Named after a warehouse district in Leith, where one of Scotland's earliest whisky-blending ventures began.

Expert description

Crabbie's Yardhead Single Malt Whisky is a young Scotch Single Malt Whisky, bottled at 40%, designed for mixing into cocktails. Crabbie traces its roots to Edinburgh in 1801, when Miller Crabbie founded a merchant business later passed to his son John Crabbie. John Crabbie is regarded as an early pioneer of whisky blending, personally selecting whiskies for blending and bottling from across Scotland. 'Yardhead' is named after the area of Leith where Crabbie's original maturation warehouses stood in the 1820s. The brand disappeared in the early 20th century but was revived in 2017 under Halewood Wine & Spirits with a new range of limited edition single malts from the Highlands and Islands.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers malt, honey and a hint of citrus.

Palate

The palate is light with grain, apple and a touch of spice.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, fresh and malty.

Specifications

Name: Crabbies Yardhead Single Malt Whisky
Bottler: Crabbie
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Fresh · Malty · Light · Citrus-forward

Did you know?

The name Yardhead refers to the actual warehouse district in Leith where Crabbie stored and matured its whisky back in the 1820s, when the firm was among Scotland's early whisky-blending pioneers.

See our full range of Crabbie

A softer entry point into Wild Turkey's powerful Lawrenceburg heritage.

Expert description

Wild Turkey Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a milder version of the brand's core expression, bottled at 40.5%. Wild Turkey's story begins with the Irish immigrant Ripy family, who settled in Kentucky in the 1800s, with Thomas Ripy founding the first version of the distillery in 1869 on Wild Turkey Hill in Lawrenceburg. The name comes from an annual hunting trip, where a distillery executive shared his bourbon with friends who were out hunting wild turkeys. Jimmy Russell started working at the distillery in 1954 and was named the distillery's third master distiller in 1967 — a role he still holds over 70 years later, making him the world's longest-tenured active master distiller. He is known as the creator of the recipe behind Wild Turkey 101, the brand's core product.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is soft with caramel, vanilla and lightly toasted oak.

Palate

The palate is round and sweet with caramel, honey and a hint of spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, warm and lightly sweet.

Specifications

Name: Wild Turkey Bourbon Whiskey Kentucky Straight Whiskey
Distillery: Wild Turkey Distillery
Region/Country: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 40.5%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Rounded · Caramel

See our full range of Wild Turkey

The sherry world's most respected bottler turns its attention to grain whisky.

Expert description

Equipo Navazos La Bota de Grain Whisky Bota No 89 is a single-cask bottling of grain whisky, selected and bottled with the same philosophy as the group's celebrated sherry series, bottled at 46%. Equipo Navazos started in 2005 as a group of Spanish sherry enthusiasts led by Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda, who found 65 casks of exceptionally fine, over 20-year-old Amontillado hidden away in a bodega in Sanlúcar. Together with a circle of friends, they bought one cask and released it under the name La Bota de Amontillado — the first in what is now the celebrated, chronologically numbered La Bota series. Since then, Equipo Navazos has expanded its repertoire to include white wine, brandy, rum and whisky, always with the same philosophy: finding and bottling exceptional, often overlooked casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is light and sweet with vanilla, grain and a hint of citrus.

Palate

The palate is soft and round with grain, vanilla and a light sherry-driven sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Equipo Navazos La Bota de Grain Whisky Bota No 89
Bottler: Equipo Navazos
Region/Country: Andalusia, Spain
Type: Grain Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Bota No 89

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Grain · Rounded

See our full range of Equipo Navazos

What happens when peat smoke meets port wine at a distillery on the Jutland heath? Stauning Port Smoke Cask Strength 2015/2019 is the answer.

Expert description

Stauning Port Smoke Cask Strength 2015/2019 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky distilled in 2015 and bottled in 2019 at cask strength 61.9%. The malt is peated and the whisky was finished in port wine casks, which add a dark fruitiness that blends with the smoke. The bottling is part of Stauning's Cask Strength series – undiluted and non-chill filtered.

Stauning Whisky was founded in 2005 in Skjern and works with Danish grain, floor malting and copper pot distillation. Port Smoke is one of the more experimental releases, showing what happens when the distillery's smoky signature meets the sweetness and depth of port wine. The result has two clearly identifiable layers.

Tasting notes

Nose

Smoke and dark fruits open together – prunes, blackcurrant and a slightly spiced, almost winey undercurrent.

Palate

Full-bodied smoke with clear port wine sweetness. Dried fruit, chocolate and a light resinous note. The 61.9% cask strength adds real heat.

Finish

Long and complex with smoke, dark berries and a hint of bitter cocoa.

Specifications

Name: Stauning Port Smoke Cask Strength 2015/2019
Distillery: Stauning Whisky
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 61.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in Port Wine Cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2015
Bottled: 2019

Flavour profile

Peated · Port wine · Dark fruits · Cask strength · Fruity

Did you know?

