Edinburgh's whisky history usually centres on malt, but the North British distillery in Gorgie has quietly earned its place as one of the capital's most underrated spirit producers since 1885.

Expert's Description

North British 2003/2021 Douglas Laing Old Particular 18 Year Old is a Single Grain Whisky bottled at 48.4%.

Old Particular is part of Douglas Laing's "Exceptional Single Casks" range, where each bottle comes from a single cask, chosen for its individual character. With 788 bottles from this particular cask, it is a generous yet still limited release.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The aroma opens with vanilla fudge and fresh straw, while creamy vanilla lingers in the background.

Palate

The palate delivers delicate oak and honeycomb, with a hint of citrus notes.

Finish

The finish is dry and elegant.

Specifications

Distillery: North British
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 48.4 %
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2003
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 788
Edition: Old Particular
EAN no.: 5014218818635

Flavour Profile

Soft · Creamy · Light · Elegant

Did You Know?

North British is today jointly owned by Diageo and the Edrington Group through the company Lothian Distillers – two competitors sharing one distillery.

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

Expert's description

Laphroaig 11 Year Feis Ile 2003 Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky 40% is a Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky and bottled at 40%.

The whisky was bottled in 2003.

Only 750 bottles were produced from this cask, making it a limited release for collectors.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Peat smoke, brine and toasted malt.

Palate

Smoky malt with dried fruit and pepper.

Finish

Long and smoky with a lingering warmth.

Specifications

Name: Laphroaig 11 Year Feis Ile 2003 Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Laphroaig
Region/Country: Islay
Type: Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Bottled: 2003
Number of bottles: 750
Edition: Fèis Ìle 2003

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Spiced

Investment Potential

High. As a discontinued Fèis Ìle release from 2003 with only 750 bottles in the original run, this Laphroaig is among the rarer festival bottles on the market today.

Did you know?

Fèis Ìle is Islay's annual whisky festival, where the island's distilleries, including Laphroaig, release exclusive festival bottlings every year that are never reissued in the same form.

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Caoran means 'glowing ember' in Gaelic — a name that hints at more fire than you would normally associate with a Glenfiddich.

Expert description

Glenfiddich 12 Years Old Caoran Reserve is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in american ex-bourbon casks and European sherry casks, with a touch of peated malt and bottled at 40%. Caoran Reserve was created for travel retail markets and combines Glenfiddich's classic ex-bourbon- and sherry-matured whisky with a touch of peated malt. The result is a 12 Years Old edition with a light smoky dimension not found in the distillery's regular core range.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh pears and honey, with a delicate hint of smoke in the background.

Palate

Soft and lightly smoky with pear sweetness, malt and a mild spice.

Finish

Short to medium, lightly smoky and refreshing.

Specifications

Name: Glenfiddich 12 Years Old Caoran Reserve Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Glenfiddich
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years old
ABV: 40%
Size: 100 CL
Cask type: American ex-bourbon casks and European sherry casks, with a touch of peated malt
Edition: Caoran Reserve - travel retail edition
EAN no.: 5010327323114

Flavour profile

Lightly smoky · Fresh · Pear-sweet · Round

Did you know?

The name Caoran refers to the whisky's light smoky character — a rare crossover between Glenfiddich's classic style and a hint of peated malt.

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Some whiskies are called 'The Gentle Dram' by the marketing department. This one has earned the name.

Expert's description

Tomintoul 16 år "The Gentle Dram" Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky 100 cl 40% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The Gentle Dram is the name of this 16-year-old expression in a 100cl format, showing Tomintoul's mild style in its most mature form.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Round and soft with orange peel and hazelnuts.

Palate

Mild richness with a hint of smoke and spiced sweetness.

Finish

Elegant and long.

Specifications

Name: Tomintoul 16 år "The Gentle Dram" Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky 100 cl 40%
Distillery: Tomintoul
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 Years
ABV: 40%
Size: 100 CL
Non-chill filtered: No
Natural colour: No
Edition: The Gentle Dram
EAN no.: 5021349100027

Flavour Profile

Round · Spiced · Fresh

Did you know?

Tomintoul's water comes from the Ballantruan spring, whose pure, soft water is considered a key reason for the distillery's characteristically mild style.

See our full range of Tomintoul

Tobermory's colourful harbour front has become one of Scotland's most photographed – but it is what lies behind the walls that this bottle is about.

Expert's description

Tobermory 10 år Old Version Isle of Mull Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40% is a Isle of Mull Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 40%.

This 10-year-old expression is an earlier bottling from Tobermory's range, where the distillery's soft, maritime style shows itself in its most approachable form.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sea air, green apples and a hint of honey.

Palate

Soft malt with citrus and a lightly salted character.

Finish

Mild and slightly dry with a last hint of sea.

