No sherry. Not a single sherry cask in twenty-five years. That is an unusual call for a whisky of this age, where most distilleries reach for oloroso to add depth — here the bourbon wood has been left to work the whole way, and the whisky only woken at the end.

The expert's description

Glen Scotia 25 Year Old is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in refill bourbon casks with a twelve-month finishing period in 1st fill bourbon casks, bottled at 48.8%.

For most of its life the whisky sits in used bourbon casks, where the wood gives slowly and lets the distillery character lead. In the final year it moves into 1st fill casks, which add fresh vanilla and lift to a whisky that would otherwise have turned very dry. It is a move that demands good timing — too little and nothing happens, too much and the twenty-five years get covered over.

Twenty-five years is where Glen Scotia starts to resemble something other than itself. The maritime character is still present, but it has become brine and an ashy smoke note rather than fresh sea air. This is the oldest permanent bottling in the distillery range.

Tasting notes

Nose

Lemon and ginger first, then pine resin and a trace of sea salt. After a couple of minutes it develops towards banoffee pie and maple syrup, with leather and cocoa underneath.

Palate

Luscious and smooth. Big orchard fruit notes, honey and malt, with a discreet spice and a hint of ashy smoke. The 48.8% gives weight without making it hard.

Finish

Long and drying. A wisp of smoke, brine and peppery oak that lingers well after the fruit has gone.

Specifications

Name: Glen Scotia 25 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 48.8%
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 48.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill bourbon casks with twelve months in 1st fill bourbon casks
EAN no.: 5016840161226

Flavour profile

Maritime · Fruity · Lightly peated · Dry · Honeyed

Investment potential

Medium. Twenty-five year old Campbeltown whisky exists in very small numbers, because the region has only three working distilleries and stocks from the 1990s were thin. The bottling is also the oldest permanent release in the distillery range, which makes it a natural reference point for collectors of the region.

Did you know?

Loch Lomond Group bought Glen Scotia in 2014 and has invested heavily in the site since — greater production, new warehouses and a visitor centre. It is the first time in more than a century that the distillery has had an owner able to build rather than merely survive.

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The bulk of the years in American oak, then a spell in oloroso at the end. The order matters here — had the sherry been there from the start it would have eaten the salty Campbeltown edge. Instead it sits as a layer on top.

The expert's description

Glen Scotia 18 Year Old is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American oak with a finishing period in oloroso casks, bottled at 46%.

The whisky spends most of its eighteen years in American oak casks, where the maritime character of the spirit is given room to settle. Only then is it moved into oloroso casks, and the short finish is enough to lay walnut and dried fruit in without covering the salt and minerality. The result is clearly sherried without being a sherry bomb.

Eighteen years is where Glen Scotia begins to show its other side. The younger bottlings from the distillery are taut and direct, while the older ones unfold and turn rounder. It is still Campbeltown — there is still sea air in the glass — but the frame around it has softened.

Tasting notes

Nose

Walnut and honey first, then digestive biscuits and toffee. There is an aromatic spice note behind it, and after a couple of minutes the sea air emerges beneath the sweetness.

Palate

Deep and broad. Candied orange, honey, nuts and raisins, with a spiced structure holding it all together. The maritime minerality sits under the sherry rather than alongside it.

Finish

Long and aromatic. Dried fruit and walnut first, then a dry, lightly salted close with spice.

Specifications

Name: Glen Scotia 18 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak with a finishing period in oloroso casks
EAN no.: 5016840181200

Flavour profile

Sherried · Nutty · Spiced · Maritime · Honeyed

Did you know?

Glen Scotia's pot stills have onion-shaped bodies and unusually short necks. The shape carries more of the heavy vapours across into the spirit, and that is a large part of why the whisky from this house is oily rather than light and floral.

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Named after the man who founded both Nikka and the Japanese whisky industry itself, this pure malt is a tribute to his entire legacy.

Expert Description

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt is bottled at 43%.

The whisky is named after Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka and often called "the father of Japanese whisky," after he studied the art of distillation in Scotland from 1918 to 1920. The Pure Malt series combines malt whisky from both of Nikka's distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagikyo, as a joint tribute to his life's work.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Apple, honey and a light, floral sweetness.

Palate

Round and soft with vanilla and a hint of spice.

Finish

Medium length and clean.

Specifications

Name: Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt
Distillery: Nikka
Region/Country: Japan
Type: Pure Malt Japanese Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 490423064374

Flavour Profile

Round · Soft · Floral · Clean

Did You Know?

Masataka Taketsuru met his Scottish wife, Rita, while studying chemistry and distillation in Scotland - a marriage that later became the subject of a popular Japanese TV series.

See our full range of {'da': 'Nikka whisky', 'en': 'Nikka whisky', 'sv': 'Nikka whisky'}

Fifteen years, two cask types and a bottle that proves Tomatin's patience always pays off with interest.

