Aultmore is one of those distilleries you rarely see on a label. Almost everything goes into Dewar’s White Label, and the casks that do escape typically end up with independent bottlers like this one.

The Expert's Description

Aultmore 2008/2022 Mossburn 14 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured for fourteen years in an Oloroso sherry hogshead and bottled at 52.6%. The cask gave 328 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

A hogshead holds around 250 litres, and when it has been filled with Oloroso it gives dried fruit, nuts and spice. Fourteen years is enough for the cask to lay on a clear layer, but not so long that the spirit disappears.

Aultmore’s fresh, grassy style provides good counterweight to the sherry. The distillery was built in 1896 by Alexander Edward, and since John Dewar & Sons bought it in 1923, by far the greater part of production has gone into their blends.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sherry and fruit in balance. Raisins and orange peel first, then walnut, honey and a fresh apple note from the spirit. A dry spiced oak note sits at the bottom.

Palate

Full and spiced. Dried fruit and sherry sweetness open, then nuts, cinnamon and black pepper arrive. At 52.6% there is good weight, and Aultmore’s freshness keeps the whisky from turning heavy.

Finish

Long and dry. Dark fruit, nuts and spiced oak that let go slowly.

Specifications

Name: Aultmore 2008/2022 Mossburn 14 Years Old Vintage Cask no. 30 Single Speyside Malt Whisky 52.6%
Distillery: Aultmore
Bottler: Mossburn Distillers
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 52.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry hogshead, cask no. 20.1008.SC37
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2008
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 328
Edition: Mossburn Vintage Casks No. 30
EAN no.: 5060033847565

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Dark Fruit · Nutty · Spiced · Fresh · Full-bodied

Did You Know?

Mossburn Distillers started as a bottler in 2015 and simultaneously built Torabhaig on the Isle of Skye, Skye’s first new distillery in over two hundred years. The Vintage Casks range is the house’s numbered series of single casks, and the number on the label tells you where in the sequence the release sits.

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Fourteen years in a used Oloroso cask have given this Teaninich a deep, dark sweetness that plays beautifully against the distillery's usually light style - bottled at full cask strength, unfiltered, uncompromised.

Expert description

Teaninich 2008/2022 Mossburn is a 14 year old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at cask strength, 54.9%, from independent bottler Mossburn Distillers' Vintage Casks range.

Vintage Casks is a relatively new series from Mossburn, where each cask is hand-picked by Master Blender Neil MacLeod Mathieson with a focus on characterful, rare single casks. This Teaninich matured in a used Oloroso sherry puncheon (batch no. #22.0208.SC41), which lent the whisky dried fruit character and a deeper, richer colour.

The whisky was distilled on 22 February 2008 and bottled on 7 November 2022, presented non-chill filtered and with natural colour. Only 685 bottles were released.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin sweetness and dark chocolate mingle with a touch of orange peel and warm baking spice.

Palate

Powerful and full-bodied, with stewed fruit, walnut and a pleasant sherry sweetness carried by the high strength.

Finish

Long and warm, with a lightly bitter cocoa note and a final trace of spiced oak.

Specifications

Name: Teaninich 2008/2022 Mossburn Vintage Casks 14 Year Old
Distillery: Teaninich
Bottler: Mossburn Distillers
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 54.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry puncheon (refill)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 22/02/2008
Bottled: 07/11/2022
Number of bottles: 685
Edition: Vintage Casks / Batch #22.0208.SC41
EAN no.: 5060033847602

Flavour profile

sherried · full-bodied · spiced

Did you know?

A puncheon is one of the largest cask types used in Scotch whisky production, holding up to around 500 litres, which gives the whisky more room to breathe and develop at a slower pace than in smaller casks.

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Forty years in cask is longer than most distilleries dare wait. The oak turns dominant, the alcohol drops, and every further year is a gamble that the whisky still has something to say when someone finally opens the valve.

The expert's description

BenRiach The Forty 40 years is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky matured in refill bourbon casks and refill port casks and bottled at 43.5 % without chill filtration and without added colour.

The bottling is the flagship of the house, assembled by Master Blender Rachel Barrie. Refill casks were a deliberate choice, since first fill wood would have run the whisky over long before the forty years were up. The port casks lay a layer of dark fruit over the bourbon matured core.

The 43.5 per cent is not a choice but a result. After forty years in a Scottish warehouse the strength falls on its own, and the whisky is bottled close to what the cask itself delivers.

Tasting notes

Nose

Deep dark fruit, plum and old oak with honey and a hint of tobacco.

Palate

Concentrated and velvety with dried fruit, cocoa and spiced oak. After forty years there is still fruit left, which is rarer than it sounds.

Finish

Very long and dry with dark fruit, oak and a warm note of spice.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach The Forty 40 år
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 40 years
ABV: 43,5 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill bourbon casks and refill port casks
Edition: The Forty 40 år

Flavour profile

Dark fruit · Full bodied · Oak driven · Spiced · Honeyed

Investment potential

High. Forty year old bottlings exist in very small quantities, and stocks of Scotch whisky from the 1980s shrink every year. Official flagship releases in that age bracket hold an established position on the collector market.

