Another vintage, another pair of casks, the same philosophy: no chill filtration, no added colour. Signatory's Un-Chillfiltered Collection is a reminder of just how different the same distillery can taste from year to year.

Expert's Description

Glenlossie 2009/2022 The Un-Chillfiltered Collection Signatory Vintage 12 Year Old is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky bottled at 46%.

Distilled on 14 April 2009 and bottled on 6 January 2022 by Signatory Vintage, from two bourbon casks, No. 3378 and 3379, yielding 218 bottles, with no added colour and no chill filtration.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Pale honey, freshly baked shortbread and a fresh lemon note. The bourbon cask gives a clear, but not overwhelming, vanilla sweetness.

Palate

Soft and round, with malty sweetness, vanilla and a hint of pear. The lack of filtration gives good body to the relatively gentle 46%.

Finish

Medium length, soft and lightly sweet, closing with a hint of honey and cereal.

Specifications

Name: Glenlossie 2009/2022 The Un-Chillfiltered Collection Signatory Vintage 12 Year Old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 46%
Distillery: Glenlossie
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks, Cask No. 3378 + 3379
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: The Un-Chillfiltered Collection
Distilled: 14 April 2009
Bottled: 6 January 2022
Number of bottles: 218
EAN no.: 5021944116263

Flavour Profile

Honeyed · Soft · Malty · Lightly fruity

Did You Know?

Compared to the 2008 vintage also released in the Un-Chillfiltered Collection, this 2009 vintage is paler and more honeyed – a good example of how much difference even a single year can make for the same distillery.

See our full range of Glenlossie

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Another Royal Brackla cask from Signatory Vintage, this time 12 years old and distilled in the summer of 2009.

Expert Review

Royal Brackla 2009/2021 Signatory Vintage 12 år Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 43% is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a selected cask and bottled at 43% ABV.

Royal Brackla 2009/2021 Signatory Vintage 12 Year Old Single Highland Malt Whisky. Distilled in June 2009 and bottled in August 2021 by independent bottler Signatory Vintage, from a single selected cask.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is light with apple, honey and a mild oak.

Palate

The palate is round with caramel, citrus and a mild spiciness.

Finish

The finish is medium-long and soft.

Specifications

Name: Royal Brackla 2009/2021 Signatory Vintage 12 år Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Royal Brackla
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: a selected cask
Distilled: 16/06/2009
Bottled: 02/08/2021
EAN No.: 5021944113972

Flavour Profile

Soft · Citrus · Single Cask

Did You Know?

Royal Brackla was founded in 1812 by Captain William Fraser and still stands on its original site near Nairn on Scotland's north-east Highland coast.

See our full range of Royal Brackla

Six small bottles, six Scottish regions. This is about as close to a tour of Scotland as you can get without leaving the kitchen table, and Douglas Laing has packed it into a box worth leaving out on display.

The expert description

Douglas Laing Remarkable Regional Malts is a set of six Blended Malt Scotch Whisky in 5 cl bottles, bottled between 46% and 46.8%.

The range is Douglas Laing’s attempt to translate the geography of Scottish whisky into six bottles. Each release draws malt from a single area, so the difference between a Lowland and an Islay becomes something you taste your way towards rather than read about. All six are bottled at a minimum of 46% and without chill filtration.

The set holds The Epicurean from the Lowlands at 46.2%, Timorous Beastie from the Highlands at 46.8%, Scallywag from Speyside at 46%, The Gauldrons from Campbeltown at 46.2%, Rock Island from the Islands at 46.8% and Big Peat from Islay at 46%.

Tasting notes

Nose

The range is the entire point. From the bright citrus and cut grass of The Epicurean, through the sherry sweetness of Scallywag, to the tar, smoked ham and sea salt of Big Peat.

Palate

Timorous Beastie gives honey and heather, The Gauldrons salted caramel and apple, Rock Island a soft smoke with seaweed underneath. Tasted side by side, regional character stops being an abstraction.

Finish

Short and clean at the pale end, long and sooty at the smoky one. Order matters here. Begin with Big Peat and the rest of the evening tastes of peat.

Specifications

Name: Remarkable Regional Malts
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46-46.8%
Size: 6 x 5 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Remarkable Regional Malts
EAN no.: 5014218817362

Flavour profile

Smoky · Sherry matured · Fruity · Fresh · Maritime · Soft

Did you know?

Douglas Laing was founded in 1948 and has never owned a distillery in the conventional sense. The firm bought casks from others and grew large by choosing well. Big Peat, named after a fictional Islay fisherman, is now in such demand that the Christmas edition sells out in hours.

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There is a calm to Lochlea that only truly reveals itself once you give it time in the glass.