Specifications

Name: Tobermory 10 år Old Version Isle of Mull Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%
Distillery: Tobermory
Region/Country: Isle of Mull
Type: Isle of Mull Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 Years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: No
Natural colour: No
Edition: Old Version
EAN no.: 5013261140595

Flavour Profile

Maritime · Spiced · Fresh

Did you know?

Tobermory Distillery was founded in 1798, making it one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, long before the Isle of Mull became known as a tourist destination.

See our full range of Tobermory

No vintage, no excuses - just pure, unfiltered smoke from one of Campbeltown's most distinctive styles. Longrow Peated is the distillery's straightforward expression, without any extra frills.

Expert Description

Longrow Peated is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky distilled at Springbank, bottled without an age statement at 46%.

The name Longrow is taken from a distillery that once stood on the peninsula but closed over a hundred years ago. As a no-age-statement release, this bottle represents the Longrow style in its most accessible form, with plenty of bold peat smoke and a hint of medicinal character that ties it to its older siblings in the range.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bold peat smoke meets a light medicinal note, with a hint of salinity and citrus in the background.

Palate

Well-balanced smoke with a soft sweetness beneath the surface that keeps the medicinal notes in check.

Finish

Dry and smoky, with a lingering warmth that fades into a lightly salty close.

Specifications

Name: Longrow Peated
Distillery: Springbank
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 610854000260

Flavour Profile

Peated · Maritime · Spicy

Did You Know?

Longrow is one of only three styles distilled at Springbank Distillery itself - all three share the same still house but differ sharply in smoke level and distillation method.

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Six bourbon casks, brought together into one batch — that's the recipe behind this 13-year-old, which shows Edradour in one of its most classic and direct forms.

The expert's description

Edradour 2007/2021 Bourbon Cask 13 years old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 59.1%.

The whisky was distilled on 16 November 2007 and matured for 13 years across six selected bourbon casks, numbers 382, 383, 384, 386, 387 and 388, before being bottled in May 2021. The relatively high cask strength preserves the bourbon cask's vanilla sweetness in an intense, concentrated form, while Edradour's light, floral core character comes through clearly. 1,290 bottles were released.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and honey, with a hint of green apple and pale oak.

Palate

Spicy and full-bodied with caramel, citrus peel and a fine peppery warmth.

Finish

Medium to long with lingering vanilla and a dry, spicy finish.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 2007/2021 Bourbon Cask 13 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 59.1%
Distillery: Edradour
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 59,1 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks (cask no. 382, 383, 384, 386, 387, 388)
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 16/11/2007
Bottled: 19/05/2021
Number of bottles: Only 1,290 bottles
EAN no.: 5021944113279

Flavour profile

Spicy · Fresh

Did you know?

Edradour is one of the last Scottish distilleries to still run its entire production through a single, very small pair of copper stills — a scale that's almost closer to home distilling than most other Highland distilleries.

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The cask was filled in May 1992 and emptied again in May 2004 — almost to the day twelve years later. Signatory has a fondness for that kind of precision, and it rubs off on the whisky.

Please note: The bottle is supplied without a carton.

Expert description

Clynelish 1992/2004 Signatory Vintage 12 years is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a hogshead and bottled at 46% without added colouring.

The cask carries the number 6304 and gave 395 bottles. Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 by Andrew Symington and is among the most prolific independent bottlers in Scotland; the house also owns Edradour today. A twelve year old Clynelish from bourbon wood shows the distillery's waxy core with little cask interference, and releases from the early 1990s are becoming hard to find.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean and cool. Lemon peel, green apple and wet stone, with wax and a light saline note behind.

Palate

Crisp and malty. Apple, honey, cereal and that oily Clynelish texture, with pepper and a touch of liquorice towards the end.

Finish

Medium and dry, with mineral, citrus and a waxy finish that sits around for a long time.

Specifications

Name: Clynelish 1992/2004 Signatory Vintage 12 years Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Clynelish
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogshead no. 6304
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 12/05/1992
Bottled: 19/05/2004
Number of bottles: 395
Edition: Single Cask

Flavour profile

Waxy · Citrus · Mineral · Malty · Dry

Investment potential

Medium. The bottling is over twenty years old, the outturn was 395 bottles, and Clynelish from the 1990s is increasingly traded among collectors. Unopened examples are getting scarcer.

Did you know?

Signatory is known for printing both the cask number and the exact distillation and bottling dates on the label. It looks like a technicality, but it makes the bottles traceable, and it is one reason collectors keep a particularly close eye on this house.

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See our full range of Signatory Vintage Whisky

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Distilled in 1987, bottled in 1999. Between those two dates Bladnoch changed hands, fell silent and was restarted — and the whisky simply waited in the cask, none the wiser.

Please note: The bottle is sold without its original box.

Expert description

Bladnoch 1987/1999 Connoisseurs Choice 12 Years is a Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 40% by Gordon & MacPhail.

Connoisseurs Choice is Gordon & MacPhail's oldest and best known series of independent bottlings, and the early releases with the map label are sought after in their own right today. The series has historically been the route to whisky from distilleries that were either closed or released nothing themselves.

