Seven years is young for a blend. There is not enough cask time to smooth everything out, and that puts demands on the malts going in. Batch 4 is the fourth release in the Adelphi Glenborrodale range, and it shows what the house can do without age as a safety net.

The expert's description

Glenborrodale 7 Year Old Batch Release no 4 is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from Adelphi, bottled at 46% in 1,484 bottles.

A young blended malt depends entirely on the selection. There are no decades in wood to pull the whisky together, so the blend has to work first time. That is exactly the kind of work Adelphi has built its name on, and their selection standards are the same whether a cask ends up as a single cask or in a blend like this one.

Adelphi tastes far more casks than it bottles. Alex Bruce and the whisky writer Charles MacLean taste the samples together, and under four per cent of the casks offered are approved. It is an unusually hard sift, and it is the whole basis of the firm’s reputation.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh malt and bright fruit, with vanilla and a trace of honey. The youth registers as a cereal sharpness behind the sweetness.

Palate

Direct and malt-driven. Apple, pear and pale caramel, with a dry spiced edge from the cask. The 46% gives it enough weight not to feel thin.

Finish

Medium and dry. Malt and a touch of oak closing cleanly.

Specifications

Name: Glenborrodale 7 Year Old Batch Release no 4 Adelphi Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 7 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Number of bottles: 1,484
Edition: Glenborrodale Batch Release no 4

Flavour profile

Malty · Fruity · Dry · Spiced · Young

Did you know?

Under four per cent of the casks Adelphi is offered are approved for bottling. Alex Bruce and Charles MacLean sit together and taste the samples, and most casks are sent back — including casks that would be perfectly saleable at other bottlers.

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At the far edge of the Ardnamurchan peninsula, where the Atlantic washes over Scotland's westernmost point, lies the valley of Glenborrodale.

Expert description

Glenborrodale 8 Year Old Batch Release No. 3 from Adelphi is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks and bottled at 46%. The whisky is the third release in Adelphi's ongoing Glenborrodale series, in which several Scotch single malts are combined into one blended malt built around a firm sherry core. Batch Release No. 3 is bottled with no chill filtration and no added colour, with only 1,014 bottles made of this particular release. The name Glenborrodale comes from the small valley on the Ardnamurchan peninsula where Adelphi's owners built their own distillery in 2014 — the blended malt is thus named after the land the company would later come to distil on. Adelphi itself dates back to 1826, when the name was first used for a distillery in Glasgow's Gorbals district. It closed in 1907, but was revived in 1993 as an independent bottler, and since 2004 Keith Falconer and Donald Houston have led the company.

Tasting notes

Nose

Rich and malty with layers of fresh sherry, condensed milk and biscuit sweetness, while a hint of citrus cuts through in the background.

Palate

On the palate you meet chocolate-dipped wafers, rum-and-raisin fudge and a mild, coastal peat smoke that can just be glimpsed behind the red fruit.

Finish

The finish is medium-length with prunes and sugared almonds, slowly turning into a dry, lightly smoky tail.

Specifications

Name: Glenborrodale 8 år Batch Release nr 3 Adelphi Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 1,014
Edition: Batch Release No. 3

Flavour profile

Sherried · Fruity · Lightly smoky · Spicy

Did you know?

The name Glenborrodale roughly means 'the fortified valley' — and the valley sits just a short drive from where Adelphi today distils its own Ardnamurchan malt. The blended malt was on shelves long before the distillery itself was even finished.

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Forty-five years in the dark. Distilled in 1975, long before most of us tasted our first whisky, and only bottled in 2020 - this Teaninich is a piece of liquid Scottish history.

Expert description

Teaninich The Black Series 1975 from Xtra Old Particular is a 45 year old Single Highland Malt Whisky at 41.6%, bottled from a single cask by Scottish independent bottler Douglas Laing.

The Black Series is part of Douglas Laing's Xtra Old Particular range, reserved for whiskies over 30 years old, where each cask is personally selected by Fred and Cara Laing. This Teaninich matured in a refill hogshead (Douglas Laing ref: 14547) for nearly half a century, giving the whisky a rare depth and maturity.

Distilled in November 1975 and bottled in November 2020, the whisky is non-chill filtered and naturally coloured. Only 142 bottles of this edition were released worldwide.

Tasting notes

Nose

Old oak and beeswax, with underlying notes of dried apricot and a distant hint of cigar box.

Palate

Delicate and silky despite its age, with notes of honey, sandalwood and a subtle spice garden of clove and nutmeg.

Finish

Very long, dry and elegant, closing on a note of old leather and a faint whisper of smoke from the cask wood.

