Thirty-two bottles, thirty-two chess pieces. Two kings, two queens, four bishops, four knights, four rooks and sixteen pawns, each one a whisky from a different distillery. This one stands on g7, and behind the piece sits a seventeen year old Ardmore at full cask strength.

The Expert's Description

Ardmore 17 Years Old The Chess Malt Collection G7 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured entirely in bourbon wood and bottled at 59.7% cask strength. It was distilled in February 2002 and bottled in June 2019, and the cask gave 239 bottles.

The Chess Malt Collection is a series of 32 bottlings from different distilleries across Scotland, where each bottle corresponds to a piece on the chessboard, split evenly between black and white. The series gathers distilleries you rarely see side by side, tied together by a concept rather than by a region or a cask type.

Ardmore is one of the few Highland distilleries with peat smoke as a core style, and after seventeen years in bourbon wood the smoke has grown softer and better integrated. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Tropical fruit first, mango, pineapple and a little melon, which is typical of long maturation in bourbon casks. Beneath sit toasted nuts, vanilla and a light dry smoke closer to cold ash than a fire.

Palate

Full and oily. Tropical fruit and honey open, then nuts, vanilla and a dry smoky edge. The 59.7% is pronounced, but after seventeen years there is roundness enough to carry it. Water draws the fruit further forward.

Finish

Long and dry. Smoke, toasted nuts and oak, with a final sweetness of tropical fruit that lingers.

Specifications

Name: Ardmore 17 Years Old The Chess Malt Collection G7 Single Highland Malt Whisky 59.7%
Distillery: Ardmore
Bottler: The Chess Malt Collection
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 17 years
ABV: 59.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: February 2002
Bottled: June 2019
Number of bottles: 239
Edition: The Chess Malt Collection G7

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Tropical Fruit · Nutty · Vanilla · Cask Strength · Oaky

Investment Potential

Medium. The series is built to be collected, and a concept of 32 pieces creates demand for the individual bottles long after release. With only 239 bottles from this cask, an age of seventeen years and full cask strength, there are several reasons this one will be hard to find again.

Did You Know?

The series consists of 32 different whiskies, one for each piece on a chessboard: two kings, two queens, four bishops, four knights, four rooks and sixteen pawns, split evenly between black and white. The designation G7 refers to the square on the board, and on a chessboard a pawn stands on g7 at the start of the game.

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Twenty-four hours after the other Millennium cask. This one was filled on 1 January 2000 — the first day of the new millennium — and it is hard to find a whisky with a more precise birthday.

The expert's description

Glenfarclas Millennium Single Cask 2000 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky from a single sherry butt, bottled at cask strength 56.1%.

The cask was filled on 1 January 2000 and emptied on 28 June 2022 after twenty-one years. Sherry butt number 24 gave 569 bottles, which is a lot for a single cask — a butt holds around 500 litres where a hogshead takes only half that. The 56.1% is natural cask strength.

The bottling forms part of The Family Casks and was selected specially for the Danish market. Together with the Millennium cask from the day before, the two make a pair where the difference between casks filled twenty-four hours apart can be tasted side by side.

Tasting notes

Nose

Powerful sherry with raisin, dates and dark syrup. The cask strength pushes the fruit forward, and there is a warm spice note beneath it all.

Palate

Dense and sweet. Dark fruit, walnut and chocolate, with a firm spiced middle. The 56.1% gives the whisky an intensity its gentler Millennium sibling does not have.

Finish

Very long. Dark fruit, nuts and a dry oak close with lasting warmth.

Specifications

Name: Glenfarclas Millennium Single Cask 2000 #24 Highland Single Malt Whisky 56.1%
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 56.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry butt no. 24
Distilled: 1 January 2000
Bottled: 28 June 2022
Number of bottles: 569
Edition: The Family Casks - Millennium Cask, selected for Denmark

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Chocolate · Spiced · Cask Strength

Investment potential

High. 569 bottles from one sherry butt with a distillation date that occurs only once. The cask was selected for Denmark alone, and together with the 1999 cask it forms a pair collectors seek as a set rather than separately.

Did you know?

The two Millennium casks were filled twenty-four hours apart — one on the last day of 1999, the other on the first day of 2000. They sit today at 50% and 56.1% respectively, which shows how differently two casks can develop under the same roof.

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Distilled on 31 December 1999. That is the last day of the millennium, and the cask was filled while the rest of the world was getting ready for fireworks. Twenty-two years later it yielded 203 bottles — for Denmark only.

The expert's description

Glenfarclas Millennium Single Cask 1999 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky from a single sherry cask, bottled at 50%.

