The apple wine in this gift box carries the name Rita - a tribute to the Scottish woman who stood beside the man behind the entire Japanese whisky industry.

Expert Description

Nikka Gift Set 12 Year + Nikka Apple Wine "Rita" is a Pure Malt Japanese Whisky, bottled at 22-40%.

The gift box contains two bottles: a 66 cl Nikka 12 Year Pure Malt whisky at 40% and an 18 cl Apple Wine "Rita" at 22%. The apple wine is named after Rita Cowan, the Scottish wife of Nikka's founder Masataka Taketsuru, whom he met while studying in Scotland.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Apple, honey and a light, floral sweetness.

Palate

Round and soft with vanilla and a hint of spice.

Finish

Medium length and clean.

Specifications

Name: Nikka 12 Year + Nikka Apple Wine "Rita"
Distillery: Nikka
Region/Country: Japan
Type: Pure Malt Japanese Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 22% + 40%
Size: 18 + 66 CL

Flavour Profile

Round · Soft · Floral · Versatile

Did You Know?

Masataka Taketsuru met his Scottish wife Rita while studying chemistry and distillation in Scotland - their story later became a popular Japanese TV series.

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Stauning PEATED is the distillery's smoky flagship in an age that shows what Danish peated malt can become with six years in cask.

Expert description

Stauning PEATED 7th Edition 2012/2018 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky bottled at 48.4% and matured for a minimum of 6 years. Distilled in 2012 and released in 2018. 2,293 bottles produced. Made from peated barley malt, floor-malted in-house at Stauning and double distilled in copper pot stills. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

The PEATED series is Stauning's answer to classic smoky whisky – but with a Danish identity. This is not Islay imitation: the smoke is integrated, balanced and supported by Danish grain's sweetness. The 7th edition is one of the most mature in the series' early chapter.

Tasting notes

Nose

Peat smoke and malt with a little honey, citrus and dried fruit behind. Six years in cask gives a roundness the younger editions lack.

Palate

Smoky and malt-rich. Light fruit and gentle pepper with a soft, rounded core. Balanced and elegant for a peated whisky.

Finish

Long and warm smoky finish with sweetness and light oak.

Specifications

Name: Stauning PEATED 7th Edition
Distillery: Stauning Whisky
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
Age: Minimum 6 years
ABV: 48.4%
Size: 50 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 2,293
Edition: 7th edition

Flavour profile

Peated · Malt-rich · Peat smoke · Rounded · Vintage

Did you know?

Stauning PEATED is one of the distillery's oldest series. The early editions are particularly sought after by collectors because they show Stauning's style from when production was still very small and hands-on.

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The low, wide bottle is designed to resemble a miniature cask, and the contents live up to the name: powerful, undiluted whisky, straight from the barrel.

Expert Description

Nikka From The Barrel is a Blended Japanese Whisky, bottled at 51.4%.

The whisky was first launched in 1985 and is one of Nikka's most iconic blends, composed of over 100 different malt and grain whiskies from the Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. Its high strength is close to cask strength, giving an intense, concentrated tasting experience.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Caramel, orange peel and a spicy warmth.

Palate

Powerful and full-bodied with sherry, vanilla and dark chocolate.

Finish

Long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Nikka From The Barrel
Distillery: Nikka
Region/Country: Japan
Type: Blended Japanese Whisky
ABV: 51.4%
Size: 50 CL
EAN no.: 3700597302378

Flavour Profile

Powerful · Full-bodied · Spicy · Warm

Did You Know?

Nikka From The Barrel is composed of over 100 different whiskies from Nikka's two distilleries, an unusually high complexity for a blended whisky in this price range.

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There's peat, and then there's Inchmoan – Loch Lomond's answer to what happens when the distillery's usual fruitiness meets 50 ppm of smoke. The result isn't a copy of Islay, but its own earthy take on peated whisky.

Expert's Description

Inchmoan 12 Year Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is distilled from peated malt measured at around 50 ppm and represents the distillery's smoky, earthy style – softer and less medicinal than a typical Islay malt. After 12 years in cask the whisky is non-chill filtered, preserving its full, oily body.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Mint leaf and charred wood meet dark caramel, dried apple, heather honey and a gentle, slightly medicinal peat.

Palate

Spicy with black pepper and cinnamon, balanced by layers of toffee, drying oak and an earthy, damp moss note.

Finish

Long finish of sweet fruit, green grass, black pepper and a touch of citrus.

Specifications

Name: Inchmoan 12 Year Old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
EAN: 5016840155300
Serving suggestion: In a tulip glass, ideally with a few drops of water

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Peated · Fruity · Spiced

Did You Know?

Inchmoan is named after a small island in Loch Lomond whose Gaelic name refers to peat – a fitting nod to the whisky's smoky character.

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Wine casks are a rare ingredient in Japanese whisky, but Ichiro Akuto has made them his trademark with the Wine Wood Reserve series.

Expert Description

Ichiro's Malt Wine Wood Reserve 36 is a Pure Malt Japanese Whisky from Chichibu Distillery, bottled at 46%.