Specifications

Name: Teaninich The Black Series 1975 Xtra Old Particular
Distillery: Teaninich
Bottler: Douglas Laing - Xtra Old Particular
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 45 years
ABV: 41.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Hogshead / DL ref. 14547
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: November 1975
Bottled: November 2020
Number of bottles: 142
Edition: The Black Series / Xtra Old Particular

Flavour profile

old and elegant · honeyed · oak-driven

Investment potential

With only 142 bottles worldwide, an age of 45 years and spirit from an era no longer available from Teaninich, this release ranks among the rarest independent Teaninich bottlings ever produced, giving it high investment potential for the serious collector.

Did you know?

Douglas Laing's Xtra Old Particular range, recognisable by its black label, is reserved for whiskies of at least 30 years of age, with each cask personally selected by siblings Fred and Cara Laing, who took over the family business in 2013.

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Every story has a first chapter. For Torabhaig, this bottle was it – the very first whisky the distillery ever released.

Expert's description

Torabhaig First Release Legacy 2017/2020 Single Malt Whisky Skye 70 cl 46% is a Isle of Skye Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in First-fill ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 46%.

This first release in The Legacy Series was distilled in 2017 and bottled as early as 2020 after just three years of maturation in first-fill ex-bourbon casks.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sea, salt, vanilla, oak, candy sugar and citrus.

Palate

Mild smoke, apples, candy sugar and charred oak.

Finish

Long and delicious.

Specifications

Name: Torabhaig First Release Legacy 2017/2020 Single Malt Whisky Skye 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Torabhaig
Region/Country: Isle of Skye
Type: Isle of Skye Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 3 Years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First-fill ex-bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: No
Natural colour: No
Distilled: 2017
Bottled: 2020
Edition: Legacy Series Chapter 1 – Torabhaig's first-ever release
EAN no.: 5060033848005

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Maritime · Spiced · Fresh

Investment Potential

Medium – as the very first commercial release from Torabhaig, this bottle marks a historic moment for the distillery, which typically gives debut releases from new distilleries increased collector interest over time.

Did you know?

Torabhaig is located on the Sleat peninsula on the Isle of Skye and names its releases after local places and Gaelic names from the area around the distillery.

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Blue Label arrived in 1999 and quickly picked up a nickname among the distillery staff: bottle of the month, the one that came with the pay slip. It is rarely a bad recommendation when the people who make the whisky take it home themselves.

The expert's description

Dew of Ben Nevis Blue Label is a Blended Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 40 %.

Dew of Ben Nevis is the blend range of the distillery, with Blue Label sitting as the lightest and sweetest expression. It differs from Special Reserve and Supreme Selection by aiming at accessibility rather than weight, and it was introduced in 1999.

The blend combines malt whisky from Ben Nevis with grain whisky, and the distillery in Fort William handles both production and composition. It is not common for a single distillery to blend and bottle its own blend under its own name as well.

Tasting notes

Nose

Light and sweet with vanilla, pale cereal and a touch of honey.

Palate

Soft and simple with caramel and malt. The sweetness dominates and there are no sharp edges along the way.

Finish

Short and clean with a last malty warmth.

Specifications

Name: Dew of Ben Nevis Blue Label
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Edition: Blue Label
EAN no.: 5026673000302

Flavour profile

Light · Sweet · Soft · Malty · Fresh

Did you know?

Ben Nevis is one of the few Scottish distilleries that distils, matures, blends and bottles at the same address. Most send their casks on to central bottling plants in the Lowlands.

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BenRiach makes peated whisky a few weeks a year, and some of that peated malt runs heavier than the rest. Smoke Season is built from the most heavily peated malt the house holds, bottled at a strength that does not let the smoke slip away.

The expert's description

BenRiach Smoke Season Double Cask is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky without an age statement, matured in bourbon casks and virgin oak and bottled at 52.8 %.

The bottling was assembled by Master Blender Rachel Barrie and uses the most heavily peated malt at the distillery. Speyside is not known for smoke, and BenRiach is one of the few distilleries in the region producing peated spirit as a fixed part of the year.

The two cask types pull in different directions. The bourbon wood gives vanilla and bright sweetness, while virgin oak, meaning fresh oak that has never held anything before, lays spice and a dry wood structure on top. Together they hold the smoke in place without muting it.

Tasting notes

Nose

Powerful peat smoke with burnt sugar, vanilla and a note of toasted wood.

Palate

Dense and smoky with caramel, black pepper and spiced fresh oak. The strength carries the smoke all the way without letting it turn dry.

Finish

Long and warm with lingering smoke, wood and a last touch of sweetness.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach Smoke Season Double Cask
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
ABV: 52,8 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks and virgin oak
Edition: Smoke Season Double Cask

Flavour profile

Smoky · Spiced · Full bodied · Oak driven · Sweet

Did you know?

