Sometimes it's the simple bottles that show best what a distillery can do. Barrel Reserve is Arran's everyday dram — now in a new design with a light blue neck seal.

Matured exclusively in American oak casks, and a natural place to start if you want to get to know Arran's style.

Expert Description

Arran Barrel Reserve is a Single Islands Malt Scotch Whisky matured exclusively in American oak casks and bottled at 43%.

This is the distillery's accessible core range, where Arran's signature citrus island character shines through even without an age statement or specific cask number. The whisky has been relaunched with a new light blue neck seal, though the recipe behind it is unchanged.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla, fresh pear and sweet honey, with the distillery's citrus note sitting just beneath the surface.

Palate

Delicate with a fine balance of citrus fruit, sweet vanilla, apple and a light coastal note.

Finish

Lingering with sweetness from the casks, spice and a trace of milk chocolate.

Specifications

Name: Arran Barrel Reserve
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Single Islands Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak casks
Non-chill filtered: No
EAN no.: 5060044483738
Serving suggestion: In a Glencairn glass, a good introduction to Arran's style

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Sweet · Creamy · Citrus-forward

Did You Know?

The light blue neck seal is part of a broader design refresh across Arran's whole bottle range, meant to make it easier to tell the different expressions apart on the shelf.

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A third way into Arran's world: the same Barrel Reserve, the same oak casks, the same light island character — just another packaging version of the distillery's most accessible bottle.

Whichever edition of Barrel Reserve lands on the shelf, the contents are always the same familiar, bright expression from Lochranza.

Expert Description

Arran Barrel Reserve is a Single Islands Malt Scotch Whisky matured exclusively in American oak casks and bottled at 43%.

The whisky is meant as a light, accessible entry into Arran's style, where the American oak casks give a soft sweetness while the distillery's well-known citrus character keeps the profile light and fresh. It's the same base recipe regardless of which packaging version the bottle carries.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and fresh pear with a touch of honey.

Palate

Light and creamy with citrus fruit and apple upfront.

Finish

Short to medium with a gentle sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Arran Barrel Reserve
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Single Islands Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak casks
EAN no.: 5060044483738
Serving suggestion: In a Glencairn glass as a light everyday dram

Flavour Profile

Light · Fruity · Creamy · Citrus-forward

Did You Know?

Barrel Reserve has appeared in several packaging versions over the years, but the recipe behind the whisky is unchanged — only the bottle's look has had a few facelifts.

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Spain and Scotland meet again in Arran's Duero series — this time in its third edition, where bourbon and Spanish red wine casks play off each other.

A 12-year-old single malt that deliberately breaks from the classic sherry and bourbon choices.

Expert Description

Arran Duero Discovery 12 Year Old Edition 3 is a Single Islands Malt Whisky matured in bourbon casks and Spanish red wine casks, bottled at 50%.

The whisky spends its early years in classic bourbon casks before moving to 1st fill Spanish red wine casks from the Duero region. This is the third edition in the Discovery series, identified by batch number 18-RDD-01-48, where the distillery continues experimenting with letting the wine casks' fruitiness shape Arran's bright island character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Salted caramel and sweet spice meet dark berries from the red wine cask.

Palate

Full-bodied with the same dark berry character, backed by a lightly tart, wine-like edge and Arran's signature sweetness.

Finish

Medium length with a trace of wine-derived tannin structure and caramel.

Specifications

Name: Arran Duero Discovery 12 Year Old Edition 3
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Single Islands Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks, finished in 1st fill Spanish red wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Duero Discovery Edition 3, Batch 18-RDD-01-48
EAN no.: 5060044489082
Serving suggestion: In a Glencairn glass at room temperature

Flavour Profile

Wine-toned · Fruity · Spiced · Full-bodied

Did You Know?

The Duero region in central Spain is known for its powerful red wines made from the Tempranillo grape — the very grape behind this Arran's deep berry notes.

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Cream and whisky sounds like a shortcut, but it is not when the whisky is actually good. Arran makes its own single malt at Lochranza and uses that rather than anonymous spirit, and you can taste it.

The Expert's Description

Arran Gold is a cream liqueur made with Single Island Malt Whisky from Arran, bottled at 17%. It is therefore not whisky but a cream-based liqueur in which the distillery’s own malt whisky forms the spirit component.

The difference from an ordinary cream liqueur lies precisely there. Most use neutral spirit or an anonymous blend, while Arran uses malt whisky from its own distillery. That gives a cereal sweetness and a light malt character beneath the toffee and chocolate which would otherwise disappear.

Arran Gold was named World’s Best Whisky Liqueur at Whisky Magazine’s World Whisky Awards in 2007. The distillery sits at Lochranza at the northern end of the Isle of Arran and was founded in 1995.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Toffee and milk chocolate first, with cocoa and a clear cream note. Beneath the sweetness sits a malty cereal note from the whisky, which makes the nose less one-dimensionally sweet than an ordinary cream liqueur.

Palate

Full and creamy. Caramel, chocolate and vanilla open, then the malt whisky comes through with a light cereal sweetness and a hint of oak. At 17% it is soft and easy to drink, but not thin.

Finish

Medium and creamy, with cocoa and a final malt note lingering after the sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Arran Gold Cream Liqueur with Single Island Malt Whisky 17%
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Cream Liqueur with Single Island Malt Whisky
ABV: 17%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Arran Gold
EAN no.: 5060044480270
Serving suggestion: Serve chilled with coffee or over ice as a welcome drink

Flavour Profile

Creamy · Toffee · Chocolate · Sweet · Malty · Soft

Did You Know?

The Arran distillery at Lochranza was founded in 1995 and was the first legal distillery on the island in over a century and a half. Arran otherwise had a long history of illicit distilling, since the island’s remote bays were well suited to keeping the excise at arm’s length. Today the family also runs a second distillery, Lagg, at the southern end of the island.

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Arran's peated side also comes with a fixed age statement — ten years in cask gives Machrie Moor an extra layer of flavour.

The same peaty character as the distillery's classic Machrie Moor, but now with time to round off the edges.