The Wine Wood Reserve series is composed of malt whisky finished in wine casks, a technique Ichiro Akuto has experimented with since Chichibu Distillery opened in 2008. The series is numbered, and "36" refers to this specific batch in the ongoing production.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Red berries, grapes and a light, sweet oak.

Palate

Full-bodied with stewed fruit, spice and a hint of tannin.

Finish

Long and wine-like with warm oak.

Specifications

Name: Ichiro's Malt Wine Wood Reserve 36
Distillery: Chichibu
Region/Country: Saitama, Japan
Type: Pure Malt Japanese Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3700597306901

Flavour Profile

Full-bodied · Wine-like · Fruity · Spicy

Did You Know?

The labels in the Ichiro's Malt series feature playing cards, a reference to Ichiro Akuto's "Card Series," which cemented his international reputation as a whisky maker.

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An early Fèis Ìle release of Big Peat, created for Islay's 2018 whisky festival.

Expert description

Big Peat Feis Ile 2018 is a limited edition of the Islay blend, created specifically for the 2018 Fèis Ìle festival, bottled at 48%. Big Peat was launched in 2009 by independent bottler Douglas Laing & Co as the first in the company's 'Remarkable Regional Malts' series. The idea was to create the 'ultimate distillation of Islay' by blending single malt whisky from several of the island's distilleries, including Caol Ila, Bowmore and Ardbeg, without using grain whisky. Big Peat is non-chill filtered, with no colouring added. Each year Douglas Laing releases a Christmas Edition of Big Peat at natural cask strength, and at Islay's Fèis Ìle whisky festival, special limited editions are regularly released.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers smoke, peat and a hint of sea salt.

Palate

The palate is smoky and spiced with peat, caramel and a hint of citrus.

Finish

The finish is long, smoky and lightly salty.

Specifications

Name: Big Peat Feis Ile 2018 Douglas Laing Fèis Ìle Blended Islay Malt Whisky
Bottler: Douglas Laing & Co
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Fèis Ìle 2018

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peated · Salty · Spiced

Investment potential

Older Fèis Ìle releases like this one from 2018 are hard to find today, which can make them attractive to collectors of limited Islay bottlings.

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

Expert's description

Lagavulin 8 Year Single Islay Malt Whisky 48% is a Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky and bottled at 48%.

The whisky was bottled in 2016.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Coastal smoke, dark fruit and a hint of vanilla.

Palate

Peat, sea salt and a honeyed sweetness.

Finish

Rich and smoke-laden with a slow fade.

Specifications

Name: Lagavulin 8 Year Single Islay Malt Whisky 48%
Distillery: Lagavulin
Region/Country: Islay
Type: Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Bottled: 2016
Edition: Lagavulin 200
EAN no.: 5000281043607

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Spiced

Investment Potential

Medium. As an anniversary release for Lagavulin's 200th birthday in 2016, the bottle has long been discontinued, making it increasingly hard to find for collectors of the distillery's historic releases.

Did you know?

Lagavulin was founded in 1816 by John Johnston on a site where, according to local lore, illicit distilling was already taking place as far back as 1742.

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For more than 30 years Adelphi has bottled whisky without owning a single distillery, and with The E & K the Scottish independent bottler ventures into a fusion of two whisky worlds.

Expert's description

The E & K by Adelphi 5 Year Old Fusion of Indian and Scotch Malt Whisky is bottled by the Scottish independent bottler Adelphi at 5 years old and 57.8%.

The whisky combines Indian and Scotch malt whisky in a single expression, a fusion that shows how two vastly different climates and traditions can meet in the same glass. Only 800 bottles of this release exist, making it a rare guest on the shelf.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is complex with malt, honey and a hint of tropical fruit from the Indian component.

Palate

The palate is powerful and spicy with caramel, toasted malt and a fine balance between the two whisky styles.

Finish

The finish is long and warm with a closing dryness.

Specifications

Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: India/Scotland
Type: Fusion of Indian and Scotch Malt Whisky
Age: 5 years
ABV: 57,8 %
Size: 70 CL
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Number of Bottles: 800

Flavour Profile

Spicy · Rich · Complex · Round

Investment Potential

Medium – An independent bottling from Adelphi limited to just 800 bottles. Adelphi's limited releases have historically shown growing collector interest once discontinued.

Did you know?

Adelphi was founded in 1826 and revived as an independent bottler in 1993 by Jamie Walker, great-grandson of one of the original distillery's founders, and today also owns its own distillery, Ardnamurchan.

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Two continents, one glass. Australian malt meets Scotch heritage in a bottling that challenges the very definition of whisky.

Expert description

The Brisbane by Adelphi is a 5 year old fusion of Australian and Scotch malt whisky, bottled at cask strength at 57.5% ABV by the independent Scottish bottler Adelphi.

A "fusion whisky" here means that whisky distilled in Australia has been blended with Scotch malt whisky from Glen Garioch and Glen Grant, two prominent Highland and Speyside distilleries, creating a bottling that bridges two whisky worlds on opposite sides of the globe.