The 1987 Bladnoch spirit dates from the years under Bell's and later United Distillers, that is, before the modern rebuilding of the distillery. It is a pale, classic Lowland style that would hardly be made the same way now.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pale and clean with grain, hay and lemon peel. Given time, pear and a light waxiness come forward.

Palate

Soft and dry with malt, white fruit and a touch of almond. 40% keeps it light, but there is a maturity in the middle that only time provides.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and grainy with a trace of oak.

Specifications

Name: Bladnoch 1987/1999 Connoisseurs Choice 12 Years Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Bladnoch
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Distilled: 1987
Bottled: 1999
Edition: Connoisseurs Choice
EAN no.: 5020613209824

Flavour profile

Light · Grainy · Dry · Fruity · Classic

Investment potential

High. A vintage from a period that will not return, released in a series with collector value of its own. Older Connoisseurs Choice bottles with map labels have become a category in themselves.

Did you know?

Gordon & MacPhail began buying casks as early as 1895 and has stored whisky in its own warehouse in Elgin ever since. The company today also owns the Benromach distillery.

See our full range of Bladnoch
See our full range of Gordon & MacPhail

Named after Sir Walter Scott's 1816 novel, The Antiquary has stood for a soft, classic blended Scotch style since 1857 - this 15 year old expression draws extra depth from French red wine casks.

Expert description

The Antiquary 15 Year Old is a Blended Scotch Whisky at 43%, combining malt and grain whisky matured for 15 years, including in casks that previously held fine Bordeaux red wine.

The brand was founded in 1857 by the Hardie family and named after Sir Walter Scott's 1816 novel "The Antiquary". Since 1996, The Antiquary has been owned by Tomatin Distillery Co, which relaunched the brand in 2024 with a refreshed range, including this 15 year old expression.

The whisky is unpeated and shows an unusually soft, light flavour profile, where the wine casks lend a light fruity sweetness and complexity to the classic blend.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft grain and ripe red berries, with a touch of vanilla and a hint of dried flowers.

Palate

Silky and round, with notes of stewed red fruit, honey and a light nutty undertone.

Finish

Short to medium, mild and lightly sweet, closing on a trace of oak.

Specifications

Name: The Antiquary 15 Year Old
Distillery: The Antiquary (Blend), owned by Tomatin Distillery Co
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bordeaux red wine casks
EAN no.: 5018481101265

Flavour profile

soft · fruity · round

Did you know?

The Antiquary took its name from Sir Walter Scott's 1816 novel about an eccentric Scottish antiquities collector - a fitting literary reference that still graces the label more than 165 years after the brand's founding.

See our full range of The Antiquary

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

Expert's description

Lagavulin 16 Year White Horse Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky 100 cl 43% is a Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky and bottled at 43%.

This bottling comes from White Horse Distillers.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bonfire smoke, dried fruit and a maritime edge.

Palate

Rich smoke, dark chocolate and spiced oak.

Finish

Dry and smoky with a final salty note.

Specifications

Name: Lagavulin 16 Year White Horse Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky 100 cl 43%
Distillery: Lagavulin
Bottler: White Horse Distillers
Region/Country: Islay
Type: Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 100 CL

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Spiced

Investment Potential

High. As a discontinued vintage bottling from the 1980s under the former White Horse name, the bottle is no longer in production, making it a rare find for collectors of older Lagavulin.

Did you know?

Until Diageo took over branding in the late 1990s, many Lagavulin bottles were marketed under the name White Horse Distillers, named after the famous blend Lagavulin formed the heart of.

See our full range of Lagavulin

From Taiwan's mountains comes a single malt named after the island's highest peak.

Expert description

Omar Yushan Bourbon Cask is a Taiwanese Single Malt Whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks. Omar is produced by Nantou Distillery, founded in 1978 as part of Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation and home to whisky production since 2008. The name Omar combines 'Old Man' with the Taiwanese word for whisky, while the Yushan range is named after Taiwan's highest mountain. Nantou is located in central Taiwan, where the subtropical climate with high humidity and wide temperature swings drives significantly faster maturation than in traditional whisky regions.

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

The palate is sweet with caramel, banana and light honey.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and fruity.

Specifications

Name: Omar Yushan Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Nantou
Region/Country: Nantou, Taiwan
Type: Taiwanese Single Malt Whisky
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks

Flavour profile

Tropical · Sweet · Fruity · Soft

Did you know?

The Yushan range is named after Taiwan's highest mountain, Yu Shan, which rises nearly 4,000 metres above sea level — a nod to the distillery's pride in Taiwanese nature and identity.

See our full range of Nantou

Before Deanston raised the strength and dropped the filtration, the 12 year old stood at 40 percent. This is that bottle — the house style as it was before the change.

Expert description

Deanston 12 years Old Version is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 40%.