Expert's description

Lochlea First Release Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46% is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in bourbonfade med finish på pedro ximénez-fade and bottled at 46%.

The whisky comes straight from Lochlea's own warehouse and belongs to the First Release series.

Only 7000 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

On the nose you meet vanilla, honey and dried fig.

Palate

The palate delivers honey, sherry toffee and dates.

Finish

The finish is medium in length, with dark chocolate and fresh barley.

Specifications

Name: Lochlea First Release Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Lochlea
Region/Country: Lowland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbonfade med finish på Pedro Ximénez-fade
Number of bottles: 7000
Edition: First Release
EAN no.: 5065008253006

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Rounded · Spicy

Did you know?

Lochlea's releases are named after the farming calendar, such as Sowing, Harvest and Ploughing Edition, reflecting the distillery's close ties to the land.

See our full range of Lochlea

Grace O Malley Dark Char Cask is a blended Irish whiskey with casks up to 10 years old, finished in heavily charred American oak casks for depth and sweetness.

Expert Review

Grace O Malley Dark Char Cask Blended Irish Whiskey is a Blended Whiskey, bottled at 42%.

The whiskey is a blend of casks up to 10 years old, which have then completed their maturation in American oak bourbon casks. This creates a perfectly balanced flavour with notes of dried fruit and layers of oak, along with a long, sweet finish.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit and notes of oak.

Palate

Balanced with dried fruit and oak layers.

Finish

Long and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Grace O Malley Dark Char Cask
Distillery: Grace O Malley
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Blended Whiskey
Age: Up to 10 years
Cask: American Oak Casks (Dark Char)
ABV: 42%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5391534150657

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Oaky · Sweet · Rounded · Balanced

Did You Know?

Grace O Malley is named after the legendary 16th century Irish pirate queen.
See our full range of Irish whiskey

Why choose between Kilchoman's two core releases when you can have both? This gift set puts Machir Bay's fresh citrus smoke up against Sanaig's darker sherry character — a direct comparison in two small bottles.

Expert's description

Kilchoman Gift Set Machir Bay and Sanaig is a set of Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky in two 20cl bottles, both bottled at 46 %.

Machir Bay is matured mainly in ex-bourbon casks and offers a lovely taste of coastal peat smoke with notes of tropical fruit, fresh vanilla, butterscotch, herbs, stone fruit and citrus sweetness. Sanaig, on the other hand, is matured in ex-sherry casks from Miguel Martin in Jerez, the same supplier that also provides casks to Glenfarclas, and offers caramel, honey and dried fruit, sweet Islay peat smoke and citrus sweetness.

The two bottles offer a simple but effective way to experience Kilchoman's stylistic range — from the bright and fresh to the darker and spicier — without having to invest in two full bottles.

Tasting notes

Nose

Machir Bay offers citrus and sea breeze with light smoke; Sanaig offers caramel and dried fruit with a deeper, sherry-tinged peat smoke.

Palate

Machir Bay is creamy and fresh with tropical fruit and butterscotch; Sanaig is rounder and spicier with the sherry's sweetness and a growing smoke.

Finish

Both finish with lingering peat smoke, but Machir Bay dry and citrus-tinged, Sanaig warm and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Kilchoman Gift Set Machir Bay and Sanaig Islay Single Malt Whisky 2x20cl
Distillery: Kilchoman
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46 %
Size: 2 x 20 CL
Cask type: Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry Casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: Gift Set Machir Bay and Sanaig
EAN no.: 5060210701208

Flavour profile

Peated · Citrus-fresh · Sherry-matured · Balanced · Gift-worthy

Did you know?

Sanaig's sherry casks come from the same Spanish supplier, Miguel Martin in Jerez, that also provides casks to the acclaimed distillery Glenfarclas — a small but interesting detail for the curious whisky enthusiast.

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Twenty centilitres is enough for four proper glasses. That is the amount where you can work out whether a whisky is for you without committing — and with a 15 year old that is a reasonable place to start.

The expert's description

Glenfarclas 15 Year Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks and bottled at 46% in a 20 cl bottle.

The contents are the same as in the large release. The 46% is higher than in both the 10 and the 12 year old, and over fifteen years the sherry has had time to build a depth the younger releases do not reach. The small format makes no difference to the whisky — only to the quantity.

Glenfarclas carries age statements right up to forty years in its permanent range. That is unusual for a family-owned distillery, and it requires generations of restraint in selling off old casks. The 15 year old sits around the middle of that ladder.

Tasting notes

Nose

Complex sherry notes with a touch of understated smoke, cream caramel and a hint of dried fruits such as dates and figs.

Palate

Great body with elegant balance. Plenty of sweetness from the sherry casks, malty tones, roasted nuts and a light smoke. The 46% gives the whisky weight without making it sharp.