Only 925 bottles of this fusion were produced, with no added colouring and no chill filtration, allowing the raw interplay between the Australian and Scotch components to come through in full.

Adelphi Distillery was founded in 1826 by the River Clyde in Glasgow, closed in the early 1900s, but was revived in 1993 as an independent bottler when a grandson of a former owner brought back the name with a philosophy of bottling only the very best casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

Tropical fruit and eucalyptus from the Australian component meet dry Highland malt and a touch of hay.

Palate

Bold and cask-strength driven, with honey, toasted nuts and an exotic fruit sweetness unusual for Scotch whisky.

Finish

Long, warm and spiced, with a final hint of citrus peel and wood.

Specifications

Name: The Brisbane by Adelphi
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Australia & Scotland
Type: Malt Whisky (Fusion)
Age: 5 years
ABV: 57.5%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 925
EAN: 5060383650006

Flavour profile

Exotic fruit · Cask strength · Eucalyptus

Investment potential

With only 925 bottles and a genuinely unique concept combining Australian and Scotch malt whisky, this bottling holds strong appeal among collectors of rare Adelphi releases.

Did you know?

Adelphi reportedly tests around 25 casks for every single cask that gets approved for a bottling under the Adelphi name, meaning fewer than 4% of tested casks pass the needle's eye.

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The bottle did not say whisky, and that was deliberate. Scottish law requires three years in cask before the word can be used, and Ardnamurchan had not got there yet. So they called it Spirit and sent it out anyway, so people could follow the distillery from the very beginning.

The Expert's Description

Ardnamurchan 2017 AD2 Spirit is a Highland Single Malt Spirit from Ardnamurchan Distillery, bottled at 53.6% by Adelphi. It is the distillery’s second annual release of young spirit and may not be called whisky, because it has not spent the three years in cask that Scottish law requires.

Ardnamurchan was built by the independent bottler Adelphi on the remote Ardnamurchan peninsula on Scotland’s west coast. There had never been a legal distillery on the peninsula before the site opened in 2014. The distillery makes two styles, one peated and one unpeated, matured in American and Spanish oak.

The run of Spirit releases spans 2016 to 2019, and AD2 is the second in the sequence. The distillery’s first proper Single Malt Whisky arrived in September 2020. The spirit is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Young and direct. Fresh malted barley first, then pear, green apple and a clear cereal sweetness. A light peat smoke sits beneath it all along with a clean, almost bready note you only meet in spirit that has not had time to be rounded off.

Palate

Powerful and raw in the good sense. Malt and grain fill the middle of the mouth, while the cask’s vanilla has only just begun to report in. There is a peated undercurrent and a peppery warmth, and at 53.6% the texture is oily and full.

Finish

Medium and dry. Grain, malt and a lightly smoky edge that lets go sooner than an older whisky would.

Specifications

Name: Ardnamurchan 2017 AD2 Spirit Adelphi 53.6%
Distillery: Ardnamurchan
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Spirit
ABV: 53.6%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2017
Edition: AD2 Spirit
EAN no.: 5060386504023

Flavour Profile

Young · Malty · Fruity · Lightly Smoky · Cask Strength · Grain Forward

Investment Potential

Medium. The Spirit releases were made during a short window before the distillery could call its spirit whisky, and they will never come again. For anyone collecting a distillery’s history from the first bottle, AD2 is a link in a sequence that cannot be recreated.

Did You Know?

Ardnamurchan draws all its electricity from a hydro generator on the river beside the distillery. The location is so remote that producing its own power was easier than running a supply network out there. The environmental case was there too, but the practicality came first.

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Cipher got a little sibling. Where one hid its character behind a name, The Glenlivet let Code turn the riddle itself into part of the experience.

Expert Description

Glenlivet Miniature Code Limited Edition is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky in miniature format, bottled at 48%.

Code was part of the same limited series as Cipher, in which The Glenlivet played with theme and storytelling around its releases. The 5 cl miniature was intended as a compact introduction to a more intense side of the distillery's range, with a strength and structure well above the core range's 40% expressions.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh and lightly sweet, with a hint of the spiced weight that follows on the palate.

Palate

Structured and full-bodied, with spice and a light nutty character.

Finish

Medium length, with the spice as the most lingering impression.

Specifications

Name: Code Limited Edition
Distillery: The Glenlivet
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 5 CL
Edition: Code Limited Edition

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Nutty · Full-bodied

Did You Know?

The Code release was designed as part of an interactive campaign, in which The Glenlivet invited whisky enthusiasts to guess the tasting notes themselves before the distillery officially revealed them, an unusual approach to engaging fans around a new release.

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For years, this 12 Years Old was more or less all you could expect from Bunnahabhain – light, delicate and just a little different from the rest of Islay.

Expert's Description

Bunnahabhain 12 Years Old is a Single Islay Malt Whisky bottled without chill filtration and without added colour at 46.3%.

