It is called Tapestry because three cask types are woven together rather than following one another. That is a different idea from the classic finish, where one cask gets the last word.

The expert description

Glen Elgin 2009/2022 Tapestry 13 Years Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oloroso sherry casks, Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and bourbon casks, bottled at 50%.

The whisky was distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2022 after thirteen years. Tapestry is a range from the Uncharted Whisky Company, founded by the Scot Jack Breslin and the Dutch-German Dana de Vos, who both worked in the whisky trade for many years before setting up on their own.

The three cask types each pull in their own direction. The bourbon casks give vanilla and pale fruit, oloroso adds nut and dried fruit, and Pedro Ximenez brings the dark, almost syrupy sweetness. Put together they land on a profile none of them would have given alone. The whisky is bottled at 50% without chill filtration and without colouring.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin and dried apricot first, then vanilla and walnut, with a note of dark syrup in the background.

Palate

Full and layered. Yellow fruit and honey from the bourbon wood, dates and nut from the sherry, and a dark sweetness tying it together.

Finish

Long and warm with dried fruit, a touch of cinnamon and a dry oak close.

Specifications

Name: Glen Elgin 2009/2022 Tapestry 13 Years Old
Distillery: Glen Elgin
Bottler: Uncharted Whisky Company
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry casks Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2022
Edition: Tapestry

Flavour profile

Fruity · Sherry matured · Sweet · Nutty · Spiced

Did you know?

The Glen Elgin fruitiness is no accident. It comes from clear wort, long fermentation and slow distillation, which together clean the sulphur notes out of the spirit, and only afterwards does the whisky get its weight back from the distillery worm tubs.

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"Antipodes" means the exact opposite point on the globe - a name that underscores just how far this whisky's cask has travelled before ending up in the bottle.

Expert Description

Chichibu 2013 Collection Antipodes Cask No 9664 is a Single Malt Japanese Whisky, bottled at 61%.

The whisky was distilled in 2013 at Chichibu Distillery, founded by Ichiro Akuto in 2008, and comes from a single cask numbered 9664. The Antipodes name refers to the cask's journey and the extreme climate differences the whisky has experienced during maturation, giving it an unusually powerful character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Intense tropical fruit, spice and a hint of oak.

Palate

Very powerful with pepper, caramel and dark berries.

Finish

Very long and warm with lingering spice.

Specifications

Name: Chichibu 2013 Collection Antipodes Cask No 9664
Distillery: Chichibu
Region/Country: Saitama, Japan
Type: Single Malt Japanese Whisky
Cask number: 9664
ABV: 61%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 4580617290347

Flavour Profile

Very powerful · Spicy · Tropical · Intense

Investment Potential

Investment perspective

As a single cask bottling from Chichibu Distillery with a very limited bottle release, this Antipodes bottle ranks among the most exclusive and sought-after on the international collector market.

Did You Know?

Chichibu often names its single casks after geographical or astronomical concepts, giving each bottling a unique story beyond the liquid itself.

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Four more years of maturation separate this edition from the 8-year version, and the difference is clearly felt in the glass.

Expert Description

Maen 12 Year The True Circle is a Blended Pure Malt Japanese Whisky, bottled at 43%.

This 12-year-old pure malt is the most mature edition in The True Circle series, showing Maen Distillery's philosophy of the cycle between grain, water and time in its most developed form. The longer maturation gives a deeper, more complex flavour profile than its younger siblings.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit, honey and a deep, toasted oak.

Palate

Full-bodied and complex with caramel, spice and dark chocolate.

Finish

Long and warm with lingering oak.

Specifications

Name: Maen 12 Year The True Circle
Distillery: Maen
Region/Country: Japan
Type: Blended Pure Malt Japanese Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 088320002225

Flavour Profile

Full-bodied · Complex · Warm · Mature

Did You Know?

Maen Distillery is one of the few Japanese distilleries that publicly documents the entire cycle from grain to bottle, as part of their sustainability philosophy.

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Eight years of maturation gives this edition of The True Circle more depth and complexity than its younger sibling - still true to the distillery's circular philosophy.

Expert Description

Maen 8 Year The True Circle is a Blended Pure Malt Japanese Whisky, bottled at 43%.

Like the younger standard edition, this 8-year-old pure malt is built on Maen Distillery's philosophy of a close cycle between grain, water and time. The extra maturation gives the whisky a more developed character with deeper fruit and oak notes.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe apples, honey and toasted oak.

Palate

Round and full-bodied with caramel, vanilla and a hint of spice.

Finish

Medium length and warm.

Specifications

Name: Maen 8 Year The True Circle
Distillery: Maen
Region/Country: Japan
Type: Blended Pure Malt Japanese Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 088320002218

Flavour Profile

Round · Full-bodied · Warm · Developed

Did You Know?