The cask was filled on 31 December 1999 and emptied on 27 June 2022 after twenty-two years. Cask number 7512 gave 203 bottles, and the release forms part of The Family Casks — the Glenfarclas series of individual casks selected and bottled by the family without blending.

The Millennium casks hold a particular status, because the date is one of the few in whisky where you know exactly what was happening that day. This one was selected for the Danish market and has never been sold anywhere else.

Tasting notes

Nose

Deep sherry with raisin and dried fig, over a base of aged oak. There is a waxy depth that twenty-two years in a single cask has created.

Palate

Full and concentrated. Dark fruit, walnut and a spiced middle, with a firm oak note keeping the sweetness in check. The 50% gives the whisky structure without being hard.

Finish

Long and dry. Nuts, dark fruit and oak ebbing away slowly with a spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: Glenfarclas Millennium Single Cask 1999 #7512 Highland Single Malt Whisky 50%
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 22 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry cask no. 7512
Distilled: 31 December 1999
Bottled: 27 June 2022
Number of bottles: 203
Edition: The Family Casks - Millennium Cask, selected for Denmark

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Nutty · Spiced · Cask Strength

Investment potential

High. 203 bottles from one cask, distilled on the last day of 1999 and selected for the Danish market alone. The Millennium date makes the cask easier to recognise than most single casks, and the outturn is closed for good.

Did you know?

The Family Casks was launched in 2007 with a bottling from every single vintage between 1952 and 1994. It is a series no other distillery has been able to match, precisely because it requires unbroken stock across four decades.

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Cigar Malt is not meant to stand alone – it is built to meet smoke from a source entirely different from peat.

Expert's description

Tomintoul Cigar Malt Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70 cl 43% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Oloroso sherry casks from Andalusia and bottled at 43%.

Tomintoul Cigar Malt is matured in Oloroso sherry casks from Andalusia and is specifically designed by the distillery to accompany a good cigar.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Maple loaf cake, cinnamon and a hint of smoke.

Palate

Peppered oak, blackberry marmalade and chocolate.

Finish

Buttery oak and roasted coffee bean.

Specifications

Name: Tomintoul Cigar Malt Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70 cl 43%
Distillery: Tomintoul
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry casks from Andalusia
Non-chill filtered: No
Natural colour: No
Edition: Cigar Malt
EAN no.: 5021349704676

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Spiced · Fresh

Did you know?

Pairing whisky with cigars is a classic combination, where the sweetness of Oloroso sherry must be able to balance the strength of tobacco without drowning it.

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Writers Tears Copper Pot in miniature format is the perfect introduction to the gently spiced, elegant whiskey from Walsh Whiskey.

Expert Review

Writers Tears Miniature Copper Pot Irish Whiskey is a Pot Still Irish Whiskey, bottled at 40%.

The whiskey has matured in ex-bourbon American oak casks and is subsequently bottled at 40% ABV. The flavour is gently spiced with a hint of ginger and caramel, with notes of toasted oak. The finish is long and elegant.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ginger and caramel.

Palate

Gently spiced with toasted oak.

Finish

Long and elegant.

Specifications

Name: Writers Tears Copper Pot
Distillery: Walsh Whiskey
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Cask: Ex-Bourbon American Oak Casks
ABV: 40%
Size: 5 CL
EAN no.: 5099811905920

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Caramel · Oaky · Elegant · Soft

Did You Know?

This miniature is a great way to get acquainted with Writers Tears Copper Pot before investing in a full bottle.
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A full bottle can be a big decision, but Writers Tears Double Oak in a 5cl miniature is the perfect way to get acquainted with the award-winning Irish whiskey without commitment.

Expert Review

Writers Tears Miniature Double Oak Irish Whiskey is a blended Irish Whiskey of pot still and single malt, matured in two cask types, bottled at 46% in a small 5cl bottle.

Double Oak is the Irish whiskey brand Writers Tears' signature release, a blend of pot still and single malt whiskey first matured in bourbon casks and then finished in French oak casks from Bordeaux. This 5cl miniature is intended for tasting, gifting, or taking on the go, and contains exactly the same whiskey as the standard 70cl bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey, caramel and a touch of red wine.

Palate

Full and spiced, with notes of dried fruit and oak.

Finish

Long and warm, with lingering spice.

Specifications

Name: Writers Tears Miniature Double Oak
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Blended Irish Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Size: 5 CL
Cask type: Bourbon & French oak casks (Bordeaux)
EAN no.: 5099811190753

Flavour Profile

Full · Spiced · Honeyed · Fruity · Warm

Did You Know?

