A bourbon blend connected to the American prairies High West draws its name and spirit from.

Expert description

High West Whiskey American Prairie Reserve Blend of Straight Bourbon is a blend of several straight bourbon whiskeys, combined to give a balanced, approachable profile, bottled at 46%. High West Distillery was founded in 2006 by former biochemist David Perkins and his wife Jane, who moved to Park City, Utah, in 2004 to start the distillery. When the distillery opened in 2007, it was the first legal distillery in the state since Prohibition ended in 1870 — Utah had gone over 130 years without a legal distillery. The distillery started in a historic livery stable with a small 250-gallon still and expanded in 2015 with a larger facility in Wanship outside Park City. High West is known for blending and finishing whiskey from multiple sources into unique, complex expressions.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers caramel, vanilla and ripe fruit.

Palate

The palate is soft and sweet with caramel, honey and lightly spiced oak.

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: High West Whiskey American Prairie Reserve Blend of Straight Bourbon
Distillery: High West Distillery
Region/Country: Park City, Utah, USA
Type: Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Caramel · Sweet · Soft · Vanilla

See our full range of High West

Bourbon, rye and Scotch whisky meet around the same campfire.

Expert description

High West Whiskey Campfire is an unusual blend of bourbon, rye whiskey and Scotch blended malt whisky, meant to evoke the mood of an evening by the fire, bottled at 46%. High West Distillery was founded in 2006 by former biochemist David Perkins and his wife Jane, who moved to Park City, Utah, in 2004 to start the distillery. When the distillery opened in 2007, it was the first legal distillery in the state since Prohibition ended in 1870 — Utah had gone over 130 years without a legal distillery. The distillery started in a historic livery stable with a small 250-gallon still and expanded in 2015 with a larger facility in Wanship outside Park City. High West is known for blending and finishing whiskey from multiple sources into unique, complex expressions.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers smoke, caramel and spiced rye side by side.

Palate

The palate is complex with smoky peat, caramel and spiced rye.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, smoky and warm.

Specifications

Name: High West Whiskey Campfire Mix af whisky fra USA og Skotland
Distillery: High West Distillery
Region/Country: Park City, Utah, USA
Type: Blended Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Smoky · Spiced · Complex · Caramel

See our full range of High West

Some bottles tell an entire story in the name alone. Mannochmore 1991/2004 Signatory 35 cl African Sherry Butt Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43% is one of them.

Expert's description

Mannochmore 1991/2004 Signatory 35 cl African Sherry Butt Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43% is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in south african sherry butt and bottled at 43%.

The whisky is distilled at Mannochmore and independently selected and bottled by Signatory Vintage.

It was distilled 7. november 1991 and bottled Februar 2004, giving it its cask maturation.

Tasting notes

Nose

The aroma offers floral notes, green apples and sherry toffee.

Palate

On the tongue you find lemon zest, raisins and stewed plums.

Finish

The finish is long and warm, with dried fig and lemon zest.

Specifications

Name: Mannochmore 1991/2004 Signatory 35 cl African Sherry Butt Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Mannochmore
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 35 CL
Cask type: South African Sherry Butt (#16589)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 7. november 1991
Bottled: Februar 2004

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Rounded · Spicy

Did you know?

In the 1990s Mannochmore was the source spirit behind the notorious 'Loch Dhu – The Black Whisky', whose near-black colour from heavy cask charring and caramel made headlines and is now a cult collector's item.

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Wild Turkey cultivates rye's spicy character with the same craft as its bourbons.

Expert description

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

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers spiced rye, pepper and a hint of caramel.

Palate

The palate is spicy and full with rye, caramel and a hint of citrus.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, spiced and lightly peppery.

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Spicy · Rye · Full-bodied · Pepper

See our full range of Wild Turkey

"Ileach" simply means "a person from Islay" in Gaelic, and the name is the whole point: a whisky that isn't meant to represent one particular distillery, but the character of the island itself. Behind it stands a distillery kept deliberately secret, while the peat does all the talking.

The expert's description

Ileach Peaty Single Islay Malt Whisky is a Single Islay Malt Whisky from an unnamed distillery, matured in oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The whisky is bottled by The Vintage Malt Whisky Company, an independent bottler founded in 1992 by Brian Crook, who is also behind brands such as Finlaggan and Islay Storm. Which distillery supplies the spirit for Ileach has never been officially confirmed, giving rise to countless guesses among whisky enthusiasts over the years, but without an age statement or a named source, the bottle lives entirely on its own flavour.

The style is classic Islay: robust, peaty and maritime, without sacrificing a certain softness that makes it an easy whisky to return to as an everyday dram.

Tasting notes

Nose

Smoke, ash and a light medicinal note meet sea salt and seaweed, with a touch of soft vanilla in the background.

