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

The expert's description

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

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

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

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Nutty · Malty · Spiced

Did you know?

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

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

Expert's description

Linkwood 2011/2022 Carn Mor 10 år Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 47,5% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in first-fill bourbon cask and bottled at 47,5%.

The whisky is distilled at Linkwood and independently selected and bottled by Càrn Mòr as part of the Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited series.

It was distilled 2011 and bottled 2022, giving it 10 years.

Only 1255 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma offers citrus peel, ripe pears and gentle sweetness from American oak.

Palate

The taste unfolds with honey, gentle sweetness from American oak and coconut.

Finish

The finish is long and spicy, with gentle sweetness from American oak and beeswax.

Specifications

Name: Linkwood 2011/2022 Carn Mor 10 år Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 47,5%
Distillery: Linkwood
Bottler: Càrn Mòr
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 47,5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First-fill Bourbon Cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2011
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1255
Edition: Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited
EAN no.: 5060109229431

Flavour profile

Bourbon-matured · Soft · Sweet

Did you know?

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

See our full range of Linkwood

Elgin's older distilleries hide characters that never quite step into the light. Miltonduff is one of the more interesting of them.

Expert's Description

Miltonduff 2015/2022 Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited 6 Year Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a PX sherry hogshead and bottled at 47.5%.

As a young representative of Càrn Mòr's Strictly Limited series, this Miltonduff shows how much character a Pedro Ximénez sherry hogshead can impart in just six years. The series has previously featured malt from distilleries such as Ardmore, Glen Ord and Mortlach.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The glass first greets you with dried fig, quickly followed by raisin and a hint of dark chocolate.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied with sherry sweetness, dried fruit and brown sugar.

Finish

The finish is warm with a hint of oak.

Specifications

Distillery: Miltonduff
Bottler: Càrn Mòr (Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers)
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 6 years
ABV: 47.5 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: PX Sherry Hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2015
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1812
Edition: Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited
EAN no.: 5060109229462

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Spicy · Full-bodied · Dark fruit

Did You Know?

Miltonduff runs two pairs of stills of noticeably different sizes, giving the distillery more room to vary its spirit character than many of its Speyside neighbours.

See our full range of Miltonduff

A red box printed like dragon scales, and behind the window three small bottles standing shoulder to shoulder. Myth, Legend, Celt. None of them takes up much room, but together they show how many faces a Welsh single malt can have when it comes from a still built for exactly this distillery.

Expert description

Penderyn Gift Set Myth Legend Celt is a gift set of three Single Malt Welsh Whiskies, 20 cl each, matured in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 40%.

The set brings together three expressions from Penderyn's Dragon range, first launched in 2015. All three start out as the same light, fruity spirit and spend their first years in ex-bourbon casks. After that each one goes its own way. Myth is finished in rejuvenated oak, the so-called STR casks, where the wood has been shaved, toasted and re-charred so it can give flavour again. Legend is finished in casks that once held Madeira. Celt is finished in quarter casks that previously held peated whisky, and that is where its smoke comes from.

The spirit is distilled in a Faraday still, designed by Dr David Faraday, a relative of the Victorian scientist Michael Faraday. In a single run it reaches around 92%, which gives a clean, light spirit that is then married with water from the Brecon Beacons. That is why Penderyn tends to be brighter and fruitier than many other single malts, and why you can taste the smoke in Celt without being flattened by it.

The distillery sits at the foot of the Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales and was the first whisky distillery in Wales in more than a hundred years. Today Penderyn runs three distilleries, in Penderyn, Llandudno and Swansea. The box is made to stand out on a shelf, and each bottle is just big enough to work out which one is your favourite.

Tasting notes

Nose

Myth smells of apple, pear drops and a hint of tropical fruit. Legend brings fresh apples, citrus, cream fudge and raisins. Celt opens with peat smoke and warm marmalade on toast.

Palate

Myth is bittersweet with mixed fruit. Legend gives rich dried fruit with a little bitterness at the edge. Celt starts sweet before the smoke rolls in with a faint medicinal note.

Finish

Myth fades out light and lively. Legend ends on Madeira cake and sultanas. Celt closes with slight bitterness and a lingering freshness.