Pure malt means the whisky is composed entirely of malt whisky from several casks, with no grain whisky blended in, unlike a standard blend.

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"The True Circle" refers to the cycle between grain, water and time - the three fundamental elements Maen Distillery builds its entire philosophy around.

Expert Description

Maen The True Circle is a Blended Japanese Whisky, bottled at 43%.

Maen Distillery is one of Japan's newer distilleries, emphasising sustainability and close collaboration with local farmers on grain and water. The True Circle series is the distillery's core blend, showing the house style in its purest form.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Apple, honey and a light, floral aroma.

Palate

Soft and round with vanilla and a hint of citrus.

Finish

Short to medium and clean.

Specifications

Name: Maen The True Circle
Distillery: Maen
Region/Country: Japan
Type: Blended Japanese Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 088320002201

Flavour Profile

Soft · Round · Floral · Clean

Did You Know?

Maen Distillery works closely with local farmers to grow grain for whisky production, a circular mindset that underlies the name "The True Circle".

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25 years is a long time to wait for a bottle, and Murray McDavid spent the last three of them on something unusual: a cask that previously held Guyanese rum. The result is a single grain that tastes more of the Caribbean than of the Highlands.

Expert's Description

Loch Lomond 1996/2022 Murray McDavid 25 Year Old is a Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon hogsheads with a rum finish and bottled at 55.9%.

The whisky was distilled in 1996 and spent 22 of its 25 years in bourbon hogsheads, before receiving a final finish in an SXG Diamond cask from the Guyanese Diamond rum distillery. Murray McDavid bottled the whisky in 2022 as part of its Mission Gold series, with only 391 bottles in total.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Exotic bouquet of pineapple, banana and mango, layered with vanilla, honey, sugarcane and a touch of oak and ginger.

Palate

Full-bodied and creamy, with waves of ripe tropical fruit, soft toffee, rum-soaked raisins and a hint of coconut.

Finish

Long, sweet finish with lingering tropical fruit and a warm rum tone.

Specifications

Name: Loch Lomond 1996/2022 Murray McDavid 25 Year Old Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 55.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon hogsheads, finished in a rum cask
Distilled: 1996
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 391
EAN: 5060353303505
Serving suggestion: Neat or with a few drops of water to tame the cask strength

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Sweet · Full-bodied

Investment Potential

High – a 25-year-old single grain with a rare rum finish and only 391 bottles makes this one of the most unusual and sought-after Loch Lomond releases for collectors of independent bottlings.

Did You Know?

The Diamond distillery in Guyana, whose casks were used for the finish, is one of the most celebrated rum distilleries in the Caribbean and uses several different historic still types in its own production – not unlike how Loch Lomond does with whisky.

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North British is today jointly owned by Diageo and Edrington and supplies the backbone of flavour to some of Scotland's best-known blends.

Expert's Description

North British 2007/2022 Murray McDavid 14 Year Old is a Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky finished in a Koval oat cask, bottled at 46%.

The cask comes from the American Koval distillery, known for its oat-based whiskey – an unusual choice for a Scotch grain whisky, giving this release a softer, creamier character with a touch of oatmeal and honey.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The glass first greets you with light oak, quickly followed by coconut and a hint of creamy vanilla.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied with mild pepper, light sweetness and delicate oak.

Finish

The finish is lightly spiced.

Specifications

Distillery: North British
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Koval Oat Cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2007
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 849
Edition: Limited Release – Select Grain
EAN no.: 5060353303659

Flavour Profile

Soft · Creamy · Light · Elegant

Did You Know?

Grain whisky like North British is distilled in column stills and typically develops flavour more slowly than malt whisky, making older vintages especially sought after.

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

The expert description

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Sweet · Sherry matured · Creamy · Fruity · Spiced

Did you know?

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

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Pauillac is Bordeaux at its finest – Lafite, Mouton, Latour. When casks from one of the world's most celebrated wine regions meet Caol Ila's Islay smoke, something unexpected happens: the powerful wine residue in the wood gives a peaty and fruity note rarely found at the distillery.

Expert's description

Caol Ila 2014/2022 Murray McDavid 8 Years Benchmark Series is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Pauillac wine casks, bottled at 50% without chill filtration and with natural colour. 1,399 bottles.

Pauillac casks come from the Pauillac wine district in Bordeaux – home to Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild and Latour. The casks are laden with red Bordeaux wine and add tannin-rich, fruity and slightly earthy notes to spirits that have rested in them.

Murray McDavid's Benchmark Series puts the distillate's character at the centre and finds casks that lift it without overpowering it. Eight years and 50% in Pauillac casks give a Caol Ila with an unexpected winey depth.

Tasting notes

Nose

Smoke and dark fruit – blueberry and cherry from the wine cask, with Caol Ila's salty maritime smoke in the background. A hint of earth and tannins.