Stauning Port Smoke started as an experiment: what happens when peat smoke meets port wine? The answer has grown into one of the distillery's most beloved and distinctive releases.

See our full range of Stauning Whisky

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Just three years old – hence the name. Barely Legal is the first bottling in Nyborg Distillery's Iberian Beauty trilogy. An old Oloroso sherry cask is not easily fooled by youth, and it shows.

Expert description

Isle of Fionia Barely Legal is an organic Danish Single Malt Whisky bottled at 53.8% as part of the Adventurous Spirit series from Isle of Fionia / Nyborg Distillery. The whisky is the first in the Iberian Beauty trilogy – three successive bottlings from the same cask, one year apart. Distilled in December 2016 and bottled in December 2019, giving three years of maturation. Developed in two Portuguese STR wine casks, before finishing on a 1st fill Oloroso sherry cask that added winey sweetness, coconut and character. Only 227 bottles produced.

Tasting notes

Nose

Intense sherry notes with dried fruit, coconut and vanilla pod. A rich winey depth from the Oloroso cask is clearly present, underscored by the roundness of the STR casks.

Palate

Full-bodied and mature for three years. The sherry cask sweetness settles with notes of dried fruit, warm caramel and coconut. A pleasant warmth at 53.8% carries it well.

Finish

Long with lingering sherry sweetness and a gentle winey bitterness in the long close.

Specifications

Name: Isle of Fionia Barely Legal
Distillery: Isle of Fionia / Nyborg Distillery
Region/Country: Funen, Denmark
Type: Organic Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 53.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Portuguese STR wine casks, finished on 1st fill Oloroso sherry cask
Distilled: December 2016
Bottled: December 2019
Number of bottles: 227
Edition: Adventurous Spirit – Iberian Beauty Part 1

Flavour profile

Sherry · Sweet · Winey · Fruity

Investment potential

Medium. Barely Legal is part of a uniquely documented trilogy from an award-winning distillery, bottled in only 227 copies. The narrative value as "chapter one" of the Iberian Beauty adds interest beyond the taste alone.

Did you know?

The Iberian Beauty trilogy from Nyborg Distillery is a unique concept bottling where the same cask is drawn from three times, one year apart. The idea is to let whisky enthusiasts follow what an extra year in an old Oloroso sherry cask does to the distillate. Barely Legal is chapter one.

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A deep golden colour with an orange sheen hints at what's coming: a full, oily pot still whiskey shaped by decades of experience with Oloroso sherry casks.

Expert Review

Redbreast 15 Year Old is a Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey matured in Oloroso sherry casks, bottled at 46%.

The whiskey clearly shows the sherry casks' influence with notes of dried fruit, sweet cherries, raisins and chocolate, melting together with toffee, vanilla and a touch of cardamom. The characteristic thick, oily texture Redbreast is known for emerges clearly towards the end of the nosing experience. The whiskey is non-chill filtered, preserving its full, creamy texture.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Full and inviting, with dried fruit, cherries and chocolate.

Palate

Vanilla, whipped meringue, milk chocolate and a light prickle of oak, followed by toasted oak and brown spices.

Finish

Long and mouth-filling, with a sweetness that lingers for a long time.

Specifications

Name: Redbreast 15 Year Old
Distillery: Redbreast
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Age: 15 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso Sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
EAN no.: 05011007019518

Flavour Profile

Full-bodied · Sherry-driven · Chocolatey · Spiced · Complex

Did You Know?

Redbreast is the world's best-selling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and has produced this style since 1912, originally for the Irish spirits merchant Gilbeys.
See our full range of Redbreast

The same spirit, the same vintage, but a completely different wood species. Quercus II Alba is High Coast's counterpart to the Robur release, this time finished in American white oak, and with an even more limited run.

The Expert's Description

Box Whisky Quercus II Alba is a Swedish Single Malt Whisky finished in American white oak and bottled at 50.8%.

Like its sister bottle Quercus I Robur, the whisky was distilled between 3 and 12 October 2012 and matured for 4.1 years in first-fill bourbon casks. It then received a 10-month finish in casks of Quercus Alba, the American white oak species, before only 979 bottles were released in January 2018.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweeter and more open than its sister bottle, with vanilla, coconut and a touch of toasted almond.

Palate

Round and creamy with caramel, honey and a soft sweetness, showing the milder tannic profile of American oak.

Finish

Soft and relatively short with a final, warm vanilla note.

Specifications

Name: Box Whisky Quercus II Alba Swedish Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: High Coast Distillery
Region/Country: Ångermanland, Sweden
Type: Swedish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 50.8%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: First-fill bourbon casks, finished in Quercus Alba (American white oak)
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 979
EAN no.: 7350076380494

Flavour Profile

Vanilla-led · Sweet · Creamy · Soft · Nutty

Did You Know?