The 12 Years Old is the distillery's best-known bottle and the gateway to Bunnahabhain's light, unpeated style – a style that stands well apart from its neighbours' peated whiskies on Islay. The whisky won gold at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in 2011.

It's a whisky that proves Islay holds more than peat smoke, and that freshness and elegance can be just as defining as smoke.

Tasting Notes

Nose

A remarkably fresh, aromatic hit of sea air with a faint hint of smoke.

Palate

Light and clean with fruit, olives and nuts, moving into heavier, malty-sweet tones.

Finish

Strikingly malty, fresh and a touch dry.

Specifications

Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Region/Country: Scotland (Islay)
Type: Single Islay Malt Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70 CL
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Distillation Method: Double Distilled
EAN No.: 5029704217366

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Maritime · Fruity · Soft

Did You Know?

In 1887, Bunnahabhain's owners merged with the owners of Glenrothes to form The Highland Distilleries Company – a merger that laid the groundwork for much of the ownership structure Scotch whisky still knows today.

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It took decades before Bunnahabhain added an 18 Years Old to the core range, and the wait shows in every glass.

Expert's Description

Bunnahabhain 18 Years Old is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in ex-sherry casks and bottled at 46.3%.

Eighteen years on sherry wood has given the whisky a golden depth and a maturity that builds on the distillery's lighter core style. It's a dram that takes its time unfolding in the glass and rewards whoever gives it the space to do so.

The small batch assembly keeps every bottling at the same high standard, without sacrificing the variation single casks would otherwise bring.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sugared nuts and a greeting from the sea, backed by generous caramel and leathery oak.

Palate

Soft sherry tones meet fruit and nuts across a full, round palate.

Finish

Dry, spiced impressions mixed with light sea salt.

Specifications

Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Region/Country: Scotland (Islay)
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 Years
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Ex-Sherry Casks
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Distillation Method: Double Distilled
Edition: Small Batch
EAN No.: 5029704217373

Flavour Profile

Sherry-Matured · Maritime · Spicy · Mature

Did You Know?

The 18 Years Old is one of the newer additions to Bunnahabhain's age-stated core range, which for many years consisted only of the 12 and 25 Years Old expressions.

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Named after a Scottish merchant who helped open Japan to the West in the 1800s, The Glover unites two whisky traditions in one cask.

Expert Description

The Glover by Adelphi 18 Year is a Fusion of Japanese and Scotch Malt Whisky, bottled at 49.2%.

The whisky is named after Thomas Blake Glover, a Scottish businessman who played a central role in opening Japan to the West at the end of the Edo period. Adelphi Selection, an independent Scottish bottler founded in 1993, composed this fusion of Japanese and Scotch malt whisky as a tribute to Glover's historic ties between the two countries.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Smoky oak, dried fruit and a light sherry sweetness.

Palate

Complex with spice, honey and a hint of smoke.

Finish

Long and warm with lingering oak.

Specifications

Name: The Glover by Adelphi 18 Year
Bottler: Adelphi Selection
Region/Country: Japan/Scotland
Type: Fusion of Japanese and Scotch Malt Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 49.2%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour Profile

Complex · Smoky · Spicy · Warm

Did You Know?

Thomas Blake Glover, the whisky's namesake, founded one of Japan's first Western trading houses and helped establish the country's early shipyards and industry in the 1860s.

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A dessert wine's sweetness meets the Highland whisky's light character - Teaninich 2009 finished its journey in a cask that once held one of Bordeaux's most celebrated sweet wines.

Expert description

Teaninich 2009/2018 Coopers Choice is an 8 year old Highland Single Malt Whisky at 54.5%, bottled by independent bottler The Coopers Choice from The Vintage Malt Whisky Company.

The whisky finished its maturation in a used Sauternes cask (cask no. #4679) - a cask that previously held the sweet French dessert wine from the Bordeaux region. This type of finish is known for adding a soft, tangy-sweet dimension to the spirit's natural character.

Distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2018 after 8 years of maturation, the whisky is non-chill filtered and naturally coloured. Only 295 bottles were released.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet apricot and honeydew melon, backed by a light tang of white grapes.

Palate

Full and oily, with notes of candied citrus, vanilla and a delicate sweetness from the dessert wine cask.

Finish

Medium length with a lingering sweetness that slowly gives way to dry oak and a hint of pepper from the high strength.

Specifications

Name: Teaninich 2009/2018 Coopers Choice Sauternes Cask
Distillery: Teaninich
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 54.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sauternes cask (finish) / Cask No. #4679
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 295

Flavour profile

dessert-wine sweet · fruity · full-bodied

Did you know?

Sauternes is a sweet white wine from Bordeaux, made from grapes affected by noble rot (botrytis) - a process that concentrates the sugars and gives the wine its signature honeyed sweetness, a trace of which this whisky inherits.

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Two hogsheads, one purpose: to give a young Teaninich room to show its clean, cereal-driven side at natural strength.

Expert description

Teaninich 2007/2018 is a 10-year-old Single Highland Malt Whisky, distilled on 22 November 2007 and bottled on 5 March 2018 by Signatory Vintage at 46% ABV.