Palate

Smoke and wine sweetness in good balance. Dark berry fruit, salt and a touch of Bordeaux tannins. Good body at 50%.

Finish

Peat and fruit alternate in a medium-length finish with a light, dried fruit note at the end.

Specifications

Name: Caol Ila 2014/2022 Murray McDavid 8 Years Benchmark – Pauillac Wine Casks
Distillery: Caol Ila Distillery
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Pauillac wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2014
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1,399
Series: Benchmark Series
EAN no.: 5060353303567

Flavour profile

Peated · Winey · Dark Fruit · Fresh · Tannic

Did you know?

Pauillac is home to three of the world's five classified Premier Cru chateaux in Bordeaux. Casks that have held wines from these estates are rare and highly sought after in the whisky world.

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Murray McDavid calls their mysterious Speyside series 'Mystery Malt' — Juniper Hill is an Italian wine twist on a young but characterful dram.

Expert's Description

Strathdearn Juniper Hill 2015/2022 is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Murray McDavid, distilled in 2015 and bottled in 2022 after 6 years of maturation at 46%.

The whisky is matured in a Barolo wine cask, giving an unusual wine-like character to the young Speyside malt. The source distillery is not officially disclosed under the 'Mystery Malt' name. A relatively large run of 1,673 bottles was produced.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark berries and a light wine-like acidity meet malt and a hint of vanilla.

Palate

Fruity and lightly tannic with cherry, spice and a fresh acidity from the Barolo cask.

Finish

Medium length with lingering berries and a dry, wine-like close.

Specifications

Name: Juniper Hill
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 6 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Barolo Wine Cask
Distilled: 2015
Bottled: 2022
Number of Bottles: 1,673 bottles
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
EAN No.: 5060353303635

Flavour Profile

Wine-matured · Fruity · Young · Spiced

Did You Know?

Barolo is known as the 'king of wines' from Piedmont in Italy, and a Barolo cask is rare in Scotch whisky production compared to the more common port and sherry casks.

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Lennox is the old name for the land around Loch Lomond, and Murray McDavid has used it as the title for this young, heavily peated take on Croftengea – a whisky with no time for caution.

Expert's Description

Croftengea Lennox Peat 2018/2022 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 46%.

The whisky was distilled in 2018 under Loch Lomond's heavily peated Croftengea profile and, after four years of maturation, was bottled by independent bottler Murray McDavid in 2022 under the name "Lennox Peat" – named after the historic term for the land surrounding the loch. Murray McDavid always bottles at a minimum of 46% with no added colouring or chill filtration.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Coastal smoke meets sweet lemon sponge and a hint of freshly baked bread.

Palate

Medicinal, fresh peat with orange blossom and a creamy sweetness that keeps the smoke in check.

Finish

Gentle malt, sea spray and a hint of smoky peach in the finish.

Specifications

Name: Croftengea Lennox Peat 2018/2022 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 4 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2018
Bottled: 2022
EAN: 5060353303628
Serving suggestion: Neat or with a few drops of water

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Peated · Fresh

Did You Know?

"Lennox" is the historic name for the landscape surrounding Loch Lomond – a name that goes back several centuries and is still used in the area's history and heraldry.

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Hungarian dessert wine and Scottish malt whisky are not an obvious match. Yet a Tokaji barrique sat waiting in a Glasgow warehouse, and for the final months before bottling the whisky was allowed to stretch out in it. You can smell that somebody took a chance.

The Expert's Description

1770 Glasgow 2018/2022 Mac Y Selection Tokaji Finish is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill ex-bourbon casks and finished in a Tokaji barrique, bottled at 52%. Cask 18/968 was distilled on 3 February 2018 and bottled on 25 October 2022, giving 303 bottles for the Danish importer Mac Y.

Tokaji is a Hungarian sweet wine made from botrytised grapes, and its casks are used only very rarely for Scotch. Where a sherry cask brings dark fruit and nuts, Tokaji pulls towards apricot, honey and a tart marmalade note that leaves the whisky brighter and fresher than a typical finish. The bourbon wood underneath keeps the vanilla and cereal sweetness in place.

The whisky was distilled at Glasgow Distillery, where the mash ferments for over 72 hours before slow distillation in copper pot stills. Neither chill filtration nor colouring came anywhere near the bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried apricot and orange marmalade first, with honey and a little yellow plum behind. Then the bourbon cask brings vanilla and a light pastry note, close to a Danish. A fine acidity runs through it all and stops the sweetness turning sticky.

Palate

Sweet and juicy to begin: apricot, honeydew melon and candied lemon. Mid-palate the oak and white pepper tighten up and a faintly waxy texture appears. The 52% gives body without heat. After a few minutes in the glass a dried mango note steps forward.

Finish

Medium length. Honey and citrus peel first, then drier oak and a touch of ginger. The sweetness fades calmly.

