Single Malt Whisky 54%
Distillery: Glenburgie
Bottler: The Chess Malt Collection
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 23 years
ABV: 54%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: February 1998
Bottled: October 2021
Number of bottles: 238
Edition: The Chess Malt Collection D7

Flavour profile

Tropical · Nutty · Lightly smoky · Waxy · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. A twenty-three year old Glenburgie in 238 bottles cannot be repeated, and the bottling forms part of a series of thirty-two that is collected as a whole. That series structure means demand comes not only from whisky drinkers but also from those chasing the missing squares.

Did you know?

In 1958 Glenburgie had two Lomond stills fitted, producing a heavier spirit under the name Glencraig. It was intended for blending, and very little has ever been bottled as single malt. The stills were removed again in 1981.

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A white band around the neck. That is the kind of detail that places a bottle in time long before you read the label. This is Gordon & MacPhail’s Glenburgie from the years when the bottler was one of the few places you could find the distillery under its own name at all.

The expert's description

Glenburgie Old Version 8 Year Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled by Gordon & MacPhail at 40%.

Eight years is young, but it was normal for the older Gordon & MacPhail ranges, where the distillery character was meant to come through without many years of cask on top. The Glenburgie spirit is soft and fruity, and at 40% the whisky comes out light and round rather than powerful.

Gordon & MacPhail has been bottling Scotch from Elgin since 1895 and was for decades the most important source of single malt from distilleries that released nothing themselves. Glenburgie is one of those — almost the entire output goes into blends, and without bottlers like G&M most people would never have tasted the distillery.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malt and baked apple, with pale honey and a trace of vanilla. Calm and understated, as older 40% bottlings often are.

Palate

Soft and light. Pear, honey and cereal malt, with a dry turn mid-palate. The body is slender, but there is more texture than the number on the label suggests.

Finish

Short to medium. Malt and a dry touch of oak closing quietly.

Specifications

Name: Glenburgie Old Version 8 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Glenburgie
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Old Version - white neck band

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Fruity · Soft · Dry

Investment potential

Medium. Old Gordon & MacPhail bottlings with the white neck band belong to a period that is over, and Glenburgie at that young age is no longer made. It is not a bottle that gets speculated on, but the supply can only fall.

Did you know?

Gordon & MacPhail has been in Elgin since 1895 and for many years filled its own casks at the distilleries. That means the firm has in practice held its own stock of whisky from houses that have never released an official bottle themselves.

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No finish, no sherry, no tricks. Glencadam 10 Year Old is the distillery core release, and it is built to show what the house in Brechin actually makes when nothing has been laid over the top.

The expert's description

Glencadam 10 Year Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46%, non-chill filtered and with no added colour.

The 46% is a deliberate choice. Many distilleries put their entry release at 40%, but Glencadam has held on to the higher strength, and it gives the whisky noticeably more body. It is neither chill filtered nor colour-adjusted, which is unusual at that end of a range.

The bottling has won several awards and scored 94.5 out of 100 in the 2014 edition of Jim Murray's Whisky Bible. That is a high mark for a ten year old entry whisky, and it says something about the Glencadam spirit not needing many years of cask time to work.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet malt and vanilla, with warm grass, pear and fresh meringue. Bright and welcoming the whole way.

Palate

Soft and full. Orange marmalade, bourbon sweetness and charred cask, with lemon sorbet cutting through the sweetness. The 46% gives it the weight a ten year old rarely has.

Finish

Long and calming. Vanilla and citrus drying away slowly with no bitterness.

Specifications

Name: Glencadam 10 Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky 46%
Distillery: Glencadam
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5021349761327

Flavour profile

Fruity · Vanilla-sweet · Citrus · Soft · Malty

Did you know?

Glencadam was founded in 1825 by the merchant George Cooper in Brechin. That makes the distillery a contemporary of the first wave of legal Scottish distilleries that appeared after the excise legislation of 1823.

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Five years more than the ten year old, the same strength, the same approach. It is an honest way to show what time alone does to a spirit when nothing else is changed along the road.

The expert's description

Glencadam 15 Year Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46%, non-chill filtered and with no added colour.

Where the ten year old is bright and citrus-driven, the fifteen years have given the whisky a creamy texture and pulled it towards nuts and baking. The fruit is still there, but it has grown deeper and less sharp. The strength is the same, and the whisky is still neither chill filtered nor colour-adjusted.