The whisky comes from two hogsheads, no. 702715 and 702716, vatted together to produce a slightly larger and more approachable release than a pure single cask bottling would allow. It is neither chill-filtered nor coloured, and its 10 years in cask have left a spirit that still clearly carries Teaninich's young, cereal-focused character.

At 46%, the strength sits above the common standard of 40%, giving the whisky extra sharpness and clarity in the flavour picture.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh cereal, lemon zest and a light green note of unripe apples.

Palate

Crisp and clean, with notes of pear, vanilla and a touch of white pepper.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and refreshing, with a lightly spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Teaninich 2007/2018
Distillery: Teaninich
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogshead no. 702715 and 702716
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 22/11/2007
Bottled: 05/03/2018

Flavour profile

fresh · cereal · crisp

Did you know?

In 2013 Diageo invested 26 million pounds in a new stillhouse with six pairs of stills at Teaninich, doubling the distillery's production capacity.

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"Stiùireadair" means helmsman in Scottish Gaelic, a nod to the distillery's life on the edge of the Sound of Islay, where the tide toward Jura demands a steady hand.

Expert's Description

Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair is a Single Islay Malt Whisky matured in a combination of first- and second-fill sherry casks and bottled at 46.3%.

The whisky is assembled from older, seasoned sherry casks, giving it a round, soft character without drowning out the distillery's core light, maritime style. It shows Bunnahabhain's unpeated side rather than the island's more familiar peat smoke.

Stiùireadair is meant as a permanent fixture in the range and a fine introduction to how Bunnahabhain sounds when the sherry cask is allowed to speak the loudest.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried fruit, caramel and vanilla with a touch of salty sea air.

Palate

Creamy and balanced with burnt sugar, raisins, toasted nuts and a hint of spice.

Finish

Long and soft with warm spices, sherry sweetness and a maritime edge.

Specifications

Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Region/Country: Scotland (Islay)
Type: Single Islay Malt Whisky
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: First- and Second-Fill Sherry Casks
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Distillation Method: Double Distilled
EAN No.: 5029704218639

Flavour Profile

Sherry-Matured · Soft · Maritime · Creamy

Did You Know?

The name honours the distillery's location at the end of a single-track road on the Sound of Islay, where the tidal current between Islay and Jura has demanded skilled helmsmen for centuries.

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Two hogsheads, filled on the same day in May 1997, emptied on the same day in February 2018. Exactly twenty years and eight months in between. Signatory has a habit of writing the dates out in full, and here it gives a neat picture of how closely the two casks tracked each other.

Please note: The image is a stock photo.

The expert's description

Glen Keith 1997/2018 Signatory 20 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky from two hogsheads, bottled at 46%.

The casks were filled on 26 May 1997 and emptied on 26 February 2018 — hogsheads number 72609 and 72610, married into one bottling, non-chill filtered and with no added colour. The 46% is chosen rather than cask strength, and it suits a spirit like Glen Keith: bright and lightly waxy, where too much alcohol easily tramples over the fruit.

The spirit dates from 1997, which is two years before Glen Keith was mothballed. Seagram used the distillery as its experimental plant and ran trials on yeast strains and mashing here, so production varied more than at an ordinary Speyside distillery. That is exactly why the year on a Glen Keith matters more than on most others.

Tasting notes

Nose

Bright and clean. Pear, green apple and lemon peel, with vanilla and a dry malt note behind. After a couple of minutes a trace of beeswax emerges.

Palate

Soft and lightly oily. Honey, ripe pear and pale caramel, with a hint of toasted almond. The dryness only arrives at the end and keeps the whisky from turning dully sweet.

Finish

Medium. Malt, pear and a dry, faintly peppery close.

Specifications

Name: Glen Keith 1997/2018 Signatory 20 Year Old Speyside Single Malt 46%
Distillery: Glen Keith
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogsheads no. 72609 and 72610
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 26 May 1997
Bottled: 26 February 2018
EAN no.: 5021944094752

Flavour profile

Fruity · Malty · Honeyed · Dry · Soft

Investment potential

Medium. The spirit dates from 1997, from the final years before Glen Keith closed, and those bottlings exist in a number that cannot grow. A 20 year old from the period at an ordinary bottling strength is the kind of bottle that quietly disappears from shelves without being speculated on.

Did you know?

Seagram used Glen Keith to trial new yeast strains and mashing methods before putting them into service at other distilleries. That makes the older spirit less predictable than most — two vintages from Glen Keith can sit further apart than you are used to.

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

Expert's description

Inchgower 2007/2018 Signatory 10 Year Single Highland Malt 46% is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured on hogshead #801153 og #801154 and bottled at 46%.

This bottling comes from Signatory Vintage.

The whisky was distilled in 30 August 2007 and bottled in 27 February 2018.

Only 602 bottles were produced from this cask, making it a limited release for collectors.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green apple, vanilla and a gentle grassy note.

Palate

Malt sweetness, citrus and a touch of oak spice.