Finish

Long and lingering with lavish sweetness, light smoke and plenty of complexity.

Specifications

Name: Glenfarclas 15 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 20 cl 46%
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 20 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
EAN no.: 5018066160076

Flavour profile

Sherried · Nutty · Dried fruit · Lightly smoky · Full

Did you know?

Glenfarclas carries age statements right up to forty years in the permanent range. Very few family-owned distilleries can offer a continuous ladder from ten to forty years, because it requires several generations to have left the casks alone.

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Tullamore Dew Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey 35 cl is the legendary Tullamore Dew in a handy 35 cl bottle – smooth, triple distilled Irish whiskey.

Expert Review

Tullamore Dew Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey is an Irish Whiskey, bottled at 40%.

This well-known Irish whiskey is triple distilled to give an extra smooth and approachable character, characteristic of The Legendary Tullamore Dew. The 35 cl size makes it ideal for travel or for introducing friends to the classic Irish whiskey world.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Light and soft with notes of grain and vanilla.

Palate

Creamy with a hint of fruit and malt.

Finish

Short and light, ideal for everyday enjoyment.

Specifications

Name: Tullamore Dew Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey
Distillery: Tullamore Dew
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Irish Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 35 CL
Other: The Legendary, Triple Distilled

Flavour Profile

Smooth · Light · Creamy · Approachable · Classic

Did You Know?

Tullamore Dew is one of the best-selling Irish whiskeys in the world and has been produced since 1829.
See our full range of Tullamore Dew whiskey

An Italian grappa dynasty turns its gaze to malt whisky.

Expert description

Poli Segretario di Stato Pure Malt Whisky is the distillery's pure malt expression, bottled at 43%. Poli Distillerie was founded in 1898 by GioBatta Poli in Schiavon in Italy's Veneto region, originally using a mobile still to distil grappa from local grape skins. After four generations, the distillery is today run by siblings Jacopo, Giampaolo, Barbara and Andrea Poli, who in the 1980s renewed the business with a focus on craftsmanship, small batches and single-varietal grappa. Alongside its famous grappa, the family today also produces whisky, brandy and gin.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is soft with honey, malt and a hint of fruit.

Palate

The palate offers caramel, malt and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and round.

Specifications

Name: Poli Segretario di Stato Pure Malt Whisky
Distillery: Poli
Region/Country: Schiavon, Veneto, Italy
Type: Pure Malt Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Malty · Sweet · Round

See our full range of Poli

An approachable core expression carrying the historic Yellowstone legacy forward.

Expert description

Yellowstone Select 93 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the distillery's approachable core expression, bottled at 46.5%. Yellowstone Bourbon was introduced in 1872 by the J. B. Dant Distillery and named after the American national park established that same year. After decades outside the family's hands, the brand was acquired by Luxco in 1993 and transferred to Limestone Branch Distillery in 2015 — a distillery founded in 2010 by brothers Stephen and Paul Beam, who as seventh-generation members of the Beam and Dant families can trace their distilling heritage back to their great-great-uncle Jacob Beam, who distilled bourbon as early as 1794.

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

The palate offers brown sugar, honey and light spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, warm and round.

Specifications

Name: Yellowstone Select 93 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Limestone Branch Distillery
Region/Country: Lebanon, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 46.5%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Round · Caramel

See our full range of Yellowstone

Egans Conviction is a blend of Single Malt and Single Grain, matured for 10 years with a finish in Cognac XO casks – a whiskey with floral notes and a long, spiced finish.

Expert Review

Egans Conviction Irish Whiskey is a Single Malt Whiskey, bottled at 46%.

The whiskey is a blend of Single Malt and Single Grain, matured for 10 years with a finish in Cognac XO casks. The maturation has contributed floral aroma notes as well as hints of honey and dried apricots. The palate offers almonds, chocolate, ginger and piquant fruit, among others.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Floral notes with hints of honey and dried apricots.

Palate

Almonds, chocolate, ginger and piquant fruit.

Finish

Lovely and long with hints of liquorice and ginger.

Specifications

Name: Egans Conviction
Distillery: Egan (Fortitude PX)
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
Age: 10 years
Cask: Cognac XO Casks
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5391532440903

Flavour Profile

Floral · Spiced · Nutty · Fruity · Complex

Did You Know?

Egans Conviction is finished in Cognac XO casks, giving it its signature hint of liquorice in the finish.
See our full range of Irish whiskey

Some whiskies shout their pedigree from the label. This one from Lindores Abbey prefers to let the liquid do the talking. This particular release from Lowland shows a side of the distillery worth slowing down for.

Expert's description

Lindores Abbey Casks of Lindores Bourbon Casks Lowland Single Malt Whisky 49,4% is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured on bourbon casks and bottled at 49,4%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Custard, malt and a hint of citrus zest.