Virgin oak is fresh wood that has never held wine, sherry or bourbon. The casks give quickly and forcefully, so they are rarely used alone in Scotch whisky, where they typically form a smaller part of a composition.

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Nineteen casks for the entire world. Rachel Barrie walked the warehouse and picked them one by one for the Cask Edition series, and the Danish importer got a share of two. This is one of them, cask number 8562.

The expert's description

BenRiach 2009 Cask Edition 11 years is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky matured in an Oloroso sherry puncheon, cask no. 8562, and bottled at 58.9 % cask strength.

The Cask Edition Collection is the distillery own range of single casks, selected by Master Blender Rachel Barrie. Nineteen casks were chosen for the whole world and distributed to markets individually rather than as a single release.

The whisky went into cask on 8 May 2009 and was drawn after eleven years. A puncheon holds around 500 litres, the size of a butt, but it is shorter and wider, and the 693 bottles fit a cask of that type. The sherry is clear, but the 58.9 per cent gives it enough edge not to turn heavy.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark fruit, candied orange and walnut with a deep sherry note. Behind it sit spiced oak and a little cocoa.

Palate

Powerful and dense with raisin, dark chocolate and warm spice. The cask strength gives it bite, and the sherry fills out without turning sticky.

Finish

Long and warm with dried fruit, nut and a dry close of oak.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach 2009 Cask Edition 11 år
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 58,9 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry puncheon, cask no. 8562
Distilled: 8 May 2009
Bottled: 2020
Number of bottles: 693
Edition: Cask Edition Collection

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Cask strength · Full bodied · Spiced · Dark fruit

Investment potential

High. Nineteen casks for the whole world is a very small number for an official release, and single casks from the distillery itself are rarer than the independent ones. Selections made by Rachel Barrie also have a steady audience among collectors.

Did you know?

Rachel Barrie is one of the few female master blenders in Scotch whisky and looks after BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh at the same time. She started as a scientist at the Scotch Whisky Research Institute in 1991.

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Nirvana is the most approachable entry point into the Paul John universe, a gentle, unpeated malt bottled at a classic 40%.

Expert's description

Paul John Nirvana Non Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in American oak casks and bottled at 40%.

Nirvana is designed as an easy introduction to Paul John and Indian single malt in general, with a gentle, round character that will not scare off the inexperienced whisky taster.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is gentle with vanilla and a hint of tropical fruit.

Palate

The palate is soft and round with honey and light spice.

Finish

The finish is short to medium with a closing sweetness.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: American oak casks
Edition: Nirvana Non Peated
EAN No.: 8904014802730

Flavour Profile

Soft · Round · Fruity · Light

Did you know?

Nirvana is bottled at the lower strength of 40%, making it one of the most easy-drinking whiskies in Paul John's range.

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Number 14 in the series. And it is beech-smoked. Thy Whisky No 14 Bøg is the strongest edition of the distillery's beech-smoked single malt – bottled at cask strength and free from chill filtration.

Expert description

Thy Whisky No 14 Bøg is a Danish Organic Single Malt Whisky bottled at 57.4% in a 70 cl bottle. Distilled from certified organic barley, malted and smoked with beech wood shavings in-house at Thy Whisky Distillery in northwest Jutland. No 14 is the numbered edition of the Bøg expression – with a markedly higher ABV than Core Expressions Bøg (50%) and with a concentration that brings the natural softness of the beech smoke out even more clearly.

57.4% is high, but the beech smoke is soft. The result is a fascinating contrast: a powerful distillate with a smoke character that is far from sharp or searing. Add a little water to open it up fully.

Tasting notes

Nose

Intense beech smoke with honey, light nut and fresh forest in the background. Much more concentrated than Core Expressions Bøg.

Palate

Rich and warm with beech smoke, malt sweetness and light herbal character. Adding water reveals deeper fruit nuances.

Finish

Long with soft beech smoke and lingering warmth. Natural and harmonious.

Specifications

Name: Thy Whisky No 14 Bøg
Distillery: Thy Whisky
Region/Country: Thy, Denmark
Type: Danish Organic Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 57.4%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes

Flavour profile

Beech-smoked · Cask strength · Concentrated · Soft smoke · Organic

Investment potential

Medium. No 14 Bøg is a limited numbered edition from Thy Whisky with a unique beech-smoked profile at cask strength. Sold-out numbers from the distillery's numbered series are gaining increasing interest.

Did you know?

Beech-smoked whisky is extremely rare globally. While thousands of distilleries use peat, Thy Whisky is one of very few places in the world that smokes with beech wood shavings as the primary smoke source – and No 14 is the strongest edition of this concept.