Quercus Alba is the same oak species American bourbon casks are traditionally made from. By finishing the same spirit in both European and American oak, High Coast created two sister bottles that show just how much the wood species itself changes an otherwise identical whisky.

See our full range of High Coast Distillery

Two casks, two wood species, one original whisky. Quercus I Robur is High Coast's experiment with European oak as a finish, a rare chance to taste what the wood species itself means for an otherwise identical whisky.

The Expert's Description

Box Whisky Quercus I Robur is a Swedish Single Malt Whisky finished in French oak and bottled at 50.8%.

The whisky was distilled between 3 and 12 October 2012 and matured for 4.1 years in first-fill bourbon casks, before receiving a 7-month finish in casks of Quercus Robur, the European oak species traditionally used in French and Spanish cask production. Only 8,229 bottles were released in September 2017.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Spiced oak and a dry, lightly tannic aroma, clearly different from the sweeter American casks.

Palate

Full-bodied with tones of dried spice, walnut and a light bitter-sweet balance, showing the tighter character of European oak.

Finish

Medium length and dry with a lingering spiced wood close.

Specifications

Name: Box Whisky Quercus I Robur Swedish Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: High Coast Distillery
Region/Country: Ångermanland, Sweden
Type: Swedish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 50.8%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: First-fill bourbon casks, finished in Quercus Robur (European oak)
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2017
Number of bottles: 8,229
EAN no.: 7350076380395

Flavour Profile

Oaky · Spiced · Dry · Full-bodied · Lightly bitter

Did You Know?

Quercus Robur is the Latin name for European common oak, the same species traditionally used for French cognac and wine casks. High Coast used this exact species to give the whisky a different character from the American bourbon casks it is otherwise known for.

See our full range of High Coast Distillery

The whisky that put Iceland on the whisky map — Eimverk's first commercial release.

Expert description

Floki Young Malt Eimverk Distillery Whisky was the distillery's first commercial release, 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 young and soft with malt, caramel and a hint of spice.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, soft and sweet.

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Malt · Soft · Sweet · Young

See our full range of Flóki / Eimverk

Thirty-three years. The whisky in this bottle was distilled while Port Ellen had only recently fallen silent, and it has rested in wood longer than most whisky enthusiasts have been interested in whisky.

The expert's description

Big Peat 33 years Vintage 1985 Limited Edition is an Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky finished in cognac and sherry casks and bottled at 47.2 %.

The individual distillates were made in 1985 and bottled 33 years later in 2018 in an outturn of 1,500 bottles. Of those, 15 bottles came exclusively to Denmark through Whisky.dk.

Douglas Laing added the release to the Big Peat range as an old and rare expression, where the combination of cognac and sherry casks lays a layer of dark fruit and sweetness over the mature Islay smoke.

Tasting notes

Nose

Old oak, dried plums and the sweet fruit of cognac. The smoke sits deep down as cold ash and wet seaweed.

Palate

Soft, broad and oily with raisin, dark chocolate and salted caramel. The peat is tempered by the years and works as a dry undercurrent rather than as the lead.

Finish

Very long with dried fruit, tobacco and a last breath of ash.

Specifications

Name: Big Peat 33 years old Vintage 1985 Limited Edition Blended Islay Malt Whisky 70 cl 47.2%
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 33 years
ABV: 47.2 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in cognac and sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1985
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 1,500
Edition: Vintage 1985 Limited Edition
EAN no.: 5014218812176

Flavour profile

Mature · Peated · Cognac matured · Sherry matured · Dark fruit

Investment potential

High: Only 1,500 bottles worldwide and an unusual combination of 1985 vintage, cognac casks and Islay smoke. Whisky from this period exists in ever smaller quantities, and the release has long been discontinued at the producer.

Did you know?

Cognac casks are rarely used for peated whisky, because the delicate grape sweetness is easily run over by peat. After 33 years the smoke has quietened enough for the two finally to meet.

See our full range of Big Peat
See our full range of Douglas Laing

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Somewhere between the wash still and the warehouse, Invergordon built a reputation few casual drinkers ever hear about. This particular release from Highland shows a side of the distillery worth slowing down for.

Expert's description

Invergordon 31 Year North Star 1987 Cask Series 007 Single Grain Whisky 63,2% is a Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured on refill Barrel and bottled at 63,2%.

This bottling comes from North Star Spirits, released as part of the Cask Series 007 range.

The whisky was distilled in 1987 and bottled in 2019.

Only 190 bottles were produced from this cask, making it a limited release for collectors.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Toasted bread, caramel and soft spice.

Palate

Smooth toffee, oak spice and a mellow sweetness.

Finish

Clean and rounded with a final oak note.