Palate

Oily and robust, with peat, brine and a hint of citrus that cuts through the heavy smoke.

Finish

Medium length, dry and lightly spiced, with a persistent ashy sensation reminiscent of a beach fire just put out.

Specifications

Name: Ileach Peaty Single Islay Malt Whisky
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Single Islay Malt Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 5024720700007

Flavour profile

Smoky · Maritime · Salty · Robust

Did you know?

The name Ileach is pronounced "ee-lakh" and is used locally on Islay to describe a person born and raised on the island; an honorary term that the whisky has borrowed to signal its belonging to the place rather than to any single distillery.

See our full range of The Ileach

Some kings are remembered for their wars. Harald is remembered for his army, and the most feared of them all — the berserkers — who went into battle with bloodied shields. Highland Park has poured that story into a bottle where strength and sweetness meet without compromise.

Expert Description

Highland Park Harald The Warrior Series is a Single Orkney Malt Whisky matured in a generous share of European and American oak and bottled at 40%.

Harald is named after the Orcadian Viking chieftain who, according to saga, could muster an army of berserkers — warriors so fearless their reputation reached far beyond the islands. The shield that marked his men is also the motif on the bottle's box. The whisky is part of The Warrior Series, a collection of six releases, each honouring a central figure from Orkney's Viking history.

The style is full-bodied and spiced, built on a high share of both European and American oak casks, giving the whisky a robust, oak-driven character with sweetness underneath.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and ginger root meet dried strawberries and a calm, faintly smoky peat, with a hint of sandalwood underneath.

Palate

Full-bodied and lightly sweet, like sponge cake with grated nutmeg and a discreet hint of lavender.

Finish

Complex and spiced, with a dry finish of orange peel and lingering warmth.

Specifications

Name: Highland Park Harald The Warrior Series
Distillery: Highland Park
Region/Country: Orkney Islands, Scotland
Type: Single Orkney Malt Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: European and American oak
Edition: The Warrior Series, silver box
EAN: 5010314300340

Flavour Profile

Peated · Spicy · Full-bodied · Soft

Did You Know?

The Warrior Series consists of six releases, each honouring a central figure from Orkney's Viking history — Harald is just one of the six warriors.

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Thirty years in a cask is a long time. The world outside Dufftown has changed a great deal since this whisky went into wood sometime in the 1980s, and since 2007, when Glenfiddich redesigned the 30 Year Old and raised the strength to 43%, this version has stood apart as a small piece of distillery history in its own right. This bottle is from before that change, back when it carried the name Blue Label and was bottled at 40%.

The Expert's Description

Glenfiddich 30 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Oloroso Sherry Casks and American Bourbon Casks and bottled at 40%. This is the original edition of Glenfiddich's 30 Year Old, launched in 2000 and discontinued when the distillery gave both the label and the strength an overhaul in 2007. Since then the 30 Year Old has been bottled at 43%, while this particular bottling still carries the old strength. Every cask is personally nosed and approved by Glenfiddich's Malt Master before it earns a place in the final vatting, and only a limited number of casks make it all the way through thirty years in the warehouse. Maturation alternates between Spanish Oloroso Sherry Casks, which lend depth and dark fruit, and American Bourbon Casks, which contribute vanilla and a touch of sweetness. The result is a whisky that carries three decades of patience within it, complex but never heavy.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dark oak, toasted almond and a hint of spiced sherry greet the nose first. Behind that sits dried fig and a faint, damp earthiness reminiscent of an old library.

Palate

The palate is round and full-bodied with notes of date, caramelised sugar and a slightly bitter orange peel. Oak steps forward clearly alongside warm festive spices, cinnamon and clove.

Finish

The finish is long and dry, with a last flicker of dark chocolate and worn wood that lingers well after the final sip.

Specifications

Name: Glenfiddich 30 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Glenfiddich
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 30 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso Sherry Casks and American Bourbon Casks
Bottled: 2007
Edition: Blue Label, discontinued edition prior to the 2007 redesign
EAN no.: 5010327395258

Flavour Profile

Sherry-Matured · Spiced · Fruity · Oak-Driven · Round

Investment Potential

The investment potential is rated medium to high. This pre-2007 edition is discontinued and is becoming harder to find every year, and it now trades noticeably above what a comparable newer 30 Year Old from Glenfiddich costs. Collectors are especially drawn to the old 40% strength and the original Blue Label design.

Did You Know?

Glenfiddich was the first Scotch distillery to open its doors to visitors, back in 1969, at a time when most other distilleries kept production firmly behind closed doors.

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In the shadow of Balmoral Castle sits one of Scotland's smallest distilleries, whose 12-year-old core release remains its best-known calling card.