Expert's description

Tomatin 15 år Moscatel Wine Cask Single Highland Malt Whisky 46% is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in first 10 years in ex-bourbon casks, then 5 years in Moscatel wine casks and bottled at 46%.

This Moscatel Wine Cask expression was distilled in 2003 and matured first for ten years in ex-bourbon casks, then five years in Moscatel wine casks from Spain.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Roasted citrus spice and sun-dried fruit.

Palate

Warm and spiced with distinct wine sweetness.

Finish

Creamy and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Tomatin 15 år Moscatel Wine Cask Single Highland Malt Whisky 46%
Distillery: Tomatin
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 Years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: first 10 years in ex-bourbon casks, then 5 years in Moscatel wine casks
Non-chill filtered: No
Natural colour: No
Distilled: 2003
Edition: Limited Edition
EAN no.: 5018481901803

Flavour Profile

Wine-toned · Spiced · Fresh

Did you know?

In 1986, Tomatin was saved from closure by the Japanese companies Takara Shuzo and Okura & Co, making it the first Scotch distillery to be fully Japanese-owned.

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Verdejo wine is rarely seen in Scotch casks. This re-charred cask gives a whisky with a mineral, almost white-wine-like edge.

Expert's description

Tomatin 2009 Single Cask 3386 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 54% is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Re-charred Verdejo white wine cask #3386 and bottled at 54%.

This single cask was drawn from a re-charred Verdejo white wine cask, marked #3386, yielding as many as 410 bottles at a cask strength of 54%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

White grapes, apple skin and a fresh mineral tone.

Palate

Spiced and tart with green fruit and light oak.

Finish

Fresh and medium long.

Specifications

Name: Tomatin 2009 Single Cask 3386 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 54%
Distillery: Tomatin
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: almost 11 Years
ABV: 54%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Re-charred Verdejo white wine cask #3386
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: No
Distilled: 5. juni 2009
Bottled: 2. november 2020
Number of bottles: 410
Edition: Single Cask
EAN no.: 5018481903180

Flavour Profile

Wine-toned · Spiced · Rich

Did you know?

Verdejo is a Spanish white wine grape from the Rueda region, and casks that previously held this wine are rare even among independent bottlers.

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A single cask, re-charred and filled with Tomatin malt, became just under twelve years of patience – and 283 bottles that will never come again.

Expert's description

Tomatin 2008 Single Cask 2907 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 52,8% is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Re-charred American oak hogshead #2907 and bottled at 52,8%.

This single cask was drawn from a re-charred American oak hogshead, marked #2907, yielding a total of 283 bottles at a cask strength of 52.8%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Toasted oak, caramel and dark honey.

Palate

Full and spiced with a hint of smoky vanilla.

Finish

Long and warming at full cask strength.

Specifications

Name: Tomatin 2008 Single Cask 2907 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 52,8%
Distillery: Tomatin
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: almost 12 Years
ABV: 52,8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Re-charred American oak hogshead #2907
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: No
Distilled: 8. maj 2008
Bottled: 2. november 2020
Number of bottles: 283
Edition: Single Cask
EAN no.: 5018481903203

Flavour Profile

Round · Spiced · Rich

Did you know?

Re-charring oak casks – where the inside of the barrel is burned anew – is used to reopen the wood's sugars and give the whisky an extra layer of caramel and spice.

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Four years may sound young, but when the cask works this actively, the whisky travels a long way in a short time. Murray McDavid's Benchmark series is exactly about showing what a good cask can do.

The expert's description

Tullibardine 2016/2021 Murray McDavid Single Highland Malt Whisky 46% is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Bourbon hogshead finished in 1st fill Pedro Ximénez casks, cask #659812/14/46 and bottled at 46%.

The whisky was distilled in 2016 and bottled in 2021 by Murray McDavid as part of the Benchmark series, with an outturn of 1,338 bottles. It matured in a bourbon hogshead and received a finishing period of 16 months in 1st fill Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, giving a delicate, fruit-driven character with clear sherry notes.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Roasted coffee and vanilla with a hint of sherry.

Palate

Rich in malt notes and chocolate fudge.

Finish

Sweet and spiced finish of moderate length.

Specifications

Name: Tullibardine 2016/2021 Murray McDavid Single Highland Malt Whisky 46%
Distillery: Tullibardine
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 4 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon hogshead finished in 1st fill Pedro Ximénez casks, cask #659812/14/46
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2016
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 1.338
Edition: Limited Release, Benchmark Series
EAN no.: 5060353302706

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Spiced · Fruity

Did you know?

Murray McDavid is named after two of the company's founders and was among the first independent bottlers to systematically experiment with wine cask finishes as a regular part of their releases.

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Pedro Ximenez is the sweetest sherry that exists – thick, dark and almost syrupy. When Caol Ila's peat smoke encounters seven months in PX hogsheads, the result is surprisingly subtle: the sweetness works its way into the smoke and gives it a fruity, dried dimension.