Did you know?

Around two per cent of a cask evaporates each year in Scotland. Over forty years that means well over half the original volume has vanished through the wood long before anyone got to taste it.

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Port wine is perhaps the most approachable of all sherry-like casks – soft sweetness, red berries and flowers. Mosgaard has used it in 50 cl format at 49%, and the result is a Danish single malt that doesn't intimidate anyone.

Expert description

Mosgaard Port Wine Cask is an organic Danish Single Malt Whisky bottled at 49% from Mosgaard Distillery in Odense. The whisky has been matured in port wine casks, which impart a soft, fruity and gently sweet character with red berries and flowers. Port wine casks are produced from the remnants of fortified wines from Portugal and give a more approachable and fruity expression than heavy sherry casks. Bottled in 50 cl format.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft sweetness with red berries, cherries and light floral notes. A fresh and inviting nose.

Palate

Round and fruity at 49% with the port wine cask's soft character. Red fruits, vanilla and a light spicy oak. Approachable and harmonious.

Finish

Medium long with lingering fruit and a soft, gently sweet close.

Specifications

Name: Mosgaard Port Wine Cask
Distillery: Mosgaard Distillery
Region/Country: Odense, Denmark
Type: Organic Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 49%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Port wine cask
EAN: 0602989758486

Flavour profile

Fruity · Soft · Red berries · Approachable

Did you know?

Port wine is a fortified wine from the Douro Valley in Portugal. Once port wine casks have given up most of their port character, whisky distilleries use them as finishing casks. Mosgaard uses port wine casks as part of their broad range of cask expressions – it is one of the softer and more fruity options in Mosgaard's palette.

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The northern lights dance across the tin, while the whisky inside holds a full year of sherry maturation and a strength that bites back.

Expert's Description

Scallywag The Winter Edition 2023 is a Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Douglas Laing, fully matured in sherry casks and bottled at 52.5%.

With 6,000 bottles, the 2023 edition is one of the larger Winter Edition releases, and the tin's fox terrier under the northern lights has become a recurring signature of each year's winter drop.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisins and toasted nuts sit heavily over a sweet sherry character with a hint of dark marmalade.

Palate

Full and robust with sherry sweetness, walnut and a warm alcoholic edge lifted by the high strength.

Finish

Long and spiced with lingering dried fruit and a dry, slightly bitter close.

Specifications

Name: The Winter Edition 2023
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 52.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Sherry casks
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Number of Bottles: 6,000 bottles
Edition: The Winter Edition 2023
EAN No.: 5014218827941

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Spiced · Full-bodied · Nutty

Did You Know?

Douglas Laing deliberately limits how many bottles of each Winter Edition reach the Danish market, even though the total release is larger — a distribution strategy that makes the Danish batches especially sought after.

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Cocoa beans roasting slowly while a Speyside malt quietly matures in sherry casks nearby — that is where Scallywag's sweet winter indulgence begins.

Expert's Description

Scallywag The Chocolate Edition 2023 is a Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Douglas Laing, fully matured in sherry casks and bottled at 48%.

This is a small batch release of 4,200 bottles, composed entirely of Speyside malts chosen for their cocoa-rich cask character, without chill filtration or added colouring.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Roasted cocoa and brown sugar sit over a malty sweetness with a hint of dried fig.

Palate

Silky smooth with dark chocolate, caramelised nuts and a gentle spiced warmth from the sherry cask.

Finish

Medium length with lingering cocoa and a dry, slightly bitter close, like coffee after a meal.

Specifications

Name: The Chocolate Edition 2023
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Sherry casks
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Number of Bottles: 4,200 bottles
Edition: The Chocolate Edition 2023
EAN No.: 5014218827125

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Cocoa · Sweet · Smooth

Did You Know?

Douglas Laing selects the casks for the Chocolate Edition purely by nosing for cocoa and roasted notes — a method the team simply calls 'nosing for chocolate'.

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Glasgow's restless energy is poured into a glass. This edition celebrates the city with a finish that leaves a sparkling, tangy touch of cuvée wine.

Expert description

The Epicurean Glasgow Edition Ex-Cuvée Cask Finish is a Lowland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Douglas Laing, finished in Ex-Cuvée casks and bottled at 50.4% ABV.

The "Glasgow Edition" is a tribute to the city The Epicurean calls home, created as a marriage of some of the finest Single Malts from the Scottish Lowlands, assembled to capture the city's friendly and energetic spirit.

The Ex-Cuvée casks previously held cuvée wine, adding a lightly tangy, winey character to the blend that sets it apart from the house's other Epicurean expressions.

5,100 bottles of this edition were produced, with no added colouring and no chill filtration.

Tasting notes

Nose

Crisp apple, white flowers and a hint of ripe pear, lifted by a light, sparkling tanginess.

Palate

Citrus fruit, toasted almond and a fine winey sweetness that ties the blend together.

Finish

Medium, dry and refreshing, with a last hint of apple skin.