The name "Writers Tears" pays tribute to Ireland's great literary tradition, where whiskey was often a faithful companion during the writing process for names like James Joyce and Brendan Behan.
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Hinch Small Batch Bourbon Cask is an approachable blended Irish whiskey with a light nutty brown colour and a fresh, fruity palate.

Expert Review

Hinch Small Batch Bourbon Cask Irish Whiskey is a Blended Irish Whiskey, bottled at 43%.

The blend is a 70/30 mix of single grain whiskey and single malt whiskey, matured in bourbon casks in a small batch style. The colour is light nutty brown, and the palate offers dry fruit with citrus notes and a lingering caramel mouthfeel.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Light and fresh with citrus.

Palate

Dry fruit with citrus notes and caramel.

Finish

Lingering caramel mouthfeel.

Specifications

Name: Hinch Small Batch Bourbon Cask Irish Whiskey
Distillery: Hinch
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Blended Irish Whiskey
Cask: Bourbon Cask
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Colour: Light nutty brown

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Citrus · Caramel · Light · Approachable

Did You Know?

The small batch process means Hinch only blends a limited number of casks at a time to preserve consistency and character.
See our full range of Hinch whiskey

Hinch 5 Year Old Double Wood is a blended Irish whiskey where bourbon-cask matured whiskey gets an extra finish in virgin American oak casks for at least a year.

Expert Review

Hinch 5 Year Old Double Wood Irish Whiskey is a Blended Irish Whiskey, bottled at 43%.

The whiskey is made by selecting the best bourbon-cask matured whiskey and then finishing it in virgin American oak casks for at least another year. All the whiskeys are triple distilled, and the blend is an 80/20 mix of grain whiskey and malt whiskey. The whiskey is creamy and soft with oaky nuances of cinnamon, vanilla and exotic spices.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet, creamy, lemon peel, vanilla and tobacco.

Palate

Cream, vanilla, apricot, peach, cinnamon, oak and pepper.

Finish

Long, with honey, fruit, melon and milk chocolate.

Specifications

Name: Hinch 5 Year Old Double Wood Irish Whiskey
Distillery: Hinch
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Blended Irish Whiskey
Age: 5 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Colour: Mahogany with golden highlights

Flavour Profile

Creamy · Vanilla · Cinnamon · Fruity · Soft

Did You Know?

Hinch uses virgin American oak casks for the double wood finish, giving the whiskey its signature spiced and creamy style.
See our full range of Hinch whiskey

A cartoon-style label hides a fully serious 26-year-old whisky. That Boutique-y Whisky Company is known for its illustrated bottles with a wink, but the contents here are one of the longest-matured Highland Park releases you'll find.

Expert Description

Highland Park 26 Years Old That Boutique-y Whisky Company is a Single Highland Malt Whisky from Batch 7, bottled at 50.2%.

That Boutique-y Whisky Company is known for its colourful, illustrated labels and a playful, straightforward approach to independent bottling. Behind the cheerful look lies a serious release: 26 years of maturation have given the whisky a depth and complexity only the longest-aged Highland Park releases can offer. Only 598 bottles exist of this Batch 7 bottling.

The 26 years on cask have softened the characteristic Orkney peat in favour of a more mature, oak-driven sweetness.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe dried fruit, honey and a gentle, fading peat, with a hint of upholstered wood.

Palate

Round and oak-driven, with caramel, walnut and a muted, mature smoke.

Finish

Long and soft, with lingering sweetness and a final, dry wood note.

Specifications

Name: Highland Park 26 Years Old That Boutique-y Whisky Company
Distillery: Highland Park
Bottler: That Boutique-y Whisky Company
Region/Country: Highlands, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 26 Years
ABV: 50.2%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Batch 7
Number of bottles: 598
EAN: 5052598179472

Flavour Profile

Peated · Oak-driven · Mature · Soft

Did You Know?

That Boutique-y Whisky Company is known for its illustrated labels, drawn by artist Emily Chappell, giving each bottling its own graphic universe.

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Risen from ruin — Annandale carries the Lowland peat tradition forward, one cask at a time.