Palate

Creamy vanilla, oak spice and ripe orchard fruit.

Finish

Warm and rounded with a final vanilla note.

Specifications

Name: Lindores Abbey Casks of Lindores Bourbon Casks Lowland Single Malt Whisky 49,4%
Distillery: Lindores Abbey
Region/Country: Lowland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 49,4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Casks of Lindores
EAN no.: 5060638170129

Flavour Profile

Smooth · Spiced

Did you know?

It was at Lindores Abbey that the monk John Cor, on the orders of King James IV, distilled in 1494 what is the first written record of whisky in Scottish history.

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Big Peat is not a distillery but a fisherman with a wild grey beard and four Islay distilleries behind him. The twelve year old is the one where he has picked up some manners — the smoke is still there, but the edges have softened.

The expert's description

Big Peat 12 years is an Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46 % without chill filtration and without added colour.

The blend consists solely of single malts from Islay, all at least twelve years old: Caol Ila contributes sweetness, Bowmore balance, Ardbeg the medicinal and earthy character, and Port Ellen a measure of elegance.

Douglas Laing created Big Peat in 2009 as a single-bottle account of Islay. The firm was founded in 1948 by Fred Douglas Laing and is still run by the family from Glasgow, where they now also operate their own distillery.

Tasting notes

Nose

Charred oak, chimney smoke and wet rock pools. Under the smoke sit vanilla, butterscotch and dark fruits such as blackcurrant and black cherry.

Palate

Fruit driven with toffee, dark chocolate and a nutty edge. The spiced peat smoke settles around the sweetness instead of fighting it, and the salt of the coast is obvious.

Finish

Long and lingering with brown sugar, bonfire ash and a dry phenolic quality that stays.

Specifications

Name: Big Peat 12 years old Douglas Laing Blended Islay Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5014218814903

Flavour profile

Peated · Maritime · Smoky · Sweet · Full bodied

Did you know?

Port Ellen closed in 1983 and only reopened in 2024. Big Peat has over the years contained whisky from the closed distillery — one of the few ways ordinary people have ever tasted Port Ellen.

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John Jameson's triple-distilled whiskey meets coffee beans from Brazil and Colombia.

Expert description

Jameson Cold Brew Whiskey & Coffee Liqueur combines triple-distilled Jameson whiskey with natural cold brew coffee flavour made from 100% Arabica beans from Brazil and Colombia, bottled at 30%. The whiskey behind the liqueur is distilled at Midleton Distillery in County Cork, where Jameson has been produced since John Jameson founded his distillery in Dublin in 1780.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is coffee-driven with roasted beans, caramel and a hint of whiskey.

Palate

The palate offers coffee, brown sugar and light bitterness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, coffee-driven and lightly sweet.

Specifications

Name: Jameson Cold Brew Whiskey & Coffee Liqueur Irish
Bottler: Jameson
Region/Country: Midleton, County Cork, Ireland
Type: Whiskey Liqueur
ABV: 30%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Coffee-driven · Roasted · Sweet · Lightly Bitter

See our full range of Jameson

There is a calm to MacNair's that only truly reveals itself once you give it time in the glass.

Expert's description

MacNair's Lum Reek 10 år Small Batch Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 55,4% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in sherry and bourbon casks and bottled at 55,4%.

The whisky is blended and bottled by MacNair's under the name Small Batch, Cask Strength Batch 1.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma offers grain, smoke and spice.

Palate

The taste unfolds with smoke, spice and light oak.

Finish

The aftertaste is long and spicy, with light oak and malt.

Specifications

Name: MacNair's Lum Reek 10 år Small Batch Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 55,4%
Bottler: MacNair's
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 55,4%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Small Batch, Cask Strength Batch 1
EAN no.: 5060568324760

Flavour profile

Fruity · Soft · Classic

Did you know?

The name Lum Reek is Scots slang for chimney smoke, a small nod to the smoky character hidden in this blended malt.

See our full range of MacNair's

Cask number 159, 332 bottles, and that was that. Valinch & Mallet are two Italians who bought a bourbon cask of Glenburgie in 2010 and left it alone for eleven years before emptying it. No finish, no adjustment — just the cask as it was.

The expert's description

Glenburgie 11 Year Old Valinch & Mallet 2010/2021 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky from a single bourbon cask, bottled at cask strength 52.6%.

The cask was filled in 2010 and emptied in 2021 — bourbon cask number 159, which gave 332 bottles. A single bourbon cask with no finishing period is the most honest way to show a distillery: there is no sherry to cover anything and no blending to smooth out the cask’s quirks. What you taste is what those eleven years ended up giving.