Expert Review

Royal Lochnagar 12 år Single Highland Malt Whisky 40% is a Single Highland Malt Whisky matured in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 40% ABV.

Royal Lochnagar 12 Years Old is the distillery's classic standard release, a distillery bottling used as the benchmark for the style. The whisky is matured in a combination of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks, giving a round, balanced character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is soft with honey, dried fruit and a lightly spiced oak.

Palate

The palate is round with caramel, orange peel and a mild spiciness.

Finish

The finish is medium-long and soft, with lingering honey.

Specifications

Name: Royal Lochnagar 12 år Single Highland Malt Whisky 40%
Distillery: Royal Lochnagar
Region: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks
EAN No.: 5000281004686

Flavour Profile

Soft · Honey · Balanced

Did You Know?

Royal Lochnagar earned its royal name in 1848, after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert personally visited the distillery from nearby Balmoral Castle.

See our full range of Royal Lochnagar

95% rye gives this Bulleit edition a markedly spiced, peppery profile.

Expert description

Bulleit 95 Rye Small Batch American Whiskey is made from a mash bill with a full 95% rye, bottled at 45%. Bulleit was revived by Tom Bulleit, who built the brand on his great-great-grandfather Augustus Bulleit's 1830s recipe. The whiskey is characterised by a high proportion of rye in the mash bill, giving a more spiced profile than many classic bourbons. The brand is now owned by Diageo and is primarily distilled at Bulleit Distilling Co.'s own distillery in Shelbyville, Kentucky, which opened in 2017.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is sharply spiced with pepper, grain and a hint of citrus.

Palate

The palate offers rye, spice and a dry, peppery note.

Finish

The finish is long, dry and sharply spiced.

Specifications

Name: Bulleit 95 Rye Small Batch American Whiskey
Bottler: Bulleit Distilling Co.
Region/Country: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA
Type: American Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Spiced · Peppery · Dry · Sharp

See our full range of Bulleit

Sometimes you just need one glass — not six.

About the product

The Mini Whisky Glass Perfect Dram is sold here as a single piece, for anyone who just needs one extra glass or wants to try the format before investing in a full set. It's the same compact tasting shape as in the set of 6.

Handy as a replacement if a glass from a larger set breaks.

See our full range of whisky glasses

No age on the label, no cask story, no named series. Just a distillery, a region and forty per cent. There is a certain honesty in a bottle that does not try to say more than it can back up.

The expert's description

BenRiach Heart of Speyside is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky without an age statement, matured in oak casks and bottled at 40 %.

This is the younger of the two Heart of Speyside bottlings, the other carrying twelve years on the label. Without an age statement the distillery had a freer hand to assemble casks by taste rather than by number, which gave a profile held steady across the life of the range.

The range belonged to the period under Billy Walker, who bought BenRiach in 2004 and turned the distillery into a brand in its own right after decades of mainly supplying malt to blends. Heart of Speyside was phased out after the 2016 change of ownership.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pale cereal, honey and apple with a suggestion of vanilla. Simple and easy to read.

Palate

Soft and malty with honey and a touch of pear. No edges, and that is the intention.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and clean.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach Heart of Speyside
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Edition: Heart of Speyside

Flavour profile

Light · Soft · Honeyed · Malty · Fresh

Investment potential

Medium. The range was discontinued along with the rest of the Billy Walker portfolio, and bottlings from that period grow gradually harder to find. The version without an age statement is less sought after than the twelve year old.

Did you know?

For decades BenRiach sent virtually all of its production into blends and released almost no single malt under its own name before 2004. That is why the distillery is far less known than its neighbours in the Speyside, despite existing since 1898.

See our full range of BenRiach Whisky

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A 10-year-old bourbon named after America's national bird.

Expert description

Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is Buffalo Trace Distillery's age-stated core expression, matured for at least 10 years, bottled at 45%. Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, is the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States. The site was first built as a commercial distillery in 1858 and later taken over by Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr., often called 'the father of the modern bourbon industry'. The distillery continued production through Prohibition under a medicinal licence and has been owned by the family-run Sazerac Company since 1992.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is full with caramel, honey and a hint of dried fruit.

Palate

The palate offers brown sugar, toasted wood and spice.

Finish

The finish is long, warm and round.

Specifications

Name: Eagle Rare 10 år Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Region/Country: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: 10 years
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Spiced · Warm · Caramel

See our full range of Eagle Rare

Two rye whiskeys, one bottle — Double Rye blends youthful bite with older depth.