Expert's description

Caol Ila 2014/2021 Murray McDavid 6 Years Benchmark Series is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon hogshead casks with a finish in Ximenez-Spinola PX sherry hogshead casks (nos. 2005618/19/23), bottled at 46% without chill filtration and with natural colour.

Murray McDavid's Benchmark Series is an experimental line that systematically explores cask combinations in larger batches. The PX finish here lasts seven months – short enough to preserve Caol Ila's character, long enough for the Spanish dessert wine to leave its mark.

1,242 bottles were produced. Ximenez-Spinola is one of the most acclaimed PX houses in Jerez, and it is from them that Murray McDavid sourced these casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruit – raisins and dark plums – blends with Caol Ila's maritime smoke. A note of mocha and orange peel gives depth.

Palate

Delicate and fruity. Smoke and PX sweetness find each other in good balance. Mocha, dark dried fruit and a soft, lightly oily texture.

Finish

Gentle and lingering. Smoke and sweetness fade side by side with a fresh note of smoke and fruit at the end.

Specifications

Name: Caol Ila 2014/2021 Murray McDavid 6 Years Benchmark – PX Sherry Finish
Distillery: Caol Ila Distillery
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 6 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon hogshead with PX sherry hogshead finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2014
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 1,242
Series: Benchmark Series
EAN no.: 5060353302669

Flavour profile

Peated · Fruity · PX-sweet · Delicate · Maritime

Did you know?

The Pedro Ximenez grape is grown in the Jerez region of Spain and is one of the world's sweetest and most concentrated varieties. The wines produced from it are so thick they almost pour like syrup.

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The world of Cognac and Islay whisky rarely meet – they pull in very different directions. But Murray McDavid found a cask that made them listen to each other: a bourbon hogshead with a finish in first-fill Cognac casks, and Caol Ila's smoke blending with the French spirit's sweetness.

Expert's description

Caol Ila 2014/2021 Murray McDavid 6 Years Benchmark Series is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon hogshead casks with a finish in first-fill Cognac casks (nos. 1925785/193/194), bottled at 50% without chill filtration and with natural colour.

Murray McDavid's Benchmark Series systematically experiments with unusual cask combinations in larger batches. This batch produced 1,694 bottles. The 14-month finish in Cognac casks contributes a sweet, lightly winey complexity lifting it above a simple bourbon profile.

Caol Ila at six years is fresh and direct – the smoke is clear, the distillate body is present, and the Cognac finish adds a sweeter frame without erasing the distillate's maritime character.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet and smoky at once. Sweet peat, ginger and apple – the Cognac cask adds a lightly fruity glow behind Caol Ila's typical maritime smoke.

Palate

Soft and fruity with good body. Caramel and smoke meet notes of ginger and apple. The Cognac sweetness is discreet but notable.

Finish

Clean and fresh with salted caramel and a light medicinal Caol Ila note at the end.

Specifications

Name: Caol Ila 2014/2021 Murray McDavid 6 Years Benchmark – 1st Fill Cognac Cask Finish
Distillery: Caol Ila Distillery
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 6 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon hogshead with finish in 1st fill Cognac casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2014
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 1,694
Series: Benchmark Series
EAN no.: 5060353302683

Flavour profile

Peated · Fruity · Sweet · Creamy · Fresh

Did you know?

Cognac casks are rare in whisky – they come from France and have typically held grape spirit for many years. Their nutty and fruity profile lends a completely different wininess than sherry or port casks.

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Douglas Laing's Provenance series is designed as an honest, unfiltered taste of a distillery — no dressing up, just character.

Expert's Description

Strathmill 2012/2021 Douglas Laing Provenance is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky, distilled in September 2012 and bottled in March 2021 after 8 years of maturation at 46%.

With 445 bottles, this young, independent bottling offers a fresh, direct look at Strathmill's character, neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A warm and spiced aroma with notes of lemon.

Palate

Filled with honey, supported by malt, charred oak and spice.

Finish

A long finish with lingering vanilla notes.

Specifications

Name: Strathmill 2012/2021
Distillery: Strathmill
Bottler: Provenance series from Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Distilled: September 2012
Bottled: March 2021
Number of Bottles: 445 bottles
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes

Flavour Profile

Young · Citrus-fresh · Spiced · Honeyed

Did You Know?

Douglas Laing's Provenance series is designed for younger whisky, typically under 10 years, focused on showing a distillery's clean character without heavy cask influence.

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Full strength, small bottle. Cask Strength in miniature format is just as uncompromising.

Expert's description

Tomatin Miniature Cask Strength Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 5 cl 57,5% is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a mix of bourbon and sherry casks and bottled at 57,5%.

This miniature is bottled at 57.5% from the same blend of bourbon and sherry casks as the full-size bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rich sherry sweetness and toasted oak.

