A street musician doesn't need a stage. One corner, one instrument and something to say will do. Royal Oak in Carlow borrowed that attitude for its blend, and three kinds of cask do the rest.

Expert's Description

The Busker 80 proof Triple Cask Triple Smooth is a Blended Irish Whiskey matured in bourbon casks, Marsala casks and sherry casks and bottled at 40%.

It blends Single Grain, Single Malt and Single Pot Still Whiskey, with a generous share of malt and pot still. All three are distilled and matured at Royal Oak. The grain has rested in bourbon and Marsala casks, while the malt and pot still have spent time in bourbon and sherry casks. The Marsala is the odd one out. The group behind Royal Oak also owns Cantine Florio, a Marsala house in Sicily, so the casks are never far away. The Busker launched in September 2020 alongside the rest of the range. Triple Cask Triple Smooth is the blend, and it is built to be easy drinking rather than difficult for the sake of it.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Tropical fruit from the first second, mostly ripe mango and passion fruit. Vanilla from the bourbon casks sits behind it, with a hint of cinnamon.

Palate

Soft and malty with apricot and mango, then dark chocolate. Vanilla fudge and cinnamon follow, and a dry, nutty woodiness underneath stops the sweetness from running away.

Finish

Round and gently sweet, not especially long. Fudge, nutty barley and a touch of clove.

Specifications

Name: The Busker 80 proof Triple Cask Triple Smooth
Distillery: Royal Oak Distillery
Region/Country: Carlow, Ireland
Type: Blended Irish Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks, Marsala casks and sherry casks

Flavour Profile

Tropical fruit · Vanilla · Dark chocolate · Fudge · Cinnamon

Did you know?

Royal Oak exists because Augusto Reina, head of Illva Saronno, wanted a whiskey to stand next to his family's Disaronno in a Godfather. The cocktail is two ingredients: whisky and amaretto. The result was an entire distillery.

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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

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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Writers Tears Miniature Gift Set lets you taste three different Irish Whiskeys from Writers Tears in one set – Copper Pot, Cask Strength and Double Oak.

Expert Review

Writers Tears Miniature Gift Set Irish Whiskey is a Blended Irish Whiskey set consisting of three 5 cl bottles, with strengths ranging from 40% to 53%.

The set includes Writers Tears Copper Pot, matured in ex-bourbon American oak casks and bottled at 40%. The palate is gently spiced with a hint of ginger and caramel, notes of toasted oak, and a long, elegant finish. It also includes Writers Tears Cask Strength, an exceptional marriage of Single Pot Still and Single Malt Irish Whiskey, selected each year by Founder and Master Distiller Bernard Walsh from a handful of casks – triple distilled, non-chill filtered and bottled at a full 53%. Finally, the set includes Writers Double Oak, a blend of Single Pot Still and Single Malt whiskey, matured in both ex-bourbon casks from Kentucky and French cognac casks, triple distilled, non-chill filtered and bottled at 46%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Spiced with ginger, caramel and toasted oak.

Palate

Full-bodied and complex, with variation between the three whiskeys in the set.

Finish

Long and elegant.

Specifications

Name: Writers Tears Miniature Gift Set
Distillery: Walsh Whiskey
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Blended Irish Whiskey (3 x 5 cl set)
Contents: Copper Pot, Cask Strength, Double Oak
ABV: 40% to 53%
Size: 3 x 5 CL
Other: Non-chill filtered

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Caramel · Elegant · Complex · Versatile

Did You Know?

Writers Tears Miniature Gift Set is the perfect way to taste the full range of the Writers Tears family without investing in three full bottles.
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Six decades in one bottle. When Glenfarclas came to mark 185 years, the family went into the warehouses and brought out casks from the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s — and married them into a single whisky.

The expert's description

Glenfarclas 185th Anniversary is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky composed from casks spanning six decades and bottled at 46%.

Around two thirds of the casks are Spanish sherry oak, the rest other cask types from the distillery own warehouses. The whisky carries no age statement, because one would have to follow the youngest cask in the marriage and would say very little about what is actually in the bottle. The outturn is 6,000 bottles.

Glenfarclas was founded in May 1836, and the anniversary release was bottled in May 2021 — exactly 185 years later. It is the kind of marker a family-owned distillery can make precisely because there are still old casks left in its own warehouses to draw on.

Tasting notes

Nose

Deep sherry and dried fruit, with raisin, fig and a dark syrup note. The oldest casks show up as a dusty, almost waxy depth behind.