Expert description

High West Whiskey Double Rye Small Batch is a blend of two different straight rye whiskeys with different ages and mash bills, combined to bring together youthful spice with more mature depth, bottled at 46%. High West Distillery was founded in 2006 by former biochemist David Perkins and his wife Jane, who moved to Park City, Utah, in 2004 to start the distillery. When the distillery opened in 2007, it was the first legal distillery in the state since Prohibition ended in 1870 — Utah had gone over 130 years without a legal distillery. The distillery started in a historic livery stable with a small 250-gallon still and expanded in 2015 with a larger facility in Wanship outside Park City. High West is known for blending and finishing whiskey from multiple sources into unique, complex expressions.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers spiced rye, mint and a hint of citrus.

Palate

The palate is spicy and lively with rye, pepper and caramel.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, spiced and fresh.

Specifications

Name: High West Whiskey Double Rye Small Batch
Distillery: High West Distillery
Region/Country: Park City, Utah, USA
Type: Blended Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Spicy · Rye · Fresh · Pepper

See our full range of High West

Four grains from a single farm meet Koval's heart-cut-only philosophy.

Expert description

Koval Four Grain Single Barrel Whiskey is made from a mash bill with four different grains from a single farm and bottled from one single barrel, bottled at 47%. Koval was founded in 2008 by husband-and-wife team Robert and Sonat Birnecker and was the first distillery to open in Chicago since Prohibition. The distillery uses exclusively single-estate organic grains and a principle of using only the 'heart' of the distillate — the cleanest and most flavourful part — giving a rawer, more grain-forward character than many other American whiskeys.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is grainy with honey, grain and a hint of spice.

Palate

The palate offers rye bread, caramel and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, clean and grainy.

Specifications

Name: Koval Four Grain Single Barrel Whiskey
Distillery: Koval Distillery
Region/Country: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Type: Whiskey
ABV: 47%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Grainy · Clean · Honeyed · Rustic

See our full range of Koval

Rye in its pure, unaged form from Chicago's first distillery since Prohibition.

Expert description

Koval Grain Spirit Rye is an unaged rye spirit showcasing the raw material's character without the influence of cask maturation, bottled at 40%. Koval was founded in 2008 by husband-and-wife team Robert and Sonat Birnecker and was the first distillery to open in Chicago since Prohibition. The distillery uses exclusively single-estate organic grains and a principle of using only the 'heart' of the distillate — the cleanest and most flavourful part — giving a rawer, more grain-forward character than many other American whiskeys.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is clean and grainy with a hint of pepper and grain.

Palate

The palate offers rye, grain and a light, dry sweetness.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, clean and peppery.

Specifications

Name: Koval Grain Spirit Rye
Distillery: Koval Distillery
Region/Country: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Type: Grain Spirit
ABV: 40%
Size: 50 CL

Flavour profile

Grainy · Clean · Peppery · Rustic

See our full range of Koval

Fary Lochan's first autumn distillation. Bottled as early as 2013 – just three years after distillation. An early snapshot from a distillery still finding its voice.

Expert description

Fary Lochan 2010/2013 Autumn Batch 01 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky from the autumn 2010 distillation, bottled in 2013 at 48%, 50 cl. It is one of the earliest bottlings from Fary Lochan in Give, Jutland, founded in 2009 by Jeff Callaway. Three years of maturation is at the minimum legal threshold for whisky, but reflects a period when the distillery was experimenting with early releases. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Young malt, fresh oak, light floral notes and vanilla.

Palate

Malty, lightly fruity, fresh oak and a young spirit note.

Finish

Short to medium, fresh and light with a mild oak dryness.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan 2010/2013 Autumn Batch 01
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 50 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2010
Bottled: 2013

Flavour profile

Young · Fresh · Malt · Light

Investment potential

Medium. An early bottling from Fary Lochan with an older distillation vintage and limited supply. Rare older batches from Danish micro-distilleries have historically increased in value once they are no longer available.

Did you know?

A three-year single malt is technically at the legal minimum threshold for whisky in the EU. Fary Lochan bottled these early releases as part of the distillery's experimental phase – and they tell a unique story of a distillery in its formative years.

FC Whisky Denmark's eighth single cask is a cask strength release with a markedly different temperament from the earlier casks in the series — a fresh bourbon spirit that received a short but distinct sherry finish.

Please note: this bottle is supplied without a box.

Expert's description

Kilchoman 2008/2013 Single Cask FC Whisky Denmark 8 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 5 years old from a single cask and bottled at cask strength, 60.2 %.

The whisky was distilled on 12 September 2008 and matured for just under five years in a fresh bourbon cask, before receiving a finishing period in an Oloroso sherry hogshead and being bottled on 16 September 2013. Only 266 numbered bottles exist in total from this cask.

Kilchoman's then manager, John MacLellan, described the cask himself as an appealing combination of peat, fruit and spice, underscored by the mild sweetness of the sherry finish — a profile that still holds true in the glass today.

Tasting notes

Nose

Peat smoke meets dark fruit and spice, with a mild sweetness from the Oloroso finish tying the aromas together.