Expert description

Annandale 2016 Founders Selection Cask 002 Single Lowland Malt Whisky is a single-cask bottling from Annandale Distillery, matured in a selected Founders Selection cask, bottled at cask strength, 59,2 %. Annandale Distillery was founded in 1836 as one of Scotland's first legal distilleries, but closed in 1918 while owned by none other than Johnnie Walker. The distillery lay derelict for nearly a century, until Professor David Thomson and Teresa Church read about it in the book 'Scotch Missed: Lost Distilleries of Scotland', tracked down the ruined building, bought the site in 2007 and reopened the distillery in 2014 after extensive restoration. The distillery produces two main expressions: the unpeated Man O'Words and the peated Man O'Sword, continuing the distillery's historic tradition of smoky whisky.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers smoke, peat and an underlying fruitiness.

Palate

The palate is smoky and full with peat, caramel and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 2016 Founders Selection Cask 002 Single Lowland Malt Whisky
Distillery: Annandale Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 59,2 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask number: 002, Distilled: 2016

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peated · Full-bodied · Spiced

Investment potential

Annandale's single-cask bottlings are produced in limited numbers and can hold collector interest, especially given the distillery's dramatic revival story.

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Irish whiskey meets natural honey in this sweeter take on the Tullamore heritage.

Expert description

Tullamore Dew Honey Irish Whiskey Liqueur combines Irish whiskey with honey for a sweet, golden liqueur, bottled at 35%. The Tullamore distillery was founded in 1829 by Michael Molloy. After his death, his nephew Bernard Daly took over management and hired a 15-year-old stable boy named Daniel Edmund Williams as general manager. Williams eventually came to own the distillery and helped modernise the entire town of Tullamore — introducing electricity in 1893, the town's first telephone line, and its first motorised vehicle. After his death, his initials, D.E.W., became a permanent part of the brand name.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers honey, vanilla and a hint of whiskey.

Palate

The palate is sweet and round with honey, caramel and light whiskey spice.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Tullamore Dew Honey Irish Whiskey Likør
Bottler: Tullamore D.E.W.
Region/Country: Tullamore, Ireland
Type: Whiskey Liqueur
ABV: 35%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Sweet · Honey · Rounded · Soft

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Braunstein's Warehouse Edition is a series you want to experience from more than one expression. The gift set solves that in one go: five 20 cl bottles, five different Warehouse Edition expressions, one complete tasting experience. Braunstein in cross-section.

Expert description

Braunstein Warehouse Edition Gift Set is a collection of five 20 cl bottles of Danish Single Malt Whisky from Braunstein's Warehouse Edition series. The five expressions have individual strengths ranging from 48.2% to 50.4%, reflecting the natural variations from the individual casks in the series. Braunstein Destilleri in Køge was founded in 2005 by brothers Michael and Rudi Braunstein and is one of Denmark's oldest and most established whisky distilleries. The Warehouse Edition is the distillery's premium series, matured in first-fill casks to maximise the cask's contribution to the flavour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Complex and varied — the five expressions bring individual facets. Common threads of sweet malt, oak and light fruit. Braunstein's characteristic balance between malt and cask is present across the set.

Palate

Full and nuanced. Each expression brings its own notes, but common to all is Braunstein's round, balanced style with good oak depth and sweet malt at the centre.

Finish

Lingering and warm. Dried fruit, oak and light sweetness share the stage depending on the expressions.

Specifications

Name: Braunstein Warehouse Edition Gift Set
Distillery: Braunstein Destilleri
Region/Country: Denmark, Køge
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48.2–50.4%
Size: 5 x 20 CL
Edition: Warehouse Edition

Flavour profile

Warehouse Edition · First Fill · Sweet Malt · Complex · Gift Set

Did you know?

Braunstein is one of very few places in Denmark that both brews beer and distils whisky under one roof. This is not accidental — the Braunstein brothers came from the beer world and used their understanding of malt and fermentation as the foundation for whisky production.

The same Kentucky heritage, extra strength — 99 Proof shows Ezra Brooks with more bite.

Expert description

Ezra Brooks 99 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a stronger version of the brand's core expression, bottled at 49.5%. Ezra Brooks was founded in 1957 by Frank Silverman and was originally distilled at the Hoffman Distilling Company by two of Kentucky's most respected distilling families, first the Ripy family and later the Medley family. The brand changed hands several times over the years, most recently to Luxco in 2006, and since 2018 Ezra Brooks has been distilled at the family's own distillery, Lux Row Distillers, in Bardstown, Kentucky — known as the capital of bourbon.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is full with caramel, vanilla and spiced oak.

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Ezra Brooks 99 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Lux Row Distillers
Region/Country: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 49.5%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Powerful · Spiced · Caramel · Warm

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At the foot of the Cairngorms, cold mountain water runs down the outside of the copper stills at Fettercairn. It looks as odd as it sounds, and no other Scottish distillery does it.