Specifications

Name: The Epicurean Glasgow Edition Ex-Cuvée Cask Finish
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Cask type: Ex-Cuvée Cask Finish
ABV: 50.4%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 5,100
Edition: Glasgow Edition
EAN: 5014218827934

Flavour profile

Winey tang · Apple · Citrus

Did you know?

Cuvée casks are typically used to age quality wine blended from multiple grape varieties, and when reused for whisky they often add a light, tangy, faintly sparkling character.

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A more powerful edition of The Wiseman, where the same four bourbons carry more weight.

Expert description

Kentucky Owl The Wiseman GRØN American Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a stronger bottling of the Wiseman blend from four Kentucky distilleries, bottled at 50.4%. Kentucky Owl was founded by distiller Charles Mortimer Dedman in 1879, but lost its inventory when authorities seized the family's whiskey stock shortly before Prohibition in 1916. The brand lay dormant for nearly a century, until Dedman's descendant Dixon Dedman revived it in 2014, rebuilding Kentucky Owl around carefully selected and blended Kentucky whiskeys. In 2017, the family sold the brand to spirits company Stoli Group.

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Kentucky Owl The Wiseman GRØN American Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bottler: Kentucky Owl
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50.4%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Powerful · Spiced · Full-bodied · Oak

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Four bourbons, one blend — The Wiseman gathers the best from several Kentucky distilleries.

Expert description

Kentucky Owl The Wiseman BLÅ American Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a blend of four bourbons from different Kentucky distilleries, aged up to 8.5 years, bottled at 45.4%. Kentucky Owl was founded by distiller Charles Mortimer Dedman in 1879, but lost its inventory when authorities seized the family's whiskey stock shortly before Prohibition in 1916. The brand lay dormant for nearly a century, until Dedman's descendant Dixon Dedman revived it in 2014, rebuilding Kentucky Owl around carefully selected and blended Kentucky whiskeys. In 2017, the family sold the brand to spirits company Stoli Group.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and lightly toasted oak.

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: Kentucky Owl The Wiseman BLÅ American Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bottler: Kentucky Owl
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45.4%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Caramel · Rounded · Spiced

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A revived 19th-century legend, composed batch by batch from carefully selected barrels.

Expert description

Kentucky Owl Batch No. 11 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is part of the brand's numbered batch series, blended from selected Kentucky bourbons, bottled at cask strength, 59.4%. Kentucky Owl was founded by distiller Charles Mortimer Dedman in 1879, but lost its inventory when authorities seized the family's whiskey stock shortly before Prohibition in 1916. The brand lay dormant for nearly a century, until Dedman's descendant Dixon Dedman revived it in 2014, rebuilding Kentucky Owl around carefully selected and blended Kentucky whiskeys. In 2017, the family sold the brand to spirits company Stoli Group.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is intense with caramel, dried fruit and spiced oak.

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Kentucky Owl Batch No. 11 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bottler: Kentucky Owl
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 59.4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Strength

Flavour profile

Powerful · Spiced · Complex · Oak

Investment potential

Kentucky Owl's numbered batches are limited and vary in composition from one to the next, often making them sought after by collectors.

Thirty years is a long time to wait for a blend. The casks stood still while the world outside changed, and the result is a whisky where nothing is in a hurry any more.

Expert description

Black Bull 30 Years is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 50%.

This is the oldest standing release in the range and comes from Duncan Taylor Ltd. in Huntly. Both the malt and grain components have spent thirty years in wood, which is unusual for a blend, where the grain share is normally used young. The weight sits on Highland malt, and the 50% keeps the aromas together despite the long maturation.

The release marks Sir Nick Faldo's three world championships and three Masters victories, and the number thirty runs through both the age and the story. It is a blend where the cask has been allowed to work at length without taking command of the spirit.

Tasting notes

Nose

Handsome gold with a full aroma of fruitcake, almond and a hint of roses.

Palate

Beautifully balanced with warm winter spices and a whole cocktail of citrus fruit that keeps the profile fresh despite the age.

Finish

Fine and lightly spiced with notes of dried fruit that linger.

Specifications

Name: Black Bull 30 Years Blended Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50%
Distillery: Black Bull
Bottler: Duncan Taylor
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 30 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5056510005306

Flavour profile

Spiced · Fruity · Elegant · Mature · Citrus

Investment potential

High. Thirty years across both malt and grain is an unusual resource to commit to a blend, and the release is limited in scale. Older Black Bull bottlings have appreciated since launch.

Did you know?

Grain whisky is rarely matured this long, because it is traditionally treated as the filler in a blend. That is precisely why thirty year old grain has become one of the most sought-after categories among enthusiasts.

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Highland cattle do not step aside for weather. Neither does the whisky with the bull on the label — 50% and eighteen years in oak give a blend that holds its ground against whatever you put it next to.

Expert description

Black Bull 18 Years is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 50%.

The range comes from Duncan Taylor Ltd. in Huntly, an independent bottler with one of Scotland's better stocked cask inventories. Black Bull stands apart from most blends through its bottling strength, where competitors typically land at 40%. The recipe leans on Highland malt, and both the malt and the grain carry eighteen years.