The bottling won gold at the International Spirits Challenge in 2020 and scored 90.5 out of 100 in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible in 2014. Glencadam is not a name that takes up much room in whisky conversation, but the awards the distillery brings home stand in sharp contrast to how little it is talked about.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet malt and vanilla mixed with citrus and toasted nuts. There is a baked note behind it that the ten year old does not have.

Palate

Sweet and creamy. Sugared almond and panna cotta, with dried apple, nutmeg and cocoa powder. The texture is clearly fuller than in the younger release.

Finish

Long and calming. Nuts and vanilla ebbing away into a lightly spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Glencadam 15 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Glencadam
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5021349761334

Flavour profile

Creamy · Nutty · Vanilla-sweet · Fruity · Spiced

Did you know?

Glencadam is owned by Angus Dundee plc, which is also behind the Tomintoul distillery in Speyside. It is one of the few remaining independent family companies in Scotch whisky, and they run both distilleries without a large group behind them.

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Madeira is wine that has been deliberately heated. The casks carry that treatment with them, and it is a quite different sweetness from sherry — more caramelised, less raisiny. On the bright Glencadam spirit it makes for an unusual combination.

The expert's description

Glencadam Madeira Wine Cask Finish is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky with a finishing period in madeira casks, bottled at 46%.

Madeira is made by heating the wine over an extended period, which gives it a dry, nutty and lightly burnt character. The casks therefore add dried fruit, honey and spice rather than the dark syrup you get from Pedro Ximénez. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured and carries no age statement.

The Glencadam spirit is bright and fruit-driven, and precisely for that reason it takes a cask finish without disappearing. The madeira settles as a layer of rich fruit over the softer core, and the result is rounder than the core release without turning heavy.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruit and honey, with spice and a lightly burnt sweetness. Behind it the bright Glencadam orchard fruit keeps things fresh.

Palate

Rich and fruity. Dried apricot, honey and nuts, with a soft, round sweetness and a spice that arrives late. The 46% gives the whisky enough body to carry the cask.

Finish

Medium and soft. Honey and dried fruit sliding out into a dry, lightly nutty close.

Specifications

Name: Glencadam Madeira Wine Cask Finish Highland Single Malt Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Glencadam
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finishing period in madeira casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Madeira Wine Cask Finish
EAN no.: 5021349706588

Flavour profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Spiced · Soft · Wine-finished

Did you know?

The Glencadam pot stills have lyne arms angled upwards rather than down. That forces more of the vapour back into the still, and the extra reflux is why the spirit comes out so bright and fruit-driven.

See our full range of Glencadam

Pedro Ximénez is the sweetest sherry there is. The grapes are dried in the sun before pressing, giving a wine so thick it is close to syrup. The casks then work quickly on a whisky — even one as bright as Glencadam’s.

The expert's description

Glencadam PX Sherry Cask Finish is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American bourbon casks with a finishing period in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, bottled at 46%.

The main maturation takes place in traditional American oak bourbon casks, where the bright distillery fruit gets room. Only then does the whisky go into selected PX casks, and the short finish is enough to lay dark fruit and chocolate in without erasing the starting point. The whisky is non-chill filtered and carries natural colour.

PX casks are the most powerful in the sherry family and are normally used sparingly. On a spirit like Glencadam’s — light, fruit-driven and without much weight of its own — it is a balancing act, and the finish is therefore kept short enough that the whisky is not run over.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruits and dark chocolate, with spice and a rich sherry sweetness. Beneath the sweetness sits a brighter fruit note from the bourbon casks.

Palate

Full and rich. Raisin, fig and dark chocolate, with a spice that builds towards the end. The 46% and the absence of chill filtration give a clearly oily mouthfeel.

Finish

Medium to long. Sherry sweetness and cocoa drying slowly into a lightly nutty close.

Specifications

Name: Glencadam PX Sherry Cask Finish Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Glencadam
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American bourbon casks with a finishing period in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: PX Sherry Cask Finish
EAN no.: 5021349609704

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Chocolate · Spiced · Rich

Did you know?

Glencadam sits inside the town of Brechin itself, not out in the countryside like most Scottish distilleries. The town has grown around the site over two hundred years, and production today takes place in the middle of an ordinary residential area.

See our full range of Glencadam

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

The expert's description

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Sherried · Nutty · Dried fruit · Spiced · Fruity

Did you know?

