An Austrian immigrant's mail-order whiskey empire was shut down by Prohibition — and reborn over 90 years later as the city's first distillery since.

Expert description

Rieger's Extra Fine Kansas City Whiskey is an American blended whiskey, bottled at 46%, from J. Rieger & Co.. Jacob Rieger emigrated from Görz, Austria, to the US in 1877 and founded his distillery in 1887 in Kansas City's West Bottoms neighbourhood, directly across from the city's livestock exchange. Under the leadership of his son Alexander Rieger, the company grew into the largest mail-order whiskey house in the US, with over 250,000 customers and a range of more than 100 unique products, including whiskeys, gins, rums and stomach bitters. The distillery closed in December 1919 due to federal Prohibition and wasn't re-established until 2014 by Andy Rieger and Ryan Maybee, who thereby founded Kansas City's first legal distillery since Prohibition. Kansas City Whiskey is a blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Light Corn Whiskey and Straight Rye Whiskey, all aged at least 4 years, with a small amount of 15-year-old Oloroso sherry from the Williams & Humbert bodega added.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, sherry and a hint of spiced rye.

Palate

The palate is round with brown sugar, dried fruit and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, spicy and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Riegers Extra Fine Kansas City Whiskey
Bottler: J. Rieger & Co.
Region/Country: Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Type: Blended American Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Sherried · Spicy · Sweet · Round

Did you know?

J. Rieger & Co. was once the largest mail-order whiskey house in the US with over 250,000 customers — a position that vanished with Prohibition and wasn't revived until 95 years later.

See our full range of J. Rieger & Co.

A bourbon brand born as an export product with an American flag on the label became Europe's best-selling bourbon in its heyday.

Expert description

PennyPacker 2 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an American bourbon, matured for 2 years and bottled at 40%, from PennyPacker. The brand was originally introduced by the American Distilling Company in Pekin, Illinois, in the 1970s, purely as an export product designed with American imagery, including a US flag and a motif of Abraham Lincoln, to appeal to European consumers. The mash bill consists of roughly 70% corn plus rye and barley. In 1972, the brand was acquired by Borco-Marken, and PennyPacker became the best-selling bourbon in the European market throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Today the brand is owned by Heaven Hill, which reintroduced it to the US market in 2013.

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

The palate is round with brown sugar, honey and light spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: PennyPacker 2 år Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bottler: PennyPacker
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: 2 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Sweet · Grainy · Soft · Round

Did you know?

PennyPacker was originally created exclusively for the European export market with deliberate American imagery — including Abraham Lincoln on the label — and became the best-selling bourbon in Europe throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

See our full range of PennyPacker

An Oloroso sherry butt that waited 25 years. Distilled in 1997, bottled in 2023 — and somewhere in between, Bowmore's peat and coastline merged with the cask's dark fruit in a way that simply cannot be planned.

Expert's description

Bowmore 1997/2023 Symingtons Choice 25 Year is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled as a Single Cask from an Oloroso Sherry Butt at 55.9%. Signatory Vintage released the Symingtons Choice series in 2023 as a tribute to founder Andrew Symington — a collection of carefully selected, aged single casks from Scotland's finest distilleries. This Bowmore from 1997 was drawn from cask no. 2422, a first-fill Oloroso sherry butt, at full cask strength. Distilled on 23 September 1997 and bottled on 9 February 2023 — exactly 25 years in cask. During that time, the sherry and the whisky's maritime DNA slowly found one another: dark fruit and smoke, sea air and oak. Non-chill filtered, natural colour. Bottle 427 of 616.

Tasting notes

Nose

Rich and warming. Dried plums, dark orange marmalade and fig. Behind it, Bowmore's characteristic sea salt and restrained smoke — now wrapped in sherry depth and beeswax.

Taste

Full and concentrated. Figs, dark chocolate and orange peel. The peat is present but gentle — a background note rather than the main event. Oak tannins give structure.

Finish

Very long and complex. Dried fruits, spice and lingering coastal smokiness. Dark chocolate and leather develop slowly as the glass empties.

Specifications

Name: Bowmore 1997/2023 Symingtons Choice 25 Year
Distillery: Bowmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 55.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso Sherry Butt (cask no. 2422)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 23.09.1997
Bottled: 09.02.2023
Number of bottles: 616
EAN no.: 5021944121854

Flavour profile

Sherried · Peated · Dark fruit · Rich · Complex

Investment potential

High. A 25-year-old single cask Bowmore from an independent bottler at cask strength is rare by any standard. Only 616 bottles were produced from this specific cask — making it a serious collector's bottle.

Did you know?

The Symingtons Choice series is named after Andrew Symington, who founded Signatory Vintage in 1988 and built it into one of Scotland's most respected independent bottlers before selling to Edrington Group in 2023.

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A honeycomb on the label, a hint of honey in the glass. The Hive is Wemyss Malts' sweet tribute to everything a Blended Malt can be when the family behind the bottle thinks more like wine merchants than traditional whisky blenders.

Expert description

The Hive Small Batch is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46% ABV by Wemyss Malts, assembled from carefully selected casks sourced from several Scottish distilleries.