Palate

Full and layered. Dark fruit and nuts from the old casks meet a fresher fruitiness from the younger ones, and the spice builds slowly through the palate. The 46% keeps the many layers apart.

Finish

Very long. Dried fruit, nuts and a dry oak note that keeps shifting.

Specifications

Name: Glenfarclas 185th Anniversary Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Casks from six decades, around two thirds Spanish sherry oak
Bottled: May 2021
Number of bottles: 6,000
Edition: Celebrating Our 185th Anniversary - Limited Edition
EAN no.: 5018066200376

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Nutty · Spiced · Complex

Investment potential

Medium. 6,000 bottles of an anniversary release drawing on casks from six decades cannot be remade, and the composition rests on old stock that cannot be recreated. Anniversary bottles from family-owned distilleries tend to be collected rather than drunk.

Did you know?

Glenfarclas was founded in May 1836, and the 185th anniversary was marked by bottling in May 2021 — to the month, 185 years later. It is a detail that requires having casks from every decade in between.

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Gelstons 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a hand crafted whiskey, finished in former bourbon casks for a creamy, tropical character.

Expert Review

Gelstons 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a Single Malt Whiskey, bottled at 40%.

The whiskey has completed its maturation in former bourbon casks, which has contributed to its creamy, tropical and fresh character. It carries the name of Samuel Gelston and the historic "Gelston’s Old Irish Whiskey" heritage, and is hand crafted throughout the process.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Tropical fruit and creamy sweetness.

Palate

Fresh and rounded with vanilla notes from the bourbon casks.

Finish

Soft and light.

Specifications

Name: Gelstons 10 Year Old
Distillery: Gelston
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
Age: 10 years
Cask: Bourbon Casks
ABV: 40%
Other: Hand crafted whiskey
EAN no.: 5011166059271

Flavour Profile

Tropical · Creamy · Fresh · Soft · Rounded

Did You Know?

The Gelston name traces back to Samuel Gelston, one of the historic Irish whiskey families.
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There is Islay whisky you have to work up to. This is not one of them. Original is the way into the range and into the island, peat, salt and malt in the most direct form it can be done.

The expert description

Finlaggan Original is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 40%.

The malt comes from an undisclosed Islay distillery and The Vintage Malt Whisky Company of Glasgow handles the bottling. It is a model where the distillery sells casks on without wanting its name on the label, and in return you get an island malt on a far more straightforward shelf than the official releases occupy.

The bourbon wood provides the bright frame and 40% keeps it light. This is not a whisky trying to impress. It is trying to be a good Islay dram, and it succeeds.

Tasting notes

Nose

Peat smoke first, then malt and a pale sweetness, with a seaweed and salt note that recalls a coastline a couple of hundred metres away.

Palate

Direct and malty. The smoke carries while caramel and apple sit beneath, and a lightly peppered edge rises towards the close.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and smoky with a final scatter of salt.

Specifications

Name: Finlaggan Original
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask
Edition: Original
EAN no.: 5024720350004

Flavour profile

Smoky · Malty · Maritime · Peaty · Soft

Did you know?

The peat on Islay is not like mainland peat. The island bogs formed close to the sea out of moss, heather and seaweed, and that is why Islay smoke carries the salted, almost iodine-like note a Highland peat never gives.

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Gelstons 12 Year Old Port Cask Finish is a hand crafted single malt from the historic Samuel Gelston distillery, finished in port casks for extra fruit depth.

Expert Review

Gelstons 12 Year Old Port Cask Finish Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a Single Malt Whiskey, bottled at 43%.

The whiskey has completed its maturation in former port casks, which has contributed to the fresh fruit flavour and notes of exotic spices. It is hand crafted following recipes rooted in the Samuel Gelston distillery, carrying forward one of the old Irish whiskey traditions.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh fruit and exotic spices.

Palate

Sweetness from the port casks with spiced depth.

Finish

Fruity and warm.

Specifications

Name: Gelstons 12 Year Old Port Cask Finish
Distillery: Gelston
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
Age: 12 years
Cask: Port Casks
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Other: Hand crafted Whiskey
EAN no.: 5011166056898

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Spiced · Sweet · Rounded · Warm

Did You Know?

The Gelston name traces back to Samuel Gelston, one of the historic Irish whiskey families.
See our full range of Irish whiskey

The Sexton is the official whiskey of the final season of "The Walking Dead" – a dark, complex single malt that matches the show's intense universe.