Palate

Rich and round, an ideal combination of bourbon-matured Kilchoman character and deep sherry tones, with spice, smoke and a sweetness of raisin and ripe plum.

Finish

Clean and long, with a maturity that feels older than the five years on the label.

Specifications

Name: Kilchoman 2008/2013 Single Cask FC Whisky Denmark 8 Islay Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Kilchoman
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 5 years
ABV: 60.2 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon Cask with Oloroso Sherry Finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 12 September 2008
Bottled: 16 September 2013
Number of bottles: 266 bottles
Edition: Single Cask Release, FC Whisky Denmark 8

Flavour profile

Peated · Cask strength · Sherry finish · Spicy · Fruity

Investment potential

Medium to high. Only 266 bottles exist of this cask from a now-discontinued series of single casks for the Danish market, making it hard to find again.

Did you know?

Kilchoman's then manager, John MacLellan, described this cask as "clean and long" with a finish that felt older than its five years — an assessment that still holds up in the glass today.

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

Expert's description

Laphroaig PX Cask Triple Matured Single Islay Malt Whisky 100 cl 48% is a Single Islay Malt Whisky matured on pedro Ximénez sherry casks as part of a triple maturation and bottled at 48%.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dried raisins, toasted almonds and a rich sherry sweetness.

Palate

Toffee, dark fruit and a layer of warming spice.

Finish

Rich and sweet with a slow fade of dark fruit.

Specifications

Name: Laphroaig PX Cask Triple Matured Single Islay Malt Whisky 100 cl 48%
Distillery: Laphroaig
Region/Country: Islay
Type: Single Islay Malt Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 100 CL
Cask type: Pedro Ximénez sherry casks as part of a triple maturation
Edition: PX Cask Triple Matured
EAN no.: 5010019637291

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Smoky · Spiced

Investment Potential

Medium. As a discontinued PX-matured 100 cl edition no longer part of Laphroaig's range, this combination of intense smoke and sherry sweetness becomes harder to find over time.

Did you know?

Pedro Ximénez is a Spanish sherry style made from sun-dried grapes, giving an unusually concentrated sweetness when the casks are reused for whisky maturation.

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From the era before Diageo, when United Distillers stood behind the bottle, this is an original bottling from a distillery that today exists only in the history books.

Expert Review

Port Dundas United Distillers Original Bottling Single Grain Scotch Whisky 40% is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky bottled at 40% ABV.

Distillery: Port Dundas. Bottler: United Distillers. This original bottling dates from before Diageo took over the United Distillers name, and represents an early, official release from the now-closed grain distillery in Glasgow.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The nose is light with grain, vanilla and a mild sweetness.

Palate

The palate is soft and simple, with toffee and a light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is short and soft, with lingering grain.

Specifications

Name: Port Dundas United Distillers Original Bottling Single Grain Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Port Dundas
Bottler: United Distillers
Region: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Original Bottling

Flavour Profile

Light · Sweet · Classic

Investment Potential

As an original distillery bottling from the now-defunct United Distillers, and from a distillery that no longer produces spirit, this bottle ranks among the rarer official Port Dundas releases.

Did You Know?

United Distillers existed only for a short period in the 1990s, before the company became part of Diageo in 1997 – bottles carrying this name on the label are therefore a window into a specific period of whisky history.

See our full range of Port Dundas

A glimpse of whisky history, from when strength was measured in proof rather than percent. This bottle is a rare relic of a bygone era.

Note: This is an old edition of The Antiquary De Luxe, bottled under the old British proof system, and the bottle may carry natural signs of age such as light label wear or variation in fill level.

Expert description

The Antiquary De Luxe Old Scotch Whisky is a blended Scotch whisky from an earlier edition of the brand, bottled at 40% ABV, equivalent to 70 UK proof under the old British proof system.

The proof system was used to measure the alcoholic strength of spirits until 1980, after which it was replaced by the percentage-based ABV we use today; 70 proof equals roughly 40% ABV.

The bottle holds 26 2/3 fluid ounces of whisky, equivalent to roughly 75 CL, a detail that reveals the bottle's age, since modern bottlings are typically 70 CL.

The Antiquary was founded by the Hardie brothers in Edinburgh in the late 19th century and today belongs to Tomatin Distillery Co, though this edition dates from an earlier period of ownership.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dry sherry, old oak and a hint of cigar box, typical of the blending style of its era.

Palate

Nuts, dark honey and a faint smokiness that speaks of an earlier blending style.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and lightly spiced, with a last hint of old wood.