The Wemyss family, whose name derives from the Gaelic word for "caves," has a background in wine merchanting and approaches whisky the way a negociant approaches wine: by seeking out and selecting the finest casks rather than focusing on a single distillery profile. The Hive is named for its character rather than its origin, and the bee on the label reflects that sweet, honeyed style.

This Small Batch release brings together a smaller number of carefully chosen casks, ensuring a consistent yet still hand-crafted character from batch to batch.

Tasting notes

Nose

Bright and inviting, with acacia honey, crisp apples and a touch of vanilla.

Palate

Soft and round with honeyed sweetness, ripe pear and a light, creamy vanilla note.

Finish

Medium length and sweet, closing with a hint of honey cake.

Specifications

Name: The Hive Small Batch
Bottler: Wemyss Malts
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NA
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN: 040232144936

Flavour profile

Honey · Fruity · Soft

Did you know?

The Wemyss family home, Wemyss Castle in Fife, sits just a few miles from the Cameron Bridge distillery, and the family has had close ties to the whisky industry since John Haig built his first distillery on their land in the 19th century.

See our full range of Wemyss Malts

Turn the strength down to standard, and the spices become more approachable without losing their character — Small Batch is Spice King's everyday edition.

Expert's Description

Spice King Small Batch is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Wemyss Malts, bottled at 46% with no fixed age statement.

Unlike the Batch Strength editions, Small Batch is reduced to a more approachable strength, making it the range's most everyday-friendly release without compromising the spiced core character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Spiced malt meets a light sweetness of honey and dried fruit.

Palate

Soft and spicy with pepper, ginger and a hint of citrus.

Finish

Medium length with lingering spice and a dry, clean close.

Specifications

Name: Spice King Small Batch
Distillery: Wemyss Malts
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN No.: 04023214495

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Soft · Approachable · Clean

Did You Know?

The Small Batch edition is the most widely available in the Spice King range and acts as the series' 'base model', from which the Batch Strength releases diverge with higher strength.

See our full range of Wemyss Malts

The name says it all – Peat Chimney is Wemyss Malts' tribute to the smoke rising from peat-fired malting kilns across the country.

Expert Review

Peat Chimney Small Batch Wemyss Malts Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46% ABV.

Peat Chimney is a small batch blended malt from the independent whisky house Wemyss Malts, composed of peated malt whiskies from several Scottish distilleries. The name refers directly to the characteristic peat smoke at the core of this blend.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is smoky with peat, caramel and a light maritime tone.

Palate

The palate is full with peat, toffee and a mild spiciness.

Finish

The finish is medium-long with lingering smoke.

Specifications

Name: Peat Chimney Small Batch Wemyss Malts Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Wemyss Malts
Region: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN No.: 040232144943

Flavour Profile

Peated · Toffee · Maritime

Did You Know?

Wemyss Malts names many of its whiskies after descriptive, imaginative flavour images – Peat Chimney is among the most literal in the range.

See our full range of Wemyss Malts
See our full range of Peat Chimney

Adelphi tests around 25 casks for every one they approve. That is not accidental. Alex Bruce and Charles Maclean sit with samples and ask: is this exceptional? Fewer than four per cent of the casks offered to them get a yes. This Caol Ila cask from 2013 was one of them.

Expert's description

Caol Ila 2013/2021 Adelphi Selection 8 Years is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a single bourbon cask (no. 300371), bottled at cask strength 58.4% without chill filtration and with natural colour. 324 bottles.

Adelphi Selection is an Edinburgh-based independent bottler with roots in a distilling dynasty going back to 1826. The same principle always applies: only the casks that truly impress make it into a bottle bearing Adelphi's name. The bourbon cask produced a clean, classic Caol Ila expression – maritime notes, peat smoke and a touch of sweetness.

The high cask strength of 58.4% and 324 bottles make this a rare bottling for those who want Caol Ila without compromise.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean and maritime with peat smoke upfront. Salty sea air, light citrus and a soft vanilla note from the bourbon wood. Fresh and direct.

Palate

Concentrated and salty. Smoke, citrus and good body. The bourbon sweetness is present but understated – Caol Ila's maritime notes dominate.

Finish

Long and warm with persistent smoke and a lightly peppery dryness. Add a drop of water for more openness.

Specifications

Name: Caol Ila 2013/2021 Adelphi Selection 8 Years
Distillery: Caol Ila Distillery
Bottler: Adelphi Selection
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 58.4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Single cask – bourbon cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2013
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 324

Flavour profile

Peated · Maritime · Salty · Fresh · Concentrated

Did you know?

Adelphi Selection is named after the Adelphi Distillery in Edinburgh, which closed in 1902. The company was revived by a descendant of the original distilling family and is today one of Scotland's most selective independent bottlers.

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Nine cask numbers on one label. Wilson & Morgan gathered a small handful of casks from the same vintage and gave them a shared finish in Pedro Ximénez — an Italian exercise in making single casks play together.

The expert's description

Benrinnes 2011/2022 Wilson & Morgan 11 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in Pedro Ximénez casks and bottled at 46 %.

Cask no. 301607, 301611, 301614 and 301617 to 301623 were filled in 2011 and emptied in 2022 for the Barrel Selection range. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Where the house's 14 year old spent 36 months alone in one PX cask, this one is built more broadly: several casks vatted together and a shorter, more restrained sherry finish. The result is easier to approach while still carrying Rossi's handwriting.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin, toasted almond and a touch of orange marmalade. Fresh barley and a lightly sweet grain note sit under the sherry.