Valinch & Mallet was founded in 2015 by two Italians, Davide Romano and Fabio Ermoli, who wanted to carry the Italian tradition of whisky bottling forward. Italy has had access for decades to Scottish casks that never reached the British market, and a number of the most talked-about bottlings of the 1970s and 80s arrived exactly that way.

Tasting notes

Nose

Bright and clean. Green apple, pear and lemon peel, with vanilla and coconut from the bourbon cask. A cereal malt note sits under the fruit.

Palate

Powerful and fruit-sweet. Honey, ripe pear and vanilla, with a peppery edge from the 52.6%. The soft, fruity Glenburgie style comes through clearly with nothing to hide behind.

Finish

Long and warm. Vanilla and apple first, then a dry close of American oak and white pepper.

Specifications

Name: Glenburgie 11 Year Old Valinch & Mallet 2010/2021 Highland Single Malt Whisky 52.6%
Distillery: Glenburgie
Bottler: Valinch & Mallet
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 52.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask no. 159
Distilled: 2010
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 332

Flavour profile

Fruity · Vanilla-sweet · Cereal · Spiced · Cask Strength

Did you know?

Valinch & Mallet was started in 2015 by two Italian friends who wanted to return to the tradition of whisky bottling Italy was known for in the 1970s and 80s. Back then Italian importers had access to casks the rest of Europe never got to see.

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A valinch is the copper tube you push into a cask to draw a sample. Two Italians named their company after that very tool, and after the mallet that knocks the bung loose. It says rather precisely what they do.

The Expert's Description

Ardmore 12 Years Old Valinch & Mallet 2009/2021 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a Sherry Hogshead and bottled at 52.2%. Cask 706023 was distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2021, giving 338 bottles.

Ardmore makes peated whisky as its core style, which is unusual for a Highland distillery. The smoke sits at around 12 to 14 ppm, moderate compared with Islay but clear enough to give the whisky a dry earthy floor. Combined with a sherry cask it produces a profile where dark fruit and smoke pull in opposite directions.

A hogshead holds around 250 litres, so between a bourbon barrel and a sherry butt. It gives more wood contact per litre than a butt, which is why twelve years in a hogshead can travel further than twelve years in a larger cask. Valinch & Mallet was founded in 2015 by two Italian friends.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisins and dark orange first, with peat smoke as a dry undercarriage. Behind them come toasted malt, walnut and a hint of leather. The smoke is not maritime, it reads more like smouldering wood than sea air.

Palate

Full and in two halves. The sherry’s dried fruit and chocolate open, then the smoke enters from the side along with black pepper and a dry oak tannin. At 52.2% the concentration is good, and the two elements keep each other in check the whole way.

Finish

Long. Smoke, dark fruit and spiced oak leave together, with a dry ash note right at the end.

Specifications

Name: Ardmore 12 Years Old Valinch & Mallet 2009/2021 Single Highland Malt Whisky 52.2%
Distillery: Ardmore
Bottler: Valinch & Mallet
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 52.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry Hogshead, cask no. 706023
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 338

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Sherry Matured · Dark Fruit · Spiced · Cask Strength · Nutty

Did You Know?

The word valinch describes the copper tube a warehouse manager pushes down through the bung hole to draw a sample, and a mallet is the wooden hammer that knocks the bung loose again. Valinch & Mallet have therefore named themselves after the two tools an independent bottler uses most, the ones in your hands when you decide whether a cask is good enough.

See our full range of Ardmore
See our full range of Valinch & Mallet

Valinch & Mallet is one of the newer independent bottlers on the market, but this 11 year old Glenrothes from a single bourbon cask shows they know how to find good whisky.

Expert's Description

Glenrothes 2009/2021 from Valinch & Mallet was distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2021, after 11 years of maturation in a single bourbon cask, Cask No. #8925.

The whisky is bottled at cask strength, 53.3%, giving a full-bodied, direct expression of Glenrothes' character without the sweetness of a sherry cask – a cleaner profile closer to the raw spirit. 288 bottles were filled from this one cask.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh citrus, vanilla and a hint of honey.

Palate

Full-bodied and spiced, with apple, pear and a warm, sweet caramel from the bourbon cask.

Finish

Long and warm, with lingering citrus and vanilla.

Specifications

Name: Glenrothes 2009/2021 Valinch & Mallet 11 Year Old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70cl 53.3%
Distillery: Glenrothes
Bottler: Valinch & Mallet
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Vintage: Distilled: 2009, Bottled: 2021
Age: 11 years
Cask number/type: Bourbon Cask / Cask No. #8925
Bottles: 288
ABV: 53.3%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour Profile

Citrus-driven · Full-bodied · Spiced · Vanilla-sweet

Investment Potential

With only 288 bottles from a single bourbon cask and a cask strength bottling, this whisky belongs to the single cask releases that often attract collectors as bottles become rarer.