Specifications

Name: 1770 Glasgow 2018/2022 Mac Y Selection Tokaji Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky 52%
Distillery: Glasgow Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 4 years
ABV: 52%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill ex-bourbon and finished in a Tokaji barrique, cask no. 18/968
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 3 February 2018
Bottled: 25 October 2022
Number of bottles: 303
Edition: Mac Y Selection
EAN no.: 5714772001978

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Fresh · Spiced · Cask Strength · Vinous

Did You Know?

Tokaji was for centuries the most sought-after wine in Europe. Louis XIV is said to have called it Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum, the wine of kings and the king of wines. Casks like these almost never turn up in Scottish warehouses, and when they do it is usually because a small distillery fancied trying something the big ones cannot be bothered with.

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This release from Boann Distillery is made exclusively for the Danish market and is built on a single, hand-selected Oloroso sherry cask from Jerez.

Expert Review

The Whistler 6 Year Old Single Cask Oloroso Sherry is a Single Cask Irish Whiskey matured in a first fill Oloroso Sherry Butt, bottled at natural cask strength 59.55%.

The whiskey has matured its entire maturation period in a single first fill Oloroso Sherry Butt from Jerez, which has contributed plenty of colour and nuance to the flavour. It is bottled without chill filtration or added colouring, giving the raw drops at their completely natural alcohol strength. On the nose, powerful notes of sherry and dried fruit come through clearly, with the classic dusty tone from Oloroso maturation. This release is made exclusively for the Danish market.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Powerful sherry and dried fruit, with a dusty Oloroso tone.

Palate

Deep and complex, with oak, walnuts, chocolate and dried fruit.

Finish

Lingering, warm and long, with chocolate, wood and raisins.

Specifications

Name: The Whistler 6 Year Old Single Cask Oloroso Sherry
Distillery: The Whistler (Boann Distillery)
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Cask Irish Whiskey
Age: 6 years
ABV: 59.55% (natural cask strength)
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First fill Oloroso Sherry Butt from Jerez
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Other: Single Cask, exclusive to Denmark
EAN no.: 5391528252527

Flavour Profile

Powerful · Sherry-driven · Chocolatey · Nutty · Warm

Investment Potential

As a single cask release exclusive to the Danish market, this bottle may hold collector interest. Whisky.dk always recommends valuing a bottle for its own enjoyment rather than as an investment object.

Did You Know?

A "single cask" means the entire release comes from one single cask, unlike most whiskies, which are a blend of several casks, making every single cask release unique.

Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily most people know from a veal sauce rather than from whisky. BenRiach put it in as the third cask type anyway, and it is decisions like that which make the range worth following.

The expert's description

BenRiach The Smoky Twelve 12 years is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky matured in bourbon casks, sherry casks and Marsala casks and bottled at 46 %.

The whisky is built on the peated spirit of the distillery and matured, somewhat unconventionally, in three cask types. Bourbon gives vanilla, sherry gives dark fruit, and the Marsala wood adds a nutty sweetness different from both sherry and port.

The combination has given the whisky an almost creamy, soft structure with layers of ripe fruit, aromatic smoky sweetness and warming oak spice. The two extra years over the Smoky Ten read as more depth rather than as more smoke.

Tasting notes

Nose

Powerful smoky notes with vanilla, toasted orange peel and roasted almond.

Palate

Dark chocolate, fruit, brown sugar, smoke and cocoa. The structure stays creamy and soft despite the smoke.

Finish

Persistent with a full smoky flavour and warming oak spice.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach The Smoky Twelve 12 år
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks, sherry casks and Marsala casks
Edition: The Smoky Twelve 12 år
EAN no.: 5060716140259

Flavour profile

Smoky · Creamy · Dark fruit · Nutty · Spiced

Did you know?

Marsala comes from the town of the same name on the west coast of Sicily and was developed by English merchants in the 1700s as an alternative to port and sherry. The casks remain rare in Scotch whisky.

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Norfolk barley is brewed, distilled and matured all the way through at East London Liquor Company, who insist on controlling the entire process themselves from grain to bottle.

Expert Description

East London Single Malt 2022 is an English Single Malt Whisky made from 100% malted barley from Norfolk, bottled at 47%.

The whisky is brewed, distilled and matured at East London Liquor Company, using 100% malted barley grown in Norfolk. The whisky is double pot distilled and has matured for a minimum of 3 years in a combination of bourbon and rye casks from Sonoma as well as bourbon casks from Kentucky. East London Liquor Company opened in 2014 as the first distillery in the East End for over a century and prides itself on controlling the entire process from grain to bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Stewed apples, chocolate and oatmeal biscuits.

Palate

Ripe pineapple with a touch of Szechuan pepper, giving a light spicy edge to the fruity sweetness.