Expert Review

The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a Single Malt Whiskey, bottled at 40%.

The whiskey is distilled in Copper Pot Stills to create an outstanding smoothness. It has subsequently matured in former Oloroso sherry casks from Jerez, Spain, giving it an unusual complexity and flavour with notes of dried fruit, nuts and honey. The Sexton is the official whiskey of the final season of "The Walking Dead", which has made it popular among fans of the show.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit and honey.

Palate

Nuts and sherry-driven depth.

Finish

Complex and long.

Specifications

Name: The Sexton
Distillery: The Sexton
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
Cask: Oloroso Sherry Casks (Jerez, Spain)
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Other: Distilled in Copper Pots
EAN no.: 5391533970003

Flavour Profile

Dark · Nutty · Sherried · Complex · Honeyed

Did You Know?

The Sexton was the official whiskey of the final season of the TV series "The Walking Dead".
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A pirate with no bottle in hand, and that absence alone is the whole reason collectors chase this release.

Expert Review

Ardbeg Arrrrrrrdbeg! Committee Release French Label is an Islay Single Malt Whisky matured in used rye casks and bottled at cask strength, 51.8%.

The release was created to honour outgoing Distillery Manager Mickey Heads, who left the role after 13 years at Ardbeg. This "French Label" version is distinguished by the pirate on the label holding no bottle of Ardbeg, unlike the original release, which has made this particular variant especially sought-after among Ardbeg collectors.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Spiced rye and peat meet a dry, almost peppery sharpness from the rye casks.

Palate

Full cask strength gives an intense, spiced structure, where smoke and rye grain take the lead.

Finish

Long and dry, with lasting spice and smoke that stay on the palate.

Specifications

Name: Ardbeg Arrrrrrrdbeg! Committee Release – French Label
Distillery: Ardbeg
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 51.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Used rye casks
Edition: French Label, cask strength

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Spiced · Rye-driven · Cask strength

Did You Know?

The original label shows a pirate holding a bottle of Ardbeg, while this French variant was released without the bottle, a single detail that alone turned it into a sought-after collector's edition.

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There is a quietness to Glenfiddich's best whiskies — a sense that nothing has been rushed. Our Small Batch Eighteen is one of the clearest examples of that philosophy.

Expert description

Glenfiddich 18 Years Old Our Small Batch Eighteen is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in selected Oloroso sherry casks and American oak casks and bottled at 40%. The whisky is drawn from a small number of hand-selected casks, mainly Oloroso sherry casks and American oak casks, married in smaller batches than the rest of Glenfiddich's range. That gives it a more personal, slightly varying character from batch to batch, while the distillery's classic style still shines through.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe apples and pears alongside honey, toasted almonds and a touch of spiced oak.

Palate

Creamy and round, with caramel, dried fruit and a warm, sherry-driven spice.

Finish

Medium and soft, with a final hint of dark chocolate and oak.

Specifications

Name: Glenfiddich 18 Years Old Our Small Batch Eighteen Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Glenfiddich
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 years old
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Selected Oloroso sherry casks and American oak casks
Edition: Our Small Batch Eighteen
EAN no.: 5010327325323

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Creamy · Spiced · Round

Did you know?

Our Small Batch Eighteen is bottled in far smaller batches than Glenfiddich's 12 and 15 Years Old, which means no two bottles from different batches taste quite the same.

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Writers Tears Double Oak combines two classic cask types from two different countries – American bourbon and French cognac – in one whiskey.

Expert Review

Writers Tears Double Oak Irish Whiskey is an Irish Whiskey, bottled at 46%.

The whiskey has matured in American Oak Bourbon casks from Kentucky and French Cognac casks from the Cognac region of France. This double cask maturation gives Writers Tears Double Oak a unique combination of bourbon's sweetness and cognac's elegant, fruity depth, setting it apart from Writers Tears' more classic releases.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and a hint of fruit.

Palate

Bourbon sweetness combined with cognac elegance.

Finish

Soft and fruity.

Specifications

Name: Writers Tears Double Oak
Distillery: Writers Tears
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Irish Whiskey
Cask: Oak Bourbon (Kentucky) & Cognac Casks (Cognac, France)
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5099811906477

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Vanilla-forward · Elegant · Soft · Complex

Did You Know?