Specifications

Name: Invergordon 31 Year North Star 1987 Cask Series 007 Single Grain Whisky 63,2%
Distillery: Invergordon
Bottler: North Star Spirits
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 31 years
ABV: 63,2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Barrel
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1987
Bottled: 2019
Number of bottles: 190
Edition: Cask Series 007

Flavour Profile

Creamy · Spiced

Investment Potential

High. 31 years of maturation for a single grain whisky is rarely seen, and with only 190 bottles from a single cask, Cask Series 007 is a sought-after bottle among collectors of North Star's releases.

Did you know?

North Star Spirits names its Cask Series releases by number rather than by name, letting collectors follow the series chronologically from the first cask onward.

See our full range of Invergordon

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A wheat-forward bourbon legacy now carried on by Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Expert description

W. L. Weller Special Reserve Wheated Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from a mash bill with wheat in place of the more traditional rye, giving a softer character, bottled at 45%. The brand is owned by the Sazerac Company and is today distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

The palate offers brown sugar, wheat bread and a soft sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and lightly nutty.

Specifications

Name: W. L. Weller Special Reserve Wheated Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Region/Country: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Wheat-forward · Sweet · Round

See our full range of Buffalo Trace

The faceted bottle has stood on Japanese spirits shelves since 1960, when Suntory Royal was created to mark the 60th anniversary of founder Shinjiro Torii's birth.

Expert Description

Suntory Royal SR is a Blended Whisky from Japan, bottled at 43%.

The blend combines malt and grain whisky from Suntory's distilleries, including Yamazaki and Hakushu, and is known for its round, gently sweet style. The Royal series is one of Suntory's oldest and best-selling Japanese blends, and a fixture of the Japanese whisky landscape since its launch.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honey and ripe apples with a light floral aroma and a touch of oak.

Palate

Soft and round with caramel, light spice and a fine balance between malt and grain whisky.

Finish

Medium length, mild and clean, with a last touch of vanilla.

Specifications

Name: Suntory Royal SR
Distillery: Suntory
Region/Country: Japan
Type: Blended Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 100 CL
EAN no.: 4901777012141

Flavour Profile

Smooth · Round · Sweet · Lightly Spiced

Did You Know?

The faceted Royal bottle is designed to catch the light like a jewel, and the shape has changed only marginally since its 1960 launch.

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Port casks in a Glendronach. It is not something the distillery does often, and together with the peat it makes Traditionally Peated the most unusual bottle in the permanent range.

The expert's description

Glendronach Traditionally Peated is a peated Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Pedro Ximénez and oloroso sherry casks along with used port casks, bottled at 48%.

The combination of three cask types is chosen to give the smoke something to play against. PX lays in sweetness, oloroso gives the nuttiness and dryness, and the port casks add a red fruit note found nowhere else in the range. The whisky carries no age statement.

The smoke here does not resemble Islay. There is no iodine or seaweed, but instead a dry, earthy peat smoke that sits beneath the fruit rather than on top of it. The bottling reached the market in 2019 and was composed by master blender Rachel Barrie.

Tasting notes

Nose

Peat smoke and dark fruit, with raisin and a trace of red berry from the port casks. There is a dry, almost dusty spice note behind.

Palate

Full and smoky. The dried fruit and nuts of the sherry meet an earthy smoke, while the port casks lay in a red, lightly tart fruit that keeps the whisky from turning heavy.

Finish

Long. Smoke, nuts and dark fruit drying slowly into a spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Glendronach Traditionally Peated Highland Single Malt Whisky 48%
Distillery: Glendronach
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Pedro Ximénez and oloroso sherry casks along with used port casks
Bottled: 2019
Edition: Traditionally Peated
EAN no.: 5060399689199

Flavour profile

Peated · Sherried · Dark fruit · Spiced · Full

Did you know?

Traditionally Peated uses used port casks alongside the two sherry types. Port casks are rare in the Glendronach range, where Spanish sherry casks are otherwise the rule, and they are a large part of why the whisky carries that red fruit note.

See our full range of Glendronach

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Legacy is Tomatin's nod to the classic combination of bourbon and virgin oak – now in a format that fits in your pocket.

Expert's description

Tomatin Miniature Legacy Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 5 cl 43% is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon and virgin oak casks and bottled at 43%.

This miniature is matured in a combination of bourbon and virgin oak casks and bottled at 43% in a 5cl format.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Soft vanilla and light fruit sweetness.

Palate

Round and lightly spiced.

Finish

Short and friendly.

Specifications

Name: Tomatin Miniature Legacy Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 5 cl 43%
Distillery: Tomatin
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 5 CL
Cask type: bourbon and virgin oak casks
Non-chill filtered: No
Natural colour: No
Edition: Legacy – Miniature

Flavour Profile

Round · Spiced · Fresh

Did you know?

The Legacy range is part of Tomatin's standard core line-up and is marketed as the distillery's most accessible expression for newcomers.