Palate

Powerful with dark fruit and spice.

Finish

Long and warming.

Specifications

Name: Tomatin Miniature Cask Strength Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 5 cl 57,5%
Distillery: Tomatin
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 57,5%
Size: 5 CL
Cask type: a mix of bourbon and sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: No
Natural colour: No
Edition: Miniature

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Spiced · Rich

Did you know?

Cask-strength releases are bottled without added water, meaning the alcohol percentage varies from cask to cask and batch to batch.

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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 2013/2021 Wilson & Morgan 8 år Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70 cl 46% is a Speyside Single Malt Whisky, matured in virgin oak and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is distilled at Linkwood and independently selected and bottled by Wilson & Morgan.

It was distilled 2013 and bottled 2021, giving it 8 years.

Only 1026 bottles were released from this batch, making it an exclusive release for collectors.

Tasting notes

Nose

On the nose you meet blossom, ripe pears and coconut.

Palate

The taste unfolds with beeswax, fresh baked wood and vanilla custard.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with vanilla custard and blossom.

Specifications

Name: Linkwood 2013/2021 Wilson & Morgan 8 år Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Linkwood
Bottler: Wilson & Morgan
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Virgin Oak (#303765-68-69)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2013
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 1026
EAN no.: 8033749407337

Flavour profile

Spicy · Sweet · Rich

Did you know?

When the distillery was rebuilt in 1962, manager Roddie Mackay insisted on copying the old stills down to the last detail, and reportedly refused to have cobwebs removed from the old still house because he believed they were part of the character.

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Double distilled in traditional pot stills and matured under Breton skies - Triagoz 1st Edition was the start of one of Warenghem's most distinctive series.

Expert's description

Armorik Triagoz 1st Edition Lightly Peated is a Single Breton Malt Whisky from the Warenghem distillery, bottled at 46 percent.

The whisky is made from Breton barley and French wheat, double distilled in traditional pot stills and matured in oak casks. 2,000 bottles were filled of this, the first edition in the Triagoz series, and the whisky is non-chill filtered.

Warenghem has been distilling in Brittany since the early 1900s and was the first French distillery to commit seriously to whisky. The Triagoz series is named after the archipelago off the coast and is made from Breton barley and French wheat, double distilled in traditional pot stills.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers peach and pear, followed by peat and smoke, medicinal notes and vanilla from the bourbon cask.

Palate

The palate offers smoke from the cask, warm and spicy, with a calm close.

Finish

The finish offers ash along with notes of pear and pepper.

Specifications

Name: Triagoz 1st Edition
Distillery: Warenghem
Region/Country: France
Type: Single Breton Malt Whisky
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Number of bottles: 2000
Edition: Triagoz 1st Edition
EAN no.: 3521630021665

Flavour profile

Lightly peated · Fruity · Spicy · Classic

Did you know?

This release was the first in the Triagoz series and laid the foundation for the style that later editions, such as Triagoz 2nd Edition, have since been measured against.

Rum casks and Scotch whisky have travelled together since the trading ships began running the same route both ways. Here that connection is made concrete: a lightly peated blend that has ended its life in Latin American rum casks.

The expert description

Flatnöse Rum Finish is a Blended Scotch Whisky finished in Latin American rum casks and bottled at 43% in small batch.

The base whisky is the same light, peated blend from Islay Boys that the rest of the Flatnöse family is built on. The difference lies in the closing period in rum wood, which among other things has contributed exotic demerara notes, the dark, almost molasses-like sweetness familiar from rum made on cane syrup.

The rum cask makes the whisky softer and rounder without the smoke disappearing. It is bottled without chill filtration in small batch, so the contents can vary a little from run to run.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft and sweet with demerara sugar, a light smoky edge and a note of ripe banana.

Palate

Lively and lightly spiced with vanilla and demerara in the background, while the malt and smoke keep it from turning too sweet.

Finish

Medium and soft with syrup, spice and a final touch of smoke.

Specifications

Name: Flatnöse Rum Barrel Finish
Bottler: Islay Boys
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in Latin American rum casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN no.: 5060406110227

Flavour profile

Sweet · Lightly smoky · Spiced · Vanilla · Soft

Did you know?

Demerara takes its name from a river in Guyana where the sugar cane grew along the banks. Today the word covers both a type of sugar and a style of rum, and it is the dark, molasses-like sweetness of that style the rum casks leave behind in the whisky.

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The islands along the west coast of Scotland were governed from the sea, not from land. That is the world the Flatnöse name points back to, and the whisky has been given the same direct character to carry.

The expert description

Flatnöse Blended Scotch Whisky is a lightly peated blend bottled at 43% in small batch.

Where the Islay Boys blended malt sticks to pure malt whisky, this release is a proper blend with both malt and grain. The grain gives softness and a cereal sweetness that malt alone does not deliver, and the smoke therefore has a rounder base to stand on.