Specifications

Name: Penderyn Gift Set Myth Legend Celt Single Malt Welsh Whisky 3x20 cl
Distillery: Penderyn
Region/Country: Wales
Type: Single Malt Welsh Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 3 x 20 CL
Cask type: Myth: ex-bourbon casks, finished in rejuvenated oak casks. Legend: ex-bourbon casks, finished in Madeira casks. Celt: ex-bourbon casks, finished in quarter casks from peated whisky
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Faraday still
Edition: Dragon range
EAN no.: 5011594003150

Flavour profile

Fruity · Floral · Lightly peated · Citrus · Madeira-influenced

Did you know?

Penderyn's first whisky was launched on St David's Day, 1 March 2004, the national day of Wales, with Prince Charles in attendance. Only a few years earlier the distillery had been nothing more than an idea between friends in a pub.

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The only Welshman ever to become British Prime Minister accidentally laid the foundations for modern whisky. That story deserves its own bottle — and now it has one.

Expert description

Penderyn Icons of Wales No. 9 The Headliner is a Single Malt Welsh Whisky matured in Jamaican rum casks and ruby port casks, bottled at 46%. The bottle honours David Lloyd George (1863-1945), the only Welshman to serve as British Prime Minister, and the wartime chancellor who introduced the Immature Spirits Act of 1915 — a law requiring at least three years of cask ageing for spirits, which unintentionally laid the groundwork for the entire modern premium whisky industry.

The combination of rum and port casks gives the whisky a full, fruity character that builds on Penderyn's clean spirit from the Faraday still. The Headliner is one of the more storytelling-driven bottles in the Icons of Wales series, where the tale of the law — and the man behind it — is as much part of the experience as the flavour itself.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers red berries, strawberries and cream and cranberry, alongside light oak, vanilla and a touch of nutmeg and cinnamon.

Palate

The palate is full of dried fruit and salted caramel, spiced with floral honey, black pepper and a dry, firm tannin from the casks.

Finish

The finish opens sweet and drifts gradually toward a dry, fruity close, with the spice lingering longest.

Specifications

Name: Penderyn Icons of Wales No 9 The Headliner Welsh Whisky 46%
Distillery: Penderyn
Region/Country: Brecon Beacons, Wales
Type: Single Malt Welsh Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Jamaican rum casks and ruby port casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distillation method: Faraday distillation
Edition: Icons of Wales No. 9
EAN no.: 5011594001729

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Spiced · Cask-forward

Did you know?

The law David Lloyd George introduced in 1915 to curb alcohol consumption during the First World War required at least three years of cask maturation for all spirits — a rule that still governs Scotch and Welsh whisky today, more than a century later.

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With only 375 bottles worldwide, this is one of the rarest releases from Writers Tears, refined by a finish in Sicilian marsala wine casks.

Expert Review

Writers Tears Marsala Cask Finish is an Irish Whiskey finished in Marsala wine casks, bottled at 45%.

The whiskey builds on Writers Tears' classic style and is further refined through a finish in casks that previously held Marsala, the sweet, fortified wine from Sicily. The finish adds an extra layer of sweetness and complexity to the whiskey. With only 375 bottles worldwide, this is a rare release from the brand.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet wine and dried fruit, with a touch of nut.

Palate

Round and complex, with marsala sweetness and a spiced base character.

Finish

Medium, with lingering wine-driven sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Writers Tears Marsala Cask Finish
Distillery: Writers Tears
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Irish Whiskey with Marsala wine finish
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Marsala wine casks
Other: Only 375 bottles worldwide

Flavour Profile

Wine-driven · Sweet · Complex · Spiced · Dried fruit

Investment Potential

With only 375 bottles worldwide, this is a rare release that may hold collector interest. Whisky.dk always recommends valuing a bottle for its own enjoyment rather than as an investment object.

Did You Know?

Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily, traditionally used in cooking but increasingly also used for finish maturation of whisky due to its characteristic sweetness and nutty tones.
See our full range of Writers Tears

Arran's second distillery debuts with a peated single malt from the island's southern tip.

Expert description

Lagg Distillery Inaugural Release 2022 Batch 1 is a Single Island Malt Whisky, bottled at 50%. Lagg is the second distillery on the Isle of Arran, built by Isle of Arran Distillers near the site where the island's last legal distillery closed in 1837. Construction was completed in 2019, with the first spirit run that March and the official public opening in June 2019. Unlike sister distillery Lochranza, which makes unpeated whisky, Lagg focuses exclusively on peated whisky, using barley with a phenol content of 50ppm. This first release, only 10,000 bottles, spent 3 years maturing in bourbon casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers smoke, peat and a hint of salted caramel.