The release predates Deanston moving its core range to 46.3%, without chill filtration and without added colouring. The old version is lighter in body and more restrained than today's, but the underlying character is the same: honey, malt and apple from a distillery housed in a converted cotton mill by the River Teith. For anyone who knows the current 12 year old, it is a direct comparison of what the change meant.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft and light. Honey, apple and malt, with vanilla and a pale cereal note.

Palate

Round and restrained. Malt, honey and pale fruit, with a mild spiced warmth. The body is lighter than in the current release, but the balance is good.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and malty with a faint honeyed sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 12 years Old Version Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks
Edition: Old Version
EAN no.: 5013261150471

Flavour profile

Soft · Honeyed · Malty · Light · Unpeated

Investment potential

Medium. The old 12 year old is discontinued and replaced by the current one at 46.3%. Bottlings from before the change keep getting harder to find.

Did you know?

Deanston generates its own electricity from hydroelectric power on the River Teith and uses less than the plant produces. The surplus is sold to the grid — the distillery has been making money on electricity long before anyone called it sustainability.

See our full range of Deanston Whisky

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Drive as far south in Scotland as you can without ending up in England. That is where Bladnoch sits by its own river in Galloway, far from the whisky motorways, making something quite unlike the rest.

Expert description

Bladnoch 13 Years is a Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 40%.

Bladnoch was founded in 1817 and is Scotland's southernmost distillery. The site has closed and reopened several times over its history, which makes older bottlings scarce, and the style has always been the light, floral Lowland profile rather than peat and sherry.

Thirteen years is an unusual age statement and longer maturation than Lowland malt normally receives. The extra time gives the whisky more body without losing the freshness the region is known for.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pale flowers and fresh cut grass, with lemon peel, pear and a light grainy sweetness.

Palate

Soft and clean with vanilla, honey and pale grain. The cask keeps to the background and lets the spirit lead.

Finish

Medium and dry with a touch of oak and a last fresh citrus note.

Specifications

Name: Bladnoch 13 Years Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Bladnoch
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Floral · Fresh · Soft · Fruity · Light

Did you know?

Bladnoch sits on the river of the same name and has historically drawn its water from it. The area around Wigtown is best known today as Scotland's official book town.

See our full range of Bladnoch

A litre bottle. That alone tells you where this whisky comes from — the big 100 cl bottles were something you bought in duty free or on export markets, and they largely vanished from shelves in Europe. The label reads The Pool of the Salmon.

Please note: There is wear to the box.

The expert's description

Glen Keith 10 Year Old Old Version is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Keith in Speyside, bottled at 43% in a litre bottle.

This is an official distillery bottling from the years when Glen Keith still ran under Seagram. The subtitle The Pool of the Salmon appeared on the distillery’s older labels, and the bottling was withdrawn long before Glen Keith gained its current series of single malts. The Highland regional wording on the label was standard practice then, even for distilleries sitting in the middle of Speyside.

Glen Keith was built in 1957 and 1958 on the site of an old meal mill directly behind Strathisla. Seagram used the distillery as its experimental plant, trialling triple distillation, different yeast strains and gas firing. Production was mothballed in 1999, and fourteen years passed before Chivas Brothers started it up again.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malt and dried apple, with heather honey and a dry, almost floury cereal note. Behind it sits a faint waxiness that points to the age of the bottle.

Palate

Slender but firm. Barley, pear and pale caramel, with a dryness mid-palate. There is more body than 43% suggests, and an old-fashioned malty style modern Speyside rarely shows.

Finish

Medium. Dried fruit, malt and a dry oak note closing quietly.

Specifications

Name: Glen Keith 10 Year Old Old Version Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 100 cl 43%
Distillery: Glen Keith
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 100 CL
Edition: Old Version - The Pool of the Salmon
EAN no.: 087000653177

Flavour profile

Malty · Dry · Honeyed · Waxy

Investment potential

Medium. Glen Keith stood still for fourteen years, and the official bottlings from before 1999 cannot be recreated. A litre bottle carrying the old label wording is therefore one collectors keep an eye on — particularly since the distillery's modern releases only returned to the market in 2017.

Did you know?

Glen Keith was the first Scottish distillery to fire its pot stills with gas rather than coal. Seagram used the site as its testing ground, and if something new was to be tried, it was usually tried in Keith first.

See our full range of Glen Keith

The first edition of anything is the one people remember. Malting Season started here, with barley from the distillery own floor maltings and a decision to make whisky the slow way again, long after the rest of the trade had stopped.

The expert's description

BenRiach Malting Season First Edition is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky without an age statement, bottled at 48.7 %.

The range is made purely from barley malted on the distillery own floor maltings in Elgin. The facility is one of very few left in Scotland and can only handle a limited quantity of barley at a time, which puts a hard ceiling on how much whisky the range can ever yield.

The first edition marks the start of the range and is also the one everything after it is measured against. The bottling strength of 48.7 % was chosen to keep the texture intact, and the cereal character of the floor malted barley reads clearly through the cask.