Palate

Soft and round with dates, brown sugar and cinnamon. The 46 % keeps it light, and the sherry lies as a layer on top of the spirit rather than swallowing it.

Finish

Medium long with dried fruit, a hint of cocoa and a dry spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Benrinnes 2011/2022 Wilson & Morgan 11 years old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Benrinnes
Bottler: Wilson & Morgan
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in Pedro Ximénez casks, cask no. 301607/11/14/17-23
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2011
Bottled: 2022
Edition: Barrel Selection
EAN no.: 8033749408945

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Soft · Fruity · Spicy · Round

Did you know?

Since 1992 Wilson & Morgan have kept one firm rule: no cask is bottled unless Fabio Rossi has tasted it himself in Scotland. The family spirits business in Treviso goes back to the 1920s.

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A little pig grins out from the label, and the name is a play on the classic hogshead cask, the roughly 200-litre barrels whisky matures in right across Scotland. Behind the playful front sits a blend that never reveals where it comes from, yet speaks for itself in the glass.

The expert's description

Hogshead Fine Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky with no age statement and no disclosed distilleries, bottled at 43%.

The whisky is composed entirely of malt whisky from several Scottish distilleries, a large share of which is thought to come from Islay, rounded out with a gentler base likely from the Highlands or Speyside. Neither the source distilleries nor the bottling company are named on the bottle, which is common for this type of accessible blend that relies on its flavour rather than its pedigree.

In the glass the colour is light amber, and the style is considerably milder than the name and the presumed Islay component might suggest. This is a whisky built to be broad and welcoming rather than uncompromising.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh oranges and a touch of black pepper meet gentle smoke and mint, with a faint yeasty note underneath.

Palate

Soft, sweet smoke moves into sherry sweetness and fruit candy, with a small maritime whisper in the background.

Finish

Medium length, with grapes, sweet liquorice and dark bread, before a light fruit acidity lingers as the last impression.

Specifications

Name: Hogshead Fine Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5021944020768

Flavour profile

Smoky · Sherry matured · Fruity · Soft

Did you know?

The hogshead cask takes its name from the old British volume unit "hogshead", equal to roughly 63 US gallons; in whisky production the casks are typically recycled from American bourbon-making before switching over to Scotch whisky maturation.

See our full range of Hogshead

Dead Island 2 Irish Whiskey is a unique collaboration bottle between the video game Dead Island 2 and the Irish distillery Dunville – the bottle glows in the dark.

Expert Review

Dead Island 2 Irish Whiskey is a Blended Whiskey, bottled at 40%.

The game Dead Island 2 has received a truly unique addition, namely its very own whiskey – the Dunville distillery in Ireland has created a unique bottle that glows in the dark. The whiskey is a mix of pot still-distilled spirit, malt whiskey and grain whiskey, matured in used bourbon casks, with delicious notes of vanilla, fruit and biscuits.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and fruit.

Palate

Biscuits and fruity sweetness.

Finish

Soft and rounded.

Specifications

Name: Dead Island 2 Irish Whiskey
Distillery: Dunville
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Blended Whiskey
Cask: Used Bourbon Casks
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Other: Limited Edition, glow-in-the-dark bottle

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Fruity · Sweet · Rounded · Soft

Did You Know?

The Dead Island 2 Irish Whiskey bottle glows in the dark, as a tribute to the game's universe.
See our full range of Irish whiskey

A lighthouse cuts through fog and darkness, night after night, year after year. The Observatory is named for Scotland's many coastal lighthouses and celebrates that same patient endurance in its own long maturation.

Expert description

The Observatory 20 Years is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky bottled at 40% ABV from the Signature Series, distilled at the Macduff distillery, also known for producing the Single Malt whisky Glen Deveron.

The lighthouse on the box is the series' recurring symbol, referencing the many lighthouses that line Scotland's coastline and have guided sailors safely to harbour for centuries. The series was created by master blender Stephanie Macleod, one of the industry's few female master blenders.

The whisky has matured for 20 years in a combination of used sherry casks and Virgin Oak, a pairing that gives this grain whisky an unusual depth and complexity more often associated with single malt than single grain.

The result is an unusually soft mouthfeel with pronounced sherry sweetness, vanilla and dark chocolate, setting it apart from the lighter, more neutral style many associate with grain whisky.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet sherry and toasted vanilla meet fresh summer berries and a touch of citrus.

Palate

Mouth-filling and soft, with ripe grapes, vanilla and cane sugar sweetness.

Finish

Warm and dry, with a lightly spiced close.

Specifications

Name: The Observatory
Distillery: Macduff
Series: Signature Series
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 Years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry and Virgin Oak
EAN: 7640171033228

Flavour profile

Sherry-sweet · Vanilla · Soft

Investment potential

A 20-year-old Single Grain from a named source distillery is relatively rare on the market, since most grain whiskies are bottled far younger, giving The Observatory an interesting position for collectors with an interest in the grain category.

Did you know?

Single Grain whisky differs from Single Malt in that it is distilled from grains other than exclusively malted barley, often wheat or corn, typically on a continuous column still rather than traditional pot stills, giving a lighter, more neutral base character that here has been transformed by 20 years of cask maturation.