Expert Description

Arran Machrie Moor 10 Year Old is a Single Islands Malt Whisky made from lightly peated malt and bottled at 46%.

The whisky is bottled non-chill filtered and with natural colour after ten years of maturation, giving the peat smoke time to blend more smoothly with Arran's natural fruit sweetness than in the younger, no-age-statement Machrie Moor.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Softer smoke than the younger edition, with a clear underlying fruitiness.

Palate

Round and balanced, where the smoke and Arran's citrus character meet in good harmony.

Finish

Medium length with lingering, mild smoke.

Specifications

Name: Arran Machrie Moor 10 Year Old
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Single Islands Malt Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060044484742
Serving suggestion: In a Glencairn glass, a drop of water is welcome

Flavour Profile

Peated · Fruity · Round · Citrus-forward

Did You Know?

Although Machrie Moor has existed as an expression since 2004, the age-stated 10-year-old is a more recent addition, letting whisky fans compare the younger and more mature peated side of Arran directly.

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On Arran's west coast lies a windswept peat moor called Machrie Moor. Legend says the warrior Fingal tied his dog to a stone here — and the distillery named its peated whisky after the place.

A different side of Arran, where the familiar citrus character meets peat smoke.

Expert Description

Arran Machrie Moor is a Single Islands Malt Scotch Whisky made from lightly peated malt and bottled at 56.2%.

Since 2004, Arran has distilled a small amount of malt peated to around 20 ppm every year — a medium smoke level that offers more than just bonfire and tar. Machrie Moor has become a permanent part of Arran's range, bottled at cask strength, non-chill filtered and with natural colour, put together by the distillery's manager James MacTaggart.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Peat smoke and ash meet an underlying sweetness and a lightly salted coastal aroma.

Palate

Smoky yet balanced, with Arran's classic citrus note shining through.

Finish

Medium length with lingering smoke and a dry, spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Arran Machrie Moor
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Single Islands Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 56.2%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060044482793
Serving suggestion: In a Glencairn glass, a drop of water helps open the smoke

Flavour Profile

Peated · Coastal · Citrus-forward · Spiced

Did You Know?

The name Machrie Moor comes from a peat moor on Arran's west coast with Bronze Age stone circles, one of which has a carved hole said to be where the warrior Fingal tied his dog.

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Smaller casks mean more contact between whisky and wood — and The Bothy is Arran's proof of how fast that contact can leave its mark.

A full-bodied, oily whisky with an extra push from Quarter Cask maturation.

Expert Description

Arran Quarter Cask The Bothy is a Single Islands Malt Whisky matured in 1st fill bourbon casks and finished in Quarter Casks, bottled at 56.2%.

The whisky spends around eight years in 1st fill bourbon casks before moving to 100-litre Quarter Casks for about 18 months. The smaller casks give markedly more contact between whisky and wood than standard casks, speeding up maturation and delivering a more intense character in less time.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla sweetness and freshly ground pepper in a full-bodied, oily aroma.

Palate

Spiced and intense with the same rich, oily character the nose promises.

Finish

Powerful and warming, with the cask strength's clear kick.

Specifications

Name: Arran Quarter Cask The Bothy
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Single Islands Malt Whisky
ABV: 56.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill bourbon casks, finished in Quarter Casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060044483790
Serving suggestion: In a Glencairn glass, a drop of water is welcome

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Full-bodied · Oily · Intense

Did You Know?

A Quarter Cask typically holds only around 100 litres, compared to a standard hogshead's 250 — the much larger surface area relative to volume is why maturation moves faster and hits harder.

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Where the single malt edition honours the poet alone, this blend takes it a step further, combining Arran's own malt with select drops from other Scottish distilleries.

A blended whisky created as a tribute to Scotland's greatest poet, Robert Burns.

Expert Description

Arran Robert Burns is a Blended Scotch Whisky built on a foundation of single malt from the Lochranza distillery, bottled at 40%.

Combined with a few specially selected whiskies from other distilleries, Arran creates a high-quality blend meant as a broad, accessible tribute to Robert Burns's legacy, rather than a single-distillery deep dive.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Light and inviting with a trace of sweetness.

Palate

Dry, light and soft with notes of sweet apple and liquorice.

Finish

A gentle trace of peat smoke in the background.

Specifications

Name: Arran Robert Burns
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5011311092269
Serving suggestion: In a standard whisky glass, ideally as a light everyday dram

Flavour Profile

Light · Soft · Fruity · Lightly smoky

Did You Know?

A blended whisky like this can contain malt and grain whisky from several different distilleries — giving the blender far more freedom to create a specific flavour profile than a single malt allows.

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Scotland's national poet has lent his name to several whiskies over the years, but few carry as close a connection to whisky history as this Arran edition.

A tribute to Robert Burns in single malt form, from the distillery closest to his homeland.

Expert Description

Arran Robert Burns is a Single Islands Malt Whisky from the Lochranza distillery, bottled at 43%.

The bottle is named after Robert Burns, Scotland's most famous poet, and is meant as an accessible tribute to his legacy. The whisky shows Arran's bright, fruity house style without a specific age statement or cask number.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Light fruitiness with a trace of vanilla.

Palate

Soft and approachable with Arran's signature citrus tone.

Finish

Short to medium with a mild sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Arran Robert Burns
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Single Islands Malt Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5060044482397
Serving suggestion: In a Glencairn glass at room temperature

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Soft · Citrus-forward · Light

Did You Know?

Robert Burns was born in Ayrshire, just a short sail from Arran — making the distillery's tribute to the poet more than just a name on the label.

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From one of France's finest Sauternes producers come the casks that gave this Arran its signature sweetness — a whisky that flirts with the dessert table.

Another angle on Arran's popular series finished in used wine casks.

Expert Description

Arran Sauternes Cask Finish is a Single Islands Malt Whisky finished in Sauternes wine casks and bottled at 50%.