Finish

Lingering spice with a gentle touch of chocolate and ripe apples.

Specifications

Name: East London Single Malt 2022
Distillery: East London Liquor Company
Region/Country: England
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: Minimum 3 Years
ABV: 47%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon and rye casks from Sonoma and bourbon casks from Kentucky
Distillation method: Double pot still
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat, on the rocks or in cocktails

Distillery: East London Liquor Company

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Spicy · Gentle · Rounded · Creamy

Did You Know?

East London Liquor Company insists on brewing, distilling and maturing their whisky from scratch using Norfolk barley, unlike many new English distilleries that often buy ready-malted grain or even import whisky for bottling.

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Rye and malted barley meet in two separate pot still runs at East London Liquor Company, where East London's first distillery in over 100 years makes its own take on rye whisky.

Expert Description

East London Rye 2022 is an English Rye Whisky made from 55% malted rye and 45% malted barley, bottled at 47%.

The whisky is double pot distilled and is a vatting of 15-16 casks matured in a combination of regenerated oak, Hungarian oak, American oak and even old London brandy casks. This is the 2022 release of East London Liquor Company's Rye series, with the distillery – founded in 2014 at Bow Wharf – continuing its experimental approach to English whisky production.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Roasted nuts, dried fruit and toasty spices with a hint of red chilli.

Palate

Apricot, black pepper, honey and dry oak, while a floral sweetness builds alongside rye bread and salted butter, finished with lingering citrus tones.

Finish

Spicy and dry with lingering citrus and a hint of honey.

Specifications

Name: East London Rye 2022
Distillery: East London Liquor Company
Region/Country: England
Type: Rye Whisky
ABV: 47%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Regenerated oak, Hungarian oak, American oak and brandy casks
Distillation method: Double pot still
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat or in cocktails

Distillery: East London Liquor Company

Flavour Profile

Spicy · Fruity · Nutty · Dry · Complex

Did You Know?

East London Liquor Company was the first distillery in the East End for over 100 years when it opened in 2014, and their rye whisky even uses old London brandy casks in maturation – a detail that underlines the distillery's local roots.

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The Marquess Collection is Tullibardine's most experimental series, named after the local aristocratic title. This 12th release goes three ways at once through the full colour palette of port.

The expert's description

Tullibardine The Murray Triple Port Cask Finish Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 46% is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Finished across three port cask types: White Port, Tawny Port and Ruby Port and bottled at 46%.

The whisky was distilled in 2008 and bottled in 2022 as the 12th release in The Marquess Collection, matured across three different port cask types: White Port, Tawny Port and Ruby Port. The combination delivers striking depth and a layered flavour profile not found elsewhere in Tullibardine's range.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Red berries, port sweetness and a hint of nut.

Palate

Full-bodied with dark fruit, caramel and a light touch of spice.

Finish

Long and wine-driven with lingering berry and wood notes.

Specifications

Name: Tullibardine The Murray Triple Port Cask Finish Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Tullibardine
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished across three port cask types: White Port, Tawny Port and Ruby Port
Distilled: 2008
Bottled: 2022
Edition: The Marquess Collection, 12th release
EAN no.: 5060074864262

Flavour Profile

Wine-matured · Full-bodied · Fruity

Did you know?

The Marquess Collection is named after the Marquess of Ailsa, a Scottish aristocratic title with historic ties to the area around Tullibardine, and the series is known for experimenting with unusual cask combinations.

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As piece A7 in a series of 32 unique chess-piece bottlings, this 19-year-old Old Pulteney represents one of Scotland's maritime distilleries on the unusual whisky chessboard.

Expert Review

Old Pulteney 19 år The Chess Malt Collection A7 Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 59,6% is a Single Highland Malt Whisky matured in a single selected cask and bottled at 59.6% ABV.

The Chess Malt Collection is a series of 32 different bottlings from various distilleries, where each bottle represents a piece on a chessboard. This 19-year-old Old Pulteney, piece A7, is bottled from a single selected cask at full cask strength, without filtration or added colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is intense with salted caramel, citrus and a distinct alcohol strength.

Palate

The palate is powerful and saline, with orange, honey and a warm spiciness.

Finish

The finish is long and salty, with lingering citrus.

Specifications

Name: Old Pulteney 19 år The Chess Malt Collection A7 Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 59,6%
Distillery: Old Pulteney
Region: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 19 Years
ABV: 59.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: a single selected cask
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Edition: The Chess Malt Collection A7

Flavour Profile

Cask Strength · Maritime · Single Cask

Investment Potential

As part of a series of just 32 different chess-piece bottlings from various distilleries, this 19-year-old Old Pulteney appeals to collectors of the Chess Malt Collection.

Did You Know?

The Chess Malt Collection brings together 32 single-cask bottlings in total, one for each piece on a chessboard, with every bottle coming from a different Scottish distillery.