The brand itself is a tribute to the golfer Sir Nick Faldo, whose career Duncan Taylor has marked with several bottlings. The Black Bull name comes from Scottish Highland cattle, whose hardiness the range borrows.

Tasting notes

Nose

Deep gold in the glass with a delicate aroma of dried fruit, creamy yoghurt, Turkish delight and sweet oak.

Palate

Open and direct, but full of character. Apples, pastry, cinnamon and clove, carried by the 50% without burning.

Finish

Long and intense with clear, creamy notes of spice and vanilla.

Specifications

Name: Black Bull 18 Years Blended Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50%
Distillery: Black Bull
Bottler: Duncan Taylor
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5056510005290

Flavour profile

Spiced · Fruity · Creamy · Powerful · Oaky

Investment potential

Medium. Age-stated blends at this strength form a small category, and the Black Bull range has drawn steady collector interest since Duncan Taylor revived the name.

Did you know?

Duncan Taylor was founded in Glasgow in 1938 as a cask and warehousing business. The reason the company now holds one of Scotland's oldest private cask stocks is that for decades it bought casks with no concrete plan to bottle them.

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In the shadow of the famous names, Linkwood quietly does its work — consistent, without fanfare.

Expert's description

Macbeth Lady Macduff 31 år Linkwood Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 48,2% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in american oak & first fill bourbon cask and bottled at 48,2%.

The whisky is distilled at Linkwood and independently selected and bottled by Livingstone as part of the Macbeth – Lady Macduff, The Thanes series.

Only 650 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose opens with honey, ripe pears and coconut.

Palate

On the tongue you find blossom, gentle sweetness from American oak and coconut.

Finish

The finish is short but concentrated, with caramel and blossom.

Specifications

Name: Macbeth Lady Macduff 31 år Linkwood Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 48,2%
Distillery: Linkwood
Bottler: Livingstone
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 31 years
ABV: 48,2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American Oak & First Fill Bourbon Cask
Number of bottles: 650
Edition: Macbeth – Lady Macduff, The Thanes
EAN no.: 5060880922934

Flavour profile

Bourbon-matured · Soft · Sweet

Investment potential

Medium. With 31 years of maturation and only 650 bottles, Lady Macduff is one of the rarer Linkwood releases, reinforced by the Macbeth series' status as an illustrated collector's item.

Did you know?

For decades, most of Linkwood's output went straight into blends such as Johnnie Walker and White Horse, and official single malt releases have historically been rare.

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Glen Garioch belongs to the kind of spirit whisky people speak of quietly, with respect.

Expert's description

Macbeth Angus 31 år Glen Garioch Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 54,6% is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in american oak & first fill bourbon cask and bottled at 54,6%.

The whisky is distilled at Glen Garioch and independently selected and bottled by Livingstone as part of the Macbeth – Angus, The Thanes series.

Only 600 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose opens with light smoke, honey and coconut.

Palate

On the tongue you find spice, vanilla and caramel.

Finish

The aftertaste is long and warm, with gentle sweetness from American oak and light smoke.

Specifications

Name: Macbeth Angus 31 år Glen Garioch Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 54,6%
Distillery: Glen Garioch
Bottler: Livingstone
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 31 years
ABV: 54,6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American Oak & First Fill Bourbon Cask
Number of bottles: 600
Edition: Macbeth – Angus, The Thanes
EAN no.: 5060880922897

Flavour profile

Bourbon-matured · Soft · Sweet

Investment potential

Medium. The Macbeth series is illustrated by Sir Quentin Blake in collaboration with Elixir Distillers, and with 31 years of maturation and only 600 bottles, Angus is a sought-after collector's item.

Did you know?

Glen Garioch, in Aberdeenshire, is known for having reused waste heat from distillation to warm local greenhouses.

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BenRiach belongs to the kind of spirit whisky people speak of quietly, with respect.

Expert's description

Macbeth Menteith 31 år BenRiach Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 53,1% is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in american oak & refill hogshead and bottled at 53,1%.

The whisky is distilled at BenRiach and independently selected and bottled by Livingstone as part of the Macbeth – Menteith, The Thanes series.

Only 650 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma offers malt, light fruit and light oak.

Palate

On the tongue you find honey, mild sweetness and spice.

Finish

The finish is medium in length, with mild sweetness and honey.

Specifications

Name: Macbeth Menteith 31 år BenRiach Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 53,1%
Distillery: BenRiach
Bottler: Livingstone
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 31 years
ABV: 53,1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American Oak & Refill Hogshead
Number of bottles: 650
Edition: Macbeth – Menteith, The Thanes
EAN no.: 5060880922880

Flavour profile

Fruity · Soft · Classic

Investment potential

Medium. 31 years on cask and only 650 bottles make Menteith a rare BenRiach, further sought after by collectors for the Macbeth series' illustrated labels.

Did you know?

BenRiach stood silent for much of the 20th century but is today known for experimenting widely with both peated and unpeated malt from the same site.

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Three figures bent over a cauldron in the mist, a prophecy whispered out over the heather, and a 19-year-old Ardbeg dressed for the occasion.