The name Writers Tears pays tribute to Ireland's great literary tradition, where whiskey and writing have historically had a close connection.
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A blended whisky that has been given time to become more than the sum of its parts. White Heather 21 Year Old is built on casks that each matured separately for eighteen years before being brought together for a final marriage in PX and Oloroso puncheons alongside Appalachian Virgin Oak. Only 2,000 bottles have been released.

Expert's description

White Heather 21 Year Old is a Blended Scotch Whisky, married in Pedro Ximénez puncheons, Oloroso puncheons and Appalachian Virgin Oak casks, bottled at 48% ABV.

The first eighteen years of the whisky's life were spent in used first-fill American barrels, sherry butts and second-fill barrels/hogsheads — a wide spread of cask types, each contributing its own character to the different whiskies in the blend. Only afterwards were they brought together and left to marry in three types of specialist casks, rounding off the story with one final layer of sweetness and spice.

The White Heather brand traces back to Campbell Distillers in the 1950s and was relaunched in 2021 with GlenAllachie and Billy Walker at the helm, giving this 21 year old one foot in tradition and one in present-day craft.

Tasting notes

Nose

A layered aroma where mature sherry sweetness meets notes from American oak and a hint of the fresh, robust character of Appalachian Virgin Oak.

Palate

Round and full-bodied, with sherry spice up front and an underlying sweetness from the puncheons that ties the many cask types together.

Finish

Long, warm and lightly tannic, with a closing dryness from the Virgin Oak casks.

Specifications

Name: White Heather 21 Year Old
Distillery: White Heather
Bottler: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First 18 years in first-fill American barrels, sherry butts and second-fill barrels/hogsheads, then married in Pedro Ximénez puncheons, Oloroso puncheons and Appalachian Virgin Oak casks
Number of bottles: 2,000
EAN no.: 5060568320731

Flavour profile

Sherry sweetness · American oak · Spiced puncheon finish · Virgin Oak dryness · Layered complexity

Investment potential

With only 2,000 bottles of a 21 year old blended whisky from a respected name like GlenAllachie and Billy Walker, this release sits at the high end of investment potential. It combines age, a limited run and a relaunched historic brand — a combination collectors rarely tire of.

Did you know?

The White Heather brand originally dates back to Campbell Distillers in the 1950s and was only relaunched in 2021 — so this 21 year old carries the name forward from an era when blended whisky ruled the Scottish market.

See our full range of White Heather

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In the forest at Gaick they tell of the witch of Laggan, who had a heart as black as night. Cú Dhub is named after her — and the whisky comes in the same colour.

Expert description

Cú Dhub Batch No 1 The Black Dog is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 43%.

The name means black dog in Gaelic and refers to a Highland folk tale about the witch of Laggan, who could change shape. The whisky is a marriage of Scottish malt whiskies, assembled and bottled by the Danish spirits company Mac Y. The dark colour is part of the concept and makes the bottle easy to spot on a shelf — behind it sits a thoroughly malted whisky with a clear liquorice character.

Tasting notes

Nose

Roasted coffee beans and dusty malt sweetness, English liquorice and a hint of dryness.

Palate

Creamy and intense. Sweetness and liquorice first, then vanilla and a distinctly spiced middle. The malt character runs right through and carries the whole flavour.

Finish

Medium and sweet with liquorice, malt and a dry spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Cu Dhub Batch No 1 The Black Dog Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 43%
Distillery: Cú Dhub
Bottler: Mac Y
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43 %
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Batch No. 1 The Black Dog
EAN no.: 5714772001039

Flavour profile

Malty · Liquorice · Creamy · Sweet · Spiced

Did you know?

Cú Dhub means black dog in Gaelic, and the name points at one of the most widespread ghost motifs in British folklore. The black dog turns up everywhere from the Highlands to the English moors — always as an omen, never as company.

See our full range of Cu Dhub Whisky

Westport is the unofficial name used for Glenmorangie when the whisky has a small amount of spirit from another distillery added, meaning it cannot be sold as a single malt. This cask shows just how much character the Italian house Wilson & Morgan can conjure.

The expert's description

Westport 2004/2019 Glenmorangie Wilson & Morgan 15 år Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 57,8% is a Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in Sherry wood, butt #900050 and bottled at 57.8%.

The whisky was distilled in 2004 and bottled in 2019 by Wilson & Morgan from a single sherry butt, #900050, with an outturn of 539 bottles. It carries clear traces of Glenmorangie's clean, fruity, lightly spiced profile, but gains extra depth and dark nuances from the long sherry maturation.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit, raisins, dark caramel and warm spice.