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

Expert's description

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

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

Investment potential

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

Did you know?

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

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In a region crowded with famous names, Tobermory has quietly gone about its business for generations. This particular release from Isle of Mull shows a side of the distillery worth slowing down for.

Expert's description

Ledaig Rioja Cask Sinclair Series Single Malt Whisky Mull 46,3% is a Single Isle of Mull Malt Scotch Whisky matured on finish på Rioja-vinfade from Spanien and bottled at 46,3%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh malt, orchard fruit and a light floral note.

Palate

Honey, pear and a mellow barley character.

Finish

Crisp and drying with a gentle spice.

Specifications

Name: Ledaig Rioja Cask Sinclair Series Single Malt Whisky Mull 46,3%
Distillery: Tobermory
Region/Country: Isle of Mull
Type: Single Isle of Mull Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46,3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finish på Rioja-vinfade from Spanien
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Sinclair Series
EAN no.: 5029704220243

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Spiced

Investment Potential

Medium. Rioja casks are rarely used for whisky maturation in Scotland, and as part of Tobermory's experimental Sinclair Series this combination is not necessarily repeated.

Did you know?

The Sinclair Series is named after the Sinclair family, historically linked to Tobermory distillery, and is used to try unconventional cask types on Ledaig and Tobermory.

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West Jutland smoke in a new guise. Stauning Smoke Design Edition is the iconic smoked expression in a special edition that turns the bottle into both a dram and a decoration.

Expert description

Stauning Smoke Design Edition is a Danish Whisky bottled at 47%, made from floor-malted smoked barley. Stauning Smoke is one of the distillery's core expressions, known for its gentle, fresh smoke from barley peated with heather and oak chips – a very different approach from the heavily peated Islay style. The Design Edition features a special artistic bottle design.

Smoke and RØG are both smoked expressions from Stauning, but RØG uses peated rye while Smoke uses peated barley – two very different characters.

Tasting notes

Nose

Gentle, fresh smoke with citrus, green fruits and a hint of vanilla. Heather-inflected smoke rather than heavy peat.

Palate

Light smoke and fresh fruits dominate. Yellow apples, pear and light vanilla with a subtle herbal note from the heather.

Finish

Clean and relatively short with fresh smoke and a light fruit note. Elegant and approachable.

Specifications

Name: Stauning Smoke Design Edition
Distillery: Stauning
Region/Country: West Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Whisky
ABV: 47%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5711978010704

Flavour profile

Smoked · Fruity · Fresh · Light · Floral

Did you know?

Stauning smokes its own grain at the distillery using heather from the West Jutland heathlands, giving the whisky a fresh, aromatic smoke that is closely tied to the West Jutland landscape.

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These are the distillery founder Dan's own favourite casks, gathered into one bottle at full cask strength — dark, fruity, with no filter between you and the spirit.

Expert's Description

Cotswolds Founder's Choice is a single malt English whisky bottled at cask strength, 60.5% ABV.

The whisky was Cotswolds Distillery's very first cask strength release and is made entirely from the distillery's own spirit, matured in STR-treated (Shaved, Toasted, Re-charred) ex-red wine casks of American oak. The casks were personally selected by the distillery's founder Dan, whose name the release carries, because they lend his fruity new make spirit an intense and active maturation.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dry and woody, with dark chocolate, dried figs, plums and a sweetness of syrup.

Palate

Fruity, with toffee, dark chocolate, dried figs and oak, underpinned by red berries.

Finish

Long and lingering, with chocolate and ripe red fruit staying on for a good while.

Specifications

Name: Cotswolds Founder's Choice Single Malt English Whisky
Distillery: Cotswolds Distillery
Region/Country: England
Type: Single Malt English Whisky
ABV: 60.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: STR ex-red wine casks of American oak

Flavour Profile

Dark chocolate · Dried figs · Toffee · Red berries

Did You Know?

Founder's Choice was Cotswolds Distillery's very first cask strength release, making it a landmark for how the distillery's spirit behaves with no water added at all.

Browse our full range of Cotswolds Distillery

The distillery's own team calls it "smoky vanilla ice cream" — a description that lands surprisingly well the moment you dip your nose into the glass.

Expert's Description

Cotswolds Peated Cask is a single malt English whisky matured in peat-influenced casks and bottled at cask strength, 60.2% ABV.

The whisky was the first peated release from the young English distillery and is made from 100% locally harvested Cotswolds barley, double distilled in traditional pot stills. The spirit is matured in ex-peated quarter casks originally from Islay in Scotland, giving the whisky a subtle smoky character without overpowering the distillery's own fruity house style. It is bottled without chill filtration and with no added colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla with hints of dried fruit and spice, gradually revealing a light, sweetish smoke.

Palate

Creamy smoke with fruit and a light, dry tannin that gives a fine counterpoint to the sweetness.