The expert description

Fettercairn 12 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American white oak and ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 40%.

Alexander Ramsay founded the distillery in 1824 in the village of Fettercairn in the Mearns, where the Grampians drop away towards the coast. The distinctive feature is the cooling rings: a ring fitted around the top of each pot still lets crystal clear mountain water run down the copper from outside. The cooling creates more condensation inside, so only the lightest vapours make it all the way up, and that is the source of the clean, sweet spirit the distillery is known for.

Twelve years in American oak lays vanilla and soft spice on top of that. The result is a Highland malt with no smoke and no sharp edges, where the fruit is allowed to do the carrying.

Tasting notes

Nose

The colour of sunlight and amber honey. The aroma gives vanilla, ripe pear and soft spices, with a touch of fresh oak behind.

Palate

Soft and rounded. Nectarine and tropical fruit first, then milk chocolate and sweet cream, while fresh pineapple is balanced by oak and a note of damp leaves.

Finish

Cinnamon, candied ginger and nutmeg develop alongside creamy coffee, and menthol and crunchy apples are what remain at the end.

Specifications

Name: Fettercairn 12 Years Old
Distillery: Fettercairn
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American white oak and ex-bourbon casks
EAN no.: 5013967013957

Flavour profile

Fruity · Soft · Vanilla · Creamy · Lightly spiced

Did you know?

When the warehouse at Fettercairn was built, the masons are said to have sealed a full bottle of whisky into the stone wall as a charm. As far as anyone knows it is still there, since nobody has fancied pulling the wall down to check.

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Just a 30-minute drive south of Dublin lies Powerscourt Estate, named by National Geographic as one of the world's most beautiful gardens, and this is where the Fercullen whiskeys are distilled.

Expert Review

Fercullen 10 Year Old is a Single Grain Irish Whiskey matured in American white oak and finished in fresh bourbon casks, bottled at 40%.

The whiskey is distilled by Powerscourt Distillery, one of Ireland's newest distilleries, established in 2017 with the first distillations in 2018. The distillery is located on Powerscourt Estate in County Wicklow, owned by the Slazenger family, and sells its Single Malt, Single Grain and Blended releases under the Fercullen brand. This 10-year-old single grain spends its first years in American white oak before finishing in completely fresh bourbon casks, giving a combination of classic grain sweetness and fresher cask spice.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and grain sweetness, with a hint of fresh oak.

Palate

Soft and round, with caramel and light spice from the fresh bourbon casks.

Finish

Medium and mild, with lingering sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Fercullen 10 Year Old
Distillery: Powerscourt
Region/Country: County Wicklow, Ireland
Type: Single Grain Irish Whiskey
Age: 10 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American white oak & fresh bourbon casks
EAN no.: 5391533850039

Flavour Profile

Grain-sweet · Vanilla-forward · Soft · Round · Mild

Did You Know?

Powerscourt Estate, where Fercullen is distilled, has been named by National Geographic as one of the three most beautiful gardens in the world, thanks to its 47 hectares of gardens with Sugarloaf Mountain in the background.
See our full range of Powerscourt

Cask strength, one distilling season, one distiller — Bottled in Bond holds the strictest standard in American whiskey law.

Expert description

Boulder Spirits Bottled In Bond American Single Malt Whiskey follows the 1897 US Bottled-in-Bond Act, requiring the whiskey to be distilled in one season by one distiller at one distillery, aged at least four years in a bonded warehouse, and bottled at exactly 50%. Boulder Spirits was founded by Scotsman Alastair Brogan, who moved to Colorado in 2011 and started the distillery as Vapor Distillery. The goal was to create a single malt whiskey 'unique to Colorado with a Scottish accent'. The distillery installed one of Colorado's largest copper pot stills and helped establish the American Single Malt Whiskey category, which was only officially recognised in the US in 2025.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and spiced oak.

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Boulder Spirits Bottled In Bond American Single Malt Whiskey
Distillery: Boulder Spirits
Region/Country: Boulder, Colorado, USA
Type: American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Age: Minimum 4 years

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Spiced · Oak · Powerful

See our full range of Boulder Spirits

An American single malt finished in port casks — fruity, sweet and full-bodied.

Expert description

Boulder Spirits Port Cask American Single Malt Whiskey is made from 100% malted barley and finished in port casks, adding fruit and sweetness to the base American oak character, bottled at 46%. Boulder Spirits was founded by Scotsman Alastair Brogan, who moved to Colorado in 2011 and started the distillery as Vapor Distillery. The goal was to create a single malt whiskey 'unique to Colorado with a Scottish accent'. The distillery installed one of Colorado's largest copper pot stills and helped establish the American Single Malt Whiskey category, which was only officially recognised in the US in 2025.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers red berries, caramel and a hint of port sweetness.