The casks are sourced from one of the French region's finest producers and bring a sweetness to the whisky rarely found in Scotch. The sweetness from the noble sweet white wine layers over Arran's own citrus character, creating a dessert-friendly profile.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rich sweetness from the Sauternes casks with a trace of honey.

Palate

Sweet with notes of vanilla, caramel and Arran's well-known citrus note.

Finish

Medium length and soft with lingering sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Arran Sauternes Cask Finish
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Single Islands Malt Whisky
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in Sauternes wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060044481949
Serving suggestion: With sweet desserts, or strong cheese where the sweetness brings balance

Flavour Profile

Sweet · Wine-toned · Citrus-forward · Smooth

Did You Know?

Sauternes is a sweet white wine from the Bordeaux region, made from grapes affected by noble rot — a fungus that concentrates the grapes' sweetness before they become wine.

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The name refers to the Spanish bodega where the sherry casks live before they travel to Arran and are filled with new whisky.

Seven years in a 250-litre sherry hogshead gives this release a surprising depth for its age.

Expert Description

Arran The Bodega Sherry Cask is a Single Islands Malt Whisky matured in a 250-litre sherry hogshead for a minimum of 7 years, bottled at 55.8%.

The cask size gives more contact between whisky and wood than a standard cask, speeding up maturation and explaining why a relatively young whisky like this one still achieves a clear sherry character. The whisky is bottled non-chill filtered and with natural colour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Clear sherry character with dried fruit and a light nutty tone.

Palate

Rich and spiced, carried by the sherry cask's power.

Finish

Medium length and warming.

Specifications

Name: Arran The Bodega Sherry Cask
Distillery: Arran
Region/Country: Isle of Arran, Scotland
Type: Single Islands Malt Whisky
Age: 7 years
ABV: 55.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 250-litre sherry hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060044483776
Serving suggestion: With a few drops of spring water

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Spiced · Nutty · Full-bodied

Did You Know?

A 250-litre hogshead is smaller than a standard butt but larger than a Quarter Cask — that medium size is part of why this 7-year-old reaches a depth normally associated with older whisky.

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Compass Box has spent years fighting for the right to say what is in their bottles. It sounds like a technicality, but it is the heart of the house: if you believe a blend can be art, you have to be willing to show the recipe.

The Expert's Description

Artist Blend is a Blended Scotch Whisky from Compass Box, bottled at 43% and neither chill filtered nor coloured. It embodies the house mission of getting people to rediscover the pleasures of a well proportioned and artful blend.

Compass Box was founded in 2000 by John Glaser and works from a blending room in Richmond in London. The house owns no distillery but buys whisky from across Scotland and puts it together by flavour rather than by geography. That is a different method from the one the large blending houses use.

The nose and palate are full, round and generous, with toasted oak, vanilla and spice in both. The whisky is bottled without chill filtration, which is unusual for a blend in this bracket.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Toasted oak and vanilla first, with a round cereal sweetness underneath. There is spice in it, cinnamon and a little nutmeg, and a clear malty weight that is more than you expect from a blend.

Palate

Full and generous. Vanilla and toasted oak open, then the spices arrive along with a soft fruit sweetness. At 43% the body is good, and the absence of chill filtration is felt in the mouthfeel.

Finish

Pleasantly spiced and tingling, with a fine fading sweetness and a wisp of smoke at the close.

Specifications

Name: Artist Blend Compass Box Blended Scotch Whisky 43%
Bottler: Compass Box
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Artist Blend
EAN no.: 5060632880505

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Vanilla · Oaky · Malty · Soft · Lightly Smoky

Did You Know?

Compass Box fell foul of the Scotch whisky authorities in 2015 for stating the age of the individual components in their blends. The rules say that if you mention an age it must be that of the youngest whisky in the bottle, so disclosing the full recipe was technically against them. The house has campaigned for the rules to change ever since.

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Every single drop from Auchentoshan is distilled three times. Not some of it, not in special series, all of it. No other Scottish distillery does this consistently, and it is the whole reason the whisky is as bright as it is.

The Expert's Description

Auchentoshan 12 Years Old Double Cask is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon and sherry casks and bottled at 40%. It combines the distillery’s characteristic triple distillation with maturation in two cask types.

The third distillation removes the heavier, oily compounds and collects only the lightest and purest part of the spirit. The result is a soft, bright and fruity malt with less body than a double distilled whisky, but with far more clarity in the fruit.

The Double Cask maturation adds depth and warmth without the whisky losing the light, silky style Auchentoshan is known for. The distillery sits at Dalmuir just outside Glasgow and was founded in 1823.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and bright citrus first, with toasted nuts and a light honeyed sweetness behind. There is a fine clean malty floor, and the sherry casks give a suggestion of dried fruit without taking up room.

Palate

Soft and silky. Vanilla sweetness and citrus open, then nuts and a touch of spiced oak from the sherry portion. At 40% it drinks easily, and the triple distillation is clearly felt in the light texture.

Finish

Medium length. Vanilla, malt and a light nutty dryness that lets go cleanly without bitterness.

Specifications

Name: Auchentoshan 12 Years Old Double Cask Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Auchentoshan
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks and sherry casks
Distillation method: Triple distilled
Edition: Double Cask
EAN no.: 5010496001769

Flavour Profile

Soft · Fruity · Vanilla · Nutty · Light · Spiced

Did You Know?

Auchentoshan sits at Dalmuir on the Clyde, practically within the suburbs of Glasgow. The distillery was bombed during the Second World War when German aircraft targeted the shipyards along the river, and one of the warehouses burned. The story goes that the whisky ran down into a pond on the grounds. That pond is still there.

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A triple distilled whisky is light in body from birth. Leaving one in cask for twenty-four years and still having something left requires the wood to have been gentle, and somebody to have had the patience not to empty it too early.

The Expert's Description

Auchentoshan 1999/2024 Signatory 24 Years Old Symingtons Choice is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky distilled in 1999 and bottled in 2024 at 55.6% cask strength. It belongs to Signatory’s Symingtons Choice range, created as a tribute to the house founder Andrew Symington.