Four copper kettles from another century, an old mining town in Colorado, and a bottle with a gunslinger's calm about it. Golden Moon Distillery still distills the way it was done back when craftsmanship was everything and the pace was slower. Here, the rye whiskey has taken one last trip through Jamaican rum casks, and the result tastes of cane sugar, spice, and a little bit of the Wild West.

Expert's Description

Gun Fighter Rye Double Cask Rum Finish American Whiskey is an American Rye Whiskey, aged in new American oak and finished in rum casks, bottled at 50%.

Behind the bottle stands Golden Moon Distillery in Golden, Colorado – a small distillery founded in 2008 by Stephen Gould and Karen Knight, who insisted on taking the slow road: plenty of experimentation before anything was ever bottled. The distillery still runs on four antique pot stills from the early to mid-1900s, giving the spirit a rawness rarely found at modern, industrial-scale plants.

Rye makes up 60 percent of the mash bill, backed by 34 percent corn and 6 percent malted barley – a solid rye backbone that sets up the whiskey's spicy core. After a minimum of six months in new, charred American oak, it's transferred to casks that previously held Jamaican rum. Gun Fighter comes in several Double Cask releases, including one finished in port casks, but it's the rum that leaves its clearest mark here: cane sugar and dark molasses woven through the rye's spiced center.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose opens with cane sugar and dark molasses from the rum casks, quickly followed by rye's signature peppery spice. Underneath sits a touch of vanilla and toasted oak, rounding the whole thing out with a warm, easy feel.

Palate

The palate carries a clear sweetness of caramelized sugar and light tropical fruit, carried by rye's sharp spice. Cinnamon and a touch of oak tannin push back, so the sweetness never turns cloying, while a tart fruit note keeps everything in check.

Finish

The finish runs medium in length. Molasses and spiced rye slowly give way to a dry, lightly tannic close.

Specifications

Name: Gun Fighter Rye Double Cask Rum Finish American Whiskey
Distillery: Golden Moon Distillery
Region/Country: Colorado, USA
Type: American Rye Whiskey
Age: Minimum 6 months
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: New American oak, finished in rum casks
Distillation Method: Pot still
Edition: Double Cask – Rum Finish

Flavor Profile

Spicy · Sweet · Rum-finished · Rye-forward · Full-bodied

Did you know?

Founder Stephen Gould once crossed paths with Iraqi date-spirit distillers still running a hundred-year-old French cognac still, a meeting during his time with the US Marine Corps that cemented his fascination with old-fashioned distillation and followed him home to Colorado, where he now runs four antique pot stills of his own.

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Out in Colorado, where the Rocky Mountains rise behind the smoke of four old copper kettles, Golden Moon Distillery once poured its own take on rye whiskey. They called the range Gun Fighter — named for the Wild West and the men who never settled for less. The distillery is gone now, but this bottle still carries the story of a place that insisted on doing things its own way.

Expert Description

Gun Fighter Rye Double Cask Port Finish is an American Rye Whiskey matured in new American oak casks and finished in French Port casks, bottled at 50%. The whiskey comes from Golden Moon Distillery in Golden, Colorado — a small distillery that, from 2008 onward, made a name for itself recreating spirits using late-19th-century recipes and methods.

Behind the stills stood founder Stephen Gould, who built the distillery around four antique pot stills dating from the early to mid-1900s. Gun Fighter's mash bill runs 60% rye, 34% corn and 6% malted barley — a classic rye recipe that gives the whiskey its spicy backbone before the casks ever come into play.

The double cask journey begins in new, charred American oak, where the whiskey rests for a minimum of six months and an average of around two years. From there it moves into French oak casks that previously held a California Port-style wine. That's where the Port Finish name comes from, and it's also where the whiskey picks up its soft, fruity finish on top of rye's peppery base.

Golden Moon Distillery closed permanently in 2024 after 16 years, which means no more Gun Fighter Rye Double Cask Port Finish will ever be distilled. What is left on the shelf now is the last of its kind.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Spiced rye leads the way — think cinnamon and clove — backed by a touch of burnt caramel, red berries and a hint of cedar underneath.

Palate

Creamy and soft on the palate, with rye's classic pepper and caraway, a light sweetness from the Port cask and a touch of orange peel weaving through the spice.

Finish

Short to medium, with the spice lingering as a quiet caramel sweetness settles in and fades into the oak.

Specifications

Name: Gun Fighter Rye Double Cask Port Finish American Whiskey
Distillery: Golden Moon Distillery
Region/Country: Colorado, USA
Type: American Rye Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: New American Oak, Finished In French Port Casks
Distillation method: Pot Still Distilled
Edition: Double Cask Port Finish

Flavour Profile

Spicy · Oak-Driven · Fruity · Creamy · Sweet

Investment Potential

Medium. Golden Moon Distillery closed permanently in 2024, so no more Gun Fighter Rye Double Cask Port Finish will ever be made. That kind of genuine, final scarcity tends to make a craft whiskey more sought-after over time, especially from a distillery named Distillery of the Year by the American Distilling Institute in 2019.

Did You Know?

Stephen Gould, the man behind Golden Moon Distillery, has bootlegging in the family going back to Prohibition — and he started home brewing himself as a teenager, long before he ever dreamed up his own distillery.