Tasting notes

Nose

Baked bread, honey and pale cereal with a note of dried apple.

Palate

Creamy and malty with vanilla, flower honey and a lightly nutty middle. The cereal takes up clear room without turning dry.

Finish

Long and warm with malt, oak and a last touch of honeyed sweetness.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach Malting Season First Edition
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
ABV: 48,7 %
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Malting Season First Edition
EAN no.: 5060716140068

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Creamy · Nutty · Dry

Investment potential

High. The first edition in a series traditionally holds the strongest position on the collector market, and Malting Season is at the same time limited by how much barley the distillery can malt on its own floors. The combination makes it hard to replace.

Did you know?

Only around a handful of Scottish distilleries still run a working floor maltings, and most of them cover only a small share of their own needs. The rest buy malt from large commercial maltings that supply the whole trade.

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The cask was filled in February 1979 and stood untouched while walls came down, colour television arrived and the internet was invented. When it was finally drawn in the summer of 1999, 350 bottles were left. This is one of them.

Please note: This is an older bottling from 1999, and the bottle carries the Danish white excise seal.

The expert's description

Balvenie 15 Single Barrel Cask No. 2423 is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in one single oak cask and bottled at 50.4 %.

The whisky went into cask on 23 February 1979 and was drawn on 14 July 1999 after fifteen years. The cask yielded 350 bottles, and the bottling is neither chill filtered nor colour adjusted. That combination was far from standard in the 1990s, when most distilleries still filtered and coloured as a matter of routine.

Balvenie Single Barrel bottlings from this period are among the releases collectors look for. The cask cannot be recreated, the spirit comes from a production era with different yeast strains and different barley varieties, and the bottle has now sat for more than two decades since it was filled.

Tasting notes

Nose

Old oak, wax and dried apricot. Behind it sit honey, pale tobacco and a faint mineral note.

Palate

Powerful and oily with honey, candied citrus peel and spiced oak. The high strength carries a dense texture without burning.

Finish

Very long, dry and oak driven with wax and a last, warm note of spice.

Specifications

Name: Balvenie 15 år Single Barrel Cask No. 2423
Distillery: Balvenie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 50,4 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak cask, Cask No. 2423
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 23 February 1979
Bottled: 14 July 1999
Number of bottles: 350
EAN no.: 5010327505510

Flavour profile

Full bodied · Honeyed · Waxy · Spiced · Dry

Investment potential

High. A single 1979 cask drawn in 1999 in just 350 bottles cannot be recreated, and supply falls with every bottle opened. Older Balvenie Single Barrel bottlings have been climbing in value at auction over a long run of years.

Did you know?

When this cask was filled in 1979, Balvenie ran just five stills. The distillery has expanded several times since, so whisky from that era comes from a plant that in practice no longer exists.

See our full range of Balvenie Whisky

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Boann Distillery blends campfire, herbs and malt in this smoky release from The Whistler brand, made for those who love smoke but won't compromise on balance.

Expert Review

The Whistler The Good, The Bad and The Smoky is a Blended Irish Malt Whiskey matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in smoky quarter casks, bottled at 48%.

The whiskey is a characterful release from the innovative Boann Distillery, where the base maturation in ex-bourbon casks is followed by a smoky finish in quarter casks that previously held heavily peated whiskey. The combination gives a pronounced yet balanced smoke profile that sets it apart from most other Irish whiskeys. The whiskey is non-chill filtered.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fine, rounded smoke with sweetness and a hint of salt.

Palate

Warm campfire embers, fresh herbs and malt sweetness, rounded off with a touch of caramel.

Finish

Long and persistent, with distinct smoke notes and spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: The Whistler The Good, The Bad and The Smoky
Distillery: The Whistler / Boann Distillery
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Blended Irish Malt Whiskey
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon & smoky quarter casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
EAN no.: 5391528252435

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Spiced · Herbal · Malt-sweet · Balanced

Did You Know?

Boann Distillery is located in the Meath area north of Dublin, named after the River Boyne, and is among the newer Irish distilleries experimenting with unconventional cask profiles such as smoke finishes.

Another batch of the same discontinued label, this time bottled at 40% – the strength many whiskies carried before 40% became a minimum requirement rather than a standard.

Expert's Description

Bunnahabhain 12 Years Old Old Version 1 is a Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky from the 1980s, bottled at 40%.

Like the rest of the Westering Home series, this bottle dates from before Bunnahabhain settled its range around the 46.3% known today. At 40%, this is the mildest of the discontinued old version bottlings in this delivery.

It's a bottle for the collector who wants to line up several batches of the same historic label and taste the difference between them.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Gentle sea air and a hint of peat, backed by oily malt.

Palate

Round and oily with nuts, light fruit and a classic malty sweetness.

Finish

Medium length and malty with a calm, dry finish.