Palate

The palate is powerful with peated malt, citrus and spice.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and salty.

Specifications

Name: Lagg Distillery Inaugural Release 2022 Batch 1 Single Island Malt Whisky
Distillery: Lagg
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Single Island Malt Whisky
ABV: 50%
Age: 3 years
Cask type: Bourbon casks
Number of bottles: 10,000
Edition: Inaugural Release, Batch 1

Flavour profile

Smoky · Salty · Spicy · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium — the distillery's very first release ever, produced in a limited run of 10,000 bottles, making it appealing to collectors of new Scottish distilleries.

Did you know?

Lagg is built near the ruins of Arran's last legal distillery, which closed in 1837 — over 180 years later, the island resumed its peated whisky heritage with Lagg's opening.

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The Loch Lomond Group's 200 years of combined distilling experience is used to reinvent the single grain category.

Expert description

Spearhead Single Grain Whisky is a Scotch Single Grain Whisky, bottled at 43%. Spearhead is produced by the Loch Lomond Group, drawing on over 200 years of combined distilling experience. The whisky is made entirely from 100% malted barley, undergoes an unusually long fermentation, and is distilled on a Coffey column still, before maturing in ex-bourbon barrels ahead of a final finish in a combination of fire- and infrared-toasted virgin American oak barrels. The whisky launched globally in the summer of 2021, marking an attempt to give the single grain category a more prominent place alongside single malt.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers vanilla, toasted oak and a hint of honey.

Palate

The palate is round with caramel, spiced wood and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and woody.

Specifications

Name: Spearhead Single Grain Whisky
Bottler: Spearhead
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Coffey column

Flavour profile

Vanilla · Spicy · Round · Warm

Did you know?

Spearhead uses 100% malted barley rather than the more typical neutral grain base, which is unusual for the single grain category and gives the whisky a more pronounced malt character.

See our full range of Spearhead

Octomore Farm sits three kilometres from the distillery, and in 13.3 you can taste that distance. Edition 13.3 is the most rounded in its series, giving fruit just as much room as the smoke.

Expert description

Octomore 13.3 is a super-peated Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Bruichladdich, matured for 5 years and bottled at 61.1%.

The barley is 100% Concerto, grown on Octomore Farm itself and peated to 129.3 ppm. The whisky is matured for five years in a combination of first-fill European oak casks from Rivesaltes in France and Ribera del Duero in Spain, along with first-fill American whiskey casks.

The combination of terroir-driven barley and three different cask types gives 13.3 a more rounded fruitiness than many other Octomore editions, without compromising on the peat.

Tasting notes

Nose

Lemon and orange peel meet a subdued, ash-free smoke, with malted grain notes beneath the fruit.

Palate

Nutty nougat and fruit play alongside a lightly salted, bonfire-like smoke reminiscent of an evening by the coast.

Finish

Medium length with smoky salt, seaweed and a lingering, dry sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Octomore 13.3
Distillery: Octomore (Bruichladdich)
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 5 years
ABV: 61.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First-fill European oak casks and American whiskey casks
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2016
Edition: 13.3, The Impossible Equation

Flavour profile

Smoky · Fruity · Maritime · Nutty

Did you know?

The barley for 13.3 is grown directly on Octomore Farm, just three kilometres from the distillery itself, making it one of the most terroir-driven releases in the entire Octomore series.

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A former ballerina left the stage to prove that French terroir could be captured in a single malt.

Expert description

Brenne Ten Organic French Single Malt Whisky is a French single malt whisky, bottled at 48%, distilled in the Cognac region. Brenne was founded by American whisky entrepreneur Allison Parc, a former ballerina, who started the brand with her own savings and a dream of proving that terroir — the landscape's imprint on flavour — could be achieved in whisky, just as in wine. The whisky is distilled from 100% malted barley grown in the region, on classic copper alembic Charentais stills, the same type used for Cognac production, in partnership with a third-generation Cognac house whose farm has distilled eau de vie since the 1920s. Brenne was the world's first single malt whisky matured exclusively in French Limousin oak and used Cognac casks. The first expression debuted in New York in 2012, with Parc personally distributing bottles by bicycle to stores and bars — the batch sold out within two months.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers tropical fruit, vanilla and a hint of florals.