Expert Review

Macbeth First Witch 19 Year Old is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Ardbeg, matured in Pedro Ximenez casks and bottled at 51.7%.

First Witch is the opening bottle in the Witches series, part of Livingstone's wider Macbeth Collection, where every release is named after a character from Shakespeare's tragedy and illustrated by British artist Quentin Blake. Underneath the imaginative label sits an unadulterated Ardbeg, left to rest on Pedro Ximenez casks so it can pull both sweetness and depth from the dark sherry wood. 1,800 bottles of this release were filled.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Tar and peat smoke meet a deep, dark sweetness of dried fig and raisin, with a hint of fish leather in the background.

Palate

Bold and oily, where the smoke is carried by syrupy sweetness, dark chocolate and a touch of salted liquorice.

Finish

Long, dry and smoky, with a final wave of spiced sherry and ash from an old bonfire.

Specifications

Name: Macbeth First Witch 19 Year Old
Distillery: Ardbeg
Bottler: Livingstone
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 19 years
ABV: 51.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Pedro Ximenez casks
Number of bottles: 1,800 bottles
Edition: The Witches – First Witch
EAN no.: 5060880923054

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Sherry-matured · Dark · Spiced

Investment Potential

Medium. A 19-year-old Ardbeg limited to 1,800 bottles, from a sought-after collection with striking artwork, typically draws in collectors as well as drinkers.

Did You Know?

Livingstone's full Macbeth Collection runs to 42 bottles, one for every named character in Shakespeare's play, and First Witch is the very first you meet in the line-up.

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Some bottles tell an entire story in the name alone. Macbeth First Murderer 18 år The Isle of Mull Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50,5% is one of them.

Expert's description

Macbeth First Murderer 18 år The Isle of Mull Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50,5% is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in american oak & hogshead and bottled at 50,5%.

The whisky is distilled at Tobermory and independently selected and bottled by Livingstone as part of the Macbeth – First Murderer, The Murderers series.

Only 2100 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

On the nose you meet malt, citrus and light oak.

Palate

On the tongue you find sea salt, light oak and spice.

Finish

The aftertaste is medium in length, with mild sweetness and malt.

Specifications

Name: Macbeth First Murderer 18 år The Isle of Mull Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 50,5%
Distillery: Tobermory
Bottler: Livingstone
Region/Country: Isle of Mull
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 50,5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American Oak & Hogshead
Number of bottles: 2100
Edition: Macbeth – First Murderer, The Murderers
EAN no.: 5060880923092

Flavour profile

Fruity · Soft · Classic · Smoky

Did you know?

Tobermory is the only distillery on the Isle of Mull, overlooking the island's colourful harbourfront, one of Scotland's most photographed views.

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Madeira matures through heat, not in spite of it. The wine is deliberately warmed for years until it tastes of burnt sugar and nut, and the casks carry part of that story into the whisky.

The expert's description

BenRiach The Twenty Five 25 years is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks, bourbon casks, virgin oak and Madeira casks and bottled at 46 %.

The bottling uses four cask types, the house approach in the older releases. The Madeira wood is what separates it from The Twenty One, adding a nutty sweetness with notes of burnt sugar that differs from both sherry and port.

Twenty-five years is a long time even by Scottish standards, and a considerable share of the cask contents has evaporated along the way. That is one reason bottlings in this age class are made in small quantities.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruit, burnt sugar and walnut with a deep note of oak.

Palate

Rich and concentrated with raisin, caramel and spiced oak. The Madeira gives a nutty sweetness that keeps the whisky from turning dry.

Finish

Very long and warm with nut, dried fruit and a dry close of oak.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach The Twenty Five 25 år
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks, bourbon casks, virgin oak and Madeira casks
Edition: The Twenty Five 25 år
EAN no.: 5060716140020

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Nutty · Full bodied · Spiced · Dried fruit

Investment potential

High. Twenty-five year old official bottlings exist in small quantities, and stocks of Scotch whisky from the 1990s fall steadily. Age stated bottles in that class hold an established place on the collector market.

Did you know?

Madeira was originally heated by accident. The wine travelled through the tropics as ballast, and when it turned out the heat improved it, producers started warming it deliberately in the warehouses on the island.

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On the humid plains of Yilan in Taiwan, where tropical heat pushes whisky to mature at record speed, Kavalan makes some of Asia's most awarded single malt.

Expert Description

Kavalan Distillery Select No 2 is a Single Malt Taiwan Whisky matured in a combination of American and European oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The bottle is the distillery's gateway expression - a signature blend of several cask types showing the breadth of Kavalan's style without losing the tropical maturation power the distillery is known for. Kavalan was founded in 2005 by the King Car Group and has won numerous international awards in under two decades.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Tropical fruit and vanilla custard meet a light nutty tone and a touch of warm caramel.

Palate

Full-bodied and soft with honey, mango and a mild oak spice that ties it all together.

Finish

Medium length and warm, with a last note of dried fruit and light oak.