Second batch, same recipe. 65% bourbon casks, 35% sherry casks, half peated and half unpeated malt. Ardnamurchan found the ratio they wanted and repeated it, which is harder than it sounds when the casks are not the same from one year to the next.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan AD 01.21:01 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky composed of 65% ex-bourbon casks and 35% sherry casks and bottled at 46.8%. This second batch ran to 14,676 bottles.

The malt is split evenly between peated and unpeated. That is the distillery’s founding choice: rather than making two separate whiskies they bring both styles together in the same bottle, so the smoke works as a floor rather than the main event. The split between bourbon and sherry meanwhile gives both vanilla and dark fruit.

Every bottle carries a QR code giving access to blockchain-registered production data, and the carton is made from 100% recycled board. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and bright fruit first from the bourbon casks, then raisins and orange from the sherry portion. Beneath sits a dry peat smoke, clear without taking over, and a fresh malt note.

Palate

Soft and balanced. Baked apple, honey and vanilla open, then the sherry’s dark fruit and a lightly spiced warmth arrive. The smoke sits underneath and grows clearer towards the close. At 46.8% the body is good without being heavy.

Finish

Medium length. Malt, dark fruit and a dry smoky edge that lets go cleanly.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan AD 01.21:01 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46.8%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 65% ex-bourbon casks and 35% sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 14,676
Edition: AD 01.21:01 Batch 02
EAN no.: 5060383651324

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Fruity · Vanilla · Sherry Matured · Balanced · Malty

Did You Know?

Every bottle from Ardnamurchan carries a QR code giving access to production data registered on a blockchain: which malt, which casks, which dates. It is an unusual degree of openness in a trade where many distilleries would rather not state more than the age on the label.

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A bourbon brand from 1903 that survived five changes of ownership and landed with the same company that still owns it today.

Expert description

Kentucky Tavern Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an American bourbon, bottled at 40%. The trademark was first registered in 1903 by the Glenmore Distillery Company, which itself had roots dating back to 1849 under the name R. Monarch Distillery, before James and Francis P. Thompson took over and renamed it in 1901. Kentucky Tavern quickly became Glenmore's flagship brand and one of the company's best-selling products throughout the 20th century. During Prohibition, Glenmore operated as a concentration warehouse, bottling and distributing medicinal whiskey. In 1992, the Thompson family sold the company to United Distillers, and in 1994 Kentucky Tavern became part of the Barton portfolio. Today the brand is produced by the Sazerac Company at the Barton Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and a hint of grain.

Palate

The palate is round with brown sugar, honey and light spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Kentucky Tavern Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Glenmore Distillery
Region/Country: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Sweet · Grainy · Soft · Round

Did you know?

The Kentucky Tavern trademark was registered as far back as 1903 and has survived several changes of ownership, including United Distillers and Barton, before landing with the Sazerac Company, which produces it today.

Four cask types in one bottle sounds like something that could easily go wrong. Twenty-one years is long enough for the casks to find one another, and the result is more coherent than the arithmetic suggests.

The expert's description

BenRiach The Twenty One 21 years is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky matured in bourbon casks, sherry casks, virgin oak and red wine casks and bottled at 46 %.

Four cask types is the house approach in the older bottlings. Bourbon gives vanilla and honey, sherry dark fruit, virgin oak spice and structure, and the red wine casks add a fruit acidity that keeps the whisky fresh despite its age.

Twenty-one years is enough for the oak to leave a clear mark without the fruit disappearing. The bottling sits in the middle of the age ladder of the house, between The Twelve and The Twenty Five.

Tasting notes

Nose

Elegant with notes of light smoke, fruit, honey and spice.

Palate

Candied grape, cocoa and smoked pine nuts. The colour runs golden as honey, and the palate follows.

Finish

Caramelised pear and honey with a good long close.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach The Twenty One 21 år
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks, sherry casks, virgin oak and red wine casks
Edition: The Twenty One 21 år
EAN no.: 5060716140013

Flavour profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Spiced · Lightly smoky · Full bodied

Investment potential

Medium. Twenty-one year old official bottlings exist in limited quantity, and stocks of BenRiach from the early 2000s are shrinking. Age stated bottles in that class hold a steady position on the market.

Did you know?

Red wine casks are among the least common cask types in Scotch whisky. They give fruit acidity and a light tannin edge, but they must be used carefully, since the tannins can quickly turn a whisky dry.

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Oloroso Select Cask is Paul John's tribute to the dry, nutty sherry style, a whisky where Goa's heat meets the casks of Jerez.

Expert's description

Paul John Oloroso Select Cask Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in oloroso sherry casks and bottled at 48%.