Auchentoshan is the only Scottish distillery that consistently distils everything three times. That gives a silky, elegant spirit which with age has developed a complex and refined character rather than turning heavy. Twenty-four years is a long time for that particular style.

The whisky is bottled at cask strength without chill filtration and with natural colour. Auchentoshan sits at Dalmuir outside Glasgow and was founded in 1823.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Delicate notes of honey, ripe stone fruit and fresh citrus open, beautifully balanced by vanilla and a light nutty tone from the maturation. At 55.6% the alcohol is up front, but the aromas carry it.

Palate

Full and harmonious with layers of caramelised malt, dried fruit, orange peel and subtle spice. The high cask strength gives intensity while Auchentoshan’s characteristic softness is preserved. There is no harshness despite the strength.

Finish

Long, warm and silky with persistent notes of oak, chocolate and a wisp of tobacco, testimony to the whisky’s long maturation.

Specifications

Name: Auchentoshan 1999/2024 Signatory 24 Years Old Symingtons Choice Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 55.6%
Distillery: Auchentoshan
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 24 years
ABV: 55.6%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Triple distilled
Distilled: 1999
Bottled: 2024
Edition: Symingtons Choice

Flavour Profile

Honeyed · Fruity · Nutty · Soft · Cask Strength · Oaky

Investment Potential

High. Twenty-four year old Lowland releases are rare, because the region has few active distilleries and because the light style does not always survive such long maturation. On top of that, Symingtons Choice is a named tribute range of limited scope, and the cask cannot be recreated.

Did You Know?

Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 by Andrew Symington, and the Symingtons Choice range carries his name. The company today also owns the Edradour distillery in Perthshire, and Signatory’s warehousing and bottling sit right beside it. Naming a range after the founder is not unusual; doing so while he is still active in the business is rather more so.

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For decades this whisky went by a completely different name. Auchroisk was considered impossible to pronounce outside Scotland, so Diageo called it The Singleton instead. Only in 2001 was the distillery allowed to use its own name again, and it happened on this very bottle.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 10 Years Old Flora & Fauna is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 43%. It belongs to the Flora & Fauna range, which United Distillers, today Diageo, launched in 1992 with 26 different single malts to show the differences between Scotland’s whisky regions.

Auchroisk was built in 1974 by Justerini & Brooks with one purpose: to supply malt for the J&B blend. The first single malt appeared in 1978, and from 1986 it was sold as The Singleton, because the name Auchroisk was judged too difficult for consumers outside Scotland. The name returned in 2001 with this very Flora & Fauna release.

Most bottles in the series are released at 43%, a few at cask strength, and some editions came in wooden boxes. For a number of Diageo distilleries that otherwise supply blends only, the series is the sole route to an official bottling.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Citrus-driven and fresh, with good weight. There is orange peel and a dry spiced note, and liquorice, tobacco and white pepper sit behind.

Palate

Fairly dry and spiced. Citrus opens, then salted caramel, nuts and pepper arrive. A little smoke mingles in the background. At 43% there is good body without weight.

Finish

Medium and dry. Orange peel, pepper and a lightly nutty close that lets go cleanly.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 10 Years Old Flora & Fauna Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Diageo
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Flora & Fauna
EAN no.: 5000281016085

Flavour Profile

Citrus · Spiced · Dry · Nutty · Salted Caramel · Lightly Smoky

Did You Know?

The name Auchroisk is pronounced roughly orth-rusk. It was precisely that pronunciation which led the owners to rename the whisky The Singleton in 1986, on the view that consumers outside Scotland would not dare ask for it in a bar. Fifteen years later they went back to the original name, and it has been on the label ever since.

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The Discovery range is built like a textbook. Three profiles, bourbon, sherry and smoke, and the rest of the label keeps quiet. You have to work out for yourself what a bourbon cask does to a Speyside, and that is the whole point.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 10 Years Old Gordon & MacPhail Discovery is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill and refill bourbon casks and bottled at 43%. It belongs to the bourbon category in the Discovery range, which highlights three fundamental whisky profiles.

Gordon & MacPhail is among Scotland’s oldest and most respected independent bottlers, and the Discovery range is the house’s entry point for anyone wanting to understand what the cask does. By using bourbon wood only, Auchroisk’s bright citrus-driven spirit is allowed to stand out clearly without sherry or smoke clouding the picture.

Auchroisk was built in 1974 by Justerini & Brooks to supply malt for the J&B blend. The result here is a fresh, fruity whisky that works equally well for beginners and for experienced drinkers wanting to meet Speyside in its purest bourbon matured form.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla first, followed by apple, lemon blossom and ripe bananas. A light pastry note runs beneath it all, along with a clean, fresh cereal character the bourbon casks have brought out rather than covered.

Palate

Lively notes of orange peel and black pepper open, then tropical fruit and a soft vanilla sweetness arrive. At 43% the body is good, and the whisky stays fresh all the way without turning thin.

Finish

Medium and rounded with oak and spice, where the citrus note lingers longest.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 10 Years Old Gordon & MacPhail Discovery Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill and refill bourbon casks
Edition: Discovery Bourbon Cask Matured
EAN no.: 5020613094871

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Vanilla · Citrus · Tropical · Fresh · Spiced

Did You Know?

Gordon & MacPhail has been bottling whisky since 1895 and has spent decades holding casks from distilleries long since closed. The house is known for filling its own casks at the distilleries rather than buying finished whisky, which gives control over the wood from day one. That is why their oldest bottlings are so sought after.

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Sixteen years in a single bourbon hogshead is a long, quiet exercise. Nothing dramatic happens along the way. The cask works slowly, and the result is a whisky where time has been spent rather than technique applied.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 16 Years Old Deerstalker Limited Release is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead and bottled at 48%. Cask 16377 gave 318 bottles in Deerstalker’s range of single cask releases.

A hogshead holds around 250 litres and therefore sits between a bourbon barrel and a sherry butt. The wood contact per litre is great enough to give clear cask character over sixteen years, but not so great that the whisky turns overly woody.