Palate

The palate is fruity and full-bodied with berries, vanilla and lightly spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, sweet and lightly wine-toned.

Specifications

Name: Boulder Spirits Port Cask American Single Malt Whiskey
Distillery: Boulder Spirits
Region/Country: Boulder, Colorado, USA
Type: American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Cask type: Finished in port casks

Flavour profile

Fruity · Sweet · Full-bodied · Wine-toned

See our full range of Boulder Spirits

Scottish peat meets the Colorado highlands — a smoky single malt with an American soul.

Expert description

Boulder Spirits Peated Malt American Single Malt Whiskey is made from Scottish peated malt and matured in freshly charred, virgin American oak casks, bottled at 46%. Boulder Spirits was founded by Scotsman Alastair Brogan, who moved to Colorado in 2011 and started the distillery as Vapor Distillery. The goal was to create a single malt whiskey 'unique to Colorado with a Scottish accent'. The distillery installed one of Colorado's largest copper pot stills and helped establish the American Single Malt Whiskey category, which was only officially recognised in the US in 2025.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers smoke, peat and an underlying vanilla sweetness.

Palate

The palate is smoky and full-bodied with peat, caramel and a hint of sweetness.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Boulder Spirits Peated Malt American Single Malt Whiskey
Distillery: Boulder Spirits
Region/Country: Boulder, Colorado, USA
Type: American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peated · Full-bodied · Spiced

See our full range of Boulder Spirits

Scottish craft, American cask maturation — New American is Boulder Spirits' cornerstone.

Expert description

Boulder Spirits New American American Single Malt Whiskey is the distillery's core expression, made from 100% malted barley and matured in freshly charred, virgin American oak casks, bottled at 46%. Boulder Spirits was founded by Scotsman Alastair Brogan, who moved to Colorado in 2011 and started the distillery as Vapor Distillery. The goal was to create a single malt whiskey 'unique to Colorado with a Scottish accent'. The distillery installed one of Colorado's largest copper pot stills and helped establish the American Single Malt Whiskey category, which was only officially recognised in the US in 2025.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers vanilla, honey and lightly toasted oak.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied with caramel, vanilla and a hint of fruit.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, warm and spiced from the actively charred cask.

Specifications

Name: Boulder Spirits New American American Single Malt Whiskey
Distillery: Boulder Spirits
Region/Country: Boulder, Colorado, USA
Type: American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 46%

Flavour profile

Vanilla · Oak · Full-bodied · Spiced

See our full range of Boulder Spirits

Bourbon with a Scottish accent — from the distillery that put Colorado on the whiskey map.

Expert description

Boulder Spirits Colorado Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the distillery's take on classic American bourbon, brewed and distilled in Boulder, Colorado, bottled at 42%. Boulder Spirits was founded by Scotsman Alastair Brogan, who moved to Colorado in 2011 and started the distillery as Vapor Distillery. The goal was to create a single malt whiskey 'unique to Colorado with a Scottish accent'. The distillery installed one of Colorado's largest copper pot stills and helped establish the American Single Malt Whiskey category, which was only officially recognised in the US in 2025.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and ripe fruit.

Palate

The palate is soft and rounded with caramel, honey and lightly spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, warm and lightly sweet.

Specifications

Name: Boulder Spirits Colorado Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Boulder Spirits
Region/Country: Boulder, Colorado, USA
Type: Colorado Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 42%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Caramel · Vanilla · Rounded · Sweet

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The 2022 golf season brought The Open back to St Andrews, and Loch Lomond celebrated it in more ways than one – including this 10-year-old expression, meant as a more everyday tribute to the anniversary than the grandest limited editions.

Expert's Description

Loch Lomond 10 Year Old 150th Open Limited Edition 2022 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American oak and bottled at 40%.

The whisky is part of Loch Lomond's series of Open-related releases from 2022, when the distillery marked The Open's 150th anniversary at St Andrews. This 10-year-old version is matured in American oak and offers an accessible, fruity introduction to the distillery's Open theme.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet apple and caramel with a touch of vanilla and a light, green freshness.

Palate

Honey and soft fruit meet light spice and a creamy vanilla tone.

Finish

Medium, mild finish with lingering sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Loch Lomond 10 Year Old 150th Open Limited Edition 2022 Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak
Edition: The 150th Open, St Andrews 2022
EAN: 5016840158219
Serving suggestion: Neat or on ice

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Sweet · Smooth

Did You Know?