The oloroso casks add a dry, nutty depth that sets it apart from the sweeter PX casks, and the result is a whisky with a distinct Spanish touch layered over the Indian base character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers sherry fruit, dried fruit peel, dates, walnuts and malt.

Palate

The palate gives blackberry, honey cake, dark chocolate, spiced oak and orange.

Finish

The finish carries notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and redcurrant jelly.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Oloroso sherry casks
Edition: Oloroso Select Cask
EAN No.: 8904014803294

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Nutty · Spicy · Rich

Did you know?

Oloroso sherry is traditionally the driest of the sherry styles, giving Select Cask a different, nuttier character than most PX-matured whiskies.

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Classic Select Cask is Paul John unfiltered, bourbon-matured, non-chill filtered and bottled at a strength that lets the full character come through.

Expert's description

Paul John Classic Select Cask Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 55.2%.

The whisky is non-chill filtered and retains its natural colour, giving a full and authentic tasting experience where the honey and liquorice of the bourbon casks get to shine fully.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is soft with bourbon, manuka honey and liquorice.

Palate

The palate is interesting and flavourful with honey-like sweetness and a touch of liquorice.

Finish

The finish is elegant with juicy demerara tones offering a soft farewell.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 55,2 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Bourbon casks
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Edition: Classic Select Cask
EAN No.: 8904014800798

Flavour Profile

Cask strength · Sweet · Round · Spicy

Did you know?

Classic Select Cask is neither chill filtered nor coloured, meaning the natural haze the whisky can form at low temperatures is simply a sign of authenticity.

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Edited is Paul John's answer for those who want smoke without drowning in it, a lightly peated malt where sweetness and spice still get room to breathe.

Expert's description

Paul John Edited Lightly Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in American oak casks and bottled at 46%.

The name Edited reflects how Paul John has "edited" the classic Brilliance style with a touch of peat, resulting in a lightly smoky whisky that still carries the distillery's signature honey and vanilla sweetness.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose offers honey and cocoa mixed with a hint of smoke and a shot of espresso.

Palate

The palate starts grassy from the barley, but quiet notes of peat and smoke pave the way for mint and mocha.

Finish

The finish is long with spice, mint chocolate and a closing gentle peat tone.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: American oak casks
Edition: Edited Lightly Peated
EAN No.: 8904014800675

Flavour Profile

Lightly peated · Spicy · Round · Creamy

Did you know?

Edited is one of the whiskies Paul John uses to show that light smoke and sweetness can happily coexist in one bottle without either dominating the other.

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Edited in 5 cl is the easy way into Paul John's smoky side, without committing to a full bottle.

Expert's description

Paul John Miniature Edited Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in american oak casks and bottled at 46%.

The small bottle shows the same balance between sweetness and light smoke that defines the full-size edition.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is sweet with a hint of smoke and espresso.

Palate

The palate offers peat, mint and mocha.

Finish

The finish has mint chocolate and gentle peat.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 46 %
Size: 5 CL
Cask Type: American oak casks
Edition: Miniature Edited
EAN No.: 8904014801535

Flavour Profile

Lightly peated · Spicy · Round

Did you know?

The name Edited refers to Paul John fine-tuning the classic Brilliance recipe with a touch of peat.

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In a 5 cl format, you get the full honeyed character of Paul John Brilliance without opening a full bottle.

Expert's description

Paul John Miniature Brilliance Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in american oak casks and bottled at 46%.

The compact bottle is made for tasting your way in or giving as a small, personal gift.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is sweet and spiced with a hint of honey.

Palate

The palate is soft with honeyed sweetness and spice.

Finish

The finish is smooth and relaxed.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 46 %
Size: 5 CL
Cask Type: American oak casks
Edition: Miniature Brilliance
EAN No.: 8904014801511

Flavour Profile

Spicy · Round · Creamy

Did you know?

Miniature bottles like this are an obvious way to taste several Paul John expressions before investing in a full bottle.

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Cask strength in pocket format, this miniature delivers the same unfiltered intensity as its big sibling Classic Select Cask.

Expert's description

Paul John Miniature Classic Selected Cask Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 55.2%.

Despite the small size, it is bottled at full cask strength without dilution.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is soft with bourbon and honeyed tones.

Palate

The palate gives an intense sweetness with liquorice and oak.

Finish

The finish is elegant with demerara tones.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 55,2 %
Size: 5 CL
Cask Type: Bourbon casks
Edition: Miniature Classic Selected Cask
EAN No.: 890401481573

Flavour Profile

Cask strength · Sweet · Round

Did you know?

This miniature is bottled at the same high cask strength as the full-size bottle, unusual for a 5 cl format.