Specifications

Name: The Antiquary De Luxe Old Scotch Whisky
Bottler: The Antiquary
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: De Luxe Old Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40% (70 proof)
Size: 75 CL
Edition: Older edition

Flavour profile

Dry sherry · Old wood · Nuts

Investment potential

As a discontinued edition carrying the old proof labelling and a rarer 75 CL bottle format, this bottle holds appeal among collectors of historic Scotch blends.

Did you know?

The British proof system was abolished in 1980 in favour of the international ABV system, so any bottle labelled with "proof" is automatically at least 45 years old in its bottling style.

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Before the current label found its place on the shelf, The Hive looked a little different. This release is a glimpse of Wemyss Malts' earlier design, carrying exactly the same honeyed soul that has made The Hive a fixture of the range.

Please note: this bottle carries the older label design of The Hive, prior to Wemyss Malts updating the packaging. The contents follow the same recipe and quality as the current release.

Expert description

The Hive is a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46% ABV by Wemyss Malts, assembled from selected casks sourced from several Scottish distilleries.

Wemyss Malts runs its business on a philosophy borrowed from the wine trade: the family acts as a negociant, seeking out the finest single casks from across Scotland, which are then tasted and selected by a nosing panel chaired by whisky writer Charlie Maclean. The casks are not named after the distillery but after their characteristic flavour profile, which is how The Hive name became synonymous with a soft, honeyed style.

This "Old version" represents an earlier chapter in The Hive's history, carrying a label design different from what is found on today's shelves.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honey cake and ripe apricots, lifted by a light, floral scent of white honey.

Palate

Sweet and full-bodied with caramelised sugar, golden raisins and a silky texture.

Finish

Short to medium, with a warm close of honey and a hint of spiced oak.

Specifications

Name: The Hive
Bottler: Wemyss Malts
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NA
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
EAN: 0040232144936

Flavour profile

Honey · Raisin · Silky

Did you know?

Wemyss Malts' nosing panel is chaired by Charlie Maclean, author of more than eight books on whisky, and the panel only selects casks good enough to stand alone as a Single Cask or join one of the named blends such as The Hive.

See our full range of Wemyss Malts

Seventeen years is an awkward number for a whisky. It was chosen because the casks were ready — not because anyone thought it looked good on a label.

Expert description

Deanston 17 years Old Version is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 40%.

The release predates Deanston moving its core range to 46.3% without chill filtration and without added colouring. Seventeen years in cask is uncommon even today, and when this was bottled it was among the house's oldest releases. Deanston has distilled since the mid-1960s in a converted cotton mill by the River Teith, and the long maturations show a different side from the core range.

Tasting notes

Nose

Mature and restrained. Honey, dried apple and malt, with vanilla, nuts and a dusty note from the years in glass.

Palate

Soft and round. Malt, honey and candied fruit, with a warm spiced middle. At 40% it is light, but the seventeen years have given a depth the strength cannot hide.

Finish

Medium and dry, with nuts, malt and a mild oak warmth.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 17 years Old Version Single Highland Malt Whisky 40%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 17 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Old Version
EAN no.: 5013261190453

Flavour profile

Soft · Malty · Honeyed · Nutty · Mature

Investment potential

High. The release is discontinued, and Deanston has not had a standing 17 year old in the range since. Older releases from the house keep getting harder to find.

Did you know?

Deanston is one of the few Scottish distilleries that uses no peat at all. All the malt is unpeated, and the smoke simply does not exist in the house — which is why long maturation here is about fruit and nuts rather than burning off smoke.

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A Canadian bartender's winter cure grew into one of the world's best-selling spirit bottles.

Expert description

Fireball Cinnamon & Whisky Flavour Liqueur is a Canadian-based liqueur flavoured with cinnamon, bottled at 33%. The product was originally launched in the 1980s by Seagram as one of several flavoured schnapps, with the manufacturer's own origin story crediting a Canadian bartender trying to warm up after an Arctic cold snap. In 1989, the Sazerac Company bought the rights to the formula and initially branded it Dr. McGillicuddy's Fireball Whisky. In 2007 the product was rebranded to the Fireball Cinnamon Whisky most people know today, and a combination of social media, bartender-focused marketing and word of mouth sent sales from $1.9 million in 2011 to $61 million in 2013, briefly overtaking both Jameson and Patrón.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers cinnamon, sugar and a hint of grain.

Palate

The palate is sweet with burnt sugar and sharp cinnamon.

Finish

The finish is short to medium, warm and spicy.

Specifications

Name: Fireball Cinnamon & Whisky Flavour Likør
Region/Country: Canada
Type: Cinnamon liqueur based on whisky
ABV: 33%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Spicy · Sweet · Warm · Cinnamon

Did you know?

Fireball's sales exploded from $1.9 million in 2011 to $61 million in 2013 — growth that briefly saw it overtake both Jameson Irish Whiskey and Patrón Tequila in the US market.