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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 cask that has never held sherry, port or bourbon - one that has simply waited for its very first fill. That is the Spanish virgin oak behind this 10 year old GlenAllachie. The wood speaks a different language to the seasoned American or European casks you usually meet in Speyside whisky, and the result is spicier, denser and a touch wilder around the edges.

Expert's Description

GlenAllachie's 10 Year Spanish Virgin Oak is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in virgin Spanish oak casks and bottled at 48% ABV.

The bottling belongs to the distillery's Virgin Oak Series, where Billy Walker and his team set out to explore timber that had never previously held wine or spirit. Spanish oak grows with a tighter grain than American white oak, which means the cask has a higher concentration of tannins and aromatic compounds to give up to the whisky. The effect shows up as a darker, more spice-driven sweetness compared with classic bourbon or sherry casks.

Although Spanish oak is traditionally tied to sherry production, meeting the wood in its virgin, unused state is unusual - most Spanish casks arrive in Scotland only after years of seasoning with wine. Here, the timber gets to speak for itself from the very first drop.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey and toasted almonds meet dried apricot and a touch of spiced oak, not unlike a warm cinnamon bun fresh from the oven.

Palate

Caramelised sugar and cloves unfold alongside a hint of raisin and creamy vanilla, carried by the dense Spanish oak.

Finish

Long and dry, closing with a last trace of pepper and the tannic grip only virgin timber can give.

Specifications

Name: GlenAllachie 10 Year Spanish Virgin Oak
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Spanish Virgin Oak Finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Virgin Oak Series
EAN no.: 5060568326207

Flavour Profile

Spicy · Honeyed · Dried Fruit · Oak · Warm

Did You Know?

Spanish oak (Quercus robur and Quercus petraea) has been used to build sherry casks for centuries, but almost all of that wood is already seasoned with wine, often more than once, before it ever reaches the whisky industry. A truly virgin cask that has never held a drop of liquid before is therefore a rare sight - its natural tannins and aromatic compounds are far more concentrated, since no earlier fill has used them up.

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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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In August 2006, a cask was filled at The Glenlivet. Sixteen years later, in November 2022, it was emptied again by Signatory Vintage, without a single drop of water added along the way.

Expert Description

Glenlivet 2006/2022 Signatory Vintage 16 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, bottled at cask strength of 60.7%.

The whisky is distilled at The Glenlivet on 15 August 2006 and bottled by the independent bottler Signatory Vintage on 23 November 2022 after 16 years of maturation in a sherry butt (cask no. 900800). It is bottled at natural colour and without chill filtration, preserving the full character of the cask and the whisky's natural structure. Only 626 bottles were drawn from this single cask.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Deep sherry character with dark dried fruit, a touch of leather and a spiced undertone of oak.

Palate

Full and intense with sherry sweetness, dark chocolate and a pronounced peppery heat from the high strength.

Finish

Long and spiced, with the sherry sweetness the last thing to fade.

Specifications

Name: 16 Year Old
Distillery: The Glenlivet
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 Years
ABV: 60.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry Butt, Cask No. 900800
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 15.08.2006
Bottled: 23.11.2022
Number of bottles: 626 bottles
EAN: 5021944121366

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Full-bodied · Spiced · Powerful

Investment Potential

Medium. As a single cask release from Signatory Vintage with only 626 bottles and a high cask strength, this is the type of release collectors of independent Glenlivet bottlings typically keep an eye on.

Did You Know?

Signatory Vintage is one of Scotland's oldest independent bottlers and has, since 1988, specialised in selecting single casks that often differ markedly from the more uniform core ranges of the distilleries themselves.

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Sixty-seven point four percent. Not many whiskies come out of the cask carrying numbers like that — and fewer still can hold them without burning.

Expert description

Craigellachie 2012/2023 Signatory Vintage 10 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an oloroso butt and bottled at cask strength of 67.4% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The cask carries the number 900694, was filled on 4 September 2012 and emptied on 12 January 2023. The outturn was 610 bottles. Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 by Andrew Symington and is among the most prolific independent bottlers in Scotland. Craigellachie makes a heavy, meaty spirit in worm tubs, and an oloroso butt over ten years lays dried fruit on top without being able to drown the minerality.

Tasting notes

Nose

Concentrated and dark. Raisin, fig and orange peel, with walnut, dark chocolate and a flinty note under the sherry.

Palate

Massive but not sharp. Dried fruit, cocoa and malt, with an oily texture carrying the alcohol. The sulphurous distillery edge cuts through the sweetness and gives direction.

Finish

Very long and dry, with nuts, dark fruit and a warm spiced close that keeps going.

Specifications

Name: Craigellachie 2012/2023 Signatory Vintage 10 years Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 67,4%
Distillery: Craigellachie
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 67.4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso butt no. 900694
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 04/09/2012
Bottled: 12/01/2023
Number of bottles: 610
Edition: Cask Strength Collection
EAN no.: 5021944121571

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dried Fruit · Chocolate · Mineral · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. 610 bottles from one oloroso cask at unusually high strength. The combination of Craigellachie and active sherry is in demand, and the bottling will not return.

Did you know?