Specifications

Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Region/Country: Scotland (Islay)
Type: Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation Method: Double Distilled
Edition: Old Version 1 – Westering Home

Flavour Profile

Maritime · Oily · Soft · Classic

Investment Potential

High – another discontinued 1980s batch of the Westering Home label, no longer in production.

Did You Know?

This batch is bottled a couple of percentage points lower than its sister bottle from the same series, giving collectors a rare chance to compare two old version bottlings side by side.

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A bottle with no box, but decades behind it – this 12 Years Old dates back to when Bunnahabhain still wore the Westering Home label.

Expert's Description

Bunnahabhain 12 Years Old Old Version is a Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky from the 1980s, bottled at 43%.

The whisky belongs to the same discontinued Westering Home series as the distillery's other old version bottlings, from a time when the standard strength sat at 43% rather than today's 46.3%. The bottle arrives without a box, which is typical for cellar finds of this age.

It's a rare chance to taste how Bunnahabhain sounded long before the distillery became a familiar name among independent bottlers worldwide.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Gentle sea air and a hint of peat, backed by oily malt.

Palate

Round and oily with nuts, light fruit and a classic malty sweetness.

Finish

Medium length and malty with a calm, dry finish.

Specifications

Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Region/Country: Scotland (Islay)
Type: Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation Method: Double Distilled
Edition: Old Version – Westering Home

Flavour Profile

Maritime · Oily · Soft · Classic

Investment Potential

High – a discontinued 1980s bottling with no box, no longer in production, appealing to collectors of older Bunnahabhain releases.

Did You Know?

In the period this bottle comes from, Bunnahabhain was far better known as a supplier of malt for blends like Black Bottle than as a standalone single malt name.

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In the 1990s the labels looked different, and Tomintoul called itself something slightly different. This bottle is a small piece of that history.

Expert's description

Tomintoul 10 år Speyside Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 40% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 40%.

This 10-year-old Old Version dates from the 1990s and carries an older label design that Tomintoul has since replaced with a more modern style.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey, soft malt and light fruit sweetness.

Palate

Round and mild with a hint of nuts.

Finish

Short and friendly.

Specifications

Name: Tomintoul 10 år Speyside Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Tomintoul
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 Years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: No
Natural colour: No
Edition: Old Version from the 1990s
EAN no.: 5021349700012

Flavour Profile

Round · Spiced · Fresh

Did you know?

Tomintoul Distillery was founded in 1965 and is today run by Angus Dundee Distillers, with veteran distiller Robert Fleming responsible for production.

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With a name that conjures images of apple orchards and late summer, Orchard House shows how Compass Box turns blended malt into an art form.

Expert Review

Orchard House Compass Box Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46% ABV.

This blended malt from Orchard House has a lovely aroma of apple and pear, with hints of pineapple, lemon and lime zest. Compass Box is known for composing its whiskies from selected malt components sourced from several distilleries, rather than focusing on the character of a single one.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is fruity with apple, pear and a touch of citrus.

Palate

The palate is light and fresh, with pineapple, lemon and a mild sweetness.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, fresh and citrus-driven.

Specifications

Name: Orchard House Compass Box Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Compass Box
Region: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
EAN No.: 5060632880574

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Fresh · Citrus

Did You Know?

Compass Box was founded in 2000 by American John Glaser and was among the first whisky houses to fully disclose the composition of its blends – a practice that was highly unusual in the industry at the time.

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A bourbon cask at full strength gives a spirit nowhere to hide. Batch 3 shows exactly why Bimber's London malt can handle that kind of exposure.

Expert's Description

Bimber Ex-Bourbon Oak Casks Batch 3 is a Single Malt London Whisky, vatted from selected ex-bourbon oak casks and bottled at cask strength at 51.6% ABV.

The batch was assembled and bottled in June 2021 and represents Bimber's house style stripped back to essentials: no sherry, no additional cask finish, just the spirit as it develops in American oak ex-bourbon casks. It offers an honest look at what makes Bimber's own distillate distinctive without letting the cask steal the show.

Because Batch 3 is one of the larger releases in the series, it also happens to be one of the most accessible ways to meet Bimber's pure ex-bourbon character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green apple peel and dried stone fruit sit alongside milk-soaked cereal, while vanilla sponge cake and desiccated coconut mix with toasted bread.

Palate

Crisp orchard fruit and baked apricot meet sprightly pepper and lightly charred oak, while chewy caramel and a touch of dark chocolate keep the palate broad and full.

Finish

Lasting sweetness is balanced by peppery spice, with hints of anise gradually unfolding into layers of vanilla.

Specifications

Name: Ex-Bourbon Oak Cask Batch 3
Distillery: Bimber Distillery
Country: England
Type: Single Malt London Whisky
ABV: 51.6%
Size: 70cl
Cask Type: Ex-bourbon oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: June 2021
Number of bottles: 5,000
Edition/Batch: Batch 3

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Vanilla · Spiced · Creamy

Did You Know?