See our full range of Tomatin

Californian red wine and Scottish Lowland malt are not an obvious pairing. It works anyway: the wine cask supplies colour and dark fruit while the spirit holds on to its lightness.

Expert description

Bladnoch 17 Years Limited Edition is a Single Lowland Malt Whisky matured in bourbon casks and Californian red wine casks and bottled at 46.7%.

The whisky first matured in used bourbon casks, which lay down vanilla and pale grain, and was then transferred to Californian red wine casks. Those deliver the cherry, prune and dark colour that is unusual for a Lowland malt.

The release is a limited bottling from the distillery in Galloway and belongs to the run of wine cask experiments Bladnoch has worked with over the years. Seventeen years is a high age for the region, and the combination of time and wine wood gives a whisky with more weight than the profile normally allows.

Tasting notes

Nose

Rich and fruity with dried fruit, cherry, coffee, vanilla and toffee, closing with a hint of sweet, spicy oak.

Palate

Spiced oak meets marmalade, cherries and prunes, held in balance by liquorice and cinnamon.

Finish

Long and dry with dark fruit slowly giving way to oak and a final flick of cinnamon.

Specifications

Name: Bladnoch 17 Years Limited Edition Single Lowland Malt Whisky 70 cl 46.7%
Distillery: Bladnoch
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Lowland Malt Whisky
Age: 17 years
ABV: 46,7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks and Californian red wine casks
Edition: Limited Edition

Flavour profile

Fruity · Spiced · Wine matured · Dark · Elegant

Investment potential

Medium. A limited high-age release from a distillery whose production has been interrupted several times. Wine cask bottlings from Bladnoch exist only in small numbers.

Did you know?

Red wine casks take more work than sherry casks, because wine is lower in alcohol and leaves a wetter cask behind. Many distilleries dry and re-toast them before the whisky goes in.

See our full range of Bladnoch

Samsara means rebirth, and the name was chosen carefully. Bladnoch stood silent for six years before the distillery was started up again — this bottle belongs to the second round.

Expert description

Bladnoch Samsara is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in red wine casks and bourbon casks and bottled at 46.7% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky brings together malts where Californian red wine casks deliver dark fruit and the reddish tone, while bourbon casks build vanilla and pale sweetness underneath. The cask combination has been a running signature for the distillery since the restart.

Samsara is one of the named releases without an age statement, where cask history rather than maturation time is the pivot. That lets Bladnoch work with younger and older components in the same bottle.

Tasting notes

Nose

Plum and red berries with vanilla, orange peel and a light floral note.

Palate

Sweet and full with plum, vanilla and citrus, carried by a soft texture that owes much to the lack of chill filtration.

Finish

Medium and lightly dry with red fruit slowly giving way to oak and grain.

Specifications

Name: Bladnoch Samsara Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46.7%
Distillery: Bladnoch
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46,7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Red wine casks and bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Samsara
EAN no.: 0851370006044

Flavour profile

Fruity · Sweet · Floral · Wine matured · Soft

Did you know?

The word samsara comes from Sanskrit and describes the cycle of birth and rebirth. It is an unusual name for a Scotch whisky and a direct nod to the distillery's own history of closures and reopenings.

See our full range of Bladnoch

Somewhere between the wash still and the warehouse, Kingsbarns built a reputation few casual drinkers ever hear about. This particular release from Lowland shows a side of the distillery worth slowing down for.

Expert's description

Kingsbarns Dream to Dram Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46% is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured on 1st Fill ex-bourbon casks and 1st Fill STR barrique-casks and bottled at 46%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Custard, malt and a hint of citrus zest.

Palate

Creamy vanilla, oak spice and ripe orchard fruit.

Finish

Warm and rounded with a final vanilla note.

Specifications

Name: Kingsbarns Dream to Dram Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Kingsbarns
Region/Country: Lowland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st Fill ex-bourbon casks and 1st Fill STR barrique-casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Dream to Dram
EAN no.: 811929030111

Flavour Profile

Smooth · Spiced

Did you know?

The name Dream to Dram refers to the crowdfunding campaign that originally helped finance the construction of Kingsbarns distillery in Fife.

See our full range of Kingsbarns

Houston's first legal whiskey distillery offers a soft, approachable American whiskey.

Expert description

Yellow Rose Premium American Whiskey is the distillery's approachable core expression, bottled at 40%. Yellow Rose Distilling was founded in 2010 by neighbours and friends Troy Smith and Ryan Baird together with Randy Whitaker, none of whom had prior experience in the spirits industry. In 2014 the distillery opened the first legal whiskey distillery and tasting room within Houston's city limits, making Yellow Rose the city's first commercial whiskey distillery.

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

The palate offers brown sugar, honey and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and round.