A cask strength of 67.4% after ten years means the cask lost very little alcohol along the way. That happens in cool, damp warehouses where water evaporates more slowly than alcohol — one reason Scottish warehouses often sit low and close to water.

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Same June day in 2012, same distillery, same bottler — but an entirely ordinary bourbon hogshead. Here you get Benrinnes without cask tricks: clean spirit, ten years and full strength.

The expert's description

Benrinnes 2012/2023 Signatory Vintage 10 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a bourbon hogshead and bottled at 58.9 % cask strength.

Cask no. 310545 was filled on 25 June 2012 and emptied on 12 January 2023. The cask yielded 275 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

A hogshead of roughly 250 litres is built from the staves of American bourbon casks, reassembled in a slightly larger format. It strikes a balance between cask influence and spirit character that suits a heavy distillate like Benrinnes' well.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and grainy with green apples, lemon peel and a hint of newly cut hay. The vanilla sits discreetly beneath the fruit.

Palate

Powerful and clean. Barley, honey and pear meet a peppery warmth from the alcohol. There is a rich, almost waxy texture that holds on to the flavour.

Finish

Long, dry and grainy with white pepper and a puff of citrus.

Specifications

Name: Benrinnes 2012/2023 Signatory Vintage 10 years old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 58.9%
Distillery: Benrinnes
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 58.9 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon Hogshead, cask no. 310545
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 25/06/2012
Bottled: 12/01/2023
Number of bottles: 275
EAN no.: 5021944121564

Flavour profile

Cask strength · Fresh · Grainy · Fruity · Clean

Did you know?

The word hogshead has nothing to do with pigs. It comes from the old English hogges hede, a medieval measure for barrels — and a hogshead still holds around 250 litres.

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Ardlair is not a distillery. It is a name Ardmore uses when the smoke stays at home, the unpeated half of the house, named after a stone circle out in the surrounding landscape. Here it has spent eleven years in a sherry cask at 62.5%.

The Expert's Description

Ardlair 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 11 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill Oloroso Sherry Butt and bottled at 62.5% cask strength. Cask 900032 was distilled on 27 January 2011 and bottled on 11 January 2023 in Signatory's Cask Strength Collection, giving 597 bottles.

Ardmore is one of the few Highland distilleries with peat smoke as a core style, and Ardlair is the name given to the unpeated production. Without the smoke the spirit’s own fruitiness and malt sweetness step forward more clearly, which makes the whisky far more receptive to a sherry cask.

That the cask is refill rather than first fill matters here. A refill Oloroso Butt gives up less colour and less tannin, so the sherry settles as a layer on top instead of taking over. The whisky is bottled without filtration and without added colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisins and figs first, with roasted nuts and honey behind. There is dried ginger and spice in it, and beneath the sherry sits a bright apple fruitiness that tells you the spirit is unpeated.

Palate

Dark chocolate and walnut open, followed by sweet sherry and spiced oak. The vanilla arrives late. At 62.5% the concentration is considerable, and the whisky takes water well, turning rounder rather than thinner.

Finish

Long and warming with persistent sherry sweetness and elegant oak tannins that let go slowly.

Specifications

Name: Ardlair 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 11 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 62.5%
Distillery: Ardmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 62.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Oloroso Sherry Butt, cask no. 900032
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 27 January 2011
Bottled: 11 January 2023
Number of bottles: 597
Edition: Cask Strength Collection
EAN no.: 5021944121526

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Nutty · Spiced · Fruity · Cask Strength · Honeyed

Did You Know?

Ardlair is named after a stone circle near the distillery. Ardmore itself was built in 1898 by Adam Teacher to secure malt for the family blend, Teacher's Highland Cream, and the house has made peated whisky ever since. Ardlair is the exception, the half that never sees peat.

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

Expert's description

Linkwood 2012/2023 Signatory Vintage 10 år Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in oloroso sherry butt and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is distilled at Linkwood and independently selected and bottled by Signatory Vintage.

It was distilled April 2012 and bottled 2023, giving it 10 years.

Only 1127 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

On the nose you meet beeswax, honey and walnut.

Palate

The taste unfolds with blossom, dates and sherry toffee.

Finish

The aftertaste is short but concentrated, with raisins and blossom.

Specifications

Name: Linkwood 2012/2023 Signatory Vintage 10 år Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Linkwood
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso Sherry Butt
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: April 2012
Bottled: 2023
Number of bottles: 1127
EAN no.: 5021944120338

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Rounded · Spicy

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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Four casks, the same day at the distillery, the same treatment. Signatory shaved off the old layer of wood and toasted the casks again — and the whisky has had eleven years to get used to it.

Please note: There is wear and rust on the cap.

Expert description

Blair Athol 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 11 Years is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky from four Dechar/Rechar Hogsheads, bottled at 46% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky was distilled on 30 September 2011 and bottled in January 2023. Casks #306899, #306905, #306911 and #306913 all went through the same treatment, where the innermost layer of wood is planed away and the cask charred anew. The method recharges a used cask and returns vanilla, caramel and pale spice.

Blair Athol's spirit is heavy and malty, and the re-charred casks add sweetness without laying sherry or wine over it. The result is a clean reading of the distillery's own style.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and baked apple with malted grain, cinnamon and a lightly toasted note.

Palate

Malt and caramel with pale oak, honey and a stroke of white pepper. The texture is full for 46%.