Palate

The palate is round with apricot, honey and light spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and fruity.

Specifications

Name: Brenne Ten Økologisk Fransk Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Brenne
Region/Country: Cognac, France
Type: French Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French Limousin oak and Cognac casks

Flavour profile

Fruity · Floral · Sweet · Round

Did you know?

Brenne was the world's first single malt whisky matured exclusively in French Limousin oak and used Cognac casks — a distinction that still makes it unique among French whiskies.

See our full range of Brenne

The golden, more powerful edition of the world's first modern single-barrel bourbon.

Expert description

Blanton's Single Barrel Gold Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a more powerful version of the iconic single-barrel concept, bottled at 51.5%. Blanton's is named after Colonel Albert Bacon Blanton, who started as an office boy at the Buffalo Trace distillery at age 16 and became the company's president in 1921, a role he held until 1952. He personally selected the best 'honey barrels' from Warehouse H for his guests and bottled whiskey one barrel at a time. In 1984, master distiller Elmer T. Lee honoured him by launching the world's first modern single-barrel bourbon, based on barrels from that same warehouse.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and a hint of dried fruit.

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Blantons Single Barrel Gold Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Region/Country: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 51.5%
Size: 70 CL
Single Barrel

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Caramel · Spiced · Warm

Investment potential

Blanton's Single Barrel editions, including the Gold Edition, are among the most sought-after bourbons internationally and often have limited availability.

See our full range of Blanton's

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

Expert's description

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

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

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

Tasting Notes

Nose

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

Palate

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

Finish

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

Specifications

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

Flavor Profile

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

Investment Potential

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

Did You Know?

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

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A bourbon smuggled in cans during Prohibition, revived 168 years after its birth in Kentucky.

Expert description

Chicken Cock The Famous Old Brand 90 Proof is an American Bourbon Whiskey, bottled at 45%. Chicken Cock was founded in 1856 by James A. Miller in Paris, Kentucky, and was one of America's oldest bourbon brands until it closed after Prohibition. During Prohibition, the whiskey became a fixture in speakeasies, including the famous Cotton Club in Harlem, where it was often smuggled in tin cans to avoid detection — earning it the nickname 'The Famous Old Brand'. The label lay dormant until spirits entrepreneur Matti Anttila revived it in 2011 using original bottles and promotional materials. Since 2018, the whiskey has been produced at Bardstown Bourbon Company through a collaborative distillation program.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and a hint of toasted nuts.

Palate

The palate is round with brown sugar, spice and oak.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Chicken Cock The Famous Old Brand 90 Proof American Bourbon Whiskey
Bottler: Chicken Cock
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Caramel · Spicy · Warm · Nutty

Did you know?

During Prohibition, Chicken Cock was often smuggled in tin cans rather than bottles to avoid detection during raids — hence the nickname 'The Famous Old Brand', which still graces the label today.

See our full range of Chicken Cock

Late summer in the Cotswolds sits inside this bottle: sun-dried hay, honey and the faintest trace of smoke from a landscape freshly harvested.

Expert's Description

Cotswolds 2022 Golden Wold is a blended single malt English whisky matured across three cask types and bottled at 52.5% ABV.

Golden Wold is the opening release in Cotswolds Distillery's annual Harvest Series, a series built around the harvest itself, on the very fields where the distillery's barley is grown. The whisky combines spirit matured in bourbon casks, STR-treated (Shaved, Toasted, Re-charred) ex-red wine casks, and casks that previously held peated whisky, bottled in September 2022 in a run of 5,000 bottles.

The presentation tube carries original artwork by local artist Josephine Trotter, a tribute to the Cotswolds landscape the whisky is named after.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sun-warmed hay, caramelised honey and soft oaken vanilla, rounded off by a fleeting suggestion of smoke in the background.

Palate

Silky cream and custard meet toasted oak, cocoa nibs and warm baking spices for a full, rounded character.

Finish

Long and spiced, with a lingering sweetness from the honey and a dry, gently smoky close.