Specifications

Name: Yellow Rose Premium American Whiskey
Distillery: Yellow Rose
Region/Country: Houston, Texas, USA
Type: American Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Caramel · Approachable

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Where No 1 Young Rye shows the raw material, No 2 steps deeper into the cask. More oak, more complexity, still rye at its core.

Expert description

Enghaven No 2 Rye Whisky is the second expression in Enghaven's Rye Whisky series — a Danish Rye Whisky bottled at 45%. Aged longer than Young Rye, giving oak and cask complexity room to develop. Rye's spicy character is still clearly present, but now with deeper sweetness and a more nuanced profile. 50 cl.

Tasting notes

Nose

Spicy rye with oak, vanilla and light caramel. More mature than Young Rye.

Palate

Medium-bodied at 45%. Rye and oak with honey and dried fruit. Balanced spice and pleasant sweetness.

Finish

Medium-length with dry rye and oak. Warm and satisfying.

Specifications

Name: Enghaven No 2 Rye Whisky 50 cl
Distillery: Enghaven
Region/Country: Denmark
Type: Danish Rye Whisky
ABV: 45%
Size: 50 CL

Flavour profile

Spicy · Oak · Sweet · Fruity · Warm

Did you know?

The series numbers in Enghaven's lineup are not arbitrary — they tell a chronological story of how the distillery's products and expertise have developed over time.

Bushmills Bourbon Cask is the third release in Bushmills' nostalgic Steamship Collection, named after the steamship SS Bushmills from around 1890.

Expert Review

Bushmills Bourbon Cask The Steamship Collection Single Irish Malt Whiskey is a Single Irish Malt Whiskey, bottled at 40%.

The whiskey is the third in the "Steamship Collection" series, which Bushmills named after the steamship SS Bushmills, launched around 1890 in the USA. The collection celebrates good, traditional maturation, and this edition is matured in bourbon casks. The result is a limited release with plenty of vanilla, sweetness and caramel on the palate, and a lovely, inviting nose.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and light sweetness.

Palate

Caramel and vanilla.

Finish

Soft and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Bushmills Bourbon Cask #3 The Steamship Collection
Distillery: Bushmills
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Irish Malt Whiskey
Cask: Bourbon Cask
ABV: 40%
Size: 100 CL
Other: Limited Release

Flavour Profile

Vanilla-forward · Sweet · Caramel-rich · Soft · Inviting

Did You Know?

The Steamship Collection is named after the steamship SS Bushmills, launched in the USA around 1890, and this edition marks the ship's 125th anniversary.
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A peated blended malt from one of Scotland's most respected independent bottlers.

Expert description

Peatside 2011 is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, distilled in 2011 and bottled after 7 years at 50% under Murray McDavid's The Vatting series. Murray McDavid was founded in 1996 and is today owned by ACEO, having originally been part of the Bruichladdich family. This bottling, part of The Vatting series, combines peated whiskies from several distilleries, including North British, Caol Ila and Peatside, matured in a mix of wine, sherry and bourbon casks to create a complex, smoky profile.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers smoke, peat and a hint of salted caramel.

Palate

The palate is powerful with smoky malt, sherry and spice.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Peatside 2011 Murray McDavid 7 år Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 7 years
ABV: 50%
Distilled: 2011
Cask type: Wine, sherry and bourbon casks

Flavour profile

Smoky · Spicy · Powerful · Sherried

Investment potential

Medium — a complex vatting of peated whiskies from several named distilleries, assembled by a respected independent bottler in a relatively limited run.

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Adelphi picks casks by tasting their way through and saying no to most of them. It is an old fashioned way to work, and it is the reason their labels are so plain, because there is no room for anything except what is actually in the cask.

The expert description

Glen Elgin 13 Years Old Adelphi Selection is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a single bourbon cask and bottled at cask strength 54.6%.

The cask, number C802276, gave 302 bottles. Adelphi Selection takes its name from a Glasgow distillery that closed in 1907, and the name was revived in 1993 for an independent bottling house. Every release is a single cask at cask strength, without chill filtration and without colouring.

Glen Elgin is one of the distilleries Adelphi returns to. The house fruitiness is clear and stands up to high strength, and a bourbon cask lets it show without being wrapped in dark fruit.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pineapple and ripe melon first, then vanilla custard and a touch of green banana from the American wood.

Palate

Concentrated and sweet. Tropical fruit and honey in front, then a creamy middle and a growing note of white pepper.

Finish

Long and dry with oak, malt and a final cool note of mint.

Specifications

Name: Glen Elgin 13 Years Old Adelphi Selection
Distillery: Glen Elgin
Bottler: Adelphi Selection
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 54.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask no. C802276
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 302
Edition: Single Cask

Flavour profile

Fruity · Tropical · Creamy · Spiced · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. Adelphi bottles single casks in small runs and has a settled international collector following, and at 302 bottles this is among the smaller releases. Glen Elgin also appears rarely as a single malt, which keeps the field narrow.