Specifications

Name: Kavalan Distillery Select No 2
Distillery: Kavalan
Region/Country: Yilan, Taiwan
Type: Single Malt Taiwan Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 4710085236749

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Creamy · Sweet · Smooth

Did You Know?

Taiwan's hot, humid climate matures whisky up to three times faster than in Scotland - a 3-year-old Kavalan can taste far older than its age suggests.

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A distillery that lay forgotten for 90 years, until two brothers stumbled onto their own family's history.

Expert description

Nelson's Green Brier Sour Mash Tennessee Whiskey is an American Tennessee Whiskey, bottled at 45.5%. Nelson's Green Brier was founded by Charles Nelson in 1860 and grew into one of the South's largest whiskey producers, selling around 387,000 gallons a year by 1885, until Prohibition shut the distillery down in 1914. The story lay forgotten until brothers Charlie and Andy Nelson discovered a historical marker about their ancestor's distillery in 2006, while visiting the countryside outside Nashville. They reopened the distillery in November 2014, having already launched Belle Meade Bourbon in 2013 — a name drawn from the family's historic label — while waiting on permits and equipment.

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and round.

Specifications

Name: Nelsons Green Brier Sour Mash Tennessee Whiskey
Distillery: Nelson's Green Brier
Region/Country: Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Type: Tennessee Whiskey
ABV: 45.5%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Grainy · Sweet · Round

Did you know?

Brothers Charlie and Andy Nelson knew nothing of their family's whiskey past until they stumbled on a historical roadside marker for Green Brier Distillery during a drive outside Nashville in 2006.

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A reference book that gets bought again every single year by people who already own last year's edition.

About the product

The Malt Whisky Yearbook 2024 by Ingvar Ronde is the annual, fully updated reference guide with information on over 400 whisky distilleries worldwide. The book includes more than 250 tasting notes from every active distillery in Scotland and Japan, alongside articles from respected whisky experts and over 500 colour photographs.

It works as much as a reference guide as a book for pleasure reading, and is a fixture for serious whisky collectors year after year.

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A single cask, a ruby port pipe, left to shape the entire character on its own. Batch 6 is one of the rarer chapters in GlenAllachie's single cask series — only 797 bottles exist of this exact combination.

Expert's description

GlenAllachie 2011/2023 Ruby Port Pipe 11 Year Old Batch 6 is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, fully matured in a single ruby port pipe, bottled at cask strength of 58.2%.

The whisky was distilled on 25 October 2011 and left to rest in Cask No. 7445 until July 2023, when it was bottled. More than 11 years of maturation in a single port pipe has given the whisky a deep, fruit-driven character not found in the more blended batches.

The cask forms part of Batch 6 in the single cask series, and with only 797 bottles drawn from this exact cask, it counts among the distillery's more limited releases.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe red berries and a light wine-like sweetness from the port meet spiced oak. There's depth on the nose, almost like dark fruit cake, with a hint of spice in the background.

Palate

The palate offers the same red-berry sweetness, now with more weight and a touch of dried fruit. The port cask shines through with a tart-sweet balance, while the spices push back.

Finish

Long and fruit-driven, with a lingering sweetness from the port that slowly gives way to dry oak.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 2011/2023 Ruby Port Pipe 11 Year Old Batch 6 Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 58.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ruby Port Pipe, Cask No. 7445
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 797
Edition: Batch 6
EAN no.: 5060568326993

Flavour profile

Fruit-driven · Wine-like · Red berries · Spiced oak · Port sweetness · Single cask

Investment potential

A single cask with only 797 bottles gives this release a natural rarity. Port pipes are used sparingly in GlenAllachie's world, which makes this exact cask profile less common than the classic sherry bottlings.

Did you know?

A "pipe" is a traditional port cask size, originally used to transport port from Portugal — considerably larger than a standard sherry cask, giving the whisky a different wood contact ratio.

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Toasted rather than charred — Toasted Barrel Finish gives Ry3 a finer, spicier dimension.

Expert description

Ry3 Toasted Barrel Finish Blended Rye Whiskey is the Ry3 blend finished in toasted (not charred) barrels, bottled at cask strength, 59.9%. Ry3 is created by blending house Phenomenal Spirits in Virginia Beach, led by master blender Matt Witzig, previously co-founder and master blender for the acclaimed Joseph Magnus. The name Ry3 refers to the signature recipe: each bottle blends three different rye whiskeys with three different mash bills, aged for three different periods — a combination of Indiana rye, Alberta rye and light whiskey.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers spiced rye, caramel and a finer, toasted oak tone.

Palate

The palate is round and spiced with rye, honey and an elegant oak imprint.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, spiced and lightly sweet.

Specifications

Name: Ry3 Toasted Barrel Finish Blended Rye Whiskey
Bottler: Phenomenal Spirits
Region/Country: Virginia Beach, USA
Type: Blended Rye Whiskey
ABV: 59.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Strength, toasted barrel finish

Flavour profile

Spiced · Elegant · Rye · Oak

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Three rye whiskeys, three mash bills, one rum cask — Ry3's signature recipe with a Caribbean twist.