Did You Know?

A bourbon cask typically gives a lighter, more vanilla- and citrus-driven character than a sherry cask, because it previously held American bourbon rather than Spanish sherry.

See our full range of Glenrothes

A long history sits behind every drop of Miltonduff, even though the name rarely appears on labels outside independent bottlings.

Expert's Description

Miltonduff 2011/2021 Valinch & Mallet 10 Year Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a bourbon cask and bottled at cask strength 53.4%.

Valinch & Mallet is an Italian independent bottler, named Scotland's Best Independent Bottler in 2022, known for choosing casks with strong individual character rather than following a fixed house style. This Miltonduff was filled from cask #800524, yielding only 236 bottles.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The aroma opens with ripe pear and coconut, while vanilla lingers in the background.

Palate

The palate delivers light caramel and creamy vanilla, with a hint of honeycomb.

Finish

The finish is short and fresh.

Specifications

Distillery: Miltonduff
Bottler: Valinch & Mallet
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 53.4 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask, cask #800524
Distilled: 2011
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 236

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Soft · Vanilla-sweet · Floral

Did You Know?

Miltonduff sits on the Black Burn, the very same stream the monks of Pluscarden Priory reportedly used for brewing ale back in the 13th century.

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Four years in fresh Pinot Noir casks have laid a layer of dark berry fruit over Longrow's signature smoke - the result gathers two very different worlds into a single glass.

Expert Description

Longrow 15 Year Old Red Pinot Noir Cask is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky distilled at Springbank, matured 11 years in bourbon casks followed by 4 years in fresh Pinot Noir casks, and bottled at 51.4%.

The cask journey gives this Longrow expression a markedly different character to the classic bourbon and sherry-matured releases: the smoke is still there, but it is now joined by a deep, almost wine-like berry sweetness from the red wine casks. A total of 9,400 bottles were released of this limited edition.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark forest berries and a hint of red wine meet Longrow's signature smoke and a whisper of salty kelp.

Palate

Sweet and full-bodied with blackcurrant and cherry playing against an earthy, peaty smoke.

Finish

Long and lightly tart, with the berry fruit lingering alongside a dry, smoky close.

Specifications

Name: Longrow 15 Year Old Red Pinot Noir Cask
Distillery: Springbank
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 51.4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 11 years in bourbon casks, then 4 years in Pinot Noir casks
Number of bottles: 9,400
Edition: Limited Edition
EAN no.: 610854004873

Flavour Profile

Peated · Fruity · Spicy · Maritime

Did You Know?

Pinot Noir casks are relatively rare in Scotch whisky production compared to the more common port and sherry casks, making this cask combination one of the more unusual in the Longrow range.

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De Luxe sat twelve years in cask while Bell's outsold every other blended whisky in Britain. The bottle holds 75 centilitres, which on its own tells you how far back we are. That measure left the shelves when the EU harmonised bottle sizes.

The expert's description

Bell's De Luxe 12 years is a Blended Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 43 % in a 75 centilitre bottle.

De Luxe was the older and better dressed version of the standard blend. Twelve years in cask and 43 % instead of the usual 40 gave it more weight and a clearer malt core, and it was sold as the gift bottle rather than the everyday one.

Arthur Bell & Sons started as a grocery business in Perth in 1825, and the blend was built around Blair Athol in Pitlochry, still known as the home distillery. The firm is part of Diageo today, and De Luxe has been out of production for many years.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honey, dried apple and a clear malt sweetness. Behind it sit vanilla and a touch of spiced oak.

Palate

Fuller than the standard blend, with caramel, nut and a warm note of spice. The extra three per cent reads clearly in the texture.

Finish

Medium, dry and malty with a last note of oak.

Specifications

Name: Bell's De Luxe 12 år
Distillery: Bell's
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43 %
Size: 75 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Edition: De Luxe

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Nutty · Spiced · Soft

Investment potential

Medium. The bottling is discontinued, and the 75 centilitre format left the European market in the 1990s. Older blends from the big houses have started drawing collector attention, precisely because so few were ever put away.

Did you know?

In 1988 Bell's put a Christmas decanter into production with a new design every year, and those porcelain bottles are a collecting field of their own today. Some Scottish households keep a whole shelf of them unopened.

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Some bottles carry a date that means nothing to the world and everything to the collector who finally tracks it down. This one was filled from barrel 138 on Rick 25 in Buffalo Trace's Warehouse H, and on the 1st of October 2005 it was dumped, bottled, and sent out into a market that had barely started paying attention to single barrel bourbon.

Expert's Description

Blanton's Special Reserve is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Buffalo Trace Distillery, matured in new, charred casks of white American oak and bottled at 40%.