Tall and slim instead of low and broad. The bottle shape alone says this 105 comes from another time — today’s release arrives in a short, squat bottle, while the older ones were filled into tall bottles.

Please note: There is a white band around the bottle neck and light scratches on the top of the box.

The expert's description

Glenfarclas 105 Old Version is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at cask strength 60% in a 75 cl bottle.

The bottling appears to date from the 1980s. The 75 cl was the European standard until 70 cl took over in the early 1990s, and the tall bottle shape was later replaced by the low, broad one Glenfarclas uses today. The whisky carries the white band around the neck.

The contents follow the same idea as the current 105 — sherry-matured Glenfarclas at full strength with no age statement. But spirit from the 1970s and 80s has a reputation for being heavier and oilier than what is made today, and for many collectors that is exactly why the older bottles are interesting.

Tasting notes

Nose

Complex and oaky, with apples, pears and a sweet, dark toffee. There is a dusty depth that older bottles often develop.

Palate

Dry and assertive. It develops quickly to reveal a rich spiciness combined with a hint of oak and sherried fruit. At 60% there is a lot at once, but it is warming rather than sharp.

Finish

Amazingly smooth for the strength. Warming and with a lingering smokiness, yet gathered and round.

Specifications

Name: Glenfarclas 105 Old Version Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Whisky 60%
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 60%
Size: 75 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks
Bottled: 1980s
Edition: 105 Old Version - tall bottle with white neck band

Flavour profile

Sherried · Oaky · Spiced · Lightly smoky · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. Both the 75 cl format and the tall bottle left Glenfarclas during the 1990s, and a 105 from the 1980s cannot be made again. Older cask strength bottlings from the distillery are collected precisely because they represent a period when the category was still new.

Did you know?

Glenfarclas runs six pot stills, the largest in Speyside, and they are fired directly with gas rather than heated by steam. It is an approach almost every other distillery has abandoned, and it produces a heavier spirit.

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Dallas Dhu stopped production in 1983 and was never demolished. The distillery stands today as a museum with all the equipment in place — but without a drop of new spirit since the Thatcher years.

Expert description

Dallas Dhu 12 years Gordon & MacPhail is a Highland Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 40%.

The distillery sits near Forres and closed in 1983 during the great wave of closures, when overproduction brought a string of Scottish houses to their knees. The buildings were preserved and are run today as a museum, which makes Dallas Dhu one of the few places you can walk through a complete distillery that no longer produces. Gordon & MacPhail in Elgin has bottled whisky from across Scotland since 1895 and is among the most important sources of bottles from closed distilleries.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft and malty. Honey, dried apple and cereal, with a dusty note from the years in glass.

Palate

Round and light. Malt, honey and pale caramel, with a touch of spice and a mild oak note. The 40% keeps it easy to approach.

Finish

Medium and dry, with malt, nuts and a faint herbal warmth.

Specifications

Name: Dallas Dhu 12 years Gordon & MacPhail Single Highland Malt Whisky 70 cl 40%
Distillery: Dallas Dhu
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Region/Country: Forres Scotland
Type: Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Old Version

Flavour profile

Soft · Malty · Honeyed · Nutty · Unpeated

Investment potential

High. The distillery has not produced since 1983, and all existing Dallas Dhu is already in cask or bottle. Supply can only fall.

Did you know?

Dallas Dhu is the only Scottish distillery preserved complete as a museum with the whole production plant intact. You can walk from malting floor to warehouse without anything missing — apart from the spirit.

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See our full range of Gordon & MacPhail

Five centilitres is enough for two proper sips and an opinion. That is the whole idea behind a miniature: you find out whether the whisky is for you without a full bottle standing there afterwards as a reminder that it was not.

The expert's description

Ben Nevis 10 years Miniature is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46 % in a 5 centilitre bottle.

The contents are the same as the standing ten year old from the distillery, its best known release and one of the purest expressions of the Ben Nevis style. The Fort William spirit is heavy and slightly waxy, and the 46 % keeps the texture intact even in a bottling this small.

The miniature is made for tastings and for those who want to try the distillery before buying a full bottle. It is also one of the few formats where you can line up five different distilleries side by side without emptying the shelf.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honey, citrus and cream toffee with a floral note on top.

Palate

Spiced at the start, then honeyed sweetness and an oily middle. Fuller than the five centilitres suggest.

Finish

Long and powerful with dark chocolate and spice.

Specifications

Name: Ben Nevis 10 år Miniature
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 5 CL

Flavour profile

Full bodied · Honeyed · Spiced · Waxy · Fruity

Did you know?

Five centilitre miniatures were originally made as sample bottles for travelling salesmen who needed to show a range without hauling full bottles around. Today they have become a collecting field with clubs and auctions of their own.