Specifications

Name: Cotswolds 2022 Golden Wold Blended Single Malt English Whisky
Distillery: Cotswolds Distillery
Region/Country: England
Type: Blended Single Malt English Whisky
ABV: 52.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon, STR ex-red wine casks & ex-peated casks
Non-chill filtered
Natural colour
Bottled: September 2022
Number of bottles: 5,000
Edition/Batch: Harvest Series No. 1
EAN no.: 5060404512207

Flavour Profile

Honey · Toasted oak · Baking spice · Hint of smoke

Investment Potential

Medium. Golden Wold is the opening release of a new annual series from Cotswolds Distillery, and a distillery's first entry in a series tends to attract collector interest once later editions follow.

Did You Know?

The tube is more than packaging — the artwork by Josephine Trotter was painted specifically for this release and depicts the very Cotswolds landscape the barley for the whisky was harvested from.

Browse our full range of Cotswolds Distillery

A personal label on one of the bourbon world's most recognisable bottles.

Expert description

Maker's Mark VIP Bespoke Label Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky is the distillery's classic core expression with a custom, personal label, bottled at 45%. Maker's Mark was founded in 1953, when Bill Samuels Sr. bought the old Burks' Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. His wife Margie created the entire brand identity — the name, the square bottle and the hand-dipped red wax seal, still hand-dipped on every bottle today. Bill Samuels wanted to create a softer bourbon than the typical rye-based styles of the day and replaced rye with red winter wheat in the mash bill. The distillery was listed on the US National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and named a National Historic Landmark in 1980.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is soft with caramel, vanilla and a hint of fruit.

Palate

The palate is round and sweet with caramel, vanilla and spiced oak.

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: Maker's Mark VIP Bespoke Label Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Distillery: Maker's Mark
Region/Country: Loretto, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: VIP Bespoke Label

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Caramel · Rounded

See our full range of Maker's Mark

Starward steps off the beaten path, letting French oak and red wine shape this expression.

Expert description

Starward LEFT-FIELD French Oak Red Wine Matured Single Malt Whisky is matured in French oak casks that previously held red wine, bottled at 40%. Starward was founded in 2007 by David Vitale, who set out to create an unmistakably Australian whisky and rejected the notion that great whisky could only come from Scotland, Ireland or Japan. The distillery's hallmark is that the whisky is matured exclusively in Australian wine casks rather than the traditional ex-bourbon or sherry casks, establishing an entirely new style within world whisky. In 2016 the distillery moved to a purpose-built site in Port Melbourne.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is fruity with red berries, vanilla and a hint of spice.

Palate

The palate offers dark fruit, caramel and a light wine-like note.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and fruit-driven.

Specifications

Name: Starward LEFT-FIELD French Oak Red Wine Matured Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Starward Distillery
Region/Country: Melbourne, Australia
Type: Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Fruity · Wine-driven · Soft · Berry-forward

See our full range of Starward

The Warehouse Tasting bottles are drawn straight from the Cadenhead warehouse in Campbeltown and filled for the tastings held on site. You rarely meet them anywhere other than with a glass in hand between the casks.

The expert's description

Ben Nevis 2012/2021 Cadenhead's 9 years Warehouse Tasting is a Single Highland Malt Whisky matured in a Manzanilla hogshead, finished from 2020 and bottled at 56.7 % cask strength without chill filtration and without added colour.

Wm Cadenhead is the oldest independent bottler in Scotland, founded in Aberdeen in 1842 and based today in Campbeltown next door to Springbank. The Warehouse Tasting series consists of a small handful of casks each year, chosen for the tastings the house runs itself, and they are bottled raw and unadjusted.

Manzanilla is a dry sherry from Sanlucar de Barrameda on the Atlantic coast, and the cask gives a saltier, more mineral influence than an Oloroso would. The Ben Nevis went into the cask in 2020 after eight years in its original wood, and the combination of dry sherry and the oily weight of the distillery is unusual.

Tasting notes

Nose

Salted almond, dry hay and a sharp mineral note. Behind it sit oily malt and a touch of green apple.

Palate

Powerful and dry with salted nut, lemon peel and an oily middle. The cask strength bites, but the whisky has the body to carry it.

Finish

Long, dry and salty with a lingering mineral edge.