Did you know?

Glen Elgin has for decades been the backbone of White Horse, one of the great Scottish blends. Most of the production disappears in that direction, which is why the distillery is far better known among blenders than among malt drinkers.

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Cragganmore is already the heaviest of the Speyside classics. Add a port cask and the herbal dryness suddenly has dark berries to push against.

Please note: The bottle is supplied without a carton.

Expert description

Cragganmore 2003/2015 Distillers Edition 12 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in port casks and bottled at 40%.

The whisky was distilled in 2003 and bottled in 2015 under the batch code CggD-6567. Distillers Edition is Diageo's annual range in which the Classic Malts distilleries receive a second maturation in a cask suited to their own style. For Cragganmore that means port, laying dark berries and a lightly tart fruit over the herbal, honeyed core. Each vintage is bottled once and never repeated.

Tasting notes

Nose

Heather and honey first, then plum, dark berries and a warm spiced note from the port wood.

Palate

Rounder and darker than the standard 12 year old. Raisin, cherry and malt, with sandalwood and light wood smoke beneath. The port brings a tart edge that keeps the sweetness from turning heavy.

Finish

Long and dry, with dark berries, malt and a herbal warmth fading slowly.

Specifications

Name: Cragganmore 2003/2015 Distillers Edition 12 years Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%
Distillery: Cragganmore
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in port casks
Distilled: 2003
Bottled: 2015
Edition: Distillers Edition CggD-6567
EAN no.: 5000281014104

Flavour profile

Fruity · Dark Berry · Malty · Herbal · Lightly Smoked

Investment potential

Medium. Each vintage of the Distillers Edition is bottled once and never returns. Older vintages steadily get harder to find as they are drunk.

Did you know?

Distillers Edition began in the 1990s as a way of showing what a second maturation can do to a familiar whisky. The cask type is fixed per distillery — Cragganmore has had port from the start, while Lagavulin, for instance, always gets Pedro Ximénez.

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Iowa's first legal distillery since Prohibition, run by a ninth-generation farmer.

Expert description

Cedar Ridge Single Malt Whiskey Handcrafted Small Batch USA is the distillery's handmade single malt, bottled at 40%. Cedar Ridge Distillery was founded in 2005 by Jeff and Laurie Quint and was the first licensed distillery in Iowa since Prohibition. Jeff Quint is a ninth-generation farmer and fermenter whose family roots trace back to German immigrants who arrived in the US in 1881, and the family's own farm-grown grain forms the basis of the whiskey.

Tasting notes

Nose

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

Palate

The palate offers caramel, malt and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and round.

Specifications

Name: Cedar Ridge Single Malt Whiskey Handcrafted Small Batch USA
Distillery: Cedar Ridge
Region/Country: Swisher, Iowa, USA
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Malty · Sweet · Round

Did you know?

Cedar Ridge was the first licensed distillery to open in Iowa since Prohibition and released its first whiskey batch in 2010; the distillery has since become nationally recognised for its craft production.

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The last chapter before the whisky. AD4 is the fourth and final Spirit release from Ardnamurchan, and the following year the distillery could finally write whisky on the label. Octaves are in play here too, the smallest casks in the house.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan 2019 AD4 Spirit is a Highland Single Malt Spirit matured in sherry casks in the form of hogsheads, butts and octaves and bottled at 57.4% by Adelphi. Approximately 5,100 bottles were made. It is legally a Spirit because it has not spent the three years in cask that Scottish law requires.

Octaves are the addition compared with the year before. An octave holds around 50 litres, the smallest cask in common use, and with so little liquid per square centimetre of wood it works very fast. It is an efficient way to give young spirit more cask character than the years alone would allow.

AD4 is the last in the run of Spirit releases that spanned 2016 to 2019. In September 2020 the distillery’s first proper Single Malt Whisky arrived. The spirit is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark fruit and syrup first, more concentrated than the preceding years. There are raisins, dates and a clear spiced sherry note, and beneath sit fresh malt and a light peat smoke.

Palate

Full and sweet, almost dessert-like in the middle. Dark fruit, spice and burnt sugar open, then the cereal character and the smoke come through. At 57.4% the concentration is marked, and the small casks make themselves felt in the texture.

Finish

Medium to long. Spice, dark fruit and a dry, lightly smoky close.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan 2019 AD4 Spirit Adelphi 57.4%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Spirit
ABV: 57.4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks, hogsheads, butts and octaves
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2019
Number of bottles: Approximately 5,100
Edition: AD4 Spirit
EAN no.: 5060383650730

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Sweet · Spiced · Young · Cask Strength · Dark Fruit

Did You Know?

An octave holds around 50 litres and is the smallest cask used in ordinary whisky production. The name comes from it being roughly an eighth of a butt. Because the ratio of liquid to wood is so extreme, an octave can deliver in a few months what a butt takes years to give.