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The peated cask-strength edition in 5 cl is for those who want to taste Paul John's most powerful side without committing to 70 cl.

Expert's description

Paul John Miniature Peated Selected Cask Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 55.5%.

The smoke is clear and accompanied by an intense sweetness from the high alcohol strength.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is smoky with a hint of sweetness.

Palate

The palate is powerful with peat and spice.

Finish

The finish is long and persistently peaty.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 55,5 %
Size: 5 CL
Cask Type: Bourbon casks
Edition: Miniature Peated Selected Cask
EAN No.: 8904014801597

Flavour Profile

Peated · Cask strength · Intense

Did you know?

Peated Selected Cask is one of the most powerful expressions in Paul John's range, even in miniature format.

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Bold is named for how it tastes, a peated miniature that is not afraid to fill the glass.

Expert's description

Paul John Miniature Bold Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in american oak casks and bottled at 46%.

Even in 5 cl format, it keeps the same powerful style that makes Bold one of Paul John's most distinctive releases.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is smoky with a hint of spice.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied with peat and a light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is long and smoky.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 46 %
Size: 5 CL
Cask Type: American oak casks
Edition: Miniature Bold
EAN No.: 890401481559

Flavour Profile

Peated · Spicy · Intense

Did you know?

Bold was developed as Paul John's answer for the enthusiast who wants more smoke than Edited, without going all the way to cask strength.

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Nirvana in 5 cl is the gentlest way into the Paul John universe, perfect for those who have not yet found their preferred style.

Expert's description

Paul John Miniature Nirvana Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in american oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The lower 40% alcohol strength makes this miniature extra easy to enjoy as a first taste.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is gentle with vanilla.

Palate

The palate is soft and round with honey.

Finish

The finish is short and mild.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 5 CL
Cask Type: American oak casks
Edition: Miniature Nirvana

Flavour Profile

Soft · Round · Light

Did you know?

Nirvana is the only whisky in Paul John's range bottled at the lower strength of 40%.

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PX in 5 cl gathers the sweet, sherry-matured side of Paul John into one small glass.

Expert's description

Paul John Miniature PX Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in pedro Ximenez sherry casks and bottled at 48%.

The Pedro Ximenez casks give a pronounced sweetness that makes this miniature an obvious dessert whisky.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is sweet with raisin and dark chocolate.

Palate

The palate gives sherry sweetness with dried fruit.

Finish

The finish is long and full of sweetness.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48 %
Size: 5 CL
Cask Type: Pedro Ximenez sherry casks
Edition: Miniature PX
EAN No.: 8904014803478

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Sweet · Fruity

Did you know?

Pedro Ximenez is one of the sweetest sherry styles, and the casks give the whisky a dark, almost syrupy sweetness.

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Oloroso in 5 cl is the dry, nutty counterpart to the PX miniature, same sherry cellar, different style.

Expert's description

Paul John Miniature Oloroso Indian Single Malt Whisky is an Indian Single Malt Whisky matured in oloroso sherry casks and bottled at 48%.

The Oloroso casks give a more spiced, nutty character than the sweet PX edition.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is nutty with dried fruit.

Palate

The palate gives dark chocolate and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish has cinnamon and nutmeg.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48 %
Size: 5 CL
Cask Type: Oloroso sherry casks
Edition: Miniature Oloroso
EAN No.: 8904014803386

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Nutty · Spicy

Did you know?

Oloroso is traditionally the driest sherry style, giving this miniature a different character than the sweet PX edition.

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Two sherry styles, one box, this gift set places Paul John's sweet Oloroso and PX side by side so the recipient can compare for themselves.

Expert's description

Paul John Miniature Gift Set Indian Single Malt Whisky is a set of two miniature bottles of Indian Single Malt Whisky, matured in Oloroso and PX sherry casks respectively, bottled at 48%.

The set includes 1 x 5 cl Paul John Oloroso Single Malt Whisky and 1 x 5 cl Paul John PX Single Malt Whisky, giving one gift box both the dry, nutty and the sweet, dessert-like side of Paul John's sherry-matured whiskies.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose ranges from nutty Oloroso to sweet, raisin- and chocolate-tinged PX.

Palate

The palate offers both spiced oak and a deep sherry sweetness, depending on which bottle you choose.

Finish

The finish is sherry-driven in both expressions, but with its own character in each.

Specifications

Distillery: Paul John
Region/Country: Goa, India
Type: Indian Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48 %
Size: 2x5 CL
Cask Type: Oloroso and PX sherry casks
Edition: Gift set, 2x5 cl

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Sweet · Nutty · Fruity

Did you know?

The gift set lets you taste the difference between Oloroso and PX sherry casks side by side, something that would normally require two full bottles.