Specifications

Name: Ben Nevis 2012/2021 Cadenhead's 9 år Warehouse Tasting
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Bottler: Cadenhead's
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 9 years
ABV: 56,7 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Manzanilla hogshead, finished from 2020
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2021
Edition: Warehouse Tasting

Flavour profile

Dry · Maritime · Mineral · Nutty · Cask strength

Investment potential

High. Warehouse Tasting bottlings are made in very small quantities for the Cadenhead tastings and rarely reach normal distribution. The combination of Ben Nevis and a Manzanilla cask makes it harder still to replace.

Did you know?

Cadenhead has never put a distillery logo or house colours on its labels. The firm uses the same sober template for everything, whether the contents come from an obscure distillery or from one of the best known names in Scotland.

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La Plume – the feather. Light as a thought, but with 57.3% in the glass there is more substance here than the name suggests. An organic Danish Single Malt Whisky offering genuine cask character straight from the source.

Expert description

Isle of Fionia La Plume is an organic Danish Single Malt Whisky bottled at 57.3%. Distilled at Isle of Fionia / Nyborg Distillery in the historic DSB train depot in Nyborg, Funen, La Plume is bottled at cask strength and gives access to a more unmediated expression of the distillery's character. Made from 100% organic barley and distilled in copper pot stills. Bottled with natural colour and without chill filtration.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and fruity with a well-formed malt base. Light notes of vanilla and gentle caramel, plus a fresh fruity depth from the cask.

Palate

Full and warm with the characteristic organic malt body. Concentrated with a delicate balance between oak sweetness and light fruity acidity.

Finish

Medium to long with a warm oak note and a lasting malt impression.

Specifications

Name: Isle of Fionia La Plume
Distillery: Isle of Fionia / Nyborg Distillery
Region/Country: Funen, Denmark
Type: Organic Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 57.3%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes

Flavour profile

Fruity · Malty · Warm · Cask strength

Did you know?

Bottling a whisky at cask strength is a statement of confidence in the distillate. No dilution, no chill filtration – what is in the glass is exactly what came out of the cask. La Plume is Isle of Fionia's way of saying: here we are, unadorned.

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Same name, new story. Slainte Peated is a peated sibling to the un-sherried release, this time matured in bourbon with a wholly different, smoky expression.

The Expert's Description

High Coast Slainte Peated is a Swedish Single Malt Whisky distilled on 13 March 2017 and bottled on 14 June 2022 after 5 years of maturation, at 61.9%.

The whisky matured in a single bourbon cask (cask no. 2017-599) and carries the peated character High Coast is known for. With only 65 bottles from this cask and the high strength of 61.9%, this is an intense and rare release.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Peat, smoke, salted caramel and a hint of citrus.

Palate

Bold smoke and peat upfront, supported by vanilla, honey and a light peppery spice from the high strength.

Finish

Long, peaty and warm with lingering smoky tones.

Specifications

Name: High Coast Slainte Peated Swedish Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: High Coast Distillery
Region/Country: Ångermanland, Sweden
Type: Swedish Single Malt Whisky
Vintage: Distilled 13 March 2017, bottled 14 June 2022
Age: 5 years
ABV: 61.9%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Bourbon, cask no. 2017-599
Number of bottles: 65

Flavour Profile

Peaty · Smoky · Salty · Powerful · Spiced

Did You Know?

Slainte Peated shares its name with its un-sherried sibling, but it is a wholly different whisky: bourbon-matured, peated, and drawn from a single cask of just 65 bottles.

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Starward draws inspiration from the Spanish solera system for this release.

Expert description

Starward SOLERA Apera Wine Matured Single Malt Australian Whisky is matured in Australian Apera casks (the Australian term for sherry-style wine) using a solera-inspired system, bottled at 43%. Starward was founded in 2007 by David Vitale, who set out to create an unmistakably Australian whisky and rejected the notion that great whisky could only come from Scotland, Ireland or Japan. The distillery's hallmark is that the whisky is matured exclusively in Australian wine casks rather than the traditional ex-bourbon or sherry casks, establishing an entirely new style within world whisky. In 2016 the distillery moved to a purpose-built site in Port Melbourne.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is full with dried fruit, nut and a hint of caramel.

Palate

The palate offers raisin, nut and a soft, wine-like sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and fruit-driven.

Specifications

Name: Starward SOLERA Apera Wine Matured Single Malt Australian Whisky
Distillery: Starward Distillery
Region/Country: Melbourne, Australia
Type: Single Malt Australian Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Nutty · Wine-driven · Sweet

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A more powerful edition of Starward's wine-cask style, bottled at a higher strength.