2022 was the 150th anniversary year of The Open, and Loch Lomond marked it with an entire series of bottles – from this accessible 10-year-old to the far more exclusive Open Course Edition.

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St Andrews is the home of golf, and when The Open celebrated its 150th anniversary there, Loch Lomond marked it with a bottle created alongside golf legend Colin Montgomerie. Bordeaux casks give it a colour all its own.

Expert's Description

Loch Lomond 150th Open Special Edition 2022 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American oak with a Bordeaux cask finish and bottled at 46%.

The whisky was created by Master Blender Michael Henry together with golf ambassador Colin Montgomerie to celebrate The Open's 150th anniversary at St Andrews. After maturing in American oak, the whisky is given a final finish in Bordeaux red wine casks, adding an extra layer of fruit. The whisky is non-chill filtered.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Strawberry and peach meet lime citrus and a creamy fudge sweetness.

Palate

Vivid strawberry and peach continue on the palate, supported by creamy vanilla and a lingering spiced oak note.

Finish

Soft smoke and warming oak spice in a long, rounded finish.

Specifications

Name: Loch Lomond 150th Open Special Edition 2022 Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak, finished in Bordeaux casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: The 150th Open, St Andrews 2022
EAN: 5016840132516
Serving suggestion: Neat or with a few drops of water

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Sweet · Spiced · Smooth

Did You Know?

St Andrews is often called "the home of golf" and hosted the 150th staging of The Open in 2022 – a milestone Loch Lomond marked with this special edition.

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The barley is spread across a stone floor, turned by shovel over several days and dried above the kiln. That is the slow way to malt, and it survives at only a handful of Scottish distilleries. Here the entire bottle is made from it.

The expert's description

BenRiach Malting Season Second Edition 2013/2022 is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill bourbon casks and bottled at 48.9 %.

Malting Season is the distillery range made purely from barley malted on the house floor maltings. BenRiach is one of very few Scottish distilleries to have kept the facility, and it is only used in limited periods each year, which sets a natural ceiling on how much whisky the range can yield.

The second edition was distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2022 after nine years in first fill bourbon wood. The fresh American oak gives vanilla and pale sugar, and because the malt was floor malted the cereal character stands out more clearly than in the other bottlings from the distillery.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh barley, vanilla and pale sugar with a note of hay and baked bread.

Palate

Malty and creamy with honey, coconut and a touch of citrus. The cereal character takes up more room than in the other expressions from the distillery.

Finish

Long and dry with malt, vanilla and a lightly spiced close.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach Malting Season Second Edition 2013/2022
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 9 years
ABV: 48,9 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill bourbon casks
Distilled: 2013
Bottled: 2022
Edition: Malting Season Second Edition
EAN no.: 5060716143229

Flavour profile

Malty · Vanilla · Creamy · Honeyed · Dry

Investment potential

High. The range is limited by how much barley the distillery can malt on its own floors, and each edition is made only once. Floor malted whiskies are a small category in Scotch whisky and hold a steady audience among collectors.

Did you know?

The floor maltings at BenRiach stood idle from 1999 and were brought back into use in 2013. Malting Season Second Edition is made from barley from that very restart, which makes the 2013 vintage the starting point of the range.

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The Whistler Mosaic is produced at the newly built Boann Distillery and matured in ex-bourbon casks, before its finishing maturation in Sicilian Marsala casks.

Expert Review

The Whistler Mosaic Marsala Cask Finish Irish Whiskey is a Single Grain Irish Whiskey, bottled at 46%.

The Whistler is produced at the Boann Distillery, which is brand new and one of the finest distilleries in all of Ireland. This edition has matured in ex-bourbon casks, before its finishing maturation in Sicilian Marsala casks. This creates a lovely, balanced Irish whiskey with delicious fruitiness and flavours of honey, citrus, vanilla, dried apricot and a hint of spice. The whiskey is un-chillfiltered and has no added colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey, citrus and vanilla.

Palate

Dried apricot and a hint of spice.

Finish

Fruity and balanced.

Specifications

Name: The Whistler Mosaic Marsala Cask Finish
Distillery: Boann Distillery
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Grain Irish Whiskey
Cask: Ex-Bourbon Casks, finished in Sicilian Marsala Casks
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Other: Un-chillfiltered, natural colour
EAN no.: 5391528252251

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Spiced · Balanced · Elegant

Did You Know?