Finish

Soft and rounded with a final malty note.

Specifications

Name: Inchgower 2007/2018 Signatory 10 Year Single Highland Malt 46%
Distillery: Inchgower
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogshead #801153 og #801154
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 30 August 2007
Bottled: 27 February 2018
Number of bottles: 602
EAN no.: 5021944096787

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Spiced

Did you know?

Inchgower is one of the few Scottish distilleries that historically used Morton's Refrigerator plates to cool the wort, a technique most other distilleries phased out decades ago.

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Twenty years is a round number, and Signatory waited for it. The casks were filled in October 1997 and not emptied until February 2018, two decades in which the only things that happened were evaporation and time.

Please note: wear on the tube and rust on the lid.

The expert description

Fettercairn 1997/2018 Signatory Vintage 20 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in two hogsheads and bottled at 46%.

The bottling belongs to The Un-Chillfiltered Collection, the Signatory range where the whisky is never chilled and filtered but bottled at 46% in natural colour. The casks, numbers 5604 and 5605, were filled on 10 October 1997 and bottled on 28 February 2018.

Twenty years is a long time for the light Fettercairn spirit, and yet the oak has never become dominant. That is down to the hogshead format, where the ratio of wood to liquid is gentle enough for the whisky to mature at length without drying out.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe orchard and vanilla first, then waxed wood, lemon peel and a dusty cereal note underneath.

Palate

Malt and pale caramel do the carrying, while yellow fruit and a touch of coconut rise out of the oak. The spice is dry and restrained.

Finish

Long and dry with mineral, white pepper and a final note of honey on toast.

Specifications

Name: Fettercairn 1997/2018 Signatory Vintage 20 Years Old
Distillery: Fettercairn
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogsheads no. 5604 and 5605
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 10 October 1997
Bottled: 28 February 2018
Edition: The Un-Chillfiltered Collection
EAN no.: 5021944093755

Flavour profile

Malty · Fruity · Waxy · Mineral · Mature

Did you know?

A cask loses roughly two per cent of its contents to evaporation every year, what the trade calls the angels share. After twenty years only about two thirds of what went in is still there, and that is one of the reasons old bottlings are few.

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Blending is a craft in its own right, and this expression shows exactly why patience and a steady hand matter. This Johnnie Walker release carries that philosophy into every glass.

Expert's description

Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 Year Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 43% is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky and bottled at 43%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla, heather and a light smoky lift.

Palate

Balanced malt and grain sweetness with a mellow smoke.

Finish

Warm and rounded with a final malty note.

Specifications

Name: Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 Year Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Johnnie Walker
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Green Label
EAN no.: 5000267096612

Flavour Profile

Rounded · Spiced

Did you know?

Green Label is the only Blended Malt Scotch Whisky in Johnnie Walker's core range, while the other coloured labels are all traditional Blended Scotch Whisky.

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Bushmills Port Cask is the second release in the Steamship Collection, bottled to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the maiden voyage of the steamship SS Bushmills.

Expert Review

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

The whiskey is the second release in the "Steamship Collection" series, which Bushmills named after the steamship SS Bushmills. This limited edition was bottled to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the ship's maiden voyage, and the whiskey has matured in Ruby Port Pipes, giving it a rich, fruity character with notes of dark berries and a touch of sweetness.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark berries and a light wine-driven sweetness.

Palate

Rich and fruity, with port-driven depth.

Finish

Soft and sweetish.

Specifications

Name: Bushmills Port Cask Reserve #2 The Steamship Collection
Distillery: Bushmills
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Single Irish Malt Whiskey
Cask: Ruby Port Pipes
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Other: Limited Release
EAN no.: 5055966820112

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Rich · Wine-driven · Soft · Sweetish

Did You Know?

This edition marks the 125th anniversary of the maiden voyage of the steamship SS Bushmills, which lent its name to the entire Steamship Collection.
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Stauning Young Rye 2018 is the 16th edition in the series – and the one with the lowest ABV in the early Rye chronology. It is an approachable and floral edition with rye character without too much edge.

Expert description

Stauning Young Rye 2018 February is a Danish Rye Whisky bottled at 43.3% and distilled in 2014. Released February 2018 as the 16th edition in the Rye series. Made from 100% Danish rye malt, floor-malted in-house. 2,541 bottles. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

The 2014 distillation year marks a point when Stauning was still a small team with a passionate approach to craft. These batches are expressions of the early Stauning – before the expansion and increased production.

Tasting notes

Nose

Floral and lightly fruity with rye bread, honey and light blossom. Softer and more approachable than the stronger Young Rye expressions.

Palate

Malt-sweet and lightly spiced. Rye core, mild pepper and a little citrus. Round and easy to enjoy.

Finish

Short to moderate with malt sweetness and light spice.

Specifications

Name: Stauning Young Rye 2018 February
Distillery: Stauning Whisky
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Rye Whisky
ABV: 43.3%
Size: 50 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2014
Bottled: February 2018
Number of bottles: 2,541
Edition: 16th edition

Flavour profile

Soft · Rye · Malt-sweet · Approachable · Vintage

Did you know?