Palate

Full and oily with nuts, oak and chocolate.

Finish

Long, dark and lasting with sherry-driven tones.

Specifications

Name: Westport 2004/2019 Glenmorangie Wilson & Morgan 15 år Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 57,8%
Distillery: Westport
Bottler: Wilson & Morgan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 57.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry wood, butt #900050
Distilled: 2004
Bottled: 2019
Number of bottles: 539
EAN no.: 8033749406033

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Full-bodied · Spiced

Did you know?

The name Westport is typically used when a whisky from a named distillery has a small proportion from another distillery blended in, which legally prevents it from carrying the single malt label, even though the majority still comes from one place.

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A milder strength and a bigger bottle of Annandale's raw, unaged new make.

Expert description

Annandale Rascally New Make Malt Spirit is the distillery's unaged new make spirit in a 50 cl bottle, bottled at 46%. 'Rascally Liquor' is the name of Annandale's new make spirit, named after a quote by the Scottish poet Robert Burns, who described whisky as exactly that — 'rascally liquor'. It was first launched on Burns Night in 2015. Annandale Distillery was founded in 1836 as one of Scotland's first legal distilleries, but closed in 1918 while owned by none other than Johnnie Walker. The distillery lay derelict for nearly a century, until Professor David Thomson and Teresa Church read about it in the book 'Scotch Missed: Lost Distilleries of Scotland', tracked down the ruined building, bought the site in 2007 and reopened the distillery in 2014 after extensive restoration. The distillery produces two main expressions: the unpeated Man O'Words and the peated Man O'Sword, continuing the distillery's historic tradition of smoky whisky.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is grainy with a hint of fresh fruit.

Palate

The palate is clean and grainy with a light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is short and clean.

Specifications

Name: Annandale Rascally New Make Malt Spirit 50 cl
Distillery: Annandale Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: New Make Malt Spirit
ABV: 46%
Size: 50 CL

Flavour profile

Grainy · Clean · Fresh · Light

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

Expert description

Annandale 2015 Bourbon Cask 537 Single Lowland Malt Whisky is a single-cask bottling from Annandale Distillery, matured in a bourbon cask, bottled at cask strength, 59,3 %. Annandale Distillery was founded in 1836 as one of Scotland's first legal distilleries, but closed in 1918 while owned by none other than Johnnie Walker. The distillery lay derelict for nearly a century, until Professor David Thomson and Teresa Church read about it in the book 'Scotch Missed: Lost Distilleries of Scotland', tracked down the ruined building, bought the site in 2007 and reopened the distillery in 2014 after extensive restoration. The distillery produces two main expressions: the unpeated Man O'Words and the peated Man O'Sword, continuing the distillery's historic tradition of smoky whisky.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers smoke, peat and an underlying fruitiness.

Palate

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

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Annandale 2015 Bourbon Cask 537 Single Lowland Malt Whisky
Distillery: Annandale Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 59,3 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask number: 537, Distilled: 2015

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peated · Full-bodied · Spiced

Investment potential

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

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Peat from Scottish moorlands, water from Greenlandic glaciers, a distillery in Køge. Isfjord #2 is a cross-continental encounter — lightly smoked, matured in new oak, and built on the purity of Arctic water.

Expert description

Isfjord Premium Arctic #2 is a lightly peated Danish Single Malt Whisky at 42%, bottled at 50 cl, distilled at Braunstein Distillery in Køge, Denmark, and matured in new American oak casks. Like #1, it is built around Arctic iceberg water from the glaciers near Ilulissat, Greenland — thousands of years old and free of modern contaminants. The difference lies in the malt and the cask: #2 uses lightly peated malt and is matured in new oak, which contributes fresh vanilla and coconut notes along with structure and tannins. The peat level is enough to define the character without overpowering it.

Tasting notes

Nose

Smoke and fresh oak with light fruity notes. Vanilla sweetness mingles with a hint of sea salt and herbs.

Palate

Gentle smoke, light pepper and a touch of citrus. The new oak adds structure and dry tannins.

Finish

Medium length with lingering, mild smoke and dry wood notes. Clean and precise.

Specifications

Name: Isfjord Premium Arctic #2 Peated Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Braunstein Distillery
Bottler: Isfjord
Region/Country: Denmark
Type: Danish Peated Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 42%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: New American oak casks
EAN no.: 5704815600114

Flavour profile

Peated · Fresh oak · Lightly spiced · Vanilla · Saline

Did you know?