Auchroisk was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend, and official bottlings exist essentially only in Diageo’s Flora & Fauna range. Single casks like this one are therefore the main route to meeting the distillery at a higher strength.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Creamy and sweet, with vanilla and ripe pear first. Toasted nuts and a lightly spiced oak note sit behind, along with a fine honeyed sweetness that sixteen years have drawn out.

Palate

Creamy sweetness from the first sip, followed by a lightly oily, spiced flavour. There is vanilla, apple and a dry nutty note, and at 48% the body is good without the whisky turning heavy.

Finish

Long and spiced. Oak, honey and a dry close where the nuts linger longest.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 16 Years Old Deerstalker Limited Release Single Speyside Malt Whisky 48%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Deerstalker
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon hogshead, cask no. 16377
Number of bottles: 318
Edition: Deerstalker Limited Release
EAN no.: 5030748100156

Flavour Profile

Creamy · Spiced · Vanilla · Nutty · Fruity · Honeyed

Did You Know?

A deerstalker is both a form of hunting in the Scottish Highlands and the name of the distinctive hat with peaks front and back that Sherlock Holmes made famous. The hat is never mentioned in Conan Doyle’s text; it came from the illustrator Sidney Paget, who drew Holmes in his own image of an English countryman.

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The cask was filled in 1996 and touched again in 2022. In between, the whisky world went from forgotten to overheated, and Auchroisk got its own name back. The cask simply lay there waiting.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 1996/2022 Signatory 25 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured for 25 years in sherry cask no. 2 and bottled at 48.5%. The cask gave 684 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Twenty-five years in a sherry cask is a long time, and the strength of 48.5% tells its own story: a fair amount has evaporated along the way, and what remains is concentrated. Signatory bottles at cask strength without adjustment, so the figure on the label is what the cask gave.

Auchroisk was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend, and the distillery’s bright, citrus-driven style takes on an entirely different expression here. The sherry has had a quarter of a century to lay dark fruit and spice over the top.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark and deep. Raisins, fig and orange marmalade first, then walnut, dark chocolate and a dry old oak note. A fine leathery note sits at the bottom.

Palate

Full and concentrated. Dried fruit and sherry sweetness open, then nuts, cinnamon and a dry spiced oak arrive. At 48.5% there is good weight without sharpness, and twenty-five years of maturation shows in the texture, which is thick and oily.

Finish

Long and dry. Dark fruit, nuts and spiced oak that let go slowly and leave a lightly bitter chocolate note.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 1996/2022 Signatory 25 Years Old Sherry Cask no. 2 Single Speyside Malt Whisky 48.5%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 48.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry cask no. 2
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1996
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 684
Edition: Signatory Cask Strength Collection

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · Dark Fruit · Nutty · Spiced · Full-bodied · Leather

Investment Potential

{'en': None}

Did You Know?

Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 by brothers Andrew and Brian Symington in Edinburgh and later moved to Pitlochry, where they bought the Edradour distillery in 2002. The house is known for bottling without chill filtration and without colouring, and for printing cask number and bottle count on the label, so you can see exactly how little exists.

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Four first fill bourbon casks and eight years. It is a young whisky, but the casks are fresh, and that makes a bigger difference than the age statement suggests.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2007/2016 James Eadie 8 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in four first fill bourbon casks and bottled at 46%. The release gave 1,444 bottles and is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

First fill bourbon casks work quickly. They give the most vanilla, coconut and bright fruit in their first round with Scotch whisky, which is why eight years here reaches further than eight years in a refill cask would have done.

James Eadie was a Victorian blender from Burton upon Trent whose brand was revived by his great-great-grandson Rupert Patrick in 2015. The house bottles single casks and small batches, and this combination of four casks is a typical example of their approach.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh and bright. Vanilla, apple and pear first, then coconut and a light pastry note. The cereal character is still clear, as it should be in a young malt.

Palate

Soft and fruity. Vanilla and bright fruit open, then citrus, white pepper and a light oak note arrive. At 46% there is more body than in a standard bottling, and the absence of chill filtration shows in the mouthfeel.

Finish

Medium and fresh. Vanilla, apple and a lightly spiced close that lets go cleanly.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2007/2016 James Eadie 8 Years Old Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: James Eadie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Four first fill bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2007
Bottled: 2016
Number of bottles: 1.444

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Vanilla · Fresh · Coconut · Citrus · Lightly Spiced

Did You Know?

James Eadie was a Victorian blender from Burton upon Trent who built his business on whisky and on owning public houses. The brand lay dormant for decades until his great-great-grandson Rupert Patrick revived it in 2015 and began bottling single casks under the original name.

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Bordeaux casks are not common in whisky. They give something entirely different from sherry, more berry, more acidity and a dry tannic edge that a Speyside rarely comes near.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2007/2021 Mossburn 14 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured for fourteen years in a Bordeaux cask and bottled at 46%. It is number 25 in Mossburn’s Vintage Casks range and is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Red wine casks from Bordeaux have been used by several bottlers in recent years, because they add red berries and a dry tannic structure instead of sherry’s dried fruit. The effect requires a spirit with the right lightness, as the tannins can quickly take over.

Auchroisk’s bright, citrus-driven style suits that exercise well. The distillery was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend, and official bottlings are rare, so independent casks like this one are the usual way in.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Red berries first, with cherry and raspberry clearly to the fore. Vanilla and apple from the spirit sit beneath, and there is a dry, lightly tart note from the wine cask.

Palate

Fruity and dry at once. Red berries and a little marzipan open, then citrus, white pepper and a dry tannic edge arrive. At 46% the body is good, and the whisky holds its freshness all the way.

Finish

Medium and dry. Berries, oak and a lightly bitter close from the tannins.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2007/2021 Mossburn 14 Years Old Vintage Cask no. 25 Single Speyside Malt Whisky 46%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Mossburn Distillers
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bordeaux cask, cask no. 10.0407.30
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2007
Bottled: 2021
Edition: Mossburn Vintage Casks No. 25
EAN no.: 5060033847329

Flavour Profile

Red Berries · Dry · Fruity · Wine Cask · Fresh · Tannic

Did You Know?