The name is taken from Ketill Flatnöse, the Norse chieftain who in the late 800s was king over the islands along the west coast. Bottling happens in small batch and without chill filtration, so the contents can vary a little from run to run.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malt and sweetness first, with an appealing note of smoke settling in underneath.

Palate

Pleasingly smoky, where pepper steps clearly forward alongside the smoke. The cereal sweetness sits below and holds it together.

Finish

Medium and dry with smoke, pepper and a final malty sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Flatnöse Blended Scotch Whisky
Bottler: Islay Boys
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN no.: 5060406110029

Flavour profile

Smoky · Malty · Spiced · Soft · Sweet

Did you know?

Very few blends are bottled without chill filtration. The process removes the compounds that can turn whisky hazy at low temperature, and it is used on almost every bottle at this level because haze gets mistaken for a fault. Islay Boys chose to skip it and explain why instead.

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Ketill Flatnöse was a Norse chieftain who ruled the islands along the west coast of Scotland in the late 800s. Islay Boys have borrowed his name for a whisky rather lighter on its feet than the man himself is said to have been.

The expert description

Flatnöse Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a lightly peated blended malt bottled at 46% in small batch.

Behind the bottle stand Islay Boys, founded by Mackay Smith and Donald MacKenzie from the Rhinns peninsula on Islay. MacKenzie learned whisky production from Jim McEwan at Bruichladdich, and the firm has since built a set of brands around Norse island history.

This release is a blended malt, meaning malt whisky from several distilleries and not a drop of grain. The smoke is restrained and sits as an edge rather than as the main course, and 46% gives it body without making it hard. It is bottled without chill filtration in small batch, which means the contents can vary a little from run to run.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pear first, with a faint peach behind and a note of honey tying it together.

Palate

Pleasingly round, where walnuts and citrus blossom step forward and where the smoke registers without taking up room.

Finish

Medium and soft with malt, nut and a final touch of smoke.

Specifications

Name: Flatnöse Blended Malt
Bottler: Islay Boys
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Small Batch
EAN no.: 5060406110081

Flavour profile

Lightly smoky · Fruity · Soft · Nutty · Honeyed

Did you know?

Islay Boys bought the island only brewery, Islay Ales, in 2018 and have since been working to get their own distillery standing. They began as bottlers of other people whisky and have ended up wanting to make their own, which on Islay is the rule rather than the exception.

See our full range of Islay Whisky

A Norwegian king in a kilt is not the first thing you associate with Islay. But Magnus Barelegs fought alongside the Celts in the late 1000s, and he has lent his name to a whisky just as unafraid of standing out.

Expert description

Bårelegs Battle Axe is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 55.7% without chill filtration, released as a small batch.

Behind the brand stand the Islay Boys, Donald MacKenzie from Port Charlotte and Mackay Smith from Portnahaven. Both are from the island and started blending and bottling whisky themselves with the aim of making something that tasted of Islay without costing a fortune in marketing.

Battle Axe is the most powerful of the expressions in the range and is bottled at high strength without filtration. The peat is present but held back in favour of fruit from the cask, which makes the profile different from the classic smoke monsters of the island's south coast.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pear and peach with nutty notes from old oak and a fine layer of peat smoke underneath.

Palate

Round and full with date, walnut and citrus blossom. The smoke arrives late and never takes over.

Finish

Medium and warm with nuts, citrus and a last trace of peat.

Specifications

Name: Bårelegs Battle Axe Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 55.7%
Bottler: Bårelegs
Bottler: Islay Boys
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 55,7%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Battle Axe Small Batch
EAN no.: 5060406110234

Flavour profile

Fruity · Nutty · Lightly smoked · Maritime · Powerful

Did you know?

Magnus Barelegs earned his nickname because he returned from Scotland wearing a kilt instead of trousers. The saga records that his men went about with bare legs, and the name stuck for the rest of his life.

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Sometimes the best whisky is simply the one you know best. This 1 litre bottle is the same classic Glenfiddich 12 Years Old, just in a format that goes a little further.

Expert description

Glenfiddich 12 Years Old 1 litre is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in american ex-bourbon casks and European sherry casks and bottled at 40%. The whisky matures in a combination of American ex-bourbon casks and European sherry casks, exactly like the distillery's well-known 70cl bottle, and offers the same fresh, pear-driven character that has made Glenfiddich 12 Years Old one of the world's best-selling single malt whiskies.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh pears, delicate florals and a touch of oak.

Palate

Light and soft, with pear and malt sweetness carried by mild spice.

Finish

Short to medium, clean and refreshing.

Specifications

Name: Glenfiddich 12 Years Old Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 1 litre
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
Edition: 1 litre format
EAN no.: 5010327324128

Flavour profile

Fresh · Pear-sweet · Soft · Light

Did you know?

Glenfiddich 12 Years Old sells more bottles each year than most other single malt whiskies could ever dream of — hence the extra-large 1 litre format.