Finish

Medium and dry with grain, vanilla and a toasted oak note.

Specifications

Name: Blair Athol 2011/2023 Signatory Vintage 11 Years Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Blair Athol
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highlands, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Dechar/Rechar Hogsheads #306899, #306905, #306911 and #306913
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 30/09/2011
Bottled: January 2023
EAN no.: 5021944121700

Flavour profile

Malty · Vanilla · Spiced · Sweet · Toasted oak

Did you know?

Dechar/rechar means planing the charred layer from the inside of a used cask and burning it again. The cask then behaves almost like new, but without delivering the same fierce tannin.

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Named after the man who invented high-rye bourbon.

Expert description

Basil Hayden Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the entry release in Jim Beam's Small Batch collection, bottled at 40%. The whiskey is named after Meredith Basil Hayden Sr., a rye farmer and whiskey pioneer who in 1796 changed his recipe to include a higher proportion of rye than typical for the time, creating the 'high-rye bourbon' category. Hayden also helped found Bardstown, Kentucky, in 1785, and his grandson later named his own brand Old Grand-Dad in his honour.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is soft with pepper, grain and a hint of citrus.

Palate

The palate offers rye, spice and light sweetness.

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: Basil Hayden Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bottler: Basil Hayden
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Spiced · Peppery · Soft · Dry

Did you know?

Basil Hayden Sr. is honoured by two separate bourbon brands — both Basil Hayden's and Old Grand-Dad, the latter named by his grandson Raymond B. Hayden and featuring a portrait of the grandfather on the label.

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Okinawa's subtropical climate is far from whisky's classic homelands, but Helios Distillery proves that the island's warmth can give whisky an entirely unique character.

Expert Description

Kura The Whisky Helios Distillery is a Blended Malt Japanese Whisky, bottled at 40%.

Helios Distillery is located on Okinawa, Japan's southernmost island chain, and is better known for its production of awamori, a traditional Okinawan spirit. Kura The Whisky is the distillery's whisky release, where the warm, humid climate pushes maturation significantly faster than on the Japanese mainland.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Tropical fruit, vanilla and a light sweet spice.

Palate

Soft and round with caramel and ripe bananas.

Finish

Short to medium and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Kura The Whisky Helios Distillery
Distillery: Helios
Region/Country: Okinawa, Japan
Type: Blended Malt Japanese Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 4920321004012

Flavour Profile

Soft · Round · Tropical · Sweet

Did You Know?

Helios Distillery is best known for awamori, a traditional Okinawan rice spirit, and whisky production is a newer branch of the company that draws on the island's warm climate.

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The cask was filled by George Grant. It was emptied for his son John, who had spent fifty years in the trade by the time the bottle appeared. That is the kind of timeline only a family-owned distillery can deliver.

The expert's description

Glenfarclas 50 Year Old 50th Anniversary is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks and bottled at 50% in 836 bottles.

The bottling marks chairman John Grant’s fifty years in the whisky industry. The whisky was laid down by his father, George Grant, and was allowed to sit for half a century before bottling. The 50% is high for a whisky of this age and says something about how slowly the casks work in the Glenfarclas warehouses.

Fifty years in sherry casks is rare, but it is not unusual at Glenfarclas. The family has held back from selling its oldest casks over generations, and precisely for that reason the distillery can make a bottling like this without having to buy casks in from outside.

Tasting notes

Nose

Deep and concentrated. Dried fruit, dark syrup and old leather, with a dusty library note only decades in wood can create.

Palate

Full and dense. Raisin, walnut and dark chocolate over a base of aged oak, with a spiced depth that keeps unfolding. The 50% carries the whisky without being sharp.

Finish

Very long. Dried fruit, tobacco and oak drying slowly and lingering for many minutes.

Specifications

Name: Glenfarclas 50 Year Old 50th Anniversary Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 50%
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 50 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
Number of bottles: 836
Edition: 50th Anniversary - John Grant’s fifty years in the trade

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Nutty · Leather · Complex

Investment potential

High. 836 bottles for the whole world, fifty years in cask and an anniversary that will not come round again. Old Glenfarclas casks still sit in the family warehouses, but a bottling tied to a particular person and a particular year cannot be repeated.

Did you know?

The whisky was laid down by George Grant and bottled for his son John, marking fifty years in the whisky industry. A cask filled by one generation and emptied by the next is only possible when the same family name has been on the deeds the whole way.

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Small batch means each release is composed of a limited number of selected casks, giving more consistency than a large blend, but more complexity than a single cask.

Expert Description

Hatozaki Small Batch 12 Year is a Blended Pure Malt Japanese Whisky, bottled at 46%.

The whisky comes from Kaikyo Distillery in Akashi, run by Akashi Sake Brewery. The Small Batch 12 Year edition is composed of a limited number of selected malt whisky casks, all at least 12 years old, giving a more mature and complex profile than the distillery's younger releases.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit, honey and toasted oak.

Palate

Full-bodied with caramel, spice and a hint of smoke.

Finish

Long and warm.

Specifications

Name: Hatozaki Small Batch 12 Year
Distillery: Kaikyo
Region/Country: Akashi, Japan
Type: Blended Pure Malt Japanese Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 4970860880189

Flavour Profile

Full-bodied · Mature · Spicy · Warm

Did You Know?