While most peated single malts use Scottish peat-dried malt alone, Isfjord #2 pairs that peated malt with Greenlandic iceberg water and new American oak maturation — an unusual combination even by global standards.

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Same vintage, same age — but a completely different wine world. Where its sister bottle got Barolo, this 1999 distillate instead met Bordeaux.

The expert's description

Edradour 1999 Vintage Bordeaux Cask Finish 21 years old is a Single Highland Malt Whisky finished in Bordeaux casks and bottled at 55.7%.

The whisky was distilled on 12 October 1999 and, after its primary maturation, received a finishing period in casks that previously held Bordeaux red wine. The whisky was bottled on 21 October 2020 after 21 years of total maturation and, like its Barolo sibling, is a discontinued vintage release.

Tasting notes

Nose

Blackcurrant and cassis, with a lightly cedary undercurrent and a hint of tobacco.

Palate

Dark berries and plum, where the Bordeaux cask's tannins meet Edradour's soft, honeyed malt.

Finish

Long with dry tannin, cedar and a finish of dark chocolate.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 1999 Vintage Bordeaux Cask Finish 21 years old Single Highland Malt Whisky 55.7%
Distillery: Edradour
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 55,7 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bordeaux cask finish
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 12/10/1999
Bottled: 21/10/2020
Edition: Vintage 1999

Flavour profile

Fruity · Spicy

Investment potential

This release is assessed to have high investment potential, largely due to the 1999 vintage, 21 years of maturation and a rare Bordeaux cask finish from a discontinued bottling. This is a general assessment based on available information about rarity and demand, not a guarantee of future value growth.

Did you know?

Bordeaux casks are used more rarely for whisky finishing than sherry and port, because French wine casks are traditionally sold on for other purposes rather than ending up with Scottish distilleries — making this cask type a genuine rarity in Scotch whisky.

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1999 was a year when Edradour distilled whisky that, 21 years later, would meet Italian Barolo wine — the result is a discontinued rarity many collectors seek out.

The expert's description

Edradour 1999 Vintage Barolo Cask Finish 21 years old is a Single Highland Malt Whisky finished in Barolo casks and bottled at 54.8%.

The whisky was distilled on 9 August 1999 and, after a long primary maturation, received a finishing period in casks that previously held Barolo, a powerful Italian red wine from Piedmont made from Nebbiolo grapes. The whisky was bottled on 21 October 2020 after 21 years of total maturation and is today a discontinued vintage release.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried cherries and rose petals, with a tannic undercurrent of tar and a hint of fresh malt.

Palate

Dark berries and a lightly bitter tannic grip, where the malt keeps a soft, honeyed base beneath the wine's intensity.

Finish

Long with dry tannins, black pepper and a finish of dark cherries and leather.

Specifications

Name: Edradour 1999 Vintage Barolo Cask Finish 21 years old Single Highland Malt Whisky 54.8%
Distillery: Edradour
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 54,8 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Barolo cask finish
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 09/08/1999
Bottled: 21/10/2020
Edition: Vintage 1999

Flavour profile

Fruity · Spicy

Investment potential

This release is assessed to have high investment potential, largely due to the 1999 vintage, 21 years of maturation and a rare Barolo cask finish from a discontinued bottling. This is a general assessment based on available information about rarity and demand, not a guarantee of future value growth.

Did you know?

Barolo is often called 'the king of wines' in Italy because of its power and ageing potential — qualities that make the cask particularly well suited to finishing older, already complex whiskies like this one.

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The icebergs drifting south from Greenland's coast carry water locked in place since long before the industrial age. Isfjord has built a Danish single malt around that water — clean, unpeated, with a quiet depth from sherry casks.

Expert description

Isfjord Premium Arctic #1 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky at 42%, bottled at 50 cl, distilled at Braunstein Distillery in Køge, Denmark, and matured in Oloroso sherry casks. Braunstein, founded in 2005, is one of Denmark's most experienced whisky producers and the technical backbone of the Isfjord range. But the defining ingredient is the water — thousands of years old, calved from the glaciers near Ilulissat, Greenland, and remarkably free of modern contaminants. Release No. 1 is the unpeated expression in the series. The Oloroso sherry casks add natural sweetness and depth, with dark fruit, honey and a hint of chocolate shaping the character.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honey and vanilla with gentle orange notes. A faint nuttiness and soft wood from the sherry casks.