Expert description

Starward FORTIS American Oak Red Wine Matured Single Malt Australian Whisky is matured in American oak casks that previously held red wine, bottled at a high strength of 50%. Starward was founded in 2007 by David Vitale, who set out to create an unmistakably Australian whisky and rejected the notion that great whisky could only come from Scotland, Ireland or Japan. The distillery's hallmark is that the whisky is matured exclusively in Australian wine casks rather than the traditional ex-bourbon or sherry casks, establishing an entirely new style within world whisky. In 2016 the distillery moved to a purpose-built site in Port Melbourne.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is intense with dark berries, caramel and a hint of spice.

Palate

The palate is powerful with red wine, dark fruit and spice.

Finish

The finish is long, warm and fruit-driven.

Specifications

Name: Starward FORTIS American Oak Red Wine Matured Single Malt Australian Whisky
Distillery: Starward Distillery
Region/Country: Melbourne, Australia
Type: Single Malt Australian Whisky
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Powerful · Fruity · Wine-driven · Spiced

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Three different sherry styles in one cask programme give this edition a layered complexity few other Kavalan releases can match.

Expert Description

Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask Matured is a Single Malt Taiwan Whisky, bottled at 40%.

The whisky is matured using a combination of three different sherry cask types from Kavalan Distillery in Yilan county, founded in 2005. The combination of several sherry styles gives a deeper layering of flavour than a single cask programme can typically provide.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisins, dark chocolate and a light nutty note.

Palate

Round and sweet with sherry, caramel and ripe berries.

Finish

Medium length and warm.

Specifications

Name: Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask Matured
Distillery: Kavalan
Region/Country: Yilan, Taiwan
Type: Single Malt Taiwan Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 4710085240593

Flavour Profile

Round · Sweet · Nutty · Warm

Did You Know?

Kavalan is one of the youngest distilleries in the world to have gained international recognition in just two decades, often attributed to Taiwan's intense maturation climate.

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With no water between itself and the cask, this edition of the Glasgow spirit stands razor-sharp and unfiltered, ready to be tamed with a few drops of water.

Expert description

The Epicurean Glasgow Edition is a Lowland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Douglas Laing, bottled in limited numbers and at full cask strength, 56.8% ABV, without dilution before bottling.

Like the house's other Epicurean expressions, this is a tribute to Glasgow and built on a marriage of Single Malts from several Lowland distilleries, but here without the smoothing a normal reduction to drinking strength would provide.

Due to the high strength, we recommend adding a few drops of water, which opens up the characteristic citrus and caramel notes Epicurean is known for.

Tasting notes

Nose

Intense citrus peel, warm caramel and a tangy hint of green apple, concentrated by the high strength.

Palate

Powerful, with burnt sugar, exotic fruit and a peppery spice that softens with a few drops of water.

Finish

Long, warm and lightly bitter, with a closing sweetness of honey.

Specifications

Name: The Epicurean Glasgow Edition
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 56.8%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Glasgow Edition, cask strength

Flavour profile

Cask strength · Citrus · Caramel

Did you know?

Because this edition is bottled at full cask strength without dilution, you can adjust the strength and flavour yourself with water and experience how the whisky changes character drop by drop.

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Without any water added, The Gauldrons shows its most intense side - a cask strength edition that gathers Campbeltown's character with nothing filtered between cask and glass.

Expert Description

The Gauldrons Cask Strength is a Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky composed of single malt from the region's distilleries and bottled at cask strength, 53.4%.

As the cask strength edition in Douglas Laing's The Gauldrons range, this whisky is produced in a limited run of 3,120 bottles, offering a well-balanced, smoky and sweet character lifted by the high strength. The label glows in the dark, a small extra detail underlining the range's playful take on Campbeltown's heavy heritage.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bold smoke meets salted caramel and a hint of dried fruit.

Palate

Full and intense, with smoke and spice kept in check by an underlying sweetness.

Finish

Long and warming, with a lingering smoke that slowly gives way to a dry, salty close.

Specifications

Name: The Gauldrons Cask Strength
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 53.4%
Size: 70 CL
Number of bottles: 3,120
Edition: Limited Edition

Flavour Profile

Peated · Cask strength · Spicy · Maritime

Did You Know?