Finish

Long, smoky and floral, with a closing sweetness of honey.

Specifications

Name: Cotswolds Peated Cask Single Malt English Whisky
Distillery: Cotswolds Distillery
Region/Country: England
Type: Single Malt English Whisky
ABV: 60.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-peated quarter casks from Islay
Non-chill filtered
Natural colour

Flavour Profile

Smoke · Vanilla · Honey · Dried fruit

Did You Know?

The casks the whisky is matured in originally come from Islay in Scotland — meaning a piece of Scottish smoke tradition indirectly helps shape the character of this English whisky.

Browse our full range of Cotswolds Distillery

No detours, no extra cask types — just Cotswolds' own fruity spirit, left to mature quietly in American Kentucky casks until it grew intense enough to stand entirely on its own.

Expert's Description

Cotswolds Bourbon Cask is a single malt English whisky matured exclusively in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at cask strength, 59.1% ABV.

The whisky belongs to the distillery's Cask Expressions Collection and is made from 100% locally grown, traditionally floor-malted Cotswolds barley. The casks are selected first fill ex-bourbon barrels of American white oak from Kentucky, where the distillery's rich, fruity spirit has been left to mature undisturbed until bottled without chill filtration and with no added colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey, creamed coconut and crisp barley, spiced with gentle oak spices and a hint of shortbread.

Palate

Rich and creamy with toffee, caramel and citrus, followed by strawberry cream, baked orange and juicy pineapple.

Finish

Full-bodied and warming, with a lingering sweetness of caramel and a touch of spiced oak.

Specifications

Name: Cotswolds Bourbon Cask Single Malt English Whisky
Distillery: Cotswolds Distillery
Region/Country: England
Type: Single Malt English Whisky
ABV: 59.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First fill ex-bourbon barrels, American white oak from Kentucky
Non-chill filtered
Natural colour
Edition/Batch: Small Batch Release, Cask Expressions Collection
EAN no.: 5060404511972

Flavour Profile

Honey · Coconut · Toffee · Pineapple

Did You Know?

The casks behind this release are 100% first fill ex-bourbon barrels from Kentucky — casks that have held bourbon only once before — which gives a far more active wood influence than a refill cask.

Browse our full range of Cotswolds Distillery

Twenty years is a long time to leave a cask to get on with it. Adelphi emptied this one in 2016, and it had been filled in 1995, a decade before most people started caring what Glen Elgin actually tasted like on its own.

The expert description

Glen Elgin 1995/2016 Adelphi Selection 20 Years Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a single cask and bottled at cask strength 53.1%.

The cask, number 3216, was filled in 1995 and bottled in 2016. It gave 210 bottles, which is few even by Adelphi standards. Like the rest of the house releases it is bottled without chill filtration and without added colour.

Twenty years does something to the Glen Elgin fruitiness. The fresh, almost tropical character that marks the younger bottlings pulls towards dried fruit and wax, and the weight the spirit takes from the worm tubs is given room to come through. That the strength still sits at 53.1% after two decades says something about how dry that cask lay.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried apricot and peach, honey on toast, and a waxy note like old furniture timber.

Palate

Deep and oily. Yellow fruit and caramel do the carrying, while the malt steps forward in the middle and the oak lays a dry spiced edge beneath.

Finish

Very long with mineral, white pepper and a final sweetness of honey and oak.

Specifications

Name: Glen Elgin 1995/2016 Adelphi Selection 20 Years Old
Distillery: Glen Elgin
Bottler: Adelphi Selection
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 53.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Single cask no. 3216
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1995
Bottled: 2016
Number of bottles: 210
Edition: Single Cask
EAN no.: 5060383652314

Flavour profile

Fruity · Waxy · Malty · Mineral · Mature

Investment potential

Medium. Twenty years in wood, a single cask and only 210 bottles from a distillery that supplies almost entirely to blends. Age stated Glen Elgin bottlings over twenty years have become noticeably harder to find as the older stocks have been drawn down.

Did you know?

Glen Elgin was rebuilt in 1964 and went from two pot stills to six. The rebuild tripled capacity, but the distillery kept its worm tubs, a decision that is today the reason the whisky carries more body than the numbers suggest.

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Two casks, filled on the same day, with numbers running back to back. They are still not the same — this one held on to an extra percent and carries a different edge on the palate.

Expert description

Braeval 2000/2021 Signatory Vintage 21 Years is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky from Refill Butt #6393, bottled at cask strength, 60.3%, with natural colour.

Distilled on 16 February 2000 and bottled on 18 February 2021, twenty-one years later almost to the day. The cask gave 591 bottles, and the whisky is bottled without dilution and without added colour.

Braeval sits high in the Braes of Glenlivet and supplies almost entirely to blends. The spirit is light and floral, and a quiet refill cask lets exactly that character show rather than wrapping it in sherry.