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In 2021 Ærø Whisky filled another cask. Cask No 6 from that season has now been bottled directly and undiluted at 60%. It is a young whisky — but it does not hide that, and does not need to. What it lacks in maturation it makes up for in intensity.

Expert description

Ærø 2021 Single Cask No 6 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky at 60%, bottled at 50 cl from a single cask distilled in 2021 at Ærø Whisky A/S in Ærøskøbing. It is the sixth single cask in the distillery's series, produced from locally grown barley from Ærø, malted on the distillery's own malt floor and double-distilled in a closed circuit. A cask strength release from the 2021 distillation offers a rare glimpse into what is happening in Ærø's casks before extended maturation. Uncompromising and direct — add water to unfold the flavour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and powerful. Young malt and new oak dominate. Sweetness from the wood and a fresh, spirity undertone. With water, floral notes and light fruit open up.

Palate

Explosive at 60%. Oak and sweet malt with light fruit notes. Water is needed to unfold the full breadth. Young and raw but with clear structure.

Finish

Warm and long with dry oak and sweet malt that holds. A promise of what more maturation will do.

Specifications

Name: Ærø 2021 Single Cask No 6
Distillery: Ærø Whisky A/S
Region/Country: Denmark, Ærø
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 60%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2021

Flavour profile

Single Cask · Cask Strength · Young · Oak · Fresh

Did you know?

Ærø Whisky numbers each single cask sequentially — No 6 is the sixth individual cask bottled from the distillery. A simple but effective way to document the distillery's growing single cask series and allow customers to follow the development from cask to cask.

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Diageo's Distillers Edition series gives each distillery an extra cask finish, and for Royal Lochnagar that means a stint in sweet Muscatel casks.

Expert Review

Royal Lochnagar 2000/2012 Distillers Edition 12 år Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 40% is a Single Highland Malt Whisky matured in Muscatel casks and bottled at 40% ABV.

Royal Lochnagar 2000 vintage in the Distillers Edition series. This 12-year-old whisky is double matured, first in traditional casks and then finished in Muscatel casks, adding an extra layer of sweetness and fruitiness on top of the distillery's classic, soft style.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is sweet with raisin, honey and a light floral tone.

Palate

The palate is soft with dried fruit, caramel and a mild spiciness.

Finish

The finish is medium-long and sweet, with lingering raisin.

Specifications

Name: Royal Lochnagar 2000/2012 Distillers Edition 12 år Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 40%
Distillery: Royal Lochnagar
Region: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Muscatel casks
Distilled: 2000
Bottled: 2012
Edition: Distillers Edition
EAN No.: 5000281023847

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Sweet · Floral

Did You Know?

Diageo's Distillers Edition series always uses a secondary maturation in wine or sherry casks, unique to each distillery – for Royal Lochnagar, the choice is Muscatel.

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There is a particular joy in finding an old single grain that has been allowed to mature well beyond the ordinary, as with this North British.

Expert's Description

North British The Ten 2007/2016 is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky from French whisky merchant La Maison du Whisky, matured in a used bourbon cask and bottled at 40.1%.

The Ten series from La Maison du Whisky brings together ten different distilleries under a shared concept. This North British is bottled without added colour or chill filtration, with a nose of creamy vanilla and light oak, and a palate of delicate oak, lemon and mild pepper.

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: The Ten (La Maison du Whisky)
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 40.1 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Used bourbon cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2007
Bottled: 2016
Edition: The Ten

Flavour Profile

Soft · Creamy · Light · Elegant

Did You Know?

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

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Peat and grain sound like an unlikely pairing, but at Loch Lomond that kind of experiment is business as usual. Peated Single Grain is proof that smoke and lightness can happily share the same bottle.

Expert's Description

Loch Lomond Peated Single Grain is a Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in American oak and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is distilled from peated malted barley on the distillery's continuous Coffey still, giving it a light, grain-like body combined with an earthy, medicinal smoke. The whisky is neither chill-filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Clove, vanilla and blackcurrant, with peat leaning towards bandages and a touch of iodine, alongside fresh lemons and pears.

Palate

Sweet, tangy peat with green apple, lime citrus and aniseed, followed by vanilla and a note of lemongrass.

Finish

Crisp, dry finish with distant peat smoke and a short but clear peaty impression.

Specifications

Name: Loch Lomond Peated Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Coffey still (continuous distillation)
EAN: 5016840260219
Serving suggestion: Neat or on ice

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Peated · Fruity · Fresh

Did You Know?

Even though the whisky is made from heavily peated malt, it is classed as grain rather than malt, because it is distilled on a continuous Coffey still rather than a pot still.

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The Busker Single Pot Still pays tribute to the most classic and traditional style of Irish whiskey, where maturation in bourbon and sherry casks gives a spiced, full-bodied dram.

Expert Review

The Busker 88.6 proof Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is a Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, bottled at 44.3%.