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

See our full range of Glencadam

White port is a rarity in the whisky world. Most port casks that end up in Scotland have held ruby or tawny, and those give dark fruit. White port pulls the other way — towards stone fruit, citrus and something almost floral.

The expert's description

Glencadam White Port Cask Finish is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American ex-bourbon casks with a finishing period in white port casks from Portugal, bottled at 46%.

Main maturation takes place in American oak that previously held bourbon, and the finishing period runs in casks from white port. White port is made from white grapes and is brighter and fresher than the red varieties, which suits the Glencadam expression rather than competing with it. The whisky is non-chill filtered and carries natural colour.

The combination is unusual, even among the many cask finish releases out there. White port casks are rarely used for whisky, partly because they are hard to come by and partly because the effect is more subtle than sherry or red port — you need a spirit that can carry a light hand.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft, tart fruits and stone fruits, with buttery orange cakes and vanilla custard.

Palate

Delicate shades of sweet summer fruit and apple cakes, with raisins coated in honey and a trace of cedarwood. The texture is soft and round without turning heavy.

Finish

Pleasant with a peppery warmth, well balanced by vanilla, the scent of oak and flavourful butter biscuits. Medium.

Specifications

Name: Glencadam White Port Cask Finish Highland Single Malt Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Glencadam
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American ex-bourbon casks with a finishing period in white port casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: White Port Cask Finish
EAN no.: 5021349597704

Flavour profile

Fruity · Stone fruit · Vanilla-sweet · Soft · Spiced

Did you know?

White port makes up only a small share of total port production. The great majority is red, and that is exactly why white port casks are a rarity in Scottish warehouses compared with ruby and tawny casks.

See our full range of Glencadam

First came Darth Vader, then Yoda, and now Luke Skywalker. The names are the Danish whisky retailers' own joke, and the last one is a nod to Billy Walker — the man who lifted Glendronach out of obscurity, and whose surname fitted a little too well.

The expert's description

Glendronach 10 Year Old Luke Skywalker is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks and bottled at 48%.

The bottling was made officially for professional Danish whisky retailers in an outturn of around 3,000 bottles, sold only on the Danish market. The whisky sits entirely in PX sherry casks, the sweetest and most concentrated sherry type, and it is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Glendronach is built on sherry. Since 1826 the distillery has matured its whisky in Spanish oak casks from the bodegas of Andalucía, so a ten year old entirely in PX is not a side step but a concentrated version of the house style.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark sherry and raisin, with fig, dark chocolate and a layer of spice. The youth registers as a fresh berry note beneath the heavy fruit.

Palate

Full and sweet. Raisin, dates and dark chocolate, with a firm spiced middle. The 48% gives the whisky the weight a ten year old would otherwise lack against this much sherry.

Finish

Long. Dark fruit and cocoa drying slowly into a lightly bitter, nutty close.

Specifications

Name: Glendronach 10 Year Old Luke Skywalker Danish Whisky Retailers Highland Single Malt Whisky 48%
Distillery: Glendronach
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Pedro Ximénez sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: Approximately 3,000
Edition: Luke Skywalker - Officially Bottled for Professional Danish Whisky Retailers
EAN no.: 5060399683517

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Chocolate · Spiced · Full

Investment potential

High. Around 3,000 bottles for a single market, bottled officially for the professional trade and part of a named series. Exclusive market releases of that kind get collected as a run, and both Darth Vader and Yoda are now hard to find.

Did you know?

James Allardice, who founded Glendronach in 1826, was only the second person in Scotland to obtain a legal distilling licence after the excise legislation of 1823. The distillery has therefore been there from the very beginning of the legal Scotch whisky industry.

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The label is new, the whisky is the same. Glendronach reworked the whole core range in mid-2024, and the 12 year old was among the first to get the new look. The contents were not changed — only the frame around them.

The expert's description

Glendronach 12 Year Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Spanish Pedro Ximénez and oloroso sherry casks, bottled at 43%.

The whisky matures for over twelve years in a mix of the two sherry types. PX contributes raisin, fig and dark syrup, while oloroso lays in nuts and dry fruit, and the combination of the two is the very basis of the Glendronach house style. The casks come from the bodegas of Andalucía.

The 2024 redesign was more than a new label. Under Rachel Barrie the whole core range — 12, 15 and 18 years — was given a shared visual identity meant to put the sherry casks at the centre of the presentation. The 12 year old is the entry to the run and the release most people meet first.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin and fig first, with dark syrup from the PX casks. Behind that sit walnut and dried orange from the oloroso, plus a layer of warm spice.