Small batch bottlings like this combine the best of both worlds: more complexity than a standard blend, but more batch-to-batch consistency than a single cask bottling.

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A bourbon brand that survived Prohibition with its name but not its distillery returns with a more accessible release.

Expert description

The Wiseman American Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an American bourbon from Kentucky Owl, bottled at 45.4%. The Kentucky Owl brand was founded by Charles Mortimer Dedman in 1879 and was among the many Bardstown distilleries shuttered for good by Prohibition. The brand lay dormant until a descendant revived it in 2014, in the middle of the modern bourbon boom, quickly gaining a reputation for one-off, exclusive releases. Kentucky Owl was acquired by Stoli in 2017 and is today one of Bardstown Bourbon Company's contract production customers. The Wiseman launched in 2021 as Kentucky Owl's first regularly available bourbon, created by John Rhea of Four Roses fame, blending Kentucky Owl's own 4-year-old wheated and high-rye bourbons with sourced bourbons aged 5.5 and 8.5 years.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and a hint of spiced rye.

Palate

The palate is round with brown sugar, honey and spiced wood.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Sweet · Spicy · Warm · Round

Did you know?

The Wiseman marked a strategic shift for Kentucky Owl — from ultra-limited one-off releases to a more accessible, regularly available product, without compromising the blend's complexity.

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A detour through the Caribbean before the whisky lands back in the English countryside: cane sugar and ripe pears, wrapped in a robust 55.6%.

Expert's Description

Cotswolds 2022 Rum Cask Matured is a blended single malt English whisky matured in rum-seasoned casks and bottled at 55.6% ABV.

The whisky is the third release in Cotswolds Distillery's Hearts & Crafts series, which celebrates the craftsmanship tradition of the Arts & Crafts movement that flourished in the Cotswolds. The spirit is matured in rejuvenated French oak casks that previously held red wine and were subsequently seasoned with fine Caribbean rum, before being bottled in 2022 in a run of 3,000 bottles.

The tube is decorated with an exclusive William Morris-inspired design, a visual tribute to the series.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Soft cane sugar, ripe pears and a hint of tropical fruit, underpinned by warm oak.

Palate

A sweet rum character with brown sugar, banana and a touch of spice that gives the whisky body.

Finish

Long and warming, with a lingering sweetness from the rum casks and a gently spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Cotswolds 2022 Rum Cask Matured Blended Single Malt English Whisky
Distillery: Cotswolds Distillery
Region/Country: England
Type: Blended Single Malt English Whisky
ABV: 55.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Rejuvenated French ex-red wine casks seasoned with Caribbean rum
Non-chill filtered
Natural colour
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 3,000
Edition/Batch: Hearts & Crafts series
EAN no.: 5060404512078

Flavour Profile

Cane sugar · Tropical fruit · Spice · Warm oak

Investment Potential

Medium. As the third release in the sought-after Hearts & Crafts series, this bottle holds natural appeal for collectors following the series from start to finish.

Did You Know?

The Hearts & Crafts series is named after the Arts & Crafts movement, which originated in the Cotswolds in the late 1800s and celebrated traditional craftsmanship over industrial mass production.

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Fifty-four months in port casks. That is four and a half years, and it is not a finish — it is a second maturation laid on top of the first. Wilson & Morgan chose 2nd fill port pipes precisely so as not to run over a Speyside spirit that is lighter than it looks.

The expert's description

Glen Moray 2007/2022 Wilson & Morgan 15 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in port casks and bottled at cask strength 57.9%.

The whisky was distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2022 from casks number 5878, 5879 and 5880. Its final fifty-four months were spent in 2nd fill port pipes, and the bottling gave 586 bottles, non-chill filtered and with no added colour. The choice of used port casks is clearly deliberate: there is colour and dark fruit, but the wine never takes charge.

Wilson & Morgan is Italian. Fabio Rossi started the firm in 1992 and runs it from Treviso north of Venice, and the house has built its reputation on single casks and small batches chosen with an Italian eye for texture and finish rather than sheer power. Glen Moray carries a mineral, almost waxy mouthfeel, which the port casks here make more muscular without blurring.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark and red cherries, with liqueur-filled chocolates. Creamy and dark rather than fruit-sweet, and underneath sits a dry, mineral note from the spirit.

Palate

Maraschino cherries and Sachertorte, with dried plums and a spiced edge. The sweetness is there but not sugared, and the waxy mouthfeel of Glen Moray comes through clearly at 57.9%.

Finish

Warm and building. The spice grows in strength while the cherry retreats into a dry, almost cocoa-like close.

Specifications

Name: Glen Moray 2007/2022 Wilson & Morgan 15 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 57.9%
Distillery: Glen Moray
Bottler: Wilson & Morgan
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 57.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished for 54 months in 2nd fill port pipes
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2007
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 586
Edition: Barrel Selection - Cask Strength
EAN no.: 8057760350007

Flavour profile

Dark fruit · Cherry · Spiced · Creamy · Cask Strength

Did you know?

Wilson & Morgan has been bottling Scotch whisky since 1992 without ever having distilled a drop itself. The firm belongs to an Italian tradition in which importers had access for decades to casks that never reached the British market, and several legendary bottlings from the 1970s and 80s came exactly that way.

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