Expert description

Ry3 Rum Cask Finish Blended Rye Whiskey is a blend of three rye whiskeys, finished in rum casks, bottled at cask strength, 61.6%. Ry3 is created by blending house Phenomenal Spirits in Virginia Beach, led by master blender Matt Witzig, previously co-founder and master blender for the acclaimed Joseph Magnus. The name Ry3 refers to the signature recipe: each bottle blends three different rye whiskeys with three different mash bills, aged for three different periods — a combination of Indiana rye, Alberta rye and light whiskey.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers spiced rye, tropical fruit and a sweet rum tone.

Palate

The palate is powerful and layered with rye, caramel and a hint of rum sweetness.

Finish

The finish is long, spiced and lightly sweet.

Specifications

Name: Ry3 Rum Cask Finish Blended Rye Whiskey
Bottler: Phenomenal Spirits
Region/Country: Virginia Beach, USA
Type: Blended Rye Whiskey
ABV: 61.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Strength, finished in rum casks

Flavour profile

Spiced · Sweet · Powerful · Rye

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

Expert's description

Invergordon 2006/2020 Blackadder Raw Cask 14 Year Single Grain Scotch Whisky 64,2% is a Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured on hogshead, fad nr. 901435 and bottled at 64,2%.

This bottling comes from Blackadder, released as part of the Raw Cask range.

The whisky was distilled in 26 June 2006 and bottled in August 2020.

Only 590 bottles were produced from this cask, making it a limited release for collectors.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla, toffee and roasted almonds.

Palate

Creamy vanilla, brown sugar and a hint of nut.

Finish

Soft and lingering with a delicate spice.

Specifications

Name: Invergordon 2006/2020 Blackadder Raw Cask 14 Year Single Grain Scotch Whisky 64,2%
Distillery: Invergordon
Bottler: Blackadder
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 64,2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogshead, fad nr. 901435
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 26 June 2006
Bottled: August 2020
Number of bottles: 590
Edition: Raw Cask
EAN no.: 5055030619949

Flavour Profile

Creamy · Spiced

Did you know?

The Raw Cask bottlings are meant to recreate the experience of drawing whisky straight from the cask in a Scottish warehouse, the way it was done before chill filtration became common in the 20th century.

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If you see small dark flakes at the bottom of the bottle, they are there on purpose. Blackadder does not filter Raw Cask at all, not even for the wood residue from the cask.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2009/2021 Blackadder Raw Cask 11 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky from a single cask, bottled at cask strength, 56.3%. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured, and it has not been filtered for cask residue either.

Raw Cask is Blackadder’s most uncompromising range. The whisky goes straight from the cask into the bottle, and the char and wood residue that come with it stay put. That gives extra depth of flavour and a visible sediment in the bottle.

Auchroisk was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend. The bright, citrus-driven style is allowed to stand at full strength here, where the concentration brings out both fruit and oak.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Powerful and concentrated. Vanilla, apple and a clear oak note first, then honey, citrus and a dry, lightly resinous note from the cask residue.

Palate

Full and intense. Vanilla and honey open, then spiced oak, citrus and black pepper arrive. At 56.3% there is real strength, and the whisky changes markedly with a few drops of water.

Finish

Long and dry. Oak, spice and a lightly bitter wood note that holds on for a long time.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2009/2021 Blackadder Raw Cask 11 Years Old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 56.3%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Blackadder
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 56.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Single cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2021
Edition: Blackadder Raw Cask
EAN no.: 5055030611172

Flavour Profile

Cask Strength · Unfiltered · Vanilla · Oak · Spiced · Powerful

Did You Know?

Blackadder was founded in 1995 by Robin Tucek and John Lamond, who had written The Malt Whisky File together. The Raw Cask range grew out of a simple conviction: that anything you filter out is also flavour you remove. The residue from the cask therefore stays in the bottle.

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Embers are what is left when the flames have gone out but the heat keeps going. That is a fair description of what peat smoke does to a whisky bottled without a filter.

Expert description

Blackadder Raw Cask Peat Reek Embers 2018 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at cask strength, 58.5%, without chill filtration and without added colour.

Embers is a variation on Blackadder's Peat Reek theme, bottled in May 2018 in a run of 620 bottles. As across the series the distillery is not disclosed, but the whisky is an Islay single malt and peat is the load-bearing component. The bottling strength sits slightly below the 2016 release, which gives a rounder expression.

The Raw Cask method means the whisky is only coarsely filtered before bottling. The result is a texture noticeably fatter than conventionally bottled whisky, and a flavour with nothing sanded off.

Tasting notes

Nose

Embers and wet ash, with sweet barley, salted liquorice and a little grilled lemon. An earthy, almost loamy note sits beneath the smoke.

Palate

Thick and round with soot, caramel and peppery spice. The smoke is constantly present, but cask sweetness keeps it from drying out.

Finish

Long and warm with ash, seaweed and a final flick of salt.

Specifications

Name: Blackadder Raw Cask Peat Reek Embers 2018 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 58.5%
Bottler: Blackadder
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 58,5%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: May 2018
Number of bottles: 620
Edition: Raw Cask Peat Reek Embers
EAN no.: 5055030617341

Flavour profile

Smoky · Salty · Earthy · Sweet · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium. A limited bottling of 620 bottles from a series whose individual releases are not repeated. Demand for unfiltered Islay bottlings has held steady.