Boann Distillery is one of the newest and finest distilleries in all of Ireland.
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Champagne casks barely exist. The houses in Champagne use their own casks again and again and rarely sell them on. Getting hold of 195 litre casks from Paul Launois in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is therefore an unusual thing to be able to write on a whisky label.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan Champagne Cask Paul Launois AD 06:22 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in 195 litre champagne casks from Paul Launois and bottled at 57.5% cask strength. The outturn was 2,661 bottles.

Paul Launois is based in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the Côte des Blancs, one of the villages in Champagne classified as grand cru. The area is known for chardonnay, and casks from there carry a far lighter and more mineral character than the sherry and port casks whisky is usually finished in.

A cask of 195 litres is small enough to work quickly, and at 57.5% the concentration is high. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green apple and lemon peel first, with a light bready note as from champagne’s time on the lees. Beneath sit Ardnamurchan’s own peat smoke and a maritime salinity, plus vanilla from the bourbon maturation before the finish.

Palate

Fresh and taut to begin, which is unusual at this strength. Apple, citrus and a chalky minerality open, then the smoke arrives and brings weight. A fine acidity runs the whole way and keeps the whisky light on its feet despite the 57.5%.

Finish

Long and dry. Citrus, mineral and smoke, with a final malt sweetness lingering.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan Champagne Cask Paul Launois AD 06:22 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 57.5%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 57.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in 195 litre champagne casks from Paul Launois
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 2,661
Edition: Champagne Cask AD 06:22
EAN no.: 5060383652376

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Smoky · Mineral · Citrus · Cask Strength · Maritime

Investment Potential

Medium. Champagne casks are rare in a whisky context, and an outturn of 2,661 bottles from a named grand cru house is not something that comes round again. Experimental cask releases from young distilleries often become sought after once the series has ended.

Did You Know?

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is one of only seventeen villages in Champagne with grand cru status, the highest classification the region has. The soil is chalk, and it is the chalk that gives the wines their mineral character. Some of that carries into the wood, and on into the whisky.

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Ten years is a short time in the whisky world, but for a still-young French distillery, it's a milestone that deserves its own bottle.

Expert's description

Armorik 10 Ans Edition 2022 is a Single Breton Malt Whisky from the Warenghem distillery, bottled at 46 percent.

The whisky is made from Breton barley and French wheat and has matured for 10 years in oak casks. 2,000 bottles were filled of this release, which is non-chill filtered, and the extended cask time gives the whisky a complexity that clearly sets it apart from the house's younger bottlings.

Warenghem has been distilling in Brittany since the early 1900s and helped pave the way for French whisky to be taken seriously far beyond France's borders. Armorik 10 Ans is clear proof that years in cask give direction to a style still young in the wider whisky world.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is big and complex with strong, creamy and fruity notes, a hint of caramel, apricot, camphor and a final twist of wood.

Palate

The palate offers citrus followed by a round and rich character, with hints of camphor, mango, maple syrup and apricot.

Finish

The finish is long and offers a small hint of smoke that supports a fruity and peppery close.

Specifications

Name: 10 Ans Edition 2022
Distillery: Warenghem
Region/Country: France
Type: Single Breton Malt Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Number of bottles: 2000
Edition: 10 Ans Edition 2022

Flavour profile

Fruity · Complex · Spicy · Rich

Did you know?

Warenghem has been distilling in Brittany since the early 1900s, but it was releases like this 10 year old Armorik that first made French whisky start being taken seriously beyond the country's borders.

Another vintage, same philosophy. Islay Barley 2013 continues Bruichladdich's work of combining grain from several Islay farms into one unpeated bottle, this time with a year more behind it than the 2012 release.

Expert description

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2013 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured for 8 years and bottled at 50%.

Like its 2012 predecessor, this release is built on barley from eight different farms across the west and centre of Islay. The whisky is matured in a combination of American whiskey casks and French wine casks.

Distilled in 2013 and matured for eight years, it offers a slightly different balance than the 2012 release, shaped by that specific vintage's weather and harvest.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet grain and ripe apples, with a light nutty note and a hint of grape from the wine casks.

Palate

Soft and malty with honey, citrus fruit and a gentle spiciness that builds slowly.

Finish

Medium length with a touch of winey sweetness and soft toasted grain.

Specifications

Name: Islay Barley 2013
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American whiskey casks and French wine casks
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2013
EAN no.: 5055807415460

Flavour profile

Fruity · Grainy · Nutty · Soft

Did you know?

Because Islay Barley is released vintage by vintage, two consecutive releases like 2012 and 2013 can taste noticeably different, even though the barley comes from the same eight farms.

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