The whiskey is matured in both bourbon casks and sherry casks, giving it a spiced depth with notes of dried fruit. Single Pot Still is the style most unique to Ireland, as it uses both malted and unmalted barley. The Busker range showcases this classic style in its purest form.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Spice and dried fruit.

Palate

Full-bodied and spiced, with notes of sherry.

Finish

Long and warming.

Specifications

Name: The Busker Single Pot Still
Distillery: The Busker
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Cask: Bourbon Cask + Sherry Cask
ABV: 44.3%
Size: 70 CL
Other: 88.6 proof
EAN no.: 8001110596119

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Full-bodied · Dried fruit · Sherried · Warming

Did You Know?

Single Pot Still is a whiskey style made exclusively in Ireland, using a mix of malted and unmalted barley.
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The Busker Single Grain is a creamy, approachable Irish whiskey, where maturation in both bourbon and marsala casks gives it a unique sweetness and depth.

Expert Review

The Busker 88.6 proof Single Grain Irish Whiskey is a Single Grain Irish Whiskey, bottled at 44.3%.

The whiskey is matured in both bourbon casks and marsala casks, giving it a creamy character with a light sweetness from the marsala wine. The Busker range is known for showcasing the different styles of Irish whiskey individually, and this single grain edition nicely shows how soft and approachable grain whiskey can be.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Creamy vanilla and a hint of dried fruit.

Palate

Soft and lightly sweet, with notes from the marsala wine.

Finish

Round and creamy.

Specifications

Name: The Busker Single Grain
Distillery: The Busker
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Grain Irish Whiskey
Cask: Bourbon Cask + Marsala Cask
ABV: 44.3%
Size: 70 CL
Other: 88.6 proof
EAN no.: 8001110596072

Flavour Profile

Creamy · Lightly sweet · Vanilla-forward · Soft · Approachable

Did You Know?

The Busker range is named after the street performers ("buskers") found on the streets of Dublin.
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Iceland's only whisky, matured in another selected cask from the same hardy barley.

Expert description

Floki Icelandic Single Malt Whisky Barrel 2 is a single-cask bottling from Eimverk Distillery, made from 100% Icelandic barley, bottled at 47%. Flóki is produced by family-run Eimverk Distillery, Iceland's only whisky distillery, founded in 2009. It took the family four years and 163 trial distillations to perfect the recipe before the first batches of Icelandic whisky were ready for market in 2015. The whisky is named after Hrafna-Flóki, a brave Viking chieftain who, according to the sagas, carried three ravens with him and let them lead him to the island he named Iceland, where he became its first known settler. Flóki is made from 100% local Icelandic barley, a hardy strain that thrives during Iceland's short, intense summer.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers grain, honey and a hint of fresh fruit.

Palate

The palate is soft with malt, caramel and a hint of spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Floki Icelandic Single Malt Whisky Barrel 2
Distillery: Eimverk Distillery
Region/Country: Garðabær, Iceland
Type: Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 47%
Size: 50 CL
Edition: Barrel 2

Flavour profile

Malt · Soft · Sweet · Grain

See our full range of Flóki / Eimverk

Some whiskies try to say everything at once. And then there is Stauning Rye – a whisky that just is what it is. Rye. West Jutland. Floor-malted on their own lofts. Matured until it is ready.

Expert description

Stauning Rye Floor Malted is a Danish Rye Whisky bottled at 48%. Stauning Whisky was founded in 2005 by nine friends in Skjern, West Jutland. Rye is the distillery's original expression and flagship from the very beginning. Made from locally grown rye and floor-malted barley – all malted on their own lofts. "Floor Malted" in the name is not a marketing gimmick: it is a genuine description of a technique they use every single day. Matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and spiced rye, light honey and a hint of blossom. Bread and soft vanilla. Not heavy, but with substance.

Palate

Spiced and direct. Rye grain and pepper, followed by sweet maltiness and light caramel. A trace of dried fruit from the sherry casks.

Finish

Medium length and spiced. The rye spice persists, followed by a clean, gentle sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Stauning Rye Floor Malted Danish Whisky
Distillery: Stauning Whisky
Region/Country: West Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Rye Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled, pot stills
EAN no.: 5711978010605

Flavour profile

Spiced · Fresh · Rye · Malty · Sweet

Did you know?

Stauning Rye was one of the first modern rye whiskies in Europe. When the nine founders distilled for the first time in 2006, European rye whisky was virtually non-existent – primarily a North American and Canadian phenomenon. Stauning helped change that.

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Twenty-seven years after distillation, a single refill hogshead remains the only witness. Cask No. HL16113 held a mature, rounded Tamnavulin that Hunter Laing chose to let stand entirely on its own.

Expert description

Tamnavulin 1991/2019 Old Malt Cask 27 Year Old is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky, matured in a refill hogshead and bottled at 48.6%.