Palate

Smooth and rounded. Toffee and ripe berries, with a touch of dark chocolate from the Oloroso cask.

Finish

Medium length and warm. The sherry sweetness lingers before fading gently with a light spice.

Specifications

Name: Isfjord Premium Arctic #1 Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Braunstein Distillery
Bottler: Isfjord
Region/Country: Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 42%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry casks
EAN no.: 5704815600121

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Fruity · Smooth · Sweet · Nutty

Did you know?

The icebergs Isfjord harvest their water from have been frozen since before modern industrialisation began. That means the water is free of contemporary pollutants — one of the key reasons Isfjord markets it as some of the world's purest water for whisky production.

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For almost four decades, Signatory Vintage has made a living finding the casks the big names never wanted to bottle themselves. This 2006 Glenlossie is another reason enthusiasts keep an eye on their releases.

Expert's Description

Glenlossie 2006/2020 Signatory Vintage 13 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at cask strength, 58.5%.

Distilled on 27 November 2006 and bottled on 9 March 2020 by the independent bottler Signatory Vintage, one of Scotland's oldest and most prolific bottlers, this whisky comes from two bourbon casks, No. 3303 and 3304, yielding a small outturn of 335 bottles.

Signatory sources casks from distilleries across Scotland and bottles them under its own name – often from distilleries like Glenlossie, which rarely turns up as a standalone single malt elsewhere.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh barley malt and vanilla custard meet a lightly tart fruitiness, like citrus peel. The bourbon cask lends a clear sweetness without taking over.

Palate

Powerful and warm, with caramelised sugar, ripe pear and a peppery spice from the high strength. The malt stays clear throughout.

Finish

Long, dry and lightly spiced, with a lingering note of vanilla foam and a touch of oak.

Specifications

Name: Glenlossie 2006/2020 Signatory Vintage 13 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 58.5%
Distillery: Glenlossie
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 58.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks, Cask No. 3303 + 3304
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 27 November 2006
Bottled: 9 March 2020
Number of bottles: 335
EAN no.: 5021944107292

Flavour Profile

Bourbon-cask driven · Vanilla-sweet · Spiced · Full-bodied

Did You Know?

Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 by Andrew Symington and helped pave the way for independent bottlings to be seen today as a serious, sought-after corner of the whisky world, not just a curiosity.

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Deanston is known for pale honey and bourbon wood. Put the spirit in a first fill sherry cask for thirteen years and the house becomes almost unrecognisable.

Expert description

Deanston 2007/2021 Signatory Vintage 13 years is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a first fill sherry butt and bottled at cask strength of 64.5% without added colouring.

The cask carries the number 900146, was filled on 14 June 2007 and emptied on 12 March 2021. The outturn was 624 bottles. Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 by Andrew Symington and buys casks from distilleries across Scotland. Deanston rarely sells casks on, so an actively sherried version like this exists essentially only through independent bottlers.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark and concentrated. Raisin, fig and orange peel, with cocoa, walnut and a warm spiced note from the wood.

Palate

Massive but round. Dried fruit, dark chocolate and caramelised sugar, with Deanston's honey beneath the sherry and a peppery warmth from the strength.

Finish

Very long and dry, with nuts, dark fruit and a persistent spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 2007/2021 Signatory Vintage 13 years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 64,5%
Distillery: Deanston
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 64.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First fill sherry butt no. 900146
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 14/06/2007
Bottled: 12/03/2021
Number of bottles: 624
EAN no.: 5021944112265

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dried Fruit · Chocolate · Spiced · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. 624 bottles from one first fill sherry cask at high strength, from a distillery that rarely appears with independent bottlers.

Did you know?

Deanston's own range is almost exclusively bourbon matured. That makes the independent sherry bottlings the only place to taste what the house spirit does in dark wood — and they are therefore in more demand than the bottle count alone would explain.

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Glenborrodale is not a distillery. It is a village on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, and Adelphi has borrowed the name for the range where they marry malts from several distilleries rather than bottle a single cask. Batch 8 is the eighth release in the run.

The expert's description

Glenborrodale 11 Year Old Batch Release no 8 is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Adelphi, bottled at 46% in 1,404 bottles.