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This release is not just a whisky - it is a collector's item, presented in a handcrafted wooden box that signals the contents are something truly special.

Expert Description

Ichiro's Malt & Grain Japanese Blended Whisky Woodbox Limited Edition 2020 is bottled at 48.5%.

The whisky is composed by Ichiro Akuto of Chichibu Distillery as part of the World Blended concept, uniting malt and grain whisky from several countries. The 2020 Woodbox edition is a particularly limited bottling, presented in an exclusive wooden box that underscores the bottle's status as a collector's item.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey, dried fruit and a deep, complex spiciness.

Palate

Full-bodied and layered with caramel, vanilla and dark chocolate.

Finish

Long and warm with lingering oak.

Specifications

Name: Ichiro's Malt & Grain Woodbox Limited Edition 2020
Distillery: Chichibu
Region/Country: Japan (multiple origins)
Type: World Blended Whisky
ABV: 48.5%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour Profile

Full-bodied · Complex · Spicy · Exclusive

Investment Potential

Investment perspective

Woodbox releases from Ichiro Akuto rank among the most exclusive and rare bottles in the Japanese whisky world, and their limited production makes them particularly attractive to serious collectors.

Did You Know?

Ichiro Akuto's wooden boxes are often handcrafted by Japanese artisans using traditional joinery techniques without nails, an aesthetic that mirrors the whisky's careful composition.

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A less exclusive, but still limited edition of Ichiro Akuto's global blend concept, available without the large wooden box.

Expert Description

Ichiro's Malt & Grain World Blended Whisky Limited Edition 2020 is bottled at 48%.

The whisky is composed by Ichiro Akuto of Chichibu Distillery as part of the World Blended series, uniting malt and grain whisky from several countries. The 2020 edition is a limited bottling without the Woodbox packaging, but sharing the same basic philosophy of crossing borders in one bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey, apple and a light spiced sweetness.

Palate

Round and complex with caramel, vanilla and a hint of oak.

Finish

Medium length and soft.

Specifications

Name: Ichiro's Malt & Grain World Blended Limited Edition 2020
Distillery: Chichibu
Region/Country: Japan (multiple origins)
Type: World Blended Whisky
Vintage: 2020
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour Profile

Round · Complex · Spiced · Soft

Did You Know?

The World Blended series is one of the few examples in the whisky world where a single whisky maker deliberately blends distillates from several countries in the same bottle.

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Two Italians with too much love for Scotch bought a cask from a distillery that no longer exists. Twenty years later it went into bottle. That is how Caperdonich survives.

Expert description

Caperdonich 20 years 2000/2020 Valinch & Mallet is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead and bottled at cask strength of 54.1%.

The cask is numbered VMT29511 and was filled in 2000, just two years before Caperdonich closed. Valinch & Mallet is an Italian bottling house founded by Davide Romano and Fabio Ermoli, working exclusively with single casks bottled at full strength. The outturn was 315 bottles. Caperdonich mainly made malt for blends and the site was demolished in 2011, so every cask that surfaces is one of the last.

Tasting notes

Nose

Bright and sharply fruity. Green apple, pear and peach, with cereal and a dry vanilla pod behind. After a while in the glass, wax and a hint of mint appear.

Palate

Sweetness comes first — honey and baked fruit — and is quickly followed by malt, white pepper and dry oak. The mouthfeel is dense and lightly oily, and the strength carries the flavour a long way without burning.

Finish

Medium long and dry, with cereal, oak and a fresh lemon note closing it off.

Specifications

Name: Caperdonich 20 years 2000/2020 Valinch & Mallet Single Speyside Malt Whisky 54,1%
Distillery: Caperdonich
Bottler: Valinch & Mallet
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 54.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon hogshead no. VMT29511
Distilled: 2000
Bottled: 2020
Number of bottles: 315
Edition: Single Cask

Flavour profile

Fruity · Malty · Fresh · Spiced · Cask Strength

Investment potential

High. The distillery is closed and demolished, the outturn is 315 bottles, and Caperdonich releases have become noticeably harder to find in recent years.

Did you know?

Caperdonich stood silent from 1902 to 1965 — 63 years without a drop of spirit. When it finally reopened it was still in the shadow of Glen Grant, and only in 1977 did its own name appear on the label.

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Another single cask from Lady of the Glen, this time with a sherry maturation that gives an entirely different character from the house's bourbon cask releases.

Expert's Description

Bunnahabhain 2010/2021 Lady of the Glen 10 Years Old is a Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky from an oloroso sherry hogshead, bottled at cask strength, 58.6%.

The whisky was distilled in 2010 and bottled in January 2021 from cask #901213, where the oloroso sherry maturation has added plenty of flavour to the relatively young whisky. Only 325 bottles came from this single cask.