The whisky is bottled under Old Malt Cask, a series originally created by Douglas Laing in 1998 and continued since 2013 by Hunter Laing & Co., after Stewart Laing left the family business and set up his own house together with sons Scott and Andrew. The series is known for a consistent strength around 50% and for letting each individual cask's character speak for itself.

This release comes from Cask No. HL16113, a refill hogshead that held the whisky from distillation in 1991 to bottling in 2019 - 27 years in total. Only 308 bottles were drawn from this single cask, with no chill-filtration and no added colour, so what reaches the glass is the pure, time-worn character of this particular cask.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe apple and a trace of beeswax meet gentle butter and a muted note of old oak.

Palate

Round and oily, with notes of honey cake, dried apricot and a warm streak of clove spice.

Finish

Long and dry, closing on a hint of walnut and a lightly tannic oak from the many years of maturation.

Specifications

Name: Tamnavulin 1991 / Old Malt Cask / Hunter Laing
Distillery: Tamnavulin
Bottler: Hunter Laing & Co. (Old Malt Cask)
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 27 Years
ABV: 48.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill hogshead, Cask No. HL16113
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1991
Bottled: 2019
Number of bottles: 308

Flavour profile

Mature · Honeyed · Spiced · Oily · Dry oak

Investment potential

Medium. A 27-year-old single cask with only 308 bottles from a distillery rarely seen this old tends to draw collectors and enthusiasts as remaining bottles are opened and disappear from shelves.

Did you know?

The Old Malt Cask series was founded in 1998 by Douglas Laing and passed to Hunter Laing & Co. in 2013, when Stewart Laing left the family business and started afresh alongside his two sons.

See our full range of Tamnavulin

A distillery that cannot be named, but a flavour that cannot hide. Scarabus is Hunter Laing's greeting from Islay's peat fields.

Expert's Description

Scarabus 10 Year Old Whisky is a Single Islay Malt Whisky from Hunter Laing, bottled at 46% after 10 years of maturation.

The source distillery is undisclosed, but the earthy, peat-smoked character clearly reveals its Islay origin. Hunter Laing uses the name Scarabus — a scarab, the Egyptian symbol of renewal — as an umbrella for their independent Islay bottlings.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rich, earthy peat smoke meets leather and menthol, softened by syrup and honey.

Palate

Round and smoky with a honeyed sweetness that balances the maritime peat.

Finish

Long, smooth and seductive with lingering smoke and a final note of leather.

Specifications

Name: Scarabus 10 Year Old
Bottler: Hunter Laing
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Single Islay Malt Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
EAN No.: 5060354273661

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Peated · Maritime · Honeyed

Did You Know?

The name Scarabus comes from a Bronze Age settlement on Islay where scarab-shaped seals have been found — a detail Hunter Laing has woven into the bottle's identity.

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December 2014, five months after the distillery opened. Cask 440 is a Spanish Oloroso butt filled with unpeated spirit, and it is among the earliest casks in existence from Ardnamurchan. Six hundred and ninety-three bottles, released to one Danish importer.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan AD 12:14 CK.440 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an unpeated Oloroso Sherry Butt of Spanish oak and bottled at 59.1% cask strength. The cask was filled in December 2014 and gave 693 bottles released exclusively for FC Whisky.

This is the unpeated side of the distillery. With no smoke to contend with, the Oloroso cask can work directly on the spirit’s fruitiness, and a full butt of around 500 litres works slowly and in measured fashion. The result is a sherry profile where dark fruit and nuts get room without being forced.

The cask was filled five months after the distillery opened in July 2014, which makes it one of the very earliest casks in the house. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisins and dark orange first, with walnut and a dry sherry note behind. Beneath sit fresh malt and a lightly waxy fruitiness that is Ardnamurchan’s unpeated signature.

Palate

Full and dark. Dried fruit, walnut and bitter chocolate open, then spice and an oak tannin tighten things mid-palate. At 59.1% the concentration is considerable, and a fresh acidity beneath the sherry keeps it from turning heavy.

Finish

Long and spiced. Raisin, nut and dry oak, with a warmth that lingers.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan AD 12:14 CK.440 FC Whisky Single Highland Malt Whisky 59.1%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 59.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Unpeated Oloroso Sherry Butt of Spanish oak, cask no. 440
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: December 2014
Number of bottles: 693
Edition: Single Cask CK.440 for FC Whisky
EAN no.: 5060383651652

Flavour Profile

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

Investment Potential

Medium. The cask dates from the distillery’s first six months, and 693 bottles exist, released through one channel. Casks filled in 2014 are the oldest in existence from Ardnamurchan, and there will be no more.

Did You Know?

Ardnamurchan keeps its peated and unpeated production separate in different periods of the year, and the casks are marked accordingly. CK.440 is marked unpeated, so you know in advance there is no smoke in the bottle, a clarity very few distilleries offer on single casks.

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