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A blend with twelve years in cask is rare enough on its own. Finding it in five centilitre format is rarer still, since miniatures are usually made from the entry expressions in a range, not from the ones carrying an age statement.

The expert's description

Dew of Ben Nevis De Luxe 12 years Miniature is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 40 % in a 5 centilitre bottle.

De Luxe is the age stated expression in the blend range of the distillery. Twelve years in cask give it more weight and a clearer malt core than Blue Label and Special Reserve, and the malt component comes from Ben Nevis in Fort William.

Ben Nevis is one of the few Scottish distilleries that distils, blends and bottles at the same address. That makes the Dew range an unusually direct link between a single distillery and a blend, where most blends draw malt from many different houses.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malt, honey and dried apple with a light note of oak.

Palate

Round and malty with caramel and a hint of nut. The twelve years read as depth rather than as edge.

Finish

Medium, dry and warm with malt at the end.

Specifications

Name: Dew of Ben Nevis De Luxe 12 år Miniature
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 5 CL
Edition: De Luxe
EAN no.: 5026673000074

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Soft · Nutty · Dry

Did you know?

Dew of Ben Nevis was launched as far back as the 1800s and was for a period far better known than the single malt from the distillery. The name refers to the dew on the mountain at whose foot the distillery sits.

See our full range of Ben Nevis Whisky
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Special Reserve is the one people in Fort William actually drink. Not the bottle anyone photographs, but the one behind the hotel bar that gets poured without ceremony when someone comes in out of the rain.

The expert's description

Dew of Ben Nevis Special Reserve Miniature is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 40 % in a 5 centilitre bottle.

Special Reserve sits between Blue Label and De Luxe in the blend range of the distillery. It carries more body and malt character than Blue Label but no age statement, and it is meant as the broad everyday expression of the house rather than as a gift bottle.

The malt component comes from Ben Nevis in Fort William, where both blending and bottling take place at the distillery. The miniature makes it possible to meet the range without committing to a full bottle.

Tasting notes

Nose

Cereal, vanilla and a touch of dried apple. The malt sits just under the surface.

Palate

Medium bodied with caramel, malt and a lightly spiced edge. More body than you expect from a blend in this size.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and malty.

Specifications

Name: Dew of Ben Nevis Special Reserve Miniature
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 5 CL
Edition: Special Reserve
EAN no.: 5026673000265

Flavour profile

Malty · Soft · Cereal · Lightly spiced · Dry

Did you know?

The Ben Nevis distillery fell silent several times in the 1980s and was at one point close to closing for good. The Nikka purchase in 1989 secured operations and got the plant running again.

See our full range of Ben Nevis Whisky
See our full range of Blended Scotch Whisky

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The name Coffey doesn't refer to coffee, but to inventor Aeneas Coffey, whose 1830 column still design is still running at Nikka's Miyagikyo Distillery today.

Expert Description

Nikka Coffey Grain is a Japanese Whisky distilled on an original Coffey column still and bottled at 45%.

While most grain whisky is used as filler in blends, Coffey Grain is built to stand on its own. Nikka acquired its two Coffey stills in 1963 and 1999 and is today one of very few distilleries in the world still using this older distillation technique to produce a standalone, fully mature grain whisky.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet corn and tropical fruit like pineapple and banana, with a light vanilla note.

Palate

Creamy and sweet with coconut, caramel and a touch of spiced oak.

Finish

Medium length, soft and sweet, with a last note of tropical fruit.

Specifications

Name: Nikka Coffey Grain
Distillery: Nikka
Region/Country: Japan
Type: Japanese Whisky
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Coffey column still
EAN no.: 4904230032731

Flavour Profile

Creamy · Sweet · Tropical · Smooth

Did You Know?

Nikka's Coffey stills are among the last of their kind still operating in the world - both are made of copper and have run continuously since 1963 and 1999 respectively.

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The world's best-selling Irish Cream, in its classic 70 cl edition.

Expert description

Baileys Irish Cream Whiskey Liqueur is the original recipe in standard size, bottled at 17%. Baileys was created in 1974 by a team led by Tom Jago at Gilbeys of Ireland in the English town of Harlow, as the first Irish Cream product on the market. The name R.A. Bailey is fictional, inspired by the Bailey's Hotel in London. The signature cream still comes from the Glanbia dairy in County Cavan, and today around 82 million bottles of Baileys are sold annually in over 160 countries.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is creamy with cream, cocoa and a hint of whiskey.

Palate

The palate offers cream, chocolate and a soft sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, creamy and lightly whiskey-driven.

Specifications

Name: Baileys Irish Cream Whiskylikør Liqueur
Bottler: Baileys
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Cream Liqueur
ABV: 17%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Creamy · Chocolatey · Soft · Sweet

See our full range of Baileys