Special Reserve is the gentlest of Blanton's single barrel expressions and is sold exclusively outside the United States, built for drinkers who want Blanton's signature character in a softer, more approachable form than the 46.5% Original. Like every Blanton's release, it matures only in Warehouse H, the distillery's sole metal-clad warehouse, built by Albert B. Blanton in the years following Prohibition. Metal conducts heat far faster than the traditional brick warehouses, and the sharper temperature swings through Kentucky's seasons push the whiskey deeper into the oak than it would otherwise reach.

This bottle comes from barrel no. 138 on Rick 25 and was dumped on 1 October 2005, a date that is always printed on the label so collectors can trace exactly which barrel and which day the whiskey left the wood. Atop the bottle sits one of eight classic horse-and-jockey stoppers, which together spell out B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S and depict a race from start to finish.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Cedar and ripe raisin meet a touch of florals and a shy, understated vanilla.

Palate

Light and airy on the tongue, with vanilla and caramel drifting around dried fruit and a flick of white pepper.

Finish

Oak, a hint of rye spice and a touch of leather, mild and medium in length.

Specifications

Name: Blanton's Special Reserve 2005 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Region/Country: Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: New charred casks of white American oak
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: 1 October 2005
Edition: Special Reserve – barrel no. 138, Warehouse H, Rick 25

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Sweet · Fruity · Light Oak

Investment Potential

Medium. A 2005 dump date is rare to come across today, and older Warehouse H barrels like this one draw collectors chasing specific vintages and dates. That said, Special Reserve is the lowest-proof expression in the Blanton's range and typically doesn't command the same premium as Original, Gold or Straight From the Barrel.

Did You Know?

This bottle was dumped in 2005, a full decade before Blanton's truly exploded as a global collector's item on social media around 2015. Back then, it could still be found on shelves without a queue or a bidding war.

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Local Barley is Springbank's tribute to the ground the whisky comes from - barley grown right in the Campbeltown area, rather than the standardised grain most distilleries use.

Expert Description

Springbank Local Barley 10 Year Old 2022 Edition is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky distilled from locally grown barley and bottled at full cask strength, 51.6%.

The Local Barley range is one of Springbank's most sought-after, because it uses barley grown specifically in the area surrounding Campbeltown, unlike the distillery's standard releases. Only a very limited quantity has reached the Danish market, and the whisky is bottled without filtration or added colour, so everything the ground and the cask have given it remains in the glass.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh barley and a light earthiness meet a sweetness of honey and ripe apples, with a hint of sea salt behind it.

Palate

Bold and cereal-driven, with notes of caramel and a lightly oily structure that carries the high strength well.

Finish

Long and lightly spiced, with a lingering sweetness that slowly gives way to a dry, salty close.

Specifications

Name: Springbank Local Barley 10 Year Old 2022 Edition
Distillery: Springbank
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 51.6%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Local Barley 2022 Release
EAN no.: 610854004859

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Maritime · Spicy · Creamy

Investment Potential

Medium - the Local Barley range is among Springbank's most sought-after releases, and the limited quantity that has reached the Danish market makes this 2022 edition an attractive bottle for collectors.

Did You Know?

The Local Barley range uses barley grown specifically in and around Campbeltown rather than the standardised Scottish grain, giving each vintage its own distinct terroir.

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Arran's peated side also comes with a fixed age statement — ten years in cask gives Machrie Moor an extra layer of flavour.

The same peaty character as the distillery's classic Machrie Moor, but now with time to round off the edges.

Expert Description

Arran Machrie Moor 10 Year Old is a Single Islands Malt Whisky made from lightly peated malt and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is bottled non-chill filtered and with natural colour after ten years of maturation, giving the peat smoke time to blend more smoothly with Arran's natural fruit sweetness than in the younger, no-age-statement Machrie Moor.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Softer smoke than the younger edition, with a clear underlying fruitiness.

Palate

Round and balanced, where the smoke and Arran's citrus character meet in good harmony.

Finish

Medium length with lingering, mild smoke.

Specifications

Name: Arran Machrie Moor 10 Year Old
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Single Islands Malt Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060044484742
Serving suggestion: In a Glencairn glass, a drop of water is welcome

Flavour Profile

Peated · Fruity · Round · Citrus-forward

Did You Know?

Although Machrie Moor has existed as an expression since 2004, the age-stated 10-year-old is a more recent addition, letting whisky fans compare the younger and more mature peated side of Arran directly.

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Red wine and whisky rarely meet in the same bottle, but the Age of Discovery series was created exactly to explore that kind of unusual combination.