Palate

Full and sherry-sweet. Dried fruit, nuts and dark chocolate, with a spiced middle and a touch of oak. The 43% holds the whisky together without making it hard.

Finish

Medium to long. Sherry sweetness and nuts drying slowly into a lightly bitter oak note.

Specifications

Name: Glendronach 12 Year Old Rebranded Sherry Cask Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 43%
Distillery: Glendronach
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Spanish Pedro Ximénez and oloroso sherry casks
Edition: Rebranded
EAN no.: 5060088791646

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Nutty · Spiced · Full

Did you know?

Glendronach reworked its entire core range in mid-2024. The 12, 15 and 18 year olds were given a shared new design that put the sherry casks at the centre of the presentation — a decision taken under Rachel Barrie’s stewardship.

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Half bottles of 50 cl were once common on the European market, and they disappeared quietly as 70 cl became the standard. A Glendronach in that format is therefore as much a piece of packaging history as it is a whisky.

The expert's description

Glendronach 12 Year Old Version is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks and bottled at 43% in a 50 cl bottle.

The 43% is higher than the 40% Traditional release from the same period, and it shows in the texture. Sherry casks are the foundation of the house, and over twelve years they have laid dried fruit and nuts in without making the whisky heavy. The bottling carries the old label design the distillery has since left behind.

Glendronach has drawn casks from Andalucía since the beginning, and it is not something the distillery has taken up recently. The sherry character in this bottle comes from a time when Spanish casks were far easier to source than today — something you can taste in how thorough the sherry character is even in a standard release.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruit and sherry, with nuts, malt and a trace of orange peel. There is a calm depth that the modern 12 year olds approach differently.

Palate

Round and malty. Raisin, walnut and pale caramel, with the sherry spread evenly through the palate. The 43% gives more body than the 40% release from the same period.

Finish

Medium. Nuts and dried fruit with a dry, lightly bitter close from the cask.

Specifications

Name: Glendronach 12 Year Old Version Sherry Cask Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 50 cl 43%
Distillery: Glendronach
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
Edition: Old Version

Flavour profile

Sherried · Nutty · Dried fruit · Malty · Round

Investment potential

Medium. The 50 cl format was phased out of the European market, and Glendronach with the old label design cannot be made again. It is a bottle easier to overlook than the big collector releases, and precisely for that reason it is becoming harder to find intact.

Did you know?

Glendronach burned down about ten years after it was founded, and James Allardice went bankrupt in 1842. The distillery stood idle until Walter Scott took it over in 1852 and rebuilt it into broadly the form it holds today.

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Traditional is what the label said back then, and it was not just a word. Through the 1990s Glendronach still ran direct firing under the stills and kept its own floor maltings, and whisky from that period tastes of a production that has since been changed.

The expert's description

Glendronach 12 Year Old Version Traditional is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in seasoned oak and sherry casks, bottled at 40%.

The bottling dates from the 1990s and carries the old Traditional designation the distillery no longer uses. The combination of seasoned oak and sherry casks was the house build at the time, and at 40% the whisky is softer and lighter than the later releases, which sit at 43% and above.

Alongside the bottle the set contains six Spirit Sniffer glasses carrying the Glendronach logo. It is a gift presentation that was sold as one piece, and the glasses are part of the whole rather than an accessory bought separately.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sherry and dried fruit, with malt and a dry, almost dusty spice note. There is a waxiness behind it that older bottles often develop.

Palate

Soft and round. Raisin, nuts and pale caramel, with the sherry as a calm undertone rather than the lead. The 40% keeps the whisky light, but the texture is fuller than the number suggests.

Finish

Medium. Malt and dried fruit ebbing away into a dry, nutty close.

Specifications

Name: Glendronach 12 Year Old Version Traditional Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Glendronach
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Seasoned oak and sherry casks
Bottled: 1990s
Edition: Old Version Traditional with six Spirit Sniffer glasses

Flavour profile

Sherried · Malty · Nutty · Soft · Dry

Investment potential

Medium. The Traditional designation disappeared from the labels years ago, and bottles from the 1990s cannot be made again. That the set is still complete with its six original glasses makes it harder to replace than the bottle alone.

Did you know?

Billy Walker bought Glendronach in 2008 through the BenRiach Distillery Company and set off the revival the distillery is known for today. In 2017 Rachel Barrie took over as master blender, and she still handles the cask selection.

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