Mossburn Distillers sits under the Swedish Molson family’s investment company and has bottled whisky from other distilleries since 2015 while building its own at Torabhaig on the Isle of Skye. The Vintage Casks range is the house’s numbered series of single casks, where every bottle carries its own number in the sequence.

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Two hogsheads filled on the same day in 2008, bottled on the same day in 2021. Signatory prints both cask numbers on the label, and that is the whole difference between a named parcel and an anonymous batch.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2008/2021 Signatory 12 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured for twelve years in two hogsheads and bottled at 43%. It belongs to Signatory’s Un-Chillfiltered Collection and is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Two hogsheads give a slightly larger parcel than a single cask, but it is still a manageable quantity, and cask numbers 813968 and 813969 are printed on the label. Signatory has used that approach since 1988.

Auchroisk sits in Speyside and was built in 1974 by Justerini & Brooks to supply malt for the J&B blend. The style is bright, citrus-driven and lightly spiced, a Speyside that sits closer to fruit than to sherry.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bright and fresh. Vanilla, apple and a clear citrus note first, then honey and a lightly cereal pastry tone from the young spirit.

Palate

Soft and fruity. Vanilla and pear open, then citrus, a lightly peppered note and a dry oak tone arrive. At 43% there is good body, and the absence of chill filtration shows in the mouthfeel.

Finish

Medium and clean. Citrus, honey and a lightly spiced oak close.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2008/2021 Signatory 12 Years Old Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Two hogsheads, cask nos. 813968 and 813969
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2008
Bottled: 2021
Edition: Signatory The Un-Chillfiltered Collection
EAN no.: 5021944110858

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Citrus · Vanilla · Honeyed · Fresh · Lightly Spiced

Did You Know?

Signatory was founded in 1988 by brothers Andrew and Brian Symington, who started from a single office in Edinburgh. In 2002 they bought the Edradour distillery in Pitlochry, and today both bottling and warehousing sit there together. The Un-Chillfiltered Collection is the house’s largest range and runs to hundreds of releases.

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Symingtons Choice is not a range you can subscribe to. These are the casks the family has set aside for themselves, and they are bottled when they are ready, not when the calendar says so.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2008/2025 Signatory 16 Years Old Symingtons Choice is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a 1st fill Oloroso sherry cask and bottled at cask strength, 57.9%. Cask no. 4 gave 339 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

A first fill Oloroso cask is among the most active casks available. Over sixteen years it lays on dried fruit, nuts and spice in thick layers, and the strength of 57.9% holds it all together rather than letting it spread out.

Auchroisk was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend, and the distillery’s bright, citrus-driven style is almost entirely covered here. It is the sherry that speaks, with the spirit holding the structure underneath.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Deep and dark. Raisins, dates and orange peel first, then walnut, dark chocolate and a dry spiced oak note. The alcohol is evident but not sharp.

Palate

Powerful and concentrated. Dried fruit and sherry sweetness hit first, then nuts, cinnamon, black pepper and a dry tanned oak note arrive. At 57.9% there is real weight, and the whisky takes water well.

Finish

Long and dry. Dark fruit, nuts and spiced oak that hold on for a long time and leave a lightly bitter chocolate note.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2008/2025 Signatory 16 Years Old Symingtons Choice Single Speyside Malt Whisky 57.9%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 57.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill Oloroso sherry cask no. 4
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2008
Bottled: 2025
Number of bottles: 339
Edition: Symingtons Choice

Flavour Profile

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

Did You Know?

Symingtons Choice is named after Signatory’s founding family and consists of casks the family has selected from their own warehouse. The range appears irregularly and in small quantities, because it is not governed by a release schedule but by when the individual casks are judged to be at their peak.

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Rum and Speyside are not an obvious pairing. The rum pulls the whisky towards molasses and baked banana, and that suits a spirit which already brings the fruit.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2009/2019 Hepburns Choice 10 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky finished in a rum cask and bottled at 46%. The cask gave 182 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

A rum cask finish typically lasts from a few months to a couple of years. The rum’s sugarcane character lays molasses, brown sugar and baked fruit over the whisky’s own profile, without removing the underlying malt character.

Hepburns Choice is Hunter Laing’s range of single casks from younger whisky, often with a finish. Auchroisk was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend, and the distillery’s bright, citrus-driven style gives the rum cask something to work with.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweetness first, with molasses and brown sugar clearly to the fore. Vanilla, banana and a light citrus note from the spirit sit beneath.

Palate

Sweet and full. Molasses and baked banana open, then vanilla, a lightly spiced oak note and a dry close to the sweetness arrive. At 46% the body is good, and the whisky holds its balance.

Finish

Medium and sweet. Molasses, vanilla and a dry, lightly spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2009/2019 Hepburns Choice 10 Years Old Rum Finish Single Speyside Malt Whisky 46%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Hunter Laing
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in a rum cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2019
Number of bottles: 182
Edition: Hepburns Choice

Flavour Profile

Rum Finish · Sweet · Molasses · Banana · Vanilla · Fruity

Did You Know?

Hunter Laing was separated from Douglas Laing in 2013, when brothers Fred and Stewart Laing divided the firm between them after decades as partners. Fred took the cask stock and the independent bottlings with him, and in 2019 the family opened their own distillery, Ardnahoe, on Islay’s north-east coast.

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If you see small dark flakes at the bottom of the bottle, they are there on purpose. Blackadder does not filter Raw Cask at all, not even for the wood residue from the cask.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2009/2021 Blackadder Raw Cask 11 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky from a single cask, bottled at cask strength, 56.3%. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured, and it has not been filtered for cask residue either.

Raw Cask is Blackadder’s most uncompromising range. The whisky goes straight from the cask into the bottle, and the char and wood residue that come with it stay put. That gives extra depth of flavour and a visible sediment in the bottle.