Stauning Young Rye 2018 is the 16th edition, while Rye Cask Strength 2019 is one of the next. It illustrates how Stauning increased the complexity and strength in the series over time – from approachable 43.3% to cask strength 58.7%.

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Rye brings a sharper, spicier edge than corn — combined with single-barrel strength, it's a different side of Jack Daniel's.

Expert description

Single Barrel Rye is made from a rye-dominant mash rather than the core range's corn-based recipe, giving a spicier, peppery profile. Like the rest of the Single Barrel range, it's drawn from a single barrel. Jack Daniel's Distillery was founded in 1866 by Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel in Lynchburg, Tennessee, and is officially registered as America's first distillery. All production still happens on the same site, where the whiskey is filtered drop by drop through nearly 3 metres of sugar maple charcoal before going into new, charred oak barrels — the Lincoln County Process that defines Tennessee Whiskey.

Bottled at 45%, giving it the strength needed to carry the rye character through.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is spicy with rye, pepper and toasted oak, sharper than the corn-based Old No. 7.

Palate

The palate offers pepper and rye spice, balanced by vanilla and caramel from the barrel.

Finish

The finish is long and spicy, with lingering pepper and oak.

Specifications

Name: Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Rye
Distillery: Jack Daniel's
Region/Country: Tennessee, USA
Type: Tennessee Rye Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Column distilled, Lincoln County Process
Edition: Single Barrel

Flavour profile

Spicy · Peppery · Rye · Oak · Bold

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Small Batch is Elijah Craig's modern core expression, named after the father of bourbon.

Expert description

Elijah Craig Small Batch 94 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the distillery's core expression, blended from selected barrels for a balanced profile, bottled at 47%. Elijah Craig is named after the Baptist minister who, according to tradition, was the first to age his corn-based whiskey in freshly charred oak barrels in 1789 — a practice that has since become the very definition of bourbon. Historians still debate whether the story is entirely accurate, but the name lives on at Heaven Hill Distillery, which produces every major American whiskey style and is one of the leading champions of the Bottled-in-Bond tradition.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and lightly toasted oak.

Palate

The palate is full and rounded with caramel, honey and spiced oak.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Elijah Craig Small Batch 94 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery
Region/Country: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 47%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Caramel · Spiced · Rounded

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Whiskymessen 2018, cask number two. Same fair, different cask, a new character. 62.6% from Ørbæk Brewery.

Expert description

Nyborg Distillery Whiskymessen 2018 (62.6%) is an organic Danish Single Malt Whisky bottled at 62.6% cask strength for the Danish Whisky Fair in 2018. Like the corresponding 64.6% bottling, it was produced during the distillery's Ørbæk era and represents a separate cask with its own flavour character. The two Whiskymessen 2018 bottlings complement each other and offer enthusiasts the opportunity to compare what two casks from the same period and base spirit can produce. A standalone and rare bottling.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh grain base with a clean organic character. Light sweetness and a delicate plum fruitiness. Discreet cask influence allowing the distillate to shine through.

Palate

Gentle and approachable at 62.6% with integrated warmth. Fresh apple fruit and light sweetness. A warm finish on the palate.

Finish

Clean and short to medium with fresh grain notes.

Specifications

Name: Nyborg Distillery Whiskymessen 2018
Distillery: Nyborg Distillery (Ørbæk era)
Region/Country: Funen, Denmark
Type: Organic Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 62.6%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Whiskymessen 2018

Flavour profile

Fresh · Grain-rich · Fruity · Clean

Investment potential

Medium. As the second bottling for Whiskymessen 2018 from the Ørbæk era, it is a complementary collector piece to the 64.6% version. Both are from a definitively closed production period.

Did you know?

It is unusual for a distillery to release two separate event bottlings at the same fair. By releasing two casks at Whiskymessen 2018, Nyborg Distillery offered collectors and enthusiasts the chance to experience how different two casks from the same distillery and era can be.

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Whiskymessen 2018. A special cask – 64.6%. Available for one occasion only. That's what these event bottlings from Nyborg Distillery's Ørbæk era are.

Expert description

Nyborg Distillery Whiskymessen 2018 (64.6%) is an organic Danish Single Malt Whisky bottled at 64.6% cask strength exclusively for the Danish Whisky Fair in 2018. Produced during the distillery's Ørbæk era, before the move to Nyborg and the launch of Isle of Fionia. These event bottlings are rarely available after the fair itself and represent a unique snapshot of the distillery's production at one specific moment. An uncut cask strength bottling with authenticity.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and grain-rich nose with a clean organic base. Light sweetness from cask maturation, a hint of citrus and peach. Clear and direct.

Palate

Round and full-bodied at 64.6% – surprisingly approachable for the cask strength. Ripe grain notes, light sweetness and a warm spice on the palate. A drop of water is recommended.

Finish

Clean and medium with warm grain notes and a fresh close.