Did you know?

Blackadder takes its name from the Blackadder Water, a river in the Scottish Borders — not from the television series, as many assume.

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On Hven, a speck of land in the Öresund strait where nothing is ever quite ordinary, a corn whisky broke a few local rules the moment it appeared. MerCurious borrows its name from the quicksilver planet, and it distils almost pure Swedish corn into something closer to bourbon than to any Nordic single malt you have tried.

The Expert's Description

Spirit of Hven MerCurious is a Swedish Corn Whisky matured in new, air-dried American oak casks and bottled at 45.6%.

Behind the bottle stands Henric Molin, the distillery's restless distiller, who built MerCurious as a nod to the American bourbon tradition, using purely Swedish grain as its base. The recipe runs 88 percent corn, topped up with wheat, barley and rye, and every batch is drawn from fourteen casks of air-dried American virgin oak. Depending on each cask's character, the whisky matures for three to eight years before it is blended and bottled.

The idea for Spirit of Hven took shape when Anja and Henric Molin realised this small island in the Öresund had almost everything a distillery could ask for: nutrient-rich soil, a mild microclimate and a position squarely between two countries. The distillery opened in 2008, and MerCurious has become one of its most personal expressions, a corn spirit that insists on doing things its own way.

Tasting notes

Nose

Light, sweet aromas of caramel and ripe apple lead, spiced with a touch of lingonberry. Underneath sits a sweet note reminiscent of freshly baked cornbread.

Palate

The whisky opens almost sparkling and fresh before rounding out into a fuller, sweeter register of vanilla and cocoa. The corn stays clearly present, close to leaning over a pot of just-boiled sweetcorn, balanced by a light tartness that recalls a warm fruit pie.

Finish

Soft and warm, closing on a last trace of sugar-cane syrup and toasted oak.

Specifications

Name: Spirit of Hven MerCurious Swedish Corn Whisky
Distillery: Spirit of Hven
Region/Country: Hven, Sweden
Type: Swedish Corn Whisky
ABV: 45.6%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: New, air-dried American oak casks
EAN no.: 7350044859441

Flavour profile

Sweet · Creamy · Fruity · Grainy · Lightly spiced

Did you know?

Hven measures barely 7.5 square kilometres, belongs to Sweden, yet sits closer to the Danish coast than the Swedish one. That geographic quirk makes Spirit of Hven one of the most border-crossing distilleries you will ever pour a dram from.

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Islay is known for its smoke, but "Williamson" is the name used when the distillery behind it prefers to stay hidden. This 16 year old from The Coopers Choice is a rare glimpse into the island's undisclosed side.

The expert's description

Williamson 2005/2021 Coopers Choice 16 år Secret Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 51% is a Secret Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Bourbon cask, cask no. #800100 and bottled at 51%.

The whisky was distilled in March 2005 and bottled in 2021 by the independent merchant The Coopers Choice, from a single bourbon cask, no. #800100, with an outturn of just 204 bottles. As a Secret Islay Blended Malt, the original distillery is not disclosed, but the style clearly carries Islay's characteristic signature.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Smoky seaweed and a hint of sea salt.

Palate

Full-bodied with citrus and a light medicinal tone.

Finish

Long and smoky with lingering maritime depth.

Specifications

Name: Williamson 2005/2021 Coopers Choice 16 år Secret Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 51%
Distillery: Williamson
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Secret Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 51%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask, cask no. #800100
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 03.2005
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 204
Edition: Limited Edition, Single Cask Release

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Maritime · Full-bodied

Did you know?

The name Williamson is used by several independent bottlers as a shared label for releases from undisclosed Islay distilleries, making it one of the most recognisable "secret" names in the whisky world.

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At the end of 2023, Signatory said goodbye to 43% for good, and this Whitlaw is among the last of its kind. From then on, everything from the house had to be at least 46%.

The expert's description

Whitlaw 2013/2022 Signatory Vintage 9 år Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 43% is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in 1st & 2nd fill Oloroso sherry butts and bottled at 43%.

The whisky was distilled in June 2013 and bottled in December 2022 by Signatory Vintage, matured for 9 years in 1st & 2nd fill Oloroso sherry butts. It is one of the last 43% bottlings Signatory produced before the house raised its minimum strength to 46% for all future releases at the end of 2023.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sherry, dried apricots and a hint of toasted oak.

Palate

Soft with orange marmalade and light spice.

Finish

Medium length with warm sherry sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Whitlaw 2013/2022 Signatory Vintage 9 år Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 43%
Distillery: Whitlaw
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Orkney, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 9 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st & 2nd fill Oloroso sherry butts
Distilled: 06.2013
Bottled: 12.2022
EAN no.: 5021944121465

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Soft · Spiced

Did you know?

Whitlaw is one of several alternative names Signatory Vintage uses for Highland Park when the distillery does not want its name on the label, a common practice among Orkney distilleries.

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