Auchroisk was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend. The bright, citrus-driven style is allowed to stand at full strength here, where the concentration brings out both fruit and oak.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Powerful and concentrated. Vanilla, apple and a clear oak note first, then honey, citrus and a dry, lightly resinous note from the cask residue.

Palate

Full and intense. Vanilla and honey open, then spiced oak, citrus and black pepper arrive. At 56.3% there is real strength, and the whisky changes markedly with a few drops of water.

Finish

Long and dry. Oak, spice and a lightly bitter wood note that holds on for a long time.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2009/2021 Blackadder Raw Cask 11 Years Old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 56.3%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Blackadder
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 56.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Single cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2021
Edition: Blackadder Raw Cask
EAN no.: 5055030611172

Flavour Profile

Cask Strength · Unfiltered · Vanilla · Oak · Spiced · Powerful

Did You Know?

Blackadder was founded in 1995 by Robin Tucek and John Lamond, who had written The Malt Whisky File together. The Raw Cask range grew out of a simple conviction: that anything you filter out is also flavour you remove. The residue from the cask therefore stays in the bottle.

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509 bottles from two hogsheads. The figure is printed on the label, and there is a reason for that. When you can count the bottles, you can also see that no more are coming.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2009/2022 Signatory 12 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured for twelve years in two hogsheads and bottled at 43%. The release gave 509 bottles and is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Cask numbers 804051 and 804052 are printed on the label along with the distillation and bottling dates. That is Signatory’s standard and one of the reasons the house has become a reference point for independent bottlings.

Auchroisk sits in Speyside and was built in 1974 by Justerini & Brooks to supply malt for the J&B blend. The style is bright, citrus-driven and lightly spiced, and twelve years in refill hogsheads lets that character stand clearly.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh and clean. Citrus and green apple first, then vanilla, honey and a lightly cereal note from the spirit.

Palate

Soft and fruity. Apple and pear open, then citrus, vanilla and a lightly peppered oak note arrive. At 43% the body is good, and the absence of chill filtration gives a fuller mouthfeel than the figure suggests.

Finish

Medium and clean. Citrus, vanilla and a dry, lightly spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2009/2022 Signatory 12 Years Old Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Two hogsheads, cask nos. 804051 and 804052
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 509
Edition: Signatory The Un-Chillfiltered Collection
EAN no.: 5021944116140

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Citrus · Vanilla · Fresh · Honeyed · Lightly Spiced

Did You Know?

Signatory today bottles at Edradour in Pitlochry, which the Symington brothers bought in 2002. Edradour was for many years Scotland’s smallest distillery with only three employees, and even after expansion the site works as distillery, warehouse and bottling plant for all of Signatory’s production.

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Rivesaltes is a southern French fortified wine from Roussillon that few people know and even fewer have seen in a whisky cask. That is exactly the kind of find Lady of the Glen has made their signature.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk 2012/2024 Lady of the Glen 11 Years Old is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky finished in a Rivesaltes cask and bottled at cask strength, 59.2%. Cask no. 802860 gave 283 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Rivesaltes is made in Roussillon by adding alcohol during fermentation so that some of the grape sugar remains. That type of cask gives raisins, walnut and a dry oxidised note that sits closer to an old sherry than to ordinary red wine.

At 59.2% there is strength enough to carry both the finish and the spirit’s own fruit. Auchroisk was built in 1974 to supply malt for the J&B blend, and the lightness of the spirit leaves room for the fortified wine cask’s character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Raisins and dried apricot first, with a clear walnut note. Vanilla and apple from the base maturation sit beneath, and there is a dry, lightly oxidised note from the wine cask.

Palate

Powerful and concentrated. Dried fruit and walnut open, then spiced oak, a dry wine note and black pepper arrive. At 59.2% there is real strength, and the whisky takes water well.

Finish

Long and dry. Raisins, nuts and spiced oak that hold on and leave a lightly bitter edge.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk 2012/2024 Lady of the Glen 11 Years Old Rivesaltes Finish Single Speyside Malt Whisky 59.2%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Lady of the Glen
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 59.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in a Rivesaltes cask, cask no. 802860
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2024
Number of bottles: 283

Flavour Profile

Fortified Wine Cask · Cask Strength · Raisins · Nutty · Spiced · Dry

Did You Know?

Lady of the Glen is a family-run bottling house from Fife that Gregor Hannah started in 2012, named after his great-grandmother. The house is known for experimenting with unusual finishing casks, from Rivesaltes and Marsala to Tokaji, and for bottling everything at cask strength without filtration.

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Koval is a distillery in Chicago making whiskey from millet, oats and other grains most Scots would never touch. Their used casks have ended up in Speyside, and the result is not what you expect.

The Expert's Description

Auchroisk Murray McDavid Cask Craft Batch 2 is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky finished in a Koval quarter cask and bottled at 44.5%. It is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

A quarter cask holds around 125 litres, half a hogshead, and therefore has markedly more wood contact per litre. The finishing works quickly, and that is the whole idea behind the range: to give a young whisky a clear imprint in a short time.

Koval in Chicago distils from unconventional grains such as millet and oats, and their casks carry the mark of it. Auchroisk was built in 1974 for the J&B blend, and the distillery’s bright style takes well to that kind of cask.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweetness and spice first. Vanilla and honey sit beneath a clear oak note, and there is a lightly nutty, cereal character from the American cask.

Palate

Soft and spiced. Vanilla and honey open, then cinnamon, a dry oak note and a light peppery edge arrive. At 44.5% there is good body, and the small cask shows clearly in the oak.

Finish

Medium and spiced. Oak, vanilla and a dry close with a little pepper.

Specifications

Name: Auchroisk Murray McDavid Cask Craft Batch 2 Koval Quarter Cask Single Speyside Malt Whisky 44.5%
Distillery: Auchroisk
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 44.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in a Koval quarter cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Cask Craft Batch 2
EAN no.: 5060353304144

Flavour Profile

Quarter Cask · Spiced · Vanilla · Oak · Honeyed · Nutty

Did You Know?