The label on The Gauldrons Cask Strength glows in the dark - a detail that gives the bottle a distinct look on bar shelves and in whisky collections.

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Rum Edition Batch 3 is the series at its most accessible. 48.5% instead of Batch 1's formidable 64.7% – but the rum finish is still there, warm and sweet, without getting in the way of everything else.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Rum Edition Batch 3 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky finished in rum casks and bottled at 48.5%, 50 cl. It is the third bottling in Fary Lochan's Rum Edition series, and with a strength well below the earlier batches, it is the most drinkable expression in the lineup. The rum cask provides its characteristic sweetness and tropical note, but at 48.5% it allows the malt's own qualities more space. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sugarcane, banana, light vanilla and a honeyed malt base.

Palate

Soft rum character, malt, tropical fruit and a spiced warmth in the centre.

Finish

Medium length and sweet with rum-cask notes and a touch of oak at the end.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Rum Edition Batch 3
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48.5%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Rum cask (finished)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: Rum Edition Batch 3

Flavour profile

Rum finish · Sweet · Tropical · Accessible

Did you know?

Rum Edition Batch 3 is the most accessible in the series – at a strength well below Batch 1, it can be drunk neat by most people without water. The ideal introduction to Fary Lochan's rum-finish style.

The journey to Islay begins on the ferry from Kennacraig, where the sea air starts to smell properly of seaweed and smoke. Islay Journey is the Laing family's take on exactly that crossing, a bottle built entirely from the island's own distilleries, assembled by the people behind Ardnahoe.

The expert's description

Hunter Laing Islay Journey Series is an Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, composed of malt whisky from several Islay distilleries and bottled at 46%.

The whisky belongs to Hunter Laing & Co.'s Journey Series, a range of regional blended malts in which Islay Journey represents the island's characteristic peated style. Behind the bottle stands Hunter Laing & Co., a family-owned bottler founded in 2013 by Stewart Laing together with his sons Andrew and Scott, and since 2018 also owner of Islay's newest distillery, Ardnahoe. The malt behind Islay Journey has matured in bourbon hogsheads before being married together for this no-age-statement release.

Islay Journey is designed as an accessible introduction to the island's whisky style, with several distilleries contributing to the overall character rather than letting a single signature dominate.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dry smoke, ash and tar settle like a blanket over the aroma, with a touch of salted caramel behind it.

Palate

Robust peat meets sea salt and seaweed, with an oily texture that ties the different distilleries together.

Finish

Medium length and dry, with lingering smoke and a light ashy note that fades like a burnt-out beach fire.

Specifications

Name: Hunter Laing Islay Journey Series
Bottler: Hunter Laing & Co.
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon hogsheads
Edition: Journey Series
EAN no.: 5060354263181

Flavour profile

Smoky · Maritime · Salty · Robust

Did you know?

Hunter Laing & Co. was founded by Stewart Laing, who previously ran sister company Douglas Laing together with his brother; the two split the business in 2013, and Stewart established his own family firm with sons Andrew and Scott.

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Hunter Laing Hebridean Journey Series Blended Malt Whisky

Hunter Laing Highland Journey Series Blended Malt Whisky

Hunter Laing Campbeltown Journey Series Blended Malt Whisky

Watt Whisky operates from Campbeltown, the same town home to two of Scotland's most respected distilleries. This 19 year old blended malt shows what the house can do when the cask is given a long time to speak.

The expert's description

Watt Whisky 19 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 44,9% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Sherry butt and bottled at 44.9%.

The whisky was distilled in 2001 and bottled in 2020 by Watt Whisky from a sherry butt, with an outturn of 630 bottles. The long maturation has given a deep, full-bodied blended malt, unchill-filtered and with natural colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark fruit, sherry and a hint of toasted wood.

Palate

Full-bodied with raisin, caramel and spiced oak.

Finish

Long and warm with lingering sherry tones.

Specifications

Name: Watt Whisky 19 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 44,9%
Distillery: Watt Whisky
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 19 years
ABV: 44.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry butt
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2001
Bottled: 2020
Number of bottles: 630

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Full-bodied · Spiced

Did you know?

Watt Whisky was founded by siblings Mark and Kate Watt and is based in Campbeltown, a town once called the whisky capital of the world with more than thirty distilleries in operation.

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