Adelphi is known first and foremost for single cask bottlings at cask strength, so a blended malt at 46% is a deliberate step to one side. The idea behind Glenborrodale is to build a whisky where the blend does more than the individual parts, and where the strength is set so the bottle can be drunk without ceremony. Batch 8 is an 11 year old — the oldest in the run so far.

The range belongs to Adelphi's Dales releases, where the names are taken from places in Ardnamurchan and Morvern. It is the same country where Adelphi built the Ardnamurchan distillery in 2014, and where the centre of gravity of the firm now lies.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sherried fruit and malt, with dried apricot and a trace of candied orange. Behind it sits a touch of smoke that only just shows itself.

Palate

Full and malt-driven. Dark fruit and nuts from the sherry casks, with a spiced middle and a light smoke note underneath. The 46% gives the body firmness without making it sharp.

Finish

Medium. Malt and dried fruit first, then a dry spiced close with a final wisp of smoke.

Specifications

Name: Glenborrodale 11 Year Old Batch Release no 8 Adelphi Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Number of bottles: 1,404
Edition: Glenborrodale Batch Release no 8
EAN no.: 5060383651508

Flavour profile

Sherried · Malty · Dark fruit · Lightly peated · Spiced

Did you know?

Glenborrodale is part of Adelphi's Dales range, where the releases are named after places in Ardnamurchan and Morvern on Scotland's west coast. The names point to the country rather than to the distilleries, precisely because the contents change from batch to batch.

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Only 5,175 bottles in the whole world is rare for an Irish whiskey without it becoming a gimmick. Writers Tears 2018 Vintage Cask Strength is exactly the kind of rarity that speaks for itself.

Expert Review

Writers Tears 2018 Cask Strength is a Pot Still Irish Whiskey composed from the finest casks of the 2018 vintage, bottled at full cask strength of 53%.

The whiskey comes from Walsh Whiskey, the brand behind Writers Tears, named after Ireland's long literary tradition. This vintage edition is bottled straight from the cask without dilution, giving a more concentrated, intense version of the classic Writers Tears style, and with only 5,175 bottles worldwide it is among the most sought-after in the brand's portfolio.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rich and full, with ripe fruit and a touch of spice.

Palate

Intense and complex, with the classic spiced fullness of pot still character clearly present.

Finish

Long and warm, with lingering fruit and oak.

Specifications

Name: Writers Tears 2018 Cask Strength Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Distillery: Walsh Whiskey
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Pot Still Irish Whiskey
ABV: 53%
Size: 70 CL
Number of bottles: 5,175
Edition: 2018 Vintage, Cask Strength

Flavour Profile

Intense · Spiced · Cask strength · Full-bodied · Complex

Investment Potential

Low to medium — as a limited vintage release with only 5,175 bottles worldwide, Writers Tears 2018 Cask Strength may appreciate in value over time among pot still whiskey collectors.

Did You Know?

The name Writers Tears is a tribute to Ireland's great literary heritage, with authors such as James Joyce and Oscar Wilde historically having a close relationship with whiskey as a companion during the writing process.
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Some whiskies deserve a bigger frame - Blossoming Auld Sherried is also available in this striking magnum bottle, presented in its own wooden case.

Expert's description

Michel Couvreur Blossoming Auld Sherried over 13 Years Magnum is a Single Malt Whisky matured in sherry casks and bottled at 45 percent.

The whisky has matured for over 13 years in sherry casks and is bottled in a 150 centilitre magnum, presented in a wooden case. The style is, as in the standard bottle size, a full tribute to the powerful, sherry-matured whisky style of the Victorian era.

Blossoming Auld Sherried is also available in this striking magnum bottle - a fitting tribute to Michel Couvreur's life's work, packaged in a wooden case that signals something special from the house's cellar in Bouze-lès-Beaune.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is bombarded with layer upon layer of sherry, followed by flowers, vanilla, chocolate, spice and dried fruit.

Palate

The palate is powerful and nuanced, sweet and dry at once, with generous fruit, caramel, chocolate and cinnamon.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with lingering notes of raisin and dark chocolate.

Specifications

Name: Blossoming Auld Sherried Magnum
Distillery: Michel Couvreur
Region/Country: France
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: over 13 years
ABV: 45 %
Size: 150 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Blossoming Auld Sherried Magnum

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Powerful · Rich · Complex

Did you know?

The magnum bottle holds twice as much as a standard bottle, which means slower oxidation in the glass - something many collectors believe gives the whisky even more time to develop each time the bottle is opened.