Expert description

Glenfiddich 19 Years Old Age of Discovery Red Wine Cask is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks finished in red wine casks and bottled at 40%. The whisky matures for 19 years in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in casks that previously held red wine. That adds a deep, fruity character with a touch of tannin, clearly setting it apart from the other expressions in the Age of Discovery series.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark berries, toasted oak and a light wine-like tang.

Palate

Rich and fruity with blackcurrant, spiced oak and a light tannin edge.

Finish

Medium and dry, with a final hint of dark berries.

Specifications

Name: Glenfiddich 19 Years Old Age of Discovery Red Wine Cask Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Glenfiddich
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 19 years old
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks finished in red wine casks
Edition: Age of Discovery - Red Wine Cask
EAN no.: 5010327045108

Flavour profile

Fruity · Spiced · Rich · Round

Investment potential

Low. The Age of Discovery series has been discontinued from Glenfiddich's core range, which makes the remaining bottles gradually scarcer.

Did you know?

Red wine casks are among the rarest cask types in Scotch whisky production, because the wine's tannins can dominate the flavour if the finish runs too long — a balance Glenfiddich's whisky makers have fine-tuned carefully.

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Càrn Mòr is the name of a mountain in the north-west Highlands, 829 metres above sea level. The series takes its name from it, and the principle is simple: once a release is gone, it does not come back. No refill, no second batch.

The expert's description

Ben Nevis 2015/2022 Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited 7 years is a Single Highland Malt Whisky matured in a sherry butt and bottled at 47.5 %.

Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited is a range from Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers where every release is bottled at a fixed 47.5 % and consists of either a single batch or a single cask. The series covers distilleries from every region of Scotland, and each release is made only once.

This bottling was distilled in 2015 and drawn in 2022 after seven years in a sherry butt. The outturn was 1,840 bottles, which is high for a single butt and points to a single batch rather than one cask.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet maple syrup, toasted cereal and a note of smoked bacon. Dried fruit from the cask sits behind it.

Palate

American pancakes with smoked bacon, wrapped in sweet maple syrup. The sweetness and the salty edge pull in opposite directions and meet in the middle.

Finish

Medium and warm with syrup, cereal and a last salty note.

Specifications

Name: Ben Nevis 2015/2022 Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited 7 år
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Bottler: Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 7 years
ABV: 47,5 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry butt
Distilled: 2015
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1.840
Edition: Strictly Limited
EAN no.: 5060109229073

Flavour profile

Sweet · Malty · Salty · Spiced · Full bodied

Did you know?

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers today owns warehousing in Speyside and runs its own cask programmes, buying new make spirit and maturing it themselves. That is a different model from the classic bottlers who buy fully matured casks.

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There is a calm to Linkwood that only truly reveals itself once you give it time in the glass.

Expert's description

Linkwood 2013/2022 Bourbon Barrel Carn Mor 8 år Single Speyside Malt Whisky 47,5% is a Speyside Single Malt Whisky, matured in first fill bourbon barrel 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 2013 and bottled 2022, giving it 8 years.

Only 937 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose opens with blossom, beeswax and coconut.

Palate

The palate delivers ripe pears, caramel and gentle sweetness from American oak.

Finish

It finishes long and warm, with coconut and citrus peel.

Specifications

Name: Linkwood 2013/2022 Bourbon Barrel Carn Mor 8 år Single Speyside Malt Whisky 47,5%
Distillery: Linkwood
Bottler: Càrn Mòr
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 47,5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First fill bourbon barrel
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2013
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 937
Edition: Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited
EAN no.: 5060109228946

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.

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Green Spot Chateau Montelena Finish is a Single Pot Still whiskey with a distinct Irish character and an elegant wine influence from Napa Valley, California.

Expert Review

Green Spot Chateau Montelena Irish Whiskey is a Pure Potstill Irish Malt Whiskey, bottled at 46%.

The whiskey is triple distilled and matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, before its finishing maturation in wine casks from Chateau Montelena, one of Napa Valley's most acclaimed wineries. The whiskey builds on the historic tradition of Mitchell & Son in Dublin, where Green Spot could originally only be bought as a classic grocer's whiskey. This edition preserves that heritage while adding a modern twist through the wine casks.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green fruit, apples, grapes, vanilla and the spiced pot still note.

Palate

Full and creamy with malt, honey, light spice and a wine-driven fruitiness with a hint of tannin.

Finish

Long, soft and fruit-driven with a touch of oak.

Specifications

Name: Green Spot Chateau Montelena
Distillery: Midleton (Mitchell & Son)
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Pure Potstill Irish Malt Whiskey
Cask: Bourbon and sherry casks, finished in Chateau Montelena wine casks
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5011007025922

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Wine-driven · Spiced · Creamy · Elegant

Did You Know?

Green Spot could originally only be bought from the wine merchant Mitchell & Son in Dublin as a classic grocer's whiskey.
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