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Forty-two casks, four grain recipes, one whisky. Hvenus is Spirit of Hven's take on a rye whisky that insists on complexity over simplicity, and the name is a small, double-edged love letter to both the goddess and the island itself.

The Expert's Description

Spirit of Hven Hvenus is a Swedish Rye Whisky matured in American oak casks and bottled at 45.6%.

Hvenus is assembled from no fewer than 42 American oak casks, all at least six years old, each contributing its own share to the final grain recipe. The result after blending is 78.6% rye, 11.9% wheat, 4.8% corn and 4.8% barley, a composition that gives the whisky unusual breadth for a rye-based expression.

Neither chill filtration, added colour nor sugar is used in production, so the whisky stands entirely on its own, with only grain, cask and time as collaborators.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Intense vanilla meets freshly cut grass and a touch of menthol, an unusual combination for a rye whisky.

Palate

Smooth and soft on the tongue, with vanilla developing into spiced toffee notes, malt and a hint of dark chocolate.

Finish

Fruity and soft with vanilla and lavender notes that settle calmly.

Specifications

Name: Spirit of Hven Hvenus Swedish Rye Whisky
Distillery: Spirit of Hven
Region/Country: Hven, Sweden
Type: Swedish Rye Whisky
ABV: 45.6%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: 42 American oak casks, minimum 6 years old

Flavour Profile

Grain-forward · Spiced · Soft · Vanilla-led · Fruity

Did You Know?

The name Hvenus is a double nod to both the goddess of love and the island of Hven itself. The whisky is assembled from 42 different casks, each contributing its own share to the final grain blend.

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Glenrothes is known for its sherry-driven fingerprint, and the 12 Year Old Soleo Collection is the distillery's way of showing exactly what a proper sherry cask can do for a whisky.

Expert's Description

Glenrothes 12 Year Old Soleo Collection is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky from the distillery in Rothes, matured exclusively in casks that have been sherry-seasoned.

The whisky is bottled with natural colour at 40%, and the Soleo Collection name refers to the Spanish sunning process, where casks are dried in the sun to prepare them for whisky maturation – a method central to Glenrothes' signature sherried style.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sherry sweetness, dried fruit and a light nutty tone.

Palate

Soft and round, with orange marmalade, honey and a hint of spice.

Finish

Medium length, warm and sherried.

Specifications

Name: Glenrothes 12 Year Old Soleo Collection Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70cl 40%
Distillery: Glenrothes
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Colour: Natural colour

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Soft · Fruity · Round

Did You Know?

The name "Soleo" comes from the Spanish sunning method, where sherry casks are dried and prepared in the sun before being filled with whisky – a process Glenrothes places great emphasis on in its cask management.

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21 years in cask lift Rock Island to a more mature, complex level than the younger releases in Douglas Laing's island range.

Expert Review

Rock Island 21 år Douglas Laing Island Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46,8% is an Island Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46.8% ABV.

Rock Island 21 years old is a blended malt from Douglas Laing, composed entirely of whisky from Scotland's islands. With 21 years in cask, the whisky has developed a depth and body that sets it apart from the more accessible releases in the range.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is maritime with sea salt, smoke and a hint of dried fruit.

Palate

The palate is full with smoke, honey and a light spiced warmth.

Finish

The finish is long and smoky, with lingering salt.

Specifications

Name: Rock Island 21 år Douglas Laing Island Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 46,8%
Distillery: Rock Island
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region: The Scottish Islands, Scotland
Type: Island Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 Years
ABV: 46.8%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes

Flavour Profile

Maritime · Peated · Complex

Did You Know?

Rock Island brings together malt from several of the Scottish islands, including Orkney, Jura, Arran and Mull, into a single blended malt representing the full range of island whisky.

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A new charred oak cask with no previous spirit inside. That is virgin oak – raw and direct. No sherry, no bourbon. Just the wood and the distillate, for six years.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Virgin Cask 2013/2019 Batch 01 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky matured exclusively in a new oak cask – virgin oak – and bottled at 47.1%, 50 cl. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, experiments with cask types as part of its production approach. Virgin oak delivers more powerful oak notes than used casks, along with more tannin and a characteristic spice. Distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2019 after six years of maturation. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Coconut, vanilla, fresh oak and a light sweet caramel.

Palate

Bold oak, coconut, malt and a warm tannic spice.

Finish

Dry, long and oak-spiced with a hint of fruit in the background.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Virgin Cask 2013/2019 Batch 01
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 47.1%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: New oak cask (virgin oak)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2013
Bottled: 2019

Flavour profile

Oak-forward · Coconut · Tannin · Spiced

Did you know?

Virgin oak – new, charred oak casks with no previous spirit – delivers a significantly more intense oak impact than used casks. It is one of the fastest and most striking cask experiments a distiller can run.