Batch 3 is one of the largest releases in Bimber's Ex-Bourbon series, making it the most accessible entry point into the distillery's pure, unfinished house style.

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There is an Inchmurrin for every taste – the 10-year-old is the one that stays closest to the distillery's raw, fruity base character, without the extra years that later soften the top notes.

Expert's Description

Inchmurrin 10 Year Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American oak and bottled at 40%.

Inchmurrin is distilled on Loch Lomond's straight neck pot stills, which help create the distillate's pronounced fruitiness, reinforced by an unusually long fermentation. At 10 years, the whisky is fresher and more directly fruity than the older expressions of the same style.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Pear and red apples with a light honeyed sweetness and a touch of freshly cut grass.

Palate

Juicy fruit of peach and apple meets creamy vanilla and a delicate peppery spice.

Finish

Medium finish with lingering fruit and a drying, lightly peppery close.

Specifications

Name: Inchmurrin 10 Year Old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak
Distillation method: Straight neck pot stills
Serving suggestion: In a tulip glass, ideally with a few drops of water

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Smooth · Fresh

Did You Know?

Inchmurrin is named after the largest island in Loch Lomond, where the ruins of an old monastery can still be visited today.

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Not every great dram carries a famous name on the label — Imperial is proof that quiet distilleries can still produce remarkable whisky. This particular release from Speyside shows a side of the distillery worth slowing down for.

Expert's description

Imperial 15 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky and bottled at 46%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green apple, vanilla and a gentle grassy note.

Palate

Malt sweetness, citrus and a touch of oak spice.

Finish

Soft and rounded with a final malty note.

Specifications

Name: Imperial 15 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Imperial
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Spiced

Investment Potential

High. Imperial distillery is closed and demolished, which makes any distillery bottling increasingly hard to find, and prices for closed Speyside distilleries have generally shown a marked rise in value over time.

Did you know?

Imperial took its name from Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, as the distillery was built during the same period the British Empire celebrated her reign.

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Before Inchmurrin, Inchmoan and Croftengea became household names, Loch Lomond's malt was simply called Old Rhosdhu. It was last produced around the year 2000, making every bottle today a small time capsule from the distillery's early years.

Expert's Description

Old Rhosdhu 5 Year Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 40%.

Old Rhosdhu was produced shortly after the distillery opened in 1966 and, until around the year 2000, was the name for Loch Lomond's then single malt style. The whisky reflects the distillery's set-up, designed for maximum reflux, giving it its characteristic fruity, floral style.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Floral and fruity with ripe apple, pear and a touch of malt.

Palate

Soft and fruity with honey and light malt, underpinned by a delicate floral sweetness.

Finish

Short to medium finish with lingering fruit and malt.

Specifications

Name: Old Rhosdhu 5 Year Old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 5 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks
EAN: 5016840014218
Serving suggestion: Neat or with a few drops of water

Flavour Profile

Floral · Fruity · Smooth

Investment Potential

Medium – Old Rhosdhu was phased out as a standalone name around the year 2000, and bottles carrying this name are becoming increasingly hard to find, making them interesting to collectors of Loch Lomond's early history.

Did You Know?

Old Rhosdhu was Loch Lomond's original single malt name, before the distillery began naming its various styles after the islands in the loch itself, as with Inchmurrin and Inchmoan.

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Sixteen years in a single bourbon hogshead is a long, quiet exercise. Nothing dramatic happens along the way. The cask works slowly, and the result is a whisky where time has been spent rather than technique applied.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 16 Years Old Deerstalker Limited Release is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead and bottled at 48%. Cask 16377 gave 318 bottles in Deerstalker’s range of single cask releases.

A hogshead holds around 250 litres and therefore sits between a bourbon barrel and a sherry butt. The wood contact per litre is great enough to give clear cask character over sixteen years, but not so great that the whisky turns overly woody.

Auchroisk was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend, and official bottlings exist essentially only in Diageo’s Flora & Fauna range. Single casks like this one are therefore the main route to meeting the distillery at a higher strength.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Creamy and sweet, with vanilla and ripe pear first. Toasted nuts and a lightly spiced oak note sit behind, along with a fine honeyed sweetness that sixteen years have drawn out.

Palate

Creamy sweetness from the first sip, followed by a lightly oily, spiced flavour. There is vanilla, apple and a dry nutty note, and at 48% the body is good without the whisky turning heavy.

Finish

Long and spiced. Oak, honey and a dry close where the nuts linger longest.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 16 Years Old Deerstalker Limited Release Single Speyside Malt Whisky 48%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Deerstalker
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon hogshead, cask no. 16377
Number of bottles: 318
Edition: Deerstalker Limited Release
EAN no.: 5030748100156

Flavour Profile

Creamy · Spiced · Vanilla · Nutty · Fruity · Honeyed

Did You Know?