Tasting notes

Nose

Green apple and hay with lemon marmalade, pale oak and a stroke of almond.

Palate

Sharp and fresh with green fruit, honey and grain. The 60.3% brings a dry intensity that calls for water.

Finish

Long and dry with oak, grain and a lightly bitter citrus note.

Specifications

Name: Braeval 2000/2021 Signatory Vintage 21 Years Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 60.3%
Distillery: Braeval
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 60,3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Butt #6393
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 16/02/2000
Bottled: 18/02/2021
Number of bottles: 591
EAN no.: 5021944111930

Flavour profile

Fresh · Fruity · Dry · Floral · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask of 591 bottles with a twenty year old vintage from a distillery without official bottlings.

Did you know?

Signatory Vintage numbers its casks consecutively, and casks bought in the same lot often carry numbers back to back. That makes it possible to taste through sister casks from the same day.

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See our full range of Signatory Vintage

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The label says Fascadale. It is not a distillery but Adelphi's way of speaking about Orkney without naming the place aloud. Heather peat, salt wind and fourteen quiet years in wood.

The expert's description

Fascadale 14 year Highland Park Adelphi Batch 10 is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky from Orkney, non-chill filtered and bottled with natural colour at 46%.

Fascadale is the name Adelphi gives the casks it may not label with the distillery name. The whisky comes from Highland Park, and the series has run under the Fascadale name across a long line of batches. Adelphi ranks among Scotland's most respected independent bottlers and picks its casks one at a time rather than buying in bulk.

Batch 10 is a closed release of 1,498 bottles. At 46% the spirit has the body to carry its smoke without the alcohol pushing the fruit aside, and since neither filter nor colouring has touched it, what sits in the glass is the shade the cask gave it.

Peat cut on Orkney comes from treeless, heather-covered moorland. That is why the smoke reads floral and earthy rather than tarry, and after fourteen years in wood it lies beneath the honey and apple instead of covering them.

Tasting notes

Nose

Heather blossom and honey arrive first, then a dry, earthy smoke closer to smouldering heather than to tar. Behind it sit fresh apples, a hint of vanilla and a breath of sea water.

Palate

Soft and almost oily in the mouth. Citrus peel and malt sweetness open the round, a warm current of pepper and cinnamon follows, and a lightly salted edge keeps the sweetness in check.

Finish

Medium length. The smoke settles in like a faint peat ember while the honey sweetness ebbs away and leaves dried apple skin behind.

Specifications

Name: Fascadale 14 year Highland Park Adelphi Batch 10 Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Highland Park
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Orkney Islands, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 1,498
Edition: Batch No. 10
EAN no.: 5060383652284

Flavour profile

Smoky · Maritime · Fruity · Soft

Investment potential

Medium. Batch 10 is closed at 1,498 bottles and cannot be repeated, and older independent bottlings from Orkney grow harder to source as the stocks are drawn down.

Did you know?

Adelphi is not only a bottler. The company built its own distillery out on the Ardnamurchan peninsula on Scotland's west coast, which opened in 2014 and runs on hydro power from the river and biomass from the surrounding woodland.

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Filled in July 1991, emptied in January 2015. Cambus managed to close in between, and the cask simply minded its own business while the distillery's chimneys disappeared from the Clackmannanshire skyline.

Expert description

Cambus 1991/2015 Signatory Vintage 23 Years is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky from Refill Butt #55890, bottled at cask strength, 53.9%, with natural colour.

The whisky was distilled on 24 July 1991 and bottled on 19 January 2015. The cask gave 541 bottles, which fits a butt of around 500 litres. Cambus closed in 1993, so the spirit comes from its final production years.

A refill cask is the right type for grain whisky meant to sit for a long time. It gives up its influence slowly and lets the light spirit develop vanilla, coconut and fudge without being smothered in oak.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and coconut with pale grain, met by a fine, sweetish note of freshly baked cake.

Palate

Creamy and soft with fudge, honey and pale spice. The strength brings concentration rather than sharpness.

Finish

Long and lightly dry with vanilla, grain and a warm oak note.

Specifications

Name: Cambus 1991/2015 Signatory Vintage 23 Years Single Grain Scotch Whisky 70 cl 53.9%
Distillery: Cambus
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 23 years
ABV: 53,9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Butt #55890
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 24/07/1991
Bottled: 19/01/2015
Number of bottles: 541

Flavour profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Sweet · Soft · Mature

Investment potential

High. A closed distillery, a single cask and a vintage from the final operating years. Cambus bottlings from 1991 exist in falling numbers.

Did you know?

Cambus suffered a fire in 1914 that shut the distillery for fifteen years. It was rebuilt and ran on until 1993, when the Distillers Company closed it for the last time.

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