Like the rest of Lady of the Glen's range, it is both unfiltered and free from added colour, letting the sherry cask's full character shine through.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark raisins, caramel and a hint of toasted almond.

Palate

Sherry sweetness meets spiced warmth and a light tart fruitiness.

Finish

Medium length, warm with lingering sherry.

Specifications

Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Bottler: Lady of the Glen
Region/Country: Scotland (Islay)
Type: Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 Years
ABV: 58.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Oloroso Sherry Hogshead / Cask No. #901213
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Distillation Method: Double Distilled
Distilled: 2010
Bottled: 12/01/2021
Number of Bottles: 325
Edition: Limited Release

Flavour Profile

Sherry-Matured · Cask Strength · Spicy · Full-Bodied

Investment Potential

Medium – a single sherry cask with only 325 bottles makes this one of the more limited Bunnahabhain releases from Lady of the Glen.

Did You Know?

At Lady of the Glen, every cask is followed closely by founder Gregor Hannah himself, who personally selects which ones are good enough to carry the brand's name.

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One cask, no finish, no detour. Lady of the Glen is otherwise known for giving casks a final push in sherry or port, but here number 5586 was left alone for twelve years. 214 bottles, and that was that.

The expert's description

Glen Moray 2008/2021 Lady of the Glen 12 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky from a single 1st fill bourbon barrel, bottled at cask strength 57.1%.

The cask was filled in 2008 and emptied in 2021 — bourbon barrel number 5586, which gave 214 bottles, non-chill filtered and with no added colour. A 1st fill cask at twelve years is a tight combination: the wood still has plenty to give, and the age is just long enough for it to come together rather than stay raw.

Glen Moray in Elgin is one of the higher-output distilleries in Speyside, and a large share of the spirit ends up in blends. That is exactly why single cask bottlings from independent bottlers are one of the better ways to meet the spirit without colouring and filtration — you get what the cask made, not what a blender decided.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and coconut first, classic 1st fill bourbon. Behind that sit green apple, pear and a trace of lemon peel, plus a warm note of freshly baked cake.

Palate

Powerful and sweet without being cloying. Honey, vanilla and apple, with coconut and a touch of white pepper that the cask strength pushes forward. Cereal malt sits underneath and holds it in place.

Finish

Long and warm. Vanilla and pear giving way slowly to a dry, spiced American oak close.

Specifications

Name: Glen Moray 2008/2021 Lady of the Glen 12 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Whisky 57.1%
Distillery: Glen Moray
Bottler: Lady of the Glen
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill bourbon barrel
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2008
Bottled: 2021
Number of bottles: 214
Edition: Single Cask no. 5586

Flavour profile

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

Did you know?

Lady of the Glen does not stick to single malt alone. The range has also carried single grain from North British, which is rare among small bottlers — grain whisky is normally swallowed by blends and never appears under its own name.

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The label says The Waxy Highland Distillery and nothing else. That is the kind of silence that says the most, because only one Highland distillery is ever called waxy.

Expert description

Clynelish 1996/2020 The Waxy 24 years is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead and bottled at 48.5%.

The cask is numbered MZ01-4 and gave 353 bottles after 24 years. The release was Valinch & Mallet's hundredth, and the house marked it by leaving the distillery unnamed under the byword The Waxy — an obvious nod to the texture Clynelish is famous for. A bourbon cask over that many years lets the spirit stand forward without much cask sweetness, which is exactly the point of this kind of bottling.

Tasting notes

Nose

Beeswax and lemon oil first, then ripe pear, honey and a cool mineral note. A distant sea air sits under it all.

Palate

Dense and oily. Citrus, malt, honey and wax, with white pepper and a dry herbal edge. The 24 years have given depth without the wood taking room from the fruit.

Finish

Long and dry, with wax, mineral and a slowly fading spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: Clynelish 1996/2020 The Waxy 24 years Valinch & Mallet Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 48,5%
Distillery: Clynelish
Bottler: Valinch & Mallet
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 24 years
ABV: 48.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon hogshead no. MZ01-4
Distilled: 1996
Bottled: 2020
Number of bottles: 353
Edition: The Waxy 100th Whisky

Flavour profile

Waxy · Citrus · Mineral · Honeyed · Dry

Investment potential

High. Twenty-four years in one bourbon cask, 353 bottles and the status of the bottler's hundredth release. Older Clynelish from independent bottlers has become noticeably harder to source in recent years.

Did you know?

Independent bottlers often hide the distillery name when the contract forbids its use. The solution is a byword such as The Waxy, Secret Highland or a nod to the region — and for enthusiasts, guessing the house is half the fun.

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