A deerstalker is both a form of hunting in the Scottish Highlands and the name of the distinctive hat with peaks front and back that Sherlock Holmes made famous. The hat is never mentioned in Conan Doyle’s text; it came from the illustrator Sidney Paget, who drew Holmes in his own image of an English countryman.

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The Cromdale hills rise behind Balmenach like an old spine of heather and granite. Whisky has been made here since 1824, and the distillery has never been in any hurry to shout about it. Deerstalker takes casks from this quiet place and lets them speak at their own pace.

The expert description

Deerstalker 12 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Balmenach, matured in oak casks and bottled at 43% without chill filtration.

Balmenach sits beside the village of Cromdale, right on the line where the Highlands slip into Speyside. James MacGregor founded the distillery in 1824, and it is owned today by Inver House. Almost all of the spirit disappears into blends, which is why so few bottles carry the Balmenach name on the front.

The Deerstalker range comes from Aberko in Glasgow, a house that has held on to one principle throughout: the whisky is bottled without chill filtration. It is a small decision with a large consequence, because the oils that would otherwise be filtered out stay in the bottle and give the whisky a fuller texture.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and gently tart. Green apple and peach arrive first, then a dusting of vanilla underneath and a dry, almost powdery grain note reminiscent of the air inside an old warehouse.

Palate

It opens tight and sour, then unfolds into pale fruit, pear and lemon peel, while a soft sweetness of vanilla and demerara sugar settles beneath.

Finish

Fuller and longer than 43% would suggest. Spice, toasted bread and a final dry note of oak.

Specifications

Name: Deerstalker 12 Years Old
Distillery: Balmenach
Bottler: Deerstalker
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
EAN no.: 5030748100347

Flavour profile

Fresh · Fruity · Soft · Lightly spiced · Malty

Did you know?

Balmenach belongs to the small handful of Scottish distilleries still condensing their spirit in worm tubs, long coiled pipes submerged in cold water outside the stillhouse. The method is slow and takes up space, but it produces a heavier, meatier spirit than any modern condenser can deliver.

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BenRiach ran for two years after opening in 1898 and then stood silent for sixty-five more. The floor maltings sat untouched the whole way through, and when the distillery finally started again in 1965 the plant was much as it had been built.

The expert's description

BenRiach 12 years Heart Of Speyside is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 40 %.

Heart Of Speyside was the entry range of the distillery during the years under Billy Walker, who took over BenRiach in 2004 with a consortium and made the house a name in its own right after decades as a supplier to blends. The range was phased out when Brown-Forman bought the distillery in 2016 and reshaped the portfolio.

BenRiach sits near Elgin in Speyside and is one of very few Scottish distilleries to have kept its floor maltings. The house works with three different spirits, unpeated, peated and triple distilled, which is unusual for a single site.

Tasting notes

Nose

Flower honey, ripe pear and a touch of vanilla. Behind it sit pale oak and cereal.

Palate

Soft and malty with honey, apple and a lightly spiced edge. Forty per cent keeps it approachable the whole way.

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: BenRiach 12 år Heart Of Speyside
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Edition: Heart Of Speyside
EAN no.: 5060088790076

Flavour profile

Soft · Honeyed · Fruity · Malty · Lightly spiced

Investment potential

Medium. Heart Of Speyside was phased out after the 2016 change of ownership and is no longer made. Bottlings from the Billy Walker period have drawn increasing collector attention, since that is when BenRiach became a brand in its own right.

Did you know?

BenRiach was closed from 1900 to 1965, but the floor maltings kept running for part of that time to supply malt to neighbouring Longmorn. That is why the plant still exists today.

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Just 6 years old and already named for exactly what it is, a whisky that makes no secret of its youth.

Expert Review

Ardbeg Very Young 1998/2004 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky distilled in 1998, bottled in 2004 after 6 years of maturation, non-chill filtered at 58.3%.

Very Young was part of the same vintage series as Still Young and Renaissance, where Ardbeg tracked its own whisky through the maturation process after the 1997 reopening, letting the name of each release reflect how far the whisky had come.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raw, direct peat with a sharp, youthful intensity and a hint of fresh citrus.

Palate

Powerful smoke and a marked phenolic edge, uncompromising and direct in style.

Finish

Long and dry, with a lasting smoky sharpness underlining the whisky's young origins.

Specifications

Name: Ardbeg Very Young
Distillery: Ardbeg
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 6 years
ABV: 58.3%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distilled: 1998
Bottled: 2004
Edition: Very Young
EAN no.: 5010494222265

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Young and raw · Cask strength-led · Citrus-fresh

Investment Potential

Medium. As the youngest release in Ardbeg's vintage series from the reopening years, at high cask strength and long sold out, Very Young appeals to collectors wanting the full line-up from Very Young through Still Young to Renaissance.

Did You Know?

Very Young, Still Young and Renaissance together form a unique series where Ardbeg let the names tell the story of how the whisky evolved from young and raw to fully mature, year by year.

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