Specifications

Name: Nyborg Distillery Whiskymessen 2018
Distillery: Nyborg Distillery (Ørbæk era)
Region/Country: Funen, Denmark
Type: Organic Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 64.6%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Whiskymessen 2018

Flavour profile

Fresh · Grain-rich · Sweet · Clean

Investment potential

Medium. Event bottlings for specific fairs are single-purpose collector pieces – they represent a specific date and event that will not recur. This Whiskymessen 2018 bottling from the Ørbæk era is a rare find.

Did you know?

Whiskymessen is Denmark's largest whisky festival, held in Copenhagen each year. Many Danish distilleries release exclusive event bottlings for the fair, which are typically only available on the day. Finding a Whiskymessen bottling from 2018 outside the fair is therefore rare.

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Most distilleries use casks somebody else used first. Virgin Oak does the opposite at the end — fresh casks that have never held anything but air.

Expert description

Deanston Virgin Oak is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in traditional oak casks with a final maturation in new American oak casks and bottled at 46.3% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The whisky builds on Deanston's pale, fruity and naturally honeyed house style and then takes a lift of spice and vanilla sweetness from the untreated wood. Deanston has distilled since 1966 in a converted cotton mill by the River Teith, which also drives the distillery's hydroelectric plant. The house uses no peat at all, so all the warmth in the whisky comes from the casks.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean, fresh and inviting. Citrus, malt, vanilla and lightly spiced oak, with touches of honey, fresh apples and a mild nutty note.

Palate

Soft but lively. Vanilla, caramel, citrus and pale fruit. The virgin oak casks contribute warm spice, a hint of pepper and a creamy sweetness that balances the fresh house style.

Finish

Medium and lightly spiced, with vanilla, oak and a soft honey note.

Specifications

Name: Deanston Virgin Oak Single Highland Malt Whisky 46,3%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks with a new American oak finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Virgin Oak
EAN no.: 5029704217458

Flavour profile

Vanilla · Citrus · Spiced · Honeyed · Creamy

Did you know?

Bourbon must by American law mature in new, charred oak casks. Scotch has no equivalent rule, which makes new wood an exception rather than the norm — Virgin Oak therefore borrows an American idea and puts it on a Scottish malt.

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One single cask, 25 years, and only 130 bottles - the kind of arithmetic that makes collectors sit up. Springbank 25 Year Old Single Cask is an independent bottling without equal.

Expert Description

Springbank 25 Year Old Single Cask is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky distilled in 1991, matured in a Hogshead cask and bottled at full cask strength, 49.7%.

The whisky comes from a single Hogshead cask, cask number 13/127-21 (414), and a full 25 years of maturation yielded just 130 bottles. As an independent bottling without filtration or added colour, this release shows Springbank in its most unfiltered and personal form.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Old oak and dried fruit meet a hint of sea air and beeswax.

Palate

Full and complex, with caramel, spice and a lightly oily structure that carries the high strength elegantly.

Finish

Long and warm, with a lingering oak note that slowly gives way to a dry, salty close.

Specifications

Name: Springbank 25 Year Old Single Cask
Distillery: Springbank
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 49.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogshead no. 13/127-21 (414)
Distilled: 1991
Number of bottles: 130
Edition: Single Cask, independent bottling

Flavour Profile

Spicy · Creamy · Maritime · Fruity

Investment Potential

High - with only 130 bottles from a single cask and 25 years of maturation, this independent bottling ranks among the rarest Springbank releases on the market.

Did You Know?

A Hogshead is one of the most common cask formats in Scotch whisky production, but when a single cask like this one yields only 130 bottles after 25 years, it clearly shows how much whisky evaporates as the "angels' share" over such a long time.

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A copper dog was a home-made tube that distillery workers dropped into casks to smuggle whisky out in a trouser pocket. The name is a nod to that small crime.

Expert description

Copper Dog is a Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky built from eight distilleries and bottled at 40%.

All eight distilleries sit in Speyside, and the whisky is conceived as a distillation of the region's style rather than a portrait of one house. Copper Dog was developed at the bar of the Craigellachie Hotel, which is also where the name comes from — distillery workers used a small copper tube to draw an unauthorised sample from a cask. Diageo is behind the bottling.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fruit-driven and light. Apple, pear and honey first, then a lightly spiced note over a warm malted base.

Palate

Soft and round. Honey, ripe fruit and pale vanilla, with a touch of cinnamon and malt. There are no edges here — it is built to go down easily.

Finish

Short to medium, malty and lightly sweet, with a mild spiced warmth at the end.

Specifications

Name: Copper Dog Speyside Blended Malt Scotch 40%
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Copper Dog
EAN no.: 5000267165493

Flavour profile

Soft · Fruity · Honeyed · Malty · Unpeated

Did you know?

The Copper Dog Bar at the Craigellachie Hotel gave the bottle its name, and the hotel sits in the middle of Speyside with eight distilleries within reasonable walking distance. It is no accident that exactly eight malts ended up in the recipe.

See our full range of Copper Dog Whisky