Murray McDavid was founded in 1995 by, among others, Mark Reynier, who later bought Bruichladdich and then built Waterford in Ireland. The house has always had finishing as its trademark, and the Cask Craft range is their accessible entry to the principle: young casks, short finishes and cask types you do not see elsewhere.

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Aultmore drew its water from the Foggie Moss, a misty marsh where smugglers of old could work unseen. The distillery chose the site for practical reasons, but the name stuck.

The Expert's Description

Aultmore 10 Years Old Gordon & MacPhail Discovery is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill and refill bourbon casks and bottled at 43%. It belongs to the bourbon profile in the Discovery range.

Aultmore was built in 1896 by Alexander Edward, and production started on 24 May 1897. The distillery sits by the Burn of Auchinderran north of Keith, a stream known locally as the Foggie Moss.

John Dewar & Sons bought Aultmore in 1923 for £20,000, and since then by far the greater part of production has gone into Dewar’s White Label. Official single malts are therefore rare, and independent casks like this one are the usual way in.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh and grassy. Apple and pear first, then vanilla, a light honeyed sweetness and a dry, mineral note typical of the distillery.

Palate

Clean and light. Apple and citrus open, then vanilla, a dry cereal note and a touch of pepper arrive. At 43% the body is fine, and the whisky stays fresh all the way.

Finish

Medium and clean. Apple, vanilla and a dry, lightly grassy close.

Specifications

Name: Aultmore 10 Years Old Gordon & MacPhail Discovery Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Aultmore
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill and refill bourbon casks
Edition: Discovery Bourbon Cask Matured
EAN no.: 5020613094871

Flavour Profile

Fresh · Apple · Vanilla · Grassy · Mineral · Light

Did You Know?

Aultmore was for decades largely invisible to consumers, because almost the entire production went to blending. Behind the bar in pubs around Keith, however, the whisky became known as a nip of the Buttery, and that nickname lingered long after the bottles had vanished from the shelves.

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When this cask was filled in 1993, almost all of Aultmore’s production went into Dewar’s White Label, and nobody thought of the distillery as a name in its own right. Twenty-eight years later things look different.

The Expert's Description

Aultmore 1993/2022 Càrn Mòr 28 Years Old Celebration of the Cask is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured for twenty-eight years in a hogshead and bottled at 47.4%. The cask gave 233 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Twenty-eight years in a refill hogshead is a slow maturation. The cask does not give much colour, but it gives time, and it is the time that creates the soft, honeyed texture and the deep fruit found only in old whisky.

The strength of 47.4% shows how much has evaporated along the way. Càrn Mòr is Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers’ range of single casks, and Celebration of the Cask is the house’s line for the oldest and rarest casks in the warehouse.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Soft and deep. Honey, ripe pear and tropical fruit first, then vanilla, wax and an old, dry oak note. There is a fine mineral edge that Aultmore keeps even after this long.

Palate

Soft and oily. Honey and ripe fruit open, then vanilla, candied citrus and a dry, spiced oak arrive. At 47.4% there is good weight, and the texture is thick in the way only many years of maturation give.

Finish

Long and soft. Honey, fruit and a dry oak close that lets go very slowly.

Specifications

Name: Aultmore 1993/2022 Càrn Mòr 28 Years Old Celebration of the Cask Single Speyside Malt Whisky 47.4%
Distillery: Aultmore
Bottler: Càrn Mòr
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 28 years
ABV: 47.4%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1993
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 233
Edition: Celebration of the Cask
EAN no.: 5060109229356

Flavour Profile

Old Malt · Honeyed · Tropical Fruit · Waxy · Soft · Dry Oak

Investment Potential

{'en': 'Twenty-eight year old single malt from one cask is a limited category, and with only 233 bottles no more exists. Aultmore has drawn increasing attention as a distillery since official bottlings reached the market, and old independent casks from before that attention are harder to find year on year. Bottles like these are typically drunk rather than kept, which steadily reduces the number.'}

Did You Know?

Càrn Mòr sits under Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, which the Morrison family runs from Perthshire, where they have also built the Aberargie distillery. Celebration of the Cask is the house’s range for the oldest casks in the warehouse, and every release comes from one cask, with number and bottle count printed on the label.

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100 proof is British measurement from the days when alcohol was tested by pouring in gunpowder and seeing whether it would still ignite. The threshold sat at 57.1%, and that figure is still a marker.

The Expert's Description

Aultmore 17 Years Old Signatory 100 Proof Exceptional Cask Edition #1 is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a 1st fill Oloroso sherry cask and bottled at 57.1%. It is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Signatory’s 100 Proof range is deliberately bottled at exactly 57.1%, the historic British proof point. It is not cask strength but a fixed, high strength, and the house selects casks whose profile can carry it.

Aultmore’s fresh, grassy Speyside style has been laid into an active sherry cask here, which gives a markedly different expression from the bourbon matured bottlings. The distillery was built in 1896, and almost all production otherwise goes into Dewar’s White Label.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark and sweet. Raisins, orange peel and walnut first, then dark chocolate and a dry spiced oak note. The alcohol is evident but carried by the sherry.

Palate

Powerful and full. Dried fruit and sherry sweetness open, then nuts, cinnamon and black pepper arrive. At 57.1% there is real weight, and Aultmore’s freshness peeks through beneath the sherry.

Finish

Long and dry. Dark fruit, nuts and spiced oak that hold on for a long time.

Specifications

Name: Aultmore 17 Years Old Signatory 100 Proof Exceptional Cask Edition #1 Single Speyside Malt Whisky 57.1%
Distillery: Aultmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 17 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill Oloroso sherry cask
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: 100 Proof Exceptional Cask Edition #1
EAN no.: 5021944125579

Flavour Profile

Sherry Matured · High Strength · Dark Fruit · Nutty · Spiced · Full-bodied

Did You Know?

The term proof comes from a British method of testing spirits: it was mixed with gunpowder and an attempt made to ignite the mixture. If it burned, the spirit was proved. The threshold corresponds to 57.1% alcohol, and that figure is still used as a deliberate choice of bottling strength.

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